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From: MRS GINA M REASONER< >
Subject: STARK COUNTY - PART 6
Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1999 23:57:33, -0500


HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF OHIO, By Henry Howe, LL.D., 1888

BIOGRAPHIES

WILLIAM McKINLEY, JR. was born in Niles, Trumbull county, Ohio,
February 26, 1844. He received a common school education, which was
interrupted before completion by his enlistment in May, 1861, as a private
in the 23rd O.V.I. He gradually rose from the ranks and at the close of the
war was mustered out with the rank of colonel and brevet-major.
He then studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1867, and settled
in Canton. He was prosecuting attorney of Stark County, 1869-71; was
elected to the 45th, 46th, 47th and 48th congresses, receiving the
certificate of election to the latter, but late in the first session his
opponent was given his seat by the House. He was elected to the 49, 50th
and 51st congresses, In June, 1888, as chairman of the platform committee
of the Republican National Convention held at Chicago, he is accredited
with drafting the resolutions that were adopted. He is the leader in
Congress in protective tariff measures and the author of the tariff bill of
October, 1890.
It is a matter of pride to the people of Canton that it is the home
of Major McKinley. It helps to make their place known to multitudes both
continents, while his personal characteristics are such as to win the
esteem and regard of all with whom he is associated in either public or
social life. A late writer says, "In his home life Mr. McKinley is just as
unassuming as in his public career. The house occupied by him overlooks the
public Square in Canton. It is the old homestead of the Saxton family and
is the property of Mrs. McKinley, who was a Miss Saxton. On account of the
prominent position occupied in Ohio by the family, this mansion has been
for years the headquarters for the reception of distinguished visitors in
Canton. During the campaign of 1880 Garfield and Arthur, Senator Sherman
and his brother Gen. W.T. Sherman, all met under this hospitable roof.
Maj. McKinley is very fond of good horses, and also of the country.
Just outside of Canton he has a small farm, and in the next county a larger
one. He drives out to these nearly every morning and takes great personal
interest in all the operations upon them.

JOHN HANCOCK KLIPPART, who for nearly twenty-two years was
Secretary of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, was born in Stark county,
Ohio, in 1823. His ancestors were German, though citizens of the United
States for two or three generations. His opportunities for education were
at first limited, but he early learned to make every occupation a means of
culture. In 1847, at the age of twenty-four, he married to Miss Emiline
Rahn, of Canton.
In 1856, while assistant editor of the Ohio Farmer, he was elected
corresponding secretary of the State Board of Agriculture; had he been
styled General Secretary it would have better expressed the extend and
scope of his duties. At the meeting of the Board, although usually some
member acting as Recording Secretary made a minute of the business
transacted, these records were arranged by Mr. Klippart for publication in
the annual report. The reports from County Societies were placed in his
charge, and by him arranged and sent to press. Preparations for each State
Fair were made by the whole Board, or by its executive committee, but a
large share of the work unavoidably fell upon the secretary. Members of the
Board, without compensation, gave their time to arranging for and attending
the State Fairs at great sacrifice of personal interest, consequently Mr.
Klippart, the only salaried officer connected with the Board, was left to
look after numerous details. During the fairs innumerable matters required
his attention, the services of the Secretary were always in requisition; so
when the fairs were over, an immense number of settlements and adjustments
were necessarily referred to him.
Besides this he kept the office through the year and in addition to
his legitimate duties, answered orally or by letter innumerable inquiries.
Perhaps, none, except members of the Board, who of necessity were often in
the office, could form an idea of the multitude of sensible and senseless
questions to which the Secretary was expected to furnish a satisfactory answer.
In addition to this, Mr. Klippart performed a large amount of
literary labor of higher character. He wrote essays on almost all
agricultural topics of interest, many of which required extensive research;
he also translated many of the best articles from French and German
periodicals. He made laborious compilations of statistics, showing the
condition and progress of agriculture within the State. Two elaborate
treaties emanated from his pen; one on the Wheat Plant, the other on
Drainage; these were first published in the annual reports and afterwards
in book form.
In 1860 Governor Dennison appointed him one of the Board of
Commissioners to proceed to the Atlantic seaboard, to examine and report on
the pleuro-pneumonia of cattle, which was then creating consternation among
the stockmen of the country. In 1865 he visited Europe, made an extended
tour and an able report upon the various agricultural institutions there in
operation. In 1869 he was appointed by Governor Hayes one of the Assistant
Geologists for the State Survey.
In 1873 he was appointed by Governor Noyes one of the Board of
Commissioners to take measures for restocking the waters of the State with
edible fish. In 1876 he attended the great Centennial Exhibition at
Philadelphia, to present there the agricultural products of Ohio. From all
these appointments and consequent services rendered to the State, the
volumes of the Ohio Agricultural Reports have been enriched; they certainly
constitute a body of agricultural literature upon which the people of any
state might look with satisfaction. These twenty-one volumes form a
splendid monument to his memory and will serve to remind the farmers of
Ohio, of his services to the State much better than any stately obelisk
erected in a century. Mr. Klippart died October 24, 1878 being fifty-five
years of age.
The above is from remarks made by J.M. Millikin and N.S. Townshend,
members of the State Board of Agriculture, at a meeting of the Board soon
after Mr. Klippart's death. It was also said that from the life of Mr.
Klippart three important lessons might be learned. From the amount of work
done by him in early life and the excellent training it afforded, one may
learn that it pays a man to work. From the success of his arduous labors
and the service he was enabled to render to the State, it evidently pays
well to work hard. But in view of the exhaustion of his powers and
comparatively early decline, it is equally evident that it does not pay to
work too hard.

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