USA > Ohio > The Biographical encyclopedia of Ohio of the nineteenth century. Pt. 1 > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75
Scott ofman
45
BIOGRAPHICAL, ENCYCLOPAEDIA.
Rust, has established and sustained in central locations in | about six hundred majority; but in April, 1872, he was the South twelve institutions of learning, styled seminaries, elected City Auditor for a term of three years. In April, 1875, he was unanimously re-elected for another term, re- ceiving flattering recognition of his efficiency and faithful- ness as a public officer. lle was married on June 20th, 1867, to Amanda M., daughter of J. C. Thompson, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and this union has been sealed by the birth of a son and a daughter. Though still in the early prime of manhood, he has attained a position in public and social life rarely achieved, and of which his friends are justly proud. colleges, or universities, for the training of teachers and preachers for the elevation of this long-neglected race so lately admitted to all the rights and duties of American cit- izens. For the successful management of this important educational work the subject of this sketch, by his deep, long, life interest in this people, his attainments as a scholar, his previous experience as an educator, and shrewd business habits, was pre-eminently fitted, and the results achieved by this society have exceeded the highest anticipations of its friends. Dr. Rust was successful as a pastor, a fine writer, and an impressive preacher; pre-eminent as an educator, possessing great power over the young of awakening them to high and noble purpose; and there are but few men in this country who have aided in educating so many of her youth who now fill important positions in society and wield . so great influence for Christ and the right. In his boyhood he espoused the cause of the slave, labored for his emanci- pation ; and his mature life, attainments, and ample means are consecrated to the preparation of this emancipated people for the appropriate discharge of the important duties imposed upon them by freedom, so that liberty may prove a blessing rather than a curse to them. As a Christian philanthropist he has done his noblest work, and for this by a grateful people he will be held in remembrance.
OFFMAN, SILAS WRIGHIT, City Auditor of Cincinnati, Ohio, was born at Hoffman's, Sche- nectady county, New York, October 6th, 1846. His father, John Hoffman, was a native of Ger- many, who emigrated to the United States when he was about thirteen years of age; while his mother, Elizabeth Wheaton, was born in New York. Ile was educated in Schenectady, New York, and at the Albany Mercantile College, whence he graduated in Janu- ary, 1863. Ile then removed to Dunkirk, New York, where he was engaged in the office of the Erie Railroad until December, 1863, when he resigned his position. He arrived in Cincinnati January 28th, 1864, and there became entry clerk for Dickson, Clark & Co., wholesale hardware merchants, After a service of one month he resigned to accept the position of Bookkeeper for II. J. Montgomery, a wholesale hat and cap merchant. Here. he remained until April, 1870, when, on account of his election to the City Council by the citizens of the First Ward, he resigned his position and opened a family grocery and provision store. Ilis ward was strongly Republican, and he was the first Democrat who had been elected for ten years. During his terin as Councilman, in 1871, he was nominated by the Democratic Convention for County Auditor, though only twenty-five years of age. Although he ran about fifteen hundred votes ahead of his ticket, he was defeated by
ILMORE, JAMES, of the banking house of Gil- C more, Dunlap & Co., Cincinnati, was born Sep- tember 21st, 1814, at Bridgehampton, Long Island, New York. His father, Gordon R., was a native of Bailiboro', county Cavan, Ireland. Ilis mother, Phoebe Sandford, was of Bridgehamp- ton. In 1821 his father, Gordon R., and father's brother, John, emigrated to Cincinnati, and established the earliest private banking house in the history of the city, under the firm-name of J. & G. R. Gilmore. It was on the west side of Main street, a few doors north of the present Madison House. His father, October 21st, 1832, fell a victim to the Asiatic cholera, it being its first visit to our country. James Gilmore entered Vale College in 1830, graduated in 1834; studied law but never practised; and January Ist, 1840, founded his present banking house. On July 18th, 1842, he married Mary Jane Stubbs, of Cincinnati, by whom he has five children. His second son, Virgil G., is an active partner in his father's business, and was married September 5th, 1872, to Bessie Smith, of Cincinnati. They have one daughter, Genevra.
