Jacob Babst

As printed in 1912

JACOB BABST, sole proprietor and cashier of the Babst Banking House, at Crestline, O., is one of the prominent and progressive men of this city, his intimate connection with the banking interests of this part of the state, making-him influential in financial affairs, while, additionally he is identified with all those movements which contribute to the substantial advancement of this section along other lines. He was born at Canal Fulton, in Stark county, O., Feb. 11, 1846, and is a son of Daniel Babst, who founded the Babst Banking House, in May, 1871.

Jacob Babst came to Crestline with his parents, in 1853 and has resided here ever since. After his school days were over he learned the trade of a tinner, and as a journeyman traveled all over several states. In 1862 he was with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and at the end of 12 months w'as offered an engine but declined the promotion, by the advice of his parents and continued work at his trade until January, 1887. In January, 1868, he went into the stove and tinning business and was thus occupied for three years. ITe then in May, 187:, became connected with his father’s banking house. The father conducted the business for seven years, with Jacob Babst as cashier and in 1878, Jacob and Daniel Babst, Jr., took charge of the bank, Jacob continuing as cashier, and they operated it together until 1886, when he became sole proprietor, retaining the old name and signing, Jacob Babst, Banker. Mr. Babst has many additional business interests. He is president of the Burch Plow Works, started in 1887 and incorporated in 1897; president of the Crestline Telephone Company, since its incorporation in 1902; treasurer of the Crestline Building & Loan Association since its incorporation in 1891, treasurer of the Crestline Manufacturing Company, an enterprise eight years old; a director of the Crestline Publishing Company for many years; and a director and member of the executive committee of the Ohio Slate Life Insurance Company, of Columbus, ( which has

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HISTORY or CRAWFORD COUNTY resources amounting to half a million dollars. In politics, Mr. Babst is a Republican and is a member of the Crawford County Executive Committee and many times has been a delegate to important conventions. He has taken an active part in shaping public sentiment when the welfare of the city has been at state, and is a representative of the best type of citizen.

Mr. Babst has been identified with the Masonic order since 1868 and also belongs to the Order of Elks. He has long been a member and trustee of the Presbyterian church. He is a thorough master of every detail of his many business interests and yet finds time to keep in touch with the life of the outside world, doing his part and bearing his share of responsibility in making life better and of fuller meaning than the ordinary individual who works only for selfish ends ever understands.

Mrs. Jacob Babst was a daughter of George Frederick and Caroline Stoll the seventh of a family of twelve children, being born at Upper Sandusky, March 20, 1848 and christened Mathilcle Caroline Stoll. He father and mother were natives of Germany and came to America in 1832, after three months’ sailing voyages. From New York they drove over the mountains to Pittsburgh, Pa., where they remained a short time before again taking up their migration to Ohio, which they did in 1838, finally settling with other members of the Stoll family at Upper Sandusky.

Her father was a man of prominence among the pioneers of Wyandot and Crawford counties, not only as the builder of the earliest public buildings, but as a leader in public and religious affairs. lie was an accomplished musician and possessed one of the few collections of books among the pioneers of the thirties. During the earlier years of Mrs. Babst’s childhood at Upper Sandusky, some of the Wyandot Indians were still a part of the community life. Her father’s home, with its own large family, was the center of a still larger family circle long prominent in both counties.

Such was the childhood and girlhood surroundings of Mrs. Babst, much of which she passed in the companionship of her father, who inspired her with a desire for reading and education, which may be said to be the dominant purpose which influenced her entire life. Her own education was obtained in the Bucyrus union schools, where she became a teacher, as well as later teaching in the district schools of the county. Upon the death of her father in 1867 she became a teacher in the Crestline union schools, resigning her place to marry Jacob Babst of Crestline, on April 22, 1869.

