(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) 200 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY to Miss Edith Baughman, and to them have been born three children, namely : Florence, who is the wife of Clifford Gelb, of Millersburg, Ohio ; Robert and Herbert. In his political views Mr. Lower is independent, voting according to the dictates of his judgment. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Lions Club. Because of his earnest life, well rounded character and successful career, he is well deserving of the respect which is accorded him by his fellowmen. JOSEPH ANTHONY CRAMER Alert to his opportunities, Joseph A. Cramer has achieved success in many lines of endeavor and belongs to that class of aggressive, resourceful and enterprising young business men to whom Akron looks for its future growth and development. He was born in Massillon, Ohio, March 25, 1891, and is a son of Herman and Salcma ( Hincker ) Cramer, residents of Akron. The father was born in Germany and the mother in Alsace-Lorraine, which was then under the rule of the French government. Joseph A. Cramer was educated in the public schools of Dalton, Ohio, and in 1909, when eighteen years of age, came to Akron, obtaining work in the plant of the Diamond Rubber Company. Later he entered the service of the Quaker Oats Company and soon proved his worth to the firm. He was steadily promoted and aided in installing. the machinery in the new mill of the Quaker Oats Company. His next employment was with the Goodrich Rubber Company, with which he remained for a number of years, filling responsible positions, and then started out for himself. Organizing the Summit Beach Navigation Company, he operated a line of pleasure boats to Lakeside Park and established a profitable business. On May 16, 1918, Mr. Cramer enlisted in the United States army and after a short stay in Valparaiso, Indiana, was sent to Orono, Maine, for university training. From there he went to Camp Hancock, near Augusta, Georgia, and was detailed for duty in the ordnance department. While in France he was attached to the Third Heavy Mobile Ordnance Repair Shop and after the signing of the armistice was sent to Germany with the Army of AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 203 Occupation. In May, 1919, he was honorably discharged at Camp Sherman, near Chillicothe, Ohio, and soon afterward resumed the management of the affairs of the Summit Beach Navigation Company. He sold his holdings in the firm in 1922 and formed the Cramer Cylinder Regrinding Company, which was later incorporated as The Cramer Sales & Engineering Company, distributors of auto parts and factory representatives of several factories. As its president and sole owner he manifests the foresight, initiative and keen sagacity of the true executive and has developed a large business, which is conducted with system and efficiency. Mr. Cramer was married October 26, 1921, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Miss Mabel C. Harlan, of Akron. Her father, Arthur J. Harlan, was of English lineage, and her mother, Lillian F. (Smith) Harlan, was a member of an old American family that was represented in the Revolutionary and Mexican wars. Since 1922 Mr. and Mrs. Cramer have resided in Stow and their attractive home is a center of the social life of the community. They are Christian Scientists in religious faith and members of the Akron church of that denomination. Mr. Cramer belongs to Akron Lodge No. 83, F. and A. M., and in politics is nonpartisan, voting for the candidates whom he considers best qualified for office. He is liberal, broad-minded and energetic, thoroughly imbued with the progressive spirit of the age, and his good qualities have won for him the esteem of many friends. CLAIR BEHMER ALEXANDER Clair B. Alexander, secretary and general manager of the Akron Pure Milk Company, was born in Ghent, Ohio, August 4, 1895, and is a son of Alonzo and Hattie (Behmer) Alexander, natives respectively of Ghent and Richfield, Ohio. His father learned the trade of a carpenter and for many years has been engaged as a building contractor and resides at Ghent. Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Alexander have a family of eight children: Perry Howard, Robert, J. Park, Mrs. Joseph C. Hale, Mrs. Theodore H. James, Mrs. Wilbur Bunnel, Mrs. Edward Stansfield and Clair B. Alexander. The last named obtained his early instruction in Ghent and attended the high school at Bath, Ohio. At the age of eighteen he came to Akron and enrolled as a student in the Actual Business College. After his graduation he became a member of the 204 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY clerical force of the Petersen Paper Box Company, with which he spent a year, and on July 1, 1916, entered the employ of the Akron Pure Milk Company. Starting as a driver, he was later transferred to the office and advanced through the various departments as he demonstrated his worth to the firm. He has served it to the extent of his ability, and in addition to the offices mentioned he is also a director of the corporation, an extended mention of which appears elsewhere in this publication. Mr. Alexander also has other financial interests and is one of the directors of the Guaranteed Acceptance Corporation and president of the United Milk Bottle Redemption Company. On October 8, 1921, Mr. Alexander was married in. Akron to Miss Flora Harter, a daughter of Otto N. and Rose (Spidle) Harter, and they have become the parents of two children : Clair Behmer, Jr., who was born October 25, 1923 ; and Jane Harter, born November 6, 1925. During the World war Mr. Alexander spent ten months in France with Base Hospital No. 54 at Mesves-Bulcy, on the Loire river, serving as sergeant. He is a member of the Akron Chamber of Commerce, the Automobile Club, the Lions Club, the American Legion, the Fairlawn Country Club, and the International Association of Milk Dealers. He is identified with the Masonic order and the Grotto, and his religious belief is indicated by his affiliation with the High Street Church of Christ, in which he is a deacon. He is a typical young business man of the present day and deserves much credit for what he has accomplished. Devotion to duty is one of his outstanding characteristics and he measures up to high standards in every relation of life. JACKSON BICKERS MORRIS Jackson B. Morris is numbered among those whose ability, depth of character and strong personalities have gained for them enviable places in public esteem, and he stands among the respected and successful lawyers of Cuyahoga Falls. He was born in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, November 13, 1895, and is a son of Mattison G. and Mattie (Bickers) Morris. His mother is deceased and his father is now living retired in Kentucky. His early education was received in the public schools and after graduating from high school he entered Georgetown College, at AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 205 Georgetown, Kentucky, from which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1919. He then attended the law school of Western Reserve University at Cleveland, Ohio, and was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1922. He entered upon the practice of his profession in Cleveland, where he remained three years, but on April 1, 1925, came to Cuyahoga Falls and is now associated in the practice with Clarence E. Motz. Possessing a logical and analytical mind and a ready familiarity with legal principles, he seeks faithfully for firm ground and has gained a splendid reputation as a careful, thorough and reliable attorney. Mr. Morris gives his political support to the democratic party and his religious faith is that of the Baptist church. Fraternally he is a member of Mercer Lodge, No. 777, F. & A. M., in Kentucky; and Yusef Khan Grotto in this state. He also belongs to the Lions Club, the Silver Lake Country Club, the University Club of Akron, and the Delta Theta Phi legal fraternity. He belongs to the Summit County Bar Association and the Ohio State Bar Association and is held in high regard by his professional brethren, while throughout the community he has many warm and loyal friends, who esteem him for his genuine worth. DWIGHT L. HOLLINGER Imbued with a love of nature, Dwight L. Hollinger has found the growing of plants and flowers a most congenial occupation, and his ability and energy have placed him with the leading florists of Akron. He was born in Clinton, Ohio, July 5, 1876, a son of Levi D. and Minerva (Wylie) Hollinger, natives respectively of Clinton and East Liberty, Ohio. They were lifelong residents of the Buckeye state, and the father devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. He passed away in 1915 and had long survived the mother, who died when comparatively young. To Mr. and Mrs. Hollinger were born three children : Mervin J., who lives in Napa, California ; Mrs. Belle Castine, of Kenmore, Ohio; and Dwight L. The last named spent his boyhood on his father's farm and attended the public schools of Copley. After his studies were finished he obtained work in a greenhouse and was thus employed for several years, gaining valuable experience. At length he was able to establish a business of his own, erecting a plant at Ken- 206 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY more, and he prospered in the undertaking. As the years passed he decided to seek a larger field of activity and in 1903 allied his interests with those of Akron, purchasing the business of S. W. Pike. Mr. Hollinger enlarged the greenhouses and modernized the plant, which is located at No. 107 West South street. With fifteen thousand square feet of glass he has ample space for his large stock of plants and flowers and is sole owner of the business, which has rapidly expanded. He has devoted deep thought and study to his work, each detail of which is carefully planned, and his success is based upon system and science. Mr. Hollinger was married January 31, 1900, in Akron to Miss Maude E. Schwartz, who was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Schwartz of this city and passed away October 15, 1925. She had become the mother of two children : Ruth E., who was graduated from Ohio State University and is a teacher in the public schools of Akron; and Herbert B., who is attending Ohio State University. Mr. Hollinger is a member of the Vista del Lago Country Club and the National Florists Association. His Masonic affiliations are with the lodge, chapter and council. He keeps in close touch with the latest developments along horticultural lines, and his experiments have been attended by gratifying results. Mr. Hollinger's