Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early
Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early settlement and development ... biographies and portraits of early settlers and representative citizens, etc
Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co., 1897
***
A. E. ROYCE. The successful career of this leading business man and capitalist, who now holds the position of president of the Commercial Banking Company, of Bowling Green, proves the truth of the old saying. " There is always room at the top. " The story of the lives of such men can not too often be told, that it may become an incentive to others whose early opportunities were no greater, and whose chances for success are fully equal to those of the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Royce was born in Huron county, Ohio, July 25, 1844, and is the only child of William and Elizabeth (Scammon) Royce. His father was born in New Hampshire in 1822, removing from that State to New York, and thence to Huron county, Ohio, where he located in Fairfield township. The greater part of his life he spent in the lumber business. In 1871 he located in Bowling Green, where his death occurred in 1884. He was a Democrat, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Elisha Royce, the father of William, was a lumberman in New England, but after removing to Huron county followed farming until his death, which occurred when he was at an advanced age. The Royce family are of Scotch and Irish extraction. The mother of our subject was born in Cayuga county, N. Y., November 23, 1824, and is still living, strong in body and mind. She makes her home in Bowling Green.
Mr. Royce spent his boyhood days in Huron county, attending the common schools and working on his grandfather's farm in his leisure hours, the first money he ever earned being made in this way. On the death of his grandfather, however, the property was divided among the heirs, and he was thrown out of employment. He was then about seventeen years of age, and with the few dollars he had saved he went to Toledo, Ohio, to seek employment and to carve out his fortune. He began in a very humble way, hiring out as a common laborer, and carrying plank into a chair factory to be modeled by more skillful hands into furniture, receiving for this work seventy-five cents per day. The grit and pluck of his sturdy Scotch ancestors were soon manifested in this young lad, for he made himself so useful that at the end of ten years he was still in the employ of the same company, but no longer as a common laborer. At this time he was the chief engineer, at a salary of $110 a month.
It was during the latter part of his services in this factory, that what Mr. Royce regards as the most important event in his life occurred. Almost every evening as he went home from work, carrying his tin dinner-pail, he would meet upon the street the then opulent wholesale grocer, Peter Berdan, returning after his evening meal to look after the interests of his large business. The quiet demeanor of this successful merchant attracted the attention of our subject, and he philosophised that even Mr. Berdan must have started in an humble manner, and concluded that others with sufficient tenacity of purpose could do the same. Evening after evening he passed the old merchant in his regular walk to the store, and gradually Mr. Royce formed his resolution to give up his salary and position, and start in business for himself. Thus, without having the slightest knowledge of it, Mr. Berdan wielded a strong influence over our subject, who often points out this incident as an illustration of the unconscious power each individual in society exerts for good or evil upon the younger generation around him.
With the courage of his convictions, Mr. Royce resigned his position, and with money he had saved up, purchased a horse and wagon, made his own harness, and began business as a huckster. This he carried on in Toledo, then removing to Bowling Green, where he rented a vacant room and started a grocery store. He hauled his entire stock of goods, about $150 worth, from Toledo at one load, in his one-horse wagon, put them up on the shelves of his room at night, and at early dawn had the doors opened to customers. Thus the first great step in the career of one of the most successful men in northern Ohio had been attained, and his first ambition, which was to have a business of his own, was gratified. It was on a small scale, to be sure, but from this humble beginning Mr. Royce has built up a large and flourishing trade. As his means increased he extended his operations in various directions, investing largely in property in Bowling Green, which then village he foresaw was destined to become a place of importance in trade in northern Ohio, especially as a grain center. He sold out his grocery stock in 1884. Prior to this he had embarked in the grain business, buying a car-load of corn, had it shelled by hand, and shipped it to Tontogany on the little railroad which was at that time the only one running through Bowling Green. He was obliged to act himself as fireman in order to get this shipment to market at Toledo, and thus may well lay claim to being the pioneer grain shipper of that section of the county.
Subsequently Mr. Royce built a small corn crib, which was afterward converted into an elevator, run by horse power, which he operated alone for some years, finally taking in as a partner Mr. J. J. Coon, of Toledo. The manner in which this business has succeeded is best told by its present condition, this firm now owning two large elevators, besides a mill in Bowling Green, and a mill in each of the following places: Tontogany, Custar, Hoyt's Corner, North Baltimore, and Dunbridge. Mr. Royce has entire charge of the business, and has enlarged it from that one car-load of corn, shelled by hand, to 110 car-loads per week.
