USA > Ohio > Representative citizens of Ohio : memorial-genealogical > Part 28
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Benjamin M. Moulton was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on July 3, 1843, and his death occurred at his home in Lima, Ohio, on July 9, 1907. A published genealogy of the family shows that the first Moultons to come to America were four brothers, natives of England, who emigrated to this country sometime prior to the Revolutionary War. One of these, Captain Stephen Moulton, became captain of a Pennsylvania or New York company and
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rendered valiant service during the great colonial struggle for independence, himself earning special distinction for gallantry. It is thought that he lived and died in Pennsylvania. He married and among his children was Ebenezer Moulton. The latter be- came a farmer by vocation, married Mary Gardiner, and in a very early day he became a resident of Oneida County, New York, in the vicinity of Utica, being numbered among the pioneer settlers of the Mohawk Valley. Among the children born to Ebenezer and Mary Moulton was Orris G., who was born about 1812 near Rome or Utica, Oneida County, New York. He married Nancy Miller, of that county, and they lived in Moultonville, near St. Louis. They died in St. Louis in 1848 of cholera, at the age of thirty years. They were substantial and respected citizens of that community, having stood for the best things in public and private life. Among their children was he whose name appears at the head of this sketch.
Benjamin M. Moulton was reared in Oneida County, New York, and there received the major part of his education, attend- ing the public schools in Utica. At the outbreak of the War of the Rebellion, he responded to President Lincoln's call for volunteers, enlisting as a private in the One Hundred and Seventeenth Regi- ment New York Volunteer Infantry. He made a good soldier and was soon promoted to the rank of sergeant of his company. His regiment saw continuously active service, participating in many. of the most hotly contested battles of that great struggle, besides many minor engagements and skirmishes. At the battle of Fred- ericksburg, Benjamin Moulton received a serious gunshot wound in the neck and laid on the field of battle for three days without attention, being finally picked up by the Confederates, who car- ried him to their prison hospital and it was not thought that he could possibly live. Eventually he was paroled, and then ex- changed, but before he had sufficiently recovered from his wound to rejoin his command, the war closed, and he received an honor- able discharge, having served faithfully in the ranks for nearly three years before he was wounded.
Upon his return home, Mr. Moulton resumed his studies, which had been interrupted by his military service, completing his business training at the Poughkeepsie Business College. He was then employed as a clerk in a mercantile establishment until 1876, in which year he began his long and efficient association with the Oil Well Supply Company, one of the largest and best known concerns of the kind in the country. At that time the famous oil fields of western Pennsylvania were at the zenith of their fame
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and during the following ten years Mr. Moulton's headquarters were in that section of the country, though he spent a great deal of time at various points. In 1886 he came to Lima, Ohio, as the rep- resentative of the Oil Well Supply Company, the discovery of oil having just been made in that locality. In the management of the company's interests there Colonel Moulton displayed ability of a high order and retained his relations with the company here during the rest of his active life, being considered one of the most valuable men in the employ of that concern, because of his sound judgment and clear-headed administration of affairs. He was a man of stanch integrity and his dealings with others were char- acterized by adherence to the strictest rules of business ethics. His circle of business acquaintances was an exceptionally large one, and his friends were in number as his acquaintances. His entire career was one to excite the admiration and commendation of those familiar with his history, for, by a straightforward and commendable course he had made his way from a somewhat hum- ble environment to a respected position in the business world, winning the hearty admiration of the people of his adopted city and earning a reputation as an enterprising, progressive man of affairs and a broad-minded, charitable, and upright citizen, which the public was not slow to recognize and appreciate. He was one of those solid men of brain and substance so essential to the ma- terial growth and prosperity of a community and whose influence was willingly extended in behalf of every deserving enterprise that had for its object the advancement of the best interests of the community. In his home city he was numbered among the leading men and was actively identified with many movements which contributed to the upbuilding and prosperity of the city.
