USA > Ohio > The Biographical encyclopedia of Ohio of the nineteenth century. Pt. 1 > Part 19
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since 1864. In 1866 67 he was Vice- President of this asso- | Danville, Pennsylvania. In 1866 he received the appoint- ciation, and from 1858 to 1864 acted as its Corresponding Secretary. Although he has been for over forty years a publie teacher and preacher among his brethren, he has ulways sustained himself and his family by secular pursuits. Ile has baptized over one thousand persons and married over fifteen hundred couples, and is known over a wide extent of country as " the marrying parson." Ile remem- bers distinctly the days when the boundaries of Cincinnati were East Row ( Broadway ), Western Row (Central avenue), Seventh street, and the Ohio river; has seen Indian encamp- ments on the present grounds of Hughes' High School, and recalls minutely the time when the fields west of Central avenue were the mustering grounds of the militia. Ile is now one of the wealthy and most prominent men of Cincin- mati, and, notwithstanding his sixty-eight years, is hale and vigorous. Ile was married on July 2d, 1829, to Catherine Eliza Stibbs, second daughter of Samuel Stibbs, the first chair manufacturer of Cincinnati.
EWIS, CHRISTOPHER, Superintendent of Co- Iumbus Rolling Mill, Columbus, Ohio, was born in Worcestershire, England, December 25th, 1831, and is the son of John and Elizabeth Lewis. Ilis father by profession was a blast fur- nice man. In 1838 he emigrated to America, and shortly after his arrival was employed at the Mount Sauvage Iron Works, Maryland, where in 1841 he was joined by his wife and family. Ile subsequently moved to Mooresburg, and shortly afterwards to Danville, Pennsyl- vania, where he still lives, and where the mother of the subject of this sketch is buried. After the emigration of his fither to this country, necessity compelled Christopher, with two other brothers, to go to work. His first occupation was at the blast furnaces where his father was employed before leaving for America, at what is known as filling boxes, to assist fillers at the blast furnaces. Finding this too labor- ious for one of his age, he sought and obtained work in a wood serew factory, and about one year afterwards met with an accident by which he lost three fingers of his right Irund, which prevented him from doing any more work until his arrival at Mount Savage, Maryland. At the age of nineteen years he left home, and was engaged at pud- dling at Brady's Bend and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for about three years. Ile then returned to Danville, and was there employed as puddler and heater for several years. lle then went to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in the capacity of a heater, and remained there about six years. During the war he was employed at Trenton, New Jersey, as heater, and for a short time rolling gun barrels for the government. In the early part of 1865 he was employed as Assistant Superintendent of Spuyten Duival Iron Works, near New York, and subsequently in the same position at
ment of Superintendent of the Lochiel Iron Works, Harris- burg, Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1871, when he engaged to superintend Wheatland Iron Works, Mercer county, Pennsylvania; but which, owing to the unhealthy condition of the place, he resigned four months afterward. Hle next engaged as Superintendent of Columbia Steel & Iron Company, Columbia, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, which he held but a short time before he agreed to return to Wheatland. Ilere he continued for ten months, and then accepted a similar position at the Valley Iron Works, Youngstown, Ohio. One year afterwards he accepted an offer as Superintendent of the Columbus Rolling Mill, which he still holds. In 1851 he applied for a patent for shearing iron hot from the rolls, which, owing to unfavor- able circumstances and lack of means at the time, he lost control over his invention and gained no advantage from it, though it is of incalculable benefit to all manufacturers of railroad irom: In 1867 he invented " water door frames " and " water necks " for puddling and heating furnaces; an invention whose value and merit is well known to all prac- tical men. Since that time he has received a patent for a sewer trap for the prevention of the escape of foul gases from sewers, which is believed by many medical and other practical men will be of great value in preventing diseases attributable to this cause alone. Being destitute of educa- tion, except what little he had obtained before he com- meneed to work, he availed himself of the first opportunity to join a small library at Brady's Bend ; and to this he owes all the educational advantages he has ever possessed. And as he has always regarded it of great value to himself, he has at all times been intimately identified with the establish- ment of reading rooms and libraries in connection with the works he has been identified with, and has never failed to take a deep interest in the educational advancement, of iron workers. Ile was married on April ist, 1853, 10 Ellen Davis, of Danville, Pennsylvania, and by her has had several children, four of whom are living.
