USA > Ohio > Representative men of Ohio, 1900-1903 > Part 20
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the house committee on insurance for several years, and during the administration of Governor Hoadly was the chairman of the house finance committee.
In 1876, Mr. Bohl was elected delegate-at-large to the Demo- cratic National Convention, which nominated Hon. Samuel J. Tilden, for President. And in 1880, he was unanimously elected by the fifteenth Ohio Congressional district, as delegate to the Democratic National Convention, held at Cincinnati, Ohio, which nominated General W. S. Hancock for President. He was also the secretary of the Ohio State Democratic executive committee in the memorable state campaigns of 1884-5; was chairman of both the Democratic Ohio state central and executive commitees in 1886, and chairman of the Democratic Ohio state central com- mitttee in 1887, and in each instance elected by acclamation. Early in President Cleveland's second administration Mr. Bohl was appointed United States marshal for the southern district of Ohio, and he served in that position during the Ohio miners' strikes and the Debs railway strike of 1894, with rare finesse and sagacity and upheld the laws with courage.
In 1887, Mr. Bohl was appointed the receiver of the Second National Bank of Xenia, Ohio. His work there was so well ap- preciated that in 1893 Hon. J. H. Eckles, the comptroller of the currency tendered him the receivership of the Citizens' National Bank of Hillsboro, Ohio, which Mr. Bohl declined with thanks. In 1888 he was appointed superintendent of agencies for Ohio of the Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company of Newark, New Jersey, and filled the position for five years, with much credit and success. Mr. Bohl had declined the position of receiver of the public money for Wyoming tendered him during President Cleveland's first administration, as well as an Indian agency and the chief-clerkship in the office of the department of the Interior at Washington. In 1878 he was a prominent candidate for con- gress in the fifteenth Ohio Congressional district and was strongly supported for the nomination in the convention at Marietta through more than eighty ballots, until, the second day, he with- drew and General A. J. Warner was nominated. In 1880 the Democratic press brought him forward for the office of Secretary of State, but he declined to be a candidate. In 1881 he was urged by the Democratic press of Ohio to be a candidate for the
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Lieutenant-governorship, and also for the senatorship in his dis- trict, but he declined to accept the nomination for either office. In 1884 many prominent Democrats again insisted on nominating him for congress, and at a time when his nomination was deemed possible he withdrew from the field in the interest of harmony. For many years he was a staunch Democrat, but in 1896, on the adoption of the Chicago platform of that year declaring for the free and unlimited coinage of silver at a ratio of sixteen to one, and other populistic ideas, he left the party and has since affiliated with the Republicans in whose councils he has been given a place of honor. During the National campaign of 1896 he made speeches in favor of Mckinley in Ohio, Indiana, and three in Chicago.
April 1, 1895, Mr. Bohl began to direct the affairs at Co- lumbus, Ohio, of the Prudential Life Insurance Company, where he continued until April 1, 1902, when he severed his connection with that company and became director of agencies of the West- ern and Southern Life Insurance Company of Cincinnati, for its entire field of operations, making a splendid record in the increase of new business. In January, 1901, he was elected First Vice Presi- dent and director of the Columbus Savings and Trust Company, and in March following was also chosen chairman of the legisla- tive Committee of the Columbus Board of Trade. It is said that he was the first man in Ohio to recommend the adoption of the new municipal code, that all of the principal city officers be elected by the people, and opposed to both the federal and board plans. He made these suggestion at a meeting of the Columbus Board of Trade Legislative Committee, Saturday evening, July 19, 1902, more than a month before the convening of the extraordinary session of the Ohio General Assmbly. It was at the time the first suggestion made on the subject of municipal reform and attracted the attention of Gov. Nash. Mr. Bohl is also the father of the idea in favor of Forestry School in Ohio at the University in Athens, using the cheap lands of Southern Ohio near that institu- tion for the purpose.
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Brice W. Custer.
Not all men order their lives to their liking; nor yet are all men true to themselves in living as nearly to their ideals as possible and attaining to such heights as their opportunities and talents render accessible. We now turn to one who has done much and done it well - wherein all honor lies. Not a preten- tious or exalted life has been his, but one that has been true to itself and its possibilities, and one to whom the writer may revert with respect and confidence. An intelligent, progressive man, a true friend, a splendid citizen, Brice W. Custer combines all of the attributes of popularity and strength before the people.