Politically, Colonel Moulton was aligned with the Republican party, in the success of which he was deeply interested, though at no time was he a seeker after public office. Of the Grand Army of the Republic he was an especially active member, his local mem- bership being with the Mark Armstrong Post, of which he was commander at one time. In the state department of the society he also attained to eminent distinction, being elected state depart- ment commander, in which position he rendered signally efficient service. For many years the Colonel was a delegate to the na- tional encampments of the Grand Army, and during these years he was nearly always at the head of some department of the national body. By his comrades he was held in the highest esteem and the honors which were conferred upon him were richly mer- ited. Upon the election of Governor Nash, of this State, Colonel
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Moulton received an appointment as a member of the Governor's staff, with the rank of colonel. He was a personal acquaintance and friend of Governor Alger, of Michigan, and many other men who were prominent in Grand Army circles.
Fraternally, Colonel Moulton was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, having received all the degrees of the York rite up to and including those of Knight Templar. Socially, he was a member of the Lima Club, the Shawnee Country Club, the Progressive Association and other local organizations of the city. At one time he was a stockholder and director in a bank in Toledo, where he had maintained his residence for a few years. Religiously, the Colonel was an active member and regular at- tendant of the Presbyterian Church, contributing liberally to its support. All worthy and benevolent objects found in him a friend, though his donations were made without ostentation or display.
On December 23, 1869, in Livingston County, New York, Benjamin M. Moulton was united in marriage with Marietta Kuder, who is the daughter of John and Catherine (Larish) Kuder. Her parents, who were both natives of Pennsylvania, were, respectively of German and French ancestry, the family names having originally been LaRose and Van Kuder. Mrs. Moulton's maternal great-grandfather, who came to this country. from his native France, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, having served as captain of a company in General Washington's own regiment. John and Catherine Kuder were married in Pennsylvania, but soon after their marriage they loaded their household effects onto a bobsled and made the trip over the mountains to Livingston County, New York, where they located on a farm on Groven Hill, near Geneseo, where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father dying when four-score years old and the mother at the age of ninety years. Both were active physically and retained their mental and bodily vigor to a remark- able degree up to within a short time of their deaths. They were fervent members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he served for many years as deacon. Politically, John Kuder was a Dem- ocrat of the old school and was a respected and influential mem- ber of his community. One of their sons, Andrew, had an honor- able record through the Civil War, having served as captain of a company in the One Hundred and Eighth Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry. His military career was a remarkable one in many respects. He was every inch a fighter and was in the thick of many of the most hotly contested battles of the war, having had
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, many narrow escapes from death. He had several horses shot from under him, a shot passed through his hat and one boot heel was shot off. He captured with his own hands two Confederate battle flags and General Early's private knapsack. For his cour- age, gallantry, and conspicuous service, Congress voted him a medal of honor, one of the most coveted recognitions accorded by the government for military services. Later he became promi- nently identified with the Grand Army of the Republic. His death was caused by a stroke of lightning, death being instant.
To Colonel and Mrs. Moulton was born one child, Harry S., whose birth occurred in New York, on October 22, 1872. His edu- cational training was received in the public schools, at Oberlin College, supplementing this by attendance at the Poughkeepsie Business College, where he graduated, and from which institution his father had received his certificate early in its history. Event- ually, Harry S. Moulton became identified with the retail lumber business in Lima, in which he is still active and in which he has been eminently successful. He was married in Lima to Jane Porter, who was born and reared in that city, her education being completed in Wooster University, at Wooster, this State. She is a lady of splendid attainments and she and her husband are pop- ular members of the social circles in which they move. They are the parents of three children, Elizabeth V., Catherine and Ben- jamin Porter. Harry Moulton is a member of the Presbyterian Church, as is his mother, both being liberal contributors to its various interests.
Mrs. Marietta Moulton is a lady of many gracious qualities of head and heart and no woman in this locality occupies a more enviable position than she, for her friends and acquaintances have learned to prize her for her beautiful character and useful life.