work is lightened by the pleasure it affords him, and the sterling qualities to which he owes his rise in the business world have established him high in public regard. CHARLES R. DUNCKLEY With efficiency as his watchword, Charles R. Dunckley has steadily progressed and now figures prominently in commercial circles of Akron as a tobacconist, a business to which he has devoted many years of his life. He was born at Crystal Springs, Ohio, February 27, 1892, and is a son of Thomas B. and Alice (Reed) Dunckley, the latter a native of the same town. The father was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and when a young man migrated to Ohio, where he was married. He was an expert stone cutter and followed that trade for some time in Akron. For several years he was inspector of streets and sewers but is now retired. The mother died in August, 1923, in this city. Mr. and Mrs. Dunckley became the parents of three children : Lewis, who lives in Akron; Sarah, who has been a teacher of gymnastics AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 207 in the University of Akron and the public schools of the city for a period of fifteen years; and Charles R. The last named attended the Grace Howe and Lane grammar schools and the Central high school of Akron. At the age of sixteen he laid aside his textbooks and for four years thereafter worked as a machinist. Nature endowed him with a fine bass voice and he was featured at various local entertainments. His singing attracted the attention of theatrical agents and he was induced to join a well known troupe of ministrels, with whom he toured the country. As one of the leading vocalists of that organization Mr. Dunckley received the applause of thousands of theater patrons and in the course of their travels the company came to Akron. This was a trying ordeal for Mr. Dunckley, who was more embarrassed than at any other period in his theatrical career and resolved to abandon the profession as soon as possible. At the end of the season he terminated his engagement and turned his attention to commercial pursuits, becoming a salesman for the John A. Brittain Cigar Company. This position he filled for seven years, displaying a special aptitude for the work, and he then took charge of the cigar and tobacco department of the Summit Wholesale Grocery Company. He successfully managed that branch of the business for seven years, laying aside his duties to enter the service of his country, and was sent to Camp Chillicothe, Ohio. Mr. Dunckley was assigned to the motor transport department, with which he was connected for two years, and was made sergeant of his company. After receiving his honorable discharge he returned to Akron and resumed his position as manager with the Summit Wholesale Grocery Company. He remained with that house until 1922, when he formed a partnership with Bert J. Erlanger, formerly a theatrical man, and on November 6 of that year they organized the Akron Cigar & Tobacco Company, a wholesale concern. The business is located at No. 78 North Howard street and is owned by Messrs. Erlanger and Dunckley, who have a competent staff of salesmen. The trade relations of the firm are rapidly expanded and they now have thousands of patrons in northern Ohio. They feature the Bolds and Dutch Masters and other popular brands of cigars, and their annual sales amount to a large figure. Their knowledge of the tobacco industry has been gleaned by deep study as well as practical experience, and the success of the business is proof of their executive ability and high standards of service. Mr. Dunckley was married June 18, 1919, in Akron to Miss 208 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY Lillie Haas, a daughter of Charles Haas and a member of an old and prominent family of the city. Patricia, the only child of this union, was born in Akron, September 23, 1923. A Knight Templar Mason, Mr. Dunckley is connected with the Grotto and Shrine. He is a member of the Masonic, Mercator and Automobile Clubs, and his religious views are in harmony with the doctrines of Grace Reformed church, of which he is a faithful communicant. As a business man he enjoys an enviable reputation and in matters of citizenship he is patriotic and public-spirited. Of pleasing personality and genial nature, he readily wins friends and is a young man of substantial worth. GEORGE D. KRATZ George D. Kratz, president of the Falls Rubber Company, of Cuyahoga Falls, is a man of long experience in the rubber manufacturing business and has demonstrated his business and executive ability in a manner that has established him firmly in the confidence of his associates. Mr. Kratz was born in Akron, Ohio, on the 9th of January, 1889, and is a son of George F. and Helen (Davenport) Kratz, the former of whom was a pioneer furniture dealer of Akron but is now deceased. George D. Kratz attended the public schools of his home city, graduating from high school, and then entered Cornell University, taking the chemistry course and specializing in organic chemistry and the synthesis of rubber, being graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Chemistry in 1912. He then entered the employ of the old Diamond Rubber Company as chemist and there remained until 1914, when he joined the Norwalk Tire Company, with which he was connected until 1917. He next became identified with the Falls Rubber Company as chief chemist to install a chemical laboratory, and in 1924 was made vice president, holding that position until assuming the presidency on January 23, 1927. Under his administration the corporation is enjoying a steady and continuous increase in business and is today the largest industrial concern in Cuyahoga Falls. Politically Mr. Kratz is a stanch republican, and in local affairs he has at all times stood ready to cooperate with his fellow citizens in advancing the community interests. He is a member of the Lions Club of Cuyahoga Falls, the University Club of Akron, Akron City Club, the Cornell Club of New York, and AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 211 the Greenwich Colony Club. Cordial and affable in manner and candid and straightforward in all of his relations, he stands high in the respect and esteem of all who come in contact with him. JOHN J. BRADY As a contract plasterer John J. Brady was closely connected with building operations in Akron and prominently identified with a business which has been followed successfully in this city by members of the family for nearly a half century. He was born August 6, 1873, in Brockville, a town situated in the province of Ontario, Canada. His father, Thomas Brady, was a native of Ireland, and leaving the Emerald isle in his youth he came to America with the hope of bettering his fortunes and settled in Cook county, Illinois, where he was naturalized in March, 1868. In the previous year he had married Miss Julia Harty, a native of Troy, New York, and later they migrated to Canada. They spent a few years in Brockville and in 1879 came to Akron. Thomas Brady established an enviable reputation as a contract plasterer and contributed his full quota toward the city's upbuilding and improvement, continuing in the business for many years. His demise occurred in August, 1923, and Mrs. Brady passed away in April, 1926. During their old age they were tenderly cared for by John. J. Brady, who had always been a devoted son, manifesting a deep love for his parents. They had a family of eleven children : John J., Emmet E., Thomas J., Mrs. Boyd Brobst, Mrs. James Fitzharris and Mrs. John J. Conroy, all of whom live in Akron; Rev. Father Cletus Brady, of Des Moines, Iowa; Rev. Father Bernard Brady, of St. Paul, Kansas; Sister Cletus, who was connected with the Order of St. Joseph and died in Baden, Pennsylvania; and Mrs. P. T. McCourt and Mrs. Michael Brady, who passed away in Akron. John J. Brady attended St. Vincent's parochial school in Akron and at the age of fourteen earned his first money, becoming a messenger for Kraus & Holstein, clothing merchants. He remained with the firm until he was seventeen and then learned the plasterer's trade under his father, with whom he continued until the latter's retirement. John J. Brady then operated independently and was regarded as the foremost man in his line of business in Akron. During the height of the building season he employed hundreds of men and adhered not only to the letter but 212 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY also to the spirit of an agreement, never allowing the smallest detail of the work to be slighted. His business was located at No. 44 Cherry street and in its conduct he ever followed the high standards instilled in him by his father. Mr. Brady was married June 10, 1901, in Akron to Miss Mildred M. Capron, a daughter of Ira C. and Fian (Biller) Capron. During the Civil war Mr. Capron was a Union soldier and subsequently became one of Akron's prominent citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Brady had two children : Geraldine R., who was graduated from Seton Hill College at Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and is a teacher in the public schools of Akron ; and Mary C., a high school pupil. Mr. Brady was a Roman Catholic in religious faith and held the third degree in the Knights of Columbus. He also belonged to the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Akron Builders Exchange, the Chamber of Commerce, the Automobile Club and the Rotary Club, becoming a charter member of the last named organization. Throughout life he followed the course dictated by conscience and good judgment, and his record sustained the high reputation that has ever been borne by the family. From the age of six years he lived in Akron, and his many good qualities were appreciated by his fellow citizens, who speak of him in terms of high regard. The death of Mr. Brady occurred July 20, 1928. THOMAS W. SMITH, JR. One of the busiest and most prosperous industrial concerns in Barberton is the Sun Rubber Company, which makes the well known "Sunruco" brand of soft rubber products. No small share of the success of this organization is due to the indomitable efforts and enterprising methods of its treasurer and sales manager, Thomas W. Smith, Jr., who was one of the moving spirits in the establishment of the business. Mr. Smith was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, on the 23d of July, 1898, a son of T. W. and Ada B. (Stephens) Smith. After attending the public and high schools of his home city, he entered the Wharton School of Finance of the University of Pennsylvania, which he attended for two years. During the World war he was in the United States service for fourteen months