Portrait and biographical album of Greene and Clark counties, Ohio, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county; together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, Part 113

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 918

USA > Ohio > Clark County > Portrait and biographical album of Greene and Clark counties, Ohio, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county; together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States > Part 113
USA > Ohio > Greene County > Portrait and biographical album of Greene and Clark counties, Ohio, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county; together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States > Part 113

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Father Hocter was born in Jackson, Ohio, No- vember 6, 1857, and is the son of Isaac and Marga- ret Hocter. In 1863 his mother moved to Glendale, Hamilton County. There the lad attended the public and parochial schools until 1873, when he entered St. Mary's Seminary of the West, at Price Hill, remaining there until its elose in 1879. He next spent a year in St. Meinrad's Benedictine Monastery in Indiana, following it by three years and a half in St. Mary's Seminary, at Baltimore, Md. This made a period of ten and a half years devoted to the collegiate, philosophical and theo- logical course, after a good common-school educa- tion.

On the 23d of December, 1883, Father Hocter was ordained priest at the Cathedral in Cincinnati, by Archbishop Elder, all his minor orders having been received from James, Cardinal Gibbons, at the Cathedral in the city of Baltimore. He re- ceived "Tonsure" December 17, 1881; "Minor Orders" June 3, 1882; "Sub-Deaconship" December

23,1882; and "Deaconship" May 19, 1883. During the year 1884 he was assistant pastor of St. Ed- ward's, Cincinnati, and in February following, was appointed pastor of St. Philomena's at Stone Lick, Clermont County. There he remained, faithfully attending to the duties of his calling until October 4, 1887, when lie took charge of his present parish, and began his labors to advanee his church in Xenia.

Father Hocter has done very much to aid the Catholic Church since he became a resident of this city, and being prompt in originating plans for its progress, and energetic in bringing these plans to a successful culmination, it is not surprising that the church is advancing steadily in numbers and interest. His portrait, which is presented in con- nection with this biographical sketch, represents the friend, not alone of the Catholic Church in Xenia, but of the poor and necdy, wherever they may be found. It is the wish of his friends that he may reach an old age, crowned with blessings and honors; but far more welcome to him is the voice of his Creator, sounding through the inmost depths of his being, "Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

G EORGE H. FREY. The main points in the history of this well-known and highly-re- spected resident of Springfield, are essen- tially as follows: A native of New York State, he was born December 19, 1825, in the town of Phil- adelphia, Jefferson County, and is the son of Sam- nel C. Frey, a native of St. Johnsville, Montgomery County, N. Y. His paternal grandfather was Philip R. Frey, a native of Canajoharie, Mont- gomery County, and his great-grandfather was Henry Frey, the third, who was born at Palatine Bridge, that county.

Henry Frey, sccond, the paternal great-great- grandfather of our subject and likewise born at Palatine Bridge, N. Y., was the son of Henry Frey, first, wlio emigrated to America in 1688, from the canton of Zurich, Switzerland, and located on the

896

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

present site of Palatine Bridge. Much of the early history of the Frey family is extracted from an history of New York State by G. J. R. Simms of Ft. Plain. The original ancestor of the family in this country, while on his way to America was ship- wrecked off the Isle of Wight and lost all his earthly possessions. The Governor of the Island gave liim free passage on an English ship and a letter to Gov. Dongan of the New York Colony. The latter gave him a warrant for a tract of land on the west side of the Hudson River where he located. He was soon visited by the Van Rensselaer Patron wlio told him if he remained he would have to pay rent, so he abandoned the place and went up the Mohawk River, where he selected land including the original site of the village of Palatine Bridge. He was the first settler of that region and the farthest settler west in the Mohawk Valley. He brought with him a certificate from the Burgomaster of Zurichi testi- fying that he was a man of good character and also a good "zimmerman," meaning carpenter.

The above named progenitor of our subject, with the assistance of the Indians with whom lie was al- ways upon friendly terms, built a house and there spent the remainder of his life, which was ended by drowning in the Mohawk River. His land has descended through an unbroken line of title to his kinsmen-Samuel L, and Augustus Frey. His son, Henry, was first a farmer but later engaged in mer- cantile pursuits. He erected a commodious stone dwelling on the estate which is still standing in good condition and occupied by his descendants. Henry died while on a visit to Schenectady, N. Y., at the early age of forty-five years.

