Toledo City (part 2 of 21)

Connell, son of Robert McConnell, and a captain in the Continental army during the Revolutionary war; and he marched with his company on foot, at the time of its organization, from Chambersburg to Philadelphia, and remained in the service under Washing¬ ton during the entire eight years of the war. Mr. Robison's mother, Elizabeth McConnell, was born May 8, 1797, near what is now the Rocky Springs Church, in Franklin county. His father was born July 12, 1793. Their parents were both farmers and their farms joined. The mother of David Robison, Sr., moved to Ohio, in 1806, her husband having died in his 44th year. Mrs. Robison settled near New Lisbon, Columbiana county, Ohio. Afterward, the family moved to Zanesville, Ohio, where Mr. Robison's father learned the trade of tanner and currier. When nineteen years of age, he volunteered in the service of the Union States government for the war of 1812, under the name of David Robertson, which was the family name. He was a member of Capt. William McConnell's company of riflemen, which was of Vance's Odd Battalion, Ohio militia, war of 1812. William McConnell was a cousin of Mr. Robison's mother. David Robison, Sr., his father, was under the command of General Harrison, was at Fort Meigs during the siege, and was one of the selected company sent to Fort Stephenson during its bombardment, Aug. 1 and 2, to aid Major Crogan in the defense of that fort. Nearly 100 years after the battle of Fort Meigs, there was organized the "Maumee Pioneer and Historical Association," which concluded that the time had arrived for erect¬ ing a monument commemorating the deeds of the men who had fought and died in that battle. There was erected on the battle grounds of Fort Meigs a magnificent monument, and, Sept. 1, 1908, the monument was unveiled by David Robison, Jr., it being the desire of the association to get one to perform this service whose father had participated in the battle. The honor, therefore, fell to him. At the close of the war, David Robison, Sr., with his brothers - James and Thomas - settled in Woostor, Ohio, and, through a government error in the discharge papers of David Robertson, it was spelled "Robison," and as the family were always called Robison, they adopted that as the family name, but all the other branches of the family still retain the name of Robertson.

The parents of our subject moved to their farm, south of Wooster, Ohio, in 1836, and David Robison, Jr., remained there until he was fourteen years of age, at which time he went into his father's gen¬ eral store, as a clerk. He attended Wooster Academy prior to this, and, later on, when he was eighteen years of age, went to Western Reserve College, at Hudson, and remained there for two years. His class and room mate at that time was the late Hon. William B. Allison, United States Senator from Iowa, which friendship lasted until the death of the Senator, in 1908. On Sept. 1, 1853, Mr. Robison was married to Ann Elizabeth Jacobs, of Wooster, Ohio, a member of one of the old families of the com¬ munity. She was a woman of most remarkable character, beau¬ tiful of features, and kind and gentle in all her bearings. She died at her home in Toledo, in February, 1898, mourned by the entire community, for her great love and kindness to the poor and her many deeds of charity. She was truly a womanly woman and one who was noble in all her acts. Two sons were born of this mar¬ riage: James J., in March, 1855, and Willard F., in March, 1857. Mr. Robison acquired the interest of the store from his father and brothers, and also operated a grist mill at Wooster, and was presi¬ dent of the National Bank of Wooster from its organization, in 1871, until he moved to Toledo, in January, 1876. Upon coming to Toledo, he organized the wholesale dry goods firm of Witter, Robison & Wood, Messrs. Witter and Wood coming from Mans¬ field. He remained in this concern for five years, and then estab¬ lished a dry goods firm at the corner of Adams and Summit streets, in the fall of 1879, under the firm name of Robison & Company, which was composed of himself and two sons. This was continued for several years, the two sons then moving to the West. In March, 1884, Mr. Robison was appointed receiver of the Western Division of the Ohio Central railroad, which position he held for two years, at the end of which time the property was sold. At the same time and for a subsequent period, he was a director in the Toledo, Ann Arbor & North Michigan Railroad Company, now known as the Ann Arbor railroad. In January, 1886, Mr. Robison, in connection with the late Governor Ashley, John Cummings and the late William Baker, built what is now known as the Toledo, Saginaw

& Muskegon railroad, having a trackage of about 100 miles, run¬ ning from Muskegon, Mich., to the town of Ashley, a point on the Ann Arbor railroad. After operating this road for two years, it was sold to the Grand Trunk. In the winter of 1889, James J. Robison and Willard F. Robison, the sons of David, having dis¬ posed of their banking interests in the West, returned to Toledo, and, in connection with their father, the Toledo Electric Street Railway was built. This road has since passed into the hands of the present Toledo railway system. It composed what is known as the Bancroft Belt, Huron Street, Canton Street, Sherman Street, Forest Cemetery, Indiana Avenue, South Street and Union Depot line, which connected with the Toledo State hospital. During the time that Mr. Robison and his sons operated this road, they built what is known as the Casino, a property now owned by the present street railway company, on the banks of Lake Erie, and which became a very popular resort, until burned, in the summer of 1910. In the fall of 1896, the street railway was sold, and, in March, 1897, Mr. Robison, in connection with other friends, established the Ohio Savings Bank & Trust Company, which, at the time of its incor¬ poration, was simply the Ohio Savings Bank Company and had a capital stock of $300,000. Mr. Robison was president of the bank, and his son, James J., was cashier. Later, the Ohio Savings Bank amended its charter, added trust powers and called itself the Ohio Savings Bank & Trust Company, with a capital stock of $600,000. Mr. Robison remained its president until 1905, at which time he found that the duties were getting too heavy for a man of his years, and his son, James J., took his place. Mr. Robison remained chairman of the Board of Directors. Later, in January, 1910, this bank took over the Dollar Savings Bank & Trust Company, an¬ other financial institution of Toledo. The Ohio Savings Bank & Trust Company then increased its capital to $850,000, and has about $500,000 surplus and profit. In the year 1900, David Robison, Jr., and his two sons, together with William Hardee, Edward Ford, John Cummings, T. H. Tracy, and George Metzger, located and built the Terminal Belt Line, known as the Toledo Railways & Terminal Company, a property that cost over $3,500,000 to build. The history and great value of this enterprise is well known to the people of Toledo. In 1906, while Mr. Robison was active in the Ohio Savings Bank & Trust Company, the company purchased the old Law Building site, at the corner of Madison and Superior streets, upon which the bank erected the beautiful Ohio Building. This building was virtually a success from its completion, and is looked upon as one of the finest structures in the State, being, as the public knows, finished in white terra cotta, and it is a most impos¬ ing structure. Mr. Robison was always a public-spirited man, and, during his more than sixty years of active business life, was fore¬ most in all public enterprises, and was a large subscriber to every enterprise that meant advancement to his home town and the interest of the community at large. David Robison, Jr., belongs to what is known among our old friends as an "old school type" of gentleman; a man of excellent bearing; quiet in his disposition, and a gentleman of the very highest character, whose work was always looked upon as absolutely reliable, and if "Uncle David" said anything, it was always taken to be true. He has always had a faculty for making friends, and it is doubtful if there is any man who ever lived in Lucas county who can count more friends than the subject of our sketch. He has passed his eightieth year, is hale and hearty, is down to business early in the morning, and is an example for every young man in this community to look up to, whereby they can see and know what sterling characteristics, a kind heart, strong mind and a generous nature brings to mankind in general.

James Secor

James Secor, deceased, was born in the town of Goshen, Orange county, New York, Dec. 11, 1834, and he died in Toledo, Ohio, Nov. 9, 1901. He was a son of Benjamin and Sarah (Ketcham) Secor, and was one of a family of twelve children, of whom there are now but two living - Mrs. Edward Bissell, of Toledo, and Mrs. Samuel Kinney, of Adrian, Mich. The first American ancestor of the Secor family emigrated from France at the time of the persecution of the Huguenots and settled in New Rochelle, N. Y., and the Ketchams were an old New England family. Benjamin Secor, the father of James, was a farmer by occupation, and in 1844 moved from the State of New York to Lenawee county, Michigan, where he con¬ tinued to follow agricultural pursuits. James Secor received a com¬ mon school education, such as was afforded by the pioneer sur¬ roundings of his youth, and he remained with his father on the farm until he had reached the age of twenty years. Then, in 1854, he came to Toledo, where an elder brother, Joseph, was a member of the firm of Secor, Berdan & Company, jobbers of groceries, and with that firm James Secor accepted a clerkship. The house of Secor, Berdan & Company was established in 1836 by the late V. H. Ketcham. In 1854 Mr. Ketcham retired, Mr. Berdan purchasing his interest, and a new firm was formed under the name of Secor, Berdan & Company, George Secor, a former employe, being ad¬ mitted as a partner. He retired in 1856, and Joseph K. Secor and Mr. Berdan continued the business under the old firm name. After accepting a clerkship with this firm, James Secor adapted himself to his work and showed good business instinct, which was soon appreciated, and in 1858 he was admitted to partnership in the firm and made general manager. At the same time, Maro Wheeler and John B. Ketcham, both of whom were former salesmen with the old firm, were also admitted as partners. James Secor occupied the position of manager of the vast interests of the concern for a period of thirty years, retiring in 1888, and under his guidance the firm to the business community, in which he had long wielded a tremen¬ dous influence; to the church people of Toledo, who always found him a faithful ally, and to the charitable institutions, to which he was a liberal contributor.

