USA > Ohio > Representative citizens of Ohio : memorial-genealogical > Part 46
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George A. Thefiner
George A. Heffner, whose death occurred at his home in Lima, Ohio, on January 6, 1913, was born in Frederick City, Maryland, on June 19, 1834. His parents were David and Catharine (Measel) Heffner, both of whom were natives of Maryland and of either German or Dutch ancestry. The fami- ly had long been established in the Old Line State, where the various members had occupied positions of respect and influence in their respective communities. David Heffner was reared to the life of a farmer in his native community, there married and four children were born to them there. In 1837 or 1838, the family moved to Ohio, the journey being made in wagons, and their new home being in the midst of an unbroken forest. After remaining there a short time and making some improvements, David Heffner sold his land and located at Kossuth, Auglaize County, Ohio, where they remained during the following twelve years. Selling this place, Mr. Heffner next located at Criders- ville Allen County, where he purchased a hotel, to the operation of which he gave his attention until the death of the wife and mother in 1878, when past seventy-eight years of age, after which he broke up his household establishment and spent his remaining years with his children, the last seven years of his life being spent with George A., the immediate subject of this sketch, who gave him every attention which filial love and affection could suggest. At the time of his death David Heffner was nearly eighty-one years of age. Politically, he was first a Whig, then a Republican, and in religion he and his wife gave faithful allegiance to the Lutheran Church. They were the parents of nine children, four sons and five daughters, all of whom grew to maturity, married and had children. Two sons and a daughter are still living in Allen County. During those early years David Heffner and his wife were numbered among the sterling and upright members of the various communities with which they were identified at dif- ferent times, and they not only had a part in the development of the communities, but they also were definite factors in the establishment of a high moral standard, their influence ever hav- ing been exerted in the direction of the moral uplift of the peo- ple and the permanent establishment of right things in the com- munity.
George A. Heffner was between three and four years of age when the family came from Maryland to Ohio, and in the primi- tive schools of the new community he secured a fair education, which was liberally supplemented during the subsequent years by wide experience and habits of close observation of men and
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events. Soon after his marriage, which occurred in 1861, Mr. Heffner located at Elida, Allen County, where, during the follow- ing four years, he ran a hotel, with a fair degree of success. Selling this place, he purchasd a saw mill, which he operated four years, at the end of which time he came to Lima and became superintendent of James Irvin's hub and spoke factory. That he managed this business with efficiency and to the entire satis- faction of the owner was evidenced by his long retention in the position, a period of eighteen years. He was a shrewd and saga- cious business man and, carefully husbanding his earnings, he made wise investments from time to time, so that in 1882, he was enabled to erect what is known as the old Hoffman House now the Marshall House, located at the corner of Main and Wayne Streets, Lima. This was the first large building on North Main Street, being substantial in character and well arranged, and is still numbered among the landmarks of that period. To the operation of this house Mr. Heffner devoted himself for fourteen years, at the end of which period he retired from active affairs, and spent the remainder of his years quietly, enjoying that rest which he had so richly earned.
During those early years of struggles against obstacles, Mr. Heffner found in his wife a true helpmate indeed, for to her faithful assistance, wise judgment and sound advice was to a large extent due the success which attended their efforts. In the hotel she took active charge of the dining room, one of the most important departments in any successful hotel, and she vigilantly and faithfully contributed her efforts to the favorable outcome of the enterprise.