Henry Frey, third, was a man of much influence in his community. He owned a ferryboat at Ft. Plain and put up the first bridge across the Mohawk River at Palatine. He also built the first mill at the mouth of Canajoharie Creek. In the Colonial times he received many favors from the Crown and was a delegate to the Colonial Assembly at Albany, being also appointed Judge of the Court of Com- mnou Pleas. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War he felt that he had no personal grievances to adjust, although he acknowledged the justice of the cause of the Colonists. He therefore refused to make himself conspicuous in the rebellion against

British authority and in consequence was arrested and taken to Albany. Gen. Schuyler, with whom he was well acquainted,released him and he returned home.

The New England element residing in the valley could not understand why Henry Frey would not take a leading part with them and he was again ar- rested, and this time taken to Hartford, Conn., be- yond Gen. Schuyler's jurisdiction. He was confined there until the close of the war, notwithstanding the fact that he had given Col. Yates, his brother- in-law, $3,000 to assist in the support of the Federal troops. Prior to this he had, during the French and Indian war, served as a Quartermaster under Sir William Johnson and participated in the move- ment against Ft. Niagara. After the close of the Revolutionary War he returned to his possessions and resided there until his death. He had married Elizabeth, the daughter of John Jost Herkimer, whose son, Nicholas, was a general in the army. They reared two children-Philip and Margaret. Margaret was three times married, first to John Cox, by whom she had one son, Henry Frey Cox, who emigrated to Racine, Wis., where he died. Her second husband was Capt. Cockburn, a halfpay officer in the British Army. A daughter of Margaret married Frederick A. Conkling of New York City, father of Hon. Roseoe Conkling. The paternal grandfather of our subject was a youth in college at the time of his father's arrest and soon afterward was himself arrested and confined at Ft. Johnson. Ile was allowed a parole to visit his mother and she laid plans for his escape, which was undertaken soon after his return to the Fort, when he met an Indian escort which had been provided by Mary Brant, widow of Sir William Johnson, and made his way to Canada and remained there until peace was declared. He then settled in the vicinity of Detroit, Mich., of which he was an early pioneer and where he followed the profession of law until his deatlı. The above-mentioned progenitor of our subject was twice married, first to Marie Louisa St. Martin, who was born in Canada and was a niece of Gen. Mont- calm. The maiden name of his second wife, the great grandmother of our subject, was Elizabetlı Ilowe. She was born in Connecticut and died in the town of Garoga, Fulton County, N. Y.

897

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

Samuel C. Frey, father of our subject, was reared in his native county where he learned the trade of a silver and gold smith which he followed later in Syracuse and Watertown, N. Y., Broekville, Can- ada, and Canton, Ohio. In 1870 he removed to Decatur, Ala., where he died in 1877. Ile was mar- ried in early manhood to Susan C. Calhoun, a na- tive of Boston, Mass. IIer father, Andrew Calhoun, was born in the North of Ireland, and was the son of Patrick Calhoun, a native of Argyleshire, Seot- land, whence he emigrated to Ireland, and there spent his last years.

Grandfather Calhoun emigrated to America soon after the Revolutionary War and settled in Boston where he engaged in the mercantile business. Some years later he removed to Ringe, N. H., where he bought a farin and invested largely in blooded stock. About 1820 he concluded to seek the West and made a trip on horseback to Cincinnati which was then a small place. He bargained for quite a large tract of land which is now included in the city, but before the trade was closed he discovered a flaw in the title and consequently withdrew from the bargain and returned to New Hampshire.

Not long afterward Mr. Calhoun, the grandfather of our subject removing to New York State, bought a farm near what was then known as Frey's Bush, Montgomery County, and there he resided until 1831. The wife and grandmother had passed to her long home. Mr. Calhoun suffered financially from a fraud practiced upon him by a Rev. Mr. Schermerhorn, and closing his affairs in the Empire State he returned to New England and settled in Concord, Mass., where he died at the advanced age of eighty-four years.

Mrs. Susan (Chamberlin) Frey, the mother of our subject, was a native of Boston, Mass., and died in Decatur, Ala., in 1883. She bore three children -Mary A. and Andrew C. who are residents of Alabama, and George H., our subject. George H. attended the private schools at Brockville during his boyhood and later became a student at the Western Reserve College at Hudson, Ohio. When approaching manhood he commenced the study of law under the instruction of Hiram Griswold, of Canton, and was admitted to the bar at Xenia, July 1, 1847. Soon afterward he located in Spring-

field where he commeneed the practice of his chosen profession. About 1849 he became interested in the Morse Telegraph and in the construction of the line from Sandusky to Cincinnati. Later he be . came Superintendent and finally President of the company.

