Edwin C. Rader
Edwin C. Rader, building contractor at Xenia, was born at 171 Columbus avenue, Xenia, January 12, 1855, son of Adam and Susan V. (McKnight) Rader, the former of whom was a native of the old Keystone State and the latter of the Old Dominion, who became residents of Greene county in the days of their childhood, their respective parents having been pioneers here, and here spent their last days.
Adam Rader was born in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, November 15, 1818, and was but three years of age when his parents came to Ohio in 1821, driving through, and settled on a farm on the lower Bellbrook pike in Beavercreek township, this county, where they established their home and where they spent the rest of their lives. They had five sons, John, David, William, Adam and Levi, the latter of whom is still living, a resident of Xenia. The junior Adam Rader grew up on the paternal farm in Beavercreek township and early became interested in the manufacture of brick, he and one of his brothers presently establishing brick yards in the east end of Xenia, and he continued engaged in the brick business the rest of his life, living at Xenia with the exception of two years spent at Jamestown, where he was engaged in farming. On December 13, 1849, at 171 Columbus avenue, Xenia, Adam Rader was united in marriage to Susan V. McKnight, daughter of Josiah McKnight and wife, who had come here from Virginia about 1830 and had settled in Xenia, where Josiah McKnight became connected with the city's business affairs. In that house Adam Rader and his wife made their home after their marriage and there both died, the latter dying on May 15, 1894. Adam Rader died on January 30, 1907, he then being eighty-nine years of age. He and his wife were members of the German Reformed church and were the parents of six children, namely: Emma, who died at the age of ten years; Edwin C., the subject of this biographical sketch; Henry Willard and Mariella, twins, the former of whom is now living at Dayton and the latter of whom married William Dean, a biographical sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this vohime; and is now living at Columbus, Indiana; Martha, who is still living at Xenia, widow of Dr. H. R. McClelland, and Ada Virginia, wife of Dr. C. F. Oglesbee, of Xenia.
Edwin C. Rader grew up at Xenia, receiving his schooling in the schools of that city, and from the days of his boyhood was instructed by his father in the details of the brick business. Under the direction of his uncles, John, David and William Rader, he also became a skilled bricklayer. He married when twenty-four years of age and for three years thereafter was engaged in the bricklaying business at Jamestown, after which he became engaged in farming in Cedarville township and was thus engaged for five years, at the end of which time he returned to Xenia and there started the general contracting business in which he has ever since been engaged, some of the contracts that have been handled by him having been the office building of the R. A. Kelly Company in West Market street, the new Reformed Presbyterian church, the Greene County Children's Home, the great brick smokestack of the Hooven & Allison plant, the building occupied by the Eavey Wholesale Company, the new consolidated school building at Bowersville, the Caesarscreek township high-school building, the Arnett building and Mitchell Hall at Wilberforce University, the Reformed Presbyterian church at Cedarville and many other buildings that have been constructed throughout Greene county in recent years. In 1894 Mr. Rader erected the house in which he now lives at the corner of South Columbus and Orient streets and has since resided there.
On January 16, 1879, Edwin C. Rader was united in marriage to Jennie B. Carruthers, who was born on a farm on the Federal pike in Cedarville township, this county, December 25, 1861, daughter of Robert M. and Mary Ann (McQuiston) Carruthers, the former of whom died in 1866. The widow of Robert M. Carruthers survived him for many years and her last days were spent in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Rader, at Xenia, her death occurring there in April, 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Rader are members of the Reformed church at Xenia, with the congregation of which Mr. Rader has been affiliated since he was nineteen years of age and of the diaconate of which he has been a member for many years. He is a Republican, but has not been an office seeker.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918