USA > Ohio > Representative citizens of Ohio : memorial-genealogical > Part 29
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Colonel George Tod Perkins
"Col. George Perkins was the son of Col. Simon Perkins, well known in Akron, having been the founder of many of its parks and institutions. Moved by the same spirit as his father, he gave to the city, some twelve years ago, Perkins Park, on Perkins Hill."
Eng but G Williams &. Bro MY
J. H. Peterson
James D. Peterson
T IS not always easy to discover and define the hidden forces that move a life of ceaseless activity and large professional success; little more can be done than to note their manifestation in the career of the individual under consideration. In view of this fact, the life of the distin- guished dentist and public-spirited man of affairs whose name appears above affords a striking example of well defined purpose with the ability to make that purpose subserve not only his own ends but the good of his fellow men as well. He long held distinct- ive prestige in a calling which requires for its basis sound mental- ity and intellectual discipline of a high order, supplemented by rigid professional training and thorough mastery of technical knowledge with the skill to apply the same. In his chosen field of endeavor Doctor Peterson achieved notable success and an emi- nent standing among his profession in Akron and surrounding country. In addition to his long and creditable career in his pro- fession, he also proved an honorable member of the body politic, rising in the confidence and esteem of the public, and in every re- lation of life he never fell below the dignity of true manhood nor in any way resorted to methods and wiles that invited criticism or censure. As a citizen he easily ranked with the most influential of his county, whence he was long a prominent figure. His course was ever above suspicion and those favored with an intimate ac- quaintance with him were profuse in their praise of his manly virtues and upright character.
James H. Peterson, who for a long course of years was one of Akron's best known citizens, was born at St. John, New Bruns- wick, on July 9, 1830, and his death occurred at his home in Akron on July 21, 1898, at the age of sixty-eight years. He was the son of John and Lucy (Ludlow) Peterson, the father a native of Scotland and the mother of Scotch descent. They were the par- ents of the following children: Lucy, the wife of Captain Chase, an active seaman; Eliza, the wife of Ira Munson; Emeline, wife of George Stocken; Sarah, wife of Captain Bissell, a seaman; Wil- liam, James H., the subject of this memoir, George and Daniel. In his youth, the subject of this sketch accompanied his parents on their removal to Buffalo, New York, from which city they moved some time later to Portage County, Ohio, where, having completed
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his common school studies, he conceived the idea of studying for the medical profession; however, he changed his mind and devoted himself to the study of dentistry under the direction of Dr. B. T. Speelman, of Ravenna, Ohio. Upon the completion of his studies, Doctor Peterson opened an office in the city of Cleveland, where he rapidly gained a large practice, but a year later, in 1854, he came to Akron and opened an office, being thereafter actively en- gaged in the practice of his profession until early in the year of his death, when he relinquished active work. He was splendidly equipped by nature and training for his professional practice and for many years he stood at the head of the calling in Summit County, enjoying a large and lucrative practice.
Aside from his professional interests, Doctor Peterson was prominently identified with the civic life of Akron for a long period of years, being a leader in political and social matters. During the War of the Rebellion, he was secretary of the Repub- lican union central committee of Summit County and stood high in the councils of the party, though never a seeker after public office for himself. In the upbuilding of the city of his choice he was deeply interested and by voice and pen he contributed his share of effort to that attainment. He was a man of decided literary tastes and considerable ability as a writer, his contributions to the secu- lar and religious press being marked by breadth of thought and clearness of style. He also wrote many short poems touching on political events of the day, though this was to him but a pastime. He was a strong supporter of Buchtel College and all other institu- tions which stood for a higher plane of living. In fact, every phase of life in which he could participate and accomplish anything for the general welfare enlisted his warmest sympathy and support and he was deservedly numbered among the representative men of his city.
Politically, Doctor Peterson was a stanch supporter of the Republican party, while his fraternal relations were with the Free and Accepted Masons, belonging to Akron Lodge No. 83, and to Washington Chapter No. 25, Royal Arch Masons, as well as to the Masonic Relief Association. Religiously, his sympathies were with the Congregational Church, to which he gave a liberal support, but of which he was not a member. His moral ideals were high, and his personal life was clean and exemplary in every respect. He was a man of marked domestic tastes and his chief enjoyment was in his home and with his family.
