USA > Ohio > The biographical annals of Ohio, 1902-1903. A handbook of the government and institutions of the state of Ohio. Vol. 1 > Part 46
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
C. A. Flickenger
1885-1891
Will S. Jones
1886-1892
Wm. M. Hahn
1887-1893
Frank J. McColloch
1891-1897
Charles E. Groce
1892-1898
E. L. Lybarger
1896-1899
Frank A. Huffman
1897-1903
Charles A. Goddard
1898
W. G. Johnston
1899
Wm. Kirtley
1903
1
THE BOARD OF VETERINARY EXAMINERS.
T HE law creating the State Board of Veterinary Examiners was passed by the General Assembly May 21, 1894. The Board consists of five members; the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture and the Secretary of the State Board of Health are made ex officio members by the law, while the Governor has the appointment of the other members. A list of the officers, from the organization of the board to date, is given below :
PRESIDENTS.
Names.
Residence.
Term of Service. .
L. N. Bonham
W. W. Miller
Oxford. Castalia.
July 25, 1894, to Feb. 1, 1895. February 1, 1895-still serving.
SECRETARIES.
Names.
Residence.
Term of Service.
Dr. C. O. Probst.
Columbus
July 25, 1894, to July 2, 1895.
Dr. N. B. Smith.
Basil.
July 2, 1895, to October 6, 1896.
Dr. H. J. Detmers.
Columbus
October 6, 1896, to July 18, 1898.
Dr. W. E. Wight
Delaware.
July 18, 1898, to October 6, 1893.
Dr. D. S. White.
Columbus
October 6, 1898-still serving.
Dr. Walter Shaw
Dayton
Dr. Albert E. Cunningham. .
Cleveland
April 10, 1901-still serving. April 10, 1901-still serving.
(552)
THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
C OMMISSIONER of Labor Statistics Michael D. Ratchford, the subject of this sketch, was born in Clare, Ireland, in 1860. Mi- grating with his parents to Stark county, Ohio, some ten years later, he attended the public schools there until he reached his twelfth year, at which age he entered the mines where he labored for more than twenty consecutive years. His education, however, was principally acquired by attending evening school, and by careful home study during the earlier years of his occupation in mining.
Mr. Ratchford, although mainly conservative in his views upon the labor question, was an active trade unionist, and as such he realized the growing needs of a thorough organization of mine workers, and labored unceasingly to that end. He was elected to and served in the office of President of the Massillon, Ohio, miners, 1890-92; General Organizer, 1893-94; President Ohio Miners, 1895-96; President of the United Mine Workers of America, 1897-98. It was while serving in the chief exec- utive office that he established and put into practice a working-day of eight hours; instituted mutual relations and an annual wage contract between mine workers and operators through which strikes have since been averted; and made uniform the conditions of mining throughout the bituminous coal fields.
(553)
554
THE BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF OHIO.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics.
He was appointed by President Mckinley September 7, 1898, as mem- ber of the National Industrial Commission created by Congress, where he served for nearly two years, resigning the same to accept the office of Com- missioner of Labor Statistics of Ohio, to which he was appointed by Gov- ernor George K. Nash, April 25, 1900, and reappointed April 25, 1902.
Mr. Ratchford is unswerving in his devotion to the Republican party, and as such has ably discussed the issues for which his party stands in many states of the Union during national and state campaigns.
The Commissioner of Labor Statistics is appointed by the Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate for a term of two years. The Chief Clerk and office force of the Bureau are appointed by the Com- missioner with the consent of the Governor. The superintendents and clerks of the five Free Public Employment Offices-Cleveland, Columbus, Cin- cinmati, Dayton and Toledo, which are under the direction and supervision of the Bureau, are also appointed by the Commissioner in the same man- ner for a term of two years.
The Bureau, under the law-Sec. 308 of the Revised Statutes- collects, arranges and systematizes all statistics relating to the various branches of labor in the state, and especially those relating to the com- mercial, industrial, social, educational and sanitary conditions of the laboring classes.
COMMISSIONERS OF LABOR STATISTICS.
Appointive by the Governor, and term of office for two years.
Incumbents.
Years of Service.
Terms.
Henry J. Walls
Four
1877-1881
Henry Lusky
Four
1881-1885
Larkin McHugh
Two
1885-1887
Alonzo D. Fassett
Three
1887-1890
John McBride
Two
1890-1892
Wm. T. Lewis
Four
1892-1896
Wm. Ruehrwein
Two
1896-1898
J. P. Jones
Two
1898-1900
M. D. Ratchford
Incumbent
1900-1902
M. D. Ratchford
Incumbent
1902-1904
NOTE .- Commissioner Fassett was legislated out of office in 1890, and was suc- ceeded by Mr. McBride, who resigned before his term expired.
