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1100 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. the Governor appointed him City Judge of Grayson, and he served one year. Mr. Powers comes of a long line of honorable ancestry. His great-grandfather, John Powers, served in the Revolutionary war and in that of 1812. His grandfather, Ezekiel Powers, Sr., served in the war of 1812. The Powers family settled in Massachusetts in 1665. From there they emigrated to the James river in Virginia, and from there to what is now West Virginia. His mother's grandfather, Ebenezer Dean, served in the Revolutionary war. His name first appears on the records of the War Department at Washington on a return (not dated) of officers in William Heath's Massachusetts regiment without remark; again on a return (not dated) of vacancies in Gen. Heath's brigade. In the latter return he is reported as being a Lieutenant in the 36th Continental Regiment f foot soldiers, commanded by Col. John Greaton. The records show that Col. Greaton was a Lieutenant Colonel in Colonel William Heath's Massachusetts regiment. The Dean family settled in Massachusetts in 1635. Mr. Powers is noted for his faithfulness to all duty and responsibility and is an excellent lawyer as he was an excellent business man. He possesses indomitable courage, tireless energy and a will strengthened by obstacles. He makes friends wherever he is known and retains them when made. He is useful and valuable in any servic and does all he undertakes well. Rev. Eliphaz Perkins Pratt, D. D., was a citizen of Portsmouth for thirty-four years, and in that time no man exercised a greater influence on questions f morality, ethics and religion than he. His father, Daniel Pratt, and his mother Julia Perkins, were both from the state of Connecticut. They came to the northwest territory with the beginning of the century, and they began their married life together in a log cabin in what is now Athens county, Ohio. Our subject was the eldest of their six children, all of whom were living in 1882. He was born February 17, 1816. ' He was an active, industrious child, born with a good conscience. He learned his letters from newspapers hung on the wall of the log cabin in which he was reared. He worked in the forest, or on the farm, in daytime and he studied by firelight in the evening. He was born with a thirst for knowledge, which was never quenched. As a child he attended the ministry f Rev. John Spalding, whose sermons greatly influenced his future life. He attended the Ohio University. at Athens and graduated in 1837, under President Robert G. Wilson. He studied for the ministry under different professors. He reviewed mental and moral science under Dr. William A. McCaffry, studied Hebrew under Prof. Elisha Ballentine, D. D., and Theology under Prof. W. Hall, D. D. During his theological studies he was a tutor in Latin and Greek. He established the Cooper Female Seminary in Dayton, in 1840, assisted by his sister, Mrs. Hay. He was licensed to preach by the Dayton Presbytery in October, 1841. He was called to the New School Presbyterian church at Paris, Ky., in 1842, and accepted. While there he married his first wife, Miss Elizabeth C. Mills, daughter f Judge Benjamin Mills, of Frankfort, Kentucky. He came to Portsmouth in 1852, to preach for Rev. Hicks, the pastor of the First Presbyterian church. He had expected to return to Paris at once, but as it was winter the river closed and he was detained. There were a series of meetings going on and he was called to preach every day, which he did. The people liked him so well that he was called and accepted. He came at once, but was installed in May, 1852. His first wife died in 1850, and he married Miss Elizabeth Loughry, daughter of James Loughry, Esq., in 1853. He was pastor of the First Presbyterian church from his installment until March 29, 1886, the date of his death, and he died as he had wished, in harness. He was sick but ten days. He was a preacher f great power and force. He was earnest in all things and enthusiastic in all he undertook. In his own church his word was law, and all acquiesced in his policies. There were never any quarrels or divisions in his church for be knew how to prevent them. Doctor Pratt was essentially a wise man. He possessed remarkable judgment, and when it was once given every one was satisfied. His church was the strongest and most influential in its Presbytery, and he was in his time the strongest minister in BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1101 his Presbytery. He was one of the strong men of his Synod, and was highly esteemed in the General Assembly to which he was a delegate, a number of times. He was a regular and constant correspondent of the Herald and Presbyter and his initials E. P. P. were always a guaranty that the article so signed was interesting and instructive. Doctor Pratt never wrote anything but what was well worth reading, and never delivered an address but what was well worth hearing. He was not only well appreciated at home but away from home as well. He was a favorite to deliver a dedication sermon at any new church. He was a director of the Danville Theological Seminary for fifteen years. He was a trustee of Lane Theological Seminary for twenty-two years. He was a trustee of the Western Female Seminary at Oxford, Ohio, for a number of years. He was also a trustee of Marietta College. The First Presbyterian church of Portsmouth greatly prospered under his ministry. When he took charge it had 169 members, 1,079 were added during the first thirty years of his ministry. The Second Presbyterian church was sent out of his church fully equipped with a church paid for and a minister furnished. His degree of D. D. was given him by his Alma Mater and in 1860, it tendered him a professorship. He also received calls from wealthy churches in the cities but declined, as he felt his life's work was in Portsmouth. His second wife died in 1870, and in 1876, he married Mary E. Urmston, daughter of Rev. N. M. Urmston, who survived him. No account of Dr. Pratt would be just and fair to his memory or to the public which is interested in preserving it, without mentioning his great patriotism. He was one of the most ardent Union men during the Civil war, and his public speeches during that period were calculated to rouse and fire the patriotic heart. For the soldiers he could not say or do too much. He was always the last to say farewell in going, and the first to welcome them in returning. His devotion to the cause of temperance and to the interest of the public schools was the greatest, but there never was a public matter in Portsmouth, for the intellectual or moral good of the people, in which he was not at the front of it, aiding it with his powerful influence. He was for thirty years the secretary of the Scioto County Bible Society, and he was for many years a public school examiner, both for the city and county. He had a public funeral, which gave the expression of the city of its estimation of his work. The venerable Doctor Burr conducted the rites and the ministers of other churches were his pall bearers. The large attendance showed that the people of Portsmouth fully estimated his work. While Doctor Pratt was a most positive man, always wanted his way, and nearly always had it, he made few if any enemies because of his judgment. He was always right, and any one who took time to think and consider, came around to his view. He had a son, Prof. D. Perkins Pratt, of Portsmouth, of his first marriage, and three daughters of his second, Elizabeth, Julia and Mary. The tirst two daughters died in his life time, and the latter still survives, and on November 25. 1902. was married to B. W. McKenzie, and makes her home in California. His widow resides in Perth Amboy, N. J. Pat Prendergast was born in county Kilkenney, Ireland, March 14, 1831. Owing to the fact that his birthday occurred so near St. Patrick's day, his father, John Prendergast, gave him the name Patrick. His mother was Miss Catherine Muhall. He was the eldest of two children, having a brother named Martin. Our subject was educated in the public schools of Kilkenney. He came to the United States, in 1848, at the age of eighteen. His parents remained in Ireland. His mother died there in 1858, and his father in 1875. His brother emigrated to this country, in 1861, located in Newark. Ohio, became sheriff of Licking county, and died at Newark, in 1878. Our subject remained one year after landing in this country at Perth Amboy, New Jersey. He then came to Newark, Ohio. He became a conductor on the railroad running from Newark to Mansfield, Sandusky and Cleveland, and remained as such for four years, when he became a clerk in the American House, at Newark, from 1853 to 1855. His employer was N. W. Bingham. 1102 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. 1n 1855, Mr. Bingham came to Portsmouth and took charge of the United States Hotel and our subject accompanied him and remained as a clerk there till 1861. On April 16, of that year, he enlisted in Company G, First 0. V. I., and was made second corporal. He was the first man from Ohio to carry a flag of truce to obtain and bury the dead of the battle of Vienna. It was related of him that at one time, in the service he and his company reached a cemetery, after dark, where they all lay down and slept. He pillowed his head on a grave and slept soundly until morning. On waking, he remarked, that he wondered whose grave had furnished him a pillow. He read the inscription on the stone and found that it bore the name f a dear playmate whom he had known in Ireland. On his return from the army, he went into the wholesale liquor business, in the place now occupied by Michael Stanton. He remained in that business until May 14, 1869, and then he bought the Biggs House lease of W. H. Taylor. He was there at the time of the great fire, on March 6, 1871, and in that lost everything he had in the world. He had just furnished fifteen rooms new and all his chattel property in the hotel was consumed, but he was not dismayed by the loss, nor did he lose his wonderful courage and energy. He had many friends, as he deserved to have, and they offered him numerous inducements to go into other business, especially Michael Stanton. The latter offered him a full partnership and said it should cost him nothing, but he declined. He said he had lost his money in the hotel business and he proposed to make it back there. Such courage has seldom been displayed in Portsmouth or anywhere else. He waited until the hotel had been rebuilt, took Sanford B. Jennings in with him, and went back in the same business. He remained there with Mr. Jennings until his death. He was married to Harriet, the youngest daughter of Edward Mulligan, Sr., on June 6, 1866. She was born in county Wicklow, Ireland, but came to America with her parents, at the age of four years. Her father had resided in Portsmouth since 1851. Mr. Prendergast was a man of fine appearance. He was broad shouldered, straight, and with a most firm and determined expression on his face, but nevertheless pleasing. He was a man of great force of character. He made up his judgments very quickly and adhered to them, but could not be called positive. His sympathies were easily enlisted. He was liberal to a fault. His private charities were great, but he made no boast of them. He was always in favor of public improvements, but the dominating element of his character was his wonderful courage in the face of difficulties. There was never a finer example of this trait, than he exhibited at the time of the Biggs House fire, when he determined to go in the same business after having lost all of his property. He was democratic in his political views, but never a partisan. He was a devout member f the church of the Holy Redeemer. He lived but forty-five years, but he lived them well and left a memory, a precious heritage to his friends. In the fall f 1874, his health began to fail. He had stomach and bronchial troubles. He died September 24, 1876, in the Biggs House. He was conscious and self composed to the last. Henry Prescott was born at Bath, Grafton county, New Hampshire, May 19, 1840. His parents were Joseph Johnson Prescott and Phoebe (Page) Prescott. (See Prescott Family.) His grandfather was Joseph Prescott and his mother was a daughter of Asa Page and Phoebe (Noyes) Page of Landaff, New Hampshire. Mr. Prescott spent his early life in Bath on a farm and received his education in the country schools. At the age of twenty-three years, he came to Ohio unattended by any other members of the family, and located at Keystone furnace in Jackson county, where he obtained employment as store-keeper at the furnace store. He continued in this position for two years when he was promoted to book-keeper. After three years more he left Keystone and went back to New Hampshire and was married to Mary S. Tewksbury, daughter of N. M. Tewksbury, of Bath, New Hampshire, January 22, 1868. He returned to Ohio with his young BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1103 wife in the spring of 1868, and located in Portsmouth, where he was employed by Murray, Moore & Company, in the foundry and machine shops as bookkeeper. He was thus occupied for a period of five years, after which he purchased an interest in. Keystone furnace, where he had formerly been employed. He Managed the store for a year and then became book-keeper. He sold out his interest and went back to Portsmouth in 1877, and resumed his former position as book-keeper at the foundry and machine works. He gave up this position in 1881, and engaged in the manufacture of wheel-barrows. After seven or eight years he started a feed store on Second street, Portsmouth, Ohio, where he has since been in business. Though a firm believer in the principles and policies of the republican party, he works and votes with the prohibition party. He is an ardent supporter of the temperance cause and of all things that tend to the betterment of mankind. He and his wife have had three children, but lost them all in infancy. Mr. Prescott is as fixed in his ways as the rugged mountains of his native state, are fixed in their places. When he has made up his mind on any subject, there is no variableness with him. He has his views on all subjects and they are well considered, but once tixed, his purposes are unchangeable. He believes in good citizenship and practices it. There is no better neighbor or citizen than he. Vinton Price son of Isaac and Rebecca (Brown) Price, was born January 15, 1829, in a house near the bank of the Ohio a few rods below the mouth of the Little Scioto river. His boyhood and youth were spent in what is now the village of Sciotoville. He had a good common school education, to which he added a knowledge of surveying. Soon after leaving school, he rented a farm in Kentucky opposite Sciotoville, which he afterwards bought. After living there a few years, he moved to Ohio, having bought a farm owned by Jesse Marshall, on the Baltimore & Ohio South-Western railroad near Slocum's station, where he resided until his death on December 11, 1895. He was married December 28, 1856 to Mary