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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Noble
County, Ohio
with portraits and biographical sketches of some of
its pioneers and prominent men.
Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Co.,
1887
For Reference: Noble County was formed in 1851
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GEORGE A. SMITH, who for
many years was one of the prominent business men and
financiers of Caldwell, was born in Olive Township in 1835.
His father, Shobul Smith, came from
Martha's Vineyard in 1817, and was one of the pioneers of
the county. George A. was for a
number of years a merchant in Dexter City. In 1873 he
was elected county treasurer, and the year following came to
Caldwell. In 1878 he became the cashier of the Noble
County National Bank, which position he retained until
ill-health obliged him to retire
Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H.
Watkins & Co., 1887 |
Wm. Smithberger |
WILLIAM SMITHBERGER
was born in the Rhine province of Prussia, Sept. 12, 1825.
He was the youngest child of Johannes and Anna Maria
Smithberger. He had three brothers:
Nicholas, John and Peter, and
three sisters: Elizabeth, Catharine
and Margaret. His mother died when he
was six years old. In 1840 his father emigrated to the
United States. All the children, except
Nicholas came with him. They came to
Pittsburgh about the 1st of August, William
being at this time fourteen years of age. In the same
year he was apprenticed by his father for a term of three
years to James and John Smith,
machinists, of Pittsburgh; after serving about nine months
he learned that a machinist must have considerable capital
to set up a shop of his own; that there were other trades
fully as lucrative and which required much less capital; he
therefore engaged with a cabinet-maker, who failed seven
weeks after, his employes losing their wages. In the
meantime his father had charge of a flock of sheep belonging
to a Mr. Spriggs, who had a slave
plantation near Wheeling, W. Va. William
visited his father, who advised him to go to Elk Township,
Monroe County, Ohio, at which place his father owned eighty
acres of land, which he had entered some time before at the
government land office. The following spring he came
to Ohio, as did his father, brother John
and a sister. William
helped to fell the first tree and assisted in building a
dwelling-house; "then came hard times," says Mr.
Smithberger. "Brother John
and I often carried a half bushel of corn to a mill located
three miles from us, and ground it by hand. In our
straitened circumstances corn bread was a luxury."
During the first year on the farm, John
married, and William, not liking the rough
life afforded by the backwoods, begged his father to allow
him to go back to Pittsburgh; permission being granted, he
engaged in the city with Harmer Dennie, as
gardener. One day, while walking along the street, he
met his old boss of the machine-shop, to whom he had been
apprenticed, and endeavored to pass him without attracting
his notice; but it seems toe recognition was mutual, for
coming up he accosted William, inquiring
where he had been and what he was doing.
William made a clean breast of it, recounted his
wanderings and hardships, and finally consented, after many
solicitations, to go back to the shop; here he remained till
1847. In the spring of 1847 he entered into
partnership in the retail grocery trade with his
brother-in-law, Jacob Rothfuchs, the firm
being Rothfuchs & Smithberger, on the
corner of Seventh and Smithfield streets, Pittsburgh, and
continued in the business till 1853. In May, 1849, he
married Terrece Fauth, by whom he ahs
twelve children: William G., married
Catharine Burkhart, is a farmer and resides
in Elk Township, Noble County; Anthony,
married Mary Epler, lives in Monroe County,
and is a farmer; Terrece married
Peter Zwick, a Monroe County farmer;
Justina married Matthias Zilles,
Apr. 12, 1887, a merchant of Lebanon, Monroe County;
Thomas J. is in Dakota; Isadore
married Terrece Burkhart, is a farmer of
Noble County; Adaline A., Martha M., Edward W., John
S., Alexander D. and
Gregory are still at home. In 1853,
on account of failing health, Mr. Smithberger
was advised to move on a farm; accordingly in 1853 he came
to the farm upon which he has since resided, clearing the
land and adding fine improvements as circumstances made it
possible, until it is now one of the best improved farms in
the township. He began packing tobacco in 1861, and
has handled about seventy-five hogsheads a year, and has now
on hand some $5,000 worth. He has nearly six hundred
acres of good agricultural lands, mostly in Noble County, on
which are three good dwelling-houses, besides barns,
tobacco-houses and numerous other outbuildings necessary to
carry on his business and in which to store his grain; he
has been engaged in merchandising since 1874; he has a good
store-room filled with a fine selection of goods.
Mr. Smithberger is a member of the Catholic
church. He took an active part in building the
Catholic church near Harriettsville, contributing liberally
of his means to this purpose and in support of its society.
In politics he is a Democrat. The esteem in which he
is held by the people of Elk Township is evidenced by the
numerous positions of trust they have conferred upon him,
viz.: School director and member of the board of
education since 1858, township trustee, twice clerk of the
township, treasurer of the township for five years, assessor
of personal property for two terms, and land appraiser of
the township in 1870, and justice of the peace for thirty
years.
