USA > Ohio > Portage County > Portage heritage; a history of Portage County, Ohio; its towns and townships and the men and women who have developed them; its life, institutions and biographies, facts and lore > Part 65
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In 1927, he conceived and built the first Twin Coach in California, which was then relocated in Kent and was the nucleus of the present factory, which is still in the transportation business. He retired as executive vice president in July, 1955, on his 75th birthday and died on October 25, 1955.
At the time of his retirement he was a director of Divco-Twin Corp. and of the Twin Coach Co.
He was married to Ida M. (Williams) Fageol in San Francisco and has two children- William B. (Bert) Fageol Jr., and Margaret M. Gressard.
Todd W. Fenn
Todd W. Fenn was born May 3, 1905, at Tallmadge, Ohio. He was the ninth child of Wilbur W. and Eliza M. Fenn, descendents of early American settlers of English and Dutch origin. The first Fenn to come to America was Benjamin Fenn, born in 1612 in Tolland, England, who arrived in Connecticut at the age of 19. His descendents helped to establish Waterbury, Conn. Later descendents came to the Western Reserve territory as it was opened up and lived in Tallmadge and Hudson 150 years ago.
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Todd Fenn moved to Kent from Tallmadge in 1915, where he attended school, graduat- ing from Kent State High School in 1923. Thereafter he attended the Chicago Art In- stitute, Kent State University and Fenn College in Cleveland.
Following the family of older brothers in the dairy business in Kent, in 1952 he bought out his brother Howard Fenn, doing business as the Fenn Dairy. At this time dairy plant operation was discontinued and a distributorship was established with the Sealtest Ohio Division of the National Dairy Products Corp. Sales now cover three counties.
Mr. Fenn married Alice Elgin of Kent, September 15, 1937. They have two sons-John Elgin, born July 3, 1938; and David Willis, born June 15, 1941.
Mr. Fenn has been a member of the Rotary Club since 1940; is a charter member of the Kent Junior Chamber of Commerce; charter member Kent Men's Garden Club and its second president. He is active in Chamber of Commerce work with four years service on the board and one year as vice president.
Mrs. Todd W. Fenn
Alice Louise Elgin was born June 27, 1907 at Kent. She was the daughter of G. Frank and Mary (Foote) Elgin, one of three daughters. The others are Mildred, (Mrs. Cecil Bumphrey); and Mary Elizabeth (Mrs. Raymond Anderson).
She attended Kent schools and graduated from Kent State High School in 1925. She continued at Kent State University graduating in 1929 with majors in Physical Education and English. She was the first person to graduate from the University who had started in the first grade of the Training School. After graduation she taught physical education in the Barberton Hazelwood School, Ravenna City High School and Kent Roosevelt High School with supervision of the three Kent grade schools.
Miss Elgin married Todd W. Fenn September 15, 1937. Their two sons are John Elgin Fenn and David Willis Fenn.
Mrs. Fenn is a member of the Kent Coterie III, Thenus Society, Kent Congregational Church Adult Choir, Delta Gamma Sorority, charter member Kent State Chapter Alpha Psi Omega National Dramatic Honorary Fraternity and Akron Tuesday Musical Club, (now inactive.) She studied voice with Miss Julia Sawyer of Kent and Madam Rita Elandi of Cleveland and did solo work in various churches of Kent, Ravenna, Hudson and Akron.
In 1950 she returned to teaching as Supervising Teacher of Physical Education at Kent State University High School, and started teaching Physical Education at Kent State Uni- versity where she is now employed.
Joseph Ferder
Joseph Ferder was born July 1, 1910, in Szatmar, Homo- rod County, Hungary. He was the son of Michael and Veron- ica (Majer) Ferder. The family came to the United States in 1921, going first to Cleveland, but later came to Kent.