On November 29, 1855, James H. Peterson was united in mar- riage with Caroline Van Evera, a native of Cherry Valley, New
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James 19. Peterson
York, the daughter of Rynear and Julia (May) Van Evera, who also were natives of New York State. Mr. Van Evera was first a farmer, but after his removal to Akron he ran a hotel for many years. He was twice married, first to Ann Ostrom, by whom he became the father of three children, Daniel, George, and Eliza- beth. To his second wife, Julia May, were born the following children: Caroline, wife of Doctor Peterson; Elvira, the wife of Dr. J. W. Rockwell; Louisa, wife of Arthur Lewis; Adeline, wife of A. M. Bollock; Amelia, wife of J. H. Bilbraugh; Lucretia, wife of E. W. Neff; Ellen, wife of John Pinkney; Alice, wife of Charles Ellsworth; John James, who died young.
To Mr. and Mrs. Peterson were born the following children: Carrie became the wife of Senator Charles Dick, and they have five children, Carl P., a graduate of West Point Military Academy and now an officer in the United States Army; James E., a gradu- ate of the Colorado School of Mines, is a mining engineer in that State; Lucius A., a student in the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor; Grace, a student in the College for Girls at Cleveland, and Dorothy, a student at Buchtel College; Grace A. is the wife of W. T. Reed, an attorney at Kansas City, Kansas; John Edward, who died on January 13, 1913, is represented fully elsewhere in this work. The members of the family are all identified with the Congregational Church, of which Mrs. Peterson is now one of its oldest members. She has been a member of the society since 1858 and has always been very active in all good works, being an ear- nest member of the missionary society. She is a woman of many excellent qualities of head and heart and, despite her advanced age, she retains her faculties to a remarkable degree. She proved to her husband a helpmate in the truest sense of the term, and, because of her womanly graces and her genuine worth she has long enjoyed the love and friendship of all who know her.
ohn Danner
HE spirit of a pure, noble, and earnest life has character- ized John Danner, than whom no resident of the city of Canton, Ohio, has attained to higher distinction in the civic development of this favored section of the commonwealth, while at the same time he has wielded a wide and beneficent influence in connection with the promotion of public enterprises and utilities which have conserved such development and progress. His life has been one of fullness and completeness, one of vigor and inflexible integrity. He has accomplished great things for the general good and has not been denied a due individ- ual reward in the matter of temporal affluence. A man of rugged strength of character, of finest moral fiber, and one who has real- ized a magnificent measure of useful accomplishment, his name is deeply engraved in the annals of the county and city so long honored by his residence. He is universally recognized as a splen- did citizen, of lofty character, sturdy integrity, and unswerving honesty. During the pioneer period he shared fully the trials and difficulties of those trying times. He was one of the sturdy figures upon whom the burdens of the new community fell, and he strug- gled devotedly with others in bringing about the resultant evolu- tion of development. Heart and hand and purse have always been open to the necessities of his neighbors and the record of his years is one of tireless and unselfish devotion. To write the history of Mr. Danner would be to write a book, and in the limited space of a biographical sketch one can but touch upon the salient facts in the long, useful, and somewhat remarkable career of this honored man and briefly sum up his life by saying that he has been a good man-such a man that the world has been better for his having lived in it. He has been a good husband and father, faithful and loving; a good citizen and friend, constant and reli- able; a man in the fullest sense of the word, wide, comprehensive and far-reaching in life.
