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HISTORY OF

YOUNGSTOWN

AND

THE MAHONING VALLEY
OHIO

BY
JOS. G. BUTLER. JR.

VOLUME II

PUBLISHERS
AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1921

COPYRIGHT 1921
BY
AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Youngstown and the Mahoning VaUey

AsAEL E. Adams, president of the first National
and Dollar Banks of Youngstown, director in many
industrial concerns, and among the most active and
influential figures in the business life of the Mahon
ing Valley, is descended from the pioneers of this
country. He was born at Cleveland, Ohio, Octo
ber 25, 1867, his father being Comfort A. Adams
and his mother Catharine (Peticolos) Adams. The
father was bom in Connecticut of pure Yankee
stock dating back to tfae first Colonial governor
and a coi'lateral relative of John Quincy Adaras.
The mother was of French Huguenot stock. They
came to the Western Reserve early in life and resid
ed at Warren for a time. Comfort A. Adams hav
ing been during his residence there one of the early
editors of the Western Reserve Chronicle. After
the Civil war^ the family removed to Cleveland,
where the father was engaged in manufacturing un
til his death.
Asael E. Adams- supplemented studies in the com
mon schools of Cleveland by a course in mechanical
engineering at the Case School of Applied Science.
His first active work was as a draftsman, and in
1893 he came to Youngstown in the capacity of sec
retary of the Mahoning Abstract Company. His
work in that capacity led to his being elected secre
tary of-the Dollar Savings & Trust Company when
the latter was organized in 1S95; In 1898 he was
elected treasurer of that institution, serving as sec
retary at the same time. In 1902 he was chosen
president of the Dollar Savings & Trust Company.
Five years later Mr. Adaras was elected president of
the First National Bank, and he has filled the dual
position of president of these two great institutions
since that time.
Although disinclined to admit its possession, Asael
E. Adams has demonstrated a degree of financial
ability and foresight quite unusual. He is a deep
student of economic and financial questions, and
his advice is much sought upon such subjects. Few
raen are so well and widely informed along these
lines, and few men are at the same time so thor
oughly conversant with other domains of thought
and action. As might be expected, Mr. Adaras has
been and is a leader in the industrial activity of
his city, as well as in all movements looking to
ward its betterraent from a physical, social or busi
ness point of view. He is a director in the Youngs
town Sheet & Tube Company, the Youngstown Dry
Goods Company, the Youngstown Steel Car Com
pany, the Ohio Iron & Steel Company, the Youn.gs-
town Foundry & Machine Company the Electric
Alloy Steel Company, the Federal Holding Company,
and many other Youngstown concerns. He is a

member of the Ohio & Pennsylvania Canal Com
mission, one of the executive committee of the Ma
honing War Chest Council, and actively interested
in almost every public movement in the City of
Youngstown. He is a republican and attends the
First Unitarian Church, is a member of the Youngs
town Club, the Youngstown Country Club, and the
Elks Club of Youngstown, also of the Union Club
and the Mayfield Country Club of Cleveland.
Mr. Adams was married in 1896 to Anna Julia
Shook, of Youngstown, and they have two chil
dren, Corafort Avery and Asael Edward, Jr. '
Myron I. Arms. For practically three-quarters of
a century the name of Arms has been prominently
connected with many of the leading industrial, com
mercial and financial institutions of Youngstown and
the Mahoning Valley. While it may be true that
their lives have not attracted attention for their un
usual brilliance or any picturesque or erratic quali
ties, yet they have been the kind out of which the
warp and woof of the substance that goes to make
up the continuous achievement of humanity is made.
Each member of the family has acted well his part
in life and, while primarily interested in his ijwn
affairs, he has not been unmindful of the general
welfare, contributing to the upbuilding and improve
ment of the community in a very definite degree.
The progenitor of the Arras family in Araerica,
and frora whora all of that name in this country
have descended, was William Arms, a native of
Great Britain, who came to Araerica in young man
hood. At Hadley, Massachusetts, he was married to
Joanna Hawks, and later moved to Deerfield, Massa
chusetts, where several generations of his family
lived. He was a stocking knitter by trade and was
a man of prorainence in that community, holding
several local public offices. He fought the Indians
at Great Falls where Gill, Massachusetts, now stands.
He died in 1731 and his wife in 1739, and both lie
buried at Deerfield. Among their children was Wil
liam, who married Rebecca Nash. To them was
born Daniel, who married Esther Sraead, and they
were the parents of Consider Arras, whose wife was
Mercy Catlin. To these latter was born Israel Arras,
who married Sarah Axtell, and to them were born
five children, namely: Myron I., (I) married Eme
line E. Warner; Jane M., the wife of Joseph B.
Wilder; Freemon O., married Emily Proscieus;
Charles D., married Hannah M. Wick; Sophia B.,
the wife of Henry Manning. To Myron I. (I) and
Emeline E. (Warner) Arms were born the follow
ing six children : Mary, the wife of Henry Wick ;
Warner, deceased, who married Fannie E. Wick;

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VADLEY

Myron I. (II), who married Almira A. Hitchcock;
Emeline E., the wife of Dr. George S. Peck; Jane
M., the wife of Charles F. Hofer; Harriet E., the
wife of Charles H. Booth. To Warner and Fannie
E. (Wick) Arms was born Myron L Arms HI.
Myron I. Arms (I) was born at Sodus, New York,
in 1829, and was there educated. In 1846, at the
age of seventeen years, he came to Youngstown,
Ohio, and obtained employment as a clerk in the
general store of Jonathan Warner, whose daughter,
Emeline E., he eventually married. Some tirae after
ward he embarked in mercantile pursuits on his own
responsibility, in which he was successful. Subse
quently he became a coal operator and also was in
terested in the Eagle Furnace at Brier Hill. He
became widely known as a capable and successful
business man, strictly upright in his relations with
his fellow men, and a splendid neighbor. He died,
universally honored and respected, in 1864.
Myron I. Arms (II) was born in Youngstown on
January 30, 1854, and after attending the public
chools and the Rayen School, was a student in
Cornell CoUege for one year. His business career
had its beginning as a bank clerk, but later he en
gaged in the iron business in Niles, which he con
tinued until the property was sold in igoo. Follow
ing in the footsteps of his father, he has confined
his attention largely to commercial pursuits and is
now prominently identified with the General Fire-
proofing Company, being chairman of the board of
directors, president of the Ohio Leather Company,
and is also a director of the First National Bank
and the Dollar Savings and Trust Corapany. His
accomplishments have been altogether worthy in all
the lines in which he has directed his energies, his
career having been one of close and fruitful identifi
cation with business interests of magnitude, in which
he has gained raarked prestige. Because of his suc
cess and of his sterling traits of character he has
commanded uniform confidence and regard among
his business associates and the respect of all who
know him.
Mr. Arms was married to Almira A. Hitchcock, the
daughter of William J. and Mary (Peebles) Hitch
cock, and to them has been born a daughter, Almira,
who is the wife of Paul Wick, of Youngstown.
Wilford P. Arms. The success of men in busi
ness or any vocation depends upon character as
well as upon knowledge, it being a self-evident
proposition that honesty is the best policy. Business
demands confidence and where that is lacking busi
ness ends. In every community some men are
known for their upright lives, strong common sense
and moral worth rather than for their wealth or
high political standing. Among such men in Youngs
town is he whose name appears at the head of this
paragraph, a man who has not only been progres
sive in his private affairs, successful in material
pursuits, but a man of modest, unassuming demeanor,
a fine type of the reliable, self-made American who
always stands ready to unite with his fellows in
every good work and active in the support of
laudable public enterprises. In every respect he
merits the high esteem in which he is held because
of his public spirit, enterprise and splendid character.

The subject of this sketch is descended from old
English stock whose advent on American soil was
so far back in colonial history that the family is
pretty thoroughly Americanized by this time. The
first of the name in this country was William
Arms, a native of England, who carae to this
country in young raanhood, and who was raarried
here in 1677 to Joanna Hawks. He first lived at
Hadley, Massachusetts, where he followed his trade,
that of a stocking knitter. Later he raoved to
Deerfield, Massachusetts, where raost of his eight
children were born. He served in the Indian fight
at Great Falls, where now stands Gill, Massa
chusetts. He died in 1731 and is buried at Deer
field. Among his children was Williara Arras, who
was noted as a Puritan and for his deep religious
convictions. To his marriage with Rebecca Nash
was born Daniel Arms, who married Esther Smead.
Then follow Consider Arms, married Mary Catlin;
Daniel Arms, married Luany Crosby; Lawson
Arms, born in 1817, married Harriet A. Paddock;
Wilford P. Arms, the iraraediate subject of this
sketch. It is a matter of family pride that the
various members of the Arms family through nearly
two and a half centuries of history in America
have been honest, industrious and law-abiding, with
a deep reverence for Deity and for all religious
matters. They have filled many local public offices
with fidelity and have been found engaged in va
rious vocations. Members of the faraily served
in the various American wars, supporting the colo
nies in their struggle for independence, in the
second war against Great Britain and thereafter
they have been found stanchly loyal to the United
States. Wilford P. Arms was born in Jersey City, New
Jersey, on December 14, 1861, being the eldest of
three children born to his parents. In 1871, when
he was about ten years of age, the family returned
to their native village, Sodus, New York, where
the subject attended the public schools and cora
pleted his studies at Sodus Academy. He re
mained on his father's farm until 1881, when he
obtained employment with Powers, Brown & Cora
pany, a Youngstown corporation operating coal raines
at Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania. A few years later
he engaged in the quarrying of marble near Knox
ville, Tennessee. In 1888 Mr. Arms came to Youngs
town, where he has since resided with the excep
tion of two years spent in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
at which time he became identified with the original
organization of the Pittsburgh Coal Corapany. Since
coming to the Mahoning Valley he has been identi
fied with several of the largest corporations operat
ing in this locality, among which have been the
Brier Hill Iron and Coal Company, the Falcon
Iron and Nail Company of Niles, Ohio, the War
ren Rolling Mill Company of Warren Ohio, and
the Trumbull Iron Company of Girard, Ohio. Since
1909 Mr. Arms' interests have been confined more
closely to the City of Youngstown, and during
the greater part of that time he has been identified
with the Realty Trust Company, of which he is
vice president. He also has other affiliations with
large business enterprises here and is numbered
araong the leaders in business circles. During the

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

recent World war Mr. Arms held the federal ap
pointment of -fuel administrator for Mahoning Coun
ty, a position entailing a vast amount of work and
responsibility, and discharged his duties in a man
ner that earned for him the comraendation of all
who knew of his work in that relation.
In 1899 Mr. Arms was married to Olive F. Arms,
a distant relative, the daughter of Charles Dayton
Arms, granddaughter of Myron Israel Arms and
great-granddaughter of Consider and Mary (Catlin)
Arms. The record of testiraony is ample that Mr.
Arms is a good citizen in the full sense of the
term, and he enjoys to a marked degree the respect
and esteem of those who know him for his busi
ness ability, his interest in public afiairs and his
upright living.
Fred Montgomery Orr. It is a well-attested
maxim that the greatness of the state lies not in the
machinery of the Government, or even in its institu
tions, but in the sterling qualities of its individual
citizens, in their capacity for high and useful effort
and unselfish endeavor and their devotion to the
public good. To this class belongs Fred M. Orr,
head and general manager of the undertaking estab
lishraent of John S. Orr & Son of Youngstown. A
lifelong residence in this community has but served
to strengthen his hold on the good opinions of those
who have known hira throughout his career. He has
at all tiraes been actuated by highest raotives and lofty
principles, and the history of Mahoning County
should certainly contain his record, so intimately has
he been connected with her history.
Fred Montgomery Orr was born in Youngstown in
1874 and is the son of John S. and Sarah (Mont
gomery) Orr. The father died on July 10, 191 1, and
is survived by his widow, who still resides in Youngs
town. She is a daughter of Joseph and Nancy
Montgomery and a sister of Randall Montgomery.
John S. Orr became a raember of the firm of Gill
man, Orr & Company, who opened a furniture and
undertaking establishraent in 1870. Later the firra
style was changed to Shields, Orr & Company, but
some years afterward Mr. Orr withdrew from the
firm and engaged in business on his own account,
giving his attention to undertaking exclusively. His
first place of business was where the Woolworth
store is now located, whence he moved to the Davis
Block. In 1885 he moved to the present location of
the business and erected the building now used as the
office of John S. Orr & Son. The business steadily
increased, until it became necessary to build additions,
which now extend to Boardman Street.
John S. Orr was born on January 15, 1842, and in
young manhood learned the trade of a carpenter.
During the Civil war he enlisted in the One Hundred
and Forty-Second Regiraent, Pennsylvania Volun
teer Infantry, with which he served valiantly for three
years, or until he was disabled by having an ankle
fractured. From that time until the close of the war
he served in the quartermaster's departraent. He
lived at New Brighton, Pennsylvania, until 1858 or
1859, when he carae to Youngstown. In 1869 doctors
advised him that he had tuberculosis and should move
to a raore desirable climate, in consequence of which
he spent one year at Garnet, Kansas. The physician's
diagnosis proved to be wrong, however, and he re

turned to Youngstown, where he spent the remainder
of his days in the enjoyment of good health. On
February 16, 1863, while at home on a furlough from
the army, he was married at New Castle, Pennsyl
vania, to Sarah Montgomery, who was born on July
17, 1842. Mr. Orr was a member of the Presbyterian
Church, and his wife, of the Episcopal. After their
marriage they joined the First Presbyterian Church
of Youngstown, with which they ever afterward
affiliated. Mr. Orr was a member of the Masonic
Order, in which he had taken the Knight Teraplar
degree of the York Rite, being a past commander
of St. John's Commandery, and of the thirty-second
degree of the Scottish Rite; he also belonged to the
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine
and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was
deeply interested in local public affairs and served
efficiently as a meraber of the city council. He
possessed great executive ability and was a natural
leader of raen. To him and his wife were born four
children, namely : Edith, the wife of C. H. Kennedy,
president of the Commercial National Bank, Youngs
town ; Bessie, who lives with her mother ; Nellie A
the widow of Dr. J. B. Orwig, of Toledo, Ohio; and
Fred M., the two last named being twins.
Fred Montgomery Orr was born March 6, 1874, and
secured his elementary education in the public schools
of Youngstown. He then attended and graduated
from the Peekskill Military Acaderay at Peekskill on
the Hudson River, near West Point, in June, 1892.
Since that time he has been closely connected with the
business founded by his father, and which has been
known as John S. Orr & Son since 1900. He is a
graduate of the Champion School of Embalming at
Springfield, Ohio, and Clark's School of Erabalraing
at Cincinnati, and is well qualified for the work to
which he is devoting hiraself.
On October 7, 1902, Mr. Orr was married to
Harriet Sims, a daughter of John D. Sims and a
graduate of the Training School for Nurses of the
Pennsylvania Hospital. To thera has been born a
daughter, Letitia Jane. Mrs. Orr was an enthusiastic
worker in war activities and served as chairraan of
the local Red Cross from Deceraber, 1916, to Novera
ber, 1918, embracing the duration of the war, her
record being 100 per cent.
Politically Fred M. Orr is an earnest supporter of
the republican party and is deeply interested in civic
affairs. Fraternally he is a meraber of the Free and
Accepted Masons, being a past coraraander of St.
John's Commandery, Knights Teraplar, and also be
longs to the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the
Mystic Shrine, the Independent Order of Odd Fel
lows, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
and the Protective Home Circle. Socially he is a
member of the Youngstown Club, the Youngstown
Country Club and the Chamber of Commerce, while
religiously he and his wife are raembers of the First
Presbyterian Church. Genial and obliging in man
ner, Mr. Orr has won a host of warm friends and is
highly esteemed throughout the community.
Peter J. Burke. Beginning life for himself at the
foot of the ladder of attainments, Peter J. Burke has
steadily forged his way upward and onward, and is
now superintendent for the Metropolitan Life In
surance Company of the Youngstown District, which

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

comprises both Mahoning and TrurabuU counties. A
son of James Burke, he was born August 13, 1867, in
Pittston, Pennsylvania, coming of Irish ancestry on
both sides of the house.
Born in County Sligo, Ireland, James Burke was
brought to the United States by 'his parents when a
child, and has since raade his home in Pittston,
Pennsylvania, being now a venerable man of four
score years. He served as a soldier during the Civil
war, and was afterward in the grocery business, and
also an agent for the Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company. He married Annie Gallagher, who was
born in County Mayo, Ireland, and as a young girl
came with her parents to America, settling in Pitts
ton, Pennsylvania, where she still resides, a bright
and active woman of seventy-six years. Eight chil
dren blessed their union, seven of whora are now liv
ing, Peter J. being the first born child.
When a lad of but ten summers Peter J. Burke was
picking slate out of the coal at the Pittston mines, and
subsequently worked around the mines in minor ca
pacities for a number of years. Ambitious to advance
his education, he attended Woods' Business College
in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1889 and 1890, paying
his expenses with money earned by the hardest kind
of work. He was subsequently engaged in the
grocery business at Pittston for two years, and on
giving that up became associated with the Metropoli
tan Life Insurance Company as an agent. In that
capacity, Mr. Burke has been variously located, first
in Jackson, Michigan, then in Findlay, Ohio, and later
in East Liverpool, Ohio, from there coraing in 1903 to
Youngstown, where he has since remained, perform
ing the duties devolving upon hira as superintendent
of the district in a highly satisfactory manner to all
concerned. Mr. Burke married, December 30, 1891, Mary
Cooney, who was born in Mahanoy City, Pennsyl
vania, a daughter of Patrick Cooney. Mr. and Mrs.
Burke have five children living, naraely : James, now
with the Ohio City Gas Corapany in Columbus, serv
ing during the World war for twenty months in the
Signal Corps, and though he fought in two major en
gagements and one minor engageraent and was under
shell fire much of the time, returned from over seas
a top sergeant ; Mary, living at horae ; Paul, who was
a student officer in the training camp at Notre Dame,
Indiana, is now attending the Ohio State University ;
Joseph, attending the Rayen High School ; and Ethel,
attending the Ursuline Academy.
Mr. and Mrs. Burke and their family are merabers
of St. Edwards Catholic Church, and for a long tirae
Mr. Burke has been an active raember of the Coun
cil of St. Edwards Parish. For three successive
years he was grand knight of the Youngstown Coun
cil, Knights of Columbus. Recently Mr. Burke pur
chased a beautiful home on Bryson Street, adjoining
the Wick estate, and there he and his family are
enjoying all the advantages of both city and coun
try life.
J. A. Campbell was born at Ohltown, Trumbull
County, September 11, 1854. His father was a
native of the United States and a farraer by occu
pation. The son attended the public schools, later
entering Hiram College. While a student at that
institution he received the appointment and passed

the exaraination for entrance to West Point Mili
tary Academy. Circumstances prevented his adop
tion of a military career, however, and he soon aft
erward became a clerk in a coal office at Youngs
town. With a brief experience in that line he en
gaged in the hardware business with a local con
cern and followed this occupation for five years.
He then organized the Youngstown Ice Company
and conducted it until 1890, when he entered the
iron and steel business as general superintendent
of the Trumbull Iron Company at Warren. Sorae
tirae later this company was consolidated with the
Union Iron & Steel Corapany, and that company
placed Mr. Campbell in charge of its plant at
Pomeroy, Ohio. This position he resigned in 1897
to become general superintendent of the Mahoning
Valley Iron Company at Youngstown, and when
the latter was purchased by the Republic Iron &
Steel Company, became district raanager for the
Youngstown district.
In 1901 Mr. Campbell resigned his position with
the Republic Iron & Steel Corapany to organize a
corporation for the manufacture of sheets and pipe
under the name of the Youngstown Iron, Sheet &
¦Tube Corapany. He held the position of vice pres
ident and general manager in this corporation until
July 26, 1904, at which time it had become an im
portant concern, the capital having been increased
from $600,000 to $4,000,000. He was then elected
president of the company, a position he has since
held and in which he has seen the company be
come one of the great industrial concerns of the
world and one of the most important manufac
turing corporations in Ohio.
While discharging his duties as head of this cor
poration Mr. Campbell has always found time to
take an active and helpful interest in the affairs of
his coraraunity. He is always found at the head
of moveraents intended to benefit the city in which
he lives, and during the period of the World war
gave unsparingly of his time and ability on behalf
of every activity calculated to strengthen the hands
of the government or contribute to the success of
the American arms, whether it was by increasing
the amount of war raaterial, providing funds for
the prosecution of the war, or stimulating the gen
erosity of the public on behalf of war work. He
was chairman of the comraittee on tubular products
during the war, and had charge of the allocation of
all raaterial in that line made in the United States.
For his conspicuous services in this capacity he
was knighted by the French Government after the
close of hostilities.
Mr. Campbell has been president of the Mahon
ing County War Chest Council, president of the
Chamber of Commerce, and has led almost every
public raovement of important character in the
City df Youngstown for years, in spite of the fact
that his home, a beautiful country place recently
erected, is located in TrurabuU County.
Mr. Campbell is a director of the Araerican Iron
& Steel Institute, the Mahoning Ore & Steel Cora
pany, the Crete Mining Company, the Balkan Min
ing Company, the Carbon Limestone Company, the
First National Bank of Youngstown, the DoUar
Savings & Trust Company of Youngstown, the

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Electric Alloy Steel Corapany, the Youngstown
Steel Car Company and other enterprises. He is
president of the Crete Mining Company, the
Xoungstown Ice Corapany, the Buckeye Coal Com
pany, the Central Store Company, the Crystal Ice
& Storage Company, the Buckeye Land Company,
and chairman of the board of directors of the Con
tinental Supply Company.
He is a member of the Youngstown Club, the
Youngstown Country Club, the Duquesne Club,
Pittsburg; the Kitchi Gamrai Club, Duluth, and the
India House, New York City. In politics he is
a republican. He plays golf occasionally, but finds
his chief pleasure in business and his recreation prin
cipally in reading.
Mr. Campbell was married January IS, 1880, his
wife being Uretta, a daughter of Mr. Place, a resi
dent of Corry, Pennsylvania. They have 1 three
children : Louis J., who enlisted at the beginning
of the European war and attained the rank of lieu
tenant colonel in the artillery service in France,
and who is now president of the Electric Alloy
Steel Company ; Helen Marie ; and Rebecca Wal
ton, who married Captain John Stambaugh, II.
Myron E. Dennison. The study of the life of
the representative American never fails to offer
much of pleasing interest and valuable instruction,
developing a mastery of expedients which has
brought about most wonderful results. Myron E.
Dennison, vice president of the First National Bank
and the Dollar Savings Bank and Trust Company
of Youngstown, is a worthy representative of that
type of American character and of that progressive
spirit which promote public good in advancing in
dividual prosperity artd conserving popular interests.
He has long been prominently identified with the
business interests of Youngstown, and while his
varied interests have brought him success they have
also advanced the general welfare by accelerating
industrial activity.
Myron E. Dennison is a scion of old Ohio pioneer
stock, his paternal grandfather, Henry Dennison,
having come to this state when it was largely a
wUderness, establishing himself in Liberty Town
ship, TrumbuU County, not far from the present
City of Youngstown. WiUiam Dennison, the son of
Henry and the father of Myron E., was born and
reared there. After attaining manhood he came to
Youngstown and here learned the carpenter trade.
Subsequently he went to Crawford County, Penn
sylvania, where for ten years he was engaged in
farming. Returning to Youngstown in 1866, he again
engaged at the carpenter trade, finally becoming a
contractor and builder. He helped build the old Tod
House and the present Fordyce Building, but for the
most part built residence property. He was twice
married, his second wife having been PriscUla Jor
dan, who was born about six miles west of Youngs
town, the daughter of Abram and Sarah (Gardner)
Jordan, pioneer settlers in that locality. Among their
children is the subject of this review.
Myron E. Dennison was born in Crawford County,
Pennsylvania, on September 6, 1862, and was about
four years of age when the family .returned to
Youngstown. Here he was reared and attended the
public schools, graduating from the high school. In

December, 1880, he entered upon his first active em
ployment as a messenger in the First National Bank,
and so faithfully did he perform the duties assigned
him that in two years thereafter he was appointed a
teller in that institution. In June, 1896, only sixteen
years after he first entered the bank, he was elected
its cashier, occupying that position until he became
vice president of the bank, and at the same time
became vice president of the Dollar Savings Bank
and Trust Company. He has been an active factor
in the splendid success which has characterized the
history of the First National and is one of the most
popular members of its official personnel. Mr. Den
nison is also financially interested in other enter
prises, being vice president and a director of the
Wilkins-Leonard Hardware Company, secretary and
treasurer of the Central Store Company, and is a
stockholder in other local concerns. He is recognized
as a business man of more than ordinary abUity,
whose judgment is seldom at fault.
On October 17, 1888, Mr. Dennison was united^ in
marriage with Anne C. Slosson, and to their union
two children have been born, Martha and David.
During the World war David entered the Officers'
Training Camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indian
apolis, Indiana, from which he was given a second
lieutenant's commission.- He was assigned to the
Three Hundred and Thirty-Second Regiment of
United States Infantry, with which he went to
France. Later he was sent to Italy, where he par
ticipated in the last battle on the Piave front.
The daughter, Martha, graduated from the Rayen
High School and later from Smith College. After
spending about six years in preparatory work she
took up Young Woman's Christian Association work
and in 1918 went to Jubbulbore, India, where she is
now stationed.
Mr. Dennison has ever since attaining maturity
taken a deep interest in public affairs and has been
an effective worker for the upbuilding and develop
ment of Youngstown's commercial and industrial in
terests. For four years he served as a member of
the city council from the First Ward. He is an
active member of the Chamber of Commerce and,
since its organization, has been a trustee of the
Youngstown Association of Credit. He has been a
stanch supporter of the Young Men's Christian
Association, serving efficiently as its president for
eleven years, ending in 1917. Socially he is a mem
ber of the Youngstown Club and the Youngstown
Country Club. Although his life has been a busy
one, his every-day affairs making heavy demands
upon his time, he has never shrunk from his duties
as a citizen and his obligations to his neighbors and
his friends, and to a marked degree he enjoys the
esteem of all who know him.
Philip J. Thompson. One of the prominent fig
ures in the recent history of Youngstown is Philip
J. Thompson, too well known to the readers of this
work to need any formal introduction here, a man
actively identified with the business interests of
Youngstown and vicinity. Equally noted as a busi
ness man of enterprise and ability and as a public-
spirited citizen, he holds today distinctive precedence
as one of the most progressive men of this com
munity. Strong mental powers, invincible courage

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

and a determined purpose have so entered into his
composition as to render him a dominant factor in
the business world and a leader of men in important
enterprises. Philip J. Thompson, president of the Stambaugh-
Thompson Company of Youngstown, comes from old
and honored farailies of this locality. Jaraes H.
Thorapson, his father, was born in England on Sep
tember 20, 1844, a son of WiUiam H. Thompson.
When he was but four years old he was brought to
the United States and passed his youthful days at
Cleveland, Ohio. At the age of sixteen years he
went to Warren, Ohio,- and there obtained employ
ment as a machinist. In 1862, at the time of
the war between the states, he promptly volunteered
his services in behalf of the Union, enlisting in Com
pany A, Twenty-Third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer
Infantry, a regiment made faraous by having in its
ranks two future presidents of the United States,
Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley. In
the same regiment were also two of his brothers,
Major Harry Thompson and Captain Frederick
Thompson. William H. Thompson faithfully served
his adopted country until the close of the war, when
he was honorably discharged. During a part of
his service he acted as commissary sergeant. After
the war he came to Youngstown and for a time
worked as a roll turner in the mill of the Brown-
Bonnell Iron Company, later becoming a clerk in
Morgan's general store. In 1880 he became a book
keeper in the hardware establishment of Fowler &
Stambaugh, of which he eventually became general
manager. Upon the death of Mr. Fowler, Mr.
Thompson acquired an interest in the business and
the firm name became Starabaugh & Thorapson, Mr.
Thompson continuing as general manager of the
establishment until his death, which occurred on
July 22, 1900. '
James H. Thompson was of that class of men who
gave to Youngstown that solidity for which it is
justly famed. As a business man he was enterpris
ing, and at the sarae tirae duly conservative, and his
exemplary life drew to him many warra and lasting
friends. His life was an inspiration to all who knew
him and his raemory remains to his friends and
children as a blessed benediction. While advancing
his individual business interests he never lost sight
of his obligations to the community in general and
he did much for the upbuUding of Youngstown,
where for many years he held a high place in busi
ness and social circles. He was an Episcopalian in
his religious belief, a republican in politics and, fra
ternally, was a thirty-second degree member of the
Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of the Masonic
order. He was married in 1870 to Flora Jacobs, who
was born in Youngstown on May 11, 1851, and died
on May i, 1901. She was the daughter of PhUip
and Sallie Jacobs, the latter having been born in
Youngstown in 1818, the daughter of John Kimmell.
PhUip J. Thompson was born in Youngstown.
After pursuing his elementary studies in the public
schools he entered Western Reserve University at
Cleveland, where he was graduated with the class of
1895. He began his business career as a clerk in
his father's establishment, with which he has re
mained closely identified ever since, a period of prac
tically twenty-five years. In 1906 he was made gen

eral manager of the company and in 1915, upon
the death of Daniel B. Stambaugh, he was elected
president of the corporation. He possesses marked
executive ability and business qualifications and has
a well-established reputation as a public spirited and
enterprising citizen.
On June 20, 1901, Mr. Thorapson was married to
Ethel Bucklin, the daughter of D. C. and Ella
(Norris) Bucklin, and they have two children, James
B., born in 1902, and Phyllis, born in May 1912.
Mr. Thompson is the president and a director of
the Youngstown Chamber of Comraerce and is a
member of the Youngstown Club and the Youngs
town Country Club. He took a prominent and
effective part in war activities, his ability as an
organizer being particularly apparent in his services
as chairman of the committee on military affairs of
the Chamber of Comraerce. His splendid personal
qualities have won for hira the confidence and esteem
of the people of his community to a very marked
degree. Rolla P. Hartshorn. It cannot be other than
interesting to note in the series of personal sketches
appearing in this work the varying conditions that
have compassed those whose careers are outlined,
and the effort has been made in each case to throw
well-focused light onto the individuality and to bring
into proper perspective the scheme of each respective
character. Each man who honestly strives to fulfill
his part in connection with human life and human
activities is deserving of recognition, whatever may
be the field of his endeavor, and it is the function
of works of this nature to perpetuate for future gen
erations the record concerning those represented in
its pages, and the value of such publications is cer
tain to be cumulative for all time to come, showing
forth the individual and specific accomplishments of
which generic history is ever engendered. The be
ginning of the career of Rolla P. Hartshorn was
characterized by hard work and honest .endeavor, and
his present prosperity is the reward of the applica
tion of mental qualifications of a high order to the
affairs of business, by duty faithfully performed, and
by industry, thrift and wisely directed effort.
Mr. Hartshorn, who for the past two decades has
been identified with the banking interests of
Youngstown, was born at Kansas City, Kansas, on
March 19, 1871, a son of David S. and Harriet
(Shriver) Hartshorn. In young boyhood he was
taken by his parents to Illinois, where he was reared
to manhood, receiving a good, practical public school
education. On attaining mature years he was vari
ously employed, and incidentally acquired sorae prac
tical experience in banking. In 1900 he carae to
Youngstown and was chiefl}' instrumental in the
organization of the People's Savings and Banking
Company, of which he became secretary and treas
urer. In 1903 this institution was absorbed by the
Dollar Savings Bank and Trust Company, Mr. Hart
shorn becoming treasurer of the latter institution.
Later, upon the consolidation of the Dollar Savings
Bank and Trust Company and the First National
Bank under one official head and directorate, he be
carae vice president of both institutions, in which
capacity he has since officiated. He has deraoustrated
the possession of business and financial abilities of a

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^1

¦•.¦"i.j\:f-v'

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

high order, and among those with whom he is asso
ciated he is held in the highest regard.
On August 17, 1898, Mr. Hartshorn was married
to Grace R. Ingraham, and to them have been born
two children, David N. and Grace R., but the latter
died in 1911, at the age of eight years.
Politically Mr. Hartshorn is an ardent supporter of
the republican party, while in religious belief he is a
Unitarian. He is a member of the Youngstown
Club, the Youngstown Country Club, the Chamber
of Commerce, and is otherwise identified with the
social and commercial life and development of
Youngstown. He is a hospitable man, cordially re
sponsive to all social claims, and his home is attrac
tive to all whom he numbers in his list of friends.
By a straightforward and commendable course he has
gained an enviable position in the business world,
winning the hearty admiration of the people of his
adopted city and earning a reputation as an enter
prising, progressive man of affairs and a broad-
minded, charitable and upright citizen, which the
public has not been slow to recognize and appreciate.
Philip and Myron C. Wick. One of the most
widely known and highly honored pioneer farailies
of Youngstown is the Wick family, which was
established here in a very early day and has been
represented here continuously since. Henry Wick,
the progenitor of the family here, early had the
sagacity and prescience to discern the eminence
whicii the future had in store for this great section
of the Buckeye commonwealth, and acting in accord
ance with the dictates of faith and judgment he and
his descendants reaped in the fullness of time the
benefits which are the just recompense of indom
itable industry, spotless integrity and commendable
enterprise. Few families of the county have played
a better or more noticeable role in the general prog
ress of the locality than this one, for while laboring
for their individual advancement its members have
never shrunk from their larger duties to civUization,
and today they enjoy the respect and esteem of the
entire community. As before stated, Henry and
Hannah (Baldwin) Wick, great-grandparents of the
subjects of this review, were the first of the family
to settle in the Mahoning Valley. Of their children,
Paul married Susan A. Bull and they became the
parents of Myron C. Wick, father of the subjects.
Myron C. Wick was born in Youngstown, Ohio, in
1848, and his death occurred here in 1910. He was
a man of exceptionally keen business sagacity and
succeeded in accumulating a comfortable estate. In
early life he acquired large holdings in the old
Cartright & McCurdy RoUing Mill and thereafter
was the dominant factor in that concern until its
absorption by the United States Steel Company.
He seemed to have inherited that instinct for busi
ness which has been a characteristic of the Wick
famUy. He was one of the organizers of the Dollar
^vings and Trust Company and was a member of
its directorate until his death. He was also a direc
tor of the New York ShipbuUding Company of
Camden, New Jersey, a director of the F. B. Stearns
Company of Cleveland, Ohio, and was closely iden
tified with many enterprises which contributed to
the development and upbuilding of Youngstown as
a commercial and industrial center. Largely

through his efforts the Youngstown Hospital, de
signed largely for the benefit of injured mill men,
was built, and in this enterprise he maintained a
deep interest. His all too brief career was replete
with good deeds and to his descendants he left the
untarnished name he had inherited. He was one of
the most unostentatious of men, open-hearted and
candid in manner, always retaining in his demeanor
the simplicity and candor of the old-time gentleman,
and his record stands as an enduring monument,
although his labors have ended and his name is but
a memory. Myron C. Wick was twice married.
his first wife having been Susan Winchell, who died,
leaving one daughter, Laura. His second marriage
was with Elizabeth Bonnell, who survives him, and
the children born to this union are, Philip, Paul,
Myron C. and Caroline B.
Philip Wick, the eldest of these children, was
born on April 3, 1886, and after completing the
course in the public schools attended Hill School at
Pottstown, Pennsylvania, completing his technical
studies at the Yale-Sheffield Scientific School. For
some time thereafter he was connected with the
Gary Iron and Steel Company at Cleveland, Ohio,
but after the death of his father he returned to
Youngstown to look after the affairs of the estate.
In 1912 he organized the Youngstown Securities
Company, of which he has been the only president.
He is vice president and a director of the Trumbull
Steel Company of Warren, Ohio, a director of the
Ohio Iron and Steel Company, and a director of
the First National Bank and of the Dollar Savings
and Trust Company of Youngstown. Aside from
his business interests he is deeply interested in
everything that tends to advance the wellbeing
of Youngstown and every worthy movement finds
in him an ardent supporter. To his marriage with
Clara Kenworthy, of Poughkeepsie, New York,
which was solemnized on June 17, 191 1, three chU
dren have been born. Elizabeth, Philip and Rich
ard K.
Paul Wick was born on November 30, 1890, and
he also completed his educational studies in the HiU
School at Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and the Yale-
Sheffield Scientific .School. He has become closely
identified -with large business interests, being vice
president of the Falcon Steel Company of Niles,
Ohio, and is a director of the First National Bank
and the DoUar Savings and Trust Company of
Youngstown. He served as ensign in the U. S.
Navy during the world conflict. He was married to
Almira Arms, and to them have been born two sons,
Paul M. and William A.
Myron C. Wick, named in honor of his father;
was born in Youngstown on October 24, 1892. Be
fore the United States had entered the great Euro
pean struggle he went abroad and Became a member
of the American Ambulance Corps, connected with
the French Army. Upon the entry of the United
States into the conflict he entered the Officers'
Training Carap in France and was given a first
lieutenant's commission. Thereafter untU the close
of the struggle he was at the front in active service
with the French troops.
The two daughters of Myron C. Wick, Senior,
Laura and Caroline B., and the youngest son, Myron
C, are unmarried.

8

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

William McKinley, twenty-fifth president of the
United States, was born in NUes, Trumbull County,
Ohio, on the 29th of January, 1843. His ancestors
on the paternal side were Scotch-Irish who lived at
Dervock, County Antrim, and spelled the family
name "McKinlay." His great-great-grandfather
settled in York County, Pennsylvania, about 1743,
and frora Chester County his great-grandfather,
David McKinley, who served as a private during
the war for independence, moved to Ohio in 1814.
David's son, James, had gone in 1809 to Columbiana
County, Ohio.^ His son, WiUiam McKinley (born
1807), like his father an iron manufacturer, was
married in 1829 to Nancy Campbell Allison, and to
them were born nine chUdren, of whom William,
the president, was the seventh. In 1852 the family
moved to Poland, Mahoning County, when the
younger WiUiam was placed at school. At seventeen
he entered the junior class of Allegheny College at
Meadville, Pennsylvania; but he studied beyond his
strength and returned to Poland, where for a time
he taught in a neighboring country school. When
the Civil war broke out in 1861 he promptly enlisted
as a private in the Twenty-Third Ohio Volunteer
Infantry. He saw service in West Virginia, at South
Mountain, where this regiment lost heavily, and at
Antietam, where he brought hot coffee and provi
sions to the fighting line ; for this he was promoted
second lieutenant on the 24th of September, 1862.
McKinley was promoted first lieutenant in February,
1864, and for his service at Winchester was pro
moted captain on the 2Sth of July, 1864. He was
on the staff of General George Crook at the battles
of Opequan, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek in the
Shenandoah Valley, and on the 14th of March, 1865,
was brevetted major of volunteers for gallant and
meritorious service. He also served on the staff of
Gen. Rutherford B. Hayes, who spoke highly of his
soldiery qualities. He was mustered out with his
regiment on the 26th of July, 1865. Four years of
army life had changed him from a pale and sickly
lad into a man of superb and manly strength.
After the war McKinley returned to Poland, and
bent all his energy on the study of law. He com
pleted his preparatory reading at the Albany New
York Law School, and was admitted to the bar at
Warren, Ohio, in March, 1867. On the advice of
an elder sister, who had been for several years a
teacher in Canton, Stark County, Ohio, he began his
law practice in that place, which was to be his per
manent home. He identified himself immediately
with the republican party, campaigned in the demo
cratic County of Stark in favor of negro suffrage
in 1867, and took part in the campaign work on be
half of Grant's presidential candidature in 1868I In
the following year he was elected prosecuting at
torney on the republican ticket. In 1871 he failed
for re-election by forty-five votes, and again devoted
himself to his profession, while not relaxing his in
terest in politics.
In 1875 he first became known as an able cam
paign speaker by his speeches favoring the resump
tion of specie payments, and in behalf of Ruther
ford B. Hayes, the republican candidate for gover
nor of Ohio. In 1876 he was elected by a majority
of 3,304 to the National House of Representatives.

Conditions both in Ohio and in Congress had placed
him, and were to keep him for twenty years in an
attitude of aggressive and uncompromising partisan
ship. His congressional district was naturally demo
cratic, and its boundaries were changed two or three
times by democratic legislatures for the purpose of
so grouping democratic strongholds as to cause his
defeat, but he overcame what had threatened to be
;adverse majorities on all occasions from 1876 to
1890, with the single exception of 1882, when, al
though he received a certificate of election, showing
that he had been re-elected by a majority of eight,
and although he served nearly through the long
session of 1883-1884, his seat was contested and
taken May 28, 1884, by his democratic opponent,
Jonathan H. Wallace. McKinley reflected the strong
sentiment of his manufacturing constituency in be
half of a high protective tariff, and he soon be
came known in Congress, where he particularly at
tracted the attention of James G. Blaine, as one of
the most diligent students of industry, policy and
questions affecting national taxation. In 1878 he
took part in the debates over the Wool Tariff BiU,
proposing lower import duties ; and in the same
year he voted for the Bland-Allison Silver BiU. In
December, 1880, he was appointed a member of the
Ways and Means Committee, succeeding Gen. James
A. Garfield, who had been elected president on the
preceding month and to whose friendship, as to that
of Rutherford B. Hayes, McKinley owed much in
his earlier years in Congress. He was prominent in
the debate which resulted in the defeat of the Demo
cratic Morrison Tariff Bill in 1884, and, as a minority
leader of the Ways and Means Committee in the
defeat of Mills BUl for the revision of the tariff in
1887 to 1888. In 1889 he became chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee and republican leader
in the House of Representatives, after having been
defeated by Thomas B. Reed on the third ballot in
the republican caucus for speaker of the House.
On the l6th of April, 1890, he introduced frora the
Ways and Means Coraraittee the tariff measure
known commonly as the McKinley Bill, which passed
the House on the 21st of May, passed the Senate
on the IOth of September, as amended by the House,
and was approved by the President on the first of
October, 1890. The McKinley bill reduced revenues
by its high and in many cases alraost prohibitive
duties ; it put sugar on the free list with a discrimi
nating duty i-io of one cent a pound on sugar im
ported from countries giving a bounty for sugar
exported, and it gave bounties to American sugar
growers ; it attempted to protect many infant in
dustries such as the manufacture of tin plate; under
its provision for reciprocal trade agreements. Abroad
where the bill made McKinley's narae known every
where there was bitter opposition to it and reprisals
were threatened by several European states. In the
United States the McKinley tariff bill was one of
the main causes of the democratic victory in the
Congressional elections in 1890, in which McKinley
himself was defeated by an extraordinary democratic
gerrymander of his congressional district. In No
vember, 1891, he was elected governor of Ohio with
a plurality of more than 21,000 votes in a total of
795,000 votes cast. He was governor of Ohio in

WILLIAM McKINLEY

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

9

1892-95 being re-elected in 1893. His administration
was marked by no important events except that he
had on several occasions in his second term to call
out the militia of the state to preserve order. But
it may be considered important because of the train
ing it gave him in executive as distinguished from
legislative work.
McKinley had been prominent in national politics
even before the passage of the tariff measure bearing
his narae. In 1888, in the National Republican Con
vention in Chicago, he was chairman of the com
mittee on resolutions and was leader of the delega
tion from Ohio, which had been instructed for John
Sherman. After James G. Blaine withdrew his
name there was a movement, begun by republican
congressmen, to nominate McKinley, who received
sixteen votes on the seventh ballot, but passionately
refused to be a candidate, considering that his
acquiescence would be a breach of faith toward
Sherman. In 1892 McKinley was the permanent
president of the National Republican Convention
which raet in Minneapolis and which renominated
Benjamin Harrison on the first ballot, on which
James G. Blaine received 182 votes and McKinley,
in spite of his efforts to the contrary, received 182
votes. In 1894 he made an extended campaign tour
before congressional elections, and spoke even in
the South. In 1896 he seemed for many reasons the
most available candidate of his party for the presi
dency. He had no personal enemies in the party ;
he had carried the crucial state of Ohio by a large
majority in 1893; his attitude on the coinage ques
tion had never been so pronounced as to make him
unpopular either with the Radical SUver Wing or
with the Conservative "Gold Standard" members of
the party. The campaign for his nomination was
conducted with the greatest adroitness by his friend,
Marcus A. Hanna, and in the National Republican
Convention held in St. Louis in June he was nomi
nated for the presidency on the first ballot by 66i}i
out of a total of 906 votes. The convention adopted
a tariff plank drafted by McKinley, and of far
greater immediate importance, a plank which de
clared that the republican party was "opposed to
the free coinage of silver except by international
agreement with the leading commercial nations of
the world, which we pledge ourselves to promote,
and untU such agreement can be obtained the ex
isting Gold Standard must be preserved." This
"Gold Standard" plank drove out of the republican
part}' the silver republicans of the west, headed by
Senator M. Teller of Colorado.
While his opponent traveled throughout the coun
try making speeches McKinley remained in Canton,
where he was visited by and addressed many repub
lican delegations. The carapaign was enthusiastic.
The republican candidate was called the "Advance
Agent of Prosperity," "Bill McKinley and the
McKinley BiU" became a campaign cry. The panic
of 1893 was charged to the repeal of the McKinley
Tariff measure, and "business men" throughout the
states were enlisted in the cause of "sound money"
to support McKinley who was elected in. November
by a popular vote of 7,106,779 to 6,502,925 for Bryan
and by an electoral vote of 2,871 to 176.
McKinley was inaugurated President of the United

States on the 4th of March, 1897. The members of
his cabinet were : Secretary of State, John Sherman
who was succeeded in AprU, 1898, by William R.
Day, who in turn was followed in September, 1898,
hy John Hay; Secretary of the Treasury, Lyman J.
Gage, a gold democrat ; Secretary of War, Russell
A. Alger; Secretary of the Navy, John D. Long;
Attorney General, Joseph McKenna ; Postmaster
General, James A. Gray ; Secretary of the Interior,
Cornelius N. Bliss ; Secretary of Agriculture, James
Wilson. Immediately after his inauguration the
President summoned Congress in an extra session
on the 15th of March. The Democratic Tariff in
1893 had been enacted as part of the general revenue
measure, which included an income tax. The income
tax having been declared unconstitutional by the
Supreme Court, the measure had failed to produce
sufficient revenue, and it had been necessary to in
crease the public debt. McKinley's raessage to the
new Congress dwelt upon the necessity of an im
mediate revision of the tariff and revenue system
of the country and the so-called Dingley Tariff Bill
was accordingly passed through both Houses, and
was approved by the President on the 24th of July.
The regular session which opened in December
was occupied chiefly with the situation in Cuba.
President McKinley showed himself singularly pa
tient and self-controlled in the midst of the popular
excitement against Spain and in the clamor for in
tervention by the United States in behalf of the
Cubans ; but finally, on the 23rd of March, he pre
sented an ultimatum to the Spanish Government,
and on the 25th of April on his recommendation.
Congress declared war on Spain. During the war
itself he devoted himself with great energy to the
mastery of military details ; but there was bitter
criticism of the War Department resulting in the
resignation of the Secretary of War, Russell A.
Alger. The signing of a peace protocol on the 12th
of August was followed by the signature on the loth
of December of articles of peace between the United
States and Spain. After a long discussion the peace
treaty was ratified by the United States Senate on
the 6th of February, 1899; and in accordance with
its terras Porto Rico, the Philippine Archipelago, and
Guam were transferred by Spain to the United
States and Cuba came under American jurisdiction
pending the establishment there of an independent
governraent. Two days before the ratification of
the peace treaty, a conflict took place between armed
Philippinos under the leadership of Emilio Aguin-
aldo and the American forces that were in posses
sion of Manila. The six months that had elapsed
between the signing of the peace protocol and the
ratification of the treaty had constituted a virtual
interregnum, Spain's authority having been prac
tically destroyed in the Philippines and that of the
United States not having begun. In this period a
formidable native Philippino army had been or
ganized and a provisional government created. The
warfare waged by these Philippinos against the
United States, while having for the most part a
desultory and guerUla character, was of a very pro
tracted and troublesome nature. Sovereignty over
the Philippinos having been accepted by virtue of the
ratification of the Paris treaty. President ^IcKinley

10

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

was not at liberty to do otherwise than assert the
authority of the United States and use every en
deavor to suppress the insurrection. But there was
bitter protest against this "Imperialism," both within
the party by such men as Sen. George F. Hoar,
and Eugene Hale, and Thomas B. Reed, and Carl
Schurz, and often for purely political reasons from
the leaders of the democratic party. In the foreign
relations of the United States as directed by Presi
dent McKinley, the most significant change was the
cordial understanding with the British Government,
to which much was contributed by his Secretary of
State, John Hay, appointed to that portfolio when
he was Ambassador to the Court of St. James and
which was due to some extent to the friendliness of
the British press and even more markedly of the
British navy in the Pacific during the Spanish war.
Other important foreign events during McKinley's
administration were : the annexation of the Hawaiian
Islands in August, 1898 and the formation of the
territory of Hawaii in AprU, 1909; the cessation in
1899 of the tripartite government of the Samoan
Islands and the annexation by the United States of
the islands including Pago-Pago. In 1900 McKinley
was unanimously renominated by the National Re
publican Convention, whUe Theodore Roosevelt,
Governor of New York, was nominated for the vice
presidency. The Republican Convention demanded
the maintenance of a gold standard, and pointed to
the fulfillment of some of the most important of the
pledges given by the republican party four years
earlier. The intervening period had been one of
very exceptional prosperity in the United States,
foreign commerce having reached an unprecedented
volume, and agriculture and manufactures having
made greater advancement than in any previous
period of the country's history. The tendency toward
the concentration of capital in great industrial cor
porations had been active to an extent previously
undreamed of, with incidental consequences that had
aroused much apprehension; and the democrats
accused President McKinley and the republicans of
having fostered the "Trusts." But the campaign
against McKinley and the republican party was not
only "anti-trust" but "anti-imperialistic." WiUiam
Jennings Bryan, renominated by the democratic party
in July on a free silver platform, declared that im-
perialisra was the "paramount issue" and made a
second vigorous campaign ; and the opposition to
McKinley's re-election, whether based on opposition
to his economics or his foreign policy, was not en
tirely outside of his own party. As the result of
the polling in November 292 republican presidential
electors were chosen, and 155 democratic electors,
elected in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and
the Southern states, represented the final strength of
the Bryan and Stephenson ticket. The republican
popular vote was 7,207,923 and the democratic
6,358,133. Since 1872 no president had been re-elected
for a second consecutive term.
In the term of Congress, immediately following
the presidential election it was found possible to re
duce materially the war taxes which had been levied
on the outbreak of the Spanish-American war. Ar
rangements were perfected for the termination of
the American mUitary occupation of Cuba and the

inauguration of a Cuban Republic as a virtual pro
tectorate of the United States, the American Govern
ment having arranged with the Cuban Constitutional
for the retention of certain naval stations on the
Cuban coast. In the Philippines advanced steps had
been taken in the substitution of Civil Government
for military occupation, and the Governor General,
Judge WUliam H. Taft, had been appointed and sent
to Manila. Prosperity at home was great, and
foreign relations were free from complications. The
probleras which had devolved upon McKinley's
administration having been advanced toward final
settlement, he retained without changing the cabinet
of his first administration. After an arduous and
anxious term the President had reached a period
that promised to give him comparative repose and
freedom from care. He had secured, through the
co-operation of Congress, the permanent reorganiza
tion of the army and a very considerable develop
ment of the navy. In these circumstances President
McKinley accompanied by the greater part of his
cabinet set forth in the early summer on a tour to
visit the Pacific Coast, where he was to witness the
launching of the battleship "Ohio" at San Francisco.
The route chosen was through the Southern states,
where many stops were made, and where the Presi
dent delivered brief addresses. The heartiness 01
the welcome accorded him, seeraed to mark the dis
appearance of the last vestige of sectional feeling
that had survived the Civil war in which McKinley
had participated as a young man. After his return
he spent a month in a visit at his old home at Canton,
Ohio, and at the end of this visit by previous ar
rangement he visited the City of Buffalo, New York,
in order to attend the Pan American Exposition and
deliver a public address. This address, September 5,
1901, was a public utterance designed by McKinley
to affect American opinion and public policy and
apparently to show that he had modified his views
on the tariff. It declared that henceforth the prog
ress of the nations must be through harmony and
co-operation, in view of the fast changing conditions
of communication and trade, and it maintained
that the time had come for wide reaching modi
fications in the tariff policy of the United States,
the method preferred by McKinley being that if
commercial reciprocity arrangements with various
nations could be had, it should be made a law. On
the following day, the 6th of September, 1901, a great
reception was held for President McKinley in one
of the buildings of the exposition, all sorts and con
ditions of men being welcome. Advantage of this
opportunity was taken by a young man of Polish
parentage, by name of Leon Czolgosz, to shoot at
the President with a revolver at close range. One
of the two bullets fired penetrated the abdomen.
After the world had been assured that the patient
was doing well and would recover, he collapsed and
died on the 14th. The assassin, who, it was for a
time supposed, had been inflamed by the editorials
and cartoons of the democratic opposition press, but
who professed to hold the views of that branch of
anarchists who believe in the assassination of rulers
and persons exercising political authority, was
promptly seized and was convicted and executed in
October, 1901. McKinley's conduct and utterances

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

11

in his last days revealed a loftiness of personal char
acter that everywhere elicited admiration and praise.
• Immediately after his death Vice President Roosevelt
took the oath of office, announcing that it would be
his purpose to continue McKinley's policy, while also
retaining the cabinet and principal officers of the
Government. McKinley's funeral took place at
Canton, Ohio, on the 19th of September, the occasion
being reraarkable for the public manifestations of
mourning not only in the United States, but also in
Great Britain and other countries. In Canton a
memorial tomb has been erected.
Though he had not the personal magnetism of
James G. Blaine, whom he succeeded as leader of
the republican party and whose views of reciprocity
he formally adopted in his last public speech, Mc
Kinley had great personal suavity and dignity and
was thoroughly well liked by his party colleaj;ues. As
a politician he was always more the people's repre
sentative than their leader, and that "he kept his
ear to the ground," was the source of much of his
power and at the same time was his greatest weak
ness. His address at Buffalo, the day before his
assassination, seems to voice his appreciation of the
change in popular sentiment regarding the tariff laws
of the United States and is the more remarkable
as coming from the foremost charapion for years
of a forra of tariff legislation devised to stifle in
ternational competition. His apparently inconsistent
record on the coinage question becoraes consistent
if considered in the same way, as the expressing of
his gradually changing views of his constituency.
And it may not be fanciful to suggest that the ob
vious growth of McKinley in power and growth
during his term as president was due to his being
the representative of a larger constituency, less local
and narrow minded. He was an able but far from
brilliant campaign speaker. His greatest administra
tive gift was a fine intuition in choosing men to serve
hira. McKinley's private life was irreproachable;
and very fine was his devotion to his wife, Ida
Saxton (died in 1907), whora he raarried in Canton
in 1871, and who .was, throughout his political career,
a confirmed invalid. He was frora his early man
hood a prominent member of the Methodist Epis
copal Church.
Servetus W. Park. A definite place of honor in
the history of Warren has been earned by Servetus
W. Park. His personal association with the Mahon
ing Valley goes back ninety years, while his con
sequential connection with affairs of iraportance of
Warren extends back seventy years. That is a
remarkable record ; more remarkable when it is
realized that even yet, notwithstanding nonagenarian
age, Servetus W. Park is still an active factor in
the administrative affairs of one of the leading
banking institutions of the City of Warren and is
also interested in the management and direction of
other industrial and public activities in that city.
His record is unique among the men of affairs of
Warren, if not of the entire country. He was an
educator in Trumbull County in 1847, was a medical
student in the city a little later, was in substantial
wholesale business in Warren for forty years, and
he is the dean of the bankers of Warren. He has

had important part in the development of many local
institutions. He was one of the organizers of the
TrumbuU National Bank of Warren in 1865, and
held responsible connection with that institution for
rnany years, and was one of the principals respon
sible for the re-organization of the bank in 1889,
when it became the Western Reserve National Bank.
For very raany years he was its president, and since
1918 has been chairraan of its board of directors.
He is the chief executive of many other Warren
institutions and enterprises, among which is the War
ren Operahouse Company, of which he is president;
he was one of the founders of the Warren Public
Library Association, of which he has been trustee
since its inception. It wUl therefore be seen that
Mr. Park's long life has been one of meritorious
endeavor, centered around the City of Warren, the
prosperity of which he has ever been eager to further.
He was born at Moriah, Essex County, New York,
on July 5, 1829, the son of John and Sophia (Brough
ton) Park. The Parks are of English origin, but
among the colonial New England descendants, an
honorable record of the family can be found in the
early annals of Verraont, in which state the family
in its early American generations lived. Elijah
Park, grandfather of Servetus W., was born at
Wells, Rutland County, Vermont, where he raarried,
his wife's given name being Margaret although what
her patronymic was does not appear in data now
available. Their son John, father of Servetus W.,
was born in the faraily homestead at Wells, Ver
mont, May 22, 1794. He raarried Sophia Broughton
on December 5, 1816, and to thera were born four
sons and one daughter, all the chUdren excepting the
youngest being born in Wells, Verraont. The young
est child, Servetus W., who is now the only survivor
of the children of John and Sophia (Broughton)
Park, was born in Moriah, New York. Their five
children, in order of birth, were: Samuel; Cephas;
John H. ; Rachael, who married Judge C. W. Smith ;
and Servetus W.
The life of John Park is worthy of further record
in this history of the Mahoning Valley; in fact, it
has particular interest, for he was one of the pioneer
settlers of the section. After leaving his home state,
Vermont, John Park for some years lived in Essex
County, New York, but in the spring of 1831 decided
to go and prepare a home for his wife and children
amid the greater possibilities of the rich but undevel
oped territory of the frontier states. The journey
was undoubtedly adventurous, and the rigors of the
next decade in the life of the Park faraily would
probably be severe; yet in John Park was the true
pioneering spirit, and he knew that he had the wiU
to eventually win frora the wild state a property
frora which he and his faraily could gain araple
sustenance. Leaving his wife and chUdren in their
New York state horae, he went westward with an
other pioneer, John Folsom, and the two purchased
a tract of 552 acres of wild land in Weathersfield
Township, Trumbull County, Ohio, of which John
Park eventually received clear title to 184 acres.
He prepared a habitation for his family upon the
land during the sumraer of 1831, and in the fall of
that year returned to New York state for his faraily.
The long journey had perforce to be made in a

12

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

wagon, and at that time Servetus W. was only two
years old. The family arrived eventually at their
new home without serious happening.; and for some
years thereafter they lived the life of pioneers upon
their Weathersfield Township property. Later, how
ever, John Park sold the land and acquired another
property near Niles, TrurabuU County, and there
spent his remaining years. The Park family, at least
in the paternal line, is remarkable for its longevity,
John Park being ninety-seven years old in the year
of his death, while his son, Servetus W., is stUl com
paratively vigorous, notwithstanding that he also is
a nonagenarian. After the death of his first wife,
Sophia Broughton, who died on January 3, 1854,
John Park raarried in 1855 Mary A. Cline, who bore
him three children, Mary, Seth and Cora. John Park
was a raan of strong personality and honorable Hfe,
and was widely known araong agriculturists of Trura
buU County.
Servetus W. Park, son of John and Sophia
(Broughton) Park, was reared in the wholesorae
environraent of his parents' farm, and gained his
elementary education in the coramon schools of the
county, eventually becoming a student at the old
Warren Acaderay. He appears to have had inclina
tion to follow professional occupations, and for four
years prior to attaining raajority he taught in various
schools of the district. He seeras to have had manful
purpose in this work, for the money he gained by
teaching he applied mostly to the comraendable use
of clearing his father's farm of debt, he being the
chief factor by which the final payments on the
family property were made. " In 1850 Servetus W.
evinced a desire to prepare for admittance to the
medical profession, and with that object began to
read medicine in the office of Drs. Daniel B. and
John R. Woods of Warren. In that phase of his
life he again manifested stalwart purpose, resolving
that he would obtain his medical education without
burden to his parents; and to effect that purpose he
maintained hiraself by pharmaceutical work in the
drug store of W. W. Collins of Warren during the
two years of his studentship. And during those
years wonderful reports had come of the possibUities
of California, which had been annexed in 1848, the
year in which gold was discovered at Captain Sutter's
mUl. In 1853 young Park gave up his professional
studies, and in February of that year formed a small
party and went to California, making the journey via
the Isthmus of Panama. He settled in San Fran
cisco and entered in coraraercial business, forming
the firm of Park and Tyler, which from 1854 to 1858
did a comparatively satisfactory business in books
and stationery in San Francisco, which at that time
was practically of mushroora growth and in its first
decade; in fact, San Francisco was a vUlage of
only 450 population in 1847, when its narae was
changed from that of Yerba Buena to its present
designation, but during the next decade its popula
tion rapidly increased until it had passed fifty thou
sand. In such a new community much lawlessness
and defective civic administration were of course to
be expected; but conditions became so intolerable,
and the municipal government so corrupt or incapable
of enforcing the laws, that the respectable citizens
during the period 1851-1856, to protect theraselves.

organized vigilance coraraittees, which summarily
dealt with a number of public criminals, and eventu
ally reduced the others to subordination. Mr. Park
took manly part in the endeavors of the vigilance '
comraittees during the years of his residence in San
Francisco, and strove to inaugurate a better state
of civic affairs. In 1858 he left San Francisco, and
for a while traveled through the western states
looking for suitable busifiess points, eventually, how
ever, settling in the City of Louisville, Kentucky,
where he becarae a raeraber of the commission and
forwarding firm of N. S. Glore & Company of that
city. Seeking business for the firra, Mr. Park
traveled extensively throughout the southern states,
and during those years of travel he saw inevitably
approaching the Civil war. Not wishing to be identi
fied with a Confederate state in such a circurastance,
he disposed of his business interests in Louisville,
Kentucky, and returned to Ohio, and to the City of
Warren. There he became a member of the firm of
O. H. Patch & Company, wholesale dealers in sad
dlery and harness hardware. The business was a
substantial one at the time of the commencement of
the Civil war, and its continuance in great measure
became the responsibility of Mr. Park, the senior
partner, Mr. Patch, having reached an advanced age,
and the other junior member of the firm, Emerson
Opdike, having enlisted in the railitary forces of the
Union. Thus Servetus W. Park was debarred from
personal part in the Civil war. He took over the
entire management of the business of O. H. Patch
& Company, of which he eventually became the sole
owner, conducting it with good success until 1906,
when he retired altogether from commercial business,
being at that tirae seventy-seven years old. During
the sixteen years from then to the present, however,
Mr. Park has continued to actively participate in
the direction of other financial and business interests
and in civic affairs. His record as a banker covers,
and creditably, a period of fifty-five years. He was
one of the founders of the Trumbull National Bank
of Warren in 1865, although he did not becorae one
of its directors until some years thereafter. He
was also prominent in the re-organization of the
Trumbull National Bank in 1889, when it took the
name it has since been known by, that of the Western
Reserve National Bank. Until January i, 1918, Mr.
Park was president of the bank, and his resignation
was directly the outcome of injuries sustained by
him in a runaway accident a little while previously,
from the effects of which, at his advanced age, he
found recovery soraewhat slow, but he still holds an
ofiice of honor and responsibility in the administra
tion of the bank, being the chairraan of its board of
directors. His business interests include those of
the Ohio Varnish Company of Cleveland, of which
he is president and was one of its organizers, and
of which he is one of the principal stockholders.
His interest in educational raatters has for very
raany years been evident. He has actively furthered
many movements that had bearing upon educational
facilities within the city. He has always been stu
diously inclined, and is a well-read raan. That is
emphasized by the scope of his private library; and
it was in that home library that Mr. Park met and
deliberated with other public-spirited citizens in the

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

13

hope of bi^inging into being a public libr.ary associa-
tiop. . The outcome of that meeting was the eventual
estabUshinent of the Warren Public Library, of which
Mr. Park, has been trustee since its inception. It
mu^t be particularly gratifying to him, an enthusiast
and authority on matters bibliographical, to realize
that out, of his initial endeavor have sprung the splen
did public library facilities Warren now has. Much
more concerning the public activities of Mr. Park
during his long residence in the City of Warren
could be written if available space permitted, but
his life has been sufficiently reviewed herein to in
dicate to some extent the worthy part he has taken
in the life of Warren during the last fifty years. He
has been among its leading citizens and public work
ers for a longer period than any other living resi
dent, and he has an enviable repute throughout the
Mahoning Valley.
In 1858 Mr. Park raarried Priscilla A., daughter
of Edward and Mary (Matthews) Welsh. She died
on June 5, 1875, having borne to the marriage two
children : IUa W. married David J. Kurtz, who
died in August, 1919. Their son. Park Kurtz, mar
ried Martha Cook. Carrie L., who married Frank
W. Harrington, died in October, 1893.- To them was
born Charles A. Harrington, now of Youngstown,
who married Eva Smith, of Green Township, Trum
buU County, to whom these children, Robert A., Jean
park and Edwin Wakefield were born, and a daugh
ter, Priscilla, married to Frank W. Chapraan of
Chicago. More than ten years after the deraise of
his wife, Priscilla A. Welsh, Mr. Park, on Septem
ber 17, 1885, married again, his second wife being
Lucia A. Darling, of Akron, Ohio, a niece of Gover
nor Sidney Edgerton. She was a woraan of high
attainments. After graduating at Oberlin College
she entered upon an academic career, and for eleven
years was principal of the women's department of
Berea College, Kentucky. She died on August 18,
1905. James Gibson Ewing. The Ewing faraily is one
of the oldest arid most . important families of Ma
honing County, and one of its representatives, now
deceased, who impressed his personality on Youngs
town, and the surrounding territory, and lived up
to the highest standards of the Ewings, was the
late James Gibson Ewing. He was born on a farm
in Jackson Township, Mahoning County, Ohio,
September 30, 1867, and died at Youngstown, on
August 7, 1915, in the very prirae of useful raanhood
and constructive citizenship.
Jaraes Gibson Ewing was a son of John and Mar
garet (Sterritt) Ewing, grandson of John and Mar
garet (Orr) Ewing, and great-grandson of Alex
ander and Ann Ewing. The last two raentioned
were born, reared and married in the north of Ire
land, where their chUdren were born. Archibald, who
married Sarah Pauley, John and Catherine accom
panied their widowed mother, Ann 'Ewing, to Aus
tintown Township then a part of Trumbull County,
now a part of Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1802, and
Eleanor, who married Williara McElwee, reraained
in Broughton, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
After the death of Alexander Ewing in Ireland, his
widow courageously set forth with her chUdren and

landed at Wilmington, Delaware on Septeraber 5,
1792, from which they journeyed to Center County,
Pennsylvania, and lived there until 1802, when they
carae to Ohio, and secured land in Austintown
Township, Mahoning County. This original farra
of the Ewings has never left the faraily, and is
now owned by Frank R. Ewing. It was on this
farra, near Ohls Crossing that the beloved mother,
Mrs. Ann Ewing departed this life on March 12,
1824, aged eighty-five years.
The elder John Ewing selected his farm in Jack
son Township, Mahoning County, adjoining the
original Ewing homestead, and took to it a bride,
Margaret Orr, to whom he was married in 1805,
theirs being the first white marriage celebrated in
Jackson Township, and their first child, Mary, was
the first -white child born there. 'Their other
chUdren were as. foUows : Eleanor, Margaret, Alex
ander, Marjorie, Anna Sarah, Gibson, Martha, Cath
erine, John and Rebecca.
John Ewing of the above naraed children, and
father of Jaraes Gibson Ewing, grew up in Jackson
Township, alternating attendance at the district
school with farra work, and after he attained to years
of raaturity he engaged in farraing and stockrais
ing. Owing to his generosity in trusting too raany
of his custoraers in his stock business and accepting
script that later proved to be worthless, he died a
poor raan. Later in life he lived at Canfield, Ohio,
but passed his last years at Youngstown, where he
died on Jiuie 12, 1907, his wife having passed away
on June I, 1890. .-¦-
James Gibson Ewing was one of eight chUdren
born to his parents, namely: Samuel Oliver; Francis
G. ; Joseph R. ; Mary Elizabeth, who married J. E.
Kirkpatrick; Sarah Eleanor, who died unmarried
in 1913 ; John Calvin and Margaret A., twins, the
forraer of whora is written up elsewhere in this
work, while the latter died unmarried in 1883 ; and
Jaraes Gibson.
Although his educational advantages were limited
to those offered by the district schools of Mahoning
County, and the Northeastern Norraal College at
Canfield, Ohio, James Gibson Ewing was so nat
urally intelligent and capable that he had no diffi
culty in securing a certificate to teach frora the
county superintendent of schools, and entered the
educational field, in which he continued until he
raoved to Youngstown to serve as deputy under his
brother, Sheriff Sarauel Oliver Ewing. After raak
ing a splendid record for hiraself in that capacity,
Mr. Ewing began building and through his industry
and judicious operations acquired a corafortable for
tune, and at the sarae tirae rendered his city very
valuable service, doing rauch in the way of opening
streets and erecting permanent structures at Youngs
town. He was a raan of broad vision and could see
possibilities in new communities, as his beautiful
addition naraed Bonnie Brae, to Warren, Ohio,
proves, as the latter has developed into one of the
fiourishing communities of this region. It was
while he was engaged in this work that Mr. Ewing
was stricken with appendicitis, which proved fatal.
A strong republican, he served very creditably as a
member of the Youngstown City Council, and mem
ber and chairman of the Republican County Com-

14

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

mittee, and as an official and private citizen always
took a keen interest in all moveraents he deeraed
would prove beneficial to his city, county or state.
Mr. Ewing was reared in the faith of the Cove
nanters, and as he grew older joined the United
Presbyterian Church.
James Gibson Ewing was united in marriage with
Minnie F. Murphy, a daughter of Henry Murphy,
and they became the parents of two children,
namely : Harry G., who is mentioned below ; and
James Arthur, who died January, 1906, aged twelve
years. Harry G. Ewing has spent his entire life at
Youngstown, where he attended school and was
graduated from the Rayen High School. Subse
quently he matriculated at the Western Reserve
University and following his completion of its
course, has been connected with the business estab
lished by his father, to which he succeeded upon
the death of the latter. Mr. Ewing inherits his
father's capabUities in this direction and bids fair
to further expand the scope of his operations.
On April 28, 1917, Harry G. Ewing was united
in marriage with Miss Winnifred E. Jacobs, a daugh
ter of Thomas A. Jacobs of Youngstown. Mr. and
Mrs. Ewing have one daughter, Nancy Armstrong
Ewing. Mr. Ewing has found at Youngstown the
inspiration he needs, and his abUities are such as
to assure for him a development equal to that
achieved by his father. Realizing that business is
the very life blood of the nation's prosperity, Mr.
Ewing feels that in his work he is accomplishing his
life work, and helping to maintain the prestige of his
family. Hugh D. Morgan, who was born at Youngstown,
in addition to his chosen work as a dental surgeon
has rendered a service not easily overlooked in the
direction of giving larger and broader opportunities
to the people of the community, and has taken a
notable part in securing for his city a proper field
for the development of healthful pleasure, so that
his recent appointment as a member of the Youngs
town Park Board met with general approval.
Doctor Morgan was born at Youngstown Decem
ber 23, 1873, a son of David S. and Elizabeth
(Jones) Morgan. His parents came to the United
States from Wales about fifty years ago, foUowing
their marriage, and located at Youngstown. David
S. Morgan worked in the mines, and was a republi
can voter from the time he received his naturaliza
tion papers. He and his wife were active in the
Welsh Congregational Church.
Fifth in a family of fourteen chUdren, Hugh D.
Morgan after a brief schooling spent several years
working for John Stambaugh in the William Tod
plant at Youngstown. His sincere, straightforward
nature won him friends and the confidence of his
employers. He was advanced to moulder, and his
proficiency would undoubtedly have gained for him
a much larger place in the iron and steel industry had
he chosen to remain. However, he determined to
become a dentist. Without sufficient capital to
put him through a professional school, he relied
upon the credit reposed in him by those famUiar
with his work and character, and had no difficulty

in borrowing a sufficient araount to carry hira
through the courses of the Ohio State University.
He was graduated there in 190S and later from the
Cleveland Ohio School of Dentistry. He then re
turned to Youngstown and established himself in
practice and has built up a large patronage. Through
his early work in his profession he cleared up the
obligations incurred while attending school. Doctor
Morgan still retains his membership in the Iron
Moulders' Union, and has many strong friendships
among his former fellow workmen.
January i, 1910, Doctor Morgan married Miss
Edith Edwards, daughter of David T. Edwards.
Her father was one of the notable men of Youngs
town, at one time an employe of the old Youngstown
Rolling MiU and for many years a strong advocate
of the single tax principle. Doctor Morgan is a
Mason. Realizing the benefits a community re
ceives from public parks. Doctor Morgan, naturally
an outdoor man, has sought to have the present
system expanded and improved, and his efficient
work in that connection made him the logical can
didate for membership on the park board, so that
his appointment to that position by Judges Ander
son, Jenkins and Cooper is very satisfactory to aU
classes. Thomas Gordon Blackstone. The history of
raunicipal progress and improvement in the City of
Girard during the past thirteen years is largely
an index of the able service rendered by Thomas
Gordon Blackstone as mayor of that city. The
people of Girard speak with much pride of their
popular mayor, and few men have served so many
years in such an office. He was first elected raayor
in 1906 and consecutively through 1909, he was again
chosen in 1912, again serving for four consecutive
years. Then after an interval of two years he was
made raayor in 1918 and his present term extends
to 1921.
Mr. Blackstone has long been identified with the
local business affairs of Girard. He was born on a
farm near Greenfield in Mercer County, Pennsyl
vania, May 22, 1865. His birthplace was near that
of A. M. Byers, whose industrial leadership has
had so much to do with the history of Girard.
His parents were William and Sarah Isabel (Porter)
Blackstone, the former a son of George Blackstone
and born on the farm where he spent his active
years. William Blackstone died in' 1907 at the age
of seventy-six. In youth he had learned the tailor
trade but practically all his life depended upon farm
ing as a means of livelihood. He was of Scotch-
Irish ancestry. His wife Sarah Isabel Porter was
'¦"f remote German descent, her people coraing from
Eastern Pennsylvania to Mercer County. She died
in 1880, having been born in 1834. WiUiara Black
stone married for his second wife Sarah Jewell,
who is now eighty years of age and since the death
of her husband has lived at Mercer, Pennsylvania.
WUliam Blackstone was prominent in local affairs
in his section of Pennsylvania, is a raember of the
board of trustees of the township, and was a leader
in every movement to promote education and reli
gion. "The family were devout Presbyterians and one
of the features of his early home life which Mayor

ay>t<2^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING' VALLEY

15

the s T*^ recalls with the greatest pleasure was
enfc "j -^' *^^'™ings at the old homestead when par-
ffPtL^ children, aU good singers, gathered to-
Rl^rt/'^ sang the old Gospel hymns. William
^ilhf i?m5 ^^^ ^ democrat in politics. There were
p°"l, P ^'¦en w the family and all are still living:
f L: ' ^ contractor at Youngstown; Ess Braden,
t r!=,^"/'x^.°^* Henderson, Illinois; Charles H.,
a resident of Mercer; Ida L„ wife of L J. Rogers!
a larmer m Lawrence County, Pennsylvania;
inomas U; Calvm R„ who is in partnership with
his brother Thomas in the dray and transfer busi
ness at Girard; Mary, wife of J. N. Hughes, a stock
dealer of Mercer County; and Bruce R., who was
formerly a lumber man and is a resident of the
i)tate of W ashington.
Thonias Gordon Blackstone spent his early life
on the home farm, attended the nearby schools, where
the usual school term began at the close of corn
shucking time m the fall and lasted untU the sap
started flowing in the maple trees in the early
spring. At the age of nineteen and continuing for
three years he worked with a cousin James Black
stone, buying and shipping cattle to eastern markets,
usually to Jersey City. After his marriage Mr.
Blackstone was a carpenter one year, and in 1889
came to Hazelton and was employed in the Andruss
plant. He has been a resident of Girard since 1894.
His first employraent was with the A. M. Byers plant.
He was the train crew for the Dinky duramy train,
acting as brakeman and conductor combined for $1
a day, while his wife's father was engineer. Later
he was promoted to blast furnace work, and after
three years with the Byers Company he went to a
farm he had bought in Pennsylvania and tilled the
soU four years. Returning to Girard in 1902 Mr.
Blackstone became associated with King Brothers'
furniture and undertaking establishment. He made
a thorough study of erabalraing, and remained with
King Brothers three years. In 1907 during his sec
ond year as mayor of Girard he engaged in the
undertaking business for himself, and has since, in
association with his brother, added a dray and trans
fer business.
Mayor Blackstone is a republican, a member of
the Girard Board of Trade, is affiliated with the
Junior Order United American Mechanics, the. Pro
tective Home Circle, the Knights of Pythias, and is
an active Presbyterian, serving as a member of the
board of trustees of the church and superintendent
of the Sunday school. In December, 1887, he mar
ried Minnie Everhart, daughter of Fred Everhart
of Greenfield, Pennsylvania. She was born AprU
20, 1866. They have a son Thomas G., Jr., and
an adopted daughter Ellen.
Mrs. Nancy Hine. In her ninety-third year Mrs.
Nancy Hine retained her physical and mental facul
ties to a raarked degree, and by her own life and
her experience is one of the most interesting links
between the bustling modern present and the pioneer
history of the Mahoning Valley. Mrs. Hine belonged
to two of the oldest and most historic families of
Mahoning County. Her own people were the Gib
sons, while she was widow of the late Abraham Skin
ner Hine, a family whose membership has included
Vol. II— 2

some of the best people in Eastern Ohio, not only
in recent times but in the pioneer epoch.
The history of the Hine family in America goes
back to Thomas Hine, who probably came from
England and was a resident at MUford, Connecticut,
of recorded date January 28, 1646. His will was
made in 1694. His son Samuel Hine was born
January 26, 1659-60. The third generation is rep
resented by James Hine, son of Samuel and Abigail,
who was born at MUford October 16, 1696, and was
known in early Connecticut annals as Lieutenant
Hine. He settled at New Milford about 1723. He
died April i, 1774. He was not only a large prop
erty owner but his name frequently appears in
connection with colonial affairs, including raember
ship in the General Assembly.
Noble Hine, son of Lieutenant James and Mar
garet (Noble) Hine, was born at New Milford
August 12, 1744, and served as an ensign in Colonel
White's Regiment, Captain Cowie's Company, during
the Revolutionary War. He represented his district
in the State Legislature many terms. He died
October I, 1796.
Homer Hine, son of Noble and Patience (Hub
bell) Hine, becarae a distinguished character in
Eastern Ohio, and was father of Abrahara Skinner
Hine. He was born at New Milford July 25, 1776,
and graduated with the class of 1799 from Yale
College. One of his classmates was Dr. Lyman
Beecher, father of Henry Ward Beecher. A gradu
ate of Yale just a century later was his great-grand
son, the noted American author Gouverneur Morris.
Homer Hine after studying law was admitted to the
bar in 1801, and soon afterward came on horseback
to the Ohio Western Reserve. He lived at Canfielc}
and in Youngstown, and from 1804. to 1834 was al
most continuously a representative in the Ohio Leg
islature. He was not only an able lawyer, but a
man of broad . scholarship, and in the absence of a
regular minister frequently read sermons in church.
When about sixty years of age he retired from
practice, and he died July 14, 1856. His home in
Youngstown was at Crab Creek, and the Lake Shore
depot now stands on part of his old garden. He
owned 100 acres there. While he attended the Pres
byterian Church he never united with it formally
until old age. He was a stockholder in the canal,
which took a part of his time. He was associated
on terms of friendship as well as professionally
with such prominent Mahoning County characters
as Judge Newton of Canfield, and also the Whit-
tleseys of Canfield.
October 18, 1807, Homer Hine married Mary
Skinner, daughter of Abraham and Mary (Ayers)
Skinner of PainesvUle, Ohio. She was born Sep
tember 20, 1789, and died Deceraber 18, 1882. She
had corae with her parents to Hartford, Connecti
cut, in 1805. Her father, Capt. Abrahara Skinner.
was an officer in the Araerican Revolution and be
came an extensive land owner in Northeastern
Ohio, owning land on which the City of Painesville
was built. The children of Homer Hine and wife
were Mary Sophia, Henrietta Maria, Samuel, Abra
ham Skinner, Homer Hubbell, Augustus, Junius and
Julius, twins. Samuel died at Poland at the age
of seventy-seven; Homer, at Painesville, also aged

16

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

seventy-seven ; and Augustus at Los Angeles at the
age of eighty-three. Samuel was at one time a
merchant at Hubbard, and his son Cecil is a well
known Youngstown attorney. The daughter Mary
Sophia Hine became the wife of Henry Wick, of thc
prominent Wick family of Youngstown, and later a
Cleveland banker. Mary died at the age of eighty-
eight. Henrietta Hine married Dudley Baldwin, a
Cleveland business man, and died at the age of
eighty-six. Abraham Skinner Hine was born at Crab Creek
in Youngstown February 28, 1818, and died March
9, 1866. He was injured on his forty-eighth birth
day while tearing down an old building for the pur
pose of erecting a sugar house in his maple grove.
He was known as a capable farmer, and by his
own character shared in the honor and esteem paid
the Hine faraily.
October 19, 1848, Abraham Skinner Hine raarried
Nancy Adaline Gibson. Mrs. Hine was born May
21, 1827, a daughter of Robert and Lydia (Marshall)
Gibson. Her father, Robert Gibson, was born in
Pennsylvania in 1783 and came to Ohio in 1799
with his father, James Gibson, who had been a sol
dier in the Revolutionary war. The original Gibson
farra in Mahoning County is now in the city limits,
where the new hospital is being erected. Many of
the Gibson family are still represented in Mahoning
County. Mrs. Nancy Hine, though the interests of her mind
had touched many subjects and remote places and
peoples, has had her personal associations with only
two or three homes. At the age of thirteen she
moved from a log to a stone house on her father's
place. That stone house is still standing and on
the ground incorporated in the new park at Youngs
town. When she was married more than seventy
years ago she came to the farm three miles from
the courthouse on the Youngstown-Poland Road,
and began housekeeping in a home that had beep
started by a Mr. Stahl, but was still in an unfinished
condition when Mr. and Mrs. Hine went there to
live. Most of the timbers of that old home are stUl
retained in the remodeled dwelling, which was thor
oughly modernized in 1914. The first year Mrs.
Hine cooked the meals at a fireplace. The land
of this farm, containing originally 121 acres, had
been bought by Homer Hine in 1836. Except about
twenty acres immediately surrounding the home all
the farm has since been sold to a Realty Company
and has been divided and is now rapidly being dotted
with homes.
Mrs. Nancy Hine was the mother of the following
sons and daughters : Thalia, Henrietta Emraa, Ada-
line Gibson, Mary Ayres, Alice Hine, Anna Belle
and Oliver Skinner. The daughter Thalia, born in
1849, became the wife of Rev. Hugh Porter Wilson
on September 10, 1873. He had been a Union sol
dier in the CivU war, afterwards became a Presby
terian rainister, and died as a result of his early
war service in Oklahoma in 1895. His widow is
now living with her sister and raother. Her son
Chalmers Blakelee is an attorney at Enid, Oklahoma;
Homer is in the real estate business at Los Angeles ;
Curtis is a member of the staff of the "Times at Los
Angeles ; Oliver is in the real estate business at Los
Angeles ; Dudley is proprietor of a drug store at

Girard, Ohio; and Alice is Mrs. George ZeUers of
Youngstown. Henrietta, who was born in 1851, was married in
1872 to George Edwards, who died at the age of
thirty-nine. Mrs. Edwards, who lives at Los
Angeles, has two living children, Clyde H., of Wash
ington, D. C, and Mary Ada, a teacher in the Girls
Collegiate School at Los Angeles.
Adaline G. Hine, born in 1853, retired in 1917 after
a long and active career as a teacher. She graduated
from the Poland Union Serainary and later taught
there. She was also an instructor at Oberlin Col
lege with her sister Mary, taught in the public
schools of Oberlin, spent two years at Mount Ayr,
Iowa, also taught in Canfield, and in 1889 went to
Cleveland, where she was principal of the Barkwill,
the Tod and the Quincy schools. She has been
active in club and literary work, in the Presbyterian
Church and in recent years has devoted herself to
her home and her mother.
The daughter Mary, born in 1854, died in 1898,
and though on account of an accidental injury in
girlhood she never enjoyed strong health, she becarae
a successful teacher and for several years taught
at Oberlin.
Alice, born in 1857, was married in 1886 to Wil
liam Brainard McCarthy and died at Huntingdon,
Pennsylvania, in 1897. She and her husband had
taught in the Poland Union Seminary prior to their
marriage. She was the raother of four children :
Thalia Veda, wife of J. B. Stolper, an author and
teacher of English in the high school at Newark,
New Jersey ; John Russell McCarthy, who is an
author and newspaper man and lives at Huntingdon,
Pennsylvania, and some of his poetry has been
accorded enthusiastic comraendation by the great nat
uralist John Burroughs ; Alice, who is living in
Verraont; and Vernon, of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
Anna Belle, born in i860, becarae the wife of
Rev. Charles F. Hook in 1891 and lives at Hudson,
New York. Their children are Charles Horaer, a
teacher; Marshall, Archie and Clark.
Oliver Skinner Hine, the only son, was born July
8, 1865, spent his life as a bachelor, living at home
with his mother, and died in 1917. He was always
very progressive, in favor of all new moves. His
father died when he was eight months old. He was
raised on the farm and went to school in Poland at
Union Semitiary. At sixteen he left school and took
up the active work on the farra with his mother. He
led a strenuous life and a very successful one, being
one of the best farmers in the Mahoning Valley.
He was especially interested in stock and raised fine
Holstein cattle. He was a member of the Sons of
the Revolution, and the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, and was greatly interested in them.
Mrs. Hine and her six daughters all taught school.
Mrs. Hine was eligible for membership in the
Daughters of the American Revolution. Her daugh
ters are doubly eligible, being qualified on both the
maternal and paternal side.
At the venerable age of ninety-three, came the
closing of the good, gentle and noble life. Retaining
her vigor, activity and her keen interest in current
affairs, her clear strong intellect to the last. Mon
day before the passing she told her family that it
was the first day she was unable to read her Nqw

' / « 

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

17

York Times. She left many friends to mourn her
death. Alfred E. Rkixmann. It is not strange that the
people of the little republic of Switzerland should
corae to the United States and establish homes for
our institutions in many respects are similar to their
own and they do not have such a hard time adjust
ing themselves here as do the emigrants from other
countries of Europe, born and reared under condi
tions which are just about the antithesis of our own.
The ports of entry to the western republic have ever
been open to the Swiss, and now their thriving farms,
substantial homes and places of business are found
aU over the country. They have been loyal to our
institutions and have proven to be splendid citizens
in every respect.
Alfred E. Reinraann is a native of Berne, Switz
erland, where he was born on March 23, 1882, a
son of Sarauel Reinraann. He received his educa
tional training in schools at Zurich and Paris, thus
gaining a good knowledge of French. In 1901, two
years before attaining his raajority, Mr. Reinmann
left his native land for the United States, arriving
here in September of that year. He iraraediately
came to Youngstown, Ohio, and his first employment
after arriving here was in digging a cellar on Fed
eral Street. He was energetic and ambitious and
stopped at nothing in the way of honest employment,
selling newspapers, working on farms and at any
thing he could find to do. In the meantime he took
special instruction from the teachers of the Rayen
High School, raaking such progress that he was
enabled to enter the Wisconsin State University at
Madison, where he corapleted his third yearr Re
turning to Youngstown he entered the Dollar Sav
ings and Trust Corapany in the capacity of mes
senger, and was later advanced to the position of
teller. In 1905 he entered the services of the Equity
Savings and Loan Company, of which he became
treasurer. In 1912 he organized the Central Savings
and Loan Corapany, and in 1916 the Central Bank
and Trust Corapany. Mr. Reinraann is president of
the above bank, and secretary and manager of the
Loan Company.
In 1907 Mr. Reinmann was married to Dorothy
F. Ullmann and they are the parents of three chil
dren, Dorothy May, Alfred E., Jr., and Myron E.
Mr. Reinmann is a member of the Reformed
Church, and socially is identified with the Youngs
town Club. He is a member of the Free and Ac
cepted Masons, in which he has attained the thirty-
second degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite,
and also belongs to the Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and the Knights of
Pythias. With few opportunities except what his
own efforts were capable of mastering, and with
many discouragements to overcome, he has made a
success in life. He is regarded as a good business
raan, possessing sound judgraent and keen foresight,
and he enjoys to a notable degree the confidence and
respect of his business associates. He takes a proper
interest in the affairs of the community, giving his
unreserved support to aU moveraents for the ad
vancement of the general welfare of the people.

C. H. WiLTSiE is proprietor of the Main Hardware
Company of Niles. This is an old established busi
ness, with a large trade and prosperous connections,
and its scope has been greatly extended under Mr.
WUtsie's management.
The father of the Niles merchant is Nathan C
Wiltsie, a wealthy and substantial business raan
whose interests were widely dispersed over West
ern Pennsylvania and New York. Most of his life
he has been a luraber raanufacturer and dealer,
with raills at Garland, Byronstown, Pennsylvania,
and other places. He is a man of affairs, with
business holdings at Buffalo and Jaraestown, New
York, Corey and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For
years he has also been a leading republican figure
in both state and national politics.
C. H. WUtsie, son of Nathan C. and Altheda Wilt
sie, was born at Wyoraing, New York, October 2,
1870. He spent most of his early life at Corey,
Pennsylvania, being a graduate of the high school
of that city and the Corey Business College. At the
age of twenty-one he was put in charge of a knit
ting plant at Jamestown, New York, and for nearly
thirty years has handled important executive respon
sibilities. Going from Corey to Pittsburgh, he served
three years as cashier of the Oil Wells Supply
Company. Mr. Wiltsie has really been a factor in
the great Mahoning Valley for many years, since
for sixteen years he lived at Sharon, Pennsylvania,
where he was affiliated with the Fred Fruit inter
ests. Mr. WUtsie bought the Main Hardware Com
pany at Niles in 1917 and has since given his active
management to this business. Like his father he
has been deeply interested in the success of the
republican party. He is a thirty-second degree
Scottish Rite Mason, an Elk, and a meraber of vari
ous fraternal, business and civic organizations.
In 1891 he married Miss Myrtle Prather, who
died in igo8. Her only son John P. is deceased.
Mr. WUtsie married for his present wife Catherine
McElroy, and they have two children, Charles and
Mabel. Fred Fremont Wheeler whose life has been
spent on the paternal Wheeler farm in Brookfield
Township comes of a long line of sturdy New Eng
land and Ohio ancestors, of Revolutionary stock,
and for ninety years or more the family have been
prominent in the Mahoning VaUey.
For several generations the Wheelers lived in
Verraont. The first of the faraily line of whora
there is definite record was James Wheeler, who
in 1750 at Rutland, Vermont, married Abigail Ball.
Their son Phineas was born at Rutland July 2, 1757,
and married Polly McCobb. Phineas when he died
in New York in 1836 was a pensioner of the Gov
ernment for his services as a Revolutionary soldier.
It was in the next generation that carried the
family west to Ohio in the person of William
Wheeler who was born at Andover, Vermont, July
6, 1788. He married Margaret Weldon and came
from New York State to Ohio about 1830, acquiring
400 acres on Big Yankee Run, including the present
Luce Farm. William lived here until his death
and was buried in Brookfield Cemetery, and his
wife died at the home of her son Phineas on the
farra now occupied by Fred Fremont Wheeler.

18

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

WUliam Wheeler was married in 1819 and died
October 9, 1857, while his wife passed away January
20, 1876. Their children were : Mary Ann who
married Abram DeForest; David who lived in Hub
bard Township ; Lavina who became the wife of
Ira Fowler of tiartf ord Township ; Phineas ; Fanny
who married Benjamin McMullen of the well known
McMullen family of Brookfield Township; William,
Jr., whose widow is living at Sharpsville, Pennsyl
vania; Joseph, who at the age of eighty-seven is
the only survivor of this generation and makes his
home in Brookfield; Jaraes Madison who spent his
life in Pennsylvania; and Francis Marion who died
young. Phineas Vv''heeler of these chUdren was born
August 17, 1826, and was four years of age when
brought to Ohio. Soon aftei; his raarriage he moved
to the farm now occupied by his grandson Fred
and lived there until his death on AprU 7, 1907, at
the age of eighty-one. His wife was Eraily Jones,
who died March 29, 1919.
The only child of Phineas and Eraily Wheeler was
Williara Earl Wheeler, who was born on the old
homestead in Brookfield Township December 19,
1864. He grew up and spent his years industriously
on that farm until five years ago, since which time
his home has been in Sharon. During his active
career the farm house was built in 1870 and soon
afterwards the barn. Phineas was a strong republi
can in the early days of the party and William
Earl followed his footsteps and served three terms
as township treasurer. WUliam Earl Wheeler mar
ried Emraa Clark on Septeraber 24, 1885. She was
born in Brookfield Township July 7, 1864, a daughter
of Lewis and Helen (Burton) Clark. To their raar
riage were born two chUdren, Fred Fremont and
Ada. Ada who died August 3, 1918, was the wife of
Walter Tribby, and she was buried in the same
grave with her son James who had died the day
before. They lived in Brookfield Township and she
had finished her education in the Sharon High
School. Fred Fremont Wheeler who was born on the farm
of his father and grandfather Noveraber II, 1886,
acquired a good education and has spent a very
busy life looking after the farm and performing
all the duties of good citizenship. Dairying is a
prominent feature of his farm work.
August 18, 1915, he married Alma Linsley of
Gustavus Township, daughter of Clarence J. and
Eraraa (Palmer) Linsl^. Her father died January
23, 1917, and her mother is now living at Kinsman.
Mrs. Wheeler was educated in the high school of
Gustavus Township and untU her marriage was a
teacher in Trumbull and Ashtabula counties. Mr.
and Mrs. Wheeler have two sons : Francis Wade
born July 4, 1916, and Clarence L., born December
14, 1917-
Mr. Wheeler is a republican, is a member of the
Presbyterian Church which has been his family
faith for several generations, and like his father
is affiliated with the Masonic Lodge at Hartford,
being senior deacon of the lodge.
Bert Flick. A discriminating public came to
know and appreciate the service of Mr. Flick for
many years as a dealer in fine raeats. He had one

of the finest shops in Youngstown, and was in the
raeat business in different capacities for raany years.
Mr. Flick's place of business now is at NUes, where
he is dealing in autoraobiles.
Though born in Stark County, Ohio, Septeraber
6, 1870, Mr. Flick has spent nearly all his_ life in
the Mahoning Valley. He is a son of WUliam and
Amanda (Beal) Flick. His father was born in
Lordstown Township, Trumbull County, and died
in 1905 at the age of sixty-seven. His raother was
born in Newton Township of Trumbull County, and
is now seventy-eight years of age. Her winters she
spends with her son Bert Flick. WUliam Flick was
a prosperous farmer, stock raiser and dealer, and
for many years made a practice of shipping to
eastern markets. His farm was in Lordstown Town
ship, but in 1901 he became a resident of Youngs
town. He was a meraber of the United Brethren
Church. WUliara Flick and wife had six children :
Mary, wife of Mack Horn of Lordstown; Charles,
owner of a prosperous lumber business in Indiana;
Wallace, connected with the building trades at Cleve
land; Bert; Erama, who is married and lives in
Indiana; and Katie who died in childhood.
Bert Flick grew up on his father's farm, and
was educated in Lordstown. He left home at the
age of eighteen, and spent three years learning the
butcher's trade in the market of Ewing Brothers
on Mahoning Avenue. Thereafter for nearly thirty
years he was engaged in the raeat business. For
three years he was a wholesaler, buying stock, butch
ering, and selling the product to Youngstown deal
ers. For a year he represented the Morris Pack
ing Company as a salesman, spent four and a half
years with the Truogs establishment, and one year
with Peter Deibel and for a time was with A. W.
Deibel. Mr. Flick then opened a shop of his own
on ¦ McKinney Street in Youngstown. That was
his place of business for nine years, and he spared
neither pains nor expense to make his shop and
store and products the very highest standard. Mr.
Flick has a wide acquaintance in the City of
Youngstown and his old custoraers expressed gen
eral regret when he sold his business in 1919.. Since
then he has been the Niles agent for the Auburn
car and also handles autoraobile accessories.
Mr. Flick and faraily reside on the Boardraan
Road out of Youngstown. In April, 1892, he raar
ried Ada Beil, a daughter of PhUip Beil of Lords-
town. Three chUdren were born to their raarriage:
Ray W., associated with his father in the automo
bile business ; Dorothy at home ; and Wade, who
died at the age of fourteen. Mr. Flick is one
of the stanch republicans of the Valley.
Lewis Oliver Wurtemberger, who for the past
four years has been auditor of Trumbull County,
is a resident of NUes, and was one of the active
young business leaders of that city prior to hiS
election to county office.
Mr. Wurtemberger was born at Bucyrus, Ohio,
July 4, 1884, son of George J. and Sarah (Woodling)
Wurtemberger. His father was born in the City
of Philadelphia in 1826, a son of John Wurtem
berger, a native of Germany. The family were
early settlers in Fairfield County, Ohio. During his
early life George J. Wurtemberger was a carpenter,

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

19

later a meat merchant at Bucyrus until 1898, in which
year he moved his business to Toledo. He remained
in that city until the fall of 1918, when he went
to Warren and died there in the same year. Sarah
Woodling was born in Crawford County, Ohio,
her parents being native Pennsylvanians.
L. O. Wurtemberger acquired his early education
in the schools of Bucyrus and Toledo. He left school
at sixteen to begin an apprenticeship at the watch
maker's trade at Fostoria. His active business career
covers about fifteen years. He spent the year 1904
in Colorado, and in 1905 engaged in the jewelry
business at Niles. He was soon at the head of a
growing establishment, and became very influential
and popular in that section of the county. In 1913
he was appointed deputy county auditor, and in
1916 became chief of that office by popular election.
He was re-elected in 1918, and will retire to private
business at the expiration of his term as county
auditor on March I, 1923, his term having by law
been extended one year and five months.
Mr. Wurtemberger is a member of the execu
tive comraittee of the Mahoning Valley McKinley
Club, a non-partisan organization. He was a raera
ber of the committee which had charge of the
club's annual banquet in 1919, held in the McKinley
Memorial at NUes, a banquet attended by nearly 500
raerabers and invited guests. Mr. Wurteraberger in
1918 was elected president of the Giddings Republi
can Club of Trumbull County for the year 1919. He
has a large acquaintance among business raen, public
leaders and other influential citizens of Ohio.
Mr. Wurteraberger is a member of Mahoning
Lodge, No. 394 Free and Accepted Masons, Mahon
ing Chapter No. 66 Royal Arch Masons, Warren
CouncU, No. 58, Royal and Select Masons, Warren
Commandery No. 39 Knights Templar and of Fal
con Lodge No. 436 at Niles and Trumbull Encamp-
raent at Warren of the Odd Fellows, and with NUes
Lodge Knights of Pythias. He is also a meraber
and director of the Niles Charaber of Commerce and
NUes First Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Wurtemberger married Jennie M. Lewis,
daughter of WiUiam R. and Elizabeth Lewis, for
merly of Sharon, Pennsylvania, now of Niles. They
have two chUdren: Mary Olive, born December 24,
1908; and Lois Jane, born September 11, 1916.
Adolph J. Boehme. During the past twenty years
much of the survey, engineering detail and technical
planning of various industrial projects in the Ma
honing VaUey have been handled by Mr. Boehme,
who is chief field engineer of the Youngstown Sheet
& Tube Company.
Mr. Boehme, whose high rank m engineering
circles is widely known throughout Eastern Ohio
and Western Pennsylvania was born in Union City,
Indiana, October 12, 1877, but has spent the greater
part of his life in Youngstown. His parents are
Ernest A. and Barbara (Emraelheinz) Boehme.
His father was born in Germany and his mother m
Columbus, Ohio, of German parentage. Ernest A.
Boehme came with his parents to the United States
at the age of sixteen and grew up at Pittsburgh.
He studied for the ministry and after being or
dained at Union City, Indiana was active in the
service in the Joint Synod ot Ohio of the Lutheran

Church for thirty-two years. Twenty-five years of
that time he was pastor of the Wood Street Martin
Luther Church in Youngstown. Since 1910 he has
lived retired from the ministry.
Adolph J. Boehme, only son in a family of five
children, was six years of age when his parents
located at Youngstown in 1883. He attended the
parochial school of his father's church, also the
Wood Street Public School, and graduated from
the Rayen High School in 1897. The following
fall he entered the Ohio State University, and in
1901 received his degree as a mechanical engineer,
having also specialized in civil engineering. Mr.
Boehme had much of his early experience in practi
cal engineering under David M. Wise, then chief en
gineer of the Youngstown Sheet & "Tube Company.
He assisted Mr. Wise in surveying and laying out
construction work for the present grounds of the
Sheet and Tube Company, during July, 1901. In
Deceraber, IQ02, Mr. Wise assigned hira the task
of making the prelirainary surveys for the projected
line of the West Side Belt Line Railroad of Pitts
burgh frora the Pennsylvania State Line to Mentor
Marsh in Lake County, Ohio. This industrial road
was afterwards absorbed by other corporations. In
September, 1903, Mr. Boehme was directly employed
by John H. Fitch and others to do the engineering
work for the Belmont Park Cemetery. Following
this he returned to Mr. Wise and was employed in
raaking the prelirainary survey of Lake Harailton,
owned by the Mahoning Valley Water Company.
Before the dam and reservoir had been completed,
however, in August, 1906, Mr. Boehme was era
ployed on construction work at the Bessemer steel
plant of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company,
and on August 10, igo6, he left the employment of
Mr. Wise and became identified with the construc
tion of the No. 2 blast furnace for the Shenango
Furnace Company at Sharpsville, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Boehme has held the post of chief field engi
neer of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company
from April i, 1907. He was one of the organizers
of the Engineers Club of the Youngstown District,
has been honored with the office of president, and
is one of the present directors. He is also a mera
ber of the Chamber of Commerce and was appointed
on the committee of the Ohio-Pennsylvania Canal
Board of the Chamber of Coraraerce. May 28, 1907,
Mr. Boehme married Miss Marie G. Schuh, of
Allegheny, Pennsylvania. They have two children,
Ernestine H. and Carl A. Mr. Boehme and family
are members of the Woodlawn Avenue Lutheran
Church. Jacob M. Faris, superintendent of the mechanical
and electrical department of the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Company, is one of the oldest technical
men in the service of that great corporation, and
as an engineer has gained a high place in his pro
fession by practical experience and achievement and
without the aid of a technical education.
Mr. Faris was born at Pomeroy, Ohio, Novem
ber 29, 1871, son of Mathew and Mary Jane (Par
sons) Faris. His widowed mother is still living.
His father spent the greater part of his active life
as laborer in a salt mill at Pomeroy. Both parents
were born in Ohio.

20

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Jacob M. Faris, one of three children, grew up at
Pomeroy and had only a public school education.
As a youth he began an apprenticeship at the ma
chinist's trade, and for a time was eraployed as an
engineer in the Poraeroy Rolling Mill, subsequently
became a millwright in that plant, and still later
worked in machine shops.
On moving to Youngstown in 1896, Mr. Faris
was employed as a millwright by the Mahoning
VaUey Iron Company, and later was promoted to
master mechanic. He remained with that corpora
tion about five years, and since then his service with
the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company has
been continuous. Beginning as raaster raechanic,
he was afterwards promoted to his present respon
sibilities as superintendent of the mechanical and
electrical department. In one of the greatest indus
trial plants in Ohio Mr. Faris had the heavy re
sponsibilities of superintending the erection of all
the machinery in the plant.
He is an honored member of the Iron and Steel
Institute, the Society of Engineers of Western
Pennsylvania, and the American Railway Associa
tion. He also takes an active interest in civic and
social matters, is a member of the Knights of
Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
the Elks, the Masons, the Rotary Club and the
Richard Brown Memorial Methodist Episcopal
Church. In July, 1896, Mr. Faris married Miss
Carrie E. Genheimer of Pomeroy, Ohio. They have
one son, Randolph U.
Evan J. Thomas, county treasurer of Trum
bull County, is in the second generation of his
particular branch of the Thomas family in the Ma
honing Valley. He was born AprU 28, 1881, on a
farm in Brookfield Township, Trumbull County,
and all of his life has been in this county. He is
a son of John R. and Margaret J. (Evans)
Thomas. John R. Thomas was born in 1836 in Wales, and
twenty years later he came to the United States.
He came alone, and located in the Welsh settle
ment in Brookfield Township, Trumbull County.
While in early life Mr. Thomas was a coal miner,
in later years he engaged in the rneat business,
combined with general farming. He is now retired
from active business and lives in Niles. His, wife
who died in 1912, was of Welsh descent and was
horn in 1837, near Belmont Avenue in what is now
North Youngstown.
While a boy on the farm Evan J. Thomas attended
the district schools, but when he was twelve years
old he went to Niles where he entered high school.
When he was fourteen years of age he entered
the employ of the First National Bank of NUes,
and continued there for four years. He was next
the paymaster of the old Falcon Iron and Nail Com
pany at Niles or untU that mill was absorbed by
lhe American Sheet and Tin Plate Company. He
then entered a business college in Warren where
he graduated in 1900, and in that year he entered
the employ of the Western Reserve National Bank
of Warren, where he continued for twelve and a
half years as assistant cashier in 1913 resigning to
become secretary-treasurer of the firm of Morgan
& Williams of Warren.

In 1915, Mr. Thomas organized the Weir-Thomas
Realty Company of Warren, of which he was sec
retary and treasurer. In 1916 he was elected treas
urer of Trumbull County, and two years later he
was re-elected to the same office, his second terrh
expiring September i, 1921. When entering upon
his duties as county treasurer he disposed of all
other business interests.
Mr. Thomas is a meraber and Past Master of
Old Erie Lodge No. 3, Free and Accepted Masons,
and of Warren Coramandery No. 39 Knights Tera
plar, Cleveland Consistory (Thirty-second degree)
and of Al Koran Teraple Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine, Cleveland.
On October 19, 1910, Mr. Thoraas married Laura
Belle Reese, of Youngstown. She is a daughter of
William A. and Hannah (Jones) Reese. Their
children are : Evan J. Thomas, Jr., and Robert J.
Thomas. Frank H. Nullmeyer. Few of the departraent
heads of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company
have had more varied experience, and none have
been in greater degree the architects of their own
fortunes, than Frank H. Nullraeyer. Starting his
independent career when still a lad, with no favoring
advantages and but a limited education, he worked
his way through industry to preferred employraents,
in the meantime preparing himself by special courses
of study for better things, and today is superintend
ent of the rod, wire and conduit works at the Struth
ers plant.
Mr. Nullmeyer is of Pennsylvania nativity, hav
ing been born at Homestead, where now stand the
Carnegie Works, September 5, 1874. He is a son
of Henry C. and Louisa K. (Fickeisen) Nullmeyer,
the former of whom was born in Germany but was
but six months old when brought to the United
States by his father, Christopher, who was engaged
in the coal and real estate business at Pittsburgh
until his death. Henry C. Nullraeyer grew up at
Pittsburgh and was there married. As a youth he
learned the carpenter's trade and followed that oc
cupation for some years, subsequently embarking in
mercantile pursuits. Died August 4, 1920.
Frank H. Nullmeyer grew up at Pittsburgh and as
a boy attended the public schools. At the age of
fifteen years he started to work as helper to a
plumber, for the modest wage of So cents per week,
but a little later forsook this position to enter the
cold rolling department of the Jones-Laughlin Com
pany, under Mr. Brobech, at $5 a week. Later he
was put on the rolls, "catching," and about this time.
seeing the need of a better education, took up
mechanical drawing in night classes at the local
Young Men's Christian Association. His next em
ployment was as an apprentice of Thomas Carlin's
Sons, founders and machinists, and, after three
years as an apprentice, worked one year as a jour
neyman. While still an apprentice, he took a cor
respondence course in the International Correspond
ence Schools, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, specializing
in mechanical engineering and chemistry and com
pleting the former. For three years following this,
lie worked as an apprentice at mechanical engineer
ing for Henry Aiken, and upon completing this
worked as a mechanical engineer for Samuel Discber

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

21

for one year. In 1899 Mr. Nullmeyer accepted a
position as draftsman for the Shoenberger Steel
Company, of Pittsburgh, and this proved to be his
real start in the raill business. Frora an ordinary
draftsraan he becarae chief draftsman, and during
the period of his rise this concern was absorbed by
the Steel Corporation, in 1900, and Mr. NuUraeyer
remained with the new company. Later he was
made assistant chief engineer of the Pittsburgh
District, and March i, 1903, was appointed assistant
superintendent of the Rankin MiU of the American
Steel and Wire Company. On January I, 1905,
Mr. Nullmeyer was made assistant superintendent
of the Donora MiU, of which W. H. Farrell was
superintendent; January 15, 1906, was made superin
tendent of the Braddock Mill; and May i, 1907, was
appointed superintendent of the Rankin MiU and op
erated both this and the Braddock MUl for a time.
On March 22, 1909, he came to Youngstown as su
perintendent of the rod and wire department of the
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company at Struthers,
and later, in August, 1913, the conduit departraent
was added and he has continued as superintendent
of these ever since. He has an enviable reputation
for industrious and faithful service, and has won
the confidence and respect of those with whom he
has been associated. .
Mr. Nullmeyer is president of the Struthers Cham
ber of Commerce and is a thirty-second A. A. S. R.
Mason and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He was
married August 12, 1897, to Miss Mary C. Cope-
man, of what was then AUegheny, now Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, and to this union there have been
born four children : HUda Louisa, who is the wife
of William H. Ludt, Jr.; Walter William, Francis
WUliam, and Gladys, who died in infancy. Mr. and
Mrs. Nullmeyer are members of the First Pres
byterian Church of Struthers.
Jefferson N. Marshall has been a carpenter and
building contractor in the Mahoning Valley for oyer
twenty years, is a resident of Niles, but his chief
business is the firm of McCaughtry & Marshall,
owners of the Pennahio Lumber Corapany at Girard.
This is an extensive business handling building sup
plies and also doing general contracting work.
Mr. Marshall who deserves a great share of credit
for the steadily increasing prosperity of the com
pany, of which he is secretary, was born in Crawford
County, Pennsylvania, October 18, 1869, a son of
Lewis and Nancy (Arbuckle) Marshall. His par
ents are still living, their home being one of the
farms notable for productivity and improvement in
Crawford County. His father inherited fifty acres
of the land from his parents, but by his own enter
prise has built up a large and profitable property.
He was born in 1847 and his wife in 1853. Lewis
Marshall is an active prohibitionist and a deacon
in the Christian Church. The children comprise
seven sons and one daughter, all living except one
who lost his life in a railroad accident. Five
of the sons have become successful physicians.
Jefferson N. Marshall, the oldest son, attended
country schools, in Crawford County, also the New
Lebanon High School, and had one year of experi
ence as a teacher. He learned the carpenter's trade

in Crawford County, but on coming to Ohio in
1898 spent some time on a farm in Hartford Town
ship of Trumbull County. From the farm he rnoved
to NUes to take charge of his contracting business,
and since then has built many houses and other
structures up and down the Mahoning Valley. Mr.
Marshall has a keen mind for analyzing aU the
problems and factors that enter into construction
work and his success has been due to his ability to
estimate his contracts with due reference to all the
details involved. In 1908 associated with Rev. D. D.
Burt and A. T. Hunt he organized the lumber and
contracting business at Girard and in 1910 reorgan
ized the firm in partnership with Mr. C. A. Mc
Caughtry, as McCaughtry & Marshall. He is the
practical and technical man in the business.
January 30, 1895, Mr. Marshall married Almeda
E. Stallsmith, daughter of I. W. Stallsmith of Mer
cer County, Pennsylvania. They have five children :
Zena, wife of Charles WUliams of Niles ; Glenn and
Mabel, twins, the former at home and the latter
the wife of Everett Frye of Avon Park; Alma and
Louis, both at home. All the famUy except the
youngest child are active members of the Christian
Church. Mr. Marshall is a Royal Arch Mason and
Knight of Pythias, and politically he casts his vote
for the candidate he believes most deserving of
office. Francis T. Moran. WhUe Mr. Moran is one of
the younger officials of the Brier Hill Steel Com
pany, his experience, training and studies make him
one of the leading authorities on the coke and by
products departments of the iron and steel industry
in the Mahoning Valley.
Mr. Moran who is superintendent of the Coke
Works of the Brier Hill Company was born at
HaraUton, New York, June 25, 1887, one of the
five children of Edward T. and Mary (MacDon-
nell) Moran. His parents were both born in this
country of Irish ancestry. Edward T. Moran has
spent his active life as a farmer and he and his
wife are stUl living at Hamilton.
Francis T. Moran received his priraary education
at Hamilton, and after due preparation at Colgate
Academy entered Colgate University in 1905. He
received his A. B. degree in 1909. With a broad
and classical training he first applied himself to
teaching, an occupation he followed only four
months. Since then all his active energies have
been associated with sorae phase of the coke indus-
tr}'. He was first coke inspector for the United
States Steel Corporation in Gary, West Virginia.
In order to learn the by-product general operations
he next went to Joliet, Illinois, and was in the coke
department of the Illinois Steel Corapany. For a
year and a half he was with the Tennessee Coal,
Iron and Railroad Company at Birmingham, Ala
bama, for six months was with the H. Koppers Corn-
pan}', and for a year and a half with the Woodward
Iron Company. He spent another year with the
Lehigh Coke Company at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania,
and from there came to Youngstown to fill his
present position as superintendent of the Coke
Works of the Brier Hill Steel Company.
His technical e.xperience and qualifications has

22

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

earned him membership in the American Gas Asso
ciation, the Araerican Iron and Steel Institute, the
Engineers Club of the Youngstown District. Fra
ternally he is an Elk and a Catholic in religion.
On general political issues he votes as a republican.
February 26, 1919, Mr. Moran married Miss Col-
letta Kothiemer of Youngstown.
Stambaugh Family. The importance that at
taches to the lives, character and work of the early
settlers of Mahoning County and the influence they
have exerted upon the cause of humanity and civUi
zation is one of the most absorbing themes that can
possibly attract the attention of the local chronicler
or historian. If great and beneficent results — results
that endure and bless mankind — are the proper
measure of the good men do, then who is there in
the world's history that may take their places above
the hardy pioneer. To point out the way, to make
possible our present advancing civilization, its happy
homes, its arts and sciences, its discoveries and in
ventions, its education, culture and social life, is to
be the truly great benefactors of mankind for all
time. This was the great work accomplished by the
early settlers, and it is granted by all that they
builded wiser than they knew. Admit that as a
rule, but few ever realized in the dimmest way the
transcendant possibilities that rested upon their
shoulders ; grant it that their lives, in certain in
stances, were somewhat narrow and that they re
alized but little the great results that finally crowned
their efforts ; yet there exists the suprerae fact that
they followed their irapulses, penetrated the frontier
and with a patient energy, resolution and self sac
rifice that stands alone and unparalleled, they
worked out their alloted tasks, accoraplished their
destinies and today their descendants and others
enjoy undisturbed the fruitage of their labors.
Among the early pioneers of the Mahoning Valley
was John Starabaugh, the founder of the faraily of
that narae here, a family that has borne its full
share of the burdens incident to the upbuUding and
development of this community, and representatives
of which are today numbered among the leading
citizens of Youngstown.
John Starabaugh, the pioneer, was born on June
7, 1795, at Perry County, Pennsylvania, and his
death occurred on May 30, 1870, in the seventy-fifth
year of his age. He came to Mahoning County,
Ohio, in 1820, and settled at Brier Hill, where he
engaged in farming, and there spent the remainder
of his life. He also engaged in driving a four-
horse wagon, freighting goods between Youngstown
and Baltimore. He was a son of Jacob Stambaugh,
of Perry County, Pennsylvania, who was born in
1761, and died May 29, 1837, aged seventy-six years.
Jacob Stambaugh died May 16, 1816, aged fifty
years, being born in 1766. John Stambaugh mar
ried Sara Beaver, who was born on January
25, 1797, and who died on July 9, 1851, in
her fifty-fifth year. To them were born twelve chil
dren, namely: William, born January 20, 1818, died
March 26, 1880. He married a Miss Wise and they
had six children, John E., J. Frank, Samuel, Homer,
MUton and Charles, the first three of whom were
soldiers in the Union army during the Civil war.

Samuel, born Noveraber 10, 1819, died May 28, 1836.
Mary, born'December 6, 1821, died January 14, 1908.
She became the wife of WUliam Shilling and they
had five children, John, James, Samuel, Sallie and
Laura. Martin, born September 8, 1823, died June
28, 1891. He married and was the father of Evan,
Clarinda and Mrs. George Tod. Julyan, born Jan
uary 10, 182s, died July 21, 1866. Was married to
Calvin Shook and had John W., SUas and Sara.
John II, born March 8, 1827, died March 4, 1888.
Married Caroline Hamilton and had four children,
Grace, who becarae the wife of Fred Wilkerson,
Henry H., died January 4, 1919, John III and George
Fowler. Sara, born May 7, 1829, died June i, 1877.
Married to Nelson Crandall and bore three chUdren,
Ford, Belle and Charles. Arabella, born Septeraber
II, 1832, died May 14, 1904. Was raarried to Jaraes
Ford, by whom she had four children, James, Sara
(Mrs. H. M. Garlick), Tod and John. Jacob, born
May 7, 183s, and the only survivor of these twelve
children. Daniel B., born April 6, 1838, died January
14, 1915. Married to Margaret Osborn, to whom
three chUdren were born, Philip (married Fannie
Williaras and has one son, Philip), Anni'- (Mrj.
David Tod) and Mary. Margaret Elizabe- 1, born
October 15, 1840, died March 13, 1841. Da^ d Lup-
per, born March 29, 1844, died October 13, 1869.
Married a Miss Fitch and had two chUdren, WUliam
F. and David.
Jacob Starabaugh, the ninth child in order of
birth of the above-naraed children, was born at the
old Brier Hill homestead, where his father settled
in 1820. His early years were typical of that period,
being chiefly characterized work of the raost
strenuous sort, interspersed with brief attendance at
the winter school. In early manhood he hecame
identified with the coal interests and up to tl Mme
of his retirement, in recent years, he had m
do with the coal development of the Mai
Valley. His principal efforts were at Weatheic- .
Mineral Ridge, Church Hill and Vienna. During the
early part of the CivU war, he held a first lieutenant's
coraraission in the Home Guards, but in 1864 his
command was sworn into the service of the United
States and became a part of the One Hundred and
Seventy-first Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, of
which regiment Mr. Stambaugh became quarterraas-
ter. The entire career of Jacob Stambaugh has been
passed in the immediate vicinity of Youngstown,
where he is widely known and as widely respected.
On April 22, 1858, Jacob Stambaugh' was married
to Elizabeth McCartney, a daughter of George and
Mary (Eckman) McCartney, who were pioneers of
Trumbull County, Ohio. Four chUdren wefe born
to that union, as follows : George Ford, who married
Alice Louise LaTrace, who died some six months
later. Harry Jackson, who was married to Cecelia
Rachel Long and their three chUdren are, Harry
Jackson, Jr. (married Florence Byrd Kennedy and
has two daughters, Elizabeth Byrd and Kathleen .
Roxanne), Cecelia Long (the wife of Henry Glen
Heedy and the mother of Henry Glen, Jr., Sara
Stambaugh and Mary Elizabeth) and Jere Long
(married Mary A. Rabe and is the father of Jere,
Jr., and Sarah Jane). Harry J. Stambaugh, Sr.,
is treasurer of the Republic Rubber Company, of

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

23

Youngstown, previous to which time he was iden
tified with the coal, iron and steel industries. Mary
Elizabeth becarae the wife of George D. Hughes
and is the raother of one daughter, Elizabeth Pris
cilla. Joseph Kincaid is a civil engineer in Youngs
town and is unmarried.
John Stambaugh II was born and reared at Brier"
Hill, Mahoning County, and he was early inured to
pioneer conditions, which in those days raeant the
hardest kind of labor frora daylight to dark, grub
bing the land, splitting rails, planting and reaping,
and the other incidental work of the farra. Educa
tional facUities in those days were raeager, but what
he lacked in scholastic training was raade up by the
homely virtues of industry, honesty and helpfulness,
which were ever characteristic of the man. Becom
ing interested in the coal and iron business, he was
associated with Governor Tod and became connected
with many large transactions, necessitating many
trips to foreign lands. He was a close reader, a
sound reasoner and a keen observer, and thus be
came possessed of a wide range of information,
and, being a man of unusual shrewdness and sagac
ity, he became one of the foremost business men of
the state. He was very public spirited and was a
generous contributor to practically all charitable
objects. John Stambaugh III was born on February 15,
1862, and received his elementary education in the
public schools. He then entered Cornell University,
at Ithaca, New York, where he was graduated with
the class of 1884. Immediately thereafter he found
employment as a chemist with the Youngstown Steel
Company, with whom he remained until 1887, when
he became an employee of the WUliam Tod Com
pany, of which he shortly thereafter becarae man
ager and, after the death of William Tod he was
elected to the presidency. In the meantime he was
made secretary and treasurer of the Youngstown
Steel Company. Since then his activities have wid
ened until he is a stockholder and director in a score
or more of the leading industrial concerns of the
Mahoning Valley.
On September 21, 1887, he was married to Cora
Bunts, of Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Col. WU
liam Bunts who attained his raUitary title by serv
ice in the Union army during the CivU war. Mr.
and Mrs. Starabaugh have two children, John IV
and Caroline.
It is, of course, extraneous to the functions of this
publication to enter into raanifold detaUs concerning
the career of the many representative citizens who.se
names find a place within its pages, but what has
been said regarding the Stambaugh family of Ma
honing County is sufficient to indicate the fact, ac
knowledged by all who are famUiar with this history
of this locality, that few famUies in this section of
the state have to so large a degree entered into and
contributed to the splendid advancement and devel
opment which has characterized Youngstown and
vicinity. Their distinctive prestige here has been
due to their characteristics of courage, enterprise,
industry, integrity and faith — sterling traits which
ever beget public confidence and esteem, and which
have enabled them to be of commendable service in
important avenues of usefulness in various lines.

H. H. Stambaugh. For forty years preceding his
death which occurred January 4, 1919, H. H. Stam
baugh was a man of power and leadership in the
Youngstown District. The power he exercised in
industrial affairs is rauch better understood and
appreciated than the quiet and unselfish service he
rendered as a coramunity leader. He never posed as
a phUanthropist, yet his substantial benefactions
aggregate a total the more impressive because he
exercised great care in seeing that it reached its
proper objective.
A son of the late John and Carolina Stambaugh
he was born at Brier Hill November 24, 1858. He
was educated in the common and high schools of
Brier Hill, prepared for college at the Greylock
Institute at Williamstown, Massachusetts, and fin
ished his education at Cornell University. Returning
from the university he became associated with the
Brier HUl Iron and Coal Company of which his
father was president and of which Joseph C. Butler.
Jr., was manager. He was with that well known
corporation continuously from 1883 until 1912, part
of the time as secretary and treasurer and later as
president. Possessing all the marked gifts of his
family in a business and executive way, his abilities
rapidly improved and matured, and enabled him to
play a very important part in developing the iron
and steel industry of the Mahoning Valley.
He was one of the founders of the Brier Hill
Steel Company and for five years from 1912 to 1917
served as chairman of its board of directors, after
which he was succeeded by Judge J. B. Kennedy,
but continued as a director. For twelve years he
was a director of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube
Company, retiring in 1916, though retaining large
holdings in the corporation. He was also a director
in the old William Tod Company, which finally sold
its business to the United Engineering & Foundry
Company. His active interests at the time of his
death were represented by directorships in the First
National and Dollar Savings Banks ; Tod-Stambaugh
Company of Cleveland, shippers of iron ore and
owners of extensive mining properties ; The Besse
mer Limestone Company, The Starabaugh-Thomp-
son Corapany, and as a stockholder in nuraerous
other commercial concerns. Mr. Stambaugh owned
several large farms in Mahoning and Trumbull
counties and was one of the proraoters and buUd
ers of the Stambaugh BuUding. With his brother
and others he organized the Realty Guarantee &
Trust Company.
To a rare degree he realized the responsibUities
incurred by wealth and business prominence, and
even when demands of his business affairs were
raost pressing he contrived time to interest him
self in charitable undertakings. He was instrumen
tal in forming the Community Service Society, which
has taken over the organized charities of the county,
placing them on a systematic basis and largely
extending their efficiency. About the last irapor
tant gift made by him of which the public has
record was a check for $50,000 to the Youngstown
Foundation. This is a fund the income from which
is used for charitable purposes. He was the first

24

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

contributor to the Foundation when it was started
by him, Henry M. Garlick, A. E. Adams and others.
Those close to him are aware that he used his
means as direct instrumentalities of helpfulness to
individuals, but it was characteristic that he should
choose a business like corporation as a chief and
most effective means of doing good and cheering
homes darkened by misfortune and lightening the
burdens of those cast down.
The period of the war found him more attentive
to local patriotic movements than to his private
affairs. As chairman of the Thrift Stamp Cam
paign Committee in Mahoning County he gave his
undivided attention for many weeks, daily appearing
at the headquarters established in the Municipal
Building and working unceasingly that old Mahoning
should beat its quota. His indefatigable efforts
were rewarded by the generous success attending
this campaign. He was a member of the Executive
Committee of the Mahoning County War Chest, aid
ing in raising the sum of $2,100,000, and also afford
ing his counsel and influence in seeing that the
moneys were properly distributed among the war
auxiliary purposes for which it was raised. He was
also named on the committee to erect a Memorial
Auditorium to soldiers of the county who sacrificed
their lives in the war.
This is a brief outline of the career of a notable
Youngstown citizen, but is sufficiently concrete and
definite to illustrate the achievements and the quali
ties of character for which his old friends and asso
ciates will like to remember him.
William I. Holloway. One of the substantial
men of Youngstown is William I. Holloway, super
intendent of the hot blast department of the Thomas
Works of the Brier HiU Steel Company at NUes,
was born at Brierly, Staffordshire, England, on
June I, 1866, a son of Jeremiah and Myra (Ad-
derly) Holloway. The father, Jeremiah, was a
sheet roller in his native country, where he was
reared and was married.
In 1869 the family came to the United States and
located in Pennsylvania, where the father worked
at his trade, but he later moved to Cleveland, Ohio,
and from there to Niles, Ohio, about 1875. In the
latter place he became a roller of sheet iron in the
old Russia Mill. Still later he raoved to Coving
ton, Kentucky, and frora there to Piqua, Ohio,
where he died in 1913, aged seventy-seven years.
WUliam I. Holloway is one of six children born
to his parents. He attended the public schools at
both Covington, Kentucky, and NUes, Ohio, begin
ning work in the steel mills of the former place
when he was about fifteen years old, and he has
continued to be a steel mill worker ever since, being
principally occupied with rolling sheet iron.
In 1886 WUliam I. Holloway was married to Nel
lie Agnes Craig and they have five chUdren, namely :
WilHam I., Jr., Henry H., Oscar I., Charles T. and
Nellie M. Mr. Holloway is a member of the Metho
dist Episcopal Church. He belongs to the Masonic
fraternity, being a Knight Templar, York Rite and
Thirty-second Degree, Scottish Rite Mason. In
politics he is a republican, and represents the Sixth
AA'ard in the City of Youngstown where he resides.

being one of the most efficient raembers of the city
council. Two of the sons of Mr. HoUoway saw service
during the World war, Oscar I. and Charles T.
The former, who is a veterinary surgeon, was in
the Three Hundred and Forty-sixth Field Artillery,
with the rank of first lieutenant, and saw service
at Saint Mihiel, Beaumont and in the Argonne.
Charles T. resigned from the Brier HUl Steel Com
pany to enlist in the Seventy-fifth Company of the
Sixth Regiment of Marines, and was in the engage
ments at Chauteau Thiery, Beaumont, the Argonne,
Saint Mihiel, Soissons, earning five battle stars and
silver citation medals. He is now in the accounting
department of the Sharon Steel Hoop Company.
Henry, or rather Harry as he is generally known,
H. Holloway was born at Covington, Kentucky,
February 2, 1888, and was educated in the Piqua
High School, the University of Ohio and the Uni
versity of Chattanooga, Tennessee. At the State
University of Ohio he specialized' in iron and steel,
and became a member of the Greek Letter fra
ternity Delta Tau Delta. He began doubling on
the sheet mill at Piqua, Ohio, when ,he was thir
teen years old, and continued working in the mills
during his vacations, at Middletown, Ohio, New
port, Kentucky, Whittaker, Glessner and Wheeling,
West Virginia, and was roller and night superin
tendent of La Belle Iron Works at Steubenville.
Ohio. He was a roller at Portsraouth, and came
to Niles in 191 1 as hot raill foreraan for the De
Forest Iron and Steel Company, and was there for
four years. Resigning in 1915, he took charge of
the special steel department of the Brier HUl Steel
Company, and continued as such for three years, or
until 1918. He then became superintendent of the
operating department of the Hosleton Works of
the Sharon Steel Hoop Companj- of which he later
became assistant sales manager in 1919. On Feb
ruary 15, 1920, he resigned to become superintendent
of the Thomas Works of the Brier HUl Steel Com
pany, at Niles, a position he now fills.
On November 4, 1910, Mr. Holloway was mar
ried to Eliza Russell Hogle, of Piqua, Ohio. They
have two sons, Charles ^^'illiara and Harry. Jr. Mr.
Holloway is a Council Degree meraber of the
Masonic fraternity. In politics he is a republican.
His religious sentiments make him a Methodist.
Both William I. Holloway and his son, H. H.
Holloway, are among the best known steel miU
workers of the Mahoning Valley, and as citizens
measure up to the highest standards of American
manhood. Harry L. Brinker, superintendent of the blast
furnaces of the Brier Hill Steel Company at Youngs
town, has had a practical and thorough training
for the position he now fills. Born February 11,
1867, at Pleasant Unity, Penns.vlvania, he is a son
of Stephen J. and Alice (Leezer) Brinker. Stephen
J. Brinker was born in Pennsylvania in 1837, and
considered tlie Keystone State his home during his
life. He learned the shoemaking trade in his ear
lier years, and subsequently followed mercantile
pursuits. He was a veteran of the Union army,
and is now a resident of Greensburg, Pennsj'lvania.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Harry L. Brinker was reared at Pleasant Unity,
and was graduated in the classical course at TheU
College, GreenvUle, Pennsylvania, in 1890, subse
quently attending for two years Johns Hopkins Uni
versity where he specialized in chemistry. Follow
ing that, for three years, he was employed in special
laboratory work for the Bethlehem Steel Company,
and from Septeraber i, 1895, to April i, 1900, was
assistant to J. C. Barrett, who was then chief
chemist of the old Ohio Steel Company at Youngs
town, Ohio. At the latter date he was made chief
chemist for the Republic Iron and Steel Company,
but at the expiration of two years and three months,
returned to the Ohio works as chief chemist. His
intimate knowledge of blast furnace work led to
his appointment as assistant superintendent of the
blast furnace of this corporation, which position
he filled until his present appointraent on March
25, 1920, with the Brier Hill Steel Corapany. There
has been nothing spectacular in the career of Mr.
Brinker. He but illustrates the old rule, reflected
in many of his fellows, that close application and,
possibly, a more than average ability and aptitude,
will bring legitiraate returns. He holds member
ship in the Engineering Society of Western Penn
sylvania, the Araerican Cheraical Society, the
Youngstown Engineers Club, Grace Lutheran
Church, and the Young Men's Christian Association.
In politics he is a republican. Well known in
Masonry, he belongs to the Thirty-second Degree,
Scottish Rite, and Knights Teraplar, York Rite, and
is a member of the Mystic Shrine. As a member of
this great fraternity he has been honored as the
master of his Blue Lodge, high priest of his Chapter
and eminent commander of his Coraraandery.
On December 22, 1896, Mr. Brinker was married
to Miss Nellie May Oakley of Youngstown, a
daughter of E. Oakley. The four daughters born
to Mr. and Mrs. Brijjker are as follows : Hazel
May, Mabel Minnie, Gladys Lucile and Edith
Eleanor. R. H. Wilkinson, Jr., has made a distinctive place
for himself in the business life of Warren through
his extensive operations in real estate, and is cor
rectly nurabered among the constructive citizens of
the Mahoning Valley. He was born at Malta, Illi
nois, on March 20, 1876, a son of Rev. Rufus H.
and Adelia (Quackenbush) Wilkinson, the former
of whora was born at Greencastle, Indiana, and
came of an old Maryland family, merabers of which
located at Greencastle at an early day. Reverend
Wilkinson responded to President Lincoln's call for
troops in 1861, and entered the service for three
months, serving under General Lew Wallace of
Indiana. After his honorable discharge he entered
the university at Greencastle and was graduated
therefrom in 1865. He was next graduated from
Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois, in
the class of 1867. Leaving it he entered the ministry
as a raember of Rock River Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and continued active
in the ministry untU his death in 1913. His wife was
born near Syracuse, New York, and she belonged to
the old Knickerbocker Quackenbush famUy. Her
parents reraoved to Northern Illinois at an early

date. She survives her husband and now resides at
Phoenix, Arizona.
R. H. Wilkinson, Jr., completed bis academic edu
cation in the Evanston, Illinois, High School, and
was graduated frora Northwestern University in
1898, with the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy.
Leaving the university he traveled for about a year,
and then, in igoo, he became identified with the
Carnegie Company at Youngstown, rising in 1902 to
be superintendent of the furnace of that corporation
at Niles, and remained there as such until 1909,
when he was made superintendent of the Struthers
Furnace at Youngstown, but resigned this position
in 1913 to come to Warren and take over the man
agement of the Warren Acreage Investment Com
pany, which, in conjunction with Joseph G. Butler,
Jr., W. H. Foster and C. H. Booth of Youngstown,
and D. A. Geiger and C. E. Carey of Warren, he
had organized. Mr. Wilkinson was made president
and general raanager of the company; Mr. Butler
becarae vice president; and Mr. Geiger, treasurer
of the corapany. This corapany purchased the old
Perkins estate east of the City of Warren, corapris
ing over 1,000 acres, which they platted and put on
the market, and the first plat has been sold out.
In 1920 they opened a plat of 300 acres of the same
land immediately surrounding the Country Club,
which has been improved with paved streets, and
similar modern improvements, and it is known as
"Shaker Heights" of Warren. The company deeded
eighty acres of this valuable land to the Country
Club with the view of making it possible for the club
to develop a fine organization with a comraodious
clubhouse and excellent golf links. It may be inter
esting to the general public to know that this land
was the playground of Mr. Butler, vice president of
the company, during his boyhood, and that because
of this fact he takes a keen interest in the develop
ment of the Country Club.
Mr. Wilkinson also organized the Perkinswood
BuUding Company, which is erecting fine residences
at Perkinswood, and he is serving it as president ;
and he is also president and one of the organizers
of the Perkinswood Transportation Company, which
operates a line of automobile busses fo;- the accom
modation of the residents of Perkinswood and vicin
ity. He is vice president of the Warren Guaranteed
Mortgage Corapany of Warren; a director of the
Hippodrome BuUding Corapany ; and is secretary of
the Ohio Association of Real-iEstate Boards. Mr.
Wilkinson is a member of the Warren Board of
Trade, the Warren Rotary Club and the Trumbull
and Youngstown Country clubs. The First Presby
terian Church of Warren holds his membership. iHe
belongs to Evanston Chapter of the Delta Upsilon
Greek letter fraternity of Northwestern University.
Mr. Wilkinson married Mary Esther Walton, a
daughter of C. H. and Agnes D. (Jeffreys) Walton,
of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and to them a son and
daughter have been born, namely : Richard, who
was born on January 30, 1910 ; and Helen iElaine,
who was born on February 21, 1918.
Albert R. Finch. Of the department heads of
the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company at
Youngstown who have established excellent records

26

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

for efficient workmanship, fidelity and steadfast in
dustry, one who has won confidence and respect
during the seven years in which he has been in the
company's employ is Albert R. Finch, assistant
superintendent of the skelp, plate and puddle mills.
He is a native son of Youngstown, born May 15,
1876, his parents being Isaac B. and Mary Jane
(Ray) Finch, the former a native of Ohio and the
latter of Rhode Island. Isaac B. Finch was a con
tractor and a veteran of the Civil war, who passed
much of his life at Youngstown, and died here in
1900, his widow surviving him sixteen years. They
were the parents of four children, of whom one is
deceased. Albert R. Finch was reared in his native city and
as a boy attended the public schools and for two
years was a student at Rayen High School. At
the age of eighteen years he started out for him
self as a weigh-boy for the Mahoning Valley Iron
Company. Later, when the Ohio Works plant w.3,s
built, he served there as converting mill recorder,
and later as steel blower of the Bessemer. Sub
sequently, he went to Clairton, Pennsylvania, as an
employe of the St. Clair Steel Company, serving
for a time in the capacity of chief inspector and
later being advanced to foreman of the blooming
mill. From this he went to Gary, Indiana, when
that big industrial point first came into existence
as a center of the steel industry, and there became
night superintendent of the billet raill. His next
location was at Cleveland, Ohio, where for a tirae
he engaged in general contracting, and in 1912
carae to Youngstown and began work with the
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Corapany as standing
turn man. Mr. Finch was subsequently promoted to
assistant turn foreman of the blooming mills, and
then went back to the Bessemer MUl as turn fore
man. He was made general foreman of that mill,
and, when the new plate mUl was built, in 1917,
became assistant superintendent under John M. Ben
nington, of the skelp, plate and puddle mills. This
position he has since continued to fill with ability,
earning the confidence of his superiors and the re
spect and good will of the men under his jurisdic
tion. Mr. Finch was married February 22, 1917, to Mrs.
Mary Collins, who, by her first husband, had one
daughter, Isabel. Mr. Finch has several social and
fraternal connections and is the possessor of a wide
circle of friends.
William H. Warren. WhUe he has been general
raanager of the Brier Hill Steel Company only six
years, that period of Mr. Warren's administration
has witnessed a marvelous expansion and increase
in productive efficiency of this great Youngstown
plant. Mr. Warren is a practical steel man in
every sense of the word. He learned the business
literally in the glare of the furnaces, and today he
could take charge as an expert in practically anv
one of the many departments of the iramense busi
ness under his general management.
He was born in the southern city of Mobile, Ala
bama, Julv 30, 187^. son of Charles H. and Josephine
(Foy) Warren. His mother was a noted belle of
Mobile during the Civil war period. Charles H.

Warren was a graduate of Harvard University and
during the war was at Mobile as chief express mes
senger of the old Pioneer, now the Adams Express
Corapany. He rose to high rank in railroad circles
subsequently becoming general superintendent of
the Chesapeake & Ohio, later the LouisvUle .'nd
Nashville Railroad Corapany, and still later was
assistant general superintendent of the Chicago Divi
sion of the Baltiraore & Ohio. Both he and his
wife are now deceased.
In 1884 when WUliam H. Warren was eleven years
of age his parents moved from MobUe to Detroit,
and three years later they established their home in
Chicago. While in Chicago WUliam iH. Warren
spent two years in the South Chicago High School.
He was only seventeen when he went to work in the
Illinois Steel Company's plant as a shipper in the
iron ore department. He did good work, showed
alertness and ambition, and his efficiency procured
him rapid proraotion. For a t-'me he was in the
roll turning departraent, becoming assistant super
intendent. Later he was roller, then boss roUer
of the plant, and finally was assistant superintend
ent of the roller mills, holding that position until
1908. In igo8 Mr. Warren went to the new steel city of
Gary, where he built and superintended the erec
tion of all the rolling mills and remained as su
perintendent of operations until 1914. He came to
Youngstown in 1914 and for a time was steel plant
superintendent for the Brier Hill Steel Company,
and since June, 1916, has been general raanager.
Mr. Warren can view with a great deal of satis
faction the iraproveraents and additions since he
carae to the Brier HUl Steel Company. At that
time the company was operating two old blast fur
naces the Tod and the Grace, had seven open-hearth
furnaces, one 40-inch blooming mill, one 24-inch
sheet, bar and biUet raill, and also the Thomas
plant at Niles consisting of twelve sheet raills, the
Empire Works at NUes comprising eight finishing
sheet raills. Mr. Warren since then has built
eighty-four Koppers by-product coke ovens with
capacity to recover all by-products ; one benzol
works recovering all benzol and other explosive
products; has' quadrupled the rolling stock; buUt
one new coraplete 550-ton blast furnace ; one 850,-
ooo-ton capacity ore yard with ore bridge and car
duraper, has doubled the capacity of the open-
hearth departraents without interfering with opera
tions ; has doubled the capacity of the blooraing
mill by additional soaking pit heating capacitv;
built and operated one 84-inch tandem plate miU,
and also constructed and operated one i32-inc,h
plate mill. These last two units are housed under
one roof, making perhaps the largest single rolling
mill in the world, 1,600 by 420 feet. During his term
as general manager the companv has purchased
and operated the Western Reserve Works, former
ly known as the Western Reserve Steel Company
at^ Warren, and has acqu-red the Dunwoody ore
mines on the Mesaba range.
His wide experience and achievements in the
iron and steel industry make him a prominent
member of the Iron and Steel Institute and the
Association of Iron and Steel Electrical Engineers.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

27

He is also a raember of the Youngstown Chamber
of Comraerce, the Youngstown Club, Youngstown
Country Club, the National Association of the
American Red Cross. He is a Knight Templar
Mason, Shriner and Elk. August 23, igoo, Mr.
Warren raarried Mrs. Dott Jackson Wicks of Chi
cago. Four children were born to their raarriage,
but the three daughters are all deceased. The
only son is John Wicks Warren.
Samuel S. Badal, M. D. It is an accepted fact
that sorae of the raost scholarly raen of the United
States are those who owe their birth to another
country, but who, having become Americans of their
own choice, are most devoted to the land of their
adoption, giving to it and its civilization the full
benefit of their capabilities and carefully trained
mentalities. Such a man is Dr. Samuel S. Badal of
Lowellville, who was born near Urumia, Persia.
Doctor Badal was fortunate enough .to come
under the influence of the Presbyterian raissionaries
at Urumia, who, recognizing the brilliancy of the
little Persian lad, induced him to enter the Ameri
can Missionary College, from which he was gradu
ated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. FoUow
ing that, although stUl a mere lad in years, he studied
medicine with an uncle, Dr. S. Badal, at Urumia for
a year, and then, at the age of nineteen years, he
came to the United States and joined a relative
at Cleveland, Ohio. Immediately after reaching that
city he matriculated in the old Cleveland College of
Physicians and Surgeons, now the Medical Depart
ment of the Western Reserve University, and was
graduated in 1905 with honors and the degree of
Doctor of Medicine.
It was his intention when he first came to this
country to fit hiraself for practice in his native land.
but. in the meanwhile his uncle had died, he had
become imbued with American ideas, and he changed
his plans and became an .interne at Saint Claire's
Hospital at Cleveland. Through his friendship with
Dr. John McCurdy of Youngstown, whom he had
raet whUe in college. Doctor Badal was led to locate
at Lowellville in 1906. At that tirae Dr. J. A. Vogen,
now of Youngstown, and Doctor Newton, now de
ceased, were the physicians of Lowellville. Doctor
Badal opened an office at Lowellville, and from the
start raet with the success his talents entitled hira
to, and he is now recognized as one of the best
physicians and surgeons of the county. He has a
specially large practice araong the workers in the
steel raills and quarries, although his services are in
demand by all classes. Professionally he belongs to
the Mahoning County Medical Society, the Ohio
State Medical Society and the American Medical
Association. Tn igo6 Doctor Badal was married to Angelina
Jesson, born in Schleswig, Holstein, Gerraany, a
trained nurse in Saint Claire's Hospital, and she as
sists her husband in eraergency cases in his office.
Doctor and Mrs. Badal becarae the parents of five
children, four of whom survive, namely: Samuel
S., James J., Daniel W. and Sarah Marie. Both
Doctor Badal and his wife are raerabers of the Pres
byterian Church, and she is active in the different
church societies. Doctor Badal belongs to HUman

Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of
Youngstown. Doctor Badal has never returned to Persia even
for a brief visit. During the late war his family
was broken up and their holdings practically wiped
out through the cruehies of the Turks. A brother
and sisters of his were forced to flee for protection
frora the invading Turks to the British Mission.
Needless to say that Doctor Badal did his fuU part
in supporting all of the war activities in his section,
and was a liberal contributor in all of the drives.
He is a weU educated, cultured gentleraan, fully
Americanized, and deeply interested in all living
questions. William ¦ F. Fair. Broad-minded and sober of
judgment, some men possess a character that
creates respect and invites intercourse, so that in
their passage through life they win and retain
the esteem and confidence of their associates. When
these characteristics are combined with the power
to develop their own capabilities to the highest de
gree of efficiency, they becarae valuable members
of the industries to which they are attached. The
foregoing applies in every way to William F. Fair,
assistant superintendent of the steel department and
in charge of the blast furnaces of the Youngstown
Sheet and Tube Company. He is a native son of
Youngstown, and was born November 8, 1874, one
of the nine chUdren of James and Ellen (Carney)
Fair, natives of Ireland. James Fair was a young
man when he eraigrated to the United States, and
here he followed his vocation as a blast furnace
foreraan, the greater part of his career being passed
in the employ of the Brier Hill Steel Corapany.
He died in 1913, while his wife, whora he met and
wed in this country survived him three years.
William F. Fair was reared at Youngstown,
where he received his education in the public
schools. He was a remarkably bright lad and was
only fifteen years of age when he was graduated
from the Rayen High School. For a few years
thereafter he worked in the rolling mills of the old
Youngstown MUl, and later was employed on the
furnace for the Brier Hill Steel Company, where
he became furnace foreraan. Later he was era
ployed by the Ohio Works of the then Carnegie
Steel Corapany as stock yards foreraan and furnace
foreraan, and stUl later becarae foreman at Haselton
for the Republic Iron and Steel Company, where
he was advanced to assistant superintendent, and
subsequently to superintendent. In 1908 Mr. Fair
came to the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company
as assistant to H. S. Braraan, superintendent of
furnaces at that time, and then became superin
tendent of, blast furnaces, also under Mr. Braman.
This position he has since continued to fill and has
established a splendid record for efficiency, re-
liabUity and fidelity. Mr. Fair is a Roman Catholic
in his religious faith and is a meraber of the
Knights of Columbus and of the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks.
In 1892 Mr. Fair raarried Miss Bridget Isabel
Dean, and they have three children : Edgar, Kath
erine and William, Jr.

28

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Aaron W. Ricksecker. Probably there is no
profession that demands so rauch tact, judgment,
patience, specialized knowledge and natural execu
tive ability as that of the schoolmaster, and the
man or woman who enters into this important field,
selecting it as his calling, must be prepared to make
many personal sacrifices, to endure many disap
pointments, to often spend himself for others,
without apparent gratitude in return, and to give
the best years of his life without the emoluments
that equal effort would surely bring in any other
profession. It is a profession for which there are
no weights and measures. The material with
which it deals is rather that life stuff upon which
impressions are eternal and afford the man who
would serve the race an opportunity than which
there are none greater. One who has dedicated
his life to the' work in this spirit is. Aaron W.
Ricksecker, superintendent of schools of Lowell
ville. Professor Ricksecker was born at Mount Eaton,
Wayne County, Ohio, on March 26, 1869, a son of
parents whose birthplace was Bern, Switzerland.
They came to the United States many years ago, lo
cating in Wayne County, Ohio. After attending
the common and high schools of Wayne County,
Professor Ricksecker secured his degree of Bach
elor of Art in a collegiate course at Heidelberg
University, Tiffin, Ohio, and did some work at the
University of Chicago. In 1887 he began teaching
school, and has a -record of thirty-two years of
continuous service in the schoolroom, having taught
in both the common and high schools. For five
years he was superintendent of the Mount Eaton,
Ohio, schools ; during the next twelve years he was
principal of the preparatory department and normal
school of Heidelberg at Tiffin, Ohio, and then be
came superintendent of the schools of Haskins,
Wood County, Ohio. In 191 1 he took charge of the
Lowellville schools. At that time he had eleven
teachers and there was an attendance of 385 pupUs.
Now eighteen teachers are required to instruct the
pupUs, the enrollment for 1920 being 650 persons.
There are sixty pupUs in the high school, which
in igig graduated a class of fifteen pupils. The
new high school building which was erected in
1918 cost $35,000, and it contains a splendid audi
torium and gymnasiura as well as many other raod
ern improveraents, and is one of the best in the
county. This school has an athletic director, and
all of the pupils and teachers participate in health
ful sports. The domestic art and manual training
courses are optional, but both are very popular.
Professor Ricksecker has awakened a deep and
enthusiastic interest in home project work and aids
the pupils to earn money outside of school hours.
Owing to his progressive ideas and unceasing labors
this school has taken a high place among those
exhibiting at the county fair. Fortunately Profes
sor Ricksecker is backed by an excellent and ap
preciative board of education, and they have united
with him in securing a superior grade of teachers.
All of this work has received the unanimous ap
proval of the community so that a perfect harraony
has been preserved which has naturally greatly

aided in the carrying out of plans and the inaugura
tion of new raethods. Professor Ricksecker is a
man who believes in teachers' organizations and
belongs to those of his county and state, and he has
borne his part in the work of teachers' institutes in
Ohio, and has been in the foremost ranks of those
engaged in educational developraent. He has also
served as president of the County Teachers' Insti
tute and belongs to the several associations of school
superintendents. For some time he has been on
the Board of School Examiners of Mahoning
County. All of his interest is centered on his
schools and educational work, and -Lowellville and
Mahoning counties are to be congratulated in hav
ing secured the services of such a scholarly, ca
pable man and executive.
In 1894 Professor Ricksecker was married at
Mount Eaton, Ohio, to Minnie M. Gerber, and
they have two children, namely: RusseU E., who
was graduated from the high school course and
then spent two years in the Wooster University,
is now chemist in the local mUl of the Sharon
Steel Hoop Company ; and Alice, who is attending
the LowellvUle High School. Professor Rick
secker is not only a raeraber of the LowellviUe
Presbyter'an Church, but he is serving it as a
trustee. During the late war he took an active
part in the Red Cross drives, and otherwise gave
his services to his country as they were needed.
All in all it would be difficult to find a raan better
fitted for his work, or one who is raore alive to
the fact that his profession offers hira unsurpassed
opportunities for noble labor, the value of which
cannot be adequately estiraated.
Jonas H. Hoffmaster was one of the old residents
of Mahoning County who during raany years was a
successful agriculturist of Poland Township, where
his two daughters now reside, but he is now de
ceased. He assisted very materially in raising the
standard of his chosen calling and the requirements
of good citizenship in his neighborhood. He was
born near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on September 17,
1821, and died on December 6, 1897. When he was
eighteen months Ol-d his parents brought him to
Columbiana County, Ohio, where his father, George
Hoffmaster, was engaged in farming. Still later
the faraily came to Springfield Township, Mahoning
County, and there both parents died. Their old
farm is now in the possession of the Charles Hqlz-
worth family. These parents lie buried in Zion
Cemetery, one mUe east of New Middletown, Qhia
the father having died September 10, 1858, aged
eighty-two, and the mother, Christina E. Hoffmas
ter, died January i, 1855, at the age of 65. They
were both born in Wuerteraberg, Germany.
Growing up in Mahoning County, Jonas H. Hoff
master adopted farming as his life work. He mar
ried Charlotte Stacy, a daughter of Thomas Stacy,
who was born and reared in Poland Township. An
extended review of the Stacy family is found else
where in this work. FoUowing his marriage Jonas
Hoffmaster came to the farm now owned by his
daughters in Poland Township, which he and his
brother, David Hoffmaster, bought in co-partnership

JONAS HOFFMASTER

CHARLOTTE STACY HOFFMASTER

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

29

from Bilivus Kirtland, who, while he owned the
property, did not live on it. This farm is almost
contiguous to the Goucher farm, the two farailies
being connected by raarriage. It lies on the Penn
sylvania state line, two and one-half mUes south of
LowellvUle, and is regarded as a valuable property.
They operated this property together, although not
long after the purchase was made Jonas bought his
brother's interest in it. This farm originally con
tained 200 acres, but Mr. Hoffmaster sold loo acres
of it to Judge Arrel's father. The present house was
erected by Mr. Hoffmaster in 1856, and a barn was
buUt in 1869, which was burned in igoo, and the one
now standing was erected on the sarae site by the
family. In early years Mr. Hoffmaster belonged to
the Lutheran Church, but later on in life transferred
his raerabership to the Methodist Episcopal Church
at Hillsville, Pennsylvania. For a nuraber of years
Mr. Hoffraaster was a raember of the school board.
Mrs. Hoffmaster died in 1887, having born her
husband the following children : Hillary, who left
the farm in 1896, and died Septeraber 18, 1917, hav
ing raarried OUie Mayberry, and three of their chil
dren survive, Lawrence, Warren and Lyle ; Mary
L., who is Mrs. Lewis Goucher, has two living
chUdren, Lottie M., Mrs. O. W. Sipe, who with her
son, Virgil, is living on the Hoffraaster farra with
her raother and aunt, and Homer, who is with his
mother, the deceased child of Mrs. Goucher having
been iMorris L., who died on December 16, 1918,
aged twenty-six years ; and Amanda Hoffmaster, the
youngest child of Jonas Hoffmaster, who is also a
resident of her father's homestead. She was a
nurse in the Youngstown Hospital for a time, but
is now occupied with conducting the farm with the
assistance of her sister. Both ladies are proud of
the fact that they can trace back to two such honor-
aible men as their father and grandfather, and th^t
these two were among the early settlers of the
county and did their full part in advancing its inter
ests during their generations. The lives of such men
point a moral and afford an example worthy of
emulation. Samuel Q. March. Forty years of faithful and
consecutive service to one institution is not so
much a commonplace in human affairs as to pass
unnoticed. A delicate and grateful recognition of
such service was made when on his retiring from
active connection with the Hubbard Banking Cora
pany on January 31, 1916, the board of directors
voted that Sarauel Q. iMiarch should be retained as
honorary president. His death occurred a few
years later, on the 3d of May, 1920.
Mr. March began his official career with that
bank in February, 1876, when he was elected secre
tary of what was then known as the Hubbard
Savings Bank. This institution was then only
three years old. It had been established in 1873 by
Alexander M. Jewell and his son Robert H. Jewell.
It was operated under a state charter until 1878,
when it becarae the Hubbard National Bank, but in
1886 resumed its state charter and has so con
tinued. The original capital was $25,000, but since
1874 it has been $50,000, and through all the years
the bank has never missed a dividend. The first
president was A. M. Jewell, who on his death was

succeeded by his son, Robert H. Jewell, and the suc
cessive presidents since, then have beeii David G.
Dennison, S. L. Kerr, George M. McKelvey and
S. Q. March. All are now deceased.
Mr. March was born in Columbiana County, Ohio,
May 8, 1841, and represents a substantial famUy
of colonial stock. His great-grandfather was a
native of Pennsylvania and raoved from that state
to Virginia. He was a merchant at Germantown,
which was looted by the British soldiers. His
grandfather, Henry March, came from Virginia
westward to Ohio in 1808, becoraing a pioneer in
Colurabiana County. Henry March died while in
the military service during the War of 1812, on
his way home. PhUip March, father of the Hub
bard banker, was born in Berkeley County, Virginia,
in 1803, and for raany years was a successful mer
chant and farmer in Columbiana County, where
he died in 1866. He was a member of the Legisla
ture. His wife was Sarah Gillmer, a native of
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. She died in
1859, at the age of fifty-five. Sarauel Q. March
was one of ten children, and the following are now
deceased : William, who died June 17, 1895 ; Mary
Ann, who died December 3, 1857 ; Henry C, who
died September 15, 1899; James, who died March
4, 1859; John H., who died September 28, 1910;
one who died February 8, 1889; PhUip M., who
died February 9, 1918, and Samuel, who died in 1920.
Samuel Q. March grew up in his native county,
was well educated in local schools and also at
tended the Mahoning Academy at Canfield and
Elders Ridge Academy in Pennsylvania. He
taught his first term of school between the ages of
sixteen and seventeen. On coraing to Hubbard.
in 1867 he was briefly engaged in the hardware
business and then for several years was inter
ested in the luraber industry in Tennessee. He re
turned to Hubbard as principal of the schools, and
subsequently engaged in the hardware business
with T. A. and W. C. Winfield. From 1876 all his
best efforts were concentrated in banking. He was
secretary and later cashier of the bank while under
a national charter, was cashier of the Hubbard
Banking Corapany frora 1886 until 1903, when he
was chosen president. He had the satisfaction of
seeing the deposits of the institution increase from
less than $40,000 to nearly $500,000.
Mr. March also gave his time to the best in
terests of his community, was a meraber of the
school board about fifteen years, for a sirailar length
of tirae was on the village council and held nearly
all the township offices. He was an independent
deraocrat and one of the veteran raembers of Hub
bard Lodge No. 495 of the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows. He was ordained a ruling elder of
the Presbyterian Church in May, i8gg. While so
much of his life was taken up with practical busi
ness, he always kept well informed, was a constant
reader and enjoyed to the full the resources of
his fine private library.
In February, 1871, he married Caroline M. Jack
son, who died January 26, 1874. In l87g he married
Aray L. Applegate, a daughter of Calvin and Sarah
J. (Coudrey) Applegate. Her raother was born

30

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

on McGuffy Street in Youngstown in 1820, a daugh
ter of Erastus and Rebecca (McCormick) Coudrey.
Erastus Coudrey was descended in the seventh
generation from Williara Coudrey, who was born
at Coudrey Castle in Weymouth, forty miles from
London, in 1602. The possessor of this old castle
today is the present Lord Coudrey. There is record
of Queen Elizabeth having been entertained in this
faraily seat at one time. William Coudrey settled
at Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1630, and became prom
inent in the life of the Massachusetts colony, The
only sister of Sarah J. Coudrey was Mrs. Lucinda
Coudrey Russell, who died in 1917 at the home of
her niece, Mrs. March, the day before her ninety-
fifth birthday. Erastus Coudrey, maternal grand
father of Mrs. March, lived in Liberty Township,
where he died in , 1833, at advanced years. The
family were all buried at Seceder Corners.
The Applegate family is also closely identified
with the history of the Western Reserve. Mrs.
March's great-grandfather, Benjamin Applegate,
bought frora John Young 150 acres in Liberty
Township, and part of that land is stiU held by his
descendants, including Mrs. March, who owns forty
acres of this land. The 150 acres descended from
Benjamin to his son James, who acquired about
¦ 600 acres. James Applegate came to Ohio in 1802
and died rather young on the farm in Liberty Town
ship. He was a captain in the War of 1812. Calvin
Applegate, father of Mrs. March, was born on the
old homestead in 1809 and spent aU his life on
that farra three and a half miles north of the
Diamond in Youngstown. He died at the age of
eighty-four and his wife survived him ten years,
passing away at the age of eighty-two. The chil
dren of Calvin Applegate and wife were : Cath
erine ; Rebecca Jane, who became Mrs. R. J. Flem
ing and died in Liberty Township at the age of
eighty-two; Joseph, who was killed as a soldier at
the battle of Perryville, Kentucky; John, who also
served in the Union army ; Mary Ann, widow of
Ephraim Stuart, living with her sister, Mrs. March ;
Amy Lucinda, Mrs. March ; Lois, who died at the
age of sixty-nine, the wife of R. P. McGeehan, of
Kansas City; James, who lived on part of the old
homestead and died in igio; Clara, Mrs. Lynn
Applegate, of McKeesport, Pennsylvania; Calvin,
who died on the old homestead at the age of fifty-
two ; and Olive, who never married and died at the
age of forty-five. A half brother of these chUdren
was Lieut. James P. Brisbine, who was killed at
Culpeper Court House, Virginia, during the CivU
war. George E. Fisher, vice president of the Fisher-
GUder Cartage & Storage Company, is one of the
energetic young business raen of the city. He was
born at Youngstown, Ohio, on June 27, 1883, a son
of Eraanuel and Sarah (Judd) Fisher. iEraanuel
Fisher founded a drayage business during the earlier
days of his activities at Youngstown, it being then
located on the northwest corner of the present site
of the Starabaugh Building. When his son, George
E. Fisher, was old enough to go into the business,
he changed the name to that of E. Fisher & Son

Company, and as such carried on a general cartage
business. In 1913 it was reorganized as the Fisher-
Gilder Cartage Company, and in 1918 was raerged
with the Fisher Fireproof Stora.ge Corapany, that
had been established in 1912, the new concern
adopting the present style of the Fisher-GUder Cart
age & Storage Company. Mr. Fisher has charge of
the cartage department, his partner, Mr. Gilder
attending to the storage end of the business.
Emanuel Fisher was prominent in securing the
present canal system for furnishing Youngstown
with its water supply, and otherwise took part in
many civic movements, but aside from voting the
deraocratic ticket, he 'did not participate in politics.
His death occurred at Youngstown in 1917.
George E. Fisher was reared in his native dty,
and after he was graduated frora the general course
at Kenyon College, he returned to Youngstown
and was taken into his father's cartage business.
Having spent his life in this line of endeavor, iMr.
Fisher is adrairably fitted to handle its problems.
His concern is the pioneer in the fireproof ware
housing business of Youngstown, and 'handles the
largest number of custoraers. He is a director of
the Central Savings Bank.
On March 25, 1908, Mr. Fisher was united in
raarriage with Miss Elsie Heller, a daughter of
Adolph and Maria (Hoffman) Heller of Youngs
town. Mrs. Fisher was graduated frora the Rayen
High School of Youngstown. During the late war
she was very active as a canteen worker for the Red
Cross, and Mr. Fisher was a meraber of the War
Chest Coramittee for the Youngstown District.
Inheriting rauch of the energy and executive
ability of his father, Mr. Fisher has taken promi
nent part in a nuraber of business enterprises, and
araong other things assisted in organizing the Port
age Silicate Corapany, in which he still retains his
stock, and to which he contributes his services as
a raeraber of its directorate. In every branch of
comraercial and industrial endeavor with which he
has been associated Mr. Fisher has displayed sound
judgraent and unusual ability, and his connection
with an enterprise guarantees its solidity. Youngs
town possesses no more sterling citizen than iMr.
Fisher, and his worth is recognized by the men
with whom his activities bring hira into contact, and
they have grown to depend upon hira and to follow
his advice for they have found it to be worth
taking. William H. Cunningham, raayor of East
Youngstown, and a justice of the peace for two
years, is probably the busiest raan in the State of
Ohio. The various milling interests at East Youngs
town have atfracted to this little city at least forty
different nationalities. These foreign-born men are
many of them ignorant of the laws of the country
in which they have taken refuge from the iUs of
their own lands, and few of them can speak the
language, so that raany are the controversies which
arise and can only be settled by Mayor Cunning
ham. To administer justice fairly, to remove the
cause of discord and at the sarae time firmly incul
cate a respect for the broken law, and inspire a reali-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

31

zation of the necessity of refraining from a second
infringement, requires characteristics of a very un
usual nature. That Mayor Cunningham does possess
them is proven by the fact that those coraing before
his court leave it with a deep respect for him and
the authority he represents, and the further one that
few of his decisions are reversed by the higher
courts. Mayor Cunningham was born in East Youngstown
on March 31, 1879, and owning it as a birthplace he
understands its people and their problems as few
others could. iHe is a son of A. M. and Ellen (Bent
ley) Cunningham, the forraer a pattern maker for
years at the Andrew Brothers iMill, having come
to East Youngstown at a very early day from Kit-
tanning, Pennsylvania, and worked at his trade until
he retired. His death occurred in 1918, when he was
sixty-nine years of age, his wife having passed away
when Mayor Cunningham was a child.
Growing up at East Youngstown, Mayor Cun
ningham attended its schools and began to be self-
supporting as a clerk in a grocery store at Hasel
ton, Ohio, which lies between East Youngstown and
Youngstown, and later opened a grocery store of
his own at iEast Youngstown and conducted it until
he was elected mayor in 1913, and was re-elected in
191S, serving for two terms. During the time he has
been mayor he has practically remade the place,
securing for it electric light and the waterworks,
created a board of health, and made it a modern city.
Chosen for the office of justice of the peace in 1917,
for four years. Mayor Cunningham held court
each morning at East Youngstown up to the tirae
when he re-assumed the ofiice of raayor. He has
most certainly been a friend of the people and a
fearless exponent and supporter of law and order.
In November, 1919, he was again elected mayor of
East Youngstown for two years, taking up the duties
of the office January i, 1920. His present terra is
the third time he has served the people as mayor.
He is a republican, has always been active in politics
and has been one of the speakers in behalf of the
party. On November 15, 1905, Mayor Cunningham was
married to Bessie Rupp, of East Youngstown, and
they have one son. Earl. Mayor Cunningham owns
his own residence and two other valuable properties
in East Youngstown. He belongs to the Home
Circle, the Foresters, the Knights of Pythias and
the Loyal Order of iMoose.
William F. Proctor has been a resident of
Youngstown for thirty-three years and during all
of this period has been connected with the shoe
business. Commencing in the hurablest position,
he raastered its many details and has continued in
the business until he has attained at length a com
manding place araong the enterprising dealers of
Youngstown, and has been able to hold it amid the
strong corapetition which increasing capital and
trade has brought to the city. His success is due
alone to his energetic character and- business ca
pacity, for he began life without pecuniary assist
ance or the aid of family or other favoring in
fluence. Mr. Proctor was born at Union City, Erie County,
Vol. II— 3

Pennsylvania, March 24, 1862, a son of Albert
Proctor and his wife, a iMiss Baxter, both of whom
died at Union City. His education was acquired
in a district school in the vicinity of the home
farm, and at the age of nineteen years he secured
a position as salesman in the Central Boot and Shoe
Store of Erie, Pennsylvania. Coraing to Youngs
town in 1887, he entered the eraploy of J. W. Smith,
with whom he remained as a salesman untU 1894,
when in partnership with Charles B. Klingensmith,
he founded his present business, the firra taking in
three older salesmen, George B. Cornell, vice presi
dent of the company; David Millar, secretary, and
C. C. Hall, manager of the Walk-Over store oper
ated by the company at 207 West Federal Street.
In August, 1919, the Walk-Over BuUding was pur
chased by iMessrs. Proctor and Klingensmith for
the permanent home of the company, and the en
tire building wUl be utilized because of the great
business expansion which has attended the de
velopment of this concern under the able executive
management. In addition, Mr. Proctor is greatly
interested in real estate matters, and has carried'
through to successful conclusion many ibuildingi
propositions. His career has been marked by in
dustry, probity and enterprise, and his character
has been enriched by such high qualities of gener
osity and kindliness as have made him popular. He
is one of the charter merabers of Westrainster
Presbyterian Church, and has been actively en
gaged in its work since its organization, being at
present treasurer and a raember of the board of
trustees of the church.
September 7, 1886, Mr. Proctor married Harriet
B. Stelle, of iErie, Pennsylvania, and to this union
there have been born two chUdren : Robert V., a
graduate in raechanical engineering of Cornell Uni
versity, class of 191S, who served at Washington,
District of Columbia, in the ordnance purchasing
department, and who follows his profession inde
pendently at Youngstown, until the spring of 1920.
Now vice president and general manager of Com
raercial Siiearing and Staraping Corapany. He
raarried Pearl Grey, of Youngstown, and has one
chUd, Roberta, born November 5, 1918; and Harriet
Wilhma, born in 1899, who raakes her horae with
her parents at Youngstown.
William A. Maline has practiced law at Youngs
town for over forty years, and though one of the
older raembers of the local bar he is in many ways
still a man of youthful outlook and enthusiasra.
There is no young raan in Youngstown who follows
the great sport of baseball with keener interest than
this veteran lawyer, and he has long been regarded
as one of the mainstays of the local sport.
Mr. Maline, who is also known as a gifted writer
of verse, was born at Canton, Ohio, Septeraber i,
1852, one of the eleven chUdren of John and Cath
erine (Pirrong) Maline. His father was born near
the River Rhme in Germany in 1808 and came to
America in 1832. For many years he was a leading
grocery merchant and business raan of Canton,
Ohio, and became prominent in politics, serving as
president of the Board of Education and president

32

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

of the City Council. In 1865 he removed to Fort
Wayne, Indiana, and enlisted his capital and en
terprise in the manufacture of agricultural imple
ments. His business career was interrupted by
death about a year later. He married Catherine
Pirrong at Canton in 1835.
WUliam A. Maline attended public schools to the
age of fifteen and after that for seven years was
employed as a clerk, teacher and in other occupa
tions. He began the study of law in the office of
Henry Wise at Canton in 1875, and finished his read
ing at Youngstown with M. W. Johnson. Mr. Ma
line was adraitted to the bar March 17, 1877, and
has always enjoyed a substantial share of the legal
business of the coraraunity.
He was elected and served as city solicitor from
1882 to 1884, and again held the same office from
1886 to 1888. In 1904 Mr. Maline assisted Hugh
W. Grant in organizing the City Trtist & Savings
Bank, and is now attorney for that institution. He
was also one of the promoters of the Columbian
Land Company and is secretary and treasurer of
that company. He has been a member of the Board
of Library Trustees since 1898 and a director in
the Community Service Association and Playground
Association since their organization. Politically he
is a democrat, and at different tiraes has been close
ly identified with county management of the party.
As a poet some verse of exceptional merit is
credited to him. In 1897 Burrows Brothers of
Cleveland published a volume of his poems en
titled "The Nineteenth Century and other Poems."
Mr. Maline is one of the oldest merabers of the
Knights of Columbus, a society which was first
established in 1882. ' Mr. Maline helped organize
the first councU of this order at Youngstown in
1897 and was the first Grand Knight of the Council
and is its present chorister.
On June 24, 1880, he married Miss Mary L.
Rudge, daughter of George and Jane Rudge of
Youngstown. Eleven children were born to their
marriage, those to reach mature years being Mary
L. ; CecU ; John F. ; Paul ; WUliam E. ; Helen ;
Ruth ; Julian ; Frederick Eugene and Jane, and one
died in infancy.
Samuel Allen Richards, now deceased, but for
merly manager of the Struthers Furnace Company,
was one of the honored men of Struthers, who dis
charged the duties of life with dignified capability,
and, dying, left behind him a record of honorable
service and right living. He was born at Akron,
Ohio, on July 9, 1844, and died at Struthers on
January 23, 1918. His parents were WUliam and
Mary (Hellawal) Richards, the forraer born at
Quaker Yards, Wales. When he was eighteen years
old WUliam Richards came to the United States and
located at Akron, Ohio, but in 1845 raoved to Niles,
Ohio, and in 1846 to Brier Hill, Ohio. A blacksmith
by trade, Williara Richards rose in the world untU
he was a recognized leader and authority in the iron
trade of the Mahoning Valley.
Sarauel Allen Riciiards was reared in the Mahon
ing Valley and attended the Girard public schools
and the 'Warren High School, and subsequently took

a course in a coramercial college at Cleveland, Ohio.
Having thus prepared himself to be useful in the
business world, Mr. Richards secured a position
with the banking house of Wasson, Everett & Com
pany of Cleveland, Ohio, as bookkeeper, and re
mained with that concern for six months.
In the meanwhile his father and other prominent
men of Girard were constructing what became the
Girard Iron Works, and Mr. Richards carae to
Girard frora Cleveland to join his father. Later on
he became a member of the firm of Williara Rich
ards & Sons, who developed a furnace at Warren.
In 1875 Mr. Richards became superintendent of the
Cleveland Iron Company furnace, and remained
with that company for three years, and then, until
1890, he was engaged in the conduct of different
furnaces over the country, and traveled all over the
United States in the interest of furnace owners, giv
ing expert advice with reference to operation and
management. In 1880 he was superintendent of
the blast furnace departraent, coraprising four fur
naces of the Joliet, Illinois, Steel Works. Mr. Rich
ards became a part owner of the Struthers furnace
and was made its raanager, but retired in 1910 to
assurae the responsibUities connected with the man
agement of the Struthers Furnace Company and the
Struthers Savings and Banking Company.
A noteworthy fact in connection with the work
of Mr. Richards is that when he started the first
blast furnace in Girard the output was about one
ton per day, while the daily output of the Struthers
Furnace Company which he managed up to the. time
of his retireraent, is about 550 tons. All the vari
ous iraproveraents in the process of raaking pig iron
came under the personal supervision of Mr. Rich
ards while he was in charge of the plant, and being
a most progressive man he adopted them with the
results as stated above.
In 1869 Mr. Richards was united in raarriage with
Miss Mary Shoenberger, of Warren, and they be
came the parents of four children, namely: Lucy
M., who died at the age of fourtefen years ; Charles,
who died in infancy; Henry Tod, who was born
on November 17, 187S, while his father was super-
tendent of the River Furnace at Cleveland, Ohio;
and Jules G., who is mentioned below. Henry Tod
Richards, now retired, was superintendent of the
Coates Brothers furnace at Coatesville, Pennsylvania,
for three years, frora 191 1 to 1913, inclusive. He is
now a resident of Chicago. He raarried Sarah R.
Richards, a daughter of George W. Homer, of
Riverford, Illinois. Mrs. Samuel A. Richards was
a daughter of George Shoenberger, and she died on
August 10, 1919. In young manhood Mr. Richards
was made a iMason. In religious faith he was a
Presbyterian. A man of high ideal with reference to business
obligations, Mr. Richards handled with tact and
success a nuraber of difficult problems. He was a
man of personal charm, culture and wide intellectual
interests and used his talents in the positions of
advancing responsibilities and dignity he was called
upon to hold. His were the qualities of character
which make for the best type of citizenship, and he
was always held to be one of the representatives
of the ideals and standards of the substantial ele-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

33

ment of the Mahoning Valley, and always kept the
good of his coramunity at heart and was very gen
erous to it of both his time and money.
Jules G. Richards, son of Sarauel AUen Richards,
was born at Joliet, Illinois, July 4, 1880. He at
tended the Rayen High School in Youngstown for a
year and then becarae a student of the Ohio State
University at Colurabus, Ohio, and specialized in
chemistry. Upon his return to Struthers he entered
the laboratory of the Struthers Furnace Company
as sample boy, rising to be a chemist and later
assistant superintendent under Superintendent
Baldwin. On September 19, 1906, Jules G. Richards was
united in marriage with Lillie Clark, of River Forest,
ininois, a daughter of George W. Clark, a business
man of that city. They have four daughters, namely :
Helen, Dorothy, Marian and Jean. Mr. Richards
belongs to the First Presbyterian Church of Struth
ers. Like his father he is a thirty-second degree
Mason, through both the York and Scottish Rites
and a member Al Koran Temple of the Mystic
Shrine at Cleveland. He also belongs to the Knights
of Pythias. In politics he is a republican, and has
served as a member of the village councU of Struth
ers. Having learned the fundamentals of commer
cial life under his father's careful supervision, Mr.
Richards bids fair to follow in that worthy's foot
steps in many respects, and is equally interested in
the welfare of his coraraunity, and approaches the
subject of its needs with an open raind and quick
understanding. George Rudge. The active career of the late
George Rudge was connected with the raost ira
portant period in the developraent of Youngstown,
from 1852 to igo6, and is linked with the construc
tion of some of the most important agricultural and
commercial enterprises which stimulated the com
munity's growth and formed the basis of its present
prestige. Although his death occurred in 1906, his
personality is stiU known, and his labors were so
fruitful of results and were conducted on such
sound and practical lines, that they entitle his name
to be remembered with sentiments of profound
veneration among the founders and buUders of
the city's greatness.
Mr. Rudge was born at Ross, Hertfordshire, Eng
land, and was there married in 1852 to Miss Jane
Stock; of Worcestershire, England. Immediately
foUowing their union, Mr. Rudge came to the United
States to visit his brother, James Rudge, a resident
of Poland, Ohio, and on this trip, as a business
venture, brought with hira a flock of Cotswold sheep
which he had bred in his native land. These animals
won for him the first prize at the Northern Ohio
Fair, which was held in Cleveland. To Mr. Rudge
is given the credit for starting the Long Wool breed
of sheep in this part of Ohio, but in February, 1870,
he retired from farming and stock raising and from
that time forward was principally engaged in the
real estate business at Youngstown. His business
operations extended over a wide area of territory and
brought him into contact with a great nuraber of
people, among whom he maintained a position only

secured by men of integrity and probity. Fertile in
resources, the reverses which often dismay men
proved with hira to be only temporary embarrass
ments and every new undertaking was prosecuted
with a zeal and energy which merited and attained,
success. The engrossment of his undertakings left
little time to engage in other employment. Aside
from the oflSces raentioned, he left public concerns to
those whose tastes or leisure better fitted them for
such tasks. He, however, found tirae to indulge in
the social intercourse and charitable work of his city,
and when he died, in 1906, at the age of eighty-three
years, there were many to mourn him as friend and
benefactor. His wife passed away within three days
of his death, being then seventy-six years of age.
They were the parents of eight children : George ;
Frederick, deceased ; Mrs. Louise Maline ; J. Edgar ;
Mary, deceased; Eugene, of MUwaukee; Agnes and
William of Pittsburgh.
Patrick J. Kane, treasurer and superintendent of
the Colloran-Kane Corapany, of Youngstown, is an
exemplification of the predominance of the self-made
man, and of the truth of the statement that it is not
those who have, but those who gain, a competence
who attain distinction in various walks of life. Mr.
Kane is a native of Ireland, and was born February
17, 187s, his parents being Robert and Maria (Mul-
crone) Kane.
The parents of Mr. Kane emigrated to the United
States in 1883, with their chUdren, and settled at
Youngstown, where they had been preceded by Rob
ert Kane's brother, John Kane, one of the early
contractors of Youngstown. Robert Kane worked
for his brother for a time and then secured em
ployment in what is now the Republic Steel Com
pany's plant, where he remained until an accident
disabled him and he was forced to retire. He was a
raan widely known, and an outstanding tribute to
him was the fact that at the time of his death, in
1918, when he was eighty-four years of age, his
funeral was the largest attended of any that Youngs
town has known. He is survived by his widow, who
lives at Youngstown. They were the parents of nine
children, the survivors all being residents of Youngs
town : John, Edward, Jaraes, Patrick J., Charles,
Robert; Catherine, who married Lemuel Snover;
Peter and PhUip, deceased.
Patrick J. Kane graduated from St. Colurabus
school in. 1889 and at that tirae entered the employ
of J. N. Ewer's Sons, as errand boy. He proved
faithful, efficient and industrious, and so rapid was
his advancement that at the end of five years he
was superintendent of the entire factory. He re
mained with this concern for thirteen years, and
while there interested six men of Youngstown and
organized the Colloran-Kane Company, of which
he was made superintendent and treasurer, positions
which he holds at this time. He is also interested in
other large business and financial enterprises, and is
accounted one of his city's most energetic and ca
pable business raen. He finds tirae frora his busi
ness affairs to interest himself in other activities
which raake up the life of Youngstown, and is a
meraber of St. Edwards Parish Church and president

34

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

of St. Edwards Men's Club of the parish. He has
likewise been active in the Knights of Colurabus, in
which he is at present chairraan of the athletic cora
raittee. Mr. Kane was married July 25, 1906, to Mary
Shaughnes.sy, daughter of Michael and Mary (Lally)
Shaughnessy, both of whom are now deceased.
Mr. Shaughnessy having been one of Youngstown's
earliest settlers and for raany years a worker in the
mills. Four children have been born to Mr. and
Mrs. Kane, only one of whom- now survives : Marion
Lucille, who was born in 1907. Mr. Kane buUt and
owns the pleasant family residence at 1532 Florence-
dale Avenue, Youngstown.
William C. Holzworth. For over twenty-one
years Mr. Holzworth has been one of the skilled
technical raen and executives in the operation of
iron and steel plants both in Eastern Ohio and in
Pennsylvania. He began his career as a cheraist,
but for a nuraber of years has been a superintendent
of furnace operation, and his present duties are as
superintendent of the Sharon Steel Hoop Company's
plant at Lowellville.
Mr. Holzworth, whose horae is at Youngstown, at
466 Crandall Avenue, was born at Southington in
¦Prumbull County, Noveraber 14, 1881. His parents
were Williara and Pauline (Kurz) Holzworth. His
father, a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, became
a prominent stone contractor in the Mahoning Val
ley. In the spring of 1882 he moved his family
to Youngstown, and for many years continued his
business as a builder of bridges, houses and foun
dations. He also operated a quarry for the produc
tion of building stone, and at one time operated the
old MUl Creek coal mine. His death occurred in
1905, at the age of sixty-three.
William C. Holzworth grew up in Youngstown,
finished his education in the Rayen High School,
and gained a practical and thorough knowledge
of the chemistry of metals in a laboratory under
S. W. McKeown. Then, in 1899, he was sent to
LowellviUe as chief cheraist for the Ohio Iron and
Steel Company, and his present work is with that
sarae plant, operated under a different name. After
two years he went to Pittsburg as chemist for the
American Steel and Wire Company, and -was soon
assigned to furnace work as assistant superintendent
at Allegheny and Neville Island. He was with the
American Steel and Wire Corapany until 1908 as
superintendent, and then took charge of the furnace
of the Republic Iron and Steel Corapany at Smoky
Hollow, Youngstown, known as the Mahoning Val
ley 'Works. He was next with the Worth Brothers
Company as general superintendent of blast furnaces
at Coatesville, Pennsylvania, but resigned in. igio
to become superintendent for the Ohio Iron & Steel
Company at Lowellville. The plant of this company
has been operated over forty years at LowellviUe.
In 1917 it was acquired by the Sharon Steel Hoop
Company, without change of local officials. This
Lowellville industry has enjoyed an exceptional free
dom from strikes and labor troubles, and for years
has been -vi'orked to full capacity.
Mr. Holzworth is a prominent Mason and has
taken aU the degrees in the order. He is a member

of the York Rite, the Scottish Rite Consistory and
Al Koran Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Cleve
land. In 1916 he married Margaret R. Wagstaff, of
Youngstown. She was born at Cambridge, Ohio,
daughter of Jaraes W. Wagstaff, who is connected
with the Sheet and Tube Company.
William T. Williams. The business life of WU
liara T. Williaras, one of Youngstown's prominent
merchants, has embraced a period of nearly forty
years, frora 1881 to the present, and has covered the
raost phenoraenal era in the growth of the city from
its business infancy to its full maturity. At the
present tirae he is vice president of the Colbourn-Wil-
liaras Company, leading wholesale fruit and produce
company, being the founder of the company, and his
other interests combine to raake hira one of the
prorainent factors in the city's coraraercial and indus
trial life.
Mr. Williaras was born in Wales, August 2, 1856,
and in the sarae year came from Cwmtwech, that
country, to the United States with his parents, who
settled at Youngstown. His father, William T. Wil
liaras, Sr., was a coal miner, and worked for a time
in the mines at Crab Creek and Brier Hill, but
eventually- homesteaded the house and lot at iKyles
Corners, which still remain in the family possession.
Mrs. Williams, who bore the maiden narae of Mary
Thomas, died at Boardraan, Ohio, in 1917.
WUliam T. Williaras attended the public school at
Hubbard, where the family resided, from the age of
ten to eighteen years, and for a time was employed
in the coal mines. His inclinations, however, were
for a career in business, and his introduction to mer
cantile affairs was secured as a clerk in the store of
his brother, John T. WiUiams. In 1881 Mr. Wil
liams became a proprietor on his own account, when
he bought the business of a grocer on West Federal
Street, Youngstown^ on the present site of the Ben
jamin Fellows Building, and continued to be wholly
engaged in this enterprise until 1883. He subse
quently built a structure at 313 West Federal Street,
but later sold his store and with Thoraas J. Thomas,
forraer assistant city solicitor, and Griffith T. Wil
liaras, forraed a partnership known as the Williams-
Thomas Company, wholesale produce dealers, with
a place of business at 115 East Coraraerce Street
This venture grew and flourished untU 191 1, in which
year Mr. WiUiaras' brother, Griffith T., died, and Mr.
WUliams purchased the interest of Mr. Thomas.
Later he became the organizer of the Colbourn-Wil-
liams Company, moving to 119 East Front Street, the
original officers of this concern being: J. W. Col-
bourn, president ; William T. WiUiams, vice presi
dent ; George L. Dicks, secretary and treasurer. Mr.
Dicks was succeeded in office in 1915 by J. W. Col-
bourn, Jr., and Miss Grace WUliams is now a raember
of the board of directors. In 1917 the company moved
to its present location at 202 West Front Street.
Mr. Williams' business abUities have led him into
other fields of endeavor, where he has been equally
successful. He is president of the New Park Land
Company, of which he was the organizer, and is
largely interested in Front Street real estate, in addi
tion to being the owner of a five-acre farm on Jacobs

..^^(^^^..^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

3-5

Road. His only fraternal affiliation is with the
Knights of the Maccabees. The Williaras faraily has
always been identified with the Congregational
Church, and Mr. WiUiaras' brother. Rev. David T.
Williaras, is pastor of the church of that faith at
Temple, New Harapshire, and has four sons wearing
the cloth. Mr. WUliaras is treasurer and was one
of the charter merabers of Plymouth Congregational
Church of Youngstown. His contributions to the
development of his city and to the betterment of its
institutions have been numerous and generous.
Mr. Williams was married to Jane Griffith, daugh
ter of Thoraas Griffith, a pioneer of Youngstown,
who died in 1889, leaving two daughters: Edith,
who is deceas.ed; and Miss Grace. Mr. WiUiams'
second wife was formerly Mrs. Ann Davis, of
Youngstown, proprietress of the Comraercial Hotel,
who died in 191 1. In 1913 Mr. WUliams was united
with his present wife, formerly Mrs. Emraa Hoover,
of Cleveland, Ohio.
Nils P. Johnson, of Youngstown, head of a
wholesale grocery firm of Mahoning County, has
brought to his calling superior and systematic busi
ness methods, and in the manageraent of his raany
affairs is meeting with signal success. A son of
Johann August and Christina (Swenson)" Nelson,
he was born, August 18, i860, near Halmstad, a city
of Sweden, where he was brought up and educated.
After leaving the public schools of his native
town. Nils P. Johnson worked with his father, who
was a contractor, an auctioneer, and a merchant,
obtaining excellent training and valuable business
experience. Coming to the United States in 1880
ostensibly to visit an old friend, Charles Nelson, of
Titusville, Pennsylvania, but going frora there to
Jamestown, New York, in 1882, he was eraployed
in the Jamestown Ax Factory two years, and for six
years thereafter was connected with the Dagus
Mines, in Elk County, Pennsylvania, his work being
confined to driving entrances, an employment in
which he secured a diploma for efficiency, and was
offered a position as mine foreman, but the work
being distasteful to him he refused the promotion.
Locating in Renovo, Pennsylvania, in 1889, Mr.
Johnson in company with Peter J. Anderson, one
of his co-workers in the mines, opened a general
mercantile establishment, which he managed success
fully for a number of years. Selling his interest in
the firra to his partner in 1904, Mr. Johnson came to
Youngstown to join forces with his brother, Alfred
Johnson, and D. L. Rose, organizing the Rose-John
son Company, with Mr. Rose as president, Mr. John
son as vice president, and Alfred Johnson as secre
tary and treasurer. Mr. Rose retiring in 1915, Mr.
Nils P. Johnson becarae president of the organiza
tion, Claude K. Thorason vice president, Alfred
Johnson retaining his office as secretary and treas
urer, with Alfred Johnson, D. L. Rose, Nils P. John
son, and Chase Truesdale as directors. Mr. John
son has also other interests of rauch importance. In
1914 he erected a three-story brick buUding at the
corner of Woodland Avenue and Market Street, and
on August 30, 191 5, there established a dry goods

firm. He is president of the Swedish Auditorium
Company. An ardent republican in politics, eyer interested
in city, county, state and national affairs, Mr. John
son served while in Renovo, Pennsylvania, one terra
on the local council and one term as city treasurer,
and represented Clinton County in the state conven
tion, 1902. During the Taft presidential campaign
he was secretary of the executive committee,
and won Mahoning County for Taft, Paul Hoxey
having served as president of the coramittee.
Fraternally Mr. Johnson is a thirty-second degree
Mason, belonging to Youngstown lodge and St.
Johns Commandery; to the Valley of Williarasport
Consistory; and is a raeraber of "Wilkes-Barre Tem
ple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine. He is likewise a member of the Swedish
Political Club; of the Gustav Adolph Society; and
of the Scandinavian Brotherhood.
Mr. Johnson married, March 13, 1883, Emma,
daughter of Anders and Petro Nella Nelson, of
Jaraestown, New York. Ten chUdren have iDeen
born of their union, three of whora have passed to
the life beyond, Charles William, the oldest son,
having died at two years of age; Paul, in 1907, and
Nellie, in 1916. Those living are as follows : Sadie ;
Mamie, a hospital nurse; Erama; Alice; Florence;
Charles, named for the son that died, is credit man
for the Rose-Johnson Company; and Walter, who
married Miss Maude Osberg, of Struthers, and is
now taking the law course at the University of
Michigan, was first lieutenant in the Machine Gun
Company, Three Hundred and Thirty-Second In
fantry, and served in France and Italy, taking part
in the defeat of Austrians. Mr. Johnson attends
the Swedish Mission Church, and his wife is a raem
ber of tbe sarae church, and the Ladies' Aid Society.
J. Craig Smith, of Youngstown, was for raany
years actively and prominently identified with the de
velopment and advanceraent of the raining interests
of our country, and through his energetic industry,
keen business judgment, and wise economy accumu
lated a sufficient amount of this world's goods to
allow him to spend the later days of his long and
useful life retired frora active pursuits. He was
born, in 1839, in New York City, of pure Scotch
ancestry. His father, Edgar E. Sraith, was born near Glas
gow, Scotland, and there grew to manhood. Soon
after his marriage with Helen Scott, a native of
Selkirk, Scotland, he imraigrated to the United
States, locating first in New York City, and later
settling with his faraily in Akron, Ohio, where he
was eraployed as a contractor during the reraainder
of his active life.
But a year old when his parents located at Akron,
Ohio, J. Craig Sraith attended the public schools
during the days of his boyhood, and as a young man
worked with his father as a contractor. Coraing
eventually to Youngstown, he was in the employ of
the Morris Price Coal Corapany at NUes, and then
accepted a position with the Moselle Iron Company,
at iMoselle, Missouri, and for twelve or more years
operated the blast furnaces. Returning then to

36

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Youngstown, Mr. Smith operated the ReynoldsvUle
Coal Mines until 1885, when he gave up active busi
ness, and thereafter lived retired untU his death,
August 3D, 1911.
' A raan of keen business insight and judgraent, Mr.
Smith was associated with many of the leading in
dustrial and financial organizations of this section
of the state as a director, including araong others the
Mahoning National Bank, which he served in that
capacity for raany years. He was instrumental in
organizing the Standard Textile Products Company,
which first came into existence as the Ohio Oilcloth
Company, and was one of the organizers, and a di
rector, of the New York Ship Building Company of
Camden, New Jersey. In 1902 he was appointed, by
Governor Bushnell, as commissioner from the Con
gressional District of the State Centennial to be
held at Toledo, but which was subsequently post
poned. Mr. Smith was twice married. He married first
Mary E. Powers, a daughter of Abram and Eliza
(Adair) Powers, early pioneers of the Mahoning
Valley, where they homesteaded considerable land.
Her father was not only interested in clearing and
improving the land, but, associated with his brother
WUliam as head of the firm of A. & W. Powers, was
an extensive and successful coal operator, work'ng
mines in both Ohio and Pennsylvania. Mrs. Mary
E. (Powers) Smith died in early life, leaving three
chUdfen, of whom two are now living, as follows :
Mrs. Charles D. Spaulding, of New Rochelle, New
York; and A. Powers Smith, of Youngstown.
In 1880, three years Sfter the death of his first
wife, J. Craig Smith married Achsa Adair, of
Youngstown, and of the three children born of their
union, two are living, as foUows : Miss .Sidna E.
Sraith and Miss Jeannette C. Sraith, both of Youngs
town. John E. Longnecker becarae identified with
Struthers in January, 1908. He located here as the
purchaser of a drug business formerly owned by
A. M. Lyons. Many will recall the financial condi
tions prevailing at that time all over the country
and operating with peculiarly oppressive force upon
Struthers. The conditions were largely a reflection
of the financial stringency of the preceding fall.
Industry at Struthers was at a standstill, and no
one could predict an early resumption of business
activity. The purchase of a local drug business by Mr.
Longnecker was therefore in every sense an act of
faith. The drug store reflected the other condi
tions of the country, its trade had fallen off, and
its stock was reduced almost to the miniraura. Mr.
Longnecker was an experienced druggist and phar
macist, took hold of the business with vigor, put
it on a paying basis, and did that at a time when
it was most difficult to do so. Consequently he has
been in a position to enjoy the full benefit of the
remarkable prosperity that has overtaken Struthers
in recent years.
Mr. Longnecker was born at Piqua, Ohio. He is a
veteran of the Spanish-American war, having been
in the hospital service of the regular army at Co

lumbus Barracks, at Chickamauga, and Fort Mc
Pherson His -first connection with Youngstown was
with the Averbeck Drug Company, remaining with it
two years as a salesman. For five years he traveled
over Northeast Ohio calling on the retaU trade as
representative for the great Detroit house of manu
facturing cheraists and druggists, Parke, Davis &
Company. After leaving the road he resumed work
for the Averbeck Company for two years, and then
in January, 1908, invested a very modest capital in
the store of A. M. Lyons at Struthers. With the
continued growth and expansion of his business in
recent years he has established a second store on
State Street. Mr. Longnecker served as one of
the first coraraissioners for the' Yellow Creek Park
He has been prominent in the Knights of Pythias
Order and was a meraber of the BuUding Coramit
tee for the Knights of Pythias Building, a structure
highly creditable to the town. He is a past chanceUor
of the local lodge of that order and is also a mem
ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and a
member of Western Star Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons, St. John's Commandery, and Al Koran
Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine.' He is still a trustee of the Knights of
Pythias Building, and has been a representative to
the (irand Lodge.
In 1903 he married Daisy B. Longenecker, of
Colurabus, Ohio. They have one child John, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Longnecker are members of the
First Presbyterian Church, and both of thera gaye
much of the'ir time and means to proraoting patriotic
movements during the war. ]Mr. Longnecker was
active in Red Cross work, and is also a literary
club worker, being president of the Fact and Fic
tion Club at Y^oungstown and one of the founders
and a charter meraber of the Struthers Reading
Circle. Henry Manning Kelly, assistant district man
ager United Engineering and Foundry Company,
whose narae is prominently identified with the
Youngstown industtial district, began earning his
own living at the age of eleven and at the age of
nineteen became an employe of Lloyd Booth & Com
pany, now United Engineering & Foundry Company,
and eventually rose to executive position in that
well known Youngstown concern.
Mr. Kelly was born in Mahoning County, July
ID, 1867, son of David Z. and Ann Eliza (Griffith)
Kelly. His mother was raeraber of one of the prom
inent pioneer families of Mahoning County. His
father was a Youngstown tailor, and later entered
the Union army with an Ohio regiraent and on ac
count of the hardships of his army experience died
at a comparatively early age in 1873.
Henry M. Kelly was only six years of age when
his father died and though he managed to secure an
education in the local schools, he went to work as an
employe in a store at the age of eleven. He was
nineteen when he becarae office boy for Lloyd Booth
& Corapany, and enjoyed successive proraotions until
in October, 1902, he was raade assistant manager of
what by .that time was the Lloyd Booth Company
Department of the United Engineering and Foundry
Company.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

37

Mr. Kelly is a member of the First Baptist Church
and fraternally is a Mason, member of the Youngs
town Club and Youngstown Country Club. In 1893
he married Mary LUlie Coale, daughter of Garrison
Coale of Youngstown. They have one son, Ralph L.
George W. Knotts. Thoroughly conversant with
his profession, and endowed with much executive
and business abUity, George W. Knotts, district man
ager of the United Engineering and Foundry Com
pany, is an active and able assistant in maintaining
the reputation of Youngstown as one of the busier
centers of the iron and steel industry. He was born
in 1867 in Baltimore, Maryland, a son of Henry and
Alberta B. (Graves) Knotts, neither of whom are
now living.
Having a natural taste for mechanics, George W.
Knotts was mechanical engineer with the National
Tube Company at McKeesport, and had supervision
over several departments of United Engineering and
Foundry Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Coming from that city to Youngstown in June, 1917,
he iraraediately assuraed the raanageraent of the
Youngstown District of the United Engineering and
Foundry Company, which has absorbed the William
Tod Company, the Lloyd Booth Company, and the
old Mahoning Foundry Company, and is performing
the duties iraposed upon him in that capacity with
characteristic ability and fidelity.
Mr. Knotts married in 1887, Rachel Winton, of
Pittsburgh, and they have one son, Williara Walter,
born in 1887. During the World war Mr. Knotts
served on all local committees. He is now one of
the directors of the United Engineering and Foundry
Corapany. Fraternally he is a thirty-second degree
Mason and a member of the Shrine.
Alfred Johnson. Like many other of Youngs
town's active and successful business men, Alfred
Johnson, a wholesale grocer, is of foreign birth and
breeding, having been born on a farm in Sweden,
May 9, 1874. Immigrating to the United States in
1890, he carae directly to Youngstown, where two of
his sisters, Mrs. C. J. Broberg and Mrs. Alfred Hara-
mar, were living.
Industrious, and an ambitious student, Alfred com
pleted the course of study in the public schools, in
the meantime paying his way by taking care of Cap
tain Stambaugh's horses. Entering the employ of
the Baldwin-Morgan Company in 1892, he remained
with the firm nine years, and when, in 1901, the com
pany liquidated, Mr. Johnson, with one of his co
workers, David L. Rose, as partner, embarked in the
wholesale grocery business, in the undertaking being
very successful. In 1905, with a capital of $100,000,
the corapany was incorporated, Mr. Rose being made
president and Mr. Johnson secretary and treasurer.
In 1917, after twelve years of prosperity, Mr. Rose
retired from the firra, and Mr. Johnson's, brother,
NUs P. Johnson, succeeded to the presidency whUe
Claude K. Thomson is vice president. Locating on
Front Street the company purchased the property
belonging to Mr. Maag, of the Vindicator, and
erected its present large and well equipped building,
and under the efficient manageraent of Mr. Johnson,

who has entire control of all inside work, is carrying
on business with highly gratifying results.
Mr. Johnson married, in 1899, Augusta Kell,
daughter of John and Sophie Kell, of Youngstown.
Her father is a retired worker of the Ohio Steel
Plant, and her mother has passed to the life beyond.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of seven
children, namely : Harold, born in 1900, is a stu
dent in the Thiel College of Greenville.; Raymond,
born in 1901 ; Lawrence, born in 1903; Alice, born
in 1905 ; iEdna, born in 1907 ; Henry, born in igog ;
and Ellen, born in 1912. iMr. Johnson is a republican
in politics, but votes for the best men and measures
regardless of party alignment. He is a member of
the Chamber of Commerce, and of the Sinking Fund
Board of the Youngstown schools. Both Mr. and
Mrs. Johnson are active and valued members of the
Swedish Mission Church, of which he is treasurer.
Calvin C. Lance. As secretary and treasurer of
the Youngstown Candy Company, Calvin C. Lance is
officially connected with one of the best patronized
manufacturing and mercantile establishments of the
city, no class of trade being more attractive to the
general public than that associated with the making
and selling of toothsome dainties and delicacies, an
art and science of which he is past master. A Penn-
sylvanian by birth, he was born. May 25, 1879, in
Beaver County, 'on the farra of his parents, David
M. and Mary L. (Beatty) Lance.
Left fatherless in infancy, Calvin C. Lance was
graduated frora the Beaver Falls High School, after
which he began work as a clerk in the retail grocery
of Allen Brothers. Becoraing soraewhat familiar
with the business, he had charge of Christopher
Schwab's grocery for eight years, being successful
in his undertakings. Subsequently entering the em
ploy of the D. L. Clark Company, he traveled on the
road for the Beaver Falls branch of that firm for a
time, later assuming charge of its Youngstown
branch. That company disposed of all its branches in
June, 1906, and iMr. Lance, in company with Mr.
Clark, purchased the interests of the D. L. Clark
Corapany, and in 1912 had it incorporated under its
present narae, the Youngstown Candy Corapany, Mr.
Clark being made president, and Mr. Lance secretary
and treasurer, as above mentioned.
Energetic, enterprising and ambitious, Mr. Lance
has been a hard and faithful worker from his youth
up, having first worked for wages in a glass factory
when but twelve years old, and having been busy ever
since, even as a school boy working during his vaca
tions. The firm of which he is now a member
erected the building which it now occupies, at 26-28
East Front Street, and also built the establishment
in which it was originally located, and which is now
occupied by the Ohio Gas Company, at the corner
of Champion and Boardraan streets. Especially par
ticular that all of their productions shall be pure,
wholesorae, and health-giving, this company has
built up an extensive and remunerative trade, their
business, which is done locally and through truck
delivery, requiring the services of fifteen employees,
six of whora are salesraen. Mr. Lance is also con
nected with the D. L. Clark Candy Corapany of

38

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, being a member of its
board of directors.
In 1908 Mr. Lance was united in marriage with
Miss Ella Houston, a daughter of John M. and
Annie (Smith) Houston, natives of Washington
County, Pennsylvania, and they have one child,
David M., born in 1910. Politically Mr. Lance sup
ports the principles of the republican party by voice
and vote. .Fraternally he belongs to Western Star
Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of
Youngstown ; to the local Chapter, Coraraandery and
Consistory; and to the Cleveland Shrine, Ancient
Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
John W. Shaffer is a resident of Lowellvijle and
frora December 11, 1912, to January I, 1920, was su
perintendent of the local plant of the Mahoning
Limestone Company.
Mr. Shaffer was born at Bessemer, Pennsylvanja,
January 26, 1881, son of John Shaffer. iHe was
reared on his father's farm at Hillsville, Pennsyl
vania, and after his schooling left the farra and
becarae an eraploye of the Carbon Liraestone Cora
pany in that village. His first employraent was in a
humble capacity, such as greasing cars. He was
proraoted, served as timekeeper four years, and alto
gether spent seven years with the Carbon Company.
The general offices of the Mahoning Limestone
Company are at Newcastle, Pennsylvania. This com
pany operates a number of quarries, all of which
are in Pennsylvania and the greater part of the
quarry at Lowellville is in that state. The quarries
at LowellvUle are a half mile east of the village.
Lowellville is located on both sides of the Mahoning
River, and the bold bluffs of that streara at this
point contain thick strata of limestone. Ever since
the establishment of the iron industry in the Mahon
ing Valley these limestone bluffs have been worked
for material used by the furnaces and steel mUls as
an essential in the fluxing of iron. Another impor
tant use was limestone rock for raUroad ballast.
While probably the greater part of the output of the
Lowellville quarries has gone to the iron and steel
mUls, in recent years another market has developed
large possibilities, in the use of ground Hmestone
rock for agricultural purposes. All progressive
farraers riow recognize the iraportance of treating
their lands with lime, and in certain seasons of the
year great quantities of crushed limestone are hauled
direct frora the LowellvUle quarries to adjacent
farms. When Mr. Shaffer became superintendent of the
plant in 1912 the daily production was about four
teen tons of lime rock. This output has' steadily
increased until it now averages 1,000 tons daily.
The maximura production for a single raonth was
30,000 tons. From 154 to 160 men are employed at
the quarry, and the monthly payroll averages between
$16,000 and $18,000. Many of the employes live ne<jr
the quarries, though some come to their work from
a considerable distance. That the industry has been
conducted with an almost entire absence of labor
trouble during the last seven years was largely due
to Mr. Shaffer's success in creating satisfactory
relations between his men and the company and his
personal service in adjusting complaints as quickly

as they arose. The Lowellville quarries have pro
vided a maximum of the appliances and methods
for prevention of injury, and whUe quarrying is gen
erally considered a dangerous occupation, the records
of the LowellviUe quarries during the past seven
years disclose loss of only two lives. Mr. Shaffer
resigned his position with the Mahoning Lime Stone
Company on January I, 1920, on account of a nerv
ous breakdown. He is one of the very popular citi
zens of LowellvUle. He served on the village coun
cil two years, and in that capacity advocated sewer
extension and other public improveraents. He is
affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fel
lows. In 1906 he married Miss Charlotte Edwards,
of Youngstown. She was born over the Pennsyl
vania line, a daughter of Jerry and Elizabeth (Wil
liams) Edwards. Her father was a sewer contractor
and is now deceased, and her mother lives at
Youngstown. Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer have one son,
John Edward Shaffer, born in 1910.
A. L. GuENTNER. A man of recognized worth as
a citizen, A. L. Guentner is contributing his full
share in promoting the mercantile and manufactur
ing interests of Youngstown, having built up a sub
stantial business as a jeweler, his superior knowl
edge and love of the beauty and value of precious
stones winning him a good patronage. A son of the
late Anton Guentner, he was born, January 18, 1885,
in Cleveland, Ohio, of German lineage.
Born in Bavaria, Gerraany, Anton Guentner ob
tained an excellent education in his native land, re
ceiving a degree in a Bavarian college. Coming to
the United States, he located in Cleveland, Ohio,
where he was engaged in mechanical pursuits until
his death. His wife, whose maiden name was Joge-
phine Walzer, is still living, her horae being in Hud
son. Brought, up and educated in Cleveland, A. L.
Guentner had the usual boyhood experiences. In
1906, having previously acquired some knowledge
of the jeweler's trade, he entered the employ of
Webb C. Ball, a wholesale je-weler, serving first as
a stenographer, and later as a buyer. Continuing
with Mr. Ball, he was on the road as commercial
salesman for six years, becoming well acquainted
with the people and country roundabout. Taking up
his residence in Youngstown in 1915, Mr. Guentner
purchased the jewelry business of the Parson &,
Arasden Company, and in its management has since
met with unqualified success, by his courtesy and
upright dealings making and retaining customers
from all parts of the Mahoning Valley.
Mr. Guentner married, in 1907, Louise Strandt, a
daughter of Carl and Louise Strandt, and of their
union three children have been born, namely: An
toinette, born in 1908; Josephine, born in 1910-; and
Daniel, born in 1915. Liberal in his views, and a
close student of current events, Mr. Guentner is an
earnest worker for clean politics. During the World
war he served on the War Chest Council, arfd
solicited in all the Liberty Loan drives. Socially he
is a charter meraber, and a director, of the Ki-
wanas Club, which he served as secretary in 1917

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

89

and 1918. Fraternally he is a raeraber of the Bene
volent and Protective Order of Elks.
John F. Cantwell, Sr. Distinguished not only
as a self-raade and self-educated raan, but as an able
and prosperous business raan of Youngstown, and
one of its highly respected citizens, John F. Cant
well, Sr., is erainently worthy of representation in a
work of this character. He was born, March 16,
1856, in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, a son of Robert
and Mary (Keating) Cantwell, neither of whora are
now living. His father eraigrated frora Ireland to
Pennsylvania in 1836, and was engaged thereafter
in the raining of coal until his death.
With practically no educational advantages in his
boyhood and youth, it is a significant fact that until
attaining his majority John F. Cantwell, Sr., could
neither read nor write, his present knowledge, how
ever, bearing evidence of a keen, active brain, and a
receptive mind. Accompanying his parents to Brad
ford County, Pennsylvania, in 1866, he was there a
worker in the coal mines until 1882, when, owing to
the scarcity of coal in that region, he decided to turn
his attention to the iron and steel industry. Selecting
Youngstown as a favorable location, he entered the
puddling department of the Cartwright-McCurdy
Company, with which he remained six years. Enter
ing the employ of the city in May, 1888, Mr. Cant
well served on the police fotce for three years, and
from that tirae until September, 1894, was chief of
police, being then retired.
Beginning soon after his retirement to write in
surance, Mr. Cantwell met with encouraging suc
cess, in a comparatively brief time developing a gen
eral real estate and insurance business, becoming
associated, with Leo Guthman. His sons, Robert W.,
died January 5, 1920; John F., Jr., and James E.,
are now in business with him, and the firm is actively
identified with the sub-dividing of Youngstown real
estate and building property. Influential in local
affairs, Mr. Cantwell is a meraber of the board of
directors of the Youngstown Citizens Saving Cora
pany, and is connected with the Mahoning Valley
Mortgage Company.
In 1883 Mr. Cantwell was united in marriage with
Margaret, daughter of John and Margaret Ring, and
of their union three children have been born, namely :
Robert 'W., who married Nellie Murray, of Youngs
town; John F. married Katherine Kerwin, and they
have five children, John, Margaret, Frank, Mary, and
Sarah; and James E., who raarried Hattie McCabe,
of Cleveland. Fraternally Mr. Cantwell is a raera
ber and past state president of the Ancient Order of
Hibernians of America.
Venice J. Lamb. An active and highly esteemed
member of the legal profession, Venice J. Larab, of
Youngstown, has had a large and extended practice,
and is justly recognized as one of the able and suc
cessful attorneys of Mahoning County. A native of
this city, he was born October i, 1879, coraing on
both sides of the house of Welsh ancestry.
His father, Thoraas W. Lamb, came frora his na
tive country, Wales, to the United States as a yovmg
man, settling in Youngstown in 1863. Forming a

partnership with William I. Williams, he was sub
sequently for many years engaged in the retail groc
ery business on Federal Street, having been junior
meraber of the firm of WUliams & Lamb, the former
of whora is now at the head of the WUliams-Coburn
Corapany. He married Margaret Williams, whose
father came with his faraily frora Wales to this
country in 1865, locating in Hubbard, Ohio.
Acquiring the rudiraents of his education in
Youngstown, Venice J. Lamb was graduated from
the Rayen iHigh School, and 1898 entered Harvard
University, which subsequently conferred upon him
the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts.
After studying law for a year at Harvard, Mr. Lamb
returned to Youngstown, and completed his law
course in the office of D. F. Anderson. In 1906 he
was admitted to the Ohio bar, and three years later
was admitted to partnership with his former pre
ceptor. The firm thus established has been very
successful, not only in Youngstown, but in Cleve
land, where it raaintains an office, in both cities spe
cializing on negligence cases.
Mr. Larab married in 1902, Pearl, daughter of
Doctor Whiteside, a prominent dentist of Youngs
town, and his wife, whose maiden name was Flora
Grier. Mr. and Mrs. Lamb have two chUdren,
Herschell, born in 1909; and Caroline, born in 1911.
James P. Colleran. A man of excellent busi
ness sagacity and judgment, Jaraes P. CoUeran, of
Youngstown, president of the Colleran-Kane Cora
pany, has been instruraental in developing and ad
vancing the raercantUe and financial interests of
Youngstown, and has been an iraportant factor in
the up-buUding of city, and in the establishment of
beneficial enterprises. A native of West Virginia,
he was born in Parkersburg, in 1869, a son of Dennis
and Mary (Langley) Colleran, natives of Ireland.
His father came to the United States with his fam
ily in 1866, locating first at Parkersburg, West Vir
ginia, but later coming to Youngstown, where he
was eraployed as a railroad contractor untU his death.
in 1879.
Obtaining his early education in the St. Columbus
school, James P. Colleran, at the age of ten years,
entered the employ of E. M. McGillen as cash boy,
being the first lad thus employed in the city. He was
afterwards a clerk in the general store of M._ Clemens
for a number of years, while there obtaining scarit
knowledge of systematic business methods, as his
employer never invoiced his merchandise. From
1885 untU 1891 Mr. Colleran was with George L.
Fordyce, having charge of the linen department, fof
which he did all the buying, and the following seven
years was assistant buyer in the cloak department
of the McKelvey Company's establishment. In 1898
he assisted in the organization of the Warren Dry
Goods Company, at Warren, and in addition to serv
ing as vice president and a director of the company
assumed charge of its cloak department, becoming
both manager and buyer. In 1902 he organized the
Colleran-Kane Company, of Youngstown, taking the
office of president, while Patrick J. Kane was made
vice president and superintendent of the firra.
This enterprising corapany, with the able assistance

40

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

of Peter J. Moran and Eugene Hammond has met
with success in its operations, its original capital of
$20,000 having been increased to $40,000, while its
working force has been correspondingly enlarged,
numbering now about forty people. Mr. Colleran is
also officially connected with other financial organ
izations, being vice president of both the Central
Banking Trust Company, and of the Central Savings
and Loan Company, each of which he assisted in
forming. Mr. Colleran has been assoc'ated with the Youngs
town Chamber of Comraerce since its inception, and
during the years of 1917 and 1918 served as president
of the RetaU Merchants' Board, which is affiliated
with it. He was identified with the Boy Scout move
ment from the start, serving, in igi6 and 1917, as its
first vice president. He is a director of the River
front Realty Company, which is confining its efforts
to the development of a sub-division of Warren,
Ohio, and was one of the original stockholders of the
Columbia Land Company, which erected the Colum
bia Land BuUding, and is one of the directors.
Mr. Colleran married, in 1907, Miss Lillian Shee
han, a daughter of Michael and Catherine (O'Brien)
Sheehan, of Youngstown, her father being a retired
retail grocer. Mr. and Mrs. Colleran have four
children, namely: Catherine Louise, born in 1908;
James P., Jr., born in 191 1; Marie, born in 1913 ; and
Lillian Josephine, born in igi6. Politically Mr. Col
leran is a deraocrat. Fraternally he belongs to the
Knights of Colurabus, being a charter raember, and
for two terms served as Grand Knight, by virtue of
that office having been a delegate to the state con
vention of that organization ; and to Youngstown
Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Socially he is a member of the Poland Country
Club. John Frech. Without any doubt the most essen
tial line of business in any coraraunity during this
period of reconstruction is that connected with the
handling of foodstuffs, and one of the men so en
gaged is John Frech of Lowellville, grocer and meat
dealer. iHe was born at Wiirtemberg, Germany,
on December 12, 1869, a son of John and Mary
(Geiger) Frech, small farmers. His raother's death
when he was fifteen years old and the fact that he
faced the corapulsory military service caused him to
iraraigrate to the United States. He landed at New
York City with but $4.75 in his pocket, but he was
fortunate in attracting the attention and securing
the syrapathy of a Lutheran clergyraan who pro
cured passage for him as far as Youngstown, Ohio.
After his arrival in that city he obtained employraent
with C. H. Andrews, a farraer in the vicinity, with
whom he remained for over a year, forming friend
ships with members of the famUy which still con
tinue. He then learned the butchering trade in the
shop of William Bohm of Cleveland, Ohio, receiving
his board and lodging and $15 a raonth. During the
week he was in the shop, but on Saturday tended the
stall of his employer in the old market on Ontario
Street. In two years he came to Lowellville and
entered the shop of Frank Leish, with whom he
remained for seven years, and then bought the
business. Since then he has buUt up a fine trade.

and richly deserves the success to which he has at
tained. Mr. Freeh owned a slaughter house at
Poland from which he secures most of his meat,
but recently sold it to George Steinbach, a brother-in-
law. In addition to his meats he carries a line of
staple groceries and takes a pride in having his
goods and shop neat and attractive. His business
has so expanded that he requires the assistance of
several clerks. He erected the frame building he
new occupies. He is also first vice president of the
Lowellville Savings Bank, which he assisted in in
corporating, and is vice president of the Struthers
Furniture & Undertaking Company. He has held
all of the vUlage offices and has been a member of
the City Council for two terms. The LowellviUe
Chamber of Comraerce has in him a very active
worker, in fact he is one of the most enthusiastic
boosters of the place and no man has raore friends
throughout this section than he.
In 1895 Mr. Frech was married to Ida Baker, a
daughter of Lawrence Baker, and they became the
parents of three children, namely: Annie, who is
Mrs. Arthur Shafer, of Lowellville; John Lawrence,
who is chief clerk of the Pennsylvania RaUroad at
LowellvUle; and Oliver, who is deceased. After the
death of his first wife Mr. Frech was married to
Mrs. Agnes Kay, of Warren, Ohio. There are no
children by this second marriage.
While Mr. Frech has amassed a handsorae fortune,
his prosperity has corae to hira through his own,
unaided efforts, and he contends that any other man
could accoraplish just as much if he were willing
to work and save and use good judgment in making
investments. He has lent a helping hand in the
inauguration of a number of public iraprovements,
and bought stock in raany enterprises so as to get
thera started in this region. His syrapathies are
deep, his heart big and his pride in the Mahoning
Valley unbounded, and he is recognized as one of the
most representative of its best citizens.
Mr. Frech in September, ig20, went on a visit to
his mother who is eighty-two years of age, and is
residing in Wiirtemberg, Germany. He spent sev
eral raonths abroad, visiting among other places
Switzerland, France, Belgium and the Holy Land.
It was his first visit in thirty-three years to the old
country. Mr. Frech is a republican and has taken
an active part in political matters. He is a member
of Western Star Lodge No. 21, Free and Accepted
Masons and he is a meraber of the Lutheran
Church. Christian Schwarz. Coming from a foreign
land to this country as a "stowaway" when a lad of
fourteen years. Christian Schwarz began life for
himself in a strange land, friendless and almost actu
ally penniless, his sole capital on landing at Hoboken,
New Jersey, having been one penny. Though poor m
pocket, he was rich in energy and courage, and
through industry and perseverance succeeded in
finding plenty of work, each year finding hira a little
nearer the top of the ladder of attainraents, his suc
cess being entirely due to his own energetic efforts,
and placing him in a prorainent position among the
self-made raen of our tiraes. He was born, April 5.
1866, in Wurtemberg, a son of Martin and Mar-

^J';;^ cJ^je,e^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

41

garet (Schwolz) Schwarz, who were brought by
their son Christian, in 1894, to the United States,
where the death of the father occurred in 1916, whUe
the raother died in 1902.
Brought up in his native land through childhood.
Christian Schwarz was graduated from the local
high school when but twelve years old. The follow
ing year, according to the laws of the country, it
would be necessary for him to join the cadets. A
military life being very distasteful to him, he had
no other recourse than to hide as a stowaway on
some vessel bound for America. Boarding th» good
ship "Rhine" on Deceraber 29, 1879, he was twenty-
nine days on the ocean before landing in Hoboken,
an entire stranger in a strange land, with neither kith
nor kin, and with but one penny to his name. After
a week of discouragement and hardship,' Christian
found a position as office boy with the New York
Staats Zeitung, and held it for five months. Lured
by better wages, he then entered the eraploy of the
Cushman Corapany, New York bakers, receiving $3.00
a week and his board. Going to Savannah, Georgia,
in 1883, he worked for several raonths in the
McMaggy Cracker Manufacturing Company, becom
ing quite faraUiar with the baking business.
Locating in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1885, Mr.
Schwarz secured eraployraent with the S. S. Marvin
Company, which has since been absorbed by the
National Biscuit Company, being made foreraan of
the cake department. Remaining with that company
six raonths, he was afterward siraUarly eraployed by
the firra of Nesbit & Corapany, bakers, and whUe a
resident of that city joined the National Guard,
Eighteenth Regiraent, and as one of its merabers did
guard duty at the Johnstown Flood. He subsequently
traveled throughout the West for a whUe, and when
ready to settle perraanently located, in 1890, in
Youngstown, where he embarked in the milk business,
which was brought to an end by the panic of 1893.
From that time until 1900 Mr. Schwarz was in the
employ of C. Weick, a retail baker on Federal Street.
In 1901 he again crossed the Atlantic, visiting rel
atives and friends in Germany, and on returning to
Youngstown became a shipping clerk in the Union
Mills. In 1906 he entered the employ of Charles Bix
ler, a well known baker, and in 1914 he, with Mr.
Kaulback, organized the Bixler Baking Company, of
which he has since been the vice president. This
firm is now. one of the leading ones of the kind in
the city, doing business throughout the county, em
ploying forty men and twelve trucks in the filling
out of orders.
Mr. Schwarz married, November 2, 1893, Annie
Tolman, daughter of John and Margaret lolmau,
natives of Germany, and they have one child, Mar
garet, who was graduated frora Oberlin College with
the class of 1919, and is now teaching in Youngstown.
Fraternally Mr. Schwarz is a member of Western
Star Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Order of
Masons ; of Youngstown Chapter, Royal Arch
Masons ; and of Lodge No. 55, Benevolent and Pro
tective Order of Elks. Religiously he is a member
of the First Reformed Church, and was one of the
Finance Committee for the proposed new church
edifice.

Edward D. Kaulback. Active and influential in
the industrial affairs of Youngstown, Edward D.
Kaulback, president of the Bixler Baking Company,
occupies an assured position among the more suc
cessful manufacturers and merchants of this section
of the Mahoning Valley, and as a true-hearted, pub
lic-spirited citizen, his aid is always sought in behalf
of undertakings for the public good and the advance
ment of the city's best interests. A son of the late
Maj. George C. Kaulback, he was born in New York
State, Noveraber 27, 1883, coming on both sides of
the house of Scotch ancestry.
Maj. George C. Kaulback was born in the vicinity
of Boston, Massachusetts! as was his wife, whose
maiden name was Elvira Ann Goddard. During the
Civil war he served as an officer in the army, being
retired as a captain, and later, for meritorious serv
ice, being breveted major by Abraham Lincoln. Sub
sequently locating at Sandy Creek, New York, the
major owned and managed a tannery there until
1886, when he moved with his faraily to Detroit,
Michigan. Returning East, he lived for a tirae in
New Jersey, but afterwards settled in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, where he reraained a resident until
his death, in 1909, at the venerable age of seventy-
nine years. His widow still resides in Pittsburgh.
Educated in the public schools of Newark, New
Jersey, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Edward D.
Kaulback began life as a wage earner in 1898, becora
ing messenger boy for the Bradstreet Company.
From 1899 untU 1902 he was employed as clerk for
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, at Pittsburgh,
and during the ensuing flve years was price clerk for
the Crucible Steel Company of that city. Making a
decided change of occupation in 1907, Mr. Kaulback
was traveling salesman for the National Biscuit Com
pany until the latter part of 1912, during the last
year selling the company's products in the larger
cities of the Pacific coast. Returning to Pittsburgh,
he was assistant sales manager for the Cruikshank
Company, wholesale dealers of preserves and pickles.
Coming to Youngstown in November, 1913, Mr.
Kaulback, in Deceraber of that year, met Mr. Charles
Bixler and they, taking over the business of the firm
of Bixler & Company, incorporated the Bixler Bak
ing Corapany, Mr. Bixler being made president, and
Mr. Kaulback secretary and treasurer.. After the
death of Mr. Bixler in 1914 Mr. Kaulback succeeded
to the presidency, whUe Christian Schwarz was made
vice president, and R. B. Seemann, secretary and
treasurer. This corapany is carrying on an extensive
business, and is actively identified by merabership
with the National Association of Master Bakers.
Mr. Kaulback is a member of the Rotary Club ; the
Youngstown Charabfer of Coramerce ; and the Credit
Men's Association. During the World war he served
on the War Chest Council of 100, and belonged to
the American Protective League, and likewise to the
Ohio Bakers' Service Board, which was a branch of
the State CouncU of Defense.
Roy B. Seemann. It was in 1913 that Roy B.
Seeraann carae to Youngstown and joined the organi
zation of the Bixler Baking Corapany, becoraing
secretary-treasurer of a corapany so prorainently

42

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

identified with the business interests of the com
munity. Mr. Seemann is a son of John and Louisa Anna
(Pershing) Seeraann, and was born July 10, 1886, at
Stauffer Station, Pa. Through his raother he is
related to Gen. John J. Pershing. The parents now
live in Pittsburgh, where the father is sales manager
for the National Biscuit Company.
In igoi, Roy B. Seemann graduated frora high
school in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and in 1902 he
entered the employ of the Henry C. Biddle Company
of PhUadelphia, having charge of the floor salesmen,
reraaining with the corapany until 1905 when he went
to Pittsburgh, joining the James M. McNally com
pany as a floor manager. In 1907 Mr. Seemann
joined the National Biscuit Company as receiving
clerk under A. G. Bixler, and four years later he was
made assistant superintendent of the plant, his busi
ness changes always coming as distinct promotions.
Mr. Seemann is a third degree Masorj and a mera
ber of Western Star Lodge. He is a raember of the
Lutheran Church. In Septeraber, 191 1, he raarried
Bessie Crook. She is a daughter of SUas and Bertha
Crook of Pittsburgh. Their two children are : Alice
and William.
Chuey Brothers is the name of a general mer
chandise partnership, operating flourishing stores in
Youngstown, Struthers and LowellvUle. The mem
bers of the firm are four brothers, Stephen J., John
E., Michael B. and Andrew Chuey, and the fifth part
ner is a sister, Mary Chuey.
Ten years ago their enterprise would hardly have
attracted attention among the many larger and more
prominent business houses of the Mahoning Valley.
They started in 1909 with a retail meat and grocery
store on the north side of Struthers. The establish
ment prospered, but the ambition and enterprise of
the owners soon looked to broader lines of business.
In igi2 they established a grocery and meat market
on Center Street in Youngstown. Later in the sarae
year they opened a general raerchandise store on the
south side of Struthers, and in the raeantirae changed
the character of the north side store to one of gen
eral merchandise. In 1915 they opened another gen
eral store at Lowellville. The business at Youngs
town is still specialized in groceries and raeat.
The original capital of this firra was $3700. The
present assets would aggregate in excess of $150,000,
and the annual volume of sales is more than twenty
times as large as the first year, exceeding $500,000
annually. The firm owned their original store prop
erty at Struthers, but have been satisfied to rent
buildings elsewhere. The south side Struthers store
occupies a double building, and the stock is thor
oughly complete and adequate for all the needs of
the surrounding population.
This is an interesting instance of the success that
comes from famUy unity and cooperation. The
parents of the Chuey Brothers were Stephen and
Julia Chuey, natives of Hungary, who came to the
United States soon after their marriage and estab
lished their home at Haselton, now a suburb of
Youngstown. The father was a furnace worker in
the Andrews Brothers Furnace, and in 1912 lost
his life when struck by a switch engine when re

turning home from work. His widow now lives at
Struthers. Her chUdren Andy and Mary make their
horae with her.
Stephen Chuey, who lives at Poland, was born
January 14, 1885, at Hazelton. He received his
education in the public schools and worked in the
company store at Hazelton. He also worked two
years in a raill, and then assisted in the organization
of the Chuey Brothers partnership. He married
Mary Condrick, and their children are John, Frank
and Steve. John Chuey married Catherine Condrick,
a si^er of his brother's wife, and they live at
Youngstown. Michael B. Chuey was born September 22, 1890,
at Hazelton, now a suburb of Youngstown. He
attended public school and engaged in the grocery
business for five years, then buying an interest in the
business. Two years later the brothers got together
and opened a new place in Struthers. In one year
they were burned out, and then they bought ouf
his former partner. Their next place was Hazelton,
and then Struthers.
Mr. Chuey is a director of the Chamber of Com
merce at Struthers and is a member of the Benevo
lent Protective Order of Elks No. 55 at Youngstown,
He was married December, 1910, in Youngstown, to
Mary Pidick, of Struthers. Their chUdren are Paul,
Mary and Dolores. Mrs. Chuey is a daughter of
Stephen Pidick, of Struthers. Miss Mary Chuey is
the treasurer of the concern.
Samuel Draa Drake. The growth and develop
ment of any coraraunity is largely dependent upon
the exertions of those raen who devote themselves
to the exploitation of real estate. Without their
energy, vim and progressive ideas no locality will
raove out of the conventional rut; outside money
will not be attracted to it, and property will show
but little increase. With the advent of an enterpris
ing, experienced man, well able to solve the prob
lems of the real estate business, comes a growth that
is remarkable. Many years have passed since the
initial work in this line has been done in the older
portions of Youngstown, but the needs of this metrop
olis of the Mahoning Valley have made necessary a
constant expansion of the outlying territory, while
a maintenance of property already built is extremely
important. So it is that the work of the realty oper
ator is counted as being among the important factors
in the life of this city. One of the men-whose name
is associated with developraents along this line is
Sarauel Draa Drake. He was born at Niles, Ohio,
August 8, 1883, a son of Jaraes Draa and Mary Jane
(Lewis) Drake.
The Drake family is traced back to 1365 when a
representative of it located at Lavistock, England.
Another raeraber of the faraUy, centuries later, left
England in 1767 for the American Colonies, and one
of his descendants, Edward Drake, came to Ohio
and homesteaded on the present site of ChUlicothe.
John Draa Drake, a grandfather of Samuel Draa
Drake, made the cradle used during the infancy of
the late President McKinley.
James Draa Drake was a machinist by trade, and
installed the sheet mills, the Jonathan 'Warner mill,
and rebuilt the latter in 1892. His death occurred at

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

43

Youngstown. He and his wife had eleven children,
eight of whom survive, namely: Mrs. Margaret
Ferguson, Mrs. Elsie Beach, Mrs. Olive McGinley,
Bertha, James L., Mrs. Maud Dickey, Samuel D.,
and Vera.
Samuel D. Drake lived at Niles, Ohio, where he
received his schooling, until 1901, and then came
with the family to Youngstown, and worked in the
sheet mills and the mill of Jonathan Warner, but not
liking this class of work, he left it at the end of
two years, and then secured an office position with
the General Fireproofing Company, which he held
for six years, leaving it in 1912 to embark in the
real estate business in which he has since continued.
achieving success. He is a meraber of the real
estate board, and is serving on several of its com
mittees, and the Chamber of Commerce. Fraternally
he is an Elk. He is developing the Sauzenbacher
farm east of Canfield, subdividing it and inaugurat
ing iraprovements. This when completed will make
a very valuable addition to Youngstown.
On October 30, 1910, Mr. Drake was united in
marriage with Maud Aurand, a daughter of Fred
and Josephine (Lewis) Aurand. For some years
Mr. Drake has been a memijpr of Saint John's Episco
pal Church of Youngstj^n. Alert, enterprising and
efficient, Mr. Drake is nurribered among the men who
are accomplishing results, and he deserves the pros
perity which has attended him.
Lamont N. Gilder, treasurer of the Fisher-
Gilder Cartage & Storage Company, and general
manager of the storage end of the business, is one
of the successful business men of Yqungstown, and
with his partner a pioneer in the storage and ware
house business in the Mahoning Valley. iHe was
born at Warren, Ohio, where he still maintains his
residence, on February 28, 1885, a son of Frank B.
and Minnie R. (Hart) Gilder. Frank B. GUder is
connected with the Gilder-Augstadt Coal & Supply
Company and is president of the Fisher-GUder Cart
age & Storage Company.
After attending the common schools of Warren,
Mr. Gilder took a four-year literary course at Ken
yon College, and then entered upon a business career
at Youngstown as secretary and treasurer of the E.
iFisher & Son Company, the forerunner of the pres
ent Fisher-GUder Cartage & Storage Company, which
was reorganized in 1913 as the Fisher-GUder Cartage
Company. In the meanwhUe, in 1912, Mr. GUder
had organized the Fisher Fireproof Storage Com
pany of which he was treasurer, and in 1914 he was
made its general manager. In 1918 the two com
panies were merged into the" Fisher-GUder Cartage
& Storage Company, with Mr. Gilder as treasurer
and manager of the storage department, while Mr.
Fisher is vice president and manager of the cartage
departraent. The business was founded by Emanuel
Fisher, father of the present Mr. Fisher, as a dray
age concern and gradually developed through suc
cessive stages to its present large proportions.
Emanuel Fisher was the president of the Fisher-
GUder Cartage Company and the first vice president
of the Fisher Fireproof Storage Company. He died
in 1917. Mr. Gilder is interested in other organiza

tions, notably the Gilder-Augstadt Coal & Supply
Company, of which he is a director and vice presi
dent. He belongs to Old Erie Lodge No. 3, Ancient
Free and Accepted Masons, of Warren, and he also
belongs to Warren Chapter, Royal Arch Masons.
In 191 1 Mr. GUder was united in raarriage with
Edith A. Ward, a daughter of Doctor and Mrs.
Clarence S. Ward of Warren. Mrs. GUder was
graduated frora Wellesley College in 1908 with the
degree of Bachelor of Arts, from the general literary
course. She belongs to the Episcopal Church, and
is active in its various societies. iMr. Gilder's time
is fully occupied by his business responsibilities,
which the increasing deraands of his patrons are
rnultiplying, so that he has but little tirae or inclina
tion for social relaxation. Both he and Mr. Fisher
are expert men in their several lines, and fully qual
ified to carry out the wishes of their customers in
an efficient and thoroughly modern manner, and their
equipment, including solid, fireproof warehouses, is
a decided asset to Youngstown and the Mahoning
Valley. Charles E. Gallagher. The record of Youngs
town business men demonstrates that none of them
who have risen to enviable positions have been thus
successful unless they possessed more than average
ability, and applied to their work a conscientious
thoroughness which in the end justified the trouble
and time expended. Corapetition is greater today
than it was in the earlier days of the history of the
city and state, but then much of the way had yet
to be blazed; people had to be awakened to the
need for necessities they were then prone to con
sider easily foregone luxuries, so that the work of
the business men who laid the foundations of
Youngstown's prestige was extremely heavy. There
were plenty of them found in the earlier days who
were equal to any emergency, and fortunately for
the welfare of the interests they safeguard, some
of thera are still in comraand, pne of them befng
Charles E. Gallagher who for twenty-six years has
been connected with the Eastern Ohio Gas Com
pany, also is now actively interested in the oil pro
ducing field where he is doing some drUling.
Charles E. Gallagher was born at Salamanca,
New York, on May 15, 1876, a son of Charles E.
and Catherine (Lenning) Gallagher, born in Little
Valley, New York, and Ireland, respectively, the
latter coming to the United States in chUdhood.
Both passed away at Salamanca, New York. They
left three children, as follows : Charles E., who was
the eldest; Ralph W., president of the iHercules
Motor Company at Canton, Ohio ; and Francis E.,
who is assistant to the president, John A. Manning
of the Manning Paper Company, lives at Troy,
New York.
After completing the high school course at Sala
manca, Charles E. Gallagher took charge of his
father's office at Salamanca, owner of general mer
chandising store, and general contractor, and en
gaged in lumbering and saw mUl business. After
a year itt his father's office he entered the employ
of the Standard OU Company and held various posi
tions with it at Parkersburg, West Virginia, Brad-

44

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

ford. Oil City and Edinburg, Pennsylvania, and
UhrichsviUe and Akron, Ohio, leaving it for the
iE^stern Ohio Gas Company, where he held an in
itial position as bookkeeper and telegrapher and at
the present time is general superintendent of all
cities and towns outside of Cleveland. He is also
a director of the Youngstown City Savings & Trust
Corapany and the Morris Plan Bank. Mr. Gallagher
came to Youngstown in 1909 as manager of the
Youngstown branch of his company from Canton,
Ohio, where he had spent two years as head of the
Canton branch, and since then has become thor
oughly identified with the city, belonging to the
Real Estate Board, Credit Men's Association and
Charaber of Commerce, and taking an active and
effective part in the projects of all of these organiza
tions. On June 22, 1899, Mr. Gallagher was united in
marriage with Miss Alice Virginia Forker, a daugh
ter of J. B. and Rebecca Jane (Reed)- Forker of
Edinburg, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Gallagher was grad
uated from the Clarion Normal School, and is a
highly educated and cultivated lady. Mr. and Mrs.
Gallagher have two children, naraely: Doclie, who
was born on June 28, 1902, is a graduate of the
Rayen High School, and is now attending Wellesley
College; and Eugenia, who was born on August 31,
1904, is attending the Rayen High School. Mr. Gal
lagher is an appreciated raeraber of the Youngs
town Club. Both he and his wife have a wide circle
of acquaintances and are held in the highest esteem
by all who know them. As a representative of his
company Mr. Gallagher sustains the dignity of his
office and the fact that he has remained with this
one concern for more than a quarter of a century
is sufficient proof that he is regarded as one of the
raost efficient and valuable raen in the organization.
As a citizen Mr. Gallagher has displayed praise
worthy civic interest in the expansion of Youngs
town, and can always be counted upon to bear his
part of the burden of proraoting worthy raeasures
looking toward further progress.
Daniel A. Davidson is one of the reliable men
of Struthers, who is conducting an undertaking
business in such an efficient manner as to give sat
isfaction to those in need of his skUled services. He
was born at Lowellville, June 8, 1869, a son of James
and Lavina (iNessle) Davidson, he born at West-
field, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. By trade
he was a shoemaker, and worked as such at Lowell
ville during the period covered by the war between
the states. While he did not seek any public office,
he was strict in his adherence to the principles of the
republican party. The Presbyterian Church had in
him an earnest member, and he served the local con
gregation as deacon and elder. In addition to the
property he owned at Lowellville, James Davidson
owned a farra in Pennsylvania and one in Ohio
and was a man of considerable means. His death
occurred about 1900, when he was seventy-one years
old. His widow passed away at the age of seventy-
two years, about twelve years ago. Their children
were as follows : Margaret, who married Lon Lowry,
who is living retired at Youngstown, Ohio ; Thomas,
who was a coal dealer of Lowellville, died when

thirty years of age; Mary, who is the widow of
John G. Erskine, a merchant of LowellvUle, lives
at Parkers Lake, Kentucky; and Daniel A., whose
name heads this review.
Daniel A. Davidson was reared at LoweUviUe and
attended the schools of that city and Youngstown
and the Ellington, New York, Academy, and then
in 1888 formed a partnership with J. C. Cunning
ham and operated a furniture and undertaking
business at Lowellville for seven years, in the mean
whUe securing diplomas from several undertaking
and embalming schools. In 1904 Mr. Davidson came
to Struthers and opened his present undertaking
establishment, he being the only man of his profes
sion at Struthers. His equipraent is very modern,
including an auto hearse, and his services are in
request at Lowellville, Hillsville and other adjacent
points. Like his father, he takes little interest in
public life. While he is a Mason, Odd Fellow and
Knight of Pythias, he does not take an active part
in fraternal raatters. In fact his attention is cen
tered upon his profession and he keeps on studying
and attending conventions so as to be abreast of
modern development in undertaking. He does not
confine his services to those of wealth, but renders
an appropriate and sympathetic service to those of
small means, taking a pride in carrying out all his
work in a dignified raanner. He is a raember of the
Masonic fraternity and has reached the commandery
degree. He is also a raember of Summerset, Ken
tucky, Lodge, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.
When he was twenty-two years of age Mr. Dav
idson was married to Tressa M. Book, of Lowell
viUe, a daughter of M. H. Book, former proprietor
of the Lowellville Hotel and a veteran of the Union
army. After the death of the first Mrs. Davidson,
Mr. Davidson was raarried to Mrs. Minnie E.
(Book) Becker, his sister-in-law, who had two chil
dren, namely: Rachel Becker, who was educated in
the Struthers High School and the Kent, Ohio, Nor
mal School, is now teaching in the Struthers
schools; and Hazen Becker, who married Florence
Kashner, has no children. He spent two years at a
base hospital in France during the late war, anH
has just returned and is in the business with his
stepfather. James Bruce Fithian. One of the prom nent
wholesalers of Youngstown, who has_ developed
some very important interests centering in this city,
is James Bruce Fithian, president of the Hearn-
Fithian Corapany. He was born at Youngstown on
March 14, 1868, a son of Charles L. and Mary J.
(Powers) Fithian, and grandson of Isaac Powers,
who homesteaded all of the land now occupied by
LouisvUle, Kentucky. Charles L. Fithian served
as a soldier during the War between the States, and
followed farming when he did not work in one or
other of the mUls at Youngstown.
James Bruce Fithian was brought up in a health
ful way, alternating attendance at school with work
on his father's farm, and he had the advantage of
a two years' course in college. He then learned
telegraphy and from 1888 until 1892 he was en
gaged in railroad work as an operator. Mr. Fithian
had formed a partnership with John Orr at Par-

d.^d.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

45

nassus, Pennsylvania, under the name of John Orr
& Company, Mr. Fithian at that time being only
twenty years of age. Subsequently Mr. Orr bought
Mr. Fithian's interest, and he returned to teleg
raphy and for a year was night yardmaster at the
Ohio Steel Plant. He then embarked in a retail
grocery business as J. B. Fithian, which he later
sold and then went into the wholesale grocery busi
ness with Decker R. Fithian, whose interest he sub
sequently acquired, and remained alone for two and
one-half years. At the expiration of that period
Mr. Fithian merged his business with that owned
by John G. Thomas, the business for a year being
conducted under the name of the Thomas, Hearn,
Fithian Company, but is now the Hearn-Fithian
Corapany, of which Mr. Fithian has been president
for sorae time. Employment is given to sixty-five
people at Youngstown, and twelve traveling men
represent the house on the road, the territory in
cluding New England and Ohio.
Mr. Fithian is a Mason, belonging to the Blue
Lodge of that order, and he also belongs to the
Eastern Star. Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church
of Youngstown has him for a raeraber and he is
also on its official board.
In 1896 Mr. Fithian was united in raarriage with
Miss Grace Canfield, a daughter of Alexander and
Elizabeth (Meenely) Canfield, both of whora are
deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Fithian have two children,
namely, Elizabeth, who was born in 1900; and Grace,
who was born in 1905.
Mr. Fithian favors the republican ticket, and
served as a meraber of the city councU for one
terra frora the First Ward, during that period se
curing for Youngstown the system of universal
transfers on the street railway. Always a strong
prohibitionist, Mr. Fithian has given a good deal of
his time and attention to fighting the liquor interests,
and succeeded in having elected raen to official posi
tion whose stand on this important question was
definite and in favor of prohibition. Because of this,
;he county went dry some tirae prior to the edict
Df wartime prohibition. Upon several occasions he
ias been strongly urged by the representative men
jf the city to perrait the use of his narae for the
nayoralty race, but refused as he feels that he can
iccoraplish more for his coraraunity as a private
;itizen than if he burdened hiraself with the duties
5f public office. Conscientious in a marked degree,
le has earnestly sought to exert his influence in
jehalf of civic betterment and moral uplift and the
-esults speak for theraselves. Because of the broad
/ision, unselfish efforts and true Christianity of such
nen as Mr. Fithian, the prohibition araendraent was
massed and ratified. When he and his associates
jegan their concerted action against the liquor in-
erests, many who disapproved of saloons on gen-
meral principles but lacked the courage to come
mt openly against them, classed the raovement as
itterly Utopian. Now these same persons are glad
o be included in the ranks of the so-called re-
-'ormers. If Mr. Fithian had accomplished nothing
nore than his triumph over the liquor element, he
;ould feel that his life has been of great value to
lis community, but in addition to this side of his

character, he is a useful citizen, excellent business
man and tried and true friend, and it is doubtful
if Youngstown possesses anyone more representative
of its best interests than this upright, capable. Chris
tian gentleman.
Samuel Wilkoff. Several of the largest and
most distinctive establishraents in Youngstown recog
nize Sarauel Wilkoff as one of their creators and a
guiding genius in their affairs. The story of his
personal career is an inspiring one, though it can
be told only in meager outline.
He was born in iRussian Poland, April i, 1863, a
son of Julius and Zippora Wilkoffsky, both parents
now deceased. A youth of nineteen, inspired by that
urge of democracy which is a part of the national
character of his people, he came alone to the United
States in the late '70s. It was his intention to dis
cover and join a relative but he lost the address, and
having only two cents to his narae he found as a mat
ter of necessity an opportunity to prove his enterprise
and abUity to make himself a factor in the new
world to which he was a complete stranger. He
managed to secure on credit a basket of tinware,
which he peddled and kept up this humble role of
peddling merchant three raonths. At the end of that
tirae he discovered the address of his brother in
Pittsburgh, and joined him there, but having been
successful in his first line he continued as a peddler
at Pittsburgh and in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.
He lived at Beaver Falls a number of years. The
first important stage in his business success was
when he was able to afford a horse and wagon with
which to carry his goods about the country. In 1888
Mr. Wilkoff used some of his capital to establish a
junk business in Akron, Ohio, where he had as part
ners his brother William and also Charles Wasbot-
zky, and L. Wilkoffsky, his brother-in-law. In the
latter part of that year ' the partnership was dis
solved, and Mr. Wilkoff and his brother 'William con-
finued the business together for thirteen years, the
firra being known as 'Wilkoffsky Brothers of Akron.
Before engaging in business in Akron, Mr. Wilkoff
went to Kansas. Then from Kansas went to Akron
to engage in business.
In igoi Mr. Wilkoff reraoved to Youngstown and
opened a branch office of his business in the old
iMcKelvey Building. Later his plant was established
where the Baltiraore & Ohio Railway station is now
located. When the station was erected he removed
to below Baldwin Flour MiUs at Oak HUl. The
business was .incorporated in igoi as the Wilkoff
Brothers Company. Mr. Sarauel Wilkoff sold his in
terest in that business and established the Wilkoff
Iron & Steel Company, which later was consolidated
with the WUkoff Brothers Company and since then
the title has been the Wilkoff Company.
In less than twenty years Mr. Wilkoff has achieved
a i^lace Of the greatest influence in the business and
industrial affairs of Youngstown. Vice president of
the Wilkoff Company, vice president of the Mill
Creek Land Company, and was president of the
Glenwood Realty Company untU the property which
he developed was sold. He still owns considerable
real estate. He owned the ground and was instru-

46

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

mental in bringing the Concrete Steel Company of
New York to locate in Youngstown, and erected the
buildings necessary to house the plant. He also has
sorae farra land in and around McDonald.
Mr. Wilkoff for all his success has never lost his
democratic spirit. He is charitable to a fault and
is now as always deeply interested in the welfare
of those associated with him in his various enter
prises. Mr. Wilkoff has been happily raarried a nuraber of
years and is father of four chUdren. His oldest
son Isaac Wilkoff married Anna Wolfe of Beaver
Falls and has a daughter, Betty Frances. Isaac
is secretary and assistant treasurer of the WUkoff
Company, is president of the Wilkoff Realty Com
pany, president of the Mill Creek Land Company,
director of the Market Realty Company, president
of the Youngstown Specialty Company, treasurer of
the Willand Petroleum Corapany, and has had rauch
to do with the re-organization of all these local in
dustries. The second son is Joseph, general superintendent
of the Youngstown plant and a director of the Wil
koff Corapany. The third son is Leo S., a successful
Youngstown lawyer, forraer assistant prosecuting at
torney of the county and secretary and general coun
sel for the MUl Creek Land Corapany. The young
est of the family, Annetta, is the wife of Philip
Brown of Cleveland, secretary of the Wilkoff Com
pany. Samuel O. Ewing, whose horae was at Boardraan
Center, was a former sheriff of Mahoning County,
and a son of the late John Ewing whose life and
the record of the famUy from its establishraent in
the valley at the beginning of the nineteenth century,
are fully described on other pages of this publica
tion. The chief activities of Samuel O. Ewing
were directed to farming and stock breeding and he
was well known as a developer of farms in the
valley. His death occurred December 15, igig.
Mr. Ewing was born October I, 1851, at North
Jackson on the farm where the Ewings first set
tled a hundred years ago. He grew up on that
homestead, had a high school education, but his col
lege career was interrupted. He began life as a
teacher, and for two years was principal of the
LowellvUle schools. After that he took up the work
of a traveling salesraan, representing the Johnson
Harvesting Company in Eastern Ohio and Western
Pennsylvania. While a resident of Canfield, his friends induced
him to enter politics as a candidate, and he was
elected sheriff in 1889 and re-elected 1891, leading
his ticket each time. He performed with general
satisfaction the routine duties of his office at a time
when the vaUey was suffering from a general finan
cial and industrial depression. After leaving office
he took up the real-estate business, not so much as
a broker, but as a buyer, improver and seller -of
farms. Many tracts of land that had become
run down and unprofitable he rehabilitated and
made into paying propositions. One of these is
now occupied by the Canfield Experiment Station.
He thus operated sevral farms to a successful issue.
Through all these years Mr. Ewing was a breeder

of high grade horses, cattle and sheep. His Per
cheron horses were exhibited at many fairs and his
stock won many honors. He exhibited the prize
winning Belgian horse at the State Fair in 1919
and that horse is now at the head of the stud
of the Kansas Agricultural College. The Ewing
colts have becorae widely known and sought at fancy
prices, and his efforts have brought a great im
proveraent in local stock throughout Ohio and else
where. Mr. Ewing had his home in Boardman Cen
ter for the past twenty years and improved and
developed a fine property of 246 acres there, making
it complete as a desirable country home with barns
and other equipment. He built the house in whicii
he lived and all its surrounding set of buildings.
Mr. Ewing kept up his interest in the party,
serving in comraittees and conventions. He was a
raember of the United Presb3d:erian Church of
Youngstown. He was an Elk and member of the
Knights of Pythias. In 1886 he married Miss Em
ma Fox of HUlsvUle, Lawrence County, Pennsyl
vania, who survives him. Their son Frank C. was
born January 19, 1888. He has had rather a wide
experience for a young man, but at the time of Ws
father's death, he took up the latter's business af
fairs and has since been carrying them through
successfully. He is a Mason and on September i,
1911, he married Miss Ruth Mann of St. Louis, a
daughter of J. A. Mann, a merchant of that citj,
They have two sons, Samuel and Arthur.
The late Mr. Ewing was a man of very many
friends, and one of the most popular men in tk
district. His pleasure in his friendships far ex
ceeded any pleasure he ever got from matenal
things, though he was an able executive and a man
of wide experience. He was always hailed witn
enthusiasm whenever he appeared and was sur
rounded by most prorainent men of the community,
but was very unassuming. He was a KepuWian
in politics but very democratic in his actions.
Sidney R. Creps, an able and influential busi- :
ness raan of Youngstown now serving as director ot i
city schools, has been identified with various mtereffi
during his active career and as a citizen of wortn
and ability has contributed his fuU share toward
proraoting the welfare of the coramunity in whicli ne
resides. Mr. Creps is a native of Mahoning LoimW
was born in Austintown, June 27, 1879, from alimgt
that traces back on the paternal side to the sturaj
German stock which settled in Pennsylvania durin
pioneer days. His father, Eli Creps, however w
born near North Lima in 1851 and was activ J|
identified with public affairs, prominent in the
publican ranks, he served for a number « J^^"
justice of the peace, and at the time of his tte«
when but thirty-four years of age was estabusn
himself in the furniture and undertaking businett
Mary Russell, the mother of Sidney Kusso
Creps, was of Scotch descent, her grandfather na
ing come from Scotland to Mahoning County wni
the country was yet a forest, and formed the nuc
for the RusseU settlement a few miles southwesi
Austintown ; his log cabin was the first dwelling
this section. . _ ,.,.,
Of the union of Mr, and Mrs. Eh Creps,

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

47

chUdren were born, Sidney R. and Vinnie P., wife
of S. J. Brooks, one of the leading merchants of
Warren, Ohio.
In the case of Sidney R. Creps we have another
proof that hardships are, after all, the stuff out of
which character is made. Before he was six years
old his father died, and thrown on his own re
sources so early in life we find him dreaming dreams
of a business career. As a boy he established a
paper route in Austintown and West Austintown
and for five years walked more than three miles a
day selling papers. As he grew older the needs for
school books and clothes raade additional deraands.
To raeet these Sidney did odd jobs on the farra and
such other work as an industrious boy could find
to do in the rural districts. Late in his teens, when
fitted by education and experience, he was employed
by Kaley and McDonald in their general merchandise
business conducted in the old brick store at Austin-
town where John H. Fitch made the start in his
business career. Mr. Creps substituted for Mr. Mc
Donald in this partnership.
During his busy life Mr. Creps, because of a
natural craving for education, laid a good founda
tion for his future work; he took a course in Hall's
Business College and under the wise tutelage of
G. O. Neff, an able educator, gained an ideal and in
spiration that has been a controlling force in his life.
In 1898 Mr. Creps passed the teachers' examina
tion and taught school for two years at Four-Mile-
Run. At the end of two years, however, he gave up
school work and accepted a position with The John
H. Fitch Company, later he was employed in the
electrical department of the Carnegie Steel Company.
Then the old longing to do school work again seized
him with such force that he went back to the school
room for much less than half the salary received in
the mill. After six years more in school work the
conflict between love of work and the financial needs
resulted in a decision to enter business. Accordingly
he entered the real estate and insurance business with
L. S. Crum. Always a student, Mr. Creps soon be
came famUiar with the business, and at the death of
Mr. Crura, in 1910, took up this business by hiraself.
In 1915 Mr. Creps becarae identified with the Youngs
town schools as clerk and treasurer. When the
director of schools, Mr. Ashbaugh, was taken Ul,
Mr. Creps was raade his assistant and on the death
of Mr. Ashbaugh was made his successor as director.
A man of sterling worth and ability Mr. Creps has
handled affairs of his position with credit to himself
and to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned.
On July 12, igo2. Miss Lillian May Shifferstine,
daughter of Andrew Shifferstine of West Austin-
town, became the wife of Mr. Creps. She passed
to the life beyond in igio, leaving two chUdren,
Violet Vinnette and Robert WiUiara. Since the
death of his wife, Mr. Creps' mother, Mrs. Mary
Creps, has presided over his household, making a
pleasant home for his motherless chUdren.
Mr. Creps is a meraber of Hillman Lodge, Free
and Accepted Masons of Youngstown, and of He
bron Lodge, Independent Order of Odd FeUows,
having served this lodge as trustee, and as financial
secretary. He is also a member of the Youngstown
Vol. II- 4

Chamber of Commerce and of the Youngstown Auto
mobile Club.
Daniel A. Heindel. An exceedingly prosperous
and popular business man of Youngstown, Daniel A.
Heindel is one of the leading autoraobile dealers of
this section of Mahoning County, his annual sales
of the Dort and Apperson cars yielding hira a good
income. He was born in l88g in North Lima, Ohio,
on the farm of his father, Joshua Heindel.
A native of Pennsylvania, Joshua Heindel was
born in Y'ork County, and as a young raan worked
in a coal raine which he owned in Morgantown. Em
barking in agricultural pursuits, he bought a farm
in North Lima, Ohio, and in addition to raising the
crops common to that part of the country made a
specialty of growing garden truck, continuing thus
employed until his death, in 1897, at the age of
sixty-one years. To him and his wife, whose maiden
name was Emeline Coler, seven sons and three
daughters were born, as follows : George and Clar
ence, living on the old home farm ; Clark, farming in
North Lima; Norman and Emanuel of Youngs
town, are carrying on a substantial meat business,
their market being on Market Street; Orville, a well-
known physician of New Castle, Pennsylvania ;
Daniel A., the subject of this sketch; Mary, wife of
George Ford,' a successful farmer of New Spring
field, Ohio; Dorothy, wife of David Whitmore, who
is also engaged in farming at New Springfield;
Samantha, who married Spang Bricker, died in York
County, Pennsylvania.
Although a little fellow of eight years when his
father died, Daniel A. Heindel looked after the home
farm during the ensuing six years, after which he
continued his studies at the North Lima High School.
In 1907 he entered the employ of Swift & Company
in Youngstown, and subsequently embarked in the
real estate business, representing a New York firm
in Lancaster and New Castle, iPennsylvania, and in
Boston, Massachusetts. In 1913, with perfect con
fidence in his abilities, Mr. Heindel, with merely
sufficient sum to buy a car for himself, established
an automobile business at 1418, Market Street,
Youngstown, his garage having been 40 by 50 feet.
As his trade increased, more room being impera
tive, he made additions from time to time, the build
ing now occupying a space of So by 150 feet. Mr.
Pleindel is now planning to erect, at an expense of
$90,000, a garage at the corner of Evergreen Avenue
and Market Street, which wUl be go by 200 feet,
finished in marble, and completely equipped in every
respect. During the six years that l^r. Heindel has
been identified with the automobile trade he has
learned the business inside and out, and in working
over the cars has become an expert machinist, and
perfectly familiar with every part of a machine.
Mr. Heindel married, in 1913, Helen, daughter of
J. C. Schreck, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and they
are the parents of one son, Daniel A. Heindel, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Heindel are members of Saint Paul's
Reformed Church. Politically Mr. Heindel is inde
pendent, casting his vote for the best raan regardless
of the party he represents.

48

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

William Wilkoff. While his friends and as
sociates at Youngstown declare WiUiam Wilkoff
to be one of the ablest men of the city, one of the
chief elements in his career, enabling hirn to_ rise
from obscurity and poverty to a controlling influ
ence in the great industrial affairs of Eastern Ohio,
has been a remarkable tenacity of purpose which
has held him true to his course in spite of aU pri
vations, obstacles and handicaps.
He was born in Poland, September 14, 1865, a
Russian subject. His early environment was that
of a small farm. His parents were Julius and Zip
pora Wilkoff' and the family were stoutly ortho
dox and pious Jews. WUliam Wilkoff used some
of the means of his early business success to bring
hi's parents to this country and both of them died
at Youngstown.
In 1882, at the age of seventeen, he left his native
country and came to America. His first work was
as a section hand on railroad construction from
Pittsburgh to MassiUon, Ohio. His wages were
$1.50 a day. It was not work to which he
was accustomed, yet he held on until he could
save a little capital for independent business. His
first capital he used to purchase a small stock of
merchandise, and became a peddler at Pittsburgh.
From a collector of miscellaneous waste material,
he became an independent dealer in the junk busi
ness, located at Beaver Falls, and by that time had
advanced his equipment to a single horse and
wagon. In 1888 he joined his brother Samuel in
partnership, and they became wholesale junk dealers
at Akron. Their business developed so rapidly that
it was necessary to find a larger market, and several
years later the Wilkoff Brothers moved to Youngs
town, establishing their plant on ground leased
frora the Baltimore & Ohio Railway, where that
raUroad subsequently built its Youngstown station.
In 1904 Wilkoff Brothers Company, incorporated
for $100,000, with William as president of the com
pany. In 1915 the business was reorganized on a
capital basis of $,'00,ooo, and in igig it was neces
sary again to increase the canital stock, this time
to $1,000,000. When the Wilkoff Company first
bought their present location their intentions were to
eliminate the junk and scrap iron department and
confine their activities to the building of steel cars.
In 1016 the Youngstown Steel Car Company was
organized with acapital stock of $2Co,coo, William
Wilkoff being president. The capital has since
been increased to $1,000,000, and as the outgrowth
and result of the enterprise of the Wilkoff Brothers
the industry is now one of the largest in the Youngs
town district. Recently the corporation acquired a
130 acre tract at Niles, Ohio, and when the works
are established in the new plant it is expected that
1,000 men will be employed. The present plant at
Youngstown will then be used for scrap iron.
Mr. Wilkoff is one of the original incorporators
of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company, and is
still a stockholder. The various business concerns
which he has proraoted now do a nation wide and
international business, raaintaining offices at New
York and Pittsburgh. Sara Wilkoff is vice presi
dent of both companies, David J. is treasurer and
Isaac Wilkoff is secretary.

