|
BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
Biographical
and
Historical Sketches
A Narrative of Hamilton and Its Residents
From 1792 to 1896
By Stephen D. Cone
Illustrated
Hamilton, Ohio
Republican Publishing Company
1896
James B. Thomas |
JAMES
B. THOMAS was born in Northumberland county,
Pennsylvania, September 8, 1792. He was appointed
Postmaster by President Jackson July 9, 1832,
and so universal was the satisfaction he gave as a public
official to the community and the government that no
subsequent administration removed him. He held the
office until March 27, 1851, when he voluntarily resigned.
In the early days Hamilton was the distributing point
for Cincinnati mail matter going east and west, and the work
now performed in the railway mail car was then done in the
Hamilton postoffice. At this time there were no
express companies and all money had to be sent through the
mail. Jabez Fisher & Bros., of
Boston, heavy pork packers, located in Hamilton at the head
of the basin. They received their money in currency
from the East every few days in packages of $5,000, and so
regular were the mails on arrival they knew exactly when to
call for it.
Mr. Thomas was a carpenter by trade.
During the war of 1812 between America and England he helped
in the construction of the gallant Commodore Oliver Perry's
fleet, which was erected from the forests on Lake Erie.
Perry's noble victory of September 10, 1813, virtually
ended the war, when he wrote to General Harrison:
"We have met the enemy and they are ours."
In the winter of 1814, Mr. Thomas built a
flat boat in which he brought his mother's family from
Waterford, Pennsylvania, via the Ohio river to Cincinnati,
thence to Hamilton. During the next few years he made
a number of trips down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers from
Cincinnati, when the valley of the Mississippi was
comparatively a wilderness, encountering many dangers and
hardships. The return trips were made on foot and on
horseback, there being no steamboats in these early days.
Many political discussions were held in the "Old
Postoffice," participated in by Hon. Lewis D. Campbell,
Hon John B. Weller, Frank Stokes, editor of the Telegraph
and W. C. Howells, editor of the Intelligencer.
Mr. Howells was the father of W. D. Howells,
the author, now editor of the Atlantic Monthly.
The charges for a limited number of postoffice boxes
for newspapers, city and county officials paid the rent of
the building. In early days the mail matter was distributed
from Mr. Thomas' hat. He would
frequently call upon Henry S. Earhart and others to
deliver a letter to immediate neighbors. Stephen
Easton was clerk in the "Old Postoffice" and many
amusing incidents occurred during his term of service.
Source: Biographical & Historical Sketches - A
Narrative of Hamilton and Its Residents from 1792 to 1896 -
Publ. 1896 - Page 120 |
| |
JAMES K. THOMAS. - Our
fourth Postmaster was born in Hamilton in 1831. He
received his education in the Hamilton public schools.
In 1852 he married Miss Harriet McMaken,
the second daughter of M. C. McMaken, Esq., of our
city.
Mr. Thomas for a number of years was
engaged in the milling business in the old Erwin mill
at the east end of the suspension bridge. After severing
connection with his brother Alfred, he and Charles
Wardlow organized the Wardlow-Thomas Paper
Co., of Middletown, for the manufacture of flour sacks and
manilla papers. The company begun operation on a small
scale, but by untiring industry, coupled with good bisiness
methods, succeeded in making it a financial success.
The first mill was built in 1868, and burned down in
September, 1872. A new building was erected in 1880.
The main building is 460 feet long and 86 feet wide.
Its capacity is 20,000 pounds per day.
In religion Mr. Thomas is a Presbyterian, and an
elder of the First Presbyterian church of Middletown.
He is always ready to do a good act for his fellow man; is
an enterprising citizen in every thing that appertains to
the advancement
of Middletown.
Source: Biographical & Historical Sketches - A
Narrative of Hamilton and Its Residents from 1792 to 1896 -
Publ. 1896 - Page 122 |
| |
JACOB TROUTMAN - Was born July
22, 1824, on the homestead farm in St. Clair township, two
miles south of Hamilton. He attended school in the old
Reiley district until he arrived at the age of
seventeen years, when he moved to Rossville, now the First
ward of the city of Hamilton, and entered the public schools
of that village, where he continued his studies for four
years and at the age of twenty-one years was elected city
marshal of the town of Rossville. Mr.
Troutman was a brainy, intelligent, self-made man.
In his friendships he was ardent and unchangeable; in his
dislikes he was very pronounced. As a public official
he performed his duty without fear and favor. He stood
for sheriff of Butler county on several occasions, but each
time was defeated by the small fry professional politicians
of his party, who feared him for his honesty as he could not
be used by them. Mr. Troutman was
appointed Postmaster of Hamilton, March 13, 1857, under
President Buchanan's administration, and served
until April 23, 1861. He gave good satisfaction to the
patrons of the office. He was a member of the city
council from the First ward for a number of years and filled
the position with honor to himself and credit to his
constituents. He died November 14, 1889, and was
buried by the Masonic order of which he was a bright,
advanced and honored member.
Source: Biographical & Historical Sketches - A
Narrative of Hamilton and Its Residents from 1792 to 1896 -
Publ. 1896 - Page 123 |
| |
|
| |
|
|