Joe obtained his education in the public schools in Cleve- land and Kent. He arrived in the latter place in 1924. He was employed in various places but for a considerable time at the C. L. Gougler Machine Co. With his brothers and others he helped organize the Kent Mold & Mfg. Co. in 1944, and is connected with this organization today.
Mr. Ferder was naturalized at Ravenna in 1936.
On August 3, 1935, he married Miss Theresa Mayer, daughter of Charles and Mary Mayer. The Ferders have four children-Patricia, now 21; Carol, 17; Joyce, 13; and Mar- guerite, 7.
Mr. Ferder belongs to the Knights of Columbus, the Elks Club and the Eagles Club.
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Michael Ferder
Michael Ferder was born April 1, 1908, in Szatmar, Homorod County, Hungary, son of Michael and Veronica (Majer) Ferder. The family emigrated to America, arriving at New York in January, 1921. They went on to Cleveland where Mike continued school work in the public schools.
Mr. Ferder came to Kent in 1924, working successively on farms, at the Lamson & Sessions Co., for the Erie Railroad Co. and the C. L. Gougler Machine Co.
On November 9, 1939, he received his naturalization papers at Ravenna.
In May, 1944, he became one of the organizers of the Kent Mold & Manufacturing Co. with which he continues today.
Mr. Ferder was married on April 20, 1949, to Louise Kirkland, daughter of Murray J. and Ruby E. (Putt) Kirkland.
Mr. Ferder is a member of Kent St. Patrick's Church and the Knights of Columbus.
Paul Ferder
Paul Ferder was born in Szatmar, Homorod County, Hungary, June 26, 1906. He was the son of Michael and Veronica (Majer) Ferder. The Ferder family came to America in 1921, arriving at New York in January of that year. They then moved to Cleveland where Paul resumed his schooling, which had been started in Hungary. They came to Kent in 1924, and he attended school here for a time.
Mr. Ferder worked for several years at the Lamson & Sessions Co. plant, and later was employed at the C. L. Gougler Machine Co. In May, 1944, he helped organize the Kent Mold & Mfg. Co. and has continued with this com- pany until the present time.
He was married October 18, 1930, to Elizabeth Mayer, daughter of Charles and Mary (Linzenbold) Mayer. They have two children-Paul J. and Paulette A. Mayer.
Mr. Ferder was naturalized at Ravenna in May, 1939.
He is a member of Kent St. Patrick's Church and the Moose and Eagles fraternal bodies.
Mr. and Mrs. Ovidio D. Ferrara
Ovidio Dante Ferrara was born September 13, 1905, in Rivisondili province of Aquila, Italy. He was one of seven children of Emilio and Carmela Ferrara. His father came to this country in 1889, securing employment in the Kent Erie shops. He made several trips back home and was married in Italy in 1900. In 1907 his mother and son Ovidio, then two, came to Kent and joined Mr. Ferrara here.
Ovidio obtained his education in St. Patrick's grade school and Central High School. As a boy he worked on the muck farms during summer vacations until he was twenty-one. In July, 1919, his father started a store in the living room of his home on the corner of Summit and DePeyster Sts., Kent, and the son helped his father in the business. In July,
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1931, they moved into a new grocery store, which was con- tinued until his father died in 1944. Then Ovidio (Obie) with his brother, George, and sisters, Jenny and Genevieve, formed a partnership and continued the business. In July, 1955, a much larger and more modern super market was built nearby on South DePeyster St., which is now known as Ferrara's Sparkle
Market.
On June 29, 1935, Mr. Ferrara was married to Philomena Gesue, daughter of Paul and Diomera (Iaurrusi) Gesue, who was born Mr. and Mrs. Ovidio D. Ferrara in New Castle, Pa., but later moved to Cleveland. To them five children were born. They are Carmela, Emilio, Diana, Paul and Joseph.
Mr. Ferrara is a member of the K. of C., being a former grand knight. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ferrara belong to St. Patrick's church and are active in various church and city organizations.
