My Genealogy Hound

JOHN LUDLOW, banker, Springfield, is a true representative of a pioneer family, who are so well known that the name is familiar to all, and his life has been of that energetic stamp that is characteristic of the first settlers, who have contributed the best years of their lives to the development of Clark County. His father, Cooper Ludlow, was a native of New Jersey, born June 11, 1783, and was married, in 1803, to Miss Elizabeth Reeder, daughter of Jacob Reeder, of Reading, Ohio, and in 1804 they, accompanied by the Reeder family, came to the Mad River country, settling about three miles west of where Springfield is located, where they established a tannery close to what is now the second crossing of the Delaware & Springfield Railroad. Here were born their children — Ellen, Mary, Stephen, John and Jacob, the latter of whom died in infancy, and, in 1813, Mrs. Ludlow also passed away. In 1815 Cooper was again married to Miss Elizabeth Layton, daughter of Joseph Layton, to whom were born the following children: Joseph, Jason, Silas, Abram, George, Cornelius, James, Catharine and William, all but three of the children being yet living; and, in 1832, Cooper Ludlow died, aged fifty-five years. He was the nephew of Israel Ludlow, one of the founders of Cincinnati, and his father, John Ludlow, came from New Jersey to Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1790, and was the first Sheriff of that county. The subject of this sketch was born in this county, December 8, 1810, and his education was obtained in the log schoolhouse of the primitive days. Upon reaching maturity, he chose the business of a druggist in preference to other pursuits, and was for a number of years in the employ of Moses M. Hinkle, his pharmaceutical education being completed while in the employ of Goodwin & Ashton, of Cincinnati, and he was afterward engaged with Dr. W. A. Needham, of Springfield. Aftir the death of Dr. Needham, he became associated in business with Cyrus T. Ward for many years; afterward forming a partnership with Joseph Wheldon, whose interest, after a time, he purchased, and continued the business alone, his experience as a druggist extending over a period of more than thirty years. In 1851 he was elected a Director of the Springfield Bank, and, upon the death of Oliver Clark, became its President, a position which he has continued to fill up to the present time. In 1864 the name was changed to the First National Bank of Springfield, with a capital of $300,000, the stock being subsequently raised to $400,000, and to-day it has on hand $123,000 of surplus and undivided profits. Mr. Ludlow was married, August 31, 1835, to Miss Elmina Getman, daughter of Frederick and Mary Getman, of Herkimer Ccunty, N. Y., of which county Mrs. Ludlow is a native, and of this union three children were born, viz: Ellen, the wife of Asa S. Bushnell; Frederick, who resides in California; and Charles, the successor of his father in the drug business, in Springfield. Politically, Mr. Ludlow was a Whig, casting his first vote for Henry Clay, in 1832, and, on the formation of the Republican party, he joined its standard and still clings to its principles. He has no official aspirations, but feels proud of the distinction of having for fourteen years held the office of Treasurer of the Clark County Bible Society, devoting much time to this cause. For forty years he has been a member of the Episcopal Church, of which denomination his wife is also a consistent adherent, and both are in the enjoyment of good health and vigorous old age. Mr. Ludlow was one of the projectors of Fern Cliff Cemetery, was one of its first Directors, and has been President of the Board of Trustees since its organization. He was well acquainted with all the pioneers of Clark County, John Daugherty, David Lowry, Griffith Foos, John Humphreys, Maddox Fisher, and many others, whose names will appear in the history of Clark County. He furnished the Clark County Historical Society a number of his personal reminiscences of the early history of the county and city of Springfield, which papers are now on file with the Historical Society of Cleveland, and his assistance in furnishing data for the present work has been invaluable. He is noted for his liberalty for charitable purposes, and has ever been foremost in using his means for the development of the business interests of the city; kind and obliging in his manners, his course in life has been such that he scarcely ever had an enemy, and his warmest friends are those who know him best.

The home of Mr. Ludlow is just outside the city limits in an elegant residence of the Elizabethian style of architecture, his grounds being equal in beauty to any in the city, and here the aged couple, happy in the enjoyment of each others society, are journeying down the hillside of life hand in hand, loving and trusting each other, while the lingering sunset of old age casts its shadows back o’er long years fruitful of good and usefulness.