BIOGRAPHIES
COMMEMORATIVE
BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
OF THE COUNTIES OF
HURON AND LORAIN, OHIO
CONTAINING
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens
and of Many of the Early Settled Families
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO
J. H. BEERS & CO.
1894
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H. M. Parker |
H. M. PARKER
Source: Commemorative Biographical
Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio -
Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894
- Page 664 |
Foster Parks |
FOSTER PARKS
Source: Commemorative Biographical
Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio -
Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894
- Page 544 |
Richard DeWitt Perry |
RICHARD
DE WITT
PERRY, superintendent of The Western
Automatic Machine Screw Co., Elyria, is a
representative self-made man, and a living example
of what willing heart and hands and indomitable
perseverance can accomplish.
He is a son of Clinton DeWitt and Celia
(Spencer) Perry, and was born in South
Manchester, Conn., Jan. 12, 1857. His parents
were also natives of the Nutmeg State, the father
born in North Manchester, the mother in South
Manchester, and after marriage they were residents
of Hartford, where the father was engaged in general
business; they still reside there. The
paternal grandfather of subject was a physician, and
the patronymic of his maternal grandparents was
Spencer (the grandmother's maiden name being
Hollister). C. M. Spencer, uncle of
Richard DeW Perry, was the inventor of the
widely-known Spencer rifle, and also of the Spencer
automatic machine screw.
The subject of these lines was educated in his native
town and learned his trade with the Hartford Machine
Screw Company, with whom he remained many years,
filling nearly every position in the mechanical
department, and becoming thoroughly efficient in
each. In 1883 he was appointed manager of The
Western Automatic Machine Screw Company, at Elyria,
and has ever since had charge of all the mechanical
work done in that institution, which is by far the
largest manufacturing concern of its kind in the
West. Since Mr. Perry's connection with
it, its trade has expanded vastly, and new buildings
have been added to accommodate the fast increasing
business, all of which development is mainly due to
his thorough knowledge of the business, and his
natural energy and progressiveness.
In 1883 Mr. Perry was united in marriage with
Miss Jennie Swan, and three children have been
born to them, viz.: Philip W., Hester and
Richard De Witt, Jr. In his
political preferences our subject is a Republican,
and in the spring of 1893 he was elected a member of
the board of education of Elyria. He has
recently erected a handsome residence on West Third
street, which has been equipped with all modern
improvements.
Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the
counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_
Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 822 |
M. W. Phelps |
M. W. PHELPS
Source: Commemorative
Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and
Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H.
Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 1130 |
|
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HENRY
PIPER. This representative, prosperous
agriculturist of Rochester township is a son of
Christian and Catherine (Garner) Pifer, natives
of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania.
In 1836 the parents came to Ohio, locating on a farm in
Orange township, Ashland county, where the father
bought thirty acres of wild land, that part of the
country being entirely new, without a single road in
it, only blazed trees marking a path through the
woods. A temporary log house was built, and in
course of time a better one; thirty acres were added
to the first purchase, and, later, still more, until
the farm aggregated 114 acres. Children as
follows were born to this pioneer couple; Jacob,
who resides in Marion county, Iowa; Elizabeth,
single, who resides on the home farm; Martha,
who makes her home in Brighton, Lorain county;
Mary, who is the widow of Isaac Lydick,
of Orange township, Ashland county; Samuel, a
farmer of Orange township, and Henry, whose
name opens this sketch. The father of this
family died in July, 1881, aged seventy-five years;
the mother on August 20, 1893, at the advanced age
of eighty-eight years, one month, fourteen days, and
they lie side by side in Orange cemetery, Ashland
county. They were members of the Dunkard
Church, and in politics Mr. Piper was a
Republican.
Henry Pifer, whose
name introduces this sketch, was born Sept. 11,
1841, in Orange township, Ashland, Co., Ohio.
In 1865 he came to Lorain county, where for a year
he was employed on a farm of Josephus Clark,
and then rented land. After his marriage he
rented a farm in Ruggles township, Ashland county,
for a few years, and in 1873 bought seventy-five
acres in Rochester township, Lorain county, which is
embodied in his present farm. Hither he
removed, and there resided until his purchase from
Thomas Knapp of the piece of land whereon he
now has his residence, and which lies opposite his
seventy-five acre farm. He now owns 118 1/2
acres of excellent land, all greatly improved by
him, and in addition to general farming he is
extensively engaged in the dairy business.
On Mar. 24, 1864, Mr. Pifer married Miss Mary
A. Krebs, who was born Sept. 16, 1841, in Orange
township, Ashland county, a daughter of Daniel
and Catherine (Rickett) Krebs, and two children
were born to this union: Jennie M., now
Mrs. Henry Barnes, of Rochester, Lorain county,
and Loran, at home with her parents.
Politically our subject is a stanch Democrat,
formerly as stanch a Republican, his first vote
being cast for Brough for governor of Ohio. He
and his wife are both consistent members of the
Congregational Church at Rochester.
Source: Commemorative Biographical
Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio -
Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894
- Page 1148 |
H. A. Plato |
HENRY
A. PLATO, vice-president of the Savings
Deposit Bank, and dry-goods merchant, North Amherst,
is a native of Germany, born Dec. 28, 1845, a son of
John and Wilhelmina (Bodman) Plato, also
natives of Germany.