THE CANAL COMMISSION.
I N THE year 1887, Hon. Jacob A. Kohler, Attorney General, called the attention of Governor Foraker and the Board of Public Works to the valuable state property, in the city of Akron, that had been unlawfully taken possession of by individuals and corporations, and shortly thereafter, ten civil actions, against as many different defendants, were commenced to recover state property valued at one hundred thou- sand ($100,000.00) dollars.
When the succeeding General Assembly convened, the governor recommended that a commission be created to ascertain what lands the State owned; thereupon Hon. J. Park Alexander, of Summit county, introduced a bill, embodying the ideas of the governor and attorney gen- eral, creating "a commission to establish the boundaries and lines of the canals, canal basins, reservoirs, etc., of the State by actual surveys by metes and bounds, together with maps and plats of the same, and to de- fine and protect the ownership and titles in and to all lands belonging to and connected with said canals."
Subsequently, the daties of the commission were enlarged by adding to its work the duties previously performed by the swamp land commis- sioner, and providing for the recording of all documents, maps, plats and records in any wise appertaining to the title of any real estate for- merly belonging to or now owned by the State.
The commission is generally called a "Canal Commission," but should be called a land commission, as it has nothing to do with the navigation or management of the canals, and has no relation whatever to the old board of canal commissioners that laid out and constructed the public works of the State.
The duties of the commission are to locate and define the State's property, to recover such portions of it as are found in the unlawful pos- session of individuals and corporations, to lease such portions of it as are not necessary for canal purposes, to acquire title to swamp lands and to collect the cash indemnity due for such lands when they have been disposed of by the United States.
The original act was passed March 28, 1888, and shortly thereafter Governor Foraker appointed as members of said commission, General William H. Gibson of Seneca county, Col. Charles F. Baldwin of Knox county, and Judge Alexander S. Latty of Defiance county, General Gib-
(555)
556
THE BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF OHIO.
The Canal Commission.
son being made president, Judge Latty vice president, and T. C. Ryan of Washington county, secretary. Col. Baldwin resigned after a few months' service, and Hon. R. M. Rownd of Franklin county, was appointed in his place.
The commissioners found that there was practically nothing with which to commence their labors. The original surveys and maps of the canals had all disappeared along with the books that showed the awards of damages paid for lands appropriated for canals and reservoir pur- poses. Fortunately a half dozen of these books were found in a consign- ment of old paper that had been shipped to one of the paper mills on the Miami and Erie canal, and were finally restored to the State, where they have been of inestimable value in aiding the recovery of State property.
The first three or four years may be called the period of surveys and discovery. More than twelve hundred miles of transit lines have been run since the commencement of the canals and reservoir surveys, while hundreds of monuments have been planted to perpetuate the lines estab- lished for the boundaries of the State property. In addition, the title to lands owned by the State, at one time and another, aggregated one million two hundred and thirty thousand five hundred and twenty-two (1,230,522) acres, have been recorded in the records of the office.
Twenty-three large volumes of maps have been completed and bound in convenient book form, and others are in process of completion.
These maps when completed will embrace the entire canal system, including the canals, reservoirs, basins, wide-waters, feeders, raceways, water-powers, hydraulics, dams, slack-waters, locks, aqueducts, bridges, culverts, bulk-heads, waste-weirs, and in fact nearly every thing pertain- ing to the public works of the State.
In addition to these, plats have been made of all the swamp lands in the northwestern part of the State. This was necessary in order to determine the indemnity due the state, from the United States, for swamp lands, and the commission has filed claims for swamp land indemnity aggregating $121,601.66, which claims are pending for hearing before the secretary of the interior.
The net results to the State from the work of the commission in lands recovered, and lands leased and sold, is approximately $1,000,000.00, and this will be substantially increased if pending litigation results in favor of the State.
The fixed policy of the commission has been to lease the State lands · rather than to sell them in order that the State may derive a steady in- come from the same.
557
THE BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF OHIO.
The Canal Commission.
The following is a list of the different canal commissioners who have served on that board from time to time. The date of each com- mission being some day in the latter part of April.
Counties.
Years.
Names.
Wm. H. Gibson
1888-1890
Seneca. Defiance.
A. S. Latty
1888-1890.