Next, turning his attention to newspaper work, Mr. Frey in 1854, purchased an interest, in the Springfield Republic and was connected with that paper as managing editor until 1861. Then selling out and having already purchased a stone quarry, he turned his attention to its development and also made a business of burning lime, which he has since conducted very successfully. Mr. Frey has been connected with many leading enterprises of Spring- field and vicinity, signalizing himself as one of its most liberal and publie-spirited men. Hle was one of the projectors of the S. J. & P. Railroad and officiated for a time as President of the road. All of the enterprises calculated for the good of the people have received his encouragement and sub- stantial aid. He is one of those men who will be gratefully remembered after they have been gath- ered to their fathers.

George H. Frey in 1851, was joined in wedlock with Miss Jane Q. Ward, a native of Cumberland County, Pa. The six living children of this union are Isaae W., George H. Jr., Frederick H., Albert C., Robert H. and Susan H. Mr. Frey was a Whig, politically, until the formation of the Republican party. On February 22, 1856, he attended a con- vention which met at Pittsburg to formulate the principles of the Republican party. The conven- tion was made up of such men as Abraham Lincoln, Thaddeus Stevens, Frank P. Blair, Joshua R. Gid- dings, Gov. Denison of Ohio, John Sherman, Gov. Morgan of New York, Murat Halsted, Henry J. Raymond and others. He with them endorsed the resolutions, also the candidate for President. Sub- sequently Mr. Frey became prominent in local poli- ties, serving as a delegate to various county and district conventions but never made a business of offiec seeking.

In his adopted city of Springfield, Mr. Frey has served as a member of the City Council and on the Board of Health. He also officiated on the School Board and for five years was a County Commis-

898

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

sioner, for two years being Chairman of the Board, holding that position at the time of the creetion of the present county buildings. He has always dis- charged the trusts committed to him in such a man- ner as to reflect honor upon the judgment of those eleeting him to the various offices. In religion, he is a staneh Presbyterian and a Ruling Elder of the Second Presbyterian Church. To this church his estimable wife also belongs. Their home is the synonym of comfort and the frequent resort of the many friends whom they have gathered around them since their sojourn in Clark County.

ESSE C. TRIMMER. A substantial briek residence with pleasing surroundings on the corner of Washington and Factory Streets, Springfield, is the home of the gentleman above named, who is enjoying the rest to which his many years of active usefulness have entitled him. He has resided in this city since 1850, and is well- known as a bricklayer and contractor, during his active labors in that line building some of the most substantial residences and business blocks of the city. He was born in Adams County, Pa., not far from York Springs, on June 6, 1831. His parents, Jolin and Mary (Uriek ) Trimmer, were born in the same locality, the mother in the year 1795 and the father in the year 1796. His father was a brick- layer and a stone-mason, although his grandfather, Mathias Trimmer, was a farmer. John Trimmer passed his life in his native State, entering into rest in January, 1876. His wife had preceded him to the silent tomb, her death having occurred about 1858. Their family ineluded five sons and two daughters, of whom but two are now living. These are our subject and an older brother, Gibson, who is residing on the old homestead near York Springs, Pa.

The childhood and youth of Jesse Trimmer were spent in his native county in the acquirement of a common-school education and the trade which he began at the age of fifteen years. In 1850, he came to Ohio and in 1861 began contracting and building in partnership with his unele, Michael

Trimmer, the connection continuing about seven years. The partnership was then dissolved and onr subject continued the same business alone until 1879, when he abandoned his trade, and has since occupied himself solely in looking after his bnsi- ness interests in the city. When President Lincoln issued his first call for seventy-five thousand troops to suppress the rebellion, Mr. Trimmer enrolled himself in the Union Army. He served three months, the term of enlistment for which the call was made, and afterward joined the minute men or home guards.

On December 18, 1859, our subject and Miss Mary E. Trimmer, a native of this city, were united in marriage. Mrs. Trimmer's parents are still living in the enjoyment of all their facul- ties, although quite advanced in years. Her father, Michael Trimmer, was born in Adams County, Pa., in March 1806, and her mother, Catherine, in Hagerstown, Md., May 11, of the same year. The latter is a daughter of John M. Eitel who was a native of Stuttgart, Germany. The union of our subject and his wife has been childless.

