HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO - 575 E. AND H. F. BOOTH'S CARRIAGE FACTORY was established by Booth & Minor, in 1841. The original partnership continued four or five years, when Mr. Mipor retired, and Henry F. was taken in as partner by his elder brother Ezra. This gentleman, who may be called the pioneer carriage-maker of Columbus, was born in Mount Washington, Massachusetts April 16, 1814 When he was about two years old his parents moved to Columbus, where his father, Joseph Booth, who was an excellent mechanic, followed the trade of carpenter and joiner until his death, by the prevailing malarila fever, in 1825. Ezra was then apprenticed to a carriage-maker by the name of Robert Cutler, who had a :large establishment, mainly devoted to the building of stages—an occupation which, like Othello's, has been "gone" in Columbus, for a good many years. The partnership of the two brothers has been very successful. They have forty thousand dollars invested in their business; employ forty men, and turn out an annual product of fifty thousand dollars. They make all varieties of buggies and light carriages, of first-class quality and style of work, and such as to suit the home trade, upon which they mainly rely. The two brothers have occupied residences on adjoining lots, contiguous to their factory, on the corner of Gay and Third streets, for thirty-five years, each having reared a family of four. children. THE COLUMBUS CABINET COMPANY, engaged in the manufacture of furniture and chairs, was established in the fall of 1861. They employ seventy-five men, who turn out an annual product of seventy thousand dollars, upon a capital of seventy-eight thousand dollars. Henry Loewer is president of the company, L. Donaldson vice-president, and Charles Frank secretary and treasurer. The directors (besides Loewer and Donaldson) are I. S. Beekey, Charles Breyfogle and Henry Schaefer. THE COLUMBUS BUGGY COMPANY, consisting of G. M. Peters, C. D. Firestone, and O. G. Peters, was established in 1866, under the firm name of Peters, Benns & Co. The amount invested is one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, the annual product of the concern, six hundred thousand dollars, and the number of hands employed about two hundred and twenty-five. The business has grown to its present truly gigantic proportions since 1875. THE PATTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY are engaged in the manufacture of enameled, turned, and ground hollow ware. The business was established in 1874 by Brooks and Patton. They employ one hundred and sixty men, and produce annually about two thousand tons of hollow ware. THE UNITED STATES CARRIAGE COMPANY, consisting of Messrs. Schlechter, Jenkins, and Myers, was formed August 15, 1879. They expect to employ, when fairly started, from fifty to a hundred hands. JACOB BLEILE AND SON are associated for the purpose of supplying builders with stone and brick. From 1856 to :1870 they furnished stone only. They have six thousand dollars invested in the business, and employ forty-five hands. They complain that the low prices at present have reduced their profits almost to zero. W. R. KINNEAR AND COMPANY are engaged in the manufacture of iron cornices, having established themselves in this business in 1878. With fifteen men, and an investment of five thousand dollars, they manage to do a snug little business amounting to twenty thousand dollars.   E. B. GAGER, BROOM-MAKER,   at 106 east Town street, is the successor of W. A. Gill, who established the business in 187o. Ten hands, employed upon a capital of five thousand dollars, produce annually twenty thousand dollars.   WM. ARMBRUSTER, MANUFACTURER OF HOSIERY,   established himself in business at 184 south High street, in 1873. He employs twenty hands, and produces work to the amount of fifteen thousand dollars a year, with a capital of five thousand dollars.   THE COLUMBUS PICTURE FRAME CO.,   consisting of Perkins and Humphreys, went into business January Io, 1879, and seem to be doing a thriving trade in an occupation which, as a specialty, is quite new in this city.   F. R. WILLSON, PATENTEE AND PROPRIETOR "OF THE SPRING WHIFFLETREE,”   manufacturers the same at 158 east Gay street, having commenced in the spring of 1879. The invention, besides being of incalculable relief to teams, will diminish, fifty per cent., the breakages of harness, plows, vehicles, etc.   THE CITY FLOURING MILLS   (C. B. Comstock, present proprietor) were built in 1857. They have a capacity of fifty barrels of flour per day.   THE NOVELTY IRON WORKS   were established in 1846, by the present proprietor, L. B. Davis. He has twenty thousand dollars invested, and employs five or six hands the year round. He has experienced dull times and light profits for some time past, but the business is improving. He makes portable engines, and the machinery for the manufacture of brooms, and buys and sells all kinds of machinery, both new and second-hand.   THE COLUMBUS MACHINE CO.   make blowing, stationary and portable engines, steam pumps, boilers and mill-gearing, etc. The business was established in 1849, and the company incorporated in 1854. Its capital stock is one hundred thousand dollars, employing one hundred men. The president of the company is Wm. Monypeny; the secretary is R. B. Collier; the treasurer, I. G. McGuier, and the superintendent, H. F. Ambos. The business is still depressed, but the prospect is brightening. It has a capacity for the employment of four hundred hands.   G. SCHREYER,   is a manufacturer of steel wagon skeins, heating stoves and furnaces. The first part of the business (wagon   576 - HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO   skeins) was established in 1861, and the second part in 1874. The capital invested is about eighteen thousand dollars; the annual product, twenty thousand dollars, and the number of hands employed, from ten to fifteen.   THE TRUNK MANUFACTORY   of John R. Hughs was established in 1849.. The capital invested is seven thousand dollars, and this, with seven hands employed, realizes an annual product, amounting to fifteen thousand dollars.   BANKS.   In our notice of the banks of Columbus, we shall have to confine ourselves mainly to a brief history of the State bank, and its Columbus branches; together with a mention of the national banks, and hasty sketches of a few of the pioneer bankers of the city.   The first bank established in the city was known as the Franklin bank of Columbus. It was incorporated by an act of the legislature, February 23, 1816; and went into operation in the autumn of the same year—thirteen well-known gentlemen being elected as the first directors. It had four presidents, as follows, in the order of their service: Lucas Sullivant, Benjamin Gardiner (with an unfortunate alias), John Kerr, and Gustavus Swan; and the three following cashiers: A. J. Williams, William Neil, and Jonah M. Espy. Its charter expired, by its own limitation, January r, 1843.   The next bank established here was called the Clinton bank of Columbus—so named, doubtless, in honor of Governor Clinton, of New York, who had shown great interest in the development of Ohio, especially through her system of canals. This bank was chartered by the legislature of 1833-4, and organized in October of the last-named year, by the election of its first board of directors. It had but two presidents during the twenty years of its existence—William Neil and William S. Sullivant—and three cashiers— John Delafield, jr., John E. Jeffords, and W. G. Deshler. Its capital stock was three hundred thousand dollars, and its circulation averaged six hundred thousand dollars. It was one of the safest, and most successful financial institutions of its time, and "one of the very few banks that did not suspend specie payments."   These two banks were the only 'predecessors, in Columbus, of   THE STATE BANK OF OHIO,   which was organized, as a body corporate, under an act of the Ohio legislature, passed on February 24, 1845. This act named five commissioners as corporators; with authority to organize banks throughout the State, which might continue in business till May r, 1866, and afterward, for the purpose of closing up their affairs. These banks, called branches of the State Bank of Ohio, were independent corporations, except that they were under the general oversight of a body known as the board of control, and were mutually liable for the redemption of the notes of a failing branch; as security for which, each branch deposited with the central office an amount equal to ten per cent. of its circulation, which was known as the safety fund.   The board of control was a legislative body composed of members elected by the several boards, each branch choosing one member. This board met twice a year at Columbus, where the head office was located, which did no banking business, but furnished to the branches all circulating notes, signed by its president, or vice-president; and to this office all such notes had to be returned to be burned, in the presence of the president and two members of the board. During the recess of the board of control, its duties were performed by an executive committee, consisting of four members and the president.   The commissioners named in the act of incorporation . were : John W. Allen, Joseph Olds, Daniel Kilgore, Alex. Grimes and Gustavus Swan. In a short time after these commissioners had entered upon their duties, forty-one branches were organized, with a capital amounting, in the aggregate, to about four million, five hundred thousand dollars. Two of these branches were located in the city of Columbus, viz: First, the Exchange bank, which went into operation as a branch of the State bank, May 24, 1845, with a capital of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. Its first president was Wm. B. Hubbard, and its first cashier, H. M. Hubbard. It was represented at different times, in the board of control, by Wm. B. Hubbard and Wm. Dennison. It was merged into the First National Exchange bank of Columbus, in December, 1864. Second, the Franklin bank, which went into operation as a branch, July 1, 1845, with a capital of one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. Its first president was Samuel Parsons, and its first cashier, James Espy. During its existence as a branch bank, it had the following representatives in the board of control: Gustavus Swan, D. W. Deshler, A. Kelly, and Joseph Hutcheson. In January, 1865, it was merged into the Franklin National bank of Columbus, and finally wound up its affairs, and passed out of existence, in 1878. We see, therefore, that the name of "the Franklin bank" became venerable with age, being connected, during a period of sixty-two years, with three distinct organizations.   The officers of the board of control, during the entire existence of the State bank, were as follows: Gustavus Swan, John Andrews, and Joseph Hutcheson, presidents; John R. Finn, vice-president; James 'I'. Claypoole, James Gillet, J. J. Janney, and R. C. Hull.   Judge Gustavus Swan, the first president of the board, retired from the office in 1855, after about five years of service, and died before the charter of the bank expired. Though distinguished for his great ability as a financier, he is perhaps better known as an eminent lawyer and jurist. His biography may be found in the chapter on the Franklin county bar, in another part of this volume.   Dr. John Andrew, the second president of the board, remained in that office till after the expiration of the charter; but died before the affairs of the bank were closed up—i. e. on the fourteenth of October, 1866. His successor in the office, in his first message addressed to the board, gave a brief sketch of Dr. Andrews' life and character, from which we condense a few facts for our history:   He was born in Steubenville; Ohio, April 12, 1805.   HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO - 577   He was educated at Bethany, Va., taking a regular course of study at the seminary, established there by Alexander, Campbell. He then studied medicine, completing his studies at Philadelphia. Having obtained his diploma, he entered upon the practice of his profession in Jefferson and the adjoining counties. For twenty years he had an extensive pratice, becoming distinguished both as a surgeon and as a physician. His health becoming impaired, he abandoned his profession, and engaged in farming and merchandise—continuing also the banking operation, in which he had been long and successfully engaged. He afterward became a principal stockholder in Jefferson branch of the State bank, and was made its president. As the representative of that branch, he became one of the earliest members of the board of control. Upon the resignation of the presidency of the board by Judge Swan, in 1855, the members instinctively turned to Dr. Andrews as a fitting successor; and the eminent ability, by which his administration of that office was marked, gave sufficient proof that their confidence was not misplaced. Dr. Andrews was a man in whom were combined rare qualities of head and heart. His mind was enriched with varied learning and observation. His researches were not confined to his profession or his business. He was a careful student, besides, of history and politics, and was especially fond of philosophical investigations. As a business man he had few superiors. In his dealings he was guided by high moral principle. Avoiding all hazardous speculations, he confined his operations to what was safe and legitimate; and by this course he became eminently successful in his private affairs. Prompt, exact, just, scrupulously honest, he ever maintained a character of spotless Christian integrity. In his social relations he was kind, genial, and winning—his chief happiness being centered in his home, surrounded by his family, by whom he was revered and loved. It was one of his fondest hopes that the State bank of Ohio should be carried through its career, with honor, to a successful issue. And his gratification, on seeing this hope realized, is embodied in a striking passage in his last message to the board of control, delivered in May, 1866—with which passage we must close this brief sketch of his life.   " We may now feel," said he, "like the mariner who has brought his ship safely into port, after a long and anxious voyage. Sometimes with prosperous gales and fair sailing ; sometimes threatened with appalling dangers, in the midst of an ocean covered with the wrecks and ruins of other vessels—still our noble ship, the State bank of Ohio, has always proved herself equal to the trials which she has been called to meet ; and especially in the great storm of 1857, stood firm amidst the ruins around her. Our twenty years' voyage has been a success. The business men of Ohio have had their business interests with the bank satisfactorily done ; the people have been supplied with a sound circulating medium, which commanded their perfect confidence, and by the use of which no one has ever lost a dollar ; and the stockholders have received larger profits than any other system of banking ever realized in this, or, perhaps, in any other country, as the results of the legitimate business."   Joseph Hutcheson, the third president of the board of control, was born about the year 1825, in Madison county, Ohio, where he taught school in the early years of his manhood. He moved to Columbus about 1846, and obtained a situation as bookkeeper in the Franklin branch of the Ohio State bank, of which he subsequently became' cashier—a position which he retained until 1867. He then left to join in establishing the banking house of Hayden, Hutcheson & Co., the predecessor of the present house of P. Hayden & Co. Becoming president of the board of control after the expiration of the State bank's charter, his only duty in connection with that office was to oversee the closing up of the bank's affairs. This he did with great credit to himself, and to the entire satisfaction of all the parties interested. His honorable and successful business career was terminated by death about the year 1875.   THE NATIONAL BANKS   which have now taken the place of the State bank with its branches, resemble it in this, that their notes are secured by a deposit of government bonds. This, however, is not, as it might seem, an "Ohio idea." Ohio borrowed it from New York, as the latter borrowed it from the Bank of England. It is, doubtless, the only system which can inspire in the public mind that sense of security, which alone can prevent bank issues from ultimate depreciation. And we might naturally expect that the feeling of confidence inspired by national banks, would be as much greater than that inspired by State banks, as the strength of the national government exceeds that of any State government. There are three national banks now doing business in the city of Column-bus, named, in the order of their establishment, as follows:   The First National, organized in 1863, with a capital of three hundred thousand dollars. Wm. Monypeny, president, and Theo. P. Gordon, cashier.   The National Exchange, organized in 1864. Capital, one hundred thousand dollars; Wm. G. Deshler, president, and J. Hardy, cashier.   The Fourth National, organized in 1879, with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars; Wm. S. Ide being the president, and Wesley Richards, the cashier.   We will now bring our sketches of Columbus banks to a close, with a brief biographical notice of one whose name (either as borne by himself or his descendants) has, perhaps, been more prominently connected with the banking interests of Columbus, than that of any other man. We refer to   DAVID WAGGONER DESHLER,   who was born in Allentown, Northampton county, Pennsylvania, in 1792. He settled in Columbus in 1817, and for three years, worked at his trade, which was that of cabinet-maker. His first work was under a contract with the State, to build the alcoves for the State library, then recently established by Governor Worthington. These alcoves stood over fifty years (first in the old State office building, in the room over the auditor's office, and afterward in the new State house), until the remodeling of the library in its present spacious apartments. And one of them, as built by Mr. Deshler's own hand, is now standing in the city library, to which it was presented by his sons, filled with books, and endowed with a perpetual annuity of one hundred dollars to keep it replenished.   73   578 - HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO.   A more graceful and appropriate monument could hardly be conceived.   At the end of three years, he relinquished his trade, and entered upon a mercantile career. This lasted for ten years, during the whole of which he served, also, in the responsible office of justice of the peace. Then (about the year 1830), he went into the insurance business—representing the old Pennsylvania fire and life insurance company, till 1834, when he was chosen cashier of the Clinton bank, of Columbus. In this position he remained twenty years-4 e., till the charter of the bank expired, in 1854. He then united with a few of the old stockholders, and established the private banking firm, called the Clinton bank, simply dropping the clause, "of Columbus," from the old name. This arrangement continued for a few years, when the "Clinton" was merged into the. Franklin branch of Ohio. State bank, of which Mr. Deshler was made president. After a few more years, the same parties bought out the Exchange branch, and Mr. Deshler was made president of that, also, thus holding the office of president in two banks at the same time; and when, at length, these two institutions were changed into national banks, he continued in the same relation to them, and was president of both at the time of his death, in 1869. The business career, thus hastily sketched, was certainly a very remarkable one, not only in the versatility of talent which it evinced, but also in the energy of character which was manifested through it all, and which enabled one mind to command success in so many different vocations. Mr. William G. Deshler, the well-known banker, of Columbus, succeeded his father as president of the National Exchange bank, and an elder brother, Charles G. Deshler, owns a large amount of property in this city, though residing at Bay City, Michigan.   THE CLEARING-HOUSE.   