R. M. Rownd
1888-1890.
Franklin.
T. C. Ryan, Secretary
1888-1890.
Washington.
Wm. E. Boden
1890-1892
Guernsey.
A. H. Roose
1890-1892
Pickaway.
R. M. Rownd
1890-1892
Franklin.
Israel J. C. Shoemaker, Secretary
1890-1892
Seneca.
R. M. Rownd
1892 1896.
Franklin.
Daniel Hartnett
1892-1896
Henry.
A. T. Wikoff
1896-1900
Franklin.
C. W. McCracken
1896-1900.
A. T. Wikoff and Henry W. Blachly, each appointed for the term of two years. ending April 28, 1902
A. T. Wikoff and H. W. Blachly each ap- pointed April 30, 1902 for term end- ing April 28, 1904.
A. T. Wikoff died July 22, 1902, and W. C. Wikoff was appointed to fill out un- expired term, ending April 28, 1904.
Franklin
The membership of the commission was reduced from three to two members in 1892.
A LLEN TRIMBLE WIKOFF, son of John and Nancy (Jones) Wikoff, was born in Green township, Adams county, Ohio, November 15, 1825, and died at his home in Columbus, Ohio, July 22, 1902
He received a common school education, which he supplemented by diligent study at home, and which enabled him in after life to attain social and political preferment seldom accorded to one whose early education was necessarily limited.
He continued the vocation of farming until the breaking out of the Civil War, and in 1862 he was commissioned first lieutenant of Company I, 91st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was promoted the following year to the captaincy of the company, in which capacity he served with honor until the close of the war.
After his return from the army he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1867, but never engaged actively in the practice of law.
He held successively the office of Chief Clerk in the Secretary of State's office, Secretary of State and Adjutant General of Ohio; was chair- man of the Republican State Executive Committee during the national campaign of 1876, and in that year was chosen as the Ohio member of the Republican National Committee; was appointed by President Grant, in 1877, as United States Pension Agent for Ohio, and reappointed to the position by Presidents Hayes and Arthur. Shortly after his retirement in 1885, he was appointed receiver, by the United States Court, for The Cleveland & Marietta Railroad, and after its sale and reorganization, be- came president and general manager of the road, and continued as such until 1893, when it became a part of the Pennsylvania system.
In April, 1896, he was appointed by Governor Bushnell as a mem- ber of the Ohio Canal Commission, and reappointed by Governor Nash in 1900, retaining the position up to the time of his death.
THE COMMISSIONER OF COMMON SCHOOLS.
H ON. LEWIS D. BONEBRAKE, the present state wmmissioner of common schools is a product of the Ohio public school sys- tem, and for over twenty years has been actively engaged in educa- tional work. He was born in Westerville, Franklin county, Ohio, August 23, 1859. His father, Rev. Daniel Bonebrake, was born in Preble county, Ohio, and is still living at the age of 74 years. A great-grandfather served in the Revolutionary war and with his brothers served under Washington in and around Philadelphia. Two of his great-uncles were scouts under General Harrison in the war of 1812, and three others served as soldiers in said war. Mr. Bonebrake's mother-Hester Ann-was the youngest daugh- ter of Captain John Bishop, who with his family came to Franklin county in 1818 from Duchess county, New York. Her father served in the war of 1812, and five of his father's family were soldiers in the war of the Revolu- tion. Mr. Bonebrake attended a district school until 14 years of age, when he entered the Westerville high school and completed its course. In the fall of 1876 he entered Otterbein University, Westerville, and by teaching dur- ing the winters put himself through college, graduating in the class of 1882. He at once entered upon his life work as a teacher, and very successfully superintended the schools at Sparta, Elmore, Athens and Mt. Vernon. During his ninth year at the latter city he was nominated by the Republican State convention of 1897 at Toledo for the office of state commissioner
(559)
560
THE BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF OHIO.
The Commissioner of Common Schools.
1
of common schools. His popularity among the teachers of the State was such that he was given one of the highest pluralities on the ticket, re- ceiving 26,549 over Myron E. Hard, his Democratic opponent. He entered upon the duties of his office on the second Monday of July, 1898, and during his first term visited and delivered educational addresses in every county of the state.
In 1900 he was renominated by acclamation and re-elected by a plurality of 68,302 over Joshua D. Simkins, his Democratic opponent. On the second Monday of July, 1901, he entered upon his second term of three years which will expire on a like date in 1904.
