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 78
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Mrs. Meloy was an active member of the Eastern Star, holding the office of Past Most Excellent Chief for three years. She belongs to the Pythian Sisters and organized the 4-H Club of Hiram in 1920, being club leader for three years during which time several prizes were won in state competition. She also has been a member of the Band Mothers organiza- tion of Garrettsville, being honorary member, and taking part in many local activities.
James A. Miller, M.D.
James A. Miller was born in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, on January 1, 1860, being the oldest son of Edwin and Desire (Green) Miller. His father, Edwin Miller, was a versatile musician, especially skilled in violin. He made many violins used by musicians of Northern Ohio. He also was a skilled wheelright and during the Civil War built wheels for cannon caissons for the Northern Army.
Edwin Miller early taught his son to play the violin and at the age of seven he played with his father, on a half sized violin, for community dances which often continued until early morning hours. When he was thirteen years of age he went with his parents to home- stead an hundred acre farm near Ravenna, Michigan. He helped to fell the trees and pre- pare the timber for the building of the log house that was to be his father's home for many years. His mother died when he was eighteen. His schooling was a matter of a few months in the winter each year. He never finished high school. He often expressed a wish that he might become a doctor and especially was this ambition intensified by the death of his mother and five brothers and sisters whom he felt had died for lack of medical care. This ambition was frowned upon by his father who thought that his music was all he needed for a livelihood and he did all in his power to thwart its fullfillment even when he son had nearly completed his education.
When he was twenty-one he figured that he had fullfilled his obligation to his father
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and returned to Mantua, Ohio where he had spent most of his early childhood and joined an orchestra under the direction of a local musician, Dell Skinner, and later he joined the Great Pacific Shows as a musician. This show traveled the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers by sternwheeler boats, giving shows in the towns along the way, in the latter years of the nineteenth century.
In the fall of 1882, he engaged to care for the horses, office, and drive for Dr. A. M. Irwin, the Mantua physician, for his board, room, the use of the Doctor's books and twenty- five cents for spending money. He picked up a few dollars now and then by playing to provide his clothes. Dr. Irwin gave of his limited spare time to tutor him in the education he lacked, especially English, Latin and Physiology to prepare him for entrance examination to enter Medical College.
During the summer of 1883 he successfully met the requirements and that fall he matriculated at Homeopathic College, which was then located in down town Cleveland on Huron Road; this college, years later, was absorbed by Ohio State University.
He lived in an attic room near the college, furnished with a cot, a small table, an old oil lamp and one straight chair; there was little heat and often he was compelled to wrap an old horse blanket, which was part of his bedding, about him for warmth while he studied. He was often hungry. His source of income was most uncertain due to lack of engage- ments to play either the violin or the trumpet.
In college he came under the influence and tutelage of such prominent medical men of the day as Dr. H. F. Biggar, Dr. Nathan Schneider, Dr. W. A. Phillips and Dr. W. T. Miller and their interest in him was most profound.
In December, 1885, he married Emma Burnett of Mantua, Ohio, and in the following March of 1886 he was graduated from the Homeopathic College and received his license from the state to practice. In August 1886 he purchased the office equipment of Dr. Steven Warren, a Garrettsville physican who left for further study.
Dr. Miller then began his career as a country doctor and with the proverbial horse and buggy transportation. His success as a physician and surgeon, surgery which was often performed on the kitchen table in the home of the afflicted for lack of hospital facilities, brought him patients from far and near. He was friend and counselor, as well as physician to all, especially to young people on the verge of young man and womanhood.
During the years he took time for post-graduate work at Ohio State University and the University of Illinois and kept abreast of the changing methods with current books and hospital contacts; especially did he participate in the growth of the present Huron Road Hospital in Cleveland. Mindful of his difficulties in early years he was ever ready to help a number of young men through medical school with encouragement, tutelage and substantial aid and in their establishment for practice.
Mrs. Emma Miller died in September of 1932 after a long illness.
In 1933 he discontinued house calls and confined his practice to his office. He had been spending vacations in the winter time in Florida since 1917. In April, 1934, he married Edith M. Keller, a native of Windham. Purchasing a winter home in Florida in 1935, he lengthened his winter in Florida and practiced only seven months of the year. After being stricken with a coronary thrombosis while in his winter home in January 1941, he returned to Garrettsville in May and closed his office in completion of nearly fifty-five years of service to his community. He died March 8, 1942, in Phoenix, Arizona where he had been spending the winter.
