Biography of Joseph Rosenblum

JOSEPH ROSENBLUM is one of the most extensive onion operators in the United States, a man who has established the onion market, who has brought order to certain commercial conditions, and who has brought success not only to himself but to the scores of producers who are most vitally concerned. He is a power to be reckoned with in American commercial and financial circles, and has achieved this high position solely through his own ability, probity and perseverance. The State of Massachusetts, looking to her men of agricultural industries for the most favorable reports that she is accustomed to pass … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Tirzah B. McMillen

Mrs. TIRZAH B. McMILLEN. – Especial interest surrounds the life of those mothers who made possible the social conditions of our state. They will be held in everlasting remembrance. Tirzah, the daughter of Edward and Hannah H. Barton, was born in Clermont county, Ohio, in 1832, and at a very early age accompanied her parents to Cincinnati, later to Indiana, and in 1851 across the plains to Oregon. In October of the same year she was married in Portland to James H. McMillen, and soon removed to their new home on Tualatin Plains, ten miles west of Portland. It was … Read more

Biography of James Cuthbert

James Cuthbert. One of the oldest and best known general contractors in the state is James Cuthbert of Topeka, which city has been his home and the center of his widely extended activities more than thirty-five years. As his name indicates, Mr. Cuthbert is a sturdy Scotchman, and his many associates and friends in Kansas say that he exemplifies all the best traits of the race. He was born in Nairnshire, Scotland, July 14, 1849, a son of James and Jane (Bowie) Cuthbert, who spent their lives in Scotland. He grew up among his native hills and heather, had a … Read more

Biography of Daniel M. Sechler

Daniel M. Sechler, founder of the D. M. Sechler Carriage Company, of Moline, Illinois, was born March 4, 1818, at Danville, Pennsylvania, and died at his home in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 27, 1903. Mr. Sechler’s forefathers, in the days of the persecution of John Huss, were obliged to flee for refuge from Austria, taking up their abode in Holland, from which country, in 1685, Mr. Sechler’s great great grandfather emigrated to America, locating near William Penn’s town of Philadelphia. His grandson, John Sechler, a revolutionary soldier, founded the town of Danville, the birthplace not only of the subject of this … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. E.C. Heilman

He located at Ida Grove, Iowa, August 20, 1877. He was born in Cedar County, Iowa, July 18, 1856, son of Samuel and Mary (Ranck) Heilman. His parents were natives of Pennsylvania and of German descent. He was reared in Iowa, received his literary education at Cornell College and took his medical course at the Medical College of Ohio at Cincinnati, graduating at the latter institution in March 1877. Upon his arrival here he entered into a partnership with Dr. F. D. Seeber, & was associated with him for 2 years. After conducting his practice alone for 2 years, Dr. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. B. Conley

A. B. Conley, merchant, and a prominent citizen of Tullahoma, Tennessee, was born in Rutherford County, Tennessee, November 7, 1847; the son of A. W. Conley, a native of Tennessee. Our subject was reared on a farm in what is now a part of Crockett County. He acquired his education in the common schools and in 1867 began the study of medicine. He attended the Eclectic College at Cincinnati, Ohio, the medical department of the University of Louisiana at New Orleans, and graduated in 1884 from the American Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati. From 1871 to 1880 he practiced in … Read more

Biography of Benjamin Harper

The subject of this sketch needs no introduction to the older generation of Rock Island County, the larger enterprises of which he was intimately associated with throughout the many years of his residence here. Benjamin Harper was born February 12, 1817, in the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and died April 3, 1887, in the City of Rock Island, Illinois. When about fourteen years of age his parents removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he served his apprenticeship to the wagon-maker’s trade, upon completion of which, that spirit of bold initiative and energy which characterized his whole after life, asserted itself in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of O. W. Gogin

O. W. Gogin, Justice of the Peace, Mattoon; was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1820; his father came from New Jersey and settled in Cincinnati in 1800; the family was six months making the journey, coming by teams to Pittsburgh, Penn., and thence floating down the Ohio in a keelboat to the point of destination; here the family remained some twenty-odd years; in the spring of 1841, his father came West, and settled in Crawford Co., Ill., where he began the labor of opening up a farm in the woods; O. W. was the youngest of the family, and remained … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joshua W. Alexander

Joshua W. Alexander, only son of Thomas W. and Jane Alexander, was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, January 22, 1852. When he had reached the age of four years, his parents removed to Anoka County, Minnesota, and settled upon a farm. There his father died in 1859, and in 1860 his mother removed to Canton, Lewis County, Missouri, and soon after returned to Cincinnati, where the subject of our sketch attended school until July, 1863, when they once more made Canton their home, and there he attended the graded school until 1868, when he entered the Christian University at Canton, graduating … Read more

Biography of William H. Manser, M. D.