William Spooner Walbridge

William Spooner Walbridge, one of the prominent business men in the city of Toledo, was born in the city of Boston, Mass., the son of Levi and Isabella Clarissa (Lovering) Walbridge, Sept. 19, 1854. The Walbridge family traces its ancestry back to a Henry Walbridge, who, history states, located in Norwich, Conn., as early as 1681. They were his direct descendants who early migrated to Vermont and became pioneers in that State. William Spooner Walbridge's paternal grandparents were Amos and Lavinia (Gillette) Walbridge, and his paternal great-grandparents were Henry and Martha (Read) Walbridge. Henry Walbridge was in the Continental army during the War of the Revolution, serving as a sergeant in one of the companies organized to free the American colonies from British domination. Subsequently, he won renown and a captaincy in the force which drove back the Indian marauders who burned Royalton, Vt. Captain Walbridge was born in Stafford, Conn., Nov. 10, 1738, and passed away in Randolph, Vt., in 1818, at the advanced age of eighty years. An¬ other of Mr. Walbridge's ancestors took part in the same struggle. He was John Gillette, his great-grandfather on his paternal grand¬ mother's side. John Gillette's wife was Jemima (Smalley) Gil¬ lette. Some of the few records preserved mention John Gillette as having been on the pay-roll of Serg. Nathaniel Thorp's company in the regiment of Col. Joel Marsh; and history also shows that he was connected with the company of Capt. Joshua Hazen, in Col. John Woods' regiment, and subsequently in Col. John Safford's regiment. Mr. Walbridge's maternal grandfather, Maj. John Lovering, won distinction as a leader in one of the battalions that assisted in the repulse of the British, in the War of 1812; and, in turn, his father, Lieut. John Lovering, a native of Hampton, N. H., receives mention in Dow's History of Hampton as a member of the American army opposing Burgoyne's army, which met defeat in its effort to divide the Continental force in the War for American independence. The Lovering family was one of the original set¬ tlers of Hampton, N. H. Levi Walbridge was born in Randolph, Vt., and his wife in Hampton, N. H. Both are now deceased, and their remains rest side-by-side in the cemetery at Boston. The father, Levi Walbridge, was a furniture dealer in Boston all his life, part of the time under the firm name of Brooks & Walbridge Bros., succeeded by Sawyer, Walbridge & Briggs, of which W. S. Walbridge was a member; and later in the partnership of Wal¬ bridge & Briggs. He was a member of the order of Free & Ac¬ cepted Masons, having attained to the Thirty-second degree, and at the time of his demise was associated with St. Paul's Blue Lodge, of South Boston, and the Massachusetts Consistory. Five children were born to the parents, of whom but two survive - Mrs. Osmon C. Webster, of Winchester, Mass., a suburb of Boston; and the subject of this review. William Spooner Walbridge received his scholastic training in the public schools of his native city, and, before he had attained his majority, accepted a position in the furniture business in which his father was interested as a partner. He became thoroughly familiar with every detail of the business, so that, after the father's demise, he took the parent's place as a member of the firm. For ten years he continued in this business, and then, in 1898, he severed his connection with the firm to move west, to Toledo, and identify himself as treasurer of the Toledo Glass Company. This last named concern was the tree from which all the other branches of the extensive glass industry have sprung. Success attended his every move with the Toledo Glass Company and soon enabled him to invest his money and give a portion of his time to other enterprises, in the organization of which he has been a leading figure. At the present time, besides serving as treasurer of the Toledo Glass Company, he holds the same office with the Owens Bottle Machine Company, the Owens European Bottle Machine Company, the Northwestern Ohio Bottle Com¬ pany, and the Kent Machine Company. Among his other business interests are directorships in the Northern National Bank and the Citizens' Safe Deposit & Trust Company. Fraternally and socially, Mr. Walbridge is identified with the Toledo Club, in which he was formerly president, and also holds the same office in the Anthony

Wayne Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. While a resident of Boston, he became a member of William Parkman Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons, of which he is now a past master, and also took the Thirty-second degree in the order in the Massachusetts Consistory, of Boston. At present, however, he is not actively affiliated with any branch of Masonic work. The Toledo Country Club is another one of the social organizations with which he is allied. On Oct. 25, 1882, occurred Mr. Walbridge's marriage, in Newton, Mass., to Miss Alice Langdon Libbey, a daughter of William Langdon and Julia (Miller) Libbey, and a sister of Edward D., who has given such an impetus to the various glass industries of Toledo, as well as to artistic work, by his contributions to the Toledo Museum of Art. Mrs. Walbridge was born in Chelsea, Mass., and received her preparatory educa¬ tion in the schools of Boston, completing her course by work in the Lasell Seminary, at Newton, Mass. She is a direct descendant of John Libbey, who settled in Saco, Me., as early as 1634. Mrs. Walbridge is a member of the Toledo Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and is actively interested in charitable and philanthropic work. Two children have come to bless the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Walbridge. Marie, the elder, was born in Newton, Mass., and was graduated at Vassar College, after completing a preparatory course in the East. Edward Langdon, the younger, was born in Winchester, Mass., and was educated in Eastern institutions. He is now connected with his father in the glass industry. Both children make their home with their parents, at 2004 Parkwood avenue. Mr. Walbridge's offices are located in rooms 1401-1419 Nicholas Building.

Albion E. Lang

Albion E. Lang, president of the Toledo Railways & Light Co., was born Sept. 12, 1849, at Huntington, Lorain county, Ohio. He attended school at Wellington, Ohio, until he was twelve years of age, at which time the death of his father caused the removal of the family to Oberlin, where Albion studied telegraphy. In 1863, he was employed as night telegraph operator for the C. S. & C. R. R. at Clyde, Ohio, and he remained with this company as operator, until 1868, when he was appointed assistant superintendent of the telegraph department of the road, stationed at Sandusky. In the spring of 1869, Mr. Lang came to Toledo as an employe of the West¬ ern Union Telegraph Co., and with this company he remained until 1874; during the greater part of this time he was assigned to the duty of taking night press reports and devoted much of his leisure time to the study of various branches, which he thought would be of practical value to him in his career. He resigned his position with the Western Union Telegraph Company, in the autumn of 1874, and, in partnership with Mr. Price and Mr. McIntosh, attorneysat-law, purchased a set of abstract books and opened an abstract office. Mr. Price and Mr. McIntosh are since deceased, and it was only a short time until the firm became Lenderson, Lang & Co. Mr. Lang pursued the study of law, in addition to his business du¬ ties, and was admitted to the bar, in 1878. He purchased an inter¬ est in the Monroe & Dorr Street railway, in 1881, became its presi¬ dent, and, during his official connection with the railway, was influential in effecting the consolidation of the several street rail¬ way lines of the city, in January, 1885. Mr. Lang became vicepresident and general manager of the Consolidated Street Railways of Toledo, in September, 1888. This corporation had, with one exception, absorbed all the street railways previous to this time, and it required a man of great executive ability to systematize the mammoth enterprise and plan the detailed arrangements of the street transit facilities, to meet the demands of a rapidly increasing business. His success in improving the service offered to the public by the street railways brought Mr. Lang into favorable notice, and in this capacity, as well as in others, he has shown himself to have the welfare of the community entirely at heart. The rise and progress of Mr. Lang have been part and parcel of the rise and progress of Toledo; his history is the history of the city street railways, fac¬ tories and prosperity, for he has been closely identified with all of them. With limited opportunities and without assistance, he has demonstrated the possibilities of an American boy'; he has shown that energy, thrift, industry and principle can still open the portals of success and lead to eminence. From the successful management of a small street-car line, he became manager and director of a corporation, employing thousands of men and millions of dollars of capital. In addition to this, Mr. Lang is a large-hearted and public-spirited citizen, and combines in his personality the success¬ ful business man and the philanthropist. In 1895, the Toledo Trac¬ tion Company was formed, and it acquired, during his presidency, all the street railway lines, together with all of the electric lightingbusiness of the city. The traction company was absorbed by the Toledo Railways & Light Company, in 1901, and he was made president of the same, remaining at the head of this company until 1903. Mr. Lang gave the best and most fruitful years of his life to the service of the company and, in 1903, he felt that the affairs of the company had been brought into such order that he could safely leave his position of great trust and responsibility in the hands of one of the younger officers and retire from active service, retaining the post of chief adviser and counsellor to a new in¬ cumbent. The company could not, however, be persuaded to agree with Mr. Lang in this matter, and he was re-elected to the position of president, in August, 1908. He has proved himself to be indis¬ pensable, and remains in office to the present time, although he has insisted upon being relieved of all routine work that could be shifted to other shoulders. Mr. Lang is by nature essentially a business man, and a business man upon a grand scale; some part of his success is due, perhaps, to his early training, in the overcom¬ ing of obstacles, but obstacles are only a blessing to such characters as have the fortitude to overcome them. He is undoubtedly the possessor of remarkable administrative ability, joined to a keen insight into human nature, and the power to make large plans, suited to larger needs than the average person can conceive the necessity for. The Newsboys' Association is a city philanthropic enterprise which engages the enthusiasm and interest of Mr. Lang; he is director, trustee, and vice-president of this society, and was the donor of the lot, valued at $20,000, upon which the Newsboys' Building and Auditorium stands, and of $10,000 toward the erec¬ tion of the edifice. As director of the Toledo branch of the Ohio Humane Society, Mr. Lang devotes a large amount of time and energy to the promotion of that good work, and is trustee of the $50,000 bequest of the late John T. Newton to the society. He was president of the American Street Railway Association in the years 1898 and 1899. Other organizations in which Mr. Lang is an in¬ fluential member, are as follows: The Toledo Museum of Art, in which he is a director; the Toledo Club, the Inverness Club, the Toledo Yacht Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Masonic Blue Lodge and Chapter, of Toledo. Mr. Lang married a daughter of Robert H. Folger, of Massillon, Ohio, Nov. 4, 1885. Mr. and Mrs. Lang have an apartment on Glenwood avenue and a summer home, with 160 acres of land, at Cornish Hills, N. H., where they spend the major portion of the warm weather.

