Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/739

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��CITY or MANSFIELD.

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��river at Clinton on a bridge, and has become a part of the route from Chicago to San Francisco. About the same time, he, with two others, purchased a block in Chicago on which they erected seven good buildings which he still owns. As facilities in Mansfield multiplied, busi- ness increased, requiring greater money accommoda- tions. In 1845, he took an active part in obtaining the charter for the State Bank of Ohio, of which he be- came a member of the Board of Control and assisted in the management of its multifarious departments, con- sisting of forty branches. It was wound up at the termination of its charter, no bill holder ever losing a dollar. He, with the assistance of William Granger, G. Armintrout, David Anderson and John Shank, organ- ized a branch — the Farmers' Bank of Mansfield, of which he was appointed President and Attorney, which position he occupied until the termination of the charter. This bank was the only institution of the kind in Mansfield for many years. It afforded means liberally to business men, and thereby pro- moted the prosperity of the city. At the expiration of this charter in 1865, the stockholders organized and transferred their stock to the Farmers' National Bank of Mansfield, of which he was appointed President and Attorney, which position he still occupies. This is now the only bank in the city that issues notes for circulation. It afi'ords to our manufacturers and others pecuniary means for carrying on their business and a satisfactory profit to the stockholders. He was connected with other branches and some banking houses in the State. In 1850, he, J. M. Rhodes and S. B. Sturges, established a banking house in Sacramento City, Cal., where he had previously sent some miners, and furnished their outfit. This banking institution built the first fire-proof banking house in that city.

Although his business was extended, he continued to promote the interests of the city by liberally par- ticipating in all public improvements, by erecting business houses on Main street, and a comfortable fam- ily residence in the suburbs, where he continues to reside. He is a Presbyterian ; not withholding aid from other denominations, his contributions were principally made to that churchfand its institutions. To the Woos- ter University he gave $5,000, the interest of which to be used in putting young men through the two last years of the course, who by their own exertions had reached the junior class.

In politics, he is a Whig and a Republican, in all those terms imply, including the N. To the support of these principles he contributed liberally, but never held a civil office. He has been a soldier and a partici- pant in three wars. In that of 1812-15, he served in the army on the Niagara frontier. By special authority from the Governor, he assisted in enlisting Ohio's quota for the Mexican Army. On the first call for soldiers to suppress the rebellion, he received a tele- gram from Gov. Denison to enlist soldiers. Within forty-eight hours he raised and put on the cars for Columbus 100 soldiers ; physical debility prevented him from accompanying them. As Chairman of the County Committee, he took an active part in raising men, and supplies to those in the field. He was ap- pointed Commissioner for drafting men for the army, which duty he faithfully performed. His son, .James,

��with his consent, enlisted at the age of 16 as a private, continued in the service to the close of the war, being promoted in the mean time to 1st Lieutenant. Although assiduously devoting his time to his profession, he was still attached to the business of his early life. After providing a home, an office and a library, he purchased a farm, then a mill site and built a mill, which he sold in 1835. In 1836, he purchased lands on the south shore of the Maumee River, opposite the Grand Rapids and an island in the river, thereby becoming the ripa- rian proprietor of three-fourths of the Maumee and of the water-power. Here he erected a flour- ing-mill, saw-mill and other machinery, which he con- tinues to keep in operation. On part of the land a prosperous town has grown up ; on the remainder, farms have been cleared up, and are being cultivated and improved under his own supervision. At the age of 87, although badly crippled by rheumatism, he otherwise enjoys perfectly good health.

RACE, W. H., physician; came to Mansfield in 1859, and has been engaged in the practice of medicine since, except his service in the army, where he was surgeon in the 3d 0. V. I. Returning, he again resumed his profession ; he has served as Coroner for Richland Co. for two terms. Dr. Race is an alumnus of the Ohio Med- ical College, from which institution he graduated.

RECORD, C. M., boot and shoe dealer ; he came to Mansfield in July, 1878, from Massachusetts ; engaged in the manufacturing of boots and shoes, introducing all the late machinery, which added to his success ; being prepared to meet all competition in price and quality, he is now selling his goods in many places in Ohio, and has a very extensive home custom trade. It is now an established fact, that Mansfield has a first- class shoemaker, prepared to make all classes of work, from the very finest hand-sewed boot to the stogy or brogan, as cheap as can be procured in any of the East- ern cities.

REED, N. S., General Agent Richland Mutual Insur- ance Company; he was born in Frederick Co., Md., Sept. 7, 1823 ; the third child of James and Susan Reed, old residents of that place ; he came to Ohio with his parents, who settled in Knox Co. in 1829, where he received his elementary education ; at the age of 16 years, he commenced the trade of harness- making in Frederick, which he completed in four years afterward ; for a year afterward, he was employed in a dry-goods store as clerk, then he purchased a stock of goods and opened a store in Waterford, which he continued for eighteen months, when the death of his father compelled a change and he returned to Frederick, where he resumed his trade, at which he worked until removing to Mansfield in April, 1856, where he plied his vocation until the spring of 1863 ; for three years following, he engaged in real-estate business in this city, when he received the appointment of General Agent of the Richland Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany, which position he now holds. Mr. Reed was married in Richland Co., March 11, 1852, to Miss Cor- delia Geddes ; they have four children — Burr W., Liz- zie A., Hattie R. and iNIary ; Burr W. died at the age of 9 years, and Mary at the age of 6 months. Mr. Reed was made a Mason at Frederickton, Ohio, in 1845, in which order he has held a number of subordinate

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