as a member of the Princeton naval unit, and after the close of the war he returned to McKeesport. Turning his atten- AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 213 tion to the real estate business, he helped to organize the McLane Company, Inc., of which he became vice president and sales manager. Soon afterward he and Mr. McLane came to Barberton with the intention of entering on the manufacture of hard rubber supplies for radio uses, for which purpose they bought a factory site. However, the failure of the market caused them to give up the idea of hard rubber manufacture, but about this time they were joined by M. S. Lower and the decision was made to manufacture soft and sponge rubber products. In 1922 the plant of the old Avalon Tire & Rubber Company was bought and in the following year the Sun Rubber Company was organized. Success attended this venture from the beginning, and it has been necessary to make three additions to the factory, in which 125 men are now employed, working in three eight-hour shifts a day. The products of the plant include rubber water bottles and a complete line of goods for the drug trade, as well as rubber office accessories, specialties, miscellaneous moulded work, surgical accessories and hydrometer bulbs. There is a steadily increasing demand for these products, and Mr. Smith has shown high qualifications as a sales manager, one of the most important offices in the organization of any industrial concern. In his political views Mr. Smith is a republican, and his religious connection is with the Presbyterian church. He is a Knight Templar Mason, and is also a member of the Mystic Shrine, the Rotary Club, the Barberton City Club and the Akron Gyro Club. Because of his business success, his strong personality and his cordial and friendly manner, he has won an enviable place in the esteem and good will of all who have come in contact with him. C. AUDLEY GRAY Among the younger members of the legal profession in Summit county who have gained recognition for their ability and high personal qualities stands C. Audley Gray, of Cuyahoga Falls, where he is building up a large practice and gaining a reputation as a capable and dependable lawyer. Mr. Gray was born in Akron, on the 22d of July, 1902, and is a son of Charles R. and Tacy (Korns) Gray. He attended the public schools of Cuyahoga Falls, graduating from high school, and then entered the law school of Ohio State University, from 214 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1925. In that year he was admitted to the bar and in September entered upon the practice of law in Akron, remaining there until July 19, 1926, when he came to Cuyahoga Falls, where he has practiced to the present time, having his office at 24 South Front street. He is a close and constant student, keeping in touch with the latest decisions of the courts, and is regarded as a sound and safe advisor in legal matters. On July 5, 1924, Mr. Gray was united in marriage to Miss Verena Grace Commerson, of Columbus, Ohio, and they have a daughter, Audrena Ann. Mr. Gray is a member of Star Lodge No. 187, F. & A. M., Yusef Khan Grotto, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Sigma Pi college fraternity. He is a democrat in his political views and belongs to the Summit County Bar Association. A gentleman of pleasing manner and cordial relations with his acquaintances, he has won many warm friends and commands the respect of all who have come in contact with him. JOHN WEBSTER THOMAS John Webster Thomas was trained in that rigorous school which develops sturdy, self-reliant manhood, and the habits of industry and perseverance formed in his early life have been reflected in the subsequent success attending his business career. Today Mr. Thomas is vice president and a director of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company and one of the well known men in the rubber industry, with which he has been identified for almost a quarter of a century. Mr. Thomas was born in Tallmadge, Summit county, Ohio, on the 18th of November, 1880, his parents being David E. and Fannie E. Thomas, natives of Morganshire, Wales. The father was born in 1845 and remained in his native land until he reached the age of twenty-three years, when he came to the United States. In 1868 he located in Summit county and worked for a time on a farm near Tallmadge. Afterward he was employed in a coal mine and about 1877 purchased what was known as the old Gerty place near Tallmadge. He devoted the remainder of his life to the cultivation and improvement of that farm, and on April 22, 1908, was called to his final rest. His widow was born in 1844 AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 217 and when a child of four came to the United States with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Webster Thomas. They were among the early settlers of Tallmadge, Ohio. Mrs. David E. Thomas continued her residence on the old homestead until her demise, which occurred on the 6th of January, 1920, when she was seventy-six years of age. John W. Thomas was reared on the home farm and attended the country schools until he was seventeen years of age. In 1897 he took tht Boxwell examination and won a scholarship at Buchtel Academy, in which he completed a three years' course. He then continued his studies in Buchtel College and was graduated with the class of 1904, winning the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy. Through the seven years of academic and college work he continued to live with his parents on the farm and walked back and forth from his home to the school every day. During the fall of 1904 he entered on his business career as a member of the office force of the Robinson Clay Products Company, which he left about five months later to enter the chemical laboratory of the B. F. Goodrich Company of Akron. Mr. Thomas continued in that department until January, 1908, when he became a chemist for the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, starting at a salary of less than one hundred dollars a month. He installed their laboratory and took charge of it as chief chemist. A year and a half later he became foreman in the factory and soon afterward was made a department manager. In November, 1911, his ability led to his selection for the responsible position of general superintendent of the entire plant, and since December, 1919, has been vice president of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, one of the largest and best known corporations of the kind in the country. During the more than twenty years that Mr. Thomas has served this corporation he has contributed his best energies toward its success, and his advancements have come as the recognition of work well done and a capacity for assuming greater responsibilities. In October, 1906, Mr. Thomas was married in Tallmadge, Ohio, to Miss Bertha A. Hine, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Hine. The father of Mrs. Thomas was born in October, 1856, and passed away August 8, 1892, in Tallmadge. The mother afterward remarried and is now Mrs. Margaret E. Conaghan, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas reside at No. 117 Edgerton road and their five children are : John Webster, Jr., who is attending Akron University; Robert David, a student at 218 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY Amherst College; Marjorie Louise and Elizabeth May, twins, and Jean Carolyn. Mr. Thomas is chairman of the board of trustees of Akron University, a director of the Akron City Hospital, and a director of the Firestone Park Trust & Savings Bank. He is a member of the Portage Country Club, the City Club of Akron, the University Club and the Lone Star fraternity. A man of well balanced capacities and powers, his native ability and even paced energy have carried him steadily forward to a position of prominence in his field of activity. The thoroughness of his knowledge of any subject in which he takes an interest is one of his outstanding characteristics, and he has made his life count as a strong force for achievement and for good. BERT J. ERLANGER The life of Bert J. Erlanger has been replete with varied experiences which have broadened his knowledge and augmented his ability, and he is now numbered among Akron's well known cigar jobbers and successful business men. He was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, September 8, 1878, his parents being Joseph and Rose (Felsenheld) Erlanger, natives of Germany. The father was born in Wurtemberg and came to America in early life. Industrious, conscientious and capable, he steadily progressed and eventually embarked in business in Terre Haute, Indiana. He later became a prominent merchant of Cleveland, Ohio. He passed away in 1900, but the mother survives. Three children were born to them, namely: Getta, who is Mrs. Louis Reinheimer, of Cleveland; Viola, who is a successful physician of that city; and Bert J. The last named was graduated from one of the high schools of Cleveland at the age of seventeen and was next a cadet of the Culver Military Academy in Indiana. After leaving that institution he returned to Cleveland, becoming a photographer, and later opened studios in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and New York city. For seven years he was engaged in photography, turning out artistic work. He then became a member of the National Bias Fabric Company of Cleveland, and remained with that firm for six years. In 1908 he returned to New York city, joining a noted theatrical firm, of which his uncle was a member, and was made manager and a director of the United Amusement Com- AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY -219 pany of that city. For eight years he acted in those capacities, gaining many friends in the theatrical profession, and he then sought another field of endeavor. In 1917 he located in Akron and became a dealer in tobacco. In 1922 he was joined by Charles R. Dunckley, who had long been prominently identified with the same line of activity, and they have since conducted the business under the style of the Akron Cigar & Tobacco Company. They have the exclusive agency for this district of the "Bold" brand of five-cent cigars and last year distributed a quantity sufficient to supply every man, woman and child in Summit county with ten of these cigars. They are also distributors for the Dutch Masters and other popular brands, and theirs has become one of the largest jobbing houses in the city. The partners are enterprising, farsighted business men, thoroughly informed regarding the lines in which they specialize, and in all of their transactions are governed by a high standard of commercial ethics. Mr. Erlanger was married, April 16, 1915, in Detroit, Michigan, to Miss Anna M. Livingston, and has one child, Rosalie, by a previous marriage, who was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1902. She attended the schools of the Forest City, completing her studies in the Ursuline Convent at Nottingham, Ohio, and is now the wife of John W. Farren, of La Porte, Indiana. Mr. Erlanger is on the board of governors of the Optimist Club of Akron and also belongs to the Automobile Club. His Masonic connections are with the lodge, chapter, council and Grotto, and he has been a life member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks since 1910, while in religious faith he is a Christian Scientist. He enjoys life and his genial nature, kindness of heart and sympathetic disposition have drawn to him a wide circle of stanch friends. E. GARFIELD GENSEMER In various lines of activity E. Garfield Gensemer has been prominently identified with the business interests of Cuyahoga Falls and has in large measure contributed to the prosperity of his locality. For many years he has been officially connected with the Falls Banking Company, of which he is secretary and treasurer, and is regarded as one of the most useful citizens of the community. 