A clearing-house is a place where bankers meet daily, to collect drafts and checks, and to settle balances. Such a house is necessary, in large cities, where there are many banks, in order to obviate the loss of time and the risk, involved in sending out a runner from each bank to collect the checks on the various other banks, which may have accumulated during the day. For the performance of this work, an association is formed by the several banks that enter into the arrangement, having for its officers a president, a vice-president, executive committee, and manager. Such an association was permanently organized in Columbus, April r, 1873, with the following officers: T. P. Gordon, president; P. W. Huntington, vice-president; Joseph Falkenbach, George W. Sinks, and J. A. Jeffrey, executive committee; Harry M. Failing, manager and secretary. The establishment of the clearing-house is said to have been one of the results of the organization of the Columbus board of trade. That it has greatly facilitated the transaction of business, is the testimony of all the bankers. It furnishes, also, an important index of the annual amount of business transacted in the city. The clearings for the year ending April r, 1879, amounted to twenty-four .million, one hundred and seventy thousand, three hundred and one dollars—an amount said to be nearly as great as the average in cities having twice the population of Columbus. The present manager of the association is J. Reinhard, jr., and the vice-president is S. S. Rickly. The other officers remain as in 1878. A writer * in the Columbus Democrat, of the eighth of June last, after giving a very readable account of the organization and subsequent operations of the clearing-house, thus pleasantly sums up:   "Suppose old Shylock and his compeers of the Rialto, who slowly doled out their ducats to their customers, and collected their bonds, to the last drop of blood, by the slow process of the time, should step into one of our clearing-houses, and see the ransom of a kingdom passed from hand to hand, and all balances adjusted, before they could agree upon the per cent. of their usury—they would come to the conclusion that the financial world had progressed considerably since Venice was 'the queen of the Adriatic,' and the Mecca 'of the world's argosies'"   COLUMBUS PARKS.   The existence of public parks in the centers of thronged cities is a standing contradiction of the doctrine of total depravity. All else of art, science, or literature, which distinguishes between the city and the country, might be traced, through one channel or another, to the insatiate cry, which is the cry for daily bread: " Come and buy of me; come and visit my galleries, come and read in my libraries and admire my statues "—a cry which millions hear and heed, and therefore cities are. But who would cross a continent to see a park, when every ten miles in the three thousand travelled would furnish material to construct a score of those mimic continents, with their mountains and forests and lakes and islands, their streams and waterfalls ?   But is the park therefore to be despised? Nay, verily; and for more considerations than can be here enumerated. But, as to our proposition, the argument is this: The space occupied by parks, to fulfiill their mission of blessing, might have been dedicated to mammon, and is not; therefore the doctrine falls. But for them, many men, aye, and sadder still, many women and children, would forget that their mother earth is not of stone and mortar built, though " rock-ribbed;" but has a lap of velvet for all her weary children.   When Columbus has multiplied her fifty thousand by a factor which shall have sent the advancing columns of business blocks marching past and beyond her parks, leaving them islands with brick-bound coasts; then will there be many whose five cent fare (the maximum ever paid by thousands of the dwellers in streets which lead to the outside world but once for them, and that when they journey to the bourne from whence no traveller returns) will buy for them a sight of growing grass and waving boughs in Goodale park on the north, or City park on the south, of what will always be the center from which her traffic and manufactures will radiate ; viz. "Capitol square."   Goodale Park, located on north High street, bears the name of the public benefactor, who wisely left a portion of his accumulations in a form never to be dissipated, by presenting to the city of Columbus forty-four acres of land for a public park, by deed, dated November 8, 1851,   * Mr. Herbert Brooks.   HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO - 579   "the same to be for the free and common use of the inhabitants of till city." This is a magnificent gift, the value of which will incsease in direct ratio with the lapse of time and the increase of population.   And here it may be interesting to note the similarity in time, amount, and aim of two of the most liberal bequests as yet made for the benefit of the city. We refer. to those of Lyne Starling and Dr. Samuel Goodale; that of Mr. Starling, in 1847, to establish a school of medicine, and that of Dr. Goodale, in 1851, to preserve the health of the city, not only by creating a reservoir of pure air, but by answering that demand for relaxation and recreation, which is as imperative for the toiler in the rolling mill, as for the toiler behind the bank counter. Or, if one were inclined to be in a slight degree facetious, he might imagine a feud to have existed between these two good citizens, (and no doubt good friends, as well) and that "the ruling passion strong in death" had induced the latter to do all in his power to render valueless the intended benediction of the former, in establishing a school for the education of doctors, by opening up a health-preserving and health-giving resort which should make doctors unnecessary. But these are idle fancies; while the park and school are verities that will long find, we fear, each in its allotted channel, ample scope for the beneficent work of alleviating ills which they cannot destroy.   This favorite park has been tastefully separated into plats by the construction of fine carriage drives, without disturbing the beautiful forest of beech, maple, and oak, with which it is covered, and which makes it a delightful drive for families in the summer months, as well as a safe retreat for children, who are allowed to enjoy the green banks and sylvan shades to their hearts' content. And those superb beeches awaken a thousand tender memories in the mind of one, who, having spent his earlier years in the New England or middle States, and having long been wandering west of the great father of waters, feels, as he turns eastward to find here their well-remembered forms, that dear friends of his childhood have come to meet him in the beautiful valley of the Scioto.   City park contains twenty-three and a half acres, and was purchased .by the city, in 1867, of D. W. Deshler, Allen G. Thurman, and William G. Deshler, for the sum of fifteen thousand dollars. It is a most desirable location; quite remote from the business portion of the city, its south entrance is but one square from the street railway, thus making it accessible to all, and none can fail to find its artistically cultivated grounds a charming retreat. It may go to the hearts of some to see its discrowned monarchs shorn of their former glory, or, as a friend at our side gruffly remarked, "Robbed of their crowns ! better say, 'robbed of their heads." But, let us console ourselves, for who knows but that the block and the headman's axe might still be busy with human victims, if these innocent substitutes had not been found to satisfy that natural craving with certain ones to decapitate somebody, or something ? The "city fathers" deserve great commendation for the wise fore-thought shown in securing a south park; and when they shall have granted the petition of the city mothers to soften some what the rigor of their "Do not step," by adding, "except children of tender age," (didn't they roll on the grass when they were boys?) there will be nothing in the way of a most cordial wish that they may live long, and enjoy the benedictions of those who have not only looked upon the green turf bordering the heated, gravelly thoroughfare, but have felt its delicious coolness bathing the tender feet—and felt thankful.   L' ENVOY.   And thus, gentle reader, we bring our history of Columbus to a close. "Would it were worthier," and, perhaps, if we had had more time and more space, we might have made it so. "But what is writ, is writ," and we must console ourselves, as best we can, for its many imperfections, by the consciousness that we have done the best we could. It has been an absolute pain and grief to us to leave so many inviting themes untouched, and to give only a mere touch to so many others that richly deserve an extended treatment. But, as we hinted in the " Prefatory," with which we set out, no intelligent reader will expect, in a volume containing the history of two such counties as Franklin and Pickaway, an exhaustive, or even a very elaborate, account of such a city as Columbus, which could furnish ample material for an entire volume of equal size. When we state that every word of this history has been written by two hands in about three months' time (with the exception of three days' labor by a third hand), we are sure that the work will bring us some credit for industry, whatever may be thought of its literary merit. And, with this assurance, we bid our readers farewell.   BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES   OF EMINENT PIONEERS.   LUCAS SULLIVANT.   Lucas Sullivant, the leading pioneer in that territory which afterward became Franklin county, was born in September, 1765, in Mecklenburgh county, Virginia. His starting out in life reminds us strongly of the youthful career of the greatest of all the Virginians—Washington.   At the age of sixteen he joined, as a volunteer, an expedition against the Indians, who were threatening the western counties of his native State, and his good conduct and manly intrepidity were such as to gain for him the public commendation of his commanding officer. Left alone in the world by the death of his parents and only brother, he used his small patrimony in acquiring a more liberal education, and especially in mastering the science and practice of surveying, which he adopted as a profession.   The new and unsurveyed lands of Kentucky, then an outlying county of the Old Dominion, offering a wider field for his enterprise, he went thither, while quite a young man, and soon found his talent and skill in constant demand.   The officers and soldiers of the regular Continental army having, under legislative authority, met and appointed Colonel Richard C. Anderson, a distinguished officer of the Revolution, surveyor-general of the Virginia military land district, Mr. Sullivant received from him an appointment as deputy surveyor, and, at the age of twenty-two, became one of that dauntless band of pioneers who penetrated into the unbroken wilderness, and opened one of the richest portions of Ohio to   580 - HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO.   the advancing wave of settlement and civilization. Defeated, in his first attempts, by the wily savage, he was compelled to organize a stronger force, which was equipped at Limestone (now Maysville), Kentucky. With a party of twenty men, he advanced into the wilderness, and, in due time, having arrived upon the banks of the Scioto, he commenced his operations in the territory of the present Franklin county: The outfit of this surveying party betokened an occupation of the disputed territory, rather than a flying assault; and, in fact, though constantly in the neighboehood of hostile villages, and passing through many exciting scenes and hair-breadth escapes, Mr. Sullivant brought his work to a fortunate conclusion.   In the summer and fall of 1797—ten years after the commencement of this adventurous and dangerous career between the Scioto and the Miami—Mr. Sullivant, having obtained possession of the surrounding lands, laid out the town of Franklinton, believing that, situated as it was in the region of the greatest fertility, on a then navigable river, and so near the center of the Stale, if it did not become the capital, it would be near it, and could not fail to become a great center in the progress of the State. This was five years before Ohio was set off from the great northwest territory as an independent State, and six years before Franklin was separated from Ross county. About this time Mr. Sullivant was married to Sarah Starling, daughter of Colonel William Starling, of Kentucky, and building the first brick house in his proprietory town of Franklinton, he resided there during the remainder of his life. Though devoting himself principally to the care of his own estate, he was liberal and public spirited, and the projector of many of the most valuable improvements of those early times; and his influence, counsels, and pecuniary aid, shaped very materially the destinies of Ohio's capital. He was the builder of the first bridge over the Scioto between Franklinton and Columbus; the president of the first bank established in Columbus; built the first church of the first Presbyterian congregation, and presented it as a free gift; was one of ten to build the church for the congregation. on its removal to Columbus; and was never second in any enterprise which had for its aim the intellectual or material advancement of the community in which he lived. Firm and positive in his opinions, but courteous in manner and expression; prompt and decisive to act upon his own convictions; he was altogether a man of forcible character, exercising a great influence over those with whom he came in contact.   In the full maturity of his powers, and his natural force not abated, he died, August 8, 1823, in the fifty-eighth year of his age.   From tributes written by those who knew him well, a. few extracts will close this imperfect sketch:   " He possessed a great spirit of liberality, which an ample fortune, acquired by his own industry, enabled him to gratify to an uncommon extent. He was a man of strict integrity, of the most persevering industry and rigid economy. He was a kind and indulgent father, a sincere and hospitable friend, and a generous neighbor; and the poor were never turned away empty from his well-filled granaries."   "He showed, in his last illness, the same invincible fortitude which had sustained him in the midst of the privations and dangers incurred in the early settlement of the State."   Dr. John Edmiston, his physician and friend, used to say of him:   "Take him all in all, with his strong and vigorous intellect, his knowledge of human nature, his decision of character, good judgment, and high sense of personal honor and integrity, he is one of the most remarkable men I ever knew. He seemed born to be a leader, and in whatever direction he had turned his attention, he would have distinguished himself and become a man of mark."   WILLIAM STARLING SULLIVANT.   William S. Sullivant, the eldest son of Lucas Sullivant, was born January 15, 1803, in Franklinton, the village, literally in the midst of a wilderness, which his father’s indomitable energy, more than that of any other one man, had set on the road to empire. His boyhood was exposed to all the real dangers, and beset by all the so-called hardships, incident to pioneer life in those early days. In 1812, when the subject of this sketch was nine years old, the shameful surrender of General Hull to the British forces at Detroit, exposed the whole frontier to an irruption of bloody savages, the allies of Great Britain. For months, the inhabitants of this new settlement, in common with others still more exposed, were harrassed with fears of such an invasion, and of the cruelties and barbarous atrocities which distinguished savage warfare. Happily, however, this danger was averted, and peace and prosperity ensued.   At a proper age, young William, mounted astride of a bag of wheat on one horse, and leading another, on which also was strapped a well-filled hag, was often sent along the blazed bridle-paths through the forest to Sell's mill, near Dublin, to Dyer’s mill, on the Darby, and sometimes to Kinnikinnick, in Ross county, to procure flour for the family. These expeditions frequently involved two or three days' waiting for the grist, and necessitated sleeping in the mill, wrapped in a blanket, where he was fortunate who had a pile of corn or wheat for his couch instead of the hard floor. But, dear reader, waste no sigh of pity for our young friend, William, and doubt not that in these pilgrimages he was supremely happy, and that these and similar experience were fruitful in producing, not only the fine physical development and graceful carriage which distinguished him in his maturity, but also in arousing those latent tastes and capacities which have made his name an honor to his family and to his country. In those quiet journeyings through the leafy aisles of "God's first temples," and in those days of " waiting for the grist," when forest and stream and bird and flower wooed him to their companionship; to such a nature as his, how entrancing must have been this sweet communion with nature! And who can say that his chosen pursuit, in later life, was not the result of the bias given in these days of his boyhood? It is said, also, that he accompanied his father upon some of his shorter surveying expeditions, where lie gained that knowledge which tended to make him an expert, rapid, and accurate surveyor, when, after his return from college, and after his father's death, he had occasion to exercise his skill in attending to the large landed estate of the family.   When old enough to be sent from home, he was placed in a celebrated private school, in Jassamine county, Kentucky. Afterward he pursued his classical studies, under Professors Lindley and Dana, at the Ohio university, at Athens. Here he was prepared for Yale college, from which he graduated in 1823. Though almost immediately immersed in the cares and duties of active business life, while yet in early manhood, he found time to acquaint himself most thoroughly with the flora of central Ohio, discovering, in his botanical researches, several species hitherto unknown, to one of which his eastern botanical associates gave the name Sullivantia Ohionis. Dr. Asa Gray, the distinguished botanist, and long the intimate friend of Mr. Sullivant, speaks thus of his scientific researches: "As soon as the flowering plants of his district had ceased to afford him novelty, he turned to the mosses, in which he found abundant scientific occupation, of a kind • well suited to his bent for patient and close observation, scrupulous accuracy, and nice discrimination." And it was in this field that his world-wide reputation was won; some of the most valuable contributions to the bryology and hepaticology of North America being the result of years of quiet but earnest labor. In the same article by Dr. Gray, already quoted, occurs the following estimate of the value of these labors: "His works have laid such a broad and complete foundation for the study of bryology in this country, and are of such recognized importance everywhere, that they must always be of classic authority. Wherever mosses are studied, his name will be honorably remembered. In this country it should long be remembered with peculiar gratitude." In accordance with his wishes, his bryological books, and his exceedingly rich and important collections and preparations of mosses, are to be consigned to the Gray Herbarium building of Harvard university, with a view to their preservation and long-continued usefulness. The remainder of his botanical library, his choice microscopes, and his remaining collections, are bequeathed to the State Scientific and Agricultural college of Ohio, and to the Starling Medical college, founded by his uncle, of which he was himself- the senior trustee.   Did space allow an enumeration of all of Mr. Sullivant's botanical labors and publications, it would give emphasis to the reflection that such achievements in science, on the part of one whose life, so far from being given to the pursuit of literature, was marked by great business activity, are, to say the least, of very rare occurrence.   His death, which occurred on the thirtieth of April, 1873, was thus noticed in the annual report of the Council of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences of that year: "William Starling Sullivant died at his residence in Columbus, Ohio, on the thirtieth of April, ultimo. In him we lose the most accomplished bryologist which this country has ever produced, and it can hardly be said that he leaves behind him anywhere a superior."   Mr. Sullivant was thrice married. His widow and several children survive him.   MICHAEL L. SULLIVANT.   Michael L. Sullivant, second son of Lucas Sullivant and Sarah Starling, was born August 6, 1807, in the village of Franklinton, and educated at the Ohio university, and Center college, Kentucky. Very early in life, Michael manifested a very decided predilection for rural affairs, and, after leaving college, instead of studying a profession he determined to marry, and deliberately chose farming for his life-long   HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO - 581   vocation. The fine body of land which he inherited in the immediate vicinity of Columbus, afforded an opportunity for him to carry out his purpose on a then unusually large scale.   