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Babst resided in Crestline continuously, with the exception of the year 1872, when they were residents of Berea, Ohio, where Mr. Babst went to found the first bank of that town. Mrs. Babst died at Crestline on April 30, 1912, survived by her husband and their three children — Earl D., Jessie B. and Bertha S. Earl D. Babst, born July 6, 1870, graduated in law at Ann Arbor, Mich., in the class of 1894, and is now general counsel for the National Biscuit Company, of New York. He married Edwina Uhl, daughter of Edward F. Uhl, a prominent citizen of Grand Rapids, Mich., who was ambassador to Germany under President Cleveland's administration. Mr. and Mrs. Earl D. Babst have two children — - Catherine De Gormo and Alice Edw ina.

Jesse B. Babst, born March 2, 1871, is the wife of Harry IT. Cockley, formerly Secretary of the Shelby Tube Company, of Shelby, Ohio, but who is now engaged in the orange growing industry at Nordhoff, California. They have three children— Harriet B., Edith P. and Clayton B.

Bertha S. Babst, born December 6, 1878, was educated at Detroit, Mich. She married Henry E. Freeman, who is secretary and treasurer of the American Trust and Banking Company of Springfield, Ohio, and now resides in that city.

Mrs. Babst never tired of her kindly interest in young people and, in addition to maintaining a generous hospitality for the wide circle of personal and family friends, always found opportunity for stimulating others, especially young people, with an interest in literary and historical subjects. Her own children, under her immediate supervision, received their education in the Crestline public schools, and afterwards in the University of Michigan, for her son, mid in the best girls’ boarding schools of the larger cities for her daughters, supplemented by European travel.

As a member of the Presbyterian church of Crestline, she took an active interest in the

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As the constant companion and advisor of her husband through forty-three years of married life, in which he was the recognized leader in Crestline financial and commercial enterprises, she won wide respect and admiration, worthy of her inheritance, in the remembrance of her high ideals, her work for church and missions, her devotion to family and friends, there is an inspiration and example, which will long stimulate all who knew her forceful and commanding character. So high was the affection and esteem in which she was held that on the day of her funeral, for the only time in the history of Crestline, every business house was closed out of respect to her memory.

CHARLES M. Id ERSI iNER,* stock-dealer and livery man, conducting sales stables in the old Sam Hedrick barns, on Liberty Street, Gabon, O., has been established here since 1897 arid does a large business along each line. Ide was born in Morrow county, O., June 4, 1886, a son of Jacob and a grandson of Andrew Hershner.

Andrew Hershner was born in Pennsylvania and when he came to Morrow county, O., secured virgin land in Troy township, which he developed into a valuable farm, on which he died in his 86th year. In early life he was a school teacher. He married Mary Edinger, who died in Morrow county when aged 70 years. They were members of the United Brethren church. Of their nine children seven still survive.

Jacob Hershner w as born in Troy township, Morrow county and spent his whole life on the old homestead there, where he died in 1905, when aged 56 years. He was a successful farmer and dealt in stock. He married Emma McCune, who was born in Morrow county, a daughter of Joseph McCune, the family being of Scotch ancestry. She died on the old homestead in 1899. They had three children: Charles M.; Bert, a street car conductor liv - ing at Columbus, who married there and has one son, Avery; and Verda, now deceased, who w'as the wife of Irvin Colver.

Charles M. Hershner was reared on the home farm and before he reached his majority had proved a shrewd stock dealer and carried on a large business in handling stock while he still made his headquarters on the farm. Since coming to Gabon he had added other business features and conducts one of the best livery stables in this section, having fifteen horses with complete outfits, together with all kinds of modern conveyances for hire. He has become one of the representative business men of the city.

Mr. Hershner was married in Troy township, Morrow county, to Miss Emma Meckley, who was born there and was a daughter of Andrew Meckley, who is one of the substantial farmers of Troy tow ship, now in his 70th year. Mrs. Hershner died at Gabon, Dec. 10, 1908, and is survived by tw o children: M.

Adelaide, who is nine years old, and Laura M., who is in her seventh year, both little maidens being pupils in the public schools. Politically Mr. Hershner is a Democrat and fraternally is identified with the Elks and the Eagles.

As printed in History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.