He is an Eastern Ohio man, born in the village of New Rumley, Harrison County, April 23, 1831. His father, Emanuel H. Custer, was born at Cresaptown, Md., December 10, 1806, removed to Harrison County, in 1824, and died at Monroe, Mich., about 10 years ago aged 86. Emanuel H. Custer's first wife was Matilda Viers, whom he married August 7, 1828, soon after his removal to Harrison County. She died July 18, 1835, when he married Mary Ward Fitzpatrick, a widow. There were three children by the first marriage, of which the subject of this sketch was one. By the second marriage the children were as follows: General George A. Custer, the famous Cavalry leader, killed by the Indians at the battle of the Little Big Horn, June 25, 1876; Nevin Custer, who settled near Monroe, Michigan ; Thomas Ward Custer, killed in the Little Big Horn battle; Boston Custer, killed in the same engagement; Margaret Emma, wife of Lieutenant Calhoun, who was killed at the same time.
Brice W. Custer's early education was received in the village schools at New Rumley, and when but 14 years of age, he began to support himself. He first began cabinet-making as a trade and worked at it in Cadiz and Scio. On the Ist of March, 1851, he married Maria Stockon, daughter of Dr. Stockon, a well- known physician of Scio. Three children were born of this union, but one survives, a son, Marion Custer, who is engaged in business in the city of Columbus. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Custer embarked in the railroad business, beginning as a fireman on what is now known as the Pennsylvania line, then only in operation from Steubenville to Scio. Later on the road
BRICE W. CUSTER.
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was extended to Newark, under the name of the Steubenville and Indiana Road. Here he worked for three or four years, afterward going to the Monon Route, and running trains. between Michigan city, Ind., and Lafayette. When the excite- ment attendant upon the finding of petroleum in Pennsylvania broke out before the war of the rebellion, Mr. Custer went to Franklin Pa., and engaged largely in the oil producing business. When the flag had been fired upon at Ft. Sumter, he entered the service of the United States government at Louisville Ky., and performed valiant service in the movements of trains, his field of operations being the entire South, for he went every- where, and carried troops, munitions of war and food up to the very front of the enemy. After the war, for two years he was an engineer on the New Orleans and Jackson Railway, thence transferring his services to his first love, the Panhandle, and running passenger trains between Columbus and Dennison, for nearly sixteen years, or until 1881. He then embarked in the livery business in Columbus, which he carried on with much success.
He made his debut in Franklin County politics as a member of the Columbus City Council from the Ninth Ward in 1883. In 1885 he was the democratic candidate for sheriff of Franklin County. He was defeated by W. H. Barbee by a small majority. Two years later he was elected over the same candidate by 500 votes, and in 1889, so popular was his administration and so well had he cared for the interests of the people that he was re-elected by 1,400 votes, over Albert Rickenbacher. While a Democrat, Brice W. Custer, has never obtruded his politics upon any one, and the result is that in every campaign in which he has been engaged, some of his most loyal support has come from Republicans, who esteem him as a citizen and regard him as a friend. While not an ostentatious man, Mr. Custer has qualities that endear men to him, and his record and character are above reproach. He is a member of Columbus Lodge of Elks.
Colonel S. K. Donovan.
One of the virile yet gentle spirits of his time passed into the mysterious silence, when Col. Simpson K. Donovan, for-
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years a picturesque figure in Ohio politics and journalism, laid down the burden of life. He died in a Columbus hospital, August 12, 1902, after but a short illness following a general breaking down of his physical system, in the 72d year of his age. For nearly forty years no man in Ohio was better known ; but few had secured and held such warm friendships. As an editorial writer he was surpassed by but few. He cared more for the truth than he did for the material rewards for political service, and belonged to the old school of journalism. He was appreciated as a friend and gentleman as well as from the fact that he was a most attractive man. Faithful to the end, he cared for others rather than him- self.
Col. S. K. Donovan was a Pennsylvanian by birth, having first seen the light of day at Shippensburg, in March, 1831. When but a boy he learned the printing trade and afterward be- came a school teacher. He had a strong liking for journalism, however, and soon tired of being a pedagogue, going to Balti- more, where he engaged actively in the practice of his profession. His people were formerly Virginians, and inherited a love for slavery that was not shared by young Donovan. It was on the brink of the civil war when the boy went to Baltimore, and an attempt was made to burn the paper on which he was en- gaged. While there he was an active factor in making a strenuous political performance, and was able by reason of his superb physique to care for himself in a city that was a veritable hot bed of trouble.
