USA > Ohio > Representative citizens of Ohio : memorial-genealogical > Part 27
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Hon. William Grep Rose
ists, one of whom was there in the interests of the Sunbury & Erie Railroad, and redistricting the State. A warm discussion took place and Mr. Rose asked Mr. Owens, their agent, to explain the details of the bill. He replied, "You will get it outside quicker than you want it." As the members filed out of the hall after adjournment, Owens struck Mr. Rose a blow in the face that caused his nose to bleed. He returned the vicious blow, sending Owens onto an apple stand. In the confusion, members inter- fered and Owens was taken to a hospital. The papers called Mr. Rose the man with shocked hair and said that Owens' threat that he would make a "yearling" of him was false and impossible. Simon Cameron invited Mr. Rose to his house and told him that it was a disgrace that the legislature would be influenced by graft and that this was sure to have a good effect.
In 1860, Mr. Rose was appointed a delegate to the Republican national convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln for the Presidency.
In 1861, when the differences between the North and the South led to civil strife, Mr. Rose recruited a regiment for service, called the Mercer Rifles, and the women of the community met together to make the necessary garments for them. As the soldiers were training in double quick on the schoolhouse grounds, Mr. Rose was seen to fall and was taken home on a cot. The doctor said his trouble was heart disease and Colonel Maxwell took his place. However, when Pennsylvania was invaded by the Confed- erates every man, young or old, enlisted and Mr. Rose went as a private, the command going to Parkersburg, West Virginia, where they took the places of soldiers sent to the front. He took part in the raid to capture the guerilla chief, General Morgan, but at the expiration of his sixty-day period of enlistment he re- turned home, a very sick man from the effects of exposure and the coarse diet. Two of his nephews were in the war; he had paid the bounty for them, and when on furlough and enlisting for three years or to the end of the war, Mrs. Rose gave a reception for them and had seventy-five soldiers present.
At the close of the war the oil excitement attracted general attention, fortunes being made as easily and quickly as by the "forty-niners" in California. Mr. Rose was offered the sale of a large tract of land, which he disposed of to Funk & Company, of New York, by whom he was asked to develop it. He formed a company of Mercer men and they put down one well that proved to be a "gusher." He was then asked to sell the company's shares in Philadelphia and he and a Mr. Griffith went there for
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that purpose. He sold his on the stock board, for new wells often tapped those above them and lessened their output and then the company would be sued for false representations. In two years he had made enough money to think of removing to a larger town than Mercer. He spent one year in St. Louis, and six months in Chicago just before the great fire there, but eventually located in Cleveland, believing it had great possibilities, with its lake water, the iron ore and coal available.
In Cleveland, Mr. Rose entered the real estate business, for in St. Louis he had observed what beautiful homes could be created in the suburbs. Israel Hubbard gave him eighty acres of land on the Kinsman Road, which he sold in a few months to real estate men. Then he disposed of more land, and soon all owners of lots from the lake to Newburg were asking him to sell for them. He took an active part in the promotion of the Nickel Plate road and located Collinwood. He made the acquaintance of Vander- bilt's son-in-law and knew well John Pugh, who was at the head of the natural gas company in Pittsburgh, and they agreed to put natural gas in Cleveland.
