(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) 250 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY He is also a member of the Akron Merchants Association. As a member of the Akron Chamber of Commerce he received the highest civic and business honor that could be bestowed upon him, when elected president of that organization. On the 13th of June, 1903, Mr. Dauby was married in Cleveland, to Miss Pearl Closse of that city, and they have two daughters : Lillian C., the wife of Lincoln H. Gries, who is assistant general manager of the M. O'Neil Company; and Miss Jean. Gifted with a keen business insight and a broad grasp of affairs, Mr. Dauby has had a career of unusual activity and notable success. Throughout the period of his residence in Akron he has evinced a hearty cooperation in those movements for the promotion of the city's permanent interests and in its mercantile development his activities have played a most important part. Mr. Dauby's residence is at 204 North Highland avenue. JAMES WILSON DAGUE In the later years of his life James Wilson Dague lived retired from active business but formerly was closely associated with mercantile interests and contributed in large and substantial measure to the development of one of the leading stores of Akron. His prosperity afterward enabled him to enjoy in well earned rest the fruits of his former toil. He was born on a farm a half mile south of Western Star in Summit county, June 29, 1854, a son of Michael and Elizabeth King (McElhenie) Dague. The father at one time owned a store at Western Star but afterward removed to Doylestown about 1874 and there conducted a general merchandise business, developing an extensive enterprise during the mining activities at Doylestown. James W. Dague attended the schools and also the academy at Western Star, but following the outbreak of the Civil war it was necessary that he devote his time and attention to farm labor, as two of his elder brothers had enlisted in the army. One of these, Gabriel Dague, is still living; the other, Thomas J. Dague, at the close of the war became a Presbyterian clergyman, occupying the pulpit in Doylestown until his death in 1917. A younger brother, J. Melvin Dague, is a resident of Los Angeles, California. Because of Civil war conditions the youth of James W. Dague was largely a period of unremitting toil. In the year 1874 his father and brother opened a general dry goods and grocery store in Doylestown under the firm name of Dague Brothers AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 253 & Company and James W. was there employed as a clerk and assistant manager to his brother, who was in poor health. In 1878 he was admitted to a partnership in the business and in 1884 he and his brother became sole owners of the store, which they conducted successfully for a time and then were joined by J. K. Winch, G. C. Dague and J. M. Dague in a partnership relation. In 1891 they opened a general store on East Market street in Akron and subsequently removed the business to Main street, where their trade grew and expanded until within a few years they were doing the second largest business in the city. In 1903 William Carmen Dague, the senior member of the firm, passed away and in 1906 James W. Dague disposed of both stores, selling the Akron establishment to the C. H. Yeager Company, at which time he retired from active business. His close application, earnest purpose and unabating industry were the means of bringing to him substantial success as the years passed by. On the 10th of May, 1876, Mr. Dague was married to Miss Catherine Lucretia Turner, of Doylestown. She is a daughter of William and Mary Ann (Frederick) Turner. Her father came of Pennsylvania stock, was born January 23, 1822, and became a resident of Wayne county, Ohio, as early as 1840. He learned the carriage maker's trade at Doylestown, where he carried on business for several years, and later he spent some time in California but with his return to Doylestown conducted a coal business. In 1859 he became interested in farming and was identified with agricultural pursuits until his demise. He wedded Mary Ann Frederick, whose father, Thomas Frederick, was the first white settler in Chippewa township. He was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, December 1, 1778, was married in 1804 to Elizabeth Shawk and fought in the War of 1812. In 1813 he removed to Chippewa township and entered claim to the east half of Section 10, receiving his deed to the same five years later from President Monroe. He planted a great number of fruit trees, including the first cherry trees grown in the township, and according to tradition he also shot the last bear seen in the township. Fredericksburg was named in honor of his brother, Jacob Frederick. Thomas Frederick was a splendid type of the sturdy pioneer settler who laid broad and deep the foundation upon which has been built the present-day progress and prosperity. His fame as a hunter was widespread and it is said that he was unsurpassed in his skill with the rifle. He was a member of the Lutheran church and he lived to the advanced age of ninety-three years. 254 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY James Wilson and Catherine Lucretia ( Turner) Dague became the parents of a son and two daughters : William M., who married Florence Knofler and has one child, Elizabeth Ann; Martha, the wife of Charles C. Baird and the mother of a son, Robert Dague Baird ; and Mary Elizabeth, who is the wife of Lewis J. Wise and has one son, James Newton Wise. The death of Mr. Dague occurred February 22, 1924. He had practically completed the Psalmist's allotted span of three score years and ten. His was an active and useful life crowned with success and furthermore crowned with that respect which is accorded to high character and personal worth. At fifteen years of age he had become a member of the Presbyterian church at Doylestown and following his removal to Akron he transferred his membership to the First Congregational church, of which he was a consistent follower throughout his remaining days. In 1891 he joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Doylestown and he was ever loyal to any cause which he espoused. The consensus of public opinion placed him in a most creditable position among the citizens of Summit county, all who knew him bearing testimony to his individual worth. WILLIAM FAIRAWAY RIDGE William Fairaway Ridge, president, secretary and treasurer of the Rid-Ged Grip Company of Akron, has reached his present notable position by a progress that has led him forward step by step as his capability has increased and his business vision has broadened. While he made his initial step as an employe in a grocery store, it was not long before he became identified with the rubber industry, and with every phase of this business as it has related to Akron's development and growth Mr. Ridge is familiar. In fact he has contributed in notable measure to the results here achieved and the business of which he is now the head is the visible evidence of his intelligently directed effort. Ohio has reason to be proud to place his name on the list of her native sons. His birth occurred in Shreve, Wayne county, May 6, 1876, his parents being John W. and Sarah A. (DeWitt) Ridge. His father, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, became connected with the rubber manufacturing interest of Akron and in this state he was married, his wife being AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 255 a native of Holmes county, Ohio. Her death occurred June 23, 1909. Spending his youthful days under the parental roof, William F. Ridge acquired a good practical education in the public and high schools of Gann, Ohio, and during vacation periods he contributed to his support by working in a grocery store. A little later he entered the employ of the Diamond Match Company, this almost immediately following his removal to Akron when he was sixteen years of age. His salary was four dollars per week, but expenses then were also moderate. His identification with rubber manufacturing dates from January 6, 1892, when he was employed in making tires for baby carriages in the factory of the B. Goodrich Rubber Company. The product also included solid rubber tires, which were the only kind then used on bicycles. His three years' connection with the Goodrich interests brought him a considerable knowledge of the business and later for a time he was with the Diamond Rubber Company but afterward returned to the Goodrich plant in Akron. He was next sent to the Goodrich factory in Sandusky to make wire bicycle tires but in March, 1896, was recalled to Akron, where he worked until April, 1898, when he became ill. Two months later, when he had recovered, Mr. Ridge sought the business opportunities of Chicago and there joined the working force of the Morgan & Wright Company, tire manufacturers. His close study of the business and a recognition of certain needs connected therewith brought out his inventive genius and his initiative and he equipped the Morgan & Wright factory for the manufacture of single tube bicycle tires, so that within a period of nine months the plant was operating with a capacity that had resulted in the manufacture of ninety thousand tires during that period. Mr. Ridge remained at the head of the bicycle department of the Chicago firm for four and one-half years but in the summer of 1902 resigned his position in order to return to Akron and gain a knowledge of manufacturing automobile tires, for the motor car was just then coming into popularity and he recognized a splendid future in that branch of the business. After a brief period Mr. Ridge was placed in charge of the entire tire manufacturing department of the International Automobile Vehicle Manufacturing Company at Milltown, New Jersey, where he remained for a year, and later he was with the Goshen Rubber Company at Goshen, Indiana. In 1904 he began the manufacture of acid cure and cement at Akron and in 1905 he was pre- 256 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY vailed upon to join the Firestone Company and take charge of the equipment of a plant for the manufacture of pneumatic tires. He met every requirement of this onerous position, having entire control of the manufacturing department, and on the 14th of December, 1905, he perfected his design for the Firestone's first quick detachable, demountable rim, which is still in use today. One of his coworkers in the Firestone Company was Walter H. Jenks and together they determined to engage in business with the result that their plans materialized in the organization and incorporation of the Marathon Tire & Rubber Company, which was formed August 15, 1912, with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars. When their plant was completed they began the manufacture of tires and on the 1st of January, 1913, placed the first Marathon tires on exhibition in the New York city automobile show and the following month sent out their first shipment. Their business increased rapidly as the worth of their tire became recognized and from time to time it was necessary to enlarge their quarters and increase their capital from one hundred thousand to five hundred thousand dollars. Within a comparatively brief period three hundred people were on their pay roll and offices were established at Cuyahoga