220 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY Mr. Gensemer was born in Marshallville, Wayne county, Ohio, on the 19th of June, 1880, a son of Daniel F. and Mary C. (Eby) Gensemer. After completing the course of the grade and high schools, he was employed as a clerk in a general store at Mineral City, Tuscarawas county, but later entered a bank in that place, where he remained three years. During the following two years he engaged in the life insurance business, and in 1909 on coming to Cuyahoga Falls became connected with the Falls Banking Company as a clerk. Faithful and efficient attention to duty won him deserved promotion and in 1911 he was advanced to the position of assistant cashier, while one year later he was made secretary and treasurer, which positions he is still filling. He gives a high type of service to this institution and is regarded as one of its most capable officials. Mr. Gensemer is also a director and treasurer of the Cuyahoga Falls Realty Company, a director of the Falls Lumber Company and a director of the Charles Haas Company. Two years ago he started an extensive business, under the name of the Gensemer Greenhouses, and this too has proven a successful and profitable enterprise. He is also president of the Richards Tire & Supply Company. On June 21, 1905, Mr. Gensemer was united in marriage to Miss Anna M. Bierly, of Mineral City, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Spies) Bierly, both deceased. Mr. Gensemer is a stanch republican in his political views, and is serving as a member of the Civil Service Commission. He is a member of the Falls Outing Club, Star Lodge, No. 187, F. and A. M.; Yusef Khan Grotto; the Kiwanis Club, of which he is treasurer, and the Chamber of Commerce. His religious affiliation is with the First Methodist Episcopal church. Loyal and true in every relation of life, he has stood at all times for those things which contribute to the well-being of the community, and his record as business man and private citizen has firmly established him in the confidence and esteem of the people of Cuyahoga Falls. WILLIAM FITCH BOOTH Choosing a vocation well suited to his talents, William F. Booth has established an enviable reputation as a merchant tailor—a business which he has conducted successfully in Akron for a period of twenty years, and he has long been regarded as AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 221 the leader in his line of trade. He was born August 12, 1878, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and his parents, William and Juliette (Wheeler) Booth, were also natives of that state. His father was a well known merchant of Bridgeport and continued in business there until his death. William F. Booth was educated in the public schools of his native city and as a young man came to Akron, securing a position with the Dodge-Plummer Furniture Company, with which he spent five years. For three years he was in the employ of the firm of Lang & Hoover, in the men's clothing trade, and thus acquired valuable experience. In 1908 he began his independent career as a merchant tailor. His ability at once won recognition, and his business has progressed with the city. His work is regarded as the highest expression of sartorial art. His employes are carefully chosen, all being experienced and thoroughly competent. Mr. Booth has set the standards of trade in Akron, and his establishment is patronized by the best dressed men of the city, many of them being patrons of twenty years' standing. Among his other business interests Mr. Booth is president of the Franklin Sales & Service Company, distributors of the well known Franklin motor cars in the Akron territory. Mr. Booth was married, August 22, 1900, in Akron to Miss Edith Grove, a daughter of Byron Grove, and they have become the parents of three children. Pauline, the eldest, is a graduate of the Akron high school and on June 25, 1921, was married to Don J. Fike, who was born February 25, 1897, in Wooster, Ohio. His parents, J. M. and Belle (Hecker) Fike, were also natives of this state and the father was for a number of years foreman of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Don J. Fike received his higher education in Harvard University and is manager for the Franklin Sales & Service Company of Akron. Mr. and Mrs. Fike have a son, William J. Fike, who was born in Akron, July 21, 1922. Theodore M. Booth was educated in the public schools of Akron and is connected with the Hoover Letter Service of this city. He married Miss Gladys Patterson, a native of Akron. Jean Booth, who completes the family, is a high school student. Mr. Booth is a thirty-second degree Mason and in 1928 was made potentate of the Akron Shrine. He is a member of the High Street Church of Christ and belongs to the Chamber of Commerce, the Silver Lake Country Club, the Kiwanis Club, the Automobile Club and Akron City Club. His long connection 8-VOL. 3 222 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY with Akron's business life has given him a wide acquaintance, and many of his warmest friends are men who have known him from his early years in this city. Mr. Booth's residence is at 145 Conger avenue. ROY G. WERNER, M. D. Dr. Roy G. Werner is one of Akron's well known surgeons and loves his profession for the good which it enables him to do. He was born June 26, 1883, in Williamsport, Ohio. His father, Samuel P. Werner, was a native of Virginia, and when a young man of twenty migrated to Ohio. In 1905 he moved to Columbus and became one of its successful merchants. The remainder of his life was spent in that city and in 1919 he was called to his final rest. His widow, Mrs. Cordelia M. (Morgan) Werner, was born in Ohio and still makes her home in Columbus. She has two sons : Ralph C., who is a dealer in builders' supplies and a prominent business man of Columbus; and Roy G. Dr. Werner attended the public schools of Williamsport and his classical education was acquired at Ohio State University, from which he received the A. B. degree in 1909. From 1909 until 1911 inclusive he was a teacher of physics and chemistry at Parkersburg, West Virginia, and in 1915 was graduated from the medical department of Johns Hopkins University. For six months he was an interne at the Woman's Hospital in Baltimore, and in 1915 opened an office in Parkersburg, where he practiced for three years. In 1918 he enlisted in the medical corps of the United States army and was in training at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. Afterward he was stationed in New York city and at Hoboken, New Jersey, transporting the wounded men to the various hospitals. He was commissioned a first lieutenant and in 1919 was honorably discharged. For a year thereafter he followed his profession in Parkersburg and then located in Akron. Dr. Werner has a suite of offices in the Second National Bank building and enjoys an enviable reputation as an obstetrician and gynecologist. His skill is pronounced, and his practice makes heavy demands upon his time and energies. Dr. Werner was married May 18, 1921, in Akron, to Miss Clare Hoon, of Marietta, Ohio. The Doctor is a thirty-second degree Mason and belongs to the Shrine Club, the Kiwanis Club and the City Club. He is also a member of the Acacia Society, AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 225 of the Ohio State University; Phi Chi, a medical fraternity at Johns Hopkins; the Summit County and Ohio State Medical Societies and the American Medical Association. A deep student and a tireless worker, he has steadily advanced in the field of professional service and stands deservedly high in the esteem of his fellowmen. Mrs. Werner is a member of the Ladies Shrine Club and the Woman's City Club. Their residence is at 110 Corson avenue. ANTHONY WILLIAM KNAPP Anthony W . Knapp, president of the John Knapp Sons Foundry Company, is one of the well known men connected with that line of Akron's industrial activity and belongs to a family that for three generations have been practical and successful foundry owners and operators. He was born in Akron, February 1, 1886, a son of John and Margaret (Eich) Knapp. John Knapp was a native of Germany and was but a child of two years when his father, John Knapp, Sr., brought his family to the United States. This was in the days of sailing vessels and the voyage across the Atlantic was one of thirty days. He was a foundryman and engaged in that business in Buffalo, New York, for a number of years, remaining in that city until his death. His son, John Knapp, Jr., was educated in Buffalo, and there married Miss Margaret Eich, who was born on a sailing vessel while her parents were en route from Germany to the United States. They also settled in Buffalo, where Mrs. Knapp was reared and lived until after her marriage. Mr. Knapp learned the molder's trade in that city and was for some time employed in foundry work there. He later became superintendent of an iron foundry in Canada. Subsequently he returned to the United States, locating in Akron, Ohio, where he became superintendent of the Taplin & Rice foundry. In 1912 Mr. Knapp organized the Knapp Foundry Company, remaining at the head of the business until his death on August 19, 1913. His widow is still living at the age of seventy-seven years. In their family were nine children, five of whom are now living: Anthony W., Charles J., Frank M. and John, all