Robert Bruce Wilson

Robert Bruce Wilson is a lawyer of high standing at the Toledo bar, having offices at 462-463 Spitzer Building, and he devotes his attention exclusively to patents and patent causes, trade marks and copyrights, being recognized as an authority upon matters pertaining to that branch of his profession. Mr. Wilson was born in Warren county, Ohio, Dec. 16, 1839, the son of Robert and Martha (Smith) Wilson, the former of whom was a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. They were among the early settlers of Warren county, Ohio, and there the father followed farming and became very prominent in that section of the state as a leading man of affairs. He served as treasurer of Warren county for a total of about fifteen years, and he also served several terms in the Ohio legislature. He was one of the best known and most highly respected men in Warren county. To him and his good wife there were born seven sons and one daughter, only three of whom are now living. Six of the sons served in the Union army, Judge Will¬ iam W. Wilson as major of the Seventy-ninth Ohio infantry, and James was a member of the Third Ohio infantry. Three of the sons became prominent as lawyers, the eldest being Judge Jeremiah M. Wilson, of Indiana, who was a leading member of the bar of that State, represented the Fourth district in Congress two terms, and later practiced his profession in Washington, D. C. He achieved a national reputation. The second son, Judge William W. Wilson, of Warren county, Ohio, was one o fthe prominent members of the bar in that section of the State. Robert Bruce Wilson, who was named in honor of the great Scottish patriot, received his liter¬ ary education in the old Lebanon Academy, now called the National Normal School, in his native county, and in preparation for his life's work began the study of law. While thus engaged, the dark cloud of civil war darkened the land and the young law student closed his volume of Blackstone and offered his services to his country. He enlisted, in April, 1861, as a member of Company F, in the Twelfth Ohio infantry, and was made fourth sergeant upon the organization of the regiment. Faithfully performing the duties assigned him, he was successively promoted to first sergeant, then to second lieutenant, and later became adjutant of the One Hundred and Ninety-fourth Ohio infantry. He then served in the field as assistant acting adjutant-general of General McCook's brigade, and remained in the service from the beginning until the close of hostili¬ ties. After peace was again restored, he returned to his home in Ohio and resumed the study of law, and he successfully passed the re¬ quired examination and was admitted to the bar in 1867. Shortly aft¬ erward he accepted the position of deputy assessor of internal rev¬ enue, the duties of which he performed for two years, and he then established himself in the practice of his profession at Dayton. He remained in this place but one year, however, and then, Cincinnati offering greater opportunities, he removed to that city and prac¬ ticed law there from 1871 until 1895. On account of the condition of his health he gave up general practice in that year, and removing to Toledo lived in practical retirement for some time. Idleness, however, is very irksome to one whose life has been strenuous, and Mr. Wilson decided to re-enter the practice as a patent attorney. In this department of the legal profession he has met with unquali¬ fied success, and he seems to be particularly adapted to this branch of the practice. In politics he gives an unswerving allegiance to the men and measures of the Republican party, fraternally he is an enthusiastic member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Loyal Legion, and his religious faith is expressed by member¬ ship in the Collingwood Presbyterian Church. On Oct. 30, 1869, Mr. Wilson was married to Miss Isabella Gould, of Warren county, Ohio, daughter of John F. Gould, who was the owner of the Frank¬ lin Furnace, one of the large iron furnaces on the Ohio river. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson there were born three children - Grace Mar¬ garet, Sterling G. and Cedric Harold - the daughter and eldest son (now deceased) being graduates of Woodward High School, in Cin¬ cinnati, and the youngest son, of the Toledo High School. The family home is pleasantly located at 934 Grand avenue, in Toledo.

Michael Joseph Owens

Michael Joseph Owens, whose advanced ideas on matters per¬ taining to the inventing and manufacturing of glass-working ma¬ chinery have given him great prominence among people interested in that branch of industry, is a native of the Old Dominion, born in Mason county, Virginia, Jan. 1, 1859. His parents were John and Mary (Chapman) Owens, both natives of the Emerald Isle, and who migrated from County Wexford to America in the early forties. Michael J. Owens commenced his industrial career at Wheeling, Va., in the works of the Hobbs-Brockunier Company, and he helped to build the Union Flint Glass Works, at Martin's Ferry, Ohio, in 1882. His intrduction to Toledo occurred in 1888, when he engaged with the Libbey Glass Company, and he managed the factory of that concern at Findlay, Ohio, in 1891 and 1892. Dur¬ ing the Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893 he had charge of the Libbey Glass Works' factory, which was in operation on the exposition grounds, and in 1895, in connection with Edward D. Libbey, he organized the Toledo Glass Company, for the purpose of operating a patented tumbler-blowing machine. Later, the pat¬ ents and the plant for manufacturing his invention were sold to the Macbeth-Evans Glass Company, of Pittsburg, Pa., and in 1898 Mr. Owens secured letters-patent upon the Owens Bottle Machine. Again in connection with E. D. Libbey, he organized the Owens Bottle Machine Company, for the purpose of building and promot¬ ing this particular bottle-manufacturing device, and it is now extensively operated in the United States and Canada and through¬ out Europe. In furthering the manufacture of this important in¬ vention Mr. Owens built the Owens European Bottle Machine Com¬ pany's plant at Manchester, England, and on the sale of the patents for the Eastern hemisphere and South America, to a European syndicate, he assisted the Apollinaris Company to construct and operate its plant, at Rheinahr, Germany. He is at present engaged as general manager of the Owens Bottle Machine Company, and his residence is at Toledo. He was married in 1890 to Miss Mary McKelvey. It is to such men as Mr. Owens that the public is in¬ debted for the advancement in the field of manufacture. Each in¬ vention is a theory in its embryotic state, but the theories of today are the common practice of tomorrow, and thus he world advances in every line of endeavor.

Frank M. Sala

Hon. Frank M. Sala, a former judge of the Police Court of the city of Toledo and one of the prominent and able members of the Toledo bar, was born at Minerva, Stark county, Ohio, sixteen miles north of Canton, Feb. 14, 1863. He is the son of Benjamin and Theisbe (McDaniel) Sala, the former a native of Canton and the latter of Harrisburg, Pa. The paternal grandfather, George Au¬ gustus Sala, came to Canton from his birthplace, in Saxony, Ger¬ many, at an early date, and settled in Canton, where he established the first drug store and pharmacy located in the city. He was a man of learning in scientific lines, and was well read in many other branches of education. The father, Benjamin Sala, was a merchant tailor and a cutter of ability, and spent the entire working period of his life at that trade. He came to Toledo, in the spring of the year 1876, and he and his wife spent the balance of their lives here. During the Civil war he served as a member of an Ohio volunteer regiment, and was engaged in many of the historic battles of that great internecine struggle. In later years, he was identified with Forsyth Post of the Grand Army of the Republic, and also with the Masonic order. He was a life-long Republican in his political views. Six of the children born to the parents grew to maturity. Alice, the eldest, who died in 1903, was tjie wife of Major Roatch, of Malvern, Ohio. Mrs. John Klauser is living in Oil City, Pa., and Mrs. Charles Croll resides in her fine country home, near Sylvania. Melton Sala and two sons are engaged in the manufac¬ ture of ladies' fine suits, in Minerva, Ohio, with a branch office in Canton, and two other sons are ministers of the gospel. Justin B. Sala never married, and now makes his home with his brother, Frank, in Toledo. Frank M. Sala is the youngest child of his parents. The first five years of his educational training were spent in the Knox county schools, and, when he was but thirteen years of age, he removed with his parents to Toledo. In this city he continued his studies, and was within one year of graduation from the high school when ill health compelled him to leave the insti¬ tution. For some time following, he devoted himself to studying in a literary and scientific course, under the instruction of private tutors, among them such eminent teachers as Prof. Friedberg; and he also studied elocution under the instruction of Mrs. Dr. Logan. When his health had been sufficiently regained, he entered the law office of Ritchie, Howe & Ritchie, as a student. Devoting himself earnestly to his studies, mastering each point as it came to him, and making the best of his opportunities, he completed his course in four years and passed, most creditably, the examination sub¬ mitted by the State Board of Law Examiners for applicants for admission to the bar, and was admitted to practice. During the last year of Hon. James Southard's (afterward Congressman) term as prosecuting attorney for Lucas county, Mr. Sala served as his assistant, and, in 1901 and 1902, was chosen to act as police judge of the city. After leaving the bench he entered into a law partner¬ ship with Judge Ritchie, under the firm name of Ritchie & Sala. When the firm was dissolved by mutual consent, a year later, he practiced alone until Feb. 1, 1909, when the firm of Sala & Carabin was organized, the junior member being Frank A. Carabin, who had been an assistant of Mr. Sala for two years prior to the organi¬ zation of the firm. As a criminal lawyer, Mr. Sala has gained an enviable record, not only in the city but throughout the county and the State as well, and it is said that, with the possible exception of Judge Ritchie, he has had for trial more criminal proceedings than any other attorney in Toledo. Before a jury, his clearness of logic, his interpretation of knotty points in the law, and his lucidity in summing up a situation, bring him many favorable verdicts. Of late years, he has been making a thorough study of the more ad¬ vanced points of the corporation statutes, with a view to devoting himself more especially to that branch of the legal practice, and there can be no doubt that he will make as great a success in that phase of the law as he has in the practice of the criminal code. Politically, Mr. Sala is closely affiliated with and a strong believer in the piinciples of the Republican party, but, aside from his term as police judge and the year he served as assistant prosecuting attorney, he has never held public office. In a social, fraternal and business way, he is identified with the Toledo Business Men's Club, the Knights of Pythias, the Lucas County Bar Association, and Toledo Lodge, No. 197, of the order of Eagles. In the last named lodge he has been the incumbent of the office of president, three successive years. His religious relations are with the Chris¬ tian Church, of Toledo. Mr. Sala is married to Miss Adda Lu Verna Collins, the ceremony having occurred Oct. 23, 1885, in Oil City, Pa., where Mrs. Sala was born and reared. Her father, J. D. Collins, was formerly a prominent merchant of Oil City, Pa., but at the present time is proprietor of a large hotel in San Diego, Cal., and also manages large oil and lumber interests there. Three chil¬ dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sala. Rosa B., the eldest, now Mrs. Frederick Alexander, is a graduate of the Toledo High School, in the class of 1905, subsequently completed a course in the Law Froebel Kindergarten School, and for two years prior to her marriage was engaged as a kindergarten teacher in the Toledo public schools. Earl V., the second child, is now proprietor of the new Superior Art Store, at 318 Superior street, in Toledo; and Errett, the youngest, is a student in the high school. The Sala home is beautifully located, at 2151 Lawrence avenue. Mr. Sala's offices are Rooms 321 and 322, Valentine Building. He was the first tenant to move into the building, when it was completed, and has continued to keep his headquarters there ever since.