January 16, 1894, Mr. Wilkoff married Miss
Fanny Cohen of Cleveland. They have three sons,
Louis C, Ralph M., and Arthur Edward. The son
Louis, who married Miss Sadie Klein of Niles, is
secretary of the Y'oungstown Steel Car Company;
the son Ralph is a graduate of the Culver Military
Academy of Indiana, and is taking a university
course. Mr. Wilkoff is a meraber of the Hebrew
Temple of Youngstown, and one of its most gen
erous patrons. He is affiliated with Youngstown
Elks, is a Mason, and many tiraes in the last years
his name has been identified -with movements affect
ing the good of his home city. He is a tireless
worker, and much of his success is due to the
remarkable concentration of energy upon the tasks
in hand. In fact he has been so busy that he has
never been able to hold the post of director in
any other corapany except his own, and for a sim
ilar reason has never found tirae for public office.
Jesse H. Leighninger. An attorney of unques
tioned skill and ability, Jesse H. Leighninger ren
dered efficient service as first assistant city solicitor,
and in the fall of 1919, was elected on the republican
ticket to the more responsible position of city
solicitor. A son of Marion F. Leighninger, he was
born March II, 1888, in West Lafayette, Coshocton
County, Ohio.
Born, reared and educated in Coshocton County,
Ohio, Marion F. Leighninger chose farming for his
life occupation, and having bought land in Coshocton
County improved a good farra, which he has since
raanaged with fair success. His wife, whose maiden
name was Florence Hattie Starker, was born in
Tuscarawas County, and died on the home farm
April 21, 191 1, aged forty-three years. Two sons
were born of their union, Jesse fl. and Issador S.
The father is actively identified with the republican
party, and takes an intelligent interest in public
affairs, uniforraly supporting all enterprises calcu
lated to benefit the public and advance the best in
terests of his community.
Receiving his earliest knowledge of books in the
schools of West Lafayette, Jesse H. Leighninger
was graduated from the high school in 1906, and
from West Lafayette College with the class of iQiji
corapleting his studies at the Western Reserve Uni
versity, when, in 1914, he was there graduated from
the law departraent. An industrious, ambitious lad,
with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, Mr.
Leighninger paid his own way through college and
university, earning his raoney in various ways. As
a boy, interested in farm journals, he naturally
thought every one else should be, and raade a busi
ness of securing subscribers to different papers treat
ing on agriculture, and later traveled for the
Curtis publications, thus earning money during
vacations to pay his next year's expenses in school.
He also sold books, taking an agency for different
firms, was a crew manager, and while at the West
ern Reserve University waited upon tables and
washed dishes for his board, and taught evenings at
the Young Men's Christian Association.
While in college Mr. Leighninger was one summer
employed at West Lafayette in the Novelty Works,
having charge of the varnishing department, and the

^^1^ ^K'i^.i^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

49

suramer before graduating he sold real estate in
Youngstown, being in the employ of the Realty
Security Company. Forming a partnership with M.
C. McNab, i\Ir. Leighninger began the practice of
law, continuing with hira until July, 191S, when he
became associated with .\. B. Calvin, continuing with
him until appointed third assistant city solicitor.
After rendering appreciated service in that position
for twenty-one months, Mr. Leighninger was made
second assistant city solicitor, and at the end of nine
months in that capacity he was appointed first assist
ant city solicitor, his promotions bearing visible evi
dence of his abilitj- and fidelity in that office. In
the primaries of the fall of 1919 he was honored with
the nomination for city solicitor, a position for which
he was araply qualified not only by education but by
training and practical experience.
C)n September 5, 1914, iMr. Leighninger was united
in marriage with Marjorie Lightner, daughter of S.
H. and Jennie H. Lightner. Her father was a pro
fessor of rausic in the Youngstown oublic schools
for a quarter of a century, and she was graduated
from the musical department of Oberlin University,
and subsequently taught music in the West Lafayette
College and Northfield Seminary until her marriage.
Mr. and Mrs. Leighninger have two children, Robert
Dean Leighninger and David Scott Leighninger. Re
ligiously Mr. Leighninger and wife are merabers of
the Westrainster Presbyterian Church. Fraternally
he is a raeraber of Western Star Lodge, Ancient Free
and Accepted Order of Masons ; of Buechner
Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and Youngstown
Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. He is also a meraber
of the Independent Order of Odd FeUows and of the
Charaber of Coramerce.
Nelson A. Cowdery, one of the patriarchs of the
Mahoning Valley, whose long life was a continuous
exertion for good and community welfare, was born
at Hartland, Connecticut, May 6, 1826, and in the
same fall was brought in a one-horse wagon to Ohio
by his parents, Allen and Mary (Norton) Cowdery.
The family settled in Mecca Township on a farm that
is now owned by J. A. Hayden. Allen Cowdery
cleared up the land, which he had obtained from the
Connecticut Land Company at $2.50 an acre. About
the time Nelson A. Cowdery reached his majority his
father traded for a farm in West Mecca near his
brother Ambrose, who had come from Connecticut
in 1825.
At the age of nineteen Nelson A. Cowdery was
given permission by his father in order to get mar
ried to Flora Beach of Vernon Township, four years
his senior. Soon afterwards with his father he
bought eighty acres of woods at $7 an acre in West
Mecca and obtained fifty acres of this as his share
and later the rest. During the oU excitement, with
rising prices for land, Allen sold his farm and bought
a place a raile south of Cortland, and the son Nelson
followed him there six years later and also bought
a_ farm. Allen Cowdery died at the age of seventy-
six. His first wife passed away in 1835, the mother
of four chUdren, Nelson being the last survivor.
His second wife was Lavina iBeach, and his third
ivife a Mrs. Croft. There were two children of the

second marriage, one son dying as a Union soldier,
while Drayton now lives at Farmington.
In 1895 Nelson Cowdery built his present home in
the Village of Cortland. His farm coraprised 125
acres and while living in Mecca Township he also
operated a saw raill three years. He was one of the
organizers and one of the first directors of the
First National Bank of Cortland which was estab
lished in 1892 with a capital of $50,000. He served as
president until the charter expired twenty years
later, and it was- then succeeded by the Cortland Sav
ings & Banking Company, with a capital of $35,000
and Mr. Cowdery continued as president.
From 1872 to 1878 he was a member of the Board
of County Commissioners. One work of this board
was the construction at a cost of $20,000 of the Mar
ket Street bridge in Warren, a structure that has
stood the test of time and wear ever since. In 1870
at Cortland Mr. Cowdery buUt a cheese factory.
He hired a cheese raaker for one year and during
that tirae his daughter learned the detaUs of cheese
manufacture and afterwards she and Mr. Cowdery
conducted the factory alone. This factory was the
primary influence in stimulating railk production
and making this region a dairy center, a character
that still prevails. The old factory converted the
milk from 900 cows and the Cowdery farm operated
a dairy of fifty cows. The business has been in con
tinuous operation for half a century and the plant
is now part of the Creamery and Condensery Cora
pany. Mr. and Mrs. Cowdery were probably the oldest
married couple in the Mahoning Valley. At her
death they had lived together sixty-four years, nine
months, seven days. Four children were born to
their marriage. Mr. Cowdery early became identified
with the Congregational Church, his father's church,
but whUe operating the cheese factory he asked for a
letter from the old church at Mecca. At first this
was refused on account of his working on Sunday,
but later it was granted, and since then he has been
connected with the Christian Church. In early days
he heard President Garfield preach.
Judge David Gottlieb Jenkins. Behind and justi
fying his present high office as judge of Coramon
Pleas Court No. i at Youngstown, Judge Tenkins
has a record as a successful lawyer for the past
thirteen years, a former editor and technical man in
several iron plants, and also two highly creditable
terms as city solicitor of Youngstown.
Judge Jenkins was born at Port Talbot, a seaport
town in Wales, in 1879. H's Welsh ancestors for
generations have been prominent in the tin and other
metal industries of Wales. The father of Judge
Jenkins was Daniel R. Jenkins, now living at Youngs
town. He was born in Wales, and when about a
year old, in 1847, was taken to Germany by his father.
David Jenkins. David Jenkins had been called to
Germany by the Imperial Governraent to erect the
first tin plate works in the Erapire. The two plants
which he built were naraed respectively Germania
and Albion. Daniel R. Jenkins as a young man ac
quired an expert knowledge of the building and raan
ageraent of tinplate mills. Though his home was in

50

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Wales, his business duties required his frequent
presence in Westphalia, Munich and other places in
Germany, and also in Northern Hungary. His
technical knowledge and experience made his services
in great deraand, and for raany years he was prac
tically an international authority in the tinplate busi
ness. WhUe his private business affairs were pros
perous, he had the spirit of the traveler, and it was
his zest for travel and new scenes that brought hira
to the United States in 1894. He lived for several
years at New Castle, Pennsylvania, and afterwards
came to Y''oungstown.
David Gottlieb Jenkins received his second narae
frora a boyh'ood friend of his father, a Gerraan, and
the godfather of Judge Jenkins. Judge Jenkins ac
quired his priraary education in Germany and Hun
gary, and was about fifteen years of age when the
faraily came to Araerica. He graduated frora the
New Castle High School in 1900 and the following
year came to Youngstown. His first work here was
in the laboratory of the Ohio Works, and from 1903
to 1905 he was editor of the Youngstown Labor Ad
vocate. He then studied law, and attended the Ohio
Northern University Law Department at Ada, where
he was a student under former Governor Willis. He
was admitted to the bar in December, 1906, and after
practicing one year was appointed assistant city
solicitor. In igog he was elected city solicitor and
re-elected without opposition in 1911. His most im
portant work as city solicitor outside of the regular
office^ routine was in formulating the plans for the
creation of the Milton reservoir, the source of
Youngstown's water supply. In 1918 he was elected
to fill the unexpired term of Judge W. P. Barnum
as judge of the Common Pleas Court, and whUe one
of the younger Common Pleas judges in Ohio his
work has abundantly justified his choice. Judge
Jenkins is widely known as an authority on history
and economics. He has contributed articles on these
subjects to leading journals and magazines, and has
delivered addresses covering the above subjects in
various sections of the country.
Judge Jenkins married in 1915, Edna J. Williams,
daughter of Thomas B. Williams, of Youngstown.
They have three children : Bronwen Elise, Elwyn
Vernon and Ivor Neville. The family are members
of the Episcopal Church. He is a Royal Arch Mason
and Knight of Pythias, and is the present district
representative of the Odd Fellows at the Grand
Lodge. John A. Fithian. Both as a member of one of
the learned professions, and as an alert and suc
cessful business man, John A. Fithian is a decided
asset to his community, and is recognized as one
of the_ representative men of Youngstown. He was
born in the same house at Youngstown, as his
mother, 1615 Poland Avenue, April 26, 1870, and
is a brother of James Bruce Fithian, in whose
biography appears the family history.
Growing up at Youngstown, John A. Fithian
attended the Grove City College where he took spe
cial courses, and following his completion of them,
he learned telegraphy and became an operator for
the Bessemer Railroad, with which he remained
for three years. Mr. Fithian then became book

keeper for the Poland Coal Company of Youngstown,
and was also connected with the coal interests of
the Tods and Starabaughs, and after these were
sold to the Pittsburgh Coal Corapany, he became
teller for the Dollar Sayings Bank. After five and
one-half years in that institution, Mr. Fithian ac
cepted a similar position with the newly organized
City Trust & Savings Company and held it for
four and one-half years.
Leaving the banking business, Mr. Fithian bought
the real estate and insurance business of Pfau &
France and has conducted it ever since, represent
ing seventeen insurance companies, and conducting
his affairs under the name of The Fithian Agency.
In the interval Mr. Fithian read law in the night
school of the Young Men's Christian Association
and was adniitted to the bar in 191 5, and since
then has practiced his profession to a considerable
extent, he being especially expert on realty and
insurance law. He belongs to the Mahoning Valley
Bar Association. In addition to all of these inter
ests, Mr. Fithian is secretary of The MiUer Bros,
Coal Corapany and secretary and treasurer of Tht
Fithian-Miller Realty Company.
On October 26, 1897, Mr. Fithian was united in
marriage with Miss Jennie O. MUler, a daughter
of Andrew J. and Hattie (Johnson) MiUer. Mr.
Miller was a labor contractor for Andrews Bros,
Mill at Haselton, Ohio, and later one of the city
commissioners ; he died July 5, 1918. Mr. and iMrs.
Fithian became the parents of two- sons, namely;
J. Adelbert, who was born in 1900, has completed
the higfi school course; and Paul M., who was
born in igo6. Mr. Fithian belongs to the Masonic
fraternity, being a member of the Western Star
No. 21, 'Youngstown, Ohio. Both he and his wife
are active members of Trinity Methodist Episcopal
Church of Youngstown, he serving on its official
board, and she as an official of the missionary so
ciety, and both are highly regarded in church cir
cles as they are elsewhere because of their earnest
ness and sincerity. For a number of years Mr.
Fithian has been a member of the Real Estate
Board, the Charaber of Coramerce, the Kiwanis
Club, Youngstown Auto Club and Young Men:
Christian Association, and in this connection, .as
otherwise, has done much to boost Youngstown
and effect further improveraents.
Rev. Maurice Francis Griffin has done a great
work at Youngstown as pastor of St. Edward's Cath
olic Church. He is big and strong, a natural leader
among men, and his personality and wonderful srailf
have drawn people to him from all ranks and classes
and given him a great influence for good in this
community. Father Griffin was born in Toledo, Ohio, Julyl.
1880, son of Maurice Francis and Margaret (Daly)
Griffin. Both his grandfathers were Union soldiers
and five of his uncles were also in that war.^ His
grandfather Michael Daly spent a year as a prisoner
in Andersonville, and was on the iU-fated Sultana.
the steamship laden with wounded Union soldiers
which while returning to the North was blown up
in the Mississippi River. Maurice F. Griffin, Sr.r
who died in igo6, at the age of sixty-nine, was aj
iron and steel worker and at the time of his death

^ .7j JC^OvvxjOwJ

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

51

was superintendent of the Toledo Foundry and Ma
chine Shops. The faraily moved frora Toledo to
Franklin County, Ohio, in 1861. Father Griffin was
one of a family of four chUdren. He and his sister
Helen are the only ones now living, and his sister
and his mother reside in the father's rectory at
Youngstown. Father Griffin acquired his early education at To
ledo, graduating from the Central High School in
i8g9. He was awarded the English scholarship at
the Western Reserve University, where he was a
student two years and began the study of law. Later
he entered Notre Dame University, pursued the phil
osophic course three years and received a degree,
and after his theological work at the seminary was
ordained by Bishop iSickey in igo8. Soon afterward
he was assigned to St. Coluraba's Church at Youngs
town, and in August, 1916, was appointed pastor of
St. Edward's parish. He has done rauch organization
work and his services have been particularly helpful
in the administration of St. Elizabeth's Hospital.
Henry Wick. In Youngstown, the name "Wick"
is a synonyra for fiscal integrity and unusual ability,
for high character, and for public spiritedness.
Among the many members of this family who have
contributed richly to the success and soundness of
Youngstown's business institutions and the quality
of her citizenship, one of the most prominent was
Henry Wick, born May 13, 1846, a son of Hugh
Bryson and Lucretia Winchell Wick, and a grandson
of Henry Wick, the founder of the faraily in Youngs
town, and his wife Hannah Baldwin Wick.
Born in Youngstown, Henry Wick spent sub
stantially the whole of his life in that city. He re
ceived his early education in the public schools of
that city and in Western Reserve College.
He began business as a coal operator and was most
active in the development of the coal mines of the
Mahoning VaUey and the Pittsburgh field. Later he
became interested in the iron business. He organized
and operated the Youngstown RoUing Mill Company,
one of the most successful of the earlier producers in
this line. He was one of the incorporators of The
Ohio Iron and Steel Corapany and, for many years,
its vice president. Much of the .conspicuous success
of this company is attributed to his wise counsel. He
organized also the - Ohio Steel Company, the first
company to manufacture Bessemer steel in the Ma
honing VaUey. Of this corapany he was president
from the time of its organization until it was merged
a few years later with other companies to form the
National Steel Company. He then was president of
the National Steel Company and continued to act
in that capacity untU this company, in turn, was
absorbed by the Carnegie Steel Company and finally
by the United States Steel Corporation. Still later,
iMr. Wick bought the Elyria Iron and Steel Corapany
of Elyria, Ohio. He re-organized this company,
greatly increased the capacity of its plant, and, acting
in the capacity of president, had general supervision
of its operations up to the time of his death.
In addition to these, the more conspicuous of his
business undertakings, he was interested directly and
indirectly in a great many others. He was a part

ner in the well known and notably successful bank
ing firm of Wick Brothers & Company, and an offi
cer in the Wick National Bank, which was the suc
cessor of that firra. Also, he was a director of the
First National Bank, the Dollar Savings and Trust
Company, the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Com
pany, and many other of Youngstown's well known
business institutions.
For many years he was engaged in lumbering,
metal mining and ranching in the far West. A lover
of nature and all that went with it, he was intensely
interested in agriculture and live stock, and in later
years owned and operated on a scientific basis several
large farms near his horae city.
It is difficult, even today, to turn anywhere in
Youngstown without being confronted with sorae
monument to Mr. Wick's business genius. His
talents were as varied as the opportunities which
came to his door, and he made exceptionaUy good
use of both.
Henry Wick was a vital and compelling force. He
was a tireless worker and a natural leader of men.
He was a hater of sham and show, and a lover of
truth and justice. He was loyal to friends and just
to every one. He had a veritable passion for horae
and for the near ones who are the life of home. His
domestic life was one of peculiar charm and un
usual happiness. He was an active and influential
member of the First Presbyterian Church, and an
interested and liberal contributor to substantially all
of the welfare agencies of his home city, and an ac
tive worker in many. Politically, he was a repub
lican. A vigorous advocate of prohibition, he for
several years was the leader of the dry forces in his
home district.
Mr. Wick died of pneumonia in December, 1915.
His wife, Mary Arras Wick, a real partner, whose
beautiful character, high purposes and unwavering
devotion had been a living inspiration throughout
the whole of his intensely active career, followed hira
within five days. Both Henry Wick and this noble
woraan, who was his wife, will long be reraembered
for the uplifting influence which they exerted and
the visible good they wrought.
Thomas McNamara, Jr., has practiced law stead
ily in the Mahoning Valley for thirty years, has won
high distinction in his profession, and perhaps no
more effective tribute can be paid him than that he
has pursued his work with a singular devotion almost
uninfluenced by the many tempting offers of political
honors such as most lawyers regard as attractive
rewards of their profession.
Mr. McNamara was born in Niles, Ohio, December
26, 1865, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (McMahon)
McNamara. His parents were born and reared in
Ireland and came when young people to the United
States. Thomas McNamara, Sr., spent his active
life as a farmer in TrurabuU County and lived on
his old horaestead about fifty years. He died there
in December, 1919. His predominant characteristics
were his rugged, sterling honesty, simplicity of char
acter and kindly disposition. A Catholic, and as one
of the early settlers of Niles, he was the first to
break sod for the original Catholic Church of that

52

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

city. He was quiet, unassuming, neighborly, and did
his part in public benefactions and always com
manded general esteem. He neither sought nor held
public office. His wife died in May, 1910. Of their
nine chUdren seven reached mature years, and five
are living.
Thomas McNamara, Jr., spent his boyhood on a
farm, attended district schools, and afterwards
graduated from the Ohio Northern University at
Ada in 1889 with the Bachelor of Science degree.
He studied law at the Cincinnati Law College, which
graduated him in i8gi. Mr. McNaraara has always
practiced his profession alone, and during the past
thirty years his name has been frequently linked
with large and important cases in the courts of
Youngstown and in higher tribunes. He is a raember
of the State and County Bar associations.
Again and again appointraents and nominations of
a high character have been tendered him, all of
which he declined because of his growing private
practice, though such appointments would have been
regarded by many an arabitious lawyer as satisfac
tory rewards and real distinctions. Mr. McNaraara
has been quite active in the democratic party as a
worker in the ranks, and served as a delegate to the
National Convention at St. Louis which nominated
Alton B. Parker and also to the convention in the
sarae city in 1916 when Mr. Wilson was renorainated.
In Noveraber, 1898, Mr. McNamara married Miss
Adelaide McMiUen of Youngstown. They have four
chUdren, Thomas, John, Adelaide and Eleanor.
Charles F. Wilkins, secretary and general man
ager of the Wilkins-Leonard Hardware Company,
IS one of the substantial business men of Youngs
town who merits the confidence he inspires. He
was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, on August 24,
1866, a son of Isaac A. and Anna M. (Hart) WU
kins, both of whom were natives of the sarae county
as their son. There they were married and, settling
upon a farm, became useful members of their com
munity. He died in igog, she surviving hira until
1918, when she too, passed away.
Charles F. Wilkins was reared in his native county
and learned the fundaraentals of farming from his
father while he was attending the neighborhood
school. When he was nineteen years of age he se
cured a teacher's certificate and for two years
taught in the country districts, and then, in 1886,
decided to try his fortune in a larger field, select
ing Youngstown for the experiraent. At first he
was employed by the Morris Hardware Company
for the meager salary of $25 per month, and re
mained with that concern for seven years gaining
during that period a thorough knowledge of the
hardware business, which has proven very valuable
to him in his later operations. In 1892 he joined
the J. H. & F. A. Sells Company of Colurabus,
Ohio, as a traveling salesman and represented it
on the road for one year, and seven years for the
H. W. Lenkemeyer & Son, of Cleveland, covering
Northern Ohio and Eastern Pennsylvania, and then
resigned and returned to Youngstown, where he
irhraediately organized the Wilkins-Leonard Hard
ware Corapany, with a capital stock of $50,000,
which was taken by the friends he had made dur

ing his former seven years' residence at Youngs
town. This fact is very significant, and is about as
fine a testiraonial any man need want of the con
fidence felt in his ability. From the beginning iMr.
Wilkins has been secretary and general manager
of the company, and as such has so shaped its
policies that it has had a prosperous career, the
volume of business showing a natural and very
healthy increase year by year. He has always
taken a fatherly interest in his employes and en
deavors to so develop their capabilities as to make
them not only useful to the concern, but to their
community at large.
On September 27, i8g8, iMr. Wilkins was united
in marriage with Miss Vernice M. Darrow, a daugh
ter of David R. and Laura N. Darrow, who, for
the past thirty years have been engaged in the mar
ket gardening busines at East Youngstown. Prior
to her marriage Mrs. Wilkins was a teacher in the
public schools of Youngstown. Mr. and Mrs. 'Wil
kins have one son, Donald F., two chUdren having
died. James D. died aged twelve years, and Julia
A. died aged nine raonths. Mr. WUkins belongs
to Youngstown Lodge No. 103, Independent Order
Odd Fellows. He is araeraber of the official board
of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church of Youngs
town. One of the boosters of Youngstown, Mr.
Wilkins has long been an active raeraber of the
Chamber of Commerce, the Builders Exchange and
is a director of the Credit Men's Association. Hav
ing risen from the bottom, Mr. WUkins understands
the needs of his over fifty employes, and is proud
of the fact that aU he is today is the result of his
own industry, thrift and perseverance, and is con
stantly trying to deraonstrate to others that the
same opportunities are waiting for them if they
are willing to make the same exertion to grasp them
that he did.
Alfred C. Cook. A man of excellent business
abUity and judgment, upright and just in aU of his
dealings, Alfred C. Cook has had a varied experi
ence during his active career, and is now most ac
ceptably filling the position of superintendent of the
Safety Welfare and Claims Department of the
Youngstown District of the Carnegie Steel Company
A son of the late Peter Cook, he was born, February
4, 1873, in Brookfield Township, Trumbull County,
Ohio, of German lineage.
Born, reared and educated in Baden, Germany
Peter Cook there learned the trade of a ,stone
mason. Immigrating to the United States when a j
young man, he located first in Sharon, Pennsylvania, I
where he foUowed his trade, and was likewise a
contractor for forty years. In the latter capacity,
he erected improveraents on the Custer estate, which
forraerly belonged to the Perkins family. Indus
trious and thrifty, he bought a farra in Brookfield
Township, TrurabuU County, Ohio, on which he and
his family settled, and from his home he made daily
trips_ to his place of business in Sharon. There he
continued his residence uiitU his death, in August,
1918, at the venerable age of eighty-seven years. He
married Margaret Denninger, who died in July, 19*
at the age of eighty-five years, having then enjoyed a
happy married life of sixty-five years. Ten children

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

53

were born of their union, five of whom are now
living. Having completed the course of study in the coun
try schools of Brookfield, Alfred C. Cook attended
a business school in Youngstown, borrowing from his
father sufficient raoney to pay his expenses, a sura
that he subsequently repaid frora his earnings. At
the age of sixteen years, he began his career as
clerk in a general store, being first employed in
Greenville, Pennsylvania, and later in Warren, Ohio,
in both places having charge of the dry goods de
partment. Making a change of employraent and
residence, Mr. Cook carae to Youngstown as an era-
ployee of the Prudential Insurance Company, and
later assumed charge of the Royal Union iMutual
Insurance Agency. Accepting a position with the
Carnegie Steel Company next, he was variously
eraployed in the Ohio Works, serving in the Bessemer
Departraent, in the superintendent's office, and as
night foreman in the rolling department. On April
19, 1903. Mr. Cook was unfortunate enough to raeet
with a serious accident that came very near making
him a permanent cripple.
In the spring of 1904, after having been disabled.
for thirteen raonths, Mr. Cook was placed by Joseph
McDonald, superintendent, in charge of the Ohio
Works ball teara, a teara standing high at that tirae
in the baseball world. In 1905 he becarae claira agent
for the Youngstown District of the Carnegie Steel
Corapany, and was also raade superintendent of its
Welfare and Safety Departraent, positions for which
he is fully qualified, and which he is filling to the
entire satisfaction of aU concerned. During the
World war, he was director of the Red Cross or
ganization of the city, and still retains the position.
On Noveraber 19, 1908, Mr. Cook was united in
marriage_ with Miss Adelaide BeU, a daughter of
Jerry BeU, of Youngstown, and of their union two
chUdren have been born, Donald Raymond, born
in 1913, and Keith Everett, born in 1919. Fraternally
Mr. Cook is a member of the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows. He also belongs to the Chamber of
Commerce; to the local Welfare Association; to the
Ohio Safety Engineers ; to the Industrial Engineers ;
and to the National Safety CouncU.
Lionel Evans. A lover of nature in all its forms,
and especially interested in the development and
growth of plant life, Lionel Evans, superintendent of
the parks of Youngstown, is amply qualified by
study, natural tastes and broad experience for the
position he is so ably filling, the great work he has
accomplished in the direction of affording enjoyraent
to the masses, and developing their power to appre
ciate the beautiful, being recognized by the general
public. A native of England, he was born in Mid-
dlesborough, being the youngest of a family of eight
chUdren born to David and iRachael Evans, who were
born, reared and married in Wales, his birth having
occurred August 27, 1880.
After locating in Middlesborough, England, David
Evans was employed in the iron and steel works
until 1882, when he immigrated with his wife and
children to Ohio. Settling in Youngstown, he found
employraent as a heater in the Mahoning Valley Iron

Works, with which he was identified for many
years. Brought up in Youngstown, Lionel Evans attended
the Sheby and Oak Street schools, and while yet a
young lad began working in the Mahoning Valley
Iron Company's Plant, first as errand boy for the
superintendent, later being a piler, then assi^stant
heater and heater. In 1910, after that plant had be
corae the Republic Plant, Mr. Evans resigned to ac
cept his present position as superintendent of the
Youngstown parks. Previous to that date, however,
he had represented the Second Ward in the city
council for nearly three years, serving as a raember
of the committee on parks, new streets and public
improvements. 'Youngstown had but two parks when Mr. Evans
assumed the position of superintendent, Wick and
Lincoln parks, but under his supervision four others
have been established,. Crandall, Pine Hollow, South
Side and MUl Creek. In the latter named nature
has done her most to make the park charraing, and
man has very wisely made little attempt to improve
it. Aside frora these beautiful parks Youngstown
has seven play grounds for the chUdren, all ira
proved and beautified under the supervision of Mr.
Evans, which are a credit to the city. Mr. Evans
is an active raeraber of the Araerican Association of
Park Superintendents, with whora he raeets each
year. On September 30, 1903, Mr. Evans was united in
marriage with Mae A. Maxwell, daughter of John
Maxwell, and they have one chUd, Margaret. Re
ligiously Mr. and Mrs. Evans are merabers of the
Baptist Church. Fraternally Mr. Evans belongs to
the Free and Accepted Order of Masons, belonging
to all the local bodies of the order with the excep
tion of the Shrine; and is a raember of the Knights
of Pythias. He likewise is identified by raerabership
with the Youngstown Chamber of Coraraerce.
Delos Kinney Moser. A distinctive service, and
appreciated as such by the coraraunity of Warren,
has been the twenty-one years in which Delos Kinney
Moser has been chief of the Warren City Fire De
partraent. In fact he has been head of the fire de
partment since it was put on a paid basis, and his
record as a fire fighter goes back raany years pre
viously, while in service as a volunteer.
Mr. Moser was born in Warren on October 22,
1862, the son of Owen and Laura (Lane) Moser. His
grandfather, Philip Moser, was of an old Pennsyl
vania family of Dutch ancestry, and was born at
Allentown, Pennsylvania. He settled in Warren,
Ohio, in 1834, and later he raoved to a farra in Lords-
town Township, TrurabuU County. Owen Moser was
born at AUentown in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania,
in 1828, and was brought to TrurabuU County when
a small child. He became widely known in after
years as a landlord, and was in the hotel business at
Warren and other points. He died at 'Warren in 1913.
His wife, who died at Warren in igi2, was born in
Brookfield Township, TrurabuU County, in i&g,
daughter of John and Ann Lane, who were settlers
on a farra in Brookfield Township frora Connecticut.
Delos Kinney Moser acquired a good education in
the Warren public schools. He had an active business

54

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

experience for many years. For fourteen years he
was employed by the Packard Manufacturing Com
pany, then spent two years with Charles B. Loveless
in the lumber business, and for two years raore was
in the retail grocery business. Throughout his busi
ness association, beginning in 1882, he was an active
member of the old Warren Volunteer Fire Depart
ment. His efficient service with that organization
raade him the logical choice in 1898, when the city
organized a paid fire department, for the position of
chief. During his administration of over twenty-one
years the department has vastly increased in equip
ment, personnel and all around efficiency, and Mr.
Moser may be justly proud of his record.
Mr. Moser is a member of the International Asso
ciation of Fire Engineers and of the Ohio State Fire
men's Association, serving the latter in the capacity
of secretary for thirteen years, and in 1914 that
association presented him with a handsome gold
chief's badge, in token of his splendid service. He
is also affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, the Knights of Columbus and the
Modern Woodmen of America, and is a member of
St. Mary's Catholic Church.
Mr. Moser married Miss Rose Gorghill, a sister of
James P. GorghUl, of Warren. She died in 1890,
leaving one son and a daughter, PhUip and Isabel.
The son is now an engineer in the heating department
of the General Fire Extinguisher Company of War
ren. He married Mary Colter, of Youngstown, and
their family of three sons and three daughters are :
Rosemary, Philip, Catherine, Delos, Isabel and
Thomas. Mr. Moser's daughter, Isabel, is the wife of
Charles R. Saxon, and they have a son, Richard
Palmer. Mr. Saxon is now a resident of Birming
ham, Alabama, and is assistant treasurer of the
Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railway Company.
Otto Kaufmann and Edward S. Kaufmann.
The name of Kaufmann is connected with' one of
the large manufacturing concerns of Youngstown,
which has been developed to its present proportions
through the initial efforts of Otto Kaufmann, and
the supplemental work of the men he has associ
ated with him in its conduct. Otto Kaufmann was
born in Gerraany on October 24, 1866, a son of
Ferdinand and iFanny (Altschul) Kaufraann, both
of whom died in Gerraany, where the father was
prorainent in mercantile circles. He and his wife
had eight sons and two daughters, namely: Dr.
Theodore Kaufraann, mayor of Heidelberg, Ger
many, is a prominent attorney and politician ; Lud
wig, Fritz, Richard, Ernst and Rudolph, all of
whom are successful merchants ; Albert, who is a
portrait painter; and Otto, whose name heads this
review. In 1885 Otto Kaufmann came to the United
States, the deciding factor in his leaving his native
country being his distaste of the prevaUing mili
tary system. Prior to leaving he was employed
as a clerk in a bank with the noted international
financier Otto H. Kahn, who left for England at
the time Mr. Kauffraann- carae to America. On
account of the custom then prevaUing of sending
clerks to foreign banks to learn their systems, Mr.
Kaufmann experienced no difficulty in securing

a leave of absence, arrangements having been made
for his going on west to Chicago where a position
was to, be given hira with the First National Bank
of that city. However Mr. Kaufmann had other
plans and, instead of going on to Chicago, remained
in New 'York City and secured a position with the
New York City Button Works a;; bookkeeper. After
four years he was raade superintendent of the fac
tory, having charge of 600 people, rising in salary
frora $6 to $50 per week. He continued with this
firm until igoo, when he was made a partner, the
association continuing till 1904 when the firm was
disbanded, and Mr. Kaufmann then began the manu
facture of incandescent gas mantles, under the
narae of the Challenge Manufacturing Company, of
which Mr. Kaufmann was made president. Sub
sequently his company purchased the plant of the
American Incandescent Lamp Company, and still
later the entire business was sold to the Block
Light Company of New York, of which Mr. Kauf
mann was made general manager of the manufac
turing plant. In 1906 he became general manager
of the entire business, succeeding Mr. Block, Ed
ward Steindler of New York becoming its presi
dent. In igo8 Mr. Kaufmann visited Youngstown to
look over the plant of the Cremo Light Company
which appealed to him very strongly so he bought
the interests of this company, renewed its lease
of the plant, and returning to New York, advised
the board of directors to build a factory at Youngs
town and move to that city because of its more
central location for shipping purposes. Acting upon
his advice, the company bought three acres of land
at Youngstown, upon which a plant was erected
to suit its purpose, although the original build
ing barely covered one acre. After removal was
made to Youngstown, the business expanded to
such an extent that raore buildings had to be put
up and now the plant covers fully two acres. Mr
Steindler died in igi2, and in 1915 the business
was reorganized as the iBlock Gas Mantle Com
pany, with Otto Kaufraann 'as president ; Edward S.
Kaufmann, vice president, and Thomas W. Wood
ward, secretary. The authorized capital stock is
$1,000,000, of which $301,000 is issued — $50,000 pre
ferred, $251,000 common.
The Block Gas Mantle Company is a close cor
poration. It acquired the mining properties of moii-
azite sand owned by the National Light & Thorium
Company of Youngstown. Eraployraent is given
to frora 300 to 400 persons. There are branch of
fices at Chicago, New York and San Francisco, and
a very large export business is carried on that ex
tends aU over the world. This corapany erected a
plant at Youngstown for the manufacture of tho
rium nitrate and cerium nitrate which before the
war were manufactured exclusively in Germany
The Block Gas Mantle Company is the second larg
est concern in the United States engaged in the pro
duction of gas mantles. In addition to the mantles
the corapany also produces a large number of arc
laraps. Otto Kaufraann was married to Rose Haber of
New York City, and Mr. Kaufraann has four sons,
naraely: Edward S., who is raentioned below; 'Wil
liara D., who was born in 1904, is attending a mili-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

55

tary school at Bordentown, New Jersey; Ferdinand,
who was born in 191 1 ; and Theodore, who was
born in igi2. Mr. Kaufraann is a member of the
Chamber of Coramerce and the Automobile Club.
He is exceedingly charitable, and has served as
chairman of the finance committee of the Federated
Charities for some time, and is a trustee and vice
president of the Jewish Teraple Rodelf Sholem,
chairman of the relief for Jewish war sufferers
and represents the State of Ohio in the American
Jewish Comraittee. Mr. Kaufmann has paid spe
cial attention to those charities having for their ob
ject the caring for dependent children, and was one
of the incorporators of the Jewish Infants' Home
at Columbus, Ohio, of which he is treasurer. His
annual contributions to the National Charities ag
gregate a large araount, atid his personal donations
are without doubt of rauch greater raagnitude than
are ever made public. Big of heart, he cannot see
distress without doing all in his power to relieve
it, and there are raany who hold his narae in rev
erent affection because of the great goodness of
the man.
Edward S. Kaufmann, son of Otto Kaufmann
and vice president of the Block Gas Mantle Cora
pany, is a graduate in chemistry from the Chicago
University, and a registered pharmacist of the State
of Ohio, but has entered into an active participation
in the work of his company. During the late war
he spent twenty-two months in France as a mem
ber of the famous Eighty-Third Division, with the
rank of sergeant. Like his father he is an enthu
siastic booster for Youngstown, and prepared to
give his home community the benefit of his best
efforts. , , , . ,
Mr. Kaufmann and wife aside frora their work
in Jewish societies also help all worthy causes irre
spective of race or creed.
Samuel W. Sigler, township trustee and retired
raerchant of Newton Falls, Trumbull County, Ohio,
is one of the leading and most public-spirited nien
of that place. In his business activities, which
brought him eventually to a comfortable monetary
state in retirement, he showed much ability, enter
prise, initiative and versatUity; demonstrated his
capability in many capacities — as an educator, as a
traveling salesman, and as an aggressive, alert and
honest merchant ; and as a citizen he has raanifested
a sincerity of coramunity interest and an effective
ness in public work such as must of necessity have
brought him the appreciation of his fellow-towns
men. He was a councilman for many years ; is serv
ing his third term as trustee ; and in the matter of
good roads, of education and other coraraunity
movements of consequence he has been a well-
recognized leader. In one very important connec
tion he proved himself to be an American citizen of
undoubted loyalty and thoroughness, for during the
progress of the recent strenuous and serious struggle
in Europe he participated usefuUy and whole-heart
edly in all phases of home work of war purpose,
especially in connection with the campaigns to secure
the stupendous loans required by the national gov
ernment for the purposes of the war. His merito
rious co-operation in such work brought Mr. Sigler

national acknowledgment, he being one of those
worth-while Araerican citizens upon whora the raedal
of the United States treasury departraent was con
ferred in appreciation of their outstanding service
to the national adrainistration in raatters pertaining
to the several Liberty Bond issues. Such an ac
knowledgraent must be especially gratifying to Mr.
Sigler and to his friends, in view of the fact that the
Sigler family is German in origin, although of so
distant an origin that the fact could have but little
bearing upon the thoughts and ties of recent Amer
ican generations of that famUy. In fact there are
few .American families so old in American anteced
ents, the Sigler (Zeighler) faraily having a record
of Araerican residence such as any American scion
of it might justly be proud, the record going back
as it does to almost a century before the time of the
Revolution — ^to the year 1700, when the American
progenitors (seven brothers) of that family settled
in the Dutch colony of New York, formerly known
as New Netherlands, and there the family for some
generations lived. The Ohio record of the Sigler
family goes back to pioneer days, the grandfather
of Samuel W. Sigler of Newton Falls having come
with an ox-team, probably from Connecticut, and,
settled on wild land in Fowler Township in about
the year 1800. So that Samuel W. Sigler has good
right to a place in the current edition of Mahoning
Valley history.
Samuel W. Sigler was born in the Sigler home
stead in Fowler Township, Trumbull County, Ohio,
on October 18, i860, the son of Leicester and Hannah
J. (Horton) Sigler, and grandson of Urial Sigler,
the pioneer settler of the Sigler faraUy in the Ma
honing Valley. Urial Sigler settled in Fowler Town
ship, TrurabuU County, and married into the Hall
family of Fowler Township, his wife having prob
ably been born in Fowler Township, where they lived
for the remainder of their lives, and where their
children, five sons and five daughters, were born.
Urial Sigler reached the age of fifty-nine years, and
although the data now available do not state that
his wife died in the same year, they state that she died
"at about the same age." 'Urial Sigler cleared an
extensive acreage, owning in later life 220 acres of
good agricultural land ; in fact only one farmer of
that township owned a larger acreage. He was a
man of estimable private life, loved his horae, and
worked industriously to properly raise his large fara
ily. He took little part in public life, concentrating
his energy upon the developraent of his own farm,
and in clearing 220 acres of wild land he contributed
appreciably to the development of the section. His
five sons were : Artemas, who went in young man
hood into Michigan, settling at Adrian, of that state,
where he died; GUbert, who lived in Fowler Town
ship for the greater part of his life, his death, how
ever, occurring in Cleveland, Ohio ; Austin, who be
came a wealthy merchant, for a while living in Fow
ler Township, but subsequently living in Cortland
Village, Bazetta Township, where he had residence
for the remainder of his life, died suddenly in the
Warren courthouse, and his store is still continued
by his sons, Eugene and Grant; Leicester, regarding
whom more is written hereinafter ; George, who

56

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

lived and died in Fowler Township. George was a
retail merchant in Fowler Township, and also man
aged the home farm, which is stUl in the possession
of his son Wayne.
Leicester Sigler, father of Samuel W., was born
in Fowler Township, Trumbull County, Ohio, on
January 25, 1830. He died on January 18, 1899, aged
sixty-nine years. His life was passed mostly in farm
ing pursuits in Fowler Township, but in early raan
hood he was for sorae years a traveling salesraan.
As a jewelry salesraan he traveled extensively in
eastern states for a Warren jeweler, father of Jules
Vantrot, who still conducts a jewelry business in
Warren, and regarding whose family and its asso
ciation with past days of that city note will be found
elsewhere in this edition. Leicester Sigler was wont
to set out on his extensive business trips with a large
stock, probably to a value of from $5,000 to $8,000,
and would return when all had been sold. It was on
one such trip that he met Hannah J. Horton, who
eventually became his wife. She was born in Chau
tauqua County, New York, and there she was mar
ried to Leicester Sigler. Soon afterward Leicester
Sigler bought a farm in his native township, and
there for the remainder of his life he lived. He
was an enterprising farmer, and by good business
acumen was able to get a good return frora his labors.
The coramercial spirit of his younger days mani
fested itself in him often after he had settled down
to farming. He did much retailing of farm produce
in the industrial centres, mainly at Sharon, Penn
sylvania. He kept a large herd of milch cows, an
average probably of fifty, and the yield of that herd
he converted mainly into cheese, which he stored un
til the fall and then took to market. He was stUl
on his farm, taking active part in its management, in
the year of his death, iSgg. His widow still survives,
and is stiU in comparatively good health, bearing in
mind her extrerae age, eighty-seven years. Since
the death of her husband she has been cared for by
her son Samuel W., who took over the operation
of the home farm. There were two chUdren born
t9 Leicester and Hannah J. (Horton) Sigler :
Samuel W., of whom raore follows ; and Guy H.,
deceased. The latter was never robust, and died
when he was thirty-nine years old. For some years
he was a farmer in Hartford Township, TrumbuU
County. Samuel W., elder son of Leicester and Hannah J.
(Horton) Sigler, has lived an active and useful life.
Born in Fowler Township in i860, he was raised
on the parental farra, attended the township school,
and lived with his parents until he was twenty-five
years old. After passing through the local schools
he had resolved to enter the teaching profession,
and for that purpose took the course at the Norraal
School at Lebanon, Ohio, under Professor Hol
brook, who became widely known as an author of
school text books. He had previously also attended
the academy at Hartford, Ohio, so that eventuaUy
he was vyell qualified as an educator. He was ap
parently an alert youth and an apt student, for he
was only sixteen years old when he secured a teach
er's certificate. Altogether, he was an educator for
eleven years, in district and graded schools, for two

years being a teacher in the graded schools at Berg
Hill. His subsequent career was somewhat varied
but withal creditable and successful. For a while
he engaged in the sale of agricultural implements
and later merchandise. In igoi he became inde
pendently established in a raerchandizing business in
Newton Falls, Ohio, and has been one of the leading
raerchants of that place since that year. He stil!
operates the farra left to hira by his father, so that
in all he is a busy man. He has also shown a com
mendable public spirit; has entered unselfishly and
effectively into the administrative responsibilities ol
the township ; and generally has shown himself to k
a good citizen. He has been a township trustee for
many years ; has been a councilman ; and in move
ments of consequence to. the coraraunity he has been
most active. His public record shows that his efforts
were instrumental in securing good roads through the
township, and in that connection he did especially
productive work during the time Thomas Madden,
of NUes, was county commissioner. The part he
took in the movement which resulted in the building I
of the Coraraunity Building at Newton Falls was a
creditable one, and he has ably co-operated in the '
endeavors of the Board of Education.
Politically Mr. Sigler is a republican. His fatiier
was a democrat, and in early manhood he, also, sup
ported that party, but for the last twenty-five years
he has been an ardent republican. As a republican
he first cast his vote for McKinley, who became
President, and he has since taken active part in re
publican work in his district, although he has never
sought political office. As an American citizen of
whole-hearted loyalty he took a prominent part in
the various war work in horae sectors during the
World war. He -was identified with local commit
tees in every drive for Liberty Bond sales, and his
effective work for the national cause eventually
found national recognition, Mr. Sigler treasuring the
medal conferred upon him by the United States
treasury departraent.
He raarried, in 1882, Noveraber gth, Lottie M.,
daughter of Darius and Olive (Tew) Baldwin, of
Fowler Township, and granddaughter of Ephriam
Baldwin, who came from Connecticut and was among
the early settlers in Fowler Township. Darius Bald
win was born in Fowler To-wmship, and spent the
greater part of his life in that township, in 1886,
however, going to California, where he lived for
twenty years, until his death in 1906, when he was
eighty-one years old. After that event his widow
came north, and for the reraainder of her hfe lived
with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. S.
W. Sigler, in Newton Falls. She reached the vener
able age of ninety-one years, her death not occurring
until May, 1919.
R. B. Stauffer is treasurer, director and shop man
ager of the Ohio Structural Steel Company at New
ton Falls. He was associated with his brother, M. H.
Stauffer and with Mr. Heltzel in organizing this in
dustry in 1919, and brings to the business a long
individual experience that has made his service in
valuable to the company. He gives his personal su
pervision to all the shop work, and he makes Ws

G. P. GILLMER

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

57

home at Newton Falls, which he believes is one of
the coraing centers of industry in the Mahoning
Valley. Mr. Stauffer was born at Nureraberg in Schuylkill
County, Pennsylvania, October lo, 1887. He learned
the blacksmith's trade in the railroad shops at Sayre,
Pennsylvania, and remained in those shops for
twelve years, until he resigned and carae to Newton
Falls. Mr. Stauffer is affiliated with the Independent
Order of Odd FeUows and the Woodmen of the
World. He raarried at Berwick, Pennsylvania, Miss
Maud Thomas, and they have two chUdren, Bessie
and Maybell.
Gipson Perry Gillmer. One of the raen of the
Mahoning Valley who has won recognition as an
able attorney and progressive citizen is Gipson P.
Gillmer, of Warren. A product of the valley, his
career has reflected credit not only on hiraself but
upon the entire coraraunity — a coraraunity noted for
its able professional and business men.
Gipson Perry Gillmer was born on the Gillmer
homestead in Newton Township, Trumbull County,
Ohio, on Jtily 31, 1872, a son of james A. and Laura
(Byers) Gillmer. James A. Gillmer was born in
Newton Township in 1841, the son of Alexander
Gillmer, a native of New England, and a pioneer of
Trumbull County. Laura Byers was born in Wash
ington County, Pennsylvania, of Holland-Dutch de
scent. Both parents are still living.
Reared on the horaestead, Gipson P. Gillraer at
tended the district schools and Newton Falls High
School, and was graduated frora the Northern In
diana University at Valparaiso, Indiana, in the sci
entific course, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts,
in 1899. He then took a two years' post-graduate
course in the classics at Waynesburg, Pennsylvania,
receiving a certificate. For sorae years Mr. Gillraer
was an educator, teaching in Newton Township,
Newton Falls, was principal of the Gustavus Town
ship High School, principal of the raatheraatical de
partraent of the Niles, Ohio, High School, and super
intendent of the public schools of Waynesburg,
Pennsylvania. Mr. Gillraer read law with T. H. GUlmer of War
ren, attended the Cincinnati Law School, and was
admitted to the bar in June, 1903, entering upon the
practice of law at Niles, Ohio, the same year. In
1905 he was elected city attorney of Niles, and was
re-elected to that office in 1907. In 1908 he was
elected prosecuting attorney of Trumbull County,
and re-elected in 1910. Upon assuming the duties of
the latter office he entered upon the practice of his
profession at Warren, and in 1913 opened an office
in this city, removing perraanently to the county seat
in 1919. As county prosecutor Mr. GiUraer raade a
fine record for his utter fearlessness and courage,
and did much to enforce the law and maintain order
during his occupancy of the office.
In 1908 Mr. Gillmer was one of the men who
organized the DeForest Sheet & Steel Plate Com
pany of Niles, and continued on the directorate until
the business was sold to the Republic Iron & Steel
Company in 1919. He is a director in the Union
Savings & Trust Company, of Warren, and also a

director in the DoUar Savings Bank Company, of
NUes. For many years Mr. GUlmer was a trustee of
the First Methodist Episcopal Church of NUes and
was chairman of the building coramittee when the
present handsome stone church edifice was built, and
he is now a member of the Warren First Methodist
Episcopal Church. He is a past president of the
Warren Rotary Club, a member of the Niles Board
of Trade, a member and attorney of the Warren
AutomobUe Club, and a meraber of the TrurabuU
Country Club. He belongs to Old Erie Lodge No. 3,
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Warren Chapter
No. 66, Royal Arch Masons ; Warren Coraraandery
No. 39, Knights Templar; Lake Erie Consistory, in
which he was made a thirty-second degree Mason;
and AI Koran Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles
of the Mystic Shrine, Cleveland, Ohio.
In 1900 Mr. GiUmer was united in raarriage with
Maud Ella Kern, a daughter of Edwin A. and Diana
(Musser) Kern, of NUes, Ohio. Edwin A. Kern
was one of the best known iron and steel men of the
Mahoning VaUey for years. Mrs. GiUmer was
graduated from the Rayen High School of Youngs
town, and became principal of the Latin-English de
partment of the Niles High School. She read law
with her husband and was admitted to the bar in
1916, and is in active practice with him under the
firm name of "The GUImers." She is past grand
matron of the Order of the Eastern Star of the State
of Ohio, and is a raeraber of the Progress Club of
NUes, the NUes Musical Club, and the Book Club of
Warren, the latter being woraen's organizations. As
an attorney Mrs. GUlmer measures up weU with the
best standards of her profession and she and Mr.
Gillraer form one of the strong legal firms of the
Mahoning Valley.
Fred J. Warnock. Youngstown's present mayor
was for ten years before his induction into that
office one of the very able attorneys of the Mahoning
Valley and had become known for his all around
qualifications as an able executive and clean, public
spirited citizen, with the welfare of his coraraunity
first in his heart and mind.
He was born in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania,
on a farm lying just east of New Castle, June ZT,
1878. His grandfather was born in the north of
Ireland and as a young lad came to the United
States, settling in Pennsylvania. The father of the
Youngstown mayor was iHiugh H. Warnock, who was
born and reared in Lawrence County. During the
CivU war he ran away from horae to enlist, but on
account of his youth was rejected and sent horae.
Subsequently he located at New Castle and built up
a successful business as a paint contractor, but lost
his business and practically all his accumulated re
sources during the memorable panic of 1873. Subse
quently buying a tract of land near iNew Castle, he
followed farming until his death, in 1895, when but
fifty-two years of age. He was a republican in poli
tics, was a meraber of the order of Masons and the
Presbyterian Church.
Hugh H. Warnock raarried Mary J. Rose, who was
born in Western Pennsylvania in 1847 and is stUl
living at New Castle, at the age of seventy-three.

58

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Her father, Isaac P. Rose, was an early plainsman
and trapper and as a companion of Kit Carson took
part in many battles with the Indians, by whom he
was wounded. Giving up life on the plains, he re
turned east and for forty-six years was a prominent
teacher in Western Pennsylvania. Of the chUdren
born to Mr. and Mrs. Hugh H. Warnock all six are
now living. Harry R., who started railroading as a
brakeman, is now general superintendent of the Chi
cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul RaUroad. Louis C, a
resident of Youngstown, is an engineer on the Pitts
burg and Lake Erie RaUroad. The third is Fred J.
George C. is a prominent physician and surgeon of
Youngstown. Mabel is the wife of James Banks,
an engineer with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad,
living at New Castle, Pennsylvania, Edwin H., the
youngest, formerly with the IngersoU-Rand Com
pany of Pittsburg, manufacturers and dealers in
compressed air tools, served during the World war in
the Three Hundred and Twentieth Infantry, Eight
ieth Division, was wounded in the Argonne Forest,
September 26, 1918, and is now with a firm in New
York City as sales representative for the North
eastern Territory.
Obtaining a practical education in the Warnock
School in his home district, Fred J. Warnock grew
up faraUiar with the tools and practices of farraing.
Being the oldest boy at horae at the time "of his
father's death, he remained to assist his widowed
mother on the farm until entering Mount Hope
College in Rogers, Ohio, where he was a student
two terms. Returning home, he taught during the
winter season, carried on the farm summers, at the
same tirae advancing his knowledge by careful read
ing and home study. In igo4, having graduated in
the classical course from Westminster College at
New WUraington, Pennsylvania, soon afterward he
located at New Castle 1 and employed his days as
claim agent for the local department of the Street
Railway Company, and at night studied law in the
office of his cousin, Hon. George T. Weingartner.
In igos Mr. Warnock came to Youngstown, read law
with Theodore A. Johnston, and was adraitted to the
Ohio bar in igio. At that time he formed a partner
ship with Robert J. Nicholson, and was soon launched
in an active and successful practice and handled a
large business untU he assumed the office of mayor
on January l, ig20.
iMr. Warnock has always stood for the clean, hon
est and decent in both politics and business, and after
his noraination on the republican ticket for mayor in
the fall of 1919 he took as his platform a decent and
liberal policy of municipal government, with the
parks, playgrounds and picture houses open on Sun
days to an eighty-five per cent population of working
people, who cannot attend such places at any other
time, but, beyond that, "Woe to the Transgressor."
On this platform he was elected by a handsome ma
jority, and while his administration at the outset was
involved in many extraordinary difficulties, he has
handled his office both with tact and efficiency such
as to justify the commendation of the best classes of
citizenship. December 15, 1904, Mr. Warnock married Jean I.,
daughter of Robert Lawrence, of Lawrence County,

Pennsylvania. Mrs. Warnock was born in Ala
bama, but her father was a Pennsylvanian. They
have two sons, Harry L. and Fred J., Jr. Mr. 'War
nock is an active raember of the Evergreen Presby
terian Church. His pastor. Rev. W. C. Press, who
served as a chaplain with the Expeditionary Forces
in France, is one of his old school mates and now his
pal. Mr. Warnock is a meraber of, all the local
bodies of Masonry, being an officer in raany of them,
and is likewise a member of the Modern Woodmen
of America, and belongs to the Youngstown Chamber
of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club.
Max Fish. A worthy representative of those
citizens of foreign birth who have come to this coun
try for the sake of securing better and raore favor
able opportunities for business undertakings. Max
Fish has attained an honorable position in the indus
trial life of Youngstown, as president of the Fish
Cleaning Company having built up a substantial
patronage. A son of Harold and Seide Fish, he was
born December 28, 1881, in Dynow, Austria.
Harold Fish, who died at his home in Dynow,
Austria, in 1887, was a citizen of prominence and
influence. He served for twenty-four consecutive
years as mayor of Dynow, a city having a popula
tion of 12,000, being four tiraes elected to the mayor-
ality, each tirae for a terra of six years. His home in
that city was wiped out of existence during the
World war, and his widow, now an aged woman of
seventy-four years, lost all of her possessions, and in
company with her sister walked, with other refugees,
to iHungary, a distance of 150 miles. How she sur
vived no one knows, but her son David, whose home
is in Youngstown, is now in Europe looking after
her welfare. Of the nine children born to her and
her husband eight are living, three being in the
United States, as follows : iMax, with whom this
sketch is chiefly concerned; Freda, wife of William
Klinman, of Youngstown ; and David, secretary and
treasurer of the Fish Cleaning Company.
Leaving home at the age of seventeen years. Max
Fish proceeded to Portsraouth, England, where he
learned the business with which he is now actively
identified. He was there when Edward VII was
made king, and witnessed his coronation. Subse
quently iraraigrating to the United States, he saw,
soon after landing in New Y''ork, a newspaper ad
vertisement headed "Help wanted in Youngstown."
Responding immediately to the call, Mr. Fish found
employment in a tailoring establishment on East
Federal Street, and remained with that firm until
1914, when, in partnership with his brother David,
he opened his present establishment, becoming presi
dent of thef* iFish Cleaning Corapany, with iDavid
Fish as secretary and treasurer.
On March 24, 1907, Mr. Fish was united in mar
riage with Jennie Carnick, and they are now the
parents of four chUdren, iHarold, iHielen, Lawrence
and Eugene. Mr. Fish has always taken an active
part in religious and charitable organizations, and
has served acceptably as president of the Children of
Israel Congregation, and at the present time is presi
dent of the Anshe-Emeth Coramittee, appointed to
prepare the way for the building of a temple-

Pnh/,^.

^7^^^£y

o-U

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

59

Always a leader in charitable circles, he is vice presi
dent of the Youngstown Benefit Association, and
first vice president of the Youngstown Zion District.
He takes great interest in the Hebrew Free School
movement, George M. Montgomery. The present county
surveyor of Mahoning County, and a civil engineer
whose expert services have solved many technical
probleras for Mahoning Valley industries and have
also been utUized in the building ef raany good
roads, is raeraber of an historic faraily of the Val
ley. His great-grandfather Robert Montgomery, son
of a Revolutionary soldier, took up his father's pro
fession of surveying and while fulfilling a profes
sional engagement in Western Pennsylvania, visited
Youngstown. His second journey to Ohio was
about 1805, when he planned the buUding of a fur
nace on Yellow Creek. This furnace was on John
Struthers' land, and the two were partners in the
enterprise. The furnace was put in place about
1807 and, while the second furnace in point of time,
was the first successful iron furnace in the Ma-
hcining Valley. Robert Montgomery married the
¦widow of John Stark Edwards, a woman of ster
ling worth whose name is frequently raentioned in
the early history of Trumbull County. The only
son of their marriage was Robert M. Montgomery,
who spent his active life as a farmer near Youngs
town. The father of the Mahoning County surveyor
was Lewis W. Montgomery, who was also a farraer
and died at Youngstown in 1912. He raarried Isa
belle Cubbison.
George M. Moutgoraery was born at Youngs
town in March, 1S73, was educated in public schools,
the^ Northern Ohio College at Ada and the State
University at Columbus. He took the civil engi
neering course and completed his college training
in 1897. Since then for over twenty years he has
been busily engaged in his profession. On leav
ing college he formed a partnership with his cousin
Edwin D. Haseltine, forraerly of Haseltine Brother^.
The firra Edwin D. Hazeltine Brothers & Mout
goraery later became Hazeltine & Montgomery, and
has long had an active practice in civil and mining
engineering. Robert M. Hazeltine of this firm was
raining inspector of the State of Ohio. Practically
all the leading industries of the Mahoning VaUey
have employed this organization for surveyin,g and
solving of other technical problems.
George M. Montgomery was elected on the re
publican ticket and served from igoo to 1910 as
county surveyor, and was again elected to that of
fice in 1918. He has also been village engineer of
East Youngstown and Struthers, and has been resi
dent engineer of the State Highway Commission
since its organization. His personal services have
also been given to the construction of many of the
leading highways and streets of the Mahoning Val
ley. The old Montgomery farra where he spent his
boyhood has becorae an important industrial site
for such plants as the Youngstown Car Manufactur
ing Company, Republic Iron & Steel Company and

others. Mr. Montgomery's father was a Union
soldier and was an active inember of the Grand
Army of the Republic.
Mr. Montgomery is a meraber of the Ohio En
gineering Society and the Engineering Society of
the Youngstown District. He is affiliated with the
Knights of Pythias and the Elks. In i8g7 he mar
ried Miss Ella A. Robinson, daughter pf James
and Elizabeth Robinson of NUes, both now de
ceased. They have two chUdren : Mary, born in
igoo, graduated from the Rayen School in 1919 ;
and Robert M., born in 1902, graduated from Rayen
School in 1920.
Joseph J. Beck, superintendent of the sheet mill of
the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, enjoys
the distinction of being the oldest superintendent in
point of service now in the employ of this corpora
tion. He entered the service of the corapany dur
ing the first year of its existence, in 1902, and dur
ing the period which has elapsed has continued to
act in his present capacity, the years having but
strengthened his hold upon the confidence and
esteera of the corapany officials and his associates.
Mr. Beck was born at Worthington, Armstrong
County, Pennsylvania, February 14, 1867, a son of
Frederick and Savilla (Schreckengost) Beck, na
tives of the Keystone State and descendants of
German ancestors. Frederick Beck was a black
smith by trade, a vocation which he followed dur
ing the greater part of his life, and also was a man
of some influence in his community, where he served
in the capacity of justice of the peace for eighteen
years. His death occurred in 1903, that of his
worthy wife having occurred in 1902. They were the
parents of ten chUdren, of whom Joseph J. was the
seventh in order of birth.
Joseph J. Beck attended the public schools of his
native locality as a boy, and when only fourteen
years of age started to work for himself, going to
Sharon, Pennsylvania, where he learned the nail-
feeding trade, that business then being conducted
by hand. Subsequently, with the advent of nail-
making machinery, he abandoned that line to learn
telegraphy, and was employed by the Erie RaUroad
Company at Sharon. He continued in that vocation
for seven years, during the last three years of which
time he acted in the capacity as chief clerk for the
division freight agent at Youngstown. During this
time, also, he attended night school in order to get
a better education. In 1891 he went to Niles, Ohio,
as telegraph operator for the Falcon Iron and Nail
Corapany, and after two years in this position was
promoted to assistant superintendent of the plant and
served as such until igoo. He then was employed by
the American Sheet Steel Company in a clerical
capacity, under Jonathan Warner, at the office in
New York City. This was but a teraporary position
occasioned by the Falcon Iron and Nail Company
haying been absorbed in a merger with the American
Sheet Steel Company. After six months at New
York City he was sent back to Niles as manager of
the same plant of which he had been formerly as
sistant superintendent. This position he filled for
two years, when the plant was finally dismantled, it
being one of the older mills owned by the corpora-

60

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

tion. In 1902, in the first year of its operation, Mr.
Beck entered the employ of the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Company as superintendent of the sheet
mUls. This position he has ever since filled, and, as
noted above, is the oldest superintendent in point of
service now in the employ of this corporation.
Mr. Beck is a raember of the Araerican Iron and
Steel Institute, the Youngstown Chamber of Cora
merce and the Rotary Club, and is a Knight Templar
York Rite Mason. He is a republican in politics
and a member of Grace Lutheran Church of Youngs
town. On AprU 17, 1893, Mr. Beck married Miss Emma
Klingensmith, a daughter of D. C. Klingensmith, at
present a resident of Youngstown. To this union
two sons have been born : Joseph Harold and Robert
Klingensraith. The elder enlisted in the 'World War
as a private in the United States Army Ambulance
Corps and saw eleven months of active service on
the Italian front.
Victor W. De Laney. During the period in which
he has filled his present position of superintendent
of transportation of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube
Company, Victor W. De Laney has witnessed the
growth of the output of this concern from 6,000 to
30,000 cars monthly. In this great increase he has
played his part, and within the line of his duties has
been the proper handling of this great amount of
transportation, a duty that calls for clear and cool
judgment, instant decision and a thorough knowl
edge of railroad matters.
Mr. DeLaney was born in Clinton county, Penn
sylvania, September 12, 1876, a son of Williara and
Clarissa (Kryder) DeLaney, natives of this country.
His^ father was a farraer and luraberraan who, when
CivU war threatened the destruction of the Union,
volunteered his services and fought aU through thc
struggle between the North and the South as a mera
ber of Company D, First Pennsylvania Volunteer
Cavalry. During his service he participated in many
hard-fought engagements and was twice wounded,
but returned eventually to his home and died in
Pennsylvania in igoi, his widow surviving him four
years. They became the parents of thirteen chUdren,
all of whom still survive.
Victor DeLaney was reared to manhood in his
native county, where he received a coramon school
education, and at the time he attained his majority
left the home place and began his independent career
in fhe transportation service of the Pittsburgh &
Lake Erie RaUroad Company, at Pittsburgh. For
nine years he continued in that department, rising
to the positions of conductor and yardmaster. In
Deceraber, igo6, he came to Youngstown, Ohio, to
become general yardmaster for the Youngstown
Sheet_ and Tube Corapany, and in 1907 was made
superintendent of transportation, a position which
he has since filled. As noted above, since he took
charge of this department the transportation has in
creased 500% in keeping pace with the output of the
plant, and naturally Mr. DeLaney's duties have be
corae that rauch extended. He has been capable of
handling his increased responsibUities, however, and
the work of his departraent is a matter for self-
congratulation upon the part of the officials of the

company. Mr. DeLaney is a meraber of the Rail
way Club of Pittsburgh and the Youngstown En
gineers' Club, and as a fraternalist is a thirty-second
degree Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite and Knights
Teraplar York Rite Mason and a meraber of the
Miystic Shrine. His religious faith and that of his
faraily is of the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church,
and in politics he takes an independent stand.
Mr. DeLaney was united in marriage in 1907, with
Miss Elizabeth Tod, of Youngstown, who died in
May, 1915, having borne two daughters : Sarah Tod
and Elizabeth, who died in infancy.
James J. Dalzell. From the time of his active
entrance upon the business arena of Youngstown,
James J. Dalzell has been engaged _ in a variety of
pursuits, all connected with the rising mercantile
and commercial interests of the city, with whose
growth he has been intimately related, and with
whose increasing prosperity he has himself pros
pered. Finance and realty interests have shared
his labor, while the roofing and sheet metal busi
ness has been the longest and most iraportant of his
undertakings, and at the present time he is presi
dent of the Dalzell Brothers Company.
Mr. Dalzell was born at Alliance, Ohio, Septem
ber 19, 1874, a son of John L. and iElizabeth (John
son) Dalzell. His father was born on a farm near
Damascus,. Ohio, but early showed an inclination
for business affairs, and took a coramercial course
at Mount Union College, following which he and
his brother Jaraes H. engaged in the roofing and
sheet metal business, an enterprise with which he
was identified until his death in 1912, his brother
having passed away in 1875. He was one of the
original prohibitionists of his district and attended
Belmont Methodist Episcopal Church, where he
served as a member of the official board for ten
years. Mr. Dalzell was likewise a prorainent Odd
Fellow and belonged to Youngstown Lodge No.
403. He and his wife, who died in 1892, were the
parents of seven children, of whom four survive:
James J. ; Samuel A., manager and vice presidenl
of the Dalzell Brothers Company; John S., of
Youngstown and Los Angeles ; and Theodore Paul,
of Los Angeles, California.
James J. Dalzell graduated in 1894 from the Ra
yen High School, following which he pursued a
commercial course, and in 1895 was employed by
the Ohio Steel Company, in the auditing depart
ment, under J. L. Barnard, and the excellent train
ing which he secured while associated with that
.gentleman has always been credited by Mr. Dalzell
for a large share of the success which he has since
attained. When he left the Ohio Steel Company,
it was to associate himself with his father and
Samuel A. Dalzell, his brother, in the roofing and
sheet metal business, in 1903, and in 1907 the Dal
zell Brothers Company was incorporated with a
nominal capital stock, with John L. Dalzell, presi
dent; Samuel A. iDalzell, vice president; and
James J. DalzeU, secretary and treasurer. In Jan
uary, 1916, the company's capital stock was in
creased to $150,000. At the time of his fathers
death, James J. Dalzell succeeded to the presidency
of the company, in addition to which he is chair-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

61

man of the board of directors. Samuel A. Dalzell
is vice president and general manager of the con
cern, and WUliara DuGray, superintendent of the
factory, was elected to the board of directors in
1917. Mr. Dalzell has various other interests, being
vice president and a director of the Youngstown
Citizens and Savings Company, which was organ
ized in 1917, and president of the Youngstown
Builders iExchange, of which his father, John L.
Dalzell, was one of the founders and incorporators
in igoo. Mr. Dalzell was one of the original in
corporators of the local Kiwanis Club, of which
he is secretary and a meraber of the board of trus
tees ; is a trustee also of the local Young Men's
Christian Association, and has been elected to a
three-year term as trustee of the Charaber of Com
merce. During the period of the World war he
helped materially in floating the Third, Fourth and
Victory Liberty loans, and for his splendid work
in this direction was the recipient of a "Thank
You" certificate from the United States Treasury
Department. On June 28, 1899, Mr. Dalzell raarried Miss
Marae E. Macklin, of Youngstown, who prior to
her raarriage taught a kindergarten class at Youngs
town for several years, and to this union there have
corae two children : Herbert V., born in 1900 ; and
Harold LeRoy, born in 1903.
William W. Neckerman. Dealing with the
careers of raen who have contributed to the upbuUd
ing and success of great enterprises is a task in
which the writer finds that a large raajority of the
real contributing factors are individuals who have
trod the hard self-made pathway to success and in
dependence. This is in no way inapplicable to the
career of WUliam M. Neckerman, superintendent of
the tube departraent of the Youngstown Sheet and
Tube Corapany, and a self-raade raan in all that the
term implies.
Mr. Neckerman was born at Pittsburgh, Penn
sylvania, February 20, 1875, a son of Martin and
Christina (Knight) Neckerman. His parents, both
Df whom were born in Germany, were brought to
:his country separately, and here raet and were
narried. After his iraraigration to the United
states Martin Neckerman learned the trade of ma-
:hinist and locksmith, which he followed for a tirae
it Pittsburgh. He was industrious, ambitious and
enterprising, and was not content to reraain as a
-nere workman, and eventually becarae the chief
Factor in the founding of the present firm of
iJloeckner & Company, furnishers of butchers'
mpplies. For a score or more of years Mr. iNecker-
nan has been living in comfortable retirement, hav-
ng accumulated an araple corapetence through his
lusiness ability, industry and good management.
One of a family of three children, and also one
)f twins, William M. Neckerman grew up in his
lativ'e city, where his boyhood was passed much the
ame as other lads who grow up in a large city. He
ittended the public schools, did his share of baseball
ilaying in the vacant lots, and after completing his
ligh school term, took a short course at the Uni-
¦ersity of Western Pennsylvania, where he special

ized in mechanical engineering. His start in business
was as an apprentice at raechanical engineering with
Henry Aiken of Pittsburgh, and he continued v/ith
Mr. Aiken untU 1901, at which tirae he was eraployed
by the National Tube Company of McKeesport,
Pennsylvania, where he was designing engineer in
the remodeling of the old tube plant. In addition,
he served with this company as chief engineer of
the blast furnaces and steel departraent, finally be
coming superintendent of the rolling department.
In May, 1907, Mr. Neckerman came to Youn.gstown,
Ohio, to become 'chief engineer for the Youngstown
Sheet and Tube Company, and in March, 1908, was
made assistant superintendent of the tube depart
ment. Ten months later, in January, 1909, he was
made superintendent of this department, a position
which he has since filled with the greatest ability.
Mr. Neckerman is a mernber of the American Iron
and Steel Institute, is a Mason as a fraternalist, and
in his political actions is independent, giving his
vote rather to the man than to the party. His re
ligious Iselief makes hira a Protestant. On February
4, 1909, Mr. Neckerman was united in marriage with
iMiss iFlorence Kieling, of Youngstown, Ohio, and
they are the parents of one son, WUliam M., Jr.,
who is attending the Youngstown public schools.
Emil F. Vogel. Probably no man inthe Youngs
town district has a more comprehensive, practical
knowledge of the coke industry than EmU F. Vogel,
superintendent of the coke plant of the Youngstown
Sheet and Tube Corapany. Mr. yogel has been a
worker and student in coke beginning with the cora
paratively crude processes of twenty years ago until
the present.
He was born at Boston, Massachusetts, February
8, 1879, son of Herman and Josephine (Albrecht)
¦Vogel, the former a native of Saxony and the latter
of Alsace. iHerman Vogel was an artist of no mean
distinction. During the CivU war he did consider
able work for the Smithsonian Institution. Later
his art was largely confined to portrait work. He
died in iMarch, 1918, being survived by his widow.
EmU F. was the second in a family of five chUdren
and the oldest now living. He received a thorough
literary and scientific education at Boston, graduat
ing from the Lewis Grammar School at Roxbury,
the iMechanic Arts High School of Boston, and the
iMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Frora the
latter institution he received his Bachelor^ of Science
degree in 1900, having specialized in civil engineer
ing. For two suraraers of his college career he was
employed by the city engineering department of
Boston. Then for three years after leaving the
Institute he was draftsman in raechanical and struc
tural drafting, first with the Case. Manufacturing
Company of Columbus, Ohio, then with the Well-
man, Seaver, Morgan Company of Cleveland, and
last with the Treadwell Manufacturing Company at
Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The Lackawanna Steel
Company of Buffalo employed his technical services
for nearly thirteen years. For a little over two years
he was construction engineer, and then went into
the by-products coke plant, where he rose to the
position of assistant superintendent and master
mechanic. It was at Buffalo that he acquired his

62

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

broad and authoritative knowledge of coke as one
of the greatest essentials in the raodern industry.
Mr. Vogel was assistant superintendent of the coke
plant of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company
from April 30, 1916, to June i, 1920, when he was
made superintendent.
He is a member of the Engineers' Club of Youngs
town, the Chamber of Coramerce and is a Knight
Teniplar Mason, also a raeraber of the thirty-second
degree of Scottish Rite and the Mystic Shrine of
Buffalo, New York.
William J. Wallis. A gentleman who, coming
to Youngstown^ after he had reached his fiftieth
year, and mingling in its busy life for sixteen years
more, is still among her active business men, giv
ing daily attention to the management of a great
corporation of which he is the executive head.
Most men who have reached their sixty-sixth year,
especiaUy if fortune has crowned their life's labor,
feel like retiring from the strife and enjoying the
ease and dignity which they have earned. Not so
Mr. Wallis. With intellect unclouded and strength
unabated, he goes about his daily round of affairs
as in the days when struggle seemed to be a neces
sity. It is an inheritance from a vigorous ancestry,
strengthened by a life of activity and healthful
labor. Mr. Wallis was born at Girard, Ohio, August 8,
1854, a son of Richard T. and Mary (Toulium)
Wallis, natives of Bridgeport, England, who came to
the United States in 185 1 and settled at Youngs
town where they had been preceded by a relative,
John Squire. In 1853 they removed to Girard,
where Richard T. Wallis engaged in shoemaking
untU his death. He and his worthy wife were the
parents of three children : Charles J., who is a
lilacksmith at Girard ; Jennie E., whose home is at
Youngstown ; and William J.
WUliam J. Wallis attended the Girard school
until he was sixteen years of age, at which time
he entered the Girard Stove Works. There he
learned the trade of raolder and remained untU
i88g, when he went into business on his own ac
count as the proprietor of a foundry and a manu
facturer of mill castings. His first venture was
a necessarily small one, as he was possessed of but
a modest capital, but in l8gi the scope of his opera
tions was increased through the forming of a part
nership with Frank A. Williams, the business then
becoraing known as the Wallis Foundry Company.
In 1893 Mr. Wallis founded and organized the
Girard Stove and Foundry Works, a reorganiza
tion of the same business for which he had worked
in his youth, and was made general manager. Henry
B. Shields being president. The firm continued at
Girard untU 1904, when the plants were moved to
Youngstown, and here bought the John MUler
Foundry, the entire interests being reorganized as
the Youngstown Foundry and Machine Company.
Mr. Wallis was at first general manager of this con
cern, which later bought out the Youngstown Steel
Castings Company, but in 1907 succeeded to the
presidency, replacing the first president, Thomas
Parrock. F. A. Williams is now vice president and
manager of sales, and Bertram G. Parker is secre
tary and treasurer. The growth and development

of this business have been wonderful, and a largf
measure of the concern's prosperity is directly trace.
able to Mr. Wallis' wise and progressive manage
ment. His religious connection is with the First
Unitarian Church.
Mr. Wallis was married in 1876 to Anna S. Jen
kins, of Youngstown, who passed away in April,
1920, and to this union there have been born eight
chUdren : Mary A., who died in 1917 ; Elizabeth, a
teacher in the Rayen High School ; Lloyd R., super
intendent of the roll shop of the Youngstown Foun
dry and Machine Company;^ Mrs. NeUie ('Wallis)
Leet, of Lakewood, Ohio ; William C, who is assist
ant superintendent of the blast furnace department
of the Briar Hill Steel Company ; Harry T., a sales
man for the Trussed Concrete Steel Company;
Isabel, who is attending Smith CoUege; and John
F., a student at the Rayen High School.
James Ward Wagstaff has been doing construc
tion work for iron mills and olher factories in Ohio
more than thirty years, and as superintendent of
labor and construction of the Youngstown Sheet &
Tube Company enjoys a place of high responsibility
and enviable esteem.
Mr. Wagstaff was born at Niles, Ohio, July 24,
1864. His parents, John and Margaret (James)
Wagstaff, were born and married in Wales and about
1848 came to this country, locating at Niles, where
John Wagstaff followed his trade as a brick layer.
He did a great deal of work for Jaraes Ward, and
as a mark of esteem for his eraployer gave his name
to one of his sons. He and his wife spent the rest
of their days at Niles.
James Ward Wagstaff grew up at Niles, had a
public school education, and at the age of sixteen
began learning the brick layer's trade with an older
brother. Brick laying was the special skUl and trade
on which he built his larger profession and activities
in construction lines. In 1888 he helped construct
the steel mill at New Philadelphia, Ohio, owned by
James Ward, his namesake. Until 1891 he lived
there, and then went to work for Jaraes A. Ciamp-
bell at Warren. Mr. Campbell was then superin
tendent of a rolling mill at Warren. In l8g3 he
removed to Cambridge, Ohio, and buUt the tin milt"
for the Morton Tin Plate Company. Mr. 'Wagstai
came to Youn.gstown, September 6, 1895, and was
eraployed by the Mahoning Valley Iron Works as
boss brick layer under his old eraployer, Mr. Camp
bell, who in the meantime had become superintendent
of the Valley Mills. He went with Mr. Cam.pbell in
1898 to the Republic Iron & Steel Company, again
in the capacity of boss brick layer. His last change
of employraent occurred January I, 1901, when be
went with the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company
again under Mr. Campbell, who is now president of
that great corporation. He began as boss brick
layer, became superintendent of construction in W
and since 1912 has heen superintendent of labor and
construction. Mr. Wagstaff is a Royal Arch Mason, a member
of the Poland Country Club, and in politics is |
republican. He married Miss Minnie Uhleman, o'
New Philadelphia, Ohio. Their two daughters are
Gertrude, wife of Earl McBride, of Youngstown,
and Margaret, Mrs. William Holzworth.

CU^(MtL££^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

63

James M. Woltz is safety director of the Youngs
town Sheet & Tube Company. His office is a com
paratively new one not only with this corporation,
but with other great industries, and is one demanded
by modern industrial evolution and for the perforra
ance of its duties requires especial qualifications that
no doubt in the near future wiU be the basis for
the development of a distinctiye new prof ession, one
which will play a vital part in industrial relations
and industrial efficiency.
In that now necessarily sraall body of experts on
safety appliances, raethods and regulations, James
M. Woltz is regarded not only at Youngstown but
by state and national governments as a first rate
authority. Mr. Woltz is a raeraber of a prominent
family of Ohio pioneers.
His first American ancestor was Peter Woltz, who
was born at Weimar, Germany, in 1746. He married
in his native land, where some of his chUdren were
born, and about 1785 came to this country and lived
at Hagerstown, Maryland. His son, Jesse Woltz,
was born at Hagerstown, Deceraber 15, 1792, and
raarried Elizabeth Canode. During the War of 1812
he served in Captain Stonebreaker's Company of
Maryland Militia. About the close of the war, in
1816, he moved his family in ox carts overland to
Lancaster, Ohio, where he followed the cabinet
maker's trade, and later moved to a farm near Star
City in Pulaski county, Indiana, where he died
March 17, 1839. James M. Woltz, a son of this
Ohio pioneer, was born December 14, 1819, at Lan
caster, and in August, 1839, became a resident of
ChUlicothe, Ohio. He raarried in that city Margaret
Shepherd. He was also a cabinet raaker, and latei
developed a business as a contractor at ChUlicothe.
During the early forties he was captain of Company
4 in the Third Regiment, First Brigade, i6th Divi
sion of the Ohio Militia. He died at Chillicothe.
His third son was Jesse McDowell Woltz, who was
born March 15, 1848. Though very young, he be
carae a private in the nth Independent Battery of
Light Artillery, and in 1864 was transferred to the
i;th Battery. He married Mary Chapman, of an old
Virginia family. He was also a cabinet raaker by
trade, and afterward engaged in the undertaking
business with his father. He and his wife are still
living and are the parents of two children, James M.,
the subject of this article, and Clara, who is un
married. Jaraes M. Woltz was born at Chillicothe, son of
Jesse M. Woltz, on October 13, 1870, and was reared
in his native city. He is a graduate of the high
school there and spent two years in the old Ohio
Medical College at Cincinnati. He left college at
the outbreak of the Spanish-American war, and
served as a second lieutenant, batallion adjutant, of
the 7th Ohio Volunteers. At the time of his dis
charge he was serving as regimental adjutant. He
had previously served several years in the National
Guard. In May, 1899, Mr. Woltz was appointed an
inspector in the United States Postal Service, a
work which engaged hira for many years, until
July, 1913- At that date the Youngstown Sheet &
Tube Company, in search of a raan of his experience
and qualifications, installed him as safety director
for the corporation.

Mr. Woltz was a special investigator for the Fed
eral government for a nuraber of years, his work re
quiring his presence in a nuraber of large industrial
centers. In 1913 he became a raember of the National
Safety Council, in which he is a director and member
of the executive coraraittee. He also belongs to the
Society of Ohio Safety Engineers, and for the last
two years has served as president.
Mr. _Woltz is a member of the General Advisory
Committee of the Ohio Industrial Commission. This
commission is coraposed of sixteen members, eight
representing manufacturers or employers and eight
organized labor. Since January, 1918, Mr. Woltz
has been a consultant^ of the bureau of standards of
the Departraent of Comraerce, assisting the efforts
of the Departraent to standardize various state in
dustrial codes.
Mr. Woltz has served on the Safety and Military
Coramittees of the Youngstown Chamber of Cora
merce. He is a Knight Templar Mason. June 25,
1904, he raarried Mattie Brooks Smith, of Parkers
burg, West Virginia, daughter of Charles Brooks
and Margaret Parkinson (Devore) Sraith.
Henry E. Moyer has been continuously associated
with one of the plants now under the corporate
raanageraent of the Brier HUl Steel Corapany for a
quarter of a century. Mr. Moyer has achieved a
distinct success in the field of cheraical engineering.
He is now the chief chemist of the Brier HUl Steel
Company. His family were pioneers in eastern Ohio, were
also colonial settlers in Araerica, and the ancestry
goes back to an original home in Switzerland where
the name was spelled Meyer. The Moyers or Meyer'
were converts to the Mennonite faith, and on account
of religious persecution some of thera eraigtated
frora Switzerland to Holland and thence to Araerica
in 1741. They lived in eastern Pennsylvania for
several generations.
John Moyer, grandfather of Henry E., was a
blacksraith by trade. With his brother Abrahara.
who was a farraer, he walked from Bucks county,
Pennsylvania, to Columbiana county, Ohio. At that
time the wilderness still held sway over much of
this section of Ohio. While Abraham turned his
attention to the cultivation of the soil, John con
tinued to work at his trade and made it a mean«
of useful service to the pioneer community. Joh '
Moyer married Barbara Nold (originally Noldt)
and of their eight chUdren one was Jacob N. Moyer.
Jacob N. Moyer likewise followed mechanical pur
suits, being a skillful carpenter. He married iMai
Ann Bixler, and both of them were life-long ano
devout worshipers in the Mennonite faith.
Henry E. Moyer, one of their two children, was
born at Leetonia, Columbiana county, Deceraber 12,
1865. As a boy at Leetonia he attended the grara
mar and high schools. He also acquired considerable,
skill as a carpenter under his father. By teaching
an occasional term of school and working at his
trade in other seasons he accumulated the means
that put him through the Ohio State University at
Columbus. He was graduated in 1893 with the de
gree Bachelor of Science, in chemistry. Two months
before graduating he had accepted the post of chem-

64

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

ist for the Virginia Iron and Railway Company at
Goshen, Virginia. However, that was a period of
great industrial depression, and for a time he found
it difficult to secure recognition for his profession
as a chemist. He paid his way by work at his trade
with his father. Later he becarae chemist for
Corrigan, McKinney and Corapany, operating the
Douglas and SharpsvUle furnaces in western Penn
sylvania. He was with that concern about eight
months, and for a siraUar period was chemist to
W. C. Runyon, operating the Hall furnace between
Sharon and Sharpsville.
It was in August, 1897, that Mr. Moyer was made
chemist for the Youngstown Steel Corapany. He
reraained with it until the business and plant were
absorbed by the Brier Hill Steel Corapany, so that
his services may be considered as continuous with
the same industry for over twenty years. Since the
first months he has been chief chemist. Twenty
years ago the laboratory force comprised only three
or four men. The laboratory is now one of the
important departments of the Brier Hill Steel Com
pany, with a personnel of about forty-five. During
the past six years there has never been a rainute,
day or night, Sundays or holidays, when the labora
tory has not been in close touch with the operating
departraents of the raill.
Mr. Moyer is a raeraber of the local Engineers'
Club, the Araerican Society for Testing Materials,
and is a Lodge, Chapter and CouncU degree Mason.
He is also a raember of the Methodist Episcopal
church. Septeraber 28, 1899, he married Clara May
Cutler, of Colurabus, a relative of the well-known
WUlis faraily of Ohio.
Samuel A. Pfau, distributor for the Paige auto
mobile at Youngstown for Ohio except Cincinnati
and for the western part of Pennsylvania, has occu
pied a conspicuous position among the business men
of this city for a number of years, having been
equally well knowii in the automobile industry and
in the field of real estate. Coming to Youngstown
in 1883, at a time when the little community was
entering upon a period of most reraarkable growth
in numbers and expansion of business, he has taken
a hand in her busy life, and has grown in fortune
and business experience.
Mr. Pfau was born March 23, 1864, at New
Springfield, Ohio, a son of John and Rebecca
(Sraith) Pfau, the latter a native of Unity Town
ship, Columbiana County, Ohio. John Pfau was
born at Lykens, Ohio, and as a youth carae to New
Springfield, where he learned the trade of black
sraith and followed that vocation untU he had ac
cumulated sufficient capital with which to purchase
a farm. There he passed his life as one of the
most highly esteemed men of his coraraunity. Mr.
Pfau belonged to a family the forefathers of whicli
had been among the expatriates of the Lutheran
Church of^ Germany, under Frederick the Great,
and was himself a pioneer organizer of the Luth
eran Church at New Springfield, in addition to
which he had much to do in the establishment of
churches of the same faith in nearby towns.
Samuel A. Pfau was educated in the public schools
of New Springfield, and at the age of seventeen

years left the home farm and attached himself to
his brother, the late Solomon Pfau, who was the
pioneer buggy manufacturer of that community
and of the Mahoning Valley. After the death of
his brother, in 1883, he carae to Youngstown and
joined the Youngstown Carriage and Wagon Com
pany, as a factory workman, but in 1889 trans
ferred his services to a newly-moved firm from
Fredonia, the Fredonia Manufacturing Company.
He became a foreman in the blacksmithing depart
ment, and later was raade superintendent, a capacity
in which he served frora 1890 to 1902. While he
acted in that position, Mr. Pfau superintended the
building of the first autoraobile built in Ohio,
known as the Fredonia Noiseless Car. F. L
Thoraas was general manager of the concern and
Mr. Pfau had an interest in the automobile ven
ture, but this did not bring the expected successful
results. The buggy business was already on the wane,
the trade already feeling the encroachment of the
coming great automobile industry, and Mr. Pfau,
whose health was not of the best, and who did
not feel like having the responsibility of seventy-
five workmen, decided to seek a change and enter
the real estate and insurance business. Accordingly
he adopted these lines in igo2 and so successful was
he that within the short space of three years he
had built up such an extensive business that it was
imperative that he have a partner to relieve him
of some of his cares. Accordingly, in 1905, he ad
mitted William V. Faunce to partnership, and for
four years the real estate and insurance business
continued to have Mr. Pfau's sole attention. In
1907 the partners incorporated the Pfau & iFaunce
Realty Company, for the purpose of platting and
developing subdivisions, and among these may be
mentioned the Richview plat, forraerly a fifty-acre
farra ; the Winderraere plat, now comprising
Broadway and Wick Avenue; the Fithian farm,
now Poland Avenue, and many others. Mr. Pfau
has built many homes and downtown business
properties, and has contributed raaterially in this
way to the upbuilding and developraent of the
city. •
In 1909 the partners took over the distribution
of the Ford automobile at Youngstown, and at
the end of two years found this end the predomi
nant part of their business, so that they were
forced to give up their operations in realty. In
191 1 they secured the distribution of the Paige
car, 'for which they are now Youngstown agents.
With Mr. Faunce and A. E. Reinraand, Mr. Pfau
was one of the organizers of the Central Savings
and Loan Corapany of which he was treasurer, and
this concern was later reorganized, at which time
Mr. Pfau becarae vice president of the new concern,
the Central Bank and Trust Company. He is a
republican in politics, and is a thirty-second degree
Mason, belonging to Lake Erie Consistory and
Youngstown Commandery, and is also a Shriner of
Cleveland. He has given little attention to anything
c>utside of what he has considered his legitimate
sphere of action, and has sought no distinction
other than that resulting frora a successful and
honorable conduct of his business enterprises.

^0/.lQ^.^t^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

65

Quietly and unostentatiously he has worked his
way frora the laborer's bench to a place araong the
leading business raen of his city and has irapressed
his individuality upon the enterprises with which
his narae has been linked.
Mr. Pfau was married December 23, 1888, to
Lilla A. SchUler, of North Lima, Ohio, and to this
union there have been born three sons : William
F.dward, an attorney of Youngstown, who married
Isabel Young, daughter of Judge Stevens of Nor
walk, Ohio, and has one son, WUliam Edward, Jr.;
Howard L., a graduate of Western Reserve CoUege,
in chemistry, 1916, who took post-graduate work in
New York, and is now flour cheraist for the W.
P. Tanner Gross Corapany, of New York; and Ber
traud, who is StiU attending school.
John H- Krehl. While his own active career
has been associated alraost entirely with the Youngs
town Sheet & Tube Company, beginning sixteen
years ago, Mr. Krehl is raember of a noted family
in the industrial affairs of Girard, Ohio, where he
still keeps his residence.
iMr. Krehl, who is general master mechanic of the
great Youngstown plant of the Sheet and Tube
Company, was born at Girard, Deceraber 12, 1881.
His grandfather, Frederick Krehl, came from Ger
many with his parents when twelve years of age,
and learned the tanner's trade at Canfield, the old
county seat of iMahoning County. During the fifties
he established a tannery at Girard, and for over sixty
years has been a resident of that town. He is stUl
living, at the advanced age of eighty-five. Jacob C.
Krehl, father of John H., was also born at Girard,
learned the tanning business, succeeded his father
in that industry, and was active in it for many
years, though he is now retired.
John H. Krehl attended the public schools of
Girard, and learned the tanner's trade under his
father and grandfather. He came to Youngstown to
serve an apprenticeship as a machinist with the
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Corapany. He soon
recognized the necessity of a better theoretical train
ing, and suppleraented his practical work in the shop
with a course in the International Correspondence
Schools of Scranton. It was his intention, his ap
prenticeship completed, to return to the tannery at
Girard. This plan was frustrated by the burning of
the plant in 1894.
As a result he has remained ever since with the
Lutheran Church at Girard, also of Mahoning Lodge
chinist's apprentice he was the first boy in the shop
to receive ten cents an hour. Since then he has
successively filled the positions of assistant shop
foreman, sihop foreman, general foreman of all shops,
and since September, 1917, has been general master
mechanic. iMr. Krehl is a member of the Trinity English
Lutheran Church at Girard, also of Mahoning Lodge
^o- 394. Free and Accepted Masons, Youngstown
Zhapter No. 93, Royal Arch Masons, Youngstown
Commandery, Knights Templar, Hiram Lodge of
Perfection of Youngstown and Lake Erie Consistory
hirty-second degree and Al-Koran Temple, Ancient
Vrabic Ord^r Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Cleve-
and, Ohio. On July 12, 1906, he married Blanche

Lois Powers, of Girard, daughter of Milton and
Mary (Rush) Powers. Mrs. Krehl died May 22,
191S, the raother of two chUdren, Charles Powers
and Ruth Lois. August 9, 1917, iMr. Krehl married-
Margaret Reese, of Girard, daughter of David and
Mary (Evans) Reese.
Lawrence J. Hess is a graduate electrical engineer
and since the fall of 1917 has been chief electrician
for the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company.
Even as a schoolboy his interest was attracted to
the electrical engineering profession, and his train
ing was acquired from the best practical as well as
technical sources.
Mr. Hess was born in Evanston, Illinois, April 24,
1886, son of Jere M. and Mary Elizabeth (Stevens)
Hess, also natives of Illinois and the latter still liv
ing. His mother's family traces its genealogy in an
almost unbroken line to the second shipload ot
immigrants following the Mayflower. Jere Hess
was a broker on the Corn Exchange of Chicago.
An only child, Lawrence J. Hess, grew up in his
native city and is a graduate of the Evanston High
School. During vacations he put in considerable
time as a sub-foreman in the private branch ex
change department of the Western Electric Coni
pany. His real business career began as an armature
winder in the Joliet works of the Illinois Steel Com
pany, and he was finally promoted to the duties of
assistant chief electrician for that corporation. In
the meantime he had pursued the technical course of
the University of Illinois, and graduated with the
Electrical Engineer degree in 1908. Mr. Hess came
to Youngstown as chief electrician for the Sheet and
Tube Company in September, 1917.
He is a meraber of the Araerican Association of
Iron and Steel Electrical Engineers, also of the
Youngstown Chamber of Comraerce and the Beta
Theta Pi college fraternity. Septeraber 25, 1918, he
married Miss Beulah M. Armacost, of Delavan,
Illinois, daughter of Daniel N. Armacost. Their
son, Lawrence J., Jr., was born September 2, 1919.
Charles H. Guy, chief inspector of the Youngs
town Sheet & Tube Company, joined that corpora
tion in the spring of 1914 as assistant chief in
spector. A few months later and continuing until
the close of the World war his duties were almost
entirely concerned with the company's contracts for
war steel. For the remarkable record of the cor
poration in this field much of the credit was due to
his department. On May 15, 1919, Mr. Guy became
chief inspector.
A native of Ohio, he was born at Dayton, January
/I. 1873, son of John and Janet (Alexander) Guy.
His father was a native of Beith, Scotland, and his
mother of London, England. They were married in
Great Britain, carne' to the United States in the
late fifties, and both are now deceased. John Guy
for many years was a merchant in Ohio.
With a grammar and high school education,
Charles H. Guy at the age of eighteen went 'West
to Colorado and was eraployed by the Colorado Fuel
and Iron Company, for several years as secretary to
C. S. Robinson, then the general raanager, and his
successor. WhUe in the West he laid the founda-

66

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

tion of the expert knowledge he has since acquired
in the steel business.
Mr. Guy'has been a resident of Youngstown since
1914, and is one of its thoroughly public spirited citi
zens. He is a member of the Youngstown Engineer
ing Club, Chamber of Comraerce, the Youngstown
Club and the Elks.
Henry Niedermeier. Youngstown was not rauch
of a city, with a population of only 8,500, when
Henry Niederraeier began his career as a building
contractor in 1881. As the city grew in power and
population, so likewise were his activities and tal
ents adapted to the increasing service demanded of
him in a business capacity, and there was little re
laxation in his business cares and responsibUities
untU his career came to an end. He was looked
upon as a veteran in his local profession and busi
ness, and for that reason and his character as a
good citizen he enjoyed a peculiar degree of esteem,
and m.any tributes were paid his raemory at the
time of his death on June 19, 1920. A nuraber of
Youngstown's younger contractors received their
training under Mr. Niederraeier. His chief work
was in stone and brick.
It would be irapossible to draw up anything
like a representative list of the work he has done
in this locality. Sorae of the raore notable ex
amples are the Market Street bridge, the South
Side bridge, the Mahoning Avenue bridge, the first
eight stories of the Stambaugh Building, the Hol
lingsworth Building, the Wick BuUding, the Ma
honing National Bank Building, and many other
business structures, schools, churches and residences.
Some of the schools are the Hillman Street, Dela-
Son Avenue, Washington and Lincoln schools. He
was also the constructor for the St. John's Episco
pal Church, the Presbyterian Church at Lockridge
and Wick Avenue, the United Presbyterian Church
at Wood Street and Champion, the United Presby
terian Church on Wilson Avenue.
Mr. Niedermeier was born in Lippe-Detmold,
Germany, February 8, 1848, son of 'WiUiam and
Louise Niederraeier. His father was a Gerraan
farmer. Henry Niedermeier after acquiring his
education in the coraraon schools and at the age
of eighteen, in 1866, left Germany and carae to
the Un'ted States. While at Herraann in Gas
conade County, Missouri, he learned the business
of building wine cellars. Two of his brothers were
soldiers of the Franco-Prussian war. One of thera
was kiUed and for that reason Henry Niederraeier
went back to his parents in 1871. He remained
about a year and in 1872 again carae to Araerica.
Locating at Cleveland, on account of lack of funds
he resumed work at his trade and later in the
sarae year came to Youngstown. He was therefore
a resident of Youngstown raore than forty-five years
and by the length of residence, his work and other
attainments had earned the right to be considered
one of the most substantial and public spirited citi
zens as well as most active business men.
Mr. Niedermeier was one of the founders of the
Builders Exchange in Youngstown and at one
tirae served as its president. He was a republi
can in politics and was affiliated with the Western
Star Lodge of Masons and with the Order of Elks.

His family are members of the German Reformed
Church on Wood Street.
In 1879 Mr. Niedermeier married Martha Heller
a sister of Louis and Adolph Heller and a daugh-^
ter of the late Nicholas and Frederica (Bofeld)
Heller. Mrs. Niederraeier was born in Switzer
land and she and her husband were happily mar
ried for forty years. In that time six children were
born into their home. The son Henry was a con
tractor and died at the age of thirty-two. William
was associated with his father and died in 1917 at
the age of thirty. The daughter Hilda died at the
age of seven. The three living chUdren are: Louis,
who was associated with his father in the contract
ing business and lives at 1519 Covington Street;
Clara, who is the wife of John Werden of Youngs
town ; and Dorothy, living at home with her mother.

Gustav A. Reinhardt, who has served the
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company for the past
seven years as raetallurgist, is a chemical and
metallurgical engineer of long training and varied
experience, and has spent the greater part of his
lifetime in Ohio.
He was born at New Washington, Ohio, April 22,
1881, son of Louis and Barbara (Metzger) Eein-
hardt. His parents were both born in Bavaria.
Louis Reinhardt came to the United States before
reaching his majority, and after naturalization re
turned to the old country to marry. He brought his
bride to America, and for a number of years lived
at New Washington, Ohio, where he was a lumber
dealer. His widow is still living.
Gustav A. Reinhardt was one ol three children and
was about seven years of age when his parents moved
to Cleveland, Ohio. Besides the advantages of the
public schools of that city he attended the Case
School of Applied Science, and after his technical
education spent six months as chemist for the Do
minion Iron and Steel Corapany at Sydney, Nova
Scotia. He was also employed six raonths at the
Ohio Works of the Carnegie Steel Company at
Youngstown, for one year was chief chemist for the
Salera Iron Company at Leetonia, for two years
chief cheraist of the Cleveland Furnace Company at
Cleveland, and for two years was chief chemist with
Crowell & Murray of Cleveland. Following that
Mr. Reinhardt spent one year as a student and as
sistant instructor in raetallurgy in the School of Ap
plied Science of Harvard University. Since 1913 b'
has been connected with the Youngstown Sheet &
Tube Corapany as raetallurgist.
He is a member of various technical societies, in
cluding the American Institute of Mining and Metal
lurgical Engineers, the American Society for Test
ing Materials, the Araerican Gas Association, the
American Iron & Steel Institute, and the Institute of
Metals. He is a Knight Templar Mason and a mem
ber of the Plymouth Congregational Church. Jn"'
20, 191 7, he married Miss Emraa J. Parmater, of
Cleveland, but a native of Caro, Michigan.
Robert W. Ewalt, chief statistician of the
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, has been
connected with this corporation since July i, '9"'
He belongs to that class of men who owe their suc
cess in life to what they themselves have accom-

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YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

67

plished, not to what has been done for them. The
constant necessity of stimulating effort has goaded
him onward and upward, and as he has learned one
lesson thoroughly, he has hopefully turned another
page in the book of his career.
Mr. Ewalt is a native Ohioan, born at Warren,
September 3, 1859. His parents, Samuel H. and
Ruth Amanda (Brown) Ewalt, were farming people
of Trumbull County, Ohio, of which coraraunity
Samuel Ewalt was a native, his father, also naraed
Sarauel Ewalt, having been one of the earliest set
tlers of that county, coraing there from Pittsburgh
and settling on a wild farm on which all his children
were born.
One of a family of four children, of whom two are
now living, Robert W. Ewalt passed his boyhood
days on the home farm, and when not assisting his
father in the nuraerous duties pertaining to the
cultivation of the horae property, applied hiraself to
his studies at the local district schools. In 1881 he
left the huradrura existence of the farra for the
larger opportunities of the city, securing a position'
as clerk in a store at Warren. Later he learned
bookkeeping, at which he continued to work until
coraing to Youngstown, where for a short tirae he
was an office man with the Youngstown Sheet and
Tube Company. From this post he was advanced to
that of chief statistician, which he has since occupied
with great credit to himself and to the entire satis
faction of the officials. Mr. Ewalt is a raember of
the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at
Warren, where he joined the order in early manhood,
and where he still has numerous friends. He is a
republican in his political tendencies, but has shown
only a good citizen's interest in public affairs.
iMr. Ewalt was married April 10, 1883, to Miss
Mary Van Gorder, of Warren, a daughter of Elias
and Eliza Van Gorder, and to this union there has
been born one daughter, Mabel, the wife of George
O. Bruce, of Youngstown.
David A. Russell. Circumstances may in a raeas
ure develop an individual, but unless there is an
underlying stability of character, corabined with
native ability and a deterraination to make the most
of whatever opportunities life affords, all the cir
curastances in the world, no raatter how advantage
ous, will not produce a raan of whora his associates
may be confident. Circumstances have played but a
small part in the career of David A. iRussell, who
has accepted the opportunities which have come to
his door, and who in his chosen profession has ad
vanced to a position of raarked trust and respon
sibility, being chief cheraist for the Youngstown
Sheet and Tube Corapany, of Youngstown, Ohio.
Mr. Russell was born on a farra in Washington
County, Pennsylvania, Noveraber 2, 1884, a son of
David A. and Mary W. (Neal) Russell, likewise
natives of Pennsylvania, as was also his paternal
grandfather, John Russell. David A. Russell, the
younger, was reared on the home farm and attended
the district schools in his boyhood. He prepared
himself further at Slippery Rock State Normal
School at Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and then took
a one-year preparatory course at the Pennsylvania
State College. Graduated frora the latter in June,
1907, with the degree of Bachelor of Science, his

first position was that of chemist for the Bellefonte
Furnace Company at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.
Later he entered the cheraical test department of
the Erie Railroad Corapany at Meadville, Pennsyl
vania, and in August, 1908, carae to Youngstown as
raw material chemist for the Youngstown Sheet and
Tube Company. Since then he has served as assist
ant chief chemist and chief chemist, having held the
latter office since August, 1909. Mr. Russell is an
exceptionally capable man, who has the full con
fidence of his associates, the esteem of the officials of
the corapany, and the respect and friendship of those
whose labors he shares. He stands high in his pro
fession, and is a valued raember of the American
Cheraical Society, the American Iron and Steel In
stitute and the American Electro-Chemical Society.
He likewise holds membership in the Youngstown
Chamber of Comraerce, and with his faraily belongs
to the United Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Russell was married in 1910 to Miss Olive
Duncan, of Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, and they
are the parents of three daughters : Ruth, Alta and
Kathryn. Lief Lee, consulting engineer of the Youngstown
Sheet and Tube Company at Youngstown, Ohio, was
born in Stavanger, Norway, in 1881, and was edu
cated in the technical schools of Norway and Ger
many. For a short tirae he worked in a German
steel plant at Carlshutte, and in igoi came to the
United States, subsequently working at Pittsburgh,
Chattanooga, Birrainghara, Colurabus, Joliet and
various other steel centers.
Since igo7 Mr. Lee has been with the Youngstown
Sheet and Tube Company, where he started as a
draughtsman, and has subsequently advanced to as
sistant draughtsman, chief draughtsman, assistant
master mechanic, assistant chief engineer, chief en
gineer, general superintendent and at the present
time is the consulting engineer. In addition to be
ing consulting engineer for the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Corapany, Mr. Lee is in the general con
sulting engineering business, is also vice president of
the Superior Pipe Company, Columbia. Pennsylvania,
and a director in the Chapraan Price Steel Corapany
of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Gforge M. Streeter has been connected with the
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Corapany since Febru
ary, 1907, in the capacity of assistant to the general
superintendent. When it is taken into consideration
that previous to that time he was for thirteen years
in charge of the order department of the Western
Tube Company of Kewanee, Illinois, it will be seen
that he is an experienced man iri his line, in which
practically his entire career has been passed.
Mr. Streeter was born at Princeton, Illinois, No
vember 3, 1867, a son of Theodore T. and Harriet
(Triplett) Streeter. The father was a veteran of
the war between the states, in which he served as a
Union soldier from the beginning to the close, and
was a printer by vocation, an occupation which he
followed throughout life. Both he and his worthy
wife are now deceased. George M. Streeter re
ceived his scholastic training in his native town,
where he was reared, and at the age of thirteen
years began working for hiraself as a general helper

m

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

in his father's printing establishment. His life up
to manhood was spent in various occupations, a part
of this time being passed as an employe of the
Bryant nurseries. Following this he entered the
employ of the Western Tube Company at Ke
wanee, Illinois, as previously noted. He there be
gan as a time-keeper, but eventually worked his way
to where he had charge of the order departraent.
For two years after this he was eraployed in sirailar
work at Zanesville, Ohio, and from there came to
Youngstown to accept his present position. Mr.
Streeter is a member of the Poland Country Club, is
a thirty-second degree Ancient Accepted Scottish
Rite and Knight Teraplar York Rite Mason, and
belongs to the Mystic Shrine.
On Septeraber 5, 1895, Mr. Streeter married Miss
Harriet Douglas of Kewanee, Illinois, and they
are the parents of one daughter, Helen. Mr. and
Mrs. Streeter are valued and popular members of
the Plyraouth Congregational Church.
Henry Weddell Heedy. A resident of Youngs
town since Noveraber i, 1880, Henry Weddell
Heedy has been prominently identified with the
business growth and development of the city, where
his connections have been and are at present im
portant and numerous. He was born Deceraber 13,
185 1, at Cleveland, Ohio, a son of Michael and Mary
(Glen) Heedy, the former a native of Ireland and
the latter of the United States. Michael Heedy
was born in 1814, and when a lad of sixteen years
left his native land, immigrated to the United States,
and here passed the remainder of his life, dying in
December, 1888.
Henry W. Heedy was one of five children born
to his parents who grew to raaturity. His boy
hood days were passed in his native city, where he
attended the public schools, and early in life began
working for himself, although still residing under
the parental roof. At fifteen years of age he was
employed as clerk, collector and general utility raan
by the old Wason, Everett & Company banking
concern, and afterwards by its successor, Everett,
'Weddell & Company, both of Cleveland. After
six years, he went to Lapeer, Michigan, where he
was employed as bookkeeper in the banking house
of R. G. Hart & Corapany, and remained there
two years, then going to Niles, Ohio, where for
eighteen months he was bookkeeper for the Niles
Iron Company. When the raiU was closed, he
went back to Cleveland, but in 1880 returned to
NUes as bookkeeper again for the Niles ilron Cora
pany, which had resuraed operations. In 1881 this
concern removed to Haselton, Ohio, and opened
operations there along the side of the Andrews
Brothers blast furnaces, and, as the Andrews
brothers were the principal owners of the Niles
Iron Company, the operations of this concern were
merged with the blast furnace and the whole plant
was operated under the name of Andrews Brothers
& Company. Mr. Heedy came with the concern
to Haselton and was placed in charge of the office
and books of the company, In 1892 the concern
was incorporated as The Andrews Brothers Cora
pany, and of this Mr. Heedy became secretary and
assistant treasurer, afterwards becoming treasurer

of the corporation and still retaining the office of
secretary. He continued to thus officiate until 1899,
when the property interests were sold to 1;he Re
public Iron and Steel Company, and remained as
local treasurer of the new concern for over a year.
In 1901 Mr. Heedy became associated with' the
Andrews & Hitchcock Company in operating blast
furnaces at Hubbard, Ohio. He officiated as secre
tary and treasurer of this corporation until March,
1916, when it was sold to the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Company. With the latter concern he
continued about a year, closing out all matters per
taining to the interests of the Andrews & Hitch
cock Iron Corapany, which corporation was then
dissolved. In the raeantirae, Mr. Heedy had be
corae connected with a nuraber of other enterprises.
He was one of the original stockholders and direc
tors of the Youngstown Iron and Steel Roofing
Corapany, which later becarae the Youngstown Iron
and Steel Corapany. This corporation, in 1917, was
sold to the Sharon Steel Hoop Corapany. After
the dissolution of the Andrews & Hitchcock Iron
Company, Mr. Heedv became interested in the Lake
Erie Limestone Company and in the Union Lime
stone Corapany, and of both of these concerns Mr,
Heedy is now general manager, in addition being
president of the former. He is likewise a direc
tor of the G. M. McKelvey Company, the Com
mercial National Bank and the Cleveland Life In
surance Company.
Mr. Heedy is a raember of the Youngstown Cham
ber of Comraerce, the Youngstown Country Club
and the Youngstown Club, and of the DuQuesne
Club of Pittsburgh. In religion he is. an Episco
palian ; in politics, a republican.
On January 26, 1887, Mr. Heedy was united in
marriage with Miss Sarah A. Shook, daughter of
Calvin and Julia (Stambaugh) Shook, of Youngs
town, Ohio, and to this union there have been born
two children : Henry Glen and Horace S., the lat
ter of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Heedy died
October 4, igo6, at Edinboro, Scotland. Her re
mains were brought to Youngstown and now rest
in Bemont Cemetery.
Leo j. Collier. To Leo J. Collier is due the chief
credit for making the high merits of the, Buicit
autoraobile known and appreciated by the hundreds
of Buick owners in the iMahoning Valley. Mr. Col
lier has been a Buick representative for a number
of years, and is president and raanager of the Ma
honing Buick Corapany.
He was born at Uniontown, in the Coke district
of Pennsylvania, February 15, 1882, and lived there
until after reaching his raajority. He had a public
school education and as a young man showed spe
cial talents for business. For about eight years he
lived at New Castle, iPennsylvania, where he also
acted as agent for the Buick automobile. Coming to
Youngstown in 1912, he was associated with his
father-in-law, Milton E. Coombs, and established a
local agency for the Buick cars. The first year they
sold twenty-two cars. In 1914 Mr. Collier bought
out the interests of Mr. Coombs and then orgari-
ized the Mahoning Buick Company, of which he is
the active head. During 1913 the company sold

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

69

69 cars, 160 in 1915, 193 in 1916, and 1917 349. In
1917 the corapany also became agents for the White
truck and their business for that year also included
sixty truck sales. The splendid record could not be
kept up progressively during 1918, owing to the gen
eral inabUity to get cars from the factory to fill
orders. However, the company sold 102 Buicks and
40 trucks. The business for 1919 has surpassed all
previous years both in number and volume of sales.
Mr. Collier is a member of the Charaber of Com
merce, the Youngstown Club, the Poland Country
Club, and is vice president of the Youngstown
Automobile Dealers Association. He enjoys the
confidence of Youngstown business men,, and is
known as a young raan who makes his word good in
every particular. Fraternally he is a Knight Terap
lar and thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason
and a raember of Al Koran Temple of the Mystic
Shrine at Cleveland.
Mr. Collier's parents were James Seaton and Cor
nelia A. (Brown) Collier. His grandfather was a
native of Scotland. Mr. Collier married Miss An-
gelyn Coombs on September 22, 1910.
Nathaniel E. Brown. While one of the young
er officials of the Republic Rubber Corporation, Na
thaniel E. Brown has some of the most responsible
duties in connection wtih the technical departments,
being superintendent of the mill division. Mr.
Brown went to work at the age of fourteen, and has
earned his promotion largely through the native
force of his character and industrial ability, though
at different tiraes he has also come in contact for
brief intervals with technical schools.
He was born at Youngstown, November 30, 1887,
and is a raember of an old and honored family of
the Mahoning Valley. His parents were John W.
and Clara (Montgomery) Brown, and his grand
fathers were Nathaniel E. Brown and James Mont
gomery. Both his father and grandfather were ac
tively interested in the iron business of the Mahoning
Valley. John W. Brown who for a tirae was cashier
of the iBrown-Bonnell Iron Plant was also well
known in public affairs and was elected and served
as county treasurer. He was holding that office at
the time of his death in 1893. His widow is stUl
living and makes her home in Youngstown.
Nathaniel E. Brown was only six years of age
when his father died. He acquired a public school
education and at fourteen began work to contribute
to the support of the family. His mother at the same
tirae helped by teaching school. For a time he was
in the electrical departraent of the Ohio plant of the
Carnegie Steel Company and after two years was
employed in electrical work with the Brier Hill Iron
& Coal Company. He reraained with that establish-
¦ent two years, and for about a year was employed
similar lines by the William B. Pollock Cortipany,
.iid for eighteen months was in the meter "depart
ment of the old Youngstown Consolidated Company.
In the meantime he had done what he could to bet
ter his education. He spent several months in the
Mount Herman Preparatory School in Massa
chusetts, and for one brief term also attended the
Carnegie School of Technology at Pittsburg.
Mr. Brown has been continuously associated with

the Republic Rubber Corporation of Youngstown
since June, igog when he went into its laboratory.
Later he became department manager of the mill
department and since 1917 has been division super
intendent of all preparing departments. He is a
meraber of the Youngstown Chamber of Commerce.
September 25, 1912, he married Miss Edith Resch.
They have two sons, Nathaniel E., Jr., and Richard
Montgomery. Ralph W. Yengling, th.e superintendent of the
Youngstown Hospital, is a pharraacist by profession,
and was advanced to his present responsibilities on
the merit of his service to the institution in other ca
pacities. Mr. Yengling was born in Sal .n, Ohio, in 1889,
son of Homer and Minnie (WaU- er) Yengling. The
mother died in December, igig. The father, who re
sides in Salem, is a contractor. Ralph Yengling's
brother Carl is production superintendent in the
SUver Manufacturing Company of Salem, makers
of farra irapleraents.
Ralph W. Yengling was educated in the grammar
and high schools of Salem, and attended the Ohio
State University, where he graduated in the Pharra
acy Departraent in 191 1. Prior to going to the Uni
versity he was with the Bennett Pharmacy at Salem,
and after graduating had periods of employment
with the Dingham Pharmacy at Columbus the Er-
mon Pharraacy at Newark, and the Averbeck Drug
Corapany of Youngstown.
He entered the Youngstown Hospital as a pharraa
cist and in 1918 was proraoted to assistant superin
tendent. He becarae superintendent upon the death
of Mr. Bunn. Mr. Yengling raarried Miss Helen
FUlmore in 191 3. She is a daughter of Harry L.
Fillmore, of Columbus.
Emmanuel iKATZMAN. An active, industrious,
and enterprising young raan, full of the push and
energy Jhat command success in any undertaking,
Emmanuel Katzman holds an assured position araong
the prosperous contractors and buUders of Youngs
town, and with his father. Max Katzraan, has erected
raany of the city's fine residences and public buUd
ings. He was born in 1897 in Poland Russia, where
his childhood days were spent.
Ma.x Katzman was born and reared in Poland,
Russia, and there married. Learning the carpen
ter's trade when young, he became prominent as a
builder and on one estate erected extensive build
ings that required a period of fourteen years to com
plete, he having worked in the great forests during
the long winter seasons, employing from 200 to 300
men in getting out the necessary timbers and sawing
them into lumber. The oppression and unrest among
the Jews became so great that in 1905 he imraigrated
to the United States. He had received very limited
educational advantages in his native land, but had re
ceived mUitary training in the Russian Array, and
subsequently, through sheer force of character and
perseverance, had acquired rauch practical knowl
edge. Locating first in New York, he secured work
by the day, but finding that he had relatives in
Youngstown he raade his way to this city and found
work on the new courthouse, and when he had saved

70

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

a sufficient sum from his daily wages sent back to
Russia for his faraUy. He had then saved $180.00,
which was soon spent for rent and household sup
plies. He has since accuraulated a good property,
owning many pieces of valuable real estate in the
city. Max Katzraan is still actively engaged in con
tracting and building, being a vigorous raan of fifty-
four years, while his wife, Sophia Katzraan is fifty
years of age.
A lad of eight suraraers or raore when he carae to
Youngstown, Eraraanuel Katzraan attended the
Wood Street School and being an unusually clever
student raade six grades in one year. When very
young he began assisting his father, but continued
the studies of the higher grades under private tutors
and also took special instruction at the Young Men's
Christian Association and a course of two years
with the International Correspondence School, his
work having been along the lines of construction.
Becoraing associated in business with his father, they
have erected raany of the beautiful residences of the
city, and some of its finest church, school and public
buildings, among others specially worthy of mention
being the Charles Livingston iBusiness House, the
Leo Guthman Building on Wick Avenue, the iBuick
Garage, the Moses Rosenbaum residence, the Wil
liara Wilkoff residence and the A. M. Frankle resi
dence, the Washington, Lincoln and Hubbard High
School buildings, and the Ungar Apartments, whUe
Emmanuel Katzman himself, erected the LUlian
Apartment Building, in which he lives and which he
named in honor of his wife to be.
Emmanuel Katzman married May 19, 1918, Lillian
daughter of Harry and Rose Friedman, of Cleve
land. Both he and his wife are members of Temple
Emanuel. Fraternally Mr. Katzman is a member of
the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith, of the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Knights
of Pythias; of the Modern Woodmen of America;
the Federal Lodge; and he also belongs to the
Young Men's Hebrew Association, the Pole Zion
Club, and to the Builder'.s Exchange.
Charles S. Thomas, for many years a resident
of Niles, now of Youngstown, comes of a long
line of Scotch iron workers, and he has long been
recognized as one of the most practical men in the
iron and steel business in Eastern Ohio, and has
assisted in creating and buUding up a nuraber of
plants in the Mahoning VaUey.
Mr. Thomas was born at Coatbridge, Lanark
shire, Scotland, December 12, 1868. His father,
Robert Thomas, was one of the raanagers of the
Glasgow Iron Works. Charles S. Thoraas was left
an orphan at an early age, but acquired a practical
education in Scotland.
While he was a sraall boy the old Suraraers
Brothers Corapany had been organized and was
operating a plant at Struthers, Ohio. The prin
cipal members of this firra were uncles and cousins
of Charles S. Thoraas. The opportunity for era
ployraent in this industry was what brought Charles
S. Thoraas across the ocean at the age of fifteen.
He began in the office of the Suraraers Brothers
Corapany and continued with the organization until
1894, when the corapany was dissolved. iDuring

the ten years he had filled practically every posi
tion in the sheet mill.
In i8gs the Struthers Iron & Steel Company,
with Jonathan Warner as president, succeeded to
the plant and business of the Summers Brothers
Company. Mr. Thoraas reraained with the new or
ganization as secretary. Five years later, in 1900,
the Struthers plant was sold to the United States
Steel Corporation, which retained Mr. Thomas for
a year as local plant raanager.
His next important undertaking was the organi
zation of the Erapire Iron and Steel Company at
Niles, and he served it as vice president and gen
eral manager until igo6, when the business was
sold to Jonathan Warner. Mr. Thomas, in 1909,
organized the Deforest Sheet & Tin Plate Com
pany at Niles, being vice president and secretary
and later president. This property, in May. 1919,
was sold to the Republic Iron and Steel Company.
Mr. Thomas still has some direct associations
with the industrial and financial affairs of the iMa
honing Valley, being a director of the Electric Alloy
Steel Corapany, the Falcon Steel Corapany at Niles,
the First National Bank and the Dollar Savings
& Trust Corapany at Youngstown, and the Dollar
Savings Bank Company of Niles. He made his
home at Niles for twenty years, and helped develop
that city, serving as president of the Niles Cham
ber of Commerce and as a member of the Building
Comraittee of the McKinley Meraorial Association.
In igig he reraoved his residence to Youngstown.
Mr. Thoraas coming to Araerica in boyhood has
adapted hiraself in spirit and practice to American
ideals and no native son could surpass hira in loy
alty to the institutions of the United States. He
is a raeraber of the Youngstown and Youngstown
Country clubs, and the TrurabuU Country Club of
Warren and NUes. He is a Knight Templar York
Rite and Scottish Rite Mason and a meraber of the
Mystic Shrine.
In 1898 Mr. Thoraas married Miss Helen Struth
ers, meraber of a very historic faraUy of the Ma
honing VaUey. Her father, WiUiara Struthers, was
a nephew of Thoraas Struthers, after whom the
Town of Struthers was named and founder of the
old Anna furnace of the Struthers Iron Company
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have two children: Marion
Struthers and Dudley Struthers.
Joseph A. Halls. Endowed with mechanical
genius and abUity of a superior order, Joseph A.
Halls, of Youngstown, occupies an honored position
as superintendent of the fireproofing department of
the General Fireproofing Company, and as an ex
pert machinist has acquired a world-wide reputation,
raachinery of his design and raanufacture being in
demand in all parts of the globe. A son of the late 1
James Halls, he was born in 1870 in Mahoning Coun- |
ty, in which the greater part of his life has been
passed. James Halls lived in England, his native country,
until twenty-five years of age, when he immigrated
to the United States. He was a farmer during his
earlier life but after coming to Ohio was for some
time eraployed in the Ohio iPowder Company located
north of Youngstown. He attained the ripe old age

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

71

f three score and ten years. After coming her^ he
larried Katherine Applegate, who was the desc/nd-
nt of an old and prominent family of Mahyning
^alley, being the daughter of Calvin App'egate/ who
'as there born in 1809. She outlived ber hu/band,
ying at the age of seventy-five years.' Botl/ were
aithful raembers of the Presbyterian (Jhurchj The
ihUdren of Jaraes Halls and wife were as filllows:
alvin A. of Hubbard, Ohio; Williara, of "Joungs-
)wn, Ohio; James R., of Youngstown, Ohici assist-
nt cashier in the Coraraercial National B^k; and
oseph A., who was the eldest born. '
Acquiring the rudiments of his education in the
Dmraon schools of TrurabuU County, J(iseph A.
lalls was subsequently graduated from the Hubbard
ligh School. During his vacations he worked on
le farra of his grandfather, Calvin Applegate, but
irraing not appealing to hira, he entered the eraploy
f the Williara Tod Company, and there ferved an
pprenticeship at the machinist's trade, being with
lat corporation long before it was absorbed by the
Inited Engineering & Foundery Company, serving
s its superintendent. He afterward became super-
itendent of the Tod-Booth Company and in that
ipacity being also foreman and raachinist of the
lant, he was associated with the buUding of sorae
f the celebrated blowing engine plants of this and
ther countries. Mr. Halls was subsequently made
aperintendent of the district for the United En-
ineering and Foundry Corapany and had full
harge of the construction of some of the most im-
ortant steel mill machinery used in the country dur-
ig the busy period of the World war when his cora-
any was taxed to the lirait with orders of he most
rgent character growing out of the immense plant
xpansion and re-equipraent to keep up with war
emands. On September i, 1919, Mr. Halls became
uperintendent of the fireproofing departraent of the
ieneral Fireproofing Company, and is perforraing
le duties of the office with characteristic ability.
Mr. Halls married April 12, 1898, Caroline Poi
nd, daughter of Daniel Roland. She died January
6, 1919, leaving three children, namely : Norman
V. and Caroline J., pupUs in the Rayen High
ichool, and Sarah H., a chUd of eight years. Re-
igiously Mr. Halls is a meraber of the Westminster
iihurch. Fraternally he belongs to the Ancient Free
nd Accepted Order of Masons, being a member of
he Lodge and Chapter; and to the Knights of
-•ythias. He also belongs to the Youngstown En
gineers' Club.
William George Reese. A highly esteemed and
nfluential citizen of Youngstown, and a man of
ecognized business ability and judgraent, Williara
iJeorge Reese is actively associated with one of the
eading industries of Mahoning County, having
charge of the sales of the slag department of the
Dhio Works, Carnegie Steel Plant a position of much
•esponsibility. A son of William George Reese, Sr.,
le was born Noveraber i, 1882, on Watts Street near
;he Erie Railway in Youngstown, of Welsh descent.
William George Reese, Sr. was born, bred and
married in Neath, Wales. While in his native land
he was eraployed in iron works, and after coraing to
the United States entered the eraploy of the WiUiam

B. Pollock Company of Youngstown, and as one of
his first jobs erected the smoke stack at No. 4 Mill.
An expert boiler maker, he was the first man to use
rivets in the manufacture of boilers, but was not for
tunate enought to receive a patent on them, some one
else doing so. A man of much intelligence, he
forraed raany pleasant acquaintances, among others
having been William Shiller of the National Tube
Works, who Was one of his best friends. He died in
1884, while yet in life's prirae, having been but
thirty-seven years old at the tirae of his death.
The maiden narae of the wife of William G.
Reese, Sr., was Hannah Parker, and they were
inarried in Wales. Although she was a sraall, frail
appearing woraan, not over four feet in height, she
was endowed with a brave, heroic spirit, and when
left a widow with a family to support she went to
work with true Spartan grit, and provided well for
her children, and gave them good educational ad
vantages. Industrious and faithful, willing to accept
any position, she served as janitress at the gas office,
the Dollar Bank BuUding, the Wick Building, and
other buildings, and at the same tirae did work for
the faraily of C. H. Andrews. She is now enjoying
all the coraforts of life, living with her daughter,
Mrs. WUliam AUcock, at 950 Tod Avenue. She has
four loving and devoted children, as follows : Sarah,
wife of William AUcock; Mamie, wife of J. O.
Reeble, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ; WUliara G.,
the subject of this sketch, and Philip B., foreraan of
the shipping departraent of the Ohio 'Works.
Attending the Front Street School until eight
years old, Williara George Reese then entered the
Woods Street School, from which he was graduated
at the age of fifteen years. Immediately entering the
Ohio Works he served first as water boy under
Edward C. Moore, and subsequently held various
positions, each promotion giving hira greater respon
sibilities and raore pay. He was in turn raanipulator,
inspector of steel, foreman in the finishing depart
ment, and then in the slag department. Mr. Reese
now has entire charge of the slag sales, an import
ant branch of the industry that takes hira to raany
cities, and brings hira in contact with raen of prom
inence in the business life of the country.
Mr. Reese married in 1902 Mary E., daughter of
Adolph and Anna Duerr, her father having for years
been baggage raaster, and well known. Two chil
dren have been born of their raarriage, Dorothy and
Pauline. Public spirited and eminently capable, Mr.
Reese has been influential in proraoting enterprises
conducive to the city's welfare. He served as a
raember of the council, representing the Fifth Ward
for two terms and as a member of the council at large
for two terras and is now president of the city coun
cil, and in his official capacity was instruraental in
securing the extension of the Mahoning Car Line to
Perkins, the fire station on Mahoning Avenue,
sewerage in the Mill Creek District and many other
needed improvements that have proved of immense
value to the city. Fraternally he is a Royal Arch
Mason, a meraber of the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, and of the Order of Moose. Re
ligiously Mr. and Mrs. Reese are raembers of Saint
David's Society and of the Trinity English Lutheran
Church.

72

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE UaiONING VALLEY

William Moore Arrel. From the very beginning
of the nineteenth century the Arrel family has been
a prorainent one in the Mahoning Valley. One of
its useful members was the late WUliara Moore
Arrel, whose life was spent as an industrious farraer
and capable citizen in the country immediately
adjacent to LowellvUle.
He was born in Poland Township February 2, 1831,
son of David and Martha (Moore) Arrel. His
grandfather, John Arrel, was born in Franklin
County, Pennsylvania, of Scotch-Irish parentage,
and settled in Ohio in 1800 and served as a soldier
in the War of 1812. David Arrel was born in
Mahoning County May 6, 1803, and died in 1888.
The farm where 'William Moore Arrel spent so
raany years, at one tirae belonged to his aunt. Miss
Margaret Arrel, who never occupied it, she and her
unmarried brother, John, spending their lives on
another farm for fifty years. Out of seven children
in the first generation of the Arrel family in Ma
honing County only two were married, and they
all spent their lives in the county and four died in
advanced years.
¦WUliara Moore Arrel raarried Jane Martin, a
native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She was
brought as a child to Poland Township, her parents
being Hugh and Dorcas (Blackburn) Martin. Her
father spent the rest of his life on a farm near
Poland Village. WUliam Moore Arrel after a few
years on his farm on the State Road moved to the
place adjoining Lowellville, the farm running back
from the Mahoning River and comprising several
hundred acres. He did general farraing, and the
land was also famous for the Arrel quarries, where
great quantities of limestone were taken out for
many years and used by the furnaces. These quar
ries are now practically depleted. The old horae
stood about a mile back from the river, and at that
place William Moore Arrel died in October, 1894.
iEventually the quarries encroached upon the horae
site until the house was converted to other purposes,
and the present home was built a few years since by
the faraUy. This home stands on a beautiful site
oil the brow of a hill overlooking the entire valley,
with Lowellville immediately beneath, and within
view of the stacks of the Sharon Steel Hoop Cora
pany, the Meehan Boiler Works, the power house of
the Interurban Railroad, and many other features
of the thriving industrial energy of the Mahoning
¦yalley. The presence of limestone deposits on the
Arrel farm was an influence dictating the location
of some of the first furnaces in the valley.
The late Mr. Arrel was never in politics, but in
other directions found opportunity to satisfy his
public spirit. He and his wife had six children who
grew to raature years: Martha, who died in early
woraanhood ; Dorcas Rachel, wife of G. E. Harailton,
of Lowellville; John Williara, who died in young
manhood; Margaret Jane and Mary, both at home,
and Frances, wife of Paul Detchen, a real estate
man at Detroit. Mr. Arrel was one of the first
directors in the Dollar Savings Bank of Youngs
town, Ohio, and Mrs. G. E. Hamilton and Miss
Margaret J. Arrel are directors in the LowellviUe
Bank.

Louis Wester & Sons. A substantial and pros.
penus biisiness raan of Youngstown and a highly
resiected titizen, Louis Wester, head of the firm of
Lous Weg:er & Sons, dealers in sand, cement, ashes
slag ind cial, is raanaging the affairs of the firm in
a mo5t able and systematic manner, having one of
the best and most completely equipped plants ot the
kind il the city. A native of Sweden, he was horn
February i[, 1866, on the Torp farm, which isb.
cated twenti^-four miles frora the City of Gothen-
berg, ard fiity railes frora Stockholm, being a sonof
Westdanl Hslt.
Acquiring a good education in his native land
Louis Wester left home at the age of eighteen
years, immigrating to the United States and landing
in New Ybrk City. Coming westward as far as
Pennsylvania, he located at Gilitizen, where he
worked for five years in the coal mines, afterward
becoming operator of an electric mine machine. Lo
cating at Anita, Pennsylvania, in 1891, Mr. Wester
took contracts for the building of houses and plants
for the Rochester & P'lttsburgh Coal & Iron Com
pany, an undertaking wliich proved profitable, and
in which he continued for nearly a score of yeirs.
In igio, exercising his usual good judgment, Mr.
Wester established hiraself as a contractor at his
present location, 76 Indianola Avenue, Youngstown,
and at the sarae time largely increased his opera
tions, making a specialty of selling sand, cement,
ashes, slag and coal. His extensive transactions in
this line' prove that he raade no raistake when he
began dealing in those raaterials. In 1916 the busi-
: ness of the firra had reached such vast proportions
that the sons, J. Walter Wester and Ernest Wester,
assuraed charge of all contracts, and have since
built over fifty railes of sidewalk in the new addi
tions raade to Youngstown, and have also built many
streets and roads, and have filled large contracts for
cement work of various kinds.
When Mr. Wester landed in New York he had but
$10 in money, and, though poor in pocket, he was
rich in energy and ambition, and with a determi
nation to succeed he worked with a will, and his
present high standing in the industrial, business and
financial life of the city places hira among the self-
made men of whora our country is justly proud.
While a resident of Pennsylvania, without his con
sent, he was placed upon the Official Board of
Charity, which looked after the city's poor, and was
also raade treasurer of the local school board. Polit
ically Mr. Wester was an ardent republican unti
after the discovery of heavy graft in the building of
the State Capitol, and since that time has voted for
the best raen and raeasures, regardless of party re
strictions. Mr. Wester raarried in Pennsylvania Hulda Jota-
son, and of their union seven sons and two daugh
ters have been born, namely : John Walter, Ernest
W., Anna Ethel, George, Arthur, Warden, Alice,
Richard and Elwood. Religiously Mr. Wester and
his family are members of the Swedish Mission
Church. William F. Stambaugh, who represents one
branch of the relationship that has been prominent
in the affairs of Northeastern Ohio from pione"

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

73

days, has a veteran's experience in the industrial life
of the district, is one of the older officials of the
Brier HUl Steel Company, and for a number of
years has been its superintendent of transportation
and labor.
Mr. Starabaugh, who was born at Youngstown,
May 12, 1867, is a son of David and Sarah (Fitch)
Starabaugh. His father at one tirae was in the
foundry business at Girard. He was a Union sol
dier throughout the period of the Civil war, raost of
the tirae in the quartermaster's department. He was
still comparatively young when he met an accidental
death. He was the fatlier of two children, William
F. and David L.
Williara F. Starabaugh attended the public schools
at Youngstown, but at the age of sixteen went to
work, so that his active working experience covers
at , least thirty-five years. He was first eraployed
by Henry Wick in what is now the Union Works of
the Carnegie Steel Company. He was assigned the
duties of weighing iron. Not long afterward, when
the works were shut down by strike, Mr. Wick put
him in the Witch Hazel Coal Company's plant on
Belraont Avenue within fifty feet of where Fairview
crosses Belmont. He became a coal weigher, and
was with the corapany about six years, during which
tirae the Witch Hazel coal field was thoroughly de
veloped. In 1888 Mr. Starabaugh became a helper in the
Williara B. Pollock's boUer works, and served two
years at the boUer raaker's trade. In July, 1890, he
left the boiler shops to become a mail carrier at
Youngstown, and was one of the staff of the local
postoffice until the spring of 1896. Then after a few
months at boiler making in the fall of 1896, he en
tered the service of the Brier Hill Iron & Coal Com
pany as a dock foreman, having in charge the hand
ling and loading of pig iron. He succeeded D. C.
Bucken as yardmaster and shipper, and when the
Brier Hill Steel Company was formed he continued
as yardmaster and about 1913 was proraoted to his
present responsibilities as superintendent of trans
portation and labor.
Mr. Starabaugh is a Knight of Pythias and has
filled the various chairs in his lodge. He is a
meraber of the Christian Church and a republican
voter. September 6, 1893, he raarried Miss Eliza
beth Winsper, of Youngstown. Five children were
born to their raarriage : Adalaide C, wife of
Jo.seph H. Jackson; David H. ; Grace G., deceased;
Arabella and Sophia.
Harvey J. Woodard, general manager of sales for
the Republic Rubber Ciompany, began his career in a
rubber factory and has had an active association
with the industry for practically two decades.
He was born at Kalaraazoo, Michigan, April 13,
1869, son of WUliara M. and Louisa (Carpenter)
Woodard, the former now deceased and the latter
still living. William M. Woodard spent his active
life as a merchant, and was for four years a Union
soldier in the Civil war. He served as first lieuten
ant in the Third Michigan Cavalry. He was in the
battle of Shiloh, in many of the campaigns and was
slightly wounded.
Harvey J. Woodard grew up at Kalaraazoo, had a

high school education and spent one year in the mills
of the diamond Rubber Company. For two years
he worked in the sales end of the railroad depart
ment, and then for fifteen years was New 'York
manager of the Diamond Rubber Company. An
other two years he was connected with the Knight
Rubber and Tire Corapany at Akron.
He came to Youngstown in 1917, at the sarae tirae
as Mr. Norwood, now president of the Republic
Rubber Corapany. As general manager of sales he
is the man chiefly responsible for the great volume
of the business of the corporation during the past
two years.
Mr. Woodard is a meraber of the Youngstown and
Youngstown Country Clubs, and is a member of the
Masonic Order. He and his faraily belong to the
Episcopal Church. In 1898 he raarried Miss Kath
erine Nelson, of Kalaraazoo. Their children are
Mary and Williara.
George E. Hamilton. In recent years business
firms and individuals at Lowellville have depended
upon and demanded more and more for carrying out
their building program the services of George E.
Hamilton, a contractor who has developed an ade
quate organization and has the facilities for prac
tically every class of work needed in his district.
Mr. Harailton, who is a citizen of the highest
standing in Lowellville, was born near Canonsburg,
Pennsylvania, January 29, 1863. He grew up in
Southwestern Pennsylvania, acquired a coraraon
school education, and by practical experience per
fected hiraself as a carpenter. He has been a resi
dent of Lowellville about twenty-five years, and most
of that time has been doing business as a buUding
contractor. Mr. Hamilton has served as a raeraber
of the local school board for the past eight years,
and is a trustee of the Presbyterian Church.
By his first marriage he has three sons : Harvey,
in the office of the Pennsylvania Railroad at In
dianapolis ; WUliam R., in the office of the Republic
Iron and Steel Company; and Fred B., in the office
of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company.
In 1908 Mr. HamUton married Dorcas R. Arrel,
meraber of the prorainent Mahoning County faraily
of that narae, whose record appears elsewhere in
this publication. Mrs. Harailton was very active in
local Red Cross work during the war, also helped
in the War Savings carapaign and is a director in
the Lowellville Bank and Savings Corapany. Mr.
HamUton is affiliated with the Masonic Order.
Orris O. Hewitt. While his talents have been
turned to good account in different professions. Orris
O. Hewitt is best known in NUes as a manufacturer,
and for several years past has been connected with
the Niles Forge & Manufacturing Company.
He was born on a farm near Newton Falls Ohio,
January 16, 1879, son of Levi and Amelia (Kistler)
Hewitt, natives of the same locality. The grand
parents were early pioneers of Ohio. Levi iHewitt
is stUl living at Newton Falls, while his wife is de
ceased. Orris O. Hewitt grew up on a farm, had a public
school education and business college training, and
began his life as a school teacher. In 1903, on com-

74

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

ing to Niles, he served for a time as stenographer
and bookkeeper for the Niles Mine and MUl Supply
Company. When that plant was consolidated with
the Mineral Ridge Manufacturing Corapany he re
raained with the latter for two years. Since then
he has had residence for brief intervals at a nuraber
of places, though his home for the raost part has
been in Niles. He has been actively identified with
the NUes Forge & Manufacturing Corapany for sev
eral years, first as secretary and for the past two
years as secretary and treasurer.
By appointraent Mr. Hewitt served two years as
city treasurer at Niles. He is a democrat and a
member of the Presbyterian Church. September 28,
1904, he married Blanche M. Everett, of Newton
Falls. Their three children are Delphine M., Ev
erett Lee and Ruth Ida.
Daniel Sheehy. WhUe Youngstown was founded
by and named in honor of John Young, Young
and his family never raade a perraanent horae here.
One of Young's active associates at the beginning
of settleraent was Daniel Sheehy, whose power and
influence were much more significant in many ways
than Young's in the early -history of the town, and
who spent his life here and has numerous descend
ants living there today.
Daniel Sheehy was born in Dublin, Ireland, and
vvas liberally educated and had many of the dis
tinctive oratorical gifts of the Irishman. He had
corae to the colonies during the Revolutionary war.
One of his relatives had been beheaded because
of his religion. Daniel Sheehy's early training was
for the Catholic priesthood. He was the leading
character of the Irish population in this portion
of the Western Reserve and according to Father
Mears of Youngstown, was the founder of the
Catholic Church in this portion of Northeast Ohio.
He had fou^t as a young officer on the American
side in the Revolution.
At Albany, New York, he raet John Young, who
persuaded Sheehy to come to the Western Reserve.
Sheehy was assistant surveyor to Isaac Powers.
Daniel Sheehy selected 2,000 acres of land, 400
being in the east part of Youngstown, and part
of it still occupied by his descendants. The story
is told that Young, after setting aside this land
to Sheehy, received a higher offer and tried to
annul the bargain. Daniel Sheehy was of a tem
perament not calculated to submit to any such in
justice. He quarreled with Young, and as a
result was imprisoned in the first jail in Trum
bull County, at Warren. He was also a ring leader
in the quarrel about the alien vote in the county
seat case. Daniel Sheehy's wife was quite as de
terrained as he to obtain the land he had bought.
and it was through her influence that a corapro
raise was obtained, whereby Mr. Sheehy got a
deed to his 400 acres. Very properly one of the
city streets of Youngstown is named Sheehy.
Daniel Sheehy established his home at what is
now Wilson Avenue and Edgewood Street. He
farmed there in the early days, and in the absence
of local mills took his grain by canoe to Beaver,
Pennsylvania. On one of these trips he raet Jane
McLain, who was of Scotch descent, and was a

woraan of high character and in every way a part
ner to her husband. They had nine children: Rob
ert, said to have been the first white child born
in Youngstown, who died at the age of nineteen;
Mary, who became the wife of WiUiam 'Woods;
Catherine, who married Neil Campbell; Margaret)
Mrs. Daniel McAlister ; John ; Daniel ; James ; Mc
Lain; and Jane, who was married to John Lett
The Sheehy descendants inherited rauch of the
ability and fine character of Daniel and Jane
Sheehy. Daniel Sheehy accuraulated considerable
raeans and gave to his children liberally. His later
years were spent in blindness.
John Sheehy, a son of Daniel, married Anna
Kirarael and they had five chUdren. John Sheehy
was both a farraer and a blacksraith and a promi
nent whig in politics. Daniel Sheehy, Jr., mar
ried Charlotte Pearson, but had no chUdren. James
Sheehy married and had one son who moved to
Kentucky and became head of a college at Bards
town. iMcLain Sheehy lived and died in Youngs
town, his wife being Julia Bedell, and there is but
one child left living in this city, iMary, who married
Patterson Hewitt.
George C. Wilson, whose widow is still living
at Youngstown at the age of eighty-six and is a
granddaughter of the famous early settler Daniel
Sheehy, was himself of a pioneer family.
He was born January 12, 1834, at Weathersfield,
now a part of Girard, Ohio. He was left father
less when young and lived with a brother until as
a result of unjust treatment he ran away. He
grew up into a handsorae young raan and developed
a high order of business ability. He was keen
of discernraent, and had great versatility. He
clerked in a store and later became a successful
traveling salesman. He went south as agent of
the Adaras Express Company.
October 27, 1859, Mr. 'Wilson married Miss Ellen
Sheehy, daughter of John Sheehy and granddaugh
ter of Daniel Sheehy. Just before the beginning
of the Civil war they were living in Mississippi.
Mr. Wilson was strongly Union in sentiment, and
therefore took his wife to Louisville, Kentucky,
where during the war he had charge of river
transportation between Louisville and Cincinnati for
the United States Government. Mrs. Wilson ren
dered considerable service in the army hospitals.
After the war the Wilsons returned to Youngs
town and bought the old Sheehy homestead, where
George C. Wilson spent the rest of his life and
where he died June 10, 1897. iHe made the old
Sheehy homestead pay him rich dividends. He laid
out through the property Wilson Avenue, named
in his honor, and was instrumental in securing the
construction of a street railway on that thorough
fare, giving the right of way to the company. He
also developed a sand bank on the property, and
that deposit is stUl being exploited on an exten
sive scale. Mr. Wilson was a Presbyterian, a re
publican and a Mason. He left a large estate.
Mrs. George C. WUson was born March 21, i834i
and except seven years in the South has spent all
her life in Youngstown. She inherited many of
the intellectual gifts of her father and grandfather

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

75

and at the age of sixteen began teaching school,
having as high as ninety pupils enrolled under her.
This was her work until her marriage. At the
age of eighty-six she still retains her physical and
mental faculties, and for a number of years has
directed a large business with excellent judgment,
her capable ally being her only daughter, Elizabeth.
Sylvester E. McKee has gained secure vantage
place as one of the progressive and representative
business men of the thriving little city of Sebrmg,
Mahoning County, where he developed a substantial
enterprise under the title of the Sebring Electric
Service Corapany, which he sold in February, 1920,
and where he forraerly controlled a prosperous busi
ness in the handling of newspapers, magazines and
other periodicals.
Mr. McKee was born in Mercer County, Penn
sylvania, July 21, 1861, — a date memorable as that
on which occurred the battle of Bull Run. His
father was a manufacturer of and dealer in lumber,
besides having been a substantial farraer, and after
his retirement he continued his residence in Mercer
County until his death, he having served many years
as justice of the peace.
After having attended the public schools Sylves
ter E. McKee completed a business course in Duff's
College in the City of Pittsburgh, and for seven
years thereafter he was bookkeeper in the office of
the Hazard Coal Company at Hazard, Pennsylvania,
For the ensuing three years he held an office position
at Pittsburgh, and in 1890 he came to Ohio and en
gaged in the grocery and notions business at East
Palestine, Columbiana County. He continued this
enterprise seven years and for the following three
years was there identified with electrical business.
In 1900 he carae to Sebring and established his late
enterprise, in which he built up a prosperous business.
Mr. McKee did the first practical electrical installa
tion work in the village, and in connection with the
large amount of service thus rendered he finally
developed the business in the handling of aU kinds
of electrical supplies and the contracting for elec
trical work. In the handling of metropolitan and
other newspapers Mr. McKee developed his circula
tion at Sebring frora thirty copies to fully 500, and
in 1912 he sold this departraent of his business upon
advantageous terras. Thereafter he purchased the
Sebring electric-light plant, the same having been in
the hands of a receiver. The property had been
twice sold at the time it carae into his possession in
1912, and under his control the service was brought
to excellent standard in the supplying of lights for
streets, business places and houses. Operative power
was secured from the Stark Electric Company, and
after making the property and franchise substan
tially valuable Mr. McKee sold the plant and busi
ness to the Alliance Gas & Power Company at a
handsome profit, after having controlled the enter
prise seven years. His well equipped business place
was established in the Mahoning Block, and in addi
tion to handling a full line of electrical goods Mr.
McKee was local agent for leading phonographs.
His activities in this last department were largely
confined to handling the excellent and popular
Mackolo phonographs, with the manufacturing of

which instruments he had become actively and finan
cially identified. Mr. McKee is a raan of marked
initiative ability and much enterprise, as further
demonstrated by his being a director of the Sebring
Tire & Rubber Company, which was organized in
igi6. In July, 1920, he took the agency for the Over
land and WUlys-Knight automobiles for the district
of Sebring, and has erected a modern garage and
storeroom on a part of the property adjoining his
residence. At Hazard, Pennsylvania, November 6, 1884, Mr.
McKee wedded Miss Lessie E. Wilson, and they
have one son Floyd W., who is now superintendent
and manager of the Salem China Company, the
business of which is owned by F. A. Sebring. Floyd
W. McKee raarried Miss Hannah Wilson, of Graf
ton, Pennsylvania, and they have three chUdren —
Ellsworth, Elizabeth and Bessie.
S. E. McKee and his wife are zealous raembers of
the United Presbyterian Church at Sebring, in which
he is an elder and also until recently superintendent
of the Sabbath school. He was the first scholar in
the Sabbath school organized by this congregation,
and also had the distinction of being made its first
teacher and its first superintendent. He is affiliated
with the Independent Order of Odd Fellow.s his
wife being an active raeraber of the Daughters of
Rebekah and also an active worker in behalf of the
temperance cause. In connection with work for pro
hibition iMrs. McKee served about three years as
chairman of the Wet and Dry Association of
Sebring. James Guy Swisher, enterprising and respected
merchant of Petersburg, Mahoning County, and in
possession of a substantial general store business at
that place, is widely known throughout that section
of the county, and has shown comraendable interest
in public affairs. He has been active in church
work; and generally has sought to give useful serv
ice to his neighborhood, both in business and public
affairs. He was born in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania,
on Septeraber 5, 1870, the son of James P. and
Elizabeth Swisher. The family, however, has been
connected with Petersburg and with Mahoning
County for forty-four years, for James G. was only
six years old when his parents carae to live in
Petersburg. His father died in 1901, and the only
survivor of the Swisher family of his father's gen
eration, which consisted of six sons and three daugh
ters, is his aunt Mary, who married WUliam Cor
nelius, whose son Ralph is president of the Mahoning
National Bank and a leading resident of Youngs
town. James P. Swisher, father of James G., was
seventy-three years old in the year of his deraise.
Jaraes Guy Swisher passed his boyhood frora his
sixth year in Petersburg, and attended the schools
of that place, eventually graduating frora the high
school. Soon afterwards he entered commercial life,
for twelve years being connected as traveling sales
man with the Robert McBride Company, whole
salers of Cleveland, for some years handling city
trade for them. He raarried in 1901, and for six
years thereafter continued to act as salesraan for

76

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

the Cleveland firm, he and his wife, Daisy E. MUler,
daughter of J. F. Miller, of Petersburg, living in
Cleveland during that period. In 1907 her father,
who for thirty-five years had been in retail mercan
tile business at Petersburg, wished to retire because
of failing health, and he asked his son-in-law,
Jaraes G. Swisher, to corae back to Petersburg and
take charge of the store, which Mr. Swisher did
soon afterwards. In 1915 Mr. MUler retired alto
gether, and since that year Mr. Swisher has been in
complete control of the business, which is a sub
stantial one. Since James G. Swisher acquired the
business he has appreciably expanded it. Each year
shows an increase in trade ; and each year widens his
scope of trading. He carries a stock of about $7,500,
finds constant employment for two assistants, and
has embraced all general lines in his store. He has
a wide country trade, and is well regarded in the
neighborhood as an accommodating merchant, re
liable and practical in his service. He also owns the
store building.
Fraternally he is identified with the Kriights of
Pythias order, has passed through all the chairs of
the local lodge, and has been its Master of Finances
for ten years. Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Swisher
are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
Mrs. Swisher taking much part in church work, and
Mr. Swisher holding church office. He has been
steward of the church for six years. Politically
he is a republican.
Lawrence W. Kale, senior member of the firm of
L. W. Kale & Sons, is a man who has lived to
good purpose and achieved a large degree of suc
cess, solely through his individual efforts. By a
straightforward and comraendable course Mr. Kale
has won the hearty adrairation of the people .of
his community, earning a reputation as an enter
prising, progressive man of affairs which the pub
lic has not been slow to recognize and appreciate.
Those who know him best wUl readily acquiesce
in the statement that he is eminently deserving of
the material success which has crowned his efforts
and of the high esteem in which he is held.
Lawrence W. Kale was born in Deerfield, Port
age County, Ohio, on May 6, 1861, and is the son
of Henry and Mary (Shiveley) Kale. Henry Kale,
who was of Pennsylvania-Dutch stock, was a na
tive of Ohio and died at Deerfield, at the
age of seventy-four years. His wife made her
home during the last years of her life with her
son, the subject of this sketch, her death occur
ring in 1902. Henry Kale came to Youngstown
in an early day, when it was but a hamlet, and
here learned the taUor's trade. While still a young
man he moved to Portage County, this state, where
he engaged in farming on a limited scale, thougii
he made a success of it through his industry and
thrift. He was a member of the Methodist Epis
copal Church at Deerfield and was on its official
board for many years. He was twice raarried, first
to Matilda Lyon, to which union were born two
sons, Wallace and Walter, both of whom are now
deceased. The former was a harness-maker and
the latter a carpenter, their residence being in Pal
myra, Ohio, where Mary Kale, the widow of Wal

ter, still resides. By his last marriage, which was
to Mary Shiveley, Henry Kale became the father
of two sons, the subject of this sketch and Alva
a carpenter living in Youngstown, who has a son'
Henry, who is now a teacher in the Rayen High
.School. Lawrence W. Kale received his early education
in the public schools of Deerfield, Ohio. iHe re
mained on the parental farm until nineteen years
of age, when he learned the carpenter's {rade. In
1882 he came to Youngstown and worked at his
trade for about ten years. In 1892 he formed a
partnership with F. A. Hartenstein, and they opened
a grocery store at No. 523 High Street. One year
later he sold his interest to his partner and, with a
cash capital of $400, engaged in business on his
own account on Burke Street. In 1895 - he built
a storeroom at his present location on Park Avenue,
and so steadily has his business increased since
that time that he has been compelled to make two
additions to the original building. It is but a mat
ter of justice to state a fact well recognized by
all who are farailiar with the business, that a large
share of the success of the business has been due
to the efforts of Mrs. Kale, who has been her hus
band's partner and real helpmate. They have been
splendidly successful and are now the owners of a
comfortable and attractive suburban home near
Austintown. In 1882 Mr. Kale was married to Cornelia Heiser,
the daughter of Charles and Lorinda Heiser, of
Milton, Mahoning County. To their union have been
born two sons, Ronald Oak and Edward Lee, who
are now associated with their father in business.
Ronald Oak is a graduate of the Covington Street
School and of Hall's Business College. At the age
of twenty-one he was taken into partnership with his
father and is now a progressive young business
man. He married Miss Emma Schulz, of Youngs
town, and they have one child, Cornelia. Mr. Kale
and wife are members of the Unitarian Church,
while he is a member of the Masons and the Inde
pendent Order of Odd Fellows. Edward Lee, the
younger son, is a graduate of Covington Street
School. He was also admitted to the partnership
upon reaching man's estate and, like his brother,
deserves considerable credit as a progressive and
hustling young man. He married Jehtiie Hartle, and
they have three children, Mildred, Lawrence and
David. Mr. Kale is also a meraber of the Masonic
and Odd Fellow fraternities and the father and two
sons are republicans in politics.
Fraternally Mr. Kale is a raeraber of the Free and
Accepted Masons, in which he has attained the Royal
Arch degree, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
the Knights of the Maccabees, the Junior Order of
United Araerican Mechanics, while he and his wife
are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. The
family are niembers of Grace English Lutheran
Church. He is a raan of many sterling character
istics of head and heart and has richly earned the
high standing which he enjoys in the community.
Though a busy man, he has never neglected his
duties to'the community and has ever stood forall
that '"^ks' best in everything affecting the material,
civic and raoral interests of the people.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

77

Ezra C. Welsh for many years has been one of
the outstanding figures in the business life of
Mahoning County, the old home of the faraily being
at New Middletown. Incidental to other interests
he acquired some extensive holdings in oil prop
erties and several years ago he turned a large share
of his active capital to the resources of the wonder
ful new oU territory in Texas, and has since spent
much ofhis time in that oil eldorado, his Mahoning
(..ounty business affairs being conducted largely by
his son, Allen G.
Born in Springfield Township, Mahoning County,
February i, 1868, Ezra C. Welsh is a son of Williara
and Leach (Witzeman) Welsh. His father was born
in Wurtemberg, Germany, and at the age of nineteen
came alone to America and at once located in
Springfield Township of Mahoning County. He fol
lowed his trade as a shoeraaker, also bought a farm
of twenty-five acres, and finally bought and raoved
to an eighty-acre farm where he lived until his
death. His wife. Leach Witzeman, was born in
Springfield Township, and her father, Jacob Witze-
raan, was the founder of his faraily in Mahoning
County and became widely prominent in business,
owning a farra, conducting a general store on it and
doing a large business in livestock. He was one of
the early day drovers to Philadelphia. WiUiam
Welsh was a democrat, serving in several local
offices, and was a meraber of the German Lutheran
Church. He and his wife had four children : Jona
than, of near New Springfield; Wilson, of Youngs
town ; Ezra C. ; and Albert, who died at the age of
six years.
Some of the dominant qualities that have dis
tinguished Ezra C. Welsh have been initiative and
self-reliance. He acquired those qualities in his
youthful experience. He received the ordinary educa
tion of the country schools and at Poland, advan
tages deemed sufficient by his father, but not by
himself. By his personal efforts, beginning at the
age of thirteen, he acquired the necessary sura to pre
pare himself for teaching, and at the age of seven
teen took his first school in Springfield Township.
This instance of his youthful determination and
enterprise, it is not too much to say, has been re
peated over and over again on larger scales through
out his career. For seven years he continued as a
teacher, and left school work to begin business as
a meraber of the firm Wire, Rummel & Company.
In 1889 he bought out that business, and with
Solomon M. Wire changed the name to Wire &
Welsh. They owned the business until D. Living
stone was admitted as a partner, after which the title
was Wire, Welsh & Company. The senior partner
died in 1903, but the name was retained, with Mr.
Welsh and Mr. Livingstone as sole owners until
January I, 1916. Mr. Welsh then accommodated
his partner by buying out his interests and with the
assistance of his son, A. G., took over all the prop
erty of Wire, Welsh & Corapany and incorporated
the Wire-Welsh Distilling Corapany. The stock of
this concern has been very closely held. iE. C. Welsh
is president and general manager and A. G. 'Welsh,
secretary and manager.
Upon the organization of the new company the
capacity of the distillery was increased, a new

bonded warehouse buUt and a modern drying plant
installed whereby all distilled grains heretofore
wasted were dried and sold as dairy food. The plant
continued operation until closed by legislation in
September, 191 7, and since then the plant has stood
idle, no plans having been raatured to convert it to
other purposes. At the time it closed the company-
was mashing 305 bushels of grain per day, and
manufacturing about 1,300 gallons of- whiskey daily.
The Government bonded warehouses had a storage
capacity of . 12,000 barrels.
When Mr. Livingstone sold his interest in the
firm of Wire, Welsh & Company he also sold his
interest in the Prosperous Oil Company. This com
pany operates in the neighborhood of sixtv oil wells
in iSlahoning County. The stock of the company is
held and the officers are the sarae as in the Wire,
Welsh & Corapany.
Thus for a number of years Mr. Welsh has been
actively identified with oil production. Soon after
the distilling plant was closed there occurred the
treraendous development of the new Texas oU fields.
and Mr. Welsh, leaving his Mahoning County busi
ness in charge of his son, went to the southwest
and his increasiiig interests have kept him there al
most uninterruptedly, though he regards Texas only
as a temporary residence. His first success in the
Texas oU fields came in September, 1919, when he
struck a 7,000-barrel per day oil well. Since then
he has broadened out and holds acreage in different
proraising oU territories of Texas, Louisiana and
Arkansas. The farms formerly jointly owned by Mr. Welsh
and Mr. Livingstone are now owned by Mr. Welsh,
and comprise over 200 acres. The residence and
barn have been corapletely equipped and are very
modern. Mr. Welsh in politics is a stanch democrat
and has attended raany state conventions. For many
years he was a raeraber of the Board of Supervisors
of Election for Mahoning County. He and his
faraily belong to St. Luke's Lutheran Church at New
Middletown. September 16, 1886, he married Agnes Living
stone, who was born March 15, 1866, at Struthers,
Ohio, daughter of Andrew and Agnes (Calderhead)
Livingstone. After nearly thirty years of raarried
life Mrs. Welsh died suddenly in iMay, 1915. In the
spring of 1917, Mr. E. C. Welsh married Edna Grise,
of Youngstown. His children are all by his first
marriage, three sons, Allen Grover, William Andrew
and Duncan Ezra.
Allen Grover Welsh, who was born January 19,
1889, graduated frora the Poland Union Seminary,
completed a thorough business course at HaU's Com
mercial College at Youngstown, and in the fall of
1907 entered the freshman year of the Ohio State
University as a student of chemistry. He graduated
in the spring of 191 1, successfully passed the State
Board of Pharmacy examination, and was in the
drug business at Youngstown until he became ac
tively associated with his father in January, 1916.
February 4, 1913, he married Cilara Henrietta
Schmidt, who was born at Colurabus, Ohio, August
16, 1888, daughter of Herraan T. Schmidt, who is
now president of the Cable Piano Company of
Detroit.

78

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

The second son, WiUiam Andrew Welsh, was
born July 9, 1891, and at the conclusion of his
second year in the Poland Union Seminary entered
the South High School at Columbus, following^
which he took the four-year course in pharmacy and
chemistry at the Ohio State University, and subse
quently graduated in medicine from the Jefferson
Medical College at PhUadelphia. After an interne-
ship in the Youngstown City Hospital he passed the
State Medical Board examination in the fall of 1919,
and is now a successful practicing physician at
Youngstown, giving part of his professional service
to the Brier Hill Steel Corapany. In the fall of
1919 Doctor Welsh married Mary Sraith, daughter of
Alfred Sraith of Belraont Avenue, Youngstown.
The youngest son, who was born September 19,
1893, took his freshman high school work at Poland
Union Seminary, his sophoraore year at Colurabiana
High School, and subsequently graduated frora the
Rayen High School. He Spent one year in the Ohio
State University, and left college to enter the serv
ice departraent of the Cadillac Motor Company. Later
he opened a garage at New Middletown, selling
Dodge cars and Cleveland tractors, but since the
fall of igig has had his headquarters at Cleveland,
where he directs the distributing agency for the
Cleveland Tractor Company, over twenty-two coun
ties of Northeastern Ohio. In the fall of 1914
Duncan E. Welsh married Pearl Kauffraan, of New
Middletown. Solomon J. Heck, of Beaver Township, Mahon
ing County, Ohio, is one of the leading residents of
that part of Mahoning County. He is a well-to-do
farmer, has been a township trustee for twenty
years, and is a coal operator and producer.
He was born in Unity Township, Columbiana
County, Ohio, on August 9, 1857, the son of John
and Eliza (Greenamyer) Heck, both of Columbiana
County. iHis mother's parents were from West
moreland County, Pennsylvania, but in the paternal
line four generations have been resident in Ohio.
The Heck family was originaUy from Germany,
Jacob, son of the original American settler of the
Heck famUy, having lived for the latter part of
his life on the same farm in Columbiana County,
Ohio, near which Solomon J. Heck was born.
Jacob Heck was more than eighty years old in the
year of his death. His son John lived in Colum
biana County until 1865, when he came to Beaver
Township, Mahoning County, and took up the tract
now known as the Wisbel farm, near the Eureka
stop on the interurban road. He was a carpenter by
trade, and the latter years of his life he spent in the
home of his son Solomon J. He was a democrat in
politics, a conscientious Christian, meraber of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and for the greater
part of his life was an industrious worker. He
consequently was respected by his neighbors, and had
raany good friends. He died at the age of seventy-
three years, but his widow lived for a further seven
teen years, being eighty-five years old at her death,
and notwithstanding her extreme age she was even
in her last years a well-preserved woman, mentally
vigorous to the end. They had only one child, Solo
mon J., who was born near the old Heck homestead

in Columbiana County eight years before they came
into Mahoning County in 1865. His life has been
centered practically wholly in Beaver Township, and
has been one of creditable activity. He attended th.
district schools in his youth, and afterward learned
the trade of carpenter, and in his young manhood
did much farraing work in the neighborhood for
wages. Not for high wages, either, for at one time
he was only receiving fifty cents a day, and later
his wage was increased to sixteen dollars a month
Then followed four years of steady and responEible
farming for his uncle, Peter Heck, then incapacitated
by old age, and having no son to continue the opera
tion of his farm, his only son, William, having a
short while before died, at the age of thirty-two
years. Solomon J. operated the farra for his uncle
for four years prior to his raarriage, on October 20
1885, to iEmma Rapp, daughter of iNoah and Anna
(Sponseller) Rapp, whose farra adjoined that of
Peter Heck, both bordering on Pine Lake. The
Rapp family is one of the pioneer families of that
section, John Rapp, great-grandfather of Emma
Rapp, being the pioneer. He was born on October
24, 1775, and died in 1862. The descent from John
Rapp and his wife Catherine to Emma Rapp is
through their son Henry and his son Noah, father of
Emraa. Henry died at the age of seventy-two years
and Noah at fifty-eight years. The latter was born
on the Pine Lake farm in 1842, and died in 1900.
Mrs. Heck's mother was reared in the same neigh
borhood, and reached the age of sixty-eight years.
Their children, including Erama, who was the only
daughter, were : Sylvanus, who lives near North
Lima; Albert, of Springfield Township; and Harvey,
at Columbiana. The Rapps were members of the
Reformed Church at North Lima, and both Henry
and Noah were buried there. Erama Rapp stayed
with her parents until she married Solomon J. Heck,
and then for about a year she and her husband lived
on the adjoining property, that of his unde Peter.
Later Mr. and Mrs. Heck lived for about a year near
Youngstown. Solomon J. Heck then rented a farm
in Beaver Township, and two years later, in August,
i8go, bought the farraing property upon which he has
since lived. It was originally the John Coy farm,
that faraily having acquired it, fifty acres, in its wild
state frora the Governraent. It was not in very good
condition when Mr. Heck bought it, and all the im- '
provements now on the land were built by him. He
built a good house and a substantial barn, and was
very enterprising and industrious in his farming
He grew berries extensively, and also truck produce;
set up a saw and grist raill ; had a cider press ; and
made thousands of gallons of apple butter. He pros
pered well in his varied and enterprising use of the
land, and quite recently showed good initiative and
business acumen in opening again a coal bank on
his land. It was originally opened sixty-five years
ago, but abandoned five years later, but in 1917 Mr.
Heck saw a good local demand could be developed,
so he opened it again, and the bank finds employ
ment for three men. There is a vein of coal thirty
inches to three feet thick, and the coal is of aver
age quality. . ,
Mr. Heck is well regarded in the township, and
is generally to be found among the leaders of that

r

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

7*

section of the county in raatters of public interest.
For nearly twenty years he has been a township
trustee, and he is one of the prorainent democrats
of that township. Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Heck
are raembers of the Reformed Church, and for many
years have been identified with the Mount Olivet
Reformed Church at North Lima. Miss Stella Heck
a daughter, has also been particularly active in
churcli work. Miss Heck was organist of Mount
Olivet Church untU she married and moved into
Canfield Township, in which township she also is
similarly connected with the church. In all matters
connected with agriculture Mr. Heck has shown an
intelligent and constructive interest, has been a
member of the local Grange for many years, and
has been a meraber of the Farm Bureau since its
organization. Solomon J. Heck and his wife, Ernma Rapp, are
the parents of five children, four of whom are
daughters. Their children, in order of birth, are :
Clarence Rayraond, of whom more foUows; Grace,
who has reraained with her parents; Stella, who
married Clem Dietrick, of Canfield Township;
Erraa, who married Herbert Haney of Youngstown,
who now is in executive responsibility in the office
of Arraour and Corapany, Youngstown; and Mil
dred, who is at home with her parents. Erraa was
previously engaged in teaching, having been edu
cated for that profession. She graduated in the
high school at Columbiana, attended Tiffin College,
and also Kent Normal School, and as a teacher was
connected with the county schools in Coitsville and
East Youngstown.
Clarence Raymond, only son of Solomon J. and
Emraa (Rapp) Heck, attended Colurabiana High
School, and is now in the autoraobile business in
North Lima, where he has a modern, up-to-date
garage. He is an enterprising business man, who
is satisfactorily succeeding. He married Carrie
Flodden, a daughter of John Flodden, of Leetonia,
and they have two daughters, Helen and Mary.
Charles C. Giering is president and general raan
ager of the Giering Bottling Company at 568 Hilker
Street. Mr. Giering knows every phase and has had
every possible experience in the bottling industry.
In passing years it has been his business arabition to
find a better way and to supply a better product to
his patrons, and out of this ideal has grown the sat
isfying success he enjoys.
He was born within the present limits of the City
of Youngstown, Noveraber 27, 1876, son of Louis
and Marie (Andler) Giering. His father was born
in 1842 and his raother in 1837. They were married
in Germany in June, 1865, and in September of
the same year came to the United States. Louis
Giering had learned the cooper's trade in his na
tive land, and for two years in the United States
worked in that line at New Castle, Pennsylvania.
On coming to Youngstown he had charge of the
cooperage department of the Smith Brewing Com
pany until 1876. In that year, more than forty years
ago, he established the Giering bottling business, his
plant being located in the country at what is now
421 Edwards Street. Later he moved to Marshall
Vol. n— 6

Street and then to the present site of the industry
on HUker Sreet.
This business is therefore one of the oldest of
its kind in Eastern Ohio. The active manager be
came J. F. Giering, son of the founder, in 1896.
Charles C. Giering became a partner in 1900. In
1912 the Giering Bottling Company was incorpo
rated, with Mr. Charles Giering as president and
general raanager. The plant has all the equipment
which makes possible the highest quality of product
under the raost sanitary conditions. This company
are the manufacturers and distributors of Coca-Cola
for the Youngstown district.
Louis Giering died in 1914. WhUe a cooper by
trade and a bottler by raany years of business as
sociation, his hobby and main interest in later years
was agriculture on an intensive scale. To satisfy
this ambition he bought a farm near the city, and
gave to it his personal manageraent untU his death.
His widow is still living in Youngstown, a devout
member of the German Reformed Church. Louis
Giering was affiliated with the Knights of Pythias
and was an independent in politics. He and his
wife had five chUdren : J. F.. a resident of Youngs
town ; Louis W., interested in a bottling business at
Warren, Ohio; Charles C. ; Rosa, wife of William
Aley, of Youngstown; and Mary, wife of Harry
Aley. Charles C. Giering left school at the 'age of four
teen. His first regular occupation was as bottle
washer in his father's establishraent. He perforraed
those duties by means of a handful of shot and a
vigorous shaking of each individual bottle. Anyone
who has visited a raodern bottling establishraent
knows the appliances, consisting of rapidly revolv
ing brushes and other raeans, operated frora a power
shaft, which renders bottle washing a comparatively
simple, rapid and sanitary process. From bottle
washer Mr. Giering worked in every department of
the business, and eventually became manager and
then president of the company. He is a raeraber of
the various Masonic bodies, being a Knight Teraplar
Mason, a raeraber of Lake Erie Consistory of fhe
Scottish Rite, the Mystic Shrine, and is also af
filiated with the Elks, Knights of Pythias and the
Youngstown Charaber of Commerce.
Septeraber 6, 1913, he married Miss Lottie Mere
dith, of Marietta, Ohio. Mrs. Giering is a meraber
of the Reformed Lutheran Church. Their two chil
dren are Louis and Alice Marie.
John Yoder, successful floriculturist at North
Lima, is one of the leading residents of Beaver
Township, prominent in almost all public affairs of
the township, and generally well-known and re
spected throughout that part of Mahoning County.
His life record shows that he is a raan of education
and abUity. In early manhood he was for a decade
an educator, connected as such with the county
schools; is the largest grower of flowers and prod
uce under glass in the district; was one of the or
ganizers of the Beaver Telephone Company, and
was its secretary and treasurer for sixteen years ;
has been township clerk, township treasurer, and in
other ways has participated in the township admin
istration ; he has been a prominent leader of the local

80

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

option raovement ; and for many years has been an
elder of the Reformed Church at North Lima.
He was born about half a raile to the southward
of the VUlage of North Lima, Beaver Township,
Mahoning County, Ohio, on July 9, 1865, the son
of Abraham and Elizabeth (Nold) Yoder. Both
of his parents were born in Bucks County, Penn
sylvania, his father on July 3, 1819, and his mother
on July 22, 1822. His father died on September
8, 1888, aged sixty-nine years, and his mother on
iMay 9, igo8, aged eighty-six years. Abraham Yoder
was twenty-four years old when he married Eliza
beth Nold, daughter of Jacob Nold, a miller and
farmer in Leetonia, Columbiana County, to which
place he had come when his daughter Elizabeth
was young. He operated a mill and farra at Lee
tonia until old age, and died in that place. Her
mother was Kate Ziegler. The Yoder family cer
tainly has place among the pioneer families of
Beaver Township, for it has had connection with
that section of iMahoning County since 1824, when
Peter and Lizzie Yoder came frora Pennsylvania
and settled in the western part of Beaver Town
ship, near Lewistown. There Peter Yoder died
in 1870, after a successful and industrious life as
a farraer. The record shows that Peter Yoder
was one of the leading citizens of the township,
and was especially active in church matters. He
was one of the original members of the Mennonite
Church at North Lima, and was buried in the cerae
tery of that church. The sons of Peter Yoder were
Peter, Lewis, Abraham and John.
Abraham, who was born in i8ig, and married in
1843, in 1856 or 1857 became the owner of the farm
on which most of his children were subsequently
born, the property coming to him by purchase. In
1859 he built the barn now in use, and in 1878
erected the house. The farm was 153 acres in ex
tent, and only partly developed. His life was in
teresting. He did much pioneer work, clearing much
of his farm, and also mining coal found on his
property. For many years he mined coal and car
ried it to the nearest market, which was at Colura.-
biana, four miles distant. The coal deposits on
his farm were of rauch consequence to him, and
although the price by comparison with the prices
of today was somewhat low, he nevertheless found
it quite profitable to mine the coal. Ofteii he
could not sell for cash ; and one buyer used to sell
hira buggies in exchange for coal, which buggies
Abraham Yoder would sell over a wide area. He
died on the farm in his seventieth year. Politi
cally he was a republican, although he never sought
public office ; and he was widely known throughout
the county as a progressive, responsible man. By re
ligious conviction a Mennonite, he lived a conscien
tious Christian life in useful citizenship. He and his
wife, Elizabeth Nold, were the parents of eleven
children : Catherine, who married Isaac Flohr, a
farmer of Columbiana County and she died in 1912,
aged sixty-eight years ; Anna, who died when twelve
years old; William, who left home in 1881 for Ne
braska, eventually becoming a carpenter and con
tractor in Falls City of that state; Noah, who bought
a farm in Wadsworth, Medina County, Ohio, and be
came one of the leading men of that county, being at

one time elected county coraraissioner, and he died
in igis, aged sixty-five years. Jacob, a successful
merchant for the greater part> of his life, and now
living in retirement in Los Angeles, California,
was for eighteen years a grocer in Toledo, Ohio;'
Owen, who was a farmer at Jefferson, Ohio, but
died in 1885, at the early age of thirty-two years.
Abraham was of distinguished public record in the
State of Montana. In 1881 he went to Butte City,
Montana, and became interested in mining. He
was one of the business leaders of Butte City, and
also one of its political leaders. A man of distinct
capability, Abraham Yoder becarae very prominent
as a public speaker, and was elected to many local
offices, and attended many republican national con
ventions. He eventually was elected secretary of
state, and then removed to the state capital, Helena.
He was in office when he died in 1911, aged fifty-.
five years. His widow, Alice Greiner, now lives
in East Palestine, Ohio, where she was born. She
was educated in the old Poland Academy, and at
Lebanon, Ohio. For several years before he mar
ried he taught in the schools of Beaver and Board-
man townships, Mahoning County. Peter, who
lives at Medina, Ohio, is a former raayor of fhat
town, is in coramercial life, and at one time was a
shoe dealer in Medina. Enos, is a merchant at East
Palestine, Ohio. Sarah married Eli Blosser, of
North Liraa ; and John.
John Yoder, youngest child of Abraham and
Elizabeth (Nold) Yoder, was born in 1865, on the
parental estate near North Lima, and. has retained
close connection with his home township through
out his life. He was educated in local schools, and
for two years attended the Northeastern Ohio Nor
mal School at Canfield, under Superintendents
Ransom and Webster. Entering the teaching pro
fession he taught for thirteen terms in the schools
of Beaver Township, and concurrently had inter
ested hiraself in floriculture and greenhouse work.
He built a sraall greenhouse in 1893, in that year
having about 400 feet under glass, and he steadily
developed that business until at present he has more
than half an acre under glass, and has quite a conse
quential business in ornamental plants. He is an
enthusiastic gardener and florist, and his business
has grown so that it needs all his time. He also
grows much green stuff and bedding plants, lettuce,
tomatoes and cabbage.
In the public affairs of the township he has al
ways been interested and active, and has undertaken
many township responsibUities. He was township
clerk for two years, was township treasurer for five
years, and at that time handled about $10,000 an
nually ; and has for very many years furthered
movements that sought to bring improvement in
the township roadways. He is one of the prominent
republican leaders of that part of the county, and
has been particularly prominent in local option ac
tivities. He handled the first local option petition
in 1890. That effort was defeated, but it was re
newed in 1892, and with success, for Beaver Town
ship has been dry since that year, whereas there
were forraerly three saloons in the township, iin
such valuable public work Mr. Yoder has P™^'"
hiraself to be a citizen of high moral standard.

dAay-t^^ ^L:?7:<^.i4^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

81

and throughout his manhood he has been a mem
ber of the Reformed Church, for raany years hav
ing been an elder of the local church.
In 1890 he raarried Jennie M. Arner, daughter
of Frank and Lizzie (Shanefield) Arner, who are
still residents in Beaver Township. His wife, Jen
nie M., was born in Canfield, and went to school in
that township. Eventually she became a teacher,
and as such was connected with schools of Board-
man and Beaver townships prior to her marriage.
Mr. and Mrs. Yoder have one chUd, their son
Leonard A., who was a graduate of the local high
school and afterward attended the Carnegie Insti
tute of Technology at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
When the war carae he-went frora college to Colum
bus to enlist, and saw ten months of war service
with the naval forces, being stationed at Harap
ton Roads, Virginia, which waters were visited by
Gerraan subraarine raiders. After receiving honor
able discharge from the United States navy young
Yoder resumed his interrupted college course at
Pittsburgh, where he is still a student.
Charles F. Lee, superintendent of the Mahoning
County Infirmary, Canfield Township, was born at
Poland, Mahoning County, on July 2, 1873, the son
of Edward and Araanda (Boyd) Lee. His parents
are now dead, but Edward Lee is remembered in
Poland as a good citizen and successful farmer, and
other references to .the Lee family will be found
elsewhere in this current work in the sketch writ
ten concerning Bernard Lee, a cousin well known in
the county.
Charles F. grew to manhood in his native town
ship, in due course attending the Poland district
school, and later associating with his father in the
work of the home farm. He was of engineering
inclination, and early learned much of raechanics.
As a young man he ran a threshing machine en-
,gine in his home district, and later became engi
neer at a planing mUl. In 1905 he took service
with the county, being then appointed engineer at
the county infirmary, with which he has ever since
been identified. For four months he was engineer
of the institution under the administration of Su
perintendent Marshall, and for more than ten years
under the latter's successor, R. S. Taylor. In 1915
Mr. Lee succeeded Mr. Taylor as superintendent,
being appointed by Prosser and Wier, who at that
tirae constituted the board of directors of the in
stitution. Subsequently, when the institution passed
into the control of the three county coraraissioners
direct, he was confirraed in the office by the three
commissioners. Shale, Morgan and Speer. His
administration has been eminently satisfactory, and
he has demonstrated that he is an executive of high
grade, as well as an engineer of good practical abil
ity. He has held an effective supervision over all
the varied activities of the infirmary, which when he
first became superintendent housed about 200 pa
tients or inmates. The institution operates an ex
tensive farra, 337 acrs, the product of which is the
main source of income of the institution. In addi
tion to large quantities of vegetables and fruit, most
of which are consumed by the inmates; the farm
yields yearly 800 bushels of wheat and 2,000 bushels

of oats, and in addition there is a dairy of about
thirty cows. The building was erected in 1897, but
the raain portion was gutted by fire in 1909, the
new structure being erected on the walls of the
old, which, with steel reinforceraent inside, were
found to be strong enough for the purpose. The
institution of course has its serious and essential
purpose, and the adrainistration airas essentially at
service rather than beauty, but in the efficient, well-
ordered operation of the property it has been pos
sible to combine much that is pleasing to the sight.
The infirmary buUdings and spacious grounds in
fact constitute, in combination with the surrounding
landscape, one of the beauty spots of the county,
and its- raaintenance in productive usefulness and
orderliness reflects in great measure the capabilities
and characteristics of its present superintendent,
who is respected by raany, and is generally well
regarded. iMr. Lee is a member of the North Jack
son Lodge of the Knights of Pythias order, and he
has many friends throughout the county.
He was forty years old when he married Mayme
Schisler, who is now matron of the institution, and
as such is an effective co-worker with her husband.
Marco Antonelli, one of the oldest Youngstown
residents of Italian birth, for many years has
achieved a progressive success in local business and
is a man of the highest standing, especially araong
his fellow countryraen.
He was born in Agnone, Carapobasso, Italy,
March 15, 1857, and acquired the equivalent of a
common school education and as a boy learned the
lockmaker's trade. On July 22, 1873, he arrived
in the United States, being then seventeen years of
age. His destination was Youngstown. Too young
to work in the mines, he found eraployraent on the
outsidp at 50 cents a day at Coalburg. Later he
spent a few months in Pennsylvania, and was at
Buena Vista when three Italians were killed during
a strike. He also worked in Pittsburgh on con
struction work on Forty-eighth Street. Returning
to Coalburg, he was a water boy six raonths, be
ing paid 75 cents a day. Then for the first
time he becarae a regular miner, working inside.
He spent two years in and at the raines, and for
two years was in the Brown-Bonnell plant.
This is a brief sketch of his activities until 1S81,
when he returned to Italy to claira his bride,
Giovina Dicaraillo, who was born in the Province
of Carapobasso. He returned with her to the
United States. Ten chUdren were born to their
marriage, four of whora are still living: Dr. Rocco
M. Antonelli, a graduate of the Rayen High
School, the State University and the Cincinnati
Medical College, a prominent physician at Akron,
and with an honorable record in the medical de
partment of the army during the World war;
Thomas E., a Youngstown attorney; Christina, wife
of Gelsi Passarelli, of Youngstown ; and Josephine,
wife of C. .MUano, of Youngstown. The mother
of these cfiUdren died January 4, 1897. In 1898 Mr.
Antonelli married Mrs. Gabriele Farando. She died
December 4, 1917, leaving two children, Wilhelmina
and Albert, both of whom are now students in the
Rayen High School.

82

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Mr. Antonelli after returning to the United States
with his bride again found employraent at the
Brown-Bonnell raills, but left that and renting four
teen acres of land became a market gardener. For
three years he worked with all the strength and
skUl at his comraand, made a living, but was able
to accumulate only some two hundreci dollars. See
ing little future in this business, he next became
foreman of construction on railroads and p-ablic
works, and for twenty-three years was engaged in
that line, a business that brought him a broad ac
quaintance and much experience in the handling of
labor. He then invested part of his capital in a
grocery business at 384 East Federal Street, sub
sequently moving to 382 East Federal. He added
a baking shop, and also opened a Foreign Exchange
Bank. He did an extensive business as agent for ten
or twelve steamship lines, and his long residence,
proved integrity and abUity brought hira a generous
and extensive patronage. Mr. Antonelli is now
practically retired from business.
He was one of the builders of Our Lady of Mount
Carmel Catholic Church and is a republican in poli
tics. He took out citizenship papers raany years ago
and is a stanch upholder of Araerican institutions.
A fact worthy of raention is that Mr. Antonelli was
the first Italian-Araerican citizen in Mahoning Coun
ty and cast his first presidential vote for Garfield, in
1880. He could not speak a word of English when
he came to this country. As a reader and student
he has sought to keep in touch with the great issues
and discussions of the day. He has given his chil
dren and the chUdren of his second wife all the
advantages of schools that raoney could buy, and
has the satisfaction of seeing his sons and daughters
well placed in the world.
Jesse B. Fitch, a prosperous farmer of Canfield
Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, has lived in
Mahoning County all his life, and is well regarded
ill his home and Canfield townships. He was born
in Ellsworth Township, Mahoning County, May
I, 1871, the son of Frank and Martha (MciNielly)
Fitch, the former, who is now deceased, having
been a respected farraer of that township. Mrs.
Martha (McNielly), raother of J. B., however, is
still living, and in corafortable circurastances at
Ellsworth Centre.
Jesse B. was the second of their five chUdren,
three of whora however are now deceased, the only
other survivor of Jesse's generation of the Fitch
faraily being his sister Lizzie, who now cares for
her raother at Ellsworth Centre. The deceased
brothers and sister were : Charles, who died in
1918, at the age of forty-six years, his widow sur
viving and now being a resident of Canfield ; John,
who died in infancy ; and Bertha, who reached the
age of twenty years before she died. Jesse B. grew
to raanhood on the horae farra, attended the vil
lage school in his boyhood, and after leaving school
took up farming pursuits, giving his time and ener
gies with filial earnestness to labors upon his fath
er's farra. He reraained at horae until he raarried,
that important event taking place on December 28,
1891, he being then twenty years old. He married
Amanda Knauf, daughter of Sarauel and Barbara

(Hardraan) Knauf, the forraer a neighboring
farmer in Ellsworth Township, and the family be
ing one of long residence in the Mahoning Valley.
Henry and John Knauf, brothers of Amanda, stili
occupy the old Knauf homestead in Ellsworth
Township. Amanda Knauf was a few years older
than her husband, being twenty-three years old when
they raarried. Soon afterward Jesse iB. Fitch rented
the original horaestead of Richard Fitch, his grand
father, who was one of the pioneer settlers in Ells
worth Township. The farm at that time was owned
by the heirs of Colbert Fitch, who had been killed
by lightning. For eleven years after they had mar
ried Jesse B. and Amanda (Knauf) Fitch lived on
that farm, all of their children being born on that
homestead of their ancestor, and by good farm
ing and industrious, well-directed efforts Jesse B.
Fitch becarae corafortably circumstanced. In 1902
his father died, which brought a change in his
affairs, Jesse B. soon thereafter moving to his
father's farra, part of which he had inherited. For
seven years he operated the property in partnership
with his brother Charles. At the end of that time
he sold his interest in the property' to his broth
er and purchased the Charles Broughton farm ol
eighty-seven acres, situated about two railes south
west of Canfield Village in Canfield Township, on
the Canfield-Salera Road. During the eleven years
he has owned and operated that farra Jesse B.
Fitch has very considerably iraproved it. He has
rebuilt the barn, has erected a silo, has remodeled
the house, and in raany ways has given proof that
his farming has been successful. He has closely
studied modern developments of farming, and has
adopted raany of the raodern raethods of scientific
farming. He has been especially interested in the
science of stock breeding, and has taken full ad
vantage of the opportunities presented to him as an
agricultural student by the close proximity of the
experimental station, and has brought his land into
a high state of fertUity by a proper understanding
of the value of chemical fertilizer. In all, he has
shown that he is abreast of the times in matters
that concern agriculture, and in raany ways has
shown himself to be a man of sound business logic.
These qualities have all contributed to bring him
into his present state of monetary stability. He has
a very desirable horae, and has what is of more
value, perhaps, the respect of his neighbors, who
have found hira substantial and reliable. He is a
meraber of the Farra Bureau, and has actively co
operated in its airas. During the war he mani
fested a helpful patriotisra, contributing to the va
rious war issues of financial character, and also
giving practical help to the cause and to the wish
of the iNational Departraent of Agriculture by more
closely devoting hiraself to raatters of production
upon his own farm so as to bring an increased yield
where that has been possible. As a dairy farmer
Mr. Fitch is prospering by following raodern meth
ods. His valuable herd of Jersey cattle shows that
he places proper importance on pedigree. And he
has entered extensively into the breeding of Ches
ter White hogs.
Politically Mr. Fitch is a republican but he has
been a republican quite without selfish motive, for

TV''^^^^-,^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

83

he has never sought political office. As a matter of
fact, he has felt that thoroughness in his own work,
in matters pertaining to his own farming enter
prises, should be his first aira. And that has taken
practically all his tirae. In other words, he is a
raan of industry, not of politics, and as such he
has reached an enviable standing araong his neigh
bors. Mr. and Mrs. Fitch had four children. Their
first-born, a son, Frank L., was developing into
useful manhood when, at the age of twenty-two
years, his life ended suddenly," a bull on a neigh
boring farm goring him to death. The two surviv
ing chUdren of Jesse B. and Araanda (Knauf)
Fitch are : Odessa May, who married Ray N. Lynn,
who is in mercantile business, raanager of the Stark
Dry Goods Company, Canton, Ohio, and who is a
veteran of the 'World war, having served nearly a
year in France with the American Expeditionary
Forces, and having been of course in military serv
ice for more than a year. He belongs to the Inde
pendent . Order of Odd Fellows. Fred C, is also
a veteran, having been in the United States army
during the war. His service was with a heavy artil
lery unit, and he was in the army for raore than a
year. After receiving honorable discharge he re
turned horae, and was connected with the Repub
lic Rubber Company for a time and at present is
employed by the Republic Steel Company of
Youngstown. He lives with his parents. The other
deceased child of Mr. and Mrs. Fitch is their daugh
ter Nora B., who did at the age of eleven years.
Henry M. Hunt was a citizen of Mahoning
County who lived well and did his part as an in
dustrious farmer, and had the complete respect of
his fellow men though he was unostentatious and
sought none of the honors of politics or public af
fairs. This is an old family of the Mahoning Valley.
His parents were Horace and Galetsy (Ruggles)
Hunt. Horace Hunt was born August 21, 1805,
and died March 13, 1891. His wife was born Au-
g-ist I, 1808, and died April 6, 1883. All of their
children are now deceased except Alice M. and
Azor R. The latter is now living at Pittsburgh,
aid for many years was prominent in the steel
industry, at one tirae being general superintendent
of the Carnegie Works at Homestead. His sister
Alice has never married and lives with him at
Pittsburgh. Another son, Chauncey, was a lum
ber manufacturer and later a lumber dealer at Win
dom, Ohio.
Henry M. Hunt was born August 7, 1853, on the
farm that is still occupied by his family. He spent
his life in that one locality. The Hunt farm is two
miles southwest of Canfield Village. He possessed
an ordinary education, and went about his busi
ness as a general farmer with good common sense
and industry and provided well for those de
pendent upon him. He was an active member
and elder of the Presbyterian Church and was affili-
ared with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
The home that now shelters the surviving members
-,i his family was buUt in 1894, and in 1906 he put
p the substantial barn.

Henry M. Hunt died February 26, 1913. May
27, 1880, he married Maggie E. Stewart, a daugh
ter of James and Ann (WUson) Stewart, who were
married in Ireland and about 1837 came to the
United States with their two children and soon
afterward settled in Canfield Township, where they
lived out their lives. Jaraes Stewart died in 1891
and his wife in 1895. Mrs. Hunt was born near her
present horae June 11, 1853. She is the mother of
two chUdren, Floyd C. and Edith M. The daugh
ter has spent her life in the horae circle. The son
Floyd, who was born AprU 8, 1881, finished his edu
cation in the Northeast Ohio Normal School at
Canfield, under the principalship of J. B. Bowraan.
The buildings of this old educational institution are
now used as part of the centralized public school
systera. At his father's death Floyd Hunt took
charge of the home farm, and has carried on its
affairs and has also made himself a progressive factor
in the rural coraraunity. He and his family are
members of the Grange and he is interested in the
Farm Bureau, in the Mahoning County Supply Com
pany, and has served on his local school board.
He is a republican and an Odd Fellow. Mr. Hunt
during the last five or six years has laid a great
deal of tile on his land, and otherwise has improved
the home both for corafort and for productiveness.
In 191 1 he married Sarah Margaret Manchester,
daughter of Benjamin L. and Rebecca (Bowraan)
Manchester, of Green Township. iHer raother is
still living at the old Manchester farm and her
father died in November, 1912. Mrs. Floyd Hunt
was for several years a popular teacher in the
home locality. They have one child, iMarian iKath-
leen. William Edgar Leedy. A resident of Youngs
town forty years, since early chUdhood, William Ed
gar Leedy has had opportunity to play many parts,
had an active experience for a nuraber of years in
the local steel and iron raills, but has undoubtedly
done his best work in the field of real estate and
real estate development and building.
Mr. Leedy was born at Bryan, Ohio, June 15,
1875. William Gillespie Leedy, his father, was a
native of Pennsylvania. His grandfather, Jacob
Leedy, soon afterward moved to Baltiraore, where
WUliara G. was reared and educated. Jacob Leedy
and his four sons spent their active lives in the to
bacco business. From Baltimore fhe faraily moved
to Bryan, Ohio, and from there to Youngstown
about 1877. While living at Baltimore and at the
beginning of the Civil war, Jacob Leedy, who was
exceptionally skilled in music, enlisted in the Union
Army, being assigned to duty as a musician and ris
ing to the rank of major. Jacob Leedy died at
Youngstown, survived by his wife about one year.
They had celebrated their sixty or more years of
wedded life about one year prior to his death.
William GUlespie Leedy and two of his brothers
were in the CivU war under their father, in the
drum corps. William G. Leedy had a singular tal
ent as a musician and also much native ability with
pen and brush. At sixteen he was appointed an in
structor in the drum corps. At that age he drew
from observation a scene at the battle of Vicksburg

84

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

in which he was a participant. This sketch by the
youthful artist is highly prized by his descendants.
He had entered' the array at fifteen and on account
of the severity of the carapaign in which he en
gaged he was left broken iji health for the rest of
his life. He died in Septeraber, 1904. His wife
was Sallie Irish MUler, of Frederick, Maryland,
whora he raet during the war. All of their seven
children are living, as is also the widowed mother.
W. Edgar Leedy from the age of four grew up
in Youngstown, acquired a public school education,
studying two years in the Rayen High School. For
a time was a clerk with the Brown-Bonnell Iron
Company and subsequently transferred to the
laboratory and eventually was put in charge of that
department. He continued with the company until
the Phoenix furnace was torn down, after which he
was employed at the Hannah furnace about the time
it came under the ownership of the Republic Iron
& Steel Company, and subsequently was employed at
the Ohio Works of the Carnegie Steel Company
as a weigher of metals and subsequently as foreman.
On leaving the iron and steel industry Mr. Leedy
organized the Youngstown Engineering Corapany.
However, for a period of two years he gave raost of
his time as a stockholder of the McElroy Company,
selling furniture. Realizing the growth of the city
and the great scarcity of houses, he next conceived
the idea of building an apartment house. This idea
was" comparatively new, as but few buildings of this
character had been erected, except in the larger
cities. He was able after a year of work to interest
the men who are now his associates in The Apart
ment House Company, to erect the "Lincoln," which
was the first building of its kind in the city. This
corapany has been very successful and owns sorae
valuable real estate in the down town district. Later
he took over the development of the North Heights
Land Corapany, above Wick Park, which was for
merly the golf links of the "Youngstown Country
Club, and was the first operator to realize the possi
bility of this becoming a principal residential district.
With this thought in raind he conceived the idea of
selling this property with certain restrictions, which
had never been done in Youngstown before in the
sale of this class of property. He iraposed re
strictions with respect to the size of the lot, char
acter of buUding, and the distance the building
should be erected from the street line. Soon after
this the Realty Trust Company was organized and
he was associated with it until shortly after the
Stambaugh Building was erected, at which time he
and Angus S. Wade forraed a partnership under the
firra narae of Wade and Leedy and in a short time
• built up a prosperous business, supervising the
erection of the Wick-Salow-Wells buUding, now
occupied by Woolworth Corapany, the Youngstown
Country Club, and several other attractive residences,
including the C. H. Booth residence. Mr. Leedy
also helped with the organization of the Realty Se
curity Company and acted as secretary for three
years, after which time he opened an office for
himself and has since been actively engaged in the
real estate business.
Mr. Leedy worked for three years on experi
ments with an alloy for steel, which proved to be

very effective, and helped to bring about the organ
ization of the Electric Alloy Steel Company, which
bids fair to become one of the thriving industries of
this valley.
At present his chief business interests are in
dicated by his office as president of the Federal
Stores Corapany, as secretary and treasurer of the
Apartment iHouse Company, president of the Wilbur
B. Young Company, and vice president of the Mc
Donald Land Company. He is a member of
Youngstown Club and the Youngstown Country Club.
Mr. Leedy is also interested in the Real Estate
Board, of which he was president for two years,
and upon his retirement as president was made hon
orary president. He was, in fact, the founder of
this board, and served also on the advisory board
and as trustee of the Ohio State Association.
July 9, 1902, Mr. Leedy married Louise Patterson,
of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Sam
uel Robertson and Jennie (Stewart) Patterson, of
an old and prominent family of Beaver Falls. Their
children are W. Edgar, Jr., Robert Patterson,
James Stewart, Jane Louise and John Richard.
William Allen Chubb. While the Youngs
town district is pre-eminently industrial in its char
acter, agriculture is by no means a forgotten art,
and here have been many evidences in recent years
of an awakened interest in the products- of the fields
and also of a "get together spirit" on the part of
the farmers and producers not only in raatters af
fecting the productive end of their business, but also
in co-operative buying and marketing.
The central organization that affords a medium
through which the men of the farms in Mahoning
County now work is the County Farra Bureau, the
secretary of which is Williara Allen Chubb, who for
a number of years has been a man of prominence
and leadership among the farraers and stockmen
of the county.
Mr. Chubb represents the fourth generation of his
faraily in Mahoning County. His great-grand
father, Henry Chubb, carae from Pennsylvania, and
acquired a tract of land in Canfield Township cov
ered with heavy timber and fashioned a log cabin
for his first horae in the wilderness. The second
generation was represented by William and Sarah
Chubb, the only children of Henry to reach mahire
years. As a youth William Chubb helped dear
sorae of the land of the old horaestead and spent
¦ a life of industry. He was a soldier in the War of
1812. He died in 1868. He married Frederica
Renkenberger, who came to this country from Ger
raany at the age of three years. She died in 1890,
at the age of seventy-five.
Of the four chUdren of WUliara and Frederica
Chubb the only son to grow up was the late Ensign
Chubb, who was born in a log cabin on the old
Chubb horaestead in Canfield Township in 1845. He
spent all his life there, improving and cultivating
the farm, and died April 22, 1897, at the age of fifty-
two. He married iMarietta Flickinger, who was
born at East Lewiston, Mahoning Co., in January,
1855. The parents, Aaron and Mary Ann (Messerly)
Flickinger, came frora the mountainous region ot
Pennsylvania and for sixty years or raore had their

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

85

home in Boardman Township. Aaron Flickinger is
now deceased, but his widow is stUl living, and she
and Mrs. Ensign Chubb are together. The children
of Ensign Chubb and wife were William Allen,
Mary Eldora and Blanche. Mary Eldora is the wife
of iFrank Lyon, and their children are named Le
land, Blanche, Catherine, who died in childhood,
Leslie, Walter and WUraa. Blanche Chubb became
the wife of Park D. Coler, and her three chUdren
are Evelyn, Erna and Samuel.
William Allen Chubb was born on the old home
stead first settled by his great-grandfather on March
22, 1875. That old homestead is 25^ mUes south
and a half mile east of his present home. His resi
dence is the old Lynn farra, seven miles southwest
of Youngstown and three miles northeast of Can-
field. This farm coraprises 197 acres, all highly
developed and used as a raodel grain and stock
farra. Mr. Chubb grew up on the Chubb horae
stead, attended district schools and finished his edu
cation in the Northeastern Ohio Norraal College
at Canfield. He has always been deeply interested
in and a student of farm management and livestock
production. For two seasons before his raarriage
he was a dealer in trotting horses. He has exhibited
farm produce at county fairs, and was one of the
leaders in the establishment of the old Mahoning
County Iraproveraent Association, organized July
26, 1913. The present Farra Bureau is logically
the outgrowth of the old improvement association.
WhUe the Farm Bureau has been in existence
under that name only about a year, it now has 1,300
members, and monthly meetings are held in the
office of the county agricultural agent at Canfield.
Each township has a vice president, who is the
executive representative for the farmers in his con
stituency. Nearly all the detail business of the
bureau is handled by Mr. Chubb as secretary. Dur
ing 1919 more than 3,000 tons of fertilizer were
purchased through the Farra Bureau, though only
half as rauch was supplied as was needed. Pur
chases in large lots effect an obvious saving not
only in freight, but by the wholesale rates obtain
able in the case of large quantities. The Farra
Bureau also secured binder twine used by the farm
ers. An auxiliary of the Farm Bureau is the
Mahoning County Supply Company, the stockhold
ers all being members of the iFarra Bureau. This
corapany has secured ground for a warehouse at
Canfield, and has also bought the North Jackson
raill. The raanager of the supply corapany at Can-
field is A. A. Stahl.
Mr. Chubb also served eight years as a raeraber
of the Canfield School Board and for several years
has been a township committeeman. He is a demo
crat in politics, is affiliated with the Canfield Grange,
and is a member of the Methodist Church at Can-
field. He owns some property on Elmwood Avenue
in Youngstown.
December 24, 1895, Mr. Chubb married Maude
R. Lynn, who was born on the old Lynn farm
where she now resides October 17, 1876. She is a
daughter of Walter J. and Ella (Norton) Lynn,
residents of Youngstown. Mrs. Chubb was the old
est of five children, the others being Frank, Ray,
Ross and Ethel.

Mr. and Mrs. Chubb have an interesting family
of young people growing up in their home. Their
children in order of birth are : Willard E., Wil
mer, Russell A., Harland, Thalia and Thelma, twins.
Thorn, Cecil, Arlis and HUda. WUlard E. is now
an office man with the Brier Hill Steel Company
and lives at Youngstown, raarried Sylvia Hiner, and
has a daughter, Esther. Wilmer is in the office of
the Republic Steel Company at Youngstown and is
unmarried. He was called in the draft, then his call
was deferred, and he never got into the army dur
ing the fighting.
Calvin Neff, another representative of the fifth
generation of the Neff family in Mahoning County,
is a successful grocery merchant at Canfield, and has
given nearly all his life to commercial lines.
He is one of the children mentioned in the story
of his father, John E. Neff, on other pages of this
publication. He was born on the old Neff farm east
of Canfield, July 24, 1879, and finished his education
in the Northeast Ohio Norraal School at Canfield.
At the age of nineteen he went to work as clerk in
the general store of Lynn, Brice & Company. His
wages were five dollars a month. He remained with
that concern seven years, and by that time his salary
had been increased to twenty dollars a raonth. That
was less than twenty years ago, and in the present
dizzy era of high prices for everything in the
Mahoning Valley it would appear that Calvin Neff
was earning a great deal raore than he was paid.
Following that came a four-year period which he
spent on his father's old farra. March 14, 1911, he
engaged in his present business at the old Huxson
location. His father was his business associate at
the beginning. In 1919 Mr. Neff bought the real
estate, had the building thoroughly overhauled, and
the value of the store property alone is now six
thousand dollars. It occupies the choicest central
location in the village. Mr. Neff carries a stock of
goods valued at five thousand dollars, and each year
has seen a steady and satisfactory increase of sales.
Mr. Neff is a democrat in politics and is affiliated
with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. For
several winters past he and his wife have gone to
Florida. In July, 191 1, he married Alura H. Hard
ing, daughter of George and Lucretia (Musser)
Harding. Her father, now deceased, was a retired
resident of Canfield.
C. H. Neff, who for twenty years has supplied
rauch of the energy for the mercantile life of Can-
field, is a son of John E. Neff, an honored resident
of Canfield, whose story has been briefly reviewed
on other pages.
The Neff faraily is one of the oldest in the Ma
honing Valley. It was established here in 1802 by-
Conrad Neff, who was one of a party that traveled
overland frora Berks County, Pennsylvania, with
Conestoga wagons. Conrad Neff bought 140 acres
near the present village of Canfield, and while clear
ing the land he used his trade as a mason to the
advantage of himself and his neighbors. He and
his wife died there at the age of seventy years. Of
their children John' Neff was born in 1795, and was
seven years of age when brought to Mahoning

86

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

County. While he had very raeager educational
opportunities, he was a raan of energy and intelli
gence and accumulated a large property. He bought
some of his land at $2.50 an acre. Besides owning
as high as 600 acres of farm land, he was honored
by various township offices. He died in April, 1861,
just a week after the CivU war began. His wife
was Elizabeth Kline, whose father, Abraham Kline,
was another pioneer of Mahoning County. Of the
chUdren of John and Elizabeth (Kline) Neff the
youngest was Martin, the father of John E. Neff
and the grandfather of the Canfield raerchant. Mar
tin Neff spent his active life as a farmer and stock
dealer. He raarried Catherine Wilson, and the oldest
of their five chUdren was John E. Neff.
C. H. Neff, whose first Christian narae is Cyrus,
was born in Canfield Township February 28, 1881,
grew up in the village and in the surrounding coun
try and acquired good advantages in the local schools.
He was nineteen years of age when in 1900 he began
his business career as junior raember of the firm
Callahan & Neff. These men were associated as
partners untU 1913, when Mr. Neff became sole
owner of the business. At first they confined their
efforts to dealing in grain and mill feed. Subse
quently they added a coal departraent, and in 1916
iMr. Neff bought out the Farraers Lumber Corapany.
Besides handling luraber and other buUding supplies
he operates a planing raUl and makes all fraraes and
interior work. His business career therefore has
been a very progressive one. Mr. Neff is a dealer in
grain, raill feed, flour, hides, luraber and building
supplies. At the age of twenty-three he raarried Miss Melvie
Waters. They have two daughters, Marjorie and
Mary. Eli Baldwin, son of Simeon and Mercy Baldwin,
was born in New MUford, Connecticut, on May 11,
1777. His father, Simeon Baldwin, was the grand
son of Richard Baldwin, the first who came from
England to Araerica on the ship Martin in 1638.
Simeon Baldwin was comraissary and paymaster
during the Revolutionary war and was actively en
gaged in many capacities during that period, espe
cially in the care of wounded soldiers and their
families, and devoted his entire fortune to the cause.
When his son, Eli Baldwin, was twenty-four years
of age he was appointed general land agent for the
Connecticut Land Corapany of the Western Reserve.
He left New Milford on AprU 15, 1801, and ar
rived in Boardman, Ohio, on May ist. He super
intended the survey of both land and many of the
roads in Mahoning and other counties, and laid
out the Town of Medina, Ohio. He was also em
ployed by Elijah Boardman, of New Milford, Con
necticut (a large land owner, and for whom the
Township of Boardraan was naraed), in his store
and raill as raanager or superintendent.
In 1805 he married Mary Newport, daughter of
Jesse Newport, a Quaker, who with his two daugh
ters, Mary and Elizabeth, carae from Duck Creek,
near Philadelphia, to Youngstown, Ohio, in May,
1800. The tradition in the Newport famUies is that
they were the lineal descendants of Christopher

Newport, who brought the first colonists to America.
Thomas Newport, the father of Jesse Newport]
was originally an Episcopalian, but after his mar
riage joined the Society of Friends. His daughter
Mary, for whom the wife of Eli was named, being
disappointed in love at an early age decided, in ac
cordance with Quaker belief that a woman had
the same right as a man to use her talents to
the best advantage, went to Philadelphia in 1760.
Those who have read Richard Carvell will re
meraber that he pictured his Maryland Belle
eking out an insufficient incorae by raaking and sell
ing the delicacies that were served so generously in
all of the eastern plantation households. Mary
Newport had a broader view of raaking her culinary
skill serve to found a future for herself and family.
As she had raoney to invest in business, she pur
chased property near the home of Betsy Ross, where
she conducted a first-class bakery, tailoring, dress
making and millinery establishment, from the rev
enues of which she derived a considerable income.
She also conceived the idea that if she made schools
of these establishments the wealthy Quakers would
pay her handsoraely to have their daughters in
structed in these vocations, it being obligatory thaf
their daughters should be taught household economy
in every detail. All her ventures proved successful,
but it was the bread that saved the day. When
Washington was at Valley Forge, and the British
had possession of the city, she sent her bread free
through the lines to Washington and charged the
British two prices for theirs. The British Generals
were quartered in her horae during Howe's
occupation of the city. When they settled their
accounts the amount filled her apron with gold and
silver so that she bent under the weight of it. She
was very generous with her money, having set her
two younger brothers up in business, from which
they acquired large fortunes. She also gave her
namesake, Mary Newport, wife of Eli Baldwin, the
money, for a wedding present, with which she
bought a large tract of land in Ohio, also her share
of her aunt's silver plate was made over into spoons
and she also received from her a generous share of
china and other household articles of value.
Eli Baldwin held raany offices. He was the first
justice of the peace, the first postraaster, military
captain and county coraraissioner. His appoint
raent as postmaster, written and signed by Andrew
Jackson, is stUl in possession of his descendants.
He was a member of the State House of Represent
atives one term and the Senate three terms, when,
in 1822, he ran for Congress but lost his election
to Elisha Whittlesey by sixty-six votes, there being
three candidates. iHe was afterward elected twice
to the House and twice to the Senate. In 1836 he
was the democratic candidate for govemor of Ohio,
and was again defeated by a small majority— Joseph
Vance being the successful candidate. He was pop
ularly called Judge Baldwin, which was no doubt
an honorary title, as he had never either studied or
practiced law, except in the capacity of law maker.
His entire time after the election of 1836 was
devoted to his own business interests, having by
that tirae established a flour mill, also a sawmill,
carding, fulling and cloth dressing mills, on the

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

87

banks of Mill Creek, which property now belongs
to Mill Creek Park in the City of Youngstown.
He was a public spirited man, being always ready to
serve the people who were in need of his services
as well as the coraraunity at large.
Like raany other persons Eli Baldwin had his
eccentricities, one of these being extreme absent
mindedness. He was a staunch Presbyterian and used to ride
into Youngstown to church on Sunday morning,
putting up his horse in the stables belonging to the
McCoy tavern on the public square. As a warm
friend of the family he always dropped into the
tavern to exchange greeting and enquire the news
of the day, where frequently a copy of a Pittsburgh
paper would be handed him. Very soon he would
become so absorbed in its contents that before he
would come to himself it would be about noon and
past the hour of service, when he would sadly
mount his horse and ride home to make the best
excuses he could to his wife and family. Possibly
if no questions were asked, no excuse was necessary.
Jesse Baldwin, the third son of Eli and Mary
Newport Baldwin, was born in Boardman Township
on April 9, 1815. He received a common school
education, and also taught school a few terms. He
was very anxious to enter college and to study and
practice law. When his father (whose absence from
home many winters during the sessions of the State
Legislature) gave him charge of his flouring mill,
which occupied the site of the old. mill now stand
ing in Mill Creek Park, and which now belongs to
the City of Youngstown, he proraised hira the pro
ceeds frora the sale of the flour and grain with
which the raill was well stocked, when a June
freshet carried away the raill with all its contents.
This put an end to the plans he had raade for his
future career, and he then continued in the railling
business. About 1842 he bought an interest with Abner
Osborne in a mUl and store at Girard, which proved
a very successful venture. In five years thereafter
he purchased the site of the City Mills in Youngs
town and erected a flouring mUl and a sawraUl.
In 1842 he married Lucy Patrick, a daughter of
Arthur Patrick, of Scotch-Irish descent. Arthur
Patrick kept the tavern for many years at the cen
tre of Boardman, the half way stopping place of the
stage coach route between Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
The tavern was a noted one, and occupied the north
east corner of Boardman centre. Arthur Patrick
was postmaster for many years and also a justice
of the peace.
The raill at Youngstown also proved to be a
successful business venture. Jesse Baldwin asso
ciated with him two of his brothers, Horaer and
George. One of them he put in charge of the
Youngstown Mill and the other the mill at Girard,
having himself become engrossed in politics, be
ing an ardent and active meraber of the republican
party when it was first organized. iHe made many
speaking tours during political campaigns. He was
a close friend of many leading politicians of the
day, among whom was Salmon P. Chase. He

worked indefatigably for Mr. Chase when he ran
for and was elected governor of Ohio.
Jesse Baldwin was closely identified with the
growth and prosperity of the then thriving vU
lage of Youngstown. He was a public spirited
citizen, always alive to Youngstown's best interests.
He was also a promoter and stockholder in the
Cleveland and Mahoning Valley Railroad.
In i860 Mr. Baldwin was elected to the State Leg
islature and also attended the convention at Chicago
that nominated Abraham Lincoln for President. Dur
ing the first session of the Legislature he was ap
pointed one of a comraittee to escort President
elect Lincoln frora Cincinnati to Colurabus in his
journey to Washington for his first inauguration.
At the outbreak of the Civil war in 1861 Mr.
Baldwin was chairraan of the finance and ways and
means coraraittee. He was busily engaged in rais
ing the necessary funds for equipping our troops
and other expenses connected with carrying on the
war. As Mr. Baldwin was very fond of perpetrating
jokes on others, perhaps one on himself would not
come amiss in this history, as it is quoted from the
Cleveland Leader in an article entitled 'Tncidents
in the Life of Jesse Baldwin, written by an old
friend and colleague." In speaking of his character
he said, Mr. Baldwin was a valuable raember of the
Ohio Legislature, of indefatigable industry, ever
watching the interests of the public, and particu
larly those of his constituents. He was a man of
positive opinions, and some eccentricities. Among
the latter was one of offering amendments to many
of the bills. At the close of one session and after
the real business was finished, the merabers got to
gether to hold a mock session. On this occasion
a witty raeraber was elected clerk and pretended to
raake a journal of the last day's proceedings. He
was expected to make a good natured allusion to
each individual as their name was called. On this
occasion Peter Hitchcock of Geauga County of
ficiated as clerk. When the narae of Mr. Baldwin
was called, Mr. Hitchcock said "And Mr. Baldwin
will now offer an araendraent to The Lord's Prayer."
In August of 1861 Mr. Baldwin sustained a severe
injury as the result of a runaway accident, and
although in tirae he regained his physical health,
he did not recover his clear raental faculties, and
was thus debarred frora participation in those pur
suits and occupations for which he was raost
erainently qualified.
Hiram J. Beardsley, who is the owner of one of
the largest and best farras in Canfield Township,
Mahoning County, Ohio, and is one of the respected
and capable public workers of that section of the
county, coraes of one of the farailies of early resi
dence in that section. He is a successful farmer,
a public-spirited citizen, and has been especially
prominent in movements that sought to appreciably
improve the roads through the township. iHe is vice
president of the Farmers National Bank of Canfield,
has been township trustee and is a member of the
School Board.
He was born on the Newton farm east of Canfield
on August 3, 1878, the son of Alraus and Mary P.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

(Dean) Beardsley. The Dean and the Beardsley
families were from Connecticut, and of colonial
record in that state. Philo and Esther (Curtis)
Beardsley, great-grandparents of Hirara J., lived in
that state. His grandparents were Philo and Lois
S. (Gunn) Beardsley, both born in Connecticut, the
former in 1794. Further details regarding the
eight chUdren of PhUo and Esther (Curtis)
Beardsley will be found elsewhere in this edition of
Mahoning Valley history. In early manhood Philo
(2) Beardsley came into the Western Reserve of
Ohio, and for a short time was of record in Hub
bard. He soon returned to Connecticut, however,
but not long afterward returned with his wife and
settled about half a mUe to the northward of the
present home of his grandson, Hiram J. He lived
there for the remainder of his life, which ended
when he had passed his seventieth year. Alraus,
father of Hirara J., operated the horae farm in the
last years of his father's life. Philo was twice mar
ried, his first wife dying when Alraus was about
nineteen years old. His second wife was a widow
of the narae of Smith, but whether that was her
marital cognomen or her pre-nuptial patronymic
does not appear in data at present available.
Almus was one of the twelve children of Philo,
and was born in Canfield Township, Mahoning
County, on January 2, 1829. He grew into sturdy,
self-reliant manhood, and before he had attained
majority he used to take stock long distances. He
was twenty years old when he drove sheep over the
mountains to Philadelphia, at the insignificant pay of
forty cents daily. He walked back, accomplishing
forty-five railes on the last day. Soon afterward he
went on another long journey with cattle, driving a
herd into Connecticut. In such healthy activity he
passed his early years. For a few years he worked
for Ensign Newton, for whora he would travel
through the neighborhood buying and driving in
stock, and. eventually taking a herd to market. Sub
sequently the farm upon which he was born passed
into his possession, and during his busy farraing life
he was quite a successful breeder of Shire horses
and Jer.sey cattle, gaining some prominence as such
at the county fairs, at which for raany years he was
an exhibitor. He came to his present farm about
forty years ago, and- the cultivation of its 340 acres
brought hira ultimately to a position of material in
dependence, and eventually into a comfortable state
in retirement. He and his brother Philo A. were
Free Soilers, and as a republican Almus cast his first
vote in the presidential election of 1852. In 1886
he buUt the fine brick dweUing now on his property,
tearing down at that time a brick residence built
many years before by William Dean, a pioneer
settler and grandfather of his wife. Almus Beards
ley did not closely follow political moveraents, at
least not so closely as to personally take part prom
inently in them, but he was a man rauch respected
in the coraraunity, and throughout his life took in
terest in matters that pertained directly to the cora
raunity. He was a lover of horses, and always kept
a good driving horse. He was twenty-five years old
when he married Mary P. Dean, daughter of Hiram
Dean, and granddaughter of 'WUliam, the pioneer.
She was born on an adjacent farm in Canfield Town

ship, and lived a long life, and an especially long
life in raarriage; in fact, she had the satisfaction of
celebrating their ' golden wedding. They had six
children : Doctor, who died in infancy ; Frederick
who also died in childhood ; Ensign Newton, who is
now a successful farraer of Green Township, Mahon
ing County ; Hiram J., regarding whose life more
follows ; Sarah, who married Willis WUson, but is
now deceased ; and Ruby, who married Ewing Gault,
but is now deceased.
Alraus Beardsley is a raan of strict religious prin
ciple. For very many years he has been a member
of the local church of the Disciples of Christ de
nomination, and has been consistent in his general
life with the tenets of that church.
Hiram J., fourth child of Alraus and Mary ?
(Dean) Beardsley, has lived practically all his life
in close association with his father. As a boy he
attended the local public school, and further took
the course at the Ohio Normal CoUege at Canfield.
For fifteen years he has been in control of the
parental farm of 340 acres, and he has shown that
he is a farmer of enterprising mind and thorough
in his operations. He is one of the large, dairy
farmers of that section of the county, has maintained''
a fine herd of Jersey cattle, and has entered a-
tensively into the breeding of Berkshire hogs and
Percheon horses. Like his father, he has-ihad good
success as an exhibitor at local fairs. He has taken
consequential part in township affairs, has served as
Township Trustee, and was one of the pioneers of
the Good Roads raoveraent. In association with
Mark Liddle and others he was instrumental in
bringing about the construction of the first state
macadamized road to Youngstown. The first
macadamized road through Canfield Township was
the outcome of strenuous efforts exerted by Mr.
Beardsley and those associated with him, and the
subject is one which calls for persistent efforts still
by those who have the welfare of the township at
heart. Mr. Beardsley continues a keen worker in
that phase of township affairs, and has also entered
into other civic work. He is a meraber of the school
board, and has concerned himself effectively in in
creasing the educational efficiency of the local
schools. Fraternally he is identified with the Ma
sonic fraternity.
In June, 1904, he married Ellen Zeiger, daughter
of John Zeiger, of New Middletown, Ohio, where the
latter stUl lives. Mr. and Mrs. Hirara J. Beardsley
have one child, their son Dean, who is now a high
school student. In 1919 Mr. H. J. Beardsley jour
neyed to Connecticut so that he might visit the an-
central home of the Beardsley faraily in Litchfield
County of that state. He has an enviable standing
in Canfield Township, and has for raany years been
a director of the Farraers National Bank of Canfield,
of which he is also vice, president.
Mark Henry Liddle has been one of the promi
nent bankers of the Mahoning Valley for thirty
years. A nuraber of years ago he was called to his
present duties as cashier of the Farmers National
Bank of Canfield.
The Farmers National Bank of Canfield was or
ganized in 1887. Its cashier for twenty years was

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

89

the late Hugh A. Manchester. Alexander Dickson
was president until his death in 1915. Mr. Liddle
succeeded to the office of cashier when it was va
cated by Mr. Manchester. Dr. Daniel Campbell has
been president of the bank for several years, H. J.
Beardsley is vice president, and T. C. iRose, assist
ant cashier.
During the World war Mr. Liddle and his bank
rendered a conspicuous service to the governraent in
the sale of war savings staraps. In the banking
roora is a certificate of honor awarded by the Fed
eral Reserve Bank at Cleveland testifying to the
work done by this institution in the sale of war
staraps. There was no other town in the United
States proportionate in population that made such a
showing in stamp sales as Canfield, the aggregate
sale being $130,000. The state of Ohio gave Mr.
Liddle in coraraendation of his individual efforts two
medals. He was the rural chairraan for Mahoning
County for the starap sales.
Mr. Liddle was born at Poland May 6, 1864, son
of Jaraes and Nancy (Loveland) Liddle. Jaraes
Liddle was born in Ohio, May 14, 1834, a son of
George Liddle. At the age of six years he was
taken to Poland Township, but after the age of nine
he lived practically araong strangers, and in the
states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Illinois. In
the early '50s he was present in the courthouse at
Salem, Illinois, when Abraham Lincoln was trying
a case. Part of the time he worked as a broom
maker. In 1859 he permanently settled just nortli
of Poland in iBoardman Township, and thereafter
gave his efforts successfully to general farraing and
dairying. He died in May, 1907. He cast his first
presidential vote for the first standard bearer of the
republican party in 1856, but in later years was
rather independent in his balloting.
March 7,. 1861,^ James Liddle raarried Nancy Love
land, who was born near Youngstown in 1843, and
is still living at the old home at Poland. Her parents
were David and Lydia (Pyle) Loveland, and her
grandfather, Amos Loveland, was a Revolutionary
soldier and one of the early surveyors of the "Western
Reserve, where he acquired 400 acres of land. Mrs.
Jaraes Liddle owned ninety acres of that tract, and
also the second home in which her grandfather lived.
. The following is a brief record of the children of
James Liddle and wife: Loveland S., whose horae
is at Burton, Ohio ; Mark H. ; John D., who becarae
a dairy farmer and lives at Haselton ;' Clara E., who
died in March, 1907 ; Thorn B., a farmer at Poland ;
Grace G. at horae with her mother ; Clyde C, who
gained his early banking experience in the Youngs
town district and is now a resident of Toledo; and
Lydia, wife of WUliara Findley, of Poland.
Mark Henry Liddle is one of raany prorainent men
who acquired their early education in the old Poland
Union Seminary. He also graduated from Duff's
Coraraercial College at Pittsburgh, and acquired his
early knowledge of banking as bookkeeper in the
Bank at Poland, where he reraained two years. For
four years he was teller and bookkeeper in a bank
at Girard and for a time performed siraUar services
with the First National Bank of Youngstown. In
1894 he became cashier of the Poland Bank, holding
that office for eight years. January i, 1902, Mr.

Liddle organized the Struthers Savings and Banking
Company, with D. C. Cooper as president ; J. Arrel
Smith, vice president; and Mr. Liddle as secretary
and treasurer and acting cashier. About ten years
later he went to Warren as cashier of the People's
Bank, but a year later was called to his present
duties as cashier of the Farmers National Bank of
Canfield, and has since given all his tirae to the up
building of this successful institution.
Mr. Liddle is a Knight Templar and Scottish Rite
Mason, is a republican and a raember of the United
Presbyterian Church. May 12, 1891, he married Miss
Daisy E. Seaborn, daughter of Frank and Sylvia
(Ramsey) Seaborn, of Girard. Her father spent his
active life as a carpenter at Girard and is now
living in Florida. Her mother died May 12, 1907.
Mr. and Mrs. Liddle have four chUdren, Ethel May,
Eugene Mark, Carl Lester and Ruth Elizabeth.
Ethel May is the wife of R. D. Fowler, a garage
owner at Canfield. Eugene Mark is a graduate of
the Northeastern Ohio Normal College at Canfield,
and went from Youngstown into the array and for
eighteen months was in France. He was a victim
of the influenza, and for over a year after the close
of the war was held in a hospital in a Southern camp.
Carl Lester, who graduated from the Culver Mili
tary Academy in 1917, afterward completed the
course of the Pelham Naval Training School, was
granted a coraraission as ensign, and was an in
structor in the Great Lakes Naval Training Station.
He is now a student in Columbia University of iNew
York and a reporter on the New York World. He
is also an instructor in naval tactics at the Culver
Military Acaderay summer schools. He devotes two
raonths each year to this work. The daughter, Ruth
Elizabeth, graduated in 1918 from one of the noted
women's colleges of the South, the Ward-Belraont
Seminary at Nashville, and afterward assisted her
father in the bank. On June 8, 1920, she married
Henry J. Hine, of Canfield, assistant superintendent
of the Standard TextUe Company of 'Youngstown.
Philo A. Beardsley, retired farmer of Canfield
Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, and for thirty-
five years a successful farmer in Andover, Ashtabula
County, is a Civil war veteran of honorable record,
and comes of a family long known and of good
record in Mahoning County.
He was born in Canfield Township, Mahoning
County, on May 20, 1841, the son of Philo and Lois
S. (Gunn) Beardsley. The Beardsley family, of
colonial residence in Connecticut, was of pioneer
record in the Mahoning Valley of Ohio, his parents
having early settled in Canfield Township. The
Connecticut home of the Beardsley family is in
Litchfield County, and PhUo (2), son of Philo (i)
and Esther (Curtis) Beardsley, and father of Philo
A., subject of this sketch, was born there in 1794.
Philo (2) Beardsley came into Ohio in early man
hood, and for a short time was a resident in Can-
field. That trip appears to have been a prospecting
journey, for he soon afterward returned to Con
necticut, and shortly afterward carae back into Ohio,
this tirae with his wife, and settled in Canfield
Township, where for the reraainder of his life he
lived. (More regarding the early generations of the

90

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Beardsley family will be found in other references
tabulated for inclusion in this edition). Philo had
passed his seventieth year before he died, and had
been twice married, his first wife dying when Philo
A. was only about seven years old.
PhUo A., son of Philo (2) and Lois S. (Gunn)
Beardsley, was the youngest of their twelve chUdren.
He attended the local schools in boyhood, and after
ward assisted his father and brothers in the opera
tion of the home farra. He was not twenty years
old when the Civil war began, and was one of two
young patriots who went frora Canfield in that year
to enlist in Company F, Forty-First Ohio Volunteer
Infantry. His fellow-townsman and comrade was
DUlow P. Duer, who eventually was wounded at the
battle of ShUoh, dying as the result thereof.
Beardsley and Duer went to Cleveland to join the
regiraent, and Beardsley eventually participated in
all the engagements and major battles in which his
regiment, a unit of the Army of the Cumberland,
took part with the exception of the battle of Chicka
mauga in September, 1863, he having been sent back
to Chattanooga with a detachment of prisoners at
that time. So that he was in some of the severest
fighting of the whole war. In the fighting between
November 30 and December i6, 1864, in Tennessee
were lost 141 of 375 engaged in the battle of Frank
lin and the resulting battle of NashvUle, which re
sulted in the defeat of the Confederate forces under
General Hood, who sought to invade Tennessee and
thus force General Sherman to turn back from
Georgia. In another battle his reorganized company
lost 121 out of 400 engaged. PhUo A. Beardsley
served a full enlistment, and, the war nof being
over, re-enlisted. He served in Texas for a short
time, and was discharged on Noveraber 27, 1865. As
was to be expected, of course, he had many exciting
adventures. Once, going down the Ohio River from
Nashville, the Federal boat encountered a Con
federate monitor, which sank the boat within fifteen
minutes, forcing the troops to jurap into the river.
All the horses aboard were lost, as were also all
the service records of the soldiers. He had raany
narrow escapes frora death. Once a cannon ball
struck hira in the shoulder, knocking hira off his
feet, but not seriously wounding hira. His coraplete
army record was a meritorious one. He served un
der Col. William B. Hazen, and advanced through
all the grades from private to first lieutenant.
As a non-coraraissioned officer he had charge of the
guard at General Hazen's headquarters at Knoxville,
and as a coraraissioned officer he spent the suramer of
1865 in San Antonio Arsenal, Texas. Finally his
original company was under his command, and at
that time it containd only nine of the men who had
enlisted in 1861. After being mustered out of mUi
tary service he was for about a year in New York
state, and there in 1868 he married Caroline Zeigler,
soon after which he returnd to Ohio and took up
his residence on a thirty-acre farra his father had
given hira. Three years later his father died, and
it was not long after that Philo A. went to Ashtabula
County, Ohio, and at twenty-seven dollars an acre
bought a farraing property situated in Andover
Township. There he and his family lived for
thirty-five years. He did some clearing of timber.

rebuilt and remodeled the residence, and brought his
farm into a profitable state. His wife died in May
1901, and in August of the following year, 1902 he'
married Mary Hine, of Canfield, daughter of Chester
and Rhoda (Wadsworth) Hine, of Canfield. Her
father was a farmer west of Canfield, where she
was born. He died in 1880, aged sixty-three years.
After his death her mother and her three sisters"
Lois, Pamela and Frances, went into Canfield vil
lage to live, where her mother died in 1883. Her
sister Frances has since died, a spinster, at the age of
sixty years, but her sisters Lois and Pamela stil!
live in Canfield. Mrs. Beardsley through her mother,
Rhoda (Wadsworth) Hine, comes into the genealogy
of the prominent colonial Connecticut family. Ben
jamin Wadsworth, Doctor of Divinity, was president
of Harvard University in 1725 ; James "Wadsworth
was a brigadier-general in the Continental Army in
1776; and many other scions of that family are of
prominent record in legislative, professional or civic
New England record of early centuries. Mrs.
Beardsley's mother was a daughter of Edward Wads
worth and granddaughter of Elijah Wadsworth, who
are of pioneer Ohio record. And prior to her mar
riage to Philo A. Beardsley, Mary (Hine) Beardsley
was for fifteen years the widow of his cousin, Henry
Curtis Beardsley, who died in Canfield in 1887. She
was very many years his junior at the time of their
raarriage, and to hira she bore two chUdren, their
daughter Oda, who married George Wolf, but died
at the age of twenty- four years ; and their son Ed
ward, who owns a ranch in Arizona ; but there has
been no issue to her second marriage.
The children born to the marriage of Philo A.
Beardsley and Caroline Zeigler were: Addie, who
raarried Claude Black, a raUroad official of Con
neaut, Ohio; Kate, who raarried Albert Tinker, of
Cleveland ; Harry, who is in coramerial life, a sales
man at Conneaut, Ohio.
First Lieut. iPhilo A. Beardsley is aflSliated
with a post of the Grand Army of the Republic at
Andover, Ohio, and is esteemed araong his veteran
comrades in that place. Fraternally he is a Masou
and politically he is a republican. He has lived a
consistent Christian life, and since early manhood
has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Henry C. Beardsley, cousin of Philo A. Beardsley,
and former husband of His wife, Mary (Hine)
Beardsley, was the youngest of the eight children
of Curtis and Sophia Beardsley. He had but one
brother, William, who lived and died in Geauga
County. The only surviving son of Henry C. is
Edward Henry, of Canfield, whose second son. Jay
E., is now a veteran of the "World war, having served
in the United States Navy, on the U. S. S. Marble
head, for two years.
Martin Kimerle, who is now living in retirement
in Canfield, Canfield Township, Mahoning County,
Ohio, was for very many years in good business at
that place as a blacksmith and wagon builder and
repairer, and at one time had quite an extensive
business in the latter, his manufacture of wagons,
buggies, surreys and the like providing employment
for as high as nine or ten men ; and throughout his

<^:^^<^6A^==Pt>

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

91

long connection with Canfield and the county he has
lived a consistent and estimable life of useful in
dustry, and has become acquainted with most of the
worth-while people of the neighborhood, most of
whom had business dealings with him at some time.
He was born in Wurttemberg, Germany, January
9, 1857. His parents were people of agricultural
life, his father being a farmer and weaver. He,
however, scarcely remembers his father, for the
latter died when Martin was in early childhood,' and
his boyhood was consequently passed under condi
tions of necessary thrift, his mother having scant
means. When he was fourteen years old he left his
native land and came to America, coraing to Peters
burg, where an aunt of his lived. That was in 1871,
afid the next two years were spent in energetic ap
plication to hard tasks, and his life was characterized
by much thrift and self-denial. In 1878 he had so
far advanced that he was able then to return to Ger
many to bring over to America his brother George
and his sisters Barbara, now Mrs. Obenaugh, and
Mary, now Mrs. Gardner, of Warren, Ohio. His
sisters at that time were sixteen and eighteen years
old, respectively, and during the seven years he had
been away from Germany he had striven hard to
reach such a position as would enable him to bring
thera over to Araerica, their parents having both died
before he, himself, left home. The first year he
spent in America brought him little save experience,
for he gave his labor, in farra work, for merely his
board and room ; the second year in addition he
received the sum of fifty doUars. In 1873, however,
he. moved into Canfield, and became associated with
Mathias Swank, a blacksmith and wagon builder of
that place, who had been established there for thirty
years. At first Martin only received fifty dollars
yearly and his board, but he learned his trade thus
and in course of tirae was able to get satisfactory
wages, beginning at $1.25 per day and board, and
eventually reaching $2.50 per diera. He was of
strong purpose, and his thrift -may be iraagined when
it is known that out of the per diem remuneration
of $1.25 he saved $200 within the year. In 1878 the
death of their guardian compelled hira to hasten
horae to Germany for his brother and sisters. After
he returned with them he resumed his blacksmithing
work in Canfield, and three years later, Mr. Swank
having died, he bought the shop. And his subse
quent operations showed him to be a man of enter
prise and good business ability. He expanded his
wagon-repairing shop into a wagon and carriage
building plant of appreciable importance, and until
the larger factories of the country produced cheaper
vehicles by the now customary mechanical methods,
standardization of parts, and such like economies,
Martin Kimerle's plant found steady work for nine
or ten raen, including painters and upholsterers, two
wood-workers and three blacksmiths. Still, through
out his continuance in business he did very satis
factorily, the wagon-work latterly resolving into a
repair business exclusively, although the smithy of
course continued as at first. He retired in 1918, after
forty-six years of independent business, so that he
well earned his retirement. Three years after he be
came independently established he took his brother

George into partnership, and they prospered well,
remaining together in business until Martin retired.
Both were characteristic of the worthy producers
of this country. They applied themselves steadUy to
their own work, content to leave political affairs and
such like outside interests to others. Neither sought
public office at any time, although both were staunch
deraocrats. Religiously they are identified with the
Lutheran Church, and have been since their boy
hood days. They are both representative Americans,
and by their actions and practical patriotism during
the recent war declared themselves emphatically as
such, both contributing frora their private raeans as
far as they were able to the various funded issues
of the Government, and in many other ways strove
to further the cause of their adopted country in
the great struggle, which it is hoped will starap
the curse of railitarism and the burden of armaments
out of their native country in course of time.
Martin was raarried in 1890 to Maria MUes, of
Girard; and George raarried Edith Yeager, of Can-
field, who, however, is now deceased. George has
two children, daughters, Esther and Josephine, and
both now live with their parent. The family and
the brothers are well regarded in Canfield generally,
and are well known to agriculturists throughout
the district.
Andrew Lawton. But few men in the Mahoning
Valley have been longer and more steadily asso
ciated with one concern than Andrew Lawton, who
for forty-one years has given his time and energies
to one of the present departraents of the Republic
Iron and Steel Corapany. He is now superintendent
of its shafting departraent. Along with the length
of his service to this industry Mr. Lawton has al
ways exeraplified a sound public spirit and good
judgraent in local affairs, and is one of the men of
prorainence and leadership in the civic life of
Youngstown. Even as a boy he becarae accustoraed to the reg
ular work and employment of the great industrial
section of England, Yorkshire, where he was born,
November 22, 1853. He was the thirteenth in the
family of fifteen born to Lamach and Mary (Bar-
racliffe) Lawton. His father for a long period of
years was connected with the worsted mills in York
shire. At the age of eight Andrew was a boy
worker in the coal raines. Later he found work
above ground in the fabric plant where his father
was eraployed. While in England he married and,
seeing no prospect for great advanceraent in York
shire, in 1879 with his wife and child, he came to
Araerica and reached Youngstown as a total
stranger. Soon after his arrival he found eraployraent in the
Brown-Bonnell plant. He raade his daily work a
constant opportunity for increasing skill, and in a
few years was recognized by his superiors as a
high class machinist. Not long afterward he was
sent into the shafting department, became its night
superintendent, and now for many years past has
been superintendent of that department of the Re
public Company.
Mr. Lawton married in England Mary Elizabeth

92

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONLNG VALLEY

Swift. She died in igo8 and in 1913 he raarried
Martha Atwood Hogue, also a native of England.
Mr. Lawton has two sons, Lamach and Arthur.
Lamach, who is connected with the Truscon Steel
Corapany of Youngstown, married Catherine, a
daughter of Jacob Petree, and his son, Andrew
Petree Lawton was graduated frora the Annapolis
Naval Academy in June, 1920. Arthur Law.ton, con
nected with the McDonald plant of the Carnegie
Steel Company, married Edith, a daughter of
Ferdinand Carson, and they have a daughter, Sarah
Elizabeth, a very promising young lady with ex
ceptional rausical talent.
Mr. Lawton is a prominent Mason, being a past
raaster of Western Star Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons, past high priest of Youngstown Chapter,
Royal Arch Masons, past patron of the Eastern
Star, is a Knight Templar and Shriner, and is a
raember of the Board of Directors and on the
house comraittee of the Masonic Temple. For the
past fifteen years he has been one of the valued
members of the Youngstown Board of Health and
is now vice president of the board. He is active
in the Chamber of Commerce, a republican, a mem
ber of the Red Cross, and St. John's Episcopal
Church. Benjamin Pitney Baldwin. The old agricul
tural axiom that "the well tilled fields yield a golden
harvest for the care and labor bestowed upon them,"
finds a notable verification on the farm of Ben
jamin Pitney Baldwin, in Milton Township fifteen
miles west of Youngstown. - To an industry that
now more than ever has come to be regarded as
worthy of the most ambitious man's efforts, Ben
jamin Pitney Baldwin has devoted a lifetime and
having' passed the age of three score and ten he is
now well able to enjoy the afternoon calm of life
with dignity and ease.
The house that shelters his family today was his
birthplace, and there he first looked out on the world
September 21, 1842. This branch of the Baldwin
family was transplanted to the Mahoning Valley at
the beginning of the nineteenth century and Mr.
Baldwin is one of the few men in this section of
Ohio who are grandsons of Revolutionary soldiers.
His grandfather was Caleb Baldwin, a native of
New Jersey. A youth when the struggle for in
dependence began, he enlisted, but his skill as a
gunsmith was regarded as more valuable to the
cause than if he remained in the ranks, and he was
therefore assigned to duties in the modest munition
works of the Revolutionary period. A number of
years after independence had been achieved, he
came to the West, located at Youngstown, and was
one of the first justices of the peace in that com
munity. He died at Youngstown in 1810 when about
fifty years of age. Caleb Baldwin married Eliza
beth Pitney, who was a raeraber of the famous
New Jersey family of Pitneys, distinguished for
years as lawyers, jurists and statesmen, one mem
ber of which is now in the United States Senate.
Elizabeth Pitney Baldwin died in 1849 in the house
where her grandson Benjamin Pitney was born.
Benjamin Pitney Baldwin, Sr., was born at
Youngstown March 16, 1802, and was one of the

first white children born in that community. About
1835 he moved from Youngstown to the present
Baldwin homestead in Milton Township and spent
an active life as a farmer and died in October
1882. On moving to Milton Township he bought
the old John Moore farm of 150 acres, and at the
time of his death was owner of 450 acres of land
in that section. He married at Youngstown about
1830 Martha Pauley, who died in 1871. His second
wife was Mary Louisa Parmelee, who is now living
in advanced years in Texas as Mrs. Mary L. Doug
las. Benjamin P. Baldwin, Sr., was the father of
twelve children, and four sons and two daughter?
reached raature years. John who died in young
manhood; James, a teacher in early life and jatpr
a farmer, died at Newton Falls, Ohio; Linus Caleb,
who probably achieved the greatest wealth of any
member of the family, went as a boy west to Coun
cil Bluffs, Iowa, later became raanager of a distil
lery at Belle-Vernon, Pennsylvania, laid the foun
dation of his fortune in that industry, and subse
quently removed again to Council Bluffs and ac
quired a large ranch in Wyoming, but spent his last
days in Council Bluffs, where he died; .Henr re
moved to Michigan and was killed by being k ,ked
by a horse ; Nehemiah Scott was a veteran soldier
of the Union army and died in Michigan. The tY(o
daughters are : Lois, who married M. S. DePew
and died in Michigan ; and Harriet, living at Hiram,
Ohio, widow of Alexander Pow, a brother of George
Pow. Benjamin Pitney Baldwin grew up on the home
stead, completed his education in the Mahoning
Academy at Canfield under David Hine, and for
four years was a teacher in district schools, his
first school being in Boardman Township, and he
also taught in the home school and in Trumbull
County. At the beginning of the Civil war he was
a member of the Ohio National Guard, and he
twice enlisted but each time was rejected on ac
count of disability. About the close of the war
he raarried and since then has been busied with
farra duties. He acquired about half of his fath
er's old farra. His father had been an extensive
sheep raiser, and Benjarain P. was actively asso
ciated with his brother Neheraiah Scott for twen
ty-five years in the sheep and livestock industry,
and they were frequent exhibitors at fairs. Mr
Baldwin has been a breeder of Shorthorn cattle and
Delaine sheep.
He was a pioneer in tile drainage, and for a
nuraber of years he invested all the capital he could
raise to underdrain his land. Adequate drainage
corabined with judicious rotation and skillful tillage
has converted a soil that once was pronounced worn
out into a most productive condition. In fact there
is no land in the county now yielding more abun
dant crops than that found on the Baldwin farm.
Largely out of his experience and careful study he
has drawn the lessons which he has applied, and
many of the principles he has followed are the
cardinal features of what is now known as mod
ern scientific farming. He was one of. the first to
recognize the value of the use of limestone to
sweeten the soil, and he still continues its liberal
application.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

93

When Williara McKinley was governor of Ohio
he gave Mr. Baldwin a commission as notary pub
lic, and that coraraission is still in force by sub
sequent renewals. About the same time he was
elected a justice of the peace, and has filled that
office for at least a quarter of a century. A repub
lican in a' democratic township, his fellow citizens
have evidently regarded his character and personal
qualifications as raore iraportant than party ties.
iMr. Baldwin is also affiliated with the Masonic
order. In i86s he raarried Lucy Shiveley, a native of
Ohio, and of the same family of which the late
Indiana Congressman Shiveley was a meraber. She
was born in Jackson Township of Mahoning County,
but her parents for many years lived in Newton
Township of TrurabuU County and died there. Mrs.
Baldwin was a teacher in early life in TrurabuU
County. For fifty-five years Mr. and Mrs. Bald
win have traveled life's highway together, and her
thrift and ability as a horae maker have been an
important factor in the faraily success. To their
marriage were botn six children : Frank S., a
rancher at Phoenix, Arizona ; Alice M., who is
principal of 1;he South Park Avenue School at
Warren; Marta L., wife of Grant Foulk of War
ren ; Linus R., who is a dairyraan, a Holstein cat
tle breeder and a cotton grower at Phoenix, Ari
zona ; Julia L. Bernice, who for eight years was a
teacher in the schools of Chicago and is now the
wife of J. B. Jenkins, living at Downer's Grove,
Illinois; and Ruth; wife of Sherrill Orr, who lives
on part of the Baldwin farra.
William H. Pritchard, president of the Niles
Iron & Steel Roofing Corapany, has come up from
the ranks of iron and steel workers, and for a num
ber of years furnished some of the skilled labor
to local plants before he engaged in business for
himself. Mr. Pritchard was born in Motherwell, Scot
land, February 22, 1868, son of Edward and Sarah
(Edwards) Pritchard. The same year of his birth
his parents raoved to Birrainghara, England, where
his father followed his trade as a bar raill heater.
In 1878 the parents and their seven children immi
grated to the United States, at once locating at
Niles. Edward Pritchard found immediate em
ployment for his skill in the mill owned by James
Ward, and he continued an active worker and resi
dent of NUes the rest of his life untU his death in
1917, at the age of eighty-six. Outside of his circle
of fellow workers he was best known in the Metho
dist Episcopal Church of Niles, of which he was
a devout member. He was one of those rare char
acters who really lived their religion seven days
in the week, and was affectionately known as
"father" Pritchard, being a leader in the church
and a man honored and respected by all who knew
him. His wife died in 1907, and of their seven
children all but one are living.
The fourth in the family, William H. Pritchard
has few recollections of his life in England. He
finished his- education in the public schools of Niles,
and when about fourteen began work at bundling
scrap in the old Ward mUl. When that mill passed

to the Sumraers organization he reraained and at
the age of sixteen was advanced to the post of
shearer. That was his official classification araong
the raUl workers of NUes for fourteen years. When
he left the mill he invested his capital in a retail
shoe business, and was a successful merchant until
191 1. iMr. Pritchard on January I, 191 1, became
president of the Niles Iron and Steel Roofing Com
pany, and has directed the business of that com
pany with growing prosperity.
This is one of the older industrial organizations
of Niles, having been established about thirty years
ago by George and Frank Robbins, who personally,
or through their descendants operated the plant until
it passed into the hands of the present owners.
Mr. Pritchard has played an effective part in
local affairs, for twelve years was a raeraber of the
Niles Board of Education, serving as clerk three
years and the last year as president, is a meraber
of the Niles Club, the Trumbull Country Club,
the .Niles Chamber of Comraerce and the Metho
dist Episcopal Church. In 1887 he raarried Miss
Annie E. 'Williams, of Niles. Their two children
are Olive, now Mrs. Allen E. Pritchard, and Les
lie E. The son Leslie saw two years of service
with the colors as an infantryman in the World
war. He is now secretary and treasurer of the
corporation of which his father is president.
John S. Zimmerman, M. D. Since 1895 Dr. Zira-
raerraan has practiced his profession as a physician
and surgeon in Youngstown, and in addition to hfs
private practice has handled raany public responsi
bilities in the line of his profession, and for years
has exercised a weighty influence in public health
raatters in the city.
Dr. Ziraraerman was born at McKeesport, Penn
sylvania, April I, 1864, but has spent raost of his
life in Youngstown. His parents, Charles and Mar
garet (Schaura) Ziraraerman, were natives of Ger
many, but were married in Pennsylvania. Charles
Zimmerman enlisted in a Pennsylvania regiment at
the time of the Civil war, and gave four years to
the cause of his country. He was twice wounded,
in the thigh and the leg, and came out of the
army with broken health. He was a butcher by
trade, and in 1876 moved his family to Youngs
town, where he was a highly respected resident for
many years. He died in 1903, at the age of eighty,
and his wife, in 1908, aged eighty-three. They were
merabers of the Lutheran church, and their old horae
was on Hays Street. Of their seven sons and eight
daughters, six sons and two daughters are still liv
ing, and the five in Youngstown are Charles, a re
tired resident living on Princeton Avenue ; Louis, a
wholesale raeat dealer ; George, who conducts a mar
ket on Oak HUl Avenue ; Dr. John S. ; and Mrs.
McCollum, widow of David McCollum, living on
West Laclede Avenue.
Dr. Ziraraerman from the age of twelve years at
tended 'the public schools of Youngstown, and also
the Northeast Ohio Normal at Canfield. He also
worked in his father's butcher shop and through his
work and savings was able to bear the larger part
of the expenses 'involved in his raedicai education.
Dr. Zimraerraan graduated frora the raedicai de-

94

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

partment of Western Reserve University in 1895.
His first office in Youngstown was on West Fed
eral Street, over Wick C. Gans' drug store. For
many years past his office has been at 1401 Oak Hill
Avenue. For a number of years he has served on
the raedicai staff of the City Hospital, formerly
was connected with the Mahoning Valley Hospital,
and in 1912 took the place of Dr. Clark on the
board of health. He is a raeraber of the Mahoning
County Medical Society and of the American Med
ical Association.
In i8go Dr. Zimmerman married Miss Lillian Os
born, who was born on the Manning farm in the
Mahoning Valley, daughter of Clark Osborn. They
have two sons, Fred W., a graduate of the dental
department of Western Reserve University, also
of Dewey's College of Orthadontia, is specializing
in this iX-ray work, and is practicing in Youngs
town ; and Louis, a student in the South High
School. The family are merabers of the Epworth
Methodist Episcopal Church, and Dr. Zimraerraan is
a member of the board of trustees. Fraternally
he is affiliated with the Masonic order and the
Knights of Pythias.
Fred H. Alexander and George W. Alexander,
his brother, are the chief executives in the Niles
Lumber Company. Both are thorough business raen,
widely experienced in the handling of industrial and
comraercial organizations.
John B. Alexander, their father, also a resident
of Niles, was born in Crawford County, Pennsyl
vania, November 10, 1845, son of Thomas Alex
ander, a native Pennsylvanian who spent all his
active career as a farmer. Thoraas Alexander mar
ried Rebecca Lewis, and they were the parents of
a large family of eleven children. John B. Alexan
der grew up on a farm, and his residence and activi
ties were practically in one spot in Pennsylvania
for seventy-two years. He was well educated,
being a graduate of high school, and had taught
for one term. His home has been in Niles since
1917. He is a raember of the Christian Church.
December 9, 1875, John B. Alexander married
Emraa Theodosia Burwell. Her father. Rev. Nim
rod Burwell, was a well-known Baptist minister.
She was well educated, and had taught school for
twelve terras. John B. Alexander and wife had
three children to reach raature years, Fred H.,
George W. and Ella. The daughter is Mrs. Frank
Voorhies. Fred H. Alexander was born at the horae of
his parents at Espyville, Pennsylvania, August i,
1881. He completed his education there in a high
school, attended Allegheny College at Meadville,
and the Bryant, Stratton & Smith Business College
at Warren, Ohio. Practically all his active business
experience has been in the luraber industry. He
was first an eraploye of the Western Reserve Lum
ber Company of Warren, commencing February
12, 1900, and continuing as bookkeeper, stenographer
and cashier until 1912. In that year the company
sent him to Niles to perform similar services in
its branch establishment in that city. Later he
becarae one of the organizers of the NUes Lumber
Company, and has been treasurer and general man

ager of that corporation. During the past eight
years he has exercised his private influence in va
rious ways in behalf of the prosperity of the city.
He is active in the Niles Chamber of Commerce, is
a meraber of the Christian Church, is affiliated with
the Masons and Odd Fellows, and is a member of
the Trumbull Country Club, the Niles Club, and is
a republican. Septeraber 22, 1906, he married Miss
Abbie Elizabeth Graves, of Warren, Ohio. Their
two children are Ralph Edward and Robert Allan.
George W. Alexander is secretary of the Niles
Lumber Company. His comraercial experience has
been of broad variety and much responsibility.
He was born at Espyville, Pennsylvania, April 6,
1888, was reared there, and graduated from high
school in 1907. For the following two years he
was a student in Hiram College, and then joined
R. C. Barnura Corapany of Cleveland as traveling
salesraan and secretary. Later he was in the em
ploy of the Sterling Electric Manufacturing Com
pany of Warren, with headquarters at Chicago, and
still later becarae manager of the larap department
of the Central Electric Corapany of that city.
Owing to the advanced years of his parents Mr
Alexander returned to his native town in 1914, and
there took active charge of his father's two dairy
farms. . His horae has been at Niles since January,
1917, and here he has given most of his tirae to the
lumber business.
He is a meraber of the Christian Church, is affili
ated with the Odd Fellows, is a republican and a
member of the Niles Chamber of Commerce, the
Niles Club and the Odd Fellows Club. September
29, 1909, he married Gertrude M. Guy, who died
February 5, 1918. On March 5, 1919, he married
Mary H. Sandmann, of Niles.
Robert M. ' Smith practically grew up in a New
England raanuf acturing plant, and for the past eight
years has been manager of the Stanley Works at
Niles. The home of the Stanley Works is at New
Britain, Connecticut, and the house is one of the
oldest and most prosperous in America. Therefore,
when a plant was established in the Mahoning Val
ley in 1908 the fact was taken as a good omen for
the increasing industrial life of this community.
The Stanley Works entered the Mahoning Valley
in 1908 by renting a building and operating at Gi
rard, where the entire output at first was wrought
steel washers. The manager of the Girard plant
was John Fellows. In 1910 the company began
building their present plant at Niles. It was
opened in 1911 for the manufacture of strap and
T-hinges and wrought steel washers. At the pres
ent time the business at Niles has about thirty acres,
largely covered by the best fireproof construction,
with 75,000 feet of floor space. The plant is thor
oughly adapted for the special lines of manufac
ture and gives employment to about 175 people.
Robert M. Smith was born at Wallingford, Con
necticut, June 12, 1881. His father, Capt. Ira B.
Sraith, also a native of Connecticut, gained distinc
tion in the Civil war. For ninety days he served
as a private in the Second Connecticut Infantry,
and afterward was captain of Company C of the

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

95

Seventh Connecticut Infantry. He was all through
the war, fought at Fisher's Island, Bermuda Hun
dred, the first Bull Run, and the greater part of his
service was in Florida. He was captured at Ber
rauda Hundred and for several months was a pris
oner in the notorious stockade at AndersonvUle,
until paroled. He was in that prison when the
famous thunderstorm occurred, following which a
spring of pure water was found gushing from the
.ground, this being the first good drinking water
the prisoners had enjoyed. The spot is now raarked
by a raarble fountain known as Providence Springs.
Captain Smith is still living at the age of eighty,
with home at Short Beach, Connecticut. During
his active career he was a manufacturer of flat
silverware, first at Wallingford, then at Bristol
and afterward at Niagara Falls, New York. He
has been affiliated with the Masonic fraternity since
1864. Captain Smith married Susan K. Maynes, and
of their three children Robert M. is the youngest.
Robert M. Smith grew up in Connecticut, had a
public school education and learned the machinist's
trade under his father. He entered the Stanley
Works in the bolt department at New Britain, Con
necticut, on Noveraber 15, 1904, as assistant fore
raan, and has been one of the rising executives of
that industry. He was made foreman of the bolt
department in January, 1906, and in June, 1907,
transferred to the butt finishing department, the
second largest departraent of the plant, as fore
man. In March, 1912, the company sent him to
Niles as raanager of the Niles plant. He has the
satisfaction of seeing the Niles plant increase in
productive output fully a third since he became
manager. During the World war Mr. Smith was secretary
of the iNiles War Relief Board and the Niles Lib
erty Loan Coramittee. He is treasurer of the Mc
Kinley Savings & Loan Company, and is a mera
ber of the Niles Club, the NUes Charaber of Com
merce and in politics a republican.
September 28, 1904, he inarried Miss Edith May
Allen, of Bristol, Connecticut. Her father, Ed
ward H. Allen, was a Civil war soldier in Cora
pany K of the Sixteenth Connecticut Infantry. This
entire regiraent was captured by the enemy, and he
also spent a term in Andersonville prison, being there
part of the time that Captain Smith was there,
though they were not acquainted. Mr. and Mrs.
Sraith have one son, Gordon Allen Sraith.
William O. Brown. WhUe the greater part of
Mr. Brown's active career has been identified with
that old established and substantial institution of
journalism in the Mahoning Valley, the Youngstown
Vindicator, he had some years of experience with
the local iron and steel industry, and is a member
of that Brown family which has left an indelible
impress upon the Mahoning Valley largely through
its enterprise as iron and steel masters.
Though a resident of 'Youngstown most of his
life, WUliam O. Brown was born at Portsmouth,
Ohio, March 29, 1876. He is a grandson of Na
thaniel E. Brown, one of the founders of the Brown-
Bonnell Iron Company at Youngstown. His par
ents were James A. and Martha J. (Martin) Brown.
Vol. n— I

His father, who was born at New Castle, Penn
sylvania, in 1852, spent a nuraber of years at Ports
mouth, where he was a bank cashier and where he
married. In 1878 he raoved to Youngstown, and
lived on the site of the present Trinity Methodist
Episcopal Church, forraerly the home place of Na
thaniel E. Brown. Here he was connected with the
Richard Brown flour mUl, and later for about
twenty years with the Brown-Bonnell raills. Dur
ing that period he had had his horae for about six
years at Bass Lake, but returned to Youngstown
and died in that city in 1905. The widowed mother
is stUl living. Her two sons are WUliam O. and
Frank L., the latter vice president of the Columbia
Steel & Shafting Corapany of Pittsburg.
William O. Brown graduated from the Rayen
High School in 1897, and spent the following six
years in the iron and steel mills. With the Ohio
Steel Corapany he began as a clerk and messenger
boy, and eventually became chief clerk of the op
erating departraent. His service with the Vindicator
has been continuous since 1902. He was assistant
business raanager for several years, and is now
business raanager of the paper.
During the World war Mr. Brown served as cap
tain and ordnance officer of the Youngstown Na
tional Guard organization. He is a republican, a
member of the Youngstown Club, the Rotary Club,
the Charaber of Comraerce, the Young Men's Chris
tian Association, and is a Knight Teraplar and
Scottish Rite Mason and raember of the Mystic
Shrine. September 9, 1903, he married Miss Alma
M. Maag. Their two children are Elizabeth Martha
and James Williara.
Ira a. Thomas. As raerchants, iron and steel
raen, the Thomases have a long and conspicuous
record at Niles and elsewhere in the Mahoning
Valley. The present generation coraprises several
brothers, and their father was Thomas B. Thomas,
the facts of whose career are stated on other pages.
One of the brothers, Ira A., president of the Sykes
Metal Lath & Roofing Company at Niles, was born
at West Austintown, Ohio, November 25, 1870. He
spent the first ten years of his life in his native vil
lage, began his education in the public schools there,
and when his parents removed to NUes he continued
his education in that city for four years. In 1884
the family moved to Nebraska, where Ira A. Thoraas
had considerable experience in farraing and at inter
vals continued his education in the Freraont Norraal
School in that state;
Ira A. Thoraas returned to Niles in 1893 and with
his brothers embarked in the dry goods business.
He was active as a merchant untU 1910, when he
became connected with the auditing department of
the Thomas Steel Company. When that plant was
acquired by the Brier Hill Steel Company he re
mained with the larger corporation a few months in
the purchasing departraent. Then with his brother
C. R. Thomas he bought the Sykes Metal Lath and
Roofing Company and has subsequently become
president of what is one of the distinctive and valu
able industrial concerns of the city.
Mr. Thomas is a member of the NUes Club and
the TrurabuU Country Club and is a Presbyterian.

96

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Septeraber 22, 1897, he married Miss Flora Head.
Their one son is Ira A., Jr.
Frank J. Thomas is one of the several sons of
Thomas B. Thomas, whose enterprise and energies
have long been contributing factors in the industrial
affairs of Niles and vicinity.
Frank J. Thomas was born at West Austintown,
Ohio, AprU 10, 1878, and at the age of six years
accompanied his parents to Nebraska, where he
grew up on a farra in a coraparatively new section
of country. His education was restricted to public
schools. In 1903 he returned to Niles and became
associated with his brother W. A. Thomas, then
president of the Niles Iron & Steel Corapany. This
industry was subsequently changed to the Thoraas
Steel Company and remained an important individual
plant in the NUes district until it was sold to the
Brier Hill Company. Frank J. Thoraas reraained
with the latter corporation for two years, and then
becarae financially interested with his nephew, Clin
ton G. Thomas, in the Western Reserve Steel Com
pany at Warren. He was superintendent of con
struction and later general raanager of the plant.
This industry was likewise acquired by the Brier Hill
Steel Company in 1916. Since that year Frank J.
Thomas has been general manager of the Sykes
Metal Lath & Roofing Company at Niles. He is also
president of the McKinley Savings & Loan Corapany
of NUes.
Mr. Thomas is a Mason and Odd Fellow, and at
this writing is president of the Niles Club. June 16,
¦ 1909, he married Miss Nellie L. Jones, a daughter of
Thomas T. Jones, of NUes. They have one son,
Paul J.
William Clyde Sherman, a well known property
owner and real estate operator at Warren, apparently
had an implanted genius for business, his faculties
being sharpened and developed from early boyhood,
which was one of struggle against adversities and
without home influences.
Mr. Sherraan was born at Warsaw, Indiana,
August 17, 1870, but four generations of the faraily
have been identified with Morrow County, Ohio.
His father, Ezra Sherman, and his grandfather were
both born in Morrow County. His raother, Eliza
Bennington, was a native of Pennsylvania, from
which state the Bennington family moved to Morrow
County. Ezra Sherraan and Eliza Bennington met
and married at Warsaw, Indiana, and after about
two years returned to Morrow County.
WUliam Clyde Sherman spent his boyhood days
in Morrow County and had only a brief district
school education. In his ninth year his raother died,
and after that he had no real horae of his own untU
his marriage at the age of twenty-three. He also
made his own way during that time, his chief em
ployment being as a farm worker by day and raonth.
He was also a raule driver on the tow-paths of the
Wabash and Erie Canal.
After his raarriage in Morrow County Mr. Sher
raan eraployed hiraself in raaking rails and cutting
cordwood for a time, and then turned his business
talents to account in the horse business and later as
a liveryman in Morrow County and also at Marion,

Ohio. Mr. Sherman came to Trumbull County in
March, 1901, unloading his goods at Leavittsburg
near 'Warren. He went in debt to buy the old'
Wilderson farm, and remained on it for three years
working alraost night and day to iraprove and drain
the land and repair the buildings. He still owns
the property, the old homestead being one of the
landmarks of the valley, having stood for eighty-
five or ninety years and still in good condition.
When he left the farm Mr. Sherraan moved to
Newton Falls, TrurabuU County, where he owns
considerable land. There he operated a feed mill
and engaged in a general business, handling seed,
implements and hardware. In looking for a city
both as a home and business center iMr. Sherman
carefully studied the situation in eastern Ohio
and finally fixed upon Warren as the town with
the greatest future, and also with the best ad
vantages in business, raoral, educational and social
conditions. He has lived at Warren since September,
1916, and since then has been a prominent operator
in real estate, both city and farm property. He has
handled a nuraber of leases and has exercised his
enterprise in a way broadly beneficial to the rapid
upbuUding of the city. - '
Mr. Sherraan was one of the organizers of the
corapany which is putting up the large commercial
buUding on the corner of North Park and Porter
avenues. This is a brick and terra cotta three-story
152x100 foot structure, with a perraanent easement
off Porter avenue and has been designed for the use
of a large department store. Mr. Sherman is also
one of the owners of the Packard Apartments on
North Park avenue, and he bought his own home at
320 North Park avenue, one of the best residence
sections. He still owns several good farms, and
supervises their management. Mr. Sherman is
affiliated with Carroll iF. Clapp Lodge of Masons,
the Masonic Club, the Elks and the Knights of
Pythias, is a raeraber of the Warren Board of Trade,
and the First Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1893
he raarried Miss Rose Renz. She was born in Mor
row County, daughter of Frederick and EUen
(Cook) Renz. To their union have been born four
children, Gladys Pauline, Crystal Barbara, Herbert
Renz and Williara Clyde, Jr.
John Baxter, superintendent of the tube mills of
the Republic Iron & Steel Corapany, has been as
sociated with this corporation since July i, iW
He is a native of Scotland, born at Dundee on the
23d of February, 1866, a son of John and Annie
(Kinraond) Baxter. The father spent his Hfe in
Scotland, but the raother carae to the United States
in 1891, and her death occurred in Allegheny, Penn
sylvania. In his native land John Baxter grew to years of
maturity and received his education, later serving a
five years' apprenticeship at the machinist's trade
and for a year or more worked as a journeyman.
But in 1887 he left the land of his birth for the
United States, and in his new horae he first found
eraployraent as a raachinist with the old Warren
Tube Company, of Warren, Ohio. He subsequently
worked for the Riverside Steel Works of Benwood,
West Virginia, returned then to the town of War-

^/^^cA^ "^O ^!t.^^i^^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

97

ren and became associated with the Page Tube Com
pany, from there went to Pittsburgh for the tube
department of the Oil WeU Supply Company, was
next with the LaBeUe Iron Works at SteubenvUle,
Ohio, and from there came to the Republic Iron &
Steel Corapany. In all these various places Mr.
Baxter filled different positions, having served as
assistant superintendent of the Page Tube Company,
was simUarly employed by the Oil Well Supply
Corapany, superintended the erection of the tube de
partment of the LaBelle Iron Works, where he also
served as superintendent of the tube department
for about nine years, and he came to the Republic
Iron & Steel Corapany as superintendent in the
erection of the tube departraent. After its com
pletion he was retained by the corporation as su
perintendent of that department, and he has ever
since occupied that important office.
Mr. Baxter is a meraber of the First Presbyterian
Church, also of the Youngstown Country Club, the
Autoraobile Club, the Youngstown Charaber of Com
merce, the Y'oungstown Engineers Club, and is a
thirty-second degree Knight Templar and York Rite
Mason and a meraber of the iMystic Shrine. In
raany ways he has shown his interest in the public
welfare of Youngstown, and is an efficient worker
for the progress of the Mahoning Valley. A few
years after coraing to this country he took out the
papers which made hira a naturalized citizen of the
United States, and he has ever since proved his
worth as a true and loyal American.
On March 31, 1898, Mr. Baxter was married to
Miss Mary Esther Jones, of Warren, Ohio, and they
have a son and daughter, Margaret A. and John K.
Alfred F. Howe, vice president and general sales
manager of the Borden Company of Warren, has
won an enviable place in the big business affairs of
Warren and in the civic and social life of the com
munity, for as a sales manager he ranks with the
leaders of the country and as a citizen he is all that
can be desired.
Mr. Howe was born at Clyde, New York, on
August 16, 1875, the son of Charles A. and Phoebe
(Finch) Howe. In both paternal and maternal lines
he comes of farailies of colonial New England ante
cedents, araong the notable members of the New
England faraily of his patronymic being Elias Howe,
whose priority of invention of the sewing machine
was, after much litigation, finally established, the
invention ultimately bringing hira considerable
wealth. .Alfred F. iHowe was educated in the public
schools of Clyde, New York, and at De Pauw
University. He began his business career as a salesraan in the
east, and in 1898 he becarae a salesraan for the Cleve
land, (Ohio) Purap and Fixture Company.
In 1900 he became identified with the Borden Com
pany at Warren, and for a time he sold a large part
of the output of the plant, traveling continuously
and establishing markets for the corapany's patented
specialties in most of the states of the Union. In
1902 he opened the New York City headquarters of
the company, and maintained that connection until
1913, directing his efforts chiefly to foreign markets.
During the period of igo5-i9i3 he made annual

trips to Europe. Mr. Howe has been connected with
the sales department of the Borden Company from
the tirae when the shop found occupation for but
three workraen to the present plant, rated as the
largest of its kind in the world and giving eraploy
raent to almost three hundred people.
When the Borden Company was incorporated Mr.
Howe was elected vice president and general sales
manager of the company.
In 1913 Mr. Howe found it necessary to move
from New York to Warren to give closer attention
to the business. He is a member of the Warren
Rotary Club and the Trumbull Country Club, is a
member of Nutley, New. Jersey Lodge No. 167,
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and New Jersey
Consistory thirty-second degree, and a member of
Warren Lodge of Elks.
Mr. Howe was united in marriage with OUie M.
Dawson, of Gault, Canada, and to them have been
born four children. David Dawson, who was born
in Buffalo, New York, on November 11, 1897, was
a student at the Ohio State University in 191 7, in
which year he enlisted in the air service of the
United States Array. He was mustered out of
service in 1919 and entered the employ of the Warren
Iron and Steel Cofnpany. He married Lucy, daugh
ter of Charles B. Loveless, of Warren. Roy Richard,
who was born in Cleveland, Ohio, July 24, 1900,
attended the high schools of Nutley, New Jersey,
and Warren, Ohio, and finished his education at
Peddle Institute, New Jersey. He is now connected
with the Oil Well Supply Company of Taft, Cali
fornia. WUliara Warren, who was born at Nutley,
New Jersey, October 4, 1904, attended the Nutley
public schools, the Warren High School and is now
a student at the Roosevelt Military Acaderay, Hack
ensaok, New Jersey. HUda Hope was born in
Warren, Ohio, March 30, 1916.
Albert B. Stough. Struthers has existed as a
coraraunity name in Mahoning County for more than
half a century, but the city of Struthers is practically
the evolution of the present century and it is now
one of the important points on the map of the in
dustrial district of the Mahoning Valley.
Of the industries which have brought population
and wealth to this locality, the second in size and
importance is the Struthers Furnace Corapany.
While the company manageraent has its headquarters
at Cleveland, the big plant and the practical work
ings of the industry are at Struthers and many of
the important decisions affecting the practical opera
tion of the company are made in the local office.
Mr. Stough will deserve a long memory in
Struthers also for the leadership he displayed at a
peculiarly distressing and discouraging time when
in 1908 he becarae mayor of the little city. Prosperity
and the breath of industry had almost departed
from the coraraunity in the months following the
panic of 1907, and Mr. Stough proved one of the
hardest workers in the little group of the faithful
who kept the wheels of progress turning until nor
raal tiraes should return.
Mr. Stough was born at NUes, Ohio, December
22, 1869, son of Dr. J. F. Stough and a grandson
of John Stough, a Portage County farmer. Dr.

