The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 110

Author: W.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1214

USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county > Part 110

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poused while in his two years' term with the City Fathers. He was again elected member for 1881-82 and is now an honored member of that body. He wields a causti pen, and in writing for the press presents his thoughts in a very plain, forcible manner and is regarded a writer of much ability by those who know his nom de plume. He i in the prime of life, and, as he comes from a long-lived race, has many years in store i which he can succeed in carving his name high upon the roll of honor, if he will us the same energy and talent which characterized his early life.

CHARLES H. ANDERTON, merchant, Dayton, was born in Dayton, Montgomer Co., Ohio, October 11, 1842. He is the son of James and Francis (Wilby) Anderton, wb were married in England and emigrated to America soon after. The father died in 185( but the mother still survives, having reached the age of four-score and one years. Charles our subject, attended the public schools of Dayton until twelve years of age and the clerked for his brother in a fruit store until April, 1862, when he opened a fruit stan for himself, on the northeast corner of Third and Main streets, in Dayton, where he r maincd until August, 1862, and then enlisted in Company A, Ninety-third Ohio Volui teer Infantry. He was in the engagements at Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridg where he was wounded in the wrist, and in many other minor engagements and ski mishes. At Danbridge, East Tenn., he was wounded in the right breast, in Januar 1864, but served until the close of the war, receiving his discharge in May, 1865. E was married April 10, 1867, to Miss Lucy Henderson, daughter of Eben and May Henderson, of Minooka, Ill., by whom he has had three children, one girl and two boy only one of the latter surviving. Mr. Anderton is a member of Wayne Lodge, No. 1 I. O. O. F .; Dayton Encampment, I. O. O. F .; Knights of Pythias, Legion of Hono Grand Army of the Republic, Old Guards, and ex-inember of the National Guard He is also Chairman of the Republican County Central Committee. He served fil years in and was the organizer of Company A, Fourth Ohio National Guards, which that time was a Zouave company. He was a member of the old volunteer fire cor pany for seven or eight years, and of the paid company from 1865 to 1880. No bigh tribute can be paid to such a man than to thus show to the world his record.

JOHN C. BAIRD, of firm of Baird Bros., owners planing- mill, sash, door ar blind factory, Dayton, was born at Somerset, Penn., April 30, 1819. His parents we Daniel and Annie M. (Kurtz) Baird, natives of the Keystone State. The former was carpenter and builder and cabinet maker. He was a soldier in the American army duri the war of 1812, and died September 15, 1876. aged eighty-three years and four month He was a man of strong constitution, very vigorous, and up to the time of his dea (caused by old agc) never suffercd a week's sickness. His amiable helpmeet follow him to the " shadowed land " December 16, 1879, aged eighty-one years and nir months. They were the parents of eleven children, eight of whom yet survive subject of this sketch was reared amid the rocky hills of Old Pennsylvania, and when si teen years of age commenced to learn the trade of his father, continuing with him business for some years. When twenty-five years of age, he came to Dayton, where worked at his trade for quite a period. In the meantime, his brother, William F., h: visited the Valley City, and located there. The two brothers decided to embark in t busy and tempestuous sea of life, and, as both were practical mechanics, decided to tablish their present business. They did so, under the firm name of Baird Bro, and have continued the business to the present time. Since coming to Dayton, M Baird was, for three years, engaged in the groecry business. He was married in early day, and buried a wife and child in October, 1843. His second marriage w solemnized in 1847, the second party to the contract being Susan Olive, a native Zanesville, Ohio. They have four children living-Charles H., William F., Florcr and Arthur-the eldest son and daughter being married. Mr. Baird and wife are me bers of the First Lutheran Church, the former having officiated as Deacon for some yea Mr. Baird joined the I. O. O. F., in August, 1845, and since that period has given mu of his time to the advancement of the order. He is a member of Wayne Lodge, 10, and Dayton Encampment, No. 2. During one State Encampment, at Portsmou Ohio, he was appointed and served as Grand Junior Warden. In the home lodge

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as devoted some time to committee work, and ably assisted in preparing a forty years' istory of the lodge for publication. In politics, Mr. Baird is a strong Republican. [e served as Councilman from the Fifth Ward for two years, and was one of the com- ittee appointed to visit the Eastern cities to examine the different systems of fire rotection in use in each. He assisted in establishing the Holly system in Dayton, an et of which he justly feels proud.