Politically, George A. Heffner was a stanch supporter of the Republican party, though he never aspired to the holding of public office of any nature. He was an intelligent observer of public affairs and, as a private citizen, ever gave his support to the upbuilding of the best interests of the community, educa- tionally, materially, socially, or morally. Fraternally, he was an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of Mark Armstrong Post, Grand Army of the Republic. The latter affiliation was by virtue of the fact that, in September, 1864, during the dark days of the Civil War, he enlisted in Com- pany C, One Hundred and Eightieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served as a private until the cessation of hostilities, when he was honorably discharged. Though his military service lasted only about a year, Mr. Heffner took part in several severe engagements and was a faithful and courageous
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soldier. He ever took a deep interest in everything affecting the welfare of the old soldiers and he was a member of the com- mittee which had in charge the building of the Allen County Memorial Hall a few years ago, the community's beautiful tribute to the memory of the country's honored defenders. Perhaps George Heffner's dominant and most notable characteristic was his fidelity to truth and honor. He invariably sought the things which were "honest and of good repute," and his life was an in- spiration to all who knew him. Of splendid physique, he carried his weight of years lightly and up to within a year or so of his death he was physically equal to many younger men. When about seventy-seven years old, however, he sustained a severe fall, from the effects of which he never recovered.
In 1861, George A. Heffner was united in marriage with Rebecca J. Flinn, the ceremony occurring at Shawnee, this county, where Mrs. Heffner had been born on July 3, 1841. They began their married life in a humble clapboard-covered log cabin, with a pauncheon floor, the door being hung on wooden hinges and opened by means of a latch and string. Probably but few of the present generation ever saw one of these old-fashioned homes, where the latch-string always hung on the outside, a hearty and unselfish welcome being ever given to friend and stranger alike, for in those days hospitality was a characteristic of the pioneer. Mrs. Heffner had been reared amid pioneer sur- roundings and she therefore easily adjusted herself to these con- ditions. She proved a faithful helpmate to her husband and a loving and painstaking mother, rearing her children to honorable manhood and womanhood, and to-day she is held in the high- est esteem by all who know her, while to her children she is their idol, for they have appreciated her efforts during the years gone by and the golden sunset years of her life are made beautiful by the love and veneration which are bestowed upon her.
Mrs. Heffner is the daughter of Thomas and Mary (Wilson) Flinn. Her father was born in county Roscommon, Ireland, on October 10, 1776, and at the age of nineteen years he came alone to America, his first employment being on the construction of the Erie canal. Later he located in Pennsylvania, where, on December 14, 1815, he married Mary Wilson, who was born in that State on August 8, 1796. They lived in the Keystone State until after the birth of four of their children, and then, in 1825, they came to Ohio. located in the wilderness and taking up a tract of government land at what is now known as Shawnee, which was named after the tribe of Indians which at that time
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infested this locality and who were far from peaceable in their attitude towards the white intruders. All kinds of wild game were to be found in abundance and the primitive wildness had been but little disturbed by white hands when the Flinn family ar- rived there. On this tract of land, Mr. Flinn spent the rest of his years, developing it into a fine and fertile farm, and there his death occurred on January 16, 1873, at the remarkable age of one hundred and three years, four months, and four days. He had served as a soldier through the war of 1812, where he earned a splendid record for gallantry and faithful service. Politically, he was a stanch Democrat, while in his religious belief he never departed from the faith in which he was reared, being a zealous member of the Presbyterian Church. He was survived eleven years by his widow, whose death occurred in June, 1884, when within two months of her ninety-third birthday. She was a Seceder in her religious belief. Her father, Robert Wilson, was a member of a Pennsylvania regiment during the Revolutionary War, surviving that struggle and living to the age of ninety-seven years. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Friend, died when past ninety years of age. They were the parents of thir- teen children, six sons and seven daughters, ten of whom grew to mature years and five marrying.
To Mr. and Mrs. George Heffner the following children were born: Amanda, born July 26, 1862, was educated in the Allen County Public Schools, and is now the wife of E. W. Park, of Ft. Wayne, Indiana; they had four children, Gertrude, the wife of John Sutton, of Celina, Ohio; Irvin Toy, unmarried and at home; Mabel, the wife of Grover Shide, of Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Irene, who died at the age of twelve years. Thomas B. Heffner, who was born on June 12, 1864, was educated in the Lima schools, and his death occurred on March 26, 1885, when nearly twenty-one years of age; James I., who was born at Lima, February 8, 1873, graduated from the Lima High School and Oberlin College, and then became a newspaper man, being connected with the Lima Republican-Gazette; later he became editor and publisher of the Mansfield Shield, being president of the company; he married Margaret Comerine, of Lima, and they have one son, George, Jr., named in honor of his grandfather, who made generous provision for his education. The members of the Heffner family have al- ways occupied honored positions in the community, where they have performed their full part in every phase of activity in which they have been placed, and the family is well entitled to specifia mention in a work of the character of the one at hand.