98

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Stough was born in Portage County, Ohio, in 1833,
and for many years practiced his profession at Niles.
After retiring he moved to Warren, where he died
in 1906, at the age of seventy-three. Dr. Stough
married Jennie Rex, a native of England and daugh
ter of Daniel and Mary Ann Rex. Her father was
a farraer in Bloorafield, Trumbull County, Ohio, and
was a veteran of the Civil war. Jennie Rex was
reared in Trumbull County. She was born Septera
ber 13, 1845, and died in 1893, aged forty-seven
years and ten raonths.
Albert B. Stough lived at Niles to the age of
seventeen, and acquired his education in the local
schools there. For a tirae he clerked in a grocery
store at Warren, and then became a traveling repre
sentative covering Ohio and Western Pennsylvania
for the Warder-Bushnell-Glessner Corapany of
Springfield, Ohio. At this tirae this corapany was
one of the leading raanufacturers of farra and har
vesting machinery, and in the personnel of the com
pany was former Governor Bushnell of Ohio. For
six years Mr. Stough regularly covered his field,
and paid sorae visits to Struthers while a traveling
man. In 1901 he perraanently located in the village
as office raanager of the Struthers Furnace Com
pany, and has had the responsibUities of the local
office and has been a participant in and witness of
all the remarkable developraent in the town for the
past twenty years.
Mr. Stough served on the first Board of Educa
tion as its clerk for three years. He resigned this
office to accept the noraination for raayor in 1908,
and was elected and re-elected untU he had served
five consecutive terms, ten years, beginning his ad
ministration in a tirae of depression and leaving the
raayor's office when Struthers was enjoying an un-
exarapled era of prosperity and growth. He finally
refused to be mayor any longer. Of the achieve
ments connected with his administration a list would
be in the nature of a municipal history of Struthers
for ten years. The improvements included sewer
building, sidewalk construction, street paving, the
establishraent of water works, fire and police depart
ments, establishment of a board of health, and also
the ofificial setting off of beautiful Yellow Creek Park
as an adjunct and pleasure ground for the city.
While he retired frora the office of mayor in igi7
Mr. Stough's public services are still continued as a
member of the Board of Education, and in that
way he has continued to do good for his coraraunity.
One new school building has been built since he was
appointed a raeraber of the Board, and a site for a
new high school secured, since the present high
school building has proved inadequate for the rap
idly growing school population. This new high
school is to be erected on a ten-acre carapus.
Mr. Stough is a trustee of the United Presbyterian
Church. For seventeen years he served as master
of the exchequer in the local Knights of Pythias
Lodge, and was also a member of the Building
Committee which erected the Knights of Pythias
BuUding, a part of which is used on a long term
lease by the Telephone Company, the income going
into the sinking fund to pay for the cost of the
building. Mr. Stough raarried Martha D. Shoenberger, of

Warren, daughter of Edward and Catherine Shoen
berger. They have a faraily of two sons and one
daughter: Donald B., who was a meraber of the
Students' Array Training Corps while the war was
in progress, and is corapleting his higher education
in Washington and Jefferson College; Jane, who
is a graduate of the Rayen High School at Youngs
town;. finished her education at Oberlin College, and
is the wife of Fred R. HamUton, connected with
the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company; and
Thoraas Edgar, a high school graduate who entered
Washington and Jefferson College in 1920. Dur
ing his residence at Struthers Mr. Stough has ex
pressed and exeraplified just those qualities and
actions needed in making and upbuilding a town.
He is an enthusiast and assists and encourages every
movement, not only those connected with business,
but in behalf of churches, social welfare, athletics
and other wholesorae causes.,
Henry Onions has the distinction of being the
oldest living pioneer iron worker in the Youngs
town district, and at the present time he is serving
as hall man in the general office of the Republic
Iron & Steel Company. He was born in Boonton,
New Jersey, February 24, 1840, a son of Josephus
and Eliza (iHarris) Onions. The parents were born
in England and carae to Araerica in the early part
of i83g, locating in the city of Boonton and re
maining there about three years. Going farther
west, they established their home in Cincinnati,
Ohio, and from there carae to Youngstown in the
early part of 1846. Josephus Onions superintended
the erection of the puddling furnaces in the first
raill erected in Youngstown, and he also made the
first heat of iron in the puddle mill. Both he and
his wife spent the reraainder of their lives and
died in Youngstown.
Henry Onions attended the public schools of
Youngstown in his youth, but at the early age of
ten, in 1850, entered as an employe the Youngstown
Iron Works, and thus when a mere youth started
out to make his own way in the world. The
Youngstown Iron Works closed down in the fall
of 1850, and during the years of 185 1 and 1852 the
young iron worker was engaged in making coke
for the Mill Creek Furnace, which was located in
what is now known as Mill Creek Park. In the
spring of 1853 he began work at the Falcon Furnace,
owned and operated by Jaraes Ward & Company, of
NUes, Ohio, continuing as an eraploye there for a
year and a half, and in February, 1855, began work
for Brown, Bonnell & Corapany, being the thiro
person employed by them, and Mr. Onions remained
with them and their successors until 1886. He is
now employed with the Republic Iron & Steel Com
pany. His mature years have been spent in diligent
labor, he has been the architect of his own success,
and he has lived to reap the reward of tireless en
ergy and right living.
In 1858 Mr. Onions belonged to an independent
military company called the Tod ArtiUery, which
disbanded before the opening of the CivU war, and
at the beginning of that struggle, in 1861, he en
listed for service but was rejected on account of
having lost the sight of his right eye. He has

y^>»^/»</ {^U^t^u^t^T^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

99

taken but the good citizen's part in the raatter of
politics, and has voted with the republican party
since 1861. On the 15th of Deceraber, 1864, he be
carae a member of Hebron Lodge, iNo. 55, Inde
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has
since filled all the various offices, and from Janu
ary I until July I, 1868, he served the order as
noble grand, and he now has the honor of being
the oldest living past grand of the lodge. At the
present time he is serving it as treasurer, and has
filled that office for the past twenty years. Since
1862 he has been a member of St. John's Episco
pal Church.
At Bedford, Pennsylvania, AprU 23, 1861, by the
Reverend Nesbett. Mr. Onions was married to Ruth
Hannah Harris, a daughter of Williara and Frances
Harris, who. carae to this country frora England
and settled in Youngstown in 1849. Four children
have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Onions. "Wyllys
H., married Esther Taylor, and they are the par
ents of the following children : Carrie M., Frank,
Mildred, Etta, Henry, Elizabeth and Esther. Carrie
F. is the widow of Robert T. Carothers. The his
tory of Joseph H. will be found on succeeding pages.
Ruth H. is the widow of Frederick C. Hilton and
the mother of one son, Frederick H.
Joseph H. Onions, who is associated with the
Republic Iron & Steel Company, has been a life
long resident of Youngstown and was born in this
city November " 21, 18712. He aittended the city
graded schools, with also one year in the Rayen
High School, and in the suraraer of 1887 began
driving a wagon for a grocery store. This first era
ployraent. was followed by other odd jobs for a
tirae, and on October 3, 1892, he entered the service
of the Lake Shore Railroad Corapany as car ac
countant. On the nth of August, i89g, he began
his connection with the Republic Iron & Steel Com
pany as an accountant under W. C. Riley, a year
later became an assistant in the office of Hugh
Swaney, who was then the company's paymaster,
and in 1902 succeeded to the office of paymaster and
has since filled that important position.
On September 24, 1896, Mr. Onions was married
to Emma Sunderlin, and their three chUdren are
Robert C, Gertrude H. and Helen J. Mr. and Mrs.
Onions are merabers of St. John's Episcopal
Church. Mr. Onions is also affiliated with the
Youngstown Chamber of Commerce, with fhe Inde
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a York Rite
and a Thirty-second degree Mason and a meniber of
Al-Koran Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of
the Mystic Shrine, Cleveland, Ohio. He gives his
political support to the republican party.
John F. Pearce. WhUe his first business re
sponsibilities at Struthers were as a banker, Mr.
Pearce for the last eight years has given his un
divided energies and time to the manageraent and up
building of the Struthers Furniture and Undertaking
Corapany, one of the largest concerns of its kind in
the Youngstown district. Mr. Pearce is manager,
secretary and treasurer of the corporation.
While he has spent nearly all his life in the Ma
honing Valley, he was born at Wheeling, West Vir

ginia, August 8, 1885, son of John and Mary Pearce.
His father has for twenty years been a resident of
Youngstown, and is a sheet mill worker with the
Sharon Steel Hoop Corapany.
John F. Pearce grew up at Youngstown, and left
high school when the opportunity was presented to
go to work in an office. Altogether he was con
nected with banking for nine years, and carae to
Struthers as assistant treasurer of the Struthers
Bank. He left that in 1912 to ally hiraself with his
present business.
This business was established by the firm of Cun
ningham and Davidson of Lowellville, incorporated
as the Cunningham Furniture & Undertaking Com
pany. They opened a second store at Struthers, and
in igii sold the business at LowellvUle and changed
the narae to the Struthers Furniture and Under
taking Corapany. During the past eight years this
corapany has built up a trade not only supplying the
iraraediate community of Struthers, but a large out
lying district, even corapeting with the stores of"
Youngstown. The corapany occupies a three-story
building, divided into four rooras and with 15,000
square feet of floor space. There are five eraployes.
Mr. Pearce has also found time to work in the
interests of his community and for eight years has
served as village treasurer. He is a meraber of the
United Presbyterian Church and affiliated with the
Masons and Knights of Pythias. September I, igio,
he married Charlotte Burrows, of Youngstown,
daughter of Rev. A. E. Burrows, a Methodist rain
ister. Mrs. Pearce was born at Seattle, Washington,
but is a graduate of the Rayen High School of
Youngstown and was a teacher in that city before her
raarriage. They have two children, John, Jr., and
Mary Louisa.
Rev. Nicholas F. Monaghan. On September 20,
igi3. Rev, Nicholas F. Monaghan was installed as
pastor of St. Nicholas Catholic Church at Struthers.
This is one of the prosperous Catholic congregations
in Mahoning County, though raost of the progress
has been made within the last decade.
The first Catholic services at Struthers were held
in the years immediately following the close of the
Civil war. Ground was secured in 1870 and in the
following year a frame church was erected. Then
and for a number of years following it was a
mission, usually attended by a priest from Youngs
town and vicinity.
The parish of St. Nicholas now has 120 farailies
and Father Monaghan also att. nds the raission
at LowellvUle. Father Monaghan was born at
Ashtabula, Ohio, Septeraber 22, 1882. His father,
Patrick iMonaghan, came from County Meath,
Ireland, in 1866 and for a time lived in Chicago.
Nicholas Monaghan grew up at Ashtabula, where
he obtained his primary education. In igo2 he
graduated frora St. Charles College at Baltimore,
and took his theological work in St. Mary's Serainary
of that city. He has the degrees A. B., M. A. and
Bachelor of Theology. He was ordained in Cleve
land by Bishop Horstraann Deceraber 21, 1907, and
after a brief period as an assistant priest in Cleve
land he becarae assistant to Father Conway in St.
Mary's Church at PainesvUle. He was at PainesvUle

100

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

five years before he took up his duties at Struthers
on Septeraber 20, 1913.
At that time the local church was burdened with
a debt of $15,000, largely due to the construction of
a new church edifice. The debt was paid off in four
years and there has been some constructive progress
in the material welfare of the parish every year of
Father Monaghan's pastorate. The parsonage has
been thoroughly overhauled. There are no parochial
schools, the Catholic chUdren attending the public
schools. St. Nicholas' parish has representatives of
raany nations, and the duties of the pastor are very
onerous and require the exercise of much patience,
energy, good sense and broad sympathy. It is those
qualities that have made Father Monaghan's work
both pleasant and profitable in this field. He played
baseball in college, and has always encouraged
athletic sports among the boys of his church. He is
a scholar and gentleman, and also has the faculty
of being able to mingle with his people and with
citizens of all classes irrespective of creed, and has
justly become a favorite in the town.
Lawrence H. Underwood received a technical
training in civil and general engineering, but about
fourteen years ago his attention was attracted by
the great future possibilities of the coke industry
and its i-elated lines. He is one of the thoroughly
competent men in .that raodern field of industry, and
for the past five years has enjoyed the responsibilities
of superintendent of the coke plant of the Youngs
town Sheet & Tube Company, an office he took over
on August I, 1915.
Mr. Underwood was born at Dixon, Illinois,
November 2, 1880, son of Nathan and Hannah E.
(Weeks) Underwood, the former a native of Massa
chusetts and the latter of Maine. His parents soon
after their marriage moved to Chicago, and two
years later located at Dixon, Illinois, where Nathan
Underwood became a flour miller. In i8g2 he left
Dixon and moved to South Dakota, where he con
tinued flour milling. He was retired from active
busine,ss several years before his death, which oc
curred in igi3. His wife died in 1903.
Lawrence H. Underwood was the youngest of a
family of five sons and one daughter that reached
mature years. He lived at Dixon, Illinois, to the
age of twelve and spent three years with his parents
in South Dakota. He then lived with an older sister
in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was graduated from
high school in i89g. Soon afterward he entered the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology at Boston,
graduating in igo3. The first two years his principal
studies were concentrated on surveying and engineer
ing and the last year on mining and metallurgy. Even
while a high school boy he becarae keenly interested
in surveying, and his work as a surveyor's assistant
gave hira a large part of the raeans necessary to
defray his college expenses.
After leaving the great technical school at Boston
he entered the service of the National Tube Com
pany at Wheeling, West Virginia. He was an ap
prentice in the blast furnace department frora July,
igo3, until March, 1904, being appointed assistant
superintendent of blast furnaces at the latter date.
In May, 1906, he was made superintendent of that
department. This office he filled until 1912.

In order to gain the fullest experience in the coke
industry and its by-products Mr. Underwood went
to Gary, Indiana, in January, 1913, and serveci in
the coke department of the Illinois Steel Company
until May, 1914. At that date he was appointed
assistant superintendent of the coke plant, an ofifice
he filled until he came to Youngstown to accept his
present work.
Mr. Underwood is a meraber of the Youngstown
Engineering Society and the American Iron and
Steel Institute. He is also affiliated with the Youngs
town Country Club, the Youngstown Chamber of
Commerce and the Masonic fraternity. September
25, 1906, he married Cleve E. Lozier, of Elyria, Ohio.
George G. Erskine, who is raarket raaster of the
Gardeners' Markets on the south side at Youngstown,
is a veteran truck gardener hiraself, and has had a
very influential part in providing for better market
ing conditions in Youngstown, as a result of which
the producer and consuraer are brought closer
together. Mr. Erskine is raeraber of an old and prominent
family of Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. He was
born at Bolivar in Westraoreland County, Pennsyl
vania, February 28, 1858. His parents were James
and Catherine (Geddes) Erskine. His father, who
died at LowellvUle a few years ago, was long prom
inent in the clay product industry of Pennsylvania
and Ohio, and a resident of Youngstown raany years.
Several raerabers of the family have attained dis
tinction in the commercial life of Ohio, and more of
the particulars in the family history wUl be found
eLsewhere. George G. Erskine was eleven years of age when
the family moved to Youngstown, where he lived
until 1880. After getting his education in the com
mon schools and taking a short course in the Ohio
State University, he busied himself clerking in his
father's store at Lowellville, and in company with his
brother James went to a farm in Lawrence County,
Pennsylvania. His father had bought this farm for
the development of its clay deposits, and the son
opened a clay bank. The clay had a special use as
the chief constituent of a raortar to be used in re
pairing the lining of furnaces instead of lime mortar.
WhUe the working of the clay bank was continued
for only two years, George G. Erskine remained on
the farm for several years. By his work he was able
to pay his brother Jaraes' expenses while a student
of mining engineering at the Ohio State University.
James graduated in 1885, and then took charge of
his father's fire brick plant at HillsvUle, which had
been bought from John W. Phillips. After two
years there James took a course in the Homeopathic
Medical School at Cleveland, and went west to
practice at Albany, Oregon, and while there also
became identified with mining interests in Oregon.
George Erskine remained on the farm in Pennsyl
vania until igo5, and then bought twenty-one acres
at his present location in Poland Township, between
Lowellville and Struthers. He had developed the
Pennsylvania farm to truck growing, and continued
that business in Poland Township. In 1906 he
erected his first greenhouse for the purpose of grow
ing vegetables under glass, specializing in lettuce and
cucumbers. Eventually he had three quarters of an

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

101

acre under glass, and in 1910 incorporated the Erskine
Garden Company. He remained in charge of this
industry until February, 191 7, since which date the
property has been leased to the Darrow Brothers.
For a number of years the local gardeners had
found conditions at the old public raarket in Youngs
town unsatisfactory. It was the custom to lease
stalls, but sorae burdensorae restrictions were placed
upon the marketers, who were corapelled to confine
their sales to individuals prior to 8 o'clock in the
morning and after that to local grocers. Eventually
the gardeners got together and organized the present
Growers Market Company, the membership of which
now comprise 150 producers. There are about thirty
stockholders in the company. They, established a
market- on East Woodland Avenue, and Mr. Erskine
was chosen as the market master.. Sales are held
three times a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Satur
days, and there* are no restrictions as to sales to
consumers or dealers. The arrangeraent has proved-
very satisfactory to all concerned, and the daUy
volume of transactions now ranges in value between
$5,000 and $10,000. About April i, 192O, the Grow
ers Market Company purchased about three acres
on Pyatt Street, which they will hold for future use.
Mr. Erskine lives between LowellvUle and
Struthers, where he erected in 1908 a fine raodern
brick horae overlooking the industrious valley. For
nearly thirty years Mr. Erskine has also handled in
connection with his other affairs a fire insurance
agency, and that gives him rauch occupation and
also a wide acquaintnce in this section of Ohio.
Mr. Erskine is in ardent prohibitionist, and he and
his wife are raerabers of the Christian Church.
June 9, 1881, he married Anne Wright, of Law
rence County, Pennsylvania. She died in 1908, the
mother of seven children : Paul, the oldest, has been
connected with the Bell Telephone Company at Los
Angeles, California, since 1908. Arthur W. is a
physician and surgeon at Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Marcia C. is the wife of A. M. Cunninghara, of
LowellvUle. Ralph J., who has been associated with
his father in the greenhouse business, lived oh the
old homestead in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania.
George G. is a rancher in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Dorothy M. is teacher of Domestic Science in the
schools of Edmonton, Alberta. Florence P., who
forraerly taught in Saskatchewan, is now a teacher
in the Struthers schools.
July 3, 1912, Mr. Erskine married Esther McFar-
lane, wido-w of Dr. B. F. Gjbbons. She is a first
cousin to his former wife. Her parents were Irvine
and Ellen (Beggs) McFarlane, life residents of
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Her grandfather,
Frank McFarlane, carae originally frora PhUadelphia,
and settled on the state line, three and a half railes
east of CoitsvUle, near Bedford. Irvine McFarlane
after his raarriage raoved to the Beggs farm of his
wife. This farra is just east of the Ohio-Pennsyl
vania state line. Irvine McFarlane died there in
1877, at the age of seventy, and was survived by
his widow for thirty years. The old farra is still
in the family. Mrs. Erskine's first husband was a
dentist at Youngstown, and on account of his health
moved to a farm at Warren, Pennsylvania, where
he died September 12, 1909. By a previous marriage

Dr. Gibbons had a son, Edward F., who was reared
from the age of twelve by Mrs. Erskine and is now
a resident of Cleveland.
Robert Erskine, .M. D. A prorainent meraber of
the raedicai fraternity of Lowellville for twenty
years, at an earlier date a raerchant. Doctor Erskine
has accepted raany opportunities to serve his. cora
munity, and his three terms as inayor mark the
highest stage in the municipal improveraent of
LowellvUle. Doctor Erskine, who is one of a numerous faraily
in the Mahoning Valley, is a son of the late James
Erskine. James Erskine was born at Paisley, Scot
land, in 1825. The Erskines for several generations
were identified with the historic industry of Paisley,
weavers of the famous shawls. His parents were
Hugh and Elizabeth (Craig) Erskine, and his
grandparents were Robert and Helen (Allison)
Erskine, also of Paisley.
James Erskine in early life worked in the shawl
factory. Through the early death of his father he
becarae largely dependent upon his own resources.
WhUe eraployed with an iron works he becarae a
competent engineer, and with this experience he
came to New York in 1849. For a time he worked
on a farm at Pittsburgh, and was then employed in
the clay products industry at Bolivar, Pennsylvania.
He became general manager of a brick yard, also
conducted a store and had other interests there.
While in Pennsylvania he became associated with ,
the group of raen who founded the Brown-Bonnell
Corapany at Youngstown. In 1866 he carae to the
Mahoning Valley and acquired a tract of land con
taining brick clay. He organized Erskine & Cora
pany, the corapany part being the Brown-Bonnell
Company, manufacturers of fire brick. This corapany
was organized about 1869, buying out the plant pre
viously established by Mr. Sutton. They mined clay
and raade fire brick for furnace lining and blast
furnaces. The old brick plant stood on a site now
occupied by steel raills. James Erskine also conducted
a general store at Lowellville, becoming associated
with Leo Guthman in 1873. Mr. Guthman had charge
of the business untU the sons of James, Robert and
John G. Erskine, took over the enterprise. Doctor
Robert subsequently sold to his brother John, who
continued the business until his death, about 1909.
It was then taken over by his widow and son David
son. Mrs. John G. Erskine is still living, and her
son Davidson is a coal operator in Kentucky. John
G. Erskine was a prominent citizen of LowellvUle,
and becarae widely interested in the local business
and civic affairs, serving on the school board, the
council and in other positions. James Erskine also
spent his last years at Lowellville, where he died
in 1916, in his ninety-first year. He was widely
known among brick manufacturers, and had in
terests in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, where a
special grade of clay was found for making high
grade fire brick. In the Mahoning Valley he de
veloped a limestone quarry which subsequently was
acquired by the Mahoning Limestone Corapany.
In 1853, at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Jaraes Er
skine raarried Catherine Geddes, a native of Scot
land and daughter of George and Margaret Geddes.

102

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

She died at the age of fifty-seven, the raother of
six chUdren. The oldest of these is Dr. Robert
Erskine. Reference has already been raade to his
brother John G. Erskine. Another member of the
family is George Erskine, superintendent of the
raarket gardeners' stands in Youngstown. William
L. lives at Lowellville, and James is a resident of
Honolulu, where his son is employed by the Govern
ment. In l8go James Erskine married for his second
wife Ella Hicks, and there were four children of
this union, three of whom are still living: Isaac P.,
a business man at Lowellville ; Hugh Craig, con- ¦
nected with the Republican Iron and Steel Company,
and a graduate of Hiram College ; and Sarah E.,
Mrs. Burton Smith, of LowellvUle.
Robert Erskine was born at Johnstown, on the
Conemaugh River in Pennsylvania, and the old
house where he first saw the light of day was swept
away by the great flood of i88g. He grew up in
Ohio, attended school here, and spent about seven
teen years in the mercantile business at Lowellville,
until he sold out to his brother John in l8g6. He
was also associated with his father and uncle in the
Carbon Fire Brick Company, and had charge of the
company's books. Robert Erskine prepared for his
profession in the Kentucky School of Medicine at
LouisvUle, graduating in 1898, and since then for
over twenty years has been engaged in a general
practice at LowellvUle.
Along with his busy professional work he has
filled several offices, including township clerk, mem
ber of the school board, and for three times was
mayor. While mayor he secured the construction
of a sanitary sewer system, water works and other
improvements, and also directed the agitation for
village extension and the approval of the county
commissioners to a plan whereby the village could
secure greater benefits, though the courts have issued
injunctions against the carrying out of this policy
and the issue is stUl unsettled.
Doctor Erskine lost his only son at the age of
thirteen, and his daughter, Bessie, is the wife of
Arthur W. Erskine, a physician and surgeon at
Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Thomas Reese Phillips. In such men as
Thomas R. Phillips, a well known and successful
business raan of Youngstown, there is peculiar satis
faction in offering their life histories — justification
for the compilation of works of this character —
not that their lives have been such as to gain thera
particularly wide notoriety, but that they have been
true to the trusts reposed in them and have not
neglected the opportunities that have come to them
during their business careers, showing such attrib
utes of character as entitle them to the regard of
all who know them.
Thomas Reese PhUlips was born at Church Hill,
which is now a part of Youngstown, on April 28,
1879, and is the son of John and Maria (Thomas)
Phillips, the forraer of whom was of 'Welsh na
tivity and the latter, English. They are both now
deceased, the father dying on Noveraber 14, 1900,
when sixty-six years of age, and the raother on
January 2, 1901, at the age of sixty-three years.
They had both come to the United States in their

youth and had met and raarried here. Mineral
Ridge became the home of the Phillips family, be
ing now owned by the oldest son, John PhUlips.
John Phillips, Sr., was an honest, hard-working
man, occupying the position of foreman in a coal
mine. Eventually they moved to Grove City, Penn
sylvania, where their deaths occurred. They were
Methodists in their religious faith. Of the sixteen
children born to these parents, the subject of this
sketch is the fifteenth in order of birth. He remained
with his parents and was their chief support and
reliance in their closing years, being a steady and
reliable worker in the mines of Mercer County.
After the death of his parents he erected a neat
and tasty meraorial stone over their last resting
place. He was then twenty-one years of age, but
up to that tirae his education had necessarily been
greatly neglected, his time being devoted to work
and the care of his parents, so that his attendance
in the Grove City schools had been extremely brief.
When twenty-three years old Mr. PhiUips, realiz
ing the ultimate value of better education, gave
it serious attention. He attended night school three
evenings each week and thus prepared himself for
entry into Grove City College. He lacked but a year
of graduation when he met his future wife and de
cided to marry. In igo6 Mr. Phillips came to
Youngstown and for one year was in the employ
of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Corapany. He
then decided to erabark in business on his own ac
count, a decision which, proved to be the stepping
stone to his future success. He had a cash cap
ital of $150, with which he purchased a horse and
wagon. A stock of goods, worth $400, was bought
on credit frora his sister, and with this modest
stock he began his raercantile career in a little
buUding at the corner of High and Edwards streets.
He managed well and was wisely economical, so
that he soon had his goods all paid for and a con
siderable cash surplus. With the latter he bought
the site of his present store, at No. goo High Street,
and had the building erected. Here he carries a
large and well selected stock of general raerchandise
and coramands a large trade in his part of the
city. He has richly earned the success which has
come to him, for his business principles and pol
icies are in accordance with thejiighest ethics, good
goods at right prices being his raotto.
Mr. Phillips devoted hiraself indefatigably to the
building up of his business and has wisely invested
his profits. A few years ago he joined with some
friends in the developraent of oil lands in Butler
County, Pennsylvania, he hiraself investing $1,820.
They have drilled one hundred wells, and the gen
eral results of their operations have been very sat
isfactory. Mr. Phillips is now president of the
Phillips Dale Oil Corapany, and has gained recogni
tion as a man of rare business judgraent and sound
discriralnation.' Mr. Phillips was married to Ada M. Campbell,
the daughter of Silas and Mary CampbeU, of North
Washington, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and they
are the parents of three children, Thomas Reese,
Jr., Harold J. and DeWitt. Mr. and Mrs. PhiUips
are active merabers of the Epworth Methodist Epis
copal Church, of which he is a trustee. Fraternally

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

103

he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons,
including the Blue Lodge of Master Masons, the
Chapter of Royal Arch Masons and the CouncU of
Royal and Select Masters, and is also a raember of
the Knights of Pythias. Politically he is an earnest
supporter of the democratic party, though he re
serves the right to vote for the men and measures
which in his opinions are for the best interests of
the whole coraraunity. As a raan of ability, sturdy
integrity and usefulness, and as a citizen represent
ative of the utraost loyalty, he raerits consideration
by his fellow men, among whom he is held in the
highest regard.
Jesse Cunningham. WhUe his home for the past
two years has been at 313 Arlington Street in
Youngstown, Mr. Jesse Cunninghara is still active
in the manageraent of the big business he built at
LowellvUle as a furniture dealer and undertaker.
That business has enjoyed a steady growth with
passing years, and at the present time represents an
investment of about $60,000, including not only a
high class undertaking department, but also a cora
plete stock of furniture, house furnishing goods and
rausical raerchandise, including phonographs. Both
floors of the raain store are taxed to capacity for
the display of goods and other uses, while a storage
roora and detached warehouse afford as rauch raore
space for the business.
Mr. Cunninghara was born near Haselton in Ma
honing County February 17, 1872, son of Arthur
Murray and Ellen (Bentley) Cunninghara. His
father spent his active life as a skUlful raechanic,
and' at different times worked as a carpenter, wagon-
maker, blacksmith and pattern maker. The mother
died in 1890. Their large family of children con
sisted of John, Lois, Jesse, Lucy, Charlotte, Clarence,
William H., iEllen, iFrank, Blanche, Arthur M. and
Marietta. During the first eighteen years of his life in Coits
ville Township Jesse Cunningham received his edu
cation in the district schools and the high school of
Coitsville Center and learned the carpenter trade
under his father. For six years he was employed
in the factory of a prominent firm of casket manu
facturers, and was advanced to the position of fore
raan. After this experience he reraoved to Lowell
ville in 1896, and stocked a sraall building with fur
niture. His business grew and prospered and he had
one or two partnerships and since 1903 his business
has been at its present location, where a large buUd
ing was erected for the special purpose.
Mr. Cunningham was one of the organizers and
a director of the Lowellville Savings & Banking
Company and in earlier years gave much of his
time to the improvement and welfare of his home
city. For twelve years he served as a member of
the school board, and was a leader in the move
ment to erect a new school building in 1905. He
was also on the committee which brought about the
installation of an electric light plant in iLowellvUle.
He was also vUlage treasurer for one term of two
years. Mr. Cunningham is a past chancellor of
Lowellville Lodge of Knights of Pythias, and is a
raeraber of Hillman Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons at Youngstown.

June 13, 1894, he married in Allegheny County,
Pennsylvania, iMary E. Groah. They have two chil
dren : Jesse Lawrence, who was born May 3, 1895,
is a furniture salesman at Los Angeles, California,
and by his marriage to Hazel Mervin, of Meadville,
Pennsylvania, has one child, Jesse Marvin, now two
years old. The daughter of Mr. Cunningham is
Virginia Marie, born October 7, 1898, now the wife
of G. W. Bankson, an electrician of the Goodyear
Tire & Rubber Co. of Los Angeles, California, where
they now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Bankson have a
daughter, Virginia Marie.
William John Lomax. One of the principal
centers of trade in the town of Lowellville is the
Lomax Departraent Store, a business that was
founded thirty-five years ago by Eliab Loraax, but
for nearly twenty years has been under the pro
prietorship and direction of Williara John Loraax.
It has grown frora an exceedingly raodest enterprise
to a store of a number of departments filled with
desirable merchandise, and during the past decade
the volume of trade has more than doubled.
The great-grandparents of the present merchant
at LowellvUle were Henry and Nancy (Fisher)
Lomax, who spent all their lives in England. Their
son John was born in 1823, married Margaret Tay
lor, and in 1853, a year after the birth of their son
Eliab, they carae to the United States and located at
Lowellville. Eliab Lomax grew up to a life of industry, was
employed in the coal and oil regions of Ohio and
iPennsylvania, and in 1885 started a sraall confec
tionery shop in LoweUviUe. In i8g6 he erected a
substantial two-story buUding for his business, but
in igo2 sold the site and removed the building to
another location. In the meantime the store had
grown with new stock and new departments, and
Eliab Lomax took in his son WUliam J. as a partner,
and in 1902 retired frora business and moved to
Youngstown, where he is still living. He has owned
several 'residences and other parcels of real estate
property at Lowellville and "Youngstown, and has
served as a raember of the Board of the Children's
Home. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church,
is a Knight of Pythias, and during his residence at
Lowellville was a raeraber of the village council and
the school board.
Eliab Lomax married Amy Brown. She died in
1881, the mother of three children, Carrie M., Al
berta and WUliam John. Eliab Loraax raarried for
his second wife Frances Hayes, and they are the
parents of one daughter. Hazel V.
WUliara John Loraax was born at OhiovUle in
Beaver County, Pennsylvania, January 26, 1879, but
has spent most of his life. at Lowellville, where he
finished a public school education and took a business
course in Newcastle, Pennsylvania. He became a
partner with his father in igoo under the name
E. Loraax & Son, and on January 25, igo2, became
his father's successor. At that time the business was
on the south side, and the store was in the path of
the destructive fire of June, 1910. Soon afterward
Mr. Lomax opened his business on the north side,
and has found his location an exceedingly desirable

104

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

one, and his business has grown and prospered with
out interruption.
Mr. Lomax is vice president of the Lowellville
Bank, and has been a builder and developer of resi
dence property in the town. During his service of
eight years on the' local school board the present
school buildings were erected. He is a trustee of
the Presbyterian Church, is a Royal Arch Mason
and a member of the Knights of iPythias, and is a
public spirited worker in all things that concern the
welfare of his community.
September 17, 1899, ^r. Lomax married Sarah
Cole, who was born at Coleburg, Ohio, October i,
1878, daughter of James and Jane (Williams) Cole.
Her father is still living, and her mother died in
1901, at the age of fifty-four. Mrs. Lomax is one
of eight surviving chUdren : Mrs. Mary Morgan, of
Youngstown ; Mrs. Lizzie Jane James ; Mrs. Rachel
Thresher, of Youngstown ; William, of Hubbard ;
Margaret, Sarah, PriscUla and Thomas.
The chUdren of Mr. and Mrs. Loraax are Aray
Jane, Frances Alberta, Helen Mildred and Ivy May.
The two older daughters are graduates of high
school and never missed a day while they were in
grade and high school work. They are now students
in the Carnegie Institute of Technology of Pitts
burgh. Helen Mildred is in the first year of her
high school work.
Noble T. Robbins, who for the past several years
has been the Ford representative at Niles, is a young
business man of rauch enterprise and public spirit,
and is a raember of one of the old and historic fam
Uies of this section of TrurabuU County.
He is a descendant of Josiah Robbins, one of the
very early settlers at NUes, and a forceful and in
teresting character in the early history of the town.
In the early days Josiah Robbins and his wife kept
the principal inn or hotel in the coraraunity. Josiah
Robbins was distinguished araong the early set
tlers as a strict temperance man, and it is said
that he signed a pledge to abstain from liquof at the
time of his marriage. The Robbins family in the
early days owned large tracts of land along the Ma
honing iRiver, and much of this land has since been
acquired for manufacturing sites.
Noble T. Robbins was born at Niles, Septeraber
23, 1891, a son of George B. and Mary (Robinson)
Robbins. His mother was born in England and died
in i8g7, at the age of thirty-three. George B. Rob
bins, who died November 19, 1919, at the age of
fifty-six, was a native of Niles and for many years
one of its prorainent business raen. He and his
brother, F. C. Robbins, were associated in the steel
roofing business. George B. Robbins succeeded in
1906 as president of the Dollar Savings Bank of
Niles. Noble T. Robbins graduated from the Niles High
School in igio, thus allowing hira ten years in which
to achieve a position in business affairs. Soon after
leaving school he became associated with the NUes
Forge and Manufacturing Corapany and served as
vice president and in other capacities until May,
igi7. He left that industry to becorae a Ford rep
resentative, and since then has built a large and

commodious garage and has all the facilities for
ready and prompt service to the Ford patrons.
Mr. Robbins is affiliated with the Lodge, Chapter
and Council of Masonry, and is a raeraber of the
Church of the Disciples. August 26, igi7, he mar
ried Jennette Mclntire, daughter of G. iM. Mcln
tire. They have one daughter, Mary Grace.
John A. Sauer. The exponents of the contract
ing business at Struthers are raen of skUl and ex
perience, and their work shows evidences of careful
attention to detail. One of these men whose de
pendability is unquestioned is John A. Sauer, whose
reputation is that of a thoroughly reliable citizen.
He is one of the best known men in the Mahoning
Valley, but has never cared for public office, de
voting hiraself to his business, and probably has built
more and better residences than anyone else at
Struthers. The birth of John A. Sauer took place in Mercer
County, Pennsylvania, on August l, 1854, and he is
a son of George and Sophia (Bohlander) Sauer,
both natives of Germany. George Sauer was a
miner and farmer who died at Petersburg, Mahoning
County, Ohio, at the age of eighty-six years, having
come to the county about 184S and settled on the
Kimmel farra five railes. north of Struthers.
John A. Sauer learned the brick and stone mason
trade at Cleveland, Ohio, and was in the contracting
business at Petersburg until i8gi, when he came to
Struthers to build a bridge for the county, and
then began taking contracts first for cellars and
foundation work, and developing into a general con
tractor. He has erected the postoffice, bank building
and nearly all of the brick buUdings at Struthers,
and he also operates in ceraent. A skilled workman
hiraself, he gives his personal supervision to all of
the details and will not tolerate anything but good
workraanship. Eraployraent is given by him to from
eight to twelve men, according to the season, and
he keeps several jobs moving at the same time, and
takes contracts outside of Struthers.
Mr. Sauer was married first at Petersburg, Ohio,
to Mary Kline, who died three years later, leaving
one daughter, Minnie, who is living at home and
working in the Struthers postoffice. His second
wife bore the maiden name of Christina Oswald,
and she lived at Struthers. Mr. and Mrs. Sauer
have one daughter, Mary, wife of Harold Roland,
working in an Akron, Ohio, tire factory. Mr.
Sauer's present prosperity and high standing have
come to him as a result of his industry, skill and
willingness to give the best of himself in each joh,
no matter how unimportant it raight be, and he sets
an example for others to follow in his fidelity and
carefulness. Thomas Reynolds. Beginning life in humble
circumstances, with but limited advantages of any
kind, Thomas Reynolds, a well known and pros
perous business raan of Struthers, has courageously
fought the battle of life, gradually but surely over-
coraing all difficulties, and may well be accounted a
self-made raan in every sense implied by the term.
A native of England, he was born June 3, 1867, near
Birmingham, on a manor or lordship, it being the

GEORGE B. ROBBINS

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

105

particular part of Sutton Goldfield visited by King
Henry VIII, and afterward called in his honor
Royaltown. iHaving an inclination for mechanical pursuits,
Thoraas Reynolds served an apprenticeship of five
years at the blacksraith's trade, receiving for his
work a very scant supply of pocket raoney, at the
age of twenty-one years his trade being his only
capital. The following year Mr. Reynolds worked
as a journeyraan for his old eraployer, who gave him
a pound a week for his services. He later assisted
in building the Manchester ship canal, after which
he was employed as general blacksmith by his
forraer employer untU 1895. Iraraigrating in that
year to the United States, Mr. Reynolds came di
rectly to Youngstown, where his wife's sister resided,
but business was very dull, and desirable employ
ment so little in evidence that he decided to return
to his native land. Being offered $1.35 a day naUing
horse shoes, he accepted, and worked for three
whole days at that rate. Mr. Reynolds tried farm
ing for two years, having a smithy on his farra, and
at the sarae time worked at his trade. It was up
hill work, and he was rather discouraged until a
change in the presidential administration brought
about better results. Locating in Struthers, he has
been doing general blacksmithing for several years.
He now owns and manages a garage, having a well-
equipped repair shop, and handling automobile ac
cessories of all kinds, and has buUt up a very satis
factory business.
Mr. Reynolds has been twice married. He mar
ried first, in 1891, Mary Hadley, who was born in
Dudley, Worcestershire, England. She died in
1917, leaving one son, Thomas Hadley Reynolds, who
has taken a course in automobile manufacture and
repair, and is now in business with his father. Mr.
Reynolds married for his second wife Mrs. Anna
Liber, nee Sweeney, who was born in Salera, Ohio.
A. Lamoin Clingan, who died on the 5th of
October, 1918, at the age of sixty-two years, was
one of the prorainent and influential factors in the
developraent and upbuilding of the vital little city
of Struthers, Mahoning County, where also he was
one of the interested principals in establishing the
prosperous hardware business now conducted under
the firra narae of H. O. Lyon, an enterprise of
which adequate description is given on other pages,
in the sketch of the career of the junior raember
of the firm, Harry O. Lyon.
Mr. Clingan was born and reared near Hubbard,
TrurabuU County, Ohio, the date of his nativity
having been February 9, 1856, and his father having
been one of the substantial exponents of farra en
terprise in that county. The subject of this sketch
was reared to the invigorating work of the farra, but
in his youth he manifested marked raechanical
abUity, with the result that eventually he became a
skilled artisan. Upon coming to Struthers he found
employraent in the cooperage plant, but his energy
and arabition could not be restricted, and he showed
his enterprising spirit by erecting a number of high-
grade houses on Hawthorne Street. In the selling
of these improved properties he developed a pros
perous business and also contributed to the civic and

material advancement of the- village. He also gave
his financial, and a measure of executive, support in
the developraent of the business of the firm of Clin
gan & Lyon, whicii began, and continues operations
in a building that was owned by hira. After the
death of his wife, Mr. Clingan lived virtually re
tired for several years, and within this period he
visited his sisters, Mary and Edwerta, who were in
active service as evangelistic raissionaries in the
Ozark raountains in Missouri and Arkansas. Later
he erected and presented to his sisters an attractive
residence in Missouri. After the death of his wife
he passed much of his tirae in travel, and in this
connection it raay. be noted that for several years
he raade annual fishing trips into Canada for rest
and recreation. He was a man of sterling character,
honest and upright in thought, word and deed, and
he commanded the unqualified respect of his fellow
raen. His political views placed hira in the ranks
of the republican party, he served as a raeraber of
the vUlage councU of Struthers, and here held raem
bership in the United Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Clingan first married Miss Sylvia Gault, of
Muskingum County, and she died within a few years
thereafter, leaving no chUdren. Later Mr. Clingan
wedded Mrs. Edith Gaston, of Findlay, this state,
and she still maintains her home at Struthers, where
the death of her husband occurred. She is an active
raeraber of the United Presbyterian Church and is
popular in the social life of her horae coraraunity.
Mr. and Mrs. Clingan had no children.
Harry O. Lyon is the active executive head of
one of the iraportant and well ordered business en
terprises in the thriving little city of Struthers,
Mahoning County, where he becarae associated with
the late A. Lamoin Clingan in forming the firra of
Clingan & Lyon, which on the 20th of Noveraber,
igii, with an invested capital of $2,500, opened a
general hardware store at Struthers. Frora this
raodest inception has been developed the large and
Eubstantial business stUl conducted under the narae
of H. O. Lyon, the stock of the establishraent now
representing an average valuation of about $35,000,
and the annual sales having increased to an average
of $100,000. The salesrooras are equipped with com
plete lines of heavy and shelf hardware, stoves,
ranges, etc., and the buUding occupied is a part of
the estate of the late A. Lamoin Clingan, who con
tinued as senior member of the firm until the time
of his death. In raaking proper provision for stor
age in connection with the constantly increasing
trade a large warehouse is now utilized in addition
to the store itself. On other pages is dedicated a
raemoir to Mr. Clingan, one of the founders of this
business. Harry O. Lyon was born at Middleton — now
known as Mosk — Columbiana County, Ohio, Febru
ary 5, 1873, and he was a chUd at the time of the
family removal to New Waterford, that county,
where he was reared to the age of nineteen years
and where he profited by the advantages offered in
the public schools. He is a son of Marcena and
Hannah J. (Lewis) Lyon, representatives of old
and honored faraUies of Colurabiana County. Mar
cena Lyon was for many years successfully engaged

106

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

in business as a contractor and builder, was active
in local politics as a republican, and was one of
the well known and highly respected citizens of
Colurabiana County at the time of his death in i8g3,
his wife surviving him by several years.
At the age of sixteen years Harry O. Lyon took
a position as clerk in a general store at New Water
ford, and four years later he becarae associated
with the general store conducted by the R. S.
Chamberlin Company at East Palestine, that county.
At that place he subsequently forraed a partnership
with C. P. Rothwell and opened a general store,
under the firra name of Rothwell & Lyon. He con
tinued his connection with this enterprise for six
years, and thereafter he was for several years re
tained as one of the successful traveling salesmen
for the Beaver Falls Rubber Company. His assigned
territory was eastern Ohio, and thus he frequently
came to Mahoning County. Becoming impressed
with the alert and progressive village of Struthers,
this county, he finally, decided to engage in the retail
hardware business at this place, the result being the
formation of the firm of Clingan & Lyon, as noted
in a preceding paragraph of this review. His care
ful methods, strong initiative and progressive policies
have proved potent in the upbuUding of the sub
stantial and prosperous business, of which he has
had the active supervision the greater part of the
time from the inception, as Mr. Clingan had other
interests that required much of his time prior to his
death in igi8, since which time the junior meraber
of the firm has continued in executive control of
the business. Mr. Lyon is not only a representative
business man of the village, but is also known for
his civic loyalty and progressiveness. He is a re
publican in political allegiance and has given effective
service as a raember of the village council. He was
one of the foreraost in placing the municipal govern
raent upon a stable financial basis and in conserving
economy and efficiency in all departments of the
village administration. WhUe he has been the
staunch charapion of progressive municipal policies,
he has insistently advocated wise economy in viUage
affairs, and it is a matter of gratification to him to
realize that the vUlage is now in a healthy and pros
perous condition. He is affiliated with the Masonic
fraternity, and both he and his wife became mem
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church in their
home village, in the affairs of which Mrs. Lyon con
tinued to be actively identified until her death.
In 1897 was solemnized the raarriage of Mr. Lyon
to Miss Mary Rowe, of East Palestine, Colurabiana
County, and she was called to the life eternal on
the 19th of March, 1919 — a woraan whose gracious
personality had won to her the affectionate regard
of all who knew her. La Velle Lewis Lyon, elder of
the two children of this union, was born in 1900,
and is now associated with his father's business;
Louise Florence, born in 191 1, is a student in the
public schools of Struthers.
Drayton J. Finney, manufacturer at NUes, has
had his home in that city since 1883, and is a mera
ber of one of the pioneer famUies who established
homes in the Western Reserve at the beginning of
the nineteenth century.

In America the family is rauch older. The Pin
neys came from England and settled in New Eng
land in 1631. For a number of generations they
were substantial New England farmers, and agri
culture has been the chief occupation of the several
generations who have lived in Eastern Ohio.
WhUe the colonies were fighting for independ
ence one of the patriot soldiers was Josiah Finney.
His son, also named Josiah, was the grandfather of
the Niles business man. Josiah Finney was born
at Warren, Litchfield County, Connecticut, and rep
resented the fifth generation of the family in
America. Josiah, Jr., when a young man came
west in 1804 and settled at Johnston in Trumbull
County. In the early days he was a captain of
mUitia during the old "training days," and served
as a soldier in the War of 1812. After coming west
he married Clarissa Bushnell, and they had a large
family of nine children, eight reaching mature years.
Theron L. Finney, son of Josiah and Clarissa,
was born at Johnston, and in early life determined
to leave the farm and follow a business career. He
worked as a clerk at Johnston and later at Fowler,
and at Fowler he married Lucy Fidelia Andrews, a
daughter of his employer. With his father-in-law
and later alone, he conducted a store at Johnston,
and was a very successful raerchant.
Drayton J. Finney, the oldest of the five children
born to Theron L. Finney and wife, was born at
Johnston, TrurabuU County, January 9, 1855, and
grew up in his native village, attending public
schools. At the age of thirteen he was doing reg
ular work in his father's store. Before he was
seventeen he began raastering the art of telegraphy
and subsequently was employed as a railway teleg
rapher until the spring of 1883. At that date he
came to NUes, where he became associated with his
father-in-law. Dr. W. F. Ball, in the retaU drug
business. Later he acquired the business and con
ducted it until i8g8, when he sold out. Since then
various business enterprises have claimed his time
and attention. In igo6, associated with E. A. Gil
bert, he helped organize the Standard Boiler &
Plate Iron Corapany, one of the leading industries
of Niles. He served that corporation as secretary
and treasurer until the death of Mr. Gilbert, April,
1920, since which time he has been its president
and treasurer. Mr. Finney is also vice president
of the Niles Trust Company and is^president of the
Home Savings & Loan Company.
He has been voting since the Hayes and Tilden
campaign of 1876 and almost altogether as a re
publican. In 1903 he was elected county commis
sioner of Trumbull County, but declined to become
a candidate for a second term on account of the de
mands of his business. He is ^ Knight Templar
Mason, is a meraber of Al Koran Temple of the
Mystic Shrine at Cleveland, is a member of the
Country Club and the Niles Chamber of Commerce,
and is president of the Niles Memorial Library As
sociation. In 1880 Mr. Finney married Miss LueUa M. Ball.
Their one son, Carleton W. Finney is novy vice
president and secretary of the Standard BoUer «
Iron Plate Company.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

107

Lee B. Milligan, the present postmaster at Lowell
ville, is a native son of the Mahoning Valley, a
former teacher, and for eight years has given all his
time and best energies to the postal service.
He was born at the old Milligan homestead March
13, 1887, in CoitsvUle Township. His father is
James iR. MUligan, stUl living near the old home.
Lee B. Milligan acquired a very thorough educa
tion and at the age of twenty began teaching in
Mahoning County. For four years he was principal
of the East Youngstown schools and had a staff of
some eight or ten teachers under him and a scholar
ship enrollment of about three hundred. When he
left school work he entered the Youngstown post-
office, and during the next seven years becarae
qualified in the several branches of this great Gov
ernraent business.
It was as a result of a civil service exaraination
that Mr. Milligan was appointed to his present office
of postraaster of LowellvUle on January i, 1919.
LowellvUle is one of the older postoffices of iMia-
honing County. It was established at a tirae when
the canal was the great artery of traffic and trans
portation in the county. Several of the former post
masters have been prominent men of the vUlage.
In recent years the business of the office has steadily
grown and now in addition to the local service two
rural free delivery routes originate at Lowellville.
November 5, 1914, Mr. Milligan raarried Miss
Freda M. Sraith, daughter of Henry D. and Edna
Smith. For over half a century the Smith faraily has been
prorainent in the commercial life of Lowellville.
Mrs. MUligan's grandfather, Henry Smith, estab
lished a store in the village more than half a century
ago. He was succeeded in its raanageraent by his
son Henry, and when the latter died in 191 1 there
was a well qualified successor to take his place, his
daughter Freda, who continued the management
four years. This old landmark in local comraerce
is still in operation and in the same building erected
by Henry Smith fifty years ago.
The heirs recently took over and are now running
the business in the same building and on the same
corner their grandfather established fifty years or
more ago.
Mr. and Mrs., MUligan have two chUdren, Robert
Lee and Ruth Shirley. Mr. Milligan is affiliated
with the Masonic fraternity.
Henry D. Smith was the youngest of four chil
dren. His three sisters were Martha, who married
John L. Stewart and died in advanced years ; Mrs.
Sophia Moore, deceased; and Mrs. Mary Newell,
who is now connected with the Glenwood Children's
Hqrae at Youngstown.
Henry D. Smith was one of the best known men
in his section of Mahoning County, and was always
an important factor in coraraunity affairs, holding
nearly all the local offices. He was postraaster during
President Cleveland's first term. He was one of
the charter members and the first president of the
Lowellville Bank. He owned considerable real estate,
including the present home of Mr. and Mrs. Milli
gan. This was his old residence and had been
originally built by his father, Henry Smith, who
was a skilled carpenter. The house, however, was

subsequently removed to its present location, a de
lightful site overlooking the valley. It has also
been thoroughly modernized, and is now one of the
attractive homes of the village.
The faraily of Henry D. Sraith consisted of four
children : Freda, Mrs. MUligan ; Julia Grace, wife
of Caches Hess, of Newcastle, Pennsylvania; Henry
Miller, who raarried Margaret Braatz, and is an
electrical engineer with a sheet and tube company
at Lowellville ; and Anna Elizabeth, wife of Edward
Hoffman, a plumber at Youngstown.
Hugh Truesdale Cowden, a retired resident of
Struthers, and a director in the Struthers Savings
and Banking Company, is an honored survivor of
the CivU war and for many years has been identified
with the farming and other interests in Mahoning
County. He was born near Poland Center, TrurabuU
County, August 3, 1845, a son of Sarauel M. and
Rachael (Truesdale) Cowden. His parents were
natives of the sarae township. The grandfather. Dr.
Isaac P. Cowden, carae frora the vicinity of Harris
burg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, to Poland
Center in 1806. His three brothers, Joseph, Reynolds
and WUliara Cowden, had corae to Ohio in 1796, and
were araong the very first settlers. They located in
the same coraraunity and all of thera spent their
lives here. The last of the three brothers was Wil
liam, who died during the boyhood of Hugh Trues
dale Cowden. The father of these four pioneer
brothers fell at Yorktown at the concluding battle
of the Revolutionary war and was buried on the
battlefield. Dr. Isaac Cowden practiced medicine
and continued his professional services in Poland
untU extreme old age.
Samuel M. Cowden spent his life at the old horae
stead. He had two brothers. Dr. John Cowden of
New Bedford, Pennsylvania, and Isaac P. Cowden
of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, who lived to old
age. Samuel M. Cowden was a farmer and stock
grower, and though interested in the success of the
anti-slavery cause was never in politics. He was
an elder in the United Presbyterian Church, and
several other merabers of the family have filled a
sirailar post in the church at Poland Center.
Sarauel ilil. Cowden died at the old farm at the age
of eighty years.
His wife, who died at the age of seventy-eight,
was born in the same locality, a daughter of Hugh
Truesdale and a granddaughter of John Truesdale,
a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The Truesdales
were likewise araong the first arrivals in Poland
Township. Hugh Truesdale was a raeraber of Cap
tain Walker's corapany in the War of 1812. He
lived to a good old age. There* were five sons and
three daughters born to Sarauel M. Cowden and
wife : Isaac and John, both of whom died in early
manhood; Julius W., of Colurabus; Samuel Alfred,
of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania; Hugh T. ; Julia,
widow of J. C. Lawrence, of Struthers; Mary L,
iMrs. James R. Stewart, of Poland; and Jennie, who
died unmarried.
Hugh Truesdale Cowden acquired a coraraon
school education and in 1864, at the age of nineteen,
volunteered in Company D of the i5Sth Ohio In-

108

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

fantry under Captain Whitzler. This was a Mahon
ing County company. He was in the Army of the
Potoraac and saw some of the hard fighting toward
the close of the war. After the war he engaged in
agricultural pursuits on the old Cowden farm near
Poland Center, and followed that occupation until
1902, when he retired. He is at present a resident
of Struthers. For forty years Mr. Cowden has
been a member of Tod Post, Grand Army of the
Republic, at Youngstown, and is a past commander
and has attended a number of the national encamp
ments and reunions.
When Mr. Cowden retired from the farra he
moved to Struthers, where he has had his home for
seventeen years. He was one of the original stock
holders of the Struthers Savings and Banking Com
pany and has been on its Board of Directors for
twelve years.
Jacob Dilger Waddell is a prorainent iron and
steel raan of the Mahoning Valley and for a nura
ber of years has been active in the public and busi
ness life of Niles, where he is president of the Ma
honing Valley Steel Corapany.
Mr. Waddell was born on a farm in Brookfield
Township, Trumbull County, July 7, 1870, son of
John and Catherine (Richert) Waddell. His mother
was an Alsatian by birth. His father, who was born
at Adria, near Glasgow, Scotland, was nine years
of age when, in 1852, his parents came to the United
States. He grew up near the old Tod farra in Ma
honing County, and has made his mature life one
of honor and usefulness. In 1861 he proraptly
espoused the Union cause, and at the age of seven
teen took his place as a raeraber of Battery I, First
Ohio Light Artillery. He was with that regiment
in all its service for three years and reenlisted for
another three years or the reraainder of the war.
He was under th^ coraraand of General Rosecrans
and other great Federal leaders, and the severity of
his service is attested by the fact that he was four
tiraes wounded. At the close of the war he re
ceived his honorable discharge, and returning to the
Mahoning Valley reengaged in the occupation of
coal mining and subsequently becarae a farraer. In
recent years he has been retired frora active busi
ness and makes his home in Youngstown, where he
enjoys the corapanionship of his children and his
old array corarades.
Jacob D. Waddell spent his early life on a farm,
and supplemented his education in the district
schools with a year in a business college at Mead
ville, Pennsylvania. He learned stenography, and
for a year was in the office of the division pas
senger agent of the New York, Lake Erie & West
ern Railroad, first at Warren and then at Youngs
town. With that exception his mature career has
been entirely identified with the iron and steel in
dustry. His first training in the business was under
Jaraes A. Carapbell of Youngstown. For two years
he was with the Falcon Iron and NaU Company at
Niles under Arras Brothers, for four years with
the Mahoning Valley Iron Corapany, Youngstown,
for a sirailar period with the Araerican Sheet & Steel
Corapany, with headquarters in New York City, and
for four years was secretary and treasurer of

the Erapire Iron and Steel Company, now the Em
pire Plant of the Brier HUl Steel Company. After
that until 1916 Mr. Waddell was general manager
of sales of the Brier Hill Steel Company.
He resigned to organize the Mahoning Valley
Steel Company, became its president, and has di
rected the company's growing business until it now
is one of the largest plants at NUes. He is also
secretary and a director of the Niles Trust Com
pany, having officiated in that capacity since the
organization of the company. He is the present'
and first president of the NUes Chamber of Com
merce. Mr. Waddell is a Knight Templar Mason, has at
tained thirty-two degrees of the Scottish Rite, is
affiliated with Al Koran Temple of the Mystic
Shrine at Cleveland, and is a raeraber of the Du
quesne Club of Pittsburgh, the Union Club of Cleve
land, the Youngstown and Youngstown Country
clubs, the Warren Country Club, the TrumbuU Club
of Warren, and the Niles Club of Niles. Decem
ber 12, 1917, he raarried Miss Mary Ann Thomas.
Her father, John R. Thomas, was one of the most
widely known citizens of Niles.
James R. Stewart. From the safe vantage
ground of his farm in Poland Township James R.
Stewart has been an interested witness of progress
and change in Mahoning County during the past fifty
years. He has been unwavering in his loyalty to
the soil as a raeans of winning a livelihood, and has
never yielded to the attractive opportunities offered
by the great neighboring industries. He has tilled
the soil, has grown something like forty successive
crops in Poland Township, and has tried to perform
his duties as a good citizen, friend, neighbor and
homeraaker. Mr. Stewart was born at CoitsvUle in Mahoning
County, Deceraber 18, 1856. He is a raember of
that old and prominent branch of the Stewart family
in Mahoning County, where they have had their seat
for over a hundred years, the faraily genealogy be
ing sketched elsewhere under the narae of Mr.
Stewart's brother, David H. Stewart.
James R. Stewart was about ten years of age when
his parents raoved to Poland and to the house where
Tames R. Stewart stUl lives. This house was orig
inally built by a Mr. Campbell. Mr. Stewart grew
up on this farra, attended school at Poland, and
remained with his father untU the latter died. For
a number of years prior to that tirae he had had
practical charge of the farra. His father on coming
to Poland first bought twenty-five acres, then ac
quired twenty-five acres adjoining on the east, and
later seventy-seven acres on the north. In the divi
sion of the property James R. Stewart acquired the
original twenty-five acres and also some additional
land, so that his present farm consists of fifty-^two
acres. Mr. Stewart has always been a diversified
farmer, keeping up the fertility of his fields by
judicious rotation of crops and by keeping a herd
of dairy cattle. He has a silo, and keeps a herd of
Jersey cows. His railk is sold wholesale and goes
to supply the raarket at Youngstown. Mrs. Stewart
also takes an active interest in the productive work

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

109

of the farm, and has a flock of 150 Rhode Island
Red chickens.
The Stewart home occupies a pleasant elevation
and has the mellow character of a place that has
been lived in through a long period of years. One
of its attractive features is a large elm tree, near the
front door, under the shade of which two or three
generations of children have played. Mr. Stewart
is a republican, and for the past twenty-five years
has been an elder in the Presbyterian Church at
Poland, with which all members of the family are
identified. Mr. Stewart raarried for his first wife Lizzie
McNab, daughter of James McNab, a neighbor of
the Stewarts. She died two years later, leaving one
son, James A. This son is now twenty-two years
of age, and has relieved his father of the heavier
burdens of the farm work and management. Octo
ber 13, 1898, Mr. Stewart raarried Mary Cowden,
sister of H. T. Cowden, and she died July 19, ig2o.
The old Cowden home is a mUe and a half southeast
of Poland Center. After her marriage Mrs. Stewart
was closely devoted to her home and family, and
was also a woraan of varied intellectual interests.
For six or seven years she taught in the district and
village schools of Poland and had a high school
education. They had one daughter, Rachel Trues
dale, who graduated frora the Poland High School
and spent one year in the Rayen High School at
Youngstown. She is a young woman of marked
social and intellectual tastes. She is an active mera
ber of the Young Ladies' Missionary Society, is a
Sunday school worker, and is an araateur naturalist,
being a recognized authority on the flora of Mahon
ing County. She has raounted sorae 300 specimens
of native wild flowers found in the county, and her
exhibit was awarded a prize at the County Fair.
She has also been called upon to read papers for
the Women's Club at Youngstown.
William Dehn, Jr. One of the younger indus
trial and comraercial centers of Trumbull County is
Struthers. Williara Dehn, Jr., has been identified
with its growth and development practically frora
the beginning. Mr. Dehn for the past five years
has rendered splendid service in the capacity of
postraaster. He was born at Hubbard in TrurabuU County
February 13, 1874, son of Williara and Mary (Gund-
lach) Dehn. His parents were natives of Mecklen
burg, Germany, arid the chUdren came with their
respective parents to Trumbull County. William
Dehn, Sr., and wife are still living on their farm
south of Hubbard. As a young man he worked in
the Hubbard raills, but for the past thirty-five years
has devoted his skill, good judgraent and energy to
farraing. He is a skilled rausican and for raany
years was leader of the cornet band of Hubbard.
WUliara Dehn, Jr., spent his early life on his
father's farra, attended the Hubbard public school,
and as a young raan learned the barber's trade. In
August, 1899, he opened his shop at Struthers. That
shop occupied the site of the present postoffice.
Struthers at that tirae was a town more in proraise
and prospect than in reality. Only one other build
ing stood on the opposite side of the street frora

Mr. Dehn's shop, and there were a few scattering
ones elsewhere in the village liraits. He therefore
had a share in the early struggles of the village, and
for fifteen years his energies were given to his trade,
and in the raeantirae a rapid increase in popula
tion caused him to enjoy a profitable business.
He sold out in June, 1914, to accept his present
place as postmaster. At that tirae the postoffice was
housed in a building giving it less than 800 square
feet. Soon after Mr. Dehn becarae postraaster ar
rangeraents were raade with William Creed, one of
the leading realty owners, to construct a high class
building which the Governraent has snce leased for
office purposes. This building affords three tiraes
as much space as the former one, yet it is an in
teresting index of the growth of Struthers, both in
population and in business, that the present quarters
are completely outgrown and inadequate for the
volume of maU and service transacted. The
Struthers postoffice raore than doubled its volume
of business and receipts in five years, and on that
basis has been raised to a second class office. Mr.
Dehn has been devoted to his work from the time
he accepted the coraraission, has given his personal
tirae and energies to the affairs of the postoffice, and
has studied raeans of iraproving the local service, so
that no warranted criticisra has ever been made since
his administration. Steps have been taken at the
tirae of this writing (1920) for free delivery.
February i, 1899, at the age of twenty-five, Mr.
Dehn raarried Mary J. Williaras, of Hubbard, daugh
ter of the late Lewis Williaras. Mr. and Mrs. Dehn
own a handsorae brick bungalow, which they built.
They are merabers of ' the Methodist Episcopal
Church and for fifteen years he has served as chor
ister. He is active in the local Chamber of Cora
raerce, is a Mason, and is a past chancellor of the
Knights of Pythias.
Joseph Kimbel Horne. Among the prominent
citizens whora Struthers has been called upon to
raourn within the past few years none are more
genuinely missed than the late Joseph Kirabel Horne,
whose record, without bleraish or flaw, bespeaks his
integrity and worth, although it was those with
whora he was brought into closest touch that could
fully appreciate the great heart and strong nature
of the man. Quietly and unostentatiously, he la
bored for the improvement and betterment of the
community, and his influence for good has long been
felt in business, social and religious circles. WhUe
in his death a circle of friends limited only by his
acquaintanceship mourned his loss, the needy and
helpless were deprived of a benevolent friend, his
kindly words and many deeds of charity having
brightened raany a sad heart and made life's burdens
easier to bear.
Mr. Horne was born in ChUi, Ohio, May 12, 1851,
and was practically a life-long resident of Ohio.
Soon after his marriage he located in Windham,
Portage County, where he resided for a score or
more of years. In 1895 he embarked in the flour
and feed business at 'Youngstown, and in its man
agement was quite successful. Coraing frora there
to Struthers in 1902, Mr. Horne established what
has since developed into ope of the most prosperous

110

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

business enterprises of this section of the Mahoning
VaUey, the firm of J. K. Horne & Son, ofiwhich he
was at the head, having built up an extensive and
lucrative trade in grain, coal and builders' supplies.
Fond of travel, sometimes on business and some
times on pleasure bent, he saw rauch of this con
tinent, more especially of the Gulf countries, having
spent several months in Cuba, and having visited
different Gulf ports. A prominent member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, Mr. Horne was one of
its raost liberal supporters, and took a deep interest
in the erection of the present church edifice, which
would do credit to a much larger coraraunity.
Mr. Horne raarried, October i, 1871, iMargaret
WUson and into their household two children were
born, namely: Etta Ellen, wife of W. C. Shafer,
of Struthers, a confectioner and news dealer; and
Clair Frank, who, immediately after his graduation
from the Youngstown High School in 1907 was ad
mitted to partnership with his father, becoming
junior raeraber of the firra of J. K. Horne & Son.
A man of excellent business capacity and judgraent,
Clair Frank Horne is raanaging the affairs of the
firra with abUity, and to the entire satisfaction of
all concerned. He raarried, October 21, 1915, Alice
Phoebe Gough, and they have one child, Joseph
Kirabel Horne, born June 23, I gig.
George L. Campbell is probably the dean of the
fire insurance business in the Mahoning Valley.
For over forty-five years he has been steadily in
that line of work at NUes. In the literal sense Mr.
Carapbell could not be called an insurance solicitor,
raany years having passed since he could make any
claim to that title. He has buUt up a clientele which
has been loyal to hira by reason of his upright deal
ings and thorough knowledge, and various irapor
tant business interests have sought out his services.
His work is now largely of an advisory nature, a
confidential relationship between hira and his
clients. Several generations of the Carapbell family have
been identified with TrurabuU County. His father,
George Campbell, was born near Church HiU, a
son of Irish parents. The father of George on com
ing from Ireland located in what is now Liberty
Township of TrurabuU County, though at the time
most of this district was a trackless wilderness.
George Campbell grew up among pioneer surround
ings, and had little opportunity to gain an educa
tion. The intelligent exercise of strength was a
more important asset at that time than formal book
learning. As he grew up he helped clear the 140-
acre tract owned by his father, and the rich
forest growth was converted into charcoal. The
Campbell family operated a number of charcoal
kilns, and rauch of the product was sold to the old
Heaton Furnace. On the old farra George Carap
bell discovered coal, probably one of the first dis
coveries of that raineral on the Ridge. George
Carapbell was an exceptionally able business man,
accumulated other tracts of land, also operated a
small store, and was active in his locality until
carried off by an epidemic of typhoid fever in 1852.
Of Irish parentage but of Protestant stock, he be

came active in the Presbyterian faith and rigidly ad
hered to the old tenets.
George Campbell married Mary McConneU,
daughter of John McConnell, who was one of the
contemporary pioneers of thes locality with the
father of George Carapbell. To their raarriage were
born nine children : John, Calvin, Allen, 'William,
Eliza, Alexander, Nancy Jane, George L. and
Luther. Only the last three are now living, Nancy
Jane being iMrs. John Leavitt. Eliza, William and
Alexander never married. Descendants of the
others are widely scattered over the country.
George L. Campbell was born at the old home
farm on Mineral Ridge, Noveraber 9, 1844, and as
he grew up was thoroughly trained in the routine of
farm work. He had a public school education and
after the death of his father, which occurred when
he was only eight years old, he did what he could
to help his mother. Later for several years he lived
in different sections and worked at different occu
pations. For three months he was in the Union
Army as a member of the 171st Ohio National
Guard, and helped repel the Morgan raid through
Southern Ohio. He was in the battle at Kelly's
Bridge in Kentucky against Morgan's men, a bat
tle in which the Federals lost eighteen and eighty-
four of the enemy were killed.
Mr. Carapbell founded his general fire insurance
business at Niles in 1874. Aside frora the demands
made upon him by business he has taken a public
spirited interest in other local affairs, and is a stock
holder in several business enterprises. For eight
years he was superintendent of the City Water
works, is a member of the Niles Charaber of Com
merce, and is a Master Mason. Politically he is a
republican, and is a Presbyterian.
In 1864 he married Miss Mary Garside, and their
companionship continued for half a century, until
her death on February 16, 1914. Five chUdren were
born to their marriage : James B., in the insurance
business at Niles ; Charles L., a resident of Sharon,
Pennsylvania; George E., credit manager of the
McKelvey Company of "Youngstown; NeUie; and
Cordelia, wife of Col. L. J. Campbell, of Youngs
town. James W. Sexton. Of pioneer ancestry and hon
ored Revolutionary stock, James W. Se.--.ton, of
Struthers, is distinguished not only as a native born
citizen, his birth having occurred here June 21, 1847,
but for the acceptable service he has rendered his
fellow-townsmen as justice of peace during the
thirty-five years he has held the office, his wise ad
vice as a magistrate ever tending to allay rather
than foster disturbances of any kind. He is a son
of the late Joseph Sexton, and grandson of Stephen
Sexton, an early settler of Mahoning County and a
soldier of the iRevolutionary war.
His great-grandfather, Lawrence Sexton, was
reared in New Jersey. The maiden name of his
wife was Sarah Jane King and they were married
by the Rev. John Baxter at Chester, Pennsylvania,
he following his trade of carpenter, and both were
members of the Presbyterian congregation of Ches
ter. Some months after their marriage the congrega-

yto -<-' ^^%-^W^4xc^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

111

tion was buUding a log church at Chester and he
and others present at the raising were attacked by
the Indians. His father-in-law, Mr. King, and
Rev. John Baxter were killed, and Lawrence Sexton
was severely wounded and six weeks later died of
his wounds.
Stephen Sexton was born about seven months after
his father's death and Stephen's mother subsequently
remarried and settled in Washington County, Vir
ginia, where Stephen Sexton grew to manhood's
years and as a brave soldier in the Revolutionary
Array participated in the battle of Saratoga and
wintered with Washington at Valley Forge. He
took an active part in many hard-fought battles and
was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at
Yorktown. Coming to Mahoning County in 1801,
he cleared a few acres of land in Poland Township,
built a log cabin and returned to Washington County,
Pennsylvania, and removed his faraily to his new
horae, landing here April 15, 1802. He lived to the
venerable age of ninety-three years and at his death
his body was laid to rest in the old Poland Ceraetery,
his grave being indicated by a Sons of Araerican
Revolution raarker. His horaestead farm of 200
acres is now owned by the Youngstown Sheet and
Tube Company. He reared four sons. John, the
eldest, served as a soldier in the War of 1812, and
the musket that he carried at the battle of Detroit
is now owned by his grand nephew of Hubbard,
Ohio, Frank Sexton. His son, Stephen Sexton, Jr.,
died in Poland Township and his body was the
second buried in Riverside Cemetery at Poland, Ohio.
Joseph Sexton was born in Washington County,
Pennsylvania, near Cannonsburg, April 7, 1796, and
died in Struthers, Mahoning County, in 1890, aged
ninety-four years. His first wiie was Margaret
Justice. After her decease he married Hannah
Woods, of Western Pennsylvania, of whom James
W. Sexton is the only survivor.
Nurabered among the older citizens of Struthers,
James W. Sexton has practically spent all of his life
within its boundaries, and has contributed his full
share towards advancing its growth and prosperity.
As a young man he assisted in raaking the original
survey of the village, being pole bearer, and is, may
hap, more famUiar with the history of the place than
any other one person. A farmer by occupation, he
has met with well deserved success as a tiller of the
soil. As justice of the peace Mr. Sexton has ever
encouraged due respect for the law, and it can be
truly said that his influence has done as rauch, if
not raore, than that of any other one individual to
make Struthers a desirable place of residence.
Mr. Sexton married in 1869 Jennie E. Wolver
ton. She passed to the life beyond in 1899, leav
ing three children, namely : Bessie, living with her
father, is assistant circulation manager for the Vin
dicator, a leading newspaper of Youngstown ; Ada,
wife of J. G. Funkhouser, of Struthers; and Frank,
of Trumbull County, Ohio, a successful agriculturist.
George Schoenfelder. Of the large population
living and working at Struthers, there are few who
do not know and esteem George Schoenfelder, the
popular postraaster of the Aralyon branch postoffice.
Vol. II— 8

and also member of the firm Runge & Schoenfelder,
grocers and- raeat dealers.
Mr. Schoenfelder, who for raany years followed
his trade as an electrician, and first came" to the
Mahoning Valley in that capacity, was born April
4, 1884, in Silesia, Germany, and came to the
United States in 1895 with his parents, Rudolph
and Emraa Schoenfelder. The family located in
Chicago, where his father lived until his death.
He was a decorator by trade. George Schoenfelder
was a resident of Chicago for eighteen years, com
pleting his education there and learning electrical
work, particularly installation and house-wiring.
Ill 1914 he came to Youngstown as motor inspec
tor for the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company.
After two years he and Mr. Runge put their funds
together, araounting to only $1,500 in all, and started
their present business. They built their store at
Struthers in Igi8, and have been in one spot for
three years. Their business has grown so rapidly
that about $15,000 is now needed for the stock and
the operation of the business frora day to day. Both
partners are in the store from opening until clos
ing tirae, Mrs. Schoenfelder also does her share,
and there are three clerks besides.
On January i, igig, the Aralyon branch of Struth
ers postoffice was established in the Runge & Schoen
felder store. Aralyon, naraed in honor of Mr. A.
M. Lyon, is the name of the finest residence section
of Struthers, and it is the home trade of the best
people of this vicinity to which the firm of Runge
& Schoenfelder especally cater. Mr. Schoenfelder
married in 1916 Mss Hattie Runge, a sister of his
business partner Carl Runge. Mr. Schoenfelder
is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. Carl Runge is senior partner in the firm of Runge
& Schoenfelder, whose grocery and market is prob
ably the raost popular trading center in the residen
tial section of Struthers. Besides the high class
raerchandise they purvey their store is also the
headquarters of the Aralyon branch postoffice, which
was established early in igig to serve this new
residential section of Struthers.
Mr. Runge was born in Silesia, Gerraany, March
7, 189s, and was twelve years of age when brought
to the United States by his parents, Carl and Annie
Runge. The family lived in Baltiraore, Ohio, for
a tirae and then raoved to Chicago, where the
father is stUl a resident. Carl Runge, Sr., is a
wagon maker by trade. The son Carl grew up in
Chicago, attended grade schools, and since the age
of sixteen his chief business has been as a mar
ket raan and butcher. His sister raarried iMr.
Schoenfelder, and three years ago Mr. Runge carae
to the. Mahonng Valley and helped start the present
business at Struthers. He is unraarried, and is
affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fel
lows. Harry C. Walther. Possessing not only excel
lent business qualifications, but artistic tastes and
a natural love of flowers, Harry C. Walther, of
29 Wood Street, Youngstown, a well-known flor
ist, has closely applied hiraself to his favorite in-

112

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

dustry, and is meeting with eminent success, at his
flower shop, being kept busy in raeeting the de
mands of his many patrons. A native of Youngs
town, he was born in 1889, a son of Christopher
Walther, Jr., and grandson of Christopher Walther,
Sr. The grandfather, born in Germany eighty-six
years ago, was for a long time wreck boss on the
Atlantic & Great Western Railroad, but is now liv
ing retired frora active pursuits in Youngstown.
Christopher Walther, Jr., was born in the Mahon
ing Valley August 21, 1861, and was there brought
up and educated. Beginning work on a rialroad
as a boy, he has been in the service of the Erie
Railroad Company since early life, at the present
w-riting, in 1919, Ijeing an engineer in the Youngs
town yards. He and his wife, whose maiden name
was Clara Reel, reside in this city, their home be
ing at 2ig Scott Street.
Having acquired his prelirainary education in the
Elra Street school, Harry C. Walther took a course
ill bookkeeping and shorthand at HaU's Business
CoUege, becoming proficient in both branches of
study. Interested in flowers from his youth up,
the business of a florist appealed to him, and he
entered the establishraent of Walker & McLean on
Federal Street, where he obtained a practical knowl
edge of the art of caring for, buying, and dis
tributing flowers and plants. In 1912 Mr. Walther
opened his present flower shop at 29 West Wood
Street, and has since buUt up a large and con
stantly growing business, his persistent industry,
fair and upright dealings, and wise attention to the
details of his business having won him the patron
age of people frora all parts of the city. Buying
his products in the open raarket, Mr. Walther is
enabled to keep a fresh and choice stock of flow
ers and plants always on hand, and to give his cus
tomers the best of service, his slogan being "Say
it with flowers."
Ill 191 1 Mr. Walther was united in marriage with
Miss Elva Webb, of Mercer, Pennsylvania. Reli
giously Mr. and Mrs. Walther are merabers of the
Christian Church. Fraternally Mr. Walther belongs
to the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Ma
sons; to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows;
and to the Knights of Pythias. Socially he is a
meraber of the Kiwanis Club.
Ett S. Smith, director of the Board of Public
Service in Youngstown, has for raany years been
a prominent civil engineer in Mahoning County,
and before taking up the responsible duties of his
present office was county surveyor and also high
way superintendent.
iHis people have lived in what is now the City
of Youngstown for more than a century. His birth
place, where he first saw the light of day, June 26,
i860, was on the old Robbins farra then in
Youngstown Township, now in the City of Youngs
town, and in that locality he has spent his life.
His parents were Jaraes and Harriet (Gourley)
Sraith. The former was born on Mill Creek Hill
just adjoining Idora Park, where his father, Wil
liam Smith, had settled in 1804. William Smith,
who came from Washington County, Pennsylvania,
had his choice of a home governed by the presence

of a spring on MUl Creek, and near that spring
he built a house and developed a farm. He lived to
the ripe age of ninety-six. James Smith, also a
farraer, likewise established his home near a spring,
on the Robbins farm, and that home for a num
ber of years was the log house in -which Ett S.
Smith was born. Jaraes Sraith, who died at the age
of seventy-five, was a member of the United Pres
byterian Church, was one of the founders of the
Tabernacle and for many years served as an elder.
The house where he died has been the home of
Ett S. Smith for fifty years. It is at 2237 Glen
wood Avenue, and when built the house was out
in the country. Jaraes Smith first married Mary
Ann Gibson, of an old faraily of the Mahoning
Valley. She was the raother of two sons, Wil
liara and James F., the latter of whom served as a
Union soldier during the Civil war. Harriet Gour
ley, the second wife of James Sraith, died at the
age of seventy-two. She was a sister of Squire
Gourley and carae from West Virginia. Her six
chUdren were: Nancy, unmarried; Hannah, widow
of David Houston, both these daughters living in
homes built on. the old Sraith place at 2364 Glen
wood Avenue ; Jaraes, Jr., who was a pioneer and
had a large farra on the Hubbard Road, now de
ceased ; Joseph, who resides at Pleasant Grove,
now a part of the city ; George B., deceased, an
attorney by profession who served as justice of the
peace six years ; and Ett S.
Ett S. Smith as a boy attended the Fosterville
School and the Rayen High School and studied
engineering at Iron City College in Pittsburgh.
Leaving school at the age of twenty-two, he was
first employed as a bookkeeper, then for a few
years as assistant surveyor, and frora that launched
into a steady practice as surveyor and civil engi
neer. He was at one tirae engineer for the Pitts
burgh Coal Corapany, doing a great deal of work
in surveying and planning their raines and other
properties. He was also eraployed in an engi
neering capacity in street railway construction. For
many years he was engineer for the MUl Creek
Park Coraraission, locating raany of the driveways,
built Lake Glacier Dam, and assisted Volney Eog
ers in beautifying and laying out Mill Creek Park.
Mahoning County at present has about 400 miles
of improved roads ; 300 miles are coinposed of
macadam, concrete or bituminous construction, and
nearly 100 miles of brick and concrete. Mr. Smith
has had soraething to do with all these improve
ments. For three years he was in charge as engi
neer of the Special Road District, composed of
Youngstown, Austintown, Jackson and Boardman
townships. For eight years he served as county
surveyor and superintendent of state, county and
township highways. While county surveyor he was
appointed on the Legislative Committee of the Ohio
Engineers Society. Serving with A. R. Taylor, the
present state highway coraraissioner, and W. A.
Alsdorf, secretary to the Ohio Road Federation,
he assisted in recodifying the road laws of Ohio
into what is known as the Cass Highway Bill. This
necessitated the repealing of twenty-three old and
obsolete road laws then on the statute books and
adopting the present workable systera.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

113

In 1887 Mr. Smith married Miss Jennie Crowe,
who was born at Northwood, Ohio, where her
father. Dr. S. J. Crowe, a Presbyterian minister,
was at one time president of Northwood College.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had three children: John
Earl; Jeannette, wife of Ralph R. MUler, an at
torney; and Delbert, stUl in school. Mr. and Mrs.
Sraith are raembers of the South United Presby
terian Church on Market Street. For eight years
he has been a member of the Chamber of Coraraerce,
and for a sirailar tirae a raeraber of the Ohio Road
Federation. He is also a member of the Auto
raobile Club, the Kiwanis Club, the American Asso
ciation of Engineers, the Ohio Engineers' Society,
which he served as president during the year igig,
and the Youngstown Society of Engineers, which he
served as president in 1916.
Charles J. Jackson is a native of the Mahoning
Valley, and for the past thirteen years has been
achieving a most favorable and dignified position
among the lawyers of Youngstown.
He was born on a farra in Bloomfield Town.ship
of Trumbull County, January 27, 1877. His father,
Joseph Jackson, was born in Ireland in 1840, of
Scotch-Irish ancestry. When he was twelve years
of age he was brought to the United States. His
father, Alexander Jackson, had died in Ireland and
he came to this country with his widowed mother,
Eleanor Jackson, who located in Bloomfield Town
ship of Trumbull County. Joseph Jackson helped
with the farm work and attended school until Oc
tober 5, 1861, when he enlisted as a private in
Company A of the Sixth Ohio Cavalry. He was
for three years a soldier helping to put down the
rebellion, and fought in many of the raeraorable
battles in Virginia. He received an honorable dis
charge October 5, 1864, and then resuraed his place
on the farm and made agriculture his steady vo
cation throughout the rest of his life. He died in
1912. After the war he was satisfied to find his
duty on the farra, and therefore lived a quiet life,
but one of irreproachable character and sound pub
lic spirit. He married Sarah M. Jackson, who is
still living. Of their three children two reached
mature years, J. C. and Charles J.
Charles J. Jackson lived on his father's farm to
the age of thirty. In the meantime he had gradu
ated frora the iBloomfield High School in 1897 and
in 1899 frora the New Lyme Institute. For a year
after that he was a teacher and then for two years
a student in Adelbert College of Western Reserve
University at Cleveland. Again . returning home,
he helped handle the farm and also was employed
in a local bank for about two years. Mr. Jackson
took the three years' course in law at the Ohio
State University, Colurabus, Ohio, graduating in
1907. In a class of 176 applicants at the state bar
examination he stood first, with a percentage of
95 l-ioth.
With this thorough preparation Mr. Jackson came
to Youngstown in October, 1907, and for about six
years was connected with the title department of
the Realty Trust Company. Since then he has
found all his time and talents taken up with a

general practice of law. He is a Methodist and a
democrat. November 16, 1915, he married Mabel C. Smith,
of Green Township, Trumbull County. She is a
daughter of Newton S. Smith.
Isadore S. Weil, a raerchant of raore than twenty
years' standing in Youngstown is president and
treasurer of the WeU Shoe Corapany, a develop
ment out of his early modest enterprise at Youngs
town and now a business represented in a. number
of localities by branch stores.
Mr. WeU was born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
November 14, 1874, son of Simon and Clara (Ar
nold) WeU. His parents were born in Gerraany
and carae when young people to the United States,
where they were married. Simon Weil was a re
tail shoe merchant and at different times had stores
at Reading, Altoona and New Castle, Pennsylvania.
About 1902 he carae to Youngstown and thereafter
lived retired until his death on August 24, 1917.
He was of the Jewish faith and was affiliated with
the Masons and Odd Fellows. Though born in
Gerraany, he was intensely loyal to America and her
institutions. His widow is still living at Youngs
town, and celebrated her eighty-first birthday April
12, 1920.
Isadore S. Weil, one of four children, finished
his high school education at Altoona, Pennsylvania.
He learned the shoe business as clerk in his fath
er's store, and in 1897, with his experience and a
modest capital, opened a store at New Castle, Penn
sylvania. From there in 1899 he removed to
Youngstown, and with his uncle, Isaac Arnold,
established the firra of WeU & Arnold. Their busi
ness grew and prospered and at the death of iMr.
Arnold in 1903 iMr. "Weil becarae successor to the firra
and eventuaUy moved frora the old location in the
Excelsior Block to 207 West Federal Street. At that
time Mr. Weil began expanding the scope of his
enterprise and incoroprated the Weil Shoe Corapany.
This conipany now operates a chain of nine stores,
with the raain office of manageraent in Youngstown,
at 255 West Federal Street. The branch stores
are located as follows : Akron, Canton, Dayton,
Springfield, Toledo and SteubenvUle, Ohio, Wheel
ing, West Virginia and Erie, Pennsylvania.
Mr. WeU is active in the Youngstown Chamber
of Comraerce, is affiliated with the Masons and
Elks and is a republican. June 3, 1907, he mar
ried Miss Sadie E. Bachman, of McKeesport, Penn
sylvania. Their two sons are Harold B. and Max B.
Harry C. Hoffman, a banker, a lawyer by train
ing and also thoroughly versed in business affairs,
has been identified with Youngstown since 1908,
and has been one of the raen who have contributed
to the success and standing of the Youngstown Citi
zens Savings Company.
Mr. Hoffman was born at Cheshire in Gallia
County, Ohio, July 11, 1878, and coraes of a very
patriotic faraily. His father, Jaraes H. Hoffraan,
was a carpenter by trade and served all through
the Civil war, at first in the Seventh West Vir
ginia Cavalry and later in the Eighth "West "Vir
ginia Infantry. Two of his brothers, and one

IU

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

brother of his wife were also in the war and paid
the supreme sacrifice with their lives for the cause.
Several other members of the faraily were in the
great conflict. Jaraes H. Hoffman married Electa
McCarty. Harry C. Hoffman was four years of age when
his father died, his early death being occasioned by
disease contracted in the war. The son grew up
in his native community of Cheshire, attended pub
lic schools, read law, and in order to complete his
legal education he earned money as a teacher. He
graduated from the law departraent of the North
ern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso in igoo,
and then continued teaching until 1906. On leav
ing the schoolroom Mr. Hoffman located at Cleve
land, as a representative of the International Corre
spondence School of Scranton, also as special agent
for Collier's Weekly.
Continuing as representative for Collier's, Mr.
Hoffman removed to Youngstown in 1908. He
resigned that post in igio to establish a general
collection agency, and built up a profitable busi
ness which he sold in igi7 in order to take an
active part in the organization of the Youngstown
Citizens Savings Company. He has served that
corporation as secretary, general manager and attor
ney. He has also engaged in the practice of law,
having taken the bar examination in June, 1914.
Nearly all his work as a lawyer has been confined to
probate and real estate practice.
Mr. Hoffraan has been an exponent of the progres
sive brand of republican politics. He was on the
progressive ticket as candidate for state senator in
1914. .A believer in the great principle of fraternal-
isra, he is a member of the Masons, Knights of
Pythias, Junior Order of Araerican Mechanics, Inde
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and Sons of Vet
erans, and is a member of the Kiwanis Club, Youngs
town Chamber of Comraerce and the Baptist Church.
Mr. Hoffman married Miss Edna E. Swisher, of
Cheshire, Ohio, September 4, igo4. They have one
daughter, Mariellen.
John W. Eaton. With growing business connec
tions for thirty-five years and with a hearty and
wholesome cooperation in the welfare of the com
munity, John W. Eaton is everywhere known as one
of the most constructive citizens of Niles. Par
ticularly has he assisted his community in the mat
ter of good roads and good schools.
Mr. Eaton was born at East Palestine, Colura
biana County, Ohio, May 10, 1852. His grandfather
was Hugh Eaton, a pioneer settler in Columbiana
County from Washington County, Pennsylvania.
John W. Eaton, of Niles, is the only child of John
W. and Mary Ann (Eyester) Eaton. His father
grew up on a farra in Colurabiana County. As a
young raan he walked eighty miles to Meadville to
enter AUegheny College. With a liberal education
acquired largely by his own efforts, he became a
teacher, and one of his pupUs was Mary Ann Eyes
ter. He was a raan of strong convictions, had a well
deserved reputation for wisdora, and stood high in
the esteera of his neighbors. He died May 12,
1852, two days after the birth of his only son.
John W. Eaton spent raost of his youth in the

home of his maternal grandfather, Elias Eyester,
Sr., in Green Township, Mahoning County, three
miles east of Salem. His environment was a farm,
and in proportion to his strength he was assigned a
routine of . farm work. He attended the district
schools and also attended Mount Union CoUege.
As has been true of many successful business
men, Mr. Eaton learned a mechanical trade, at Hub
bard, Ohio. He became a resident of Niles in 1883,
in which year he entered the hardware and stove
business. For twenty years of his career as a mer
chant he was also the local agent of the Adams
Express Company. Later he added a builders' sup
ply departraent, and in igi4 sold out his hardware
stock and with his son Howard T. organized the
Eaton Builders' Supply Corapany, a business that
has rapidly grown and is one of the substantial
business houses of NUes. Mr. Eaton was also one
of the incorporators and from the beginning has
served as vice president and a director of the Dollar
Savings Bank Company at Niles.
Reference has already been made to his keen in
terest in the good roads question. He was one of
the three men to call a meeting to organize the
Good Roads District No. 2, including Weathers
field and Lordstown townships in Trumbull County.
From this initial movement came about the improve
ment of many mUes of roads in these two town
ships. Later he was appointed Good Roads Com
missioner in Weathersfield Township, serving until
the office was abolished by the Legislature.
Mr. Eaton served for fifteen years as a member of
the Niles School Board, three terms as president
and two terms as secretary. For three terms he was
township treasurer. He is a republican, an active
raeraber of the NUes Board of Trade, which he
served one term as president and for a number of
years as a director. He is active in the Chamber
of Comraerce, which succeeded the Board of Trade
organization. He was appointed to represent the
Warren and the Niles Boards of Trade for the
Trumbull County Delegation on the Lake Erie and
Ohio River Canal Commission, and attended all the
Pittsburgh meetings and the one at Washington in
December, igig. Mr. Eaton and wife are members
of the Methodist Church.
On Christmas Day, 1873, he raarried Miss Mar
garet Johnston, of Hubbard, Ohio. She died in
1883, the raother of two chUdren: Anna M., wife
of R. L. McCorkle, of NUes, and Charles A., of
Niles, Ohio. On February 25, 1885, Mr. Eaton
raarried Miss Mary Tiefel, of Niles. They have
two children: Howard T., his father's' business
partner ; and Erraa M., wife of Carl H. Stewart.
George P. Thomas has been a factor in the Home
Savings and Loan Corapany of Youngstown for over
twenty years, a connection accorapanied by quiet
and efficient service .that has meant much to the
growing welfare and prosperity of the institution.
Mr. Thomas was born at Youngstown September
13, 1874, a son of Henry H. and Jane (Pritchard)
Thoraas. His father, a native of Wales, spent his
early life as a seafaring m~an, and shortly after the
Civil war carae to the United States to visit his
brother John W., then living at Youngstown. itie

J^rf^c^t^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

115

visit ended with his becoraing a perraanent resident,
and for upwards of half a century he was identified
with the coal mines and steel mills of the ' Mahon
ing Valley. He is stiU living in advanced years.
His wife, Jane Pritchard, was born at Youngstown
and died in 1881. Her father, Thomas Pritchard
was a blacksraith in the early days, and is credited
with raaking the first furnace twyers ever made at
Youngstown. The oldest of four children, George P. Thoraas
grew up in Youngstown, graduating from the Rayen
High School in 1895, and four years later, in 1899,
earned the well-merited A. B. degree from Oberlin
College. As a young college man he entered the
offices of the Horae Savings & Loan Company in the
spring of 1900, and his abilities have given him in
creasing responsibilities. For the last ten or twelve
years he has been with the loan department and now
has the title and responsibilities of loan officer.
Mr. Thomas is a republican and a meraber of the
First Baptist Church. October 23, 1915, he raarried
Miss Loretta C. Burky, daughter of M. H. Burky,
one of the oldest raembers of the bar of Mahoning
County. Mrs. Thomas has also been identified with
the Home Savings and Loan Corapany for the past
fifteen years, and is now chief title clerk.
William G. Taggart, general agent for the Pitts
burgh & Lake Erie Railroad Company at Youngs
town, is one of the most efficient men connected
with this company and is a towering figure in rail
road circles in the state. He was born in Allegheny
City, Pennsylvania, which is now included in the
City of Pittsburgh. He is a son of Andrew Tag
gart, Jr., now an assistant chief engineer in the
Western Penitentiary of Pennsylvania, and his wife,
Mary (Gibson) Taggart. Andrew Taggart, Jr., is
a son of Andrew Taggart, who carae from Ireland
to the United States in the latter part of the
eighteenth century, and settled in Allegheny City,
Pennsylvania, where he followed his trade of butch
ering. Andrew Taggart, Jr., grew to raanhood in Alle
gheny City, Pennsylvania, and learned the carpen
ter trade. During the war between the North and
the South he served in the Union array as a raera
ber of the One Hundred and Twenty-Third and
the One Hundred and Fifty-Fifth iPennsylvania
Volunteer Infantry. He participated in the engage
raents at Antietara, Bull Run, Gettysburg, Wilder
ness and other battles, and was slightly wounded.
Williara G. Taggart was reared in his native city,
where he attended the public schools, and when he
was fourteen years old began to raake himself use
ful as a cash boy in a dry goods establishment at
Pittsburgh, and received a salary of $1.25 per week
for his services. Following this he was messenger
boy in the office of the chief engineer of the Pitts
burgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad. Subse
quently he became coal clerk for the sarae cora
pany, and at the sarae tirae took up the study of
stenography under the tutelage of C. C. Rarasey,
who later became president of the Crucible Steel
Corapany of America. Having gained a working
knowledge of this calling, Mr. Taggart became
stenographer and bookkeeper for William H. Her

ron & Sons, real estate dealers at Pittsburgh, Penn
sylvania. On May i, 1886, Mr. Taggart became an
employe of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie RaUroad,
and has been in the employ of this road continu
ously ever since. He began his period of service
as a stenographer to F. A. Dean, general freight
agent, and during the time thus employed he also
served as rate and voucher clerk. Mr. Taggart is
a man who has never been satisfied to simply dis
charge the duties which fell to his share, but has al
ways tried to learn those of the man above him
and when the opportunity came for promotion he
was ready for it. So he rose to be chief clerk in
charge of the coal, coke, iron ore and liraestone of
the company; was then appointed traveling freight
agent in igog, with headquarters at Youngstown,
Ohio, and continued as such until January i, igio.
At that time the traffic departraents of the Pitts
burgh & Lake Erie and the New York Central roads
at "Youngstown were merged, and Mr. Taggart's du
ties were extended to cover this consolidation, and
he proved equal to the demands raade upon him,
and at the same tirae kept on reaching out for fur
ther information, and on January i, igiS, was deemed
capable of assuming the responsibilities connected
with the position of general agent of his road to
succeed Col. Myron Wood, who had been retired on
a pension, and Mr. Taggart has since held it. With
out any doubt Mr. Taggart owes his remarkable
success to his own initiative and natural ability.
Beginning at the bottora" of the ladder, he has climbed
up until he now occupies a position very close to its
top. Mr. Taggart is a raember of the Blue Lodge, Chap
ter, Council and Coramandery of Pittsburgh, and the
iMystic Shrine at Cleveland, Ohio. He also be
longs to the Youngstown Club and the Youngstown
Shrine Club.
On September 27, 1894, Mr. Taggart was married
to Miss iNancy Blanche Calhoun, of Pittsburgh, and
they have three children, namely : Edward C, WU
liara G., and Martha R., the two last named being
twins. Edward C. Taggart enlisted for service dur
ing the late war and was a non-commissioned offi
cer, belonging to the Three Hundred and Twenty-
ninth Field Hospital Company, Eighty-Third Divi
sion. For nine raonths he was at Camp Sherman,
and was then sent overseas, where he spent six
months in France and seven months in Germany.
Isadore and Jacob Klivans, twin brothers, have
been actively engaged in coraraercial pursuits in
Youngstown since 1906.
They were born in Riga, Lithuania, Russia, June
10, 1879. Their parents, Joseph and Pearl (Boren-
stein) Klivans, were farraers and operated a dairy
in the old country. Of thirteen children, five sons
and two daughters are still living.
Abrahara, the oldest son, to escape corapulsory
railitary service carae to America about 1888. His
representations of conditions influenced other mem
bers of the family, and Isadore came over in 1895
and Jacob in 1897. These sons used their earnings
to assist the rest of the family to Araerica. The
father died at Youngstown in February, 1919, and
the widowed raother is still living.

116

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Isadore Klivans for about two years after be
coming an American worked as a clerk for his
brother Abrahara at Toledo. Jacob after coraing
over becarae a country peddler. Both brothers
worked hard, saved their raoney, and in 1898 era
barked in a raodest clothing business and later
added furniture. They were in business at Toledo
until 1906, when they reraoved to Youngstown and
opened a store at 329 East Federal Street. At that
tirae their capital aggregated only $300. As soon
as possible they added other lines of merchandise.
A fire alraost put thera out of business in 1910,
but undaunted they began the struggle over again,
and since their sphere of action has been enlarged
until they carry merchandise of all kinds and be
sides the two stores at Youngstown they operate
three stores at Akron and one at New Castle, Penn
sylvania. The Klivans brothers have prospered. WhUe of
foreign birth no native born citizen is more loyal
than they to their Araerican allegiance.
Isadore Klivans raarried Miss Frances Ferrer,
of Toledo, Ohio. Their three children are Helen,
David Milton and Eleanor. Jacob Klivans raar
ried Dora Lipsitz, of Detroit. They have a faraily
of four chUdren : Harold, Gertrude, Ruth and Jean
Audrey. Both brothers are raerabers of the Eraanuel
Teraple and Rodef Sholera Temple at Youngs
town, and are also affiliated with the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows and the B'Nai B'Rith.
August Chandonne, vice president of the Ohio
Leather Company of Girard, has had a career of un
usual experience and achieveraent, and it can best
be described briefly by taking the facts chronolog
ically. He was born at Lyons, France, May 4, 1856. His
parents were August and Mary Chandonne. August,
Sr., was a farmer and died at the age of thirty-three.
The raother died in 1895, at the age of sixty-seven.
The son August was five years of age when his
father died. Young as he was there was work for
his youthful shoulders. The produce raised on the
little farra was every day loaded on a cart, and he
pushed that vehicle into the market at Lyons. About
a year later he was put to work in a big tanning
establishment at Lyons. There he gained his pre
lirainary knowledge of raaking leather, an art in
which for a nuraber of years he has been one of
the recognized authorities in America. Besides in
dustry and application he undoubtedly had special
talents for the business, and at the age of eighteen
had been advanced to a foremanship. By that tirae he
was regarded as an expert in the treatment of hides
and raanufacture of the best qualities of leather.
Several years later Mr. Chandonne established a
plant of his own at Lyons, but anticipating greater
opportunities and possibilities elsewhere he sold out
and came to America, landing at New York January
30, 1888. At that time he was unable to speak the
English language. He had no special recoraraenda
tlons, and secured recognition in this country solely
on the raerit of his skUl and proficiency. The day
after he landed he happened to see a leather wagon
on the street and followed it to the tannery. He
was given eraployraent and reraained there about a

year. Future advanceraent did not seem encourag
ing, and about that time he bought about two dozen
hides, tanned them at his own home, and took them
to the best shoemaker he could find. The product was
so superior that the shoeraaker at once recommended
him to Oscar Scherer & Brother, leather manu
facturers at Newark, New Jersey. Mr. Chandonne
reraained as plant manager for this concern four
years, and supervised their manufacture of French
calf for the highest class of shoes. Frora that time
on his narae has secured hira ready recognition
wherever the highest grades of leather are manu
factured. From New Jersey he went west to Chicago, served
two years as superintendent for Walker & Oakley,
whose products were patent leathers ; frora Chicago
went to Milwaukee, and was superintendent of the
plant of Pfister & Vogel, raanufacturers of patent
leather and Russian calf, and for four years was
superintendent for Gallura & Sons in iMilwaukee,
who specialized in Russian calf. His next scene of
employment was Little Falls, New York, where he
located in 1899 and for eighteen months was with
Barnet & Company.
After twelve years of continuous application and
with a well earned reputation in leather circles, Mr.
Chandonne then took a vacation and returned to
his old home in France in 1900. On coraing back to
America he went to Mexico City, and was offered
$10,000 in gold to superintend a proposed plant for
the making of Russian leather. iHe studied the
situation, observing that raost Mexicans did not wear
shoes, and that the industry would have to depend
upon a foreign rather than a local demand. He con
sequently declined the offer, returned north and for
a time was superintendent of a departraent for mak
ing patent leather in the Clark plant at Toronto,
Canada. While there the Ohio Leather Corapany of Girard
induced him to take charge of the local business.
That was in 1901, and it required a great deal of
faith on the part of Mr. Chandonne to ally himself
with this inconspicuous industry. The plant com
prised two small frarae shacks, worth not to ex
ceed five hundred dollars. The daily capacity was
only two hundred hides. In less than twenty years
the Ohio Leather Corapany has becorae one of the
important leather producing concerns of the country,
and the investment in the plant today represents
fully a million dollars. Mr. (Zhandonne remained as
superintendent for eleven years, giving the product
the high grade quality which has continued to be
the basis of the reputation of the Ohio Leather
Company ever since. For six years he was general
manager, and for the past two years has been vice
president of the corapany.
Mr. Chandonne is a well traveled man. Besides
the early trip noted above he has been back to
Europe in 1905, 1907 and 1910, and in March, I9i.9>
and was again from March to May i, 1920 jn
France and made a tour of the devastated battle dis
trict. His trips abroad have been made chiefly in
a business way, securing raw raaterial for the Ohio
Leather Corapany.
Mr. Chandonne married in France Henrietta
Berraono. Their oldest daughter, Henrietta B., died

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

117

leaving one child, Henrietta, who is now the life
of the horae of Mr. August Chandonne. His other
two daughters are Hilda, wife of James Newraan,
of Freeport, Illinois, and Jeanne, also at horae. The
faraily residence is at Churchill Road. Mr. Chan
donne is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason
and Shriner.
John Beil wears his honors as a veteran busi
ness man of Youngstown easily, and after half
a century of service is still at the plant of the
Beil-Evans Printing Company every working day,
and handles his duties as president and treasurer
of the company with no noticeable diminution of
energy or enthusiasm.
Mr. Beil is the oldest book binder of Youngs
town, a trade which he learned in his early youth
and which he made the basis of his later inde
pendent business.
He was born in Baden, Gerraany, AprU 24, 1849,
son of John and Theresa Beil. iHis parents spent
all their lives in Gerraany, where his mother died
when a comparatively young woman. However,
in the paternal line he coraes of very long-lived
ancestry. His grandfather reached the age of
ninety-two and his father was eighty-nine at his
death. John Beil, Sr., was a raerchant and finan
cier of considerable prorainence in Gerraany and
for forty-three years served as secretary and treas
urer of the Building and Loan Association. Other
merabers of the family besides John who came to
America were : Eugene, an upholsterer on Wil
liarason Avenue in Youngstown ; Albertina, who
died in Youngstown in 1890 as the wife of John
Gerlach ; Jacob, a cabinetmaker living on Joseph
Street; Carl, who studied art in Baden and Munich,
is a well-known sculptor, doing the sculptural work
on the Mahoning County courthouse, and now a
resident of Chicago.
John Beil acquired a liberal education in his
native province and served his apprenticeship as
a book binder there. Coming to the United States
at the age of eighteen, he spent a brief time in
Pittsburgh, then in Buffalo, and came to Youngs
town iri 1869. Since AprU i, 1870, he has been a
book binder at Youngstown. His first shop was
over the German Union store, and then successively
over the First National Bank on West Federal
Street, in the Vindicator Building, on the site of
the present courthouse, thence moved to 225 East
Federal, and in 191 1 to the present location. At
that time the BeU-Evans Printing Company was
organized, and the modern building with every
raechanical facility for the business was erected in
1918. This is a complete raodern printing indus
try, with book bindery and all facilities for a varied
line of production.
Mr. Beil since 1888 has also been interested in
sorae local stearaship agencies, and since 1913 has
been associated with Michael Willo.
October i, 1872, he raarried Anna Schraidt, a
native of Gerraany, who was brought to this coun
try at the age of three years. Mr. and Mrs. Beil
have an interesting family of eight children : Alber
tina, wife of Frank Vogelberger; John, secretary
of the BeU-Evans Printing Company; Eugene, with

the Consolidated Light and Power Company; Frank,
also in his father's business ; George, who lives
on a farm at Transfer, Pennsylvania; Matthias, con
nected with the Beil-Evans Company; Bertha, at
home ; and Leonard who was with Evacuation Hos
pital No. 22 in France. The family are members
of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Mr. BeU for
thirty-eight years lived on Joseph Street in Youngs
town, and his residence is now in Boardman.
Benjamin Evans. Some of the nuraerous
friends of Ben Evans at Youngstown have no dif
ficulty in reraerabering when he was a printer's
apprentice, earning $1.00 a week, and at the sarae
tirae putting in long and diligent hours acquiring a
technical knowledge of everything connected with
the printing industry. Those friends have been
warra admirers of the energy and study he has put
into his business and have followed with great in
terest his rapid climb untU he is now vice president
and general raanager of the Beil & Evans Cora
pany, Youngstown's foreraost printing establishraent,
at 850 Market Street.
Mr. Evans was born on Front Street in Youngs
town August 10, 1883, a son of Thoraas and Anne
(Jones) Evans. His parents were Welsh people
and his father came of a long line of iron work
ers. The parents were born in a suburb of Car
diff, Wales. After their raarriage they came to
America in 1877, living for a tirae in Toronto, Can
ada, where the father worked in one of the large
iron plants, was next in the South Chicago mills,
and then came to Youngstown. Thomas Evans for
nearly forty years has been one of the skUled
workers in the Brown-Bonnell plant. He and his
wife are devout members of the Elm Street Con
gregational Church. Their chUdren consisted of
four sons and four daughters, and two sons and
two daughters are living today, namely: Mrs. James
A. Faulkner of Cleveland; Mrs. Thoraas Charabers,
of Detroit; Joseph, manager of Tellings ice cream
plant at Youngstown; and Benjarain.
Benjarain Evans left the Front Street school to
go into the printing establishment of L. K. Prince
on East Federal Street at a stipulated wage of $1.00
a week. He has given all his time and energies
to the printing business, and has in a large degree
been responsible for the success of the BeU & Evans
Corapany, which has the most complete and up-to-
date printing and binding plant in Youngstown.
Mr. Evans is a raember of the Engineers' Club
of Youngstown, the Chamber of Coraraerce, is a re
publican, a meraber of the Poland Public Club,
and the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church. He
is a prorainent Mason, having been a raember of
Hillman Lodge for the past twelve years. He has
also taken the thirty-second degree in the Scot
tish Rite and is a member of Al Koran Temple of
the Mystic Shrine at Cleveland. He is secretary
of the Youngstown Shriners' Club, and was repre
sentative to the Imperial Shrine at Indianapolis in
1919. In 1907 he married Nita Hagan, daughter of John
and Della (Sultner) Hagan. They have one daugh
ter, Clara Louise.

118

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

William H. Johnson, a prominent business man
and citizen at Girard, has the distinction of having
been one of the first "traveling men" in the Youngs
town district. His traveling was done on foot, and
there were several other features of his work that
distinguished him from the modern type of travel
ing salesmen. The territory was not an extensive
one. He represented the business of his father,
who was a manufacturer of tin and sheet iron at
Mineral Ridge, and the business was conducted
under the firm name of Williara & W. H. Johnson.
The chief business of the company was to fill the
orders taken by William H. Johnson, who period
ically would walk from Mineral Ridge to Girard,
Brier HUl, Youngstown, Austintown, West Austin-
town, and other points in the Mahoning Valley and
secure a schedule of the wants and desires of such
patrons as the McKelveys, J. H. Fitch, James Pred-
raore and other old tirae raerchants.
Mr. Johnson was born January 22, 1847, in a
house located where the Torrence raonuraent now
stands in the Oak HiU Ceraetery at Youngstown.
The land in that ceraetery was then owned by his
father, William Johnson, who was a pioneer raan
ufacturer of tinware in iEastern Ohio. The original
plant of the business was in Youngstown at the
end of Spring Common bridge over the Mahoning
River. 'William Johnson was born in the village
of Boston, near Gleveland, Ohio, in 1809, and died
in 1877. His wife was MatUda Whitslar, whose
brother, Dr. Whitslar, was one of the earliest prac
titioners of dentistry in the Youngstown district.
She was born in 1812 and died in 1858, the mother
of five children, Williara H. being the fourth and
the only survivor. William Johnson learned his
trade as a tinner in his own shop from people in
his employ. Frora Youngstown he raoved his busi
ness to New Franklin in Stark County, then re
turned to Youngstown, and finally established his
plant at Mineral Ridge, where he died.
Williara H. Johnson attended a school on what
is now Mahoning Avenue, school being kept in a
little one-roora house. He shared his father's strong
views with regard to slavery and the secession
raovement, and at the age of fifteen, with his
father's consent, he left school to join the army. The
faraily were then living in New Franklin. With
eighty-six others he went to Canton to enlist. At
that time he weighed ninety-five pounds and Cap
tain Day, the enrolling officer, promptly sent hira
horae. Two weeks later came a second effort, this
time at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, but again his
youth was a bar. On August IS, 1862, Mr. John
son made his third and successful effort, and was
enrolled in Company D of the iisth Ohio Infantry.
This corapany had an interesting personnel, his cap
tain being a justice of the peace, his first lieutenant
a local postmaster, his second lieutenant a constable,
while the captain had three sons in the company
and there were twenty-four pairs of brothers. WU
liara H. Johnson saw nearly three years of active
service, chiefly in the carapaigns of Kentucky, Ten
nessee and the raiddle South. He was in the battle
of Stone River, in the second battle of Murfrees
boro, and in raany other engageraents. He was

mustered out at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and dis
charged at Cleveland, July 5, 1865.
After the war Mr. Johnson joined his father, and
soon afterward began taking orders for the business
in the manner above described. He continued the
manufacture of tinware and sheet iron after his
father's death, and in 1887 removed to Girard and
bought the ground where his present store is lo
cated. He bought this property from Joseph
Leavitt. It then contained a little wooden storeroom
and an adjoining residence. These buildings were
destroyed by fire in 1890 and they were replaced by
the three story brick storeroom and residence stilt
owned and occupied by Mr. Johnson.
As an old time resident of Girard Mr. Johnson
has played a worthy and public spirited part in com
munity affairs. He served a nuraber of times as
president of the school board, has been a member
of the village council, and is a prorainent member
of the Christian Church, having served as elder
thirty years. For twenty-four years he had taught
one class in Sunday school, made up largely of
young women, chiefly teachers from the public
schools. Mr. Johnson is affiliated with the Knights
of Pythias and the Protective Horae Circle, is a
member of Tod Post, Grand Array of the Republic,
at Youngstown, and in politics is a republican.
In 1868 he married Alice Marshall, of Mentor,
Ohio, who died in 1876, leaving no chUdren. In
1878 Mr. Johnson married Lizzie Williams, of Min
eral Ridge, daughter of Ambrose WUliams. They
have three children : Lucy L., wife of J. Carl Wake
field, a druggist at Clairton, Pennsylvania; William
C, associated with his father in business; and Mary
E., wife of R. T. Campbell, formerly superintendent
for Moore & Lamb at Youngstown, and now su
perintendent of one of the large construction com
panies engaged in building the Supreme Motor
Plant at Warren, and a resident of East Liberty.
William L. Carroll, M. D. A resident of
Youngstown since 1902, Doctor Carroll has for
eighteen years been one of the leading specialists
in the eye, ear, nose and throat in Eastern Ohio,
and is the specialist on those branches of medi
cine and surgery on the staff of St. Elizabeth's
Hospital. Doctor Carroll, who graduated in medicine more
than a quarter of a century ago, was born on a
farm near Steubenville in JeffersonviUe County,
Ohio, November 20, 1868. He was the youngest of
the four sons and one daughter of William and Susan
(South) Carroll. His raothei- was born in the
sarae locality of Ohio, while his father was born
in Dublin, Ireland, and carae as a boy with his
people to Toronto, Canada, and sorae years later
came to the. United States. He was a river man,
and became one of the most skillful pilots on the
Mississippi when that river was the great thorough
fare of traffic in the Middle West. During the
Civil war he was in the service of the Government,
running boats up and down the Mississippi. _ Later
he bought a farra in Jefferson County, Ohio, and
spent the rest of his life in the quiet vocation of
agriculture. When he died in 1915 he was eighty-
five years of age. His wife died in 1912, aged

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

119

eighty-two. He was a deraocrat in politics, and
always reraained true to the church of his boy
hood, the Catholic, whUe his wife was a Presby
terian. Williara L. Carroll spent his boyhood days on an
Eastern Ohio farm, attended district schools, gradu
ated from the Steubenville High School, and com
pleted his literary education in old Scio CoUege.
In his youth he never had the coramand of any
wealth, and out of his own earnings paid most of
the expenses connected with his raedicai education.
For three years he was a school teacher. Doctor
Carroll pursued his raedicai studies in the Baltiraore ,
Medical College, now the raedicai department of the
University of iMaryland, graduating in l8g4. He
began practice at Toronto, Ohio, near his old home,
and perforraed all the general duties of a country
physician. Three and a half years later he began the
special study of eye, ear, nose and throat, and sub
sequently spent a year in the Philadelphia Poly
clinic, and for one year was a surgeon in the Wills
Eye Hospital, the oldest institution of its kind in
the United States. Then when he removed to
Youngstown in igos he limited his practice alto
gether to the special lines of his experience and
research. Doctor Carroll is a raember in high stand
ing of the Mahoning County, State and American
Medical associations. He is president of the Youngs
town Pension Board.
In i8g6 he married Lorena Cooper, daughter of
Ephraim Cooper. Doctor Carroll had the misfor
tune to lose his wife October 14, igig. Four sons
survive : Paul, Arthur, Kenneth and Donald. Doc
tor Carroll is affiliated with the Brown Memorial
Methodist Episcopal Church and is a Knight Tera
plar and thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason.
His home is in Boardraan.
Wallace W. Ryall, M. D. A resident of
Youngstown fifteen years. Doctor Ryall carae to
this city after several years of arduous country
practice, and has also gained a high and raerited
' place among the medical profession of the city. He
has given the public much of his professional time,
and during the war he spent a few months as cap
tain in the Medical Corps.
Doctor Ryall was born at Pittsburgh, Pennsyl
vania, August 17, 1874, son of Oliver B. and Mar
garet (Lafferty) Ryall. His parents are still liv
ing in Pennsylvania. His father was born in 1834
and is now eighty-six years of age, and his mother
was born in 1844. Oliver B. Ryall spent many years
as an oil operator in the Pennsylvania fields. Dur
ing the Civil war he was a corporal in the Squirrel
Hunters' Brigade and had a coraraission signed by
Governor Tod of Ohio. Oliver Ryall is a republi
can, and he and his wife are active merabers of the
East Liberty Presbyterian Church.
Wallace W. Ryall is a graduate of the Pittsbugh
High School, and in i8g7 received his degree in
medicine from the University of Pittsburgh. For
nearly eight years he was located in Ashland Coun
ty, Ohio, and gained a large professional foUow
ing there, not only as a result of his skill but also
his readiness to attend calls through all kinds of
weather and night or day.

In January, 1905, Doctor Ryall carae to Youngs
town, and besides the heavy work of a private prac
tice he is now serving his second term on the
Youngstown Health Board and is chairman of its
finance committee and meraber of the comraittee
on nuisances. He is a member of the Mahoning
Medical Society and the State and American Medi
cal associations.
Doctor Ryall was comraissioned captain in the
Medical Corps in September, 1918, and was sent
for training to Camp Greenleaf, Georgia, and given
a regular assignment of duties at General Hospital
No. 3 at Columbia, New Jersey.
Doctor Ryall is a republican, is a thirty-second
degree Scottish Rite Mason, a member of the Moose
and Foresters of America, and he and his family
are Presbyterians. Doctor Ryall was the second
in a family of two sons and one daughter. In igo2
he raarried Eraraa Vernon Stewart, and they have
two sons and one daughter, named Margaret V.,
Wallace W., Jr., and J. Stewart.
Melvin E. McCaskey. It is always pleasant
and profitable to contemplate the career of a raan
who has raade a success of life and won the honor
and respect of his fellow citizens. Such is the
record of Melvin E. McCaskey, president of the
Tri-State Motor Corapany of Youngstown, than
whora a raore whole-souled or popular man it would
be hard to find in his coraraunity. The record of
Mr. McCaskey is that of a raan who by his own
unaided efforts has worked his way from a modest
beginning to a position of influence in the busi
ness world. His life has been of unceasing indus
try and perseverance, and the systematic and hon
orable methods which he has followed have won
hira the unbounded confidence of his fellow citi
zens of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.
Melvin E. McCaskey was born on his father's
farm near Butler, Butler County, Pennsylvania, on
November 3, 1861, and is the son of Joseph and
Darcus Ellen McCaskey. Joseph McCaskey was
the son of a native of Scotland on the paternal
side, the mother being of Scotch-Irish blood. He
was born in Oakland Township, Butler County,
Pennsylvania, and his death occurred in 1877, at
the age of forty-two years. He was a carriage-
maker by trade and was successful as a business
raan. During the Civil war he volunteered his
services in defense of the Union and served faith
fully until receiving his honorable discharge at the
close of the conflict in 1865. He was a republican
in politics and a Presbyterian in his religious be
lief. He was survived by his widow, who after
ward became the wife of Samuel Stepp. She died
in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, in igo5, at the age
of seventy-seven years. To Joseph and Darcus
McCaskey were born ten children, and the subject
of this sketch is the youngest of the sons. He se
cured his education in the schools of Saxonburg,
Butler County, Pennsylvania, completing his school
course in the schools of Washington County. He
raade a special study of pharraacy under Doctor
Cyrus at Middletown, in the oil district, but he did
not take kindly to drugs and was wise enough not
to force himself to stick to that science. He turned

120

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

his attention to the oU business, as pertaining to
the operating departraent, at which he worked until
1882, when he entered the eraploy of the Pittsburgh
Street Car Corapany, driving one of the old horse
cars of that period. Later he was placed in charge
of the horses of the corapany, holding that position
until the tracks were rebuilt for cable power, when
he was engaged on the construction as road raaster.
Frora Pittsburgh he went to Rochester, New York,
in the same line of work, the car lines there be
ing electrified. Then, after being simUarly em
ployed for awhUe in Buffalo, New York, he re
turned to Pittsburgh as assistant superintendent of
the South Side lines, and assisted in the electrify
ing of the roads there. He was then for a time
general manager of the street car lines in McKees
port, followed in succession by the superintendency
of the lines at Greensburg, Uniontown and New
Castle, aU in Pennsylvania. In 1902 Mr. McCaskey
came to Youngstown as superintendent of the street
car lines, holding that position untU 1911, when
he resigned. It was said of Mr. McCaskey in ref
erence to his long identification with the city trans
portation problem that he was probably one of
the best informed men in the country on matters
pertaining to the surface car operations in a city.
He attained erainent success in each position held
by hira and enjoyed a widespread reputation because
of his success in handling the difficult and peculiar
problems which confronted him. He understands
how to handle men and gain their loyalty, and his
systematic methods enabled him to do his work
with a minimum of effort.
In 1911, when he quit the street car corapany, Mr.
McCaskey became secretary and treasurer of the
Elton Motor Corapany, retaining that position until
igi7, when he was mainly instrumental in the or
ganization of the Tri-State Motor Corapany, of
which he was eleced president, retaining the posi
tion to the present time.
In 1882 Mr. McCaskey was raarried to Addie
Belle Coulter, of Carabridge Springs, Pennsylvania,
and they became parents of two children, Roy, who
died -at the age of thirteen months, and Anna, who
is the wife of J. C. MacClaren, who also is en
gaged in the automobile business in Youngstown.
Politically Mr. McCaskey is a republican, while
his religious affiliation is with the Evergreen Pres
byterian Church, which he has served as president
of the board of trustees. Socially he is a member
of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks,
the Youngstown Club, the Youngstown Automobile
Club, and the Youngstown Chamber of Coramerce.
Mr. McCaskey's residence in this city has but
strengthened his hold on the hearts of the people
with whom he has been associated, and today few
here enjoy a larger circle of warm friends and
acquaintances, who esteera him because of his ster
ling qualities of character and his business abUity.
Isa Van Baalen. A public-spirited and highly
respected resident of Youngstown, noteworthy for
his good citizenship and upright character, Isa Van
Baalen, president of the Standard Auto Sales Com
pany, distributors of the Dodge Brothers cars, is
at the head of a substantial and extensive business,

whose growth and expansion are largely due to his
enterprise and energy. A son of E. iH. Van Baalen,
he was born February 27, 1870, in Detroit, Michigan,
of pure Dutch ancestry.
Born in Amsterdam, Holland, seventy-three years
ago, E. H. Van Baalen was but a boy when he came
with his parents to this country, being sixty-eight
days crossing the Atlantic in 3 saUing vessel, a
long and tedious voyage. He lived for a time in
Cleveland, Ohio, and then accorapanied the family
to Detroit, Michigan, where he was subsequently
engaged for raany yea.rs in the jewelry business, al
though he is now residing in Chicago. Realizing
the superior advantages America offers a man with
out means, his family having been very poor on
coraing to the United States, he has ever been a
strong, loyal supporter of Araerican institutions,
and while living in Michigan his sons were members
of the Detroit Light Infantry. He raarried Abbie
Van Baalen, who was a distant relative, and they
becarae the parents of six children, three sons and
three daughters. His wife died at the age of sbcty-
eight years, and he has since raade his home in
Chicago. Isa Van Baalen was educated in Detroit, after
his graduation frora the high school of that ci^
having completed a course of study at the Detroit
Business University. After leaving school he was
employed in a wholesale dry goods house for a year,
and then traveled through Michigan for a time,
selling dry goods for Brown & Corapany. Subse
quently entering the eraploy of the Harberger &
iHoraan Company, he traveled extensively, for more
than seventeen years selling the famous George W.
ChUds cigar, and later being for a while simUarly
employed for the manufacturers of the BuU Dog
cigar. During his travels Mr. Van Baalen frequently
passed through Youngstown, and being impressed
with the many advantages of the city located here,
opening the finest cigar store in the Mahoning Val
ley, the "Sign of the Bull Dog," in the buUding just
next door to the Central Bank, on Federal Street.
In 1908 he accepted a position as salesman for the
Standard Auto Sales Company, of which he is now
proprietor and president, and as a dealer in Dodge
Brothers cars has met with alraost unprecedented
success. Although the corapany's salesrooms are
the finest in the city, they will shortly erect an
other, which will be the best in its equipments of
any in the United States.
Mr. Van Baalen married, July 7, 1904, Mrs. Edith
Hallewell, a daughter of George M. Suramers, the
representative of an old and honored family of
Youngstown, and they have one child, Betty Maye
Van Baalen. By her first marriage Mrs. Van
Baalen had one child. Jack, who is now a student at
the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Van Baalen
took an active part in all the war drives, serving on
iraportant coraraittees, and is now a raember of the
CivU Service Coramittee of Youngstown. In se
curing eraployes for the various departments of the
city, he is just and irapartial, regarding efficiency
above everything else, politics and religion bearing
no weight in his selection of workmen. Broad-
minded and liberal in his religious views, both Mr.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

121

Van Baalen and his wife are active and valued
members of the Unitarian Church. Fraternally he
belongs to HUlman Lodge, Free and Accepted Order
of iMasons, and to the iBenevolent and Protective
Order of iElks. He is also a meraber of the Youngs
town Chamber of Coraraerce ; the Rotary Club ;
the Country Club and the Youngstown Club.
Walter G. Smith. A few brief paragraphs
seera hardly sufficient tribute to the veteran serv
ices rendered by Walter G. Sraith as a Youngs
town raerchant. He has beeen in the jewelry busi
ness in this city for fifty-one years. All this tirae
he has been an expert watchmaker, and even now,
when most men of his age are glad to relax and
retire, he has a daily enthusiasra for his work and
can do better work and put a watch together quicker
than at any tirae in his career.
When iMr. Sraith came to Youngstown in 1868
the city had a population of 6,000 people. It was
nothing more than a straggling village with raud
streets. WhUe prosecuting his own affairs he has
given his raodest co-operation and public-spirit to
every raovement for the growth and development
of the city, and has really been associated with the
builders of the great prosperity Youngstown now
enjoys. Mr. Smith was born in Woostei", Wayne Coun
ty, Ohio, March 5, 1845, son of Henry and Eliza
beth Sraith, the former a native of Wooster and
the latter of Maryland. His father, a cabinet
maker in early life and later a furniture merchant,
died at the age of eighty-one, while his wife was
ninety at the time of her death. They were raera
bers of the Disciples Church, and he was a repub
lican in politics. The father of Henry Sraith was
a native of Germany. Of the ten children of Henry
and Elizabeth Smith three are still living, Walter
G. being the oldest.
The latter acquired his education in Wooster and
in October, 1861, at the age of sixteen, having
shown an aptitude for delicate tools, he was started
to learn the jeweler's trade, taking the place of an
older man who had enlisted in the array. Then
some seven years later he came to Youngstown.
His first place of business was on Federal Street,
in what was then the Hamilton store, while from
1875 to 1878 he had a jewelry store in the Dia
mond Block near the Grand Opera House. For
the past eighteen years he has been located on North
Phelps Street. iMr. Smith is an enthusiast in his
work, but loves fishing still better. He is a Ma
son, being a member of St. John's Coraraandery,
is an Elk, and is norainally a republican, but voted
for Wilson. He and his family are merabers of
St. John's Episcopal Church.
October 3, 1871, he married OUie Van Hyning,
daughter of Julius Van Hyning and a niece of
Judge Van Hyning, who for many years was a mera
ber of the bench when the Mahoning County Court
House was at Canfield. Mr. and Mrs. Smith haye
two chUdren: Edward is his father's partner in
the jewelry business. Ada M. is the wife of R. C.
Brown, who is the W. B. Pollack Corapany repre
sentative in New York City, their horae being at
Plainfield, New Jersey.

S. D. Myers as president of the Myers Laundry
and Dry Cleaning Company has given to Youngs
town a high class and efficient institution and is
one of the city's succesful business men who spent
many years in raidroading and other mechanical oc
cupations. Mr. Myers was born at Duncansville in Blair
County, Pennsylvania, March i, 1858, a son of
Charles Myers, who for many years was with the
train service on the Pennsylvania Central Railroad.
S. D. Myers lived from early childhood at Greens
burg in Westmoreland County, and received his
education in the public schools there. At the age
of nineteen, following in his father's footsteps, he
became a railroad man, and for fourteen years was
in the operating department, most of the time as
a conductor on a freight train on the Pennsylvania
Central. He lived at Derry, afterward at Greens
burg, and on leaving the railroad was employed by
the Keystone Coal and Coke Company for sixteen
years as stationary engineer.
While in Derry he operated a laundry for a few
months. The business proved congenial and he
saw in it a future and a means of establishing him
self independently. At Youngstown he bought the
laundry which he now operates. The plant was
then a scrap heap and the patronage on the de
cline. The laundry was originally established by
John Fithian and subsequently was the Goetz Laun
dry, when it was bought by Mr. Myers. The latter
put into the business knowledge, efficiency and en
ergy, and he now owns one of the best concerns of
its kind in the Mahoning Valley. The business was
recently reorganized, taking over the Crystal Laun
dry Corapany. The capital of the corapany is now
a hundred thousand dollars, and the plants are
thoroughly equipped and raodern. These plants are
on Market and Pyatt streets. Mr. Myers is not
only president of the company but general raanager
and the active personality in the conduct of the
business. Mr. Myers is a member of the First Baptist
Church. While belonging to no political party he al
ways votes, feeling that to be the duty of a good
citizen. July 17, 1879, he married Miss Hattie 'Win-
gert, of Derry, Pennsylvania. She died many years
ago. In 1905 he married Mrs. Nellie MUler, of
Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
John K. Wolff & Sons. One of the best known
and most highly esteemed citizens of Youngstown is
the venerable merchant, John K. Wolff, who has
done his full share in the development of his section
of the city. This locality he has honored by his
citizenship for many years, having given his sup
port to the church, the schools and to all measures
for the public good, and his narae has ever been
synonyraous with honorable dealings in all the re
lations of life. As he has passed so raany years in
this locality he has a wide acquaintance araong its
best citizens, many of whora are included within the
circle of his warra personal friends.
John K. Wolff was born in Pennsylvania, just over
the state line frora Petersburg, Ohio, on December
29, 1841, and is the son of Andrew Wolff, a native
of Wurtemburg, who, at the age of six years was

122

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

brought to the United States by his parents, the
family settling in Mahoning County, Ohio. John K.
Wolff was married to Maria Yarian, who was born
on October 20, 1846, the daughter of Benjamin
Yarion, of Colurabiana County, this state, but whose
family originally were located in Westmoreland
County, Pennsylvania. During the Civil war John
K. Wolff offered his services to the government, but
he was rejected. He was reared to the life of a
farraer, which he followed for a number of years,
until on account of faUing health he was compelled
to get away from the strenuous work of a farm, and
he then established a store at Steamtown, now known
as Woodworth, of which he was appointed postmas
ter. Many years ago he opened a little store where
he now lives on OakhUl Avenue, his sole capital
being seventy-nine dollars in cash and his credit,
which was good. He put both to work and soon
found himself in possession of a business which de
manded an enlargement of his little store. En
largement followed enlargement until the building
reached a tree, which afforded the boys a convenient
way to slip out when sent early to bed. Later Mr.
Wolff built on Market Street, where also he opened
a store. He has always had a strong faith in
Youngstown, because of its stability and its prom
ise of continued future growth. A number of years
ago he joined his son Orin C. in the wholesale
produce business, under the firra narae of John K.
Wolff & Sons, and this has become one of the
most reliable and prosperous firras in its line in
Youngstown. Besides a general line of produce of
all kinds they also handle crackers and cakes on a
large scale. Mr. Wolff is well preserved for his
years, his chief recreation being fishing, of which
sport he is an ardent devotee, having fished in raany
of the best northern lakes, the Gulf of Mexico,
Florida and Cuban waters and the Catalina Is
lands. He is a -man of fine personal qualities, genial
and companionable, and enjoys to a marked de
gree the confidence and good will of all who know
him. Orin Clark Wolff was born on January 26, 1876,
and received his education in- the Youngstown pub
lic schools, attending the South Side schools, and
later the Front Street School, where he was grad
uated. He then took a complete business course,
and in l8gs he formed a partnership with J. H.
Harshman, under the firm name of Harshman &
Wolff, wholesale dealers in produce, in the Bissell
Block on North Chestnut Street. In 1907 the busi
ness was raoved to No. 206 West Front Street, where
it was reorganized under the new firm name of John
K. Wolff & Sons, the latter being Orin C. and
Ralph Andrew. (Dn Septeraber 17, igoi, Orin C.
Wolff was raarried to Eva Hawn, the daughter of
Sergt. Jacob Hawn, now and for a long time
connected with the Youngstown police force.
Ralph Andrew Wolff was born December 2g,
1881, and received his education in the public schools
of this city, corapleting his studies at the Rayen
High School, where he was graduated. He is now
devoting himself to the produce business with his
father and brother, being a raan of excellent business
qualifications. He was raarried on June 20, 1912, to
Lilly Lakey, the daughter of George Lakey. He is

a meraber of Trinity Episcopal Church, and, with his
brother Orin, is a member of the Knights of Pythias.
The brothers, who have taken the burden of busi
ness details from their father's shoulders, have
gained enviable reputations as energetic and far-
sighted business men, affable and tactful in their
relations with others, and eminently deserving of
the splendid success which has rewarded their
efforts. William H. Sittig. Possessing undoubted ex
ecutive and business talent and tact, WiUiam iH.
Sittig, of Youngstown, who is actively identified with
the mercantile affairs of this section of Mahoning
County as general manager of the Buckeye Supply
Company, has been an important factor in advanc
ing the growth and expansion of the company's in
terests, and influential in furthering the success of
the enterprise. A son of the late William H. Sit
tig, Sr., he was born in 1883 in Trumbull County,
Ohio, on the parental homestead.
Born in Germany, William H. Sittig, Sr., was a
lad of nine years when he came with his parents to
Mercer County, Pennsylvania, where he was brought
up and educated. In early manhood he came to
Ohio in search of a favorable location, and at one
time was offered, for the small sum of $600, four
acres of land, with a five-room house on it, that
being the land on which the Tod House in Youngs
town is now located, and which has since multiplied
many, raany tiraes in value. Instead of accepting
that offer, he bought a farm at Stop 29, on Jacobs
Road, and was there successfully engaged in agri
cultural pursuits for forty-six jears. He was a
man of sterling integrity, a trustworthy citizen, and
had the respect and esteera of the community in
which he so long resided. In October, 1918, at the
age of seventy-six years, he passed to the life be
yond. The raaiden name of the wife of William H. Sit
tig, Sr., was Caroline Bergman. She died in 1906,
her death occurring on the sixtieth anniversary of
her birth. Both were devout members of Saint
John's Lutheran Church at Hubbard. Eleven chil
dren blessed their union, of whom ten, five sons arid
five daughters, are now living, their homes being in
or near Youngstown. T-wice each year these loyal
children have a family reunion, meeting on the days
raarking the anniversary of their father's and their
raother's birth.
Having acquired a practical education in the pub
lic schools of Hubbard, William H. Sittig, at the
age of fifteen years, began working in the Carnegie
Steel Plant, with which he remained seven years,
being afterward employed for an equal length of
tirae in the Republic Plant. Accepting a position
then with the German-Buehrle Corapany, at the place
where he is now located, iMr. Sittig began work as
a driver for the firm, which dealt in coal and build
er's supplies. At the end of nine years, having
proved himself capable and faithful in minor posi
tions, he was made assistant raanager, and_ organized
the new Coal & Supply Corapany, which subse
quently becarae the Buckeye Supply Company, of
which he is now the general manager. Under the
wise supervision of Mr. Sittig the firm has buUt up

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

123

an enormous trade in coal and builders' supplies
and in order to facUitate matters has established
two branches, one at the crossing of the Indianola
& Youngstown Southern RaUroad, and one on the
New York Central Railroad, at the corner of Logan
Avenue and Thornton Street.
Mr. Sittig married. May 12, 1904, Minnie, daughter
of Erail and Louisa Gransee, of iErie, Pennsylvania,
and into their home three children have been born,
Leroy, Wilbur and Eleanor. For twenty-two years
Mr. Sittig was a raember of Martin Luther's
Church and for the past three years he has been
an active raeraber of Grace Evangelical Lutheran
Church, and has served as leader of its choir for
that period of tirae. Fraternally he belongs to the
Masonic Order, being a member of Hillman Lodge,
Free and Accepted Masons, of Youngstown, Ohio,
Burchner Council, Royal Arch Masons, and Youngs
town Commandery, Knights Templar, and he is
likewise a meraber of the Charaber of Gommerce, of
the Builders' Exchange, and of the Kiwanis Club.
Mr. Sittig has also been affiliated with most all the
leading musical organizations of this valley, such
as the Monday Musical Club, the American Glee
Club, the Shackamaxon Quartet and played one
of the leading roles in the following light operas :
Dorothy, The Highwayman, The Mocking Bird and
the Mikado. These operas were played by the
Youngstown Opera Club under the direction of R.
M. Brown.
John T. Rochford. A native of Youngstown and
a resident of the city Over fifty years, John T.
Rochford since early boyhood has had one leading
and dominant business interest, construction and
buUding work. Mr. Rochford is president of the
Youngstown Construction Company and is widely
known as a safe and substantial business man.
He was born in Youngstown September 5, 1867,
son of Michael and Anna (Taffe) Rochford. His
father, a native of Ireland, went as a boy to Eng
land and when still a young raan came to the United
States. He was a coal miner, but later engaged
in contracting. He perforraed all kinds of con
struction work, including the digging of wells and
cellars. His death occurred in 1906, at the age of
eighty-two. His widow survived until 1916, at the
age of seventy-seven. They were members of St.
Coluraba's Catholic Church. Their family consisted
of the following children, all in Youngstown :
Elizabeth, wife of Patrick O'Hara ; Mary, who died
at the age of twenty-two, the wife of Thoraas
O'Hara ; John T. ; Peter, a foreraan for the Re
public Iron and Steel Company; Alice, wife of John
Gartland, a contractor ; Katherine, wife of Michael
McFarland, a mill worker ; Margaret, wife of Austin
DeLosier, a Youngstown plumber ; Theresa, wife of
John Farragher, a mill raan.
With his brothers and sisters John T. Rochford
attended St. Coluraba's parochial schools and also
had the advantages of Cook's Business College.
As a boy and raan he vvorked with his father until
igoo, and since then has engaged in business inde
pendently. One of his first independent contracts
was the grading and b'uilding of Poland Avenue.
He did that piece of ccinstruction long before the

street railway was laid along the iraportant thorough
fare. He and his organization have built raany mUes
of streets and laid railes of paving and sewers. For
a number of years Mr. Rochford operated in part
nership with John Coraisky under the firra name of
Rochford & Coraisky. In 1910 he organized the
Youngstown Construction Company. This corapany
has a large staff of skilled and unskilled workers
and a complete equipment of steam shovels and other
apparatus for the rapid and efficient handling of its
special lines of work. The company did all the
contract work on the streets and paving north of
Wick Park, also on Market Street on the south
side, and laid out the Stewart allotments.
In 1902 Mr. Rochford married Mary Buchner,
a native of Youngstown and daughter of John
Buchner. To their raarriage were born nine chU
dren : Florence, Helen, John, George, Mary Louise,
Clara, Gracie, Laura and Harry R. Mary Louise
died at the age of four years. The faraily are mem
bers of St. Patrick's Catholic Church.
David A. Frampton, whose business headquarters
are in the Federal Building, is president and man
ager of the Ohio Lumber Company. The mills of
this concern are located in Ashtabula County, and
the business is the raanufacture of hardwood tiraber
products, particularly for the use of steel plants.
The present organization is the result of years of
experience, and the service has been availed of by
the iron and steel industries of Northeastern Ohio
for a nuraber of years.
For over three-quarters of a century and through
at least three generations the name Frampton has been
intiraately connected with the luraber and tiraber
interests in Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.
The grandfather of the Youngstown business raan
was Maj. Jonathan Frarapton of Clarion, Penn
sylvania. iHe was a timber operator in a number
of Pennsylvania counties, and at one tirae supplied
timber to the Atlantic & Great Western RaUroad.
He al.so conducted a hotel at Clarksville, Pennsyl
vania. He began business in 1844, and his grand
son has some of his old business records. Sorae
iteras in those records indicate that seventy-five years
ago good whiskey could be bought for twenty-five
cents per gallon and three cents per drink. In the
tirae of the old railitia musters Major Frarapton
was a leader in the local railitary and also had an
active part in politics.
John H. Frarapton, father of David A., also spent
the greater part of his active life in the timber
business. He was born at Transfer, Pennsylvania,
and in 1862, at the period of the Civil war, he took
a contract to supply ties for the Mahoning Division
of the Erie RaUroad between MeadvUle and Kent
and to Cleveland. At that time ties were split
and hewed. To carry out that contract John H.
Frampton went to Canada for tiraber workers, as
raost of the able bodied raen in Ohio were in the
array. While filling the contract he raaintained
headquarters at Warren and Hubbard. John H.
Frampton is still living at the age of seventy-four
and makes his home at West Middlesex. He mar
ried Mary Bean.
David A. Frampton, a son of these parents, was

124

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

born at Middlesex, Pennsylvania, in 1872 and re
ceived his education in the schools of Middlesex and
Sharon and also attended Mount Pleasant Academy,
a fine school instituted and maintained by the late
H. C. Frick, and in which raany of the proteges of
Mr. Frick received their education. After leaving
school Mr. Frampton developed his experience in
the family business of timber working, and spent
several years in his father's mills around Wellsville,
Lisbon, East Liverpool and Hubbard. In 1900 he
established his headquarters at Hubbard, and re
mained there untU coming to Youngstown. While
at Hubbard he manufactured 5,000,000 feet of
white oak products. Most of his activity in politics
was a feature of his residence in Hubbard.
Mr. Frarapton is a raeraber of the Youngstown
Charaber of Comraerce, the Coraraercial Travelers
Association and the Knights of Pythias, and with his
family is a member of the Baptist Church. In
1895 he married Miss Belle Hassan, daughter of
James Hassan. Her father was born on the Chest
nut Hill farm originally belonging to James Hassan
and was the property of the Wick family in Mahon
ing County. Mr. and Mrs. Frampton have four chil
dren : Katherine, wife of John Law ; Dorothy, wife
of Alfred Hinchcliff, of Girard; Blanche and
James. George A. Webster. Occupying a noteworthy
position among the prosperous business men of
Youngstown, George A. Webster, head of the G. A.
Webster Electric Corapany, has been in truth the
architect of his own fortunes, his life furnishing a
forcible example to the rising generation of the
material success to be obtained by persevering in
dustry and wise econoray. A native of Youngs
town, he was born October 30, 1872, a son of the
late Kirk Webster.
Kirk Webster was born at Girard in the Mahon
ing Valley in 1847, arid as a youth of eighteen years
entered the eraploy of the Erie Railroad Company,
and subsequently filled various positions until being
made conductor. When thirty-five years of age
he was stricken with paralysis, and, being unable
to perform the duties of conductor "of a train, was
made gate keeper at the Phelps Street Crossing, a
position that he filled until his death, October 12,
1907. His wife, whose raaiden name was Sarah El
lery, was born in England, and came with her par
ents to Youngstown when a child of five suraraers,
where her father secured a position in the iron
works. She has been a faithful raeraber of the Bap
tist Church since a girl. She now raakes her home
with a son at 540 George Street. To her and her
husband six children were born, as follows : Har
riet, widow of W. E. Fownes ; George A., the
special subject of this sketch; Grace, wife of Rich
ard Francis, who is engaged in the insurance busi
ness in Youngstown, and who is a brother of Jesse
Francis, county clerk of Mahoning County; Fred,
superintendent of steam fitting for the Republic
Iron & Steel Company; Blanche, who is the wife
of Williara Warren, and Ed, an electrician, liv
ing in Cleveland.
A lad of nine years when his father was stricken
with paralysis, George A. Webster had to leave his

studies at the Covington Street School, it being
necessary that he should, thus young, have to help
support the family. Entering the eraploy of the
Union News Company, he sold papers and period
icals at the Erie Railroad Station and on iErie
trains for a period of five years. The ensuing five
years he was with the Youngstown Carriage Com
pany, and for nineteen years thereafter was em
ployed in the City Light Plant. Becoming a pro
ficient electrician, Mr. Webster embarked in busi
ness on his own account in 1910 and now, in part
nership with George Dieter, is carrying on a success
ful business as head of the G. A. Webster Electric
Corapany, which has installed electric systems in
many residences and business houses, among others
of prominence having been the G. M. McKelevey
Store, the Grascelli Plant at Niles, the J. A. Camp
bell residence, and other large buUdings.
Mr. Webster raarried, in 1897, Gertrude Knight,
daughter of George E. Knight, a draftsman in the
Republic Iron & Steel Works, and they have one
daughter, Jane, born in 1914. Mr. Webster is a
member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks; of the Rotary Club; and of the Youngstown
Chamber of Comraerce.
Fred W. Banks. A raan of versatile talents,
laboring with never varying energy and enterprise,
Fred W. Banks, of Youngstown, has been actively
identified with raany lines of industry, and is a lead
ing and successful dealer in coal and sand. His
most pronounced success, however, was as a mem
ber of the Civil Service Coraraission, with which
he was intimately associated for six years, retiring
in igig. During his'term of raerabership, rules and
regulations were established and improvements of
value were made, the practical workings of the
Civil Service Coraraission having raade Youngstown
in raany respects a model city, and one of which its
residents may well be proud. He was born January
27, 1865, in Toronto, Canada, of English descent.
George Banks, his father, was born on Thread-
needle Street, London, England, which was also
the birthplace of his wife, ¦whose maiden name was
Maria Ventress. Soon after his marriage he emi
grated to Canada, locating in Toronto, where for
raany years he was profitably eraployed in the feed
and grain business. Coming frora there to Youngs
town raany years ago, he was first engaged in the
oil and gasoline business, later becoraing a dealer
in coal. Both he and his wife spent their last years
in Youngstown, his death occurring in 1916, at the
age of seventy-four years, and hers in 1915, at the
age of seventy-six years. Both were worthy mem
bers of the Episcopal Church. Their children,
si.x in nuraber, were as follows : James V., now serv
ing as mayor of the City of iNiagara Falls, New
York; George, eraployed in a rubber plant at
Akron, Ohio; Fannie, widow of J. L. Henderson,
resides on Erama Street, Youngstown ; Sarah Jane,
widow of R. G. Patterson, of Akron, Ohio; Fred
W., the special subject of this sketch; and William
forraerly of Northwestern Canada, is now a resident
of Toronto.
Brought up and educated in Toronto, Fred 'W.
Banks began when but a boy to accumulate money

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

125

that he earned by picking strawberries and cherries.
After coraing to Youngstown, and even after his
marriage, he advanced his education by taking a
course in accounting and banking at HaU's Business
College. While in Toronto he was for a time sales
man in a dry goods establishment, and later served
in the same capacity for seven years for Mr.
Kaufman, whose general store was located on
West Federal Street in Youngstown. Mr. Banks
subsequently was with the Weinberg firm for three
years, and later spent two years in the Youngstown
Rolling Mills, raaking cotton ties on the seven-inch
rolls. Changing his occupation, Mr. Banks was era
ployed in the Milliken-Boyd Car Works two years,
and the following five years was associated with
the Youngstown Pump Works at Holmes and Wood
streets, after which he was engaged in the pump
business on his own account for two years, having
an establishment at the corner of Holraes and
Chestnut streets. Later, when the Youngstown
garbage business was sold by a receiver, he pur
chased it, and operated the sarae until the city took
it over. Since then he has carried on a thriving
business as a dealer in sand, gravel and coal.
On April 21, 1885, Mr. Banks was united in mar
riage with Margaret, daughter of John Brady, of
Jamestown, Pennsylvania. Two children, twins,
have blessed their union, Arthur W., associated in
business with his father ; and Lillian, wife of Al
bert H. Bailey, a dealer in electrical supplies on
Wick Avenue. Politically Mr. Banks is a republi
can and a strong prohibitionist. Fraternally he is
a member of Youngstown Lodge No. 403, Independ
ent Order of Odd Fellows. Religiously both Mr.
and Mrs. Banks are active merabers of the West
minster Presbyterian Church.
Harry Parrock, who has been a resident of
Youngstown since 1890, was for raany years a
technical expert in the local mills, and in that ca
pacity had much to do with the transforraation of
Youngstown frora an iron to a steel center.
Mr. Parrock was born at Stourbridge, England,
February 20, 1858, a son of Joseph and Ann (Tran
ter) Parrock. His father spent his active life as a
raaster mechanic in rolling mills. He died many
years ago and the raother passed away in 1918, at
the age of ninety-two.
Harry Parrock had his schooling in England, and
was only a boy when he began working on the
rolls in an iron plant. During his nineteenth year
he was transferred to the shipping department. He
carae to the United States in 1881, and for nine years
was at Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, in the raills of the
Catasauqua Manufacturing Company, both in the
shipping and operating department. Frora there he
carae to Youngstown, and for a year or so was
assistant superintendent in what is now known as
the Upper Mill of the Carnegie Company, his em
ployers being William H. Baldwin and George D.
Wick. Mr. Parrock in 1892 becarae superintendent
of this plant and filled that office until 1902. In that
year he became superintendent of the Brown-Bonnell
plant, now part of the great Republic Corapany's in
dustry. Under his direct superintendence the buUd

ing and reraodeling prograra was carried out neces-
oary to convert that plant to a steel works.
iMr. Parrock has also had a prorainent part to
play in public affairs in Youngstown. In 1912 he
was appointed safety director by Mayor Hartenstein,
serving as such four years, and in igi6 was appointed
service director by Mayor Thornton, holding that
office two years. iPreviously, in igo2, he was elected
a member of the City Council at large, being one of
the first to hold that office. Other raerabers at large
were Chase Truesdale and Warren WUliams. While
in the council, where he served from igo2 to igo6,
inclusive, he was chairraan of the fire and police
comraittee and a member of the finance committee.
Since coming to this country Mr. Parrock raade
five trips to Europe, and only recently he returned
frora a visit over the devastated district in Flanders.
He is a raember of the Society of St. George and
is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason, being
affiliated with Lake Erie Consistory and Hiram
Lodge of Perfection. He is also an Odd Fellow and
Knight of Pythias, and is a meraber and trustee of
the First Unitarian Church at Youngstown.
In 1878 he raarried Taraar Parkes. Her father,
Henry Parkes, is still living in England, at the age
of eighty-two. To their raarriage were born three
sons. WUliara H. is a roller in the Steel & Tube
Plant at South Chicago. Henry P. is in the order
departraent of the Republic Plant at Youngstown.
Edwin J., a graduate of Purdue University, is asso
ciated with the Efficiency Engineering Corapany of
Detroit. James A. Henderson has been engaged in the
autoraobile business at Youngstown for ten years.
He has given his service entirely, with the exception
of one year, to the Overland car. He has developed
a treraendous business for that company over the
greater part of the Mahoning Valley, both in Ohio
and Pennsylvania.
Mr. Henderson, who is general raanager and
treasurer of the Henderson-Overland Corapany, was
born at Youngstown, Deceraber 4, 1883, son of WU
liam and Justina (McKenzie) Henderson. His
parents were born and raarried in Scotland, came to
America in 1867, and after a brief residence at
St. Louis, came to Youngstown, where WUliara Hen
derson was eraployed as a puddler and later foreraan
for the old Brown-Bonnell iron plant, and subse
quently with the Republic Iron and Steel Corapany.
iHe died March 6, 1914.
Jaraes A. Henderson was one of seven children,
and grew up at Youngstown, graduating frora the
Rayen High School in 1901. By private study he
raastered shorthand, and raade his way into business
affairs through the posses.sion of stenography. He
was stenographer in the Ohio plant of the Carnegie
Steel Corapany about two years, following which he
went to Chicago and was secretary to the vice presi
dent of the Continental National Bank and sub
sequently secretary to the general superintendent of
the PuUraan Car Corapany.
On returning to Youngstown Mr. Henderson on
January l, igio, took the local agency for the Brush
runabout. Then, in 191 1, he becarae the Youngs
town representative for the Overland autoraobile

126

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

and soon showed his qualities as a salesraan and pro-
raoter of the interests of the Overland Company.
In igi6 the company made him general distributor
for six counties in Eastern Ohio and Northwestern
Pennsylvania, and at that time he organized and in
corporated the Henderson-Overland Company. A
prominent man in his business, he is a past trustee
of the Ohio Automobile Association, is a past presi
dent of the Youngstown .Automobile Dealers' Asso
ciation, and past president of the Youngstown Auto
raobile Club. He is also a director and assistant
treasurer of the South Side Savings Bank.
Mr. Henderson is a republican, a member of the
Youngstown Club, Youngstown Chamber of Com
merce, Rotary Club, belongs to all branches of the
Masonic fraternity and Mystic Shrine, and is also
affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, the Elks and Knights of Pythias. He is a
trustee of the Community Corporation and the Ma
honing County War Chest Fund, and gave much of
his time frora business in behalf of war auxiliary
raoveraents. He and his wife are raerabers of the
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church. September 12,
igos, he married Miss Jessie Eddy. They have one
son, James Paul.
Frederick C. Kirchner. The great industries of
Youngstown have naturally attracted to this city
many men of expert technical abUity. Araong them
is Frederick C. Kirchner, now factory manager of
the Mazda Lamp Division, National Lamp Works,
General Electric Company. Mr. Kirchner is fam
Uiar by long experience with many branches of in
dustry and the technical fine arts.
He, was born in Wuerteraberg, Gerraany, in 1872,
son of George and Christina Kirchner. His parents
on coming to the United States lived for a year in
Belleville, Texas, and then removed to Brooklyn,
New York, where the father engaged in the raanu
facture of ornaraental iron work. Both parents are
now deceased.
Frederick C, one of nine chUdren, had no knowl
edge of the English language until he went to Brook
lyn. By training and practice he now seldora be
trays the traits of foreign accent in his speech. He
has put in raany hours in a thorough course of edu
cation in addition to tirae spent in making his liv
ing as a youth. He attended public schools in
Brooklyn, and for many years has been a devoted
student along electrical engineering lines. He took
several courses with the International Correspond
ence Schools of Scranfon. As a boy he worked for
a Brooklyn glass company, learned glass blowing,
and at the age of nineteen had charge of a depart
ment. For a time he was also eraployed at making
five gallon tin cans for the Standard Oil Company.
An experience with direct bearing upon his present
usefulness was the eight years he was with the firm
of Sawyer & Mann, raanufacturers of incandescent
lights. While with thera he diligently carried on
his studies in night school. For two years he was
with the Sunbeam Larap Works at Chicago and an
other two years with the Steuben Electric Comapny
of New York. After other employraent with the
New York State Electric Company he carae to
Youngstown, and went with the Orient Electric

Corapany, and since then has been an active asso
ciate of Mr. Norraan L. Norris, now the active
head of the Youngstown business of the National
Larap Works. When the Williaras Street branch of
this establishment was built Mr. Kirchner was ap
pointed its superintendent, and later has been factory
manager. In a modest way he has helped develop
the Mazda larap and has other valuable discoveries
and inventions to his credit. Mr. Kirchner is a
member of the Youngstown Chamber of Commerce,
of the Rotary Club, and with his faraily worships in
the Woodland Avenue Evangelical Lutheran Church.
October 4, i8g6, he raarried Eraraa R. Mauser,
daughter of Chris Mauser. They have seven chil
dren : Lucinda, now in the Ohio State University;
Hirara, with the Cleveland Trust Company; Alice,
Karl, Norman, Mary and Josephine, the last two
being twins.
Hon. Harry P. McCoy, who gave the greater part
of his younger years to educational work, is a
Youngstown attorney and for about a year has
been in civil life after an active service as an
American officer in France. He is a meraber of the ,
State Senate, and in a business way is secretary of
the Federal Savings and Loan Corapany, one of the
large financial organizations of Youngstown. . Mr.
McCoy was born on a farm in Scioto County, Ohio,
May 20, 1879, son of James N. and Ruth V. (Cart
wright) McCoy. His paternal ancestors were Scotch-
Irish and most of the generations have been affiliated
with the Methodist and later with United Brethren
Church. James N. McCoy was born in Adams
County, Ohio, April 8, 1846, and died October 2, 1909.
He spent his active life as a farmer and also operated
saw raills and did considerable contracting.
During the Civil war he tried several times to get
into the Union army but was rejected. Two of his
brothers went all through the struggle, earned good
records as soldiers, and died as a direct result of
hardships incurred in the war. James N. McCoy
was deeply interested in the success of the republican
party, and while never an aspirant for political hon
ors he assisted his friends in various campaigns.
His wife was born in Pike County, Ohio, April 8,
1854, and is now living at Cynthiana, Ohio. Her
father, Peter Cartwright, -was a direct descendant of
the famous itinerant iMethodist preacher, Peter Cart
wright. Harry P. McCoy is one of a family of three sons
and four daughters, all of whom were given the
best advantages of the neighborhood in which they
grew up in the way of schools and social privileges.
At twelve years of age Harry P. McCoy went to
work in a saw mill. After attending the village
school he taught, and alternately attended Wooster
University, and remained actively in educational
work for twenty years. In 1902, on coming to Ma
honing County, he had charge of schools at Coits
ville and East Youngstown, and was later principal
of the Brier HUl School and the Jefferson School.
While teaching Mr. McCoy studied law, and was
admitted to the bar before America entered the war
with Gerraany. ,
May 13, 1917, Mr. McCoy entered the officers
training carap at Fort Benjarain Harrison, and was

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

127

coraraissioned a second lieutenant August 15th. Later
he was proraoted to first lieutenant, went overseas
with the Expeditionary Forces, and saw active serv
ice in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. Lieutenant
McCoy was honorably discharged and returned home
in August, 1919.
At the death of Senator Davis he was elected by
a handsorae raajority to fill the unexpired term, and
during the recent session of the Legislature has
served as a member of the comraittees on schools,
cities, law, taxation and public utilities. In April,
1920, he was appointed secretary of the Federal
Savings and Loan Company.
He is a raeraber of the Friends' Church, is affili
ated with Ashley Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, St.
John's Coraraandery, Knights Teraplar, Hiram Lodge
of Perfection, Lake Erie Consistory of the Scottish
Rite at Cleveland and Al Koran Temple of the
Mystic Shrine. He is also a raeraber of the Junior
Order of United Araerican Mechanics and the
Kiwanis Club.
John Simon. Among the many solid comforts
and conveniences to be enjoyed in a modern, pro
gressive city like Youngstown, is the possibility of
securing an abundance of "the staff of life," equal,
and often superior, to the old-time doraestic loaf,
without any of the drudgery of its preparation, in
living quarters entirely inadequate as is often the
case. A city that can coramand such high class
bakery goods as those supplied by the Simon Bakery
of Youngstown may be considered very fortunate.
The head of this large enterprise is John Siraon, an
enterprising and successful business man who has
had years of practical experience in the baking in
dustry. John Simon was born at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
November 12, l8g4, and is a son of John and Bar
bara (Mauer) Siraon, both of whom were born in
Alsace-Lorraine, France. The father came to the
United States when a young man, and for a short
time after reaching Pennsylvania worked as a car
penter at Beaver Falls. From there he went to
Pittsburgh, in which city he was married, and there
became a carpenter contractor of recognized merit.
His death occurred at Byers, Colorado, on AprU 17,
1907. The mother resides with her children at No.
1 120 Oak Hill Avenue, Youngstown. There were
eight chUdren in the faraily, six of whom are living
and four of these, John, Adam, Joseph and Anna,
are interested in the Simon Bakery at Youngstown
and are helping to still further increase the efficiency
of the enterprise.
John Siraon was reared at Pittsburgh, where he
attended the public schools until twelve years old,
at which time his practical father deemed it wise
to take him as an apprentice to the carpenter trade,
but in the following year the father died and John
went to work in the August Bold Bakery at iPitts-
burgh. He iraraediately took an interest in baking
and remained with this employer for the following
ten years, learning every detail and having thorough
baking training.
In igi6, when Mr. Simon came to Youngstown,
with the intention of going into business for him
self, he bought the Kiraraard Bakery on Market

Street, removing it to No. 7 Ridge Avenue, where
he remained until his present plant was built. It
Is one of the raost commodious and best equipped
plants in the city, raodern baking raachinery being
installed and every sanitary regulation complied with.
When Mr. Simon started in business here his bakery
goods were carried in baskets to customers, while
now the volume of the output requires six trucks
to accoraraodate the trade. There is no cunning
secret of delicate baking that is unknown to Mr.
Siraon, and his force of bakers is equal to any de
raand raade for cereraonious occasions, but he rests
his reputation on his standard horae-raade bread,
which, it is safe to say, appears on the tables of
the most fastidious epicures in the city. During the
great war his brother Adam served with the Thirty-
seventh Division in France. The faraily belongs to
St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Mr. Siraon is a
member of the order of Elks.
Giovanni Passarelli, the Youngstown banker,
has long enjoyed an influential status in this city,
where he is regarded as one of the best educated
and most polished citizens. Mr. Passarelli has
been an editor, official representative of his mother
country, and has a fluent command of nearly half a
dozen languages.
He was born in Alfedena, an old Roman town in
Italy, located in the valley of the Appenines. From
the suramit of one of the mountains near his birth
place a view is had of both the cities of Rome and
Naples. He was born June 24, 1880, son of Alexan
der and Teresa Passarelli. His father died May 24,
igi4, at the age of eighty-four, and his mother
passed away on the 24th of September in the same
year, aged seventy-four. His father was a buUding
contractor. Of twelve children six are still living
.and four are in the United States, two in Detroit
and one in Pennsylvania.
Giovanni Passarelli had the benefit of six years
education in a college, at Trivento. For eight years
he lived in the city of Rome, and the greater part
of that time was news reporter for the Giornale
Di Italia. He also served six months in the Third
Regiment of Infantry, and during the World war
his old commander was in charge of the garrison
at Milan.
Mr. Passarelli landed at New York April 28, igo4,
and soon went to Cleveland, where he was editor
of La Voce Del Popolo four months. Receiving
a teacher's certificate after exaraination, for two
years he was teacher in the night schools of Cleve
land, and also eraployed during the day in an Italian
bank. In October, igo6, he was appointed Italian
Consul at Indianapolis, and was a resident of that
city engaged in his official duties until June, igog.
During 1908 Mr. Passarelli took an active part in
the carapaign for the election of Taft for president.
He spoke and used his influence in practically every
Italian community in Indiana.
Mr. Passarelli has been a resident of Youngstown
since 1909, when he was made assistant manager of
the Foreign Department of the Dollar Bank of
Youngstown. In 1913 he engaged in the banking
business for himself, his first location being at 386
iEast Federal, from there reraoving to 222 East

128

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Federal and then to his present location at 256 East
Federal. Besides his bank he has a stearaship
agency. Mr. Passarelli is a well qualified lawyer, having
studied in Indianapolis and being adraitted to the
Indiana bar. He made application for citizenship
as soon as he arrived in this country and received
his final papers in 1911. As a linguist Mr. Passarelli
has a fluent command of Latin, French, Spanish and
English. He acquired his knowledge of the English
language after coming to this country. He is a
member of the Italian Society, St. Patrick's Catholic
Church and is an Elk.
September 18, 1907, Mr. Passarelli married Miss
Minnie J. i\Ierrian, daughter of Nicholas Merrian.
Their family consists of two sons and one daughter :
Edwin William, Arthur Francis and Merrian Rita.
Norman L. Norris. About twenty-five years ago
one of the industries of Youngstown that could lay
little claira to prominence was the Phoenix Electric
Company. Its chief output was an electric lamp.
The product was a creditable one, but the chief
problem of the organization was to get proper recog
nition and secure a sufficient volume of sales.
About that time Norman L. Norris, who was
bookkeeper for a Warren concern, took charge of
the sales. At first he did all the work by corre
spondence and presented the merits of the electric
lamp so convincingly that in a short time he had de
veloped enough business to tax the factory to the
utmost. Such in brief was the beginning and the
first chapter of one of Youngstown's most flourish
ing business concerns today, of which Norraan L.
Norris is general manager.
The old Phoenix Electric Company discontinued
business in 1898. The Banner Electric Corapany
was organized in igoi, and in 1907 the corapany's as--
sets and good will were raerged with the National
Electric Lamp Works. The business is now de
signated as the Banner Electric Division of National
Lamp Works of General Electric Company. Every
year has seen the growth and enlargement of the in
dustry. The first plant was a raodest one in the old
Davis homestead on Bane Street. Additions were
made to that house, and the output grew to 1,000
lamps per day. At the present time the Youngstown
plant has a daily capacity of 35,000 lamps. A large
factory was built on Market Street in 1905, and
later one on Williams Street. Today this consti
tutes one of Youngstown's model industries. Prac
tically all the 600 employes are young women, who
enter the business after special training and ap
prenticeship. Their work is that of a skilled trade.
Sorae of the raost advanced ideas of industrial ef
ficiency and plant raanageraent have been carried
out here. A physician and dentist are available to
all the employes, there are attractive lunch rooms, a
library, periodical lectures and entertainraents, and
every safeguard is- thrown around the welfare of
the workers.
Mr. Norraan L. Norris was born on a farra near
Windsor in Ashtabula County, Ohio, Noveraber 25,
1863, «^nd is a meraber of two farailies who were
pioneers in the old Western Reserve. His parents,
George G. and Celia M. (Alderraan) Norris, were

also natives of Ohio. His grandfather, Lemuel
Norris, was a farmer in Ashtabula County and the
Norrises carae frora Connecticut and settled in the
forest among the Indians about the time Ohio was
admitted to the Union. George G. Norris left the
farm to become a soldier in the Civil war, and his
death in i86s was directly due to exposure and the
hardships of a soldier's life. He died at the age of
forty-seven. His wife, Celia M. Alderraan, who for
twenty years was a resident of Youngstown, died in
1918, at the age of ninety-four; she was a daughter
of Jesse Alderraan, who served as a soldier in the
War of 1812, and w'as a carpenter and shoemaker.
He cut the timber from his own land and built the
home of the first Episcopal Church at Windsor, a
church edifice still in use. The Norris and Alder
man farms were near North Windsor and Windsor
MUls. George Norris and his wife were school
mates. They had two children, Norman and Elsie
S., the latter the wife of John E. Hart, a salesman
for the Banner Electric Cora'pany of Youngstown.
Their mother was married to Albert E. Brainard,
and they left the old farm in Ashtabula County and
raoved to Gustavus in TrurabuU County.
Norraan L. Norris grew up at Gustavus, acquired
his education in the Acaderay there, and at the age
of sixteen began teaching a country school. He was
in school work five years at Gustavus and Kins
man, and following that becarae a clerk in the Philo
Gates general store at Gustavus Center. This was
an old fashioned country store, buying everything
produced on the farra and selling everything needed
in the country community. By his dUigence and
ale.tness, Mr. Norris won coraraendations both
as a teacher and salesman, and the success of his
early years has been broadened and amplified in
mature life. After three years as a clerk in the
store at Gustavus Center he removed to Warren
and became bookkeeper for the Warren Manufactur
ing Corapany, a retail luraber firra and also engaged
in the raanufacture of furniture. He was there four
years, and during the last year organized the
Phoenix Electric Company, as noted above.
Mr. Norris raarried Miss Josephine M. Swager.
Their marriage was celebrated on his twenty-second
and her twenty-first birthday. She was born at Ba
zetta, Ohio, and her father was a native of Ohio
and her raother of England. Her father was
Lorenzo Swager. Mr. and Mrs. Norris have three
children: Alta M., wife of W. E. Bancroft, who
lives on the Norswa Farra in Canfield Township,
Mahoning County; George E., who is manager of
the Autoraatic OU Burner Corapany, of Youngs
town ; and Norman L., Jr., a high school student.
The son George did his bit during the war by nine
months' service in the gas defense department with
the Hero Manufacturing Corapany of Philadelphia,
a concern making gas masks. iMr. Norris has served
as one of the trustees of the Youngstown Chamber
of Coraraerce, is a member of the Youngstown
Credit Men's Association, is a trustee of the iPoland
Country Club and of the Youngstown Public Li
brary, and is a republican in politics.
Joseph A. Spievak. A young man of rare per
sonal worth and ability, possessing much force of

.//^TTT"*-'^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

129

character, Joseph A. Spievak, of Youngstown, has
met misfortune bravely, and, though physically sadly
handicapped, has thoroughly overcome all difficulties,
and by persistent energy and effort has built up a
substantial business in the manufacture of artificial
limbs, it being at the present time a useful and
much-needed industry. He was born August 13,
1892, in Galicia, Austrian Poland, and as a boy of
eight years came to the United States with his pa
rents, Anthony and Hannah Spievak, who settled in
Derby, Connecticut.
Beginning his studies in the parochial schools of
Derby, Joseph A. Spievak further advanced his
education by reading and observation, and later by
taking a correspondence course at the International
Correspondence School and a business course at the
Alexander HamUton Institute. When a lad of but
thirteen years he worked in various factories in his
home town, and at the age of sixteen years entered
the eraploy of the Erie Railroad Company. Six
months later, in a raUroad accident, he was un
fortunate enough to lose both legs below the knee,
a calamity that would have crushed the ambition of
many a boy. Nothing daunted, however, Mr. Spievak
subsequently found a position with the late C. A,
Frees, of New York City, a veteran artificial lirab
raanufacturer, who had acquired a national reputa
tion for his skill in raaking artificial lirabs.
Becoming an expert in the art, Mr. Spievak. was
afterward associated in the same line of work with
J. E. Hanger, of Washington, District of Columbia.
In 1914 Mr. Spievak located in Pittsburgh, Penn
sylvania, •ft'here he was in business for four years,
representing Mr. Hanger. Coming to Youngstown
in September, 1918, he has since been successfully
conducting the business of the Youngstown Artificial
Limb Company, and is raeeting with unquestioned
success. WiLLii\M H. Peterson. The office of biography
is not to give voice to a raan's raodest estimate of
himself and his accomplishments, but rather to leave
upon the record the verdict establishing his char
acter by the consensus of opinion on the part of his
neighbors and fellow citizens. The life of William
H. Peterson, who is capably discharging the re
sponsible duties of plumbing inspector of Youngs
town, has been such as to elicit just praise from
those who know him best, and today he enjoys to a
marked degree the esteera of the community.
WUliam H. Peterson was born in Monticello, Iowa,
on May 24, 1880, and is the son of Joseph and Mabel
(Stambaugh) Peterson. The father was born in
Rochester, New York, in 1854, and the mother, in
Sharon, Pennsylvania, in 1853, and they now reside
in Cloquet, Minnesota. Her father, William Stam
baugh, was a farmer in the Keystone state, and
when Mrs. Peterson was a mere child, they drove
overland to Iowa, where he filed a homestead claira.
He is a cousin of Daniel and Jacob Stambaugh, of
Youngstown. Joseph Peterson was a plumber in
Monticello, Iowa, but went frora there to Bay River,
Minnesota, where he horaesteaded a farra in the
tiraber country. After living there for a time he
moved to Cloquet, Minnesota, where he is now liv
ing. He and his wife are members of the Presby

terian Church. They became the parents of two
chUdren, the subject of this sketch, and Martin L.,
who is engaged in the plumbing business in Cloquet.
William H. Peterson spent his boyhood years un
der the parental roof and received his education in
the public schools of Monticello, being a graduate of
the high school. He learned the trade of a plumber
in his father's establishment, and later went to
Chicago, where he worked at his trade for about a
year and a half. From there in 1897 he went to
New Castle, Pennsylvania, where he worked until
1898, when he enlisted in Battery B, United States
Artillery, with which he was sent to Cuba. He took
part in the battle of San Juan Hill, where he was
wounded. He served in the army until igoi, when
he was discharged with the rank of sergeant.
Upon leaving the army Mr. Peterson carae to
Youngstown and engaged in the plumbing business
as a partner in the firm of Vinopal-Peterson Plum
bing Company, in which he continued to be engaged
until igo5, in which year he was appointed to the
position of plumbing inspector. His discharge of the
duties of this office, has been so eminently satis
factory that he has been retained in his position
through the several succeeding administrations,
which is certainly a marked compliment to his
capability and faithfulness. Mr. Peterson is today
one of the oldest members of the official personnel
at the City Hall, but few men having served the city
longer than he, and none more efficiently.
On September 10, 1902, Mr. Peterson was married
to Grace Edna Jones, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
T. J. Jones, and to them has been born a daughter,
Edna Louise. The family are merabers of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, whUe fraternally, Mr.
Peterson is a member of the Masonic order, in which
he has attained to the degrees of Knight Templar
in the York Rite and to the thirty-second degree in
the Scottish Rite, and he is also a meraber of the
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
Politically Mr. Peterson is an earnest supporter
of the republican party. Personally he is a genial
and pleasant raan, who easily makes friends, and
he is held in high esteem by all who know him.
Joseph V. McClaskey. Deeds are thoughts crys
tallized, and according to their brilliancy do we judge
the worth of a man to the country which produced
him, and in his work we expect to find the true
index to his character. A worthy representative of
that type of American business raan who raay prop
erly be terraed "progressive," that character which
promotes public good in advancing individual pros
perity and conserving popular interests, is Joseph
V. McClaskey, well known business man of Youngs
town, who has not only been successful' in his private
undertakings, but has also maintained a keen interest
in local public affairs.
Joseph V. McClaskey was born in Millvale, Penn
sylvania, on February 14, 1890, and is the son of
I. O. and Laura (Gilbert) iMcClaskey, the former
a native of New York stafe and the latter of Ohio.
I. O. McClaskey, who is now retired frora active
interests at the age of seventy-eight years, was in
the sheet raetal business for many years in Pitts
burgh, Pennsylvania, Warren, Ohio, and Helena,

130

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Montana. He is a veteran of the Civil war, having
been a member of the Thirteenth Regiment, New
York Volunteer Infantry, in which he held an offi
cer's commission. He participated in raany battles,
including the WUderness, and was wounded twice.
He is a republican in his political views.
Joseph V. McClaskey attended the public schools
of Millvale, being a graduate of the high school, and
then pursued his studies in the Carnegie Technical
Institute at Pittsburgh, where he was graduated in
June, 1913. Thereafter, for the purpose of gaining
practical experience in the manufacture of sheet
metal, he worked in various raills of the United
States. For a year and a half he was in business
for himself in a small way in Pittsburgh. Then he
became connected with the Ohio works of the Car
negie Steel Corapany, in connection with gas en
gines, in the engineering department. In 191 5 Mr.
McClaskey started in the manufacture of sheet
metal in a modest way at 1419 Mahoning Avenue,
Youngstown, in which he was prospered, so that
some time later he was able to buy land and erect a
plant at 1583 Mahoning Avenue, where he is now
located and where he is making plans for an
extensive addition to the plant, necessitated by their
rapidly growing business, which is conducted under
the title of J. V. McClaskey & Company. When the
busine.ss was first established there were three work
men employed, whereas now from eighteen to twen
ty-five men are given constant employraent. In addi
tion to sheet metal the firm handles furnaces and all
kinds of roofing. Mr. McClaskey has an accurate
and comprehensive technical knowledge of the busi
ness, and is considered a sound and practical author
ity in his line.
Mr. McClaskey was married to Nellie Morris, the
daughter of Benjamin Morris, who is a Civil war
veteraii and who is an employe of the Ohio works
of the Carnegie Steel Corapany. To Mr. and i\lrs.
McClaskey has been born a son, Clyde Brookr.
Mr. and Mrs. McClaskey are members of the
Central Christian Church and he is an active mem
ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He
is also a member of the Youngstown Chamber of
Commerce, the Builders' Exchange, the Employers'
Association and the Master Sheet Metal Workers'
Association. He is a splendid example of the virile,
progressive, self-made man who believes in doing
¦(veil whatever is worth doing at all, a man of keen
discernment and sound judgment, and he enjoys to
a marked degree the confidence and good will of all
who know him.
Frank B. Smith. Proprietor of one of the
largest, finest equipped, and most nearly up-to-
date garages in Youngstown, Frank B. Smith, whose
slogan is "service," has a thorough knowledge of
automobiles, from radiator to differential, and has
established for himself an enviable reputation for
superior executive and business ability. In 1915 Mr.
Smith erected his present plant, at 36-46 Pyatt
Street, the building being of reenforced concrete,
with 32,000 square feet of absolutely fire-proof floor
space. The big, bright, clean, modernly furnished
sales room is one of the pleasantest and raost com
modious in the city, and, like each of the eight dis

tinct departments of the plant, is under the super
intendence of an experienced raan. During the re
cent World war this shop furnished training for
special service, the array deraanding the highest pos
sible skill in every departraent of its work.
A son of W. and Matilda (Walters) Smith,
Frank B. Sraith was born December 13, 1889, on
Rayen Avenue, Youngstown. His father, for many
years a prominent business raan of Youngstown,
was born in Tecuraseh, Michigan, and died in
Youngstown, Ohio, July 7, 1916. His wife survives
him, and is still a resident of Youngstown. A
further history of the family may be found on an
other page of this volume.
Having acquired his preliminary education in
the Elm Street School, Frank B. Sraith attended the
Rayen Avenue School three years, after which he
entered the eraploy of the Sheet and Tube Company,
beginning as office boy and being rapidly advanced to
positions of raore importance. Erabarking in busi
ness in a machine shop in 1908, at Tod Avenue and
Irving Place, Mr. Smith later was at 114 East
Boardraan Street until 191 1, when he began special
izing on inventions and patents. Subsequently de
voting his energies to the selling branch of the
business, he handled the Buick and the Rambler in
191 1 and 1912; the Ford from igi2 untU 1917; and
since that time has carried on a thriving business
as a dealer in the Paige and Chevrolet machines,
having a large and remunerative patronge.
On the twenty-fifth day of September, 1911, Mr.
Smith was united in raarriage with Elizabeth,
daughter of Colonel Lerauel Foster, and of their
union two chUdren have been born, Jane Eliza
beth and Lois Eleanor. Religiously Mr. and Mrs.
Smith are active raerabers of the First Presbyterian
Church. Fraternally iMr. Smith is a thirty-second
degree Mason, and a prominent raeraber of aU of the
local bodies of the Free and Accepted Order of
Masons. He is also a member of the Youngstown
Chamber of Coramerce and the Poland Countrv
Club. Rev. Jesse Leroy iMiLLER, who has been pastor
of the Grace English Lutheran Church at Youngs
town since 1897, has well deserved the reputation
he enjoys as the strongest and most popular pastor
of his church in the Mahoning Valley. The great
strength and success of his pastorate is due to his
ability to get harmonious team work from his con
gregation. He has been a real leader in the sense
that he has been able to inspire his people to work
and co-operate with him. His congregation is a
splendid example of harmony, of prosperous growth,
and the efliciencj' resulting in practical good to the
members of the congregation theraselves and the
broadening influence of the church to humanity.
The present church at Youngstown is the out
growth of an idea and movement during the early
seventies for the establishment of the Lutheran
Church with ser\-ices in the English language. The
first nieeting of those English German Lutherans
was held in September, 1877, and the society was
continued as a mission for several years. The first
church at the corner of Wood Street and Belniont
Avenue was dedicated December 11, 1881. The first

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

131

regular pastor was Rev. E. J. Meissner, who resigned
early in 1887 and was succeeded the next year by
Rev. Horaer W. Tope, whose adrainistration was
marked by the enlargement of the church building,
the erection of a parsonage, and the placing of the
congregation upon a self-supporting basis. His pas
torate continued until the spring of 1895. Then after
an interim Rev. Jesse Leroy Miller becarae pastor
in July, 1897, coraing to Youngstown fresh frora the
Lutheran Theological Serainary at Mount Airy,
Pennsylvania. Mr; Miller was born in Gerraan Township, Harri
son County, Ohio, June 9, 1870, son of John and
Susanna (Mikesel) MUler. His father was born in
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1822,
and his mother in Frederick County, Maryland,
February 15, 1824. They were married in Harrison
County, Ohio, in May, 1848, by Rev. David Sparks.
The father died at the old home where the family
had Uved for fifty years, January 3, 1905, while the
mother passed away January 5, 1910. In a family of
eleven chUdren nine reached raature years and seven
sons are stUl living. The oldest, Oscar B., is a
teacher in the high school in his horae town of Ger
mane, Ohio; Henry Allison was a farmer near the
old home, who died at the age of sixty-seven ; "
Andrew B., a farraer near the old home ; Rev.
Daniel D., of Smithton, Pennsylvania ; Joseph M., a
farmer near Steubenville, Ohio ; Professor Samuel
H., who for eighteen years has been a member of
the faculty at Thiel College ; Clement E., on the old
home farm ; Clayton L., who was a farmer near
GreenvUle, Pennsylvania, and was born in 1865 and
died in 1918; and Jesse Leroy.
Jesse Leroy Miller is a graduate of Thiel College
at GreenvUle, Pennsylvania, and took his theological
work in the Lutheran Serainary at Mount Airy,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Early in Mr. Miller's
pastorate the church was found to be hemmed in by
the coraraercial growth o.f the city, and on March 3,
1901, the old church property was sold and a ne'w
site secured on West Rayen Avenue. The corner
stone of the handsome new church edifice was laid
August 10, 1902, and the building was dedicated
September 6, 1903. At the present time Grace
English Lutheran Church has nearly a thousand
members, and has all the auxiliary organizations for
effective work, both in the church and domestic and
foreign missionary and educational movements. The
mortgage on the present church was burned in
October, 1918, and since then large sums have been
raised within the congregation for educational work
at Thiel College and other institutions. The pas
torate and membership of the church have always
been noted for devotion to American institutions,
which in fact is the principal foundation stone of
the English Lutheran Church in America.
Rev. Mr. Miller has been fortunate in his career,
in his pastorate, and also in the inspiration of his
devoted and Christian wives. June 25, i8g7, a short
time before coming to Youngstown, he married Alice
Theresa West, daughter of Samuel and Mary West.
She was born February 12, i860, was a graduate of
Thiel College, and died September 8, 1900. Her
death was regarded as a grievous loss to the entire
congregation of the church at Youngstown. She

was the raother of one son, J. Leroy, Jr., who is a
graduate of South High School at Youngstown, and
now enrolled as a student at Thiel College, Green
viUe, Pennsylvania, and raany times expressed a re
gret during the World war that he was too young to
enlist and do his bit as a youthful patriot. Rev. Mr.
Miller raarried for his present wife, Ada Elizabeth
Ritter, daughter of Eugene and Sarah Ritter. She
was born at Youngstown August 25, 1875, is a gradu
ate of Rayen High School, and for ten years was a
teacher in the public schools of the city and both
before and since her raarriage an able and devoted
church worker. They have one daughter, Alice
Elizabeth, born May 27, 1906. Mr. Miller is a raem
ber of the Board of Trustees of Thiel College.
Philip Kreuzwieser. The office of biography is
not to give voice to a raan's modest estimate
of himself and his accomplishraents, but rather to
leave upon the record the verdict establishing his
character by the consensus of opinion on the part of
his neighbors and fellow citizens. In touching upon
the life history of the subject of this sketch the
writer airas to avoid fulsorae encoraiura and extrava
gant praise ; yet he desires to hold up for considera
tion those facts which have shown the distinction of
a true, useful and honorable life — a life characterized
by perseverance, energy and well defined purpose.
To do this will be but to reiterate the dictura pro
nounced upon the man by the people who have known
him long and well.
Philip Kreuzwieser, who has been actively identi
fied with the luraber business in Youngstown for
raore than a quarter of a century, was born in Ger
many in 1863, and is the son of Conrad and Elizabeth
Kreuzwieser. The father, who was a farraer in his
native land, is now deceased, and is survived by his
widow, who is now eighty-six years of age. The
subject of this sketch was reared on the horae farm,
and also had considerable experience in the tiraber
business, having engaged in the manufacture of
heavy timber for ships and in the production of
cooperage timbers. In 1893 Mr. Kreuzwieser, de
sirous of larger opportunities for business advance
ment, imraigrated to the United States, coming at
once to Youngstown, to which place relatives and
friends had preceded him. Having had considerable
experience, as just stated, in the lumber and timber
business, it was but natural for him to turn to the
same line of work here, and his first eraployraent
was with Heller Brothers, where he had charge of
the lumber yard and of shipping. Later he became
connected with the Iron City Lumber Company, un
til their interests were takeii over by the Union
Wholesale Lumber Company, when he became super
intendent of the latter company's plant on Williamson
Avenue. Recently, on account of his proficiency in
the use of the German language and his general
knowledge of the business and of its manufacture,
he was put in charge of Plant No. Four, which
position he still retains. This position entails a vast
amount of responsibility, but Mr. Kreuzwieser is
well qualified for the duties thrown upon him and
is discharging them in a manner that has won for
him the complete approval of the officers of the
company.

132

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Mr. Kreuzwieser was married in Germany to
Louisa Albrecht, and they have become the parents
of eight chUdren, all of whom are living, namely :
Philip, Jr., associated with the Hawk-Palmer Com
pany; Louisa, the wife of Elza Booth, superintendent
of "Yard No. Three of the Union Wholesale Lumber
Company ; Conrad, a plumber in Youngstown ;
Henry, engaged in business in Niles, Ohio ; Irma,
the wife of David Jenkins ; Esther, employed in the
offices of Plant No. Three, Union Wholesale Luraber
Corapany ; Alma, with her father in the offices of
Plant No. Four ; and Hilda, at home.
Religiously Mr. Kreuzwieser and his family are
members of the First Reformed Church, of which
he has been a deacon for fifteen years and is also
corresponding secretary. He is a member of the
Protective Home Circle. He belongs distinctively to
that class of German-American citizens to whom this
eountry owes so rauch, for he has shown all the quali
ties of good citizenship and has been loyal to our
institutions both in tirae of peace and conflict. The
splendid success which has corae to hira is directly
traceable to the . salient points in his character, for
he started life at the bottom of the ladder, which he
has raounted unaided, and today he enjoys to a
notable degree the esteem and good will of all who
know him.
Thomas Joseph Bray. No better eulogium can
be pronounced upon a community or upon its in
dividual merabers than to point to the work they
bave accoraplished. Theories look fine on the
printed page and sound well when proclaimed from
the platforra, but in the end it is effort in the various
lines of industrial activity which develops the man
and tells on society. This is essentially a utilitarian
age, and the man of action is very much in evidence.
Thomas J. Bray, president of the Republic Iron and
Steel Company of Youngstown, is such a man, and
as such it is pleasant to contemplate briefly his
career and character. Intiraately associated for
years with the industrial development of this thriv
ing city, and taking an active part in other local
activities, he is not underestimated by a people who
long since learned to appreciate his true value as a
potent factor in important affairs. Though a raan
of unpretentious deraeanor, he possesses the silent
but powerful force that attracts men — the mental
qualities and personal magnetism that draw men to
him and the tact and power that make men as well
as events subserve his purpose.
Thomas Joseph Bray was born May i, 1867, at
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a son of Thoraas Joseph
and Anna Jacova (Collins) Bray. The father, who
was a native of rock-ribbed Wales and carae to the
United States in his early youth, was a raechanical
engineer by profession. He became actively iden
tified with the tube making industry, and at the time
of his death he was the manager of the Continental
department of the National Tube Company. He was
a man of more than ordinary ability and technical
acquirements and designed and built various plants
which are now a part of the National Tube Cora
pany. The subject's mother, who w'as born in Cin
cinnati, Ohio, was of old Virginia and Kentucky
stock, dating in this country back to 1750. Her

grandfather, Sylvester Pattie, a native of Kentucky,
was a noted frontiersman and pioneer of his day.
Thomas J. Bray received his elementary educa
tional training in his native city. He then began an
apprenticeship in pattern raaking with the Lewis
Foundry and Machine Corapany of Pittsburgh, with
whom he remained from 1883 to 1886. During the
following four years he was with the Riverside Iron
Works and the Lewis Foundry and Machine Com
pany, becoming chief draftsman of the latter com
pany. He resigned this position in 1890 in order to
enter Lehigh University at South Bethlehem, Penn
sylvania, where he was graduated in i8g4 with the
degree of Mechanical Engineer. During the
period frora 1894 to 1901 Mr. Bray was with the
Ohio Steel Corapany of Youngstown and McGill &
Corapany of Pittsburgh, being secretary and me
chanical engineer of the latter. Frora igoi to 1906
he was chief engineer of the United Engineering
and Foundry Company, and in the latter year he be
came associated with the Republic Iron and Steel
Company of Youngstown, as assistant to the presi
dent. Soon afterward he becarae vice president, in
charge of the operating departraent, and in April,
191 1, he was elected president of the corapany, in
which position he has served continuously to the
present time, being also a director in the company
and president of their various subsidiary companies.
The Republic Iron and Steel Company is one of the
most important and prosperous corporations in the
Mahoning Valley, and to Mr. Bray is directly due
a large part of the success which has characterized
the operations of the corapany, especially during re
cent years. He is also a director of the First Na
tional Bank and the Dollar Savings Bank and Trust
Corapany, both of Youngstown. He is a member
of the Duquesne and University clubs of Pittsburgh,
tbe Youngstown and Youngstown Country clubs, of
Youngstown, of the Araerican Society of Mechanical
Engineers, the British Iron and Steel Institute, and
of the Araerican Iron and Steel Institute. He is a
progressive raan in the broadest sense of the term,
and because of his earnest life, high attainments,
well rounded character and large influence, he is
erainently entitled to representation in a work of
the character of the one in hand.
In i8g6 Mr. Bray was married to Isabel Mat
thews, and to their union have been born tliree sons,
Thoraas J., Jr., Theodore M. and Charles. During
the recent "World war Theodore M., while a student
in Yale University, enlisted in the naval service of
the United States. The faraily attend the First
Unitarian Church of Youngstown.
Frank L. DeNormanhie. The life history of him
whose name heads this biographical review is closely
identified with the history of Youngstown, which
has long been his horae. He began his business
career here many years ago, and through the suh-
.sequent years he has been closely allied with the
city's interests and upbuilding. iHis life has been
one of untiring activity and has been crowned with
a degree of success that has been richly earned
through persistent and consecutive effort. He is of
the highest type of progressive citizen and none
more than he deserves a fitting recognition among

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

133

those whose enterprise and ability have achieved
results that awakened the admiration of those who
know thera.
Frank L. DeNorraandie was born in New Castle,
Pennsylvania, on January 15, 1853, and is the son
of Theodore and Christina DeNorraandie. Theodore
DeNorraandie was descended from a sterling line
of Swiss ancestors, the family having come to this
country from Geneva, Switzerland. He was a native
of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and was by trade a
-nailer, or maker of the old-style cut nails. After his
removal to New Castle he " became foreman in the
plant of Rice, Brown & Berger. He was a splendid
citizen and was a raan of strong religious feelings
and principles, having been a leader in religious ac
tivities for raany years, as a Sunday school worker
and in other lines. He was a very close friend of
Ira D. Sankey, the world-faraous song writer and
evangelistic singer, and at one tirae they were part
ners in business. Mr. DeNorraandie made a wash
ing machine and he and Sankey sold some of them
to the farraers in Western Pennsylvania. Mr. De
Norraandie was a member of the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows. He and his wife are both deceased,
his death occurring in 1867, at the age of forty-seven
years, and his wife passed away some time later.
Nine children were born to their marriage, several
of whom died in infancy. The three now living are,
Mary, the wife of Noble Holton, of Youngstown ;
Frank L., the iraraediate subject of this sketch, and
Lida, the wife of John Knox, of New Castle, Penn
sylvania. Erama, who was the wife of Williara Mc-
Burney, of New Castle, died at the age of about
twenty-seven years.
Frank L. DeNorraandie was reared in New Castle,
where he secured a good practical public school edu
cation. In 1869, at the age of sixteen years, he
entered the employ of John H. Bushnell, a harness-
maker in Youngstown, but later he returned to the
paternal farmstead for a time. He then re-entered
Bushnell's employ as foreman, holding that position
unti! 1884. when, in association with J. T. Kay, he
bought the Bushnell business. Later he also pur
chased Mr. Kay's interest at No. 24 South Phelps
Street, where for many years the DeNorraandie
business activities were centered. About that tirae
(1908) Mr. DeNormandie's son, Albert Franklin,
was admitted to a partnership in the business, the
firra narae being styled F. L. DeNorraandie & Son.
Forraerly for many years the business was confined
to harness and harnessmaking, but of recent years
they have added a full line of automobUe accessories
and are among the leaders in that line also, as they
have been for many years in the handling of harness
and its kindred lines. Mr. DeNorraandie buUt a
business block which Frank L. DeNorraandie & Son
now occupy at Elra and Thornton streets, Youngs
town, Ohio. Mr. DeNorraandie has always had
abiding faith in Youngstown's future and has given
evidence of this in his business activities, having for
a nuraber of years followed the practice of buUding
handsorae residences and then selling them.
In 1874 Mr. DeNorraandie was raarried to Eraraa
Mclntire, the daughter of John Mclntire, of New
Castle, Pennsylvania, and the two children born to
them were Albert Franklin, who is now junior raem

ber of Frank L. DeNorraandie & Son, and Blanch
Ada, deceased, who was the wife of John W. MiUer
of Cleveland. She left one daughter, Ruth, who is
being reared by her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.
DeNorraandie. Politically Mr. DeNorraandie has been a life-long
supporter of the republican party and has been active
in local public affairs. On the death of Jaraes Bots-
ford he was appointed to fill the vacancy on the City
Council caused thereby, and was then elected to suc
ceed hiraself and served one term, but he refused
to qualify for a third term, for the reason that as
a member of the City CouncU he could not deal as
a merchant with the City of Youngstown. In 1905
he was elected sheriff of Mahoning County, and
was elected for a second term, thus serving untU
igog and giving a very satisfactory adrainistration
of the office. He was also a member of the Civil
Service Coraraission of the City of Youngstown for
three years. Fraternally he is a raeraber of the In
dependent Order of Odd Fellows. While advancing
his individual interests he has never lost sight of his
obligations to the community in general and has con
tributed in a very material way to the upbuilding
of the city and has always been an earnest supporter
of every raoveraent for the moral and civic better
ment of the coraraunity. Essentially a man of affairs,
sound of judgment and far-seeing in whatever he
has undertaken, he has won and retains the con
fidence and esteem of all classes.
Leo S. Wilkoff, a son of one of Youngstown's
foremost business raen, Samuel Wilkoff, whose
career is sketched on other pages, has earned his
own right and distinction in his native city as a
lawyer. Leo S. Wilkoff, received his early education at
the Rayen High School, and attended college at
Bedford City, Virginia, and at Mount Union, Al
liance, Ohio. He then entered the Cincinnati Law
School, graduating with his LL. B. degree in igi4.
Soon afterward he was appointed second assistant
prosecuting attorney by Mr. Huxley, and the two
years and three months he spent in that office gave
him a great variety of experience and also confidence
for independent practice. He resigned to give his
tirae to his growing general practice. He has had
rauch success in criminal cases.
Mr. WUkoff is affiliated with the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, the Elks, with the Progress
Club and other local social and civic organizations.
In 1913 he married Miss Cecelia Belle Cohen, daugh
ter of Charles and Rae Cohen, of Connellsville,
Pennsylvania. They have one daughter, Ruth Caro
line, born in 1914.
George B. Eastlake. In the respect that is ac
corded to men who have fought their own way to
success through unfavorable conditions we find an
unconscious recognition of the intrinsic worth of a
character which can not only endure so rough ^ test,
but gain new strength through the discipline. The
gentleraan to whora the reader's attention is now
called was not favored by inherited wealth or the
assistance of influential friends, but in spite of this,
by perseverance, industry and a wise econoray, he

134

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

has attained a comfortable station in life and a high
place in the estimation of those who know hira.
George B. Eastlake was born at Jaraestown, Penn
sylvania, on September 30, 1878, and is the son of
George W. and Melissa Jane (Lawyer) Eastlake.
George W. Eastlake, who is now living in Andover,
Ohio, at the age of eighty years, was a farraer by
vocation during his active years. During the Civil
war he offered his services in defense of the Union
and served two years as a raeraber of Company C,
Twenty-ninth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
He was seriously wounded and disabled and received
an honorable discharge. He is a republican in his
political views and is a meraber of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. He coraes of sterling old English
stock, and his wife, who is now deceased, was of
Welsh ancestry. They becarae the parents of seven
children, of whora six are living, Byron having been
killed in an accident when twenty-seven years old.
George B. Eastlake received his education in the
public schools of Jamestown, Pennsylvania, and
Andover, Ohio, graduating from the high school in
the latter place, whither the family had raoved in
1890. After leaving high school Mr. Eastlake taught
country schools for two years, and then became a
traveling salesman in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and
New York. His next employment was as a driver
for the Adams Express Company at Canton, Ohio,
from which he was appointed express agent at
Wellsville, Ohio. Nine years later he became book
keeper for the Franklin Manufacturing Company
at Franklin, Pennsylvania, remaining there two years.
Again he joined the Adams Express Company as
agent at Alliance, Ohio, but a year later he was sent
to Indianapolis, Indiana, as night bill clerk for a
few months, following which he was sent to Co
shocton, Ohio, as agent. In 1912 the Adams Company
sent hira to take charge of the Youngstown office,
but one year later he quit the express business and
became manager of the Wheeler Mineral Springs
Company, with which company he has remained to
the present time. His practical business experience
prior to coming here has enabled him to manage the
affairs of this company with splendid success, its
volume of business growing from year to year in a
very satisfactory degree. This company is erecting
a modern sanitary building to take care of the ever
increasing demands for this wonderful spring water.
In igio Mr. Eastlake was united in marriage with
Mary i\T. Graham, the daughter of C. C. (jraham,
of Coshocton, and they are now the parents of four
children, Virginia, John, Robert and Eleanor. Po
litically Mr. Eastlake is nominally a republican, but
at the ballot, as in other things, he is honest to his
convictions, voting for the men and raeasures which
he believes to be for the general good. He is an
active member of the Grace Methodist Episcopal
Church, ill which he is a member of the board of
trustees, the board of stewards, the estimating com
mittee, and is assistant financial secretary. Although
a quiet and unassuming man, with no ambition for
public position or leadership, he has contributed his
share to the material, civic and moral advancement
of his community, while his admirable qualities of
head and heart and the straightforward course of

his daily life have won for him the esteem and
confidence of the circles in which he moves.
James H. Grose. It is by no raeans an easy task
to describe within the liraits of this review a man
who has led an active life and by his own exertions
reached a position of honor and trust in the line
of work with which his interests are aUied. iBut
biography finds justification, nevertheless, in trac
ing and recording the story of such a life, as the
public clairas a certain property interest in the
career of every individual, and the tirae invariably
arrives when it becoraes advisable to give the right
publicity. It is then with a certain degree of satis
faction that the chronicler essays the task of touch
ing briefly upon such a record as has been that of
James H. Grose, president of the Brier Hill Steel
Company, at Youngstown, a raan of high standing
among his business associates and one who enjoys
to a marked degree distinct prestige in this com
munity. James H. Grose was born at Calumet, Michigan,
on December 31, 1865, being one of five children
born to James H. and Eliza (Richerd) Grose.
James H. Grose, senior, was a native of England,
where he was reared and, near Cornwall, engaged in
farming. He married there, and in 1864, in the hope
of bettering his financial condition, imraigrated with
his famUy to the United States. Following the ex
ample of many of his acquaintances, he went to the
copper country of Michigan, where he secured work
in the mines. From there he came to the Youngs
town, Ohio, district about 1871, and engaged in coal
mining here and in Mercer and Jefferson counties,
Pennsylvania. Later he engaged in railroad work
and was a faithful employe of the Lake Shore road
for thirty-three years, his death occurring on Sep
tember 28, 1915. He was a man of excellent prin
ciples, honest, hard-working and law abiding, and he
commanded the respect of his fellow raen because of
his exeraplary character. He did not accumulate
much of this world's goods, owing to the fact that
his qualities did not lie in that direction, but he pro
vided a good living for those dependent upon hira
and also was punctilious in paying every obligation
incurred by him. His widow survives him and re
sides in Youngstown.
James H. Grose, the immediate subject of this re
view, is indebted to the public schools for his early
education, later attending and graduating at Reids-
burg Academy at Reidsburg, Pennsylvania. Shortly
thereafter he entered the employ of the Morris
Bridge Corapany, where after a short tirae he was
put into the mechanical departraent and there
learned the machinist's trade. Later he was trans
ferred to the engineering departraent to learn bridge
engineering, but unfortunately the plant was de
stroyed by fire and he found hiraself without em
ployment. In 1887 he went to Homestead, Penn
sylvania, and became foreraan of the bridge depart
ment for the Carnegie Company, and has been con
nected in some capacity with that great corporation
ever since. From foreman on the bridge work he
became superintendent of the structural department,
then superintendent of the Howard Axle Works,
superintendent of the Schoen Pressed Steel Car

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

135

Works at McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, and then,
on January 20, 1912, he was transferred to Youngs
town as superintendent of the Ohio Works and
Furnaces, under Thoraas McDonald. On January i,
1916, he was proraoted to district general super
intendent, to succeed Mr. McDonald, a position he
occupied until January 12, 1920, when he was elected
president of the Brier HUl Steel Company. This is
a position of vast responsibUity, but Mr. Grose's
long experience in the iron business and his natural
qualifications have eminently fitted hira for the posi
tion which he now so creditably fills.
In May, 1890, Mr. Grose was raarried to Sadie S.
Owens, of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, and they
have two sons, WUliam J. and James P. The for
raer was in the United States naval service during
the recent war with Gerraany.
Mr. Grose is a member of the Youngstown Club
and the Youngstown Country Club, while fraternal
ly he is a meraber of the Masonic Order, in which
he has attained to the Knight Teraplar degree of
the York Rite and the thirty-second degree of the
Scottish Rite, belonging also to the Ancient Arabic
Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He_is a
meraber of the Araerican Iron and Steel Institute,
the Engineers Society of Western Pennsylvania, and
the Engineers Society of Youngstown. By a
straight-forward and commendable course he has
made his way frora a humble beginning to a re
sponsible position in the business world, winning the
hearty admiration of those famUiar with his record.
Personally he is a man of genial and kindly disposi
tion, who readily makes friends, and he is exceed
ingly well liked by all who come in contact with him.
Benjamin R. Isenberg. Among the citizens of
Youngstown who have built up a good business and
distinguished themselves by right and honorable liv
ing is Benjamin R. Isenberg, another of the lai'ge
band of foreign-born citizens who have done such a
coraraendable work for the upbuilding of Mahoning
County. His prorainence in the community is con-
- ceded and his career will speak for itself, for he has
been a raan who has believed in helping others in a
general way, at least, while laboring for his own
advancement along material lines. He has much of
the characteristic thrift and energy of the race of
which he is a creditable representative, and while he
reveres his old homeland, as is natural and right,
he nevertheless has been loyal to the western re
public in which he has cast his lot and has taken
about as rauch interest in our affairs, domestic and
national, as we who are native born.
Benjamin R. Isenberg was born in Tylitch, Austria,
on August 23, 1878, and is a son of Soloraon and
Malke Isenberg. Soloraon Isenberg iraraigrated
from Austria to the United States and located first
in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Some time later he
went to Beaver Falls, that state, and then to Roscoe,
the same state. His first eraployraent here was in
iron raills, where he raade good money, of which he
was wisely econoraical, so that he was enabled to
start in business for himself. Though now seventy-
two years of age, he is still engaged actively in
business. After he had become established in busi
ness here he sent for his family, who carae to the

United States in 1890. The raother died in 1896,
when forty-two years of age, and sorae years after
ward Mr. Isenberg was married to Fannie Fried
man, of Scranton, Pennsylvania. To the first union
four sons were born, namely : PhUip, a dealer in
shoes and leather findings in Youngstown; Benja
min R. is the next in order of birth ; Samuel H. is
connected with Robins Brothers, of Youngstown; J.
H. is associated with the subject in the shoe busi
ness and is in charge of the store which they op
erate at Sharon, Pennsylvania. Five children were
born of the second marriage : Benjamin, who died
whUe serving the United States in the Great
European war ; Fannie, Esther, Molly and Jacob.
Benjamin R. Isenberg attended school to sorae
extent in his native land and was about twelve years
of age when the faraily carae to the United States.
His first employment was in selling newspapers on
the streets of New York City, where he lived from
1891 to 1895. Later he found employment in a brush
factory, and in the meantime he sought to supple
ment his education by attendance at night schools.
In 1895 he carae to Youngstown in company with
his brother Philip and engaged in the operation of
a shoe repairing shop and second-hand store. He
was financially successful in this enterprise and in
1900 he engaged in the shoe business under the name
of the "People's Shoe Store," at No. 260 West Fed
eral Street, Youngstown. Later he moved to No.
241 on the same street, and eventually to his present
store at No. 250 West Federal Street. Starting in a
modest way, he soon built up a large and representa
tive patronage and has since become recognized as
an enterprising, progressive and successful business
man. In igio Mr. Isenberg also opened a shoe store
in Cleveland, but later he moved that stock to
Youngstown and opened another store on East Fed
eral Street. In 1912 a store was opened in Sharon,
Pennsylvania, which is, as stated, under the manage
ment of a brother of the subject, J. H. Isenberg.
The subject of this sketch is the buyer for the
three stores, and by buying right he is able to sell
right, the buying public being the beneficiary.
In 1907 Mr. Isenberg was married to Helen Zin-
ner, a daughter of Adolph Zinner, of Cleveland, and
to thera have been born three children, Helen,
Jacob and Joseph. Mr. Isenberg is an active mem
ber of Rodef Sholem Congregation and is vice presi
dent of a coraraittee which has been selected to su
pervise the erection of a new temple for Anshe
Emeth Congregation, of which he is to becorae a
member. iHe is also a meraber of the B'rith
Sholem, He has been successful in business, re
spected in social life and as a neighbor he has dis
charged his duties in a raanner becoming a liberal
minded, intelligent citizen. He is charitable and
generous and, because of his success . and his fine
personal cjualities, he is respected and esteemed by
all who know him.
Louis Greenberg. Although born under another
flag, in a country of widely different customs from
our.s, Louis Greenberg, proprietor of the Ohio
Creamery Company of Youngstown, has been true to
the duties of citizenship in his adopted countrv,
faithful to every trust reposed in him and well

136

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

worthy of the high regard in which he is universally
held. A plain, straightforward, unassuming gentle
man, he has sought to make his business what is
should be, one of the really essential industries of
the community, and one would judge frora the steady
growth of the business in a general way and frora
the raany laudatory statements from his hundreds of
customers that he has succeeded admirably well. He
seems to have ever had the good of this locality at
heart and has advocated and supported every move
ment calculated to benefit the same in a material,
civic or raoral way, and he therefore enjoys the
good will and esteem of all classes.
Louis Greenberg was born in 1876, under the rule
of the Czar, the son of Barnard Greenberg, who
also was a native of Russia. His mother died there,
and when he was a boy of six years his father
brought him to the United States. Their first
permanent location was at Beaver Falls, Pennsyl
vania, where the father followed his trade, that of
a tailor. Later he moved to Philadelphia, Penn
sylvania, where his death occurred. The subject
of this sketch received his education in the public
schools of Beaver Falls and Philadelphia, and at the
age of nineteen years he was engaged in the cream
ery and wholesale and retail dairy products business
in Philadelphia. He was so engaged for several years,
but ill 1903 he came to Youngstown, Ohio, and estab
lished himself in the retail clothing business on Fed
eral Street, which occupied his attentioii for several
years. Then, disposing of that business, he opened
a wholesale dairy products establishment at No. 24
Walnut Street, in which he met with so gratifying a
deg-ree of success that a short time afterward he
was enabled to purchase his present place of busi
ness at Nos. 242-4 East Boardman Street, where he
has built up one of the largest volumes of trade
ill his line in the Mahoning Valley, his operations be
ing conducted under the name of the Ohio Creamery
Company. His trade covers the towns of East
Youngstown,- Warren, Niles, Girard and Struthers,
as well as a large section of Youngstown.
While living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mr.
Greenberg was married to Fannie Greenberg, and to
this unioii have been born four sons and a daughter,
namely : Harry, Samuel, Raymond, Henry and Ida.
Mrs. Fannie Greenberg died on July 14, 191 1, and
sometime afterward Mr. Greenberg was married to
Hannah Greenburg, of Cleveland, Ohio, to which
union have been born three children, Morris, Ger
trude and Bertha. Harry and Sam played their part,
as far as was possible, in the "World's war, the
former having been on the way overseas when the
armistice was signed, while Sam was serving in the
general hospital at Otisville, New York. Both are
graduates of the Rayen High School, and their
records are such that their father has reason to be
proud. Mr. Greenberg and his family are affiliated with
Emanuel Jewish Congregation. Mr. Greenberg is
a meraber of the Credit Men's Association. Thougli
a foreigner by birth, America is the only country he
knows and the only country he loves, his loyalty
being of that type that is proven by his actions rather
than by words. His splendid business success is
the legitimate fruitage of hard and consecutive ef
fort, directed and controlled not only by good judg

ment but also by correct moral principles. He takes
a deep interest - in the welfare of the city .-with
whose interests he is identified, and is,, conaidered a
progressive and enterprising business man.
Raymond N. Pretsch, of Youngstown, is an en
gineer by profession and training, has had much to
do with both the sales and construction ends of
several industrial corporations, and developed a large
and prosperous business known as the BuUders Steel
Products Company, of which he is proprietor. Mr.
Pretsch was born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June
28, 1886, a son of one of the two chUdren of John J.
and Elizabeth (Meister) Pretsch. His parents are
still living in PhUadelphia, where Mr. Pretsch was
reared and received a public school education. In
igo6 he entered the University of Pennsylvania where
he pursued a technical course and graduated as
civil engineer in igio.
For the past ten years all his work has involved
some branch of the engineering profession. For one
year he was employed in building construction for
the Bell Telephone Company. He then opened a
branch office at Scranton, Pennsylvania, for George
H. Walters & Corapany of Philadelphia, seUing their
structural and ornamental products. Mr. Pretsch in
September, igi2, becarae sales engineer for the
Berger Manufacturing Corapany of Canton, Ohio.
His horae has been at Youngstown since May, 1914.
He carae to this city as sales engineer of the fire
proofing department of the General Fireproofing
Company. In igi7 he was made assistant sales man
ager of the corporation.
He resigned September i, 1919, to become an agent
handling the products of the General Fire Proofing
Company, and to do that more effectively he or
ganized the Builders' Steel Products Company, and
at the same time established a branch office at Akron.
Through this company Mr. Pretsch now handles the
general trade over a large territory of the fire
proofing products of the General Fire Proofing Com
pany, also the re-enforcing bars of the Concrete
Steel Corapany of New York, and various miscel
laneous products used in steel construction.
Mr. Pretsch is a raeraber of the Engineers Club,
the Builders' Exchange, the Youngstown Credit
Men's Association, is a republican voter and is
affiliated with the First Presbyterian Church. May
14, igi5, he raarried Mabel Barrie, of Canton, Ohio,
They have one daughter, Marjorie Barrie.
George Carl Warnock, M. D., began the
practice of medicine at Youngstown 'in 1912,
sorae years after his brother Fred J. had located in
the city as a lawyer. The Warnocks are a family
that have long been identified with Western Penta-
sylvania and Eastern Ohio, and while Doctor 'War
nock is the only one in the raedicai profession, several
of his brothers have earned success as raUroad men,
in the law and in public affairs.,
George Carl Warnock was born at New Castle,
Pennsylvania, November 17, 1883, a son of Hugh
H. and Mary Jane (Rose) Warnock. His father
was a native of Pennsylvania. He was a painting
contractor at New Castle until his business was
swept away in the panic of 1873. Later he farmed
east of New Castle and died in January, 1896. He

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

137

was a son of Hugh Warnock, who was a native of
the North of Ireland. Mary ,J. (Rose) Warnock, a
resident of New Castle, is a daughter of Isaac P.
Rose, who was a western plainsman and a companion
of Kit Carson in many Indian campaigns. Finally
returning east he spent raany years as a teacher in
Western Pennsylvania.
Doctor Warnock graduated from the New Castle
public schools, attended Westminster College in Penn
sylvania, and graduated in igii from Jefferson Med
ical College at Philadelphia. As his people were in
only modest circumstances, he had to depend upon
his own efforts to secure his higher education.
Three years of teaching in the country gave hira at
least part of the raoney that enabled hira to go to
college and through medical school. For one year
he was resident physician in the Shenango Valley
Hospital at New Castle and also has taken further
training in the Post-Graduate School in New York.
During his general practice at Youngstown since
1912 he has earned a reputation as a well qualified
and a skillful and hard-working physician. He is a
meraber of the Mahoning County Medical Society,
the Ohio State Medical Society and the Araerican
Medical Association. He is affiliated with Western
Star Lodge of Masons and is a raeraber of the
Westminster Presbyterian Church. In 1914 he
married Miss Laura Mills, daughter gf Williara G.
Mills of Gault, Ontario.
Charles F. DuChanois. Clearly defined purpose
and consecutive effort wUl inevitably result in the
attaining of a due measure of success, but in fol
lowing out the career of one who has gained success
by his own efforts there comes into view the in
trinsic individuality which made such accoraplish
raent possible, and thus there is granted an ob
jective incentive and inspiration, while at the sarae
tirae there is enkindled a feeling of respect and ad
miration. The qualities which have made Charles F.
DuChanois one of the prominent and successful
men of Youngstown have also brought hira the
esteem of his fellow men, for his career has been
one of well directed energy, strong deterraination
and honorable raethods.
Charles F. DuChanois is a native of the city now
honored by his citizenship, having been born at
the parental horae on Wood Street in 1884. His
parents, Frank and Sarah Ann DuChanois, came
to Youngstown from Frenchtown, Pennsylvania,
which, as raight be inferred frora its narae, was
largely peopled by French and their descendants.
The father of Frank DuChanois, who was a French
raan by nativity, was a sculptor and artist by pro
fession and became a resident of Frenchtown.
Frank DuChanois was connected with the Ding-
ledy Luraber Company for the long period of
thirty-five years, or frora the tirae they started in
the lumber business. Then for a long time he was
engaged in farming on the Applegate farm, which
is located on the Hubbard road. Later he moved
back to Youngstown and for a tirae was connected
with Henry iReno in the meat business on Phelps
Street. His death occurred in AprU, 1914, at the
age of sixty-one years, and his wife died on Jan
uary I, 1917, at the sarae age. He was a raeraber of

the Roraan Catholic Church and she of the Lutheran.
They becarae the parents of five children, of whom
four are living, namely : Pearl, whose death oc
curred at the same time as her mother's, when
thirty-one years of age ; Maude, Catharine, Joseph
and Charles.
Charles H. DuChanois received his education in
the schools at Crab Creek, near where the family
were living during his school years. When seven
teen years of age he obtained eraployraent in the
electrical department of the Ohio Works of the Car
negie Steel Company, where he remained three years.
He then began experimenting with raagnetos, to
which work he devoted all his money and a year's
tirae, and following this he devoted hiraself to the
studying of batteries. As a result of his research
work he has developed sorae very valuable inven
tions, which are extensively used all over the United
States. His first business venture on his own ac
count was as a dealer in batteries, carrying his
stock in a barn at No. 128 West Wood Street. Frora
that raodest beginning Mr. DuChanois has enjoyed
a steady and constant growth in patronage, and
eventually he was enabled to purchase the place
where he is now located. No. 663 Bryson Street,
which is 80 by 280 feet in size. Here he has had
erected a building adapted especially to his re
quirements, and which contains a fully equipped ma
chine shop and every facUity for the prompt and
satisfactory handling of every sort of repair work
that raay be brought to him. He keeps constantly
eraployed frora twelve to fifteen skilled raachinists
and electricians, and his shop is widely known as
one of the raost coraplete autoraobile repair shops
in the Mahoning Valley. Mr. DuChanois raakes a
specialty of handling the Willard storage batteries
and the Detroit and Rausch & Lang electric cars.
Mr. DuChanois' brother Joseph is associated with
hira in the business. Mr. DuChanois is a member
of Western Star Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons.
He takes an intelligent interest in public affairs and
has consistently given his support to every worthy
movement for the benefit of the people. A man of
clean and upright character and fine personal qual
ities, he enjoys an enviable standing in the cora
raunity, where practically his entire life has been
passed. John J. Weitz. The gentleraan whose name
heads this paragraph is widely known as one of the
honored citizens and successful business raen of
Youngstown. He has lived here for nearly three
decades and for nearly that long has been prorar
inently identified with the coramercial interests of
the coraraunity. His well-directed efforts in the
practical affairs of life, his capable raanageraent of
his business interests and his sound judgraent have
brought to hira prosperity, and his life demonstrates
what may be accomplished by any man of energy
and arabition who is not afraid to work and has
the perseverance to continue his labors in the face
of any discourageraents which raay seera to arise:
In all the relations of life he has commanded the
respect and confidence of those with whom he has
been brought into contact and a biographical com-

138

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

pendiura of his community would not be complete
without a record of his career.
John J. Weitz was born in Hubbard, TrurabuU
County, Ohio, on July 17, 1867, and is the son of
John J., Sr., and Catharine Weitz, both of whora
were born in Gerraany and came to the United
States when young, settling in Hubbard. His real
start in business was at Clinton, Ohio. He was
killed by a railroad engine at Liberty Crossing while
driving cattle, in 1881, when fifty-five years of age.
He was a butcher and an extensive dealer in cattle
and was successful in his business affairs. He was
survived by his widow, who died in 191 1, when
eighty-six years of age. They were faithful mera
bers of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church at
Hubbard. They became the parents of a large
family, of whom the youngest is deceased, and
Margaret died at the age of twenty-six years. John
J. is the iraraediate subject of this review; iMary
E. is the wife of John S. Birk, of Youngstown;
Rose is the widow of John Powers, who, in the
capacity of confidential raan, was associated with
McKelvey's for years ; Joseph was for a nuraber of
years manager of the Morris Packing Company's
interests in Youngstown ; WUliara, who is in the
meat business in Hubbard, Ohio ; Lawrence, was
associated with his brother William until his death
February 2g, ig20 ; J. P. is a stock dealer ; Annie
F., who is the wife of Frank Kohl, of MassiUon,
Ohio; Kate is the wife of Michael Pigott, of
Seattle, Washington.
John J. Weitz, Jr., received his educational train
ing in St. Patrick's Parochial School at Hubbard
and then corapleted his studies in the Hubbard
High School. He was reared in close touch with
the meat business and early learned every detail
connected with it from his father, who was one of
the most prominent butchers in his section of the
country. In i8g2 the subject came to Youngstown
and established a meat market at No. 23g North
Avenue, later moving the business to No. 206 West
Rayen Avenue, where he is still located, and where
during the years since he became first established
here he has not only ably met the wants of his patrons,
but at the same tirae has retained their confidence
and esteera because of the eminently fair treat
ment they have ever received at his hands. In ad
dition to the handling of cattle for the meat trade.
Mr. Weitz has also given considerable attention to
horses, of which he has handled many thousands.
Also he has recently becorae the local representative
of the National Motor Company and has a garage
in the rear of his meat market, where he gives
active attention to the automobile trade, in which he
has been successful, as he is in all his transactions.
On November 23, 1901, Mr. Weitz was married
to Nellie C. Holway, the daughter of Robert Hol-
way. They are faithful members of St. Coluraba's
Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Weitz's chief char
acteristics seem to be keenness of perception, a
tireless energy, honesty of purpose and raotive and
every-day common sense. He has been successful in
business, respected in social life and as a neighbor
he has discharged his duties in a raanner becoraing
a liberal-minded, intelligent citizen of the state.

George M. McKelvey. Araong the successful,
self-raade men of the past generation in Ohio whose
efforts and influence contributed to the raaterial up
building of their respective coraraunities the late
George M. McKelvey, president of the G. M. iMc
Kelvey Company of Youngstown, occupied a con
spicuous place. Being arabitious frora the first, but
surrounded by none too favorable circumstances,
his early youth was not especially proraising, but,
resolutely facing the future, he gradually surmounted
the difficulties in his way and in the course of time
rose to a prorainent position in the coramercial cir
cles of his coramunity, besides winning the con
fidence and esteem of those with whom he came into
contact, either in a business or social way, so that
for years he stood as a representative citizen of the
locality of which this history treats. Strongly in
contrast with the humble surroundings of his early
youth was the brilliant position which he eventually
filled in business circles. He realized early that
there is a purpose in life and that there is no honor
not founded bn accoraplishraent. His life and labors
were worthy because they contributed to a proper
understanding of life and its probleras. There were
in him sterling traits which comraanded uniform
confidence and regard, and his raeraory is today
honored by all who knew hira and is enshrined in the
hearts of his raany friends.
George McCartney . McKelvey, whose death oc
curred at Youngstown on December 24, 1905, was
born at Armagh, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, on
August 17, 1849, the son of James McKelvey. He
was born amid humble surroundings, his early op
portunities being meager, but h^ was ambitious and
took eager advantage of such educational facilities
as were provided by the common schools. After
undergoing the necessary examination he was given
a teacher's certificate and for several years there
after he alternately taught school and farmed. Hav
ing relations in "Youngstown, Ohio, he came here
in 1869, and in partnership with his cousin, Lawson
McKelvey, embarked in the general mercantile
business at the corner of Oak iHill and Mahoning
avenues. Later he operated on his own account
what was known as the Red Hot Cash Store on
West Federal Street, and it was about this time
that he displayed the keen business qualifications
that characterized his after life. For some time he
conducted a store at Hubbard, Ohio, kiu^wn as the
Hubbard Store Company, but in 1882 he returned to
Youngstown, and in association" with Messrs. An
drews, Cochran, William J. Hitchcock and George
J. Margarum, bought the mercantUe establishment of
the E. M. McGillen Company. The new organization
became G. iM. McKelvey & Corapany, a copartner
ship, which was successful from the beginning and
soon became one of the most important mercantile
concerns in the city, as it became, still later, of the
state. In 1901 the concern was incorporated as The
G. M. McKelvey Company, of which he was chosen
president, holding that position up to the time of his
death. Prior to its incorporation he had been the
general manager.
It can be said of Mr. McKelvey that he was a
striking example of that comparatively smaU class
of raen who find their proper spheres in life. He

«»!.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

139

loved his work and threw into it all his energies.
He was in the fullest sense of the word a pro
gressive, virile, self-made American citizen, thor
oughly in harmony with the spirit of the advanced
age in which he lived. He made good use of his
opportunities, and prospered from year to year,
conducting all business matters carefully and sys
teraatically, and in all his acts displaying an apti
tude for successful raanageraent. iHe did not con
fine his efforts solely to mercantile pursuits. He
helped to organize the Comraercial National Bank,
of which he became president on the death of C. H.
Andrews, and continued as such until his death.
He was also one of the organizers of the Standard
Oilcloth Company, now the Standard Textile Prod
ucts Company, of which he was a director and the
chairman of .the executive board. He was vice
president of the Youngstown Iron and Steel Roof
ing Company, of the Mahoning Foundry and Ma
chine Company, and of the Edwin Bell Corapany,
now of Pittsburgh. Unquestionably his greatest
success was in the development of the great store
bearing his narae into a raodel departraent store, of
which he war justifiably proud.
Politically Mr. McKelvey was a stanch adherent
of the republican party and his religious raerabership
was with the Tabernacle United Presbyterian
Church. He was an appreciative raember of the
Masonic fraternity, in which he had attained the de
gree of a Knight Templar.
In September, 1876, George M. McKelvey was
married to Leah M. Brownlee, of Struthers, Ohio,
and to them were born five children, namely : Le
titia, who married and has three children; Lucius
B., who is the only male descendant of his father;
Katherine, the wife of Charles F. Owsley; Gertrude,
the wife of George Jones ; and Florence, the wife
of George Clegg. iMr. McKelvey's character was
one of signal exaltation and purity of purpose. His
character was the positive expression of a strong
nature and his strength was as the number of his
days. He lived and labored to worthy ends, and as
one of the sterling citizens and representative men
of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley his mera
ory merits a tribute of honor on the pages of his
tory. Lucius B. McKelvey was born on October S,
i87g, at Hubbard, Ohio, but has lived in Youngstown
since early chUdhood. After completing the pub
lic school course he entered the Massachusetts In
stitute of Technology at Boston, where he made a
special study of mining engineering. Thereafter for
two years he was engaged in mining in Idaho, but in
1903, owing to his father's failing health, he re
turned to Youngstown and assisted him in looking
after his various business interests, particularly of
the G. M. McKelvey Company. He became presi
dent of this company in February, 1917, and stUl
fiUs that position. He is a worthy successor of
his father and has easily taken his place among the
leaders of business in this community. He is a
man of impressive personality, broad of mental ken
and possesses the characteristics which ever beget
esteem, confidence and friendship.
On June 28, 1905, Lucius B. McKelvey was mar
ried to Blanche McConnell, of Salera, Ohio, and to

them have been born four children, George M.,
Jane, Leah Margaret and Williara B. Mrs. McKel
vey is a member of the First Presbyterian Church.
Mr. McKelvey is a raeraber of the Youngstown
Club and the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks. Eraery L. McKelvey, vice president and general
raanager of the G. M. iMcKelvey Company, was born
at Dilltown, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, on Sep
tember 27, 1866, and is a son of Nathaniel W. and
Mary (Peters) McKelvey, the former of whora was
a half-brother of George M. McKelvey. The fam
ily moved to Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1871, and
here the father followed farming. During the Civil
war he served in the Union army, receiving an hon
orable discharge at the close of that conflict. To
him and his wife were born eight children, all sons.
Emery L. McKelvey received his educational train
ing in the public schools of Youngstown. His first
employment was in a clerical capacity with Andrews
Brothers & Company at Hazelton and later with
the Morse Bridge Corapany at that place. In 1885
he carae to Youngstown and has since been engaged
here in raercantile pursuits, in whicii he has been re
warded with a satisfactory raeasure of success. He
is now a director, vice president and general man
ager of the G. M. McKelvey Company, a director
of the New York Realty Corapany, which is cap
italized at $100,000, and a director of the Wheeler
Mineral Springs Company. For a number of years
prior to the reorganization Mr. E. L. McKelvey
served as secretary-treasurer of the G. M. McKel
vey Corapany.
On September 13, 1893, Mr. McKelvey was mar
ried to Emma Vogan, of Grove City, Pennsylvania,
and they are the parents of three chUdren, Mary
Louise, the wife of Thoraas J. Bray, Jr., of Youngs
town, with the Republic Iron & Steel Corapany,
of which his father, Thoraas J. Bray, is president;
Jane and Barbara. Fraternally Mr. McKelvey is a
member of the Masonic Order, in which he has at
tained the degree of a Royal Arch Mason, and is
also a member of the First Presbyterian Church,
the Young Men's Christian Association, the Youngs
town Club and the Youngstown Country Club. Be
cause of his sterling traits of character and his
genial disposition he commands the confidence and
good wUl of all who know him. He is public
spirited and gives his support to all movements for
the betterment of the coraraunity.
Herman C. Holstein. It is a well authenticated
fact that success coraes as a result of legitimate
ind well applied energy, unflagging determination
and perseverance in a course of action when once
decided upon. She is never known to bestow her
largesses upon the indolent and ambitionless, and
only those who seek her untiringly are recipients of
her blessings. In tracing the history of the influen
tial business man and representative citizen whose
name introcluces this sketch, it is plainly seen that
the prosperity which he enjoys has been won by
comraendable qualities and it is also his personal
worth that has gained for hira the high esteem of
those who know him.
Herman C. Holstein is a native of the old Buck-

140

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

eye state, having been born in the City of Akron on
the 7th day of July, 1876, and he is the son of
Nathan antl Ida (Kalmus) Holstein. Nathan Hol
stein was born in Hungary on December 10, 1845,
and lived there until eighteen years old, when he
imraigrated to the United States. He knew sorae
thing of cigar making and his first business venture
after arriving in this country was to engage in cigar
making, he having formed a partnership under the
narae of Holstein & Goldberger Cigar Corapany.
They made good cigars and were prospered in
their business, which grew to extensive propor
tions. In 1881 they were giving employraent to about
fifty people, but in that year they raoved to Cleve
land, Ohio, and greatly increased their output, giv
ing eraployraent to from 150 to 200 persons. They
continued in business there for many years, their
plant being located at No. 123 Water Street, Cleve
land.' Nathan Holstein, who is now seventy-five
years of age, has retired from active business,
though he is still a large holder of property inter
ests, including a large tobacco farm near Dayton,
Ohio. He and his wife celebrated their golden wed
ding anniversary on January 2, ig20, and it was an
occasion of great pleasure to his large circle of
friends. To him and his wife were born five chil
dren, four sons and a daughter, all of whom are liv
ing, naraely : Alex is engaged in business at Liraa,
Ohio ; Charles who lives in Dayton and who has ac
quired a wide reputation as a concert violinist,
studied under the best teachers in America, and then
went to Europe, completing his studies at Budapest
and at Vienna under the great virtuoso. Yean
Hubay ; Herman C. is the next in order of birth ;
Sidney is a manufacturer of women's wearing ap
parel at Cleveland, Ohio ; and the daughter, Gertrude,
is the wife of Dr. U. M. Bachman, of Cleveland,
who entered the United States service during the
recent war, took special training for war work at
Baltiraore, Maryland, and organized a field hospital
and saw rauch active service on the battle fields of
France. So prorainent did he becorae because of
the character of his services that he was called to the
Peace Conferwice in Paris by President WUson,
and only just recently has he returned to Araerica.
Nathan Holstein has always taken a prominent part
in church and charitable work and is a leader araong
his people, being an active and influential meraber
of the Hungarian Jewish Society and other or
ganizations. Herman C. Holstein received a good practical
education in the public schools of Cleveland, to
which city the family had moved in his childhood.
He learned to make cigars in his father's factory,
but later turned his attention to other lines of busi
ness. For a nuraber of years he was on the road
as a traveling salesraan for Bloch & Corapany of
Pittsburgh, covering Pennsylvania and Ohio. He
was frequently in Youngstown, and at that tirae
made up his mind to locate here eventually. On
August 26, 1909, he formed a partnership with Abra
ham Freed, and they engaged in business as out
fitters of raen, woraen and chUdren at No. 323 East
Federal Street, Youngstown. So successful were
they in that enterprise that in 1914 they opened
"The Fair" store at 205 East Federal, and but re

cently opened still another store of the same char
acter, known as "The Faraous," located at No. 23^
Federal Street. The first store, which is known as
"The Old Reliable," deraoustrated the capacity and
commercial abUity of the new firra, and, though they
started into business with but raoderate resources
they soon acquired a high reputation for honorable
business raethods and coramanded good credit, the
result being not only a large and steady growth in
trade, but also an enviable standing as an enterpris
ing and progressive business firra.
On October 26, igo5, Mr. Holstein was married to
Helen Belle Freed, the daughter of H. iFreed, of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and to them have been
born two chUdren, Marvin, deceased, and Charles
who was born on December 6, igi3.
Mr. Holstein has taken a very active part in
church affairs. In every phase of life's activities in
which he has engaged he has faithfully performed
his part and is therefore worthy of the confidence and
regard reposed in hira by all who knew him.
Rev. Fr\ncis Kozf.lek. Consecrated to the
noble calling to which he is giving his best efforts.
Rev. Francis Kozelek, who has charge of
Saints Cyril and Alethodius Catholic Church in
Youngstown, has led a busy and useful life, and his
work has been blessed to the a'dvanceraent of God's
kingdom. A son of Aloys and Marianna 'Kozelek,
he was born December 12, 1872, in Beneschau Dis
trict, Ratibor, now belonging to Czecho-Slovania,
where he spent his chUdhood days.
When Francis Kozelek was six years old his
father, who was a stone mason by trade, moved
with his family to Vitkovice, Moravia, where the
lad acquired his early education, attending the pub
lic schools from 1878" until 1886. The ensuing eight
years he continued his studies at the Diocesan Col-
leg^ in Kromeriz. Desirous of fitting himself for
the priesthood, he studied theology at Olomuc four
years, and in i8g8 was ordained as a priest by Right
Reverend Theodore Kohn, archbishop, being one of
a class of seventy-two to be invested with priestly
orders. For nine years thereafter Father Kozelek
served as a priest in his native land, residing in that
part of the country that had been taken by Prussia,
strong efforts at that period being made to Germanize
it, but it now belongs to Czecho-Slovania.
In 1907 Bishop Kondelka was sent across the At
lantic by Right Reverend Bishop Horstman to find
priests willing to come to .America to minister to the
spiritual needs of their countryraen. Responding to
the call. Father Kozelek volunteered his services, and
on his arrival in the United States was settled in
Lorain, Ohio, where he had charge of Holy Trinity
Church frora February i, 1908, until July 14, igjS-
He was well repaid for his labors in that vicinity,
the church under his care growing to a congre
gation of 200 farailies.
Coraing frora Lorain to Youngstown, Father
Kozelek has been equally successful in his pastoral
work, the church of which he now has charge hav
ing raade rapid growth, at least 500 famUies being
represented in its congregation. During his pas
torate in this city he has not only endeared himself to
his own people; but to those outside of his own de-

Uoo/nv^. ^yt2/^>ncorA^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

141

nomination, the coraraunity with which he is iden
tified holding hira in high respect.
William James Hitchcock. The conditions
under which industrial and coramercial enterprises
of magnitude are prosecuted in this age of phenora
enal advanceraent in all lines of human activity de
mand men who are forceful and of strong poten
tiality, courage and judgraent. Nurabered araong
such representatives in the personnel of the success
ful business raen identified with the material and
civic progress of the commonwealth of Ohio during
the past generation was the late WUliam James
Hitchcock, of the City of Youngstown. Invulner
able integrity and high purpose characterized his
life, and he left an indelible impress upon the an
nals of the coramunity honored by his residence,
and upon his record there rests no shadow or blem
ish. His strength was as the number of his days,
and not only did he accomplish much in connection
with the practical affairs of life, but his nature,
strong and vigorous, found denotement in kindly
tolerance and huraan sympathy, generous deeds and
worthy service. His long and active career was one
of close and fruitful identification with business in
terests of great raagnitude, in which he gained
raarked prestige. Measured by its accoraplishment,
its beneficence and its helpful optimism, the life of
Mr. Hitchcock had wide and emphatic significance.
William James Hitchcock was born in GranvUle,
New York, May l6, 1829, and was a son of Warren
Ferris and Almira Willoughby ^(Adaras) Hitchcock.
The faraily is of English origin, whence they carae
to America in 1635 and established homes in New
England, where, generally speaking, they established
theraselves in agricultural pursuits. About the year
1785, having received grants of land in Western
New York, members of the family located there and
becarae well and favorably known. Among these
was Warren Ferris Hitchcock, who served as sheriff.
of Washington County. There also was born the
immediate subject of this sketch. William Jaraes
Hitchcock was reared on the farra of an uncle,
where he remained until, while yet in his teens, he
went west as far as Cleveland, where he supple
mented the scholastic training which he already had
received at Kingsbury, New York. Later he spent
a winter at Buffalo, and then went to Detroit, where
he learned the tracie of a machinist. Then, return
ing east as far as Pittsburgh, he found eraployraent
as bookkeeper for the predecessors of the present
firra of Mcintosh, Heraphill & Company. Later he
was sent by his employers to New Castle, Penn
sylvania, as receiver's agent for an iron mill. In
1859 he becarae associated with C. H. Andrews at
Youngstown, Ohio, in the mining of block coal.
Their first operation was at the Thorn HUl Mine,
and later they operated the Burnett Coal Corapany
at Hubbard. Eventually in order to utilize their own
production of coal, they engaged in the blast furnace
business and in 1869 completed their No. I blast
furnace at Hubbard, and in 1873 their No. 2 fur
nace. In January, 1892, their furnaces were in
corporated as the Andrews & Hitchcock Iron Com
pany. Previous to this, about 1880, they had begun
using coke in their blast furnaces in conjunction

with their block coal mined at Hubbard. Eventually
their furnaces were remodeled so that coke alone
was used. Mr. Hitchcock was president of the
Andrews & Hitchcock Iron Company from its or
ganization. The principal merabers of this corpora
tion enjoyed an unusually harraonious career,
founded on rautual respect and trust, and were ex
ceptionally prosperous in their business affairs. Each
in his way was a leader, not a follower, in that trans
itory period of industrial and coraraercial develop
raent in this section of the country. They branched
out in other avenues and became interested in va
rious public utilities. Mr. Hitchcock became inter
ested in the Foster Coal Company, the G. M. Mc
Kelvey mercantile establishment, was a director of
the Coraraercial National Bank and was interested in
many other enterprises. His life was a busy and
successful one, and the record is eminently worthy
of perusal by the student who would learn the in
trinsic essence of individuality and its influence in
raoulding a successful career.
With all his business activities, with their raulti-
tudinous detaUs and constant demands on his time,
Mr. Hitchcock never ceased being a student. He
was an omnivorous reader, a deep thinker and a
keen observer of men and things, so that he was
generally recognized as a raan of unusually wide
and accurate inforraation. When St. John's Prot
estant Episcopal Churcli was organized he was one
of the charter raerabers and for years thereafter
served as a vestryman. In politics he was a republi
can, but his life was otherwise too fully occupied to
accept office, he being content to religiously exercise
the right of franchise He particularly took a keen
interest in the improveraent of the city of Youngs
town and vicinity. Although straightforward and
unostentatious, and a man who delighted in keep
ing the even tenor of his way so far as was consist
ent with good citizenship, he made his influence felt
among those with whom he mingled, for his was a
strong personality. There were in him sterling
traits which coramanded uniform confidence and re
gard, and his raemory is today honored by all who
knew hira and is enshrined in the hearts of his
friends. He died on Noveraber 18, 1899, honored
and respected for his rnany sterling qualities.
While living in New Castle, Pennsylvania, on No
veraber 9, 1858, Mr. Hitchcock was married to Mary
Johnson Peebles, who survived him, her death oc
curring on January i, 1907. They became the par
ents of five children, namely : Almira, who becarae
the wife of Myron I. Arms;. Frank; WUliam Jaraes,
Jr. ; Mary Peebles, the widow of George D. Wick,
and Robert Peebles, who died in infancy.
Frank Hitchcock, the oldest son, was born on
May 24, 1862, and has always resided in Youngs
town. After completing the public school course he
attended Adams Acaderay at Quincy, Massachusetts,
and Harvard College. He was connected with his
father's enterprises in a business way, and at the
latter's death he succeeded hira as president of the
Andrews & Hitchcock Iron Corapany, continuing to
serve as such until the business was disposed of to
the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Corapany in 1916.
Since that time he has confined his attention to his
private business interests.

142

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

On June 2, i8g6, Frank Hitchcock was married to
Bertha Rockwell Coles, of Utica, New York, and
the three children born to this union are, Katherine,
born October 5, 1897, the widow of Capt. Francis
R. McCook, who lost his life in the Argonne Forest
of France, in the war with Germany; Frances, born
on September ig, 1899, and Bertha, born on July 21,
1906. Mr. Hitchcock is a republican in politics, a
vestryman of St. John's Episcopal Church, and a
member of the Youngstown Club and the Youngs
town Country Club. He is a director of the First
National Bank and the Dollar Savings and Trust
Company. Williara J. Hitchcock, Jr., was born on July 19,
1864, and completed his education at St. Paul's
School, Concord, New Harapshire, and Williston
Serainary at East Harapton, Massachusetts, spend
ing two years at the latter institution. His life work
has been in connection with the commercial activi
ties inaugurated by his father. For several years
he was manager of the furnaces at Hubbard, but of
late years he has given his attention to the raany
raraifications of business with which his people have
been connected. He is a republican in his political
views, an Episcopalian in his religious belief and,
socially, is identified with the Youngstown Club, the
Youngstown Country Club and the Union Club of
Cleveland. Mr. Hitchcock was raarried in 1903 to Grace
Jones, of Toledo, Ohio, and they are the parents of
two sons, WUliam J., Ill, and John Paul.
Charles T. Gaither. Well versed in the me
chanical arts, and a pioneer in the automobile busi
ness, Charles T. Gaither, of Youngstown, is dis
tinguished as having designed and built the first
automobile made in the city, and about the third
manufactured in the United States. A native of
Ohio, he was born March 24, 1869, in Zanesville, a
son of Thomas and Algeo Gaither. His father, who
worked for many years as a machinist at the Tod
Plant, was born in Maryland, while his mother was
a native of Ohio.
.Acquiring his rudimentary education in the pub
lic schools of Warren, Ohio, Charles T. Gaither be
gan work in the office of the .Vindicator when fifteen
years of age, having charge of the engines, ma
chinery and presses. When the Fredonia Company
was organized for the purpose of manufacturing
automobiles, he resigned his position with the Vindi
cator to becorae designer for that firra, with which
he was associated from, first to last. In igo2, in the
great endurance race from New York to Boston
and return, Mr. Gaither, with a Fredonia car, was
one of the seventy-two entries for the test. Eight
of the automobilists raade the trip and return, five
of them winning a perfect record, Mr. Gaither being
one of the five.
.A pioneer in the automobile business, Mr. Gaither
built the first garage erected in Youngstown, it hav
ing been located at the corner of Belmont Avenue
and Wood Street. In igo7, at the corner of Arling
ton Street and Belmont Avenue, he built his place
of business and is now engaged in business at
79,3 Wick Avenue, its management having met with
undoubted success. Mr. Gaither has probably sold

more cars, and a greater variety, than any other
dealer in the city, having handled the Reo, Rambler
Maxwell, White, Oldsmobile, Oakland and Peerless!
At the present time he is carrying on a substantial
business, selling both the Reo and the Peerless.
Mr. Gaither raarried in 1912 Miss Clyde Hassan.
Fraternally he belongs to the Benevolent and Pro
tective Order of Elks, and he is a member of all
of the autoraobile clubs of the city.
Markham B. and Clifton W. Miller, proprietors
of the Hippodrorae Theatre and The H. L. iMcEI-
roy Company, are properly numbered among the
alert and sound business men of Youngstown, whose
phenomenal success is stable and the legitimate out
come of a succession of shrewd and honorable op
erations which have resulted in the establishment and
development of their firm. Their interest in Youngs
town dates frora January, 1905, and each year since
then has seen it considerably augmented.
Both brothers are natives of Kentucky, the former
having been born at Cynthiana, in the heart of the
Blue Grass country, on January 28, 1872, and the
latter at Covingtoii, just across the Ohio iRiver
from the more pretentious city of Cincinnati, Ohio,
on July 20, 1874. Their father. Rev. Charles w!
MUler, was a IVIethodist clergyman who married
Virginia Markham. Like other Methodist preachers,
he was sent to various stations in his conference,
and at these his sons were born. Unfortunately he
died when his boys were small and they were com
pelled to secure employraent at an early age.
However both were ambitious and Markham B.
MUler matriculated at the Kentucky State CoUege
and was graduated therefrom with the degree of
Bachelor of Arts. He started on his business career
as a clerk in a furniture store in his native town,
and at the termination of five years had acquired
an interest in the business. In the meanwhUe Clif
ton W., when thirteen years old, became a clerk in a
clothing house at $5.00 per week. Previously
he had taken special lessons in accounting. Later
he became a clerk in the same house as his
brother, and for a number of years foUowing his
leaving that concern, lived at Pullman and Chicago,
Illinois, where he was engaged in a diversified line
of business, clerking for a number of establishments,
handling real estate, selling typewriter attachments,
and being on the road as a commercial traveler.
After twelve years he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and
joined his brother Markham B. Miller in establishing
a chain of stores. The MiUer Brothers in this way
bought the McElroy Company at Youngstown in
January, 1905. In January, igo7, the Callahan Build
ing, in which the business was housed, and the Ewers
Building adjoining were destroyed by fire. The day
following. Miller Brothers bought the interests of
the Guthman Brothers Furniture Company, and on
the second day business was resumed.- A part of the
land where the firm operates was in 1872 rented by
De Loma Callahan and used as a livery stable. Mr.
Callahan was urged to buy the property, which he
finally did for $5,000, payraent being raade in cash,
mules and horses. This property is now valued at
nearly $600,000. By actual purchases and long time
leases the Millers now have a total of 25,000 square

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

143

feet of ground space extending frora Federal to
Comraerce streets. As their business expanded im
provements were made to raeet their requireraents.
-An arcade was constructed through from street to
street, and here, in addition to their own extensive
establishment, stores and offices were leased so that
in this arcade are to be found alraost every con
ceivable kind of merchandise. At this tirae the
Hippodrome Corapany was organized, and the Hip
podrorae Theatre was built. This theatre, one of
the best in Ohio, has a seating capacity of 2,000, and
possesses the Youngstown exclusive rights of the
B. F. Keith's circuit. Markhara B. MUler located
perraanently at Youngstown in igi2, and Clifton W.
^lUler, the year following.
These brothers have done rauch in various ways
toward building up Youngstown and achieved not
able results for its permanent good. Each one has
become identified with the various organizations
which make for good citizenship. Markhara B.
MUler belongs to the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, the Youngstown Country Club, the
Poland Country Club, the Elks Club and the Chara
ber of Coraraerce. His wife to whom he was united
on April 17, 1905, was forraerly Miss Minnie Good,
of St. Paul, iMinnesota.
Clifton 'W. Miller belongs to the Youngstown
Club, the Charaber of Coraraerce and the Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elks. In 1895 he was raar
ried to Miss Mabel Blann, of Chicago, Illinois, and
their three sons are : Clifton W., Jr., Harry M. and
-Charles M. The eldest, naraed for his father, was
a student at Rayen High School when the United
States entered the World war. He joined a local
cavalry organization which was raerged into a field
artillery organization. After a season in carap he
was sent abroad on the "Victoria," which was tor
pedoed en route by an enemy subraarine. A depth
bomb judiciously dropped destroyed the subraarine,
the wound of the "Victoria" was teraporarily mended,
and the troops were safely landed on French soil.
Young Miller, araong other actions, participated in
the famous Saint Mihiel salient engagement, which
proved to be the beginning of the end of the war.
¦He later, until the signing of the Armistice, was an
instructor on gas uses in the war. Clifton W.
Miller, Sr., was particularly active in Youngstown in
a non-corabatant way, serving as a raeraber of the
American Protective League, private police, private
detective, deputy sheriff and in the various drives
to raise funds for the prosecution of the war. Both
brothers have earned and maintain a reputation for
sense and honor, and their personal popularity has
given thera no inconsiderable influence in their cora
munity and a place in its affairs to which their
business abilities and public-spirited endeavors en
title them, without the shadow of a doubt.
Josiah Walter Slater, There has been a good
deal of variety to the business career of Josiah
Walter Slater. He was in the factory of the Win
field Manufacturing Company for a number of years,
later was a merchant, was in the newspaper business,
and more recently has taken a spirited part in the
wonderful development of Warren as treasurer of
the WUliam Coale Developraent Corapany.
Vol. 11—10

His father was the late John H. Slater, a native
of Pennsylvania, who served through two enlist
ments as a Union soldier. He was first in a Penn
sylvania regiment, and afterward joined an Ohio
regiment at Conneaut. After the war and his hon
orable discharge he located at Niles, Ohio, and in
1870 moved his faraily to Warren, where he lived
until his death. His wife was Loraary Partridge, a
native of Ohio, and still living, residing in Warren.
Josiah W. Slater was born at Niles, August 5,
1870, and two months later was brought to Warren,
which has been his home for half a century. He
was educated in "the public schools here, and at the
age of sixteen went to work in the Winfield Manu
facturing Company's plant and for about thirteen
years was employed at the bench. He then retired
and invested a modest capital in the retail grocery
business and left that in 1903 to become circulation
manager for the Warren Chronicle. He proved a
valuable man in this difficult field, and in 1906 he
was made traveling representative for the Cleveland
Press. Mr. Slater gave up newspaper work in 1916
to becorae manager of the Trumbull Realty Corapany
of Warren, and when that was incorporated as the
Williara Coale Developraent Company he was elected
treasurer. He is a member of the Warren Real
Estate Board.
Mr. Slater has passed all the chairs in Mahoning
Lodge No. 2g of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, and is a meraber of Warren CouncU No.
222 of the United Coraraercial Travelers. He is
active in the Boy Scout CouncU, a meraber of the
Second Christian Church, and is president of the
¦Men's Club of that church. Mr. Slater raarried
Elizabeth Parks, daughter of the late Samuel and
Ann Parks. They have two chUdren : Virgil E.,
now a resident of Cleveland, and Zelma R.
Leslie Clayton Wright. Mr. Wright for a period
of years was a traveling salesraan over Northeastern
Ohio, and when he finally cast anchor in a perraanent
business he chose the city of Warren, where during
the past five years he has buUt up a very successful
real estate business.
He is of New England ancestry, his family on
botb sides being of English descent and residents of
Vermont for several generations. His father, Elias
H. Wright, was a native of Vermont and tilled a
farm on its rugged hUls throughout his active career.
¦He died in the fall of 1914. The mother, Frances
(Hendrix) Wright, was also born in Verraont and is
still living.
Leslie Clayton Wright was born ait West Jay,
Verraont, August 17, 1873, and acquired a public
school education. 'When he left horae he went to
Boston, Massachusetts, and for five years as clerk
in a store acquired a good fundaraental knowledge
of business. When he left New England he began
traveling over the territory of Northeastern Ohio
as salesraan for the G. F. Harvey DrUg Corapany
of Saratoga, New York, and represented that house
for nine years. He then transferred his .services to
The Zemmer Drug Corapany of Pittsburgh, Penn
sylvania, and covered the same Ohio territory for
that firm until August, 1913. At that date he left
the road and engaged in the real estate business in

144

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Warren, with offices in the Western Reserve Build
ing. His home is at 33 Washington Avenue. Mr.
Wright is an active meraber of the Warren Real
Estate Board, the Board of Trade, the United Com
raercial Travelers, the Cleveland Traveling Men's
Association and is a prorainent Mason, his affiliations
being with Old Erie Lodge No. 3, Free and .Accepted
Masons, Chapter 66, Royal Arch Masons, Council
No. 58, Royal and Select Masters, and Warren Com
mandery iNo. 39, Knights Templar. He and his
faraily are raembers of the Central Christian
Church. He raarried Miss Emma Rice, of Warren, daughter
of Lucas and Mary Rice. They have four young
.sons, Philip Leslie, Gordon Rice, Leslie Clayton, Jr.,
and Robert Hendrix Wright.
Warren P. Williamson. The advent of the Wil
liarason family at Youngstown dates back to 1798,
when Joseph Williamson carae frora Washington
County, Pennsylvania, by wagon to the present site
of Youngstown. He built a log cabin on land now
occupied by the public school building at the corner
of Erie Street and DoUison Avenue. After he had
erected this cabin he returned to Pennsylvania for
his wife, Elizabeth, and brought her back to the
new horae he had prepared for her on what was then
the frontier of civilization. Here he was engaged in
farraing and working at his trade of blacksraithing
until his death, which took place in 1827. He was a
man who possessed the confidence of his neighbors
in marked degree, papers still in existence proving
that he was oftentimes chosen by thera to act as
executor of estates and general counsellor and ad
visor for the coraraunity. His two children probably
survived hira, one of them being Pyatt Williamson.
Pyatt Williamson was born in the log cabin in
Youngstown in 1801, and practically followed in the
footsteps of his father in occupational and neigh
borly relationships. In due course of tirae he mar
ried Anna Knox, and they had six children. He and
his wife were charter members of the old Christian
Church, which they helped to organize. The first
church edifice, which they assisted through gen
erous contributions in erecting, stood on the present
site of the Diamond Block. Pyatt Williarason, like
his father, was raade executor of raany estates, and
this fact speaks for itself as to his standing. His
chUdren grew up, married, and their descendants,
raany of them, are now living in this same com
munity. Among these chUdren was Joseph Wil
liamson. Joseph Williamson was born on July 31, 1827,
and that sarae year marked the death of his grand
father, for whom he was naraed. He was not born
in the old log cabin, however, but in a new house
which had been erected about 100 yards frora the
old cabin. There he grew up and when old enough
served an apprenticeship at the carpenter trade. He
worked at carpentering, and a nuraber of the buUd
ings on which he was engaged are still standing, are
in good repair and in use. One brother, Horace,
lived here all his life, dying when eighty-four years
of age, in April, 1919. Another brother, Isaac WU-
liarason, lived on a part of the old farra, which is

now South Avenue, Youngstown, and died when
eighty years old.
Joseph WUUamson married Belinda A. Detchon
in 1856, and they had three children, namely: War
ren P., and Mary B. and Martha B., twins. All of
his life Joseph 'Williamson was engaged in farming
and carpentering, and he died in July, 1912. iHis
widow survives him, although now (1920) eighty-
five years old. They, too, were devout members of
the Christian Church. 'The WUliamsons were aU
the way through honest, law-abiding, industrious
and church-going people.
Warren P. Williamson was born on the old farm
which his great-grandfather acquired in 1798, on
October 4, 1858. He, like his immediate progenito'rs,
grew up on that farra. As a boy he attended the
public schools, milked cows, cleaned stables, swung
the cradle and flailed out the grain. He attended a
coraraercial school at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and
for three years worked with his father at carpen
tering, and then was bookkeeper for O. P. Shaffer,
Still later he became bookkeeper and cashier of the
News, and later, in February, 1882, secured em
ployment in sweeping out the office and keeping the
books of the Youngstown Carriage & Wagon Com
pany. He was successively advanced from this
position through others until he became general
manager of the company, and held it until the con
cern was sold to the Ohio Hotel Company in 1911.
Mr. Williamson then organized the Youngstown
Carriage Company, of which he is general manager
and treasurer. iHe is a republican in politics and
has served one term in the City CouncU and one
term as trustee of the water works. He is a Knight
Templar, York Rite and thirty-second degree Scottish
Rite Mason, and belongs to the Mystic Shrine, Odd
Fellows and the Elks.
On December 31, 1890, Mr. Williamson was united
in marriage with iMary M. Thompson, a daughter of
Dallas J. Thompson, and they are the parents of
two sons, naraely: Joseph Dallas and "Warren P.,
Jr. Both these boys were in the great war. Joseph
D. enlisting in the aerial department of the Coast Ar
tillery, and Warren P., Jr., in the radio department,
of which he was a sergeant and master radio elec
trician. Floyd Perry Johnson is one of the younger busi
ness raen of Warren, where he is proprietor of the
Johnson Electric Corapany, one of the two principal
concerns of the kind in "Warren, which business has
felt the stiraulus and irapetus of the energies and
personal skUl of Mr. Johnson, and has grown rapidly
within the past three or four years.
Mr. Johnson was born at Verrailion, Ohio, Sep
tember 10, 1887, son of Frank M. and De Etta
(Hewitt) Johnson. His parents are stUl living, as
are also both of his grandmothers. In the earlier
generations the family name was spelled Johnston.
Mr. Johnson's grandfather, John Johnson, was an
early settler around Vermilion, and for many years
was a farmer. De Etta Hewitt was born in Camden
Township of Lorain County, and was only an infant
when her father died. iFrank M. Johnson for a num
ber of years was engaged in the fishery industry in
Lake Erie, with home at 'Vermilion, arid in later

rT^m*

I *

^4iUfHu^<

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

145

years has operated a retail grocery store at Conneaut,
where he and his wife still reside.
Floyd Perry Johnson was four years of age when
his parents moved to Conneaut and he grew up and
remained at home to the age of twenty-one. He at
tended the common schools, but while in the eighth
grade he left school to go to work. Later he realized
the need of a better education, and earned the money
for his college career by practical work as an electri
cian. For one year he was a student in the scientific
course at Defiance College and spent another year in
special studies in the Ohio State University. He put
his knowledge of the electrical trade into practice
at Columbus for a year after leaving the State Uni
versity, and then returned to Conneaut. Mr. John
son carae to Warren in December, 1916, and bought
the "Light Shop" from George Phelps. He changed
the narae to the Johnson Electric Company and has
actively directed its affairs. The business has raore
thar. doubled in volurae and in importance during the
last three years.
M -- Johnson has achieved his own success in life,
depending on his own efforts to advance him step by
step. He is a raeraber of the Warren Board of Trade
and is affiliated with Independence Lodge, Knights
of Pythias, and the Christian Church.
Septeraber 20, 1909, he married Miss Lena Cheese
man, daughter of L. D. and Deborah (Sherman)
Cheeseraan, of Conneaut. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson
have two children : Louise, born Deceraber 29, 1912 ;
and Ruth, born August 16, 1914.
Frank Ensign Rose. Few families have im
pressed their business energies and civic activities
more prominently upon TrurabuU County than the
Roses. The faraily has lived in this section of
the Western Reserve raore than a century. Rep
resenting the third generation, Frank Rose has had
an active career as a farmer, business man and
public official, he having served as chairraan of the
Board of County Coraraissioners until he resigned
frora that board in August, 1920. Mr. Rose was
born on the home farm in iMecca Township, Trura
buU County, on December 26, 1869, the son of
Thoraas H. and Josephine G. (Gridley) Rose. His
grandfather, Jonathan Rose, was a native of Penn
sylvania and of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, and
founded the family in Trumbull County. The land
which he took up and developed in iMecca Town
ship was not sold out of the faraily until 1913.
Jonathan Rose raarried Anna Craft, a native of
Washington County, Pennsylvania, and also of
Dutch ancestry.
The late Thomas H. Rose was born in the sarae
house as his son Frank E. in 1842, and died at
Warren in 1907. For many years he was the most
extensive cheese and milk operator in Northern
Ohio. At one time he operated fifteen cheese fac
tories and creameries, the product of which was
sold all over Trumbull, Mahoning, Portage and
Ashtabula counties. For all his extensive business
cares he gave much of his tirae to public affiairs,
serving three full terras as county coraraissioner of
TrurabuU County. His wife, Josephine G. Gridley,
was born in Mecca Township and died in 1905, at
the age of sixty years. Her grandfather, Albert

Gridley, was a native of Massachusetts and was
also a pioneer of TrurabuU County.
Frank E. Rose spent rauch of his early life in the
country in Mecca Township. He attended district
schools, also the Cortland High School, and for
raany years was in active association with his father,
especially in operating the home farm. His home
has been at Warren since 1905. On moving to the
county seat he engaged in the livery and transfer
business, and is still interested in real estate and
in the buying and selling of hea-vy draft horses.
Mr. Rose is most widely known for his official
record. He was elected sheriff of TrumbuU County
and reelected, serving four years in that office. Be
fore he retired from the position of sheriff he was
elected county coraraissioner, and was twice re
elected. Mr. Rose is affiliated with Cortland Lodge
of Masons, Warren Lodge of Elks, and is a mem
ber of the First Methodist Episcopal Church at
Warren. He married Miss Mabel C. Christy, daughter of
James and Frances (Forward) Christy, of Brook
field Township, Trumbull County. They have a fara
Uy of three children : Frances Rose, born in 1903,
Thoraas, born in 1905, and Hazel, born in 1908.
William Perry Beal, president and general man
ager of the Warren Home BuUding Corapany, and
president and general manager of the Warren iHome
Development Company, both of which concerns he
assisted in organizing, and both of which have been,
and are still, important factors in the growth of
this city, is a product of the Mahoning Valley,
where he has spent his entire life.
Mr. Beal was born in Austintown Township, Ma
honing County, on April 28, 1880, and is descended
frora two old iMahoning Valley faraUies. His grand
father, WUliam Beal, was a native of Trumbull
County, and his father, Hiram Beal, was born in
Lordstown Township, Trumbull County. Hiram
Beal spent the greater part of his life engaged in
farraing in Lordstown and North Jackson town
ships, Mahoning County, and after retireraent in
igog, removed to Warren, where he died on March
16, 1910, at the age of sixty-five.
Mr. Beat's mother, Florence Drake, was born in
Weathersfield, Trumbull County, the daughter of
Perry Drake, who was also born in Weathersfield
Township, and was the son of Robert Drake, a
pioneer blacksmith of the valley. Mrs. Beal died
on the family homestead in North Jackson on
November 10, 1908, at the age of sixty-one.
The early days of Williara P. Beal were passed
on the horae farra, which he left in 1909 to corae
to Warren. He was engaged in contract building
for about five years on his own account, and then,
in 1916, he organized and incorporated the Warren
Home Building Company, of which he is now presi
dent and general raanager. In 1919 he organized
and incorporated the Warren Home Development
Corapany, of which he is also president and general
manager. He is also financially interested in the
BuUders Hardware Company.
Mr. Beal was one of the organizers of the War
ren BuUders Exchange, and is its vice president.
He is a meraber of the Warren Real Estate Boarcl

146

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

and a meraber of the Warren Board of Trade, and
is active and prorainent in civic and social life.
He is a member of the First Christian Church, as
is also Mrs. Beal. Mr. Beal is also a director of
the Kiwanis Club.
Mr. Beal married Millie S., daughter of Frank
S. Sullivan, of Bristol, Ohio.
Christopher Deibel was born in the Rhine
country of Germany on December 20, 1831, and died
at Youngstown, Ohio on December 4, igi8. He was
reared to early manhood in his native country, ob
tained a fair practical education and learned the
stone mason trade. He was expected to register
for military service when old enough, but when on
his way to do this he received such brutal and in
considerate treatraent frora an array officer that
his ideas were changed and he deterrained to leave
his native land and seek his fortunes in America.
Already four of his brohers had come to the United
States, and undoubtedly this fact strengthened his
determination to make this country his future home.
In 1850 he set sail for the United States, and upon
his arrival here came west to MassiUon, Ohio, where
he worked at his trade. Here he was married to
Anna Gauff. From MassiUon he carae to Youngs
town and engaged in contracting. About the first
work ill this line accorded to hira was for Chauncey
Andrews. Mr. Deibel buUt many of the furnaces,
business blocks, churches and other structures
which are still standing, and he becarae identified
with various other raatters. Not only was he one
of the organizers of the Home Savings & Loan
Company, but he was its first president and had
much to do with its early development. He was one
of the founders of Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic
Church, and was an active meraber of it until his
death, and he was also a raember of the Knights of
Columbus. Becoming interested in real estate, he
acquired considerable property. He worked hard,
was frugal and industrious and accuraulated a cora
fortable competency, and considerable of this he
distributed among his chUdren. In his later life he
gave up active contracting and engaged in the life
insurance business, and was the first agent of the
New York Life Insurance Company at Youngstown.
This business which he founded is now carried on
by his son Edward J. He and his wife had born to
them the following children : Ernest C, Oscar G.,
Edward J., Clara A., now Mrs. C. P. Venus, Chris
topher W., all of whom are living, and Catherine,
who became the wife of Martin A. Keifer; Araelia,
who became the wife of Dr. J. B. Kotheimer ; Al
ban, O., Elraer and Williara, all of whom are de
ceased. The raother of this family died in igog.
The predominant characteristic of Christopher
Deibel was his strict observance of all honorable
conventions. He was the soul of honor. He made
friends readily and people esteemed him for his
many loveable qualities. While devout in his re
ligious convictions, he was not narrow in his asso-
ciation.s. He took an, active part in all that seemed
best for the general good of the coraraunity. While
of German birth, he was thoroughly Araerican in all
that the name implies. A grandson of his, Oscar
Kotheimer, lost his life in France while ¦ serving in

the great war. The passing of Christopher Deibel
removed from the coraraunity one of the best of
the old-tirae citizens.
Ernest C. Deibel raarried Miss Elizabeth Renner
and they have one daughter, Helen, and reside at
Akron, Ohio.
Oscar G. Deibel was born on March g, 1865, and
like his brothers was reared at Youngstown. For
thirty-eight years he was engaged in the wholesale
and retail handling of druggists' supplies, but is
now connected with the New Y'ork Life Insurance
Company. He raarried Louisa Hoffman in 1886
and they have a faraily of ten children, four of
wiJiom survive, naraely: Fred H., Esther, now Mrs.
Donald H. Gordon, Isabel and iMarceUa. Mr. Dei
bel is a republican in politics. Both by inheritance
and conviction he is a Catholic, and is a lifelong
meraber of Saint Joseph's Catholic Church. He be
longs to the Poland Country Club.
Christopher W. Deibel, who bears the name of
his honored father, is still an active force in the
business life of Youngstown. He was born in this
city May 7, 1874, ^.nd w-as educated in both the
public and parochial schools.
For twenty years he was a raerchant tailor. But
he is best kno-wn for his theatrical ventures, and
was one of the pioneer operators of raoving picture
shows in Youngstown. He naraed his first theater,
a small place seating 186 people, the Dorae. He had
four successive theaters, each naraed Dome. 'The
present theater of that narae was begun by Mr.
Deibel in igi2.
His most notable contribution, however, to the
amusement resources of Y'oungstown came with the
organization by him in February, igi8, of the cor
poration which established and built the Liberty
Theater, at 202 West Federal Street. Fifty years
earlier his father on the same site built the old Ex
celsior Block, which was razed by his son to make
room for the Liberty Theater. Not only Mr. Deibel
but the entire coraraunity take pride in the Liberty.
It is not excelled by any other theater of its size
in the United States in the raatter of attractive equip
ment, comfort and bookings. It has a seating ca
pacity of 1,800 people.
Mr. Deibel is a business man of many congenial
qualities and is well known socially. . He is a lover
of the game of golf. During seven of the last ten
years he has carried off the championship honors
at the Youngstown Country Club. He is also a
member of the Youngstown Club and the Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elks.
Mr. Deibel married Miss Elizabeth Gallagher,
daughter of John Gallagher, He is very happy in
his family and has five children, three daughters and
two sons : John, generally known as Jack, Dorothy,
Ella, Rosemary and Christopher, Jr. An interesting
feature of the family history is that three Christopher
Deibels have Hved in Youngstown. The second of
the name was born forty years after the birth of
tbe first, while the youngest was. born .forty years
after the birth of the second.
Sherm.vn H. De Groodt. Contracting has been
the chief business of the De Groo.dt faniily for

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

147

many years, and Sherman H. De Groodt of Youngs
town has the organization, the equipraent and the
personnel which he has directed as a successful
business for street paving, sewer work and other
municipal construction. He is one of the leading
contractors of this kind in the Mahoning Valley.
He was born in Crawford County, Pennsylvania,
July 12, 1870, a son of Chester R. and Mary E.
(Howe) De Groodt and a grandson of Cornelius
De Groodt, who was one of the pioneers of Con
neautville, Pennsylvania. Chester R. De Groodt was
born in Crawford County in 1842, and as a young
man volunteered his services for the Union army.
He nearly realized his ambition for the experience
of a soldier, being near the front when he was sent
home on account of a bad arm. He took up con
tracting, and for several years followed the con
struction of the Lake Shore RaUroad. He also
lived at Coalburg in Trumbull County, and for
twenty years had a home on Hirarod Avenue in
Youngstown. His principal business in Youngs
town was as 'a teaming contractor, moving buUdings
and doing other hea-vy work in that line. He died
in igii and his wife died at the age of fifty-eight.
They were raerabers of the Trinity JNIethodist
Church.- Of their six children, two sons and four
daughters, Sherraan H. is the only one living "'in
Youngstown. His only brother, Henry C, recently
lost his life in an accident.
Sherraan De Groodt acquired his early education
in' the 'Wood Street School at Youngstown, and at
tlie age of nineteen began taking contracts for
street and seWpr work. In l8go he put down the
second paving in Ashtabula, Ohio. His business
as a street and seWer contractor has had a wide
range, and has included work in Niles, Warren,
Girard and other points. He laid the first paving
at Conneaut, Ohio, put in the sewer around the
Central Square at Youngstown and from West
Lake Crossing to Brier HUl and also the Market
Street sewer. iMr. De Groodt for a number of
years has given employraent to a large force of
men and as a contractor he is well known for his
reliability. In i8g8 he married Miss Marie Perry, who was
born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, a daughter of WU
liam B. Perry. Mr. and Mrs. De Groodt are mem
bers of the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church.
Fraternally he is affiliated with the Elks, Independ
ent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, is
a raeraber of the Youngstown iBuilders Exchange,
and is a republican voter, though he has friends in
both parties.
Charles Henry Woodworth. While for several
years engaged in a busy practice as a lawyer at
Warren, Mr. Woodworth's early life was spent in
technical industries. He had a technical education,
and for ten years was in the service of the General
Electric Company at Warren.
He was born at North East in Erie County, Penn
sylvania, May 23, 1883,' son of Rev. Watson W- and
Josephine (Holridge) Wpod-yvorth. The Woodworth
family for several generations lived in Cattaraugus
County, New York, where his grandparents, Madison
and Lydia Woodworth, were born. The maternal

grandparents were Enoch and Sarah (Mabye) Hol
ridge, of New York State. Josephine Holridge was
born at Randolph, New York, and is now living at
Jaraestown in that state. Rev. Watson W. Wood-
worth was born in Western New York, and after
his raarriage studied for the ministry and spent his
active life as a meraber of the Erie Conference of
the Methodist Church. He died at Randolph, New
York, in 1883, in his thirty-seventh year.
Charles Henry Woodworth was reared by his
widowed raother, and from his ninth year lived in
Jamestown, New York, where he completed his
early education in the high school and later spent
one year in the Mercerburg Academy of Pennsyl
vania. He took a technical course for two years
in the Case School of Applied Science at Cleveland,
and from that institution entered the employ of the
General Electric Company in that city. This cora
pany in igo7 sent hira to 'Warren, where he remained
as chemist and foreman of the local works for ten
years. While thus eraployed Mr. Woodworth was
making diligent use of his leisure tirae in the study
of law, and upon admission to the Ohio bar on
January I, igi7, opened his pffice and began practice.
Besides a general practice he is secretary of the
Tr;umbull Realty & Investment Corapany.
Mr. Woodworth is affiliated with the First Pres
byterian Church ; is a meraber of Old Erie Lodge
No. 3, Free and Accepted Masons; Warren Com
mandery No. 3g, Knights Templar, and is a member
of the Trumbull Bar Association and the Warren
Board of Trade.
He married Miss Harriet Rhuman, of Carrollton,
Ohio. .Their one daughter, Janet Ruth, was born
Febrpary 27, 1915.
John Edward Farrell's business career for the
fifteen years since he left the Rayen High School
bas been steadUy identified with the Republic Iron
arid Steel Company, in which he is now chief of the
Eraploypient Bureau. This is an office requiring a
great knowledge of the human side of the big in
dustry, and his keen and thorough appreciation of
men and his ready judgment and executive tact
raean a great deal to the successful working of a
cofporation eraploying as -fhe Republic Corapany
does such large bodies of both skUled and unskilled
labor. ...
Mr. Farrell was born at Youngstown Deceraber
24, 1886, and was one of the twelve children of
John Edward and Ella (Young) Farrell. His par
ents were both born at Lisbon, Ohio, His father for
many years was a locomotive engineer with the
Erie Railroad. His raother was a daughter of
Williara Young, who for a long period was cashier,
of the Firestone Bank of Lisbon. ,,
John E. Farrell, Jr., grew up in Youngstown and
has spent all his life in this city. He is a graduate
of the Rayen High School with the class of 1904,
and this training he has since supplemented with a
general correspondence course in the LaSalle Ex
tension University of Chicago. His first regular
employraent on leaving high school was as time
clerk for the Republic Iron & Steel Corapany. Frora
time keeper he was promoted to chief time keeper
of the Mahoning Valley works of the Republic;
Iron and Steel Company, and later was paymaster

148

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

and chief clerk in the sarae works. Since January,
1914, he has been chief of the Employraent Bureau.
Mr. Farrell is a meraber of the Evergreen Pres
byterian Church, is present master of HUlman Lodge
No. 481, Free and Accepted Masons, and a member
of Youngstown Chapter No. 93, Royal Arch Masons.
Politically he is a republican. October 28, igiS,
he raarried Miss Florence Wagner, daughter of
Edward G. and Emma (Baumeister) Wagner, of
Youngstown. Frank Vogelberger. The work that served to
raark out Frank Vogelberger's career in the Youngs
town district is easily identified in a long and im
posing list of homes and other building construc
tion which has been performed by his personal or
ganization. Mr. Vogelberger is one of the older
and very prorainent buUding contractors of the Ma
honing Valley.
He was born in a picturesque spot, the Vogel
berger homestead overlooking Lanterman's Falls,
near Youngstown. His birth occurred June 27, 1873.
His parents were John and Eva (Gerst) Vogel
berger. John Vogelberger was a native of Ger
raany and grew up as a farraer. Coraing to the
United States when a young raan he successfulUy
corabined for raany years the vocation of farming
with working in the coal mines at Mount Nebo
and Fulda in Noble County, Ohio. He married in
Noble County, where his wife was born, and after
marriage he established his horae overlooking the
historic Laiiterraan's Falls. At this horaestead all
their children were born and he and his wife spent
their last years in that locality. He and a brother
operated a raill at Lanterman's Falls for a time.
Though born in another country John Vogelberger
signalized his devotion to the United States by vol
unteering to preserve the Union when the Civil
war carae on. He died in 1901, at the age of eighty-
one. He was always active in local raatters affect
ing schools, churches and the general good. He
was a charter raember of St. Joseph's Catholic
Church and helped erect the church building. His
wife died in 1905, at the age of fifty-three. Of their
eight children six are living, besides Frank, their
names being PhUip, John, Joseph, Katherine, the
wife of Joseph Smith, and Gallas. The two de
ceased are Anna and Mary, who were chUdren less
than ten years of age at the tirae oi their deaths.
The third oldest son, Joseph Vogelberger, is widely
known on account of his valued service as street
superintendent of the City of Youngstown for eight
years. Frank Vogelberger acquired a good education in
the public schools of FosterviUe and in the St.
Joseph parochial school, and at the age of seven
teen began learning the carpenter's trade with HeUer
Brothers. He was with that firra as a journey
man worker and in other capacities for over
thirteen years, and the latter part of the time
acted as superintendent for much of the buUding
business performed by Heller Brothers on the
north side of Youngstown. For a part of the
time he was also associated with his brother.
Mr. Vogelberger then engaged in business for
himself, and the quality of his work can best

be indicated by a brief enumeration of some of
the more important buildings erected by him, which
include the residences of 'W. A. Thomas, John A.
Logan, Dr. A. M. Clark, A. E. Adams, Charles
Wick, D. F. Anderson, Mose Frankle, WUford
Arms, Philip Wick, Robert Bentley, Porter Pollock,
and E. L. Brown. Besides these might be noted the
Knights of Columbus Building and the Moose
Teraple, both of which were erected by the Vogel-
bergers organization, and finished the Auditorium in
the Butler Art Gallery, a very commendable piece
of work. Mr. Vogelberger is affiliated with the iElks
and the Moose and is a member'' of St. Joseph's
Catholic Church. His country home is at Board-
man. May 30, igoi, he married Albertine Beil, daughter
of John BeU. Her father was a pioneer of the For
eign Exchange banking business at Youngstowiv
Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Vogelberger : Edna, Coletta, Frank, Albertine,
Clarence, Rayraond and Richard Pershing. The
youngest was born on the hour of the day that
marked the armistice in the World's war.
Melville W. Cobbledick, chief electrician of the
Youngstown district for the Republic Iron and Steel
Corapany, was born at Andover, Ohio, April 7,
1877. His father, the Rev. Henry A. Cobbledick,
of English natrivity, carae to the United States in
1869. After corapleting an excellent scholastic train
ing at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois,
he entered upon the preparation for his ministerial
work, and in tirae becarae a Methodist clergyman
of note, traveling about as his conference dictated.
The Reverend Cobbledick married Martha A.
Broughton, of Cleveland, Ohio.
Melville W. Cobbledick, the younger of their two
children, received splendid educational ad-vantages
in his youth, attending school in the various places
in which his father was engaged in his ministerial
work, and corapleted his training at the celebrated
Case School of Applied Sciences, Cleveland, and
graduated from the electrical engineering course
with the class of 1898. Following this important
epoch in his early life's history Mr. Cobbledick
entered the service of the Ohio works of the
Carnegie Steel Company at Youngstown and re
mained with the corapany until 1901, in the mean-
tirae having risen to the position of mill or turn
foreraan. Frora 1901 until 1904 he was the turn
foreraan for the Sharon Steel Company, and for
a few years following was eraployed in that capacity
by several other concerns at various places, and in
1907 entered upon a connection with the Republic
Iron and Steel Company which has continued to
the present time. When he first became associated
with the corapany it contained only the Bessemer
and Brown-Bonnell works, and when the tube works
and open hearth departraents were built Mr. Cobble
dick was raade the chief electrician of the Brown-
Bonnell plant. In March, 1914, he became chief
electrician of the Youngstown district, an office he
has ever since filled. He is a member of the asso
ciation of Iron and Steel Electrical Engineers and
of the Youngstown Engineers Club, has membership
in the Youngstown Chamber of Commerce, is a

(j^^zn^ V^^^^<^i<P^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

149

raember of the Masonic fraternity, is a Methodist
in his religious affiliation, and politically gives his
support to the republican party.
On the 2ist of August, igoi, Mr. Cobbledick was
married to Edith L. Benjarain, of Kingsville, Ohio,
and they have had three children, Meville iRobert,
Clara Louise and Herbert, but the last naraed is
deceased. John McVean. It was a notable record of service
that the late John McVean, who died at Youngs
town, honored and respected, April 22, 1919, made
with the old Brown-Bonnell Corapany or Valley
Mills at Youngstown. He was with that institu
tion raore than fifty years. His principal connection
vvas as a contractor, much of the time in handling
pig iron.
His death occurred at the age of seventy-one,
after a long and busy life, filled with achievement
on his own part. It was also the great satisfaction
of his later years that his sons had attained posi
tions of honor and trust in various spheres of busi
ness and professional affairs.
John McVean was born in Canada March 7, 1848,
son of Donald and Catherine (McGregor) McVean.
His father was born in Edinburg, Scotland, and his
mother was of a Highland Scotch family. They
carae to Canada about 1845, and settled in Youngs
town in 1862. Donald McVean, who was a farraer,
died at Youngstown in 1879, while his wife passed
away at the age of fifty-four. Several of their
children besides John becarae perraanently estab
lished in the Mahoning Valley.
John McVean acquired his early education in
Canada and Youngstown, but a year after his par
ents settled here, in 1863, he went to work in the
Brown-Bonnell Rolling iMill. He was then only
fifteen years of age, and his employment brought
him in the course of time a thorough knowledge of
the iron industry. Later he becarae a contractor for
the corapany, and for many years had a large force
of men under him. WhUe he understood how to get
results from his eraployes, it was noteworthy that
he seldora had any disagreement or strikes to raar
his raanageraent. Mr. iMcVean in later years era
ployed part of his araple resources to follow a hobby
as a stock farraer. He developed a fine farm, known
as the Pleasant View Stock Farm, in Coitsville
Township. Sorae of his fine dairy cattle were prize
winners at fairs and exhibitions.
He was also president of the Buckeye Supply
Corapany frora the time of its incorporation, was
interested in the Gillen-McVean Company, under
takers and furniture dealers, and supplied financial
and personal counsel to a number of other local
enterprises. He was quite active in deraocrat poli
tics, though frequently an independent voter, and
for raany years with his faraily was affiliated with
the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and
served as a member of its council.
September 21, 1874, he married Miss Mary Jane
Raleigh, a native of iRome, New York, and daughter
of Richard and Margaret (Smith) Raleigh. Her
father was born in County Limerick, Ireland, and
her mother in Canada. In 1867 Richard Raleigh
raoved to Kansas, and was killed by the Indians

on the frontier. His widow played a noble part
in rearing her five young children and in giving
them educational and other advantages.
Mrs. McVean died May 16, 1910. She and her
husband were the parents of twelve children. The
nine stUl living are Margaret, who married Dr.
J. P. Kenney, Jessie, John, Mary, Donald, Raymond,
Joseph, Ruth and Edward. Three of the sons were
in the United States service during the World war.
Joseph I. McVean was with the Forty-seventh United
States Infantry in the Fourth Division, spending
eight months overseas and was in the great battle
of the Argonne. Rayraond, who was in training as
an officer at the Great Lakes Naval Training Carap
at Chicago, is a Chicago attorney in charge of the
Chicago district business for the Corporation and
Guaranty Trust Corapany. The son Donald A. is
secretary and treasurer of the Gillen-McVean Cora
pany, undertakers, furniture and real estate at
Youngstown. John A., forraerly a cheraist with the
Republic Iron and Steel Corapany, is now a physician
at Cleveland.
Edward A. McVean attended the Iramaculate Con
ception Parochial School and graduated from the
Rayen High School in 1916. He becsirae a member
of the Three Hundred Eightieth Infantry, but was
transferred to the Three Hundred Fifty-ninth Ma
chine Gun Battalion and was in training at Camp
Sherraan frora September, 1918. He now has charge
of the Buckeye Supply Company's branch at Kyle
Corners. Shalor H. Hedges, purchasing agent for the Re
public Iron and Steel Company at Youngstown, has
been practically the architect of his own success,
the force which has made him so well , qualified
for the position he now holds. Youngstown has
been his horae during the past nine years, but he
has been connected with the iron and steel industry
during a rauch longer period.
Mr. Hedges is descended from Connecticut an
cestors, and was born at Middletown in that state
on the 14th of November, 1876, his parents being
Shalor W. and Sarah (Taylor) Hedges. On the
maternal side he is a great-grandson of Colonel
Taylor, who served under Washington in the war
for independence. Shalor W. Hedges is yet living,
a machinist by occupation, and for about half a
century he has been associated with the W. & B.
Douglass Purap Works of Middletown. He is also
an honored veteran of the Civil war struggle.
Shalor H. Hedges, his son, spent the early years
of his life in the town of his birth and graduated
frora its high school in 1895. Iraraediately after
ward he becarae a salesman for a Boston wholesale
clothing establishraent, later going to Central Kansas
and engaging in the real estate and farm loan busi
ness, and in igoo, returning East, he became asso
ciated with the American Bridge Corapany at East
Berlin, Cohnecticut, as assistant store keeper, which
raarks the beginning of his identification with the
iron and steel industry. Later on he was made
cost clerk in the general offices of the corapany at
Philadelphia, and from there went with the corpo
ration to Pittsburg and became a clerk ' in the pur
chasing departraent of the Pressed Steel Car Cora-

150

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

pany in 1904. Mr. Hedges in time became the
buyer for that large corporation, and in 191 1 entered
the services of the Republic Iron and Steel. Com
pany at Pittsburg as the assistant to C. I. Sterritt,
who was at that time serving as the corapany's
purchasing agent. Mr. Hedges succeeded Mr. Ster
ritt in that office on the 1st of August, igig, and
is still the incurabent. On the nth of August, 191 1,
he became a resident of Youngstown, and has since
been prominently identified with its interests. He
is a member of the Youngstown Chamber of Com
merce and the Rotary Club, and he is also affiliated
with the Autoraobile Club, the Masonic Order and
the Elks.
Mr. Hedges married Florence Putnam, a daughter
of Harrison Putnara, a relative of Gen. Israel
Putnam of Revolutionary war fame. Mr. and Mrs.
Hedges were married on the 17th of June, 1898, and
three chUdren have been born to thera, Elizabeth,
Henry and Kathryn, The family are members of
the Baptist Church.
Edward H. Turner, president of the Turner Con
tracting Company, spent ten years as an assistant
engineer with the City Engineering Department. As
an independent contractor his organization has han
dled work much in evidence both in Youngstown
and -surrounding localities. One of the largest con-
tracis now being fulfilled is laying the Mill Creek
Park sewer. .They have a coraplete organization
and all the facilities for doing paving, street conr
struction and sewer contracting.
Mr.. Turner, head of the firm, was born at Youngs
town ".in., 1882. Sis father, E. H. Turner, Sr., was.
liprn.at Minersville, Pennsylyania, seventy-five years
ago and has been a resident of Youngstown. fifty-fiye
years. A shoemaker by trade, he was for many
years in the shoe business, and has also been a well
known figure in local politics. At one time he held
the post of tax coraraissioner. He. is also an honored
veteran of the Civil war, a member of the Grand
Army of the Republic and is affiliated with the In
dependent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of
Pythias, Elks and is a member of the Trinity Meth
odist Episcopal Church. His wife died in Youngs
town in January 1903, atthe age of fifty-five.
iEdward H. Turner first attended the Central
School, graduated from the Rayen High School, and
for several years was a diligent student of civil en
gineering, and had many practical opportunities to
learn his profession while assistant to Mr. F. M.
Lillie, Youngstown's city engineer. After ten years
with that departraent iMr. 'Turner engaged in con
tracting and has been in that business for twelve
years. His corapany has done rauch street contract
ing. They have utilized concrete, asphalt and brick
in street construction. The firm also built a warehouse
and did much paving at McDonald. Mr. Turner and
his associates have always pursued a sound and fair
policy in the treatment of their labor, and largely on
that account they have been able to carry out their
contracts in specified time and get results.
Mr. Turner married, in ig03. Miss Grace Schiller,
daughter of Dr. Silas Schiller. They have three
sons. Jack, Ted and Dean. Mr. Turner is affiliated
with the Masons and Elks, is a member of the

Chamber of Coraraerce and the Youngstown BuUd
ers Exchange.
Martin Lobinger, whose position as a resident
of Youngstown is easily identified by his extensive
work as a building contractor, performed during
the last twenty years, is an earnest and broad-minded
American citizen devoted to the institutions of this
country because here he found his chance in life
and by hard work and honest industry has deserved
well of his fellow men.
Martin Lobinger was born in Gerraany in 1873,
son of Conrad and Catherine Lobinger. His father
died in 1886. He received only a coramon school
education in Germany, and while there served an
apprenticeship as a stone and brick mason. He
came to the -United States and first saw Youngs
town at the age of nineteen. The next year, in
i8g3, he attended the World's Columbian Exposi
tion at Chicago, and then worked at his trade in
various parts of the United States. Mr. Lobinger
arrived in the United States with only three Ger
man pennies. It is evidence of his immediate thrift
and his ability to earn a living that he stiU has two
of those pennies. While working af his trade he
was a constant student of raany technical subjects
cpnnected with building, and his later success as
an .independent business man has been dUe not only
to his individual skill but to a broad and compre
hensive knowledge of his- business. For several
years he was employed by the old Youngstown
builder, Henry Niedermeier. In 1902 he began tak
ing contracts and since then there has been no ira
portant interval in which his personal management
and all the resources of his organization have not
been busy. He has erected schools, churches, busi
ness structures and residences all over this part of
the Mahoning Valley. He put up the Moose Legion
Club House on Milton Lake, and recently completed
the Moose Hall in Youngstown and also built the
South Side Bank. With Joseph Wilhelm, iMr.
Lobinger organized the Youngstown Cut Stone
Corapany, and that corapany has facilities to fill all
kinds of stone contracts except granite.
MiT. Lobinger married in 1902 Annie Marie Hillis,
a daughter of Jacob Hillis and a native of Germany.
Her people came to the United States when she was
a child. To their raarriage were born three children,
Alfred, Annie and Irma. The family are members
of the German Reforraed Church. Mr. Lobinger
has always been dutiful in casting his vote, but al
raost entirely as an independent. He is a member
of the Builders' Exchange and the Loyal Order of
Moose, but is primarily a home raan, most of his
vacations being spent outdoors in fishing and hunting.
John A. Sieferts is a building contractor, ex
araples of whose work can be found in most of the
states from the Atlantic to the Pacific. He comes
of a faraily of builders and contractors and the
Sieferts have long been a group of honorable and
highly successful business men of Youngsto-wn.
Mr. Sieferts was born on Marshall Street in this
city May 16, 1868, son of Frank and Frances Sieferts,
natives of Germany, but reared from chUdhood in
Youngstown. Frank Sieferts was a son of Fabian

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

151

Sieferts, who left Germany to escape the military
form of governraent and to better his and his
family's condition. Frank Sieferts, who died in
1897, at the age of fifty-eight, was a Union -strtdier
during the Civil war, frora 1861 to 1865, and among
other experiences was with Sherman on the march
to the sea. At the close of the war he returned to
Youngstown and engaged in the business of con
tracting, and thereafter was associated with many
undertakings and improveraents in this city. He
was liberal in his contributions to charities and
church, reared a large faraily, and for all his energy
and success he died a poor raan. He married Frances
Siebold, who died in 1918, at the age of seventy-six.
Of their thirteen children nine are still living:
Frank, a builder at Cleveland ; Louise, wife of
Frank Hamraond, a builder at iMedina, New York;
Charles B., of Youngstown, another raeraber of the
family identified with building and construction
work; John A., better known among his friends as
Jack; iEmraa, a graduate of St. Anne's and Charity
hospitals at Cleveland, and a trained nurse ; Joseph
E., a carpenter and contractor ; Mary, wife of Harry
Smith, a meraber of the police department of
Youngstown ; Anna B., wife of Michael Casey, a
machinist at Brier HiU ; and Susie, at home. 'Two
other chUdren, Caroline and Albert, died in infancy.
The son, Theodore, died at the age of twenty-eight,
and Agnes, at thirty -three, as the wife of Oliver
Oliver, at iNew York City.
John A. Sieferts received his early education in
the Brier Hill School. From school he went to work
with his father as a carpenter and during two win
ters was employed in the Witch Hazel mines. He
then engaged in the contracting business for himself,
and during the past quarter of a century has handled
an imraense volurae of business. Much of his work
might be found in New York City, Long Island and
Andover, Massachusetts. Other contracts niight be
mentioned in the far West. For nine years he had
his headquarters in Cleveland. Many residences
attest his enterprise in Youngstown. One of them
is the handsorae horae of Harry Hamilton, which
he both designed and built.
Mr. Sieferts married in 1894 Elizabeth Barnes,
daughter of James Barnes of Cleveland. He and
his family are members of St. Anne's Church, his
parents having been merabers of St. Joseph's. Mr.
Sieferts is a republican in politics.
Stephen Colucci is a retired contractor of Youngs
town, was one of the first Italian residents of the
district, and his career has been of far more than
ordinary achieveraent, experience and results.
He was born September 17, 1849, in the province
of Avelino, a mountainous section of Southern Italy
near Naples and within sight of Mount Vesuvius.
His people were cheese makers. He attended school
in Italy, and in 1872 came to the United States, land
ing in New York after a long and tiresome voyage.
He was. brought to Youngstown in the spring of
1873. A -labor contractor was the means of his
locating in Youngstown. This contractor was era
ploying labor to take the place of strikers in the
Youngstown district. However, Mr. Colucci was
not aware until some time later that he had per

formed the service of a strike-breaker. In those
days he was wUling to do any class of labor to get
a start. For sixteen years he worked in and around
mines. As one of the early Italians in the valley
and pos.sessing other qualifications therefor he na
turally became a leader among his people.
After his years in the mines he was employed by
Dan Monahan, a contractor, in the capacity of fore
raan, and within a few years began taking contracts
on his own account. At first these were small jobs
requiring a very modest outlay of capital and equip
ment. Later he did street work, and finally had an
organization competent to handle heavy and ex
tensive contracts. The character and value of some
of the work performed by his organization may be
indicated by a few definite instances. He built the
suburban line from Sharon to Youngstown and to
Sharpsville, frora Sharpsville to Wheatland, from
Newcastle to Herbert, and the Park and Falls line
from the Diamond to the Park. In his active years
he built railes and miles of streets in Youngstown
and put down raany railes of sewerage.
There are many circumstances that make his
American career noteworthy. On reaching this coun
try he was unable to speak a word of English. He
had talent in mastering the language, however, and
within six months of his arrival in "Youngstown he
was called upon to act as interpreter in a court case.
He" was also very poor, without the knowledge or
capital to make his services avaUable except as a
conimon laborer. The success of his undertakings
rnay be estimated frora the few facts above con
sidered. By hard and constant work he has araassed
not only money, but a reputation for ability and
square dealing, and is a man of fine intelligence and
is robustly American in all his ideas. His influence
has been steadily directed for a complete American
ization of all his fellow countrymen. Mr. Colucci
helped build the Church of Our Lady of Mount
Carrael, and has been active in religious and educa
tional work among the Italians of the city.
Before coming to this country he had married
Frances Agnon. After getting established here he
sent for his wife, who joined him in 1873. They
have five living children : Andrew, a contractor in
Youngstown ; Jaraes, Joseph and Antonio, all in the
contracting business ; and Ada, wife of Alfonse Sepe.
.of Youngstown. All are members of the church of
Our Lady of Mount Carmel. After obtaining his
naturalization papers Mr. Colucci cast his first
American vote in 1874, arid is believed to have been
the first Italian voter in Youngstown.
Fred E. Kling. As chief engineer for the Youngs
town District of the Carnegie Steel Company, Fred
E. Kling, of Youngstown, has been prorainent in
developing and proraoting the usefulness of the va
rious w-orks with which he is actively identified, and
thrpugh the plans which he has originated has ac
quired an extended reputation for superior skill and
abUity in his adopted profession. A native of Ger
many, he was born March 19, 1878, in Westhofen,
a son of Ernest and Lina Kling.
As a boy and youth Fred E. Kling attended school
in two towns, Steele and Wetter, He subsequently
served an apprenticeship of five years at the ma-

152

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

chinist's trade, in the raeantirae attending night
school, studying as hard as he worked. Thus pre
pared for more advanced studies, he entered a tech
nical school in Dortmund, from which he was
graduated at the end of two years, receiving his
diploma in iSgg. Mr. Kling then entered the Ger
raan Army, and for two years served in the en
gineering department.
Immigrating to the United States, Mr. Kling
located at Youngstown in 1902. Soon after coming
here he accepted a position as draftsman in the
engineering department of the Ohio Works, and has
since been associated with the Carnegie Steel Com
pany, having held various positions in the Ohio
Works. In his present capacity as chief engineer of
the Youngstown District iMr. iKling has planned and
supervised the buUding of blast furnaces numbers 5
and 6, the 43-inch and 40-inch blooraing raills, open
hearth and iMcDonald raills, and has also developed
the Dry Gas Cleaner, a rauch needed iraproveraent
that required five years of his tirae to perfect, and
is proving of inestiraable value to the steel industry.
Mr. Kling's plans to develop this cleaner are being
used at the Briar Hill Plant, and two are now in
use at the Cambria Plant and two at the Ford Fur
naces in Detroit.
Fraternally Mr. Kling is a raeraber of the Benevo
lent and Protective Order of Elks, and he likewise
is actively associated by raerabership with the
Youngstown Club of Engineers.
James E. Beebe. The Beebe faraUy of Warren
has been in America for over 270 years and in the
Mahoning Valley for over eighty years. The Araer
ican ancestor of the family was John Beebe, who
came to this country from England in 1650 and set
tled in the Connecticut Colony. One of his direct
descendants, who was Gen. Bezaleel Beebe, of Revo
lutionary farae, was the great-grandfather of the
present generation. General Beebe was born at
Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1741, was coraraissioned
captain of a company of Connecticut troops and
served in the Connecticut line in the Araerican
Revolution. He was proraoted to the rank of major,
his coraraission as such being signed by Governor
Jonathan TrurabuU of Connecticut, and it is still one
of the valued possessions of the family and now
owned by James E. Beebe of Warren. Subsequently
he was brevetted brigadier-general.
James Beebe, son of General Beebe, and grand
father of the present generation, was also born at
Litchfield, Connecticut, the date of his birth being
1779. He Served in the upper house of the Connecti
cut State Asserably, but later raoved to Ohio, and
died at Hartford, this state. He raarried Sarah Mc
Ewen, who was a direct descendant of the Scotch
Covenanters. Dr. Robert McEwen Beebe, father of the present
generation, was born at Winchester, Connecticut, on
April 28, 181 1, and died at Hartford, Ohio, on No
veraber 16, 1864. He was graduated frora Yale
University in 1835, and came to Ohio, locating at
Andover, Ashtabula County, returning to Connecticut
in 1837. That same year he returned to Ohio, in

tending to resurae his practice at Andover, but during
his absence another physician had settled there, and,
against the protests of many of the residents of that
settlement. Doctor Beebe declined to remain, so
pushed on further south and located at Hartford,
TrurabuU County. There he established himself in
practice and became one of the leading physicians of
all that region, where he spent the remainder of his
useful life. He married Hulda Case, who was born
at Norfolk, Connecticut. Her father was a member
of the Connecticut Legislature at the same time
that Jaraes Beebe was a raember of the Senate.
James Everett Beebe, of Warren, son of Dr. R. M.
and Hulda (Case) Beebe, was born at Hartford,
Trumbull County, Ohio, on June 2, 1848. He was
educated in the schools of Hartford, Farmington and
Cleveland, Ohio, and in 1870 he began an apprentice
ship in a raachine shop at Sharon, iPennsylvania, later
becoraing identified wtih the iron industry at Sharon.
In 1884 Mr. Beebe became interested in the manu
facture of furniture and novelties at Union City,
Pennsylvania, and in 1899 he came to Warren and
organized the Western Reserve Furniture Company,
which was incorporated in 1900, with Mr. Beebe as
president and general manager, which connections
he has since maintained, his company rapidly coming
to the front in this iraportant industry. Mr. Beebe
has other interests, being president of the Luce
Electric Corapany of Warren, and a stockholder in a
nuraber of the leading industrial and financial con
cerns, including the Peerless Electric Company, the
McLuer Luraber Corapany, the Warren BuUding &
Investment Corapany and the Union Savings & Trust
Corapany, all of Warren.
In 1904 Mr. Beebe was elected councilman-at-
large of Warren, re-elected in 1906, and in 1917 he
was again elected for a period of two years. He is
a raeraber of the Warren Board of Trade and the
Rotary Club and is a booster of the city in every
possible way. Well known as a Mason, he belongs
to Old Erie Lodge No. 3, Free and Accepted Masons;
Warren Commandery, Knights Templar; is a thirty-
second degree Scottish Rite Mason; and also be
longs to Zera Zem Temple of the Mystic Shrine af
Erie, Pennsylvania.
On April 17, 1877, Mr. Beebe was married to
Catherine Camp, who was born at Warren, a daugh
ter of Lambert Camp, a native of Pennsylvania, of
Dutch descent. Mr. and Mrs. Beebe have an adopted
daughter, Mary, who married Howard Luce, presi
dent of the Luce Electric Company of Warren.
Mr. Beebe is a man whose strength of will and
caliber of brain have carried him to success. A
student of politics, he is recognized as an authority
on public questions and has rendered his community
a much-appreciated service in an official capacity.
He is a man with a broad vision and is able to plan
for the future developraent of this region. The grit,
deterraination and enthusiasm he has put into every
venture with which he has been associated are re
markable and they have served to raise him above the
rank of the ordinary citizen and placed him among
the leading representatives of the best class of people
the Mahoning Valley has produced.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

153

Erle Leighton Flad. Well qualified not only by
native talent and acquired knowledge, but by prac
tical training, for the work in which he is actively
engaged, Erie Leighton Flad is rendering notevvorthy
service as superintendent of the slag department of
the Ohio Works and as special engineer of the
Carnegie Steel Corapany's plants in the Youngstown
District. A son of the late John W. Flad, he was
born May 15, 1886, in Easton, Pennsylvania. His
father, for many years a representative of the Mas
sachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, died in
igo3, while yet in the prime of life, having been but
forty-five years old at the time of his death. His
wife, whose maiden narae was Elizabeth Dietrich,
is now living with her son Erie, their home being
at 128 Park Avenue, Youngstown.
Having laid a solid foundation for his future
education in the public schools of Easton, Erie Leigh
ton Flad entered Lafayette College in Easton, and
was there graduated as a mining engineer with the
class of 1908. Obtaining a position under the Govern
ment, he went to the Panama Canal Zone, where he
spent nine months, obtaining valuable experience in
his chosen work. Returning to the States, he ac
cepted a position as chemist with the American
Smelting and Refining Company at Perth Araboy,
New Jersey. Coraing frora there to Youngstown a
few months later, Mr. Flad became hot blast man
at the blast furnaces of the Ohio Works of the Car
negie Steel Company. He was subsequently made
assistant superintendent of blast furnaces, and later
was promoted to the position of superintendent of
the slag department, iin 1917, as an appreciation of
his valuable service in that position, he was made
special engineer, also, of the Youngstown District.
In the perforraance of his multifarious duties Mr.
Flad has always proved himself perfectly competent
to overcome all difficulties, the results of his work
being ever satisfactory to his employers, and to the
public as far as it is concerned.
In igio Mr. Flad raarried Isabel Seitz, a daughter
of N. Seitz, of Easton, Pennsylvania. She passed
to the higher life in 1915, leaving one son, Williara
Seitz Flad. Religiously Mr. Flad is a worthy mem
ber of the Memorial iPresbyterian Church. Frater
nally he belongs to the Benevolent and Protecive
Order of Elks. He likewise is a raeraber of the
Youngstown Engineers, and of the Society of En
gineers of Western Pennsylvania.
William Griffin. A well known and representa
tive citizen of Mahoning County, Williara Griffin is
conspicuously identified with the iron and steel in
terests of this section of the country, and as super
intendent of labor and transportation for the Ohio
Works and the McDonald Mills at Youngstown is
filling the position with ability and fidelity. A son
of James Griffin, he was born August 5, 1866, in
Chipping Campden, England, where he grew to man's
estate. James Griffin, a farmer by occupation, spent his
entire life of seventy-one years in England, dying
in 1896. His wife, whose maiden narae was Elizabeth
A. Groves, died in 1896 also, being then sixty-six
years of age. Their family consisted of seven chil
dren, four sons and three daughters. One son.

