My Genealogy Hound

WALTER HAGAR. Xenia has become well known among neighboring cities on account of the number and importance of its business establishments and manufactories, which have wielded an immense power in developing the commercial interests of the State of Ohio. Among these the stranger especially notices the mills of the Xenia Paper Company, which was organized in May, 1881, with a capital stock of $20,000. The first officers of the company were the Hon. John Little, President; F. C. Trebein, Vice President; C. C. Shearer, Secretary; John S. Ankeney, Treasurer, and Walter Hagar, Superintendent.

The first move toward incorporating this company was made by Mr. Hagar, who secured the assistance of Mr. Ankeney, Cashier of the Second National Bank. At first there was put up about one-half the present plant, with machinery to complete a first- class mill capable of producing six thousand pounds of paper daily. Later by increasing the speed and doubling the amount of machinery with enlargement of buildings, the quantity of paper produced will now average nearly thirty thousand pounds daily. The present official Board of the company is as follows: Hon. John Little, President; F. C. Trebein, Vice-President; Edwin W. Hagar, Treasurer; Horace Ankeney, Secretary; and Walter Hagar, Superintendent and Manager.

Walter Hagar was born March 4, 1823. At the age of fifteen years he commenced work in the paper mills of his native place, Newton Lower Falls, Mass. In the year 1857 he removed to Kentucky where for two years he was Superintendent of the paper mills near Frankfort City. Half the force employed here was slave labor.

Removing to Ohio prior to the late war, Mr. Hagar engaged with the firm of Bachelor, DeCamp & Co., of Cincinnati as Superintendent of their mills at Lockland. After remaining there six years he removed to Dayton, where for three years he had the management of the business of one of the mills in that city. Removing thence to Clifton, Greene County, he was for six years engaged in paper manufacture under the firm name of King & Hagar. At the expiration of six years this company dissolved. Mr. Hagar then removed to Enon, this State, where he engaged in the construction and management of the paper mills of the Springfield Republic Company. After eight years’ service at Enon he took up his abode in Xenia, his present place of residence. After eight years in business in this city Mr. Hagar, at the age of sixty-seven years, is still actively engaged in his life work and enjoys good health with the promise of years of active service yet before him.