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HENRY S. EARHEART
was born three miles east of Franklin, Warren county, Ohio,
Feb. 17, 1800. He first came to Hamilton on a visit,
about 1815, but did not reside in the county until the year
1822, when, in conjunction with his uncle, John L. C.
Schenck, of Franklin, the leading merchant of this
section at that time, he established a store at Jacksonsburg.
After remaining there a few years, he came to this city.
He was in partnership with George W. Tapscott for a
number of years, finally, however, discontinuing business.
Possessed from youth with a love of mathematics, he next
took up civil engineering, and projected the hydraulic works
and the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton railroad. He
was married Mar. 10, 1823, in Franklin, to Elizabeth
Tapscott, daughter of James Tapscott and Mary
Hendrickson. They came from New Jersey in 1814.
Mr. Earheart was for many years one of the leading
citizens of Hamilton. He was councilman from 1854 to
1859; was Civil Engineer of the city and identified with all
its improvements.
Source: Biographical &
Historical Sketches - A Narrative of Hamilton and Its
Residents from 1792 to 1896 - Publ. 1896 - Page 403 |
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JOHN S. EARHEART
was born in Jacksonburg, Butler county, Ohio, Mar. 10, 1824.
His parents moved to Hamilton when the subject of this
sketch was only two years of age. At this place he
attended the Hamilton Academy, and later he entered the Ohio
Farmer's college, then under the management of Freeman
Carey. Capt. Earheart studied civil
engineering. He assisted his father in building a
number of turnpikes in southern Ohio, in the Hamilton
hydraulic and surveying lands, as well as work connected
with railways. The Ohio division of the Junction
Railway was under Captain Earhart's management.
The first viaduct through the First ward of this city, a
masterpiece of engineering skill, was on the middle section
of the Miami and Erie canal, and when the Civil War began,
he resigned and assisted in recruiting the
Thirty-fifth. He commanded Company C of the regiment
until the spring of 1863, when he was appointed
topographical engineer and assigned on Gen.
Steedman's staff. Afterward he was advanced to the
same position on Gen. Brannan's staff. He
served in that place until his death, Aug. 10, 1863.
His death was notice in general orders, as follows:
"His zeal and undoubted ability in the discharge of his
arduous duties insured him the confidence of his superiors,
and his high moral character and gentlemanly deportment won
the respect and admiration of all. In the death of
Captain Earheart, the service loses a faithful and
efficient staff officer; society a worthy and respected
member, and while we, his associates in life, can but mourn
his loss, let us humbly hope that in his exemplary life and
character, death has gained for him peace above. By
command of
"BRIG. GEN. JOHN M. BRANNAN."
Source: Biographical &
Historical Sketches - A Narrative of Hamilton and Its
Residents from 1792 to 1896 - Publ. 1896 - Page 347 |
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JOHN EDWARDS
was a graduate from Miami University in 1862. His
career as a teacher began immediately afterward. He
was Superintendent of the Hillsboro, Ohio, schools from 1862
to 1864. In 1864 he was elected Superintendent of the
Hamilton schools, serving until 1857. He was a man of
great force of character and commanding a wide influence,
was a logical reasoner and possessed a firey eloquence.
He was a man of rare literary attainments.
He was president of the Thespian Literary society that
met in the Smyers' building on the West Side. Rev.
Jacob Steck, Dr. W. H. Scobey, Dr. Joseph W. Harris, Eugene
A. Weiler and Dr. J. L. Kirkpatrick were members
of the society.
After severing his connection with the schools he
studied law and was admitted to the bar, and immediately
thereafter immigrated to Maryville, Mo., where he began
practicing his chosen profession. He was careful in
preparing his cases and possessed the ability to present
them in a concise and forcible manner. His success as
an attorney was acheived by untiring diligence. He
was a good judge of men and motives. Mr. Edwards
was elected district attorney for Nordaway county and
convicted the Talbott brothers for the murder
of their father. This criminal trial was the most noted in
the annals of Missouri and attracted wide-spread interest.
