Biographies

Source:
† Centennial History of Summit County, Ohio
and Representative Citizens
Publ. by Biographical Publishing Co.
Chicago, Ill -
1908

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	C. B. RAYMOND, secretary of the B. F. Goodrich Company, at Akron, is a native of this city, where he was born Feb. 12, 1866, and he has been identified with some of its large business enterprises ever since he returned from college.      Mr. Raymond completed the High School course at Akron and then entered Amherst College where he was graduated in 1888, with the degree of B. S.  Very soon afterward, he was made secretary of the Akron Woolen and Felt Company, with which he continued until April, 1891, when he came with the Goodrich Hard Rubber Company and in 1898 when the American Hard Rubber Company was organized here he became manager of the Akron plant, remaining in that position until April, 1905, when he was made assistant secretary of the B. F. Goodrich Company.  In 1906 he became secretary of the company with other successful business concerns, being a director of the American Hard Rubber Company, a director of the Second National Bank, and a director of the Hardware and Supply Company of Akron.  He is a trustee of the Akron City Hospital, a vestryman of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and a director of the Portage Country Club.  For one term he served as a member of the Akron Board of Education.      In 1890 Mr. Raymond was married to Mary Perkins, who is a daughter of Col. G. T. Perkins, and they have three children, viz.: Mary Perkins, George Perkins and Charles Goodrich. † Source: Centennial History of Summit County, Ohio and Representative Citizens - Publ. by Biographical Publishing Co. - Chicago, Ill. - 1908 - Page 793
	MATTHEW CANFIELD READ was born August 21, 1823, in Williamsfield, Ashtabula County, Ohio.  When he was about twelve years old his parents removed to Mecca, Trumbull County, where he attended the district schools, working a part of the time on a farm.  Resolved to secure a better education, he attended successively the Western Reserve Seminary, at Farmington, and the Grand River Institute, at Austinburg, and then, in 1844, entered the Western Reserve College.  From this institution he was graduated in 1848, afterwards receiving from it the degree of A. M.  He taught school for a while, and began the study of law under  Chaffee A. Woodbury, at Jefferson.  On the close of his law studies he became editor of the Hudson Family Visitor, and about the same time he taught for a year in the grammar school of Western Reserve College.  After this he practiced law for a while in Hudson.  During the Civil War he was employed as general agent of the Western Department of the United States Sanitary Commission, and at its close became deputy revenue collector.  He then obtained the congenial position of geologist on the Geological Survey of Ohio.  For several years he was lecturer on zoology and practical geology in the Western Reserve College, and he had charge of the archeological exhibits of Ohio at the Centennial Expositions at Philadelphia and New Orleans.  He has also spent some time in the investigation of mineral lands for private parties.  Mr. Read has served in the local offices of township clerk, justice of the peace, mayor, etc., in all proving an efficient public servant. † Source: Centennial History of Summit County, Ohio and Representative Citizens - Publ. by Biographical Publishing Co. - Chicago, Ill. - 1908 - Page 272
	ALBERT H. RUCKEL, general farmer, residing on his valuable farm of fifty-one acres, is a well known citizen of Tallmadge Township, where his father settled in 1849.  Albert H. Ruckel was born ion the Susquehannah River, in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Nov. 4, 1843, and is a son of George and Hannah (Crivling) Ruckel.      The father of Mr. Ruckel was also born in Columbiana County, Pennsylvania, and resided there until after his marriage when he and family started to Michigan in one of the great covered wagons of pioneer days.  He proposed to buy 640 acres of land at $1.25 per acre, but, after reaching Michigan, he found that climatic conditions were such that it would be difficult to establish there a comfortable home.  In six weeks' time the wagon was again on its way in the direction of Medina County, Ohio.  Mr. Ruckel settled in Sharon Township, Medina County, and lived there for three years, removing then to Tallmadge Township, Summit County.  Here all the five children were reared, namely:  Andrew, who died in 1856; Abner, who has resided at Whitehall, Illinois, for the past thirty-five years, engaged with his son in the manufacture of pottery, married Emma Adamsof Akron; Clinton, who carries on farming on his property at Fairlawn, west of Akron, married Frances, a daughter of John HArt; Albert H.; and Washington, the latter being the only child born after the family came to Ohio.  He married Delia Baldwin and resides with his father-in-law at Akron, and is engaged in the manufacture of sewer pipe.  George Ruckel died Aug. 25, 1878, in his sixty-eighth year, having long survived his wife, who died in 1855, aged forty-four years.      Albert Ruckel assisted his father in cultivating his farm of 110 acres, and, after his marriage, he purchased fifty-one acres of the homestead.  In addition to learning to be a first-class farmer, Albert H. Ruckel worked for some time at the carpenter trade, and also traveled for a pottery firm after finishing his education in the Sixth Ward School at Akron.  However, for the past twenty-eight years he has devoted his attention to cultivating and improving his land.  In 1873 he built the comfortable farm residence and as they were needed, has added the other substantial buildings.  Mr. Ruckel makes something of a specialty of growing potatoes and he also raises timothy hay.      On Aug. 30, 1873, Mr. Ruckel was married to Mary Greenman who was born at North East, Erie County, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Norton and Elizabeth (Irish) Greeman.  Both parents of Mrs. Ruckel were born in Washington County, New York.  Her father died Mar. 22, 1901, aged eighty-five years, and the mother died Feb. 10, 1903, at the age of eighty-nine years.  