P U N S H O N B E C O M E S A P A R T N E RThomas B. Punshon, son of John W. Punshon and Ruth Langdon Punshon, was born September 6, 1855, on the east side of Cincinnati. 41Thomass father was the one-time owner of about 300 acres of land in the western part of the city, seventy-five of which are now part of Ault Park. 42Educated in the public schools ofCincinnati, Punshon devoted his study to mathematics and surveying. 43In 1872, after graduation, he started working in the office of Joseph Earnshaw. Thomas and his first wife, Grace Hickok, were married April 9, 1889. 44Their marriage only lasted eleven days: Grace developed heart disease and passed away on April 20. 45Punshon remarried shortly after to Louise Schulte, whose grandfather, William Brown, was one of three noncommissioned officers to receive a Purple Cross from President George Washington for his meritorious service during the American Revolution. 46Thomas and Louises daughter Ruth was born October 20, 1898. In 1890, Earnshaw made Punshon partner of his firm 47due to his ability as an engineer, and together they founded the Earnshaw and Punshon Civil Engineering Firm. In 1895, they added landscape engineering to their firms title. Starting in 1897, Punshon served two terms as city engineer under Mayor Gustav Tafels administration. As president of his own engineering firm he attained a high rank on his professional specialty and his opinions were largely acceptedas authority. 48Surveys of Rookwood, the Longworth familys estate, 1879, and John Shillito property, 189820