John Danner, to whom belongs the distinction of being the oldest living resident of Canton, Ohio, was born in that city on March 10, 1823, and is descended from German ancestry, though the family has been identified with this country since early colo- nial days. His paternal grandfather, Philip Danner, was a native of York, Pennsylvania, and he had three brothers in the war of the
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John Danner
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John Danner
Revolution, one of whom was killed in that struggle. Philip was reared on the paternal homestead and on reaching manhood mar- ried and eventually moved to Center County, Pennsylvania. His wife, who had borne the maiden name of Millheim, was born in a village of that name, which had been founded by her ancestors. Among Philip Danner's children was Jacob, father of the subject of this sketch. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1795 and his wife, Anna Slusser, was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, April 1, 1803. The latter's father was Philip Slusser, who built the first mill in Stark County, Ohio, in 1816, the Slusser family being among the pioneers of this county. Philip Danner brought his wife and family to Ohio in 1813, coming overland by wagon, and entered a tract of government land near Canal Fulton, Stark County. There they went through the experiences and endured the hardships of all first comers in a new country, their first ef- forts being confined to the clearing of the land, the building of a log cabin and the planting of the first crops. The parents made this their home until their deaths, both dying when between eighty and ninety years of age. The old homestead is still in possession of the family. In their family were five sons and two daughters, all of whom lived to advanced ages. As a rule they became farmers, with the exception of Jacob. The latter, from his youth, was am- bitious and in his Pennsylvania home he learned the trade of a gunsmith, and on coming to Canton he established himself in this line in a little shop on West Tuscarawas Street, just outside the city limits, where he could, without molestation, test such guns as were brought to him for repair. This, however, was only a few blocks from the public square. Here he lived and successfully labored at his trade, and at times was so busy he had to keep several journeymen assistants. He followed this vocation con- tinuously until his death, which occurred in 1845. He possessed the real pioneer spirit and was an inveterate hunter, killing a vast number of wild animals, including deer and other wild game. Among the mementos of his hunting days was a fine pair of buck horns, which he left to the subject of this sketch and which are highly prized as heirlooms. The subject also possesses a gun which his father made for him more than seventy-five years ago. It is of the finest flint-lock style and has never been altered in any way. Jacob Danner was not only a skilled workman, but was also a splendid marksman and killed the last wolf, a very large one, for which a bounty was paid, the amount being five dollars, as entered in the county records. He was an earnest and faithful member of the Lutheran Church, and in politics he was a strong
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supporter of the Democratic party. Mrs. Danner's family name, which was of German origin, was Schlosser, members of the family having emigrated to this country in colonial days, locating in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, from whence they moved to West- moreland County, that State. There Mrs. Danner was born and accompanied her parents to Canton in 1820. She was a resident of this city for sixty-six years, her death occurring here in 1886. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church for many years and was a woman of fine character. To Jacob and Anna Danner were born four children, of whom the first born is John, the subject of this sketch. Two children died in infancy, and the only other child was Harriet A., who was born in Canton and who became the wife of Joseph A. Saxton. The latter was the son of John Saxton, who founded the Canton Repository, the oldest newspaper in this part of the State. John Saxton was the father of Mrs. William McKin- ley, wife of the lamented President. Joseph S. Saxton was a member of the old and well-known firm of Reynolds & Saxton, hardware merchants of Canton, and he and his wife are both de- ceased.
John Danner was reared in Canton and received his education in the public schools of that city, supplementing his school train- ing by attendance under the instruction of Rev. T. M. Hopkins, a Presbyterian minister. His first employment was as a clerk in the store of Martin Wikidal, one of Canton's pioneer merchants, with whom he spent four years, and then for four years he clerked for L. & S. Rawson, at Massillon. In 1865, in company with John R. Bucher, he started what was called the Canton Stove Works, but sold his interests at the end of a year. After this he embarked in the clothing and dry goods business, which he carried on until 1876, when he disposed of his stock, and that same year patented and brought out what is known as the John Danner Revolving Book-case. Mr. Danner has been president of the company contin- uously since its organization, having active direction of the busi- ness which has grown to great magnitude, giving employment to one hundred and fifty people. The Danner revolting book-case was the first article of the kind ever patented and it has had a splendid sale, covering not only this entire country, but many cities in Europe. Despite his four score years and ten, Mr. Dan- ner retains his physical vigor to a remarkable degree, undoubtedly due to his regular habits and life-long abstemiousness, he never having used tobacco in any form nor alcoholic liquors.