residents of Akron ; and Mrs. Rose Zimmerman, who lives in Florida. Anthony W. Knapp received a public school education and 226 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY at an early age started to learn the molder's trade, which his brothers also mastered. They were trained in their father's plant and since his death have conducted the business under the name of the John Knapp Sons Foundry Company, of which Anthony W. Knapp is the president. The other officers are: Charles J. Knapp, vice president; and Frank M. Knapp, secretary and treasurer. The plant is located at No. 1207 Sweitzer street and equipped for making all kinds of castings. This is one of the important productive industries of Akron and furnishes employment to fifty persons. As the executive head of the company Mr. Knapp manifests the same keen pride in the high reputation and superior product of the company that his father did, and the Knapp foundry is recognized as one of the most ably managed enterprises in its line in the city, and each year has recorded a marked increase in the volume of business transacted by the company. Mr. Knapp was married, January 10, 1908, in Akron to Miss Margaret Thomas, and they have a daughter, Beatrice, born in this city in 1918. Mr. Knapp is identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Chamber of Commerce and the Automobile Club, while in religious faith he is a Roman Catholic. He loyally supports all movements for Akron's growth and betterment and is highly esteemed in the city in which his life has been spent. Mr. Knapp's residence is at 1009 Copley road. CLARENCE H. MEACHAM No resident of Barberton is more highly regarded than Clarence H. Meacham, who as office manager and purchasing agent for the Ohio Insulator Company has been an important factor in that concern's successful operation. He was born in Brimfield, Ohio, on the 22d of December, 1883, a son of Merritt and Josephine (Chapman) Meacham, who now reside at Kent, Ohio. He attended the grade and high schools and took a commercial course in a business college in Cleveland. He then entered the office of the treasurer's department of the B. F. Goodrich Rubber Company, with which concern he remained two years, and was next employed in the office of the Babcock & Wilcox Company. In 1910 he became connected with the Ohio Insulator Company, with which concern he has remained to the present time. As office manager he keeps in close touch with every de- AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 227 tail of the business, while as purchasing agent he bears a most important relation to the proper operation of the plant. A man of sound judgment and keen discrimination, he has made a splendid record and is regarded as one of the most valued employes of the company. On December 24, 1908, Mr. Meacham was united in marriage to Miss May Peterson, of Barberton, and they are the parents of three children, James, Madge and Dare. Mr. Meacham supports the Republican party and is a member of the Presbyterian church. He belongs to the Masonic order and the Barberton Chamber of Commerce. During the years of his residence here he has always stood ready to cooperate with his fellow citizens in promoting the advancement of the community's best interests and is regarded as one of Barberton's most dependable men. FRED W. GAYER Important commercial interests claim the attention and profit by the forcefulness and keen sagacity of Fred W. Gayer, a product of Akron and one of its successful business men. He was born October 17, 1872, his parents being William F. and Christina (Beck) Gayer, who were natives of Medina and Akron, Ohio, respectively. The father achieved prominence as a contractor and erected many buildings in Akron and other cities of Ohio. He has passed away and the mother is also deceased. There were three children in the family but Fred W. Gayer is the only one now living. His studies were pursued in the grammar and high schools of Akron and after completing his education he became identified with the newspaper business as an employe of the Akron Germania. Proving well adapted to journalistic work, he steadily advanced and eventually became one of the owners of the Akron Daily Democrat. For ten years he was active in the conduct of that paper, disposing of his holdings therein in 1900, and then he acquired an interest in the Burkhardt Consolidated Company of Akron, with which he has since been identified. This property was originally one of the largest breweries in the state but since the advent of prohibition the buildings have been converted into an ice manufacturing plant, operated by the City Ice & Coal Company. It is situ- 228 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY ated at No. 529 Grant street. Mr. Gayer is vice president of the company and has played an important part in the development of the business, aiding materially in making this one of the outstanding industries of the city in its line. On the 8th of June, 1904, Mr. Gayer was united in marriage to Mrs. Elizabeth Stehle Berrodin, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank X. Stehle and a member of one of the prominent families of Akron. Mr. and Mrs. Gayer have traveled extensively, visiting many points of interest in this country and thus broadening their outlook upon life. Mr. Gayer is identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Turnverein and Liedertafel Societies, the Akron Chamber of Commerce and the Automobile Club. A man of resolute purpose and marked strength of character, he has registered achievement and holds a secure place in the esteem of Akron's citizens. Mr. Gayer's residence is at No. 535 Dorchester road. FRED LEO KILLIAN Bending his efforts to adminstrative direction and executive control, Fred L. Killian has contributed his full quota toward Akron's prestige as the Rubber city, having been identified with the rubber industry for more than twenty years. He is a self-made man before whom the door of opportunity has swung open because of his energy, persistence and determination. Mr. Killian was born in Millersburg, Holmes county, Ohio, February 17, 1888, a son of Burkhart and Mary Anna (Schaefer) Killian, natives of Germany. They came to America in early life, locating in Ohio, and were married in this state. The father was the owner of a productive farm in Holmes county and devoted his life to agricultural pursuits. He attained the age of seventy-two years, passing away in 1921, and the mother's demise occurred in 1895. There were ten children in their family, eight of whom lived to adult age namely : Edward S., Burkhart S., Carl F. and Adam J. Killian, Mrs. Albert Ortlauf, Mrs. Fred Schultz, and Elizabeth and Fred L. Killian. The last named attended a country school, walking a distance of four miles each day in order to secure an education, and he also assisted his father in tilling the soil. At the early age of thirteen he became self-supporting, obtaining work with the Millersburg, Wooster & Orrville Telephone Company, with which he AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 231 spent two years, and in 1905 came to Akron. He secured a position in the plant of the B. F. Goodrich Tire & Rubber Company and was also in the service of the Diamond Rubber Company, working under M. A. Flynn. In 1914 Mr. Killian entered the employ of the Miller Rubber Company, and at the end of two years became connected with the Kelly Springfield Tire Company. Later he returned to the Goodrich plant and subsequently worked for the Weiner Brothers Products Company, gradually assuming heavier responsibilities. Thoroughly experienced, he patiently waited for a good opening and in 1920 made his independent venture as a manufacturer. Starting with four employes, he rapidly expanded the scope of his activities and today controls an industry which furnishes work for one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and fifty persons. The business is conducted under the style of the Killian Manufacturing Company, which makes rubber specialties, and as its president he manifests the initiative, wisdom, forcefulness and mental alertness of the successful executive. He has two large manufacturing plants, one being located in Akron and the other in a fine new building just south of Krumroy. Knowing every phase of the rubber industry, he is well able to direct the labors of his subordinates and maintains a high standard of production. On becoming identified with the rubber business Mr. Killian found that dipped rubber goods were all made by hand and he realized the great need for mechanical improvements in the manufacture of these articles. During his first month in the business he began experimenting on machinery which has resulted in a labor-saving machine, now doing the work of sixty girls. Following this he constructed a machine which conveys this merchandise as it is being manufactured, and as a result the entire industry in this line has been revolutionized in late years. He leased one of these machines to a large New York manufacturer in 1924 and has also leased the entire Canadian rights. In 1927 it became necessary to litigate one of these improvements and this was done to the entire satisfaction of the company in the federal courts of this district. Since entering the rubber business Mr. Killian has five patents to his credit and is believed to be the first man to be able to successfully roll rings, cure rubber goods and remove them from the form while they are being conveyed, due to his modern machinery. On the 27th of February, 1915, Mr. Killian was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth May Tyrrell, a daughter of Mr. and 232 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY Mrs. William Tyrrell and a member of one of Akron's prominent families. Mr. Killian adheres to the Roman Catholic faith and is a republican in his political views. His public spirit is expressed through his affiliation with the South Akron Board of Trade and the Akron and Ohio Chambers of Commerce. A keen sportsman, he derives much enjoyment from hunting and fishing trips. He is a member of the Pennsylvania & Ohio Gun Club; the Sachsenheim Club ; the Old Colony Club of Cleveland, Ohio, the Akron Automobile Club, the Brookside Country Club, the Liedertafel of Akron and the Akron lodge of Elks. His life from an early age has been one of unremitting industry, and his prosperity is well deserved, for it has been worthily earned. Mr. Killian has a wide acquaintance in Akron and is highly esteemed because of the depth and strength of his character and his regard for the rights and privileges of others. Since 1924 Mr. Killian has resided on South Main street in Coventry township, and