John Coward Peterson
DUE measure of success invariably results from clearly defined purpose and consecutive effort in the affairs of life, but in following out the career of one who gained success by his own efforts there comes into view the intrinsic individuality which made such accomplishment pos- sible. Such attributes were evidently possessed by the late John E. Peterson, who, during all his manhood years, was prominent in the commercial life of the city of Akron, Ohio, and who suc- ceeded in leaving the indelible imprint of his personality upon the lives of all with whom he came in contact. He always stood ready to identify himself with his fellow citizens in any good work and extend a cooperative hand to advance any measure that was cal- culated to better the condition of things in his native community, that would give better government, elevate mankind, insure higher standards of morality and the highest ideals of a refined, ennobling, intellectual culture, being, like his honored father be- fore him, a man of public spirit and correct conduct, who, like him, enjoyed the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. By reason of these commendable characteristics, coupled with a genial, gentlemanly address and a heart of charitable and hos- pitable impulses, he deserved fully the popularity which he en- joyed throughout the community.
John Edward Peterson, whose lamented death occurred at his home in Akron on January 12, 1913, was a native of this city, in which he spent his entire life, having been born here on Septem- ber 10, 1869. He was the son of James H. and Caroline (Van Evera) Peterson, the father being a native of Canada and the mother of the State of New York. James H. Peterson was a den- tist by profession and was one of the first in that line to settle per- manently at Akron, where he not only enjoyed a large patronage, but also attained to a high standing as a citizen, being a man of strong character and ever active in the civic life of the city. He has been dead several years, being survived by his widow, who still resides in Akron, at the age of eighty years. They were the parents of three children, namely: Carrie, the wife of ex-Senator Charles Dick, of this city; Grace, deceased, was the wife of Wil- liam Reed, of Kansas City, Kansas; John E., the immediate sub- ject of this memoir.
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John E. Peterson received his education in the public schools of Akron, being a graduate from the high school. Immediately after completing his education, he entered the employ of Dick & Miles, in the feed and grain business, with whom he remained several years. Later Mr. Peterson bought Mr. Miles' interest in the firm, which was then known as Dick & Peterson, Mr. Peterson having active control of the business. About ten years before his death Mr. Peterson sold a half interest in the business to W. E. Wright, the firm style then being Peterson & Wright, and a large grain establishment was erected on South Main Street. About four years later the plant was entirely wiped out by a disastrous fire, but was immediately rebuilt. The business was prosperous and eventually the firm found it necessary to add another large building to its original plant. The concern became known as one of the leading houses of its kind in Akron, much of the splendid success which came to it being directly due to the indefatigable efforts, the splendid business ability and the personal popularity of Mr. Peterson, who devoted himself unremittingly to the up- building of the business. In 1911 Mr. Peterson sold his interest to Mr. Wright, and became a large stockholder in the Akron Gravel and Sand Company, of which he became manager and treasurer, and of which he was vice-president at the time of his death.
John E. Peterson was interested financially in a number of other business enterprises in Akron, but did not confine his entire attention and interest in the accumulation of wealth. He was of too broad a heart and too large a sympathy with the world about him to confine his thought and action to material things alone, but everything in the community that promised to benefit in any way his neighbors and fellow citizens, morally, intellectually, or so- cially, received his support. In these things he was entirely un- selfish and altruistic and the deeper things of life had a large meaning to him. It was largely through his efforts that the Akron Chamber of Commerce was organized, and he was elected a member of its board of directors, in which he gave two years of effective and appreciated service. True, Mr. Peterson had his limitations, as do all, but he gave the best of his talents to the world and to the aiding of his fellow men. His career presents a notable example of those qualities of mind and character which overcome obstacles and win success, and his example is eminently worthy of imitation by those dissatisfied with present attainments who would aspire to higher and more useful positions of honor and trust. Though cut down in the very prime of life, and when to him
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life seemed most worth living, his record was such that his influ- ence remains as an inspiration and encouragement to others.