Mr. and Mrs. Silvio F. Ferrara
Silvio Francis Ferrara was born in Akron, March 28, 1917, the son of Joseph and Patricia (Naturale) Ferrara. The elder Ferrara was born in Rivesondoli, Province of Aquila, Italy, while the mother came from Vieste, Province of Loagio.
The family located in Warren, O., where Silvio attended school until the age of 12 when he came to Ravenna. There he attended parochial school and the Ravenna High
School, graduating in 1936. He was a member of the undefeated champion Ravenna football team of 1935.
During school and in vacations he worked for Tom Mariana and for other dry cleaning establish- ments, and was employed by the Romito-Donelly Corporation for six years. In 1942 he went to work for the C. L. Gougler Co., Kent, remaining there until 1945. He then joined the Fageol Products for two years and in 1947 opened the Ferrara Bros. Dry Cleaning plant in Kent. This was sold out in 1956 and since then he has been employed by the Angle Tool & Dye Co.
Mr. and Mrs. Silvio F. Ferrara
On September 7, 1940, Mr. Ferrara was married to Betty Claire Fink, daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Hettinger) Fink of Kent. To them three children were born. They are Kay
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Lynn, Sylvia Lee and Martricia Claire. Mr. Ferrara and C. A. Purcell are owners of the Varsity Shop on Lincoln St., Kent. In September, 1957, Mr. Ferrara opened Siv's Martinizing Dry Cleaning Co., using a new process.
He is a member of the Lion's Club, Men's Garden Club and is active in civic affairs. Mrs. Ferrara is a member of Ste. Joan of Arc Patron's Club of St. Patrick's Church and the Roosevelt P.T.A. Both belong to St. Patrick's Church.
Ernest S. Ferry
Ernest S. Ferry was born May 3, 1902 at Krebs, Indian Territory, (now Oklahoma), son of Ross and Filomena Ferry. His parents came from the province of Campo Basso, Italy, town of Caroville. He came to Kent with his family in 1903, and received his education in the local public schools.
At age 16, Mr. Ferry began serving a machinist apprenticeship at the Falls Rivet Com- pany. Three years later he went to Seattle, Washington, to work as toolmaker for various concerns, leaving Seattle for Los Angeles in 1921, returning to Kent six months later because of illness of his mother.
After several months employment at Lamson & Sessions Company, he went to the C. L. Gougler Machine Company, as the only employee in the shop at that time. Serving in various capacities, including becoming foreman of the Gougler Company, he left after 4-1/2 years service to start the Ferry Machine Shop in June, 1927.
Two years after starting in one corner of the old Alpaca Mill, a new building was erected and moved into on Sum- mit Street. The firm name was changed to Ferry Machine Company. Expanding business necessitated larger quarters, and in 1937 the company again erected and moved into a new building in its present location. In 1949 the plant was doubled and the firm incorporated.
Mr. Ferry served as President of Ferry Machine Com- pany for 28 years, becoming Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1955. He is a Past President of Kent Rotary Club, and Kent Chamber of Commerce; Past President and Past National Director of the Purchasing Agents Associa- tion of Akron. He is a member of the Eagles Lodge, Akron City Club and Congress Lake Country Club.
On October 3, 1929, he was married to Virginia Dawson Carroll, (daughter of Frank and Irene Dawson Carroll) of Cuyahoga Falls. One daughter, Carolyn Patricia, was born July 13, 1930, who attended local public schools, Kent State High School, University of Michigan, graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware.
Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ferry
John Henry Ferry was born April 9, 1860, in then Franklin Mills, now Kent. He was the son of Aaron of Judith (Nutting) Ferry.
He attended local schools and graduated from old Central School in Kent. While still a boy he worked in the brick yards on Hudson Road and South DePeyster St. About 1875 John and his father started a brick yard of their own on Franklin Avenue Extension. They furnished brick for many Kent buildings, including the Continental Hotel, Donaghy Block, Alpaca Mill, the Kent residence and other well known buildings. Work continued there until 1905. They employed 15 hands. The latter part of Mr. Ferry's life was spent in farming.