ELIAM E BARNEY, deceased, was born in Adams, Jefferson Co., N. Y., ctober 14, 1807. His parents were Benjamin Barney, a native of Guilford, Vt., and ancy Potter, of Connecticut. His father was a warm and active friend to education, nd one of the principal movers in founding Union Academy, at Bellville, Jefferson Co., . Y., having contributed for this object very liberally, bo'h time and money. For more than fifty years, this academy has been a vigorous and prosperous institution of arning. Both parents were earnest, active members of the Baptist Church, from early 'e till death. Having received a common-school education and acquired some experi- ice as a teacher in winter schools, our subject was prepared for college at Lawville cademy, Lewis Co., N. Y., and at Union Academy, Bellville, in the same State. He en entered the sophomore class, at Union College, Schenectady. from which he grad- ted in 1831. After teaching for a brief period in a family boarding school at Sand ake, N. Y., he became Principal of Lawville Academy, where he remained two years, eeting with great success. In the fall of 1833, he came to Ohio, and taught for six onths in Granville College (now Dennison University), filling the place of Prof. rury, who had been elected, but had not yet arrived In the spring of 1834, he came Dayton and was Principal of the Dayton Academy from 1834 to 1838. The two cceeding years, he taught a private school for both sexes. His health failing, he re- iquished teaching, and during four years engaged in the lumber trade. In the mean- ne, the Cooper Female Academy had been established, and Mr. Barney was called to e charge of. it as Principal, in 1845, and so continued until 1851. This closed his reer as a teacher, and after that time he was engaged in widely different pursuits. is teaching from first to last was attended with great success, and the occupation be- g one for which he seemed peculiarly fitted, in it he attained a high reputation. His ucation and the range of his information were ample, and he possessed the rare facul- of communicating knowledge to his pupils. He seemed without difficulty to reach e understanding and compel a ready apprehension of all he sought to teach. There e but few of his former pupils who will not say that he was the best of all their teach- 3. His discipline was strict, but his kindness at the same time so manifest that he cured alike their respect, affection and obedience. In the summer of 1850, in com- ny with Mr. E. Thresher, he started the Dayton Car Works. Their capital was lim- d and the business was carried on upon a moderate scale and prudently, but success- fly. In 1854, Mr. C. Parker succeeded Mr. Thresher in the firm, and from that time 1. 1864 the business, which had greatly increased, was conducted under the firm name Barncy, Parker & Co. Mr. Parker then sold out to Mr. Preserved Smith, the firm boming Barney, Smith & Co., and the business was thus continued until 1867. when oint stock company was formed under the name of " The Barney & Smith Manu- 1 turing Company of Dayton," of which Mr. Barney was the President until his death. is company furnishes all kinds of cars for the railroads of the North, East, South id West. During nearly its entire history, Mr. Barney was the head of the estab- lament, and to him is due the great success of the enterprise. He was a man of great 8 lity, bold but prudent, clear headed, far sighted, energetic, systematic, practical and toroughly familiar with the business in general and in detail. Some years before his (th, Mr. Barney, realizing the fact that our forests are rapidly disappearing and the vole country becoming denuded of its timber trecs, and that the constant demand f. timber would soon exhaust the present supply, and having his attention called t the valuable properties of the "catalpa," a tree of quick growth and furnish- timber of the most enduring quality, began the collection of information rhecting the tree, and by correspondence, communications to the papers and t publication of pamphlets, he awakened a very wide-spread interest in the