Williara, of whora we write, and two daughters,
Bessie, wife of E. Haines, of Lakewood, Ohio, and
Sallie, wife of Newton Sumraerlan, of Warren, Ohio,
came to the United States in 1882, joining friends
at Burton, Ohio.
Soon after coraing to Ohio Williara Griffin worked
as an errand boy in Burton until finding eraployraent
in the Covington and Westlake raills on the rolls.
Subsequently as a puddler he worked in the raills at
Girard and Warren. WhUe a resident of Warren
Mr. Griffin served on the police force under George
Predraore, and in that capacity proved hiraself so
efficient that he was elected city raarshal of Warren,
with comraand of every precinct of the city. Having
raade a fine record as a public official he was raade
a lieutenant in the police force connected with the
Ohio Works at Youngstown, serving under Captain
Freed, whora he subsequently succeeded, becoming
head of the police department, or its captain. A sub
sequent proraotion placed Mr. Griffin in his present
important position as superintendent of labor and
transportation for the Ohio Works and the Mc
Donald MUls.
Mr. Griffin married Dora J. Hower, a daughter
of Eraery Hower, and of their union six children
have been born, but two of whom are living, Harold
L. and Richard W. One son, James, lived but two
years; Arthur died at the age of twenty-two years
in Pueblo, Colorado; Nellie died when sixteen years
of age; and Herbert, who died at Brest, whUe on his
vvay horae frora France, served with the Twenty-
eighth Division of Infantry, a replaceraent division,
detailed to look after the dead. Harold L. Griffin,
now working with his father in the labor and trans
portation department of the Ohio Works, was with
the American Expeditionary Forces in France, serv
ing in the supply corapany of the Thirty-seventh
Division, and though he participated in three major
engageraents, came home safe. Richard W. Griffin
is now a student in the South High School.
Religiously Mr. Griffin and family are merabers
of Saint John's Episcopal Church. Fraternally Mr.
Griffin belongs to Hillraan Lodge, Free and Accepted
Order of Masons, to the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, and to the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks, being a raeraber of the lodge at Warren.
His attractive horae is located at 1762 Mahoning
Avenue. John A. Hough. Possessing far raore than aver
age executive and financial ability, John A. Hough,
of Youngstown, who is also interested to sorae ex
tent in landscape architecture, is at present connected
with one of the more important industries of the
city, being president and raanager of the Hough Block
& Sand Company, which is located on the extension
of McHenry Street. A native of New York, he
was born in Chemung County in 1869, being the
eldest of a family of ten children. iHis parents,
John and Mary (McNamara) Hough, immigrated
from County Clare, Ireland, their native place, to
the United States when young, and having settled
on a farm in Cheraung County, New York, are still
living on their pleasant homestead, enjoying the
coraforts of life. They are members of the Roman

154

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Catholic Church, and have reared their children in
the same religious faith.
When but sixteen years of age John A. Hough
was graduated from the Elraira, New York, High
School, and for twelve years thereafter was book
keeper and financial raan for a large packing house,
a responsible position for a young raan. For seven
years thereafter he was engaged in the shoe, business
at Elmira, New York, and the following four years
he spent in Orange County, New York, having charge
of a large estate, on which he erected new buUdings
and supervised many other improveraents, adding
materially to the beauty and value of the property.
The owners of that estate were friends of H. K.
Wick, of Youngstown, who persuaded Mr. Hough
to come to Youngstown to take charge of the beauti
fying and improving of the Wick property. Accept
ing the offer made him, Mr. Hough spent fifteen
years in adding to the attractiveness of the Wick
estate, laying out walks, gardens and golf grounds,
and otherwise adding to its usefulness and beauty.
Giving up his position, Mr. Hough started the
Climax Block & Sand Company, which he subse
quently sold at an advantage to the Eagle Supply
Cqmpany. In 1918 he organized the Hough Block
& Sand Company, of which he is president and
manager, and has now a well-established and con
stantly increasing business. He has an up-to-date
plant, fully equipped with all the necessary ma
chinery and appliances for the manufacture of
cement blocks, and for the handling of gravel and
sand, -nothing having been omitted that would add
to its usefulness.
Mr. Hough married, in Elmira, New York, Cather
ine Madden, a daughter of Patrick and Catherine
Madden. Eleven children, five sons and six daugh
ters, have been born of their union, and all are
living, a family of which any parents might well be
proud. The names of this interesting family are
John J., Mary C, Louis, James, Justin, Martina,
Daniel, Helen, Sarah, Angela and Anna G. Two
of the sons, Louis and James, served in France with
the American Expeditionary Forces during the re
cent World war, and both returned safely home.
Mr. Hough and his faraily are worthy raerabers of
Saint Coluraba's Catholic Church.
David Robbins. Very successful in his realty op
erations, David Robbins has earned the right to be
regarded as one of the representative men of
Youngstown -by his honorable methods and public-
spirited sentiments. He was born near the border
of German Poland on September 15, 1884, a son of
M. Robbins, who is now a resident of Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. When he was only nine years of age David Rob
bins crossed the ocean by hiraself to join two
brothers who had already come to this country and
located at Monongahela City. After reaching his
brothers the little lad attended school, and con
tinued to raake his horae with them until he was old
enough to be self-supporting. His first employraent
was selling real estate for different parties, and in
time he was attracted to Youngstown, where he
has found ample opportunity to exercise his abilities
in this line of business, building up a valuable con

nection. For some time he worked in conjunction
with those who understood the development of ad
ditions and subdivisions; and since 1915 has han
dled a number of very iraportant transactions on his
own account. At present he is occupied with de
veloping the Goodridge tract adjoining the Saint Ed
wards School, which promises to become one of the
most desirable residence districts in the city.
.Mr. Robbins was united in marriage at Pitts
burgh, Pennsylvania, to Miss Sadie Goldberg.
They are members of the Rodef-Sholem Temple.
Mr. Robbins belongs to various Hebrew associa
tions, araong them being the B'nai B'rith. iHe is
very charitable, not only to those of his own re
ligious faith, but to anyone in need, and his name is
usually to be found opposite a substantial donation
whenever any subscription is taken up in Youngs
town. The. Odd Fellows hold his membership, and
value his connection with them. In a business way
he belongs to the Real Estate Board.
The business of providing . suitable housing ac
commodation is becoming" inore and more import
ant, especially in the more congested regions, and
those who are engaged in expanding these accommo
dations are not only showing good financial judg
ment, but are also carrying on a work that is public-
spirited, for without these the growth of any city is
necessarily restricted. Outside capital cannot be
solicited if there is no hope of affording suitable
homes for the additional workraen; conventions
will avoid a city in which no place can be made for
the entertainraent of the visiting delegates; and the
general traveling public will suffer if the people are
forced to go to the hotels because of a lack of
homes, thus occupying the rooms properly belong
ing to transients. Therefore the work of the ener
getic real estate man who specializes on developing
tracts of land into pleasant and comfortable resi
dence districts becomes of paramount importance,
and those engaged in it are recognized as public
benefactors. Both as a man and a citizen Mr. Rob
bins is living up to high standards and he enjoys
the full confidence of all with whora. he carries on
business. His offices are located at 411-412 Home
Savings and Loan Building, Youngstown, Ohio.
H. Preston D,\wson, who is raanager of the
Youngstown branch of W. W. Martin & Company,
sales agents for the Republic trucks, is an expert
engraver by profession and left that work only at
the call of greater remuneration in commercial lines.
He was born at Brooklyn, New Y'ork, in 1883, son
of James H. and Mary Katherine Dawson. The
Dawson family has lived in Brooklyn many years.
Mr. Dawson was educated in the Brooklyn High
School, and was a student at the Academy of De
signs in New York, taking a general course in art
and specializing in engraving. He was a member
of the Art Students' League. For sixteen years he
was one of the expert men on the staff of the Ameri
can Bank Note Company, the greatest organization
of its kind in America. This conipany has made
plates for printing raoney for many countries of the
world. Mr. Dawson specially excelled in the en
graving of faces. A few years ago he felt that his
interests were being sacrificed by too great fidelity

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

155

to his art, and he sought the larger rerauneration of
a technic commercial field. At that time he formed
his connection with W. W. Martin & Company, and
in June, 1918, assumed the manageraent of their
interests in Youngstown.
In 191 1 Mr. Dawson raarried Miss AUeen Finlay.
They have one son, H. Preston, Jr., and a daughter,
Aletta. Mr. Dawson is a Mason and a raeraber of
the Youngstown Club.
Nathan Ozersky. Araong the raany raen of
foreign birth that have corae to Araerica to escape
oppression in their native land, and have attained
raarked success in their business undertakings, is
Nathan Ozersky, of the firra of Ozersky Brothers,
bakers and wholesale grocers, located at 808 Frank
lin Avenue, Youngstown. He was born in 1867 in
Russia, a son of Isaac and Sarah Ozersky. In 1892,
after the death of his wife, Isaac Ozersky immigrated
to the United States with his family, settling in
New Haven, Connecticut.
Soon after his arrival in this country Nathan
Ozersky visited many places, seeking for a favorable
business location, and chose Youngstown as the one
best suited for the baking business, the natural gas
and other advantages appealing to him. In company
with his brother he established a bakery, opening in
1896 a sraall shop at 352 Boardraan Street. Doing
his baking nights, he delivered his products day
times, using therefor a two-wheeled cart made for
him by John Kuhns. Working up a fine trade, the
firm responded to the need of more comraodious
quarters, and moved to 347-49 East Federal Street,
where they met with the sarae good success, the
trade constantly increasing. In 191 1 the brothers
erected their present finely-equipped plant at 808
Franklin Avenue, and in January, igi3, their busi
ness was incorporated under the firra name of
Ozersky Brothers. Beginning on a raodest scale,
using a sraall push cart for delivery purposes, this
enterprising firm has very greatly enlarged its opera
tions, having installed a wholesale and retail grocery
business in addition to its bakery, and now uses eight
wagons in delivering its goods, not only in Youngs
town, but throughout the iMahoning Valley, its
patronage being extensive and exceedingly re
munerative. Mr. Ozersky married, in i8g8, Sophia Eidelman,
also a native of Russia, and they have one daughter,
Celia. Mr. and i\Irs. Ozersky and daughter are raera
bers of Temple Eraanuel, and are ever faithful to
its teachings.
Herman C. Haefke. Amply qualified by acquired
knowledge, training and experience with the require
ments of the raeat industry, Herraan C. Haefke, of
Youngstown, is filling the ' responsible position of
manager for Swift & Corapany's branch house in
this city, perforrhing the duties devolving upon him
ably and faithfully. A son of the late Frederick
Haefke, he was born September 11, 1882, at Brier
Hill, Youngstown, coraing on both sides of the house
of Gerraan ancestry.;
Coming to the United States in early manhood
from Gerraany, Frederick Haefke located in Ma
honing County. Turning his attention to agricul

tural pursuits, he bought land in Austintown, where
lie was successfully engaged in general farraing un
til his death, thirty-five years later, dying April 9,
1916, at the age of seventy-three years. He raarried
Hannah Neuraan, a native of Germany, walking to
Canfield, the old county seat of Mahoning County,
to secure a raarriage license. She is now living,
making her horae with a daughter in North Jackson.
Seven children blessed their union, of whom six are
living, as follows : Augusta, wife of Calvin Schisler,
an engineer at the TrumbuU Steel Plant; Lizzie,
wife of John Wolf, a roller in the Carnegie Mills ;
August iF., of Austintown, a farraer ; Lena, wife of
Charles Hackelrod, a farraer of North Jackson ;
Minnie, wife of Henry Ebert, who is engaged in
farraing at North Jackson ; and Herraan C, the
-subject of this sketch. One daughter, Frieda, who
died at the early age of twenty-six years, was the
wife of Louis Berlin, a steel worker in the Carnegie
Plant. Both parents were merabers of the German
Lutheran Church.
Brought up on the parental horaestead, Herman
C. Haefke first attended school at Brier Hill, com
pleting his early studies in Austintown. In igoi he
entered the Youngstown plant of Swift & Company
as a driver, and subsequently filled various positions
in the plant, becoming familiar with work in each
department. Being sent to Chicago by the firm, he
spent six months in the packing house raarket, and
was then proraoted to his present responsible posi
tion of manager of the company's branch h'ouse in
Youngstown. Mr. Haefke raarried, in igo8, Martha Heckle,
daughter of Louis Heckle, of Youngstown. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Haefke are active members of the
Wood Street German Lutheran Church.
C. F. Garrison. In point of service C. F. Garrison
is one of the oldest men identified with the Republic
Rubber Company of Youngstown. He is former
secretary and at present a vice president in the
corporation. Mr. Garrison, whose business career has been one
of continuous activity for over thirty years, was
born at Kent, Ohio, May 26, 1867, son of Charles A.
and Martha (Rees) Garrison, his father a native of
Ohio and his mother of Wales. Charles A. Gar
rison was a veterinary surgeon and spent raost of
his life in Kent. After attending the public schools
of his native town, graduating frora high school in
1884, C. F. Garrison also took a short course in the
-Western Reserve Academy at Hudson, and about
1885 began his business career as clerk in a grocery
store at Kent. Several years later he became an
employe of the City Bank, and in January, i8g3,
went to Niles as chief clerk of the Falcon Iron
and Nail Company. About that time the Falcon Tin
Plate and Sheet Corapany was organized with prac
ticaUy the sarae officers as the former corporation.
"Mr. Garrison remained in the service of this in
dustry. . Subsequently the two chief departments of
"the Falcon Corapany were absorbed by the American
Tin Plate Company arid the Afnerican Sheet Steel
'Company. With the latter organization Mr: (Harrison
went to New York as head bookkeeper and later as
auditor of disbursements. -

156

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

July I, 1904, Mr. Garrison becarae auditor of the
Republic Rubber Company at Youngstown, thus be
ginning a connection that has been continuous for
over fifteen years. In January, 1910, he was pro
raoted to secretary, serving in that capacity until
July, igig, when he resigned. He has since been a
vice president.
Mr. Garrison is a raeraber of the Youngstown
Club, and is a Royal Arch Mason and an Elk. The
only public office he ever held was in Kent, where
he was norainated and elected without his consent
to raerabership on the school board.
Louis Kroeck has had more or less association
with the automobile business since boyhood, and
during the past five years has developed one of the
chief sales and autoraobile repair plants at Youngs
town. He is president of the Stearns Auto Sales
Company, with salesrooms at 647 Market Street.
His repair shop is at 1934-36 Glenwood Avenue. At
the present tirae he is building one of the best
equipped plants for the automobile business in the
city, at Olive and Wick avenue.
iMr. Kroeck was born at Austintown, Ohio, Feb
ruary 18, 1888. His father, August Kroeck, an
honored business man and citizen of Austintown,
was born in Gerraany, where he learned the trade
of wagon and carriage raaker. Coraing to this
country as a young raan he was employed for sev
eral years at Youngstown with the Youngstown
Carriage Corapany, the plant of that corapany then
being located on the ground now occupied by the
Coraraercial Bank. He also worked in a wheel fac
tory at Taylor's Corners, and frora there raoved to
Austintown, where with George Ludwig he opened
a wagon and blacksraith shop. After buying out his
partner's interest he added a stock of hardware and
groceries and farra implements, and in 1913 began
selling automobiles, taking the agency for the Over
land cars. His business has prospered, and at the
age of seventy-three he is well to do and leaves the
heavier responsibilities of the business to a son. He
has served in an official capacity in the Grace Re
formed Church. August Kroeck's wife, Susan
Kroeck, is a native of Pennsylvania. They have
five children : Kate, wife of OrvUle Harroff, of
Austintown ; Williara, the associate of his father
in business at Austintown ; Andrew, who is Ford
agent at LowellvUle; Charles, associated with his
brother Louis at Youngstown.
Louis Kroeck attended school at Austintown and
practically grew up in his father's business, acquir
ing a knowledge of sales and technical work which
has been invaluable to hira in his independent
business career. He carae to Youngstown in 1913
and began selling the Stearns cars, with offices on
Boardman Street, and carrying a coraplete line of
accessories. He raoved to his present place in 1916.
He is also the local Marraon and Monroe repre
sentative. Mr. Kroeck is a raember of the National Automo
bile Dealers Association, the Youngstown Chamber
of Commerce, and is affiliated with Western Star
Lodge of Masons and the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. In 191 1 he raarried Leaniia Farmer, of

Salera, Ohio. Their two children are Dorothy and
Orville. Owen Morgan Phillips has had one allegiance,
one work, one enthusiara frora boyhood to the present
tirae. The institution that has absorbed his energies
and talents is the Youngstciwn Telegrara, of which
he is -I'ice president and business manager.
Mr. PhiUips was born at Hubbard in Trumbull
County July 24, 1880, one of the six children, all
living, born to iBenjarain B. and Mary B. (Morgan)
Phillips. His grandparents were Benjarain and Mar
garet (Edwards) Phillips. His grandfather was a
farraer, while his father was a salesman. Both
parents are now deceased.
Though born at Hubbard, Owen M. Phillips was
reared at Youngstown, where his parents located
when he was two years of age. He acquired a
public school education, suppleraented by three years
at the Rayen High School.
He was sixteen years of age when he found
his life work as an employe of the Telegram.
He began as a clerk, with a range of duties limited
only by the desires and wishes of practically every
other person at the plant, then his superiors, and
during almost twenty-five years of service has held
successively the positions of clerk, bookkeeper, as
sistant advertising manager, advertising manager and
business raanager. ^Moreover he regards with great
satisfaction and is deserving of rauch credit for
the fact that the Telegrara's growth as a newspaper
institution has largely occurred during his term of
service, advancing from a struggling daily to a
modern city newspaper.
March 3, 1915, Mr. Phillips raarried Miss Nell
Cadwallader, daughter of Harry L. and Charlotte
(Dow) Cadwallader, of Pittsburg. They have one
daughter, Mary Jane.
William C. Wallis. While still a young man,
Williara C. Wallis is one of the oldest employes
ill point of service of the Brier Hill Steel Com
pany, where he occupies the position of assistant
superintendent of the blast furnaces. He was born
at Girard, Ohio, on the present site of the Brier
Hill plate mill, Noveraber 19, 1887, one of eight
children born to the raarriage of 'William J. and
Anna (Jenkins) Wallis, a review of whose career
will be found in the sketch of William J. Wallis
elsewhere in this volume. WiUiara J. WaUis was
born near Girard, Ohio, and his wife in Wales, but
she is now deceased. For about twenty years Mr.
Wallis was on the school board at Girard, and at
this tirae is president and general raanager of the
Youngstown Foundry and Machine Company.
William C. Wallis was reared at Girard, where he
attended the graded and high schools, and subse
quently spent some time in Rayen High School,
Youngstown. When he was about seventeen years
of age he became shipping clerk and timekeeper
for the Youngstown Foundry and Machine Com
pany, succeeding which he learned the machinists
trade in the shops of the same concern and at the
Lower Union Mills of the Carnegie Steel Company.
He served, all told, at the machinist's trade about
five years. On October i, 1912, he entered the

OUfL^^C^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

157

employ of the Brier HiU Steel Company, first as
timekeeper, subsequently as payroll clerk, and then
as production clerk. iNext he was transferred to
the blast furnace departraent, first as burden and
furnace practice clerk, and January i, 1917, was
made assistant superintendent, under 'W. H. Gees-
man, of the blast furnaces. This has ever since
been his occupation. Mr. Wallis is a meraber of
the Youngstown Engineers Club and is accounted
one of the skilled and authoritative men in his line.
He has thc full confidence of his associates, the re
spect of his superiors and the good will of his
subordinates, and is generally popular with his
fellow-workers in the plant. He is a meraber of
the Masonic fraternity, and his religious connection
is with the Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Wallis was raarried July 2, 1913, to Miss
Grace E. Munson, of Vienna Township, TrurabuU
County, Ohio, a daughter of William C. and Loa
(Goist) Munson, an'd they are the parents of one
daughter, Virginia Munson Wallis, and one son,
William Jaraes, 2nd.
Andrew G. Egler. Inherent abUity, suppleraented
by thorough theoretical training and long and varied
practical experience, has made Andrew G. EglSr one
of the recognized authorities of raatters pertaining
to the open hearth production of steel in this coun
try. Mr. Egler, who is superintendent of the open
hearth of the iBrier HUl Steel Company, was born
at Saarbrucken, in the Saar Valley, Rhenish Prussia,
April 20, 1883. His parents, Nicholas F. and Mar
garet (Kunz) Egler, lived and died in Germany.
Andrew G. Egler is the youngest in a family
of thirteen children, of whora seven reside in the
United States. At the age of fourteen years, after
having received a common school education, he
began learning the patternmaker's trade in the steel
foundries of his native country and served three
years without pay in acquiring this knowledge. He
then made a special study of furnaces and combus
tion in order to further prepare himself for the
vocation which he had chosen as his life work.
During this period he had read rauch and heard
more of the opportunities afforded ambitious young
raen in the United States, and this was especially
irapressed upon his raind by reason of having rela
tives here. At the age of nineteen years he crossed
the Atlantic, his first horae being at Pueblo, Colo
rado, where he was employed at the heating furnaces
of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Corapany. After
about two years in that state he went to Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, as foreman of the gas plant of the
National Tulse Works at McKeesport, and from
there went to South Chicago, Illinois, and later to
Gary, Indiana, in the service of the Illinois Steel
Corapany. During all this tirae he devoted much
attention to the study of burning fuel from the
economical standpoint, finally, through this means,
developing into a furnace and gas expert. At South
Chicago he becarae general foreraan of the gas
plant, and at Gary served in the same capacity.
In 1913 Mr. Egler went to Buffalo, New York,
where for three years he was superintendent of
the open hearth gas plants of the Lackawanna Steel
Company. Three years later, in 1916, he came to

Youngstown as assistant superintendent of the open
hearth of the Brier HUl Steel Company, a position
which he filled until January i, 1920, when he was
proraoted to superintendent of the open hearth de
partraent. On first coraing to the United States Mr. Egler
took out his first naturalization papers, and as soon
thereafter as it becarae practicable secured his final
papers. While born in Gerraany, he is, in every
sense of the word, a loyal Araerican citizen and is
as proud of this country's traditions and history
and achieveraents as those of native birth with a
long line of native ancestry. In religion he is a
Protestant, politically he supports the republican
party, and socially he is identified with the Masonic
fraternity and is a meraber of Accordia Lodge No.
277, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Wash
ington Chapter, Royal Arch iMasons ; and Chicago
Commandery, iKnights Templar, and also holds mem
bership in Medina Temple, Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, all of Chicago. Mr.
Egler is not a politician nor an office seeker, but has
always been a constructive worker and stanch sup
porter of good raoveraents. He was married October
14, 191S, to Miss Mary M. Fuchs, of Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. Paul H. Zenk. Araong those now holding re
sponsible positions with the Brier Hill Steel Cora
pany who have been identified with this concern
since the year of its birth, 1912, is Paul H. Zenk.
A resident of Youngstown since infancy, he had
much experience of a practical nature with other
steel companies before forming his present associa
tion, and at this time occupies the important post
of construction engineer.
Paul H. Zenk was born at Koslin, Germany, No
vember 12, 1880, a son of Albert and Caroline
(Knuth) Zenk, the latter being a direct descendant
of the Canutes, famous Norsemen of reraote history.
Albert Zenk was a patternraaker by trade, and in
the spring of 1881, with his faraily, iramigrated to
the United States and after a short stay at Pitts
burgh came direct to Youngstown, which has since
been his horae. In coraing to this country the elder
Zenk had decided to make it the future abode of not
only himself but his descendants. He took out his
naturalization papers at the earliest possible date,
and from that tirae to the present has been a thor
ough-going Araerican in every sense of the word,
save in the matter of birth. It was no half-way
measure on his part, for he is an Araerican with
out the hyphen. He has followed his trade since
coming to the United States and for the most part
has been identified with his present firm. The
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Corapany. He and
his wife are merabers of the Lutheran Church.
Paul H. Zenk, the youngest of three children,
was reared from an infant in arms at Youngs
town and has always made this city his home. After
attending the public schools he entered Rayen High
School, frora which he was graduated with the
class of 1900, and following this began as a tracer
in the engineering department of the Ohio Works
of the Carnegie Steel Company. Later he took up
the profession of civil engineering and served under

158

YO.UNGSTOWN AND. THE MAHONING VALLEY

Charles Mackey. Later he was with the Youngs
town Sheet and Tube Company for some years,
and then formed a connection with the Republic
Iron and Steel Company, a concern with which he
was identified about the same length of time. In
both of these concerns he served in the employ of
the civil engineering departments. In 1912, when
he came to the Brier Hill Steel Company, it was
as assistant chief civil engineer. In 1913 he became
chief civil engineer, and June i, ig20, was promoted
to the position of construction engineer. He has
Ijeen identified with the great changes that have
transformed this plant from an unwieldy infant
to a powerful smoothly-working giant. iMr. Zenk
is a member of the Youngstown Engineers Club.
On June 12, igo7, Mr. Zenk married Miss Leatha
Longwill, of Indiana, Pennsylvania, and they are
the parents of one daughter : Loretta. Mr. and
Mrs. Zenk are consistent members of the Wood
land A\enue Lutheran Church.
Hon. Paul E. Carson. In the annals of Mahon
ing County no name holds higher rank than that of
Paul E. Carson of Youngstown, who occupies a place
of distinction in legal circles, and has served with
ability and fidelity as referee in bankruptcy for
iMahoning County since February, igi6, and for
Trumbull County since October, 1918. A native of
Pennsylvania, he was born January 22, 1885, in
Washington County, which was likewise the birth
place of his parents, Isaac N. and Margaret M.
Carson, his father having been born in 1855 and his
mother in i860.
Isaac N. Carson was most successfully engaged in
agricultural pursuits during the earlier years of his
life, and having acquired a competency is now en
joying life in Youngstown, where he and his wife
have lived since 1916. He is a democrat in his
political affiliations, and is a member of the Christian
Church, while his wife belongs to the Methodist
Episcopal Church. They are the parents of two
children, Paul E., with whom this sketch is chiefly
concerned; and Velma C, wife of H. C. Christopher.
During his younger days Paul E. Carson attended
school in California, Pennsylvania, and when fitted
for college entered the Ohio Northern University
at Ada, where he was graduated with the degree of
Bachelor of Science in igo5, and which, in 1909,
honored him with the degree of Doctor of Laws.
Going West soon after his graduation, Mr. Carson
spent the year of 1906 in Idaho, being in the en
gineering department of the Oregon Short Line
Railroad. Subsequently opening an office in Youngs
town, he has since been here successfully engaged in
the practice of his chosen profession, his clientage
being extensive and lucrative. Fraternally Mr. Car
son is a member of Monongahela Lodge, No. 461,
Free and Accepted Masons ; of Youngstown Chapter,
No. 93, Royal Arch Masons ; and of the Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elks. He is also a raeraber
of the Youngstown Club.. -
- Robert E. LeWis, chief electrician for the Brier
Hill- Steel Company, has been identified with ' this
corporation for the past eight years, having cora
raenced his connection .as assistant chief electrician
in 1911. Since IgiJ he hais occupied his present posi

tion. Mr. Lewis is a native of Youngstown, having
been born August i, 1889. His father, Thomas G.
Lewis, was born in March, 1866, also at Youngs
town, and lived here practically his entire life, being
for thirty-one years a worker in the iron and steel
mills, principally with the old Cartright-McCurdy
.Mills, the National Steel Company and the Youngs
town Sheet and Tube Company. He was in the
puddle department, and, with such raen as George
Swanton and others, was known as belonging to the
old school of puddlers. He was not content with
being raerely an ordinary puddler, but stood at
the head of the list. Mr. Lewis raarried Miss Annie
E. Elliott, and they became the parents of seven
children. Mr. Lewis was a quiet, unassuming man,
was a great reader, and in his way became excep
tionally well informed on all matters of a public
nature. While a republican in politics, he was not
particularly active as a worker, but invariably ex
ercised his right of franchise. " For three terms he
represented the Fifth Ward as councUman. He
died March -14, igig, and is survived by his widow,
who resides at Youngstown.
Robert E. Lewis was the fourth born in his
parents' family. As a boy he attended the public
schools of his native town, and after his gradua
tion frora Rayen High School, with the class of
1906, at once found eraployraent in the Ohio works
of the Carnegie Steel Corapany as an electrical ap
prentice. Later he served as a section foreraan of
the electrical departraent of that plant, and was
serving as such when he resigned to enter the em
ploy of the Brier Hill Steel Corapany.
Mr. Lewis is a meraber of the association of Iron
and Steel Electrical Engineers, the American Institute
of Electrical Engineers and the Youngstown En
gineers Club. Fraternally he holds raembership in
HUlman Lodge No. 481, Free and Accepted Ma
sons, and his religious connection is with the iMe-
niorial Presbyterian Church. As a voter he supports
the policies and candidates of the republican party.
George W. Haney. Araong the younger genera-
atioii of Youngstown's native sons who have achieved
business and professional success in the city of their
birth is George W. Haney, superintendent of me
chanical and electrical departraents of the Brier Hill
Steel Company. Still in' the early years of the
¦prime of life, Mr. Haney has already accomplished
much in his field of activity and is daily adding
to the equipment and knowledge that has made him
a recognized leader in his line of work.
Born at Youngstown, Ohio, June 18, 1884, Mr.
Hariey is a Son of Joseph G. and Addie iM. (Doug
lass) Haney, natives of -Cleveland, Ohio, and a
grandson of one of the early pioneer settlers of this
part of the State of Ohio. Joseph G. Haney was
here engaged in the real estate and insurance busi
ness and was a -well known and highly respedted
resident, in whose death, No-v'ember 24, 1914 "is
city lost a valuable and public-spirited citizen. His
•wife passed away in February, 1888, leaving two
chUdreri:' George W., who is the subject of this
review; and iP"raiik, his elder brother, whp died
iu 1895, at the age of seventeen years.
George W. Haney was reared at Youngstown

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

159

and in boyhood attended the graramar school and
the Rayen High School. When a little past seven
teen years of age he started out for himself m
the electric shop of the Ohio works of the Carnegie
Steel Company. He remained there, becoming a
section foreman eventually, and in fact filled almost
every position in the electrical department. In
1912 he entered the service of the Brier Hill Steel
Company as assistant chief electrician, and subse
quently was promoted to chief electrician. In 1916
he was made chief electrical engineer, and this
latter position he held untU June i, 1920, when he
was advanced to the superintendency of mechanical
and electrical departments.
Mr. Haney is a member of the American Institute
of Electrical Engineers, the Association of Iron and
Steel Electrical Engineers, the Youngstown Engi
neers Club and the Youngstown Chamber of Com
merce. With his family he belongs to the First
Presbyterian Church, to the movements of which he
has been a generous contributor. In his political
tendencies he is a republican and supports the candi
dates and principles of that party loyally. He has
had no desire for public preferment and is inter
ested in civic affairs only as a good citizen. iMr.
Haney was united in raarriage iMay 23, 1907, with
Miss Marion F. Forbes, of Lisbon, Ohio, and they
are the parents of one son, Joseph G.
George E. Mirfield. A raan of broad experience
and raarked abUity in his line, George E. Mirfield
has the distinction also of being an inventor, and
it was the origination of one of his appliances that
led to his connection with the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Corapany, where he is now assistant super
intendent of the rod, wire and conduit department.
Mr. Mirfield was born at Westgate Hill, Bradford,
England, July 28, 1875, his parents being Daniel
and Sarah (Beaumont) Mirfield. His father died
in 1885 in iEngland, where George E. Mirfield at
tended the gramraar and high schools, and in 1890
his widow brought her three sons to the United
States, settling at South Shaftsbury, Vermont. The
youth completed his education at the Burr and
Burton Serainary at Manchester, Verraont. After
leaving this institution Mr. Mirfield began his busi
ness activities as an apprentice in the raachine shops
of the Eagle Square Manufacturing Corapany at
South Shaftsbury, Verraont, this concern being the
first in the world to manufacture carpenter's squares,
rules and raeasuring devices of steel. He served
three years as an apprentice and was then raade
foreman of the machine shop and continued with
the same concern until igoi. In that year Mr.
Mirfield went to Joliet, Illinois, as foreraan of the
raachine shops and later as draftsraan for the
Araerican Steel and Wire Corapany, and eventually
became chief engineer of the enlarged plant of this
corporation. While at Joliet Mr. Mirfield invented
a device for the manufacture of wire fencing, and
in April, igo8, he was called to Youngstown to
superintend the erection and installation of these
machines at the plant of the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Company. In 1912 he became assistant
superintendent under Frank H. Nullraeyer of the
rod, wire and conduit departraent, and this position
Vol. II— 11

he has filled ever since. Mr. Mirfield is one of
the raost popular men in the plant. Having himself
traveled the hard, self-made road to success, he
can appreciate the efforts of others who are en
deavoring to better their condition, and has earned
and held the good wUl of those under his employ.
He is a Mason and belongs to the Knights Teraplar
and York Rite bodies and is also a raember of
Al-Koran Teraple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of
the Mystic Shrine.
On June 14, 1904, Mr. Mirfield was united in
marriage with Miss Ava E. Burnette, of Joliet,
lUinois, and they are the parents of one daughter,
Margaret Louise. Mrs. Mirfield is a consistent
meraber of the Presbyterian Church at Youngstown,
Ohio, and takes an active interest in its work.
Alfred E. Jupp. The entire career of Alfred
E. Jupp has been passed in connection with the
steel industry. His knowledge has been gained
through thirty-six years of experience, in various
parts of the country, but during the last eight years
he has been associated with the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Corapany, of which he is now superintend
ent of the merchant mill.
Mr. Jupp was born at Wyandotte, Michigan, July
6, 1869, a son of Edwin J. and Sarah (Hopkins)
Jupp, natives of England, where they were married.
The family carae to the United States in 1869, and
Edwin J. Jupp, who was a patternraaker by trade,
was appointed foreraan in a carpenter and pattern
shop of the Bay View Rolling Mill at Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. He continued with this concern until
it becarae a part of the Illinois Steel Company, and
at the tirae of his death, which occurred January
31, igoi, was foreraan of the pattern shop. His
widow survives him and makes her home at Mil
waukee. Alfred E. Jupp is one of eight children, all of
whom are living. He was born ten days after the
arrival of his parents in the United States and until
ten years of age resided with his parents at Chi
cago, where he attended the public schools. After
this untU twenty-three years old he lived at MU
waukee, and in the meantime, graduated there from
the grammar school. At the age of fifteen years
he began for himself in the store roora of the
Illinois Steel Corapany, later becoming a timekeeper
and then private secretary to T. W. Robinson, who
was then superintendent of the blast furnace of
the Illinois Steel Company. With a young man's
desire to see the country he went west to Colo
rado, and at Pueblo entered the employ of the
Colorado Fuel and Iron Corapany as foreman of
the merchant mill. About a year later he became
superintendent of the raerchant raill. This posi
tion he held until 1900, when he was sent to Lara
mie, Wyoming, as superintendent of the Laramie
Iron and Steel Company, which was a subsidiary
corporation. Mr. Jupp filled that position until 1912,
when he carae to Youngstown, Ohio, to becorae
assistant superintendent of the skelp and puddle mill.
In 1917 he was raade superintendent of the raerchant
niUl at Struthers, and has since served in this
capacity. Mr. Jupp is a raeraber of the Youngstown Cham-

160

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

ber of Comraerce and is a thirty-second degree
Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite and a Knight
Teraplar York Rite Mason, belonging also to the
Mystic Shrine. He was raarried Septeraber li,
1902, to Miss Nellie May Dean, and they are the
parents of one daughter, Eunice Louise. Mr. and
Mrs. Jupp are merabers of the Presbyterian Church.
DexTer Book Stephens. Six generations of the
Stephens family have resided in the Mahoning Val
ley of Ohio, where tbe name has been synonymous
since 1805 with integrity, honesty, industry and law-
abiding citizenship. One of the worthy representa
tives of this highly respected faraily is Dexter Book
Stephens, who for about twenty years has been en
gaged in the brokerage business at Youngstown,
where he occupies a recognized place in financial
circles. Robert Stephens (or Stevens as he spelled the
narae) came to Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1805,
and bought what is now the Isaac Powers farm, at
present within the city liraits of Youngstown. He
sold this property in 1817 to Isaac Powers, and
the tract has ever since been retained by raerabers
of the Powers family. For this property Robert
Stevens obtained a farm on the Jackson Gulch at
Science Hill, and there spent the remainder ot his
life. He had a son, John, who speUed his name
Stephens, and who, as a soldier in the War of 1812,
was a pensioner until his death. He went to a log
cabin school near the present Diaraond at Youngs
town, and during his boyhood saw many deer and
other wUd game which stiU abounded in this lo
cality. John Stephens was a farmer all of his life
until he disposed of his property in Cortsville Town
ship and raoved to a place known as the Asael Shook
farm on the McGuffey Street Road. His death oc
curred about 1874, when he was eighty-one years of
age. John Wesley Stephens, a son of John Stephens,
was born on the Asael Shook farra in 1824, and
passed his life as a farraer and carpenter, and also
taught school in his younger days. He raarried
Mary Book, a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Arm
itage) Book, a pioneer faraily of near Edenburg,
Pennsylvania, and they had two children : Dexter
Book; and Estella A., the widow of Calvin C. Ap
plegate. John Wesley Stephens was soraewhat of a
prominent figure in the early political history of
Cortsville Township, where he served as a justice
of the peace. He died April 17, 1861, just as the
CivU war began, and his widow subsequently mar
ried his twin brother, James Finley Stephens, and
died in 1885.
Dexter Book Stephens was born on the Asael
Shook farm, September 10, 1858, and was reared on
the horae place, securing his education in the
Youngstown graded and Hubbard High schools.
At eighteen years of age he taught his first terra
of school, and continued this vocation for twelve
years. He next was employed as ticket and freight
agent for the old Pittsburg & Western Railroad,
now a part of the Baltimore & Ohio System, and
after ten years of this service entered the brokerage
business at Youngstown, in which he has continued
to the present time, and for the past five years as

local representative of the well known firm of Otis
& Company, investraent brokers of Cleveland, Ohio.
He is one of the progressive and energetic business
men of Youngstown, of clear and far-sighted judg
raent and of excellent standing araong his associates.
As a fraternalist he belongs to Western Star iLodge
No. 21, Free and Accepted Masons; is a charter mem
ber of Robert E. Johnson Lodge, No, 614, Knights
of Pythias, and is likewise a charter raember of the
Knights of the Maccabees. He belongs to the
Youngstown Club and the Chamber of Commerce,
and is a raeraber of the First Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Stephens raarried August 4, 1880, Miss Kath
erine Worley, of Farmington, Ohio, and they have
one son, Wesley McKeown, who was born August
20, 1887. He graduated frora Rayen High School in
igo2, subsequently attended the Ohio State IJni-
versity, and later was graduated frora the Interna
tional Correspondence Schools of Scranton, Penn
sylvania, as an electrical engineer. He is now chief
engineer for the DuQuesne Light Company of Pitts
burgh, Pennsylvania. Wesley Stephens married
Sarah Wolfe, of Pittsburgh, and they are the par
ents of two chUdren : Dexter McKeown and Kath
erine A. This makes the six generations above
noted of this family to have lived in the Mahoning
Valley. There is not much out of the ordinary in
the careers of its raerabers, save that they have
been honest, law-abiding and reputable, and that
their actions have always typified the highest order
of respectabUity and public-spirited citizenship.
Carl L. Vinopal. Clearly defined purpose and
consecutive effort in the affairs of life will inevitably
result in the attaining of a due raeasure of success,
but in following out the career of one who has at
tained success by his own efforts there comes into
view the intrinsic individuality which made such
accoraplishraent possible, and thus there is granted
an objective incentive and inspiration, while at the
sarae tirae there is enkindled a feeling of respect
and adrairation. The qualities which have made
Mr. Vinopal one of the prorainent and successful
men of Youngstown have also brought him the
esteem of his fellow townsmen, for his career has
been one of well-directed energy, strong determina
tion and honorable methods.
Carl L. Vinopal was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on
October 15, 1864, and is a son of Vincent and
Elinor Vinopal, natives of Austria. The father was
but a child when brought to this country by an
uncle, who located in Cleveland. He became a fore
man for John D. Rockefeller in Cleveland, and,
later, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, of which place he
is still a resident. Though eighty-five years of age,
he is strong and active, capable of working every day.
His wife, who is nine years his junior, is the daugh
ter of Bohemian parents, the faraUy coming to this
country when she was a sraall child. They are
merabers of the Catholic Church. They became the
parents of seven chUdren, six sons and a daughter,
all of whora are living. In 1914 the worthy parents
celebrated the golden anniversary of their marriage,
on which enjoyable occasion all of the chUdren
were present.
Carl L. Vinopal, who is the oldest of the chil-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

161

dren born to his parents, attended the Mayflower
school in Cleveland, completing his studies in
Titusville, Pennsylvania. He learned the trade of
plumbing under 'William Moran in Titusville, Penn
sylvania, and for about si.x years was employed as a
plumber when he carae to Youngstown and was
eraployed by the Mahoning Gas Fuel Corapany. For
the past twenty-seven years he has been a resident
of Youngstown. After severing his relations with
the Mahoning Gas Fuel Company he forraed a part
nership with W. H. Peterson, now city plumbing
inspector, and S. E. Johnson, their first place of
business being on East Federal Street. The part
nership was dissolved when they raoved into the
Park Theater BuUding and Mr. Vinopal forraed
an association with his brother, A. iE. Vinopal,
under the firra narae of Vinopal Brothers. Frora
there they raoved to Wick Avenue, just north of the
Erie Railroad, where they continued in business a
few years. They are now located at No. 123 West
Rayen Avenue, and are well equipped for every
kind of a plurabing job, expert workraen and up-
to-date appliances being outstanding features of their
service. Their work will be found in raany of the
prorainent churches, schools, business blocks and
other buUdings in Youngstown and vicinity.
Mr. Vinopal has been raarried twice, first, in 1892,
to Nora Berry, who died within one year, leaving
a son, Rayraond R. The latter served in the
ordnance departraent during the World's war, be
ing in France over a year, a portion of the tirae on
the fighting line. For a time he was quartered in
Paris, being assigned to various branches of the
service. On October 27, i8g8, Mr. Vinopal was
married to Clara Belle Hill, the daughter of An
drew Hill, of New Castle, Pennsylvania, and to
them have been born two children, Francis, who died
at the age of fourteen raonths, and Madaline, a
graduate of the South High School.
Religiously Mr. Vinopal was forraerly a member
of St. Coluraba's Catholic Church, but later be
carae identified with St. Joseph's Church ; however,
at the present tirae he is a meraber of St. Pat
rick's Church. For a nuraber of years he has been
very prorainently identified with the Knights of
Colurabus, having served as the head of the fourth
degree for three years. He is also a lecturer in
that order and in many ways has been a loyal and
devoted meraber. He has paid considerable atten
tion to city welfare work and has consistently sup
ported every raovement for the betterment and ad
vancement of the city's best interests. Because of
his business success and his fine personal qualities
he has long occupied an enviable position among the
representative business raen of his city.
Thomas C. Thomas, general foreraan of the raa
chine shops of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube
Company at Youngstown, was born at Girard, Trum
bull County, Ohio, April 15, 1877, and is one of a
faraUy of seven children, of whora four are now
living, born to Thomas J. and Catherine (Davis)
Thomas, natives of Wales.
Thomas J. Thomas was reared and educated in
his native country, where he learned the trade of
blacksmith, a vocation which he followed at Scran

ton, Pennsylvania, after iraraigrating to the United
States in i84g. About the year 1850 he came to
Brier Hill, Ohio, where he worked for the Wicks
interests in the production of Coal, and later went
to Girard, where he was employed as a blacksmith
under Joseph G. Butler, who was then general
superintendent of what is now the A. M. Byers Com
pany. He eventually became a superintendent of
that plant and for thirty years continued as an
employe of that corporation. He was raarried at
Hubbard, Ohio, to Catherine Davis, and both were
faithful raembers of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
in the faith of which they reared their children.
Mr. Thoraas was a great lover of horae, and after
his day's work was done delighted in the quietude
of the faraUy circle, where his happiest hours were
spent. .The only fraternal organization of which
he was a meraber was the Knights of Pythias. In
his community he was known as an exemplary citizen
and had the confidence and esteera of those among
whora he lived. He died June 15, igi3, and was
followed in death by his widow February 10, igi6.
Thoraas C. Thoraas passed his boyhood and early
youth at Girard, where he attended the public
schools and served an apprenticeship to the raoulder's
trade. At the age of eighteen years he started his
business career as a raoulder for the Girard Stove
and Repair Corapany, and frora this employraent
went to the Girard Iron Corapany, where he re
mained five years working as a raachinist. For a
few years following this he worked with his father
around and araong blast furnaces, and in April,
igo7, started his connection with the Youngstown
Sheet and Tube Corapany as a machinist. He wa?
made assistant foreraan of the machine shops in
igi2, and in May, igig, was appointed to the posi
tion of general foreman of the raachine shops, a
position which he has continued to fill with spendid
ability. Mr. Thoraas was married August 30, igig, to
Miss Minnie Leitch, daughter of John G. Leitch,
a pioneer of the Mahoning Valley and a former
raeraber of the board of coraraissioners of TrurabuU
County. Mr. Thoraas is a raeraber of the local
lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
and of the Engineers Club of Youngstown. In
religious faith he is a Methodist, and his political
views raake hira a republican. WhUe a resident
of Girard he took an active interest in civic affairs,
and for four years served as a member of the village
council. H. Russell Hooper. A few facts frora the early
life of Mr. Hooper shows that he is a product of
the university of experience and that he has earned
success by deserving it. Mr. Hooper is one of the
best qualified raen in the autoraobUe business in
Youngstown, and is active head of one of the three
Ford agencies centered in the city.
His business is conducted under the name Hooper
Motor Company. He was born at Iron Mountain,
Michigan, December 4, 1885, son of Henry and
Gertrude (Belcher) iHooper. His father was a
rainer, and the son-at the age of fifteen, after getting
the advantages of the grade schools, also went to
work in the mines of Northern Michigan. He was

162

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

soon made office boy, and eventually rose to the
responsibilities of chief of the shipping department.
Leaving mining as a career Mr. Hooper went to
Detroit, and since then his experience has been
centered in autoraobUes. He was with the Cadillac
Corapany in charge of the cost departraent for a
time. His longest service has been with the Ford
Motor Company. He knows every detail of that
business, having worked from the stock room to
the credit department, was bookkeeper, paymaster
and chief clerk. Mr. iFord sent him to Washington,
D. C, as assistant manager of the Ford plant in
tbat place. From there he was brought to Youngs
town as assistant manager of this district, including
ten counties of Ohio and Pennsylvania, and with
supervision over fifty dealers.
When the new plan of selling was instituted by
the Ford Corapany Mr. Hooper took over the equip
ment at 2105 Market Street and organized the
Hooper Motor Company. Besides the Ford cars
and Ford tractors he has charge of the sales of a
combination between the Ford and other impleraent
makers, including the Oliver chilled plow, Roderick-
Lean Manufacturing Company's double disc harrows
and the products of the American Seeding Ma
chine Company. He has a large district,, includ
ing forty-five counties in Ohio, Pennsylvania and
West Virginia.
Mr. Hooper, who has been a resident of Youngs
town four yea.rs, is a meraber of the Automobile
Dealers Association, the Autoraobile Club, the Po
land Country Club, and is a Knight Teraplar Mason
and Elk. Septeraber 21, 1912, he married Miss
Marae H. Ratz, of Brighton, Michigan.
Dan Mullane, Jr. A keen-witted, energetic and
enterprising raan of business, Dan iMuUane, Jr., an
insurance agent and real estate broker of Youngs
town, has been actively associated with the develop
ment and improvement of the property in this sec
tion of Mahoning County, his special interests in
that line having been at High Park and Ingleside.
A son of Daniel Mullane, Sr., he was born Septem
ber 13, 1877, in Youngstown, on Williams Street,
which in those days was alraost literally "in the
woods." Daniel Mullane, Sr., was an infant of two weeks
when his parents boarded the sailing vessel that
brought thera from Ireland to America. He was
brought up in Cleveland, Ohio, and although he had
but meager educational advantages, he was a reader,
observer and thinker all of his days, reading
Shakespeare, history and the classics. Coming to
Youngstown when about twenty years of age, he
was employed in the mills for a long tirae, and as
a leader in labor circles and federations labored for
better raoral conditions and for the general iraprove
raent of his feUow-raen and co-workers. Eminently
trustworthy and level-headed, he attended all the
labor conventions, serving, usually as chairman, and
was also a leader in political affairs, but was never
an aspirant for official honors, although his influence
for good was always felt. iHe died in igio at his
home on Market Street, aged sixty-one years. He
married Annie Joyce, who was born near Berea,
Ohio, and is now residing at her old horae in this

city. Eight children were born of their union, aU
of whora are living, as follows : Mary, wife of Hugh
W. Grant, of Youngstown; Nell, living at home;
Dan, the subject of this sketch; Joseph, with the
Republic Iron & Steel Company; WUliam P., vice
president and a director of the Federal Export Com
pany of New York, which deals extensively in steel
products ; Katherine, wife of John Reidy, of the
firm of iReidy Brothers of the Cleveland Furniture
Corapany; Gertrude, wife of Paul Maline, who
served as assistant city engineer for twenty terms;
and Bessie, living at horae. Both parents were con
firraed in the Catholic Church and belonged to Saint
Columbia's Church.
Acquiring the rudiments of his education at Saint
Columbia's Parish School, Dan Mullane, Jr., subse
quently attended the Rayen High School, after
which he took a business course of study. Serving
an apprenticeship at the Brown-Bonnell Mills, he
afterward worked as a raachinist for ten years for
the United Engineering and Foundry . Company.
Resigning his position tliere, Mr. Mullane has since
been in the insurance and real estate business, be
ing now one of the raost successful real estate
brokers in the city.
Mr. Mullane raarried, Noveraber 28, 1911, Marie
Neville, daughter of W. J. Neville, of Youngstown,
and into the household thus happily established five
children have been born, Neville, iMartha Elizabeth,
Daniel III, Robert and Virginia. Religiously Mr.
Mullane is a member of Saint Edward's iRoman
Catholic Church. Fraternally he belongs to the '
Knights of Colurabus. He is likewise a member of
the Real Estate Board and of the Youngstown Coun
try Club.
Frank G. Trigg has been in the marble and cut
stone business at Youngstown for over forty years.
The business now continued by him at 13 Oak
Hill Avenue was forraerly conducted under the titie
Trigg Brothers, Marble Works.
Mr. Trigg was born in Gloucestershire, England,
November 24, 1854, and was a small boy when
brought to the United States. His parents were
Richard and Phoebe (Saysel) Trigg. Richard Trigg
with his oldest son came to the United States in
1871, locating at Brownsville, Pennsylvania, where
eighteen months later he was joined by the rest
of his family. Mr. Trigg was a rainer and was
employed in some of the mines of the Youngstown
district. In 1874 he raoved to Oreville, Pennsylvania,
and later to Elwood City in that state, where he
and his wife spent the rest of their years. They
were buried in the Oak Hill Ceraetery in Youngs
town. Richard Trigg was born in 1822 and died at
the age of seventy-five, while his wife was also
seventy-five when she died, in igo7.
Frank G. Trigg as a boy worked in some of the
iron raines of iEngland. After coraing to America
he followed different lines of emplosraient, and
learned stone cutting at Brownsville, Pennsylvania.
His brother Wallace worked at Olney, Illinois, but
soon came to Youngstown and opened a marble
shop. During forty years they have furnished mon
uments to many of the prominent old time citizens
of Youngstown. Their shop in 1877 was at Spring

0"^*-^ YTluJM^oi^^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

163

Common and Federal streets. For a building and
lot sixteen feet in front and extending back to the
alley they paid $12.00 per month rent. The same
amount of space in that locality today would bring
a rental probably of $1,200 a raonth. Frora there
they raoved the shop to the site of the present
Vindicator Building, having seventy-five feet on
Boardman Street and 107 feet on Phelps Street.
Later they sold this ground to the Vindicator Cora
pany for $10,000. Today it is worth at least $200,000.
From that site they carae to their present location
at 13 Oak Hill Avenue. Every machine and ap
pliance for raarble working is found' in this estab
lishraent, including traveling cranes. Wallace Trigg,
three years older than his brother Frank, has been
retired frora business and has lived in Pasadena,
California, for the past three years.
The first work Frank Trigg did on coraing to
Youngstown was cutting stone for the old court
house. In a business of large volurae arid cora
prising raany transactions in a period of forty-two
years he and bis firm have never had a law suit,
and have lost less than $500 in bad accounts. Mr.
Trigg is a member of the Chamber of Comraerce,
is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, Woodraen of the World, and is a raeraber
of St. John's Episcopal Church.
In 1^2 he married Mary Gerlach, who was born
at Youngstown and died in 1888. Her three chU
dren were Richard, a cattle dealer in Montana;
Charles, in the real estate business with offices in
the Stambaugh Building; and Frank, chief electrician
at the Tod plant. In 1890 Mr. Trigg married Mary
Williams, a native of Wales. They had seven
children : Bruce, who was through the war in the
aviation branch and at the close of his service was
employed in training a gun crew at Pensacola,
Florida; Fred, a dentist by profession, who held
the rank of first lieutenant and was an army dentist;
Ellen, wife of Fred Jones of Youngstown; Phoebe,
employed in the offices of the Republic Iron and
Steel Company; Mary, a teacher; iFlorence, in the
South High School; and Edith in grammar school.
Thomas W. Miller. In that class of contract
ing including the building of streets, sewers and
other public improvements, the firm of T. W.
Miller Contracting Company, successors to Miller
Brothers, Contractors, performed a large and im
portant share at Youngstown within recent years.
The firm of Miller Brothers consisted of T. W.
and George J. Miller. The latter died Noveraber
9, 1918, at the age of twenty-nine. Thoraas W.
iMiller is now president and raanager of the T. W.
Miller Contracting Corapany. He is a son of A. J.
and Hedwig Miller, natives of Sweden. The forraer
carae to the United States at the age of sixteen
and his wife in early childhood. They were mar
ried in Youngstown. A. J. Miller, wiho died July
S, 1918, at the age of seventy-two, was in earlier
years connected with Andrews Brothers at the old
coal raine on the Palmer farm, later was a com
missioner, and finally was a director of public serv
ice in the city government of Youngstown. For
many years he was a contractor, associated with
the firm of iNelson & Cochran, and was very suc

cessful in all his enterprises. He and his wife
were raembers of the Swedish Lutheran Church, and
fraternally he was affiliated with Hillman Lodge,
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and the In
dependent Order of Odd Fellows. Of six chUdren
four are stUl living: Mrs. J. A. Fithian; Henry
F., a draftsman; "Thomas 'W. ; and Fred. Ellen
died at the age of twenty-one and George died at
twenty-nine. Thoraas W. MUler attended the public schools
at Haselton and at the age of fifteen was working
under his father in a coal mine. His qualifications
for his present worls are based upon a wide variety
of practical experience. After mining he was em
ployed by the Youngstown Engineering Company
and served an apprenticeship as a raachinist for five
years with the Lloyd Booth Machine Company.
For two years he was engaged in civil engineering
work, and then took up the contracting and build
ing of state and county roads. His firm built
three miles of state road in Portage County, and
had a share in the contract for the construction
of the Youngstown Southern Sewer. They also
built many streets in Youngstown for the Realty
Security Company, the Mill Creek Land Company,
Cailor & Bate, and others. The corapany usually
eraploys about eighty raen, and has a complete
equipment for all classes of road and street con
struction, including four steam shovels. Mr. Miller
in igo8 married Helen Hallberg, daughter of A. J.
Hallberg. Their two children are Dorothy and
Thoraas W., Jr. The faraUy are raerabers of the
Trinity Methodist Church. Mr. Miller is affiliated
with Western Star Lodge of Masons, and is a
raeraber of the BuUders Exchange, the Youngs
town Real Estate Board and the Autoraobile Club.
Joseph Strock, Sr., pioneer settler of that faraily
in the Mahoning Valley, had a consequential life,
and some note regarding it should be included in
this edition of Mahoning Valley history, not only
because of his association with the early pioneering
efforts in the valley, but iaecause of the fact that
through him the Strock family has given national
railitary service in all the wars since the Revolu
tion. Joseph Strock, Sr., was a veteran of the
Revolutionary war, was at Valley Forge during the
winter of 1777-78; two of his sons saw active service
during the war of 1812 ; at least five of his descend
ants enlisted in the Union array during the Civil
war; and although authentic data are not available
at this writing, it is raore than possible that sorae
of his descendants took part in the Spanish-Araer-
ican war, and it is quite certain that sorae raust
have participated in the recent World war, for the
descendants of Joseph Strock, the sturdy pioneer
of the Mahoning Valley, now total to raore than
six hundred, and the faraily had for generations
been esteeraed for its strong patriotisra.
Joseph Strock, Sr., was born in Wurteraberg,
Germany, in about 1748, and was about nine years
old when he came with his mother, a widow, to
America. They were poorly circumstanced ; in fact
his raother had not sufficient raoney to pay for his,
as well as her own ocean passage ; she therefore
gave the captain of the ship in which they carae

164

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

permission to "bind her boy out" until he should
reach the age of twenty-one years, that indenture
being accepted in lieu of cash payment of the boy's
fare to America. It may thus be imagined that
the early years of Joseph Strock were passed under
conditions such as would bring him into sturdy
young manhood. He evidently was of sturdy man
hood for he lived to reach the age of eighty-four
years, the greater part of which life was spent under
the rugged, arduous conditions of the pioneer settler.
In due course he was a soldier of the Revolution,
was one of those who spent the terrible winter
at Valley Forge, and he lived to be the father
of eleven chUdren. He was a raan of strong pur
pose, and apparently of good physical vigor even
late in life, for he was about sixty-seven years
old when, in Septeraber, 1815, with his wife and
nine of his eleven children, and not less than eleven
grandchildren, he left Pennsylvania and, traveling
by "ox train," ventured into the wild, unsettled
territory of Ohio. He raust have been a raan of
courageous spirit, for such a journey would have
been quite venturesorae for a rauch younger man,
for the capacity of the ox train was of necessity
limited, and sorae had to walk, and, at night sleep
on the grass. However, the journey was eventually
accoraplished, and Joseph Strock, Sr., with his wife,
and children, and grandchUdren, settled in Austin-
town, which was then withiii the boundaries of
TrurabuU County, Ohio. There sorae tirae later
his sons John Henry and George joined them.
These two sons had been away frora horae on mili
tary service, the enrollment for the War of 1812
having held them in the national service. They had
not been able to maintain close communication with
their family while on active service and when after
having been discharged from the array, they re
turned to their forraer horaes, which were near to
that of their parents in Eastern Curaberland County,
Pennsylvania, they were astonished to find that the
Strock family, their father, raother, nine brothers
and sisters, their wives and their own nine children,
had all left the neighborhood and had "gone west"
into Ohio. Not having the raeans to purchase horses,
the brothers followed their relatives on foot, ancl
eventually were reunited with their folk. The
Strock faraily appear to have been loyal one to
another, and undoubtedly the sons took stalwart
part in the work of clearing the timber from the
property of their father. Eventually Joseph Strock,
Sr., "on account of his industry and economy ancl
the fertUity of the Mahoning 'Valley," became the
owner of an extensive acreage of good tillable
land, and before his death, in 1832, was able to
give to each of his eleven sons a farm sufficient
for the raaintenance of the latter's faraily thereon.
Joseph Strock, Sr., was a raan of coraraendable
thrift, was econoraical in all his ways, and lived
a siraple, wholesorae life of industrious tilling of
the soU. It is related of hira that one day he looked
sternly across the table at a grandson, who had
just spread both butter and applebutter upon a
slice of bread, and said : "Has your father got
two farras." Such an illustration indicates the
sturdiness of purpose, the self-denial, and the
economy the worthy pioneer settlers had to practice

in order to successfully carry through the hard and
unprofitable work of winning a home from the
wilderness. The Strock faraily has certainly good place among
the pioneer famUies of the Mahoning Valley.
George B. Snyder, the present postmaster of
Youngstown is a veteran of the postal service,
having started as a carrier in 1888. For many years
he has also been one of the leading editors and
newspaper raen of Northeastern Ohio.
Mr. Snyder, who served a previous term as post
master during the second Cleveland administration,
was born in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, May 5,
1868. His parents were Stewart and Mary Agnes
(Murray) Snyder. His father was a pioneer car
riage raanufacturer at Youngstown, conducting a
plant for a nuraber of years at Walnut on Federal
Street. Stewart Snyder was frora Troy, New York,
and his wife from iPennsylvania and they were mar
ried in Pittsburg. Her father had a hotel at Pitts
burg and ran the first bus line between Pittsburg
and Wilkinsburg. Stewart Snyder worked at
his trade as a carriage maker in Pittsburg and
frora there removed to Cleveland and in 1871 came
to Youngstown. He was a veteran of the Mexican
war, having been with the Ordnance Department in
Scott's army during the Mexican invasion. He
was an expert wheelwright and his duty was the
repairing of cannon carriages at the battlefront.
He entered the City of Mexico with General Scott.
Stewart Snyder was distinguished by a love of fine
horses. 'He sold Chauncey H. Andrews his first
brood mare. Stewart Snyder died in 1899, at the
age of seventy-nine, and his wife passed away in
1904, aged seventy-six. She was a Lutheran while
he was a Presbyterian and Master Mason. They
had a famUy of four daughters and three sons.
Those still living besides George B. are: Kate,
whose horae is on Elra Street, Youngstown; B. F.,
with the Youngstown Candy Corapany; and Hallie,
now Mrs. WUson, of Plattsburg, New York.
George B. Snyder finished his education in the
Rayen High School, and his first employment was
in the McKelvey store. After four years there in
1888 he was appointed a city mail carrier and a
year later was proraoted to superintendent of car
riers. In 1891 he resigned frora the postoffice to
join the staff of the "Youngstown Vindicator. In
1894 he was appointed by President Cleveland as
the Youngstown postraaster and served until 1898.
He then resumed his associations with the Vindi
cator, and for eight years was its city editor, con
tinuing until he again became postmaster by ap
pointment of President Wilson on January IS, IQU-
He still keeps up his newspaper work, being corre
spondent for the Mahoning Valley and Youngstown
departraent of the Pittsburg Dispatch. Mr. Sny
der is a deraocrat, a member of the Youngstown
Rotary Club, a Mason, an Elk, an Odd Fellow and
a member of the Royal Arcanum.
April 16, 1895, he raarried Miss Nettie Walter, a
daughter of Anton W. Walter, of Canton, Ohio.
They have two children, George B., Jr., and Mary
Louise, now the wife of George Taylor Evans.
Lieutenant George B. Snyder, Jr., now manager of

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

165

the Woolworth Store at Niles, Michigan, was
trained in the Central Officers Training School at
Camp Taylor, Kentucky, for the Field Artillery,
where he received his eomraission as lieutenant. He
is the youngest thirty-second degree Mason and
Shriner in Michigan.
Willis W. Glass, principal of the Warren
Township, TrurabuU County, school, a large school
needing nine teachers for its raore than 300
pupils, is widely know as a capable educator. He
is professionally well regarded throughout three
counties ; has for thirty-two years had active and
creditable connection with the teaching profession
in Mahoning, Portage and TrurabuU counties of
Ohio ; and for twenty-one years has been in highest
acaderaic responsibility, as principal and superintend
ent of schools. As such he is known and esteeraed
in North Jackson, Palrayra, Paris Township, and
Warren Township; and for three years he was
district supervisor of schools, with jurisdiction over
forty teachers. It will therefore be seen that Mr.
Glass's connection with educational development in
the Mahoning Valley during the last three decades
has been consequential. Personally, Mr. Glass is a
man of raany outstanding characteristics ; he is of
coramanding authoritative presence ; has a strong
personality ; and an intellectual bearing. He ap
pears to combine rauch of the physical excellence
of his father and his paternal grandfather with
the stronger raentality and inclination to acaderaic
pursuits of some of his maternal ancestors; but
his success as an educator has of course been
directly due to his own efforts ; to his own com
prehensiveness of preparation, which preparation in
cluded training in two normal schools, and to an
innate thoroughness in execution, and also of course
to a marked lucidity as a teacher and an apprecia
tive, tolerant yet constructive understanding and
supervision as a principal. Many qualities, other
than academic learning, are necessary to constitute
an able school principal, sincerity of interest in
the educational welfare of students being not the
least iraportant of such qualities, for to gain proper
results, the instructor raust first gain the confi
dence of his pupils ; and he must have an apprecia
tive understanding of the trials of teachers, as well
as a quick recognition of the quandaries that at
tiraes cause even the earnest and apt student to
act with seeraing and irritating stupidity. In other
words, a school principal must in addition to his
wide acaderaic learning to be successful, be a raan
of good coraraon sense and of broad understanding
of huraan nature. Such qualities Mr. Glass has
shown in his three decades as an educator.
Willis W. Glass was born in Palrayra Centre,
Portage County, Ohio, January 15, 1873, the son
of John L. and Lucinda (Gray) Glass. The faraily
is of colonial Dutch ancestry, early resident in
Pennsylvania, and four generations have now had
residence in the Mahoning Valley. The paternal
grandfather of Willis W. Glass originally settled
in MUton Township, Mahoning County, Ohio ; and
there John L., father of Willis W., was born in
1846. John L. Glass grew to raanhood in Milton
Township, and married there. He was a tow mill

worker, and soon after he had raarried he moved
to Palmyra Centre, where their son Willis W. was
born. Later, he settled near Pricetown, a haralet
on the Mahoning River, on the county line between
Mahoning and TrurabuU counties, and about two
railes frora the present horae of WUlis W. Glass.
John L. Glass is now in coraparative retirement,
but notwithstanding his seventy-four years is stUl
active and not aged in appearance ; in fact, he is
remarkably well-preserved, and has scarcely a gray
hair. His life has been an active one, and his
inclinations have been ever to mechanics. For such
problems he seemed to have a natural aptitude.
He has never been disposed to take part in public
affairs, and has never sought political office, al
though he is a man well esteemed in the district,
and might have had office in the local administra
tion had he so wished. He has been a widower
for four years, his wife dying in Milton Township,
in 1916. Their three children were : Albert, who
was a raachinist, and died at the age of forty-one
years ; Willis W., a review of whose life and work
in the Mahoning Valley is the main object of this
sketch; Elmer J., who is now a successful farmer
in Braceville Township, TrurabuU County, but who
in young manhood was for five years a teacher
in schools of TrumbuU and Portage counties.
WUlis W. Glass spent his early schooldays in
Pricetown and having resolved to qualify for en
trance to the teaching profession, eventually be
came a student at the Ohio North Eastern Normal
College at Canfield, taking a course subsequently
at the Kent Normal School also. He appears to
have been an apt student, for he was only fifteen
years old when he began to teach in a Trumbull
County school. His record of thirty-two years'
service as an educator in schools of Mahoning,
Portage and Trumbull counties, includes twenty-one
years as principal and superintendent. He was
principal of North Jackson School, of Palmyra
School and of Warren Township School ; was super
intendent of schools of Paris Township ; and for
three years was district supervisor of schools in
a large district, and as such was responsible for
the efficiency of forty teachers. He has for four
years been principal of the Warren Township School,
at Leavittsburg, about four railes to the westward
of the City of Warren, and has brought that school
up to a high grade of educational excellence. Ap
plication was recently raade for a graded-school
charter for the Warren Township School, which
has over three hundred pupUs and a teaching staff
of nine, and the directors are apparently well satis
fied with the administration of Mr. Glass. Mr.
Glass is evidently a man of much energy and in-
dustriousness, for, notwithstanding his acaderaic ties,
he owns and farras an extensive agricultural acre
age. He has two farras, one in Braceville Town
ship and one of 200 acres in Newton Township,
TrurabuU County, that farra bordering Portage
County. Upon the latter farra he resides ; and by
consistent, persistent, and well-directed effort has
brought that farm into excellent condition. His
success as an agriculturist has in itself been quite
appreciable, for in the course of years of personal
application, employing little or no outside help, he

166

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

has without initial capital of any consequence, earned
title to two rich and well-iraproved farras. He has
a fine new dwelling on the Newton Township farm,
and has at his hand modern machinery and good
general equipment for dairy farming. He has a
large bank barn, a sufficient silo, and many other
evidences of skUlful farming. His farming pur
suits, which he enjoys, have kept hira in vigorous
health, and his mental activities in acaderaic con
nection, have raost probably been all the raore ef
fective in consequence of his healthful hobbies. He
closely follows all developments in education, and
has given deep thought to the raodern trend of
public school education. He sees a need of a closer
attention to mathematics in school curriculum ; knows
the value, in raental discipline, of matheraatics ; and
deplores the modern tendency as not truly educa
tive. He sees a lack of thought cultivation, and his
philosophical mind brings hira raore and more to
realize that there is no royal road to education
that broadens. He is a raan of good Christian
spirit, and knows the value upon the youth of a
strict observance of religious practices ; and he fully
realizes the power of parental exaraple, viewing
the raodern inclination in parents to sabbatical laxity
as a raatter of grave concern to the chUd.
Politically, iMr. Glass is a republican, although he
has not actively participated in political campaigns ;
his life has been divided between academic and agri
cultural pursuits, the former of course predorainating.
His association with farraing, however, has caused
hira to becorae, to some extent, identified with the
functioning of the local Grange ; and, fraternally,
he is a Mason.
Mr. Glass has been twice married; his first wife,
whom he married in 1893, was Minnie Hudson of
Paris Township, Portage County. For sorae years
she was a rausic teacher and she was a woman of re
finement. She died in 1915, and in the next year,
1916, Mr. Glass married Edith Petry, of Tuscarawas
County, Ohio, who was also formerly in the teach
ing profession. The five children of Mr. Glass
were all born to his first wife ; the children are :
Ruby, who raarried Harry Miller, of Warren ;
Arthur, who graduated from the Newton Falls
High School, and is at horae with his parent; Ray
mond, a graduate of the same school, and now in
industrial life, a mechanic; Mildred, a high school
student; Mabel, now in the graded school.
Victor Olson. Thirty years ago Victor Olson
was hardly to be distinguished from other hundreds
of toUers around the iron and steel plants of the
Youngstown District. He could speak a few words
only of broken English, and probably the most en
couraging sign as to his future was his regular
attendance at night school after a day's hard labor
was completed.
Now and for some years past Mr. Olson has been
head of the Olson Contracting Corapany, and as a
contractor of roads and buUdings his achieveraents
are in evidence in half a dozen states.
Mr. Olson was born on a farra in Sweden August
I, 1872, son of John August and Elizabeth Matilda
Olson, also natives of Sweden. His father died in
1884, at the age of fifty. Victor was then twelve

years of age, and he was given the principal re
sponsibilities in connection with the home farm
untU his mother married again, in 1888., She is stiU
living in Sweden.
In 1888, at the age of sixteen, Mr. Olson came to
the United States. His first regular employment
was in the blast furnace of the Brier Hill Steel
Corapany at Youngstown. On arriving in America
he was unable to speak a word of English. During
his first six years at Youngstown he pursued the
unvarying routine of working in the furnaces and
raills ten and twelve hours and attending night
school when many of his companions were either
asleep or enjoying themselves. Every two weeks
there would occur a change from the day to the
night shift and in these alternating periods he would
keep up his studies in the day tirae. His first
wage was ninety cents a day. For fourteen years
he was one of the faithful and hard working em
ployes of the Brier Hill Corapany and the Youngs
town Steel Company, and after his skill and earnest
ness were recognized he was frequently promoted.
At one time he was assistant shipping clerk and
weighmaster. For three years Mr. Olson was inspector of
work for the engineering department of the City of
Youngstown. He resigned that position to en
gage in contracting for himself. In the early years
he specialized in sewer and cement construction, but
in later years his contracts have taken on broader
scope, and his business is practically country wide.
The aggregate of his business would count up in the
many raillions, and he has given eraployraent to
thousands of raen. At the present tirae he has a
contract in Youngstown calling for $250,000 worth
of raaterial and work, besides contracts in Akron,
Ohio, of equal size. He has just corapleted a $500,-
000 road contract in the State of Delaware. Mr.
Olson personally is big and strong, possessing an
unbounded supply of energy and has the hard sense
and the keen intellect that enable him to steer suc
cessfuUy among the many difficulties affecting the
contracting business. Mr. Olson had the contract
for the construction of the first ten railes of the Na
tional Road in Ohio.
He is a raan of many other business interests. He
is a director of the Home Building and Finance
Company, a director of the South Side Bank, the
South Side Savings and Loan Company, the Collat
eral and Loan Corapany, is one of the trustees of
the Builders Exchange, and is in partnership with
Peterson Brothers in raen's furnishing goods and
shoe store on Market Street.
During the past thirty years Mr. Olson has seen
Youngstown leap forward into rank with the first
of Araerican industrial centers, and his full influence
has been given to that growth and development. For
twenty years he has been chairraan of the trustees
of the Swedish Mission and is president of the
Scandanavian Republican Club. July n, 1896, hs
married Miss Minnie Emelia Linstrum, who was
born at Jamestown, New York, daughter of John
and Annie (Larson) Linstrum. Mr. and Mrs. Ol
son have six daughters and one son: Gertrude
Emelia, Mabel Elizabeth, Chauncey Emanuel, Hazel

— -^^S-^S^L-. <^2i^^«5?^>t>^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

167

Victoria, Isabel Ereika, Helen Mae and Burnice
Louise. Edward A. Grimm. Among the men of the Ma
honing Valley who, by what they have achieved in
business endeavor and for what they have done
and are doing for the welfare of the coramunity,
have earned honorable mention in the written his
tory of the valley, is Edward A. Grirara, of Warren.
For twenty years he has been a factor in the busi
ness and civic affairs of the city, and has labored
not only to get and to have something for himself
but to give soraething of hiraself for the benefit
of future generations.
Mr. Grirara is descended frora two old Penn
sylvania Dutch farailies. His parents were born
in Pennsylvania and there spent their entire lives.
His father, John L. Grirara, was born at Freedora
in Beaver County in 1842, whUe his raother, Mary
E. (Harpst) Grirara, was born in Mercer County
in 1848.
Their son Edward A. was born at Sharon, Penn
sylvania, March 7, 1873, and attended the public
schools of that city. Business experience began
for hira very young, first as a newsboy and then
as clerk in a store. In his nineteenth year he
engaged in business on his own account, opening
a store at Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. This he
continued to operate until 1902, in which year he
reraoved to Warren, and for the following eight
years was engaged in a millinery and art store
in Warren. In 1910 he disposed of that business,
gave up comraercial pursuits and entered the field
of real estate, in which he has since continued.
That business, considering the conditions in and
around Warren during the last decade, has been
nothing less than a real public service. His deal
ings were started on a raodest scale, rapidly grew
in volume, and soon expanded to include the build
ing of homes to be sold on easy payment. He
laid out what are known as Grimra's First, Second,"
Third and Fourth allotments, upon which he built
a large number of modern horaes, and by doing
so helped to solve in a raeasure the housing problera
which confronted Warren, and also contributed to
the growth of the city by enabling it to take ad
vantage of the industrial opportunities of the last
few years.
Aside frora his real estate and building prograra
Mr. Grirara has other interests. He is a member
of the Board of Directors of the Peoples Savings
Company of Warren and holds a financial interest
in several other local corporations. He is a meraber
of- the Board of Directors of the Warren Board
of Trade, and is a charter raeraber and was the
first treasurer of the Warren Rotary Club, is a
member of the board of directors of the "Warren
Automobile Club, and a member of Warren Lodge of
Elks. Soon after Araerica entered the war with Ger-.
many Mr. Grirara gave up his business entirely
and for the next two and a half years subordinated
his private interests and recognized for that period
no other call as iraperative beyond patriotic duty to
his country. WhUe thus striving to render all aid
to his government at home, his only son was "doing

his bit" as a soldier in France, and thus they were
a mutual inspiration to each other.
Mr. Grimra's first notable service was rendered as
county manager for the Warren Automobile Club
in that organization's war work during the second
Liberty Loan carapaign, his jurisdiction extending
all over TrurabuU County outside the cities of War
ren and Niles. The Warren Autoraobile Club or
ganized for the express purpose of performing war
work in the United States. The results achieved
gained for the club national fame and its exaraple
was copied in every state in the Union. Mr. Griram
was also county chairraan of the coraraittee duringthe
second, third, fourth and fifth campaigns and was
continuously county chairman for the War Savings
Stamps sales. In each carapaign his coraraittee
secured the full quota of sales allotted to it. Mr.
Grirara was also "big chief" of the "Strong Armed
Crew" later known as the "Wrecking Crew," an
organization which looked after all slackers and
other characters whose actions and talk became
obnoxious to patriotic people of Trumbull County.
His official work in these different war organiza
tions continued until January i, 1920. He also
rendered much valuable aid to the iRed Cross and
War Chest campaigns, and after the signing of
the armistice and the return of the soldiers, as
custodian of the Warren Armory, he lost no op
portunity to aid in relief and entertainment in
behalf of the boys who came back.
Mr. Grimm married Miss Etta Fox of Warren,
who is now deceased. To their raarriage was
born one son, Theodore H., who was araong the
first fifteen boys from Warren to volunteer and
enlist for military service in the World war. He
received his raUitary training at Carap Sherraan
and went overseas with the famous Sixth Regiment
of Infantry of the regulars as a private in Company
K. He was with Company K on the different
western fronts of France, where all of its officers
above the rank of sergeant were killed in action.
He accompanied his regiraent into Gerraany, the
Sixth having been the only regiraent in the Araerican
iExpeditionary Forces to do active duty in Germany
prior to the signing of the armistice. "Young Grirara
was on duty when hostUities ceased and was raus-
tered out of the service and discharged a first
sergeant. Hon. William Bishop Kilpatrick, attorney of
"Warren, has lived in the Mahoning valley all his
life and for over twenty years has been prominent
in the political and civic history of Warren and
Trumbull County. Three times he was elected
and served as mayor of Warren, was twice a raera
ber of the Legislature frora TrurabuU County, and
was a delegate from his horae county and one of
the prominent workers in the Ohio Constitutional
Convention of 1912.
This branch of the KUpatrick faraily is of Irish
stock and both grandparents of the present genera
tion were born in Ireland. WUliara Kilpatrick, father
of the Warren attorney, was born in this country,
was reared in the East, learned the trade of iron
raoulder, and in early raanhood carae to Warren
where his brother was at that tirae living. In War-

168

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

ren he married Grace Hull, daughter of an early
citizen in the Western Reserve. WUliara KUpatrick
died at Warren in AprU, 1914, and his wife in 1908.
Williara Bishop Kilpatrick was born at Warren
Septeraber 5, 1877, and graduated frora the city high
school in i8g6. iHis law studies were carried on in
the office of the late George P. Hunter, and was
adraitted to the bar in 1901. In the past twenty
years he has earned an enviable reputation as a safe
counselor, and while much of his time has been taken
up by iraportant legal cases he has also been generous
of his professional services in behalf of interests
that give little or no rerauneration.
In i8gg, two years before he was adraitted to the
bar, Mr. KUpatrick received his first political honor
when he was elected on the democratic ticket a mem
ber of the Warren City Council. He was then just
twenty-one years of age. He served a year and
declined re-election. In 1901 and again in 1903 he
was the unsuccessful candidate of his party for
mayor. While defeated he enjoyed the satisfaction
of greatly reducing the large republican majority
each tirae. In 1905 the party again put him at the
head of the ticket, and in that carapaign he was
successful. His adrainistration was efficient and all
that his best friends and supporters had predicted.
In 1907 occurred a strenuous and bitter carapaign in
which he was re-elected. Mr. Kilpatrick has the
distinction of being the first democratic mayor of
Warren since the Civil war and one of only two
deraocratic raayors ever elected in the city. In igo8
he was democratic candidate for Coraraon Pleas
judge. His republican opponent was also a resident
of Warren, and while the republicans carried the
outlying district and defeated Mr. KUpatrick, there
was a corapensation for the latter in the fact that
he carried his home city and reduced the republican
majority in the district as it had never before been
reduced. In igog Mr. Kilpatrick was elected as a deraocrat
frora TrurabuU County to the Ohio Legislature and
re-elected in igii, being one of the very useful raem
bers of two sessions. While still a member of the
Legislature in igi2 he was chosen to represent
Trumbull County at the Constitutional Convention.
In 191 5 carae his third election as mayor of War
ren, and he served at the head of the city govern
ment during two important years, 1915-17. From
this overwhelming evidence it is obvious to conclude
that Mr. Kilpatrick is easily the most popular raera
ber of his party in TrurabuU County.
In raany branches of ci'vic life he has also been
prorainent. He has been president and attorney of
the TrurabuU County Huraane Society since igo2,
and is a meraber of the Board of Trustees of the
TrurabuU County Children's Horae. He is a raera
ber of the Warren Board of Trade, the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
August II, 1905, Mr. Kilpatrick raarried Miss Dor
othy Robbins, daughter of Charles C. and Jennie
Robbins of Mesapotaraia, Ohio. They have a faraily
of four children : Bishop, Page, W. B. and Grace.
Wilder B. Young. In writing of the talented,
energetic and progressive men who have been
prorainent and influential in the upbuilding of

Youngstown, special raention should be made of
Wilber B. Young, a live, wide-awake contractor
who has been closely associated with the buUding
activities of the city for many years, and as one of
its busiest and raost popular contractors has erected
raany of its more iraportant and substantial busi
ness buildings and handsorae residences. A native
of Youngstown, he was born Noveraber 24, 1883, a
son of Arthur George Young, and grandson of
George A. Young, who spent a large part of his
life in the Mahoning Valley.
Born and educated in Baltimore, Maryland, George
A. Young as a boy of fourteen years came with
Colonel HUlman to Mahoning County, and here
learned the trade of a cooper and of a furrier. He
subsequently located in Youngstown, establishing
his horae at the corner of Charapion and Front
streets. He was quite a noted character in his day,
taking a personal interest in local progress and im
proveraent, and with his good wife being especially
active in church affairs and in the religious training
of the children, the first Baptist Sunday School
formed in the city having been organized at the old
Young homestead. He lived to the venerable age
of four score and four years.
Born in Youngstown on the parental homestead,
Arthur G. Young continued a resident of the city
until his death in 1910, at the age of fifty-six years.
Possessing artistic and mechanical abUity as a
youth, he studied architecture under a skilled arch
itect, Mr. EUis, and for a period of thirty-five years
was actively employed as a contractor, erecting
among other structures worthy of note the Stam-
baugh-Thompson Hardware Store, and many of the
attractive residences on Wick Avenue. He was a
builder in every sense implied by the term, and an
earnest supporter of all projects tending toward
the betterment of the coraraunity. Fraternally he
belonged to the Ancient Free and Accepted Order
of Masons ; to the Independent Order of Odd Fel
lows ; and to the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks. He was also a meraber of various other
lodges, clubs and coraraercial organizations, being
prominent and active in each.
The maiden name of the wife of Arthur G. Young
was Ella Pollock. She was born in New Brighton,
Pennsylvania, a daughter of Amandus Pollock, and
here spent her brief life, dying in early womanhood.
She was the mother of four children, namely: Wil
ber B., the subject of this sketch; Cora Dill, wife of
W. G. WUson, secretary of the Pollock Company of
Youngstown ; Myrtle, wife of O. E. Hawk, of
Youngstown, head of the firra of Hawk & Palmer;
and Elizabeth, who was the wife of R. L. Kernochan,
and died at her home in Titusville, Pennsylvania,
at a coraparatively early age.
Wilber B. Young acquired his early education in
Youngstown, and after his graduation from the
Rayen High School traveled extensively, visiting
different places in the north, south, east and west,
and as a contractor in various lines worked in
New Orleans, San Francisco, and various other
large cities. In April, 1918, he organized the Wilber
B. Young Construction Corapany, and has since
filled nuraerous contracts of note, araong others hav
ing built the Hippodrome Theatre; the Barrett Com-

ARTHUR G. YOUNG

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

169

pany Tar Products Plant; the Century Building;
the Jonathan Warren farm buildings ; the Strouss
residence ; one hundred houses, on one contract, for
the Sheet & Tube Works; and raany other prora
inent buildings.
Mr. Young raarried, June 22, 1912, Miss LiUian,
daughter of Daniel Gordon, of the Carnegie Steel
Plant, and they have two chUdren, Alicean and
Wilber B., Jr. Fraternally Mr. Young is a raeraber
of the Benevolent and iProtective Order of Elks,
and likewise of the Youngstown Country Club, the
Charaber of Coraraerce, and the Youngstown Club.
Edwin Clyde Ferguson is owner and proprietor
of the Rexall Drug Store at NUes. He is a phar
macist by profession, and was connected with a num
ber of drug establishments in the Mahoning Valley
before he engaged in business for hiraself. He takes
pride in his work, and has one of the best systera-
atized as well as one of the raost prosperous establish
ments of the kind in TrurabuU County.
Mr. Ferguson was born at UhrichsviUe, Ohio,
March 28, 1881, son of Samuel P. and Sarah (John
son) Ferguson. His father was born in 1857 and
his mother in 1863. Samuel P. Ferguson has spent
most of his life as a farmer in Lawrence County,
Pennsylvania. For several years he lived at Uhrichs-
vUle, Ohio, and then returned to his farra and is
now retired at Mount Jackson, Pennsylvania. Be
sides his interests as a farraer he has served as tax
collector in Lawrence County, and has always ex
ercised much influence in republican politics in his
section of the country. He is affiliated with the
Knights of Pythias. Sarauel Ferguson and wife have
two children, Edwin Clyde and Mary, who lives at
Hillville, Pennsylvania, the widow of Ira Baird.
Edwin Clyde Ferguson did not reraain on the
farm long. He graduated frora the Mount Jackson
High School, attended the Slippery Rock State
Normal, and studied pharmacy in the Ohio Northern
University at Ada. He was in Youngstown for
sorae tirae, with the Krauters Drug Store and the
Fred Gibson Drug Corapany. In 1902 he becarae
associated with E. H. Lotze at Girard, and then
came to Niles. For a tirae he was in the B. F.
Griffith store, following which for nine years he was
a partner in the firra of Kennedy & Ferguson. When
the partnership was dissolved he purchased his part
ner's interest and engaged in business for himself.
Like other stores of the kind the Rexall at Niles
specializes in high class drugs, and with its various
departments it is one of the best stores and most
liberally patronized by the public.
Mr. Ferguson is also a director of the McKinley
Savings & Loan Corapany. He is a republican, is
a Knight Templar Mason, is affiliated with Al Koran
Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Cleveland, and
belongs to the Elks and Knights of Pythias. In 1905
he married Edna L. Adams, a daughter of F. R.
Adams. They have two daughters, Katherine and
Martha. Mr. and Mrs. F.erguson are merabers of
the Methodist Church.
Frank Asa Doughton, the present trustee of
Hubbard Township, is a practical business raan as
well as a successful farraer and is widely known as

such in TrurabuU County. He assuraed business
responsibilities when a raere youth, and has always
been in direct contact with large affairs and has
shown a steadily increasing public spirit in every
thing that concerns the welfare of his locality. He
taught school for a number of years in the vicinity
of Hubbard.
Mr. Doughton, whose home is six railes northeast
of Youngstown, was born in Hubbard Township on
the Youngstown-Hubbard road, February 17, 1863.
His birthplace was the first settleraent in Trumbull
County of grandfather David Doughton. David
Doughton was a soldier in the War of 1812 and a
man of a great deal of enterprise and spirit, suffi
cient evidence of which is found in the fact that he
died at Fort Laramie, Wyoraing, while en route to
California in pioneer days in 1849, being at that tirae
seventy-nine years of age. A raonuraent has since
been erected to his raeraory in Hubbard. The old
brick house he built is still standing.
Stephen Doughton, father of Frank Asa, was a
natural business executive and his interests were
widely diversified. He owned a nuraber of farms,
including the Jewell farra on Doughton road. For
a nuraber of years he lived at Lisbon, Ohio, and
.was also an iron producer at Leetonia, being a raem
ber of the firm Charaberlain, Mathers & Doughton.
He was a close friend of J. G. Butler and raoved in
a circle with raany of the prominent business men
of the day. He exploited a number of coal fields,
finding and testing out new fields, and after proving
their value leased them for operations to practical
miners. He became owner of the North farm, a
part of the five hundred acre tract acquired by the
pioneer, George North. This also included the
Bussey farra, where Frank Asa Doughton lives.
Frora Lisbon Stephen Doughton raoved to the Jewell
farra, and carried on business on a large scale. He
frequently had a hundred cows, many horses and
other livestock. He established and operated a cheese
factory, buying much milk frora other producers as
well as that produced in his own dairy. He received
large royalties frora the Brookfield coal mines, and
in early life was a luraber raanufacturer, operating
three mUls over a large area. He made a practice
of buying timber tracts and converting thera into
lumber. Stephen Doughton was a man above the
ordinary in intelligence, and possessed a college
education acquired in Allegheny College at MeadvUle,
Pennsylvania. He was a sound thinker and could
express himself well in public addresses, and fre
quently took the sturap during political carapaigns.
iHe was a deraocrat and at one tirae a friend of the
prorainent Ohio democrat Vollandingham. He be
lieved in good schools, served a number of terras
on school boards, and in early life was a raeraber
of the Disciples Church, but in Lisbon belonged to
the Baptist denoraination.
Stephen Doughton raarried Eraeline Waldorf, of
Brookfield Township, where she was born, a daugh
ter of Asa Waldorf. She died at Lisbon in the fall
of 1865. Stephen Doughton was born April 10,
1823, and died March 28, igog, at the age of eighty-
six. His later wife was Mrs. Jesse Jones, and they
had a child, Stephen, now a newspaper man in New
York City. By the first raarriage there were seven

170

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

children : Charles David, who remained on the farra
and died at the age of thirty-two ; Andrew, who at
the age of thirteen was drowned while saving the
life of a corapanion; Eraraa, who died in childhood;
Clara Alice, who became the wife of Doctor Graham,
of Lisbon, and both are now deceased ; Harriet, Mrs.
William Wallace, of Youngstown ; Frank A. ; and
John, a contractor and owner of the old Jewell farm,
living at Hubbard.
Frank Asa Doughton was twelve years of age
when the faraily raoved to the Jewell farra. He
had attended the schools at Lisbon, and after cora
pleting his education he was comraissioned with rap
idly increasing responsibilities by his father in look
ing after several farras. At his father's death he.
was appointed administrator of the estate, one of
the largest of the township. Mr. Doughton acquired
as his share the Bussey farra of a hundred forty
acres, and has raade that the scene of a busy life.
One iraportant feature is a large orchard, principally
peaches, and fruit culture has been profitable in his
experience. He also kept a dairy and operated a
milk route in Youngstown, had been a breeder of
Shorthorn cattle, and especially during his father's
lifetime bred and trained raany fine trotting horses.
His father always enjoyed a fine looking horse. Mr.
Doughton enjoys all clean sports and nothing better
than a good horse race. Besides the business of his
farra he is a road contractor, and has done his share
toward constructing sorae of the good roads in
Hubbard and Liberty townships. Politically he is
independent, and was recently elected township
trustee. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias
Lodge at Coalburg, serving as trustee of the local
lodge for several years, and has also attended ses
sions of the Grand Lodge.
At the age of twenty-one he married Martha
Walters, of Coalburg, a Hubbard Township girl.
Five chUdren were born to their marriage. Wallace,
who is in the welfare department of the Brier HUl
Iron & Steel Company; Clara, who lives at Sharon,
Pennsylvania, where her husband, Thomas Harris,
is yardmaster for the Erie Railway and is also vice
president of the Gas Corapany at McKeesport;
Harriet, wife of Archibald Brown, a draftsraan in
Youngstown, her horae being with Mr. Doughton;
Bettie, eraployed in an office at Sharon ; and Stephen,
who is with the Truscon Company at Youngstown.
Lynn B. Dana. The Dana family has been
prorainent in the Mahoning Valley for three genera
tions. The faraily is of New iEngland stock, and
has given to the world a number of raen who were
leaders in the arts, education, journalism and the
ministry. Professor Dana of Yale University, and
Charles A. Dana of the New York Sun were of
this family.
The New England ancestor was Jacob Dana, of
Pomfret, Connecticut. His son, Andrew, was a na
tive of Connecticut, and figured prominently in the
local history of that state. Daniel, son of Andrew,
was killed in the battle of Wyoraing. His son, Daniel
II, who was also born in Connecticut, was graduated
frora Yale College in 1782, and started, west to
Warren, Ohio, in i82g, undertaking the long journey
with his faraUy in a wagon. While en route, his

wife died at Girard, Pennsylvania, and burying her
by the roadside, he returned to Connecticut, and it
was not until the following year, that he again set
out for Warren. However, he did not settle at
"Warren after all, but at West Farraington, in Trum
bull County.
Junius Dana, son of Daniel II, was born in New
Hampshire, and Came to Warren, Ohio, in 1830, and
for many years was a leading man in the Mahoning
Valley. He was Warren's leading school teacher
from 1840 to 1848; he was one of the promoters
and organizers, and also a director, of the Cleveland
& Mahoning Railway, which was the first railroad
to be built to run through TrurabuU County, and is
now included as a part of the Erie Railroad System.
He was a director of the old First National Bank
of Warren, and was cofounder of and secretary of
the Dana iMusical Institute of Warren. For a time
he was financially interested with Charles A. Dana
in the publication of the New York Sun. The
death of this representative man occurred at Warren
in igo7. . His wife, Martha (Potter) Dana, died at
Warren in 1887.
Prof. WiUiara Henry Dana, son of Junius and
Martha (Potter) Dana, was born at Warren, Ohio,
on June lO, 1846, and became a most distinguished
educator, author and lecturer on the subject of
music. iHe was academically educated in the Warren
public schools and WUliston Serainary at WUliston,
Massachusetts. In 1862 he left the Warren High
School and enlisted for service in the war between
the states, and served his first enlistraent in the
One Hundred and Seventy-First Ohio Volunteer In
fantry Regulars, being in the West under General
Burbridge", and in the Shenandoah Valley under
General Hancock. At different tiraes he was at
tached to the staffs of Generals Hancock, Brooks
and Shoeff. When the war was over iProfessor
Dana took up the study of rausic under leading
eastern raasters, and then was engaged in teaching
rausic at Warren for a nuraber of years. Later he
studied rausic at Berlin, Gerraany, and the Royal
Acaderay of Music, London, iEngland, from which
he received a diploraa.
In 1869 Professor Dana returned to Warren and
established the Dana Musical Institute, which was
developed into what is now one of the raost famous
schools of rausic in the world, through his efforts
and enthusiasra. In 1880 he traveled abroad, visit
ing Scandinavia, Russia and other parts of Europe
arid in the Arctic regions. The Dana Musical In
stitute was but a raodest institution at the time of
its foundation, but it grew in size and farae from
year to year until it was and is now recognized as
one of four of the greatest schools of music in the
world, and today is the only university of the world
where daily instructions are given in every branch
of musical education. It is the only school of music
supporting its own string quartette, string orchestra,
symphony orchestra, railitary . concert band and
chorus, with a staff of fourteen, and an enrollment
representing e\'ery state in the Union, Canada,
Hawaii, Cuba, and the Philippines.
Professor Dana won distinction not alone as an
instructor of rausic, but also both as an author and
lecturer on rausical topics. He was the author of

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

171

several volumes, all of which are today standard
text books on music. He was American editor of
the "Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians," pub
lished at Glasgow, Scotland; he assisted in the
preparation of other works, and was a contributor to
magazine literature. He was a meraber of the Na
tional Educational Association and read a paper be
fore that organization. One of the three who
founded the Music Teachers' National Association,
he served it as treasurer for a nuraber of years. He
was a graduate of the American College of Musi
cians and one of its executives; a fellow of the
Royal Academy of Music of London, England, a
raember of the Authors' Club of the sarae city, and
was awarded a diploma by the Universal Exposition
of Music held at Bologna, Italy in 1888. Professor
Dana had still other claims to distinction, for he
was a raeraber of the railitary order of the Loyal
Legion, a thirty-second degree Mason and was active
in civic affairs, serving as councilman at Warren,
and was prominent in many other ways, being recog
nized as an authority on public matters as well as
on music. He died at Warren in 1906.
Professor Dana was united in raarriage with
Eraraa Jane Tuttle, who was born in New York, a
daughter of Rev. WiUiara S. and Jane L. (iPratt)
Tuttle, of Akron,- New York. Mrs. Dana died in
1912 at the age of sixty-two years. The children
born to Professor Dana and his wife were as follows :
J. LeRoy, who is now a resident of Cleveland, Ohio;
Lynn B., who lives at Warren; Beatrice D. Stiles,
who is a resident of Buffalo, New York ; and Martha
D. Huntley, who is a resident of Cleveland, Ohio.
'Lynn B. Dana was born at Middleport, New York,
on October 15, 1875. He was educated in the
Warren public schools and gained his early musical
training at the Dana Musical Institute, of which he
is now the guiding genius. He was a pupU in piano
under Anton Di Kontski, Jacob Schmitt, William H.
Sherwood and -Robert (Joldbeck, and a pupil in
theory and pipe organ under his father. He has
been a concert pianist and accompanist since 1897;
director of Dana Symphony Orchestra since igoi,
and president of the institute since 1906, at which
tirae, foUowing the death of his father, he succeeded
that illustrious gentleman. Mr. Dana was assistant
musical director of the rausic at Chautauqua Insti
tution at Chautauqua, New York, for thirteen years.
He wrote the rausic for the cornerstone cereraonies
and coraposed a special oratorio — "The Triumph of
Faith," for the dedication of the Birthplace Mem
orial of Williara McKinley at NUes, Ohio.
Like his father, Mr. Dana is a raan of affairs, being
now a director of the National American Musical
Festival, of Lockport, New York, and was president
of the Ohio Music Teachers' Association for igi4,
igi5 and 1916. He served as a meraber of Company
C, Second Ohio Infantry in the Spanish-American
war in 1898. As a thirty-second degree Mason and
president of the Warren Masonic Club, he is weU
known in Masonry. Mr. Dana is a director of the
Hotel Warren corporation, a meraber of Warren
Board of Trade, and secretary of the "Warren Rotary
Club. On June 21, 1901, Mr. Dana was united in mar
riage with Retta C. Niraocks, a daughter of G. W.

and Hattie E. (Newell) Niraocks, of Great Bend,
Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Dana have one son, Lynn B.
Dana, Jr., who was born on March 7, igii.
Elton G. Dunlap. To prosper in a business way,
to be a useful and respected citizen, and to find
happiness in social and horae surroundings, is prob
ably the aim of the raajority of well brought up,
wholesorae Araerican youths when they leave their
school days behind them. The climb upward is un
doubtedly harder for some than others and industry
and integrity are required of all, but failure can
scarcely come when enterprise and enthusiasm con
tinue. Like many other young raen, Elton G. Dun
lap, treasurer of the Youngstown & Sharon Street
Railway Company, gained his initial business ex
perience in other than the line with which he has
been identified for almost twenty years.
Elton G. Dunlap was born in Trumbull County,
Ohio, October 20, 1881, and is a son of Horaer and
Martha (Rogers) Dunlap, who stUl reside on their
farra in TrurabuU County, in which county their
parents were early settlers. Elton G. Dunlap at
tended the country schools in early boyhood and
later the high school at Girard, and following his
graduation from the same, taught school for a year.
During the next year he was with the Youngntown
Dry Goods Company as a clerk, and for six months
was with the Pennsylvania & Lake Erie Railroad
Ciompany. In igoi he accepted the position of night
ticket agent at Youngstown, for the Youngstown &
Sharon Street Railway Corapany, and has been
identified with this corporation ever since, clirabing
step by step, serving in every subordinate position
until 1911, when he was elected treasurer of the
corapany. He has some additional business interests
at Youngstown, among which raay be included the
Cohasset Realty Company, of which he was one of
the organizers and is present secretary.
In 1903 Mr. Dunlap was united in marriage to Miss
Gertrude Smallcombe, who was born in England
and was brought to Araerica by her aunt. Miss Anna
Greenwood. Mr. and Mrs. Dunlap have one son.
Homer, who was born in 1905 and is yet attending
school. The family belongs to Central Christian
Church at Youngstown. During the World war Mr.
Dunlap was patriotically active and was a member
of the American Protective League.
James Henry Nutt. For over forty years James
Henry Nutt, a prorainent citizen of Youngstown has
been officially identified with labor interests in the
Mahoning Valley, in which his intelligent under
standing, his calm, sober judgment and his stern
sense of justice have raade him invaluable. Despite
the worrying cares of an unusually busy life, the
years have passed over him kindly, and at an age
when many raen long for ease and retireraent, he
1.S still directing important organizations and ' de
ciding questions of grave responsibility.
James Henry Nutt was born in "Worcestershire
England, November 19, 1848, a son of Thomas and
Ann Nutt. His father was a tin plate worker, or
"tinner" of Worcestershire, and both parents died
in England. The son's educational privileges were re
stricted, as he was only nine years old when he went

172

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

to" work in a tin mill, where he continued, becoraing
a sheet raill worker, until nineteen years old. In
1868 he came to the United States feeling sure of
finding employraent, in which he was not disap
pointed, for the raills at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
wanted experienced men. From there he went to
New York, thence to Ohio, and in 1876 becarae an
eraploye in the Brown-Bonnell mill at Youngstown,
in which he worked as a heater untU 1891.
In the meanwhile Mr. Nutt had become a man of
some public importance at Youngstown, in 1884 be
ing elected city councilraan on the republican ticket,
and served the city three terms, and in 1891 was
appointed city commissioner. In this office he was
active in the legislation that brought the electric
light plants to the city and resulted in electrifying
the street railways. After an extended period of
usefulness, Mr. Nutt resigned frora the city cora
mission board in order to be free to accept the office
of commissioner of the Labor Bureau of the Ma
honing Valley Manufacturers' Association. This
position was a newly raade one and Mr. Nutt was the
first incurabent, and later when the work of the
bureau was extended to include all western raanu
facturers of steel, and the Republic Iron & Steel
Company, he served as secretary of the labor
bureau and continued until igo6.
Mr. Nutt was one of the organizers of the West
ern Bar Iron Association, which takes in all iron
mills from Pittsburgh west to the coast, and has
been secretary of this body since igo6. In 1912 he
was one of the organizers of the Western Sheet &
Tinplate Manufacturers' Association, composed of
independent sheet and tin mills negotiating with the
amalgamated associations, and has been secretary
ever since. While still a mill employe, he was
selected to represent the amalgamated interests at
various labor conferences between the raen and the
manufacturers, and his careful handling of weighty
questions was responsible for his selection as a
raeraber of the labor bureau. As an honest, sincere,
just and intelligent man, he enjoys confidence and
universal respect. Few raen are better acquainted
with the labor question in the Mahoning Valley
District than Mr. Nutt.
On November 26, 1871, Mr. Nutt was married to
Miss Sarah Ward, of iBoston, Massachusetts, and of
their nine chUdren the following are living: Harry
W., who is a mechanical engineer residing in Boston ;
Albert James, who is a contractor at Toledo, and
George, who was a lieutenant in the Medical Reserve
Corps, serving sixteen raonths during the World war,
and now a raedicai practitioner at Youngstown. A
daughter, Edith, now deceased, was the wife of
Dr. Eramus G. Twitchell, who served as captain
with the Medical Reserve Corps in France, during
the World war.
Mr. Nutt served on the board of education at
Youngstown frora 1912 until igi6, when he resigned
to accept the position of safety director under
Mayor Thornton. In connection with that office
different lines of war work brought Mr. Nutt into
touch with every comraittee forraed to assist in the
prosecution of the war. No raore loyal or effective
choice could have been made by Mayor Thornton.
Mr. Nutt was raade a Mason while living in New

York, and he has attained the thirty-second degree,
belonging to Lake Erie Consistory and the other
bodies at Youngstown. He belongs also to the
Mystic Shrine. Both Mr. Nutt and wife are mem
bers of St. John's Episcopal Church.
Elmer A. Osborne of Warren, is of the third
generation of his branch of the Osborne family in
the Mahoning Valley, of which his paternal grand
father, Abraham Osborne, was a pioneer resident,
while his father, Allen Osborne, was born in the
Valley. His maternal grandfather, Isaac Brobst,
was an early settler in the vicinity of Leavittsburg,
TrurabuU County, whUe his raother, Harriet, was
born on the old Brobst farm. Allen Osborne spent
his life in Trumbull County and died here in 1879,
but his widow stUl survives.
Elmer A. Osborne, commonly known as "the Suit
Man," was born at Fosterville, just south of Youngs
town, on February i, 1875. His father dying when
he was but four years old, he was taken by his
maternal grandfather. He attended the district
schools, and began his business career in 1900 as a
grocery salesman at Warren, later becoming a cloth
ing salesman. In igog he established hiijiself in
dependently as a dealer in clothing and men's fur
nishings at No. 29 Main Street, and from the start
did such an excellent business that by 1915 his trade
had outgrown his original quarters and he moved
to 13 East Market Street, where he operates what
is probably the leading establishment in his line at
Warren. In addition to this concern, Mr. Osborne
has other interests and is a member of the Board
of Directors of the TrurabuU Savings & Loan Com
pany, of Warren, and is also on the directorate of
the TrurabuU Banking Corapany of Girard, a sub
sidiary of the TrurabuU Savings & Loan Company.
He is a raeraber of the order of Odd Fellows, and
of the Odd Fellows Club and the Rotary Club. The
Warren Autoraobile Club, which rendered great aid
during the various Liberty Loan carapaigns in the
great war, has Mr. Osborne as its vice president and
he has always been a forceful factor in its manage
ment, and he was one of the leaders of its activities
during the war.
Mr. Osborne was united in raarriage with Anna
Flowers, a daughter of George A. Flowers, formerly
of Warren, but now of Oklahoraa. Mr. and Mrs.
Osborne have three children, namely : Hazel, Lee
and Glen. Mr. Osborne is essentially a self-made
raan, and his success is entirely due fo his own efforts.
He is a raan of large affairs, and is capable of ad
ministering them in an efficient manner, and also
of giving to his community a whole-hearted service
which cannot but prove of benefit to it. His family
is one of the best known ones in the Valley, and he
is liying up to its traditions in every respect, and
earning fresh laurels for the name by his enterprise
and steadfast integrity. It is such men as Mr. Os
borne who make a coramunity stand out from its
competitors in a favorable light, and attract to its
midst new residents and fresh capital.
Judge David F. Griffith. Prominent for many
years in the practice of law at Youngstown, and
serving two successive terms on the Probate Court

^^^^^u-^^i^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

173

bench, Judge David F. Griffith has evidenced great
legal ability, and has won high consideration as a
jurist. To Judge Griffith belongs the distinction of
having established the first Juvenile Court in Ma
honing County and bringing into being the first
Detention Home.
In the public schools of iNIineral Ridge, Ohio, Mr.
Griffith received his early educational training, then
entered the Northeastern Ohio Normal College, and
in i8go was graduated from this institution with the
degree of A. B. He then applied hiraself to the
study of law under the supervision of Judge King
and John E. McVey at Youngstown, and was ad
raitted to the Ohio bar in October, i8g4. He re
mained associated with the law firm of King &
McVey until 1900, when he opened an office of his
own and entered into general practice.
As have raany other young men seeking a profes
sional career, Mr. Griffith in earlier years found it
expedient to add to his income, and he accomplished
this by teaching school in the country districts for
a time, and in the night schools of the City of
Youngstown. Later he became superintendent of the
Mineral Ridge schools and in this office continued
for three years. He is still reraerabered at that point
as an able educator. In a few years after entering
upon the practice of law, he was admitted to the
United States courts.
Frora early raanhood Judge Griffith has been
identified wtih the republican party, and on this
ticket, in 1905, he was elected to the bench of the
Probate Court. As judge of this court he served
continuously until _I9I3, and on retireraent returned
once more to private practice. Mahoning County
owes to Judge Griffith a debt of gratitude for his
broadrainded, conscientious efforts which brought
about the establishing of the Juvenile Court, January
I, 1907, over which he presided with raarked effi
ciency until 1913, his interest continuing until the
eorapletion of the Detention Horae. His great effi
ciency on the bench led to his nomination at a later
date for the Coraraon Pleas bench, for the district
comprising Mahoning, Trumbull and Portage coun
ties. Although not elected, his vote was very flatter
ing as indicating the confidence reposed in hira and
the general esteera in which he is held.
In 1891 Judge Griffith was united in raarriage to
Miss Hattie C. Phillips, of Canfield, Ohio. Mrs.
Griffith forraerly was a student in the Northwestern
Ohio Norraal College, and later becarae a teacher.
Judge Griffith and wife have three chUdren, naraely:
Mary Gertrude, Mildred Jean and Wendell.
Irvin W. Guthman. Youngstown has reason to
be proud of the success achieved by raany of the
raore _ recently established business houses here, as
thus is proved the enterprise and reliability of sorae
of her native sons. A ready exaraple is found in
the Guthraan Electric Corapany, which was founded
in 1915, by Irvin W. Guthraan, who through industry
and good judgment has won hearty recognition in
the city's business life.
Irvin W. Guthraan was born at Youngstown, Ohio,
Deceraber 20, 1889. His parents were Elias L. and
Hannah (Weil) (Juthraan, both now deceased. The
father was born in Gerraany, and the raother was

of Gerraan parentage. For many years the father
was a retail jeweler at Youngstown, a raeraber of
the old jewelry house of Guthman Bros. & Company,
no longer existing.
Mr. Guthman had school privileges at Youngstown,
and after completing the high school course, en
tered plumbing establishraent of L. B. Sheible & Son,
as an apprentice, and continued there four years,
during that tirae acquiring a thorough knowledge of
the raodern plumbing business. In igi4 he erabarked
in business for himself, in partnership with J. How
ard Bothwell, under the firra style of the Bothwell-
Guthraan Electric Company, contractors. In August,
1915, Mr. Guthman sold his interest to Mr. Bothwell
and established the Guthman Electric Company at
115 South Charapion Street. In January, 1919,
he moved to more coraraodious quarters at 29 South
Phelps Street, where a large volurae of busi
ness is being done. Mr, Guthraan keeps five eraployes
and gives personal attention to all contracts, sorae
of these being the most important awarded in the
city for sorae tirae, araong them being all electrical
work for the Youngstown Hippodrome, for the
Young Men's Christian Association Building and for
Rodef Sholem Teraple.
On February 17, igi5, Mr. Guthraan was united
in raarriage to Miss Leona Cohn, of Kane, Penn
sylvania. He has never been particularly active in
politics, but he has always been raindfuKof his city's
best interests and is a raeraber of the Charaber of
Coramerce. He belongs additionally to the Credit
Men's Association, and to the Automobile Club.
Frank E. Wilkin, who is auditor for the Mahon
ing & Shenango Railway & Light Company, is one
of the raen of Youngstown who has proven his
reliability in nuraerous capacities and has been en
gaged in this line of endeavor for raany years. He
was born at Kenton, Ohio, Noveraber 28, 1866, a
son of Curtis and Fietta (Bowraan) WUkin, both .of
whora are now deceased. Curtis Wilkin was for
raany years engaged in a real estate business, raaking
a specialty of the handling of farra properties.
Frank E. Wilkin attended the public schools of
Kenton, Ohio, and in 1884 raatriculated at the North
ern Ohio University, which he left in 1887 to enter
the eraploy of the Cincinnati, Sandusky & Cleveland
RaUroad as telegrapher, and reraained with that
corporation until i8g5, during that period being in
the transportation department. Leaving that road
Mr. Wilkin entered the auditor's office of the Ohio
Southern RaUroad and from then on has devoted his
abilities to auditing, rising until he is an expert in
this difficult calling.
For some time Mr. Wilkin had been connected as
auditor with the United Gas & Electric Light Cor
poration of 61 Broadway, New York City, New
York, and his services were of such a nature that
his superiors recognized that he was too good a man
for the position he was holding so that when the
Mahoning & Shenango RaUway & Light Corapany
carae into the raarket for a raan of superior attain
ments to becorae their auditor, Mr. Wilkin was
recoraraended to thera by his New York corporation,
and his services were therefore secured, and he ar-

174

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

rived at Youngstown to assume the duties of his
new position in November, 1918.
In 1895 Mr. Wilkin was united in raarriage with
Miss Clara V. Cobean of Lima, Ohio. A solid, de
pendable man, Mr. Wilkin has gained the confidence
of his associates since coming to Youngstown and
is regarded as a valuable acquisition to the city. WhUe
he is absorbed in his work, he nevertheless finds time
to give current raatters his earnest and intelligent
consideration and when he acts it is only after due
reflection. Knowing this, sorae of his friends have
grown to depend upon his judgment and ask for his
advice and govern themselves accordingly. Both he
and his wife have gathered about them a congenial
social circle and their pleasant horae is oftentiraes
the scene of charraing events, both of them being
deservedly popular with their raany friends.
Homer C Robins. Not only is Horaer C. Robins
of Warren a successful merchant, but he is also
equally prominent in banking circles, and his opera
tions form an important part of the coraraercial ac
tivities of the city. He was born at Hanoverton,
Colurabiana County, Ohio, on February 13, 1881, a
son of Rev. Jaraes W. and Jennie (Hare) Robins,
both of whom were natives of Ohio.
The Robins family has been in Ohio for four
generations. The Araerican ancestor was Thoraas
J. Robins, great-grandfather of Horaer C. Robins,
who carae to the United States from the Isle of
Guernsey, where he was born, and settled in what
is now Guernsey County, Ohio, wbich was named in
honor of his old home. The log cabin which he built
and in which he lived, is still standing, and is a relic
of pioneer days in that region. He married Rebecca
Fishel, a native of Ohio, of English parents.
Rev. James W. Robins was born near Pleasant
City, Guernsey County, Ohio, and was for years a
minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. For
six years he was district superintendent of the Akron
District Methodist Episcopal Church, during which
period he made his home at Warren. His death oc
curred in 1914 whUe he was serving as pastor of
the MassiUon, Ohio, Methodist Episcopal Church.
His wife, Jennie (Hare) Robins,- was born in Noble
County, Ohio, a daughter of Charles Hare, a native
of Ireland, who for many years was a raerchant and
wool buyer at Summerfield, Noble County, Ohio,
and at one time served as a member of the Ohio
Legislature. iHomer C. Robins attended the Warren High
School and then took the preparatory course at
Mount Union College, and later the full classical
course at that college from which he was graduated
in 1892 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and
also completed a business course at that college, re
ceiving a diploma. During his vacations and on
Saturdays, he clerked in the clothing and men's fur
nishings store of Snyder & Campbell of Warren.
After leaving college he became a regular clerk for
that firm, rising to be one of its most reliable sales
men. During the period he was in the store he
gained an intimate knowledge of merchandising first
hand, and in igi2 he and Arthur W. Knapp formed
the partnership of Robins & Knapp and bought out
the old firm, since which time they have conducted

the business, greatly enlarging it and meeting with
increasing success with each year.
Mr. Robins has other interests for he is a director
of the Trumbull Savings & Loan Company of War
ren; of the TrurabuU Banking Company of Girard,
Ohio; of the Warren Guaranteed iMortgage Com
pany; and is a meraber of the Warren iBoard of
Trade. He is a steward of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. In his fraternal connections he maintains
merabership with Old Erie Lodge No. 3, Free and
Accepted Masons of Warren ; Warren CouncU Royal
and Select Masters ; Warren Coraraandery No. 39
Knights Teraplar and Al Koran Shrine, and is also
a raember of the Odd Fellows and Elks. He repre
sents the clothing business of the city in his mem
bership in the Warren Rotary Club. He is one of
six members of the Board of Directors of the Ohio
State Teachers' Association.
Mr. Robins was married to Bessie Jamison, a
daughter of Albert L. and Fanny (Hoyt) Jamison
of Warren. The advance made by Mr. Robins has
not been spectacular, but is but the normal outcome
of business ability intelligently directed in a caUing
which has been congenial. Mr. Robins is a man who
has always taken interest in civic raatters, although
never seeking office, and his influence is a sound and
conservative one.
James Guttridge. One of the sound business
houses of Youngstown is that conducted by
Guttridge & Rand, Incorporated, of which James
Guttridge is president and treasurer, and its develop
raent is the result of diligence and natural ability.
Jaraes Guttridge was born at Prirfce's End, Stafford
shire, England, in 1872, a son of John and Hannah
(Blewitt) Guttridge, of whora the latter is deceased.
John Guttridge carae to the United States in 1887,
and reaching Youngstown becarae a puddler in the
old Cartwright McCurdy Mills, and rose to be super
intendent of that department, but retired in 1916
at the age of seventy years, and is now living at
Youngstown. James Guttridge attended the public schools of
England until he was twelve years old, but after
his arrival at Youngstown was occupied in earning
his living, first in the mill that employed his father,
and later as delivery boy for different retail stores.
In i88g he started to learn the tailoring trade with
Louis E. Guess, a prorainent merchant tailor of
Youngstown, and reraained with hira untU 1901. Mr.
Guttridge then forraed a partnership with Howard
C. Corll, under the name of Guttridge & Corll, and
the firm did business at No. 16 North Phelps Street
In T903 the business was moved to the present loca
tion on West Federal Street, although since then
the premises have been doubled, the space later taken
over being then occupied by the Star iPiano Company.
The latter vacated in 1904 and Mr. Guttridge and his
partner took the entire building. Mr. Corll retiring
in igo6, David J. Rand bought his interest, and the
firm became Guttridge & Rand. In igi8 the business
was incorporated with Mr. Guttridge as ^ president
and treasurer, David Reese of Canton, Ohio, as vice
president, and Mr. Rand as secretary and general
raanager. Mr. Guttridge is also president of the
United Printing Company, and secretary and treas-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

175

urer of the Mill Creek Land Company, director
Youngstown Chamber of Comraerce, Motor Sales
Co. (Charter).
In i8g8 Mr. Guttridge was married to Laura Havvn
of Youngstown, who died on Deceraber 22, 1901,
leaving a daughter, Eva Isabelle. In January, 1907,
Mr. Guttridge was married to Bertha Almyra
Mathews, and they became the parents of three chil
dren, two of whora survive, naraely: Bertha Louise
and Allan Robert.
The growth of the Guttridge & Rand Corapany
has been reraarkable. When the business was started
Mr. Guttridge and his partner were able to do all
the work theraselves with slight assistance frora a
boy, and now there are ten stores, operated under
the narae of Guttridge & Rand, and they have an
interest in four additional ones. Eraployraent is now
given to 165 people. Mr. Guttridge had no money
when he began his business, but he was able to secure
credit from the start for he was known as a fine
workraan, an upright business man, and it can be
truly said that no one has ever placed any confidence
in him or his ability without having his judgment
justified. Mr. Guttridge passed through some anx
ious moraents, but has succeeded way beyond the
ordinary, and he not only has made good in a busi
ness way, but also as a citizen, and is held in the
highest regard by all who have the honor of his
acquaintance. Messrs. Guttridge and Rand own the
property at 320-322 West Federal Street. Their pros
perity proves that if men are willing to work dili
gently, invest wisely and persist in spite of obstacles,
they raay rise to alraost any height they desire.
Richard N. Graham. While it is certainly true
that every raan succeeds better for having acquired a
knowledge of anything, the. training given the person
who aspires to becorae a lawyer is so rigid and
thorough that he is generally prepared to enter al
most any line and master it. There are a number
of cases where men do so prepare theraselves with
out really intending to enter the profession, but
siraply to gain the habit of handling their probleras
in an orderly and raethodical manner, and to receive
the benefits accruing from the expansion of their
intellect which must come from such a course.
Richard N. Grahara is raanager of the raUways con
nected with the Pennsylvania-Ohio Electric Cora
pany, and it is a recognized fact that his skillful
handling of the affairs of his office comes through
his knowledge of the law, and its application to busi
ness. Richard N. Grahara was born at Jackson, Ohio, on
Noveraber 7, 1876, a son of Christopher and Nancy
Jane (Dodge) Graham, both of whom are now de
ceased. Christopher Grahara was a hardware mer
chant both at Jackson, and later at Joplin, Missouri,
to which city the faraily inoved when Richard N.'
Graham was still a lad.
Growing up at Joplin, he attended its high school
and then entered the University of Arkansas in 1895
and took both the classical and legal courses, and was
graduated therefrora in 1900 with the degrees of
Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws. In 1901
Mr. Grahara was admitted to the Arkansas and
Missouri bars, and that same year established hira-
Vol. 11—12

self in a general law practice with a Mr. Hurst,
under the firm name of Hurst & Graham, which was
later changed to Grayston & Graham. In igo8 Mr.
Grahara joined the legal departraent of the Stone
& Webster electrical interests, first being at Dallas,
Texas, for a short time, and then, in igio, taking
charge of the claim department of the Houston
Electric Company, a property managed by Stone &
Webster. He immediately was transferred to an
operating position and continued with the Houston
Company in various capacities until igi6. In Sep
tember of the latter year Mr. Grahara came to
Youngstown as assistant manager of raUways con
nected with the Mahoning & Shenango Railways &
Light Company, and in igi7 was raade raanager of
that departraent, retaining the position with the
Pennsylvania-Ohio Electric Corapany which suc
ceeded the forraer corporation. Mr. Graham has
had a varied experience and when he began practic
ing law at Joplin, Missouri, he was a member of
the Missouri State Legislature, and recognized as
one of the forceful young orators of his district.
In 1901 Mr. Graham was united in marriage with
Miss Robey B. Skinner of Jacksonville, Illinois, and
they have five children, namely : Harold, Mildred,
Helen, Ruth and Robey.
John Gerrity. Prominent in iraportant lines of
business and influential in raany ways in Mahoning
County is John Gerrity, one of Youngstown's self
raade raen. For a nuraber of years he has been
identified with the development of vacant property
around Youngstown, and was the pioneer builder of
residences in East 'Youngstown.
John Gerrity was born at Youngstown, Ohio, May
2, 1873. His parents, John and Bridget (Stanton)
Gerrity, natives of Ireland, came to Youngstown in
1856 and were actively interested in Youngstown's
growth. John Gerrity, Sr., was a foreraan in Brown-
Bonnell raill in this city and met with an acci
dent in an explosion in 1872. His widow survived
hira for a number of vears, her death occurring in
1904. In 1905 John Gerrity was united in raarriage to
Catherine Laughlin. Her parents, both of whora are
deceased, were David and Alice (Clarke) Laughlin.
She is a granddaughter of the late Martin Clarke,
one of Youngstown's respected pioneers. Mr. Ger-
rity's reputation is that of an honorable, dependable
business raan, and a reliable, public-spirited citizen.
He is a well known contractor and has taken a most
active part in everything that tends to Youngstown's
advancement. He has always been a faithful and
practical Catholic and has given rauch tirae to the fur
thering of Catholic interests in Youngstown — promi
nent araong them being tbe Ursuline Academy on
Wick Avenue, and St. Elizabeth's Hospital.
Randall Montgomery. In some men the business
sense is remarkably developed and through it they
reach a place not attained by those who try to con
trol affairs for which they have no aptitude. It is
now generally recognized that no one reaches un
usual success who works against his natural in
clinations, and when competition is so strenuous, men
need every assistance that developed talent can give

176

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE [MAHONING VALLEY

in order to take profitable advantage of offered op
portunities and to be able to develop legitiraate busi
ness chances. Especially is this true in Youngstown,
where, although the field of operation is broad, the
rivalry is intense, and the raan who distances others
must be on a constant strain to win the race of life.
Such a man is Randall Montgomery, vice president
of the Youngstown Electric Lighting Company, with
which he has been connected since 1899.
Randall Montgomery was born on iMarch 6, 1851,
a son of Joseph and Nancy (Sraith) Moutgoraery,
who carae to Youngstown frora Erie County, Penn
sylvania, and there Joseph Montgomery worked as a
saddler and harnessraaker. In tirae he becarae a
very prominent man and represented Mahoning
County in the State Asserably.
Growing up at Youngstown, Randall Moutgoraery
attended its schools, and in 1870 began his business
career as clerk for A. J. Morgan, a grocer, remain
ing with him for five years. In 1875 Mr. Mont
gomery went with the Eowler-Stambaugh Company
as clerk, his period of usefulness with that concern
extending over ten years, and when the plumbing de
partment was added, he was raade a partner, and the
business became Moutgoraery, Thorapson & Co.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Mr. Mont
gomery was active in politics and in 1888 was elected
on the republican ticket mayor of Youngstown, and
re-elected in 1890. It was during his adrainistration
that the electric alarm signal system was installed
in the fire departraent, and horse-drawn patrol
wagons put into use. Having made an enviable
record as mayor, he was the logical candidate of his
party for the Legislature and was elected on its
ticket to the lower house in l8g3 and again in i8g5.
In l8g7 he was appointed city coraraissioner as a
republican and served for three years.
In i8g9 he began his long connection with the
Youngstown Electric Corapany, as general manager,
remaining with it through the various changes until
1915, when he becarae vice president at the tirae
R. iP. Stevens was made president. Mr. Montgomery
has other interests, being president of the Elks
Building Company, of which he is a charter member ;
a director in the iPeoples Amuseraent Corapany which
leases the Park Theater ; and director and treasurer
of the Forsythe-Pattern Corapany. He is a charter
member of the Youngstown Gharaber of Commerce,
of which he served as trustee for many years. In
his fraternal relations he maintains merabership with
the Masons, Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows and
Elks, is one of the oldest raerabers now living of the
Youngstown Lodge of the latter, and was a charter
raeraber of the Knights of Pythias of this city. In
tbe Masonic fraternity he has been raade a thirty-
second degree Mason and is a charter raeraber of
the Cleveland Consistory. He belongs to the Youngs
town and Elks clubs. In spite of the honors which
have been conferred upon him, Mr. Montgomery is
a very modest, unassuming and approachable man,
who is more occupied with the idea of giving the
people good service and a square deal than with his
own iraportance.
Karl J. Smith. The excellent condition of the
streets and roads in Youngstown and throughout

Mahoning, TrurabuU, and Columbiana counties are
due in part to the efficient labor of Karl J. Smith
of Youngstown, president of the Sraith Construction
Corapany, which has filled many heavy contracts in
road and street building, doing the required work in
a skUlful, systematic and really scientific manner,
and always with satisfactory results. This firm was
organized in igi4, absorbing the old firra of Kane
& Sraith, which was formed in. 1910, and the com
pany and corporation have built mUes upon miles of
eity and country roads within the past ten years. A
son of Joseph Sraith, Karl J. Sraith was born in
1883 in Youngstown, and holds a noteworthy posi
tion araong its native-born citizens.
Joseph Sraith has spent his entire sixty-eight years
of life in Youngstown, having during his earher
years been engaged in farraing, and later as a con
tractor building sorae of the first streets, culverts
and bridges in Youngstown and the Mahoning Val
ley. He raarried Hattie Baldwin, who was also
born in Youngstown, her birth occurring in 1859.
Both are active merabers of the South United Pres
byterian Church. Politically he is an uncompromis
ing republican, prominent in party ranks.
Having obtained his preliminary education in the
public schools of Youngstown, iKarl J. Smith en
tered the Ohio Northern University at Ada, where
in 1903 he was graduated as civil engineer. Since
that time he has had varied and valuable experience
in construction work, having first been in the em
ploy of the Baltiraore & Ohio RaUroad Company,
and later having been with the Gulf & Ship Island
Railroad Company for seven years, being stationed
at Gulfport, Mississippi. Coming from there to
Youngstown, Mr. Sraith in 1910 became junior mem
ber of the construction firm of Kane & Smith, and
continued in business under that name until 1914,
when he assumed his present position as president
of the Smith Construction Corapany, an outgrowth
of the firra with which he was first identified.
On September 12, 1906, Mr. Smith married Miss
Bessie Rogers, of Atlanta, Georgia, and they are now
residents of Boardraan Township, where they have a
pleasant horae. Both Mr. and Mrs. Sraith are con
sistent raerabers of the South United Presbyterian
Church. Fraternally Mr. Smith belongs to the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Thomas G. Fitz Simons, Jr The character of the
men of a coraraunity raay be correctly gauged by
the standing of its business houses whose growth
has been stiraulated by intelligent and progressive
methods, or held back for lack of proper develop
ment. iNo town or city can reach its highest stand
ard unless its men in all lines co-operate to give an
honest service for value received. Such men can
be counted upon to proraulgate and support worthy
measures looking toward securing for their com
munity solid iraprovements and the bringing into it
sound business houses that will add to its prosperity.
These men are found actively engaged in some
worthwhile enterprise; they give a solidity to com
mercial organizations, and when the need arises,
contribute liberally toward charities. In their home
relations these men sustain the highest of characters,
and because they recognize the value of careful

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

177

educational training for the young, they provide
good schools. - Judging from all these standards it
is little wonder that Youngstown has made such
marvelous progress, for it is, and has long been, the
home of just such men, and no one has stood higher
in the estimation of his associates than does Thomas
G. Fitz Simons, Jr., superintendent and secretary and
treasurer of The Fitz Siraons Corapany.
Thomas J. Fitz Simons, Jr., was born at Cleveland,
Ohio, in 1877, a son of Thomas and Susan Fitz-
Simons, and he grew up in his native city where
he attended the public schools until he was sixteen
years old. At that age he began td earn his own
living and has been self-supporting ever since. He
gained the experience that raade it possible for him
to assume the responsibilities of his present position
in the shop of his father, and has always been de
pendable and self-reliant.
In igii Mr. Fitz Simons carae to Youngstown,
and when the Fitz Simons Corapany was organized,
he was raade superintendent of the plant, and later
secretary and treasurer. Since this company was
founded it has had a very prosperous history, and
is nurabered among the important industrial enter
prises of the city.
Mr. Fitz Siraons raarried Miss EUen Hanan, a
resident of Youngstown. Mr. and Mrs. Fitz Simons
have two children, namely : Williara John and Ann
Julie. Since coming to the city Mr. Fitz Siraons has
becorae a member of the Youngstown Chamber of
Comraerce and he is one of the vigorous factors in
that body. Fraternally he is an Elk. It is a recog
nized fact that a good deal of the success of the
corapany is dueto Mr. Fitz Simons' energy, industry
and knowledge of his business.
Alfred McCullough. There are unquestionably
- men of natural force found in every community,
who, by reason of their inherent abUity, by the use
of their brains and the soundness of their judgment,
attain distinction and acquire authority. They are
men who industriously work for an end and in help
ing theraselves add to the sum of comfort and hap
piness for all about them. These quiet, resourceful
men are the dependence of the whole social fabric,
for their efforts not only bring into being the sub
stantial industries that support commerce and in
dustry, but conduct them along the safe and sane
channels which assure public prosperity and general
contentment. They may be men of versatile gifts and
talents of a high order in many directions, but it is
their soundness, their vitality, their steadiness which
make them such important factors in the world's
work. One of the men who raeasures up well ac
cording to the above standards is Alfred McCullough
of Youngstown, head of the General Sales Agency,
now the McCullough Transfer Corapany, of Youngs
town. Mr. McCullough is a native son of Youngstown,
having been born in this city in 1885, and has always
centered his interests here. His father, now de
ceased, was Sarauel McCullough, and one of the
sound men of Youngstown. iHis mother, Mrs.
Amelia McCullough, survives and makes her home
at Youngstown.
Growing up in his native city Mr. McCullough at

tended its schools and set out in life with the de
terraination to acquire a business of his own. All
the tirae he was working for others he kept this
end in view, saved his raoney, and when the opening
came, was ready for it. In September, igig, he
bought the General Sales Agency which had been
established in January, igis, by Thaddeus Moody
for the purpose of selling contractors materials.
That same year Mr. McCullough organized the
transfer company that bears his narae, and is carry
ing on both enterprises with characteristic vigor.
Although he has not owned these enterprises for a
very long period he has placed his irapress upon
them, and judging by the raan hiraself, there is
every reason to think that he will make them a great
success, for he usually accomplishes what he sets out
to do.
On October 24, 1912, Mr. McCullough was united
in marriage with Harriet Gump, a daughter of John
Gump, a harness-maker of Pennsylvania. Mr. and
Mrs. McCullough have two children, namely : Don
ald and Robert. Having worked so hard toward
one end, Mr. McCullough has had but little tirae to
devote to outside matters, and yet he can always be
depended upon to give the intelligent support of a
fair-minded raan to public enterprises and to lend a
hand in seeing that they were carried out. His
business sagacity is unquestioned, and his salesman
ship is of a high order, while personally he pos
sesses those qualities which not only make for good
citizenship, but warm personal friendships as well.
Earl B. Putt, president of the Youngstown Chem
ical Company, has through a varied career earned the
confidence and esteem of men of high standing and
large interests, and won the gratitude of the people
of this country through his skUl in experimental
work in connection with the production of certain
drugs, hitherto obtainable only frora foreign lands.
Earl B. Putt was born at Doylestown, Ohio, in
1886, a son of Dr. Benjarain F. and LUlian E. Putt,
he formerly a medical practitioner of Youngstown,
but later of Doylestown, Ohio, where he died in 1900,
his widow surviving hira and making her home at
Cleveland, Ohio.
Having comraenced his high school work in Wayne
County, Ohio, Earl B. Putt corapleted it at Youngs
town, where he reraained frora 1900 until 1903, and
frora 1903 untU 1905 he served an apprenticeship in
the drug store of iFred J. Ulrich, following which
Mr. Putt entered the Ohio State University and took
the courses in pharraacy and cheraistry, and was
graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science,
in igog. Iraraediately thereafter he went to North
Dakota as a governraent expert, and stUl later was
assistant cheraist and professor of materia medica
at the Agricultural College at Fargo, North Dakota,
under E. F. Ladd, and remained there until 1912,
when he entered the United States bureau of chem
istry and drug laboratory of New York City, located
in the appraisers' stores of the customs service.
Mr. Putt was in charge of the drug work in the
laboratory when he left in 1916.
While holding this position Mr. Putt was ap
proached by Youngstown capital and asked to or
ganize his present company. These capitalists felt

178

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

that he was particularly fitted for the proposed work,
not only account, of his training and aptitude, but
also because of the fact that in his position he knew
exactly what drugs were imported and what were
of domestic production. Mr. Putt accepted the offer
raade to him, and the Youngstown Chemical Com
pany came into being, Mr. Putt being its president;
Dr. SeU, vice president; and John P. Dillon, secre
tary and treasurer.
Youngstown was chosen as the field of experiment
as it was proposed to produce the necessary drugs
in part or whole, frora the by-products of the coke
ovens located in this city. The company has several
electrolytic processes, and the low cost of electric
power at Youngstown is another advantage of this
point for the site of the laboratory. The two chera-
i.sts, Mr. Putt and Doctor SeU are the only raen of
their profession connected with the plant, and they
have been obliged to personally train the eraployes,
now sixty in nuraber, so that the output has been
curtailed on account of the difficulty of securing the
people suitable for the work. It is the aira of this
company to produce these drugs, rather than as a
selling proposition. These drugs so far produced
are: Phthalic Anhydoide, Phenolphthalem, used in
raedieine as a laxative, Anthranilic acid, used in
raanufacturing oil of oranges, Phthalimide, used in
the manufacture of dyestuffs ; Phenolsulphoneph-
thalein, used to test the efficiency of the kidneys, all
of which were formerly exported from Gerraany,
and the Youngstown Cheraical Company is the pio
neer in their raanufacture in the United States.
Over $50,000 were spent in experimentation before
satisfactory results were obtained, but the capitalists
backing this company felt that their cheraists had
wrought raaryels when they corapared this araount
with the raillions the Germans had sunk in similar
experiments with practicaUy no better results. The
fact that these drugs can be manufactured in this
country from the waste of coke ovens, at a reason
able price, is not only interesting, but very iraportant,
and the work of these two cheraists may affect, and
probably will, a lasting change in the importation of
drugs. They are enthusiastic over what they call .
the possibUities of this waste, and feel that they have
barely begun their work, which the rest of their life
time will not be long enough for its exhaustion.
The company has added to the above-mentioned
products a complete line of non-alcoholic flavoring
extracts under the brand name Non-Alco. These
products already have a wide distribution.
In April, 1917, Mr. Putt was united in marriage
with Sara Janet Sraith, of Winnipeg, Manitoba,
Canada. They have one daughter, Katherine Janet,
who was born in February, igi8.
H.\RVEY Ambrose Seil, Ph. D., vice president of
the Youngstown Cheraical Company, ably fills a
gravely irnportant position and one which is of na
tional reputation. The discoveries in cheraistry,
brought to light through the indefatigable efforts
of men of Doctor Seil's caliber, have alraost revolu
tionized the foreign trade in drugs, and bid fair to
place this country in the foreraost ranks as a pro
ducer of .raany of these necessary preparations

hitherto believed to be the exclusive product of
other lands.
Doctor Seil was born at Doylestown, Ohio, a son
of Edward and Esther (Mann) Seil, both of whom
are now deceased. Edward Seil was a merchant
of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, for a number of years,
having moved there after the birth of his son.'
Growing up at Perth Amboy, Harvey A. Seil at
tended its public schools and . completed the high
school course in i8gg, and subsequently became a
student of Columbia University, frora which he was
graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Fol
lowing that he took a three years' course in organic
cheraistry, doing special work, and was graduated
therefrora in igo6 with the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. During that period, in connection with
Professor Bogart, he published several papers which
were all original, and which have been translated
into all foreign languages.
Deeply interested in scientific raatters. Doctor Seil
has never been backward in rendering public service,
and from igi2 until 1914, inclusively, he served as
president of the board of health of Perth Amboy,
New Jersey. In 1907 he joined the United States
Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Chemistry,
and was engaged in the enforcement of the Food
and Drugs Act, having charge of the New York
drug laboratory from 1908 to 1914, under Doctor
Wiley, Doctor Doolittle and Doctor Alsberg. Doctor
Seil served as referee of medicinal plants and drugs
for the Official Agricultural Cheraists Association;
was on the United States Pharraacopoeia Committee
of the Araerican Pharraaceutical Association; the
committee for the unification of the methods of es
sential oil analysis of the Eighth International Con
gress of Applied Chemistry, and was otherwise active
in his profession.
After leaving the government service in 1914,
Doctor Seil joined the Standard Chemical Company
and until 1917 had charge of the organic and biologi
cal research work, and while with this corporation
prepared and published papers on Elimination of
Radium, on the Contribution of Our Knowledge
of Vanadium with Particular Reference to Syphilis,
two papers on Hog Cholera, and one paper on the
Endothelial Cell, a new blood constituent. He se
cured a patent on the manufacture of Uranium
Oxide, used in raaking Ferro-Uraniura, that is re
quired in the production of high speed tool steel.
In .igi7 Doctor Seil left the Standard Chemical
Company to becorae vice president of the Youngs
town Cheraical Company, of which Mr. Putt is
president, the two having entire charge of the
laboratory work of this corporation.
John R. Squire, who recently retired from active
business, represents a famUy that has given its tal
ents to the commercial and civic affairs of this com
munity for nearly a century. One of the most prom
inent features of the family record has been a pa
triotism that has again and again drawn men of the
Squire lineage into the wars of the country.
Mr. Squire is descended from Zopher Squire, who
came from England and settled near Elizabeth-
town, New Jersey, about the raiddle of the eighteenth
century. He. was a colonial volunteer in the French

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YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

179

and Indian war, being wounded in that struggle.
His son Jaraes was .born in Morris County, New
Jersey, June 9, 1756, and at the age of twenty-two
raade his first enlistraent in the Continental forces
for Araerican independence. The official records
show that he served as a private with State troops
one raonth, then two raonths by a second enlistment,
and a half month by a third enlistment, while in 1782
he was enrolled for six months. He did not apply
for and receive a pension until he was seventy-six
years of age. After the death of his wife in 1819
he spent rauch of his tirae \yitli a son at Youngs
town, but died at New Castle, Pennsylvania, where
he was buried. He raarried Lydia Reynolds in 1786,
and had reraoved to Western Pennsylvania about
1799- His son John R. Squire, grandfather of the pres
ent John R. Squire of Youngstown, lived for raany
years on the northeast corner of Market and Central
Square at Youngstown. He was born in 1806. In
1854 he raoved to the south side of Front Street
east of Charapion Street and in 1856 to the southwest
corner of Charapion and Boardraan streets, where
he lived untU his death. Though fifty-six years of
age, he volunteered as a private in the Union array
in 1862, but his services were rejected. He had
been a deraocrat before the war and then becarae a
staunch republican. For raany years he was actively
identified with the First Methodist Episcopal
Church and took a special interest in its choir. John
R. Squire died July 28, 1896, when ninety years of
age. August 30, 1828, he raarried Phebe Morrow,
who was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania,
October i, 1806. She was a descendant of Charles
Morrow, of a prorainent family of Belfast, Ireland,
who came to America before the war of the Revo
lution and probably served in that struggle. After
ward he moved to Washington County, Pennsyl
vania, and acquired a farra. His son WUliara M.
Morrow by his wife Hannah Harrod, was born Oc
tober 31, 1770, at Philadelphia, and saw a brief serv
ice at the age of eighteen in an Indian campaign. In
1792 he joined the regular army, and for four years
was in the service, and was with the forces that
subdued the Indians in old Northwest Territory, in
cluding what is now the State of Ohio. After leav
ing the army he became a prosperous miUer at Pitts
burgh, but in 1812, at the age of forty-two, was
coraraissioned a first lieutenant of volunteers in the
War of 1812, and raade a brilliant record, rising to
the rank of captain. After the war he suffered
heavy financial losses through a business partner and
earned a modest living through school teaching and
services in public offices. He died in March, 1834.
Phebe Morrow was one of his chUdren. She was
a young woman when her father's fortunes became
involved and ruined, and at that time showed an in
dependence of spirit seldom found in her sex at
that tirae. She went to work in a paper raill at
Pittsburgh, and even after her marriage did work
outside her home in order to secure special ad
vantages for her chUdren. Her nobility of char
acter was adraired by raany friends and acquaint
ances and has been especially cherished by her de
scendants. She died at Youngstown Deceraber 26,
1869.

One of her children was James Squire, who was
born at Youngstown, March 13, 1834. In 1859 he
engaged in the roofing business at West Middle
sex, Pennsylvania, and in 1869 returned to Youngs
town and established a business of the same kind,
which was continued with growing prosperity for
half a century, until John R. Squire retired. James
Squire became prominent in local affairs, serving in
the City CouncU, and in later years as a meraber of
the City Sinking Fund Board. He retired from
business in 1902. February 26, i860, he married
Mary Burns.
John R. Sciuire is the only surviving child of his
parents and was born at 'West Middlesex, Mercer
County, Pennsylvania, January 18, 1862, and was
seven years of age when his parents returned to
Youngstown. After getting his education in the
local schools he entered his father's business,
learned the trade of tinner and roofer, also became
a practical draftsman, and at the age of twenty-
one -was operating a sawmUl in what is now Wick
Park. At that tirae he was raade a partner with
his father in the firm Jaraes Squire & Company,
and in 1889 the business was incorporated as the
Jaraes Squire Company, with Jaraes Squire as pres
ident and John R. Squire as sec.etary and treasurer.
In February, 1902, when Jaraes Squire retired, his
son bought all the stock and continued the business
as an undivided individual ownership. In 191 1 he
again incorporated and reraained as president and
general raanager until 1919, when he retired. For
half a century this business in sheet raetal and
roofing materials was one of the leading institutions
of its kind in Eastern Ohio.
Mr. Squire is a former president of the Ohio or
ganization of BuUders' Exchanges. He has been
active in public affairs, serving on the Council,
Board of Education and the Board of Public Safety.
He is a meraber of the Masons and Elks, and the
Meraorial Presbyterian Church.
In 1883 Mr. Squire raarried Etta M. Bowraan.
Her father, James M. Bowraan, was at one tirae
raanager of the Andrews Brothers' store at Hasel
ton. Mr. and Mrs. Squire have two daughters :
Pearl B., wife of J. Harry Fitch, and they are the
parents of two children, Doris Joan and Barbara
Squire ; and Nellie M., wife of Myron S. Curtis, of
Youngstown. Dale Dietrich. An acute, cool-headed raan of
business raay coraraand respect because of his
capabilities in raanaging large enterprises and his
power to change circurastances and conditions to
suit his will, and may have, as chosen associates, men
of the like caliber and siraUar power and interests,
but, in order to secure the confidence and esteera of
his fellowraen, he raust have other qualities to win
personal affection. Dale Dietrich, president of the
Dietrich Motor Car Corapany of Youngstown, al
though yet a young raan, has been identified^ with
affairs of vital interest in this city and other points,
and is in control of several concerns, proving his
sagacity and foresight beyond question. At the
sarae tirae his interest in everything calculated to
help others less fortunately situated is shown by his
practical syrapathy and ready generosity.

180

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Dale Dietrich was born in Monroe County, Ohio, in
1892, a son of Albert and Carrie (Jackson) Dietrich,
both of whora are living and residents of Ravenna,
Ohio, the father being treasurer and general man
ager of the Ravenna Furnace & Heating Company.
Growing up at Ravenna, Dale Dietrich attended
its high school, and began learning the jewelry and
watchraaking business, but found that he had little or
no liking for it, and that he was strongly attracted
toward the autoraobile trade. Fortunately he was
sensible enough to enter the business for which he
had a natural aptitude and carae to Youngstown frora
Ravenna in 1913 to market the products of the Cole
Motor Car Company. Alraost iraraediately there
after he organized the Dietrich Motor Car Corapany,
of Youngstown. Mr. Dietrich is also president of
the Dietrich Autoraobile Corapany of Warren, Ohio,
which Mr. Dietrich organized in igig, and of which
he is a heavy stockholder. With hira in this corapany
is N. H. Cobb of Warren, who is secretary and
treasurer. In igi4 Mr. Dietrich was united in raarriage with
Josephine Davis, forraerly of Youngstown, but later
of Ravenna. Mr. and Mrs. Dietrich have one chUd,
Jean Louise, who was born in 1916. Mr. Dietrich
belongs to the Autoraobile Club and the Autoraobile
Dealers' Association, and is active in both organiza
tions. He is a hustler and no task is too great for
him, nor can any obstacle daunt hira. With such
young raen in its midst as Mr. Dietrich, there is
little wonder that Youngstown has shown such won
derful progress within the past few years nor that
its outlook for the iraraediate future is so bright.
Lawrence P. Hoffmaster. A raan of superior
business ability and worth, Lawrence P. Hoffraaster
is prominently identified with the expansion of the
autoraobile interests of the Mahoning Valley, being
officially connected with the Hoffraaster-Gifford
Motor Sales Corapany, of Youngstown, and having
been one of the organizers of the Automotive Tire
Service Corapany, of the sarae city. He was born in
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, in 1881, a son of
the late HUary H. Hoffraaster, and grandson of
Jonas Hoffraaster, whose father eraigrated with his
faraily from Gerraany to the United States, settling
in Eastern Pennsylvania in pioneer days.
HUary H. Hoffraaster was born on his father's
farra in Mahoning County, Ohio, and was there bred
and educated. Buying a tract of land in Lawrence
County, Pennsylvania, in 1880, he was there engaged
in farraing several seasons. Subsequently re
turning to Ohio, he had charge of his father's
farm, which was situated in Mahoning County,
close to the state line, and there continued his
agricultural labors for a time. In 1897 he came with
his faraily to Youngstown, and engaged in the real
estate and insurance business, and also buUt several
dwellings. He died in 1917, but his widow, a native
of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, whose maiden
name was OUie A. iMayberry, survives, and still lives
in Youngstown, where she has an attractive horae.
Attending first the rural schools, and later the
graded schools of Youngstown, Lawrence P. Hoff
master obtained an excellent education, and from
1903 untU 1913 worked in his father's oifice, for the

first two years receiving his board and clothing only.
In igo5 he assuraed charge of the insurance depart
raent and in Noveraber, igo8, in partnership with C.
A. Gifford, secured the agency for the Regal Car
and carried on business under the narae of the Regal
Sales Company. In 1914 the corapany opened a shop
at 836 Market Street for service, and later in the
year purchased the property located at 902-4-6 Mar
ket Street, raoved the dwelling standing upon it,
and subsequently occupied the ground floor of the
two-story block they erected thereon. Discon
tinuing the service shop at 836 in 1917, the firm con
tinued to do business at the newer location, building
a service station at the rear on Essex Street.
In July, 1918, the Corapany took over the lease of
the Gilling Block, at 724 Market Street held by the
Goodyear Tire Company, and which is still occupied.
In August, 1917, the firm was incorporated as the
Hoffraaster-Gifford Motor Sales Corapany, with a
capital of $40,000, C. A. Gifford being raade presi
dent; W. S. Old, vice president; and Lawrence P.
Hoffraaster as secretary and treasurer. Mr. Hoff
master is now treasurer, and B. M. Sraart is the
secretary. In 1919 the company organized the Auto
motive Tire Corapany for the purpose of taking over
the business of the Hoffraaster-Gifford Company,
iMr. Gifford assuming the presidency, but Mr. iHoffi-
raaster, at his own request, was not elected to any
office in the new organization.
Mr. Hoffraaster raarried, in June, 1906, Leona B.
Rowe, of Allegan, Michigan, and they have four
children, Martha O., Bryce R., Laurilla, and
Donna L.
Joseph Henry Brown. In any technical discus
sion of the iron and steel industry of the Mahoning
Valley the activities of the late Joseph Henry Brown
would coramand frequent attention. As a matter
of fact he stood as one of the great iron masters in
Araerica for raany years. While it might be said
that he lived from early boyhood in the very atmos
phere of blast furnaces and iron and steel mills,
he was also a broad gauge business raan, and as a
citizen his strenuous energy and liberal purposes
raakes him a figure long to be remembered in
Youngstown, He was born in Glamorganshire, Wales, July 24,
1810, but his parents, John and Elizabeth (Swain)
Brown, were natives of England. When he was
about four years of age, and soon after the close
of the War of 1812, between Great Britain and the
United States, the Brown family came to America,
making their early home in Franklin County, Penn
sylvania. Fully a century ago the Browns were
pioneers among the iron raanufacturers of Penn
sylvania. As a boy Joseph. Henry Brown had every
opportunity to farailiarize himself with the then
crude technique of iron making. One of his em
ployers possessed a splendid library, and the young
workman gained much of his education out of that
library. All his life long he read deeply and thor
oughly of the great book of knowledge spread out
before every man of affairs. In early life he held
the position of foreraan of an iron plant operated by
water power in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Later he engaged in the raercantUe iron trade at

^.^ yc'SL

rfHf^)i

^0(MiJTKxl (^ ^d

)yuy^y(-^^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

181

New Castle, and from there carae to Youngstown in
i8ss. On coraing to Youngstown he was associated with
two or three other practical iron raen, one of whora
was the late WiUiara Bonnell. Mr. Brown inspected
a small iron plant that had been constructed on the
banks of the canal about 1843 and had been allowed
to be dismantled, the building being chiefly used as
a stable. He leased the property with privilege of
buying, and subsequently with his associates or
ganized a company afterward known as Brown,
Bonnell, Westerraaii & Corapany. At first they
started a small guide mill, and soon afterward were
added a nail plate mill and nail factory and a pud
dling department. Other ground was bought and on
it a blast furnace was built and another rolling mUl.
They also bought a blast furnace on adjoining prop
erty. By this time the company were giving em-
plojraient to approximately five hundred raen. This
in brief outline is a history, famUiar to all old iron
men, of the noted Brown-Bonnell plant at Youngs
town. The Westerman interests of the company
were bought by Chicago capital, at which time the
company was incorporated as the Brown-Bonnell
Iron Corapany, with Mr. Brown as president. He
continued in this official capacity until about the
tirae he sold his interests, in 1876, to Herbert Ayer
of Chicago.
Not long afterward Mr. Brown organized the
Joseph H. Brown Iron & Steel Corapany of Chicago,
and raoved his residence to the lake city. This com
pany built a rolling mill on the Calumet River, in
South Chicago. Mr. Brown personally leased this
property and added to it a blast furnace and a
large nail factory. These plants were operated
under a partnership arrangeraent known as the
Joseph H. Brown & Corapany. After a few years
in Chicago Mr. Brown sold out his interests there
in 1881 and at that tirae retiring frora all active
business pursuits, returned to his forraer horae and
congenial associations at Youngstown.
Under his direction the Brown-Bonnell Corapany
constructed one of the first two closed-top blast
furnaces, an innovation that revolutionized the blast
furnace practice of the country. That was perhaps
the raost noteworthy but by no raeans all of his ira
proveraents contributed to the technical processes of
iron and steel manufacture. He was a master raind
in the iron business in another sense. Until he re
tired, for a number of years he was president of
the National Tariff League of America. He fre
quently was called to the national capital as an ex
pert before the Ways- and Means Committee of
Congress to discuss tariff legislation, and his busi
ness integrity, his personality, and the vigorous and
concise appeal he could make undoubtedly had a
great influence over the tariff legislation of that
period. He was never in politics for the sake of
public office, though it has been well said that little
of interest ever occurred in the Mahoning Valley
with which he was not in sorae way connected. He
was for a number of years president of the Ma
honing National Bank of Youngstown. He was
actively affiliated with the Methodist Church.
Joseph Henry Brown, whose death occurred at
Youngstown, November 17, 1886, at the age of sev

enty-six, married Miss Susanna Oellig. She was
of Gerraan parentage. They were the parents of
the following children : Mary Jane, who was raar
ried to Edwin J. Warner and is now deceased;
Elizabeth Swain, who married the late William
Powers of Youngstown; Susannah A., widow of
Rev. Dr. C. E. Felton, a prominent character of
the Methodist Church; Joseph Henry, Jr., who died
in early manhood; J. Oellig, who died in 191 5; Ed-
raond L. ; and Eraily and iEUa, twins.
Edraond L. Brown, only surviving son of the
late Joseph H. Brown, was born at New Castle,
Pennsylvania, Noveraber 24, 185 1, but has spent
the greater part of his life in Youngstown. To a
large degree he has cultivated the sarae line of
business interests as his father, raanufacturing. He
was at one tirae president of the Ohio Powder
Corapany of Youngstown, and for two years was
president of the Mahonirig National Bank. In 1899
he retired frora active business, though his service
as executive of the Mahoning National Bank was
rendered subsequent to that date. He and his wife
are raerabers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
In 1878 he raarried Laura Belle McLain, of Brook-
vUle, Pennsylvania. They have two children : Lyda
McLain, wife of George E. Dudley, of Youngstown ;
and Edmond S., who is a member of the Dudley-
Forcier-Taylor Company.
William A. Hutchings. For hiraself or for
others Williara A. Hutchings has been a factor in
the business life of Niles for over a quarter of a
century, and during much the greater part of
that time has been proprietor of the Niles Dry Goods
Corapany, one of the oldest concerns under one own
ership in the city.
His father, the late Richard J. Hutchings, con
tributed not a little of the iraportant history to the
great industrial region of the Mahoning Valley. A
native of Wales, he was superintendent in that
country of the Treforest Tin Plate Corapany at
Swansea, South Wales. An expert in the raanu
facture of tin, on coming to the United States he
located at Hubbard and built the Hubbard tin mill,
and there raanufactured the first tin plate made in
the United States. He was also patentee of the
R. J. Hutchings pickling machine, which is still in
universal use throughout the country. The model
of this raachine is now in the possessioii of his son,
William A., and eventually wUl probably find a home
in the McKinley Meraorial Building at Niles. For
raany of his later years Richard J. Hutchings em
ployed hiraself with clerical duties in the iBrown-
Bonnell plant at Youngstown, though for many
years he kept his residence at NUes, where he died
in March, 191 5. The history of tin plate manufac
ture in this country could not be written without
frequent reference to the name of Richard J. Hutch-
ing.s. He had the thoroughness of the Welsh work
man in metals, and also an abundance of original
genius. For many years he was an active worker
in the Methodist Church. In Wales Richard J.
Hutchings married Margaret Edwards, who is
still living in advanced years. They were the par
ents of thirteen children.
William A. Hutchings was born in Wales, Janu-

18-.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

ary 8, 1874, and was twelve years of age when
his parents came to this country. He finished his
education at Hubbard, graduating from high school,
and in 1893, at the age of nineteen, entered the em
ploy of J. iE. Rose, a dry goods raerchant at NUes,
under whora he acquired a cietaUed 'knowledge of the
dry goods business. Two years later he went with
W. A. Thomas & Brother, and on Noveraber 27,
1899, engaged in business for himself at his present
location, where he has sold goods for the past
twenty-one years.
Both in business and community affairs Mr. Hutch
ings has never avoided responsibilities and has done
all he could to advance the welfare of the locality.
He was one of the organizers of the Dollar Sav
ings Bank Company, of which he is a director, and
is a stockholder in the Standard Boiler & Plate Com
pany, and was a director of the DeForest Sheet &
Tin Plate Company untU that plant was sold to the
Republic Iron and Steel Corapany.
Mr. Hutchings was one of the organizers of the
old Board of Trade, is a raeraber of the Niles
Charaber of Coraraerce, is affiliated with the Knights
of Pythias and the Methodist Episcopal Church.
September 3, igi5, he raarried JNIiss Margaret Jones,
of NUes.
William F. Lane, who is superintendent of the
A. M. Byers plant at Girard, had a boyhood passion
for raachinery and raechanics, never wanted to work
in any other line, and with a steadfast aira has raade
each experience count for soraething larger and
better. He is regarded as one of the raost capable
technical men as well as one of the able executives
in the Mahoning Valley.
Mr. Lane was born at Warren in 1870, son of
Benjarain and Susie (Berry) Lane. His father,
who died in i8g5, at the age of sixty, saw three years
and eight raonths of active service as a Union sol
dier during the Civil war. He was a participant in
many battles, was at first a non-commissioned officer
in the Sixth Ohio Regiraent and later re-enlisted in
the Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment. He was a re
publican and a raeraber of the Grand Array Post.
His widow is still living at the age of sixty-six, her
horae being at Warren. She is a raeraber of the
Church of the Disciples. William F. Lane was the
oldest of three sons. His brother Richard D., for
many years with the Day-Ward Company, died in
1919, in his forty-seventh year. The other brother
is Dawson, a resident of Cleveland and an engineer
with the Erie Railroad.
William F. Lane received his early education at
Warren, and to supplement his practical experience
has since taken several courses with the Interna
tional Correspondence School of Scranton. As a
young man he worked in various shops and factories,
¦was a mechanical engineer with some of the leading
plants of the Mahoning Valley, including the Tod
plant and the Ward-Day plant, and since igog has
been identified with the A. M. Byers plant at Girard.
For the first five years he was superintendent of the
furnace departraent, and since 1914 has had the re
sponsibilities of superintending the entire plant.
Mr. Lane has raany affiliations with iron and steel
men in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. In Masonry

he is affiliated with St. John's Coraraandery, Knights
Teraplar, with the Scottish Rite Consistory and Al
Koran Teraple of the Mystic Shrine at Cleveland.
He also has twenty years of raerabership in the R. e!
Johnson Lodge, Knights of Pythias, while he and'
his wife are raembers of the Church of the Dis
ciples. In i8go, before he was twenty years of age,
he married Miss Jennie B. Taylor, daughter of Am
brose Taylor, of Sharon, Pennsylvania.
John D. Reese. In spite of its many wonderful
industries, Youngstown to hundreds of people all
over America has no special significance except as
the home of "Bonesetter" Reese. Those two words
are as likely to arouse ready recognition and appre
ciation in remote localities of the country as the
name of almost any other celebrity.
Bonesetter Reese, who has lived at Youngstown
for over thirty years, is a natural raaster of the
art of orthopedic surgery, soraetimes called blood
less surgery. Its chief feature is a scientific mani
pulation ill reducing dislocations. But Bonesetter
Reese is in a class by hiraself, and his wonderful
success has not been due to any set formula or
raethods, but an individual genius and resourceful
ness which is iniraitable and can hardly recur mo e
than in one or two individuals of
His records are in some degree siraU,
the erainent Austrian surgeon, DoctOi
has been widely known in America ;'• ^.ne
to this country to treat Lolita Arraour, .^ughter
of the Chicago" packer, for congenital hip trouble.
John D. Reese ^-as born in Wales May 5, 1855.
In his native country the faraily name was spelled
Rees, and his parents were William and Sarah
(Morris) Rees. A year and a half after his birth
he was left fatherless and at the age of eleven an
orphan. The remarkable sympathy and great kind
ness of Bonesetter Reese are no doubt in part due
to his hurable rearing and his life among the com
mon folk of Southwestern steel England. He had
to start work and raake a living at the age of eleven.
He was eraployed in the rolling raills of Rhymney
in Monraouthshire, a town on the border between
England and Wales. There was little chance to
secure a forraal education. He had to work for
the necessities of life. He grew up in the atmos
phere of Monraouthshi..-e and its factories. In 18S6,
as a result of the tariff on steel rails to the United
States, the rail raills closed in Monmouthshire.
Thrown out of eraployraent during the depression,
John Reese carae to the United States in February,
1887. He at once sought the iron district of Pitts
burgh, where he was eraployed in the mUls of Jones
& Laughlin, but in July of the sarae year came to
Youngstown. He becarae a roller's helper in the
old Brown-Bonnell raUl and later a roller in the
Valley raill.
While in Wales young Reese had lived near a
''bonesetter," a narae applied in the old country to
a class of practical surgeons who were expert in
the art of raanipulation in correcting deformities in
the bony structure of the body. Even as a boy iMr.
Reese raanifested a keen interest in that art. While
in Wales he studied books on bone setting, and
incidentally practiced the art to sorae extent. He

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YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

183

found opportunity to render occasional service in
the sarae line in Youngstown, and frora the re
markable success of some of his cases he was finally
led to abandon the rolling mUl business, and
since June, 1894, has given his exclusive attention
to his work. Fame and fortune have come to him in
abundant raeasure and his clients seek hira frora
every state of the Union. There is no question of
the wonderful cures he has effected. Nevertheless,
he is an exceedingly unassuraing gentleraan, affable,
courteous and generous to a fault. Bonesetter Reese
is a Knight Teraplar Mason, has also attained the
thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite, and is a
life raeraber of Al Koran Teraple of the Mystic
Shrine at Cleveland.
In 1875 he raarried Sarah Richards. She died in
1914, after a corapanionship of nearly forty years.
She was the mother of five daughters : Mary Ann,
wife of Dr. William Bryn, of Youngstown;
Sarah, wife of Theodore Johns, of Youngstown ;
Elizabeth, wife of Oliver K. Barbour, forraerly of
Cleveland, now of Youngstown ; Katherine, wife of
J. Roy McVey, of Youngstown; and Gertrude.
Ambrose Eckman. In a lifetirae of three-quar
ters of a century Arabrose Eckraan has lived in Gir
ard except for a period of about fifteen years, and
as an old resident of the coraraunity he has only one
rival. Doctor McCartney, who has probably lived in
Girard for a longer period than Mr. Eckman.
Mr. Eckman has been a prorainent business man
in this section of the state, and is still somewhat
active, being president of the Eckraan Coal Cora
pany. Where the plant and yards of that corapany
are located in Girard, Arabrose Eckraan was born,
April 15, 1845, son of Lewis and Catharine (Coy)
Eckraan. His great-grandfather was one of the first
settlers in the vicinity of the present Girard. The
grandfather, James Eckman, was a soldier in the
War of 1812. The Eckmans becarae extensive land
owners in the Mahoning Valley. Some of the faraily
intermarried with the Wilsons, who owned the land
where Brier Hill is now located. Some of the
Eckmans lived at Weathersfield Cross Roads. Lewis
Eckraan was a carpenter by trade, and built the home
where his son Ambrose was born, and where he died
at the age of thirty-five, when Arabrose was only a
child. His widow survived hira raany years, until
1905- Ambrose Eckman acquired his early education in
the schools of Girard. As a boy he ran away from
home to get into the array, going to Columbus, but
was refused enrollraent by Governor Tod. In the
latter part of the war his services were accepted, and
he served in the battle of Cynthiana in Kentucky
and on sorae other duty. His first regular business
experience was as brakeman with what is now the
Erie Railroad, with a run between Mineral Ridge,
Niles and Girard. After three years he left raU-
roading because he thought his superiors treated hira
unjustly in promoting other men over him. He then
entered the service of the Brown Iron Corapany at
the blast furnaces under John Morris. May i, 1871,
he reraoved to Niles, where he contracted with the
nail factory and three rolling raills to furnish coal
and pig iron to those institutions. At the end of one

year Jaraes Ward & Company annuUed the contract
because they thought iMr. Eckman was making too
much raoney and therefore put him on a salary, and
he was serving as their superintendent at the time
of their faUure in 1874. Later he was top boss at the
mines at MassUlon and subsequently assistant man
ager of the Russia MUl, also a 'Ward institution,
after several years becoraing manager.
In 1884 Mr. Eckman returned to Girard, con
ducted a hotel for a time, and then became agent
for the Aetna Life Insurance Company.
In i8gi he was elected the first mayor of Girard,
and filled that office by election four consecutive
terms. In the raeantirae he was carrying on his life
insurance business, and about the tirae he left the
office of raayor he joined his son J. G. in the coal,
ice and building supply business, a coramercial in
stitution that has had a steady growth with the
growth of the town. When the business was incor
porated Ambrose Eckman became president and his
son, John G., secretary, treasurer and manager.
Mr. Eckraan raarried in 1870 Alice Wilson, daugh
ter of Williara WUson. She was born in Girard in
1848. They have three chUdren, Rilla, wife of J.
William Daley, associated with the Eckman Coal
Company; John G. ; and DoUie, wife of WUliam
Crooks, an employe of the Republic Sheet MiUs and
a resident of Girard.
Mr. Eckraan was forraerly affiliated with the Elks,
and is a raeraber of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows and Knights of Pythias. He was the first
of the Eckraan faraily to depart from the traditions
of loyal affiliation with the democratic party.
John G. Eckman, who is secretary, treasurer and
raanager of the Eckraan Coal Company, has had a
working and business career for thirty years. He
was born while his parents lived at Niles, on Janu
ary 4, 1874, and finished his education in the WUson
Avenue school at the age of fifteen. He then went
to work in the Girard iron plant, now owned by the
A. M. Byers_ interests, and was office boy, but soon
rose to positions of trust and responsibility, serving
as head bookkeeper eight years. Frora the Girard
Iron Corapany he went with the Salera Iron Company
at Leetonia for a year and a half and then for four
years was a Youngstown representative of Nelson
Morris & Corapany. When the Eckraan Coal Cora
pany was organized in 1910 he becarae secretary,
treasurer and raanager, and has given his best ener
gies and experience to raaking this corapany a
raediura for coraplete service throughout its norraal
trade territory, for coal, ice and building supplies.
In 1894 Mr. Eckraan married Miss Sallie Edger
ton Bronson, daughter of WUliam Bronson, of
Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. They have one daugh
ter, Marian Bronson. Mr. Eckman and family are
merabers of St. John's Episcopal Church at Youn.gs
town, and fraternally he is affiliated with the Knights
of Pythias and Elks.
George R. Purdum, Many of the most important
real estate transactions and developraents in and
around Girard during recent years have been effect
ed through the agency of George R. Purdum, a
business man of wide experience not only in real
estate but in other affairs.

184

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Mr. Purdum is a native of Ohio, born at Old
Washington in Guernsey County, December ii, 1853.
His parents were Rolandus C. and Sarah A. (Wirick)
Purdura. His raother was also born at Old Wash
ington, and died in igi8, at the age of eighty-four.
Rolandus C. Purdura was born in Maryland in 1834,
and at the age of eighty-six is living at Girard. In
1847 he went out to Guernsey County, riding a horse
and driving a teara. There were few railroads in
the country then, and the custoraary raode of travel
between the east and west was with wagons. He
was raany days on the journey, and that was one of
many pioneer experiences to be credited to his rec
ord. Just seventy-two years after he raade that trip
frora Maryland to Ohio, he Went over practically the
sarae route in 1919, but .this tirae in a high powered
touring car driven by his son George. For raany
years Rolandus Purdura was engaged in farraing in
Guernsey County, then for twelve years lived in
Butler and Beaver counties, Pennsylvania, and has
been a resident of Girard since igog. For several
years he was employed as a gateman by the A. M.
Byers Corapany at Girard. He is a devout Method
ist, and is one of the few surviving original repub
licans. Up to the age of eighteen George R. Purdum
worked on his father's farm in his native county.
He acquired a public school education. On leaving
home he went west, living for four years at Gales
burg, Illinois, and then drove overland to South
western Nebraska, where he attempted farm and
ranch life for two years. On returning to his home
county he was identified with farming as his prac
tical business for six years. Another six years he
spent in the oil fields of Butler County, Pennsyl
vania, and for ten years was identified with the
hoUowware industry at Monaca, Pennsylvania, and
Salera, Ohio.
Mr. Purdum then located at Girard to engage in
the real estate and insurance business. iHe has
bought and sold many properties and handled the
very successful Girard Heights and Kline Street
allotments. During his residence at Beaver, Penn
sylvania, he was a member of the City Council. For
many years he has been a strong advocate of the
prohibition araendraent.
Rolandus C. Purdum was not yet twenty years of
age when his son George R. was born, and the latter
was married before he was twenty. He, raarried
Mary Claggett in 1873. She is also a native of
Guernsey County. To their marriage were born four
children : Augustus Ellsworth, who died in chUd
hood; Francis E., now associated with his father in
business at Girard ; Clyde A. and Chester M., both of
whom live at Beaver, iPennsylvania, and are eraployes
of the A. M. Byers Company of Pittsburg. Mr,
Purdura is a steward in the Methodist Church, a
teacher in its Sunday school, and is affiliated with
the Junior Order of United Araerican Mechanics.
Carroll Thornton. One of the men wbo has
stamped the impress of his strong individuality upon
the minds of the people of Youngstown in a manner
to render him one of the conspicuous characters
of this coraraunity is Carroll Thornton, who has had
a soraewhat varied career, but who is now engaged

in the real estate department of the Realty Trust
Company. Faithfulness to duty and a strict adher-.
ence to a fixed purpose, which always do more to
advance a raan's interests than wealth or advantage
ous circurastances, have been dominating factors in
his life, which has been replete with honor and suc
cess worthily attained.
Carroll Thornton, forraerly raayor of Youngstown,
was born in this city February 20, 1861, and is one
of five chUdren born to Williara and Julia (Hamil
ton) Thornton, who also were natives of Mahoning
County, Ohio. He was reared here and secured his
educational training in the public schools. At the
age of thirteen years he went to work in the fac
tory of the Arras-Belt Bolt Corapany in a minor
capacity, reraaining with this firra for six years. He
then becarae a driver for the United States Express
Corapany, and then for its successor here, the Erie
Express Corapany. Later he joined the Wells-Fargo
Express Company, working for the latter company
at Corry, Pennsylvania, for five- years, and then
returned to Youngstown as that corapany's agent
here. In l8go Mr. Thornton resigned that position
in order to engage in the laundry business. Buying
the Calvin Winsworth Laundry, he changed its name
to the Youngstown Laundry Corapany, and still
later to the Youngstown Laundry and Cleaning Com
pany. He conducted this business untU March, 1917,
when he sold out, and since February i, 1919, he
has occupied his present position as sales manager
of the real estate department of the Realty Trust
Corapany, in which he is achieving a pronounced
success. Mr. Thornton was raarried in 1886 to Bertha E.
Stewart, who died on February ig, 1888, leaving one
daughter, Josephine, who is now the wife of John
Black, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1896 Mr.
Thornton was raarried to Ada Miller, and they are
the parents of a son, Wallace, now attending Phil
lips Exeter Acaderay at Exeter, New Hampshire.
Politically Mr. Thornton has been an active and
lifelong supporter of the republican party. For
eight years, beginning with 1907, he was a member
of the Board of Education, during two years of
which tirae he was president of the board, and in
1915 he was elected mayor of the city, in which
capacity he rendered his coraraunitj' signally efficient
service. He ever had the best interests of the city
before him and strove in every way possible to pro
raote the advanceraent and iraproveraent of the city
along all lines. It was during his public service
that the East Youngstown riots occurred, and it
was largely through the personal efforts of ^ Mr.
Thornton that the questions at issue were adjudi
cated and the trouble abated. Mr. Thornton is a
meraber of the Youngstown Club, the Youngstown
Country Club, the Rotary Club and the Chamber of
Coramerce. iHe is also a raeraber of the Free and
Accepted Masons, in which he has attained the
Knight Teraplar degree of the York and the
thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, and he
is also a meraljer of the Ancient Arabic Order
iNTobles of the Mystic Shrine.' iHis life history ex
hibits a career of unswerving integrity, indefatigable
private industry and wholesorae social relations, and
is the record of a well balanced raental and moral
constitution, strongly raarked by those traits of

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

185

character which are of special value in such a state
of society as exists in this country. He possesses a
strong social nature, and by his genial and kindly
attitude towards those with whora he comes into
contact he has won and retains the confidence and
respect of every one.
Joseph H. Hochadel. After a nuraber of years
in raUroad work Joseph H. Hochadel turned to other
lines of business and for the past seventeen years
has been a valued raember of the business organ
ization of the Ohio Leather Company at Girard, a
corporation which he is now serving as auditor
and assistant secretary and treasurer.
Mr. Hochadel was born at Albion, Pennsylvania,
June 27, 1868, son of Mathias and Fanny (Ehrraan)
Hochadel. His raother was of an old iPennsylvania
family, and she died in November, 1918. iMathias
Hochadel was a boy when brought by his parents
frora Germany, and for many years was a section
foreman on the Erie and Pittsburg Division of the
Pennsylvania Railroad. He died in 1912, at the
age of sixty-eight.
Oldest in a faraily of eight children, Joseph H.
Hochadel finished his education in the Albion High
School. His first regular work was as water boy
at Albion for the Pennsylvania RaUroad. He learned
telegraphy and other branches of railroading, and for
twenty-one years was in the service of the Penn
sylvania Corapany, the latter part of the tirae as
freight agent at iBrier HiU and Niles. These duties
brought hira into active connection with the industrial
interests of the Mahoning Valley and in 1903 he
entered the Ohio Leather Corapany as cost clerk,
and has since been given charge of raost of the
office business of that corporation as auditor and
assistant secretary and treasurer.
Mr. Hochadel and family reside at Girard and they
are members of St. Rose Catholic Church. He mar
ried in October, 1893, Miss Rosa Gramlich, at that
time a resident of Erie, Pennsylvania. She was born
in Gerraany and was eleven years of age when her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Graralich, carae to the
United States. Mr. and- Mrs. Hochadel have four
sons : Raymond J. is with the Cleveland BuUders
Supply and Brick Corapany; Frank M. is with the
Ohio Leather Company; Joseph M. is employed by
the construction company building the Falcon mills
at NUes; and the youngest is John P. Frank and
Joseph were both with the colors during the 'World
war, Frank being in a headquarters compariy while
Joseph was a raember of the Students Army Train
ing Corps.
Charles A. McCaughtry. While a resident of
Niles Mr. McCaughtry has for many years been
active in business affairs at Girard, where he is a
member of the firra of McCaughtry & Marshall, own
ers of the Pennahio Luraber Corapany. This busi
ness was established in 1908 by the firra of iMarshall,
Burt & Hunt, and Mr. McCaughtry has been ari
active raeraber of the partnership for the past ten
years. Mr. McCaughtry, whose experience as a business
man, civil engineer and teacher, has been a long and
varied one and has taken him over a great part of

the United States, was born in Mahoning County,
at Austintown, October 15, 1864. He is a son of
Joseph and Lucy (Brunstetter) McCaughtry. Joseph
McCaughtry was distinguished by a long life and by
many unusual attributes of character and service.
He was born in Pennsylvania in 1819 and died in
1913, in his ninety-fifth year. He maintained much
of his vigor of physique and spirit to the end. His
father died in iPennsylvania, and in 1835, when he
was sixteen years of age, he crossed the mountains
to Ohio with his widowed mother and two sisters.
Considering the poverty of his boyhood and the time
in which he lived he had practically no opportunities
for education. A thirst for knowledge burned
within hira, and he taught hiraself to read and
eventually comraanded a fluent use of both the Eng
lish and German languages. Joseph McCaughtry
from boyhood was extreraely handy with tools, and
as a young raan is Eastern Ohio he learned to raake
ladles, dippers and skimraers frora copper. Later he
acquired all the technique of the coppersmith's trade
by practical experience and association, with other
workmen. Moving to Austintown, he conducted a
tavern known as the Indian Queen, also opened a
store, and conducted a very prosperous business. He
also owned two farms. I'he tavern was on the old
Plank Road, a noted thoroughfare traveled in the
early days by the stages. Joseph McCaughtry, whose
father came frora the nortli of Ireland, was a raember
of the Gerraan Reformed Church and as a young
man it was his desire to be a rainister. He was a
strict prohibitionist in his later life and a deraocrat.
His first wife was Lydia MUler, who carae frora
Four Mile Run, Ohio. Joseph McCaughtry raarried
for his second wife Lucy Brunstetter, who died in
1918, at the age of seventy-eight. They had half a,
century of raarried life. Her father, Henry Brun
stetter, was a Pennsylvanian Gerraan. By the first
raarriage there were three sons and two daughters.
The only living son is CaldweU Porter, who was
naraed in honor of Caldwell Porter, one pf the first
raill raen in Northeast Ohio. The only living daugh
ter is Barbara, wife of Austin Crura, of Girard. By
his marriage to Lucy Brunstetter Joseph McCaughtry
had two sons and two daughters, Charles A. being
the oldest; Lydia, wife of John Peck, of 'Warren;
Miranda, unmarried, who made her home with her
parents as long as they lived and is now a resident of
California; and Raymond, a raachinist with the Peer
less Electric Company at Warren.
Joseph McCaughtry after his second marriage
moved to NUes, where he owned the old Sanford
Hotel and a store, and about 1869 moved to Lords-
town, where the family home reraained thereafter
though Joseph McCaughtry again did merchandising
at NUes, seUing goods to the eraployes of the 'Ward
plant.
^ Charles A. McCaughtry acquired his education in
the schools of Lordstown, attending the select school
there. His higher education was acquired largely
through his own efforts and earnings. For a time he
attended the Norraal University at Ada. The head
of that institution was the venerable educator, Henry
Lehr, who built up at Ada one of the greatest educa
tional institutions of Ohio. Henry Lehr was a cousin
of Joseph McCaughtry, and the latter had furnished

186

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Lehr with considerable aid in his early enterprises.
Charles A. McCaughtry took special training at Ada,
expecting to becorae a civil engineer. At the age of
twenty he went west to Wyoraing, became deputy
county surveyor of Johnson County, and did a great
deal of work surveying ranches and laying out irriga
tion ditches. Another year he spent in Iowa College
at Grinnell, and from there went to Queen City,
Missouri, where he taught one winter. Returning
to Ohio in 1888, he resuraed teaching and after his
marriage was a student in Hirara College one year.
He taught in various schools in TrurabuU and Ma
honing counties, and in i8gg was appointed teacher
of raathematics in the Niles High School. He was
the capable man in charge of that department for
ten years. Then, in igio, he became associated with
his present business at Girard.
In i8gi Mr. McCaughtry married Hrttie Hoffman,
daughter of Abram Hoffman. Before her marriage
she was a teacher in the Lordstown schools. She
died in i8g6, the mother of two sons, John B. ahd
Roger H. John served overseas with the Seventy-
Ninth Division, was in the battle of Argonne, and
since his discharge from the army has been in the
office of the Republic Steel Company at Youngstown.
Roger served in the Medical Corps, being stationed
at Carap Pike, Arkansas. Both sons have taught
school and Roger is now in the office of the Brier
HUl Steel Company at Youngstown.
In igoi Charles A. McCaughtry raarried Mabel
Rogers, daughter of J. W. Rogers of NUes. They
have three children, Jean, Donald and Mary. Mr.
McCaughtry is an elder in the Christian Church,
and for the past ten years has taught a class of old
people in the Sunday school.
William E. Bliss, vice president and general
superintendent of the Standard Slag Corapany, is a
man of sound coramon sense and knowledge of
raen, and has risen to his present position through
his own raerit. He has only been a resident of
Youngstown since igi6, but during that brief period
has raade his influence felt among the efficient execu
tives of his calling. Mr. Bliss was born at Bloora-
ville, Seneca County, Ohio, February 7, 1886, a son
of iMelvin O. and Ellen (Reid) Bliss, both of whora
are still living at BlooravUle.
Growing up in his native place, WiUiara E. Bliss
attended its schools, and was graduated frora the
high school course. For one terra thereafter be
engaged in teaching a country school, and then in
igo4 became a clerk in the office of The France
Company, extensive quarry owners of Bloomville.
After one year he was transferred to the operating
departraent, where after a short time he was made
superintendent. Sorae two or three years later he
became general superintendent of the France Cora
pany's quarries. Up to this tirae his advancement
had been exceedingly rapid and was largely owing
to his thorough study of the business, his natural
qualifications as an organizer and with the reputa
tion of doing a little more than was required of him.
In loog the France Slag Company was organized,
in which he became a stockholder, and of whicii
he was made treasurer and general superintendent,
and at the same tirae he retained his position as

superintendent of the quarries of the France Com
pany. In igio he retired from the latter corpora
tion, and devoted all of his time to the France
Slag Company untU igi4. In that year he was
made general superintendent and treasurer of the
Standard Slag Company. The Standard Slag Com
pany organized the Seiple-Wolf Construction
Company and the Virginia Slag Corporation, oper
ating in Virginia. The Standard Slag Corapany are
also interested in the Sraith Construction Company
of Youngstown, and all are doing an increasing
and prosperous business. Mr. Bliss is a member of
the Youngstown Club, and the Youngstown Cham
ber of Comraerce. For years he has belonged to the
Masonic fraternity. Trinity Methodist Episcopal
Church of Youngstown holds his membership.'
On October 7, igog, Mr. Bliss was united in mar
riage with Miss Fern Hossler, of BlooravUle, Ohio,
who was a member of the same graduating class
from high school as he. iMr. and Mrs. Bliss have
three daughters, Gladys Fern, Margaret Jane and
Alice Mae. Mr. Bliss is one of the energetic, alert
young men of Youngstown, whose rapid progress in
the line he has chosen awakens admiration for his
ability and speaks well for his future.
Frank J. Thomas, superintendent of the Ohio
Leather Corapany at Girard, comes of a family of
tanners and leather makers. Tanning has been the
occupation of the family for at least three genera
tions. Mr. Thomas is one of the expert leather
makers in America today, and deserves much credit
for the success of the big business at Girard.
He was born at Middle Falls, New York, Decem
ber 25, i85g. His parents were Lewis J. and Mary
Thomas, who were married in Wales. The grand
father was a Welch tanner, and Lewis J. learned
the same occupation and followed the business all
his working years. He died in 191S, at the age of
seventy-six. Frank J. Thomas finished his education in the
Fairfield Serainary of New York, and from boyhood
grew up in the leather business, learning all phases
of the art and trade. He has the distinction of
having been one of the first in Araerica to make
colored leather. The Middleville Tannery was built
by his father, and the son had an iraportant part in
its manageraent until the plant was destroyed by
fire in 1904. At that tirae Mr. Thoraas went to Mil
waukee, Wisconsin, as plant superintendent for
Phister & Vogel, reraaining there three years. He
was also superintendent of the Barnett Leather Com
pany of Middle Falls, New York, and superintendent
for C. D. Brown & Corapany of Rochester.
The officials of the Ohio Leather Company had
been associated with him in leather raaking, and
knowing his exceptional qualifications urged him to
becorae superintendent of the plant at Girard, an
office he has now filled for three years.
In 1894 Mr. Thomas married Carrie Nelson, a
daughter of Henry Nelson, of MiddlevUle, New
York. They have one daughter, Mary, wife of
Theodore Caldwell, of Newburgh, New York. Mr.
and Mrs. Thoraas are affiliated with the Episcopal
Church, and he is a Mason and a republican.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

187

Leonard Holloway. At the age of seventy-seven
Leonard Holloway can look back over a long life
marked at every point by patriotic Americanism,
hard and honest work, capable business progress and
a public spirit that has raore than once brought hira
into prominence in his horae coraraunity at Niles.
Mr. HoUoway is senior raember of the Leonard
Holloway & Son undertaking firm at Niles.
His life began with his birth on February 27, 1843,
in a log house built by his grandfather in the woods
four miles east of Lisbon in Columbiana County,
Ohio. His parents were Jacob and Elizabeth ' (Wil
lard) Holloway. His father was also_ born on the
same farm of 160 acres in Colurabiana County,
land that had been acquired as a horaestead by
his grandfather, Ephraim Holloway. Ephraim
Holloway carae from the State of Virginia and was
a Quaker in religion. He cleared up much of the
land and spent his remaining days there. Jacob
Holloway lived on and cultivated the horae farra for a
nuraber of years, made his home at Lisbon for a time,
then resumed the manageraent of the farm, and
finally went to Salem. He was a natural machinist,
and at Salera was in the employ of the Buckeye
Machine Company manufacturing engines. He died
in Salera at the age of sixty-eight. He was always
loyal to the church of his birth, but finaUy joined for
convenience the Church of -the Disciples. iHe was an
ante-war deraocrat, but afterward a republican. Eliza
beth WUlard, his wife, was from the State of
Maryland and died at Niles at the age of seventy.
Their two sons were Leonard and Williara, the latter
a raachinist at Salem.
Leonard Holloway acquired the rudiments of his
education at Lisbon, and left school to learn the
printer's trade, a trade that has always been regarded
as the equivalent of a university education. He
learned his trade with the Patriot of which Thomas
Wood was editor, and for a time worked as a printer
on the Buckeye State.
Few of the veterans of the Civil war still living
had a longer and more active service in the army
than Leonard Holloway. He was in the three
months' service at the beginning of the war, joining
a company of the Nineteenth Ohio Infantry. At his
second enlistment he joined Corapany F of the
Seventy-Sixth Ohio Infantry, and becarae regiraental
adjutant. He was in many of the great campaigns
both in the East and West, and saw active service
under General Grant and General Sherman. Early
in the wair he participated at the battle of Rich
Mountain during the 'West Virginia carapaign. He
was at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg,
Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold, siege of
Atlanta and the march to the sea, and in the progress
of Sherraan's victorious arrnies through South and
North Carolina. The only in>ury he ever received
was when he was thrown frora a horse while taking
ammunition to the front, and received a broken leg.
He made a good soldier, and after more than four
years in the array was raustered out at Columbus,
Ohio, in August, 1865. He had been urged to remain
in the regular array, but was well satisfied to resume
civU life, still a young man of twenty-two. The first
two years after the war he spent drilling oil wells in
the Pennsylvania oil field. He then went to work as

a fireman with the Erie Railroad, was promoted to
engineer, ' and was engineer of switch engines,
freight and passenger trains, and when he left the
Erie in 1882 he was one of the veteran men of the
service. Since 1882 Mr. Holloway has been active in
the undertaking business. His first establishment at
Niles was on Main Street where Bodkin & Bodkin
are now doing business.
Mr. Holloway is a former mayor of NUes, having
filled that office to the satisfaction of all good citizens
four years. He was also a raeraber of the City Coun
cil, and was raaster of ceremonies wben the McKinley
Memorial was unveiled to the public. He was a per
sonal friend of William McKinley. Mr. Holloway
is affiliated with McPherson Post, Grand Army of
the Republic, and is a member of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias.
At Lisbon, Ohio, he inarried Ida B. Dunlap. They
have six living chUdren ; Bert, who saw active serv
ice in the engineering departraent of the -Navy on
the battleship Connecticut during the World war and
is now superintendent of the water and light plant at
Niles ; Janies, associated with his father in business ;
Ray, connected with the city waterworks ; Leonard,
who for the past twelve years has been a wireless
operator in the United States Navy; Charles, who
also has a record with the navy of five years, and is
now on the battleship North Carolina; and Helen,
wife of Fred Williaras, who is the Erie Railroad
freight agent at Niles.
Elmer E. McKelvey. WhUe his brother, the late
George M. McKelvey, had a long and honorable
career at Youngstown as a merchant and banker, and
founded the G. M. McKelvey Corapany of that city,
Elmer E. McKelvey has kept his interests identified
with the VUlage of Hubbard for over thirty years,
and as a merchant his narae is synonyraous with in
tegrity and fair dealing.
Mr. McKelvey was born at Arraagh, Indiana
County, Pennsylvania, August 17, 1861, a son of
Ephraim and iEsther (McCartney) McKelvey. He
is of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Elmer McKelvey was
only a child when his parents died, and a guardian
looked after the younger chUdren and the old home
stead. ' Elmer E. McKelvey lived there until the age
of seventeen, and in 1879 went out to Illinois, where
he followed farra labor two years. In the raeantirae,
in 1877, his brother George M. had corae to Hubbard
as manager for Andrews & Hitchcock of their mer
cantile business known as the Corapany Store. On
returning from Illinois, Elraer McKelvey attended
the Normal School at Indiana, Pennsylvania, and in
1886 joined his relatives at Hubbard, where, in addi
tion to his brother, his sister, Mrs. B. E. Price, also
lived. He at once became a clerk in the company,
store, and in 1898 was promoted to manager for
tbe mercantile corporation, and so continued until
1917. For over thirty years he had given his tirae
and energies to one, enterprise. Then, in 1917, he
established a business of his own as a grocery raer
chant, and has since been reaping the advantages
coraing frora so long an acquaintance wjth the people
who recognize his able business qualifications and
his fine personal character. Mr. McKelvey has a
host of friends around Hubbard, and has always

188

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

worked with the progressive people for better things
in the coraraunity.
For some years he served as viUage treasurer, is
a trustee of the Presbyterian Church, and for years
superintendent of the Sunday school, and filled all
the chairs in the lodge of the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows. In 1889 Mr. McKelvey married
Miss Carrie Morayer, of Erie, Pennsylvania, and
they had one chUd Stella, who died in infancy.
Jonas Earle King, M. D. Originally appointed
TrurabuU County health officer. Doctor King, who
is in practice at Girard, had sorae interesting ex
periences overseas as a medical officer with the Ex
peditionary Forces, and is a young physician of fine
talents and capabilities, with a brUliant future before
him. He was born at Eralenton in Venango County,
Pennsylvania, March 30, 1890, a son of Jonas H. and
Lucy M. (Crawford) King. His father, a stone
raason by trade, was a pioneer in the oU development
of Butler County, Pennsylvania. He raoved his horae
to Butler County in l89g, and died there in 1914, at
the age of sixty-two. He was a Methodist, an active
worker in the prohibition raoveraent, and his widow is
a Presbyterian and is now living at Mars, Penn.syl-
vania. Of nine children, the eldest, Harry, is in the
oil business in Butler County, Pennsylvania; two,
Ralph and Edward C, are dentists at Sharon, Penn
sylvania, and two have chosen the profession of
raedieine. Clare B. graduated in medicine from the
University of Pennsylvania in ig20.
Dr. Jonas E. King attended the coramon schools
of Butler County, North Washington Institute, and
received his A. B. degree frora Grove City College
in 1913. He pursued his professional studies in the
University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1917, and
the following year was interne at the Youngstown
City Hospital. January 18, 1918, he was commis
sioned a lieutenant in the Medical Reserve Corps, was
in training at Camp Sherman, and on account of the
influenza epidemic was delayed several weeks frora
erabarking for overseas at Carap Upton. He sailed
for France the day after the armistice was signed
and at Brest was assigned to duty in the office of
the evacuation of sick and wounded. He reraained
in France eight months and in Germany two
months, and during that time spent his leave in
visiting the battlefields of Verdun, Chateau Thierry,
Belleau Woods and Louvain, was at Koblenz and
Luxemburg, and also visited Nice and Monte Carlo.
Doctor King soon after his return to the United
States located at Girard in October, igig, and soon
afterward was appointed health officer for Trumbull
County. He is affiliated with the Masonic and
Knights of Pythias Lodges of Grove City, Penn
sylvania, with the Odd FeUows Lodge at Girard,
Ohio, and is a member of the American Legion and
of the Presbyterian Church.
September 18, igig. Doctor King married Ethel
Anderson, daughter of P. A. Anderson, of Youngs
town. Mrs. King is a graduate nurse frora the
Youngstown City Hospital.
Edward H. Vaughn has for a quarter of a century
been identified with the raercantUe business at Girard.

He is a business man who has mingled public spirit
with his life, has frequently been honored with posts
of trust and responsibUity in his coramunity, and is
one of Girard's most highly esteemed residents.
His life career has been largely what he has made
it through the exercise of his own talents and abili
ties. He was born at Redbank, Pennsylvania, Oc
tober -ZT, i86g, son of David P. and Sarah Ann
(Howells) Vaughn. His parents were born in Wales
and as their wedding trip immigrated to America.
His father was a coal miner in Pennsylvania and
Ohio, and died at Mill Creek in 1872, being survived
by his widow until Deceraber, 1917.
Edward H. Vaughn, one of half a dozen sons, at
tended school at Mill Creek, also a school on Ma
honing Avenue in Youngstown, and as a boy began
working in the iron raills. He becarae a skillful
worker and for several years perforraed the duties
of a "rougher." He also saved his raoney, anJ in
1894, with his savings and the proceeds from the
sale of his little horae, he started in business as a
baker and grocer at Girard. He had learned the
baker's trade, and sold the products of his bakeshop
along with groceries. Later he abandoned the bakery
feature and started a shoe departraent, and his busi
ness has grown and prospered and is one of the old
and substantial landmarks in the Girard shopping
center. Mr. Vaughn during the World war was a mem
ber of a nuraber of war tirae coraraittees. For
eighteen years he was superintendent of the Meth
odist Episcopal Sunday School. He is on the Board
of Trustees of the McKinley Meraorial, served two
years on the School Board and for two years was
mayor of Girard. He is a past master of the
Masonic Lodge at Niles, a member of St. John's Com
mandery, Knights Teraplar, at Youngstown, of Al
Koran 'Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Cleveland and
is a thirty-second degree Mason. He is also a Knight
of Pythias, and is identified with the republican
party. In i8go Mr. Vaughn raarried Miss Annie Evans,
daughter of Thoraas F. Evans, of Coalburg, Ohio.
They have two daughters, Ida B., wife of B. W.
Krehl, and Ethel, wife of John Lavin. Mr. Krehl is
now associated with Mr. Vaughn as a business
partner. William R. Leonard. No institution can be
stronger than the raen in charge of its conduct, and
therefore it has long been recognized as a special
raark of honor to be chosen by the board of such an
organization to occupy an official position. The
men associated with the City Trust & Savings Bank
of Youngstown are without exception especially
expert financiers and reputable citizens, among them
being William R, Lebnard, its vice president, who
is very widely known not only in the city itself, but
throughout Mahoning County.
WUliam R. Leonard was born on a farm in Hunt
ingdon County, Pennsylvania, on June 3, i860, a
son of Simpson and Elizabeth (White) Leonard.
Simpson Leonard was born in Stroudsburg, Penn
sylvania, but his wife was born in the north of
Ireland. During the war between the states Simp
son Leonard enlisted in a Pennsylvania regiment

£i^-t,^l

u^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

189

and served for four years, participating in the bat
tles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and numer
ous major engagements, including the reduction of
Atlanta. He is now eighty-eight years old (1920),
and is living at Altoona, Pennsylvania, enjoying a
well-deserved rest frora an arduous career. In
1875 he brought his faraily to Youngstown, Ohio,
and associated hiraself with Cartwright & McCurdy,
and later with the Brown-Bonnell Corapany, iron
workers, and was engaged in this line of work for
raany years.
WUliara R. Leonard was a chUd when he was
brought to Youngstown by his parents, and here he
was reared and sent to the public schools. He re
raained with his parents untU after attaining his
raajority, contributing frora his earnings for the
general support of the family. His first work was
as a puddler for the old Brown-Bonnell plant, and
later he went with the Republic Iron & Steel Com
pany, in whose employ he rose through the various
grades until he became a general superintendent.
As a republican he was elected county auditor in
1898, and after serving for six years was renomi
nated by his party for that office, and was endorsed
by the democratic party, a distinction never before
or since accorded to a candidate in Mahoning
County, but one which he had won because of his
work. After six years service as county auditor
Mr. Leonard served for three years as general
superintendent of the Araerican Car & Foundry
Corapany. In 1912 he was elected vice president and
secretary of the City Trust & Savings Bank, a
position he has since continued to occupy. In addi
tion to it he is also the president of the Wilkins-
Leonard Hardware Corapany. The career of Mr.
Leonard has been exceptionally strenuous, and one
which has required fortitude and persistence. Dur
ing 1886 and 1887 he was engaged in farraing and
stockraising near Spirit Lake, Iowa, during the
summer seasons, and in the winter taught school
during the long winter raonths in the rural districts.
He is a man who has learned to raake each effort
count for something, and has never failed to render
an efficient service no raatter what the work raight
be in which he was engaged. It was not long before
those associated with him began to recognize his
reliability, and to seek to place added responsibilities
in his capable hands.
In 1881 Mr. Leonard was united in raarriage with
Miss Susan V. Daugherty, a daughter of iEdward
and Mary Daugherty. iMr. and Mrs. Leonard are
consistent raembers of Trinity Methodist Episcooal
Church of Youngstown. Mr. Leonard is an Odd
Fellow, an Elk, a Knight of Pythias and a raeraber
of the Poland Country Club, and very popular in
all of these organizations.
Louis Knell is secretary-treasurer of the
Youngstown Triink Manufacturing Company, the
only manufacturing industry of its kind between
Cleveland and Pittsburg, and an important source of
added credit to the commercial resources of the
Mahoning Valley. This enterprise is due to the
hard work, commercial talent and technical abUities
of three brothers, Louis, Max and Israel Knell, who
are now actively associated in the corapany.

They were all born in Russia. Their father owned
and operated flour raills in that country. Louis
Knell was born in 1888 and as a boy grew up in
his father's mill, that being his chief experience
before coming to this country. He arrived in this
country in 1906, and has acquired his knowledge of
the English language since then. For nearly a year
he worked in a trunk factory in Philadelphia. One
of his working associates there was Abe Glickman,
and together they came to Youngstown to open a
shop of their own. Max Knell, who was also
financially interested in their plan, remained at
Philadelphia while serving an apprenticeship with the
John B. Stetson Hat Company.
Louis Knell and Mr. Glickman rented a small
storeroom at South Avenue and Woodland, and
turned their talents to the manufacture of trunks.
Three months later they moved to Boardman and
Watts streets where they paid an annual rental of
$300. Their business grew, and after a year they
rented another roora at 242 East Boardraan. In
igog the business was incorporated, raoving to 57-61
South Prospect, where they built a plant. The trade
demands grew faster than their facilities could
satisfy, and in July, igig, the corapany corapleted
an up-to-date factory at 924 State Street in Girard.
The entire business is now owned by the three
brothers, and the average yearly business runs com
fortably into six figures. Five traveling salesmen
are eraployed, and their territory is in Ohio, Indiana,
Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York.
In 1918 the corapany began the raanufacture of
suit cases, and raore recently has added a line of
high class traveling bags. They also have a retail
store at 338 East Federal Street, Youngstown.
Louis Knell after coraing to this country attended
a night school in Philadelphia and in Youngstown,
and took a course in HaU's Business College at
Youngstown. He is a citizen member of the B'nai
B'rith and I. O. B. A. In 191 1 he raarried Anna
Hausberg, daughter of Isaac Hausberg. She was
also born in Russia.
John L. Dennett, secretary-treasurer of the
Ohio Leather Corapany at Girard, has given practic
ally all the study, resources and energies at his cora
raand to the leather business since he left school,
and before coraing to Ohio was in the eraploy of
several prominent leather firras in New England.
He was born in New York City, September 26,
1877, a son of John M. and Augusta (Lant) Dennett,
now living at Kennebunk, Maine. The father was
born in Kennebunk and the mother in New York.
John M. Dennett for many years prior to the forma
tion of the Ice Trust was in the ice business in
New York. He is an Odd Fellow and he and his
wife are Baptists.
John L. Dennett, only chUd of his parents, finished
his education in the public schools of New York
City at the age of nineteen and soon afterward re
moved to Boston, where he became a clerk in the
offices of Alley Brothers, a pioneer firm in the leather
trade and raanufacture of leather in the New Eng
land States. The business of Alley Brothers was
subsequently acquired by the American Hide and

190

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Leather Corapany, and Mr. Dennett remained for
several years enjoying promotions in the general
office. Later he had charge of the office of Pfister
& Vogel in Boston, and because of his good record
in the East he was selected in igo8 to succeed H. J.
Haggerty as secretary and treasurer of the Ohio
Leather Company.
Mr. Definett is a Royal Arch and Council degree
Mason, and a member of the First Church of
Christ, Scientist.
In igi5 he raarried Louise Arms, third daughter
of Warner Arms of Youngstown. Their two chil
dren are Louise and Robert Arms.
Isaac Strouss. No compendium such as the
province of this work defines in its essential limita
tions will serve to offer a proper record of the life
and accomplishraents of the gentleman whose narae
appears at the head of these paragraphs, who for
raany years has stood among the leading business
raen of Youngstown, a man of indomitable perse
verance and strong individuality. His accomplish
ments but represent the fit utilization of the innate
talent which is his, and the directing of his efforts
along lines where good judgment and discrimination
led the way. There is in him a weight of character
and a fidelity of purpose that have commanded the
respect of all, and today he stands deservedlj' high
in the community honored by his citizenship.
Isaac Strouss was born in the province of Rhein
Hesseii, Germany, on May 20, 1848, and is the son
of Jacob and Helen (Mayer) Strouss, who spent
their entire lives in their native land. In boyhood
he attended the public schools, gaining a .good edu
cation and becoming proficient in the French lan
guage. Early he was employed in carrying raail,
there being no railroad in the neighborhood where
he lived. He also worked for various persons in a
clerical capacity and aided his^ father in the latter's
hardware business. In 1865, deciding that larger
opportunities for advanceraent awaited him in the
New World, at the age of seventeen years he em
barked on a sailing vessel and, after a voyage of
forty-two days landed at New York City. He im
mediately came to Youngstown, Ohio, and obtained
eraployment as a general utility man in the store
of D. Theobald & Corapany. Later he clerked for
A. Wallbrunn & Company, and afterward became
bookkeeper for the latter concern. Seven years
later he became manager for this companv, which
by this time had become D. Theobald & Company,
his first employers here. In the spring of 187=;,
in partnership with Bernard Hirshberg, he bought
the business, which they have successfully conducted
to the present time. Since that time the names of
Isaac Strouss and Bernard Hirshberg have been
associated with all the best that goes to make up a
community, by their supporting and advocating
every movement for the upbuilding and advance
ment of the general welfare of the people. Their
business has steadily grown through the years and
today is one of the solid and prosperous concerns of
Youngstown. On September 23, 1874, Mr. Strouss was raarried
to Lena Pfaelzer, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
She wa.s born April 7, 1851, and died April 26, ig20.

They became the parents of two children, Helene,
who is the wife of I. Harry Meyer, and Clarence
J., who is married and is connected with his father's
business. Fraternally Mr. Strouss is an appreciative and
active meraber of the Knights of Pythias, while re
ligiously he is a member of Rodef Sholem Congre
gation. Mr. Strouss' record is the story of a life
whose success is raeasured by its usefulness — a life
that has made for good in all its relations with the
world. His career has been dignified and manly
and one of which his friends may weU be proud.
Personally he is a raan of kindly and generous im
pulses, who has not perraitted the accumulation ot
raaterial wealth to affect in any way his attitude
towards those less fortunate than he, always having
a cheering word and a helping hand for those in '
need. James J. McFarlin. When he was appointed
cashier of the First National Bank of Girard in
igo5, James J. McFarlin was not yet twenty-one
years of age, and at that time was one of the young
est responsible bank officials in Ohio. His business
responsibilities and duties have greatly increased
since then, and no citizen of Girard has a larger
circle of friends and more justly merits the esteem
and confidence of these and his business associates.
One of the advanced ideas of raodern education
is to give a boy a practical training and apprenfice-
ship in sorae chosen line of business at the sarae
time that he is carrying on his studies in school.
Mr. McFarlin is a personal example of the benefits
of that systera, though it was necessity that induced
him to practice it long before educators evolved the
plan. He has always lived at Girard, where he was
born June i, 1884, son of Jaraes and Mary (Jen
nings) McFarlin. The father, a native of Ireland,
carae to this country in 1864, was an iron worker,
and died in l88g, at the age of fifty-three. Mary
Jennings was also born in Ireland, carae to this coun
try in 1880, and is now living at Girard. She was
formerly a raember of St. Anne's Catholic Church,
and now is a comraunicant at St. Rose. She was
left a widow with the care of three young children,
her son Jaraes being only five years old when his
father died. Subsequent years were years of strug
gle for this brave and spirited woman. She did the
best with what she had to rear and educate her
faraily, and deserves rauch of the credit for the
record raade by her son Jaraes.
The latter was graduated frora the Girard High
School in 1901. In the raeantirae he had been light
ening the burdens of his raother by work for the
Erie Railroad as raessenger at the depot. 'While
there he also picked up a knowledge of telegraphy,
and could send a raessage as well as sweep out the
office. It was a good apprenticeship in business
methods and discipline, and gave him a sound prep
aration for the post of duty he accepted in ipot
with the First National Bank. His first employment
there was as janitor and messenger, but he went at
the business of banking with such energy and keen
intelligence that in 1904 he was promoted to assistant
cashier and the following year to cashier.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

191

He is also president and a director of The Girard
Construction Company, a director of The Girard
Modern Homes Corapany, and is secretary and a
director of The Girard Horae Savings and Loan
Corapany. He was local chairraan in the first two
Liberty Loan carapaigns, is treasurer of the Girard
War Board, treasurer of the War Chest, and raade
a ready response to every patriotic deraand during
the war period. While a young man his advice is
constantly sought on subjects of finance and other
affairs. He is a member of the Youngstown Associa
tion of Cerdit Men, is affiliated with the Elks and
Knights of Columbus, and as a bachelor makes his
horae with his mother.
GoMEi^J. Jones. During a long career as a mer
chant at Girard the law and order and welfare and
betterment of the coraraunity have been actuating
and constant principles with Mr. Jones.
He has been identified with raany of the local ira
provements. Henry B. Shields, AUen Patterson and
Gomer J. Jones were the prirae raovers in the in
corporation of Girard. Up to that tirae the cora
raunity was dependent upon rural laws, had no pro
tection frora violent characters, and whiskey selling
was free and unchecked. ilNIr, Jones served raany
years as a member of the School Board and was
never satisfied until he saw the local school system
one of the best in TrurabuU County. He was also
a raeniber of the council at different tiraes, and
worked for the establishraent of local waterworks
and electric lights. Mr. Jones has built no less than
sixty houses in Girard and assisted in building raany
raore, has been interested in a solution of many local
probleras, including the buildings of streets and the
iraproveraent of different additions to the town. He
is now serving as secretary and treasurer of the
Girard Iraprovement Corapany.
Mr. Jones was born at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania,
February 2g, i860, hence has been able to celebrate
a birthday only once in four years. The parents,
John R. and Elizabeth (Davis) Jones, came from
Wales as young people, were married in New York,
lived for several years in Pittsburg, and then moved
to Girard. The father was a coal rainer and died
at the age of seventy-six, whUe the raother passed
away at sixty-nine
Goraer J. Jones was a boy worker in the mines at
the age of ten, contributing his wages to the support
of the family, but he managed at the sarae time to
improve his educational opportunities by attending
night school and studying at home. He frequently
told his father that he would quit the mines as soon
as possible, and he did so at the age of twenty-one.
While a rainer he dug coal frora the McKinney
Mines that was hauled to and used at the Brown-
Bonnell plant in Youngstown.
His first coramercial experience after leaving the
mines was selling goods in the establishment of A. E.
Hartzell. Mr. Jones has sold goods at Girard for
thirty-seven years. After one year he forraed a
partnership with his father-in-law, Jehoiken Jones,
who was a tailor, and established a general store.
A few raonths later he acquired the entire business
and in i8g6 confined his stock exclusively to shoes.
Vol. 11—13

and was the leading local shoe raerchant until re
cently, when he sold his business.
Mr. Jones was a director of the Girard Savings
Bank until it was taken over by the TrurabuU Sav
ings and Loan Company. He is affiliated with the
Knights of Pythias Lodge, is a meraber of the
Board of Trustees of the Church of the Disciples,
and his wife is also an active raember of that church.
He married, April 22, 1884, Miss Ida Jones, who was
born in 1864.
Ed L. Hauser Some families are distinguished
by the value of their property possessions, while
others gain the recognition of the world through
their ability to work and perforra useful service.
It is the distinctions of the latter type that belong to
the Hauser family, for half a century identified with
the city of Girard. The Hausers have been working
people in the best sense of that phrase, have always
pulled more than their own weight, and their work
and influence have been distinctly beneficial to the
coraraunity. Steadily throughout a period of half a
century one or raore of the family have been identi
fied with the raeat business. Others have been noted
in other lines. Ed L. Hauser is the present post
master and for many years has been a leader in
business and civic life. He was elected secretary of
the Ohio Postmasters' Association at a raeeting held
in Columbus July 28, ig20.
Ed L. Hauser is a native of Girard and was born
in the Henry Hall farmhouse on Mahoning Avenue
just south of the raUroad track, now in the heart
of the city. His birth occurred August 4, 1866. His
parents were David and Mary (Bixler) Hauser, the
mother a member of the well known family of that
name in Youngstown. David Hauser was born in
Germany in 1834, learned the trade of butcher there,
and came to the United States in 1854, at the age
of twenty. He was not only a good workman but
acquired a knowledge of cattle and knew the busi
ness in every detail. He first worked in New York
City at four dollars a month. From there he went
to Pittsburg, later to Youngstown and vicinity, and
moved his family to Girard in 1868. He remained
active in business at Girard the rest of his life. He
was associated with Henry Hall at Youngstown.
His first shop in Girard was kept in a part of the
house where his family lives on State Street. Orig
inally the house was a log structure, but during the
Hauser occupancy a frarae addition was raade. Later
the shop was moved to Liberty Street. David Hauser
died in igo7. He and his wife were active members
of the Lutheran Church. His wife was eight years
of age when her people came from Gerraany. She
was a daughter of George and Rebecca Bixler. Of
six children five are still living, Ed L. being the
oldest. Minnie C. is connected with the Realty
Guarantee & Trust Corapany of Youngstown.
Georgiana is the wife of A. C. McKinney, of Girard.
Elizabeth J. Hauser has a prorainent narae, nationally
well _known, through her activities in behalf of the
woraan suffrage raovement, and as a writer, she
having been the editor and collaborator in one of
the raost intensely interesting autobiographies of re
cent years, the life of Tora Johnson of Cleveland.

192

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Dr. C. D. Hauser is practicing medicine at Youngs
town. George W. was in the meat business with
his father and brother Ed and died at the age of
forty-four. Ed L. Hauser attended school in Girard. At the
age of thirteen he was waiting on customers in his
father's meat raarket. Subsequent years have
brought hira raany interesting relations with the
business and public affairs of Girard. He is now
vice president of the First National Bank and presi
dent of the Girard Home Savings & Loan Company.
He served as city clerk of Girard from i8g8 to 1908,
elected as a democrat. For two terms he was a
member of the City Council, and was chairman of
the Central County Democratic Coraraittee when he
was appointed postraaster on April i, 1915. Mr.
Hauser took a prorainent and leading part in all
local war work. He is president of the Girard Board
of Trade, and for many years has been a meraber
and for the past six years president of the Trumbull
County Jury Coraraission. He is also president of
the Library Association, is a past chancellor of the
Knights of Pythias, past regent of the Royal Ar
canura, and is a member of the Board of I'rustees
of the Lutheran Church.
September 22, 1891, he raarried Mary R. Andrews,
daughter of Lucius and Cornelia Andrews, of Vienna,
Trumbull County.
Leon A. Beeghly, president of the Standard Slag
Company of Youngstown, is one of the alert and
experienced exponents of the industrial interests of
Youngstown, and one of the founders of the com
pany whose official head he now is. Mr. Beeghly
was born at Bloomville, Ohio, on May 8, 1884, a
son of MUton and Jeanette (Culver) Beeghly, who
are also natives of the sarae locality. They are
both living.
Leon A. Beeghly was reared in his native place
and attended the grararaar and high schools, and
then became a student of the Tri-State Normal
School at Angola, Indiana. He completed his educa
tional training with a course at the Oberlin Business
College. While still attending the latter Mr. Beegh
ly entered the employ of the France Corapany of
BlooravUle, owners and operators of stone quarries,
and continued with this concern for a number of
years, eventually becoming a general manager of it.
In the development of the corporation various other
corapanies were absorbed, particularly those in and
about Toledo, Ohio. The general offices were moved
to Toledo in 1910. It was while he was at Toledo
that Mr. Beeghly became interested in slag, and
recognized the similarity of slag, when properly
prepared, to the crushed slag products. Blast fur
naces were not then properly utUizing slag. Mr.
Beeghly conceived the idea of organizing a slap
company, which materialized in the France Slag
Corapany, which contracted for the slag production
of the blast furnaces of Toledo. In time this par
ticular line of business grew, but the field there was
necessarily restricted. The field in and around
Youngstown, with its large nuraber of furnaces, next
attracted his attention. He disposed of his holdings
in the France Slag Company in 1914. and practically
at the sarae tirae, with 'WUliara E. Bliss and William

H. KUcawley, he organized the Standard Slag Com
pany, and established general offices at Youngstown,
with seven plants. Of this company Mr. Beeghly is
the president, being the only one to hold this office.
These associates also organized the Buffalo Slag
Company of Buffalo, New York, and this concern
operates five plants.
Mr. Beeghly was raarried to Mabel L. Snyder, of
Bloomville, Ohio, and they have four chUdren,
Charles, Jaraes, Thornton and Lucile. He belongs
to the "Youngstown Club and Charaber of Commerce.
A Mason and member of the Trinity Methodist
Episcopal Church of Youngstown, Mr. Beeghly lives
up to the highest ideals of his fraternity and church.
The Standard Slag Corapany is composed of live,
wideawake, thoroughgoing business men wbo were
keen enough to foresee the future possibUities of
comraercialized slag. They carae to Youngstown
before local raen realized the wonderful possibilities
that existed right in their midst, and have made
good. Their product is prepared slag for raUroad
ballast, concrete construction, macadam paving,
foundation, roofing and similar purposes.
John W. Dennison, except for the year spent
"with the colors," has been a progressive factor in
the automobile business at Girard for eight years.
He is proprietor of the Trumbull Liberty Company,
and has the local agencies for the Liberty, Reo and
Peerless cars.
Mr. Dennison is more than a dealer and is a
mechanical expert in all phases of motors. He was
born at Sodom in Trumbull County, November 17,
1888, son of Williara U. and Ella (Warne) Denni
son. The faraily is an old and prorainent one in the
Mahoning Valley and its raerabers have had much to
do with the iron and steel industry here. His father
was also a native of Sodora. The grandfather, J. S.
Dennison, for raany years was associated with the
Wicks and Andrews coal raining interests. William
U. Dennison, who is now fifty-five years of age and
lives at 450 West Norwood, in Youngstown, is
superintendent of construction of the Youngstown
district for the Carnegie Steel Corapany. He grew
up in the steel business and has. held raany places of
responsibUity. He built the new town of McDonald
for the steel company. He and his wife are Metho
dists and he is a republican. They have four chil
dren : Mary E., wife of H. J. Mercer, who is with
the sheet and tube plant at "Youngstown; John W.;
Addie P., and James C, stUl at home.
John W. Dennison attended the public schools of
Girard. He learned pattern making by three years
of apprenticeship in the pattern shops of tht Upper
Carnegie Plant. Since then practically all his atten
tion has been devoted to automobiles and rauch of his
success is due to his expert knowledge of motor con
struction and raachinery in general. At Girard he
becarae agent for the Ford car and has a prosperous
and growing business, which he sacrificed in order
to answer the call of patriotisra. In May, 1918, he
entered the array, being assigned to the Tank Corps,
and was in training several months at Gettysburg
and other points in Pennsylvania. He went overseas
in October, 1918, and was in readiness for front hne
duty when the armistice was signed. He remained

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

193

in France eight raonths, and was returned to this
country May 4, 1919, nearly a year to a day from
the date of his enlistment. Mr. Dennison is a mem
ber of the Automobile Club and the Automobile
Dealers' Association.
William J. Zeller is proprietor and manager of
the Girard raills. This is one of the oldest institu
tions in the city, and an industrial asset to the cora
raunity and its citizens frora almost the pioneer
period to the present. The Girard mills were buUt
in 1843, though at subsequent tiraes they have been
corapletely reraodeled and iraproved processes have
been installed. The mills were operated by the
Baldwins before the latter took over the old City
mUls at Youngstown. Williara J. Zeller has been
connected with the business since i8g8, at which tirae
he becarae a partner in their operation with John
H. Chryst. Since 1916 he has been sole owner.
Mr. Zeller was born on Second Street in Girard,
August 9, 1873, son of Louis and Rosanna (Hahn)
Zeller. His parents were natives of Alsace-Lorraine,
were married in that country, and on coming to the
United States settled at Girard. Louis Zeller was
a farmer in France, and on locating at Girard
worked for a time in the Krehl tannery and after
ward followed his trade as a painter and paper
hanger, and conducted a shop and store at first on
Liberty Street and later on Wilson Avenue. He died
in 1898, at the age of sixty-six, and his wife in 1904,
at the age of seventy-two. Both were merabers of
the Apostolic Church, a sect opposed to politics and
secret fraternities. However, Louis Zeller corapleted
his Araerican citizenship papers in 1884. Of eight
children, seven are stUl living.
William J. Zeller acquired his education in the
Girard public schools and at the age of sixteen was
working with his father as a painter and paper
hanger. He continued that work for several years,
until he becarae a partner with Mr. Chryst in the
operation of the Girard mills.
March 10, 1897, he married Ella M. Chryst, daugh
ter of John H. Chryst. Mr. Chryst died in 1917.
Mrs. Zeller is also a native of Girard. They have
two children : Louis, associated with his father in
the mill business, and Gladys. Fraternally Mr.
Zeller is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and
Royal Arcanura.
John Jacob Hake. The Hake faraily for many
years has lived at Girard, where they were identified
with the livery and transfer business, and John Jacob
Hake, of this faraily, for the past five years has been
active in autoraobile circles, and as a dealer in the
Buick car for a dozen townships in Eastern Ohio
now has his headquarters at NUes.
Mr. Hake, who was named in honor of his grand
father, was born at Girard February i, 1887, son of
Joseph H. and Sarah (Frazier) Hake. His father,
who was born on the original site of NUes, was killed
on the railroad crossing at Girard, November 13,
1917, at the age of fifty-five. The widowed mother
is still living at Girard, aged fifty-seven. She was
born in Liberty Township of Trumbull County.

The late Joseph H. Hake began his career with a
seven-dollar horse and a three-dollar set of harness.
With that modest equipraent and a borrowed wagon
he began hauling goods, and eventually developed an
extensive and prosperous transfer and livery busi
ness at Girard. He was very fond of horses, becarae
an expert as a trader and dealer, and it was only
after a long struggle that he overcarae his prejudice
in favor of old Dobbin and took up with the auto
mobile as the modern vehicle. In his later years he
operated two saw mills and two farms, and was
living on his farm in Holland Township at the time
of his death. There were five children in the family:
Katharine, wife of James Simons, of Girard; Maud,
wife of George Knipshield, of Girard; John Jacob;
Belle, wife of M. P. Bushong, of Girard; and Joseph
B., who is at horae with his mother.
John Jacob Hake attended school at Girard and
at the age of fourteen began working in his father's
livery barn. He became his father's partner in 1908,
but since 1915 has been giving most of his tirae to
his duties as local salesraan for the Buick cars.
Later he induced his father to sell the livery stock
and join him in the automobile business". His ter
ritory as salesman for the Buick cars comprises the
townships of Liberty, Brookfield, Hubbard, Vienna,
Weathersfield, Lordstown, Hartford and Fowler. In
order to be nearer the center of this territory Mr.
Hake began the building of a comraodious plant and
salesroora at Niles in February, 1919, but he still re
sides in Girard.
In 191 1 he married Eva' M. Pennell, daughter of
Thomas B. and Julia Pennell. Her father is a cloth
ing merchant of Girard. Their two children are
Julia Virginia, born in 1916, and Joseph David, born
in ig20.
Mr. Hake rs prominent among automobile men,
being a raember of the National AutoraobUe Dealers'
Association, also of the Ohio State and TrurabuU
County Dealers' associations, the Warren Auto
raobUe Club, and the Ohio Federation of Good Roads.
Fraternally he is affiliated with the Knights of
Pythias and Elks.
Colwell P. Wilson. The activities that have
chiefly distinguished Mr. Wilson have been in the
field of finance and banking. Though a resident of
Youngstown, he is president of the Niles Trust
corapany, and his business career covers four decades.
Mr. Wilson was born in Newton Falls, TrurabuU
County, August 19, 1856. His father, Joseph Wilson,
a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, carae to the
United States in early manhood. At one time he
was a teamster between Pittsburg and Cleveland in
the eraploy of Colwell Porter. He had such adraira
tion for his eraployer that his son was named in his
honor. Colwell Porter was one of the sterling Irish
characters of the old tiraes, such as are seldom found
nowadays. He died comparatively young, though his
activities left an indelible impress upon the material
development of the Mahoning Valley. He lived at
Austintown, was a merchant, a shipper, operated a
large warehouse,, and was in fact one of the fore
most raen of his day.

194

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Joseph WUson in 1850 bought a farm in Newton
Township, Trumbull County, and lived out the rest
of his life in that country district. He was a Protest
ant in religion, and his activities and example were
wholesorae in every way and did rauch to influence
the developraent of his locality. He died in 1900.
His wife, who died in 1890, was Catherine Potter,
a daughter of Edward Potter, of Warren. She was
the raother of four chUdren, Colwell P. being the
third. Colwell P. Wilson grew up on a farra, attended
district school, and acquired his higher education in
Hiram College. He graduated in the scientific
course in 1880, and his diploma is signed by Jaraes
A. Garfield, who in June of the sarae year was
norainated on the republican ticket for President and
subsequently elected. After leaving college Mr.
Wilson began the study of law in the office of Moses
& Arrel at Youngstown. A year later he practically
abandoned his professional arabitious to become
office manager of the old Youngstown Register, and
continued active in the newspaper business until the
Register was consolidated with the News. He left
the business office of that paper to become connected
with the First National Bank, and when he resigned
in 1904 he was active cashier. The following five
years he handled some important business interests,
chiefly in the West, and in igog became one of the
organizers of the Niles Trust Company and has been
its first and only president.
Mr. Wilson is a democrat, but has never put hira
self in the way of honors or responsibilities of a
political nature. He is a Protestant, but not a de-
norainational Christian and is affiliated with the
Masonic fraternity.
In 1888 Mr. WUson raarried Miss Isabel L. Leitch,
of Meander, Trumbull County. Their son, Austin
C, now a resident of Youngstown, married Josephine
Porter, of Connellsville, Pennsylvania.
Dennis T. Murray, who served as chairman of
the United States RaUroad Administration over all
railroads of the Mahoning and Chenango vaUeys,
untU aU lines were returned to the owners on March
I, ig20, is one of the veterans in the railroad
service at Youngstown, and a man whose popu
larity can only be measured by the extent of his
acquaintance. He is a typical son of Erin, al
though born at Ripley, New York, Noveraber 13,
1854, a son of Thomas and Theresa (Burke) Mur
ray, both of whora were natives of Ireland. They
came to the United States^ singly and were married
in New York State, the father arriving in this
country about 1835, and from then on until his
demise was in the engineering department of vari
ous raUroads. His death occurred at Erie, Penn
sylvania, in i8g3. Botli he and his wife were
Roraan Catholics.
Dennis T. Murray is one of the nine children
born to his parents, and was reared in his native
city and Erie, Pennsylvania, whose schools afford
ed hira an excellent coraraon school education. How
ever, when only ten years old he began to be a
wage earner as a water carrier to railroad track
layers, and frora then on to the present tirae he

has been connected with raUroad work, a period
of fifty-six years. By degrees he rose to be track-
raan, switchraan, telegraph operator, raanager of a
telegraph office, trick train dispatcher, assistant
trainraaster, chief train dispatcher, division superin
tendent and assistant general superintendent of the
lines west of Buffalo and is now general agent of
transportation and traffic. During all of the years
Mr. iMurray has been in railroad work he has been
connected with the New York Central lines.
During the late war Mr. Murray rendered val
uable assistance to the government by his trans
portation of troops and supplies of all kinds, and
in record time and with unusual efficiency. He
belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks, tbe Knights of Columbus, and in conjunc
tion with these organizations did rauch to forward
the raising of funds for war purposes. The Cham
ber of Commerce has in him one of its most ef- ¦
fective merabers, and in every respect he measures
up to the highest standards of Araerican citizen
ship. In 1883 Mr. Murray was united in marriage with
Miss Nellie F. Hannon, and they have one son,
Philip B., who enlisted as a private for service
during the great war. After being stationed at
nine different camps throughout the country he was
eagerly awaiting his orders for overseas service
when the signing of the Armistice put an end to
his hopes of being at the front.
Mr. Murray is a great-souled, genial man whose
sympathies are warm and his heart big. He is
possessed of innuraerable friends with whom he
delights to raingle. It was only a score of years
ago that he carae to Youngstown, but it is probable
that few have a wider acquaintance or possess
raore actual friends than he. and certainly none
deserve this affectionate regard raore thoroughly
than the jovial ex-chairraan of the United States
Railroad Goramission.
William H. Tritt. While the Mahoning Valley
is best known for its iron and steel industry, there
are a number of other concerns that afford diversifi
cation to the productive energies of the valley. One
of these is the Tritt China Company of NUes. The
founder and president of the business, WiUiam H.
Tritt, has spent most of his life in the pottery busi
ness, and has developed at NUes one of a number
of plants that raake up the bulk of a great pottery
industry in Eastern Ohio.
Mr. Tritt was born at Lisbon, this state, April 12,
1863, son of William M. and Catherine (Carlisle)
Tritt. His grandfather, Jaraes Tritt, was a native of
Germany and with two brothers and two sisters, all
unraarried, came to the United States and located in
Madison Township, Columbiana County, Ohio. In
that section James Tritt built and operated a grist
mill. The mill and the dara have long since passed
away, except in the raeraory of old timers. James
Tritt was also a cabinet maker, and in early years his
services were deraanded for the raanufacture of
coffins, though the regular line was rocking chairs.
Williara M. Tritt, father of the NUes manufac
turer, grew up at Madison, learned the railling busi
ness from his father, and soon after his marriage

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

195

movedto Lisbon, where he was eraployed as a railler
for raany years. Later he had charge of a mill at
WUliamsport, Ohio, where his first wife died and
where he raarried again. He then bought a farra in
that neighborhood, and gave to farraing the declining
years of his life. He was for alraost four years a
Union soldier during the Civil war, and saw sorae
very hard service and was wounded. He rose to
the rank of lieutenant in the cavalry. His death
occurred in 1902. By his first raarriage he was the
father of seven children, the fourth being Williara
H. Tritt.
Williara H. Tritt was five years of age when his
father raoved to Williarasport, and he lived there to
the age of sixteen. His education was acquired in
coramon schools, and later whUe working on a farm
he attended night school. One of his early employ
ments was in a pottery, and he began his knowledge
of that industry as a presser for the firm of Knowles,
Taylor and Knowles. At the age of twenty-two he
went to one of the greatest pottery industries of
Ohio, the noted Sebring Pottery Company at East
Liverpool. He was with that company two years as
foreman, was then elected general raanager, and was
supervising head of the technical operations of the
industry for fifteen years, giving seventeen years
all told to the corapany.
He finally left the Sebring Corapany and in igo2
built a pottery at Crooksville, Ohio, and operated the
plant for several years. Mr. Tritt in igio bought
the Bradshaw China Corapany at NUes, reorganizing
as the Tritt China Corapany with a capital of
$100,000, increased now to $150,000. This is an ex
tensive business, eraploying in norraal tiraes two
hundred and twenty-five hands. Its special product
is porcelain table ware, which has a well justified
reputation in the markets of the nation, and is dis
tributed in practically every state of the Union.
Mr. Tritt is a republican, a strong advocate of tem
perance and universal suffrage, is a Methodist, and
is affiliated with the Niles Club and the Masonic
fraternity. In 1883 he raarried Miss May Hulrae,
of East Liverpool, Ohio. They have five children :
Horaer L., WiUiara Earl, Violet, WUda and Thelraa.
Violet is the wife of Roland Lees and "WUda is the
widow of Charles Noes.
John C. Frech. For half a century John C. Frech
has been an interesting and successful figure in the
business life of Niles. His has been a life of work,
de-voted largely to business ' routine, but the esteera
which greets his name is a raature product of raany
years' accuraulation and is both genuine and real.
Mr. Frech was born January 19, 1845, in the vU
lage of Wals Heira, near Landau, Bavaria, Gerraany,
where his father was a farraer. He is a son of
Adara John and Katherine (Croizand) Frech, his
raother of French extraction. In 1853 the faraily,
consisting of father, raother and five chUdren, ira
raigrated to the United States. Adara John iFrech
carae to this country not only to secure better eco
noraic opportunities, but also to avoid the corapulsory
railitary duties for his chUdren. They located in
what was then Williarasburg, now part of Brooklyn,

New York, where the father was employed as a car
penter. Later he was in the grocery business there
and spent his last years at Middletown, New York.
John C. Frech was educated in the schools of
Williamsburg to the age of twelve, after which he
was a clerk in his father's store, peddled railk, and
worked at the trade of hand file cutter. On coming
to Ohio in 1868 he and his brother Nicholas em
barked in the retail raeat business at Lowell, where
he reraained three years, and in 1871 located for his
permanent residence in Niles. He was a grocery
merchant there for a few years, but in 1874 engaged
in the retail meat business, which with few excep
tions has been the line of work followed by hira for
over forty-five years. Mr. Frech has also been a
grain dealer, and has the distinction of having pur
chased the first carload of baled tiraothy hay and
also the first baled straw ever brought to Niles. For
a time he owned a local grist raill. A source of
undoubted satisfaction to Mr. Frech is that in all
the fifty years of his residence at NUes his credit
has never been questioned, and that fact of itself is
a high degree of testimony to the kind and quality
of success he has attained. He has worked with
his neighbors and friends in the support of laudable
public enterprises, has for half a century been
affiliated with the Odd Fellows and for thirty-eight
years with the Knights of Pythias, while religiously
he is a raeraber of the Gerraan iReforraed Church
and has generously contributed to other denomina
tions. To his marriage in 1870 with Elizabeth W. Bortz
were born twelve children : John A. ; Mina, wife of
David Lewis, of Youngstown; Robert; iElizabeth,
who becarae the wife of Eli Williams; Helen, who
was raarried to John B. Williams; Charles; Fred,
deceased; Harry; Albert; George; William and
Frank, both of whom died young. Mr. Frech is
proud of the fact that his son George was in the
Araerican array and saw active service in France.
He has been adraitted to the bar and is practicing
law. Mr. Frech has always had a high ideal of his
American citizenship, and has accepted its responsi
bUities as a vital part of his private duties.
Roy M. Welch. That the term "self-made raan"
is a trite phrase is due to the fact that so few raen
really are the architects of their own fortunes. When
soraeone does thus break through the stereotyped
bonds of raediocrity, the novelty and unusualness of
the situation is one to occasion corament. While op
portunity does not smile at all men with equal favor,
he who steps forward and firraly clasps her hand,
who has perseverance enough to retain his hold
while she whirls hira, soraetiraes clear of firra foot
holds, through the frenzied crowds of seekers for
gain, will in all probability be guided to the goal of
his arabitious. This ability to recognize opportunity
and the effective willingness to fight his way over
and through all obstacles are the salient character
istics of the raan called "self-raade."
In this class at Youngstown is found Roy M.
Welch, assistant to the president of the Youngstown
Sheet and Tube Corapany, His boyhood and youth

196

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

knew much of the bitterness of hard work and re
curring discouragements, but his perseverance and
unfading determination have carried him through to
a position of marked responsibUity, where he has
the confidence of associates who are powers in the
business world. Mr. Welch was born at Youngs
town, Ohio, September i8, 1880, a son of John M.
Welch, also a native of this city, born in 1852, and
a grandson of an iraraigrant frora Ireland who be
carae one of the early residents of this coramunity.
John M. Welch worked as a millman in the old
Brown-Bonnell plant, first as a nail-cutter and later
in the puddling departraent, and died in igoi. He
raarried Harriet Hubler, and they becarae the parents
of seven children.
Roy M. Welch has always lived at Youngstown.
He attended the public schools in boyhood and at
the age of eighteen years secured eraployraent at
the Ohio Works unloading coal. He reraained at
the sarae plant until igoi, working as a common
laborer and clerk in the store room, but in December
of that year becarae storekeeper for the Youngs
town Sheet and Tube Corapany. Frora that position
he was advanced to assistant purchasing agent, and
was then made secretary to the then second vice
president of the corapany, C. S. Robinson, who is
now vice president, and later was appointed special
agent of the company in charge of material claims.
In Noveraber, 1917, he was advanced to his present
position, as assistant to the president of the cor
poration. Mr. Welch is a meraber of the Youngstown Club
and the Charaber of Coraraerce, and is a Knight
Templar York Rite and thirty-second degree Scot
tish Rite Mason and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine.
He was raarried August i, 1900, to Miss Nina
Thornton, a daughter of Stephen and Hattie Thorn
ton, of Youngstown, and they have three children,
naraely : Evalyn, Hazel and Roy M., Jr.
Stephen S. Conroy is one of the leading attor
neys of Youngstown, whose record both in private
practice and public life is of an unbleraished charac
ter. It is clairaed for hira that he never raakes any
arguraent in court without displaying his habits of
thinking, resorting at once to sorae well-founded
principle of law, and drawing his deductions logically
frora his preraises. He has risen in his profession
because of his profound grasp and penetration, his
power of analysis and the strength of his under
standing, and has consequently been connected with
sorae very important jurisprudence in this part of
the state.
Stephen S. Conroy was born in Youngstown, De
cember 2=;, 1860, a son of Msrtin H, and Helen
(Sheridan) Conroy. Martin H. Conroy was born
in Ireland, where he was reared and lived until he
had reached his maturity. In 1866 he came to the
United States, and after a short period spent at
Cleveland, Ohio, came to Youngstown, and was
connected with the iron industrv here, like so manv
others of his nationality, until his death, which
occurred in 1905. His widow, to whom he had been
raarried in Youngstown, survived him until 1918,
when she, too, passed away.