Falls as well as at Akron. In 1916 the company began producing rubber accessories as well as tires and their trade soon covered not only the entire United States but also Canada and South America. The Rid-Ged Grip Company was organized in 1922 and since that date Mr. Ridge has been the chief executive officer. Back of this enterprise is his long and varied experience in connection with the rubber industry of the country. Few men are able to speak with greater authority concerning products of this character and the methods of manufacturing and marketing than he, and the results of his management and executive ability are most gratifying to the corporation. Mr. Ridge was married in 1896 to Miss Mattie V. Barber, a daughter of Preston Barber, distinguished as an inventor, and a granddaughter. of Abel G. Allen, who came to Summit county in pioneer times. Mr. and Mrs. Ridge are parents of two daughters : Helen, who was educated at Oberlin College and is now the wife of LeRoy T. Barnett and the mother of one child, Mary Louise; and Edna May, the wife of Luther J. Sewell and the mother of a daughter, Susanne. Mr. Sewell is a widely known baseball player of the Cleveland American League Club. Mr. Ridge is a loyal follower of Masonic teachings and be- AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 257 longs to the Masonic Club. He is also identified with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and with the Akron Chamber of Commerce. He has always been deeply interested in the welfare and progress of the city and his activities have been of a character which have contributed to its growth and advancement. His own career illustrates what can be accomplished by determined and earnest purpose. Starting out in life empty-handed and with no special advantages or influential friends to aid him, he has steadily worked his way upward, mastering every task that has been assigned him and gaining therefrom knowledge and ability to assume larger tasks. Becoming identified with the rubber industry during the initial period of its development in Akron, he stands today as one of the best known representatives of the trade and is now controlling large and profitable interests as the result of his capability and laudable ambition. CLOYD R. QUINE Cloyd R. Quine is well known in business circles of Akron as the founder and executive head of one of its essential industries. He was born in this city on the 7th of November, 1881, and is a son of Robert S. and Kate (Motz) Quine. They settled in Akron in their youth and the father achieved prominence in the early civic and social activities of the city. Although seventy-nine years of age he is still alert and vigorous but the mother died in 1891. In their family were three children : Harry S., who was long an outstanding figure in newspaper circles of Akron and who passed away in this city in 1928; Bessie H., who is deputy clerk of the courts and lives at home; and Cloyd R. The last named attended the public schools of Akron and also completed a course in the Hammel Business College. For some time he was employed along various lines and his first independent venture was in the electric sign business in Akron. In 1902 he prompted the formation of the Colonial Insulator Company with which he was connected until 1904, when the business was sold to James Hemphill, who is now president of the company. Afterward Mr. Quine, from 1905 to 1908, was a director and manager of the Akron Clutch Company, which was then acquired by the Williams Foundry & Machine Company. Mr. Quine next became sales manager of The Williams Foundry & Machine Company and continued as such until 1917, when he formed the 258 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY Akron Equipment Company, of which he has since been president. In the intervening period he has created an efficiently operated industry which furnishes employment to eighty persons. The plant is thoroughly modern and its output comprises machinery, rubber, molds, dies and tire repair equipment. Mr. Quine also is president of the Akron Tyrewelder Company and a director of the Dime Savings Bank. On the 14th of February, 1904, Mr. Quine was married to Miss Hattie Van Orman, a daughter of J. H. Van Orman, one of Akron's prominent citizens. They have become the parents of two sons : Robert Cloyd, who was born in January, 1907, and graduated from the West high school and is now attending the University of Akron; and Willard Van Orman, who was born in June, 1908, and is a student at Oberlin College. Mr. Quine is a member of the City and Automobile Clubs and the Chamber of Commerce. His Masonic connections are with Akron Lodge, F. & A. M. ; Washington Chapter, R. A. M.; and Akron Council, R. & S. M., and he is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a past grand of Akron lodge. His religious views are indicated by his affiliation with the West Congregational church. MARTIN BERTHOLD Martin Berthold, who has attained notable distinction in the field of electrical engineering, his superior attainments being indicated in the fact that he has been admitted to membership in the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, was born in Saxony, Germany, September 6, 1877, a son of Otto and Anna (Lindner) Berthold, who were also natives of that country, where they spent their entire lives. The father was a distinguished forester, in charge of the forest "Oberholz" and of the experimental station, a division of the agricultural department of the University of Leipsic, state of Saxony. Both he and his wife have now passed away. In their family were five children, four of whom are yet living: Gotthard, Margaret and Mrs. Johanna Jentsch, all being residents of Leipsic; and Martin, of this review. The only representative of the family in the new world is Martin Berthold, now the head of the Berthold Electric & Engineering Company of Akron. In his youthful days he attended the Freimaurer Institute at Dresden, state of Saxony, Germany, AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 261 where he was educated. His mechanical and electrical education was acquired at the Machinenbau Schule, Technische Staats-Lehranstalten, Chemnitz, Saxony, from which he was graduated in 1897, with special courses in electrical engineering and mathematics. His interest in electrical work was greatly stimulated by the course of lectures by Professors Weinhold and Koller, at Chemnitz, in physics and electrical engineering. He became especially interested in the fundamental data on design of electrical machines as far as such data were available up to 1897, and followed up the same subject until 1900 by extensive private study and visits to such electrical manufacturing concerns as were accessible. He began his practical work by systematically prepared apprenticeship courses in the shop department of J. M. Grob & Company, Leipsic manufacturers of gas engines and electrical machinery. He served for a time as assistant to the chief engineer of Dr. G. Langbein & Company, Leipsic, later becoming electrical engineer with the Allgemeine Electrizitaets Gesellschaft, Berlin. Thinking to find superior business opportunities in the new world, he crossed the Atlantic in 1902 and made his way to Chicago, where he became a technical clerk in the testing department of the Western Electric Company, electric machinery division. There he remained until 1905, when he removed to Indianapolis, Indiana, and became assistant electrical engineer of the Commercial Electric Company. Subsequently he was associated with the Fairbanks-Morse Company in Indianapolis as engineer in charge of design, while later he was advanced to the position of chief engineer of the electrical department. With his removal to Mansfield, Ohio, he became chief engineer of the Ideal Electric & Manufacturing Company, with which he continued until 1912—the year of his arrival in Akron. Here he became associated with the Imperial Electric Company and in 1923 he resigned his position to join A. G. Ladrach in the organization of the Berthold Electric & Engineering Company. A contemporary writer said of him : "The work of Mr. Berthold since 1900 has been in the direction of greater refinement in the design of electrical motors and generators for alternating and direct currents. His observations of phenomena have .made it apparent that in order to secure the greatest efficiency the observations of the machine test must check the calculations of the machine design. In his work toward increased efficiency alternating current machinery has been developed with as much zeal as direct current machinery, though the one class does not sup- 9-VOL. 2 262 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY plant the other. Mr. Berthold became a citizen of the United States.on March 12, 1912. For the benefit of the naval consulting board he has compiled the inventories of five manufacturing concerns of the city, including his own company." The business of the Berthold Electric & Engineering Company has grown rapidly, the plant is equipped with modern machinery and the company is prepared to build electrical machinery for many special branches of Akron industry. On the 4th of June, 1914, Mr. Berthold was married to Miss Adeline Garber, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Garber, of Butler, Ohio. They now have two sons, Martin and Paul, born in 1915 and 1918, respectively. Mr. Berthold is a member of Henry Perkins Masonic Lodge, the Akron Chamber of Commerce and the Akron Automobile Club. His interest, however, chiefly centers in his profession and in the conduct of his business affairs. He is a member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers and of the German Engineers Association. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to try his fortune in America, for here he found his home and the professional opportunities which he sought and in their utilization has advanced steadily to the goal of success. His residence is at 704 Noah avenue, Akron, Ohio. NICHOLAS MILTON GREENBERGER Nicholas Milton Greenberger, a lawyer of wide learning and marked capability who entered upon active practice in Akron in 1902 and who is accorded a prominent place at the bar by the general public and by his colleagues and contemporaries, was born in New York city October 18, 1878, a son of Morris and Regina (Geiger) Greenberger, both of whom were born in a small village not far from Vienna, Austria. They came to America soon after their marriage and were residents of New York city until 1881, when they removed to Akron. Here the father, who was a graduate of the Vienna School of Distilling, established a distillery and for several years engaged in the wholesale liquor business. He passed away here in 1900, at the age of fifty-five years, and is still survived by his widow. In their family were three children : Nicholas M. ; Mrs. H. A. Goodwin, of Akron; and Harry, who is engaged in the real estate business in. Cleveland. AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 263 Although born in the eastern metropolis, Nicholas M. Greenberger was but three years of age when brought to Ohio and in the grade and high schools of Akron he pursued his preliminary studies. Even in his school days he was earning his own living by selling papers and doing other such work, and thus he learned the value of industry and perseverance as well as the value of money. When about twenty years of age he went upon the road as a salesman for the Brooks Oil Company of Cleveland and while thus engaged he began reading works on law. His interest in the profession was thus awakened and he made arrangements to become a student in the law office of Edwin F. Voris, of the firm of Voris & Voris of Akron. He there continued his preparation until admitted to the bar in 1902. Through the intervening period, covering more than a quarter of a century, he has continued in active practice here and has at different times discharged the duties of public office. In 1908 he was made city solicitor and filled that position until 1912, having been elected by the largest majority ever given to any candidate on the republican ticket for that office. It was during his incumbency that he instituted the movement that resulted in the purchase of the site for the Akron water works, drew up the contract and in due time acquired title to the property. As city solicitor he entered upon a legal contest with the Barber Asphalt Paving Company concerning road building that was not satisfactory and which resulted in the return of fourteen thousand dollars to the public treasury. He was likewise instrumental in gaining an important decision in connection with eastern Ohio grade crossings, and he also settled the question for all time as to whether or not cities could be bonded for the purchase of modern fire apparatus. His attitude was always one of progress and of support to all measures of benefit and value to the community, and his worthwhile public service endeared him in large measure to his fellow townsmen. With his retirement from office he concentrated his efforts more and more largely upon a growing private practice and now has a large clientele. He is also a director and the vice president of the Sanitary Market Company, the Cook Coffee Company and the Spiro Savings & Trust Company of Cleveland, Ohio. On the 18th of January, 1911, Mr. Greenberger was married to Miss Ethel Spiro, of Cleveland, daughter of Henry Spiro, well known banker of that city, and they now have two sons : Morton S., born in Cleveland, October 18, 1912, and now a high school 264 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY pupil in Akron; and Robert B., who was born in Akron. March 7, 1915, and is attending the King school. Mr. Greenberger belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Modern Woodmen of America. He likewise has membership in the Rosemont Country Club, the Temple Israel Association, the Akron Automobile Club and the Civitan Club, of which he is a former president. He is likewise connected with the Summit County, Ohio State and American Bar Associations and is widely and favorably known, having gained an extensive circle of friends during the years of his active connection with the Akron bar. Mr. Greenberger resides at 171 Casterton avenue, where he built his home in 1920. He has a beautiful flower garden, is a lover of flowers and outdoor sports, especially golf. HELEN MAE DAVIS Woman is entering more and more largely into the various fields of business activity and is proving her right to cope with men in those fields where intellectual activity and sound judgment feature as strong factors in the attainment of success. Helen Mae Davis has given demonstration of the possession of substantial qualities as a business woman through the conduct of a drug store in Akron, carrying on business at 298 East Exchange street. She was born in Massillon, Ohio, a daughter of John M. and Laura C. (Rice) Davis, and traces her ancestry through the maternal line back to the Revolutionary war period when representatives of the family aided in the struggle for independence. Miss Davis pursued her education in the schools of Massillon until the family removed to Akron, where she obtained a position in a drug store, and thus her interest in the business was awakened. After a time she decided to learn the scientific end of the business and entered the Western Reserve University at Cleveland, pursuing a course in pharmacy and winning her degree in 1917. She then returned and again secured a situation as assistant in a drug store but was ambitious to engage in business on her own account, and in 1920 opened a store at 282 East Exchange street, remaining there until 1928, then moving to 298 East Exchange street. Through the intervening period she has wisely and capably managed her interests, the trade steadily in- AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 265 creasing until she now has a very gratifying patronage. She belongs to the Alumni Association of the School of Pharmacy of Western Reserve University and she is a member of the Ohio State and the American Pharmaceutical Associations. Twenty years' connection with the drug trade has made her familiar with every phase of the business and she is qualified to handle anything in her line from, the sale of the simplest accessories of the drug trade to the compounding of the most intricate prescriptions. JOSEPH JACOB BERTELE Well equipped for the conduct of important commercial affairs, Joseph J. Bertele has progressed with his city, and he is well known as the executive head of the Akron Cycle & Supply Company, being responsible for its inception and prestige. He was born March 20, 1892, and has always lived in this locality, of which his maternal ancestors were early settlers. His parents were L. M. and Katherine (Dettling) Bertele, the former a native of France, while the latter was born in Akron. The father came to the United States in his youth and for many years was numbered among the leading produce merchants of Akron. His demise occurred in 1922 and the mother passed away in 1917. To them were born seven children : A. L., who lives in Akron; Leo A., of Chicago; Mrs. Emma C. Wolf, Raymond E. and Lawrence A. Bertele, residents of Akron; Mrs. Rosalia Fenn, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio; and Joseph Jacob Bertele. The last named received a public school education and began his business career with the B. F. Goodrich Tire & Rubber Company, with which he spent a year. For three years he was employed in the Coleman cycle shops and in the fall of 1916 ventured in business for himself, organizing the Akron Cycle & Supply Company. He is president and treasurer of the company, which handles radios and all kinds of fishing tackle and sportsmen's supplies as well as motorcycles. The business is located at No. 419 South Main street, in the building in which Mr. Bertele was born. In the early days this was one of the fine residential sections of Akron but with the growth of the city it has become the center of the manufacturing district. Closely studying trade conditions, Mr. Bertele keeps well abreast of the times and has made his firm a leader in the lines in which 266 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY it specializes. His plans are carefully formulated and his commercial transactions have always balanced up with the principles of truth and honor. On December 1, 1917, Mr. Bertele was married in Akron to Miss Veronica McDonough, a daughter of Charles McDonough, and they now have three children : Carol Marie, who was born February 18, 1919, and is a grammar school pupil; Mary Elizabeth, who was born April 15, 1921, and is also attending the public schools; and Leo M., born April 11, 1922. Mr. Bertele is a director of the Fish & Game Association, vice president of the Radio Dealers Association and president of the Akron Casters Club. His name appears on the membership rolls of the American Motorcycle Association, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Akron Automobile Club. He adheres to the Catholic faith and is a communicant of St. Vincent's church. Mr. Bertele's advancement is not due to a fortunate combination of circumstances but is the direct and legitimate result of his own efforts, and his worth as a business man and citizen is uniformly acknowledged. His residence is on the east side of Long lake. ERNEST H. CLINEDINST From early boyhood there were manifest in the life of Ernest H. Clinedinst certain qualities which characterized his entire career and which had made him, ere his untimely death at the age of forty-two years, a capable railroad representative, a distinguished lawyer and a public-spirited citizen who exerted marked influence over public thought and action in Akron. He was born in Staunton, Virginia, September 23, 1884, and came to Akron in 1911. He had pursued a public school education in his native state and following his graduation from New Market high school in 1901 he attended the Wolfe Business College at Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1902, while subsequently he continued his studies in the Virginia Polytechnic Institute at New Market. Thinking to find a congenial field in railroading, he obtained a clerical position with the Cumberland Valley Railroad at Hagerstown, Maryland, and later was transferred to the Baltimore & Ohio, remaining with that company for several years. In Youngstown he was a clerk in the claims department and also while in the Cleveland office he was on duty in the claims department. It AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 269 was while employed in these two departments that he became interested in a legal career and fitted himself for the practice of law by three years' study in the Cleveland Law School. In 1913 he came to Akron as general claim agent for the Northern Ohio Traction & Light Company and in the meantime continued his law studies, being admitted to the Ohio bar in 1914. It was then that he severed his connection with railroad interests and in 1915 became junior partner of the firm of Burch & Adams under the style of Burch, Adams & Clinedinst. In January, 1917, he became associated with Charles E. Smoyer, forming a partnership which was maintained until the death of Mr. Clinedinst. He won a very creditable position in professional circles, for he always prepared his cases with great thoroughness and care and presented his cause clearly, forcefully and effectively. He won many notable verdicts and contributed in large measure to the well merited reputation of Smoyer, Clinedinst & Smoyer, which was regarded as one of the strongest law firms in this great industrial center. His high standing among his colleagues and contemporaries in the legal profession is shown in the fact that he was chosen treasurer of the Akron Bar Association and also treasurer of the Akron Law Library Association. On the 25th of September, 1907, Mr. Clinedinst was united in marriage to Miss Ethel M. Ott, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a daughter of William H. Ott, who for many years was connected with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Their son, William 0., born September 12, 1908, is a remarkably talented youth, possessing genius along mechanical and electrical lines. As a boy he had a well equipped workshop in the basement of his parents' home and he has proven his thorough mastery of the radio. When only eight years of age he perfected a toy wireless instrument and in a few days he tuned it so as to receive messages from all over the country. He is now a student in the engineering department at the Carnegie Institute of Technology, class of 1931, having previously taken a preparatory course in the Kiskiminetas Springs School at Saltsburg, Pennsylvania. The