William H. Manser, M. D.,had that splendid satisfaction which comes to the man who found himself in a congenial vocation early in life and had steadily broadened and improved his service and capacity for doing good. Dr. Manser is now the oldest physician in point of continnous service at Burden, where he had practiced thirty-three years. Though of New England ancestry, the Mansers having located in Massachusetts in Colonial times, Dr. Manser is a native of old Virginia, born at Beckley in what was then simply Western Virginia and as a result of the Civil war became the State of West Virginia. … Read more

Biography of Henry Brandley

Henry Brandley was born in Switzerland October 12, 1839, and died at his beautiful home at Matfield Green in Chase County June 1, 1910. When he was about twelve years of age his parents came to America, being fifty-two days in crossing the ocean. In 1852 the family settled in Cincinnati, where he finished his education and worked at the painter’s trade. In 1856 the Brandleys moved to Randolph. County, Indiana, and there the young man had further experience as a farm hand, in a shingle mill, as rail maker and digger of ditches. In the spring of 1859 he … Read more

Biography of Francis M. Avey

Francis M. Avey. Of the men whose ability, industry and forethought have added to the character, wealth and progress of Champaign County none stands higher than Francis M. Avey, now living retired at Rantoul, which has been his home for over forty-five years. Among other enviable distinctions Mr. Avey is one of the honored survivors of the great war of the rebellion, and he was a member of the first regiment that marched away from Illinois to fight in the South. His entire career has been in keeping with the high standards of patriotism which caused him to enter the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Burt A. Miller

Miller, Burt A.; surety bonds; born, Canton, 0., March 17, 1871; son of William K. and Sarah Burwell Miller; educated at Cornell university and Cincinnati Law School; married, Canton, O., Dec. 27, 1899, Jane Rabe; organized the surety business in Cuba and Porto Rico after the Spanish-American war, drawing law permitting surety companies to operate in Cuba, and fixing the deposit required and tax to be paid; resident vice pres. and mgr. for Northern Ohio of the Southwestern Surety Ins. Co.; served in the 8th inf., O. N. G. (second lieut.); vice pres. Surety Association of Cleveland; member Canton Lodge, … Read more

Biography of James B. Summons, Jr.

James B. Summons, Jr., is one of the early pioneers of Riverside, having located in the colony in 1870. He is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, born in 1845. His grandfather, Captain John B. Summons, was a prominent and well-known citizen of Cincinnati, an owner of river steamers carrying the mail, and commander of same. He was a member of the city council of that city for more than twenty-five years. He was a Kentuckian by birth, who in his early manhood settled in Cincinnati. Mr. Summons was reared and educated in Cincinnati until 1861, receiving his education in the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry A. Peabody

Henry A. Peabody manager of the Santa Ana Blade, was born in Detroit, Michigan, Starch 19, 1837; in 1847 he was a newsboy in Cincinnati, Ohio; in March, 1857, as a journeyman printer. He started from Columbia, Missouri, for California, crossing the plains, and arriving at Colusa, California, September 1, 1857, barefooted and without a coat to his back. There he hired himself out to drive an ox team, three yoke, to Petaluma, California, earning his first money in the State. About September 20 he took work in the Democrat office at Santa Rosa, California, and from that time followed … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Mettel

Jacob Mettel was born in Hesse, Hamburg, Germany, August 12, 1845. His parents removed from the “Faderland” while he was an infant, and crossed the broad ocean to the “Land of the free,” settling in Franklin county, Indiana, where he was reared and attended school. When eighteen years of age he left home and went to Harrison, Ohio, where he learned the shoemaking trade with Frederick Fisher, remaining with him two years and nine months. In 1866 he went to Cincinnati, worked for Paul Shauner for two years and a half, and, at the expiration of that time, was employed … Read more

Biography of William Hasselmann

William Hasselmann is an expert florist. He learned the business in all its details and all its phases in Germany, and had had experience in some of the greatest flower growing centers in the world. Some years ago he located at Independence, Kansas, and is now proprietor of the leading greenhouses of that city and his business had grown so rapidly that it is constantly demanding more room and greater facillties for the better handling of a custom that now extends far beyond the borders of his home city. His full name is William Dietrich Hasselmann. He was born at … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alexander S. Taylor

Taylor, Alexander S.; real estate operator; born, Cleveland, April 3, 1869; son Virgil C. and Marguerite M. Sacket Taylor; educated, public schools and Brooks Military Academy, graduating in 1888; married, Cincinnati, O., May 16, 1894, Clara Therse Law; issue, one son, Virgil Corydon Taylor, second; served five years in the Gatling Gun Battery; never held political office; in 1911, was tendered directorship of public works under Mayor Baehr, and has been under consideration as Republican nominee for mayor; in 1892, became member of firm of V. C. Taylor & Son; 1908, elected pres. of Cleveland Real Estate Board; 1910, elected … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Webb C. Ball

Ball, Webb C.; jeweler; born in Knox Co., Ohio; married in 1879 to Miss Florence I. Young of Kenton, O.; issue one son and three daughters; at an early age apprenticed to a watch maker to learn the watch making and jewelers’ trade; came to Cleveland in Mch., 1879; for 5 yrs. had been business mgr. of the Dueber Watch Case Mnfg. Co., then located in Cincinnati; head of Railroad Time Inspection System as well as one of the leading merchants of Cleveland; the name Ball today stands for accuracy in construction of Railroad watches; in connection with Railroad inspection … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Moses J. Gries

Gries, Moses J.; rabbi; born, Newark, N. J., Jan. 25, 1868; son of Jacob and Katie Gries; educated, Hughes High School, Cincinnati, University of Cincinnati and Hebrew Union College; married, Cleveland, June 15, 1898, Frances Hays; issue, two sons; pres. Central Conference of American Rabbis; member Board of Governors, Hebrew Union College, Board of Editors, Department of Synagogue and School Extension; member committee on Municipal Arts and Architecture of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce (group plan); member board of trustees Cleveland Associated Charities; trustee Cleveland School of Art; Federation of Jewish Charities; director of The City Club of Cleveland; also … Read more