In 1872, Mr. Rose was asked by many friends to accept the nomination for mayor of Cleveland, to which office he was elected with but little opposition. During his administration he intro- duced many restrictive regulations and constructive measures. He stood unequivocally for righteousness in public office, his ad- ministration being productive of various needed reforms as well as progressive measures. He wished to promote the city's wel- fare and stated that the assets of the city consisted only in the market fund and bonds bought by Ohio City which was brought into the city by annexation. The city treasurer had been contin- ued in office by reelections for fifteen years, often by the com- bined vote of both parties, and he had placed the municipal funds in the Weddell Bank, into which Mr. Weddell said he had never put a dollar. The treasurer had taken the bonds East and sold them, and reported the price. Mayor Rose proposed that the city bonds be sold on a certain day on the courthouse steps, and when thus sold they netted a much better price. He stated that the law required that all public money must be loaned to banks who bid highest for its use, or else it must have a bank for its own funds. In his first message he said, "The canal bed to the Three-mile Lock would be a good place for all the railroads to enter the city. The Valley Road has not paid a cent on its purchase from the city, and the time has about expired and then the city could claim it and use it for this purpose, releasing
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the lake shore for a park and make Euclid Avenue safe from steam cars. The stockholders of the Valley Road sent an agent to England to represent that if the Valley Road was paid for, they could rent it to other railroads and make a fortune. The money was given them and paid to the city in time to meet the contract, but the roads who said they would have rented from the city did not choose to rent from a rival road. Then a group of men said they would block all progress of Mayor Rose at the polls.
At the close of his first term of office, Mr. Rose went to Europe, where he studied the methods of municipal government, to which he gave much thoughtful consideration. In 1891, he was again elected to the mayorality, his second term being signal- ized by active efforts for the city's welfare and advancement. The viaduct had been in construction many years, and might be as many more, for the contractor, Mr. Ensign, was sending stone and other material to other bridges he had contracted for. Mayor Rose called his attention to the contract "that he would forfeit fifteen dollars a day for any time over that for which the bridge was to be built." His warning was treated with silence. When the time had expired the mayor had the end towards Superior Street finished in iron, the workmen being from Cleveland, while the other men were from Buffalo, the home of the contractor. The bridge was finished and ready for opening in three months. Some objected to having a celebration in midwinter, but Mayor Rose told them Cleveland had been invited to lake cities, and it was fitting Cleveland invite them in return. The wealthiest men of Cleveland said, "Wait until spring," but the reply was "After using it six months we cannot have an opening." The celebra- tion day was a beautiful one, with snowflakes falling in the sun- shine, so that the air was filled with rainbows and the number of visitors was far more than anticipated. Mr. Ensign died and his nephew sued the city for one hundred and twenty-five dollars loss, but did not win his case. The question of toll was decided, when it was found that it would only pay the salaries of those employed to collect it and it was made a free bridge. It at once opened up a large section for homes near the center of business.
The mayor was known to be the friend of the working men, and in a few weeks he was called upon by the iron-ore workers. They could not be employed in winter; they were receiving nine cents per thousand pounds, and asked for fifteen cents. After calling many witnesses and making a thorough investigation, the mayor found that one hundred and fifty dollars was all they could earn yearly. Some of the workmen had six in their family and
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during the winter months they had to be supported from the out- door relief taken from the city treasury. The employers surely ought to support their employees, as all of them were immensely rich. Mayor Rose gave the workmen twelve cents per ton, but some of the principal stockholders stated they were not satisfied with his decision, and suggested that he choose an arbitrator. He chose one, who put the price at ten cents. Soon afterwards the stockholders met the mayor and said, "The two cents will net us over sixty thousand dollars a year." The street car strike in Pittsburgh caused riots and loss of life; the strikers came to Cleveland and the mayor forbid the sale of all firearms and had them placed under lock and key. Meanwhile he was examining the law and he found it to be a penitentiary offense to take part in or aid in a riot. This he had printed and posted on the streets and in the city hall. A grocer came to him and said, "This block- ade has got to cease; perishable goods are in our stores and some- thing must be done." The mayor then showed him letters, which stated that fuses had been laid to certain rich men's homes, and would be lighted if the riot occurred. His own residence was the first one named and he left to tell his friends. The posting of the law by the mayor induced the rioters to leave the city. One night a call came for the mayor to go to Newburg. The tele- graph between the two places had ceased to work. He dressed and, taking his fifteen-inch revolver, had his coachman drive out to the road. As he did so, two coaches were there waiting for him. He jumped out and, holding his revolver in sight, walked to the nearest one, when a man slid out of the farther door, climbed up onto the other coach and they drove furiously towards the city. Mr. Rose followed quickly, but when they turned down Perry Street towards the lake he went to Prospect Street, called for Dr. Sterling and they went rapidly towards Newburg. On arriving there, they found the telegraph line had been cut, as they supposed. The operator said he wanted to go home for an hour and so had disconnected it. However, coming as it did during this raid of rioters, it was held in question.