HOMPSON, JOHN L., President of the Cincinnati Fire Department, Treasurer of the Cincinnati Savings Society, was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, July 30th, 1832. Ile was educated pri- marily in the common schools of his native county, and afterward pursued a higher course of studies in the Hanover College, at Hanover, Indiana; securing by industry and close application a varied store of general and useful knowledge. He subsequently entered on the study of law under the instruction of James Peat, a well-known practitioner of Cincinnati, and in 1865 was admitted to the bar. Hle then, for a period of fifteen years, served in various capacities in the several county offices, ending in 1867 his term of Deputy Sheriff. To this office he had been nomi-
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nated in 1866 by the adherents of P'resident Johnson. Upon his retirement hom the position of Sheriff he entered upon the duties of a fresh office of trust and responsibility a, Treasurer of the Cincinnati Savings Society, which posi- tion he still holds. In April, 1874, he was elected a mem- ber of the School Board for the term of two years. Ile takes an active interest in the promotion of educational interests; and while serving in his various public capacities has been importantiy instrumental in advancing the cause of progress and reform. Prior to his admission to the bar, having resided for many years in Colombia, and taken a prominent part in the current political movements, he was in 1853 elected Mayor of the incorporated village for the term of two years. He was then elected, in 1865, Presi- dent of the School Board of the same place, and filled that office until 1867, when his position in the Savings Society precluded his acceptance of any public office. Since the consolidation of the town he has continued to maintain a leading position in municipal affairs, and is one of the most influential citizens of the place. In April, 1874, he was appointed by Mayor Johnson President of the Cincinnati Fire Department; and April 19th, 1875, was honored by an election by acclamation to the Vice-Presidency of the Cin- cinnati School Board.
OTTON, JOSIAH DEXTER, M. D., was born in Marietta, Ohio, May 19th, 1822. His ancestors came to America in the famous " Mayflower," and settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts, where succeeding generations of the family continued to reside. His father, John Cotton, judge and phy- sicim, moved from Plymouth to Chio in 1815, settling in Marietta, where he died in 1847. ( For further details con- nected with his family see sketch of Dr. John Cotton.) Ile was educated preliminarily at the Marietta College, and ou leaving school began the study of medicine under the supervision of his father. In 1845 he attended a course of lectures at the Ohio Medical College; and in 18.17, having attended also the medical department of the Louisville University, graduated from that institution. He then eu- tered on the practice of his profession in Marietta, succeed- ing to his father's round of business. Since this time he has been engaged exclusively in professional labors, and is the acknowledged leader in the medical circles of his town. In 1862 he was appointed Surgeon of the 92d Regiment of Ohio Volunteers, and was connected with the army entil the close of the war. He was a participant at the battles of Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, and Nashville, and was present at the fall of Atlanta. For two years he officiated a> Brigade Surgeon of General Turchin's Brigade, and was Medical Director of the Provisional Department of the Army of the Cumberland and Tennessee, In 1865 he was mustered out of the service, and on his return to Marietta resumed the civil practice of his profession, in which he still
continues, For nine years he filled the office of Council- man in Marietta, and for several years was Physician for the Board of Health. Also, for two years be officiated as President of the Washington County Medical Society, and for one year was Vice- President of the Ohio State Medical Society. In July, 1875, he was appointed one of the Cen- sors of the new Medical College of Columbus, a position for which he is admirably qualified by his technical and general attainments, his varied experience, and his personal characteristics. He was married in 1848 to Ann M. Steece, of Lawrence county, Ohio.
IBLEV, JAMES WHITELAW, Commission Mer- chant, is a native of the Green Mountain State. Ile was born in Montpelier, Vermont, 'en the 20th of February, IS16. When he was about a year old his father, Derick Sibley, removed with his family to Rochester, New York, then a small village of a few hundred inhabitants. It was here that James received such education as fell to his lot. On his approach to manhood he embarked in the dry-goods busi- ness, and continued in that line of trade until the year 1847, when he removed to Cincinnati. There he engaged in the produce and commission business in company with A. D. E. Tweed, under the firm-name of Tweed & Sibley. Sub- sequently it was changed to Sibley, French & Co., and so the firm remains at this time. It has done and is doing a steadily thriving business, and is one of the solid firms of the city. In 1860 James W. Sibley was elected President of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, a position which he filled ably and acceptably. He was married in 1840 to May A. Hastings, of Clinton, New York.