Mr. Trimmer belongs to Lagonda Tribe No. 61, Improved Order of Red Men, in which he has held the office of Treasurer since 1876. He also belongs to the Springfield Rifle Club, of which he is Treasurer. In polities he is a Republican. He is a regular attendant of the senior Bible Class of the First Lutheran Church.

C HARLES F. NEER is one of the most enter- prising of the younger farmers in Clark County, his present location being on see- tion 28, Pleasant Township. Here he has a fine farm of two hundred and sixty-three acres on which the best stock is raised, while the erops are equal in quality to any found in the county. A worthy seion of an honored family, Mr. Neer is honored and respected by the people, and his worldly success is regarded as no more than his just deserts. He was born southwest of Catawba, March 7, 1856, being a son of Nathan and Mary-

899

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

(Hunter) Neer, whose estate is one of the land- marks of Pleasant Township.

Upon the parental acres young Neer was reared to man's estate, gaining a praetieal insight into the details of agriculture and obtaining a good eduea- tion in the common schools. He taught two terms but ehose farm life as his vocation. At the age of twenty-one years he began his own career in life and in the spring of 1883, removed to his present location. A short time before, on December 19, 1882, he had led to the hymeneal altar Miss Lida A. Conway, an estimable and intelligent young woman, who like himself is a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She was born at Catawba, December 19, 1861, being a daughter of Newton S. and Naney (Smith) Conway. To Mr. and Mrs. Necr one daughter has been born-Edith. Mr. Neer is a believer in and supporter of the principles of the Republican party.

Another of the young and enterprising farmers and stock-raisers of Pleasant Township is Alonzo W. Neer, a brother of our subjeet. He was born June 1, 1858, on the homestead which he now owns and occupies, and whose present aereage is about one hundred and eighty acres. IIc is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the Methodist Episcopal Church, his social qualities and upright character as well as his energy in worldly affairs, bringing him rapidly to the front. His home is presided over by his sister, Laura J., who was born Mareh 4, 1863, and, who is an excellent honsekeeper and an intelligent young woman.

C HARLES LEWIS EHRENFELD, youngest child of Augustus Clemens Ehrenfeld, M. D., was born in Kisbacoquillas Valley, Miff- lin County, Pa., June 15, 1832. His father was a native of Heilbronn, Germany, a graduate of Hei- delberg University, a elassical scholar who wrote and spoke the Latin with ease, conversed readily in the French, and knew several other modern lan- guages.

His grandfather, George Frederick Ehrenfeld,

eame to this country in the latter part of the last century. He was a wealthy merehant in Philadel- phia, but was financially ruined some time before his death, through being security for others. He died there in 1809, at the home of his son. His maternal grandfather, Henry Stetzer, was a patriot soldier in the Revolutionary War, serving through a great part of that long contest, and Henry Stet- zer's father, John Stetzer, was also in the service of the American Army during the Revolution, charged with superintending the shoeing of army horses. The other maternal great-grandfather of our sub- ject, was in Braddock's Army, and died of sickness near Braddoek's field, where he lies buried.

In his religious antecedents, Prof. Ehrenfeld comes from the two historic branches of the Pro- testant faith, his father having been Lutheran, his mother, Reformed.

The subject of this sketch was in his seventh year when his father died; thereafter, his mother and older brothers having gone to farming, he worked on the farm until he was fifteen; then was elerk two years in a country store; taught a eoun- try sehool during the winter of 1850-51; went to Wittenberg College in 1851 ; was graduated in 1856. He was an active member of the Excelsior Society, and in the contest between the literary societies in the spring of 1855, he was orator. After his grad- uation in 1856, he returned home and took an active part in the Presidential campaign for Fremont, making speeches for the "Pathfinder," and cast his first vote for President. Taught sehool the fol- lowing winter. In the fall of 1857, returned to Wittenberg College to study theology, but upon his arrival was chosen tutor in the Preparatory De- partinent, and remained in that position two years. While tutor he was elceted Principal of the City Schools of Hamilton, Ohio, but wishing to continne post-graduate studies, especially theology, he did not accept the position.

