Biography of John O. KREIGHBAUM
Source: MEMOIRS OF MEN AND WOMEN OF STARK COUNTY [OHIO]; pg. 44-45
...........Compiled by John DANNER. B.F. Bowen, Publisher. 1904.
John O. KREIGHBAUM, ex-commissioner of Stark county, now residing at New
Berlin, was born in Lake township, Stark county, July 21, 1854. His
father was William KREIGHBAUM, who was born in Lancaster county,
Pennsylvania, January 17, 1813, while his grandfather, George KREIGHBAUM,
also a native of Pennsylvania, was born about 1788, the year of the
inauguration of the first President of the United States, the immortal
Washington. The genealogy of the KREIGHBAUM family has not been traced
back farther than the paternal grandfather [§-1], but it is quite likely that
the latter's parents were natives of Germany, who emigrated to America
about the time of or before the war of the Revolution and settled in
Pennsylvania with numerous other emigrants from the fatherland.
George KREIGHBAUM, the grandfather, moved his family to Stark county, Ohio, and
located in Lake township, one mile east of where Greentown now stands.
He was a farmer and followed that calling up to the time of his death,
which occurred in the year 1848. He was elected county commissioner in
1838, and qualified and served for a number of years, as is shown by the
old records of Stark county. Almost constantly from the time of his
settlement in the county the task of filling some one of the township
positions was exacted of him. He was a worthy man, who had seen much of
the world, and all of his neighbors had implicit confidence in his
integrity and ability.
William KREIGHBAUM, the father of the subject, was only four years old when his parents
moved to Stark county, and here
he grew to manhood, receiving such limited education as the country
schools afforded at that time. However, he was a man of strong mental
powers and much natural capacity, which caused his neighbors to look upon
him as a man of far more learning than he really had. Almost before he
had attained his maturity he had met and married Miss Sarah HANE, also a
native of Pennsylvania. Like most of the young people of the west at
that time, they settled upon a farm and devoted themselves to
agricultural pursuits, there being little else in those days for young
people to do to gain a livelihood. They located in Lake township, and by
their industry and thrift made a fine farm, built a comfortable home and
occupied it until their deaths. He died April 7, 1869, while her death
occurred in November, 1882. To William and Sarah KREIGHBAUM fourteen
children were born, the youngest of whom is John O., the subject of this
sketch. They are named Urias, Henry, Matilda, George, William, Amanda,
Edwin, Ellen, Mahala, Hiram, Clinton, Frances and John O. All were given the
best advantages to secure an education which the country then afforded,
and upon attaining maturity they went out into the world to do for
themselves, settled in different localities, married and prospered.
At the time of the death of William KREIGHBAUM, in 1869, John O. was
little more than fourteen years old. He had attended school during the
winter months most of the years of his boyhood and worked upon the farm
during the summer. There was little change in his life after the sad
event which rendered him fatherless. His mother supervised and his elder
brothers executed the work of the farm until he became old enough and
strong enough to take the place of the latter, and he remained at home,
working for his mother, until he was twenty-one years of age. The first
three years thereafter he resided in Jackson, and then in Plain
township. He then moved to New Berlin and engaged in the business of
dealing in live stock and wool, in which business he has been very
prosperous. In 1884 he was elected a member of the New Berlin school
board, and has served continuously ever since. In 1889 he was elected
county commissioner, and so well did he guard the public interests that
he was twice afterward returned to the same position. Even before he
attained his majority and had the right of the elective franchise
conferred upon him, he took an active part in political affairs. He is
a firm believer in the principles of the Democratic party, and is always
zealously interested in the success of its candidates. He and his
family are members of the English Reformed church, and are liberal
contributors to its support. He is a member of the Knights of the
Maccabees, and of the Stark county Grange.
In the county in which he has lived so long and where he is so well known,
Mr. KREIGHBAUM has always been a leader in every public enterprise, and
in every popular movement calculated to benefit the community his
influence and support are eagerly sought, he being frequently able to
accomplish more by personal solicitation than others can with the courts
of law at their back. One instance is all that need be given. When
arrangements were being made for the building of the Canton & Akron
Railroad, some discussion arose as to the best manner in which to secure
the right of way. The legal process known as "condemnation proceedings"
was advocated by most of those interested as the surest and most
speediest way. Mr. KREIGHBAUM, being opposed to this
process unless it was found absolutely necessary, personally offered to
undertake the task of soliciting the desired right of way, if afforded a
little time before beginning condemnation proceedings, and before the
time had expired laid in the hands of the company fifty-two warranty
deeds to the right of way, thus obviating the necessity of resorting to
any legal proceeding whatever. The people had confidence in the man who
did the soliciting, believed implicitly what
he told them, and as a personal favor granted all that could possibly
have been secured by means of a law suit. He also obtained the right of
way from Navarre to New Philadelphia, securing one hundred and forty
deeds. Those who know Mr. KREIGHBAUM best predict that there is a far
wider field of exercise of his talents in the future than he has had in
the past. Age is not a matter of years, but of conditions, and his
condition bespeaks him still a young man. Even his years are by no
means against him. Many of the noted men of history accomplished their
life work after they passed the fiftieth milestone.
[§-1] The family genealogy has since been researched and is presented throughout this website.