William H. Simmons

William H. Simmons, deceased, founder, and for many years president and treasurer of the Simmons Boot & Shoe Company, of Toledo, was given birth, July 12, 1837, at Toronto, Canada. Upon becoming an orphan, at the youthful age of fourteen, he left the old homestead in his native town and started forth to make his own way in the world. After passing two years at Syracuse, N. Y., he went to Adrian, Mich., where for several years he was clerk in a hardware store, and though he received but fifty dollars, main¬ tenance included, as compensation for his first year's labor, at this early day he displayed that frugality and foresight which char¬ acterized his later years, by saving every penny of his hard earned salary. At the outbreak of the Civil war, Mr. Simmons entered the commissary department of the Federal forces, at Chicago, and later returned to Adrian, where, three separate times, he pre¬ sented himself for service in the Union Army, only to be rejected because of his poor physical condition. He came to Toledo in 1865, and launched forth in the leather industry with a young man named Orlando C. Smith, under the firm title of Smith & Simmons, in a small building on Summit street, near Monroe. In 1879, George H. Peabody, at that time a capitalist at Boston, Mass., was admitted to membership in the firm, which became Smith, Simmons & Peabody, and the scope of the business was at that time so enlarged as to include the manufacture and job¬ bing of boots and shoes. The concern was incorporated, in the year 1894, under the title of the Simmons Boot & Shoe Company, and from that time until his demise, in 1906, the subject of this review was president and treasurer of the company. For twentythree years the headquarters of this concern has been at 122-124 Huron street, and the business has been developed so rapidly that it is today one of the largest boot and shoe establishments in the State. Mr. Simmons was ever closely identified with the com¬ mercial development of Toledo, ever having at heart the material progress and welfare of his beloved city. For many years he was closely identified with the affairs of Trinity Episcopal Church, serving as warden for several years, and he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Northern National Bank. On Sept. 7, 1865, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Elizabeth Young, of Adrian, Mich., to whom was born one son, Francis William, who is now president of the Simmons Boot & Shoe Company, and resides with his mother in their beautiful home, at 2115 Collingwood avenue, Toledo. After having been in New York, where he contracted a severe cold, which later developed into pneumonia, the*father passed away at his home, April 3, 1906, leaving behind him the record of a usefully and profitably lived career, to which his family and relatives may well point with pride and admira¬ tion, and which should prove a source of inspiration to all becoming familiar with it, especially the penniless youth starting forth in the great battle of life, without the assistance of either gold or family influence.

Harry Eldridge King

Harry Eldridge King, a well known lawyer of Toledo, Ohio, was born near Cumberland, Allegany county, Maryland, May 12, 1857, the son of Capt. Alexander and Lavinia M. (Collins) King, both of whom were natives of the State of Virginia. He is a de¬ scendant on both sides of families who were prominent, respec¬ tively, in the early history of the Old Dominion and of Maryland. His paternal grandfather, Col. Alexander King, was a member of the Virginia General Assembly in 1802-12, and his maternal great¬ grandfather, Benjamin Tomlinson, was first elected to the Mary¬ land House of Delegates in 1791, and by subsequent elections served in that body during the sessions of 1786-7, 1801, 1804-5, 1807, 1811, 1819, and 1822. Members of the Tomlinson family are frequently mentioned in the annals of Allegany county, and were active participants in all movements for the general welfare. Capt. Alexander King, the father of the subject of this sketch, remained with his father at the Virginia homestead until shortly after reach¬ ing his majority, when he removed to Cumberland, Md., where for years he was engaged in the mercantile business. After retire¬ ment, he passed the closing years of his life on a beautiful planta¬ tion about six miles north of Cumberland, near the present village of Ellerslie. His superior ability, sterling integrity and independ¬ ence of character were soon recognized by the citizens of Allegany county, and brought him into considerable prominence. In 1837, he was elected one of the first trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Cumberland, Md., with which he was always allied. He served as a member of the Board of County Commissioners from 1843 to 1845, and was one of the judges of the Orphans' Court from 1856 to 1864. He acquired the title of captain in a local military organi¬ zation known as the "Cumberland Guards," which he commanded, and in which position he displayed signal courage when called upon to aid in the suppression of rioting near Cumberland, in 1843, during the construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio canal.

At the outbreak of the Civil war, though living in a community where sentiment was divided and the Southern cause had many sympathizers, he promptly arrayed himself upon the side of the Union and exerted all the influence at his command to preserve its integrity. Captain King closed an honorable career at his Maryland home, in 1873. Harry E. King, whose name initiates this biographical review, received his preliminary education in the schools of Cumberland, Md. Later he attended the State Normal School at Millersville, Pa., during the sessions of 1874-75; the Collegiate Institute at Ft. Edward, N. Y., in 1877; and East¬ man's National Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1878. His work as a student in these institutions was thorough and laid the foundation for practical and efficient service in after life. His father's death, which occurred when the son was about sixteen years of age, obliged him to rely upon his own resources. His Scotch-Irish ancestry had endowed him with a hardy courage which stood him in good stead at this time, and his struggles served to develop and mature his character, the while intensifying the underlying self-reliance of his nature. From 1879 to 1881 he was employed as clerk in a large general store at Sulphur Springs, Tex., and with the money thus earned he was enabled to take the preliminary steps toward realizing his cherished ambition of enter¬ ing the legal profession. He had entertained a well defined predi¬ lection for the law from his youth, combined with a settled deter¬ mination to adopt that occupation, and with this end in view his entire training and study had been carefully directed to acquiring a thoroughly practical knowledge of men and affairs. After giving up his employment in Texas he entered the Law Department of the University of Michigan and remained a student in that insti¬ tution during the sessions of 1881-82. In March, 1882, he came to Toledo, and at once made arrangements to continue his legal studies in the office of Swayne, Swayne & Hayes, with whom he remained as a student until 1883, when he successfully passed the Ohio State Bar examination, and on Feb. 6 was admitted by the Supreme Court to practice in the courts of that commonwealth. In 1885 he became a member of the firm of Swayne, Swayne & Hayes, and this association continued until April 1, 1892. He then formed a partnership with Thomas H. Tracy, under the firm name of King & Tracy, and together they acquired an extensive general practice and became and are counsel for a large number of promi¬ nent corporations and mercantile firms. The firm has been excep¬ tionally successful. For some years they occupied offices in the Nasby Building, but in the spring of 1908, when their rapidly increasing business led to the admission of two additional members to the firm - Charles F. Chapman, Jr., and George D. Welles - suitably appointed offices were furnished for their especial use in the Ohio Building. The name of the present firm is King, Tracy, Chapman & Welles. As a corporation counsellor, Mr. King is recognized as one of the ablest members of the Toledo bar, and in the practice of his profession he is quick, careful and accurate, possessing a great faculty for details. He is most industrious in the preparation of his cases and brings to the cause upon which he is engaged a clear head, a practical, sound, common sense and untiring energy. One of the oldest and best known members of the bar in Toledo has said of him: "I have been intimately ac¬ quainted with Harry E. King since he first came to Toledo and have watched his life with unusual interest. He is of a deeply religious nature, upright, honorable and conscientious. In his pro¬ fessional work he is scrupulously exact. He spares himself no pains to acquire the most complete and minute details of any case in which he is interested. Indeed the facility with which he brings every point to light that has any bearing upon the matter in hand, no matter how involved it may be, is quite remarkable. He does this apparently without extraordinary effort, and as he is pos¬ sessed of great energy and vitality it is probably the power of concentrating these faculties that enables him to reach such re¬ sults. His sterling integrity, honesty and scrupulous care inspire the implicit confidence of all who become associated with him." In his political affiliations Mr. King is a staunch Republican and was for five years secretary of the Toledo board of elections, to which responsible office he was appointed by Gov. Joseph B. Foraker, and which he resigned to accept appointment to member¬ ship in the same board, in which position he served four years. On June 12, 1883, Mr. King was united in marriage, at Tenafly,

N. J., to Miss Mary Elma Haring, daughter of Dr. J. J. Haring, a physician of high standing in his community. The marriage was blessed by the birth of four children: Harry Swayne, who is a graduate of Cornell University; Margaret Haring; James Ernest, who is now in his Junior year at Williams College; and Grace McAllister. The family residence is pleasantly situated at No. 1 Bronson Place, in Toledo.