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subject. He had at his office various specimens of the catalpi wood, one of which was from a post that stood in the ground for seventy-five years and which, with the exception of a very slight decay on the outside, was as perfect and sound as when sunk in the earth. He had, also, numcrous letters from foreign countries as well as all parts of the United States, making inquiries respecting the catalpa, commending liin in the most flattering terms for the interest he had taken in this important matter, and assuring him that his efforts in that connection could not fail to be crowned with the most valuable results, and be appreciated by future generations. If " he who cause two blades of grass to grow where but one grew before " is a benefactor to his race, i an equally important sense is this true of a man who was instrumental in arousing th attention of nurserymen and agriculturists in the liberal cultivation of this most valua ble timber tree, calculated, as it is, to furnish excellent lumber for future use. Mr. Bar ney was never an aspirant for public office. He was, however, President of the Dayto Hydraulic Company from its organization, and was Vice President of the Second Nationa Bank of Dayton, also a Director and the largest stockholder of the same. He was like wise for many years prominently connected with the First Baptist Church of Daytor and for some twenty years a member of the Board of Trustecs of Dennison University at Granville, Ohio (the Baptist college of the State), to which institution he has givei $50,000, the same being to endow two memorial Professorships. He also contribute very largely to various other enterprises connected with his denomination. On Octo ber 10, 1834, he married Julia, daughter of Dudley Smith, of Galway, Saratoga Co N. Y., and six children, of whom five are living, were the issue of this marriage. M Barney departed this life on the 17th of December, 1880, and was buried in the beat tiful Woodland cemetery, with ceremonies befitting his rank in life.

ERHARD BAUMAN, baker, Dayton; was born in Bavaria, Germany, Ju 31, 1831, and emigrated to America in 1848. In April, 1855. he married Mary Koch by whom he has had three sons and two daughters-Rose, Emma, Louis, Adolph J and Oscar. He was one of the first to strike his pick on the city gas works under o Mr. Wheelock. He worked at baking for W. W. Wold three years, and then cor menced the baking business for himself, in which he continued one year, and the with Mr. Wisemiller, started the brewery of Bauman & Wisemiller. He discontinue this in 1856, and commenced liis present business at 437 West Third street, where 1 has since continued with marked success. His family are members of the Catho! Church.

ADOLPH L. BAUMAN, baker, Dayton ; was born in Dayton Nov. 29, 185 He is the son of Erhard Bauman, a baker of Dayton. He was rcared and educat in the Catholic schools of the city, and when thirteen years of age learned the baki business with his father. In 1877, he established his present business ; has succeeded building up a trade second to only one in the city. He was married, May 27, 1879, Caroline, a native of Dayton. They have no children. Mrs. Bauman is a member Emanuel Catholic Church.

FRANK BAUMHECKEL, butcher, Dayton ; was born in Bavaria January 1827. His father, John, was born in 1794, and his mother Katie in 1801. Thl were born under the French Government, and the father became a soldier under Nap leon. Frank, our subject, came to America in 1843, and landed in New Orleaus, who he was during the Mexican war. In May, 1847, he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and, 1851, to Dayton, where he has since lived and plied his trade of butchering. He mua ried, Feb. 7, 1857, Miss Elizabeth Mack, daughter of Gottlieb, and Dora Mack, Dayton, by whom he has had the following nine children-Louisiana (since dead Louis M. (dead ), Franklin Benjamin, William Tecumseh, Charles L. E., Geor Alexander Lafayette, Katie Elizabeth Isabelle, Florence Augusta Eugene, O Edward Gambetta. Mr. Baumheckel was a member of the City Council for 1869 a 1870, and Meat Inspector from 1868 to 1881. He is a member of Schiller Lodge, N 6, I. O. O. F .; Dayton Encampment, No. 2, I. O. O. F .; St. John's Lodge, No. Masonic ; Unity Chapter, No. 16, Masonic ; Reese Council, No. 9, Masonic ; Ancie Order of Druids, Dayton Marrie, No. 14, Harugari, Shawnee Tribe Red Men, Butche Association, Dayton Turners' Society, and Miami Lodge, No. 6, A. O. U. W.