Dr. Miller had no organizational affiliations outside of his profession and his creed was
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"to be of service to his fellow man, with or without compensation." His home possessed the best in musical instruments and it embraced a large library of musical compositions. He traveled much throughout the world. Nature was a never ending source of interest and one of his hobbies was collecting unusual rock formations and semi-precious stones. The collection was given to the Garfield High School at Garrettsville for the use of the science classes.
His devotion to those he loved was unmeasurable, his support of all community ac- tivities constant and generous.
Earl E. Pelsue
Earl Ernest Pelsue was born in Rutland, Vermont, Jan. 29, 1895. He was the son of Ernest L. and Susie (Hudson) Pelsue.
He attended Rutland schools and graduated from the High School there in 1914. After that he attended the Massachussetts College of Pharmacy in Boston, receiving his diploma in 1916. In March, 1918, Mr. Pelsue entered U. S. naval service, serving in a hospital at Newport, R.I. for seven months, and later in transport service on the Atlantic. He was discharged in September, 1919. He was first employed as head of the prescription department of the C. O. Frost store in Middlebury, Vermont, remaining there until 1925, when he came to Portage County, Ohio. At Garrettsville he purchased the drug store of W. H. Ayers, which had been established in 1870.
In April, 1920, Mr. Pelsue was married to Miss Grace Madeline Mack of Brandon, Vermont. To them two children were born. They are Barbara Hudson, now Mrs. Charles R. Donley of Zanesville, Ohio; and Earl Dyer Pelsue, now teacher and coach in the James A. Garfield High School at Garrettsville.
The Pelsue Drug Store is now in its thirty-first year. Its twenty-fifth anniversay was marked with special observance.
Mr. Pelsue was a member of the United Church. He served ten years on the local board of education and six years on the county board. He was a director in the Garrettsville First National Bank. In Masonry he belonged to the Garrettsville Lodge and the Silver Creek Chapter. Mr. Pelsue died in February, 1957.
Elmer H. Rinearson
Elmer Hamilton Rinearson was born in Huntington County, Indiana, Feb. 20, 1897. He was the son of John A. and Tlitha (Burnsworth) Rinearson. He graduated from the Monument City High School in Huntington County in 1916.
In World War I, Mr. Rinearson served in the army and after his discharge in 1919, moved to Cincinnati. There on Sept. 14 of that year he was married to Miss Alice Brown, daughter of Andrew J. and Katherine (Hatfield) Brown of Oneida, Tennessee.
In 1921 they moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to enter Spencerian College, from which he graduated with a BBA degree. He taught accounting and mathematics at Spencerian for five years and was vice president of the Federal Audit Co. in Cleveland five years.
In 1928 Mr. Rinearson came to Garrettsville to become office manager for the Edick Chevrolet Co., remaining several years. He was treasurer of Garrettsville Village four years
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and a member of the Board of Education four years. In 1942 and 1943 he was Supervisor of Costs for the Atlas Powder Co. at the Arsenal. In October, 1943, he was appointed County Auditor by the county commissioners and has served in the office since that time. He has practiced accounting, auditing and tax service since 1923.
The Rinearsons have three children. They are: Robert A. Rinearson, owner of the Rinearson Audit Co. of Garrettsville. He served in the Marine Corps in World War II; Elmer E. Rinearson, credit manager of Polson Rubber Co. of Garretts- ville, who served in the Marine Corps in World War II and Korean wars; James S. Rinearson of Opalocka, Fla., with the U. S. postoffice there. He served in the army in the Korean War. There are four grandchildren-Sandra Kay and Jeffrey Allen, children of Elmer E .; and Richard James and David Kevan, children of James S.
Mr. Rinearson is a member of the Republican party, Garrettsville Methodist Church, Garrettsville Rotary Club and the various Grange organiza- tions. He is past Commander of Garrettsville Legion Post.
Delbert Paul Thomas
Delbert Paul Thomas was born at Alliance, Ohio, April 14, 1877. He was the eldest son of George and Marietta Thomas. When he was one year old the family moved to Cleveland, their home for many years. There he attended elementary school, graduated from Bolton High School and Spencerian Business School.
After this he did collection work for his father who had a furniture store in the block where the Higbee Co. store is now located. Later, he was employed by the Telling-Belle Vernon Milk Co. and the Laub Bakery Co. until moving to Garrettsville.
