The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-07-28

CO1AkS - ASO~SAA - - - = = neS
ssmeshisg a beat ehs Ohio Dems.
cratic Canaiaate fer Geverner.
John w. Book " alter, the Dem ocrst-
ic candidate tor Governor Of Ohio, is
the proprietor Of the Lefell turbine
wheel manufActory in this State.
The nAme was originally Buckwsl-
ter, indicating German decent. The
father of John w. Bookwalter emil
grated from Pennsylvania to Indiana,
IN which State the son was born. in
1880. The father was plain, hard
working farmer, and devout Metho-
dist. Such facilities for getting an
education a. country school could
Afford in those days he thought quite
enough fer his son, and discouraged
his tastes for reading and study out
side Of the three re. When he found
that John had got held Of "Comstock's
Natural Philosophy he threatened to
burn the book. John stuck to his
books, however, studying nights after
his days work on tho farm. His old.
or brother Frank seconded him in his
plans, and when John was about Is
they two constructed rejecting tele-
scope from . description given in
" CoEstock's Philosophy" They
ground the lenses and cast the reflect.
or themselves.
John had . genius for mechanics.
He and his brother made over . saw
mill on the farm into grist mill, one
Of the first erected in that part OF the
country. The brothers operated this
mill for many years, and made money.
Then they bought grist-mill at
Spring field, o. Here John became
acquainted with James Leffell, the in
ventor Of tho turbine wheel, bought
an interett in the wheel, perfected the
manufacture, fought through . multi
tude OF lawsuits, and greatly extended
the business. In 1865 he married Miss
Eliza Leffell, the inventors daughter,
and three years ago, Mr.. LeGeH hav-
ing died, became sole proprietor Of
the wheel. The firm name, James
Leffeli Il Co.. has, however, never
been changed. The machine works
are among the largest in the West,
employing about 15O men, and Mr..
Book walter has amassed . very large
fortune.
The bent of Mr.. Bookwalter's mind
il toward industrial enterprise. He.
has never put any money into bonds
save that he once advanced 5000 on
bonds issued to build . school-house
at Urbana. He owns the largest hotel
in Springfield, O., and is just about
finishing q largo opera house there.
One of the finest business blocks in
the place was built by him. He is q
large landholder in Illinois and Ne
brasks, and his great sheep ranch at
Mission Creek, in the latter State, 10
we'll known throughout the West. In
1871 he founded and edited . paper
called the Mechanical News. He took
great interest in the Improvement Of
the Mississippi, and last Spring took
An artist down with him to the mouth
of the river and wrote series Of IL
lustratsd articles upon the jetty sys-
tenn. He is said to own the finest pic
ture gallery west of the Alleghanies.
When the collection of John Taylor
Johnston was sold in New York he
bought fourteen of the best paintings
in it. He has travelled in Europe, and
visited Cuba and the Sandwich Islands
Mr.. Bookwalter was originally an
ardent Republican, and remained SO
until 1872, when he. joined in the
movement. He has since been
q Democrat, but has not been active in
politics, and is not . stump speaker.
When reports were current last fall
that the Republican manufacturers of
were bringing to bear
pressure to make their workmen vote
the Republican ticket, Mr.. Bookwalter
called his men together and told them
that, while he was himself q Democrat,
be did not wish to have that fact in
fluence the vote Of any man employed
BY him.
Mr.. Boskwalter's wife died in 1880,
Of consumption. He has NO children.
He is q man of medium height, and
rather spare. His picture shows q
high forehead and prominent eye
brewe, and he has keen, brown eyes.
His dark hair and moustache are
.prinkled with gray. He has straight,
thin nese, thin lips, and arm chin.
He is . good talker, but somewhat re-
firing in disposition. He is abstemi-
Gus in his personal habits, but does
not concern himself about his neigh
bors' tastes. He retains the friends
he makes, and will be ardently sup
ported during the coming campaign.