USA > Ohio > Muskingum County > Zanesville > Past and present of the city of Zanesville and Muskingham County, Ohio > Part 46
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John R. Stump, father of Joshua G. Stump. was born in Virginia, January 12, 1798, and was
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but six years of age when brought by his parents to Muskingum county, having at that time al- ready been a resident of the state for two years. He was educated in the primitive schools of the times and was reared upon his father's farm. Much of the native forest was still uncut, streams and rivers were unbridged, and the work of im- provement seemed scarcely begun. He assisted in the work of development as the years went by, devoting his energies to general agricultural pur- suits. As a companion and helpmate on life's journey he chose Miss Rachel Gorsuch, their mar- riage being celebrated in 1826. She was a daugh- ter of Norman Gorsuch, a native of England. Unto Mr. and Mrs. John R. Stump were born four children : Margaret, who died in 1863; John, who died in 1861 ; Joshua ; and Leonard N., who is living in Denver, Colorado, and married Annie Lynn. He was county commissioner of Mus- kingum county, Ohio, from 1875 until 1878, and also served for a part of another term.
Joshua G. Stump was a public-school student during the period of his boyhood and youth, and when not busy with his text-books he assisted in the work of plowing, planting and harvesting upon the home farm. He was married in 1868 to Miss Sarah Van Voorhis, a native of Licking township, born in 1843, and a daughter of Dan- iel and Jane (Roberts) Van Voorhis, who were natives of Wasnington county, Pennsylvania. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stump were born five child- ren, of whom four are yet living ; Nellie M., born in Licking township in 1869; Daniel J., born in Madison township in 1873; Mary, born in Madi- son township in 1876; and Jay, born in Dresden in 1877. All of these children have been provided with excellent educational privileges. The eldest son, Charles, who was born in Madison township in 1870, died January 12, 1892.
At the time of his marriage Mr. Stump took his bride to the old home farm and there remained until 1870, when he removed to Madison town- ship, where he carried on general agricultural pur- suits until 1898, being one of the leading and representative agriculturists of the county. His home farm comprises five hundred and eighty-one acres in a single tract, and is one of the most pro- ductive and valuable tracts of land in this por- tion of the state. The place is now managed and operated by his son Jay, but for years Mr. Stump gave it his personal supervision and attention, adding to it all modern equipments and placing his fields under a very high state of cultivation. In addition to this property he has landed interests in other counties in Ohio and upon the home farni is a handsome residence. He occupied it until 1898 when he removed to Dresden, and upon the establishment of the First National Bank in that year he was chosen president and has since acted in that capacity, while for two years his son Jay
was assistant cashier. The bank is capitalized for fifty thousand dollars and there is about two hun- dred thousand dollars on deposit. From the be- ginning the institution has enjoyed a prosperous existence and has become one of the strong and thoroughly reliable financial concerns of the county. The officers at the present time are : Jos- hua G. Stump, president; J. G. Prettyman, vice president, and C. S. Lettick, cashier.
In his fraternal relations Mr. Stump is a Ma- son. Throughout the years of his manhood he has been one of the active business men of the county and probably no single individual has done more for the development of the commun- ity than Mr. Stump, whose work, however, has been performed in a quiet, unostentatious way. In manner he is courteous and pleasant, winning friends by his genial disposition and honorable character, which commands the respect of all. He is public spirited in an eminent degree, and has always given his support to whatever is calculated to promote the general welfare. In all relations, however, whether as banker, agriculturist, or pri- vate citizen he has ever been faithful and true and no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil ever darkens his honored pathway.
HENRY HAMILTON STURTEVANT.
Prominent among business men of Zanesville is numbered Henry Hamilton Sturtevant, who. for more than a quarter of a century, has been closely identified with the commercial history of this city, his name figuring prominently in mercantile affairs. He is to-day at the head of one of the leading mercantile enterprises of Zanesville and is recognized for his keen dis- crimination and sound judgment, while his ex- ecutive ability and excellent management have brought to the concern of which he is the head a high degree of success. The safe conservative policy which he inaugurated commends itself to the judgment of all and has secured a patronage which makes the volume of business transacted over its counters of great importance and mag- nitude. The success of the store is largely due to him and through it he has promoted the ma- terial welfare of the city.