G. Marshall, daughter of Jesse and Mary Gabrielle Serot Marshall. Her mother was one of the first children born in Gallipolis, being born only five months after Marie Louise Cadot, who was the first child born there. She was named by Jean Gabriel Gervais who presented her with two town lots and a set of silver spoons. Her paternal grandfather, Samuel Marshall, was a Revolutionary soldier. His record will be found in the article entitled Revolutionary Soldiers. Her father, Jesse Marshall was a soldier in the war of 1812. She still resides on the home farm where she was born December 1, 1830. Five children were born to this union: G. Frank, who resides at home with his mother; Warren M. of Sciotoville; Mrs. Mary A. Sherman living near Wait P. 0.; Mrs. Anna P. Marting, who died August 5, 1892 and Ella R. living with her mother. James Amos Pryor was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, in February, 1847. His parents were Samuel and Agnes Pryor, both natives of Pennsylvania. His paternal grandfather died in the war of 1812. He came with his parents to Ohio, in 1854, and settled in Morgan township, near Sedan. His father enlisted October 21, 1862, in the Eighth Independent Company of Ohio Volunteer Sharpshooters, for three years and was mustered out with the company, July 19, 1865. Our subject has always been a farmer and lived in the same place all his life. He attended the schools of Mt. Joy and received a common school education. When only fifteen years of age, he enlisted in Company G, 7th 0. V. C., September 16, 1862, for three years. He was captured March 10, 1864, at Morristown, Tennessee, by Longstreet's command. He was in prison at Richmond for two months, then at Andersonville, Ga.; and from there was sent to Millen, Ga. and was then taken to a prison at Florence. South Carolina. He was a prisoner for twelve months. He participated in all the battles his command was in until he was captured. He was mustered out. June 9, 1865, at Columbus, Ohio. He was Assessor of Union township one term. He is a republican and takes an active part in politics. He is a member of the M. E. church, Singer 1104 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. chapel. He was married January 6, 1870 to Amanda Cooper, daughter of Jacob and Rachel (Boyer) Cooper. They have six children: Stella, wife of Alfred Miller; Jacob; John; Annie; Alice, wife of William Journey; Janie. He is a member of the G. A. R., Robinson Post, of Rushtown. Henry Potter Pursell son of James and Amanda (Thompson) Pursell, was born April 12, 1851, in the old Pursell homestead on Fourth street, Portsmouth, Ohio. He received his education in the Portsmouth schools. In 1873, he started in the drug business at the northeast corner of Fourth and Court streets, under the firm name of Pursell & Stevenson. His store was known as the Opera House Drug Store. He remained in business several years. After going out of that business, he was deputy County Treasurer under Charles Kinney from 1884 to 1888, and again under M. B. Wells from 1888 to 1892. After leaving the Treasurer's office, he was connected with the Portsmouth Gas Company until his death. He was a member of the Portsmouth School Board for thirteen years, from April, 1886 to 1899. He was a republican and a faithful and active member of Bigelow M. E. church. He was one of the official board of that church and served as secretary of its Sunday school for twenty-two years. On January 24, 1895 he was married to Miss Mary Clough Dunham, daughter of John Wesley and Jane (Clough) Dunham, who survives him. He died October 3, 1899. Mr. Pursell was a gentleman of retiring disposition, but of forceful character. He never pushed himself forward in any cause, but when he took up any work, he followed it with patience and zeal until he completed it. He was a valuable 'factor in his party, his church and his community. William McClain Pursell was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, November 6, 1849. His father was James Pursell, born in Burslem, England. (See sketch herein.) His mother was Amanda Thompson, (see sketch) daughter of Moses Thompson. His education was obtained in the Portsmouth public schools. From 1863 to 1866, he was a clerk in the First National Bank f Portsmouth. From 1866 to 1868 he was a student at the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware. After his return from school, he took a position in the First National Bank as assistant cashier from 1868 to 1869. Since that time he has been general manager, secretary and treasurer of the C. P. Tracy Shoe Company. He is a republican, a member of one of the Board f Trustees of Bigelow M. E. church. He was married to Miss Clara M. Morris, October 8, 1872. They have had eight children: Earl Tracy; Susan; Charles Morris, deceased March 7, 1898; Clara Mae; Henry Tracy, deceased Feb. 7, 1901; William Oscar, deceased June 7, 1892; Persis and Marjorie. Mr. Pursell has made a record as one of the best and foremost business men of his city. He is always first in any movement for the public good, in church or in society, and on any public question he is sure to be found on the side for progress, for morality and for the greatest public good. David Pyle was born February 16, 1847, in Doddridge county, West Virginia. His parents were Eli Pyle and Rachel Seese, his wife. His father was a farmer and a miller. He was the sixth of fifteen children. He attended school in Dodd-ridge county, until he was eleven years of age. In 1857, his father removed from Doddridge county, West Virginia to Scioto county, Ohio and located at Wheeler's Mills, now Hudson's. He attended school one term after coming to Scioto county. The family remained there for three years and then removed to Scioto Furnace where he worked about the furnace until the war broke out. On June 4, 1862, at the age of eighteen, he enlisted in Company B, 87th 0. V. I. for three months. The Company was formed at Coshocton but he ran away from home at Webster and enlisted. He re-enlisted in Company D, 1st 0. H. A., June 1:3, 1863 and served until July 25, 1865. While a member of the 87th 0. V. I. on the 12th of September, 1862, he was wounded by a shell in the left ankle at Harper's Ferry. On the 14th day of September, he was taken prisoner and retained two days when he was paroled. After the war, he located at BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1105 Dixon's Mills and engaged in teaming for about six months. Then he went to Wirt county, West Virginia. and engaged in the oil business. 1n 1869, he went to work for one year at Scioto Furnace, chopping wood and coaling. In 1870, he went to work for the Scioto Fire Brick Company at Sciotoville, and has since done everything connected with the mining of fire-clay and making it into tire-brick. At present he is mine boss and clay inspector for the company. On October 4, 1874, he was married to Emma E. Edington, daughter of Nathan Edington. He has eight children: Ivan engaged with the Scioto Fire Brick Company as a contractor for delivering clay; I eslie is a book-keeper at Colville, Washington; Ethel, Mabel, Bertha, Samuel, Nathan, and David are at home. Here is what one of Mr. Pyle's neighbors said of him, "'He is a good citizen. He was a Justice of the Peace of Porter township for several years, and was noted for his fair and just decisions rendered in eases tried before him. He has been employed in the fire-brick works in his section in various capacities, and has been found above the average, in his knowledge of the business. He is a very energetic man and is noted for the push he exhibits in anything he undertakes. He is considered one of the best judges of fire-clay in this section, so mach so that he is now in the employ of the Scioto Star Fire Brick Works, in the capacity of bank-manager, whose duty is to inspect and to grade the clay. Isaac Pyles was born April 24, 1823 in Harrison county, West Virginia. He is the son of Jonathan Pyles and Elizabeth (Buher) Pyles, both of German descent. His grandfather, Henry Buher, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and had his thigh broken at the battle of Germantown. Mr. Pyles did not have the chances for an education which children of to-day have. When he was a boy the nearest school was tive or six miles away. Consequently the only school he ever attended was the school of experience. His father died five months before he was born and the first thirteen years of his life was spent in his native county of Harrison, West Virginia. He came to Ohio with his mother at the age of thirteen and settled in Jackson county in the Crabtree settlement. When he became old enough, he commenced work on the farm and later worked on the Portsmouth and Columbus turnpike. He then commenced to work on the furnaces, first at Jackson, where he worked for a year; then at Scioto Furnace, where he worked for thirteen years. He then moved to the French Grant and settled on Pine creek, two miles west of Powellsville, and bought a farm. Here he resided for about forty years and contracted hauling coal and ore at Ohio, Junior, Franklin and Pine Grove furnaces. He traded his farm on Pine creek for another on McCulloch, about 1882, and moved there where he continued to farm until his age compelled him to give it up. He enlisted April 22, 1861 in Company E, 18th 0. V. I. at Marietta, Ohio, for three months and was mustered out at. Columbus, Ohio, August 28, 1861. He re-enlisted October 4, 1861, for three years in Company C, 53d 0. V. I. and was mustered out with the Company, August 11, 1865. He was a Trustee of Bloom township for two terms. He has been a member of the Free Will Baptist church for forty-five years, and now holds his membership in that church at Rushtown. He has been a republican since the formation of that party. He was married to Nancy Maria Martin December 23, 1847 who died March 31. 1887 and left three children: Thomas Pyles, the present Fire Chief of Portsmouth is one; Sarah married James Gallaher; Jacob lives in Portsmouth. He was again married October 18, 1888 to Elizabeth Hammonds who died September 3, 1897 leaving one child Irwin born July 10, 1892. On September 15, 1901 he married Mrs. Rachel Mershon. Leonidas Pyles was born in Scioto county, Ohio, in 1842, the son of William and Ellen (Brouse) Pyles. His father was a son of John Pyles, an early settler of Washington township, who died in 1837. Our subject was one f four children, but two of whom are now living. Almira and John are deceased and Allen is the other son living. John Pyles died in 1847, aged 32 years. Leonidas was reared on a farm and attended the country schools. He enlisted in Battery L, 1st 0. L. A., August 1106 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. 2, 1862 and was appointed Corporal October 31, 1864 and mustered out with the Battery July 4, 1865. Upon his return to Ohio, after the war, he resumed work on the farm, and since 1867, has resided in Nile township where he owns a farm of 300 acres. Mr. Pyles is a republican. He served as a Trustee of Nile township for twelve consecutive years. He was County Infirmary Director from 1881 to 1887. He has been a member of the Nile township board of education and Deputy State Supervisor of Elections. He was married in 1866 to Mary Burriss, daughter of Mathew Burriss. Her father was born in Pennsylvania in 1795, the son of Nathan and Sarah (Bradkit) Burriss. Mr. Pyles is the father of ten children: Alice, the wife of William Strachan, died December, 1899, aged 32 years; William A.; Sidella F.; Mary L.; James E.; Anna M.; Nella H.; Laura E.; John S.; and Martha E. Mr. Pyles is a good citizen and enjoys the respect and good will of all his neighbors. Frank Paul Rais was born in Scioto county, May 22, 1855. His father was Francis Rais, a native of Berne, Switzerland, and his mother's maiden name was Mary Montavon, also a native of Berne, in Switzerland. His parents were married in Switzerland. and had fifteen children of whom our subject was the fourth. He attended school at Pine Creek, Wheelersburg, Carey's Run and the red school house at Portsmouth. He left school at the age of sixteen and engaged on the Ohio river, in 1873: He was in such employment until 1878, when he enlisted in the U. S. Cavalry Troop G, March 20, 1878 and served five years in Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Indian Territory and Arizona. He was discharged in 1883, and engaged in the grocery business in Portsmouth for a period of ten years. In 1893, he went into the insurance business, first as an agent and in 1896 he became assistant superintendent. In 1899 he was made superintendent. He became a resident of Chillicothe in 1899. He was married to Jennie Rudity, October 2, 1883, the daughter of Eugene Rudity. They had four children: Matilda M., Earl E., Clarence, and Alma V. Mr. Rais is a democrat in his political views and a communicant of the Roman Catholic church. Frederick F. Ranchous, son of Fred and Hannah (Cook) Ranchous, was born December 6, 1840, at Portsmouth, Ohio. He enlisted as a private in the Civil war, December 29, 1863, in Company F, 91st 0. V. I. During his two years of service, he participated in the following battles: Cloyd Mountain, Cedar Creek, Goshen Bridge, Lynchburg and Stevenson's Depot. On July 20, 1864, he was wounded at the last named battle, and on the 31st day of May, 1865, at Cumberland, Maryland, he was discharged from service by reason of surgeon's certificate of disability. He has always been a faithful adherent to the policies f the Republican party and has been a life long Free Baptist. February 5, 1865, while home on furlough, he married Emily Marshall, daughter of Elias and Anna (Beloat) Marshall and has ever since lived at Sciotoville, Ohio. They have three children: Anna, wife of Oregon Eakins of Columbus, Ohio; Doctor Walter E. M. Ranchous f Columbus. Ohio and Mayme who resides with her parents. Walter E. M. Ranchous, M. D., son of Fred F. and Emily (Marshall) Ranchous, grandson of Elias Marshall after whom he was named, was born in Sciotoville, July 8, 1870. He attended the public schools at Sciotoville, graduating from the Porter township High School, and then from the Commercial Department of the University of Kentucky, at Lexington. After keeping books and traveling for three years, he commenced the study of Medicine, September, 1894, at the Medical College of Ohio, Medical Department of the University of Cincinnati, graduating there April 9, 1897. He located in Columbus, Ohio, April 14, 1897, becoming a member of the Columbus Academy of Medicine. In 1898 he became a member of the Ohio State Medical Society and in 1899 a member of the American Medical Association. In 1899-1900 he visited the Clinics of Vienna and Berlin and took some post-graduate work in New York. He attended the meeting of the Pan BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1107 American Medical Congress at Havana, Cuba, in 1901 and became a member of that body. His standing in the profession is the very highest. Jared Johnson Rardin was born in Athens county, Ohio, November 30, 1848. His father was Levi Rardin, who was a farmer and a native of Athens county, Ohio. His mother's maiden name was Anna L. Selby. She was a