During his educational career Mr. Bonebrake has served as school ex- aminer on city, county and state boards, successively, and holds a life cer- tificate from the latter, granted in the summer of 1885. Prior to his election his services as an institute lecturer were in great demand, and he had done institute work not only in one-third of the counties of Ohio, but in Indiana, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. It is a part of his official duties to visit teachers' institutes, and it is an interesting fact that in this duty during his first term he traveled, within the state, 13,000 miles each year.
CLERICAL FORCE, OFFICE OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONER.
The clerical force of the office is limited to two clerks and a sten- ographer. The correspondence is heavy as the commissioner's opinion is daily sought on all subjects pertaining to school laws and school man- agement.
CLERKS.
C. E. Bonebrake, Chief Clerk, Columbus.
H. H. Cassil, Statistical Clerk, Mt. Vernon.
Miss Mary E. Douds, Canton; Miss B. M. Danford, Caldwell, Sten- ographers.
O. G. Brooks, Messenger, Ironton.
THE COMMISSIONERS OF COMMON SCHOOLS.
Names.
Years of Service
Samuel Lewis
1837-1840
Hiram H. Barney
1854-1857
Anson Smythe
1857-1863
*C. W. H. Cathcart
1863
Emerson E. White
1863-1866
*Resigned.
THE BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF OHIO.
561
The Commissioner of Common Schools.
THE COMMISSIONERS OF COMMON SCHOOLS-Concluded.
Names.
Years of Service
*John A. Norris
1866-1869
*Wm. D. Henkle
1869-1871
Thos. W. Harvey
1871-1875
Charles C. Smart
1875-1878
John J. Burns
1878-1881
D. F. DeWolf
1881-1884
Leroy D. Brown
1884-1887
¡Eli T. Tappan
1887-1889
tJohn Hancock
1889-1891
*Charles C. Miller
1891-1892
Oscar T. Corson
1892-1898
Lewis D. Bonebrake
Incumbent
* Resigned.
¡Died in office.
THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONER.
The office of state commissioner of common schools is a statutory and not a constitutional office, the act of March 12, 1836, being the virtual formation of the present school system of the state. Laws previously enacted had not been so broad or liberal in their treatment of education as this act which created the office of superintendent of common schools and provided that the officer should be elected by joint resolution of the General Assembly. The term was fixed at one year and the salary at $500.00. On April 1, 1837, Samuel Lewis of Hamilton county was duly elected. He filed his first report at the convening of the General As- sembly, and on January 16, 1838, that body ordered 10,500 volumes of it printed. On March 7, 1838, an act reorganizing the school laws of the state was passed and under section eight thereof the term of the state Superintendent was fixed at five years unless the incumbent was removed by joint resolution. The salary was placed at $1,200.00. Two days later Mr. Lewis was elected for the term of five years. On March 23, 1840, the office of state Superintendent was abolished and the duties which he had performed devolved upon the Secretary of State, who was authorized to employ a clerk to do the work at a salary of $400.00. This law con- tinued in force until March 14, 1853, when the office of state commissioner of common schools was again created.
This law provided that the officer should be chosen at the general election, and the term was fixed at three years, the salary being placed at $1,500.00. The duties of the commissioner were plainly prescribed and provision made that while he was absent on official vists to the various
.36 B. A.
562
THE BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF OHIO.
The Commissioner of Common Schools.
counties of the state the State Librarian was to act in his stead and be his secretary.
This law was a complete reorganization of the Ohio school system, and in addition to providing for the present classification of township districts and cities and villages, contained provisions for separate schools for colored children, county boards of examiners for teachers and for school libraries. Subsequent legislation has followed in the main the classification made in this act.
On March 27, 1884, a law was passed providing that the term of the commissioner would begin on the second Monday of July following his election instead of the second Monday of January. This change was made in order that the commissioner's term might terminate, approximately, with the school year.
OHIO'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
The educational system of Ohio has, from its inception, been strictly democratic in its nature, the management and support of the schools being left almost entirely in the hands of the residents of the various school districts.