Mr. Sturtevant is a native of Vermont, his birth having occurred in Craftsbury, April 19, 1851. The Sturtevants trace their ancestry back to Holland. His father, Hiram Sturtevant, was also born in the Green Mountain state and was a farmer by occupation. He held membership for many years with the Congregational church and in early life gave his political allegiance to the democratic party, while later he became a republican and a stanch supporter of Abraham
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Lincoln. He served as selectman in his town and ranked high in public regard in his commu- nity as a man of unquestioned probity, who was always true to his honest convictions and reliable in his dealings with his fellowmen. He died in November, 1895, at the age of seventy- five years. His wife, who, in her maidenhood was Sarah Eliza Cory, was born in Vermont, and is of Scotch lineage. Her father was Henry Cory, a farmer. She is now living in Montreal, Canada, at the age of eighty-two years, and she has long been a devoted member of the Con- gregational church. In the family were four children : Edward, a manufacturer of Franklin, New Hampshire; Mary Elizabeth, of Montreal, who is the widow of David Thompson, who was superintendent of the Montreal Navigation Com- pany ; Ezra Thompson, of Chicago, and Henry H.
In the public schools of his native place, Henry Hamilton Sturtevant continued his studies until he reached the age of sixteen years, when he se- cured a position as clerk in a general store in the White mountains. A year later he went to Woodstock, Vermont, where for four years he was employed as a clerk, and this ended for a time his experience as a retail salesman. He went upon the road, however, as a traveling salesman, representing a wholesale dry goods house of Boston for four years, his territory being Ohio, Indiana and the district as far west as Kansas City. He left the road in the latter part of 1876 in order to engage in the dry goods business on his own account at Pittsfield, Mass- achusetts, where he remained for two years, when he sold his interests there and came to Zanesville. Here in connection with John Mar- tin he opened a dry goods store at the corner of Fourth and Main streets in the City Hall building under the firm name of Sturtevant & Martin. They remained there for four years, when, their business having outgrown their quar- ters, they removed to their present location, but at that time had only the east fifty feet of the ground floor and even then it was supposed by some that they would never be able to fill their store with goods. However, success attended them and they are constantly forced to enlarge their stock in order to meet the growing demands of the trade. In 1889 Mr. Sturtevant purchased his partner's interest and at intervals became pos- sessed of long leases of the large building now occupied by the company. Tearing down the old buildings the present modern glass front struc- ture was erected with a frontage of ninety-five feet. In 1904 thirty feet more frontage on the ground floor was added and fifty feet more on the upper floor, thus giving a floor space of sev- enty-three thousand square feet. The building is three stories in height with basement. From 1889 intil 1903 the business was conducted by
Mr. Sturtevant, but in the spring of that year . he organized a company, which was incorporated and capitalized for two hundred thousand dol- lars, he being its president, while W. C. Atkin- son is secretary and treasurer. The stockholders are all employes of the concern and the object of incorporating was for the purpose of giving tne employes an interest in the business and a share in the profits. Those at all familiar with the commercial history of Zanesville know of the steady growth and substantial development of this enterprise. At the time the store was openedi it was the smallest in Zanesville, but wonderful success has attended it and it is now the largest in the state between Cincinnati and Cleveland. There are many departments, covering a wide range of goods and the stock is carefully selected to meet the demands of the varied tastes of the public.
Mr. Sturtevant was married in 1901, to Mrs. Blanch Martin, of Cleveland. Fraternally he is connected with the Elks, while his political sup- port is given to the republican party. He has never been an aspirant for office, however, pre- ferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs which have claimed all of his time and energies and which in return have brought him splendid financial reward. It seems trite to say to those who are familiar with his history that he has risen unaided from compar- ative obscurity to rank with the leading mer- chants of central Ohio, yet in a history that will descend to future generations it should be put on record that his business career is one that any man might be proud to possess. Through- out his connection with mercantile interests in Zanesville he has been looked upon as a model of integrity and honor, never making an en- gagement that he has not fulfilled and standing to-day as an example of what determination and force, combined with the highest degree of in- tegrity, can accomplish for a man of natural ability and strength of character.
