OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 95 Today's Topics: #1 Harry Hill & The Wainwright Baseba [Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman <73777.25] #2 Sinnard-Cummins [Joanne Mello Subject: Harry Hill & The Wainwright Baseball Tea To: jaxdawg@accessclub.com From: "The Only Game In Town: A History of Baseball in Tuscarawas = County, Ohio 1867-1955", Tuscarawas County Historical Society, by C. = Edward DeGraw; Edited by Earl P. Olmstead No mention of Wainwright baseball could ever be complete without mention = of Harry Hill. Hill was an under-arm pitcher and a good one, but the = Hill legend grew because of the man's hitting prowess, and the man's = love for young people and their love of him. He hit home runs at Tuscora Park when in 1933 the Cleveland Indians came = to New Philadelphia for exhibition games. He hit home runs when he = would play for Midvale on occasion. His long 400 and 500 foot blasts = were seen by many throughout the county and the only discussion was who = had seen the longest. The Hill story began as so many of these stories = do, in the coal mines of the early 1920s. "He played baseball because = there wasn't much else for a young man to do in those days," his son = Carl said. "He used to tell me they used to play every night among = themselves, every chance they got before they began scheduling games." = Hill's father was a coal miner and a blacksmith, and a brother, Curt, = lost his life in a coal mining accident. Harry was not particularly a = "big man", standing 5'11", but coal mining made him strong." He pitched = underarm because he said he liked it better that way," Carl said. "The = Cleveland Indians scouted him, but I guess they lost interest when they = found he liked to enjoy himself too much. There were opposing players = who liked to invite him to parties the night before he was to pitch." Carl remembers there used to be a swamp in deep center field of the old = Wainwright ballpark. "Anybody hitting a ball in that swamp had a home = run as nobody was going in there to retrieve it," he recalled. "Dad = always took dead aim at that swamp and more often than not he would hit = a ball into it. He did it for the young kids who were always looking for = balls to play with. After the game he would always go out to the swamp = with us to get the balls." A big thrill for Harry was the day he faced = Cy Young and collected a double off of the famous pitcher not too many = years after he retired. Harry also always recalled the day he donned = old Cincinnati Reds uniforms and the Wainwright team became the 'Red = Birds". He always said that brought the boys closer together. But there was a closeness of ballplayers in a small community that was = and is typical of all small communities, and it is made by various = events. As an older man beyond his playing days, Hill spread the word = down at the ball field on day that "General Wainwright" would arrive in = town late that night on top of the big hill just outside of town. He = urged the young boys - many of whom would later continue the baseball = tradition - to go on top of the hill that night and see him on his = horse. Hill was convincing enough that a large crowd gathered, but, of = course, General Wainwright never showed and Harry had a good laugh. ------------------------------ X-Message: #3 Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1999 00:58:28 -0800 From: leaann1@bellsouth.net Subject: EDWARD WELLINGTON SWISHER Centennial History of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio William Alexander Taylor EDWARD WELLINGTON SWISHER Edward Wellington Swisher, of Columbus, now living retired, derives his income from important and extensive interests, but for many years figured as one of the prominent merchants and manufacturers of the city. He is recognized as a man of well balanced capacities and powers, whose strong character has always inspired confidence in others, while at all times he has shown mature judgement concerning his own ability and of the people and circumstances that have made up his lifes contacts and experiences. Starting in the business world without any vaulting ambition to accomplish something specially great or wonderful he has followed the lead of his opportunities, doing as best he could anything that came to him, seizing legitimate advantages as they arose. He has never hesitated to take a forward step when the way was open. Although content with what he attained as he went along. He was always ready to make an advance. Fortunate in possessing ability and character in inspiring confidence in others, the simple weight of his character and ability carried him into important relations in larger interests, and for a long period he figured as one of the most active and prominent business men of the capital city. Mr. Swisher was born in Newark, Ohio, in January, 1852. His father, David Swisher, a native of Licking County, Ohio, was at one time engaged in harness making, while later he conducted business as a wholesale dealer in notions. He is still living in the eighty first year of his age, and possesses remarkable strength and vitality for one of his years. In May, 1908, he spent one month in a hospital, where Dr. Stimson of Newark, removed prostate glands, practically saving his life by the operation. Mr. Swisher is the oldest man in the world to survive such an operation, which at best is very hazardous. In early manhood he married Miss Minerva Switzer, a native of Licking County, who died in 1893. The public schools of Newark afforded Edward W. Swisher his educational privileges and, manifesting special aptitude in his studies, he was graduated from the Newark high school when fourteen years of age. Immediately afterward he became a factor in the business world, learning the cigar makers trade, but after thoroughly mastering this, became a journeyman. When but sixteen years of age he went upon the road as a traveling salesman for a Chicago house, and the following year, feeling that his practical training and experience justified him in engaging in business on his own account, he began the manufacture of cigars under