The Talbott brothers employed the best
legal talent in the State to defend them, but went to the
gallows through the masterly prosecution of John
Edwards. During this trial he earned the
reputation of being one of the ablest criminal lawyers in
Missouri.
In politics Mr. Edwards was a Democrat of
the Radical school. He was a candidate for
Attorney-General before his party convention that convened
at Jefferson City, but unfortunately was defeated.
With hope deferred and ambition blasted, he brooded
over his defeat until his mind became temporarily
unbalanced, and while in this condition he suicided,
Sept. 13, 18S8.
Source: Biographical & Historical Sketches - A
Narrative of Hamilton and Its Residents from 1792 to 1896 -
Publ. 1896 - Page 110 |
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FREDERICK EGRY
was born
in Germany, Nov. 14, 1840. In 1852, he emigrated to
America, locating at Dayton, Ohio. He learned the art
of printing in the Journal office, then edited and
owned by Richard and William Comley.
In 1857, he edited, and, as a printer, did the composition
on the first German daily newspaper published in the Gem
City. In 1859, he came to Hamilton and purchased an
interest in the Shildwache. On Oct. 24,
1861, Egry & Williams purchased the Hamilton
Telegraph from Dr. John P. P. Peck. This
paper espoused the Union cause and refused to publish
Maginnis' secession resolutions. The Telegraph
subsequently absorbed the Hamilton Intelligencer.
The larger portion of the Butler county Democracy were of
the Calhoun stripe; opposed the war and set up a new
journal, the Hamilton True Telegraph, Sept. 26, 1861. Mr. Egry was owner
of the Telegraph until Dec. 17, 1879, when he
sold out to C. M. Campbell. He was elected
Mayor in 1879, and his administration was one of good order.
He has been elected councilman from the Second ward for a
number of terms. He is engaged in the insurance
business which is large and profitable. He is a
Democrat in politics.
Source: Biographical & Historical Sketches - A
Narrative of Hamilton and Its Residents from 1792 to 1896 -
Publ. 1896 - Page 139 |
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George F. Elliott |
COLONEL
GEORGE F. ELLIOTT was born Apr. 8,
1826, near the famous old Spring Meeting house in
Liberty township, which has often resounded with the
pious eloquence of his father. He was the youngest
of seven sons of Rev. Arthur Elliott, who came
out to this county from Maryland to fill the manly part
of a pioneer exhorter. At the age of fourteen,
George was sent to St. Clair township where he spent
several of the following years in farm work, attending
such schools as circumstances permitted. The
greater part of his educational training was acquired in
a school conducted by a Mr. Wade in the basement
of the old Episcopal church in this city. At the
outbreak of the Civil War, Colonel Elliott of his
own accord and almost entirely by his own exertions
recruited Company C, of the Sixty-ninth O. V. I.
His record as a soldier shines pre-eminent in the annals
of Butler county's achievements in the great struggle.
He was appointed Major on Aug. 9, 1862, and Lieutenant
Colonel in October, 1862. The crowning event of
his military record was his brilliant performance on the
bloody field of Stone River. Through those six
hideous days he led his regiment with courage and
ability. The serious sickness of his wife called
him to his home shortly before the final declaration of
peace, and he continued in the pursuit of agriculture on
his homestead farm, until 1866, when he embarked into
wider fields of industry.
During the three following years he engaged in the
distilling business in his city. He operated two
distilleries which in the short course of their
existence, paid into the Government exchequer upwards of
$2,000,000. In 1873, Colonel Elliott family
retired from business life, and then began his career of
eminent public service. His first public office
was that of member of the Decennial State board of
Equalization. His excellent services in this
capacity secured him the Democratic nomination for State
Senator in 1881. Although his nomination for State
Senator in 1881. Although his nomination was
unanimous he was defeated by the small margin of
twenty-seven votes. In 1883, he was again
nominated and elected to the senate, where he left a
long record of distinguished services in behalf of the
district which he represented. Not the least of
Colonel Elliott's claims to public gratitude is the
fact that he fathered the first appropriation bill which
was ever passed in behalf of Miami University. In
November, 1889, he as appointed to a place on the
Soldier's Relief Commission to fill a vacancy caused by
the death of Charles E. Giffen. He was also
a member of the United States Land Commission, whose
function it is to recover abandoned or swamp lands, and
until 1888 he had entire jurisdiction over the states of
Oregon and Washington. He was also a director of
the Second National bank in the years of 1868-9 and has
always been an active and useful member of the Grand
Army of the Republic. In 1854, Colonel Elliott
was united in marriage to Miss Eleanor Hueston,
whose father had served as captain of pack horses in the
famous expedition of Mad Anthony Wayne, which
forever broke the hold of the Indians in the valley of
the Miami. Upon his marriage he received from his
father a grant of 200 acres of farm land. He had
been a strong and useful man, and the abundant energies
of his life were directly applied to the interests and
improvements of his native city, county and state.
