The biographical encyclopœdia of Ohio of the nineteenth century:

BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOP.EDIA.
than tellfolded in Cincinnati since 1854. It exceeds annually half a million in value. The establishment of Strobridge & Co., on the corner of Fourth and Race streets, is
the most extensive west of New York. All varieties of
lithographic work are executed. The house is noted for
its exquisitely beautiful chromos. Its corps of lithographic
artists are capable of anything within the domain of the
art. From the presses of this house first originated the
series of Middleton's celebrated national oil portraits,
Washington, Martha Washington, etc. The head of John
Wresley, issued by it in I858, was the first successfulnt r
chromo-portrait in the country.
compelled to enlarge their accommodations until now they
ouse the three stores, Nos. e, 3 and 5 Main street, besides a
larg e wa re house and an extensive chemical labo ratory, at
the corner of Eighth and Br oadway, capa bl e of supplying
an almost unlimited quantity of chemicals and other man u -
factures in their line of t rade. The well-knoman firm of
prna eJam e s S. Burdsal & Co. has a business reputation e c oexten sive wi th th e West and Sou th, w here their business is
principally tr ansacted, and to all the details of this v m ast
.business Mr. Bhurdsal gives his immediate per son al a ttention, having his d esk located right in the midst of his
employfs and whelre-c all call have direct a ccess to him for
advice and i ns tr uction. I s 1850 Mr. Burdsal married
Mary E. Wood, eldest daught er of William Wo od, Esq.,
of Cincinnati, and they have been blessed with a considerable family of sons and claughters. For about thirty years
Mr. Burdsal has been an earnest and devoted member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has oc cupied in that
denomination many important and influential positions,
havin g been at various times trustee, steward, class-leader,
member o f the Boar d of Counci l of the Ch urch a t large,
trustee of the Home Mission organization, etc., etc. Probably his most vigorous efforts have been given to the department of Suniday-school work. In this field he has been
for a score of years past one of the most prominent laborers,
and be was one of the earliest advocates of system and
thoroughness in the teaching of Sabbath-schools. To this
cause he contributes the same energy and enthusiasm that
characterize him in his secular business pursuits. As a
Sabbath-school superintendent lie has long experience and
few equals, and as a speak,er to children his services are
eagerly sought for in all directions where his Sunday-school
acquaintance extends. Though still a young man, well
inside the mark of fifty, he has made for himself a business
character and a reputation well worthy of the ambition of
all young men, and by his success lie gives new evidence
of the truth, that the power-to gain an enviable and honorable position in life lies within the reach of ally young man
who will with singleness of aim and purpose devote himself
to business and to the acquisition of practical knowledge.
cj URDSAL, JAMES S., Wholesale Druggist, was
scol~[ born in H am nil ton county, Ohio, November 4th,
| liel I827, to w hich locality his parents, Aaron and
(-o.b dNancy Burdsal, emigrated from New Jersey in
I 8t4. Th e fir st ten yea rs of his life were spent
up on his father's farm, and in the discipline of
parent al car e and the l abor of farml work he acquired a
strength of charac te r and vig or of physical system which
have proven to be of inestimable value in his maturer years.
Though small of stature, be w as exceedingly actund
strong, and his schoolmates well. remember the superiority
h e enjoy ed in all a thl etic exercises. He was vebyfleet of
foot, and' ad th e r ep utation of being the strongest youth
of his size and weight in Cincinnati. At eleven years of
age he entered Oo is bthe employ of his brothers in the drug
business, at the northeast corner of Main and Fi fth streets,
Cincinnati, a nd with the exception of twio terms at the old
Cin cinnati College, previou s to its destruction by fire, he
has been in the same business ever since. His tuition thens
was pai d for by the services he rendered at the sto re out of
school hours, and notwithstanding this tax upon his time
,he always kept well up with his classes. His studying had
to be done after the store closed, at ten o'clock at night.
It was his desire and intention to pursue a full course at
this or some other institution, but his brothers found his
services so valuable to them that he felt it a duty to yield
to their wishes and give his entire time to business, though
he still did not neglect his studies after the day's business
duties were done. By such a course of training and stu dy
Mr. Burdsal prepared himself for the active and untiring
business life to which he has devoted himself. In 1850,
with his brother, Colonel H1. W. Burdsal (now deceased),
he purchased the stock of George H. Bates & Co., and
began business at their old stand, corner of Main and
Front streets, Cincinnati. On this corner, it is said, the
first drug store in Cincinnati was established, seventyfive years ago, and it has been used for the same business
ever since, Mr. Burdsal himself having occupied it for the
last twenty-five years. At first the firm occupied but one
storehouse, but with increasing business they have been
52
o
URSEL, SMITH, retired Farmer, was born, M-,ty
3otb, I804, in Union township, Ross county,
Ohio. His father was a Virginia f,-trmer, who
removed to Ross county al)out the year i Soo, and
was among the pioneers of that section. lie
settled in Union township, ",bere lie resided,
engaged in agricultural pursuits until his deatb. Ile was
one of three of the original Democrats of the township.
His wife was a native of D'elawai-e, who, with her father
and five' brothers, came to Ohio at a very early day with.
General Massie and located at Station Prairie, near Cliilli