Charles Edward Bost

As printed in 1902

CHARLES EDWARD BOST.

Charles Edward Bost, who is occupying the position of foreman blacksmith for the Superior Drill Company, having served in this capacity since March, 1886, was born in Frederick City, Maryland, January 1 18, 1831, and is a son of Isaac Bost, w hose birth occurred in Frederick county, Maryland, 1817, while his death occurred in 1895. The paternal Henry Bost, was a farmer and slave-holder. Under the parental roof Isaac Bost was reared, acquiring a common-school education and throughgrandfather, out his active career he was engaged in wood-working. He wedded Mary Frazier, who was born in Maryland in 1820 and died in that state in 1900. Her father, Jeremiah Frazier, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and our subject now has in his possession a musket which was carried by the grandfather in that second struggle with England. Jeremiah Frazier was a cabinet-maker by trade and thus supported his family. The Bost family is of English lineage. The father of our subject was a Democrat in his political views, and both he and his wife were members of the Lutheran church. Unto them were born nine children, of whom two daughters died in early childhood. The: others are as follows: Cornelia is the wife of Valentine Hartman, a resident of Carroll county, Maryland. George served in the Civil war, becoming a member of the First Maryland Regiment of Infantry, with which he served as a private until he was wounded in both legs. He went to the west in 1875. Simeon L. W., a resident of Braddock, Fred-. erick county, Maryland, is a blacksmith by trade and is now serving as a member of the state legislature. Charles Edward is the next of the. family. Zachariah F., is a blacksmith of Springfield, now in the employ of the Springfield Architectural Iron Works Company. Gideon ista butcher by trade and is living in Michigan. William D. is a fireman residing in Springfield. The children were all educated in the common and Frederick Maryland, and all of the sons have schools in an academy ın county, become connected with mechanical pursuits.

Charles Edward Bost was educated as were the other members of the family until sixteen years of age, when he put aside his text books and was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith’s trade in Lovettsville, Virginia. He served for a term of two years there and afterward spent two years at another place as an apprentice in the same neighborhood. He was afterward connected with the Antietam Iron Works for a time and subsequently followed blacksmithing in Knoxville, Maryland. In the spring of 1875 he arrived in Springfield and found employment as a journeyman tool dresser in the New Champion Works. In the summer of 1885 he entered the service of the-P. P. Mast Company in the same capacity, and in 1886 he was offered a position of foreman of the blacksmith department of the Superior Drill Company, which position be accepted, having since served in that capacity. He now has twenty-three men under his immediate supervision and is well qualified to direct their labors owing to his practical understanding of the business. He has devoted his entire attention to the work of the department and hundreds of tons of iron annually pass through the shops, being molded under his supervision.

Mr. Bost was married in Virginia in 1870 to Jane E. Butts, who was born in Virginia in 1852, a daughter of Oliver G. Butts, who was a blacksmith by trade and died in the Old Dominion in 1901. In his ‘family were three sons and four daughters, including Mrs. Mary Conard, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Etta Nuse, of Springfield; and Mrs. Bost. Unto our subject and his wife have been born three children, two daughters and a son, who have lived to years of maturity, and one daughter died in infancy at Antietam, Maryland. Orrie, born in Virginia, in 1871, is the wife of Rev. F. E. Leamer, a Lutheran minister, who was educated at Wittenberg College. She, too, was a student in Wittenberg, making a specialty of vocal and instrumental music, and for ten years, from the time of we organization of the Second Lutheran church, she served as its organist. Franklin G. born in 1875, is now in the blacksmith department of the Superior Drill Company. Oliver G., an adopted son, was born in Sandy Hook, Maryland, in 1881, and is a son of a sister of Mrs. Bost. He was educated in the public schools, afterward made a tour of the south, the west and of Canada, and is now a bolt-maker in the employ of the Superior Drill Company. In 1875 Mr. Bost removed to his present location and after renting for a time he purchased a house and remodeled it, making it a very comfortable home. He came to Springfield a poor man, but by saying his earnings and judiciously investing his capital in real estate he has accumulated a comfortable competence. He and his wife have worked harmoniously side by side and are now living to enjoy the fruits of their labor. He owes his advancement entirely to his well directed efforts, his capability and his well-known honesty. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bost are members of the Second Lutheran church. They were among a company of forty-five who left the First Lutheran church and organized the Second Lutheran church in 1885, becoming charter members. For ten years he served as a deacon and in 1900 was elected an elder. He has served on the official board since the organization of the church, and for ten years was treasurer of the Sunday-school. In politics he is a Democrat and while he has never been an aspirant for public office he has frequently served as a delegate to the city and county conventions. In the spring of 1902 he was appointed by Mayor Milligan as a member of the board of police and fire commissioners. He has taken