He engaged in farming at a time when there was but a limited price, as well as a limited demand and a circumscribed market for all kinds of farming products, and he at once saw that the only remunerative method was to consume the corn, hay, and grass, through the medium of stock. He consequently became a grazier and stock-feeder, "stall-feeding," as it was termed, many hundred fat cattle during the fall and winter months. This was, however, a laborious, and often uncertain, business; for cattle, when ready for market, must be driven over the mountains to Baltimore, Philadelphia, or New York, and the fluctuations in price from the time of starting until the journey was ended, was often of a most vexatious kind, making all the difference between a handsome profit and an unhandsome loss. These cattle had generally been grazed in the "Barrens," or Sandusky plains, in Ohio, or even on the praries of Indiana and Illinois, where they were picked up in lots by the enterprising feeders in Ohio, principally located in the Scioto valley.   Mr. Sullivant remained in his native State, occupying his ample inheritance, until about the year 1854, always showing himself independent and progressive, a man of large views, and taking the lead in many innovations upon fossilized ideas. He was one of the originators of the Ohio Stock Importing company, and one of the organizers of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, of which he was twice the president. He introduced new methods and machinery on his farm here, being the first to buy and put in operation a power threshing machine in Franklin county; also a reaper and a mower, and was always interested in everything that concerned agriculture.   Seeking a wider field of operations—if not marked out by destiny to inaugurate a stupendous experiment—he disposed of his large estate in Ohio, and, removing to Illinois, where he had secured a vast domain at government prices, he gave his attention to establishing the great farm of "Broadlands," which, in connection with that of " Bur Oaks," has given him fame wherever there is an English speaking people.*   "One of the most striking traits in the character of Mr. Sullivant," says one who knew him well, "was the tenacity of purpose with which he pursued his scheme, when once it was deliberately planned."   He was twice married, and his domestic relations were always happy, for, says the same friend, he was good tempered, and of a liberal and generous disposition. Mr. Michael Sullivant died February 29, 1879, leaving a widow and several children.   JOSEPH SU LLIVANT.   Joseph Sullivant, the youngest and only surviving son of Lucas Sullivant and Sarah Starling, was born in Franklinton, in 1809. In his early years he was distinguished by an ardent love of books, and, like most boys having this passion, devoured everything which came in his way. Having a retentive memory, he mastered the ordinary school tasks of his time with little difficulty, and, after attending the first two classical schools which his father was active in establishing in Columbus he was sent to the boys' boarding school in Worthington, under the management of Rev. Philander Chase, bishop of Ohio. From this school he carried away, and retained in later life, added, it is believed, to steady progress in book-lore, a keen appreciation of the motherly kindness of "that most estimable woman," the wife of the bishop. From Worthington he was transferred to the Ohio university, and from thence, about a year after his father's death, in 1823, and at the early age of fifteen, he entered Center college, Danville, Kentucky, where his course of study was completed. Having, as he says of himself, at an early age embibed a tast for, and an interest in, the natural sciences, from his father, who was "a dear lover of nature," he devoted himself to their study, and, before the age of twenty-one, was appointed, by the legislature, one of the corporators of the Philosophical and Historical society of Ohio, and was corresponding secretary and curator thereof for several years.   The limits of our article do not permit the indulgence of our wish in the free use of the abundant material for an extended biographical sketch of Mr. Sullivant; suffice it to say, that he has been for the last forty years one of the leading spirits in all of the scientific and literary enterprises which have given the city of Columbus its present enviable standing among the centers of intelligence and culture in the West.   For many years he devoted much time and attention to the public schools of the city, being first a member, and for several years presi-   * There is less reason for noticing here Mr. Sullivant's stupendous operations in Illinois, since elaborate descriptions of them have been published in Harpers Magazine, and other widely circulated periodicals, thus giving him a reputation which is none too strongly characterized above.   dent, of the board of education. Since his final retirement from that position, as a token of the esteem and regard of the large body of teachers connected with the schools, a bust of Mr. Sullivant has been placed in the hall of the beautiful high school building, and later, his old colleagues have erected the largest and finest ward school-building in the city, and, in recognition of his long, gratuitous, and efficient services, have named it "Sullivant school," an acknowledgment, and, at the same time, a monument, of which any one might justly feel proud.   Many years ago elected a member of the American Scientific association; a member and treasurer of. the Ohio State Board of Agriculture; a trustee of Starling Medical college; and serving a second term as trustee and secretary of the Agricultural and Mechanical college of Ohio; a member of the executive committee, giving valuable service in the late re-organization of that institution under its present charter as the Ohio State university, he has held various positions of honor and trust, some involving much time and labor, but none of emolument. Nor have the labors of Mr. Sullivant been confined to merely scientific and literary enterprises—a pamphlet prepared by him on "A Water Supply for the city of Columbus," being greatly influential in arousing attention to this important matter. He was also the projector of Green Lawn cemetery, selected- its site, was a member of its first boas of trustees, and, for several years, president of the corporation.   With all these evidences of the high estimation of the community in which his life has been spent, no honor is so dear to him (according to his own affectionate confession) as the remembrance of the community of tastes and pursuits which rendered especially close the chain linking him with his distinguished brother, whose fame will increase in proportion as knowledge and culture are increased.   Mr. Sullivant has been thrice married, and has a family of several children.   LYNE STARLING.   Lyne Starling was born in Mecklenburgh county, Virginia, in the year 1784; removed to Kentucky in 1794, and came to Franklinton in 1806. Through the influence of his brother-in-law, Lucas Sullivant, he was placed in the clerk's office for Franklin county—a position for which, though young, he was well qualified by previous training. Subsequently he was appointed clerk of the circuit and district courts of the United States, and also of the supreme and common pleas courts of Franklin county. Mr. Sullivant afterward furnished the means and formed a partnership with his young relative in the mercantile business; and he became a successful merchant and enterprising trader, being the first one who ventured cargoes of produce down the Scioto, and thence to New Orleans in decked flat-boats. This venture, proving remunerative, was of great advantage, not only to himself, but to others. He was a commissary and large contractor for supplies to the Northwestern army under General Harrison, which assembled at Franklinton and Urbana during the war of 1812.   Mr. Starling was all his life a sagacious business man, and was one of the original proprietors of Columbus, the present central portion of the city having been laid out on land owned by him. A short extract from a letter to his sister in Kentucky, dated Franklinton, July, 1809, may be of interest, as fixing the date of the purchase of this land: " I have lately purchased an elegant seat and tract of land opposite town, on the other side of the river, which I have an idea of improving," evidently as a gentleman's country seat, in the suburbs of the capitalFranklinton.   Judge Gustavus Swan, who had known Mr. Starling for forty years, speaks thus of him in an obituary, written with great apparent fairness:   "The deceased was, by nature, emphatically a great man. He had a quick and clear perception, a retentive memory, and a sound, unerring judgment. He possessed the rare faculty of annihilating, in an instant, the space between cause and effect. He arrived at conclusions, and was acting upon them, white ordi. nary minds were contemplating the premises. It was this peculiar intellectual superiority which rendered his efforts in business so uniformly successful, and which enabled him, before reaching the meridian of life, to amass one of the largest fortunes which have been accumulated in the West."   His health failing, lie traveled extensively, both in this country and abroad. Being a man of quick perceptions, and a close observer both of men and things, he gained much practical knowledge, and, from intercourse with the best society, was much improved by his travels; his experience, during these years of leisure, compensating for his early and exclusive devotion to business.   Mr. Starling never held any political office, though an unsuccessful candidate for congress—his wealth and apparently exclusive manner being against him with the masses, who considered him an aristocrat. He finally made Columbus his permanent place of residence, when he   582 - HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO.   returned to take charge, as administrator, of the large and valuable landed estate of Mr. Lucas Sullivant.   Not long before his death, to show his regard for the city whose first houses he built, and in which his fortune had been amassed, he donated thirty-five thousand dollars to establish a medical school, named after him—Starling Medical college. As he was never married, at his death, which occurred in 1848, his large estate was distributed, by will, among his relatives.   At his own request, he was buried in the old graveyard at Franklin-ton, near his sister, Mrs. Sullivant, and other friends. When the Green Lawn cemetery was established, the remains were removed, and a fine monument marks the last resting place of one of the founders of the city of Columbus.   JOHN KERR.   John M. Kerr, one of the four proprietors of the original town plat of Columbus, was born about the year 1778, in County Tyrone, Ireland, and was educated at the University of Dublin. He came to this country early in the century, and settled in Franklinton, about 1810. His connection with the company entering into compact with the legislature in 1812, has already been given. Mr. Kerr was appointed, in 1813, the first agent of the associates, and continued until 1815, when he declined longer service. He was also a member of the first board of councilmen, elected in 1816, for the "borough of Columbus."   He died in 1823, in the same year with Mr. Lucas Sullivant. Mr. Kerr left a large fortune, at his death, which was soon. dissipated. Mr. John M. Kerr, jr., now nearly sixty-two years old, is the only son living; but a sister (Mrs. Mary F. Heffner, now a widow), resides in Fremont, Ohio. There is also a grandson, a boy of ten years, bearing the family name—John M. Kerr.   Mr. Kerr was buried in the old North graveyard, and, as a result of the neglect into which the place has fallen, the headstone placed at his grave has been destroyed, and his children are not able to identify the grave of their father—and he a man whose active business life was so intimately associated with the early history of the city!   The son of Mr.. Kerr, mentioned above, is now living in Columbus, with his wife and child—the latter a promising boy of about ten years. Mr. Kerr is a man of much intelligence and literary culture, who made many business ventures with the great wealth which his father left, but failed in them all. And now, at the advanced age of sixty-one, he finds himself in great affliction from the almost total loss of sight by a painful disease of the eyes, and from the pinchings of absolute poverty.   ALEXANDER McLAUGH LIN.   Alexander McLaughlin, another of the "original •proprietors," though at one time looked upon as one of the wealthiest men in the State, through the depreciation of real estate occurring about the year 1820, and having entered so deeply into speculation, failed in business, and his large landed estate was sacrificed under the hammer. Though a man' of no mean endowment, and with a fine business education and qualifications, he was never able to retrieve his fallen fortunes, and supported himself, in later life, by teaching a common country school. He died in 1832.   JAMES JOHNSTON.   James Johnston, one of the parties to the contract to "lay out a town " and "erect and complete a State house, offices, and penitententiary," failed about the same time, and from the same Cause, as Mr. McLaughlin. He returned to Pittsburg, where he had been connected in business with Kerr, previous to their venture, where he spent the remainder Of his life. He died in 1842, at an advanced age, six years prior to the death of Lyne Starling, who was several years younger than the other members of the company.   R. W. McCOY   was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1787. He was brought up, from early boyhood, to the business of a merchant. In the year 1811, he removed from Mercersburg, in his native State—where he had been engaged in business—to Franklinton, bringing with him a small stock of goods, with which he opened a store. Here he continued prosperously for about five years, when he sought a larger field for his increasing business, in the new town of Columbus. During a period of forty years he followed the same occupation in this city, accumulating a handsome property. He died, January 16, 1856, in the seventieth year of his age, respected by all classes in the community, as an active, useful, and public-spirited citizen. He succeeded Mr. Buttles as president of the City bank of Columbus, an office which he held at the time of his death. He was the uncle and foster-father of   WILLIAM .A. McCOY,   who died in Columbus, on the thirtieth of October, 1879, aged about sixty-eight. He (William) was born in Butler county, in this State, where his mother died in his early childhood. A few years later, his father, having removed to Portsmouth, died there, leaving William to the care of the boy's uncle (and his own brother), in this city. This was in 1818. Though but seven years old, William was taken at once into his uncle's store, at the corner of State and High streets. He received a good, substantial business education, partly in the school-room and partly behind the counter; and, on arriving at his majority, in 1832, he was taken in as a partner in the business. Ten years after this the uncle retired from active participation in the business, although he still maintained a pecuniary interest in it. Colonel James C. McCoy, son of another brother of Robert, was taken into the concern, and the firm name was changed to that of W. A. McCoy & Co. This arrangement continued till the death of the uncle, as above stated, in 1856, when the business was closed up and the goods sold at auction.   Colonel James C. McCoy joined the army for the suppression of the Rebellion, and was a member of General Sherman's staff when he died, in Washington, June, 1874. His remains were brought to this city, and were buried from Trinity church, with military honors, General Sherman and staff attending the funeral.   When the partnership was dissolved by the death of the uncle, William A. McCoy was made trustee of the estate, and allowed ten years for settling up the business. Having accomplished this work to the satisfaction of all concerned, he spent the remainder of his life in comparative leisure, occupying himself only with his books and papers, and the safe investment of the handsome moneyed capital which an honorable and prosperous business career had enabled him to accumulate.   DR. S. PARSONS,   from whom Parsons avenue, in the city of Columbus, was named, was born in Reading., Connecticut, in the year 1786. Having acquired a thorough knowledge of the science of medicine in his native State, he came west, still young and unmarried, and arrived in Franklinton on the first day of the year 1811. Here he located, and commenced the practice of his profession. In 1816, seeking a wider field for the exercise of his talents, he removed to the growing town across the river, where he combined to practice till his sixty-fourth year, when he retired from the active duties of his profession. He acquired a high reputation as a physician, and as a citizen, was universally respected.   In 1843 he received the unsolicited honor of being elected as a representative of Franklin county in the State legislature, in which capacity he exhibited his usual ability. .He also, for a number of years, held the important office of president of the Franklin branch of the State bank of Ohio. He died on the thirtieth of December, 1857, in the seventy-second year of his age.   RALPH OSBORN   was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, in the year 1780. Having completed his legal studies, he removed to Franklinton, in 18o6, and commenced the practice of law. He remained here, however, but two or three years, when he accepted an appointment as the first prosecuting attorney of Delaware county, which was organized in 18o8. Soon after he removed to Pickaway county, and, in December, 1810, he was elected clerk of the house in the Ohio legislature, which place he held for five consecutive sessions—till he was chosen auditor of State in 1815. He filled the office with much dignity and urbanity, and his great popularity was evinced by the length of time—eighteen consecutive years—during which he was retained in the auditorship.   In the fall of 1833 he was chosen to represent the counties of Franklin and Pickaway in the Ohio State senate, which place also he filled with his usual ability and success, and to the general satisfaction of his constituents. About this time he removed his residence to Columbus, where he died, December 3o, 1835, in the fifty-sixth year of his age.   REV. SETH NOBLE   was born in Westfield, Massachusetts, about the year 1731. After completing his theological studies, he settled at Maugerville, Nova Scotia, and became the pastor of the Presbyterian or Congregational church at that place. At the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, his out spoken sympathy with the revolted colonies brought down upon him the denunciation of the authorities, and, along with many others, he was obliged to flee the country. He joined the party of Colonel Eddy, who, in 1776, settled a town in Maine (then a part of Massachusetts), to which they first gave the name of Muskegeag (or Sanduskeag) Meadow. Here Mr. Noble was joined by his wife and children, whom he had   HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO - 583   been obliged to leave behind him—so precipitate was his flight. He organized the First Presbyterian church in the new town, and continued its pastor for many years. Irwas largely through his influence that, in 1791, a decree was obtained from the general court of Boston, incorporating the aforesaid town under the name of Bangor—that name being selected on account of Mr. Noble's partiality for the old Scotch psalm tune known by the same name.   In 1805, led by the generous offer, made by congress, of a donation of land to the Nova Scotia refugees, he came to Franklinton, having located three hundred and twenty acres of land in the Refugee tract across the river, near by. On this land he built a cabin, in which a married daughter was his housekeeper—his wife having died a number of years before. Immediately after his arrival in this county, he coinmenced preaching—first in Franklinton, and afterward in two or three other places, which he visited at stated intervals until his death, which occurred in September, 1807—only eight or nine days after he had preached his last sermon, on the text, "Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He was buried in the Franklinton burying-ground, but, as no headstone was erected, and as the family was for many years absent from this part of the country, all trace of his grave is lost.   The daughter, mentioned above, was the mother of the Hon. W. M. Beach, of London, Madison county, to whom we are indebted for, the facts here stated. These, and other facts, are also given in the "Genealogy of the Noble family," in the Ohio State library. Mr. Beach was a member of the Ohio legislature (first in the house and then in the senate), from 1869 to 1874.   We strongly incline to the opinion that the name of Rev. Seth Noble ought to have been mentioned along with that of the Rev. Dr. Hoge, as one of the pioneer preachers and founders of Presbyterianism in Franklin county; but as none of the early chroniclers thus associate these venerable names, we have not felt authorized to mention that of Mr. Noble in the history of the Presbyterian church of Columbus; but the brief sketch which we have given here, we regard as a simple act of justice.   