ART, SAMUEL, Physician, Marietta, was born at M.nietta, Ohio, on June 7th, 1830. His grand- parents were of English descent, who settled in New York and Connecticut. His father, Dr. Seth Hart, came to this State about fifty years ago, and is still in active practice at Harmer, Ohio. His education consisted of an academical course; on leaving school he began the study of medicine with his father, and graduated from the Cincinnati Medical College of Ohio. He then commenced the practice of his profes- sion in partnership with his father, at Harmer. This con- tinued about two years, when he moved to Marietta and there established the practice in which he has continued uninterruptedly, with the exception of his services in the late war. In 1862 he entered the army as Surgeon of the 75th Ohio, and served with his regiment nearly one year. Ile was then examined for appointment as Staff Surgeon in the Volunteer Corps, ranking as Assistant Surgeon. Ile
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was then promoted to Surgeon, with the rank of Major, and | the collapse of the Southern Confederacy. He died a few days later. On February ist, 1872, Dr. Falconer married Margaret Mckee, of Wheeling, West Virginia.
in this capacity he served until after the close of the war, when he was brevetted Lieutenant Colonel. At the expira- tion of his services he returned to his home, and for one year devoted his time to the review of his studies, taking his degree at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, at New York. He then resumed his practice at Marietta, where he is now located, enjoying probably the largest in the place. He was married in 1856 to Sarah Purple, of Massachusetts.
AL.CONER, CYRUS, Physician and Surgeon of Hamilton, Butler county, was born in Washing. ton county, Pennsylvania, January 211, 1810. Ilis parents were Isaac and Mary ( Wilkins) Fal- coner. The family are of English descent. They first settled in Queen Anne county, Maryland, and from there a portion of them went to Berkeley county, Virginia, and from Virginia Samuel Falconer, grandfather of Cyrus, moved to Washington county, Pennsylvania. His father emigrated to the valley of the Miami in 1812, settling in Butler county. Dr. Falconer received his education at the Miami University, but left without graduating; at the age of eighteen he began the study of medicine. Having attended several courses of lectures and acquired a fair degree of clinical experience he began practice in Hamil- ton in 1832, and took his degree of M. D. in 1839 from the Cincinnati Medical College. In the quiet but useful routine of professional duties he has continued in Hamilton for nearly half a century, and has enjoyed an extensive practice. lle followed the allopathic school, and, though in no sense of the word a specialist in his profession, he enjoys an es. ceptional reputation as an obstetrician among the members of his profession. He has twice performed the Casarean operation, admitted to be one of the most critical in surgery, and in one of the etses with complete success. In public affir, Dr. Falconer has never permitted himself to take a more prominent put than the plain requirements of his duty a, a chizen deminded. He is a member of the Ohio State Medical Society, and was one of the trustees to build the Agricultural College at Columbu. Though an anti-slavery advocate, and bold in the support of the Union during the war, the only prominent political act of his life was to be a member of the Harrisburg Convention, that nominated W. 11. Harrison for the Presidency. He has been married twice : first to Mary, daughter of the Hon. John Woods, of I.unilton, October 8th, 1839; she died, September 18th, 1870, having borne. eight children, five of whom survived her; one died in infancy and two were killed in the war, Jerome dying from a wound received at the battle of Stone Kiver, and John W., a Captain, after having passed through the conflict and participated in most of the principal en- gigements, was shot at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, less than half an hour before the surrender of Lee and
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GIBSON, PETER, Mechanic, Manufacturer and Capitalist, was born near Edinburgh, Scotland, October 20th, 1802, and was thrown upon his own resources for a livelihood when twelve years of age. Ile was first engaged as a shepherd boy, and continued in that capacity for six years. Having then attained the age of eighteen, he apprenticed himself to the plumber's trade in Edinburgh, and made unusual progress in this business. In the second year of his apprenticeship he took the place of a journeyman, and six months prior to the expiration of the term for which he was bound he was offered the foremanship of another estab. lishment, but his master refused to part with him upon the completion of the apprenticeship term. During the latter part of this