The state is divided into districts, classified as city districts of the first grade of the first class; city districts of the second grade of the first class; city districts of the third grade of the first class; city dis- tricts of the first class; city districts of the second class; village districts ; special districts and townshipdistricts. The schools are governed by boards of education, selected by the electors of the various districts. In 1894 the electoral franchise for the election of school officers was conferred upon women and this law still continues in force, but is not generally taken ad- vantage of by the ladies. The number of members in boards of education in city districts of the first class varies from five members in Toledo to one from each ward in Cincinnati. In city districts of the second class and village districts the number is six, in special districts three or six. Town- ship districts are divided into sub-districts with one member of the board from each subdistrict. Prior to 1892 the subdistrict schools were in reality governed by a board of subdirectors consisting of three members, one of whom was elected as member of the township board, but in that year the board of subdirectors was abolished and the entire authority conferred upon the township board. This did not give entire satisfaction, consequently, in 1898, the board of subdirectors was re-established, but with the power of recommendation only, final action by the township board being neces- sary. The management and control of the schools is vested in the several boards of education without active supervision of any nature. Should boards exceed their authority or become derilect in their duty, recourse can only be had through the courts of law.
563
THE BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF OHIO.
The Commissioner of Common Schools.
The school funds are derived from the income from school lands set apart by the National and State governments for educational purposes and by state and local taxes, the state contributing about one-eighth of the total amount.
The state commissioner of common schools has supervision of the school funds to the extent of appointing examiners in cases where misapplication or fraud in the management of the same makes it necessary.
The following statistics taken from the annual report of the state commissioner for the year ending August 31, 1900, will give some idea of the magnitude of the educational work being accomplished in this state at the present time.
Number of districts: City, 62; Village and Special, 1,005; Townships, 1,335; Subdistricts, 11,097; Number of School Houses, 13,073; Number of School Rooms, 22,661; Value of School Property, $44,017,179; Number of Teachers, 26,017; Enumeration of youth between six and twenty-one years, 1,226,366; Enrollment in Public Schools, 829,160.
In addition to the enrollment in the public schools it is estimated that 50,000 pupils are being educated in parochial and private schools. Number of high schools, 836; Enrollment in high schools, 56,952.
There are 36 colleges and universities with 1,118 instructors and 8,148 students. This does not include professional schools, normal academies, et cetera, of which the state has its full proportion.
STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS.
There have been a number of changes in the law relating to the state board of school examiners. When first enacted in 1864 the board consisted of three members who are appointed by the state commissioner. Since 1883 the number has been fixed at five. The term is five years and ends on August 31. The following have served on the board since its creation : Marcellus F. Cowdery, Thomas W. Harvey, Eli T. Tappan, Israel W. Andrews, William Mitchell, Theodore Sterling, John Hancock, Thomas C. Mendenhall, Andrew J. Rickoff, Alston Ellis, Henry B. Fur- ness, John B. Peaslee, William W. Ross, Charles R. Shreve, Chas. L. Loos, A. B. Johnson, Henry M. Parker, William G. Williams, Elmer S. Cox, Chas. C. Davidson, Marcellus Manley, Chas. E. McVay, Thomas A. Pollock, E. E. White, W. J. White, E. A. Jones, R. W. Stevenson, Edward T. Nelson, Jas. W. Knott, J. C. Hartzler, L. D. Bonebrake, J. P. Sharkey, Charles Haupert, C. W. Bennett, J. D. Simkins, W. W. Boyd, W. H. Meck, M. E. Hard, W. H. Mitchell, C. C. Miller, and Arthur Powell. The last five named are the present members of the board.
564
THE BIOGRAPHICAL ANNALS OF OHIO.
The Commissioner of Common Schools.
SCHOOL-BOOK LAWS.
The first law relating to the use of text books in the schools of Ohio was passed April 22, 1885. It required boards of education to adopt text books and prohibited any change in the same within five years, except by a three-fourths vote. A provision was also made authorizing boards to pro- vide free text books.
On the 28th day of April, 1890, an amendment to this law was passed providing for a school book board, composed of the Governor, State Commissioner of Common Schools, Supervisor of Public Printing, and two persons to be appointed by the Governor. This board was authorized to pass upon all books used in the schools and to fix a price upon the same not to exceed eighty percent of the publisher's wholesale list price, and in case no satisfactory books could be secured the board was authorized to receive bids from publishers and authors for furnishing text books, and report the result of the same to the next session of the General Assembly for action thereon.
On May 4, 1891, the last-mentioned law was repealed, and a new law enacted changing the membership of the "State School Book Board" to the Governor and Secretary of State with the State Commissioner of Com- mon Schools as secretary. The principal provisions of the former law were retained, with further provisions in regard to publication of text books by the state and a reduction in the maximum price to seventy-five percent of the wholesale list price. The law now in force was passed April 22, 1896, making the State Commissioner of Common Schools a member of the State School Book Commission together with the Governor and Secretary of State. The main provisions of the former law were retained, the method of enforcing the law and carrying the same into effect being simplified.
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.