In Garrettsville he and his brother Harry purchased the feed store later known as the Thomas Brothers, which they operated for seventeen years. After two years of semi-retire- ment he purchased the Garrettsville Theater from Kenneth Gentholtz, and this he successfully managed for fourteen years, retiring in 1946.
Mr. Thomas was a member of the Euclid Ave. Congregational Church, Cleveland, and the United Church of Garrettsville.
He passed away June 9, 1954. One son, Paul Allan, survived him.
Myron W. Thomas, M.D.
Myron Wendell Thomas was born in Cleveland, Ohio, September 16, 1903. He is the son of Samuel and Ceinwen G. (Morgan) Thomas.
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He received his education in the Cleveland Public Schools and graduated from Adelbert College, Western Re- serve University in 1925. He then taught at South High School, Cleveland, Ohio for three years and entered Ohio State Medical School, graduating in 1932 with an M.D. degree.
He interned at St. Lukes Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio and practiced in that city for two years. He moved to Garretts- ville, Ohio in 1935.
He is a member of Sigma Nu and Phi Rho Sigma Fra- ternities, several Masonic orders and is an active member of the Garrettsville Methodist Church.
Dr. Thomas married Frances E. Weiss of Newark, Ohio in 1932. They have one son, Myron Francis.
Harry Abbott
Harry Abbott was born April 22, 1878, at his present farm home near Hiram Rapids. He was the son of Homer and Caroline (Haker) Abbott. His early education was received in the schools of Hiram township and he also attended Hiram College for a time. His home has been on the same farm all his life, with the exception of four years when he raised onions and celery elsewhere. In this work he once raised 4,000 bushels of onions on six acres of land. His principal crops here were dairying, wheat and potatoes. With the latter, he achieved unusual success, re- ceiving achievement prizes for best production in thirteen northeastern Ohio counties in the years 1934-35-36. He also raised fifty bushels of wheat per acre for three successive years, which won him a ribbon at the International Stock Show at Chicago in 1915.
He has been active in township affairs, being a township trustee for several years, and has been a member of the Hiram Grange for twenty-five years.
His hobby is an interesting one. It is the collection of Indian relics, and minerals, of which he has a fine collection. A good share of the specimens were found on his farm in the Cuyahoga River watershed. He has the largest collection of Indian relics, locally found, in the county.
J. Everest Allyn
James Everest Allyn was born September 21, 1877, on the Allyn farm in Hiram town- ship where he now lives. He is the son of Watson and Hattie (Vaughan) Allyn and had one brother, William Peletiah. He also had one half-brother and one half-sister. His father was born in Hiram in the spring of 1824 after the mother had made the long trip from Connecticut.
Mr. Allyn received his education in the school district of "Pigwauket" and the Prepara- tory Department of Hiram College. In 1894 he entered Hiram College and in 1899, after
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a year out to finance his family, he received his degree in engineering. His plans for a career in engineering were in- terrupted by the illness of his father and he became a farmer, where he received state and national recognition as a dairy- man.
From his favored position Mr. Allyn has been able to give his leadership in several capacities to the community. He has been a member of Hiram Christian Church since 1892, and was Chairman of the Church board for sixteen years; he was a trustee of the township on two different oc- casions; he is a member of the Grange and the Farm Bureau and has held many offices in each. He was a charter member of Portage County Improvement Association. He has been an occasional contributor to periodicals.
Mr. Allyn was married in 1925 to Miss Madge Brosius, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Brosius of Garrettsville. They have one daughter, Elizabeth.
Colman Bancroft
Colman Bancroft, son of Daniel Barrett and Hannah (Strunk) Bancroft, was born August 25, 1843, on the family farm in Farmersville Township, Cattaraugus County, New York. His birthplace was a log cabin. The "little red school house" which he attended as a boy was nearly a mile from his home.
In addition to the district school Mr.Bancroft's preparatory work consisted of short periods of study in various places-a select school in Elton, Rushford Academy, East Aurora Academy, Arcade Academy, and finally, Pike Seminary, all in New York State.
Although his early education was often interrupted by farm work, he was an outstand- ing student in any class room. His teachers, recognizing this, suggested that he seek higher education. In the fall of 1865 Mr. Bancroft entered the University of Michigan, from which institution he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1869. The Master of Science degree was granted by the same university in 1872. The honorary degree of Doctor of Phil- osophy was bestowed on him in 1900 by Hiram College.