daughter of Dyar Selby. His grandfather, William Rardin was a native f Virginia. Our subject attended the district schools and Bartlett's Academy in the winter and worked on the farm in summer until he was twenty years of age. On April 11, 1870, he came to Portsmouth and engaged with the Singer Sewing Machine Company. In 1895, he went into the Star Shoe Company as secretary and treasurer and on April 14, 1902 he went into The Drew-Selby Company as treasurer. He was married July 5, 1876 to Mary A. Webster, daughter f Isaac Webster of Meigs county, Ohio. They have three children: Irma B. who graduated at Delaware in 1901, married to Rev. George L. Davis August 7, 1902 and she is now a resident of Peking China, where her husband is a missionary of the M. E. church; Glen E. now a sophomore at the Ohio Wesleyan University and Earl W. a student in the same class. Mr. Rardin is a republican and a member of Bigelow M. E. church. James Boone Ray. M. D., is a son f James B. Ray, Sr. M. D. and Hannah (Dunlavey) Ray. He received his early education in the common schools and attended the South Grammar school at Columbus during the winter of 1859. and Armstrong's select school in Columbus during the summer of 1860. The next year he attended a select school taught by a Mr. Finley. He entered the Ohio University at Athens, Ohio, in the spring of 1862. and remained until the spring of 1864, when he enlisted in Company F, 140th 0. V. I. on May 2, 1864, and was made First Sergeant. He was mustered out September 3, 1864. He returned to the University in 1865 and remained until the spring of 1867. He read all of the classics in the regular course. He then took up the study of medicine, and after a year, entered the Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati, and was graduated in the spring of 1872. He taught school several winters while attending literary and medical schools. He first located at Sciotoville in the fall of 1872. In 1877, he removed to California, in Pike county where he practiced until the spring f 1880 when he removed to Harrisonville, where he practiced until 1895 and was associated with his father. In March, 1895, he came to Portsmouth where he practiced until April, 1899, and then moved to his present location at Harrisonville. From 1893 to 1897 he was a member of the Board of Pension Examining Surgeons of Scioto county. He is a member of the Hempstead Memorial Academy of Medicine, the Ohio Medical Society and the American Medical Association. Doctor Ray has always taken much interest in political affairs as a member of the Democratic party. He was united in marriage September 28, 1871, to Maria Wheeler, daughter f Isaac Wheeler. Her great-grandfather, Nathan Wheeler was a Revolutionary soldier. (See Revolutionay Soldiers.) They have one child, William Alexander Ray, M. D., now associated with his father in the practice of medicine. Doctor Ray is a natural sportsman and takes great delight in hunting and fishing. While a lover of the sports, he is also a student, both of professional matters and general subjects. He takes a pride in keeping up in his profession. He is a man of manly principles. He is very deliberate, and searches for truth before giving utterance to his judgment. Integrity is the marked characteristic of his life. General William Henry Raynor was born April 4, 1834 at Portsmouth, Ohio. His father was William Raynor, and his mother's maiden name was Mary K. Barber, daughter of Major Uriah Barber. His father emigrated from near Leeds, England about the year 1830 as a married man. The first Mrs. Raynor died very soon after their arrival 1108 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. at Portsmouth, and about 1832 Mr, Raynor married Miss, Barber, before men- tioned. She was born June 2, 1803, a twin, the other being Washington Barber. She was the first child born in the town of Portsmouth. Our subject received only such an education as could be afforded by the Portsmouth Public Schools. His principal instructor was Prof. A. J. Rikoff. His school life ended on his fourteenth birthday when he entered the store of John Rowe & Son. He was afterwards for five or six years a clerk in the dry goods store of B. L. Jefferson, and for about the same period in the private banking house Of P. C. Kinney until the beginning of the Civil war in 1861. On April 16, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company G, 1st 0. V. I., was made First Lieutenant April 17, 1861. After going to the front he was appointed as acting aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen. Robert C. Schenck, Brigade Commander. In this capacity he was in the engagement at Vienna June 16, 1861. After that battle, at his own request, he was allowed to return to his company, and was with it at the battle of Bull Run July 21, 1861. Here he had the misfortune to be slightly wounded, was captured and taken a prisoner to Richmond. Early in September, with two comrades, a successful escape was effected. An account f his escape was published in Harper's Monthly Magazine. He was mustered out September 14, 1861, at Washington, D. C. On September 28, 1861, he entered the 56th 0. V. I. as Lieutenant Colonel. He was promoted to Colonel April 2, 1863; wounded and captured May 5, 1864. on the steamer John Warner on Red river; discharged. October 27, 1864, by order of the War Department. The foregoing is from the Official Record. The 56th Ohio Regiment left Portsmouth February 12, 1862, and reached Fort Donelson in time to take part in the surrender, but not in actual fighting. Immediately after this, the regiment took part with its Division commanded by Gen. Lew Wallace, in the Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh and Corinth campaign. In April, 1863, Col. Kinney resigned and Col. Raynor was promoted Colonel. Under his command the 56th took an important part in the battles and siege of the Vicksburg campaign. After this the 13th Army Corps (to which the 56th belonged) was transferred to the department f the Gulf, and the remainder of its service was there performed. From November, 1863, to May, 1864, Col. Raynor was in command' of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 13th Army Corps. The. regiment suffered severely during the campaign, and Col. Raynor was wounded at Snaggy Point, Louisiana, and a second time captured May 5, 1864. Some six weeks afterward most f the sick and wounded prisoners in the hands of the Rebels, on Red river, were paroled. Col. Raynor returned to his home-his wounds unfitted him for further military service and he was mustered out as before stated. From November, 1863, to May, 1864, he acted as Brigade Commander; and on March 15, 1865, he was breveted Brigadier General for "distinguished and gallant services" in the field. In the political campaign of 1860, Mr. Raynor was a Douglas democrat, but since that time he has been a consistent and faithful republican. He was married September 9, 1855, to Rhoda 0. Kendall, daughter of Thomas and Ann M. Kendall, of Portsmouth. Mr. and Mrs. Raynor have five children as follows: Charles, died July, 1892; Mary, now Mrs. J. B. Math of Chicago; Thomas K., married and now living at Nacogdoches, Texas; Catherine G., unmarried and living with her parents at Toledo; Will E., married, and living in Chicago. At the close of the war. Gen. Raynor became engaged in mercantile and manufacturing pursuits. For the past ten years he has been assistant manager and in full charge of the Toledo office of the Lozier Manufacturing Company. He served one year on the Board f Trustees, Hyde Park, Cook Co., Illinois. He has been for years an earnest member of the Grand Army of the Republic and is an Ex-Commander of the Toledo Post No. 107, Department of Ohio. His residence is 3339 Cherry street, Toledo. Joseph Gideon Reed was born December 4, 1835, in the village of Piketon, Pike county, Ohio. He was a son of William Reed and a grandson of Judge Samuel Reed, who has a sketch herein. His mother was Rebecca Chenoweth. There were six children of his father's marriage, two died in infancy and four survived. He was the BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1109 second of the four who grew to maturity. His father was the auditor of Pike county, and had been for several years at his death in 1840. At an early age Joseph acquired a taste for mercantile affairs. From the age of twelve to twenty-two, he was clerk in the store of his uncle Joseph Moore, of Piketon. When h. was nineteen years of age, his uncle had such contidence in him that he sent him east to buy goods. Our subject remained in his native village until August, 1857, when he came to Portsmouth. He and his brother Samuel Reed went into the dry goods business together, and hoped to make their fortune. They bought heavily in advance f the panic of 1857, and that caused their failure and drove them out of business; but they afterwards paid their debts in full. This experience proved very valuable to Mr. Reed. After that he became a clerk for Jefferson & Kepner, and remained in their employment until 1861, when the firm failed. He then went with Charles Elden in his dry goods store in Portsmouth and remained with him until 1862, when he went into the employment of J. M. Rumsey & Co. In 1865, he became a member of the firm which in the following year on the admission of Josiah Rhodes, became Rhodes & Reed. He remained with them until 1871, when he retired, but continued to be their buyer in the East for several years. In 1873, the firm of Reed & Peebles was organized, composed of Joseph G. Reed and John Peebles. They engaged in the wholesale notion business and some years afterwards added dry goods. The firm continued in business until 1891, when they changed by the admission of Wm. Jordan and the firm name became Reed, Peebles & Co. In 1897. Mr. John Peebles went out, and the firm became Reed & Jordan, and was such at Mr. Reed's death on June 25, 1897. The business was conducted two and one-half years after Mr. Reed's death, when it was succeeded by the firm of Reed & Jordan, composed f the wife of Wm. Jordan, and his son Edward T. Reed. Mr. Reed never had any other business but this, and engaged in no outside matters whatever. He was always the buyer of the tirm. Every spring and fall he would go to New York and spend from six weeks to two months. He had a wonderful talent for buying, which could have secured him a position in the best house f New York :city; but he preferred to remain in Portsmouth. He was always a republican in his political views. He was a devoted, faithful Chistian all his life. He joined the Methodist Episcopal church lilt the age of sixteen. He was a steward of the Bigelow church, and taught the infant class a number of years. He was also a member f the official board. He belonged to no secret orders, except the Odd Fellows. He was a public spirited man, in favor f all public improvements. He was always cheerful and in good spirits. He was fond of good company, and was the very best company himself. He was industrious in everything he undertook, and especially in his own business. He married Miss Anne Newman daughter of the Hon. Wm. Newman, November 16, 1865. They had seven children: Sallie, wife of Dr. Edward M. Semans of Delaware, Ohio; Wm. Pursell; Edward Thomson f the tirm of Reed & Jordan; Charles Newman; twin girls who died in infancy; and Bertha, wife of Earl T. Pursell. His sons Wm. P. and Charles were Corporals in Company E, 4th 0. V. I., in the Spanish-American war. His son-in-law, Dr. Edward Semans was surgeon in the same regiment. Samuel Reed was born September 21, 1833 at Piketon, Ohio. His father's name was William Reed and his mother's name was Rebecca (Chenoweth) Reed. Her father was Abraham Chenoweth, who planted the first crop of corn ever planted in the Scioto valley, on the Pee Pee prairie between Piketon and Waverly. He came to the Northwest Territory, from near Blue Lick Springs, Kentucky. He was originally from the state of Virginia. Our subject had a brother Joseph G. Reed, deceased, and two sisters: Mary S. and Sarah who reside in Portsmouth. He attended the schools at Piketon until 1846. His father died in 1840 and in 1846 he came to Portsmouth to reside with his uncle, John R. Turner. He attended school in Portsmouth at the Fourth street building under Supt. A. J. Rikoff for about three years. His schoolmates were F. C. Gibbs, Henry E. Jones, Abe Brown and others. He went into the Clerk's office in 1849 as a 1110 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. clerk, or copyist, for his uncle. He remained in the Clerk’s office until 1851 and became a clerk for one Daniel Whittenmyer in his dry goods store. He clerked there for one year and then went into B. L, Jefferson's dry goods store on Front street, just east of the McDowell block. He was there a year or more and then became a clerk in the dry goods store of William Elden on Market street, on the site of the rear of the Washington Hotel. One year after, Mr. Elden moved into the upper building now occupied by the Davis Drug Company. He then went into the retail dry goods business with his brother Joseph G. Reed, as Reed Brothers, in the same building on Front street which had been occupied by William Elden. The firm bought a large stock of goods before the panic of 1857 and as a consequence failed in 1858. Mr. Reed then clerked with Charles and William Elden, a few months in 1859, at their dry goods store on Market street, where A. Hurth has his liquor store. On November 21, 1859, Mr. Reed entered the Portsmouth Branch of the State Bank of Ohio, as book-keeper, and has been connected with that bank or its successor ever since. In April, 1865, this bank organized as the Portsmouth National Bank and Mr. Reed was elected cashier. He served as such till 1884, when he was elected its vice president and has held that otfice ever since. He has not been in any other business. He has always been a republican, since that party was organized. He became a communicant of Christ Church Protestant Episcopal in 1859. In 1874 he became a communicant of All Saints church and is now a vestryman. He was married August 20, 1857 to Ellen, daughter of Washington Kinney. His children are: Mary Kinney, William L. and Mrs. Carietta Turley, wife of Leslie C. Turley. Mr. Reed is a successful banker. He has seen many ups and downs in that business in his forty-three years of banking in Portsmouth. He has been longer in the banking business than any one who has ever resided in Portsmouth and in that time has been connected with but one bank and its successors. In his sixty-ninth year he is as attentive to business as ever and his head is as clear and his faculties as alert as the day he entered the business forty-three years past. From December 4, 1893 until March 1, 1901, he was a Trustee of the Scioto County Children's Home. Mr. Reed delights in work of that kind. He keeps up his health and maintains the spirit of youth by spending much time at Camp McCulloch fishing, boating and resting. As a citizen he is always in favor of progress. As a churchman he is faithful. He aims to do every duty well and his friends say he has succeeded. William L. Reed son of Samuel and Ellen (Kinney) Reed, was