John R. Buchtel (1820–1892) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He founded Buchtel College, which became The

University of Akron The University of Akron is a public research university in Akron, Ohio. It is part of the University System of Ohio. As a STEM-focused institution, it focuses on industries such as polymers, advanced materials, and engineering. It is classified ...

. Buchtel High School, a public high school in

Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...

, is named in his honor. JohnBuchtel

Buchtel was born on January 18, 1820, in

Stark County, Ohio Stark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 374,853. Its county seat is Canton. The county was created in 1808 and organized the next year. It is named for John Stark, an officer in th ...

. He began his business interests in agriculture, acquiring a large amount of farmland in Stark County and in the state of

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

. He then worked for Ball, Aultman, and Company, and led the development of the company's new factory in Akron, which became known as the Buckeye Mower and Reaper Company. When Buckeye Mower became independent, Buchtel served as its first president. He later became the general manager of the Akron Iron Company, and when it merged with several other firms to create the Columbus and Hocking Coal and Iron Company, he served as one of its vice-presidents. He was also an early investor in the rubber company of Dr. Benjamin F. Goodrich. In 1887, a stroke left him unable to work.

He died on May 23, 1892.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buchtel, John R. 1820 births 1892 deaths Burials at Glendale Cemetery, Akron People from Stark County, Ohio University and college founders