The street car strike soon followed and for a day no cars were run. Mayor Rose swore in other men and on his own responsibility kept the cars running. He also visited the men in the car barns, who had suffered from cold and length of hours. He told them vestibules would be provided for conductors and motormen and their hours reduced from fourteen to ten, also that the Pinkerton detectives would be withdrawn, which was done.
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During Mayor Rose's second term he employed General E. Meyer as director of law and made an inquiry as to the cost of gas, for which one dollar and fifty cents was charged per one thou- sand feet. It was said by some experts that fifty cents per thou- sand would pay for itself, and experts from New York and from Case School gave their opinions. The discussion lasted for nine months, with the result that the price of gas was at first reduced to one dollar, and eventually to eighty cents with, the additional provision that one-tenth of the gross receipts should be put into a fund for a new city hall. This amounted in ten years to half a million dollars, being diminished year by year for other purposes, and then to buy parks and playgrounds. But that one-tenth of the gross receipts opened the eyes of the public to the amount that could be put into public improvements if the government owned the gas and the street cars, as they do the water works. In Europe they use all these public utilities as a matter of course, the profits being the honest earnings of the city's business, but in our free America we allow private concerns to grow rich at our ex- pense and perpetuate themselves by their riches in putting in law- makers who serve them. We were paying yearly to Case School a rent of thirty-six thousand dollars for the city hall now in use. The place was not sanitary and many of the officials suffered in consequence. Mayor Rose would not accept a third term. He was a sufferer from rheumatism and his death occurred on Sep- tember 15, 1899. More streets had been paved than ever before. He showed that if side streets were not paved the delivery wagons made the main streets filthy, and he had a law passed that if the owners would pay half, the city would pay half and a great deal of dust would be eliminated. This was done to such an ex- tent that Mayor Blee, who succeeded him, hardly finished it in his administration of two years.
Mayor Rose and his son Hudson leased the gas in the West Virginia fields and had the president of the natural gas company of Pittsburgh, and the Vanderbilts, of New York, agree to put it into Cleveland for a certain percentage. A man was sent to Columbus to get a law passed, but he sent such a report of the expenses of the project that the bill was not voted on favorably. When the board of improvements was about to decide the price, the eastern millionaires refused to accept the last offer. When Tom Johnson was mayor, a petition was sent to the city coun- cil for permission of the East End Gas Company to enter the city, Mrs. Rose had a petition signed by all of the Dorcas Society when in session, and some other women, and it was discussed by
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a call of Mrs. W. P. Southworth in the Rose Building. The council accepted the offer and Cleveland has gradually been cleared of its haze and smoke and the homes of the middle- class made comfortable. Mayor Rose's work as mayor was at all times of a most practical nature and his public-spirited citi- zenship and devotion to the general good were manifest in an unselfish and practical way.
In 1858, Mr. Rose was married to Martha E. Parmalee, the daughter of Theodore H. and Harriet (Holcomb) Parmalee, of Tallmadge, Summit County, Ohio. To them were born the fol- lowing children: Alice Evelyn, the wife of Charles R. Miller, of Cleveland; Hudson P., of New York City, who married Mollie Merrill; Frederick H., of Cleveland, who married Mary Upson; William Kent, of New York City. Mrs. Rose has for many years occupied a prominent place in the literary and social life of Cleveland, and is well known for the splendid work she has done among women's clubs here, though she does not now take as active a part in this work as formerly. She was the founder of the Women's Employment Society, one of the most efficient and appreciated agencies in this city, its specific mission being the securing of employment for women in need of work. She was the first president of the Sorosis Club and the first president of the Protective Association, which established the first children's play- ground in Cleveland.