On August 27, 1901, John E. Peterson was united in marriage to Gertrude Caruthers, the daughter of Elmore and Cornelia (Upson) Caruthers, both of whom are deceased and are buried at Tallmadge, Ohio. Mr. Caruthers was a man of splendid education and high mental qualifications, and acquired a high reputation in the educational world, having been superintendent of the state school for the deaf, in Arkansas, at the time of his death. He had received his higher education at Western Reserve College and was a deep student of a wide range of subjects, being a man of unusual erudition. Mrs. Peterson was born at Little Rock, Arkansas, but was reared and educated in the State of Ohio. She was the second in order of birth of three children, the others being Julia, who is musical director of a school of piano music at Chicago, and Maud, the wife of Rev. J. M. Richardson, a Presbyterian minister at Bridgeport, Connecticut. After the death of the father of these children, the mother became the wife of Alvin Regal, of Oberlin, Ohio, and they became the parents of two children, Alvin Paul and Arthur E. To Mr. and Mrs. Peterson were born two daugh- ters, Gertrude Virginia and Grace Caroline.
Religiously, Mr. Peterson was an active member of the First Congregational Church, in the activities of which he took a lead- ing part, having served as a trustee and a member of the building committee. Fraternally, he was a member of the Free and Ac- cepted Masons, being a member of Adoniram Lodge and of the commandery of Knights Templars. Mr. Peterson was character- ized by honesty, firmness of character, and intelligence. One of the most unostentatious of men, open-hearted and candid in man- ner, he always retained in his demeanor the simplicity and candor of a true gentleman, and his record stands as an enduring monu- ment.
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Made from oil painting by Frank Werner.
George Fod Perkins
Colonel George Tod Perkins
NE of Ohio's representative and well-known citizens was the late Col. George Tod Perkins, of Akron, whose life was well spent in activities that seemed to exercise to the full extent his somewhat varied and unusual abil- ities. He was a busy and industrious man and attained a place of high degree and compelling importance in his locality, in which he was a constant quantity. One of the kind that make up the front rank, the kind that can be relied on, a good workman in the world's affairs, a splendid specimen of the many that do the real, hard work of the world in places of passing importance, and do it well. It was a kind of life that does not attract attention for its unusual brilliance or any picturesque or erratic qualities, but the kind out of which the warp and woof of the substance that goes to make up the continuous achievement of humanity is made. It is a kind that deserves more recognition than it gets because of that curious quality of human nature which takes rather for granted the material substance, and reserves its attention for the more or less unhealthy condiments that excite the passing taste. Here from first to last for more than the Psalmist's allotted span of years was such a life, useful, devoted, busy and fuller of a variety of manifestation than falls to the lot of many who are reckoned more brilliant. Thus for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that he was one of the courageous sons of the Northland who rendered efficient service in saving the nation from its ene- mies during its darkest crisis in the sixties, he is entitled to rep- resentation in a work of the character of the one at hand.
George Tod Perkins, son of Col. Simon Perkins and grand- son of Gen. Simon Perkins, mention of whom is made on other pages of this volume, was born in Akron, Ohio, on May 5, 1836, and there he grew to manhood. He received his education in the common schools of his home city and at Marietta College, Mari- etta, Ohio. In 1859 he went to Youngstown, this State, where he was associated with his uncle, David Tod, later governor of Ohio, as secretary of the Brier Hill Iron Company, being thus engaged until the commencement of the war between the States. In 1861 he enlisted as a private in Company B, Nineteenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, of which he was soon afterwards elected sec- ond lieutenant. He served in West Virginia and in 1862, on the
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expiration of his first period of enlistment, he re-enlisted and was commissioned major of the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He performed his duties courageously and faithfully and for gallantry on the field of battle he was com- missioned Lieutenant-Colonel on July 16, 1863. He would have been promoted to the colonelcy of his regiment had its ranks not been so thinned by the ravages of war. However, from the time of his appointment as major he had command of the regiment. He participated in many of the great battles of the war, including the sanguinary engagements at Perryville, Chickamaugua, Missionary Ridge, Hoover's Gap, Kenesaw Mountain, and the siege of At- lanta. At Perryville, Kentucky, two of his captains and forty- seven of his men were killed, and in all the battles in which the regiment engaged it was in the thick of the fight. Colonel Perkins was a born leader of men, being greatly admired by his troops, and he never shrank from the performance of any duty, no matter how dangerous or arduous. He was with Sherman on his memor- able march to the sea, and at the conclusion of the war was mus- tered out in Washington City, receiving an honorable discharge on June 3, 1865.
