It is seldom that the news of death causes such uniform regret as was felt in Coshocton and this county when it was announced that the life record of John Jackson Rose was ended. This could only be said of a man whose many good qualities and sterling worth, whose genial manner and kindly disposition had made him popular. He was for a number of years associated with the commercial interests of the city and his salient traits as a merchant constituted a most commendable feature in his career. There were, however, many other elements in his life that made him worthy the regard and good will of those with whom he came in contact and his life history cannot fail to prove of interest to the readers of this volume. Born in Roscoe, November 19, 1850, he died in Coshocton, May 22, 1907, at the age of fifty-seven years.

He came of French ancestry fortified with old Virginia blue blood. His father, Daniel Rose, was a manufacturer, furniture dealer and undertaker. His birth occurred at Zanesville, Ohio to which place his parents had recently removed from the Isle of Geurnsey, France. He married Alcinda G. Ricketts, who was born in Culpeper county, Virginia, and accompanied her parents, Anthony and Henriettya Ricketts, to Ohio when six years of age, the family fording the Ohio river at Steubenville. Thus in both the paternal and maternal lines J. J. Rose was descended from pioneer families of this state. His paternal grandfather built the first foundry and machine shop in Coshocton county at the end of the Roscoe bridge, and from that time representatives of the name have figured prominently in connection with the industrial and commercial interests of the locality. The death of Daniel Rose occurred April 28, 1888m when he was sixty-three years of age, while his wife passed away January 7, 1888, at the age of fifty-nine years.

Reared in his native village, J. J. Rose pursued his education in the public schools until he completed the high-school course by graduation. He was a close and earnest student and always a well read man, keeping in touch with the questions and issues of the day, while at the same time he was continually broadening his knowledge of business matters and conditions. Soon after putting aside his text-books he was apprenticed to the plasterer's trade and became a journeyman. Eventually he began contracting on his own account and, meeting with good success in that undertaking, was thus enable to enter commercial circles as a furniture dealer and undertaker in partnership with his father. The business relation between them was established in 1876 and was so continued until the death of the senior partner in 1888. John J. Rose then became sol proprietor. This was one of the leading establishments of the kind in the city. The firm enjoyed an extensive and growing patronage because of the straightforward business methods they pursued and the excellent line of goods which they carried. Mr. Rose would never countenance the employment of any business methods that would not bear the closet investigation and scrutiny. His path was never strewn with the wreck of other men's fortunes, nor would he allow any act of his to prove a stumbling block in the business career of another who was working diligently and honorably to secure success. A careful review of the business situation had led him to understand that in the individual, and not in his environment nor circumstances, are the possibilities of success and, knowing this, he closely applied himself to his work and in the course of time established an enterprise which is one of the leading commercial concerns of Coshocton.

Mr. Rose was married twice. On the 5th of January, 1876, he wedded Miss Weltha L. Ransom, who died leaving a daughter, now Mrs. Charlotte Herbig. The mother passed away February 17, 1892, and on the 8th of September, 1896, Mr. Rose wedded Miss Linnie M. Sims, who still survives together with their little daughter, Phyllis Kathryn, born June 21, 1989.

Mr. Rose gave his political support to the republican party with which he became identified on attaining his majority. He was in full sympathy with its principles and worked for their adoption but he never sought office as a reward for his party loyalty. He, however, served as a delegate to several state conventions and on one occasion was an alternate to the republican national convention. He was well known for his active and helpful interest in fraternal matters, holding membership with the Knights of Pythias, while in Masonry he had attained the Knight Templar degree, being the first member of the commandery at Coshocton who departed this life. He was also a member of the Sons of Veterans and all these organizations followed his remains to their last resting place. although he did not hold membership with any church, he was in hearty sympathy with religious work and contributed to its support, attending the services of the Presbyterian church with his wife.

When death claimed him one of the local publications said: "Mr. Rose was a self-made man, who raised himself to comparative affluence by his own industry and integrity. Life was not an easy path for him but he smiled and laughed along the way and the burdens grew lighter. There was not better know figure on the streets of Coshocton, no one who was more welcome ina little informal gathering of business men. He always had his viewpoint on public questions and men knew his opinions and respected them. Every one recognize that he was sincere in what he believed and while he never failed to give strong and sturdy expression to his views if the occasion demanded, his friends and those who came within the closer circle of his acquaintance knew him as a most tender-hearted man. No one came to him for help or counsel in vain and his words of sympathy cheered many a man in facing difficulties. Outspoken and emphatic in his words, firm in his convictions and unswerving in carrying out his own ideas, when the day came at last he was notified to lay aside the worries of his life, as all men must some day, nobody could harbor anything but the most heartfelt good will for this man, who had the courage as few men have to speak his thoughts and fight to the last ditch for what his inner nature prompted him to support."

The funeral of Mr. Rose was one of the largest ever seen in Coshocton. Knights Templar, Knights of Pythias and Sons of Veterans, to the number of nearly three hundred and fifty, marched in solemn procession to the cemetery where the interment was made, and more than these, there came many other friends who had known him in the carried relations of life and had learned to honor and respect him. He was faithful to those to whom he gave his friendship, was loyal in his citizenship and true to every trust, but his best traits of character were reserved for his own home and fireside and there it is that his loss will be most deeply felt. However, he left his impress for good upon the community, while his history forms no unimportant chapter in the annals of Coshocton during the latter years of the nineteenth and the opening years of the twentieth century.