period he was at work in Edinburgh College, then in course of construction, and after accomplishing bis work there accepted the proffered foremanship which had been kept open for him. This was in the year 1827, and about this time he was married to Martha Bolden, of Edin- burgh. He held this foremanship for three years, and then determined upon emigrating to America, to which an eller brother had already removed. Desiring, however, to per- feet himself in all branches of his trade, he went to England and remained three years, being greatly benefited by the improvements in appliances which he saw in operation there. After completing three large jebs he left for America, setting sail with his wife and two children on May Ist, 1831. He arrived at New York on the 1St of June, and was dejected when, upon an immediate canvass of the city, he saw no opening for him. For some time he was without work, finding at length a job which brought him means enough to pay his way back to Scotland, to which he had determined upon returning. Naturally de- sirous of seeing his elder brother, who was a practising physician in St. Mary's parish, Louisiana, he wrote to him to come to New York before they set sail for Scotland. The elder brother answered that Peter should meet him in Cincinnati on a certain day. This was before the era of steam locomotion, and long journeys were tedions, if not dangerons. Mr. Gibson, notwithstanding the drawback of such a trip, determined to acquiesce, and reached Pitts- burgh by stage travel over the Alleghenies, and thence by boat to Cincinnati. The metropolis of to-day was then a small town, and the Demi-on Hotel, at which he stopped, and the Pearl Street House were the only hotels. He was disappointed npon learning that his brother had not arrived, and on one Sunday morning, nervously uneasy about this second failure, he started out for a walk to quiet his anxiety. In turning toward the river he encountered his
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brother, who had just arrived. The recognition was | floors. One is for guests and the other for baggage. These mutual and the greeting, affectionate. At the earnest rooms, in additions to space set off into kitchen and pastry rooms and four large stores, comprise the entire ground floor of the hotel. The flooring used in the first story is marble tiling. In the sub-cellar and basement are the laundry, drying room, pastry-room, store-room, engine- room, the ice-house, carpenter-shop, paint-shop, wine- cellar, ete. Upon the second floor there are parlors, recep- tion rooms and rooms en suite. These are all, furnished in elegant style. The four remaining stories are devoted to bedtchambers and rooms en suite, and are equally well for- nished. Each floor is supplied with water-closets of a superior character, planned by John B. Gibson, with gas and water and all the necessities for making the house'a comfort and a pleasure to its patrons. There is attached to the hotel a water-works arrangement, which renders the subjection of fire in any part of the building instantaneous. In addition, there are fire-proof stairways, and every room is furnished with a fire-alam. All the doors have patent combination burglar-proof locks, and the transoms have burglar-proof fastenings, an improvement found in no other hotel in the city. Each door has its hot and cold baths. The heating and ventilation are perfect, and the house, in all its appointments and in the details of management, is without a superior in the country. Peter Gibson, the original projector of this hotel, is held in the highest esteem in the social and business communities of Cincinnati. He is a man of substantial acquirements, of keen business penetration, of energy of action and of the most irreproachable character. - Ile is gencrous by impulse and public-spirited, and supports every movement made in the interest of the welfare of the citizens of his adopted city, and of which he is one of the few pioncer business men who still remain. solicitation of this brother, Mr. Gibson gave up his imme. diate return to Scotland and started in business in Cincin- anti under circumstances far from encouraging. His trade at that time had not become a distinct one, and his capital was very limited. During the first three years he was twice reduced to the necessity of calling upon his brother for assistance, who promptly and cheerfully gave it. The fourth year of his career opened a brighter prospect. llis business grew in proportions, and was so remunerative that he was able to liquidate all his indebtedness, with a fair Inlance which he kept as a reserve fund. Ilis skill as a workman was now recognized, and the orders which came in upon him were more than he could fill, and he was compelled to increase his facilities. Ile purchased a new pipe machine, an engine and incidental machinery, and with these aids he was able to meet the demands upon his