Soon after selling out his grocery business, in 1885 Mr. Royce organized the banking firm of Royce, Smith & Coon, and opened a private bank in Bowling Green, which was re-organized in 1890, under the laws of the State, as a stock company with $100,000 capital. This is one of the soundest financial institutions in Ohio, and Mr. Royce is its first and only president. He also owned the second oil well drilled in this county, but finding he had already all the business he could attend to, he soon disposed of his interests in that direction. He owns a large amount of property in Bowling Green, and erected what is known as the Royce Building.
Our subject was married October 31, 1867, to Elizabeth Curson, who died in 1877. One child was the result of this union, Maud, who was born November 29, 1871, and is the wife of F. E. Whitaker, a merchant of Bowling Green. The present wife of Mr. Royce, to whom he was married January 31, 1888, was Miss Hattie Cargo, and they have one child named Ethel. Mr. Royce is a Republican in politics, but in local affairs is not bound by party lines, voting for the men he considers the best for the offices. Socially he belongs to the I. O. O. F. and the Royal Arcanum, and is prominent in all philanthropic work and enterprises which have for their object the welfare of the community
bio provided by
Matthew W. Hungling
Access Services
Jerome Library - BGSU
(mother link provided by Tony #46527423)
Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early settlement and development ... biographies and portraits of early settlers and representative citizens, etc
Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co., 1897
***
A. E. ROYCE. The successful career of this leading business man and capitalist, who now holds the position of president of the Commercial Banking Company, of Bowling Green, proves the truth of the old saying. " There is always room at the top. " The story of the lives of such men can not too often be told, that it may become an incentive to others whose early opportunities were no greater, and whose chances for success are fully equal to those of the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Royce was born in Huron county, Ohio, July 25, 1844, and is the only child of William and Elizabeth (Scammon) Royce. His father was born in New Hampshire in 1822, removing from that State to New York, and thence to Huron county, Ohio, where he located in Fairfield township. The greater part of his life he spent in the lumber business. In 1871 he located in Bowling Green, where his death occurred in 1884. He was a Democrat, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Elisha Royce, the father of William, was a lumberman in New England, but after removing to Huron county followed farming until his death, which occurred when he was at an advanced age. The Royce family are of Scotch and Irish extraction. The mother of our subject was born in Cayuga county, N. Y., November 23, 1824, and is still living, strong in body and mind. She makes her home in Bowling Green.
Mr. Royce spent his boyhood days in Huron county, attending the common schools and working on his grandfather's farm in his leisure hours, the first money he ever earned being made in this way. On the death of his grandfather, however, the property was divided among the heirs, and he was thrown out of employment. He was then about seventeen years of age, and with the few dollars he had saved he went to Toledo, Ohio, to seek employment and to carve out his fortune. He began in a very humble way, hiring out as a common laborer, and carrying plank into a chair factory to be modeled by more skillful hands into furniture, receiving for this work seventy-five cents per day. The grit and pluck of his sturdy Scotch ancestors were soon manifested in this young lad, for he made himself so useful that at the end of ten years he was still in the employ of the same company, but no longer as a common laborer. At this time he was the chief engineer, at a salary of $110 a month.
It was during the latter part of his services in this factory, that what Mr. Royce regards as the most important event in his life occurred. Almost every evening as he went home from work, carrying his tin dinner-pail, he would meet upon the street the then opulent wholesale grocer, Peter Berdan, returning after his evening meal to look after the interests of his large business. The quiet demeanor of this successful merchant attracted the attention of our subject, and he philosophised that even Mr. Berdan must have started in an humble manner, and concluded that others with sufficient tenacity of purpose could do the same. Evening after evening he passed the old merchant in his regular walk to the store, and gradually Mr. Royce formed his resolution to give up his salary and position, and start in business for himself. Thus, without having the slightest knowledge of it, Mr. Berdan wielded a strong influence over our subject, who often points out this incident as an illustration of the unconscious power each individual in society exerts for good or evil upon the younger generation around him.
With the courage of his convictions, Mr. Royce resigned his position, and with money he had saved up, purchased a horse and wagon, made his own harness, and began business as a huckster. This he carried on in Toledo, then removing to Bowling Green, where he rented a vacant room and started a grocery store. He hauled his entire stock of goods, about $150 worth, from Toledo at one load, in his one-horse wagon, put them up on the shelves of his room at night, and at early dawn had the doors opened to customers. Thus the first great step in the career of one of the most successful men in northern Ohio had been attained, and his first ambition, which was to have a business of his own, was gratified. It was on a small scale, to be sure, but from this humble beginning Mr. Royce has built up a large and flourishing trade. As his means increased he extended his operations in various directions, investing largely in property in Bowling Green, which then village he foresaw was destined to become a place of importance in trade in northern Ohio, especially as a grain center. He sold out his grocery stock in 1884. Prior to this he had embarked in the grain business, buying a car-load of corn, had it shelled by hand, and shipped it to Tontogany on the little railroad which was at that time the only one running through Bowling Green. He was obliged to act himself as fireman in order to get this shipment to market at Toledo, and thus may well lay claim to being the pioneer grain shipper of that section of the county.