second son of Mr. and Mrs. Clinedinst, Charles K., was born May 8, 1912, and died May 4, 1918. Mr. Clinedinst took an active interest in politics and was chairman of the democratic central committee. An active member of the Chamber of Commerce, he served as chairman of its entertainment committee and cooperated heartily in every project endorsed by that organization tending to promote the material 270 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY growth and civic welfare of Akron. For five and one-half years he was a member of the municipal civil service commission, resigning his position in 1921. He was also presidential elector for his district, supporting John W. Davis. He belonged to the Sigma Kappa Phi, a law fraternity, to the Democratic Club, to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. He was an active member and a trustee of the First Methodist Episcopal church and gave helpful and generous support to religious and welfare work. In a memorial prepared by the bar association it was said of him : "His pleasant personality, his enthusiasm and optimism made him popular not only with his brother lawyers but with a large and growing circle of acquaintances and friends. He had more business training than most members of our bar receive before beginning the practice of their profession, and this training stood him in good stead in his work. He was persistent and enthusiastic in urging the rights of his clients. Owing to his untimely death at the age of forty-two, he of course did not have the opportunity to demonstrate to the full the career to which he might otherwise have attained. His industry and ability in his professional work and his capacity for making friends and inspiring confidence in his clients were such as to enable him to advance rapidly. Had he lived an additional ten or twenty years, there is no doubt but that his ability, energy and character would have carried him far on the road to professional eminence. He had an unusual amount of public spirit which prompted him to give much of his time and energy to enterprises for the betterment of his community. His bar associates expressed their admiration for the many excellent qualities which combined to make him a genial and loyal friend, an able and a courageous lawyer, and a good and useful citizen of the community, state and nation." It will be long before Ernest H. Clinedinst is forgotten, for he was strongly endeared to his many-friends by reason of his splendid traits of character. EUGENE DUSTON BARSTOW Eugene Duston Barstow, a man of high qualifications in the field of engineering who is now serving as county sanitary engineer and at the same time continues in the private practice of his profession at Akron, was born in Williams county, Ohio, May 31, 1886, and is a son of Clark M. and Ella L. (Folwell) Barstow. AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 271 The father was born in Washington county, Ohio, while the mother is a native of Greenfield, New Jersey, and came to the Buckeye state with her parents in her girlhood days. Clark M. Barstow became a prominent physician and surgeon, following his profession in Williams county and in Bryan, Ohio. Both he and his wife are yet living. They have had a family of seven children : Eugene D., of this review; C. Dale, who resides in Florida; Harry E., living in Rochester, New York; Merrill V., who is a resident of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio; Leah, who makes her home at Bryan, this state; Mrs. Grace Key, also a resident of Bryan, Ohio; and one who is deceased. The public school system of Bryan afforded Eugene D. Barstow his early educational opportunities. He supplemented the work of the grades by a high school course and later entered the Ohio State University, in which he took up the study of civil engineering and was graduated with the class of 1912. He then entered upon the active work of his chosen profession and after spending some time in various parts of the country finally located in Toledo, Ohio, where he became assistant city engineer. In 1914 he removed to Akron, being resident engineer on the construction of Akron's sewage treatment and garbage reduction plants. He was for three years, from 1915 until 1918, city engineer of Cuyahoga Falls. He turned his professional knowledge and skill to practical service for his country during the World war period, for he enlisted in the United States Engineers Reserve Corps in 1917 but was in active service for only a short time during 1918. He served here as an assistant city engineer in 1919 and since November, 1919, has been county sanitary engineer, being reappointed in 1928. In 1922 he organized the firm of Barstow & McCurdy, Inc., and in that connection continues in the private practice of his profession, being president of the concern. In his official capacity he has charge of the county sewerage system and the water supply system. He is also secretary and treasurer of the Junction Lumber Company of Cuyahoga Falls. On the 10th of April, 1915, Mr. Barstow was married to Miss Edith M. Baird, of Columbus, a daughter of Andrew and Mary (Charles) Baird, the former a Canadian by birth, while the latter was a native of West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Barstow have one daughter, Mary Jeanette, who was born in Cuyahoga Falls June 10, 1918, and a son, Andrew C. B., born October 12, 1924. 272 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY The family maintain their residence at Cuyahoga Falls, where Mr. Barstow has served on the school board for several years. He belongs to the American Legion and to the Masonic fraternity, being identified with Akron Commandery, K. T., with Cuyahoga Falls Chapter, R. A. M., and Rubicon Lodge, F. and A. M., at Toledo, Ohio. He is likewise a member of Tadmor Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Akron, of the Masonic Club of Akron and of St. John's Episcopal church at Cuyahoga Falls. He was church treasurer for several years, has been on its vestry since 1921 and is now its junior warden. He likewise belongs to the Akron Rotary Club, Akron Torch Club, the Silver Lake Country Club, and the Akron City Club. His interests and activities are thus broad and varied, making for well-rounded development. Along professional lines he has membership with the American Water Works Association and the American Society of Civil Engineers. His professional duties are discharged with a sense of conscientious obligation, while the development of his powers in this field has given him high standing among the civil engineers of the state. His residence is at 211 West Broad street, Cuyahoga Falls. FRANCESCO B. DE LEONE The artist carries within himself the seeds of immortality—he forever creates and recreates himself anew. Inspired with "the divine art," Francesco B. De Leone, Akron's talented composer and professor of music, has already achieved international fame although he is only forty years of age. To him belongs the distinction of giving to the world "Alglala," the first all-American opera dealing with a strictly American theme, written by an American composer and staged by an all-American cast. He was born in Ravenna, Ohio, July 28, 1887, and his parents, James and Therese (Cuozzo) De Leone, were natives of Colliano, situated in the province of Salerno, Italy. They left that country in their youth and sought the opportunities of the United States, settling in Ohio, the father becoming one of the leading commission merchants of Ravenna, where he stood high in the community. He was called to his final rest in 1900 but the mother survives. Francesco B. De Leone attended the public schools of Ravenna and became interested in harmony when his mother purchased a AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 273 twelve-dollar melodeon. Going to Warren, Ohio, he took a course in the Dana Musical College and later entered the Royal Conservatory of Music at Naples, Italy, from which he was graduated in 1910. During the three years which he spent in that noted institution he had the privilege of studying under Camillo DeNardis, Nicola d'Atri and Rafiela Puzone. While in Naples, Mr. De Leone composed "The Millionaire's Caprice," an operetta, which has been produced in. Italy, Spain, South America, and Mexico. After his triumphs abroad he returned to Ohio and allied his interests with those of Akron, where he has since resided. The pupils in his studio at No. 199 West Market street are thoroughly trained in technical skill and they work in an atmosphere of culture which makes for, their best and highest development. As a natural result his clientele has steadily increased and he is head of the department of music at the University of Akron. The premier showing of "Alglala" was given at the Akron Armory in 1924 and in 1925 it was staged in Cleveland. Mr. De Leone recently completed "Pergolese," an Italian grand opera, and is now composing another American grand opera. His operas have been highly praised by the most noted musical critics. In recognition of his genius as a composer Mr. De Leone was knighted by the Italian government, receiving the gold Maltese cross, bestowed upon him by Signor Mussolini, and was made a chevalier of the Royal Crown of Italy. He was awarded the David Bispham Memorial silver medal, a bronze medal by the Dana Musical College, an honorary gold medal by the National Federation of Women's Musical Clubs, a wreath by the Ohio Federation of Musical Clubs and a gold medal by the National Federation of Music Publishers. Mr. De Leone belongs to the Composers & Authors Society of Rome, Clementi Circle of Naples. In 1922 Dana's Musical College conferred a fellowship and he is an honorary member of the Sons of Italy, the Cleveland Opera Guild, the Tuesday Musical Club of Akron and the Bedford Musical Club, the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and was recently made an honorary member of the Tau Delta Beta musical fraternity. Mr. De Leone was married September 16, 1908, to Miss Maude May Sherrick, a daughter of Rev. W. Wesley Sherrick, a presiding elder of the Evangelical church. They have become the parents of two children : Marcillette Theresa, who was born September 16, 1910, in Akron, and is a high school student; and 274 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY Francesco Sherrick, who was born December 7, 1913, in this city and is attending the West high school. Both are musically inclined. The family residence is at 585 Delaware avenue. Mr. De Leone is affiliated with the First Baptist church as director and organist. He is a Rotarian and a blue lodge Mason. Through the exercise of his creative powers he had made notable contribution to the history of music and Ohio is proud to claim him as one of her native sons. MISS TEDDY SAWYER Miss Teddy Sawyer occupies a unique place in Akron as a newspaper publisher and as an active promoter of union labor interests. It has been said "Teddy Sawyer meets everyone with a smile," but it is not alone the smile—the expression of a genial nature—that has brought her to her present position, for she possesses marked business capacity and power and has steadily advanced through merit. She is the owner and publisher of the Summit County Labor News and has made it an effective force in molding public thought and action. She is a native of Staunton, Virginia, and a daughter of James and Samantha (Eckles) Sawyer, but was an orphan when in her girlhood she came to Ohio. She received her education in the night schools of Akron, coming to this city in 1919. To provide for her own support she accepted a position in a doctor's office and later was employed in DeBaer's Jewelry Shoppe in the Orpheum Arcade. She afterward served for three years as bookkeeper with the City Window Cleaning Company and she came to the Summit County Labor News to answer the telephone. Her ready adaptability, industry and persistency won her promotion. She was appointed secretary to the editor, was later made bookkeeper and afterward her duties were increased inasmuch as she was appointed business and advertising manager. Because of the ill health of the owner of the paper she was in full charge for six months before she purchased the Labor News, acting at that time as general manager and editor. On the 21st of March, 1926, she acquired the Labor News by purchase. At that time it was stated that it was the only labor paper in the United States, and possibly the entire world, owned and edited by a woman. All through the passing years she had utilized every available opportunity to know every- AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 277 thing concerning the publication of a paper in both its mechanical and literary features and thus constantly broadened her knowledge and efficiency. At the time she acquired the Labor News there was an indebtedness of $1,500 on the paper which she assumed. At that time it had the endorsement only of the Central Labor Union and it was used very little as an advertising medium. Today the paper is not only out of debt but is in a most prosperous condition and it is endorsed by the Akron. Central Labor Union, the Akron Building Trades Council and seventeen affiliated local labor organizations, while its advertising patronage has grown to such an extent that Miss Sawyer can be most discriminating in her selection of patrons. Hers is the only official labor paper in Summit county to carry with it the backing of so many unions. The improvements that have been made have resulted from hard work and her ability to quickly render decisions which are thoroughly sound. She makes her paper an excellent news medium and the editorials which she writes are thoughtful and just in their criticism, are never inspired or spoiled by meanness and petty jealousies, but are honestly written to promote the welfare and insure the success of the union men in Summit county. Her paper reaches more than 2,000 people weekly. Her high position among the labor unions of Summit county is indicated in the fact that she has been chosen to honorary membership in the Barbers' Local 105 and the Bakers' Local 220, and the former organization made her its delegate to the Central Labor Union—a signal honor and one of which she has every reason to be proud. This places her in closer touch with union activities in Akron, and she was also made the labor candidate in the popularity contest which was held in connection with the centennial celebration of Akron's one hundredth birthday. She has been called upon to act as secretary at the meetings of various local unions, and it is doubtful if any man is her equal in knowledge concerning all matters pertaining to all the Summit county organizations, their purposes and their high endeavors. Miss Sawyer has changed many of the physical features of her paper, making it a thoroughly modern sheet in its typographical appearance and in its conduct, and the Labor News is the only official labor paper in Summit county that carries the endorsement of the following organizations: Akron Central Labor Union; Akron Building Trades Council; Barbers' Union, Local No. 105; Bakers' Union, Local No. 220; Painters, Decorators and Paperhangers of America, Local No. 841; Plasterers' Local No. 278 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY 109; Electricians' Local No. 306; Plumbers' and Steamfitters' Local No. 219; Hoisting and Portable Engineers, Local No. 561; Stationary Engineers Local No. 821; Carpenters Local 212; Carpenters District Council of Summit County and Vicinity; Line-mans Local 439; Molders Local No. 30; Wood, Wire and Metal Lathers Local No. 71; International Hod Carriers, Building and Common Laborers, Local No. 280; and Bricklayers Local No. 7. A contemporary writer has said : "Miss Sawyer's duties are numerous and exacting, but in spite of the many cares that go along with these duties, she is always cheerful and willing to help others with their work. Sympathy and kindness are rare gifts, more so when they come spontaneously—from the heart." WILLIAM G. GOOD Said one of the editors of the Beacon Journal in the issue of March 22, 1928: " 'A friend of Roosevelt and a foe to grafters' would be a fitting designation for William G. Good, insurance, real estate and steamship ticket broker and an 'old-timer' in Akron. Few men have had the interesting experiences that have been his in business, politics and government service. When he was a boy he always thought he would hunt wild Indians on the western plains. When he became a man he spent several years on the plains but saw no wild Indians, nor did he hunt any. Instead he assisted thousands of families to settle on ranches." Mr. Good was born March 22, 1867, in the brick dwelling which is still standing at the corner of East Market and Forge streets in Akron, and the name of his father is cut in the marble slab at the entrance of the house. His parents, Jacob and Katherine (Yost) Good, were natives of Alsace-Lorraine, Germany, and came to the United States in 1844. The father was a maltster and later opened a grocery store along the line of the old canal which passed through Akron. He was an honest dealer as well as an enterprising merchant and prospered in business. His demise occurred in 1893, when he had reached the sixty-fifth milestone on life's journey and Mrs. Good passed away in 1914 at the age of 83. In their family were nine children, five of whom survive : Mrs. George Iseman, Mrs. C. B. Simmons and Mrs. Henry Fuechter, all residents of Akron; Frank B. Good, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and William G. Good. The last named was a pupil in the Spicer school at the time AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 279 it was opened and attended the old Jennings high school for two years, afterward taking a course in bookkeeping in the Hammel Business College. Through a friend he obtained a position in the printing plant conducted by P. E. Werner at the corner of Mill and Howard streets and later the firm of Werner & Lohman were the owners of this establishment, in which Mr. Good worked for four years. In 1887 he embarked in the retail shoe business on Howard street and was thus engaged until 1906, when he accompanied William and James Christy to Washington, D. C., where they entered upon the work of railroad building. Mr. Good purchased all the ties and poles for the road, which is now operating as the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Street Railway. In 1905 he tendered his resignation as purchasing agent and for six months was at the national headquarters of the republican party in Chicago, having charge of the printing and mailing bureau during the Roosevelt campaign. In recognition of his services in saving the committee thousands of dollars in printing, George B. Cortelyou took Mr. Good to Washington and procured for him an appointment in the land office bureau of the department of the interior. His picture hung in the office of President Roosevelt during the latter's tenure of office. During his connection with the department Mr. Good spent his time in the west, where he prosecuted land, timber and mineral fraud cases, one of the most celebrated being that of the Oregon Lumber Company, in which he secured the indictment of several of its officials. He also investigated cases of irregularities in titles. Homesteaders who took up government lands for farms obtained their titles and deeds through him after he made investigations. In this work he aided in the settlement of more than five thousand parcels of government lands and resigned in 19.12, when the late Woodrow Wilson became president. Afterward Mr. Good spent two years in Denver, Colorado, selling tires, and three years in Nebraska and Iowa, developing the rubber clothing business for the B. F. Goodrich Company. He then returned to Akron and established his present business. His advice and opinion in regard to local real estate investments are highly valued and many important transfers of property have been negotiated through his instrumentality. He maintains an office at No. 103 East Mill street and conducts a large business which is thoroughly systematized. Mr. Good was married June 19, 1890, to Miss Delia B. Houghton, a daughter of J. B. Houghton, of Akron, and they have be- 280 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY come the parents of two children : Albert H., a successful architect, who designed and erected the city hall and other imposing buildings which ornament Akron; and Mrs. Geraldine Schubert, also a resident of this city. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Good has been a strong republican and in 1900 was assessor for the first ward. Along fraternal lines he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and is a charter member of Akron Lodge. He also belongs to the Fifty-Year Club, which was recently organized, and manifests a deep interest in matters pertaining to Akron's welfare and progress, lending the weight of his support to all worthy civic projects. For recreation he turns to fishing and hunting and also plays checkers and pinochle. He enjoys travel and recently returned from a trip to Cuba and Jamaica. Selfishness is utterly foreign to his nature and one of his hobbies is trying to make others happy. Actuated at all times by a keen sense of duty and honor, Mr. Good has never betrayed a trust, whether of a public or private nature, and his friends are legion. CLAIR L. POWLES The entire business career of Clair L. Powles, president and general manager of the Guarantee Mortgage Company, has been in connection with the banking mortgage and insurance interests of Akron, and few, if any, of the city's younger business men are as well known in these circles. He was born in Akron, October 22, 1893, a son of Thomas J. and Lillian (Secore) Powles, the former a native of Akron, while the latter was born in West Farmington, Ohio. The grandfather in the paternal line is one of the old residents of this state and is still living, being actively engaged in business. Thomas J. Powles has been connected with the city's business interests for many years and is the father of two sons, Clair L. and Clyde L. Clair L. Powles was reared in Akron and attended Perkins Normal School and the Central high school, later taking a business course. He began his business career as clearing house clerk in the old First National Bank and remained with that institution for eighteen months and then resigned to enter the employ of the National City Bank of Akron, spending two and one-half years in that connection, after which he became assistant treas- AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 281 urer of the State Bank & Trust Company. Later he was associated with a mortgage firm, before entering the real estate and loan business, operating as an individual. In February, 1923, he became connected with the Guaranty Mortgage Company, of which James P. Loomis was president. The latter passed away in 1926, and Mr. Powles has since been chief executive of the company, conducting its affairs in an able and efficient manner. He organized the Clair L. Powles Agency, of which he has since been president, and has made it a factor in general insurance circles. In 1917 Mr. Powles was married to Miss Freda C. Hemington, a daughter of J. F. Hemington of Akron. Mr. and Mrs. Powles have a son and daughter, both born in Akron; Marion Jane, born October 16, 1917, and John Thomas, born September 21, 1919. In his fraternal relations Mr. Powles is an Elk and a Mason. He has taken the Royal Arch degrees and is also a member of the Grotto. He belongs to the Brookside Country Club of which he was a charter member, to the Optimist Club and to the Akron Chamber of Commerce and in these varied connections is indicated much concerning his life interests outside of his business. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the First Church of Christ. While a man of but middle age, Mr. Powles has had an active career and is an excellent example of the type of business man developed in the present age, quick to perceive an emergency, decisive in his methods and keenly alive to the possibilities of a business proposition. His residence is at No. 638 Sunset View drive. JONATHAN W. BLASER Among the residents of Barberton, who, after active participation in commercial, industrial and civic affairs, in which they attained exalted places in public esteem, have passed on to higher scenes of action, none was more highly regarded than the late Jonathan W. Blaser, whose death on March 6, 1927, was deeply regretted by all who knew him. Mr. Blaser was born in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, on the 31st of October, 1870, and was one of the thirteen children of Godfrey and Rosina (Kunzli) Blaser. The father was a farmer and also a local preacher of the Evangelical denomination. Jonathan W. Blaser received his educational training in the public and high schools and for several years was engaged in teaching school. 282 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY After coming to Barberton he became interested in a number of enterprises and attained a leading place in local business circles. He entered into partnership with F. Homer Woolsey, under the firm name of Woolsey & Blaser, and engaged in the drug business, which is still carried on under that name. He also became president of the American Savings & Loan Company and was president of the Blaser Realty Company, of Cleveland. He became financially interested in the Rubber Products Company, of Barberton, of which he was made an official, but this proved an unfortunate venture, due to causes beyond his control, and the trials and strenuous duties of this connection had much to do with the breaking of Mr. Blaser's health. He was a man of high principles and great energy, devoting himself tirelessly to whatever he did, and was regarded as a man of more than ordinary business capacity. On January 12, 1910, Mr. Blaser was united in marriage to Miss A. Lucile Lucas, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Victor H. Lucas of Barbarton. Politically he was a stanch republican and gave a good citizen's attention to affairs affecting the welfare and prosperity of his community, though never a seeker after public office. His religious faith was that of the Presbyterian church, and he gave generous support to all worthy benevolent causes. His integrity and fidelity were manifested in every relation of life and he was regarded a good citizen in the fullest sense of the term, well worthy of the confidence and esteem reposed in him by his fellowmen. His character was above reproach, and the many beautiful tributes to his life and personality attest to the abiding place he held in the hearts of his many friends. ETHAN S. LONGENECKER To Ethan S. Longenecker of Barberton belongs the distinction of being the dean of the automobile dealers of Summit county, having been identified with that line of business here continuously since 1908, and during this period he has, through his persistent and well-directed efforts, enjoyed a splendid measure of success. Mr. Longenecker was born on a farm in Summit county, on the 26th of May, 1875, and is a son of Samuel and Catherine (Markley) Longenecker, both of whom are now deceased. He received his education in the district schools and then learned the painting and paper hanging trade, which he followed AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 285 until 1908, when he turned his attention to the automobile business in Barberton, which he has followed here continuously since. During this period Mr. Longenecker has always handled the Ford line and except for a year or so, has not sold any other line of automobiles. He is also a member of the board of directors of the People's Savings & Banking Company of Barberton. A man of great energy and marked business capacity, he has well merited the prosperity which has attended his efforts and is regarded as one of Barberton's leading business men. On March 7, 1903, Mr. Longenecker was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Case. They have no children of their own, but they have reared to young womanhood Miss Winona Burnett, who has received the same loving care and attention that a child of their own would have received. Mr. Longenecker is a republican in politics, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is serving on its board of trustees, and has taken the degrees of both the York and Scottish rites in Masonry and is a member of the Mystic Shrine. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and every local movement for the advancement of the public interest has received his hearty support. He is a man of sterling qualities of character and his business record is one of which he has just reason for pride, and he has so conducted his affairs as to earn the confidence and respect of all who have dealt with him. HON. JOHN PARK ALEXANDER By marked business enterprise leading to the attainment of substantial success, by marked public spirit leading to the substantial development of city and state and by personal honor, justice, fairness and consideration winning the highest respect and confidence of his fellowmen, Hon. John Park Alexander came to be known not only as one of the foremost residents of Akron and of Summit county, but of the state, and well it may be said of him : "He was a man; take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again." He was born in Bath, Ohio, August 7, 1834, a son of John and Mary (Scott) Alexander. The family is of Scotch lineage and was established in America in 1729, representatives of the name living for a time in York, afterward Lancaster county, Pennsyl- 286 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY vania. Subsequently, they resided in the Carolinas and while there seven members of the family were signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. When the British took possession of those two southern colonies the family returned to Pennsylvania. John Alexander, the father of John Park Alexander, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, November 18, 1799, and acquired a common school education while spending his youthful days on the home farm, where he soon became familiar with every phase of farm life. On the 16th of September, 1828, he wedded Miss Mary Scott, a daughter of Arthur and Ann Hamilton Scott, and in February, 1831, they removed to Ohio, settling on a tract of land near the southeast corner of Bath township, Summit county. There were few permanent residents in the locality at the time and Mr. Alexander took active part in the pioneer development and upbuilding of that section. He was a man of great energy and courage and largely aided the authorities in breaking up the strong and influential gang of counterfeiters and horse thieves that then infested the valley of the Cuyahoga. Because of his opposition to this lawlessness the threat was made to him that if he did not leave the township he would be killed, but he fearlessly did what he believed to be right and he lived to see the disreputable gang entirely eliminated from the valley. He was an earnest champion of the church and of the school and of all public improvements, and he did much toward laying broad and deep the foundation upon which has been built the superstructure of Ohio's greatness. To him and his wife were born four sons : David S., Joseph H., John Park and William G. John Park Alexander became one of the most honored and valued citizens of Summit county, prominent in business and in public life and exerting a most strongly felt influence for good in city and state. He was educated in the schools near his father's home, in the Richfield Academy and the Marlboro Normal School, in which he studied engineering under Professor Holbook. Taking up the profession of teaching, he was principal of the Akron grammar school, his appointment to that position resulting from an interesting experience. He was called by Mr. Howe to supply drawings and calculations for a water wheel where the engineer in charge was not able to do so. Mr. Alexander furnished the proper specifications and his appointment to the school was recommended. He taught for two years and then turned his attention to the commercial world. Later he patented a process AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 287 for making silica fire-brick which revolutionized the methods of lining furnaces, for this brick would withstand intense heat and the process was in use for many years as the acknowledged superior of all methods then known. He developed his business under the name of the Diamond Fire Brick Company and he also began the manufacture of stoneware, contracting for the output of fifteen other factories and establishing warehouses in Akron, Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago. In 1887 he further enlarged his business and made it one of the important productive industries of this section of the state. He also became identified with two oil refineries, which he operated from 1872 until 1877. This business he eventually sold to the Standard Oil Company, and was appointed general wholesale agent for this section of the country by that corporation. In all business matters he showed sound judgment and marked enterprise, combined with a progressive spirit that enabled him to carry forward to successful completion whatever he undertook. What Mr. Alexander accomplished in the way of the material development of Akron would alone entitle him to mention among its prominent citizens, but his activities in behalf of the public welfare even o'ertopped his business enterprise. He was for many years a prominent figure in connection with political affairs in city and state. With a group of others he was instrumental in making Akron a city, having faith; the vision and the foresight to carry on this work. He saw something of what the future had in store for the community and he labored that the foundations might be broadly and firmly laid. He was often misunderstood and sometimes maligned, but in the fullness of time the people who opposed him came to acknowledge his wisdom, his unselfishness, his foresight, and