James A. Park
James A. Park, oil contractor and producer, and proprietor of a large and well-appointed livery establishment at Spencerville, is one of this city's valued public men and substantial citizens. Mr. Park was born near Willshire, Ohio, May 25, 1865, and is a son of Samuel W. and Sarah A. (Philbee) Park. On the paternal side, Mr. Park comes of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and of German extraction on the mother's side.
Samuel W. Park was born near Harrisburg Pennsylvania, in 1822, and died in Ohio in April, 1903. In 1845, at Newark, Ohio. He married Sarah A. Philbee, who was born in Germany in 1826 and was three years old when her parents emigrated to the United States. They made the six-weeks voyage on a sailing vessel, enduring hardships innumberable. She died in Ohio in 1893, after a long and useful life, having been permitted to see her family of 10 children grow to intelligent maturity and to establish happy domestic circles of their own. Her own passing was the first break in the family circle. She left behind her husband, her 10 children, 27 grandchildren and three great- grandchildren. The children are: Alexander; Louisa, wife of Charles Bowman, of Van Wert County; Elizabeth, wife of William McMichael, of Van Wert County; Catherine, wife of T. C. Bowman, of Van Wert County; Ellen, wife of G. W. Stetler, of Van Wert County; Jennie, wife E. F. Hunter, of Van Wert County; William, a resident of Van Wert County, who married Anna Royston; Samuel, who married Hulda Royston and resides at Lima; James, of this sketch; and Benjamin, who married Myrtle Lewis and lives at Spencerville.
The family record reaches back to the days of the Revolutionary War, when our subjects' great-great-grandfather was a lieutenant under General Washington. He was of Scotch birth as was also his son, Col. Robert E. Park, who was an early Governor of Connecticut. The grandfather of our subject was born in New Jersey in 1789 and moved to Ohio in 1831. His son, Samuel W., at one time owned the land on which now stands the Ohio State Penitentiary, at Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. On his mother's side, Samuel W.Park was first cousin to John R. McLean, the distinguished editor and publisher of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
James A. Park was reared on the farm of his father in Van Wert County until the age of 14 years, attending in the meantime the local schools and subsequently the Van Wert High School, earning his expenses by serving as a clerk in a dry goods store. With and idea of becoming a teacher, he then attended the Ohio Normal University at Ada, and there was under the instruction of his own cousin Professor Park, a noted educator and a compiler of various acceptable text-books. During the succeeding three years, he followed the profession of teaching and, had his health not become impaired, he might have reached the same distinguished position in the educational field as that filled by his cousin.
Finding it necessary to adopt another line of activity, Mr. Park went into the hardware business at Ohio City, Van Wert County, and while residing there filled out the unexpired term of George Banter, as postmaster, a period of two years, under the first Cleveland administration. Mr. Park then engaged for a time in a livery establishment is conducted along modern, up-to-date lines, and his assortment of all kinds of vehicles is complete. His oil operations have been successful and from being a contractor he has gone into the producing business and has a string of tools.
While a man with many important business interests, Mr. Park has found time to be also a worthy, public-spirited citizen and a worker along lines looking to the best civic government. Since locating at Spencerville he has served two years as city treasurer and for two years was a member of the Board of Education, being a member of the board when the last addition to the public school building was authorized. Politically he is a Democrat. At present he is serving as a valued member of the City Council, in which body he is chairman of the finance committee. He has been elected three times to the Council and is now serving in his sixth year, the expiration of his last term being in January, 1907. He is credited with many local reform by his fellow-citizens; but he assumes no honor on this account, it being his belief that it is the duty of the business man to assist the maintaining good government.
As an intelligent, wide-awake man, Mr. Park is interested in public affairs and is more or less of a politician. He has been chosen for a number of positions of honor and responsibility by his party, and has represented it at many notable gatherings, serving as a delegate to the State convention that nominated James Kilborne for Governor; was a delegate to the congressional convention, at Sidney, that nominated Robert Gordon for both his first and second term in Congress, and was also a delegate to the district senatorial convention that nominated Senator T. M. Berry, the present incumbent. He has filled the important position of chairman of the Allen County Democratic Executive Committee for the past two years. He is well known all over the county, and is in accord with its good citizens in matters of public moment, irrespective of party.
On December 25, 1887, Mr. Park was married to Mary E. Eller, who was born March 19, 1870, in Van Wert County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Frederick and Nancy (Kilmer) Eller, natives of Richland County, Ohio, but of Pennsylvania descent. Mr. and Mrs. Park have one daughter, Hazel Marie, who was born February 24, 1895. She is a bright, attractive maiden of 11 years, a student in the Spencerville schools. The family residence is one of the most attractive in the city of Spencerville, and is located on Pearl street, a half block north of the Christian Church. In his religious views Mr. Park is liberal-minded. Mrs. Park is an active and interested worker in the Christian Church, with which she united in 1893. She is a lady of many accomplishments and the biographer may be forgiven for mentioning her artistic needlework. She has taken many premiums when she has consented to exhibit her specimens of lace-work.
Aside from his business, Mr. Park has always taken an interest in horses, even in boyhood having more control over them than his companions. He has-owned many fine animals and can scarcely remember when he was not able to drive or enjoy the exercise of a fine mount.