Subsequently Mr. Royce built a small corn crib, which was afterward converted into an elevator, run by horse power, which he operated alone for some years, finally taking in as a partner Mr. J. J. Coon, of Toledo. The manner in which this business has succeeded is best told by its present condition, this firm now owning two large elevators, besides a mill in Bowling Green, and a mill in each of the following places: Tontogany, Custar, Hoyt's Corner, North Baltimore, and Dunbridge. Mr. Royce has entire charge of the business, and has enlarged it from that one car-load of corn, shelled by hand, to 110 car-loads per week.
Soon after selling out his grocery business, in 1885 Mr. Royce organized the banking firm of Royce, Smith & Coon, and opened a private bank in Bowling Green, which was re-organized in 1890, under the laws of the State, as a stock company with $100,000 capital. This is one of the soundest financial institutions in Ohio, and Mr. Royce is its first and only president. He also owned the second oil well drilled in this county, but finding he had already all the business he could attend to, he soon disposed of his interests in that direction. He owns a large amount of property in Bowling Green, and erected what is known as the Royce Building.
Our subject was married October 31, 1867, to Elizabeth Curson, who died in 1877. One child was the result of this union, Maud, who was born November 29, 1871, and is the wife of F. E. Whitaker, a merchant of Bowling Green. The present wife of Mr. Royce, to whom he was married January 31, 1888, was Miss Hattie Cargo, and they have one child named Ethel. Mr. Royce is a Republican in politics, but in local affairs is not bound by party lines, voting for the men he considers the best for the offices. Socially he belongs to the I. O. O. F. and the Royal Arcanum, and is prominent in all philanthropic work and enterprises which have for their object the welfare of the community
bio provided by
Matthew W. Hungling
Access Services
Jerome Library - BGSU
(mother link provided by Tony #46527423)
Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early
Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early settlement and development ... biographies and portraits of early settlers and representative citizens, etc
Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co., 1897
***
A. E. ROYCE. The successful career of this leading business man and capitalist, who now holds the position of president of the Commercial Banking Company, of Bowling Green, proves the truth of the old saying. " There is always room at the top. " The story of the lives of such men can not too often be told, that it may become an incentive to others whose early opportunities were no greater, and whose chances for success are fully equal to those of the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Royce was born in Huron county, Ohio, July 25, 1844, and is the only child of William and Elizabeth (Scammon) Royce. His father was born in New Hampshire in 1822, removing from that State to New York, and thence to Huron county, Ohio, where he located in Fairfield township. The greater part of his life he spent in the lumber business. In 1871 he located in Bowling Green, where his death occurred in 1884. He was a Democrat, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Elisha Royce, the father of William, was a lumberman in New England, but after removing to Huron county followed farming until his death, which occurred when he was at an advanced age. The Royce family are of Scotch and Irish extraction. The mother of our subject was born in Cayuga county, N. Y., November 23, 1824, and is still living, strong in body and mind. She makes her home in Bowling Green.
Mr. Royce spent his boyhood days in Huron county, attending the common schools and working on his grandfather's farm in his leisure hours, the first money he ever earned being made in this way. On the death of his grandfather, however, the property was divided among the heirs, and he was thrown out of employment. He was then about seventeen years of age, and with the few dollars he had saved he went to Toledo, Ohio, to seek employment and to carve out his fortune. He began in a very humble way, hiring out as a common laborer, and carrying plank into a chair factory to be modeled by more skillful hands into furniture, receiving for this work seventy-five cents per day. The grit and pluck of his sturdy Scotch ancestors were soon manifested in this young lad, for he made himself so useful that at the end of ten years he was still in the employ of the same company, but no longer as a common laborer. At this time he was the chief engineer, at a salary of $110 a month.