his home "Hillside Villa" is one of the most attractive suburban homes in that section of the county. CLARENCE E. MOTZ Clarence E. Motz, of the law firm of Motz & Morris, of Cuyahoga Falls, is enjoying a large practice and commands the respect of his brethren of the legal profession and the confidence of the public because of his capability as a lawyer and his integrity of character. He was born in Northampton township, this county, on the 6th of July, 1897, and is a son of William and Mary E. (McCuskey) Matz, both of whom are deceased. After the course of the grade and high schools, he entered Akron University, from which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1920, and then attended the law school of Western Reserve University, which conferred on him the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1922. He was at once admitted to the bar and in the same year entered upon the practice of his profession in Cuyahoga Falls. He is now associated with Jackson B. Morris and this has proven a strong combination. In addition to his law practice Mr. Motz is identified with several business enterprises, being a director of the Falls Banking Company, the Falls Lumber Company, the Charles Haas Company, the Falls News Publishing Company and the Burgan-Mason Company. On September 27, 1924, Mr. Motz was united in marriage to AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 233 Miss Maud Rudy, a daughter of Guy M. and Lulu (Bashford) Rudy. Mr. and Mrs. Motz have two children, Kathryn and Mary Jean. Mr. Motz exercises his franchise in support of the Democratic party, and his religious affiliation is with the First Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member of Star Lodge, F. & A. M., the Kiwanis Club and the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity. He belongs to the Summit County Bar Association and the Ohio State Bar Association. Careful in the preparation of his cases, his presentation of a cause is always clear and logical, while as an office counselor he has been found to be sound and dependable. Personally he possesses those traits of character which commend a man to the good opinion of his fellowmen, and he enjoys a well merited popularity among his associates and acquaintances. SIMON MORGENROTH, M. D. For a quarter of a century Dr. Simon Morgenroth has been identified with medical practice in Akron and has steadily progressed, keeping in touch with the onward trend of the profession as scientific research and investigation brings to light the rules which govern health. He was born in Bellefontaine, Ohio, February 18, 1878, and is a son of Charles and Minnie (Grabenheim) Morgenroth, who were also natives of Ohio, where they spent their entire lives, the father devoting his attention to mercantile pursuits. He died in 1922, at the age of seventy-two years, and the mother's death occurred in 1902, when she was forty-five years of age. Their family numbered three children : Simon, A. L. and Mrs. H. 0. Polsky. The youthful days of Doctor Morgenroth were devoted to the acquirement of his education in the Bellefontaine graded and high schools and in the University of Cincinnati, where he pursued his medical course, winning his M. D. degree at his graduation with the class of 1900. For two years thereafter he was physician in the Hamer Hospital in Bellefontaine, where he continued until 1903 and then came to Akron, where he has since built up a large practice. In the meantime he has pursued postgraduate work in New York, Chicago and Vienna, and he ever keeps in close touch with the trend of modern professional thought and methods through wide reading and extensive experience. He has developed his skill to a high point of efficiency 234 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY and is now serving as physician on the staff of the Akron City Hospital and as a member of the medical staff of the Children's Free Hospital. He also belongs to the Summit County Medical Society, the Ohio State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. The Doctor is president of Arcade Garage, Inc. On the 17th of February, 1903, Doctor Morgenroth was married to Miss Rose Polsky, a daughter of A. Polsky, who was the founder of the A. Polsky Dry Goods Company, of which Doctor Morgenroth is a director and vice president. The Doctor and his wife have two children. M. James, born in Bellefontaine, January 4, 1904, is a graduate of the Cascadilla High school and of the University of Akron. Mary Ann, born in Akron in 1912, is a student in the Old Trail school. Doctor Morgenroth has wide and varied club and fraternity interests. He belongs to the Rotary Club and adheres closely to its high standards. He is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the Masonic Club, the Akron City Club, the Fairlawn Heights Golf Club, the Rosemont Country Club and the Oakwood Country Club of Cleveland. He has keen appreciation of the social amenities of life and expresses in his career good fellowship and genial, kindly companionship. He greatly enjoys meeting with his fellow members of the different clubs with which he is affiliated, but he never allows anything to interfere with the faithful performance of his professional duties. HAROLD G. SOURS Harold G. Sours belongs to that desirable class of citizens whose talents find their highest expression in public service, and his work as county engineer and surveyor of Summit county has attracted widespread notice and elicited strong commendation. He was born April 10, 1894, in Manchester, and represents the fifth generation of the family in Ohio. He is a son of Thomas A. and Emma (Dice) Sours, both of whom were born in Franklin township, Summit county. The family was established in this part of the country by Henry Sours, who migrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio and settled on a large tract of land awarded him by the Government. As a young man Thomas A. Sours followed agricultural pursuits but for several years he has been the proprietor of a feed store in Barberton, Summit county, and conducts a large business. AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 235 His only child, Harold G. Sours, attended the rural schools of Franklin township and the Barberton High School. His higher education was acquired in the University of Akron, from which he was graduated in 1916, winning the degree of B. S. During the following year he was engaged in engineering work and then entered the service of his country. He was trained at Fortress Monroe and became a second lieutenant in the heavy coast artillery. Mr. Sours was stationed at Fortress Monroe until 1918, when he received his honorable discharge. In January, 1919, Mr. Sours entered the employ of the State Highway Department and was at work on highway construction in Summit and Carroll counties until September, 1925, when he was sworn in as county surveyor, having been elected in the fall of 1924. During his regime he has cooperated with county commissioners on a program of secondary road improvement designed to "get the farmer out of the mud." While building primary hard-surfaced roads and keeping up their maintenance, he has focused his attention on secondary roads. During his term of office up to the present time he has constructed fifty miles of hard surface and the same amount of traffic bound roads and eighteen miles of widening. Many of the splendid highways of Summit county were planned and constructed by Mr. Sours, who has also issued a number of fine road maps, and the work of his department is facilitated by a corps of well trained assistants. On November 15, 1924, Mr. Sours was united in marriage to Miss Olga Johnson, a daughter of Otto and Anna (Johnson) Johnson, prominent residents of Akron. Mr. and Mrs. Sours have a little son, Thomas J., born August 2, 1928. Mrs. Sours is a graduate of the Ohio State University Nurses' Training School and spent thirteen months as a Red Cross nurse overseas during the World war. She is a member of the Eastern Star and has filled offices in that organization. While a student at the University of Akron, Mr. Sours was captain of the football team and joined the Lone Star fraternity. He is now one of the trustees of the Alumni Association of that university and is a member of the Pi Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He is also a member of the Ohio Engineering Society, the Ohio Roads Federation, and is serving on the Engineers Council. He is still a baseball and football fan. In religious faith he is a Lutheran and is a consistent member of the Trinity Lutheran church of Akron. He is a Knight Templar Mason and is also a 236 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY member of the Grotto, the Shrine and the Masonic Club. Although young in years Mr. Sours has advanced far in his profession, and his personal qualities are such as inspire respect, confidence and friendship. PONCET DAVIS Poncet Davis, one of Akron's aggressive young business men, is prominently identified with the textile industry and also has other commercial interests of importance. He was born in Meridian, Mississippi, September 11, 1897, and is a scion of old and aristocratic families of the south. His parents were Dr. William N. and Elizabeth (Fowler) Davis, natives respectively of Mississippi and Virginia. The father, who was a physician and surgeon of high standing, passed away in 1914 at Meridian, where the mother's demise occurred in 1911. They are survived by four children : Mrs. William G. Stokes, Mrs. Allen Russell and Miss Etoile Davis, all residents of Gulfport, Mississippi, and Poncet Davis. The last named was reared in Meridian and was graduated from the local high school in 1912. In 1916 he received the degree of Bachelor of Science from the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Mississippi and in the following year completed a textile course in that institution of learning. He located in Akron in 1917 and became cotton fabric buyer for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, filling that important position for four years. In 1921 he resigned to enter business on his own account, organizing the Poncet Davis Company, of which he is president and treasurer, and has developed one of the largest corporations of the kind in Ohio, with branch sales offices in New York and Oakland, California. The firm specializes in cotton fabrics, so essential to the great rubber manufacturers of Akron, and its mills are located in the states of North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. Mr. Davis has a highly specialized knowledge of the textile industry and is also a forceful executive, capable of transacting a large amount of business with celerity and ease. He is vice president of the American Cotton Mills of North Carolina, president of the Banning Cotton Mills of Georgia and treasurer of the Akron Trading Company, all of which are growing, prosperous concerns. Mr. Davis is affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 239 and contributes liberally toward its maintenance. In Masonry he has taken the thirty-second degree and is identified with both the York and Scottish Rites and Tadmor Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is a member of the Masonic Club, the Automobile Club, the Akron Aeronautic Club, the Old Colony Club, the Lions Club, the City Club, the University Club, the Fairlawn Country Club and the Portage Country Club. Mr. Davis is vice president of the last named organization and makes his home at the club. For relaxation he turns to golf and has won many trophies in competition with other experts. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and champions all projects for the growth and betterment of the city with which he has allied his interests. Liberally endowed with that quality known as "the commercial sense," he has achieved notable success for one of his years, and a winning personality has drawn to him a wide circle of steadfast friends. JAMES MILTON WILLARD James Milton Willard, who is rendering a high type of service as manager of the engineering department of the Diamond Match Company of Barberton, has attained his present responsible position by his tireless and well directed efforts, coupled with the exercise of sound judgment in business affairs. He was born at Akron on the 21st of July, 1867, his birthplace being on the present site of the Goodyear Rubber Company. He is one of three children who blessed the union of Isaac and Sarah (Beans) Willard, both of whom are now deceased. The father was identified with the match business for forty-five years, having been associated with the old Barber Match Company. James M. Willard received his education in the grade and high schools and then learned the machinist's trade. In 1892 he entered the employ of the Diamond Match Company at Akron as a machinist and was soon afterward made a foreman. His skill and faithful service won him deserved promotion and he was master mechanic at the Barberton plant for sixteen years. He was then appointed manager of the engineering department, which position he now holds. On October 2, 1895, Mr. Willard was united in marriage to Miss Lillie 0. Taylor, of Akron, and they are the parents of two 240 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY children : Martha Sarah, who is the wife of T. D. Cowen, of Lewiston, Maine; and James Alson, who is now with the Mansfield Tire & Rubber Company, at Mansfield, Ohio. Mr. Willard gives his political support to the Republican party and has served as a member of the city council of Barberton. He belongs to the High Street Church of Christ, Akron, and is a member of the Barberton Rotary Club. His exemplary character and splendid personality have commended him to the good favor of his fellowmen, and he is deservedly popular throughout the range of his acquaintance. IRBY SEABORN BALLARD Irby Seaborn Ballard is one of the younger members of the Akron bar who has gained a position that many an older legal practitioner might well envy. He was born at Forest Park, Clayton county, Georgia, June 3, 1892, and is a son of Claybourn L. and Catherine (Lee) Ballard, who are also natives of Clayton county, Georgia, and have spent their entire lives in that state. In early manhood the father engaged in railroad building and he is now a prosperous and successful farmer of Clayton county. To him and his wife have been born eleven children : Kimsey, Horace G., Robert Lee, Mrs. W. Beecher Duvall, Mrs. Fred Bell, Irby S., Mrs. William C. Mason, Mortis O., Pebble J., Mrs. Alvin A. Bradfield and Mrs. Albert Mason. The rural schools near his father's home afforded Irby S. Ballard his early educational opportunities. Later he continued his studies in the high school of Forest Park, Georgia, and in the Berry School at Rome, Georgia, being graduated from the latter in 1914. The following year he entered Valparaiso University in Indiana, where he devoted one year to academic work and then took up the study of law, being graduated with the degree of LL. B; in 1918. He was admitted to the Indiana bar the same year. In July, 1918, he was drafted into the army and sent to the non-commission school at Camp Gordon, Georgia. He was later transferred to Camp Wheeler with the Ninety-ninth Division, preparatory to being sent to France, but the armistice changed the plan. He was mustered out at Camp Wheeler in December, 1918, and spent a few weeks on a visit at his home only a short distance away. He then went to Gary, Indiana, where he spent eight months in laboratory work in the plant of AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 241 the Illinois Steel Company. In September, 1919, he came to Akron and associated with Underwood & Hutchison. He was admitted to the Ohio bar in June, 1920. In September, 1921, he formed a partnership with J. L. Edwards which was dissolved in April, 1925, since which date he has followed his profession independently. He engages in general practice and his success is manifest by the liberal clientage now accorded him. He belongs to the Summit County, Ohio State and American Bar Associations. On the 3d of June, 1920, at Gary, Indiana, Mr. Ballard was married to Miss S. Irwin McCormick, a daughter of Charles and Sarah (Irwin) McCormick, of Tomahawk, Wisconsin. She was one of his classmates in Valparaiso University, which conferred upon her the degree of LL. B., and is a member of the Indiana bar. Mr. and Mrs. Ballard now have three children : Charles C., who was born in 1921; John S., in 1922 ; and Ruth, in 1923. Mr. Ballard is interested in politics as a supporter of the democratic party and is now a candidate for state representative. He is a deacon in the First Baptist church, and teacher of the class of young married people. He is a member of the Knights of Malta, and Junior Order of United American Mechanics, being a trustee and past councillor in the latter. His name is also on the membership roll of Akron Post of the American Legion. He finds recreation in his flower garden, romping with his children or driving his car. He also enjoys fishing in Wisconsin. He reads biography, history, travel and adventure and in order to indulge his love of travel is planning a world tour with his wife and family. He is interested in aviation as an industry, and wants to see Akron in the lead among the American cities fostering. aeronautics. Mr. Ballard stands for all those forces which make for righteousness and for honorable manhood and his activities have contributed to the moral development and the substantial upbuilding of his adopted city. VERN A. JOHNSTON Vern A. Johnston, who has for many years rendered able and satisfactory service as office manager for the Diamond Match Company at Barberton, is a man of sound judgment and keen discrimination and has proven well qualified for the responsible place which he holds. He was born on a farm in 242 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY Marion county, Ohio, on the 29th of January, 1883, and is one of six children born to J. T. and Alice E. (Hudson) Johnston, the former of whom is deceased. He received his educational training in the grade schools and was graduated from the high school at Green Camp. In 1904 he entered the employ of the Diamond Match Company as shipping clerk and, by faithful and efficient performance of duty, received deserved promotions, being made office manager in 1912. On June 12, 1907, Mr. Johnston was united in marriage to Miss Effa M. Frase, who is a native of Wayne county, this state. He is a republican in his political views and has for many years been active in local public affairs. He served as a member of the Barberton city council and during the past eight years has been city treasurer. He is a Mason, in which order he has attained the degree of Knight Templar, and he belongs to the Kiwanis Club, of which he is secretary, and the Brookside Country Club. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and gives his support to all worthy causes, particularly such as are calculated to better the public welfare. Because of his splendid record and his excellent personal qualities he commands the respect and good will of all who know him, and is regarded as one of Barberton's representative men. WILLIAM AUGUST BOESCHE William August Boesche, secretary and treasurer of the Ornamental Iron Work Company, is a man of many interests and occupies a central place on the stage of activity in Akron. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 1, 1882, and is a son of August and Sophie (Kipp) Boesche, natives respectively of Germany and Indiana. His father received a common school education and when a youth of sixteen sailed for America. Locating in Cincinnati, he was employed along various lines and finally entered the service of a funeral director, for whom he worked for a number of years. When he had accumulated sufficient capital he opened an undertaking establishment and rendered to his patrons the utmost in service, becoming recognized as one of the leading morticians of Cincinnati. To Mr. and Mrs. August Boesche were born five children, four of whom survive : August, Jr., who is vice president and factory manager of the Ornamental AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 245 Iron Work Company of Akron ; Mrs. Ella Auten, a resident of Cincinnati; and Albert and William A. Boesche, of Akron. The last named attended the public schools of his native city. On coming to Akron in 1900 he secured work in the receiving department of the B. F. Goodrich Tire & Rubber Company and also took a course in the Actual Business College, which he attended at night. For a period of four years he remained with the Goodrich corporation, steadily advancing as he demonstrated his value to his employers, and in 1906 made his initial commercial venture as one of the organizers of the Ornamental Iron Work Company. In association with Fred Zindel and Harry G. Brandau he started the business in a small frame building on the corner of Sweitzer and South streets, purchasing property there. As the business expanded these quarters proved inadequate and the company then bought the entire block, erecting on that site a modern factory. They now have one of the largest and best equipped plants of the kind in the city and employ about one hundred and twenty-five men. The output of the corporation is structural, architectural and