WILLIAM B. DEACON.
William B. Deacon, financially interested in business enterprises of Zanesville and occupying a high position in public regard, was born in Buffalo, New York, July 4, 1853. His father, Thomas Deacon, was a native of England and in 1845 crossed the Atlantic to the United States, locating near Buffalo, New York, where he en- gaged in gardening and also handled nicat. He came to Muskingum comity in the spring of 1865 and located on Dresden road, between Zanesville and Dresden. There he carried on agricultural pursuits for a number of years. He was inde-
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. pendent in his political views and in his religious faith was a Methodist, his life being in harmony with his professions as a member of the church. He died May 17, 1894, at the age of eighty-one years. His wife, Mrs. Anna Maria Deacon, was also born in England and her death occurred in Buffalo in 1860. She, too, was a church member. In the family were six children, of whom two are living : William B .; and Anna Maria, who is the wife of William Weaver of California.
William B. Deacon is indebted to the public school system of Zanesville for the early educa- tional privileges he enjoyed, but when still quite young he left school and entered his father's meat market, where he was employed until twenty- three years of age, when he turned his attention to the meat business on his own account. He con- tinued in that line with excellent success until the fall of 1903, when he sold out. In the meantime he had made judicious investment of his earnings in real estate and is now the owner of consider- able valuable property in Zanesville. He is like- wise interested in the glass works of the city.
On the 30th of December, 1874, Mr. Deacon was united in marriage to Miss Julia M. Vande- grift, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Vande- grift, the former a millwright, who followed his trade in Zanesville. Mrs. Deacon was born in this city in 1854 and by her marriage has become the mother of six children: W. E., Irene, Eliza- beth, Ethel, Grace and George H. The parents hold membership in the Second Street Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Deacon has member- ship relations with the Odd Fellows, the Masons and the Mystic Circle. He exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the republican party and he was elected to rep- resent the seventh ward in the city council in 1902. In April of that year he was chosen mayor of Zanesville and his administration found favor with the large majority of his fellow citizens for he was business-like, prompt and reliable in dis- charge of the duties which devolved upon him as chief executive of the city. By perseverance, determination and energy he has worked his way upward in the business world, reaching the goal of prosperity and his broad mind, genuine worth and public spirit have made him a director of public thought and action.
HOWARD EVERTON BUKER.
In a profession where much depends upon in- dividual merit and ability, Howard E. Buker has made steady advancement and is to-day accounted one of tlie capable and successful lawyers of the Muskingum county bar. He was born in Monroe township, this county, September 17, 1870. His
father, Elijah F. Buker, is also a native of the same township and has now reached the age of fifty-five years. The grandfather, Alpha Buker, came to Muskingum county in 1818 and estab- lished his home in Monroe township, at which time there was only one house between the loca- tion he chose and Zanesville. There he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, continuing to carry on general farming at that place until his death, when his farm passed into possession of his son and subsequently became the property of Howard E. Buker, who owned it until after his- removal to Zanesville. It is now the property of William Walker. The old log house in which Mr. Buker and his father were born is still stand- ing, one of the landmarks of early pioneer times, giving indication through contrast of the prog- ress of civilization in this part of the state. It was upon that farm that Elijah F. Buker was reared and for a long period made his home. During the Civil war he ran away from home three times and enlisted, but each time his mother brought him back, objecting to his joining the army because of his extreme youth. He had two brothers, however, William R. and Caleb H. Buker, who served in the Union army. His home is now in Salem township, where he has a well improved farm property. He is a mem- ber of the Methodist Protestant church and fra- ternally is connected with the Knights of Pythias and the Masons. He married Hannah J. Gaumer, who was born in Salem township, Muskingum county, and is now fifty-three years of age. Her parents were Jonathan and Mahala Gaumer, the former a farmer by occupation. Mrs. Buker is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church. Herbert M. Buker, a brother of our subject, is a job printer at Zanesville.