5
ing by E . Willing & Bro
Jean D. Frank
John D. Frank
T WAS once remarked by a celebrated moralist and biog- rapher that "there has scarcely passed a life of which a judicious and faithful narrative would not have been useful." Believing in the truth of this opinion, ex- pressed by one of the greatest and best men, it is a pleasure to present a few of the leading facts in the commendable career of a gentleman who, by industry, perseverance, temperance, and integrity, worked himself from a humble station to a successful business man and won an honorable position among the well- known and highly esteemed men of the last generation in the city of Canton. For it is always pleasant, as well as profitable to con- template the career of a man who has won a definite goal in life, whose career has been such as to command the honor and respect of his fellow citizens. Such, in brief, was the record of the late John D. Frank, than whom a more whole-souled or popular man it would have been difficult to have found within the borders of Stark County, where he long maintained his home and where he labored not only for his own individual advancement, but aiso for the improvement of the entire community whose interest he ever had at heart.
Jolin D. Frank, whose death occurred at his home in Canton, Ohio, on April 2, 1907, was descended from French ancestry, his paternal grandfather, George Frank, having been a native of Alsace, France, now a part of the German empire. In young manhood, he came to the United States and settled in Washing- ton County, Pennsylvania, where he married and where he re- tained his home until his coming to Stark County, Ohio, in 1808. He was thus numbered among the pioneers of this section of the State, and, taking up a tract of land in Lake Township, this county, he gave himself to the gigantic task of clearing it and developing it into a farm. He and his wife passed the remainder of their lives on this farm, and Mr. Frank acquired not only material wealth, but also the esteem and confidence of his fellow men to such an extent that he became a man of marked influence in the community. Among their children was John, who was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1806, and who was but two years of age when the family came to their new Ohio home. Here he was reared and secured his education in the
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common schools. He married Margaret Thompson, a daughter of John Thompson, who was of Scotch-Irish descent and who was one of the sterling pioneer farmers of Lake Township, where his daughter was born and reared. After his marriage John Frank located on a farm in Lake Township, to the improvement of which he gave his attention, and here lived until 1860, when he moved into the village of Uniontown, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying in 1886, at the age of eighty years. Mrs. Margaret Frank died in 1855, at the age of forty-seven years, being sur- vived by her six children; namely, Keziah, the wife of George K. Bolander, died in Michigan; Lewis, deceased; Isaac died in Lake Township; Mary Ann, who was the wife of Ezra Harris, died in Medina County, Ohio; David T., of Massillon, this county; John D., the immediate subject of this memoir; and Milton F., of East Liverpool, Ohio. After the death of his first wife, John Frank married Savilla J. Reynolds, of Springfield, Summit County, Ohio, by whom he had one child, Elva, who became the wife of William F. Shoner, of Uniontown, Ohio. Mr. Frank was a Democrat in his political faith, while his religious membership was with the United Brethren Church, of which he was a faithful member.