The four children of Norton Greenman and wife were:  Cynthia who is the widow of Leonard Cole; Mary, who is Mrs. Ruckel; Job, residing at Bradford, Pennsylvania, married Adell Cole; and Josephine Cole who is deceased.  The family record of Mrs. Ruckel can be traced farm back.  Her great-grandfather Bassett followed the sea and lived at Martha's Vineyard.  He was commander of a coasting vessel that touched many shores in the course of his voyage.  The paternal grandfather was Job Greenman a farmer, and the grandfather on the mother's side was Charles Irish who was also a farmer.  All seem to have been men who left an impress that recalls them to their descendants.      Mr. and Mrs. Ruckel have two daughters, Nora and Edith.  The former is employed in the office of the American Cereal mill.  The latter married Harry Feudner, who is the son of the vice-president of the M. Neal Dry Goods Company, one of the largest business houses of Summit County.  Both daughters of Mr. Ruckel were educated at Akron.      The Democratic party claims Mr. Ruckel as a member, but he is very liberal and broad-minded and usually exercises his right to support those candidates for office, who, in his judgment, will best provide good government and make wise laws. † Source: Centennial History of Summit County, Ohio and Representative Citizens - Publ. by Biographical Publishing Co. - Chicago, Ill. - 1908 - Page 663
Clinton Ruckel Mrs. Fannie H. Ruckel	CLINTON RUCKEL, whose valuable farm of 100 acres is situated at Fairlawn, on the Medina road, three miles west of Akron, has a home which excites favorable comment from every visitor through this section.  Mr. Ruckel was born in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Nov. 15, 1840. and is a son of George and Hannah (Crevling) Ruckel.      The parents of Mr. Ruckel left Pennsylvania in 1846, and made the overland journey in a covered wagon to Three Rivers, Michigan, with the intention of buying a farm.  Conditions there did not suit them, and the family all came to Medina County. Ohio, where the father invested in a small farm.  This he cultivated for three years and then sold it and moved to Tallmadge Township, Summit County, where he bought some good land, and both he and wife died there.      Clinton Ruckel was six years of age when his parents left Pennsylvania, and he was mainly reared in Ohio, attending school in Tallmadge Township and also two terms in the Middleburg, now the Sixth Ward school, at Akron.  The country at this time was in an unsettled condition, owing to the Civil War, and on Aug. 5, 1862, Mr. Ruckel threw in his lot with the defenders of the Union, enlisting in Company H, 104th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and contracting to serve until the end of the war.  His regiment was attached to the Army of the Ohio, under General Schofield, who subsequently joined his forces to those of General Sherman for the Atlanta, campaign.  After the capture of Atlanta the Twenty-third Army Corps, to which Mr. Ruckel's regiment belonged, was sent back to Tennessee.  During the first year of service, his regiment was mainly involved in the fighting in Kentucky, participating in the siege of Knoxville.  In the spring of 1864, when the regiment went to Atlanta, it was in good condition, but from that expedition many never returned.  With the exception of having his ear drum damaged from concussion at Franklin, Tennessee.  Nov. 30, 1864, Mr. Ruckel was fortunate in suffering no serious injury.  Having heroically performed his full duty as a soldier, he was mustered out at Greensboro, North Carolina, June 17, 1865.  For a short time Mr. Ruckel rested at home with his parents and then went to work in a pottery at Akron, where he remained several years.  In the spring of 1882 he settled, with his wife, on his present farm, which he began immediately to improve.  All the substantial buildings, including the fine home, were erected by him.  He has been engaged in general farming and dairying up to the present time.      On Nov. 10, 1869, Mr. Ruckel was married to Fannie A. Hart, who is a daughter of John C. and Margaret A. (Sterling) Hart, early settlers in Summit County.  John C. Hart, who was in his later years a railroad man, served in the War of 1812; he died very suddenly at Cincinnati in 1902.  He left five children, one of whom—George—is living with his grandparents.  Mr. and Mrs. Ruckel have had two children: John C. and Lorena, both of whom are now deceased.  The little daughter, Lorena, was accidentally killed by falling from a hammock, when aged five years. † Source: Centennial History of Summit County, Ohio and Representative Citizens - Publ. by Biographical Publishing Co. - Chicago, Ill. - 1908 - Page 1095
	GEORGE W. RUCKEL, a well known Akron citizen, superintendent of the Summit Sewer Pipe Company, was born in Medina County, Ohio, Sept. 23, 1848.  His father, George Ruckel, one of the leading farmers of Summit County in his day, and in politics a stanch Republican, died in 1878.      At a very early date in the life of the subject of this sketch, his parents moved to a farm near Tallmadge, Summit County, where he was reared and attended the district schools.  Later he attended school at East Akron.  His first industrial experience begun at an early age, was gained on the farm, and he followed his father's occupation on the home farm at Tallmadge until 1894.  In that year his industrial activities underwent a radical change, for he then came to Akron, from which place be went out to superintend the building of a paper-mill at Boston, this county.  For the past eight years he has been superintendent of the Summit Sewer Pipe Company, a responsible position, calling for a thorough practical knowledge of the business and good managerial ability.  He is financially interested, both in this concern and in the Cleveland-Akron Bag Company.  In politics, Mr. Ruckel is a Republican.  His fraternal affiliations are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.      He married, in 1878, Miss Delia Baldwin, daughter of Harvey Baldwin, the president of the Buckeye Sewer Pipe Company, and one of Akron's best known and most respected citizen, further mention of whom may be found elsewhere in this work. † Source: Centennial History of Summit County, Ohio and Representative Citizens - Publ. by Biographical Publishing Co. - Chicago, Ill. - 1908 - Page 692