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DAVID ATEN, florist, who has been engaged in his present business at Toronto, Ohio since 1894, has long been a representative citizen here and is widely known. He was born on a farm in Know Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, September 7, 1841, and is a son of Jacob and Eliza (Brown) Aten. David Aten was reared on the home farm and attended the country school. From the farm he came to Toronto, in 1874, and helped to start the first planing mill and lumber yard here which business was conducted under the name of the Phoenix Planing Mill Company. His partners in this enterprise were Jefferson Saltzman and J. B. Bowles. Mr. Aten continued in the mill and lumber business for six years and then started the first general hardware store at Toronto, and conducted the Aten Hardware Supply Store for some ten years, erecting the commodions three-story brick building in which his store was located, a valuable piece of property he still retains. Finding his hearing becoming somewhat impaired, Mr. Aten retired from that line of business, adopting one where this infirmity made less difference and built his greenhouse, in 1894, and went into the florist business. He no longer attempts to grow all the flowers his trade demands but handles those produced by a first class company. Mr. Aten not only was the pioneer in a number of business lines here, but he has also continuously been interested in the general welfare of the town, lending his support to its educational and religious agencies. Mr. Aten married Miss Martha Jane Carson, a daughter of David and Elizabeth (McKinney) Carson, who was born in Virginia, but was reared in Pennsylvania. They have had five children, namely: Mary Elizabeth, who died when aged ten years; Alfred, who went to California in search of health, died on his way home; Martha E., who married Dr. Snyder; Flora, who married Benjamin Wilson; and David Leroy, who died at the age of three years. Mr. and Mrs. Aten are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which he is an elder.  Return to Family Tales
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