Edward A. Kirk

Edward A. Kirk, secretary and treasurer of the Kirk Bros. Automobile Company, was born in the city of Toledo, Ohio, Jan. 6, 1867, in a dwelling that occupied the site where the Wayne Hotel now stands. He is a son of Albert and Hannah (Worts) Kirk, both now deceased. Albert Kirk was born near Massillon, Stark county, Ohio, Sept. 23, 1826, and received his education in the common schools of his native county. When he was about eighteen years of age, he went to Canal Fulton, where he served as an apprentice of four years as a tinner. He then spent a year in Medina county, Ohio, after which he went to Cleveland and worked for three years in that city. In 1854, he came to Toledo and formed a partnership with George Worts, for the manufac¬ ture of crackers. In 1866, the firm name was changed to Worts & Co., and, in 1873, the concern took the title of Worts, Kirk & Biglow, under which it continued until 1890, when their large plant was absorbed by the United States Baking Company, the partners retiring from the active management, though they still retained their stock in the factory, or rather in the United States Baking Company. From that time until his death, Mr. Kirk was not actively connected with any line of business. Mr. Kirk was a member of Toledo Lodge, No. 144, Free & Accepted Masons, and belonged to St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, on Madison avenue. In the charitable work of his church and lodge he was always a leader, and for thirty years he was one of the trustees of the church. Politically, he was a Republican, and was for over two years a member of the city council, where his business train¬ ing and experience proved of great value in the administration of the city's affairs. In 1855, he married Miss Hannah Worts, who came to Toledo with her parents, from Oswego, N. Y., in 1850. She was a member of St. Paul's Methodist Church from the time of its organization, and was always actively connected with every movement for its upbuilding. Mr. Kirk died May 17, 1895, and his wife, Dec. 20, 1907. Both passed away at the old family resi¬ dence, 1117 Jefferson avenue. They were the parents of several children, four of whom are now living, viz.: Ezra E., Edward A., Bessie M. and Arthur W., all born and educated in Toledo. Ezra graduated at the Toledo High School, with the class of 1878, and now lives in that city. He is connected with the Kirk Bros. Auto¬ mobile Company, and also with the Badger Brass Manufacturing Company, with their factory in Kenosha, Wis. Edward A. is the subject of this review. Bessie M. is the wife of B. C. Kramer, of Toledo. Arthur W. is the Southern representative of the Hartford Rubber Company and has his headquarters at Atlanta, Ga. Ed¬ ward A. Kirk graduated at the Toledo High School, as a member of the class of 1884. Soon after leaving school, he entered the employ of the Bostwick-Braun Company, with whom he remained for about six years, during which time he mastered all the im¬ portant details of the hardware business. In 1891, he and Mr. Whitaker, together with Ezra E. Kirk, organized The Whitaker- Kirk Hardware Company, which was located at 210 Summit street. In 1896, Mr. Kirk withdrew from the firm and engaged in the bicycle business, in which he continued until 1901, when he entered the motor-car field. At that time the automobile business was in its infancy, and he became a stockholder and director in the To¬ ledo Motor Car Company, the first institution of this character in the city. In 1903, Mr. Kirk organized the Kirk-Hall Company, of which the Kirk Bros. Automobile Company is the successor, the name being changed in 1906. The present officers of the company are: Harold W. Fraser, president; Edward A. Kirk, secretary and treasurer. Ezra E. Kirk also holds an interest in the company, but is not actively identified with the management of its affairs, that duty falling to the lot of his brother. The company occupies the building erected especially for its use, at 915 to 919 Jefferson avenue, where the "Thomas Flyer" is sold. Mr. Kirk is a Re¬ publican in his political views, but is not especially active in public affairs. He is a member of Sanford Collins Lodge, No. 396, Free & Accepted Masons, is a Thirty-second degree member of the To¬ ledo Consistory, Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite Masons, and belongs to Zenobia Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He has passed through the chairs and is now, and has been for the past twelve years, the treasurer of Toledo Commandery, Knights Tem¬ plars. He belongs to the Toledo Chamber of Commerce, the Busi¬ ness Men's Club, and St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his parents were honored members. On Oct. 16, 1901, Mr. Kirk and Miss Florence Van Osdale, of Toledo, were united in marriage. She is a daughter of O. F. Van Osdale and was born at West Salem, Wayne county, Ohio, though her parents have resided in Toledo for more than twenty years. Mr. and Mrs. Kirk have one daughter, Ruth Hannah Kirk, born in 1905. The famil resides in the old Kirk home, at 1117 Jefferson avenue, where 7 ' Kirk has lived for over forty years.

William Baker

William Baker, who for half a century was one of the leading lawyers and most influential citizens of Toledo, was a native of Ohio, having been born at Norwalk, Huron county, Feb. 5, 1822, and he was a descendant of one of those sturdy New England families whose industry and sterling virtues played so important a part in the development of the celebrated Western Reserve. At the age of nineteen years, he graduated at Granville College, and then entered the Harvard Law School, where he graduated in 1844. In November of that year, he began the practice of law, in Toledo, and from that time to his death, Nov. 17, 1894, he was a prominent figure in all matters pertaining to the material and intellectual develop¬ ment of his adopted city. In 1847, he formed a partnership for the practice of law with Judge Myron H. Tilden, which lasted until 1850; from 1857 to 1870, he was in partnership with Judge William A. Collins, and, from 1881 to the time of his death, he was the senior member of the law firm composed of himself, his youngest son - Rufus H. Baker - and Barton Smith. Mr. Baker was well grounded in. the knowledge of the law, was tireless in behalf of his clients, and was at all times and under all circumstances a man of the strictest integrity. Possessed of these essentials, it was only natural that he should achieve success, and that success began early in life, lasting as long as he lived. With such men as Morrison R. Waite, Samuel M. Young, Peter F. Berdan, Joseph K. Secor, Horace S. Walbridge, Abner L. Backus, and others, he was a prominent factor in building up the institutions upon which now rest Toledo's greatness and prosperity. Mr. Baker was especially active in secur¬ ing the Toledo, Norwalk & Cleveland railroad (now the Norwalk division of the Lake Shore system), the Wabash railroad, the Boody House (Toledo's best known hotel), the Wabash elevators, the Milburn Wagon Company, and a number of other concerns that have contributed to the city's growth and prosperity. When the First Baptist Church was organized, Mr. Baker became a member of the congregation, and from that time was one of its stanchest supporters. For many years he was superintendent of the Sun¬ day school connected with the church, and in various ways he aided in its good works. His religion was not confined to the mere question of belief. He conscientiously endeavored to practice the Christian virtues of charity and benevolence, and many men who afterward became prosperous and influential in the business life of Toledo owe their start in life to his timely advice and assistance. It not infrequently falls to the lot of those who aid others to become victims of misplaced confidence, and Mr. Baker was no exception. He sometimes suffered heavy losses through the unworthiness of those to whom he extended a helping hand, but these losses never rendered him uncharitable, nor destroyed his confidence in humanity. It is said that no man, "in whose ability and integrity he believed, ever asked his help in vain." During the Civil war he was a member of the Sanitary Commission, in which capacity he rendered efficient service, and he was also presi¬ dent of the Toledo branch of the United States Christian Commis¬ sion. On Aug. 28, 1849, Mr. Baker married Miss Frances C. Lattimer, who, with three sons and a daughter, survived her husband. The children are Herbert, now president of the Home Savings Bank of Toledo; Arthur E.; Rufus H., who was a partner in his father's law firm at the time of his death, and Mrs. John J. Man¬ ning. A day or two after Mr. Baker laid down the burden of life one of the Toledo papers said, editorially: "It is a distinct loss to a city when such a man as William Baker passes away. Broad¬ minded and thoughtful, with a sincere belief in his fellow men, and an earnest desire to do what lay in his power for their prosperity and progress, Mr. Baker was one of the human factors, and a large one, in the arduous work of laying the foundations upon which the superstructure of Toledo's solid growth and prosperity has been erected. Quiet and unassuming in his manner, he was not one to pose constantly before the public; but there was no project for the advancement of the real prosperity of Toledo, as a commercial and manufacturing center, which did not find in him an earnest advocate and sagacious supporter. Though not a demonstrative man, the energy and thoroughness, characteristic of his New Eng- land ancestry, made his support count for much. Nor was he less a factor of usefulness and progress in the upbuilding of the social fabric of the city. His fifty years' residence in Toledo was one of continuous helpfulness to the development of her moral, religious and educational progress. A consistent and active Christian, he was a tower of strength to the church of which he was a member, and his influence extended far beyond the limits of its immediate field. He has gone to his rest, full of years fruitful of good works, leaving an example to his fellow citizens that all may emulate with honor to themselves and credit to Toledo."