In 1856 they came to the United States, and to Ohio,
making a stay of four or five months in Vermillion,
Erie county; then came to Amherst township, Lorain
county, where they followed farming about three
years, after which they moved into the village of
North Amherst. Here for some eight or ten
years the father operated a livery, assisted by his
sons; also erected a grocery store, and conducted a
business there till his retirement from active life,
at which time his sons took charge of the grocery.
He died in December, 1890, aged seventy-six years;
his widow in yet living, now sixty-nine years old.
Their family comprised three sons and one daughter,
viz.: Henry A., John E. (partner in
business with Henry A.), Herman J. and Matilda C.,
wife of Joseph Wesbecher, partner in the
hardware business with Henry A. and John
E. Henry A. commenced the grocery business
with his brother, John E., in 1869, and
continued therein about twelve years, or till 1881,
in which year his brother-in-law (Joseph
Wesbecher) being in the hardware business, our
subject and brother, J. E., bought an
interest in same. Subsequently Mr. Plato,
in conjunction with his partners, built a brick
block, and up to Jan. 1, 1892, he saw to the
interest of the brothers in the hardware branch,
which grew to be thriving concern, while J. E.,
the brother attended their dry-goods store; but
being sickly changed positions with his brother, and
went back to the dry-goods store on Jan. 1, 1892, at
the same time retaining his connection with the
hardware business. About two years ago the
Savings Deposit Bank was organized in North Amherst,
and Mr. Plato has ever since been
vice-president of same. About four years ago
he was instrumental in organizing the North Amherst
Furniture Co., which is one of the best equipped
enterprises of the kind in Northern Ohio, putting up
the building which is now occupied by the concern.
In 1866 Henry A. Plato and Miss Elizabeth
Hilderbrand were united in marriage, and six
children were born to them, viz.: Matinda,
a clerk in her father's store; Albert D., who
was educated at Notre Dame, Ind., and is connected
with his father in the dry-goods business;
Wilhelmina also educated at Notre Dame, Ind.;
Cecelia, Louisa and Florence, all of whom
have had the best possible educational advantages.
They are possessed of rare musical abilities, and
form within their own circle a talented band.
They have for some years furnished the music in the
Catholic Church at Amherst, and are in much demand
at both public and private entertainments. The
"Plato Band," as it is sometimes called, consists of
two violins (played by son and one of the
daughters); piano and cornet (two other daughters),
and flute (Mr. Plato himself).
Mr. Plato is a stanch Democrat, and a leader of
the party in his vicinity. In 1887 he was
elected township clerk, a position he still fills.
In 1861 (then but sixteen years of age) he wished
very much to enlist as a fifer, but his father
prevented his going out, being too young; however,
in December, 1863, he enlisted, this time in Company
E, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth O. V. I., and
served till July, 1865, when he was mustered out a
Camp Chase, the war coming to a close.
Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the
counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_
Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 974 |
John E. Plato |
JOHN E.
PLATO, of the hardware firm of J. Wesecher
& Co., in North Amherst, was born in the Kingdom
of Hanover, Nov. 11, 1848, a son of John and
Wilhelmina (Bodmann) Plato, also natives of
Hanover.
The family came to America in 1857, and after landing
proceeded westward to Ohio, locating first at
Vermillion, Erie county, later settling permanently
in North Amherst. The father was a
professional musician, in his native land, but in
this country he conducted a livery business.
He died Dec. 5, 1890, at the age of seventy-five
years; his widow, now in her seventy-six year is
living with her son John E. They were
the parents of four children.
The subject of this sketch, who is second in order of
birth, received his education at the parochial
schools of New York, his attendance there covering
some four years, after which he returned to North
Amherst and engaged in the livery business.
Later he commenced in the grocery and dry-goods
business, and for the past ten years has been a
member of the firm of Plato Bros., in
that line; also one of the firm of J. Wesbecher &
Co., in hardware, at North Amherst, and
connected with the North Amherst Furniture Co.
Of all these interests Mr. Plato now gives
his sole attention to the hardware business.
The firm carry a full and complete line of shelf and
heavy goods.
On Nov. 29, 1877, Mr. Plato was united in
marriage with Miss Lena Menz, who was born at
North Amherst, Ohio, July 26, 1856, a daughter of
John Peter and Matilde Menz, natives of Bavaria,
Germany, who came to America May 2, 1853. To
Mr. and Mrs. Plato have been born five
children, namely: Leonora, Agatha, John,
Henry and Ruth. Mr. and Mrs. Plato
are stanch members of the Catholic Church, and
influential pillars thereof. In politics he
has always been a Democrat, and is active in
municipal affairs.
Mr. Plato has for years been one of the leading
business men of North Amherst and is progressive and
public-spirited.
Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the
counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_
Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page
984 |
M. W. Pond |
THE POND FAMILY
Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the
counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_
Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page
624 |
John Porter |
JOHN PORTER
Source: Commemorative
Biographical Record of the counties of Huron and
Lorain, Ohio - Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H.
Beers & Co. - 1894 - Page 944 |
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