Howard E. Buker, the elder son in the family, pursued his education in the district and high schools of Monroe township, Muskingum coun- ty, and when sixteen years of age he received a teacher's certificate. He followed teaching for three years, during the last year being employed in Monroe township high school. During the intervals of his teaching he attended the Adrian College, at Adrian, Michigan, for one term, and he afterward entered Muskingum College, at New Concord, Ohio, where he spent two years as a student. He began preparation for the prac- tice of law in the office and under the direction of Frank H. Southard, with whom he continued his reading for several months, when he became a student in the Cincinnati Law School, in Oc- tober, 1891, and was graduated in June, 1892, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Law. He was then admitted to the bar and in the fall of the same year he entered the office of his former tutor, Frank H. Southard, and began the prac- tice of his profession. There he remained until
HOWARD E. BUKER.
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1894. when he opened an office for himself and has since successfully engaged in the prosecution of his chosen calling. He was a candidate for judge of the common pleas court in 1898 and was second in the race for nomination, but with- drew before the convention convened and Judge Frazier was nominated. In his practice he has displayed the qualities which mark the notable lawyer, his clear and cogent reasoning and his logical deductions being strong elements in his success. He, moreover, possesses laudable am- bition and strong determination and in argument he never fails to impress court or jury and sel- dom fails to gain the verdict desired.
Mr. Buker was married December 27, 1891. to Miss Viola Castor, a daughter of Philander S. and Sarah ( Worthing) Castor, both of whom are still living, their home being at Otsego, Ohio. At an early day the Worthing and Castor fami- lies came to Ohio and settled in Guernsey county, and during the early 'zos Philander S. Castor and wife took up their abode in Monroe town- ship, Muskingum county. Mr. and Mrs. Buker have two children: Herbert Daniel, born June I, 1895, and Helen Marie, born May 12, 1902. Mr. Buker is a member of the Market Street Baptist church and for several years has been active in both church and Sunday-school work, serving as superintendent of the Sunday school for six years. He is now vice president of the State Sunday School Association and also a mem- ber of the executive committee.
WILLIAM D. LASH.
William D. Lash, prominent in the circles of public education in Ohio, was born in Athens county, this state, in 1846. His father, Jacob Lash, also a native of Athens county, is still liv- ing there at the advanced age of eighty-five years. The paternal grandfather, William Lash, was of German lineage and removed from Belmont county to Athens county at an early period in its development. His son Jacob was reared and ed- ucated there and throughout his entire life has remained a resident of that locality. For many years he carried on agricultural pursuits and eventually put aside further business cares. He resided about five miles south of Athens at the time of the birth of his son William, and later re- moved to within a mile and a half of that village. There were practically no school facilities in that locality and there being 10 district school he and two of his neighbors established one. They or- ganized a board and got the use of an old house which had formerly been used as a sheepfold, put in benches, floors and otherwise equipped the building for school purposes. The three men who
carried on this work became school directors. They wanted money to buy ground for a district school but no one would give or sell the necessary amount of land, so at length they to go into court to condemn a piece of land for the purpose and the stone for the house and the timber were ob- tained from farmers of that locality. Mr. Lash boarded the workmen while they were engaged in the construction of the building. When it was completed he went to the president of the Ohio University, which was situated about one mile and a half from his home, in order to obtain a teacher, and for many years thereafter the teachers for the school were furnished by that institution. He certainly deserves much credit for what he did in behalf of public education in his district. He has long held membership in the Baptist church. His wife, whose maiden name was Susan Morrison, was born in Belmont county, Ohio, and in her early girlhood days removed to Athens county, where she died September 20, 1901, at the age of seventy-eight years. In their family were four children, Hugh M. Lash, the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Lash, became a noted physician and occupied a chair in the Indiana Medical Col- lege. He was also a member of the board of health at Indianapolis and died there September 20, 1903. The third son, Eli Reynolds Lash, be- came a pharmacist, and is now conducting a drug store in Athens, Ohio. A sister, Lydia M., mar- ried Professor D. J. Evans, who at one time was a teacher in the little school house built by her father, and who is now professor of languages in the Ohio University, occupying the chair of Latin. With her the father now resides. He is a demo- crat in politics and has voted for sixteen presiden- tial candidates, his first vote being cast for James K. Polk.