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DANIEL BECKEL was born Sept. 14, 1813, in Summerless, County Cornwall, Lanncell Parish, Eng. He was the son of Riehard and Susan Beckel. While he was et quite a youth, his father died, and his mother afterward married James Giddings. n 1829, when young Beekel was sixteen years of age, the family eame to this country, ettling first in the city of Baltimore. Mr. Giddings, being a civil engineer, soon became engaged in the construction of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and, taking Beekel as assistant, they so continued until 1835 or 1836, when they eame to Tusea- awas County, Ohio. While living in that county, they were engaged upon the publie works, then in process of construction by the State. Afterward they became the eon- ractors for, and construeted the great St. Mary's Reservoir, for the Miami Canal. After the completion of that work, Mr. Beekel eame to Dayton, where he continued to eside until his death. He had already accumulated a handsome fortune for that day, ut, being full of energy and enterprise, he was not content to let it, or himself, remain dle, but soon engaged in large and important undertakings, which proved profitable to himself, and greatly beneficial to the city. He was the projector of what is called the Jpper Hydraulic Basin, organized a company, in which he was a principal. He was he builder of the Commercial Mill upon the basin, now owned by S. Gebhart & Sons, nd in connection with William J. Lamme, operated it for several years. He also built the Ohio Bloek, Beckel Opera House, the Beckel House (hotel ), and other valua- le structures. He was at all times engaged in various business, in the manufacture of woolens and of flour, in the lumber trade, in the construction of railroads and turn- ikes, and largely in banking. In connection with William Diekey and Joseph Clegg, e established a private bank, which for many years enjoyed unlimited eredit, and was favorite depository of money. Dickey and Clegg having withdrawn, a stringency in he money market in 1854 caused a run upon the bank, and his means being largely nvested in real estate and inconvertible securities, Mr. Beekel was compelled to sus- end payment for a time; but by his skillful management and great energy, he was nabled to pay all his liabilities, and save to himself a large property. He was almost he sole owner of the Miami Valley and Dayton Banks, and was Cashier of the latter, ind at one time President of the Dayton Insurance Company, of which he was one of he original organizers. In 1851, Mr. Beckel was elected to the House of Representa- ives of the Ohio Legislature, in which he served through two sessions, with the same bility that he had exhibited in all his business enterprises, and was an active, useful nd influential member of that body. On Sept. 2, 1845, Mr. Beckel was married to a host devoted and excellent woman, who still survives, Susan Harshman. They had welve children, of whom six were living at the time of his death. His oldest son, Daniel, was killed by aceident not long after. The others are still living. On the 26th ay of February, 1862, Mr. Beckel died suddenly, from serous appoplexy, eaused no loubt by overwork and over-tasking of the brain for years. Mr. Beekel had none of he advantages of early education or mental training, of study or extensive reading. let he was a man of remarkable intellectual force. His whole attention was given to ractieal business, and in that his intelligence, the clearness of his understanding, his agaeity and the soundness of his judgment, were recognized by all who eame in con- act with him. He was capable of great things, as well as small, and looked at every cheme or undertaking in all its bearings ; having a thorough knowledge of all the lements of business. His strong will, untiring energy and boldness of enterprise, inder the favorable circumstances that existed in the years succeeding his death, would undoubtedly have added mueh to his fortune, and made him, had he lived, a very wealthy man. He was large minded enough to know that the interests of the city of is residenee, and of the public generally, were also his interests, and he was noted for is public spirit, being always ready and anxious to promote any public improvement or seful enterprise. It is a common remark among those who knew Mr. Beckel that his eath was a great loss and misfortune to the city of Dayton. Mr. Beckel's was a eor- ect, sober, earnest life. He had not time for mueh social intereourse; but was of a enial and kind disposition, a good and generous friend, and an excellent husband and ather.