cast iron building material, wire and plate work, and their product has been used in constructing and decorating many of the fine buildings of Akron and other cities of Ohio. Mr. Boesche has been secretary and treasurer of the corporation from the time of its inception and has played an important part in the development of the business, which has progressed with the city. However, this constitutes but one phase of his activities and among the other corporations which have profited by his business acumen and executive force are the Depositors Savings & Trust Company, the Summit Beach Park Company and the Main & Exchange Company, of which he is vice president; the Main and State Street Company and the Lincoln Rubber Company, of which he is president; the Middlebury Land Company, of which he is secretary and treasurer; the Zindel Plumbing & Heating Company, of which he is treasurer; and the Bankers Guarantee Title & Trust Company and the Herbert Realty Company, of which he is a director. Mr. Boesche was married June 30, 1912, in Akron to Miss Pearl H. Stebbins, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stebbins of this city. William Dwan, their only child, was born in Akron in 1922. Mr. and Mrs. Boesche reside at "Eastlawn," No. 625 North Portage path, and theirs is one of the beautiful homes in this fine residential district. Mr. Boesche's love for children has prompted his untiring 246 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY efforts in behalf of the Boy Scouts of America, and he is now president of the Akron Area Council. He is vice president of the Akron Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Automobile club, the Rotary Club, the City Club, the Portage Country Club and the Turkey Foot Lake Country Club. A thirty-second degree Mason, he is identified with both the York and Scottish Rites and also belongs to the Liedertafel and the Turners. His life has been one of unabating industry and upon the enduring foundation of honor and integrity has been built the fair fabric of his successful career. A broad-gauged man of generous nature and pronounced public spirit, Mr. Boesche unites in his character the best qualities of modern citizenship, and the respect accorded him is well deserved. WILLIAM H. TAYLOR Active for many years in political and public affairs of Cuyahoga Falls and a man of marked ability and unquestioned integrity, William H. Taylor is one of the most prominent and influential citizens of his community and is rendering efficient and appreciated service as postmaster. He was born in San Francisco, California, in 1880 and is a son of Holloway and Anna E. (Hazleton) Taylor, both deceased. At an early age he was brought to Cuyahoga Falls and in the public schools of this city he received his educational training. He entered the employ of the Falls Rivet & Machine Company, for which concern he served a number of years as traffic manager. He showed a deep interest in public affairs of the city and in 1912 was elected mayor of Cuyahoga Falls, in which office he was retained by repeated reelections until 1922. On July 1st of that year he was appointed postmaster and in that position he is still serving. His administration of the office has been marked by painstaking attention to the prompt and effectual handling of the mails, and his efforts have resulted in a degree of efficiency that has been the subject of much favorable comment. He is chairman of the board of directors of the Citizens Bank of Cuyahoga Falls. On June 29, 1912, Mr. Taylor was united in marriage to Miss Alice E. Parkin, of Columbus, Ohio, a daughter of Humphrey and Mary (James) Parkin. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are the parents of a son, William H., Jr., born June 6, 1916. Mr. Taylor is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 247 the Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce, both of Cuyahoga Falls. His course has been marked by fidelity and loyalty to duty in all matters of citizenship, and his sterling worth is recognized by all with whom he comes in contact, so that he commands the confidence and respect of the entire community. J. HARRY WIENER One of the progressive citizens of Akron who has contributed in large measure to the upbuilding and present-day progress here, is J. Harry Wiener, prominent in the real estate field and home-building industry. In his entire business career he has shown marked initiative and enterprise and he has contributed much to the city's beauty and development. Mr. Wiener was born in that section of Russia which is now Poland on the 16th of October, 1873, and is a son of Sam and Rebecca Wiener, who were also of Russian birth. Following their sons to America in 1911, they settled in Akron, Ohio, where the sons were engaged in merchandising. He still makes his home in this city, but the mother has passed away. In their family were ten children, seven of whom survive : Joseph, Morris, Benjamin, Charles, Emanuel, Abraham and J. Harry. The last named attended the schools in his native country and when he had attained sufficient age was drafted into the army of Russia. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant and following his release from military service he crossed the Atlantic to the new world in 1889. Believing that he would find the opportunities he sought in the West, he traveled to Montana and was there employed at various occupations for several years. In the meantime one of his brothers had also come to the United States and located in Akron, Ohio, where he engaged in the produce business. Success attended the venture until his trade had reached such proportions that he was unable to take care of it alone. He then prevailed upon J. Harry Wiener to come to Akron and take over the management of a part of the business, which the latter did. For fifteen years J. Harry Wiener was associated with the Wiener wholesale produce business and from 1912 until 1924 he was engaged in the automobile trade under the name of the J. H. Wiener Motor Company. In 1924 he disposed of his interests and has since conducted a highly successful real estate and home-building business which is unique in some 248 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY of its features, for not only does he sell the ground and erect the buildings but also furnishes the house complete, so that a buyer can move into a thoroughly equipped home and enjoy all of its comforts without the distraction of household furnishing. Mr. Wiener has enjoyed steadily growing prosperity in this field and is now conducting a business of large and gratifying proportions. He is likewise a director of the Keith-Albee Akron Theatre Company. On the 14th of August, 1901, Mr. Wiener was married to Miss Helen Leopold, a daughter of Joseph Leopold, of Akron, and they have become parents of three children : Richard, who was born in 1903 and is a graduate of Cornell University, engaged with his father in the real estate business; Jack, who was born in 1908 and is now attending the University of Michigan; and Betsy Jane, who was born in 1911 and is a pupil of Old Trail school. Mr. Wiener belongs to the Real Estate Board of Akron and along more strictly social lines has connection with the Rosemont Country Club and the Akron Automobile Club. He has made for himself a most creditable and enviable social as well as business position and deserves much credit for what he has accomplished, for he started out in life empty-handed and has achieved success through industry, perseverance and careful management, combined with the ability to formulate new plans that have met modern-day conditions and made for steady growth and achievement. CHARLES R. SNOOK Charles R. Snook, who was recently engaged in the grocery business at 14 West Portage street, Cuyahoga Falls, but is now living retired, owes his success to his persistent efforts and clear headed judgment, and he holds a high place in the estimation of all who know him, for he is a man of stability and character. Mr. Snook was born at Frederick, Maryland, on the 17th of February, 1869, a son of Dennis and Charlotte (Harper) Snook. He was reared on his father's farm near Frederick, receiving his educational training in the district school, and when twenty-one years of age he came to Ohio, of which state he has been a resident continuously since. He first located at Tallmadge, Summit county, where he remained three years, and AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 249 then came to Cuyahoga Falls. He was employed as a clerk in stores for several years but, in 1914, he established a grocery store, which he conducted until recently. He carried a large and well selected stock of staple and fancy groceries, with such auxiliary lines as are usually carried in an up-to-date store, and by his efficient attention to the needs of his trade met with well merited success. On June 7, 1900, Mr. Snook was united in marriage to Miss Harriett J. Morris, of Tallmadge, and they are the parents of a daughter, Irene, who is a graduate of the Cuyahoga Falls high school and is now a student in Akron University. Mr. Snook is a strong supporter of the republican party and is a loyal and true citizen, standing consistently for the best things in the life of the community. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Kiwanis Club and the Chamber of Commerce, and he and his wife belong to the First Congregational church, in the work of which they are deeply interested. Mr. Snook possesses to a marked degree those traits of character which make for friendship, and throughout the range of his acquaintance he is held in high regard. RALPH R. REED Ralph R. Reed, factory superintendent of the Ohio Insulator Company at Barberton, was born in Ashland county, Ohio, on the 23d of November, 1871, and is one of the five children born to William R. and Rebecca (Robison) Reed. The father, who is now deceased, was engaged in the hardware business at Loudonville, this state, and was a man of prominence and influence in his community. Ralph R. Reed attended the public schools and at the age of sixteen years he began working for his father. He also held a position in a local bank for a number of years, after which he went to Mansfield, Ohio, where he was employed in the office of the Ohio Brass Company. He was later with the Humphreys Manufacturing Company at Mansfield, and in 1906 came to Barberton and joined the Akron Hi-Potential Porcelain Company, being with that concern when it was merged with the Ohio Brass Company, and afterward reorganized as the Ohio Insulator Company. In 1911 Mr. Reed went to Ashland and engaged in business on his own account, but soon afterward returned to Barber-