Professor Lash attended school for one year in the old log building which his father assisted in fixing up and on the completion of the new school- house was a student there until he entered the Ohio University, at Athens. During his junior and senior years he taught in the home school during the winter months in order to carn the inoney to pay his expenses at college and thus re- lieve his father of that burden as the latter was then in ill health and had to depend on hired help to operate the farm. Professor Lash was gradu- ated from Ohio University in 1871 with the de- gree of A. B., while the master of arts degree was conferred upon him by his alma mater in 1874. In the fall succeeding his graduation he became a teacher in the high school at Jackson, Ohio, and at the close of the first terin was made superin- tendent. At the end of the year hie resigned and in the fall of 1872 became an assistant principal of the Zanesville high school. He was made principal at the end of the third year and occu- pied that position for three years, when in 1878
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he was appointed superintendent for all of the city schools and has now filled that position for twenty-seven years. The schools of Zanesville are practically a monument to his life work. He is continuously studying methods for the benefit of the school and has instituted many movements which have resulted beneficially. Under his guid- ance the schools have made steady progress, the standard of education being raised year after year and to-day Zanesville has every reason to be proud of her system of public instruction. In early life Professor Lash displayed the elementary strength of his character which has been developed as the years have gone by. He worked his own way through college and completed a six years' course in five years. As a student he was persistent and painstaking, thorough and proficient and the same characteristics have been manifest throughout his own experience as an educator. He is now a member of the National Educational Association and of the State Educational Association and pre- sided at one of the state meetings. He also be- longs to the Eastern Ohio Teachers' Association, of which he has been president and is a member of the County Teachers' Association.
In October, 1873, William D. Lash was united in marriage to Miss Jenet W. Griffin, a daughter of Carvil and Edith ( Walker) Griffin. She was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, in 1850, and there were four children of this marriage: Earl Evans, now deceased; William Ralph; Holmes Griffin, and Edith V.
Professor Lash is a democrat in his political views, but while always keeping well informed on the questions and issues of the day, has never been an aspirant for office. He has long held membership in the First Presbyterian church of Zanesville, in which he is a ruling elder. His mental powers have been continually quickened and strengthened by reading and investigation. His sympathies have been broad and he has learned from life its duties and responsibilities and as the years have passed his efficiency in his life work has continually increased. He has devoted his talents to a profession calling for a broad, cultured mind and strong intellectual force and for many years he has now occupied a leading position among Ohio's public educators.
C. H. HANKS.
C. H. Hanks, owning and operating a large mill at Adamsville, the capacity being fifty bar- rels per day, was born in Salem township, De- cember 2, 1856, his parents being J. D. and Mary C. (Adams) Hanks, also natives of this county. His parental grandfather, Cephas Hanks, was born in Virginia and in 1827 came to Muskin-
gum county, settling in Highland township, where he followed the occupation of farming. His wife was also a native of the Old Dominion and they were married in that state. Of their family three sons and four daughters are yet living. J. D. Hanks was reared to the occupation of farming and has always carried on agricultural pursuits. He wedded Miss Mary Adams, a daughter of George and Christine ( Werts) Adams, who were born, reared and married in Virginia and came from that state to Ohio about 1815. Of their family the survivors are : Mrs. Hanks; a brother, who is living in Muskingum county ; and another brother in Iowa. Following his marriage J. D. Hanks continued farming and was thus engaged until forty-five years of age, when he turned his attention to the milling business, which he con- tinued until 1885. He now owns eighty-five acres of land adjoining the corporation limits of Adamsville on the south and a farm of fifty acres more distant. He also has one and a half acres around his home and at present writing he is liv- ing retired, enjoying a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves. His wife is a mem- ber of the Methodist church and both are held in high esteem.
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