William E. Banta

As printed in 1902

WILLIAM E. BANTA.

William E. Banta is an expert watch maker of Springfield, whose residence in the city dates from 1878, and his ancestral history traces back to a pioneer epoch in the settlement of America by the white race. In 1658 there were five brothers of the name who came to this country. They belonged to the Waldensians, of Italy. who went to Holland on account of religious persecution and from there came toi America, being here allowed to worship according to the dictates of their conscience. Their home was established in New Jersey and from one of these brothers the subject of this review is descended. As the time passed the Banta family increased in numerical strength and when the country resolved to throw off the yoke of British oppression, representatives of the name became participants in the Revolutionary war, being engaged in service in the Mohawk valley. Isaac Banta, the grandfather of our subject, resided in the east, and prospered in his undertakings, becoming a wellto-do man. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-two years. At the time of the war of 1812 he served as one of the minute men.

Jacob I. Banta, the father of our subject, was born in the Mohawk valley of New York in 1810 and died in Urbana, Ohio, in 1886. For many years he was engaged in railroad contracting and because of this removed to various places. He and his brother Albert built the Albany € Schenectady Railroad, the second road established in America. He was living in Wisconsin at the time of the Black Hawk war and when the Indians rose up against the white settlers he joined the army that suppressed the insurrection of the Indians. Mr. Banta was united in marriage to Lydia Van Brunt, who was born in New Jersey in 1813 and died in Urbana in 1893. She came of an old Holland family and her people were a longlived race. At the time of the Revolutionary war some of the family were taken prisoners and held in captivity on the old prison ship Jersey, because they were faithful adherents of the cause of liberty. Her father lived to the very advanced age of ninety-five years and died at the home of his daughter in Urbana. During the period of the Revolution he made his home in New Jersey in the midst of much of the hostility which occurred. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Banta, the parents of our subject, were born two children, John A., the elder, being a resident of Urbana and a printer by trade. He is married and has four sons and one daughter. The father was a Republican in his affiliations from the time of the organization of the party. He was a well educated man and read broadly, keeping in touch with the advanced thought of the day. He also desired

62 4 that his sons should have good educational privileges and both were students in the high school.

William E. Banta, whose name into- ‘duces this record, was born in Beloit, Wis- ‘cousin, February 3, 1847, and in 1852 accompanied his parents on their removal to Urbana, Ohio, where he pursued his education, which included study in the high school there. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to a jeweler, with whom he remained for three years, becoming familiar with the business in all of its departments. He afterward went to Fostoria, Ohio, where he remained for a year, and in 1867 he ‚came to Springfield where he entered the employ of John P. Allen, with whom he remained for six years. He is now an ‚expert watchmaker and retailer. He has traveled quite extensively over various portions of the United States and has been employed in fourteen different cities of the ‘country, working in all branches of the jeweler business. In his travels he has gained a wide knowledge of the United States and its people, acquiring much valuable information and storing his mind with many anec- does which render him an entertaining companion. For five years he continued his travels and in 1878 returned to Springfield and accepted an excellent position which was offered him. He began business at his present location, at No. 40 West Main street, as an expert watchmaker and repairer and has here carried on business continuously since,

Mr. Banta votes with the Republican party, but has never taken an active part in political affairs or sought office of any description. He is a member of New Albany Lodge, No. 39, F. & A. M., and Springfield Council, R. € S. M., in which he has filled the position of thrice illustrious master. He has held other offices in Masonry here and has been a worthy exemplar of the fraternity since he was received as a Master Mason in Springfield Lodge in 1871. He has advanced steadily in the order, his brethren delighting to honor him because of his faithfulness to the teachings of the craft and his thorough understanding of its tenets. Outside of business Mir. Banta has given con-

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

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.