About that time came the famous raid of John Brown and his followers upon Harper's Ferry, their capture and execution. Donovan was sent to Charleston, W. Va., where Brown and his colleagues were confined, and remained until after the execution in 1859. A strong attachment sprung up betwen the young re- porter who had been detailed to "write up" the historic affair, and the grizzled anti-slavery leader who paid the penalty of his life for his then too early efforts to free the slaves. Donovan reported the trial of John Brown and attended the hanging, standing near Brown as he went through the trap. He always had the highest opinion of John Brown, and to his dying day declared that he was a patriotic and noble character. Some years ago he prepared a lecture on the John Brown raid, his trial and execution
COL. SIMPSON K. DONAVIN.
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that was delivered in various parts of the country with consider- able success. It is understood that Col. Donovan left a large amount of memoranda on the John Brown tragedy never pub- lished but of great value.
During the war, when Carlisle, Pa., was threatened by the rebels, Col. Donovan was placed in command of a regiment of Pennsylvania troops, and it was from this that he secured his military title. In 1868 Col. Donovan came to Ohio and settled in Delaware. He ever afterward considered this place his home, al- though for over 20 years he resided in Columbus. Embarking in the insurance business he drifted into politics, and soon became a Democratic leader of more than state importance. In the early 80's he was connected with the late John G. Thompson, in the management of the Ohio campaign, and before that, in 1876, was a confidential adviser of Samuel J. Tilden, in the historic Hayes campaign. Latterly, when Thompson became sergeant-at- arms of the National House of Representatives, Col. Donovan became an attache of that office where he remained during Thompson's incumbency. For years Col. Donovan was one of the figures in Washington and took a leading part in Ohio cam- paigns in behalf of the Democratic party.
But it was not only as a political manager that Col. Dono- van was a noted character. His work as an editorial writer was of the highest type and but few men in Ohio were the master of better English or more felicitious expresion. It was here that he- excelled. In 1883 he became editor of the Columbus Times, but for various reasons the paper was not a success. He then en- gaged on the editorial page of the Cincinnati Enquirer, and re- mained there the balance of his life, John R. McLean being one of his closest friends. For nearly a decade his gems of thought and research were displayed in the Enquirer and some of the finest samples of editorial work have flown from his pen. The beautiful tributes to President Mckinley following the assassina- tion were all by Col. Donovan. His last effort at composition was an editorial for his favorite paper that appeared after his death.
Col. Donovan was a large contributor to various peri- odicals of the day, and there was always a ready market for his literary wares. He was also the author of several books, his latest
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being "Led In Strange Paths," that was very successful. On the title page of that work appears the following dedication to his aged mother, that is a sample of Col. Donovan's felicitous expres- sion : "There is a woman with whom I have long been in love. It had its birth on her soft breast. She is no longer young. The chisels of four score years and ten have been carving her features. Her brow is wrinkled - her cheeks are furrowed - her eyes are dimmed. To me her face has grown sweeter as the years have worked upon it. The annointing grace of God rests on it as a splendor. By the exquisite loveliness of that face I compare all beauty. By the purity of her life I judge all character. By the devotion of her heart I measure all love. To my mother I dedi- cate this book." He never married.
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PRESS CORRESPONDENTS 75TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF OHIO.
1. Geo. U. Marvin, Toledo Blade,
2. W. B. Jackson, Ohio State Journal,
3. James W. Faulkner, Cincinnati Enquirer,
4. Charles Gongwer, Cincinnati Volksblatt,
5. Henry A. Gall, Cleveland Leader,
6. W. C. Culkins, Cincinnati Post,
7. Eugene M. Kerr, Columbus Citizen,
8. E. T. Conkle, Cleveland Press,
9. Charles E. Creager, Columbus Dispatch,
10. W. S. Couch, Cleveland Plain Dealer,
11. Edwark K. Rife, Cincinnati Tribune,
12. Rodney Deagle, Columbus Press,
13. Mr. Mullin, Toledo Times,
14. Allan E. Beach, Cincinnati Tribune.
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