One of the six children born to his parents,
Stephen S. Conroy was reared at Youngstown, and
was graduated from the Rayen High School in i88g.
He tnen took up the study of law in the office
of Hal K. Taylor, and after two years was admit
ted to the bar in 1892. At once he opened an office
and awaited for clients, who were slow in mate
rializing, but in tirae he beca.me known and his abili
ties generally recognized, so that no surprise was
felt wnen in 1899 he was appointed city solicitor.
So well did he fill the office that he was elected to
the office in 1900, and re-elected in 1902, and after
the change by the municipal code in 1903, serving
in all for five consecutive years. Mr. Conroy then
resumed his private practice. In igo8 he became a
member of the present firm of Hine, Kennedy,
Manchester, Conroy & Ford, although the caption
has been changed since that tirae. This is one of
the strongest legal firras in Mahoning County, if
not in the state, and they handle cases of great
magnitude. On December 27, igii, Mr. Conroy was united
in marriage with Miss Isabelle Brenner, a daughter
of Levi Brenner. Mr. Conroy is a republican. He
belongs to the two Youngstown clubs and the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Edgar G. Murray, purchasing agent of the Youngs
town Sheet and Tube Company of Youngstown,
Ohio, is a native of the Mahoning Valley of Ohio,
his birth having occurred at Hubbard, this state,
October 23, 1872. His father, Gilman S. Murray, was
born at Youngstown in 1847, a son of James and
Louisa (Folsom) Murray, who were among the early
pioneers of Youngstown.
Gilman S. Murray grew up at Youngstown, and
for a time was engaged here in mercantile pursuits.
He also was a traveling salesman for Knox, the
hatter, and prior to this taught penmanship for an
uncle, E. G. Folsora, in a business college at Albany,
New York. After being with the hat manufacturer,
Mr. Murray embarked in the jewelry business at
Buffalo, New York, and from that city returned to
Youngstown, where he is now living in retiremeirt.
Before attaining his majority he raarried Susan B.
Carroll, of New York City, and they had four chil
dren, of whom three survive.
Edgar G. Murray has spent the greater part of
his life at Youngstown. In boyhood days he at
tended the Front, Elm and Wood streets schools
and the Rayen High School, and this was followed
by a business college course in bookkeeping and
shorthand, his business career starting as a collector
for the Commercial National Bank. About a year
later he became timekeeper and paymaster for the
Youngstown Bridge Corapany, and two years after
this entered the eraploy of the old Ohio Steel Com
pany, now the Ohio Works of the Carnegie Steel
Corapany, as stenographer and invoice clerk, being
promoted two years later to the position of assistant
to Hugh B. Wick, who at that time was purchasing
agent. When this concern was absorbed hy tlie
National Steel Company Mr. Murray continued to
fill the sarae position under Mr. Wick. In course
of time the National Steel Company became a part

I^KW^SSNJ^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

197

of the Carnegie Steel Company, at the time of the
forraation of the United States Steel Corporation,
and Mr. Murray went to Pittsburgh and became one
of the purchasing agents under H. A. Fennerty, pur
chasing agent of the Carnegie Steel Company. iHe
continued thus untU Septeraber, 1902, since which
tirae he has been purchasing agent of the Youngs
town Sheet and Tube Corapany.
Mr. Murray is a raember of the Youngstown
Chamber of Commerce, and his religious affiliation
is with the Presbyterian Church. In May, 1900, he
was united in marriage with Elizabeth Lee. of
Poland, Ohio, and they have had two chUdren : Lee,
who died in infancy; and Robert.
Harry S. Braman. The connection of Harry S.
Braman with the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Cora
pany has extended over the period beginning in July,
1907, when he began his service with this corpora
tion as superintendent of the Sharpsville furnaces.
Later he becarae superintendent of the East Youngs
town and Sharpsville furnaces, then, in 1912, was
made superintendent of the blast furnaces and steel
department, which included the open hearth, Besse
mer, blooraing and continuous mills, and this position
'he has continued to fill with excellent ability.
Mr. Braman was born at Terre Haute, Indiana,
December 10, 1879, a son of Charles L. Braraan, now
deceased, who was a wholesale dry goods raerchant
of that city, the mother having formerly been Annie
E. Scott. Charles L. Braraan was an officer during
the war between the North and the South, as a raera
ber of the 133d Regiraent, Indiana Volunteer In
fantry. One of a faraily of five chUdren, Harry
Scott Braraan was reared in his native city and was
graduated at the high school there, following which
he matriculated at Rose Polytechnic Institute in
1899, and there in 1903 received his degree after
completing the mechanical course. While at college
he took an active part in athletic sports and was
pitcher for the college baseball team. After gradua
tion he came to Youngstown, where he became
pitcher for the Ohio Works baseball team, and con
tinued thus occupied during two summer seasons, in
the meanwhile working winters in the electrical de
partment of that company. After this he continued
work for the same plant, first as burden clerk for
the blast furnace superintendent and then as a blast
furnace blower, from which he was advanced to
turn foreman. At this time he entered the employ
of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Corapany, and-
his career as an eraploye of this concern has de
veloped as noted above. He is a meraber of the
Araerican Iron and Steel Institute, the Araerican In
stitute of Mining Engineers, the Youngstown Chara
ber of Coraraerce and the Poland Country Club, and
is a thirty-second degree Ancient Accepted Scottish
Rite and Knight Teraplar York Rite Mason and a
raember of Al Koran Temple, Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Cleveland, Ohio.
In politics a republican, at the present time he is a
meraber of the City Council of Poland, where he
makes his horae.
Mr. Braraan was raarried June 7, 1904, to Miss

Cecelia Barker, of Terre Haute, Indiana, and they
are the parents of two living children: Katherine
Jane and Charles Lester.
James Mark Scoville, M. D. Araong the mem
bers of the medical profession of the Mahoning
Valley who have won success and merited recogni
tion in medicine and surgery is James M. ScovUle
of Warren.
Doctor ScovUle was born at Hubbard, Trumbull
County, the son of Selden N. and Eraeline (Burnett)
Scoville, the father a native of Connecticut, the
raother of Hubbard, she being the daughter of
Jaraes Burnett, an early citizen of Hubbard.
Doctor Scoville was educated in the West Middle
sex, Pennsylvania, public schools, WUloughby Col
lege, Ohio, and AUegheny College, Meadville, Penn
sylvania. He was graduated frora the Medical De
partraent of Western Reserve University as an
M. D. with the class of '85, and entered the practice
of medicine at Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, the same
year. In 1899 he located in Warren, and for the
past twenty-two years he has been one of the suc
cessful and representative physicians and surgeons
of the Mahoning Valley.
Doctor Scoville is a member of the staff of the
Warren City Hospital as Roentgenologist in charge
of X-ray work, and he is a raeraber of the TrurabuU
County and Ohio State iMedical Societies. He served
four years as county coroner, and has been active,
not only in professional life, but in all the civic and
social affairs of the city in which he has attained
prominence. He is a meraber of Old Erie Lodge
No. 3, Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Country
Club. Doctor Scoville was united in marriage with
Eunice Goodwin, daughter of John M. and Helen
(Van Pelt) Goodwin, of Sharpsville, Pennsylvania.
iMrs. Scoville is a member of the Daughters of the
American Revolution. To Doctor and Mrs. Scoville
one son has been born, James M., Jr., who is a
student at the University of Michigan, class of '21.
WhUe Doctor ScovUle has been winning a high
place in the medical affairs of the valley, he has won
also a place araong the worth-while citizens of
Warren. His ready response to all calls raade upon
hira for aid in the consuramation of public move
ments having for their aim the progress and welfare
of the city, and his keen interest in public affairs
generally staraps him as a valuable, public-spirited
citizen. ^ By nature Doctor ScovUle is unostentatious,
even retiring, but his personality and sterling qualities
have won for hira the friendship of his associates
and the respect of all who know hira.
Albert W. Smith. The satisfying of arabitious
ideas in sorae cases results in the accoraplishraent of
every ultiraate aira and a consequent cessation of
effort. Those who rise recognize the possibilities of
successful attainment and continually strive energet
ically and perseveringly, actuated by a determination
to win that results in the reaching of a position of
prominence and influence along whatever line the
aspirant follows. Among the raen connected with
the big industry of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube
Company it is found that those who have attained
success in considerable degree are those who have

198

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

exercised self-reliance, conscientiousness, energy and
perseverance, and in this class is found Albert W.
Smith, who within the period of several years has
advanced to the position of assistant superintendent
of the steel department, being also in charge of the
open hearth departraent.
Mr. Smith was born May 27, 1891, at Pueblo,
Colorado, one of two children born to William and
Frances (Glover) Smith. His father, a native of
Iowa, went in young~inanhood to Colorado, where
for a period of thirty-five years he has been identi
fied in an official capacity with the Colorado Fuel and
Iron Company. Albert W. Smith was reared at
Pueblo, where he attended the public schools and
was graduated from high school in ' igog. He sub
sequently entered the Colorado School of Mines at
Golden, Colorado, from which he was graduated in
igr4, after specializing in mining and metallurgy.
Fbr six months after his collegiate career he was
employed as cheraist for the Colorado Fuel and Iron
Company, . and then came to Youngstown, Ohio,
where he accepted a position as inspector in the
metallurgical department of the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Company, with which he has since been
identified. Following this he became assistant fore
man of the blooming mills, and then assistant super
intendent of the open hearth department. In May,
igig, he was appointed to his present position. Mr.
Smith is a member of Western Star Lodge, Free and
Accepted Masons, Youngstown Chapter, Royal Arch
Masons, and St. John's Commandery, Knights Tem
plar, abo a member of the American Iron and Steel
Institute and of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Tau
Beta Pi college fraternities. His religious faith is
that of the Episcopal Church, and in politics he is
a republican. Patrick M. Kennedy. The chief characteristics
of Patrick M. Kennedy, well known business man of
Youngstown, are keenness of perception, and unflag
ging energy, honesty of purpose and motive and
everyday coramon sense, which have enabled him not
only to advance his own interests, but also largely
contribute to the material and raoral advanceraent
of the coraraunity. Landing from a foreign strand
on our shores in earliest childhood, he has worked
his way from a raodest beginning, step by step, to
a position of no raean importance by his individual
efforts, practically unaided, which fact raakes hira
the raore worthy of the praise which is so freely
accorded hira by his fellow raen, his life having
been one of unceasing industry and perseverance.
Patrick M. Kennedy was born in County Tipper
ary, Ireland, on the 2d day of AprU, 1853. one of
sixteen children born to Patrick and Catharine
(Mahar) Kennedy. Of this large faraily but three
are now living. In the spring of 1855, Patrick
Kennedy, senior, was dispossessed of his little home
in Ireland and, leaving his family in the old coun
try, came to the United States on a sailing vessel.
After establishing a horae at Seneca Lake, New
York, he sent for his family, and for two years
thereafter they lived there, he being engaged in
farming. Then, having friends in Youngstown,
Ohio, he raoved here and thereafter for several

years was connected with the iron furnace business
as a worker and contractor. In 1877 he settled on
a farm east of Youngstown, where he passed the re
mainder of his days, his dea,th occurring in 1879.
He was a Roman Catholic in his religious faith
and was a man of unusual natural abUity. Had he
had an education comraensurate with his ability he
would have achieved success in any caUing he
raight have selected. He came to this country
poor, but by indefatigable industry and good judg
ment in his contracting and shrewdriess in real es
tate investments he accumulated a fair share of this
world's goods.
Patrick M. Kennedy, the immediate subject of
this sketch, has known practically no other home
than youngstown. Here he received his education
in the public and parochial schools. After leaving
school he became associated vvith nis father in busi
ness, reraaining with hira until 1872, after which he
engaged in raercantile pursuits, and) later, was en
gaged in the coal business for about two years.
When he retired frora the latter enterprise he be
carae secretary and treasurer of the Excelsior Build
ing Association, which position he stiU retains. This
corapany was originally organized by Mr. Kennedy's
father and other raen who had foregathered here
for rautual benefit. Mr. Kennedy also engaged in
farming for a time. In 1889 he became associated
with James M. McKay in the Horae BuUding and
Loan Association, and he has since continued with
that association and its successor, the Home Sa^v-
ings and Loan Corapany, of which he became presi
dent, succeeding the late Hon. John R. Davis. Prior
to that time he had been vice president of the asso
ciation from the time be becarae associated with Mr.
McKay. He was a charter raeraber of the DoUar
Bank, "now known as the Dollar Savings and Trust
Corapany and i's a stockholder in that institution
and the First National Bank. He was also one
of the organizers of the Central Bank and Trust
Corapany, in which he is a director and member of
the executive committee.
Politically Mr. Kennedy takes an independent
attitude, though he takes a keen interest in public
affairs, especially as relating to the community in
which he lives. He served two terms (1880-84) as
a meraber of the City Council, but aside from that
he has consistently declined to accept public office.
He is a raember of the Roraan Catholic Church. He
has lived to see and take a nrorainent part in the
later-day growth of the coraraunity, being one of its
wisest counselors and hardest workers. His life of
honor and trust has been characterized by consist
ency in everything he has undertaken, and his career
in all the relations of life has been utterly without
pretense. He is held in the hiq-hest esteem by all
who know him, and because of his earnest life, high
attainments, well rounded character and large intlu-
ence he is eminently entitled to representation in a
work of the character of the one in hand.
August C. Jacob, steel plant and yopen hearth
master mechanic of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube
Company, has been with this corporation practically
since the plant was built. As a raatter of i^^^'' '"
I goi, where the plants now stand, a swamp extended!

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

199

far and wide, and at that tirae he began as a helper
in the rigger, or construction departraent, at $1.45 per
day. Ever since he has been continuously in the
eraploy of this corporation — a period of nearly
twenty years. When he carae here the only com
pleted buUding was a wooden office structure, al
though the machine shops were under process of
construction, but uncompleted. He has seen the
marvelous growth of this concern to its present great
proportions and has helped in its construction. From
a helper he became a sub-foreman in the rigger de
partment, then was made assistant general foreraan
in this department, and in igi3 was made general
foreman of riggers of all plants of the sheet and tube
plant, including the main plant, coke plant, rod and
wire department and the Hubbard furnaces. This
position he held until 1917, at which tirae he was
made master mechanic of the open hearth and steel
departments,, a position he now occupies. He has
helped to build, either as general foreman or assist
ant foreraan, practically all raachinery in the plant.
August C. Jacob was born in Gerraany, August 16,
1 88 1. When six weeks old he was brought by his
parents, Gottlieb and Louise (Schraitt) Jacob, to
the United States, and the faraily at once located at
Youngstown. Here the father secured his natural
ization papers, and has been an Araerican ever since,
a lover of its institutions and in every sense loyal to
the country of his adoption. One of his sons, Adara
William Jacob, volunteered in the war against Ger
many, and bravely bore his part in that titanic
struggle on the fields of France.
August C. Jacob has never knowii any home ex
cept Youngstown. Here he grew up, was educated
in the public schools, and at the age of fourteen years
began working for a brick layer contractor as time
keeper. He also worked for the National Tube
Mills at .Haselton, and has since been with the
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, as noted
above. In religion he is a member of the English
Lutheran Church. Fraternally he is a member of
the Masonic order, belonging to Western Star Lodge,
Free and Accepted Masons ; Youngstown Chapter,
Royal Arch Masons; Buechner Council, Royal and
Select Masters ; St. John's Coraraandery, Knights
Templar; Hiram Lodge of Perfection, Youngstown
Council Princes of Jerusalera; Youngstown Chapter
Rose Croix, Lake Erie Consistory, thirty-second
degree, and Al Koran Teraple, Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Cleveland.
On January i, 1904, Mr. Jacob was united in mar
riage with Miss iMinnie Cornelia BeUstein, and they
have two children : Thelraa May and Elizabeth
Louise. Mr. Jacob was chairman of the Liberty
Loan Coramittee, of the fourth issue, in the me
chanical and electrical departments of the Youngs
town Sheet and Tube Company, a coramittee which
raised $750,000.
Frank C. Farrell. Araong the raen who have
contributed to the developraent and prosperity of the
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Corapany, one who has
raade rapid progress and whose ability and fidelity
have gained due reward is Frank C. Farrell, assist

ant superintendent of the blast furnaces and steel
department. Mr. Farrell is a native of Youngstown,
where his birth occurred April 12, 1883, and is one
of the twelve children born to Jofin and Ella
(Young) Farrell, natives of Lisbon, Ohio. Mr.
Farrell is a grandson of Jaraes Farrell, one of the
very early white settlers of Ohio, residing at San
dusky, while on the raaternal side he is also de
scended from pioneer stock of Ohio, his mother's
people living at Fairfield, near Lisbon.
As a boy Frank C. Farrell attended the public
schools, being graduated frora Rayen High School
in 1902, and his first employment was as a newsboy
on the streets of his native city. His first important
employraent was as a clerk for the Stambaugh-
Thorapson Company, hardware raerchants of
Youngstown, and subsequently he entered the em
ploy of the Ohio Works of the Carnegie Steel Com
pany as water boy. He continued with the Ohio
Works until he had become turn foreraan of the
converting raill, but in igog resigned this position
to accept that of turn foreraan of the converting
raill of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Corapany,
a corporation with which he has since been identified.
He has subsequently filled the positions of general
foreraan of the converting mill, assistant superin
tendent of the Bessemer plant and assistant super
intendent of the blast furnaces and steel depart-.
ment. He is one of the trusted men of this great
corporation, and has also the confidence of his asso
ciates and the good will and respect of his raen.
Mr. Farrell is a member of the Masonic fraternity,
having attained the thirty-second degree. Ancient
Accepted Scottish Rite, and Knight Templar of the
York Rite, and is also a raeraber of the Mystic
Shrine. In religion he is identified with the iFirst
Presbyterian Church, and his political beliefs raake
him independent in his stand.
Mr. Farrell was married in May, igo6, to Miss
Sarah Radcliffe, of Youngstown, Ohio, a daughter
of William Q. and Sarah (Harrington) Radcliffe,
and to this union there have been born two chUdren :
Charlotte and Jane.
Renwick Martin Kirk. The Kirk faraily, or
Kirkpatrick family as it is in early records, is one
of long association with Mahoning County, Ohio,
five generations having now had residence in the
county. The first to be of Mahoning County birth
was Isaac Kirkpatrick, father of Renwick Martin
Kirk(patrick). The latter, a well-known and well-
to-do retired farmer of Canfield, and formerly of
Ellsworth Township, is himself well advanced in
years, having been born in 1846. His father, Isaac,
was born in Jackson Township in 181 1, so that it is
possible the Kirkpatrick family was in the Mahon
ing Valley for sorae years prior to that.
The faraUy is of Scotch-Irish ancestry, the Kirk-
patricks being from County Down, Ireland, where
Robert Kirkpatrick, the pioneer ancestor in the Ma
honing Valley, was born. He and his wife, Cather
ine Ewing, settled in the southeastern part of Jack
son Township, and there Isaac was born in 1811.
The Ewing faraily had also settled in the same

200

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

township, but data regarding thera are not now avail
able, Mr. R. M. Kirk, great-grandson, not having
been born in their life-tirae. Of his grandmother,
Catherine (Ewing) Kirkpatrick, however, he is able
to recall very rauch. Robert Kirkpatrick and his
wife and faraily lived in Jackson Township for raany
years, during which he did rauch clearing of land.
He built a substantial house of brick in about 1820
or 1821. Their son Isaac, who always used the full
narae Kirkpatrick, of the faraUy, raoved in early
manhood to the farm where Rosemont Station now
stands. He met Eliza McAnlis, in Eden Valley,
Pennsylvania, and she became his wife. She had
spent her girlhood in that place. She had been born
in Ireland, and was only six years old when her
parents came to America with her, the voyage taking
six weeks. Soon after he had raarried Eliza Mc
Anlis, Isaac Kirkpatrick and his brother Martin
Sfettled on the 400 acres purchased by their grand
father Kirk at a cost of $1.75 per acre. The
brothers each cleared his own tract, Isaac's being
situated about five miles from the old Kirkpatrick
homestead;, and in time each brother had a good
agricultural holding. Martin's farra is still in posses
sion of his son Gibson, and Isaac willed his farm
to his chUdren. He had brought it into a good state
of cultivation ; indeed, it was considered to be one
of the best farms in the district, and eventually it
became the site of Rosemont Railway Station. But
Isaac resolved to raove into Kansas when that state
was opened. He went into Kansas, bought land
there, but he only held it for a few years. Isaac
Kirkpatrick was well-known araong agriculturists in
Mahoning County. Politically he was a republican,
and by religious conviction was a raeraber of the
Reforraed Presbyterian, or Covenanters, Church.
He carae into sorae prorainence as a breeder of
Shorthorn cattle, South Down sheep, and Chester
White hogs, and had rauch success as an exhibitor at
agricultural fairs.
Isaac Kirkpatrick had an interesting part in the
development and perfecting of the Buckeye mower
and reaper. Mr. R. M. Kirk, of Canfield, son of
Isaac Kirkpatrick, testifies that the first mowing
machine he saw was in 1858, when he saw his father
testing one at the request of its inventor. Colonel
E. Ball. The machine ultimately was worn out in
experiments on the Kirkpatrick farra, and those ex
periments resulted in the perfected Buckeye machine
ultiraately placed on the raarket. Isaac Kirkpatrick
appears to have been of experimental inclination,
and probably of innate mechanical aptitude. He ha^d
on his farm the first threshing machine marketed,
and a chaff piler, raerely a cylinder, the power cora
ing to cylinder frora belt raotivated by horse power.
This was later replaced by thfe tumbling rod. Isaac
and Eliza (McAnlis)' Kirkpatrick were the parents of
six children, five of whom were sons. The children,
in their order of birth, were Robert A., who was a
veteran of the CivU war. He died in St. Paul,
Minnesota, at the age of seventy-six years. He was
for raany years a wholesale hardware raerchant in
that city. Jaraes M., also a veteran of the civU war,
died in California, to which state he retired after

having been for raany years in business as a mer
chant in Wheeling, West Virginia, and at New
Castle, Pennsylvania. Susan, who now lievs in Can-
field, is the widow of WUliara Kernohan. who dur
ing his life-time was a farmer and merchant at Can-
field. Renwick Martin is mentioned below. William
John, who is a coramercial salesman, resides in
Kansas City, Missouri; Saul S. died in Chicago.
Renwick Martin Kirk(patrick), fourth chUd of
Isaac and Eliza (McAnlis) Kirkpatrick, was born
in Ellsworth Township, Mahoning County, Ohio,
July 8, 1846. He spent his boyhood on the parental
farm, attending the acaderay at Ellsworth in Jack
son Township. His boyhood days probably were
more or less filled by the responsibility of minor
tasks upon the horae farra, and, as was customary in
his early days among the sons of farraers, he spent
most of the long suraraer vacations in harvesting oc
cupations on his father's farra. Long before his
years of schooling had passed he had become familiar
with raost of the operations of agricultural pur
suits. And by the tirae he had closed his schooling he
raay probably also be said to have completed his
apprenticeship in farming. It was quite natural
therefore that he should take to agriculture as a
life occupation. He raarried when he was twenty-
three years old, and his father bought him a farm
of eighty acres, situated about a half mile distant
from the Village of Rosemont. This he eventually
sold to advantage, purchasing about that time an
other and larger farm of one hundred and seventy-
five acres at Ellsworth Station. There he lived,
steadily farming for about forty years, and the
property still belongs to hira, his eldest son having
taken over the responsibility of its management since
the father moved into Canfield to retire from strenu
ous labors. Renwick Martin Kirk, who has adhered
to the shorter narae Kirk, an Americanization of his
patronymic, Kirkpatrick, succeeded well by his long
period of consistent and enterprising farraing. Ells
worth Station started on his farra, and it also is the
postoffice for the township, Mr. Kirk being instru
raental in establishing the Ellsworth Station post-
office. All mail has since been distributed from there.
The farm is a well improved one with good build
ings, and the house that was erected in the early
seventies is still standing and in good preservation.
Mr. R. M. Kirk remained on the farm until about
igo6, since which year it has been operated by his
eldest son, Robert C.
Throughout his life Mr. Kirk has taken close in
terest in the affairs of his township. For several
years he was township trustee, and, had he wished,
he might have been elected to other township offices.
He is generally well-regarded, is known to have
been a good farmer, was a reliable, responsible_ and
well-disposed neighbor, and was of estiraable private
life. Ever since the establishraent of the repub
lican party he has followed that cause, and in his
district has at tiraes exercised appreciable influence
for the candidates of that party. He is a good
Christian and churchraan, both he and his wife being
raembers of the Presbyterian Church. His wife,
whom he married in i86g, was Mary C. Gault, who

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

201

was of his own own age, and was born in North
Jackson Township, daughter of Andrew and May
(Ewing) Gault, her genealogy coming into that of
the Ewing family, her raother having been a cousin
of the Ewings, and also of his own father. And to
Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Kirk have been born the fol
lowing named chUdren: Robert Carey, who is in
charge of the parental farm at Ellsworth Station;
Jessie V., widow of Charles Fitch, and she and her
two chUdren, Josephine and Richard, live with her
parents in Canfield; Frank McAnlis, a coal operator
in Cleveland, Ohio, raarried Lucille Malcolm, but
there has been no issue; Jean, who married Edward
Dickson, of Homestead, Pennsylvania; and R. C,
who married Helen Hall, of Youngstown, and they
have four sons, Robert Hall, Martin Henry, Malcolm
and Charles.
Gerald F. Hammond, of the law firm of Moore,
Barnum & Hamraond, has been a raeraber of the
Mahoning County bar since igo8, and in that tirae
has distinguished hiraself for his industry, and has
demonstrated his ability along the special line of
building law. He is attorney for nearly all the
luraber companies and building supply dealers in the
Mahoning Valley.
His parents, Martin and Edna (Rowe) Ham
raond. were farraers in Ashtabula County, and his
father was an old soldier, a veteraii of Corapan\'
K of the 29th Ohio Infantry. Gerald F. Hammond
was born on his father's farm April 13, 1881, grew
up there, attended district schools, the county high
school, and for four years was a student at 0^er-
lin College. He_ took his law course in the Uni
versity of Michigan, where he was graduated in
1908 and soon afterward began the practice of law
at Youngstown. He is a raember of tbe Mahoning
County and State Bar associations, the Kiwanis
Club, the Youngstown Club, the Charaber of Com
raerce, and is a republican, and is affiliated with the
Masonic fraternity.
In 191 1 he raarried Miss Hazel McCreary, daugh
ter of Enoch and Mary McCrearv. of New Castle,
Pennsylvania. They bave two children, Rae Esther
and Robert Martin. Mr. and Mrs. Hararaond are
members of the First Christian Church.
Daniel Campbell, M. D. For nearly forty years
the talents of Dr. D. Campbell have covered a wide
field of professional service in and around Canfield,
and at the same tirae he has expressed his energy
and public spirit in behalf of raany causes con
nected with the general welfare and the coramercial
life of his town. Doctor Campbell is president of
the Farmers National Bank of Canfield and is a
recognized leader in coraraunity affairs.
The Carapbell faraUy has been identified with
the Mahoning Valley for over half a century. Doctor
Campbell was born near West Point, Ohio, April
I, 1851. His parents were Peter and Mary (Ren-
nie)_ Campbell, natives of Scotland, his father being
a highlander and his mother a lowlander. Peter
Carapbell was a tailor by trade. In 1837 he and his
wife came to America by sailing vessel, traveled west
ward by canal and lake to Cleveland and thence by

wagon to Colurabiana County. He went to Colura
biana County influenced by the presence of a brother
who had already become identified with a Scotch
settlement in Madison Township. In 1864 Peter
Campbell came to Youngstown and bought a farm
near the city, now known as the Campbell Allotment,
opposite Haselton. The farra at that time was two
miles east of Youngstown, but is now in the city
limits. The old homestead is now occupied by Peter
Campbell's grandson, Bruce Carapbell, a nephew of
Doctor Campbell. Peter CampbeU died at the age
of eighty-one and his wife at seventy-six. He was
a faithful adherent of the Presbyterian Church but
never took any interest in politics. Of his twelve
chUdren eleven reached mature years. The three
sons were WUliara, father of P. S. and Bruce Carap
bell ; Daniel ; and James, whose death at the age
age of twenty-eight cut short a promising career as a
scholar and lawyer. He was a graduate of the
Rayen High School, attended Western Reserve Uni
versity and Williaras College, and was studying law
under Col. Thoraas Sanderson when he died unraar
ried. Four of the daughters are still living: Mary,
widow of Robert McLauchlan, a former coal oper
ator at Cleveland; Sarah, who lived at Cleveland,
widow of William Poultney, a forraer furnace raan
ager at Haselton; Louise, now living retired at
Cleveland, where for a nuraber of years she was a
teacher in the public schools ; and Martha, wife of
M. W. Zedeker, a well known resident of Poland.
The other daughters were: Janet, who raarried
David Elton and both died at Cleveland; Margaret,
who raarried Ed Finley, and both died in Florida,
their son Williara Finley being a resident of Poland ;
Elizabeth, who died when past fifty, the wife of
Hamilton Harris, a resident of Youngstown;
Helen (deceased), who was the wife of T. H.
Shingledecker, who lives at Struthers.
Dr. Daniel CampbeU was thirteen years of age
when his parents located on the old farra near
Youngstown. He grew up there, graduated frora
the Rayen High School, and received his degree in
medicine frora the Western Reserve Medical College
at Cleveland in 1881. He iraraediately began practice,
-and for nearly thirty-nine years has had his home in
Canfield. Only two other physicians in Mahoning
County when he began practice still reraain, Doctor
Peck and Doctor Schiller, both of Youngstown.
Doctor Carapbell has given his time and talents to a
general practice, and especially in the earlier years
performed his full share of the arduous labors of
a country doctor, riding and driving over all sorts
of roads and in all kinds of weather. He has been
active in the raedicai societies, served four years on
the pension board during Cleveland's second admin
istration, and has filled a simUar place under Presi
dent Wilson.
Doctor Campbell is the only survivor of the orig
inal board o.f the Farmers iNational Bank of Can-
field, and has been a director continuously ever
since. He has filled the office of president for the
past three of four years and has always been a
niember of its financial comraittee. He has held all
the local offices in the viUage, including that of

202

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

mayor, has been president of the school board and
was secretary and president of the board of the old
Northeastern Norraal School at Canfield. Politically
his affiliations have always been with the deraocratic
party. Doctor Campbell is also a prominent lay
man of the Presbyterian Church, has been an elder
at Canfield for thirty years, and has served as a
delegate to the General Asserablies at Minneapolis
and Buffalo. He was instruraental in the establish
ment of the local lodge of Masons at Canfield, in
which he has held all the chairs, and is a member
of the Royal Arch Chapter and Knights Templar
Commandery at Youngstown. For twenty-four years
Doctor Carapbell was superintendent of the Presby
terian Sunday School.
In March, 1882, he married Lucy Edwards, whose
father, Pierpont Edwards, was for many years a
merchant and tanner at Canfield, where she was
reared. Her death occurred in June, 1886. She was
survived by two chUdren : Carl iH., a practicing
physician at Canfield ; and Winnifred C, a graduate
of the Woman's College of the Western Reserve
University with the degree A. B. She was a nurse
who served as night superintendent of Base Hospital
No. 31, spending one year in France, and untU
AprU, igig, was in the Welfare Department of the
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company. At that
time she went into Red Cross work, reraaining until
August, 1920. May 6, i8go. Doctor Carapbell raarried
Martha Patch, of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. She
was born at Orland, Indiana, a daughter of Rev.
Jacob Patch, a Presbyterian minister who came west
from Groton, Massachusetts. Her mother, Jane
Bush, was a- native of Hanover, New Hampshire.
Her father died at the age of ninety-five and her
mother at ninety-four. Mrs. Campbell is a graduate
of the Western Feraale Seminary at Oxford, Ohio,
also attended college at Mount Holyoke, Massa
chusetts, and for sorae tirae before her raarriage
was a teacher in the Poynette Academy in Wiscon
sin. Doctor and Mrs. Campbell reared in their
home Alice Haswell frora the age of six years, and
she StUl regards this as her own horae.
Dr. Carl H. Carapbell was born, April 20, 1883, at
Canfield. He is a graduate of the Northeastern*
Normal CoUege of Canfield. He is also a graduate
of Wooster University, of Wooster, Ohio, where he
received the degree A. B. His medical education
was obtained in tbe Western Reserve Medical Col
lege at Cleveland, Ohio, where he received the de
gree M. D. in igog, since which time he has been
practicing in Canfield. On August 2g, igi7, he mar
ried Isabel Armstrong, of Cleveland, a daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Sarauel Arrastrong, of Cleveland.
They have two sons, Donald A. and Janies E.
Lyman Betz Frederick is one of the esteemed res
idents of Boardman Township, now living on his farra
and has devoted many years to agricultural pursuits.
He was born at Lisbon, Colurabiana County, Ohio, on
Deceraber 25, 1847, a son of Zebulon, grandson of
Sarauel and great-grandson of Thoraas Frederick.
Thoraas Frederick and his brother were captured by

the Indians, and remained in captivity several years.
He finally escaped and made his way back to his
mother, who identified hira by a scar on his neck.
His brother was never heard frora. Zebulon Fred
erick becarae a farraer. When his son Lyman B.
Frederick was two years old he came to Mahoning
County and located in Green Township, where he
spent the remainder of his useful life, dying at the
age of seventy-six years.
Lyman Betz Frederick was reared in Green
Township and attended the Poland Seminary, where
he had as classmates L. R. Jackson and Brown
Williams, both of whom later becarae noted attor
neys. Following the completion of his studies Mr.
Frederick taught school for eight terras in Green
and Beaver townships, and raany of his old pupils
are numbered among the worthwhile raen and woraen
of this and other sections.
Lyraan Betz Frederick was married to Laura
Kirk, whose father, William Kirk, owned the present
farra of Mr. Frederick. Mrs. Frederick was born
at New Albany, Ohio. Mr. Kirk died at the age of
seventy-six years. In 1887 Lyraan B. Frederick took
charge of the Kirk farra, and has lived on it for
thirty-three years, and has owned it for sorae years.
Recently he sold a portion of the farra to the High
Tension Electric Road, but retains the remainder.
Mr. Frederick has erected a silo, added to the stable
and made other improvements. He and his son R. E.
are engaged in dairying, their cattle being thorough
bred Jersey stock, which has been exhibited at
county fairs. In politics he is a republican, and for
fourteen years served as township clerk and until
recently was road superintendent. Being a firm be
liever in good roads, he is taking an active part in
the movement calculated to stimulate interest in
further improvements of the roads in the county.
The Poland Presbyterian Church holds his member
ship. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick became the parents
of the following children: WUliara K., who lives
at Wheeling, West Virginia, is connected with the
Scranton Correspondence School; Charles L., who
lives at Portsmouth, Ohio; Blanche A., who married
Edgar McCullough, of Poland, Ohio; Roy Edwin,
who is mentioned below ; and Jaraes Allen, who
lives on a farra adjoining that of his father.
Roy Edwin Frederick, proprietor of the Walnut
Springs Herd of Jersey cattle in Boardman Town
ship, was born in Green Township on April 23, 1883.
After acquiring a practical experience in dairy work
under his father's instruction Mr. Frederick worked
in the dairy departraent of the Ohio State University
as supervising official ot tests for the State Agri
cultural College. In igo6 he started his herd of
Jersey cattle and now has twenty-eight head. Mr.
Frederick has exhibited his cattle at county fairs and
won a full share of honors with them. He bred and
raised cows that held the state championship/ for
several years, and also raised two Gold Medal cows,
and his product is sought by breeders who pay fancy
prices. Mr. Frederick is active in the Farm Bureau,
which he helped to organize, and his ability and
experience as a stockman are so generally recognized

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

203

that he is usually called upon to act as judge of
stock at both the county and state fairs.
Roy Edwin Frederick was married to Florence
Hughes, and they have three children, naraely :
Lyman Henry, Robert Hugh and Harry Hughes.
Both iMr. Frederick and his father are held in the
highest esteem in Mahoning County, and are recog
nized as raen who have contributed much toward the
advancement of agricultural interests in this region,
and the development of a local pride in the quality of
the stock bred and handled. The narae of the farra is
recognized as a guarantee of superiority, and that
of their faraily as synonymous with good citizenship
and upright living. It is such raen as those bearing
the narae of Frederick who have raade Ohio the
great comraonwealth it is today, and the efforts of
the present generation are still directed toward a
maintenance of this desirable prestige.
Alvin W. Graver. Only those who corae into
personal contact with Alvin W. Graver, one of the
able and successful lawyers of this section of the
Buckeye state, can understand how thoroughly
nature and training, habits of thought and action
have enabled him to accoraplish his life work and
made him a fit representative of the profession to
which he belongs. He is a fine type of the sturdy,
conscientious, progressive American of today — a raan
who united a high order of ability witb courage,
patriotism, clean morality and sound coraraon sense,
doing thoroughly and well the work that he finds
to do and asking praise of no raan for the perforra
ance of what he conceives to be his simple duty.
Alvin W. Graver is a native son of the county
now honored by his citizenship, having been born
at North Jackson on September 22, 1872. William
Grayer, his father, who was a native of Pennsyl
yania, carae to Ohio raany years ago, first locating
in Trumbull County, but later reraoving to Mahon
ing County, where he spent the remainder of his
days, his death occurring in igoi. He became one
of the leading farmers of his community and en
joyed the respect and esteem of all who knew hira.
He raarried Mary Wanaraaker, a daughter of Nathan
Wanaraaker, of North Jackson.
Alvin W. Graver was reared on his father's farra,
where he assisted in the labors of agriculture and
attended the neighboring schools. Subsequently he
becaraei a student in the Ohio Norraal University
at Ada, and during the following eight years he
alternately attended the university and taught
school. In i8g7 he graduated frora the law depart
ment of the university, was admitted to the bar,
and iraraediately afterward he carae to Youngs
town and entered upon the practice of his profes
sion. His abilities were quickly recognized and he
rendered efficient service as assistant to the prose
cuting attorney frora igoo to ig03. In igo7 he was
elected mayor of Youngstown, and in igog was
elected to succeed hiraself. In igi2 he resuraed
the practice of law, in which he was busily engaged
until igi8, when he was again elected to the mayor
alty, in which he served until January l, 1920. He
is a member of the law firra of Graver, Diser, Huey
and Starrs, which has always coraraanded its full
share of the legal business in the local courts.

The several adrainistrations of Mayor Graver
.have reflected credit on his ability and sound judg
raent, and many needed.reforms and improvements
have been inaugurated and completed. It was dur
ing Mayor Graver's second adrainistration that the
land was purchased and bonds authorized and the
Milton Dam located, and land was purchased for the
construction of the present maramoth reservoir, giv
ing to Youngstown an auxiliary to its water sup
ply, which will be adequate in s'loplyii-ii? its de
mands for the next fifty years. It may be truth
fully said that he was the father of this rauch
needed iraproveraent. Araong other improveraents
may be mentioned the widening of West Federal
Street ; the beginning of construction of the Mill
Creek Park District sewer, involving an expenditure
of over $500,000 ; a complete reorganization of the
city water department, through which it was brought
from a non-paying basis to a self-sustaining basis
and at tbe same time providing the best water that
has ever been supplied to Youngstown, tbe improve
ment including the best purification plant, with the
best management, of any city in Ohio ; the grade-
crossing question has also been revived, it having
lagged because of the exigencies of the recent war,
.ind which will eventually involve the expenditure of
several millions of dollars ; through the city health
departraent, the free treatraent of venereal disease
was inaugurated. In raany ways Mr. Graver has
shown a desire to proraote in every way possible the
welfare of the whole people, and his several adrainis
trations will go into local history as among the very
best the city has ever had.
On June 26, igoi, Mr. Craver was united in mar
riage with Jeanette Noble, a daughter of Albie V.
Noble, of St. Marys, Auglaize County, Ohio. Fra
ternally Mr. Craver is a meraber of the Free and
Accepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elks. His social relations
are with the Youngstown Club and the Youngstown
Country Club. Genial and corapanionable to a
marked degree, Mr. Craver is also a great lover of
outdoor sports and of fine horses. Equally noted as
a citizen whose useful career has conferred credit on
the city and whose marked abUities and sterling
qualities have won for him more than local repute,
he holds distinctive precedence as one of the most
enterprising and progressive men of his community.
Strong mental powers, invincible courage and a de
terrained purpose that hesitates at no opposition have
so entered into his coraposition as to render him a
dominant factor in public affairs and a leader of
men. As a lawyer Mr. Craver enjoys a reputation
as a sound and safe counselor and a successful prac
titioner. Possessing all the requisite qualities of
the able lawyer, he stands without dispute among the
erainent practitioners of the Youngstown bar. He
possesses a gracious personality, being easily ap
proached, and his circl? of friends is coextensive
with the circle of his acquaintances.
S. A. Coler, who carries on a general merchan
dising business at Woodworth Crossroads in Board-
man Township, is ope of the substantial men and
old residents of Mahoning County. He was born in

204

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Beaver Township, three miles south of his present
home, near Lima, Ohio, on AprU 5, 1855, a son of
John and Catherine (Swartz) Coler. John Coler
was born on the same farra as his son, his birth
taking place in 1825, his father, also John, having
settled on this horaestead when he raigrated here
frora Pennsylvania, becoraing- a neighbor of the
Fasnachts and the Hahns.
John Coler, the younger, spent his life on that
farm, and in addition to conducting it, operated a
saw-mUl in partnership with his brother George.
Another brother, Soloraon, after serving for three
years in the war between the states, settled down
in Beaver Township and was there engaged in
farming the rest of his life. John Coler died in
March, igo2, his wife having passed away two years
before him. They were active in the work of the
Mount Olive Gerraan Reformed Church at North
Liraa, and are buried in the cemetery connected with
it. John Coler was a very active man, and in con
nection with his sawmilling, cleared out a good deal
of timber in the county.
S. A. Coler remained at home until his marriage,
and then took possession of a small part of his
father's farm and a portion of his grandfather's
farm that he owned. After nine years on it he
raoved to thirty-five acres of land in Beaver Town
ship, and reraained on it from 1887 until i8g5, when
he bought his present place on the township line
between Boardman and Beaver townships. It is on
the main road to North Lima Springs. His store
was started over fifty years ago by Samuel Steel,
who conducted it for years, but sold it when he
moved to Youngstown, which he later served as
raayor, and the property changed hands several
tiraes before Mr. Coler bought it frora Araos Warner.
At that tirae there were three sraall stores at Wood-
worth, but now Mr. Coler has the only one. He has
a large trade and pleases his custoraers by his rigid
adherence to the plan of selling at a sraall margin
and turning his stock over rapidly. In igo3 he
bought a farm of ninety-five acres, of which he still
owns eighty acres. This is now conducted by his son,
who is a successful farraer. A new set of buUdings
has been erected and the farm is kept strictly up to
date. One of the features of the place is a fine
sugar grove of 500 trees and in the grove is a well-
ectuipped sugarhouse, and the entire plant is kept in
excellent condition. The annual yield of sap is large
and well handled. A postoffice was established at
this point more than sixty years ago, and named
"Steara Town" on account of the location here of
the first steam mills. It was abandoned for several
years, and then Lawrence D. Woodworth secured a
new postoffice about thirty years ago, and it was
named in his honor. S. A. Coler served as post
master for some fifteen years, and then the office
was discontinued and the rural free delivery service
was installed.
During the war between the states S. A. Coler,
then an impressionable lad, used to read the news
papers out loud to his father, and became so im
pressed by statements in these journals laying the
blame of the conflict upon the democratic party, that
he becarae a strong republican, in spite of the fact
that his father was a deraocrat, and when he reached

his majority, cast his first vote for the republican
ticket. Frora then on he has continued a stanch
supporter of that party, and strange to say, from
then until his death his father, influenced by his son
voted the sarae ticket. Fraternally Mr. Coler is a
meraber of the Knights of Pythias and was a char
ter raember of Manitou Lodge of North Lima. He
has been three times representative to the state con
vention of the Knights of Pythias.
S. A. Coler was raarried when he was twenty years
old to Celesta Catherine Lower, born in Pennsyl
vania, but reared in Beaver Township. They be
came the parents of two sons, naraely: Henry E.,
who owns and operates a grocery and market at West
Lake Crossing, married Mary iE. Mentzer, and they
have one daughter, Sethy; and Park D., who is
operating his father's farm, raarried Blanche Chubb,
and they have three children, Evelyn, Erna C. and
S. A., Jr. It would be difficult to find any family
more generally esteemed than that bearing the name
of Coler.
William W. Brownlee. Six mUes east of the
City of Youngstown, in Coitsville Township, is situ
ated the fine homestead farra of William Wellington
Brownlee, and an additional interest attaches to
his ownership of the property by reason of the fact
that the farra figures as the place of his birth. In
a substantial house that is still standing on this old
homestead he was born on the 2d of April, 1854,
and the name which he bears has been long and
worthily identified with the history of Mahoning
County. He is a son of John S. and Jeanette (Pat
terson) Brownlee, both of whora were born in a
vUlage not far distant frora the City of Glasgow,
Scotland, where they were reared to maturity and
where their marriage was solemnized. Within a
comparatively short time after their marriage they
carae to Araerica, the voyage having been made on
a sailing vessel of the type coraraon to that day,
and eleven weeks having been passed on the ocean
ere they diserabarked in the land of their adoption.
They passed the first winter at Chambersburg, Penn
sylvania, and in the following spring they came to
Mahoning County, Ohio, and established their home
near Struthers, as pioneer settlers in this part of
tbe county. During the winter of the first year here
Mr. Brownlee was engaged in digging iron ore from
the pioneer ore bank at Struthers, and in the follow
ing spring he purchased 100 acres of heavily tim
bered land and instituted the development of a farm.
The original habitation was a log house, and this
primitive dwelling is stUl in a good state of preserva
tion, though not occupied. Their son William W.,
of this review, was born in a frame building erected
in place of the log house. The house is commodious,
attractive in its simple and honest design and con
struction, and constitutes a worthy landmark of the
early days in Coitsville Township. In due time John
S. Brownlee reclaimed his land to cultivation, and
he purchased sixty acres of additional land one-half
mile distant from the home place. For this latter
property he paid $7.00 an acre, and the difference
in valuations at that tirae and the present is shown
in the fact that he at one tirae considered the pur
chase of land on which the present Rayen High

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

205

School building is located in the City of Youngstown,
for a consideration of $25.00 an acre. Mr. Brown
lee was a man of fine mental poise, of raarked
business acuraen and of impregnable integrity in all
the relations of life. He becarae one of the sub
stantial men of the county, was successful in his
well-directed activities as an agriculturist and stock-
grower, and gave special attention to the raising of
sheep, of which he kept at one time 300 head. In
the reclairaing and developing of his farra and in his
earnest support of progressive coraraunal policies he
contributed rauch to the advanceraent of his county,
and he was one of the well known and highly hon
ored citizens of Coitsville Township at the tirae of
his death in 1886, at the venerable age of eighty
years. He reraained on the old home farm until the
close of his life, and his widow was seventy-seven
years of age when she passed away, she having sur
vived him by several years and both having been
earnest members of the Presbyterian Church at
Coitsville. Of their eight children one daughter died
at the age of fifteen years, and six attained to
maturity. Margaret remained, unraarried, at the
old horaestead until her death at the age of fifty
years ; Alexander went forth as a gallant young
soldier of the Union in the Civil war as a raeraber
of the Nineteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and
he was one of a nuraber of unfortunate victims who
were killed by poison while in a hospital near Mur
freesboro, Tennessee, he having been but twenty-
three years of age at the tirae; Janet, who becarae
the wife of Eramett Marstler, died in 1916, at the
age of seventy-six years ; Jaraes enlisted in the sarae
company as did his brother Alexander, and at the
same tirae, and he died in the same hospital as did
his brother, though as a result of illness, he having
been in his twenty-first year at the time ; Ranelds S.
is a retired farraer and resides at Hubbard, Trura
buU County; and Williara W., of this,^review, is the
youngest of the children who reached mature years.
William Wellington Brownlee has reraained frora
the time of his birth on the old horae place, and in
his independent activities as an agriculturist and
stock-grower he has well upheld the high prestige
of the faraUy narae, as has he also as a citizen. The
local schools afforded hira his youthful education,
and he has never wavered in his allegiance to the
great basic industries under the influence of which
he was reared. Since coraing into ownership of the
old homestead he has added to the sarae by purchas
ing an adjacent tract of seventy-five acres, this latter
farra being under the independent management of
his son William. Mr. Brownlee has been specially
successful as a stock grower, and for several years
he marketed annually a goodly number of beef
cattle, principally to supply local demands. For fully
a quarter of a century he has controlled a substantial
business in the buying and shipping of wool, and
for the past decade he has been undoubtedly the
leading wool buyer in the county. He has handled
an average of 60,000 pounds of wool annually, and
iricidentally has raised an excellent type of sheep on
his farm. He is a stockholder in the banking in
stitutions at Struthers, and is a raan of prorainence
and influence in the coraraunity.
Mr. Brownlee has exerted a distinct and benignant

force in connection with public affairs in Mahoning
County, and has been called upon to serve in various
offices of public trust and responsibUity. His initial
official service was in the capacity of school director,
and in the early '90s he was elected trustee of
Coitsville Township, a position of which he con
tinued the incurabent two terms — or four years.
While thus serving he initiated in the township the
first decisive raoveraent for the construction of good
roads within its borders, and it was priraarily due
to his efforts that the township was bonded for the
purpose of building four roads leading into Youngs
town — about ten railes in all. This adrairable ira
provement was effected within two years, and at the
time when the bonding proposition was presented to
the voters of the township only thirty-five votes were
cast in opposition, though the proposed action pro
vided for the issuing of bonds to the araount of
$100,000. All citizens now realize that the expendi
tures were wisely raade and have been of enduring
value. After having been elected township trustee
for a third terra Mr. Brownlee resigned the office,
and he was then elected one of the three directors
of the county infirraary. Shortly after his induction
into this office the infirraary buildings were destroyed
by fire, but new buildings were forthwith erected,
on a larger scale and with modern equipment and
facilities. After serving four years as infirmary
director, with Reese L. Jones and -Daniel W. Mc
Donald, both of Youngstown, as his associate di
rectors, Mr. Brownlee was in 1912 raade the regular
republican candidate for the office of county cora
raissioner, and the victory which attended his elec
tion demonstrated again the strong hold which he
has upon popular confidence and esteem in his native
county. He continued as an efficient and valued
raeraber of the board of county coraraissioners for
two terras, of two years each, and raade a character
istic record for loyal and progressive service.
In 1878 was soleranized the raarriage of Mr.
Brownlee to Miss Ella Mars, who likewise was born
and reared in Mahoning County and who is a daugh
ter of the late John J. Mars. In conclusion is given
brief record concerning the children of this union :
John C. reraained at the parental horae until his
death, at the age of thirty years; Jaraes, who mar
ried Miss Jennie WUson, was a skUled employe in
the service of a telephone corapany and was killed
by electrocution by a live wire in 1914, when about
thirty years of age; Williara raarried Miss Bessie
Fidler, and they reside on the farm adjoining that
of his father, as intiraated in a previous paragraph ;
Donald, who was graduated in the high school and
also took a course in a business college, has continued
for the past several years to assist in the work and
management of the old horae farra; Clifford is a
prosperous farmer and dairyraan in Coitsville Town
ship and the raaiden narae of his wife was Mabel
Cooper; and Ray remains at the parental home with
his brother Donald.
Youngstown Boiler and Tank Company. While
one of the very youngest giants in the Youngstown
. industrial district, the Youngstown Boiler and Tank
Company has rriade a reraarkable record in produc
tion as well as in volurae of sales. It was organized

206

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

for the purpose of building tanks and steel plate con
struction, and in the first year of its existence the
company did a business valued at $1,000,000, a record
that few new corapanies have ever surpassed. At
the present tirae this company manufactures prob
ably go per cent of the large storage tanks sold by
the oil, pump and tank companies of the country.
An average of ten tanks are shipped daily from the
Youngstown factory. An export trade has also been
developed, rauch of the product being shipped to
Cuba, West Indies and South Araerican countries.
This company is one of the large users of iron and
steel, working up and converting during the first
year about 6,000 tons of steel plate, 400 tons of cast
ings, 200 tons of rivets, and 500 tons of structural
material. On the average 150 men of the highly skUled
class have been eraployed. The great success of
the organization is undoubtedly due to the tech
nical skill and experience of the men at the head.
Each of the officials and raanagers is an expert in
his particular line, and the new company is largely
made up of seasoned veterans drawn from other
kindred concerns. The corapany has branch agen
cies in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis,
Birmingham and Atlanta.
The Youngstown Boiler & Tank Company was
organized April 25, igig. The officers chosen were
J. P. Keene, president; W. R. Kirby, vice president;
Charles R. Vogel, secretary and treasurer. The
capital stock was $50,000, but on October 22, 1919,
a reorganization was effected under the same name
and with increase of capital to $100,000, which was
increased in May, ig20, to $500,000. The officers
chosen at that time and still on duty are : J. P.
Keene, president; William H. Heywood, vice presi
dent and treasurer ; Williara R. Kirby, vice presi
dent ; Charles R. Vogel, secretary ; while the other
directors are Ralph Cornelius, John R. Rowland,
W. J. Roberts and R. I. Ingalls.
James P. Keene, head of .this industry, was born
at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 16, 1886, a son
of Philip J. and Anna (Fox) Keene. His father,
who is now a retired resident of Chicago, has
spent the greater part of his life in steel plate
construction. James P. Keene attended grammar
and high schools at Philadelphia, and at the age
of sixteen went to work in the engineering depart
ment of the Bethlehera Steel Company at Bethle
hem, Pennsylvania. Subsequently he was in the
steel plate construction department of the American
Steel & Wire Corapany at Cleveland, and subse
quently was assistant superintendent of the tank
shop of the AUis-Chalraers Corapany of Chicago.
For five years following he was on the road in
erection work, and then becarae superintendent of
the shops of the McAleenan Brothers at Pittsburgh.
This experience and these responsibUities show that
he was a highly corapetent raan in the various
branches of steel plate work. Eventually he era
barked his capital and that of sorae associates in the
Sharpsville Boiler Works Corapany at Sharpsville,
Pennsylvania, and remained as general raanager of
that concern for four years.
Resigning, he carae to Youngstown in Decera
ber, igi8, and soon had the plans raarching toward
eorapletion for the Youngstown BoUer and Tank

Corapany. As president he has not only been the
business head but the guiding technical genius in
the industry.
Mr. Keene is a raeraber of the Sharon Country
Club, the Elks Lodge at Sharon, is a Knight Templar
Mason and Shriner, and he and his wife are mem
bers of the Brown Meraorial Methodist Episcopal
Church of Youngstown. He raarried, June 18,
igio. Miss Effie Bigby, of Macon, Georgia. They
have one son, Jaraes Philip, Jr.
WUliam H. Heywood, vice president and treas
urer of the Youngstown BoUer and Tank Company,
fits into the new organization as a master of the
sales end of the business. For several years he
was connected with the sales department of the
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Corapany.
Mr. Heywood was born in Kearney, Nebraska
Septeraber 15, 1889. His father, Herbert J. Hey
wood, was a native of Canada. In early life he was
a railroad raan, but later engaged in the coal busi
ness and is now a raeraber of the firm of W. A.
Gosline & Company, Toledo, Ohio. He has been
a resident of Toledo for twenty years. He mar
ried at Wichita, Kansas, Ida iMiller, and William
H. is the older of their two children.
For seven years Williara H. Heywood lived at
Delphos, Ohio, attended public school there, and
subsequently acquired a very liberal education,
spending, five years in the Miami Institute at Ger
mantown, Ohio, until graduating in 1908, and then
took the classical course in Harvard University,
receiving his A. B. degree in 1912.
In Septeraber following his graduation Mr. Hey
wood carae to Youngstown and entered the service
of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, at
first as a mill worker, then in the order depart
ment, and subsequently in the sales department.
He resigned frora the Sheet & Tube Company in
November, 1919, to give his special skiU and expe
rience , to the .Youngstown BoUer and Tank Com
pany. He is a member of the Youngstown Club, Youngs
town Country Club, Charaber of Commerce, Youngs
town Rotary Club, and is a Knight Templar Mason
and Shriner. Mr. and Mrs. Heywood are members
of the First Presbyterian Church.
October 15, 1914, he raarried Mrs. Fannie (Arms)
Loraasney, daughter of Warmer Arras of Youngs
town. By a forraer raarriage she has three chil
dren : Helen, David and iMyron. Mr. and Mrs,
Heywood have one daughter, Caroline Frances.
Rogers. Araong nuraerous individuals of the
Rogers narae who have achieved distinction in the
life and affairs of Northeastern Ohio during the last
century, three stand out conspicuously for their
associations with Youngstown, Disney, Volney and
Bruce Rogers.
Their grandparents were Thomas and Hope
(Rossell) Rogers, who early in the nineteenth cen
tury left their horae in Pennsylvania and sought a
new location in the wUderness and on the frontier
in Columbiana County, Ohio. Thomas Rogers en
tered the land comprised in his farm in Middleton
Township at the Government land office at Steuben
ville, Ohio. Their son, James Rogers, was born in
Columbiana County, Ohio, in 1812. He married

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

207

Elizabeth D. Jamieson, and they were the parents of
eleven children, nine of whom reached raature years.
iBesides the three sons named above there were : Dio
Rogers, a lawyer at Steubenville, Ohio, practiced in
Hubbard, Ohio, for several years, and is one of
Ohio's representative lawyers and has been very suc
cessful; Dr. Lycurgus Rogers, of Negley, Ohio; Dr.
Z. L. Rogers, of East Palestine ; James L. Rogers
and John H. iRogers, farmers in Middleton Township,
Columbiana County, Ohio; and Minnie J. Randall of
Negley, Ohio.
Disney Rogers was born on the old horaestead
farm in Columbiana County, December 19, 1844.
He read law at what is now Lisbon, and after prac
ticing his profession for some years at Mount Gilead,
moved to Youngstown in 1872. For a number of
years he was a law partner with his brother Volney.
He was forceful, upright in character, and enjoyed
the highest standing not only as a lawyer but as a
citizen. For two terms he was prosecuting attorney
for Mahoning County, and served one appointive
terra and one full elective terra as judge of the
Court of Coraraon Pleas. For over twenty-one years
he was raoderator of the TrurabuU Baptist Associa
tion. At Mount Gilead he raarried Ida S. Andrews,
a daughter of his law partner. The only surviving
son bf Disney Rogers is Jaraes B., who lives in
Kentucky. Volney Rogers, who was born Deceraber i, 1846,
and died Deceraber 3, 1919, whUe -visiting in the West,
also spent his youth on the horae farra near East
Palestine. He attended public schools and as a
young raan raastered the art of telegraphy. He was
eraployed during the construction of a telegraph line
on the old Turnpike frora Pittsburg to Baltimore.
When it was completed he was eraployed as operator
for the State Legislature at the Pennsylvania capitol
in Harrisburg. For four years he was a telegraph
operator in Waynesboro and then studied law and
prepared for his profession under his brother Disney.
He began practice at Youngstown in 1871, and while
in the office of city solicitor he codified the city
ordinances. While not a briUiant advocate, he was
weU grounded in the fundaraental principles and
was considered a safe counselor and was the type of
lawyer whose personal character secured him that
confidence and esteem which are the source of the
best satisfaction to a good and upright lawyer. He
served two terms as City Solicitor. Volney Rogers
was riever married. He was a devout Presbyterian,
and like other raerabers of his faraily was a repub
lican. The big interest of his life and the source of the
service for which he will be lastingly reraerabered in
Youngstown is Mill Creek Park. He saw the pos
sibilities of utilizirig this picturesque and historic
locality for public purposes as early as i8go. The
process of destruction of the tiraber had already
gone far. He obtained options on rauch of the land,
and through his influence secured the passage of a
bill through the Legislature known as the Township
Park Iraproveraent Law. With the assistance of his
brother Bruce he began the iraproveraent of the
valley, and carried on the work which caused Mill
Creek Park to be recognized as one of the finest
scenic parks in Ohio. He corabated every effort to
Vol. 11—14

destroy the beauties and real values of this valley.
Through his efforts and those of his brother Bruce
the project for using the basin as a city reservoir
was abandoned. Through all the years he gave his
services in a legal capacity without rerauneration,
and frequently neglected his own private business
to safeguard the interests of the public. He was hira
self a nature lover and a rare student of birds,
flora and of the great book of nature. He was
author of a history of MiU Creek Park.
The services of such a man are frequently dis
regarded when set in contrast with more selfish and
popular achievements. However, many Youngstown
people appreciated his purposes and his work, and
this appreciation was perhaps best expressed in the
words of an editorial in the Telegram, quoted here
with :
"To speak a good word in raeraory of the late
Volney Rogers is alraost unnecessary, -much as that
tribute is deserved. Probably there is no person in
Youngstown who does not know what the city and
its individuals alike owe hira for his thirty years'
work in the interests of the great MUl Creek Park
if for no other reason. Eulogies, therefore, would
be merely trite.
"In the instance of Mr. Rogers, the unusual hap
pened when his work was recognized and a meraorial
planned in his honor even before his death. It is a
work that has not been completed yet, but its success
was long ago assured.
"Yet there is another forra of raemorial that might
be erected to Mr. Rogers that would be more fitting
even than one of brass or stone. It will cost nothing,
but will be worth more than a raUlion dollar arch
or statue. We refer to the preservation of MUl
Creek Park.
"Volney Rogers raight have raade this place a
great personal asset. Realizing its possibilities first,
he raight have capitalized these. Instead, he worked,
alraost alone, to dedicate this great outdoors place to
the people of Youngstown. For many years past
his work has been threatened. Just now a sewer is
being driven through the park with little regard to
saving the beauty of the place. Hungry real estate
dealers are trying to capitalize it. There is a grow
ing belief that the park was raeant as a duraping
place for ashes, tin cans and garbage and only un
ceasing vigilance can prevent this desecration. To
exercise this vigilance is the best payraent we Could
make Volney Rogers — public benefactor."
MY WALKS AND TALKS WITH
VOLNEY ROGERS
Written by H. W. Weisgerber, for the
Sunday Vindicator
The numerous walks and talks that I have had
with Mr. Volney Rogers wUl ever reraain as the
choicest treasures of my mind ; for it was the one
thing — nature — that we enjoyed and had in common,
that drew us together and held our friendship which
ripened in the few years we knew each other.
It is about these walks and talks, with their side
lines regarding the man and his sterling character,
that I wish to write at this time, while they are stiU
fresh in my mind, for while he has passed frora us

208

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

in the bodily form, his spirit will continue to live
in the hearts of a grateful people who will, I sin
cerely trust, cherish his meraory and the work that
he so valiantly performed in preserving for all time
the beautiful MiU Creek Valley. As father of that
scenic playground he wUl always be reraerabered,
whether as has been suggested, the park ever bears
his narae or not. He was far too raodest ever to
think of having it called anything else than the narae
he so dearly loved — "Mill Creek Park."
A Walk in igi5
Our acquaintance dates from the sumraer of 191 5
when I carae over frora Salera in order to take sorae
pictures in MUl Creek Park and Mr. Rogers kindly
acted as guide and pointed out the places which,
according to his raind, forraed the "pictures" in
the park. It- was during this first walk that we
found that our tastes ran along the sarae line and in
the same channel ; we not only loved the beautiful
scenery, but the trees, flowers and the birds ; we
compared notes on the glacial action and studied the
rock formation ; in fact, we found that we were of
one raind regarding the works of nature.
It was during this first walk that I saw what
loving care he had bestowed upon this strip of
water worn valley ; how he was annoyed by the
carelessness of people in throwing paper and rubbish
over the ground ; he thought that people should help
keep the place looking neat and as Nature had left
it ; broken glass he abhorred, and he would pick up
all that lay in his path ; a stone in the driveway he
would throw to one side ; any noxious weed he pulled
up so that it would not go to seed and thus spread
its kind; in fact, any little attention that he could
bestow upon anything that needed it, he would give
before passing onward. It was this attention to
rainor details, something which could not well be
delegated to others and which he did at the time he
noticed it, that has made the park the beauty spot
it is.
But this was not all : as we walked we talked ;
he told me of his struggles with this and tijat in
terest, with first one problem and then another; of
the uphill work it had been and the raoney and time
it had taken to accomplish that which we beheld in
all its beauty. When we came to a beautiful vista
he would stop and point out the interesting part of
it and tell how he had ordered a tree cut here and
another one there and the brush thinned out so that
the picture could be presented to the eye as if en
closed in a frarae. We would talk upon sorae sub
ject when suddenly soraething would corae to view
or to our attention and we would break off and start
upon the new object and talk about it; soraetiraes it
would be fully a half hour before we got back to
the original question, and in raost instances we never
got back to it that day, there were far too raany
things to talk about. A Rare Fern
It was on this first trip that we found a raaiden-
hair spleenwort fern, one of the rare ferns in the
park, growing on the face of a sandstone boulder

that lay beside one of the paths in the gorge. It had
grown into the freakish shape of a star, like a star
fish. I obtained an excellent negative and for weeks
after Mr. Rogers used to guide his nature-loving
friends to this little fern ; then, one day he found
that sorae vandal had destroyed it. He loved every
thing in the park, and raonths afterward when he
told me about the destruction of the little fern, I
detected a note of sadness in his voice; he could not
understand why people would destroy that which
he loved, especially since he and I had found it, and
we, knowing its value as an oddity of nature, had
left it for the enjoyment of others, who would pass
that way.
It was on this first trip, too, that he showed the
strong trait in his character for the observance of
rules and regulations regarding the use of the park.
We had reached the end of our journey, above the
falls, where some men were working on the dam
that forras the swiraraing pool at that place, and he
talked with thera and we proceeded up the stream
to the Pool-of-the-Shadows where we found some
young raen who were violating the park rules in
the taking of fishing bait; he called their attention
to this fact and they began with insulting remarks
and a disregard of his orders to stop, when he
politely inforraed thera that he \yas one of the park
commissioners and that he would have them ar
rested ; this frightened them so that they were ready
to quit and they all began to apologize for their
ignorance in not knowing the rules.
A Characteristic Incident
It was not until after I came to Youngstown that
I enjoyed other walks in the park with Mr. Rogers.
In the summer of 1918, while I roomed on Lakewood
Avenue, a ten minutes' walk frora the Falls Avenue
entrance, and with an extra hour of daylight in the
evening which was then in vogue, I would oc
casionally call at the house of his brother, who was
then spending the suraraer in a cottage in the park
and inquire about the health of Mr. Volney Rogers
and ascertain whether or not he had found anything
new in the nature line. It was on one of these eve
nings, the first one, in fact, in which I had found him,
that an amusing incident occurred which I will never
forget. It showed how far business vvas removed
frora hira when he was away frora his office and
how his life was centered upon the nature that is
all about us. I was spending the evening in the
park when" I raet a raan who asked me if I knew
where Mr. Rogers lived. I inforraed him that I
was not sure of the house, but since he said that
soraeone told hira that it was a white one, that I
would lead him to one and if that was not the place
I would take hira to the next. The first chanced to
be the right one. I stepped back several paces so
as not to interfere wifh any raatter about which the
stranger might wish to talk. Mr. Rogers came to
the door, shook hands with the raan, who, I think,
said soraething about sorae business matters. ^ He
did not seera, however, to awaken Mr. Rogers in
terest, for he came forward and reached for my
hand and greeted rae and said with enthusiasm that
he had found a new plant which he wished to show

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

209

me and turned into the house to get it. He brought
it out and we talked about it, then the subject
changed, and I told him of a tree that I had found
that evening near the lily ponds that was new to
me; he went into the house after his hat and the
three of us went walking toward the tree in ques
tion. It was the laurel-leaved oak, a new one to
me, and near it was a new species of oak, a hybrid
of the laurel-leaved that had been discovered by
one of the botanists whom Mr. Rogers had invited
at one time to list the plants of the park. All of this
time the raan who had corae to see Mr. Rogers was
kept waiting and was going with us frora point to
point and frora object to object with nothing to do
but listen to our talk on Nature. This kept up for
over an hour and untU nearly dark, when we carae
to the parting of the ways. Here we halted; I bade
the gentleman "good-night" and not until then did
Mr. Rogers give the man a chance to talk about the
business that had brought him to the park. I can
not help smiling about this little incident every tirae
it cornes to raind. A few weeks ago, while I was
standing in the diaraond waiting for a Poland car
to take me horae, a man tapped me on the shoulder
and asked if I were not the man whom he had met
in the park that evening. I told him I was and
that I felt sorry he had had to wait so long, where
upon he replied that he enjoyed our talk greatly,
for it was about soraething that he did not hear
discussed every day.
Loved to Walk in the Park
How ready and wUling Mr. Rogers was to take a
walk and to talk about nature, the following incident
will illustrate. It was about nine o'clock one Sunday
raorning, I had been out since sunrise, had been to
the falls and returned and had just stopped at the
house to inquire about his health ; I had intended to
pause but a few rainutes, then return to my room
and dress for church, but he had a shrub in one of
the out-of-the-way corners of the park that he
wished to show rae, so after putting on his coat, hat
and rubbers we started. After looking at the shrub
we continued to go on ; we went up one of the rainor
ravines that leads to the west and followed it to
the end, where we carae into a level field, and then
returned by way of the Old Furnace Road and
passed the Bear's Den section of the park. That
raorning we listened to sermons that were not ut
tered by man and to rausic that was not rendered by
huraan voices; we corarauned with the God of Na
ture, we were reverent about it, too, and did not
profane the day nor the hour by voice or act.
On another occasion, late in the suraraer, we
strolled about the park near his horae, and on the
rocky bed of the creek at high water we found a
freak of nature in the forra of a three-leaved bone-
set plant; in all of his raany years of nature study
Air. Rogers had never seen anything of this kind
of boneset; it certainly was a "sport," one of the
odd things that help raake nature study so interest
ing. iMr. Rogers seeraed to enjoy this rare find and
we referred to it several tiraes afterward. It was
during one of these twilight talks that he informed
rae that as a young man he had studied telegraphy

and had become acquainted with electricity, and he
began to tell of the different "charges" of the fluid
and illustrated by the lightning's stroke that had but
a short tirae before played sad havoc with one of the
largest hemlock trees on the hill sides, opposite his
home, shattering the trunk only in certain places by
jumping from place to place.
Last winter, after I had raoved to the city and
had settled in the south-east corner, near Pine Hal
low and the Loveland Farras, I visited hira at his
office on Saturday afternoons and he would always
inquire whether I had found anything new in nature.
He seeraed rauch interested in my discovery that
Pine Hallow was the beautiful ravine that it is,
and about the various things that I found from time
to time; he always enjoyed the nature pictures that
I showed him, and he and his brother Bruce identified
for me the Hercules shrub, that I had known under
a false name for years and could not find in the
botany under the assumed name when I wished to
check up on it.
To show how modest Mr. Rogers was it is only
necessary to state that last winter when an article
about a memorial in his honor had been printed, I
was in his office and mentioned the fact, when,
blushing like a school boy, he remarked that it was
a matter about which he had been approached but
over which he had no control. To show how re
served he was and how little he would talk of his
accorapHshments in Mill Creek Park it is only neces
sary to say that to me he would never say much
about it while in his office; but how confidential he
would become, always with a due amount of diffi
dence and reserve, whenever he was in that nature-
spot he so dearly loved. There, amid farailiar scenes,
he would open his heart and talk as though he were
pleading his case to some loved one. There he would
speak amid the scenes that he loved and for which
he had spent the greater part of his life that they
raight be preserved as a heritage for the people.
After he had pleaded his last case for the preserva
tion of the park frora the hands of the spoilers and
had lost, he was ready to leave the scenes of his
life's labor and to spend the rest of his days far
frora the place where he had labored so long and
faithfully, hoping that by change of surroundings he
raight forget. But other scenes and joys were not
to be his, for such a raan as Volney Rogers cannot »
live long away frora home.
Bruce Rogers, now the only survivor of the trio
of brothers who made Youngstown their horae, was
born Deceraber 26, 1854. He received a good educa
tion as a youth, taught country school before reach
ing his majority, and also learned telegraphy. WhUe
working as an operator he took up the study of
landscape architecture and gardening. His practical
knowledge of that profession led to his being called
to Youngstown in 1890, and for twenty-seven years
he was the able lieutenant of his brother Volney
in beautifying and developing Mill Creek Park. He
served as executive officer of that park. It was his
technical abUity that gave concrete expression to
many of the cherished ideals of Volney Rogers.
January i, 1880, Bruce Rogers married Mary A.

210

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

March, of Lisbon, Ohio. Their only child. Miss Ada
March Rogers, is a graduate of Wellesley College.
for two years was principal of the Hubbard High
school and is now an instructor in the Rayen High
School. Mr. Rogers is a meraber of the Baptist
Church and in politics is a republican.
Henry F. McCrone, one of the progressive busi
ness men and public spirited citizens of Struthers,
represents a pioneer family of the Mahoning Valley.
He was born on the old home farm in Poland
Township, two railes from Struthers, February 22,
1880, son of Jaraes B. and Sarah C. (Liddle) Mc
Crone. His grandfather McCrone was of Scotch
ancestry and an early settler in Coitsville Township,
where Jaraes B. McCrone was born. The Liddle
family was established in the Mahoning Valley by
George Liddle, Sr., who was born and reared in
England and settled in Poland Township as early as
1806. He had the experiences and performed the
duties of a pioneer and died in advanced years in
the late forties. Both, he and his wife were earnest
merabers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He
was the father of four chUdren : George, Jr., Wil
liam, Jane and Ann. The daughter Jane became
the wife of WUliam Baker, lived in Geauga County
at the time of her death, and her husband subse
quently married Margaret Kennedy, and they spent
their last years at Poland Center in Mahoning
County. Ann Liddle becarae the wife of John Boyer
and died in venerable years in Canfield Township,
their only son, Norman J., being now a resident of
Ellsworth Township. William Liddle died in early
manhood, leaving no children.
George Liddle, Jr., raaternal grandfather of Henry
F. McCrone, was born in Poland Township March 5,
1812, and died October 3, 1884. He spent his active
life as a farraer. In 1841 be married iMary Elizabeth
Kennedy, a' sister of the Margaret Kennedy men
tioned above, a daughter of James Kennedy ahd
also a sister of Walker Kennedy, whose son James
has become one of the prominent citizens of Ma
honing County. Mary Elizabeth Kennedy was born
in CoitsvUle Township July 10, 1820, and died Janu
ary 30, 1908. The chUdren of George and Mary
Elizabeth Liddle were : Sarah C, wife of James B.
McCrone, was born May 10, 1845, and died at the
age of fifty-five ; Margaret Jane is the wife of F. W.
Bradley, of New Bedford, iPennsylvania ; Edward B.
Liddle lives on the old homestead in Poland Town
ship ; Lorena Eleanor lived with her raother in
Struthers until her death ; Lenora L., twin sister of
Lorena E., died at the age of twenty-three.
James B. McCrone spent his active life as a farraer
and livestock dealer, and for a number of years was
in the retail meat business, conducting a market at
Middlesex and later at Struthers. He finally re
turned to his farm, but a short tirae before his death
went to the horae of his daughter at Canfield and
died in 1910, at the age of seventy-three. His good
wife passed away at the age of about fifty-five.
Their children were five sons and one daughter :
Mary, wife of John Callahan of Canfield ; Elmer B.,
a livestock man in Colorado ; Henry . F. ; Thomas
Scott, who owns and operates a large cattle ranch
near North Platte, Nebraska ; Edward Dallas, who

lives at Struthers; James Myron, raanager of his
brother Henry's business at Poland.
Henry F. McCrone acquired a public school educa
tion, learned the butcher's trade in the market of
George Knox and subsequently. worked in the market
of William Stener at LoweUviUe. During portions
of three years he had an interesting experience in
Colorado engaged in the range cattle industry in the
¦ vicinity of Fort Morgan. In igo8, in partnership
with his former employer, Williara Stener, he opened
a meat market on Bridge Street in Struthers, and
eighteen months later becarae sole owner. He has
developed the business so that it has grown and in
creased many fold and is now one of the leading
establishments for the handling of groceries and
meats in this section of the county. Mr. McCrone
moved his store to a specially reraodeled buUding on
State Street in May, igi8, and now has a large and
well stocked and well equipped store, with five em
ployes. Since igi4 he has conducted a branch
grocery and market at Poland" with his brother
James in charge and with .six eraployes. This busi
ness has grown and has an appreciative trade drawn
even frora some of the representative families of
Youngstown. Mr. McCrone is a democrat in politics, and he and
his wife are members of the United Presbyterian
Church. In June, igii, he raarried Miss Rhoda
Kearns of Lewistown, Pennsylvania.
Cassius E. Cross, president of the Service Motor
Truck Sales Corapany, has been a resident of
Youngstown raany years and was formerly a rail
road man, but is best known in a business way
through his extensive operations in real estate.
Mr. Cross was born on a farm in the Enon Val
ley of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, April 16,
1866, a son of David F. and Mary (Young.) Cross.
His father, a native of Beaver, Pennsyl'vania, was
a very expert workraan in stone and brick and his
services were employed all over Western Pennsyl
vania and Eastern Ohio. He ' helped buUd the
Chauncey Andrews residence in Youngstown. His
later years were spent on a farm in Lawrence
County, where he died at the age of sixty-four, his
wife passing away at seventy-two. They were mera
bers of the Presbyterian Church and he was a
democrat. The Cross family has been in America
for many generations.
Cassius E. Cross was one of the younger of ten
children, eight of whora reached raature years. He
finished his education with two years in high school
at Mount Jackson. He was sixteen when he began
learning telegraphy in the local office of the Pitts
burg & Lake Erie at Warapura, Pennsylvania. Sub
sequently he was eraployed by the Baltiraore & Ohio.
He was still a boy when he carae to Youngstown.
He was stationed at Wurteraberg, and whUe there
had a night shift and was paid $35 a month, his
board costing him $8. He put in seventeen years
at raUroading, and when he left was assistant yard-
master. Mr. Cross while working for the railroad took
considerable interest in local politics and was elected
and served two terms in the City CouncU from the
Ninth Ward. He was on the legislation and finance

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

211

comraittees. Later he becarae secretary to the city
commission, and is one of the few who have re
signed from a political job.
His growing real estate and building business
caused hira to give up politics. His first associate
in real estate was E. A. Hegg. They were the first
firm to use automobUes in showing their customers
about the city. WhUe with the railroad Mr. Cross
was drawing a salary of sixty-five dollars a month,
and in spite of that low wage he raanaged to save
$500, which he used as an advance payraent on a
$i,goo house. Since then he has bought and sold
raany pieces of Youngstown property, and has al
ways realized sorae raodest profit frora every transac
tion. For years he carried on a building program
averaging fifteen houses annually, and has thus
contributed to the better housing situation in Youngs
town. He bought from Eralin P. Thorn a parcel
of land through which Breaden Street runs frora
Oak Hill Avenue to Hillraan Street and built a
number of houses along the thoroughfare. In Feb
ruary, 1919, Mr. Cross becarae president of the
Service Motor Truck Sales Corapany, distributors
of Service and Commerce trucks, also carrying on
a general repair business. He is a meraber and
trustee of the Central Christian Church, and is a
deraocrat in national affairs, being independent
locally. Mr. Cross married Demonia Shiveley, who was
born in 1868 and died Septeraber ig, 1916. She was
born at Perkins Corners, on the Burkett place, which
belonged to her father. Her parents were David
and Rebecca Shiveley. Mr. and Mrs. Cross had
one son and two daughters. The son, Sarauel G.,
is now associated with his father in business, is a
graduate of the Ohio State University and was
trained there for the army, receiving a lieutenant's
coraraission. He was sent as an instructor to Carap
Hancock, Georgia, being first in the Motor Truck
Division at Blacksburg, West Virginia, and later
with a Machine Gun Battalion. The daughters are
Vera V. and Araber H., the former a graduate of
the Rayen High and the latter now in the South
High School.
Paul Boyd Herriott Smith, M. D. Among the
men prominently identified with the raedicai profes- ¦
sion of the Mahoning Valley, as well as with the
civic life of this region, few have gained a higher
reputation for skill and dependability than Dr. Paul
Boyd Herriott Sraith of Lowellville, whose standing
is unquestioned with all classes. iHe was born at
New Bedford, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, on
the state line between Pennsylvania and Ohio, iFeb-
ruary 28, 1878, a son of Jaraes D. and Elizabeth E.
(Buchanan) Sraith. Jaraes D. Smith was born on
the same farra as his son, and spent his life there,
dying at the advanced age of eighty-five years. His
wife, who was born at Burgettstown, 'Washington
County, Pennsylvania, died at the age of sixty-seven
yearsr This old farra has been sold, but during the
lifetirae of James D. Smith it afforded him araple
opportunity for the expression of his ideas, and he
devoted himself to it, never participating in public
life. In his religious belief he found the creed of
the United Presbyterian' Church satisfying. He and
his first wife had the following chUdren : Williara

J., who lives near Ray, Pennsylvania ; Albert E.,
who is a ranchraan of Lawrence, Kansas ; Ellis, who
died at the age of fifty-nine years frora the result
of a street car accident, spent his life on the home
stead; Lou, who is a farmer of Summit, South
Dakota. By his second marriage the children were :
Rev. T. F. B., a Presbyterian minister at Central
City, Nebraska, who preached all through the Ma
honing Valley, and during the war spent eighteen
months in the work of the Young Men's Christian
Association, although not sent overseas ; and Doctor
Smith, who was the youngest born of all the chUdren
of his father.
Doctor Smith was graduated from the Grove City
College of Grove City, Pennsylvania, in 1901, with
the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts
from the classical course, and he then took a three
years' medical course at the Jefferson Medical Col
lege and also studied at the University of Maryland
at Baltimore one year, being graduated from the
latter institution in 1905, following which he served
as interne in the hospital connected with the univer
sity one year, 1906. In September, 1906, Doctor
Smith established hiraself in a general raedicai and
surgical practice at Lowellville. and since coraing
here has allied hiraself with the County, State and
National Medical associations. He belongs to the
Charaber of Coraraerce and responds generously and
promptly to all calls made on him for assistance in
every improvement which has. been inaugurated sub
sequent to his advent into this community. He is
a champion of good roads, and led in the raoveraent
which has resulted in the building of the state road
through this district. Not only has he served on
the village councU and school boards, but for four
years was a meraber of the board on public affairs,
and during that period assisted in securing for
Lowellville electric light, water, sewerage and similar
iraproveraents. He is a director of the Lowellville
Bank and interested in other lines, for he is one of
the raost progressive of the raen here, and believes in
using his raoney and influence to buUd up business
concerns. The Presbyterian Church has in him a
meraber and elder. He belongs to the Poland Conn-
try Club, and is a Blue Lodge and Chapter Mason,
a raeraber of Buechner Council, St. John's Cora
raandery No. 20, Knights Templar, belong to the
Youngstown organizations of this fraternity, and also
to Al Koran Temple of the Mystic Shrine, in the
City of Cleveland.
On July II, 1906, Doctor Smith was united in
marriage to Annabel Kelso, of Brookville, Jefferson
County, Pennsylvania, and they have three daugh
ters, Nella L., Mary Eloise and Helen Leah. Mrs.
Smith is an efficient worker in the various church
societies and clubs. The residence owned and occu
pied by Doctor Sraith was originally erected by
J. N. Pence, now deceased, but Doctor Sraith has
rebuilt it and has one of the best horaes in the
village. Both as a physician and citizen Doctor
Sraith raeasures up to the highest standards of Araer
ican raanhood, and by his optimisra, ready syrapathy
and skin wins warra friendships both in the sick
room and outside of it, and is recognized as one of
the most forceful figures in his part of the Mahonins
Valley.

212

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

William H. Marshall. Nurabered araong the
representative citizens of Youngstown is Williara H.
Marshall, who has long been identified with the
mercantile interests of this section of Mahoning
County, and as owner and raanager of an art store
is carrying on a large and thriving business. A son
of the late John Marshall, he was born June 29, 1877,
in the building which he now occupies, his birth
having occurred in the roora which he uses as a work
roora. The building is located at the corner of Oak
Hill Avenue and Marshall Street, the latter having
been naraed in honor of the Marshall faraily.
John Marshall served as a druraraer boy during
the Civil war, and spent his last days in the Soldiers'
Home, dying at the age of sixty-four years. The
maiden name of his wife was Eliza Maria Clute,
who died October i, 1915, aged seventy-nine years.
Five children were born to them, of whora three are
now living, William H., the special subject of this
sketch ; Cassie Thebald, wife of Charles Kellerraan,
of Meadville, Pennsylvania; and Georgina, the wife
of O. J. Hararaond, formerly general freight agent
of the Pittsburgh and Bessemer Railroad, and now
traffic raanager for the Goodyear Rubber Corapany
at Akron, Ohio. Charles, the oldest son a raolder
by trade, died in Providence, Rhode Island, aged
twenty-four years. Bertie passed away when but
fifteen years old.
Completing his early education at the Front Street
School, William H. iMarshall began work for him
self, and at the age of fifteen years entered the china
store of J. W. Williaras on West Federal Street.
He subsequently accepted a position with V. J.
Beuhrle, with whora he reraained about four years.
The ensuing six years Mr. Marshall was connected
with the shipping department of the Carnegie Steel
Corapany at the Ohio plant, but as the proraotions
in the plant depended upon the death rate, and the
eraployes all seemed to be fairly healthy, he gave
up his position and opened his art store.
Mr. iMarshall had very limited raeans with which
to start, his sole capital having been $100. With that
meager sum, and a letter frora one of Youngstown's
prorainent raen, he put in a good stock of art goods
and -vyas far on the road to prosperity when the
raeraorable flood of 1913 swept his stock of goods
down the river. A leading citizen of Youngstown,
now dead, urged Mr. Marshall to accept a loan of
sufficient raoney to put hira again on his feet. Tak
ing a wise advantage of the offer, Mr. Marshall
opened his present establishraent, and has since raet
with gratifying success in his undertaking, his pat
ronage being extensive and reraunerative. He has
accumulated considerable property, and six years ago
built his present home, "Wilgert Lodge," which is
acknowledged one of the beauty spots of the Ma
honing Valley.
Mr. Marshall raarried, in igo6, Gertrude L. Crum,
of Youngstown, Ohio, a most pleasant and estimable
woman. Mr. iMarshall is a meraber of the Kiwanis
Club, a social organization and both Mr. and Mrs.
Marshall are consistent members of Trinity Metho
dist Episcopal Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall have had no children of
their own, but they have taken the responsibility of
raising two children, Eugene and Hazel Marshall,

two bright chUdren who have the freedom of a good
Christian borne, with every advantage that would
have been theirs had they entered this home by birUi.
Isaiah W. Jenkins. The true western spirit of
progress and enterprise is strikingly exemplified
in the lives of such men as Isaiah W. Jenkins, one
of Ohio's honored native sons, whose energetic na
ture and laudable ambitions have enabled him to
conquer may adverse circumstances and advance
steadily. He has met and overcome obstacles that
would have discouraged a raan of less determina
tion and has won for himself not only a comfort
able competency, but also a prorainent place among
the enterprising raen of this locality. Such a man
is a credit to any community and his life farcibly
illustrates what energy and consecutive effort can
accoraplish when directed and controUed by correct
principles and high raoral resolves, and no man
is worthier of specific raention in a volume of the
province of the one at hand. .
Isaiah W. Jenkins was born in NUes, Ohio, on
April 25, 1861, and is the son of John and Margaret
(Lovett) Jenkins, both of whora were natives of
¦Wales. John Jenkins carae to the United States .
in 1850, and at once upon his arrival he applied
for citizenship papers. He was an ironworker,
and was eraployed as a puddler in the Ward mills
at Niles, and later in the Andrews raUls. During
the Civil war he was a soldier in the One Hundred
and Seventy-first Regiraent, Ohio Volunteer Infan
try, and was wounded in the battle with General
Morgan's forces at Cynthiana. He was an earnest
republican in his political faith, a Christian in his
religious belief and a member of the Independent
Order of Odd iFellows. He stood courageously by
his honest convictions on moral questions and was
one of the two first raen in Niles to vote the prohibi
tion ticket. He died in 1911, when eighty-five years of
age, and his wife passed away in 1885, at the age
of sixty-three years. They becarae the parents of
nine children, of which number six grew to ma
turity, and four are now living, namely: Mrs. John
Evans, of New PhUadelphia, Ohio; Mrs. Lewis
Davis, of Niles, Ohio ; Williara, of Niles, and Isaiah
W. Two deceased children are Mary, who was
the wife of Sidney D. Brooks, of Niles, and Lida,
who was the wife of George Cross, of Ashtabula
Harbor, Ohio.
Isaiah W. Jenkins received his elementary edu
cation in the public schools of Niles, after whic'n
he went to work in the iron mills. , .After ei.ght
years of strenuous labor there, and the practice
of the raost rigid econoray, he entered the Univer
sity of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, through which lie
financed himself and took the complete course in
cheraistry. In 1885 Mr. Jenkins associated himself
with Doctor Strickland, of NUes, in the drug busi
ness, and later was also in partnership with E. .A,.
Wagstaff in the sarae line. Nine years later he
carae to Youngstown and opened a drug store on
East Federal Street, where he stUl is located and
where through careful attention to every detail of
the business and courteous and prompt service for
the public he has built up one of the best drug
trades in Youngstown. He has been financially suc
cessful to a gratifying degree and has become inter-

^^^^tKQ^^o^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

213

ested in several other enterprises, being a meraber
of the board of directors of the Guarantee Bankers'
Mortgage Company, of Cleveland, of which he wa.s
one of the organizers and was a vice president of
the Cleveland National Fire Insurance Company.
He is a director and stockholder in various other
important business enterprises, including sugar re
fining interests.
In 1893 Mr. Jenkins was married to Harriet L.
Hadley, the daughter of Thomas and Diana Had
ley, of Niles, and they are the parents of a son,
Hadley, who is associated with his father in busi
ness. Hadley is a graduate in pharmacy, having
received his degree from the Ohio Northern Uni
versity at Ada, Ohio. He was married to Susan
Walker, the daughter of William Walker, and tbey
have a son, Oliver W., living, and one, Charles
Hadley, who died in childhood. Hadley Jenkins
is a member of Western Star Lodge No. 21, Free
and Accepted Masons and of Youngstown Chapter
No. 93, Royal Arch Masons. He is also a meraber
of the Youngstown Chamber of Coraraerce and in
politics is a republican.
Politically the subject gives his support to the
republican ticket, while fraternally he is a member
of the Free and Accepted Masons, holding mera
bership with the lodge in Niles, and the Knights of
Pythias. He has been successful in business and
respetrted in social life, and as a neighbor he has
discharged his duties in a raanner becoraing a liberal-
minded, intelligent citizen, his chief characteristics
being energy, determination and honesty of purpose.
Because of these qualities and his genial disposition
he enjoys the good will and esteem of all who know
hira. Michael Obendorfer. A prominent, prosperous,
and eminently respected citizen of Youngstown,
Michael Obendorfer, president and general raanager
of The Obendorfer Company, has been actively
associated with the comraercial interests of the city
since entering his father's store as a clerk in 1871,
nearly half a century ago, a longer period of time
without doubt than any other individual can boast.
A son of Tobias Obendorfer, he was born October
25, 1855, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, in the
vicinity of both Mercer and Sharon.
Tobias Obendorfer was born in 1830 in Bavaria,
which became part of the German Erapire in 1871,
and early in life immigrated to the United States,
located in Pennsylvania. Soon after his raarriage
he came with his wife to Youngstown, making the
trip frora Enon Valley, that state, in a stage coach,
there having been no railroads at that time. He
continued his work as a coal miner until 1871, when
he opened a general store on East Federal Street,
and buUt up an extensive trade in the mining districts
surrounding Youngstown, including Church Hill,
Weathersfield, Scripp HUl, Chestnut Ridge, and
other near-by places, selling and delivering goods to
the people there employed in the various mines. The
store has since been raoved to other locations, in
1878 to the corner of Federal and Basin streets, from
there being moved to 361 East Federal Street.
In igog the firra erected its present large and con
veniently arranged establishment at 1030 Himrod

Avenue, and has continued the sale of general mer
chandise on an extensive scale.
Tobias Obendorfer, the original proprietor of the
business, died in i8g9, his death being a loss not only
to his famUy but to the firm and to the coraraunity -
in which he had lived and labored, his horae having
been on Wilson Avenue. His wife, whose maiden
name was Elizabeth Maier, was born in Bavaria in
1836, and died in Youngstown in 1905. They were
charter raerabers of each Saint Coluraba's and Saint
Joseph's Catholic Church. Of the nine chUdren born
of their union three are now living, as follows :
Michael, the subject of this sketch; Mary, widow of
Fred Hardesty, of this city; and Williara, with the
Youngstown iEngineering and Foundry Company at
Youngstown, Ohio.
Educated in Saint Coluraba's School and Saint
Joseph's School, Michael Obendorfer entered his
father's store in 1871, as previously mentioned, and
by continuous application soon mastered every detail
connected with the business, gaining a practical
knowledge and experience that has been of in
estimable value to hira as president and raanager of
the large mercantile firm of The Obendorfer Cora
pany. A man of broad capacity and exceUent busi
ness and executive ability, Mr. Obendorfer is also
connected with various other enterprises of an in
dustrial and financial nature. A raeraber of the City
Council frora 1877 until i8gi, he served on the com
mittee on clairas and finance and during the last
year was vice president of the councU. He has been
a director of the City Trust & Savings Company
since its organization, and is secretary of the Garland
Block & Sand Company.
Mr. Obendorfer raarried Margaret Adaras, a
daughter of Theodore and Francisco Adaras, who
are now living in Struthers, her father being a
venerable raan of eighty-seven years. She was born
in Hubbard, Ohio, the descendant of an old and
honored faraily. Mr. and Mrs. Obendorfer are the
parents of seven children, naraely : Michael, Jr.,
secretary and treasurer of The Obendorfer Cora
pany; Minnie, wife of George Wasraan, of Youngs
town ; Elraer J., forraerly assistant state bank super
intendent of Ohio, now with the Peninsular State
Bank of Detroit, Michigan ; Edward, who was in
service during the World war, was ready to go over
seas when his wife died, and he was transferred to
the quarterraaster's departraent at Carap Sherraan,
Ohio; Theodore, in his father's store; and Elizabeth
and Katherine, at home. Mr. Obendorfer has always
worked diligently, and has enjoyed the best of health,
a boon that he credits to his habits of industry, and
he has never needed the aid of glasses, his eyesight
being as good as his health.
Capt. Raymond V. Dickey. The respect which
should always be accorded the brave boys of the
United States who left homes and the peaceful pur
suits of civil life to give their services, and their
lives if need be, in defense of the great principles
for which this country entered the World war, is
certainly due the gentleman to a brief review of whose
life the foUowing lines are devoted. He proved his
love and loyalty to his government and the Allied
cause in all kinds of situations, on the tirescime

214

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

marches, exposed to inclement weather, and amid the
flame and smoke of battle, where the rattle of the
musketry mingled with the terrible concussion of
the bursting shell and the deep diapason of the
cannon's roar made up the sublime but awful chorus
of death. To them the world is under a debt of
gratitude which it cannot pay, and in centuries yet
to be posterity will eomraeraorate their chivalry in
fitting eulogy and tell of their deeds in story and in
song. Araong such as these is numbered the subject
of this sketch, and the record he raade while in the
mUitary service of his country is one of which he
has just reason to be proud.
Rayraond V. Dickey is a native son of the state
now honored by his citizenship, having been born at
East Liverpool, Ohio, on the i8th day of April, i8go.
His parents, Edwin V. and Ninu (iRitchie) Dickey,
were also born in this state, and are now living in
Youngstown, where the father is associated with the
Sheetz Lumber Company. He is the son of Isaac
Dickey, an officer of cavalry under the coraraand of
Gen. John A. Logan during the Civil war. The
Dickey faraily moved to Youngstown in igio.
Raymond 'V. Dickey was reared in his native town
and attended its public schools, graduating frora the
high school. He then became a student in the West
ern Reserve University, in which institution he
was graduated from the course in pharmacy. There
after for a time he was in the drug business in Cleve
land, Ohio, but in 1913 he came to Youngstown and
opened a pharmacy for Doctor Swaney. Soon after
ward he entered the eraploy of the Buick Autoraobile
Agency in this city, with whom he remained untU
entering the military service of the United States.
In 1914 he enlisted as a private in the Ohio National
Guard, in which he at once proved his natural mUi
tary qualifications to such a degree that on June 24,
igi5, he was given a second lieutenant's coraraission,
and on July 13, 1917, he was promoted to a captaincy.
His first active field service was on the iMexican
border, where he received experience which proved
of great value to him in his subsequent service. He
served first in Company M, Fifth Regiment, Ohio
Infantry, which afterward became the One Hundred
and Forty-Fifth United States Infantry, as a part
of the Thirty-Seventh Division. Subsequently, in
coniiection with Col. Williara P. Love, Maj. Wade C.
Christy and Capt. Jesse E. Wells, Captain Dickey
was ordered to recruit and organize the Tenth Regi
ment of Ohio Infantry, which was commanded by
Col. Charles C. Weybrecht, who had served as
adjutant-general of the State of Ohio. The Tenth
Regiraent was organized and sent to Camp Sheridan,
at Montgomery, Alabama, where they reraained in
training for two months. This comraand was con
verted into Machine Gun Battalions One Hundred
Thirty-Four, One Hundred Thirty-Five and One
Hundred Thirty-Six, and as such they underwent
intensive training untU January, igi8, when they
were sent to Carap Lee, Virginia, and later to Ho
boken, New Jersey, where the Thirty-Seventh Divi
sion erabarked on the Leviathan, and seven days
later were landed at Brest, France. Captain Dickey
remained on duty with the Thirty-Seventh Division
untU late in July, 1918, when he was transferred to
the Twenty-Sixth ("Yankee") Division. He took an

active part in the heavy fighting in the Argonne drive
and rernained in the front lines until, just prior to
the arraistice, he received a raachine-gun wound and
was gassed. As a result of these injuries he was
classed as "B-2" and was sent to a classification-
carap for discharge on account of disability. He was
raoved from one classification carap to another and
finally, on February 22, 1919, he was sent to Brest
and returned to the United States on the battleship
Connecticut, in comraand of 250 wounded men.
They were twelve days in crossing and landed at
Hoboken, where Captain Dickey received an honor
able discharge on March 5, 1919.
The captain's brother, iHarold C. Dickey, also saw
active service on the Mexican border and received a'
first lieutenant's coramission. but just when he was
expecting to sail for France he was discharged from
the service on account of disability.
In AprU, 1919, the two brothers formed a partner
ship and took over the Kissel Autoraobile Agency
and are now operating two garages, one at 253-
25s West Boardraan Street and one at 124 West
Boardman Street. Energetic and industrious, they
ha\e already gained an enviable reputation as a pro
gressive and enterprising firm and are enjoying a
large and representative patronage. Although com
paratively young in years. Captain Dickey's life has
been a busy and successful one, and his record is
eminently worthy of perusal by those who would
learn the intrinsic essence of individuality and its
influence in molding a successful career. Genial and
approachable, he has a host of warm personal friends
and enjoys to a marked degree the esteem and con
fidence of the entire community.
Herman F. Duesing. While success cannot be
achieved without unflagging industry, the futility of
effort is often noticeable in the business world and
results frc)m the fact that it is not combined with
sound business judgraent. Many a raan who gives
his entire life to toil, earnest and unreraitting, never
acquires a competence, but when his labor is well
directed, prosperity always follows. Mr. Duesing
is one whose work has been suppleraented by care
ful raanageraent, and today he is araong those v.'ho
have triuraphed over adverse conditions and won
success. He is not only identified with various
business interests of Youngstown, but has also in
other ways been an active factor in the civic life
of the city.
Herman F. Duesing was born in Germany on the
7th day of April, 1867, and is the son of iFred and
Louise (Vogelsang) Duesing. The family came to
the United States when the subject of this sketch
was about two years of age, locating in New Castle,
Pennsylvania, in i86g. The father was employed
in the mills there until 1872, when he came to
Youngstown and became janitor of the Covington
Street school, retaining that position for fifteen \
years. Since that time he has been connected with
the Brier Hill mills in various capacities and is now
employed in the general offices of the company,
working every day. He is now eighty years of age, :
and his wife, seventy-nine years. They are mem
bers of the Lutheran Church at Brier Hill. Of
their six. children, two sons and four daughters,
Herman F. is the oldest.

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YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

215

Herraan F. Duesing received his educational train
ing in the Wood Street and Brier Hill schools,
and at the age of fourteen years he entered the
employ of Weller & Yagen, who operated a store
at Brier HiU. This store was afterwards sold to
iMr. Brenner and in 1890 becarae the property of
the subject. Mr. Duesing started in business with
a very liraited cash capital, but he did have a good
credit, and both were intelligently used, with very
gratifying results, for he has been successful in aU
his efforts. For a number of years the business
was incorporated as the Herraan F. Duesing Mer
cantUe Corapany, of which Mr. Duesing was_ presi
dent, but recently he has taken over the entire in
terests and the active raanageraent of the business.
For some years he also served as general manager
of the Simon Packing Company.
In 1892 Mr. Duesing was raarried to Bertha Bayer,
the daughter of Captain John Bayer, and they are
the parents of two chUdren, Vera May, the wife
of 'Williara G. Kuhlraan, claira agent of the Youngs
town Sheet and Tube Corapany, and Fred H.
Politically Mr. Duesing is a stanch supporter of
the democratic party and has taken an active inter
est in local public affairs. He served with efficiency
for nine years as a meraber of the Board of Edu
cation and also served two years as director of
public service under Mayor Craven's second adrainis
tration. Fraternally he is a meraber of the Masonic
order, in which he has attained the Knight Templar
degree in the York Rite and the thirty-second degree
in the Scottish Rite; the Ancient Arabic Order
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ; Lodge 55, Independent
Order of Odd Fellows ; Lodge No. 55, Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elks, and Robert E. John
son Lodge, Knights of Pythias. He is a raeraber
of Grace Lutheran Church, which he is serving as
deacon. Mr. Duesing has acted well his part in
life, and whUe priraarily interested in his own af
fairs he has not been unmindful of the interests of
others, as his efforts to advance the public good
and proraote the welfare of his fellow raen abundant
ly attest. He is a splendid exaraple of the virile,
progressive, self-made man who believes in doing-
well whatever he undertakes, a raan of keen discern
raent and sound judgraent, broad rainded and emi
nently fair and just in all his relations with his fel
low men, and therefore he enjoys their confidence
and good will.
William Liggett, a retired resident of Lowell
ville, was born in Poland Township, February 3,
1841, son of William and Rosanna (Jackson) Lig
gett. His father was a native of (bounty Tyrone,
Ireland, and came to the United States at the age of
seventeen, soon finding his way to the country of
Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. Later he
had three of his sisters come over: Elizabeth, who
married John Crawford and lived and died in Ma
honing 'Valley; Jane M., who raarried Sarauel
Cross, of Butler County, where both died; and
Mary, who died young.
Williara Liggett, Sr., learned the stone mason
and brick mason's trade, was also a plasterer, and
followed those occupations most of his years. About
1840 he located at Lowellville. He had previously

helped build the canal locks. He was one of the
earnest merabers of the United Presbyterian Church,
and a citizen of unquestionable patriotism. He
died at the age of seventy-one. On Deceraber 5,
1826, he raarried Rosanna Jackson, who was born
March 10, 1798, and died April 19, 1855. William
Liggett, Sr., was born October 3, 1801. His second
wife was iMargaret, who died Deceraber 31, 1875,
aged seventy-eight. The children of Williara Lig
gett, Sr., were: Joseph, born Septeraber 10, 1828;
Jaraes, born Noveraber 3, 1830; Nancy, born May 21,
1832; Jane, born February 15, 1834; John, who died
in childhood ; Margaret Ann, born August 4, 1838 ;
and Williara, born February 3, 1841. The son
Joseph lived at LoweUviUe, conducted a nursery on
top of the hill, and died January 26, 1904. He mar
ried in 1864 Eliza Erwin, and they had no chUdren.
The son James raarried Harriet G. Richardson, and
on January I, 1862, married his second wife, Isabel
Sexton. He died November 28, 1915, and his wife,
Isabel, on January 22, 1917. The two children of
Jaraes by his first wife are John W., of South Da
kota, and Mrs. Harriet Buchanan, of Grove City,
Pennsylvania. Jaraes Liggett's chUdren by his wife
Isabel are Lizzie, Mina, Anna, wife of Lyman
Stacy, Mary, Joseph and Samuel, twins. iNancy
Liggett became the wife of Alexander Barclay, who
was a carpenter at Youngstown, and she died Janu
ary 18, 1904. Jane Liggett was married to Zalraon T.
Matthews, of Kinsraan, TrurabuU County, and died
March 8, 1913. Margaret Ann becarae the wife of
John McClain, a railler at Lowellville, who after
ward raoved to Newcastle, Pennsylvania, where she
died August i, i8g6.
Williara Liggett, Jr., was raarried February 24,
1876, to Elizabeth J. Workraan, who was born at
SteubenvUle, Ohio, October 6, 1844. For forty years
William Liggett conducted a carriage and wagon
shop at Lowellville.
In 1863 he enlisted in Company E of the Second
Ohio Cavalry, and saw sorae very strenuous service
as a cavalryraan in both the East and West. He was
with the Federal troops operating in Tennessee and
Missouri, also in Virginia, was with Sheridan in
the Shenandoah Valley carapaign, and also under
Custer. Since igoi Mr. Williara Liggett has been
living retired. iHe is a republican, was a charter
raeraber of old Reno Post at Lowellville, now dis
continued, and he now attends the Post at Youngs
town. Williara Liggett was raade a Mason in 1870,
and is affiliated with Western Star Lodge at Youngs
town. The two children of Williara Liggett are Gertrude
M., who died July 6, igo8, the wife of Charles
Stoner ; and David WUliara, a miU man living at
Lowellville. John Armstrong Cooper, representing an old Ma
honing County faraily, has his country horae in
Coitsville Township, four railes east of the Youngs
town courthouse.
He was born in CoitsvUle, a raile and a quarter
southeast of the village on the old David Cooper
farm, March 11, i860, son of Robert and Catherine
(Buchanan) Cooper. Robert Cooper was born on the
sarae farm in 1827, and died November 12, 1896.

216

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

His parents were David and Rebecca (Armstrong)
Cooper. David Cooper, a native of Ireland, was an
early settler in Mahoning County. His farni was
cut into five tracts for his sons John, David, WiUiam,
Armstrong and Robert, and all these lands have since
been sold out of the family. Robert Cooper re-
hiained on his portion until his death, and had in
creased his holdings to a hundred and fifty-four
acres, having inherited fifty acres frora his bachelor
brother John. Robert's wife died in 1893, having
been born in 1831. There were four children in the
family, David iPerry, father of Judge Dal Cooper;
Laura Rebecca, wife of N. B. Carlton, of Girard;
Sarah Jane, who became a professional nurse and
died at the age of fifty; and John A.
John A. Cooper lived at horae untU his raarriage
on Deceraber 24, 1885, to Eliza Jane Jackson, daugh
ter of Joseph M. and Rebecca (Lorain) Jackson.
She was born in Hubbard Township, and at the age
of five years was taken by her parents to Coitsville
Township, where her father conducted a farm, saw
mill and coal bank. Joseph M. Jackson served as
county coraraissioner at the tirae of the removal of
the county seat frora Canfield to Youngstown and
during the constructioii of the Youngstown court
house. At an earlier date in politics he was a green-
backer, was a republican, and finally, feeling that
the party had deserted hira, he acted with the
deraocrats. He was once candidate for sheriff and
also was on the republican ticket for the Legislature.
He died March 3, 1896, and his wife July 19, igo8.
At the tirae of his raarriage Mr. Cooper rented
a farra, then bought part of the Nicholas Jacobs
share, a place on which he spent twelve years, fol
lowing which he bought his father's old farra, but
soon sold that and came to his present place. Mrs.
Cooper inherited fifty acres frora her father and to
gether they added another eighty acres. The
present farra contains only forty acres. For twenty
years Mr. Cooper was a successful breeder of Red
Polled cattle and exhibited his stock at many local
and state fairs, winning sorae of the first honors,
particularly in the New Jersey Fair. Mr. Cooper
has never sought public office. He and his wife
have two daughters. The older, Mabel Lorain, is
the wife of Clifford Brownlee, and they live on a
part of the Cooper farra. Their two children are
Catherine and Ruth. The second daughter, Edna,
is the wife of Leroy Carapbell, a farmer and teacher,
being principal of the schools at Scienceville. Mr.
and Mrs. CampbeU have one chUd, Elizabeth.
Nelson Crandall during his active lifetime was
closely associated with raany of the prominent busi
ness men of Youngstown, and his energies were
strongly impressed upon some of the enterprises
that are regarded as foundation stones in Youngs
town's present greatness.
He was born January 4, 1826, and came to Youngs
town at the age of twelve years. His parents, Israel
and Pamela (Cook) Crandall, were residents of
Chenango County, New York. The father was a
wagon maker, and he and his wife in later years
followed their children to Youngstown and died
here. Four married sisters were living in Youngstown

before Nelson Crandall carae. They were Mrs.
Francis Barclay, Mrs. Joseph Barclay, Mrs. Rans^^
ford Percival and Mrs. Asel Medbury. Nelson
Crandall lived in the horae of Francis Barclay. The
two Barclay brothers were local raerchants and em
ployed iNelson in their store. He also continued
his education in the public school then on the Dia
mond, and attended a night school. After his early
business training he opened a general store at Gi
rard, where he was associated with William Craw
ford. When that store was destroyed by fire he
entered the old Brier HUl Iron & Coal Company,
and for many years was secretary and treasurer
of that, one of the prominent industries of the older
Youngstown. He became well known to Governor
Tod and served as secretary of the Tod estate. Nel
son Crandall, associated with Henry Tod and John
Stambaugh, in 1870 built the first Tod House. Mr.
Crandall was active in business for nearly forty
years, finaUy retiring from the Brier HiU Iron &
Coal Company about 1884. In the meantime he had
acquired a farm in the northern part of the present
city of Youngstown, and part of this bears the name
Crandall Park.
Mr. Crandall attended the Methodist Church, was
a stanch republican, but had no inclination for the
turmoil of politics. He possessed raany friends,
and the integrity of his character raade him a real
man in the coraraunity. He was affiliated with the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
February 18, 1851, Mr. Crandall raarried Miss
Sarah Stambaugh. Her father was the pioneer John
Starabaugh. She died June i, 1877. There were
four children : Julia, who died in infancy, James
Ford, Arabelle and Charles Nelson. The three sur
vivors are unmarried and live together at Youngs
town. Charles is a Knight Templar and thirty-
second degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner.
Sidney DeLamar Jackson, who was admitted to
the bar in 1877, has for over forty years been one
of Youngstown's hardest working lawyers. The sum
of his work has been the real achievement and
reputation as a lawyer. His career has not been
brilliant or conspicuous at any one point, but has
rather been a steady continuous output of sqund
legal talent and successful work in behalf of his
clientage. Mr. Jackson was born at Hubbard in Trumbull
County, Ohio, AprU 9, 1855, a son of Joseph M.
and Rebecca L. Jackson. His great-grandfather,
Joseph Jackson, was born in Northern Ireland, and
was an early settler in Mahoning County. The
grandfather, John Jackson, was born in that county
in 1800, was a cooper by trade and died in 1868.
Joseph M. Jackson was born in 1828, was a farmer
and lumberman, and was captain of Company C of
the One Hundred and Seventy-First Ohio Infantpf.
Sidney DeLamar Jackson spent his early life
chiefly on a farm, attended country schools, the
academy at Poland, and the Grand River Institute at
Austinburg, was a teacher and studied law with
Hon. D. M. Wilson at Youngstown. iHe was elected
prosecuting attorney of Mahoning County in_ 1896.
His first wife was Mary E. Cushing, who died in
1885. In 1890 he raarried Miss Lelia G. McBurney, a
daughter of Henderson McBurney. The three chil-

^1^>.

Z^(^

.c^-^jiuD

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

217

dren of their union are Joseph H., Mary Lorain and
Sidney DeLamar, Jr. Mr. Jackson is a republican
in politics and has long been identified with civic
and fraternal affairs in his home city.
Harry L. Rownd is distinctively one of the repre
sentative business raen of Youngstown, and today he
is held in deservedly high esteera among the business
raen of his adopted city.
Harry L. Rownd, first vice president of the Re
public Iron and Steel Company, is a native son of the
old Buckeye state, having been born at Zanesville,
Ohio, on October 27, 1867, and is the son of Robert
M. and Susan E. (Thompson) Rownd. When he
was about seven years of age the faraily raoved to
Columbus, Ohio, where he was reared to manhood
and educated in the public schools. He then became
a student in the Ohio Wesleyan University at Dela
ware, and while there became a raeraber of the
Greek-letter college fraternity Phi Delta Theta. For
about three years after leaving college he was era
ployed as a teller in the ClintSn National Bank at
Colurabus, and followed this by several years era
ployraent with the Colurabus Bridge Company. In
May, 1899, Mr. Rownd became identified with the
Republic Iron and Steel Company, which had just
been organized at Chicago. His record with this
great corporation is a record of faithful service in
every position occupied by hira and of recognition
of this loyalty by successive promotions. He was
made assistant treasurer, followed successively by
the offices of general auditor, secretary, secretary and
treasurer, secretary and general auditor, and vice
president and treasurer, whUe since 1916 he has
occupied the position of first vice president. His suc
cess has been the reward of the application of mental
qualifications of a high order to the affairs of busi
ness, combined with keen perceptions of raental ac
tivity that enabled hira to grasp the opportunities that
presented theraselves. This he has done with success
and, what is raore iraportant, with honor.
In i8go Mr. Rownd was raarried to Cora Packard,
of Columbus, Ohio, and to them have been born two
children, Frank L. and Helen L. Mr. Rownd and
his faraily are raerabers of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Politically he is a stanch supporter of the
republican party, with raarked progressive tendencies,
as are so many men today of that virile type of
which Theodore Roosevelt was so splendid an ex
ample. Socially he is a meraber of the Youngstown
Club, the Youngstown Country Club and the Du
quesne Club of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Genial
and courteous in his relations with others, he has the
esteera of all persons connected with the corapany,
and because of his success and his splendid personal
qualities he is highly regarded by all who know him.
John R. Thomas. It is a pleasure to investigate
the career of a successful self-made raan. Peculiar
honor attaches to that individual who, beginning the
great struggle of life alone and unaided, gradually
overcomes unfavorable environment, reraoves one
by one the obstacles in the pathway of success and
by the master strokes of his own force and vitality
succeeds in forging his way to the front and winning
for himself a position of esteem and influence

among his fellow raen. Such was the record, briefly
stated, of the late John R. Thomas, who at the time
of his death in i8gi was one of the raost highly
respected citizens and business men of Youngs
town. John R. Thomas was born in Paris Township,
Portage County, Ohio, on March i, 1841, and was
the son of William D. and Ann (Davis) Thomas,
both of whora were natives of Wales. They immi
grated to the United States in the '30s, three months
being consuraed in the long and tiresorae trip by
sailing vessel. They landed in this country in debt,
unacquainted with the language and custoras of the
people, but with a firra deterraination to succeed.
They first located at Kent, Ohio, where Mr. Thoraas
found eraployraent with Mr. Kent, the founder of the
town. By wise raanageraent and close economy they
were enabled to save their means and eventually Mr.
Thomas bought a farm in Paris Township, Portage
County, where they passed the remainder of their
days. It was there that John R. Thomas was born
and grew to manhood. iHe married Hannah Johns,
the daughter of 'Squire David Johns, who lived in
the neighboring Township of Palrayra, where he
held the office of justice of the peace and was a
noted character of that period. John R. Thoraas fol
lowed farraing and cheese raaking for raany years, in
which he was successful, and there reared his faraily,
consisting of five sons and four daughters. His
great desire was to give his chUdren better oppor
tunities in life than the farra alone afforded, and
with this in view he leased a baseraent on East Fed
eral Street, Youngstown, on June 13, 1887, and
opened a wholesale market for cheese, operating this
raarket in connection with farraing. iHis business
judgraent in this enterprise was abundantly justified
in the final outcome of the business so raodestly be
gun. After his death the business was continued by
his sons and has grown to be one of the largest
wholesale grocery houses of Youngstown, being now
conducted under the narae of The Thoraas Corapany.
Politically Mr. Thoraas gave his support to the
deraocratic party, but was exceedingly liberal in his
views and had no ambition for public office. He had
an abiding faith in the future of the youth of the
land and was an earnest and persistent advocate of
both public and private schools. He possessed one
quality characteristic of his nationality, naraely, a
fondness for and knowledge of rausic, and for raany
years conducted singing schools, having had between
one hundred and one hundred and fifty pupils frora
the surrounding neighborhood, and he also rendered
effective and appreciated service as church and Sun
day school chorister. He was a man of deep moral
convictions and was an earnest advocate of aU that
obtained for good citizenship. He was a raeraber of
no church, but professed a firm faith in the omnipo
tence of Deity. Fraternally he was a raeraber of the
Free and Accepted Masons. To hira and his wife
were born the following children : Seyraour died at
the age of twenty years. B. Frank will be mentioned
in a later paragraph. Arnold D. married Elizabeth
Gabriel and has two children, Helen and John
Elbert. Arnold Thoraas drew up the by-laws and
was the organizing president of the first successful
Chamber of Coraraerce in Youngstown. Miriara L.

218

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

for sixteen years has been a teacher in the Rayen
High School, having charge of the teaching of
French. Anna B. is assistant librarian of the
Youngstown Public Library. Williara D. raarried
Bessie iFoster and at present is chief engineer of
the Bessemer Limestone Corapany. George B. is a
graduate of Ohio State University and taught school ;
he married Mary Wright and has two children, George
B., Jr., and Hannah. He was a lieutenant in the
United States service on the Mexican border and at
the outbreak of the World war was employed by the
Government on electrical specialties. It is a matter
of record that he had raore to do with the develop
raent and perfection of the instruraent by which a
submarine within sixteen miles could be located than
any other one man. Amelia J. is a teacher in the
Youngstown kindergarten schools. Tilla P. is a teacher
of mathematics and French in the public high school
at Suramit, New Jersey. The mother of these children
survives and is living in Youngstown. It is note
worthy that seven of the chUdren in this family en
gaged in teaching school, all having received excellent
educational advantages and all of thera occupying
eminently respectable positions in the coraraunity.
The two oldest sons are now conducting The Thoraas
Company, which is now rated as one of the leading
wholesale houses of Youngstown.
B. Frank Thoraas has since the death of his father
been tbe head of the faraily and has very successfully
carried on the work founded by his father. His
first employraent was as a school teacher, and at
that time he entertained an ambition to take up the
study and practice of law. However, the growing
need of his father for assistance in business deter
rained hira to abandon his plan and he devoted hira
self to the business. He possesses natural aptitude
for coraraercial pursuits, and the splendid growth
which the business has enjoyed of late years has been
largely due to his sound judgment and progressive
policy. Mr. Thomas is not selfishly bound up in his
own business interests, but takes a deep interest in
the general welfare of the coraraunity in which he
lives, giving his support to every worthy raovement
tending to the upbuilding and iraproveraent of the
city in any way.
Mr. Thoraas was raarried to Irma Brenner, and
they have two children, Margaret L. and John H.
He is a raeraber of the Masonic fraternity, being
past raaster of Western Star Lodge No. 21, iFree and
Accepted Masons ; past high priest of Youngstown
Chapter No. g3. Royal Arch Masons ; past command
er of St. John's Coraraandery No. 20, Knights
Teraplar; past thrice potent raaster of Youngstown
Lodge of Perfection, and is a thirty-third degree
raember of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.
He is a man of sociable and kindly nature and is
popular with all who are associated with hira, pos
sessing the confidence and good wUl of the entire
coraraunity. Warner H. Sullivan. When Mr. Sullivan carae
to Youngstown he brought with hira a record of
more than thirty years of practical, continuous and
faithful service as a raUroad man, almost entirely
with the lines and divisions constituting the modern
system of the New York Central lines. Mr. Sulli

van is now superintendent of the Franklin Division
of the New York Central Railroad at Youngstown.
His father was a railroad raan before him, and
the faraily record in all the generations is an hon
orable one. This branch of the SuUivans lived for
several generations in Connecticut. The first to
come to the Ohio Western Reserve was Rev. Pot
ter Sullivan, a Methodist circuit rider, who trav
eled all over the counties of Northeastern Ohio, en
during the hardships and trials connected with the
work of carrying the Gospel to the isolated commu
nities. Araong his children was John G. Sullivan, grand
father of Warner. John G. Sullivan, who mar
ried a meraber of the Hopkins family, likewise
pioneers of Ohio, was a farmer and lived at Geneva
in Ashtabula County. His son, Charles H. Sulli
van, was born in Pennsylvania and was reared by
an uncle, Warner Hopkins, in Ashtabula County.
He early took up railroading with the old Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. He was
on the division known as the Cleveland^ Rainsville
& Eastern, at first as a brakeman and later as a
conductor. At that time this branch of the Lake
Shore was operated by five train crews. During the
Civil war he was with the Ohio Artillery, was once
surrounded by the eneray, but made his escape after
spending weeks in swamps. At the close of the
war he resuraed his old position as a railroad man,
and became one of the veterans in the service of the
New York Central lines. He died at Erie, Pennsyl
vania, March 13, igio. He acted independently in
politics and was a meraber of the Methodist Church.
Warner H. Sullivan, one of the three chUdren
of Charles H. and Frances (Olrastead) SuUivan,
was born in Geneva, Ohio, Deceraber 29, 1871. He
spent most of his boyhood in Erie, Pennsylvania,
attending gramraar and high schools there. Circum
stances and his own independent spirit put him early
into the battle of life. At the age of sixteen he
went to work for the Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern Railway, and has been with that branch
of the New York Central lines ever since. His
first duties were as call boy in the yards at Erie,
and successive stages in his promotion and service
were as a numbertaker, train starter, in charge of
coaling engines, locoraotive fireman between Erie
and Buffalo, freight brakeman between Erie and
Cleveland (and during this time was "loaned" to
the engineers department in charge of a large gravel
pit), clerk and general utility raan in the office
of the superintendent of the Eastern Division, as
sistant yardraaster at Buffalo, and yardraaster and
night general yardraaster at iBuffalo; yardmaster ini
charge of docks and terminals at Ashtabula Har
bor, being on duty there during the reconstruction
period ; at Chicago was trainraaster of the Western
Division; was assigned trainmaster of the Toledo
Division with headquarters at Toledo, and in the
sarae position was moved to Cleveland, though as
signed especially to the Cleveland terminals. From
Cleveland Mr. Sullivan went back to his home city
of Erie as assistant superintendent of the Erie
Division, and on June 15, -1917, came to Youngs
town as assistant superintendent in charge of opera
tion of the Franklin Division. Since January, 1918,-
he has been superintendent of this division.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

219

Though briefly stated, this is a record of service
that entitled Mr. Sullivan to the high rank he en
joys among raUroad men. He is a Knight Teraplar
Mason and Mystic Shriner, and is a raeraber of the
Shrmers' Club and the Youngstown AutoraobUe
Club. September 21, 1900, he raarried Helen E.
Lennihan. Mrs. SuUivan died December 31, 1914,
leaving one daughter, Margaret Frances.
Renick M. Bell. The representative citizen of
Youngstown whose narae appears above has been
distinctively the architect of his own fortunes, has
been true and loyal in all the relations of life and
stands as a type of that sterling raanhood which ever
comraands respect and honor. He is a man who
would have won his way in any locality where fate
raight have placed hira, for he has sound judgraent,
coupled with great energy and business tact, together
with upright principles, all of which make for suc
cess wherever and whenever they are rightfully and
persistently applied. By reason of these principles he
has won and retained a host of friends in whatever
coramunity he is known.
Renick M. Bell was born at Lyons, Kansas, on
the igth day of Deceraber, 1873, and is a son of
Josiah R. and Mary (Magoffin) Bell, both of whora
were born and reared in the vicinity of ChUlicothe,
Ohio. Renick Bell received his education in the
public schools of his native coraraunity. He was then
variously employed for several years, and eventually
reversed Horace Greeley's advice, going East, so that
at the tirae of the breaking out of the Spanish-
American war he was employed as a shipping clerk in
a brush factory at Toledo, Ohio. He enlisted and
becarae a corporal in Corapany L, Sixth Regiment,
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he was sent
to Cuba, being stationed at Cienfuegos when the war
ended. He was then given his honorable discharge,
.but reraained in Cuba thereafter some eighteen
raonths, being eraployed as a civilian clerk for the
United States Governraent. In igoi he returned to
the United States and found eraployment with tbe
Babcock & WUcox Corapany, boiler manufacturers at
Barberton, Ohio, reraaining there until igog, except
si.x months during which time he was sent by his
company to the (then) Indian Territory, as secre
tary and treasurer of their subsidiary branch in that
field. In igog Mr. Bell came to Youngstown and be
came connected with the General Fireproofing Cora
pany. His first relation with this well-known con
cern was as raanager of the cost departraent, but
since igi5 he has been the secretary and treasurer
of the corapany. He is a raan of more than ordinary
business qualifications and has to a marked degree
won the confidence and esteera of his business asso
ciates, as well as the good wUl and respect of the
entire coraraunity.
In igo4 Mr. Bell was united in marriage with
Lena Shafer, of Barberton, Ohio, and to thera two
daughters have been born, Elizabeth and Dorothy.
Mr. Bell is a meraber and elder of the First Presby
terian Church and, socially, is identified with the
Youngstown Country Club.
John J. Brant, auditor of the Youngstown Sheet
& Tube Gorapany and one of the reliable and efficient

raen of his calling, has been a resident of Youngs
town since i8g2. He was born on a farra in Law
rence County, Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg, on
January 10, 1865. He is one of seven children, five
now living, who were born to the marriage of George
Brant and Julia A. Harlan. The latter was a grand
daughter of Jonathan Harlan, a soldier of the Amer
ican Revolution, who came from Chester County to
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, about 1800, and
Harlansburg was named in his honor. George Brant
was born in Lawrence County, and spent the latter
part of his life on a farm. In 1851 he went over
land to California in search of gold, and had sorae
wonderful experiences, as did the raajority of those
venturesorae explorers. After eight years of hard
work in which he sought to wrest a' fortune from
nature George Brant returned home by way of the
Isthmus of Panama, and on his arrival in New York
City had his first sight of a locoraotive engine.
John J. Brant grew up on his father's farra and
attended the public schools of his neighborhood.
After leaving school he began working for railroads
and was thus engaged for five or six years, serving
in various capacities, including that of telegrapher.
In i8g2 he becarae a clerk for the Union Iron &
Steel Corapany at Youngstown, Ohio, and reinained
with that concern until it became a part of the
Carnegie Company in 1899. Mr. Brant then engaged
with the Republic Iron & Steel Company, but left it
in 1902 to ally himself with the Youngstown Sheet &
Tube Company, with which he has since been con
nected. For some years he has been auditor of this
corporation and is one of its most trusted and de
pendable men. Mr., Brant is a thirty-second degree
Scottish Rite Mason, and also a meraber of Al Koran
Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Cleveland, Ohio.
He belongs to the Youngstown Club and is one of
the best known raen in the city.
On Deceraber 24, i8gi, Mr. Brant was united in
marriage with Miss Anna R. Sprinkle, of Youngs
town, and they have three sons, namely: Arthur M.,
Howard J. and Frank H. The two older sons,
.Arthur and Howard, served in the World war, the
former as a master engineer in the Chemical War
Service ; and the latter as a second lieutenant in the
faraous First Division, was for five weeks on the
front line and was wounded while in the vicinity of
Charpentry, France.
Frank H. Ray. While his activities as a raer
chant have been closely identified with the very
modern period of Youngstown's commercial life,
Frank H. Ray has sorae personal recollections of
this section of Eastern Ohio strongly flavored with
actual pioneer conditions and involving raany of the
old time pioneer personalities, including his own
family connections, sorae of whora were araong the
very first settlers.
His father was WUliara Ray and his grandfather
was also Williara, of Scotch-Irish ancestry. Grand
father Williara Ray was born in Butler County,
Pennsylvania, while Williara Ray, Jr., was born in
the sarae county in 1825 and died in 1872.
WUliara Ray, Jr., raarried Marietta Austin, who
died in igo3. Her maternal grandparents were
Joseph and Charlotte Bishop, who after their raar-

220

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

riage in Maryland raade the journey to Ohio on
horseback, and stopped with relatives near Youngs
town until they could build their log cabin. They
were among the first settlers in their community.
Joseph Bishop lived to the age of ninety-seven and
his wife to eighty-eight.
Marietta Austin's father was Harraon W. Austin,
who was born in New Haven County, Connecticut, in
1804. He had the genius of a typical Yankee and
when he came to Ohio he paid the expenses of the
trip seUing Yankee notions on the road. He settled
in Boardraan Township of Mahoning County, and
becarae a raanufacturer of harness and brooras, sup
plying not only the local trade but taking boat loads
of his coraraodities down the Ohio River to New
Orleans. He died in 1851.
Frank H. Ray was born at Boardraan, Ohio, De
cember 3, 1852, and was the oldest son of his parents.
As a boy he reraerabers a time when there was but
one frarae house between Cook's Corners and
Youngstown, and when Youngstown itself was an
unpaved country village, and when the raost imposing
buildings were hardly raore than two stories. His
early youth was spent at the historic and cultured
Town of 'Poland, and frora the public schools he
finished his education in Poland Serainary. Mr.
Ray spent raany days of his boyhood and early
youth wandering over the country. He enjoyed one
of the typical sports of the time, coon hunting, and to
this day retains a deep love of outdoor life. His
father rebuilt the old Morse Mill at Poland, a raill
that was patronized by farraers for miles around.
After leaving school Frank H. Ray clerked in a
store and then, at the insistence of his father,
learned the carpenter's trade. After corapleting his
apprenticeship he returned to the store, later started
a small business of his own, and after that went on
the road as a traveling salesman. He realized his
arabition to becorae the best salesman for his house,
and when he retired in 1897 he becarae manager of
the Valley Store. Mr. Ray in 1904 helped organize
the Central Store Company of Youngstown, a con
cern that in fifteen years has become one of the
largest mercantile corporations in the Mahoning
Valley. Mr. Ray raarried for his first wife Mary Elizabeth
Dennison, daughter of Williara and Elizabeth P.
Dennison, of Youngstown. He has two daughters.
Helen Austin became the wife of P. C. Warren,
living in Evanston, Illinois, and they have two chil
dren, Elizabeth and Henry. Mary McMaster Ray
raarried Robert D. Stitt, of Youngstown, Ohio,
and they have one son, Frank Thoraas Stitt. They
live in California. In 1897 Mr. Ray raarried for his
second wife Miss Gabrielle Lightner, of Youngs
town. Tod Family. Sorae of the raost extensive raate
rial interests and sorae of the leading personalities
in the modern life of the Youngstown district are
associated with the old and dignified Tod name.
The life and character of several of the family, in
cluding Ohio's great war governor, David Tod,
are set forth in detail on other pages. It is appro
priate here to outline briefly the several generations
of the family by raeans of which the relationship

of various individuals may be more easily ascer
tained. During the eighteenth century the Tod family
lived in the shire of Perth, Scotland. Robert Tod
was born and spent his life there. He married
iisabella Low. (Dne of their children was David
Tod, who was born in Perthshire and who came to
Araerica in 1746. He lived for sorae years at
Suffolk, Connecticut. He. married in _ 1772 Rachel
Kent. They were the parents of six children, named
George, Samuel, Isabella, John, Charlotte Low and
David Low.
Araong these children^ the history of Youngstown
is chiefly concerned with George Tod, who was
born December 11, 1773, and died at Brier Hill,
Ohio, April 11, 1841. He graduated from Yale
College in 1795, and for several years practiced
law in New Haven, Connecticut. He first came to
the Western Reserve of Ohio in 1800, and in 1801
raoved his family to Youngstown, then a small
collection of cabins on the eastern edge of the
wilderness. In the year of his arrival, being a
young man whose talents were easily identified, he
was appointed secretary for the territory of Ohio
by Governor St. Clair. In 1802 he was elected the
first clerk of Youngstown Township. In 1804 he
was chosen state senator from Trumbull County,
and in 1806 was elected a member of the Supreme
Court of Ohio by the Legpslature. In that notable
group of public leaders produced by the old West
ern Reserve the name and character of George
Tod will always stand out conspicuously. During
the War of 1812 he was coraraissioned major, was
proraoted to lieutenant-colonel, and for distinguished
service at the battles of Fort Meigs and Sackett's
Harbor was proraoted to colonel. After the war
he resumed his law practice. He was elected and
served one term as prosecuting attorney of Trum
bull County, and in 1815 was elected president
judge of the Third Judicial Circuit. He was on the
Circuit Bench until 1829, and after that continued his
extensive law business.
In 1797 Judge George Tod had raarried Sally
Isaacs. Their seven children were Charlotte Low,
Jonathan Ingersoll, Mary Isaacs, David, Julia Ann,
Grace Ingersoll and George, Jr.
The career of Governor David Tod is the sub
ject of a special article reserved for other pages.
At this point should be noted only his descendants.
David Tod raarried Maria Sraith, and their seven
children were Charlotte, John, Henry, George, Wil
liam, Grace and SaUie. His son John raarried and
had a son David and five daughters. George Tod
was born in 1840, becarae a lawyer and was a
Union soldier in the Civil war. WUliara Tod, boni
July 30, 1843, died April 27, igo5. He was promi
nent in the Youngstown district in the foundry
business. In i86g he married Frances Barnhisel, and
left two sons, David and Frederick.
Henry Tod, a son of Governor David Tod, was
born at Warren, Ohio, June 14, 1838, and died at
Youngstown, February 20, 1905. He was one of the
most_ conspicuous raembers of the Tod faraily in the
upbuilding of the Youngstown industries. During
his early twenties he had charge of the Brier Hill
furnaces. In 1870, with John Starabaugh, Jr., he

/>^^^^^<i^^7^ y^Si^

J^f;?x^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

221

buUt the old Tod House. In 1875 he helped or
ganize the Second National Bank of Youngstovvn,
and wisely and ably directed the institution as its
first and only president during the twenty-nine years
of its existence. After it was merged with the
First National Bank he became vice president of
the latter. For nearly forty years he was a direc
tor of the Mahoning National Bank, for many
years was vice president of the Brier Hill Iron
and Coal Corapany, and supplied the financial genius
for raany leading industries of the Mahoning Val
ley. A raan of wealth he was noted for his broad-
minded generosity, and the integrity of his char
acter was worth as rauch to Youngstown's develop
raent as the extent of his financial capital.
May 26, i86g, Henry Tod married Diilie Pollock.
She died Deceraber 28, 1878, the mother of two
sons, John and Henry. On August 9, 1892, Henry
Tod married Lucretia Van Fleet.
John Tod, a son of Henry and DUlie (Pollock)
Tod, was born in Youngstown, November 2g, 1870,
and upon him in recent years have rested many of
the responsibilities involved in handling the Tod
interests in this section of Ohio. He received his
education at Brooks MUitary Academy in Cleve
land and was a meraber of the class of 1894 of
Cornell University. After leaving college he as
sisted in organizing the Falcon Bronze Corapany,
and was its active raanager six years. From igoi
to ig04 he was secretary and treasurer of the Re
public Rubber Company. In igo4 he was elected
president of the American Belting Corapany. He
is president of the Bessemer Limestone Company,
of the Arrel Liraestone Company, of the Youngs
town Carriage Company, the David Tod Land Com
pany, is first vice president of the Brier Hill Iron
and Coal Corapany, a director of the First National
Bank, Dollar Savings & Trust Corapany, Union
Safe Deposit Company, the Republic Rubber Com
pany, Brier HiU Coke Company, Youngstown Opera
House Cora'-'any. the Ho'Hnd Comianv. all of tl-iese
being nrorainent corporations at Youngstown. Mr.
John Tod is also executor of the estates of David,
Henry, George and Sallie Tod.
He is an active raeraber and in 1914-16 was presi
dent of the Youngstown Country Club. On Decera
ber 10, 189s, he raarried Alice Thayer Wood, daugh
ter of Colonel Frank and Alice Crawford Thayer
Wood. Henry Tod, a brother of John Tod just raen
tioned, was born in Youngstown, Noveraber II,
1877. He was accidentally kUled October 8, igo2.
At that time he was assistant superintendent of the
Brier HUl Iron and Coal Company. His life was
unfortunately brief, but it gave him time to deraon
strate unraistakable abilities as a business execu
tive, and also that genius which seeras to preside
in the Tod family for making and acquiring friends.
William Tod, whose place in the Tod family re
lationship has been elsewhere represented, being the
youngest son of Governor David Tod, and a grand
son of the founder of the faraily in the Western
Reserve, George Tod, was a conspicuous figure in
the founding and development of several indus
tries that are the very cornerstone of Youngstown's
coraraercial history.

He was born at Warren, Ohio, July 30, 1843,
and finished his education at Colurabus while his
father was governor of Ohio. His early experi
ence was that of a practical foundryraan, and in the
foundry business he laid the basis of his fortune.
He was one of the original 'factors in the corapany
which organized and built the foundry on the later
site of the Youngstown Steel Ca'iting Works. He
was also associated with John Stambaugh in the
Harailton foundry. He was also a director of the
Brier Hill Iron and Coal Corapany and was presi
dent of the WUliara Tod Company.
In business affairs of magnitude he exercised those
virile qualities and rugged strength which have been
characteristic of the Tod family through the va
rious generations. But he was also a man of in
tellectual pursuits, enjoyed good books, good society,
and ever regarded his friendship as inviolable. He
was a republican in politics, belonged to the order
of Elks and was also a member of the Young Men's
Club at Youngstown for many years.
In i86g William Tod married Frances Barnhisel.
Mrs. Tod still resides at the old family home at
238 Lincoln Avenue in Youngstown. William Tod
died there Aoril 27 I50> They had two sons,
David and Fred. The son David married Anna
Stambaugh. Fred Tod, the only survivor of the children of
William Tod, has done rauch during his brief career
to sustain the high reputation of the Tod faraily in
business and social life.
He was born February i, 1886, graduated frora
the Rayen High School of Youngstown in igo6, and
prepared for college at Andover and in Princeton
schools. He spent one year in the University of
Michigan. For nearly ten years he has been a hard
working Youngstown business man. He is a di
rector of the Brier Hill Steel Company and assistant
to its vice president. He is a director of the Cora
raercial National Bank, the Youngstown Steel Cora
pany, the Brier HUl Coal and Iron Company, the
Biwabic Mining Company, the Besseraer Liraestone
Corapany, the Brier HUl Mining Company and the
Stambaugh-Thompson Corapany, also in the
Youngstown and Northern Railroad Corapany, and
Executor of the WUliara and David Tod estates.
Mr. Tod is a raeraber of the Youngstown Club,
Youngstown Country Club, Duquesne Club of Pitts
burgh, and Bankers Club of New York. April 19,
1913, he raarried Miss Marguerite Hubbard, daugh
ter of A. T. Hubbard of Cleveland. They have
three children : Marguerite, Sallie and Fred, Jr.
David Tod was naraed in honor of his grand
father. Governor David Tod, and was a son of the
late 'WUliara Tod and Frances (Barnheisel) Tod.
Biographies of his father, grandfather and other
merabers of the family appear on other pages.
David Tod was born at Girard, Ohio, August 25,
1870. He was reared in Youngstown, and corapleted
his education at Purdue University, Lafayette, In
diana, and in the Sheffield Scientific School at Yale
University, where he took a course in mechanical
engineering. His college degrees and the high busi
ness and social position of his faraUy did not pre
vent hira frora beginning his business career at the

222

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

very bottora. For a tirae he was a machinist's
helper, and subsequently was employed by the Brier
HUl Coal and Iron Company. Later his interests
took on great dive.sity. He founded a building and
supply business at Youngstown and a ceraent plant
at Struthers. He was one of the promoters of the
Interurban Railway connecting Youngstown, North
Lima, Columbia and Leetonia, serving as president
soon after the building of the road and continuing
until his death.
Mr. Tod took an active part in public life. In this
field he was distinguished for his fearlessness.
When the public welfare required disinterested serv
ice, there a champion was found in David Tod.
He never stopped to consider the strength and power
of the enemy nor personal consequences, but threw
himself into a fight with every ounce of vigor he
possessed. His record in the Youngstown City
Council, where he served frora igoi to igo6, and in
the Ohio State .Senate frora igog to 1913, bears wit
ness to his devotion to this ideal, that the public
weal is pa'raraount. In 1914 Mr. Tod was a candi
date for the republican nomination for governor of
Ohio, and bad the span of his life been prolonged,
might ultiraately have followed his grandfather to
this office.
Mr. Tod is reraembered as a great lover of out
door sports and fine horses. He developed Southern
Park, where he maintained a stable and achieved
more than local fame as an amateur reinsman.
Upon the death of his father in 1905 and the re
tirement of John Stambaugh, he succeeded to the
presidency of the WUliara Tod Company. The
value of the great properties of that corporation
were greatly enhanced under his administration, and
were finally sold to the United Engineering Com
pany. His death left vacancies in the positions of di
rector and vice president of the Commercial National
Bank, the president of the Youngstown and Sub
urban Railway Company, director of the Bessemer-
Limestone Corapany, Brier Hill Steel Corapany,
Stambaugh-Thompson Company, Southern Park
Land Corapany, vice president of the David Tod
Land Corapany, trustee of the David and George
Tod estates, president of the Citizens New Corapany,
president of the Youngstown Driving Club, and
pi-esident of the Mahoning Sand & Stone Corapany,
and director of the Ward Mail Company. These
offices serve to suggest the close relationship Mr.
Tod sustained to the comraercial life of the Ma
honing Valley.
He was never an idler, and his energy and talents
made hira a powerful influence for the progress of
the coraraunity. For a number of years he was a
trustee of the Youngstown City Hospital and the
Reuben McWilliara Free Library. During the war
with Gerraany he was general chairraan in Mahon
ing County of the Araerican Protective League, and
was also a raeraber of the Ohio Council of National
Defense. Socially he was a member of the Youngs
town Country Club, Youngstown Club, the Elks
and other fraternal organizations.
It is due the memory of David Tod that the fol
lowing editorial should be quoted from the Citizen :
"Pe;haps the raost outstanding characteristic of his
life was his wholesorae democracy and his utter dis

like of sham, pretense or deceit. Although a wealthy
man, he never allowed his wealth to interfere with
his good fellowship toward all raen, no raatter how
rich or how poor they might be. The man in over-
als raeant just as rauch to him as the man in broad
cloth. He took raen for what they were, no mat
ter what their circumstances. He met them on
common ground, always as an equal, never as a su
perior. iNaturally this attitude won him hosts of
friends in all walks of life, and it is doubtful if an
other man in Youngstown possessed so raany sin
cere admirers who cry out in anguish before the ap
palling, crushing fact of his death."
Mr. Tod died May 14, 1919. His doraestic life
was exceedingly happy. He raarried Anna Stam
baugh, daughter of Captain and Margaret ((Os
born) Stambaugh. Her mother was a cousin of
President William McKinley and a niece of William
Osborn, at one time an American consul in Eng
land. TuRHAN Stacy. A life and character that de
serve to be well reraerabered in the Mahoning Val
ley, particularly in the Lowellville community, are
those of the late Turban Stacy, who had more than
ordinary obstacles to overcome during his career,
mounted them successfully, and won the respect and
admiration of a host of friends.
He was born at Lowellville, May 24, 1845, son of
Thomas and Margaret (McGill) Stacy. His parents
represented families among the earliest settlers in
the Mahoning Valley. Part of Lowellville is built
on the site of the old McGill homestead. Turhan
Stacy's parents were in very raodest circumstances,
and he received little encourageraent from home
sources, and developed his career alraost entirely on
his own hook. He was one of the boy soldiers of
tbe Civil war, serving nine raonths in the Eighty-
Sixth Ohio Regiraent.
He was raarried in 1871. Prior to that time he had
worked in furnaces, and soon after his marriage he
bought a farm and took his bride to an old log
house. The original part of this farm contained fifty
acres. His industry and good managernent enabled
liim to accumulate adjoining tracts untU he had a
hundred and eighty acres. He also owned a good
residence at Youngstown. He built the house on
the farm in 1881 and the substantial barn in 1888.
On the farra which represented so rauch of his work
and achieveraent he passed away June 2, 1907, at
the age of sixty-two. His wife had died in 1899.
He was affiliated with Tod Post of the Grand Army
of the Republic at Youngstown, though at the be
ginning had affiliated with Reno Post at Lowell
ville. His three sons, all living on portions of the
horaestead, are Lyraan, Melvin and Jesse.
Concerning his personal characteristics his family
recalls his habit of saving extvy gold piece that cane
into his hands. Finally he had accuraulated about
300 of thera, representing a great deal of money.
This treasure was once lost on the farra, but was
soon recovered.
Lyman Stacy, a son of Turhan, was born April I5i
1872, at his grandfather's old horae, on a farm ad
joining the present Stacy place. His life has been
spent on the old horaestead and he was educated in
the country schools. He operates a farm of a hun-

Aua^^

/rudhfin.. ^JU^tB^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

223

dred and thirty-two acres, including the original
homestead of fifty acres. He has taken no active
part in politics.
At the age of thirty-one he married Miss Anna
Liggett, a native of Poland Township and daughter
of James and Isabel Liggett, now deceased. Her
father was a farmer.
Melvin Stagy, who is one of the three sons of the
late Turham Stacy, whose life and its achievements
have been reviewed on other pages, is one of the
enterprising farmers in Poland Township, his home
being a mile and a half south of LowellviUe and
near the Pennsylvania state line.
He was born at Lowellville November 22, 1875,
and grew up on his father's farm in that vicinity.
He was educated in local schools, and for a year or
so worked in the sheet and tin mills at Struthers.
Septeraber 17, 1899, he raarried Edith Carlon,
daughter of WUliara and Mary Ann (Gault) Carlon,
of Lowellville. Her father carae frora Pennsylvania,
having served as a Union soldier with a Pennsyl
vania regiment, and for many years worked at his
trade as a carpenter at Lowellville, where he died
at the age of sixty-three, his life having been short
ened by reason of the hardships of his array service.
Mrs. Edith Stacy was born at Lowellville Eebruary
24, 1877.
Since their raarriage, a period of over twenty
years, they have lived on their farra of 133 acres,
originally the Robert Goucher farra. Their horae
is a substantial brick house that has been standing
for over half a century, having been erected in 1868.
Mr. Stacy was associated with his brothers in farm
ing operations until igio, but since then has been
directing his business alone. He is one of the
farmers of the Mahoning Valley who have achieved
a corapetence frora the soil. Besides his farra he
owns a residence at Youngstown and other property
and is a director of the LowellvUle Bank. He is
affiliated with the Masonic Order and attends and
supports the Presbyterian Church, while in politics
he is a republican. Mr. and Mrs. Stacy have one
son, Eraraett, born March i, 1904.
Frederick C. Brown, manager of the East Federal
Street Branch of the iDoUar Savings & Trust Cora
pany, is one of the sound financiers of Youngstown
and a man held in high esteera by his associates. He
was born in New York City on iFebruary 20, 1870, a
son of Richard and Thalia (Newton) Brown. The
family came to Canfield, the old county seat of
Mahoning County, in 1877, and here the father died
in 1887. He had been engaged in mercantile pur
suits in New York City, and came to Canfield on
account of failing health. His wife was a daughter
of Judge Eben iNewton, one of the famous oldtirae
jurists of Mahoning County.
Frederick C. Brown was reared on his grand
father's farm, and educated at the Northeastern
Ohio Norraal College, from which he was graduated
in 1889. For the subsequent year he was engaged
in teaching school, and then, coraing to Youngstown,
for two years was cashier for the Youngstown Street
RaUway Company. In i8g6 he was elected city clerk,
and served as such until igoo, resigning that office to
Vol, 11—15

accept the position of bookkeeper of the Wick Na
tional Bank. When this bank was raerged into the
DoUar Savings & Trust Corapany Mr. Brown be
carae a teller in the new concern. In June, 1908, he
was appointed raanager of the East iFederal Street
Branch, and has held this position ever since. He is
a raemljer of the Westminster Presbyterian Church
and the Young Men's Christian Association. For
about ten years Mr. Brown was a raember of the
Sinking Fund Coraraission of Youngstown, and as
such rendered valuable service to the city. In
politics he is a republican and has always been active
in his party.
On June 27, 1894, Mr. Brown was united in raar
riage with Miss Eraraa Creed, a daughter of John A.
Creed, of Coitsville, Ohio, and they have one living
daughter, Ethel C. Mr. Brown is a raan whose noble
life, kindly friendship and generous irapulses raake
hira true to every duty and to all his associates. His
ideals of honor are of the highest and his numerous
friends feel that a man of this character is a desir
able addition to any coraraunity, and a valued raember
of any institution.
W. Wilson Galbreath, president of the Youngs
town Pressed Steel Company, is one of the practical
executives in this line of industry and is also a
forceful factor in civic affairs. He was born in the
Village of Darlington in Hartford County, Maryland,
on Deceraber 8, 1882, a son of A. F. and Sarah
(Wilson) Galbreath, who yet reside in that locality.
After attending the public schools of his native
town, and being graduated frora its high school
course, W. Wilson Galbreath corapleted his educa
tional training at Saint John's College, Annapolis,
Maryland. A week after he left college he began
working for the Baltiraore & Ohio Railroad, and
reraained with that road in different capacities for
over four years. In igo7 he came to Youngstown
and became a salesraan for the General Fireproofing
Corapany, and rose rapidly, becoming purchasing
agent, assistant to the president, and then sales man
ager of that corporation. Upon the re-chartering of
the Youngstown Pressed Steel Corapany on No
veraber I, 1917, Mr. Galbreath was elected its presi
dent, and through his genius as an organizer he has
made it one of the large corporations of this indus
trial district.
Mr. Galbreath was united in raarriage with Miss
Natalie Cole, of Baltimore, Maryland, and they have
one child, 'William Wilson Galbreath. Ever since
locating at Youngstown Mr. Galbreath has taken hold
of things with a dynamic energy, and every organ
ization with which he has become associated has felt
the force of his influence. The Chamber of Com
raerce, the Youngstown Club, the Youngstown
Country Club, and various trade orders all have been
energized by hira, and so natural and spontaneous is
this enthusiastic interest that he wins friends by it,
instead of antagonizing his associates as some great
organizers appear to do. Both he and his wife are
members of the Presbyterian Church. Although
practically a recent addition to the commercial life
of Youngstown, he has accomplished much in the
time he has lived here, and judging the future in
the light cast by past events, is likely to develop his

224

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

business and personal connections to a still greater
degree. Lucius E. Cochran, who carae to Youngstown in
1862, was for half a century one of the raost not
able figures' in the coramercial life of the city and
its environments. He came from a farm, entered
business life without capital, and by sheer force
of ability raised himselt to rank araong the com
raanding forces in industrial affairs.
He was born in Delaware County, Ohio, June
12, 1843. His grandfather, George Cochran, was a
pioneer in the Western Reserve, having settled at
Vienna, Ohio, in 1816. He hacl been a merchant
in Pittsburg and continued in similar occupations in
Ohio. The parents of Lucius E. Cochran were Rob
ert and Nancy (Hummason) Cochran, who spent
most of their years on a farm in Logan County.
Both were raerabers of the Christian Church, and
they were the parents of four sons and three daugh
ters. Lucius E. Cochran suppleraented his education in
the district schools with a course in the Commer
cial College at Pittsburg, and had his first experi
ence in a general store in that city. In 1862 he
became bookkeeper for the firra of Andrews &
Hitchcock at Youngstown. His industry and evi
dent ability earned hira promotion, and in 1867 he
becarae a partner in tbe raercantile firra of Andrews
Brothers & Corapany at Haselton, a suburb of
Youngstown. In i8go Andrews Brothers & Cora
pany was formed by the consolidation of The Niles
Iron Company and Andrews Brothers. It continued
under his raanageraent until 1892, when the corpora
tion was forraed known as The Andrews Brothers
Corapany of which he was made president and
general raanager, continuing until i8gg, when it was
sold to the Republic Iron & Steel Company.
Frora the date of his coraing to Youngstown until
his death Lucius E. Cochran extended a raore than
average influence upon local affairs. Nearly all the
big industries that have raade Youngstown notable
among Ohio cities bore the impress of his energies.
He was president of the Youngstown Car Manu
facturing Corapany, Youngstown Bridge Corapany,
Youngstown Iron and Steel Roofing Corapany,
Youngstown Pressed Steel Company, the Mahon
ing Motor Car Corapany, the G. iM. iMcKelvey Com
pany, the Edwin Bell Corapany, and the Mahoning
Valley Water Corapany; was vice president of the
Comraercial National Bank and the Morris Hard
ware Corapany, and was a director of the Youngs
town Carriage and Wagon Company, the Ohio Steel
Corapany, which he helped organize, and the Pitts
burg, Cleveland & Toledo Railroad Corapany. He
was a keen, capable business raan, and in his suc
cess his personal integrity was unirapaired.
In 1868 he raarried Mary Isabella Brownlee,
daughter of John and Leah (Powers) Brownlee.
They were the parents of two sons, Robert B., who
died at the age of thirty-two, and Chauncey A.
Lucius E, Cochran was an unswerving republican
in politics, and during his residence at Haselton
in 1872 he was appointed by John A. J. Creswell,
postmaster general of the United States, at a salary
of $12 a year, postmaster of Haselton, Mahoning

County, Ohio. Mr. Cochran in no way wanted this
office but was appointed so he could appoint one
William Campbell as assistant. Mr. Campbell being
an old veteran of the Civil war and incapacitated
for work Mr. Cochran took this raeans of giving
Mr. Carapbell eraployraent, which office he held for
raany years. He was a raember of the Memorial
Presbyterian Church, and was a Knight Templar
Mason and also a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite
Mason. His son, Chauncey A. Cochran, was for a number
of years actively associated with his father in busi
ness and is a Youngstown citizen whose activities
are still a vital factor in the coraraunity. He was
educated in the public "schools of Youngstovra, at
tended a military academy in New York, and has
had an active business career of more than a quar
ter of a century. He is a meraber of the Presby
terian Church of Youngstown, a republican, and is
affiliated with the Masonic Order and various social
clubs. He raarried Miss Sarah E. Davis, daughter of
Hon. John R. and Maria S. (Richards) Davis. Her
father was a prorainent raan in Mahoning County,
having represented his district in the State Legisla
ture, was a soldier in the Civil war, afterward be
carae a raerchant at Youngstown and enjoyed a num
ber of honors in official affairs. Mr. and Mrs.
Chauncey A. Cochran have two children : Lucius D.
and Esther Marie.
John Kirby, for sixty-two years a resident of
Youngstown, and now general superintendent of the
William B. PoUock Corapany, is a son of WUliam
and Catherine (O'Donnell) Kirby, and a grandson
of Andrew Kirby. Andrew Kirby was a native of
the town of Cashel in the county of Tipperary, Ire
land, where he grew up and becarae a schoolmaster.
His wife was an Adaras, a daughter of a Presbyterian
clergyraan, and in 1845 they iraraigrated to the United
States, locating first at iNiagara Falls, New York,
and there and later at Dunkirk, New York, Andrew
Kirby raanufactured and sold sun dials. He was
later eraployed as a surveyor in the building of the
Grand Trunk Railroad in Canada, and still later be
carae boss on a construction train. He died in
New York City in 1872.
William Kirby began working at an early age for
a raUroad, continuing in that line of endeavor for
two years. In 1858 he carae to Youngstown and was
keeper for the Hirarod Furnace Corapany from i860
untU the furnace was closed. He then retired, and
died in i8g6. He and his wife had eleven children,
but only three of thera are now living.
John Kirby was born on March 2, 1856, at Toronto,
Canada, where his parents were then temporarily
located. Although of foreign nativity, actually, he
has never known other allegiance than to the United
States. He grew up at Youngstown and attended
the public schools on Wood and Front streets.
When about fourteen years of age he began working
in the rolling raUls, and a year later, when fifteen,
he entered the employ of the WUliara B. Pollock
Corapany, and has ever since continued in its em
ploy. He has seen frora practical observation the
kaleidoscopic changes which have taken place in the

9^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

225

growth and development of the iron industry of the
Youngstown district, and also those which have
changed Youngstown from a small, inconsequential
vUlage to one of the modern, industrial, populous
cities of the country. He served for three years as
an apprentice in learning his trade of boiler maker,
then worked as a journeyman for several years, and
since then has been boss, assistant superintendent
and general superintendent, the last named position
being the one he holds at present. Few men in
Youngstown know the history of the iron industry
better than he, and no one is more thoroughly the
master of his business. He has never taken any
active interest in politics or other public matters ex
cept those which directly apply to his business. In
religion he is a Roman Catholic.
John Kirby was married first, in 1878, to Martha
Middleton, who died in 1884, leaving two sons, name
ly: Frank J., who is general shipper and yard-
master for the WUliam B. Pollock Company; and
William Ralph, who is a partner and general superin-
teiident of the Youngstown Boiler & Tank Company.
The second wife of Mr. Kirby bore the maiden name
of Katherine Healey, and she has borne him eight
chUdren, namely: John H-, Jane H., Katherine E.,
deceased, Eugene Porter. Mary G., Ignatius Andrew,
Cecelia D., and Ella May, deceased.
Walter E. Watson, assistant general manager of
the sales department of the Youngstown Sheet &
Tube Corapany, is a raan of strong will and re
sourcefulness, whose technical experience and busi
ness ability adrairably fit him for the responsibilities
of his position. He was born at Middletown, Penn
sylvania, and remained there until he was about
eighteen years of age.
In 1897 Mr. Watson was graduated frora the
Pennsylvania State Norraal School at Shippenburg,
and then entered the University of Pennsylvania,
where he spent two years with the expectation of
becoming a lawyer. In order to secure funds for
his courses he had taught school, and for two years
of this period he was instructor in the high school
of Morrisville, Pennsylvania. In spite of the plans
he had made, however, he altered thera definitely in
a few raoraents when he was offered a position in
the sales office of the National Tube Corapany of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1900, and accepted this
offer. For the subsequent ten years he reraained
with this corporation, and then left it to becorae as
sistant general raanager of sales for the La Belle
Iron Works at Steubenville, Ohio, reraaining there
until 1913, when he carae to Youngstown to assurae
the duties of his present position. In addition to it he
is vice president and a director of the Youngstown
Steel Products Company, and a director of the
Continental Supply Corapany, both subsidiary com
panies of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Corapany.
He belongs to the American Steel and Iron Institute,
the Natural Gas Association of Araerica, and the
Chamber of Coraraerce of Youngstown. Socially Mr.
Watson is a raember of the Youngstown Club, and
the Youngstown Country Club, the Duquesne Club
of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Oakmont Country
Club and the Pittsburgh Athletic Association. For
a nuraber of years he has been a consistent member

of the Presbyterian Church. In politics Mr. Watson
is a stanch republican.
Mr. Watson married Caroline Wick, a daughter
of Henry Herr, of Alliance, Ohio, and widow of
Charles J. Wick, of Youngstown, Ohio.
John N. Reese, assistant to the second vice presi
dent in charge of the northern ore and coal mines
of the Republic Iron & Steel Company, is a man
whose rise in the confidence of his company and his
fellow citizens is not only deserved but recognized,
and he is numbered among the worth-while residents
of Youngstown. He was born at Harrisburg, Penn
sylvania, on October 16, 1877, a son of John M. and
Caroline W. (Peters) Reese. John M. Reese was a
native of Pennsylvania, of Welsh parentage, and for
years was a railroad engineer, whose death occurred
on July 22, igig. During the war between the
states he .served as a private in the Union array.
Mrs. Reese was born in Gerraany, and her death
occurred on February 10, 1917.
John N. Reese attended the public schools of Har
risburg, Pennsylvania, after which he raatriculated
at Lehigh University, frora which he was graduated
in 1900, with the degree of Civil Engineer, and whUe
securing it he also specialized in raining. He then
entered the students' course of the Pennsylvania Steel
Company, and became assistant superintendent of the
blast furnace department in 1902, and the following
year was proraoted to be its superintendent. In 1906
Mr. Reese was raade superintendent of the blast
furnaces for the Pulaski Iron Company of Pulaski,
Virginia, and in 1907 went to the Alabama Con
solidated Coal & Iron Company at Gadsden, Alabama,
as superintendent of blast furnaces. The next year
Mr. Reese was raade superintendent of blast fur
naces, ore raines and limestone quarries for the
Ivanhoe Furnace Company of Ivanhoe, Virginia,
and then in 1908 he went with the Pennsylvania Steel
Corapany as superintendent of the blast furnaces at
Steelton, Pennsylvania. On Septeraber 20, 191 1, Mr.
Reese came to Youngstown as superintendent of the
northern furnaces of the Republic Iron & Steel Cora
pany, and on April i, 1917, was promoted to his
present position.
On February 14, 1905, Mr. Reese was united in
marriage with V. Claire Knouse, a daughter of J. H.
Knouse, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and they have
three children, Evelyn Gertrude, Carolyn Ellen and
John N., Jr. Mr. Reese belongs to Youngstown
Club, the Engineers Society of Youngstown, Chamber
of Coramerce, and the Young Men's Christian Asso
ciation. He is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite
Mason and a Shriner. The American Institute of
Mining Engineers, the American Iron & Steel In
stitute and the Rotary Club also hold his member
ship, and he is past president of the latter organ
ization. During the late war he was very active in
war work, belonging to the different committees of
the various organizations and the First Presbyterian
Church, of which he is a meraber, and he held the
rank of captain and quartermaster of the Youngstown
Home Guards. Since casting his first vote Mr.
Reese has been a republican. Carefully trained in
both theory and practice, he is one of the most
experienced men in his profession, and the service he

226

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

is rendering his corporation is of such a nature as to
recoraraend hira to further proraotions as the years
pass and the vacancies occur.
F. K. Smith, M. D. The late Edward Augustus
Smith was at the time of his death Warren's oldest
merchant. It is probable that he was Ohio's oldest
pharraacist. The American ancestor of this branch of the Smith
faraily was Richard Sraith, who carae frora Lan
castershire, England, settling first in Massachusetts
colony and reraoving in 1639 to Long Island, New
York, where he purchased land in Suffolk County,
and there founded Sraithtown. John C. Sraith,
father of Edward A. and a direct descendent frora
Richard, was born Septeraber 24, 1798, in New York
City. He died there July 23, 1859. He was an early
raerchant and postmaster at Jamaica, Long Island,
and he later served two terms as county clerk of
Queens County, New York.
John S. Smith married Lucy Ann Hoyt, who was
born at Danbury, Connecticut, October 16, 1805, and
died the sarae raonth and day in 1872, her sixty-
seventh birthday anniversary. She was the daughter
of Lewis Hoyt, who was born at Danbury in 1782,
a son of Asa Hoyt, who in turn was descended from
Simon Hoyt, the American ancestor who carae over
frora Somersetshire, England, to Salem, Massa
chusetts, in 1629, and settled at Windsor, Connecticut,
in 1840, afterward settling perraanently in Fairfield
County, Connecticut.
Lewis Hoyt married on Sunday, September 23,
1804, AbigaU Mygatt, who was born in 1785 in Con
necticut. She was a daughter of Comfort Starr My
gatt, who brought his family from Connecticut to
Canfield, Trumbull County (later the first county
seat of Mahoning County), in 1808. With the My-
gatts came Lewis Hoyt and his faraily.
Edward Augustus Sraith was born at Jamaica,
Long Island, July^2i, 1827, and he died AprU i, igig,
at Warren. When he was a boy seventeen years old
he went to New York City to clerk in a dry goods
store. In 1846 he came to Warren to take a position
as clerk in the store of his uncles, the Hoyt Brothers,
general raerchants. He soon became manager of the
drug departraent of that store, which had become
more or less independent of the general store op
erated by the corapany. Eventually tbe firra becarae
Hoyt, Smith & Company, later E. A. Smith & Com
pany, and January i, i860, it became Smith, Stratton
& Company.
In AprU, i860, the store of Smith, Stratton & Com
pany was destroyed in Warren's historic fire, and
Mr. Smith moved into a rented store roora on East
Market Street, where he continued business until
the construction of his own brick business block on
East Market Street, erected on a lot which he had
purchased in 1866. Frora that tirae until his death
he conducted a drug business there. For many years
he was a director in the First National Bank of
Warren, now the Union Savings and Trust Company.
He had many other business interests both at home
and abroad, and he was always prominent in the
affairs of the coramunity.
Soon after coming to Warren Mr. Smitli identified
hiraself with Christ Episcopal Church, and for many

years he was its oldest living member. He was an
early vestryman, and in 1875 he was elected senior
warden, a position he held the reraainder of his
days. His family recently presented Christ Episcopal
Church with a fine pipe organ as a memorial of him.
For many years Mr. Sraith was a raember of Warren
Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge.
A newspaper clipping relates: "Mr. Smith never
aspired to public office, and he never held a position
of trust in the coraraunity, although he was at all
tiraes interested in those things which served to build
up the community and coraraunity ideals. iHe was
privileged to see Warren grow frora a hamlet of
2,cx)o people to a city of 30,000, and he has seen one
generation after another take its place in the busi
ness coraraunity. The raen who were actively en
gaged in the business walks of life have been suc
ceeded by their sons and grandsons in his time.
"Mr. Sraith's long years of life have indeed been
a rich heritage. Ever regular in his habits, in
dustrious, ever watchful of the little things which tend
to nourish the body, are perhaps factors which have
enabled Mr. Sraith to enjoy so raany years of use
fulness. His daily attention to his business affairs
has been a matter of cqnsiderable importance. It
has been only in recent weeks that he has not daily
visited his store.
"When the Civil war broke out Mr. Smith -was
just engaging in business for himself, and per
mitting his clerks to enter the service he himself
remained here to provide for his faraily and to assist
in aiding the cause of the North in other ways than
carrying a rausket. The story is told of how when
John Morgan was conducting his raid through Ohio,
Mr. Sraith hurried home to secure his shotgun, and
joined the band of patriotic citizens who had gath
ered on the square to go out and raeet Morgan if
he carae this way. The little band of citizens had
not progressed far, however, before word was re
ceived that Morgan had been captured at Lisbon."
On May 5, 1857, Mr. Sraith united in marriage
with Laura G. Furman. She was born November 4,
1831, at Woodville, South Carolina. She was a
daughter of Wood and Laura M. (Lyon) Furman.
Wood Furraan was born June 12, 1779, in South
Carolina. He was a son of the Rev. Richard Furman,
a native of Esopus,- New York, and was descended
frora Josiah Furraan, an early settler of Long Island,
who in turn was descended from John Furman, the
American ancestor of the family who carae over
frora England and settled permanently on Long
Island. Rev. Richard Furman was for many years
pastor of the First Baptist Church of Charleston,
South Carolina, and he was for a long time president
of the National Baptist Convention. Laura Lyon
was the daughter of Jaraes and the granddaughter
of Mathew Lyon, who settled in Vermont prior to
the Revolutionary war.
Mathew Lyon was an early publicist, and he was
the first man arrested and convicted under the Alien
and Sedition Act of Congress, his offense having
been a published criticism of the Governraent WhUe
serving his thirty days' iraprisonraent he was elected
to Congress. After completing his terra in Congress
he and his son Jaraes removed to Tennessee, from
which state he was again elected a member of Con-

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{i^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

227

gress. After completing his term as a member from
Tennessee iMr. Lyon was appointed Indian agent for
Indian Territory. He was there elected a territorial
delegate to 'Congress, but he died before taking his
seat. He was probably the only man in the history
of the United States to be elected a member of
Congress frora three different states.
James Lyon, son of Mathew, married Phila, daugh
ter of Richard Risley and resided in Washington
City while his father was serving in Congress. One
of Richard Risley's three daughters married Judge
Pease of Warren, and it was while visiting her
Warren relatives that Mrs. Smith met her future
husband. She survives. The children born to Mr.
and iMrs. Smith are as follows : Dr. Frederick K.,
of Warren; Edward S., of Warren; Mrs. Jaraes
Brown, of Warren; Mary A., of Warren; Cornelia
G., of Warren. The last raentioned was for raany
years secretary and librarian of the Warren Public
Library. Frederick Kinsraan Sraith, M. D., son of the late
Edward A. Sraith, was born in Warren, Ohio, April
4, 1858, the date having fallen on Easter Sunday.
He attended the Warren graded and high schools,
and later graduated from Western Reserve College
at Hudson, Ohio. He graduated in the class of 1879
at Western Reserve University, receiving his A. B.
degree, and from the University of Michigan with
the class of 1883, when he received the degree of
M.D. Doctor Sraith entered upon the practice of medi
cine in 1883 in the copper region of the Upper Penin
sula of Michigan, remaining there until 1893. He
then began practice in Cleveland, remaining there
until 1898, when he began practice in Warren, con
tinuing as an eye specialist until 1918. He then re
tired from active practice. Doctor Smith is past
worshipful master of Old Erie Lodge No. 3, iFree
and Accepted Masons, is past presiding officer of
Mahoning Chapter No. 66, Royal Arch Masons, a
member of Warren Council No. 58, Royal and Select
Masons, of Warren Commandery No. 39, Knights
Templar, of Lake Erie Consistory, Scottish Rite
(thirty-second degree), and of Al Koran Temple,
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine,
of Cleveland. He is a director of the Masonic
Temple of Warren. He is a vestryman of Christ
Episcopal Church, and a meraber of the Country
Club. Doctor Sraith married Amelia, daughter of James
Rosewarne, of Copper City, Michigan. Mrs. Smith
was born in England.
Ensign N. Brown, president of the Mahoning
County Bar Association and forraer president of the
Ohio State Bar Association, has been a Youngstown
lawyer forty years. While a native of the old town
of Canfield, he spent his early years in the East,
and through his raother's faraily is related to sorae
of the earliest as well as the most prominent pioneers
of the Mahoning Valley.
Mr. Brown was born at Canfield, December 9,
1854, son of Richard and Thalia Fitch (Newton)
Brown. His grandfather, Capt. John Brown, was
an officer in the British Army and participated in
the Battle of Waterloo. He came to the United

States about 1840 and lived at Canfield, Ohio, untU
his death about i860.
Richard Brown was also a native of England,
where his father for several years was a farmer.
Richard had only a limited education, but gained a
great amount of knowledge during his many years
of practical business experience. At the age of four
teen he was apprenticed to a draper and dry goods
merchant, spending seven years in learning the busi
ness. He acquired a metropolitan experience in
London and later in Paris, and about 1844 came to
the United States. For a time he gave his services
to two of the greatest mercantile houses of New
York City, Lord & Taylor and A. T. Stewart. Sub
sequently he engaged independently in merchandis
ing in New York, where he remained until 1877.
His health having become irapaired, in that year he
returned to Canfield, Ohio, where he had found his
wife, and he died at Canfield in 1888, at the age of
seventy-one. Coraparatively few people know that one of the
founders of the now world-wide institution of the
Young Men's Christian Association at one tirae lived
in Mahoning County. Mr. Brown, whUe in London,
was associated with George Williaras in organizing
the first Young Men's Christian Association in the
world in that city. Later Williams was knighted by
Queen Victoria. After coraing to the United States
Richard Brown and others organized in New York
City the first Young Men's Christian Association in
this country and served as its first treasurer.
Thalia Fitch Newton, wife of Richard Brown and
raother of the Youngstown lawyer, was a daughter
of Judge Eben Newton. Judge Eben Newton was
one of the really distinguished lawyers, jurists and
public leaders in Ohio during the first half of the
nineteenth century. Born in Connecticut in 179S, he
first carae to Ohio about 1814, read law at Ravenna,
and was adraitted to the bar at Warren in 1823.
For twenty years he was a partner of Elisha Whit
tlesey, long a member of Congress 'and at one tirae
Coraptroller of the Treasury of the United States.
For a short tirae Judge Newton was in practice' at
Cincinnati, with iRutherford B. Hayes, afterward
president of the United States, as partner. He was
elected to the State Senate in 1840, resigning td take
the office of president judge of the Third Judicial
District. While in that office he had the distinction
of holding the first session of the Common Pleas
Court in the newly created Mahoning County in
1846. In 1850 he was elected to Congress, and dur
ing the Civil war was again a member of the State
Senate. He was also president of two raUroad lines
in Northeastern Ohio, was prominent in agricultural
circles, and helped train a number of young men for
the law, including the great Ohioans Ben F. Wade,
Joshua R. Giddings and others. Judge Newton mar
ried Mary S. Church, a daughter of Ensign Church.
Ensign N. Brown was reared in New York City,
where he was educated in private schools. He had
for his teachers two noted educators, Dr. George P.
Quackenbos and Dr. Henry B. Chapin. Under the
latter he was prepared for college, but faUing eye
sight compelled him to abandon his college career.
For a number of years he was associated with his

228

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

father at New York in the business of importing
laces and embroideries.
Mr. Brown returned to Mahoning County in 1878
for the purpose of looking after the property of
Judge Newton, theui in advanced years. At the re
quest of Judge Newton he took up the study of law,
finishing his reading with the firm of Van Hyning
& Johnston. He was admitted to the bar in 1880,
and until his mother's death in 1889 lived at Canfield,
though practicing in Youngstown. His horae has
been in the latter city since 1889. Of late years Mr.
Brown has specialized soraewhat in raechanics' liens
and building contracts, though still doing a general
practice. He was elected president of the State Bar
Association in 1918, and was chosen president when
the Mahoning County Bar Association was organized
in 1919. Mr. Brown is a Royal Arch Mason and a
republican. Septeraber 20, 1876, he raarried Miss Jeannette
Cooper, a daughter of John Cooper, a New York
City merchant. They have two children, Genevieve
Newton and Bessie Hunt. The family are raembers
of the Episcopal Church.
Mr. Brown has long been prominent not only in
St. John's parish at Youngstown but in the diocese.
He is present junior warden of the parish, and for
twenty-five years has been delegate from the parish
to the Ohio diocese. Since 1910 he has represented
the diocese in four general conventions of the church.
For years he has also been a raeraber of the Com
mittee of Canons of the diocese and a raeraber of
the Coraraittee of Canons of the General Church,
and for ten years has been one of the standing com
raittee of the diocese. In the spring of 1920, the
forraer chancellor having died, Mr. Brown was ap
pointed Chancellor of the Diocese of Ohio and is
now acting as such.
Jacob Hyde Ewalt. As a banker and raanufac
turer Mr. Ewalt has had a dignified and useful
career in Warren for over thirty years, and in that
tirae has irapressed his influence and enterprise upon
several well known institutions.
He is a native of the Mahoning Valley and de
scended frora two pioneer farailies, the Ewalts and
the Leffingwells. The Ewalts settled originally in
Howl'and Township of Trumbull County. The pioneer
was John Ewalt, who took up a tract of Government
land in that township about 1805. His son Jacob was
born on the homestead in Howland Township in
1810, and lived eight decades, dying in 1890. He
raarried in 183S Lydia Maria Leffingwell, who died
in i88g. Her parents carae frora Connecticut at an
early day and settled in Warren Township. A col
lateral connection of the Leffingwells were the Hyde
faraily of Hyde Park, London, England.
Jacob Hyde Ewalt was born at the Ewalt farra
in Bazetta Township about four miles frora the City
of Warren Noveraber 12, 1856. He has always re
garded it as his good fortune that his early life was
spent in the country. He attended district school to
the age of fifteen, and finished his education in the
city schools of Warren. In 1877 Mr. Ewalt becarae
a clerk in the old drug store of Col. H. G. Stratton
at Warren, and after eight years left Colonel Strat
ton to become bookkeeper and shipping clerk for the

Winfield Manufacturing Company. He has been one
of the men who have developed that notable Warren
industry, and iri 1904 was made treasurer of the
company and since 1917 has filled the offices of
secretary and treasurer.
As a banker Mr. Ewalt was one of the organizers
in 1889 of what is now the Trumbull Savings and
Loan Company. He has served as vice president
since igog and also as a director. He is a director
in the Western Reserve Furniture Corapany, in the
Enterprise Electric Corapany, and the People's Ice
and Cold Storage Corapany.
For the last twenty-five years Mr.- Ewalt has been
financial secretary of the Board of Trustees of the
First Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a member
of the Warren Board of Trade. Mr. Ewalt married
Florence Taylor, daughter of the late Mathew B.
and Adaline (Hapgood) Taylor. Her father was
for raany years cashier of the old First National
Bank of 'Warren. Mrs. Ewalt died in 1899, the
raother of one son and one daughter. The son,
Jacob H., Jr., now secretary of the GUder-Augstadt
Coal and Supply Corapany, raarried May Holloway,
of Warren, and they have a son, Richard Holloway,
and a daughter, Jean. Charlotte Taylor Ewalt be
came the wife of Peter Webb Elliott, of Warren,
and they had a daughter, Florence Ellen. Mr. EUiott
died in 1916. On June 6, 1904, Mr. Ewalt was mar
ried to EUa Van Gorder (JFord) McWilliams, of
Ashtabula, Ohio, and to this marriage one daughter
has been born, Laura Ford Ewalt.
John G. Cooper. The high traditions for public
service which have been created for Northeastern
Ohio as the result of the life and works of Joshua
R. Giddings, Benjarain Wade, Jaraes iR. Garfield,
Williara McKinley and others elected by the people
of this part of the state to represent thera in Wash
ington, have been maintained by John G. Cooper,
congressman for the Nineteenth Ohio District, which
is coraposed of Mahoning, TrurabuU and Ashtabula
Counties. John G. Cooper began life with few of the ad
vantages which his illustrious predecessors enjoyed,
but by hard work,- clear understanding of the needs
and desires of the people and unswerving courage
and deterraination to stand for what he believed to
be right. Congressman Cooper has earned a nation
wide reputation. Mr. Cooper was born in Stafford
shire, England, in 1872, and came to the United
States with his parents when only eight years old.
The Cooper faraily settled in the Mahoning Valley
of Ohio at a tirae when its possibilities as an in
dustrial and raanufacturing district first began to be
appreciated. John Cooper's school days ended when he was
thirteen, at which early period of his life he went to
work in the iron raills to help earn the daily bread
for the family. A few years later he obtained a
position as locoraotive fireraan in the eraploy of the
Pennsylvania RaUroad. He was proraoted to en
gineer, in which occupation he was engaged when
he became interested in politics. The young man
observed what the republican protective tariff and
econoraic policies did for the developraent and pros
perity of his horae coramunity and 'became a repub-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

229

lican. In igio he was norainated and elected to
represent Mahoning County in the Ohio General
Assembly, and was re-elected by an increased vote
in 1912. His service in the State Legislature was
so satisfactory that he was chosen as the republican
candidate for Congress in the Nineteenth District in
1914 and elected easUy. Mr. Cooper was re-elected
in 1916, 1918 and 1920.
Congressman Cooper is a meraber of the iraportant
coramittee on interstate and foreign coramerce of
the House of Representatives. He was the first
locoraotive engineer or practical railroad worker ever
elected to Congress, and his views on practical rail
road and labor questions are very highly regarded
by his colleagues in Congress. His firra stand in
Congress against radicalisra in the labor raoveraent
during the period of unrest which followed the -war
with Gerraany attracted wide attention and is be
lieved to have been a strong factor in bringing about
a satisfactory adjustraent of labor troubles. Mr.
Cooper's horae is in Youngstown. He is raarried and
has five sons.
John James Murray. In the raany years that he
traveled, John Jaraes Murray was known from coast
to coast as an actor-manager, and his name has a
high rank in the realm of minstrelsy, vaudeville and
comedy. At Warren, where he has had his horae
for a number of years, Mr. Murray has also been
prominent as a theatrical manager, and his narae is
also closely' linked with other business and civic
interests. He was born in the City of Chicago April 7, 1867,
son of Jaraes and Ann (Derapsey) Murray. His
parents were natives of Ireland, and both died when
the son was a boy. Since he was eleven years of
age John Jaraes Murray has raade his own way in
the world. While acquiring a liraited education in
the parochial schools of Chicago, he sold newspapers
on the streets and did other work. In 1881, at the
age of fourteen, he first entered the arauseraent field,
and for thirty-five years was active and successful
in all the different lines of the show business, in
cluding the circus, minstrel, comedy and vaudeville,
both as an entertainer and raanager. He, and his
companies played in all the high class houses of the
East and Middle West. In igoo Mr. Murray and
Frank Mackey organized the firm of Murray &
Mackey, and for several years owned and operated
the largest popular priced shows on the road. Their
show was a prominent feature at Warren during the
Trumbull County Fair for many years. Mr. Murray
leased the Warren Opera House in igo8 and pro
duced all the high class attractions until 1917, since
which time the operahouse has been devoted ex
clusively to moving pictures. In this field, largely
due to the influence of Mr. Murray, only the finest
film features have been presented to the people of
Warren. Mr. Murray is one of the most enthusiastic be
lievers in the great future of Warren as an in
dustrial and home center. He has associated himself
with raany of its enterprises, being a director in the
People's Savings & Trust Corapany, a director in
the Reserve Realty & Mortgage Company, a director
in the Sunlight Electric Company, and a stockholder
in other concerns.

During the war he turned over his personal talents
and his resources to patriotic service and was active
in the Liberty Bond, Red Cross and War Chest
campaigns, and was chairman of the Trumbull
County Labor Board. He is a charter raember and
director of the Rotary Club and the Buckeye Club
and has been a raeraber of the Order of Elks for
thirty years, holding his membership in Elmira Lodge
No. 62. He is also a member of the Warren Board
of Trade. .
Noveraber 26, 1887, Mr. Murray raarried Miss
Florence Louise Long, a native of Cincinnati and
daughter of Louis and Catherine (Madenbach)
Long. Mr. and Mrs. Murray had three chUdren, but
the first two, Robert Jaraes and Florence, are de
ceased. The only living daughter, Margaret Flor
ence, is now a student of the Ladies of Loretto
Convent at Niagara Falls, Canada.
Bernard McManus. Out of a hard ^apprentice
ship, early contact with work at raeagre vvages, and
with the ripe experience and broader vision of his
later years, Bernard McManus has corae to that
higher plane of business affairs where he is head of
one of the best raercantile organizations in Youngs
town, the B. McManus Corapany, known as "Youngs
town's Greater Store for 'Woraen."
Mr. McManus was born in County Cavan, Ireland,
in 1877, son of Thoraas and Mary (MacManus) Mc
Manus. His father, now deceased, was also a native
of County Cavan, for raany years was a successful
teacher, and he died at the age of eighty-eight on
AprU 22, 1920. His wife, Mary MacManus, as the
narae indicated, was of Scotch ancestry, born in
Scotland, and died in 1884.
Bernard McManus, one of six chUdren, attended
school at home and was eighteen years of age when
he came to the United States. His first home was
in St. Joseph, Missouri. The raeans of earning a
living for several raonths was selling the St. Joseph
Gazette on the streets of that western city. At the
sarae tirae he was diligently pursuing his studies in
night school. After six raonths as a newsboy he
entered the service of the Corabe Printing Corapany
of St. Joseph, at that tirae one of the largest printing
establishraents in the Missouri Valley. He continued
his work in night school, and after about a year he
and his brother, Thoraas H., went to Newton, Kansas,
and with a raodest capital opened a stock of general
raerchandise. They were raerchants in Kansas for
fifteen years, and built up a large and flourishing
business. On leaving Kansas Mr. McManus started East, his
conteraplated destination being New York City. He
stopped to visit at Cleveland, and his visit was turned
into a stay of several years, during which tirae he
had a profitable connection with The H. Black
Corapany. At the sarae tirae he was raaking a thor
ough study of coraraercial conditions, and eventually
his judgraent led hira to locate at Youngstown.
Mr. McManus carae to Youngstown nine years
ago and began business as a raerchant on East Fed
eral Street, subsequently moving to West Federal
Street, and three years ago into the five-story build
ing which the B. McManus Company now occupies,
each floor devoted to a special department. Judicious

230

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

women shoppers all over Eastern Ohio know the
McManus store. The spirit of the business is well
described in the following words : "To make this
exclusively and increasingly a store for women,
where women will come intuitively for every article
of ready-to-wear clothing they desire, is our reason
for existence. To make our merchandise so good,
so coraprehensive, so satisfactory and to give the
kind of courtesy and attention in service to which
a woraan feels entitled, is the inspiration we cherish.
We call our store 'greater' not because of raaterial
bigness, but because of this all-inclusive idea actuat
ing it, in the developraent of which we find our daily
pleasure." Custoraers also frequently see posted in different
parts of the store the following notice : "Employes
Attention : Our reputation with the people of
Youngstown is in your hands. See that it is pro
tected." Mr. McManus is president of the company and is
active manager, and is also the source of inspiration
for the ideals and the spirit of service permeating
the business. Mr. McManus is also vice president
of the Moore-Lamb Construction Company. He is
an active meraber of the Charaber of Commerce, the
Poland Country Club, is a Knight of Colurabus and
with his faraily worships in St. Edward's Catholic
Church. During the war he was liberal with his
tirae and raeans in behalf of the various campaigns,
and has been equaUy public spirited in proraoting
everything of benefit to Youngstown.
Just before going into business at Youngstown
Mr. McManus married Miss Lena Madden, daughter
of E. J. and Margaret Madden of Youngstown.
They have three sons, Bernard, Jr., Edward and
Thoraas. Washington Hyde, attorney and capitalist, is one
of the leading raen of Warren and the Mahoning
Valley, and his counsel is sought on many raatters
of public interest as well as those connected with
his profession. He was born on the farra owned
by his parents at Farmington, TrurabuU County,
Ohio, May 7, 1847. His father, Julius E. Hyde, was
also born on this farra, in 1825, he being a son of
Eli Hyde, a native of New York State, of Yankee
stock, who carae to East Farraington, TrurabuU
County, Ohio, about 1818, and was one of the
pioneers of that section of Trumbull County. He
married Hannah Porter, a native of New York State,
and a daughter of a Revolutionary war soldier. They
were raarried in New York State at an early age
and came soon afterward to Trumbull County, mak
ing the journey in an ox-cart.
The raother of Washington Hyde was Ann Oatley,
and she was born in Bazetta Township, Trumbull
County, in 1824, a daughter of William and Sophia
Oatley, of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, her father
having been a pioneer of Bazetta Township, he
settling on a farra there about 1815.
Julius Hyde was a successful farmer and dairy
man and was noted as a cheese maker. He died in
1898, his wife passing away in 1891. Earnest Chris
tian people, they maintained merabership in the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and were very active in
its good work.

Washington Hyde was reared on the farm, at
tended the old Western Reserve Seminary at West
Farmington, Ohio, and was graduated from the
University of Michigan in 1870, with the degree of
Bachelor of Arts, and from the legal department
in 1872, with the degree of Doctor of Laws. He
was a classmate all through college with Judge
William R. Day, of the United States Supreme
Court, with whora he was also adraitted to the bar
in 1872, before the District Court at Ashland, Ohio.
Entering upon the practice of law at Warren in
1872 Mr. Hyde has continued in it. He served from
1880 to 1885, inclusive, as prosecuting attorney of
TrurabuU County, and was for many years active
in republican politics. Mr. Hyde has other interesfs
having in 1898 been one of the organizers and in
corporators of the Warren & Niles Telephone Com
pany, of which he is president and treasurer and a
director. This is now a $500,000 company, and is
the only one now doing business in Warren in giv
ing a telephone service, having bought out the Bell
Telephone Company. He also organized and in
corporated the- King Furniture Manufacturing Com
pany of Warren, of which he is president and treas
urer, and he is also president and a director of the
Warren Rubber Company of Warren.
Mr. Hyde was married in 1876 to Laura E. Tib-
bitts, of an old family, her mother having been a
daughter of a brother of Moses Cleveland, the
"father" of the City of Cleveland, Ohio. Mrs. Hyde
died in 1890, leaving the following children: Jessie
A., George C. and Charles W. In 1893 Mr. Hyde
was married to Victoria Pinkard, who was born in
Warren, and to them have been born the foUowing
children : Edward L., who is now a law student at
the Ohio Northern University, is a veteran of the
great war, having spent nine raonths in France with
the One Hundred and Eighth Aramunition Train,
American Expeditionary Forces; Lillian O., who is
at horae ; and Clarence A., who was with the Ameri
can Expeditionary Forces in France, was killed in
active service in the Argonne drive just before the
signing of the Arraistice. He was a raember of
Corapany D, One Hundred and Forty-Fifth Regi
raent. Mr. Hyde is a member of Old Erie Lodge No. 3,
Free and Accepted Masons, and Warren Commandery
No. 39, Knights Templar. The Warren Board of
Trade holds his raembership, and he is active in its
operations. Professionally he belongs to the Trum
bull County Bar Association and for five years was
a meraber of its bar comraittee. For some years
Mr. Hyde has been a raeraber of the Youngstown
Unitarian Church. A man of the highest standing
in both professional and business circles, Mr. Hyde
is admittedly one of the representative men of this
section of the state, and a citizen who reflects honor
and dignity upon his community and calling.
Frank C. Van Wye, who is carrying forward
successful operations on the John Anderson farm in
Weathersfield Township, Trumbull County, one mile
west of the City of Niles, is a native of this town
ship and a representative of a faraily whose name
has been worthily linked with the history of Trum
bull County for nearly a century. He was born on

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

231

the old pioneer horaestead farm of his grandfather,
Abrara Van Wye, in Weathersfield Township De
ceraber 2, 1849, and is a son of John and Adaline
(Carlton) Van Wye, the forraer having been born
in Pennsylvania and the latter having been a daugh
ter of iPeter Carlton, a pioneer settler at Girard,
this county. Abrara and Charity (Laird) Van Wye,
grandparents of Frank C, were born and reared in
Washington County, Pennsylvania, where their raar
riage was soleranized and where seven of their
children were born, the Van Wye faraily, of Holland
Dutch origin, having been founded in the Keystone
state prior to the war of the Revolution, and the
lineage of the Laird faraily tracing back to Scotch
origin. In 1834 Abrara Van Wye came with his
family to Trumbull County and located in the raidst
of the forest in Weathersfield Township, where he
obtained a goodly tract of land and reclairaed a
productive farm along the Mahoning River. He died
in his fifty-eighth year, and his wife passed away
at the age of sixty years. Their children were
Charles, John, Lydia (Mrs. Hirara Dunlap), Mary
Jane (iMrs. John A. Hunter), Nancy (Mrs. Theo
dore DeForest), Catherine (died in chUdhood),
Amanda (likewise died in childhood), William
(killed at Ringgold, Georgia, while serving in the
GivU war), Joseph W. (individually raentioned on
other pages, where also is found further record con
cerning the faraily history), Darthula (Mrs. Charles
P. Moore, of Bristolville, TrurabuU County), Elraira
(died at the age of twenty-two years) ; and Sabina
(Mrs. Thoraas Radcliffe, died at Warren, in igig).
John Van Wye, after the death of his father,
continued to be associated with his brothers in the
management of the old home farra until 1863, when
he sold his interest in that place and reraoved to
Howland Township, where he purchased a farra
that is now occupied by the TrurabuU Steel Corapany
and the Brier Hill Steel Corapany. There he owned
more than 200 acres, the land extending to the Ma
honing River. Not only the old canal, but also the
first railroad in the county traversed this farm, and
eventually Mr. Van Wye sold the right-of-way for
five different lines of railroad which crossed his
property. When the final sale of his old farm was
raade to the TrurabuU Steel Corapany the tract still
coraprised about 200 acres. Here John Van Wye
died at the venerable . age of eighty-six years, his
wife having passed away at the age. of seventy years,
their naraes raeriting place on the roster of the hon
ored pioneers of the county. Of their children the
subject of this review is the eldest; iMary is the
wife of Reuben Terapleton, of BracevUle, this
county; Lois is the widow of WiUiara S. Carapbell
and resides at Carabridge, Guernsey County, her
husband having been a son of Rev. Williara Carap
bell, a pioneer Presbyterian clergyraan ; Florence died
in childhood ; Olive is the wife of WiUiara Bolin, of
Warren ; Homer W. died in August, 1919, aged sixty
years, he having been engaged in the livery business
at Warren; John E., who was long in service as a
railroad engineer on the Pennsylvania Lines, was a
resident of NUes at the time of his death, in March,
1916; Gerry P., a patent attorney, is engaged in the
practice of his profession in New York City; Ben
jamin C, a graduate of Harvard University, is now

a meraber of the faculty of a college in the City of
Cincinnati, he having previously been a teacher in
the City of Boston, where his marriage occurred ;
and Lucy is the wife of WUliam Brown, station
agent for the iNew York Central Railroad at Hub
bard, Trumbull County.
Frank C. Van Wye gained his early education in
the coraraon schools and reraained at the parental
horae until he was twenty-four years old, when he
raarried and established his horae on the Isaac
Troxell farra, which property he purchased and
which adjoined his father's farra. He had ninety-
three acres, but the area of the place was soraewhat
reduced when he sold a railroad right-of-way
through the farra. . He added to the original farm
untU he had 103 acres, and in 1916 he sold the entire
property to the Briar HUl Steel Company as a site
for its raanufacturing plant. For eight years Mr.
Van Wye served as a raeraber of the Board of Di
rectors of the County Infirraary, and he also gaye
effective service as trustee of his school district, his
political allegiance being rendered to the republican
party. After selling his old farra Mr. Van Wye
finally purchased his present well iraproved place of
forty-one acres, which extends across the former
bed of the Mahoning River, the four-mile locks on
the old canal having been on this farm, which was
held for generations by the Anderson faraily. Of
this property Mr. Van Wye sold twenty-seven acres
to the Falcon Steel Corapany, whose raill has been
erected here. Mr. Van Wye is living virtually re
tired, but takes satisfaction in giving a general su
pervision to the work of his attractive little farm,
his entire life having been marked by close associa
tion with agricultural enterprise in his native county,
where his circle of friends is coincident with that
of his acquaintances. He was reared in the faith of
the Methodist Episcopal Church and has been liberal
in support of religious work. He is affiliated with
the Masonic fraternity.
Septeraber 10, 1874, recorded the raarriage of Mr.
Van Wye to Miss Celestia A. Pearce, daughter of
Newcorab and Mary (McConnell) Pearce, she hav
ing been born on the old horaestead of her maternal
grandfather in North Jackson Township. To Mr.
and Mrs. Van Wye have been born four children :
Thaddeus I. and iMabel^ reraain at the parental horae;
Mary is the widow of Charles Lodwick and resides
at Niles ; and Frank, a lawyer and civil engineer, is
in the eraploy of the City of Cleveland in a pro
fessional way. After his graduation frora the high
school he corapleted a course in the law department
of the University of Michigan and was admitted to
the bar, he having been, as a civU engineer, employed
for some tirae in governraent work with the Missis
sippi commission. December 2, igig, on the seven
tieth anniversary of his father's birth, Frank Van
Wye was united in raarriage to Miss Jean Mahaffey,
of St. Louis, Missouri.
Robert L. McCorkle since leaving school and tak
ing upon hiraself the responsibilities of life has given
all his tirae and energies to financial institutions in
NUes, and has been actively identified with the Niles
Trust Corapany since it was organized.
Mr. McCorkle was born at Lordstown in Trumbull

232

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

County June 8, 1878, son of Alraon G. and Martha
(Leitch) McCorkle. Family sketch appears else
where. His mother was a native of Ireland. The
McCorkle family is an old and honored one in
Trumbull County. It is of Scotch-Irish ancestry.
When the Mahoning Valley was a wilderness Robert
L. McCorkle, great-grandfather of the Niles banker,
ame here and employed his energies in developing
a homestead. The faraily occupation as a rule has
been farraing. Alraon G. McCorkle is still living at
Lordstown, and all his five children are alive.
Robert L. McCorkle grew up in his native village,
attended the public schools, the Warren High School,
and at the age of nineteen became a raessenger in
the old City National Bank at Niles. Later he was
made bookkeeper and teller. When that bank was
consolidated with the First National he continued as
teller in the new organization, and later assisted
C. P. Wilson in winding up the affairs of the First
National Bank.
The NUes Trust Company was organized in igog,
and since it opened its doors Mr. McCorkle has been
treasurer. He has a number of other business in
terests at Niles. He is a republican in politics, is a
Royal Arch Mason and a raeraber of the Niles Club.
May I, igo2, he raarried Miss Anna Eaton, daughter
of John W. Eaton. They have one son, John Alraon.
The Packard Family of Warren has for three-
quarters of a century been intimately associated with
the history of the City of Warren and of the Ma
honing Valley. A Packard was a pioneer in the set
tleraent of the valley ; a Packard was a pioneer in the
coraraerce of Warren ; and two Packards are pioneers
of industry of this city.
The pioneer settler was WUliara Packard, who was
a native of Pennsylvania, born in Was'hington Coun
ty, that state, on Septeraber 3, 1803. He settled at
Austintown (then in Trumbull County), in 1825.
Late in life he reraoved to Kern County, California,
and died at KernvUle on December 11. 1877. after
having served for several years as judge of Kern
County. The pioneer in the coraraercial history of
Warren was the late Warren Packard, son of WU
liara. He was born at Austinburg (then TrurabuU
County) on June i, 1828, and died at Warren on
July 28, l8g7. The pioneers of industry of Warren
are William D, and James W. Packard.
Warren Packard was without doubt one of the
towering figures in the earlier history of Warren.
WhUe the Mexican war was still in progress he left
the old farm. at Lordstown, an arabitious and ener
getic lad of eighteen years, to seek his fortune at the
county seat of old TrumbuU. All of his earthly pos
sessions were literally contained in the proverbial
cotton handkerchief as he trudged his way into town.
Through the influence of his brother-in-law, the late
Eli K. Weisell, he obtained a situation with MUton
Graham, then operating the pioneer iron store of this
section. For the first year after coraing to Warren
he attended school during the greater portion of his
time, paying bis board by doing chores nights and
mornings, and on Saturdays driving Mr. Graham's
teara to Niles and Youngstown and buying for the
store iron and nails in such quantities as would
about cover the sales for the ensuing week. Those

were the days of sraall things, as corapared with
the raagnitude of present operations His duties in
cluded taking care of the teara, one or two cows,
sawing stove wood for the house and shop, and at the
noon hour "tending store" while the boys went to
dinner. His was a long day, lasting from 5 A. iM.
until g P. M., but that tireless, restless boy main
tained the sarae hours from 1846 untU i8g7. The
second year with Mr. Grahara, young Packard re
ceived $100, his board included, and upon that
amount he could give but slight attention to dress, the
boys and society in general ; but that troubled him but
little. Five years later Mr. Packard was the sole
owner of the original Graham store, and also the
hardware store started a year or two later in opposi
tion to the Grahara store by Charles Reuben Harmon.
The store of Thoraas H. Morely was likewise taken
in by the far-reaching enterprise of Mr. Packard.
Thus, in 1863, Mr. Packard found himself the owner
and successful manager of the largest iron and hard
ware business operating between Cleveland and
Pittsburgh. He pushed trade with phenomenal vigor
and also marketed the bulk of the products of the
Spear Planing MUl and the Packard, HuU & Com
pany, of which he was principal owner.
In addition to the above industries Warren Pack
ard purchased extensive timber tracts in Pennsyl
vania and in some of the southern states, and actively
engaged in the raanufacture of luraber, establishing
numberless modern sawmills on his various prop
erties. Enorraous quantities of his products were
used in the building of the old Atlantic and Great
Western RaUroad (now the great Erie system), and
in later years millions of feet of his lumber products
were consuraed in the operation of that now famous
trunk-line. Mr. Packard also had invested $100,000
in the old Packard & Barnura Steara Forge & RoUing
Mills at Warren, and it was while he was the execu
tive head of that concern that he was one day sum
raoned to New York City by Jay Gould, the then
presiding genius of the Erie Railway. At their
meeting in Mr. Gould's office the "Wizard of Wall
Street" informed Mr. Packard that he desired a half
interest in the Packard & Barnura Steam Forge &
Rolling Mills and, in return for the sarae he agreed
that all of the scrap-iron of the Erie RaUway would
be exclusively sold to Mr. Packard's corapany, and
said to Mr. Packard, "You can weigh the scrap your
self." The proposition was attractive and would
no doubt have been a very profitable one, but it did
not appeal to Mr. Packard, and the deal was never
consuraraated. Mr. Packard's erabarkation into the
manufacture of iron was not made at a propitious
tirae, as raany of the iron raills were at that time
being operated at a loss, and as a result of those con
ditions he lost practically the full amount of the $200,-
000 which he invested. During the same decade he
supplied the sum of $100,000 with which the firm of
W. & A. J. Packard built and stocked the "Hard
ware Block" at Youngstown. This business was
successfully operated until the approach of the panic
of 1873 brought a rapidly declining market for all
raetal goods, and that, together with a disastrous fire,
caused a large financial loss to Mr. Packard. About
1865 Mr. Packard became the largest owner in the
Austin Flagstone Company, which investment yielded

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

233

him handsorae returns. During Mr. Packard's busy
career he accumulated more than one fortune, for
with but few exceptions all of the enterprises to
which he gave his personal attention were success
ful; but through indorseraents raade for his associates
he sustained losses that would have overshadowed
to the grave less strong raen ; nor did he follow the
exaraple of many other leading raen of the Mahoning
Valley who, having raet with reverses during the
panicky days iraraediately preceding and following
the year 1873, sought relief through the bankruptcy
courts; he raerely bent his energies to recuperation
and to the achieveraent of even greater results, and
again succeeded through his own efforts, settling in
full all of his obligations.
In 1867 Mr. Packard made a tour of Europe with
his brother John, and whUe in England laid a broad
foundation for importing hardware direct, which
branch of his business he continued with increasing
profit and volume untU tariff laws turned the trade
to our own shores. In 1874 Mr. Packard, three
brothers and others spent the winter on the Pacific
coast, and while the trip was intended for recreation
purposes, Mr. Packard's commercial instinct led hira
to iraprove the opportunity and secure valuable trade
connections. During the last twenty years of his
splendid activity Mr. Packard thoroughly enjoyed
his vacations at Chautauqua Lake, where he built
the first cottage at Lakewood, New York, now dotted
with 300 suraraer homes. 'With associates he pur
chased the farm upon which this delightful little
village is located, and he never ceased to boom the
region. In September, 1852, Mr. Packard was married to
Sylvia Carap, a daughter of the late Alanson Carap,
of Warren. They had two sons born to thera, name
ly : Harry, who died at the age of ten raonths, and
Rollo, who died at the age of two years. His wife
passed away in Deceraber, 1856, aged twenty-three
years. In November, i860, Mr. Packard was mar
ried to Mary E. Doud, and they became the parents
of five children. She was born in Mendham, Morris
County, New Jersey, and died at Warren on Novera
ber 2, i8g6.
'Warren Packard was a raan of broad vision and
optiraistic views, and through these characteristics he
was able to carry out to raagnificent eorapletion plans
others would not dare undertake. He was one who
never learned that the word failure had a place in the
language. When he met with reverses he faced them
boldly and ofttimes turned them into success simply
through his own grit and determination to "raake
good." The exaraple he set and the influence he
exerted are stUl reflected in the lives and works of
not only his own sons, but those of other raen who
have taken up the responsibilities of the industrial
and coraraercial life of the Mahoning Valley. To
know Mr. Packard and have the privilege of asso
ciating with hira was to receive a raental tonic and
bracing inspiration, and there was probably np man
in the Mahoning Valley who was held in higher
esteem by. his fellow citizens than the late Warren
Packard, one of the most efficient and public-spirited
business raen this region has ever produced.

William Doud Packard, son of Warren and
Mary E. (Doud) Packard, was born at Warren on
Noveraber 3, 1861, and has practically spent his en
tire life in this city. He was educated in the public
schools and at Ohio State University.
Early in life Mr. Packard gave evidence of having,
to a raarked degree, inherited his father's business
genius. As a boy he and his brother James W. sold
papers and established and operated a small printing
office in their home, and with earnings thus ac
cumulated paid the expenses of a visit to the Cen
tennial Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876. He also
learned telegraphy in his youth, and in later days
was given an opportunity to make practical use of
that knowledge.
Iraraediately after leaving college Mr. Packard
took a position as bookkeeper and salesraan in his
father's hardware store, and when the latter became
agent at Warren for the American Union Telegraph
Company and the U. S. Express Company, young
Packard became express clerk and telegraph op
erator. Later he was telegraph operator and con
ducted a news stand at his father's hotel at Lake-
wood, Chautauqua Lake, New York. He still later
was identified with his father in the planing-raill at
Warren as junior raeraber of the firra of W. Packard
& Son.
Upon the organization of the Packard Electric
Corapany at Warren in igoo Mr. Packard becarae
an executive of that concern, continuing with the
company during that period while the Packard auto
mobile was in course of development; and as raan
ager of the sales department of the Packard Motor
Car Company he developed that part of the organiza
tion to an unusual degree. Upon the sale of the
corapany to Detroit interests, and the reraoval of
the corapany to that city, Mr. Packard retired from
participation in all business affairs.
In igii he promulgated his plans by the purchase
of a tract of fifty-five acres of land on Mahoning
Avenue and lying along the beautiful Mahoning
River. This land he presented to the city to be
used only for park purposes upon the condition that
the city would undertake its developraent and per
petual up-keep. This latter arrangeraent was con-
surnraated by Mr. Packard only by the exercise of
patience, perseverence and tact. The taxpayers de
sired Packard Park, but were loath to accept taxa
tion for its developraent and up-keep, and in bringing
his project to fruition Mr. Packard accoraplished an
undertaking second only in vital iraportance to the
establishraent of the park— an undertaking which
was absolutely necessary for the establishraent and
maintenance of the park for the coming generations
of Warren people. When the work of laying out and
development of the park began Mr. Packard took
charge as engineer, donating his services, and for
the next three or four years he was fully and hap
pily occupied with his work. Not being a voting
citizen of Warren, Mr. Packard does not hold a
place on the board of park trustees, at the sarae
tirae, however, he has always, and does now, dorainate
the actions of the board with the full consent of all
concerned. Packard Park is the principal "show-spot" of the
city and is of inestiraable value to Warren, giving it

234

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

a delightful recreation spot along one of the at
tractive water courses of the valley. In donating
the park and assisting in preparing it for public use
Mr. Packard has reared a monument to himself and
his family of greater actual value than the mightiest
granite column ever set up to eomraeraorate a person
or an event. Not only is this park enjoyed by those
now living, but it will be handed down as a priceless
heritage to generations to come, who as they enjoy
its many sylvan beauties will have cause to remera
ber the founder and be grateful for his unselfish
benevolence. James Ward Packard, son of Warren and Mary
E. (Doud)) Packard, was born at Warren on No
veraber 5, 1863, and was educated in the public schools
and at Lehigh University and graduated with the
degree of Mechanical Engineer with the class of '84.
Mr. Packard's mechanical and inventive genius, to
gether with his capacity for close application to the
object in hand, have won him national recognition
as an engineer, while his work as a pioneer in the
developraent of the automobile has gained him a
world-wide fame.
After leaving college, in the suraraer of 1884, Mr.
Packard entered the shops of the Sawyer-Mann Elec
tric Corapany at New York as a "dollar-a-day" man.
Subsequently he was raade assistant superintendent
of the plant, and so continued for a number of years.
Then, in i8go, after having gained a practical knowl
edge of the electrical industry, Mr. Packard returned
to Warren and engaged in the manufacture of in
candescent laraps under the firm narae of the Pack
ard Electric Company, which concern was not only
the pioneer in that line in that city, but was the
direct cause for Warren becoming the center for the
manufacture of electric lamps. This pioneer com
pany was but a raodest affair at its inception, for
capital was scarce and local interest and support were
limited. In fact, had Mr. Packard not been able to
interest outside capital it is doubtful if the young
company would have been able to progress very far
and certainly its progress would not have been rapid,
and Warren might have been deprived of one of its
largest and most beneficial industries of the present
day. So the successful establishment of the Packard
Electric Company was really the beginning of the
transformation of the City of Warren with its then
population of 5,000 into the industrial center of today,
.with a population of 30,cx)0.
Mr. Packard was the president, general manager
and guiding genius of the Packard Electric Com
pany, and to him was due its success, for it was he
who supplied the inventive genius and mechanical
skUl and enlisted the financial support which made
possible its success. The Packard iElectric Company
later sold its business to the General Electric Com
pany, but retained its corporate name and a part of
its plant. Subseciuently both the name and business
were sold.
Mr. Packard has always worked along the lines
of both invention and the development and applica
tion of methods of inventions already on the market.
He early became interested in gasoline-driven ve
hicles, and before any of thera were on the raarket
he had made drawings along those lines. Later he

purchased one of the first American made "horseless
carriages" to come on the market, and his genius
recognizing the great possibilities in its crude motor,
he began experimenting along the lines of invention
and developraent, and produced a finished automobile
which ultimately became the "Packard" car of today.
Upon the organization of the Packard Motor Car
Company, Mr. Packard became its president and
general manager. A tirae came in the history of the
company, however, when to assure needed expansion
outside capital must be secured, and Mr. Packard
induced a nuraber of capitalists of Detroit to become
interested. This resulted, in 1902, in the removal of
the plant to Detroit, Mr. Packard continuing as
president. Later he was made chairraan of the board
of directors of the company, a position he held until
April, igis, when, desiring to retire from aU active
business affairs, he resigned, but retains his financial
interest in the corporation. _
Mr. Packard has maintained his suramer home at
Lakewood, Chautauqua Lake, New York, where he
recently built a fine country residence, but still has
his winter home at Warren. He belongs to the
Engineers' Club of New York City, the Union Club
of Cleveland, the Detroit Club of Detroit, and in
point of membership is one of the oldest members
of the Automobile Club of America, of New York
City.
• iMr. Packard was united in raarriage with EUzabeth
A. Gillmer, a daughter of Judge Thomas I. GiUmer
of Warren. Mrs. Packard is a graduate of Vassar
College. Gerard C. Chirichigno. Identified with one of
the leading industries of Mahoning County, Gerard
C. Chirichigno, of Youngstown, has met with pro
nounced success in his career, and as general man
ager of the Youngstown Wire & Iron Company is
a prominent factor in advancing the manufacturing
interests not only of the firm by which he is em
ployed but of the city and county. A son of An
thony and Louisa Chirichigno, he was born in 1890
in Italy. His parents came with their faraily to the
United States many years ago, locating first in
Pittsburg, i8g6, but later settling in Youngstown,
where the father engaged in the baking business on
South Watt Street for upwards of twenty years.
A good student, anxious to learn, Gerard C.
Chirichigno attended school regularly during his boy
hood days, and later worked throughout his vaca
tions in various structural iron plants. After his
graduation from the Rayen High School, with the
money thus earned Mr, Chirichigno entered the
mechanical engineering department of the University
of Pittsburg, from which he was graduated with the
class of 191S, after whicii he was employed in the
engineering department of the Carnegie Steel Plant
and in the Petroleum Iron Works at Sharon, Penn
sylvania, and later accepting a position with the
¦Youngstown Wire & Iron Company he was sales
manager for three years.
In igig, when the company was reorganized, Mr.
Chirichigno became a stockholder and the general
manager, a position of great responsibility, which he
is filling to the entire satisfaction of the firm and to
its large patronage. The company, which makes a

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

235

specialty of structural and ornamental iron works,
has recently moved to more coraraodious quarters,
being very advantageously located in the old Sennett
plant at Sycamore & Andrews Avenue. Mr. Chirich-
igno's brother Michael, a graduate also of the Rayen
High School, returned to Youngstown in the sum
raer of 1919 frora France, where he was in service
during a part of the World war. •
Mr. Chirichigno raarried June 30, 1919, Miss An
gelina Parillo, of Girard, Ohio.
Rudolf C. Kurz. Practical industry, wisely and
vigorously applied, never fails of success. It car
ries a raan onward and upward, brings out his
individual character and acts as a powerful stirau
lus to the efforts of others. The greatest results
in life are often attained by siraple raeans and the
exercise of the ordinary qualities of coraraon sense
and perseverance. The everyday life with its cares,
necessities and duties, affords araple opportunities
for acquiring experience of the best kind, and its
raost beaten paths provide a true worker with abun
dant scope for effort and progress. The record of
Mr. Kurz is that of a man who by his own unaided
efforts worked his way frora a modest beginning to
a place of affluence and influence in the business
world, and today he enjoys the unbounded confidence
of his fellow citizens of Youngstown.
Rudolf C. Kurz was born in Prussia on February
26, 1855, the son of August and Caroline (Stark)
Kurz. August Kurz was a professional soldier
and was a raember of the Household Guard of
Eraperor WUliam I of Gerraany. Eventually he sold
his holdings in Gerraany and brought his faraily
to the United States in 1866. He at once carae
to Youngstown and entered the eraploy of Parish
& Nash, cabinetraakers. He afterwards worked
in George Dingledy's raill and luraber yard, which
were located on Basin Street; stiU later he worked
for Lindsay & Boardraan. With the money he
brought frora Germany he bought a corafortable
home, where he lived until his death, which oc
curred in 1877, at the age of sixty-nine years. His
widow died in 1879, when sixty-eight years of age.
They were members of the Lutheran Church ancl
were held in high esteem by those who knew them.
They were the. parents of twelve children, of whom
those living are Rudolf C, and Pauline, of this
city, the widow of William Hulzwhart.
Rudolf C. Kurz attended school in Germany, com
pleting his coraraon school studies in the old Woods
Street school in this citv, doing chores at the tirae
and attending C. H. Andrews' horse. His first
.employment after he left school was in the old
Brown-Bonnell raUl. when eleven years old, pack
ing nails, under Ned Jones; beating naU plates
under Dick Ferguson; on rolls, under Dan Reibel
while arnong his other bosses were Frank Brown'
Jack McDonald, Sara Fellows and Leonard Black'
all of whom were well known araong the iron men
of that day. After four years in the iron mill Mr
Kurz applied himself to learn the blacksmith and
vvagonmaking trade with Siegfried & Lemley their
shop standing on the present site of Deibel's butcher
shop on Federal Street. After completing his ap
prenticeship he with his brothers Ernest and Albert
opened the shop now owned and operated by the

subject and under the firm name E. Kurz and Broth
ers, and soon did a large and prosperous business.
They also operated a harness and saddlery business-
on iPhelps Street, where the Equity Saving & Loan
Company is now located. Mr. Kurz was wisely
economical and soon found hiraself getting ahead
financially. He was a wise believer in real estate
as an investment medium, and as he was able he
made purchases of properties which have proven
wise and profitable investments. His first purchase
was the property where the Kurz hardware store
is now located on Federal Street, and on that street
he now owns ten store buildings, and among other
properties owned by him is the oldest building in
the city, the old schoolhouse. He is now rated as
one of the largest individual property owners in
Youngstown, and he is authority for the statement
that he has never lost a cent on any real estate
investraent he has raade. He has always been a
hard worker, but has been blessed with splendid
health and has enjoyed his work. He is now erect
ing a fine residence on Wick Avenue, and he ex
pects to close his shop on the day he is si.xty-five
years of age.
Mr. Kurz has long occupied an enviable place in
the esteera of his fellow citizens. He was twice
elected a meraber of the city council, each tirae by
treraendous raajorities, and has been urged to ac
cept other public offices, including that of raayor,
but he has no arabition in that line and has stead
fastly refused to becorae a candidate. Mr. Kurz
is a trustee in the City Trust & Savings Bank, a
trustee in the Equity Savings & Trust Corapany and
a stockholder in the Peoples Bank of East Youngs
town, Ohio.
In 1880 Rudolf C. Kurz was raarried to Amelia
Krum, who was born near Bessemer, Springfield
Township, this county, and to them were born five
children, namely: Charles, who is manager of the
Kurz hardware store; Clara, who- is the wife of
John Helcer, of Youngstown; Edward, who is in
the grocery business on WUson Avenue, this city;
Harry is in the city engineer's office, while his
twin sister, Carrie, is the wife of Ralph Sraith, who
IS located at Oraaha, Nebraska, as sales agent for
the Truscon Steel Company. Mr. and Mrs. Kurz
are merabers of the Lutheran Church. He is a
deraocrat in politics.
William Wilson is a civil engineer by pro
fession and for thirty years has been actively con
nected with the building trades of the Mahoning ¦
Valley. Some of the most iraportant surveys in the
valley testify to his achieveraents and the facilities
of the organization with him.
Mr. WUson early in life was eraployed by Jaraes
Mackey, who for years stood in first rank of the
civil and construction engineering profession in
Eastern Ohio. Later he was associated with C:harles
Mackey, a son of James Mackey. This association
continued until the death of Charles Mackey. Mr.
Wilson was civil engineer for NUes about twelve
years, resigning in the year 1907. At the present time
he IS engineer for Girard, Hubbard and Lowellville
and also has a very large private practice in Youngs
town.^ A few of the more important surveys handled
by this association were for the Union Iron & Steel

236

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Company plants (now Carnegie), the Republic Rub
ber Company, the Pollock Boiler Company, the
General iFireproofing Company, the Truscon Steel
Company, the Stambaugh Building, the First Na
tional Bank Building, the Wick BuUding, the Ma
honing National Bank BuUding, the Home Savings
& Loan BuUding, McKelvey BuUding, Ohio Hotel
Building and many others.
Mr. 'WUson is a member of the Youngstown En
gineers Club, the Ohio Engineering Society, the
American Association of Engineers and the Amer
ican Water Works Association.
Walter Lee Kauffman, credit raanager of the
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company, has been inti
mately connected with the iron and steel industry of
this city for over thirty years.
He was born in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland
County, Pennsylvania, August 9, i860. He had an
older brother, Percival Coover, who was born in
1857, and a sister, Edith Belle, who was younger.
He was early educated at Lauderbach Acaderay at
Philadelphia and the Cumberland Valley Institute at
Mechanicsburg. Afterward he learned the trade^ of
printing at the Thomas Printing House in Mechanics
burg, Pennsylvania, and then entered Dickinson Col
lege, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, class of 1882.
His father, Levi Kauffraan, was a prominent
banker in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, collector of
revenue for the Fifteenth District of Pennsylvania
during President Lincoln's administration, and one
of the organizers of the republican party and very
active in its affairs. The mother, Ann Elizabeth
Coover, was a daughter of John Coover, Esq., a
prominent merchant in Mechanicsburg. She was
the granddaughter of Hon. George Coover (Kober),
an extensive land owner of Southern Pennsylvania,
who was a member of the Continental Congress that
elected Washington president.
Walter Lee Kauffraan left college and was con
nected with the Araerican Tube & Iron Company,
Middletown, Pennsylvania, from January, 1881, to
May, 1886, when he reraoved to Youngstown, Ohio,
to take charge of the offices of the Youngstown
Mills of the same company, which were then just
buUding, and later was raade raanager, and continued
with them until the plant was purchased by the Na
tional Tube Company on June i, i89g, and was
known as their Youngstown departraent, afterwards
becoraing a subsidary corapany of the United States
Steel Corporation, when he was made manager, and
continued as such until July i, igo8, at which time
the plant was abandoned and dismantled. He then
was connected with the Ohio Iron & Steel Company
and the Carbon Liraestone Corapany of Youngstown,
Ohio, untU February i, igog, when he became credit
manager of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company,
Youngstown, Ohio, one of the largest steel manu
facturing industries of the country.
He has always been a republican in politics, is a
member of the First Presbyterian Church of Youngs
town, a meraber of the Sigma Chi college frater
nity, and is also a Mason. He is fond of golf and
all outdoor sports ; has always been prominent in
club life, and is a raeraber of the Youngstown Club,
and the Youngstown Country Club of Youngstown,

Ohio, and of the Duquesne Club of Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. His residence is 748 Bryson Street]
Youngstown, Ohio.
Frederick H. Munkelt. Few industries of the
world surpass in importance that of the iron and
steel, and among the firms of consequence in this
wide field is the Petroleum Iron Company of Sharon,
of which Frederick H. Munkelt is a director and
the assistant sales manager.
Although he is a native of England, born in Lon
don May 13, 1886, he was but eight years of age
when brought by his parents, Julius A. and Charlotte
E. (Brown) Munkelt, to the United States. It was
as the Araerican representative of Winsor & Newton,
an artist supply raaterial firra of London, England,
that Julius A. Munkelt becarae identified with the
life and interests of this country. Both he and his
wife are now living in Brooklyn, New York.
It was also in the City of Brooklyn that their son
Frederick H. attained to raanhood's estate and gradu
ated from high school in February, 1903. He then
matriculated in Dartmouth College, from which he
was graduated in igo8 with the degree of B. S.,
and in igog Dartmouth conferred upon him the de
gree of C. E. Following this coUege training Mr.
Munkelt went to Elmira, New York, where he was
assigned as draftsman with the American Bridge
Company, and in the fall of 1910 severed his in
terests there to join the estimating and designing
departraent of the American Bridge Company in New
York City. During his connection with that or
ganization he served in various capacities and gained
an excellent knowledge of the fundamentals of the
iron industry.
In 1914 Mr. Munkelt carae to Youngstown, Ohio,
the city in which his interests have since been cen
tered and in which he has gained a foothold in the
business world. He at once became identified, with
the Petroleum Iron Works Corapany of Sharon,
Pennsylvania, as a salesraan, and from October,
igi4, until July, 1915, represented this company in
the oil fields of Oklahoraa, Texas and Kansas. From
AprU, iqi6, until AprU, 1917, inclusive, he has charge
of the St. Louis office of the corporation; from iMay,
1917, until January, igig, represented his company
at Washington, D. C., in an iraportant capacity dur
ing the war, also representing the Steel Fabricators
of the United States at the same tirae, and since
then he has served as assistant sales raanager of the
Petroleum Iron Corapany, and is a director also of
the Petroleura Iron 'Works Corapany of Ohio. Mr.
Munkelt is an associate member of the American
Society of Civil Engineers and the Thayer Society
of Civil Engineers, the latter an organization of
Dartmouth graduates frora the civil engineering
course, and is a meraber of the Kappa Sigma coUege^
fraternity and of the Youngstown Chamber of
Conimerce. On the i2th of AprU, igi6, Mr. Munkelt was mar
ried to Miss Jessie F. iPounds, of Brooklyn, New
York, and to thera has been born one daughter,
Elizabeth Gertrude. The faraily are members of
the First Presbyterian Church.
James Ellsworth Heasley. Twenty-five years of
active business connections constitute the record of

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

237

James Ellsworth Heasley as a resident of Warren.
In later years his energies and means have been
drawn into a number of enterprises, but the basis of
his business was his trade as a plumber and he is
still proprietor of the Warren Heating & Plumbing
Company. Mr. Heasley was born in Lawrence County, Penn
sylvania, about ten miles east of Youngstown, on
June 24, 1863. His parents, Elias P. and Josephine
(Davis) Heasley, were both born in Mercer County,
Pennsylvania, the Heasleys being of reraote Gerraan
ancestry. Elias Heasley spent his active life as a
farraer in Lawrence County and died there in May,
1900, at the age of sixty-three. He is survived by
his widow, who is now in her eighty-first year.
James E. Heasley left the farm when about nine
teen years of age and coraing to Youngstown served
an apprenticeship of four years to learn the pluraber's
trade under Moutgoraery Thorapson. His first inde
pendent venture was his partnership with Williara
Burnett, under the name Burnett & Heasley, plumb
ers, but after a year he sold out to his partner and
removed to Sharon, Pennsylvania, where he was
¦foreman of the Leslie & Naylor Plurabing Corapany
three years.
On coming to Warren in 1894 Mr. Heasley bought
the stove and hardware business of James Reed &
Son, and with WUliam N. Henderson established the
firra of Henderson & Heasley, hardware raerchants
and plurabers. He was an active associate in this
enterprise, selling out in 1906 to Mr. Henderson
and then confining his entire attention to plurabing,
with a shop on South Park Avenue. A year later
his business was reraoved to the Masonic BuUding on
East Market. In 1910, having purchased the old
Judge Hutchins property at 228 East Market Street,
Mr. Heasley established the Warren Plurabing &
Heating Corapany there, its present location. More
recently, in 1918, he thoroughly remodeled that prop
erty by building a brick garage, the rear part of
which is three stories, on ground 60 by no feet, the
one-story show room in front being 100 by 20 feet.
In 1917 Mr. Heasley with WUliara Loveless built
the "L. & H." Block, the initials indicating the naraes
of the builders. This is a three-story brick building,
60 by 65 feet on a lot 120 by 60 feet, and contains
three storerooms below and ten apartraents above.
Mr. Heasley has also used his capital to construct
a number of residences in different parts of the city.
He is a director of the People's Savings & Loan
Company of Warren.
Other associations with his home city are as a
meraber of the Warren Board of Trade, Old Erie
Lodge No. 3, Free and Accepted Masons, Warren
Coraraandery No. 3g, Knights Teraplar, Al Koran
Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Cleveland, Mahon
ing Lodge of Odd Fellows and Warren Lodge of
Elks. Deceraber 22, i8g6, Mr. Heasley married Mary
A. Henderson. They have a son and daughter, Wil
liam P. and Justina. WUliam P., born February 12,
1900, during his senior year in the Warren High
School enlisted in the Medical Reserve Corps, and
saw one year of service and duty at a base hospital
in France. Since his honorable discharge he has
pursued_ his coUege career at the Ohio 'Wesleyan
University at Delaware. The daughter, Justina, born

July I, 1904,. is now a raeraber of the junior class of
the Warren High SchooL Mr. Heasley is a member
of the First Methodist Episcopal Church.
J. Clyde Campbell. While not a veteran in years,
it is doubtful if any man in Youngstown has had a
more varied and active connection with the steel
interests of the Mahoning Valley than J. Clyde
Campbell. For a nuraber of years Mr. Carapbell has
been employment manager of the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Corapany.
He was born at Hubbard, Ohio, April 16, 1877,
and thus grew up in a district of steel raills and in
dustrial life. He is one of the surviving children
in the faraUy of six born to Alexander Carapbell
and Caroline Veach. His raother is now deceased.
His grandfather, Hugh Carapbell, was an early
settler in this section of Ohio. Alexander Carapbell
was for many years a useful and honored citizen of
TrumbuU County. He was a school raaster affection
ately reraerabered by many in that county, and for
a nuraber of years was principal of the Hubbard
schools. He also served as raayor of Hubbard and
for four years was a county coraraissioner of Trura
buU County. His present horae is over the state line
at Sharon, Pennsylvania, where he lives retired.
J. Clyde Campbell grew up in Hubbard and is a
graduate of the high school of that town. At the
age of twenty years he went to work for the Ma
honing Valley Iron Company at Youngstown as
weighmaster and shipping clerk in the blast furnace.
Two years later he was made storekeeper, and sub
sequently assistant paymaster. Upon the organiza
tion of the steel trust he was transferred to the dis
trict office at Youngstown of the Republic Iron and
Steel Company. iHe was in the freight and pur
chasing departraents, and subsequently was sent to
Alexandria, Indiana, and to Springfield, Illinois, to
reraove Besseraer raUls which were part of the in
terests of the great raerger. Later he was eraployed
in the order departraent of the Republic Iron and
Steel Corapany at Youngstown. A year later he re
signed and went to Girard, Ohio, in the raUl order
departraent of the Carnegie Steel Corapany. Since
February, 1902, his horae has been at Youngstown
and his connection with the Youngstown Sheet &
Tube Corapany continuous. For ten years he was
assistant payraaster, for two years was in the cost
departraent, and since igi4 has been eraployraent
manager, a post of great responsibility and calling
for all the tact and experience of Mr. Campbell.
He is a republican in politics and is a Royal Arch
Mason. July ig, igo2, he raarried Miss Gertrude
Paisley, of Youngstown, daughter of Robert A. and
Mary (Porter) Paisley. They have one son, Robert
A., always known in the faraily as Bob. Mr. and
Mrs. Carapbell are raerabers of the First Presbyterian
Church. Owen David Morgan. The late Owen D. Morgan
was closely identified with the business, civic and
social life of the Mahoning VaUey for over thirty
years, and at the time of his death he was one of
the best-known and highly esteemed men in the
entire yalley. During his active business career he
raet with success out of the ordinary, overcame all

238

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

difficulties, and becarae one of the really worth
while men of the coraraunity. He was a self-made
man in the truest sense of that term, for he began
life as an apprentice, mastered his trade, went into
business on his own account and succeeded, aided
only by his inherent qualities of heart and raind — an
arabition to succeed, industry and perseverance,
backed up by absolute integrity and sound judg
raent. Mr. Morgan vyas born in South Wales on April 6,
1858, the son of 'David and Jane (Bowen) Morgan.
David Morgan brought his family over from South
Wales in i860 and located in Youngstown. A few
years later he reraoved to his farra in Hubbard,
Trumbull County, and was a farraer for a nuraber
of years, then returned to Youngstown, in which city
he and his wife passed their declining years.
Owen D. Morgan was a child of two years when
the faraily carae to the United States. His early days
were spent in Youngstown and on his father's farra
in Hubbard. After leaving school he served an
apprenticeship at the carriage and wagon-raaker's
trade, and worked at the trade for a nurnber of
years, or until he had gained sufficient experience to
get into business on his own account.
In 1889 Mr. Morgan came to Warren and^ estab
lished a carriage and wagon shop in partnership with
Gotlib Lemley, under the firm name of Morgan and
Lemley. Later Mr. Lemley sold his interest in the
business to Henry Siegfried, who later sold out to
the late William A. Williams, Mr. Morgan's brother-
in-law. Under the firra narae of Morgan and Wil
liaras the business was developed substantially ahd
becarae one of the prominent industries of Warren.
However, with the advent of the autoraobUe, the
firra becarae sales agents for the Overland car for a
territory erabracing nine counties, and that business
was successfully carried on by Mr. Morgan and Mr.
Williaras until 1917, when both partners retired frora
active business, Mr. Morgan removing to Pasadena,
California, in search of health.
Mr. Morgan was also associated with Mr. Williams
in the organization of the Warren Realty and Trust
Corapany, and served as treasurer of that corpora
tion for some time. He also held other iraportant
business interests in Warren, but for several years
had not been active in the raanageraent of any
enterprise. In 1886 Mr. Morgan was united in marriage with
Miss Mary Morris Griffith, who was born in Tall-
raadge, Suramit County, Ohio, the daughter of
Thomas and Mary (iMorris) Griffith, natives of
South Wales. When Mrs. Morgan was a child of
six raonths the faraily removed to Youngstown,
where for a nuraber of years Mr. Griffith was en
gaged in the real estate business, and in which city
he and his wife died. Thoraas and Griffith streets
in Youngstown were naraed in honor of Mr.
Griffith. Mr. Morgan was a raeraber of Central Christian
Church and Old Erie Lodge of Masons of Warren.
After their reraoval to California Mr. and Mrs.
Morgan returned to Warren on annual visits, and
it was -while on one of these visits that Mr. Morgan's
death occurred on May 27, ig20, his death coraing
as a shock to the entire community.

The life of Mr. Morgan was so unselfish, so use
ful and so placid, and his personality was so genial,
so kind and wholesome, that he won the regard of
all with whom he had business dealings and the
esteera of all with whora he carae in contact in any
relation. Warm hearted, generous and genial, he
gained and held the true friendship of many men,
raen who regarded his friendship as a blessing and
raourn his passing away. A faithful friend, a fond
husband, a true man, a good citizen, are the terms
applied to the man and his deeds.
Chester Curtis Waller, M. D. During his resi
dence in the Mahoning Valley the professional dis
tinctions associated with Chester C. Waller are due
almost altogether to his exceptional abilities and
skUl as a surgeon. He was in the general practice
of raedieine for a number of years before coming
to the Mahoning Valley and locating at Warren,
where his rare equipment and talents have earned
hira special recognition in the difficult field of sur
gery. Doctor Waller is a native of Northern Vermont
and represents an old American family, his branch of
the family having been pioneers in Northern Ver
mont. His great-grandfather, Joseph Waller, pre
sided over the first divine raeeting for worship in
that section of the state. Henry C. WaUer, father
of Doctor Waller, was born in Verraont, in early Hfe
was a farmer and later was a merchant at Iras-
burg, where he died in i87g. He was very active and
influential in the Grange. Henry C. 'Waller mar
ried Josephine Bogue, a native of Northern Ver
mont. She survived her husband only four months.
Her father, Virgil P. Bogue, a Vermont farmer,
had a family of three sons and five daughters, aU
the sons becoming physicians, while one daughter
married a nhysician. The p-reat-tmcle of Doctor
Waller of Warren was Dr. R. G. Bogue, who was
one of the early raedicai raen in the City of Chiv
cago. Doctor Waller is one of four sons, being the
oldest of the faraily. His brother, Henry A., for
the past fourteen years has been superintendent of
the Providence and Dandleson Street RaUway Com
pany. Halley T. is secretary of the Young iMen's
Christian Association at Akron, Ohio, and president
of the board of education of that city. Percy C.
is a physician in Vermont.
Dr. C. C. Waller was born at Irasburg, Orleans
County, Vermont, March 14, 1872. As a boy he
lived in the rugged environment of a Vermont
farm. He attended district schools, also the Ver
raont Methodist Serainary at Montpelier, and spent
one year in the study of medicine at the University
of 'Vermont. Another year he was in the medi
cal department of Dartmouth College, and his third
and final year was spent at the Baltimore Medical
College, now the medical departraent of the Uni
versity of Maryland. He graduated there with the
M. D. degree in 1898. Doctor WaUer spread his
medical work araong these three schools from con
scious intention and not as a result of circurastance.
It was his desire to get the advantages of the meth
ods and come in touch with the able men of aU
three institutions.
Doctor Waller practiced for fourteen years in his
horae town in Vermont. Early in his career he dis-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

239

covered a special aptitude for surgery and neg
lected no opportunity to specialize in that line. For
a nuraber of years he was a regular attendant at
the surgical clinics held in Montreal, Canada, a
city only ninety railes frora his horae town. In
•912 Doctor Waller located at Lyndonville, Verraont,
L.ere he began specializing in surgery. At the
sarae tirae he was affiliated with the iSrightlook and
St. Johnsbury hospitals. After considerable inves
tigation Doctor Waller determined to locate at War-
.1., and his home has been in that city since Octo-
r, 1915. Frora the first he confined his work
iargely to surgery. The preceding four years he had
given all his spare time to research study and at
tendance at the hospitals and clinics.
Doctor Waller was coramissioned a captain in the
Medical Reserve Corps, May 16, 1917. iHe was
¦ordered to active duty the 2Sth of June and nine
days later assigned administrative work. Septem-
oer 4, igi7, he was assigned to the Seventy-sixth
Division at Carap Devens, Massachusetts, in com
mand of the Regiraental Detachraent of the Three
Hundied and First Infantry. March 23, 1918, he
was coraraissioned raajor in the Medical Corps, and
•on July 6th was ordered to France with the above
organization. Septeraber 23, 1918, he was raade
uivision sanitary inspector and assigned to the oifice
of division surgeon. Noveraber 5th he was raade
acting division surgeon by special order iNo. g2,
paragraph 14, at headquarters of the Third Depot
Division, Araerican Expeditionary Forces, Araerican
Post Office No. 773. He was continued in that
¦capacity until the eorapletion of the transfer of offi
cers and raen of the Seventy-sixth Division, and
then, on Noveraber 29, 1918, was requested by the
chief surgeon of the interraediate section to take
station at Navarre, France, with the Nineteenth Engi
neers (Pennsylvania Railway outfit), the purpose
of which assignraent was to expedite sanitary meas
ures in the checking of typhoid and diarrhea, dis
eases that had been defying all efforts to eradicate
since the preceding January. A promise was given
him at the tirae, as a reward, of an iraraediate trans
fer home. This promise materialized Deceraber 24,
1918, when he received home orders. He was hon
orably discharged at Camp MUls, New York, April
28, igig, and on the 5th of June following resuraed
his work at Warren.
Aside from rendering patriotic service to his coun
try. Doctor Waller looked upon the army service
as an opportunity for valuable surgical experience,
but his special genius fOr administrative work caused
his various assignments as above noted, and, as a '
matter of fact, he handled only a single case of
surgery all the time he was in the army, that being
an emergency appendicitis operation. Since return
ing frora France Doctor Waller has liraited his prac
tice to surgery and diagnosis.
Doctor Waller is a meraber of the TrurabuU Coun
ty and Ohio State Medical societies and of the
Araerican Medical Association, and is affiliated with
Carroll F. Clapp Lodge Free and Accepted Masons
;.t Warren, the Warren Lodge, Knights of Pythias
Warren Lodge of Elks, and the Warren Rotary Club'
Doctor Waller married Grace M. White daugh
ter of Charles C. and Miranda White, of North Troy

Vermont. Mrs. Waller died in igii, the mother
of three children : David Wilkie, born in 1903 ; Ger
ald Charles, born in 1907 ; and Geraldine Rosa
mond, born in igoS.
In igi3 Doctor Waller married his present wife,
who was EmUy Waller, a distant relative and a
chUdhood friend, a woman of rare attributes, who
has assuraed the maternal care of the doctor's chil
dren. John McKenzie Henderson. One of the agencies
that has contributed most to the volume of the auto
mobile business at Warren is the Henderson Motor
Car Company, of which John M. Henderson is gen
eral raanager and treasurer. Mr. Henderson has
been exceptionally successful in the autoraobUe field,
though he came to it from the field of art. For a
number of years he was a well known teacher of
rausic, with a studio at Cleveland.
Mr. Henderson was born at Youngstown, April 21,
1878, son of Williara and Justina (iMcKenzie) Hen
derson. His parents were born in Scotland, and
about a year and a half after their marriage they
carae to the United States and located at Youngs
town. Williara Henderson was identified with the
Brown-Bonnell plant at Youngstown as foreman in
the puddling department for over thirty years. He
died in March, 1914, at Youngstown, where his wife
is still living.
John M. Henderson acquired a public school educa
tion at Youngstown. He early evinced special talents
in rausic and largely by his own efforts- acquired a
liberal rausical education. For eight years he was a
student under sorae of the best instructors in New
York City. His professional career began in 1907
as director of rausic at Sirapsou College, Indianola,
Iowa, where in addition he taught vocal four years.
He then returned to Ohio, establishing a studio in
Cleveland, where he reraained five years. During
that tirae he was head of the rausic departraent at
Hirara College.
Mr. Henderson gave up his profession in 1916 to
enter the autoraobUe business. His first location was
at NUes, where he was president of the Henderson
Motor Car Corapany. A year later the business was
removed to Warren. This company now handles and
distributes the Overland and Willys-Knight cars and
the Garford trucks, and has rolled up an iraposing
aggregate of business for those well known makes.
Mr. Henderson is president of the Trumbull Coun
ty Autoraobile Trades Association, is a member of
the 'Warren Automobile Club and the National Auto
raobUe Club. He is also active in the 'Warren Board
of Trade, the Warren Rotary Club, and is affiliated
with Carroll F. Clapp Lodge of Masons, the Royal
Arch Chapter and Warren Lodge of Elks.
Mr. Henderson raarried Miss Jane Caldwell,
daughter of Jaraes and Belinda (Connor) Caldwell.
Her parents were natives of Ireland. Her father
was long a resident of Youngstown and built the
monument in the Square in that city. For that work
compensation to hira was delayed thirty-five years.
Mr. and Mrs. Henderson have three children :
Bruce Pauley, Dorothy Virginia and Louise Cald
well.

Vol. 11—16

240

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Harry S. Smith. One of the successful business
raen and popular citizens of Warren is Harry S.
Sraith, who has been closely identified with the af
fairs of the city for over twenty years, ¦ during
which time he has worked his way up from journey
raan to owner of one of the leading plumbing and
heating concerns in this part of the Mahoning Valley.
Mr. Sraith is a native of this valley, and is in the
fourth generation of his faraily here. His paternal
great-grandfather was one of the earliest settlers of
the valley, and his grandfather, Williara Smith, was
born here. His father, WUliam A. Sraith, was born
at Petersburg, and is at the present time engaged in
carpentering and cabinet making in Youngstown. His
mother, Caroline (Felker) Smith, daughter of John
P. Felker, was born at New Springfield, and died in
igo4. Harry S. was born at New Springfield, Mahoning
County, on March 2g, 1873. He was educated in the
Youngstown public schools, and in that city he served
an apprenticeship at the plumbing trade with the old
firm of Stambaugh & Thompson. After finishing his
three years' apprenticeship he worked for the old
firra as journeyraan until igoo, in which year he
carae to Warren and worked as a journeyraan for
two years, and in igo2, being arabitious to have a
business of his own, he opened a sraall shop on West
Market Street. He began in a sraall way with
limited capital, but his skill as a workraan and his
business and personal qualities were soon recognized,
and his business grew rapidly. In order to obtain
quarters to' accoraraodate his increasing business, he
reraoved to the Masonic Temple Building on East
Market and Pine streets, and in igo7 he forraed a
partnership with the late F. F. Childs, under the firra
name of Sraith & ChUds, plumbers, and gas-fitters.
In igi6, upon the death of Mr. Childs, the entire
business was taken over by Mr. Sraith, which by
now has grown into one of the largest plumbing and
steam-heating concerns in this section of Ohio, with
offices, show rooras and work-rooras at 27 North
Pine Street.
Mr. Smith is active and prominent in his business
and has been honored by the trade associations. He
is past president of the Ohio State Association of
Master Plumbers, and is president of the Mahoning
Valley Master Plurabers' Association. He is a raera
ber of the Warren Builders' Exchange, of the War
ren Board of Trade and of the Warren Rotary Club.
He is a member of Old Erie Lodge No. 3, Free and
Accepted Masons, past erainent coraraander of
Warren Coraraandery No. 3g, Knights Teraplar, and
belongs to Cleveland Consistory (thirty-second de
gree) Scottish Rite.
Mr. Sraith raarried Bertha E. Boynton of Youngs
town and both of them are merabers of the First
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Halsey Willard Taylor. The credit and respon
sibility belong to Mr. Taylor for giving Warren one
of its most prosperous and distinctive industries,
the extensive plant which today raanufactures many
types of drinking fountains, known generaUy to the
trade as the Puritan Fountains, all made from the
designs and under the patents owned and controUed
by Mr. Taylor.

Mr. Taylor has spent most of his life in this sec
tion of Ohio. He was born at Pickering, Missouri
February 18, 1877, and was about one year old when
his parents, Alfred C. and Josephine L. (Sturgill)
Taylor, came to Ohio and settled at Leavittsburg in
TrurabuU County. His father was a native of New
York State and his mother of Missouri. The family
lived at Leavittsburg. about sixteen years, Alfred
Taylor being local agent of the Erie RaUroad. He
was one of thousands attracted to the opening of
the Cherokee strip in Oklahoraa Territory in 1892,
and his faraily followed him to -the west. Alfred
Taylor died there in i8g3, and the widowed mother
and her children then returned to Leavittsburg. In
the spring of l8g3 they moved to Warren.
Halsey W. Taylor acquired his education in the
public schools of Leavittsburg. At the age of four
teen he found an opening for work in the foundry of
the Neracher Sprinkler Works at Warren, now
known as the Grinnell Corapany. Every night and
raorning he walked back and forth from his
home in Leavittsburg to the plant, but later found
work nearer horae at the Erie Railway transfer at
Leavittsburg. Then after the western experience of
the faraily and their return to Warren, Mr. Taylor
found eraployraent for six years in the old Warren
Stove Works, which plant, doubled in floor space,
Mr. Taylor recently bought and it is now the home
of his own corapany. On leaving tbe Warren Stove
Works he became an employe of the Packard Electric
Works, and was with that industry for sixteen years,
thirteen years of that time as shop superintendent.
In the raeantirae Mr. Taylor had been exercising
his inventive genius by working out some ideas and
plans of his own. With N. A. Wolcott of the
Packard Electric Corapany, and Evan J. Thomas, he
corapleted the organization of the Halsey W. Taylor
Corapany in September, 1913, Mr. Thoraas withdraw
ing shortly afterward. This corapany was founded
for the purpose of raanufacturing a patented drink
ing fountain designed by Mr. Taylor. On Novem
ber I, igig, Mr. Taylor acquired Mr. Wolcott's in
terest and is now sole owner of the business. He
raanufactures the Puritan drinking fountain under
his own invention and patents, and has made several
of the most valuable iraproveraents in sanitary drink
ing fountains. During the World war he was the
only raanufacturer who succeeded in meeting the
exacting requirements of the Government for a
sanitary drinking fountain to be used in the Govern
raent cantonraents and naval training stations. His
fountain was adopted over raany corapetitors, and
fountains manufactured in his plant at 'Warren were
used in the various cantonments, naval training sta
tions and aviation caraps in France.
This business has been one of steady growth and
developraent. At the beginning only one type of
fountain was manufactured, but at the present time
the output consists of from thirty to forty sizes,
forms and types, all of them designed by Mr. Taylor.
He now has contracts with some of the chief interests
in the country requiring this product. There has
been a proportionate increase in the plant at Warren,
until now it utilizes 34,000 square feet of floor space,
with fifty skilled laborers in the plant, and today this
company is the largest exclusive manufacturer of
sanitary drinking equipment in the world.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

241

Mr. Taylor i-s a raeraber of the Warren Rotary
Club, the Board of Trade, Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks and the Country Club. He and his
faraily are merabers of the First Baptist Church. He
married Miss Laura J. McCorab, of Warren, daugh
ter of Williara C. and Elizabeth (McGregor) Mc-
Comb. They have four children, Halsey Willard,
Jr., Laura Evelyn, Velva Effie ancl Ann iEleanor.
Wallace Andrew Lynn. The strong and efficient
administration of raunicipal affairs under the present
able regime of Mayor McBride has brought gen
eral satisfaction to the people of Warren. One of
the able merabers of the raayor's cabinet is the
director of safety, Wallace Andrew Lynn.
Mr. Lynn has spent most of his life in Warren,
and has always shown much capability in every
thing he has undertaken. He was born in Warren
Township, about five miles from the city, on May
i8, 1877, son of George F. and Mary (Kibler) Lynn.
His father was born in Cornersburg, Mahoning
County, and when a boy his father, Peter Lynn,
moved to Warren Township. Mary Kibler was born
in Warren Township south of Leavittsburg. Her
father, George Kibler, was a native of Germany and
at the age of fourteen carae with his parents on a
sailing vessel, and after a 142 days on the water
landed in this country and subsequently established
a home in TrurabuU County. George F. Lynn and
wife, are still living on the horae farra, the former
in his sixty-sixth year and the latter at the age of
sixty-nine. Wallace Andrew Lynn grew up on a farm, was
educated in district schools, and at the age of eight
een left home and carae to Warren. He learned the
trade of blacksmithing with the firm of Klippel &
iMcCrackin. After three years at Warren he estab
lished a shop_ of his own at Rosemont in Mahoning
County, reraained there three years, and then return
ing to Warren bought the shop where he had learned
his trade. Pie has since developed a profitable and
extensive business, both in general blacksmithing and
in horseshoeing.
Mr. Lynn is a raember of Old Erie Lodge No. 3,
Free and Accepted Masons, Trumbull Lodge No. 186
of the Moose and the Araerican Insurance Union.
He is a raember of the Masonic Club. He assumed
his duties as director of safety for the City of War
ren on January i, 1920.
Mr. Lynn and family are members of the First
Reformed Church. He married Alice Toot, who
was born at Lordstown, daughter of John and Mary
(Bailey) Toot. Mr. and Mrs. Lynn have four chil
dren : Harold, who was born in 1900 and is now
in the employ of the Second National Bank at
Warren; Gertrude, born in 1904; Kenneth, born in
1907; and MUdred, born in 1915.
George Tayler Hecklinger began his fourth suc
cessive term as city auditor of Warren on January i,
1920. Besides these official duties he is now and
has for a nuraber of years been one of the well
qualified lawyers of TrurabuU County. He has
found the rewards of his profession in the same
locality where he has spent his life and where his
family have lived for many years.

Mr. Hecklinger was born at Warren, February l,
1875, son of Martin and Adaline (Tayler) Heckling
er, His grandfather, Martin Hecklinger, brought his
family to the United States in 1856, locating first in
Youngstown and later in Warren, where he was a
merchant. Martin Hecklinger, Jr., was born in
France in 1848 and was about eight years of age
when he came to Ohio. For many years he was an
active factor in the manufacturing and industrial life
of Warren, but has lived retired since igi8. He and
his wife are highly respected citizens of Warren.
Adaline Tayler was born at Warren in 1851. Her
father, Matthew B. Tayler, was for many years
cashier of the old First National Bank of Warren.
George Tayler Hecklinger was reared in Warren,
attended the public schools and graduated in igo4
from Mercersburg College in Pennsylvania. He read
law with his uncle, J. J. Sullivan, now of Cleveland,
then of Warren, and was also a law student in the
University of Pennsylvania, graduating and receiving
his LL. iB. degree in igo6. He was admitted to the
bar that year and was soon busy with a growing
practice in his native city. Mr. Hecklinger was first
elected city auditor in 1914, and has been chosen
his own successor three tiraes.
He does his part as a good citizen, is a meraber of
the Warren Board of Trade, and affiliated with Old
Erie Lodge No. 3, Ancient Free and Accepted
Masons, Warren Chapter No. 66, Royal Arch
Masons, Mahoning Lodge No. 69 of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, and Warren Lodge No. 295
of the Elks. He is also a member of the First
Methodist Episcopal Church. January 24, 1900, iMr.
Hecklinger married Miss Cathryne Vogeley. Her
father, 'WUliara Vogeley, is a member of the Vogeley
OU Company of Pittsburg.
Myron Seaton Curtis was born at Washington,
District of Columbia, October 29, 1888, a lineal
descendant of the old Curtis faraily of Scituate,
Massachusetts. His grandfather, Charles T. Curtis,
was a civil engineer, and during the CivU war had
charge of the construction of Cabin John's Bridge,
the historic aqueduct erected by the governraent near
Washington, which was at that time the longest
single-span stone bridge in the world. His parents
are William T. S. Curtis and Mary (Barnard)
Curtis, residing at Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Mr. Curtis was educated at George Washington
University as a chemical engineer and came to
Youngstown in 191 1. He entered the works of the
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company, and has been
connected_ with that company since that time, being
now special agent. He was married in iNovember,
1913, to Nellie, daughter of John R. and Etta
(Bowman) Squire, of Youngstown, and resides at
278 Redondo Road, Youngstown.
Mr. Curtis is a member of the American Iron &
Steel Institute, the American Society for Testing
Materials, the Youngstown Club, the Youngstown
Country Club and the First Presbyterian Church.
William Fletcher Edwards, one of the leading
business men of Warren, has been identified with the
raanufacturing interests of the city since 1893. He
has on raany occasions during these years demon-

242

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

strated his readiness to cooperate with and support
any project that seemed to him to promise good for
sorae phase of the affairs of the city, and by his
public spirit and his industrial effort has had an
iraportant part in the progress of Warren during
the last generation.
He was born at NUes, TrurabuU County, Ohio, July
6, 1873, the son of John F. and Nancy (Martin)
Edwards, and grandson of Sarauel Edwards, who
was one of the pioneers of the Mahoning Valley.
The Edwards faraily is of British origin, but has
had residence in Araerica for raany generations.
Early the faraily appears to have been in Virginia,
but Benjamin Edwards, great-great-grandfather of
WUliam F., lived in Butler County of the State of
Pennsylvania, and there his son John was born.
Samuel, son of John, was also born in Butler
County, Pennsylvania, the year of his birth being
1812. He was quite a young man when he carae into
Ohio and settled in the Mahoning VaUey at Niles,
TrurabuU County. He endured the privations that
fell to the lot of the average pioneer, and he was
evidently a man of strong purpose, for whatever
hardships came to him he raet and overcarae them,
nr the family has had connection with Niles since
he first settled there. John F. Edwards, his son, and
the father of William F., was born in the family
homestead at Niles. He was for raany years era
ployed in the iron raills at NUes, and when he re
tired frora business in 1892 he reraoved to Warren,
where he lived for the remainder of his life, which
ended in 1900. He raarried Nancy Martin, daughter
of Benjarain Martin, a Kentucky planter. She was
born in Lexington, Kentucky, and died in igo5, in
Warren, Ohio, although for the greater part of her
life she had lived in NUes, TrurabuU County, Ohio.
Williara Edwards, son of John F. and Nancy
(Martin) Edwards, spent his early life in his horae
town, attending the public schools of Niles. His
first eraployraent was in the clothing store of J. L.
Hudson, Detroit. In the sarae year, however, he
becarae an eraploye of the Detroit Steel and Spring
Company, working in the Detroit plant of the cora
pany. For several years he was eraployed in the
Old Mill at Niles, Ohio, and with the iReeves Broth
ers Boiler Works in that city. In i8g3 he came to
Warren with Mr. A. R. Hughes and Benjamin W.
Edwards, his younger brother, the three in that
year organizing and establishing in Warren a manu
facturing plant which is now know'n as the Warren
City Tank and Boiler Company. In igo8 the busi
ness had reached such diraensions that with a view
to further rapid expansion corporate powers were
secured, and as an incorporated concern the enter
prise took the narae of the Warren City Tank and
BoUer Corapany, of which Mr. WUliara F. Edwards
is vice president. He has taken active part in the
raanageraent of the corapany since its inception, and
rauch of its present standing araong Araerican boiler
plants is due to tbe business ability of Mr. Edwards.
He is a member of all Masonic bodies, belonging
to Old Erie Lodge No. 3, Free and Accepted
Masons, to Warren Commandery No. 3g, Knights
Teraplar, to Lake Erie Consistory, thirty-second de
gree Scottish Rite, and to Al Koran Teraple of the
Mystic Shrine. He also is affiliated with the War

ren Lodge of Elks. Socially he is a raeraber of the
County Club, Cleveland Athletic Club, Old Colony
Club, which last named organization maintains
quarters in leading hotels of large cities expressly
for the accoraraodation and comfort of its raembers
who raight be visiting in those cities.
Mr. Edwards raarried Meda, daughter of Noah
Vest, of Missouri. The late distinguished United
States Senator Vest of Missouri was a raember of
the family to which Mrs. Edwards belongs. To Mr.
and Mrs. Edwards have been born three children:
Helen J., born May l, 1903; Harold W., born De
cember 20, 1904; Arthur M., born December 19,
1905. Charles C. Chryst. If Charles C. Chryst had
never accomplished anything raore than the carry
ing out of his successful carapaign in favor of
good roads in Trumbull County his name would
be enshrined among the wortb-whUe citizens of the
Mahoning Valley. He has always been an enthusi
ast on this subject, to which he has given thorough
and practical attention, and has managed to com
municate some of this enthusiasm to his feUow
citizens with very gratifying results, as those pass
ing over the fine roads constructed under his ad
ministration as road commissioner testify upon aU
occasions. Charles C. Chryst was born on the old Chryst
homestead in Weathersfield Township, Trumbull
County, on September 12, 1856, and is descended
from one of the old and prorainent famUies of the
Mahoning Valley. Solomon R. Chryst, his father,
was born at Lordstown, TrurabuU County, in 18,33,
a son of Jacob Chryst. Jacob Chryst was born
in the vicinity of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a son
of the original Araerican ancestor who came here
frora Gerraany at the close of the eighteenth cen
tury and settled in Pennsylvania. Leaving the
Keystone State, Jacob Chryst carae to the Mahoning
Valley sometime between 1817 and 1820, settling in
Lordstown Township when that section was a for
est. He bought considerable land, became a suc
cessful farmer, and lived to reach his eighty-eighth
year. Soloraon Chryst moved into Weathersfield Town
ship, where he was engaged in farming and the
buying and selling of stock for raany years, be
coming known all over Trumbull County as a man
of irreproachable character and as a worthy citi
zen. Later on in life he moved to Warren and
lived there in retirement until his death in 1909.
He raarried Elizabeth Johnson, who was born on the
Johnson farm in Duck Creek neighborhood, and
died at Warren in 1880. Her parents came to
Trumbull County from Connecticut.
Charles C. Chryst was reared on the old home-
.stead and was educated at the public schools, Hi
rara College and Allegheny College at MeadsviHe,
Pennsylvania, leaving the latter institution, how
ever, before he was ,gracluated so as to take ad
vantage of a good business opening. In 1874 "6
engaged in a grocery and provision business at
Warren, and continued it until 1879, wben he re-
tiirned to the farm and was associated with his
father in the stock business untU he was thirty-
five years of age. In 1888 he re-entered the gro-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

243

eery and provision business at Warren, expand
ing it into a public raarket, which he sold at a
good figure in Septeraber, 1918. In 1893 Mr. Chryst
becarae interested in the hotel business at Warren
as senior meraber of the firra of Chryst & Roach,
they taking over the Park Hotel at that tirae. In
1910 they becarae the owners of the Colonial Hotel
and have since then operated both properties, which
are the two leading hostelries of Warren. In the
same year that they secured their second hotel, these
partners organized the Warren Provision Corapany
which was incorporated with Mr. Chryst as presi
dent, but this company went out of business in 1918.
Mr. Chryst is regarded, and justly so, as the
"father of the good roads" in Northeastern Ohio,
as it is due to his efficient efforts that the present
system of macadam roads was inaugurated in Trum
bull County, where the first roads of that kind in
this part of Ohio were buUt. The beginning of this
era had its inception in the plan of Mr. Ghryst to
provide sorae kind of a path along the public high
ways for the use of the bicyclists. In 1903 he was
appointed by the board of county coraraissioners a
raember of the first board of highway commiss.ion-
ers under the new highway laws which went into
effect that year. Entering enthusiastically into the
project Mr. Chryst gave generously of his tirae.
raoney and influence and accomplished great things,
so that at the expiration of his four years the
county coraraissioners declined to let hira withdraw
as highway commissioner, and he served an addi
tional two years, qr untU he positively refused fur
ther appointment. ' During his administration there
were buUt in TrurabuU County 250 railes of bicycle
path and fifty-eight miles of macadam roads, a rec
ord not easily forgotten.
Mr. Chryst is a raan of large and varied affairs,
and araong other things is a raeraber of the board
of directors of the Western Reserve National Bank
of Warren, and was one of the original raerabers and
first directors of the Warren Board of Trade. Mr.
Chryst was raarried to Elizabeth Qualey, who was
born at Elraira, New York, a daughter of Siraon
and Mary Qualey, both of whora died at Warren,
where they had lived for many years.
Aside from what he has done in the matter of
good road building, and in providing Warren with
up-to-date hotel accomraodations, iMr. Chryst has .
accomplished rauch for the coraraunity. He has
upheld the Board of Trade in all of its plans for
the developraent of -the city, freely giving of his
time and raeans to consuraraate all raoveraents for
the general welfare.
Broad-rainded and progressive, genial and warra-
hearted Mr. Chryst holds the friendship of bis busi
ness and social acquaintances, while his raany traits
of character raake of hira an ideal friend and citi
zen. He is of a rugged nature, firra in his opin
ions, which, though soraetiraes raay be wrong, he
always frankly states when occasion requires, and
his viewpoint is always received with respect, for
the very reason that all who know hira realize that
he is conscientious in his views and beliefs. He
has the courage of his convictions, but is not an
opinionated or obstinate raan, and is always ready
to concede sincerity to the opinions of others.

