Milton H. Warner

As printed in 1908

MILTON H. WARNER, owner of the Hillside Fruit and Dairy Farm, which consists of sixty-five acres of some of the most productive land in Coventry Township and is favorably located within one-half mile of the corporation limits of Akron, is one of the prominent and substantial men of this section. Mr. Warner was born on his father’s farm in Coventry Township, Summit County, Ohio, August 1, 1859, and is a son of Solomon and Matilda E. (Ritter) Warner.

Mr. Warner’s grandparents were Henry and Elizabeth (Kepler) Warner, who were born in Pennsylvania. In 1835 they came to Ohio, settling first at Canton, but later they came to the farm in Coventry Township, Summit County, which is now owned by William Ferris. When they came to this neighborhood as pioneers, the whole region was a wilderness, and before they could build their first log house, a clearing had to be made in the forest. After Henry Warner had provided a comfortable home in Ohio, he was joined by his aged father, Adam Warner, who survived until almost the age of ninety-nine years. Henry Warner died aged seventy-six years and his widow when three years older. They reared a sturdy family of eight children, six of whom are still living. They were John, Adam, Jacob, William, Samuel, Abraham, Solomon and Daniel. Jacob Warner, of this family, served as a 100-day soldier in the Civil War, and William Warner served three years, both receiving an honorable discharge at the close of their terms of service.

Solomon Warner, father of Milton II., was born in Coventry Township, Summit County, Ohio, June 22, 1837, and still survives, residing with his son, Milton H., his only child. He was married May 27, 1858, to Matilda E. Ritter, who was born in Springfield Township, Summit County, Ohio, October 28, 1837, and died April 24, 1888. For many years, Solomon Warner followed the threshing business.

Milton II. Warner, their only child, was reared on the old home place. He attended the district schools and later spent a short time in the Smith ville High School. When about seventeen years of age he began to work in the mill of Brewster Brothers, at Pleasant Valley, where he remained for twelve years, when he went to East Akron and worked for eighteen months in the Seiberling mill, retaining his home, however, at Pleasant Valley until 1897. Tie then moved to his present farm, which he had bought from the Austin Spicer heirs, in 1895. This land has always been considered fertile and has been made exceptionally productive under Mr. Warner’s excellent methods. He makes a specialty of dairying, keeping sixteen head of cattle and five head of horses, and of fruit-growing, especially berries. He finds a ready market for all his produce at Akron. The improvements on the farm, including the commodious fourteen-room residence, and substantial barn and other buildings, have all been made by Mr. Warner. Mr. Warner is also connected with the Norton Mutual Fire and Cyclone Insurance Company and has written some of the largest policies in this locality.

Mr. Warner was married December 18, 1884, to Ida C. Grotz, who is a daughter of John and Almira (Martin) Grotz. The maternal grandmother of Mrs. Warner, Rebecca Way, was the first white child born in Suffield Township, and the family is an old and prominent one of this section. Mr. and Mrs. Warner have two sons, Harry J., residing at home, assisting his father, and Edgar S., who is connected with the Goodrich Rubber Company. Mr. Warner and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the spring of 1907, Mr. Warner was elected a member of the Summit County Agricultural Society. Fraternally he belongs to Summit Lodge, No. 50, of the order of Odd Fellows, and is also a member of the Encampment. His portrait is presented on an adjoining page.

As printed in Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.