born July 6, 1863, in Portsmouth, Ohio. He received his education in the schools of that city, attending school until the Junior year f the High School. He was married October 10, 1888 to Margaret B. Hiestand, daughter of Captain J. M. Hiestand and Elizabeth (Wharton) Hiestand of Hillsboro, Ohio. Their children are: Paul, Mary. Kinney, Elizabeth and twin sons: Samuel Chenoweth and Joseph Hiestand. He was first engaged in the clothing business, but later has conducted a general fire insurance agency. He was clerk of the Board of Education of Portsmouth, Ohio, during the years 1901-1902. He is a member of All Saints Episcopal church 'and has been treasurer of the Sunday school for several years. Captain William Wallace Reilly, the son of Christopher and Margaret Young, his wife, was born in Philadelphia, August 5, 1825. He attended school in Philadelphia. He came to Portsmouth in 1839 and clerked in the first book store for Eli Glover, and in the first wholesale dry goods house for Stuart, Jones & Company until 1842. In 1842, he went to Pittsburg and from there to Philadelphia where he clerked in a dry goods store until 1846. When the Mexican war broke out, he enlisted in Company A, New Jersey Battalion, at Camden, New Jersey, May 29, 1847, and was honorably discharged at Jalapa Mexico, and mustered out at Castle William, New York. In 1849, he returned to Pittsburg and on April 11, 1850 was married to Miss Anna Margaret Young. He went to Cincinnati in 1851, and after remaining there a year, , went to Dayton and engaged in the grocery business with BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1111 Samuel B. Brown, McGee and Harshman until 1853, when he returned to Cincinnati, and with Drs. Newton and others published the first Ohio Business Directory, under the firm name of W. W. Reilly & Company, and in the spring of 1853 went east to solicit subscriptions for the work. He then returned to Dayton, and was with L. F. Claffrn & Company, until 1854, when he went to Chillicothe, Ohio, and assisted Rev. H. R. Johnson to open a book store. Six weeks later, he returned to Dayton and was engaged with More, Clarke & Company in the book business, where he remained until 1857, when he. came to Portsmouth and opened the, Valley Book Store as an agent for E. A. & T. T. More, and in 1859 bought the stock. In July, 1861, he raised Company A, Thirtieth 0. V. I. He enlisted August 2, 1861, for three years. September 1, he joined Rosecrans and was with him at Carnifex Ferry and through the campaign until they went into winter quarters at Fayetteville, West Virginia. December 20, 1861 he resigned on account of his health, to take effect in April, 1862. He again resumed business in Portsmouth. May 2, 1864, he was ordered out by General Brough as Captain of Company G, 141st 0. N. G. and was in command f the post at Guyandotte, West Virginia, until September 3, 1864 when he was mustered out with the company. After returning from the army, he resumed his business, in which he remained until 1878. In November, 1878, he formed a partnership with his son-in-law, H. C. Murtin, in his old business, under the name of W. W. Reilly & Company, which continued till May, 1882, when Mr. Murfin retired. He continued business under the same name until his death. His children are: Margaret, the wife of H. Clay Murtin of Jackson, Ohio; Kate More; William Wallace, Jr.; Helen Clark; Sara Louise; John Gordon; Marmon Young. He died December 26, 1896 after three years illness. His wife survived him till January 15, 1897 when she died. He was a member of the Masons, Knights Templars, Royal Arcanum and Odd Fellows, and a Past Commander of Bailey Post, No. 164, G. A. R. Captain Reilly was Commander of Bailey Post for the year 1883. It was during his administration, and owing largely to his influence that the City Council set aside by deed, and the Grand Army f the Republic dedicated what is now known as the Soldier's Memorial Circle in Greenlawn cemetery. From a Grand Army standpoint it is a suitable monument to the memory of Captain Reilly. In the zenith of his powers Captain Reilly was a notable man. He was always dressed neatly and tastily. Everything about him was and had to be "spick and span." He was a delightful companion especially in traveling. He was a good story-teller and had an extensive vocabulary of fitting proverbs equal to King Solomon or Robert Christy. He could illustrate any subject by an anecdote or a proverb. He was uniformly courteous and genteel. To the public and his friends, he was always on dress parade. He had an inexhaustible fund of humor and it ever sparkled for the delectation of his friends. He was fond of Masonry and of the Loyal Legion. No man was more missed in Portsmouth than he when the afflicting hand f disease was laid on him. Charles Frederick Reiniger, Jr., was born at Portsmouth, Ohio, January 8, 1840. His parents were Major Charles Frederick Reiniger, a native of Germany. and Barbara Suiter, his wife. He was one of thirteen children. His boyhood was spent in Portsmouth where he attended the public schools until sixteen years of age. He was elected a Trustee of Clay township in 1866 but resigned in the spring of 1867 and moved to Portsmouth. In 1871, he was elected Street Commissioner. The vote stood: C. E. Edwards, republican, 823; C. F. Reiniger, democrat, 949; Reinigersis majority, 146. In 1873 he was a candidate for ,re-election. The vote stood: John McNeal, republican, 565; C. F. Reiniger, democrat, 1,307; Reiniger's majority, 742. In 1874 Reiniger was a candidate for Sheriff on the Democratic ticket. His oppponent was Henry Raugh. The vote stood: Raugh, 2,275; Reiniger, 2,765; Reiniger's majority, 469. In 1876. he was a candidate for re-election against T. J. Pursell. The vote stood: Reiniger, 3,184; Pursell, 3.155; Reiniger's majority, 29. He was the only democrat elected that year. In 1880, he was his party's candidate for Sheriff and was elected. The vote stood: Rein- 1112 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY igen 3,563; T. J. Pursell, 3,263. In 1883, he was a candidate for Street Commissioner but was defeated by Josiah Barlow by a vote of 1,268 to 1,227. Barlow's majority 41. Mr. Reiniger has been engaged in farming and teaming and is at present in the coal business. He was married in May, 1865, to Mary J. Ramsey. She was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania. in April, 1840. They have six children: Jennie F., the wife of William Cooley, resides in Montana; Minnie M., the wife of S. A. Watkins, lives in Pittsburg. Pennsylvania; Charles P. resides at Payne, Paulding county, Ohio; Ellen Esther, the wife of William B. Prather resides in Cincinnati, Ohio; Grace is at home and Edgar James died in infancy. Ignatius Reitz was born February 4, 1845, in Reese, near Haman, Germany. His father John Reitz, a stone cutter, was born in 1812. His mother was Amelia Weber, born in the same place, in Germany. He was one of three children—himself and two sisters: Mrs. Adolph Hurth and Mrs. Joseph Vollmer of Portsmouth, Ohio. His parents came to this country in 1847, landing near Baltimore. They had friends at Portsmouth and came directly to this place. His father spent the remainder of his life in Portsmouth in died in 1866, and his mother in 1899. Mr. Reitz attended the public schools of Portsmouth for a time and then went to St. Mary's school, until he was fourteen years of age, when he went to learn the business of stone-cutting of his father, John Reitz, who built the first stone-sawmill in Portsmouth on Second and Massie streets in 1865. After his death, his son Ignatius undertook the business and has conducted it ever since. He has been engaged in quarrying as well as sawing stone since 1866. The quarries are located at Carey's Run four miles from Portsmouth. He employes 75 men, 30 in the mill 30 at the quarry, and about 15 teamsters. The mill has eleven gangs of saws which run day and night. It cuts 1.000 cubic feet of stone per day. The stone sawed in this mill is used for building purposes, caps, sills, steps. trimming, and paving. Mr. Reitz also manufactures scythe-stones some of which are sent to Europe. The business is now contined to sawed stone. From 1872 to 1880, he conducted the business with Charles Bode as a partner. Since 1880, he has conducted the business alone. May 29, 1892, the business was incorporated under the name of The Reitz Stone Company. 1ts capital stock is $100.000, $60,000 of which is paid up. The officers of the Company are: Ignatius Reitz. president; Simon P. Reitz, vice president; Albert J. Reitz, secretary and treasurer. Our subject was married June 9, 1874 to Mary A. Balmert, daughter of Simon and Elizabeth (Hank) Balmert. They have the following children: Albert J., mentioned above: Eleanor, at home; Simon P.. mentioned above; Mary Amelia; Antoinette; Cecilia; John and George. Mr. Reitz was a democrat until seven years ago when, dissatisfied with the financial policy of his party, he became a republican. He is a member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic church and has never sought or held any public office except as a member of the City Board of Equalization. Captain George Washington Rhodes was born in Saratoga county, New York, March 23, 1830. His father was Ira Rhodes and his mother's maiden name was Lydia Deming. His grandfather, John Rhodes, was a Revolutionary soldier. (See Revolutionary Soldiers.) His grandfather on his mother's side, Daniel Deming, was also a Revolutionary soldier, whose record is published in this book. His father moved to a farm near Chautauqua Lake when he was four years old. His brother Daniel had come to Portsmouth in 1842 and our subject came here in 1844, his brother John came in 1846 or 1847. In coming to Portsmouth, he came from Olean to Pittsburg in a skiff and from Pittsburg he came on a steamboat. He attended the Fourth street school in 1845. He went into the lumber business with Dan Rhodes, who operated the first planing mill in Portsmouth in 1850. It was situated on the northeast corner of Third and Gay streets. He remained with his brother until 1857 when the two went to Cottageville, West Virginia, having exchanged property BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1113 with Colonel Oscar F. Moore. He remained there twenty years and his brother Dan died there in 1884. 1n 1859, he went into the saw-mill business for himself and remained in it until 1862, when he rented the mill for one dollar per day, recruited a company and went, into the army. His brother Dan was a prisoner for six months in 1861. George W. went into Company K, Ninth Virginia Infantry, for three years. He was in for one year and was discharged. He was First Lieutenant and was in several engagements. After he left the army, he returned to Cottageville and was in his brother's store for two years. Then he moved to Syracuse and kept boarders. In 1867, he bought the "Mocking Bird," a propeller, and run her on the Ohio river. He was master and pilot. In 1869 he took this boat to Cincinnati and towed for the company which had the contract for building the Cincinnati Southern bridge. He made $35.00 a day there and afterwards his boat was sunk in the ice and he lost $5,000. He built another boat called the "Silver Star" but soon sold her and went on the wharfboat at Syracuse till about 1871. Then he ran on the "Humming Bird" for Captain Melvin Brown for six years, as pilot. He came to Portsmouth in 1877 and went into business with Frank Keifer and Carl Lehman in lumber and was with them for three years. In 1880, he kept a feed store on Gallia street and was in that business until 1890. He was Truant Officer in Portsmouth for four years from 1889 to 1901. He was married in March, 1854 to Annis D. Hicks, daughter f William Hicks, at Spencer Chapel. They have had the following children: Mary, wife of Lee Seltzer, died in 1894 and left two children, daughters, Annis Seltzer employed at Drew, Selby & Company's and Esther a teacher in the, public schools; Garret Dow, died in childhood; William A. clerk in the gas office in Portsmouth; George H., accidentally killed at the age of sixteen; Lizzie married William Edwards, a book-keeper at Drew, Selby & Companyls; Cora lives at home; Susie, the wife of Henry Farmer, a son f James H. Farmer. He has thirteen grandchildren. He is a member of the Second Presbyterian church and has been ever since he returned to Portsmouth. He has always been a republican. Mr. Rhodes is a quiet citizen, modest and retiring. He tries to do every duty presented to him in every relation of life. He enjoys the respect and confidence of all who know him and is regarded as a model citizen. Captain James Wood Ricker was born July 15, 1841 at Jackson Furnace, Jackson county, Ohio. He was the only child of Jacob Hurd Ricker and Mary Frances Wood, his wife, a daughter of Benjamin Wood. His boyhood was spent at Ohio Furnace, Iron Valley and Madison Furnace, where his father was employed. He also attended school in Portsmouth, Ironton and Jackson, Ohio. He was . store-keeper at Madison Furnace, Jackson county, Ohio, when the war broke out. On September 1, 1861 he enlisted in Company H, 2d West Virginia Cavalry for three years and was made first duty Sergeant, October 1, 1861. He was promoted to First Sergeant, June 1, 1862, and to Second Lieutenant of Company A, June 1, 1863. He was made First Lieutenant of Company H, May 24, 1864 and was mustered out November 29, 1864. After his return from the army he went to Madison furnace and bought an interest and became Assistant Manager. The firm was Peters, Ricker & Company. They owned the furnace until the fall of 1868, when they sold out to Clare, Duduit & Company. Mr. Ricker came to Portsmouth in March, 1869, and bought an interest in the drug store of Bertram, Jones & Company, formerly the old Shackleford drug store on Front street. He remained in that business until August, 1873, when he sold out to Doctor John F. Davis. He was then in the Portsmouth Foundry and Machine Works for five years. He had charge of a ranch in Dakota for two years. He was clerk of the city Water Works Board from 1889 to 1894. In 1900, he was sergeant-at-arms of the State Decennial Board of Equalization. On November 3, 1870, he was married to Miss Louisiana Moore, daughter of Captain William Moore. They have had five children: Margaret Tracy, a teacher in the Portsmouth High School; William Wood, now in Cleveland, a 1114 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. mechanical engineer; Robert Carleton. secretary and treasurer of the Portsmouth Foundry and Machine Works and of the Portsmouth Pressed Steel Company; Elizabeth Virginia, a teacher in the Portsmouth. Free Kindergarten and Mary Frances at home. Mr. Ricker has always been a republican. He is a member f the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Loyal Legion. He is also a member of the First Presbyterian church and assistant superintendent of the Sabbath school of that church. James Silas Rickey was born December 17, 1851. His parents were Ephraim Wanser Rickey and Anna (Rockwell) Rickey. He was born in Madison township, Scioto county, where he now resides. He had a common school