Mrs. Rose for many years was a successful Sunday-school teacher in the first Baptist Church in Cleveland. In 1908, she fitted up, at considerable expense, rooms on West First Street for the work of the Temperance Mission conducted by this organiza- tion, the same being called the "Purity League Mission," and there successful evangelistic meetings were held every night in the week except Saturday night. Mrs. Rose has made two trips to Europe, and has published in book form very interesting ac- counts of her travels.
Personally, Mrs. Rose possesses to a marked degree those womanly graces which have endeared her to those who know her. Honored and respected by all, there is to-day no woman who occu- pies a more enviable position in the circles in which she moves, her name being a familiar sound to the people of Cleveland, where she has done such commendable work.
George J. Zischler
HOUGH many years have passed since the subject of this sketch passed from the life militant to the life tri- umphant, he is still favorably remembered by many of the older residents of Springfield, where for many years he was regarded as one of the leading business men. Be- cause of his many excellent personal qualities and the splendid and definite influence which his life shed over the entire locality in which he lived so long and for which he labored so earnestly to upbuild in any way within his power, it is particularly con- sonant that specific mention should be made of him in a work containing mention of the representative persons of the State in a past generation. A man of high moral character, unimpeach- able integrity, persistent industry and excellent business judg- ment, he stood "four square to every wind that blows," and occu- pied an enviable position among his fellow men.
George J. Zischler was born in Bavaria, Germany, on Janu- ary, 1824, and his death occurred at his home in Springfield, Ohio, on June 8, 1886. He was descended from sterling old German stock, being the son of George John and Kathrine (Schockn) Zischler. These parents were both natives of Arausbach, Ba- varia, and of old and respected families of that community. They were farming folk and were possessed of that rugged honesty and strength of character that gave them high standing in their locality. In 1838, hoping to improve their financial circumstances they emigrated to the United States, coming at once to Ohio and locating at or near Springfield. Here they obtained a small property, where they spent the remainder of their lives, and died when more than four score years old. In religious faith they were life-long members of the Lutheran Church. They were the parents of seven children, several of whom were born in Ger- many, and one, Margaret, was born while the family was on the Atlantic ocean en route to their new home in America. She became the wife of George Hartman and the mother of five child- ren, three sons and two daughters, and her death occurred about three years ago. Sophia is the widow of August Smith and lives in New Jersey; she is the mother of ten children, eight of whom are living. Barbara became the wife of Jacob Brauschweiger and both are now deceased, leaving several children. Of the subject's
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brothers, Michael and Frederick married and had children and both are deceased.
George J. Zischler was the eldest of the children born to his parents, and he received the major part of his education in his native Fatherland. He was fourteen years old when the family came to the United States and after arriving at Springfield, he entered the butcher shop of the Grants, old and well-known meat dealers here, where he gave faithful service to his employers and learned well every detail of the meat business. At about the time he attained his majority, Mr. Zischler went into the meat busi- ness on his own account, his first location being where the Arcade building now stands, later locating in the old market house. He remained continuously in business for more than a quarter of a century and because of his fair dealings with his customers and his sound business methods he prospered, so that eventually he was enabled to retire from active pursuits and spent his last years in comfortable retirement in his commodious and attrac . tive home at No. 1602 West Main Street, where, in 1873, he erected a substantial brick house. During the years of his resi- dence in Springfield he formed a large acquaintance among the best people of the city, who recognized in him a man of unusual qualities of character and paid him that respect which a life of correct living had justly merited.
Politically, Mr. Zischler was identified with the Democratic party, while his religious faith was that of his parents, the Lutlı- eran, in which he had been reared and to which he ever gave his faithful support. By a life of correct actions, rather than by words, he gave witness of the faith that was within him and his influence, though silent, was none the less potent in the com- munity with which he was identified.