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Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ferry
He married Emma Reynolds, daughter of John and Susan (Gott) Reynolds June 24, 1885. The father, John Reynolds, came from Ireland when he was nine years old and later was employed on the Cleveland & Pittsburgh R.R. line. The mother was a school teacher from Hudson. Em- ma Reynolds Ferry attended Brim- field schools, after which she went to Hudson Academy. She then taught several terms in dif- ferent Brimfield districts and at Black Horse.
Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ferry had six children. They were Mar- ian Edith Fenn, now deceased; Jay Reynolds; Lee, deceased; Ruth,
now Mrs. Winan Snyder; Gail, now Mrs. E. M. Guise; and Glen, deceased. John Ferry died November 9, 1912. Mrs. Ferry died November 9, 1933.
Gino A. Fiocca
Gino A. Fiocca was born in Carovilli, Italy, June 17, 1895. He was the son of Giovanni and Nunziata (Abbondante) Fiocca. He attended school in his home locality until he reached the age of twelve, when he started to learn his trade. He entered a stone quarry establish- ment, learning first the stone mason trade as well as the monumental artist cutting work. He remained there until he was eighteen.
In 1913 he came to America, landing at New York August 29, coming direct to Akron, Ohio. There he secured employment with the B. F. Goodrich Co. working ten hours a day at 14 cents an hour. He worked there two years, after which he secured employment at his old trade with a monument works in Akron and Providence, R.I.
In June, 1919, Mr. Fiocca came to Kent, buying an interest in the Marshall Keith Monument Works. Afterwards this became known as the Portage Marble and Granite Co., handling high grades of monuments of all kinds.
Mr. Fiocca was naturalized in Akron Nov. 9, 1923. On Dec. 29, 1924 he was married to' Miss Lucia C. Fiocca, daughter of Aurelio and Caroline Fiocca of Akron, who had formerly lived in Denver where Mrs. Fiocca was born May 12, 1904. Two children were born to them-JoAnn, now Mrs. Roland Patzer; and Nancy C., now Mrs. Neil Davis.
Mr. Fiocca is a member of the Christopher Columbus Society of Kent, also of the Carovilli Lodge of Akron, composed of people from his home town in Italy. He made a visit to Italy in 1921 and both Mr. and Mrs. Fiocca returned to Italy on their wedding trip. Both are members of St. Patrick's Church in Kent and Mr. Fiocca belongs to the state and national monument builders associations.
John D. Fowler
John Donald Fowler was born October 20, 1925, the first son of Harry Dewey and Dorothy (Mercer) Fowler, in Barnesville, Belmont County, Ohio.
He received his primary and secondary education in Barnesville Public Schools.
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Following graduation from high school in 1943, Fowler was inducted into the U. S. Navy Dec. 13, 1943. He served in World War II until May 6, 1946. While in the Navy he served as a radioman aboard the USS Propus, the USS Ellyson and the USS Bearss in both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean Areas.
After being honorably discharged Fowler became associated with his father in the strip coal trucking business. He followed this line until 1948.
He was married to the former Betty Ables (daughter of John and Geneva Sheppard Ables) of Barnesville Sept. 12, 1948. It was also in the Fall of 1948 Fowler entered Kent State University to seek training in radio announcing.
Between his freshman and sophomore years at Kent State he received his first taste of newspaper work at the Barnesville Enterprise, a weekly newspaper.
The following Fall he changed from the radio to news reporting sequence at KSU, receiving a bachelor of arts de- gree in journalism in June, 1952.
In March, 1950, while a junior at KSU, he was Kent correspondent for the Akron Beacon Journal in Kent. He held this part-time position until he completed his under- graduate work at KSU in January, 1952.