John D. Frank was born on the old homestead near Union- town, Lake Township, Stark County, on June 20, 1847, and his boyhood days were spent in assisting his father in the arduous work of the farm. He was given every possible educational ad- vantage, for his father was a broad-minded and intelligent man who believed in a thorough preparation for a life career. After completing his studies in the common schools, the subject was a student in the academy at Greensburg, Summit County, and afterwards became a student in the Iron City Business College, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was graduated at the age of eighteen years. In May, 1864, though but a boy, Mr. Frank enlisted as a private in Company G, One Hundred and Sixty- second Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Ephraim Ball commanding. The men were enlisted for a term of one hundred days and the regiment was assigned to duty in Covington, Ken- tucky, doing guard duty. Mr. Frank was honorably discharged in September, 1864, and, returning to his home, accepted em- ployment with his brother, David T., who was engaged in the grain business at Uniontown. Later he was employed as clerk in mercan- tile establishments at Canaan, Wayne County, and in the city of Sandusky, both in this State. In 1870, Mr. Frank became an employee in the shoe store of Cutter & Howe, at Akron, where
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he remained seven years, gaining much valuable experience and a thorough knowledge of that business. In 1877, he came to Canton and established himself in the shoe business on the east side of the public square, where he met with pronounced success, so that in a short time he was compelled to double his store space and also established another similar store on Tuscarawas Street. Careful attention to business and a keen eye for opportunities were the keynotes to his rise in the business world and in the course of time Mr. Frank also had established five other stores in cities and towns outside of Canton, all of which were paying concerns, the big Canton store being the distributing center for the other houses. His stores gained a wide reputation because of the up-to-date stock always carried and the courteous treat- ment always accorded the patrons of the stores, for courtesy was one of the cardinal principles which Mr. Frank insisted upon among his employees. Mr. Frank was literally a self-made man, and was independent in his disposition, as was evidenced in the fact that he had run away from home in order to enlist in the army. He was of an initiative temperament and, building upon a solid foundation, he had the pleasure of seeing his work develop into a success that proved the accuracy of his judgment and reflected great credit upon his business ability. He possessed tact and discriminating judgment, and was always ready to advise or help others when necessary, and many were eager to avail themselves of his wise suggestions in matters of business.
Politically, John D. Frank was a stanch supporter of the Republican party, but his multitudinous business affairs pre- cluded his giving much attention to political matters aside from the casting of his ballot. His religious membership was with the Trinity Lutheran Church, to which he was a liberal contributor, and of which he was a trustee and elder, as well as a member of the church board of council, taking an earnest interest in the welfare of the society. Fraternally, he was a member of the local lodge of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of McKinlev Post No. 25, Grand Army of the Republic.
On July 26, 1876, in Akron, Ohio, Mr. Frank was united in marriage to Alice Seiberling, a native of Madina County, this State, though she was reared and educated in Akron, to which city her parents had removed when she was but eleven vears of age. She was the daughter of William and Margaret (Carvel) Seiberling, who were natives of Pennsylvania, their marriage oc- curring in Lehigh County, that State. Mrs. Frank's paternal grandfather, John Seiberling, was also a native of the Keystone
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State, and of German parentage. He was first a farmer and later a tavern keeper. Some time prior to the Civil War, he was ap- pointed postmaster of Lynnville, Lehigh County, retaining the office for the remarkable period of forty-two years, being an ac- tive man physically and mentally up to within a short time of his death. Late in life he came to Ohio and his death occurred here at the home of his son, Nathan Seiberling, of Summit County, at which time he was aged ninety-three years and six months. His wife had passed away a number of years before in Pennsylvania. Religiously, they were faithful members of the Reformed Church. Some years after their marriage, William Seiberling and wife came to Stark County, Ohio, where he purchased a farm. There his wife died at the age of forty-five years, when her daughter, Mrs. Frank, was but five and a half years old. Subsequently, Mr. Seiberling went to live with a son in Brown County, Kansas, where he died at the age of seventy-six years. They were the parents of seven children; namely, Mary, who never married, and died in the prime of life; Kersey, who lives in Brown County, Kan- sas, is married and the father of three children; Lloyd, who died by accidental drowning when past twenty years of age; Antoinette was buried on her wedding day in Illinois; Albert went west and his whereabouts is unknown; Mrs. Frank is the fifth in order of birth of the family.