Prof. Ehrenfeld resigned his position as tutor in 1859, and devoted himself to the study of the- ology. In the spring of 1860 beeame pastor of the First Lutheran Church at Altoona, Pa., where he remained until 1863; pastor at Shippensburg, 1863 and 1865; at Hollidaysburg, 1865 and 1871. Was ealled thence to Newport. At the same time he

900

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

was chosen Principal of the Southwestern Pennsyl- vania State Normal School, one of a number author- ized by special aet of the State for the higher pro- fessional training of teachers. Having visited the school, he found it was heavily involved, and so thought it unwise to accept. But at the urgent solicitation of the State authorities, he gave up the call to Newport, and entered upon the Principal- ship of the Normal School in July. The school had not yet met the requirements of the law, and had not been accepted by the State authorities. The Legislature had granted it $15,000, as it liad granted a like sum to each of the other five State Normal Schools then established, with the under- standing that this was to be the end of State appro- priations. But it was evident that the extensive requirements of the law constituting the schools, could not be met without large help from the treas- ury of the Commonwealth. He was appointed to make the effort. To give the history of it is not necessary, but after considerable struggle, it was successful, and an appropriation of $10,000 was ob- tained. He also obtained the passage of a special act authorizing the school in his charge to borrow $15,000 additional, and issue bonds therefor. With this and the appropriation of $10,000 and subse- quent appropriations, the additional buildings were erected and equipped, and in May 1874, the in- stitution was inspected and adopted as one of the regular State Normal Schools.

In 1872 Prof. Ehrenfeld was appointed by Dr. . Wiekersham, State Superintendent, as his Deputy, to act as Chairman of the State Committee of five to conduct the examinations of the graduating classes at the several State Normal Schools, and he performed his delicate duties in a way that gave satisfaction to all parties. During the following winters he was several times appointed by the State Department as one of several instructors at County Institutes. In 1876 he was appointed by the Ex- ecutive Committee of the State Teachers' Associa- tion to read a paper on the "Needs of the Normal Schools" at the convention at Westchester, Pa., in August of that year. In the discussion of this pa- per after it had been read, Dr. John S. Hart, then professor in Princeton College, said : "The argu- ment in the paper is so complete and entire, that

there is nothing left for others to do except to say 'amen' and subscribe to it." After the discussion of the paper, Prof. Ehrenfeld was appointed Chair- man of a committee of nine "to prepare an address to the Legislature with the aim of securing a truer and more snecessful policy for the Normal Schools of our Commonwealth."

The following January Gov. Hartranft, at the solicitation of Dr. Wickersham, appointed Prof. Ehrenfeld Financial Secretary of the Department of Education, with direction to take charge as soon as a suitable successor could be found as principal of the school he had in charge. He remained Fi- nancial Secretary until February, 1878, when Gov. Hartranft appointed him State Librarian. This gave him charge of both the law and miscellaneous libraries. His report to the Legislature on the con- dition and needs of the libraries was followed by successive extraordinary appropriations with which to make purchases abroad as well as at home, to fill as far as possible, the existing gaps. He accord- ingly made many purchases at Edinburgh, London, Amsterdam, and Paris, of important and rare works upon the earliest American history and upon the provincial histories of American colonies. He also had some copies made of unique documents per- taining to Pennsylvania in the British Museum through the agency of the late Henry Stevens, Esq., of London. The Law Library also was built up into completeness, second only to that of the Li- brary of Congress.

In 1881 Prof. Ehrenfeld was re-appointed as State Librarian by Gov. Hoyt, and in 1882 he was elected Professor of English and Latin at Wit- tenberg College. His term as Librarian would not have expired until 1884, and the salary was much above that of the Professorship, but the college was his Alma Mater, and its acceptance afforded oppor- tunity of educating his children not only at home, but at a college whose course meant thorough study. Moreover, the Library had become such a resort for legal and historical research, and had so grown in his hands, that without additional assistants, he had no time left for study. He accepted the Pro- fessorship and entered upon its duties in the autumnn of 1882.

Mr. Ehrenfeld was married October 3, 1860, to

901

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

Miss Ilelen M. Hateh, of Springfield, Ohio. They have five children, three sons living, two daughters deceased. This sketch has said nothing of its sub- ject's work while in the active ministry, the part of his life which he probably regards as the most note- worthy, from whose duties and studies he turned aside withi reluctance, and only as he was strenu- ously called to other work that was thrust into his hands. Also nothing of his part in the National struggle during the Rebellion. Several of his dis- courses during the war were published at the re- quest of those who heard them.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Portrait and biographical album of Greene and Clark counties, Ohio, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county; together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, Part 113

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros. Number of Pages: 918

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 918