George Strafford Mills

George Strafford Mills, one of the leading architects of Toledo, who has had a large practice in the city and throughout the State, is a native of England, having first beheld the light of day in Lon¬ don, Dec. 5, 1866. Mr. Mills is the son of George and Mary Huxley (Callow) Mills, the former of whom was born in Saxemundham, Suffolk county, and the latter in London, England. In 1868 George Mills, Sr., left his native land for America, his wife and children joining him later in St. Louis, Mo., where, as a journalist, he was for many years prominently identified with the leading papers of that city, having been at one time editor of the old St. Louis Times, and later of the Globe-Democrat. He passed to his reward at Excelsior Springs, Mo., Aug. 18, 1890. His widow has since this memoir was two years of age at the time his family moved from England to the United States, and his primary educational training was secured in the public schools of St. Louis. He attended the Manual Training School of Washington University, in that city, graduating as a member of the class of 1884. He then took up the study of architecture, under the able direction of George I. Barnett, of St. Louis, and in August, 1885, when not yet nineteen years of age, took up his residence in Toledo, where, during the ensuing three years, he was instructor in mechanical drawing in the Manual Training School. He then became superintendent of the institution, which position he occupied for five years, and on Nov. 28, 1892, in partnership with H. W. Wachter, under the firm name of Mills & Wachter, architects, he established offices in the Nasby Building, in Toledo, which professional relationship was continued until April 30, 1897, when it was dissolved by mutual consent. Since that time Mr. Mills has been engaged in the work of his profession by himself. He became established in his present suite of offices, in the Ohio Building, of which he was the architect, upon the completion of that structure, in June, 1907. Mr. Mills also designed and supervised many of the other large buildings of Toledo, among which are "The Secor," "The Michigan," Berdan's wholesale grocery block, the "Dow-Snell Block," the Bostwick- Braun Building, Burt's Theater, The First National Bank, and the Nearing Building, all located in Toledo. Also the Masonic Temple at Lima, Ohio; the Students' Building and those of the Agricul¬ tural College of the Ohio State University, at Columbus, and numerous others, all of which stand as monuments to his genius and professional skill. Mr. Mills is affiliated with the American Institute of Architects, and is well known in fraternal and club circles, being a prominent figure in York and Scottish Rite Masonry, in which he has attained the Thirty-second degree. He was a leader in the popular "King Wamba" festivities and the Mardi Gras of the North, which attracted thousands of visitors to Toledo during the last week of August, 1909. He enjoys a large circle of friends, gained by his optimism, good nature and square dealings, and since coming to Toledo he has been an active force in its com¬ mercial development. He is a "good mixer," one who makes friends easily, and his genial and companionable nature make him an important factor in the social life of the city. Mr. Mills was mar¬ ried in Toledo, Nov. 4, 1895, to Miss Alice Baker, a young woman of culture and refinement and a daughter of George and Fidelia (Latimer) Baker, both of whom are now deceased. Mrs. Mills was born and brought up in Toledo, received her early education in the Toledo public schools and later attended Rye Seminary, at Rye, Westchester county, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Mills have two children, viz., Fidelia Latimer and Elizabeth Mary, both of whom were born in Toledo. The family resides in a pleasant home at 2268 Scottwood avenue.

Daniel Coffin Shaw

Daniel Coffin Shaw, who is now living quietly retired in To¬ ledo, after a life of varied experience in many lines of endeavor and adventure, was born in Newport, Me., April 2, 1839. He is the son of Caleb and Mary (Hill) Shaw, the former of whom was born in Maine and the latter in Massachusetts. The father served a successful apprenticeship in the trade of carpenter while a youth, and for several years earned his livelihood at that trade and in farming operations. While his son was still an infant, Caleb Shaw removed, with his family, to Chicago, and there established him¬ self in the grocery business, carrying general merchandise as a side line. Success attended his efforts as a tradesman for several years, but later the firm became insolvent and Caleb Shaw, after straightening up his affairs, returned to his former trade to furnish him a livelihood. He was thus engaged at the time of his demise, which occurred in 1863, while his son was away at the front in the Civil war. His wife survived him a number of years, until 1869, when she, too, answered the summons of death. To these parents were born three daughters and one son, of whom the subject of this review is the only one living. Daniel C. Shaw's educational advantages were exceedingly limited, being only those afforded by the public schools of the day. The building where he attended classes was on Madison street, between Clark and Dearborn, oppo¬ site the present home of McVicker's Theatre, and now one of the most thickly populated business districts of Chicago. At the time of his attendance this building was the only public school structure in the city. Mr. Shaw's first labors after leaving school were as a printers' "devil" in the composing room of the old "Chi¬ cago Journal," when the edition was run off by hand, before the days of machine presses. After he had done his stint of the unde¬ sirable work' found about a newspaper office, he was given a "case" that he might learn to "pick" or "set" type, and another "devil" was installed. Either the new "devil" considered that his predecessor was too much elated over his elevation to the "case," or the predecessor considered that the new "devil" did not show enough humility in his position - whatever it was, they "went to the mat together," "pied a form," and both found themselves rather forcibly requested to leave the employ of the "Journal." Finding himself out of employment at the end of his first year's job, Mr. Shaw determined to learn the trade of watchmaker and jeweler, and served a formal apprenticeship in the vocation. For five years altogether, including his term as an apprentice and his work as a journeyman, he labored at the trade. When he left it it was to assist his father in the carpenters' trade. Like many youths, he considered that he knew much more than his parent about the latter's work, and not being convinced to the contrary, he determined to strike out for himself. From Chicago he made his way to St. Louis, thence to Fort Leavenworth, Kan. At the latter post the three men - Majors, Waddell and Russell - were preparing an expedition to carry supplies to the regular army forces, in Salt Lake City, Utah, then fighting what is known in history as the Mormon war. Having the natural desire of youth to see the world, Mr. Shaw enlisted in the expedition and, with the train of twenty-five wagons, drawn by six yoke of oxen, he made the trip across the prairie and the mountains to Salt Lake City. When the supply train arrived the trouble was settled. The regi¬ ment, however, had been ordered to California, and, joining this expedition, Mr. Shaw drove a mule team to the Golden Gate State. There he was assigned to the quartermaster's department as forage master, having charge of all the feed provided for the regi¬ ment. It was in 1857 that he reached the extreme West. About this time the Indian uprising was spreading terror among the new settlers in what is now the State of Washington, and a requisition was sent to the California post for mules and supplies. Upon load¬ ing up, young Shaw was assigned to take charge of the stock. The trip from Benecia, Cal., to Vancouver was made by water and consumed twenty-eight days. Before the journey was completed the mules had become so covered with mange that they lost all their hair, and presented an extremely ludicrous sight when they were landed. When the uprising was finally suppressed, Mr. Shaw remained at the post, and the following year, under Lieutenant Mullen, he joined a surveying expedition to the land near the Canadian boundary line, north of the Snake river. This party was the one that cut the first wagon road through that region. Learn¬ ing that a party was about to return to the East, Mr. Shaw deter¬ mined to join it. Leaving Fort Walla Walla, the expedition set out for Fort Benton. The trip was one of the most hazardous ever undertaken across the country and consumed eighteen months in its completion. For several weeks the party was held snow¬ bound in the mountains, and through cold, starvation and disease, lost 500 head of stock. When spring came they found they had just enough stock left to complete the journey to Fort Benton. There boat transportation was supplied and the expedition came 2,200 miles down the Missouri river to Sioux City, Iowa, the boat being what was known as a Mackinac boat. From there Mr. Shaw took a stage across the country to St. Joseph, Mo., and thence went to Chicago by rail, via St. Louis. He arrived in Chicago just as the first troops were leaving the State to go to the front in defense of the Union. When he had learned the cause of the war, no more than whisperings of which had reached him in his western seclusion, he, too, became enthused with patriotic ardor, and en¬ listed as a private, in the regiment which became known as the Thirteenth Illinois infantry, on the morning of May 24, 1861. This was the first volunteer regiment raised for the three years' service, and it was mustered into the United States army at Dixon, Ill. From there it was sent to St. Louis, and thence to Rolla, Mo. Learning of his western experience, his superiors detailed him as wagon master in the quartermaster's department. His first taste of battle was at Pea Ridge, Mo., and later at Springfield, under the peerless General Lyons. Subsequently he was assigned to an expedition under General Curtis, which was sent to Arkansas to subdue the Confederate forces in that State and cut off Memphis from getting assistance from the Southwest, and took some two months to the trip. From Arkansas he went to Helena, Ark., and from there went by boat down the Mississippi to the rear of Vicks¬ burg, which the Union army was then besieging. In the imme¬ diate vicinity of Vicksburg the regiment saw many pitched battles and numerous skirmishes, among them Arkansas Post, where 7,000 Confederates were captured. In the spring the Thirteenth Illinois joined General Grant in the expedition which captured Jackson, Miss., and at Champion's Hill and Black River Bridge drove the Southerners back into Vicksburg. After the fall of Vicksburg, July 4, 1863, Mr. Shaw was given a furlough and he returned to Chicago for a time, rejoining his regiment at Memphis, Tenn. From there it was sent to participate in the Chattanooga campaign; was with Hooker when he made his famous charge up Lookout Mountain; saw hot fighting at Missionary Ridge, Tenn., and Ringgold, Ga., and then was sent to Madison Station, Ala. There the regiment was besieged by the Confederate forces from the South, near the Tennessee river. While the siege was in progress, Mr. Shaw was sent to Huntsville for assistance (re¬ inforcements), which arrived on the scene in nine hours, and drove the Confederate forces back across the Tennessee river to the South. By this time the Thirteenth Illinois had fulfilled its term of service and was ordered back to Springfield, Ill., where its members received honorable discharges. Returning to Chicago, Mr. Shaw accepted employment of John Davis & Co., steam fitting and machine works. In 1869, Mr. Davis, desiring to start a branch shop in Toledo, offered Mr. Shaw a partnership in the concern if he would undertake the management of the Toledo branch. Agree¬ ing to this proposition, Mr. Shaw came to Toledo, and the branch was started, under the firm name of Davis & Shaw. At the time of the Chicago fire, Cornelius Kendall, whose sketch appears else¬ where in this work, and who had been employed by Mr. Davis, pur¬ chased the latter's interest in the Toledo branch, thus severing it from the Chicago concern, and the firm became known as Shaw & Kendall. Subsequently, William Hardee purchased an interest in the business and the firm name was changed to Shaw, Kendall & Com¬ pany, which remained the same, even after Joseph L. Wolcott had taken an interest in it. Still later, when W. C. Hillman came into the firm, which had taken up dealing in oil, the latter phase of the business was organized as the Buckeye Supply Company. As the time passed it was determined that the two concerns mentioned above should combine under the name of the National Supply