CHRISTIAN HEYL,   whose name, for more than sixty years, has been familiar as a household word to the people of Columbus, was born in Zeidlops, a small principality of Germany, in the year 1788. When he was about twelve years old, his father, influenced largely by the disturbed political condition of the country, joined a company, consisting of about ninety persons, to seek a home in the new world. After many vexatious delays, and a tedious voyage, lasting thirty-four weeks, they landed at Baltimore, April 9, 1800.   Young Heyl remained here some seven years, at first following the occupation of painting, and afterwards apprenticed to learn the baker's trade. This occupation he followed for several years. His parents, with one son and daughter, and perhaps more, moved to Lancaster in 1806, settling on a small farm in the midst of the forest, near that place, and the next year Christian joined them, remaining with them and assisting in clearing up the farm, till air, when all moved to town, and Christian entered again upon the business of baking. He has left, in manuscript, a very interesting account of their mode of life in their log cabin in the wilderness, which we would gladly insert, but want of space forbids.   In 1813 he established himself as a baker in a small cabin at Columbus, with his sister as housekeeper. The first year they had to go to Franklinton for all their supplies, but in 1814 the first store was opened in Columbus. This was during the war, and discharged soldiers, sick and destitute, were almost constantly passing through the place. All those who came to his door were fed and liberally cared for, and, on one occasion, he actually took his coat from his own back and placed it upon that of a soldier who was without one, sick and suffering from cold.   In 1814 he married, bringing his wife to the cabin, which he continued to occupy as a bakery for another year or two, when he purchased a lot on High street, and built upon it what was then, and is yet, called the Franklin house—one of the few old landmarks left standing. In this they lived twenty years, carrying on the hotel business, and accumulating a handsome property. They then exchanged the hotel for a farm.   They had six sons, one of whom died in infancy. The survivors (all living) are: Lewis, John, William, George, and Charles—all of whom are educated men. Lewis established, some years ago, the Esther institute, a female seminary, located on Broad street, and named in honor of his wife, who was one of its principal teachers during its en- tire existence —which, however, was not more than five or six years. It was very prosperous for three or four years, after which, in consequence of the establishment of the high school, the patronage fell off, and it had to be given up. The fine building has been sold, and is now used for a boarding establishment, called the Irving house. Lewis and John reside in Philadelphia, and have some office under the general government. William and Charles live in Columbus, the former a lawyer by profession; and George lives in Canton.   Christian Heyl enjoyed, in the highest degree, the respect and confidence of his fellow-citizens in Columbus, and was appointed by them to many places of trust. He died in December, 1878, aged ninety years lacking four months, his wife having preceded him by eleven years.   JOSEPH RIDGWAY, JR.,   was born on Staten Island, New York, April 23, 1800. His father, Matthew Ridgway, died while Joseph was in his early childhood, and he went to reside with an uncle, after whom he had been named, and who was then residing in Cayuga county. This uncle was afterward a member of congress from Ohio. His nephew received an excellent education in one of the New York academies, making a specialty of the science of engineering, for which he had a great fondness. In 1820 he came to Ohio, with his uncle, and settled in Columbus. For several years he devoted himself to his favorite pursuit, being employed as an engineer on the canal which was then in process of construction. Later, he became a partner with his uncle in a foundry at Columbus, established for the manufacture of a cast-iron plow, of which the elder Ridgway owned the patent. This plow marked an era in Ohio agriculture, and the "Ridgway foundry" was the pioneer in the Columbus iron manufacture, which has now become so important a branch of industry.   Mr. Ridgway threw his entire energy into the Ohio railroad, becoming one of the principal stockholders and a director of the Columbus & Xenia road--one of the oldest in the State. It was to furnish this road with rolling stock that he established a car factory at Columbus, and he was secretary of the company at the time of his death, which occurred August 23, 185o. In 1844, and again in 1846, he was a member of the Ohio legislature—first in the senate, and afterward in the house of representatives. He was also, for several years, a member of the board of State house commissioners.   He died greatly regretted, having been identified with almost every movement having in view the welfare of his adopted city.   He was married, November 28, 1828, to Jeannette S. Tatem, daughter of Charles Tatem, of Cincinnati.   DR. LINCOLN GOODALE   was born in Worcester county, Massachusetts, February 25, 1782. His father, Nathan Goodale, was an officer in the Revolutionary war, who, coming west, settled, first at Marietta, in 1788, and afterward at Belpre. There he was captured by the Indians, in 1794, and died near Sandusky, to which place the Indians were taking him in hope of obtaining a ransom.   Dr. Goodale having studied medicine at Belpre, settled in Franklinton, and entered upon the practice of his profession, in 1805, In 1812 he volunteered his services in the war which had just broken out, and was appointed, by Governor Meigs, assistant surgeon in McArthur's regiment. He was taken prisoner at the time of Hull's surrender, and sent to Malden with wounded men. Being released, he returned to Franklinton in October, having been in the service less than a year. Removing to. Columbus in 1814, he entered upon that successful career as a merchant which he followed for more than thirty years, and in which he acquired great wealth. His death occurred April 30, 1868, in his eighty-seventh year. Several years before his death, he gave to his adopted city the beautiful park with which his name will be forever identified.   JOSEPH FOOS   was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1767. He moved with his parents, first to Tennessee and then to Kentucky, where, in 1797, he married Lydia Nelson, and where their first son—Nelson Foos—was born. In 1798 he came, with his wife and infant son, to Franklinton, where he became proprietor of a ferry across the Scioto river. He also established, and for several years carried on, the first botel at that place. His early opportunities for securing an education were very limited, and his principal schooling was obtained from an Irish schoolmaster who came to his tavern in want, and spent several months with him, But with such advantages as these, by his own persistent efforts, lie obtained a wide knowledge of men and things, taking   584 - HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO.   an active interest in all public affairs, and corresponding with such men as Clay, Ewing, Corwin, and Harrison. He was a member of the first Ohio legislature, selling, in all, during twenty-five sessions in the house and senate. Ile became an effective speaker and writer. The State capital having been secured to Columbus largely by his efforts, the original proprietors of the town presented him with a square in an eligible part of the city.   He served with distinction in the war of 1812, being promoted, for meritorious conduct, from the rank of captain to that of brigadier-general. His ferry and hotel, in those stirring times, were extensively patronized, and brougnt him in "a mint o' money," although he was too liberal to acquire a very extensive fortune. His house was the headquarters of all the politicians, who came not only "hungry for office," but also for the meals which were furnished at his table without stint or charge. To them his latch-string was always out, and his purse always open. He ran for congress, after his career in the legislature was over, but in that campaign he met with unaccustomed defeat. Soon after this he removed to Madison county, and commenced the business of farming. In 1825 he was made major-general of militia, an office which he held till his death, in 1832.   From the interest which he felt in the canal system of Ohio, his attention was directed to the feasibility of a ship canal across the Isthmus of Darien. His views upon this subject, embodied in a pamphlet, achieved the distinction of being called "Foosf Folly." But the project, as the public are aware, has recently been taken hold of again, by parties who may yet show that the original conception was nobodyfs folly.   General Foos’ first wife died in Oro, leaving two sons and two daughters, the eldest of whom----Nelson Foos--still lives, in a hale and ripe old age, in the city of Columbus, where he has accumulated a comfortable property as a contractor in the erection of public and private buildings.   JOHN NEWTON CHAMPION   was born near West Springfield, Massachusetts, May 29, 1797. After completing his education, he taught school for some time in the State of New Jersey. He afterward removed to Savannah, Georgia, and entered into mercantile business with his elder brother. He was married, December 29, 1831, to Sarah Ann Chadbourne, daughter of Captain Jacob Chadbourne, of Newburyport, Massachusetts. He emigrated to Ohio in 1835, making the long voyage by sea from Savanah to New York, and thence to Columbus by' stage and canal. Here he opened a large dry goods store, under the firm name of Champion & Lathrop. He was a large stockholder in the Buckeye and Exchange blocks, which were built. in 1838, and were indeed "enterprises of great pith and moment" in that day. He also built a large and elegant brick residence on the southeast corner of High and Long streets, the present site of the Commercial bank.   He and his young wife were soon looked up to as among the first in social circles; and such was his political influence, that his house became almost the headquarters of the Whig 'leaders. His business was prosperous, and enabled him to make investments in large tracts of real estate, which ultimately became very valuable. He died at Columbus, August 23, 1845, respected by all who knew him.   His wife was a leading member of the charitable societies of the city, and, during the war of the Rebellion, acted as a ward visitor in relieving the wants of soldiersf families. She died in the same city where most of her life was spent, August 3o, 1873, aged sixty-one years, lamented by a large circle of friends, and by many of the poor and lowly whom her benefactions had relieved.   Mr. and Mrs. Champion left three sons and one daughter—all yet living. --as follows: Reuben Ely and Aaron Burt, residing in Cincinnati; and John Newton and Isabella C. (now Mrs. Godman), residing in Columbus.   HON. WILLIAM T. MARTIN   was born April 6, 1788, in Bedford county, Pennsylvania; was married in 1814, to Amelia Aschom; and, in the spring of that year, migrated to Columbus, where he resided till his death—February 19, 1866.   Like so many other Columbian pioneers who became prominent in business and politics, he came to the city as a mechanic, his particular trade being that of carpenter and joiner. He also united with this occupation those of teacher and merchant. He held many public offices, which we have not time here to enumerate, the last being that of associate judge of the court of common pleas, in 1851.   In 1858 he published his " History of Franklin County," a very, valuable compendium of pioneer history, written in a plain and unpretentious, but often very pleasing, style. He was remarkable for the evenness of his temper, his charity for the faults of others, and for his great liberality to the poor. He died greatly regretted by all classes of citizens. His widow, who still survives, resides with a daughter, now Mrs. Smithson E. Wright, of Cincinnati. His son, B. F. Martin, well and favorably known as a lawyer and justice of the peace, resides in Columbus.   BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,   FRANCIS C. SESSIONS.   Francis C. Sessions, merchant and banker, was born in South 'Wilbraham, Massachusetts, on February 27. 182o. His grandfather, Robert Sessions, was a clerk in Boston in 1773, and was one of the "forty or fifty" men whose exploit at the celebrated Boston Tea Parts is thus described by Bancroft:   "On an instant a shout was heard at the porch [of the Old South church]; the war-whoop resounded; a body of men, forty or fifty in number, disguised as Indians, passed by the door, and,- encouraged by Samuel Adams, Hancock, an.: others, repaired to Griffin's wharf, took possession of three tea ships, and in about three hours, three hundred and forty chests of tea, being the whole quantity that had been imported, were turned into the bay, without the least injury to other property."   His ancestor, an officer in the revolutionary war, was subsequently called to fill important official positions. He married Mary Ruggles (whose brother, Benjamin, was United States senator from Ohio, during three terms --eighteen years--being first elected in 1815), and died at the age of eighty-five. Darius Sessions, another of his ancestors, was governor of Rhode island at the beginning of the Revolution. The historian, Bancroft, says of him:   " In the burning of the "Gaspe" (an affair like the " Boston Tea Party") Darius Sessions and Stephen Hopkins were the two pillars on which the liberty of Rhode Island depended."   The father of Francis C. Sessions, Francis Sessions, was born in South Wilbraham, Massachusetts; married Sophronia Metcalf, of Lebanon, Connecticut, and died at the age of thirty. His widow lived to be eighty years old, and was a woman of remarkable physical and mental vigor, which she retained almost to the last.   Francis C. Sessions' father died when he was about two years old, and, when old enough to work on a farm, received from his uncle, Robert, with whom he lived, his first wages, the amount received being twelve dollars for four months’ work. He worked on the farm summers and attended common-school winters, until he commenced preparing for college, and attended, in succession, the academies of Suffield, Westfield, Wilbraham, and Monson. The failure of his health preventing him from entering college, as he had intended doing, he visited Ohio, in the fall of 1840, and the following year accepted a clerkship in a store in Columbus. In 1843 he entered into a copartnership, under the form of Ellis, Sessions & Co., in the dry goods business. Purchasing the interest of his partners, after two years, he continued the business on his own account, until 1856, when he disposed of his store and engaged in the wool trade. In 1869 he became one of the proprietors, and the president, of the Commercial bank. Throughout the whole term of the late civil war, Mr. Sessions spent a large part of his time in the service of the sanitary commission. He made the memorable trip to Fort Donelson, and, to quote from the records of the commision concerning him, " went to Pittsburg Landing, immediately after the battle, where he was connected with the great work accomplished in the care of the sick and wounded during the spring and early summer of 1862. He went with Dr. Smith to Murfreesboro, upon the occasion of the battle of Stone River; visited Virginia during the second campaign in that State, as well as most other important points in our field of operations, always as an earnest, hard-working, good Samaritan." The report of the commission further records that "the establishment and success of the Columbus Soldiersf! Home are, in a large degree, due to the efforts of Mr. F. C. Sessions, a member of the Columbus branch of the Sanitary commission, a gentleman who was one of the earliest volunteers in the cause of humanity called out by the war, and who, during its entire continuance, by his labors on battle-fields, in camps and hospitals, while he sacrificed his personal interests and his health, won for himself the admiration and respect of all who knew him." His name frequently appears on the records of the   HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO - 585   work of the Sanitary commission at the West, in which, though an unpaid, he was a most earnest and faithful worker. Throughout the existence of the Home at Columbus, Mr. Sessions gave it his constant supervision, and was, in fact, its outside superintendent and manager. Mr. Sessions has held many benevolent and educational trusts; has been a trustee of Marietta and Oberlin colleges, of Wilberforce university, of the Columbus Medical college and Home for the Friendless and of the Ohio institution for the blind. The erection of the magnificent new blind asylum was intrusted to Henry C. Noble and himself. He has contributed not a little to the growth -of Columbus in the building of business blocks and numerous houses. He has, at different times, acted as director and president of manufacturing enterprises.   He was one of the original members of the Third Presbyterian church, and subsequently of the First Congregational church of Columbus, in which he has been an officer from the first. He has contributed very largely of his labor and treasure to the prosperity of both. He was for many years an enthusiastic and successful superintendent of the Sunday-school of the latter church, and long acted as a trustee of its ecclesiastical society. The truth of the scriptural declaration, "There is that scattereth and yet increaseth," has been vindicated in his history; for while he has constantly practiced the most munificent liberality, he has accumulated a large fortune.   Mr. Sessions married, August r8, 1847, Mary Johnson, daughter of Orange Johnson, of Worthington.   ISAAC S. BEEKEY,   county commissioner, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, September 28, 1825. By the death of his father, which occurred five years later, Isaac was cast upon the world. He found a home with a farmer, and here he acquired such education as could be obtained by an attendance at district school two months in the year. At the age of seventeen, he began to learn the " art preservative;" after serving one year, his employer closed out the establishment, and the boy was again left to his own resources. Believing that the West afforded superior advantages, to one without means, he started for Ohio, in April, 1845, and, on foot, in due time, reached Columbus, his present place of residence. Finding no employment, as a printer, he learned the carpenterfs trade, and has since followed the vocation of contractor and builder, by aid of which he has accumulated a comfortable competency. In politics, Mr. Beekey has always been a decided Democrat, and his fidelity to the party has been rewarded by frequent elections to important and responsible positions. His first appearance in public life was in April, 1866, when he was elected to the city council, from the fourth ward. Two years later he was re-elected, and at the expiration of this term he was made real estate appraiser for the fourth, fifth, and sixth wards. In April, 1873, he was again elected to the city council, from the fourth ward, and the following year was made president of the city council. In October, 1874, he was elected to his present position, and re-elected in 1877. Mr. Beekey has always been an active and faithful official, whose acts are characterized by firmness and integrity, both in private and public transactions. He was united in marriage on April 23, 1857, to Miss Catharine, daughter of Charles and Catharine Obitz, by whom two children were born—Ida and Mary.   DENNIS B. STRAIT,   county commissioner, was born in the State of New Jersey, on May 20, 1824. He is the second of a family of eleven, the children of Abraham A. and Dulcena Strait, who removed to Franklin county in 1839. They located in Plain township, and here the mother died, not long after. The father died in June, 1862.   