OLFE, N. B., M. D., belongs to the fourth of de- scending generations which were born in or near Columbia, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. The roots of his family stock came from England and Germany about the beginning of the last century ; his maternal ancestor, Mary Hudson, being one of the Quaker colonists who accompanied William Penn in the voyage of "ye good ship 'Canterbury,'" which an- chored before Newcastle, Delaware, in the winter of 1699. The doctor was born in Columbia, on Christmas, 1823. Ilis father, who was an architect, died in the preceding summer of yellow fever, while superintending the construc- tion of the capitol buildings at Jackson, Mississippi. Ilis mother was left to provide for the necessities of her little family without means, save such as her own industry could supply. But she managed to bring them up, as the doctor facetiously puts it, " fat, ragged, and saucy." She suc- ceeded in giving to all her children such education as enabled them "to read, write, and cypher." As a youth
46
BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPAEDIA.
the doctor was full of fun and adventure. At the age of thirteen he began to make a living for himself as boat driver on the Pennsylvania Canal. Ile made one trip, and when he got up to the mountains of Huntingdon county he left the canal and engaged as a boy of all work with Robert Speer, of Cassville. For two years he was engaged in this way, and attending two full winter sessions of the Cassville Academy. At the age of fifteen he returned home and assisted his brother Henry during the plastering season. In 1839 he entered the office of the Columbia Spy, where he displayed ability in learning the art of printing. While serving in this capacity he was prominent in organizing the Franklin Debating Society and Library, and was active as a speaker in its discussions. Eli Bowen, who became dis- tinguished as a Pennsylvania geologist, was a talented member of this little society. In 1840 young Wolfe was elected Captain of the Junior Washington Rifles, a military company which he commanded two years. In 1842 he started on a journey from Columbia to Ohio. He crossed the Allegheny mountains two hundred miles from home, and brought up at Ebensburg in a footsore and impecunious condition. Here he stopped and engaged at plastering dur- ing the summer season, and in winter taught school. A slight accident while teaching gave a new direction to the after life of young Wolfe. While raising a window his hand slipped and forced itself through the glass. A small artery was cut, and to arrest the bleeding surgical aid was required. While dressing the wound the surgeon-Dr. Aristide Rodrigue-said : " I will take you as a student, and assist you with means to graduate, if you will render me certain services." The conditions were accepted, and Wolfe entered regularly as a student in medicine in his office. Dr. Rodrigue soon after moved to Hollidaysburgh, Blair county, where for two years Wolfe closely applied himself. It then became apparent to him that his preceptor was not able to fulfil the conditions of the contract; so he accepted propositions from Dr. Wallace to go to Canada, who promised to assist him through a course of lectures at Dr. Rolph's Medical School. This time the quasi pre- ceptor performed more than he promised ; for after crossing the lake he stole Wolfe's trunk and left him penniless at the Black Horse Tavern, in Toronto. As soon as Wolfe comprehended his situation fully he started on foot down the Kingston pike with neither " purse nor script." The day was bleak and chilly and omened a wintry night. Ile took shelter in a wayside cottage till morning. At noon on the following day he entered a public house in Millville and declared his intention to settle and practise medicine in that place. The landlord was delighted with the honor of having a doctor in his house, and gave him his best room. Wolfe prospered in his new location; but in a few months moved north to Cartright, in the vicinity of an Indian reser- vation on Lake Skugog. He became a favorite with the red men, and with them hunted and fished; at one time accompanying a party for that purpose through a wilderness
of woods several hundred miles away. The chief of these Indians offered Wolfe his daughter " Fawn Eye" in mar- riage; but Wolfe, not desiring to re-enact the drama of Pocahontas, respectfully declined. Ile returned to his home in 1850, having first travelled through the Western States of the Union. Soon after he passed an examination by the professors of the Eclectic Medical College of Phila- delphia, and received the degree of Medical Doctor. He now became interested in politics, and represented his county in a State Gubernatorial Convention ; was an admirer and friend of James Buchanan. Ile soon, however, lost his party standing in consequence of a disagreement with his political friends in regard to the practical operations of the fugitive slave law. An old black man was shot down in the streets of Columbia for resisting arrest by a slave hunter from Maryland, who claimed the negro as his property. The doctor ever afterwards absolved himself from all political parties in a partisan sense. Notwithstand- ing this defection, however, Mr. Buchanan, who was then Minister to England, offered him the position of private secretary, which he declined. This unaccepted offer was supplemented by another in the form of a commission from Washington, authorizing Wolfe to travel through Farther India, Thibet, Persia, and Arabia, to gather information respecting the medical botany of those Oriental countries. Also. to travel through China to make observations upon the cultivation of the tea plant, with the view of introducing the same into the United States. Wolfe accepted this com- mission ; but before the vessel sailed, in which he had stored his trunks, from Boston harbor for Calcutta, the Southern rebellion broke out and put an end to the enterprise. He now devoted himself to his profession, and began to make the pathology and treatment of diseases of the pulmonary structure a special study. To succeed the better in this purpose he returned to Canada, and settled in St. Jacob's, Waterloo county, in the upper provinces. Ilere he rapidly built up a lucrative practice, and after several years married and returned to the United States. Ile opened an office in St. Louis, Missouri, with the special purpose of treating diseases of the nose, throat, and lungs; but after a residence of two years in that city, he changed his location to Cincin- nati, Ohio, in 1857, where he still remains. Ile has pub- lished several medical works on the pathology and treat- ment of diseases of the pulmonary structure. The one by which he is best known, however, is his " Common Sense Book." He began the publication of this work in 1857, since which time he has printed and distributed gratuitously more than three million copies. These he has sent into every hamlet in the United States and Canada. The cost of this publication has been over $300,000: $60,000 has been paid to the government alone for postage. In his Cincinnati practice Dr. Wolfe has written more than two hundred thousand professional letters. He has had twenty thousand patients, and has kept a full record of each case. Ilis professional fees have exceeded $1,000,000. Ile is
1
47
BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA.
