In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printings (1894 and 1909) are folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1847
From History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present (1881), Memorial record of Licking County, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of representative citizens of the country, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States (1894), Centennial History of the City of Newark and Licking County Ohio, vol. II: Biographies (1909)
Rusler, Henry B., manufacturer of pumps, and dealer in agricultural implements, also has the general agency of the celebrated Corey’s patent rubber bucket pump, Johnstown. He was born August 11, 1847, in Liberty township. He married Sarah E. James, of Granville township, January 25, 1870. They had one child, Ernest Dillon, born November 28, 1871, died September 12, 1878. Mr. Rusler is a Democrat in politics, and is at present clerk of Monroe township, which position he has held four years. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity; has been Master Mason of the lodge for three years; is also a member of Johnstown lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 422.
Richardson, Joseph, son of J. and H. Richardson, was born November 1, 1842, in Putnam, Morgan county, Ohio. He remained with his parents until he was nineteen years of age, when he enlisted in the service of the late war, in company E, Twelfth Ohio volunteer infantry, for three years. He received his discharge in the spring of 1864. After coming from the war he went to breaking on the Central Ohio railroad. He served in this capacity until the fall of 1865, when he removed to Montana, Iowa, where he was in the employ of the Northwestern railroad company He remained with this company until the spring of 1867, when he removed to Charlestown, Illinois, where he engaged in farming, remaining until 1871, when he removed to Newark, and engaged himself with the Baltimore & Ohio railroad company, as brakeman. He served in this capacity until 1873, when he was promoted to the position of conductor of a freight. He has since been engaged in this business. He was married to Cora McComer, February 5, 1867; she is the daughter of Amos and Mattie McComer, and was born July 29, 1852. They have three children: Frank, born December 20, 1871; Maud, bom November 1, 1874; Finn, born August 12, 1877.
Rank Perry, livery and sale stable, located between Third and Fourth streets, near fire department. Mr. Rank was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, December 11, 1832. He received his education at Central college, Franklin county, Ohio, He followed teaching school as his vocation during the winter months, and dealing in stock during the summer months, for about ten years, when he gave up his profession as teacher and turned all his attention to stock dealing, which he followed for a number of years. On the twenty-seventh day of September, 1872, he came to Newark and engaged in the livery business in company with his brother. Phillip Rank, which business he has since been engaged in, keeping constantly on hand a large stock of first class buggies, carriages, and horses. The firm name is Rank & Rank, who also have a first class livery in Granville in connection with their Newark stables. They also run a carriage line between Newark and Granville, on which they make two trips per day, for the accommodation of the travelling public.
As printed in History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
HENRY B. RUSLER, manufacturer of spray pumps at Johnstown and one of the leading business men of the place, was born in Liberty Township, Licking County, August 11, 1847, being the son of John and Elizabeth (Barrack) Rusler, who settled in this county in 1843. His father, who was born in Mifflin County, Pa., in November, 181(1, was but a small boy when his father died. After his marriage in the Keystone
State he came to Ohio, making the trip in wagons and stopping one winter with relatives. In the spring he settled in Liberty Township, where he purchased one hundred and twenty-five acres of land. The property was almost in its primeval condition, entirely destitute of improvements. For some time ( his home was a log cabin, but in 1847 he built a frame house, thus contributing to the comfort of the family. From time to time he added to his possessions until he became the owner of more than three hundred acres, and this he tilled until his retirement from farm work in April, 1892.
In addition to the raising of cereals John Rusler was for many years an extensive sheep breeder and wool grower, having one of the finest flocks in central Ohio. He was generous with his children, whom he gave money or its equivalent in land on starting out in life. In 1892 he retired from the farm and removed to Johnstown, the immediate cause of his removal being the death of his wife, which occurred on the 4th of July, 1891. He passed from earth August 9, 1893. For some time he was a supporter of the Republican principles, but during the latter part of his life he voted and worked with the Prohibition party. In religion he was leader in the Methodist Episcopal work, a liberal supporter of its enterprises and active in its affairs.