His has been a busy and
useful life. A poor boy, without money and without
influential friends, by his energy, industry and
perseverance he has overcome the many difficulties to
prosperity, and attained not only with but the respect and
confidence of his fellow-men, and now, seated under his own
vine and figtree, he dispenses a free-handed hospitality to
all.
Source: History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ.
Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Co., 1887~ Page 528 (Portrait) |
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DR. JOHN BELTON SPARLING,
son of Wyndham Sparling, of Sparling, of Marion
Township, was born in Ireland, and graduated as a surgeon in
that city. On obtaining his diploma in 1851, he went
as surgeon of Her Majesty's vessel, carrying Sir John
McDonald as governor to Sierra Leon. He landed at
Charleston, S. C., and came thence to his father's where he
soon had a large practice. Falling into the temptation
of drink, a career that might have been useful and brilliant
was ruined. He was probably the best read physician
ever in this county. He died in April, 1868, leaving a
family of five young children.
Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H.
Watkins & Co., 1887 |
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EDWARD P. SULLIVAN, one
of the representative business men of the county, was born
near Clarksburg, Harrison County, Va., Sept. 22, 1829.
His father, Strawther Sullivan, was an industrious
mechanic. By two marriages he had a family of ten
children, whom he supported by daily labor. At the age
of eleven years Edward met with that irreparable
loss, the death of his mother. After her death he was
apprenticed to a shoemaker. His master was exacting
and severe, and the apprenticeship of the boy was attended
with many hardships and struggles. At the age of
sixteen, having acquired his trade, he began life as a
journeyman shoemaker in his native town. About 1848
his father died, and the support of the family devolved upon
him, and four four years he was their entire support.
His stepmother marrying again he was relieved from his
position as head of the family. Up to this time his
life had been replete with poverty and privation, without
education, except what he received in the school of
observation and experience, and with little prospect of
either social or business preferment, life seemed to be
shorn of its pleasures, but despite the obstacles which
beset his way, he was determined to better his condition in
life and to conquer success at any cost. Soon an
opportunity was offered to engage in business. A
gentleman by the name of Joseph L. Robinson, an uncle
of John W. Robinson, of Louisville, Ky., proposed to
furnish the capital ($100) for the establishment of a shoe
store, Edward to take charge of the business.
The offer was eagerly accepted, and from this time he began
to prosper. The co-partnership existed for about three
years, in which time he accumulated $750, a sum that seemed
to him a competency. With his little fortune he came
to Middleburg, where a brother, Dexter W., had
already settled. Deeming it a good location he
returned to Virginia, closed up his business and returned to
Middleburg, where he remained for seventeen years. By
industry and close attention to business he soon became
forehanded, and he began to take a conspicuous position
among the business men of the county. In 1872 he came
to Dexter City, where he engaged in merchandising, in which
he has since been successfully engaged. The life of
Mr. Sullivan can justly be termed a successful one.
Reared in poverty, without education, his way was so
obstructed that one less resolute would have given up in
despair. His career evidences the inevitable result of
perseverance, industry and integrity. While Mr.
Sullivan has obtained a well-won competency he has also
been successful in the building of an enviable reputation,
and it is but just to say that but few, if any, stand higher
in the public esteem. He has been called at different
times to the occupancy of positions of trust and
responsibility. In 1861 he was elected county
commissioner and upon the expiration of his term was
re-elected. For over twenty years he has been the
village magistrate. In his political convictions he is
a Republican; originally, however, he was a Democrat, but
the issues involved in the war placed him in the Republican
ranks. He is a Methodist in religious belief, and a
patron of all charitable and religious enterprises.
During the war he took an active part in forwarding any war
measures, and his time and money were always at his command.
Four of his brothers, Dexter W., Isaac, Ebenezer and
William A., were Union soldiers. The last three
gave up their lives in defense of the cause. Mr.
Sullivan has been twice married, to Miss Amanda
Humiston, of Washington County, Ohio. By the first
union there was one child, Cora M. (Mugrage); by the
second, two: Mattie C. and Ernest E.
Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H.
Watkins & Co., 1887 - Pages 543-544 |
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DR. REUBEN P. SUMMERS
was born in Fayette County, Pa., in 1818. In 1822 he
came to Ohio with his parents. His father was a
prominent farmer in Harrison County, where he died in 1856.
He reared a family of four children. Reuben P.
Summers passed his early life on the farm, receiving a
good common-school education. At the age of twenty he
began the study of medicine under Dr. Enoch Thomas,
of New Athens. On removing to Summerfield he began the
practice of his profession, in which he was highly
successful; but owning to ill-health he abandoned his
practice and began the mercantile business. During the
war he was engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods.
From 1865 to 1871 he was a tobacco merchant. In 1871
he came to Caldwell, and engaged in the boot, shoe and
leather trade which he still follows. He married
Violet A., daughter of Alexander Franklin.
He is the father of five sons and six daughters. He is a
Republican in politics, and in early years was connected
with the Underground Railroad movement.
Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H.
Watkins & Co., 1887 |
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