Colonel Elliott died Wednesday evening, May 13,
1896. The funeral was held from the home on North
B street at 2:30 o'clock Friday afternoon, May 15, and
was conducted by Rev. J. W. Peters in conjunction
with the Rev. W. I. Fee, a life-long friend
of the deceased. The pall bearers were: E. G.
Rathbone, F. W. Whitaker, Dr. S. L. Beeler, Dr. W. C.
Miller, Dr. James W. Roll and G. K.
Shaffer.
Source: Biographical
& Historical Sketches - A Narrative of Hamilton and Its
Residents from 1792 to 1896 - Publ. 1896 - Page 357 |
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Alston Ellis |
ALSTON ELLIS - The subject
of this sketch was born January 26, 1847, near Covington,
Kentucky. In the common schools of that day he acquired the
rudiments of an education.
When he arrived at the age of 16 his parents moved to
Covington, where lie entered a private school. It was here
that he made preparation for entering upon a collegiate
course. During the winter and spring months of 1864,
he taught school
near Carrollton, Kentucky. In September of the same year he
matriculated as a Sophomore at Miami university, Oxford,
Ohio. He was graduated from this famous institution of
learning in 1867. His studious habits, while at Miami
university,
won him a recognized place in the field of scholarship.
His frank manners and gentlemanly qualities placed him high
in the esteem of the students and faculty. He was
remarkably proficient in mathematics and ancient languages;
and in all
branches of the college course he was at the head of his
class. He was not eligible for any class honors by
reason of his not having taken all the branches of the
prescribed course in their regular order. In the
literary society and recitation room, his leadership was
unquestioned. He possessed a lively interest in every
day affairs; was fired with an ambition to express well that
which he knew, and balanced by his scholarly achievements,
he was a fluent speaker, a ready debater and possessed
of the powers that make natural oratory. He had a
large share of college honors, held high offices in the
Krodelphian Literary society, and was college orator in the
annual celebration of Washington's birthday. A month
after graduation Alston Ellis found the woman of his
choice in Oxford college, then under the charge of Rev.
Robert D. Morris. On July 23, 1867, he was united in
marriage to Miss Katie Cox. Not a little of
President Ellis's success in life has been due to
the influence of his cultured wife who has infused into
their home life and to their large circle of acquaintances
only those qualities which stimulate the best that is in
name. He returned to his home
in Covington, where he did effective work as principal of
the Third district and Intermediate schools of that city.
The thoroughness of his work brought to him, then the more
responsible position of assistant superintendent of the
Newport, Kentucky schools, which position he held for nearly
three years. In 1871, he was called to the
Superintendency of our schools, which position he held for
eight years. At the time of his call the schools were
not doing as satisfactory work as parents and tax-payers had
a right to expect. They had dropped to a low grade.
To place them on an excellent footing was a work not to be
done in a day, but within a short time our
schools had no superiors in the state, and few equals.
It was here that he displayed rare ability as a scholar and
executive officer.
Today, the high reputation of the schools our city,
through the state, is largely the result of the work of
President Ellis, and his name is indelibly associated with
the knowledge of this excellence. In 1879, he
abandoned teaching and engaged with the well known firm of
Harper & Brothers, of New York, with headquarters at
Columbus, Ohio. During this year much of his time was
given to addressing college societies, teachers'
associations, and contributing to educational journals.