The education of the gentleman who is the subject of this sketch, was acquired at common schools, and was quite limited, owing to the fact that his parents were in indigent circumstances, and his being obliged, at an early age, to seek his own living. At the age of twenty years he struck out to battle with fortune, having rough but strong hands, and a brave heart to aid him. Accumulating some means he sought and obtained the hand of Miss Ann, daughter of Caleb and Eliza Farber, to whom he was married on November 20, 1851. Soon after he purchased one hundred acres of land in Plain township, this county; this, by industry and economy on the part of Mr. Strait, aided by his good wife, has been added to, until he now owns six hundred and twenty-five acres,   the greater part of which is under a profitable state of cultivation. His life work has been that of a farmer and stock raiser. Of the public life of Mr. Strait, the writer learns that he was first elected county commissioner in the fall of 1860, and served two terms of three years each. Upon the expiration of the second term he was appointed auditor of Franklin county, and in this capacity he served two years. In the fall of 1876 he was a third time elected to the office of commissioner, his term expiring the fall of 1879. Politically, Mr. Strait is a firm adherent to the teachings of the Democratic party. For the past twenty years he has been a member of the society of Free and Accepted masons.   His children are: Whitney, Cordelia (Mrs, B. Ranney), Ann Eliza, and Dulcena, and Edward L., who are deceased.   DANIEL MATHENEY.   The subject of this sketch has an ancestry of the old pioneer stock. He was born September 9, 1823, in Pickaway county, Ohio, and was left an orphan, at the age of eight years, by the death of his father, and about the only inheritance left him was a sound constitution and a strong physical development. The education he acquired was of the most practical and useful kind, and he soon became the main stay of his widowed mother. His early life was spent in agricultural pursuits, with its variety of sunshine and shadow, from all of which he took his practical lessons. Subsequently he became engaged in dealing in stock, and it soon became apparent that " Uncle Dan," as he was familiarly called, was as good a judge of horses, cattle, and hogs, as any man in the country. After locating in Franklin county, he was connected with the blacksmithing business for about three years, at the town of Dublin, but dealing in stock was his principal business, and many have been the droves of cattle he has taken over the mountains, when from sixty to sixty-five days were considered good time from here to New York city. He has also shipped stock, by the more modern transportation, when five or six days are regarded as moderate time, over the same route. For many years, during the war, he was engaged in furnishing horses and other supplies to the army, and in all his transactions he was regarded as a man of good judgment and strict integrity. During his life Ile has held many positions of trust, and has always discharged his duty with fidelity and credit to himself. In 1875, he was elected to the office of county commissioner, and at the expiration of his term of office, in 1878, he was re-elected to the same office for a second term, which was a public approval of his previous course in the office. He has been twice married, first to Martha Hutcheson, May 12, 1843, who died February 14, 1873 ; he was again married, to Ruth Hutcheson, March 25, 1875, with whom he is now living, at their comfortable home, near the city of Columbus. During his whole life, good faith and fair dealing have been his guiding star, and lie is so regarded in this community, that his word is as good as his bond. He never engaged in wild or visionary speculations, in which there was great risk, but preferred the natural growth and legitimate profits of his business; and thus, by perseverance and industry, he has accumulated, not great wealth, hut a handsome competency. He is widely known in this and adjoining counties, and is highly esteemed as one of the substantial men of Franklin county.   PHILIP WILLIAM CORZILIUS.   It is with pleasure that we present to the readers of this volume the following sketch of the life of one of the self-made men of Franklin county. Mr. Corzilius was born in Columbus, Ohio, on the first day of January, 1849. He is the eldest of a family of four, the children of Peter W. and Maria D. Corzilius, who were natives of Germany, who emigrated to America in the year 1841. They came direct to Columbus, and the mother still resides there. The father died July 10, r866. The subject of this sketch owes much of his education to our grand system of common schools, so purely American. The father was in poor health, and Philip was obliged, at an early age, to aid in his support. He first engaged in selling newspapers. '['his he prosecuted some three years. Next he entered a mercantile establishment, and from this he became assistant secretary of the Franklin Insurance company. In September, 1868, lie became a clerk in the office of the treasurer of Franklin county, and served under the respective administrations of Messrs. A. C. Headley, James E. Wright, and Lorenzo English, for a period of nine years, and rising from assistant to chief clerk of the   74   586 - HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO.   treasury. This brings us forward to the fail of 1876, when he became a candidate for the office of treasurer, and so much confidence was reposed in his ability and integrity, that his name was placed upon both the Democratic and Republican tickets, and his election was unanimous, He is, however, a member of the first named party. He was re-elected in 1878.   Mr. Corzilius is an eminent member of the order of Free and Accepted masons, having attained the thirty-second degree. He is also a member of the I. 0. 0. F., and Knights of Honor, and of the German Lutheran church, of Columbus, Ohio.   On October 10, 1872, he was married to Miss Catherine E. J., daughter of George and Maria Stelzer, of Columbus, and by this union three children have come to shed sunshine about the cosy home : Alma, Flora, and Leo.   HARVEY CASHATT   Was born October 21, 1843, in Union township, Highland county, Ohio. He is of French origin, and the fourth child of a family of eleven children, ten of whom are living, being a son of Daniel F. and Amy C. Cashatt. His father was born in Ohio, and his mother in York State: His father is still living, at the age of sixty-five years. His mother died December 4, 1874, at the age of fifty-eight years. His grandparents, upon the father's side, migrated from North Carolina to Ohio, in 1805, and upon the mother's side, from York State, at an early day. He (Harvey) resided upon a farm up to 1861, only attending school during the winter, most of the time at a distance of three and four miles. He enlisted in the late civil war as a private in company C, Forty-eighth Ohio volunteer infantry, on the seventh day of November, 1861, and continued in the same company and regiment until April 4, 1866-long after the close of the war. He veteranized February 26, 1864, at Berwick City, Louisiana. He was engaged in the battles of Shiloh, sieges of Corinth, Vicksburg, and Jackson, Yazzoo Bottoms, Port Gibson, Champion Hill, and numerous skirmishes, forced marches of great distances, etc. March 4, 1864, he was elected one of the sergeants of Company C, by the company vote, and March 6, 1864, was detailed, with three other enlisted men and one commissioned officer, to proceed to Ohio to receive recruits and drafted men for the ranks of his regiment, but instead, were organized into a company called the "Permanent Party," with enlisted men from the old Ohio regiments, who reported at Todd barracks under the same order. Their duties were to act as guards to detachments of recruits, substitutes, and drafted men ordered by the war department to be forwarded to Ohio regiments in the field. Soon after his arrival here he was detailed as clerk in the forwarding office of Tod barracks, under Lieut. James H. Orr. He soon became chief clerk, and remained as such until the barracks were discontinued, when he was transferred to the office of James A. Wilcox, provost-marshal general and commandant of the district of Ohio. He soon succeeded to the position of confidential clerk to General Wilcox, and soon thereafter, General Wilcox remarked to Cashatt that he thought he was doing too much work for the salary of a soldier, and he (Wilcox) immediately wrote to the war department, requesting his discharge from the service, which was granted; when he again wrote to General Fry, provost-marshal general of the United States, asking that he be appointed in the office of the provost-marshal general of Ohio (Wilcox's office), which was again granted, at a salary of ninety dollars per month, proving a very agreeable surprise, making a difference of seventy dollars per month in his salary, in his favor, for the same services. Words cannot express his feelings of gratefulness to Gen. James A. Wilcox, for his kindness, in thus aiding him so materially in his first start in life, after leaving the army. His early education being very limited, laboring under many disadvantages too numerous to detail, leaving school at the age of eighteen to enter the army, he was compelled, after leaving the service in 1866, to occupy all his leisure hours in study, and for months attended commercial college of evenings, in order to sustain himself in the position of trust he occupied at that time. He resigned his position on the tenth day of October, 1866, to accept the chief clerkship at the Zettler house, Columbus, Ohio, under Capt. L. A. Bowers, and remained there until August 10, 1870, when he accepted chief clerkship of the American hotel, Columbus, Ohio, under Col. E. J. Blount, proprietor, and occupied that position until the summer of 1877, when he was nominated by the Democratic party, for clerk of the court of common pleas of Franklin county, Ohio, and was elected October 10, 1877, which position he is now occupying. He was married December 26, 1870, to Miss Sallie E. Simonton, a teacher in the public schools of Columbus, Ohio, and a daughter of Col. Hiram Simonton, of this county. She died suddenly, with congestion of the lungs, February 12, 1878 the morning after her husband took the oath of office. It is to her, more than all others, her husband acknowledges, in a manly spirit, couched in language expressed in the kindest, tenderest, and heartfelt feeling, that he owes the success attained thus far in life, she occupying the position of one of the gentlest, kindest, most loving and devoted little wives, and a teacher at the same time, He was married on July 12, 1879, to Miss Jennie Seltzer Van Dine, a niece of Dr. Van S. Seltzer, of Columbus, Ohio.   He is now a Democrat, from the fact, as he believes, that democracy means the greatest good to the greatest number. and their legislation tends that way. He looks upon his war record as the brightest page of his life's history. He is a great reader, possesses a fine library, and takes great pleasure in his books, and can be found almost every evening buried within their folds. Mr. Cashatt holds to no particular church; gives to all; is quite liberal in his views; has great faith in the golden rule, and is a man of strong convictions.   JOHN T. GALE,   probate judge. This gentleman is the third child of Franklin and Mary J. Gale (for further of whom see sketch in another portion of this volume). The date of his birth was July 6, 1846, and the place, Zanesville, Muskingum county, Ohio. The education of Judge Gale was acquired in the public schools at Columbus, he entering upon the duties of clerk in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas, Franklin county, just prior to graduating. After a few months he left the office and engaged in teaching school. In March, 1865, he entered the office he now occupies, as deputy, under John M. Pugh, probate judge, and remained continuously until the spring of 1878, when he became a candidate for the office of probate judge, to which he was unanimously elected the subsequent fall. Judge Gale was married on December 4, 1868, to Miss Sallie, daughter of Henry and Mary Jones, at Columbus, by whom three children were born; Frank, Cora, and Carl. The judge is a prominent member of the society of I. 0. 0. F., and past grand of Excelsior Lodge Number, 145, at Columbus, Ohio.   NATHAN COLE,   county recorder, was born on September 22, 1815, in West Bloomfield, Ontario county, New York. His parents were Nathan and Mary Cole, natives of New Hampshire, who located in New York in 1808. Here they remained until 1817, when they removed to Ohio, locating temporarily in Granville, Licking county. After one year's sojourn at that point the family removed to Franklinton, this county, where they passed the remainder of their lives. The mother died October 13, 1844, and the father on October 21, 1856. The subject of this sketch derived his education, as but he might, during the winter sessions of the district school, aided greatly by the teaching of his mother. When sixteen years of age he became a clerk in the store of Jacob Grubb, one of the early merchants of Franklinton. Here he remained until the spring of 1835, when he went into business for himself. He was prospering finely when the panic of 1837 struck the county, and, having but little capital, he was swept away by the rapid current, and with thousands of others, found himself, when the storm had subsided, penniless. He was engaged in teaching school, and in March, 1840, entered the office he now occupies, as clerk for his brother, then recorder. He continued here until 1846, during the winter assisting the county treasurer in the duties of that office. In October, 1846, Mr. Cole was put in nomination for the office of recorder, for Franklin county, by the Democratic party, and elected in opposition to William T. Martin, a time-honored incumbent, to the office, and no better evidence of his fitness can be given than that he has been continuously elected to the office until the present period. Mr. Cole is entitled to great credit for the able manner in which he has remedied the damage produced by the incendiary fire in his office in January, 1878, which destroyed several volumns, and he has ever been an efficient and faithful officer. On July 31, 1836, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary, daughter of David and Phebe Sayles, who were natives of Providence, Rhode Island. The children are as follows: Hannah, who is deceased, Clara, Mrs. Robert L. Willie, Lannassa, M., Mrs. Charles E. Luckhaupt, Nathan, who married Miss Ella Say, Mary, Mrs. Joseph J. Stoddart, and George, who remains at home.   Mr. Cole says he is a Democrat of the Tom Payne, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln school.   HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO - 587   E. KIESEWETTER.   county auditor, was born on the fifteenth day of May, 1845. He is the third child of Theodore E. and Joanna E. Kiesewetter, natives of Germany, who emigrated to America in the year 1844. They located temporarily in Prairie township, this county, where they resided until 1849, when they removed to Columbus. Here the mother died, August 31, 1850. The father died May xi, 1874.   The education of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, was acquired in the public schools of Columbus, and was quite limited, from the fact that he was, at an early period, obliged to labor for his support. At the age of twelve years he engaged at the Fremont house, Columbus, Ohio, where he remained two years. He next attended a term at the Columbus commercial college, where he made book-keeping his especial study, and with what success his present position bears ample testimony. Immediately subsequent to the close of his studies at the college he engaged with F. A. Sells, and from this time until 1862 he was in constant employment. And now occurs a period in his life which the writer delights to chronicle. It is ever pleasant to speak of the brave defenders of our country's honor, during those dark and terrible days of Rebellion.   On September 30, 1862, being then a lad of but seventeen, he donned the blue, and as a private in company B, of the Forty-sixth regiment of Ohio volunteer infantry, went forth to die, if need be, for those grand old colors, the stars and stripes, and narrowly did he escape the alternative. At the battle of Resaca, Georgia, on May 14, 1864, he was severely wounded in the left hip, from the effects of which he was confined to his bed seven long, weary months. The wound became gangrenous and his life was despaired of, but, thanks to a hardy constitution and the skillful treatment of the attending surgeon (doubtless accidental), he recovered, and was discharged the service at Camp Chase, Ohio, March 31, 1865. He remained at the hospital, as clerk, until August 25th, subsequent, when he engaged with P. Hayden & Son, of Columbus, as book-keeper. This position was held continuously until the fall of 1878, when he assumed the arduous and responsible duties of county auditor. It is perhaps needless to state that Mr. Kiesewetter is an efficient and faithful officer. He is a prominent member of the orders of Free and Accepted masons, the 1. 0. 0. F. and the Knights of Pythias.   Mr. Kiesewetter was united in marriage, on November 4, 1869, to NI iss Francis, daughter of Henry and Catharine Orthafer. Two children have blessed this union-Frank L. and Henry W., the latter of whom is deceased,   P. A. EGAN,   county coroner, was born in Ireland, Prairie county, on September 14, 1830. He is of a family of thirteen, the children of John and Bridget Egan, who died-the mother on September 24, 1851, and the father on October 24, 1852. The gentleman whose life is briefly sketched in the following lines, acquired his education in his native country. On January 16, 185o, he, in company with his two sisters, Mary and Johanna, left his home for America, that land whose flag guarantees protection and equal rights to all, and on the sixteenth day of the following March, he landed in New York, with but two dollars and fifty cents in his pocket, and a stranger in a great city. His prospects were not particularly flattering, but he was not of those who turn back, and soon found work for himself and sisters, in Washington county, New York. The subsequent fall, he secured a situation in a foundry, in Boston, Massachusetts. On May 9, 1852, he arrived in Columbus, Ohio, and soon obtained employment with Huntington Fitch, esq. This he continued until fall, when he secured a situation at the Columbus Asylum for the Insane, and in this he remained until the spring of 1855, when he took. his departure for California. He remained in the "land of gold" four years, returning to Columbus on December 28, 1859. The next spring he purchased two carriages, and went into business. This he continued until October 15, 1865, when he engaged in the livery and undertaking business. Mr. Egan is one of those unassuming gentlemen, who, though modest, is energetic and tireless in his devotion to business. Courteous and obliging, he has built up for himself a trade and a reputation which are flattering to his business attainments. His prosperity and success, which are due to his untiring industry, are especially gratifying to his numerous friends, who have associated with him here for the past quarter of a century. fie has the largest establishment of its kind in the city, employing twenty-seven horses.   Mr. Egan was elected coroner of Franklin county in the fall of 1869, and has held the office continuously until the present time, than which no better proof of his capability can be adduced.   On October 21, 1861, he was united in marriage to Mary, daughter of Timothy and Nancy A. Ryen. Of the eight children born of this union, seven are now living: Johanna, Mary, Maggie, John, Joseph, Alice, and Kate. Mrs. Eagan died on the twenty-first day of October, 1879.   ANDREW BACKUS,   living, son of Simon Backus, was born in Middleborough, Plymouth county, Massachu setts, October 3, 1790, in the old homestead that formerly belonged to his grandfather, Rev. Isaac Backus, the Baptist minister and historian. He was a descendant of Stephen Backus, who came from Norwich, England, about 1635, and lived in Saybrook. Afterwards, in 1660, he moved to Norwich, Connecticut, with his three sons. They were among the first settlers of that place, and he was the first white man that died in Norwich. Hannah Alden, the mother of Andrew Backus, was fifth in lineal descent from John Alden, one of the Mayflower pilgrims That landed at Plymouth, December, 1620. Mr. Backus lived with his father, working on the farm and attending school, until he went to Taunton to learn the cabinet trade with William and Henry Washburn. At the age of twenty-one, having finished his trade, he remained some time with them as a journeyman. While living in Raynham, Massachusetts, he was enrolled as a soldier in the war of 1812, under Captain Chase. This company was stationed at Fairhaven. When discharged, he went to Middleborough to live, and was drafted and enrolled as corporal under Captain Greenleaf Pratt, who joined the remainder of the command at Plymouth beach, September 21, 1814. Mr. Backus received an honorable discharge, also a deed from the government of one hundred and sixty acres of land in Plymouth county, Iowa; further recognition of his services was given him in the form of a pension, by act of congress. He is the oldest living (continuous) citizen of Columbus, and voted at the October election of 1879, in his ninetieth year. He has aided some in building up the city, having built several business and dwelling houses. He came from a long-lived stock, had a strong constitution, and these, together with regular and temperate habits, have given him almost perfect health and freedom from sickness. He rarely knew, by experience, what sickness was, until late years. His brother, Joseph A. Backus, in his eighty-first year, lives in Middleborough, Massachusetts, on the old homestead of his .father and grandfather.   