It was during the latter part of his services in this factory, that what Mr. Royce regards as the most important event in his life occurred. Almost every evening as he went home from work, carrying his tin dinner-pail, he would meet upon the street the then opulent wholesale grocer, Peter Berdan, returning after his evening meal to look after the interests of his large business. The quiet demeanor of this successful merchant attracted the attention of our subject, and he philosophised that even Mr. Berdan must have started in an humble manner, and concluded that others with sufficient tenacity of purpose could do the same. Evening after evening he passed the old merchant in his regular walk to the store, and gradually Mr. Royce formed his resolution to give up his salary and position, and start in business for himself. Thus, without having the slightest knowledge of it, Mr. Berdan wielded a strong influence over our subject, who often points out this incident as an illustration of the unconscious power each individual in society exerts for good or evil upon the younger generation around him.
With the courage of his convictions, Mr. Royce resigned his position, and with money he had saved up, purchased a horse and wagon, made his own harness, and began business as a huckster. This he carried on in Toledo, then removing to Bowling Green, where he rented a vacant room and started a grocery store. He hauled his entire stock of goods, about $150 worth, from Toledo at one load, in his one-horse wagon, put them up on the shelves of his room at night, and at early dawn had the doors opened to customers. Thus the first great step in the career of one of the most successful men in northern Ohio had been attained, and his first ambition, which was to have a business of his own, was gratified. It was on a small scale, to be sure, but from this humble beginning Mr. Royce has built up a large and flourishing trade. As his means increased he extended his operations in various directions, investing largely in property in Bowling Green, which then village he foresaw was destined to become a place of importance in trade in northern Ohio, especially as a grain center. He sold out his grocery stock in 1884. Prior to this he had embarked in the grain business, buying a car-load of corn, had it shelled by hand, and shipped it to Tontogany on the little railroad which was at that time the only one running through Bowling Green. He was obliged to act himself as fireman in order to get this shipment to market at Toledo, and thus may well lay claim to being the pioneer grain shipper of that section of the county.
Subsequently Mr. Royce built a small corn crib, which was afterward converted into an elevator, run by horse power, which he operated alone for some years, finally taking in as a partner Mr. J. J. Coon, of Toledo. The manner in which this business has succeeded is best told by its present condition, this firm now owning two large elevators, besides a mill in Bowling Green, and a mill in each of the following places: Tontogany, Custar, Hoyt's Corner, North Baltimore, and Dunbridge. Mr. Royce has entire charge of the business, and has enlarged it from that one car-load of corn, shelled by hand, to 110 car-loads per week.
Soon after selling out his grocery business, in 1885 Mr. Royce organized the banking firm of Royce, Smith & Coon, and opened a private bank in Bowling Green, which was re-organized in 1890, under the laws of the State, as a stock company with $100,000 capital. This is one of the soundest financial institutions in Ohio, and Mr. Royce is its first and only president. He also owned the second oil well drilled in this county, but finding he had already all the business he could attend to, he soon disposed of his interests in that direction. He owns a large amount of property in Bowling Green, and erected what is known as the Royce Building.
Our subject was married October 31, 1867, to Elizabeth Curson, who died in 1877. One child was the result of this union, Maud, who was born November 29, 1871, and is the wife of F. E. Whitaker, a merchant of Bowling Green. The present wife of Mr. Royce, to whom he was married January 31, 1888, was Miss Hattie Cargo, and they have one child named Ethel. Mr. Royce is a Republican in politics, but in local affairs is not bound by party lines, voting for the men he considers the best for the offices. Socially he belongs to the I. O. O. F. and the Royal Arcanum, and is prominent in all philanthropic work and enterprises which have for their object the welfare of the community
bio provided by
Matthew W. Hungling
Access Services
Jerome Library - BGSU
(mother link provided by Tony #46527423)
Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early settlement and development ... biographies and portraits of early settlers and representative citizens, etc
Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co., 1897
***
A. E. ROYCE. The successful career of this leading business man and capitalist, who now holds the position of president of the Commercial Banking Company, of Bowling Green, proves the truth of the old saying. " There is always room at the top. " The story of the lives of such men can not too often be told, that it may become an incentive to others whose early opportunities were no greater, and whose chances for success are fully equal to those of the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Royce was born in Huron county, Ohio, July 25, 1844, and is the only child of William and Elizabeth (Scammon) Royce. His father was born in New Hampshire in 1822, removing from that State to New York, and thence to Huron county, Ohio, where he located in Fairfield township. The greater part of his life he spent in the lumber business. In 1871 he located in Bowling Green, where his death occurred in 1884. He was a Democrat, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Elisha Royce, the father of William, was a lumberman in New England, but after removing to Huron county followed farming until his death, which occurred when he was at an advanced age. The Royce family are of Scotch and Irish extraction. The mother of our subject was born in Cayuga county, N. Y., November 23, 1824, and is still living, strong in body and mind. She makes her home in Bowling Green.