To Mr. and Mrs. Frank were born the following children: Nellie attended public and private schools in Canton, and then graduated at the LaSalle Preparatory School in Boston; she be- came the wife of F. C. Strayer, of New York City, and they have a son, John Frank, who was born on November 11, 1907. Grace M., who is unmarried and remains at home, was educated at Miss Buckingham's School, Canton, and at Irving, Pennsylvania. John Frederick, who was educated in the Canton public schools and at Culver Military Academy, Culver, Indiana, is now con- nected with the Goodrich Rubber Company; he married Evelyn Lynch, and they have two daughters, Dorothy A. and Helen Vir- ginia. Margaret Alice, who is at home, was educated in the Canton schools and Miss Birmingham's school. Katharine B., who is at home, also received the same educational advantages.
Henry Gregg
HE PASSING of any human life, however humble and unknown, is sure to give rise to a pang of anguish to some heart, but when the Death Angel knocks at the door of the useful and great and removes from earthly scenes the man of honor and influence and the benefactor of his kind, it not only means bereavement to kindred and friends, but a public calamity as well. In the largest and best sense of the term, the late Henry Gregg, of Steubenville, was distinctively one of the notable men of his day and generation, and as such his life record is entitled to a conspicuous place in the annals of the State of Ohio. As a citizen, he was public spirited and enterprising to an unwonted degree; as a friend and neighbor, he combined the qualities of head and heart that won confidence and com- manded respect; as an attorney, who had a comprehensive grasp upon the philosophy of jurisprudence and brought honor and dignity to the public positions he filled with such distinguished success, he was easily the peer of his professional brethren of the bar, and as a servant of the people in places of honor he had no superior. It is scarcely less than superogation in outlining the leading facts in his life to refer to him as a lawyer in the ordinary. phraseology which meets requirements when dealing with the average member of the legal profession. He was indeed much more than ordinarily successful in his legal career, as was indi- cated by his long, praiseworthy record at the bar. He was a master of his profession, a leader among men distinguished for the high order of their legal ability, and his eminent attainments and ripe judgment made him an authority on all matters involv- ing a profound knowledge of jurisprudence and vexed and in- tricate questions of law.
Henry Gregg, who died at his home at No. 413 Washington Street, Steubenville, Ohio, on May 29, 1912, was a native of Jef- ferson County, Ohio, having been born on Bacon Ridge, Spring- field Township, and was a son of Andrew and Susan Gregg. He was reared there and secured his elementary education in the public schools, where he made a good record as a student. He then studied in Richmond and Mt. Union Colleges, from the lat- ter of which he received his diploma. At Mt. Union, he was a classmate of Philander C. Knox, Secretary of State under Presi-
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dent Taft, and between them there were retained the strongest ties of friendship. Upon completing his collegiate course Mr. Gregg read law under the preceptorship of W. P. Hayes and was later admitted to practice. From the inception of his profes- sional work he evinced an unusual aptitude for legal work and his success was marked even in his early days as a lawyer. His ability was widely recognized and he was elected prosecuting at- torney of this district, rendering efficient service in this capacity from 1885 to 1891. He was actively engaged in the practice for thirty-three years and during a part of this time he was the at- torney for the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad Company. He took an active interest in the establishment of a law library and was generally known as the father of the law library. So promi- nent had Mr. Gregg been in the legal circles of his section of the State and so generally acknowledged was his ability as a lawyer, that it was entirely fitting that to him should be given the nomi- nation for the judgeship of his county, to which he was elected in the spring of 1912. But he was not to honor the bench of his native county, for two days after his election his soul left its earthly tenement and passed to a higher plane of action. His death was a distinct loss to the community and especially so to the ranks of the legal fraternity, where he had been appreciated and honored through the years of his association with his brethren of the bar.
In the death of Henry Gregg the community lost an eminently useful man. He had ability and, what was more important, the disposition to use it at all times for the advancement of good morals and good principles. As a Christian gentleman he was a model for the rising generation. As a public spirited citizen he had few equals in the community. In politics he was a stanch Republican whose counsels were always wise, a Republican who was always ready to back up his faith with works. He stood by the party under all circumstances because his affiliation with it was based on principles from which he could not be swerved by the accidents of politics. In his public career he was guided by the same rules that controlled his private life.
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