Upon the invitation of Pres. B. A. Hinsdale and the trustees of Hiram College, Colman Bancroft became Profes- sor of Mathematics and Astronomy at Hiram in the fall of 1875. He also taught classes of French and German. After four years of teaching at Hiram he resigned because of the illness of his father, and returned to the New York farm.
In 1880 he married Clara F. Cook, daughter of a Free Will Baptist minister. In 1881 Prof. Bancroft came to Hiram the second time, again by invitation, and brought with him his young wife and infant son, Arthur (deceased in 1914). Two other children were born in Hiram-Louis (deceased in 1886); and Helen, now Mrs. J. O. Newcomb.
Colman Bancroft's second service in Hiram as Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy was continuous from 1881 to 1913, at which time he retired as Emeritus Professor and accepted a Carnegie pension.
In all, Colman Bancroft taught 40 years, (36 in Hiram), and he was an active member
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of the Hiram Christian church for 43 years. He was a gifted teacher and a most refined Christian gentleman.
His death occurred June 20, 1924. Mrs. Bancroft died in 1935.
Floyd Bixler
Floyd Bixler, born January 18, 1896 in Dover, Ohio, is the son of the late Sam and Mary (Weaver) Bixler. Sam Bixler was the owner and publisher of the Dover Daily Reporter.
Floyd Bixler was educated in the Dover public schools and grew up in the newspaper business. He was in the Medical Corps, U. S. Army in World War I, serving at Debarkation Hospital No. 1 at Ellis Island, New York.
He was for many years field secretary for the Ohio State Automobile Association. Many of the successful automobile clubs in the state of Ohio were organized by him.
During this time, in 1926, Bixler Tours was founded by Floyd Bixler and his brother, the late F. L. Bixler of New Philadelphia, Ohio.
This was a pioneering venture and it has grown steadily. In 1956 Bixler Tours was the leader in the operation of conducted tours by private motor coach in Ohio. These tours went to many sections including Mexico, all Eastern U. S. and parts of Canada.
On August 31, 1923, Floyd Bixler and Elizabeth Wheeler were married in Niles, Ohio. They lived in Massillon for many years, where four children were born, one of whom, Floyd Bixler II, died on April 3, 1930. The three living chil- dren include Patricia Elizabeth, married to Richard Allan Fay, of Hiram; Marilane Ruth, married to L. Eugene Thomp- son, of Hiram; and Sam Christian Bixler, also of Hiram. The Bixlers have five grandchildren, all of Hiram. They are Kathy Elizabeth Fay, Richard Allan Fay, Jr., Christopher Lynn Fay, Sam Eugene Thompson, and George Lee Thomp- son.
The Bixlers moved to Hiram in 1937, where they have been active in the Hiram church and in community and Portage County affairs.
During World War II, Bixler Tours was suspended due to war-time restrictions, and Mr. Bixler worked with the State of Ohio Division of Highways and also spent one year as Information Specialist with Cleveland Ordnance District of the U. S. Army.
In 1946, Bixler Tours was again in operation with Floyd Bixler as sole owner and operator. The conducted bus tour operation was expanded in 1956, and now includes Sam C. Bixler, Gene Thompson and Richard Fay as associates.
Floyd Bixler was one of the founders and a charter member of Dover Post 205 Amer- ican Legion. He is now a member of the Garrettsville Post. He is also a member of the Hiram Christian church; Ravenna Lodge 1076 B.P.O. Elks; the Portage County Republican Executive Committee; Clinton Lodge 47 F & AM; Hiram Chapter 18, R.A.M. and Massillon Commandery, Knights Templar.
Bailey S. Dean
Bailey Sutton Dean was closely connected with the affairs of Hiram and Hiram College for more than 37 years. He was born at Canfield, Ohio, Jan. 5, 1845, son of Orsemus and Rhoda (Hayden) Sutton. The Deans (or Danes) were from a family that came to America
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in 1635. William Dean came to Ohio in 1810 at Canfield on a farm later known as Dean Hill. William Dean married Parthena Bailey, parents of Orsemus. The Deans and Haydens were near neighbors and among the Haydens was Amos Sutton Hayden, later first president of Hiram College.
Bailey Dean was one of thirteen children. He graduated from Bethany College in 1869 and later took his master's degree from it. In 1869-70, he was principal of the high school at Burton, Ohio. In June, 1869, he married Miss Emma Johnson, of Middlefield, of a pioneer family there, who had studied under Garfield and was an art teacher at Hiram.