Ralph Raymond Speak, recorder of TrurabuU
County, was born at Cleveland, Ohio, on January 25,
i8gi, a son of John R. and Jennie (Moreland)
Speak, the forraer of whora was born in Scotland in
1853, a son of John Speak, also a native of Scotland.
The raother of Ralph R. Speak was also born in
Scotland, the year of her nativity being 1861. The
parents were married in Scotland and came to the
United States shortly after their marriage, locating
at Cleveland, Ohio. John R. Speak was chief en
gineer of trans-Atlantic ships, saUing all of the seven
seas, but after his arrival at Cleveland he followed
the machinist trade until 1903. In that year he
raoved to Warren, and in 1906 to Niles, where his
death occurred on AprU 30, 1917. His wife died at
Cleveland in 1897.
The early days of Ralph R. Speak were spent at
Cleveland and Niles, and he was educated in the
public schools of these two cities, later taking up
a general business course in a school of correspond
ence. He began his business career when he was a
boy of thirteen years with the Sterling Electric
Corapany of Warren, where he was office boy for
one year. He then went to East Mecca, Ohio, and
attended school, working for his board and clothes.
Then he returned to the Sterling Electric Corapany
of Warren, but lived at Niles, and rose to be final
inspector with that corapany when he resigned to go
to the Glass Works at Niles in a clerical capacity.
He reraained with that concern until he left on
September i, 1917, to assume the duties of county
recorder, to which office he had been elected in
November, igi6. He was re-elected to the sarae
office in Noveraber, igi8 and was re-norainated in
1920 without opposition in the priraaries. Mr. Speak
is a raember of Warren Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks No. 295, of which he was exalted
ruler in 1919. He is a raeraber of the Buckeye Club
of Warren, the Loyal Order of Moose of Niles, and
the Niles Chamber of Coraraerce, and is one of the
energetic young business raen of both Warren and
NUes. He is a raeraber of First Christian Church of
Niles. Judge Dahl Buchanan Cooper, of Struthers,
Ohio, was born Septeraber ig, 1880, in Coitsville,
Mahoning County, Ohio, which was likewise the
birthplace of his father the late David Perry Cooper.
His grandfather, Robert Cooper, was of English
descent, his father having come from England to
the United States with his faraily, locating first in
Maryland, and frora there raigrating to Coitsville,
Ohio. '
David P. Cooper spent the earlier years of his life
in Coitsville, where he followed the trade of a black
sraith and wagon raaker. Moving later to Struthers,
he established a carriage gear-wood raanufactory,
which he raanaged successfully until his death, which
occurred in 1909, at Saint Louis, Missouri, having
been caused by a street car accident. He was then
in the prirae of life, having been but fifty-three years
of age. He raarried Mary A. McClelland, a daughter
of Capt. David McClelland, who, serving as an officer
during the Civil war, lost his life on the Stone River
battlefield. Both he and his wife united with the
Presbyterian Church when young, and she is still a

244

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

faithful and active raeraber. Fraternally he belonged
to the Independent Order of Odd FeUows, and politi
cally he was an independent deraocrat, seeking like
his son, the judge, better things rather than a
stringent alignraent to party lines. Four children
were born of the union, of Mr. and Mrs. David P.
Cooper, as follows : Dahl B., with whora this brief
sketch is chiefly concerned ; Ralph M., of Struthers,
is with the Republic Iron & Steel Corapany; Mary,
who becarae the wife of Hugh Hamilton, passed to
the life beyond in igil ; and David P., Jr., who died
in igo4, aged six years. The mother born in 1858,
resides at 263 Poland Avenue, Struthers, Ohio.
Acquiring his elementary education in the public
schools of CoitsvUle and Struthers, Dahl B. Cooper
was graduated frora the Rayen High School with the
class of 1899. Continuing his studies in Ohio, he
took a full course at Oberlin College, receiving his
diploma in 1903. Going then to Carabridge, Massa
chusetts, he entered the law department of Harvard
University, frora which he was graduated in 1907.
Being admitted to the Ohio Bar, he iraraediately
began the practice of his profession in Youngstown,
being associated in partnership with J. F. Williaras,
Jr., with whom he was associated untU his election to
the judgeship. In 1918 Mr. Cooper was elected on
a non-partisan contest to his present position as
judge of the Court of Coraraon Pleas for a terra of
six years, and is perforraing the duties of his office
to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.
Judge Cooper raarried, August 5, 191 5, Ruth G.
Creed, a farraer and dairyraan at Struthers, and they
are the parents of two bright, interesting children,
Betty Louise and Williara Perry. The Judge and
Mrs. Cooper are worthy members of the United
Presbyterian Church. Fraternally the judge belongs
to the Knights of Pythias. Frora igog until the elec
tion of igi8 Judge Cooper was raanager of all the
dry carapaigns in Mahoning County.
Albert Guarnieri has been a resident of War
ren over thirty years. He is one of the most promi
nent and successful men in TrurabuU County of
Italian birth and parentage. He retired from his
active responsibilities as a merchant recently, and
for a number of years past has used his resources
for the buying and development of many valuable
parcels of real estate in Warren.
Mr. Guarnieri was born at Neirone, near Genoa,
January i, 1866, son of Salvatore Guarnieri. In
1887 he crossed the ocean to New York City and
. came directly to Warren, where his brothers John
and Paul were in business. John Guarnieri is now
deceased and Paul is a resident of Ashtabula, Ohio.
Albert's first employraent was with his brother John,
who then operated a fruit stand at the corner of
Market and Main streets. After two years, havin.g
been able to accuraulate a raodest captial, he estab
lished a fruit stand of his own at the corner of
Market Street and Park Avenue. The next impor
tant advance in his business progress came in May,
i8g6, when he opened a confectionery store at 33
East Market Street, also continuing his fruit stand
for a tirae. He built up a large confectionery busi
ness, eventually making it both wholesale and re
tail, and it was at his place of business that he

could be found alraost daily untU Se'ptember, igig
when he turned over the confectionery establish
ment to his son, Albert, Jr., and his daughter, Mrs.
Louise and her husband, Joseph Scarnecchia.
Mr. Guarnieri accepted this relief frora his long
continued business activity as an opportunity for
a well-deserved rest. He returned to the old home
in Italy in the fall of igig, and reraained untU the
spring of ig2i.
Mr. Guarnieri has always regarded his citizenship
in Araerica as perraanent, and has invested the great
bulk of his resources in Warren real' estate. His
first land purchase in the city was the property at
13 South Pine Street. Later he bought th-e corner
property at 15 South Pine, and established his home
there. In igo8 he bought the Giinglefinger home
at 30s East Market Street, and that has been the
Guarnieri residence for the past twelve years. His
first acquisition of business property was ig South
Park Avenue, a lot upon which he erected in igi7
a business block known as the Basso Block, named
ill honor of his wife. Following this he acquired
at 18 South Main Street another business block,
and in association with the well-known Warren r-;al
estate raan, Jaraes P. Garghill, he acquired the old
Russell Hotel at the corner of Main and South
streets. Mr. Garghill later sold his interests to
Arthur Lamberti of Youngstown, a cousin of Mr,
Guarnieri. Mr. Guarnieri bought at 126-128 East
Market Street the site of the old WiUiam Ritezel
home, and erected there a very substantial three-
story terra cotta brick block, known as the Guarnieri
Block. The buUding is so cons'tructed that addi
tional floors may be added. The first floor of the
building as it stands is occupied by a large furni
ture store, the second by offices, while the third is
divided into apartments. Mr. Guarnie.ri owned a
lot with 70-foot frontage on Main Street in the
City of Niles, but sold this property at a sacrifice
in order to promote the building of the William
McKinley birthplace meraorial, which occupies part
of the lot. Mr. Guarnieri and Arthur Lamberti
bought the old Stanford residence property on East
Market Street, and leaving the residence intact,
iraproved part of the ground with two temporary
storerooras. Another purchase of these two asso
ciates is the Gilraore horae on East Market Street,
ground on which they plan the erection of another
business block. Mr. Guarnieri erected in 1919 busi
ness blocks on South Park and South Pine streets,
and he is individually the owner of at least fifteen
residence properties in Warren. In his real estate
operations Mr. Guarnieri raay be said to be a good
buyer and poor seller, since he stUl holds title to
all the property he has acquired at different times,
being attracted rather by stable investments than
by possibilities of speculation.
Mr. Guarnieri is also a stockholder in tbe Colum
bian Fire Insurance Company of Detroit, ai.d the
Jamestown, New York, Telepohne Corapany. _ He
is a Knight of Columbus and Afith his family a
inember of St. Mary's Catholic Church. Mr, Guar
nieri married Mary Basso, who was born in the
sarae village as her husband and came to this coun
try in 1885, joining relatives at Cleveland, in which
citv iVIr. and Mrs. Guarnieri were married.
Their son, Lewis Lawrence Guarnieri, is one of

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

245

the prorainent young members of the Trumbull
County bar. He was born at Warren July lo, 1896,
graduated from the Warren High School in 1914,
and from the law department of the Catholic Un-
versity of Araerica at Washington in 1918 with.
the degree LL. B. He also received two d^egrees.
Master of Laws and Master of Patent Laws, frora
the Georgetown Law School of the _ District of
Columbia. He passed the bar examinations in June,
igig, and in July of the same year was admitted
to the Ohio bar and -began practice at Warren. iHe
is a member of the TrumbuU County Bar Associa
tion, the Board of Trade, St. Mary's Parish and
the Knights of Colurabus. He is also affiliated with
two coUege fraternities, EpsUon Lambda and Sigma
Chi, and is active in the merabership of Warren
Lodge No. 2g5, Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks. Theodore J. Arter, who has charge of the Stand
ard Oil interests at Youngstown, is a raeraber of a
family which for three successive generations has
been continuously identified with sorae phases of oU
production in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.
Mr. Arter, who has been the Standard OU repre
sentative at Youngstown since 1909, was born in Co
lurabiana County, Ohio, in 1867, son of Theodore
and Susan (Pritchard) Arter, and grandson of David
Arter. David Arter, of Columbiana County, owned
several profitable oil properties in the early days.
He was a native of Ohio. Theodore Arter went to
Cleveland in 1869, and was associated with that
group of interests at Oeveland which now comprise
the Standard OU Company. For many years he was
in the cooperage department, and had much of the
responsibUity of a large and growing industry de
voted to the making of barrels and tanks for the stor
age and conveyance of oil.
Theodore J. Arter attended the Central High
School at Cleveland and at the age of eighteen en
tered the service of the Standard Oil Company. For
a tirae he had charge of the shipping departraent of
the refinery at Cleveland. The corporation's business
at Youngstown, of which he has had responsible
charge for the past ten years, coraprises a large and .
extensive plant, which was first established on the
Erie Railroad between Charapion and Walnut streets,
but in 1914 was moved to the Pennsylvania tracks at
Poland Avenue. Four acres of ground are devoted
to the storage tanks, equipmen^t and office buildings
and warehouses.
Mr. Arter is a member of the First Presbyterian
Church, is a Royal Arch Mason and Elk, and a mera
ber of the Rotary and Youngstown clubs. In 1893 he
married Miss Gertrude Phelps, of Kingsville, Ohio.
They have three children: Capt. Theodore Arter,
Jr., Jean B. and Adelbert. The son Captain Theodore
received his coraraission in an officers' training camp,
was in the aviation departraent, and for a tirae was
commander of the Langley Field in Virginia.
Wells L. Griswold. There are some individuals
who always seera to have the inclination and find
the opportunity to attend to good works whether of
a public or private nature. 'Wells L. Griswold, trust
officer of the Dollar Savings and Trust Corapany, is

pre-erainently of this class. He belongs to the group
of able citizens whose civic interest is equal to their
business enterprise, and who are devoting their
energy to the advanceraent of municipal affairs. A
man of broad education and fine, sympathetic nature,
he is admirably fitted to be identified with the pro
gressive guard of such a city as Youngstown.
Mr. Gris'vvold is a native of Ohio, having been
born in Ashtabula County, August 13, 1868, one of
three chUdren of Henry F. and Susanna (Laird)
Griswold. The Griswolds have been in this country
since 1629, and farming, the principal occupation of
its merabers, occupied the attention and energies of
Henry F. Griswold. Wells L. Griswold was reared
in an agricultural atraosphere on the horae farra,
and in his boyhood attended the district schools for
the rudiraents of his education. Later he went to New
Lyrae Institute at South New Lyrae, Ohio, where
he corapleted the course under Dr. Jacob Tucker-
raan, subsequently raatriculating at Oberlin College,
frora which he was graduated with the degree of
Bachelor of Philosophy in 1894, and received his
raaster's degree later. During this scholastic careef
he taught school, thus helping to defray the expenses
of his education. For seven years following his
graduation from Oberlin he was superintendent of
schools at CoUinwood, Ohio, now a part of Cleveland,
and in igoi came to Youngstown, where for ten
years he was principal of the Rayen School. In
191 1 he became trust officer of the Dollar Savings
and Trust Company, and this position he has since
filled. Mr. Griswold has been prominently identified with
many iraportant movements. For some time he has
been treasurer of the Mahoning Chapter of the
American Red Cross, and during the period of the
great war held a like position with the Mahoning
War Chest, to which was subscribed $2,165,000. He
was treasurer, also, of the Youngstown Base Hos
pital Fund, and chairman of all five of the Mahoning
County (including Youngstown) Liberty Loan cara
paigns. His record is that of a useful, patriotic and
public-spirited citizen who has contributed generous
ly of his abilities and energies to those things which
have assisted in developing higher education, better
raorals and public- spirited citizenship.
Mr. Griswold was raarried July 3, 1895, to Miss
Louise Fitch, of Hastings, Minnesota, and they
have three chUdren : Francis F., Katharine L. and
Alice' Louise. Mr. and Mrs. Griswold belong to the
First Presbyterian Church of 'Youngstown, of which
he has for years been an elder. He is a raeraber of
the Youngstown Club, the Youngstown Country Club
and the Yotingstown Charaber of Coramerce.
Abraham Kamenetzky. A fine representative of
the enterprising and energetic young men who come
from a foreign land to this country of great oppor
tunities, Abraihara Kamenetzky has already obtained
a secure position araong the prosperous raerchants of
Youngstown, and as an active member of the R. & K.
Specialty Company is ably assisting in advancing the
mercantile interests of the city. A native of Russia,
he was born August 15, 1885, in Lithuania, where
the days of his boyhood and youth were spent. His
parents, David and Ida Kamenetzky, iraraigrated

246

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

from Lithuania to the United States in igoi, locating
in Cleveland, where both are still living, the father
being successfully engaged in the hardware business.
Brought up and educated in his native land, Abra
ham Kamenetzky, following in the footsteps of his
parents, came to Ohio in 1904, arriving in Cleveland
on August 14th. A short time later he entered the
eraploy of I. Shapiro & Sons, wholesale dealers in
house furnishings, and remained with that firm as
clerk and salesraan for a', nuraber of seasons. Cora
ing to Youngstown in 191 1, he established the
Youngstown Notion & Specialty Corapany, which
he raanaged alone for two raonths. Entering into
partnership in 1912 with Louis Regenstreich, he
organized the R. & K. Specialty Corapany, which
has been exceedingly prosperous, its trade being ex
tensive and constantly increasing in volume and in
value. Mr. Kamenetzky married, in Deceraber, igi2,
Hattie J. Halper, of Cleveland.
Frank F. Bentley. Araong the men of the Ma
honing Valley whose careers as business raen and
citizens reflect credit upon the community is Frank
F. Bentley, of Warren and Niles. As a manufac
turer he has been closely identified with the indus
trial history of Niles for twenty years, and as a
citizen he has been prominent in the civic and social
affairs of Warren for alraost the sarae length of
tirae. Mr. Bentley is descended frora one of the very
earliest farailies of the Mahoning Valley, a faraily
which has figured prorainently in the history of the
Valley for four generations, from pioneer days
down to the present time, and Benjarain Bentley,
great-grandfather to the present generation, was the
pioneer. He was a native of Connecticut, born in
1756, and carae to Western Pennsylvania near tbe
close of the eighteenth century, settling in tbe
then wUderness where the present City of Sharon
stands. In 1806 he removed to Trumbull County
and settled on bis ' farra on North Centre Road,
in what is now Brookfield Township, and he built
the first frarae barn in this section of Ohio. He died
on his farra in October in 1818.
James Bentley, son of Benjamin, and grandfather
to the present generation, was himself a pioneer of
the Mahoning Valley. He was born at Sharon,
Mercer County, Pennsylvania, in I7g8, and was the
first white child to be born in the Shenango Valley.
He came into Trumbull County wtih his parents
in 1806, and grew to manhood on the faraily home
stead in Brookfield Township. He was prorainent
in the affairs of his township, and served as jus
tice of the peace for a number of years. He took
the census of the south half of Trumbull County
ill i8.|0, before Mahoning County was organized.
He was prominent in Masonry, and the charter for
old Hartford Lodge was secured through his ef
forts. At the time of his death he was probabl.v
the oldest Mason in Ohio. He married Temperance
Buttles, who was born in Connecticut, and came
with her parents, Benoni and Mary Buttles, to
Brookfield Township in 1817.
Anson G. Bentley, son of James and Temperance
Rentlcy, and father to the present generation-,, was
born on the Bentley farra in Brookfield on Decem

ber 25, 1824. His early life was spent on his father's
farm during summers and going to school of win
ters. In 1853 he gathered together his possessions
and started for the gold fields of California. He
located in Nevada City, where he reraained for five
years, raeeting with satisfactory results. He re
turned to the old horae in Brookfield in 1858, but
soon thereafter he settled in Youngstown, where he
becarae prorainent in business affairs. He conducted
a luraber business for one year, and for a num
ber of years he was interested in the flour milling
business. He assisted in the organization of the
First National Bank of Youngstown in 1863, which
bank was the third one chartered under the iNational
Banking Act. Mr. Bentley was for raany years vice
president and a director of the First National.
In i86g he removed to the City of Niles, where
with two associates he established the banking house
of Wick, Bentley and Company. In i87g that asso
ciation was succeeded by the banking house of A. G.
Bentley and Corapany.
On August 15, 1858, Anson G. Bentley was united
in raarriage wtih Mary Araelia Ingraham, who was
born in New York State, the daughter of the Rev.
Sarauel W. Ingrahara, a Methodist minister, who
reraoved frora Chautauqua County, New York, to
Brookfield. Mr. Bentley died in 1901, his widow
surviving hira until 1915.
Frank F. Bentley, son of Anson G. and Mary
Amelia Bentley, was born at Youngstown on July
28, 1867. He is a product of the iMahoning Valley
and his entire life has been spent within its limits.
Mr. Bentley attended the public schools of Niles
and as a young man he learned the plumbing and
tin-smith trades and worked at them in Niles for
twelve years, during which tirae he established a
business of his own. In association with his brother
Anson J., Mr. Bentley organized and incorporated
the Ohio Galvanizing and Manufacturing Company,
of wbich he becarae president and so continues.
The business has- been developed frora year to year
until at the present tirae the Ohio Galvanizing and
Manufacturing Corapany is one of the iraportant in
dustrial enterprises of the valley, with trade con
nections raraifying the valley and extending into
other states.
Mr. Bentley has had his home at Warren since
igo8, and he has played a very public-spirited part
in the affairs of this city ever since. He organized
the Warren .Automobile Club, was its first presi
dent, and his administration of the club's affairs
during the World war .gained the organization par
ticular distinction. This club became one of the
chief units in all lines of patriotic and war work
in Trumbull Count.\', and its methods were quickly
adopted by autoraobile clubs all over tbe country.
In June, ig20, he was elected president of the Ohio
State Automobile Association, an organization com
prising all of the automobile clubs of the state, to
taling a merabership of over 40,000.
Mr. Bentley was also the organizer of the War
ren Rotary Club, and one of the directors for sev
eral years. He is a member of the Country Cltib
and of the Youngstown Club, and is active in the
Warren Board of Trade and the Niles Chamber
of Commerce.
Mr. Bentley's success in business has been won

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

247

by progressive methods, close application and strict
integrity, backed up with fine executive ability and
a genius for organization. His prominence as a
citizen is due to his keen interest in the affairs of
the city and a willingness to at all times give his
time and raeans to promote the interests of the com
munity. His sterling characteristics have gained and
held for him the warra friendship of raany and the
adrairation of all who know him.
Mr. Bentley married Joan Walsh, who was born
in Youngstown, the daughter of Patrick Walsh, an
old-time resident of that city.
Robert H. Jacobs. Thoroughly conversant vvith
the luraber business, farailiar with all its require
raents, both for its safe conduct and its further ad
vanceraent, Robert H. Jacobs, of Youngstown, is
erainently fitted for the responsible positions of vice
president and general manager of the Union Whole
sale Lumber Corapany, positions that he is ably and
satisfactorily filling. He was born June 29, 1874, in
Youngstown, which is also the birthplace of his
father, Orrin Jacobs, whose birth occurred in 1842.
His mother, whose name before raarriage was
Malvina Gerwig, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsyl
vania, in 1847, but was brought up and educated in
Youngstown, where both she and her husband are
StUl residing.
Having received his diploraa at the Rayen High
School in 1893, Robert H. Jacobs read law for two
years, obtaining legal knowledge that has since been
of value to him. From 1896 until 1900 he was re
corder in the raill of the Ohio Steel Works, and the
ensuing five years, in partnership with B. M. Carap
bell, dealt in real estate, doing business principally
in South Side lands, opening up and subdividing all
land from Williamson Avenue to, and including, the
South High School property. When the Jacobs
Lumber Company was incorporated in 1906 Mr.
Jacobs was made treasurer. In 1916 that firra sold
out to the Union Wholesale Luraber Corapany, which
at that tirae also absorbed the Youngstown Lumber
Company, the Iron City Luraber Corapany, the B. C.
Tibbetts Luraber Corapany, the G. N. Reed Lumber
Company, of East Youngstown, the W. H. Palraer
Lumber Corapany and the Lowellville Lumber Com
pany. Mr. Jacobs was prominent in organizing the
Union Wholesale Lumber Corapany, which was ac
complished in April, 1916, and of which he was raade
treasurer. In January, 1919, he had the honor of
being elected vice president and general raanager of
the concern, which is one of the largest and most
important of its kind in the county or state, its opera
tions at the present tirae being confined to the luraber
business. Mr. Jacobs is also officially connected with various
other concerns, being a director of the Harvard
Luraber Corapany of Cleveland, Ohio; secretary and
treasurer of the Jacobs Realty Corapany, which
handles land at Stop 25 on the Youngstown and
Sharon street car line; treasurer of the Jacobs Lum
ber Company ; and a director of the Comraercial Na
tional Bank.
Mr. Jacobs raarried, in 1908, Miss Florence Ferver,
of New WUraington, Pennsylvania', who was gradu
ated as a nurse from the Youngstown City Hospital

in 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs have three chUdren,
naraely: Helen Harris, Baler Carapbell and Mar
jorie. William G. Dingledy in the last year or two has
developed an important and thriving industry at
Hubbard as a lumber dealer and manufacturer of
builders' supplies. While he is comparatively new in
this coraraunity he has had alraost a lifelong ex
perience in luraber manufacture, being a raeraber of
the well known and prorainent Dingledy family of
Youngstown, who have been luraberraen and con
tractors going back to the early days of the city.
Williara G. Dingledy was born at Youngstown
Septeraber 16, 1883, son of George H. and Mary
(Peters) Dingledy. The late George H. Dingledy
was a raan of distinct achieveraent in the citizenship
of Youngstown, born in Hesse-Darrastadt, Gerraany.
He came to the United States about 1854, learned
the carpenter's trade in Buffalo, and in 1863 carae
to Youngstown, drawn hither by the presence of
sorae old friends. Beginning with alraost no capital,
and whUe eraployed at his trade, he opened a lumber
yard about 1865, entered the contracting business,
and continued that line until about 1900. He built up
a large and prosperous luraber business, both as a
dealer and raanufacturer. George H. Dingledy died
at Youngstown August 22, i8gg, and he had used
his opportunities to such advantage that his estate
was one of the largest probated in the county up to
that tirae. He had served a terra in the City Council
and was otherwise active in good citizenship. Be
sides his yards he operated planing mills and manu
factured practically all the sash, door and other
interior finish required in his own contracting busi
ness and to supply other contractors and builders.
The old Dingledy horae is on Surarait Avenue in
Youngstown. Mary Peters, the wife of George H.
Dingledy, is still living at Youngstown and was
brought from Gerraany as a child by her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. John C. Peters, who becarae farmers
in Boardman Township. George H. Dingledy was
a charter meraber and for raany years actively affili
ated with the Martin Luther Church on Wood Street
in Youngstown. He and his wife had a family of
five sons and two daughters : Henry J., a Youngs
town contractor ; Caroline, wife of Charles S.
Schumtz, a resident of Youngstown but raanager of
a ceraent plant at Bessemer, Pennsylvania; William
G. ; Carl F., a salesman living at Youngstown ; Fred,
a Youngstown real estate raan; George H., Jr., a
farmer; and Marie, wife of L. Calvin Jones, who is
in the insurance and bond business at Youngstown.
The business established by the late George H.
Dingledy continued as the Dingledy Lumber Com
pany until May, 1919, when it was sold to the Sharp
Lumber Corapany. Williara G. Dingledy practicaUy
grew up in the business and had its active raanage
raent frora 1915 until it was sold in May, 1919. At
that date he carae to Hubbard and bought the Enter
prise Box Corapany, and is now sole proprietor of
the business, which his ability and experience have
made an important asset of Hubbard's coraraercial
affairs. February 22, 1905, Mr. Dingledy raarried Isabel
Leslie, daughter of J. S. Leslie, a Hubbard Town-

248

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

ship farmer. Mrs. Dingledy was born in Hubbard
Township and was nineteen years of age at the time
of her marriage. They have two children, a
daughter, Leslie, now attending school, and a son,
William P.
David J. Rand. While industrial trouble has, at
times, brought loss and disturbance to raany large
tailoring establishraents at Youngstown and other
points, it is a source of personal satisfaction to David
J. Rand of this city that he has had no business in
terruptions of this kind during his many years of
management. Mr. Rand is a meraber of the well
known tailoring firra of Guttridge & Rand, of which
he is secretary and general raanager, having clirabed
step by step to this responsible place in the business
world through his own industrious efforts.
David J. Rand was born in Galicia, Austria, in
Deceraber, 1879, a son of Hyraan and Rosie (Field)
Rand, both of whora died in Austria, where the
father was a sraall farmer. When David was thir
teen years old he came to the United States and
joined his uncle. Alec Field, in New York City. His
first position was elevator boy in a business building,
but soon afterward he began as an apprentice with
a large tailoring firra, where he continued as bench
tailor for several years. In igoi he went to Chicago,
where he was a taUor for a time in a big tailoring
establishment, going frora there to Cleveland. In
that city he worked in various shops, but had not
made up his raind to settle permanently in that city,
when he was engaged as a tailor by a local tailoring
concern of Youngstown. After one year in that
capacity he was promoted to be raanager of the
tailor shop, a position he continued to hold with the
greatest efficiency for six years. Here he gained
rauch experience that has been useful to hira ever
since. In 1908 Mr. Rand bcarae a silent partner in
the firra of Guttridge, Corll & Company, and when
Mr. Corll subsequentiy sold his interest, the firm
became Guttridge & Rand, Mr. Rand becoraing secre
tary and general manager. He has nuraerous addi
tional business interests. He was one of the organ
izers and is a director of the MUl Creek Land
Company ; is interested in the United Printing Com
pany of Youngstown; is a director of the Charter
Sales Motor Corapany of Youngstown, and officially
or otherwise is concerned in iraportant coramercial
activities in other directions. When Mr. Rand was
entrusted with the raanageraent of the tailor shop
department of the local corapany he was only twenty-
three years old, and the tact and judgment with
which he perforraed his duties was creditable to hira
as an executive as well as fellow workman. In the
sarae spirit of justice he has been able to control
large bodies of raen and is held in high regard by
all of his employes.
In August, 1903, Mr. Rand was married to Miss
Emraa Friedman, a daughter of Moses Friedman, of
Youngstown, and they have two children, Arnold
and iMarion. Mr, Rand and faraily belong to the
Hebrew congregation Rodef Sholera Temple. He is
identified with many benevolent organizations and
is an ardent supporter of movements in behalf of
the Jewish Welfare Board. He is a meraber of the
Youngstown Chamber of Coraraerce and as an ap

pointee of this body has served with much efficiency
on a number of coramittees. Fraternally he is identi
fied with the Elks and the Knights of Pythias. When
Mr. Rand came to the United States he left three
brothers in Austria, all pf whom he induced to join
him. One of these, Samuel, is deceased, but Isadore
and Harry are in his employ at Youngstown. .
W. Manning Kerr. In writing of the industrial
developraent_ of the Mahoning v^alley during the
last decade it is interesting also to write something
of the careers of the men whose efforts have made
possible this reraarkable developraent, and one of
these raen is W. Manning iKerr, president and treas
urer of the Ohio Corrugating Company of Warren.
Mr. Kerr is a product of the Mahoning Valley,
and has spent his entire life among the haze and
sraoke of the valley. He is descended from two
pioneer farailies of Trumbull County. His paternal
grandfather, Zachariah Kerr, was a native of Penn
sylvania, from whence he came to Ohio in early
days and became an early settler of New Niles, and
for whora "Kerr's Corners" were named. He oper
ated a sawmill for a number of years at Kerr's Cor
ners, and there he also served as justice of the peace
for many years. The raaternal grandfather, John
Cessna, was also an early settler at Kerr's Corners,
he also having come to Ohio frora Pennsylvania.
James M. Kerr, father of W. Manning Kerr, was
born at Kerr's Corners in 1859, and for over forty
years was an engineer on the Erie Railroad. He
raarried Liniiie Cessna, who was born at Kerr's Cor
ners. Both parents of W. Manning are stUl living,
the father having retired frora raUroading in 1914.
W. Manning Kerr was born on the Cessna home
stead at Riverside, just outside of the city limits
of Niles, on March 2, 1882, and was educated in
the Niles High School and at the Warren Business
College. In 1902 he began his business career as
collector and stenographer for the City National
Bank of Niles. When the Dollar Savings Bank of
Niles was organized Mr. Kerr becarae assistant
cashier of that bank, and was later made assistant
secretary and treasurer, and so continued untU in
January, 191 5, at which time he resigned from the
bank to become president and treasurer of the Ohio
Corrugating Corapany at Warren, which company
he had organized, and which has grown into one
of the largest steel barrel plants in the United States.
Mr. Kerr is still interested in the banking busi
ness, and has important connections with several
of the well-known financial institutions. He is a
member of the board of directors of the Trumbull
Savings & Loan Company of Warren, and the Trum
buU Banking Company of Girard. He is also a
director in the American Zinc Products Company
of Greencastle, Indiana, and a director of the Fort
Smith Spelter Company of Fort Smith, Arkansas.
He is a raember of the Warren Board of Trade
and the Niles Charaljer of Coraraerce, and he be
longs to the Warren Country and NUes clubs, and
to the_ First Methodist Episcopal Church of Niles,
of which city he is a resident.
Mr. Kerr raay be termed a self-made man, for
he owes his position in the industrial and banking
world to his own efforts, backed up with ability,
application and his arabition to succeed.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

249

IsA.^c G. Monroe, who was recently appointed
street superintendent of the City of Youngstown,
Ohio, has been active in more than one phase of
the affairs of that city during recent years. For
fifteen years he was a responsible official of the
Republic Iron and Steel Corapany, and for many
years has taken close interest in political affairs
in Youngstown. He has been a factor of influence
in republican circles in the city, and it was raainly
through his efforts and initiative that a body of
citizens forraed association to urge Mayor Warnock
to accept noraination for raayoral office, in the re
publican iriterest.
He was born in Putney Township, Belmont County,
Ohio, August 5, 1880, the son of Capt. William and
Melvina (Fish) Monroe. Williara W. Monroe fol
lowed raaritime occupations, and during his later
years was a captain of steam boats trading between
Pittsburg and Cincinnati. He died in 1887, while
still in his early prime, being then only thirty-seven
years old. Capt. William W. Monroe and his
wife were both raerabers of the Church of the
Disciples, and were the parents of four children.
The children, in order of birth, were : Harry B.,
who now lives in Florida, but who formerly was
an ironmoulder in the Youngstown raills; Hattie
M., who raarried Albert P. Deafenbaugh, of Bel-
laire, Ohio; Isaac G.. the subject of this article,
and regarding whora raore follows; and Edward S.,
who has had responsible connection with many of
the leading American circus organizations, and has
now settled in York, Nebraska.
Isaac G, as a young boy attended school in Bel-
laire, Ohio, but the death of his father in 1887
seriously interfered with the plans of his parents
for his education, . He was only seven years old
when his father died, and at the age of eight years
was obliged almost to earn his own living, which he
did by selling newspapers. He was only eleven years
old when he began working steadily in a glass
factory, and at thirteen he entered the Besseraer
departraent of an iron works. He has been con
nected with the iron and steel industry ever since,
or at least untU he became a member of the city
administration. A fortunate dismissal, the cause of
which he did not know, induced Isaac G. Monroe
to come to Youngstown to seek eraployraent with
the Republic Iron and Steel Company. He was
readily given a position, and one of greater con
sequence than that from which he had been dis
charged, and he has ever since reraained in the
service, of the Republic Company. Since he first
came, in 1905, Mr. Monroe has received many
promotions, and until he was appointed to the mu
nicipal office he held a responsible position in the
converting department, and there is every reason
to suppose that should he at any tirae relinquish
his city appointraent and desire to again resurae his
¦old connection with the Republic Corapany he would
be gladly reinstated in his former office of respon
sibility. Mr. Monroe is affiliated with raany fraternal or
ganizations, being a raeraber of the Western Star
lodge of the Masonic order, belonging to both the
Scottish and York Rites, and also to the Independ
ent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Junior Order
of United Araerican Mechanics.

in political affairs he has always given staunch
allegiance to the republican party, and of late years
has corae soraewhat prominently to the fore as
an organizer. He was especially interested in ini
tiating the raoveraent by which Mayor Warnock
was induced to enter the contest for mayoral office ;
and it may be assuraed that Mr. Monroe was equally
as effective in gaining support for the raayor in
the actual contest, Althoug'h he also has gained
office in the adrainistration of Mayor Warnock,
there is not much reason to suppose that he is not
amply fitted for such office. As a raatter of fact,
he is generally known in Youngstown as a raan
of distinct capability, which of course is but to be
expected of a man who in a life of only thirty-nine
years has spent more than thirty years in business
affairs. He is still an active, aggressive raan, in
the early prirae of life, and is popular, so that he
will probably find good scope for public service in
future years.
Mr. Monroe was raarried in 1910 to Margaret
Isabel, daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Sunday)
Slater, of Syracuse, New York.
Mathew Logan was one of the forceful raen of
the Youngstown district for a long period of years.
His business as a railroad and street contractor
identified him with many phases of raodern develop
raent, and his narae is also intiraately associated with
public affairs in Mahoning County.
He was born in the state of New York March 15,
1828, and died April 15, igo2. His parents, Hugh
and Rose (McKenna) Logan, were natives of County
Londonderry, Ireland. Hugh Logan, a blacksraith
by trade, carae with his faraily to Araerica in 1827,
and for a number of years lived in Greece Township,
Monroe County, New York, where Hugh died in
1849 at the age of sixty-two. His widow survived
until 1866 and was seventy-two years of age at the
tirae of her death. Both were devout raerabers of
the Catholic Church,
Fourth araong the chUdren of his parents, Mathew
Logan grew up and achieved his early successes in
business and public affairs at Rochester, iNew York.
He acquired a public school education, and during
school vacations gained his first knowledge of public
contracting while water boy to workraen engaged on
public construction. He apparently had a natural
faculty for doing large construction work and han
dling raen, and as a contractor his business steadily
expanded. In the spring of 1862 he raoved to Green
vUle, Pennsylvania, and the foUowing November
came to Youngstown to take charge of the railroad
works of Williara Mather. With the exception
of about eighteen months spent in Columbiana
County, Youngstown was his home the rest of his
life. Here he becarae widely known in the building
and improveraent of streets, in the construction of
railroads, and was a raan of unquestionable integrity
in both private and public life.
He was a deraocrat in politics, was always keenly
interested in political issues, and his influence was
far reaching. Among other positions he was called
upon to fill was that of sheriff of Mahoning County,
whUe for four terras he was raayor of the City of
Youngstown. While a resident of Rochester, New
York, he was United States Marshal of the Western

250

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

District of that state, and as early as 1858 served as
collector of taxes.
The raarried life of Mathew Logan was one of
unusual felicity. He married Miss Eliza J. Smith
in 1865. Her parents were Enoch and Caroline
(Weaver) Smith. Two children were born to their
marriage : Carrie, Mrs. John Shaw ; and Mary S.
Mrs. Logan for raany years has been an earnest
worker and raeraber of the Episcopal Church, and
is loved in Youngstown for her raany acts of un
ostentatious charity. Mr. Logan was a meraber of
the Masonic fraternity and had attained the Knight
Teraplars degree, and was rauch interested in the
order. George J, Smith, M, D. The City of Niles was
inexpressibly shocked by the tragic death of Dr.
George J. Sraith on February 5, 1918, when an Erie
train struck his car as he was driving over the North
Main Street crossing. His death was a distinct loss
to his profession and also to the raany iraportant
interests with which he had been affiliated at Niles '
and elsewhere.
Doctor Smitli was born at Cincinnati, May 8,
1875, and is a raeraber of an old southern family,
son of Col. Henry and Margaret (Lundy) Sraith.
His parents reside at Birrainghara, Alabama, his
father having reached the age of seventy-seven and
his mother sixty-seven. Colonel Sraith served in an
Alabaraa regiraent iri the Confederate array. For
many years he was active in business as a general
contractor, and though he had his home in Cin
cinnati for a tirae, most of his life has been spent
in Birrainghara, Colonel Sraith had three sons :
Harry, a merchant at Birmingham ; Charles K, de
ceased ; and George J,
His raany friends and associates have always re
garded the late Doctor Smith as a perfect speci
men of physical, mental and raoral manhood. He
was a brilliant scholar, but also exhibited a pro
ficiency in practically everything he ever took up.
While he acquired his prelirainary education in Bir
rainghara, at the age of fourteen he and his brother
Harry were sent to Pittsburgh to be given the very
best of advantages. He graduated frora the Pitts
burgh High School, also attended the Curry Insti
tute, and at the age of seventeen corapleted his
literary studies in the University of iPittsburgh.
He prepared for his professiorf in the Western
Pennsylvania Medical College, graduating in i8gg.
Altogether he received four degrees frora the Uni
versity of Pittsburgh and its affiliated schools. He
also did rauch post-graduate study at Philadelphia
and elsewhere. Doctor Sraith was widely knowii as
a skillful surgeon and able physician, was a mera
ber of all the prominent medical societies, and was
one of the pension examiners at Niles. After
graduating he served as an interne in St. Francis
Hospital at Pittsburgh, and then carae to NUes,
where he had a large and profitable practice.
He was very athletic and was a niember of his
university football team. He was always known
as a skillful and prudent driver, and for that rea
son his tragic death seems to have been one of those
inevitable things connected with huraan destiny.
July ig, igoo. Doctor Smith married Catherine C.

McLaughlin, who was born at Rochester, Pennsyl
vania, daughter of Patrick and MatUda McLaugh
lin. Mrs. Sraith had the intellectual and social
qualifications to be an adrairable corapanion for her
talented husband. She graduated frora high school
also from St. Xavier's in Westraoreland County'
Pennsylvania. Mrs. Sraith was head of a com
raittee and otherwise active in the buUding of the
McKinley Meraorial at Niles. She is a member of
the Red Cross, the Federation of Woraen's Clubs
the Pittsburgh Musical Club, and in many ways'
was a leader in yvar activities at NUes. iBoth she
and her husband were actively identified with St
Stephen's Catholic Church. Doctor Smith was; a
republican and was a member of the Knights of
Columbus and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
Orrin Jacobs. As a coal operator, lumber dealer
farmer, stock raiser and a dealer in real estate,'
Orrin Jacobs, of Youngstown, has accomplished a
raost satisfactory work, and is now living retired
from active pursuits on East Federal Street, near
Watt Street, enjoying the fruits of his earlier years
of toil. He was born in this city August 13, 1842, a
son of PhUip Jacobs, who was born in MciKeesport,
Pennsylvania, while his wife, who before marriage
was Sallie Kirarael, was a native of Youngstown,.
being of pioneer stock. Philip Jacobs was one of
the early general merchants of Youngstown, having
a well stocked store on East Federal Street for many
years. Educated in the coraraon schools, Orrin Jacobs.
clerked in his father's store untU sixteen years old,
when his father bought and turned over to him an
interest in a coal bank at Hubbard. In 1863 Joe
Jackson and Ebenezer Jackson were partners with
Mr. Jacobs, and they "sold their interests to J. G,
Butler and Frank Vi' illiaras, who bought the interest
in the coal bank, and the young operator returned to
Youngstown, Subsequently iMr. Jacobs, with his.
father, opened a coal bank on the Thorn farm, the
present site of the Oak Hill Ceraetery, and operated
it five years, when, in 1870, it was worked out. There
having been no railroads in this vicinity at that time,
the coal was hauled by tearas to the Eigle and Him
rod furnaces.
Mr. Jacobs, his father, and his brother Millard
then opened another coal bank near Hubbard, continu
ing his residence, however, in Youngstown, and driv
ing back and forth to Hubbard with a horse and
buggy, that having been before the day of auto
mobiles. He continued operating in coal until 1890,
during which time he and his brother Millard raised,
bought and sold horses on their estate, known far
and wide as the Jacobs Brothers Stock Farm, which
has been platted and subdivided by the Jacobs Realty
Company, One of the original stockholders of the
Jacobs Lumber Corapany, which he helped organize,
Mr, Jacobs was actively associated with its manage
raent until his retireraent, as above raentioned, in
1915- Mr. Jacobs raarried, October 31, 1867, Malvina
Gerwig, who was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
but came with her parents to Youngstown when but
three years old. Five children blessed their union,
namely: Oscar, of Cleveland, a lumber dealer; Ed-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

251

ward, superintendent of the plants of the Union
Wholesale Lumber Company, which was organized
by Mr. Jacobs as the Jacobs Lumber Corapany ;
Robert, vice president of the sarae corapany, now
the Union Wholesale Luraber Corapany ; Mrs. Robert
J. MuUally, or Betsey K., now wife of Robert J.
MuUally, of Youngstown, assistant general manager
of the iBrier HUl Steel Company; and Minnie G.
of Youngstown. Mr. Jacobs is one of the most
esteemed and loyal citizens of Youngstown, it being
his boast that he was never out of fhe city raore
than four years.
Mr. Jacobs has been a Mason for fifty-four years.
He has never raixed in politics, is a republican, and
since supporting Lincoln in his second term has voted
for every republican president.
H. Hugh Wickham, who has been a resident of
Youngstown since February, igog, is a lawyer with
a broad and varied range of experience and one of
the valued merabers of the firm Henderson, Wick
ham, Maiden & Barrett.
While his active career has been spent in the
Middle East, Mr. Wickham is a native of Iowa, born
in Hardin County, that state, September 7, 1880.
He is a son of J. W. and MoUie E. (Speer) Wick
ham, both residents of Des Moines. His father since
1886 has been manager of the Iowa Homestead, one
of the oldest agricultural periodicals of the West.
Henry Hugh Wickham grew up from infancy at
Des Moines, graduated frora the high school there,
and finished his literary education in Highland Park
College. He took his law course in Yale University,
graduating in igo3. For over five years his horae
was at Pittsburgh, where he had charge of the litiga
tion and clairas department of the Central District
and Printing Telegraph Company. On coming to
Youngstown he practiced alone for two years, and
was then associated with the Realty Trust Company
untU December, igi4. He then practiced alone untU
January i, 1917. At that date he became a member
of his present firra, an organization of lawyers en
joying front rank in the profession and the Mahoning
Valley. Mr. Wickhara is a republican in politics and a
raeraber of the Masonic fraternity. October 10, 1906,
he raarried Miss Anna McGough. They have one
son, Pat,
Edmond H, Moore is one of the most prorainent
members of the Ohio bar. Distinguished honors
have been bestowed upon hira, and he has capably
discharged the added responsibilities as few raen
could, and declined many others offered him, because
he felt he could not accept them and do justice to
the duties already at hand. He was born in Mahon
ing County on October 16, 1862, a son of Alexander
F. and Elizabeth (Van Dalsera) Moore.
Alexander F. Moore was born at MUton, Mahon
ing County, Ohio, a son of WiHiara Moore, who carae
from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1810,
to Mahoning County, Ohio, and was here engaged
in farming. It was on his father's farra that Alexan
der F. Moore was reared, in the raeanwhUe attending
the neighboring schools. He read law at Canfield,
the old county seat of Mahoning County, with Sarauel

Gilson, and after being admitted to the bar practiced
his profession at Canfield, Ottawa and finally at
Youngstown. During his last year he lived in retire
ment, dying at Canfield, to w'hich place he returned
in 1893. He was prominent in democratic circles
and at one time was elected raayor of Canfield on
the ticket of his party. A man of exceptional ability
as a lawyer and a brUliant orator, he rose to a
prorainent height in his profession,
Edraond H. Moore is one of the two children born
to his parents, and after being graduated frora the
Rayen High School of Youngstown, when • only
seventeen years of age, began teaching school, and
was so engaged for a period of eleven years. In
the meanwhile he read law, and was admitted to the
bar w-hen he was only twenty-one years of age. In
1891 he began to practice his profession at Youngs
town, and has been so engaged ever since with the
exception of the tirae occupied by him in holding
office. At present he is senior raeraber of the legal
firra of Moore, Barnura & Hammond. In i8g6 Mr.
Moore was elected on the democratic ticket mayor
of Youngstown, and was re-elected in i8g8, serving
in all four years. In May, 191 1, he was appointed
state .superintendent of insurance by Governor Har
mon, but resigned in February, 1914. He has been
deraocratic national coramitteeraan from Ohio from
igi2 to the present time, and is recognized as one
of the strongest men of his party in this part of the
state. Mr. Moore belongs to the Youngstown Club
and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and
the Knights of Pythias.
In November, 1890, he was married to Miss Erama
McKinney, of Petersburg, Ohio, who died in 1903,
leaving two chUdren, Harold T. and Mark E. Both
of these boys served in the great war. Harold was
a lieutenant of Company A, One Hundred and Thirty-
Fifth Machine Gun Battalion, and served in France,
participating in the campaigns in the Argonne Forest
and Belgium. Mark was a sergeant in the Sixteenth
Heavy Coast Artillery, and saw service in the cam
paigns of Saint Mihiel and the Argonne Forest.
Mr, Moore was raarried secondly on Noveraber 9,
1905, to Miss Martha Reznor, who died on August
26, 1918.
Ralph E, Cornelius, It cannot be other than
interesting to note in the series of personal sketches
, appearing in this work the varying conditions that
have corapassed those whose careers are outlined,
and the effort has been made in each case to throw
well focused light onto the individual and to bring
into proper perspective the scherae of each respective
career. The banks of the Mahoning Valley have
ever raaintained a high standing, and araong the able
workers in this field of endeavor is Ralph E, Cor
nelius, president of the Mahoning National Bank of
Youngstown. ' With a natural predilection for this
vocation and endowed with an analytical raind and
ready faculty of assirailation, he has been peculiarly
successful and today is nurabered among the leaders
in banking circles in this coraraunity.
Ralph iE, Cornelius was born in Lawrence County,
Pennsylvania, on May 28, i86g, and is a son of Wil
liara and Mary (Swisher) Cornelius, whose only
other child is a daughter, Sarah, who is the wife of

252

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Bert C, Vaughn, Williara Cornelius was a native
of Pennsylvania, where he lived until the subject of
this sketch was about a year old, when he carae to
Youngstown and engaged in business pursuits. Here
he was successful and also attained a good deal of
prorainence in local political circles, being elected to
public office, serving as county treasurer of Mahon
ing County four years, followed by a four-year terra
as city coraraissioner. His death occurred in January,
igi4. He becarae a director in banks and various
coraraercial institutions, and was an active meraber
of the First Presbyterian Church. In his relations
with his fellow raen he was thoroughly upright and
conscientious, gentleraanly, considerate and courteous
in his personal and social -contact.
Ralph E, Cornelius received his educational train
ing in the Youngstown public schools, completing his
studies in the Rayen High School, tiis first eraploy
raent was as collector in the Second National Bank,
with which he became connected in December, 1886,
and he has ever since been identified with the bank
ing interests of this city. He was proraoted several
tiraes during his career with the Second National,
finally becoming cashier of that bank, holding that
position until the merger of the Second National
with the First National, of which joint institution
he becarae assistant cashier. Later, after the First
National Bank and the Dollar Savings and Trust
Corapany becarae affiliated, Mr, Cornelius was elected
cashier of the First National Bank and trust officer
of the Dollar Savings and Trust Corapany. Iri
November, igii, he becarae president of the iMahon
ing National Bank, which position he is filling at
the present tirae, also holding the sarae position in
relation to the Mahoning Savings and Trust Company.
A man of unusual tact and soundness of judgraent,
he possesses also to a raarked degree those other
alraost undefinable qualities which contribute to a
man's success and make his worth appreciated by
those with whora he is associated. He is recognized
as a man of strong and alert raentality, deeply in
terested in everything pertaining to the advanceraent
of the coraraunity along material, civic and moral
lines, and for years he has been recognized as one
of the progressive and representative men of his city
and county.
In igo6 Mr, Cornelius was married to Helen Arms,
daughter of Warner and Fannie (Wick) Arms. Mrs.
Cornelius is of the ninth generation in direct descent
from William Arms, a native of England, who settled
at Deerfield, Massachusetts, and from whora all bear
ing that name in this country have sprung.
Politically Mr. Cornelius is a stanch supporter of
the republican party, though he does not take an
active part in political affairs. He is a meraber of
the Youngstown Charaber of Comraerce, the Youngs
town Club, the Youngstown Country Club and the
Poland Country Qub.
William B, Carter. The first foundrv in Niles
and one of the first in the Mahoning Valley was
established by merabers of the Carter faraily about
three-quarters of a century ago. It is as foundry-
men and good business men that the Carters have
expressed their best services to this community.
One of them still active in the foundry business is

Williara B. Carter, who has lived all his Ufe In
Niles. Not far frora the site of his present business he
was born, Noveraber 8, iSsg, son of Thonias and
Truth (Bretell) Carter. His parents were natives
of England, and with their son George came to the
United Slates in the early '40s, locating at NUes,
where soon afterward Thoraas Carter established
a foundry business. He operated this industry with
considerable success for twenty years or more,
though he experienced some financial reverses dur
ing the panic of -1873. While he was then quite
well advanced in years, he had the courage of the
pioneers, and in the hope of rebuilding some of his
fortune he started west to the newly-discovered gold
fields of the Black HiUs of Dal|Cota Territory He
was never heard of again by his family.
In the meantime the foundry business was con
tinued and with ups and downs in former years it
has reraained in the hands of descendants. 'The
children of Thoraas Carter and wife were :- George,
who died shortly after the faraily came to America;
Edward J., a resident of Warren, Ohio; John, de
ceased ; Thoraas L., Williara B. and Charies J,, alf
of whom reraain in Niles.
William B. Carter had rather limited opportuni
ties to attend school during his youth. At the age
of fifteen, on account of the panic and reverses in
the family fortune, he had to earn his own living,
and was soon working in the foundry, a trade and
business that has been practically his only pursuit.
Mr. Carter is now owner and manager of the Globe
Foundry and Machine Company, which historically
is the successor of the original establishment founded
by his father. Mr. Carter has always been a worker,
and outside of the routine of affairs and the per
formance of duties involved in good citizenship his
career has been uneventful. He is a member of
the Presbyterian Church and a republican.
In 1880 Mr, Carter raarried Miss Pauline Getz,
of NUes. Five children were born to their mar
riage : Lida, who died in March, igig. the wife cf
Victor Lazier; Jessie, wife of Willam Madlev; Rus
seU, who lives at NUes and raarried Viola De Garmo;
Florence and Williara McKee, both in the family
home. Norman Heindel. Since he left the home farm
at North Lima, Norman Heindel has kept his mmd
and energies devoted to a single line of business,
dealing in retail raeats, and is no-w senior member
of the very prosperous firra of Heindel Brothers at
1307 Market Street. This busy firra has been at that
location for the past thirteen years, and prior to that
time was at 1327 Market, Youngstown.
Norraan Heindel was born in York County, Penn
sylvania, December 20, 1880, a son of Joshua and
Eraeline (Coler) Heindel. His father, also a native
of York County, was a coal rainer in early days at
Morgantown, where he lost a great deal of P'^°f^^P
by fire. Later he bought a farra at North Lima, Ohio,
in Beaver Township, and made a specialty of grow
ing garden truck. He continued in that business
until his death in 1897, at the age of sixty-one. He
and his faraily were raerabers of the Reformed
Church. His wife was born in Beaver Township ot

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YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

253

Mahoning County and died in 191 1, at the age of
sixty. They had a large family of ten children :
George and Clarence, on the home farm; Clark, a
farmer at North Lima; Norraan and Eraanuel, who
coraprise the firm of Heindel Brothers as above
noted; Orville, a physician at Newcastle, Pennsyl
vania ; Daniel A., a Youngstown automobile dealer ;
Mary, wife of George Ford, of New Springfield,
Ohio; Dorothy, wife of David Whitraore, at New
Springfield; and Saraantha, deceased.
Norman Heindel was educated in the high school
at North Liraa and learned a great deal about farra
ing before he left the farra at the age of seventeen.
He then learned the trade of butcher with C. T.
Geiger, and served a long apprenticeship with very
little pay. For three and a half years he was a
meraber of the firm Heindel & Hahn, and since then
has had his younger brother, Emanuel, as his business
associate. Mr. Heindel married in 1905 Miss Goldie Sigle,
daughter of Charles Sigle, a Youngstown florist.
Their son. Earl, is now eleven years of age. The
family are members of the Baptist Church and Mr.
Heindel is affiliated with the Masonic order, being
a meraber of Western Star Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons, of Youngstown, Youngstown Chapter iRoyal
Arch Masons, also Beuchner Council, and St. John's
Coraraandery Knights Teraplar, and Al Koran
Teraple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine. He is also a raember of Robert E. Johnson
Lodge, Knights of Pythias.
William Bakody. While a resident of Youngs
town the greater part of his life and himself con
nected for some years with some of the local in
dustries, William Bakody has contributed his best
work and service to the Mahoning Valley through
the rare skill and abilities he exercised as a breeder
of Holstein cattle. The dairy industry of North
eastern Ohio owes a permanent debt to William
Bakody. Mr. Bakody was born in Akron, Ohio, January 5,
1869, son of John and Elizabeth (Reasen) Bakody,
who soon after his birth removeci to Youngstown.
John Bakody was a native of Hungary, and a raera
ber of a titled faraily of that country and was a
participant in the revolution of 1848. When that
movement met with defeat he came to the United
States with the noted Kossuth. He was well edu
cated, but came to this country practically without
means. He lived for sorae years at Mansfield, Ohio,
and later conducted a jewelry business at Akron
until his establishraent was swept away by fire. On
coraing to Youngstown he continued the jewelry
business, at first in the old Eagle Drug Store, then
in the Fisher restaurant, and finally on North Phelps
Street. One of his apprentices was John Brenner,
well known in Youngstown. John Bakody, who died
in 1910, at the age of eighty-two, was one of the
prominent characters of Youngstown. He became
well versed in the English language after reaching
this country, and enjoyed the friendship of the best
people. He was a member of the Brotherhood of
Christ, and a very religious raan. He was one of
the founders of the church of his denoraination at
Girard and always kept a merabership there. His

wife, Elizabeth Reasen, was born in Switzerland and
was about twelve years of age when her parents
carae to America and settled at Akron. She is still
living at the age of eighty, and her home has been
at High Street and West Avenue for the past fifty
years. She and her husband had a large family of
children. John died at the age of twenty-nine. Emlen
has a nation-wide reputation as a photographer and
collector of rare violins, and is a resident of Cleve
land. Charles is a successful musician at Washing
ton, Pennsylvania. The next in age is William
Bakody. Emraa is the wife of John Metzger, of
Youngstown, Joseph, who died in Youngstown at
the age of thirty, was a jewelry raerchant in New
York City. Sadie lives with her mother. Sarauel
is a fruit grower at HamUton, Ontario. Edward is
in the jewelry business at Ponca City, Oklahoma,
while T. W. Bakody is a well known Youngstown
tailor. Gertrude is a talented, musician, spent two
years in completing her studies in Italy and is a
teacher of vocal rausic in New York City.
Williara Bakody graduated frora the West Side
School at the age of sixteen. He spent three years
in the laboratory of the Brown-Bonnell plant, and
had fifteen years of varied coramercial experience
both in the South and West. Eventually he discov
ered and concentrated upon his special genius, as a
livestock breeder. He was a constant student of
everything connected with his business, and has that
rare judgment araounting to genius in the handling
of livestock, Mr. Bakody for twenty years con
tinued his business on the Idora place, forraerly con
sisting of 150 acres, and originally the property of
the Youngstown 'pioneer John Lanterraan. iFour
acres of this old farm are now occupied by Idora
Park. Eight and a half acres have been acquired by
Wick Brothers, whUe Mr. Bakody retains three and
a half acres as his sraall home place, all the rest
having becorae part of the City of Youngstown.
Here, at the height of his business career, Mr.
Bakody owns a HoUanderry herd consisting of regis
tered Holsteins, and famous all over the United
States. iMr. iBakody kept in close touch with the
State University and agricultural experiraent sta
tions and his own experiences and work were a valu
able contribution to the researches of these institu
tions. He has always taken an active interest in local
and state politics and is a republican.
In igoo he raarried Mrs, Una Siraon, daughter of
Colonel Foster and widow of Hosea Siraon, By her
forraer raarriage she has two children. Her daughter,
Florence, is now finishing her education at Goucher
College in Baltiraore. WUlard, a student at Brown
University, Providence, Rhode Island, is, like his
sister, a graduate of the South High School. Willard
during the World war was with the Thirty-Seventh
Division, and was on the battle line in France, par
ticipating in the Argonne offensive.
James B. Kennedy. The life of the scholarly or
professional man seldora exhibits any of those strik
ing incidents that seize upon public feeling and at
tract attention to hiraself. His character is generally
raade up of the aggregate qualities and qualifications
he may possess, as these raay be elicited by the
exercise of the duties of his vocation or the particular

254

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

profession to which he raay belong. But when such
a man has so impressed his individuality upon his
fellow men as to gain their confidence and through
that confidence rise to important public position, he
becomes a conspicuous figure in the body politic of
the coraraunity. The subject of this review, one of
the scholarly and able raen of his coraraunity, forged
to the front in one of the raost exacting of profes
sions and also earned an honorable reputation as a
leader in business and financial circles. Because of
his earnest life, high attainraents, well rounded char
acter and large influence, he is erainently entitled to
representation in a work of the character of the one
in hand.
Jaraes B. Kennedy was born in Youngstown on
Noveraber 20, 1863, and is the son of John R. and
Elizabeth (Byrd) Kennedy, and the grandson of
Jaraes and Sarah (Reed) Kennedy. Jaraes Kennedy
was a native of Pennsylvania and was a farraer by
vocation. In 1804 with his father he came to Ohio
and located on the banks of Dry Run in Mahoning
County, sorae three railes from Youngstown. Here
he opened up a pioneer farm, which he operated dur
ing the reraainder of his life. He was known as
"Squire'' Kennedy, having been elected to the office
of justice of the peace. He was a United Presby
terian in his religious belief. His death occurred in
1872. John R. Kennedy was born in 1820 and died on
Deceraber 25, i86g. During his active years he be
carae closely identified with the iron industry and
helped to build a nuraber of iron works, notably
those at Brier HiU, Wheatland, Sharon, Hasleton
and elsewhere. In early days he served as a county
coraraissioner. For a number of years he also con
ducted a cabinet-making and undertaking business
under the firra narae of J. R. & J, C, Kennedy, under
the personal manageraent of the latter. To him and
his wife were born two children, David S. and James
B. The former was connected with the Homestead
Steel Works of the Carnegie group at Homestead,
Pennsylvania, for thirty-five years.
Jaraes B. Kennedy was reared in Youngstown un
til after his father's death, when he went to live with
his grandfather, and after the latter's death he was
reared by" his uncle, Thomas W, Kennedy, his guar
dian. He received his elementary education in the
public schools and in Poland Union Seminary, Po
land, Ohio, He completed his educational training
in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and
then, having determined to devote his life to the
legal profession, he read law under the direction of
Homer E, Stewart at Warren, Ohio, He was ad
mitted to the bar in 1885 and at once entered upon
the active practice of his profession at Youngstown,
where he was soon recognized as a keen and saga
cious lawyer. In i88g he was elected prorecuting
attorney, serving two consecutive terms, or six years
in all. In i8g6 he was elected judge of the Court
of Coraraon Pleas, in which position he gained an
excellent reputation as an able and just judge, but
in i8gg he resigned frora the bench and resuraed the
practice of his profession, in partnership with C. D.
Hine, under the firra name of Hine & Kennedy, the
firra now being known as Hine, Kennedy, Man
chester, Conroy & Ford. Of late years Mr. Ken

nedy as executive head has been giving his undivided
attention to directing the affairs of the Brier HiU
Steel Corapany. He had charge of the legal phase
of the organization of that company in 1912 has
acted as general counsel continually since that time
and in 1917 ws elected chairraan of the board of
directors. He is also vice president of the Com
mercial National Bank and various other institutions
and has been president of the Youngstown Northern
Railroad Corapany since its organization.
Judge Kennedy was married on March 4, 1884, to
Roxanna Rice, of Poland, Ohio, and they became the
parents of three children, naraely : Dudley R., Flor
ence Byrd, who is the wife of H. J. Starabaugh, Jr.,
and David Francis, Mrs, Roxanna Kennedy died in
i8g5, and in i8g7 Judge Kennedy was married to
Mary Swift Young, of Baltiraore, Maryland,
Judge Kennedy is an active supporter of the re
publican party and takes a keen interest in public
affairs. As before suggested. Judge Kennedy made
a raost excellent record while on the Common Pleas
bench of Mahoning County. His qualifications for
that exalted office are unquestionable, as he possesses,
first, integrity of character, and, secondly, the natural
ability and essential acquirements, the acumen of the
judicial temperaraent. No labor was too great, how
ever onerous ; no application too exacting, however
severe, if necessary to the complete understanding
and correct deterraination of a question, and during
his altogether too brief incumbency the judge proved
hiraself a distinct raan in all the term implies, and its
iraplication is wide. He is considered a safe and
sound practitioner, his pleas being eloquent in the
clearness of stateraent, the broad coraraon sense of
reasoning, the force of logic, earnestness and power,
while he has never been known to fail in that strict
courtesy, and regard for professional ethics which
should ever characterize the raerabers of the bar.
He is universally recognized as a splendid citizen
and one of Youngstown's leading raen of affairs.
Jesse N. Baldwin, of Niles, represents one of
the very prorainent pioneer farailies of the Mahon
ing Valley.
His grandfather, Eli Baldwin, carae to Mahon-
ing_County, Ohio, in 1800 frora New MUford, Con
necticut, The lands of the Western Reserve were
then just being parceled out and sold, and in the
trans-action he was special agent for Elijah Board-
man, who was agent for the sale of lands in Board-
man Township. Eli Baldwin became a man of
prorainence not only in his iraraediate locality but
in the state. He served as a raeraber of the iHouse
and Senate sixteen years, and at one time lacked
only a few votes of becoraing governor. He mar
ried Mary Newport, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
and he spent his last years in Boardman Township,
Eli Baldwin, the second, had a tendency to ad
venture. He was a California forty-niner, making
the trip west to the gold coast by the river route
and overland. On the boat going up the Missouri
River the party was stricken with cholera and he
helped bury many of the passengers. While cross
ing the plains there were many troubles with In
dians, and he and his comrades suffered hunger
and other hardships. Hs made no money in the
gold fields of California and returned by way of

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

255

the Isthraus of Panama, suffering the additional
misfortune of being shipwrecked three miles from
land. On returning to Ohio he resumed farming
and spent his last years at Girard, vyhither he moved
from the farm near Niles. He was a strong aboli
tionist, and in many respects had original ideas that
set hira apart frora his fellow raen. He raarried
Laura Maria Folsom, and of their six chUdren three
reached mature years.
Jesse N. Baldwin was born June 15, 1857, on the
farm in Weathersfield Township of TrurabuU Coun
ty, where he lives today. With the exception of a
year spent at Seattle his entire life has been lived
on that farra. He lacked forraal educational ad
vantages during his youth, and it has been largely
a result of personal effort that he has becorae a
man of thorough and exact information, and with
good all around business abUities. For a tirae he
"was in the retail coal business, but his chief interest
and occupation has been farirang and real estate.
He is a member of the Niles Real Estate Board,
served as secretary of the old NUes Board of Trade
about seven years, and is a meraber of the present
Charaber of Coraraerce and a raeraber of the Chris
tian Church.
Mr. Baldwin raarried for his first wife Anna Isa
bel Rogers, who died July 13, 1915. She was the
-mother of two children, Jessie Natalie, who died in
infancy, and Roger Greenwood. Mr. Baldwin's sec-
•ond wife is Marguerite Louise Campbell. They have
two sons, John Newport and WUliam Carapbell.
G. A. DoERiGHT, president and general raanager of
the Falcon Bronze Corapany, is one of the aggressive
business raen of Youngstown, who not only has al
ways had original ideas, but the ambition, courage
and perseverance to materialize them, so that he has
registered astounding achievements not only in the
realm of industrialism but also in politics. He was
born a son of Theodore and Charlotte (Stein) Doe-
right, the forraer of whom, a native of Germany,
came with his wife to the United States in 1853,
locating at Youngstown, Ohio, where he followed
his trade of cabinetmaking and undertaking, so con
tinuing until his death, which occurred in 1884. He
was a steady, raethodical raan, hard-working and
thrifty. Through his excellent characteristics he
gained and held the respect of those who were
associated with hira.
After attending the public schools of Youngstown,
G. A. Doeright early becarae self-supporting, for his
father had the old Gerraan idea of training hira to
be useful early in his career. Therefore before he
left school he jjecarae an eraploye of the Youngstown
Sanitary Corapany, and having an instinctive liking
for that kind of work he continued at it following
the eorapletion of his schooldays. .Working in dif
ferent foundries, Mr. Doeright specialized in brass
mouldings, in all of the shops having brass foundries.
The idea came to hira that a shop devoted ex
clusively to brass work would be a paying concern.
After being with the Youngstown Brass Works on
iNorth Avenue for five years, Mr. Doeright felt that
his savings had reached an amount which would
justify his carrying out the plans he had raatured,
and in i8g2 he founded the Falcon Bronze Works.
Vol. 11—17

A year later he sold a half interest to G. B. Booth,
and then in 1895 the business was incorporated with
a capitalization of $10,000 as the Falcon Bronze
Company, G. B. Booth being the first president,
¦ G. A. Doeright, vice president, and John Todd,
secretary and treasurer. In igoo the capital stock
was increased to $25,000, and since then a large sur
plus has been added. The present officials are :
G. A. Doeright, president and general manager;
R. H. Doeright, vice president ; J. L. Wick, Jr.,
secretary; and E. E. iMiller, treasurer. The com
pany manufactures bronze and brass castings for
every kind of machinery, rolling mill brasses. Fal
con bronze sheet and tin mill bearings, acid metal
pickling cradles, vats, rods, bolts, braces and babbitt
metals. From the start the business has been a
success, and Mr. Doeright has the satisfaction of
proving that his idea not only was an excellent one,
but practical as well.
In i8g3 Mr. Doeright was united in marriage with
Anna L. Evans, a daughter of Henry Evans, a
.pioneer of the region surrounding Youngstown. Mr.
and Mrs. Doeright have one son, G. A., Jr. Mr.
Doeright is a member of the Youngstown Club, the
Rotary Club, tbe Youngstown Engineers' Club, the
American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical En
gineers and the American Iron and Steel Institute.
He is president of the Youngstown Laundry Com
pany, vice president of the Youngstown Auto Club.
and vice president of the Youngstown Garment
Manufacturing Corapany. He also belongs to the
Lutheran Church, in which he takes an active part
and to whose support he is a very generous con
tributor. Fraternally he is an Elk, and was treasurer
of the Elks Building Company. He is prominent in
the Society of American Magicians, the National
Conjurors Association, and siraUar organizations. A
republican by inheritance and inclination, he became
a rneraber of the City Council in igi4, and has been
thrice re-elected to that office, and served as chair
raan of the finance coraraittee of that body three
terras, and of the general iraprovement coramittee,
the two raost iraportant coraraittees. Mr. Doeright
possesses the characteristics of efficiency, trust
worthiness and absolute dependability, and while his
road of advancement has not been devoid of battles,
he has won out and is always able, when opportunity
arises, to play upon'the situation with the searchlight
of broad,, personal experience and knowledge of raen
and their .raotives.
Jeremiah Richard Woolley. The gentleraan
whose name heads this sketch has long enjoyed
prestige as a leading citizen in the coraraunity where
he resides, and' as an official against whose record
no word of suspicion has ever been uttered. For
many years Mr. Woolley has been a factor in the
business affairs of the Mahoning Valley. His promi
nence in the community is the legitiraate result of
genuine raerit and abUity, and in every relation of
life, whether in the hurable sphere of private citizen
ship or as a trusted official with raany responsibilities
resting upon hira, his raany excellencies of character
and the able and irapartial manner in which he has
discharged his every duty have won for hira an
enviable reputation as an enterprising and progressive

256

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

man. In Mr. WooUey's veins flows the blood of a
long line of sterling Welsh ancestors — in fact, he
himself is only of the second generation of his family
in the United States.
Jeremiah Richard Woolley, first vice president of
the Horae Savings and Loan Company and secretary
of the Tod estates at Youngstown, is a native son
of the old Keystone state, having been born at Brady's
Bend, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, in March,
1847. He is the son of iRichard and Rachel (Wil
liams) Woolley, the former of whom was born in
Montgomeryshire, Wales,, in 1802, and the latter in
Monmouthshire, 'Wales, in 1810. They were married
in their native country in 1840, and shortly thereafter
imraigrated to the United States. Their first per
raanent location was at. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
but after a few years they moved to Great Western,
later known as iBrady's Bend, in Armstrong County,
that state, where Richard Woolley was employed in the
coal industry until 1847. He then removed to Youngs
town, Ohio, where, and in the vicinity of which,
he passed the remaining years of his life, his death
occurring on November g, 1874, when seventy-two
years old. From 1856 to 1867 he resided on a small
farra located between Brier Hill and Girard, and
it was while operating that farra that he becarae a
partner of John Starabaugh in coal raining, which
they carried on extensively and successfully, and
during this tirae he was also employed to look after
the coal mining interests of Governor David Tod.
He was a man of splendid qualities of character,
backed by excellent business judgraent, a corabination
of characteristics which bore fruit in the raaterial
success which rewarded his efforts in a business way.
He enjoyed the adrairation and respect of his busi
ness associates and the good will of all who knew
him. He was survived by his widow Until Novem
ber I, 1885. They were faithful and active merabers
of the Welsh Baptist Church.
The seventh child born to these worthy parents
was he whose narae appears at the head of this
review. Until fourteen years of age Jereraiah
Richard Woolley attended school, the daily routine
of his life being rauch the same as the average boy
of that period. His first employment was as a clerk
for David Johns & Corapany, in which concern his
father had a financial interest, and later he was em
ployed in the sarae capacity by John Jehu & Cora
pany, which position he resigned in order to enter
a private railitary school at University Heights,
Cleveland, Ohio. Notwithstanding his youth, he had
expressed a strong desire to enter the array, and it
is possible his shrewd father believed a course in a
railitary school raight satisfy that arabition. It prob
ably did, for his subsequent career has been confined
entirely to coraraercial pursuits. On February 4,
1867, when not yet twenty years old, he was era
ployed by Governor Tod to take charge of the office
at Tod Furnace, where he reraained until 1873. In
the following year he became night founder at Grace
Furnace for Julian Kennedy, the great furnace and
steel mill builder. Later he became superintendent
of the Kline coal mines, and subsequently served as
paymaster for the Brier Hill Iron and Coal Cora
pany. In 1881 Mr. Woolley becarae bookkeeper for
Nelson Crandall, the treasurer of the Brier Hill Iron

and Coal Company, and was later sent to the Kline
mines as superintendent, retaining that position until
the closing of the raines in 1883. During these years
Mr. Woolley had deraoustrated hiraself the possessor
cf business acumen and. discrimination of high order
so that when he was selected by the executors and'
trustees of the estate of the late Governor Tod as
private secretary he was peculiarly well qualified for
the position, and this position he has since fiUed. He
has had under his supervision large and important
interests, entailing an enormous amount of detail
work, but his long retention in the position is all the
evidence needed as to his satisfactory discharge of
the trust placed in his hands.
Mr. Woolley was one of the prime raovers in the
organization of the Home Building and Loan. Com
pany, and he is the present first vice president of
the successor of that organization, now known as
the Home Savings and Loan Corapany, one of the
strong and influential financial institutions of Youngs
town. He has always shown a deep interest in the
public affairs of Youngstown and has consistently
given his support to every raovement which had for
its object the advancement of the city's normal and
legitiraate interests. He has been closely in touch
with public affairs and has knovm intimately many
of Ohio's greatest men, including the late President
McKinley, but he has steadfastly refused to accept
any public office that would in any way interfere
with his duties of a private character.
WhUe living at Brier Hill Mr. WooUey was, on
the recomraendation of Congressraan William Mc
Kinley, appointed postmaster there, under the ad
ministration of President Benjamin Harrison, his
being the first republican appointment to a postofSce
in Mahoning County in that administration. For five
terras of two years each he served as a member of
the Youngstown City Council, being president of
that body during the last year. He also rendered
efficient and appreciated service as a member of the
Board of Education, the Board of Elections and the
Board of Public Safety. Socially he is identified
with the Independent Order of Odd FeUows, having
served his lodge as noble grand, is a member of
Youngstown Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks, of the iKnights of the Golden Eagle, of St
David's Society and is president of the Welsh
Pioneer Association of the Westefn Reserve,
On December 24, 1877, Mr. Woolley was married
to Marian Kane, who was born in Wisconsin on
July 4, 1858, but who was raainly reared and educated
at Brier iHill, corapleting her educational training at
Villa Maria Girls' Acaderay at Bedford, Pennsyl
vania. They are the parents of two daughters,
naraely : Rachel Edna, who is the wife of John R
Perkins and the mother of a son, Jere R., and Jane
Elizabeth, Mr. Woolley is a raan of many sterling
characteristics of head and heart, and among nis
contemporaries it would be hard to find a record as
replete with toilsome duty faithfully and uncom
plainingly performed in all the walks of life, while
his career in the humble sphere of private citizen
ship has been such as to commend him to the favor
able consideration of the best people of the city and
county where he has so long maintained his residence.

^'hy

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

257

John H. Middleton, secretary of the estates of
WUliam and David Tod and D. B. and Margaret
Stambaugh, is one of the reliable, responsible and
highly trusted raen of Youngstown, whose knowledge
of the work he is carrying on is thorough, apd whose
efforts are such as to work out to the satisfaction
of all parties concerned. Mr. Middleton was born
at Youngstown on September 23, 1871, a son of John
H. and Mary (Irwin) Middleton. The elder John
H. Middleton was born in Pennsylvania, and was
employed in the iron mills of the Mahoning Valley.
About 1872 he located at Youngstown, and was
accidentally killed when twenty-two years of age.
His widow survives him and makes her home at
Youngstown. They had two sons, John H. and
Harry I.
John H. Middleton, the younger, has spent prac
tically all of his life at Youngstown, receiving his
educational training in its public schools. At the
beginning c^E his business career he was connected
with railroad work, and later went with the Republic
Iron & Steel Company, and still later was with the
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company. For one and
one-half terras he was a raeraber of the Youngstown
City Council, but resigned to accept the position of
clerk of Mahoning County, to which office he was
elected in 1905 and which he held for two elective
terras. Following that Mr. Middleton was associated
with David Tod in his activities, and after his death
becarae secretary of the estates of Williara and David
Tod and D. B. and Margaret Stambaugh.
On April 8, 1908, Mr. Middleton was married to
Miss Alice Foster, a daughter of Lemuel T. Foster,
a veteran of the war between the states, "who carae
frora pioneer stock. Mr. and Mrs. Middleton becarae
the parents of two children, John H. and Betty A.
Mr. Middleton is a raember of the Youngstown
Club. His fraternal connections are maintained with
the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. For
some years he has been an attendant of the Pres
byterian Church. Since casting his first vote Mr.
Middleton has been a republican, and the offices he
has filled have come to him as the candidate of his
party. He is a man in whom iraplicit confidence can
be placed, and has been given attributes which raake
hira strong in mental equipment, quick in perception
and a natural leader of men.
Benjamin Franklin Pew, Besides being one of
the oldest business men of Niles, Benjamin Frank
lin Pew has undoubtedly been one of the most
constructive factors in the development of the city.
The coramunity was fortunate in the fact that he
and a few others were able to look and plan ahead,
and work unitedly for the future as well as the
present. Mr. Pew was born April 10, i§so, at Lordstowft,
about four miles frora the present City of NUes a
son of Horace and Nancy Ann (Osborne) Pew.
His grandfather, Thomas Pew, was a prominent
pioneer character in Trumbull County, establishing
his horae in Warren Township, 21^ railes from
Warren, Horace Pew, who was born and reared
on his father's farm there, continued identified with
agriculture until 1865, when he and John Ohl be
carae partners in a general raercantile business at

Niles under the firm narae of Pew, Ohl & Cora-,
pany. After 1873 he reraoved to Cleveland, where
he spent his last days.
Benjamin F. Pew was reared on the home farm
owned by his father, now included in the corpora
tion liraits of NUes. He had a public school educa
tion, and when only fifteen years of age was made
the responsible raanager of the store in which his
father was a partner. This business transacted
sales to the value of between $75,000 and $100,000
a year. It and raany other concerns went down in
the panic of 1873, and Benjamin F. Pew was com
pelled to begin all over again. For the next ten
years he was in the livery business and in 1884,
thirty-six years ago, engaged in the retail grocery
business, which he has continued to the present time.
Fifty years of hard work have brought him com
petence and independence. Since he was a young
man he has been interested in the real estate busi
ness. He recently has laid out the Pew addition
on North Main Street. There were fifty acres in
his original farra and the trees thereon were set
out by hiraself in 1894. He still owns seventeen
acres. Mr. Pew and R. G. Sykes were the chief organ
izers and assumed most of the responsibilities in
connection with the first board of trade at Niles.
This organization, with Mr. Pew as leader, had
much to do with attracting some of the early in
dustries to the city, and it also planned and car
ried out the campaign resulting in a waterworks
and lighting system. These undertakings were car
ried out against the general apathy or active oppo
sition of many local citizens. While the first board
of trade practically revolved around the energies of
these two men, the subsequent boards of trade and
the present Charaber of Coraraerce were born out
of the ashes of the Pew-Sykes organization. In
all the later business organizations Mr. Pew has
been an indefatigable worker, and his willingness
to aid has been counted on as one of the chief
instruraents in raaking NUes a prosperous manu
facturing and coraraercial center. He served as
president and secretary of the second board of trade,
and as an active member of the present Niles Cham
ber of Comraerce. Mr. Pew is affiliated with the
Knights of Pythias and is a Methodist.
In 1872 he raarried Miss Sarah A, Harris, of NUes.
Their only chUd, Edna H,, is the wife of F. W.
Caldwell. James L. Wick. For many years Wick has been.
an honored and significant name in YoungsfOwn life
and affairs. The late James L. Wick, who died Octo
ber 2, lyiy, was primarily a merchant. By nature
he was quiet and unassuraing, but was noted for his
integrity and moral worth, and Youngstown is much
indebted to such men as he for the enviable position
the city now enjoys in comraercial affairs.
Born at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, July 27, 1S48,
James L. Wick vyas a son of John Dennick and Emily
(Lippincott) Wick, and a grandson of Henry and
iHannah (iBaldwin) Wick. He was reared at
Youngstown, attended the coraraon schools, and fin
ished his education at Hudson Acaderay, now a part
of Oberlin College. For a tirae he was a coal op-

258

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

erator at Church HUl. His longest association, how
ever, was in mercantile lines, and. for raany years
he was proprietor of a store under the firm name
Wick, Arms & Bloxon on the present site of the
George L. Fordyce Company at West Federal and
Phelps Streets.
Mr. Wick was a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite
Mason. He raarried Julia Manney, and their living
children are Dennick M., Jaraes L., Jr., Elbridge A.
and George L.
Dennick M. Wick, the oldest son, was born in
Youngstown July 13, 1880. He had a public school
education, and as a youth found eraployment as a
messenger with the Dollar Savings & Trust Cora
pany. He has been with that corporation through
out his business career, and on his merit and ability
has won advancement to treasurer. He is a member
of the First Presbyterian Church, the Young Men's
Christian Association, the Youngstown Club and the
Youngstown Country Club.
May 27, 1914, he married Miss Margaret Howells.
They have two children : Alice Julia and Robert
Dennick. Shirley S. French, vice president and general
raanager of the General Fireproofing Corapany at
Youngstown since June, 1917, has had a widely di
versified experience in the iron and steel and kindred
industries of Eastern Ohio.
Mr. French was born at Garrettsville, Ohio, May 2,
1881, son of Samuel and Mary (Johnston) French,
and grandson of Schuyler French, who carae to Ohio
from Connecticut in 1830 and settled on a wild tract
of land near Garrettsville. Sarauel French was born
in Connecticut in 1816, and spent his active life as
a farraer at Garrettsville and died at the age of
eighty-four. Shirley S. French grew up on the horae farm,
learned its duties, and in 1900 graduated from the
Garrettsville High School. On the death of his
father he went to work to help support his mother.
His first employraent was with the Brown-Bonnell
plant of the Republic Iron & Steel Company at
Youngstown. He began as tally boy and remained
with the Republic Company for six years, eventually
having charge of the shipping and order depart
ments of the Toledo plant.
Mr. French was one of the large staff of company
officials who were on the ground during the laying
out and early development of the great steel city of
Gary, Indiana. In 1906 he went there in the office
of the chief engineer of the United States Steel
Corporation, Two years later he was transferred
to the accounting department, where he was fre
quently assigned the duty of estimating and figuring
on special work. At the beginning of the construc
tion of the coke plant he was sent to the plant as
chief clerk of the coke plant division.
After six years of residence at Gary Mr. French
returned to Youngstown in 1912 as chief clerk of
the steel plant of the Brier HiU Steel Company.
In 191S he became assistant general manager of the
WUliara Tod Corapany, and five months later was
made general raanager. In June, 1917, he took up
his present duties as vice president and general man
ager of the General Fireproofing Corapany.

Mr. French was one of the organizers of the first
Masonic Lodge at Gary. He is also affiliated vvith
both of Youngstown's clubs. AprU 4, 1909, he mar
ried Miss Maude Jenness, of Fort 'Wayne, Indiana.
Their four sons are Charles, John, Jaraes and Shirley!
Rev. John F. Maloney. The eight years' pastor
ate of Father Maloney at St. Patrick's Catholic
Church at Hubbard has been a very prosperous
period, and the church has grown in power and in
fluence fully in proportion to the increasing popula
tion of the parish. This is one of the older Catholic
Churches in Trumbull County, the first church hav
ing been built in 1868. A parish school was organized
in 1870. The present church edifice is comparatively
new, having been erected a short tirae before Father
Maloney came to the parish, and his administration
has been marked by the building of a new parochial
school, where more than 200 pupUs are under the
instruction of the sisters in charge.
Rev. John F. Maloney was born at Niles, Novem
ber 29, 1876, a son of Patrick and Bridget (Quinlan)
Maloney. His father was a native of County Clare,
Ireland, and as a young man carae to the United
States. For a time he was a raUroad worker, but
at Niles he served for twenty-five years as a puddler
in the iron furnaces. He is stUl living at Niles,
and has been a resident of that city for half a cen
tury. For a nuraber of years he was on the council
of St. Stephen's Catholic Church at Niles. The
children in the faraily are : John F. ; Simon J., a
merchant and real estate dealer just outside Niles;
Mary A., a teacher in the schools at Youngstown;
and Catherine, a stenographer eraployed in an office
at NUes.
Rev. John F. Maloney received his classical educa
tion at Notre Dame University, graduating with the
class of 1896. He was trained for the priesthood at
Mount St, Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati and was
ordained at Cleveland June 6, 1904, by Bishop Horst
man. For two years he was assistant at St, Edward's
in Cleveland and six years at the Church of the
Imraaculate Conception at Youngstown, His first
regular pastorate was at Akron, where he spent a
year, and on March 10, igi2, he assumed his duties
at St, Patrick's in Hubbard, .At that time this con
gregation numbered about ninety families, while now
150 famUies are enrolled in the church membership,
comprising several nationalities. Father Maloney
has given all his time to the parish and his pastoral
work, is greatly beloved by his people, and is also
esteeraed araong non-Catholics as a corapanionable
and genial gentleman and a thoroughly American
citizen, William Parker played a useful and influential
part in the industrial coraraunity of Youngstown,
where he lived for over fifty years.
He was born at Dowlais, South Wales, July 7.
1843, son of Evan Parker, who brought his family
to Araerica about eight years later, beginning the
voyage April 20, 1851, and reaching Youngstown on
the 19th of June, Evan Parker bad all the good
qualities of a typical Welshraan, and was an honest
citizen and skillful factor in the industrial coramunity
for many years. The family soon moved to a farm
and home at the corner of Emma- Street and Gar-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

259

land Avenue, a part of Youngstown that has known
the Parker faraily for over sixty years. It was at
his home at Emraa Street and Garland Avenue that
William Parker lived for thirty-five years, and he
died there in March, 1907, at the age of sixty-four.
He acquired most of his early education in Youngs
town, In 1864 at the age of twenty-one, he enlisted
in the 105th Ohio Infantry, and among the organiza
tions which paid tribute to his life was Tod Post of
the Grand Army, of which he was a meraber raany
years. After the war and prior to his array service
he worked as a coal rainer, and later was a faithful
eraploye in the puddle departraent of the Valley Mill
of the Republic Iron Works. The last sixteen years
of his life he served as car inspector for the Lake
Share Railroad.
In his business relations he proved dependable,
and the quality of his usefulness was greatly ad
mired. He was also constant to his other duties and
obligations. From boyhood he -vvas a faifhful mera
ber and attendant at church and Sunday school serv
ices of the Elm Street Congregational Church, and
subsequently becarae identified with the Plyraouth
Church at the time of its organization, serving on its
first building committee. He was also deeply in
terested in the Emma Street Mission, and contrllDUted
both his raeans and his personal work to the welfare
of that Mission, He was known by his friends and
associates for his devotion to his faraily, his honesty,
his upright dealing and his kindliness and con-
siderateness as a neighbor. For raany years he was
a raeraber of the Ivorite Fraternity.
Deceraber 17, 1865, he married Miss Margaret
Lewis. They became the parents of three sons and
two daughters. Mr. Parker was survived by Mrs.
Parker- and four children, Thomas L., J. Howard,
Jaraes E. and Sarah.
Thomas H. Kane. While by no raeans one of
the oldest in point of years, Thoraas H, Kane in ex
perience is one of the veterans of the iron and steel
industry of the Mahoning Valley, He has been in
Youngstown since 1908 and is vice president and
works raanager of the Truscon Steel Company.
Mr. Kane was born at Toledo, Ohio, September 15,
1872, son of Henry and Elizabeth (Mack) Kane.
His parents were also born in Northwestern Ohio, of
Scotch-Irish ancestry. Henry Kane was an ensign
in the navy during the Civil war, being with the
Mississippi River fleet.
Spending his boyhood at Toledo, Thoraas H. Kane
acquired a public school education and has been carv
ing his own destiny since he was about fifteen years
of age. For practically thirty years he has been in
sorae phase of the. steel industry. WhUe he never
attended a technical college, the school of experience
has given hira a raost. thorough, practical and scien
tific knowledge of the industry. ,
He is one of the merabers of the Araerican Society
of Mechanical Engineers and at Youngstown be
longed to the Country Club and the Charaber of
Commerce. He married Alice R. Bumgardner, of
Toledo. Their four children are Frederick C,
Thomas Carlton, Alice Rachel and Thomas Henry.
The son, Frederick, was an Araerican soldier in the
war with,, Gerrnany.

Melvin J. Hornberger. In past ages the history
of a country was comprised chiefly in the record of
its wars and conquests. Today history is largely a
record of commercial activity, and those whose names
are foremost in any community are those who have
becorae leaders in business circles, Melvin J, Horn
berger, who is recognized as one of the leading coal
dealers of Youngstown, is characterized by tireless
energy, keen perception and honesty of purpose,
qualities which will insure success in any under
taking. Melvin J. Hornberger is a Hoosier by nativity,
having been born at Waterloo, Indiana, on January
10, 1866, and is the son of Joseph and Anna (Ray)
Hornberger, the forraer a native of Dekalb County,
Indiana, and the latter of Dayton, Ohio. The fatljer,
who was a harnessraaker by trade and also followed
railroading, died when the subject of this sketch was
but an infant. He was killecl vvhile in the eraploy
of the Lake Shore Railroad Corapany. The widowed
mother later married Ward Diehl, and the faraily
moved to TrumbuU County, Ohio, when Mr. Horn
berger was seven years old. The mother died in
igog. The subject's educational opportunities were sorae
what liraited, but he availed hiraself of every chance
to gain knowledge, a trait which has reraained with
him, so that he has becorae possessed of a wide fund
of general information. In 1887 Mr. Hornberger
came to Youngstown, and his first employment here
was with E. iM. McGillen, whose industry enjoyed
the distinction of being the first business enterprise
of the town. Later he entered the eraploy of Sraith
Crawford, dealer in feed, with whom he reraained
for eleven years. He was then with the Pittsburgh
Coal Corapany for five years, being in charge of the
retail yards in the West End, where he handled
coal and building supplies. In igo4 iMr. Hornberger
started in business on his own account at his present
location. No. 524 West Federal Street, and has
literally grown with the town, the yard now corn-
prising two hundred and eighty-eight feet of ground
between Federal Street and the iErie Railroad tracks.
He handles coal and all kinds of building raaterial,
and has been remarkably successful in anticipating
the public demand in the way of certain materials.
Mr. Hornberger has also been very successful as a
builder of homes, which he has erected to sell. In
all his enterprises he has shown soundness of judg
ment and keen perception, which have in theraselves
been guarantors of success.
In 1889 Melvin J. Hornberger was uhited in mar
riage with Laura Bishop, the daughter of William
Bishop, of Poland, and to this union have been borri
two children. Jay, who is associated with his father
in business, and Hazel, who died at the age of ten
years. During the World war Jay W. was in active
service for eleven months, having been on the firing
line in Italy with the Three Hundred and Thirty-
Second Infantry when the arraistice was signed. iHe
was raarried iMay 22, 1917, to Miss Laura Belle
Parkin, a daughter of J. W. and Sophia Parkin.
Mr, Hornberger and his family are members of
the Belmont Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is
a meraber of the building committee recently se
lected by the congregation to oversee the erection

260

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

of a new church buUding. He is also a meraber of
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Charaber
of Commerce and the Automobile Club. Politically
he is a stanch republican and gives his support to
every moveraent that proraises to proraote the public
good. William B, M.\son has lived in and around NUes
for nearly eighty years, is a veteran of the Civil
war, and his career has been one of usefulness and
honor in that coramunity, where several others of
his faraily were prorainent.
His grandfather, Arabrose Mason, brought his
faraUy to Trumbull County, Ohio, about 1836, In
former years he had served as a judge in Essex
County, New York. On coming to Ohio he located
at Niles. His wife was Jerairaa Turner, and when
they carae to Ohio they were accompanied by their
sons Dean Edson, Hiram T, and iHenry Harrison
and their daughter? Louisa, Amanda, Lucy, Har
riet and Electa. Of their children Hiram T. be
carae a successful farmer and was an early county
commissioner of TrurabuU County. Henry Harri
son was a Niles raerchant and one of the early post-
raasters of the city. Dean Edson bought a farra
now practically within the city limits of NUes, though
in 1849, at the age of thirty-four, he had well estab
lished his position as a business man and good citi
zen. He married Bertha Minerva Holcomb.
Dean Edson Mason and wife had three children :
Araanda, who becarae the wife of R. W. Jackson ;
Frank Holcorab, who becarae well known in Ohio
public affairs and whose sketch appears elsewhere;
and William B.
William B, Mason is the only son of his parents
now living. He was born on the horaestead at
NUes, August 4, 1842, and corapleted his educa
tion in Hirara Gollege, For seventy-six years he
has lived under one roof and his energies have been
worthily directed as a farmer. He enlisted in April,
1864, in Corapany B of the One Hundred and Sev
enty-First Ohio Infantry. That regiment was first
under fire at Keller's Bridge, Kentucky, and the
entire command was captured by General John B.
Morgan. William B. Mason soon afterward was
paroled, and that ended his army career. He was
discharged at Sandusky, Ohio, August 20, 1864. He
is the present coraraander of McPherson Post of
the Grand Array of the Republic at NUes. For
twenty years Mr. Mason has been local correspondent
of the Cleveland Leader, and has contributed to
various other periodicals. He is regarded as an
authority on local history in Niles and that section
of TrurabuU County. He is a republican and a
meraber of the Christian Church.
January 25, 1872, Mr. Mason raarried Mary E.
Russell. She died Christraas raorning of igi7, the
raother of three children : Russell E. ; Bertha R.,
wife of Thoraas H. Wilson, Jr., and Mary H., wife
of R. F. Kiefer.
Alonzo G. Sharp is general manager of the A. G.
Sharp Lumber Corapany, doing a general luraber and
raill work business at the old Dingledy plant in
Youngstown. Mr. Sharp has made the lumber in
dustry practically his life work, and his business

experience ranges from the Mahoning Valley into
the far Southwest.
He was born in Montgomery City, Missouri, Janu
ary 6, 1873, son of R. A. and Henrietta Sharp. Both
his parents are deceased. His father, who was a
general contractor, died at the age of seventy-eight
on June 11, ig20. He was a Confederate veteran'
having fought on the Southern side during the Civii
war. Alonzo G. Sharp is one of a family of seven
children. He attended the schools of his native city,
finished a business course in the Bryant & Stratton
Business College at St. Louis, and as a young man
worked as a carpenter. He became associated in
the lumber business with different firms at Mont
gomery City, Missouri, Marion, Indiana, and Las
Vegas, New Mexico. In 1906 he became general
manager for the B. C. Tibbett Lumber Company,
and was sirailarly associated with the Union Whole
sale Luraber Corapany. He organized and since
April, 1919, has been general raanager of the A. G.
Sharp Luraber Corapany.
In 1903 Mr. Sharp married Miss Lelia M. Laii,
of Montgomery City, Missouri. They are members
of the First Christian Church, in which he is a
trustee. He is affiliated with the Elks and the
Youngstown Club.
John W. Kuhns carae to Youngstown when its
position as an industrial center was by no means as
secure as it is today. That was nearly forty years
ago. He has long been a prosperous and enterpris
ing business man, and in late years has given much
of his time to public affairs.
Mr. Kuhns was born in Clarion County, Penn
sylvania, September 4, 1864, son of Emanuel B. and
Mary (Hunsberger) Kuhns. His parents were of
that stock described as Pennsylvania Dutch, and
their families came from Bucks County. Eraanuel B.
Kuhns was a Civil war soldier, serving in the Nine
teenth Pennsylvania Cavalry. His active life he spent
as a farmer, and in politics he began as a democrat,
but in later years voted as a republican. He and his
wife were active raembers of the First Christian
Church in Youngstown. He died in January, 1919,
at the age of eighty-three, while his wife passed
away at seventy-six. They were the parents of seven
children, and six are still living. The faraily record
is alraost unique. John W. Kuhns was forty-five
years of age before he attended a funeral of an
immediate relative. The children are: Jacob B.,
superintendent of the Oil City Trust Corapany's oil
lease at Alliance, Ohio ; Mrs. Emraa Wesner, who
occupies the old horaestead farm in Pennsylvania;
John W. ; George W. and Frank B., of the Kuhns
Plumbing Corapany of Youngstown; Henry J., who
for twenty years was in partnership with his brother
John in the carriage raanufacturing industry; and
Pearl, who died at the age of thirty-four.
John W. Kuhns acquired his early education in
the country schools of Clarion County, Pennsylvania.
At Monroeville in his native state he learned car
riage painting, and was still only a boy about seven
teen when he carae with the faraily to Youngstown
in January, 1881. Here he went to work for Sheldon
Jacobs and later was foreraan of the paint department

'V>r\S^:

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

261

of Kalenbaugh & Robison, whose plant was on the
ground where the Maloney Block now stands. He
was foreman in their painting department nine years.
In 1891 Mr. Kuhns went to 'Wood County and repre
sented the Standard Oil Company there two years.
In 1892 he established a shop for the raaking of
wagons and carriages on North Walnut Street, and
for twenty years he and his brother Henry conducted
a very prosperous and productive industry. Their
output was hea-vy vehicles, trucks, grocery and '
brewery wagons, and that type of wagon construction,
Araong his various enterprises it should be noted
that Mr. Kuhns was associated with George J.
Renner, Louis Liebraan and Herraan Duesing in de-
-veloping oil properties in Colurabiana County and is
still interested in the production of oil in the same
locality. He was also in the real estate business and
was secretary and treasurer of the West Side Land
Company, which developed the site of the old City
Hospital, building houses on the ground vacated by
that institution.
Mr. Kuhns was drawn into politics as candidate
for an office without his knowledge or consent, when
sprae of his friends put his narae on the democratic
ticket as candidate for president of the City Council.
His name did much service to the party, though he
was defeated. Mayor Craver, in making up his
cabinet, selected Mr. Kuhns to serve as director of
public safety. He held that office for a year, when
be was raade director of public service, holding this
position until the present administration took up the
reigns of city government. His business experience,
his connection with large affairs, and his personal
integrity eminently qualify Mr. Kuhns for participa
tion in public affairs. He is a meraber of the English
Lutheran Church, and fraternally is affiliated with
the Knights of Pythias, Elks and Woodraen of the
World. He and his faraily reside at 410 Oak HUl
Avenue. He raarried Miss Effie Bayer in 1889. Her
parents were Capt. John S. and Elizabeth Bayer
Mr. and Mrs. Kuhns have three chUdren: Carl W
Caroline E. and Helen M.
Edward E. Emery has had active associations with
the business life of Youngstown for over thirty
years. He is proprietor of the Edward E. Eraery
Company, automobile accessories. This business was
forraerly known as the Anderson Vulcanizing
Corapany. Mr. Eraery was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania,
January 31, 1869, son of John B. and Mary A.
(Kennedy) Eraery, the forraer a native of Butler
County and the latter of Mercer County, Pennsyl
vania. John B. Eraery, who died in 1898, at the age
of sixty-four, was for three years a Union soldier,
most of the time as a noncomraissioned officer in the
Tenth Pennsylvania Reserves. He was in many of
the great battles of the Civil war, and on the second
day of the Gettysburg engagement was severely
wounded. He was a meraber of Tod Post of the
Grand Army of the Republic. A saddler and harnes'?
maker by trade, he removed to Youngstown in 1872
and worked in the Bushness establishraent when it
was located where Lustig Brothers now sell shoes
brom Youngstown he went to Greenville Pennsyl-
I'ania, where he conducted a business of his own

then was in New Castle again for a period, and
about 1881 returned to Youngstown and was era
ployed in the DeNorraandy establishment. He and
his family were raerabers of the Trinity Methodist
Church. His wife, who died in 1914, at the age of
fifty-seven, was the mother of three children: Anna
Belle, wife of W. E. Warner, of 161 1 Elm Street,
Youngstown ; Edward E. ; and Caroline O., wife
of -Alf Waters, of Detroit.
Edward E. Emery acquired his early education
partly in New Castle and partly in the 'Wood Street
School in Youngstown, and in 1886, at the age of
seventeen, went to work in the freight office of the
Lake Shore Railroad under Captain Pierce, His
longest business association was the twenty-four
years he put in with Carroll Thornton in the
Youngstown Laundry. He held practically every
position in that establishment, and was an iraportant
factor in its success. He bought his present business
in 1916, and while looking after the general busi
ness manageraent he relies upon his son William B.
Emery for the chief technical skill and supervision.
Mr. Eraery raarried in i8g7 Lucinda B. Moore,
daughter of W. H. Moore of Youngstown. The son
Williara is their only child. Mr. Eraery has always
been a faithful voter, though independent in politics.
He is an Elk and he and his family are merabers of
the Richard Brown Meraorial Church.
Louis L. Rice. The First National Ba,nk of
Youngstown is one of the old and powerful financial
institutions of Ohio. Established seventy years ago,
its oldest active employe and official today is Louis L.
Rice, purchasing agent. Mr. Rice has been with
the First National Bank forty-one years, and he has
enjoyed the complete confidence of its officials
throughout this period, including some of the Earlier
presidents and directors.
Mr. Rice, who is also treasurer of the Union
Safety Deposit Company, was born in Youngstown,
on West Federal Street, November 14, 1861, son of
Herraan and Leah (Heisler) Rice. His parents carae
frora Hungary and settled at Youngstown in 1861,
being the third Jewish faraily in the city. The father
was a cabinet raaker by trade, conducted a shop on
West Federal Street and for a tirae was employed
by the firm of Parish & Nash on East Federal Street
on the present location of the Standard Market. Soon
after reaching America he made application for
citizenship, and was awarded his final papers before
the removal of the county seat from Canfield to
Youngstown. He was also one of the organizers of
the Rodef Sholem Congregation. He died at the
age of sixty-four and his wife is also deceased.
They were the parents of one son and five daughters,
and all except the one married daughter live in the
Rice home on Arlington Street. The children are:
Eraraa H., Sallie, Louis L., the only son. Rose, wife
of Louis Hirsch, of Pittsburgh, Mariam and Claire B.
Louis L. Rice acquired his early education in the
Wood Street and Front Street schools, and spent two
years in the Monroe School at Warren. During his
school vacations he worked at the Jewell Drug Store,
but on November 10, 1879, entered upon his long
continued service with the First National Bank as a
messenger boy. Later he was bookkeeper, and now

262

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

for a number of years past he has been purchasing
agent and treasurer of the Safety Deposit Corapany.
¦When he entered the First National it had only five
eraployes besides the executive officers. Now there
are 200, a large and busy personnel, who regard with
every raark of esteem the senior in consecutive
service. Mr. Rice has always been an active meraber of
the Rodef Sholem Congregation and at one time was
secretary. He is a past master of HUlman Lodge
of Masons, is a raember of Youngstown Chapter and
Council, and Grand Rapids Consistory, thirty-second
degree Scottish Rite, and a meraber of the board of
directors and on the house committee of the Masonic
Temple, He is also affiliated with the Elks and in
politics is a republican,
Dr, Archibald F, Swaney. WhUe he came to
NUes to practice medicine and surgery and did so
successfully for fifteen years. Doctor Swaney now
devotes all his time and energies to raanufacturing,
as president and general manager of the Niles Forge
and iManufacturing Corapany,
He was born at New Cumberland, West Virginia,
December 13, 1875. His father, Thoraas R. Swaney,
of Scotch-Irish ancestry, was a Union soldier in the
Civil war and spent the greater part of his active
life as a merchant.
Archibald F. Swaney, who was reared at New
Cumberland, graduated frora tbe high school of
that town, read raedieine privately, attended lec
tures and in 1903 graduated frora the medical de
partment of the Ohio State University. After a
brief period of hospital training at Wheeling he
located at Niles in the sarae year, and practiced
steadily untU 1918, when he gave up his professional
duties to become president and general nianager
of the Niles Forge and Manufacturing Company.
Doctor Swaney is a raeraber of the Niles Club,
TrurabuU Country Club and the Christian Church.
In l8g8 he married Bertha M. Robbins, daughter
of G. B. Robbins. Their two sons are George Rob
bins and Thomas C.
Samuel Draekin, president of the Bolotin-Drab-
kin Furniture Company, has been a successful busi
ness man of Youngsto'wn for the past sixteen years,
and has also made his increasing prosperity a source
of direct benefit to the coraraunity,
Mr, Drabkin was born in Russia in 1874, His
people were engaged in the wholesale flour and
grocery business. He was given a liberal education,
corapleting his early training in a gyranasiura, which
ranks with an American college in curriculum.
However, when Mr. Drabkin arrived at New York
in l8g2, at the age of eighteen, his capital resources
amounted to only $26, For several years he lived in
White County, Illinois, where he followed cora
mercial lines, and in 1904 brought his capital and ex
perience to Youngstown. He was unable to speak a
word of the English language when he reached this
country, but has studied language as well as busi
ness and affairs, and has a fluent coramand of Eng
lish. In 1904 he established the business of which
he is now president, and that firra has grown and
prospered with the passing years. The first store

was on Hirarod Avenue, where the branch postoffice
now is, and later was moved to Federal Street. In
191 1 a branch was opened in East Youngstown, and
two years later still another branch at Niles.
Mr, Drabkin is widely known for his integrity in
business, possesses a very charitable nature, and has
accepted many opportunities to do good both through
church and other organizations. He was for two
years president of the Emanuel Congregation, is a
' raember of the B'Nai B'Rith, and is affiliated with the
order of Elks.
In 1894 he married Rebecca Prodkin, also a native
of Russia, They have two chUdren: Saul G, and
Sarah A, The son, Saul, completed his education in
the Morgan Park Military Acaderay at Chicago and
is now associated with his father in business,
William J. Scholl. For nearly thirty-five years
William J. Scholl, president of the W. J. Scholl Com
pany of Youngstown, has been actively connected
with the plumbing and heating interests of this sec
tion of Mahoning County, and by paying prompt
and careful attention to the details of his business has
won the confidence and good will of the people and
built up an extensive and highly remunerative patron
age, his services being in constant demand through
out the city. A son of John and Sarah SchoU, he
was born in 1856, in Youngstown, Pennsylvania.
Born and bred in Germany, John Scholl was well
educated, and becarae while young a good linguist,.
speaking three languages, Gerraan, French and Eng
lish. In 1844, disliking the conditions in his native
land, he iraraigrated to the United States, locating
first in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where with a
brother he engaged in the butcher business. From
there he raoved to Bradenville, Pennsylvania, and in
1865, accorapanied by his faraily, came in a canal
boat to Ohio, landing in Youngstown on the ninth
day of April. In partnership with his brother Michael
he opened a cabinet raaking and furniture establish
raent on Federal Street, and was there located for
awhile. For several years he was bookkeeper and
collector for the firm of D. Theobold & Company,
and at one time was an active raember of the city
council. He lived to a ripe old age, passing away
in 1904. His wife, who was born in America, died
many years ago. They were the parents of two
children, WUliam J., the subject of this sketch; and
George, who lived but sixteen years.
Coraing to Youngstown, Ohio, in boyhood, WUliam
J. Scholl attended the public schools, and at the age
of twelve years was working for Ned Jones in the
nail factory. Later he entered the eraploy of George
Turner, proprietor of a spike factory, and for a time,
while yet but a boy, drove a wagon for the old Mc
Kelvey firm. Entering the establishraent of Kelley
& Starabaugh in 1873, he served an apprenticeship-
at the plumber's trade, and having become familiar
with its details worked for awhUe in Chicago, and
later entered the employ of the Santa Fe Railroad
Company, being stationed in Topeka, Kansas.
Returning to Youngstown, iMr. SchoU in 1880 ¦
started an establishment of his own in the basement
of a building on iEast Federal Street, under the tin
shop of Jaraes Squire & Son. Succeeding weU in
his venture, he purchased the Squire business, which.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

263

he raoved into Doctor Buechner's building on Federal
Street. In 1897, his business being constantly in
creasing, Mr. Scholl built a shop on Market Street,
on the site now occupied by the Mahoning County
courthouse. Subsequently selling that lot to the
county, he raoved his building frora that location to
the present site of the City Market. The building
was afterward burned, and Mr. Scholl raoved to
Boardraan Street, taking possession of the building
that had for years been occupied by the Natural Gas
Company, and there remained until the eorapletion of
the new Tod House, when he raoved to his present
advantageous location.
The business of the W. J. Scholl Company has had
a rapid and natural growth frora the start, and is
constantly increasing in volurae and value. The firra
has filled raany contracts of note, among others hav
ing installed the plumbing in the Mahoning County
courthouse ; the New Tod House ; the Stambaugh
Building; the Mahoning National Bank BuUding; the
Horae Savings & Loan Building; and raany other
prominent structures in and near the city.
Mr. Scholl married Delia, daughter of Abram
Davis, of Sharon. Their only child, Mamie, is the
wife of Morgan Whitehead, a raember of the CivU
Service Commission, and who served with the Young
Men's Christian Association in France. Mr. Scholl
is a meraber of the Youngstown Charaber of Cora
raerce, and of the Builders' Exchange. His home, a
most attractive one, is in the country.
David J. Scott, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, and
at present the efficient director of public safety in that
city, has had a commendable record of industry and
worthiness of public service since as a boy of twelve
he entered energetically upon the serious occupa
tions of life. He is well placed among the aggressive
younger generation of responsible Youngstown citi
zens, and by his decade of capable service in the
police departrnent of the Republic Iron and Steel
Company, which necessarily brought him into close
association with the city police department, he is
especially fitted for the appointment to which be w-as
preferred by Mayor Warnock in the city administra
tion. He was born on Oak Street, Youn.gstown, July 27,
i8go, the son of Jaraes and Jane (Bevan) Scott. The
Scott faraily is of British origin, and the parents of
Safety Director Scott were raarried in South Wales.
They, Jaraes and Jane (Bevan) Scott, came to
Youngstown in 1887, and from that year until that
of their death, 1902, they were respected and re
sponsible residents of that place. The demise of
Mrs. Scott came seven months earlier than that of
her husband, and they were respectively fifty-seven
and sixty-one years old when death came. Jaraes
Scott was for many years a stationary engineer in
Youngstown, and had many friends. He was an
earnest Christian and a raeraber of the Welsh Bap
tist Church of Youngstown. Politically he was a
republican, and was identified with the fraternal
order of Red Men. After coraing to Youngstown
the Scott faraily lived on Oak, Fairraount and Gar
field streets, and Mr. and Mrs. Scott had raany sincere
friends araong the older residents of those neighbor
hoods. They were the parents of twelve chUdren

eight of whom, however are now deceased. The liv
ing are : Edward J,, who is connected with the safety
department of the Republic Iron and Steel Company;
Henry, who is an engineer by profession, and is also
connected with the same company; Mrs, David J,
Morgan, of Granite City, Illinois, where her husband
is identified responsibly with the granite industry of
that place; and David J., the subject of this article.
David J. Scott was only twelve years old when his
parents died. He had been attending schools on Fern
and Market streets, but soon after being orphaned
was forced to close his schooling and take to business
life. He began as a messenger boy in the employ
of the Western Union Telegraph Company, Youngs
town, later working in the grocery store of F. A.
Scott on Market Street. He was evidently an
energetic boy of independent spirit, capable of making
his way unaided. At fifteen years he was oiling
engines at the Republic Iron and Steel Works.
From that tirae until he entered the city adrainistra
tion he was in the eraploy "of the Republic Company.
He did not oU engines for long, being transferred to.
the hospital service in the safety department of the
plant, and for the last nine years of his service was
a raeraber of the police departraent of the company,
latterly as sergeant. It was because of his efficient
work in this connection that Mayor Warnock was
induced to offer him the directorship of the police
departraent of the City of Youngstown. As a police
officer David J. Scott was effective, resolute and
fearless, his authority was respected, and he rendered
signal service on raany occasions, both to the Repub
lic Corapany and to the city. Since he has been a
raeraber of the city adrainistration he has undoubtedly
proved his fitness for the office of safety director,
the city police departraent under his direction coraing
especially into creditable public record by its eradica
tion of deplorable vice conditions in the city.
Mr. Scott is a consistent churchraan, raeraber of the
Epworth Methodist Church, and a substantial sup
porter thereof. Politically he is a republican, and
fraternally is identified with many organizations, in
cluding the Masonic order. He is a member of the
Western Star Blue Lodge, the Youngstown Chapter,
and the Buechner Council of the Masonic order, the
R. E._ Johnson Lodge of the Knights of Pythias, and
the Knights of the Golden Eagle,
In 1912 he raarried Fanny E., the daughter of
William Price, a well-known Youngstown resident,
and superintendent of brick masonry at the Republic
Iron and Steel Works. Mr. and Mrs, Scott have two
children, sons, Robert E, and Russell H,
George Bode, one of the substantial men of the
Mahoning Valley, is successfully engaged in a stone
and brick contracting business at Youngstown, where
he has won the confidence of the people by his fair
and honorable methods of carrying out his contracts.
He was born in Gerraany on Septeraber 22, 18^8, a
son of Henry and Barbara (Bode) Bode, the forraer
of whora was a raason contractor upon an extensive
scale. George Bode learned his trade under his father's
careful supervision, and after giving his country the
obligatory military service he came in 1883 to the
United States. The first words in the language of

264

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

his new home he heard spoken upon his landing at
Baltimore, Maryland, but he has been apt in learning
since then, and is now a very well inforraed raan. He
carae direct to Youngstown, Ohio, and his first era
ployraent was secured under Jaraes Morris at the
Brown-BonneU plant. One year later he entered
the eraploy of Christ Mauser, one of the old-tirae
contractors, becoraing a foreraan, and as such had
charge of the construction of the high school in
Girard, Ohio, a church on Oak Street, the Williara
Tod Machine Shop, an addition to the Tod House
(Hotel), and the street car power house. From 1899
untU 1902 Mr. Bode was foreman for Henry Nieder
meier, and supervised the buUding of the United
Presbyterian Church on Hirarod Avenue, the Stand
ard OU Cloth Plant on Girard Road, the Bessemer
Plant for Brown-Bonnell and tbe old Union Semi
nary at Poland, Ohio, He then went into the con
tracting business on his own account and buUt the
Gallegher and Renner buildings at the corner of
Hazel and Coraraerce stre'ets, the Starabaugh Building
on Glenwood Avenue, and for ten years was doing
work on the United Engineering BuUding Corapany's
contracts. He also built the Weaver Building on
Market Street, the Scott and Jones buildings on Fed
eral Street, the Charles S. Geiger Building on Oak
Hill Avenue, and addition to the school in East
Youngstown, the Gorden School in East Youngstown,
the MercantUe BuUding and the Pugh & Howells
Block in Girard, the Kings Block at Girard and many
other business blocks, Mr. Bode has also erected
residences for John Brenner, B. F. Thomas, Otto
Shuraan, Frank Tucker, Henry Butler and raany
others. When Mr. Bode came to the United States he took
advantage of the opportunities offered by night
school and attended its sessions to learn English and
bookkeeping. His instructor was Professor Steiner.
While he had but little raoney when he arrived, his
skill and industry soon placed hira in comfortable cir
curastances. Having corae to this country with the
intention of reraaining here, he took out his papers
and becarae a citizen as soon as it was possible for
hira to do so, and his first vote was cast for Benjarain
Harrison for President, and he has continued to sup
port the candidates of the republican party ever since.
In 1884 Mr. Bode was united in raarriage with
Anna Elizabeth Fiehler, a daughter of a school teach
er. She was born in Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Bode
became the parents of five children, naraely : Henry,
who is chief engineer at the Mcintosh & Hanfield
Plant of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Rev. Dietrich,
pastor of the Reformed Church at Rochester, New
York; George, who is with the Republic Iron and
Steel Corapany ; Fred, who has been athletic director
of the Young Men's Christian Association, received
training for his work at Springfield, Massachusetts,
has been physical director at the Marion Young
Men's Christian Association and is now at horae ;
Anna, who is her father's bookkeeper, lives at horae.
The famUy all belong to the Reforraed Church, in
which Mr. Bode is a deacon and financial secretary,
having held these offices for sixteen years. He is
very generous in his contributions to this church, and
he and Mrs. Bode take an active part in church work
of all kinds. Mr. Bode belongs to the Knights of

Pythias, the Protected Horae Circle, and the Cham
ber of Comraerce. The Bode faraily is a fine one, the
children having developed so as to do credit to their
excellent parents, and to be valuable additions to the
several coraraunities in which they have located. Mrs.
Bode is a charming wcman and is held in affectionate
regard by all who know her. From the beginning
of his career at Youngstown Mr. Bode has proved his
worth, and no raan of the city is regarded as a better
citizen than he.
Elmer T. McCleary, whose work with the
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company began four
teen years ago, is a well known expert in chemical
and raetallurgical engineering. Daring the World
war the Government Ordnance Department ap
pointed hira a raember of a committee to confer
on the chemical and physical specifications of S'hell
steel, and he was also one of a committee of three
appointed by the same departraent to advise on the
sections for artillery shells.
Mr, McCleary was born at Pine Grove Furnace
in Curaberland County, Pennsylvania, August 27,
1878, son of John E. and Isabel (Marks) McCleary.
His father's people were from Dundee, Scotland.
John E. McCleary enlisted when sixteen years of
age as a druraraer boy in the Union army in the
Civil war. Much of his life after the war was spent
in railroading. He was a locoraotive engineer when
killed in an accident on tbe Philadelphia and Read
ing Railroad.
Elraer T. McCleary grew up at Carlisle and Har
risburg. Pennsylvania, and is a graduate of the
high schools of both cities. Later he entered Penn
sylvania State College, graduating in 1901 with the
degree Bachelor of Science after specializing in chem
istry and metallurgy. His first professional work
was with the Diaraond State Steel Company at 'WU
raington, Delaware, as cheraist, and later was in a
sirailar capacity with the Carnegie Steel Company
and also in blast furnace work. Mr. McCleary
carae to the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company
in igo6 as chief cheraist, was proraoted to assistant
superintendent of blast furnace and steel department
in igog, and since 1912 has served as assistant gen
eral superintendent of the plant.
' He is a member of the Araerican Institute of Min
ing Engineers, the Araerican Iron and Steel Insti
tute and the Araerican Society of Testing Material;
is a raember of the A'oungstown Club and the
Youngstown Country Club, a director of the Aetna
Foundry and Machine Corapany, and president of
tbe Auto Supply Corapany. He is a_ thirty-secon4
degree Mason and a raeraber of the Himrod Avenue
Baptist Church.
February 1, 1904, Mr. McCleary married Anna
Jenkins, of Youngstown. Their two children are
Dorothy May and Elmer T., Jr.
Herbert V. Tutter. A well known and exceed
ingly prosperous general merchant of Youngstown,
Herbert V. Tutter is held in high repute as a citizen,
and by his excellent character and upright business
course in life has fully established himself_ in the
esteem and confidence of his associates and neighbors,
winning an extensive and lucrative patronage in this

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

265

vicinity. A native of Youngstown, he was born
March i6, 1882, on West Rayen Street, a son of the
late George W. Tutter.
Born in Gratz, Austria, in 1839, George W. Tutter
reraained in his native land forty-five years. First
settling in Youngstown, he followed his trade of a
tailor for raany years, his first eraployraent in this
city having been with George McNab. He was
afterward a member of the firm of Hoteau & Tutter,
and was later associated with Frank L. Brown, who
was at one time mayor of the city, having been
junior meraber of the firm of Brown & Tutter,
which was located on West Federal Street, between
Phelps and Hazel streets. An experienced and
skilful workraan, he continued at his trade until
death, which occurred at his home, 337 Martin Street,
in igii. He was an attendant of the Reforraed
Church, and belonged to the Ancient Order of United
Workraen. His wife, whose maiden name was Carrie
Hoffman, was born seventy-four years ago, and is
now residing at 320 Sherwood Avenue, Youngstown.
Three chUdren were born of their union, as" follows :
G. W,, engaged in the postal service in Youngstown;
Gertrude L., wife of Burr H. Easterbrook, who is
likewise employed in the Youngstown postoffice ; and
Herbert V., of whom we write.
A pupil when young in the Covington Street
School, Herbert V. Tutter insisted upon giving up
his studies while yet a boy to accept a job in the
Gairings Brothers grocery. Leaving that firm, he
then was eraployed in Peter Deibel & Sons Store on
West Federal Street, and stUl later with the G. M.
McKelvey Corapany store. Having acquired a broad
knowledge of raercantile affairs, iMr. Tutter decided
to start in business on his own account, and opened
a store on Market Street, near the bridge. With
the very liraited capital of $75.00, he spent a part of
it in buying a horse and buggy, necessary assets in
those days. In the establishraent of his trade his
sister helped hira by taking charge of the store while
he was out soliciting business or delivering goods.
With "a square deal" for his watchword, Mr. Tutter
met with encouraging success frora the very first, his
straighforward, honorable transactions, genial cour
tesy to all, and evident desire to please his custoraers
winning him a valuable and lucrative trade. In Oc
tober, 1912, he moved to his present location, 1823
Hillman Street, where he has raet with characteristic
success. Mr. Tutter raarried, in 1912, Lenora Clark, daugh
ter of the late Lewis W. Clark, of Youngstown.
Religiously Mr. Tutter is a raeraber of the First Re
forraed Church, while Mrs. Tutter belongs to the
First Baptist Church. Fraternally Mr. Tutter be
longs to Western Star Lodge, Free and Accepted
Order of Masons; to Youngstown Chapter, Royal
Arch Masons ; to Buechner Council, Royal and
Select Masters; to Lake Erie Consistory, thirty-
second degree Scottish Rite and to Al Koran Teraple,
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine
of Cleveland, Ohio. He is also a raeraber of the
Youngstown Chamber of Coraraerce.
J. Howard Taylor, treasurer of the Taylor-Duffey- '
Waid Company of Youngstown, and a former presi
dent of the Youngstown Real Estate Board, has a

definite place among the business leaders of that
thriving city. The operations of the firm of which
he is a meraber are of considerable extent, and his
active interest in the development of the city has for
long been known. He has given his time unselfishly
upon many occasions to affairs of consequence to the
city, and especiaUy in the advocacy of the inland
water project has he been prominent in public serv
ice. He was born February 14, 1876, in Trumbull
County, Ohio, the son of Thomas M. and Melzina
(Boone) Taylor, and comes of one of the pioneer
faraUies of Ohio. His father, Thomas M. Taylor,
was born in Trumbull County; so also was his
raother, Melzina Boone, who died in 1892. Thomas
M. Taylor, who is now seventy-one years old and is
vice president of the Taylor-Duffey-Waid Company
of Youngstown, lived the first fifty years of his life
upon the Taylor family farm in Trumbull County.
In about the year 1898 he went to Cleveland, and
there becarae associated with J. W. Taylor, a rela
tive, in real estate operations. In 1915 he came to
Youngstown, and with other associates of the Cleve
land firm entered extensively into the real estate
business, so that today the Taylor-Duffey- Waid Com
pany has an enviable standing in the vicinity. The
four raerabers of the firra were forraerly connected
with the Cleveland house, and have shown rauch en
terprise since becoraing established in Youngstown.
Until they moved to their present quarters in the
Home Savings and Loan Building their offices were
at 37 Central Square, and as allotment specialists,
handling their own properties exclusively, have of
recent years done considerable business with Youngs
town people. The company owns and has been de
veloping land in Youngstown, Cleveland, Elyria,
Warren, NUes, Alliance, Tiffin and iMansfield in the
State of Ohio, and its operations are enlarging rapid
ly. They also raaintain offices at i42g 'WUliarason
Building, Cleveland, Ohio.
J. Howard Taylor, son of Thoraas M., attended
the coraraon school of his native place in TrurabuU
County, and eventually entered the Gustavus High
School, frora which in due course he graduated. He
supplemented this educational training by attending
the New Lyme Institute at New Lyme, Ashtabula
County, Ohio. When eighteen years old he became
a salesman in a Youngstown store, the Youngstown
Dry Goods Company. With that firm he remained
for eighteen months, earning the small salary of
$4,5C) per week, raost of which earning was absorbed
by his board bill. Then followed two years of service
in the Kinsraan Meat Market, and sorae tirae as a
salesraan in the carpet departraent of the Globe Store.
He clerked in various other stores for short periods,
eventually entering the eraploy of J. N. Envers Sons
Company, the changes being generally to his ad
vantage. He was of comraendably steady character
istics, and spent very little in useless luxuries. Con
sequently, with an ever-increasing salary, he becarae
in course of tirae possessed of sorae capital. For a
year he was in Cleveland with his father, and in the
eraploy of J. W. Taylor gained his first experience in
real estate operation. However, he appears to have
found his former line more lucrative, for he returned
to Youngstown and for six or seven years thereafter

266

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

was connected with the J. N. Envers Sons establish
ment, during the last year or so of his service with
that firm doing some real estate selling in his spare
tirae. He was, as raight have been expected after so
many years of such varied trading, a convincing
salesraan, and in the larger real estate sphere was so
successful that he decided to devote all his tirae to it.
At a weekly salary, he successfully sold rauch prop
erty for Mrs. J. E. Corastock, of Warren, and soon
afterward he forraed a business partnership with Mr.
Duffey to develop the Tobias Kirarael tract at
Struthers. Since that time his connection with real
estate expanded, as has been herein explained. The
Taylor-Duffey-'Waid Company, of which he is treas
urer, owes rauch of its present standing to his busi
ness ability. He is a recognized business leader in
Youngstown real estate circles ; has been president of
the Real Estate Board; in fact, he was one of those
responsible for the establishment of tbat board; and
was a member of the comraittee naraed to represent
the Youngstown Real Estate Board in Washington
when Congress was considering the inland water
ways project, which sought to connect the Lakes and
the Ohio by a canal.
Mr. Taylor is a raeraber of the Youngstown
Chamber of Comraerce, and also the local Kiwanis
Club, in both of which organizations he is active.
And in raany ways he has shown his interest in the
advancement of "Youngstown, He is an able, aggres
sive, optiraistic raan, and is taking his place well
among the responsible citizens of Youngstown. He is
a meraber of the AutoraobUe Club, and politically is a
republican. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and
a raeraber of Al Koran Temple, Ancient Arabic
Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Cleveland,
Ohio. He is affiliated with the Blue Lodge of the
town of his boyhood days. He is a consistent church
raan, earnest in church work, which raay be inferred
by the fact that he is deacon of the First Christian
Church of Youngstown.
In igo5 Mr. J. Howard Taylor raarried Julia H.
daughter of Joseph Ribgy, and of the old Youngs
town family of that name. Three children have been
born to them, by names Ermlin, Robert and Carol
Jeanne. The family has a large circle of friends
among the better people of the city.
George T. Swanton, Araong the old and hon
ored eraployes of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube
Corapany at Youngstown, one who is a veteran in
the iron and steel industry is George T, Swanton,
superintendent of the puddle mill. His experience
in this country has been varied, but for a nuraber of
years he has been connected with his present con
cern, to the developraent of which he has been an
iraportant contributing factor.
iMr. Swanton was born in Surrey, England, July
25, 1848, one of the eleven chUdren of George and
Jane (St. Clair) Swanton, the forraer a yeoman
farrner in England. One of the sons went to Aus
tralia, where he becarae a prosperous sugar planter
at Cordoba in the Isis district, Queensland, and
to that point the parents moved about the year 1879,
the father passing away there at the age of ninety-
one years, while the raother attained the reraarkable
age of one hundred and three years.

George T, Swanton grew up in his native vicinity
where he attended the country schools, and after
corapleting his education at Cardiff began his busi
ness career as office boy in a pottery concern at
Bristol. Later he returned to school, and then began
working in a sheet raill at Cardiff. iHe did not ac
company the family to Australia, but for some ten
years served in the English array under Lord iNapier
and saw service on the northeast frontier of India'
In 1877 Mr. Swanton carae to the United States, first
raaking his home at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 'later
being eraployed by the Phoenix Iron Company at
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and subsequently for
about a year was in the rolling department of the
Hugh E. Steele" Corapany at Newcastle, Delaware.
In 1879 he returned to_ Lancaster and later went to
Columbia, Pennsylvania, and then was with the
Catasqua Manufacturing Company at Ferndale. In
1887 he went to Birrainghara, Alabama, where he
was eraployed by the Thoraas Iron Company and
later by the Birrainghara RaUroad Supply Company
in the capacity of assistant superintendent '\Vhen
he left the latter concern it was to accept a fore-
raanship with the successor of the Birmingham Roll
ing Mill Corapany. When the United States de
clared war against Spain Mr. Swanton assisted to
raise Corapany L, First Alabaraa Regiment, of East
Lake, but his regiraent got only as far as Miami,
Florida, and Mr. Swanton, on receiving his honor
able discbarge, resuraed work with the Birmingham
Rolling Mill Company, subsequently becoming fore
man of the finishing and puddling department for
the PuUraan Palace Car Corapany at Anniston, Ala
baraa. In igoi Mr. Swanton carae to Youngstown, Ohio,
as puddle boss and night foreraan in the 'Valley
Mills, and in January, igo3, entered the employ of
the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company as fore
man of the puddle and sheet bar departments. He
has been with this concern ever since, and his work
has been continuously in the puddle department.
Mr. Swanton is one of the oldest of the employes
of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company. Few
men have seen and been a part of the building of
this great organization from infancy to the present,
but it is Mr. Swanton's distinction to be one of
thera. On February 6, 1881, Mr. Swanton married Miss
Mary Jane Haddock, of Ferndale, Lehigh County,
Pennsylvania, and they becarae the parents of five
children, naraely : John, Thoraas, George (deceased),
WUliam and Albert.
George E. Rose. No citizen of Mahoning County
occupies a higher position in the esteera of the people
than does George E. Rose, one-tirae lawyer, ex-judge
of the Probate Court of Mahoning County, and the
president and general raanager of the Realty Security
Corapany at the present time. During his years of
legal practice he built up a large and representative
clientele, being regarded as an extremely safe coun
selor in all matters pertaining to legal questions. "
speaks well for any raan who may have the con
fidence of the people to such an extent that he is
regarded as specially adapted to the settlement of
estates and matters of equity. Since retiring from

./"^^^^^¦^^Jp-^ A^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

267

the practice of law and entering the field of business
and finance he has achieved as pronouncecl a success
and gained as high a reputation as was his in the field
of law.
George E. Rose was born December 9, 1859, at
Carlisle, Lorain County, Ohio, and is the son of
Elijah and Lucy A. (Bacon) Rose. He was reared
on the paternal farmstead, his early years being
much like those of the average farmer boy of that
period, consisting in attending the district schools
during the winter raonths and helping cultivate the
farra during the suraraers. After completing his cora
raon school studies Mr. Rose prepared for college
at Oberlin, after which he entered Dartraouth Col
lege at Hanover, New Harapshire, where he was
graduated in 1881. The profession of law had an at
traction for him early in life, and he had, at intervals,
read some law, but on completing his coUege work he
began a systematic study of Blackstone and Kent in
the office of Metcalf & Webber at Elyria, Ohio. He
was admitted to the bar in 1883 and in January of the
following year he opened an office and entered upon
the active practice of his profession in Youngstown,
Ohio, with which city he has reraained identified ever
since. Although the profession was already over
crowded here, he soon took rank araong the ablest
lawyers in the city and exeraplified the old adage
that "There is always roora at the top." In the
spring of 1888 Mr. Rose was elected city solicitor and
two years later was elected to succeed himself, serv
ing four years in that position. In 1893, about ten
years after locating in Youngstown, Mr. Rose was
elected probate judge of Mahoning County, and
officiated in that position untU February, 1901, his
official tenure being characterized by proraptness and
dispatch in the handling of official business, legal
ability of a high order, and a keen sense of justice
which permeated all his acts. Shortly after his re
tirement from the bench Judge Rose resuraed his law
practice as a raeraber of the firra of Norris, Jackson
& Rose. Soraetirae later, however, he retired from
the active practice of the law in order to devote
his attention to the Realty Security Corapany, of
which he was the organizer and of which he has been
the president and active raanager frora that tirae to
the present. The Realty Security Corapany is one of
the sound and influential financial institutions of
Youngstown and has had an important part in the
developraent and upbuilding of the city. He was
also one of the organizers of the Real Estate Security
Corapany, of which he is vice president, and he is a
director of the raercantUe house of Strouss-Hirsh-
berg Corapany.
George E. Rose was raarried to Louise H. Baxter,
the daughter of Heraan Baxter, and to thera has
been born a daughter, Louise M., who is now the
wife of Robert J. Eppley. The family are merabers
of the Presbyterian Church, while politically the
judge is an active supporter of the republican party.
Socially he is identified with the Youngstown Club,
the Youngstown Country Club and the iPoland Coun
try Club. As a citizen Judge Rose is public spirited
and enterprising; as a friend and neighbor he com
bines the qualities that win confidence and command
respect, and as a business raan he exhibits those ele
raents which are nearly always a guarantee of suc

cess. His life and labors have been worthy because
they have contributed to a proper understanding of
life and its probleras, and while advancing his own
interests he has performed his full share in promoting
the public welfare.
Harold H. Hull, attorney, of Youngstown, Ohio,
is an able and rising raeraber of the legal bar of
Mahoning County. A graduate of the law depart
ment of Harvard University, he has since igio prac
ticed law in Youngstown, and has upon many oc
casions, and in iraportant causes, come prorainently
before the people of the county as an able advocate.
His raerit in legal conduct is evidenced in his recent
proraotion to the office of prosecuting attorney for
Mahoning County, Ohio, after three years of service
as assistant to Prosecutor Huxley. And facts con
cerning his early years, and the handicaps he had to
surraount in order to continue at school through his
coUege years and until his graduation as an attorney,
starap him as a man of strong purpose.
He was born on a farm near Grove City, Pennsyl
vania, August 23, 1885, the son of Charles H. and
Isabel (Beveridge) Hull, and was born in the log
house, of only one roora, in which his father, Charles
H. also was born. The birth of his father, Charles
H., was in 1865 and three years after his own birth
his youthful parents reraoved in 1888, to Greenville,
Pennsylvania, where the boy was reared, and where
his parents stUl live. His father, Charles H. Hull, is
StUl actively following his lifetirae occupation, that of
locoraotive engineer. He has served the Besseraer
and Lake Erie Railroad Company in that capacity for
thirty-five years, and among locomotive engineers is
known widely; in fact he was a charter member, of
the now powerful Brotherhood of Locoraotive En
gineers. Charles H. Hull is also a raember of the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ; and poli
tically gives allegiance to the republican party. For
very raany years he and his wife have been raerabers
of the First Presbyterian Church of GreenvUle.
Harold H. Hull graduated frora the Greenville
High School in igo3, and having resolved to prepare
hiraself for professional life, he took the academic
course at the Allegany CoUege at Meadville, Penn
sylvania, graduating in igo7, soon after which gradu
ation he entered upon the study of law at the na
tion's foremost law school, that of Harvard Univer
sity. In due course, in 1910, he was creditably
graduated therefrora, and thus fitted to iraraediately
enter upon the practice of law. It was praiseworthy
result of coraraendable deterraination and resolute
persistence through discouraging circumstances, for
his college and university courses were made pos
sible only by his own strength of will and manly
purpose. During vacations for practically the whole
of the period young Hull provided hiraself with the
means wherewith to continue his studies by applying
hiraself raanfully to hard labor, that of locoraotive
¦fireraan. He was adraitted to practice law at the
legal bar of Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1910, in
which year he established hiraself in a law office in
Youngstown of that state. His decade of practice in
that city has been such as to indicate- that he ranks
well araong the professional leaders of that city and
county. He is well-regarded professionally, and has

268

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

taken prominent part in raany local raoveraents. For
three years he was assistant prosecuting attorney for
Mahoning County, succeeding Mr. Huxley in igig
in the office of prosecuting attorney. In many im
portant cases Attorney Hull has clearly demon
strated his ability as prosecuting counsel, and he has
the confidence of an ever-increasing nuraber of re
sponsible Mahoning County people.
He is a republican in politics, and has actively
interested hiraself in national affairs. Fraternally he
is a Mason, a raember of the Western Star iBIue
Lodge, Youngstown, and of the local Chapter and
Council. He is also an active Elk.
On May i6, igi6, in Greenville, Pennsylvania,
Attorney Hull married Mary, daughter of William
Tunnison, a retired merchant of that place. Both
are raerabers of the First Presbyterian Church,
Youngstown, and active in church work.
Herman F. Kling. The business record of Her
man F. Kling as an architect and builder at Youngs
town goes back raore than thirty-five years. iHe
and his associates and his organization have been
the raediura for the planning and conception of raany
score of handsome structures which adorn Youngs
town and the Mahoning Valley.
Mr. Kling was born at Wetter-on-Ruhr, West
phalia, Gerraany, April 21, 1858, son of Fred and
Amalie (Einhaus) Kling. His father was a stone
contractor and owned some extensive stone quarries
in Gerraany.
Herraan F. Kling, who received a coraraon school
education, had attained to the status of a competent
stone raason when only fifteen years of age. An
apprenticeship in Berlin gave him a coraplete knowl
edge of the building trade, and he also attended
the technical schools at Holzminden, For two years
he was a soldier in the Gerraan array.
Mr. .Kling carae to Araerica in 1881 and at once
located at Youngstown, where he was eraployed by
Henry Niederaeyer, one of the early stone contrac
tors here, and helped buUd St. Paul's Church at
Brier Hill. For two years he was associated with
A. Kannengeiser, architect. After one year in St.
Paul, Minnesota, he formed in 1886 a partnership
with his former employer, Mr. Kannengeiser, and
their association was continued until the death of
Mr. Kannengeiser in i8gg. Since igo4 Mr, Kling
has been in business with Mr. Zenk. As an archi
tect he has raade plans for raany of the leading
churches, schools and residences of Youngstown.
Just a few to indicate the representative character
of his work are the Helen Chapel, St. Anne's Church
at Brier Hill, Grand Opera House at Sharon, the
Vindicator BuUding, the Washington School, the
McKinley School and raany others.
Mr. Kling went back to Gerraany to claira his
bride. Miss Ida Bertrara. She died in 1899, the
raother of four children : Margaret, wife of Edward
Sittig, of Youngstown ; Fred W., a mechanical en
gineer at Pittsburgh, who served with the Motor
Transport Corps in France; Otto J., an architect
associated with his father, and who received a com
plete technical training in the Carnegie School of
Technology at Pittsburgh, and Freda, who died in
1905, at the age of sixteen. Mr. Kling married for

his present wife Miss Ida Fribertshauser, daughter
of August Fribertshauser. They have two children
Herraan, Jr., and Virginia. Mr. Kling and family
are raerabers of the Methodist Church, and he is^
affiliated with the Elks and was a member of the
Rayen Club during its existence.

Albert N. Butler. From his schooldays actively
engaged in industrial life and with business experi
ence in several lines, Albert N. Butler, proprietor
of the South Side Ice Corapany, is well and favor
ably known at Youngstown. Since making this city
his horae he has taken rauch interest in its welfare
and is numbered with its representative citizens.
Albert N. Butler vyas born at Westfield, Illinois,
January 8, 1868, and is a son of Calvin and Rebecca'
(Nixon) Butler, the former of whom was born at
Uniontown, Ohio, and the latter at Sardis, Ohio.
The father was a railler by trade and lived in differ
ent sections while operating mills. He enlisted for
service in the Civil war and was detailed for a time
as a cook, but on contracting rheumatism was dis
charged on account of that disability, ifn 1864 he
went to Springfield, Illinois, and later to 'Westfield,
and then to Shelbyville, Indiana, where he died in
1893, at the age of sixty years.
Albert N. Butler was the third born in the family
of three children. He was educated mainly at
Shelbyville, Indiana, and was graduated from the
high school there in 1890, shortly afterward coming
to Belmont County, Ohio, where he entered the em
ploy of the Aetna Iron & Steel Works, remaining
until the strike of 1896. Mr. Butler then accepted a
position as brakeraan on the local railroad, and during
the seventeen years he remained in raUroad service,
was proraoted to fireraan and then to engineer. Upon
retireraent frora the railroad he entered the employ
of the M. A. Hanna Coal Company of Cleveland,
Ohio, but as he is a skilled mechanic, he preferred
another line and on coming to Youngstown entered
the Sheet & Tube Works, going from there to the
Brier Hill Plant, and subsequently to the Republic
Rubber Corapany. His career there was terminated
by the explosion in which he lost an eye. After suffi
ciently recovering from this very serious injury
Mr. iButler went into business for hiraself, organ
izing the South Side Ice Company, which he has so
capably managed that it is one of the city's prosper
ous business enterprises.
On January 12, i8go, Mr. Butler was united in
marriage to Miss Suella Corey, a daughter of David
Corey, of Flushing, Ohio, who is a veteran of the
Ciyil war. Mrs. Butler has more than a local reputa
tion as an accoraplished artist. They have three chil
dren, naraely : iMary R., who is a trained nurse, and
a graduate of the Youngstown Hospital; Ruth A,
who is also a graduate of the Youngstown Hospital,
is the wife of C. H. Landahl, teller of the City Trust
and Savings Bank and treasurer of the South Side
Ice Corapany; and David, who is yet in school. Mr.
Butler and his family are members of the Christian
Church. He is a zealous republican and is active m
political circles as an interested, well-meaning citizen,
but has had no desire at any time to take upon hini
self the grave responsibilities that he believes shoi™
be borne by office-holders, high as well as low.

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YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

269

Eugene Wilson Skinner, of Warren, Ohio, was
bom at Van Wert, Ohio, October 4, 1883. The
Skinner family was prominent in the early history
of the City of Buffalo, New York. One of the
family was at one time mayor of that city. The
great-grandfather of E. W. Skinner was born in
Buffalo and later moved to Ohio. The grandfather,
Lorenzo E. Skinner, was born in Granville, Ohio,
while the father, Lorenzo E., Jr., was born at
Newark, this state. All these generations of the
family were identified with the sheet metal business.
Lorenzo E. Skinner, Jr., was in business first at
Newark, then at Van "Wert and subsequently moved
to Warren. When he retired from business he went
to Iowa, where he died in 1914, and his widow is
still living, residing in- Florida. Lorenzo E. Skinner,
Jr., married Jennie R. Reynolds. Her ancestry goes
back to the tirae of the Plymouth Rock Colony of
Massachusetts. Eugene Wilson Skinner was reared and educated
in Warren from the age of six years and after leav
ing school he spent an apprenticeship of five years
learning the sheet metal roofing and warm air fur
nace work. For three years he was a traveling
representative for the Genuine-Bangor Slate Com
pany at Easton, Pennsylvania, and in 1913 he bought
his fathers' business at Warren. As owner he has
operated it on a growing and extensive scale, and
now does all kinds of sheet metal roofing and warm-
air furnace work. This business has given him an
intimate connection with the raodern constructive
raoveraent in Warren. He also organized the Warren
Horae Building Corapany, incorporated in 1916.' He
is treasurer of the company, which perforras a gen
eral service of home building and development. He
also organized and is owner of the Builders' Hard
ware Corapany. Another concern which he helped
organize and incorporate is the Warren Home iDe-
velopment Corapany, of which he is a director and
vice president. Mr. Skinner was one of the founders
and organizers of the Warren Builders' Exchange,
and is still a very active raeraber of the organization.
He is a member of the Warren Board of Trade, and
in Masonry is affiliated with Old Erie Lodge No. 3,
the CouncU and Chapter degrees, Warren Com
mandery No. 39 of the Knights Teraplar, and is a
raeraber of Warren Lodge of Elks and the Sons of
Veterans. He had six years of service with the
Ohio National Guard.
He raarried Miss Adaline Van Wye a native of
Howland Township, TrurabuU County, daughter of
Homer W. and Lena (Lemley) Van Wye. Her
father was born in Howland Township and her
mother in Warren. Horaer Van Wye was a farraer,
but later engaged in the livery and autoraobile busi
ness and died in the suraraer of 1919.
Grant W. Byard, a resident of Warren forty-five
years, was forraerly a raanufacturer, but in recent
years, with his son, since the latter's return frora the
World war, has been active in the insurance business
as a raember of the Byard Agency.
Mr. Byard was born at Sharon, Pennsylvania, Feb
ruary 24, 1864, and has lived in Warren since he
was nine years of age. His father, David Byard,
was born at Troy, New York, of French lineage.

and frora Troy went to Sharon, Pennsylvania, and
in 1873 located at Warren, where he died six years
later at the age of forty-six. His wife, Margaret
(May) Byard, was a native of Scotland and died
at 'Warren March 4, 1920, at the advanced age of
eighty-five. Grant Williara Byard achieved success through the
mediura of hard work. After leaving the Warren
public schools he followed several lines untU 1888,
when he entered the service of the Winfield Manu
facturing Company. He learned the business from
the standpoint of the coraraon laborer, and on his
raerit was proraoted frora one grade to another until
he was secretary of the company. He. resigned that
office in 1918 to engage in the insurance business
with his son Williara D., establishing the Byard
Agency. They are insurance brokers, raaking a
special and personal service to buyers of insurance
and representing all classes of the business.
Mr. Byard is a meraber of the Warren Board of
Trade, the Warren Rotary Club, the TrurabuU
Country Club, and the First Baptist Church. He
raarried Miss Grace Winfield, daughter of William
C. Winfield, president of the 'Winfield Manufacturing
Corapany and long one of Warren's prorainent raen.
The only child pf their union is Williara David
Byard, who was born June i, 1888. He was liber
ally educated, first in the Warren public schools and
later at Colgate University. Early in the war with
Germany he was commissioned a first lieutenant,
and served at Camp Sherraan. After leaving the
array he becarae associated with his father in the
Byard Agency.
George John Max. By length of service, variety
of experience and expert skill, George John Max
has all the qualifications of a raaster raachinist, and
for nearly forty years has given his services to sorae
of the important industries of Warren.
Mr. Max, who is also prominent in public affaira
and a present meraber of the city council, was born
in Warren August 29, 1867, son of Adam and Fred
erica (Zebe) Max. His parents, natives of Gerraany,.
came to this country when young people, and were
married in Warren. Adam Max was left an orphan-
as a child, and grew up in the family of a German
farmer. After coraing to Warren he learned to work
in marble and granite, and that was his trade the-
rest of his life. Both he and his wife died at Warren.
George J. Max was educated at Warren, his school
ing being confined raainly to the coramon schools.
Before completing a high school course he began an
apprenticeship at the machinist's trade. He was only-
fourteen years of age when he was accepted as an:
apprentice by the Spangenburg-Pendelton Company,.
now the TrurabuU Manufacturing Corapany. With
that institution and industry, as boy and raan, he has.
been connected ever since, a period of forty years..
He learned all branches of the machinist's trade, in
cluding tool and die making, and for the past four
years has been foreman of the company's shops.
His skill as a worker, his good judgment in all
raatters affecting his relations with his fellow man
and his community, have made M'r; Max a citizen-
of influence in Warren for many years. This esteemi
finally resulted in his election as. a. member of the:

!70

YOUNGSTOWN AND¬THE MAHONING VALLEY

city councU from the Fourth Ward in igi8. He
has been one of the most useful merabers of the
city government. The Fourth Ward is probably the
best ward in the city, coraprising all the territory
south of Market Street and east of the Mahoning
River, erabracing the TrurabuU Steel Corapany's
works and many other large industrial establishments
and also numerous banks and business houses on
East Market Street, Mr, Max was re-elected to the
council for another terra of two years. During
1918-ig he served as president of the coraraittee on
sewage. During that time more miles of sewers vyere
constructed than ever before in any ten previous
years. This is a very favorable showing considering
all conditions and is a fair index to the rapid progress
of Warren and also the strenuous efforts put forth
by iMr. Max, He is also a meraber of the committee
-on buildings, grounds and sidewalks. As a result of
his persevering effort a contract has been let for a
fifteen-foot sidewalk on both sides of Pine Street
extending from East Market to the Trumbull
Steel Company, This contract calls for an expendi
ture of over $30,000. An even larger project to
be credited to his labors was bringing to the atten
tion and approval of the voters the proposition for
buUding an over-head bridge at the Pennsylvania
Railroad tracks on East South Street. Other mera
bers of the City CouncU regarded the raeasure as
inopportune, but the voters eraphatically ratified the
project by a vote of two to one. The plans con
template a substantial concrete viaduct at an ap
proximate cost of between $800,000 and $900,000.
Many will recall the fatal accident that occurred on
Thanksgiving Day, igi8, on East Market Street at
the railroad crossing, and this tragedy was utilized
by Mr. Max as the occasion for introducing and
pushing through an ordinance reducing the speed
limits of trains through the city to four railes an
hour, and also requiring the railway corapany to
raaintain watchmen at all principal crossings. As
his record indicates, Mr. Max is a representative
of the common people in the city government, and
his viewpoint and judgment are largely deterrained
by the interests and welfare of those who make up
the big majority of the community.
Mr, Max is affiliated with Old Erie Lodge No, 3,
Free and Accepted Masons, with Mahoning Chapter
No. 66, Royal Arch Masons, Warren Council No. 58,
Royal and Select Masters, and Warren Commandery
No, 39, Knights Templar. Mr, Max and faraUy are
raembers of the First United Presbyterian Church.
On Deceraber 29, 1894, Mr. Max raarried Miss Emma
Lintern, She was born at Orwell, Ohio, daughter
of John and Emraa Jane Lintern, natives of England,
Mr, and Mrs. Max have two children : Eraraa Ruth,
born in 1902, and George Donald, born in 1914.
Charles B, Loveless, one of Warren's leading citi
zens and manufacturers, is one of the men of the
city who is essentially a director of men and affairs,
and no better evidence of the value of the place he
holds in the estimation of his associates can be found
than that afforded by his successful career as both
a business man and citizen.
He was born at Warren on January 14, 1864, and
is of the third generation of two of the old families

of Trumbull County. Samuel Loveless, grandfather
of Charles B,, came to Trumbull county, Ohio, from
New England when he was still a boy, settling near
Price's MUls. He raarried Hulda iMartin, whose
father was one of the early settlers of the county
having located near Newton Falls, Trumbull County!
Martin D. Loveless, father of Charles B., was
born at Price's MUls, Ohio, in 1831, and died at
Warren in 1898, He married Malinda 'Wilson, who
was born in Paris Township, Portage County, in
1833, a daughter of Austin "Wilson, a native of Con
necticut, who brought his family and household goods
in an ox-cart frora Connecticut and settied in Trum
bull County in pioneer days. Mrs. Loveless died at
Warren in 1917.
Charles B. Loveless began his business career in
1882 as a clerk in the hardware store of S, W, Park
at Warren, and during the time he remained there
he was noted for his thoughtfulness, courtesy and
quick observation. Five years later he left the store
to enter the Warren Packard Lumber Company,
where he reraained from 1887 untU 1897, during that
period acquiring a thorough knowledge of the lumber
industry. In the latter year he became a member of
the firra of Wood & Loveless, lumber merchants, and
two years later he became one of the organizers of
the "Western Reserve Luraber Company, and was its
secretary and superintendent frora 1899 -until 1901,
when he became secretary and general manager of
the Warren Manufacturing Company, which concern
manufactures furniture. Still later Mr. Loveless was
made its president and still holds that office.
In 1908 Mr. Loveless was one of the organizers
and incorporators of the Warren Iron and Steel
Company, was its secretary and treasurer untU 1918,
in which year he was elected its president and gen
eral manager, and holds these offices today. iMr.
Loveless has other interests as well, for in 1913 he
was one of the raen who incorporated the Warren
Lumber Company, of which he was president from
the time of its incorporation until it was sold to the
East Ohio Luraber Corapany on January i, 1919-
He is president of the Araerican Lumber Company
of Cleveland, Ohio ; president of the York Coal and
Coke Company, of which he was one of the organ
izers in 191 1 ; president of the Reserve Realty and
Mortgage Company, "Warren, Ohio; a director of
the Shelby Coal Mining Company of Kentucky; a
director of the Western Reserve National Bank; vice
president and director of the TrurabuU Securitive
Corapany; a director of the Dana Musical Institute;
a director of the Warren Board of Trade and a
member of its executive comraittee; a director of
the Warren Building and Investraent Company; and
is identified with raany other industrial and civic
corporations. Fraternally Mr. Loveless belongs to
the Masons and Odd Fellows. He was active in
local war work, giving freely of his time, money
and his four sons to the Government in her supreme
effort. He is also a director in the Trumbull Red
Cross Society.
Mr. Loveless was married to Irene Campbell, who
was born at Warren, a daughter of Jerome T. Camp
bell, whose father was a merchant of Warren fifty
years ago, and her grandfather was an operator ot
coal mines at Oldtown, Ohio, Mr. and Mrs. Loveless

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

271

became the parents of the following children : Ger
trude Irene, who is society editor of the Warren
Tribune ; Mary L., who raarried WUliara Jaraes
Kerr, of Warren; EUen M., who raarried Williara
Wolford, of Warren, and they have a daughter,
Mildred Irene ; Charles C, who raarried Theresa
Tweeddale, of Rochester, Pennsylvania, has a son,
Charles III. Philip M., who married Mabel Stine,
of Niles, Ohio; and Lucy Packard, who married
David Howe, of Warren. Mr, Loveless makes his
horae on his fine 170-acre farra on North Mahoning
Avenue Extension, upon which farra, just across the
street frora the parental home, each of the children
have buUt their residence, the entire family living
in what is known as the "Loveless Colony,"
The war record of the Loveless family and its
connections during the great war is one of which to
be proud. Charles C. Loveless volunteered for serv
ice and was comraissioned a lieutenant of infantry,
serving at Carap Bowie, Texas, Philip M. volun
teered and served at Carap Jackson, South Carolina,
both young raen being prevented frora overseas'
service by the signing of the Armistice. One son-
in-law, William Jaraes Kerr, volunteered and served
as sergeant of a raotor truck unit in the Araerican
Expeditionary Forces, spending eight months in
France. Another son-in-law, David Howe, volun
teered and served in the radio departraent at Norfolk,
Virginia. Fortunately none of the stars on the
service flag of the Loveless faraUy was turned to
gold during that raighty conflict, and Mr, and Mrs,
Loveless are happy to have their dear ones back
home once more and living close to thera after the
heartbreaking separation.
Samuel Christian Graeer. Araong the members
of the Trumbull County bar who have firraly estab
lished theraselves in the confidence of the people of
the county within the last few years is Sarauel C.
Graber of Warren, who has been in active and suc
cessful practice in that city since igi6.
He was born at Parkraan, Geauga County, Ohio,
on June ig, 1882. His ancestry is a composite of
several rugged stocks that have done rauch to de
velop America in the past century. His great-grand
father, Ulrich Graber, a native of Switzerland, was
the founder of the Araerican branch of the faraily.
In 1844 he bought a farm in Tuscarawas County,
Ohio, and that land remained in the continuouc and
uninterrupted possession of the Graber family until
igi8. Christian Graber, a son of the pioneer Ulrich,
was born in Tuscarawas County and raarried Anna
Carap, also of Swiss descent. They spent all their
lives on the old Graber farm. William Graber, father
of Sarauel C, was born in Tuscarawas County, on
the old horaestead, and in March, 1881, moved to
Geauga County, whei-e he followed farming until
his death in February, 1913. His wife died August
23, igii. Williara Graber raarried Saraantha MiUer,
a native of- Holmes County, Ohio, and daughter of
Samuel and Anna MUler, both natives of the United
States. Michael MiUer, father of Samuel, and great
grandfather of Samuel C. Graber, was born in Ger
many, and established the MUler family in the United
States raany years ago. They first settled in Stark
County, and later raoved to Wayne County, Ohio.
Vol. 11—18

Michael Miller's wife was Margaret, either a native
of Ireland or of Irish descent.
Sarauel Christian Graber grew up on his father's
farra in Geauga County and acquired his early educa
tion in the district schools, graduating from the
Parkraan High School in iSgg and attended the
Western Reserve Serainary at Farmington in Trum
bull County. In 1907 he graduated frora the Warren
Business College. The following three years he
pursued farming at home, and in the fall of igio
removed to Warren, where he was employed at
different places untU igi3.
As early as igo4 Mr, Graber had registered as a
law student in the office of W. G. King at Chardon,
Ohio, but had little time to devote to study under
the direct supervision of his preceptor. He bor
rowed and bought sorae of the classics of legal litera
ture, and after that worked at his law books while
on the farm and in Warren, practically without a
tutor. He persisted in his course, following the plan
of study mapped out by Mr. King, and on Deceraber
18, igi3, he was admitted to the bar at Columbus.
Almost immediately he hung out his shingle at Char
don and was in practice there until November, igi5.
January i, 1916, Mr. Graber returned to Warren and
has since been engaged in practice here. The first
three years he was associated with Warren Thomas,
and since then has practiced alone, Mr. Graber was
adraitted to practice in all the courts of the State of
California on Noveraber 29, 1915. He had visited
that .state in that year, with sorae expectation of
locating there perraanently. He was admitted to the
federal courts May 13, igig.
For the past three years Mr, Graber has given
some valued public service as a meraber of the
Warren Civil Service Coraraission. He is a member
of the Ohio State Bar Association, is affiliated with
Chardon Lodge of Knights of Pythias, and Carroll
F. Clapp Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of
Warren. June 3, igo8, he married Miss Florence
Newcomb, of Nelson, Portage County, Ohio, daugh
ter of George W. and Eraraa (Colton) Newcorab.
Sherman Eugene Leet is one of the oldest men
in point of service in the employ of the Erie Railroaci
Corapany, His experience as a railroad man, begin
ning as a telegrapher, would cover forty years at
least. For twenty-six years he has been a resident of
'VVarren, where he has had the iraportant respon
sibilities of freight and passenger agent for that
road since l8g3.
Sorae four or five generations of the Leet family
have lived in the Ohio Western Reserve, Mr, I.eet
was born in Fowler Township of Trumbull County
Septeraber 4, 1855, son of Jaraes Warren and Eliza
beth (Rutledge) Leet. His paternal grandfather,
Sherraan Leet, was born in Connecticut, and was
only a child when brought West by his parents, who
cleared up sorae of the virgin land in Vienna Town
ship. Mr. Leet's great-grandfathers, both paternal
and maternal, were soldiers in the War of the Revolu
tion and in the War of 1812, The Leets are of
English ancestry, George Leet was one of the early
governors of Connecticut, and a town in th.at state
is named in honor of the Leet farailv.

272

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

James Warren Leet was born in Vienna Township
of Trumbull County, and as a youth employed his
energies with his father in clearing up some new
land. He was a soldier in the CivU war, serving
three years in the One Hundred and Twenty-Fifrh
Ohio Regiment, Prior to entering the service he
learned the carpenter's trade, and after the war fol
lowed carpentry and contracting in Harailton County,
Ohio. However, he returned to \'ieniia Township
and died there in 1871, at the age of forty. His
wife, Elizabeth Rutledge, who was born in Vernon
Township of Trumbull County and died in igi3, at
the age of seventy-six, was the daughter of Rev,
Emmons Rutledge, a Methodist minister, also a
native of Vernon Township and whose parents had
come over frora England, settling first in Connecticut
and later in TrurabuU County,
During the period of the Civil war the Leet
family lived at JeffersonviUe, Indiana, where Mrs.
Elizabeth Leet had relatives. After the war, when
rejoined by the father, thoy located near Cincinnati,
where the boyhood days of Sherman Eugene Leet
were spent, iHe was about fifteen when the family
returned to Vienna Township, His education was
comprised in the advantages offered by public schools
in these different localities, Mr, Leet was about
nineteen when he began learning telegraphy. Within
a year he was made agent for tbe Erie Railway at
Austintown, near Youngstown, After a year he was
transferred to Canfield, where he reraained as agent
seveii years and tben was given duties at Lisbon and
later at Girard, where he spent the period frora
1883 to i8g3,
Mr. Leet has been a resident of Warren since
i8g3, for raore than a quarter of a century. For
twenty-three years he w-as local freight and pas
senger agent of the Erie, and since then has confined
his attention to the position of passenger agent. He
is affiliated with the Royal Arcanura and the Araeri
can Insurance Union and has taken all the degrees
in the Knights of Pythias, though not at present
active in the order. He is also a raeraber of the
First Methodist Episcopal Church and the Warren
Board of Trade.
Mr. Leet married Miss Ida May Clark, who was
born at Canfield, a daughter of WUliara H. and Lois
P, (Carroll) Clark, The Clarks are an old Con
necticut faraily while the CarroUs were frora Vir
ginia. Mr. and Mrs, Leet have four children. Frank
Rutledge, the oldest, is a newspaper artist and ad
vertising expert, living at Cleveland. He married
NeUie 'Wallis, a daughter of W. J, Wallis, of Youngs
town, and they have three children : Jean, Dorothy
and Robert W, Emraons Eugene, who married Mary
Manning of Cleveland, is a pharmacist and is assist
ant raanager of the Standard Drug Corapany's store
in Cleveland. They have two children, Mary and
Williara, Warren W, is in the savings department
of the Cleveland Citizens & Trust Corapany, He
raarried Irene Young, daughter of Mr, and Mrs.
Thoraas Young, forraerly of Cleveland. To thera
one daughter has been born, Evaline. Edna A. is tbe
wife of W. C. Ward of Warren, vice president and
general manager of the Peerless Electric Company
and an ex-mayor of the city, as was his father be
fore him.

John M. Elder, M, D, The distinguishing qual
ity of Doctor Elder's service as a physician and
surgeon at Mineral Ridge and Niles during the past
twenty years has b^3en his exceptional ability as a
surgeon. He is associated in practice at NUes with
Dr. Curtis C, Williams, both of whora rank among
Ohio's leading surgeons,
John M. Elder was born at Fayette, Pennsylvania,
October 24, 1872. His parents, James and Sarah
(Ream) Elder, still living in Pennsylvania, spent
their active lives on a farra. Doctor Elder like
wise had a rural environraent during his youth,
attended district schools, and corapleted his college
education with the scientific course at Westminster
College, graduating in i8g5, , He studied medicine
for a brief time with Dr, Robert Wallace at New
Castle, Pennsylvania, and in the . fall of 1895 e'n-
tered the Miami Medical CoUege of Cincinnati,
where he continued until graduating in 1899. He
was one of the first class to receive his degree under
the four years' course. Doctor Elder began .prac
tice at Mineral Ridge in 1899, and remained there
until the beginning of the war between the United
States and Germany. When Doctor Williams of
iNiles entered the array Doctor Elder removed to
that city in the suraraer of 1917, and at his head
quarters in this city many difficult surgical cases
have sought his talents.
Doctor Elder is a meraber of the County and State
Medical societies and the Araerican Medical Asso
ciation, is a republican in politics,, and keeps in
touch with political events and econoraical issues,
though he is in no sense a practical politician. He
is a thirty-second degree and Knight Templar Ma
son, and a member of the Mystic Shrine, and be
longs to the Niles Club, the Trumbull Country Club
and the Niles Chamber of Coraraerce. He is first
vice president of the Horae Savings & Loan Com
pany of Niles.
July 24, 1891, Doctor Elder married Miss Edna
Leitch, daughter of John and Frances _ (WUson)
Leitch. Her father is a former commissioner of
Trumbull County. Doctor and Mrs, Elder have one
son, Paul, who graduated in 1920 from the Niles
High School,
Lurn Elvergne Mcwre has been identified with
the Warren Rubber Company since that conipany
was reorganized eighteen years ago. His abilities
as a salesraan and as a general raanager have been
the chief factor in the growing success and pros
perity of that local industry.
Mr. Moore, who is now secretary and general
manager of the company, was born at Windsor,
.Ashtabula County, October 17, 1874, son of DeWitt
C. and Chloe E. (Cook) Moore. His father, born
in New Jersey in 1845, spent four years as a Union
soldier during the Civil war, being one of the
younger raen in the ranks at the beginning of that
struggle. When the war was over he carae to Ohio
and located at Windsor in Ashtabula County, and
was raarried there, but spent his last days in his
native state of New Jersey, where he died in 1914-
Chloe E. Cook, his wife, was born at Windsor, Ohio,
in 1853, and died there in 1898. Her father was
Elmer Cook, born at Windsor in 1815. The father

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

273

of Elmer came from Connecticut and was one of
the first settlers at Windsor. The Cooks through the
different generations have been farmers.
Mr. L. E. Moore spent his early life at Windsor,
attended the public schools there and the New Lyrae
Institute, and at the age of twenty began his cora
raercial career as clerk in a country store in his
native village. Coming to Warren in 1895, he was
for six years clerk under W. T. Griswold, proprietor
of the Racket Store. In 1901 he removed to Youngs
town and was eraployed a year by J. W. Sraith &
Sons. iMr. Moore returned to Warren in 1902 to take
an active part in the reorganization of the Warren
Rubber Corapany. During the following two years
he buUt up a large business for the corapany as a
traveling salesraan. In 1904 he was made a fixture
in the main offices as secretary of the company and
office raanager, and since January, 1915, has been
secretary and general raanager and a' raeraber of
the board of directors.
Mr. iMoore is a raeraber of the Warren Board of
Trade, the United Coraraercial Travelers, Mahoning
Lodge No. 29, Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
and is a raeraber of the official board of the First
Methodist Episcopal Church.
October 14, 1903, he raarried Miss Bessie E. Hop
kins. She was born at Nelson, Geauga County, Ohio,
September 28, 1878, and a few years later her parents,
Philo and Alice M. (Sutiiffe) Hopkins, moved to
Kansas, where the faraily resided for five years, and
then returned to Illinois, Philo Hopkins dying in
that state a few raonths later. Following the death
of her husband the widow returned with the faraily
to Garrettsville, Ohio, but later reraoved to Cleve
land, where she now resides. Mr. and Mrs. Moore
had three children : Leland Everett, born March 29,
190S; Ruth Alice, born March 29, 1911, and died June
I, 1913; and Gordon Hopkins, born Noveraber 14,
1915, William Otto Spieth. For eighteen years Wil
liara Otto Spieth has enjoyed an ever increasing
dental practice at Warren. He is a dental surgeon
of exceptional qualifications, and has also actively
identified himself with the public spirited citizenship
of Warren.
He was born at Murphysboro, Illinois, August 3,
1877, son of Benjamin and iMarietta (Cumings)
Spieth, his father a native of Pennsylvania and his
mother of Ohio. His parents were raarried in
Illinois, and in 1882 removed to Wood River, Ne
braska, and in 1903 located in Cleveland, Ohio, where
the father died January 8, 1910. The mother died
while visiting in Florida in June, 1919.
Doctor Spieth acquired his early education in Ne
braska, and is a graduate in dental surgery from the
Western Reserve University of Cleveland with the
class of 1902. His only preceptor in dentistry was
Dr. John iF. Stephan. In June, 1902, he began prac
tice at Warren. He is a raeraber of the Northern
Ohio and Ohio State Medical societies, the Coryden-
Palmer Dental Society and the National Association
of Dentists. He is also a raember of the Warren
Board of Trade and of Old Erie Lodge No. 3, iFree
and Accepted Masons. Doctor Spieth raarried iMyrtle

I. Unger, of Warren, daughter of John and Sarah
(Cover) Unger. They have one daughter, Ruth
Genevieve, born Deceraber 19, 1913, Dr. and Mrs.
Spieth are raembers of the Central Christian Church.
Lucien Luther Jones, secretary and treasurer of
the Warren Iron and Steel Company, has had an
active part in business affairs at "Warren for twenty
years, a period in which his record has been one of
steady progress frora rainor to iraportant responsi
bUities. Mr, Jones was born on a farm in Wayne Town
ship, Ashtabula County, Ohio, January 13, 1880. His
great-grandfather was a native of Connecticut and
a very early settler in the Western Reserve of Ohio.
His grandfather was Linus H. Jones, His father
was Linus B. Jones, also a native of Wayne Town
ship, .Ashtabula County. He spent his life there as
a farmer and died in 1910 at the age of sixty-seven.
Linus B. Jones raarried Rhoda M. Woodworth, whose
father. Dr. Luther Woodworth, was a pioneer of
Ashtabula County, where his narae is held in grate
ful remerabrance because of his unselfish work as
a physician carried on for raany years. His daughter,
Mrs, Linus Jones, died in igii at the age of sixty-six.
Lucien Luther Jones spent the first twenty years
of his life on his father's farra. He acquired his
education in district schools, in the New Lyrae In
stitute and the Warren Business College. His serv
ice in coramercial affairs began in igoo as book
keeper for the firm of L. P. GUder & Son, dealers
in coal and builders' supplies. In 1902 he became
bookkeeper for the Warren Manufacturing Com
pany, of which Mr. Charles B. Loveless was then the
head. As bookkeeper and in other capacities of
trust he reraained with that business until 1915. He
then joined the Warren Motor Truck Corapany, and
in 1918 becarae identified with the Warren Iron &
Steel Corapany, soon being elected secretary and has
since taken the additional duties of treasurer. Mr.
Jones has acquired other financial and business in
terests both in Warren and elsewhere.
He is a member of the Warren Board of Trade,
the Warren Kiwanis Club, the United Comraercial
Travelers and the First Presbyterian Church. De
ceraber 25, 1904, he raarried Miss Jennie M. Ailing,
daughter of Charles and Anna (Moran) Ailing, of
Johnson Township, TrurabuU County.
William James Kerr. Three generations of the
Kerr family have been active in Warren business
affairs, the first two in connection with carriage
manufacturing, while WUliara Jaraes, representing
the third generation, has developed a notable business
in Warren as a coramercial sign painter and outdoor
advertising agency.
The first of the Kerr faraily in Warren was Wil
liara J. Kerr, a native of Scotland, who on coraing
to this country settled first at Philadelphia and later
in Warren. In this city for a nuraber of years he
was in the carriage raanufacturing business, first as
a raember of the firra Henderson & Kerr, and later
with his son under the name W. J. Kerr & Son.
William J. Kerr married Helen Beaston, of an old
Warren family.
Edward G. Kerr, who was born at Warren in

274

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

1866, learned the trade of carriage trimmer. Upon
the death of Mr. Henderson, head of the firm of Hen
derson & Kerr, he bought the Henderson interests
and with his father reorganized the business as
W. J. Kerr & Son. They continued the manufac
ture of carriages for a number of years but Edward
G. is now living 'retired. He raarried Eleanor Gib
son, who was born at Warren in 1869, daughter of
Jaraes and Elizabeth Gibson, who came to Warren
from St. Louis, Missouri. James Gibson was a raural
decorator of more than ordinary talent, while his
wife was an accomplished musician.
Williara James Kerr therefore inherits both
mechanical dexterity and artistic genius from his
parents. He was born in Warren November 22,
1890, and acquired a good education in the public
schools and in Hiram College. He engaged in the
sign and advertising business in igio, and in sub
sequent years has extended his enterprise frora the
scope of a one-raan concern to an important estab
lishraent, doing all classes of coramercial fine work
and also outdoor advertising. It is in fact the lead
ing business in Warren. For a tirae Mr. Kerr op
erated two shops, one on Dana Avenue and the
other on West Market Street. The business head
quarters are now on West Market Street.
Afr. Kerr had an interesting record as a soldier.
He volunteered in igi7 and on the 5th of December
reported at Carap Sherman. He was assigned to
the Three Hundred and Eighth Motor Supply Train
in the Eighty-Third Division. Frora February to
April, igi8, he was engaged in taking Packard trucks
from Detroit to Baltimore. During that service he
held the non-comraissioned rank of corporal. After
returning to Carap Sherman he was ordered on June
4th to Carap MUls, Long Island, and on the 13th of
that raonth was sent to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where
on June igth he embarked for "soraewhere in
France." He reached England June 28th, then took
passage at Southampton for Havre, arriving on
French soil July ist. Two days later he and his
comrades were forwarded to St. Biez, France, near
LeMans, headquarters for General Glenn, com
mander of the Eighty-Third Division. After thirty
days in that camp Mr. Kerr was detailed for special
work in charge of the sign and automobile painting
department in the garage at LeMans. At the sarae
tirne he was giyen rank as sergeant, and continued
this special service to the Expeditionary Forces untU
New Year's Day of igig. Orders then reached him
to return home, and sailing from Brest, January 23d,
he arrived at New York City, January 31st, and was
discharged at Camp Sherraan, iFebruary 15, 1919. At
the latter date he returned horae and took charge of
his business, which in the raeantirae had been kept
going by Mrs. Kerr, who showed herself an able
business woman and did sorae real war work.
October 20, 1913, Mr. Kerr married Mary Louise
Loveless. Her' father is Charles B. Loveless, presi
dent of tbe Warren Iron & Steel Company. Mrs.
Kerr is a raeraber of the First Methodist Episcopal
Church, while he is a raember of tbe Second Chris
tian Church and is affiliated with the Warren Board
of Trade, the Warren Rotary Club, tbe Masonic
Club, the Wesleyan Club and Old Erie Lodge No. 3,

Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and Mahoning
Chapter No. 60.
Charles E, Shriver when a chUd at school played
at undertaking. As he grew up he freely asserted
his desi.re and ambition to learn the undertaking
business. Other members of his family did not
favor his choice of a profession. He finished his
education, and taught school for several years.
Finally he realized his boyhood's ambition, and since
coming to Youngstown seventeen years ago has
given that city one of the best services of the kind.
Mr. Shriver was born in Seneca, Ohio, September
9, 1874, son of William and Ann (Nighswander)
Shriver. His father was born at Frederickstown,
Maryland, and his mother in Pennsylvania, and both
represented what is known as Pennsylvania Dutch
stock. As children they were taken by their respec
tive parents to Seneca, Ohio, where they married
and where they spent the rest of their lives on a
farm. They were raerabers of the Reformed
Church. Their three children were: VViUiam, who
died at the age of twenty-six ; Mrs. Emma Heaton,
of Tiffin, Ohio ; and Charles E.
Charles E. Shriver attended the home schools,
spent one year in Heidelberg College at Tiffin, and
for twelve terms gave the best that was in hira to
the conduct of various schools. He then engaged
in his present profession and business, and was an
undertaker at Tiffin, later at Sycamore, Ohio, and
in igo2 established his business at 7 Wick .\veiiue in
Youngstown. Mr. Shriver moved to his present
quarters in February, igig. He has always been
progressive in his work, has kept the very best
of equipment, and conducted the first automobile
funeral in Youngstown. He is a meraber of the
National Funeral Directors' .Association and is a
director of the Citizens Savings and Loan Company.
He is also a member of botb the York and Scottish
Rite bodies in Masonry, and belongs to .Al-Koran
Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mys
tic Shrine of Cleveland, Ohio. He is also iden
tified with the Kni.ghts of Pythias and Independent
Order of Odd FeUows, and is a inember of the
Board of Stewards of the Trinity M'ethodist Episco
pal Church.
On February 26, 1896, he raarried Clara A. Nor
ris, daughter of John T. Norris of Tiffin, Ohio.
Walter Glei#-n Alexander first became identified
with the Mahoning \''alley as a school teacher and
principal, but for nearly ten years bas plaved an
active part in business, raoSt of the time in Warren,
where he bas enjoyed a number of interesting rela
tions with the business and civic affairs of the com
munity today.
He was born on a farm in Guernsey County, Ohio,
October 2g, 1884, son of John P. and Dorcas B.
(Niblock) Alexander, His parents were born in
'Harrison County, Ohio, His paternal grandfather,
James Alexander, was also a native of Ohio, while
his wife, Margaret, was born in Pennsylvania. War
ren is the present home of John P. and Dorcas B,
Alexander, Up to the age of eighteen years Walter G, Alex
ander lived on a farm in Guernsey County, He

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

215

graduated in igo3 from the high school at Free-
port, Ohio, then taught for a year, and received his
advanced education in Muskingum College, where
he obtained the Bachelor of Science degree in igo8.
That year he becarae principal of the high school at
Girard, Ohio, and remained in charge of that school
for three years.
In November, igii, Mr. Alexander erabarked his
capital and his experience in the clothing business
at Warren, He sold out in 1913 in order to take
charge of the comraercial departraent of the law
firm of Dolan & Hoffraan at Youngstown, but in
1915 returned to Warren and has since handled a
prosperous and growing brokerage business, stocks,
bonds and real estate. He is a director in the Trura
buU Realty & Investraent Corapany; an incorporator
of the Valley City Mortgage & Loan Corapany, and
up to Janaury I, 1920, was secretary, treasurer and
genera] raanager of the Trumbull Coal Company.
At different times in the last ten years his narae has
been actively associated with various civic and edu
cational raoveraents. He was raanager of the Trura
buU County Dry Federation, and contributed in an
iraportant raeasure to the state-wide prohibition
moveraent. He was raanager of the Federation when
the state law went into effect. He is vice president
of the Warren Board of Education and a raember
of the Warren Board of Trade, Mr, Alexander is
a steward in the First Presbyterian Church, and for
three years was superintendent of its Sunday school.
He is affiliated with Carroll F. Clapp Lodge of
Masons, being a charter raeraber, and is a raember
of the iMasonic Club and the Knights of Pythias.
He married Miss Ada Frances Goodman, who was
born at Piedraont in Harrison County, Ohio, a
daughter of John and Matilda (Frizzell) Goodraan.
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander have two chUdren, Robert
Glenn and Richard Lee.
William H. B. Ward, The Ward faraily has been
closely associated with the history of the Mahoning
Valley for three-quarters of a century, and three of
its generations have played iraportant parts in the
development of the valley into one of the great in
dustrial centers of the world. One of its first genera
tion built the first rolling-mill in the valley and in
the State of Ohio, and so far as record goes was the
first raan in the valley to practically use pig-iron
raade frora raw coal and also the first to practically
utUize the blackband ore of this region ; one of the
second generation was active in the successful opera
tion of iron raUls ; and one of the third generation
was a factor in the founding of one of the valley's
great steel mills of the present day.
James Ward (I), grandfather of the present gen
eration, and the pioneer builder of rolling-mills, was
an Englishraan by birth, but with the exception of
his first four years his entire life was spent in this
country, the last fifty years of it in the Mahoning
Valley. He was born near Dudley in Staffordshire,
England, on Noveraber 25, 1813, and came frora a
faraily of iron-workers. He was but four years of
age when he came with his parents to America in
1817. The faraily located at Pittsburgh, and it was
in that city that young James was reared, and where
he laid the practical foundation for the successful

career which was to follow. He left school at the
age of thirteen years to go to work in assisting his
father in the making of wrought-iron nails by hand.
When he was nineteen years of age he took up en
gineering. In 1841 he carae into the Mahoning Val
ley, and in 1842 he built and put in operation the
Jaraes Ward & Corapany's rolling mill at NUes,
which was the pioneer mill of the valley and of
Ohio. After a long and active career he died at
Niles on July 24, 1864, leaving as a heritage to his
posterity a name known not only all over Ohio but
to the country at large — the name of an honorable
and liberal man, one endowed with remarkable busi
ness genius and business enterprise, and one who won
and held tbe love of his intimates and gained the
respect and admiration of all who knew him per
sonally, and of many who did not have the pleasure
of personal acquaintance.
James Ward (II) was born at Pittsburgh and fol
lowing in the footsteps of his father, became a manu
facturer of iron. For a nuraber of years he was
identified with his father's interests at Niles, and
later owned and operated rolling raills at New
Philadelphia, Ohio. He wedded Lizzie B., the
daughter of WiUiani H. Brown, of Pittsburgh, who
was long a prorainent and successful operator and
shipper of coal, and as such was known all up and
down the Ohio Valley.
William H. B, Ward, of the third and present
generation, son of Jaraes and Lizzie B, Ward, was
born at Niles, Ohio, on Septeraber 17, 1866, As a
boy he attended school and spent his odd hours and
vacation days at rainor tasks in the Ward Mills.
Later he was associated with his father's raills at
New PhUadelphia, At about that tirae either he or
his father decided that he should prepare for the
legal profession, and he read law at NUes and War
ren for three years. But the lure of business life,
especially for the raaking of iron and steel, was
strong in hira, and he did not qualify for adraission
to the bar, but gave up his legal studies and went to
Kentucky, where he spent the next five years in asso
ciation with an uncle, S, S. Brown, who was en
gaged in developing and operating large coal inter
ests in that state.
In 1900 Mr. Ward was raade superintendent of
the Struthers plant of the American Sheet & Tin
Plate Company. Six years later, however, he re
signed that position, returned to Niles and becarae
identified with the interests of Jonathan Warner of
Youngstown, first as superintendent of the Empire
Iron & Steel Company, owned by Mr. Warner. That
property was sold in igi2, and in that year Mr.
Ward joined Mr. Warner, Mr, Hardesty and other
well-known local steel raen in the proraotion and
organization of the Trumbull Steel Corapany and in
the building of its great plant at Warren, He was
in charge of the building of the plant, which is one
of the largest and most raodern steel plants in the
vyorld, and as vice president of the corapany he con
tinues in charge of its practical operation.
Aside frora the raaking of steel products Mr. Ward
is, and has been for sorae years, very active and
prominent in civic affairs. EspeciaUy was he active
during the period of the great war, and he rendered
to his country patriotic and valuable services when

276

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

the nation was raaking its suprerae effort, subordinat
ing for the tirae being his business and private inter
ests to the Governraent, He served as chairraan of
the TrurabuU County Draft Board and as a trustee
of the local War Chest and on various comraittees.
Wherever and whenever he saw opportunity for war
work of any kind he willingly and enthusiastically
entered upon such work, and his efforts, as rauch
as those of any other one raan, helped raake pocsible
the glorious record established by old TrurabuU
County in service to the nation — a record not sur
passed by any other county in the Union.
Since Mr. Ward has been a citizen of Warren
he has taken a keen interest in civic affairs, and has
lent his support to all public movements inaugurated
for the advancement of the city and for the welfare
of the community. He is a trustee of the Warren
Public Library, and is very much interested in the
Warren City Hospital of which he is also a trustee,
and, in fact, in all of the city's institutions.
As a high-minded, practical and able business man,
and as a patriotic, useful and worthy citizen, Mr.
Ward has won and holds the esteem of his fellow
citizens, who adraire and honor hira for what he is,
for what he has done and for what he is doing.
In 1897 Mr, Ward was united in marriage with
Earlie Hice, who was born at New Castle, Pennsyl
vania, the daughter of Samuel Hice, a successful
traveling salesraan for many years of that city. To
this marriage two children have been born : Mary
Warner Ward and Williara H, B, Ward, Jr., the
latter of whora died in 1917.
Robert T. Izant, Closely identified with the bank
ing history of the Mahoning Valley for over forty
years, and as an attorney for even a longer period,
Robert T. Izant has exerted a constructive influence
over the affairs of Warren, and is probably one of
the raost thoroughly representative raen of this region.
The branch of the Izant faraily to which Mr. Izant
belongs carae to the United States from Somerset
shire, England, in 1872 and located at Warren, Ohio,
that same year, and in this city, Mr. Izant's parents,
Walter and Martha (Rossiter) Izant, passed the re
mainder of their useful lives. Walter Izant was an
iron-worker and died in 1900. His widow survived
him until 191 2, when she died at the extreraely old
age of ninety-five years.
Robert T. Izant was born at Great Elra, Somer
setshire, England, on March 18, 1855, and was in
his seventeenth year when the faraily carae to War
ren. He began his business career in the fall of
1873 as clerk in the law office of the late John M,
Stull of Warren, who later became his preceptor in
the study of law. Mr. Izant was adraitted to the bar
in AprU, 1878, following which he embarked in a
general law practice at Warren, and continued it
very successfully for twenty years, when he gave it
up to enter the banking business.
Mr. Izant was the principal, if not the sole, organ
izer of the Trumbull Savings & Loan Company of
today. He became secretary and attorney of that
corapany, and continued to be secretary through its
changes in organization to January i, 1920, at which
tirae he was elected president and is one of the
three living founders.

As an attorney Mr, Izant was a success, but it is
as a financier that he has developed genius out of
the ordinary, and to this genius is due in a very great
raeasure the growth of the TrurabuU Savings & Loan
Company frora a financial institution with assets of
$34,311,30 in l8go to one of the solid financial institu
tions of the state, with assets of $4,467,285.53 in
igig. The TrurabuU Savings & Loan Corapany is
the oldest savings institution in TrurabuU County,
and its career has been one of steady growth, expan
sion and popularity. In the fall of 1906 this com
pany established a branch under the parental name at
Girard, Ohio, and in 1918 it organized thc Trumbull
Banking Company, also of Girard, with Mr. Izant as
vice president of the latter. He is also a director
and secretary of the People's Ice & Cold Storage
Company of Warren, and a meraber of the executive
coraraittee of the State League of Horae Building &
Loan Associations. He is and has been for forty-
eight years a raember of the First Methodist Church
of Warren, and belongs to the Rotary Club, also of
Warren. In his fraternal relations he maintains
membership with the Masons, Odd FeUows and
Knights of Pythias. In 1888 Mr. Izant was united
in marriage with Sadee M. King, a daughter of
James M. King, of Kinsman, TrumbuU County, and
to thera has been born one son, Jaraes R,, on June
18, 1891, who was educated at iHobart, CoUege of
Geneva, New York, and in the University of Mich
igan at Ann Arbor, and is now secretary of the
Trumbull Savings & Loan Company. He married
Margaret WUhelra, a daughter of J. C. Wilhelm of
Warren, and they have one daughter, Margaret G,
Jules Vautrot, Jr,, of Warren, has been identified
with the history of this city for half a century and he
still raaintains his identification with its business as
president of the Vautrot & Myers Corapany, the
oldest and leading jewelry store in TrumbuU County,
The Vautrot family is of old Huguenot stock, and
was founded in America in 1832 by Francis Vautrot,
grandfather of Jules Vautrot, Jr,, who was driven
out of the French province of Lorraine by the perse
cution of the Huguenots in 1832. Upon reaching
Araerica he went to the French settleraent at Mead's
Corners, six miles distant frora Meadville, Crawford
County, Pennsylvania, where he bought land and
established his horae and followed farming. Two of
bis sons had corae to the United States prior to his
arrival, one going to Oppalassa, Louisiana, where he
raarried a southern woman, becarae a large slave
holder and ardently espoused the cause of the South
when war was declared. The other son settled at
Mobile, Alabaraa, where he becarae editor of the
Mobile Advertiser and Register, whicii newspaper is
StUl being published. This Araerican ancestor of the
Vautrot faraily lived the remainder of his active
days in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, and then
came to Warren, where he died and is buried.
Jules Vautrot, son of Francis and father of Jules,
Jr., of Warren, was born at Nancy, France, in 1819,
and was a boy thirteen years of age when the family
came to Araerica, He learned the silversraith trade
at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and after working at
it in that city for a time he with six other young
men voyaged down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

277

a scow, drifting with the currents, to New Orleans,
Louisiana, frora which city Jules Vautrot went to
Oppalassa, Louisiana, and there spent the next six
years, working at his trade, also raanufacturing by
hand gold rings, scarf pins and other articles of
jewelry. Returning to the North, he worked for a
tirae at Meadville, Pennsylvania, and then, in 1847,
he came to Warren Ohio, and went to work for
Ashbel King, the pioneer jeweler of this city. At
Mead's Corners he married Rosalie Gaudilott, who
was born in Lorraine, France, and came to Araerica
when young with her parents and eleven other chil
dren of the faraily, settling on their large farm at
Mead's Corners, Pennsylvania.
The elder Jules Vautrot raade the trip from Penn
sylvania to Warren, Ohio, with his family in a wagon,
as was quite custoraary in those days. In 1849 he
engaged in business on his own account in a small
frarae building on Market Street, a few doors west
of the present store of his son. He raet with success
and soon built up a good business, anrl continued in
active charge of it for many years, gradually, as he
grew older, however, relinquishing the store to the
management of his son, Jules, Jr. In 1890 he per
manently retired from active business, and died in
1902. His wife died in 1856. He was an uncom
promising member of the republican party from its
organization, and during the war between the states,
although two of his brothers were in the South and
strong sympathizers with its cause, he was just as
strong in his support of the North, and an abolition
ist, and what is more he had the courage of his
convictions and the disposition to air his opinions.
Many prominent raen of Warren were his friends and
well reraeraber hira.
Jules Vautrot, Jr., was born at Mead's Corners on
September 21, 1845, and was two years old when he
was brought to 'Warren by his parents. His sister.
Miss Julie, who is his junior by sixteen raonths, is
stUl living and raakes her horae in the faraily resi
dence on Mahoning Avenue. He was educated in
the public schools of Warren, which he left in 1862
to enlist in the Eighty-Fourth Ohio Volunteer In
fantry for three months service, but saw a service
extending over four raonths and twenty days, raostly
in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. After re
ceiving his honorable discharge he returned to War
ren and to school in 1863. His father needing his
assistance in the store, the young soldier once raore
left school and took up an apprenticeship at watch
repairing. Soon, however, he becarae salesman and
then buyer, and foUowing his father's death he suc
ceeded to the business, and took as partners his son
PhU and Charles Myers, under the firra name of
Vautrot & Myers Company, which was incorporated
in igio, with Mr. Vautrot as president and his son
as secretary and treasurer. Mr. Vautrot now con
fines his business activities to being the financial raan
of the corapany. He is also a raeraber of the board
of directors of the Western Reserve Bank; vice presi
dent of the Peoples Ice and Cold Storage Corapany;
vice president of the Warren & Niles Telephone
Company, and for the last twenty years has been vice
president of Oakwood Cemetery Company.
Mr. Vautrot is a meraber of Old Erie iLodge No. 3,
Free and Accepted Masons; Warren Chapter and

Commandery; Lake Erie Consistory, and Al Koran
Teraple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and was the
first candidate initiated by Warren Lodge, Benevolent
Protective Order of Elks, after the latter lodge had
obtained its charter. He is also a raember of the
Grand Army of the Republic, and belongs to the
Warren Board of Trade. Mr. Vautrot served as
director of safety for Warren, and during his in-
curabency of that office was active in installing the
raotor equipment of the fire and police departments.
The maiden narae of Mrs. Vautrot was Frances
Richards, and she is a daughter of William Richards,
who buUt the first blast furnace at Brier HUl, where
Mrs. Vautrot was born. The following children have
been born to Mr, and Mrs. Vautrot : Grace, who
married Fred Byard, a druggist of Warren, and tbey
have two children, iMary Frances and Julie ; Phil R,.
who is secretary and treasurer of the Vautrot &
Myers Company, is unmarried; and Louis R., who is
an electrical engineer with a large concern in Mil
waukee, Wisconsin, married Mae Chryst, a daughter
of Soloraon R. Chrysr of Warren,
George M, Taylor. Salesmanship is soraething
which cannot be taught to anyone unless he has a
natural aptitude for the work, and the raost success
ful raen in the business are those who have acquired
their skill through practical experience. One of the
men who has brought salesmanship up to the highest
possible standard is George M. Taylor, now repie-
senting Clawson & WUson in the Mahoning Valley,
his territory extending frora Warren to New Castle,
and from iEast Liverpool to Sharon, Pennsylvania.
George M. Taylor was born at Delta, Ohio, July i,
1881, a son of George A. and Christiana Taylor, the
forraer now a resident of Youngstown, George A.
Taylor was born in the Highlands of Perth, Scotland,
and his wife was born in Inverness, Scotland. When
still a young raan ' carae to. the United States, and
she followed a little later, and they were raarried on
her arrival in this country, George A, Taylor becarae
a freight engineer on the New York Central Rail
road, raaking his horae first in Cleveland, Ohio, and
later at Youngstown, where he located permanently
in 1905, Their children were as follows : Mary,
who was a teacher in the public schools of Cleveland,
Ohio, raarried WUliara G. Gilraore, and they live in
California; Wallace P., who is eraployed at the
Williara Pollock Plant of Youngstown ; Jaraes D.,
who was a salesraan, died in igig ; and George M.,
who was the youngest born,
George M. Taylor attended the Central High
School at Cleveland, Ohio, and then served an ap-
Drenticeship of three years learning the dry goods
business with Root & McBride of Cleveland, and next
held a position as city salesman for Cleveland in
the eraploy of Williara Taylor & Sons Corapany, In
1905 he carae to Youngstown and for nine years was
a salesraan for the Youngstown Dry Goods Company,
but severed his connections with that establishraent to
forra his present ones with the Clawson-Wilson Cora
pany, Mr, Taylor has his offices in the Federal
Building, He has buUt up a wonderful trade and has
raany friends of long standing.
In 1908 Mr. Taylor was married to Elizabeth
O'Rourke, a daughter of John L. O'Rourke, of an old

278

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

faraily of NUes, Ohio, Mr, and Mrs, Taylor have
two chUdren, Ruth and Martha,
Mr. Taylor belongs to Western Star Lodge, An
cient Free and Accepted Masons, the United Cora
raercial Travelers, the North Side Club, organized to
advocate the buUding of Belraont Avenue Bridge,
and the Lakes and Ohio Canal Coraraission, He has
always takeii a constructive interest in the advance
ment of Youngstown since coming here, and is in
every way worthy the confidence which is placed in
him by his fellow citizens.
Charles B, Cushwa, general manager of the
Brier HUl Steel Company, has been a resident of
Y'oungstown since igoi, and since early youth has
been identified with some phase of the iron and steel
business. His Americanisra is the product of more than two
centuries of residence on the part of his ancestors.
The family was founded by a John Cushwa, who
immigrated from the French Province of Alsace in
1685 and located at Womelsdorf in Berks County,
Pennsylvania. Merabers of the Cushwa faraily
fought on the Araerican side in the Revolutionary
war. John Cushwa, great-grandfather of Charles B.,
was in the War of 1812 and was wounded in the
engagement at Bladenburg near Baltimore
Charles B. Cushwa was born at Williamsport,
Maryland, November 15, 1873, son of George C. and
Ella A. (Clarke) Cushwa and a grandson of David
Cushwa, George C. Cushwa moved to Pittsburgh
in 1883 and for a number of years was superin
tendent of the Republic Iron Works, now a part of
the National Tube Works,
From the age of nine years Charles B, Cushwa
lived in Pittsburgh, received his education in the
parochial and public schools of that city, and at the
age of eighteen went on the pay roll of the Republic
Iron Works as a bill clerk. He was with that con
cern and the National Tube Works until igoi, and
had been proraoted to assistant general superin
tendent. On coraing to Youngstown he was made
general superintendent of the Youngstown Iron and
Steel Corapany, and continued with its successor,
the Sharon Steel Hoop Corapany, until September
I, igi8. Mr. Cushwa bas been general manager of
tbe Brier Hill Steel Company since May i, 1920.
He is one of a group of exceptionally able technical
experts who in recent years have made the Brier
Hill Corapany one of the raost efficient and progres
sive organizations of the kind in the country.
Mr. Cushwa is also a director of the Coraraercial
National Bank. He is a raember of the Araerican
Iron and Steel Institute, the Engineers Club, the
Youngstown Club, the Knights of Colurabus, is a
republican voter and a Catholic. October 15, igoi,
he raarried Miss Mary Coll, of Pittsburgh. Their
two children are Raymond C. and Charles B., Jr.
Jonathan Warner. The Mahoning VaUey is the
birthplace of a number of raen whose achieveraents
in different lines of endeavor and whose worth as
citizens have reflected great credit upon the valley
and earned for thera honorable raention in the history
of the community. One of thera is Jonathan Warner,

founder and guiding genius of the great TrurabuU
Steel Corapany at Warren.
He was born at Mineral Ridge, Ohio, August 2,
1867, son of the late Jacob B. and grandson of
Jonathan Warner, first. The Warner faraily was
established in Araerica during the sixteen hundreds,
and the men of the succeeding generations have
borne their full responsibilities as citizens. One of
them was a soldier and died in the Continental line
during the Revolutionary war, and another was a
soldier and died in the War of 1812.
The Mahoning Valley pioneer of the faraily was
Jonathan Warner, first, who settled at Youngstown
during the early '40s. He was born at Sodus Point,
New A'ork, where he married Elizabeth Field, first
cousin to Cyrus West Field, who laid the first At
lantic cable. The Fields carae over frora England
on the Mayflower. Jonathan Warner as a Youngs
town merchant at one time had a store on the present
site of the George Fordyce Block on Federal Street.
Later he became active in industrial affairs, building
and operating glass furnaces in Ohio and Pennsyl
vania, and also operated coal raines which he opened
at Mineral Ridge, After a long and successful busi
ness career he retired frora active life in 1875 and
died at Youngstown in i8g2,
Jacob B. Warner, his son, was born at Sodus
Point, New York, and becarae associated with his
father in coal mining at Mineral Ridge, but in 1879
removed to Colorado and for several years owned
and operated a smelter at Denver. He died in
Florida in igio. He married iNIaria Lewis, daughter
of John Lewis, a native of London, England, who
surveyed and opened up the first coal raine at Mineral
Ridge. Jonathan Warner, second, was but a boy when his
father removed to Colorado. He was educated in
the public schools of Denver, in the Rayen High
School at Youngstown and at 'Williams CoUege, iHe
left coUege in his junior year to go to work in the
shops of the Falcon Iron and Nail Corapany at NUes,
In i8gs, in company with others, Mr, Warner built
the Struthers Sheet Mill, which property was ab
sorbed by the United States Steel Corporation in
igoo, Mr. Warner remaining as general raanager of
the corporation's raills, with headquarters at New
York City,
He had visions of an independent career and of
an organization of his own, and possessed araple faith
in himself to attempt the realization of his arabition.
Returning to Youngstown in igo7, he in that year
purchased the Erapire Iron & Steel Mills at NUes,
which he later sold to the Brier Hill Steel Company,
The crowning achieveraent of his career at the
present tirae is the creation of the great Trumbull
Steel Company at Warren, from the inception of
which project until its consummation his genius was
exemplified at every point. He proraoted it, per
fected the organization, built the plant and put it in
successful operation, and to him is due the credit for
bringing into existence one of the big industrial en
terprises of the Mahoning Valley, an enterprise which
has greatly promoted the progress and development
of the entire district and especially the City of War
ren, If for no other reason than what iMr, Warner
and the Trumbull Steel have done and are still doing

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

279

for this section of Ohio, his narae should be written
high on the scroll containing the names of dis
tinguished men and public benefactors of the Mahon
ing Valley.
Mr. Warner's success in life raay be traced to his
inherent qualities of both mind and heart, to his
genius for organization, his ability as an executive
and to the courage of his convictions. Born in tbe
iMahoning Valley, reared in the haze "and smoke of
its industries, he has always been an enthusiastic be
liever in the vaUey and has an unwavering faith that
it will becorae one of if not the greatest induEtrial
centers of the world, and has always cherished like
wise an arabition to raake his individual influence
count in the web of events that will bring about such
an end.
He has other extensive interests outside of iron
and steel. He is a director of the First National
and the Dollar Savings Bank and the Realty Guar
antee & Trust Corapany of Youngstown and the
Union Commerce National Bank of Cleveland. For
a number of years an institution that has deeply in
terested hira has been the Young Men's Christian
Association, and he has served as president of the
Youngstown branch of the association. He is a
meraber of the First Presbyterian Church, the
"Youngstown Club, the Duquesne Club of Pittsburgh,
and is a thirty-second degree Mason. Relaxation
frora business he finds on his fine farra near Youngs
town, where he is a successful grower of blooded
cattle. Mr. Warner raarried Mary B. Ward, daughter of
the late Jaraes B. Ward, second, of Niles, and sister
of Capt. W. H. B. Ward. At her death in igo6 she
left a daughter, Elizabeth Brown Ward Warner, who
is the wife of Edwin Ford Clark of Youngstown,
president of the Newton Steel Corapany at Newton
Falls, Ohio.
Elmer Eugene Nash, one of the coraraauding
figures in the industrial life of the Mahoning Valley,
has been prorainent in the business affairs of Warren
for nearly thirty years and since igoi has been
treasurer of the Peerless BrUliant Lamp Corapany,
and is also interested in a nuraber of other local
concerns to which his sagacity and capability give
added strength. Mr. Nash was born on .the faraily
farm in Portage County, Ohio, July II, 1848, a son
of Abraham B. Nash, a native of iNew York State,
who followed farming in Portage County frora young
raanhood until his death in 1874. He raarried Jane
Clark, a native of Portage County, Ohio, the daughter
of Robert Clark. She died about igo2.
Elraer Eugene Nash was reared in Portage County,
and .attended the district schools and Miarai Cora
mercial College at Dayton, Ohio. In 1870 he began
his business career with the wholesale grocery house
of Babcock, Hurd & Corapany, of Cleveland, Ohio,
but after a year in the store he became one of its
traveling salesraen, and so continued untU 1877, when
he purchased a general store at Burton, Ohio, and for
over thirteen years conducted the largest merchandis
ing business in Geauga County.
In 1892 Mr. Nash came to Warren and assisted in
establishing the wholesale grocery firm of Grahara,
Nash & De Voe, in which he retained an active in

terest until igoi, when he resigned, although he re
tained his stock, in order to accept the position of
sales raanager of the Warren Electric & Specialty
Corapany, manufacturers of incandescent lamps.
Later on that concern was merged into the Peerless
Brilliant Lamp Division of the General Electric Com
pany, of which he was raade treasurer, and he has
acted in that capacity ever since. For raore than
twenty years he has been a director of the Second
National Bank of Warren, and has always been ac
tive in the industrial and financial affairs of Warren.
He was one of the organizers and first president
of the TrurabuU Club of Warren, and is a meraber of
the Rotary Club and of the Warren Board of Trade.
For years he has been active in the Masonic order,
and is a raeraber of Old Erie Lodge No, 3, Free and
Accepted Masons ; Warren Commandery No, 39,
Knights Templar, and Al Koran Teraple, Mystic
Shrine, of Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Nash was com
raissioned in 1884 a colonel on the staff of Governor
George Hoadley of Ohio. He is a raember of the
First Christian Church of Warren, of which he has
long been a trustee.
In 1876 Mr. Nash was united in marriage with Miss
Jennie Harraon, of Aurora, Ohio, a daughter of
Edward C. Harraon. Mr. and Mrs, Nash becarae
the parents of the following chUdren : Fred H., who
is vice president and treasurer of the O'Donohue,
Knight & Gage Corapany, wholesale dealers in teas,
coffees and spices at Cleveland, Ohio, raarried Louise
Jackson, and they have one daughter, Marjory;
Ralph C, who served as lieutenant of artUlery in the
American Expeditionary Force, as a member of the
Three Hundred and iNineteenth Field Artillery, is
now sales raanager of the Peerless Brilliant Larap
Division at Warren; and Ada L., who is at horae.
Frederick Klippert, Thorough training and wide
experience alone could have brought Frederick Klip
pert to his responsible position of superintendent of
the Warren plant of the General Araerican Tank Car
Corporation, where vast capital is involved and ira
portant interests are served, twelve tank cars a day
being the output, A raan of great executive ability,
with tact and judgment corabined with knowledge
and skill, Mr, Klippert is undoubtedly just the right
raan in the right place,
Frederick Klippert was born at Chambersburg,
Pennsylvania, February 23, 1872. He is a son of
John and Catherine (Eckstein) Klippert, the latter
of whom died in 1916. She was born in Germany but
spent all but ten of her eighty years of life in Amer
ica. The father of Mr. Klippert was born at
Charabersburg in 1849, followed the trade of tin-
sraith during his active years and now lives retired.
His father, John Klippert, was born in Saxony,
Gerraany, and was the founder of this branch of the
famUy in Araerica, He was a blacksmith for the
Curaberland Valley RaUroad at Chambersburg,
Pennsylvania, Frederick Klippert obtained his education in the
public schools of Chambersburg, and when sixteen
years of age began an apprenticeship to the ma
chinist's trade and served three years, and one year
as a journeyman. He then entered the Pennsylvania
RaUroad shops at Altoona, where he worked steadily

280

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

for nine years, after which for ten years he was on
the road under the engineer of tests, and was in
charge of the work at different plants for five years
of that time. In igio he carae to Warren on busi
ness for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and while here
becarae identified with his present corapany as as
sistant superintendent, soon being raade superintend
ent. At that tirae the concern was eraploying not
raore than thirty raen, but after Mr. Klippert took
charge expansion began and at the present tirae the
company has 175 well paid men on its payroll, and
production has climbed to the very large percentage
of twelve tank cars daily.
iMr. Klippert was united in raarriage to Miss Mis
souri Wambaugh, who was born in Bedford County,
Pennsylvania, and was teaching in the public school
at Altoona when she first met Mr. Klippert, They
have three sons, namely ; John Frederick, Walter
Edward and Donald Sylvester. Mr. Klippert and
his famUy belong to the First Presbyterian Church.
He is a raeraber of the Warren Rotary Club and is
active in all that concerns the welfare of the city.
For many years a Mason, he belongs to Old Erie
Lodge No, 3, Free and Accepted Masons, Chapter,
Council and Coramandery at 'Warren, and Al Koran
Temple of the Mystic Shrine, He is not a man
who has ever permitted himself an undue araount of
relaxation, as he has always placed business before
pleasure, but since coming to "Warren he has become
an active raeraber of the Rotary Club and also has
becorae associated with the TrurabuU Country Club,
Thomas M, Phillips, forraer superintendent of
the washed metal departraent of the Brier Hill Steel
Corapany, and since January i, ig20, vice president
and raanager of the Youngstown Steel Corapany,
and iExperiraental Mechanical Puddling plant, is a
practical expert in the iron and steel industry and
was associated with the business of the present
Brier Hill Steel Corapany for fully a quarter of a
century. He was born at Pottstown, Pennsylvania, March
26, 1868, son of Robert and Katherine (Davis)
Phillips. His parents were born and raarried in
Wales and soon afterward came to this country,
living for a short time in New York and afterward
going to Pennsylvania, where Robert Phillips en
tered the iron industry. By a thorough apprentice
ship he acquired a practical knowledge of the iron
business, and he held many posts of responsibility.
.At one tirae he was connected with the plant at
Wheatland, Pennsylvania, again at Cleveland, Ohio,
and for three years lived at Springfield, Illinois,
Through the influence of Edward L. Ford, super
intendent of the plant at Springfield, he returned
east to Youngstown and helped build the first
furnace of the Youngstown Steel Corapany, Later
he built the washed metal plant for the sarae cora
pany at Brier Hill, the plant of which his son be
carae superintendent. Robert Phillips was superin
tendent of this washed raetal departraent until a
short period before his death, which occurred in
January, igo7.
Thoraas M, Phillips, who succeeded his father as
superintendent in 1905, received his early education
in Cleveland and at Springfield, Illinois. One of his

youthful experiences was clerking in a store. At
the age of eighteen he began mastering the steel
industry, and under the guidance and with the en
couragement of his father made good use of his
exceptional advantages. At the age of eighteen he
was put to -work on a twelve-inch rolling raiU. He
also learned furnace building under his father, and
while at that gained his first knowledge of puddling.
He was eraployed in various raills, and in 1889 went
to Colorado and built and operated the puddling
furnace at Pueblo,
Mr. Phillips returned to Youngstown and in 1895
entered the service of the Youngstown Steel Com
pany, When this plant was raerged with the Brier
Hill Steel Corapany he continued with the latter
organization and became on^ of the oldest raen in
the service of the corapany,
Mr. Phillips is a meraber of the Engineers Club of
the Youngstown district. He also belongs to the
Youngstown Country Club, is an Elk, a republican
and a Presbyterian. October 19, 1897, he married
Miss Minnie A. Garrison, of Niles. Ohio. They
are the parents of one daughter, Martha J.
Frank Dana McCluer. While his horae and busi
ness interests have been centered at Warren for the
past ten years, Frank Dana iNIcCluer has met the
successive probleras of life under a great variety
of circurastances, time and place, and in pursuit of
business has covered a large part of this country.
For the greater part of his active career he has been
a practical luraberraan, and is now president and
general manager of the McCluer Luraber Company
at Warren.
Mr. McCluer was born at Franklinville, Catta
raugus County, New York, December 18, 1864. His
branch of the McCluer family was established in
America in 171 1 by John and James McCluer, broth
ers, who settled at Charlestown, Massachusetts. A
few years later John moved to Carlisle, Pennsyl
vania. James, the other brother, remained in Massa
chusetts and was the ancestor of the New York
branch of the family. His direct descendant. Col.
Joseph McCluer, great-grandfather of the Warren
business raan, moved to iNew York State in 1806. He
was a surveyor in the eraploy of the Holland Land
Corapany, and thereafter made his permanent home
at Franklinville. He served with the rank of colonel
in the regular army during the War of 1812, and
in after years was comraissioned a raajor general of
railitia. His son Sarauel McCluer raarried Eliza
Carpenter. Sarauel died at Franklinville, when his
son Frederick was only four years of age. Frederick
McCluer, father of Frank Dana McCluer, was born
at Franklinville, was a farraer in that coramunity,
and later entered the lumber industry in Pennsyl
vania and iMinnesota. He and his brother erected
the first saw mill on the site of the city of Albert
Lea in i^'Iinnesota Territory in 1852. Frederick Mc
Cluer died at Franklinville about 1900. He married
Parmelia Nichols, who was born at Eldred, McKean
County, Pennsylvania. Her father, Samuel Nichols,
was a native of Northern Verraont, and was a direct
descendant of Colonel Nichols, who was an officer
in the British array under General Burgoyne during
the Revolutionary war, but after that struggle re-

^Ix^try^^^o^ ^^ \yh,,/i<yLijQ/:i

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

281

mained in America and located in Vermont. Mrs.
Frederick McCluer died in 1912.
Frank Dana McCluer was reared at Franklinville,
where he attended the old Ten Broeck Academy.
Leaving school in 1880, at the age of sixteen, he went
into the Bradford oU country of Pennsylvania. Two
years later he becarae an eraploye of the prorainent
Dusenberry Lumber Company at Portville, New
York. Thereafter for three years he raade his head
quarters in New York, and for seven years was in
"Wyoraing, engaged in operating Star Route stage
freight contracts and also prospecting. On his return
horae to New York in 1892 he reraained a year or so,
and in 1894 engaged in the luraber business in Penn
sylvania. He was in the mills and also on the road,
with headquarters at Pittsburgh, most of the time
until 191 1.
Mr, McCluer came to Warren on January I, 191 1,
and in the latter part of 1913 organized the Home
Lumber Company. He withdrew from that organ
ization in February, 1919, and in March established
the McCluer Lumber Corapany, which was incor
porated March 3d with a capital stock of $50,000. Mr.
McCluer is its president and general manager. The
corapany has established warehouses and yards on
Surarait Street, and the business has had a flourish
ing record frora the very beginning. Mr, McCluer
is also president of the Warren Builders Exchange,
He is an active raeraber of the Warren Board of
Trade, the local Rotary Club, the Warren AutomobUe
Club and the United Comraercial Travelers.
He married Alice Vosburgh, daughter of William
and Mary (Siraras) Vosburgh, of Bradford, Peinn-
sylvania. They have two chUdren : Frederick Wil
liara, who is a student in Allegheny CoUege at Mead
vUle, Pennsylvania, and Frank Dana, Jr., in tbe War
ren High School.
Frederick Thomas Stone, principal of the Burnett
and Stone Insurance Agency, Warren, Ohio, and
forraerly county auditor, has lived practically his
whole life in the City of Warren and its environs.
He is one of the best known residents of Warren,
and has an enviable record in all phases of its life and
activities. For over thirty years he has been active in
the business, public, and church life of the coraraun
ity, and is generally well regarded by the people of
the city and county.
The Stone faraily is a historic one of Warren. At
the old family homestead just beyond the city limits
Frederick Thoraas Stone was born August 11, 1863.
The Ohio raerabers of the faraily are directly de
scended frora Thoraas Stone, one of the signers of
the Declaration of Independence. During the latter
years of the eighteenth century there lived at Bristol,
Connecticut, a hatter naraed Nathaniel Stone. His
son Roswell Nathaniel, better known in Ohio as Gen.
Roswell Stone, was born at Bristol in I7g3. He had
excellent educational advantages, graduating with
honors in the class with Rufus P. Spalding at Yale
CoUege in September, 1817. In 1821 he received the
degree Master of Arts at Yale College. For about
a year he taught school at Port Tobacco, Maryland,
but did not find that vocation suited to his ambition.
Turning his eyes to what was then called the far
West, he came to Warren in 1822. He was com

missioned to sell land for the Connecticut Land Cora
pany, but soon established a law practice and was ap
pointed prosecuting attorney in 1823. He served as
prosecuting attorney in the trial of Ira West Gard
ner, who was convicted and hanged, this being the
only case of capital punishraent recorded in Trum
bull County. General Stone has been described as
"a lawyer of learning and distinction and of fine
personal appearance." He was an able lawyer, was
elected to the Legislature from Trumbull County
and was comraissioned a general during the old
railitia training days, Kis work a; a lawyer and his
personal character were held in high esteera by raany
prominent men. One of his stanch admirers was
David Tod, who studied law with General Stone.
David Tod, afterward governor of Ohio, was admin
istrator of the Stone estate and legal adviser to the
widow. Governor Tod's bond as administrator,
signed by David Tod, Charles Smith and Henry
Smith, is now in the possession of Frederick Thomas
Stone. General Stone had been in Warren only a short
tirae when he returned East and on Septeraber 16,
1822, married Caroline N. Merriman, daughter of
Dr. Titus Merriraan of Bristol, Connecticut. She
was a friend and classmate of Harriet Beecher
Stowe in college, and always cherished her recollec
tions of that great Araerican woraan. General Stone
and bride carae to Warren to live, and their four
chUdren were born in the city. General Stone died
in 1833. His widow survived until i8g2. They were
the parents of four children, Henry Roswell ; Fred
erick Nathaniel, who never raarried; and two that
died in childhoocL
Henry Roswell Stone was born in 1825 and spent
bis active life as a farmer, living for the last four
or five years at Warren, where he died in i8g2. He
married Catherine L. Pew in 1853. She was a
daughter of Thomas and Polly (Dunlap) Pew of
Lordstown, Ohio, She was the raother of two sons
and two daughters : Henry Merriman, who was born
in 1858, is a wholesale and coraraission raerchant of
Denver, Colorado, and first raarried Minnie Allen, of
Akron, Ohio, and after her death Maora Cole, of
Norwalk, Ohio; Caroline L,, who was born in 1854
and died in igo3, becarae the wife of Henry Milton
Harsh, of Warren, and left two children, Kenneth M,
Harsh, of Canastota, New York, and Paul R. Harsh,
of Ravenna, Ohio; and Frederick Thomas Stone, the
youngest. Frederick T. Stone passed his early school days in
the public schools of his horae district, and eventually
he took the collegiate course at Hirara College. He
appears to have decided to enter comraercial life, for
in 1886, he being then twenty-three years old, he
entered the store of Kneeland Brothers of Warren
as a clerk. For nine years he reraained as a salesraan
with that firm, after which, in i8gs, he ventured into
independent raerchandising business in Warren. He
reraained independently established in such business
until igoi, when he sold the business to good ad
vantage. He was influenced in doing so, to some ex
tent, by the offer he had received from the county
auditor, C. C. Clauson, who soon afterward appointed
Mr. Stone his deputy. Mr. Stone continued as deputy
county auditor until 1909, when he was elected to

282

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

the county auditorship. He was re-elected at the
termination of his first two years in office. He
vacated the office in September, 1913, and imme
diately thereafter established himself in business as
an insurance agent in partnership with A. C. Bur
nett, the firra name being Burnett and Stone, The
partnership continued until June, igig, when Mr.
Stone acquired Mr, Burnett's interest and has since
conducted the agency singly, under the name of the
Burnett and Stone Insurance Agency, He writes
considerable business, being very well known in the
city and county. His offices are in the Western Re
serve Building.
Mr, Stone has always shown much interest in the
development and advanceraent of Warren, and of late
years has been an active member of the Warren
Board of Trade, He has also been prominently
identified with the functioning of local branches of
fraternal orders. He is a prominent Mason, meraber
of Old Erie Lod,ge No, 3, iFree and Accepted Masons,
and belongs to Warren Coramandery No, 39, Knights
Teraplar. He is a past raaster of Old Erie Lodge and
past high priest of the Mahoning Chapter, He is
also a raember of Mahoning Lodge No, 2g, Inde
pendent Order of Odd Fellows,
His record in church work is an enviable one. He
is an elder of the Central Christian Church and for
thirty-five years has served continuously as a mem
ber of its choir. On September 7, 1892, he married
Carrie Silliman, of a well known Ohio faraUy. She
was born in Fowler, TrurabuU County, the daughter
of Addison R. and Lucy (Baldwin) SUliraan, and
granddaughter of Abija SUliraan, one of the founders
of the old First National Bank of Youngstown.
George R. Perkins, who has lived his life in the
industrial atraosphere of Youngstown and district,
was born at Weathersfield in TrurabuU County,
March 21, 1862, son of Richard and Mary (Jones)
Perkins. His father was a native of England and
his raother of Wales. They carae with their respec
tive farailies to the United States and were married
at Weathersfield, Ohio, Richard Perkins grew up
in the coal districts of England, and in Eastern Ohio
was superintendent of several raines, including the
old Hogue mine at Youngstown,
George R, Perkins had a public school education
and with the exception of one year spent at Hara
ilton, Ontario, has lived in the three Ohio indus
trial cities of Youngstown, Girard and Niles, His
first experience in the steel business was in the
roHing mills at Niles, and was shipping clerk for
James Ward at the tirae of Ward's last failure in
business. Coming; to Youngstown, he was employed
in the VaUey store about two years, and in 1885
became an eraploye of the Brier Hill Iron & Coal
Corapany in a clerical capacity, and for about twenty
years he was superintendent of the Youngstown
Steel Company, He has been with the Brier Hill
Steel Corapany since its organization and for sev
eral years has been secretary to the general raan
ager, Mr. Perkins is also vice president of the
Perkins Hardware Corapany.
He is a member of the Engineering Club of
Youngstown, the Chamber of Coramerce, is a repub
lican, and is affiliated with Hillraan Lodge, Free

and Accepted Masons, of Youngstown, Ohio, with
the Elks, and the Independent Order of Odd Fel
lows. May 31, 1888, he raarried Frances E, Anderson,
of Church HUl, She died in igo6, the raother of
three chUdren ; Harry, Mary Anderson and Dorothy
Frances. Harry was a graduate of the Rayen High
School and died at the early age of nineteen, just.
at the promise of young manhood. The daughter
Mary is the wife of Arthur Purnell, a New York
salesman for the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Com
pany, and they have one daughter, Martha Frances
Purnell. Benjamin Woodford Edw.ards, secretary-treasurer
of the "Warren City Tank and Boiler Company, of
which he was one of the organizers and which is one
of the important manufacturing industries of War
ren, Ohio, is a public-spirited man of creditable
record. He is an active meraber of the Warren Board
of Trade, and is interested in raany industrial and
financial organizations of consequence to the city.
He is a consistent churchman, trustee of the First
Presbyterian Church of Warren ; and his war record
is especially creditable. He gave valuable assistance
to the various war committees organized to achieve
the purposes of the nation in the prosecution of the
war, and especially was of service as a member of
the manufacturers' committee on war work. He has
enviable repute in the City of Warren both as a
business man and as a citizen.
He was born in Niles, Trumbull County, Ohio, on
June 15, 1875, a son of John F. and Nancy (Martin)
Edwards, It is of interest here to note in this his
tory of the Mahoning VaUey that he coraes of a fam
Uy which is araong the Mahoning Valley pioneers.
Originally of British descent, the Edwards family
was early in tbe Virginia colony, and later the name
is encountered in the records of Butler County,.
Pennsylvania. Benjarain Edwards, great-great-grand
father of Benjarain W,, appears to have been the first
of the faraily to have settled in Butler County, Penn
sylvania. His son John was born there, and his.
grandson Samuel was also of Butler County birth.
He was born in 1812, and when a young man came
into Ohio, settling in the Mahoning Valley, at Niles,
Trumbull County, where three succeeding genera
tions of the Edwards family have had residence,
John F,, son of Samuel, and father of Benjamin 'W.,
was born in Niles, and lived there for the greater-
part of his life. He was for many years connected
with the iron raills at Niles, and was weU-respected
as a raan of industrious responsibility. He retired
from business in 1892, and thereafter untU bis death
in September, 1904, lived in the City of Warren.
He married Nancy Martin, daughter of Benjamin
Martin, a Kentucky planter. She lived for the
greater part of her life in Niles, although she -was
born in Lexington, Kentucky, coming to live with
her sister in Niles after the death of her father,
which occurred when she was quite young. After
a widowhood of six raonths, death carae to her in
Warren, Ohio, in March, 1905.
Benjamin "W,, younger son of John F, and Nancy
(Martin) Edwards, attended the elementary and high
schools of Niles, leaving the latter, however, before-

'Un-i^ C^. (yU^x;^^^^

'/YCi.

YOUNGSTOVVN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

283

graduation, to enter business. He was only eighteen
years old when he was in good business, having in
July of 1893 joined his elder brother, William F., and
Alfred R. Hughes, in establishing a manufacturing
enterprise in Warren. The brothers have been con
nected with that enterprise and with the City of
Warren ever since, and during the twenty-seven
years to the present have developed the business
untU it is now a consequential factor in the industrial
activities of that city. At the outset the plant estab
lished by the partners became known as the Warren
City Boiler Works, but in 1908, when the company
was incorporated, it took the corporate name of the
Warren City Tank and BoUer Corapany. Mr. Ben
jamin W. iEdwards has been its secretary-treasurer
since its incorporation, and has been one of the active
managing executives. As a man of good executive
ability and organizing capacity he has been sought by
other industrial and financial corporations, and is con
nected with many such, but he has never accepted
official position in any of these outside enterprises
for the reason that the affairs of his own company,
the Warren City Tank and BoUer Company, have
been sufficiently iraportant and volurainous to need
the whole of his working hours. But he has at
various times co-operated actively in matters of public
or coraraunity interest. He is a leading raeraber of
the Warren Board of Trade, and has sought every
opportunity to further the prosperity of the city, and
as a meraber of the manufacturer's comraittee on
war work he rendered good service to his district and
to the nation during the progress of the World war.
He has been liberal in support of local charities and
other organizations of public character in Warren,
and has been an active raeraber of the First Presby
terian Church of Warren, of which he is a trustee.
Mr, Edwards has not concerned himself actively in
political raoveraents, preferring to give first thought
to matters of production ; apd he has never at any
time sought political office, either in local affairs or
national. But he has been soraewhat prorainently
identified with the functioning of local branches of
fraternal bodies. He is a Mason of the thirty-second
degree, Scottish Rite, and belongs to Old Erie Lodge
No. 3, Free and Accepted Masons, Warren, to the
Warren Coraraandery No, 39, Knights Teraplar, to the
Cleveland Consistory, and to Al Koran Teraple,
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Socially he is a
meraber of the TrurabuU County Club, the Youngs
town Country Club and the Cleveland Athletic Club,
In i8g8 Mr, Edwards raarried Lottie A,, daughter
of Robert J. and Eraraa C, Sraith, of Warren, They
have one child, a daughter, Evelyn Elizabeth, who
was born August 6, 1906.
Clare Hills Barker, a thoroughly educated and
well grounded lawyer, has specialized e.ver since
adraitted to the bar in real estate and abstra.ct of title
work, and is one of tbe best qualified authorities on
that subject in TrurabuU County. Mr. Barker is
president of the TrurabuU County Abstract Corapany.
He was born at Granger, Ohio, May 13, 1876, son
of Williara and Lelia (Hills) Barker. His paternal
grandparents, Jared and Eleanor (Munson) Barker,
were natives of Ontario County, New York, previous
generations of the faraily having lived in Connecticut.

WUliara Barker was born at Bath, Suramit County,
Ohio, in 1849, was a graduate of Western Reserve
CoUege then at Hudson, Ohio, and spent his active
life as a practical farmer. He diecl in igo4. The
raother, now raaking her home with her son at
Warren, was born at Granger in 1851, daughter of
Dr, Stacy and Naorai (Gooding) Hills, both natives
of New York State, Doctor Hills was of Connecti
cut ancestry and practiced medicine at Granger, Ohio,
for over thirty years, until his death in 1875,
Glare Hills Barker graduated from the Medina
High School in i8g5, took his literary course in the
Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, graduating
.with the class of igoo, and in the meantime, in De
cember, i89g, had been appointed private secretary
to Congressman PhUlips, He spent the greater part
of two years at Washington, and made good use of
his opportunities while in the capital city, taking up
and pursuing a course of law in the National Uni
versity Law School. He graduated in igo2 with the
degrees LL. B, and LL. M,, and in the same year
was adraitted to the bar of the District of Columbia.
Returning to Medina in the sumraer of ig02, he
raoved to Youngstown the following fall, and whUe
pursuing his law studies with WUson, McNab and
Harailton he also did work for the Mahoning County
Abstract Corapany, He determined to specialize in
real estate law, and has done little work in his pro
fession outside of that specialty, June i, igo4, he
was admitted to the Ohio bar, and continued law and
abstract work at Youngstown until 1910, In that
year he was raade secretary of the Realty Trust
Corapany and the Realty Guaranty and Trust Cora
pany of Youngstown, FaUing health compelled hira
to resign in 1913, and in the fall of igi4 he reraoved
to Akron, where he remained six or seven months,
and then for a tirae was with the Guaranty Title and
Trust Company of Cleveland, Mr, Barker located at
Warren in July, 1917, at that time purchasing the
stock of the Trumbull County Abstract Company, the
leading business of its kind in Trumbull County,
He is also an active meraber of the Warren Real
iEstate Board, the Warren Board of Trade, and by
his ancestry is a raeraber of the Sons of the Araerican
Revolution, He is affiliated with the Sigraa Alpha
Epsilon college fraternity. In 1905 he raarried Miss
Mary M, Burt, of Medina, daughter of Elroy and
Addie (Young) Burt, They have one daughter,
Mary Lucretia Barker, born August 5, 1912.
Ambrose Benjamin Mannix, Forty years of un
interrupted business and official activity preceded the
retireraent of Mr, Mannix, who is a resident of
Warren, and has been identified with that city since
his first terra as county treasurer of TrurabuU Coun
ty, At one tirae Mr. Mannix was a farra laborer, and
he has achieved success and general esteera both by
the faithfulness and persistency of his efforts through
a long period of years.
He was born in the City of Boston, Massachusetts,
October 11, 1854. His father, Tiraothy Mannix, , a
native of Ireland, raarried in that country Margaret
Hickey, and in 1834, accorapanied by his wife and
two sons, came to the United States, At Boston he
followed mercantUe lines until 1856, and then bought
a farm near Malone, New York, where he lived until

284

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

his death in 1883, After his death his widow and
sorae of her family moved into the Town of Malone,
where she died in 1884.
Ambrose B, Mannix was a boy of between four and
five years wben his parents moved to the farm. He
grew up in a New York rural atmosphere, attended
country schools and the Malone Academy, and re
mained at home to the age of twenty. The first sura
raer off the farra he spent as a watchraan on a Jake
vessel plying between Ogdensburg and Chicago, and
made five round trips on the boat. Mr. Mannix came
to Ohio in 1875, and after a brief tirae in Cleveland
went to work on the farra of Judge Stone at North
Newbury in Geauga County. Leaving tbere two
years later, in 1877, he entered the service of the
Andrews Coal Corapany in Vienna Township, Trura
buU County, thus beginning his permanent relations
with Trumbull County. He began business for him
self as a meat dealer in Vienna Township in 1878,
and after ten years expanded his enterprise to gen
eral raerchandising, and was one of the honored
business raen of Vienna for twenty years. He served
as postraaster for twelve years, appointed by Presi
dent McKinley. He always took an active part in
local affairs, and was honored with the office of
township treasurer nineteen years. In 1908 he was
elected on the republican ticket as treasurer of Trum
bull County and re-elected in igio. His official term
began January i, 1909, and soon afterward he re
moved his faraily to "Warren. At the close of his
second term he continued in office as deputy under
his successor, who had been previously deputy under
Mr. Mannix. In 1914 Mr. Mannix resuraed bis career
as a raerchant, this time at Warren, and was in busi
ness until July 15, igig, when he forraally retired.
Mr, Mannix served as president of the city council
of Warren four years, and then filled out an unex
pired term of a year and a half in the councU, He
is a former president of the Trumbull County Mer
chants Protective League, a member of the "Warren
Board of Trade, is a director of the Trumbull Coun
ty Agricultural Society and a raember of the Board
of Directors of the Masonic Temple Society. His
Masonic affiliations are with OW Erie Lodge, Royal
Arch Chapter, Council and Knights Templar Cora
mandery, and he is also identified wtih the Elks.
He is a raeraber of the First Presbyterian Church,
of which he was an elder for five years,
February 22, 1882, Mr, Mannix raarried Carrie
Charaberlain. She was born in Vienna Township,
March 13, 1859, representing an old and prorainent
faraily of the county. Her parents were George and
Mary (Wheeler) Chamberlain, Her father was born
in New Jersey, July 11, 1829, son of William and
Mary Charaberlain, natives of the sarae state. Her
raother was born in Brookfield Township, TrurabuU
County, September 8, 1834, Mrs. Mannix died July
7, 1917, There are no surviving children.
Curtis C, Williams. M. D. While the thirty years
of his continuous practice at Niles constitute a
worthy professional distinction for Doctor Williams
the appreciation of his abilities is by no means con
fined to bis home community, since his work as a
surgeon in many diff.cult operations has brought
him a name and reputation such as are enjoyed

only by the foremost raen in that field in the state.
He placed his professional abUities at the service
of the Governraent during the World war period.
Doctor WUliaras was born at Lisbon, Ohio, May
13, 1863, son of Sarauel and Isabel (McCurdy)
Williaras. He is a lineal descendant of iRoger Wil
liaras, the faraous dissenter who established the
colony of Rhode Island. Doctor Williaras' grand
father, Levi 'Williams, carae to Columbiana County
Ohio, in pioneer days and founded Williamsport*
named in his honor. Samuel WUliams spent his
life as a farmer, and Doctor Williams grew up on
his father's farm three railes south of Lisbon.
He acquired a good literary as well as profes
sional education, receiving his Bachelor of Science
degree from Mount Union CoUege in 1887, For a
short time he read medicine under an uncle. Dr.
L. O. Williams, and in the fall of 1887 entered the
medical department of the University of Michigan,
where he reraained until graduating, June 25, i8go!
Since the fall of i8gi Doctor Williams has been in
practice at Niles. He was the first man to leave
Niles for the World war. He spent five weeks at
Carap Riley, was coraraissioned captain of the Medi
cal Reserve Corps and frora Carap Riley went to the
base hospital of Carap Pike, Arkansas, where he
was on duty the reraainder of the war period. He
is now coraraander of McKinley Post No. 106 of
the Araerican Legion.
Doctor Williaras is a raeraber of the Triimbull
County and Ohio State Medical societies, the Ameri
can Medical Association, the Association of Erie
Railway Surgeons and the Pennsylvania RaUway
Surgeons, being surgeon for both these raUways
at Niles. Fraternally he is a Knight Teraplar and
Scottish Rite Mason, a Mystic Shriner and his wife
is worthy matron of the Eastern Star. He is also
identified with the Niles Chamber of Coraraerce.
July 20, i8go. Doctor Williaras raarried Miss Clara
J, Foust, daughter of WilUara R. and Mary P. Foust,
of Leetonia, Ohio Mrs. Williaras is president of
the local branch of the Federation of Women's
Clubs, was the first president of the Woraen's Ly
ceura of NUes, and is an active raember of the Pres
byterian Church. They have two daughters, Dorothy
M., the older, graduated with the degrees Master
of Arts and Bachelor of Science frora Hood Col
lege at Frederick, Maryland. The other daughter,
Josephine, is a graduate of the Niles High School
and is now a sophomore at the Ohio College at
Athens. Harry Benton Turner became superintendent of
the Warren city schools September i, 1916. In the
face of the raost trying and adverse conditions that
have eyer confronted the American systera of public
education it is iraportant to note what has been ac-
cornplisbed at Warren since Mr. Turner began his
duties as superintendent.
The results have in fact amounted to a practical
reorganization of the entire city school system. Two
new school buildings have been erected, two others
definitely planned, and by the adoption of the so-
called "duplicate system" the seating capacity has
been raade avaUable to 40 per cent increased en
rollraent. The city kindergarten systera has been

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

285

made available to all the younger children, and
manual training and domestic science have been made
integral parts of the course of instruction. The
Junior High School organization has been completed
and night schools have been operated for three years.
During 1919 the total attendance at the night schools
was 800. Departraents of tests and measurements
have been introduced and the scope of the health
work has been greatly enlarged. A special class for
backward chUdren is another new feature, and special
classes have been arranged for industrially inclined
boys. Under the plan approved in the Smith -Hughes
Federal appropriation legislation, Warren now has
"continuation" classes, so that boys engaged in sorne
remunerative labor can continue their education in
the intervals of their employment.
Mr. Turner has made a notable record as an edu
cator. He was born at Freeport, Harrison County,
Ohio, Septeraber 2, 1880, a son of John D. and Atha
(Kirby) Turner, who were also born in the sarae
town. His paternal grandfather, Jaraes Pluraraer
Turner, was a native of Westraoreland County,
Pennsylvania, of Scotch-Irish ancestry. A raill
wright by trade, he built raany of the old tirae raills
in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and was an early settler
• in Harrison County of the latter state. He was noted
for his great physical strength. During the Civil
war he was with an Ohio regiraent, and was wounded
at the battle of the WUderness, and all the rest of
his life suffered irapaired health. Jaraes Pluraraer
Turner raarried Harriet Rankin, whose faraUy also
lived in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and
moved to Harrison County, Ohio, where raany of
the narae are stUl found and where the Rankin
Presbyterian Church is a raeraorial to thera. John
D. Turner has spent his active life as a blacksraith
and for the past thirty-five years has lived at Flush
ing, Belmont County, Ohio. Atha Kirby, the raother
of Harry B. Turner, was a daughter of Thoraas
Kirby, whose family moved to Ohio from the vicinity
of "Winchester, Virginia. The Kirbys for several
generations had been seafaring folk, but Thomas
Kirby spent his active life as a farraer. However,
he was well versed in sailor songs and the lore of
the sea and was also a keen student of history.
Harry Benton Turner frora the age of six years
grew up at Flushing in Belraont County, attended
public schools there and graduated frora high school
at the age of sixteen. Because of his efficient student
record his father rewarded hira with a gold watch,
and he still carefully cherishes and carries that tirae-
piece. Mr. Turner is a graduate of Hirara College,
receiving his A. B. degree with the class of 1903.
Between, his first and second years he taught a
district school in Belraont County, and during the
last half of his senior year he was principal of the
Mantua high school. "While there he gave the first
demonstration of his capability as a school ad
ministrator by placing the Mantua schools on a plane
where they were entitled to a first-class school char
ter. After leaving Hirara College he was principal
of the high school at Garrettsville, Ohio, one year,
and then returned to Mantua, serving three years as
superintendent. For seven years he was principal
of the high school at Ravenna, Ohio, the outstanding
feature of his work there having been the large

number of pupUs who went from that high school
to college. In 1914, under the new school law, he
became county superintendent of schools for Portage
County for a term of two years. A feature of his
record as county superintendent was the centraliza
tion of the schools of fifteen townships and the buUd
ing of several raodern schools.
Mr. Turner was elected superintendent of the
Warren schools in August, 1916, and was released
from his duties by the Portage County Board to
accept his new position. Mr. Turner is a raember
of the Northeastern Ohio Teachers' Association, is
a meraber of the Coraraittee on Education in the
Ohio State Teachers' Association, is a raember of
the National Education Association, and is the leader
of the Conference of Teachers of cities under 25,000.
Fraternally he is affiliated with old Erie Lodge No. 3,
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Mahoning
Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and is a meraber of
the Warren Rotary Club and the Warren Board of
Trade. Both as a private citizen and in his official
position he was a tireless worker in behalf of the
various patriotic raoveraents during the war. He
was a member of the Liberty Loan Comraittees, was
county chairraan of the War Carap Coraraunity Serv
ice, and is reraembered as one of the raost effective
speakers of the local speakers' bureau. He had
charge of the sale of War Savings Staraps in schools,
and is now a raeraber of the executive coramittee
of the Red Cross and chairman of the Trumbull
County Chapter of the American Red Cross Society.
He served as a raember of the Roosevelt Memorial
Fund Coraraittee for this county, and was a meraber
and vice chairman of the Young Men's Christian
Association War Coramittee of the county.
Mr. Turner married Blanche Kent, who was born
at Chagrin Falls, Ohio, daughter of Eugene and
Lucinda (Bayard) Kent. They have one son, Clar
ence Eugene, born August 28, igo8.
John J. Gillen at the age of fourteen years
started business with a one-horse express wagon.
While the equipment was an humble one, he made
it the mediura of a genuine and efficient service and
soon saw his affairs grow and prosper until he was
at the head of a livery business with twenty head
nf horses. By igio automobiles began to replace
horses, and in 1916 the Gillen Transfer Company
was incorporated with John J. as president and his
brother Peter C. as vice president and secretary.
In 1918 the Gillen Transfer Company acquired a
completed equipraent of motor vehicles, and this is
now one of the leading business concerns of its kind
in the Mahoning Valley, performing a large essential
service in transfer, taxicab, touring car and baggage
handling. The office and headquarters are at Main
and Dawson streets, a site which has been the busi
ness center for John J. GUlen's operations for over
twenty years.
John J. Gillen was born at Youngstown, son of
Charles and Anna M. (Lannahan) Gillen. His pa
rents were natives of Ireland, carae to this country
when young and were raarried at A'oungEtown, where
Charles Gillen for a nuraber of years was in the
grocery and baking business. His widow carae with
her faraily to Warren in 1897 and is still living in

286

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

this city. Mr. Gillen is a raeraber of St. Mary's
Catholic Church. He is also a meraber of the
Warren Board of Trade, Warren Rotary Club,
Warren Lodge of Elks and Knights of Columbus.
Peter C. GUlen, vice president and secretary of
the GUlen Transfer Company, was born at Youngs
town. He was educated in the public schools of
Warren, and has been actively associated with his
brother all his life. He is a raember of St. Mary's
Catholic Church, of the Warren Board of Trade,
the Elks and the Knights of Columbus.
William C. Reilly, general superintendent of the
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company, was born in
Youngstown February 6, i86S, his parents being-
Charles M. and Emily (Woods) Reilly, the latter
a granddaughter of Daniel Sheehy, one of the two
first men to locate in Youngstown. Mr. Reilly was
educated in the common Sfhools and at an early
age entered the raills of the Brown-Bonnell Cora
pany, where he obtained a practical knowledge of
the iron business. After the organization of the Re
public Iron & Steel Company, ,3t which tirae he was
connected with tbe Mahoning Valley Iron Corapany,
he became assistant to J, A, Campbell, then district
manager for the Republic Iron ^ Steel Corapany.
When the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Corapany was
organized Mr. Reilly was elected auditor of that
corapany and soon afterward placed in charge of its
operating department as general superintendent.
,He is known as one of the thoroughly practical
men in the steel industry, to which he has devoted
his attention exclusively, so far as business is con
cerned, although he has ahvays taken an active in
terest in public affairs and has been connectecLwith
most of the movements of a public character in his
native city in a helpful but unobtrusive way. He
was married in i88g to Cecily Muldoon, whose death
occurred in igi6. They had nine children, these
being Helen, wife of Dr. Thoraas W. McNamara,
Naorai, Cecil, WUraa, Carl, Frederick, Edwin, Wil
liam and Cecily.
Air. Reilly is a member of the Araerican Iron &
Steel Institute, the Araerican Institute of Mining and
Metallurgical Engineers, the Youngstown Club, the
Youngstown Country Club, and other organizations.
He resides with bis family at Florencedale and
Woodbine avenues, Youngstown.
William Neil Locke, whose chief business ex
perience has been in the building line, has made his
private enterprise valuable in the great expansion of
Warren in recent years, and also does a large busi
ness in connection as a real estate broker.
He was born at Youngstown October ii, 1885, a
son of William and Ellen (NeU) Locke. His parents
were born in Scotland, were married there, and
carae to this country about i860. Their first settle
raent was in the raining district at Austintown,
TrurabuU County, whence they removed to Lansing-
vUle, two miles east of Youngstown, and conducted a
grocery and raeat shop for about twenty-five years,
Williara Locke, 'Sr,, died in May, 1895, and his wife
is now living at 318 Sherwood Avenue in Youngs
town, Of their seven children, four sons and three
daughters, all are living except the oldest son.

Williara N, Locke is the youngest of the children.
He was educated in the schools of LansingviUe and
Haselton, but at the age of fifteen becarae self-
supporting. His first regular employraent was as a
shipping clerk at the National Tube Works in
Youngstown, where he remained six raonths. He
was then raade appraiser for C. F. Nevill, Youngs
town, and then became raanager for William A,
Zumphe at Sharon. Later he engaged in business
for himself at Wheeling, West Virginia, and in 1917
reraoved to Warren, where he has carried on building
operations, resulting in the construction on the aver
age of half a dozen residences a year. He has also
added a real estate brokerage business to his enter
prise. May 25, 1907, Mr. Locke married Miss Anna Ruff,
daughter of Isaac and Emma (McGonnell) Ruff,
of Niles. They have two chUdren : Donald Lyle,
born March 7, 1910, and Emraa Ellen, born April i,
1915. The faraily are raerabers of the First Pres
byterian Church.
Daniel W. Peck. WhUe the railroads carry to
and frora Warren an iramense volume of traffic, one
of the raost essential features of the transportation
systera eraploys the streets and highways of the dty, .
and the largest single private enterprise engaged in
that business is Peck's Transfer Corapany.
The proprietor of tbis business was born March 8,
1875, in the old Peck horae which occupied the site
of the Peck's Transfer Corapany headquarters today.
The Pecks are an old and honored faraily of Warren.
Mr. Peck's grandfather, Caleb Peck, was an early
day merchant of the city. Like other merchants, he
handled a general stock of goods, including whiskey,
which retailed at that tirae at three cents a glass.
In the absence of railroads all goods were hauled
to Warren frora Cleveland, the trip requiring one
day in' going and one day to return.
Aaron Peck, father of Daniel W., was born at
Warren in 1843. In early life he was also a mer
chant, but for raany years handled and developed
a large livery business. He died in 1915, His wife
was Delilah Medley, who was born at Warren in
1844 and died in 1913,
Daniel W, Peck as a boy attended the Warren
public schools and also worked for his father and
later became his active associate in business. There
fore, he has practically grown up in the industry of
handling and transferring goods and passengers
within the city limits, January 7, 1898, be bought
out the business, and has carried it along for twenty-
two years, constantly adding to and expanding it to
keep it abreast of the wonderful growth of the city.
In igii he added a taxicab service to his livery and
transfer business, and now has a large organization
requiring a number of men and a large amount of
invested capital.
Mr, Peck is a meraber of (he Warren Board of
Trade, is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias,
Loyal Order of Moose and the Order of Eagles,
He married Miss Daisy Hopkins, of Newton Falls,
Ohio, Her father, Robert Hopkins, was a prominent
character in Northeastern Ohio, At one time he
owned 600 acres of land in the Mahoning Valley
near Youngstown, Many of the iron and steel in-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

287

dustries of the city are now on land originally owned
by iMr. Hopkins. When he sold his land to the
mills he put the raoney in an old carpet bag and
traveling to iNewton Falls, reinvested it in other
lands in that vicinity. He remained a resident of
Newton Falls until his death.
William F. Corbin. For more than half a cen
tury the Corbin faraUy have had their residence at
Warren and in TrurabuU County, and their enter
prise has been forcefully deraoustrated in connection
with several business institutions, and the name
represents all that is honorable in good citizenship.
The Corbins of Warren are of Norman extrac
tion. The family went from France to England
about the time of Williara the Conqueror. Later
generations were known as extensive land holders,
with faraily seats in both Staffordshire and War
wickshire. Representatives of the original stock
were found as colonial settlers in both Massachu
setts and Virginia early in the eighteenth century.
The faraUy at "Warren traces its kinship to the
Massachusetts branch.
The great-grandfather of the present generation
at Warren was Philip Corbin, Born at Dudley,
Massachusetts, on September 13, 1764, he married,
November 26, 1789, iRhody Healey Dudley, and in
1793 with his wife moved to Connecticut and at
(jnion in that state purchased large tracts of land.
Besides farming on an extensive scale he became
one of the leading manufacturers of potash, a cora
modity he sold at Norwich, Connecticut. A raan of
good principles, sound business abUity, be was equally
influential in civic affairs at Union, served as select
man, and represented his town in the Connecticut
Legislature in 1814-15. He died May 2, 1845, and
his wife on June 15, 1840.
Their fifth child was Augustus Corbin, born at
WiUington, Connecticut, September 18, 1801. He
raarried Paraelia Preston, and of their five children
the third was Silas A, Corbin, who was born at
WiUington, Connecticut, February 12, 1839.
Silas A. Corbin carae West in 1862 and for a time
was agent for the Wheeler & Wilson Sewing Ma
chine Company at Pittsburgh. A few months later
he moved to Warren and was local representative
for the Wheeler & Wilson Corapany until 1867. His
business enterprise then took a new direction, when
he opened the first livery business ever established
at Niles. He was a man of undoubted efficiency and
great popularity, and whUe at NUes was elected on
the republican ticket as sheriff of Trumbull County
in 1872. He was reelected in 1874 and had the honor
of being the first sheriff of the county to serve two
consecutive and coraplete terras.
When he retired from this office in 1876 he became
associated with Sidney Bartlett, under the narae
Bartlett & Corbin, in the raanufacture of carriages.
The'ir shop was one of the first of its kind in Warren,
and the business grew and prospered. In 1885 Mr.
Corbin disposed of his interests to Mr. Bartlett, and
then took up the insurance business. For a long
period of years his chief business was the Warren
Marble & Granite Corapany, which he organized and
incorporated in i8go, and which he served as secre
tary and trea.surer until his death on July 6, igi7.
Vol. 11—19

Silas Corbin earned a high place among Trumbull
County's business raen anci citizens. He was a char
ter raeraber of the Niles Masonic Lodge, and de-
raitted to Old Erie Lodge at Warren. He was also
affiliated with Warren Coraraandery of the Knights
Teraplar and with Al Koran Temple of the Mystic
Shrine at Cleveland.
Silas Corbin married for his first wife Araanda
Diramit, of Connecticut. She died leaving one son,
Fred E,, also deceased. His second wife was Eraraa
Folsom, who was born in Weathersfield Township,
Trumbull County, October 20, 1844, daughter of
Jonathan and Jane (Scott) Folsom. The children
of Silas and Emraa (Folsora) Corbin were WUliara
and Cyrus N. Corbin, the latter being assistant
secretary-treasurer of the Warren Marble & Granite
Corapany. Jonathan Folsom, a native of Essex
County, New York, was an early arrival in Trum
bull County, and at one time owned the land on
which were buUt the TrurabuU Steel MUls at Warren.
Jonathan Folsora's first wife was Milicent Dunlap,
who died leaving two children, Nathan and Omar.
Nathan is still living. Omar's son, Nathan B., is
now treasurer of the Brier Hill Steel Company of
Youngstown. Jane Scott, who was the second wife
of Jonathan Folsora, and the mother of Mrs. Silas
Corbin, was born in Vienna Township of Trumbull
County, a daughter of Mathew and Rebecca Scott,
Trumbull County pioneers. The children of Jane
Scott Folsom are : Cyrus B,, of the drug firm of
Thayer and Folsom ; Mrs, L. H, Thayer, of Youngs
town ; and Mrs. S. A. Corbin, of Warren.
Williara Folsora Corbin, son of Silas A. and
Eraraa (Folsora) Corbin, was born at Niles, April
22, 1869. He finished his education with his gradua
tion frora Eastman's Business College at Pough
keepsie, New York, in i88g and for the past thirty
years has been one of the hard working and earnest
business men and citizens of Warren, The first year
after leaving college he was collector for the Youngs
town Ice Company. Upon the organization of the
Warren Marble & Granite Company in i8go, he kept
the books of the concern, later was proraoted to
assistant secretary-treasurer, and in igio becarae
secretary and treasurer. He is also vice president
of the Western Reserve Luraber Corapany of
Warren. Mr. Corbin is a member of the Warren Board of
Trade of Old Erie Lodge No. 3, Free and Accepted
Masons, Warren Coraraandery No. 3g, Knights
Teraplar, and Al Koran Temple of the Mystic Shrine
at Cleveland, and belongs to the Trumbull Country
Club, Golf Club and the Buckeye Club.
He married Miss Marion Stewart. Mrs. Corbin
was born in Quebec, Canada, daughter of John and
Emma (Pridham) Stewart, the former a native of
Scotland and the latter of Ottawa, Canada. The
two children of Mr. and Mrs, Corbin are : Dorothea
Folsora and Philip Stewart Corbin, Dorothea is a
graduate of Russell Sage College, New York, class
of 1920.
Martin Leeoy Williams, M. D, Notable alike
for tbe raany years he has spent in the conscientious
service of raankind as a physician and surgeon, and
also for his effective citizenship in Trurabulb County,

288

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

and his relationship with sorae of the old-time
farailies. Doctor Williams is today the oldest active
meraber of the medical fraternity in point of con
tinuous service at Warren.
His paternal grandfather, Stephen WUliams, was
of Connecticut birth and New England ancestry, and
one of the earlier settlers of the Western Reserve.
iHe located in Vienna Township, TrurabuU County,
and raade a tract of land responsive to his toU, re
clairaing it from the wilderness. He married Eliza
beth Medley, who was born in Ireland, but was
reared in Highland Township, Trumbull County,
where her father was a pioneer settler. One of the
children of this pioneer couple was John Stephen
WiUiaras, who was born on the old horae farm in
Vienna Township in 1817. In early life he was a
carpenter and builder. Later he moved to Vienna
Center, where for over twenty years he kept a hotel.
After selling this property he bought a farm in Vienna
Township and spent the rest of his days in the quiet
vocation of agriculture. He died at his old horae
stead in igoi. He raarried Lorinda Ruth Sanford.
Her birthplace was the Sanford Farra north of
Payne's Corners in Brookfield Township, TrurabuU
County. She was born in 1820 and died in igo5, at
the age of eighty-five. Her father, Samuel E. San
ford, was a native of Connecticut,' and was like
wise identified with the pioneer element in TrurabuU
County. Martin Leroy Williams, son of John S. and
Lorinda Williaras, was born in Vienna Township
February g, i84g. Most of his boyhood was spent
at Vienna Center. He acquired his education in the
district and the Warren city schools and Hiram Col
lege, and graduated from the University of Michigan
with the degree of M. D., class of 1871. That year
saw him introduced in the general practice of medi
cine to his home coraraunity at Vienna Center, where
his natural aptitude and skill brought hira a high
reputation. Since 1888 he has practiced medicine
at Warren, and has served fuUy a generation of
people in this city. He has given much of his time
to the public side of his profession. He has been a
member of the staff of the Warren City Hospital
since the institution was organized ; has served as
health officer and city physician of Warren for five
years ; was county coroner six years ; and raeraber
and secretary of the Board of United States Pension
Exarainers of Trumbull County for a period of
fourteen years. He is a raember of the TrurabuU
County iMedical Society, the Ohio State iMedical
Society and the Araerican Medical Association.
Fraternally Doctor WUliaras is a raeraber of Old
Erie Lodge No. 3, Free and Accepted Masons,
Warren Coraraandery No. 3g, Knights Teraplar,
Cleveland Consistory of the Scottish iRite, Al Koran
Teraple of the Mystic Shrine at Cleveland, and the
Masonic Club of Warren.
While Doctor Williaras represents the third genera
tion of the faraily in TrurabuU County, he is hiraself
the head of a family comprising three generations.
He married Frances L. Prindle. She was born at
Girard, Ohio, which was also the birthplace of her
father, Charles W. Prindle, whUe her grandfather.
Nelson L, Prindle, carae from the state of Connecti
cut as a pioneer settler in the Mahoning Valley.

Doctor Williams and wife have one daughter,
Blanche C. She is the wife of Frank H. Cannon of
Cleveland, now of Warren. Mr. and Mrs. Cannon
have two daughters, Elizabeth and Virginia.
Albert Curtis Taylor. The Mahoning Valley
as a great industrial center is naturally the home
of much inventive genius. To Albert Curtis Taylor
of Warren are due some of the processes which have
practically revolutionized the method of electric
welding, and he is connected officially with two com
panies that manufacture his inventions now of world
wide use.
Mr, Taylor was born at Leavittsburg, Trumbull
County, son of Alfred C. and Josephine iL. (Sturgill)
Taylor. His father was a native of New 'York state
and his mother of Missouri, and during the seventies
his parents lived in the latter state. They located at
Leavittsburg about 1878, and had their home there
for sixteen years. Alfred Taylor was local agent
of the Erie Railroad. He went out to Oklahoma
Territory in 1892 and was one of the home seekers
at the opening of the Cherokee strip. He died in
the West in 1893, his widow and children then re
turning to Leavittsburg, and in 1894 the family took
up their residence at Warren.
Albert Curtis Taylor acquired his early education
in the public schools of Leavittsburg and Warren
and also by home study. Beginning at the age of
sixteen he served an apprenticeship of three years
as a raachinist with the TrurabuU Manufacturing
Company at Warren. During his apprenticeship his
first creative ideas were put into execution when
he built an electric motor and generator, also a gaso
line engine and talking machine. At the close of
his apprenticeship he entered the service of the
Packard Autoraobile Corapany, which then had its
headquarters at Warren, but soon afterward went
with the Winfield Manufacturing Corapany as a ma
chinist. After six raonths he was raade foreman of
the corapany and had charge of its drafting room.
He had carried on the study of mechanical drawing
under John McNutt. Mr. Taylor's success has un
doubtedly been due to a habit of utilizing every
spare moraent of his time in study, observation and
experimentation. While with the "Winfield Company
he began work on the development of an electric
welding machine. He perfected the first "spot weld
ing" machine in this country. Patents were issued
to hira and the Winfield Electric Welding Machine
Corapany was organized for its manufacture.
However, the industrial world is most indebted to
Mr. Taylor for a patent he secured October 16, 1917,
on a device described as "covering the use of two
currents .which are caused to cross the path of each
other in a diagonal direction, concentrating the heat
ing effect at the place of intersection." This welding
process is fully protected by patents issued to Mr.
Taylor, and the welding raachine in the past three
years bas been raanufactured and sold all over
Araerica and in foreign countries. For its manu
facture the Taylor Welding Company was organized
and incorporated January i, 1918, and Mr. Taylor is
president of this organization.
Fraternally he is affiliated with Mahoning Lodge
of the Independent Order of Odd FeUows. Mr.