It was at this time he was employed as a reporter-photog- rapher by the Ravenna and Kent Record-Courier, a position he still holds.
John and Betty Fowler have one son, John Randall. They live at 600 Woodside Dr., Kent.
Fowler is a member of the Board of Directors of the Portage County Tuberculosis and Health Association, president of the Portage County Unit of the Kent State University Alumni Association and is director of the essay contest for National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.
He's treasurer of Akron Chapter, Sigma Delta Chi, national professional journalistic fraternity, and a member of Kappa Alpha Mu, national photographic society.
He and his wife are members of the First Methodist Church of Barnesville.
James France
James France was born in England, June 20, 1820, grew to manhood, married and raised part of his family there before emigrating to the United States about the year 1856. After brief residences in upper New York State and West Virginia, he settled in Kent (then Franklin Mills) in 1858. At first a farmer, he became a real estate broker, and about 1880 opened a dry goods store. The store grew under its founder, his son and grandson into Kent's first and only large department store, which at its peak of expansion occupied three floors of the old Continental Hotel Building and all of the upper floors of the build- ings on the north side of Main Street from Water Street to the Erie Railroad.
In 1881 Mr. France was one of the organizers of the City Bank of which he con- tinued to be a director until his death, January 8, 1894.
Mr. France was married December 25, 1848 to Martha Littlewood who died April 15, 1893. They were survived by three children: Rhoda, born December 5, 1850 and married May 20, 1893 to W. B. Mckeon; Emily, born March 12, 1855 and married September 25, 1884 to Frank C. Kendrick; Elmer E. France, for whose biography see below.
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Elmer E. France
Elmer E. France, son of James and Martha (Littlewood) France was born in Kent, April 22, 1863. He attended public schools there and Eastman Business College, New York City. Upon his graduation he returned to Kent to assist his father in the operation of the family store. He continued in the operation of the store, expanding it after his father's death into a modern department store, and was active in the business, except during two terms as postmaster of Kent, until 1922, when the store was sold to Gensemer Brothers.
Mr. France was active in Democratic politics throughout his adult life. He served as postmaster of Kent from 1896 to 1900, and again from 1913 to 1921.
During the first World War he was chairman of the government bond sales in Kent, and county chairman of the Victory Bond campaign, and active in the Red Cross and other war aid committees.
In 1910 Mr. France was chairman of the local committee which secured the location of Kent State University (then Kent State Normal School) in Kent, as well as manager of the campaign to raise funds for the purchase of land for the campus. In 1933 he was called from retirement to serve as local manager for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation in refinancing home loans.
Mr. France took a keen interest in sports, particularly baseball and for 20 years from the age of fifteen was an active player on the Kent Islanders, the community team, and managed the team until 1902.
He was married on August 4, 1886 to Cora M. Haymaker, daughter of Oscar Hay- maker, Franklin Township farmer and schoolmaster and descendent of Jacob Haymaker, a first settler of Kent. They had two children: Carl H. for whose biography see below, and Marjorie B., born January 12, 1891, and married October 15, 1915 to Byron W. Fessenden.
Elmer E. France died December 12, 1935, a widower, his wife having died May 12, 1931.
Carl H. France
Carl Haymaker France, son of Elmer E. and Cora (Hay- maker) France was born in Kent, June 8, 1887. He was edu- cated in the public schools, and upon graduation from high school attended New Bedford Textile School for training as a color chemist. After graduation there he was associated with Cleveland Worsted Mills in Cleveland until his health broke down in 1915. Thereafter he became a salesman for B. F. Goodrich Company until his retirement in June 1952.
Mr. France was also active in the management of the family department store until its sale in 1922. In 1927, with his brother in law Byron W. Fessenden, he opened and operated Twin Lakes public bathing beach, continuing its operation until 1943.