May 25, 1815, he decided to go to Columbus, Ohio, then a great undertaking, and a long, tedious journey, full of hardship and exposure, taking several weeks to make the trip. At Chenango Point he remained several months. At Franklin, Pennsylvania, he saw the Indians spreading blankets on the river, gathering floating oil, which they sold as a cure for rheumatism. At Pittsburg he took passage on a flat-boat down the Ohio river, to the mouth of the Muskingum; there took passage on a boat to Zanesville, and thence by wagon to Columbus, through forests and over almost impassable mud and corduroy roads, arriving in Columbus the twenty-fifth of October. He immediately made arrangements for the manufacture of furniture, being the first to begin the cabinet trade in Columbus. His shop was on High, north of Mound street. He built, opposite this, a double frame dwelling, with John W. Smith, now the third house north of Mound, on the west side of High street.   May 10, 1817, Mr. Backus started, on horseback, for Middleborough, Massachusetts. He rode as far as Catskill, and then sold his horse and took the boat to Providence. The trip, which took him fifty-four days to complete, was for the purpose of marrying Miss Bathsheba King, daughter of John King, of Raynham, Massachusetts. The happy couple were united, August 24, 1817, and remained at Raynham and Middleborough, visiting with their friends, until September 14th, when they bade good-bye to kindred, and set out to try their fortunes on the frontier. .They traveled with their own team, in a covered wagon well filled with necessary articles for housekeeping, and were sixty-two days, journeying towards the setting sun, before arriving in Columbus, Ohio. The time occupied gives some faint idea of the rough, uneven roads through the dense forests, with mud up to the hubs, often having to obtain hell) to pry their wagon out. They arrived, November 16, 1817, with thankful hearts, rejoicing to be at rest in their new home. The mail carrier, who came once a week, on horseback, was eagerly looked for, as lie brought tidings from loved ones at home.   In April,. 1831, there was a revival of religion, and fifty persons united   588 - HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO.   with the First Presbyterian church, including Mr. Backus. Mrs. Backus united with the same church some years previous. He then took an active interest in the church, and taught a class in the Sabbath-school. The cholera came in July, 1833, and about one-third of the citizens fled from the terrible scourge. But this thought impressed him—"The path of duty is alone the path of safety,- and he remained and did what he could for those needing his services. The hoard of health reported two hundred deaths that summer, from all causes.   The following extract is from the Ohio State Journal, 1866:   "The manufacture of furniture and cabinet ware is one of our best developed branches of trade. This is now represented by three powerful firms, whose sales aggregate in amount nearly, or quite, three hundred thousand dollars per annum. It is curious, in this connection, to trace the rise and progress of this business, now so much a specialty, and a retrospective glance will be interesting, as well as instructive. Mr. Andrew Backus, the pioneer in the manufacture of furniture in Columbus, Ohio, moved to this city in 18i6, and soon after established himself in this business on High, near Mound streets. Columbus was then a village of about seven hundred inhabitats, and a majority of the buildings clustered on Front street. The great event of the season was the assembling of the legislature, for the first time, in the new State house, on the corner of High and State streets, and quite an energetic effort was made to burn up the stumps in High street, so that it might be presentable in time for the coming session. Mr. Backus, with his employes, worked in the old shop some seven years, when he moved into more commodious buildings, erected by him in the rear of where the Backus buildings now are, on the east side of High, near Town street. In 1838 he built the brick store-room adjoining, on the north of his dwelling, and occupied by his sons, Orrin and Lafayette Backus, as a. family grocery store, and, in 1848, built the three-story brick business block adjoining his residence on the south. Mr. Backus carried on the business some forty years, and retired, leaving an extensive trade to his successors."   Mrs. Bathsheba Backus, his wife, the eighth child of John King, was born in Raynham, Bristol county, Massachusetts, April 26, 1794, and died January 25, 1879, at Columbus. Ohio. She was a descendant of Captain Philip King, one of the first settlers of Raynham. He came from England, where he had been contending for religious liberty, to this wilderness. The place was then not far from the ravages of the Indian war. Being a favorite with the Indians (with whom he traded extensively), he was never molested, as all his dealings with them were strictly honest. He died, and was borne to his grave,- in the cemetery near Neck of Land, Taunton, attended with military honors. Mrs. Backus had a liberal education, and resided at her fatherfs until after her marriage—August 24, 1817—with Andrew Backus. She emigrated with her husband to Columbus, in their own conveyance, with her marriage outfit to begin housekeeping. She experienced the trials anti deprivations incident to a frontier life. At an early day she united with Dr. Hoge's church, and, as a teacher and laborer in the Sabbath-school, she hail few superiors. For many years previons to her death she was an invalid, and confined much of the time to the house. Three of her five children survive her. She was buried in Green Lawn cemetery, near Columbus. Her sister, Mrs. Hannah King Davis, died, December, 1879, in her ninety-ninth year, in New York city.   FRANKLIN GALE   was born at Oxford, Massachusetts, August 23, 1802. He lived in Worchester, Amherst, and neighboring towns till 1821, and by his own exertions obtained a classical education. In 1833 he came to Ohio, and located at Wordsfield, where he practiced law for several years. He was married at Somerfield, Monroe county, Ohio, to Mary J. Cleveland, and shorly afterward removed to Zanesville, where he resided until 1850, following his profession, and, in this interval, holding two or three important positions of public trust. In December, 1848, he commenced the publication of a newspaper called the Peoplefs Platform, which was, in November, 1849, removed to Columbus, and subsequently merged into the Columbian, afterwards the Ohio Statesman, which he edited until his death. In 1850 his family followed him to Columbus, where he resided during the remaining twenty-five years of his life. Here Mr. Gale practiced law for several years, but the greater portion of his time, after he became a resident of Columbus, was devoted to journalism, in an editorialand reportorial capacity. Also, during this time, he prepared for .publication several books, pamphlets, and political documents, which made him thoroughly conversant with the politics and events of the day, and brought him in close contact with the leading men of the country. His acquaintance extended very generally throughout the State. in the year 1867 he was elected official reporter of the senate of the fifty-seventh general assembly, which position he tilled at each subsequent session of the legislature until his demise. In April, 1874, he was elected justice of the peace of Montgomery township; but died on the twentieth of the same month, in the seventy-second year of his age. His widow yet resides in Columbus.   Sylvester W., Ella, A., John T., Mary E., and Anna S. Gale, was born at Zanesville, Ohio—except the youngest, Anna S. The eldest Sylvester, W., is associate publisher and editor of the Columbus Herald, a weekly newspaper; John 'I'. is probate judge of Franklin county, and all reside in Columbus, Ohio.   JOSIAH KINNEAR,   sheriff, is the second child of Samuel and Ellen Kinnear. He was born in Clinton township, this county, on June 27, 1834. His father came to Ohio, from Pennsylvania, in 1806, first settling in Pickaway county, where lie lived until 1833. He then removed to this county., and opened a hotel in what is now North Columbus. He was a justice of the peace some thirty-eight years, and died March 6, 1867. The mother, Ellen Hill, came with her father's family, from Virginia, in 1813. She was then ten years of age, and rode the entire distance on horseback. Her parents located near Darbyville, in Pickaway county. Mrs. Kinnear is now living in Columbus. Sheriff K innear began his education in the Columbus public schools, attended the university at 'Westerville sonic time, and finished at the Capital university, Columbus, Ohio. He began life as a farmer and surveyor, and in the latter capacity, laid out, in 1854,. North Columbus. In 1870, he was elected surveyor for Franklin county, and at the end of three years was elected city engineer. In the fall of 1877, he was elected sheriff, his term of office expiring in the fall of 1879. He is a Democrat, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Ancient Order of Workmen, of which he has been treasurer since its organization. His wife is Josephine, a daughter of Captain Alexander and Flora Shattuck, of Locust Grove, this county, by whom four children were born—Samuel A., William S., Edgar F., and Lizzie.   B. F. BOWEN,   county surveyor and civil engineer, is of Scotch ancestry. He was born in 'Wooster, Wayne county, Ohio, on the twelfth of February, 1827, and, after receiving a common-school education, "finished up," as the phrase goes, at the old academy, on the hill, in Springfield, Ohio. But, as an eminent English lawyer, who, when asked the question, at what age he had completed his studies, replied, that he had never finished them, and did not expect to do so until he died, Mr. Bowen is still a student of some of the higher branches of mathematics, and particularly so of civil engineering. He has devoted all his spare time to them, and will remain a student while life lasts. After leaving the academy at Springfield, he taught school in Clark and Madison counties for several years. Preferring a more active life, in 1852 he became a resident of Columbus, where he was a successful contractor and builder. Here he commenced business as land surveyor and civil engineer. Three years after, he became connected with the office of city civil engineer, and, in 1867, was elected chief of that office, which position he held for five years. During his connection with this office, more improvements in main trunk sewers, wood block pavements, etc., were made, necessitating the attention of the city engineer, than for any like period either before or since. In May, 1874, Mr. Bowen was appointed county surveyor to fill a vacancy, and, with it, that of county civil engineer. Since then he has been twice elected by the people as county surveyor, and is still retained by the commissioners as county civil engineer, in which latter office he has had charge of the bridges erected, and all other county matters requiring engineering skill.   At the time of the Ashtabula bridge disaster, in December, 1877, where many lives were lost, and much property destroyed, by the giving way of the bridge. while being crossed by a long train of passenger cars, a legislative examination was demanded. A joint-com mmittee of the senate and house of representatives was appointed, who visited the scene of the disaster, taking with them, as experts, three civil engineers of Columbus, at the head of whom was Mr. Bowen. The report of the committee, with diagrams of the bridge by the engineers, was published. The report of the engineers was credited to Mr. Bowen as the author. A prominent civil engineer, residing in Michigan, sent to the author of this for a copy, and, in acknowledging its receipt, pronounced it the clearest and plainest expose of the defects of railroad bridge building he had ever read. The report was widely commented upon in scientific papers, and always in terms of highest praise.   HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO - 589 In land surveying, Mr. Bowen has always given satisfaction. As county civil engineer, be has much experience and a thorough knowledge of his business. As an officer, he is prompt and attentive to his duties. He is a man of positive character, good morals.and strict Integrity, and has the esteem of all who know him. Mr. Bowen was united in marriage on July 2, 1868, to Miss Carrie H., daughter of Hon. Charles B. and Mary Flood, of Columbus, Ohio, by whom four children were born: Josephine, Frank, William K.., and Charles, who are all living. JOHN U. RICKENBACHER. The subject of this brief biographical notice, John U. Rickenbacher, sheriff-elect of Franklin county, was born in Canton. Bosse', Switzerland, November 30, 1822. His parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Rickenbacher, were farmers ; but as they did not desire their son to follow their own calling, he was apprenticed, at the age of fifteen years, to a tailor, with whom he remained eight years: In 1846, he emigrated to America, landing in New York August 13. On the sixth of October, the same year, he came to Columbus, where he has lived ever since, with the exception of the time he was with the United States army, in Mexico. He enlisted in the spring of 1847, in company B, of the Fourth regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, and remained in the service until honorably discharged, after the declaration of peace, in July, 1848. He was in the engagements at Homaudla, Pueobla, and Atlisco. He enlisted as a private, and was promoted to the position of sergeant. On the close of the Mexican war Mr. Rickenbacher returned immediately to Columbus, and resumed work at his trade. He was employed as a journeyman tailor three years; by N. Burgle, and nine years, by H. Coit & Company. After the expiration of the latter term he went into partnership with C. Hertenstein, with whom he remained for six and a half years, and severed the connection in 1866, only to engage in the same business—merchant tailoring—alone. Politically, Mr. Rickenbacher was an independent voter, until the candidacy of John C. Fremont, when he became affiliated with the party of which he has ever since been an adherent and supporter. He was a strong Union man during the civil war, did much to help the cause, and but for circumstances, too strong to be overcome, would have been found in the fighting ranks. Although having a warns interest in the success of those principles which he deemed right, he took no very active part in politics until 1872, when he was elected councilman from the Fifth ward. His term expired in 1874, and he was re-elected, serving two years more. In the spring of 1877 he was elected police commissioner, for a term of four years, but resigned his office, when he accepted the nomination for the sheriffalty. The Republicans of Franklin county paid him the deserved compliment. of this nomination, at the convention held August r, 1879, and he was elected October 14th, following. The subject of this sketch was married, December 6, 1848, to Miss Elizabeth Christina Schafer. The offspring who blessed this union were: Franklina (deceased); William, who is a resident of Mifflin township; Caroline (Shrader), Albert, and John M., who are living in Columbus. About the time that he was married Mr. Rickenbacher. became a member of the German Lutheran church, and in later years of the Evangelical church, of which he is one of the leading supporters. Mr. Rickenbacher in his public and private relations has had the warmest regard and highest respect of all with whom he has come in contact. He is a man of simple, quiet tastes, careful and conscientious in business affairs, and of absolutely unsullied reputation and character. His successful career has been, and is, equally illustrative of the worth of honest, manly, personal endeavor, and of the beneficent effects of a Republican form of government, in which the foreigner and the native born, the wealthy and those of humbler condition, have the same opportunities of social or business advancement, and of political preferment. THEODORE LEONARD is the son of French parents—Louis Leonard and Catharine (La Valle), who lived for a time in New York State, hut removed from there to Canada and located near Montreal, where Theodore was born, October 25, 182o. His father was a well-to-do farmer but lost his property, and from the time he was twelve years of age the son was obliged to look out for himself. He worked for the farmers in the vicinity of his home, getting wages which were a mere pittance, until he was twenty years of age. Although his earnings were small, he managed, by the most careful economy, to accumulate a small sum of money, and from the very first was seldom, if ever, entirely without resources. The. school was a hard one, but the lessons learned were valuable, for they established the habits of prudence, industry and thrift, that have combined to make Mr: Leonard's career one of success. When 'Theodore Leonard was twenty years of age, in 1840, he came to Columbus, where his father had preceeded him. He was comparatively empty handed and could not speak a word of English. He immediately went to work at brick making, being employed by W. Atcheson as a common laborer. He exhibited qualities which Mr. Atcheson admired, and after three years had passed by was taken into partnership with Mr. Atcheson and another gentleman, the firm name being Atcheson, Shuemaker & Leonard. For sixteen years Mr. Leonard remained in the same business and partnership. At the expiration of that period the firm dissolved and the partners each took an equal share of one hundred and seventy-five acres of land that they had bought in common. This was the beginning of Mr. Leonard's ownership of land. He continued in the brick-making business and engaged in farming. As his means increased he added piece after piece of land to the small tract he originally owned, until he accumulated his present possessions, nine hundred acres of land, which lies in the townships of Marion, Clinton and Mifflin. In addition to the other business which claimed his attention, the subject of this sketch, became a contractor and builder—erecting from forty to fifty houses in the city of Columbus and its vicinity. But it was in buying and selling real estate that he perhaps made the greater portion of his ample fortune. He bought .and sold a great many thousand dollars worth of city and country property, and, in the main, was very successful in his ventures, though by no means uniform idly so, for, like other men of varied and extensive business affairs, he net with some serious reverses, from one cause and another. The real estate lying close to the city limits increased fast, in value, as the city grew in prosperity and extended its territory. The avenue, bearing his name, was opened through Mr. Leonard's property in 1870, and did considerable towards enhancing its value. Mr. Leonard is one of those men who, from their manner of using wealth, show themselves worthy of being its possessors. His good fortune has been to the advantage of others than himself. His public and private charites give evidence of the most whole-souled generosity of nature, and are perpetual Memorials or monuments of his kind character. Among his larger donations may be mentioned one of five thousand dollars to the building fund of the Catholic cathedral, and a still more munificent gift to the seminary known as St. Mary's of the Springs. This institution, located in Mifflin township, has grounds thirty-three acres in extent, which Mr. Leonard gave outright for the use of the school, in addition to the donation of ten thousand dollars in cash. Besides these large gifts there have been many smaller, unostentatious tendets of aid to worthy objects, and many utterly unknown save to doner and recipient. Such is Mr. Leonard's reputation among those who know him well. Mr. Leonard is the father of eight living- children. His home, which stands just upon the Clinton and Marion township line, is one of the pleasantest in that part of the county. The house, of which a view appears upon another page, was built by its present owner in the year 1852. PETER E. AMBOS. Peter Emil Ambos, son of Henry Ambos, was born September 29, 1814, in Zweibruken, Rheinbaiern, Germany, where he remained until nearly seventeen years of age, when, in 1830, he emigrated to America, and landed at Norfolk, Virginia. He remained in Norfolk two years, and worked at making, confectionery, which business he learned, and in 1832 removed to Columbus, where he ever after resided. He opened