ISAAC HESS.
Among the prominent and influential business men of Butler is Isaac
Hess, the president of the Richland County Bank and the proprietor of a
well appointed undertaking establishment. Success is not a matter of genius,
as held by some, nor does it result from fortunate circumstances, but comes
as a logical result of welt directed effort, guided by sound business judgment.
It is thus that Mr. Hess has attained his position among the leading repre-
sentatives of the financial interests of Richland county.
He was born in Ankeny town, Knox county. Ohio, just across the Rich-
land county line, July 2, 1845, a son of Henry Hess, who was a native of
Westmoreland county. Pennsylvania, The latter was a son of David Hess,
also a native of Westmoreland county. About 1840 he left the Keystone
state and emigrated to Knox county, Ohio. He took up his abode on a
farm. where he is still living. at the age of seventy-seven years, in the enjoy-
ment of good health. He votes with the Democracy and holds membership
in the Dunkard church. His business interests have been attended with a
fair degree of success and he is now comfortably situated in life. His wife,
who bore the maiden name of Sarah Frederick, was born in Tuscarawas
county, Ohio, and died in 1876, at the age of fifty-two years. She, too,
was a member of the Dunkard church and an earnest, consistent Christian
woman. Her parents were natives of Bedford county, Pennsylvania. By
her marriage she became the mother of six children, namely: Isaac;
Amanda, who became the wife of John Cocanower, and died in 1881, at the
age of thirty-two years; Eli, who died when about forty-three years of age;
Jacob, who is a traveling salesman, representing a Chicago house; Martha,
the wife of Jackson Bechtol, of Knox county; and Alice, the wife of Will-
iam Brubaker.
Upon the home farm Isaac Hess remained until he was twenty-four
years of age and the labors of the field and meadow early became familiar
to him through practical experience. When he started out in life for him-
self he rented land for a few years and then purchased a farm in Knox
county, upon which he remained until 1880, when he sold that property and
came to Butler, working at the carpenter's trade for two years. Since that
time he has engaged in the furniture and undertaking business and has built
up an extensive trade. He now has a well equipped store, fitted with a large
stock calculated to meet the wants of a general trade. His business methods
are straightforward, his prices reasonable and his courtesy to his patrons
unfailing, and these qualities have enabled him to command a liberal patron-
age. A man of resourceful business ability, his efforts have not been con-
fined to one line and his counsel and aid have proven important factors in
the successful establishment of the Richland County Bank, of Butler, of
which he was one of the organizers and is the president and treasurer.
He was also one of the founders and is the treasurer of the Butler Steel
Furniture Company. In addition to his furniture business he sells monu-
ments and is widely recognized as one of the leading and enterprising busi-
ness men of the city in which he is located.
On the 30th of December. 1869. Mr. Hess was united in marriage to
Miss Sarah E. Grubb. a daughter of Samuel Grubb, of Knox county, Ohio.
They have an adopted daughter, Blanche. The Democracy finds in Mr.
Hess a stanch advocate who does all in his power to promote the growth
and secure the success of the party. He served as the township treasurer
for eight years. has been the treasurer of Butler for a similar period, was
the treasurer of the school board for twelve years, a member of the school
board for nine years and of the city council three years. His honesty is
proverbial, a fact which is indicated hy the many kinds of financial interests
that have been entrusted to him. He has ever conducted himself in such a
manner and performed his duties with such promptness and fidelity as to
win the high commendation of all concerned. He and his wife are mem
bers of the Brethren church and he withholds his support from no move
ment or measure which is calculated to advance the general welfare along
social, moral, material or intellectual lines. His unassailable reputation in
business and his worth as a man and a citizen well entitle him to be classed
among the leading men of Richland county.
(From: A Centenniel Biographical History of Richland and Ashland Counties, Ohio, by Abraham J. Baughman, 1901, pub. by Ashland and Richland County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, pp. 416-418.)
Among the prominent and influential business men of Butler is Isaac
Hess, the president of the Richland County Bank and the proprietor of a
well appointed undertaking establishment. Success is not a matter of genius,
as held by some, nor does it result from fortunate circumstances, but comes
as a logical result of welt directed effort, guided by sound business judgment.
It is thus that Mr. Hess has attained his position among the leading repre-
sentatives of the financial interests of Richland county.
He was born in Ankeny town, Knox county. Ohio, just across the Rich-
land county line, July 2, 1845, a son of Henry Hess, who was a native of
Westmoreland county. Pennsylvania, The latter was a son of David Hess,
also a native of Westmoreland county. About 1840 he left the Keystone
state and emigrated to Knox county, Ohio. He took up his abode on a
farm. where he is still living. at the age of seventy-seven years, in the enjoy-
ment of good health. He votes with the Democracy and holds membership
in the Dunkard church. His business interests have been attended with a
fair degree of success and he is now comfortably situated in life. His wife,
who bore the maiden name of Sarah Frederick, was born in Tuscarawas
county, Ohio, and died in 1876, at the age of fifty-two years. She, too,
was a member of the Dunkard church and an earnest, consistent Christian
woman. Her parents were natives of Bedford county, Pennsylvania. By
her marriage she became the mother of six children, namely: Isaac;
Amanda, who became the wife of John Cocanower, and died in 1881, at the
age of thirty-two years; Eli, who died when about forty-three years of age;
Jacob, who is a traveling salesman, representing a Chicago house; Martha,
the wife of Jackson Bechtol, of Knox county; and Alice, the wife of Will-
iam Brubaker.
Upon the home farm Isaac Hess remained until he was twenty-four
years of age and the labors of the field and meadow early became familiar
to him through practical experience. When he started out in life for him-
self he rented land for a few years and then purchased a farm in Knox
county, upon which he remained until 1880, when he sold that property and
came to Butler, working at the carpenter's trade for two years. Since that
time he has engaged in the furniture and undertaking business and has built
up an extensive trade. He now has a well equipped store, fitted with a large
stock calculated to meet the wants of a general trade. His business methods
are straightforward, his prices reasonable and his courtesy to his patrons
unfailing, and these qualities have enabled him to command a liberal patron-
age. A man of resourceful business ability, his efforts have not been con-
fined to one line and his counsel and aid have proven important factors in
the successful establishment of the Richland County Bank, of Butler, of
which he was one of the organizers and is the president and treasurer.
He was also one of the founders and is the treasurer of the Butler Steel
Furniture Company. In addition to his furniture business he sells monu-
ments and is widely recognized as one of the leading and enterprising busi-
ness men of the city in which he is located.
On the 30th of December. 1869. Mr. Hess was united in marriage to
Miss Sarah E. Grubb. a daughter of Samuel Grubb, of Knox county, Ohio.
They have an adopted daughter, Blanche. The Democracy finds in Mr.
Hess a stanch advocate who does all in his power to promote the growth
and secure the success of the party. He served as the township treasurer
for eight years. has been the treasurer of Butler for a similar period, was
the treasurer of the school board for twelve years, a member of the school
board for nine years and of the city council three years. His honesty is
proverbial, a fact which is indicated hy the many kinds of financial interests
that have been entrusted to him. He has ever conducted himself in such a
manner and performed his duties with such promptness and fidelity as to
win the high commendation of all concerned. He and his wife are mem
bers of the Brethren church and he withholds his support from no move
ment or measure which is calculated to advance the general welfare along
social, moral, material or intellectual lines. His unassailable reputation in
business and his worth as a man and a citizen well entitle him to be classed
among the leading men of Richland county.
(From: A Centenniel Biographical History of Richland and Ashland Counties, Ohio, by Abraham J. Baughman, 1901, pub. by Ashland and Richland County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, pp. 416-418.)