The biographical encyclopœdia of Ohio of the nineteenth century:

BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPIEDIA.
the winter in that salubrious region. In 1827 he purchased
a stock of goods in New York city, and accompanied it
when shipped to Cleveland. His intention was to sell to
laborers on the Ohio Canal, which was then in course of
construction from Cleveland southwardly. After passing
down the canal into the Tuscarawas valley, he became dissatisfied with that trade, and having disposed of a portion
of his goods to another trader, took the balance to Fort
Ball (now Tiffin), where he remained, trading successfully
with the new settlers until December of that year, when he
removed to Lower Sandusky, and was the first to go into
business there alone. He received the Indian trade to a
large extent by refusing to sell them liquor. He was in
trade three or four years, and having accumulated $Io,ooo,
considered himself rich enough to retire. About 183 I,
however, he formed his first partnership with Rodolphus
Dickinson and Esbon Husted, he furnishing the capital.
The firm-name was R. Dickinson & Co., and they soon had
in operation one of the largest retail stores north of Columbus and west of Cleveland, their yearly sales amounting to
$50,ooo, the majority being on credit. He bought the first
vessel with Richard Sears, each owning an equal interest.
This was a schooner, the "John Richards," about one
hundred tons burthen, and worth about $4000ooo. The first
shipment of wheat out of Lower Sandusky, according to
the best of his recollection, was made on this schooner;
and this shipment was probably the first sent eastward from
any lake port west of Cleveland. The wheat from the
ridges of Seneca county was then much sought after for
starch manufacture, and was then worth fifty cents per
bushel. In 1835 Esbon Husted died, and his place in the
firm was taken by George Grant, who had been a clerk in
the establishment since the formation of the firm. In 1841
the latter died, when the firm dissolved, the business being
settled by Mr. Birchard. On January ISt, 1851, in partnership with Lucius B. Otis-forming the firm of Birchard &
Otis-the first banking house in Fremont was established.
On the removal of Judge Otis to Chicago, in 1856, the remaining member of the firm formed a partnership wit h
Anson H. Miller and Dr. James W. Wilson, under the
firm-name of Birchard, Miller & Co. In 1863 the First
National Bank of Fremont was organized, when the banking firm of Birchard, Miller & Co. was merged in it. It
was the second national bank organized in Ohio, and the
fifth in the United States. Mr. Birchard was elected President of the bank on its organization, and held the position
till his death. During the half century which elapsed after
arriving at man's estate he was active and conspicuous,
where good words and works were required, in the promotion of every important scheme designed to advance the
welfare of the town and county of his residence. He was
connected with the first enterprise that opened river and
lake commerce between Fremont and Buffalo. Appropriations by the State for the construction of the Western Reserve and Maumee road had in him an early, untiring, and
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efficient friend; and through his efforts in circulating petitiOllS over the State to influence public opinion, and thus
secure favorable legislative action, the work was doubtless
completed many years earlier than it would otherwise have
been. He next became enlisted in the enterprise of constructitng the Toledo, Norwalk & Cleveland Railroad.
The chances were that the northern and rival route-now
known as the Northern Division-would be the one to be
constiucted first, and a long struggle ensued between the
friends of each route. In conjunction with C. L. Boalt, of
Norwalk, he was so strenuous in advancing the interests of
the Southern route by every means in their power, even by
pledging every dollar of their private fortunes for the purpose of raising funds to prosecute the enterprise, that the
issue turned in their favor; and without such pledges and
extraordinary personal efforts it is probable the construction
of this line would have been postponed many years. He
was an active and influen-tial member of -the Whig party
while it existed, and did not abandon his interests in politics after its demise, but was an earnest supporter of President Lincoln and the war. He was a purchaser at the first
sale of government bonds, to carry on the war for the Union,
made in Ohio in I862. He was hospitable, warm-hearted,
and friendly. In addition to contributions to religious and
benevolent objects, his private charities were large. A
most important benefaction, affecting the public interests of
Fremont, was made in I871, in the donation of two tracts
of ground, to be devoted to the use of the public as parks.
In I873 he set apart property amounting to $50,ooo for the
purpose of establishing a public library in Fremont. He
appointed a board of trustees to take charge of the same,
and provided for the continuance of this board. At that
time it was estimated that, including his previous-bequests,
he had presented to the city one-fifth of his entire estate.
For nearly seventeen years he had been a communicant
member of the Presbyterian Church, and a constant contributor to its incidental and benevolent funds. He also gave
;$7000 to the new church edifice now occupied by the congreg'ation. Though a member of this church, he frequently
aided other congregations without distinction of denomination. He died January 2ISt, I874, after an illness of but
one hour in duration.
- so
RIMBLE, COLONEL WILLIAM H., third son
ei[){ |tof ex-Governor Allen Trimble, was born at Hills6)[[tI borough, Ohio, October 22d, I8II. He was
J6~.~' educated chiefly at Miami University, and read
~ —~03 law with Samson Mason, at Springfield, Ohio.
While engaged in the practice he yielded to the
wishes of his Whig friends, and represented Highland
county in the Legislature three terms-I845, I846, and
I847-and was solicited in 1848 to be a candidate for the
Senate in the strong Whig district composed of the counties
of Fayette and Highland. This he declined, haying pre