his own name. Starting on a small scale, the business gradually grew, forcing him to increase the number of his employees and enlarge his facilities in order to meet the demands of his trade. This was practically the nucleus of the extensive Swisher cigar business in this country. In manufacturing he never sacrificed quality for quantity, but gave to his purchasers full value received, and along the legitimate lines of trade developed an enterprise of extensive proportions. In 1884 he admitted his brothers, Harry and John, to a partnership under the style of E.W. Swisher & Brothers, which name was continued until 1891. In 1883 Edward W. Swisher removed to Columbus, but still conducted the business at Newark for eight years thereafter, or until the firm was dissolved in 1891. Coming to the capital he erected a factory at Nos. 338, 342 West Broad street and established business under the name of the E.W. Swisher Cigar Company. The venture proved extremely successful, the shop being equipped with not only all the latest improved machinery for turning out its product, but also having its own lighting and heating plants and its own water works with hot and cold water pumps. Mr. Swisher not only in this connection manufactured cigars, but conducted subsidiary interests, whereby he controlled the entire output of the factory save the growing of his own tobacco. He manufactured his own cigar boxes and organized and systematized the best cigar factory in the United States. He bought lumber in carloads for cash, and this was used in the manufacture of boxes, five acres of ground between his two planing mills being leased so that he had ample room for storing lumber and the product manufactured therefrom. This made him a competitor instead of a customer of box manufacturers, and constituted a factor in the success of his business. Mr. Swisher was invited by the trusts to join an organization to promote prices, but he did not care to do this, for he was not only opposed to the method, but as it was had a profitable business under his own control, shipping his goods all over the United States. At length a company of capitalists sought to buy him out and he asked them a fancy price, which he did not believe would be accepted. It was, however, and he thus passed form the control of an enterprise of mammoth proportions, which he had built up, and which was then furnishing employment to between five and six hundred people. While in active business his trade increased so rapidly that he could not get enough employees to manufacture or handle the output. He made the sale in 1902, and at the urgent insistence of the purchaser he became a member of the advisory board of the new concern and also treasurer of the company, but when they sold out in 1904 he retired from active life. Aside from his manufacturing interests he became associated with other business concerns, which have profited by his cooperation and sound judgment. He is vice president and director of the Columbus Service Company and director of the First national Bank. He has other and varied interests which not only constitute sources of individual revenue, but are also elements in the city's business development. In 1883 Mr. Swisher was united in marriage to Miss Susan McKinley, of Harrisburg, Ohio. He belongs to the Columbus Country Club, to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and has thus become a Knight Templar Mason. He votes with the democracy, but has never sought nor desired office. He is very fond of horses and is president of the Columbus Driving Association, which holds grand circuit races yearly at Columbus. He is also one of the stewards of the grand circuit and president of the Gentleman's Driving Association. He is progressive in his citizenship, supporting many measures for the good of Columbus, and his enterprise and ability have made him one of its leading citizens. His nature is social and his disposition cordial, and while he has at all times commanded the respect and admiration of his business colleagues and associates, he has also enjoyed the warm friendship of those who have come within the closer circle of his acquaintance. ------------------------------ X-Message: #4 Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1999 04:36:34 -0500 From: Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman Subject: "THE UNRETURNING BRAVE" - Wyandot Co. From: AUPQ38A@prodigy.com (MRS GINA M REASONER) HISTORY OF OHIO - American Historical Society, Inc., 1925 Volume I, page 704 "THE UNRETURNING BRAVE" Capt. Edward V. Rickenbacker is reported to have said that the real heroes of the World war were those who made the supreme sacrifice, who gave their lives in the service of their country. To this class belong more than 6,500 of the khaki-clad boy of Ohio, who won the golden star in the greatest of all the wars of history and in the supreme effort to win a peace, which we fondly trust shall be perpetual. WYANDOT COUNTY Babcock, Carl, Sycamore, Sept. 28, 1918 Bare, James, Sycamore, Oct. 15, 1918 Bolyard, George, Upper Sandusky, March 16, 1918 Cludy, William, Carey, Nov. 25, 1919 Eley, Hugh, Upper Sandusky, Feb. 12, 1919 Fowler, Ira, Sycamore, July 21, 1918 Golling, Ned, Lyceum, Sept. 25, 1918 Hart, Mendus, Upper Sandusky, Nov. 15, 1918 Ingman, Dorse, Sycamore, Sept. 29, 1918 Isaacs, Chalres, Upper Sandusky, June 28, 1918 Krichbaum, Elmer, Nevada, Oct. 14, 1918 Lowmaster, Lloyd, Upper Sandusky, Sept. 30, 1918 Marsteller, Oliver, Sycamore, Oct. 14, 1918 Naus, William, Upper Sandusky, Sept. 26, 1918 Ogan, Stanley, Upper Sandusky, Oct. 12. 1918 Pahl, Rubin, Upper Sandusky, Oct. 9, 1918 Ranck, Forrest, Sycamore, Oct. 4, 1918 Sammet, Homer, Upper Sandusky, March 11, 1918 Shaffstall, Howard, Upper Sandusky, Oct. 13, 1918 Starr, George, Carey, March 23, 1918 Swartz, Edward, Nevada, March 26, 1918 Thompson, Edward, Upper Sandusky, Oct. 18, 1918 Watts, Ray, Nevada, Oc. 17, 1918 Will, Harry, Sycamore, Oct. 5, 1918 LIST OF NAVY DEAD, page 708 WYANDOT COUNTY Spitler, Ralph E., Sycamore, Sept 25, 1918 -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V99 Issue #95 ******************************************