Mr. Danner is an uncompromising enemy of intemperance in any direction, especially in the use of intoxicants, and he has
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written many able articles for publication in the interest of tem- perance and other lines of moral reform. Sternly opposed to every form of vice or lawlessness, he has ever been found in ear- nest support of every movement which has had for its object the advancement of his city along moral, social, or educational lines, and has been considered a power for good, exerting a beneficial influence in all circles in which he has moved.
Politically, Mr. Danner has consistently given his support to the Prohibition party, while, religiously, he and his wife are ear- nest members of the First Baptist Church of Canton, having lielped organize the church. For over twenty years Mr. Danner was superintendent of the Sunday school and for many years a teacher of the Bible class. In local public affairs he has always taken a keen interest, having served six years efficiently as a mem- ber of the city council and also served a similar period on the school board.
On October 4, 1847, while living in Massillon, Mr. Danner married Teressa A. Millard, who was born on July 24, 1828, in Ti- oga County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of William J, and Eliza- beth (Ball ) Millard, both natives of Onondago County, New York, who, after their marriage, removed to Tioga County, Pennsylva- nia. William J. Millard was a soldier in the War of 18.12, and received an honorable discharge. Colonel Ball, the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Danner, served in the Revolutionary War, where he distinguished himself in several engagements. Two brothers of Mrs. Danner served in the War of the Rebellion. Wil- liam J. Millard was an own cousin to President Millard Fillmore. Sometime in the early thirties the Millard family removed to In- dianapolis, Indiana, where the elder members spent the remainder of their lives and died. It was while their daughter Teressa was visiting a sister, Mrs. N. S. Russell, in Massillon, that Mr. Danner first met her. Mrs. Danner is yet living, and, like her honored husband, is still active physically and alert mentally. Mr. and Mrs. Danner will celebrate their sixty-sixth marriage anniversary on October 4, 1914, their long wedded life having been marked by the most absolute devotion to each other.
To Mr. and Mrs. Danner have been born the following chil- dren: Anna, who died at the age of two years; Mary E., who is un- married and remains with her parents; Julia Alice became the wife of L. M. Jones, an attorney of Canton, and they have four children; Harriet is the wife of J. F. Campbell, who is connected with the Danner factory, and they are the parents of two children; Edith R., who became the wife of S. S. C. Gaskell, of Canton;
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Almina T. is the wife of Charles M. Bawsel, who is connected with the United States Treasury Department at Washington, and they have a daughter; John N., who is secretary of the Danner Revolv- ing Book-case Company, married Mary Shanafelt, of Canton.
Personally, Mr. Danner is a man of keen discernment and marked business ability, his transactions having always been con- trolled by honesty of motive and integrity of word and act, so that during his entire business career he has enjoyed to the fullest degree the absolute confidence of all who have had dealings with him. He is widely known throughout this section of the State and he has enjoyed the personal acquaintance of some of the State and Nation's leading men of affairs, including, in the earlier days, Rev. Alexander Campbell, the founder of the Disciples Church, General William Henry Harrison and others of equal importance and re- nown. Mr. and Mrs. Danner were guests at the wedding of Pres- ident and Mrs. McKinley and they were in Buffalo the day the President was stricken down by the assassin. Mr. Danner has for many years maintained a deep interest in state and local history and a few years ago was the leading editor of a history of Canton and Stark County. He is, indeed, the "grand old man of Canton," and now, in the golden Indian summer of his life, the satisfaction is his of knowing that his life has been a blessing to the world. He has been, in the strictest sense, the architect of his own fortune and upon his entire career there rests no blemish, for he has been true to his highest ideals in business, civic, and social life, having lived and labored to worthy ends.