education. He played truant as often as he studied. He was raised a farmer. In 1874, he became a partner with Oliver B. Emory, at California, Pike county, Ohio. He went into the cattle business, buying and selling cattle, and was engaged in that for twelve years, buying and selling only. In 1888, he lost all he had in the cattle business and was insolvent. It was caused by his having 600 or 700 head f cattle on hand when the price went down. He sold his farm and was not sued by anyone when his condition was known. The same year he went into the timber business and made back all he had lost. He was in the timber business until 1894, when he was nominated for Sheriff on the Republican ticket and was elected over C. A. Cole, democrat, by a vote f 4,227 to 1,463. He was elected again in 1896 over J. C. Shively by a vote of 5,495 to 3,622. After he left the Sheriff's Office, he went to farming on the Emory place in Madison township and bought the Marshall, the Dawson and also the Hugh Wooten places in the same township. His house and all his farm buildings are new and are built on the most modern plans for convenience and comfort. His house stands on a commanding point just below the foot hills on the right side of the valley coming from California to Harrisonville, and occupies one of the finest building sites in the county. There he and his wife disperse a generous hospitality. On March 16, 1873, he was married to Alice Wells, daughter of Elijah Welts. She died in 1890. He was married the second time to Harriet Alice Warren, daughter of Lewis Warren. He has a son Lewis Denver, aged twenty-five, residing in Pittsburg. His second son Charles Edmond is a book-keeper at the Excelsior shoe factory in Portsmouth. He has a son Ephraim Elijah residing at home. Of the second marriage, he has had two daughters Rosetta Frances and Margaret Adelaide died in infancy. He has one surviving daughter Jessie Maria aged seven years. Mr. Rickey is a man of a generous disposition, genial and courteous with everyone, free-handed to every good and public. enterprise. He is a man very popular in his neighborhood and throughout the county. He has as few enemies as any man could have who is extensively engaged in business as he is. He has a good farm, but his forte is stock raising. Nathan T. Rickey was born in Madison township, Scioto county, Ohio, February 9, 1859. He is the son of Ephraim W. and Anna (Rockwell) Rickey. His paternal grandparents were Jacob and Tryphena (Strong) Rickey, who came from New York to Ohio in 1817. His maternal grandparents were Jonathan and Rebecca Mead Rockwell, natives of Madison township. The Rickey's are of Scotch-Irish descent. The boyhood and youth f Nathan was spent on the farm and in the district school. He completed his education by a two years course at Dennison University, at Granville, Ohio. He is a republican, and was at one time president of the Blaine Club, of Portsmouth. He is a Mason and a member of the Third Street Christian church. He married Lois H. Brown, daughter of Nathan and Julia (Wells) Brown. of Pike County, August 3, 1880. They have four children, Anna, Nathan Ernest, Angus L. Sanford, and J. Huston Varner. Mr. Rickey was traveling salesman for Sanford, Varner & Company, clothiers, from 1887 to 1892 and for J. Eisman, clothier, from 1892 to 1898. Since 1898, lie has been engaged in the real estate business. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1115 Mr. Rickey has the happy faculty of adapting himself to any situation confronting him. He is noted for his even disposition and good temper. No one ever saw him angry or perturbed. He is a born philosopher without making any professions on the subject. As a result of this happy disposition, Mr. Rickey is popular with all sorts and conditions of men. But while he is philosophizing, he never lets any business escape him. Mr. Rickey is one f the most honorable of men. He can never do too much for a friend. He never lost any position he ever held, but made all changes of his own motion. He is one of the best types of the progressive, energetic, young American. David Riesman, M. D., was born in Stadt, Lengsfeld, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, March 25, 1867, the son of Nathan Riesmann and Sophie Riesmann, nee Eisman. He attended the public schools in Salzungen until the age of twelve, and then the Gymnasium at Meiningen the two years following. He emigrated to the United States in the fall of 1881, with his mother and sister. They came at once to Portsmouth and our subject entered the employ of his maternal uncles, L. Eisman & Brother. He attended the public schools in Portsmouth and worked in the store before and after school hours. After completing the course in the High School, which he did in three years, he became a clerk in his uncle's store, where he remained for three years, having charge of the manufacturing, after the demise of Leopold Eisman. He entered the Medical School of the University of Michigan in 1889 and remained there one year. The next two years, he studied in the University of Pennsylvania where he completed his course in medicine and was graduated in 1892. After graduation, he served for fifteen months as a resident physician in the Philadelphia hospital. He then located in Philadelphia and became attached to the University f Pennsylvania, first in the Department of Pathology where he was demonstrator for several years. At present, he is teaching clinical medicine, and is engaged in private and consulting practice. Among the positions held by him are the following: Visiting Physician to the Philadelphia and Polyclinic Hospitals, Consulting Physician to the Jewish Hospital, Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Philadelphia Polyclinic and College for Graduates in Medicine, Instructor in Clinical Medicine in the University of Pennsylvania, Visiting Physician to the Northern Day Nursery, and Neurologist to the Northern Dispensary. He is a Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia; a member of the County Medical, Pathological, Neurological and Pediatric Societies, and of the American Medical Association; an honorary member of the Cumberland County, New Jersey, Medical Society; a member f the American Academy of Political and Social Science, and of the German-American Society; president of the Northern Medical Association and a member of the University and Faculty Clubs. James Richardson was born in Ireland, December 24, 1825. His father was Robert Richardson, and his mother was Martha McDonald. His parents had four children of whom James was the youngest. His father was a farmer. He went to school in Ireland, and married Margaret Simmons, in the year of 1847. On July 4, 1847, he landed in New York, coming from Ireland with his wife. He had four children of his first marriage, but all died young. His wife died in 1860. On reaching the United States he went to Lansingburg, New York, and engaged in business in a brush factory. He remained there till 1853, when his wife, having a sister in Portsmouth, wished to locate there, and he came to Portsmouth and became pay-master for his brother-in-law, James Connolley, on the Scioto and Hocking Valley railroad. He remained as such for a year. In 1856, he engaged in the grocery business in Portsmouth, on the corner of Fifth and Chillicothe streets, and continued in that until 1875. In that year, he built the three-story building on the corner and retired from the grocery business. He continued farming until 1893, since which time he has been retired entirely. Mr. Richardson has always been a democrat. In 1861, he was appointed Infirmary Director to fill a vacancy. In 1862, he was a candidate for that office, 1116 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. and was elected, receiving 1,862 votes, to 1,294 for John McDowell. In 1865, he was again a candidate for the same office, but was defeated by Valentine Burkel. He received 1,760 votes to 2,185 for Burkel. In 1867, he was again a candidate for the same office, and defeated Silas W. Cole, receiving 2,532 votes to 2,306 for Mr. Cole. In 1877, he was a candidate for County Commissioner and received 2,699 votes to 2,777 for James Skelton. Mr. Richardson has always enjoyed the confidence of the business men of the city and county. He served as a member f the city Board of Equalization from 1875 till 1894, and made a most efficient officer. On February 29, 1864. Mr. Richardson was married to Mary Jane Orme, daughter of John Orme. There tare five children of this marriage: James, Jr., in New York city, engaged with Hill Brothers at the corner of Washington and Beach streets; Anna B., wife of John Ives, superintendent of the Tremper Shoe Company; Florence A., at home; William Benjamin, engaged in the store of Richardson, Neudorfer & Silcox; Alfred Hayward, with Brokaw Brothers, wholesale clothiers at the corner of Fourth avenue and Astor Place, New York. Mr. Richardson was once prominent, as a Mason, but is now retired. He is a member of the First Presbyterian church of Portsmouth. Like all Irishmen, he has made money and saved it, and perhaps in this respect has done better than most of his countrymen. He is reluctant to create obligations, but when he makes one, he keeps it. Captain Richard Parker Rifenberick, Sr., was born in Greenville, Clarion county, Pa., April 23, 1839. He was the son of Sylvanus Drake and Maria Parker Rifenberick. He grew up in Pennsylvania, and when very young came to Ironton, Ohio, and became a clerk in Clark Brothers' grocery. In 1861, when the war broke out, he enlisted in Co. E, 18th, 0. V. I., April 22, 1861, and was appointed First Sergeant and served in the regiment, until it was discharged August 28, 1861. He re-entered the service the second time on. September 17, 1861, and was made First Lieutenant of Co. G, 4th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, and was promoted from First Lieutenant, June 2, 1862, to Captain of Co. I., and resigned February 13, 1864. The regiment was organized at Camp Dennison, November 6, 1861. and was in the following battles: Bowling Green, Ky., Feb. 15, 1862; Nashville, Tenn., March 8, 1862; Huntsville, Ala., April 11, 1862; Bridgeport Ala., April 29, 1862; Lexington, Ky., October 17, 1862; Murfreesboro, Tenn., January 1-2, 1863; Lebanon, Tenn., February 8, 1863; Bradyville, Tenn., March 1, 1863; Snow Hill, Tenn., April 2-3, 1863; Chickamauga, Ga., September 19-23, 1863; Middleton, Tenn., May 21, 1863; and Cleveland, Tenn., November 27, 1863. Captain Rifenberick was in numerous skirmishes incident to cavalry service, which are not given in the Ohio Roster. At Bradyville; Tenn., on March 1, 1863 he was in an engagement, in which he was wounded in the hip, and was absent from that time until February, 1864, on account of his wounds. He resigned at the latter date, his resignation being necessary on account of his disability from wounds. Captain Rifenberick has carried the bullet from this wound ever since he received it. After his return, he made his home in Cincinnati, and engaged in the commission business. He was married to Miss Lucy Bell, the daughter f the late Robert Bell, of Portsmouth, Ohio, November 21, 1866, and he engaged in the shoe business in Portsmouth, in partnership with his father-in-law, and resided there until 1876. He was a member of the City Council of Portsmouth for four years. In 1876, he moved to Cincinnati, and was engaged in various enterprises until 1880, when he engaged in tile railroad business with the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton railroad, which position, he still holds. He has two sons: Robert Bell Rifenberick, born March 30, 1868, at Cincinnati; and Richard Parker Rifenberick, born October 4, 1872, at Portsmouth, Ohio. Capt. Rifenberick is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Loyal Legion. His son Robert Bell Rifenberick graduated at Chalfant and Marsh's school at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and afterwards entered Miami University. He made a special study of Civil Engineering and has been following that profession ever since, and has been in the employ of one of the largest BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1117 street railway syndicates in the country. He now has an office as Civil Engineer in Cleveland. He was married to Miss Ada Cornelia Marsh, of Cleveland, and they have one daughter, Eleanor. Captain Rifenberick's, second son, Richard Parker Rifenberick, Jr., graduated at the military school at Gambier, Ohio, and afterwards attended Kenyon College. While at Kenyon, he received his West Point appointment and passed a very creditable examination, but was compelled to give up that career, for the time being, on account of trouble with his eyes. He traveled for the Wilson & McCallay Tobacco Co., of Middletown, Ohio, until 1899, when he received one of the four appointments of Second Lieutenant in the U. S. A., from civil life, allotted to the State of Ohio. There were not less than 8,000 applicants for the four appointments. He passed the necessary examination and received his commission April 10, 1899. He was assigned to Co. B, 16th Regiment, U. S. I. On May 30, 1899, he sailed from San Francisco for the Philippines and was there for eighteen months. His health, having broken, he was sent back to this country, and put on duty at the Columbus Barracks, where he was examined for promotion and made a First Lieutenant. He was transferred to the 29th Regiment and detailed as Adjutant of the First Battalion of the 29th, which position he now holds. The regiment• was stationed at Columbus Barracks until February 22, 1902, when it was sent to San Francisco, Cal., frbm which place, it was sent to the Philippines. Captain Rifenberick is honorable and upright and is faithful to all matters intrusted to his care. He is a loyal and patriotic citizen, and a capable business man. He is ambitious to excel and is zealous in the performance of all duties. He is a modest, high-minded and kind-hearted man. Samuel Agnew Riggs was born at Hanging Rock, Lawrence county, Ohio, March 1, 1835, and came an infant to Portsmouth with his parents. He received his early education in the public schools of Portsmouth, graduating from the High School in 1849. In 1851, he entered an academy at Marietta, Ohio, where he prepared for Marietta College, which he entered in the fall of 1852. He remained at this institution until the close of the second term of his junior year, when he entered Jefferson College, Canonsburgh, Pa., from which he graduated in 1856, with the degree of A. B., later receiving the degree of A. M. He studied law in Pittsburg for a time, and in 1858. graduated from the Cincinnati, Ohio, Law School and was admitted to the Hamilton County Bar. In the spring of 1859, he located at Lawrence, Kansas, where he has since resided. From January, 1860, to January. 