his public spirit. He became a member of the first city council of Akron and for many years was its president. The upbuilding of the town was his greatest interest and he exercised his official prerogatives in support of every measure which he believed would benefit the municipality. In those days service as a member of the city council brought no remuneration and he gave of his time, effort and talent for a work for which he now receives great credit. He labored for Akron's growth not only in the matter of its organization as a city but in the upbuilding of its schools and in support of all those interests and activities which are a matter of civic virtue and of civic pride. He was made a member of the board of commissioners that had in charge the erection of the magnificent court house of 288 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY Summit county and he long figured most prominently in political circles. In 1882 he was called to represent his district in the state legislature, and in 1888 was elected to the state senate from the district composed of Summit, Portage, Geauga, Lake, and Ashtabula counties. He served in the upper house until 1892 and then again in 1896 was chosen state senator and filled the office until 1898. For ten years he labored untiringly to secure the colonization of the imbeciles and feeble-minded youth of the state and when he became a member of the general assembly he saw the fulfillment of his hopes, for through his efforts an appropriation of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars was secured for the purpose and an institution was established whereby that unfortunate class received the care of the state. For several years following he served on the board that regulated the affairs of the institution. He was also interested in the legislation for the benefit of the Ohio penitentiary and he was intensely active in promoting legislation benefiting the temperance cause. He was also the author of the county depository law and in state affairs exerted a widely felt influence. Few men have done as much to further the agricultural interests of Summit county as did Mr. Alexander. In 1858 he was made secretary of the Summit County Agricultural Society and through the succeeding fourteen years continued as secretary or as president, while in 1872 he was elected treasurer of the state board of agriculture. While he never neglected any duty or opportunity whereby he might further the welfare and upbuilding of the commonwealth, his interests centered chiefly in Akron and it is almost impossible to mention any phase of the city's development with which he was not closely and helpfully associated. In charitable work Mr. Alexander was a recognized leader and served for several years as president of the Akron Charity Association, the work of which culminated in the establishment of Grace House. Not only did he become a potent factor in the conversion of Akron from a village into a city, but he also stanchly advocated and promoted its street improvements and every phase of progress here. As president of the city council he was known for his ability to put through a large amount of business in a comparatively short time. So thorough was his attention in the matter of municipal affairs and so deep his study of the subject that he became known throughout the country as an authority on municipal law and procedure; his advice was frequently sought AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 289 by other cities; and his labors bore fruit in municipal legislation which he fathered in the general assembly. During the Civil war Mr. Alexander enlisted in the famous Squirrel Hunters' expedition organized at the direction of David Tod, war governor of Ohio, to repel the threatened invasion of the rebel raiders, John Morgan and Kirby Smith, in 1862, and afterward remained in Kentucky in service as an independent sharpshooter. During the latter part of the war his interest in the Union cause would have led him to enlist had it not been for the efforts of friends to keep him in Akron, where his presence was so sorely needed. It was largely through his efforts that the unjust measures of the draft in Summit county were resisted and the quota of recruits adjusted. In 1859 Mr. Alexander purchased the twelve acres of land on which he erected what became the family residence. He was married on the 4th of September, 1860, to Miss Martha Durand Wright, of Tallmadge, and they became parents of eight children. Clara, the eldest, is now the wife of Charles B. Wright, of Middlebury, Vermont, and had two children : John Alexander, deceased; and Marjory A., now Mrs. William Hazlett Upson. Helen, the second daughter, became the wife of Henry B. Sperry and has now passed away. She had four children : George A., deceased; John A., who wedded Stella Phillips and has a son, John A., Jr.; Robert A., who married Doris Brown and has two children, Virginia B. and Ann Alexander; and Helen A. Grace, the third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander, is now Mrs. C. N. Belden, and her children are Park A. ; Don. A., who married Alice Tomlinson and has one child, Don A., Jr. ; Wade A., who married Mary Valentine and has one son, George V. ; Scott A., who married Dorothy McGuiness and has a daughter, Dorothy May; and Mary A. George Bates Alexander, the fourth of the family, is deceased. Martha D. became the wife of Charles Henry Little and passed away leaving a daughter, Dorothy A. Bessie Hamilton is the wife of Stephen H. Pitkin, and is the mother of three children : Elizabeth A., who married John I. Rowell and has three children, Mary Elizabeth, Eleanor P. and Nancy Jane; Francis A., who married Ruth E. Mason; and Grace Alexander. John Park Alexander Jr., seventh of the family, died in 1901. Alice, the youngest, became the wife of Frank E. Hulett of Cleveland, and has also passed away. It was the death of his son, John Park Jr., that caused the first break in the health of Mr. Alexander. The young man sustained 290 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY a blow on the head while exercising in a college gymnasium, this resulting in a stroke of paralysis. With the hope of benefiting his son by a change of climate and scene, the father started with him for Europe, but while at sea he was again stricken and died suddenly. This was a blow from which the father never recovered, although he lived to the age of seventy-four years and three months, passing away in the Christian faith, for he had long been a member of the First Congregational church. He was also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Even those who opposed Mr. Alexander and his policies admired and respected him, for they knew his outstanding honesty, and many there were who in the early days were opponents of his progressive measures that in later years acknowledged that his position was the correct one and who were proud to call him friend. It has often been said that all of his enemies came to be his friends. It could scarcely be otherwise, for J. Park. Alexander never had a grudge against anyone and was able to see through opposition and persecutions to the real man. He believed in the spark of goodness in every individual and this may account in a measure for the deep affection in which he came to be uniformly held. No man was ever more scrupulously honest, not only in business but in politics and in public office, and so of him it may be said : "He leaves a patriot's name to after times, Linked with a thousand virtues and no crimes." JUDGE PHILIP BURDELL TREASH On the pages of Ohio's judicial history the name of Judge Philip Burdell Treash stands prominently forth. Although a self-educated and self-made man, he became a member of the court of appeals as well as judge of the common pleas court and was one of the best known and most highly honored officials of Summit county. His life record has much of inspirational value inasmuch as it demonstrates what can be accomplished through individual worth and ability. He was born at Uniontown, Ohio, August 10, 1875, a son of Frank G. and Amanda (Thompson) Treash, who removed to Akron when the son was still quite young, so that aside from the time when he was away to school Judge Treash spent practically his entire life in this city. He was ambitious to secure an education and in order to accom- AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 293 plish this he sold newspapers to earn the money that would enable him to pursue a high school course, and he also earned the sum that enabled him to meet his tuition and other expenses as a student in Oberlin College. He was graduated from the Central high school of Akron in 1895 and afterward spent two terms as a student in Buchtel College, subsequent to which time he attended Oberlin and was there graduated with the class of 1900. He had worked diligently not only in the mastery of his lessons but also in acquiring the funds necessary to meet his expenses, and thus he was developing that force of character which carried him onward and ever onward until death terminated his career. Having acquired a broad literary education to serve as a foundation upon which to rear the superstructure of professional knowledge and having decided that he wished to make the practice of law his life work, he then matriculated in the law school of the Ohio State University, completing his course by graduation with the class of 1903. He at once entered upon active practice and for several years was associated with Judge Wanamaker and W. E. Young in a law office in Akron. Later he entered the law offices of Commins & Benner and afterward opened an office of his own. Steadily he advanced in his chosen profession, for he early gave demonstration of his ability to cope with intricate legal problems and to present his cause with clearness, force and effectiveness. In 1918 he was elected judge of the common pleas court for the six-year term and entered upon the duties of the office in January, 1919. He served in that capacity for two years and seven months, or until called to a higher judicial office, and during that period became well known for his honesty and impartiality. In August, 1921, he was appointed judge of the ninth district appellate court by Governor Davis. At the time he took his oath of office he had to be carried to the courthouse, as he was still weak from an automobile accident in which both of his legs were broken. In the court of appeals, in association with Judge W. E. Pardee and Judge C. G. Washburn, he handed down a number of important decisions. His insight into a situation was extremely keen and he was practically never at fault in the application of a legal principle. On the 5th of September, 1904, Judge Treash was married to Miss Ida M. Roberts and they became the parents of three children : Harriet Elizabeth, Robert Philip and Marian Louise. Judge and Mrs. Treash held membership in the West Congregational church and he was a teacher in its Sunday school, while 10-VOL. 2 294 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY at different times he served as Sunday school superintendent. Following his demise some of his class of boys had a picture of Judge Treash enlarged and hung in the Sunday school room. He was very prominent in welfare work and earnest and liberal in his support of every project for the general good. He served as a trustee