Company, and this is the company which is operating in Toledo today. In order to give employment to the many employes who had stood so faithfully by the firm, the Shaw-Kendall Engineering Company, of which Mr. Shaw is president, was organized, in 1898. Mr. Kendall was its vice-president and general manager up to the time of his death, which occurred Aug. 15, 1909; William L. Brown is secretary, and William M. Bellman is treasurer, and latterly has acted as its manager. Mr. Shaw was also the moving spirit in the organization of the Marine Boiler Works plant on the East Side, and is now its vice-president; and he was instrumental in the establishment of the Dixon Engineering & Construction Company, of which he is the incumbent of the office of president. His other business relations include a directorship in the Ohio Savings Bank & Trust Company. In a social and fraternal way he is allied with the Grand Army of the Republic and the Country Club, and his wide reputation as a philanthropist has won him election as a trustee of the Humane Society. In the matter of politics he is a Republican, but has never sought elective office of any nature, although he served the community as trustee of the waterworks for two terms, and for twelve years was a member of the manual training school board. In religious matters he is allied with the Congregational Church. On June 9, 1869, Mr. Shaw was united in marriage with Miss Cornelia Dean, of Chicago, who was born near Pekin, Ill., and was a graduate of the Northwestern Uni- - versity, at Evanston, Ill. Mrs. Shaw departed this life, Nov. 13, 1905. A few months ago Mr. Shaw withdrew from active partici¬ pation in the affairs of the business world, and now lives quietly retired at his home, 2038 Parkwood avenue.

Fred Eugene McCaskey, deceased, whose untimely death by drowning occurred Sept. 28, 1904, near Walbridge Park, was the son of the late Robert McCaskey, who, for many years prior to his death, May 2, 1898, was one of the most prominent and influential business men of Toledo. Fred E. McCaskey was born in Napoleon, Henry county, Ohio, Sept. 16, 1871, and grew to manhood amid the surroundings of an ideal home. His early education was acquired in his native town of Napoleon, and at the age of fourteen, at which time the family removed to Toledo, the father having already engaged in many Toledo interests, he entered the city schools. He was graduated with the class of 1891, in the high school, and immediately entered his father's real-estate office to assist in carry¬ ing on the business. After spending some six months in a clerical capacity he was admitted as a partner, the name of the firm being Robert McCaskey & Son. Soon after entering his father's office he gained prominence among the business and professional men of the city by his integrity, ability and scrupulous honesty. During the many years in which he was connected with his father in business, all his energies were devoted to managing the numerous real-estate, insurance and loan branches, which he had helped to establish, in addition to which he served as manager in Toledo for the Waterville Cement Post & Stone Company. In his political affiliations, Mr. McCaskey was allied with the Republican party, but in local matters he never allowed his party fealty to influence his best judgment, exercising his right of franchise for what he considered the best interests of the community. Mr. McCaskey's death came suddenly and as a great shock to his family and many friends. While canoeing on the river on the evening of Sept. 28, 1904, he was suddenly thrown into the water and, before assistance could reach him, was drowned. The memory of the loved one is cherished by the fatherless children and the widowed mother as one of the treasures of their lives. He was a good father and husband, and gave much of his time and attention to his family, being of a home-loving disposition and caring little for lodges, clubs and social orders. On Feb. 15, 1893, Mr. McCaskey was united in marriage to Miss Marietta Allen, a sister of Theo¬ dore B., and Willard E. Allen, of Toledo, and with his wife and two children, Robert Allen McCaskey and Ruth Allen McCaskey, he lived most happily at 2012 School place. The son is now a student in the public schools of Toledo, while the daughter is receiving her educational advantages at a private school in the city. Mrs. McCaskey's home was formerly at Erie, Mich., a short distance from Toledo. She is a prominent member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, her ancestors having taken a brilliant part in that great struggle for independence. The widow and two children are now residing in their new home, but recently com¬ pleted, at 2252 Parkwood avenue, Toledo.

George Tait

George Tait, whose death occurred at his home, 2243 Ashland avenue, Toledo, May 21, 1904, was for more than a quarter of a century intimately identified with the commercial interests and charitable work of that city. He was born in Edinburg, Scotland, in 1847, and there learned the bakers' trade under his father. In 1875 he came to Toledo and established a bakery, which he con¬ tinued to conduct for the remainder of his life. For many years prior to his death his place of business was at 514 Adams street, and few business men in Toledo were more widely or more favor¬ ably known than George Tait. Mr. Tait was brought up in the stern faith of the Scotch Presbyterian Church, with which he united while still in his boyhood, when to him it was known as the "Kirk." The lessons taught him by his earliest "dominie" proved to be seed sown in good soil, for they made a lasting impression on the boy and formed the foundation for a character that was irreproachable. His word was never questioned as to its veracity, and he possessed the moral courage to rebuke wrong whenever or wherever it came beneath his notice. Upon coming to Toledo, he became a member of the First Presbyterian Church, and for years was one of its officers. Mr. Tait's distinguishing trait was his charity, and it has been said of him that "his charity was broader than his dogma." He took an active interest in the affairs and sup¬ port of the Adams Street Mission, of which he was treasurer of the board of trustees at the time of his death. He was also a great friend to the St. Vincent Orphanage, to which he contributed, and the Salvation Army and the Bethel Mission both numbered him among their supporters. As a mark of respect, the children of the orphanage visited his residence in a body and took a last look at the lifeless face of their friend and unselfish benefactor. During th<? twenty-nine years of his life in Toledo he never turned a deaf ear to the call of the hungry, and instances might be repeated by the score when his generosity was made manifest in supplying their needs. Mr. Tait was a charter member of Charles Sumner Lodge, Knights of Pythias; a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and. Royal Arcanum; belonged to the Ideal Council of the National Union, and for many years was an officer and member of the Burns Curling Club. His death came suddenly, as the day before that sad event he was at his place of business attending to his duties as usual. The cause of his death was angina pectoris. He left a widow and five children, viz.: Dr. P. George Tait, who graduated in the Toledo High School with the class of 1896, and in the Medical Department of the University of Michigan with the class of 1900, and, after serving one year as house physician in St. Vincent's Hospital, in Toledo, and some time in the New York Hospital, began practice in Toledo; Mary D.; Belle lives at home with her mother; Grace, the youngest of the daughters, was mar¬ ried Aug. 18, 1909, to Ransom Ansted, of Toledo; and Harold lives at home with his mother. Dr. P. George Tait is one of the progressive physicians of Toledo, having recently spent eight months in the hospitals of London, England, in order to equip himself more thoroughly for the practice of his profession, and since his return has opened an office at 342 Nicholas Building. He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church; belongs to Sanford Collins Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons, and the Toledo Chamber of Commerce; is unmarried and resides with his mother, brother and sisters at the family residence, 2243 Ashland avenue.