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YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

289

Taylor married Lenore Stringer, daughter of the
late Thomas Stringer of Girard, Ohio. They have
three children, Alvin C, Irving I. and Frederick.
Judge George H. Gessner, judge of the Municipal
Court of Youngstown, began practice in this city
about five years ago, and his achievements to date
are the basis upon which his friends predict for him
a splendid future as a lawyer and jurist. Judge
Gessner has that breadth of sympathy and liberal
view only possible to the man who has earned his
way by direct contact with life at its source. He
StiU is a lover of country life and farming, which
was his occupation for several years, and he also
gained rauch knowledge of huraan nature during the
years he spent as a teacher in the school room.
Judge Gessner was born at Gambler in Knox
County, Ohio, Septeraber 13, 1878, son of John and
Lucy (Ashburn) Gessner. John Gessner was a na
tive of Richland County, Ohio, was a blacksraith by
trade, and followed that occupation in Mount Vernon
and Garabier. He was also a Union soldier, having
served for three years during the Civil war. He
died May 21, 1885, at the age of fifty-three. Lucy
Ashburn, his wife, was born February 23, 1848, and
after the death of John Gessner became the wife of
William Green, and she is now living at Baltimore.
Judge Gessner was the youngest son in a family of
six children. The others are : Frances, wife of
Lawrence Derraondy, of Portland, Oregon; Albert,
a horseraan at Los Angeles, California, where he
died at the age of thirty-five; Catherine, wife of
George F, Malone, of Baltiraore; Clinton iH., a rail
road raan, living at MassUon, Ohio; and Mabel, who
lives with her mother at Baltiraore.
George H. Gessner when fourteen years of age
accorapanied the faraily to a farra in MUton Town
ship of Mahoning County. He acquired his educa
tion in district schools, and spent two years in Hiram
College, For about a dozen years his tirae was
alternated between farraing - and teaching. Milton
Township has seven schools, and Judge Gessner
taught six of thera. Many of his old pupils are now
his fast friends and adrairers. By teaching and
farming he earned the raoney to coraplete his legal
education. He attended the Law School of Western
Reserve University at Cleveland, graduating in 1913.
After his admission to the bar he removed to
Youngstown and began practice with Perry Robison.
In 1914 he was raade assistant city solicitor under
George J. Carew, serving two years. Then followed
a period of rapidly growing general practice. April
23, 1917, Governor Cox appointed . hira municipal
judge at Youngstown, and at the JTrst regular elec
tion he was a popular choice for that office. Judge
Gessner is a Master Mason, being a meraber of
Palmyra Lodge No. 533, Free and Accepted Masons.
He is also a meraber of the Grange.
August 28, 1917, he raarried Miss Ruth Robison,
daughter of Frank and Nora Robison. They have
one son, John Franklin.
Warren A. Lawrence, county coraraissioner, well-
known resident of Newton Township, TrurabuU
County, Ohio, a successful and enterprising farraer,
is a man of raarked abUity as a farmer, and a public

worker of proved faithfulness and efficiency. He is
well known and generally well regarded in his home
district, and for many years has actively interested
himself in public affairs. For several years he was
township assessor; he served on the school board
for thirteen years; and for many years he has been
one of the leading republicans of his district. He
owns the old Strock faraily horaestead, and lives
in the dwelling that was erected by George Strock
raore than a century ago. That house, which is situ
ated about two and a half railes to the southward of
Newton Falls, is in excellent condition, although its
fittings have necessarily been modernized, and it has
to sorae extent been enlarged; but, generaUy speak
ing, it serves now as usefully as it did a century ago.
"Warren A. Lawrence was born in Lordstown
Township, TrurabuU County, Ohio, on February i,
1867, the son of John and Mary A, (Fulk) La-w
rence. The Lawrence faraUy is one of the colonial
families of America, colonial generations having had
residence in the Dutch settlement of Pennsylvania.
Warren A. Lawrence is in the fourth generation of
Ohio residence, the Lawrence family being among
the pioneer families of the Mahoning Valley, his
great-grandfather and grandfather Jacob, and also
a brother of the former, having come into the
Western Reserve, and settled on wild land near
Cornersburg, which is near Youngstown, on the
Canfield Road. Later Jacob, grandfather of Warren
A., settled in Lordstown, Trumbull County. Jacob
raarried into the Bailey faraily, and both he and
his wife died in Lordstown in 1861. They were both
of equal age, and about fifty years old in the year
of their death, the circurastances governing which
were soraewhat singular and tragic. The pestilential
trail of war was directly responsible for their deaths,
both contracting sraallpox frora contact with infected
soldiers furloughed and visiting friends in their
vicinity during the first year of the Civil war. Two
of the sons of Jacob Lawrence, John, father of
Warren A., and Daniel, went in the Union Array
during the Civil war, and went through sorae very
hard carapaigning, losing many of their comrades.
John Lawrence's brother-in-law, Solomon Fulk, and
a cousin, Henry Lawrence, were killed alraost at
his side ; in fact, of the three brothers of Mary A.
Fulk, wife of John Lawrence, and mother of Warren
A,, who went to war, only one returned, Solomon
and Uriah Fulk being killed, the surviving brother,
John A. Fulk, being still alive, living in corafortable
circumstances in Warren. The children of Jacob
Lawrence were : Daniel, a veteran of the Civil war.
He died not many years after the close of the war,
leaving a widow and two daughters, now resident
in Cleveland, Ohio; John, of whora raore is written
below; Henry, who is a retired farraer and lives in
Warren ; Samuel, who died at the age of eighty-two
years, in the home of his nephew, Warren A.
John Lawrence, son of Jacob and father of Warren
A,, was born in Lordstown Township, Trumbull
County, Ohio, and for the greater part of his life
has been an industrious farraer. With the exception
of the period of the CivU war, during which his
record as a patriot and a soldier is an honorable one,
he has lived almost all his life in Lordstown, latterly
retiring to Newton Falls, where he now is quietly

290

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

living, comfortably circumstanced. He was a raan
of industrious habits, had not rauch inclination for
public life, and gave most of his life to matters con
nected with the proper operation of his farm, and to
the rearing of his large faraily. He is a raan of
strong religious spirit, and was early a member of
the Reformed Church, to which his wife, Mary A.
Fulk, also belonged. Politically, he has for many
years been a steady supporter of the republican
party, and in their general life and contact with the
people of Lordstown Township, both John and Mary
A. (Fulk) Lawrence were esteeraed by their neigh
bors. Their seven children were : L. Wallace, who
was a druggist at Newton FaUs for the greater part
of his raanhood years, and died there at the age of
fifty-seven years ; Warren A., the present county
coraraissioner, whose life will be reviewed later
herein ; Charles M., who was a farraer, independently
established near NUes, Trumbull County, but who
is now deceased ; Anna, who raarried John Hults,
but died at tbe age of thirty-three years ; Peter, a
well-known resident in Lordstown Township; Ed
ward, a successful farmer of Newton Township ;
and Bert, who is operating the old Lawrence home
stead in Lordstown.
Warren A. Lawrence, second child of John and
Mary A. (Fulk) Lawrence, was reared on the horae
farm in Lordstown Township, Trumbull County,
attended the district and graded schools, and after
leaving school for sorae time assisted his father in
the operation of the home farra. When he was
twenty-one years old, however, he appears to have
decided to take up corainercial work, for he then be
came a clerk in a drug store. So eraployed, in stores
at Newton Falls and Warren, Ohio, he passed five
years. Then he acquired the farming property he
has ever since lived on, the original horaestead of
the Strock family in Newton Township, the associa
tion of which with the development of the Mahoning
VaUey is the subject of a special article written for
this edition (see Joseph Strock, Sr.). George Strock,
grandfather of Winifred Sutton, who eventually
married Warren A. Lawrence, is supposed to have
settled on the land about the year 1812 (although
other data, supposedly authentic, regarding the set
tling of the Strock family in the Mahoning Valley,
gives the year of their coming as 1815, although there
is good reason to support the earlier date from the
fact that at the time of the coraing of_ Joseph Strock
and nine of his eleven sons, the other two sons were
on active service with the forces raised for the War
of 1812, and it is not reasonable to suppose that,
as emergency troops, their units would be held in
the national service for so long after the passing
of the emergency). Aaron Strock, son of George, is,
according to this record, also supposed to have been
born in Ohio on the same farm, in 1812. Aaron
later in life was for some time employed in hauling
l-.og ore from deposits found on the farm into
Youngstown, where it was used in the early furnaces
of that city. That vein of ore was of much con
sequence to the iron and steel industry of those
early days in the Mahoning Valley, and its ex-
lUoitation was for some years profitable to the Strock
family, Aaron Strock lived in Newton Township
for the greater part of his life, although in younger

manhood he spent some tirae in the states of Michi
gan and Missouri. Araong his six children was
Anna Strock, who becarae the wife of WUliam
Sutton, who owned the farra adjoining the Strock
property, to the southward. The Sutton faraUy was
also frora Eastern Pennsylvania, and William Sutton
spent all his life on the Newton Township farm,
where he died in 1891, at the age of sixty-six years!
His widow died in 1910, aged sixty-three years.
Tbeir five children were : iRoUa, who is now in
possession of the old farra ; Bertha, deceased, who
married Clyde Mower, but died at the age of thirty-
two years ; Winifred, who raarried Warren A. Law
rence, and has since lived in the horae which was
once that of her raaternal grandfather; Ray, who
died at the age of twenty- four years; Bernice, who
married Ross Lee, of Chicago, Illinois.
John Lawrence was with his son on the Strock
farra for seven years, but since the retirement of
the forraer to Newton Falls, the farra, which is 123
acres in extent, has been operated and occupied by
Warren A., who has shown rauch enterprise in his
farming. He was raarried on November 20, 1902,
and owned the farra for about seven years prior to
that. His farraing has been of general character,
potatoes being perhaps his leading crop; and of
that coraraodity he has grown as rauch as 1,400
bushels in a season. He has prospered weU by
his energetic and intelligent farming, and in addition
has property in Newton Falls, in the future of which
place he has rauch faith. He has throughout his life
shown a helpful interest in public affairs, and has
been elected to many township offices. For two terms
he was township assessor; for thirteen years he has
been a raeraber of the school board; and he has
been township trustee. He has now corae into the
larger public responsibility, as county commissioner,
with F. E. Rose and A. O. Burnett, and is showing
a sincerity and capability in public office such as
confirms the confidence his fellow townsmen have
in him. He has been a republican since early man
hood, and has always taken energetic and forceful
part in party work in his district, FraternaUy, he is
identified with the Knights of Pythias order, being
a charter member of the lodge at Newton Falls. He
has passed through all the chairs of that lodge, and
has been a delegate to the General Lodge of the
order. ^^
Warren A. Lawrence is a raan of active habits,
and is an enthusiastic sportsraan ; he has raade many
big garae hunting trips to Northern Michigan, and
into Pennsylvania.
To Warren A. and Winifred (Sutton) Lawrence
have been born three children : Warren, who is now
in high school; John and Blaine, who are now stu
dents in the graded school.
Fred W, Stillwagon, Among bankers and men
of affairs of the Mahoning Valley who have had a
more consecutive progress and have achieved a
higher quality of that success which is expressed
not so much in money as influence is Fred W. Still
wagon of Warren. For a quarter of a century he
has been a factor in the banking interests of the
valley, and aided only by native character and close
application, from a beginning in the raodest position

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

291

of a bank collection clerk he has become president
of two old and solid banking institutions.
He is a product of this valley and his business
career reflects credit not only on the man himself
but on the entire coraraunity — a community noted for
its able men. He was born on his ' father's farra in
Weathersfield Township, Trumbull County, Novem
ber 5, 1873. His father, Samuel H. StUlwagon, a
native of Butler, Pennsylvania, but reared from boy
hood in Trumbull County, has spent his life on the
farm and has developed and still owns one of the
best equipped farms_ and country horaes in TrurabuU
County. S. H. StUlwagon raarried Calistia Hake,
who was born on her father's farm located in Vienna
Township just across the line from the StiUwagon
farm. iHer father, Daniel Hake, was one of the
early settlers of Vienna.
Fred W. Stillwagon grew up on the home farm,
but like two of his brothers early chose a comraer
cial career. After attending the district schools he
continued his education in the Niles High School
and Hirara College. Soon after leaving college he
became collection clerk for the First National Bank
of Girard in 1895. Just a quarter of a century
later he has the interesting and gratifying distinc
tion of being president of that bank. Leaving Girard
he was raade bookkeeper and teller of the City
National Bank of Niles July i, 1896, and less than
five years later, on January I, 1901, was proraoted to
cashier. When the City National and the First
National Banks of NUes were consolidated Mr. Still
wagon resigned as cashier to become secretary-treas
urer of the Dollar Savings Bank of Niles. He had
organized this bank, having in ten years' tirae reached
a position of influence where he could command and
influence capital. The Dollar Savings Bank was
opened for business January 11, 1905. In September,
191 1, Mr. Stillwagon resigned to become cashier of
the Union National Bank of Warren. Upon the
reorganization of the Union National into the Union
Savings & Trust Company on January I, 1912, he
becarae secretary and treasurer of the new organiza
tion, and continued to fill those posts until the death
of Capt. Williara Wallace, the president, on Septem
ber 29, 1917. The directors immediately chose Mr.
Stillwagon as successor of Captain Wallace, and he
has since been executive head of this institution.
In the raeantirae, in Septeraber, 1904, while with
the City National Bank of NUes, Mr. Stillwagon pur
chased a controlling interest in the First National
Bank of Girard, becoraing in that time vice president,
and since a year later has been its president.
This in brief is the banking career of Mr. StUl
wagon and the positions he has held and the in
stitutions he has helped upbuild are of themselves
sufficient conclusive evidence of his ability as a
banker. Practically unregarded save by his irarae
diate superiors in 1895, he has raet every successive
test of responsibility and has well earned the honor
of being president of two banking institutions, while
he has organized one bank and assisted in the re
organization of two others.
His position in the financial systera of the Mahon
ing Valley has naturally placed raany demands upon
his judgment, advice and co-operation in other busi
ness undertakings and several well known enter

prises owe much of their success to him. He is one
of the original directors and vice presidents of the
Standard Boiler and Plate Iron Corapany of NUes ;
is a director in the Akron Maderite Tire & Rubber
Company of Newton Falls ; is a director in the
D & M Cord Tire Company of Warren ; a director
and vice president of the Storage, Transfer & Supply
Corapany, with offices and warehouses at both
Warren and Niles; and is a director of the Ohio
Corrugating and Manufacturing Company of Warren.
As a citizen of Warren he has naturally allied hira
self with raany raoveraents involving the general wel
fare of the coraraunity and on several occasions has
furnished the motive principle and power to enter
prises that later have come to be looked upon as
cornerstones in the city's great growth and develop
ment. While his business interests are divided
among several coraraunities, and while he has been
a resident of Warren only a few years, he has again
and again deraoustrated his loyalty to the city, par
ticularly so as one of the original stockholders in the
TrurabuU Steel Company, since through his personal
influence raust be credited the location of that great
plant at Warren. After organization the Trumbull
Steel Corapany planned a location at sorae point in
the valley. Its officers visited Warren and prac
tically decided on locating the plant in the city.
However, they raet with but little encourageraent
frora the people, and for that reason a decision was
practically reached to go elsewhere. Understanding
the tremendous advantage that the community was
neglecting, Mr. Stillwagon personally presented the
situation before the Warren Board of Trade, urging
iraraediate action, and was at once appointed and
erapowered by the Board as a comraittee of one to
take charge of the negotiations. He carried forward
the raatter with characteristic good judgraent and
skill, with the result that the TrurabuU Steel Cora
pany has its horae at Warren and is now the largest
industrial plant in the city.
Araong other interests Mr. Stillwagon is a director
in the Fort Sraith Sraelter Company at Fort Smith,
Arkansas, a director in the American Zinc Products
Company at Newcastle, Indiana, and is still a director
in the Dollar Savings Bank at Niles and a director
in the Girard Horae Savings & Loan Company.
He is a member and director in the Warren Board
of Trade, a meraber of the Country Club, and the
Warren Lodge of Elks. He belongs to the Central
Christian Church of Warren and is active in many
other directions, Mr. StUlwagon married Miss Grace
May Mackey, daughter of E. H. and Melvina (Mills)
Mackey of Vienna Township.
David Fitch Anderson, Of the many lawyers
who within the past twenty years have honored the
Ohio bar, David Fitch Anderson, of Youngstown,
occupies a place of prorainence, his broad, keen and
lucid legal exposition having won hira a high posi
tion among his professional co-workers, whUe his
fine legal attainments, his forceful arguments, and
his many successes in his field of endeavor have given
hira a wide and well raerited reputation. He was
born, June 3, 1864, in West Austintown, Mahoning
County, a son of David and Hannah L. (Shaw) An
derson. His father carae frora Ireland to the United

292

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

States when a lad of sixteen years, settling first in
Philadelphia, and later coraing to Youngstown. He
died when seventy-four years of age.
After corapleting the course of study in the com
mon school of his native town, David Fitch Ander
son attended Poland Seminary and Mount Union
College. Subsequently reading law in the office of
Gen, A. W. Jones '& Anderson, he was admitted
to the bar June i, 1891, and iraraediately began the
practice of his chosen profession in "Youngstown,
His advanceraent has been rapid, and each step
taken has been highly creditable to hira both as a
lawyer and as a man of integrity and worth. Mr.
Anderson's practice in the federal courts has been
extensive, and he has had his share in the important
litigation of city, county, state and nation. Mr. An
derson has been admitted to the Supreme Court of
the United States; the United States Court of Cleve
land; the United States Circuit Court of Appeals
in Cincinnati; the United States Court of Appeals
in Philadelphia; the Federal Court of Pittsburgh;
and to the Federal Court of Buffalo, New York.
Mr. Anderson entered into partnership with Venice
J. Lamb and Clyde W, Osborn and the high success
attendant upon his professional labors bears speaking
evidence of bis abUity and integrity, while the fre
quency of his calls to act as consultant with other
lawyers is visible proof of the regard in which he
is held by his professional brethren. As a delegate
to the Constitutional Convention frora Mahoning
County, Mr. Anderson assisted in drawing up the
present constitution of the state. He takes intelli
gent and thoughtful interest in politics, being an
active raeraber of the republican party. He is affili
ated with the national and state bar associations,
and was employed by the Ohio Federation of Labor
to draw up the Employers' Liability Law. Socially
he is a member of Youngstown Country Club. and
Poland Country Club, and religiously he belongs to
the First Presbyterian Church.
Mr, Anderson married Hallie Johnson, daughter
of Monroe and Hettie (Johnson) Johnson, and they
have one child, Henrietta H. Anderson, Mrs, An
derson's father was forraerly a prosperous attorney
of Youngstown.
Charles Snelling Robinson, vice president in
charge of operations for the Youngstown Sheet &
Tube Company, has been prorainent in industrial
affairs in Youngstown since he assuraed that posi
tion in igo6. He was born at Boston, March i,
1864, his parents being Theodore and Susannah
Snelling (Powell) Robinson, Mr. Robinson is a
graduate of tbe Massachusetts Institute of Tech
nology, but his knowledge of the iron and steel
industry might well have been inherited, as both
his father and grandfather were prorainent in the
raanageraent of the historic Old Colony Iron Works,
which, under the direction of Charles Robinson, the
grandfather, was an iraportant source of raaterial
for the Government at "Washington during the Civil
war, Mr, Robinson entered the service of the Joliet
Steel Company after graduating from the "Boston
Tech," in the year 1884, reraaining there two years.
He then became cheraist for Mather, Morse & Com

pany at Bessemer, Michigan, Later he returned
to Joliet as chief chemist for the Illinois Steel Com
pany at that place, occupying this position until
i8g2, when he was raade manager of blast furnaces
for the Dunbar Furnace Company. He resigned
this position later to becorae assistant general super
intendent and afterward general superintendent of
the Minnequa Works of the Colorado Fuel & Iron
Company. Frora 1899 to igo6 he was general raan
ager of the iron departraent of the Colorado Fuel
& Iron Cornpany, having in this position charge of
the exploration work, mining and raanufacturing.
In igo6 Mr. Robinson becarae vice president in
general charge of operations for the Youngstown
Sheet & Tube Company, in which position he has
seen this company becorae the largest industrial
corporation in Ohio and has attained wide reputa
tion as an industrial executive.
He is a meraber of the Araerican Iron &• Steel
Institute, the Araerican Institute of Mining and
Metallurgical Engineers, the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers, the British Iron & Steel In
stitute and other prorainent technical societies. Dur
ing the World war he served as a state director for
the United States Naval Consulting Board and was
a raeraber of the Ohio State Advisory Board of the
national employraent service organized by the De
partraent of Labor. He has served as vice presi
dent of the Community Service Society and a mem
ber of the executive committee of the Community
Corporation ; vice president of the Charaber of Com
raerce, director of the Mahoning Bank and secretary
and treasurer of the Mill Creek Park Commission.
He is a raeraber of tbe Youngstown Club, the
Youngstown Country Club, the Duquesne Club of
Pittsburgh and the Union Club of Cleveland,
Mr, Robinson was raarried on December 8, 1887,
to Miss Viola B. Salter, of Joliet, Illinois, They
have five children : Margaret, wife of iMyron .Arras
II; Frances M., wife of Wilbur Newton: Alice
Elizabeth, Snelling Salter and Katherine W. The
Robinson horae is on Old Furnace Road and is one
of the attractive places in that section of the city.
William I, Davies. Occupying a position of
prorainence and influence araong the representative
men of Youngstown, WUliara I, Davies was for
raany years officially connected with^ the raanageraent
of raunicipal affairs, and as cashier of the Mahoning
National Bank is identified with one of the success
ful financial institutions of Mahoning County. He
was born, September 30, 1876, in South Wales, a son
of the late 'WUliara D, Davies.
But four years old when he crossed the ocean with
his parents, Williara I. Davies was educated in
Youngstown, attending the Front Street and the Oak
Street schools. In Septeraber, 1892, having previously
been eraployed in sorae of the city stores, iNIr. Davies
entered the city clerk's office, and served in a minor
position under J. Howard Edwards and Fred C.
Brown until 1896, when he becarae assistant clerk
under Fred C. Brown and continued in that posi
tion until the retireraent of Mr. Brown in 1900, in
the raonth of February. Mr. Davies was then
elected by the City Council city clerk to fill out the
unexpired term of Mr. Brown. Seven weeks later

w^^-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

293

Mr. Davies was elected city clerk for a full term,
and at the expiration of that term was re-elected
for another term. In May, 1903, when the new Ohio
code, making a new election necessary, went into
effect, Mr. Davies was elected city auditor, and
through two re-elections, served in that capacity until
December, 1911, perforraing the duties devolving
upon hira ably and faithfully.
On the expiration of his terra in office as city
auditor, Mr. Davies becarae the auditor of the Ma
honing National Bank, and in 1916 was raade assist
ant cashier of that institution. Proving himself very
efficient in the performance of his duties, he was
appointed cashier of the bank in 1918, and has since
filled the responsible office with credit to himself,
and to the satisfaction of all concerned. Mr. Davies
is also treasurer of the Mahoning Savings and Trust
Company, a position to which he was appointed while
acting as assistant cashier of the bank with which
he is now identified.
Mr. Davies married, September 30, 191 1, Mary
Webb Donaldson, of Youngstown, She passed to
«the higher life in May, 1916, leaving one chUd,
Margaret Isabella Davies, Fraternally Mr, Davies
is a thirty-second degree Mason, a meraber of In
dependent Order of Odd FeUows, and a member of
the Knights of Pythias.
William G. Dornan, Among the able and in
fluential merabers of the Ohio bar, Williara G, Dor-
nan, of Youngstown, has won prestige, being known
as a raan of scholarly attainraents, with a compre
hensive knowledge of law that has gained hira rauch
success in his professional career, and placed hira
in a position of note among the leading attorneys of
the iMahoning Valley. A son of B. J. and Alice
(Gibson) Dornan, he was born in New Cumberland,
"West Virginia, in 1878.
Applying himself closely to his studies from his
youth up, Williara G. Dornan was graduated frora
the Western Reserve Law School with the class of
1908, and later received the degree of Bachelor of
Arts at the State University, first at Morgantown,
West Virginia. Admitted to the bar in igo8, Mr,
Dornan immediately opened an office in Youngstown,
and as an able lawyer has since had his full share of
practice, both in the city and in the county.
Mr. Dornan married, in igi4, Virginia Herd, of
Morgantown, West Virginia, and they have two
chUdren, WUliam G., Jr., and Jean. During the
World war Mr. Dornan was kept busy with question
naire work, and served on several iraportant corarait
tees. He was one of the organizers of the Madison
Oil and Gas Company, of which he is secretary.
Active in politics, he was secretary of the Mahoning
Republican Club during the Hughes-Taft campaign.
David Millar. Inheriting in no small measure the
energy, industry and thrift characteristic of a long
line of sturdy Scotch ancestors, David Millar has
made rapid progress in his business career, and as
secretary of the Proctor-Klingensraith Corapany is
¦officially identified with one of the leading shoe firms
of Youngstown. He was born February 5, 1881, in
Grangemouth, Scotland, a seaport town.
His parents, William and Christina (Thomson)

Millar, carae with their faraily to the United States
in the fall of 1881, when David was but nine raonths
old. Locating in Houston, Texas, WiUiara Millar
was there engaged in tUling the soil for five years,
but being much dissatisfied with the result of his
agricultural labors, he came to Youngstown with his
wife and children. Taking up his trade of baker,
which he had learned in Scotiand, he entered the
employ of Mr. Lightbody, with whom he remained
until retiring frora active pursuits. Neither he nor
his wife is now living. They were the parents
of six children, as follows : Williara J., of Youngs
town ; Mrs. William Winter, of Youngstown ; Henry
I., of San Diego, California; Agnes, Sarah and
David of Y'oungstown. Both parents were faithful
merabers of the United Presbyterian Church.
Acquiring an exceUent education in the schools of
Youngstown, David Millar in 1897, a lad of sixteen
years, entered the shoe store of Proctor & Klingen
sraith as errand boy and general f actotura, and raade
himself so useful that his services becarae indispen
sable to the firra, seeraingly, and he received several
well-earned proraotions. 'When the corapany, in 1916,
was incorporated, Mr. Millar was elected secretary,
and in addition to filling that office ably and satis
factorily is also serving as one of its directors. De
voting his entire time and energies to .his business
affairs, Mr. MUlar has no interests in club life.
Mr. MUlar raarried, in i8g8, Ada P. Preston, of
Youngstown, a graduate of the State Normal School
at Oraaha, Nebraska.
Union C. De Ford. A man of high raerital attain
raents, with a raind broadened by travel and asso
ciation with raen of affairs. Union C. De Ford, of
Youngstown, holds distinctive precedence not only
as a lawyer, but as a business man of resource and
executive ability. He was born, November 15, 1863,
in CarroU County, Ohio, a son of John W. and
Elvira (Croxton) De Ford, coming on both sides of
the house of honored ancestry. The De Ford family
originated in the South of France, and in 1685, when
Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes, and pushed
the Huguenots out of the country, the iraraigrant an
cestor of Mr. De Ford sought refuge in Araerica,
and subsequently located with his faraily in Kent
County, Maryland, where he reraained until his
death, and frora whence many of his descendants
scattered to different states of the Union. One, John
W. De Ford's great-grandfather, John De Ford,
served as an officer in the Revolutionary war and
lost his entire property. The Croxton family emi
grated from England to this country in pioneer days.
Fond of books frora his childhood and an excep
tionally good student. Union C. De Ford read Black
stone when but twelve years old, and from that time
deterrained to become a lawyer. In 1886 he was
graduated, with the degree of Bachelor of Science,
from Mount Union College, which later conferred
upon hira the degree of Master of Arts and Science.
He afterward read law with Judge Robert Raley, of
Carrollton, Ohio, and with Judge Firaple, of Canton,
Ohio, Being admitted to the bar on March 12, 1888,
Mr. De Ford opened a law office in Carrollton, Ohio,
and almost immediately after was elected mayor of
the city, and justice of peace. Frora 1894 until 1900

294

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

he served as probate judge of Carroll County, being
elected to the position on the republican ticket. After
retiring frora the probate office, he continued practice
in Carrollton for three years, and then forraed a
partnership with Judge Billingsley and J, W, Clark,
of Lisbon, and subsequently carae to Youngstown to
engage in the practice of his profession.
Judge Tayler having been appointed Federal judge
on March 26, 1907, Mr, De Ford entered the law firm
of Arrel, Wilson & Harrington, with which he has
since been actively associated, the business con
ducted being extensive and important. Among the
important cases of public interest with which Mr.
De Ford has been connected mention may be raade
of his defense of the Republic Rubber Company, sued
for $460,000 under the Sherman anti-trust law, when,
after a trial lasting three weeks, in Cleveland, he
secured a verdict from the jury after a deliberation
of forty-five rainutes only.
Mr, De Ford's opinion and counsel are rauch sought
for the guidance of large financial interests, and in
igig he was appointed executor of the estate of Gen.
C. M, Spitzer, the noted Toledo bond man. He has
organized a number of banks, including sorae in Car
roll County, and the Cumrains Trust Company, at
Carrollton, and is interested "in both the Mahoning
National Bank and the Coraraercial National Bank,
Youngstown institutions. He is a director in both
the Wilkoff Company and the Youngstown Steel Car
Company, and general counsel for those organiza
tions. Also a meraber of the board of the Realty
Security Corapany, Mr, De Ford's business in con
nection with the firra is principally that of division
counsel for the Baltiraore & Ohio Railroad Corapany.
In his early days, Mr. De Ford ran a telephone ex
change, and built a brick plant and an electric light
plant, his activities leading hira into various indus
tries before he becarae a full-fledged lawyer.
Mr. De Ford is faraUiar with both horae and for
eign countries, in igo6 having traveled through
Mexico with a party of investors who were proraot
ing a railroad, while in 1913 he accompanied General
Spitzer on a motoring trip through Europe, visiting
the principal points of interest, and all of the larger
and more important cities.
Mr. De Ford has been twice raarried. He mar
ried first, in December, 1888, at Carrollton, Eva Rue,
of that city. She passed to the higher life Deceraber
19, igi2, leaving one son, John W. De Ford, of
Youngstown, Mr, De Ford raarried for his second
wife, June 30, 1915, Grace Whitcraft, of Carrollton.
Actively identified with the republican party, Mr.
De Ford has ever taken an intelligent interest in
politics, and served as chairman of the Congressional
Convention when J. J. Gill was nominated to the
Congress from the Sixteenth District. He belongs
to two college fraternities, the Delta Tau Delta and
the Sigma Alpha Epsilon, FraternaUy he is a mera
ber of nearly all the bodies of the Ancient Free and
Accepted Order of Masons, including the lodge.
Chapter, Coraraandery and Shrine, and Scottish Rite
bodies at Youngstown, Ohio.
Samuel Grant McClure, This vital, progressive
ago is one that demands of men a distinctive ini
tiative power if they are to attain to success worthy

the narne, and in addition to this power is required
self-reliance, determination and consecutive applica
tion in the pursuit of a definite purpose, AU these
attributes have been exemplified in the career of
Samuel G. McClure, who has gained success and
prestige in the journalistic world and who is dis
tinctively the architect of his own fortunes. Ap
preciative of the attractions and advantages of the
city of Youngstown, he has here found it possible
to gain a position as one of its raost substantial men
of affairs, and has enjoyed unraistakable personal
popular esteera in tbe city which he elected to make
his horae and the scene of his well-directed en
deavors, Sarauel Grant McClure, editor and publisher of
the Youngstown Telegrara, was born on his
father's farra near OrviUe, Wayne County, Ohio,
on August 9, 1863,. and is one of four chUdren born
to Alfred and Eleanor (Gailey) McClure. He comes
from a long line of sterling old pioneer ancestry,
his paternal grandfather having been Samuel iMc-
Clure, a native of near Bloomfield, Pennsylvania,
born on a farm taken up by his great-grandfather,
James McClure, from an original grant from Wil
liam Penn, On that farm stood a stockade which
had been erected by the early settlers of that re
gion as a means of protection against Indian
marauders, A bronze tablet, erected by the daugh
ters of the American Revolution, now marks this
spot. The order of descent is frora this James to
Jaraes, then Sarauel, then Alfred, and then Samuel
G., the iraraediate subject of this sketch. The second
James was the first white child born in Pennsyl
vania north of tbe Susquehanna River. He served
as a captain of artillery in the Revolutionary war.
Alfred McClure, father of the subject, served as a
private in an Ohio regiment during the CivU war.
The grandfather, Sarauel McClure, carae to Ohio
late in the '20s and located on a pioneer farm in
Wayne County, where he spent the reraainder of
his days.
Sarauel G. McClure was reared on the paternal
farrastead, remaining there until twenty-two years
of age. After corapletin.g the coramon scliool course
he entered Wooster College, where he was grad
uated with the class of 1886, with the degree of
Bachelor of Arts. During his collegiate course he
published the University Voice, a weekly college
paper, as an independent venture. In the spring of
1887 he went to Cleveland and became exchange
editor of the Leader, reraaining there untU 1893.
In the raeantirae he became an editorial writer on
that paper, and also did considerable magazine and
syndicate writing. In 1893 he was sent to Columbus
as tbe state correspondent of the Cleveland Leader,
and while there be came into close personal relations
with William McKinley, wbo was then governor
of the state. In 189S Mr. McClure went back to
Cleveland and accepted the position of secretary to
the Board of Control, under Mayor R, E. McKisson,
but eleven raonths later he resigned and, in March,
1896, he became general manager of the Ohio State
Journal at Columbus. He retained this position
until 1902, when he resigned to fill the position of
secretary of the Wolfe iBrothers Shoe Company of
Columbus. A journalist by instinct and cultivated

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

295

taste, he was not satisfied with any other vocation,
and in February, 1903, he, in association with Robert
F. and Harry P. Wolfe, bought the Ohio State
Journal, Mr. McClure becoming general raanager
of the property. Under his manageraent the Jour
nal was the recognized organ of the republican
party in Ohio, and the circulation of the paper was
increased ten-fold. In the fall of 1905 iMr, Mc
Clure sold his interest in the paper and thereafter
spent sorae time in travel. In June of the follow
ing year he bought the Youngstown Telegram,
moved to this city and has since then given his sole
attention to the editorial and business raanageraent
of this paper. One result of the thirteen years'
ownership of the paper has been the seven-fold in
crease in its net paid circulation. The Telegram
has consistently at all tiraes stood for the best in
terests of the community, and in his editorial utter
ances Mr. McClure has always been found in the
front ranks of those who have supported the highest
moral standards. Thus, the Telegram was the
first of the larger newspapers of Ohio to openly
advocate prohibition, and he saw a wet majority of
i,coo in iNfahoning County changed to a dry majority
of 3,2co in 1918, As a writer iMr. McClure is force
ful and convincing, and through the columns of the
Telegrara he has exerted a powerful influence in
shaping and controlling public life and thought. The
Telegrara is one of the most popular papers of the
Mahoning VaUey, comparing favorably with the
best journals of the state in news, editorial ability
and mechanical execution. The coraraunity recog
nizes in Mr. McClure not only one of the keenest
newspaper raen, but also a representative citizen
whose interest in all that affects the general welfare
has been of such a character as to win for hira a
high place in the confidence and esteera of the
people. On Septeraber 29, 1892, Mr. McClure was mar
ried to Louise Truesdell, of Cleveland, Ohio, and
they are the parents of three children, Robert iE.,
Elinor Louise and Sarauel G., Jr. Robert E. enlisted
as a private in the United States service during the
recent World war. and while abroad won a second
lieutenant's coramission. He was employed as an
instructor in the infantry training camp in Langres,
France, and after the armistice he was detailed as
personnel officer at the University of Nancy, where
he remained untU the end of the university year.
when the students were sent home. He was a
student at Yale University, having corapleted his
junior year, and he had won raerabership in the
honorary Greek-letter Society, Phi Beta Kappa, on
his three-years record for scholarship, when he en
tered the army. Elinor was prevented by Ul health
from graduating frora Sraith College with the class
of 1920. The youngest son, Sarauel G., who is now
a student at Yale University, prepared at Taft
School, Watertown, Connecticut, where he played
the position of right end on the football teara which
had the unique distinction of never having been
scored against.
Mr. McClure and his faraily are raerabers of the
First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown, while
fraternally he is a meraber of the Free and Ac
cepted Masons. .Socially he is a raeraber of the

Youngstown Club, the Youngstown Country Club,
as well as the Charaber of Comraerce.
George Bushnell Cornell. Distinguished not
only as a native of Youngstown, but as one of its
prosperous and popular business raen, George B.
Cornell, vice president of the Proctor-Klingensraith
Corapany, has a thorough knowledge of the demands
of the shoe trade, and is devoting his energies to
advancing the material and financial interests of the
corapany with which he is associated. He was born
in Youngstown, September 15, 1879, a son of the late
Dr. George and Mary (Bushnell) Cornell, the latter
of whom was left a widow in early woraanhood,
with four children to care for, iEleanor, John,
Charles and George Bushnell. She still resides in
Youngstown, where her husband was for several
years secretary and treasurer of the Artificial Gas
Company. Mr. Cornell's grandfather. Dr. George
Cornell, of Rensselaersville, New York, died during
the Civil war, frora a storaach trouble contracted dur
ing his service in the array.
Educated in Youngstown, George B. Cornell at
tended the public and high schools, and whUe a pupil
in the Rayen High studied chemistry, and did a good
deal of laboratory work. In 1899 he entered the
employ of the Proctor-Klingensraith Corapany, ac
cepting a salary of $4 a week, and served his em
ployers so ably and faithfully that in 1916, when the
company was incorporated, he was elected vice presi
dent of the same. Active in the raanageraent of the
concern, Mr, Cornell does sorae of the buying of the
fine shoes and fancy slippers that are recognized by
the women of Youngstown as staple articles of the
well equipped establishment.
Mr, CorneU married, in igio, Sara Olwen Jones,
of Weathersfield, Ohio, and into their pleasant
household two children have raade their advent,
George Edward and Mary Elizabeth, Mrs. Cornell
is a gifted musician, and after her graduation frora
tbe Dana's Institute, Warren, Ohio, taught rausic
at Girard, and has since sung in raany of the
churches in this vicinity. She is identified by raera
bership with the First Baptist Church of Girard,
while Mr. Cornell is an active meraber of Trinity
Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he served as
usher until 1916.
Charles R. March. WhUe raost of his life has
been spent in his native state of Ohio, Charles R.
March, proprietor and raanager of the Mt. Everett
Fruit Farm in Hubbard Township, first became
definitely and practically interested in horticulture
while in Southern California. He has made a big
thing of the Mt. Everett Fruit Farra, and his ex
araple has proved stiraulating to the growing and
production of fruit in this section of Ohio.
Mr. March was born in Wyandotte County, Ohio,
June 6, 1875, son of John H. March, who was a
brother of the prorainent Hubbard banker, S. Q.
March, whose career is sketched elsewhere in these
pages, John H. March settied in Wyandotte County
in i86g, and lived there until his death in igio,
Charies R. March grew up on his father's farra,
was educated in local schools, and in 1902 went to
California. For two years he was eraployed on the

296

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

fruit ranch of the Lucky Baldwin estate, a.- famous
California property near Los Angeles, This experi
ence gave him a good knowledge of the business of
fruit growing and marketing, and in 1904 he came
back to Ohio and took the manageraent of the Mt,
Everett Fruit Farm, This farm is part of the orig
inal McEverett farm, Mr. March was instruraental
in organizing a company, in which his uncle, S. Q,
March, was a stockholder, as were also L, C. Van
Ness and A, J, Mayer, all of Hubbard. Mr. March
becarae a stockholder and raanager. A new orchard
had just been planted and the capital of the cora
pany was eraployed in further extension until fifty
acres were set to peaches and apples. This is the
pioneer fruit farra of Hubbard Township, and the
success that has followed Mr. March's enterprise has
made the region attractive to raany other fruit grow
ers. All natural advantages are corabined in this
locality, including soU, water, air, drainage, and an
elevation of about 1,200 feet above sea level. The
first large coraraercial crop of peaches was raised on
Mr, March's farm in 1909, The results with both
peaches and apples have been very satisfactory and
flattering. The chief apple varieties are the Baldwin,
Northern Spy, Grimes Golden and Stark. The farra
comprises 130 acres, and that portion not set to fruit
is employed for general crops.
In 1905 Mr. March raarried Miss Cora Sleraons.
daughter of William Slemons, of Liberty Town
ship, They have one daughter, Mary Pearl, attend
ing school. Mr. March has been a Knight of Pythias
for over twenty vears and is now affiliated with Coal
burg Lodge. iHe is a life raember of the Ohio State
Horticultural Society, a director in the Hubbard Bank
of Hubbard and a raeraber of the Grange and of the
Farra Bureau. He and his faraUy are raembers of
the United Presbyterian Church at Cedar Corners.
Robert William Dimond. Conspicuous among
the foremost floriculturists of Mahoning Valley,
Robert WiUiam Dimond is associated with one of
the more refining and uplifting industries of our
times, and as president of the Kay-Dimond Cora
pany, of Youngstown, is carrying on a substantial
business, his knowledge of flowers, and his taste and
judgraent in the adaptation of flowers for decorative
purposes being unquestioned, while his stock of
blossoras and plants constantly on hand is nowhere
excelled, A son of the late Robert S. Diraond, he
was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, June i, 1882,
Robert S. Dimond, whose death occurred in 1910,
was the pioneer plumber and steara-fitter of Avalon,
Pennsylvania, and as a contractor did the plurabing
and steara-fitting of raany of the larger buildings of
tbe City of Pittsburgh, During the Civil war he
was connected with the signal service. His wife,
whose raaiden name was Luella Hanlon, is now liv
ing in Pittsburgh,
Beginning his early studies in the public schools
of Pittsburgh, Robert Williara Diraond continued
thera in Avalon, and while a pupil in the schools had
care of the gas lights of the place, receiving $7 a
month for his work. Having a predUection for the
florist's trade, he subsequently entered the employ
of Jaraes Scrapie, who perfected the aster, and while
working in his greenhouse acquired a proficient

knowledge of plant and flower production, and was
afterward employed for some tirae in a florist's estab
lishraent. In the fall of igo6 Mr. Diraond was
urged by the Teraplin Corapany of the Mahoning
Valley to join it as manager of the floral departraent,
and that position he held for a year. The ensuing
seven years Mr. Dimond held a similar position with ,
John Walker, a well known florist of Youngstown.
Embarking in business on his own account in igi3,
Mr. Dimond opened a store at 27 North Phelps
Street, and the business soon grew to such propor
tions that a partner was needed. Being joined by
George W. Kay, the Kay-Dimond Company was
organized, Mr. Diraond being raade president, and to
all intents and purposes owner of all the stock of
the firm.
Mr. Dimond raarried, in igo6, Elsie C. Beckfield,
of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and they have one son,
Robert William Diraond, Jr., born in igo7. Frater
nally Mr. Dimond belongs to Youngstown Lodge,
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, member
of the Masonic order, the Western Star Lodge,
Youngstown Chapter No. 93, Royal Arch Masons,
Eastern Star Chapter No, 21, of Youngstown, and
meraber of Charaber of Coraraerce.
James S. Schout, After an active career in which
he has raeasured up to the full responsibilities of a
Mahoning Valley farmer, and been burdened with
¦ the care of raany - property interests. Air. James S.
Schout is in a position to take life soraewhat leisure
ly and lives in comfort and ease at his home in the
iBolin Hill district of Holland Township, half way
between Niles and Warren, on the Niles Road,
His birthplace was only a quarter of a mile distant
from his present home, though across the line in
Weathersfield Township, Mr. Schout was born De
ceraber 14, 1852, son of Owen and Catherine (Hoff
raan) Schout, being the only child of their raarriage.
His father was born near Allentown in Lehigh
County and his raother in Schuylkill County, Penn
sylvania. Their farailies had been in Pennsylvania
for many generations. Catherine Hoffman was about
fourteeh years of age when brought to Ohio by her
widowed raother, whose maiden name was Julia Hoff
raan. They settled in Southington Township, where
Catherine Hoffraan grew up and lived until her
raarriage about 1848. Owen Schout carae to Ohio
a young raan. He was a railler by trade, and after
his marriage settled on the land where Jaraes S. was
born, Owen Schout died there October 26, 1861. He
was born Deceraber i, 1820. His wife, Catherine,
was born August 31, 1825, and died July 16, 1906.
After the death of her first husband she became the
wife of PhUip Beck, by which marriage she had one
daughter. Flora J. Beck, now living at Warren. Mrs.
Catherine Beck spent most of her life at the old
homestead, but in 1891 removed to Warren.
Jaraes S. Schout lived on the old farm with his
raother, though he also learned the shoeraaker's trade
and for two years clerked in a store at Niles. In 1874
he raarried Lucetta BaUey, of iNewton To-wnship.
She died in April, 1903, the raother of three chUdren,
Charles, Williara and Catherine. Charles, an elec
trician with the Trumbull Steel Corapany, lives on
part of his father's farm and married Anna Won-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

297

ders. William, a machinist living at Cleveland, mar
ried Mabel Double, of Warren. Catherine is the wife
of Rev. Edwin H. Laubach, a minister of the Re
formed Church living at Scottdale, Pennsylvania.
In 1906 Mr. Jaraes Schout raarried Miss Glenna L.
Dewar, a lady of intelligence and superior character,
who has proved an able horae maker. She was born
near Pittsburgh and at the age of fifteen came to
Warren with her parents, George L. and Frances
(Seetin) Dewar. Her raother died in 1904 and her
father, a former railroad raan, is now living with
Mr. and Mrs. Schout.
The farra of Mr. Schout was land secured by his
father during his lifetirae. Jaraes Schout also
bought what remained of the old homestead where
he was born. More than seventy acres of this land
had been appropriated for the rights of way of three
raUroads running through it. Some of the old farm
was also platted as an addition to DeForest, a forraer
raUroad junction near NUes. Much of this land has
been sold as industrial sites. The present Schout
horae includes a portion of the attractive elevation
known as Bolin Hill, which stands about 1,000 feet
above sea level and is very desirable for residence
purposes. Mr. Schout is a deraocrat in politics, has served as
a member of the school board and election board, and
has been an elder in the Reformed Church at 'War
ren. Mrs. Schout is active in the Presbyterian
Church and its societies at Warren.
Charles A. Gifford. A keen-sighted, wide-awake,
and able business raan of Youngstown, Charles A,
Gifford, keeps abreast with the requireraents of the
general public, and is officially associated with vari
ous industrial organizations of this and adjacent
cities. He was born, Noveraber 22, 1875, in Erie
County, Pennsylvania, on the farra of his 'parents,
Jaraes P. and EUen L. (Green) Gifford who are
StUI residents of Erie County
After leaving the rural schools of his native dis
trict Charles A. Gifford took a course of study at
the State Normal School in Waterford, Pennsylvania.
Entering the employ of the Constable Brothers, lura
ber dealers and contractors, in 1893, he served as
collector for the firra seven years, beginning work at
$1 a day, and in 1903 was raade raanager of the raiU.
Subsequently, in partnership with Robert Constable,
Mr. Gifford carae to Youngstown and established the
Youngstown Glass & Paint Corapany, Edward W.
Constable and Charles A. Constable also becoraing
raerabers of the firra. Robert Constable's interest was
bought out by the remaining members, and at the
death of Edward W. Constable, in 1917, Mr. Gifford
secured his interest in the concern. On January i,
1918, the business was incorporated, with Mr. Gif
ford as president and treasurer, and Charles A. Con
stable as vice president. The "Warren Window Glass
Company was organized at Warren, Ohio, in May,
1917. Mr. Gifford being raade president, and David
S. Lansdowne, treasurer. Mr, Gifford is also presi
dent of the Hoffraaster-Gifford Motor Corapany,
organized in 1915, Lawrence T, Hoffraaster being vice
president and treasurer; and likewise president of
the Hoffraaster-Gifford Tjre Sales Company.
Mr. Gifford married in 1906, Addie W. Constable,

of Erie, Pennsylvania, and they have one child,
Bettena, born in 1907. Mr. Gifford belongs to the
Chamber of Commerce and the Builders Exchange,
being active in each organization. Fraternally he is
a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order
of Masons, belonging to the Youngstown Lodge,
Chapter, Council and Commandery, and belongs also
to Cleveland Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles
of the Mystic Shrine.
Bert H. Printz. Although born on foreign soU,
Bert H. Printz, of Youngstown, was brought up and
educated in this country, irabibing in his youth the
respect for American methods and institutions, and
the knowledge and patriotic spirit, that have raade hira
a loyal and valued citizen of the United States. A
native of Austria-Hungary, he was born Noveraber
29, 1859, a son of Abrahara and Rosa (Wohlgemuth)
Printz. His father imraigrated with his faraily to
the United States in 1864, and the sarae year estab
lished hiraself in the tailoring business at Youngs
town, where he and his wife spent their reraaining
days. Corapleting his early studies in the public schools
of Youngstown, Bert H. Printz found work at Hor-
nell. New York. Two years later he went to Sharon,
Pennsylvania, where he was eraployed as a salesman
in the clothing store of Mr. Traxler from February
28, 1878,. until 1886, when on the first day of AprU
he started in business in that city for hiraself, open
ing a clothing and furnishing store. Succeeding well
in his venture, Mr. Printz in company with his
brother, A. A. Printz, opened a branch clothing store
in Franklin, Pennsylvania in 1888. Enlarging their
operations, Messrs. Printz established a clothing and
furnishing store at Warren, Pennsylvania, in 1894,
and subsequently opened stores in three other cities.
Oil City and Kane, iPennsylvania, and Jamestown, New
"York. A branch store was established in Youngstown
in 1917, in the early part of that year the Printz
Corapany having been organized with a capital stock
of $250,000, Bert H. Printz being made president
of the concern. This firm is conducting an extensive
business, with a profit sharing policy in force that is
very pleasing to its employees, and largely responsible
for their loyalty.
On January 20, iSgg, Mr. Printz was united in
marriage with Mildrecl G. Hayes of Wichita, Kansas,
She died Septeraber 16, igo7, leaving one child,
Gertrude Rose Printz, Mr, Printz raarried for his
second wife, July 8, igi5, Mrs. Bella N. Cahn, of
Youngstown. Fraternally Mr. Printz is a member of Sharon,
Pennsylvania, Lodge No. 250, Ancient Free and
Accepted Masons; and of Franklin, Pennsylvania,
Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He
takes great interest in the welfare of children, and
is serving on the Board of Fresh Air Fund. He has
served as president of Rodef Sholem Temple, and
was president of the Congregation whUe the temple
was in process of construction.
Frank E. Cailor of the Cailor-Beight Realty
Corapany, of Youngstown, is intiraately associated
with the development, improveraent and upbuilding
of this section of the iMahoning Valley, and as a man

298

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

of ability and sound judgment has becorae officially
connected with both financial and industrial organiza
tions, A native of Ohio, he was born, December 6,
1871, in Woodworth, Mahoning County, a son of
Noah and Louisa (Wittenberger) Cailor, both of
whom were natives of the same county. The father,
a carpenter by trade, died in 1880,
Left fatherless at the age of nine years, Frank E,
Cailor had very limited educational advantages, and
no high school training at all. Although thus handi
capped in early life, he made excellent use of his
tirae and natural talents, by study, reading and ob
servation acquiring a practical knowledge that has
been of inestiraable value to him in his active career.
Coming from North Liraa, Ohio to Youngstown in
1895, he first worked as a laborer for Pollock &
Company and later accepted a position at the Erie
Railroad Freight House, where he was for seven
years eraployed as a freight handler and clerk. The
ensuing three years he was storage man for the
Youngstown Dry Goods Company perforraing the
duties devolving upon hira faithfully and ably.
In March, 1905, Mr, Cailor becarae salesman for
Pfau & Faunce, real estate dealers, and in igo6 em
barked in business on his own account, opening an
office on Wick Avenue, and selling city property on
commission. Continuing the business, he was in
partnership with William Beight from 1908 until 1914,
when the CaUor-Beight Realty Company was incor
porated, with Williara Beight as president, George
Gluck, vice president, and Mr. Cailor as secretary
and treasurer. Many iraportant transactions in realty
have passed through the hands of this company,
which is carrying on business with gratifying re
sults. Mr. CaUor assisted in organizing the South Side
Savings Bank, and the South Side Savings Loan
Corapany, in each of which he is a director, and he is
likewise one of the directors of the Reed Drug
Corapany. During the World war, he was clerk on
the Draft Board for Mahoning County, serving in
that capacity seven raonths for the Third District.
Mr, Cailor raarried, December 27, i8g4, Emraa S.
Mentzer, of North Liraa, Ohio, and of their union
six chUdren have been born, naraely : Marvin L.,
who died at Camp Jackson, South Carolina, of
meningitis, in igi8; Earl H., of Youngstown; La
Verne ; Elizabeth ; Howard and Junior. Religiously
Mr. CaUor is a valued member of Saint Lukes Luth
eran Church, and a meraber of its council. Frater
nally he is a meraber of the Knights of Pythias, the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks,
William Beight, who for a number of years has
been a prominent factor in real estate activities at
Youngstown, particularly in subdivision work, has
lived in this city since igo7 when he transferred his
residence frora New Middletown, where for a nura
ber of years he was a raerchant.
He was born in Springfield Township of Mahoning
County, January 11, 1866, and is raeraber of a faraily
that has lived in this section of Eastern Ohio for
more than a century.
It was established here in 1802 by his great-grand
father and grandfather, both naraed John iBeight.

They carae from Hagerstown, Maryland, and paid the
usual governraent price of $1.25 an acre for a half
section upon which they built their first rude log
cabin horae. Some of that land is still owned and
occupied by the Beight faraily.
In this locality was born Jonathan Beight, father
of the Youngstown business raan in Deceraber, 1828.
He also followed farraing on the old homestead acres
and married Bietta Lipp, who was born in 1828 in
Stuttgart, Germany, and was brought to Mahoning
County when five years of age. Jonathan Beight and
wife had a faraUy of ten children and they and their
descendants are still nuraerously represented in Ma
honing County.
Williara Beight spent his early life on his father's
farra, and was educated in district schools, in the
Northeastern Ohio Norraal School at Canfield and in
the Spencerian Coraraercial School at Cleveland. His
early business experience was with a mercantile
firm at New Springfield, and in 1887 he began busi
ness at New Middletown and for twenty years con
ducted a large and well patronized general store, sup
plying most of the families living in that vicinity.
For several years one of his brothers was his partner.
Selling his business at New Middletown in 1907,
Mr. Beight came to Youngstown and became asso
ciated with Frank E. Cailor in real estate subdivision.
They opened an office in the Dollar Bank Building
and in 1914 the firm was incorporated with Mr. Beight
as president and Mr. Cailor, secretary and treasurer,
George Gluck being vice president. Some notable
work stands to the credit of this organization. They
developed the Bentley Plat near the Republic Works,
Earle Avenue on the south side. Feme Cliffe at
Boardraan, forty acres at Poland Avenue known as
Hunter Plat, and also the Osborn Plat south of
Market Street. In politics he is a democrat, is
affiliated with the Masons at East Palestine and the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Youngstown.
In the year 1887, he raarried Miss Eraraa Fauser,
who was born in Mahoning County, a daughter of
Frederick and Lucy (Martin) Fauser, Mr. Beight's
only son is Judson Frederick Beight, born February
II, 1888, and now in the grocery business on Hillman
Street in Youngstown. He raarried Miss Hattie Good
of Poland.
George D. Gluck. Well trained in modern busi
ness ways and methods, George D, Gluck is con
spicuously identified with the advancement of the
mercantile prosperity of Youngstown, and as a suc
cessful hardware merchant, and an officer in various
industrial and financial organizations is well known
and influential in the business circles of his com
munity. A native of the Keystone state, he was born,
January 18, 1874, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a son
of Louis and Caroline (Lenz) (51uck,
Born in Germany, Louis Gluck came to the United
States in early raanhood, raaking his way directly to
Ohio. Settling in Poland, he was for raany years
eraployed as boss blacksmith at the Brier HUl Fur
nace, later being the pioneer merchant of that vUlage.
Subsequently moving to CoitsvUle, there he bought
land and improved a highly productive farm.
But six years old when his parents raoved to Coits
ville, George D, Gluck was brought up on the home

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

299

farm, and educated in the rural schools. Coming
from there to Youngstown in 1891, he served for
upwards of five years as a clerk in the grocery de
partment of G. iM. McKelvey Company. In i8g6, in
company with his brother Albert, he established hira
self as a grocer at 209 East Federal Street. The
corapany liquidated in 1903, and Mr. Gluck opened a
hardware store .at loii Market Street, which he
operated alone until 1906, when John G. Spatholt be
carae his partner, continuing with hira for a year.
In 1907, again becoraing associated with his brother
Albert, Mr. Gluck established a general hardware
house at 1005 Market Street, purchasing the property,
and has since carried on a very satisfactory business,
his annual sales being large and reraunerative. Mr.
Gluck is officially connected with several corpora
tions, being vice president, and a director, of the
Cailor-Beight Realty Company; president and a
director of the Landscape Realty Gorapany ; a director
of the Citizens Bank and of the South Side Savings
Bank. Mr. Gluck raarried, in i8g6, Ida Spatholt, a daugh
ter of Charles Spatholt, a pioneer settler of Youngs
town, and they are the parents of three children,
naraely: Carl A., with the Youngstown Sheet &
Tube Works ; George J. and Fred L. Mr. Gluck is
an active raeraber of the German Lutheran Church,
which he has served in an official capacity.
October i, igig, he sold his hardware interest to his
brother and since that tirae has entered into the real
estate business by himself.
John Dingledy. A trustworthy and highly re
spected citizen of Youngstown, John Dingledy has
attained a position of prominence in raercantile
circles, and as one of the leading hardware raer
chants of the city is carrying on a prosperous busi
ness. A native of New York, he was born in Buffalo,
in February, 1866, being a son of the late Jacob
Dingledy. Born in Germany, Jacob Dingledy imraigrated to
tbe United States in early life, and after living a
short tirae in New York City raigrated to Buffalo,
where he acquired considerable property as a brick
and stone contractor, having been considered a pio
neer in that line of industry. He died while yet a
coraparatively young man, his death having oc
curred August 23, 1896, at the age of sixty-three
years. He raarried Lina Korfraan, who was born in
Gerraany, and died in Buffalo, New York. Of the
twelve children born of their union, but five are liv
ing, as foUows : Mrs. Lillian Benz and Edward, of
Buffalo; Charles L., William and John of Youngs
town, Spending the days of his boyhood and youth in
Buffalo, John Dingledy there acquired his early
education, attending first the public schools, and later
corapleting a business college course. His first sal
aried eraployraent was as a clerk for the Delaware &
Hudson Canal Corapany. After leaving that position,
he traveled in different parts of the country, event
ually joining his brother George, who was engaged
ill the luraber business in Youngstown, being asso
ciated with the Dingledy Luraber Corapany. In 1887
these enterprising brothers formed a copartnership,
and opened a hardware store at 448 East Federal

Street, assuraing possession of the building erected
by George H. Dingledy. Larger quarters being de
raanded as the business grew, the Messrs. Dingledy
raoved in 1895, to the Mauser Block, where their
trade constantly increased. After the death of
George L. Dingledy, in 191 1, Mr. Dingledy, the sub
ject of this sketch, bought his widow's interest in
the firm, and the following year, in 1912, raoved to his
present fine location at 203 East Federal Street,
where he carries a large and well assorted stock of
hardware, and a choice line of house furnishings, his
store being one of the raost coraplete of its kind of
all in the city, requiring in its raanageraent the aid
of six eraployes.
Mr. Dingledy raarried in 1888 Celia McAnany of
Youngstown, and of their union five chUdren have
been born, three of whora are living, naraely : Au
brey, of Youngstown ; Caroline and Howard, Fra
ternally Mr. Dingledy belongs to Hebron Lodge,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and religiously
he is a meraber of Grace English Lutheran Church.
Dr. James Nelson Whiteside. Having been ac
tively engaged in the practice of dentistry for nearly
half a century. Dr. James Nelson Whiteside, of
Youngstown, has kept apace with the swift advance
of dental science, following faithfully in the path of
those who by intelligent study, patient investigation,
and careful experiment have done so much toward
banishing the barbarous raethods necessarily used by
dentists of years long gone by, and raodifying to so
large an extent human pain and suffering. He was
born, November 27, 1847, in Harraonsburg, Crawford
County, Pennsylvania, a son of Jaraes and Martha
(Nelson) Whiteside, both of whom have passed to
the life beyond, his father having died at the age of
eighty-nine years, in 1899.
Laying a substantial foundation for his future edu
cation in his native town, James N. Whiteside was
graduated frora the Kansas City Dental College, and
was subsequently certified in the State of Ohio. In
1876, in partnership with his brother, Thoraas H.
Whiteside, he opened a dental office in Jaraestown,
Pennsylvania, and was there successfully engaged in
. the practice of his profession for four years. In 1882,
desirous of broadening his field of action, the doctor
located in Youngstown, and joined his brother
Thoraas, who came in 1880, and with whom he con
tinued in partnership until 1890. Skilful in his
profession, he has established an excellent reputation
as a dentist, and built up an extensive and profitable
patronage. Dr. Whiteside married, in 1889, Mary CampbeU, of
Mercer County, Pennsylvania, a woman of culture
and refineraent. She died in 1918, leaving three
children, naraely: Nelson, one of Youngstown's
.successful attorneys; Mary, of Youngstown; and
John, of Youngstown, now with the Bessemer Lime
Stone Corapany. Religiously the doctor is a raeraber
of the Westrainster iPresbyterian Church and is a
raeraber of the Masonic order since 1874 ; also belongs
to the Knights of Pythias.
Charles B. Klingensmith. Possessing undoubted
business judgraent and tact, Charles B. Klingensraith
is actively associated with the raercantile affairs of

300

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Youngstown, and as a dealer in shoes of all kinds has
buUt up a highly satisfactory trade, his upright deal
ings having won for him the confidence of his numer
ous custoraers, A son of De Witt C. Klingensraith,
he was born, January 8, 1866, in Conneautville, Penn
sylvania. De Witt C. Klingensmith, who was undoubtedly
naraed for De Witt Clinton, of Erie Canal fame, he
having been one of its strongest advocates, was hira
self not only a blacksraith, but a pioneer canal man.
Moving with his faraily to Sharon, Pennsylvania, in
1872, he reraained there until 1881, when he located
in Youngstown, where he is still a resident. His wife,
whose maiden name was Harriet Brown, died in
1888, aged forty-seven years.
But six years old when his parents located in
Sharon, Pennsylvania, Charles B. Klingensmith there
attended the district schools, completing his early
education at the Rayen High School, in which he was
a pupil for a short tirae after the family came to
Youngstown, Subsequently securing eraployraent
with the McKelvey Corapany, he worked in their
shoe department for $3 a week, good wages in those
days, and during the six years he remained with that
firra he received frequent proraotions, eventually be
coraing manager of his department and the buyer for
it. His acquired knowledge of the business and his
experience in buying and selling giving hira confidence
in his abUities, Mr, Klingensmith forraed a co-part
nership with Williara F. Proctor, and opened a retail
shoe store which proved to be a profitable undertak
ing. In 1914 the business was incorporated with Mr.
Klingensraith as treasurer of the concern, and an
iraportant factor in advancing its interests. Mr.
Klingensraith is also connected with the Cohasset
Realty Corapany as its vice president.
In i8g4 Mr. Klingensraith was united in marriage
with Miss Nellie McMillen, of Cleveland, and of their
union two children have Iseen born, namely : Har
riette, wife of Williara D. Jones, Jr., and Henry M.,
of Youngstown. Mr. Klingensraith is a raeraber of
the First Christian Church, and is one of its di
rectors. W. Ely Ainge, Skilled in every art and science
connected with the keeping or exaraining of books, W.
Ely Ainge, a public accountant and auditor, is a
valuable assistant in the raanageraent of the mercan
tUe affairs of the huge iron and steel industries of
Youngstown, and is widely known in his especial
work, having acquired an international reputation as
an accountant. A native of England, he was born
in Warwick, April ig, 1851, and there spent his
earlier years, moving to Halifax, Yorkshire, about
i86g, where he entered the employ of J. D. Taylor
& Co., chartered accountants, afterwards being ad
raitted a partner in said concern, until his reraoval
to Liverpool in 1880, where he forraed a partnership
known as Walter, Craven & Ainge.
Immigrating from Liverpool, England, to the Unit
ed States in 1889, Mr. Ainge located first in Cortland,
New York, where he becarae identified with the
Cortland Wagon Corapany as its chief accountant.
He afterward spent two years in Roanoke, Virginia,
being business manager during the time for a nura
ber of large industrial concerns. Coraing from

there to Youngstown in 1893, Mr. Ainge installed the
accounting and cost systera and served as auditor
for the Ohio Steel Corapany until it was absorbed
by the National Steel Trust in 1897, when he began
the practice of accountantcy, in which he was espe
cially proficient. Organizing the Art Metal Construc
tion Corapany in Jaraestown, New York, in 1900, he
was appointed business manager, and in that city
established a home which he still maintains.
Going to Buffalo, New York, in 1902, Mr. Ainge
established an accounting office in that city, and also
one in Youngstown, Ohio. He subsequently put in
the accounting system for the coal department of
the Lackawanna & Western Railroad Corapany at
Buffalo and in 1912 installed the accounting and cost
systera now used by the Brier Hill Steel Company,
Youngstown, Ohio. In July, 1916, he organized the
W. Ely Ainge Accounting Company, having for his
associates in the enterprise J. iE. Parker, secretary
of the Brier Hill Steel Company; J. J. Brant, general
auditor of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company;
and W. I. Davies, cashier of the Mahoning National
Bank. Mr. Ainge is widely known, not only in this '
country but in England, his native land, as a chartered
accountant of considerable ability in organizing and
installing cost and account systems in large corpora
tions, especially in the iron and steel industry.
Mr. Ainge married, September I, 1871, Susan
Taylor, daughter of J. D, Taylor, F. C. A, (Fellow
Chartered Accountants), of Bradford, and iHalifax,
England, Nine children have blessed the marriage
of Mr. and Mrs. Ainge, naraely: Fred W,, man
ager of the claims departraent of the Bethlehem Steel
Corapany ; Edith a young mUitant suffragist of the
National Woman's party, who with several of the
New York leaders of the party, was imprisoned in
the Occoquan Workhouse for a deraonstration at the
White House, in Washington, District of Columbia;
Jessie, Maud, Winifred, Harold, a captain in the
Quarterraaster's Departraent, U. S. A., at Washing
ton; Peter of Portland, Oregon, president of the
P. J. Ainge Corapany ; Gilbert, with the Library
Bureau at Ilion, New "York; and Clifford Douglas,
who served in France with Base Hospital Unit No.
31 and since his return has been with the Library
Bureau, New York.
Harry G. Hamilton, Possessing rare business
judgraent and discriralnation and a keenness of vision
that has kept hira alert to the needs of the hour,
Harry G, Harailton, of Youngstown has always been
found among the leaders of any raoveraent with which
he became associated, many of the more beneficial en
terprises that have been of inestiraable value in the
upbuilding of the city and its suburbs owing their
success in a large raeasure to the impetus they re
ceived from his fertile brain, A son of the late
Horaer Harailton, he was born, in 1865, in Youngs
town, coraing from honored ancestry and frora Rev
olutionary stock, his maternal great-grandfather, "Wil
liam Roberts, having served as a major of the Third
Battalion from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, during
tbe Revolutionary war.
An expert mechanical engineer. Homer Hamilton
acted as consultant engineer in all of the raines and
steel raills of Mahoning County. He raarried Adeline

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YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

301

Roberts, who has also passed to the life beyond and
of their children three are living, as follows : Fred
erick B., who served as a mechanical engineer under
WUliam Tod ; Grant, known as the dean of American
cartoonists, and Harry G.
Having acquired a practical education in the public
schools of "Youngstown, Harry G. Hamilton went
southward in search of wealth and adventure and
spent eighteen months driving cattle on the Texas
plains. Returning to the city of his birth rich in ex
perience, he worked for awhile for the Pittsburgh,
Cleveland & Toledo Railroad Company, and in 1890
was city editor of the Independent, a Youngstown
paper of that day. Resigning frora that position in
1892, he becarae associated with Richard Brown as
superintendent of one of the mills belonging to the
Ontario Rolling Mill Company, now known as the
Canada Steel Company, Limited, joining the organ
ization as office man, and being given $1.25 a day
wages. In 1893 he received an interest in a rolling raill at
Burlington, Iowa, and there had charge of it for
eighteen raonths. The venture proving a failure in
that city, Mr. HamUton removed the mill to Tacoraa,
Washington, and there met with great success in its
management. Business propositions in the East with
which he was connected deraanding his attention, Mr.
Hamilton sold his interest in the Tacoma Mill, and
returned to Youngstown to give his entire time and
attention to the construction of the Park & Falls Rail
road, one of his pet enterprises. During the building
of the road, Mr. Harailton forraed a syndicate with
W. H. Parks, and was subsequently largely instru
raental in developing the South Side property, not
only buying the Youngstown Gas & Electric iLight
Corapany, but building the Youngstown & Sharon
Railway from Sharon to Sharpsville, the Park
Theater, and a number of attractive residences.
At the eorapletion of those enterprises Mr. Parks
relinquished his interest in the syndicate, and Mr.
Harailton organized and promoted the Mahoning
Valley Water Company, having as associates G. M.
McKelvey, Mason Evans, and L. E. Cochran, Mr.
iEvans being made president, and Mr. Harailton first
vice president. The company built the present reser
voirs which are rightly known as the life blood of the
valley, and also the dam at Struthers. In the up
buUding of all these undertakings, Mr, HaraUton,
who inherited frora his father great raechanical
talent, has been active in the engineering departraents.
Mr. HamUton has other interests of immense value,
controlled by George H, Boyd of Sharon and Mr.
Hamilton of the Shenango Water Company, which
was promoted to furnish water throughout the
Shenango Valley. In association with Henry Wick,
he bought for George Gould a terrainal for the
Wabash Railroad, which was later sold to the New
York Central Railroad Corapany, the Gould plan for
bringing the road into Youngstown falling through.
Throughout Mr. Harailton's active career there is
seen a breadth of vision granted to but few raen, his
developraent of the South Side being not the only
enterprise that has been of great benefit to the city,
as he bought the land, and laid out the enterprising
little town he named East Youngstown ; while the

transportation facilities, and the water advantages and
privileges are largely due to his clear foresight.
Mr. Hamilton married, in 1891, Elizabeth Thomp
son of Canada, and they have three children, Harry,
Frederick and Alice.
Homer Hamilton. Born in humble circumstances,
and reared in the school of adversity and stern ex
perience. Homer Harailton, late of Youngstown, be
carae in truth the architect of his own fortunes, a
brief resurae of his life furnishing to the rising
generation a forcible illustration of the material suc
cess to be achieved by persevering industry and a
wise systera of economy.
Leaving school at the age of sixteen years, Horaer
Hamilton began an apprenticeship at the machinist's
trade with Reed & "WeUs, receiving $25 a year for
his services. The firm failing at the end of two
years, he went to Warren, Ohio, and was there era
ployed for two years in Hull's Machine Shop, becom
ing proficient in his trade. Returning then to
Youngstown he forraed a partnership with Jaraes
Predraore, becoming junior meraber of the firm of
Predraore & HaraUton, located on East Boardraan
Street, where the first work turned out by the newly
established corapany was the building of portable
steara engines for use in the Mecca Oil Fields, which
were then being developed in Triimbull County.
The firra of Predraore & Harailton was dissolved in
1861, John Starabaugh purchasing the interest of the
senior member, and the business was continued under
the name of Homer Hamilton & Company. The firm
later became identified with the Harailton Works of
William Tod & Company, of which Mr. Hamilton
was raanager, a position that he filled most ably ancl
satisfactorily. Mr. Hamilton was a born mechanic, and as a cora
raissioner for Ohio at the Exposition held in New
Orleans in the winter of 1883-84 his services were in
constant deraand to adjust and regulate intricate
raachinery. Previously he had rendered valuable aid
in making a fine exhibit of the iron products and
mineral resources of the Mahoning Valley at the Cen
tennial Exposition held in PhUadelphia in 1876. He
was a prorainent and influential raeraber of the
Araerican Society of Mechanical Engineers, which is
composed of the foremost mechanics of the world,
and several of the papers that he read before the as
sociation were widely published.
Mr. Hamilton continued his residence in Youngs
town until his death. He married Adeline Roberts, a
granddaughter of Maj. Williara Roberts, an officer
in the Revolutionary array. Three chUdren blessed
their raarriage, naraely: Frederick, a raechanical
engineer, who served in that capacity under "William
Tod; Grant, who has acquired fame as an American
cartoonist; and Harry G., a live, wide-awake citizen
of Youngstown. Mrs. Harailton has also passed to
the higher life,
John J. Connor, The assistant superintendent
of the tube departraent of the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Corapany, John J, Connor, belongs to
that class of men who have relied upon their own
abilities and resources to carry thera to positions of
responsibUity rather than upon the assistance of

302

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

wealth or influence. His has been a career in which
he has fought his way steadily upward from the
bottom of the ladder, and his success, which is not
inconsiderable, is all the more satisfying, in that
it has been self-gained,
Mr. Connor was born in Venango County, Penn
sylvania, August 20, 1871, a son of Michael and
Mary E. (Fitzgerald) Connor, natives of Ireland,
His parents were young people when they carae to
the United States, separately, and met and were
married at Oil City, Pennsylvania, Throughout his
career, iMichael Connor was a railroad raan and
had much to do with the construction and grading
of the AUegheny Railroad from Pittsburgh to Oil
City, Pennsylvania, Both he and Mrs, Connor are
living in comfortable retirement at tbat place, where
they have numerous warm friends and are greatly
respected and esteemed for their many estiraable
traits of character. They becarae the parents of
eight chUdren, of whom John J, is the third in order
of birth,
John J. Connor passed his boyhood days at Pitts
burgh, where he attended the public schools, and
when he was about fourteen years of age started
out in life for himself as a "buggy boy" at tbe
Butler furnaces. Later he was with the Continental
Tube Corapany, of Pittsburgh, then removing to
OU City, where he became foreman of the butt and
lap furnaces. Later he becarae general foreraan of
these two, which had then becorae a part of the
National Tube Corapany, and in June, 1903, came
to Youngstown, as general foreraan of the butt
weld and lap weld furnaces. In igog he was raade
assistant superintendent of the tube departraent, a
position which he has since continued to fill. He
is one of the splendidly capable, strictly reliable
and forcefully energetic raen of the plant, and has
the confidence of tbe officials and the respect and
friendship of the raen in his charge. He is a mem
ber of the Roman Catholic Church, and in his
political views raaintains an independent stand.
On April 25, l8g4, Mr. Connor was united in raar
riage with Miss Mary F. Hynes, of Oil City, Penn
sylvania, and they are the parents of seven chil
dren, namely: Helen, Beatrice, Elizabeth, Loretta,
John J., Jr., Isabel and Edward.
Samuel Clark Simonton. To the ordinary indi
vidual the science dealing with higher mathematics,
is a labyrinth which coraparatively few willingly en
ter, and it is with wonder and often secret envy that
they realize what raore favored persons accoraplish,
with apparent ease, in a field so raysterious to them.
An exoert accountant is undoubtedly born so. With
men like Samuel Clark Simonton, public accountant
and originator of financial systems, who has loved
figures since boyhood, and has preferably served
all his business life in positions in which this taste
could be called into play, it is as rauch a natural
endowraent as would be rausical or artistic gifts,
Samuel Clark Simonton, senior member of the
firm of Simonton & Jones, accountants, at Youngs
town, was born in this city October g, 1870. His par
ents were Levi J, and Charlotte Jane (Lett) Simon
ton, the former of whom died April 3, i8g5, and the
latter July 8, igo8. The Simontons are old people

of Youngstown, the first of the famUy being pioneers
with John Young. The father of Sarauel C. Simon
ton was a man of substantial standing and good re
pute, and for years was superintendent of the Brown-
Bonnell Iron Company, novv the Republic Iron and
Steel Company. In i8g2 he was elected city com
missioner and was prominent in other ways.
Sarauel C. Simonton was graduated from the Rayen
High School in June, i88g, and immediately became
self-supporting. In 1892 he went with the Brown-
Bonnell Iron Company in a clerical capacity, and con
tinued as chief clerk after the reorganization of the
concern into the Republic Iron and Steel Corapany,
a position he filled until 1901. In that year he be
carae interested in the furniture business, and until
April, 1905, was secretary and treasurer of the Mc
Elroy Furniture Corapany. Shortly after retiring
from this connection, Mr. Simonton embarked in
business for himself as an accountant, and in this
profession has few equals. He has worked out many
systems for corporations and for individuals, for ac
curate and rapid transactions of trade and finance.
Since May, 1918, he has had a partner in Arthur L.
Jones, and the business is conducted under the firm
narae of Siraonton & Jones.
In June, igoo, Mr. Simonton was united in mar
riage to iMiss Rebecca B. Watson, of New Castle,
Pennsylvania, Although never active politically, Mr.
Siraonton has always been deeply interested in the
advancement and general welfare of his native city,
where he has made investments and has preferred to
spend his life.
Louis Regenstreich. Although born and bred in
a far-away land, Louis Regenstreich of Youngstown
has become familiar with American ways, raethods,
and institutions, and through his loyalty to them, and
his faithfulness in upholding the laws of his adopted
country is eminently worthy of the position he so
proudly holds as a citizen of the United States. He
was born. May 10, 1882, in Trg Neantz, Roumania,
being the only child of his parents, who were Jews.
Growing to raanhood in Rouraania, and acquiring
there a coraraon school education, Louis Regenstreich
chafed under the restrictions passed by the Rouman
ians on the Jewish people, and deterrained to seek a
broader and freer field of action, where development
and advanceraent depended upon individuality rather
than race. Iraraigrating to the United States in
January, igo3, he iraraediately carae to Youngstown,
joining the only friend he had in Araerica, L. Lebo-
iwitz. Securing a position as clerk in Shuman's
grocery, he reraained there three years, receiving $3
a week and his board. In 1906, with a capital in
hand of $150, he formed a partnership with iF. Lup-
son, who had an equal sum of money to invest, and
opened a grocery on East Boardraan Street. Buying
out his partner's interest in 1908, Mr. Regenstreich
continued in business alone for three years, when, in
igii, he was joined by A. Kamenetzky, whose experi
ence as a dealer in specialties encouraged Mr. Regen
streich to venture into the wholesale end of that line
of goods. He continued his grocery business also for
another year, but closed that out in 1912 in order
to devote his entire attention to his wholesale trade,
and having adniitted Jaraes Randell to partnership in

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

303

1918, has since carried on a substantial business under
the firm name of the Regenstreich & Karaenetzky
Specialty Company. This enterprising company em
ploys ten people, three of them being traveling sales
men, and is fast buUding up a business that is destined
to play an important part in Youngstown's jobbing
affairs. Mr. Regenstreich takes a warm interest in public
matters, and is always sure to do his duty at the polls.
He is president of the Independent Order of B'nai
B'rith; a raember of the executive board of the
Federation of Jewish Charities ; likewise of the
executive board of Youngstown Zionists ; a trustee
of the Roumanian Hebrew Association ; and belongs
to fifteen other Jewish organizations. He was one
of the charter members of Congregation Eraraanuel,
of which he was forraerly treasurer. He is also an
active member of the Jewish Welfare Board of
Youngstown. Mr, Regenstreich married, in 1906, Hattie Randell,
of Cleveland, and they have one son, Theodore
Regenstreich. Monroe Pollock. Araong the public-spirited, en
terprising and self-reliant raen who are associated
with the development of the manufacturing and mer
cantile interests of Youngstown, Monroe Pollock,
president and treasurer of the PoUock-Daugherty
Corapany, occupies no uniraportant position. A native
of Ohio, he was born November 29, 1873, in Cleve
land, a son of Solomon and Regina (Schwartz)
Pollock, both of whora have passed to the life
beyond. Corapleting his early education in the public schools
of Cleveland, Monroe Pollock began life for hiraself
as bookkeeper for the Baer-Wolf Corapany of that
city. Coraing to Youngstown in 1900, he, in partner
ship with Sol Weinberger bought out the business
interests of Mr. E. Mittler, and in the nineteen or
raore- years that have since elapsed the PoUock-
Daugherty Corapany, which has built up an extensive
and lucrative wholesale and retail trade in cigars and
tobacco, has been developed, Mr. Pollock as president
of the firra having contributed his full share in ad
vancing its interests, both raaterial and financial.
Mr. Pollock raarried, June 17, 1903, Miss Clara
Kaber, of Cleveland, and they have one child, Regi
nald Pollock, born in igo6. Patriotic and public-
spirited, Mr. Pollock rendered excellent service on
all five of the Liberty Loan coraraittees, ably per
forraing his part in the various drives. He takes
great interest in both the Boy Scout and the Red
Cross moveraents, contributing generously towards
their support. Fraternally he is a raeraber of the
Knights of Pythias and also belongs to the Rodef
Sholera Congregation.
Thomas H. Whiteside. A well known and highly
respected resident of Youngstown, and one of its
longest established dentists, Thoraas H. Whiteside is
actively associated with what is mayhap the most
important branch of surgery because of its required
application at sorae period of life to every member
of the human faraily. Dentistry, it has been re
marked, has, owing to the many valuable discoveries
and improved methods of recent years, been elevated
Vol. 11—20

to a separate science. A son of Jaraes and Mary
Martha (Nelson) Whiteside, he was born, August
29, 1849, in Harraonsburg, Pennsylvania, where his
father was for many years engaged in the tailoring
business. Neither of the parents are now living, the
father having died in i89g, at the venerable age of
eighty-nine years.
Acquiring his early education in the common
schools of Harmonsburg, Thomas H. Whiteside con
tinued his studies in the Meadville High School. In
i86g he began the study of dentistry in Meadville,
and in 1876 was graduated from the Pennsylvania
College of Dentistry, in Philadelphia. Iraraediately
beginning the practice of his chosen profession. Doctor
Whiteside met with exceptional success from the
start. In 1881 he came from Jaraestown, Pennsyl
vania, to Youngstown, opening an office in the old
Wick Bank BuUding, and has since built up a fine
patronage. Dr. Whiteside married in 1872, Miss Flora Grier,
a native of Adamsville, Pennsylvania, and to them
four chUdren have been" born, naraely: Jaraes G.,
engaged in the dental supply business in Youngs
town; WiUiara H., of Youngstown, a real estate
dealer ; Frank P., manager of the Kelley-Spring-
field Tire Company, of Youngstown ; and Pearl, -vvife
of Venice J. Lamb, a successful attorney of Youngs
town. The Doctor is a man of exceUent business
ability, and has bought and sold city property to good
advantage. Simon J. Maloney. Simon J. Maloney has gone
a long way toward reaching independence as a busi
ness man, though he served a long apprenticeship
as a clerk and salesman before he became a merchant
on his own account. His place of business is at
Stop 31 on the Interurban at DeForest, on the road
between Niles and Warren in Weathersfield Town
ship. He keeps a well stocked grocery store, and
is also a real estate raan who has had much to do
with the development of this particular section.
Mr. Maloney was born at NUes July 25, 1878,. and
is a son of Patrick and Bridget (Quinlan) Maloney,
who have been residents of Niles for half a century.
His father, a native of County Clare, Ireland, during
his life at Niles has been a railroad worker and for
a quarter of a century a puddler in iron furnaces.
Siraon J. Maloney is the second in a faraily of five
chUdren, his older brother being Rev. John F. Ma
loney, pastor of St. Patrick's Catholic Church at
Hubbard. As a boy he attended St. Stephen's pa
rochial school at Niles, and even while in school was
eraployed as a clerk in stores. After completing his
education he clerked for business houses in NUes,
Warren and Akron, and a further stage .of this ex
perience put him on the road as a comraercial sales
raan for the Dannerailler grocery house of Canton.
For two years he covered a large Ohio territory,
specializing in selling coffee to the retail trade. Al
ways on the lookout for opportunities, Mr, Maloney
in 1915 bought a corner lot and erected his present
store building at DeForest, In five years he has
been rewarded with a profitable and growing trade,
and he also operates a gas station and is a dealer
in automobile supplies.
In the' line of real estate he has assisted in the

301

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

sale of Homeraaker Plat and has taken a part in
locating industries in this section. Those things that
make a good community appeal to his efforts and
support, including good schools and good roads. Mr.
Maloney is unmarried and lives with his parents at
NUes, He is a member of St, Stephen's Catholic
Church and is an active member of the Knights of
Columbus. Fred G, Friedrich, One of tbe raore active, busy
and prosperous young raen of Youngstown, Fred G.
Friedrich, head of the well known firra of the Fried
rich Yellow Cab & Transfer Company, is an expert
in the management of business affairs, operating six
teen trucks in the draying line, and twenty-four taxis
in transporting passengers in and around the city and
its suburbs, eraploying in the different departraents
a force of sixty-eight people. He is a native-born
citizen of Youngstown, his birth having occurred
April 2, 1887.
Franz Friedrich, his father, was born and reared
in Wurtemberg, Gerraany, from whence he emigrated
to the United States, locating first in Wisconsin,
where he conducted an undertaking and furniture
business. Coming with his famUy to Youngstown in
1881, he first worked for Christ Weick, as baker,
but later erabarked in business on his own account,
becoming tbe pioneer baker of the city. A raan of
sterling character and worth, he raade raany friends
in the community, and was held in high respect as a
raan and citizen. He died in 1917, but his widow,
whose raaiden narae was Susanne Doepping, is still
a resident of Youngstown. She, too, was born and
bred in Wurtemberg, Germany, coraing to this coun
try in early life.
Acquiring his education in the Youngstown schools,
and at Brown's Business College, Fred G. Friedrich
entered the employ of Kist Brothers in 1897, intend
ing to learn the plumbers' trade, but finding the work
not at all to his liking he gave it up. In the raean
tirae his brother, Gottlieb J. Friedrich, had taken
over his father's store, and delivered goods with a
horse and wagon. The brother being called to do
jury service during the plurabers' strike, Mr. Fried
rich drove the wagon. Subsequently he entered the
eraploy of the Adaras Express Company, in which
he served as head clerk, bUl clerk, later being raade
cashier, and then assistant to the express agent.
In 1910, in corapany with his brother Gottlieb, Mr,
Friedrich bought a car, intending to make money
by letting it out by the day or hour. The incessant
deraand of the younger eleraent of the city for the
use of that first car was the beginning of the profit
able business that has developed into the very efficient
taxi service of the corapany, while the horse and
wagon previously raentioned proved to be the nucleus
of a draying business requiring at the present tirae
the use of many heavy trucks. At the death of his
brother Gottlieb, in 1915, Mr. Friedrich bought his
widow's interest in the firra, securing entire control
of the business, which was incorporated in 1917, Mr.
Friedrich being elected president and general man
ager ; A. E, Burkey, vice president ; A. J. Aubrey,
treasurer; and W. F. Diefenderfer, secretary. The
success of the Friedrich brothers was largely due to
the encouragement of their father, who ever evinced

an untiring interest in their work, lending his aid and
influence in advancing their interests. During the
\\'orld war, the company was busily occupied in
hauling war material to the lake ports, at the out
break hauling shells to the Dupont Powder Company
for the Russian Governraent.
Mr. Friedrich raarried, August 15, 1911, Nettie M.
Springer, of Sheldon, Indiana, and they are the par
ents of two children, Carl and Marguerite. Socially
Mr. Friedrich is a raeraber of the Kiwanis Club, and
of the Belmont Club.
Clinton J. Wall. A well educated, brainy man,
Clinton J. Wall has won a position of distinction
araong the successful attorneys of Youngstown.
Through specializing in Daraage Law, Personal In
jury Action, and Workingraen's Corapensation, he has
achieved success, his reputation as a lawyer of ability
on those points being far extended. A native of
Youngstown he was born August 6, 1891, being a son
of Edward T. and Annie (McGraw) "Wall, his father
being well known in industrial circles as a painting
contractor. After his graduation from the Rayen High School,
Clinton Wall entered the office of Anderson &
Mathews, where he read law so earnestly, and to
such good purpose, that he was admitted to the Ohio
bar in June, 1913, Entering iraraediately into part
nership with Emil Anderson and I. G. Mathews, he
was engaged in the practice of law as junior member
of the firra of Anderson, Mathews & Wall until
July I, 1918, he severed his connection with his part
ners, the firra being dissolved on account of the ill
health of Mr. Anderson. Mr. Wall has since prac
ticed alone, devoting his tirae and energies so very
closely to those points of law previously raentioned
that he has few outside interests, the legal affairs
of his clients demanding his entire attention.
Mr. Wall married, August 3, 1914, Miss Roberta
Pressler, formerly of Washington, Pennsylvania.
Although not an active politician, Mr. Wall worked
ably and faithfully throughout the Bull Moose cam
paign for iMr, Anderson, who served as a delegate
to the National Convention of that party.
Tho:mas Parrock. Prominently associated with
the development of one of the more valuable in
terests of the Mahoning Valley, Thoraas Parrock,
of A'oungstown, has been intimately connected with
the iron and steel industry for forty years, through
his- expert knowledge contributing largely toward
making this section of Ohio one of the business
centers of the state. He was born. May 15, 1852, in
Staffordshire, England, where he grew to man's
estate. Beginning work in a rolling raill when but four
teen years old, Thomas Parrock became familiar
with all of its departments, his specialty, however,
having been as a roll turner, his skill in that capacity
extending even to this country. In 1880, responding
to a cablegram sent hira frora Pennsylvania, Mr.
Parrock, leaving his family in England, came to the
United States to assume charge of a sraall mill
belonging to the Catasauqua iManufacturing Com
pany, in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, and the following
year was joined by his wife and children. In 1882

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

305

Mr. Parrock entered the employ of Myron C. Wick,
president of the TrurabuU Iron Company, of Girard,
Ohio, where he had charge of the roll turning de
partment for two years. Coming from Girard to
Youngstown in 1884, he was made manager and
director of the roll turning departraent of the Cart
wright-McCurdy Company, having four men under
him, and in the sarae year was appointed by Mr.
Wick, superintendent, and when in 1892, the Youngs
town Rolling Mill Company and the Cartwright-
McCurdy Company consolidated under the narae of
the Union Iron & Steel Corapany, later becoraing a
director, Mr. Parrock continued to have entire super
vision of the works until igoi. In igoo Mr. Parrock
was appointed district and general superintendent of
the Republic Iron & Steel Works, a position which
he successfully filled until 1905, when, on account
of a nervous break down, he retired from active
pursuits. One of the organizers of the Youngstown
Foundry and Machine Company, Mr. Parrock for
merly served as its president, and is now one of
the largest stockholders, his interests being repre
sented on the board of directors by Harry P. iPar-
rock, raanager of the Aluminura Bearing & Bronze
Corapany, of Buffalo, New York.
Mr. Parrock raarried, in England, Fanny Williaras,
who was born in Staffordshire, near Dudley, and
they becarae the parents of four children. Jaraes,
who as first sergeant in the Thirty-Seventh Division
saw service in France, now eraployed by the Standard
Oil Company of Ohio, and George, employed in the
advertising department of the Telegram.
George Rudge, Jr. A raan of sterling worth and
character, possessing good judgment and excellent
business ability, George Rudge, Jr., is nurabered
among the highly respected and valued citizens of
Youngstown, where the greater part of his life has
been spent. A native of Mahoning County, he was
born in Boardman Township, May 5, 1853, a son of
George and Jane (Stock) Rudge, neither of whom
is now living. The father came with his family
to Youngstown in 1866, and for several years served
as secretary of the Water Works.
For two years after his parents settled in Youngs
town, George Rudge, Jr., attended the public schools,
and then began life as a wage earner, his first em
ployraent having been the wetting of brick used in
the construction of Excelsior Blocks. Desirous then
of learning the plumber's trade, he served an ap
prenticeship of two years with Morris & Robinson,
after which he entered the employ of George Turner
as spike maker, working in most of the Youngstown
mUls. In 1873 he becarae clerk for his father, and
worked in the office of the Water Works plant for
three years. Embarking in the coal industry in 1876,
Mr. Rudge also drilled for coal two years, and then
secured a position as bookkeeper and shipping clerk
at the Ellis Planing Mill, remaining in that capacitv
frora 1880 until 1885. In the latter-naraed year,
Mr Rudge assisted in organizing the Enterprise
Boiler Corapany, of which he was raade treasurer
and office raanager. This concern was unfortunately
burned out in igio, but, in the raeantirae Mr. Pudge's
sight had becorae so affected, as the result of an
accident that happened to him when he was but five

years old, that he was compelled to retire from his
position. Mr. Rudge however, is not idle, being president
of the Alliance FertUizer Company; president of the
George Rudge Estate Company; a trustee of the
Fresh Air Camp, which he helped establish ; a trustee
of the Community Service, a successor of the Chair-
ity Organization ; chairman of Building and Sites
Committee of the Youngstown School Board; secre
tary, treasurer and a director, as well as one of the
organizers, of the Austintown Land Company ; and
is interested in platting and subdividing realty in
Austintown Township. He is also life member and
trustee of the Youngstown Hospital Association.
Mr. Pudge's father, George Rudge, Sr., was likewise
a large operator in real estate, having organized the
Enterprise Building and Loan Association and the
Valley Building and Loan Association in connection
with his real estate dealings. During the World war
Mr. Rudge was officially connected with the local
shipping board.
In.i88i Mr. Rudge was united in marriage with
Annie E. Sullivan, of Buffalo, New York, and of
their union three chUdren were born, naraely : Flor
ence, who died in igi2, was the wife of Jaraes
McGhan, of Cleveland ; Mary, wife of T. A, Walsh,
of Youngstown ; and Georgiana at horae,
James S, Miller. To the rainds of the people of
Youngstown, the narae of Miller at once suggests
the thought of delicate confections and toothsorae
dainties which raembers of this family have sold for
raany years at this place. Jaraes S. iMiller, for years
a raeraber of the firra of iMiller Brothers, wholesale
candy jobbers, and now head of the candy depart
raent and vice president of the Hearn-MUler Com
pany, formerly the Hearn-Fithian Company, at
Youngstown, was born on a farm near Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, February 6, 1878, a son of James S.
and Susan A. (Stewart) iMiller, the latter a resident
of Youngstown. The father, who died in 1894, fol
lowed the vocation of stationary engineer for many
years, and was connected for a time with the Lowell
ville Mills.
Jaraes S. MiUer, the younger, was but an infant
when the family moved to Lowellville, and in the
district schools of that coraraunity he received his
educational training. At the age of sixteen years
he began to work for John L. Hanna, a grocer of
Coitsville, for whom he clerked until i8gg, in that
year transferring his services to the Baldwin-Kerno-
han Company, wholesale grocers of Youngstown.
Mr. Miller reraained as a meraber of the office force
until this concern sold out to John H. Fitch, when
he formed a partnership with his brother, Charles D.,
in the wholesale candy business. This concern pros
pered for eleven years, when its interests were pur
chased by the iHearn-Fithian Company, now the
Hearn-MUler Company. Mr. Miller is vice president,
haying special charge of the candy department.
On August g, 1912, Mr. Miller was united in mar
riage with Miss Clara A. Laeri, of Youngstown,
who was born in Switzerland. They have no chil
dren. Mr. Miller has various business and fraternal
connections, and is one of the popular men of his
commpnity, where he has numerous friends.

306

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

The Wirt Family. That.period of the nineteenth
century embracing the decades between 1800 and
1830 was characterized by the immigration of the
pioneer eleraent which made the great State of Ohio
very largely what it is today. These immigrants
were sturdy, heroic, sincere, and, in the main, up
right people, such as constitute the strength of the
comraonwealth. It scarcely seeras probable that in
the future another such period can occur, or, in
deed, any period when such a solid phalanx of
strong-rainded, brawny-arraed raen and noble, self-
sacrificing women will take possession of a new
country. The period to which reference is made,
therefore, cannot be too much or too well erapha
sized, and the only way to do justice to such a sub
ject is to record the lives of those who led the van
of civilization and founded the institutions which
today are the pride and boast of a great state and
a strong and virUe people.
The Wirts -were among the earliest farailies to
locate in the Mahoning Valley, and through all the
subsequent years have been closely and actively iden
tified with the various phases of the coraraunity's
developraent and upbuilding. The first Araerican
ancestor arrived in Araerica on the ship Jaraaica
Galley in the year 1739 and settled near Carlisle,
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The first of the
Wirt faraily to arrive in the Western Reserve was
Peter Wirt, who came from Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
He was naraed after his father, who was a soldier
in the Revolutionary war, serving with the Penn
sylvania troops. Peter 'Wirt setled on what was
known as the Wirt farra located at Brier Hill, on
that section which coraraences about five hundred
feet east of Jefferson Street in the City of Youngs
town and extended thence north along Federal Street
to the eastern line of the Tod Farm, and extended
also from Federal Street north nearly to Belraont
Avenue. Peter Wirt after settling on the land raen
tioned, and living on the sarae for a few years,
married Margaret Eadaburn, a resident of Mercer
County, Pennsylvania. Peter Wirt lived out his life
in Youngstown, dying at the age of eighty-one, while
his wife, Margaret, lived to the age of ninety-five.
They reared a famUy of eight children, the oldest
of whora was the late Williara Wirt, who was born
at the old Wirt horae at Brier HUl on the igth
day of March, 1826, and died on the first day of
February, igi5. He was reared amid the primitive
conditions incidental to life in a new country. His
chief occupation in his early years was in helping
to clear the Wirt farm of its native timber. On
January 18, i84g, he married Eliza Jane Sankey,
who was also descended from a strong Pennsylvania
Revolutionary faraily.
Eventually Williara Wirt raoved into Youngstown,
where he passed practicaUy all his reraaining years.
In early life he becarae a carpenter, and subsequently
did a contracting business. He was one of those
rugged, sterling characters nurtured under the ad
verse conditions of the times in which he lived,
developing into the type of men who made Youngs
town famous in its early days. When the town
became a city he was elected a member of its first
City CouncU. At that time tbe streets were not
graded, and were poorly lighted. There was no
sewerage system, no pavements, conditions partly the

result of the lack of authority to make needed im
proveraents ; partly because of the fact that previous
town authorities feared the criticisra involved in
iraposing taxation for public improvements. For
tunately the council to which 'WiUiam 'Wirt had
been elected was composed of foresighted and cour
ageous men, and comprised some of the cit/s fore
most citizens. The first year the council expended
$80,000, a very large araount for those days, for
public improveraents, and announced a continuation
of that policy. Much indignation was expressed by
sorae of the tax payers and a raeeting of protest
held with a view to stopping what appeared then
to be an extravagent expenditure of public funds.
The carapaign was a strenuous one, though, much
to the credit of Youngstown, the old members were
re-elected and the policy of iraproveraent continued.
While a carpenter and contractor William Wirt
helped in the buUding of some of the historic land
marks noted in the early history of Youngstown and
vicinity. Among these were the old charcoal iron
furnace on Mill Creek and the old Eagle furnace
at Brier Hill, both of which have, by reason of the
kaleidoscopic change which has taken place in the
iron and steel business, passed into history.
His activities and varied lines of effort never
ceased. He was one of the first to buUd a house
and establish a horae on what is known as North
Hill, the house being constructed on the site where
the Rayen School Annex now stands. In his early
years he becarae a raeraber of what is known as
the First Christian Church, now located on Wood
Street, being one of the founders of that denoraina
tion in Youngstown. William Wirt was a man of
extraordinary characteristics, who through years of
indefatigable labor and honest effort not only ac
quired a well merited material prosperity but also
richly earned the highest esteem of all with whom
he was associated.
His wife died Septeraber 24, 1881. The fruit of
the raarriage of Williara Wirt and Eliza Jane San
key was one child, Hon. Benjamin F. Wirt, a resi
dent of Youngstown, who was born March 26, 1852,
iu West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, where his parents
were temporarily residing whUe his father was look
ing after a foundry in which he was interested.
However, he was reared in Youngstown, completing
his public school studies in the Rayen School. In
line with his determination to become a lawyer, he
read law in the office of Major L. D. Woodworth,
one of the ablest members of the Youngstown har
and a former congressman. In May, 1873, when
just past his majority, he commenced the practice
of his chosen profession, and for forty-seven years
has been in the active practice of the same. For
a number of years he was associated with his forraer
preceptor. Major Woodworth, and now is the head
of the firm of Wirt & Gunlefinger. His long and
useful life has been one of devotion, almost con
secration, to his calling, and he merits a place of
honor among those who have given their power and
talents to coramunity and human welfare develop
ment. More than ordinarily successful in his indi
vidual career he has never forgotten his obligations
to the public, and his support of such measures and
movements as raake for the general good has always
been relied upon.

/^7f/^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

307

June 23, 1881, Mr. Wirt raarried Mary M. McGee
han. Politically he has been a life long supporter of
the republican party. In 1889 he was elected a mera
ber of the State Senate and served with conspicuous
credit four years, being chairraan of several irapor
tant coraraittees, and a raember of a number of
others. He was chairraan of the Coraraittee of the
Whole in passing the code that governs the cities of
Ohio. He was author of .several bUls, sorae of which
were enacted, notably the Lien Laws. Mr. Wirt
succeeded Lieutenant-Governor Jones as president of
the Federal Savings & Loan Corapany, a corpora
tion that is one of the strong and influential finan
cial institutions of Youngstown. Mr. Wirt is a
member of the Christian Church, and the Order of
Elks. He is a raan of very pronounced literary
leaning, which tendency has led to his acquiring a
large collection of boolffs, araong which are to be
found raany choice and rare voluraes. His library
contains over three thousand voluraes and necessarUy
embraces a wide range of subjects. He is presi
dent of Nathan Hale Chapter, Sons of the American
Revolution, and vice president of the National His
torical Society, is a raeraber of the Bibliophile So
ciety of Boston and the BookfeUows of Chicago. A
raan of genial and corapanionable nature, he has
always enjoyed the confidence and good will of the
coraraunity in which his life has been spent.
Bert G. Daugherty. An instance of small be
ginnings developing into an enterprise of important
proportions is found in the PoUock-Daugherty Corn
pany, of Youngstown, raanufacturers of cigars. This
concern has thrived and flourished under the raan
ageraent of a corps of able officials, among whom is
one of its founders, Bert G. Daugherty, its vice
president, and a man of progressive spirit and marked
enterprise. Mr. Daugherty is a self-made man and
a product of the agricultural coraraunity of Mercer
County, Pennsylvania, where his parents and pater
nal grandparents were born, and where the faraily has
been well and favorably known for many years. Bert
G, Daugherty was born April 4, 1876, a son of Hugh
A, and Josephine (McBurney) Daugherty, both of
whom are now deceased. Hugh A. Daugherty passed
his life in the peaceful pursuits of agriculture, with
the exception of the period of the CivU war, when
he fought bravely as a soldier of the Union. The
country schools of Mercer County, Pennsylvania,
furnished Bert G. Daugherty with his educational
training, and a large part of his boyhood and youth
was passed in helping his father on the home acres.
Eventually he tired of the huradrura life of the farra,
and, being inclined toward raercantile affairs, left his
home at the age of fourteen years and made his way
to Youngstown. Here, at the first application, he
secured eraployraent with E. Mittler, who was en
gaged in the clothing business. He reraained with
this gentleraan until the latter's retireraent, in iSgg,
when Mr. Daugherty joined Sol Weinberger, also
a derk of Mr. Mittler, in the forming of an enter
prise for the distributing of cigars. From a sraall
beginning this has developed into a business of sig
nificant iraportance, the officials of the PoUock-
Daugherty Corapany being : Sol Weinberger, presi
dent, now deceased, Mr. Pollock succeeding him as

president of the company; Bert G. Daugherty, vice
president ; and Monroe Pollock, treasurer ; and Joseph
R. Davis, secretary. Mr, Daugherty is well known
in business circles, and is vice president and a
director of the local Kiwanis Club. His religious
affiliation is with the Episcopal Church.
On August 25, 1904, Mr. Daugherty was united
in raarriage with Alice E. Elton, daughter of George
and Lydia (Rodway) Elton, and to this union there
has been born one child : Charles Randall, born in
IQIS- Stow Family. The early history of Braceville
Township, Trumbull County, is largely a record of
the Freeman, Lane, Benedict, Allen, Oviatt, Stow,
Merwin, Taft and a few other farailies, most of
whom were related by ties of marriage as well as
by community relationship.
Comfort Stow, Sr., founder of the family in the
Western Reserve, was born at Middletown, Con
necticut, June 27, 1762, son of Samuel and Lucretia
Stow. When he was a child his parents moved to
Litchfield County, Connecticut. In 1776 his father
became a teamster for the Revolutionary forces, and
Comfort at the age of fourteen also drove an ox
team for the Government and continued, that service
most of the time until 1781. At the surrender of
Cornwallis he was doing duty as a private soldier
in the State Guards of Connecticut. Thus raost of
his boyhood and early raanhood was spent in the
raidst of caraps, raarches and scenes of battle.
Septeraber 11, 1783, he raarried Rachel Goodwin,
and they traveled life's road together for about
sixty years. She died May 12, 1842, while Comfort
Stow, Sr., died July 31, 1853. They were the parents
of thirteen children and those surviving childhood
were: Betsey who married Ralph Freeraan; Lucy
who raarried Aurin Taft; Hervey who married
Lucretia Oviatt; Chester who married Cynthia
Ward; Norraan who raarried Lucy Humphrey;
Miranda who became the wife of John Freeman;
Comfort, Jr., who married Emeline Ingraham ; Lydia
who raarried Henry DaUey; Mary Ann who became
the wife of Lewis Merwin.
It was in 181 1 that Corafort Stow brought his
faraily to Ohio and settied in Braceville after a
thirty-four days' journey. He soon rallied other
merabers of the coramunity to the task of building
a schoolhouse and Congregational Church, and he
served the church as deacon until the infirmities of
age obliged him to resign.
A brother of Comfort, Sr., was Henry who also
settied m BracevUle Township, and who has a
descendant still living there in the person of Harley
Stow. Hervey Stow, son of Comfort, Sr., died at Brace
ville in 1875. He was one of the first teachers in
the old log schoolhouse of the township, and when
a Methodist class was organized in 1816 his name
was the first on the list and stood there for fifty
years. Hervey Stow was the father of Franklin
E. Stow, a man of great prominence in TrurabuU
County, who held the office of county surveyor, was
elected to the Legislature in 1851, laid out and de
veloped a beautiful rural ceraetery, gave right of
way to the first railroad through BracevUle, and

308

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

early in the Civil war raised a corapany and went
to the front as captain. He died soon after the battle
of Shiloh and was brought horae and laid to rest
in the ceraetery he had established.
Another son of Corafort, Sr., was Chester, who
becarae a farmer at Geneva, Ohio, where he died in
1865, and his sons removed West. Norman Stow
died at Braceville in 1834 at the age of thirty-eight,
and his son Chester also remained in the coraraunity
and was the father of Frank Stow still living in
BracevUle. The only survivor of the grandchildren of Comfort
Stow, Sr., is WeUs Merwin of Braceville, where he
was born November 17, 1844, son of Lewis and Mary
Ann (Stow) Merwin. Mary Ann Merwin was the
last survivor of Comfort's children and died Decem
ber 4, 1883. Her husband died about 1879, He was
born at Goshen, Connecticut, in 1804 and was brought
to Braceville soon afterwards by his father Fowler
Merwin, one of the first settlers of tbe township.
Part of the old Merwin homestead is still owned
by Wells Merwin, a mUe distant from BracevUle.
Wells Merwin had four brothers to reach mature
years : Erastus, who was a raember of the Sixth Ohio
Cavalry and died a prisoner of war at Salisbury,
North Carolina; Orange, who served in Captain
Stow's Company and also died a prisoner at Lebanon,
Kentucky ; Freeraan who spent his life on a farra
in Braceville and died when about fifty-five years
of age ; and Gilbert Merwin who was a soldier under
Captain Stow and died at Windhara, Ohio, when
about seventy years of age.
In 1874 Wells Merwin married Sophronia Hum
phrey. They had two sons, Alfred of BracevUle,
and Charles, who is manager and proprietor of the
Daily Leader at East Palestine, Charles is a gradu
ate of Mount Union College and was principal of
the Newton Falls High schools for a nuraber of
years, before going into the newspaper business,
Corafort Stow, Jr., was born May ig, 1802, and
died Noveraber 28, 1840. In i82g he married Emeline
Ingraham. He left two children, Samuel and Har
riet. The later became the wife of Judson Palmiter,
who subsequently was editor of a paper at Hart,
Michigan, and his widow continued the paper about
one year after his death.
Five children were born to Judson and Harriet
(Stow) Palraiter: Edwin S., Viola, Minnie E,, Bertie
R., and Henry J, Viola and Bertie died in infancy.
The others lived and raarried and each raised a
faraUy of chUdren. The sons like the father, for
quite a nuraber of years followed either the pub
lishing or tbe editing of newspapers in Hart, Michi
gan, after which each retired, Edwin moving to
Orange, Colorado.
Samuel Stow, son of Corafort, Jr., was born at
Braceville June 20, 1830, and died July 21, 1877. He
raarried Harriet Oviatt who was born March 30,
1832, and died July 27, 191 1. She was a raeraber of
the Oviatt family, being a daughter of Lyraan and
Lovina Oviatt, who lived on a farm a mile south of
Braceville. Samuel Stow and wife had two children,
Ida, wife of Wesley W. Parke of West Mecca,
TrurabuU County, and Orrie C. of Braceville, Ohio.
Four chUdren were born to Wesley W. and Ida
(Stow) Parke: Harriet, Julia, Alva and Elraer.

Elmer died in infancy. Harriet, wife of Guy Irwin
a farraer of West Mecca, Ohio; Julia, wife of Fred
Durst, a farmer of Champion, Ohio; Alva, a
farmer, married Edith MUlikin; all now reside on
farras in West Mecca, Ohio.
Orrie C. Stow was born April 13, i860, was edu
cated in local schools, and has spent his active career
as a farraer.
December 19, 1883, Orrie C. Stow married Louise
R. Stolz of Palmyra, Portage County, Ohio, daugh
ter of Jacob and Luise (Krause) Stolz. Her parents
were born in Wuerteraberg, Gerraany, but were mar
ried in Ohio. Her father was a shoemaker at
Palmyra where he did a large business in the '60s
and '70s, when most of the footwear for young and
old was hand raade. He died August 4, 1905, when
past eighty-one. Her raother died June 20, 1918, at
the age of seventy-four. Mrs. Louise Stow was
born January 17, 1866. She is the raother of three
chUdren : Orrie, a mechanic at Alliance who mar
ried Eva Firestone of Marlboro, Ohio; Pauline, wife
of Howard Johnson, a merchant at Vernon in 'iTrum-
buU County; and lone, a schoolgirl, at home.
Mrs. Pauline Johnson is the raother of one son,
Robert M,, born February 15, 1919.
James B, Gordon, One of the towns of Eastern
Ohio credited with the largest increase in population
in the last decade is East Youngstown. Prior to
the present century the ground covered by East
Youngstown's business houses, horaes and factories
was largely a farraing area, and the central section
of the little city was known as the old Gordon Farm,
where the family of Gordons have lived for fifty-
five years,
Araong the first men responsible for laying out
and developing the site of East Youngstown is James
B, Gordon, who was born at Youngstown in 1858,
His father, John Gordon, was born in HoUand, was
raarried in that country, and carae to .'America in
1846. The proceeds of the sale of his littie farm in
Holland he brought with hira, but lost his money
by trusting too rauch to sorae unscrupulous advisers
in this country. For four years he worked in a
lead factory at Buffalo, New A'ork, where his first
wife died, Coraing to Ohio in 1850, he found work
in the iron furnaces at Lowellville, and came to
Youngstown to do sirailar work. iHe was injured
in a furnace, and being incapacitated for further
work along that line he bought in 1864 3ij4 acres,
comprising the old Gordon Farm, now East Youngs
town. He was an active farmer the rest of his life,
and died February 6, 1883, when about seventy-six
years of age.
By his first marriage he had two chUdren, An
thony and Charles, Charles was left behind at Buf
falo when the family carae to Ohio, and was last
heard of by other raerabers of the faraily when he
enlisted in the Civil war. Anthony carae to Youngs
town and enlisted in the Union array, at first for
three raonths and then for the period of the war.
He reraained in Youngstown an honored veteran for
many years, died here, and his widow, Lennie (Lane)
Gordon, also died here.
In 1847 John Gordon married Miss Jane Gertrude
Young, a native of Holland, who lived to the age

y ^ f^c/t^

YOUXGSTO\\N AXD THE MAHONING VALLEY

309

of eighty-two, July 21, 1902. She survived her hus
band nearly twenty years ,and Jaraes B, Gordon duti-
fuUy and. faithfully fulfilled the request of his father
that he look after his raother, and he gave her all
his filial affection to the end of her life and re
mained a bachelor until a year or so after her death.
She was the raother of seven children. William,
the oldest, is still living at Marion Heights, near
the old homestead. Sarah becarae the wife of Alex
ander Treaster and died about 1905, hers being the
only death araong the children. Henrietta is the
widow of Frederick Spanglehour and lives at
"youngstown. Elizabeth G., whose husband, S. H.
Chapraan, was a veteran of the Civil war, lives at
New Bedford, Pennsylvania. John A. is a resident
of New Bedford, Mary J,, of East Youngstown,
is the widow of J, S, Maust, who died of the influ
enza, October 22, 1918,
James B. Gordon, the fourth of the children, had
good advantages in the local schools along with his
brothers and sisters, and before and after his father's
death gave dUigent attention to the handling of the
home farm, which in earlier years was noted for
its ample fruit production. About igoo James B,
(Gordon platted a part of the farm for .the site of
East "!^oungstown and built two residences. Then in
1901 he sold on a five year contract twenty-nine
acres to the East Youngstown Land and Improve
ment Company. At the end of five years the un
sold portion came back to him, and he has since
been handling that and other property. By 1918 all
of this tract was sold and also what reraained of
the old home, about 2j4 acres, which he had platted
in 1912. His own residence is at Marion Heights on
the CoitsviUe- New Bedford Road.
In 1910, to afford his wife relief from the poison
ous atmosphere of the valley, Mr. Gordon removed
to New Bedford^ Pennsylvania, where he remained
two years. There he bought a platted addition to
the resident section, and sold it out in a body. He
then bought the 2^4 acres including his present home
at East Youngstown, Mr, Gordon has spent prac
tically aU his life within five railes of his birthplace,
October 25, 1904, he raarried Almina A. Snider,
a professional nurse in the State Hospital at War
ren, Pennsylvania, She died April 14, 1912, leav
ing one son, Jaraes C. On January I, 1914, Mr.
Gordon raarried Harriet A. Jewell, of Franklin,
Venango County, Pennsylvania. She is an only
daughter of Jaraes Jewell, who was born in Western
Pennsylvania and has spent all his long life of
eighty-nine years there.
Mr, Gordon has for raany years been one of the
leaders in the republican party of his section of
Ohio, He has efficiently perforraed the duties of
nearly all the local township offices including that
of trustee. He served two terms in that office about
fifteen years ago, and after returning from New
iBedford was again called to the same responsibili
ties. He has served as a delegate to county, state
and district conventions, is still a party committee
man, and has used his influence for many construc
tive improveraents, especially good roads. Mr. Gor
don has been an outdoor man, has taken periodic
excursions for fishing and hunting, and enjoys the
companionship and friendship of many leading men
in this section of Ohio.

Edward Johnston. For several years Edward
Johnston had his place araong the industrial workers
of the Youngstown district, and since then has proved
an even greater usefulness to the coramunity in pub
lic affairs. He is the present city treasurer of
A'oungstown, and those who know his official record
and his personal character are a unit in praising him
as an efficient and popular officer and good citizen.
Mr. Johnston was born in Youngstown September
I, l885, son of Edward and Martha (McMaster)
Johnston, His parents were both natives of the
north of Ireland, where they were married, and
they came to the United States in 1877, The father
was a worker in the iron mUls, and was eraployed
in both the upper and lower Carnegie raills as a
fireman for a number of years. He and his wife
were active members of tbe Presbyterian Church.
The mother is still living at Youngstown, at the age
of sixty-eight, and the father died here in 1903, aged
fifty-one. They were the parents of nine children,
and those still living are : Elizabeth, at horae ;
Martha, wife of David Black ; Sarah C, wife of
Leonard Baker; Anna, wife of Frank Chapraan, of
Akron, Ohio ; Agnes, wife of Edward Richards ;
Henry N,, of Youngstown ; and Edward,
Edward Johnston acquired his early education in
the West Side School, At the age of fourteen he
was working in the iron raills, and about two years
later, when his father died, he became the chief
support of the faraUy. His first eraployraent was
in the Upper MUls, and later he filled various posi
tions in different mills. Finally he was an engineer
in the Ohio Works, but on January 4, igog, in tbe
performance of his duty, lost his left hand.
In the fall of the sarae year he had qualified for
a new line of service, being elected township clerk.
He held that position four years, being the last clerk
of Youngstown Township, The township lost its
identity when it was merged into the greater City
of Youngstown, At that time he became secretary
of the City Charities, serving two years, and was then
elected city treasurer. Mr. Johnston is now in his
second term and has the republican nomination for
a third term.
March 31, 1914, he married Miss Bertie Allen, a
daughter of John Allen. They are members of the
United Presbyterian Church, and he is affiliated with
the Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, Junior Order of United American Me
chanics, Knights of the Maccabees, Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks, the Fraternal Order of
Eagles and the Belraont Athletic Association.
Harry M. Stevens. Harry M, Stevens is a cos-
raopolitan citizen, but for practically thirty years has
regarded Niles as his horae. His original genius and
splendid energy have brought him wealth in nu
merous ventures, and a large share of it he has
invested in NUes and has used his raeans liberally
to promote the welfare of this city. His narne is
properly associated with the constructive business
history of Niles.
He was not born to wealth or position and achieved
success by translating ideas into action. Early in
life he was a successful book salesman. Many years
ago when baseball was coraing into its own as a

310

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY "

national pastirae, he undertook to supply the "fans'"
with refreshraents. Gradually he secured franchises
at scores of ball parks, and his stock in trade con
sisted of pop, candy, peanuts, popcorn, cigars, score
cards. Various cities of the great leagues became
his sphere of action.
His untiring energy and restless personality led
him into other commercial channels. He becarae
caterer for the big six-day bicycle race at Madison
Square Garden in New York City in l8g4. Selling
peanuts to baseball patrons raade hira rauch of his
wealth. He was the first to put straws in pop bottles.
His activities carried him from coast to coast and
frora the Great Lakes to the Gulf, In all places of
amusement his name was a famUiar one.
When Mr. Stevens first located at Niles in 1880
he was a mill worker and later removed to Colum
bus where the idea first came to him of selling score
cards to the baseball fans. As he acquired means
he invested in Niles property and is one of the largest
realty owners in that city.
Harry M. Stevens was born in London, England,
June 14, 185s, and was liberally educated in the
Repton Private School. He married Mary Wragg
of Doncaster and while living at Derby the three
oldest chUdren were born, Annie, Harold and Frank.
After coming to the United States and 'locating at
NUes in 1880, Mr. Stevens conceived one of his first
duties to take out papers as an American citizen.
Two of the children were born at Niles, WiUiam H.
and Joseph B. Of the sons all except William H.
are associated with their father in business in New
York City. Mr. Stevens has been almost a lifelong
member of the Masons and has attained the higher
degrees of that order. Mr. Stevens has never aspired
to political preferment, but has an unusual inside
knowledge of political events and is a republican
voter. Lewis Bossert, an enterprising raerchant of
Scienceville, near Youngstown, Ohio, a native of
Mahoning County, and of a family which has had
residence in the county since 1834 or 183S, is a man
of strong personality and courageous and useful
Christian service. For raany years he was a Sun
day school superintendent, has been prorainent in
Christian Endeavor work, representative of an
American body at an International Conference in
Europe, and for many years a staunch and courage
ous advocate of temperance and prohibition.
He was born in Springfield Township, Mahoning
County, Ohio, May 11, 1861, the son of John and
Sally (Welk) Bossert, He still has the company
of his mother, who now is ninety-two years old.
She was born near Baltimore, Maryland, Decem
ber 6, 1827, daughter of Anthony and Susan Welk,
who in 1834 or 1835 settied in New Middletown.
Anthony Welk was a rope raaker, and spent the
greater part of his life in such occupations, special
izing in bed cords and wash lines. He died at New.
Middletown when about sixty-seven years old. His
wife died at about the same age. One of their chil
dren, Henry Welk, is still living at New Middle-
town, where for the greater part of his life he has
been in independent mercantile business. John Bos
sert, faiher of Lewis, was born in Wurtemberg, Ger

many. He was sixteen years old when he carae to
the United States with his parents and three broth
ers and three sisters. About the tirae of the iMexi
can war his eldest brother disappeared. It was thought
he enlisted and went into Mexico with the United
States array, but nothing authentic in confirmation
of such a supposition is on record, and he was never
afterward heard frora, John and Charles Bossert,
brothers, eventually settled near New Springfield,
Ohio, where John died in 1865, at the age of forty-
two years, Charles, however, lived in that place for
alraost another fifty years, his death not occurring
until igii, when he had reached extrerae old age,
John Bossert was a skilful shoemaker, and did much
work at that trade, making high-grade boots and
shoes. About thirty-five years after his death his
son Lewis visited the horae of his father and ances
tors in Wurteraberg, Gerraany, and in the records
of the village of Muehlaker found that there were
many entries regarding people of his patronymic.
He also found that raany of the name lived in the
vicinity of that place. Of the chUdren of John
and Sally (Welk) Bossert two are still living: Flora,
who married E, M. Faust ; and Lewis, the subject
of this sketch. A brother, iHenry, died when sixteen
years old,
Lewis was reared in Springfield Township, and
in his youth, in fact, until he was nineteen years old,
he attended the public schools of that township. As
was the custom in agricultural districts in his early
days, the country school was closed during the
greater part of the growing season, so that his
schooling each year represented little raore than one
terra, that of the winter, and during the long vaca
tion each suraraer he gave his tirae raainly to the
execution of tasks upon the farra. Lewis was only
four years old when his father died, and long be
fore he had left school he felt a desire to add by
his own efforts to the family incorae. He brought
several sraall earnings to the faraily account by
work he did upon neighboring farras ; and after he
left school was for sorae tirae connected with the
raUroad. Soon, however, he took employment as
clerk in a Middletown store. In such connection
he reraained in Middletown for five years, and later
was employed in mercantile business in Akron, Ohio.
Then followed a long connection with the City of
Youngstown and with business houses of that city.
For five years he was in the eraploy of the Adams
Express Company at Youngstown, after which he
was for three years connected in a clerical capacity
with the Council Printing Company of Youngs
town, and a further three years he spent as collec
tor. Then followed five years in the office of the
Stambaugh-Thompson Company, after which he, to
an extent, retired from strenuous labors, or per
haps it would be raore in accordance with facts to
state that he was then raonetarily in a position to
follow his natural inclination and raove into the
country to live, and there to have sorae connection
with agriculture. He then bought the property
upon which he has since lived. The property ex
tends along the McGuffy Road for 1,250 feet, and
embraces several acres, upon which there is much
fruit and where Mr, Bossert has interestedly foUowed
poultry-raising hobbies. In igi6, to further occupy

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

311

his time, Mr, Bossert established the grocery busi
ness he has since conducted with good success at
SciencevUle. In that store he has shown much en
terprise and an understanding of the basic principles
of Businesslike trading. He does an honest busi
ness, and his principle of trading effects a saving
and an appreciable accommodation to the people of
the neighborhood. He is one of the reliable men of
Mahoning County, and those who know hira well
know that in certain traits his personality is strong.
In all phases of Christian and church work he has
been active for very many years. He is strongly
Evangelical, was a Sunday school superintendent
for raany years in Youngstown, and when, as one
of the results of a revival carapaign carried through
in "ifoungstown sorae years ago by the Rev. "Billy"
Sunday, the noted evangelist, a churcli was estab
lished at SciencevUle, Mr. Bossert being one of its
zealous organizers, and since its establishraent he
has served as treasurer. He has for raany years
been a prorainent advocate of teetotalisra, which
naturally brought hira rauch into recent political
movements, in their relation to the establishraent of
national prohibition. And he has been one of the
leaders of the Christian Endeavor raoveraent, at
tending the International Convention held in Lon
don in igoo as an Araerican delegate. At that
time also he traveled extensively in continental Eu
rope, spent some time at the World's Fair in Paris,
visited Switzerland -and Germany, giving rauch
thought and observation to the raanners and cus
toms of the different European peoples, and such
study bringing him to at least not a lesser opinion
of the characteristics of the American people. He
visited the home of his parents, and saw much that
was of family interest in that visit, but he returned
to America confirmed in the belief that it is a good
place in which to live.
In general political allegiance Mr. Bossert is a
republican, but on matters arising out of the much
discussed war measure he is first and foreraost a
prohibitionist. He has taken some part in general
politics, and to sorae extent has entered into con
nection with civic work in his own coramunity, hav
mg served two terms as constable.
Mr. Bossert has been twice married. His first
wife, who died childless on May 7, igi2, was Hannah
Brenner, daughter of Conrad and Catherine Bren
ner. Her mother lived in Youngstown, but her
father died when she was a chUd. Mr. Bossert's
second raarriage was soleranized on February 29,
1916, when he married Jennie Bowman, of New
York City. She was a graduate nurse of the Syden
ham Hospital, New York City, and duly registered
in Albany, New York. The marriage took place at
Cambridge Springs, and one chUd has been born to
them, a daughter, Marion Louise, now two years
old. William J. Sampson. It is signally consonant
that in this work be incorporated at least a brief re
sume of the life and labors of Williara J. Sampson,
who not only is, by both inheritance and marriage,
connected with the best known famUies of the Ma
honing Valley, but who has long been recognized
as one of the leading business raen and capitalists of

this section of Ohio. Through his loyal efforts,
Youngstown and vicinity have reaped lasting bene
fits, for his public spirit and exceptional business
capacity have been directed along lines calculated to
be for the general good. A raan of forceful in
dividuality and marked initiative power, he has been
well equipped for the larger duties of life and for
leadership in his community, while his probity of
character and his genial personality have gained for
him universal esteem and friendship in the section
of the state in which he has spent practically his
entire life.
The subject's father, John Sampson, who was de
scended from old Revolutionary war stock, was a
native of Westraoreland County, Pennsylvania, where
he was reared to manhood. Upon the discovery of
gold on the Pacific Coast, he braved the perils, dan
gers and privations of the long journey across the
plains to California, where he remained for a time.
He returned by way of the Isthraus of Panaraa, but
encountered untold hardships on the trip. During his
absence, friends and relatives had reraoved to Trura
buU County, Ohio, and here John Sampson also came,
locating in Liberty Township, where he engaged in
farming, handling live stock, lumbering and coal
mining. When Civil war threatened to disrupt the
Union, he volunteered his services and rose to the
rank of first lieutenant. He married Louisa Tabitha
Clark and they became the parents of two children.
Mr, Sarapson died in 1893, respected by all who knew
him, WUliam J, Sarapson was born in Liberty Town
ship, Trumbull County, Ohio, on December 22, 1871,
and there his early boyhood was passed. He received
his education in the public and high schools of
Youngstown, his parents having moved to this city
in order to give their children better educational
advantages. When a boy he began buying and sell
ing ponies, which he found a profitable enterprise,
and this he continued for a number of years. WhUe
thus engaged he also found employraent in the Ma
honing National Bank, but resigned that position in
order to devote his full attention to the coal business,
in which he had engaged as an operator. He has
successfully prosecuted this line of work to the
present time and has gained an enviable reputation
as one of the leaders in his line in this district. He
is now president of the Witch Hazel Coal Company,
one of the old and best known companies in Ohio.
He has been notably successful in all his business
undertakings, due to his sagacity and discrimination,
his business acumen being readily acknowledged by
his business associates.
Two noteworthy events have occurred in Mr.
Sampson's business career. During the recent World
war tht relations between coal operators and the
Government becarae somewhat strained, and in order
to bring about harmony and a complete understand
ing, the National Coal Association was organized,
and of this Mr, Sampson became a member of the
board of directors. This organization not only
effected harmony, but was able to give to the public
exact information as to the affairs theretofore under
discussion. In very recent years a new method of
raining coal has been put into operation, which is
known as the "stripping" method : that is, by gigantic

312

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

machinery the upper strata of earth is removed and
the coal is bared for operation. The Tri-State Coal
Stripping Association was organized and of this Mr.
Sampson was elected president.
PoliticaUy, Mr. Sampson is an earnest supporter of
the republican party, and for two years was a mera
ber of the Youngstown City CouncU. Aside from
his coal interests, he gives support to every means for
the advancement of the commercial, civic and moral
interests of the city. He is an active raeraber of the
Chamber of Commerce, and is a director of the First
National Bank and the Dollar Savings and Trust
Company. He is a member of the First Presbyterian
Church and, socially, is a raeraber of the Youngs
town Club and the Youngstown Country Club.
On Noveraber 8, 1895, Mr. Sarapson was raarried
to Florence Wick, daughter of the late Henry Wick.
To this union two children have been born, WUliam
J,, Jr., and Mary Wick. The beginning of iMr. Sarap-
son's career was characterized by hard work and
conscientious endeavor, and he owed his rise to no
train of fortunate incidents or fortuitous circura
stances. His success is the reward of application of
mental qualifications of high order to the affairs of
business, the corabining of keen perceptions with
raental activity that enabled hira to grasp the op
portunities that presented theraselves. This he has
done with success and, what is raore iraportant, with
honor. His integrity has been unassailable and he
has ever stood high in the esteem of all with whftra
he has had relations,
George F, Arrel, It is not always easy to dis
cover and define the hidden forces that have raoved
a life of ceaseless activity and large professional
success ; little more can be done than to note the
manifestation in the career of the individual under
consideration. In view of this fact, the life of the
distinguished lawyer, jurist and public-spirited man
of affairs whose name appears above offers a strik
ing example of well defined purpose, with the ability
to raake that purpose subserve not only his own
ends but the good of his fellow raen as well. Judge
-Arrel has long held distinctive prestige in a calling
which requires for its basis sound mentality and
intellectual discipline of a high order, and in his
chosen field of endeavor he achieved success such
as few attain, his eminent standing among the lead
ing lawyers of Ohio being duly recognized and ap
preciated not only in Youngstown, the city long hon
ored by his residence, but also throughout the north
eastern part of the state,
George F. Arrel was born on his father's farra,
about four miles southeast of Poland, Poland Town
ship, Mahoning County, Ohio, on (Dctober i, 1840.
His paternal grandfather, John Arrel, Sr,, who was
born near Chambersburg, iPranklin County, Pennsyl
vania, came to Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1800,
bringing with him his wife, who was forraerly a
Stewart, and two daughters. Six other chUdren
were born after their arrival here and all of thera
grew to raaturity. They settled in the backwoods of
what is now Poland Township, buying a 200-acre
tract frora the Connecticut Western Reserve. This
land enjoys the distinction of having remained con
tinuously in the possession of this family from that

tirae, being now owned by the subject of this sketch.
John Arrel served as a private in the War of 1812,
and his father before hira, David Arrel, served in
the War of the Revolution. John Arrel followed
farming pursuits all his life and his death occurred
on August 10, 1848. He was one of the founders
and first members of the Presbyterian Church at
Poland, where a beautiful memorial window in his
honor was placed by his grandson, George F. Arrel.
David Arrel, one of the sons of John Arrel, Sr.;
was born in Poland Township on May 6, 1803, and
his death occurred on August 6, 1888. His entire
life was passed as a farmer in Mahoning County
and there was nothing in his career worthy of special
mention. He was a man of sturdy, industrious habits,
honest in his relations with others, and enjoyed the
esteem of all who knew hira. He was raarried to
Martha Moore and to their union were born four
children, of whora the only survivor is George F.,
who is also the only survivor of the third generation
of the family in Mahoning County.
George F. Arrel was reared on the paternal farm
stead and secured his elementary education in the
coraraon schools. In September, 1859, he entered the
preparatory course at Westminster College, in Law
rence County, Pennsylvania, where he completed two
years of preparatory work and the four-years' class
ical course, being graduated in June, 1865, with the
degree of Bachelor of Arts. In 1913 his alraa mater
conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor
of Laws. In the fall of 1865 Mr. Arrel entered the
law office of Francis E. Hutchins, at Warren, Ohio,
to take up the study of law, remaining there until
the following suramer. In the fall he entered the
law department of Albany Law School at Albany,
New York, where he was graduated in the summer
of 1867. His classmate and roomraate here was
William McKinley, the lamented President. On
August 20, 1867, iMr, Arrel was admitted to the bar
at Canfield, Ohio, and immediately thereafter he
again entered the office of Mr. Hutchins in Warren,
for further study. On May 11, 1868, he opened an
office in the old Excelsior Block, in Youngstown,
and began the active practice of his profession. His
abilities were quickly recognized and in July, 1870,
he was elected city solicitor to fill a vacancy oc
casioned by the resignation of the incumbent, and
by re-elections he continued in that office until the
spring of 1878. He then resuraed his private prac
tice, but two years later in 1880, he was norainated
at a special convention called for that purpose as
coramon pleas judge, to fill the vacancy caused by
the resignation of Ezra B. Taylor, who had been
nominated for Congress to succeed Jaraes A. Gar
field, who had been nominated for President. Judge
Arrel was elected and at the regular election was
re-elected, serving until February 9, 1887, when he
again returned to the practice, in which he con
tinued until July, 1917, when he retired from aU
active professional pursuits.
As a lawyer. Judge Arrel is well informed in his
profession and faithful to his clients and the law.
His mind is strong, judicial and well balanced, im
partial and just. He possesses a rare equanimity of
temper and kindness of heart, which won for him
the sincere regard of his associates at the bar. He

.^vu^^/Jl

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

313

was an honest and fair practitioner, and took no
part in the tricks of the pettifogger, which some
times cast odium upon a profession which should
ever be one of truth and honor. His qualifications
for the bench were unquestionable, and many of the
decisions of the Common Pleas Court bear the im
press of his patient investigation and his logical
arguraent and deductions. Faultless in honor, fear
less in conduct and stainless in reputation, his career
reflects credit upon the judiciary and his career at
the bar and on the bench offers both exaraple and
inspiration. His character is the positive expression
of a strong nature. Well disciplined in mind, main
taining a vantage point from which life presented
itself in correct proportions, judicial in his attitude
towards both men and measures, simple and unosten
tatious in his self-respecting, tolerant individuality,
such a raan could not prove other than a force for
good in whatever relation of life he may have been
placed. On October i8, 1876, Judge Arrel was united in
marriage with Grace Tod, a daughter of David Tod,
governor of Ohio. To them have been born
two children : David Tod Arrel, unmarried, of
Youngstown, and Frances Maria, the wife of Donald
Parson, of Youngstown, and the raother of four
children, George Arrel, "Williara, Frances and Donald.
Politically, Judge Arrel has been a lifelong sup
porter of the republican party and during his earlier
years took an active part in its activities. WhUe a
member of no church organization, he is a firra
believer in Christianity, in its broadest sense. He
has been a citizen of high civic ideals, and has ever
manifested his liberality in connection with raeasures
and enterprises tending to advance the general wel
fare of the locality in which he lives.
Henry Young, of Sharline, Coitsville Township,
Mahoning County, Ohio, has spent the greater part
of his life in Youngstown, and has shown very pro
ductive and useful enterprise in his development of
residential suburbs contiguous to that industrial cen
ter. His operations have been extensive, and while
they have brought hira substantial financial return
have also brought much good to the work people
of Youngstown in affording thera residential oppor
tunities away frora, yet convenient to, the throbbing
business center in which they spend their workdays.
He was born in Vienna, TrurabuU County, Ohio,
on August 20, 1871, the son of George Young, who
was born in Germany, at Stuttgart, and came to
the United States in 1852, Soon afterward he carae
into Ohio, and for two years labored as a coal miner
at Vienna, Trumbull County, Ohio, later being in
Michigan for some tirae, and returning to Vienna
for a while, after which he spent two years in
Indiana, returning to Ohio and settling at Youngs
town about 1885. In that city he lived for twenty
years, for the greater part of the tirae having re
sponsible connection with the Brown-Bonnell raUl,
in the boiler shop thereof. When about sixty-four
years old he retired, and for the remainder of his
life lived with his son Henry. He died in 1905,
aged sixty-nine years, George Young for the greater
part of his life worked industriously and hard. He
might have been wealthy had he grasped some of

the oppoi tunities that carae to him. At one time
he might have bought three acres of city land for
$3,500, but he then had no idea of how rapidly
Youngstown would grow. Had he bought the three
acres he could have eventually realized an iraraense
profit on it, for the Starabaugh Building now stands
on a portion of the land, George Young was con
nected in one way and another with coal mining
for raany years. He worked underground for a
while, and later was a surface contractor, haul
ing railroad trucks to the raines. In 1852 he raar
ried at Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio, Margaret
Bonnacker, who was born in Darmstadt, Germany.
She died in Youngstown, aged seventy-two years.
Their children, in order of birth, were : Lizzie,
who married George Donie, of Terre Haute,
Indiana; Martin, who was connected with coal min
ing at Birmingham, Alabama, when he died ; George,
who died when twenty-one years old ; Isadore, now
superintendent of the playgrounds at the Ohio
Works, Youngstown, and for raany y^ears connected
with that corapany; Daniel, now connected with
coal raining in Indiana; Herraan, also in the Indiana
coal fields ; and Henry,
Henry Young spent some of his boyhood at Vienna
and part in Indiana, getting part of his public school
education in each place. He was about fifteen years
old when his parents returned from Indiana and
settled in Youngstown and for a while Henry found
employraent at eighty cents a day hauling sand for
John Baysore. He also worked for Charles Pinck
ney, forraer chef at the Tod House. With hira he
was associated in establishing a restaurant, and in
that connection had the distinction of serving the
first 15 cent meals in Youngstown. Later Henry
Young acquired the business, and for about one
year thereafter conducted it. He was for three
years manager of a hotel business on Phelps Street,
and for a further five years was raanager for an
other hotel proprietor, about which tirae he met
Rachel Kulon, who became his w-ife in i8gi. For
raore than seven years after he had raarried he was
in independent business as a restaurant and saloon
owner, his establishraent being on Hazel Street, on
the site now occupied by the Strauss-Hirshburg
Corapany. He accuraulated rauch capital during
those years of successful business, but it was a
business that he did not like, and as soon as he
saw that he could do so he severed all connection
with it. He is a raan of strong character, and
naturally a man of logical business calculation, and
during the last twenty years has made good use of
his capital. He bought in igoi a small farm, about
twelve acres, from iFrank iMedbury. His intention
had been to farm the land, but found that it was
of little use as a truck farm, in fact, the land was
barren and unproductive. But the trolley system
was avaUable and with commendable enterprise Mr.
Young converted what was a profitless prospect as
a truck farm into a very profitable undertaking as
a suburban residential section. Within five years
he trebled his original investment. After that suc
cessful venture he undertook other siraUar enter
prises in real estate and town planning. He bought
a tract of three acres near stop three of the car
line and there built a fine residence in which he

314

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

StUl resides. Then he bought the Rochow farm of
fifty-eight acres at stop twenty-nine, which he cut
into lots, having as partner in this undertaking
M. J. Roche, of Youngstown. Soon all the lots
had been sold and Mr. Young bought the Apple-
gate farra of twenty acres at Thorn Hill Avenue.
He cut the estate into sraall lots and built forty or
fifty houses thereon, planning lo sell the houses
and lots on easy-payment terms. He acquired an
adjoining ten acre plot upon which be also built
and in course of time sold the whole of the proper
ties. His next venture was in the purchase and
development of the forty-seven acres comprised in
the D. B. Stearns' farm. He organized a com
pany to exploit the land, and that corapany, which
has an office in the Dollar Bank Building, Youngs
town, is now busily engaged in selling lots and in
furthering the developraent of the tract. Next, in
partnership with M. A. Gunlefinger, an attorney of
Youngstown, Mr. Young purchased 150 acres of
land where the race track and Youngstown South
Park is located, and his enterprise has developed a
fine residential section, his acreage being now prac
tically all taken up by horaes of good size. Later
he bought the Bianka farra, a tract of garden land
at McKinley Heights at stop twenty-three, the farra
platting into "goo lots, almost the whole of which
have been sold for mill workers' homesites. Then
Mr. Young bought the two farms of Frank Mackay
on Thorn Hill Avenue, and the development of the
estate is now proceeding. He has done much specu
lative building, especially on the street named Karl,
in honor of his son, and raore than 200 farailies
are now in possession of their own horaes raainly
through the business enterprise of Mr. Young and
the easy systera devised by hira for payraent for such
homes by workpeople who, without such help, would
probably stUl be rent-paying residents in the uncon
genial atmosphere of the city. Mr. Young has very
raany friends araong those who have had real estate
dealings with hira in sorae of his raany enterprises,
his transactions generally proving to rautual advan
tage. He has done well by bis land operations,
but has al.so done satisfactorily for the hundreds
of people he has sold homes and homesites to.
Mr. Young himself has a very fine residence in
Sharline, and has taken much interest in the affairs
of the township. He is a factor of much influence
politically, and has held some of the township offices.
He was twice the choice of his party, the derao
cratic, for state representative. For four years he
was township trustee, and during that period was
instrumental in bringing about a marked improve
raent in the state of the roads ; in fact, during the
period more than 200,000 feet of road was con
structed. He participated in almost all welfare
work, and especially interested himself in educa
tional matters, and his efforts were raainly respon
sible for the establishment of a good school in the
coramunity, which now includes many excellent fami
lies and has four grocery stores, a dry goods store,
shoe store, bairdressing establishment, two markets
and a roofing shop. To Mr. Young's efforts also
must be attributed the obtaining of state consent
to change of name from Pershingtown to Sharline.
It will therefore be quite obvious that Mr. Young

is characteristically a raan of action and of sound
business sense, and that he is also a raan of good
helpful public spirit. Mr. Young was largely in
strumental in obtaining the first postoffice at Shar
line in 1920, and, as notary public, the office of
swearing in the first postmaster devolved upon him.
He also was responsible for dividing the township
into voting precincts, making it easier for the people
to poll their votes. He has the satisfaction of know
ing that directly and principally through his own
enterprise, foresight and skilful application to de
velopment work there has corae into existence a
desirable suburban section of Youngstown rapidly
developing into a self-contained coramunity, with
good school, church and roads. He is with only
one exception the oldest resident in the district of
Sharline. Mr, and Mrs. Young are the parents of three
children : Alma May, who becarae the wife of Prof.
G. C, Gast, of Colurabus, Ohio. He is profes
sor of languages at the Capital University, and
at one tirae was pastor of the Gerraan Lutheran
Church at Hubbard, They have two children, both
sons, Paul, now four years old and Bobby, four
weeks old, Karl Henry was an undergraduate at
the Ohio State University when the country was
declared to be in a state of war with Gerraany in
1917, and he held hiraself in readiness for military
service. Eventually he was selected by his draft
board, and in due course went into training in an
American camp. His superior education _ and his
previous military experience, together with good
qualities of leadership eventually gained hira admis
sion to the officers' training school at Carap Taylor,
Kentucky, He had been lieutenant-colonel of the
Cadet Corps at the Ohio State University, and prob
ably would have done well as an array officer had
there been need. The Arraistice, however, was
signed while he was still at the Carap Taylor school,
and so he was soon thereafter given honorable dis
charge frora service. He resuraed his college
course, which ultiraately, in igig, gained hira place
as graduate with the degree of raechanical engineer.
He is now chief engineer of the Rex Motor Car
Corapany, with headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio-
Marie Rachel, is a graduate of the CoitsviUe High
School, Myron H, Eckert, Araong the successful busi
ness men of Youngstown whose efforts and influence
have contributed to the material prosperity and busi
ness activity of the community, Myron H. Eckert
occupies a conspicuous place. Early in his career he
realized the fact that practical industry, wisely and
vigorously applied, never fails of success ; that the
greatest results in life are often attained by simple
ineans and the exercise of the ordinary qualities of
common sense and perseverance, consequently he has
applied himself with persevering and indefatigable
energy to the pur.suit of the business to wbich he
has devoted himself, with the inevitable result that
today he is numbered araong the leaders in his line
in Youngstown.
Myron H. Eckert is a native son of the city in
-which he now lives, and where he has spent his en
tire life, and -was born here on April 26, 1880, He

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

315

is one of three surviving children of a family of five
born to Charles E. and Rebecca (MUler) Eckert,
both of whom were born near New Middletown,
Ohio, His paternal grandfather, John Eckert, was
a native of Wurtemberg, Gerraany, and came to the
United States when about fourteen years of age,
Myron Eckert is indebted to the public schools of
Youngstown for his educational training and at the
age of fourteen years he became his father's assist
ant in the latter's raeat market, remaining so era
ployed until the death of the father. In i8g8 the
subject erabarked in the retail grocery businees,
which he conducted until igo4, when he raade a
radical change in his business, stepping frora behind
the grocery counter to an insurance desk. He is
now conducting a general insurance agency, handling
all lines of insurance, but specializing in life, accident
and liability insurance, in which he represents some
of the best companies in existence, and at the same
time he is agent for an equally responsible line of
eld-line fire insurance companies. iHe is peculiarly
weU adapted to this line of work and has built up
a large and profitable clientage throughout the Ma
honing Valley.
Fraternally, Mr. Eckert is a raember of the Free
and Accepted Masons, having attained the Knight
Templar degree in the York Rite and the thirty-
second degree in the Scottish Rite, the Ancient Ara
bic Order ¦ Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and socially is
a member of the Youngstown Club, the Youngstown
Country Club, the Automobile Club and the Charaber
of Commerce.
Mr. Eckert was married to Zula T. Conkle, of
Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, the daughter of John
Conkle, and they are the parents of two children,
Wendell C. and Zola Louise. Mr. and Mrs. Eckert
are members of the Westrainster Presbyterian
Church. They move in the best social circles of the
city and are popiilar among their acquaintances. Mr.
Eckert has consistently supported every movement
calculated to benefit the city or coraraunity and,
because of his public spirited tendency and his
splendid personal qualities he enjoys the universal
regard of all who know hira.
iRussELL E. Mason. Since the organization of the
Brier Hill Steel Company, one of the men who has
been identified with the growth and developraent of
this concern during its reraarkable period of ad
vancement, is Russell E. Mason. Mr. Mason carae
to this concern an experienced and capable raan, and
his abilities have found opportunity for developraent
in the order and sales departments, with the latter
of which he is connected at this tirae.
Mr. Mason was born at NUes, Ohio, March ig,
1876, His parents, WiUiara B. and Mary Elizabeth
(Russell) Mason, were agricultural people and the
owners of a well-cultivated and valuable property
near Niles, where the father still makes his horae.
He is a veteran of the Civil war, in which he par
ticipated as a volunteer in an Ohio Infantry Regi
ment, and is a brother of Frank H. Mason, who
was appointed by President Garfield to a consul-
generalship and served under all subsequent presi
dents until , he resigned during President Wilson's

first adrainistration. The wife of Williara B. Mason
was a native of Pennsylvania and died Christraas
Day, igi7.
Russell E, Mason is one of three children, all
living. He was reared on the home farm, adjoining
Niles, and in boyhood attended the Niles public
schools and assisted his father in the work of the
homestead. After corapleting his preliminary educa
tional training he pursued a course in a commercial
college at Youngstown, and with this training, ih
i8g5, when the interurban line was completed to
NUes, entered the service of that corapany in a
clerical capacity and continued to be eraployed by
that concern for some nine years. After the second
year of his service, Mr. Mason was made paymaster
of the line, a place which he held until igo4, and he
next entered the employ of the Araerican Steel and
Wire Corapany, at South Sharon, Pennsylvania, be
ing identified therewith untU May, igo6.
In that year Mr, Mason returned to NUes, where
he was placed in charge of the order departraent of
the Thoraas Steel Corapany, and this connection con
tinued untU the organization of the Brier Hill Steel
Corapany, at Youngstown. Mr. Mason has since
raade his home in this city and has been connected
with the office organization of the concern, first as
manager of the order department, later in the sales
departraent, and in ig20 was appointed assistant
general raanager of sales. His offices are located in
the Starabaugh Building. Mr. Mason is a raeraber
of the Youngstown Chamber of Comraerce, Youngs
town Club and Western Star Lodge No. 21, Free
and Accepted Masons, is a republican in his political
allegiance, and with Mrs. iMason belongs to the
Central Christian Church.
Mr. Mason was raarried in igo6 to Miss Mae
Turner, of Mantua, Ohio.
Edward W. Creed, proprietor of the Oaklawn
Farra at Coitsville Township, is one of the pro
gressive farraers of Mahoning County, and a mem
ber of one of its old-established faraUies. He was
born in the Village of Coitsville on May 18, 1876,
a son of John Araes Creed,
John Araes Creed was born in England on August
9, 1842, and was brought as a child to the United
States ijy his parents, William and Harriet (Ames)
Creed, the former of w-hom died when his son was
nineteen years old, but the latter lived into an ex
treme old age. They had two children : John A,
and his sister, Elizabetb, who became the wife of
Ward Kirk.
On July 12, 1866, John A, Creed was married to
Caroline Vail, a daughter of William and Elizabeth
((}ott) VaU, Mrs, Vail was born in Ireland, and
her daughter, Mrs. Creed, was born at Poland,
Ohio, November 18, 184S, to which place Mr, and
Mrs, Vail had corae prior to that date, Mrs, Creed
was reared at Coitsville, where for sorae tirae her
father conducted a blacksmithing business and later
becarae a farraer. He died when still a young
raan, but his wife survived hira for a great raany
years, John A, Creed and his wife becarae ^ the
parents of eleven children, including the following:
Susan, who died at the age of twenty-four years;
Eraraa E,, wbo raarried Frederick C, Brown, man-

316

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

ager of the East Federal Street branch of the Dol
lar Savings & Trust Company, lives at Pleasant
Grove, but prior to her marriage was a public school
teacher, having been graduated frora the Canfield
Norraal School, and her daughter, Ethel Caro
line, was graduated frora the high school course in
igig and is now a student of Oberlin College; Lot
tie, who raarried George Haskell, of .Arabridge,
Pennsylvania ; Anna J,, who is Mrs. Arthur Welch-
raan, of Warren, Ohio; Edward W., who is on the
old farm ; Grace, who died in childhood ; James J,,
who lives at Economy, Pennsylvania; George A.,
who is on a farm at Coitsville ; Flora M,, who is
Mrs, Louis Brownlee, of CoitsvUle,
During his lifetirae John A, Creed was one of the
leading raembers of the CoitsviUe Methodist Epis
copal Church, His death occurred on February 6,
iqog, and in his passing his community lost an ex
ceUent citizen, and his family a kind husband and
wise father,
Edward W. Creed was five years old when his
father moved to the farm now known as the Oak-
lawn farm, of seventy-eight acres, which is three
miles east of Youngstown, one mile west of Coits
vUle and just north of the VUlage of East Youngs
town, in the Township of CoitsvUle, and he also
owned another farra of sixty-eight acres one-half
mile distant, and these he operated together as a
dairy farm., delivering milk with wagons to the peo
ple of Youngstown. At one time he also conducted
a cheese factory and bad at least lOO cows, but al
though this was a successful business he found it
still raore profitable to concentrate on the produc
tion of raUk which he retailed. As his sons grew
to maturity John A. Creed began breeding with the
Hereford strain, importing his bulls, and he ex
hibited quite extensively at the fairs under the
narae of J. A. Creed & Sons, his produce securing
a fair share of honors. He shipped breeding ani
raals to Kansas and other western states, and ^ as
his reputation grew, began to exhibit at state fairs,
including those at Trenton, New Jersey, and other
eastern states. Edward W. Creed continues the
dairy, but is now breeding Holstein cattle, and has
about twenty head of thoroughbreds. He carries
on his business in a raethodical raanner, having ac
quired the fundaraentals of coraraercial operation
through a business college course.
In June, igoS, Edward W. Creed was united in
raarriage with Edna M. Pothour, a daughter of
David Pothour of CoitsvUle. Mrs. Creed died of
influenza in igig, after having been singularly
healthy all her life, so that h"er death seemed all the
more sad as it was so unexpected. She left two
two children, Dahl P. and Park B. Both Mr. and
Mrs. Creed early joined the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and Mrs. Creed was very active in the work
of that denomination at CoitsvUle, serving it as or
ganist and aiding in its musical features, as she was
a fine musician. She was a lady of a beautiful
Christian character and is deeply raourned both in
the church and outside of it.
George Myron Smith Warren owes rauch to the
aggressive spirit and constructive efforts of George
Myron Sraith, who is prominent both as a citizen and

as a successful real estate operator, and who has
given to Warren some of its best residential dis
tricts, known under the name of the George M.
Smitli AUotraents. He was born at Middlefield,
Geauga County, Ohio, on April 2, 1862, a son of
Reuben Z. and Harriet E. (Johnson) Smith, and is
a grandson of Russell Smith, the latter of whora was
a native of Connecticut, frora which state he came
to the Western Reserve in 1800, and settled at Bur
ton, Geauga County. The maternal grandfather.
Billions K. Johnson, a native of New York State,
settled at Burton, Geauga County, Ohio, at a very
early date. He raarried Lucy Hale, daughter of
Obed Hale, a member of the old Hale faraily of
Connecticut of which Capt. Nathan Hale was a
raember. Like that distinguished raartyr of the
American Revolution, the father of Lucy Hale served
in the struggle for American independence, from
Connecticut. Reuben Z, Smith was born in Geauga County,
Ohio, in 1824, and died there in 1907. His wife,
Harriet E. (Johnson) Smith, was born in the same
county in 1830, and died there in 191 1. The Smiths
and Hales were farming people, and Reuben 2.
Sraith was reared on the farm. When a young man
he worked on the farm owned by Judge Hitchcock,
and frora that gentleraan learned to be a good,
practical farraer and business raan, these methods
enabling hira to become later on, a successful agri
culturalist. During the war between the states, he
espoused the cause of the Union, enlisting as a
private in Corapany K, One Hundred and Seventy-
First Ohio Volunteer Infantry, a regiment raised for
lOO-day service.
George Myron Smith attended the public schools
and the old Western Reserve Seminary at West
Farmington, Trumbull County, and then taught
school for six years, or until he was married, spend
ing the summers of that period on his father's farm.
He began his business career in the manufacture of
furniture at West Farraington, and in 1887 he and
his brother-in-law, F. A. Milliken, engaged in the
retail furniture business at Warren. In 1895 Mr.
Sraith was offered the managership of-the Reads-
boro Chair Manufacturing Company at Readsboro,
Verraont, and accepting it, discharged the duties per
taining to it until igoo, but in that year he became
raanager of the Saint Albans, Verraont, Furniture
Corapany, where he remained for three years, and
then, in igo3, he returned to Warren, and erabarked
in the real estate business, which he still conducts
with very gratifying success. He has developed into
one of the largest and raost successful realty op
erators of Warren, and has displayed conspicuous
ability in expanding the bounds of the city, and in
stiraulating its growth. In association with Robert
B. Wick and Albert Brown, Mr. Sraith opened what
is known as the Golf Grounds AUotraent of forty
acres upon which over 200 houses have been buUt.
Mr. Sraith organized the Bolin Heights Land Com
pany and opened the Bolin Heights Allotment be
tween Warren and Niles which is covered with
homes. In conjunction with W. A, SraUb, he bought
land and developed what is now Orchard Court, a
fine residential section in the central part of the city.
He laid out and developed the George M. Smith

.^^r^.^-^«^^>W-

^ J^J^-tSt-^^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

317

Allotment of forty acres on Oak and Palmyra streets
on the west side of the city; and also the George
M. Smith Allotment near the offices of the Trumbull
Steel Corapany on Pine Street, and the George M.
Smith AUotraent on South Main Street. He has
divided a large nuraber of farms and forraerly did
a large farra land brokerage business in both Trum
bull and Mahoning counties.
Mr. Smith married Grace L. Wolcott, a daughter
of Orla L. Wolcott of West Farmington, Trumbull
County, Ohio. Mr. Wolcott was coraraissioner of
railways and telegraphs of the State of Ohio under
the administration of Gov. William Allen ; he served
as auditor of Trumbull County, and was cashier of
the Western Reserve Bank of Warren for many
years previous to the time of his death.' The children
of Mr. and Mrs. Smith are as follows : Howard
Wolcott, and Martha Kibbee, the latter now being
Mrs, John C. Hicks of Cleveland, Ohio. Howard
Wolcott Smith was educated in the public schools
and Wooster University, and after corapleting his
studies, entered newspaper work as reporter for the
Cleveland Plain Dealer, and later becarae city editor
of the Cleveland Press. During the World war he
was a captain in the adjutant-general's departraent,
and at the close of the war in iMarch, 1919, accepted
a position as general office raanager for Montgoraery
Ward & Corapany of Chicago, Illinois. He raarried
Mabel Atterholt of Youngstown, Ohio, and they have
one son, Howard Wolcott Smith, Jr,
In aU of his realty operations Mr. Smith has been
inspired with the idea of providing comfortable,
sanitary and raodern homes for the people of War
ren at reasonable prices, thus encouraging thera to
invest their raoney in their own homes rather than
to pay rent, knowing full well that nothing gives
more stabUity to a coramunity than an increase of
home owners.
John Carlysle Cratsley, Since he left school in
Warren John Carlysle Cratsley has continuously been
identified with sorae phase of the financial life of the
city. For about four years he was in the office of
city treasurer and then elected county treasurer of
Trumbull County, serving four years, and since leav
ing office he has been secretary-treasurer of the
Union Savings & Trust Company.
Mr. Cratsley was born on a farm in Howland
Township, Trumbull County, Deceraber 2, 1883. His
great-grandfather Jacob Cratsley established the
family in the Western Reserve of Ohio in 1835,
coming here frora New York. The journey was
made with wagon and ox cart, and frora his set
tlement in Brookfield Township until his death he was
identified with farming. John C. Cratsley was born
in New York State in 1829 and was six years of age
when he came to the Mahoning Valley. He was
reared in Brookfield, afterwards raoved to Howland,
and in 1870 to Warren, where he lived retired for
many years until his death at a venerable age on
Jnne 24, 1916. He raarried Mary Love, who died at
Warren in 1899.
Albert Buell Cratsley, father of the Warren
banker, was born on a farra in Brookfield Township
in 1859, and raarried Lattie H. Hearst, who was
born in Braceville Township in 1858. Her parents

John and Sarah (Craig) Hearst were natives of
Scotland, carae to Araerica in 1821, and proceeded
directly to Warren by way of Pittsburgh. They
acquired a tract of Government land in BracevUle
Township and lived there until their death. In 1872
Albert B. Cratsley moved to Warren, and at one
tirae was identified with the King Furniture Com
pany, later with the Warren City Tank and BoUer
Company, and at present is in the office of the county
trea.surer. John Carlysle Cratsley was educated in the public
schools of Warren, graduating frora the high school
with the class of igo2. Since then in a period of
eighteen years he has perforraed a large araount of
valuable and gratifying service. Frora high school
he entered the Second National Bank of Warren as
bookkeeper and reraained with that institution until
1909. He was elected that year on the republican
ticket as city treasurer, and was re-elected in 191 1.
elected in 1913 and re-elected in igi5. Mr. Cratsley
in igi7 became secretary and treasurer of the Union
Savings & Trust Company, one of the most sub-
At the close of his second term he entered upon
his duties as county treasurer, to which he was
stantial financial organizations of Trumbull County.
He has other interests in a business way at Warren,
is a raember of the Warren Board of Trade, the
Rotary Club, the Buckeye Club, the Masonic Club and
the Elks Club, In Masonry he is affiliated with Old
Erie Lodge No. 3, Free and .Accepted Masons, War
ren Coraraandery of the Knights Teraplar, and Al
Koran of the Mystic Shrine at Cleveland. He is a
raeraber of the First Presbyterian Church.
October 23, igo7, Mr. Cratsley married Miss Caro
lyn E. Kneeland, daughter of Edward S, and Minnie
fl. (Harmon) Kneeland. They have one son,
Edward Kneeland Cratsley, born September 10, igi4.
William M, McC.\rtney, No more excellent
work can be accomplished from a constructive stand
point by anyone than that which is done by those
who give to a section a new coraraunity. Such an
undertaking requires the utraost confidence in the
future of a locality, a foresightedness which raakes
possible the balancing of probabilities, and a keen
judgraent which allows for accidental occurrences
that may have an untoward influence upon the
developraent of the new undertaking. Contrary to
a prevalent opinion, few if any new enterprises
that reach ultiraate success are launched with an
utter disregard of surrounding conditions. Many
believe that those who reach the highest positions
of affluence are those who risk all without due
thought as to the outcorae, but this is not true.
The successful man carefully plans out each step,
and knows exactly what the results wUl be. To do
this offhand would not be possible, for it takes
ability, knowledge of conditions and far-sighted
judgraent to so adjust matters as to insure success
and avoid failure. The name of McCartney has
long been associated with one of the valuable rural
properties lying adjacent to East Youngstown, and
it is now being more prominently brought before
the public in connection witb the desirable McCart
ney addition to this coraraunity, which the McCart
ney brothers are developing under the name of the

318

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

McCartney Realty Company, of which James M,
McCartney is president and Williara M, McCart
ney, raanager. The former is a member of the
Real Estate Board and the latter a raember of the
Charaber of Commerce,
The birth of William M, McCartney occurred
on the farm he is assisting in platting and subdi
viding November 12, 1866, and on it he was reared.
During his youth he attended the Rayen High School
of A'oun-gstown, the alma mater of so raany of
the young people of this region, and then taught
school at Thorn HUl, Ohio, for a year. He then
ei*tered the Rensselaer Polyrtechnic Institute of
Troy, New York, frora which he was graduated in
i8g4 with the degree of civU engineer. Shortly
thereafter Mr, McCartney was eraployed by the
Sanitary District of Chicago on the construction
of the Drainage Canal, and reraained with it for
fourteen years, rising to be assistant engineer. He
was then eraployed by different railroads on con
struction work, and in igi4 his services were se
cured by the City of Youngstown for the construc
tion of the Milton dara and reservoir, which he
corapleted on December 31, igi7, Mr, McCartney
then went with the McDonald plant of the Carnegie
Steel Corapany, and was there until he and his
brother became irapressed with the iraportance of
the housing problera, and they decided to plat and
develop the faraily farm and make of it an addi
tion to Youngstown, This farm lies on the hill
along the Coitsville and McCartney roads, and is
well adapted to becorae a desirable residence dis
trict. Several corafortable residences, including that
of Mr, McCartney, have already been erected and
as soon as the streets are opened and improveraents
begun, others wUl speedily follow. Mr, iMcCartney's
house is near the one in which he was born, tbat
now shelters his mother and brother.
While attending the institute at Troy, New York,
Mr, McCartney raet Miss Carrie A, Jones, whom
he later married, and they have one daughter, Ger
trude Elizabeth, Mr, McCartney's tirpe has been
occupied with his professional duties alraost to the
exclusion of outside interests, so he has not de
veloped a political or fraternal record, but he is
intelligently awake to the iraportance of civic im
provements and glad to support those which are
practical. He is a Mason, having gone through the
York Rite and is a meraber of Al Koran Temple,
Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine,
of Cleveland, Ohio.
The McCartney brothers are associated with others
in the development of a sumraer resort and amuse
raent park at Milton Lake, known as Craig Land
ing, Title to this property, as shown by the ab
stract, dates back to a King George grant,
Jaraes M, McCartney was born in Coitsville Town
ship. He has lived on the old horaestead frora
boyhood until recently. He was associated with his
father in the dairying work, and later carried on
the business for hiraself several years. At present
he is president of the McCartney Realty Corapany
and also president of the Craig Beach Realty Cora
pany, For a nuraber of years he was president of
the East Youngstown School Board, and has always
been active in everything pertaining to the good of
the community.

He married Laura B, Wilson of Coitsville Town
ship and they had one chUd, which died in infancy.
Mr, McCartney is a member of the Independent
Order of Odd FeUows, and is also a raeraber of the
Youngstown Real Estate Board,
John Masters, president of the Trumbull Savings
& Loan Company, and one of the oldest raerchants
of Warren, was born in Soraersetshire, England, on
Noveraber 3, 1841, a son of Charles and Ann (Stev
ens) Masters. The faraily carae to the United
States in 1856 and that same year located on a farm
in Warren Township, Trumbull County, where the
parents spent the balance of their days.
John iMasters was reared on that farm and at
tended the district schools. He was stUl on the home
farra when war was declared between the two sec
tions, and he tried to enlist in response to President
Lincoln's first call, but was refused on account of
his youth. But when the second call carae, although
then but twenty years old, he volunteered and was
accepted, and enlisted in Company C, Nineteenth Ohio
Volunteer Infantry for three years. He served with
the Array of the Curaberland and was wounded at
Shiloh and again at Chickaraauga, both wounds send
ing hira to the hospital, but in both instances he re
covered, served out his enlistraent and received his
honorable discharge.
After the close of the war he returned to the
farm, where he remained -until 1868 when he em
barked in a retail grocery business at Warren. Later
he took -his brother Enoch H. Masters into partner
ship, the business then being operated under the cap
tion of Masters Brothers. This concern was incor
porated in igo2, with John Masters as president, the
narae remaining as before. The business so in
creased that still later the Masters-Dougherty Com
pany was organized to take over and operate the
several stores now owned by the new corporation,
of which John Masters continued the head until
1914, when he resigned in favor of his brother,
Enoch H, Masters, who has since held that office,
John Masters was one of the organizers of the
Trumbull Building & Loan Association, and has been
since identified with it, under its old narae and its
present one of the Trumbull Savings & Loan Com
pany; he has been its president for sorae years. He
is also a director in the Union Savings & Trust Com
pany, a director in the TrurabuU Banking Company
of Girard, Ohio, and a director of the Warren Hard
ware Company. In all of his undertakings Mr.
Masters has displayed the same willingness to do
good work of all kinds steadfastly, devotedly and
thoughtfully, and his progress has been tbe normal
result of righteous business methods.
Mr, Ma.sters is a charter meraber of Bell-Harman
Post No, 36, Grand Array of the Republic, in which
he has filled the majority of the offices, including
those of treasurer and adjutant, and he also belongs
to the Warren Lodge, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, In the First Methodist Episcopal Church of
Warren he finds his religious home, and he is serving
it very faithfully as trustee.
On October i, 1868, Mr, Masters was united in
raarriage with Laura T. Wilson, a daughter of
James and Nancy (Welty) Wilson, of Warren

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

319

Township, TrurabuU County, Ohio. Jaraes Wilson
was born at Youngstown, Ohio, and his wife was a
native of Maryland. Mrs. Masters was born in
Warren Township, where her parents both died. Mr,
and Mrs. Masters became the parents of the follow
ing chUdren : Welty J., who is secretary and treas
urer of the Warren Hardware Corapany, married
NeUie Schook; Frederick, who was second in order
of birth; Charles H,, who is manager of the "Mas
ters" store owned by the Masters-Dougherty Com
pany; Mary B., who married Ralph Lathrop, is now
a widow; and Jessie, who is a resident of "Washing
ton City, District of Columbia.
Raymond J. Kaylor was born at Ebensburg, Penn
sylvania, April i6, 1870. His parents, James J. and
Cecelia (Burke) Kaylor, were both descended from
colonial stock, the original progenitor in America on
his father's side having been Peter Koehler, who
came to this country from Germany during the
Revolution, and joined the Continental army, serv
ing with credit to the end of the war, and the moth
er's famUy having sprung frora John Francis Burke,
who came to America from Ireland in 1784.
He was reared on a farm, attended the coraraon
schools, St. Francis' College and St. Vincent's Col
lege, graduating frora the latter institution. He
learned the trade of a printer, purchased a small
paper at Hastings, Pennsylvania, and edited this for
five years, serving as postmaster at the same time. In
1898 he established a county-seat weekly at Ebens
burg, Pennsylvania, conducting this until 1903, when
he became associated with others in the establish
ment of a morning paper at Johnstown, Pennsyl
vania, which he edited for seven years. In 1910,
having disposed of his interests at Johnstown, he
became editor and general manager of an afternoon
paper at Altoona, Pennsylvania, continuing in this
capacity until the publication was sold and then, in
1914, becoming industrial editor of the Youngstown
Telegrara. In igi5 he became manager of publicity
for the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company. With
his wife, who was Ellen Francis Adaras, of Carroll-
town, Pennsylvania, and their three children, Gordon
M,, Madeline F, and Catharine Elizabeth, he resides
at 781 Bryson Street, Youngstown,
Charles R, Holeton, Sr, While the people of
NUes know Charles R. Holeton, Sr., chiefly as a
steady, reliable raerchant, a good business raan and
equally good citizen, his life has been in fact one of
more than ordinary variety and interspersed with
many experiences such as satisfy raen of adventurous
disposition. He was a Union soldier during the
Civil war and as a cowboy he saw much of the old
West during its days of romance and adventure,
Mr, Holeton was born at Poland, Mahoning Coun
ty, Ohio, Septeraber ig, 1845. His father, Richard
S, Holeton, a native of New Jersey, was a mill
wright by trade. As a young man he carae 'West
and was identified with the pioneer coraraunities of
the Western Reserve. For a tirae he worked at
.f.""^.' ''"' as there was not steady occupation for a
miUwright he also secured eraployraent in a clock
factory. The clocks raade at this factory were alto
gether of wood, even wooden wheels. Later moving
to Poland, he married Mary A. Miller, and frora
Vol. n— 21

there went to Detroit, where he remained until about
1836. Then returning to Poland, he remained in that
coramunity for a number of years, and about 1858
went to work for Jaraes Ward at NUes. The family
did not take up their residence at Niles untU about
i860. Richard S. Holeton continued to make Niles
his horae and was one of the early councilmen of the
city. He was active in politics, a capable speaker
and a man of rauch influence. iHe died January 30,
1870, and his widow, on June 20, 1884, Of their eight
children only four are now living. They were raem
bers of the Methodist Church.
Charles R. Holeton, Sr,, who was the sixth araong
the eight children, grew up at Poland, attended the
Union School there, and attended school one winter
after going to Niles, and was also a student of
Mary McKinley, sister of President McKinley, when
she taught school at Struthers. He was apprenticed
as a wagon maker, and was offered $75 and board
for the three years. The apprenticeship was never
finished, since the Civil war had begun, and in May,
1862, iMr. Holeton enlisted in Company D of the
Eighty-Eighth Ohio Infantry. He was trained at
Camp Chase, was at GaUipolis for a time, and then in
the Kanawha Valley of West Virginia. He had en
listed for three months, and served four months, and
with the expiration of that term he re-enlisted in
Company A of the Eighty-Sixth Ohio Infantry, com
posed mostly of Youngstown recruits. From Camp
Chase they were detailed alraost iraraediately to
check Morgan's raid through Ohio, Mr, Holeton par
ticipated in the capture of that enterprising southern
general. He was also in sorae of the operations in
Kentucky and was with the troops that took Cumber
land Gap, returning thence to Lexington with 3,000
prisoners. He again marched back to Curaberland
Gap, and soon afterward his terra of enlistraent of
eight months expired and he was discharged in
February, 1864. . Subsequently when the Horae
Guards were called out he served with that organ
ization 100 days, and was ordered into Kentucky
again for the purpose of checking Morgan, At
Cynthiana on June 11, 1864, he was one of the Fed
eral troops captured, but after a few days they were
paroled and that ended his railitary career. Mr.
Holeton was the youngest of four brothers who were
Union soldiers.
After going back to Niles he soon went West to
Missouri, and for about twenty months was - em
ployed at Moselle, that state, operating an engine in
a charcoal furnace for Joseph A, Brown & Company
of A'oungstown, From Missouri Mr. Holeton went
on to Kansas, and there began his experience as a
cowboy. He helped traU a number of herds of
cattle from Fort Hays to Abilene, and' be rode the
range for several years and was on many famous
cattle trails both north and southwest. His work
as a cowboy took him to Montana, where he helped
drive a bunch of cattle, being over four months en
route. Nearly all the district over which he worked
and rode was then the domain of the 'cattle outfits,
their only rivals being the herds of buffalo and the
wild Indians.
Frora the northwest Mr, Holeton went on to St.
Paul and soon' returned to Niles. Once raore in
Eastern Ohio, he took up the Work of carpenter, and
in the faU of 1871 again left horae and for nearly

320

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

two years had an active experience in the lumber
woods of Wisconsin. He then resumed his carpenter
work at Niles untU 1875, and for thirteen years and
two months was with the Erie Railroad Corapany as
carpenter foreman and bridge inspector. Mr. Hole-
ton then bought a half interest in a furniture store
at Niles, and that business has given him his chief
occupation ever since. He is a republican and a
Methodist, and for about twelve years past has
served as trustee of Weathersfield Township. In
1880 he married Clara M. Hardraan. They are the
parents of five chUdren : Don J., who has been asso
ciated with his father since igo2; lona, wife of
Claude Thoraas ; May, wife of Wilbur Mines ;
Charles R. ; and Nellie, assistant librarian of the
McKinley iMeraorial Library. The son, Charles R.,
was a first lieutenant and brevet captain in Company
H of the Three Hundred and Thirty-First Regiraent,
and has to his credit twenty-one raonths of service
with the colors. For eight months of that time he
was with his regiraent in France. After corapleting
his military service he took a course at the Cincin
nati Embalming School. The father has turned his
interest in the furniture and undertaking business
over to his sons, both of whom are licensed em
balmers. At the time of his retirement he had been
engaged in the furniture and undertaking business
for a period of thirty years.
David Hammond Stewart since igi6 has been
a retired resident of Struthers, but is still interested
with his two brothers in the ownership of a farm
half a mUe east of Poland VUlage, Mr. Stewart
had a distinctive place in Mahoning County agri
culture and for years was widely known as "the
peach man," having developed a large part of his
farm as a peach orchard. At one time he had
700 bearing trees. Due to his skill and constant
care the industry proved a profitable one until a
comparatively recent date, when as a result of the
establishraent and increase of the big industrial
plants, the atraosphere becarae so polluted with
sraoke and gasses that peach trees suffered the
blight which has afflicted rauch other vegetable
growth in this industrial district,
Mr. Stewart represents the fifth generation of
his branch of the Stewart faraily in Araerica. His
recorded ancestry runs back to John Stewart, a
Scotch covenanter who for religious reasons fled
from Scotland to County Down, Ireland in 1665.
He died in 1720. His son Robert was born at
Glasgow, Scotland, in 1665, and died in Ireland in
1730. The next generation was represented by
Samuel, who was born near Glasgow in 1698, and
iu 1735 with his brother Hugh came to America
and settled in a Scotch-Irish colony in Lancaster
County, Pennsylvania, where Samuel Stewart died
in 1770. Robert Stewart, son of Sarauel, was born
in Ireland in 1732 and about 1765 raoved to Adaras
County, Pennsylvania, He married a cousin, Sarah
Stewart, and died in Adams County in 181 1.
James Stewart, a son of Robert and Sarah Ste
wart, was born in Pennsylvania, October 27, 1768,
and in 1802, with his brotli,er John, c<vme to Mahon
ing County and each bought 374 acres in Coitsville
Township, He settled on this land with his faraily

in 1803, and in the raidst of the woods built a log
cabin, which was still standing more than a century
later. He was twice married. His first wife was
a cousin, Jean Smiley, who died in Coitsville Town
ship, She was the mother of six children. His sec
ond wife was Jean Buchanan, who died in 1871.
Alexander Stewart was the thirteenth child of
Jaraes Stewart and was born in Coitsville Town
ship, September 3, 1825, He married Mary Ham
raond, daughter of John and Margaret (iNeilson)
Hararaond, They lived on the old Stewart farm
in CoitsvUle Township until 1863, when they sold
that property and moved to Poland, where Alexan
der Stewart died December 14, 1903.
Mrs, Mary Haramond Stewart was born March I,
1830, in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and is
now living at the home of her youngest son, W, H,
Stewart, of Poland. Although in her nintieth year
she is still active and takes an interest in aU family
and home affairs.
David Hamraond Stewart was born at Thorn Hill
in Coitsville Township, in the house buUt by his
grandfather, Jaraes Stewart, and was about a year
old when his parents moved to Poland Township.
He grew up on the farm now occupied by his broth
er Jaraes and was educated in the public schools
of Poland and the Poland Union Seminary. Apart
from his successful labors as a horticulturist Mr,
Stewart has always raanifested a keen interest in
the welfare. of his community. In politics he is a
stanch republican and for many years has been a
lirorainent raeraber and an elder in the United Pres-
Ijyterian Church at Struthers. This church now
has about 600 merabers, and its edifice was erected
in 1914. Mr. Stewart served as a delegate to the
general asserably of the church at Loveland,
Colorado, in igi5.
June 30, 1886, Mr. Stewart raarried Sarah Fran
ces Giesy, daughter of Jacob H, and Julia Ann
(Wolf) Giesy, Mrs. Stewart was reared and edu
cated in Fairfield County, Ohio. She died at the
old home June 23, igi4. Mrs, Stewart took a very
keen interest in the annals and records of the Ste
wart family, and was a diligent collaborator with
H. T. Stewart and Miss Alice Caroline Stewart in
preparing the exhaustive Stewart genealogy which
was published in igoo. For many years she kept up
with the various changes in the faraily relationship.
In 1905 she acted as a delegate to the National
Missionary Society of the United Presbyterian
Church, at Albany, Oregon, and while in the North
west she accidentally met a Mrs, Stewart, a repre
sentative of a branch of the Stewart family of
Mahoning County which she had made a strenu
ous effort to trace. This chance acquaintance gave
her much valjiable assistance and raany facts that
appear in the published Stewart genealogy, Mr.
and Mrs, Stewart had two daughters. Bertha Mi-
nctta and Mary Edna, the former born January
25, 1889, and tbe latter January 5, 1893. The for
mer was liberally educated in the Poland Seminary
and Poland High School, in Wilmington College m
Pennsylvania, and was first married to Edward Ark
wright and is now the wife of A. E. WiUiams of
Struthers, The second daughter, Mary Edna, was
raarried on Septeraber 30, 1916, to James Morgan,

e<4>. /H ^Ju4r^^'

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

321

She was a graduate of the Poland High School
and worked with the charity organizations in
Youngstown with Mr. J, M. Hanson for several
years. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan live at Youngstown and
he is secretary and treasurer of the Campbell Brothers
Company there. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have one
daughter, Mary Edna, born February 23, 1919. Mrs.
Morgan is secretary of the Stewart Family Re
union, which takes place the last Wednesday in
each August, and serves as a raeans of bringing
together the large direct and collateral representa
tives of the Stewart descendants in the line briefly
traced above.
Henry C, Davis, who is superintendent of the
Thomas and Empire Works of the Brier Hill Steel
Company at NUes, has had a personal career that
offers an inspiration for those who begin life on
a humble plane and must depend upon their own
energies and ambitions to rise in the world.
Mr. Davis, who at one time was a boy helper in a
'coal raine in the Mahoning Valley, was born at
Mineral Ridge, Ohio, July 14, 1867. His father,
John Davis, was a native of Wales, and as he grew
to manhood learned the trade of tailor. He married
Mary iHarris. Both of them had relatives in the
United States, and in 1865 they also came lo this
country, locating first at Niles and then moving to
Mineral Ridge. John Davis followed his trade as
a tailor untU his death in 1868. His widow subse
quently became the wife of Abel Williams and lived
until July, 1916.
The only chUd of his parents, Henry C. Davis
lived at Mineral Ridge to the age of nineteen. He
had only brief and limited opportunities to attend
the public schools, and between the age of eleven
and twelve he was employed as a helper to his step
father in the coal mines. Thereafter his work was
in and around the coal mines of that district until
past the age of eighteen, when he sought something
better and became a puddler's helper in the old
Brown-Bonnell plant at Youngstown. For over thirty
years he has been actively identified with various iron
and steel industries of the Mahoning Valley. After
two and a half years at Youngstown he moved to
Niles, worked for the old Falcon Iron and Nail Com
pany, at first as a puddler's helper, then as a puddler,
and with the completion of the tin mUl in 1892 be
came screw boy in the latter plant, then catcher
and finaUy rougher. In April, 1905, returning to
Niles, Mr. Davis becarae timekeeper and yard clerk
for the Niles Iron and Steel Company, subsequently
the Thomas Steel Company. In 1907 he became
superintendent of the hot mill department, and when
the plant was raerged with the Brier HUl Steel Cora
pany in 1912 he reraained with the larger organiza
tion as general superintendent of the works. In
January, 1916, additional responsibUities were given
him as superintendent of the Erapire Works in the
same corporation. Thus for several years past he
has had the arduous duties of directing a large force
¦ of workraen and in two of the leading plants at
Niles. In 1889 he raarried Miss Margaret Edwards, a
daughter of Edward G. Edwards, an old tirae resi
dent of iMineral Ridge. They have two children.

Myron E. and Josephine. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are
raerabers of the Christian Church.
The son Myron had an interesting raUitary experi
ence. He was an orderly sergeant in the Ordnance
Department of the American Expeditionary Forces
and saw some active duty along the Moselle River.
In AprU, 1919, by permission of the United States
Government, he was permitted to enter Oxford Uni
versity, England, while still in the uniforra of an
Araerican soldier. In June, 1919, he was granted an
honorable discharge, and after returning to the
United States entered for his final year the Harvard
Law School.
John Howard Rosensteel, who for a nuraber of
years past has been successfully engaged at Niles in
the general insurance, fidelity and surety bond busi
ness, is also active in local affairs, is present city
treasurer, and has identified hiraself with a nuraber
of moveraents looking toward the general progress
of this coraraunity.
Mr. Rosensteel was born in Allegheny County,
Pennsylvania, on the banks of the Ohio River, oppo
site Neville's Station, Deceraber 16, 1877. His father
was the late Jacob S. Rosensteel, who spent his last
years in Niles. He was a Pennsylvanian by birth and
a blacksraith by trade, and raade an honorable record
as a Union soldier during the Civil war. Jacob S.
Rosensteel enlisted January 6, 1862, and was honor
ably discharged from that enlistment January 31,
1864, at camp near Stroudsburg, Virginia. He re-
enlisted February I, 1864, and was finally discharged
at Pittsburgh, June 26, 1865. He was a member of
Battery F, known as Hampton's Battery, an organ
ization still kept up. This was a part of the Penn
sylvania Light Artillery. As a private Jacob Rosen
steel saw active service at Gettysburg, Chaneellors
ville, Cedar Creek, second battle of Bull Run, second
battle of Winchester, Antietam, Sulphur Springs and
Mine Run and in many minor engagements. About
twenty years after the close of the war, in 1885, he
moved to Colurabiana County, Ohio, and bought a
farm including a grist and saw mill. The grist mill
was operated by water power and with stone buhrs
for grinding. As an institution it was widely known
in that locality as Gaston's MUl. He operated the
farm and raUl for about eight years, when he re
turned to Pennsylvania and located at New Brighton,
and in 1895 removed to Niles. In this city he had
charge of the forging department of the Niles Mine
and MUl Supply Company during its existence, and
afterwards was with the NUes Forge & Manufac
turing Corapany in the same capacity, and was so
eraployed at the tirae of his death. For about two
years he was siraUarly engaged at Caldwell, but was
a resident of NUes upwards of twenty years and died
in that city in April, 1914. His first wife was Mary
Glancy, who left hira a son and daughter. By his
second marriage with Margaret C. Black he had one
son, John Howard.
John Howard Rosensteel has been raaking his own
way in the world since he was about sixteen years
of age. Most of his education was acquired in the
public schools of Colurabiana County and at New
Brighton, Pennsylvania. His early arabitions led him
to the study of dentistry, but the confining nature

322

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

of that profession did not appeal to hira. While
visiting his parents at Niles he found eraployraent
with the Niles Fire Brick Corapany, and reraained
with that concern for seven and a half years. For
about four years following he was eraployed in a
clerical capacity in the W. A. Thoraas Sheet Mill.
Mr. Rosensteel has been engaged in his present
business since 1911.
He was elected city treasurer of Niles in igis and
is now serving his third term in that office. For
several years he was secretary of the old Niles
Board of Trade, is a present raeraber of the NUes
Charaber of Coraraerce, and during the World war,
1917-18, served as chairman of the Niles City Food
Administration Coraraittee. He is a meraber of the
Christian Church.
Septeraber 4, 1901, he married Miss Evelyn A.
Harris, daughter of Henry J. Harris, of NUes, and
a granddaughter of James Harris, who bulk one of
the first sheet raUls in Niles.
Otis E. Hawk. Improvement and progress may
well be said to form the keynote of the character
of Otis E. Hawk, a well-known business man of
Youngstown and one of the Mahoning Valley's rep
resentative citizens. He has not only been interested
m the advancement of individual affairs, but his
influence has been felt in a very definite way in
the upbuilding of the coramunity now honored by
his citizenship. The prosperity which he enjoys is
the legitimate result of energy rightly applied and
has been won by comraendable qualities,
Otis E, Hawk, who has been actively identified
with the business interests of Youngstown since
igo3, was born on June 18, 1881, on what is now
a part of Kansas City, Missouri. He is a son of
Adara and Margaret (Wilkinson) Hawk, who when
he was about two years of age raoved to "West "Vir
ginia, where both parents died. The father, who
was a man of splendid qualities of character, was
an officer in the Union array during the Civil war,
Otis E. Hawk was reared to raanhood in West "Vir
ginia, and received his educational training in the
public schools, being a graduate of the high school
at Ravenswood. At the age of eighteen years he
becarae an agent for life insurance and subsequently
engaged in the real estate business at East Liver
pool and Colurabus, Ohio, He was fairly success
ful in his efforts, but not being entirely satisfied as
to location he canvassed practically all sections of
the Middle West. In igo3 he located in Youngs
town, Ohio, with which city he has ever since been
identified. Possessed of keen foresight, he had a
vision of a larger Youngstown and accordingly
raade judicious purchases of land, buying extensive
tracts of eligible building lots. The great demand
for homes araong the working classes led to his
erabarking in the building of horaes on his land,
disposing of the properties on the partial payraent
plan. The scherae proved so practical and popu
lar that the business rapidly grew to dimensions
fhat rendered it expedient to buy a lumber yard,
which not only supplied his own requireraents, but
also became an enterprise of public accoraraodation.
Finally the Iron City Lumber Company, organized
in igii, becarae the progenitor of the Union Whole

sale Luraber Corapany, organized in igi6, and which
is now doing an annual business of over $3,000,000.
W. H. Palmer at this tirae becarae a partner in the
business and O. E, Hawk & Corapany becarae the
Hawk-Palmer Company, Mr. Hawk is president of
the Hawk-Palmer (Company and the Iron City Lum
ber Corapany and is a director of the Union Whole
sale Lumber Company. He was the pioneer in this
locality in the selling of homes on the monthly-pay
ment plan, and his efforts in that line have probably
contributed more than any other one thing to the
civic and municipal welfare of Youngstown. He
has built and sold over 3,000 horaes, and it is note
worthy that of the buyers of these homes over
go per cent still retain their horaes. Because of
his extensive experience and splendid success in
the housing proposition Mr, Hawk -was requested
to give the Araerican Red Cross the benefit of his
knowledge and experience, and he served at Wash
ington, D. C, without pay, frora June i, igi8, to
February i, igig. He is a raeraber of the Youngs
town Real Estate Board, the Youngstown Chamber
of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States and the Youngstown Rotary Club,
Mr, Hawk was raarried in June 12, igi2, to Myrtle
D. Young, whose parents were pioneer settlers of
Youngstown, Mr, and Mrs, Hawk have an adopted
daughter, Elizabeth, Although straight-forward and
unostentatious, and a man who delights in keeping
the even tenor of his way so far as is consistent
with good citizenship, he has raade his influence felt
among those with whora he has mingled, and_ be
cause of his genuine worth and kindly disposition
he is well liked by all who know him.
John L. McDermott is one of the well known
citizens of Niles and of TrurabuU County, has played
a prorainent part in politics, for a decade, and is a
successful contractor.
Mr, McDermott was born at NUes, October 12,
1872. His father, the late Charles McDerraott, was
born in County Cavan, Ireland. He lived in Ireland
until i860 and tben and always was an ardent Irish
patriot, was deeply irapressed by the hardships and
bitter experiences of his life in that country, with
its political and other liraitations, and it was to
escape these conditions that he immigrated to Amer
ica, Partly due to his father's influence John L.
McDermott, though a native Araerican, and proud of
the fact, has always been deeply concerned with Ire
land's welfare and is an incorrigible believer in the
strength and validity of Ireland's cause for liberty.
Charles McDermott was an iron maker by trade.
On coining to this country he located at Philadelphia,
and soon afterward enlisted in the United States
Navy. He gave three years and eight months of
devoted service to the Union cause and was assigned
to the ship of war Worcester. After his honorable
discharge he worked in the iron mills of Phoenix
for a tiriie, and toward the close of 1866 came to
Niles, Ohio. For raany years he was an eraploye of
the old Ward mill and the old Falcon Iron & Nail
Company as a puddler, and died in Niles honored and
respected in igoo. He was a Catholic. He married
Anna McClain, who died in November, igig.
John L. McDermott, one of eleven children and

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

323

born at Niles, October 12, 1872, has spent his life in
his native city and acquired his education in public
and parochial schools. He was partly earning his own
way as a newsboy at the age of fourteen. He first
became prominent in politics when he was elected at
the age of twenty-six city auditor, and filled that
post for three successive terms, FoUowing that Mr.
McDermott was a retail clothing and shoe merchant
at NUes untU 1908. In that year he was again called
into public affairs by election as county clerk of
TrurabuU County. He served two terras of two
years each. In 1912 he was elected to represent
Mahoning and Trumbull counties in the State Senate.
As a member of the Senate he was on the judiciary
and finance coraraittees, and was chairman of the
temperance committee.
During the past several years Mr. McDermott has
maintained a large organization for the handling of
contracts, chiefly in road building. He is a member
of the firra of McDermott & Hannon. Mr. McDer
mott is a republican, is a Catholic, and is affiliated
with the Knights of Columbus, Ancient Order of
Hibernians and the Niles Chamber of Coraraerce, In
1900 he raarried Miss Minnie Callinan, of NUes,
daughter of Edward and Ellen (Hogan) Callinan.
Their five children are naraed John L., Jr., Frank E,,
Helen M., Margaret Mary and Anna.
Thomas O. Clingan, M. D. Thirty-five years
of usefulness as a physician and surgeon and as a
good citizen lend special dignity to the career of Dr.
Thomas O. Clingan at Niles.
The Clingans have been known and respected in
this section of Eastern Ohio for considerably i.nore
than a century. Doctor Clingan's grandfather, Wil
liara Clingan, and his great-grandfather, Thoraas
Clingan, were natives of the north of Ireland.
When William was five years of age the family came
to Araerica and located on a farm in Mercer County,
Pennsylvania, near the Ohio border. Tlie.v were
prominent among the many Scotch-Irish in that
locality and Thomas Clingan by many years of per
sistent and energetic labor reclaimed a farm from
the rugged wilderness of Western Pennsylvania.
Most of his descendants have followed farming.
Some of them moved across the state line into what
is now Trumbull and Mahoning counties, Ohio.
Dr. Thoraas O. Clingan was born al CoitsvUle,
Mahoning County, January 23, 1852. His father,
Edward Meredith (Tlingan, was born in Trumbull
County in 1824, and at the age of twenty-sc'en fol
lowed the faraily occupation of farming. He then
bought a saw raill, and moved it out to Belle Plaine,
Minnesota. He was in Minnesota during pioneer
days, when that territory was out on the northwest
ern frontier. At the beginning of the CivU war oc
curred a great Indian uprising, involving the masi a-
cre of hundreds of people and the destruction of
many homes. Araong the points attacked was
Mankato, twelve railes from iBelle Plaine, whither
many refugees gathered for protection. On account
of these unsettled conditions Edward M. Clingan
returned East, abandoning what was a profitable
and proraising business in the Iiandling of grain and
livestock. He was the pioneer in the sheep industry
of Minnesota. In the fall of 1863 he returned to

Hubbard, Ohio, and later moved to Poland in order
to educate his children in the noted Poland Seminary.
He continued a sheep buyer, and drove a nuraber of
flocks through to Chicago, though he also shipped bv
rail. Upon the discovery of oU he went to Penn
sylvania and bought lands on Oil Creek, mapped
them, and going to eastern cities sold his properties
at a big profit. During one of these trips he con
tracted a severe cold, and his death in 1867 was the
direct result. He married Elizabeth MUes.
Dr. Thoraas O. Clingan, one of five chUdren, three
of whom are stUl living, was well educated in local
schools, graduated in the classical course from West
minister College in Western Pennsylvania in 1880,
and then took up the study of medicine. He com
pleted his course and received his degree in 1884 from
tiie Cleveland Homeopathic Hospital College. After
a brief practice in Lucerne, Pennsylvania, he located
at Niles in 1885 and has been diligently engaged in
the routine of a private practice ever since. He is a
meraber of the Hahnemann Medical and the County,
State and National societies. He is a Knight Teraplar
Mason, a republican and a raeraber of the Trumbull
Country Club.
September 19, 1888, Doctor Clingan married Mar
garet Thomas, daughter of John R. Thoraas of Niles.
They have four chUdren : Margaret, wife of.George
Wick; Elizabeth, Mrs. John Hosack; John R,, who
was a sergeant in the Aviation Departraent during
the World war, but was unable to get overseas ; and
Thoraas Omar.
Edward D. Thompson, Though not yet forty, Mr.
Thompson has given twenty-three years to the iron
and steel industry, chiefly in sales departments of
sorae of the well known organizations of the Middle
West. He has been a resident of NUes since January,
1912, and is vice president and general raanager of
the Stevens Metal Products Corapany of that city.
Mr. Thorapson was born at the old Town of
Wyandotte, Kansas, now incorporated in Kansas
City, Kansas. His birth occurred Septeraber 3, 1881,
and he is a son of George and Nellie (Freeman)
Thompson. His father has spent his active life as a
contractor and is now living at New York City.
Edward D, Thompson lived in a number of locali
ties where his father was in business, including
Blair, Nebraska, Fort Sill, then in Indian Territory,
Minneapolis and Chicago. Practically all his cora
mon school education was acquired in Chicago. At
the age of seventeen he became office boy for Joseph
T. Ryerson & Son at Chicago, one of the old and
prominent firras of steel manufacturers in the Middle
West. He learned the steel business there and went
through the various grades of service untU he was
made city sales manager, and finally traveling sales
man. On leaving the Ryerson Company he became a
manufacturers' agent for steel products on his own
responsibility. Some of the goods he handled were
the products of the DeForest Sheet and Tin Plate
Corapany of Niles. This led to his reraoval to the
city in 1912, and he became resident sales manager
for the corporation. When the DeForest interests or
ganized a subsidiary company known as the Metal
Post & Culvert Corapany, iMr. Thorapson becarae
vice president, and gave rhOst of his tirae to the

324

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

duties of that position untU July, igi6. At that date
he becarae associated with W. H. Stevens in the
organization of the Stevens Metal Products Cora
pany, and has been vice president and manager of
the company throughout the four years of its
steadily growing business and prosperity.
Mr. Thompson is a raeraber of the NUes Club, the
Warren Country Club, the Niles Charaber of Cora
merce, is a republican voter and a meraber of the
Episcopal Church. October i8, igo6, he married
Elsa iHirt, of Chicago. Their two children are
Dorothy Evelyn and iEdward D., Jr.
James E, Parker, The true measure of individ
ual success is determined by what one has accom
plished, and, as taken in contradistinction to the
old adage that a prophet is not without honor save
in his own country, there is particular interest at
taching to the review of the subject of this sketch,
since he is a native son of Youngstown, where his
entire life has been passed, and has so directed his
abUity and efforts as to gain recognition as one of
the worthy citizens of the coraraunity. When a boy
he set to work to overcome all difficulties that raight
lay in his path to success, and the high standing
which he now enjoys is the result. Earnest labor,
unabating perseverance and a laudable arabition are
the elements by which he has ascended the steeps,
James E. Parker, secretary of the Brier HiU
Steel Company, is a son of William Parker, who
was born in Wales in 1843. Tbe latter was brought
to the United States by his parents, Evan and Anna
Parker, about the year 185 1. They first located in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, whence they eventually
came to Youngstown, where Evan Parker purchased
one of the first farms sold in the east end of town.
He applied hiraself 'closely to the operation of this
farra until he retired frora active life, his death
occurring about l8gi. His son Williara Parker grew
to raanhood in Youngstown and attended the pub
lic scbools. He was eraployed in a coal mine,
farmed and worked as a puddler for the old Ma
honing Valley Iron Company. During the Civil war
he enlisted in the defense of his country in the 100-
day service. He was an industrious, law-abiding
man and stood for all that was best in American
citizenship. He died on March 4, 1907, and is sur
vived by his widow. To these worthy parents were
born tbe following children : Anna, who died in in
fancy; Thomas L., now district payraaster for the
Carnegie Steel Corapany ; J. Howard, cashier of the
First National Bank of "Youngstown ; James E., the
immediate subject of this sketch; and Sarah L.
James E. Parker was born in Youngstown on
March 29, 1876, and received his educational train
ing in the public school, graduating from the Rayen
High School. When twenty years of age he became
a raessenger for H. N. Donaldson, superintendent
of the Mahoning Division of the Erie RaUroad.
Later he became night ticket agent for the Erie
Railroad in Youngstown and then becarae chief
clerk of the division engineer of that road. He then
entered the eraploy of tbe Ohio Steel Corapany in
a clerical capacity, and sorae time later becarae a
bookkeeper for the old Brier Hill Iron and Coal
Company, being thus engaged and as auditor and

purchasing agent until 1912. At that time the Brier
Hill Steel Company was formed, and of this Mr.
Parker became secretary, a position which he has
continued to occupy to the present time.
Politically Mr. Parker is a republican and in re
ligion is a meraber of the Congregational Church.
He takes a keen interest in the general welfare of
the city and is a stanch supporter of all worthy
public moveraents.
Mr. Parker was raarried on November 20, 1900, to
Anna J. Lloyd, the daughter of WUliam D. Lloyd,
and to thera have been born two daughters, Anna
Florence and Margaret Elizabeth. Personally Mr.
Parker possesses those qualities which coramend a
man to the good opinion of his fellows, and he is
eminently deserving of their confidence and esteera.
Frank H. Mason, who died at Paris, France, on
the morning of June 21, 1916, was a distinguished
Araerican by the length and quality of his service,
and his record reflects special credit upon his native
city of iNiles, and the coramunity which he always
regarded as his horae.
He was born at Niles, March 24, 1840, oldest son
of Dean Edson and Bertha Minerva (Holcomb)
Mason. His only living brother is WUliam B. Mason
of NUes. His early life was spent around his native
city, and at the beginning of the Civil war he was a
student in Hiram College. He soon left his studies
to join Company A of the Forty-Second Ohio In
fantry, his regiraental coraraander being Jaraes A.
Garfield, honored both as the president of Hirara
College and president of the United States. During
the siege of Vicksburg he was proraoted to captain
in the Twelfth Ohio Cavalry. For six raonths he
endured the hardships and privations of Libby
Prison. At the close of the war he entered journalisra, and
for several years was editor of the Cleveland Leader.
In 1880 he was appointed Consul at Basle, Switzer
land, and frora that time untU the close of his life,
was continuously in the diplomatic service of his na
tion. He took with him into that service an unusual
equipment, and accepted his responsibilities as sorae
thing more than a raatter of routine. The four years
he spent at Basle resulted in some distinct improve
ments in the consulate service. While there he de
tected sorae frauds in undervaluation and his reports
became the basis for some important changes in
the manageraent of the consular office. Such was the
character of his services that political changes at
home never affected his tenure.
In 1884 he was made consul at Marseilles and from
1889 to i8gg was consul general at Frankfort-on-the-
Main, and was consul general at iBerlin frora 1899 to
1905. While in Berlin he was in personal touch with
the Eraperor and other prorainent leaders of the
Gerraan Government. Frora March 6, 1905, he
served as consul general at Paris until the beginning
of the World war.
It would be difficult to explain all the good he
accompHshed for his country in these various offices.
He -was a journalist by profession, and he put a
certain fire and directness into his consular reports
that raade therii widely read and served to make
their recommendations effective. The report he sent

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

325

out from Marseilles during the cholera epidemic
served a great purpose in bringing relief to the city.
WhUe in Frankfort he became the advance agent for
American trade with Germany, and both at Berlin and
Paris he was an invaluable meraber of the commis
sion to establish new commercial agreements with
the United States.
At the beginning of the World war Mr. Mason
retired frora the consular service with the hope of
gaining a well deserved rest. That desire was not
granted. In August, 1914, when the American
Ambulance Committee was formed. Captain Mason,
who in the raeantirae had returned to the United
States, became interested in raising funds for the
Allies. At that time he visited his brother, William
B, Mason, at their old boyhood home in iNiles, and
then expressed his -vjews that the United States
would sooner or later be drawn into the conflict.
He soon went back to Paris as chairraan of the Araer
ican Ambulance Coraraittee, and then began the raost
strenuous period of his life. He saw the work of
the American ambulance grow from 200 to 600 beds
at Neuilly, and the Motor Arabulance Transport
Service frora a few motors used at the battle of the
Marne to a superb unit working all along the French
front. His associates testified to his enthusiasm,
energy and optimism and his wonderful executive
ability. In a peculiarly vital way the moving spirit
of the Araerican ambulance was Capt. Frank Mason.
It took his life, it is his monument.
His invaluable assistant was his devoted wife.
Within a year of his passing she too joined him in
the world beyond, as did also a son who was the
American consul at Algiers.
Septeraber 26, 1866, Captain Mason raarried Jenny
(Van Wyck) Birchard. Their happy life together
covered half a century. They were the parents of
two sons. Dean Birchard, deceased, and Dr. Francis
P., a consulting engineering at Chicago.
From the viewpoint of the Governraent to which he
was accredited. Captain Mason was regarded as the
best the United States had to give in the way of an
American gentleman. The American Government
regarded him equally high, considering him one of
the ablest men it could send to serve its citizens
abroad and look after the business and humanity
of our international relations.
Carter C. McConnell, Since he was a boy of
fifteen Carter C. McConnell's services and experi
ences have been almost altogether in banking and
financial institutions. He represents some of the
worthy pioneer families of Eastern Ohio, and in his
individual career has exeraplified their characteris
tics of honesty and forceful capability.
Mr. McConnell, who is secretary of the McKinley
Savings and Loan Association at Niles, was born
December 25, 1884, in Weathersfield Township,
Trumbull County. The farra of his parents stood
on the present site of the Erapire Mill. His grand
father was Williara C. McConnell, one of the early
farmers and stock dealers of TrurabuU County. Mr.
McConnell is a son of Charles and Jennie (Campbell)
McConnell. His father spent his early life as an
Ohio farmer, also lived for a few years in Southern
Kansas, and on returning to Ohio located at Niles,

where he is no'w employed in the galvanizing depart
ment of the Empire iMills of the Brier Hill Steel
Company. One of a family of nine children, Carter C. Mc
Connell has spent most of his life in or near Niles,
attending the Evansville public schools. At the age
of fifteen he entered the First National Bank of
Niles as collector, and was with that one institution
for several years, being promoted eventually to teller.
On leaving it he was for three years cashier of the
First National Bank of Rock Creek in Ashtabula
County, and for six years was assistant receiver of
National Banks under the Fedetal Governraent.
These duties took hira to raany parts of the country
and brought hira an intiraate knowledge of banking
conditions and the banking business in general.
Mr. McConnell in 1915 becarae assistant secretary
and treasurer of the Dollar Savings Bank Company
at Niles. He resigned upon the organization of the
McKinley Savings & Loan Association and has since
been secretary of that institution. He is also a
stockholder in the Stevens Metal Products Company,
the Niles Fuel and Supply Corapany and the Electric
Alloy Steel Corapany.
Mr, McConnell is a director of the Niles Charaber
of Coramerce, is a raeraber of the Niles Club, is a
Royal Arch iMason, a republican in politics, and a
raember of the First Christian Church of NUes.
Septeraber 2, 1907, he raarried Miss MoUie G. Owen,
daughter of Evan E. and Catherine (Jones) Owen,
of Mineral Ridge, Ohio. They have two children :
Williara Carter and Robert Owen.
Ch-\rles Crow was a professional ball player for
a number of years and first became known in the
Mahoning Valley through his exploits on the dia
mond. For many years he has regarded Niles as his
home city, was forraerly a merchant there, and is the
present mayor of the city.
Mr. Crow was born at Coal Center, Pennsylvania,
Deceraber 24, 1872, son of Soloraon P. and Sarah
Augusta (Stewart) Crow. His early boyhood was
spent at Coal Center and Webster, and he was a boy
worker in the raines of Coal Center. Another early
experience was as cabin boy on coal boats. He also
worked for a tirae in the steel raills at Horaestead.
While he had serious work to do even as a sraall
boy he was passionately fond of athletic sports and
played his first serai-professional ball at Webster
and at California, Pennsylvania. He was fully
transferred to the professional class at Charleroi.
The raanager of the Charleroi team at that tirae was
John K. Tener, afterwards governor of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Crow after playing with several other tearas
carae to Niles in 1896 as pitcher for the local organ
ization. He finished the season at New PhUadelphia.
He then played in the old Interstate League with the
team representing Springfield, Ohio, then with the
Port fluron team in the Michigan League, played at
Guelph, Ontario, in the Ontario League; and was a
meraber of the London teara of the International
League until 1899, when he returned to Ohio and
joined the Youngstown organization in the old
Youngstown League, playing out the reraainder of the
season and the season of igoo. The following season
he played with the Littie Rock team in the Southern

326

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

League, and that practically ended his professional
career, though he frequently was drawn into the old
game on special occasions. Mr. Crow at one tirae
also raanaged the Sharon teara of the Ohio and Penn
sylvania League and later raanaged the Youngstown
teara in the sarae league, and was raanager of the
Niles team in a notable season when the interests of
the fans all over this part of the state was centered
in the contest between Niles and Youngstown.
Mr. Crow became a retaU boot and shoe merchant
of NUes about igo8, and was active in business until
igi7, when he sold out. He was elected mayor^of
the city in igi5, and has been re-elected in igi7 and
igig. He has given Niles a splendid adrainistration
of its raunicipal affairs. During the World war in
addition to the routine duties of his office he served
as chairman of the Fuel Committee for TrumbuU
County, was chairman of the Soldiers' Welfare Cora
mittee, a member of the Food Coraraittee, and was
also eraployed in secret service work. He gave
freely of his tirae and talents to the Governraent in
that trying period and received frequent coraraenda
tions for his services.
On Christmas Day, i8gg, Mr. Crow married Ruth
S, McGaughey, a daughter of William and Mary
(Cleland) McGaughey, Her father was a prominent
member of the NUes bar. Two children have been
born to their marriage: Mary Geraldine and John
Charles, their farailiar names among their associates
being "Jerry" and "Jack." The faraily are raerabers
of the Presbyterian Church and Mr. Crow is affiliated
with the Niles Club, the Elks Club of Warren, the
Knights of Pythias and the Iraproved Order of Red
Men. William Edwards Manning, vice president and
general raanager of sales for the Youngstown Sheet
& Tube Company, is one of the most prominent
figures in the industrial life of Youngstown. He
was born at Youngstown on March 14, 1870, his
father being Dr. Jobn Manning and his grandfather.
Dr. Henry Manning, both naraes highly honored in
the professional history of the city. Dr. Henry
Manning was not only the leading physician of his
time in the Mahoning Valley, but he was also deeply
interested in the industrial progress of the commu
nity and did much to advance its business and social
progress. Williara E. Manning attended the coraraon schools
m Youngstown and graduated frora the Rayen High
School in 1888. He then entered the works of
Brown, Bonnell & Corapany in a clerical position,
frora which he was rapidly advanced until when the
plant was purchased by the Republic Iron & Steel
Corapany he was placed in charge of the order de
partraent. On the organization of the Youngstown
Sheet and Tube Corapany Mr. Manning becarae first
assistant to the manager of sales for this company,
his connection with this concern having been con
tinuous since shortly after its organization. In 1913
Mr. Manning was elected secretary of the Youngs
town Sheet & Tube Company, and was also elected
a vice president^ of the company at its annual meet
ing in 1917. His long experience and extensive ac
quaintance make him one of the leading figures
araong the men who direct the sales organizations

of the steel industry in this country, and his unusual
executive ability has enabled him to buUd for his
company an organization which has a wide reputa
tion and has contributed greatly to its unusual suc
cess. Mr. Manning is a man of rare personal quali
ties and his broad culture and understanding raake
hira highly popular in a large circle of acquaintances.
In addition to his official duties with the Youngs
town Sheet & Tube Corapany he is also president
of the Continental Supply Company and the Youngs
town Steel Products Company, subsidiary corpora
tions forming a part of the parent company's ex
tensive sales organization. He is a raeraber of the
A'oungstown Club, the Youngstown Country Club,
the Duquesne Club, the Am.erican Iron & Steel In
stitute, the Araerican Institute of Mining and Metal
lurgical Engineers, and other social and business
organizations. July 13, ig20, he was elected presi
dent of the Youngstown Young Men's Christian
Association. He is a republican and attends the
Episcopal Church.
In 1914 Mr. Manning was raarried to Alma Resch,
of Youngstown. They have had two children, Helen
Anne ; and William Edwards, Jr., who died Decem
ber 17, igig.
Sarah Gaston Frack, M. D. A pioneer woman
in the medical profession of Eastern Ohio, Doctor
Frack has been engaged in the work of her profes
sion at Niles for twenty-three years. She studied
medicine at a tirae when few women had the courage
and independence to select that as a profession, and
at all points she has held her own with her profes
sional brethren.
Sarah Gaston was born in Crawford County, Penn
sylvania, daughter of Arthur B. and Hannah J.
(McMaster) Gaston. In the paternal line she is of
iFrench ancestry, while the McMasters were Scotch.
She is one of five children, and three of them became
successful physicians.
Her early life was spent at Meadville, and in 1891
she received the Bachelor of Science degree frora the
Edinboro State Norraal School in Pennsylvania.
She also attended AUegheny College at Meadville,
and for one year was a student of music at Oberlin
College. She began the study of medicine in the
office of Dr. Susan F. Rose, a pioneer woman physi
cian of MeadvUle. After a year she entered the
Cleveland University of Medicine and Surgery, now
the Horaeopathic Department of the Ohio State Uni
versity. She graduated in 1895, and for two years
before coraing to Niles was associated in practice with
her former preceptor. Doctor Rose, at Meadville,
She is a meraber of the TrurabuU County and Ohio
State Medical Societies, the Araerican Medical Asso
ciation, and the American Institute of Homeopathy.
In November, igo5, she became the wife of Evan M.
Frack of NUes.
Henry F. Rider left school to becorae a mUl
worker at Niles, and some years\ later frorn what
he was able to earn and save from his skill and
labor he invested in a mercantUe business, and has
since developed one of the leading establishraents of
its kind,
Mr, Rider, whose store is at 142 Vienna Avenue

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

327

in NUes, has lived in this city nearly all his life,
though he was born in Baltiraore, Maryland, May 15,
i860. His parents, George and Margaret (Sandman)
Rider, came from Germany when young people, were
married in Baltimore, and moved to Ohio about the
beginning of the CivU war. George Rider did his
first work in America in an iron plant at Baltimore.
In 1856 he voted for Buchanan for president. Be
ginning in i860 and until the close of his life he
was an ardent and stanch republican. For a tirae
he walked six railes frora home to chop wood at
50 cents a day, this having been during Buchanan's
time. When the CivU war came on he enlisted in
the Union army in the 196th Ohio Infantry, and with
the close of his mUitary service he spent raany years
in the Ward MUl and the Andrews plant at iNiles.
Most of the" time he was labor foreraan in the coal
supply departraent. He and his wife were active
Presbyterians. Their chUdren num"bered six : John,
a resident of Niles ; Henry F. ; Rosa, who lives in
Cleveland; Leonard, manager of the Christ Diebels
grocery and meat establishraent at Niles ; (jeorge, a
grocer who died at Niles in 1910 ; and Lizzie, who
died at the age of thirty-two, the wife of iElmer
Gifford. Henry F. Rider received his early education in
the old Central School at NUes. He left there to
go to work in the sheet metal department of the
Russia Mill, and after that was employed in several
local plants untU 1905. In that year he used his
capital to open a stock of general raerchandise at
142 Vienna Avenue, and for fifteen years has seen
his trade steadily increase at that location. Mr. Rider
is a good business man and also is identified with
the substantial interests of his home community. He
has always voted as a republican, and he and his
family are members of the Presbyterian Church.
In past years he was an elder in the church, and has
also served on the Board of Trustees.
In i88g Mr. Rider married Miss Lizzie Stein,
daughter of Jacob and Fredericka Stein. To their
marriage were born three chUdren : Howard, Miss
CJIyde, and Myrtle, who died at the age of twenty-
eight. Howard Rider, grandson of a Union soldier,
was in the World War, and spent a year with the
E.xpeditionary Forces in France and Germany.
Frank J. Kearney in early life learned a mechan
ical trade and for years was an employe of industrial
concerns, but eventually retiring entered the fur
niture and undertaking business at Niles, and has de
veloped a most complete and adequate service as a
funeral director.
Mr. Kearney, who had three sons in the great
'war, one of whom gave up his life for the country,
was born in Toronto, Canada, June 5, 1864, son of
Thomas and Mary (Keenen) Kearney. His parents
were Canadians, and when their son Frank was a
boy they carae to the United States and settled at
Corry, Pennsylvania. The father was a carpenter
and builder, specializing in heavy ship building and
dock work. He died at Corry at the age of fifty-six
and his wife at fifty-four.
Frank J. iKearney, third araong ten children, grew
up and received his education in Corry and Jaraeis-
town, Pennsylvania, leaving school at the age of

seventeen. He learned the boilermaker and raa-
chinist's trades with Lynch Brothers in Corry. After
corapleting his apprenticeship he was employed by
the Standard Oil Company, buUding tanks and stand-
pipes, a business that took him to all parts of the
United States. Later he acquired a more settled
horae as an employe of the Warren Boiler Works,
and first came to NUes an an employe of the Mc
Kinley plant.
Leaving his trade Mr. Kearney formed a partner
ship with M. J, Flaherty in the furniture and under
taking business. In order to handle the new busi
ness more adequately he took a course in erabalraing
and since the death of Mr. Flaherty has continued
in business on his own account. He has arabulances,
a coraplete motor equipment, a private funeral chapel,
and all the appointments for a perfect service. Mr,
Kearney is a raeraber of the iBoard of Trade and
Chamber of Commerce, is a Knight of Columbus,
and he and his family are members of St, Stephen's
Catholic Church.
In 1888 he married Miss Agnes McCauley, meraber
of an old and prominent faraily of Niles, Eleven
children were born to their raarriage. There are
five sons. James A., an ex-service man who was a
sergeant at Camp Jackson, now lives at Warren.
Thomas, who was trained at Camp Sherman, is an
associate with his father in business. The son Frank,
who was trained at Camp Sherman and Camp Gordon,
went overseas from Camp Merritt as company clerk
and sergeant in Company E of the Eleventh Regi
ment, Fifth Division, and lost his life during the
St, Mihiel drive. The two younger sons are Paul,
a resident of JeffersonviUe, Indiana, and Joseph, still
in school,
Joseph W, Jobe is active head of the Niles hard
ware house of J, W, Jobe & Company, and has been
pursuing a diligent and progressive business career
in the Mahoning Valley for raany years.
He was born February 10, 1872, in one of a row
of houses that stood near the James Ward Mill. His
parents, Daniel and Sarah (Gunter) Jobe, were na
tives of Wales and iraraediately after their raarriage
in 1867 carae to the United States. Daniel Jobe for
many years was regarded as one of the raost expert
heaters in the raills of the Mahoning Valley. He
was employed in that capacity in the Ward Mill.
and after it quit business was with the Russia MUl
and the Falcon Company. He died in i8g8, at the
age of sixty-five. His widow survived until 1914,
when she was seventy-eight years of age. They were
people of wholesome character and of high standing
in their community, and were constant attendants of
the Welsh Congregational Church, Of their seven
children five are still living, John E,, a machinist in
San Francisco ; Lewis S,, who owns a bluegrass
farm at Springfield and raises high grade cattle ;
Dan, connected with the Trumbull Steel Company
at "Warren ; Joseph W. ; Hattie M,, wife of L, L,
Hill, of Warren ; Annie who died at the age of fifty ;
the wife of H, G, Max of Warren ; and Sarah, who
died at the age of fifty-three, the wife of fl, W.
Miller, of Springfield.
Joseph W. Jobe acquired a good education in the
public schools of NUes, and frora school served an

328

YOUNGSTOWN ANTD THE MAHONING VALLEY

apprenticeship as a baker in the establishment of
H. W. Miller. His early knowledge of the hardware
business was acquired as clerk for J. W. Eaton for
six years. For three years he was raanager of the
F. L. Head business, and after another period,
associated with S. O, Manchester at NUes, he re
raoved to Ashland, Kentucky, and for five years was
secretary of the Southern Sheet & Tin Plate Com
pany. Upon returning to Niles Mr. Jobe organized
the Main Hardware Company, acting as president,
but three years later, in igi8, started the J. W. Jobe
& Company, and now has his son associated with
him as a partner. This is one of the leading hard
ware establishments in TrurabuU County, and Mr.
Jobe has the satisfaction of having seen his affairs
SteadUy prosper frora year to year. He is also a
director of the Horae Savings & Loan Corapany.
In i8g4 he raarried Miss Mattie A. Brice, who
was born at Cleveland in 1873, a daughter of Mrs.
Flora Brice. Mr. and Mrs. Jobe have two chUdren,
Herbert L, and Martha, The latter is still in school.
Herbert graduated from the NUes High School, was
a raeraber of the Students Array Training Corps at
Hiram College, and since the war has been in busi
ness with his father. Mr. and Mrs. Jobe are mem
bers of the Christian Church, and he has served as
a deacon for seventeen years. He is a Knight Tem
plar Mason and Shriner, and is affiliated with the
republican party.
James W, Deetrick. There could be no raore
comprehensive history written of a city or county,
or even of a state and its people, than that which
deals with the life work of those who by tbeir own
endeavor and indomitable energy have placed thera
selves where they well deserve the title of "pro
gressive," and in tbis sketch will be found the rec
ord of one who has outstripped raany less active
and less able plodders on the highway of life, one
who has not been subdued by the obstacles and
failures that corae to everyone, but who has raade
thera stepping stones to higher things. At the sarae
time that he has been winning his way in the raate
rial affairs of life he has also so ordered his actions
as to win the honor and respect of all who know
him because of his sterling qualities of character,
James W, Deetrick was born in the ViUage of
BrownsviUe, Butier County, Pennsylvania, on No
veraber 10, 1870, being one of two chUdren born to
John and Elizabeth M. (Park) Deetrick. In both
paternal and raaternal lines the subject is descended
from old colonial stock. John Deetrick was an able
and successful physician and surgeon who moved to
"!i'oungstown in 1882 and here practiced his profes
sion until i8g4, when his death occurred.
Jaraes W. Deetrick was about twelve years of age
when the family came to Youngstown, and he se
cured his education in the public schools, graduat
ing frora the Rayen High School. Since leaving
school practically his entire life has been spent in
connection with the iron industry in the Mahoning
Valley. His first employraent was with the old
Youngstown Steel Company (now the Brier HUl
Steel Corapany) in 1889, as a cheraist in the labora
tory. In 1894 he became a chemist in the eraploy
of the Ohio Steel Works of the Carnegie Cora

pany, and three years later becarae chemist for the
Mahoning Valley Iron Company. He was raade
superintendent of the Hannah Blast Furnace of the
Mahoning Valley Iron Corapany when it was ab
sorbed by the Republic Iron and Steel Corapany in
May, i8gg, and since that tirae has filled various
positions with that corapany, at the present time
being vice president, in charge of operations. With
a broad and comprehensive knowledge of the iron
industry in all its detaUs, he is well qualified for any
position he might be required to fill.
In 1897 Mr. Deetrick was married to Mildred C.
Ward, of Niles, Ohio, the daughter of Jaraes D.
Ward, and they are the parents of two chUdren,
Alice E. and John W.
Mr. Deetrick is a raeraber of the Youngstown
Club, the Youngstown Country Club, the Youngs
town Charaber of Coraraerce, the Rotary Club, the
Free and Accepted Masons, the American Iron and
Steel Institute, the American Institute of Mining and
Metallurgical Engineers, the Youngstown Society of
Engineers, and the American Society for Testing
Materials. Politically he gives his support to the
republican party. Strong and forceful in his rela
tions with his fellow men, he has not only raade his
presence felt, but has also gained the good will and
coraraendation of both his associates and the general
public, ever retaining his reputation araong men for
integrity and high character, no matter how trying
the circurastances, and never losing that dignity
which is the birthright of the true gentieraan.
John Dunstan began his career at NUes after
leaving school as a raill worker, but more than a
quarter of a century ago raade a fortunate choice in
line with his special inclinations, and with a capital
that would hardly buy today a suit of clothes en
tered the floral and greenhouse business. Having a
genius and love for plant life, and possessing also
an executive turn, he has seen his affairs prosper
and his establishraent grow to one of large diraen
sions. The Dunstan floral greenhouses and plant
are on Girard Street in Niles, and are one of the raost
prosperous establishraents of the kind in the Ma
honing Valley.
Mr. Dunstan was born in Cornwall, England,
August 24, 1861, and carae to Ohio when a boy.
His parents were Thoraas and Jane (Solomon)
Dunstan. His father was an English farmer and
also a contractor for the purchase of tiraber for ship
building purposes. He brought his family to NUes
in 1872, and here turned his attention to market gar
dening. For many years he supplied vegetables and
truck to the cities of the Mahoning VaUey. He lived
to be eighty-one years of age, passing away in 191 1.
The raother died in 1900, at the age of fifty-nine.
They were merabers of the Episcopal Church. Of
the five children the two now living are John and
Bessie, the latter the widow of George Rider, who
was a Niles raerchant. The three children now de
ceased were : George, a grocer, who died of hydro
phobia at the age of forty-eight, after being bitten
by a mad dog; Mary, who died at the age of forty-
six, the wife of Thoraas Marshall ; and Ellen, who
was born in 1859 and died in 1918, the wife of
Walter Biddleston.

.f€'

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YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

329

John Dunstan attended school in Cornwall, and
from the age of eleven was a pupil in the schools of
Niles when L. L. Campbell was superintendent. On
leaving school he found employraent in the Russia
Mill, working on the shears and in other capacities,
and developed a high degree of skill as a raill man.
He was connected with some of the leading in
dustries of Niles for twelve years. Mr. Dunstan
helped the firm of Hippards build the Youngstown
greenhouses on Logan Avenue, and after seeing that
plant completed he determined to engage in business
for himself. That was in 1892, and his initial capital
was only fifty dollars, fle has been in business ever
since, and has more and more specialized in bedding
plants. At Youngstown Mr. Dunstan married Erama Har
tenstein, a native of Lima, Ohio. She died a year
later, leaving one son, Lloyd, now a resident of
Youngstown. For his present wife Mr. Dunstan
married Vernie Kisner, daughter of Albert Kisner
of Holland. They have three children. Albert
served fourteen months on the battle lines in France
in the Signal Service, and is now eraployed in the
Thomas iMills at NUes. The daughter, Mary, is the
wife of Elmer Krebs, of Cleveland. Glen iB. was a
sergeant of infantry in training at Camp Taylor dur
ing the war. Mr. Dunstan is one of the busy men
of Niles, but he also finds time to participate in
various public and civic enterprises. He is a repub
lican, a meraber of the Methodist Church, and is
affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the In
dependent Order of Odd Fellows.
Edward R. Edwards. For half a century or more
the Edwards faraily have been prominently identified
with the building and contracting business in the
Mahoning Valley. Edward R. Edwards and his
brother Harry have an organization that has carried
out a large part of the building program in the
Youngstown District in recent years, particularly the
building of horaes of the better class for the thou
sands of prosperous families who have been added
to the population of this section.
Edward R. Edwards was born May 25, 1872, and
is a son of Edward R. and Ellen (Siddell) Edwards.
His mother's family have a historic place in the
Mahoning Valley. They occupied the first house
built in the village of Mineral Ridge in 1842. This
was a log structure. Isaac Siddell is credited with
having erected the second grist mill in the Mahoning
Valley, at Ellsworth.
Edward R. Edwards, Sr., was a native of Wales,
and was brought frora that country at the age of
nine years. He grew up jn Schuylkill County, Penn
sylvania, where he raarried for his first wife Eliza
beth Davis. Two years later he carae to the Ma
honing Valley. His intention was to locate in
Cleveland, but instead he established his horae at
Weathersford. During the Civil war he served three
years and six months with the Twentieth Ohio
Battalion. He was in raany battles and nearly lost
his life in the battle "above the clouds" at Lookout
Mountain. An, artillery wagon on which he was
riding was thrown over a cliff and his life was saved
by his lodging in a tree. After the war he engaged
in the contracting business and erected some of the

first industrial plants in the valley. He was asso
ciated with Jonathan Warner, Sr., in erecting the
first furnace at Mineral Ridge, fle also built the
schoolhouse of that town. He was a republican and
was a very active member of the Presbyterian
Church. After the death of his first wife he mar
ried Ellen Siddell, and they raade their home at
Mineral Ridge. Edward, Sr., died in 1916, at the
age of eighty-seven. His second wife died in 1910,
at the age of seventy-six. The children of his first
raarriage were : Minnie, wife of Courtney Thomp
son, of Youngstown; John Edwards, of Youngstown;
and Martha, who died in 1895, the wife of E. E.
Huraes. The three sons of iMrs. Ellen Siddell Ed
wards are R. C. Edwards, who is a builder and
dealer in horaes in San Francisco; Harry E. and
Edward R., Jr.
Edward R. Edwards, Jr., was superintendent of
construction for the Building Coraraittee during the
erection of the McKinley Memorial at Niles. He
was well equipped by early training and natural
qualifications for his present business, and he and
his brother have a large volume of work to their
credit. They built the plant of the Western Reserve
Steel Corapany at Warren for C. G. Thoraas, and
also built the iMahoning Valley Steel Corapany plant,
the Niles Car Manufacturing Corapany plant and
the Knox Pressed Weld Steel Corapany plant at
Wheatland, Ohio. Besides industrial construction,
they built in igig houses at Youngstown to the value
of $200,000. These are all brick horaes, and were
rapidly sold. The firra also erected twenty horaes at
Niles. Mr. Edwards raarried in igoi Katie Bird, daughter
of Emanuel Bird of Pittsburgh. They have three
daughters, Catherine, Sarah Estelle and Mary Bird.
Mr. Edwards is a republican, and he and his faraily
are Presbyterians.
Clarence Harlan Riegel, vice president and gen
eral manager of the Ohio Corrugating Company of
Warren, has been identified with the industrial
affairs of the Mahoning Valley for over twenty
years, during which tirae he has progressed from
apprentice to executive.
He was born at Portsmouth, Ohio, on August 23,
1878, the son of Elias and Arvilla (Smith) Riegel.
The Riegel faraily is of Pennsylvania origin, but has
been in Ohio for five generations. Benjarain Riegel,
grandfather of Clarence H., was born on a farra in
Jackson County, Ohio. Elias, father of Clarence H,,
was born in Jackson, Ohio, in 1854. He was engaged
in the wholesale grocery business in Portsraouth for
a nuraber of years, reraoved to Niles in 1882, and
thereafter was engaged in the mercantile business
at Hazleton, Pennsylvania. He died at Youngstown
in November, igi6. He married ArvUla Sraith, who
was born in New York State. Her father, John M.
Smith, was the promoter of the first County Fair
ever held in Ohio, the fair having been held at
iMiddlebury, now East Akron, Ohio,
With the exception of his first four years Clarence
H. Riegel has spent his entire life in the Mahoning
Valley. He was educated at Rayen fligh School at
Youngstown, and at the age of seventeen he became
an apprentice in John O. Pew's roofing shop at

330

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Hazleton, Pennsylvania. In igoo he was placed in
charge of the finishing departraent of the Niles plant
of the Erapire Iron and Steel Corapany. When the
De Forest Sheet and Tin Plate Corapany was or
ganized at NUes in 1907, Mr. Riegel was raade super
intendent of the finishing departraent of that plant,
and so continued untU igi4, when he resigned to
join the organization of the Ohio Corrugating Cora
pany at "Warren as vice president and general
raanager. In igo2 Mr. Riegel was united in marriage with
Mary EUen, daughter of Griffith R. and Francis
Jones, of Brookfield, Ohio, and to their raarriage
three chUdren have been born: Francis Arvilla,
Myron Warner and Dorothy May.
Mr. Riegel is a meraber of Mahoning Lodge No.
3g4, Free and Accepted Masons of Niles, and of
Niles Lodge No. 138, Knights of Pythias.
Moses Thamer Knappenberger, M. D., carae to
Warren early in igi7. His particular talents and
skill as a surgeon were just beginning to be recog
nized and appreciated by the coraraunity when the
World war broke out, and for nearly two years he
was perforraing an arduous service in the raedicai
department of the array, both in this country and
abroad. Doctor Knappenberger was born at Jeannette,
Pennsylvania, iMarch 13, i8g2, son of George W. and
Annie E. (Sensenich) Knappenberger. His parents
are natives of Pennsylvania and are still living in
that state. Doctor Knappenberger graduated frora
the Jeannette High School in igii and took his medi
cal work in the Ohio State University, graduating
with the class of 1915. For one year, June i, 1915,
to June I, igi6, he was an interne at the Medical
and Surgical Hospital at Pittsburgh. From June I,
1916, to January i, 1917, he was a student of surgery
in the New York Post-Graduate School and Poly
clinic. On leaving New York he came to Warren
and entered the practice of surgery.
He enlisted in the Medical Reserve Corps May 5,
igi7, and on tbe ist of September was ordered to
report for duty at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. At that
time he had a commission as first lieutenant. After
two raonths of intensive training at Fort Oglethorpe
he was ordered to Hoboken, New Jersey, and two
weeks later went on board the U, S, S, Iroquois,
crossing to St, Nazaire, France. He was . on duty
there until February 5, igi8, when ordered to return
to the United States with an assignment fpr duty on
the staff of the surgeon general of the array. Ar
riving in New York City, February 22, igi8, he
again saUed for Erance April 3rd for the purpose
of making arrangeraents for the embarkation of sick
and wounded at General Headquarters. April 17th,
just two weeks later, he sailed from Bordeaux and
reached Newport News April 27th, At that date he
was transferred to the offices of the division sur
geon. July nth he again saUed for France, on a
mission sirailar to his previous one, and remained
until November gth. At that date he sailed for this
country. In July, igi8, he was proraoted to captain
of the Medical Corps. On his last return he was
appointed director of hospital trains, and given entire
charge of the sick and wounded frora the port of

erabarkation to the base and general hospitals over
all the territory of the United States and possessions.
iHe continued as director of hospital trains until
June I, 1919, by which time practically all of the
sick and wounded "had been returned to the United
States. His last duties were in the nature of an
inspection tour of all the base and general hospitals
in the United States, a trip requiring six weeks.
During that time he was coraraissioned raajor of the
Medical Corps.
Doctor Knappenberger was honorably discharged
July I, igig, and in his discharge was recoramended
for a coramission as lieutenant colonel in the Medical
Reserve Corps. Prior to his discharge he was recom
mended for a "distinguished service medal" based on
services rendered in the transportation of sick and
wounded. Doctor Knappenberger therefore made
three round trips between this country and France,
and especially distinguished himself in administrative
work. Upon his release from the army in igig he re
turned to Warren and resumed practice. Since then
he has been appointed chief medical examiner for
the United State's Public Health Service, and has
professional oversight of all disabled soldiers, sailors
and marines in his district whose injuries were re
ceived while in the array. Doctor Knappenberger is
a raember of the Trumbull County and Ohio State
Medical societies, and is affiliated with Old Erie
Lodge No. 3, Free and Accepted Masons, and with
the Warren Lodge of Elks.
Louis John Voyer, secretary and general sales
manager of the Ohio Corrugating Corapany of War
ren, was born at West Hoboken, New Jersey, Sep
tember 27, 1886, son of Louis C. and Barbara iM.
(Ehrhardt) Voyer, His paternal grandparents, Jean
Louis and Uriane Voyer, were born and married in
France and after coming to this country lived for a
short time in Pennsylvania, afterward at Buffalo,
New York, and finally at 'Washington City, where
Jean Louis Voyer was in Government service. He
and his wife spent their last years at West Hoboken,
New Jersey. Louis C. Voyer was born at Buffalo,
New 'York, in 1856, and for many years was engaged
in business in New York City as an importer of
ostrich feathers and plumes. He and his wife are
now living at Warren. His wife was born in New
York City in 1861 and her father, John I Ehrhardt,
was a native of Gerraany.
Louis John Voyer graduated from the West Ho
boken fligh School in igo3. His business career
began in the sarae year as an eraploye of the sales
departraent of the American Sheet and Tin Plate
Company of New York City, He was sent to Pitts
burgh by that corporation for about one year, and
later for twelve years was with the sarae companv
in the Philadelphia offices. On January I, 1918,
Mr. Voyer became genera! manager of sales for
the Liberty Steel Company at Warren, Ohio. This
company was absorbed by the Trumbull Steel Com
pany in June, igig, and at that time Mr. Voyer
joined the Ohio Corrugating Corapany as secretary
and general manager of sales.
Mr. Voyer is a member of the Araerican Iron and
Steel Institute, the Manufacturers Club of Phila-

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YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

331

delphia, and the Trumbull Country Club of Warren.
He is a meraber oif St. Mary's Church and of the
Knights of Colurabus.
June 22, igio, he raarried Anna J. Matanle, of
Pittsburgh, daughter of Thoraas and Eleanor (Cow
ling) Matanle. Her father was a contractor at
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and after his death his
family removed to Pittsburgh. Mr. and Mrs. Voyer
have three children: Louis Matanle, Barbara Eleanor
and Jeannette Anna.
Bruce S. Matthews. It will be appropriate in
1922 for the Matthews family, a prominent relation
ship in the Mahoning Valley, to celebrate the cen
tennial anniversary of the family settlement here.
Two active merabers of the faraily are Bruce S, and
Charles W. Matthews, who for over forty years have
been closely associated as partners in their business
enterprise as farraers. The Matthews horae is three
miles south of the courthouse in Youngstown.
The grandparents of these brothers were Thomas
and Jane (McClurg) Matthews, natives of County
Down, Ireland. Thomas Matthews was a stone
mason by trade. In 1813 with his wife and one
chUd he erabarked on a sailing vessel, and six weeks
later landed at New York. He worked at his trade
about a year in Pittsburgh and then at other points
in Western Pennsylvania until 1822, when he came
to Poland. He was a man of unusual skill in his
line, and not only a splendid workraan but could
direct others. One exaraple of his workmanship in
Mahoning County stood the test of more than eighty
years. This was the abutments of the old Poland
bridge, which were not torn away until about 1904.
Thomas Matthews died at Poland at the age of
eighty years, and his widow subsequently removed
to Sheakleyville, Pennsylvania, and died also in ad
vanced years. Their oldest child, Ann Jane, becarae
the wife of John Wishard, who spent the greater
part of his life in Mahoning County, and finally
removed to Iowa, where he died. The children of
Thomas and Jane Matthews born in this country
were Thoraas, William, Richard and Nancy, Williara
removed to Iowa after the war and died there, Rich
ard died near Sheakleyville, Pennsylvania, about
twenty years ago. Nancy became the wife of Joel
Smith and died about forty years ago.
The only raeraber of the family who remained in
Poland was Thoraas Matthews, Jr., who was born
at LawrenceviUe, Pennsylvania, August 17, 1813, and
was about nine years of age when the family settled
at Poland. His father dying several years later he
went to live with Richard Hall, who showed his
confidence in the boy by giving him the responsibility
of taking a six-horse team and a load of clover seed
from Poland to Buffalo, New York. He transacted
his business promptly and efficiently, and reraained on
terms of tr^nst with Mr. Hall until reaching his
majority. He was raarried in 1841 and for a short
time rented a farm in Poland Township, then in
Trumbull County, and in 1844 bought the land now
owned by his son from Doctor Wick. The chief ira
provement was a two-story hewed log cabin which
had been erected in 1811, and it continued to be the
home of the Matthews faraily until 1863, when they
nioved into the comfort of a coraraodious ten-room

frarae dwelling. Thoraas Matthews earned a reputa
tion as a hard working and upright farraer and
citizen, and died at the old horaestead June 2, 1883.
His widow died Noveraber 21, 1896, Of their chil
dren the only two now living are Bruce and Charles.
The others were Williara S. ; EUen Jane, who died
AprU I, 1855 ; EUa Day, who died Deceraber 16,
1863 ; and Cora Cynthia, who died January 29, 1866.
Of these Dr. William S. Matthews, who was born
in 1843 and died at Youngstown May 9, 1888, was a
successful Youngstown physician for raany years, and
raade a brilliant record as a Union soldier. At the
age of seventeen he volunteered in Company I of
the Sixtieth Ohio Infantry, and for his personal
bravery in risking his life with a companion to carry
a wounded comrade out of range of the Confederate
fire he was promoted from lieutenant to the rank of
captain. The mother of these children was Cynthia Shan
non, who was born in Youngstown Township AprU
18, 1824, and became the wife of Thomas Matthews
on December 29, 1841. Her father, Maj. John
Shannon, was a native of Ireland, and an early_
settler at Charabersburg, Pennsylvania, and later at
Youngstown. He served at Sandusky with the rank
of major in the War of 1812. He was a hatter by
trade, and died at Youngstown at the age of eightv-
one. Mrs. Cynthia Matthews was the oldest of his
children. James Shannon died at Girard at the age
of eighty-six. WUliam lived on a farm adjoining
that of (jovernor Tod near Brier HUl. George Shan
non moved to Iowa, was married there, went overland
to Pikes Peak, Colorado, at the time of the mining
excitement, and later went on to California and died
at Fresno, January 25, 1902, at the age of seventy-
three. T. J. Shannon was a distinguished army sur
geon in the Army of the Potomac, entering the war
from Youngstown, and on the morning of the battle
at Cedar Creek was kUled by Moseby's guerillas.
John Shannon was a member of Company I of the
Seventh Ohio Infantry and also died during the war.
Martha Shannon became the wife of Parker G.
Hines and lived at Pittsburgh, but died at Youngs
town. Rachel was Mrs. Henry Beecher, and died at
Ravenna, Ohio ; Harriet became the wife of WUliara
Taylor and died at Church Hill, TrurabuU County.
Ella died in girlhood,
Bruce Shannon Matthews was born in the log house
on the Matthews farra in Boardraan Township, May
I, 1846, His brother Charles Wick was born at the
sarae horae March 31, 1851. Both have found their
life interests on the old farm and have been active
partners since 1876, The farm is now reduced to the
size of seventy-one acres. Twenty acres were sold
and platted for residences as the Pleasant View Plat
to Youngstown.
As a boy at the old home Bruce S, Matthews re
calls the heavy tiraber tbat covered rauch of the dis
trict, and he not only lived in a log house but went
to a log cabin school, fitted up with all the furniture
and equipment made faraUiar by repeated descriptions
of pioneer schoolhouses. In the cold blasts of winter
he and his schoolmates suffered frozen feet and
other inconveniences from the poorly constructed
buUding, but they probably enjoyed as good health
as the boys and girls who attend the corafortable

332

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

buildings today, fle also had duties at home, both
around the house and barn and in the fields, and be
came interested in his father's special industry as a
sheep grower. Bruce S. Matthews and his brother
for raany years ranked araong the leading breeders
of Delaine sheep in Eastern Ohio. Mr. Matthews
exhibited his sheep in county fairs and other ex
hibits for many years. About seven years ago he
had to practicaUy abandon sheep growing, as a result
of the ravages of dogs, and in the absence of a well
conceived and enforced law against these enemies
of the sheep raen.
The Matthews brothers have other business rela
tionships with their coraraunity. Bruce is second
vice president of the South Side Bank and the South
Side Savings and Loan Bank and is a director in the
National Bank at Canfield. Bruce Matthews has
served as township trustee, and both brothers have
been republican in their party affiliations, though they
were ardent supporters of President 'Wilson for a
second terra and thoroughly apjiroved his war adrain
istration. The family are merabers of Westminster
Presbyterian Church.
February 28, 1888, Bruce Matthews married Myrtle
Harris. iMrs. Matthews has not only been a thorough
home maker, but has interested herself beyond the
average of women in civic and public problems, and
is a keen student and thinker in raodern day affairs.
She was born on her father's farm in Boardman
Township, daughter of Harailton and Candace (Mc
Farlin) flarris, of an old Coitsville faraily. HaraUton
Harris was a son of Neheraiah Harris, who raarried
Anna McGuffey, a daughter of Alexander and Anna
(Holmes) McGuffey. Alexander McGuffey was
head of the prorainent and interesting McGuffey
faraily of Youngstown and the Mahoning VaUey, and
his oldest child was Williara H. McGuffey, compiler
of the famous series of McGuffey school readers.
The McGuffeys intermarried with many prominent
farailies of the valley, and frequent references to
the narae are raade in these pages. Harailton Harris,
a grandson of Alexander McGuffey, was born in
Coitsville Township, July 11, 1833. His wife, Can
dace McFarlin, was born iMay 23, 1831, and died
August 8, 1874, the mother of six chUdren, three
of whom died young. Those to reach mature years
are Mrs. Matthews, WUliam and Minnie. Mr. and
Mrs. Matthews have one daughter, Jessie Harris,
who was educated in the Boardraan High School and
is still at horae.
William J, Morris, assistant treasurer of the
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Corapany, and one of the
rnost highly respected raen of Youngstown, has won
his present position through persistence, merit and
knowledge of his work. He was born at Hubbard,
Ohio, July 12, 1881, and is the elder of two chUdren
born to the marriage of Nicodemns and Mary Ann
(Jones) Morris, both of whora are natives of
Wales, They carae with their respective parents to
the United States, and were later raarried at Coal
burg, Ohio, Nicoderaus Morris was a coal rainer
for sorae years, but later went to Hubbard, Ohio,
where he worked in the iron raills as a puddler until
about 1882, when he and his wife carae to Youngs
town, where they are now living in retireraent.

Williara J, Morris was graduated frora the Rayen
High School of Youngstown, and for a year there
after he worked first for the Coraraercial National
Bank and then for the G, M, McKelvey Corapany,
but frora then on has been identified with the iron
and steel industry, for he then entered the eraploy
of the Republic Iron & Steel Corapany as night time
keeper at the Bessemer plant. Later he was made
cost clerk in the district office of this corporation,
and six months later promoted to be cost clerk in
the general offices at iPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, In
igos he entered the employ of the Y'oungstown
Sheet & Tube Corapany as cost clerk, was later
raade chief clerk of the accounting department, and
since April, 1914, he has been assistant treasurer.
On iMarch 31, igio, Mr. Morris was united in
marriage with Miss Alice Troutman, of Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, and they are the parents of one
daughter, Barbara. Mr. Morris is a Council mem
ber of the York Rite of Masonry, and he also
belongs to the Odd Fellows, the Youngstown Club
and the Youngstown Country Club. The West
minster Presbyterian Church of Youngstown has in
him an earnest meraber, Mr. Morris is a raan who
possesses the ability to stiraulate raen to whole
hearted endeavor, and his departraent shows the
effect of his influence. Having risen frora the bot
tora, he understands the work and how rauch to
expect of those under his charge, and so is able
not only to secure excellent results for his corpora
tion, but also how to safeguard the interests of his
subordinates, by whora he is held in the highest
esteera. Having spent much of his life at Youngs
town, Mr. Morris is naturally a booster for it, and
no moveraent of worth fails to secure his support
if it has for its object a furtherance of the civic
developraent. Charles H. Drissen. It was as an expert young
Wisconsin dairy farmer that Charles fl. Drissen was
brought to the Mahoning Valley by the late Myron
C. Wick. Under Mr. Drissen's skillful personal
supervision the Wick Chestnut flill farm maintained
for a number of years one of the finest herds bf
Guernsey cattle in Amefica. While Mr. Drissen is
now a merchant at Coalburg, his interest is still in
the dairy industry, and with his brother he operates
one of the large dairy farms of TrurabuU County.
fle was born at Kewaunee, Wisconsin, August 20,
1886, and became versed in the dairy industry in the
faraous Wisconsin district, fle took special courses
in aniraal husbandry and dairying at the University
of Wisconsin, and planned to specialize as a veteri
narian. He had charge of a stock breeding farm at
Athens, Wisconsin, and first made the acquaintance
of Myron C. Wick in selling stock frora this farm
to the Mahoning Valley capitalists, fle also raet Mr.
Wick at the International Dairy Show in Chicago.
Mr. Wick induced him to come to Ohio and take
charge of the Wick stock for six raonths. That was
in igo7. At the end of that tirae Mr. Wick again
prevailed on him to remain, and he spent ten years
and two months very profitably on the Chestnut Hill
Farm, When he first drove out from Youngstown
to the farm seven miles away he traveled through
mud almost knee deep, but that same route is now

y\ S ' ^T^t^y-^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

333

a fine improved modern highway. In a few months
he had so earned the confidence of Mr. Wick as to
be given full charge of the farm. He developed the
Guernsey herd until it contained some of the very
finest of the breed. One of the cows was carried
about the country on the demonstration cars of the
Erie Railroad. The Wick Guernseys were exhibited
j,t the State Fair, the Columbus Corn Show and
other expositions. Mr. Drissen had the manageraent
of about thirteen raen who were eraployed on the
farra. He introduced a system of records and effi
cient management in the Wick dairy. He early
realized that the dairy was suffering from a deficiency
of proper care and feeding. On the EUendale Farm
in Wisconsin he had helped develop and test some
leading cows, and had all the qualifications for doing
this work on the Wick estate. The results proved his
skill and wisdora, since he brought several aniraals
to a high degree of production, as shown by sub
sequent official tests. Besides raaking the Chestnut
HiU Farra faraous for its Guernseys Mr. Drissen
also developed an orchard of sixty acres through its
early stages, until for several years past it has been
very productive. Frora $4,000 to $5,000 a year were
expended on the orchard until it carae into bearing.
He also suprvised the tile drainage and other im
proveraents, and when he left it the Chestnut Hill
Farra was without doubt the finest country place in
Trumbull County. It lies just one raile west of Coal
burg VUlage.
Mr. Drissen remained on the farm for three years
after the death of its proprietor, but in the raeantirae,
in 1915, had become interested in a general store at
Coalburg, and in association with his brother, L. J.
Drissen, he also bought the Judge Kennedy farm
of 144 acres near Coalburg. L. J. Drissen was also
in Mr. Wick's employ for seven years, and is now
the resident manager of the farm, while Charles Dris
sen gives his chief attention to the store at Coalburg
and lives there. The farra specializes in dairying and
maintains a herd of Guernsey pure bred and grades
of about forty-five, Mr. Drissen now has one of the
two stores that remain at Coalburg. In former years,
when it was a center of coal production, there was a
score of business houses, but raost of the trade now
comes frora the eraployes of the New York Central
Railway yards.
Mr. Drissen married in November, 1913, Ann
Shaffer, raeraber of a well known faraily of TrurabuU
County. They have three children, Henry, Ruth and
Edna. Mr. Drissen is also a raeraber of the local
school board.
Roscoe Carlton McBride, the cheraist for the
Youngstown Foundry and iMachine Shop, has for
twenty years pracrticed his profession as a cheraical
engineer, and is a recognized expert in the chemistry
of metals.
Mr. McBride comes of a family of scholars and
educators and was born at West Farraington in Trura
buU County, July 12, 1875. His parents are Sarauel
S. and Ida (McKay) McBride, the forraer born in
Butier County, Pennsylvania, in 1850 and the latter in
TrurabuU County in 1852. They are now living on a
farm at West Farmington. Samuel S. McBride
gained a notable place among Ohio educators, was

educated at Western Reserve Seminary at Farming-
ton, and for thirty years was busy with the labors
and responsibilities of the schoolroom. He taught
in West Farmington Seminary, and in many high
schools in Trumbull and Geauga counties and at
SuUivan in Ashland County. Sarauel McBride is
affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and Inde
pendent Order of Odd iFellows, and he and his wife
are devout Methodists.
Roscoe Carlton McBride was also a student at the
Western Reserve Seminary at Farmington, and for
two years was a teacher. He then entered the Case
School of Applied Science at Cleveland, and special
ized in chemistry, graduating in i89g. Since then he
has filled a nuraber of responsible positions as a chera
ist, beginning with the Sharpeville Furnaces, then was
chief chemist for Dickman & McKenzie at Chicago
for two years, also with the firm of Crowell & Peck,
and since that time his work has been in the Youngs
town district of industries. While he has specialized
in the chemical processes involved in general metal
working, his studies and research have been par
ticularly valuable in the making of chilled rolls.
Mr. McBride is a member of the Youngstown En
gineers Club and the American Society of Chemists.
He is a republican, is affiliated with the Knights of
Pythias, and he and his family are raerabers of the
Richard Brown Meraorial Methodist Church. In
1898 he raarried Miss Minnie Stroup, of West Farra
ington. Their son, Charles Andrew McBride, is a
graduate of the Rayen High School, and has been
specially trained in rausic.
Alexander Bruce Powrie. The City of Warren
has araong her siibstantial and progressive raen a
number who, by reason of the few years that tbey
have resided here, are sometimes referred to by older
residents as "new-comers." However, the city is for
tunate in having as citizens these so-called "new
comers," for it is generally conceded that in their
few years they have accoraplished as rauch for the
coramunity as have raany of the "old-tiraers,"
One of the "new-coraers" is Alexander B, Powrie,
forraer merchant and now an extensive owner of and
successful operator in suburban real estate. He is a
native of Scotland, born- in the County of Perth, on
March 26, 1868, the son of the late WUliam and
Catherine (Bruce) Powrie, After attending school
until he was fourteen years of age, young Powrie
served an apprenticeship of five years in a dry goods
house at Coupar-Angus, Scotland, where he became
thoroughly grounded in the details of that business
and qualified as a salesman.
In 1887 Mr. Powrie came to the United States
and became a salesman in a large dry goods houre in
Pittsburgh. In 1897 he removed to Missouri and
entered the dry goods business on his own account
at Fulton. Two years later he engaged in the same
business at Carrollton in the same state, continuing
at the latter place for twelve years.
Mr. Powrie returned to Pittsburgh in 1912, and in
1914 he located in Warren and opened a general
raerchandise store at 39 East Market Street, which
he developed into a large and successful business.
In 1920, however, in order to give all of his time to
his other interests, Mr. Powrie sold his mercantile

334

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

business and has since been active in the handling
of his own real estate.
Mr. Powrie with others is the owner of about 300
acres of Warren suburban property, which he is now
developing, and also owns 200 acres of the sarae kind
of property which he will develop within the next
year or so. He also owns farms in both Columbiana
and Ashtabula counties.
Aside from real estate Mr. Powrie has other im
portant business interests, among which may be men
tioned the William Coale Development Company, a
new Warren corporation.
Mr. Powrie takes a keen interest in the civic and
social affairs of Warren, and has been found always
ready to respond to all calls raade upon him in aid of
movements inaugurated for the betterment of the
welfare of the coraraunity, never, however, seeking
political preference, yet never declining to give of his
time to the city's affairs. Feeling his obligations to
the coraraunity, he accepted appointraent as a raember
of the City Board of Health, and served efficiently in
1918-1920. He is a meraber of the Board of Trade
and is a raember of the Westminster and Masonic
clubs, of Carroll F. Clapp Lodge, Free and Accepted
Masons, and of the Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Powrie married Elizabeth Ritchie, who was
born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and to their marriage
have been born : Bruce, who was born in Fulton,
Missouri, and William, Stuart, Elizabeth and Cath
erine, aU of whom were born in Carrollton, Missouri.
Richard Garlick, vice president and treasurer of
the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company, was born
at Youngstown on Noveraber 2, 1871, his parents
being Henry M, and Sarah Starabaugh Ford Gar
lick, He attended the Youngstown public schools,
Phillips Exeter Acaderay and Yale University, frora
the latter institution receiving the degree of Bachelor
of Arts in 1893,
On his return from college Mr. Garlick entered
the works of the Lloyd Booth Corapany to secure
a practical knowledge of manufacturing probleras,
and in 1898 became secretary of that company. He
reraained with that organization until igoi, when he
was elected treasurer of the Youngstown Sheet &
Tube Corapany, which position he has occupied con
tinuously until the present tirae.
In addition to his unflagging interest in and serv
ice to l;his iraportant corporation Mr, Garlick has
found time to assist in the raanageraent and devel
opraent of a nuraber of other corporations which
have had an iraportant part in the industrial history
of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley. Araong
these corporations with which he is associated as
a director are the First National and Dollar Banks,
the Realty Trust Company, the United Engineering
& Foundry Company, the iRealty Security Company,
the Republic Rubber Company, the Concrete Sand
& Stone Company and others.
Mr, Ga.rlick has a wide reputation for excellent
judgment in financial matters, and his unusually
large experience in the handling of problems con
nected with the financing of large corporations has
made his services highly valuable to the concerns
with which he is connected. He is a member of the
Youngstown Club, the Youngstown Country Club,

the Yale and University Clubs of New York, the
Duquesne Club and others. He is a republican in
politics and a meraber of the First Presbyterian
Church, On April 25, 1901, he was united in raar
riage to Mary Holraes WeUs, of Youngstown. They
reside in a handsome home on Logan Road.
Jesse Harold Hall is in -the fourth successive
generation of the Halls in Hubbard Township, in
every generation the narae Jesse reappearing. The
first Jesse Hall was one of the earliest settlers in
TrurabuU County, and the integrity of his life has
been duplicated in successive generations. The HaUs
have always had a name for substantial worth and
good citizenship.
Jesse Harold Hall was born March 30, 1885, on
the farm where his raother is still living, on the
Youngstown-Sharon car line at Stop 34. As he
grew to manhood he made the best possible use of the
advantages in the schools and at home ,and for four
years worked at the carpenter's trade. Later he be
gan working on the farm of David Tod. David Tod
had been greatly annoyed by his inability to secure
reliable chauffeurs. He had had unpleasant experi
ences with a number of drinkers and otherwise un-
dependables. Finally a neighbor suggested that Mr.
Tod had in his employ on the farm a young raan
whose steadiness and integrity were part of the famUy
tradition in TrurabuU County. Forthwith Jesse H.
Hall was given all the instruction his apt mechanical
mind required to operate a car, and became the family
chauffeur. After the death of Mr. David Tod he was
promoted to larger responsibUities as manager of
the fine 320-acre farm and country estate a mile west
of Hubbard. Here he is busily engaged supervising
the general operations of the farm, breeding
thoroughbred Jersey cattle and superintending the
noted farm herd. . This farm is noted for the
high quality of its butter, sold to special custoraers.
There are eight eraployes on the farm, one of thera
being a landscape gardener who looks after the green
houses for Mrs. Tod.
Mr. Hall lives in the old Starabaugh horae, on a
part of the Tod farra. At the age of twenty-five he
married Nellie Corbett, daughter of John Corbett, a
Youngstown gardener. They have two children, Mar
garet and Jesse, the latter being the fifth of the
Jesse flails in successive generations in Trumbull
County. Lloyd B. Kennedy. The narae of Lloyd B,
Kennedy has been identified with tbe banking and
financial interests of the Mahoning VaUey for a
nurriber of years and associated with the business
affairs of the City of Warren for the past six years,
and during the latter period his part in the growth
and developraent of the coramunity has given him a
place among the leading men of this section of Ohio.
IVfr. Kennedy was born at Cortland (Fowler)
Ohio, Deceniber 7, i86g, and is the son of C. C.
¦and Alice (Kellogg) Kennedy. The Kennedy fam
ily is of Scotch-Irish descent. The great-grand
father, Samuel Kennedy, and his wife, Jane, re
moved from Berks County, Pennsylvania, to the
Mahoning Valley in 1814 and settied in flowland
Township, TrumbuU County, where they reared a

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

335

family of five sons and four daughters, all of whom
lived to raature age. C, C, Kennedy, father of Lloyd
B,, was born on the farra of Williara B. Kennedy
in Bazetta Township, Trumbull County, on Sep
tember 12, 1845. He spent his boyhood days on his
father's farm, and after finishing his education he
settled on a farm in the township where he was
born. His wife, Alice (KeUogg) Kennedy, was
born at Fowler on October 28. 1847, the daughter of
E, V. and Lucy (Loomis) Kellogg.
Lloyd B. Kennedy was reared at Cortland, Ohio,
and received his educational training in that city
and at Oberlin College and the college at Lebanon,
Ohio. For the six subsequent years he was engaged
in teaching in different schools in the Mahoning
VaUey and at Warren, and then, in i8g5, he entered
upon his banking career as a bookkeeper of the
First National Bank at Girard, Ohio. The next year
he organized the Farmers Banking Company of
West Farraington, Ohio, of which he was secretary
and treasurer, and continued as such until 1900, in
which year he became branch manager of the
Cleveland Trust Company at Lakewood, Ohio, hold
ing this responsible position until igo6, when he be
came cashier for the Rocky River Savings and
iBanking Corapany, located just outside of Cleveland,
where he continued until 1915. In that year he
came to Warren and organized the Peoples Saving
Company, which was incorporated in the sarae year,
and of which he becarae secretary. In April, 1918,
the Warren Board of Trade organized the Warren
'Guaranteed Mortgage Company and Mr. Kennedy
was chosen as its secretary, a position he has since
held. Within a short time after the organization
of the corapany the manageraent of its affairs was
virtually given to Mr, Kennedy, and to his ability
is due the success the corapany has enjoyed, fle
is also vice president of the WiUiara Coale Develop
ment Corapany and is interested in the buUding and
selling of horaes.
Fraternally Mr, Kennedy belongs to the Masons,
Knights of Pythias and the Elks, The Methodist
Episcopal Church holds his raerabership.
Mr. Kennedy raarried Mary Hertzell, born at
Girard, Ohio, a daughter of A. E. and Eraeline
(Karl) HertzeU, of Girard. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy
have the following children: A. Wayne, born at
West Farraington, Ohio; Helen M., Dorothy, and
Edna, who were born at Cleveland, Ohio ; and
Jack C, who was born at Warren,
In aU his operations Mr, Kennedy has displayed
unusual ability and knowledge of the banking busi
ness, A sane and conservative man, he believes in
weighing carefully each proposition before taking
action, but once a decision is reached in carrying
it through to a successful completion. Upright in
every particular, he has inspired confidence and won
devoted friends, and few men stand any higher in
public esteem than he does among the citizens of
the Mahoning Valley.
William A, Williams, There were few raen,
indeed, who enjoyed a greater acquaintance or who
¦were raore popular in TrurabuU County than the
late WUliara A. WUliams, of Warren, As boy and
man he lived in the Mahoning Valley, and for forty
Vol. 11—22

years he was closely identified with the history of
the valley, and especially was he prominent in the
civic and social affairs of the cities of Y''oungstown
and Warren.
Mr, Williaras was born at Mt, Savage, Maryland,
on Deceraber 28, 1856, and was the son of Thoraas
Williaras, a native of South Wales, who reraoved
his faraily from Maryland to Ohio in 1857, settling
in Youngstown. He was a millright by trade and
built raany of the early mills of the Mahoning Val
ley, among them the old Richards MiU at Warren.
William A. was a boy of one year when his
parents carae to Youngstown, so that practically his
entire life was spent in the Mahoning Valley. He
attended the public schools of Youngstown and at
the age of thirteen he left school to go to work in
the Youngstown Rolling Mills. He spent ten years
in the raUls, becoming an expert, skilled workman,
and then gave up that work in 1879 to become a
member of the "Youngstown police force. In 1881
he became head of the police fol-ce, and continued
to direct the departraent for seven years, when he
resigned to go to Akron as manager of the Akron
Iron Company. After having spent five years in
Akron Mr. Williams removed to Warren and joined
Owen D. Morgan in the manufacture of carriages
and wagons under the firm narae of Morgan and
WUliaras, which business had been established by
Mr. Morgan in 1889,
In igo2 Mr, WUliams was elected, on the repub-
'lican ticket, as sheriff of TrurabuU County, and was
re-elected in igo4. At the expiration of his second
terra as sheriff he returned to active participation
in the affairs of the firra of Morgan and Williams,
The firm gave up the carriage and wagon business
in 1916 to become sales agents and distributors of
the Overland automobile in a territory embracing
nine counties, and continued in that line with suc
cess until 1917, when botb Mr, Morgan and Mr.
WUliams retired from all active business.
In 1907 Mr. WUliams, Mr. Morgan and others
organized and incorporated the Warren Realty and
Trust Corapany, of which Mr. Williaras was presi
dent until his death. He was also a director in the
Western Reserve National Bank, and had other ira
portant business interests.
He was a raember of First Presbyterian Church
and of Old Erie Lodge No. 3 of Masons and of
Warren Lodge of Elks.
The Warren Daily Tribune, issue of March 20.
1917, gave the following estiraate of Mr. "VViUiaffls' ¦
worth as raan and citizen, which was universally
echoed by all who knew hira :
"Billy WUliaras was one of the raost popular
raen that ever lived in Warren or TrurabuU County.
His acquaintance was large, and when men came
to know him they became his friends and they so
remained. He was genuine all the way through, big-
hearted and sincere, and his word was ever as good
as his bond, flis friends were real friends be
cause he hiraself was a real friend. He worked
hard in his younger days, and much raaterial suc
cess was the result of his labors. Of late years
he had raore or less retired frora active participa
tion in business affairs, though he always kept in
close touch wjth them. He was enjoying his rest.