Mr. Royce spent his boyhood days in Huron county, attending the common schools and working on his grandfather's farm in his leisure hours, the first money he ever earned being made in this way. On the death of his grandfather, however, the property was divided among the heirs, and he was thrown out of employment. He was then about seventeen years of age, and with the few dollars he had saved he went to Toledo, Ohio, to seek employment and to carve out his fortune. He began in a very humble way, hiring out as a common laborer, and carrying plank into a chair factory to be modeled by more skillful hands into furniture, receiving for this work seventy-five cents per day. The grit and pluck of his sturdy Scotch ancestors were soon manifested in this young lad, for he made himself so useful that at the end of ten years he was still in the employ of the same company, but no longer as a common laborer. At this time he was the chief engineer, at a salary of $110 a month.
It was during the latter part of his services in this factory, that what Mr. Royce regards as the most important event in his life occurred. Almost every evening as he went home from work, carrying his tin dinner-pail, he would meet upon the street the then opulent wholesale grocer, Peter Berdan, returning after his evening meal to look after the interests of his large business. The quiet demeanor of this successful merchant attracted the attention of our subject, and he philosophised that even Mr. Berdan must have started in an humble manner, and concluded that others with sufficient tenacity of purpose could do the same. Evening after evening he passed the old merchant in his regular walk to the store, and gradually Mr. Royce formed his resolution to give up his salary and position, and start in business for himself. Thus, without having the slightest knowledge of it, Mr. Berdan wielded a strong influence over our subject, who often points out this incident as an illustration of the unconscious power each individual in society exerts for good or evil upon the younger generation around him.
With the courage of his convictions, Mr. Royce resigned his position, and with money he had saved up, purchased a horse and wagon, made his own harness, and began business as a huckster. This he carried on in Toledo, then removing to Bowling Green, where he rented a vacant room and started a grocery store. He hauled his entire stock of goods, about $150 worth, from Toledo at one load, in his one-horse wagon, put them up on the shelves of his room at night, and at early dawn had the doors opened to customers. Thus the first great step in the career of one of the most successful men in northern Ohio had been attained, and his first ambition, which was to have a business of his own, was gratified. It was on a small scale, to be sure, but from this humble beginning Mr. Royce has built up a large and flourishing trade. As his means increased he extended his operations in various directions, investing largely in property in Bowling Green, which then village he foresaw was destined to become a place of importance in trade in northern Ohio, especially as a grain center. He sold out his grocery stock in 1884. Prior to this he had embarked in the grain business, buying a car-load of corn, had it shelled by hand, and shipped it to Tontogany on the little railroad which was at that time the only one running through Bowling Green. He was obliged to act himself as fireman in order to get this shipment to market at Toledo, and thus may well lay claim to being the pioneer grain shipper of that section of the county.
Subsequently Mr. Royce built a small corn crib, which was afterward converted into an elevator, run by horse power, which he operated alone for some years, finally taking in as a partner Mr. J. J. Coon, of Toledo. The manner in which this business has succeeded is best told by its present condition, this firm now owning two large elevators, besides a mill in Bowling Green, and a mill in each of the following places: Tontogany, Custar, Hoyt's Corner, North Baltimore, and Dunbridge. Mr. Royce has entire charge of the business, and has enlarged it from that one car-load of corn, shelled by hand, to 110 car-loads per week.
Soon after selling out his grocery business, in 1885 Mr. Royce organized the banking firm of Royce, Smith & Coon, and opened a private bank in Bowling Green, which was re-organized in 1890, under the laws of the State, as a stock company with $100,000 capital. This is one of the soundest financial institutions in Ohio, and Mr. Royce is its first and only president. He also owned the second oil well drilled in this county, but finding he had already all the business he could attend to, he soon disposed of his interests in that direction. He owns a large amount of property in Bowling Green, and erected what is known as the Royce Building.
Our subject was married October 31, 1867, to Elizabeth Curson, who died in 1877. One child was the result of this union, Maud, who was born November 29, 1871, and is the wife of F. E. Whitaker, a merchant of Bowling Green. The present wife of Mr. Royce, to whom he was married January 31, 1888, was Miss Hattie Cargo, and they have one child named Ethel. Mr. Royce is a Republican in politics, but in local affairs is not bound by party lines, voting for the men he considers the best for the offices. Socially he belongs to the I. O. O. F. and the Royal Arcanum, and is prominent in all philanthropic work and enterprises which have for their object the welfare of the community
bio provided by
Matthew W. Hungling
Access Services
Jerome Library - BGSU
(mother link provided by Tony #46527423)
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