establishment. His business rapidly enlarged, and became constantly more remunerative. His patronage was not con- fined solely to the city, but came from the interior of Ohio and adjoining States. In 18.45 he constructed for Davis B. Lawler the first water-closet ever made west of the Alle- ghenies, and this transaction opened to him a very large and lucrative business. Ile commenced, with the capital derived from his establishment, which had obtained a very extended and honorable reputation, to build upon quite a large scale in Cincinnati. He put up several conspicuous business houses, and in 1849 erected the Gibson House, which was greatly enlarged and remodelled in 1857. About the year 1854, having amassed a comfortable for- tune, he retired from active business, leaving his plumbing and lead pipe business to his son, John B. Gibson, and a nephew. Since his retirement from these cares he has devoted a considerable share of his time and attention to the interests of the city. He served two years in the City Council and several years in the Public School Board, be- NOX, SAMUEL, State Senator from the Twentieth Ohio District, was born, September 16th, 1822, in Harrison county, Ohio, being the son of John and Mary ( Davis) Knox. His father was a chair- maker, and a descendant of a family belonging to the same section of country from which John Knox, the reformer, hailed. They were among the people sent to the north of Ireland by Cromwell to carry out 'his scheme of reconstruction in that country. William Knox, grandfather of Samnel, and a well-known Methodist Epis- copal clergyman, came to America in 1794, and located in Frederick, Maryland. In 1816 John Knox, the father of Samuel, settled in Harrison county, Ohio. Ilis wife's family came from Armagh, Treland, to the same county in 1806. Samuel was educated in the common schools, and by a private tutor, Dr. Horace Belknap, the principal of Freeport Academy, and made rapid headway in learning. At the age of twenty-one he became clerk in a store, but was soon prostrated by impaired health for eight years. sides filling other positions of public trust and responsi- bility. The Gibson House, which, as bas been said, was built in 1849, was rebuilt entirely in the years 1873-74 by Mr. Gibson, under the supervision of his son, John B. It is now under the management of O. H. Jeffrey and John B. Gibson. The building was planned by the latter, and has now a frontage of 150 feet by a depth of 200 feet, and is six stories high, exclusive of the basement and sub-cellar. It contains over 300 rooms. The front, which is of stone, is the embodiment of a fine type of architecture, presenting a massive and symmetrical appearance. The office, on the first floor, is 90 by 40 feet, with an L attachment 40 by 16 feet, being connected with the dining hall, the dimensions of which are 100 by 40 feet. There is, also an " early breakfast " room, which can accommodate fifty guests. On the same floor there is a fine billiard-room, bar-room, barber-shop, cigar-stand, telegraph-office, and two elevators by the use of which patrons may easily reach the upper
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Faluny L'ub, C, Philadelphia.
Have 7, Grill
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Upon his recovery he commenced teaching in Freeport, his native village, and four years remained thus occupied. In iSoo he was elected Auditor for Harison county, and served two tennis, covering four yours, during the eventful period of the war. He then acted as clerk in the Auditor's office for one year, and in 1867 bought out the Cadis Repub- lican and edited it for two years, earning an excellent reputation as an able and enterprising journalist. From 1867 to 1871 he acted as Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue for the Sixteenth District of Ohio, and in 1871 was elected to the State Senate, on the Republican ticket, ' from the Twentieth District, embracing Behnont and Ilar- rison counties. In 1873 he was re-elected, being the only Republican in his district who enjoyed the honor of a re- election. In the Senate he has served ably on the Com- mittees on Schools and School-lands, Mines and Mining, Claims, Revision, Enrolment, Penitentiary, Library and Public Printing, and has energetically supported measures for public improvements. He is an influential member of the Republican party, and has done effective labor in its various campaigns as an organizer and speaker. In 1862 he became Chairman of the Harrison County Republican Committee, and has ever since held a membership in it. In 1874 he was chosen a member of the State Central Re- publican Committee. During the war he was a member of the Military Committee appointed by the late Governor Brongh. He is unmarried. In 1875 Mr. Knox was again re-elected, being for the third term, a rare honor in the history of the Ohio Senate.
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