estimated to be the wealthiest physician in Cincinnati, but | enabled to live along tolerably smoothly; and even save a lives in a very unostentatious manner. Ile is a firm and outspoken believer in modern spiritualism, and quite re- cently has written a most remarkable book on that subject, detailing his experience with spirit media. This book has passed through a second edition in the United States, and has been republished in England and Germany. In review- ing this work a writer in the " Iluman Nature," which is published in London, says: "Dr. Wolfe's opportunities have been remarkable; but the book is more indebted to the author than to his surroundings. In it we have not merely a literary production, but the soul of a true man fully devel- oped in the manifold phases of his character. With the tenderness of a woman there is exhibited the stern disci- pline of a general ; the reverence of the highest adoration is strengthened by the boldness of the iconoclast ; an intuitive faith, reaching up to loftiest secrets of existence, finds a sure footing in a form of skepticism-if that be a true term for it-which will have facts alone as a basis for deductions ; and to the burning enthusiasm of an investigator who in two years devoted thirty weeks to close experimentation, with one medium, is well supplemented by a scrutiny which left no test unemployed which ingenuity could devise to attest the truth of the phenomena he records."
ERKE, JOIIN, ex-Treasurer of IJamilton county, is the eklest son of William and Elizabeth Gerke, of Meppin, Kingdom of Ilanover, and was born January 19th, 1822. ITis parents were poor, which compelled him to bear part of the burdens of the family at an early age. This he did at every available kind of work. Thus he worked to support his father's family until his twenty-first year, when, growing weary of such life, he determined to go to America to seek his fortune. In April, 1843, he landed in New York. Making a brief stay in New York, he came West and located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. There he engaged to work in a brick yard, at moulding, at $30 per month and board in- cluded. In the winter, not being able to work at brick- making, he chopped cord wood at twenty-five cents per cord. At the commencement of the second year he started the brick-making business for himself, in connection with six of his countrymen. This, however, soon was aban- doned, not proving as remunerative as was desired. After trying various other expedients to get on, and not being at all successful, the currency of Indiana then being in such an unsafe and valueless condition, Mr. Gerke began to think he had not much bettered his chances on the road to fortune by coming to America, IIe still kept trying, and among other things actually went to knitting woollen stock- ings with his own hands at fifty cents a pair. Of course, while currency was so depreciated and wages so low, pro- visions were correspondingly low, and consequently he was
little money, although he was married and had the eare of a family. After two and a half years spent in this manner he became disgusted and started to St. Louis to try his for- tune there. IIere he was unsuccessful, and in less than a year started back to Fort Wayne. Arriving in Cincinnati, and finding the canal frozen up, he managed to remain and struggle through the winter, some days working at twenty- five cents per day. IIis little family now consisted of three persons. In the spring following he obtained employment in a brick-yard at $40 per month, at moulding; but choos- ing to work double time, he made much more than that sum. Ile was now soon enabled, with one of his country- men, to start a brick-yard of his own west of Freeman street. This was his first start in life. They soon opened another yard on Laurel street. From this they moved their business into Storrs township, across Mill creek. Their business increased to a very great extent, making tens of thousands daily, and supplying many large buildings. Ile was all the time clerk, superintendent, and workman. This business was carried on very successfully for more than eight years. On January 28th, 1855, he bought the distillery of George W. Skaats, for $15,000, without paying down a cent of money. Ile was to pay for it in five yearly instalments, his personal honor only being required as security. In this new adventure he commenced very suc- cessfully ; but in the course of six months the whole estab- lishment, together with a large amount of corn and other material, including seven hundred fat hogs, was consumed by fire; the