James B. Manton 1 MONG the successful self-made men of a past generation in Ohio, whose efforts and influence contributed to the material upbuilding of their respective communities, the late James B. Manton, of the Robinson Clay Prod- ucts Company, occupied a conspicuous place. Being ambitious from the first, but surrounded with none too favorable environ- ment, he did not make great headway during his early years of effort, but, resolutely facing the future, he, with the assistance of his faithful wife and helpmate surmounted the opposing difficul- ties and in the course of time rose to a respectable position in the industrial circles of his community, besides winning the confidence and esteem of those with whom he came in contact, so that for years he stood as one of the representative citizens of the commu- nity in which he resided. Strongly in contrast with the humble circumstances in which he started the battle of life was the splen- did position which he eventually filled in business circles. He had realized early in his career that there is a purpose in life and that there is no honor not founded on worth and no respect not founded on accomplishment. The strongest characters in our national his- tory have. come from the ranks of self-made men, and from this class came the lamented gentleman whose name initiates this memoir.
James B. Manton, whose death occurred at his home in Akron, Ohio, on June 7, 1883, was a native of England, where his birth occurred on April 24, 1834. He was the son of John and Frances (Bothalmey) Manton, both of whom also were natives of the "merrie little isle," and both of whom came to this country, mak- ing their home in Akron, where their deaths occurred. The fa- ther followed the vocation of butchering and was a man of good character and industrious habits. He and his wife were members of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church and were earnest Christian people. They were the parents of the following children; John, Charlotte, deceased, who was the wife of Thomas Hunt; Frederick; Lucy, who became the wife of John Cook; Susannah, the wife of Jacob Bowers, and James B.
The subject of this sketch received his education in the schools of his native land and at the age of eighteen years he came to the United States. His first employment was at day labor in New
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York State, where he remained for a time, but eventually he came to Akron and during the following three years he was employed in his father's butcher shop. He then became identified with the Robinson Clay Company, with which he remained associated in an active way during the remainder of his business life. At that time the concern was just getting started, running but one kiln, and Mr. Manton's connection with the company really marked the begin- ning of its growth. At first he was employed in the office, but later he became a stockholder in the company and then he took an active part in the practical work of the plant. It is a matter of fact that Mrs. Manton was the one who trimmed the first piece of ware turned out of this plant and all through its subsequent his- tory she maintained the deepest interest in its success, often con- tributing by her personal efforts to its operation until its success was assured. Mr. Manton's personal efforts were a most impor- tant factor in the splendid growth which characterized the busi- ness and at the time of his death he was a member of the board of directors of the company and one of the most influential factors in its management. His brothers-in-law, the Messrs. Robinson, and himself worked with tremendous energy to put the plant on a pay- ing basis, going into the plant and doing the same work as their employees performed, and at length they had the satisfaction of seeing the fruitful results of their persistency and industry. To- day the Robinson Clay Products Company is one of the substan- tial and prosperous industrial concerns of Akron. The original owners of the company are now all deceased, but the business is being capably carried on by Mr. Manton's son, Henry B.
In 1859 James B. Manton married Harriett Robinson, a native of Fenton, Staffordshire, England, who came to this country when seven years old with her parents, William and Elizabeth (Fair- banks) Robinson, who located in Buffalo, New York. A short time afterwards they removed to East Liverpool, Ohio, and eventually located in Akron, where Mr. Robinson was a sales agent for the Robinson Clay Company; prior to that time he had been a crate- maker by trade. He was a Republican in his political tendencies and in his private life he was much attached to his home and family. To him and his wife were born the following children: Emma, deceased, who was the wife of Richard Whitmore; Thomas, deceased; William, deceased; Harriet, widow of Mr. Manton; Henry, deceased, and John. Of these, Mrs. Manton is the only survivor. To Mr. and Mrs. Manton the following children were born: Henry B., who, as has been stated, is now managing the business of the clay company, married Mary B. Seiberling and
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they have two children, Margaret and Harriet; Irvin married Frederica Hurxtal and they have two children, Leona and Freder- ica; Deborah died at the age of two months.
Politically, Mr. Manton gave his support to the Republican party, though he never sought public office of any nature. Reli- giously, he was member of the Presbyterian Church and an ear- nest and faithful Christian. His record was replete with duty faithfully discharged, and the success which eventually crowned his efforts was but the legitimate result of his indomitable and persistent struggle towards a definite object. His character and accomplishments were recognized in the community and he com- manded universal confidence and esteem.
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