1862, he was County Attorney of Douglas county, Kansas; from January, 1862, to January, 1866, he was District Attorney of the Fourth Judicial District of Kansas, a district comprising eight counties and containing at that time, about one-fourth of the population of the state. In 1866, he was elected to the State Senate on the Republican ticket, was chairman of the Judiciary Committee and one of three commissioners appointed to "revise and codify the Civil and Criminal Codes of proceedure and, all laws of a General Character of the State of Kansas." The volume of "General Statutes of Kansas" of 1868, is the product of their labor. He resigned from the Senate in 1867, to become United States District Attorney for the District of Kansas, which office he held for two years. In 1870, he left the Republican party, and in 1872, he was a delegate to the Liberal Republican convention in Cincinnati, which nominated Horace Greeley for the presidency, and was chosen as Kansas member of the National Committee. He was the candidate of his party in 1872, to represent the state at large in Congress. In 1878, he was a member of the Kansas House of Representatives, chairman of the Judiciary Committee and member of the Railroad Committee: and as the author of the "Riggs railroad bill" initiated the legislative effort to place the railroads of Kansas under the control of a board f Commissioners. In 1885. he was the Democratic candidate for Congress to take the seat made vacant by the death of Dudley C. Haskell. At the National Democratic Convention of 1896, he was a delegate and a member of the Committee on Organization. In the fall of 1896, he was elected, on the Democratic ticket, Judge f the District Court, for the Fourth Judicial District of Kansas, 1118 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. embracing the counties of Douglas, Franklin and Anderson. This district usually gives a republican majority of from 1,000 to 2,000. For the past ten years he has been connected with the Kansas State University as a lecturer in its law department. He married in Pittsburg. Pa., December 31, 1861, Kate Doane, daughter of Henry and Jane (Kirkpatrick) Earle. Her father was for many years a wholesale and retail merchant and prominent citizen of Pittsburg. They have one child, Henry Earle Riggs, who graduated from the University of Kansas, in 1886, was for six years chief engineer f the Toledo, Ann Arbor and North Michigan Railroad, and is now a prominent sanitary engineer at Toledo. Judge Riggs is a Congregationalist, while his wife is a member of the Episcopal church. Charles F. Robey was born February 4, 1834, near Wheeling, W. Va. His father was Isaac Robey, a native of Maryland, and his mother's maiden name was Mary Ann West, the daughter of Rev. Abel West. Isaac Robey disappeared in 1837, and was never after heard of. It was believed he was murdered. His wife survived him but three years. leaving our subject and another son, James H., who was taken by relatives to Pennsylvania. Charles F. was reared in Ohio county, West Virginia, and kept in ignorance f the history of his parents and their family. He was reared by a guardian, who was cruel to him and with whom he resided until 1860, when he learned photography, and became a traveling photographer. He followed this occupation in various places and in farming until 1888, when he located in Glouster, Ohio. and has since given his entire attention to the real estate business. In traveling about, Mr. Robey spent much time in attempting to solve the mystery f his life’s history. He had a guardian who imposed himself wrongfully into the position and did all in his power to conceal from his ward the facts of his history. Mr. Robey is a republican and a faithful member of the Methodist church as his mother was before him. He tries to do the best he can for himself and those about him. Joseph Rockwell was born on the Judge Dawson farm, in Madison township, Scioto county, Ohio, November 22, 1847. His father was Charles Rockwell, and his mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Norris. He was the oldest of eleven children f his parents. He attended school in the neighborhood and was reared a farmer. He was about fourteen years of age when he started to go out for himself, and engaged in farming. He went to work for James D. Thomas, where he remained seven years, then he started in farming for himself at the age f twenty-one and farmed one year. He then moved to Clay township and resided nineteen years on the James D. Thomas farm in that township, which was originally the Charles T. Martin farm. He left there in 1890, and moved near Lucasville on the Wm. M. Thomas farm. He has lived there ever since, and has been a farmer all his life. He was married in 1870, to Mary Field, daughter of James Field. They have the following children: Charles, residing on the James D. Thomas farm, married, and is engaged with his father in farming; Eli, residing with his elder brother on the Thomas farm; Leroy, at home; Mary Elizabeth; Bertha, married Arthur Moulton, the son of Hon. Chandler J. Moulton, and is engaged in the timber and mercantile business with his father; John Henry, at home; Mary Belle and Ethel Louise. All f his children are living and in good health. Mr. Rockwell had a brother John, who died in the service f his country in the civil war. He enlisted in Company B, 173rd 0. V. I., August 26, 1864, at the age f eighteen, for one year. He died January 14, 1865, in the U. S. General Hospital, Nashville, Tenn. He is buried in the National cemetery seven miles north of Nashville, on the Gallatin road. His father, Charles Rockwell, entered Company F, 140th 0. V. I., May 2, 1864, and served 100 days, until September 3, 1864. He died in 1898. Our subject would have been in the service himself but he could not pass physical examination. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge at Lucasville, and Mt. Vernon Chapter and Calvary Commandery at Portsmouth. He has always BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1119 been a republican, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Lucasville. George Kinney Ross was born at Portsmouth, Ohio, July 1, 1855, in the old family Ross residence where his father and mother went to house-keeping directly after their marriage in 1847. His father was Samuel Randall Ross, who has a separate sketch herein, and his motherls maiden name was Elizabeth Kinney, eldest daughter of Washington Kinney, who was then a prominent banker and business man of Portsmouth. Our subject attended the public schools of Portsmouth until the age of sixteen, when he was in the Junior Class of the High School. He left school then and at once engaged in business with his father for whom he clerked for about five years. For two years afterwards he was a commercial salesman. In 1878, he located in Warren, Ohio, and formed a partnership with John H. McCombs, a banker and capitalist, in the wholesale grocery business. The tirm was McCombs & Ross. They carried on the business in Warren. Ohio, until 1890, when on account f Mr. McComb's death, Mr. Ross moved the business to Cleveland. In the latter city, Mr. Ross formed a partnership with Leonard F., and Solon Burgess, under the tirm name of Burgess & Ross. In 1894, Solon Burgess died and L. F. Burgess retired from the business, which was purchased by our subject, William F. Sprague and Thomas Waller Ross. They conducted it for four years under the firm name of Ross, Sprague & Co. In 1898, the business was merged into a corporation as The Ross & Sprague Co., with .George K. Ross, president, Thomas Waller Ross, secretary and treasurer, and William F. Sprague, vice president. The business was capitalized at one-half million dollars and is now successfully conducted by the same corporation. The company is one f the largest in Ohio, with sales f over two millions annually. The Ross & Sprague Company occupies a whole block in Cleveland, and have railroad trains deliver their goods into their building in carload lots, and ship them out in the same way. Their business has every modern convenience and the Company is the only one in its line in Cleveland, having railroad connections with every railroad in the city. It employs twenty-five traveling men and over one-hundred other employees. In 1901, the Knickerbocker Sugar Refining Company of New York. composed of some f the larger wholesale groceries of the West and Northwest, was organized, with a capital stock of of $1.500,000. Mr. Ross was elected its president, and spends much of his time in New York city in connection with its business. Mr. Ross was married in Warren, Ohio, Dec. 24, 1879 to Miss Helen McCombs. She died in January. 1881, and in November, 1882, he married her sister, Charlotte McCombs. Mr. Ross has two children, John McCombs. who reached his majority in 1901, and the same year graduated from Harvard College. He has a daughter, Bessie. Mr. Ross is a very busy man, and is highly appreciated wherever he is known. He is president of the American Exchange National Bank of Cleveland. He is a vestryman of the St. Paul's Episcopal church of Cleveland. a member of the Missionary Committee of the Diocese of Ohio, and a trustee of the Hiram House, in Cleveland. He is also a and of the Union and Colonial Clubs of Cleveland, and of the Manhattan nd Merchants' Clubs of New York. Mr. Ross enjoys the singular distinction of never having had any reverses or backsets in his business career, but of having been uniformly successful. Mr. Ross is everything that is noble and true. His greatest ambition is the welfare f his family and the happiness of his friends. He is a model churchman. He is active in every work he undertakes, whether it be business or social. In business he is most successful—of absolute integrity—does exactly what he agrees to do. and requires the same f all others. To all those under him, he is kind and firm, and he treats his business associates with the greatest respect. His relations with his associates in business are uniformly harmonious and pleasant. He is at all times a gentleman, and has the highest ideals of life, and lives up to them. He is a prominent figure in the Chamber of Commerce in Cleveland. Not one does more work, or takes more interest, in charitable enterprises than himself. He is always level headed and cool, and is 1120 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. never perturbed or excited. From every point in which he may be viewed, he is a first-class citizen and business man. He endears himself to all his friends. He has taken a high position socially in Cleveland since his residence there. His residence is at 785, Prospect street. Benjamin Franklin Royse His earliest ancestors, on the paternal side, of which we have definite knowledge, were William Royse and Elizabeth Philson of Flemingsburg, Kentucky. Benjamin Royse, their son, married Rebecca Nichols f Adams county, Ohio, who was the daughter of William Nichols of Maryland, and Nancy Bacon, of Steam Furnace. Adams county, Ohio. To them were born William; B. Frank; George; Mrs. Elizabeth Teeters, afterwards Givens, late of Kansas; and John N. Royse. John Nicholas Royse, father of our subject, married Sarah Piatt, daughter of John H. Piatt. who came to Adams county, Ohio, from Virginia, and of Sarah Jones, 2. daughter of Andrew Jones, late of Brush Creek, Ohio. Mrs. J. N. Royse's grandparents were John H. Piatt of Virginia, a soldier of the war f 1812, and Sarah Caine. John N. Royce was born March 6, 1833, in Nile township, Ohio. He was left an orphan at the age of six years, but, possessed of an unusual amount of energy and, grit, by his own efforts, acquired considerable wealth. For several years, he engaged in general merchandising and lumbering at Friendship, Ohio. In 1870, he was elected County Commissioner and moved to Portsmouth. From 1873 to 1876, he served as County Treasurer. In 1878, he moved to his large farm near Harrisonville, Missouri. Of late years, he has resided in Kansas City, Missouri. His family consists f Benjamin Franklin, Portsmouth, Ohio; 1 emuel E., Sumpter, Oregon; Otho 0., Harrisonville, Missouri; Thomas B., Kansas City, Missouri; Orville D., Joplin, Missouri; Mrs. Roberta Von Volkenburgh, Kansas City; William Kinney, Kansas City, Missouri; Miss Nellie, Kansas City. Two daughters, Alice B. and Ina J. died in childhood. B. Frank Royce, oldest child of John N. and Sarah Piatt Royce, was born on Carey's Run, Scioto county, Ohio, October 11, 1854. He received his early education at Friendship, Ohio, but on moving to Portsmouth, in 1871, attended its public schools. After leaving school, he went to work at the Court House in the Auditor's office, under Captain James Skelton, and afterwards in the Treasurer's office with his father and then served as Deputy Sheriff under Fred Reiniger. On December 26, 1877, he was married to Miss Mary E. Feurt, daughter of James H. Feurt, of Portsmouth, Ohio, and a teacher in the Portsmouth Public schools. For about a year thereafter, Mr. Royse was proprietor of the Massie House in Portsmouth, after which time he purchased a farm two miles below South Portsmouth, Kentucky, and removed thereto. After eleven years of farming, he returned to Portsmouth, and has since been engaged in the manufacture f red brick, being at present proprietor of the Royse Pressed Brick Works. With the exception of one year, he has been a member of the School Board for the past eight years, serving two years as its president. His children are: Edith a teacher in the Portsmouth public schools, Sarah Helen, and Benjamin Harold. Mr. Rosye is a gentleman who asks no political distinction. While a republican, he has no anxiety to follow a career of office holding. He devotes his whole time to his business and seeks success through it. He is a good neighbor and a good citizen. He is a very shrewd business man and can always hold his own in making a bargain. He has excellent judgment in all the affairs of life. Henry Benjamin Ruel was born at Burning Springs, West Virginia, June 10, 1861. He is a son of Jacob W. Ruel and Artemecia (Lankford) Ruel. His boyhood and youth were spent in Portsmouth. He attended the Fourth Street school and obtained only a common education. His father was in the Civil war. He first engaged in liquor business in 1897. In 1900, he commenced in the feed and grocery busi- ness and is still engaged in that and the liquor business. He is a republican. At present, he is a councilman from the First ward. He was married December BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1121 31. 