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HENRY BEST (deceased) ; was born in Cincinnati Nov. 21, 1804, and died in Dayton Jan. 26, 1873, in the 69th year of his age. His father, Thomas, and his uncles, Samuel and Robert, were early pioneers of the "Queen City." His parents, Thomas and Margaret, moved during his infancy to Lebanon, Warren Co. Ohio, where Heury was reared and learned the jeweler's trade of his father. In 1828. he located in Dayton, where for forty-five years he plied his trade with that industry so characteristic of the carly inhabitants of our land. He was of a quiet, unassuming disposition and very retiring in manners. With no aspirations for office, he seemed to shrink from publicity; but was a lover of nature and its solitude. He was a confirmed devotee of piscatorial amusement, and lost no opportunity for indulging his taste in that sport. He was always considered one of the most moral, upright, reliable and worthy citizens of Dayton. In the latter years of his life, he retired from active business. lear ing the conduct of his affairs to his son Edwin. In religious belief he was a Free Thinker in the broadest sense of that term. In 1832, he married Ann S. Drill, daugh. ter of Andrew Drill, of Dayton, formerly of Frederick City, Md. The fruits of this union were seven children, of whom three sons and two daughters survive. The sons are all jewelers by trade, and constitute the fourth generation of the family in the samd business. His son Newton resides in Union City, Ind. Edwin has a jewelry store on Main street, near Second, being the old stand in which his father carried on for years before him, and in the house in which he, Edwin, was born; William has a jewelry store on the corner of Main and Third streets. The daughters are Mrs. Emma Hil key and Miss Carrie Best. Edwin was born in Dayton Sept. 10, 1839, and, after receiving a public school education, entered his father's store, where, at 21 years of age. he became a partner. On the death of his father, the old firm name was not changed, but went on in the same style, Edwin taking full charge as he did when his father was living, being the active partner. Since then he has made many changes for the better. On the 19th of September, 1861, he married Mary Cecelia, daughter of Gilbert Col- lins, by whom he has had three children.

WILLIAM H. BEST, jeweler ; was born in Dayton Sept. 15, 1845. He is the son of Henry Best, deccased, whose biography appears in this work. He attended the common schools until he was 15 years old, when he studied designing and engraving under Emil Schmidt, of Dayton, for two years. He then attended the Miami Commercial College, of Dayton, for two years, after which he entered the store of his father, where he remained until 1875, when he commenced business for himself on the corner of Main and Third streets. On the 27th of May, 1869, he married Miss Eva Williams, daughterof J. Insco Williams, who is famous throughout the United States as an artist. The issue of this marriage was two daughters and one son. The father, our subject, is neither a politician, member of church or office-seeker. He has a large and successful business, to which he gives his whole and undivided attention, feeling that he has no time to dabble in outside matters. The large and profitable patronage he enjoys is sufficient proof of his desire and ability to please all to whom his goods! are shown.

JOHN BETTELON, saloon and restaurant, Dayton, was born January 13, 1829, in the city of Dayton, where his father came directly from Germany. His grandpar- ents both lived and died in Germany, which was also the birthplace of his father who came to this country and married Miss Barbara Nauerth of Dayton, by whom he had six children, three boys and three girls. He departed this life in 1852, and was followed by his wife on Christmas Day, 1879. Our subject received a common-school education and then served a full term of apprenticeship to a baker, followed by a full term to a confectioner which occupied the time from 1841 to 1847, when he began to run on the river as a pastry cook. In 1852 he quit the river and, with J. V. Nauerth, opened a saloon and restaurant in the Cooper House, opposite the Market House on Main street. where he continued until 1858, when he went into the wholesale liquor business. He next, in 1871, engaged in the banking business in the People's and Savings Bank, where he remained for five years, or until 1876, when he again went into the wholesale liquor business, which he afterward changed into his present establishment. He now has a

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ge and convenient saloon and restaurant where a man can have all or any of his ants supplied, and is meeting with the success his enterprise and industry merit. In 358 he married Miss Mary Ann Mouter, of Dayton, and has had born to him seven ildren, four boys and three girls.