On the 8th of April, 1847, Mr. Zischler was united in mar- riage with Rachael Idapence, who was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, on August 22, 1825, the daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Altvater) Idapence. In 1832, when Rachael was but seven years of age, the family came to the United States, locating first near Fredericktown, Maryland. Two years later they came to a farm-in Mad River Township, Clark County, Ohio, locating in a new country where there were then but few evidences of the wonderful civilization which later characterized this section of the country. Here, in the midst of the wilderness, they created a splendid farm, which was eventually improved with a splendid brick residence, a good bank barn and other improvements of a like character, the place being considered one of the best farms
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of that section of the county. Here they prospered, reared their family, and later in life retired from the farm and located at Oak Woods, between Springfield and Urbana, where they spent the rest of their days, the father dying in 1889, and the mother in 1886, when well above eighty years of age. They became the parents of one son and three daughters; namely, Nicholas, whose death occurred about thirty years ago, had married and was the father of two sons and two daughters; Elizabeth became the wife of Robert Broadstone, and both are now deceased, leaving child- ren; Mrs. Zischler was the next in order of birth; Margaret mar- ried Fred Kolb, a German shoemaker, who lived and died in Springfield, and to them were born three daughters and a son, the latter now deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Zischler became the parents of seven children; namely, Emma, Mary and John died early in life; Margaret, whose death occurred at the age of thirty years; George, whose death occurred at the age of twenty-one years; Sophia, who was reared and educated in this city, married John Weissel, and they are the parents of four children, Alice, Margaret, Emma and George; Alice Augusta, who received a good public school education, being a graduate of the Springfield high school, became the wife of Dr. Linus Russell. The latter was born in Burton, Geauga County, Ohio, in 1851, received a good public school education, after which he graduated from Hiram College and a law school. He then matriculated in the Electic Medical College at Cincinnati, where he graduated in 1871. He immediately entered upon the active practice of his profession at Springfield, where he has gained marked recognition as an able and successful surgeon, command- ing a large and representative clientele not only in Springfield, but all over the United States. He holds the chair of surgery in the faculty of the Electic Medical College in Cincinnati, and is also surgeon for the Pennsylvania and Big Four Railroads. Dr. and Mrs. Russell are the parents of a son, Linus Elee, who was born on September 27, 1902, and is now a student in the public schools.
Mrs. Rachael Zischler, who passed away April 15, 1913, was a lady of many excellent qualities of head and heart. She pos- sessed that charming spirit of hospitality characteristic of her native people and she retained the warm and loyal friendship of all who knew her. She was a faithful and earnest member of the Lutheran Church, to which she gave liberally of her means and in various ways she exerted an influence for good upon those about her.
Colonel Benjamin M. Moulton
N NEARLY every community have lived individuals who by innate ability and sheer force of character have risen above many of their fellows and won for them- selves conspicuous places in public esteem. Such a man was the late Benjamin M. Moulton, of Lima, Ohio, who for many years was intimately identified with the business history of his adopted city, his career as a progressive man of affairs having been synonymous with all that was upright and honorable in citizenship. He contributed freely to the maintenance of all institutions which he deemed would make for the general good, using his influence in every way possible to advance the pros- perity of those with whom he was associated. He was a public- spirited citizen and a whole-souled gentleman, whom to know was to respect and admire, and there was probably not another man in the community who was held in higher esteem by the population, regardless of all sects, politics, or profession. His was the story of a life that made the world better for his having lived, for his actions sprung from a heart filled with love and good feeling for humanity, and was a blessing to all who came within the range of his influence.
Colonel Moulton is further entitled to specific mention among the representative men of his community because of his splendid military record, for when the fierce fire of rebellion was raging throughout the Southland threatening to destroy the Union, he responded with patriotic fervor to the call for volun- teers, and in some of the bloodiest battles for which that great war was noted, proved his loyalty to the government he loved so well. Since his return to civil life he had repeatedly been hon- ored by semi-military appointments and elections, his record having been one of exceptionally efficient service all along the line.
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