entire loss not being less than $80,000, not over one-tenth being covered by insurance. One hundred men were the next day put to work to clear away the rub- bish. In less than a month a three-story brick building was ready for the machinery. But at this time a great storm sweeping over this part of the country levelled his new building to the ground. Still the man turned not from his purpose. In eighty-five days from the fire his works were in full operation. But hard times now set in. With a great debt upon him, borrowing from numerous sources, and receiving the invaluable services of his two friends, David Gibson and George W. Skaats, he finally came out triumphant. During the war his business became enormous, and he accumulated a vast amount of money. In 1866 his business had assumed such dimensions that during the year he actually paid a government tax of over a million and a quarter of dollars. During all this time he was his own bookkeeper and manager. What is remark- able, too, Mr. Gerke had never been in school a single day, and had hardly acquired the simplest rudiments of an Eng- lish or German education. In 1864 he purchased one-half of the Eagle Brewery of Joseph Schaller. In 1868 he built the Union Distillery, No. 9, still in operation. IIe was three years Trustee of Storrs township, was the first Alder- man of the Twenty-first Ward, and has served two years as Treasurer of Hamilton county. The duties of these posi-
48
BIOGRAPIHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA.
tions he has filled with peculiar faithfulness. So great was | after a year's service was taken as elerk on an Ohio river his popularity that he ran 2200 votes ahead of his ticket in steam packet. From 1824 to 1829 he was in the office of the County Clerk of Hamilton county, Ohio, and during the last year he was Secretary pro tem, of the Cincinnati Municipal Council. The the subsequent years were spent by him as assistant to the County Auditor of Ilamilton county. From 1833 to 1849 he engaged in farming in Sycamore township of same county. From 1849 10. 1863 he engaged and continued in service as an assistant in the Auditor's office of Hamilton county, Ohio; and from 1863 to 1865 he filled a responsible post in the First National Bank of Cincinnati. From 1865 to 1873 he again served as assistant in the office of the Hamilton County Auditor. In 1873 lic was elected Auditor of Hamilton county, Ohio; his term of incumbency ending November 10th, 1875. Ilc has therefore spent no small portion of his life (forty-two years) in positions of public trust and responsibility. IIe was married in March, 1833, to Martha L. Pendery, a daughter of Alexander Pendery, who settled in Ilamilton county in 1805, and is the father of eleven children. Hle was whilom an old-line Whig, and during the civil war a Republican. He is a man of fine social qualities and a conscientious churchman. the race for the Treasurership. Previously to starting to America (in 1843) he was married to Margaret Konnon, of Neppen. Of eleven, children in his family only three are now living. George is now engaged in his father's business, and in a way highly gratifying to his father. At the time of his marriage Mr. Gerke was without money, but his wife had $300, on which they came to America and started life at Fort Wayne, Indiana. Although Mr. Gerke belongs to more social and secret orders than any Western man, when he is sick, or money is otherwise due him from them, he receives none, but orders his dues to be paid to the orphan or other benevolent institutions, Few men have been so characteristically liberal in all their dealings. Being a Catholic, he does not adhere to the striet formula of the church ; believes in the power of the great God, and not that of the priest ; supports all churches and believes in them. Ile pays regular fees to thirty-eight secret, social, and benevolent organizations. He has paid more business taxes than any man in Cincinnati in his business, and de- frauded no man out of a cent justly due him. This is a re- markable career, having many examples of pluck, persever- anec, economy, industry, and honorable dealing worthy of imitation. Mr. Gerke possesses most of the true elements of success in life, with great force of character, business integrity, benevolence of disposition, and all those qualities that gather friends without respect to party. He thinks America the best country in the world for a poor man, and considers himself one of her best Democrats, as he holds no bonds, but turns his money into channels beneficial to his government and useful to his fellow-men.