1900, to Barbara A. Gasele. daughter of Michael Gasele, a native of Germany. They have three children: Henry G., Hugh H., and Madeline. Mr. Ruel is an industrious, active and energetic business man. He makes a good impression on all his acquaintances. He is prompt to observe all his obligations and possesses the confidence of the business community. Robert Charles Ruhlman was born May 30, 1879 at Portsmouth, Ohio, and has always resided in his native city. His father was Philip Ruhlman and his mother's maiden name was Amelia Goetz. His mother was born in Germany, and his father in Portsmouth. He is one of a family of two daughters and two sons. He obtained his education in the Portsmouth schools up to the B Grammar, when at the age f thirteen he left school and went to work in the Drew-Selby shoe factory, and worked there for eight years. He then went into Jenkins & Company's plumbing establishment and there learned plumbing and steam fitting. He worked with them until they failed in business in June, 1896. He then went into business for himself opening a shop at No. 98 Gallia street, August 18, 1900, and has conducted the business on his own account ever since. Sept. 1, 1901, he changed his place of business to No. 94 1/2 Gallia street, where he is now located. He employs three men and carries on an extensive business. He is a steam titter as well as a plumber, and puts up steam heating apparatus. He was married May 14, 1901 to Catharine Bauer, a daughter f Philip Bauer, of Eleventh street, the well known broom-maker. Our subject resides on Kinney's Lane, No. 1,077. He attends the Second Presbyterian church and is a republican in his political views. He is a member of the Order of Red Men and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a young man of excellent character and habits, and bids fair to be one of the prominent business men of the city. Oscar Taylor Rupel was born at Chillicothe, Ohio, September 23, 1848, son of Oscar and Mary G. Rupel. The early years of his life were spent at Slate Mills, a few miles from Chillicothe; later he moved to Chillicothe and attended the public schools. Among his classmates were Rev. John Ely, Henry and James Taylor Franklin, and Angus L. Sanford. After a course in business college, he was given is a clerkship in his uncle, Theodore Rupel's store in Chillicothe, his mother being a partner. ,He was industrious and ambitious. On September 20, 1866, he was made entry clerk for the wholesale dry goods house of Rumsey, Road & Reed of Portsmouth, Ohio and remained with them until 1869, when he entered the wholesale clothing house of Miller, Voorheis & Company of Portsmouth. In December, 1875, he bought an interest in that business, which at that time was removed to Cincinnati, Ohio. On November 16, 1876 he married Miss Julia Pursell, daughter of James and Amanda Pursell. In 1880, the firm became Voorheis, Miller & Rupel. Mr. Rupel devoted himself to his chosen work with great earnestness. As a result from overwork. he was taken sick, April 4, 1891, at his home in Avondale, and died May 24, 1891. He was laid to rest in Greenlawn cemetery, Portsmouth, Ohio. His boyhood days were spent in Chillicothe, his manhood and commercial life in. Portsmouth and Cincinnati. He set himself to be true to God and man and succeeded. The people who knew him, loved him; the aged were sure of his reverence, the children of his love and strength. In his business career of over twenty-five years, he kept his name untarnished and demonstrated that business prosperity is consistent with perfect integrity of character. He was quiet and unobtrusive in his manners, genial and true to his friends. He was active and useful in church affairs. He occupied important official relations in Trinity and Avondale M. E. churches, Cincinnati, Ohio. He was liberal and active in charitable and religious work, but without ostentation. He was called away in the prime of manhood and at the height of his useful-. ness. He left to his friends the memory of an honorable Christian life. 1122 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. James Madison Russell was born June 25, 1858, at Portsmouth, Ohio. His father's name was Henry Russell, and his mother's maiden name was Nancy Jane Grimes, daughter of William Grimes. Our subject received his early education in the common schools of Rush township. He attended the Lucasville High School one year. He has always been a far mer and fruit grower. He was married September 20, 1898, to Miss Mertie Chesnut. daughter of E. P. Chesnut. They have one child, Nancy Alice. Mr. Russell is a republican and always has been. He is a member of the Methodist church at Lucasville. He is mail carrier on the Rural Free Delivery Route No. 1 from Lucasville, Ohio. He owns a farm of 180 acres in Rush township. Mr. Russell is honest, upright and truthful; of excellent habits, of high moral belief, and is an exemplary citizen in every way. He is public spirited and progressive, always ready to do that which will advance the interest of the community in which he dwells. He is always firmly fixed in his purposes, and treats everybody with kindness and courtesy. He has held positions of public trust with credit to hir .self and to the public service, and is a man of strong force of character, and good natural intellect. Daniel Martin Ryan a son of Michael P. Ryan, a native of county Clare, Ireland, and Bridget (Pat) Ryan, was born at Burlington, Ohio, July 18, 1861. His father brought him to Portsmouth when he was only five years old. His father died in 1888, and his mother died in 1898. Our subject attended the parochial school of the Holy Redeemer church of Portsmouth and the Portsmouth public schools until he reached the A Grade in the High School, when he went to clerk in Harry Buskirk's store on the corner of Second and Chillicothe streets. He remained here for a year, and then went into the employ of Drew, Selby & Co. The next year "he worked for Padan Brothers, shoe manufacturers. He then went to Cincinnati and engaged in the same work for a short time there. He returned to Portsmouth and was engaged with Drew Selby & Co., for ten years, as a finisher. In 1894, he went into the general Insurance business in Portsmouth, and has been in it ever since. He is also a real estate agent, and has his office in the Elk Building. Mr. Ryan was originally a democrat, but in 1884, he was "regenerated" and is now a republican. He is a communicant of the Holy Redeemer church of Portsmouth, Ohio. He is a member of the Columbus, Ohio, Council, No. 400, Knights of Columbus. George Moses Sallady was born February 6, 1847. His father was John Miller Sallady and his mother's maiden name was Martha Hayward, the daughter of Moses Hayward. He was the youngest of three children. His eldest sister, Harriet Jane died at the age of seventeen. Mrs. Sam Bierly is also a sister. He was reared on a farm and attended the district school. He has never held a public office. He is a member of the Old Town M. E. church. March 11, 1874 he was married to Nettie Tams, daughter of John D. Feurt and Maria (Oldfield) Feurt. After his marriage he removed to his farm near Wharton station, Washington township, on the Cincinnati division of the Norfolk & Western railroad where he now resides. He has a farm of 190 acres of land, of which, 90 acres die in the Scioto bottoms east of the canal. He has one child, Martha, wife of Charles F. Tracy. They have two children: Lucille and Harold. Mr. Sallady is a Mason. Mr. Sallady gives all his time and labor to his business and has been very successful. He is highly estemed as a good neighbor and model citizen. Enoch John Salt was born in Covington, Kentucky, April 9, 1857. His father, Enoch Salt, was a native of Shropshire, England. His mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Davis and she was also a native of Shropshire England. They were married 'in England and came to the United States in 1845. Our subject had a common school education and left school in 1877. He then attended Commercial College in Cincinnati for one year. In 1878 he engaged in the wholesale grocery BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1123 business in Covington, Kentucky, and remained there for two years. In the Spring of 1880, he came to Portsmouth, Ohio, and went into the Portsmouth Woolen Mills. The business was conducted under the name of The Portsmouth Woolen Mills, and the firm was composed of Enoch Salt, Sr., and Enoch Salt, Jr. The latter remained in the business ten years when he went to Superior, Wisconsin, engaged in the same business and was there for five years. In 1895, he came to Columbus, Ohio, and was advertising manager for F. R. Lazarus for seven years and then went into business with W. S. Moler, under the firm name of Salt & Meier, general advertising, at No. 508, Shultz Building, Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Salt has directed many cantatas and operettas both in Portsmouth and Columbus. He is a composer of music. He composed the words and music of the following poems: "Mabel Gray," "Love's Regret," and "Blaine, the Light of Maine." He was at one time a contributor to "Flowers by the Wayside," a periodical since discontinued. He composed the poem, "He answered the Call on High," referring to General Grant. He composed the poem entitled "The Battle of Manila." He has written three works on advertising, "Over Rough Places," "Nuggets," and "My Advertising Partner." He has traveled all over the country, to South America, and South Africa. He has an autograph-letter from each of the Presidents, from Grant down, as to his writings, and has letters from Africa, South America and other countries as to his poems. He was married June 16, 1880, to Ella Green, daughter of Charles S. Green, of Portsmouth. They have had five children: Clifford G., Nellie B., Lora B., died in infancy, Sara and Charles F. Mr. Salt is a republican and a member of the Baptist church. During his residence in Portsmouth, he was organist at Sixth Street M. E. church. Since he has resided in Columbus, he has been organist at Third Street M. E. church. He is an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias. Angus Lansing Sanford was born in Chillicothe, September 8, 1849. His father was Joseph Sanford, a native of Chillicothe. His mother was Julia (Fleury) Sanford, a native of Washington, D. C. He was the fourth of his father's six children. He received his education in the Chillicothe schools, but quit one year before graduation. He went into a dry goods store in Chillicothe with Joseph Stewart and was there for two years. On July 9, 1866. he came to Portsmouth and was a clerk for Rumsey, Rhodes & Reed and remained with them for nine years. After that he went to Philadelphia and was with a wholesale house there until 1877. He came to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1877 and was with Tolle, Holton & Company. He was with Miller, Cissna & Company when they started in 1877. When Colonel Varner died he came to Portsmouth and became a partner in the firm of McFarland, Sanford and Company in 1880. He bought Mr. Towell out and the firm became Sanford, Varner & Company and was composed of himself, W. H. and J. H. Varner. After Mr. Will Varner's death in May, 1896, he bought out his interest and continued to do business in Portsmouth until November 1, 1898, when his firm bought out Voorheis, Miller & Company of Cincinnati. The firm is composed of J. H. Varner, John S. Storrs and A. L. Sanford and is known as Sanford, Storrs & Varner. He is a partner in the firm of Burt, Hall & Company of Portsmouth. That firm succeeded Sanford, Varner & Company in 1889 and is composed of William Burt, Charles S. Hall and A. L. Sanford. On October 11, 1870 he was married to Margaret Anna Varner, daughter of Colonel Sampson E. Varner. He has two sons: Clay Varner, aged thirty, in business with his father and Louis Angus, aged twenty-eight, also in business with his father. He is a republican but has never held any office. He is a member of the Episcopal church and also a Mason, a Knight-Templar and an Elk. He was president and director of the Morton Club. He is a member of the Business Men's Club of Cincinnati. The late Rev. James T. Franklin once remarked in the presence of Mr. James F. Towell that, "Mr. Sanford was a good son to his mother." Some time after, when the firm of Towell & McFarland had taken up the manufacture f clothing in addition to their dry goods business and were needing an exper- . 1124 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. fenced salesman, the remark of Mr. Franklin was recalled -to Mr. Towell, and as a result Mr. Sanford was invited to become a member of the firm of Towell and McFarland, which he accepted. The partnership was one of mutual confidence and esteem, and Mr. Sanford did his part of the business. The health of Mr. McFarland becoming impaired he was compelled to withdraw from the firm and take up his residence in California with his family. When Mr. Towell desired to withdraw entirely from business, he invited Mr. Sanford to take over the whole stock on credit, without any security whatever, in easy payments, thus manifesting confidence in one who had been "a good son" as well as a faithful partner. He was permitted to take an account f stock and place his own valuation on the same which he did to the entire satisfaction of Mr. Towell. Mr. Sanford was able to meet each and every payment to the day it was due and in the mean time he earned sufficient capital to purchase goods thereafter on a cash basis. His removal to Cincinnati, succeeding to the large and well established business of Voorheis, Miller & Company, was brought about by his success in Portsmouth and in recognition of his ability and integrity. This tribute from his late partner, Mr. James F. Towell, is as favorable as could be given to any person who has a sketch in this work. John Stanton was born May 1, 1840, in county Mayo, Ireland. His father was John Stanton and his mother's maiden name was Catherine O'Reilley. The family came to the United States in 1848, in a sailing vessel, and were six weeks on the ocean. They landed at New Orleans and came up the rivers to Portsmouth. They then went to Xenia and resided there one year and from there to Springfield, Ohio, where they resided two years. John Stanton, Sr., was engaged in railroad work. In 1851, he came to Scioto county and engaged in the construction work on the Scioto and Hocking Valley railroad, being then built from Portsmouth toward Jackson. John, Jr. began work on the line by carrying water for the men. The family made two moves in the meantime, one to Maysville, Kentucky, and one to Vinton county, 0., but at the completion of the railroad from Portsmouth to Berlin Cross Roads, located at the latter place. John Stanton, Sr., died in 1858 and his wife survived until 1862. Before he was of age, John Stanton, our subject, engaged in the mercantile business at Berlin Cross Roads and made a fortune by close attention to business. He enlisted in Company B, 196th 0. V. I, for one year, on February 25, 1865. Soon after his enlistment, he was taken with the measles and unfitted for duty. He was mustered out May 13, 1865, at Cumberland, Maryland. He returned home and enlarged his business very much and continued in it until 1897, when he sold out to his sons, William and John, who conducted it as Stanton Brothers. Our subject had made a number of investments in Portsmouth. He also made investments in coal lands in Jackson county and after selling out his mercantile business gave his whole attention to the former. On November 13, 1866 he was married to Miss Ellen Gallagher, daughter of Edward and Mary Gallagher, born in Donegal, Ireland. They had eleven children, six of whom grew to maturity. Their son. William, is a merchant at Berlin Cross Roads, Jackson County; John is a real estate agent at Portsmouth; Mary and Helen reside with their mother in Portsmouth; Robert E. is a student at Notre Dame, Ind. and Thomas Francis is a school boy at home. John Stanton was always a democrat in politics. He was a communicant of the Roman Catholic church. He was very much devoted