After his brilliant military career, Colonel Perkins returned to his native city and again engaged in civil pursuits. From 1867 to 1870 he was secretary for Taflin, Rice & Company, and from the latter year until 1876 he was president of the Bank of Akron. He then served as cashier of that institution until it was consolidated with the Second National Bank, in March, 1888, when he became president of the new institution. During this period he wielded a wide influence in business and financial circles in Akron and vicin- ity, being generally recognized as a man of unusual capacity and of unimpeachable integrity. Aside from his banking interests he was connected with a number of other enterprises and for years was numbered among the leading men of his city. He ever had the best interests of Akron at heart and was an important and influential factor in its advancement and commercial prosperity. In 1900 he presented to the city of Akron seventy-six acres of land for park purposes, which is now known as Perkins Park. The death of Colonel Perkins occurred on September 8, 1910, and was generally felt to be a distinct loss to the community, with which he had been so closely identified and in the prosperity of which he had ever had the deepest interest.
On October 6, 1865, Colonel Perkins was married to Mary F. Rawson, a lady of many commendable characteristics and a
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daughter of a fine old family. To this union three children were born, one of whom is living, Mary, wife of C. B. Raymond, secre- tary of the Goodrich Rubber Company, of Akron, which is the largest rubber company in the world, employing over six thou- sand men and having a large, modernly equipped and model plant. Mr. and Mrs. Raymond have three children, namely: Mary Per- kins, who is the wife of William H. Yule, of New York City; George Perkins Raymond and Charles Goodrich Raymond, who are at home. Colonel Perkins, in spite of the prominence and suc- cess which attended his career, was a quiet, modest, and unassum- ing man, caring nothing for display and disliking publicity, while to his friends he was always the same genial and companionable gentleman, with whom all delighted to associate. He was pas- sionately fond of children, especially boys, whom he said, were the citizens of the future, and they were all his friends.
In closing this review, we quote the following interesting lines from an article which appeared in one of Akron's leading dailies in 1910:
"The history of the Goodrich Rubber Company and the per- sonal history of Colonel Perkins are so closely intertwined that to give one without at least a brief sketch of the other, would fail to do justice to either. Forty years ago, Colonel Perkins, with four- teen other Akron business men, George W. Crouse among them, formed what was called the Akron Board of Trade. Part of their time they devoted to sending forth circulars in which were de- scribed in glowing terms Akron's opportunities to those seeking a place in which to locate. One of these circulars reached Dr. B. F. Goodrich, in Tarrytown, New York, where he was engaged in making rubber goods in a very small shop. He came to Akron, talked with the Board of Trade and located here. This was in 1870. In 1880 he paid off those who had loaned him money and offered stock in the company to those who preferred it. Colonel Perkins was one of the two or three who took the stock. He re- tired as president of this company at the age of seventy years.
"Colonel Perkins had experienced reverses, however, for in the seventies he was caught in the panic and lost, it is stated, about everything he had. He was one of the trustees of Buchtel College and a liberal giver to many of Akron's institutions. He was the moving spirit of the Mary Day Nursery and was one of the found- ers of the Young Women's Christian Association. Churches throughout the city have also felt the effects of his generosity. He had always taken a great interest in Akron's welfare.
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