Martin B. Bushnell

HON. MARTIN B. BUSHNELL.

Hon. Martin B. Bushnell is a prominent citizen of Mansfield whose life of activity and straightforward purpose and successful accomplishment has made him one of the most honored residents of this, his native city. He was born July 13, 1837, and is a representative of one of the old and prominent pioneer families of Ohio. The Bushnells have figured in connection with the upbuilding of the state since 1805 and have been widely and prominently known in Richland county since 1820, in which year Sterling G. Bushnell, the grandfather of Martin B. Bushnell, settled in Vermilion township. The ancestral history is one distinctively American in both its lineal and collateral branches for many generations. Francis Bushnell, the founder of the family in the new world, sailed from England in the early part of the seventeenth century and remained a resident of Connecticut until his death in 1646.

The family had been represented in Richland county for eight years when in July, 1828, Dr. William Bushnell, father of Martin B. Bushnell, became a resident of Mansfield. He left the impress of his individuality upon the public life of the city in many ways. He displayed marked ability in professional labors and was also prominent in j)public affairs and successful in finance. His fellow townsmen called him to jniblic office and in the forty-ninth, fiftieth and fifty-eighth general assemblies he represented his district in the state legislature. While a member of the assembly he was associated with the Hon. Henry Ik Payne, General E. R. Eckley, Hon. Harvey Rice, Hon. John E. Eollett and others who later attained national dLstinction. Dr. Bushnell was a man of keen discernment, clear in his reasoning and from known conditions deducted logical conclusions. These qualities were manifest in his legislative carcHyr and he did important work in connection with important constructive legislation. His ambitions, however, were not in political lines, hut citizenship was to him no idle word and when his fellow townsmen expressed a desire that he serve them in ])public office ho did not hesitate. His life, too, exem])lifted the expres.sion of Grover Cleveland that “a ])public office is a ])public trust” and he gave in unstinted measure of his ability, time and labor for the benefit of his constituents and the best interests of the commonwealth. After three terns in the aaembly, however, he declined further political preferment and resumed the practice of medicine. He always regarded this as his life work and made it a field of service for his fellowmen, actuated in all of his professional duties by a broad humanitarianism and most earnest desire to serve those among whom he lived. Full of years and honors, he passed away at the age of ninety-four, his life record being terminated on the 18th day of January, 1894. His memory, however, is yet sacredly cherished by those who were his colleagues and associates while he was still an active factor in the affairs of life.

Martin B. Bushnell is fortunate in that he has back of him an ancestry honorable and distinguished and is happy in that his lines of life have been cast in harmony therewith. Like his father, he has cared little for official honors and emoluments, although he was once democratic candidate for state senator and on that occasion — 1897 — polled a vote far in excess of the general ticket. A life-long resident of Mansfield, he was educated in its public schools and in Norwalk Institute at Norwalk, Ohio, and Dennison University at Granville, this state, spending the year 1852 as a student in the former and the year 1856 in the latter institution.

Entering upon his business career, he was first employed as salesman in the dry-goods store of Scattergood & Penrose and later represented in a similar capacity the book houses of Ticknor & Sturges and Ticknor & Bowland. He passed from this position to that of clerk in the ticket office of the Pittsburg, Fort AVayne & Chicago Railroad Company at Crestline, Ohio, and through the period of the Civil war was connected with train service. Successive promotions followed as he became a clerk in the freight department, afterward in the yardmaster’s office and still later a conductor between Crestline and Pittsburg. In the last named’ capacity he at first had charge of a freight train but his ability soon gained him recognition in an appointment as conductor of the finest and fastest express and )passenger train. He was one of four conductors chosen by the superintendent to run special trains promptly to handle government business in both small and large consignments. After four years’ service on the road Mr. Bushnell acce])ted the general agency at Mansfield, Ohio, for the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad, then known as the Broad Gauge Line, now a part of the Erie system. Accepting the position of general agent of the Pittsburg, Fort WayTie & Chicago Railway, operated by the Pennsylvania Compaiiy, Mr. Bushnell continued in that position for 'many years at Mansfield. He also became connected with important business enterprises of the county, especially as a representative of its financial interests. He was the cashier of the Richland National Bank, of Mansfield, and a director in both the Mansfield Savings Bank and the Richland Savings Bank. A little thoughtful consideration of his career will indicate something of his constantly expanding powers and developing executive ability and administrative force. He is now numbered among the capitalists of the city as the result of well conducted business affairs and judicious investment. His entire business career has been actuated by a fidelity of purpose and unfaltering integrity of methods that has made his name an honored one among those with whom he has been associated, while his course has won him the admiration of all who know aught of his career.