In May, 1887, he was elected Superintendent of the
Sandusky, Ohio, schools, in which position he achieved the
same enviable record that had been made in our schools.
Again our schools had deteriorated, and in 1887, in response
to urgent calls to resume his old field work, he returned to
Hamilton and continued at the head of the schools until
called to the Presidency of the Colorado State college, at
Fort Collins.
In 1891, the trustees of that institution extended him
a unanimous call to become its President. He at first
declined, but later on in response to an urgent personal
appeal, Dr. Ellis went to Fort Collins to
confer with the Board of Directors and take a survey of the
field. Here he found large, handsome buildings,
excellently equipped, an able faculty, specialists in their
chosen lines. As a result Dr. Ellis
accepted the position at a salary of $6,000 per annum.
Fort Collins is a progressive and prosperous town of
3,000 inhabitants, in Larimer county, situated seventy-five
miles north of Denver and four miles from the foot hills.
It is in full view of Long's Peak and many miles of the
Snowy Range. From the melting snow of the mountains is
derived its water supply. Here is located the Colorado
Agricultural college, which had its origin in the act of
congress, July 2, 1862, which granted the institution 90,000
acres of land. In 1883, the state levied for its
support an annual tax of one-fifth of a mill on all taxable
property, which in 1891 was reduced to one-sixth of a mill,
owing to an increased duplicate. The college
was incorporated in 1870, but no buildings were erected
until 1878, when Fort Collins was selected as a site.
In September, 1879, it was first opened for the reception of
students; a dormitory was erected in 1881, and the chemical
laboratory a year later. Horicultural hall,
Mechanical Art hall and Agricultural hall, all with well
equipped laboratories have since been added. At first
the number of students was limited, but has increased until
the session of 1895-96 shows a register of over 300
students. The highest enrollment of students prior to
Dr. Ellis' presidency was 109.
The college buildings, grounds, etc., are worth not
less than $250,000.00. In addition to this the college
has four experimental farms in other portions of the state,
whose estimated value is $50,000.00. The institution
is not a university, but is a through-going, well-equipped
scientific and technical institution. It has five courses of
study, each complete in itself. In addition to these
regular courses, postgraduate
work in engineering, chemistry, mechanics, agriculture
zoology, and irrigation engineering are provided for.
Hamilton was loath to lose Dr. Ellis as
an educator and citizen, "Yet is proud to have given
Colorado a man who is such a power for the advancement of
the cause of education within her borders." In the
short time he has been president of the Colorado college, he
has taken his place on the top rung of the ladder as the
most successful educator and lecturer in the state. In
fact, his reputation is not confined in any single state -
it is national.
As early as 1872, we find his Alma Mater, Miami
University, confering upon him the degree of Master
of Arts. In 1879, the University of Wooster gave him
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, the Ohio State
University gave him the same degree
in 1888. A still greater recognition of his
attainments was made when he was given the degree of LL. D.
from the Ohio State University in 1890.
He was elected a life member of the Victoria Institute
- the Philosophical Society of Great Britain—of which the
Queen of England is a patron. The membership is
classified under three ranks in the society—ordinary,
associate, and life members. He was enrolled in the
latter class in 1890. Some of the most famous men in
the world are members of this Institute. Only four
from America have been recognized, Dr. Ellis being
one.
He was a member of the state board of school examiners
for a term of ten years, during which period he was clerk.
In 1891, he was re-appointed for a term of five years.
In religion Dr. Ellis is a
Congregationalist or Presbyterian, according to where he is
located. In politics he is a Democrat. He possesses
all the qualifications for a successful politician, is
social, easily approached, an able writer, a polished orator
and well informed on the questions of the day.
In 1895, Dr. Ellis was unanimously
elected Superintendent of the Hamilton schools at a salary
of $3,000 per annum. After considering the subject he
declined. He is an honorable and talented gentleman, capable
of filling any position in school work.
Source: Biographical & Historical Sketches - A
Narrative of Hamilton and Its Residents from 1792 to 1896 -
Publ. 1896 - Page 111 Portrait between Pps.
110-111 |
NOTES:
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