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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio
Vol. II
by Wm. Rusler - Publ.
1921
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FRANK H, DOWNING,
a prominent Lima lawyer, represents one of the pioneer families
of Monroe township in Allen county.
His grandparents, Adam and Sarah (Laughlin) Downing,
were natives of Stark county, Ohio, and left that comparatively
well settled community to establish a new home in Allen county,
driving overland and cutting their way through the woods to
reach their land in Monroe township. Adam Downing
acquired a section and a half of wild timber land, and cleared
and improved a portion of it during his lifetime. The
maternal grandparents of the Lima lawyer were Hugh and Jane
Hughes, natives of Wales, who after their marriage came to
America and settled in Putnam county, Ohio. They lived
with Indians as neighbors and got their flour from Upper
Sandusky. About 1835, while he was on his way to the grist
mill, he was attacked by Indians with the purpose of robbing him
of his meal, but assistance arrived fortunately in time to drive
the marauders away.
Frank H. Downing was born on the old homestead
in Monroe township July 27, 1870, son of Hugh L. and Mary Ann
(Hughes) Downing. His father was born in Stark county
in 1833 and his mother in Putnam county. After their
marriage they settled on eighty acres of the old homestead,
where the mother died in 1881. He continued to keep house
their five years and then removed to Columbus Grove and died in
1908, at the age of seventy-six. Frank H. Downing
is the oldest of three children. At the age of sixteen he
taught a term of district school and for eight years that was
his regular occupation. For two years of that time he was
connected with the schools of Pandora. Mr. Downing
was admitted to the bar Oct. 17, 1899, and has been in practice
of Lima for over twenty years. He is a partner of
Benjamin Welty, and they have one of the oldest law
partnerships in Allen county. Mr. Downing
completed his education in the Ohio Northern University at Ada.
For four years he served as president of the Lima Civil Service
Commission, and is still a member. He was chairman of the
Allen County Executive Committee and for twenty years has been a
delegate to nearly every Republican State Convention. He
is affiliated with Lima Lodge of Elks and has filled various
offices in that order. In August, 1908, he married Maud
M. McQuirk of Michigan. They have one son, Franklin
Judd, at home.
Source: A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio
- Vol. II - Publ. Chicago: Warner i.e. Warner, Beers & Co., 1921
- Page 146 |
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PERRY M. DRIVER.
The importance of insurance is becoming more and more recognized
by the general public, not only as a safeguard for the
family in case of death of the bread-earner, but also as a sound
investment, and consequently the services of men of ability and
reliability are enlisted to take care of the interests of the
various companies writing these risks. One of the men who
is finding congenial employment as general agent for the
National Life Insurance Company of Montpelier, Vermont, is Perry
Marcus Driver of 212 West Market Street, Lima, Ohio.
Perry Marcus Driver wa born in Rockingham
County, Virginia, on June 13, 1862, a son of Benjamin and
Lucinda (Allen) Driver, natives of Singers' Glen and Dry
River, Rockingham County, Virginia, respectively. The
paternal grandparents were Peter and Dorothy (Myers) Driver,
natives of Pennsylvania. Benjamin Driver, with his
brother, Dr. Jacob Driver, in company with a party of
neighbors, drove overland to Allen County, Ohio, at an early
day, and Doctor Driver secured land and built one of the
first brick houses northeast of Lima, and it is still standing,
so substantially was it constructed. Benjamin Driver
subsequently returned to Virginia and remained there until his
death. He an his wife had the following children: Mary
E., a teacher in public schools of Virginia twenty-nine
years, and Samuel, who are both residents of Lima, Ohio,
Samuel being a Dunkard minister, also serving as elder of
the church for forty years; Barbara, who is Mrs. James
H. Stover, of Allen County; A. J., who is also a
resident of Lima, an auctioneer; Sina, who is Mrs. C.
H. Long, a widow and a resident of Lima; Hattie,
who is Mrs. W. J. Carpenter, wife of a Methodist
minister, of St. Petersburg, Florida; B. F. who is
deceased, having passed away when fifty-five years old; Perry
Marcus, of whom we write; and C. W., who is a
resident of Citra, Florida.
Perry Marcus Driver was reared in Virginia, but
in 1884 he came to Lima, Ohio, and began working for his
brother, A. J. Driver, on a farm owned by the latter,
remaining with him for a year, when he went to Warren County,
Illinois, for a short period. In five months Mr. Driver
returned to Lima and spent three months. He then went back
to his home in Virginia, took charge of the homestead and
conducted it until after the death of his father, which took
place on April 12, 1895. When the estate was settled
Mr. Driver decided to continue to conduct the farm, and did
so until 1901, when he took the general agency for the National
Life Insurance Company of Montpelier, Vermont, having as his
territories the counties of Allen and Auglaize under contract.
Aside from this he is given control of Logan, Mercer, Van Wert,
Harden and Putnam counties. He has since been occupied
with the duties pertaining to this responsible position.
In 1915 he bought a farm of fifty acres of land at Beaver Dam,
Ohio, which he rents, and he also owns one acre of land and a
house of seven rooms that he rents. His offices are
conveniently located at 212 West Market street, as before
stated.
On Oct. 28, 1908, Mr. Driver was united in
marriage with Ada Romshe, born in Auglaize County, Ohio,
a daughter of John and Frances (Sellers) Romshe, natives
of Auglaize and Allen counties, respectively, and grand-daughter
of George and Mary (McClintoch) Romshe, natives of
Germany and Ireland, and John and Susan (Remley) Sellers,
natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Driver have
one daughter, Phyllis, who was born July 17, 1917.
Mr. Driver belongs to Trinity Methodist Church. In
politics he is a democrat and he is a member of the Elks Lodge
of Lima, Ohio. While still a resident of Virginia he held
the office of constable, being elected in Linville District.
His name was only used as a fill-in on the ticket, there not
having been a democrat elected in that district for twenty
years, so overwhelmingly republican it was. To the
surprise of all he carried by a majority of thirty-two, having
made no contention for that place. Mr. Driver is a
man of unusual fitness for his work, and has been able to form
some very desirable connections for his company in the counties
over which he has jurisdiction, and at the same time educate the
people to take a proper view of the obligation of providing
during their most productive years, by making in small annual
payments through the medium of life insurance for old age and to
secure the comfort and well being of those held dearest.
As both a man and a citizen he stands very high in public esteem
and has every reason to feel satisfied with the results of his
life work.
Source: A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio
- Vol. II - Publ. Chicago: Warner i.e. Warner, Beers & Co., 1921
- Page 224 |
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