MAJ. WILLIAM DENISON BICKHAM, editor and proprietor of the Dayton ournal, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 30, 1827. He prepared for college in ivate and public schools, and was a student in Cincinnati, and Bethany (West Vir- nia) Colleges. After the death of his father, he entered the news room of the Cin- mati Gazette, and acquired a knowledge of type-setting during a two years' appren- eship ; subsequently, at the age of twenty, was city and commercial editor of the buisville (Ky.) Daily Courier, of which Walter N. Halderman, now in a similar pacity on the Louisville Courier-Journal, was general manager. Having business in w Orleans, in the settlement of his father's estate, he went there in the fall of 1848, jing down the Ohio, as a regular flat-boat hand for the munificent wages of $15 per unth. The trip to Cairo occupied twenty-nine days, during which the boat grounded ( almost every bar in the river. The following year, Mr. Bickham was engaged in mercantile pursuits in Cincinnati, and early in 1850, he was seized with the gold fever i went to California, via the Isthmus. From thence he proceeded on a sailing vessel te barque Anne, of Bristol, R. I.), from Panama to the coast of California, a voyage sixty-three days, where he was washed ashore, from the wrecked launch of the ship, ne 2, 1850. He spent over a year at hard labor in the Northern mines, on the rth Fork and Middle Fork of the American Rivers, at Grass Valley, and in the vinity of Nevada, besides prospecting a large area of country. He dug considerable ud, but lost it in mining enterprises, trying to make more. In 1852, he represented I Dorado County as a delegate in the first Whig State Convention in California, held in Francisco. Settling in the latter eity, he obtained a place in the customs service, a. was actively engaged in politics, being one of the Executive Committee of the First Jung Men's Whig Club organized in California, then a Territory; subsequently he a sted in the organization of the Young Men's Mercantile Library Association, of San Fncisco, was its first Librarian, and prepared the first catalogue of the library ; mean - tie, and afterward was employed at various times as city editor of the San Francisco Tayune, as editor and part proprietor of the San Francisco Evening Journal, a again as city editor of the San Francisco Evening Times and the Morn- il Ledger at the same time. Returning home in April, 1854, after four years' alence, without money, he accepted, for want of a more congenial pursuit, a position as rakeman on the morning express train from Cincinnati to Dayton, on the Cincin- Q:, Hamilton & Dayton Railway. Within a few weeks he was promoted to baggage mter ; then accepted a position as traveling correspondent and agent of the Cincin- ni Daily Columbian ; next, was engaged on the city staff of the Cincinnati Evening Tres, C. W. Starbuck & Co., proprietors; a few months later, became traveling cor- re'ondent for that paper, and while correspondent in the Legislature early in 1856, ac- e ed the position of city editor of the Cincinnati Commercial, remaining in that office wity editor, and Washington, Columbus, and general correspondent until the begin- ii; of the rebellion, when he was assigned to duty as war correspondent of the Com- ncial, with the army of West Virginia, being also appointed volunteer aid-de-camp on h staff of Gen. Rosecrans, with the rank of Captain, in which capacity he discharged all hduties of an officer of his rank. After the battle of Carnifex Ferry, Maj. Bickham v: transferred to other military fields, being war correspondent with the Army of the Po- u ic until after the seven days' battles on the Chickaliominy and at Malvern Hill ; then Kentucky until the Cumberland Gap expedition, under Gen. George H. Thomas, if ward in Mississippi, with Gen. Roseerans' command at Corinth, and finally, with h.Army of the Cumberland, ending with the occupation of Murfreesboro, after the aje of Stone River, when Gen. Rosecrans conferred upon him the title of Major for sei ces in that battle as volunteer aid-de-camp. In May, 1863, immediately after the deduction of the Journal office, Maj. Bickham was invited to take control of the ne paper field in Dayton, Ohio, and immediately repaired to that city, making it his

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The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 110

Author: W.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1214

Author: W.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1214