History of Toledo, (Lucas County) Ohio United States of America

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Biographies:

Frank Hunt Hurd, representative, was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Dec. 25, 1841. He was graduated at Kenyon college in 1858, and became a lawyer in Toledo, Ohio. He was prosecuting attorney for Lucas county in 1863; state senator, 1866-68; representative in the 44th congress, 1875-77; defeated for representative in the 45th congress by Jacob D. Cox, Republican; elected a representative in the 46th congress 1877-79; defeated for representative in the 47th congress by James M. Ritchie; elected a representative in the 48th congress, 1883-85, and defeated for representative in the 50th congress by Jacob Romeis. He was a prominent advocate of tariff reform. He codified Criminal Laws of Ohio (1868). He died in Toledo, Ohio, July 10, 1896.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Dentist, was born, July 30th, 1835, in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, of American parentage and of English and Hollander descent. He was educated in the Halifax High School, in his native county, and studied dentistry with Dr. H. H. Martin, in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, where he remained for two years. He then attended the regular courses of lectures in the Ohio Dental College, Cincinnati, from which he graduated in 1856. He commenced the practice of dentistry in Perry county, Pennsylvania, where he resided until 1859, and thence removed to Monroe, Michigan, where he abode for seven years. In October, 1866, he changed his residence to Toledo, where he has ever since been engaged in an extensive and remunerative practice, enjoying the heaviest patronage of any of his associates in that city. He attributes his success to his thorough knowledge of operative dentistry. He is a member of the State Dental and American Dental Associations, and also of other similar organizations. He is warmly attached to the Masonic order, being a member of Toledo Lodge, No. 144, Fort Meigs Chapter, No. 29, and Council No. 33, He was married, December 2d, 1862, to Angeline Manning.

From: The Biographical Encyclopedia of Ohio of the Nineteenth Century. Columbus, OH, USA: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1876.

Physician and Surgeon, was born, March 26th, 1833, in Batavia, Genesee county, New York, and is a son of John Chester Wilford, who was a major in the war of 1812, and underwent all the hardships and perils of an Indian captivity during that contest. His ancestor, Colonel Wilford, was a soldier of the Revolution. Dr. Wilford at an early age evinced rare talents for research and study. Surrounded by all the discouragements of poverty and inappreciation, the long hours of the night and the uncertain glare from the family fire-place were brought into requisition in satisfying his longing appetite for knowledge. At the early age of nineteen, with but the limited advantages of a common school education, he commenced preparation for his chosen profession, medicine. Overcoming all obstacles, he graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania, medical department, in 1856. Still thirsting for knowledge, of which as yet he had just tasted, he entered the Pennsylvania Hospital, in Philadelphia, as a physician, and desirous of making the diseases of women a specialty, at a later date engaged in Allen's Lying-in Hospital in the same city. In that institution many vexatious combinations of disease were brought to his notice, and all his mental energies aroused to minister to their relief. Immediately civil war burst upon the country, he volunteered his services at the front, but owing to physical disability was assigned to duty in one of the United States Army Hospitals in Philadelphia. Here his great skill in surgery found full play, and many of the brave defenders of liberty remember him gratefully for the saving of life and limb. He continued the practice of his profession in Philadelphia for two years after the close of the war, standing high in public esteem and in the ranks of the profession. Attracted by the wider field of usefulness in the West, he removed to Chicago in 1867, and after the great fire in that city, in October, 1871, made a tour through the South, where he studied the diseases peculiar to that latitude, in the hospitals of Memphis, New Orleans, Mobile, Galveston, and other cities. He finally settled, in 1873, in Toledo, Ohio, where his success in the treatment of chronic diseases, female complaints, nervous debility, neuralgia, scrofula, and dyspepsia, soon brought him into favorable notice, which has been succeeded by a large practice with its attendant benefits. Being determined to overcome the disadvantages, so well known by the profession, he is about to establish a home hospital for women, where they can enjoy all the comforts of a home, and at the same time be under his especial care. He has been a member of the Presbyterian Church in good standing since 1850. He occupies a high social position in society, and is eminently a man of the times, who conscientiously fulfils every duty devolving upon him. The present century is peculiarly an age of progress and advancement. Within its limits the impassable barriers of other ages have passed away, and science has made giant strides. In no department has there been more advancement than in the science of medicine. This is largely due to the special researches of special men. Taking up a particular branch, each has advanced to the front rank therein, inventing rare and valuable appliances and patent remedies, before which diseases, long thought incurable, disappear. Dr. Wilford is entitled to rank among these representative men. His deep reading and earnest research have confined him to the channels of private life, compelling him to reject many flattering offerings of public advancement and trust. He has been twice married, and is the father of four children, two of whom survive.

From: The Biographical Encyclopedia of Ohio of the Nineteenth Century. Columbus, OH, USA: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1876.

Real Estate Dealer, was born, June 29th, 1832, at East Berlin, Adams county, Pennsylvania, Henry J. Raffensperger is of American parentage and of German descent. He was educated at Springfield, Ohio, and after leaving school became a salesman in the dry-goods house of H. Hedrick, in that town, where he remained three years, when, growing tired of a comparatively inactive life, he turned his attention to pursuits more congenial to his tastes, and entered into various speculative movements. Since he became a seller of real estate he has made Toledo the scene of his largest operations in that line; and that city has witnessed the heaviest transactions that have taken place in the entire State. Although the weather was very unpropitious for such operations, yet the magic of his name rendered them a perfect success in every respect. His sales were not the mere ordinary transactions of a business man, but the colossal undertakings of one who is innately endowed with the rare talent of managing and disposing of immense tracts, from which an ordinary man would shrink. In fact, he has risen far above his associates in business; nor is Toledo alone the scene of his triumphs. One of his most remarkable sales was "Northwood," near Columbus, Ohio, where, notwithstanding the property had previously and unsuccessfully been placed in the market, yet upon his assumption of the management he made it one of his most brilliant transactions. He has also received various propositions from different States to assume control of sales which have startled the public by their magnitude. Since his advent into Toledo he has done more towards advancing the welfare of that city and promoting its growth than any other person in the same line of business. His success lies wholly in his wide experience, in his matured judgment, together with his fixed determination to engage only in bona-fide and legitimate transactions. He never enters upon any operation without bestowing upon it careful consideration and thoroughly overlooking the field. He never endeavors to hastily dispose of the property in question, but bides his time, and is ever successful. Possessed of a quick wit, rare business ability and an energetic, persevering disposition, he is withal a whole-souled, genial gentleman, courteous to all. He has been identified as a Trustee and Director of several of the leading trade associations. He was married, June 20th, 1866, to Elizabeth A. Brewster, of Norwalk, Ohio.

From: The Biographical Encyclopedia of Ohio of the Nineteenth Century. Columbus, OH, USA: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1876.