Josiah Davis Cook

Josiah Davis Cook, deceased, for more than forty years a highly respected citizen of Toledo, was one of the prominent civil engineers of America, and few Toledo citizens were better known throughout the United States. He was interested in the upbuilding of various enterprises of great magnitude, and during his business career he constructed sixty-three water-works plants in as many cities, among them being the plants in Toledo, Sandusky, Galves¬ ton, Tex., and Quincy, Ill. Mr. Cook was born in Warren county, Ohio, April 26, 1830, and came of good old Quaker stock, his ancestors having come from England and Wales and settled in North Carolina, late in the Eighteenth century. His paternal grandfather, Wright Cook, was a Quaker preacher who migrated from Virginia to Warren county, Ohio, and, in about the year 1816, he removed to Indiana. One of his sons, Thomas P. Cook, who was born in Virginia in 1802, made Warren county, Ohio, his home, and there the subject of this memoir was born, as before stated, he being the third of a family of five children. The mother was drowned in the Mississinewa river, in Indiana, together with her youngest son, in 1843, and the father died as the result of an accident, in 1881, at the age of seventy-seven years. The great¬ grandmother of Josiah D. Cook was Charity Pearson, a noted Quaker preacher, who lived in the early part of the Eighteenth century, and made several trips to England on preaching tours. His grandmother's maiden name was Davis and his mother's was Kester. The maternal grandfather was descended from English colonists who were among the settlers in Jamestown, Va., in 1607, and his grandmother Kester traced her ancestry to the Davis family, who came from England at about the same time. John Davis, her uncle, left a large fortune which has been accumulating for many years in the Bank of England and amounts at present to many thousand pounds. The Cook family is of great antiquity and importance in Great Britain, and in Ireland it is said that no less than twelve Cooks served as bailiffs and mayors, from 1684 to 1854. Some of the same have been mayors of London, notably one Thomas Cooke, who was knighted at the coronation of Eliza¬ beth, Oueen of Edward IV. Sir Anthony Cooke, called the "Eng¬ lish Scholar," was chosen tutor to young King Edward VI, on account of his great learning. Artists and musicians abound in the family, and the drawings of Richard Cook are preserved in the British Museum. After the usual preliminary preparations for the duties of life, in the way of scholastic training, Josiah Davis Cook became interested in the newspaper business, and at Marion, Ind., for a time he published the "Western Union," a weekly paper. Succeeding this, he turned his attention to the law. His tastes, however, were neither for law nor journalism, and deserting Marion after a period of prosperity, he became an engineer, taking up the work with a party of railroad engineers surveying through Indiana. He first became employed in this line of endeavor for an engineer corps that was surveying a route between Peru and Indianapolis, in 1851, and he kept at the work until he had mastered it thor¬ oughly. In 1852, he was engaged upon the Fort Wayne & South¬ ern road, between Fort Wayne and Cincinnati, and the following year he assisted in the survey of the Marion & Mississinewa Valley road, between Marion and Logansport, now a part of the Pan¬ handle. In 1854, he was appointed chief engineer of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad, then being built from Cincinnati to Mackinaw, and gave the road the name by which it has been known so long. While engaged upon this enterprise, in the winter of 1854-5, he removed to Sturgis, Mich., at which place he resided during the ensuing six years; the final surveys for the Grand Rapids & Indiana Road being made in 1857. In March, 1861, Mr. Cook removed from Sturgis to the city of Toledo and became en¬ gaged in the commission business, in partnership with W. H. Osbon and Vincent Hamilton, gentlemen who had also removed to Toledo from Sturgis. Perry Crabbs and W. H. Bellman were later associated with the firm and the business was continued until 1870, when Mr. Cook again engaged in railroad construction as a civil engineer. He was appointed chief engineer of the Mansfield, Coldwater & Lake Michigan railroad and had charge of surveys and of the construction of the present Toledo division of the Penn¬ sylvania Lines, and was also engaged in bridge building with R. W. Smith, as chief engineer of the Smith Bridge Co., at that time one of the most important manufacturing concerns in the city. In 1872, he engaged in water works, sewerage and municipal engineer¬ ing and was appointed chief engineer of the Toledo water works, and designed and began the construction of the Toledo plant, which he later remodeled. He was tendered the position of consulting engineer, when the new and larger engines were installed at the plant, and at the same time the buildings were remodeled and en¬ larged, and the Toledo water works pumping station now stands as a monument of his work in the city, it having been erected under his supervision. The standpipe designed and built by him was, at the time of its erection, the highest pipe in the world. Mr. Cook also served as superintendent of the city water works from 1873 to 1879, and he was to have been a member of the pure water com¬ mission of the city, having been asked to take the position and had given his consent, some time prior to his death. The appoint¬ ment had not yet been made public, but was to have been as soon as Mr. Cook could have had another consultation with the remain¬ ing members of that commission. From the time that he retired from the position of superintendent of the Toledo water works, in March, 1879, until 1902, he was engaged in building water works in other cities, and in that time he constructed more plants than any other engineer in the United States. He designed and built the first large standpipe in the world, at Sandusky, Ohio, a type or design which has been very generally used since in all parts of the world. A partial list of the cities in which he installed water works plants are as follows: In Ohio, Bellefontaine, Bellevue, Clyde, Fremont, Hicksville, Lima, Milan, Newark, Troy, Toronto, Norwalk, Prairie Depot, Ravenna, Sandusky, Springfield, Toledo, and Youngstown; in Kentucky, Lexington and Lebanon; in Ten¬ nessee, Jackson and Nashville; in Kansas, Emporia; in Missouri, St. Joseph; in Michigan, Coldwater, Grand Rapids, Hillsdale, Hud¬ son, Jackson, Jonesville, Monroe, Pontiac, Wyandotte, and West Bay City; in Indiana, Anderson, Decatur, Fort Wayne, Kendallville, Marion, Newcastle, Noblesville, Peru, and Wabash; in Illi- nois, Freeport and Quincy; in Nebraska, Beatrice, Omaha, and Plattsmouth; in New York, Dunkirk; in New Jersey, Atlantic City; in Georgia, Savannah; in Louisiana, New Orleans; in Texas, Dallas and Galveston; and in South Dakota, Fort Meade and Sturgis. At each of these places the water works systems were designed, con¬ structed or re-constructed by Mr. Cook, and each plant cost from $15,000 to $1,500,000. The plant at Galveston, Tex., stood through the flood of the great storm of 1901 and saved the lives of thirtyfour persons who sought refuge within its walls. That it weath¬ ered the elements is proof of the sagacity of the man who planned the structure. In addition to those mentioned and other water works plants - a total of sixty-three in all - Mr. Cook either de¬ signed or personally constructed sewerage systems in the following named cities: Toledo, Ohio, six systems, separate and combined; Marion, Ohio, four systems, separate and combined; Springfield, Ohio, one separate system; Gabon, Ohio, one separate system; Hillsdale, Mich., one separate system; Wyandotte, Mich., one sep¬ arate system; Jackson, Mich., one combined system; Mount Pleas¬ ant, Mich., one combined system; Emporia, Kan., one combined system; and at Jackson, Tenn., one combined system. He was continually being consulted by cities and individuals who were eager to have the benefit of his wide experience in such works. But it was to his beloved Toledo that his mind went forth in the closing years of his life, and the last production of his fertile brain was a well matured plan to settle once and for all time the water supply question of the city. His plan was in many respects rad¬ ically different from anything before suggested in connection with the troublesome question which has so often been before the water works board and the people of Toledo. It contemplated bringing the water for the city's use from the lake, the intake being some distance below Cedar Point, and there were to be two immense mains extending from near the same point toward the city. Two routes were suggested for reaching the stand-pipe after entering the city, one being by crossing the river well up toward where the station is located, and the other by crossing near Ironville. Mr. Cook estimated that his plan would provide 75,000,000 of gallons of water daily, and the estimated cost of the project was placed at

$1,000,000. The plan had the merit of suggesting a source of sup¬ ply which is practically inexhaustible, and the further inducement that, when obtained, it would be pure, clear lake water. Mr. Cook was satisfied, from an examination of the intake location and from government charts, that the water obtained by the plan he pro¬ posed would be absolutely acceptable, but he did not live to give the project the benefit of his earnest support. He was called to the life eternal, Sept. 17, 1902, at the advanced age of seventy-two years. The funeral was held, Sept. 19, conducted by Toledo Commandery No. 7, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, the deceased having been a Thirty-second degree Mason, a member of Sanford L. Collins Lodge, Toledo Chapter, Toledo Council, and of Toledo Commandery, Knights Templars. Mr. Cook's was a notable career, honorably lived, and his death was universally lamented through¬ out the circle of his wide acquaintance. On Oct. 4, 1854, at Marion, Ind., occurred the marriage of Mr. Cook to Miss Eliza Jane Mc¬ Clure, daughter of Samuel McClure, one of the most prominent citizens of that place. Of this union there were born two children: Charles McClure Cook and Mrs. Nellie (Cook) Cubberley, both of whom are residents of Toledo. The latter is a graduate of the Imperial Conservatory of Music at Vienna, Austria, and is a mu¬ sician of great natural talent and high accomplishments. Charles McClure Cook, son of Josiah D. Cook, was born at Sturgis, Mich., Feb. 5, 1856, and was but five years of age when his parents moved to Toledo, where he attended the public schools and graduated as valedictorian of the class of 1873. He entered the service of the city, in the fall of the same year, as rod man in the engineering corps in the construction of the Toledo Water Works. He was advanced to the position of assistant engineer, in 1874, and con¬ tinued in the service of the board of water works until 1878. He was assistant engineer in the construction of the water works at Sandusky, Ohio, during a portion of this time, and, early in the summer of 1878, entered the service of the Pennsylvania company as inspector and assistant engineer. While thus engaged, he su¬ perintended the erection of the freight house and the replacement of the former wooden bridge with the present iron structure. In 1879, he superintended the construction of the passenger station and the passenger yards, as well as the replacement of the long trestle works on the easterly side of the river, this being accom¬ plished by an ingenious arrangement for dredging the river, which at that time was considered quite a novelty. He was then ap¬ pointed road master of the Toledo division, between Toledo and Mansfield, and later was advanced to the position of engineer of maintenance of way, in which position he continued until 1885. In this time he rebuilt a portion of the Union bridge, of which he was originally in charge in its construction, and which was owned by a subsidiary company composed of the Pennsylvania Railway Com¬ pany and the Wabash Railway Company. By reason of the con¬ struction of the various belt lines around the city, this bridge was long since abandoned and entirely removed from the river. In the spring of 1885, Mr. Cook was promoted to the position of engi¬ neer of maintenance of way of the Little Miami division of the Panhandle road, with headquarters at Cincinnati, and he continued in that position until the fall of the same year, when ill health compelled him to ask for a leave of absence, and he visited Europe in search of health. On returning to America, thoroughly restored, in the summer of 1886, he was appointed chief engineer of main¬ tenance of way of the entire Norfolk & Western system, with head¬ quarters at Roanoke, Va., but this position he resigned, in 1888, to become engineer of maintenance of way of the Buffalo, Roches¬ ter & Pittsburg railroad, with headquarters at Buffalo. While serving in this position he was slated for chief engineer of the system, but within a month of the time the appointment was to have been made there was a change in the ownership of the road and hence the appointment was not made. He resigned his posi¬ tion with the road, in 1893, to engage in commercial business in Buffalo, in connection with manufacturing in Pennsylvania, and, in 1897, he became district manager of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, for the Northern district of New York. Later he was made associate general agent of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, in which position he continued until compelled to return to Toledo, in the spring of 1902, by reason of the illness of his father, which resulted in death in September of that year. Mr. Cook became actively engaged in managing the affairs of his father's estate, as well as in the handling of his mother's property in Central Indiana, and has since erected three flat buildings in Toledo as well as two structures of the same kind and a commercial building in Marion, Indiana, together with large barns and other buildings on the Cook farm in that State. Having accomplished all of this to his satisfaction, Mr. Cook engaged in the bond business, in 1908, becoming associated with the large and extensive house of J. S. & W. S. Kuhn, Inc., of Pittsburg, Pa., as special representative in Ohio.