to his family and those dependent on him. He took great interest in all public improvements. He died August 19, 1898. His widow purchased the John W. Overturf property on the northeast corner f Ninth and Gay streets, soon after his death and removed to Portsmouth in November, 1899. Peter Schafer was born in Germany, in 1839. His father was Nicholas Schafer, and his mother was Agnes Fresh. When Peter was six years of age, his parents came to this country and settled in Brown county. His father had secured lands and was prospering when death overtook him. This changed the family fortunes and the mother took what was left after settling the estate and bought BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1125 a small farm near Wrightsville, in Adams county. There he was reared on a farm. On September 8, 1862. he enlisted in Company F, 7th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and served until July 1, 1865. While in the service, he had his skull crushed by a kick from a horse and has been permanently disabled. After the war, he was a farmer at Wrightsville till 1881 when he moved to Buena Vista. He resided there until 1896 when he removed to Portsmouth. He was married June 1, 1870 to Mrs. Maria Zimmerman, widow of Oliver Zimmerman. They have had five children. Their eldest. May Victoria, died at fifteen years. Cora Ethel, their second daughter is the wife of Noah Gray, a shoeworker. Flora E. is the wife of Charles Bussey, a carpenter. Kate is the wife of David Blenin, of Buena Vista. Their youngest, Curtis died in infancy. Mr. Schafer is a modest, retiring citizen. He carries on the business of package delivery in Portsmouth. He looks years older than his years, but he tries to make it up in cheerfulness, for he is one of the most cheerful men of the city and tries to put the best side forward at all times. George Jacob Schirrmann was born at Neiderhochstadt, Bavaria, Germany, November 20, 1834. His parents were George Theobold and Margaret (Miller) Schirrmann. His father was a farmer. He attended school in Germany until he was nineteen. In February, 1854, he started to the United States. He shipped from Havre de Gras on a sailing vessel, and after a voyage lasting forty-two days, he landed at New Orleans. From there he went to St. Louis, where he had relatives. He attended night school and the High School, in St. Louis, and studied languages, drawing and the higher branches. He attended school there for five or six years at night and learned the trade of carriage making in daytime. He also studied bookkeeping. January 1, 1860, he went to Okolona, Miss., and was there until August, 1860, when he left, as there was too much war talk and he took a paper with Abraham Lincoln's name on it, as a candidate for President. He went to Cincinnati and was directed by a friend to go to Portsmouth. He came to Portsmouth in. August, 1860, and has been here since. He first worked for Metzger & Kricker, at his trade, where Fisher's drug store now stands. In 1864, he went into business with William Angle, a blacksmith. They took in John Heid and Fred Deutschle as partners, and the firm name was Schirrman, Heid & Company. He continued in this business until 1878. In 1880 he went into the livery business, and has been engaged in the livery and carriage repair business ever since. On April 13, 1862, he was married to Augusta Kaufman. They have the following children: Kate, the wife of Charles Grassman, baker and confectioner; Emma; Lena; Charles, book-keeper at Harsha's mill; Alfred, a book-keeper; Hattie, clerk at Grassman's; George, in business with his father; Henry A., a physician. The latter is a graduate of Ann Arbor; Theobold, is a carriage maker in Cincinnati; and Marguerite, is a graduate of the High School, class of 1901. Mr. Schirrmann was a republican before and during the war, but since 1872, has been a democrat. He is a member of the German Evangelical church. George John Schmidt was born in Baltimore, August 9, 1865. His father was George Schmidt, a minister in the United Brethren church. He was a native' of Bavaria and his wife, whose maiden name was Catherine Dauman, was a native of Hanover, Germany. Our subject was the fifth of seven children. He attended school at Danville, Illinois, Zanesville and Cincinnati, Ohio. When he was twelve years f age, he began to learn the trade of confectioner and candy maker in Baltimore, and worked at it six years, two and a half years in Baltimore, and three and a half years in Portsmouth for B. Augustin. He was city salesman for B. Augustin for five and a half years. In 1889, he went into business for himself on Frndlay and Ninth streets, and was there for seven years. In 1895, he formed a partnership with J. F. Menke, under the firm name of The Central Grocery Company, in the Kricker building. They remained partners for seven years and then dissolved. Mr. Schmidt has since continued the same business at the same stand under the name of The Central Grocery Company. 1126 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. His father came to Portsmouth as minister of the United Brethren church in 1881. He died in Danville, Illinois, in 1897. His mother died in 1900, at Danville, Illinois, where they were making their home. He was married September 22, 1888, to Kate Klink. He has two children: Gertrude and Elton George. He is a democrat in his political views, but liberal: is a member of the First United Brethren church f Portsmouth; has been superintendent of the Sunday school for ten years, and is a trustee of the same church. He is a member of Massie Lodge, Knights f Pythias. George J. Schmidt makes friends of every one with whom he becomes acquainted. He is most genial in his intercourse with his fellow men. As a business man, he is ahead with all modern ideas and improvements and has made a success of his undertakings. Fred. Schmitt was born in Bavaria, Germany, November 7, 1836. His father was John Adam Schmitt and his mother was Elizabeth Margaret Wolfe. They had six children, of whom our subject wrs the fifth. He attended the schools in the old country for four years. At the age f ten, his parents emigrated to this country, starting from Havre de Gras in France. They came in a sailing vessel called the "Kate Hunter," and were thirty-nine days on the ocean. From New York they came direct to 'Portsmouth. Our subject attended school in Portsmouth and learned the blacksmith trade with his father, but not liking it, he began to learn the cigar makers trade at the age of nineteen. He followed that from 1856 to 1861 in Portsmouth with the Doerr Brothers. On July 10, 1861, he enlisted in the regimental band of the 28th 0. V. I. and served until October 23, 1862, when he was mustered out by order f the War Department. He returned home and worked with the Doerr Brothers in the cigar business until 1865. Then he entered into the hardware house of George A. Waller and remained with him until 1875. From 1875 until 1889, he was in the grocery business on Gallia street. Mr. Schmitt voted for Lincoln in 1860 and in 1864, but in 1867, he became a democrat and has remained such. In 1886, the democrats placed him on the city ticket for Water Works Trustee, and he received 919 votes to 869 for Wm. Burt. He served in that office one term. In 1889, he was a candidate for Marshal on the Democratic ticket against John W. Lewis and received 1,247 votes to 1,099 for Lewis. In 1891, he was again a candidate for the same office and received 1,391 votes to 1,139 for Win. A. Stokely. In 1893, he was again a candidate for Marshal against Samuel J. Williams and received 1,377 votes to 1,238 for Williams. In 1895, he was again a candidate for Marshal and received 1,223 votes to 1,440 for Frank H. Watkins, his opponent. Watkin's majority was 217. In 1897 he was again a candidate and was opposed by Frank H. Watkins. The vote stood 1,622 for Schmitt and 1,576 for Watkins, Schmitt's majority being 26. In 1899, he was again a candidate against Watkins and received 1,697 votes to 1,596 for Watkins, majority, 101. He was a member of the Board of Health f the city of Portsmouth from 1871 to 1889. He was a member of the Scioto Lodge of Odd Fellows from 1865 to 1869 and since that time has been a member of the Portsmouth Lodge. He is also a member of the encampment. He was married May 26, 1864, to Miss Mary E. Buchert. They have the following children: John, engaged in the grocery business in Covington, Kentucky; Daniel, engaged in the manufacture of cellulose in Danville, Kentucky; Fred, a Presbyterian minister in Downs, Ills. His son Louis, was born January 19, 1877. He attended the schools of Portsmouth, Ohio, to the A Grammar and then engaged in the grocery business with his father. He was then engaged as a clerk for Brodbecks for two years from 1893 and then engaged with Reed & Jordon in 1895 and was with them until his death. He was drowned accidentally in the Big Sandy river near Pikeville, Ky. February 20, 1902. He was a member of the First Presbyterian church and was a most exemplary young man, was much thought of by his employers and of excellent habits. His death was a great misfortune to himself, his family and his employers. There was no more promising young man in Portsmouth than he. Mr. Schmitt's fifth child is Elizabeth, married to Oscar Schleifer, minister of the Evangelical BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1127 church, at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Emma; Esther and Minnie, deceased; Philippine, a teacher in the public schools; Rosa, who died in infancy, and Clara, a student in the High School. Mr. Schmitt is one of the most popular men in Portsmouth. He is polite and obliging. He treats every one with respect and consideration. He is an excellent judge f human nature and cannot be imposed on. He made one of the best Marshals the city ever had. William Henry Schwartz was born August 11, 1869, at Circleville, Ohio. His father, who died when he was five years of age, was Christian Schwartz and his mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Fisher. When he was nine years of age his mother moved to Portsmouth, Ohio, where he has since resided. He attended school in Circleville, Ohio, and in Portsmouth until he was fifteen years of age. Then his practical business education began. He went into the employment of G. W. Anderson & Company, in a general store, for two years. Then he engaged with J. Eisman & Company, in the clothing business, for seven years. In 1893, he determined to go into business for himself and the firm of Haas, Schwartz & Smith was organized. In 1895, Mr. Smith retired, leaving Mr. Schwartz and Mr. Felix Haas to conduct the business, under the firm of Haas, Schwartz & Company. This firm conducted a merchant tailoring business at 102 West Second street for eight years. They added the manufacture of mens' clothing for the jobbing trade and had a manufactory on Front street. Desiring to combine the two, they leased the Connolley building on Fifth and Chillicothe streets and had it changed to suit their business. They occupied it in March, 1902, and have one of the finest establishments in Ohio. The two lower floors are occupied by their merchant tailoring business and the two upper by their manufacturing business. If any one wishes to propound the question, "What can a young man do?", Mr. Will Schwartz can answer it and need only refer to his own career. He has been successful from the start and his success is due to his hustling qualities. Mr. Schwartz has always been noted for his integrity and his pure and honorable life. In starting out, he adopted high standards and has lived up to them. He has always done the very best for himself under any and every condition. He is a member of the First Presbyterian church and lives up to it. He is very fond of music and is a member f the choir of his church. He is social in his disposition and is a Mason, an Elk, and a member of the United Commercial Travelers. Mr. Schwartz is a very popular man and stands well with all who know him. He holds the confidence f the entire business public. He was married November 28, 1900 to Miss Ethel Cotton, daughter of Doctor David B. Cotton. They have one child, Priscilla. Orpheus Alphonso Searl was born March 20, 1848, in Vernon township, Scioto county, Ohio. He is the son of Judge F. C. Searl and Julia A. Schoonover, his wife. His early childhood was spent in Vernon and Bloom townships where his father and his family lived until 1858 when they moved to Portsmouth, Ohio. He attended the public schools in Portsmouth, Ohio, and the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio. He enlisted in February, 1864, in Company C, 91st 0. V. I. On July 20, 1864 he was captured by the enemy at Martinsburg, West Virginia and taken to Richmond, Virginia and confined in Libby prison for three months where he experienced all the horrors of that rebel prison. When paroled he was reduced to a mere skeleton. After careful nursing at Navy Yard hospital, Annapolis, Maryland and a short stay at home on furlough, gaining in flesh and strength, he rejoined his regiment at Winchester, Virginia and served until the close of the war, when he was mustered out with his company, June 24, 1865. He taught in the public schools of the county from 1867 until 1891, a greater part of the time at Wheelersburg and Sciotoville. In 1874, he was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace in Porter township and continued in the Justice's office at Wheelersburg and Sciotoville until December 31, 1897, when he was appointed postmaster at Sciotoville. He was reappointed January, 1128 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY. 1902. He received the nomination on the Republican ticket for County Recorder in 1882, but was defeated. In young manhood he joined the Methodist Episcopal church and was one of the stewards of that church for a number of years, while living at Wheelersburg, and has been one of the trustees of the church at Sciotoville since 1887. In 1868, he was married to Mary F. McFann, daughter of David and Rachel McFann, early settlers of Vernon township. They have four children: Franklin D. Searl of Fire Brick, Kentucky; William A. Searl of South Webster, Ohio; Fernando C. Searl of Portsmouth, Ohio and Nellie S., the wife of W. J. Gaynor of Sciotoville. Ohio. While our subject was employed as a teacher, he edited acceptably for some time the teacher's column in the county papers, took an active part in all institute and educational work and was recognized generally as a teacher of influence and ability. In the capacity of magistrate, which office he held for many years he was admitted to be just, capable and impartial. In whatever vocation he has been engaged he has discharged the duties of his position with fidelity and general acceptability. By nature he is open, generous and free-hearted, and this trait may be said to be the keystone of his character. In many instances, indeed, his well known generosity has been taken advantage of to his own detriment. All in all, Squire Searl is a useful citizen, an influential republican, a worthy representative of a prominent, widely known family, a consistent church member and a loyal