UMPHREYS, JOSEPHI BLOOMFIELD, of Cin- cinnati, was born June 16th, 1802, in Dublin, Ireland, and his baptismal register may be found in the parish church of Clontarf. Ile was the fourth of five children, whose parents were Isaac Humphreys and Elizabeth Montgomery. His father, a native of Ireland, came to America before the Revolution, was raised and edneated in Philadelphia, was occupied as a farmer through life, and died in IS50 at Marietta, Ohio. Ile settled in Marietta previous to Burr's conspiracy, and at one time represented Washington county as a Senator in the Ohio Legislature. The mother of Joseph was a native of Philadelphia, dying in that city in 1826. Ilis facilities for obtaining an early education were limited ; but his progress, necessarily slow for the want of advantages, was by his industry made thorough and of practical use. At the age of fifteen he began life for him- self as a eleik in the clerk's office of Washington county, Ohio, and this position he held for five years. This he left to acecpt a desk in the Ohio Land Company's office, and
-
TRONG, HION. ROBERT O., City Solicitor of Cincinnati, was born in that city August 20, 1846. Hle is the son of D. E. A. Strong, and his family were among the earliest settlers of Hamilton county. He was educated at the Miami Univer- sity, at Oxford, Ohio, whence he graduated with honor in 1867. Ile then engaged in the study of the law with E. A. Ferguson, of Cincinnati, and pursued the regu- lar course at the Law School of the Cincinnati College, whence he graduated in the spring of 1869, and was then admitted to the bar. Ile at once devoted himself to a vigorous prosecution of his professional duties. In recog- nition of his ability he was placed in nomination for the State Legislature by the Democratic party of Hamilton county, in 1871, and triumphantly elected. Having been elected Prosecuting Attorney for the county in the fall of 1872, he resigned his scat in the Legislature to enter upon the dutics of that office. He fulfilled the duties thus de- volving upon him so acceptably that he was elected City Solicitor for two years, in April, 1875. He died January 18th, 1876.
GOODENOW, HON. JOHN MILTON, late Judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio, was born in West- moreland, Cheshire county, New Hampshire, in the year 1782. He was of Puritan ancestry, and bore the name of one of the most renowned that adorns the history of that wonderful people. Ilis education was the best attainable in the public schools of
49
BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA.
that early day. He embarked for a time in mercantile pur- suits, but was unfortunate. He next commenced the study of the law at Canton, Stark county, Olio, in 1811. After his admission to the bar be practised at Steubenville, Ohio. Ile was elected to Congress in 1829, but before the close of the first session he was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court. Owing to ill-health he was compelled to resign. In the spring of 1832 he removed to Cincinnati, where, in 1833, he was appointed President Judge. He died July 20th, 1838, leaving a disconsolate widow and two daughters to mourn his loss. As a lawyer he was well-read, skilful, quick, and adroit in seizing a point of law and in confusing his antagonist, and he was an able jurist. He was twice married, leaving one daughter by each union.
GALLOWAY, REV. JOHN SMITH, the son of John and Margaret (Smith) Galloway, was born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, August 5th, 1806. Ile belonged to a good old Presbyterian stock, Ilis father was a ruling elder in the church of Gettysburg, under the pastorates of Rev. Drs. William Paxton and David McConaughy, and his ancestors on the maternal side for three generations were also ruling elders in the Presbyterian Church in this country and in Ireland, from whence they emigrated to the United Col- onies early in the eighteenth century, and were then recog- nized as connected with that portion of the people usually designated as " Scotch- Irish." The character of their an- cestors may be learned by the coat of arms which is to be seen engraved on the ancient marble which covers their graves in the beautiful cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsyl- vania. With such a lineage it was reasonable to expect corresponding results. The subject of this sketch, after a careful academic training, entered Jefferson College, at Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, then under the Presidency of Rev. Dr. Brown, and graduated in 1826. During his col- lege course he was led to seek the Saviour, and his parents' heart, were gladdened by his giving himself to God in the work of the ministry. To this holy work they had dedi- cated him from his infancy. He entered the Theological Seminary at Princeton, New Jersey, under the Presidency of the elder Dr. A. Alexander, and graduated in 1829. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Carlisle in 1828. After leaving the seminary he preached for a time in Chambers- burg and Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, and also at Frederick, Maryland; and then leaving the home of his nativity and turning his face westward, took charge of the united con- gregations of Newton, in Muskingum county, and Somer- set, Perry county, Ohio. Instead of settling in these churches, as he was desired to do, he accepted an appoint- ment as agent of the Board of Education, in which he continued until invited to the church of Springfield, Ohio, where he began his labors in April, 1832. Ile accepted
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.