a confectionery store on south High street, in a building situated on tree ground now occupied by Comstock's opera house, his place of busi' ness being located about where Miss \Vilkie's millinery establishment is now conducted. There he remained about nine years, one year of which was in a partnership with George Egner, who came with him from Norfolk. He came to this country poor in purse, but rich in the possession of good habits, and by strict attention to business, and stern habits of integrity, coupled with an indomitable perseverance, he laid the foundation of a successful life, and was enabled to amass a large 590 - HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO.   property: Some nine years after engaging in business here he was enabled to purchase the ground whereon the present store of Stevenson, Ruhl & Company is located, where he continued the confectionery business. This business he disposed of in 1854, when he became connected with the Columbus Manufacturing company of which he was treasurer during the presidency respectively of Samuel Galloway and John S. Hall. The name of the company was afterwards changed to the Columbus Machine company, of which Mr. Ambos was made president in 1865, from which time, and during the remainder of his life he was president and treasurer. He was one of the men who organized the First National bank of Columbus, in 1863, and was elected its first vice-president. After the death of W. B. Hubbard, in 1866, he was made president, which office he continued to hold until his death. He was also president of the old Capital Insurance company until it was merged into the Franklin Insurance company. On the first day of August, 1841, lie was united in marriage to Dorothea Jaeger, of this city, who survives him. To them were born, Ake children, Emelie, Emil, and Herman. Mr. Ambos had not had good health for several of the later years of his life, and while at Kelley's Island, in the spring of 1866, lie contracted a severe cold, which resulted in catarrh of the lungs, in consequence of which he \Vent to the I lot Springs of Arkansas, whence he returned in May much improved in health. He was a man of very regular habits, and was generous to a fault. No charity scarcely appealed to him in vain. He was a man of good business qualifications, and of sterling integrity. All who knew him missed him, and none more so than those who were intimately associated with him in his business relations. lie was at the First National bank up to the closing hours on Saturday, in about his usual health, from whence he repaired to his home on south High street. Shortly after his arrival at his home he was seized with a fainting spell, from which he revived, and soon after retired to rest. About eleven o'clock he was taken with severe vomiting, and after this called once for his wife. Unconsciousness such followed, which continued until his death, at half-past two o'clock Sunday morning, June 25, 1877. The immediate cause of his death was pronounced apoplexy. Besides his wife and their children, he had a sister in the city, Mrs. Louis Hoster, who mourn his death. As a banker, Mr. Ambos was prompt and accurate in judgment, and faithful to all interests confided to his care. Throughout his business career lie was known as a man of unquestionable integrity and unblemished honor. As a citizen he was enterprising and public-spirited, and assisted much in all public improvements, besides contributing largely to charitable undertakings. As a neighbor and friend he was cheerful, intelligent, courteous, and kind, and at his death left no enemy in the community wherein he had lived nearly half a century. A portrait of Peter Emil Ambos, together with a representation of his beautiful home on south High street, Columbus, appears in connection with this sketch of his life.   CHRISTIAN F. JAEGER.   The subject of this sketch, Christian Frederick Jaeger, was born at Heiligenrode, in Hesse Cassel, Germany, August 1 i, 1795. His parents were Rev. John Justus Jaeger, a minister of the German Reformed church, and Maria Jaeger. When but four years of age, his father died, and his mother moved, with her children, to Hesse Cassel, where they were educated. In 1811, his mother was enabled to procure his admittance into the Westphalian Artillery school, where he pursued military studies, under able instructors, until 1812 or 1813, when the French were driven out of the city by a Russian corps, under the brave General Zernicheff. On their departure, the young artillery soldier determined to follow them, and join the allied forces of his native land, which he was able to do after the battle of Leipzig. The Kur-Hessian army wets organized, and formed a part of the north German allied army, and young Jaeger was commissioned a second lieutenant. His superior officer was the celebrated Kleistfun Nollendorf. The German army pursued the enemy into French territory, but the corps to which he was attached took no active part in any severe battles. After the signing of the treaty of Paris, by which peace became assured, he returned to his native country, where he continued in the service, as an officer of the Kur- Hessian army He was successively promoted to first lieutenant and captain, and was made commandant of the flying artillery corps, in which lie served until 1832, when, by his own request, he was relieved from further service. By the document accepting of his resignation, he is granted the privilege of re-entering the service at any time. The fol lowing is an accurate copy of the acceptance of his resignation, and is signed by the reigning prince of Hesse Cassel :   FRIEDERICH WILHELM   von Gottes Gnaden.   Kurprinz and Mitregent von Hessen, Erbgrossherzog von Fulda, Fuerst zu Hcrsfeld, Hanau, Fritzlar and Ysenburg, Graf zu Catzenelnbogen, Dietz, Ziegenhain, Nidda and Schatunberg, etc., etc. : Nachdem Wir dem, in Unserer Artillerie bisher gestandenen Captain Christian Friederich Jaeger den underthaenigst nachgesuchten Abschied, neben dessen Versetzung, a la suite der Artillerie tend vorbehaltlich seines Wiedereintrittes in der dermaligen Anciennitaet fuer den Fall einer Wiederanstellung in derselben, gnaedigst zugestanden haben, so wird darueber das gegenwaertige Dokument ertheilt, and zugleich bezeugt: dass der genannte Captain waehrend seiner Dienstzeit Von neunzehn Jahren, sechs Monaten die Dim obliegenden Pflichten, deft Gesetzen der Ehle and des Dienstes gemaess, auf strengste erfuelli hat.   Urkundlich Unserer hoechsteigenhaendigen Unterschrift and des beigedruckten Staats-Siegels.   WILHELMSHOEHE, den 7ten July, 1832.   [s. s.1  FRIEDERICH WILHELNI, Kurprinz and Mitregent.   Abschied fuer den in der Artillerie getandenen Capitain Christian Friederich Jaeger.   Christian Frederick Jaeger was married in 1821, to Johanna Henrietta Brauer, who was born January 28, 1799, and died in Columbus, February 10, 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger, with their children, emigrated to America in 1834, leaving Germany in April, and arriving in New York the third of July. Their intention was to proceed to Missouri, and there make a home. With this destination in view, they took a steamboat on the Hudson river, after about a week's delay in New York, and journeyed to Albany. They then traveled, on the first horse railway built in the country, to Schenectady; from Schenectady, by canal, to Buffalo; then by steamer, on Lake Erie, to Cleveland, where they again embarked on a canal boat, having for fellow-passengers, a part of the way, a flock of sheep. When they arrived at Lockbourne, they found that the feeder of the canal was broken, and boats could not come up to Columbus. A large wagon was procured, in which the children and the baggage were loaded, while those strong enough to walk footed it to Columbus. The entire journey consumed three weeks. After they had arrived in Columbus, it was deemed best to proceed no farther west, as the cholera was raging with great violence at the time. Several months after arriving here, Mr. Jaeger made a purchase of one hundred and forty acres of land, on what is now the south part of the principal street of the city. Here Mr. Jaeger has since lived, in a house built and occupied by Governor Lucas, many years since. The extension of the city to the south, has brought this property within the city limits, and has largely increased its value. A considerable portion of it has since been sold, but there yet remain of the original farm sixty-five acres, which has not been surveyed into city lots.   To Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger were born eleven children--seven in Germany, and four after their settlement in Columbus. The names of those who grew to maturity were: Dorothea (now Mrs. Peter Ambos), Herman W., Henry, who died in 1846, Maria (now Mrs. Selbach), Joanna (now Mrs. Hoffman), Edward, who died in 1876, Frederick, Matilda (now Mrs. Lesquereaux), Emma (now Mrs. Fix); Henrietta died when about two years of age, and an infant also died. Of this large family, seven are now living, all but one (Mrs. Fix) in Columbus. Mr. Jaeger has always lived a retired life as a farmer, and has taken much interest in agricultural pursuits. He imported a number of varieties of fruit trees from Germany, among them a harvest apple that has become a general favorite. He has never taken an active part in the politics of this country, though he has always kept informed on political affairs, and has generally exercised his privilege to vote. During the late war between Germany and France, probably no person in the city took a greater interest in the result of the struggle than did Mr. Jaeger.   HON. LEANDER FIRESTONE, M. D., LL. D.,   superintendent of the Hospital for the Insane near Columbus, is one of the most remarkable and successful examples in the State of the self-made man. By his own unaided efforts he has climbed triumphantly from one of the humblest to one of the most exalted walks of life. I his career affords to young men everywhere a shining illustration of the possibilities inherent in energy, pluck, and persistence of character and purpose, especially in the free life and amid the abounding opportunities of this republic. Dr. Firestone is of Teutonic extraction. His father, Daniel F. Firestone, was an immigrant in 1815, from Beaver county, Pennsylvania, to Wayne county, Ohio. In Salt Creek township, in the latter county, on the eleventh of April, 1819, the subject of   HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO - 591   this notice was born. His general education was received altogether in the country schools of that region, and at Salem academy, whither he went at the early age of fourteen, supporting himself while there by manual labor, a part of the time by chopping cord-wood at three shillings a cord. He began teaching district schools when in his sixteenth year, receiving, at times, but twelve dollars per month, and boarding himself. His first school was in what is now Perry township, Ashland county, but he afterwards taught nearer home—in Wayne county. He continued in his profession, if such it may be called, during about four years, and also "kept school ' at intervals during his study of medicine, which he began in 1838, at the age of nineteen. Toward this branch of the worldfs work, he showed a decided bent while still a boy; and, determining to excel in whatever he undertook, he was frequently remarked as being studiously engaged with his books, while other juveniles were at play. In 1839, he entered the office of Dr. Stephen F. Day, in Wooster, who was renowned as one of the most skilful surgeons in the State, and to whom Dr. Firestone attributes much of his own proficiency in this line of practice. During the winter of 1840-r, the young candidate for medical honors and emoluments attended lectures at the Jefferson Medical college, Philadelphia, and in 1845-6, at the Cleveland Medical college, where he was graduated in the latter year. He then located, as a practitioner, at Congress village, in Wayne county, but shortly took a vacation for special studies in practical and surgical anatomy, and the principles of operative surgery, the latter under Prof. H. A. Ashley, M. D., of Cleveland. In 1848, he was elected demonstrator of anatomy at his alma mater, the Cleveland Medical college (or medical department of the Western Reserve college). He retained this appointment until 1853, when he was called to a higher and more important duty, as the first superintendent of the Northern Ohio Insane asylum, at Newburg, now the Eighteenth ward of Cleveland. Getting this institution thoroughly organized, and well upon its feet, he retired from its superintendency, in 1856, to enter upon general practice in Wooster. In this, however, his eminent abilities and reputation did not suffer him long to remain. He was recalled to Cleveland, in 1863, by an election to the chair of midwifery in the Charity Hospital Medical college, now, in the same city, the Medical Department of the University of Wooster. In 1868, he was elected to the chair of surgery, which he held until 1872, and was then made professor of medical and surgical diseases of women, in the same institution, holding at the time, also, the position of class lecturer on anatomy, physiology, and hygiene in the University proper. In 1874, he received the honorary degree of doctor of laws, from the Ohio university, located at Athens. Four years afterwards he received from Governor Bishop, the high honor of appointment to the superintendency of the new Hospital for the Insane, occupying a picturesque and commanding site on the hills, west of Columbus. He accepted the post with much reluctance, and, after much hesitation, on account of the pecuniary and other sacrifices it made "necessary ; but was finally induced to take it, upon the pledge that the legislature should be influenced to increase the salary of the office by one thousand dollars. In this position he has won his crowning reputation, being now regarded as one of the first superintendents of the kind in the country.   Dr. Firestone was married August 23, 1839, when but twenty years old, to a distant 'relative, Miss Susannah Firestone, also of Wayne county. They have had eight children, but one of whom is now living: Dr. William W. Firestone, of Wooster—also a physician of considerable note. Another son, Melvin O., became assistant physician at the Columbus asylum, and died at his post of duty there, of apoplexy, January 23, 1879. He had previously, for some years, been a practitioner of medicine, with much success. Most of the boyhood and youth of General David S. Stanley, of the United States army, were passed in the elder Dr. Firestone's family, he having taken the boy from obscurity and poverty, out of pure goodness of heart, to rear for honorable and distinguished service, sent him to college, and secured him an appointment to the military academy.   Dr. Firestone became a mason, in 1847, and has filled many high offices in the order. He is also a member of the Ohio State Medical society, which he has served as president, and of the American, Northwestern and Wayne County Medical associations, and is an honorary member of the Gynecological society, of Boston, Massachusetts.   RICHARD J. FANNING.   Richard J. Fanning was born in Waterford,. Ireland, July 31, 1845. He came with his parents to America in 1851, arriving in New York on the fifteenth of August. 'The family located in Cleveland, Ohio, where his father was engaged in business until his death, in 1870, and was universally respected as a reliable citizen. He was a man of fine education, and an ardent admirer of the constitution and laws of the United States, and as soon as was permissible, he secured, by naturalization, the right of franchise, and cast his first vote for James Buchanan for president.   Young Fanning passed his boyhood days in Cleveland, and made rapid progress in. his studies. Physically and mentally he approached an early maturity, and so it was not strange that when the war broke out he had an intense interest and enthusiasm in the success of the Northern arms. He was only sixteen years of age, but, having a strong desire to enter the army, he, notwithstanding the earnest opposition of his parents, enlisted, October 5, 1861, and was enrolled as a private soldier in battery C, Fifth United States artillery, at Cleveland, and was sent immediately to Camp Greble, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, from which place the battery was ordered to the front in time to participate in the various battles before Richmond. Battery C was attached to the famous Pennsylvania Reserve, organized by Governor A. G. Curtin, of that State, and assigned to the Army of the Potomac, under General George B. McClellan, commander-in-chief.   The subject of this brief sketch was with battery C in the seven-daysf battle on the Peninsula; at the second battle of Bull Run; at South Mountain; and, on September 17, 1862, at Antietam, where General McClellan defeated the combined forces of Lee and Jackson. At this battle Mr. Fanning received a painful, but not dangerous, flesh wound on the leg, yet, although urged to do so, he would not leave the front. Three months later—December 13, 1862—he met with more serious experience. Upon that date, at the battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, he was severely wounded in the left arm. The bones and arteries were terribly shattered and cut, and the young soldier was totally incapacitated for further service; in fact, he has never fully recovered the use of his arm. He was honorably discharged from the army in June, 1863, and, returning to Cleveland, he led, for two years, a life of enforced idleness, his injury making it impossible for him to follow any vocation.   In 1865 he received an appointment as clerk in the Cleveland & Ma-honing railroad office, and continued to work for that company, and the Atlantic & Great Western railroad company, for ten years, or until 1875. In that year Arnold Green, esq., clerk of the supreme court of Ohio, appointed him his deputy. His efficient and faithful service as Mr. Green's assistant, and a wide personal popularity, won for him, in 1877, the nomination, upon the Democratic State ticket, for the office of clerk of the supreme court. He made a splendid run, being elected by a large majority, and has served ever since in the office to which then chosen, giving unqualified satisfaction, and securing the warm personal friendship of all with whom he has had official relations, without regard to party proclivities.   On the eighth of .November, in the same year, Mr. Fanning was united in wedlock to M. Cecilia Miller, third daughter of the late Hon. Thomas Miller, of Columbus. By this fortunate union, and the acquirement of property where, at first, he had but an official residence, he has doubtless become, as he considers himself, a permanent citizen at the State capital.   HON. JOHN M. PUGH,   ex-probate judge of Franklin county, and otherwise long a prominent citizen of Columbus, was born in Truro township, in that county, November 7, 1823, son of David and Jane (nee Murphy) Pugh, the former of whom is the subject of another notice in this history. He was educated, in the style prevalent at that early day, in the old log school houses, to which, in his case, a substantial addition was made at the Reynoldsburg high school, and subsequently at Central college. He supported himself at these schools in the summer by teaching school during the winter. His last school was taught in the summer of 1848, at Kirkersville, Licking county. September fourth, of that year, he began reading law with Major Samuel Brush, of Columbus, remaining with him until 1851, when he was admitted to practice at the November term of the supreme court, and sworn in by Hon. Peter Hitchcock, presiding judge of that court. In the spring of that year he had been elected to his first office, clerk of what was then Montgomery township, and included the city of Columbus. He was nominated on the Democratic ticket, and, although the city was then Whig by nearly six hundred majority, he was elected by a majority of one hundred and fifty-nine. In 1853, when the contest in Franklin county between the two parties was Very close, he was elected auditor of the county, by the then unprecedented majority of one thousand four hundred and fifty-six.   592 - HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO.   