The family of John Rusler consisted of eight children, as follows: Mary, who married Wesley Marshall, of Liberty Township; Margaret, wife of William Wright, of Monroe Township; Sarah, Mrs. Marion Miller, who died at Hartford, in September, 1890; Henry B.; Augusta E., who is married and resides in Granville; John D., of Johnstown; Adda F., also a resident of Johnstown; and William, whose home is in Liberty Township. Our subject attended the schools at Johnstown and Delaware, Ohio, as well as the Commercial College at Pittsburg, and taught four terms of school. Entering the business world, he engaged in the general mercantile line at Johnstown for four years, after which he embarked in the pump business. He was agent for the rubber bucket pump and also dealt in other pumps until 1880, when lie patented the Rusler expansion bucket and this he has since manufactured. He has also purchased the patent of the come spray pump, in the manufacture of which lie engaged, having established a national trade.
January 25, 1870, Mr. Rusler married Sarah E., daughter of John 0. Jones and a native of McKean 'Township. The only child born of this union. Ernest D., a bright and promising boy, died December 12, 1878, aged seven years. Politically Mr. Rusler always advocates Democratic doctrines, lie is the present Mayor of Johnstown and has served for seven years as Clerk, also for some time as Justice of the Peace. lie is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Socially he is connected with the Masonic fraternity, being Past Master of Center Lodge No. 326, also Past Chancellor of White Cross Lodge, K. P.
As printed in Memorial record of Licking County, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of representative citizens of the country, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States (1894). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
HENRY B. RUSLER.
A spirit of indomitable enterprise coupled with a ready recognition ‘of opportunities has enabled Henry B. Rusler to gain a position of prestige in business circles in Johnstown and this part of the county. He is today president of the Citizens Bank and interested in various industries which: are not only a source of individual profit but are an element in the growth and progress of the city. He was born August 11, 1847, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Barrick) Rusler, who came to Licking county from Pennsylvania in 1844. His father was a prosperous farmer and stock raiser and the son was reared on the farm amid the refining influences of a cultured home, attending to such duties as usually fall to the lot of the farmer boy. His parents put a correct value on education and after the son had mastered the branches usually taught in the district schools he was sent as a pupil to the Johnstown high school, while later he had the advantage of instruction in the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware. After leaving the university he taught school for four years. He then engaged in merchandising in Johnstown, thus making his initial step in the commercial world and for several years he continued in that line of business. In 1877 he established
H. B. RUSLER a factory for the manufacture of pumps and this undertaking grew to considerable proportions under his leadership and is still continued as a successful enterprise of the city at the present time. Continually seeking out new fields of labor and broader opportunities for the exercise of his energy and industry—his dominant qualities—Mr. Rusler in 1898 yomed Hon. William A. Ashbrook in organizing the Citizens Bank. They began a general banking business and the institution is today regarded as one of the safe financial concerns of the county. It is conducted as a private bank and of this organization Mr. Rusler has been the president and guiding spirit. He is a successful business man in various lines and his cooperation and counsel are eagerly sought in the conduct of many important business concerns. He is a stock holder in several industries and a large owner of improved real estate, mostly business property. ‘These claim considerable of his time and in their management he shows keen discernment while in his purchases he has displayed sound judgment in placing much of his capital in realty, the safest of all investments.
While strictly a man of business and one who has wielded wide influence in commercial and industrial circles, Mr. Rusler is also an advocate of and believe in the good that comes through fraternal associations. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge and has attained the Knight Templar degree of the Commandery. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and is an Elk, belonging to Newark Lodge. His religious faith is indicated in his membership and devotion to the Methodist Episcopal church, while his political allegiance is given to the republican party. Preeminently active, alert and enterprising, he has done much to bring Johnstown to its present important commercial position and takes a lively and helpful interest in every movement calculated to further advance its importance as a business center.
As printed in Centennial History of the City of Newark and Licking County Ohio, vol. II: Biographies (1909). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: William A. Ashbrook (b. 1867)
The printed record stops around 1881. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.