The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-04-13
l.. V. Bockius Answers the In.
evitable Call Sunday.
WAS RAISED IN CANTON
He Was the Oldest Shoe Dealer In
the State Of Ohio.
VICE PRESIDENT OF SAFE WORKS
He Was a Director of Several of Canton'i
Leading Manufacturing Concerns
and One of the Prime Movers
In the Valley Railway
Company.

The announcement of the death of L.
V. Bockius Sunday afternoon was not
startling to those cognizant of his con-
dition and advanced age. Though he
rallied from time to time since his first
psralytic stroke, Tuesday morning,
March 2s, slight hopes of his recovery
were entertained. His strong constitu-
ton and the same qualities Of persever.
ance in the face Of difficulties which
characterized him through lite caused
him to rally until he was at last sum-
moned across the great divide at 3:37
sunday afternoon.
l.. V. Bockius was born in Canton in
1925, and was connected with his father
as an assistant in the shoe store which
his father, ]. o. BockiuI, had established
in 1920 on the site of the court house,
The shoe house was removed in 1886 to
its present location. The Bockius shoe
house is the oldest in the state, and L.
V. Bocklus was the oldest shoe dealer
in Ohio. His father was the first to in
troduce eastern made shoes in Canton.
Prior to this the head of each family
bought the leather, had it tanned, and
placed orders for hand made shoes for
the entire family six months before they
we're needed. This was caused by the
excess in demand over the supply. The
advent Of factory-made shoes produced
revolution in the shoe business OF
Canton.
In ls4s Mr., Bockius became member
Of the Arm known as ]. @. Bockius &
Son and has contir ued with it uutil the
present day. In 1870 his brother Ed.
ward became q member of the firm and
remained until the death of that brother
in 1881. After this the sons of l.. v.
Bockius became members of the firm,
which is now known as L. V. Bockius &
Sons.
In early boyhood he showed that
there was something in him which
secured bright future. During the
entire period of his lifetime--73 years
he has been one of the leading and rep.
resentative citizens of Canton.
When the subject Of building the
Valley railroad from Canton to Cleve-
land was broached shortly after the war
he was one of it's chief promoters The
road was commenced in 1872, but not
completed until 1880. From its infancy
he was identified with its interests
and was associated in the enterprise
with James Saxton and George Cook, OF
this city. He was one OF the three orig
inal directors now connected with the
road. When the road was detunct he
pledged large amounts to secure its
bonded Indebtedness and thereby en-.
couraged others to do the same, until
81 10000 was raised. During one OF
it's critical tests he, with the other di-
rectors, assumed individual RESPONSE
bility for the payment Of the debt OF
the road.
He was vice president of the Safe
Works and the City National Bank
and a director of the Peoples
Savings Bank, Canton Steel Roofing Co,
and the Ohio Cement Co.,, of Lisbon.
After the great fire at the Aultman
works he was appointed bailiff and sue,
ceeded in putting it on sound fnsn'
cial basis. he was among the old '49ers
who went to California from Canton.
He once served as city treasurer and
was president of building association
which wound upits affairs satisfactorily,
While acknowledged by his associates
to have been among the best fnanciers
in the city, he has not selhshly turned
his attentions exclusively for per
sonal aggrandizement, but has divided
his time between business enterprises
and benevolent associations, He was o
charter member of the Canton Cemetery
Association which was chartered by the
state in 1859 Tor the purpose of purchas
ing and plating land to be used foI
burial purposes. For the past ffteeI
years he has been annually elected tC
the presidency OF the association anC
has been for that period OF time at thu
head OF its board Of trustees, Until th'