of the Travelers Aid Society and of the Florence Crittenton League. He was a member of the Akron City Club and of the Akron University Club and his social qualities won him many friends, gaining him the good will of all with whom he came in contact. Along strictly professional lines he was identified with the Ohio State and American Bar Associations. Judge Treash and his close friend, C. M. Woodruff, met a tragic death when crossing Mill street at Howard, being struck by a runaway truck which sped driverless down Mill street. These two had been schoolmates at Oberlin College, prior to which time Judge Treash and Ed Brouse had studied law in the offices of Young & Wanamaker. Following their graduation the three men located in Akron, where the comradeship of their college days remained unbroken until the fatal Wednesday night—January 25, 1922—which claimed the lives of two. The memory of the useful career of Judge Treash will inspire others who are struggling as he did to gain a start. The Beacon Journal said of him : "He was a distinguished member in his chosen profession and his ability and service were recognized by Summit county people when they elected him to the bench of the common pleas court. His appointment by Governor Davis to the court of appeals was an added tribute to his worth. Both as lawyer and jurist he had the good will and deep respect of fellow members of the bench and bar, who rejoiced with him in the bright promise the future seemed to hold in trust for him. His boyhood training in the rare school of American life, his intimate acquaintance with the struggles and hardships of the poor, his later broadened knowledge of life in its every relation, gave him admirable equipment for able and honored service on the bench, and the community will feel the loss of this most keenly. Judge Treash's voice and his influence were devoted to every project for the city's good. He was a leader in the civic and religious life of the people and will be deeply missed." Countless tributes of respect and honor were expressed by men prominent in every walk of life. The tribute of Judge Pardee was that "Judge Treash was another example of possibilities of his country. By his own industry and perseverance and AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 295 ability he gradually worked himself through school and college until he became a leading citizen in the community in which he lived. He was a man of high ideals, devoted to his home and family, a splendid lawyer and a fearless judge. We have all suffered a great loss." Judge Edward Boylan said : "This tragic accident takes from the community a man having a great power for good and one who promised to have been a leading jurist. His ability and learning were recognized by the Summit County Bar Association, and his activities along the moral side of life made him appreciated all over the county and state. He was active in an uplift of humanity and his loss to the community and to the people is an irreparable one." Judge Fritch expressed his opinion as follows : "Judge Treash was a good Christian man and an honest and upright judge. This tragic accident has taken from us an honorable and good man. Judge Treash lived an upright and good life and he will be missed by the bench, by the Anti Saloon League and the West Congregational church, in which he took an active interest." Judge C. G. Washburn said : "Judge Treash was a Christian gentleman, courteous and considerate, fair and just, and his honesty and integrity, his industry and knowledge of the law made him not only an excellent judge but an ideal associate upon the bench. His death is not only a loss to the bench and bar, to the community, to his family, but is a very great loss to me as his personal associate." With the passing of Judge Treash many felt the spirit of Shakespeare's words : "His life was gentle, and the elements So mixed in him that Nature might stand up And say to all the world, 'This was a man !' " FRANK H. ADAMS Frank H. Adams, now living retired in Akron, was for many years one of the city's prominent business men. He was born in what is now East Akron, December 28, 1865, and is the only son of Frank Adams, a sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in this publication. Frank H. Adams attended the public schools of Akron and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at Bos- 296 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY ton. As a young man he went to Mexico and was identified with mining operations in that country for a year. He then went to Fort Wayne, Indiana, and became connected with the Western Engineering Company, a large corporation, remaining there until 1890, when he returned to Akron to enter the First National Bank as a bookkeeper. Later he was made teller of the bank, of which he next became cashier, and filled that office until 1908, when he resigned, assuming the duties of treasurer of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Mr. Adams' identification with this great corporation covered a period of its notable growth and expansion and he served until 1917, when he retired. However, he is still connected with business interests of the city, being a director of the First Trust & Savings Bank and the McNeil Boiler Company. On October 21, 1891, Mr. Adams married Miss Frances Robinson, who died March 6, 1924. She was a daughter of William Robinson, a leading business man of Akron. Mr. Adams is a member of the Portage Country Club, the City Club and the University Club. His residence, "Rockynol," situated on the Medina road, was erected by Mr. Adams in 1908, it being the first of the beautiful estates in that section of fine homes. ADAM F. ERDENBERGER Adam F. Erdenberger is a representative of pioneer families of Ohio and a successful pharmacist who has been prominently identified with business affairs of Akron for a period of twelve years. He was born January 20, 1895, in Mansfield, Ohio, and is a son of Albert and Josephine (Riemer) Erdenberger, also natives of that city, in which they still reside. The father is a cigar manufacturer and a business man of high standing. Mr. and Mrs. Erdenberger have two sons : Oscar, who lives in Mansfield ; and Adam F. The latter attended the public schools of his native city and continued his studies in the Ohio Northern University, from which he was graduated in 1915 on the completion of a pharmaceutical course. He came to Akron in 1916 and for seven years had charge of one of the Day drug stores, successfully managing the establishment. In 1923 he was elected vice president of the Summit Drug Company of Akron and filled that office until April 5, 1928, when the Day & Summit Drug Com- AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY - 297 panies were taken over by the People Drug Company, a national chain with main office at Washington, D. C. Mr. Erdenberger now has charge of their Ohio operations as secretary and general manager. Mr. Erdenberger was married August 4, 1920, in Akron to Miss May Stanhope, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Stanhope and a member of a prominent family of Washington state. Mr. and Mrs. Erdenberger have one child, James S., who was born in Akron, May 18, 1921, and is a grammar school pupil. Mr. Erdenberger is a Mason and belongs to the Grotto, the Masonic Club, the Silver Lake Country Club, the Rotary Club, the Automobile Club and the City Club of Akron and the Chamber of Commerce. In religious faith he is an Episcopalian and conscientiously follows the teachings of the church. A young man of serious purpose, keen intelligence and strong character, he has already accomplished much and his future is rich in promise. HAROLD EPPLEY Concentrating his attention upon the real estate and mortgage loan business, Harold Eppley has stimulated Akron's growth and development, at the same time winning the legitimate reward of well directed industry, and is a citizen of worth to the community. He was born in Zanesville, Ohio, December 14, 1894, and is a son of George and Lillian (Bradley) Eppley, both natives of this state. When a young man the father became a school teacher, devoting a number of years to educational work, and then turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. He is the owner of a farm near Zanesville and resides on the place but the mother died in 1916. Mr. and Mrs. Eppley became the parents of two children : Ira, who is living in Zanesville; and Harold. The younger son received his early instruction in his native city and was graduated from the high school at Crooksville, Ohio. He was a student at Oberlin College for a year and then secured a position in the accounting department of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, with which he spent several years. On severing his connection with that corporation Mr. Eppley started out for himself, in April, 1915, choosing Akron as the scene of his activities, and has achieved gratifying success in the real estate and mortgage loan business. In the line in which he specializes 298 - AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY he is an acknowledged expert and recently negotiated loans of over eight hundred thousand dollars on a group of buildings in this vicinity. He has made an intensive study of home financing and building and his advice on matters pertaining thereto is sound and reliable. Mr. Eppley was married June 19, 1919, to Miss Pauline Bahr, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick C. Bahr and a member of one of the well known families of Akron. Mrs. Eppley is a member of the Woman's Club and a favorite in social circles of the city. Mr. Eppley enjoys his home and has no club or fraternal affiliations. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and shapes his conduct by its teachings. His interest centers in the business in which he is engaged and his progress has been commensurate with his industry and ability. PHILIP C. HUBER Philip C. Huber was numbered among the men of foreign birth who found in the conditions and opportunities of the new world the chance for that advancement which leads to success. He was long widely and favorably known in Akron. His birth occurred in Burbach, Germany, June 5, 1845, and he came to America when a lad of eight years in company with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Huber, who resided on a farm two miles from Doylestown, Ohio. In that locality the son acquired his early education and at the age of twenty-six years he came to Akron, subsequent to which time he ranked with the city's best known residents and prominent business men, being connected with the J. Koch Company, dealers in clothing and men's furnishings, for forty-five years and contributing in notable measure to the development and upbuilding of the business. At the time he retired from active commercial life he was vice president of the J. Koch Company, having gradually worked his way upward, his diligence, persistency of purpose, reliability and enterprise gaining him promotion from time to time until he was called to executive management and control. He had started in as a clerk with Hoffman & Moss and when the Koch Company bought out the business he remained with the new firm and step by step advanced until he reached the vice presidency. Mr. Huber was united in marriage in Doylestown, Ohio, December 30, 1875, by the Rev. Thomas of the Methodist church,