PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
page381
WILLIAM
MAHLON ROCKEL, a native-born citizen of Clark County, is one of the prominent
members of the bar in this part of Ohio, having a large practice in Springfield,
where he makes his home. Though
still a young man, Mr. Rockel has thus early in his professional career gained a
high reputation, not only as a lawyer, the acknowledged peer of many of the
ablest legal minds of the State, but is considered authority on many points as
the joint author with Judge White, of one of the best works regarding a certain
class of laws.
Mr. Rockel was born in German Township, Clark
County, July 18, 1855, and is a fine representative of sterling pioneer stock,
his father, Peter Rockel, having been born in the same township in May, 1831.
His grandfather, Adam Rockel, was born in Lehigh County, Pa., while his great-grandfather
Rockel was born in the same county of German parentage.
Adam Rockel was a farmer, and in 1822, in early manhood, while he was
still unmarried, he crossed the border line between Pennsylvania and Ohio,
accompanied by five or six sisters, the removal being made with team, and cast
in his lot with the early pioneers of German Township.
He bought a tract of heavily timbered land, built a log cabin, and at
once entered upon the hard task of clearing away the forest trees from his
homestead and improving a good farm, The
surrounding country was then sparsely settled, with but little indication of its
present wealth and prosperity, with no railways or canals, and with scarcely any
other signs of the coming civilization. In the comfortable home that he built
there his long life was brought to a close, in 1884, at the ripe old age of
ninety-one years. Four of his sisters
survived him, and the combined age of the five was four hundred and twenty
years. His wife, whose maiden name
was Mary M. Baker, was a daughter of Philip Baker, well known as one of the
early pioneers of Clark County; he came here in 1813, and settled one half mile
west of Eagle City Mills, in German Township. There he bought several hundred
acres of land, heavily timbered, of which he cleared quite a large tract before
his death. The grandmother of our
subject died at his father's home in 1886, aged seventy-six years. The
grandfather was a veteran of the War of 1812, serving under Gen. Henry Dearing,
and for his good services in that conflict was a pensioner during his last
years.
The father of the subject of this notice was
reared to the life of a farmer on his father's large homestead, and was an
inmate of the parental household until his marriage. He
then bought land one mile east of Tremont City, where he lived until 1867.
In that year he rented his farm, which he had brought to a high state of
improvement, and bought another located east of his original homestead on the
Urbana pike. There he still makes
his home, enjoying the comforts procured by the competence that he has acquired
by persistent and well-directed industry.
He
has been twice married. The
maiden name of his first wife, mother of our subject, was Margaret Shick, and she
was
a native of Carroll County, Ohio, and a daughter of William Shick, a native of
Virginia, and of German antecedents. He
was a pioneer of Ohio, and in 1844 moved to Logan County and located one mile
north of Bellefontaine, where he still resides, being now eighty-four years of
age. His wife who is eighty-one
years old, is spared to be the companion of his declining years. She was born in early pioneer times in Ohio, and her maiden
name was Catherine Shawver. The
mother of our subject died in 1865, leaving behind her the gracious memory of
a true womanhood. His father
married for his second wife Miss Sarah A. Ilges, who is devoted to his
interests.
William M. Rockel, of whom we write, was the
only child of his parents. He laid
the foundation of a solid education at the local district school in his native
town, and was then given the advantages of an excellent course at the Bellefontaine
High School, from which he was graduated with honor in the class
of '76. He
then pursued his studies in the Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio, and was
graduated from the commercial department. After that he took a miscellaneous
course in the same institution, making a specialty of languages.
With his mind thus thoroughly trained, after teaching one term in the
Franklin School in this county, he commenced the study of law, toward which his
ambition had long pointed, and for which his natural abilities peculiarly fitted
him. He
became a student in the law office of Keifer & White, was admitted to the
bar in the spring of 1879, and in the fall of that year opened an office in
Springfield, and for more than a decade has been in active practice in this
city, his well-known ability and faithfulness to the interests of his patrons
bringing him in a fair clientage. During
his busy career he has been able to devote considerable time to the literature
of his profession, and is the joint author with
Judge White of a valuable work, entitled "Mechanics and Sub-Contractors
Liens," which has been very highly commended for its erudition and the
clear exposition of the laws in such cases. Our subject has also contributed to
the English and American Encyclopaedia of Law, as well as a work of selected
questions from the Ohio Supreme
As showing the estimation in which Mr. Rockel
is held by his fellow-citizens, we will insert the following as voicing their
sentiments, which we quote from two leading local papers:
From the Sentinel--" William
M. Rockel, who is announced in the Sentinel this week for Probate Judge, is well known to
our readers. He is a farmer's son,
being a native of Moorefield
Township, this county, has never held an office, has had ten years experience
at the bar, is the joint author, with Judge White, of a legal work on Mechanic's
Liens, and was appointed by the Supreme Court of Ohio to examine applicants for
admission to the bar; has served on the Clark County Republican and Executive
Committees during the past seven years, one year as Secretary and two years as
Vice-Chairman; was temporary and permanent Chairman of our last county
convention, and is in every respect worthy and well qualified." From the Sunday News--" William Rockel is making a strong fight for the
Probate Judgeship. He
is, perhaps, one of the best equipped candidates for the position. It has never been said that at any time he ever mismanaged
or neglected any business entrusted to his care.
As a legal author, his is a very creditable reputation.
His knowledge of the German language would make his selection an
accommodation to our large German population.
The old soldiers will remember his very able and patriotic address made
on last Memorial Day at Vienna, and printed by request of the Grand Army Post
in full in the Republic-Times. While
pronounced in his Republicanism, he is always a fair and honorable opponent.
His long, active, efficient and unrewarded service in the committee and
on the stump, in behalf of the Republican cause, with his unquestioned
qualifications, appeal very strongly in his behalf for this nomination."
Mi.. Rockel has the advantage of a fine
education as the basis of his professional knowledge, and brings to his task a
well-disciplined mind. He is
devoted to his profession, and is still a hard student whenever his onerous
duties permit him to give attention to his books.
He is an extremely easy and fluent speaker, having a fine command not
only of the English, but of the German and other languages, and at the same time
he is logical and concise in his statement of the facts of a case.
A lithographic portrait of Mr. Rockel is shown
on another page of this volume.
27 Jan 2000