Union County, Ohio Biographies Project - Charles Biddle
CHARLES BIDDLE
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Charles Biddle of the firm of Beem & Biddle, manufacturers,
Richwood, Ohio was born in Columbus, Ohio, March 8, 1849, and is a son
of Thomas and Elizabeth (Perry) Biddle. His father built a
planing mill in Columbus, in 1849, which is said by him to have been
the first built in the State. Our subject worked in the planing
mill until nineteen years of age, when he worked on the railroad as a
fireman for a short time; after which he took charge of the railroad
round house and held it till the strike of 1873. He did not join
the strike, as he does not believe in them, but resigned his position
because be thought it policy to do so. In 1874, he went to work
in the planing mill at Columbus, and in 1875 came to Richwood and
embarked in his present enterprise with Mr. Beem. They employ
about thirty hands, do an extensive business and ship goods of their
production all over the world. Mr. Biddle his ingeniously
contrived several inventions that have materially increased their
capacity for production. They manufacture wheelbarrows that have
an extensive sale throughout the United States, single orders being
sent in for as many as 100,000 at one time. Mr. Biddle, was
married, in 1874, to Anna Fisher, a native of Union County, and a
daughter of William Fisher, and by her has had two children Laura and
William. Mr. Biddle is a Republican, and he and his wife are
members of the Methodist Protestant Church.