On May 9, 1910, he was married to Olive A. Gray of Norwalk, Connecticut. They had two children: Phyllis G. born July 14, 1911, and married October 29, 1932 to Burton Waldorf, and thereafter to D. Austin Grubb; James G. France, for whose biography see below.
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Carl H. France, died December 18, 1952, shortly after his retirement. Mrs. France, who survives him has been active in civic affairs in her own right, serving as member of the Kent Board of Education for three terms and as president of that body. She also served in 1953-54 as member of the City Charter commission.
James G. France
James Goodwin France was born March 13, 1915, in Norwalk, Connecticut, the son of Carl H. and Olive Gray France. Returning with his parents to Kent in his infancy, he was educated in the Kent Public Schools and attended Brown University where he was editor of the University daily newspaper and member of Phi Beta Kappa Society, graduating in 1936 with honors in economics and history.
For two years following graduation from college, Mr. France was employed as traveling secretary for his college fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi. He then attended Yale Uni- versity Law School, graduating in 1941 and being admitted to the Ohio bar in that year. Until he entered military service in 1942 he was associated with the New York law firm of White and Case.
In May 1942 he entered military service as a private, Army Air Forces, was commissioned a second lieutenant in March 1943 and served overseas with 457th Bombardment Groups stationed in England. While on active duty he was married, March 19, 1945 in Conington, England to Ethelnore R. Secord of Milwaukee, Wis.
Mr. France was released from active duty in September, 1945 as captain, Air Corps, and immediately became as- sociated with S. P. Harbourt, of Kent, in practice of law. He opened his own offices in January 1947, continuing his prac- tice, alone, and in association with Robert E. Cook, until the latter's election as prosecutor in 1952, and his own election as Judge in 1953.
During the period of his practice, Judge France was active in civic affairs, serving as member and president of the Kent City Board of Education, as director and president of the Kent Chamber of Commerce and Trustee and Secretary of the Kent Community Chest, a position which he still holds. He is a member of the Kent Rotary Club and the American Legion and the First Congregational Church, Kent, of which he is trustee.
Upon creation of the Ravenna Municipal Court in 1953, although a resident of Kent, he was the sole candidate to be endorsed by the Portage County Bar Association for the position of judge and was elected unopposed for the six year term commencing January 1954. He organized and staffed the court which has jurisdiction over all of Portage County and has disposed of more than 12,000 cases in its first two and one-half years of operation.
Judge and Mrs. France have two children: Peter St. John, born November 7, 1946 and Martha Mary, born December 15, 1949.
Charles W. Frankhouser
Charles W. Frankhouser was born Feb. 11, 1906, in Uniontown, Penna., the son of Robert and Selina Frankhouser. He was the eldest of six children.
Charles received his education in the Uniontown public schools, graduating from South Union High School in 1925. He then went to Akron, Ohio, graduating from Goodyear
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University in October, 1925. After that he started as a counter man with the Craig Motor Service Co. in Uniontown, working there until the firm opened a branch in Brownsville, Pa. He served as manager there until 1932 when he took a similar position with the S. & R. Grinding Co. of Pittsburgh. A year later he went to the Superior Auto Accessories Co. of Pittsburgh and in 1935 took a counter man job with the Mckeesport Auto Parts of Mckeesport.
With this training Mr. Frankhouser decided to venture into business for himself and came to Kent in 1937 to start the Penn Auto Stores on North Water St. A year later he changed the name to the Penn Auto Parts. He operated in this way until December, 1945, when a fire took him out of business until Feb. 6, 1946, when he opened under the name of the Portage Auto Parts. In October, 1950, he moved the establishment to a new building at 501 Gougler Ave., the present location, doing a wholesale auto parts business af- filiated with the National Automotive Parts Assn.
Mr. Frankhouser was married in 1929 to Miss R. Gladys Wilson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. A. Wilson of Union- town, Penna. To them were born two sons, Charles Jerome and John Richard who today attend Roosevelt High School.
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