THe BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD: 423 a decided stand against Sunday desecration and labors earnestly to uphold the dignity of the police and fire departments. Socially he identified with Anthony Lodge, F. & A. M., having been made a Mason in 1893. He is also a member of the National Fraternal Union, in which he is an officeholder. A man of domestic habits, fond of his own home, he is also public-spirited and progressive and is one of the highly respected residents of his adopted city.

Samuel Rhodes Hockman since 1876 has owned and operated the Eagle City Mills in German township, on the banks of Mad river, and is a well known and worthy representative of! the industrial interests of this portion of the county. He was born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, near Woodstock, September 26, 1821, and is a son of Peter and Rebecca (Rhodes) Hockman. His grandfather, George Hockman, was also a native of Shenandoah county, born April 26, 1777, and his death occurred April 21, 1847. The father of our subject was a farmer by occupation, carrying on agricultural pursuits throughout his business career. He passed away December 11, 1873, at the age of seventy-three years, eight months and eleven days, while his wife who was born November 17, 1798, died in Virginia, April 7, 1878.

Mr. Hockman of this review remained with his parents until he had attained his majority, at which time he secured employment in a mill at Tomsbrook, in his native county, entering the services of William Wright, with whom he remained for a year, receiving five dollars per month in compensation for his labor. He was then able to do a journeyman's work, and manifested such efficiency that not long afterward he obtained a position as foreman of a mill. He also operated rented mills in different. places.

On the 29th of January, 1852, in Shenandoah county, Virginia, occurred the marriage of Mr. Hockman and Miss Eliza Gochenour, who was born in that county February 14, 1829, the youngest daughter of Christian Gochenour and his wife, who: were likewise natives of Virginia. As Mr. Hockman was a miller he was exempt from military service in the Civil war. He lived, however, in the path of the contending armies and had to grind grain for both the Union and Confederate troops. He also suffered considerable loss because of the conditions of the war and after its close he came to Ohio in 1867, having just about enough money to bring him to this locality. He had a brother living in Champaign county and was thus induced to seek a home in this state. Mr. Hockman worked by the month for a year at fifty dollars per month. He afterward rented mills, which he conducted until 1876, when he purchased the Eagle City Mills, becoming the owner of a half interest and of twelve acres of land. After two years he became sole proprietor and has since conducted the mill with good success. In 1885 he equipped it with a full roller process and is now doing a good business in the manufacture of flour, the sales of his product being quite extensive. He also bought other land until he now has eighty-five acres.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hockman have been born ten children: Milton Henry, born November 11, 1852, married Ella Dietrich: and lives in German township. They have three children— Ada, who is keeping house for her grandfather; Nora and Ida. Lydia Catherine, born April 6, 1854, in Shenandoah county, Virginia, is the wife of George Swartz of German township, and they have two children, Elma and Cora. Mary M., born in Virginia April 6, 1858, died March 1, 1885, and was buried at Tremont. John Martin, born September 14, 1859, in Virginia, married Anna Christ, and they have two children, Effie and Noah. William A., born November 2, 1862, in Virginia, married Edna Mann, by whom he had one child, Wesley. He afterward married Miss Grube and his third wife bore the maiden name of Agnes Markee. Their home is near New Carlisle, Ohio. Benjamin F., born in Virginia, March 18, 1805, is married and lives at Sumner, Illinois. Samuel D., born in Virginia, January 8, 1867, is a dentist, practicing in Charleston, Illinois. Emma V., born in Campaign county, Ohio, April 19, 1869, is the wife of Thomas H. Prosser, who was born in Monmouthshire, England, October 7, 1870, and came to America with his parents when ten years of age. Anna R. died in childhood. Betty, born August 12, 1874, is the wife of Charles Shoup, of Pike township.

Mr. Hockman is not a politician nor an office seeker. He served, however, as postmaster of Eagle City for twenty-two years for the accommodation of the neighborhood. He was reared in the faith of the German Baptist church and he has always lived an upright, honorable life, characterized by diligence and perseverance. All that he possesses has come to him as the direct reward of his earnest labor and the popular miller of Eagle City is widely and favorably known.

As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.