His business record would alone entitle him to representation among the prominent residents of Richland county but there is another side to his nature which is well known to his fellow-citizens, not because of any ostentation or display but because his labors have been of so beneficial a character in charitable and benevolent lines. In 1899 he was appointed by Governor Bushnell a delegate to the National Society of Charities and Corrections at Austin, Texas, and Governor Nash in 1901 selected him to serve as a delegate to a similar convention at Washington, D. C. He was appointed by the governor a trustee of the Columbus State Hospital at Columbus, Ohio, which is said to be the largest in the world. He has brought to bear in his work in these connections not only ability similar to that manifest in his business career but also the broad humanitarian spirit which prompt earnest and effective effort for the amelioration of hard conditions of life for mankind.

In municipal affairs Mr. Bushnell has been deeply interested and his co-operation has been an important factor in many movements of municipal progress and improvement. He served for twelve years as a director of the public schools and advocated substantial advancement in methods of instruction. He has been a trustee of the Mansfield cemetery and has from the beginning been a commissioner of the Sherman-Heineman Park. Whatever tends to promote the city’s development along lines of material, intellectual, moral or aesthetic progress finds in him an active cooperant. In 1900 he presented to the city a monument to the memory of John Chapman and in so honoring a fellowman his name liecame inseparably associated with this gift to the city, which is now seen in middle Park. Chapman was a unique figure in the development of Pennsylvania and Ohio, widely known as Johnny Appleseed from the fact that he labored so earnestly for the development of orchards through the distribution and planting of apple seeds that those who came after him might enjoy the fruits of his sowing. Mr. Bushnell thus recognizing the beauty of a life that lived not for its own time but for a future generation as well, erected a monument to John Chapman and it was dedicated under the auspices of the Richland County Historical Society. JJns is but one of many instances of Mr. Bushnell’s broad S])irit and generous nature. He has never allowed the accumulation of wealth to in any way affect his relations to those less fortunate than himself. He judges a fellowman hy his character and not by Ins ])Ossessions and as the years have gone by he has won a place for himself in the hearts of his fellow itownsmen that makcvS him a worthy successor of an honored father and will cause the name of Bushnell to be revered in Mansfield for years to come.

Mr. Bushnell united with the CongTegational church of.Mansfield early in life and has ever since been a faithful and consistent member of the same, regularly attending its services, contributing to its support and living a life consistent with Ids Christian ])profession. Mrs. Bushnell is also a member of th(‘ Congregational (“church, and is noted for lier goodness of heart and her exemplary Christian life.

On the 28th of July, 1908, Mr. Bushnell was unanimously elected an honorary member of McLaughlin Post, No. 131, G. A. R., of Mansfield. He has held many positions of honor, trust and responsibility, in the discharge of the duties of which he has ever shown inflexible integrity, which early secured for him the full confidence of the people. He has an enviable popularity, is interested in public improvements and is liberal in his views and with his means.

Mr. Bushnell is a gentleman of fine sensibility and polished manner, and is the very soul of honor. He is stanch in principle, clear in perception and decided in character. He deserves the good things which have come to him and the high character for probity which years of business and social acquaintance have brought him.

Few men can look back over the vista of years and view a better record than the one enjoyed by the subject of this sketch, who now, in the golden time of matured manhood is held high in the esteem of his fellow citizens and has the affection of his associates and co-workers for the betterment of mankind.

As printed in History of Richland County, Ohio, from 1808 to 1908 : also biographical sketches of prominent citizens of the county (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.