In 1870 Bailey S. Dean was ordained to the ministry of the Disciples church and be- came pastor of the church at Smithfield, Bradford county, Penna. He remained there until 1878, when he transferred to the church at Bellaire, Ohio. In 1882 he was called to the Hiram church and at the same time began teaching in the college. He gave up the church work in 1888. In the college he occupied the chair of history and for a time was college vice president. In 1895 he wrote an elementary Bible history. Prof. Dean was a man of great intellectual attainment, devout and a good speaker. He was a member of the American Historical Association and in 1906 he toured Europe.
Prof. Dean had two children. The eldest, James Ernest, born in 1871, graduated from Hiram College in 1892, then studied at an art school and was employed by the Cleveland Plain Dealer many years. He died in 1933.
His daughter, Allie Maybelle, graduated from Hiram College in 1895. She, too, possessed marked talent in art, and she studied this subject in Cleveland, New York and in Europe. From 1902 to 1907 she headed the art department at Hiram. In 1908 she married Wm. E. Waldo of Bradford, Pa., and lived in Toledo, where she taught social science in the university for a time. She died in Hiram in February, 1956, where she lived in the old Dean home. She is listed in Who's Who In American Art.
Richard A. Fay
Richard Alan Fay was born in Cincinnati on June 3, 1929, the son of William E. and Agnes (Prizer) Fay, both prominent in art circles of Cincinnati. Mr. Fay is well known for portraiture, and Mrs. Fay for her watercolors.
Richard was raised in Milford, Ohio, and was graduated from Milford high school in 1947, and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ohio State University in 1950. While a senior in college he illustrated a book on aviation psychology written by the Ohio State University Research Foundation.
He married Miss Patricia Bixler of Hiram, July 1, 1950, and they have three children-Katherine Elizabeth, Richard Alan and Christopher Lynn.
Mr. Fay designs and sells commemorative plates. Many of these plates have been sold locally, such as the Geauga County Maple Festival plate, the Garrettsville Centennial plate, an Amish plate, and the Brady's Leap plate which was designed and sold in 1956 in connection with this new history of Portage County.
Mr. Fay belongs to the Hiram Christian church where he is a tenor soloist in the
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choir and belongs to the local glee club. He also belongs to Garrettsville Lodge No. 246, F.&A.M .; Silver Creek Chapter No. 144, R.A.M .; was Boy Scout master three years and is active in the Portage County Red Cross organization and in the Hiram Booster Club.
Dr. Harry C. Hurd
Dr. Harry C. Hurd was born in Morgan County, Ohio, Dec. 24, 1874. He was the son of Dr. Frank H. and Flora C. (Wilson) Hurd.
He attended grade schools in Morgan and Noble Counties and at the age of 17 started to teach school, continuing three years He then entered Hiram College, graduating in 1899, after which he taught at Hiram for a time. He entered University of Cincinnati Medical School, where he graduated in 1902. With his father, he then started the practice of medicine in Hiram village, also teaching part time in the college.
In 1910 Dr. Hurd went to Indianapolis where he spent five years as a teacher in the College of Missions. Following this was a two-year period of research at Harvard University. In 1917 he was appointed Captain in American Red Cross work in Palestine, serving there for approximately two years. In this time he became familiar with all Palestine, particularly Jerusalem.
After the war Dr. Hurd returned to Hiram and resumed practice with his father and also served as college physician. Dr. Frank Hurd, the father, died in 1930 at the age of 79-1/2 years. Since that time Dr. Hurd has been serving both Hiram College and the surrounding territory.
In September, 1900, Dr. Hurd was married to Miss Bes- sie Cross who was born in Nelson township. Two sons were born to them-Dr. Gerald B. Hurd of Hiram, and Edgar L. of Mentor.
On July 6, 1924, he was married to Della Legge of Hazel Green, Kentucky. One son was born to them, Major H. F. Hurd, now in the Army Medical Corps at San Antonio, Texas.
In 1953 Dr. Hurd received a plaque from the trustees of Hiram College, which reads as follows; "Because as a teacher at Hiram College and at the College of Missions, as a Red Cross officer in the First World War when his work in establishing medical and health centers in the ravaged areas of the Near East won world acclaim, and as a practicing physician of outstanding talent serving Hiram College and the Hiram Community for a period covering fifty years, his splendid career has brought honor and benefit to his Alma Mater."
He also received a public award the same year for outstanding work and an elementary building bears his name. He also received a plaque from the H. Club as the college athletic award from the college football team.
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