He was re-elected in 1855, and at the close of his second term retired to form a partnership in law practice with his old preceptor, Major Bush. Upon the retirement of the latter from practice, Mr. Pugh formed a partnership with the Hon. L. L. Critchfield. In 1863 he was nominated by the Democrats for probate judge, and was triumphantly elected, receiving subsequently the honor of four successive re-elections, retiring at last in February, 1879, after fifteen years' consecutive service, being in all probability the longest term in that office to be recorded for one man in Franklin county. He also served six -years upon the State board of agriculture-two years as treasurer, and one year as president. For nearly six years he has been one of the commissioners of the State Reform School for Boys, near Lancaster, having been sucscessively appointed to that post by Governors Allen, Hayes, and Bishop, and being two years president of the board. For eleven years he was treasurer of the Franklin County Agricultural society, and three years its president. It does not often occur that a lawyer in full practice, as Judge Pugh now is, in association with his son, John C. L. Pugh, esq., manifests so hearty an interest in agricultural affairs, and is honored with so many offices of trust in connection with them. He is emphatically a Franklin county man, and also stands stoutly by the interests of Columbus. No enterprise has ever been projected for its true interest, that has not found in him a hearty supporter.   Judge Pugh was married on Christmas day, 1851, to Miss Martha F. Cook, by whom he has seven children living-four boys and three girls -one daughter having gone before.   DAVID PUGH,   father of Judge John M. Pugh, of Columbus, and other well known residents, was born in Radnorshire, South Wales, February 8, 1769. He emigrated to this country in the spring of 1801, landing in Baltimore on the fourth of May of that year. Here he engaged himself profitably, until the spring of 1802, when he came to Ohio, then, almost without exception, a wilderness, and made a settlement in what is now Radnor township, Delaware county, so called by him in memory of his ancestral home in Wales. He remained there until 1815, when he removed to Truro township, Franklin county, where he died, on the twenty-fourth of October, 1857, at the good old age of eighty-eight years, eight months, and fifteen days. His wife, Mrs. Jane Pugh, preceded him but a few months to the grave, dying on the eighth of March, next previous. They left children as follows: Judge John M. Pugh, of Columbus, David Pugh, Andrew Pugh, Mrs. May Shield, and Mrs. Jane Hutson.   DR. JOHN M. EDMISTON   was born near Carlisle, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, on the twenty-seventh day of November, 179o. He was graduated from Dickinson college, and afterwards from the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia. He came West, first visiting Lexington, Kentucky, where he had two sisters, and thence to Franklinton, early in 1814, with letters of introduction to Lucas Sullivant, whose family physician he became. Very soon afterwards he removed to Columbus, which had just been laid out, and was the first physician to locate in the new town.   On the twenty-second day of June, 182o, he was married to Miss Matilda A. Gwynne, a native of Alleghany county, near Cumberland, Maryland, but at that time residing with her mother in Columbus. Soon after, he erected a two-story brick residence, at the northeast corner of High street and Walnut alley. This was one of the first brick houses built on High street. It is still standing, and occupied by Dr. Tod.   Dr. Edmiston was a fine physician, and a cultivated and refined gentleman. His professional services were greatly sought; but he was not well suited to endure the hardships of a physician's life in a sparsely settled country, where the calls were mostly at night, and the roads often almost impassable on horseback, the usual means of traveling in those pioneer days. The labor and exposure were great, and his health finally gave way. At the early age of forty-four, on the twenty-third day of July, 1834, he died, leaving a widow and five children. His family were well known in Columbus, after his death. Mrs. Edmiston died on the twenty-fourth day of November, 1874, highly beloved and esteemed by a very large circle of friends. The only survivor of the family is Elizabeth Jane, wife of Henry C. Noble, of Columbus.   FRANCIS STEWART,   the subject of this sketch, was born at York, Pennsylvania, March 2, 1788. His early life was passed on his father's farm, until old enough to be apprenticed to a carpenter. Having served his apprenticeship, while in his twentieth year, with his tools on his back, he started to walk from York to Columbus, and arrived at his destination early in the year 1808. His health up to this time had been delicate, and the journey on foot was made partly in the hope of regaining it. For a short time after settling in Franklinton he worked at his trade, but his health would not permit the violent exercise necessary to that business. When the war of 1812 broke out he, with most of the young men of the place, joined a volunteer cavalry company, known as the Franklinton dragoons. He remained with this troop as ensign until it was disbanded, in 1832 or 1833. In 1815 he was elected sheriff of Franklin county, and served until 1819, at the same time holding the post of county collector, an office long since abolished, whose encumbent's duty it was to go through the county and collect the taxes. In 1817 he married Miss Martha Sterett, a lady of much beauty and culture, who was the mother of his seven children, and who died in Columbus July 20, 1834. In the spring of 1819 he removed to Columbus and engaged in the drygoods business. His store at this time was located on the southwest corner of High and Chapel streets. Mr. Stewart here founded an extensive business, and in 1831 or 1832 removed it to its present locality, at No. 89 south High street, where it is conducted by the firm of Osborn & Company, of which his eldest grandson, M. F. Stewart Knox, is a member. Mr. Stewart was the father of seven children, and, with one exception, survived all of them. Mary, the eldest, wife of Joseph H. Geiger, died March 20, 1854, leaving two daughters-Lydiel J. and Ruth S., both of whom are living in Columbus; Olivia died September 20, 1844; Sarah, wife of Joseph E. Baldwin, died August 31, 1845, leaving one daughter; Martha S., wife of Thomas H. Kennedy, now living in Covington, Kentucky; Charles died April 13, 1846; John married Virginia Miner, and died July 8, 1856, leaving two daughters-Kate M., wife of Alpheus Cutter-died November 2, 1876-and Sarah B., wife of George M. Dewey, now living in Brooklyn, New York; Martha died May 20, 1835; Ruth married F. W. Knox, of Virginia, who died January 8, 1865, leaving two sons, F. Stewart and Archie W. She then married James Kooken, who died August 17, 1872. Mrs. Kooken, the only surviving child, is now living in Columbus. Mr. Stewart served one term in the legislature, from 1832 to 1834. In December, 1836, he married his second wife, Sarah Benfield. About 1850 he retired from active business, leaving it in the hands of Mr. J. D. Osborn, who had been associated with him from boyhood, and whose heirs are now in the firm of Osborn & Company. On his eightieth birthday Mr. Stewart entertained many of his friends, among whom he moved with so firm a step and erect carriage as made them forget he was an octogenarian. A few months later he lost his wife, the devoted companion of many years. Mr. Stewart died January 3, 1874, having reached the unusual age of eighty-six years, mourned by those who knew him and respected by all. He was a man of quiet, modest habits, hospitable, generous, honest, and possessed of strong commonsense. Though not a member of any church, he was a firm supporter of law and order. Education and charity always found in him a generous friend; and after a long and useful life he died as he had lived-a man.   JOHNSTON ELLIOTT ST. CLAIR.   This gentleman, now sixty-three years of age, is the oldest living resident of Columbus, born in that city. He first saw the light in a humble dwelling on south High street, between Rich and Friend streets (all those streets then largely ornamented with stumps), April 24, 1816. He was the third son of William and Mary (Stuckey) St. Clair, natives of Maryland, who had emigrated from Somerset, Pennsylvania, to Columbus, in 1814. His father was a tailor by trade, but young Johnston, after such schooling as the facilities of the infant town afforded, entered, at the early age of fourteen, the tin-shop of Messrs. Gill & Green, as an apprentice,but finished his term with Captain John Haven, when about eighteen years old. The year after, in 1835, he removed, with his father and the family, to Greenfield, Highland county, Ohio, and there set up in business for himself, remaining till the spring of 1843, when he removed to Decatur, Brown county, where he remained three years, engaged in running a woolen factory, and then returned to Greenfield, where he re-entered the tin business, and stayed till October, 1849. He then spent one year in Chillicothe, and at the expiration of that period made his final remove, this time to Columbus, where he has since resided,   JAMES KOOKEN.   James Kooken, second son of Capt. James and Mrs. Gertrude Kooken, natives of this country, but of German .stock, was born in western New York November 9, 1809. His father was a surveyor, and for many years followed his calling in the then new counties of the Empire State, and in 18i I determined to try his fortune further toward the setting sun. He reached the infant settlement at Franklinton, opposite the subsequent site of Columbus, the same year, where he engaged in his profession, as he found opportunity, for several years. In 1815 the first State penitentiary building at Columbus which had been commenced two years previous, was finished and occupied and Captain Kooken was appointed its first warden. He died in Columbus while his son, James, was still quite young. The lad received the elements of education in the public schools of the city, and in 1826 entered, as a clerk, the store of Messrs. Stewart & Brotherton, on High street, the senior of which firm, Mr. Francis Stewart, was father of the lady destined to become, many years afterwards, his second wife. In 1835 he became a bookkeeper in the Clinton bank, conducted by Mr. David W. Deshler upon the site now occupied, in part, by the bank managed by his heirs, on the corner of State and High streets. In 1841 he was united. in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Work, of Columbus, sister of J. C. and Frank Work, two old and prominent citizens of that place. He had no children by this or the subsequent union. He was, at that time, engaged for himself in the dry goods business at Groveport (formerly known variously as Rareysport and Work's Grove), in Franklin county, to which place he had gone in 1838. Two years after marriage, his 'wife's health failed. They came back to Columbus, where he entered the dry goods establishment of Messrs. McCoy, Work and McCoy, the second member of which was his brother-in-law. He lost his first wife by death in 1847, and the next year removed to New York, to take a partnership in a silk house, in which another brother-in law, Mr. Frank Work, was a partner. In this he remained for more than twenty years, when, in 1869, his property having been sacrificed through unfortunate outside investments, he again turned his face westward, and settled this time at Logansport, Indiana, where he was appointed treasurer of the Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western railroad, subsequently accepting a similar position upon the Chicago division of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis road. While occupying the latter post, March 8, 1871, he was remarried, this time being joined in matrimony to Mrs. Ruth A. (Stewart) Knox, of Columbus, whose first husband forms the subject of another sketch in this volume. His health failing shortly after, he resigned his place, and removed in May of the same year back to Columbus, where his declining years were spent in peace and comfort, and in the enjoyment of the universal respect and esteem of his fellow-citizens. He died in that city on the seventeenth of August, 1872, lamented by a large circle of relatives and a host of friends. He was not, in any sense, a noisy or obtrusive citizen, but his sterling qualities of character and kindness of heart greatly endeared him to all who knew him well. He was eminently a quiet, domestic man, and in his private and family life, as in his business, he was ever irreproachable. It cannot always be noted of a step-father, as of him, that the children of his second wife became as much attached to him as they had been to their own father. He had excellent business abilities for the places he occupied in his later life, but freely confessed that he had not the enterprise necessary for large and independent transactions. He was, however, nevertheless a most estimable citizen, and his memory will long be held in honor by the multitude whom he numbered among his friends.   HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO - 593   doing a general hardware and tin business, with the firm of St. Clair & Scott, of which he was head, and Mr. Gamaliel Scott the junior, the firm remaining the same until April, 1879, when Mr. Scott retired, the partnership then being the oldest in the city, without change, having continued unbroken for twenty-five years. The business has been continued on the same site, northwest corner of Friend and south High streets, since 1852. Mr. St: Clair has served three terms in the city council, and has been president of the society twelve of the thirteen years during which the Franklin County Pioneers' association has had an existence, which post he now holds. He was married, April 7, 1842, to Miss Eliza McClelland, of Greenfield. They have had seven children : James Reed, killed by an accident, in falling from a derrick, in September, 1868; Mary A., now Mrs. Joseph Amos, of Columbus; Helen, still residing at home; William, of Columbus, in charge of his father's business; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Frances M. Clark, also at the old home, together with Misses Lucy and Kate St. Clair. Mrs. St. Clair is also still living, and, with her husband, enjoying a healthy and happy old age.   JOHN G. THOMPSON.   John G. Thompson, sergeant-at-arms of the Federal house of representatives, and one of the most active and distinguished political managers in the country, is a citizen of Columbus. He was born on Mill Creek, Union county, Ohio, February 17, 1833, son of James and Catharine (Gamble) Thompson, the former an immigrant from Virginia, the latter of Irish descent. This fortunate cross of bloods, together with his early life and athletic labors in the pure air of the country, has contributed greatly to the physical and mental vigor which has characterized his career. He remained upon his father's farm for about twenty years, save one year and a half spent at the Marysville academy, in his native county, and three "quarters" (about nine months) occupied in teaching district schools. His education was chiefly acquired in these humble, but useful, "colleges of the people," which have furnished the sole education received in a formal way of our most distinguished men. His favorite studies were mathematical, and at this early day he looked with some confidence to the profession of civil engineer. Circumstances, however, prominent among which was poor health, soon otherwise determined his career, and in his twentieth year he entered the dry goods business, as a partner with his father, at Watkins, in the same county. 'This connection was presently dissolved, and in March, 1854, when but twenty-one years of age, he boldly pushed to Columbus, to try his fortunes at the State capital. His first employment here was as a clerk and hook-keeper, in Messrs. A. P. Stone & Company's store, in the old Commercial row, on south High street, between Friend and Mound streets, to which the business of the city was then largely confined. In the same year he accepted a partnership in the same concern, and retained it until the winter of 1859-60, when he relinquished it, upon assuming the duties of the office of county treasurer. While filling this position he engaged in banking, with others, under the firm name of Bailey, Thompson & Company, and continued in this business until 1871; meanwhile, also taking an interest in the dry goods house of A. C: Headley & Company, from which lie retired at the same time, owing to the unfortunate financial complications in which the head of the firm became involved. Since then lie has been mainly in public life.   At a very early age Mr. Thompson began to take an eager interest in politics, in which his chief successes have been won. A Democrat, bred in the hone, he soon became a well-recognized and energetic worker for that party, with which he has steadily been identified. At once, upon coming to Columbus, he became prominent in local politics, especially, a year or two after, in the formation and management of the "Wheatland club" (it was the year of the Buchanan and Fremont campaign), which brought the young Democracy of the city into virtual supremacy. The same year (1856) he was made a member of the Dem ocratic county committee, and was its secretary during the next two years. He has been a member of the State Central committee of his party continuously since 1860, and the work which has principally given him name and fame has been done in connection with it. At the very Outset of this service he was made secretary of the committee, and again in 1862. The next year, at the age of only thirty, he was advanced to the chairmanship, which he has retained continuously ever since, with the exception of three years; and from 1863 to 1879, save but two years, he has also been entrusted with the responsible and laborious duties of chairman of the Executive committee, becoming thus, and for so long a time, the chief manager and organizer of Democracy in the State. He was a delegate from Ohio to the Democratic National convention in New York, in 1868, and four years afterwards to the similar convention in Baltimore. Since 1868 he has been the member for Ohio of the National Democratic committee, serving continuously during that time, on the Executive committee of the same.   Mr. Thompson's .eminent services to his party have not, of course, been altogether unrewarded. As already noted, he was elected treasurer of Franklin county in 1859. Two years afterwards, when the Republican party had greatly strengthened by the war agitation, he was reelected by a majority of one thousand seven hundred, by far the largest majority received at that election in the county—Mr. Jewett, Demoeratic candidate for governor, receiving but five hundred and twenty. In the spring of 1862 he was chosen a member of the city council, and at once made chairman of the Police committee, which, at that timea time of peculiar difficulty and turbulence, from the presence in and about the city of large numbers of soldiers—had sole charge of the police force. He declined re-election until 1869, when he was returned to the council, and gave his influence in that body to the overthrow of the conservatism which had long obstructed the cityfs growth. By this council measures were ordained for the extension of the city limits, for water works, the city hall, and street improvements, all of which have contributed immensely to the since rapid increase of the city in population and wealth. In 1871, Mr. Thompson was elected to the State senate from Franklin and Pickaway counties, and was re-elected two years after and did creditable service in that body until the spring of 1874, when he resigned to accept, by the appointment of Governor Allen, the office of State commissioner of railways and telegraphs. From this post he was called away in December, 1875, when, upon the resumption of power by the Democracy in the lower house of congress, he was elected sergeant-at-arms of that body, and has been honored by successive re-elections, by acclamation and without opposition, by the house Democrats of the Forty-fifth and Forty-sixth congresses. During the sessions he occupies himself closely and attentively with the duties of his important position, and is a popular officer with political foes as well as friends. In his official capacity, he accompanied the remains of Congressman Hartridge to their final resting-place, in the soil of Georgia.   Mr. Thompson has seen sufficient military service to afford some color of justification for the sobriquet of "colonel," sometimes bestowed upon him. Soon after his settlement in Columbus he joined a company of the State Fencibles, and remained a member until it was broken up by enlistment for the war. He was afterwards a captain in the State militia, and also served in the "squirrel-hunters— campaign, organized in the fall of 1862 to resist the threatened invasion of the State by the rebel general, Morgan. He was a steady supporter of the war, and, with Mr. W. S. V. Prentiss closely following, gave the first one hundred dollar subscription to the twenty thousand dollars (finally forty thousand dollars), raised in Columbus, to support the families of citizens who had enlisted in the Federal service.   Upon his twenty-fourth birth-day, February 17, 1857, Mr. Thompson was married to Miss Fannie High, daughter of Mr. Hosea S. High, a farmer of Franklin county. Their union has been blessed with three sons and two daughters, four of whom are living. 'The family resides in a beautiful. house on north High street, Columbus, at the corner of Seventh avenue.