336

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

and no man better deserved to enjoy it. He was
never a shirker, and so long as there was need of
work he worked.
"Mr. WUliaras was a good citizen. He was public
spirited and liberal always in the support of any
thing towards the upbuilding of the city and county.
"He loved his home. In fact his home circle
was a large part of his life, and his happiest
moraents were in the bosora of his faraily, with his
wife and children about hira. He loved life because
he always saw the sunny side of life, and he loved
to see others happy, fle ever looked ahead with
pleasure, and his life of optiraisra has left an in
fluence upon others and upon the coraraunity that
will long be felt."
Mr, 'WUliams was united in marriage at Youngs
town with Elizabeth Griffith, who was born at
Tallmadge, Suramit County, Ohio, the daughter of
Thomas and Mary (Bowen) Griffith, both natives
of South Wales,- Thomas Griffith removed from
Tallmadge, where he was a farmer, to Youngstow-n,
when his daughters were children. He becarae in
terested in real estate in the latter city, becarae well-
known and highly esteeraed, and the honor was
paid, hira by the city of naming Thoraas and Griffith
streets for hira.
To Mr, and Mrs, WUliaras the following children
were born, all of whom, with their mother, survive :
Alfred August WUliams was born in Youngstown
April 22, 1882. He was educated in the Warren
High School and in the Warren Business College
and began his active business life as a bookkeeper
for the firra of Morgan and Williaras. Two years
later, in order that he might gain practical knowl
edge, he began an apprenticeship in the firm's black
smith shop, corapleting his three years as apprentice,
then working in the same shop as journeyman for
one year. He was then made secretary and
treasurer and manager of the wholesale departraent.
When the Warren Realty and Trust Corapany was
organized he became secretary and treasurer of
that corporation and has continued to hold that
position. He is a raeraber of the Board of Directors
of the Western Reserve National Bank, also a raera
ber of the Board of Directors of the Warren
Guaranteed Mortgage Corapany, He is a member
of the Warren Board of Trade, Warren Rotary
Club, Country Club and Buckeye Club, He is a
member of First Presbyterian Church and a raera
ber of Old Erie Lodge of Masons No, 3, Warren
Commandry No, 39, Knights Templar, and Al Koran
Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Cleveland.
He is also a meraber of Warren Lodge of Elks No,
295, Howard C. Williaras was born in Youngstown on
Septeraber 13, 1887, He was educated in the gram
mar schools of Youngstown and Akron, and spent
three years at the Warren fligh School, completing
his student days with three years at Warren Busi
ness College. Leaving college, he spent five years
in learning the plumbing trade with the flenderson
Plumbing and Heating Corapany, and in 1916 he
becarae sales manager for the Warren Realty and
Trust Company, which position he was holding
when the United States entered the World war.
Entering the service in 1918, he was sent overseas

in July 'as a member of the 308th Motor Supply
Train, Eighty-third Division. He saw twenty-two
months' service in France and England and on July
13, 1919, he returned to the United States, FoUow
ing his discharge frora the service he returned ro
Warren and resuraed his position as sales raan
ager for the Warren Realty and Trust Corapany.
He is a meraber of Old Erie Lodge No, 3, Free and
Accepted Masons and of Al Koran Teraple, Nobles
of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a raeraber of
Warren Lodge of Elks No. 295 and of the Masonic,
Elks, Country and Buckeye clubs, and of the Amer
ican Legion.
Lawrence V. Williams was born in Akron and
was educated in the public schools. He entered
the service in 1918, was assigned to the 308th
Motor Supply Train, Eighty-third Division, sailed
On June 13th and saw twenty-two months of service
in France and England, returning to the United
States in April, igig. After his discharge from the
service he resumed his duties as assistant secretary
and assistant treasurer of the Warren iRealty and
Trust Company.
Hettie Esther WUliams was born in Youngstown
and married Reid Jones, of W&rren, They are the
parents of one son, Reid Jones, Jr,, and reside at
Bedford, Ohio.
Ethel Marie Williams was born in Youngstown
and is with her mother.
Annie Belle WiUiams was born in Warren and is
with her raother.
Henry G. Lytle, president, treasurer and general
raanager of the wholesale confectionery firm of
Lytle- Wentz Manufacturing Corapany, is another
illustration of the cosraopolitan character of
Youngstown. He was born on a farra yet owned by
raerabers of his faraily in County Londonderry in
the North of Ireland, AprU 7, 1871. While he is
proud of his native land and special locality, there
is no question as to his loyalty to the land of his
adoption. He was reared in Ireland and there, ac
cording to the custom of the country, served a four
years' apprenticeship, without remuneration, to a
merchant. His parents, WUliam and Margaret
(Graham) Lytle, were farraers and resided in Ire
land all of their lives.
When he was twenty years old Henry G. Lytle,
or as he is universally known, "Harry" G. Lytle,
satisfied a longing by iraraigrating to the United
States. In 1802 he began working in a wholesale
candy store at McKeesport, Pennsylvania, and during
the eight years he was thus eraployed he learned
much of this business and the prevailing methods
of conducting it. In igoo the firm employing him
established a branch at A'oungstown, Ohio, and Mr.
Lytle carae here as its half owner and raanager, and
succeeded in developing it into a profitable enter
prise. In igo4, with two of his associates, he
founded the firm of Lytle, Morrow & Wentz, and
started in a sraall, unpretentious way to do busi
ness. The raembers of the new firm worked hard
and raet with well-merited success, continually ex
panding and acquiring valuable real estate. Mr.
Morrow died in 1915, and the interest in the whole
sale business he had acquired was purchased by

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

337

Messrs. Lytic and Wentz, but they continued their
real estate holdings under the old firra caption. In
1917 Messrs. Lytle and Wentz incorporated the
wholesale business as the Lytle-Wentz Company,
capitalized at $50,000, and this has become one of
Youngstown's leading coraraercial houses. Mr.
Lytle is a raeraber of the Youngstown Charaber of
Comraerce and the Kiwanis Club, fle is a Mason,
having attained to the thirty-second degree, Scot
tish Rite, and is a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, and
also a Knight of Pythias.
In 189s Mr. Lytle was united in raarriage with
Miss Kate B. Gregg, of Monongahela, Pennsylvania,
and their only child, Margaret S., is the wife of
F. AUen Hoover, and the mother of three children,
namely: Kathryn, Harriet and Margaret.
Napoleon B. Holton, living retired at Poland, is
one of the interesting old timers whose recoUections
go back before Civil war times.
He was born at Vienna, Ohio, March 5, 1835. His
parents came from Camden, New York. The
grandfather, Richard Holton, was a Revolutionary
soldier. The father also bore the narae of Richard,
was an expert Yankee raechanic, was foreraan in a
clock factory at Vienna, and in the early days of rail
road construction helped lay a strap iron railroad
in Michigan. On his return to Ohio he settled in
• Poland, subsequently raoving to Niles, where he died.
Of six sons four are still living: (jeorge, of Wis
consin; Charles, of Niles; Napoleon B,, of Poland,
and Jaraes, whose horae is at Ashland, Wisconsin,
These four brothers were all soldiers in the Civil
war. George and Napoleon enlisted at the very be
ginning, in Corapany E of the Twenty-Third Ohio
Infantry. This company was raised at Poland, and
one of the enlisted men was Williara McKinley, who,
however, was transferred to another organization.
The first captain was W. A. Zimmerman, William
Rice was first lieutenant, and John Botsford, second
lieutenant. The company was consolidated with the
Twelfth Ohio Regiment, and Napoleon B. Holton
saw three years and twenty-two days of service. His
brother George continued until the end of the war
and rose to the rank of lieutenant. Napoleon B.
Holton was proraoted to sergeant, and for two and a
half years was color bearer and raarched at the head
of his corapany. He is now the only surviving raera
ber of old Corapany E left at Poland. He never
had raore than a scratch, though his brother George
was wounded five or six times. The old colors which
he carried for over two years are now preserved with
other battle flags in the Capitol Building at Co
lumbus. Mr. Holton has attended many reunions
of the Grand Array of the Republic, flis home post,
Hawkins Post at Poland, now has its merabership
so reduced that the charter has been given up.
For raany years Mr. Holton worked as a carpenter
and bridge builder and was with the Morse Bridge
Company for a nuraber of years. He has never been
in politics. His horae is on the corner opposite the
old Poland Union Serainary.
In i860, at the age of twenty-five, he raarried
Samantha Eakin, of Poland. They had three chU
dren : Cora C, who married Joseph Deemer and
died in New York; Frank P., an express messenger

witii the Northern Pacific RaUway; and C. Ed, with
the Wabash Railroad,
James M, Lloyd, During the past thirty years
James M. Lloyd has had alraost every possible ex
perience as a skilled and unskilled worker, execu
tive and operating official in the steel and iron in
dustry. He has been eraployed in a nuraber of the
great works of Western Pennsylvania and Eastern
Ohio and at present is general superintendent of the
Lowellville plant of the Sharon Steel Hoop Com
pany. Mr. Lloyd was born at West Elizabeth in Alle
gheny County, Pennsylvania, October 4, 1867, son
of Eleazer and Ann (Van Devander) Lloyd, flis
parents were also natives of Pennsylvania, and his
father spent his active life as a farmer. He was
also in the Civil war as a soldier in the Thirty-
Fifth Pennsylvania, and fought at Bull Run, Antie
tam, Gettysburg and other great battles.
The first fifteen years of his life James M, Lloyd
spent on the homestead farra, and after that until
twenty-one worked in coal mines, fle had a high
school education. In i8go he entered the Homestead
Works of the Carnegie Corapany, and there and in
other steel raUls acquired by practical experience
every detail of the industry, and has filled practical
ly every position in open hearth and in blooraing
mills. For eight years he was assistant superinten
dent for the Jones & Laughlin Steel Company over
aU their departraents. fle entered the service of
the Sharon Steel Hoop Corapany on September i,
1917, first in charge of the bar and blooming raiUs
at Sharon, and since igig as general superintendent
of the LowellviUe plant.
Mr. Lloyd is a meraber of the Methodist Episco
pal Church, and is active in Masonry, being a mera
ber of the Lodge at Sharon and at Pittsburgh is a
member of the Knights Templar Coraraandery,
Scottish Rite Consistory and Mystic Shrine. August
5, i8go, he raarried Miss Christina A. Farrer of
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. They have three
chUdren: Charles H., Clarence E. and Mildred
Marion. Charles fl. is at this writing in the shipping
department of the plate mills of the Carnegie Steel
Company at Homestead, Pennsylvania. Clarence is
engaged in the eraployraent office of the Sharon
Steel Hoop Corapany. Lowellville Works. Mr.
Lloyd has never taken an active part in politics.
William S, Matthews, M, D. For many years
the late Doctor Matthews comraanded an exceedingly
large practice and enjoyed a prestige as one of the
ablest physicians and surgeons of Youngstown.
He was born at Poland, October 30, 1843, son of
Thoraas and Cynthia (Shannon) Matthews. His
father was brought to this country as a child frora
Ireland, whUe his raother was born in Iowa. Thomas
Matthews was a farmer in Boardman Township, the
old farm being still owned by his sons, Bruce and
Charles. WUliam S. Matthews grew up on that farra. His
uncle, Dr, Jefferson Shannon, was an array surgeon
in Virginia during the early raonths of the war.
Doctor Shannon owned a favorite horse in Ohio and
coramissioned young Matthews to ride the animal to

338

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Virginia, The boy gladly complied with the request
and the raore so because he hoped that he might be
able to remain with his uncle. However, he was
immediately sent back after executing his corarais
sion, though this only fortified his resolution to get
into the array. As soon as possible he enlisted in
Corapany I of the Sixtieth Ohio Infantry, going in
as a private and coming out with the rank of captain.
When a first lieutenant he went between the lines
under fire from both sides, and carried a wounded
comrade to safety. For this he was brevetted a
Captain by President Lincoln for his conspicuous
gallantry before Petersburg, His uncle while car
ing for wounded on that field was shot down in
cold blood, and his body was subsequently recov
ered and buried at Oak Hill in Youngstown, Doc
tor Matthews always kept up an active interest in
his old comrades and attended raany of the reunions
of Tod Post,
He completed his literary education in the Poland
Union Seminary and later married one of his class
mates, the daughter of the distinguished founder
of that institution. After returning frora the army
he began the study of medicine in the office of
Doctor Truesdale at Poland, took his first course of
lectures at the University of Michigan, also studied
with Doctor Fowler, and in 1868 graduated frora
Western Reserve Medical CoUege at Cleveland. He
then becarae associated in practice with Doctor
Fowler, and a deep friendship existed between these
two for many years. Doctor Matthews was a
Youngstown physician, and he had the first two pa
tients in the City Hospital before the building was
completed. He was for many years actively identified
witb the manageraent of the hospital. He was a
raeraber of the county and other raedicai societies,
and physicians raany times showed their complete
confidence in his superior judgment. He continued
practice until 1888, after which he practically re
tired. Doctor Matthews was a thirty-second degree
Mason and a meraber of the First Presbyterian
Church. February 3, 1870, he raarried Jessie Lee, a native
of Poland and a daughter of B, F, Lee, whose career
as a distinguished educator has been sketched else
where, Mrs, Matthews for the past five years has
lived at her old horae at Poland, and occupies a por
tion of the Lee property opposite the old seminary.
She has always been very active in churcli and
literary clubs. She is the raother of two children.
Her daughter Grace lives at horae. The son, Fred
erick L. Matthews, was educated in iRayen High
School and Williaras College, for a time was in the
New York office of the Republic Iron & Steel Cora
pany, and since then has been a very successful
insurance raan and is now in business in Chicago.
He married Annette Paley, of Beloit, 'Wisconsin, and
has two children, Annette and Frederick L.
L, J, Campbell, president of the Electric Alloy
Steel Company, is araong the raost prorainent and
active of the younger executives in various enter
prises in Youngstown, He was born in Youngs
town on May 24, 1885, his parents being Jaraes A.
and Uretta (Place) Carapbell. He attended Rayen
High School, the Lawrenceville (N. J.) Preparatory
School and Wooster University, raatriculating at

Yale University in 1906, and graduating frora that
institution in igio. Prior to his entrance at Yale he
spent about four years in the raUls of the Youngs
town Sheet & Tube Corapany, acquiring a practical
knowledge of the raanufacture of steel. After his
college course was corapleted he entered the general
offices of the corporation named and filled various
positions, including assistant to the president, and
later vice president, and also that of president of
the Western Conduit Company, a subsidiary corpora
tion, acquiring a wide knowledge of the problems
of management.
In igi6, when it appeared that this country raight
become involved in a war with Germany, Mr. Carap
bell volunteered for service in the military arm. iHe
had attended the officers' training camp at iPlatts-
burg and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in
the Officers' Reserve Corps. May i, 1917, he was or
dered to active duty at Fort Benjarain Harrison as
an instructor at tbe first officers' training camp
established after the opening of the war. June 5th
of that year he was promoted to the rank of major
of infantry. October I, 1917, he was ordered to
Camp Sherman and given command of a battalion
of light field artillery, and a month later detailed to
Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for special instruction as an
artillery officer. After completing this course with
credit Mr. Carapbell was placed in coramand of a
battalion of field artillery, in which capacity he.
served until February 22, 1918. On that date he
received orders to go to France, being at the same
tirae appointed adjutant of the One Hundred and
Sixty-sixth Infantry Bri,gade, going abroad with this
brigade a few days later.
Arriving in France with the brigade raentioned,
he was almost immediately transferred to the artU
lery service, in which he had been specially trained,
at the same tirae going frora staff service to active
service in the field with the 309th Field .ArtUlery,
of which he was raade lieutenant colonel on October
7, igi8, after this regiment had raade a gallant record
in the Argonne. On January 8, igig, at his urgent
request. Lieutenant Colonel Carapbell was relieved
frora duty and ordered bome ; but before erabarking
was recalled and placed in command of the Fifty-
third Coast Artillery Corps Regiment. He remained
in France about two raonths in this capacity and was
finally discharged frora the service at Camp Mead,
Maryland, March 13, 1919, after having served
almost two years, and attained proraotions which
place him in the position of ranking officer in the
military records of the Mahoning Valley during the
great war.
^ During his service in France Lieutenant Colonel
Campbell participated in all of the operations of the
First American Army, being in the first and second
battles iri which tfte St. Mihiel salient was cleared,
and participating actively in the Argonne drive and
the subsequent operations on the Meuse. He was on
the firing line with his regiraent when the armistice
was declared.
Mr, CampbeU resigned' his position as vice presi
dent of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company
early in 1920 to organize the Electric Alloy Steel
Company. In addition to being head of this enter
prise, he is also widely interested in industry and
business, being vice president of the Youngstown

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

339

Ice Corapany, and a director of the Coraraercial Na
tional Bank, the Crystal Ice & Storage Company, the
Youngstown Steel Car Company, the Mahoning Val-
ley Mortgage Company and the Continental Supply
Company. He is a raeniber of the Youngstown
Club, the Youngstown Country Club, a nuraber of
the college fraternities and other siraUar organiza
tions. On Septeraber 15, 1914, Mr. Carapbell was raarried
to Cordelia Campbell, and they have two children,
Uretta Place and Louise.
Oswald Detchon. The late Oswald Detchon was
one of the substantial men of Mahoning County, and
owned one of the most valuable farms in Boardman
Township. He was born on what is now the Fred
erick farra, one-half raile east of his horaestead.
His grandfather carae to Mahoning County from
England about 1800 and located on the farm which
was the birthplace of Oswald Detchon. His chUdren
were as follows: WiUiara, John, George, Thomas,
iElijah, Oswald, Solomon and Nancy. One of these
sons, iElijah, became the father of Oswald Detchon,
whose name heads this review.
Elijah Detchon married Elizabeth Kentner, and
they became the parents of the following children :
Oswald; Noble; Jesse; Belinda, who is Mrs. Joseph
Williamson, of 'Youngstown ; Rebecca Ann, who mar
ried Eli Osborne, is deceased, as is her husband; and
Martha, who married Atchison Whaley, now living
retired at St. Louis, Missouri.
The birth of Oswald Detchon took place on Janu
ary 18, 1837, and his death, on Noveraber 9, igio.
On Septeraber 19, 1865, he was married to Sarah S.
Squire, a daughter of James and Lovean (Whitten)
Squire, natives of New Castle, Pennsylvania, and
Trumbull County, Ohio, respectively. iBoth died in
the sarae week, in 1850, aged twenty-nine and twenty-
eight years, respectively, and their little daughter was
taken and reared by her aunt, Mrs. Nathaniel Brown,
of New Castle, Pennsylvania. She was twenty years
old at the tirae of her raarriage.
After his marriage Oswald Detchon worked the
family homestead for four years, and then bought the
land on which a cannery stood and conducted it.
The Interurban Station at Boardraan Center is on the
old farm land. Oswald Detchon was well known as
a stockbreeder and dealer, and exhibited at the
county fairs. He enjoyed good horses and handled
them. The interurban passed through his farra while
he was still alive, and since his demise the family
donated the land for a boulevard which runs parallel
to the car line, A deraocrat, Mr, Detchon served his
tov^nship as clerk and assessor. The Methodist
Episcopal Church had in hira a faithful raember, he
belonging to the congregation at Boardman Center.
For years he was a member of the Ancient Order of
United Workmen.
Mr, and Mrs, Detchon becarae the parents of the
following children : Mae, who is Mrs, Charles
Meek, lives at Boardman Center, and her mother is
a member of her household, as well as a girl named
Frances, whom she and her husband adopted when
three years of age; James B., who lives at Youngs
town, raarried Bessie McKinney, and they have two
children, Randall Oswald and Carl Alfred; Paul
Clifford, who lives at Orion, Michigan, married

Frances Arrel, and they have five children, WUliam,
John, Jane, Frances and Mary Rachel ; Aubrey, who
is a veterinary surgeon of Canfield, married Verona
Brickley, and they have two children, Walter and
Ruth ; and Bird, who raarried Andrew Black, of
Poland, has five children, Chester, Frederick, Dudley,
Donald and Robert Bruce.
A man of upright life and liigh ideal;, Oswald
Detchon set an excellent exaraple while living, and.
dying, left behind hira a record of which his family
may well be proud. Such men as he give a solidity
to a coraraunity and raise standards of raorality not
easily overthrown.
C. M. L. Altdoerffer, whose horae is at Boardman
Center, has given his life to school work, and has had
an important share in the educational progress of
the Mahoning Valley for a nuraber of years. His
chief work has been done at Youngstown, where he is
now supervising principal of the Garfield School.
The records of the family go back nearly two cen
turies in America. Frederick J. Altdoerffer immi
grated from Baden, Germany, reaching Philadelphia
in 1732, That date and fact have been verified by
Professor L, B. Altdoerffer of Cleveland, who has
examined the old passenger list of the ship on which
he came across. Frederick Altdoerffer located at
Woodstock in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and
some of his descendants are still living there. In
looking up the family record L. B. Altdoerffer visited
the old horaestead of his ancestor in Virginia.
A direct descendant of this Virginia colonial was
John Altdoerffer, who in 1809 carae to Ohio. Sorae
of his writings are still in the possession of his
descendants, including a receipt for $300, his share in
the Virginia estate. This receipt is kept by C. M. L.
Altdoerffer. The writings show that John Altdoerffer
was an excellent penman, and other evidence indi
cates that he was a man of unusual education and
character. Mr. Altdoerffer also has the old deed
signed by Thomas Jefferson, President, and Jaraes
Madison, secretary of state, giving title to the land
settled on by John Altdoerffer four railes southeast
of Colurabiana.
It was on this old homestead that C. M. L. Alt
doerffer was born October 6, i860. He was next to
the youngest of the eighteen children. of his father,
three of whora died in infancy and fifteen reaching
mature years. His father was Samuel Altdoerffer,
who was born April 10, 1810, shortly after the family
came to Ohio, and the youngest of eight children.
The original pioneer, John Altdoerffer, died on the
old horaestead at the age of seventy-six, having been
born in 1764, The first court held in Columbiana
County was on the Elias Lower farm in a barn that
had been recently erected, and just south of that farm
was the Altdoerffer place. The old homestead de
scended to Samuel Altdoerffer, who spent his life
there, and became widely known over iEastern Ohio
as a stock breeder. He died in 1870, He was three
times raarried. His third wife, whora he raarried in
1850, was Elizabeth Thoraas, at that tirae the widow
of Henry Lyon. Henry and Elizabeth Lyon were
the parents of three children who should be briefly
mentioned here : Josephine, living near Clarkson,
Ohio, widow of John Hastings ; Marcena Lyon, who

340

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

lived at New Waterford, and who was the father
of five sons, one of whom is Arthur M. Lyon, the
prominent real estate man at Struthers, in whose
honor was named the branch postoffice of Lyon
known as Aralyon; and Osborn, a retired carpenter
and farmer at Leetonia, Ohio. Further reference
to members of the Lyon faraily wUl be found on
other pages of this publication.
Mrs. Elizabeth (Thomas) Altdoerffer is one of
the remarkable women of Eastern Ohio. She was
born in Colurabiana County, July 27, 1823. After
the death of Sarauel Altdoerffer the old farm was
sold, and she is now living near Clarkson, north of
East Liverpool. She persists in living at her own
home, doing her own work, though greatly devoted to
her children and descendants. When she celebrated
her ninety-sixth birthday in 1919, seven of her own
children were present on the happy occasion, being
accorapanied by their children and grandchildren.
FaraUy reunions are held on this birthday anniversary.
By her raarriage to Samuel Altdoerffer she had six
children. Her step sons, Henry, John and William,
were all Civil war soldiers, enlisting at Canfield.
WUliara and John, twins, were in the sarae corapany
and both were captured at Harper's Ferry, Virginia,
but were exchanged. John later became a prominent
railroad man, a conductor on the Pennsylvania Lines
west of Pittsburgh. He possessed oratorical gifts,
and during the McKinley campaign in i8g6 was given
a vacation on pay in order to carapaign for the Ohio
statesraan araong railroad raen. Five of the children
of iMrs. Elizabeth Altdoerffer becarae teachers. The
oldest son becarae an attorney in Kansas, but died at
Wabash, Indiana, where he had studied law and
taught school. L. B. Altdoerffer, mentioned above,
is a teacher of chemistry in the Cleveland West High
School, having received the degree of Ph. D. at the
University of Wooster, Ohio. Two daughters, Mar
garet and Dora, were country teachers and are now
married. C. M. L. Altdoerffer acquired his early education
in the country district school and the Lisbon fligh
School and received his A. B. degree from the
Northeast Ohio Norraal School at Canfield. He had
previously taught for three years in the districts of
Columbiana County, For one year after leaving col
lege he was at Fairview, Pennsylvania, and in 1888
became principal of the Canfield Village school. In
1893 he went to North Liraa and organized a graded
school and established a township high school, now a
first grade centralized township school and high school.
He was at North Lima four years and in 1897 became
connected with the school system of Youngstown,
beginning as principal of the Brier Hill School, then
greatly overcrowded, with nearly 500 pupils and a
staff of eleven teachers. Three years later he was
transferred as principal of the Wood Street School,
which had about ten teachers. He was there three
years and Doctor Chaney then gave him double duty,
making him also principal of the Front Street School,
which had twelve teachers and over 600 pupils drawn
from all the nationalities found in Youngstown.
These heavy duties Mr. Altdoerffer carried for six
years, and in igog, when the new Garfield Building
on the south side was opened, he becarae principal,
and now has the duties of supervising principal of
the Garfield, the South Avenue, the Pleasant Grove,

the Cochran Park and the Flint flill schools. Under
his direct supervision are thirty-seven teachers, and
about 1,400 pupils.
A factor in the Youngstown school system for
twenty-three years, Mr. Altdoerffer has steadily lent
his influence to educational progress and has seen the
local schools modified and equipped with new stand
ards of efficiency. All the work of manual training
and domestic science has been introduced since he
came to Youngstown. He has served on the executive
comraittee and was president of county institute
work, and has been active in city institutes and also
in the sessions of the state and national educational
bodies. Mr. Altdoerffer took a special course in
principals of education at the Harvard University
sumraer school. The only principals with a record
of longer service in Youngstown than iMr. Altdoerf
fer are Mr. Bulla, of the Market Street School, who
began his work as principal in 1885, Mr. Tylee of the
West Side School, and iMr. Alloway of the Haselton
School. Mr. Altdoerffer has served as secretary of
the Mahoning County Sunday School organization for
three years.
In 1885 he raarried iMiss Tillie L. Deringer, of
Colurabiana County. Their oldest child, Edson, died
at the age of nineteen as the result of an accident.
The daughter Ora is the wife of E. R. Joshua, con
nected with the Pittsburgh Coal Company. The
Joshua home is next door to that of Mr. Altdoerffer.
Mr. and Mrs. Joshua have two children, Frances and
Edward R,, Jr. The only living son is John Allan,
who graduated from the South High School in igi7,
worked for the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Com
pany for a tirae, was in the'Student Array Training
Corps at Oberlin, and is now a student in the Ohio
State University . The youngest child is Mary Eliza
beth, who graduated frora the South High School in
igig and is now in the office of the Republic Iron and
Steel Company.
Like professional raen of old Mr. Altdoerffer takes
great delight in his country horae, his gardens, or
chards and shrubbery and spends much of his time
and vacations in caring for the sarae. He has one of
the most delightful homes in Boardman Township,
and it shows everywhere, his loving care and atten
tion. He has always been a great lover of rausic
and was a bandmaster for about thirty-six years, and
still plays the barytone instrument. He has always
taken great interest in local, state, national, civic
and political questions, especially in good citizenship,
Americanization, prohibition and women's suffrage.
While he has never aspired to political office, yet he
feels he has been a consistent republican, fle is a
raeraber of the First Presbyterian Church at Youngs
town. Richard Jones, Jr., lawyer, general counsel for
and secretary of the Republic Iron & Steel Corapany,
is one of the raost prorainent men of his profession
in Mahoning County, and widely known aU over the
state as a corporation lawyer of exceptional ability.
fle was born at Columbus, Ohio, November 3, 1868,
a son of David and Eliza (White) Jones, and grand
son of Richard Jones.
Richard Jones, Sr,, was born in Wales and came
to the United States in 1825, when sixteen years of
age, and for sixty years was actively engaged in the

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

341

handling of real estate. He was thrifty and accu
mulated a large fortune.
David Jones was born at Columbus, Ohio, in
1843, and was there engaged in the wholesale drug
business. He served the Union cause a short time
during the war between the states, and is now living
retired at Columbus, Ohio. He and his wife had
four chUdren born to them, of whom two are now
living. Growing up at Columbus, Ohio, Richard Jones,
Jr,, attended its schools and the Media, Pennsyl
vania Preparatory School, and then matriculated at
Harvard University, from which he was graduated
with honors in 1890, and the degree of Bachelor of
Arts. During this tirae he also took law courses in
the Harvard Law School, and in 1892 was adraitted
to the bar. Returning home, he entered upon a
general practice at Columbus with Albert Lee Thur-
man, a grandson of United States Senator A, G,
Thurraan, In 1899 Mr, Jones went to Chicago,
Illinois, to fill a position in the legal departraent of
the Republic Iron & Steel Corapany, and lived there
for seven years, and then went with the corapany to
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the tirae the general
offices were transferred to that city. In 191 1 he be
came a resident of Youngstown, at the tirae of the
location in this city of the general offices of the
company, which has had the benefit of his services
since its organization, and of which he is now gen
eral counsel. For five years he was the legal repre
sentative of aU of the iron and steel corporations in
the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys against the
railroads in rate litigation, and during that period
were tried some of the most iraportant cases ever
passed upon in such raatters.
Mr, Jones belongs to the University and' Harvard
Clubs of New York, the flarvard Club of Boston,
the Youngstown Club, the Youngstown Country
Club, and is vice president of the Associated flar
vard Clubs of Araerica, and is held in the highest
esteera by his fellow members, fle is a very strong
republican. .
On November 7, 1894, Mr. Jones was united in
marriage with Miss Elsie Sinks, of Colurabus, Ohio,
a daughter of George W. Sinks, president of the
Deshler National Bank. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have
two sons, George Sinks and Richard III. The elder
of these boys has the rank of second lieutenant as
the result of his service in the Marine Corps during
the World war. The younger son is preparing at
an eastern school for flarvard University.
John H. Warne maintains his residence in the at
tractive Village of Boardman Center, Mahoning
County, but has his business headquarters in the City
of "Youngstown, where he is assistant general man
ager of the W. B. Pollock Company, of -which ade
quate description is given on other pages, in connec
tion with the sketch of the career of its general
manager, C. W. McClure.
Mr. Warne claims the old Keystone State as the
place of his nativity, his birth having occurred at
Edinburg, Pennsylvania, July S, 1880. fle was reared
at Thorn Hill in Coitsville Township, Mahoning
County, Ohio, where his parents still raaintain their
home, the village being just outside the corporate
limits of Youngstown and constituting one of the

attractive residential suburbs of that city. He whose
narae initiates this review is a son of William H.
and Elizabeth A. Warne, and the father is in the
employ of the United Engineering & Foundry Com
pany at Youngstown. John H. Warne gained his
preliminary education in the village schools at
Thorn Hill, later was graduated in the Oak Street
School in the City of Youngstown, and thereafter he
completed a course in a business college. After leav
ing school he was for one year eraployed in the gen
eral raerchandise store of Guess & iMcNab at Youngs
town, and he next entered the employ of the W. B.
Pollock Company, in i8gg. Beginning his service in
the capacity of stenographer in the offices of this com
pany, by efficiency and fidelity he won promotion to
the position of purchasing agent, and since 1916 has
held the iraportant post of assistant general raanager,
to which office he was proraoted in December of that
year. He is one of the vital and popular young busi
ness men of the metropolis and judicial center of Ma
honing County, and is an active member of the
Youngstown Club and the Youngstown Chamber of
Coraraerce, in which latter he takes special interest
and gives effective service in the proraotion of its
advanced civic and coramercial policies. At Board-
man Center he maintains his home in the modern
and attractive cement house which he erected in
1917. This pleasant and hospitable suburban horae
is situated on the raain road frora Youngstown to
Boardraan Center, and as this is a fine brick road
and Mr. Warne uses the autoraobile as a raediura of
transportation, he finds the daily drive to and from
Youngstown, 4>4 miles, a source of pleasure, as
well as a raeans of health preservation. His is one
of the finest horaes in a district that is fast becoming
one of the most attractive of the residential suburbs
of Youngstown.
In 1911 was sole.ranized the marriage of Mr. Warne
to Miss Bertha E. Drew, daughter of the late John
Drew, of Youngstown. Mrs. Warne was educated
at Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, is a young woraan of
most gracious personality and is the popular chate
laine of the pleasant home, which is a center of
rauch social activity. Mr. and Mrs. Warne have no
children. Homer Thomas is meraber of a family that has
been identified with the industrial affairs in and
around Niles for many years. He was a sheet
mUl worker and one of the skUled raen of his trade,
but sorae years ago his qualifications were given
recognition by his election as city auditor of Niles,
and he has held that post and faithfully discharged
its duties for ten years.
Mr. Thoraas was born at Niles July 8, 1873, son
of Thomas and Mary (Rosser) "ifhoraas. His
father was a native of Wales, was brought to Ohio
at the age of eight years, and grew up at Pomeroy,
He left that community as a youth to enlist in the
Union Army at the beginning of the Civil war. He
saw nearly five years of service, and was a partici
pant in many of the historic battles of the great
struggle. After leaving the army he located at
NUes, and for ten years served as engineer with the
fire departraent. After that he was an engineer at

342

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

the Falcon plant until his death in 1905, at the age
of sixty-four. At one time he also served as a mera
ber of the Waterworks Board, and in all the rela
tions of his busy life he raeasured up to the best
standards of citizenship. His wife was born at
Centerville, Ohio, and died in 1901, at the age of
fifty-three. Both were active Methodists, In their
family of eight children, six are still living : flattie,
wife of WiUiam Francis, of NUes; Minnie, widow
of George Skelley; Homer; Ida, wife of Ed Hilder
brand, night superintendent of the Sheet and Tube
Plant at Youngstown ; David, a Youngstown grocer ;
and Howard, a sheet mill worker in Niles,
Homer Thoraas attended the public schools of
Niles, and after leaving school found employraent
in the Russia plant. He was one of the skillful men
in the sheet metal department of the Falcon and
Brier Hill plant until chosen to the office which
he now holds in the city government. Mr. Thomas
is a republican, is a member of the Methodist
Church, and fraternally is affiliated with the Inde
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias,
Knights of the Golden Eagle and Protective Horae
Circle, In igo3 he married Margaret Hutchings,
daughter of J, R, Hutchings of NUes. Their chil
dren, all attending school, are Walter, Paul and
Margaret. Gibbon Conway Shackleford, consulting engi
neer of the Republic Iron & Steel Company, and
one of the experienced men of his profession, has
been located at Youngstown since igo6. He was
born near Charlottesville, Virginia, on December 28,
i86g, a son of Dr. Robert Baylor and Mary (Barnes)
Shackleford, both of whom are now deceased. They
becarae the parents of six children.
Gibbon Conway Shackleford was reared on the
farra of his parents and attended a mechanical
school giving special attention to engineering and
mathematics. When in his eighteenth year he began
life's battle on his own responsibility as a clerk and
tracer in the office of the engineer of the Atlantic
Oil Refining Corapany at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He later worked as a draftsman for an architect
in New York City for two years, and for another
two years he was engaged in designing machinery
and drafting at Cleveland, Ohio. For the ensuing
seven years he was eraployed by the erainent engi
neer, Julien Kennedy, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
and then for three years was with Walter Kennedy,
a brother of Julien Kennedy. Mr. Shackleford then
becarae engineer for the Crucible Steel Corapany of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and held that position for
three years. For a short tirae thereafter he was as
sistant to T. J. Bray, then chief engineer of the
Republic Iron & Steel Company, and having charge
of the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Corapany.
Since May 15, igo6, Mr. Shackleford has been con
nected with the Republic Iron & Steel Corapany,
and in Septeraber of that year came to Youngstown
as chief engineer. He was appointed consulting
engineer in August, igig, a position he now fills.
Mr. Shackleford is a member of the Youngstown
District of the Engineers' Society.
On January 10, 1892, Mr. Shackleford was mar
ried to Elva Sweet, who died on June 22, 1905,
leaving three children, namely: Dorothy May, the

wife of Wheeler J. Welday, and they are the par
ents of two chUdren, John Conway and Chapline
Foch ; Robert Charles, who raarried Carrie Prysi,
and they have one child, Dorothy Virginia; and
Elva Virginia. Mr. Shackleford was raarried to
Miss Marguerite Cole on April 16, 1907. Mr, and
Mrs. Shackleford are merabers of the Episcopal
Church. They own a five-acre estate eight railes
frora the public square of Youngstown, and here
Mr. Shackleford spends raany happy hours garden
ing and enjoying the pleasures of rural life after
the turraoil of the city. Here, surrounded by his
loved ones, his greatest happiness is experienced.
William Francis Thomas recently rounded out
a half century of business activity at NUes. A vet
eran in business affairs, his name has also been
intimately associated with the public affairs" of that
coraraunity, and he is a forraer raayor and in raany
other ways has used his raeans and personal in
fluence for the advancement of the city.
Mr. Thomas was born in South Wales AprU 14,
1844, son of William and Annie (Williaras) Thoraas,
who spent all their lives in the old country. His
father was a carpenter and contractor. William
Francis Thomas was a little past three years of
age when his raother died, and he was seventeen
when his father passed away. After the age of ten
he never attended school, and was given a thorough
training and apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade
under his father. At the death of his father he did
work as a journeyman carpenter, and in 1868 he
established a horae of his own by his raarriage with
Frances Hooper Adaras.
Mr. Thoraas, accorapanied by his wife and their
oldest chUd, Annie E., carae to the United States
in February, 1870, and in August of that year located
at Niles. While he worked a few raonths as a
journeyman carpenter, he soon began taking con
tracts, and is the oldest raan in that business in
Niles, and no one has been raore actively identified
with the buUding program of the city than Mr.
Thomas. He erected the Methodist Church, since
burned, also the horae of the present Methodist
Church, and a nuraber of other churches, school,
buildings and business blocks, including the old
Dollar Savings Bank Building. Incident to his main
business as a contractor Mr. Thomas organized the
Niles Lumber Corapany, of which he is vice presi
dent. Mr. Thoraas first becarae a meraber of the NUes
City Council in 1877, and altogether gave a nuraber
of years to the city governraent in the council,
while in 1903 he was elected mayor and re-elected
in 1905, serving in that office nearly five years. A
great deal of iNiles' constructive progress as a city
was achieved and influenced for good during Mr.
Thomas' connection with the city governraent. At
the close of his terra of raayor, he was given a gold
headed cane by his friends after twenty-five years in
faithful public service. He is a raeraber of the
Episcopal Church, and in politics a republican. Mr.
Thomas has been an Odd Fellow fifty-seven years
in Wales and represented his lodge in the Grand
Lodge. He is also a member of the Masonic
order and the Elks.
fle had the misfortune to lose his wife, March

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

343

10, igi3, after they had been married forty-five
years. Their oldest child, Annie, died in i8g3. The
two younger children were Williara R,, who died
in igi6, and Frank H,, who died in 1910. The only
one now living is the second daughter, Helena A.,
widow of William B. Taylor.
Samuel M, Aubel, one of the prorainent men of
Boardraan Township, is profitably engaged in carry
ing on a general contracting business, and is located
454 miles south of the courthouse. He was born
in Mercer County, Pennsyl-vania, on May 11, 1861,
his family having located in Western Pennsyl
vania at the close of the Revolutionary war,
going there frora east of the raountains. The
Revolutionary ancestor of Sarauel M. Aubel was the
father of Jacob Aubel, and he had the distinction
of serving under General Washington. After his
migration to Mercer County, Jacob Aubel spent his
life in farraing and died on his farra, his reraains
being interred at Saint John's, Delaware Township,
that county. His son, Daniel Aubel, father of
Samuel M. Aubel, was eight years old when location
was raade in Mercer County, After he reached
manhood's estate he was raarried to Theresa Geerge,
who was brought to Mercer County in childhood.
Samuel M. Aubel was reared on his father's farm
in Mercer County, and taught to be inductrious
and thrifty. After he reached his majority he served
a three years' apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade,
receiving seventy-five cents per day, and his hours
were not liraited to eight. After corapleting his
apprenticeship he worked at his trade for two years
in sorae of the western states, and then in 1887 came
to .Mahoning County and located at Youngstown,
and took work at his trade for ten years, but for
more than twenty years he has been doing a general
contracting business in all lines of buildings. Some
eleven years ago he established his residence in
Boardraan Township, when he bought seven acres
of land, but later sold it and bought his present
property, which is 1^/2 railes south of the court
house. Mr. Aubel is a man who believes in •
giving his personal attention to his work, and is
usually to be found on the job himself. He has had
a nuraber of contracts at Poland, including the
Frank K. Ray and the Benjarain residences, while
the Frank Lesher residence at Youngstown is an
other saraple of his skiU. Mr. Aubel is a Mason.
When he was twenty-six years old Mr. Aubel was
united in raarriage with Nannie Reed, of Green
ville, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and they be
carae the parents of the following children : Ora,
who is a raachinist in the Tod Machine Shops, raar
ried Essie McVey; Bessie, who took a business
course, is a bookkeeper for a Youngstown concern ;
and Florence, who is attending a business college.
Mr. Aubel has had no public service, for he has
devoted all of bis tirae and attention to his business,
but he does take an intelligent interest in the pro
gress of his coraraunity and is in favor of iraprove
ments, for he recognizes the fact that without
them any neighborhood falls behind and that not
only will no new people come into it, but that it
cannot hope to hold its more progressive citizens.
Personally Mr. Aubel has many warm, personal

friends, and stands extreraely well with all who
know him.
Marcellus W. Zedaker. The Zedakers were one
of the prominent pioneer famUies to settle around
Youngstown, and Marcellus W. Zedaker, a retired
resident whose home is near Poland village, repre
sents a fourth generation of the faraily in this
valley. His grandfather, John Zedaker, came from
Pennsylvania and was a soldier in the War of 1812.
After coraing to Ohio he raarried Elizabeth Phister,
of Youngstown Township, and they began house
keeping on a hundred acres of timbered land, part
of which is now included in the Cochran plat addi
tion to Youngstown. John Zedaker was very active
in the Gerraan Lutheran Church at Youngstown and
is buried in the old churchyard. One of his sons,
Absalora, served as a Union soldier during the
Civil war, and died some years later unmarried.
There were five daughters of the pioneer couple :
Catherine, Caroline and Mary, none of whom ever
married ; Anna, who became the wife of Joseph
Hiveley and moved to the vicinity of Bryan, Ohio ;
and Charity, who married Henry Stanley and died at
Newton Falls, some of her faraily now living at
Besseraer, Pennsylvania,
Jacob Zedaker, father of Marcellus W,, was born
on the old Zedaker farra in Boardman Township,
four railes south of the courthouse, and reraained
in that one locality all his life. He owned a part
of the homestead and died there at the age of
seventy-four, fle raarried Elizabeth Hahn, who
survived him about twenty years and died in 191 7
at the old home farra. They were the parents
of a daughter and son, Alraina and Marcellus W.
These chUdren still own a portion of the old Zedaker
horaestead. Almina is the widow of Harvey Mach-
lin and lives at Pleasant Grove,
Marcellus W, Zedaker was born on the old farm,
a mile and a half from his present home, October
26, 1851, and grew up to a life of agricultural in
dustry and has managed his affairs with singular
prudence and success, fle sold sorae of the land he
inherited and about 1877 bought his present place,
known as the Joseph Axtell farra in Poland Town
ship, on the line between Poland and Boardraan
townships, and a raUe north of Poland Village, fle
has 106 acres here, fle also owned fifty- four acres
adjoining, but part of this was sold and is now
platted and divided for residence purposes, the car
line passing through that land, Mr. Zedaker has
raade general farming his chief pursuit, and his
farm is now operated by his son, who has raade
a successful business of raising hay.
At the age of twenty-eight Mr, Zedaker married
Martha Campbell, daughter of Peter and Mary
(Renney) Campbell, of the prominent Campbell
faraily of Youngstown District.
Mr. and Mrs. Zedaker have two children. Louisa
L. lives at the horae on the Poland Township road,
and owns land that is very desirable and eventually
will be made available as a subdivision and addition
to Struthers. The son, John C, who is the active
raanager of the Zedaker farm and has been operat
ing it for the past eighteen years, married Madeline

344

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

iMcClure. They have six chUdren, named Charlotte
D'Arcy, John Campbell, Martha, Bettie McClure,
Robert and Louisa.
William T. Gibson. Year has been added to
year and decade to decade since the first member
of the Gibson famUy, represented today by the sub
ject of this sketch, first carae to the present site of
Youngstown, with which five successive generations
of the family have been identified. At that early
date this section of the state was largely an unde
veloped region, awaiting the awakening touch of
the sturdy pioneers to transform its wild lands and
dense forests into rich farras and beautiful homes,
to found cities and towns, to establish churches and
schools, and in raany other ways reclaim the country
for the use of man. As one of the early farailies
that led the van of civilization into this region, the
Gibson faraily well deserves conspicuous raention,
and as lawyer, business raan and public-spirited citi
zen, Williara T. Gibson is entitled to representation
in a work of the character of the one in hand.
The first progenitor of the Gibson faraily in
Araerica was Capt. James Gibson, who, though of
Scotch ancestry, was born in County Tyrone, Ire
land, in 1740. When twenty years old he left the
land of his nativity for the British possessions in
Araerica. He established a home in Curaberland
County, Pennsylvania, then on the frontier and sub
ject to constant ravages by the Indians. He was
raade captain of a corapany of rangers and, aided
by a large bloodhound, he helped to quell the depre
dations of the savages. With his wife, Anna Bella
(Dixon) Gibson, and a son one hour old, he was
driven frora his cabin iiy an Indian attack, the cabin
was burned and by a narrow raargin his wife and
baby escaped in a canoe, while he reraained behind
with his rifle to fight the destroyers of his home.
When the colonies declared their independence frora
Great Britain he fought with the colonists in the
Fourth Battalion, Curaberland County, coraraanded
by Col. James 'Wilson, In I77g he was promoted
from lieutenant to captain in the Pennsylvania Artil
lery Regiment comraanded by Col. Ben. Flowers.
Capt. James Gibson, with his wife and four sons,
left Pennsylvania in 1799, in horse-drawn wagons,
which contained all their earthly possessions. They
crossed the mountains and blazed their way through
the forests, and in Noveraber arrived in the present
site of Youngstown and caraped one night at what
is now known as Gibson Spring, on Poland Avenue,
The next day they drove to Warren, but two weeks
later returned to 'YoungstoWn and bought frora John
A'oung 289"% acres of land, including the site of
their first carap at the spring. Here a horae was
literally hewn out of the wilderness, while the woods,
teeraing with wild garae, and the strearas, alive with
fish, in a large raeasure supplied the faraily larder.
A teraporary log cabin was first erected, but later
a corafortable and raore pretentious house was built.
Capt. Jaraes Gibson died in 1816, at the age of
seventy-six years, and his wife passed "away in 1833.
She was a charter raeraber of the first Presbyterian
Church in Youngstown and was a devout Christian,
Their four sons were naraed John, Jaraes, Sarauel
(a deaf raute) and Robert D. Of these, Jaraes, Jr,,
and Robert D, served in the War of 1812, and many

of their descendants fought for the Union during
the Civil war,
Robert D. Gibson, who was the grandfather of
the subject of this sketch, was born in 1784, married
Lydia iMarshall in 1818, and died in 1863. He and
his wife were the parents of Samuel, Jaraes M.,
John, Nancy and Eliza. The eldest of these, Sam
uel, was born on March 9, 1819, and died on De
ceraber 4, igio. He was twice raarried, his " 'st
wife being Ann Irwin, who died and left one
James D., who is now living in Poland, Ohio.
second marriage, which occurred in 1847, was w
Nancy J. Gault, and the following named six of 'i'
children grew to maturity : Williara T., Minnii
Ben M., Robert A., Harry G. and EUa.
Williara T. Gibson was born in Youngstown 'e-
cember 20, 1850, and has always made this city his
home. He attended the district schools in boyiiiood,
later completing the course at Rayen fligh School,
and in 1876 was graduated frora the Western Re
serve College at Hudson, Ohio. Having deterraired
to devote his life to the practice of law, he ti -n
read law under the direction of Judge George i^".
Arrel and in September, 1878, was admitted to the
bar. For three years Mr. Gibson served as city
solicitor, resigning that position to accept the office
of county prosecutor, to which he had been elected.
In igo3 he was elected mayor of Youngstown, serv
ing as such twenty-eight months, or untU tie
raunicipal elective code was changed. During his
adrainistration as. raayor the nciv city code was put
into effect, a new jail was esected, taxation was raa
terially reduced, and one of the great industrial
strikes was successfully quelled. He was one of the
organizers of the City Trust and Savings Bank, of
which he has been the only president and which,
under his guidance has grown to be one of the
strong and influential financial institutions of the
Mahoning Valley. For over eighteen years he has
been a trustee of the Rayen School. Mr. Gibson was
chairraan of Draft Board 2 of the City of Youngs
town and served twenty-two months. This board
had the largest registration of any in the country.
They sent out 1,660 men who were outfitted at the
camps. Politically Mr. Gibson gives his support to the
democratic party, whUe fraternally he is identified
with tbe Independent Order of Odd FeUows. It i-
a notable fact that the Gibson faraily here has hac
no raerabers but what have reflected credit on the
coraraunity in which they have resided, and their
patriotisra is evidenced by bloodshed in the various
wars of the country, their syrapathies ever being on
the side of liberty and the public weal. Only those
who corae into personal contact with Mr. Gibson
can understand how thoroughly nature and training,
habits of thought ana action, have enabled hira to
accoraplish his life work and given him the emi
nent standing which he has for years occupied in
the coraraunity. Always quiet and unostentatious
in manner, he nevertheless leaves a strong impress
of his individuality upon all whora he raeets.
Through the long years of his residence in this
coraraunity he has been true to every trust reposed
in hira, whether of a public or private nature, and
his reputation in a business way is unassailable.

66J^^^^^^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

345

Alfred G. S, Parker, now deceased, was for raany
years one of the substantial business raen of Struth
ers, and his meraory is cherished because of his
many excellent traits of character. He was born
at Poland, Ohio, on April 25, 1852, and died on May
10, 1917. His parents were Rufus and Dorcas
(Mathews) Parker. The faraily came from Con
necticut to Kinsman, TrurabuU County, Ohio, as
pioneers. Rufus Parker was born in Connecticut
in 1807, was only a lad when the faraily migration
took place to Ohio, and consequently was reared
practically in this state. As he grew up he became
a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and
was one of the early circuit riders of this region.
iLater, however, he retired frora the rainistry and
established hiraself in a drug and book business at
Poland, Ohio, going from there to Magnolia, Dela
ware, and in 1870 came back to Struthers and opened
up another drug store, and here he died when
sixty-six years of age, his widow surviving him
until she was seventy-nine years old.
They had the foUowing chUdren : Charles, Sadie,
Harriet and Alfred G, S. Charles Parker was born
at Kinsman, Ohio, on Deceraber 24, 1845, and on
May 26, 1862, enlisted in Corapany D, Eighty-
Eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was discharged
in September of that year. He re-enlisted in June,
1863, in Company A, Eighty-Sixth Ohio Volunteer
Infantry, and received his second discharge on Feb
ruary 10, 1864. He belonged to Tod Post, Grand
Army of the Republic, and was a strong republican.
Following his final discharge he established himself
at Struthers, and his sister Sadie remained his
housekeeper until they died, they passing away within
= week of each other of pneumonia. She had been
a schoolmate of WUliam McKinley, later president
of the United States, in the Poland School, Both
brother and sister were active in the Methodist
Episcopal Church. By trade Charles Parker was a
lather and plasterer, and worked as such, although
he never was very strong, as his health had been
affected by his service in the army. The sister
Harriet was a lovely character and very talented
as a rausician. Her death occurred when she was
thirty-six years of age. Her brother Alfred took
the first raoney he earned and bought her a guitar,
and she becarae expert in playing it.
Alfred Parker built a drug store at the corner of
State and Bridge streets, Struthers, in 1873 and also
handled books, and it was the first store of its kind
in the village. For twenty-three years he was
engaged in conducting it, and then sold it to Mayor
WUson's father, WhUe conducting this store he had
lived over it, but after making the sale he moved
into a residence he had erected. Being too active a
man to reraain idle, he becarae storekeeper for the
Republic Iron & Steel Corapany, and continued with
this corporation until his death. While he sup
ported the republican candidates, he was not in any
sense a public raan, and devoted all of his time to
his business.
When WUliam McKinley left Poland there was
no train nearer than Columbiana, and Mr. A. G. S.
Parker, then a boy, drove him with his trunk to
Columbiana to take the train "outside."
On October 17, 1878, Mr. Parker was united in

marriage with Laura N. Cowden, a sister of Dr.
J. N. Ciowden, engaged in a medical practice at
Lowellville for forty-three years. She was born at
Jackson, Pennsylvania, a daughter of James and
Jane (iMcComb) Cowden. Mr. Cowden came to
Lowellville in 1868 and conducted a drug store to
gether with his sons J. N. and R. M. Cowden, who
were both physicians. Mr. Cowden died in 1875.
Prior to her marriage Mrs. Parker was engaged in
teaching school at Lowellville. Mr. and Mrs. iParker
becarae the parents of two daughters, namely: Edna,
who married CecU McHenry, a raUroad engineer,
lives at the old home of her Uncle Charles Parker
at Struthers, and has two children, Virginia Isabel
and Giles Parker ; Helen, who married Leon W.
Kile, now representing the Republic Iron & Steel
Company at Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a dealer in oil
supplies, but he maintains his residence at Struthers,
which was given his wife by her uncle, Charles
Parker. Mr. and Mrs. Kile have three children,
namely : Dorothy, Josephine and Betty Jane. Mrs.
Parker is now living with her daughter, Mrs.
McHenry. The influence of a life like that of Mr. Parker
is not lost when he passes from this raortal sphere,
WhUe he shrunk frora any publicity, he was known
to many, and they and the whole community knew
and respected hira and realized that his uprightness
and sincerity were coraponent parts of the raan
and that his every action was governed by these
characteristics. To his family he was a generous
and tender husband and father, and his recreation
and happiness were found with thera and not in the
outside world.
Edward C. Rinehart, M. D, The raedicai pro
fession of the Mahoning Valley has many notable
exponents, raen of wide knowledge and broad train-
irig who give prestige to their work and protect the
health of the people of their community. Among
them perhaps none stands higher in the confidence
and esteera of his associates, as well as the public
at large, than Dr, Edward C. Rinehart, Not only
is he a dependable raedicai man, but he has also
exercised a beneficial influence, priricipally because
of his initiative spirit and helpful activity in civic
matters, flis career has been characterized by the
highest standards of professional ethics, and devo
tion to duty, his love for humanity and his ad
herence to his principles, combined with his strength
of purpose, have gained for him the respect of his
colleagues and of the public.
Doctor Rinehart was born at Arlington, Hancock
County, Ohio, on Deceraber 20, 1886, a son of
WUliam A, and Nancy Rinehart, the former a
farmer, was born in Ohio, but the family carae frora
Pennsylvania to Ohio about one hundred years ago.
In 1909 Doctor Rinehart was graduated frora the
Ohio Northern University at Ada, Ohio, with the
degree of Bachelor of Science, and then took the
regular raedicai course at the Sterling Medical
College, frora which he was graduated in 1913, For
the subsequent year he was interne at the Protestant
flospital at Colurabus, Ohio,
In the meanwhile Doctor Rinehart was looking
about him for a favorable opening and selected

346

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Struthers upon the recommendation of Dr, E, flarry
Jones, present coroner of Mahoning County, and
located here on August 4, 1914, as a general prac
titioner. From the beginning Doctor Rinehart's
ability received recognition, and he is today carrying
on a practice three times as large as he had hoped
to acquire when he came here. This popularity is
not in the least spectacular, but the result of the
creation of confidence and the patience with which
he has ministered to the people, really directing more
attention to prevention of disease than to anything
else. He is educating the people to conserve their
health by inculcating ideas with reference to right
living, and using his influence to have proper sani
tary regulations inaugurated and maintained. Like
all raodern physicians. Doctor Rinehart maintains
membership in the county, district and state medical
societies. In his fraternal affiliations he has become
an Odd Fellow and Knight of Pythias, The Pres
byterian Church holds his merabership.
In 1913 Doctor Rinehart was united in raarriage
at Columbus, Ohio, with Mary Ethel Dickson, of
that city. Doctor and Mrs, Rinehart have one
daughter, Jean Elizabeth. Both are very popular
socially, having gathered about them a congenial
circle of friends,
James P. Wilson. In no profesison is a career
more open to talent than in that of the law, and
none deraands a raore careful preparation, a raore
thorough appreciation of the absolute ethics of life
or of the underlying principles which forra the basis
of all huraan rights and privileges. Unflagging ap
plication, breadth of mental vision, and a certain
heritage of coraraon sense are the concoraitants
which go far to insure personal success and prestige
in this great profession, which stands as the stern
conservator of justice. Possessing all the requisite
qualities of the trial lawyer and counsel, James P.
Wilson stands today in the front rank of the mem
bers of the legal profession in Ohio, He has been
indeed eminently successful in his legal career, as
is indicated by his long and praiseworthy record at
the bar, A master of bis profession he ranks high
araong men distinguished for the high order of their
legal ability, and his sound attainraents and ripe
judgraent have made him an authority on matters
involving a profound knowledge of jurisprudence
and vexed and intricate questions which do not corae
into the practice of the ordinary lawyer,
Jaraes P. WUson was born in Lyons, Iowa, on
February 6, 1857, and is the son of Jaraes T. and
Harriet (Hawes) Wilson. His father was a lawyer
of abUity, having been adraitted to the bar at Cleve
land in 1850. fle successfully practiced his profes
sion in that city for five years and then raoved to
Lyons, Iowa, where eventually he engaged in raanu
facturing and coraraercial pursuits. He afterwards
returned to Cleveland, where his death occurred in
1887, at the age of fifty-eight years. Harriet
(Hawes) WUson was a woaran of superior raental
attainraents, Broadrainded and liberal, an'd pos
sessed of deep religious convictions, she becarae
closely identified with sorae of the raore important
charitable movements of Cleveland.
James P. Wilson attended the public schools of
Cleveland, graduating from the Central High School

in 1875. Having determined to make the practice
of law his life work, he spent a year in the law
office of Hon. Rufus P. Ranney, whose reputation
as a judge is nation wide. He studied in Columbia
College, New York City, during a two-year course
in the law school of that institution. In 1878 he
was adraitted to the bars of New York and Ohio
and iraraediately carae to Youngstown and entered
upon the practice of his profession with an uncle,
Hon. David M. Wilson. He has reraained in the
practice here continuously since that tirae and has
had as partners a nuraber of the prorainent lawyers
of the Youngstown bar, but he has individually
achieved a prominence in his profession second to
none. The present firm name is WUson. Hahn &
Wilson, fle stands as a worthy and conspicuous
meraber of a group of raen whose influence in the
civic and social life as well as in professional circles
of the coraraunity has been of a most beneficent
order, fle is the present legal representative of the
New York Central system of railroads in north
eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, including
the Lake Erie and Eastern Railroad Corapany and
the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Company,
which he has represented for the past forty years.
He is a raember of the Ohio State Bar Association
and the American Bar Association, having served as
a delegate to the latter.
A wide and discrirainating reading of literature
of the better sort, aside frora his profession, en
gaged the attention of Mr. Wilson. As a writer he
has gained considerable repute. He is the author of
many essays, briefs and monographs and has col
laborated on a number of successful plays. With
an easy and graceful style, the products of his pen
always attract attention.
In 1887 Mr. WUson was married to Frances Eliza
Patton, daughter of Dr. Thomas Patton of Newark,
Ohio, a former editor and proprietor of the Youngs
town Vindicator. To them have been born three
children : Richard Bartley, naraed for his maternal
great-grandfather; Mordecai Bartley, who was gov
ernor. United States senator, and supreme judge of
Ohio, is a graduate of Brovvn University and Colum
bia Law College and is a partner in the law firm
with his father. James Taylor, who resides in Phila
delphia, Pennsylvania, where he is general raanager
of the Cheri Corporation, served as United States
coal controller of Rhode Island, fle too is a grad
uate of Brown University, as is Harold Leslie, the
youngest son, who is now raanager of the sales
departraent of the Republic Rubber Corapany of
Youngstown, being in charge of the output of the
Canton factory of that corapany.
Politically Jaraes P, WUson is an earnest supporter
of the deraocratic party, though personally without
political aspirations. He is a raeraber of St. John's
Episcopal churchy of which he is a vestryman. He
takes a deep interest in local public affairs, is director
of the Youngstown Charaber of Coraraerce, and has
served as a trustee of the Youngstown Public Li
brary for twenty years. In 1916 Brown University
conferred upon hira the honorary degree of Master
of Arts. Although his life has been a busy one,
his professional aflfairs making heavy demands upon
his tirae, he has never shrunk frora his duties as a
citizen and his obligations to the coraraunity. Calm

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

347

and dignified, his life has been nevertheless a per
sistent plea by e.xaraple and public speech and writ
ten word for that tolerance and sanity of individual
judgraent which raake for the elevation of whole
some character,
Samuel C. Waggoner, The great manufacturing
interests centered at Struthers produce imraense
quantities of freight shipped from this point, so that
the representative of the railroads here is an import
ant raan, and one whose duties are manifold and
heavy, Samuel C, Waggoner, agent of the Penn
sylvania RaUroad at Struthers, is a man fully calcu
lated to measure up to his responsibUities, and one
who is rendering a reraarkably efficient service.
Samuel C. Waggoner was born at Broad Ford,
Fayette County, iPennsylvania, on June 4, 1871, and
in 1887 his parents carae to North Benton, Mahoning
County, Ohio, where both died. His father was a
blacksraith, but also had been a stage driver on the
old National Turnpike over the mountains, and his
blacksraith shop was located on this turnpike at
Searight. When still a lad Sarauel C. Waggoner began work
ing in the mines and coke ovens, but in 1892 entered
the eraploy of the Pennsylvania Railroad and was
first stationed at Coverly, Pennsylvania, as agent,
from whence he was transferred to Edenburg, Penn
sylvania, where he spent 4^4 years. For the next
2j4 years he was at GreenvUle, Pennsylvania, and
then returned to Edenburg to reside, although he
was stationed at Greenville, Pennsylvania, and still
maintains bis horae there on account of his wife's
health. In August, 1907, he carae to Struthers, At
that tirae he had one clerk, but the business has, so
increased that he now has to have seven.
On April 13, 1892, Mr. Waggoner was married to
Myrta iEadler, of Berlin Centre, Mahoning County,
Ohio, a daughter of David and Anna Eadler. David
Eadler was a harnessraaker and died in 1918, at the
home of Mr, and Mrs, Waggoner, with whora he and
Mrs. Eadler had resided for the past fifteen years.
Mrs. iEadler survives him and continues to raake her
home with her daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Waggoner
have no children. He belongs to the Methodist
Episcopal Church of Greenville, Pennsylvania. His
fraternal connections are with the Knights of Pythias
of Greenville. Having been with his road for so
many years Mr. Waggoner is exceedingly efficient
in his line and is able to handle the heavy traffic frora
this point, Accoramodating and dependable, Mr, Wag
goner is a valued asset to Struthers, and to its manu
facturing plants, and it is a recognized fact that few
agencies are managed as well as the one presided
over by hira.
Lowell Garrison Westover. Associated with busi
ness interests, and a citizen of high character, Lowell
Garrison Westover is a raan whose operations entitle
him to a place in the record of worthwhile men of
the Mahoning Valley. He was born at Warren. Ohio,
on AprU ig, 1878, a son of Allen and Kezia (floon)
Westover, who celebrated their fiftieth wedding anni
versary at Youngstown, Ohio, on September 5, igig.
It is believed that both families are descendants of
the original Holland stock of New York.

The grandfather of Allen Westover brought his
faraily to the Western Reserve from Richfield Coun
ty, Connecticut, in 1806, making the trip with ox
teams, and settled at Palmyra, Portage County, Ohio.
There he assisted in the construction of the first
bridge over the Mahoning River. Jaraes Hoon mar
ried a Miss Garrison, a relative of William Lloyd
Garrison, the great abolitionist, and a daughter of
Joseph Garrison of Edinburg, Ohio. This lady dying
when her daughter Kezia was young, the latter was
reared by her grandfather, Joseph Garrison, of whora
Mr. Westover has a vivid recoUection. Luman West-
over spent his life at Deerfield, Ohio, where his son
Allen was born. Another relative, Rockwell West-
over, recently died at Deerfield, aged eighty-seven
years, Fred "Westover, a brother of Luman Westover,
was the cattie king of Portage County, Ohio, Mrs,
Russell Case, secretary of the Westover Reunion, is
also a raember of the Westover family.
Lowell G. Westover left the farm and with but
$350 opened a blacksraith shop at Lowellville and
learned his trade at his anvil. It was slow work and
at tiraes discouraging, but he possessed determination
in a somewhat marked degree, and graduaUy he built
up a good business, giving eraployraent to as many
as seven helpers, and did all kinds of horse shoeing
and general repair work. Later he added a livery
and then began handling farm machinery, broadening
that branch to include dil kinds of agricultural im
plements and gas engines, harness and other goods
of a like nature. Thus from very small beginnings
he SteadUy advanced until he had $30,000 invested.
The livery barn gave place to a garage, and in con
nection with it iMr. Westover did all kinds of auto
repairing and carried a full line of auto supplies and
accessories and oils. He had extensive storage rooms
and catered to the transfer and moving trade, his
equipment especially being adapted for long distance
removals. His establishment was one of the leading
ones of the village, and in addition to it Mr. West-
over owned one of the finest residence there and
other valuable realty.
On February g, ig20, a fire occurred in the store
rented by Mr. Westover, the store being the front
room of the factory. The building and contents were
burned to the ground. The place was covered by
only a sraall insurance, he losing $20,000, With
characteristic energy he started out again, forraing
a partnership with his brother Roy 'Westover, and
opening the Westover Stag Hotel at ig Wick Avenue
in Youngstown, He and his brother are also en
gaged in the real estate business under the firm name
of Westover Brothers, with offices in the hotel.
On November 8, 1898, Mr. Westover was married
at Youngstown to Gwendolyn Lewis, a daughter of
George Lewis, a coal miner and later a raUl work
raan, who was killed in 1918 by the fall of a heavy
casting wbich was being carried by a crane, Mr,
and Mrs, Westover have three children, namely :
Fred, who is a graduate of the Lowellville High
School, is a student of Hiram College ; Elsie, who
is attending the LowellvUle High School ; and Ray
mond, who is the youngest.
In the case of Mr. Westover his rise, while rapid,
in a natural one, and brought about not through the
favors of influential friends or the infusion of out-

348

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

side capital, but as a result of his own hard work,
thrift and excellent business judgment. Both he and
his establishment are a credit to his community, and
he stands in high favor with all who know hira.
Frank W, Perry. Outside of the iramense plant
operated by the steel trust and other corporations
one of the raost conspicuous and successful indus
tries of Youngstown is the F, W. Perry Machine
Corapany, This business is the direct result of the
initiative and enterprise of Frank W, Perry, its
proprietor, Mr. Perry has been in Youngstown
only about ten years, but had his business on a sound
basis at the tirae of the World war, executed and
fulfilled some valuable contracts for the Govern
ment, but the Government patronage has been really
only incidental to the substantial prosperity and
success of his concern.
Mr, Perry was born in London, England, in 1886,
a son of James E, and Eraily (Cleraraons) Perry.
His parents are stUl living in England, and his
father for raany years was a high class raachinist,
but is now retired at the age of seventy-two. In
the faraily were three sons and two daughters,
Frank W. Perry acquired his education in the
public schools of London, and at the agp of four
teen left school to begin an apprenticeship in a raa
chine and foundry works, . He learned the business
thoroughly, spending seven years, and subsequently
was eraployed by Joseph Baker & Sons, raanufac
turers of automatic machinery of all kinds, the larg
est concern of its kind in the world.
Mr. Perry came to tbe United States in February,
1910, Acting on his own knowledge and advice he
sought opportunities for his special experience in
Pittsburgh, He started for that city, but was sleep
ing soundly when the train passed tbrough, and did
not wake up until he was in the environs of Youngs
town. Thus, in a raeasure, it was chance that
brought hira to this great industrial city. His first
eraployraent was with the Sheet and Tube Works
and later he went with another local plant, and then
for six raonths was out of a job on account of a
strike. For three years he was raachinist with the
Tod Corapany, Mr, Perry then deterrained to go
into business for himself. He rented a barn located
next door to his present plant. He had saved a little
raoney, but he bought his equipraent chiefly on credit.
For a tirae he conducted a shop for the rebuilding
of autoraobiles, and sold the rebuilt cars. Later he
was a salesraan for the Youngstown Carriage Cora
pany, and sold rauch of the output of this firra.
Again he branched out in business for himself on
part of the ground now occupied by his business.
He continued making over cars, selling cars, and
handling Republic tires as representative of the Re
public Rubber Company, From that he turned to
strictly raachine work, buying his equipraent on
credit. He was soon given raunition contracts, raak
ing dies and lathes for the Remington Arms Com
pany, and later established an output at a rate of
340 rimraers per raonth for the United States Gov
ernment, He was able to fill all the exacting re
quirements of a Government contract, and has
shown a real genius in organization and has one of
the best equipped plants of its kind in Ohio. Mr.

Perry is now making a specialty of raanufacturing
truck axles and autoraobile parts.
In September, 1915, he raarried Miss Mary Sny
der, daughter of John Snyder, of Youngstown. They
have two daughters, Mary Elizabeth and Emily
Frances, Mr, Perry is a raember of St. John's
Episcopal Church and his wife is affiliated with
St, Joseph's Catholic Church,
Samuel L, Friedman, one of the prosperous busi
ness men of Struthers, is engaged in a general mer
chandise enterprise and has been a resident of the
viUage since July 28, igoo, coming here before the
village was incorporated, fle opened a store with a
small stock of goods, less than $2,000 worth, but
from the start has been successful, building up an
excellent trade that has shown a healthy increase
with each year, flis first store was a one-roora
affair, on the location of the old postoffice, but two
years later he raoved to his present place, which was
then a two-story building with 1,700 square feet of
floor space. In igo8 he enlarged, adding a store 25x50
feet, which gave him 1,200 more square feet of floor
space. 'With the expansion of his business he found
it necessary in igi6 to add a second floor, so that
he then had about 4,800 square feet of floor space,
and at that tirae he added a five and ten cent depart
ment. The business has grown to such proportions
that he has replaced his original building with a new
three-story brick block, 50x100 feet, with walls strong
enough to support several additional stories when
they are needed, fle occupies the entire building
and carries on a general merchandise business, his
department store being the equal of any at Youngs-
toWn. The building was erected at a cost of $80,000,
and his stock is valued at $75,000. Some idea of the
expansion of the business may be gathered from the
fact that during the first year Mr. Friedman was
able to attend to his customers alone, while today
he finds eraployraent for twenty-five sales people.
One of the reasons for his success lies in the fact
that he treats all alike. It has always been his
policy to give his custoraers the goods they want,
to render to all a square deal, and to be content
with sraall profits. A man of genial personality, he
has made many friends and is recognized as a valu
able asset to Struthers.
Ever taking an interest in local matters, Mr. Fried
man has becorae very prorainent in civic affairs, and
is now on the board of education, and assisted in
organizing the Struthers Chamber of Coraraerce,
which he served as the first chairraan. It is a tradi
tion at Struthers that whenever there is anything
needed in the way of iraprovements, public demon
stration or civic activity along any line, all that 's
necessary to bring about results is to place the matter
in the capable hands of "Sam" Friedman, and the
thing is as good as done,
Samuel L, Friedman was brought to Youngstown
in his chUdhood by his father, Isaac Friedman, a
retired grocer and well known resident of Youngs
town, and he grew up in his father's store, learning
raerchandising frora the ground up. At the same
tirae he attended the Wood Street School of Youngs
town. Mr, Friedraan learned to be useful in other
ways, for he was a newsboy and bootblack at Youngs-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

349

town for some four years. When he was twenty
years old he went into business for himsejf, and
since that tirae has made steady progress.
In 1908 Mr. Friedman was raarried to Ruth J.
Bondy, of Cleveland, Ohio, and they have one daugh
ter, Selraa Lois. Mr. Freidman is a charter member
of Struthers Lodge, Knight of Pythias, and he be
longs to the Rodef Sholera Congregation of Youngs
town. George L. Sauer, In tracing the lives of the
prorainent raen of the Mahoning Valley, the writer
finds it easy to deterraine that those of progressive
ideas have never lacked for opportunity. In this
country where the valuable prizes of life depend
upon raerit rather than the accidents of birth and
fortune, the raen of arabition, initiative and courage
are the ones who attain to success. The raost re-
ponsible positions in every line are given to those
who possess the above raentioned traits of char
acter. With thera as a capital George L. Sauer en
tered upon his business career, and today he is agent
for the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad at Struthers,
and is also a strong political factor in the life of the
village. George L. Sauer was born at Pittsburgh, Penn
sylvania on August II, 1886, a son of Joseph Sauer,
formerly a raill worker, but now an eraploye of the
Village of Struthers, Ohio. Growing up at McKees
port, George L. Sauer attended its public schools, and
first worked in the freight office of the Pittsburgh
& Lake Erie Railroad, and then was raade agent at
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, frora whence he was trans
ferred to Struthers, Ohio, in 1912. Under his charge
the business of the office has so augmented that the
original four employes have been increased to eight.
From the first Mr. Sauer has taken a very active
part in civic affairs at Struthers, and in 1919 was
elected a meraber of the village board, fle assisted
in organizing the Struthers Chamber of Commerce,
of which he is now secretary, and introduced and
carried through to successful completion the measure
for the issuance of bonds to the amount of $22,cx30
to provide for adequate fire protection and a general
alarm systera of raoderii raake. In his youth he
played baseball and is an enthusiast on all healthful
sport, including baseball and bowling, and encour
ages the young men to participate in them, knowing
that they and their work will thereby be benefited.
While a resident of McKeesport iMr. Sauer was
married to Miss Anna flaltmeyer, and they have
one son, John. Mr. Sauer belongs to that class of
men who vvield a power that is all the more potent
from the fact that it is raoral as well as political, and
is exercised for the public weal rather than for pri
vate benefit. He has reached his present position
through no favors of influential friends, but worked
his way up, and his achieveraents are the reward of
earnest, honest effort.
'William A. Fee Four generations of the Fee
family have been identified with the substantial in
terests of TrurabuU County. William A. Fee repre
sents the third generation, and is senior in the firm
of W. A. Fee & Son, owners of the Valley Farm
in Bazetta Township. Some of the most advanced

ideas of modern agriculture and stock husbandry are
practiced and demonstrated on the Valley Farm,
which lies half way between Warren and Cortland.
The Fee faraily came out of County Leitrim, Ire
land. WUliara and Jane (Park) Fee, grandparents
of Williara A. Fee, were pioneer settlers in the
northwestern part of Bazetta Township, sorae six
or seven mUes north of Warren. Later they moved
to the center of Bazetta and finally retired to Warren,
where William Fee died when about eighty years
of age. fle is remembered by sorae of the old timers
as a very popular horseman. H was a crony of the
great Youngstown coal and steel operator Chauncey
Andrews, whose career figures prominently in the
Mahoning Valley history. They were associated in
the breeding and training of fine racing and trotting
stock. William Fee trained such horses as King
Searcher, Country Boy, Granite State, Starlight
Willie, Gold Dust, and two of these were araong the
greatest horses in Araerica. The descendants of
Country Boy bet;arae widely noted and prized by
horseraen. WUliam Fee had a track on his farm,
and he was a regular follower of the fairs and race
circuits. Some of his horses he sold at fancy prices.
He was keenly interested in horse training and racing
as long as he lived.
His son William, Jr., who was only a child when
brought over frora Ireland, excelled his father as a
driver of horses, fle bought the old farra at Bazetta
Center, and was the pioneer of the faraily in estab-.
lishing a dairy. He kept as high as forty cows, and
was one of the chief patrons of the Cowdery Cheese
Factory at Cortland. He remained on the farm
until his wife's death, about 1904, and then exchanged
it with William A. for a farm near the old home
stead. The last four years of his life he lived with
his son William A, and died in AprU, 1914, at the
age of seventy-four. His wife, Mary J. Brown, was
born in Vermont and was a chUd when her parents,
Jaraes and Anna Brown, settled in the northern part
of Bazetta Township on the Center Road. The
Browns were pioneers, and they had to cut a road
through the woods to reach their land. Jaraes Brown
died when about sixty years of age, at the close of
the CivU war, while his widow lived until 1883. The
sons in the Brown family were Heman, Norraan,
Albert and Williara, and the daughters, Caroline,
Mary, Eraily, Eliza and Ellen, all now deceased.
Heman and "WUliara both died in TrurabuU County,
while Norman and Albert went to Illinois. William
Fee, Jr., had a brother, John C, who lived in Mecca
Township until the death of his wife, and he spent
his last days near Leavittsburg. Williara Fee, Jr.,
was a democrat in national affairs. He and his wife
had four children : Williara A, ; Charles, who left
horae when a young raan, went to work in the raa
chine departraent of the Tube Works at Warren, and
was foreraan of the Buckeye Electrical Works of
Cleveland when his clothing was caught in a rapidly
revolving shaft and he was instantly kUled March 12,
igoi, at the age of thirty-eight; Fred, a farraer in
Bazetta Township; and Myrtle, wife of Dr. A. C.
Graham, of Kansas City, Missouri, who was born
in Farmington Township of TrumbuU County.
William A. Fee was born in Bloorafield Township
of Trumbull County January 6, 1862, and grew up

350

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

on his father's farra, acquiring a substantial educa
tion in the local schools. At the age of twenty he
married Jennie Hake, one year his junior, a native
of Vienna Township and daughter of Daniel and
Betsy (Hake) Hake of that township. After his
marriage Mr. Fee rented his uncle's farm for five
years, then spent five years on one of his father's
farras, and following that bought the place which
he traded to his father for the present home. He
lived there about eight years, and in May, igo6, se
cured the Valley Farm, consisting of 200 acres, flis
father had owned 336 acres here, WiUiam A. getting
more than half of it. Much of the land was in
woods and pasture. Mr. Fee built the present barn,
getting the timbers from his own place, while his
father had built the house. For some years past
Mr, Fee has been expending much capital in tiling
and draining the wet places. It is a high class dairy
farm, and since igo8 registered Holsteins have con
stituted the herd. There are now about forty head
of these aniraals. The farra has sent out a number
of fine breeding aniraals, and the state at one tirae
bought a bunch of heifers for use with the State Calf
Club in Belmont County, The herd has been tested
for tuberculosis by the Federal Government and is
an accredited herd. The cows have also stood high
in the official milk tests. The business practice has
been to sell the cream, the skim milk being left on
tbe farm for use as supplemental feed. The cream
was formerly sold to ice cream makers, but is now
sold to wholesale distributors at Warren.
William A. Fee has found his life interest in the
farm. He has never held a public office and is an
independent voter. He has filled the chairs in the
Cortland Lodge of Odd Fellows and has sat in the
'Grand Lodge, and he and his wife are both Rebekahs.
The faraily are raerabers of the West Bazetta Chris
tian Church. For several years Mr. Fee has spent a
few weeks every season in the hunting grounds of
Northern Michigan. He raakes these trips in cora
pany with sorae congenial corapanions, and in his
horae has some mounted deer heads as tokens and
trophies of his sport.
Mr. and Mrs, Fee have a daughter and son, Carrie
and Charles. Carrie is the wife of Clyde iEverett,
a farmer in Champion Township. They have one
son. Glade, Charles married Edith Wildman, and
they have a family of three girls, Charlotte, Layette
and Genevieve. Charles Fee is the young raan who
has been responsible for many of the advanced
features found in practice on the Valley Farra, He
is a graduate of the Cortland fligh School, and the
Ohio State University, where he specialized in dairy
ing and stock husbandry. He has qualified for and
done official testing for the state. He has used a great
deal of limestone for the soil, and has done much to
improve the productiveness of the fields. For sorae
years past alfalfa has been grown on the Valley
Farm, One tract was cut for eight years in suc
cession, averaging five tons to the acre annually.
The silo is a feature of the buUding equipment on
the Fee farm. The dairy is operated on strictly
business principles, the milk frora each cow being
weighed at each railking and a thorough accounting
system is in use for every department of the farm.

William Campion Winfield. The Winfield
faraUy has been in the Mahoning Valley for nearly
three-quarters of a century, and for the sarae length
of tirae it has been closely identified with the in
dustrial and civic history of the region. The original
Winfield settler of the Mahoning Valley was John
Winfield, father of WUliam C, Winfield, whose name
heads this review, who located at Canfield, the first
county seat of Mahoning County, in 1845, He was
born in England in 181 1, and there learned the ma
chinist's trade. Coming to the United States as a
young man, he went to work at Philadelphia, Penn
sylvania, as a finisher of surgical and dental in
struments, fine shears and cutlery of all kinds. He
was not only an expert raachinist and "whitesmith,"
but possessed considerable inventive genius, and
while at Philadelpl»ia he invented a machine for
making lead pipe in continuous length, and during
i84g-5o, perfected a self-cocking, revolving cylinder
revolver, both of the above having been among the
first in their line ever made in this country. 'While
still living at Philadelphia John Winfield was mar
ried to Mary Campion, also born in England, in 1807,
who carae to the United States when a young lady.
Frora Philadelphia John Winfield and his wife
went to Saint Louis, iMissouri, and thence to Alton,
Illinois, he working at his trade in both cities, also
having his own shop and a retail store at Alton.
Frora Alton John Winfield then carae to Canfield,
Ohio, as above stated, and here he continued work
at his trade for a nuraber of years. Frora Canfield
he finally raoved to Hubbard, TrumbuU County,
where he died in i87g. His widow survived him
many years, dying in i8g3.
During the Mexican war John Winton worked in
the Allegheny Arsenal at Pittsbi»rgh, raaking mus
kets, and during the Civil war he worked in Pitts
burgh making cannon.
WUliara Carapion Winfield, son of John and iMary
(Carapion) Winfield, was born at Alton, Illinois,
on March 17, 1844, and was only a year old when
the faraily raigration brought hira to Ohio and the
Mahoning Valley, so that practically all of his long
and useful life has been spent in this region. He
was educated in the public schools of the county and
the old Hines Academy at Canfield, and then leamed
the trade of a tinner, but had not corapleted his
apprenticeship when war was declared between the
North and the South. In 1862 he served in Corapany
F, Forty-First Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a private
for eleven raonths, and was honorably discharged
at the close of his period of enlistraent.
Returning to Canfield, Mr. Winfield worked at
his trade there, and later at Salem, Ohio, and then
in 1864 came to Warren, where he obtained em
ployraent with the firra of Fitch & Carry, pioneer
tinsrniths of this city, for whom he worked as a
journeyman, making steel pipes used in filling water
locomotive tenders for the Atlantic & Great "Western
Railway, now the Erie System. In the latter part
of 1864 he entered the business field for himself at
Hubbard, manufacturing a full line of tinware, and
made raore tinware than was made at that time at
any other point between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
fle also operated wholesale and retaU wagons for the
sale of tinware. He remained there for the next

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

351

seventeen years, but in 1882 returned to Warren, and
during that year he organized the Winfield Manu
facturing Corapany for the purpose of manufactur
ing, under his own patented inventions, oil tanks,
family oil cans, tubular lanterns and kitchen laraps,
the raachinery for making these articles also being
of his own invention. So successful did this concern
becorae that in 1888 the business was incorporated,
under the sarae narae, with Mr. Winfield as presi
dent and superintendent, and he still holds these
positions. On January 10, 1910, the Winfield Electric
Welding Machine Corapany was incorporated with
Mr. Winfield as president and superintendent, for
the purpose of building electric welding machines
under patented inventions of Mr. Winfield and A. B.
Taylor, also connected with the above corapany.
Under the skUlful and practical supervision of Mr.
Winfield both these corapanies have taken their
rightful place araong the iraportant industrial plants
of Warren, and he has achieved a gratifying success
in his ventures, and is one of the inventors who has
been able to profit to the utraost by the products of
his genius.
In 1865 Mr. Winfield was raarried to Amanda
Grimmesey, a daughter of John W. and Lucinda
(Painter) Grimraesey, of Salera, Ohio, and she died
on Septeraber 16, 1910, aged seventy-two years. Mr.
and Mrs. Winfield became the parents of three chil
dren, naraely : Grace, who was married to Grant W.
Byard, of Warren, has a son, William B., and he
served as a first. lieutenant in the supply departraent
at Carap Sherman during the great war ; Luella, who
married A. G. Ward, of Warren, who is manager
of the Youngstown Ice Corapany, and William, who
died at the age of nine years. On August 25, 1920,
Mr, Winfield married Elizabeth Beecher, of Cleve
land, Ohio, Mr. Winfield is a Baptist in his religious

Harry M. Reel is a civil engineer of broad and
successful experience, served many years as assist
ant city engineer in "Youngstown, and is now secre
tary of the Youngstown Construction Company.
Mr. Reel was born at Youngstown in 1869, son of
David and Eraraa (McKee) Reel. His father, whose
people were Pennsylvania Dutch frora the eastern
part of that state, was born at Weathersfield in
Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1838. fle tried to get
into the Union Array at the time of the Civil war,
but his services were rejected on account of an in
jury he had received in boyhood. He finished his
education at Girard College, and about 1867 left the
farm and moving to Youngstown became associated
with Dan iMoyer, under the name Reel & Moyer, in
the mercantile busine"ss. They built the Reel &
Moyer Block, and he continued active as a merchant
for many years, fle was also well known in official
affairs, serving as a member of the City Council, as
city treasurer, and was once republican candidate for
mayor. His candidacy occurred at a time of derao
cratic landslide, but his personal popularity nearly
stemmed the partisan tide. He was a Mason, being
a past raaster of Western Star Lodge, and was an
active member of the First Presbyterian Church. He
died in September, 1917. His widow, now living in
Youngstown at the age of seventy-six, is the daugh-
Vol. 11—23

ter of John McKee, at one time a very prominent
farmer and raan of extensive raeans near Warren.
David Reel and wife had the following children :
Harry M. ; Ella, wife of B. M. Carapbell ; Effie, wife
of E. H. Williams, living in Washington; Fred, an
accountant with the General Fireproofing Company
at Youngstown ; J. A., a rancher in Idaho ; and David,
superintendent of construction work at Miami,
Florida. Harry M, Reel is a graduate of the Rayen High
School and as a boy clerked in his father's store.
For a time he also lived in the state of Minnesota
fle acquired his early engineering experience in the
engineering department of the Pittsburgh and Lake
Erie Railroad, later with the Baltiraore & Ohio, anu
finally in the general offices of the bridge and track
department of the Pennsylvania Company at Pitts
burgh, Pennsylvania. Mr. Reel filled the post of
first assistant city engineer at Youngstown for fifteen
years. During that time he had charge of much of
the important planning and developraent work in
the city. He planned and supervised the buUding of
the local mechanical filtration plant. Since coraing
with the Youngstown Construction Corapany Mr.
Reel has merely shifted his interests from the plan
ning and supervising to the practical construction
end of raunicipal engineering. His corapany has
graded, sewered and paved raany streets in various
parts of the city.
Mr. Reel raarried Miss Josephine Rowan, daugh
ter of Theodore Rowan, of Cleveland. Their three
chUdren are Mary, David and John,
Novetus fl, Chaney, To the fundaraental duties
of American education no Ohio school raan has de
voted hiraself, his talents and the energies of his life
with greater fidelity and to raore effective purpose
than Novetus H, Chaney, who taught his first school
at the age of fourteen and since 1902 has been the
active head and superintendent of the city school
systera of Youngstown,
In view of his work and his real leadership Mr.
Chaney might well be ascribed, and his friends
would readily give him credit for an important share
in the growth and developraent of Youngstown
schools during the past seventeen years. A few
figures will indicate graphically the growth of the
local school system during that period. In igo2 the
school population was 7,861, in 1919, 22,415. The
staff of teachers in' igo2 numbered ig6, while now
there are .sgo. There were eighteen buildings in
1902, whUe at present forty-five modern structures
comprise the school plant. Seventeen years ago the
famous Rayen High School was the crown of the
educational systera of the city, while now there are
two large and efficient high schools, and the high
school enrollment is 2,138 as against 450 pupUs en
rolled in 1902, As to the character of the work
done in the high schools it is noteworthy tbat the
graduates are credited without further examination
to entrance in forty-two colleges throughout the
Middle "West and the East.
Novetus fl, Chaney was born on a farra near New
Vienna in Highland County, Ohio, March 4, 1856,
son of John Alexander and Mary Catherine
(Holmes) Chaney. flis father was a native of

352

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Pennsylvania and his raother of New Jersey, John
A, Chaney was an Ohio farraer, and in his home
coraraunity was a leader of the choir in the Metho
dist Church and a progressive deraocrat, though later
he became a prohibitionist. He and his. wife were
married in Ohio and he died April 21, 1880, at the
age of fifty-six, while his widow survived until 1913,
and to the age of seventy-eight. Five of their chil
dren reached raature years, Jacob H,, a farmer in
Nebraska ; Eraraa, wife of Elwood Ockerman, of
Frankfort, Ohio; Novetus H. ; Mrs. Cora Bell Ash-
lin, of Kansas ; and Dr, Henry M,, a dentist at
London, Ohio,
Novetus H, Chaney received his early education
at horae, and the first school he attended was on his
father's farra. After his boyhood days he paid the
expenses of his higher education by his work as a
teacher. He attended Wilmington College, a Friends
institution at Wilmington, Ohio, and from 1892 to
i8g4 was a post-graduate student in the Ohio Wes
leyan University at Delaware. He also took special
courses in the University of Chicago and the Univer
sity of Pennsylvania. While his first experience as
a teacher was in a country school in Highland County,
he was soon promoted to the responsibilities of a
village school, and for four years was superintendent
at Clarksville, spent over a year as superintendent
at Blanchester, and from 1886 to i8g8 was super
intendent of schools at Washington Court House,
Ohio, and from i8g8 to igo2 was city superintendent
at ChiUicothe. Mr. Chaney is a member of the Na
tional Education Association, the Ohio State Teach
ers' Association, which he served as president in
1904-05, and was a meraber of the State Board of
School Exarainers from igo8 to 1913, He has served
as a trustee of the Youngstown Young Men's Chris
tian Association, is a raeraber of the Charaber of
Coraraerce, a Mason and Odd Fellow, a republican
and a raeraber of the Trinity Methodist Church.
August 12, 1880, he married Miss Anna R. Roush.
They had three children: Mrs. Harry Greenwood,
of Youngstown; Opal, at home; and Eraraa, de
ceased. J. Arthur Ferris, proprietor of a prosperous
electrical supply business at Youngstown, is widely
known for his varied participation in the affairs of
this city, August 4, 1919, he completed two suc
cessive and highly creditable terras as county clerk
of Mahoning County,
Mr, Ferris was born at Perrysburg, New York,
September 10, 1878, son of Joseph S. and Adaline
(Oliver) Ferris, His father was a native of New
York and his raother of Verraont, but their birth
places vvere only separated by the waters of Lake
Champlain,' The father died Deceraber 24, i8gg, at
the age of seventy-four, and the mother on Novera
ber 17, igo4, aged seventy-six. Joseph S, Ferris was
a Union soldier and was with the arraies under
General Grant in the final Virginia carapaigns. He
and his faraily came to Ohio in 1881, locating at
Andover in Ashtabula County, Both were merabers
of the Congregational Church, In the faraily were
seven chUdren, four of whora are stUl living: R, A.,
who was a pioneer in western Canada, and is in the
farra raachinery, tractor and impleraent business at

Calgary, Alberta; Mrs, Emraa Prince, of Conneaut,
Ohio, and Mrs. Jessie Fleraraing, of (jleveland; and
J, Arthur, youngest of the faraily,
J- Arthur Ferris graduated from the Andover
High School in Ohio at the age of eighteen. He
has lived in this state since he was three years of
age. There were circumstances in the family that
raade it necessary for hira to take up serious re
sponsibilities. His father for fifteen years was
nearly blind, and the son Arthur during a great
part of that tirae was the chief provider. After
leaving high school he carae to "Youngstown and
was glad to secure employment in a feed store at
a dollar and a quarter a day. Later he learned the"
carpenter's trade and occasionally did some contract
ing. Later he became a mail carrier, and for ten
years was in the service of the local postoffice.
Frora his Federal duties he becarae chief deputy in
the county clerk's office and after two terras he was
chosen by the people of Mahoning County as county
clerk. As noted above, his second terra in that office
concluded in August, igig.
Three years ago Mr. Ferris estabUshed an elec
trical supply house at 8 and 10 Homer Court on the
south side. He began with one helper, and now does
a very extensive business, requiring fifteen expert
workmen. ,
Mr. Ferris married December 24, i8g8, Elizabeth
Renninger, daughter of Fred C. Renninger, of
Youngstown. Their two children are Frank F. and
Betty. Mr. Ferris and wife attend the Christian
Science Church. He is a Knight Templar Mason
and Shriner, is a past grand of the Odd Fellows,
and past chief patriarch of its Encarapraent, and is
also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, Junior
Order of United Araerican Mechanics, and in poli
tics is a republican.
Chase Tomson Truesdale, a forraer county treas
urer of Mahoning County, and a lifelong resident of
the Mahoning Valley, is president of the South Side
Savings Bank at Youngstown, and is a raan of varied
important connections with commercial affairs.
fle was born at Austintown September 29, 1855,
son of John R. and Mary (Tomson) Truesdale. His
father was born in the Austintown coraraunity in
1820, and spent his active life as a farmer. He also
had an official record, serving twice as infirmary
director of Mahoning County, and in 1866 was
elected county treasurer and re-elected in 1868. He
held that office just forty years before his son. He
died at Canfield in 1879. His wife was born in 1822
and died in 1903. Her father, Cornelius Tomson, was
a native of Connecticut and married Mary Kyle,
Their marriage was celebrated in the old stone house
which is StUl standing ori the bluff just opposite
Idora Park, the ground of said park having originally
been part of the old Tomson homestead. John R.
Truesdale and wife were members of the Reformed
Presbyterian Church, and after his death she wor
shiped with the Presbyterian denomination. They
were the parents of six children, and the three now
living are Mrs. A, P. Webb, Mrs. Frank D. Klotz,
and Chase T. The deceased are : Clark, who was
a structural iron worker with the A'oungstown Bridge
Company and died at Poland at the age of sixty-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

353

four; Ella, who was the wife of W. S. Johnston, of
Buffalo; and Charles, who was born in 1857, was
an iron worker and died in 1888.
Chase Tomson Truesdale attended school at Austin-
town, and spent his early life on a farm. From the
duties and responsibilities of the fields he went to
work in the City Mills for flomer Baldwin in 1880.
With t ;at old industry, a landmark in Youngstown,
he was connected continuously for twenty-seven
years. Mr, Truesdale was elected to represent the
fourth ward in the City Council in 1900, and held
that office four years, after which he was elected to
the councU at large. He resigned when elected
country treasurer in 1906, and by re-election in 1908
served two terms, Mr, Truesdale upon the organiza
tion of the South Side Savings Bank in 1914 becarae
its president, and has wisely guided the affairs of
that institution in the intervening years. He is a
meraber of the Westrainster Presbyterian Church.
In 1883 he raarried Maria Wooldridge, who was born
in Cleveland in 1856. They have one daughter,
Bessie. William M. Henderson is a general contractor
and buUder of raunicipal works, and as such his
reputation is widely extended over Ohio and other
adjoining states.
Mr, Henderson, who has spent raost of his life in
Youngstown, was born at Coatbridge, Scotland, in
1868, son of William and Justinia (McKenzie) Hen
derson. The family carae from Scotland to Youngs
town in 1872. Willia.m Henderson, Sr., for forty-five
years was a puddler in the eraploy of the Brown-
Bonnell plant. He was also a prorainent raember of
the Methodist Church. He died at Youngstown in
1914 at the age of seventy-two, and his widow sur
vived until May 23, 1920, dying at the age of seventy-
three. There were seven children : WUliam M, ;
Isabel B., of Youngstown ; Mary A., wife of J. A.
Heasley, of Warren ; Barbara, wife of Robert J.
Nicholson, a Youngstown attorney ; John A., in the
autoraobUe business at Warren; A. M., a lawyer
and president of the flenderson Construction Cora
pany ; and Jaraes, who is treasurer and general raan
ager of the flenderson-Overland Company.
Williara M. flenderson attended the Wood Street
and Oak Street public schools in Youngstown, and
as a youth found his first regular eraployraent in the
Brown-Bonnell plant. He worked in different de
partments of that industry, and later becarae a book
keeper for Stambaugh-Thompson. For fifteen years
Mr. Henderson was in the hardware business at
Warren, and since then has been actively engaged in
contracting. Some of the important municipal con
tracts he has handled coraprised the building of the
Youngstown Filter Plant, the Spring Common Via
duct, the East Youngstown Filter Plant, and the
filter plant at Sandusky. For five years he was
associated with Thomas Lightbody in contracting.
He is also president of the Henderson-Overland
Company at "Youngstown.
Mr. Henderson raarried Miss Jessie Lightbody in
i8p2. Her father, Thoraas Lightbody, who came to
Youngstown frora Yonkers, New York, was for
many years a successful contractor. Mr., and Mrs.
Henderson have one son, Robert L. who was in the

United States Navy during the World war. Mr.
and Mrs. Henderson are raerabers of the First Pres
byterian Church, and he is a Knight Templar Mason
and Shriner and an Elk, also a raember of the Cora
raercial Travelers and the Chamber of Commerce.
Thomas Murray, Jr., secretary of the Youngs
town BuiMers' Exchange, is an ex-soldier, and is a
young business raan of wide experience and long
and favorably known in this city.
He was born at Youngstown in i88g, son of
Thoraas and Mary (McGraw) Murray. His father,
who was born in the south of Ireland in 1855, was
seven years of age when his people came to Youngs
town, where he has lived now for over half a century.
For many years he was employed "on the rolls" at
the Cartwright Mills, His wife is a native of
Youngstown, and both are faithful merabers of St.
Coluraba's Catholic Church. Of their children, Irene
is the wife of Philip Grace, an employe at the Steel
Mills ; Anna is the wife of H. L. Hendrickson,
manager of the Moon-Hopkins Adding Machine
Company at Cleveland; Helen F. is the widow of
Robert Cantwell, who was a real estate dealer at
Youngstown; and Frank A. died in childhood.
Thomas Murray, Jr., received his early education
in St, Coluraba's parochial schools and graduated
from the Rayen fligh School in igog. From high
school he becarae yard clerk for the Lake Shore and
^Michigan Southern Railroad, but left the railroad to
take charge of the books for the Concrete, Sand and
Gravel Corapany. He was with that corporation eight
years, and rose to the post and responsibilities of
manager, secretary and treasurer of the company.
fle resigned to do his bit in the war. In December,
igi7, he was sent to New Orleans, and was trained
with the heavy artillery. He went to France with
the Sixty-Fourth Coast Artillery Corps, and his regi
ment had been scheduled for front line duty about
the time the armistice was signed. He served in
the grades of corporal, sergeant and gun coraraander.
Mr. Murray arrived horae April 10, igig, and after
his honorable discharge was appointed to his present
duties as secretary of "the Builders' Exchange, a work
for which his previous experience furnishes him
splendid qualifications. He is a meraber of the
Knights of Colurabus, the Elks, the Rotary Club and
the Poland Country Club.
George Brooks Gilbert, an old and honored citizen
of Niles, who earned a record of conspicuous gal
lantry in the Civil war, has been a business raan for
half a century and a resident of Niles for over
twenty years.
He was born at Bridgeport in Belmont County,
Ohio, April 3, 1847, son of John and Susannah
(Brooks) GUbert, his mother being of Scotch-Irish
descent. John Gilbert was a shoe merchant and
spent his active life at Bridgeport. The mother lived
to the age of eighty-four. George Brooks Gilbert
was educated in bis home town and at the age of
fifteen enlisted in Company G of the Fifteenth Ohio
Infantry and saw 3;^ years of active service. He
participated in his first battle at Perryville, Ken
tucky, in the same year he enlisted. He was wounded
in the arm at Resaca, and had previously been cap-

354

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

tured at Stone River and had the experience of six
months' confinement in Libby prison. After being
exchanged he rejoined his coramand in tirae to par
ticipate in the battle of Missionary Ridge and in the
Atlanta campaign until wounded. Incapacitated, he
again rejoined his regiment and fought in the battle
of NashvUle toward the close of the war. He has
been a raeraber of three Grand Array Posts, T. J.
Mercer Post at Chester Hill, J. C. Freraont Post
at AUiance, and McPherson Post at Niles.
Since the war George B, GUbert has followed
raercantile pursuits, at first a a shoe raerchant, later
as a Singer sewing machine agent at NUes, and
then again in the shoe business, but is now retired.
He raade his home at Niles in 1898, He is a re
publican, and is affiliated with Mount Olive Lodge
of Masons at Chester Hill,
At Chester Hill, Ohio, December 22, 1867, George
B, Gilbert married Mary Salina Dutton, a daughter
of William and Sarah (Matson) Dutton, Her
father was of English Quaker ancestry, a direct
descendant frora the Marquis of Dutton, who left
his estate in England to join William Penn at Phila
delphia, Sarah Matson was a Virginian by birth,
of German-English ancestry of the Lutheran faith.
One of her ancestors was Conrad Kremer, a meraber
of Washington's bodyguard. WiUiam Dutton was a
son of Robert Dutton, one of the first two to vote
the abolitionist ticket in Harrison County, Ohio, and
as a child Williara assisted his father in carrying
food to the slaves on the Underground RaUway.
Williara Dutton died at the age of sixty-seven and
his wife at the age of eighty-four.
Three sons and one daughter were born to the
marriage of George B. GUbert and wife. All three
sons becarae identified with the Standard Boiler &
Plate Iron Corapany of Niles. Alice May Gilbert,
the daughter, is a teacher in the Niles fligh School
and lives at horae, Edgar Allan Gilbert, who was
president and manager of the Standard BoUer &
Plate Iron Company of Niles, died April 28, 1920,
William Raymond Gilbert, assistant raanager of the
Standard BoUer & Plate Iron Corapany, is unmarried
and lives at home, George Ralph, engineer of the
corapany, married Christine Thorpe, of Warren, and
has two children, Bernard Ralph and Ray Travis,
Edgar Allan GiliIeri, who died April 28, 1920,
had over a quarter century of experience in the steel
pipe manufacturing industry of Eastern Ohio, and
tiiuugh his career was cut short before he was fifty
his ability and leadership had become widel.y rec
ognized in the Mahoning Valley, He was founder,
president and manager of the Standard Boiler and
Plate Iron Company of Niles.
Edgar Allan (jilbert was born at Chester flill in
Morgan County, Ohio, December 5, 1870, His
father is George B, Gilbert of Niles, whose life is
reviewed on other pages. To the age of twenty
Edgar Allan GUbert lived in his native town. For
two years he was a student in the Ohio State Uni
versity, and when he left college he returned home,
his parents then residing at Alliance. Mr. Gilbert
in 1894 entered the drafting departraent of Reeves
Brothers, steel plate raanufacturers, and his two
years' experience with that firm opened the way for

what proved a steady career in plate raanufacture.
In 1897 he reraoved to Niles and with two others
organized the Niles BoUer Company, serving the
company first as engineer and later as raanager. In
1905 he organized the Standard Boiler and Plate
Iron Corapany, associated with his brothers, and
had the active management of this concern frora the
tirae it was a raodern plant until it ranked as one of
the leading industries of the kind in the Mahoning
Valley, Frora January 24, 1910, until his death Mr.
Gilbert also had the executive duties of president
of the corporation. His residence at NUes was
dignified by other service than in a purely indus
trial way. For fourteen years he was a raember
of the school board, part of the tirae as president.
During the World war he was a raeraber of the local
draft board. He was one of the two to arrange for
the dedicatory services of the McKinley Meraorial.
Other active interests were represented by his affilia
tion as a stanch republican, as a raeraber of the
Masonic order, the Sons of Veterans, the Charaber
of Commerce and the NUes Club.
Many friends and business associates felt a keen
sense of loss in his death, which was a special
tragedy in the home he loved so well. May 20,
i8g6, he married Miss Myrtle Harrison, of Alliance,
Ohio. Their three chUdren are Edgar AUan, Jil,
Dorothy Irene and Beatrice Marian. All the chil
dren are graduates of the NUes fligh School and
the daughters are graduates with the class of ig20
from the Emma WUlard School for Girls at Troy,
New York. The son, Edgar A., Jr., graduated in
ig20 frora the United States MUitary Academy at
West Point,
William W. Marshall. A raan of recognized
worth and integrity, possessing unquestioned busi
ness ability, William "W. Marshall, county treasurer
of Mahoning County, is a fine representative of the
native-born citizens of Youngstown, his birth having
occurred April ig, 1875, on the lot where he now
lives. His father, Williara H. Marshall, a son of Grover
and Martha Ann (Anderson) Marshall, was born in
Weathersfield, TrurabuU County, Ohio, and there
and in Girard spent the earlier years of his life.
For a number of years he was an engineer, being first
employed on the Erie Railroad, and later on the
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railway. After leaving the
railroad he was employed as engineer for a time at
the Bessemer Steel Plant, continuing with that cora
pany until his death October lo, igo3, at the early
age of fifty-seven years. Although a stanch repub
lican in politics, he cast one vote during his life for
a democrat, and ever after regretted it. Fraternally
he belonged to the Brotherhood of Locoraotive En
gineers, to the Ancient Order of United Workraen,
to the Junior Order of American Mechanics, and to
the Grand Army of the Republic. To him and his
wife, whose maiden name was Sophia Walters, two
sons were born, as foUows : Fred B., raaster mechanic
at the Columbia Steel Plant in Pittsburg, California;
and "VVilliam W. The mother died iMay 12, igi8,
aged sixty-six years. f
Acquiring his elementary education in Youngstown,
Vi'illiam "W, Marshall was graduated from the

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

355

Covington Street School in 1889. Interested in teleg
raphy, he with five of his boy friends, Clyde Rigby,
Maurice Dickson, Lynn Way, Clifford Cover and
John Fairbanks, erected a wire connecting various
homes, and in operating it soon became skilful
telegraphers, and later secured excellent positions as
such. WiUiara W. Marshall, the subject of this
sketch, entered the employ of the Erie Railroad
Company as telegraph operator, and during the
twenty-eight years he remained in that capacity be
came very expert, and is regarded as a wizard at
the wire. The nominee of the republican party for
county treasurer at the election held in 1918, he was
elected county treasurer of Mahoning County, and
is performing the duties devolving upon hira in that
office with characteristic ability and fidelity. He has
held several positions with the Erie Railroad Com
pany, having served in the accounting department,
and at the termination of his services was crew
despatcher. On June 29, 1918, Mr. Marshall was united in
marriage with Anna K., daughter of Louis Lockhart,
of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. Religiously both
Mr. and Mrs. Marshall are members of the Belmont
Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church. Fraternally
Mr, Marshall belongs to Mahoning Lodge No, 52,
Knights of Pythias, and having been through all the
chairs of the local organization is a member of the
Grand Lodge. He is likewise affiliated by member
ship with the Protected Home Circle, and with the
Loyal Order of Moose.
Charles F. Henry, Plumbing in these days of
modern methods can scarce be classed as a trade,
but should rank with the arts and sciences, so much
skiU and deftness being required in the business,
which is one of major importance, and with whicii
Charles F. Henry of Youngstown is actively asso
ciated, being one of the best known and busiest
plumbers of the city. He was born in Weathersfield,
Trumbull County, Ohio, February 5, 1872, a son of
Jacob Henry, who was brought from Germany, his
native land, to the United States by his parents while
he was yet an infant.
Brought up in Pennsylvania, Jacob Henry en
gaged in mining when young, and while living in
Weathersfield was superintendent of the Packard
Mines. Coming frora there to Youngstown, he was
"mine host" at the old Germania Hotel for a time,
later, under Marshal Cowley, serving on the police
force until his deatli in 1901, at the age of fifty-
three years, flis wife, whose maiden name was
Rachel Krimmer, survived hira, marrying for her
second husband Charles Pettit, of Youngstown.
Brought up on the west side of Youngstown,
Charles F. Henry attended the Wood and Front
Street schools, paying good attention to his lessons
during the long terms, and being just a boy during
the vacations, swiraraing and fishing at the dam. At
the age of fifteen years he began- working in the
steel plants, and at the age of eighteen years entered
the eraploy of L. B. Scheibel, a Youngstown pioneer,
and one of its best citizens, and under his instruction
served an apprenticeship at the plumber's trade, be
coming an expert and skillful workman. After
working for Mr. Scheibel nineteen years, and becom

ing acquainted with every detail concerning the dif
ferent branches of plumbing, Mr. Henry established
himself in business on his own account, opening a
shop on Market Street, and has met with unques
tioned success in his venture, having installed plumb
ing in many of the larger buildings and residences
of the Mahoning Valley, his work being invariably
satisfactory, both to hiraself and to his patrons.
Mr. Henry married, September s, 1900, Bessie,
daughter of Joseph and Mary (Cole) Sutton, and
they have one child. Myrtle flenry. Both Mr. and
Mrs. Henry are worthy members of Trinity Metho
dist Episcopal Church. Politically Mr. Henry sup
ports the principles of the republican party by voice
and vote. Fraternally he is a thirty-second degree
Mason, belonging to Lodge, Chapter, Coraraandery
and Shrine ; and is also a raember of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, fle belongs to the Builders'
Exchange. J. Howard Bothwell, Having made a special
study of the science of electricity, the imraense power
of which is as yet but little uriderstood, J. Howard
Bothwell, proprietor of the Bothwell Electrical Shop,
at No. 7 Wick Avenue, is a skillful workman, and
has contributed his full quota toward equipping with
electrical conveniences and devices houses, schools,
churches, banks and public and private business build
ings in both Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsyl
vania, Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he grew
to raanhood in Louisville, Kentucky, where he secured
a good education, first attending the Hill schools
evenings, and later studying at the Taylor Institute,
earning the raoney to pay his tuition therein.
Since coming to Youngstown Mr. Bothwell has
taken many special courses of study along electrical
lines, one course having been in the Young Men's
Christian Association, which furnishes exceptionally
fine educational advantages to the youths of this
generation. Having acquired a good technical knowl
edge of electricity and a grip full of needed tools,
he started in business on his own account, locating
first at the old Wick Horaestead on Market Street.
Succeeding frora the first, Mr. Bothwell has since
raade raany raoves, each change having been to raore
coraraodious quarters and brought about by his ex
tensive and constantly growing business. He has sup
plied the electrical work in the Young Men's Chris
tian Association Building; in the Hippodrorae
Theatre; the McElroy BuUding; all of the Jewish
temples of the city ; many of the churches and public
schools ; and many of the better class of private
residences ; and has worked in various other places
in the state, having wired raany residences and public
buildings in Ravenna, Ohio, and having installed all
of the electric conveniences of Hiram College.
Public spirited and influential, Mr. Bothwell takes
an intelligent interest in city, county and state affairs,
his special effort, however, being to establish and
maintain decency in politics. Prominent in Masonry,
he belongs to Lodge, Chapter and Commandery, He
is also a meraber of the Knights of Pythias; of the
Draraatic Order, Knights of Khorassan, of the
Youngstown Engineers' Club, of the Charaber of
Comraerce, of the Builders' Exchange, of the Ki
wanis Club; and has served as president of the or-

356

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

ganization of Ohio Contractors, fle played his part
in the activities of the recent World war and was
a member of the American Detective Association,
formed during that period to detect disloyalty where-
ever it might be lurking.
Mr. Bothwell married, in igii. Pearl M. Moreman,
a daughter of Samuel and Mary Moreman, and they
are the parents of three children, Mildred, J. floward,
Jr., and Marjory. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bothwell are
valued merabers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Adam L, Wymer. Without question Adara L.
Wymer is one of the most widely experience, com
petent and expert raen in the general buUding trades
located at Youngstown, There is hardly any type
of construction work and hardly any raaterial in
W'hich he has not had ample and successful expe
rience. Mr. Wymer is president of the "Wymer-
flarris Construction Company, general contractors,
at Youngstown. WhUe his career has been an un
usually successful one, his friends further empha
size his sterling character as an American citizen,
one who believes and practices that the welfare of
his country and its people is superior to all per
sonal and private considerations,
Mr. Wymer was born in Lawrence County, Penn
sylvania, August 21, 1864, son of Adara and Nancy
(Shiever) Wyraer, both now deceased. His father
was a Pennsylvania soldier in the Union armies
during the CivU war, being a member of Company
C, One Hundredth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry,
known as the Roundheads. He spent his active
career as a farmer, and about 1873 raoved with his
faraily frora Pennsylvania to Lowellville, Ohio, He
died in igio, at the age of seventy-four,
Adara L, Wyraer was one of a large family of
children. He acquired his education partly in Penn
sylvania and partly at LowellvUle, Ohio. As a boy
he showed not only ability to work but an unlimited
energy and initiative. Mr. Wymer has never sought
the easy part. Several years he worked in the
woods and in luraber caraps, increased his experience
in shops and raUls, has built roads, bridges, resi
dences, shops and mills, churches and theaters, and
has not only used lumber, but concrete, stone and
brick as materials of construction. He has a tech
nical knowledge of practically every phase of the
building game, and is also competent on the com
mercial side in making, handling and carrying out
of contracts. He has dealt with all kinds of people
and has been interested in politics both as a voter
and office holder. Through varied fortunes and ex
periences he has kept his rudder true, and people
esteera him for his reliability and integrity as much
as for his business success.
Frora 1882 to 1887 Mr. Wyraer was eraployed in
the shop of the Morse Bridge Corapany. After that
he was with the Variety Iron Works of Cleveland,
and subsequently worked for the Shiffler Bridge
Corapany of Pittsburgh and with the Youngstown
Bridge Corapany as superintendent of erection, and
•finally with the American Bridge Company. For
these corporations he performed work in all parts
of the United States. Later he began contracting
individually and in the Wyraer-Harris Construction
Company he has buUt up an organization adequate

to handle practically every branch of general con
tracting, including the erecting and repairing of
bridge and structural work, all kinds of concrete
work, paving, etc.
Mr. Wyraer has served the county of Mahoning
two terras as county coraraissioner, part of the time
as chairman of the board. He was also a member
of the coraraission which erected the magnificent
court house at Youngstown. fle is a republican,
and his services as an organizer have brought rauch
good to his- party in Mahoning County. Several
years ago he was president of the Republican Club,
and when he resigned the club was strong in raera
bership and on a sound financial basis.
In 1888 Mr. Wymer raarried Miss Mary Boag,
daughter of Robert Boag, and a native of Scotland.
At her death she left three chUdren: Robert,
who raarried Dorothy Johnson, and they have
one chUd, Robert, Jr.; NeUie E., wife of J. H.
Hallberg, of Youngstown; and Mary E., wife of
D. Gordon Phillips. Mr. Wyraer is deservedly
proud of the record of his son Robert, now
secretary of the Wyraer-Harris Construction Cora
pany. Early in the war with Gerraany he en
tered Camp Sherman, later was sent to Camp Grant,
and went overseas to France with the Thirty-fifth
Engineers. He was in France fifteen raonths, raost
of the time engaged in railroad construction. He
returned to this country in AprU, igig, and received
his honorable discharge on the 15th of May.
In igoo Mr. Wyraer raarried Mary E. Richards,
daughter of James Richards. They have four chil
dren, Christina Virginia, James Monroe, Theodore
Roosevelt and Doris June. The family are members
of the United Presbyterian Church. Mr. Wyraer is
a charter raember of Haselton Lodge, Knights of
Pythias, and is also affiliated with the Red Men,
Sons of Veterans, Junior Order of United Ameri
can Mechanics and the Elks. He has buUt many
houses on his own account and while housing has
been at a premiura be has patriotically restrained
frora anything that raight suggest profiteering and
has held rents down to a figure considerably below
the scale which would reflect the unusual dernand.
At the present tirae Mr. Wyraer is constructing a
nuraber of suraraer homes on Lake Erie at Con
neaut, Ohio.
Ray C. Millikin. Notable among the fine stock
farras of the Mahoning Valley is the Maryvale Farra
in Hubbard Township of Trumbull County. The
general manager is Ray C. Millikin, whose long train
ing and study have made him an expert in animal
husbandry and the practical dairy industry.
The owner of the Maryvale Farm is Jonathan
Warner. The farm is seven miles north of Youngs
town and coraprises 400 acres in a body. Jerseys and
Shorthorn cattie, Percheron horses and Shropshire
sheep have given the chief reputation to Maryvale.
Dairying is an incidental but profitable feature. The
farra has exhibited raany fine Jersey cattle and Per
cheron horses. It owned Oxford Majesty's Gipsy,
the only Jersey cow to win two Grand Championships
in succession. At the head of the Shorthorn herd
is Imp. Queen's Guard, also a champion winner,
and the Great Imp. Stallion Mitral, who was never

^^iPC^^^**-*^ .oC -^^^^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

357

defeated in corapetition in France or America.
Logosea is a grand champion mare, and there are
altogether seven thoroughbred Percheron mares.
Mr. Millikin assumed the responsibilities of general
manager of Maryvale in September, igig, after a
previous year of subordinate service on the farm.
He has eight assistants under him. For at least a
quarter of a century his work has been handling and
breeding registered livestock.
He was born in Champion Township of Trumbull
County, November 9, 1879, a son of George W. and
Mary J. (Creed) Millikin. His father, who was
born in Ontario, Canada, June 5, 1845, carae as a
boy to Ohio with his parents, Alexander and Mary
J. Millikin, who settled in Nortli Bloorafield Town
ship, where they lived to old age. George Millikin
about 1882 located on a farm on the Canfield road
just outside the City of Youngstown, and for a quar
ter of a century was a successful breeder of Here
ford beef cattle and flolstein dairy stock. He made
a high reputation as a breeder and was frequently
appointed judge at county and state fairs. About six
years ago he moved into the City of Youngstown and
was elected a meraber of the Council, taking his seat
January i, 1920. In that post of honor he died
February 17, 1920. He was a republican. His widow
is living at home on Williamson Avenue. There are
three children : Bert A., Maude, wife of P. B. Riblet,
of Youngstown, and Ray.
Ray MUlikin a<ter getting his education continued
in business with his father for several years. He
then entered the milk business as a producer and
distributor, and for five years helped supply the
Youngstown raarket with pure milk. For a year he
was connected with the "Walter Brown Stockfarra,
and then carae to Maryvale. At the age of twenty-
four he married Miss Nina Crum, of Frederick,
Maryland. They have four children : Madeline
Margaret, Harry Leroy, Walter Crura and George W.
Gustave Kahn was one of Youngstown's promi
nent industrial men called to the service of the
Government during the late war. He has long been
prorainent in the iron and steel industry, and rose
frora steam fitter's apprentice to his present re
sponsibilities as vice president and general raanager of
sales of the Truscon Steel Corapany.
He was born in a Rhine province of Gerraany,
March 17, 1871. When he was five years of age
his parents, Joseph and Rosalie (Cohen) Kahn, re
moved to Luxemburg, and six years later came to
America in order to better their condition and give
their children the opportunities of growing up in a
land of liberty. Gustave Kahn as a boy appreciated
what it raeant to be an American, and, thoroughly
in sympathy in ideals and practice with our American
institutions, he has been at pains to rear his own
children in the faith of undiluted Americanisra.
He spent his own boyhood from the age of ten
at Detroit and attended public schools there. When
eleven he began earning his own living as cash boy
in a department store. Later he worked in an
optical store. At the age of fifteen he was peddling
spectacles and jewelry through the country. Desir
ing to have a permanent line, he started to learn
steam fitting, and the skill he showed in that trade

promoted him to foreman of the establishment where
he was eraployed. Later he engaged in business for
himself at Detroit, and subsequently was manager of
sales for the Detroit Furnace and Heater Company,
and finally sales engineer for the Araerican Blower
Company. At the organization of the Truscon Steel Corapany
in l8g8 Mr. Kahn had an active part in putting the
affairs of the corapany on a sound basis, and subse
quently was raade sales manager of the Canadian
company. Eventually he becarae president and gen
eral manager of that plant. His home has been in
Youngstown since igi4 and his duties those of vice
president and general raanager of sales of the Truscon
Steel Company.
During the period of the war he spent much of his
tirae in Washington without rerauneration, serving on
the Board of Four which represented all the con
crete steel industry of the country. Mr. Kahn is a
raeraber of the Masonic Order, is a Rotarian, and a
raeraber of the Rodef Sholem congregation.
Mr. Kahn is deservedly proud of his fine family.
On July 27, i8g8, he married Fannie Mandelbaum
Sloraan, of Detroit. Their five children are naraed
Cheri, Frederick, Leon, Dorothy and Arnold. Cheri
is now a raechanical engineer with the Morgan-
Wright Corapany of Detroit. Frederick graduated
from the Naval Academy at Annapolis and is now
an ensign in the United States Navy. Leon is a stu
dent in the Keraper Military Institute of BoonvUle,
Missouri ; Dorothy is attending St, Joseph's Acaderaic
High School at 'i'oungstown, while Arnold is a stu
dent in the Yale Preparatory School.
Henry H, Hoffman, Steadily through a period
of nearly thirty years Henry fl. Hoffman has held
faithfully to one occupation and position of service
in Niles, that of a retail dry goods merchant. His
career has been one of more than ordinary success,
proportionate to the persistence and energy he has
put into it.
His place of business is easUy identified as the
establishment of the fl, fl. Hoffman Company. This
is a concern of long and honorable history at Niles.
It was established raany years ago by W. A. Thomas
& Brothers, was subsequently conducted under the
firra name of Thomas & Hoffman, the partners being
Ira A, Thoraas and Henry H, Hoffman, and still later
was incorporated as the Thoraas & Hoffraan Cpmpany
in 1906, Since igo8 the fl, fl, Hoffraan Company
has been the corporate title. It has always been a
distinctively retail dry goods store, and the business
at present operates on a capital of fifty thousand
doUars. Mr. Henry H. Hoffraan is president and
treasurer, while the two other raembers are his
second cousins, Frank O. Hoffman, vice president,
and Horaer H, Hoffraan, secretary. The younger
raerabers began their connection with the business as
clerks when it was known as the Thoraas & Hoffraan
Corapany. Upon the organization of tbe fl. H. floff-
man Company they became financially interested.
Henry fl. floffraan, who carae to NUes in Novera
ber, 1892, was born on a farra in Columbiana County,
Ohio, near Alliance, January 15, 1872. His parents
were Henry T. and Susannah (Weaver) Hoffman,
the former a contractor and builder. Many of the red

3-58

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

barns for which Colurabiana County is faraous were
constructed by hira. Henry H. floffraan was six
raonths old when his raother was killed by a bolt of
lightning, and he was reared in the home of his
uncle, John W. Weaver, As a boy he had experiences
helping work a farm, and acquired his education in
the neighboring district schools. He early learned
telegraphy, though he never followed the trade to
any extent. The foundation of his business career
was laid as clerk in the wholesale dry goods and
notions house of George Ickes of Alliance. Later,
through the influence and persuasion of W. A.
Thoraas, he carae to Niles, and for about a quarter
of a century has been identified with the business
first established by the Thomas Brothers. Mr. Hoff
man is also vice president of the McKinley Savings
& Loan Corapany and a director in the Niles Trust
Company. He has taken part in those organizations of busi
ness men and citizens designed to proraote the social
and material welfare of the city, including the NUes
Club, the Trumbull Country Club, the Niles Charauer
of Coramerce. He is a iRoyal Arch Mason and a
member of the Presbyterian Church. June 25, 1895,
Mr. Hoffman raarried Miss Pearl M. Tibbetts, of
Niles. Francis M. Lillie, Of those improvements that
make the modern city, including sewer systems,
paved streets, water works and other technical en
gineering undertakings, undoubtedly the foreraost
authority on Youngstown's development during the
past thirty years is Francis M, LUlie, the present
city engineer. Mr. LiUie has been identified with
the city engineering, department of the Youngstown
government since the early '90s, and has been a
resident of the city since 1881.
He was born at Bainbridge in Geauga County,
Ohio, February 15, 1855, son of William A. and
Laura (Roberts) LiUie. His father was a native
of Connecticut and of early French Huguenot an
cestry. The Lillie family was planted in New Eng
land as early as 1640 and for many generations their
home was in Connecticut. William A. Lillie was a
student and reader all his life, and his intellectual
inclinations first led hira to prepare for the bar, but
he abandoned that and became a rainister of the
Christian Church. After leaving Geauga County he
bought a farra on Mentor Plains in Lake County,
Ohio, and for a few years before his death, which
occurred in 1887, when he was seventy-one years
of age, he lived at Willoughby, Ohio. He was a
very stanch republican in politics, flis first wife,
Laura Roberts, died in 1864 and he afterwards raar
ried Orissa Waite, of Willoughby.
Francis M. Lillie was one of a faraily of two
sons and four daughters, flis only living sister is
Florence, a resident of St. Paul, Minnesota. Francis
M. Lillie attended country schools in Lake County,
and graduated from Oberlin College in 1880. While
graduation from that institution meant that he was
well equipped with a liberal education, it was ira
raediately necessary for hira to get into business or
some self sustaining work. In search of an oppor
tunity he came to ' Youngstown. The optimistic
spirit of the people of that then village impressed

him strongly and favorably, and nothing in subse
quent years has changed his early opinions of the
community or daunted his loyalty to his horae city.
He was first employed here in railroad construction
on the Pittsburg & Western, when that road was
being built by C, fl, Andrews from Youngstown to
Akron, Later he was with the Department of Main
tenance in the Pennsylvania Railroad four years,
and resigned railroad work to becorae assisstant to
the city engineer of Youngstown. He entered upon
the duties of that office in 1891, and has been steadily
eraployed in studying and solving the engineering
probleras of the city ever since.
Sorae iteras from his individual experience give a
graphic idea of the growth of Youngstown during
the last thirty years. In that tirae the sewerage sys
tera has been built frora a total length of 18 raUes
lo 180 raUes, while 12 miles of paved streets in i8go
has now been lengthened to 158 miles. Mr, LiUie
planned and constructed the filter plant, one of the
first in the United States, and the model for many
others. He also planned the Milton dam, creating
the reservoir that furnishes Youngstown its pure
water, Youngstown when he came here had about
15,000 population and the only means of getting
from the Crab Creek district to Brier HiU was by
horse car.
In igoo Mr, Lillie married Mary Whitehead,
daughter of WUliam Whitehead. Their three chil
dren are Laura, Anna BeUe and Eleanor. Mr. and
Mrs, Lillie are members of the Unitarian Church
and fraternally he is a Mason.
George Clermont Braden. Prominent among the
men who have been factors in the remarkable growth
and development of Warren during the present dec
ade is George C. Braden, who, as an individual and
as secretary of the Board of Trade, has unselfishly
labored to proraote the welfare of the city both as an
industrial and business center and as a home-owning
coraraunity. The Braden faraily has been in America for over
100 years and in the Mahoning Valley for four
generations. The American ancestor of the family
was Andrew Braden, who was a native of County
Fermanagh, Ireland, born in 1756. He married Mary
Wallace in 1796, and imraigrated in 1816, landing at
St, Johns, New Brunswick, Six weeks after land
ing he proceeded to Philadelphia, later going to
Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and raade perraanent
settleraent near Old Brighton, that county. He had
learned and worked at the tanners' trade in Ireland,
and he continued to work at his trade in this country.
George Braden, son of Andrew and Mary (Wal
lace) Braden, was born in Ireland, and was a boy
when the faraily came to America, fle learned the
making of brick and cutting of stone at Old Brighton,
Pennsylvania, and in 1828 he came into the Mahon
ing Valley. Later on he bought a farm of 165 acres
in Greene Township, TrurabuU County, where he
spent the reraainder of his life, fle married Sarah
McCai-tne.v. James Braden, son of George and Sarah (Mc
Cartney) Braden, was born on the Braden farm in
Greene Township in 1840 and died in 1914. He
raarried Miriara Cory, the daughter of Cyrus Cory,

J^, %<^<^iMi^.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

35»

who was a native of Vermont, from which state he
came to Trumbull County at an early date. She was
born in Greene Township in 1841 and died in 191 1.
James Braden was a farmer and cheese manufac
turer. He marketed his cheese at Warren, NUes,
Youngstown and, in fact, all over the Mahoning
Valley, and both he and his products became widely
and favorably known. In August, 1864, he enlisted
In the One flundred and Seventy-Seventh Regiraent,
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served in the Civil
war until raustered out in July, 1865.
George C. Braden, son of Jaraes and Miriara
(Cory) Braden, was born in the Braden horaestead
on August 8, 1868. fle was educated in the schools
of Cortland and Warren, and taught public school
for four years. Frora 1890 to 1903 he was engaged
in newspaper work, fle was elected and re-elected as
a republican county recorder, serving frora 1904 to
1908, inclusive. The election of Gen. Charles Dick to
the United States Senate caused a vacancy in the
lower house of Congress, to fill which vacancy the
Hon. W. Aubrey Thomas, of Niles, was norainated
for the unexpired terra, and Mr. Braden was closely
identified with Mr, Thomas' interests during the
campaign and after election became his private
secretary, and so continued until 1910, in which year
he was appointed postmaster at Warren. He served
as postraaster for five years, and it was during that
time the 'Warren Board of Trade was reorganized
and Mr, Braden was asked to become its secretary.
At the sarae tirae Mr. O. R. Grimmesey was chosen
president of the organization. Both accepted the
positions and both have since continued at the head
of the board, in the work of which they have ren
dered invaluable and unselfish service to the board
and through it to the city, and the board of directors
has shown its appreciation of its president and secre
tary by declining to elect their successors. Each
year the board holds its annual raeeting, at which its
officers should be elected, and Messrs. Griraraesey and
Braden tender their resignations, but each tirae the
meeting is adjourned without action being taken on
the question of the election, or even of a re-election
of a president and secretary.
Through his work as secretary of the Board of
Trade Mr. Braden has greatly contributed to the
growth and welfare of Warren, and it is generally
agreed that to his efforts, as rauch as to those of
any other one raan, the city is indebted for its de
velopraent into a business and industrial center sec
ond to no city of its size in the entire country.
Mr. Braden's business interests are extensive and
diversified, fle was one of the incorporators of the
Wick Securities Corapany, which built the Arcade
BuUding, the Market flouse and the Wick, March
and Braden blocks, fle was one of the incorporators
of The flippodrome Building Company, which built
the Hippodrotne office and theater block ; he was one
of the incorporators and is treasurer of the Electric
City Realty Company which built the Electric Block ;
he was one of the incorporators of the Warren
Building & Investraent Company, which was incor
porated with a capital of $1,000,000, and which is
building apartment houses and residences in an en
deavor to solve the housing problem ; he was one of
the incorporators of and is treasurer of the TrurabuU

Securities Company, organized for the purpose of
attracting outside capital to Warren for develop
ment purposes ; he is a director in the Union Savings
& Trust Company; he is secretary and treasurer of
the Wick Securities Corapany, treasurer of the Elec
tric City Realty Company, treasurer of the Warren
Hippodrome Building Company and secretary of the
Warren Building & Investment Corapany.
During the World war activities Mr. Braden served
as secretary and one of the trustees of the Trumbull
County War Chest Association, and also served as a
member of the TrurabuU County Food Coramittee.
He is a member of Old Erie Lodge No, 3, Ancient
Free and Accepted Masons ; Warren Commandery
No. 39, Knights Teraplar, and Al Koran Teraple,.
Ancient Arabic Order iNobles of the Mystic Shrine, of
Cleveland ; Independence Lodge No. 98, Knights of
P.vthias, and Warren Lodge of Elks iNo, 295.
On Septeraber 17, 1887, Mr. Braden was united
in raarriage with Elizabeth Meredith, who was born
at Hubbard, Ohio, the daughter of Joseph and Mar
garet (Thoraas) iMeredith, and to thera was born one
son, Frank Charles Braden, who is now eastern
salesraanager with headquarters in New York City,
for the Victor Rubber Corapany of Springfield, Ohio,
He raarried Grace Acheson, daughter of Joseph and
Maude Acheson, of Warren, the father now deceased.
To Frank C. Braden and wife a son and daughter
have been born : George C. (II), and Elizabeth (II).
Anthony B. Calvin has rounded out twenty years
of successful law practice and service on the bench
at Youngstown. An iraportant share of those honors
that form the best reward for the able lawyer have
come to Judge Calvin.
He was born in Mahoning County, March 13, 1877,
son of Luther B, and Leah (Wisler) Calvin, The
Calvins were pioneers of Mahoning County, while
the Wislers were early settiers in Columbiana County.
Judge Calvin grew up on his father's farra, and his
education in the district schools was suppleraented
by a high school course and in 1897 he graduated
A, B. from Northeastern Ohio Normal College at
Canfield. fle read law with Judge J. R. Johnston of
Youngstown, and in 1900 graduated LL. iB. frora the
law school of the State University at Columbus.
Upon his admission to the bar he returned to Youngs
town and formed a partnership with Judge Johnston.
This continued until igo5, when Mr. Calvin was
elevated to the bench of the Criminal Court, For
five years he had the heavy cares and responsibilities
of administering that important branch of the local
judiciary, and he perforraed his duties with the high
est degree of credit and impartiality, but at the end
of that time was not a candidate for re-election and
took up the general practice of law, which he has
continued now for ten years, fle also served four
years in the city council, being vice president of the
body. Since retiring from the bench Judge Calvin has
practiced law with offices in the Wick BuUding, He
has served as trustee of the Northeastern Ohio Nor
raal College, A republican in politics, he is a meraber
of the Masonic Order and other fraternal societies
and of the Poland Country Club.
Septeraber g, igo8, he raarried Miss Fern E. Ura-

360

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

stead. Their only son, David U,, born June 8, igio,
died October 31, igi6.
John C. Urastead, father of Mrs. Calvin, is a
widely known citizen of Mahoning County, now re
tired and living at Pleasant Grove on the Market
Street Extension, He was born in Goshen Town
ship, Mahoning County, May 23, 1854, son of Robert
F, and Minerva J. (iMorris) Urastead. The Ura-
steads are descended frora floUand Dutch ancestry
who were early settlers in Pennsylvania, John C.
Urastead attended the coraraon schools of his native
township, served an apprenticeship at the black
sraith's trade, and for a number of years conducted
a smithy in the rural districts of Mahoning County.
From the routine of a profitable business which he
had built up by years of skillful work he was called
in igi3 to the office of sheriff of Mahoning County,
and in those responsibilities, involving many impor
tant duties, he served two terms of two years each
and gave the tax payers of the county a raost credit
able adrainistration. He is a republican and has
served on the County Republican Coraraittee several
tiraes. Fraternally he is a York and Scottish Rite
Mason, a meraber of Al Koran Teraple of the Mystic
Shrine at Cleveland, is an Odd Fellow, and is a
charter raeraber of North Jackson Lodge No. 343,
Knights of Pythias, in which he has held several
of the chairs.
Noveraber 12, 1882, Mr. Urastead raarried Miss
Jennie Bright, a native of Ohio. Their oldest chUd
is Fern Ethel, wife of A. B. Calvin. Mrs. Umstead's
maternal great-grandfather was Caleb Baldwin, who
fought in the Revolutionary war. Her father was
for three years a soldier during the RebeUion.
Rev, John Klute. While Youngstown now has
a score or more of Catholic churches and other in
stitutions, one of the oldest of the group is St.
Joseph's, and likewise one of the oldest in contin
uous service of the local priesthood is its pastor.
Rev. John Klute,
St. Joseph's Church was established to give a
special place of worship for the Catholic Gerraans
in Youngstown, who had forraerly attended St. Co
luraba's. About fifty farailies were coraprised in the
first parish as established in March, 1870, with Rev,
Peter Becker as their first pastor. Father Becker
secured the ground at Wick and West Rayen ave
nues, still the location of St. Joseph's, He put up
a sraall brick church, dedicated in the sumraer of
1870, Father Becker was followed by several local
pastors and at different tiraes St, Joseph's was also
conducted as a raission frora Hubbard, until Rev,
John Klute entered upon his long service in August
1883, A year or so previously the project of a new and
larger church had been launched, the cornerstone
having been laid by Bishop Gilmour on September
4, 1881, While the interior was incomplete, the
church was in use from the fall of 1882, It was the
labors and energy of Father Klute that rapidly
transformed the building and made it a beautiful
environment for religious worship. Early in his
pastorate, on July 20, 1884, the church was dedicated
by Bishop Gilmour. At that tirae the parish cora
prised only eighty farailies and the church was built

at a cost of about $30,000, Father Becker had also
established a parochial school in 1870, and the first
church building was remodeled to serve as a school
in 1883, In i8go other ground for a school site
was secured at a cost of over $8,000, and in 1893
a modern brick school, three stories, was corapleted
at a cost of $15,000, The pastoral residence was
built by Father Klute in 1900.
Rev, John Klute, who has been zealous in his
work at Youngstown for over thirty-five years, was
born in Westphalia, Germany, October 17, 1847, son
of Henry and Gertrude Klute. He was the only one
of their seven chUdren to come to Araerica. He
was educated in a college at Cologne, carae to Cleve
land in June, 1870, and for four years was a student
in St. Mary's Serainary. He was ordained August
8, 1874, by Bishop Richard Gilmour, His work
for several years was attending missions in various
counties of Northwestern Ohio. In 1880 he took
charge of the churches at Hubbard and Vienna in
Trumbull County, and on August II, 1883, entered^,
upon the duties as pastor of St. Joseph's parish in
Youngstown. As the above facts indicate Father Klute's work
has been wonderfully prospered, and the parish has
had good reason to entrust to his adrainistration not
only its spiritual affairs but its business manage
ment, St, Joseph's is one of the large and prosper
ous parishes and for years it has been adequate not
only for the service of its own members in religious
and educational facilities, but has been an institu
tion in the welfare of the entire city. The site of
St. Joseph's parochial school it should be reraarked
was forraerly occupied by the residence of Mr.
Joseph G. Butler, Jr.
James Harmon Dennison. Six miles north of
Youngstown in Hubbard Township of Trumbull
County is the farm and country home where the late
Jaraes Harraon Dennison spent the raost effective
years of his life. Mrs. Dennison and a daughter still
reside there, and the community has long regarded
these good people with special esteem due their honest
character and substantial industry.
James Harmon Dennison was born in the north
part of Hubbard Township, Septeraber 14, 1843, a
son of John and Susan (Fite) Dennison. The mother
died when her two children, James fl. and Elizabeth,
were young. Elizabeth afterward married Mr. Pass-
more of flubbard. John Dennison married for his
second wife Margaret Wilson, and the children of
that marriage were : Albert, a carpenter, who died
at Warren; Lucius, of Liberty Township; Margaret
who died in Youngstown; Ralph and John, both of
whom reside in California. John Dennison's third
wife was flulda Bushnell, of Sharon. She survived
him. John Dennison was born June 4, 1818, and died
July 5, 1889. He was a carpenter by trade, though
he always had a home on a farm.
Jaraes Harraon Dennison, being a chUd at the
death of his mother, was reared with his sister in the
home of their grandparents Fite. At the age of
eighteen he left horae. He was educated in the
serainary at Farraington and in the Iron City Busi
ness College at Pittsburgh, and for about thirty
years was one of the county's most proficient teach-

(^,9r.AZ.<a:::^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

361

ers. He taught both in early life and during his
mature years, spending his winters in school and
farming in the summer.
Deceraber 31, 1867, Mr. Dennison raarried Florinda
McFall, df CoitsvUle Township, daughter of Robert
and Barbara (Augustine) McFall. The McFalls
were neighbors of the noted McGuffey faraily, one
of whom was the author of the celebrated series of
McGuffey school readers. The McFalls lived near
Geography School House on McGuffey Road, Geog
raphy School House was so called by its pupils, since
it was built to facilitate the study of geography.
The desks were so placed that the pupils .faced the
north, even though the door had to be placed in the
south end of the building away from the road.
Florinda McFall was twenty-six years of age at the
time of her marriage.
About 1870 Mr. and Mrs. Dennison came to the
present farm in Hubbard Township. The house al
ready stood there, but Mr. Dennison carried on im
proveraent from year to year and developed a high
class farm. Even after he gave up teaching he never
lost his interest in the welfare of schools. He was
reared in the United Presbyterian Church at Cedar
Corners, but late in life became identified with the
Church of the Disciples at the Corner House Church
in Hubbard, three railes frora his horae. He served
as clerk, treasurer and elder of the church. Mr.
Dennison died February 25, 1912, after having spent
more than forty years in one coraraunity, where he
left a record of honest and resolute purpose and
kindly deeds.
His chUdren were : Charles P., a Youngstown
architect; Mabel, Mrs. Davis Artherholt, of flubbard
Township; Mary, wife of Presly D. Hanna, a farraer
of CoitsviUe Township ; and Emily.
Miss Emily Dennison, who remains at home with
her mother, has always taken a deep interest in the
affairs of her community, its social life, its schools,
church and practical charity.
Charles E. Clemens. While his farm seven miles
south of Warren in Lordstown Township has at
tained a high degree of value and iraprovement, and
is conducted as a dairy proposition with a fine herd
of Holstein cows, Charles E. Clemens is a business
man as well as a farmer, and for a number of years
was a road and bridge contractor and did a notable
share in furthering the good roads program of both
Mahoning and TrurabuU counties, fle is also a
former trustee of Lordstown Township.
Mr. Cleraens spells his faraily narae somewhat dif
ferently frora his father and other Cleraenses, the
narne usually appearing in the records as Clemraens.
This faraUy has been in the Mahoning Valley for a
century, and it was established in America in 1775,
when Nicholas Clemraens and his wife iraraigrated
from Gerraany to the Araerican colonies. When they
landed in America they were both sold into two years'
servitude to pay their passage across the ocean. This
was a farailiar practice then and for raany years
later, a fact borne out by the history of raany farailies
whose founders crossed the ocean in pioneer tiraes.
At the beginning of the Revolutionary war Nicholas
Clemmens was offered his liberty if he would serve
six months for his raaster as a soldier. After this

terra expired he served six raonths more to free his
wife, who had been sold to another party. Having
gained personal freedora, he was ready to do his full
share toward securing the independence of his
adopted country, and was with the Continental forces
until the end of the war. He becarae acquainted
with (Seneral Washington and was quite a favorite
with Jiim as is proved both by family report and by
quotations from the biography of Washington, in
which the noted general is quoted in these words :
"Cheer up, friend Nicholas. Be of good cheer. God
will be with us. We will see better times soon."
He was also a cook for Washington for several
years. At the close of the war Washington gave him
a fine cane, which is still in the Clemmens family.
During the war his wife was engaged in the bakery
business at Philadelphia. After the war they moved
to Southwestern Pennsylvania, in Washington Coun
ty, where Nicholas followed his trade as a miller for
about thirty years, fle then moved to Boardman
Township, Trumbull County, where he died in ad
vanced years. His children were Elizabeth, Nicholas,
Daniel, Philip, George and Susannah. Daniel and
perhaps one or two other sons were soldiers in the
War of 1812.
Daniel Clemraens, son of Nicholas, becarae a black
smith. Deceraber 24, 1815, he married Barbara Stam
baugh. Soon afterward they came to the Western
Reserve, locating in the forests at North Jackson,
and in 1822 raoved frora Boardraan to Jackson Town
ship in Mahoning County. By his own industry and
the assistance of his famUy he cleared up a fine farm
of 100 acres, where he lived until his death on Sep
tember 17, 1872. He was noted as an honest and
upright citizen and highly respected by all who knew
him. His wife died September 5, 1848. She was a
very religious woman, and brought up her children
with a thorough religious instruction. Her children
were : Philip, born June 22, 1817, spent his active
life in Charapion Township of TrurabuU County and
died when past seventy ; Elizabeth, born May 29, 1819,
raarried a Mr. Ewing and both died in Hancock
County, Ohio; Israel, born September 22, 1820, died
young; Sarah, born May 25, 1822, becarae the wife
of Isaac Lutchner and died in old age in Charapion
Township; Williara, born July 6, 1824, spent his life
in Champion Township, where he died at the age of
eighty-five; George, born April 25, 1826, also lived
to a good old age and died in Jackson Township ;
Martin, born May 10, 1828, died in Jackson Town
ship at the age of sixty-four; Catherine, born July
16, 1830, became the wife of Samuel Klingensmith
and died in Michigan; Henry, born April 16, 1833,
died in Jackson Township when past seventy ; Jared,
whose career is briefly noted in the following para
graphs ; Eliza, born January g, 1838, became the wife
of Frank Macklin and died when about sixty years
of age in Jackson Township ; and Nancy, born July
24, 1840, became the wife of Isaac W. Hewit and
died October 2g, igo8.
Jared Clemmens, who was born AprU 27, 1835, in
Jackson Township, lived to be nearly eighty-five
years of age, passing away January 24, ig20. In his
early life he assisted his father on the farm, later
took charge of the homestead, and in 1865 moved to
a farm which he had bought two years before and

362

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

he reraained there until about thirteen raonths before
his death, when he carae to live with his son
Charles. Jared Clemmens married Laura J. Ohl,
meraber of one of the prorainent families of Lords-
town Township, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth
(Robb) Ohl. "This family were colonial settlers in
iLehigh County, Pennsylvania. Her grandfather,
Michael Ohl, was born in Lehigh County in 1783 and
settled at Austintown in Mahoning County in 1808.
Subsequently he laid out the site of Ohltown in
Weathersfield Township of TrurabuU County, where
he erected a grist mill and oU mill, was also pro
prietor of a hotel, and remained there untU his death
in 1857. Charles Ohl, father of Mrs. Jared Clem
mens, learned the millwright's trade, fle was born in
1807 and spent practically all his life in Ohio, fle
equipped many mills in the Mahoning Valley, in
cluding the Baldwin mills at A'oungstown. As a
young man he bought land in the southeastern part
of Lordstown Township, and had it cleared and im
proved with exceUent buildings. He died there in
i8g6. His wife, Elizabeth Robb, was the daughter
of a pioneer in Berlin Township, and she died in
1873, the mother of six children, Laura being the
second. The six children of Jared Clemraens and
wife were : Charles E. ; Margaret E., wife of
Jonathan Kistler, of Lordstown; Elizabeth A., who
died at Mineral Ridge, the wife of James McMahan,
who afterwards lived at Youngstown; Nancy B.,
who became the wife of John Bailey, of Newton
Township ; Mary V., who married Emery Bailey, a
brother of John; and John C, a carpenter who died
at the age of thirty-two,
Charles E, Cleraens was born at the old Cleramens
homestead in Jackson Township of Mahoning Coun
ty, Septeraber 15, 1861, and when five years of age
his parents raoved to Lordstown Township, where
he was reared and educated. On AprU g, 1883, he
raarried Mary Hood, a native of Liberty Township,
TrurabuU County, and daughter of Isaac and An
geline Hood. Her father was born in Liberty
Township and her raother in Austintown, Mahoning
County. Her paternal grandparents were Jesse and
Catherine (Ohl) Hood. Isaac Hood died at Hart
ford at the age of sixty-eight.
After his marriage Mr. Cleraens farraed on the
shares until i8go, and then bought a farra in the
southeast part of Lordstown Township. In 1903
he carae to his present place, the original farra of his
maternal grandfather, Charles Ohl, who had set
tled here in the woods as a young man and cut away
the timber to make roora for his log house. Mr.
Clemens' raother was born and reared on this farra.
The present house was built by Charles Ohl in 1884
and the barn was constructed by his son William
Ohl about fifteen years later. Mr. Clemens came to
the farra when "WUliam Ohl removed to Warren
eighteen years ago. Williara died at Warren about
1917. The two surviving sons of Charles Ohl are
Hiram, a carpenter at NUes ; and John Albert, a
farmer in Hartford. On this farm Mr. Cleraens car
ries on his varied industry as an agriculturist, and
has been very successful in the dairy business and
as a breeder of Holstein cattle. He has always been
a stanch advocate of good roads, and for eight years
was a contractor, building roads for the county cora

raissioners of TrurabuU and Mahoning counties.
During that time he constructed about thirty miles
of modern highway. Recently he retired after five
years of consecutive service as township trustee.
He was on the local school board for nineteen years
continuously. Mr. Cleraens is a republican and is
actively identified with the Farm Bureau and other
progressive organizations in his section of the state.
Mr. and Mrs. Clemens have two chUdren, Clarence
J. and Bernice. Clarence is now a partner with his
father on the farm, but lives in a separate horae. He
raarried Jessie Young and they have three children,
Ralph, Arthur and "Wayne. The daughter, Bernice,
was for two years a teacher in the schools of Mahon
ing and Trumbull counties, and is now the wife of
Frank Lyntz, forraerly a teacher but now in office
work at Warren. Mr. and Mrs. Lyntz have two
children, Mary and Dorothy.
Mr. Clemens and family are active merabers of
the United Brethren Church. His father, Jared, was
one of the original merabers of this congregation, and
the Ohl faraily were also active in the sarae church.
The site of the church was donated by Charles Ohl.
The present parsonage was donated by Mr. Charles
E. Clemens, who is one of the leading raerabers of
the congregation.
Joseph F, Moore, Interested in architecture frora
his youth up, and having a natural" aptitude for
raechanics, Joseph F, Moore, senior raeraber of the
firra known as the Moore-Larab Construction Cora
pany, has made excellent use of his time and tal
ents, and through constant study of the work in
which he is so successfully engaged has gained a
thorough knowledge of means and methods, and
also won a position of distinction araong the leading
contractors and builders of Youngstown, A native
of Ireland, he was born in 18S1, in County Mayo,
where his parents, Anthony and Bridget (Thorn
ton) Moore, spent their entire lives, being engaged
in agricultural pursuits.
They were industrious, highly respected people,
and worthy raerabers of the Roraan Catholic Church,
rearing their family of eleven children in the same
religious faith.
The oldest child of the parental household,
Joseph F, Moore, obtained the rudiments of his
education in the schools of his horae town, becom
ing especiaUy proficient in fnathematics. Having
learned the carpenter's trade when young, he was
arabitious to become a master buUder, and raade
a study of all books he could get hold of pertaining
to structural work. Immigrating to the United
States in igo3, Mr. Moore located in Cleveland,
where his uncle, M. J. Moore, was the sergeant on
the police force. He began work with the street
car company, receiving $1,60 a day for his serv
ices, and attended school evenings, taking special
instruction in construction work. He subsequently
secured work as a carpenter in the Cleveland parks,
and was later employed by John Gill & Corapany
in the Governraent Building, and was afterwards
superintendent of work under George A. Griebel.
In 1910 Mr, Moore accepted a position as superin
tendent for Heller Brotbers of Youngstown, and
in that capacity built the South High School and

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

363

the Princeton school buildings; the city hall; the
Tod House; and as superintendent erected the iMc-
Kelevey store building. Forming a corporation
with Thoraas F, Larab and others in igi6, Mr. Moore
becarae head of the Moore-Lamb Construction Com-
ptiny, which has since filled many contracts of im
portance. Among the other buildings this enter-
pf-ising firm has erected raention raay be made of
St, iEdward's Church and schools ; the Knott
residence; the Mahoning Foundry warehouse; tbe
Gordon school building in East Youngstown; the
Realty Trust BuUding; the B, McManus residence;
and other city buUdings, in addition having rebuilt
the Maloney Block.
Mr. Moore married, in igo8, Mary Malvey, who
was born in County Lietrira, Ireland, in 1885. Five
children have been born of their union, one of
whom, Francis, died in infancy, and four are living,
namely, Catherine, Joseph, Jr., Anna and Charles,
Religiously Mr, Moore and his family are raera
bers of St. Coluraba's Church. Fraternally Mr.
Moore belongs to the Knights of Columbus ; to the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ; to the
Kiwanis Club ; to the Youngstown Club and he also
is a meraber of various commercial organizations,
being ever interested in the iraproveraent and wel
fare of the coraraunity,
A. Phile Watson. As secretary of the Iron City
Luraber Corapany, A. Phile Watson is conspicuously
identified with one of the more active and enter
prising industrial concerns of Youngstown, this pros
perous firm having begun business on a very modest
scale and through the efficiency of its officers having
established an enormous trade in luraber and build
ing supplies of all kinds, its patronage extending far
and wide, O. E. Hawk, president of the company,
which was incorporated in 191 1, is a man of superior
intelligence and ability, and in the management of
the business has met with signal success. A Penn
sylvanian by birth, A. P. Watson was born in 1859
in Middlesex, and there grew to manhood.
His father, the late Alonzo Watson, was born and
reared in New York State, and as a young man
served bravely in the Civil war, being located a part
of the tirae at Fort Alexander, fle was afterward
engaged in agricultural pursuits during his years of
activity. He attained a ripe old age, his birth having
occurred in 1837, and his death in 1912. His wife
whose raaiden name was Sarah Marstellar, was born
in Shenango Township, Mercer County, Pennsyl
vania, in 1836, and died in igo7. Both she and her
husband were devout members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.
The second child in succession of birth in a family
of six children,- A. Phile Watson spent his early life
on the horae farra, attending Mud College, a local
district school, three months each year until attain
ing the age of twenty years. On January 16, 1882,
he entered the employ of the Andrews iBrothers at
Haselton, but at the end of six weeks accepted a
better position in the old Andrews Brothers Com
pany store and sold goods for a year. He was sub
sequently with the Bixler Baking Corapany until
1884, when he became an assistant in the shipping
department of the Andrews Brothers Company Roll

ing Mill, with which he continued until that plant
became merged into the Republic MUl in i8gg.
Having been made superintendent of a departraent in
that mill, Mr. Watson had the distinction of shipping
the first car of finished stock ever shipped in the
name of the Republic Iron & Steel Company.
Mr. Watson was afterwards associated with vari
ous concerns, including the Erapire Iron & Steel
Corapany, and the Youngstown Ice Company, with
which he remained three years. Since igii he has
been associated with the Iron City Luraber Company,
of which he is secretary, and has contributed his
full share in raaking it one of the largest concerns
of the kind in this section of the country, the build
ing supplies which it has handled having been enough
to have created a large city.
Mr. Watson was united in raarriage with Daisy,
daughter of Williara Carraan. Both iMr. and Mrs.
Watson are active and valued raembers of the
Christian Church, Politically he is a stanch re
publican; fraternally he belongs to the Knights of
Pythias ; and he is likewise a raeraber of the Chamber
of Comraerce and of the Youngstown Credit Associa
tion. Arthur fl. Williams, A young man of excep
tional worth and ability, energetic and progressive,
Arthur iH. WiUiams, of Youngstown, is actively in
terested in the advancement of local affairs, and in
whatever official position he may be called upon to
serve his city it can be assured of receiving his best
efforts. It will here be noted that in the fall of 1919
he was nominated, without opposition, as the re
publican candidate for city auditor. A son of Thomas
B. Williams, he was born in Youngstown, on the west
side, of Welsh ancestry.
Born in Wales in 1857, Thomas B. Williams imrai
grated to the United States in 1877, locating first in
Youngstown, and resuraing the work of coal mining,
with which he had becorae farailiar in his native land.
He subsequently spent sorae tirae in the coal raines
of the West, but returned to Youngstown, his present
horae. He raarried Mary Jones, also a native of
Wales, and to them three children have been born,
naraely: Edna, wife of Judge David G. Jenkins, of
Youngstown; Arthur H., the special subject of this
brief sketch; and Russell, a recent graduate of the
South High School, now reading law.
After his graduation frora the South High School
with the class of 1914, Arthur H. Williams worked
for a time in the Reed Drug Store, earning raoney to
further advance his education. Subsequently, under
Daniel Jones, he was assistant city auditor until the
United States entered the World war, when he en
listed. His record in chemistry while a student, and
his later work in the drug store, fitted Mr. WiUiams
for a peculiar service, and he was sent to an arsenal
located about eighteen miles from Baltiraore, Mary
land, where he was engaged in raaking mustard gas
until receiving his discharge in January, igig. He has
since resided in Youngstown, and in the fall of 1919,
at the priraary election, he was norainated for city
auditor on the republican ticket, his noraination com
ing unsolicited and witbout opposition.
FraternaUy Mr. Williams is a member of the
Ma.sonic Order, having received the thirty-second

364

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

degree in Scottish Rite Masonry. Socially he belongs
to the school fraternity. Phi Sigma Phi, and he is
also a meraber of the Youngstown Automobile Club.
Frank W, Funk, Holding a position of promi
nence and influence among the foremost mechanical,
electrical and mining engineers of Youngstown and
vicinity, Frank W, Funk, general superintendent of
the Phenix Tube Company, having plants at War
ren, Ohio, and Brooklyn, New York, is thoroughly
acquainted with every branch of engineering, A son
of the late Rev, Abraham L, Funk, he was born
November 25, 1886, in Scottdale, Pennsylvania.
Rev, Abraham L. Funk, a son of Abraham Funk,
was born in Pennsylvania, and was there reared and
educated. For thirty-five years of his life he was
actively engaged in the ministry, having charge
of churches in both Ohio and Pennsylvania. He
and his good wife, whose maiden name was Mary
Gardner, both passed to the life beyond in 1918,
he having lived three score and ten years, while
she was but fifty-eight years of age when she died.
Two sons blessed their union, namely : Frank W,,
of whom we write; and John W,, who was gradu
ated frora the medical department of the Western
Reserve University, and is now successfully en
gaged in the practice of his profession at East Pitts
burgh, Pennsylvania,
Having laid a substantial foundation for his
future education in a preparatory school of Wester
ville, Ohio, Frank W, Funk worked for a time in
the Westinghouse electrical plant in Pittsburgh,
there obtaining useful technical knowledge that was
of value to him while pursuing his studies at the
Ohio State University, from which he was gradu
ated with the class of igo8. After leaving college
he held positions of more or less importance before
entering the employ of the Northern Ohio Traction
and Light Company at Akron, Ohio, Coraing frora
there to Youngstown in igi4, Mr, Funk has since
filled various positions of responsibUity, having
served as district engineer for the Republic Railway
and Light Corapany, and as electrical engineer for
the Mahoning and Shenango Railway and Light
Company, He was at the head of the well knowii
firm of Funk & Crippen, consulting engineers, which
had a large patronage, and is president of the
Youngstown Engineers Club.
On May g, igig, the reorganization of the Engi
neers Club of the A^oungstown District, which in
cludes the cities of Sharon and New Castle, Penn
sylvania, and Warren, Niles, Girard and Youngs
town, Ohio, was corapleted, and the following-named
raen were chosen as officers : President, Frank W,
Funk ; vice president, W, H, Raraage ; secretary, E,
R, Rose ; treasurer, C, I, Crippen ; chairraan of the
membership comniittee, P, H. Zenk. The manage
raent of the club is vested in a board of trus
tees and an executive board, the forraer being the
trustees under the laws governing such incorpo
rated bodies. The chairmen of all standing com
raittees are chosen frora the executive board, which
consists of the officers and six directors, and the
secretary and treasurer are raembers of both the
board of trustees and the executive board. The
merabers include engineers of all branches, chera
ists, architects, ceramists, metallurgists and special

ists, and nurabered at the start 625 raen of high
standing in their several professions. Under the
able raanageraent of Mr. Funk the club progressed
far above the expectations of the originators, great
interest having been raanifested in the special ob
jects of the organization, which included the pro
fessional and econoraic iraprovement of the raera
bers ; the iraprovement of the engineering profes
sion in the estimation of the public; and the en
couragement of social intercourse among raerabers
and the advanceraent of engineering and kindred
sciences, Mr, Funk raarried, in 1912, Frances A, WaddeU,
daughter of J, P, Waddell, and they have two chil
dren, Frank W,, Jr,, and Audrey O, Both Mr. and
Mrs. Funk are consistent members of the Ever
green Methodist Church. Mr. Funk is prorainent
in various engineering societies, araong others be
ing an active raeraber of the Araerican Institute of
Electrical Engineers, the Association of Iron and
Steel Electrical Engineers, and the Youngstown
Engineers Club, of which he was president.
John Williams. A prorainent and able repre
sentative of the horticultural and floricultural inter
ests of Mahoning County, John WUliaras is a
respected and valued resident of Youngstown, where,
as president of the Walker Floral Corapany, he has
charge of an extensive nursery, well filled with a
rare and choice collection of plants, roots and bulbs
of both foreign and domestic culture. He was born
July 4, 1877, at Sodom Coal Mines, where his father,
Morgan "Williaras, was then employed as book
keeper. Born and reared in the northeastern portion of
Ohio about 1847, Morgan Williaras spent his corapara
tively brief life in Mahoning County, his death oc
curring in Youngstown in 1896. After leaving the
Sodora Mines he was for a time employed as book
keeper in the mercantUe establishment of Mor.gan
Jarvis, which occupied the present site of the Dollar
Bank Building. He subsequently became accountant
in the weigh office of the Valley Mills. He was
active in public affairs, for a long tirae serving as
township clerk. To hira and his wife, Margaret
(Williams) Boen, seven children were born, five of
whom are living,- as follows : Mary, the widow of
Carl Minner; Almyra, wife of A. J. Wardell, of
Youngstown; John, the subject of this sketch; and
Owen and Helen, living with their widowed raother,
a bright and active woman of sixty-nine years. The
two that have passed to the life beyond are Elizabeth,
who died in childhood, and Anna, who raarried
Walter Huff, of Youngstown. The raother is a raem
ber of the Welsh Congregation, to which the father
also belonged.
John Williaras acquired his education at the Crab
Creek School, mostiy under the judicious training
of Miss Hannah Thorn, who was his teacher for
fourteen years. During his vacations he worked for
a market gardener, Edward Lindsay, and not only
tilled and cultivated the garden and farra, but de
veloped a taste and special interest in plant life of
all kinds, his liking for horticulture in its different
branches increasing each season, even when working
for other agriculturists in the Mahoning Valley.
Twenty-two years ago, desirous of acquiring a prac-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

365

tical knowledge of the art of flower-growing, Mr.
WUliams entered the eraploy of a noted florist, John
Walker, and has since filled every position in the
establishraent, frora the very lowest to the highest,
being now president of the 'Walker Floral Company.
The large plant of this enterprising firm, located on
the Hubbard Road, comprises fourteen acres of
ground, 45,ooo feet of it being under glass, and in
its nurseries and greenhouses plants frora raany parts
of the world raay be found, the firra's importations
coming from Holland, Belgium, France and far-away
Japan, and being sold, with its domestic products,
not only in Ohio and adjacent states, but in towns and
cities far away, distance being no barrier.
Mr. WUliams raarried, in 1903, Erama, daughter
of Emory Shonce, of Boardman, Ohio, and the
household thus established has been brightened by
the birth of five children, namely: Gladys, Dale,
Margaret, and Alraa and Alza, twins. Politically
Mr. WUliams is a straightforward republican.
Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows, belonging to Lodge and Encarapraent,
Religiously he and his faraily are merabers of the
Memorial Presbyterian Church,
E, Henry Jones, M, D, Actively and successfuUy
employed in one of the most useful professions to
which a raan can devote his tirae and energies, E.
Henry Jones, M. D,, occupies a position of note
araong the leading physicians of Youngstown, and is
uow rendering the city most acceptable service as
coroner of Mahoning County, a position he has held
since 1914, A son of Elias Jones, he was born
June 24, 1884, in Homestead, Pennsylvania, of hon
ored Welsh ancestry.
Born, reared and educated in Wales, Elias Jones
began working in the mines as a boy, and after
coming to this country was for sorae tirae engaged
in rnining in Pennsylvania and Ohio, first in Coalburg,
Ohio, and later at Homestead, Pennsylvania. Com
ing to Mahoning County, he worked for a time in
the Andrews raines and the Wick raines, but for the
past thirty years he has been connected with the
Youngstown police force, at the present writing, in
1919, being court bailiff. He and his good wife,
whose raaiden name was Mary Powell, are hale
and hearty persons of seventy-six years, and both
are active members of the Welsh Congregation, while
he is also a raeraber of the Free and Accepted Order
of Masons and of the Knights of Pythias. Of the eight
children born of their marriage, five are living, as
foUows: Elizabeth, Hannah, Joseph, Mrs. Charles J.
Foht and E. Henry. One of their sons. Dr. Alex
ander H. Jones, died in France, after having been
in the United States service for thirteen months as
a dentist, at the age of thirty-one years, his death
having been caused by influenza. Dr. A. H. Jones
was graduated from the Dental Department of the
Ohio State University at Columbus in igio, and was
especially skilled in orthodontia and X-ray work.
Enlisting in the United States service during the war
as a dentist, he was a part of the tirae on the battle
front, at other times having been stationed at either
Saumer or Langres.
The seventh child in succession of birth of the
parental household, E. Henry Jones completed the

course of study in the graded schools of Youngstown
and of the Rayen High School, In igog he was
graduated frora the Medical Departraent of the Ohio
State University, having earned the raoney to pay
his college expenses by working in various positions,
and spending three years in the sales department of
the Araerican Belting Corapany. After spending a
year as resident physician at the Protestant Hospital
in Columbus, Doctor Jones located in Youngstown,
-where he has won an extensive and highly remunera
tive practice. In igi4 he was elected coroner of
Mahoning County, and is now serving his third term
in that office.
Doctor Jones married, in igi3. Miss Lulu Adele
Potts, daughter of Douglas T. Potts, of Barberton,
Ohio, and into their home one son, E, Henry Jones,
Jr,, has been born. Doctor and Airs, Jones are both
members of the Plymouth Congregational Church.
Politically the Doctor is affiliated with the republican
party. Fraternally he belongs to the Free and Ac
cepted Order of Masons, to the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows and to the Knights of Pythias, Pro
fessionally he is a member of the Mahoning County
iMedical Society, of the Ohio State Medical Asso
ciation and of the American Medical Association.
Harry E, Welch, M. D. A man of broad mental
attainments, keeping in close touch with the raost
approved modern methods of treating the various dis
eases to which the human flesh is heir, Harry E.
Welch, M. D,, of Youngstown, has built up an ex
tensive and lucrative practice, and won for bimself
a prominent and honored position in the medical pro
fession of Mahoning County, He is distinguished not
only as a skilful physician;' but as a native-born citi
zen, his birth having occurred Septeraber 10, 1861, in
Youngstown, on the present site of the United Print
ing Corapany on Front Street,
Anthony Welch, the Doctor's father, was born and
reared in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, but later
spent a few years at New Castle, that state. In 1857
he located in Youngstown, coraing here when the now
populous city was little raore than a village, with
scant prospects of its present prosperous condition.
Enlisting as a soldier during the Civil war, he was
stationed for sorae tirae at Curaberland Gap, where
the Confederates had established a line of defense.
After his discharge frora the service he returned to
Youngstown, and for raany years thereafter was
employed in the Brown-Bonnell plant. His wife,
whose maiden name was Araanda Hubler, died at
the age of sixty-seven years, in igo7, and he is now
living with his son Harry, He is a worthy raember
of Trinity Methodist Church.
The only child of his parents, Harry E. Welch
received excellent educational advantages as a youth,
attending first the graded schools, and in 1882 having
been graduated from the Rayen High School, in the
raeantirae having worked during his vacations at the
Brown-Bonnell plant. Desirous of taking up the
study of raedieine, he entered the raedicai departraent
of the Westem Reserve University at Cleveland,
and was there graduated with the class of 1885.
Doctor Welch subsequently spent a few raonths as
resident physician at the Charity Hospital in Cleve
land, after which he went to Philadelphia and took

366

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

a post graduate course at the University of Penn
sylvania, attending clinics and doing hospital work.
The following year he spent in Europe, continuing
his studies in both Berlin and Vienna,
Returning to Youngstown in the latter part of 1887,
Doctor Welch opened an office in the Jewell Block,
and began the practice of his profession. Well pre
pared for his chosen work, he made rapid strides in
liis career, being successful from the start, his wisdora
and skill in dealing with difficult cases gaining for
hira the trust and confidence of the coraraunity, and
soon placing hira araong the leading physicians of the
Mahonjng Valley, In 1890 the doctor was elected
coroner of Mahoning County, and held the office one
terra. In 1893 he was made health officer, and has
served with distinction in that capacity ever since.
Doctor Welch has served as president of the Ma
honing Medical Society, and is a member, also, of the
Ohio Medical Society and of the American Medical
Association and served as president of the North
eastern Ohio Medical Society, During the World
war he served on the Medical Advisory Board for
the district that included Western Pennsylvania and
Eastern Ohio,
Doctor Welch married, in i89g. Miss Adelaide
Winsper, of Youngstown. Fraternally the Doctor is
a member of the Masonic Order, belonging to lodge,
¦chapter, commandery and consistory; and also to the
Knights of Pythias. He is also a member of the
Youngstown Charaber of Coraraerce, Patriotic and
public-spirited, he takes especial pride and pleasure
ill the fact that during his lifetirae Youngstown has
becorae one of the business centers of the United
States, and that in the advanceraent of its growth and
prosperity he has contributed his full share.
Louis Adovasio, A Youngstown contractor since
i8g8, the achievements of Louis Adovasio can be
read in a nuraber of iraportant municipal works
and private and business structures scattered
throughout the Mahoning Valley,
Mr, Adovasio, who has been a resident of Youngs
town thirty years, and is a veteran in all branches
of the building and construction trade, was born
in Italy, May 25, i860. He received a good edu
cation through his own efforts and was trained as
a builder. At one tirae he was also a contractor
and assistant engineer in tbe Italian arraies. Cora
ing to the United States in i8go, Mr. Adovasio has
since raade his horae in Youngstown, He soon
found work at his trade and for several years was
superintendent for Christian Mauser, a prorainent
¦contractor. Gradually he worked into the contract
ing business for hiraself. Mr, Adovasio had the
contract for the erection of the Milton dara, the
big concrete structure which impounds the city
water supply of Youngstown, He and his organi
zation have built many residences, schoolhouses
and business blocks, and have also done much pay-,
ing and street building. He laid nine miles of sewer
in Niles, and also erected the Carnegie Library
buUding, the McKinley school and the addition to
the Oak Street school. As a capitalist he has also
built a nuraber of houses for hiraself.
Mr, Adovasio and family are members of Mount
Carrael Catholic Church. He raarried Rosie Mas-

trafrancisco, who was born in Italy and died Sep
teraber IS, igi6, Mr. Adovasio's children are : Ben,
a brick mason at Youngstown; John Angelo, also
a brick mason; Mary, wife of Thoraas E. Antonelli,
a Youngstown attorney; Jennie and Lucy, still at
horae. The son John Angelo was a United States
soldier in the World war, went to France, and was
on the front in sorae of the hardest fighting during
the summer of 1918, including the battle of Argonne
Forest, Dougherty & Brennan. As plaster contractors,
the wide-awake, enterprising firm of Dougherty &
Brennan, of Youngstown, is carrying on a very exten
sive work, its volume of business, according to
statistics corapiled by the War Board, having been
exceeded by but two other firras of the kind in the
United States, a fact of which the raerabers raay well
be proud.
Messrs. Dougherty and Brennan are both skilled
workraen and artists in their profession, and both are
graduates of the Carnegie Technical School in Pitts
burgh, Pennsylvania, though not in the sarae year.
After receiving their diploraas both raerabers entered
the employ of McNulty Brothers in Pittsburgh, and
served in various capacities, becoming foremen of
their departments, and later supervising the construc
tion of work on buildings of importance botb in
Pittsburgh and in Youngstown. Subsequently tbese
energetic, able business men and co-workers began
work on their own account, and as merabers of the
firm of Dougherty & Brennan have filled raany large
contracts and have established for theraselves an
enviable reputation for skilful and artistic work as
plasterers, their work on the Republic Office Building,
the Dome Theater, the offices of the United States
Steel Plant, and on raany of the Steel and Tube buUd
ings, including the offices and laboratories of the
different plants, and also in raany of the finer resi
dences of the city in which work of an artistic
nature is required, bearing visible evidence of their
superiority as contracting plasterers.
James A. Brennan, meraber of the above-naraed
firra, was born, in 1887, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a
son of M. J. Brennan, of Pittsburgh. Having ob
tained his preliminary^ education in St. Mary's School,
Pittsburgh, he entered the Carnegie School of
Technology, from which he was graduated with the
class of 1908. He soon after secured work with the
McNulty Brothers of Pittsburgh, and gradually
worked his way up until becoming proficient in his
trade. In igi2 he came to Y'oungstown in the interest
of his employers, and after supervising the work of
the firm for a time formed a partnership with Mr.
Dougherty, and has successfully continued in his
chosen work since, the result of his labors being
eminently satisfactory.
Mr. Brennan married, in 1914, Marguerite Grib-
bon, daughter of Daniel Gribbon. Both he and his
wife are worthy members of St. Edward's (Church.
Mr. Brennan is a member of the Youngstown Cham
ber of Commerce, is president of the BuUders' Ex
change and a member of the Youngstown iRotary
Club. Fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Co
lumbus and to the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

367

Charles W. Dougherty, senior member of the well-
known firm of Dougherty & Brennan, was born in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1885, and in the schools
of that city obtained the rudiments of his education.
In 1907 he was graduated from the Carnegie Techni
cal School, and subsequently entered the employ of
McNulty Brothers, beginning work in a minor ca
pacity, and having gained the confidence of his em
ployers as regarded his skill and ability was proraoted
frora time to time, being placed in positions of
greater responsibility. Subsequently he formed a
partnership with his friend and co-worker, and this
is now one of the leading firras of the kind not only
in Youngstown but in this country. As plaster con
tractors this firm has already built up an enormous
business, and under the supervision of its able and
enterprising members is constantly increasing its
business, contracts of vast importance being en
trusted to their care. They keep a large number of
employes, nearly all of whora are skilled workraen,
while raany of thera are veritable artists, their work
as sculptors comparing fairly well with that of
Messrs. Dougherty and Brennan.
Mr. Dougherty is married, his wife having been
before marriage Agnes Reed. Both Mr. and Mrs.
Dougherty are merabers of St. Patricks Church.
Fraternally Mr. Dougherty is a raember of the
Knights of Columbus and of the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks, He also belongs to the
BuUders' Exchange of Youngstown and to the
'Chamber of Comraerce.
Lester C. Haworth has devoted his tirae and the
best energies and talents he possesses to the great
work of the Young Men's Christian Association, He
has been engaged in Young Men's Christian Associa
tion work practically ever since he left college, and
since Deceraber i, 1914, has occupied the post and
responsibUities of general secretary of the Youngs
town Young Men's Christian Association, though for
more than a year he was engaged in iraportant rais-
sions abroad, under Young iMen's Christian Associa
tion auspices.
Mr. Haworth was born at Danville, Indiana, March
12, 1888, son of Harper E. and Margaret (Greene)
Haworth. His parents were natives of North Caro
lina, and his raother was a descendant of the faraUy
of General Greene, the great Revolutionary hero.
Harper E. Haworth, although an abolitionist, was
pressed into duty in the raines for the Confederate
Government. He was married in North Carolina
and in 1869 carae north and located on a farra near
Danville, Indiana. The Haworths are of Quaker
stock, riarper Haworth was a pioneer in the prohibi
tion raovement, having a vote and a voice for that
cause long before it was popular. He cast his first
vote for Grant for president, and afterward supported
the prohibition ticket every tirae except once, when he
voted for Bryan, fle is still living, at the age of
seventy-three, but his wife died May 11, 1918, aged
sixty-eight. They were the parents of eight children.
Lester C. flaworth acquired his early education in
country schools in Northern Indiana, is a graduate
of the Danville fligh School, and took his college
course in the well known Friends institution of high
er education, Earlham College, at Richmond, Indiana.
Vol. 11—24

fle was graduated in igio. To pay the expenses of
his college course he sold aluminum cooking utensils
in vacations and during the college terms did janitor
work. He attracted attention while in college for his
business proraotive ability and public speaking, and
the first year after his graduation he served as field
agent for the college in raising a large sum to pay
an indebtedness of Earlhara.
Mr. Haworth has been in Young Men's Christian
Association work since igii, when he became assistant
general secretary of the Young Men's Christian Asso
ciation at Buffalo, New York. Three years later
he came to Youngstown as general secretary. He has
made the local Young Men's Christian Association a
strong and effective force for the education and
moral and religious uplift of the large and hetero
geneous population of Youngstown.
On account of his special abilities he was selected
by the general organization in 1916 to go to Bombay,
India, and organize Young Men's Christian Associa
tions all over that country, especially in towns gar
risoned by British soldi'ers. fle also had an active
part in caring for invalided British tioops, there being
thousands of thera who had returned frora the battle
sectors in Mesopotaraia and Egypt. The "Y" in
Borabay was under the direction of the British gov
ernor. Lord Willingdon. While there he also helped
raise a fund of $100,000 to provide for continued work
of the association in India. Mr. Haworth returned
to Youngstown in 1917. In the fall of 1918 he was
prorainently engaged in the general carapaign to raise
$2,000,000 for united war work. At the request of
Dr. J. R. Mott, the national director of the Young
Men's Christian Association, Mr. Haworth received
coraraission to go to Europe for three months early
in igig, and under the auspices of the Young Men's
Christian Association he went over the devastated dis
tricts and along the entire battle line in the interests
of welfare work among the soldiers. He resuraed
his duties at Youngstown in July, 1919.
Mr. Haworth raarried, Noveraber 2, 1913, Ruby
Evelyn Peyton, a daughter of Anthony iPeyton, of
Danville, Indiana. They have two daughters,
Dorothy and Margaret. Margaret was born in Bom
bay, India. Mr. Haworth is a meraber of the First
Presbyterian Church and is a member of the Youngs
town Club and Rotary Club, In addition to his work
in the Young Men's Christian Association, Mr.
Haworth takes an active interest in all civic and
-social work, and is much interested in anything that
tends to advance good government. He is also a
meraber of the Charaber of Coraraerce.
William Cosel. Closely identified with the mer
cantile interests of the Mahoning Valley, WUliam
Cosel, a well-known clothing merchant of Youngs
town, has ever evinced a warm interest in local
progress and improvements, and is especially promi
nent in welfare work, being president of the Youngs
town Humane Society. He was born in 1861 in Ger
many, being the youngest child of a faraily of eight
children born to Nathan and Minna Cosel. His
parents were life-long residents of the fatherland,
his father, a dry goods merchant, dying at the age
of fifty-three years, and his mother when seventy-
nine years of age.

368

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Brought up and educated in his native land, Wil
liam Cosel imraigrated to the United States in 1880,
joining his brother Julius, who had previously corae
to this country, in Youngstown, and with hira em
barking in the clothing business. The partnership
being dissolved in 1901, the brother went to New
York City, where he is now engaged in the manu
facture of clothing, and Mr. Cosel has since carried
on the original business alone, from 1880 until 1916
having been a tenant of Thoraas fl. Wells, but is now
located at No. g Central Square, where he has ex
ceptionally fine opportunities for carrying on his
business. When iMr. Cosel came to Youngstown he
was unable to speak a word of English, but has now
perfect coramand of the language.
In i8g6 Mr, Cosel was united in marriage with
Sadie Weinberg, and to them three children have
been born, naraely : Roraa, living at horae ; Minetta,
who died in igi8, aged twenty-one years ; and Leon,
who lived but twelve short years, dying in igi3. Mr.
Cosel is a thirty-second degree Mason, and both he
and his wife are members of Rodef Sholera Congre
gation. John Ludt deserves to be remembered not only
as the founder of one of Youngstown's business con
cerns, but as one of a faraily that were pioneers in
this part of the Mahoning Valley and have con
tributed their energies and wholesorae public spirit
to the growth and upbuilding of this section of Ohio
for over a century.
John Ludt was born in the Crab Creek District
of the present City of Youngstown Deceraber 2g,
1853. flis parents were Philip and Sophia (Moewe)
Ludt. His grandfather, Peter Ludt, came to Youngs
town when it was a collection of cabins, and spent
the rest of his life in this vicinity. He helped build
the old Youngstown Canal. Philip Ludt, who spent
many years in Youngstown, with home on Federal
Street, was in the coal mines of the district, but later
engaged in business,
John Ludt had a public school education and as
a young man worked in boiler shops and for rail
roads. At that tirae the top pay of a raUroad hand
was about a dollar a day. In 1885 he founded the
business house of John Ludt, He dealt in hot air
furnaces, and also perfected an organization for
doing all classes of sheet metal work, and became
an extensive contractor for slate, tin and gravel roof
ing, iHe was the founder and active spirit in this
enterprise for thirty years, continuing active until
his death on November 26, igi5.
Mr, Ludt was a democrat in politics, and his in
terest as a good citizen led hira to accept noraination
and election as a raember of the City Council. He
was interested in the Lutheran Church, and was
buried in a private mausoleum in the Belmont
Cemetery. Mr. Ludt raarried Miss Jennie Millsap, daughter
of Jackson Millsap. They became the parents of
four children : Philip J. married Evelyn E, Good,
who died February 7, 1919, leaving two children,
Vladirair and Chester ; Charles W. ; Martha, wife
of Calvin Meerkerger ; and Edward j., who married
Ina Rock and has one son, Edward. The sons grew
up in business with their father and after his death

carried on the business, which is stUl one of the
leading concerns of its kind in Youngstown.
Beecher P. Higby, whose business has been a
varied one, for the past five years has been an auto
mobile salesraan and at Youngstown is president of
the Higby Sales Company, the authorized agency for
the Ford raotor cars. Ford tractors and Ford acces
sories. Mr. fligby was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1889,
son of Beecher and Cassie (Van Horn) fligby, both
Nebraskans. flis father was a contractor and for
years held the office of city clerk and other local
positions in the City of Omaha.
Graduating from the Oraaha fligh School at the
age of seventeen, Beecher P. fligby soon afterward
went to Wyoming and was an employe of the en
gineering departraent of the Union Pacific Railroad
Corapany frora ig04 to 191 1. For a tirae he was in
the laundry business in the Big Horn Basin of
Wyoraing, and also had experience as a cowboy on
a cattle ranch.
He began selling Ford cars at Oraaha, Nebraska,
and in 1915 came to Youngstown as a Ford sales
raan. He bought the Frank Leish interests and
organized the Higby Sales Corapany, which has
been responsible for the great volurae of business
created for the Ford cars in this section of Ohio.
Mr. fligby is a meraber of the Masonic fraternity,
the Knights of Pythias, the Kiwanis Club and the
Charaber of Coraraerce, all of Youngstown, and the
Poland Country Club.
He married in igi4 Edith Stambaugh, daughter of
Charles B, Starabaugh. Mrs. Higby died Noveraber
26, 1918, the mother of one son, PhUip Dee. Mr.
Higby is an attendant of the Christian Science
Church. Ch.\rles T. Riley. One of the leading druggists
of Youngstown, Charles T. Riley is thoroughly ac
quainted with every branch of pharmacy, and during
the thirty and more years that he has been engaged
in the business in this city has won an extensive and
remunerative patronage. A son of the late Dr.
Chauncey K. iRiley, he was born July 11, 1865, in
Pulaski, Pennsylvania, coming on both sides of the
house of honored ancestry.
Chauncey K. Riley was educated for a physician,
and for forty-four years thereafter was successfully
engaged in the practice of his profession at Pulaski,
Pennsylvania, continuing there until his death in
igoo, at the age of sixty-six years. Doctor RUey
married, in Poland, Ohio, Sarah Truesdale, a daugh
ter of Dr. Joseph Truesdale, also a prorainent
physician of Poland, Ohio. Doctor Riley's mother,
Rachel Fowler, was distinguished as having been
the first white female child born in the Mahoning
Valley. Doctor and Mrs. Riley were the parents of
two children, Charles T., the special subject of this
sketch, and Cornelia, wife of R. W. White, of
Youngstown. Obtaining his preliminary education in Pulaski,
Charles T. Riley there learned the rudiraents of the
drug trade, entering the drug store of T. fl. Jewell
when but seventeen years of age. Subsequently cora
ing to A'oungstown, he accepted a position with Oscar

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

369

Deible, whose pharraacy was in Deible's Block, at
the corner of flazel and Federal streets, and later
continuing with Mr, Deible's successor, E, A. Fisher,
for a tirae. Starting in business on his own account,
Mr, Riley upwards of thirty years ago opened a drug
store on Federal Street, where he has since re
raained, having reraoved in 1906 frora his first loca
tion, at 1514 to his present store at 1524 West
Federal Street.
Mr. Riley married in 1885, at Pulaski, Pennsyl
vania, Jennie Hull, daughter of Milton and Mary
Hull, of that town, Mr. Hull having operated a
flouring mUl in Pulaski, Lawrence County, Penn
sylvania, for several years. Into Mr. and Mrs. Riley's
pleasant horae two children have been born, Chaun
cey, now eraployed in the Carnegie Steel Plant,
served as a soldier in France during the World
war, having belonged to the One flundred and
Thirty-Seventh Field Artillery, which saw heavy
fighting, and returned horae in AprU, 1919, without a
wound ; and Fred, a musician, died at the age of thirty
years. Politically Mr. Riley supports the principles
of the republican party by voice and vote ; fraternally
he is active in iMasonic circles, having taken the
York and thirty-second Scottish Rite degrees ; re
ligiously he is a meraber of the Christian Church.
Frank Mastroianni. Many of the raore enter
prising and successful business raen of Mahoning
County are of foreign birth and breeding, prorainent
araong the nuraber being Frank Mastroianni, agent
for the sale of foreign exchange stearaship tickets,
and proprietor of the Banca Popolare Italiana, which
is located at 116 North Watt Street, Youngstown.
A son of Pasquale and Annie Marie iMastroianni, he
was born July 24, 1877, in San Pietro Avellana,
Province of Carapobasso, Italy, and as a lad of ten
years carae to the United States with his father, who
subsequently followed his trade of a stone raason in
various Pennsylvania and Ohio cities.
Working on railroads as water boy for construction
gangs, Frank Mastroianni was not very favorably
impressed with life in the United States, and in 1890,
leaving his father in Steubenville, Ohio, returned to
his native country, where he attended school regu
larly the ensuing four years, in the raeantirae learn
ing the trade of a stone raason. In 1894, on account
of his father, who was neither well nor prosperous,
Frank carae back to Ohio, joining hira at Colurabus,
and subsequently working with him in Cleveland,
Buffalo and other places.
Changing his occupation, Mr. Mastroianni entered
the eraploy of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Cora
pany, becoraing foreraan of bridge work on that part
of the road extending frora Pittsburgh to Steuben
ville, Ohio, and frora Wheeling, West Virginia, to
other Ohio points. The work being hard, with op
portunities for advancement quite liraited, he becarae
clerk in a grocery, first at Kings Creek, West Vir
ginia, and afterward at Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.
MeanwhUe he had furnished his father with funds to
take hira back to Italy, and in 1901 he sent for the
entire family to join him in this country.
Soon after, Mr. Mastroianni opened a small store
at Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and in connection
with it established a stearaship agency. In 1902,

seeking better opportunities for advancing his inter
ests, and a permanent location, he selected Youngs
town as the most favorable, all things considered, and
has never yet regretted his choice of places. Mr.
Mastroianni's first business venture in this city was
the opening of a steamship agency at 416 East Fed
eral Street, and a foreign exchange bank. Succeed
ing well in his undertaking, he enlarged his opera
tions, and in 1905 raoved to his present location on
North Watt Street, where he is carrying on an
. extensive business as stearaship agent and banker,
his bank, which is capitalized at $50,000, being under
the supervision of the state banking laws.
Mr. Mastroianni raarried in Niles, Ohio, Orsolina
Federici, who was born in Italy, and as a child of
thirteen years came with her parents to the United
States. Her father, Antonio iFederici, was engaged
in municipal work in Italy. He belonged to a titled
family, his uncle having been a marquis, residing in
Naples, while his brother was a colonel in the Italian
Army. Mr. and Mrs. Mastroianni are the parents of
six children, namely : Annie, born in 1905 ; Josephine,
in 1907; Freddie, in 1910; Ida, in igi2; Julia, in 1914;
and Albert, in 1915. Mr. Mastroianni is a republican,
but votes for the best men and measures regardless
of party lines. He and his family are active and
worthy merabers of Our Lady of Mount Carrael
Catholic Church.
John S. Mitchell has been a busy and industrious
factor in the affairs of Youngstown and environs for
over forty years. His chief business at present is as
proprietor of the Crab Creek Sand and Gravel Bank
and a dealer in general builders' supplies.
He was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1850, a son
of John and Elizabeth (Forrest) iMitchell, natives
of Scotland. The faraily raoved from Toronto to
Youngstown in 1866, first locating on the John Kim
ball farra and later raoving to a farra in Trumbull
County, a short distance from Youngstown. John
Mitchell as an American voted the republican ticket,
and he and his wife were both Presbyterians. Of
their five children the following are still living besides
John S. : Jessie, Mrs. Robert Watson, of Girard ;
Robert, of Youngstown, a conductor on the Pitts
burgh and Lake Erie Railroad ; and William, a farmer
of Mahoning County.
John S. Mitchell was educated partly in Toronto
and was sixteen years of age when he carae to Ma
honing County, finishing his education in the Crab
Creek School here. In early life he took up the
carpenter trade and followed it for twelve years,
part of the tirae as a contractor. For twenty years
he was proprietor of the Excelsior Dairy. As a
dairyman he retaUed his product, but later disposed
of it wholesale. For several years he has conducted
the Crab Creek Sand and Gravel Ba.nk, and its out
put has supplied an enormous araount of material
used in construction in and around Youngstown.
Besides sand and gravel he handles all classes of
builders' supplies except lumber. He also carries on
general farraing at Twin Oak Farra, which now com
prises about fifty acres of the original 106 acres.
Mr. Mitchell is a meraber of the Ohio BuUders'
Supply Association, and is affiliated with the Inde
pendent Order of Odd Fellows in the lodge, en-

370

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

carapment, canton and the Rebekahs. He was for
merly very active in republican politics and served
a number of years as member of the township school
board and was its president for several years.
In 1876 he married Mary Armstrong, daughter of
Samuel Arrastrong. She was born on the T-win
Oaks Farm where Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell now reside.
Sarauel Armstrong, father of Mrs. Mitchell, was
born at the conjunction of Wolf Creek and Slippery
Rock in Butler County, Pennsylvania, January 28,
1803, and was identified with Youngstown many
years. He brought his faraily to this vicinity in 1849,
and lived on the south side of East Federal Street
near Watt. In early days, before the construction f
railroads, he was a wagon freighter, hauling goods
to and frora Pittsburgh for the T. H. Wells mer
cantile establishment. Later he established a brick
yard near the South Avenue bridge. Still later he
bought the Twin Oaks Farm, then two mUes from
Youngstown. This farm is now reached by the
Albert street car line.
Samuel Armstrong raarried in 1826 Nancy (Robb)
Loveland, widow of Araos Loveland. She died in
1894, at the age of eighty-six. By her first raarriage
her four chUdren were : Henry, who for many years
was associated with T. H. Wells in the mercantile
business ; William, .who was an engineer at the
Thornhill coal mines ; Rachel, who became the wife
of Thoraas Jacobs, of Coitsville, Ohio; and Sarah,
wife of L. J. Jacobs. Samuel Armstrong had three
daughters, the two now living being Mary, iMrs.
John S. Mitchell, and Nancy A., who also lives on
the old Twin Oaks Farm.
Parish Brothers. Prominent among the younger
generation of Youngstown's progressive and pros
perous business raen are Michael H. and Daniel C.
Parish, senior and junior raerabers of the enterpris
ing firm of Parish Brothers, who are fine repre
sentatives of the self-made raen of our country,
having through their own efforts clirabed the lad
der of success, rung by rung. Contractors in brick,
stone and concrete. Parish Brothers began work on
a raodest scale, with but a few employes, and as
their business increased have enlarged their force,
the firm now giving eraployraent to about 160 men,
three-fourths of whom are skilled artisans.
Many extensive and important contracts in Youngs
town and vicinity have been entrusted to the Parish
Brothers, and araong the buildings of note erected
by the firm mention may well be made of the fol
lowing named : Mason work on the Young Woraen's
Christian Association building; the Madison and
Buckeye school buUdings ; the Unger brothers' resi
dences ; Father Moran's residence ; the seventy-seven-
roora dorraitory at VUla Marie; the extension work
for the EUiot-Blair steel plant at Mercer ; the
Youngstown Bread Company's building; additions
to the Swinehart Tire & Rubber Corapany's plant
at Akron ; the Federal Savings and Loan Bank of
Youngstown ; and nuraerous large buildings in Gi
rard, East Youngstown, Warren and other nearby
places. During the year 1916 Parish Brothers had
assuraed contracts araounting to upwards of $450,000,
taking them before tbe raise of prices in materials,
but, notwithstanding their heavy losses, faithfully

filled every contract. The firm is fully equipped
in every respect, having all the most up-to-date
machinery and appliances, including steam shovels,
hoisting cranes and nuraerous other conveniences.
Michael fl. Parish was born May 6, 1890, in War
ren, Ohio, a son of Charles H. and Elizabeth Parish,
both of whora were born in Italy, and carae to this
country when young, and were subsequently raar
ried in Hudson, Ohio. The father has been con
nected with the labor and transportation departraent
of the Carnegie Steel PJant for raany years, and is
also associated with his sons, Michael H. and Daniel
C, in the contracting business, fle and his wife
are raembers of St. Coluraba's Church, and have a
pleasant horae at 1027 Fairview Avenue.
flaying obtained his early education in Warren
and at the West Side school in Youngstown, Michael
H. Parish found employment in the shipping de
partment of the Carnegie Steel Plant when a lad
of fourteen years, and while thus working corapleted
a preparatory course in structural work at the Scran
ton Correspondence School. In 1910 and 191 1 he
attended the Carnegie Technical School at Pitts
burgh, earning the money to pay his way through
by work of the hardest kind. All of his efforts
have been fully repaid by the success which has
been his since the formation of the firm of Parish
Brothers. Michael H. Parish married, in 1912, Lula Wag
ner, daughter of Nicolas Wagner, of NUes, Ohio.
She died October 21, 1918, leaving three young
children, June Virginia, Ruth Laverne and Vera
Jane. iReligiously Mr. Parish is a member of St.
Edward's Church; fraternally he belongs to the
Knigbts of Columbus and to the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks.
Born June 11, 1888, in Hudson, Ohio, Daniel C.
Parish attended the public schools of Warren dur
ing his boyhood days, and at the age of fourteen
years began an apprenticeship as a roll turner atthe
Carnegie Steel iPlant, where he worked for eight
years. During all of that time he attended night
school at the Young Men's Christian Association
in Youngstown, taking a special course in general
construction work. A fine student, he made rapid
progress in his studies, and in 1914 was fully
equipped to become a partner in the newly-organ
ized firm of Parish Brothers. Working as hard as
he studied, he has contributed his full quota toward
placing the firm on its present substantial basis, it
lieing one of the leading firras of the kind in Ohio.
On February 17, 1912, Daniel C. Parish was united
in marriage with Mabel Moon, a daughter of David
Moon, Their happy married life was of short dura
tion, as Mrs. Parish died on February 16, igig.
leaving no children. Mr. Parish is a raeraber of
St. Edward's Church, and also belongs to the
Knights of Colurabus.
Arthur Bertolini is a skilled workman and artist
in one of the most difficult departments of the buUd
ing trades, and was trained in the horae of archi
tecture and the fine arts in Italy, not only by a
practical apprenticeship but in sorae of the leading
technical schools and under sorae of the best
masters. Mr. Bertolini, who is secretary of the P. Pasquali

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

371

Company, contractors at Youngstown, was born in
Italy in 1891, a son of Dominic and Madaline Ber
tolini. His father was a successful contractor, and
gave his son Arthur every advantage of school and
travel. The latter is a graduate of the Garibaldi
Technical Institute of Italy, was trained in the funda
mentals of building construction by his father, and
afterward had wonderful opportunities to master
his art by study and work in France, Switzerland,
Germany and Austria, spending much time both in
Venice and Vienna.
Mr. Bertolini came to the United States in 1914,
and for several years was employed by several dif
ferent contracting firms at Washington, D. C, and
elsewhere. He has been secretary of the Pasquali
Company at Youngstown since 1917. This firm em
ploys between twenty-five and thirty skilled work
men. Mr, Bertolini has had charge of the art marble
mosaic, Terrazzo tile and marble work in many
buUdings here and elsewhere. Some of the monu
ments to his skUl as a- designer and workman are
the South High School at Butler, Pennsylvania;
St, Mary's at Pittsburgh; the Akron Masonic
Temple; St, Vincent's School; the Firestone Park
School ; the Jennings School ; the Penn High School
at Greenville, Pennsylvania; the Hippodrome at
"Warren; a school in New Castle, iPennsylvania;
and the Clinton County Court House at Wilmington,
Ohio, also the postoffice and Federal Court House
at Huntington, 'West Virginia.
Mr. Bertolini is a member of the Mount Carmel
Catholic Church at Youngstown, and is a member
of the Builders' Exchange and the Chamber of
Commerce. Joseph G. Vascak, A prominent furnishing un
dertaker and funeral director, Joseph G. Vascak, of
Youngstown, has built up an extended reputation for
professional skill and efficiency, his services being
sought throughout the community in which he re
sides. A native of flungary, he was a child in arms
when brought to ConneUsville, Fayette County, Penn
sylvania, in 1885, a son of George and Mary (Her
man) Vascak.
Born in the northern part of Hungary, now known
as Czecho-Slovakia, George Vascak immigrated to
the United States in early manhood, coming to this
country for the purpose of being Americanized.
When he began work as a miner in Pennsylvania
he had no acquaintance with the English language,
being unable to either read, write or speak it. Quick
to learn, he was soon able to read newspapers and
periodicals, and took an active interest in govern
mental affairs, identifying himself with the repub
lican party. When he had accumulated sufficient
money to warrant him in taking a wife he returned
to his native land, and there married the woman of
his choice, Mary Herman. With his bride he set
tled in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, and was there
successfully eraployed as a general merchant until
his death, on June 5, '1912, at the age of fifty-seven
years His widow is still living, making her home
in Connellsville with a daughter. Of the six chil
dren born to her and her husband, three died in
early life ; one son, George P., who was m busmess
¦with his brother Joseph, died in igi8, aged thirty

years; and two are living, Joseph G,, the subject of
this brief .sketch, and Agnes.
Beginning his career as a lad of twelve or four
teen years, Joseph G. Vascak sold goods in his
father's store, which was well stocked with general
merchandise. Going to Philadelphia in 1905, he en
tered the -employ of an undertaker, at the same time
attending the PhUadelphia Training School of Em
balming, becoming especially proficient in the em-
balraer's art and science.
When ready to establish himself in business on
his own account Mr. Vascak, who had visited
Youngstown in igoo and had been much impressed
with its many advantages, decided to make the city
his permanent home. With a capital of $3,000 given
him by his father, he opened his present establish
ment, which is finely equipped for his business with
the needed ambulances, autos and all the up-to-date
appliances used in his profession, and by close at
tention to the details of his work he has met with
undoubted success, having a large and extended
patronage. On February 9, 1909, Mr. Vascak was united in
marriage with Mary Matusek, a daughter of Andrew
and Barbara Matusek. Her father, a native of
Poland, was engaged in mining pursuits in the Con
nellsville District of Fayette County, Pennsylvania,
for raany years. Mr. and Mrs. Vascak have four
children, iMatilda M., Joseph G., Jr., Regina Bar
bara and Olga. Religiously they with their children
belong to Saints CyrU and Methodius Catholic
Church. Adolph Kessler had mastered some considerable
degree of commercial success before he located at
Youngstown. His experience has been an inspiring
one. Born in Hungary in i88g, he attended school in his
native land, and as soon as old enough worked out
at day labor and attended school at night. Getting
a thorough education was an important part of the
program of Mr. Kessler for a number of years both
in iHungary and after coming to the United States.
He still lacked several years of his majority when
he reached this country, fle knew of Rankin, Penn
sylvania, the home of a chance acquaintance, and
that was his first location. In Rankin, a suburb
viUage of Pittsburgh, he found work in a grocery
store at eighteen dollars a month. He knew no
English, and was as diligent and persistent in ac
quiring a knowledge of the language as he was in
the performance of his duties at the store. He was
soon earning more than eighteen doUars a month,
and in the meantime was attending a night school
in Pittsburgh. His next location was at Akron, Ohio,
where he worked with a wholesale grocery house
and attended a business coUege in the night classes.
His next connection was with the Chicago packing
house of Libby, McNeil & Libby, As a traveling
salesman they gave hira territory in Western Penn
sylvania and Eastern Ohio, During his trips he
carae to know Youngstown, appreciated its business
opportunities and its civic pride, and ever since has
been a permanent resident.
On leaving the Chicago house he engaged in real
estate, and soon had a flourishing business. Mr.

372

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Kessler now specializes in high class residence prop
erty, and handles a large. amount of valuable prop
erty each year.
Soon after coming to Youngstown he married
Sallie Shier. They bave two young children, Her
bert J. and Stanley Martin. Mr. Kessler is a mem
ber of the Real Estate Board and the Charaber of
Coraraerce. Soon after coraing to Araerica he took
out his first citizenship papers and after the conven
tional tirae allowed he secured his last papers, raaking
hira a full fledged Araerican citizen.
Joseph Vogelberger is distinguished not only as a
native born citizen of Youngstown, but for the
important part he has played in the upbuilding of
the city as a contractor and builder, A son of
John Vogelberger, he was born Septeraber 25, 1870,
on the hiU overlooking Lanterman's Falls, one of
the most picturesque points in the city,
John Vogelberger was born in Germany, and as
a boy of eight years came with his parents, Mr,
and Mrs, Peter "Vogelberger, to Youngstown, Ohio,
where both his father and raother spent their re
maining days, both living to the venerable age of
ninety-four years. Following in the footsteps of
their father, John and his brother began working
as miners, and later did the excavating and stone
work at Lanterraan's raill. Turning his attenrion to
agricultural pursuits, John subsequently bought land
on the bluff overlooking Lanterraan's Falls, and by
dint of hard labor cleared and improved a farm.
He made a specialty of raising poultry and garden
truck for the miners and employes of the iron and
steel mills, the seUing price of any chicken on the
place having been 25 cents, while turkeys, regard
less of weight, sold for $1.00 apiece. He was also
somewhat of a carpenter, and helped build St.
Coluraba's Church. He attained a good old age,
his death, on August 25, 191 1, at the age of four
score and three years, baying been the result of
an accident. His wife, whose maiden narae was
Eva Gerst, died June 22, 1898, when but fifty-three
years old. They becarae the parents of eight chil
dren, two of whom, Mary and Annie, died in child
hood, and the following named are now living:
Philip P,, master mechanic for the Sharp Luraber
Corapany ; John, a city employe ; Joseph, the sub
ject of this brief sketch; Frank, of Youngstown,
a contractor ; Gallas, a carpenter ; and Kate, wife
of Joseph Schmidt, proprietor of a cigar and to
bacco store on Market Street, this city. Both par
ents were merabers of St. Joseph's Roraan Catholic
Church, Educated in A'oungstown, Joseph Vogelberger at
tended first the Fosterville school, and later con
cluded his studies at St, Joseph's parochial school.
At the age of fifteen years he was working in a
raeat raarket on Federal Street, and three years
later began work as a farraer and carpenter. Be
coming skilful in the use of tools, he was eraployed
for fourteen years as carpenter and foreraan in
the mill owned by the Heller Brothers, gaining
while there experience that has since been of great
value to him. Subsequently, in partnership with
his brothers Frank and Gallas, he became promi
nent in the buUding activities of the city, erecting

not only large business buildings and warehouses,
but many fine residences, among others of note
having been the Brown, "W. B. Arms, Porter Pol
lock, A, E. Adaras, Brant MiUer and the W. J.
Patterson residences. Eight years ago, notwith
standing that he was a stanch dernocrat, Mr, Vogel
berger was appointed, by a republican raayor, super
intendent of streets, and contiriued until iMarch,
1920, when he retired and has since been engaged
in the contracting and building business.
On January 23, 1898, Mr. Vogelberger raarried
Crescentia, daughter of Wendel Scheirraan, of
Youngstown, and of the three children born into
their horae two, Mary and Leroy are living, while
Alma died when but nine years old. The family
are raembers of St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
H. Sam MARTINO. Noteworthy among the success
ful merchants of Youngstown is H. Sararaartino, a
jeweler, making a specialty of dealing in diamonds
and other precious stones. , A native of Italy, he
was born in 1878 in Agnone, Province of Carapo
basso, where he spent the earlier years of his life.
As a boy and youth he had the advantages of a
technical education, and early learned the trade of
a silversraith and watchraaker.
Iraraigrating to the United States, Mr. Sararaartino
located in Youngstown, and for nine years there
after carried on business as a peddler, traveling
throughout the Mahoning Valley. He sold solid gold
jewelry, and was so honest and upright in his dealings
with all that the people learned to trust hirn, placing
perfect confidence in his word. Thus fortified, Mr.
Sararaartino opened a jewelry store at 382 East
Federal Street, and in the sale of diamonds, watches
and jewelry met with success. Needing raore cora
raodious quarters for his growing trade, he raoved
to his present place of business, 365 East Federal
Street, where he has an extensive and lucrative trade,
and ill addition is interested in various other finan
cial enterprises.
Mr. Sararaartino raarried after coraing to Ohio
Miss Martha Fernando, who belongs to an old and
prorainent Italian faraily, her mother having been a
child of six years when brought by her parents to
the United States. Politically Mr. Sararaartino is a
republican, and religiously he belongs to the Mount
Carmel Catholic Church. He is likewise a meraber
of Figh D Italia.
George P. Krichbaum. Possessing undoubted
business and executive ability, George P. Krichbaum,
of Youngstown, making good use of his talents, has
SteadUy clirabed the ladder of success, and is now
widely known as raanager of the Youngstown
Branch of Armour & Company, with which he has
been actively identified since its establishment in this
locality, thirty years ago. A native born citizen, his
birth occurred on Mahoning Avenue, February 15,
i860. flis father, the 4ate George P. Krichbaum, Sr.,
was born and reared in Darmstadt, Germany, where
he and his five brothers received excellent educa
tional advantages, their father, a man of culture, in
sisting that his sons should have the best of school
ing. After learning the trade of a pattern maker.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

373

he carae with the paternal family to America, locat
ing first in Buffalo, New York. Subsequently taking
up his residence in Youngstown, he was employed as
a pattern maker in the Brown-Bonnell Mill for fifteen
years, continuing with that firm until his death in
1872, at the early age of forty-one years.
George P. Krichbaum, Sr., married Augusta Ritter,
who was of French ancestry, and to thera six chil
dren were born, one of whora died in childhood, and
another, Lydia, died at the age of eighteen years,
while four are now living, namely: George P., the
special subject of this sketch; Eugene, a salesman
for Armour & Corapany ; Emraa, wife of John" Rey
nolds, of this city; and Louisa, residing on Lora
Avenue. Mrs. Krichbaum, whose death occurred at
her home on Elra Street in 1918, raarried again after
the death of her first husband, becoming the wife
of C. B. Raraser, who was engaged in the grocery
business on MiU Street. Mr, and Mrs, Raraser be
came the parents of four children, as follows:
Charles, an engineer on the Erie Railroad; Augusta,
wife of Alfred Bixler, assistant auditor for Armour
& Company; Fred, a draughtsraan for the Republic
Iron & Steel Company; and Mrs. Alice Rumraels.
George iP. Krichbaum attended school on Wood
Street untU twelve years of age, when, on account
of the death of his father, he began work for him
self, for three and one-half years being bell boy
at the Tod House, at the sarae tirae having charge,
for Jira Hararaond, of the cigar stand. Saving of
his raoney and prudent in his expenditures, he ac
curaulated while thus eraployed to pay off a raort
gage of $600 on his raother's house. Coming in
contact with men of affairs, in the hotel, the bright,
active lad becarae ambitious to have a better position,
and with that end in view attended Hall's Coraraer
cial CoUege, at the sarae time working as a clerk in
T. B. Albert's hat store in the Diaraond Block.
Subsequently Mr. Krichbaura erabarked in a mer
cantile career, working first as grocer's clerk for his
stepfather, later being in a Pittsburgh grocery two
years, and after his marriage being in the eraploy
of J. C. Ewing, a grocer on Mahoning Avenue. The
following four years he filled a simUar position in
the crockery establishment of A. J. Williams. Forra
ing then a partnership with J. C. Ewing, he was for
three years in the grocery business on Phelps Street,
being junior raeraber of the firra of Ewing & Krich
baum. During the depression of 1886 the -firm ra^t
with reverses, and Mr. Krichbaum sold the stock
of goods and partly paid the creditors, completing
the payraents later.
While Joseph Hemler was employed as a mes
senger on the railroad, he used to buy meat and
other provisions in Cleveland which Mr. Krichbaura
marketed, and Krichbaum & Heraler shipped the
first dressed beef into the city. In 1890 the business
was taken over by Arraour & Company, and under
lhe guidance of Mr. Krichbaum, the manager from
the start, has grown rapidly and enorraously.
In 1879 Mr. Krichbaum was united in marriage
with Miss Lois Vetter, who was born in Boardman,
Ohio, in 1859. fl^r father, W. H. Vetter, was an
extensive dealer in cattle and sheep, buying livestock
in Ohio and driving into New Jersey, where he
received the highest market prices. iMr. and Mrs.

Krichbaum have two children, Claude, who has been
salesman for Arraour & Corripany for nineteen years,
and Hazel, wife of Stewart Kimmell, who is asso
ciated with the A'oungstown Security Realty Com
pany. Fraternally Mr, Krichbaura is a meniber of
the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of
the Knights of Pythias. Both he and his family be
long to the Christian Church.
John R. Perkins is the youngest of the three
brothers who originally constituted and are pro
prietors of the Perkins Hardware & Roofing Com
pany, one of the largest establishments of its kind
ill the Mahoning Valley.
This business was started by George P., Joseph R.
and John R. Perkins on May 15, 1899, and has been
conducted as a general supply house for all classes
of hardware, and they have specialized in roofing
raaterial and contracting.
John R. Perkins was born at Wethersfield in
TrurabuU County, Ohio, a son of Richard Perkins,
a forraer coal operator. John R. Perkins received
the greater part of his education at Youngstown and
acquired his early business experience and training
with the Stambaugh-Thompson Hardware Company.
In 1901 he married Rachel Wooley. They have
one son, Jere Richard. Mr. and Mrs. Perkins are
raembers of the First Presbyterian Church. Mr.
Perkins is a meraber of Western Star Lodge No. 21,
Free and Accepted Masons ; Youngstown Chapter
No. 93, Royal Arch Masons; Buechner Council No.
107, iRoyal and Select Masters ; Youngstown Cora
raandery No. 20, Knights Templar, and of Al Koran
Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine. Ch.arles a. Ensign. For nearly four decades a
resident of Youngstown, Charles A. Ensign has been
prorainent in raany of its activities, and has been
an iraportant factor in advancing its raaterial in
terests, whUe as the pioneer druggist of the city he
has won his full share of its patronage. A son of
the late John N. Ensign, he was born Septeraber 28,
1857, in Newton Falls, TrurabuU County, Ohio, of
honored New England ancestry.
Born in Sirasbury, Connecticut, in 1819, John N.
Ensign there spent his early life. Following the trail
of the pioneer, he visited the Western Reserve in
1843, making stops at Warren, Poland, Youngstown
and Newton Falls. A tinner by trade, and a dealer
in stoves, he decided that Newton Falls would afford
him better opportunities for business, and located in
that town, rather than in either of the others, fle
built up a substantial trade, being fairly prosperous,
lived well, and gave his children exceptionally good
educational advantages. He was highly esteeraed as
a raan and a citizen, and although a deraocrat in a
republican stronghold, served for thirty years as
justice of the peace, and at the tirae of his death,
in igoo, was serving as mayor of that city. His wife,
whose maiden narae was Sarah Russell, -was born in
1820, and died in 1895. He was a raeraber of the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and both he
and his wife belonged to the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Three children were born of their union,
naraely : Ellis, forraerly in partnership with his

374

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

brother Charles, died 'in 1895, aged fifty-two years;
Harriet, deceased, was the wife of Hirara fl. Porter;
and Charles A.
Having laid a substantial foundation for his future
education in the public schools of Newton Falls,
Charles A. Ensign entered Allegheny College in
Meadville, Pennsylvania, and was there graduated
with the class of 1880. Subsequently coming to
Youngstown, he began his career as a business raan
in the store of Wick C. Gans, Becoraing familiar
with the detaUs, he established a drug store at 509
Mahoning Avenue, and with the exception of the
time during the construction of his present fine
buUding has continued business on the same site
ever since. A man of sterling qualities, upright in
his dealings, kind and courteous to all, Mr. iEnsign
has won the esteem and respect of the coraraunity,
and has built up a large and satisfactory business
in the city of his adoption, which he has seen grow
frora the small population of 15,000 people to an
important municipality containing 122,000 inhabitants.
On October i, 1885, Mr. Ensign was united in
marriage with Miss Jennie Wick, daughter of Philip
and Sallie Jacobs, fler father, who was in business
in Youngstown many years, had a general store on
East Federal Street, and also dealt in coal to sorae
extent. Two chUdren blessed the union of Mr. and
Mrs. Ensign, naraely : Alice Bell, wife of W. R.
Scott, who is connected with the engineering de
partraent of the American Tube and Wire Company
at Scottsdale, Pennsylvania; and Emily, who, while
a student at Vassar CoUege, was accidentally
drowned, being then but nineteen years of age.
Politically Mr. Ensign is identified with the republi
can party, and has rendered efficient service as a
raember of the Board of Associated Charities of
Youngstown. Fraternally he belongs to the Inde
pendent Order of Odd Fellows and to the Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elks. He is likewise a
member of the Charaber of Commerce. Broad and
liberal in his religious views, he is an active sup
porter and attendant of the Unitarian Church, -yvhile
Mrs. Ensign belongs to the Presbyterian Church.
Frank B. Halfhill was born in Cincinnati, Ohio,
in i8g3, of southern ancestry. His grandfather,
Captain Jack Halfhill, was in the Confederate array
under command of General Morgan, and who for a
number of years was a prominent contractor around
Cincinnati, His father and raother are now living
on a stock farra near Lexington, Kentucky,
In the early years of Mr. flalfhUl's life he ran
away from home and settled in the wilds of the
West, up in the Northwestern States, in Montana
principally, following construction until the age of
sixteen years and then he entered Stanford Univer
sity in California; graduating, he took up a home
stead in Montana,
Finding this too dreary he entered the construc
tion division of the war department on inland wa
terways, being employed on various projects in the
United States, principally the Mississippi and its
tributaries, .Resigning the Government service in the year of
igi5, he followed the advice of some prorainent
engineers and settled in Youngstown, Ohio, organ

izing the flalfhill Construction Company, engineers
and contractors, in the Home Savings & Loan Build
ing, to specialize in railroad, industrial and water
way construction. Since that time they have han
dled a number of large contracts in the states of
Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
During the war Mr. Halfhill was attached to the
general staff at Washington, giving the benefit of
his tehcnical and practical experience to the United
States Government.
Locally he is a meraber of the Real Estate Board,
Eraployers' Association, Builders' Exchange, Chara
ber of Coraraerce, and fraternally is affiliated with
the iKnights of Pythias.
J. E. Van Cise. A well known and highly re
spected business man of Youngstown, J. E. Van Cise,
electrical contractor, has acquired an excellent repu
tation for skill and efficiency in the wiring of build
ings of all kinds, including residences, controlling
his full share of that work in the city and its
suburbs, and is also an extensive dealer in lighting
fixtures and electric equipments, his well furnished
store being located at 31 North Champion Street.
A native of New York, he was born in 1875 in
Allegany County..
Brought up and educated in his native county,
J. E. Van Cise turned his attention to electrical work
when eighteen years old, and since that time has
gained a broad experience in that line of industry,
having been associated with it in many parts of the
country. Coming from Cleveland to "Youngstown in
igo8, he was variously employed until 1915, when he
opened his present establishment on North Cham
pion Street, where he deals in all kinds of electrical
goods, including lamps, chandeliers, washing ma
chines, electric irons, and all the machines and ap
pliances useful in the household, a visit to his store
convincing the most conservative housewife of the
value of electricity in lightening her work.
Fraternally Mr. Van Cise is a Royal Arch Mason,
and a member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. William C. Zabel, A man of good principles, up
right in his dealings, and possessing a natural apti
tude for business affairs, William C. Zabel, of
Youngstown, head of the firm of W. C. Zabel &
Company, Incorporated, is widely and favorably
known in raercantile circles as a dealer in hotel and
restaurant supplies, a branch of trade in which he
has been very successful. He was born in Saginaw,
Michigan, January g, 1869, a son of John and Fred-
erika Zabel, who carae with their family to Youngs
town in 1872. The father, a raillwright by trade,
worked in the Upper Mill, and was accidentally
killed when but fifty years of age, leaving three
chUdren, as follows: "William C. ; Lizzie, wife of
E. F. Wellendorf, of Youngstown, and Anna, wife
of Charles Stoll, Both parents were member of the
German Lutheran Church.
"William C. Zabel attended the Briar Hill schools
until thirteen years old when he secured employ
ment in the china store of A. J. WUliams, with
whora he remained as a clerk for seven years, gain
ing an insight into the details of the business and a

^;SL^/^^^^^^M'<^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

375

practical experience that was of great value to him
in after years. Thus fortified, he became raanager
of the V. J. Buehrle establishraent, with which he
was actively associated for a quarter of a century.
Embarking then in business on his own account, Mr.
Zabel organized the firm of W. C. Zabel & Company,
which is an outgro-wth of the Williaras establishraent,
and has since carried on a raost prosperous business
as a dealer in hotel and restaurant supplies, his store
being tiie raost extensive one of its character between
New "York and Chicago. It is favorably located at
223 East Federal Street, where the company will
soon add a new department, stocking it with a com
plete line of butchers' supplies.
Mr. Zabel's wife, whose maiden name was Hannah
StoU, died in 1908, leaving six children, naraely :
Arthur H., Nora, Ervin, Carl, Eraraa and Edna.
Arthur H,, who served on the battle front in Italy
during the World war, returned home unwounded.
Ervin, who served in the Ninth Infantry, went
through heavy fighting in France, later being sent
to Germany, and was for fpur months confined in a
hospital. Carl was in training when the Armistice
was signed. True to the religious faith in which he
was reared, Mr. Zabel is a meraber of the German
Lutheran Church, to which his children also belong.
He is also a raember of the Chamber of Commerce.
Ernest W. Travis, who recently became president
of the Rice Associates Company, house furnishers
and decorators, is one of the best known young busi
ness raen of Youngstown, and except for the period
of his service abroad during the World war has spent
practically all his life in Mahoning County.
He was born near Canfield May 19, 1886, and is a
graduate of both the Elm and Rayen High Schools
of Youngstown. Early in his business career he was
a clerk with the Erie iRailroad, being assistant cashier
of the freight departraent four years. For four years
he was with the tire department of the Republic
Rubber Corapany and then becarae associated with
Thomas Peraberton in establishing the firra Travis
& Peraberton on Charapion Street. This firm is still
doing a prosperous business handling tires and ath
letic goods. For three years Mr. 'Travis was also
sales manager of the Packard Agency at Youngs
town, and won the sweepstakes prize for salesmen
in a corapetition conducted by the Packard organiza
tion of Detroit.
Frora school days to the present Mr. Travis has
been prorainent in athletics, not only as an individual
perforraer, but as a sponsor for all wholesome phases
of outdoor sports, fle is perhaps best known as a
tennis player, having been city tennis champion eight
years out of eleven and having played on the team
of double champions for eleven years. On account
of his prorainence in this line it was considered that
his best service could be rendered during the war in
the post of athletic director under the Y"oung Men's
Christian Association. In June, 1918, he went over
seas and was assigned to Aix-les-Bains, France, the
largest leave area for the American iExpeditionary
Forces. He was there a year, returning to the
United States in August, igig. Soon afterward he
took part in the reorganization of tbe Rice Asso
ciates Corapany, and becarae president of that or

ganization, which has a capitalization • of $250,000
and conducts business in a specially constructed
three-story building on West Federal below Cham
pion Street. This company features the very finest
wares in textile, furniture, wall paper, and has an
adequate and expert organization for every service
m decorating. Samuel W. Rice is vice president
and general raanager of the corapany, and its other
officials are W. J. Evans, W. A. Carroll and Sarauel
W. Rice, Jr.
Mr. Travis is a Knight Teraplar and thirty-second
degree Scottish Rite Mason, a raeraber of the Elks,
the Youngstown Club, the Youngstown Country
Club and the Young Men's Christian Association.
Elton P. Zinn completed his apprenticeship as a
general machinist about the time autoraobUes were
first coming into favor. For the past sixteen years
he has been an automobile expert, and as a technical
and efficient raan and also as a salesraan his ex
perience and qualifications are second to none in
Youngstown. Mr. Zinn, whose present place of business is at
131 Lincoln Avenue, was born in Erie County, Penn
sylvania, in 1878, son of Sarauel I. and Mary Eliza
beth (MUler) Zinn. His parents were also natives
of the same section of Pennsylvania and are now
living iri the City of Erie, where Samuel Zinn is a
contractor and dealer in farra produce.
Elton P. Zinn, youngest of four sons, graduated
frora the Erie High School in i8g9, and at once Ibe
gan an apprenticeship as a raachinist. He served
nearly four years with the Ball Engine Corapany.
For another year he was employed as a machinist by
the Modern Tool Company. In 1903 Mr. Zinn be
came one of the first technical employes of the
Packard Automobile Corapany at Detroit. During
subsequent years he did rauch to give the Packard
the high standing it enjoys in the automobile world.
In 1905 he drove a Packard car from Detroit to
Denver, and remained in that city to represent the
firra. Denver at that tirae had just four cars of
the Packard make. Eighteen months later he was
called to a new post at Bay City, Michigan, where
he had charge of the technical service of the Packard
Company. He was next sent to Utica, New York,
in igii, and in 1912 carae to Youngstown and was
under Howard Inglis until 1915. In that year Mr.
Zinn bought the Albaugh Motor Sales Company.
And soon afterward opened a little shop 20x35 feet
at 538 West Rayen Avenue. The firsj year he did
$10,000 worth of repair work. In January, 1917,
Mr. Zinn becarae the Franklin representative at
Youngstown, and opened his sales rooras at 131 Lin
coln Avenue, and in February, ig20, took on an
agency for the Winton autoraobile. fle owns a lot
80x147 feet at Baldwin and Wick Avenue, where
he plans the buUding of a raodern garage.
Septeraber 20, 1916, Mr, Zinn raarried Miss
Tressia Foster, daughter of Levant Foster of Titus
vUle, Pennsylvania, Since their marriage Mrs. Zinn
lias been a real business partner, and is properly
credited with much of his success. Mr. Zinn is a
member of the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church
and is affiliated with the Masons at Bay City, Michi
gan, and the Royal Arch Chapter at Youngstown,

376

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

and is also an Odd Fellow. He is a member of the
Poland Country Club and the Youngstown Chamber
of Coraraerce.
Earl B. Downer, M. D., a physician and surgeon,
late of the Medical Reserve Corps and a Red Cross
surgeon in Serbia and Russia, author and lecturer,
at the close of the great war chose Youngstown as
his horae and the scene of his professional career.
Doctor Downer was born in Lansing, Michigan,
in 1885, son of Bishop E. and Mary L. (Sraith)
Downer. His parents were born in New York
State, and are still living, his father aged seventy
and his raother fifty-five. His father is a building
contractor. The narae Downer is of English ex
traction, and the faraily carae to Araerica in 1779.
Tbere was a Downer who was a surgeon in the
Araerican Revolution and another served under John
Paul Jones, the great naval hero.
Earl B. Downer was fourth among five children,
the others being: Erastus, a lumber tracer at La-
Porte, Texas ; Stephen, a farraer in Michigan ; John,
who lives at Chicago and is connected with the
Pacific Fruit Corapany ; and Leo, in the autoraobile
business at Pittsburgh.
Earl B. Downer graduated frora the Lansing
public schools in 1902, and was a student of me
chanical engineering at the Michigan Agricultural
College during 1903-04. Believing that medicine
and surgery were his best choice araong the pro
fessions, he turned his studies in that line, and in
1907 graduated from the medical departraent of the
Ohio State University. He took post-graduate work
in the New York Hospital Medical College in 1909
and at Harvard University in igii. He also at
tended the United States Array iMedical School in
Deceraber, igi4.
It was only after the making many and persistent
applications for foreign service in the Red Cross
that Doctor Downer was chosen out of 3,500 sur
geons to go to Serbia under the auspices of the Red
Cross at the time the frightful typhus epideraic had
practically wiped out the Araerican Red Cross unit.
On reaching Belgrade Doctor Downer found four
teen doctors and nurses down with the dread dis
ease. He remained there for a year, fought the
plague and treated the wounded, much of the time
while under constant fire from the guns of the
Gerraans and Austrians. It was a post of peculiar
hazard and responsibUity, and out of 300 doctors
who at various tiraes were associated with that work
Doctor Downer is now one of the nine survivors.
Later returning to New York, Doctor Downer was
sent to Russia as director of the Edwin Gould Mis
sion, and when knowledge of his skill in bone graft
ing reached the ears of the Czarina he was invited
to take up his residence in the palace and given
perraission to operate in twenty of the iraperial
hospitals in that vicinity. The special interest of
the imperial faraily centered on his orthopedic skill
because of the laraeness of the Czarevitch. Doctor
Downer was in alraost daily association with the
family and staff of the Russian Eraperor during
the last days of the rule of the Roraanoffs. It was
his privilege to witness directly the events of the
historic "Red Monday" which raarked the begin
ning of the Russian iRevolution and the overthrow

of the old regirae. He mingled on the streets with
the revolutionists, and. had many rare opportunities
of studying the people and the revolutionary move
ment at first hand.
Doctor Downer is author of "The Highway of
Death," the story of the American Red Cross unit
in Serbia, fle is also author of "The Rusisan Revo
lution," and the other "Tales of a War Surgeon,"
based on his adventures in Serbia, Russia, Greece,
Austria and France, fle was one of the first to
tell the story of the Russian Revolution to the
American people from first hand experiences. He
has appeared in the role of lecturer before thou
sands of people in the leading educational insti
tutions of the country. It was while on a lecture
tour that Doctor Downer made his first acquain
tance with Youngstown, and became so impressed
with the city and its opportunities that he located
here for practice.
While at Belgrade fighting the typhus scourge
Doctor Downer carae to know Bessie M. Scanlon,
who was chief of the operating roora araong the
Red Cross nurses. She is a daughter of the late
John and the late Elizabeth (Klice) Scanlon of
Olean, New York, and is a graduate nurse of the
Sisters of Charity Hospital of Buffalo, New York.
Doctor Downer and Miss Scanlon were raarried
ill igi7, and one son, Cornelius Bishop Downer, was
born February 7, 1920. Doctor Downer is a meraber
of the American Medical Association, is on the
surgical staff of St. Elizabeth's Hospital, in Ortho
pedic Surgery, is a member of the Youngstown
Chamber of Commerce and a meraber of the Kiwanis
Club. Morris Moyer. Enterprising and eminently cap
able, Morris Moyer, engaged in the manufacture of
raen's trousers at Youngstown, displays excellent
ability and judgment in his operations, and in the
management of his business has raet with signal
success. A son of Henry and Sarah Moyer, he was
born March 19, 1869, in Danville, Montour County,
Pennsylvania, of Gerraan ancestry.
Born and brought up in Wurteraberg, Gerraany,
Henry Moyer carae to the United States as a boy
of twelve years. Soon after his arrival he located in
Danville, iPennsylvania, and during his active career
was there engaged in the livestock business, con
tinuing his operations until his death, at the age of
seventy-two years. His wife died when seventy-six
years old. Ten children, five daughters and five sons,
were born of their raarriage, aU of whom are living
with the exception of one daughter, Bessie, who
married Isaac flartzell, of Youngstown. Two of the
sons. Miles and Julius, reside in Sharon, iPennsyl
vania, and another son, Lewis, is in business in
Youngstown, being associated with Mr. flartzell, his
brother-in-law. At the age of nineteen years, having been gradu
ated from the Danville fligh School, Morris Moyer
embarked in the retail clothing business at Lock
flaven, Pennsylvania. The cloudburst that caused
the Johnstown flood interfered with his operations
for a little while, but he soon overcarae all difficulties,
and continued in business there for nine consecutive
years. Coming from there to Youngstown, Mr".
Moyer, in corapany with his brother Miles and others.

«:^^i^<?<:^ V;^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

377

organized the trousers raanufacturing business with
which he has since been identified, his sons, flenry
S. and Sidney S., being now associated with hira.
The Moyer factory was first located on West Federal
Street, occupying the second and third floors of the
building in which it was established, the first floor
being taken by the Scotch Woolen MiUs Store.
Owing to the rapid growth of the business, Mr.
Moyer raoved to Coraraerce Street, and the firra
continued there until the completion of the factory
adjoining the present Moyer building. A constantly
increasing trade has still demanded more coraraodious
quarters, and Mr. Moyer erected a large, fire-proof,
concrete building, of raodern construction, four
stories in height, with 30,000 square feet of floor
space, it being located on Walnut Street, adjoining
the old factory. There is not a stick of tiraber or
wood in the Moyer factory. It is constructed en
tirely of brick, concrete, with steel floors and ceil
ings of concrete.
The output of the Moyer factory is 2,500 pairs of
trousers weekly, a production that will shortly be
doubled. The firra has an extensive trade, not only
of a local nature, but covering a. wide territory in
the Central West, a number of its employes being
on the road, and finding no trouble in disposing of
the Moyer goods.
On January 10, 1896, Mr. Moyer was united in
marriage with Miriam Simon, daughter of Herraan
Simon, a wholesale grocer who resided for sixty
years in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs.
Moyer have three children, namely : flenry S. and
.Sidney S., both graduates of the business depart
ment of the University of Pennsylvania, are now
in business with their father, as above noted; and
Elizabeth, who was graduated from the Rayen fligh
School with the class of 1919. Sidney S. enlisted
in the Navy, and was in training at Plattsburg, New
York, during the World war.
Fraternally Mr. Moyer is a meraber of the Western
Star Lodge, Free and Accepted Order of Masons;
of Youngstown Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and
of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, He
is also a raeraber of the Charaber of Coraraerce. fle
and his faraily belong to Rodef Sholem Congregation.
Joseph Evans, For many years prominently con
nected with the mercantile and manufacturing affairs
of this section of the country, Joseph Evans is well
qualified, both by training and experience, for the
high position he is so successfully filling as manager
of the Telling-Belle Vernon Company's Youngstown
Plant, which manufactures and distributes half a
, million gallons of ice creara each year, using in the
distribution of this vast araount four trucks and
eight tearas. This wide-awake firra has plants in
Cleveland, also, and in other near-by places, and is
carrying on an enormous business, its manufactures
in the various plants aggregating 5,ooo,ocxD gallons
yearly, ice cream being in greater deraand in every
place, and at all seasons of the year, than alraost
any other product that is not strictly necessary to
sustain huraan life. A son of Thoraas Evans, he
was born in Youngstown in 1886, and has spent the
greater part of his life in this city.
Born and bred in Wales, Thoraas Evans there

worked in the mines until reaching man's estate.
Soon after that important event he raarried Anna
Jones, and with his newly wed wife sailed for
Araerica. Making his way directly to Ohio, he lo
cated in Youngstown, and was here first employed
in the Brown-Bonnell Plant, and when that business
was merged into the Republic Iron & Steel Com
pany he remained with the new firm, and has since
held various positions of responsibUity and trust,
now, at the age of sixty-eight years, being one of
the firm's oldest eraployes in point of service. Both
he and his wife are merabers of the Elm Street
Congregational Church. Four children have been
born of their union, as follows : Catherine, wife of
James A. Faulkner, who is with a motor company
in Cleveland; Marie, wife of Thomas H. Charabers,
with the Maxwell Motor Company, in Detroit, Michi
gan; Ben, manager of the Beil-Evans Printing Cora
pany, of Youngstown; and Joseph, of whom we
write. Acquiring a practical education in the Front Street
School, Joseph Evans began work when young, and
at the age of seventeen years held a responsible posi
tion with the W. fl. Lewis Purap Corapany, a part
of the tirae serving as raanager of the plant. At
the end of four years he went to Pittsburgh, and
was there eraployed in the offices of the "Ward-
Mackey Biscuit Corapany for a year. Returning
then to Youngstown, Mr. Evans was for four years
connected with the wall paper and carpet depart
raent of the H. S. WUliams store, a position that
he resigned to become manager of the Youngstown
plant of the Telling-Belle Vernon Company, which
under his supervision is carrying on an extensive and
rapidly increasing business.
Mr. Evans raarried, in igil, Marie, daughter of
WUliara Bowstead, of Pittsburgh. Mr. Evans is a
raeraber of the Free and Accepted Order of Masons,
belonging to the blue lodge, chapter and coraraandery
and is -a raeraber of Al Koran Teraple, Ancient
Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Cleve
land, Ohio. He is also a raember of the Order of
the United Comraercial Travelers of Araerica.
David James Morgan, present county commis
sioner of Mahoning County, is one of the raen whose
influence and work have entered largely into the
prograra of good roads as carried out in the Youngs
town district.
He has spent practically all his life at Youngstown,
where he was born March 8, 1868, son of WUliara T.
and Ruth (James) Morgan. His father was born
at Breckenshire, 'Wales, and came to this country in
i860, sojourning for a short tirae in Canada and
afterward settling in Youngstown, He was a coal
rainer, which was practically a life occupation. He
died in 1913 at the age of eighty-six. His wife
was kUled in a street car accident at Youngstown
in 1905 at the age of sixty-four. She was a constant
church goer and she and her husband were members
of the Welsh Congregational Church. William T.
Morgan during his early experiences in the raines of
the Youngstown District worked for C. H. Andrews
and other old tirae mine operators, including W. H.
Wick. David James Morgan was one of a faraily of

378

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

three sons and one daughter. Thomas, the oldest,
is a coal rainer, living at Newraan in Stark County,
for raany years has held the post of doorkeeper of
the State Senate, and was a friend of the late Wil
liam McKinley and held a post in the census enu
meration during the McKinley adrainistration. John
Morgan is connected with the autoraobile plant of the
Studebaker Company at Detroit. The only daughter,
May, is the wife of Carl Orr of Youngstown.
David James Morgan received his early education
at Thornhill, and after leaving school he spent three
years in the mines. He also worked as a farraer
and was eraployed in the Rolling Mill and Valley
Mill at Youngstown, and later was a puddler at the
Haselton Plant.
For the past twenty years Mr. Morgan has been
actively identified with public affairs. He served as
township trustee from i8g8 to igo7. Since then he
has been actively connected with the highway de
partment of the county, working with the good roads
board. Mahoning County now has 300 miles of high
class roads, and Mr. Morgan has had something to
do with them all. At a recent election he was chosen
to serve as county commissioner.
December 22, i8g2, Mr. Morgan married Miss
Mary Morgan, daughter of Samuel Morgan. She
was born at "Youngstown, Ohio. Their two daugh
ters are Irene and Doris, both of whom attended the
Shehy School and are graduates of the Rayen High
School. They are now teachers in the public schools,
having taken their normal work in the Youngstown
Training School. Mr. Morgan is affiliated with
Youngstown Lodge No. 403, Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, and is a member of St. David's Society.
Rocco Andrew Montani, M. D, Eight years a
resident of Youngstown, Doctor Montani has gained
an enviable position in his profession and is not
only a high-minded and successful physician and
surgeon but a thorough and deeply patriotic Ameri
can citizen.
Doctor Montani was born in Indianapolis, Indiana,
AprU 28, 1884, a son of Ferdinand and Maria
(Giuseppa) Montani. His parents were young peo
ple when they came to the United States from Italy.
His father was a broker. The Montanis comprised
a very musical family, and their talents gave a
justified fame to the iMontani musical organization,
which existed for a number of years and frequently
furnished musical entertainraent to Indianapolis and
raany cities of the state. As a faraily they enjoyed
the personal friendship of Vice President Fairbanks
and President Harrison and other notables of In
dianapolis. Ferdinand Montani and wife had three
children, the other two sons being: Domenick A.,
an attorney at Youngstown, and Anthony, a student
in the University of West Virginia.
Doctor Montani graduated frora the manual train
ing school at Indianapolis in June, 1904, spent two
years in the Indiana State 'University at Bloora
ington, and graduated frora the Indianapolis Medi
cal College in 1910. For one year he was an in
terne in the Indianapolis City Hospital.
It was through the influence of his friend Gio
vanni Passarelli, former Italian consul at Indianapo
lis and now a well known Youngstown banker.

that Doctor Montani came to Y^oungstown and be
gan practice, flis choice of a home is one that he,
has always considered fortunate, and here he has
not only found friends, but many opportunities
for usefulness, fle is serving on the staff of St.
Elizabeth Hospital and has taken numerous post
graduate courses. He is a meraber of the Mahon
ing Medical Society, the Ohio State Medical Society
and the American Medical Association, is an Elk .
and a meraber of St. Coluraba's Catholic Church.
May 3, igii, he raarried Eufrasia R. Marone, a
native of Italy. Their three children are Maria,
Ferdinand and Teresa.
Max E. Brunswick, of Youngstown, has earned
rauch prestige as a lawyer, and a large and iraportant
clientage has been attracted to him since he began
practice. Mr. Brunswick was born in Youngstown May 11,
i87g, son of Emanuel and Jennie (iKalisky) Bruns
wick. Emanuel Brunswick was a native of Switzer
land, the oldest republic in the world. The raother
is a native of New York State, and descended from
an early colonial family. Thus Max E. Brunswick
is not only an Anierican by birth, but of thorough
republican traditions and inheritance. Emanuel
Brunswick came to the United States forty-five years
ago and has been a citizen of Youngstown forty-one
years. All of that tirae he has been connected with
the dyeing and dry cleaning business, having one of
the oldest establishments in the city. The original
way of spelling his name was Braunsweig. His
friends decided the narae was too long and called
his Brown, and most of the people of the city know
him so. He and Jennie Kalisky were married in
Cleveland, where her people had located from El
mira, New York. Both are merabers of the Jewish
Temple. They are the parents of three children:
Cecile, wife of Charles N. Levy, of Youngstown;.
Hyman W., an attorney; and Max E.
Max E. Brunswick attended the Wood Street
School, graduating in 1894, and graduated frora the
Rayen High School in 1898. He afterward attended
Western iReserve University at Cleveland, graduating
in 1902, and after being admitted to the bar entered
the office of General T. W. Sanderson at Youngs
town. He was associated with General Sanderson until
the latter's death six years later. Mr. Brunswick is
the proud possessor of the Ohio section of General
Sanderson's law library, one of the choicest collec
tions of law books in iNortheastern Ohio. This part
of the library was willed to him by General Sander
son. _ Mr._ Brunswick served two terms as city
solicitor, his term of office expiring January i, 1920,
when he resumed the practice of law, with offices
at 507 Mahoning Bank Building.
June II, igo8, he married Miss Dorothy Friedraan,
daughter of Isaac Friedman of Youngstown. They
were married on his mother's thirtieth wedding anni
versary. Mr, and Mrs, Brunswick have two children :
Max E,, Jr., and Jean Louise. Mr. Brunswick
served as president of the Jewish Temple Building
Commission, is a fornier president of the congrega
tion, and is a life member of its Board of Trustees.
fle is affiliated with the Elks, Independent Order
of Odd Fellows and the Protective florae Circle.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

379

Martin J. Carney. A well known city official of
Youngstown, Martin J, Carney has served as clerk
of the Municipal Court since January ii, igio, hav
ing devoted his entire time and attention to the
duties of his position, and that his work has been
duly appreciated is proved by his long tenure of
office, A son of the late Martin Carney, he was
born June i8, 1874, in Staffordshire, England, which
was his home as a small child.
WhUe a resident of England Martin Carney
worked in the coal mines, but desirous of advancing
his material condition he immigrated to the United
States with his wife and children, settling in Youngs
town, Ohio, where he secured work in the iron plants,
being for a time with the Brown-BonneU- Corapany.
Eventually becoming connected with the city street
department, he continued as one of its employes
until his death, Noveraber II, igi3, aged seventy-five
years. His wife, whose maiden narae was Ann
Berry, is now living with her son Martin J,, being
a hale and hearty woraan of four score years. She
is a devout member of Saint Coluraba's Church, to
which her husband also belonged. Of the five chil
dren born of her raarriage, two, Katherine and
Anna, died in early woraanhood, and three are liv
ing, as follows: Martin J., the special subject of this
brief sketch; Mary, wife of William Landers, a
-conductor on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad; and
Lizzie, wife of Edward Stivers, a stone contractor,
living in Kent, Ohio,
Acquiring his education in Saint Coluraba's School,
Martin J. Carney, being the only son of the parental
household, began to help support the famUy as a
boy of fourteen years. Entering the American Sheet
& Tube Plant in a rainor capacity, he was promoted
from time to time, and while holding a responsible
position in the stock departraent resigned from the
work. Going to Pennsylvania, he secured a position
on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and aftef eight years
was made brakeman on the sarae road, a position
which he held for six years, when he had the mis
fortune to lose his left leg, having it taken off just
above the knee. Mr. Carney, when able to resume
work, entered the employ of the Republic Iron &
Steel Company at the Bessemer Plant, with which
he was actively identifi,ed until igio, when he was
appointed clerk of the iPolice Court by Judge Brand
iMiller, a position which he is ably and satisfactorily
fiUing. Mr. Carney married, in 1899, Minnie H, Landers,
who was born in Youngstown, a daughter of Williara
and Mary Landers, and a sister of 'William Landers,
Jr. Six children have been born of the union of
Mr. and Mrs. Carney, naraely : Edward, a graduate
of the Rayen fligh School and now with the
Truscon Steel Corapany; Marie McGrath, attend
ing the graded schools ; Frank, also in school ;
Dorothy; Wilford; and Grace. The faraily are all
raeraberis of Saint Coluraba's Roraan Catholic Church.
Mr. Carney, a talented musician, belongs to the choir
of that church, and sang at Father Mears's silver
and golden jubilees, fle is a member of the Knights
of Columbus ; of the Ancient Order of flibernians
of Araerica; and of the Modern Woodmen of
Araerica.

Otto Medicus is a fine representative of the native
born citizens of Youngstown, possesses mechanical
ability and genius of a high order, and as a car
penter and contractor has been actively identified
with the upbuilding of this section of the Mahoning
VaUey. A son of Charles fl. and Theresa Medicus,
he was born January 10, 1887, and was educated in
the Hillman, West Side and Elm Street schools,
attending regularly throughout the days of his boy
hood and youth.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Mr.
Medicus learned the carpenter's trade, and since
growing to manhood has been raore or less associated
with his father in the building business as a meraber
of the firra of C, H. Medicus & Son. He is a mem
ber of the Youngstown Builders' Exchange, and
since April, igi8, has served his native city as build
ing inspector, filling that exacting position with credit
to himself and to the satisfaction of all those who
have the best interests of the community at heart.
Mr. Medicus raarried, in igo7, Blanche, daughter
of Samuel Schontz, and they have two sons, Robert
and Mark. Both Mr. and Mrs, Medicus are con
sistent merabers of Grace English Lutheran Church.
Charles fl. Med:cus. A raan of sterling worth
and integrity, Charles H. Medicus has been a resi
dent of Youngstown for upwards of forty years,
and during that time, as a carpenter and builder,
has had something to do with the construction of
many of the more prominent public buildings,
churches and residences of the city. He was born
in 1853 in Gerraany, a son of Frederich Charles
Medicus, a Frenchraan, who died in early Hfe.
Left fatherless at the age of ten years, Charles
fl. Medicus came to the United States alone three
years later, joining an uncle, Joseph Medicus, in
Philadelphia, Migrating to Ohio in 1876, he spent
three years in Cleveland, and in 1879 came to Youngs
town to work for C. H. Andrews, with whora he
reraained five years, becoming proficient in his trades
of carpenter and stair builder, at which he had
previously worked in both Philadelphia and Balti
more. Becoming a contractor on his own account
in 1884, Mr. Medicus secured his full share of con
structive work in the city, araong other buildings
that he erected having been the residences of Thoraas
Wells, John R. Squires, John Brennan, Thoraas
Parrock, and others; the Park Theatre; many
church and school buildings ; twelve buildings and
the offices for the Republic Iron & Steel Company;
and erected two large business buildings for David
Tod. He also superintended the construction of the
Mercer County Court House, Mercer, Pennsylvania;
superintended the building of the Youngstown
Young Woraan's Christian Association BuUding;
built the Rodef Sholera Teraple on Elra Street in
Youngstown, Ohio; the Julius Kahn Residence on
Tod Lane and raany other residences in Youngs
town, and also superintended the erection of the
Reuben McMillan Free Library.
Mr. Medicus raarried, in 1880, Theresa, daughter
of August Fischer, and into their pleasant horae
five sons and three daughters have been born,
namely : Charles A., who had been associated in
business with his father, died January 19, 1919, aged

380

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

thirty-eight years; Emiel, a noted musician, is a
resident of Asheville, North Carolina; Otto, of
whom a brief sketch is given elsewhere in this vol
urae ; Randall, an architect, is associated with Paul
Boucherle, of Youngstown ; Fred, an architect, now
in business with his father, served in France for a
year during the World war, being with the Motor
Supply Department; Henrietta, wife of Andrew
Brackett, of this city; Augusta, wife of Stuart
Henry, of Youngstown ; and Augusta, the first
daughter, died at the age of five years.
Mr. Medicus and faraily are raerabers of Grace
English Lutheran Church, and he erected the church
edifice. He is an active member of the Builders'
Exchange. Politically he is a republican, but he
casts his vote, regardless of party restrictions, for
those he deems best fitted for the office.
Nate H. Forsyth. A man of energy and enter
prise, possessing rauch business ability and tact,
Nate fl. Forsyth, a well-known pattern raaker of
Youngstown, is actively identified with the advance
ment of the manufacturing interests of Mahoning
County, being president and raanager of the Youngs
town Pattern Corapany, of which Ex-Mayor A. W.
Craver is the secretary. A son of Richard N. For
syth, he was born in Baltimore, Maryland, August
9, 1864.
Richard N. Forsyth was born and bred in Vir
ginia, where he learned the trade of a moulder.
Settling in Maryland, he was for many years a
foreman in the shops of that state, but during the
CivU war was in the Union service as an inspec
tor of guns, being located in Baltimore. He mar
ried Benann Parsons, a native of Maryland, and
into tbeir home a large family of children were
born. Religiously he was a member- of the Metho
dist Episcopal Church, and fraternally he was one
of the first merabers of the Knights of Pythias.
The third child of the parental household, Nate
fl. Forsyth was educated in the public schools,
and at the age of sixteen years began learning the
pattern raaker's trade, working for two years in the
Nordyke-Marraon plant at Indianapolis, Indiana.
Corapleting his trade with the Walker Manufactur
ing Company of Cleveland, Ohio, he subsequently
followed his trade in various cities of the i^Iiddle
West, gaining valuable knowledge and experience.
In 1880 Mr. Forsyth carae to Mahoning County and
was one of the organizers of the Buckeye Pattern
Corapany, which was located on East Federal Street,
on tbe site now occupied by the Youngstown Ice
Company. Three years later, as head of the newly-
established Forsyth Pattern Works, he opened a
shop on North Watt Street, at the Erie Railroad
Crossing, and two years thereafter raoved to the
Malaber Building. Subsequently the firm, under the
name of the For.syth Pattern Company, was located
for a time on East Madison Avenue, at the Mc
Guffey Street Bridge, Since the formation of the
Youngstown Pattern Company, of which Mr, For
syth is president and raanager, the plant, which is
constructed of concrete especially for the pattern
works, has been located at tbe corner of Oak Street
and Andrews Avenue, Mr, Forsyth has the dis
tinction of having opened the first job shop in the
city, being the pioneer pattern maker.

Mr, Forsyth married in Bucyrus, Ohio, Miss Allie
E., daughter of Fred Tipple. Mr. and Mrs. Forsyth
have two children, Nate F. and Allen R. Rev. Nate
F. Forsyth is now in Whiting, Indiana, where he is
engaged in Americanization work. He recived the
degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University
of Maine, at Orino, Maine, and was graduated from
the Boston School of Theology. Allen R. Forsyth,
a graduate of the University of Ohio, served dur
ing the recent World war with the Youngstown
Base flospital. fle is now engaged at 909-911 Elm
Street in the drug business. Religiously iMr. For
syth is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and fraternally he belongs to the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks and the Chamber of Com-

Jerome Hull is count}' superintendent of schools
in Mahoning County, fle has lived in this county
all his life and was actively identified with teaching
and school administration before he was elected to
his present office. '
Mr. Hull was born on a farm in Ellsworth Town
ship October 3, 1881, son of Eddie M. and Mary
EUen (Baird) Hull. The Hulls are an old and
prominent family of Mahoning County. His great
grandfather, Andrew Hull, was an Araerican soldier
in the War of 1812, and from his early horae in
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, moved to
Northeastern Ohio. Soon after his arrival here a
son, Michael Hull, was born, who spent his life as
a prosperous farmer. He was closely identified with
the progress of his coraraunity and helped build the
United Brethren Church in Berlin Township, the
church in which he worshiped the rest of his days.
His oldest son, Hiram, was a Union soldier during
the Civil war.
E. M. Hull was born in Berlin Township, Ma
honing Coupty, April 20, 1857, and died July 28,
igig, on a farm in Ellsworth Township, where he
had resided for forty years. He had becorae well
to do in the practice of agriculture. He had a dis
trict school education and in after years served as
director and trustee of his local schools. Like his
father he was very handy with tools. E. M. fluU's
mother was of Scotch parentage. On Septeraber 25,
1878, E. M. Hull raarried Miss Mary Ellen Baird,
wbo was born in Green Township of Mahoning
County. Her father, Jacob Baird, was a successful
trader, a good farraer and a successful business raan,
and was a highly respected raeraber of his cora
raunity. Mary Ellen Hull was born sixty years
ago. She is a raeraber of the Reforraed Church.
Her three children are : Charles, a farmer and sales
raan living in Canfield Township ; Monroe, a farraer
in Ellsworth Township; and Jerome.
Jerome Hull attended the schools of Ellsworth
Township and took both his preparatory and normal
collegiate courses in Canfield, receiving his degree
frora tbe Northeast Ohio Norraal in 1904. He
taught two district schools before graduating. After
leaving the Norraal he was for four years principal
of the village schools in Canfield, and for six years
superintendent of the Boardraan centralized schools.
His excellent work in those schools gave him a high
standing in the county, and with a recognition of his

S^4.%<^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

381

qualifications the people of Mahoning County had
no difficulty in discriminating in his favor when the
choice carae for a county superintendent.
iMr. HuU is a raeraber of the Northeast Ohio
Teachers' Association, the Ohio State Teachers'
Association and the iNational Educational Associa
tion, and is a raember of Canfield Lodge of Masons.
During the war he was personally and through his
county office very active in the different war cara
paigns. William Wilson McDowell. Youngstown has
been raore fortunate than raany industrial cities in
the raatter of police organization. The efficiency and
honor of this departraent are due largely to the long
service of WiUiara WUson McDowell as chief of
police. Mr. McDowell, now head of the McDowell
Detective Agency, was head of the police depart
ment for twenty years, and also served as director
of public safety.
He was born in GreenvUle, Pennsylvania, May l,
1859, and carae to raanhood after a severe battle
with poverty and hardship. His parents vvere
Mathias and Jane (Leech) McDowell, also natives
of Greenville. Mathias iMcDowell died December
25, 1865, leaving his widow and a family of nine
chUdren, the care and support of whom devolved
upon the good mother, who had few resources to
aid her in the struggle. She lived to be about sixty
years of age and died thirty years ago.
WUliam Wilson McDowell was next to the young
est in the faraily and even as a boy he had to work
and contribute to the support of the faraily. A part
of his education was rauch neglected. At the age
of nineteen he began learning the trade of carriage
raaker and blacksraithing in GreenvUle. The first
year he was paid fifty cents a day, the second year
seventy-five cents, the third year a dollar a day. It
was in the capacity of a mechanic that he first be
came known in Youngstown, being eraployed at the
Siegfried-Leraley shop, which stood where the Ohio
Hotel is located.
Mr. McDowell becarae a raember of the Youngs
town police force in 1890. Youngstown at that tirae
was little more than a village. In 1894 he was pro
raoted to chief of police, and filled that office until
1914. During these twenty years Youngstown raade
its forward strides as a great industrial center, but
at all tiraes and in all eraergencies Mr. McDowell
was fully prepared and equipped to cope with every
situation that arose. There were nuraerous strikes
during those twenty years, but never once did Mr
McDowell appeal to the aid of the railitia. It was
understood by the strikers that they could expect
absolutely fair and impartial treatment frora the
chief of the police. As long as property was pro
tected and law and order raaintained they were
certain to receive a square deal. Five years after
retiring from the office of chief of jiolice, Mr. Mc
Dowell was made director of public safety in Jan
uary, 1919, and held the office until January i, 1920.
When he took charge of the police force it com
prised fifteen merabers. Twenty years later, when
he left, there were ninety-seven under his super
vision. Upon retiring from the department of public
safety in 1920 Mr. McDowell organized the Mc

Dowell Detective Agency and is well equipped with
a corps of efficient help to pursue this profession,
raaking a specialty of private work.
In 1887 he married Ida Hunter, daughter of Alec
Hunter, of Mercer, Pennsylvania. They have three
children : Gertrude, wife of A. fl. Hughes ; Randall
Montgomery, of Youngstown; and Helen J., wife of
J. J. Harris, of Youngstown. Mrs. McDowell and
children are raembers of the Plyraouth Church. He
is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity. Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Elks.
James B. Moore, one of the leading residents of
Poland Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, and
owner of one of the best farming properties in that
section, is an enterprising and skUful farmer, well
representative of the successful agriculturists of the
state. His farra, upon which he has lived all his
life, is situated about 2>4 miles to the northward
of Lowellville, Poland TTownship, and the nucleus
of it has been in the possession of the Moore family
for raore than a century, the faraily thus having good
place araong the pioneer settlers in the Mahoning
Valley. Jaraes B. Moore has operated a threshing
raachine equipraent for thirty years, and throughout
his raanhood has manifested a commendable and
useful public spirit. He has been a school director
for eighteen years, and for many years has been an
elder of his church.
He was born in the Moore faraUy homestead,
which is now his, in Poland Township on March 15,
1857, the son of Jaraes and grandson of John, his
birth occurring about forty-three years after that
of his father, James, Sr,, on the same place.
John Moore, pioneer ancestor and grandfather of
Jaraes B,, was born March 17, 1782, in Washington
County, Pennsylvania. Mary Orara, who became his
wife on April I, 1801, was born in the same county
on Deceraber 27, 1785. Soon after the raarriage
John Moore and his wife and a neighbor, John
Buchanan and his wife, carae on horseback into the
Western Reserve and settled on adjoining tracts of
wild land in Poland Township, Mahoning County,
Ohio. All of the children of John and Mary (Orara)
Moore were born in Poland Township.
They included Jaraes, Sr., father of Jaraes B.
Jaraes, Sr., was born July 23, 1814, and was destined
eventually to marry the daughter of John Buchanan,
the corapanion of his father and fellow-pioneer.
Jaraes Moore was raarried on June 11, 1844, to Aray
Buchanan, who was born October ig, 1818, on the
farm that adjoined the Moore property, fler par
ents, John and Mary (Applegate) Buchanan, like
his parents died in Poland Township, which eventu
ally was also the place of their deaths, James Moore
dying on August 2g, 1872, and Amy (Buchanan)
Moore, his widow, on Marcii 17, 1881, James Moore,
Sr,, lived his whole life on the farm, industriously
developing it, clearing the tiraber, and gradually
bringing the land into good tillable state, fle built a
corafortable house, in which his family lived during
the latter part of his life, although the frame house
buUt by his father, John Moore, in 1835 still stands,
their original log house having apparently been de
molished, James and Aray (Buchanan) iMoore were
the parents of the following chUdren : Mary Aray,

382

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

who married Walter Buchanan, and they both died
in Missouri ; Margaret, who married Morrison Dick
son, and died at Lowellville, Poland Township;
Edna, who married William iMcKinley, their home
being in TrurabuU County, Ohio; Rose, the wife of
John McNevin, of Youngstown ; John, who lives in
flubbard Township, TrurabuU County, Ohio; and is
a well-known educator, having been a school teacher
in the Mahoning VaUey for forty years ; Jaraes, of
whora raore follows ; Catherine, who married David
Duer, of Trumbull County, and is now deceased;
David, who lives in Struthers, Poland Township.
James B,, son of James and Amy (Buchanan)
Moore, was born on the Moore homestead in Poland
Township, March 15, 1857, and has reraained on it
throughout his life. He was educated in the school-
house on his own farra, and long before he had left
school had been in the habit of undertaking many of
the minor tasks of the horae farm. And after his
schooling had ended he took resolutely to the more
burdensome operations of the farm. Eventually he
bought out the heirs in about sixty acres of the old
Moore tract, and now has raore than eighty acres. He
has farraed his holding well, and his industry has
shown itself in the improvements he now has upon
the property, all of which he buUt. His farming has
been of the general character, and he has had good
success with cattle. He is interested in almost all
that pertains to agriculture, has profited by his close
attention to the modern methods of farraing, many of
the more practical of which he has introduced into
his own operations. His farm is maintained in a
high state of fertility, and is one of the modern
properties of the community. , For many years he
has, more or less, operated a threshing raachine, at
convenient times, when the affairs of his own farm
have not been pressing. Mr. Moore has shown a
useful spirit of co-operation in the affairs of the
township, and generally has been a willing sup
porter of community movements and responsibility.
He has for eighteen years been a member of the
school board, and in many other ways has proved
hiraself to be a public-spirited citizen. During the
recent war he demonstrated his loyalty in a very
practical raanner, applying himself more closely to
raatters of production and of increased production
upon his horae farm, and to the prevention of waste.
He also contributed as much as he was able to to
the various loans asked for the purposes of the
nation in the war.
On November 17, 1885, he raarried Carrie Belle
Kerns, daughter of Levi and Nancy (Sherrer) Kerns,
of Poland Township, Her father, who was born
near Philadelphia, iPennsylvania, married in Law
rence County, Pennsylvania, in early manhood.
Soon afterward he came with his wife into Ohio,
settling on a farm which is now included in the
boundaries of Struthers Village, Poland Township,
Mahoning County, where for forty-seven years he
lived and farmed industriously for the greater part
of the tirae. His daughter, Mrs. Moore, was born
on the farm on Noveraber 17, 1857. She was well
educated, and after corapleting her schooling be
carae a teacher, teaching in the public schools of
Mahoning County for nine terms prior to her mar
riage to James B, Moore, Four chUdren were born

to James B, and Carrie B. (Kerns) Moore: Bertha
May, who was born on August 29, 1886, died March
15, igis, aged twenty-eight years. She had been
well educated, had graduated from the Rayen High
School, Youngstown, and had been a very well-
regarded teacher in the Lowellville schools for nine
years prior to her decease. She had also been very
earnest and active in church and Sunday school work.
Clyde Lewis, who was born on October 27, 1888,
attended Lowellville school, and graduated from
the Rayen fligh School in 1914, and also graduated
from the Ohio State University as a civil engineer
in which professional capacity he is connected with
Youngstown people now. During the war he did
valuable Government work, having been in Govern
ment service for eighteen months during the emer
gency. He was assigned because of his technical
training to work as an inspector of aeroplane material
at Buffalo. He had for two years prior to the war
been doing Government work at the Madison, 'Wis
consin, State University, that work being in connec
tion with railroad valuation. Herraan Clifford, born
June 21, 1891, graduated frora Lowellville High
School, after which he gave his whole tirae to raat
ters connected with the operation of the farra.
Edna Louise is deceased. She was born on March
4, 1896, and died January 8, 1917. After graduating
frora the Lowellville High School, and taking the
course at the Norraal School at Canfield, Mahoning
County, she gave every promise of a successful
career as a teacher, when death suddenly ended her
life, in her twenty-first year.
Samuel Siddall. One of the prominent and suc
cessful business raen of the Mahoning Valley is
Samuel Siddall, of Warren, who has been closely
identified with the industrial interests of the valley
for the last twenty-five }'-ears and who, as a progres
sive and popular citizen, has been prominent in the
civic and social affairs of Warren for the last ten
years. WhUe not a native of the valley, Mr. SiddaU has
spent his mature years amidst its haze and smoke,
which haze and sraoke his efforts helped to create.
He was born April 23, 1865, at Sharon, Pennsylvania,
just over the state line, and is of English parentage.
His father, the late Sarauel Siddall, was born in Eng
land in 1825, came to the United States when young,
and was for many years superintendent of coal raines
at Sharon. He married Mary E, Urmson, who was
born in England in 1827, and, like her husband, came
to Araerica in her young days. The father died in
1905, the raother in 1907.
Sarauel Siddall (2d) was educated in the public
schools and the Sharon (Pennsylvania) Business
College. He began his active career as messenger
boy for the Western Union Telegraph Corapany at
Sharon. He learned telegraphy and in tirae was
appointed operator at the Sharon station of the Erie
Railway. Still in the service of that railroad, he
came to Warren in the fall of 1883 as clerk and
operator, and in 1889 was given the larger respon
sibUities of freight and ticket agent in charge of the
main line of the Erie and of the Mahoning Division.
flis service as a railroad man continued untU July i,
1893, when he left the Erie to join J. W. and W. D.

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

383

Packard in the manufacture of incandescent lamps,
raotors and transformers, the Packard Company at
that time being one of the chief industries at War
ren, as it is today, fle was assistant to the secre
tary-treasurer of the corapany and the trusted and
confidential adviser and executive for the brothers.
He left the Packard Corapany late in 1894 to be
corae traveling salesraan for the Union Iron and Steel
Company of Youngstown, of which Myrori C. Wick
was president, George D. Wick, vice president, and
W. E. Taylor, secretary and treasurer.^ This cor
poration in 1897 put him in charge of its sales de
partraent. The American Steel Hoop Company
upon its organization absorbed the plant and busi
ness of the Union Iron & Steel Company, and the
new corporation sent Mr. Siddall to Chicago as its
sales agent, later transferring him to Cincinnati as
district sales manager, where he continued until the
organization of the United States Steel Corporation,
at which tirae the American Steel Hoop Company
was absorbed by the Carnegie Steel Corapany. After
some other interesting relations with the iron and
steel business Mr. Siddall in 1906 became secretary
of the Garry Iron & Steel Corapany of Cleveland,
which had been reorganized and financed by the
\\'ick interests of Youngstown. George D. Wick
becarae president of the new company. In the spring
of 1907 Mr. Siddall was made treasuter and general
raanager of the Garry Corapany. In the spring of
igio the Garry Corapany bought the Erapire Iron &
Steel Cornpany at Niles, of which Jonathan Warner
was president and principal owner. This business
was reorganized with George D. Wick as president
and Mr. Siddall as vice president and general raan
ager, and under their management the plant con
tinued operation until February i, 1912, when both
the Empire Iron & Steel Corapany and the Garry
Iron & Steel Corapany were sold to the Brier HUl
Steel Corapany,
At that point Mr. Siddall took the opportunity of
getting a well raerited vacation, and spent several
months at his summer home on Georgian Bay. In
Deceraber, 1912, he returned to active business by
buying an interest in the Warren Iron and Steel
Corapany and became its secretary and treasurer,
later vice president and treasurer, flis experience
and abUity guided this corporation through a period
of increasing prosperity until Septeraber i, 1919,
when he disposed of all his interests in the corapany
and has since practically been retired from active
business. Mr. Siddall is affiliated with Old Erie Lodge No. 3,
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Mahoning
Chapter No. 66, Royal Arch Masons, is president of
the Warren Rotary Club, president of the Wesleyan
Club of Warren and a member of the First Methodist
Episcopal Church, fle is a member of the American
Iron and Steel Institute and the Youngstown Club.
Mr. Siddall married Katherine E. Graham, daugh
ter of Robert T. Grahain of Warren.
Mr. Siddall is a selfmade man in the truest sense
of that often abused terra, for he began his business
career at the very bottora of the ladder, and has
climbed to success through inherent ability and per
sistent application, backed up by ambition to succeed.
His popularity as a business man and citizen prevaUs
Vol. 11—85

not only in Warren and the Mahoning Valley, but
likewise in other parts of the country, and is the
natural result of these traits of character and his
personality, a combination which has brought him
business success and a place araong industrial lead
ers. He has been intiraately associated with raany
of the raen of big business of this part of the coun
try, araong whom he measures up in both ability and
achieveraent. As a business man he has won a place
arnong the leaders, as a private citizen he is by public
opinion accorded a place among the worth-while
men of 'Warren, and his personality has endeared him
to his intimates and comraands the respect of all who
know hira.
William Tudor Griswold. One of the men of
Warren who has made himself conspicuous as an
upright and dependable merchant, is W. T. Griswold.
fle is descended from two old farailies of the West
ern Reserve. Judge Griswold, who was the founder
of the family in the Buckeye State left his native
state of Connecticut for the Western Reserve in 1799,
and his grandson, Hiram Griswold, grandfather of
William T. Griswold, was born in an ox cart while
the family was en route.
Judge Griswold came of English ancestry. He be
came the leading citizen of Windsor, Ashtabula
County, Ohio, where he settled. Solomon Howes,
the maternal grandfather, was also a native of Con
necticut, and an early settler in the Town of Windsor,
Ashtabula County. Ezra Griswold, father of William
T. Griswold, was born at Windsor, Ashtabula Coun
ty, Ohio, and spent all of his life in that county in
the store and on the farm. His wife, Elvira (Howes)
Griswold, was born in Connecticut and carae with
her parents to Ohio when she was a girl.
W. T. Griswold was bornat Windsor, Ashtabula
County, Ohio, on February 12, 1864. He was reared
on the farra and educated in the district schools and
the New Lynne Institute. Following the eorapletion
of his studies he taught school for one year, and
then clerked in a country store for about five years.
During this period he was developing his capabilities
and saving his raoney. By 1889 he was able to estab
lish himself in a business of his own at Warren,
Ohio, where he opened a "racket store" on a very
small scale, with a capital not to exceed $1,000, but
it was his own, and he knew how to run it so that
it was a success from the start, and grew with each
year. Its expansion was so great that in 1906 Mr.
Griswold incorporated it as The Griswold Company,
the incorporation being a close one, confined to hira
self and his eraployes. As an evidence of the growth
of the business it raay be stated that his initial yearly
volume of business during 1889 of $15,000 has been
expanded until in 1919 it aggregated $400,000. Mr.
Griswold is now and always has been treasurer and
general raanager of the corapany, and to his ability,
foresight and acumen more than to any other in
fluence, the success of his corapany is due.
Mr. Griswold has other business interests, araong
which raay be raentioned a directorship in the Union
Savings and Trust Company of Warren. He is a
meraber of the Warren iBoard of Trade, the Trum
bull Club and Warren Lodge, Independent Order of
Odd Fellows.

384

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

In l8gi Mr. Griswold was united in marriage with
Miss Mabel Hull, of Vernon Township, Trumbull
County, and five children have been born to them :
Truman H., who was graduated from Cornell Uni
versity in igi5, has been a chemist in the employ
of the United States Government. Ralph E. was
graduated from Cornell University in 1917, after a
five years' course, during which he specialized in
landscape gardening. He enlisted for service during
the great war, served in France, winning four stars,
and after the signing of the arraistice took a special
course in France. He is now a student in the Araer
ican Acaderay at Rome, Italy, to which institution he
won a three-year fellowship. Wade E. was gradu
ated from the United States Naval Academy in
1918, was commissioned junior lieutenant, served
witb the Araerican fleet in the North Sea during the
World war, and is now attached to the western fleet.
Oliver T. is a student at St. John's Military Academy.
Mabel Louise is now in high school in 'Washington,
District of Columbia.
Robert W. Kay. Many years of faithful service
have earned Robert W, Kay a place of esteeera and
confidence in several well known business enter
prises of tbe Youngstown district. Since going
into busiriess for himself he has been at the head
of a leading automobUe sales agency in the city.
Mr. Kay was born on what is now Commerce
Street in Youngstown January 16, 1871. son of
Frank J., and Etta (Hoyt) Kaiser. Ori March 11,
1918, by a court order Robert for obvious reasons
had his name changed to Robert W. Kay. His
father, who was born in Germany in 1841, was
only a chUd when his people settled in Cleveland,
Ohio, Frora there he reraoved to New Bloomfield,
then to Rock Creek, and many years ago carae to
Youngstown, He was a good, honest shoeraaker
and shoe merchant, and later for many years was
with Myron Wick in the iron mill, until he was
retired on a pension. He is an active meraber of
the Belmont Avenue Methodist Church, a Mason
and a republican. His wife died in 1903. They
were the parents of six children : Clara, wife of
Frank Probst, of Wheeling, West Virginia; Frank
G., who was killed by lightning whUe living in Po
land Township ; Fannie, wife of C. J. Greer ; Orson
D., who also had his name changed to Kay, is gen
eral auditor in the General Fire Proofing Company
at Youngstown ; and Lillie, wife of F. E. Wierman,
of Salera.
Robert W. Kay acquired his early education in
the public schools, also had private tutors, took spe
cial courses with the International Correspondence
School at Scranton, attended night schools, and
never lost an opportunity to learn from every avail
able source what he could about business and his
own special line of employment. His first regular
wages were earned as an office boy with the Mahon
ing VaUey Iron Company. 'When he left that firm
two years later he was shipper in the shafting
works. For a short tirae he was shipper for the
Falcon Corapany at Niles, and then entered the
office of the Youngstown Street RaUway Corapany
under Uncle Billie Cornelius. Frora there he went
to the Union Iron and Steel Company as assistant
shipper, and was employed at Youngstown, Pitts

burgh, New York and other points, in the invoice
department. His longest single service was sixteen
years with the Youngstown Iron and Steel Roofing
Corapany. He was chief clerk of that business until
the plant was sold. Then followed a few raonths
of well earned rest, after which he took up the
selling of automobiles'. His first place of business
was on Coramerce Street, and since April, 1918, the
Kay Motor Corapany has been at 78g 'Wick Avenue.
This company maintain a very coramodious and
handsome garage and showrooms, and are the au
thorized agents of the Chalmers and Maxwell cars.
Mr. Kay married October I, i8gi, Rebecca Powell,
daughter of William and Louisa Powell. She was
born at GirardvUle, Pennsylvania. They are mera
bers of the Belmont Avenue Methodist Church.
Mr. Kay is a past raaster of Hillraan Lodge, An
cient Free and Accepted Masons, is a Knight Tem
plar and Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner, and a
member of the Youngstown Automobile Club and
Chamber of Commerce.
William A. Neracher. The story of the Ner
acher family involves, however briefly, the history
of one of the great Araerican industries, one of the
original branches of which has always been at
Warren, This is the General Fire Extinguisher
Company, which many years ago had its modest be
ginning at Warren as The Neracher Sprinkler Com
pany. Tbe founder of the business was the late William
Neracher, who was born in Switzerland in 1841 and
came to this country with his parents at the age of
nine years. At the opening of the Civil war he en
listed as a private in the Twentieth Ohio Battery,
Field Artillery, at Cleveland, and served all through
the war, and for good soldierly qualities and con
duct was comraissioned a second lieutenant and at
the end of the struggle was the youngest official of
that rank in the Ohio Artillery. After the war he
became a member of his father's firm, operating
under the name of Joseph Neracher & Brothers,
proprietors of a planing mill and cabinet factory on
Clifton Street in Cleveland, Ohio.
William Neracher was of an inventive turn of
mind — a man of far-seeing mechanical genius. He
had some fifteen or twenty inventions to his credit,
the last and best amongst them being the Neracher
automatic fire sprinkler, the result of many years of
experimentation. Mr. Neracher finally completed
it to his satisfaction and had it patented in the
United States and in foreign countries, and then
undertook the equally difficult task of gaining a
market. To recite all the difficulties in the way and
to describe the prejudices which had to be over
come would be a long story in itself, but he battied
against all obstacles and patiently subraitted his in
vention to repeated demonstrations and tests under
actual fire. One of the earliest plants equipped with
the Neracher sprinkler system was the Diamond
Match Works at Akron, of which the late Ohio C.
Barber was president. So weU satisfied were Mr.
Barber and his associates with the practicability of
the automatic sprinkler system and with its business
future that he bought a half interest in the patent.
At that time Mr. Barber was president of the Paige

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLliY

385

Tube Works at Warren. It was for that reason
that Warren was determined upon as the home of
the sprinkler works, since the Paige Tube Company
could supply it with all its piping. The Neracher
Sprinkler Company was accordingly organized, and
quietly took its place among the industries of War
ren. At that tirae John Hill of Columbus, Georgia,
was making another type of sprinkler. The Ner
acher company bought the Hill patents and combined
the two businesses under the firra name of the
Neracher & HiU Sprinkler Company, continuing the
raanufacture of sprinkler equipraents both at War
ren, Ohio, and in Colurabus, Georgia. Later on the
sprinkler patents of Joseph Clapp of Chicago and
of John Kane of Philadelphia were acquired. Then
a few years later carae a still larger araalgaraation,
when the Neracher & flill Sprinkler Corapany con
solidated with the Providence Steara & Gas Pipe
Corapany of Providence, Rhode Island, the latter be
ing manufacturers of the well known Grinnell
sprinkler. As a result of this consolidation there
was incorporated in the State of New York the
General Fire Extinguisher Company, which has since
raaintained its two raain plants at 'Warren, Ohio, and
at Providence, Rhode Island. This is now a national
and international industry with branch plants at
Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia,
Atlanta, Georgia, Charlotte, North Carolina, Montreal
and Toronto, Canada, and Vancouver, British Co
lurabia. In the raeantirae the Warren plant had continued
to grow and prosper, with WUliara Neracher, Sr., as
general raanager and director. He was actively
identified with the business until his death in 1903, at
the age of sixty-two. William Neracher married
Margaret Susan Kaiser, who was born in Gerraany
in 1848 and is still residing at Cleveland, Ohio.
Their son, WUliam A. Neracher, now second vice
president, director and raeraber of the executive
coraraittee of the General Fire Extinguisher Com
pany, was born in Cleveland, June 7, 1868. fle was
reared and educated in his native city, attending
public and parochial schools. At the age of four
teen he was earning his living working for the
Rhodes and Beidler Coal Corapany of Cleveland.
He reraained with the coal corapany five years, but
in the meantime put in many extra hours at night
helping his father at sprinkler engineering work.
His father at that time was raaking almost unaided
his original types of sprinklers. At the age of nine
teen the son was adraitted to partnership with his
father, and before the age of twenty-one was a raera
ber of the Neracher Sprinkler Corapany at Warren,
of which a year later he was elected secretary. He
has ever since been an executive officer of the vari
ous corapanies and is today one of the vice presidents
of the larger corporation already noted.
In addition iMr. Neracher is president of the
Borden Corapany at Warren ; president of the Berk
shire Hills Company of Great Barrington, Massa
chusetts, and vice president of the General Phono
graph Corporation of New York, the largest inde
pendent musical machine manufacturing concern in
the world. In his home city Mr. W. A. Neracher is
identified with the Warren City Hospital as a trustee
and is a meraber of the Warren Rotary Club, the

Country Club, Knights of Colurabus and of the
Board of Trade.
G. Ludwig Knapp. Through his operations cover
ing a period of five years G, Ludwig Knapp has
established a very enviable and substantial position
araong the real estate raen of the City of Warren.
Mr. Knapp, whose earlier career was spent as a
machinist, was born at Girard, Ohio, AprU 23, 1888,
a son of Mathew J. Knapp. His father, who was
born at Hillsdale, Michigan, September ig, 1861, was
for many years a merchant at Girard and retired from
business only a few years ago.
G. Ludwig Knapp was reared and educated in
Girard and at the age of sixteen began an apprentice
ship at the machinist's trade with the Harris Auto
matic Press Company at NUes. After that he fol
lowed his trade in Y^oungstown, Geneva, Canton,
Cleveland, Chicago, and South Bethlehem, Pennsyl
vania. He first carae to Warren in March, igii, but
a year later went to Cleveland and for thi-ee years
was in the tool and die making department of the
National Electric Lamp Company of that city.
When Mr. Knapp returned to Warren in igi5 he
gave up his trade and engaged in the real estate
brokerage business, and has since handled many im
portant transactions in and around the city, and is a
recognized authority on real estate values and op
portunities, fle also holds a commission as a notary
public. Mr. Knapp is a member of the 'Warren Board
of Trade, the ''Warren Real Estate Board, and is
affiliated with the Knights of Columbus, Loyal Order
of Moose and St. Mary's Catholic Church.
He married Blanche Egan, daughter of the late
Frank P. Egan of Warren. Their chUdren are
named Rosemary, BUly, Betty, Bobby and Blanche.
Brownlee Family, The Brownlee family, prom
inently represented in Boardman Township and other
localities of the Mahoning Valley, originated in
Scotland, where the Brownlees were free holding
farmers. One member of the family came to Amer
ica early in the nineteenth century and in 1812
moved from Southwestern Pennsylvania to TrumbuU
County, Ohio, where he spent the rest of his years.
Among his five or six sons two, Alexander and
David, became pioneers in Mahoning County and
acquired large tracts of land, while another brother,
William, was an early settler in New York State
and became a rainister of the Reformed Church.
StUl another son was John Brownlee, who had a
farm not far from the City of Glasgow, Scotland.
He raarried Margaret WUson, and he died in 1832,
while in the raidst of preparations to move to America
and join other members of the family. It was left to
his widow to carry out those plans, and she brought
her children to the United States, traveling by canal
and lake to -Ashtabula County, and thence to Mahon
ing County, where she lived until her death in 1865,
at tbe age of eighty- four. She was the mother of
five sons, Alexander, Thomas, WiUiara, David and
James A.
The youngest oi these sons and the last survivor
was Jaraes Archibald Browrilee, who was born in
Scotiand, February 4, 1825, and was seven years of'
age when he carae to America. While he gained the

386

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

rudiments of an education as taught in a pioneer log
schoolhouse near the family home, he also had the
regular discipline of work on the farra, and his entire
life was one of industry and honorable relationships.
He becarae a successful farraer and stockraan and for
raany years supplied a large part of the fresh meat
consumed at Youngstown. In politics he was a re
publican, and was frequently honored with such
offices as trustee, assessor and land appraiser.
Jaraes A. Brownlee married on March i6, 1854,
Rebecca Gilchrist, who was born at Allegheny,
Pennsylvania, November 16, 1832, daughter of
.Jaraes and Grace Gilchrist. Both Mr. and Mrs.
Brownlee died in igi6, the forraer on June i8th and
the latter January 17th. Mr. and Mrs. Brownlee be
carae the parents of ten children, two of whora died
in infancy and those to reach raature years were :
Mary, Jaraes H., John, at the old horaestead at
Brownlee Woods, and Edwin A., a practicing physi
cian of Struthers, twins; Eva, who becarae the wife
of David Blunt, at Poland; Irvin, in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania ; Ralph, at Gary, Indiana, and Grace,
who became the wife of George Hunter, residing at
Beaver, Pennsylvania.
Albert Elton, As an incorporator and one of
those active in promoting the Youngstown Auto
mobile Dealers' Association, Albert Elton was actu
ated by those ideals which have won for hira a fore
raost position in the business world of Youngstown,
in which he is recognized as a leader. He is general
raanager of the Elton Motor Company, which is one
of the oldest motor car businesses in the. city. It
was established in igo5.
Of a pleasing personality, Mr. Elton was endowed
with a natural raechanical ability. His father,
George Elton, for raany years was raaster mechanic
of the Valley raill, now a property of the Republic
Iron & Steel Corapany, In that raill Albert Elton
had his first taste of raechanics as an apprentice
raachinist. Through several years Mr. Elton worked in raany
large cities and in the largest raachine shops. He
became interested in the early automobUes and
entered the machine shop of one of the earliest
factories — the Packard Company, at Warren, Ohio,
He reached the peak of the machinists' trade in
the shops of the Cadillac Motor Car Company in
Detroit, and frora that shop returned to Youngs
town to establish the business in which he is recog
nized as a veteran with years of practical knowl
edge gained frora experience in every department of
factory production and retail marketing.
Pioneer activities in any line catch his interest,
and in igii he became a pilot of aircraft, and was
awarded a license in that year by the Aero Club
of America. For raore than two years he parti
cipated in aerial raeets in various cities, piloting air
planes and hydroplanes. He was friendly with
and a co-laborer with raost of the daring early-day
experiraenters in aviation, and is one of the few of
the early school who have lived to see the triuraph
of the navigation of the air lanes.
The first CadUlac sold by Mr. Elton went to C. S.
Crooks, the widely known Youngstovvn operator,
who has never changed his choice of cars since that

first "one-lunger." For fifteen years the Elton Com
pany has been one of the strongest distributing
agencies in the CadUlac organization. The firm
is made up of L. A. and C. A, Manchester, John iR.
Rowland, W, J, Roberts and R, E. Cornelius. It is
capitalized at- $50,000 and does a business of nearly
$1,000,000 gross annually,
Albert Elton is the son of George and Lyda (Rod-
way) Elton, born in Youngstown August g, 1883.
He was raarried to Rosa P. Dunkel in February,
igo5. They have two children, Virginia and Rod-
way. Mr. Elton is a raeraber of 'Western Star
Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of the chapter,
is a Knight Templar, thirty-second degree Mason;
a meraber of the Lawrence Club (New Castle, Pa.),
the Charaber of Comraerce, the "Youngstown Auto
mobUe Club, the Cleveland Athletic Club and the
Youngstown Club,
Comfort C. Bowman, of Ellsworth Township, Ma
honing County, Ohio, is of the pioneer family of
that patronymic, about the early generations and col
lateral lines of which faraily, in their association
with Mahoning Valley history, raore will be found
elsewhere in this edition. Corafort C. Bowraan is
the son of Andrew and grandson of Philip Casper,
the three generations representing a residence of
114 years in the Mahoning Valley, in Green, Goshen
and Ellsworth townships of Mahoning County. Cora
fort C. Bowman has throughout a long life dealt
extensively in cattle and sheep, in that quest traveling
long distances, both east and west, and for many
years raaintaining an average flock of l,CKX) sheep.
He and his brother operated one of the largest farras
in the neighborhood; and for forty-six years Mr,
Bowraan has been a large buyer of wool, in sorae
seasons handling as rauch as 100,000 pounds of that
staple. He has a good public record ; has participated
ill the public adrainistration of the township ; and
has been a consistent churchraan, a Presbyterian,
and for fifteen years a trustee of the local church of
that denoraination. He has therefore maintained the
good record of the Bowman familj- in the Mahoning
Valley. Corafort C. Bowraan was born in Ellsworth Town
ship, Mahoning County, Ohio, on January 24, 1850,
the son of Andrew and Margaret (Bush) Bowman.
The Bowman family is of French origin, coming
originally from the province of Alsace, France. (See
other references to Bowman family.) The faraily
appears to have settled in Fayette County, Pennsyl
vania, in colonial days, and Philip Casper Bowman,
father of Andrew, and grandfather of Comfort C.,
was a soldier of the Revolution, participating in the
battles of Trenton and Brandywine. In 1806 he
carae frora Redstone, Fayette County, Pennsylvania,
into the Western Reserve of Ohio, having secured
a tract of 640 acres of wilderness in Green Town
ship of Mahoning County, but at that tirae Colum
biana County. As a matter of fact, the old Bowman
property was situated in the northwestern corner of
Green Township, and bordered upon both Goshen
and Ellsworth townships. It is about a mUe to the
southward of the present homestead of Corafort C.
Bowman of Ellsworth Township. PhUip Casper
Bowman lived on that tract of land for the remainder

aikuf.^

Jc^trtyc^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

387

of his life. He died in old age, and was buried in
St. John's Churchyard on Dutch Ridge. Subse
quently, however, his body was exhumed so that it
might be removed to Salem, where, on sacred ground,
it was placed with the bodies of other Revolutionary
soldiers whom the country desired to honor in mera
ory. He had twelve children, araong thera Andrew.
Andrew, father of Corafort C, had also a brother
of the same name. Comfort C, and the two brothers,
for the greater part of their lives were business part
ners. The brothers Andrew and Comfort C. Bow
raan as young raen acquired a large tract of wild land
in Ellsworth Township, and untU almost rniddle.age
both remained unmarried. Corafort raarried Eliza
beth Reinhart, of Lisbon, Ohio, and died in 1870.
Andrew married Margaret Bush, and died in 1888.
The brothers after marriage continued in biisiness
partnership until both were older than sixty years.
Eventually they divided their large estate, and from
1861 until his death, in 1888, Andrew lived in the
home now owned by Corafort C, his son. The broth
ers owned about i,cx)0 acres, their farra being alraost
two miles from end to end. One hundred and thirty-
two acres of it was their portion of their father's
original holding in Green Township, but their land
extended about a mile to the northward and westward
of the corner of Green Township. At the division
the brothers each owned about 500 acres, their prop
erties of course adjoining, and they reraained neigh
bors until the death of Corafort C, who for a short
while before he raarried lived with Andrew and An
drew's wife, Margaret Bush. She was reared near
Greenville, iMercer County, Pennsylvania, her father,
Aiidrew Bush, owning a farm of 1,200 acres in that
neighborhood. She was, however, a daughter by
the first marriage of Andrew Bush, and as Margaret
grew to womanhood she was unhappy, friction arising
between herself and her stepraother, the third wife of
Andrew Bush. When she was eighteen years old she
resolved to leave her father's house and go to live
with her uncle, her mother's brother, Henry Beard,
who owned a farm in Green Township, iMahoning
County, Ohio. With her uncle she remained until
she was twenty-one years old, when she married
Andrew Bowman. Regarding her early life, it is of
interest to note that until she married Andrew
Bowman, at which time she was twenty-one years
old, she could not write in the English language,
neither, in fact, could she speak it, except perhaps
brokenly. Her rearing had been in a Pennsylvania
Dutch settleraent, and her uncle in Ohio also spoke
that language at horae. However, she was naturally
of quick intellect, and she soon reraoved that handi
cap of language, and she lived to a venerable age,
eighty-seven years. The latter years of her life she
passed comfortably, well cared for by her son.
Comfort C. Andrew Bowman was a raan of very
active life. In early life he had been apprenticed
to carpentry, and to sorae extent followed that trade
through life. He built many substantial barns in
Mahoning County, and also sorae county bridges ; and
in later life, when he became too old and feeble for
farm work, he buUt a carpenter's shop on his farm,
put in the necessary tools, including a turning lathe,
and so was able to spend his last years in congenial
and soraewhat useful work. Such labors were, of

course, raore in the category of hobbies, but he
made many useful articles while so passing the days.
However, his main business in life had been farra
ing, as may be surmised, bearing in mind the exten
sive acreage owned by the two brothers Bowman,
and Andrew in particular had large dealings in cattle.
He early used oxen upon his farm, and developed into
one of the largest dealers in cattle in the neighbor
hood. He was wont to take trips for that purpose to
the westward of Chicago, and into the Indian Terri
tory; would collect a large herd on the home farm,
and when he had sufficient would drive them across
the mountains into the State of Pennsylvania,
where they would eventually be sold at auction. He
was a man of good business acuraen, and his enter
prises eventually brought him a sufficiency of ma
terial wealth; but he would undoubtedly have been
very wealthy had he grasped the opportunity that
once came to hira, to purchase 15,000 acres of Illinois
land at $15 an acre. As may be supposed, he often
later regretted his faUure to close that deal. How
ever, he succeeded early in life, and had later littie
cause for financial worry. His private life was
estimable, and he was generally esteemed in the
neighborhood. He was an ardent church worker,
which raay have been one of the reasons why he
becarae identified with the building of the Presby
terian Church at Concord in 1859. The church was
situated about a mUe to the southward of the Bow
man homestead, in Green Township, and Andrew had
full responsibility for its construction. He and his
brother Comfort C. were partners in all enterprises ;
and while Corafort, in general, took responsibility
for the operation of their farra, Andrew ihad ranch
of his tirae in early days taken up by such work
as the erection of the church. He and his brother
had a large sawmill on Meander Creek in Goshen
Township, and they operated it until about 1870.
Each brother had two sons, the sons of Comfort
being Corafort Ellis and John. The two sons of
Andrew and Margaret (Bush) Bowraan were Cora
fort C, of whom more follows; and Morris Emery,
who owns a good farm near that of his brother, and
has had a useful life.
Corafort C, elder son of Andrew and Margaret
(Bush) Bowraan, was born on January 24, 1850,
and as a boy attended the district school, fle had
to assurae business responsibility somewhat early in
life, for when he was stUl in his early 'teens his
father lost rauch of his forraer vigor, and Comfort
had to raake many of the trips westward and east
ward to purchase and to sell stock. He was still in
early raanhood when he altogether took over the
operation of the home farm. His early conduct of
it was very simUar in method to that adopted by
his father and uncle. He continued to deal exten
sively in cattle, was always open to buy cattle, and
for many years drove the cattle to market hiraself,
often to iPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Upon one oc
casion he took fifteen carloads of cattle as far to
the eastward as Jersey City. He also did much
breeding of Durhara sheep on his home farra, for
raany years raising a flock of 1,000 or raore ; in fact
be continued to be a large breeder of sheep until he
finally retired frora business and delivered the farm
to a tenant farmer, which he did about fifteen years

388

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

ago. He kept good stock, but was never a keen ex
hibitor. Like his father and his uncle, Corafort C.
-was for very many years in business partnership with
his brother, Morris Emery. The two operated the
home farm in partnership for twenty-five years, and
added to it untU they owned 800 acres. The paternal
farm, however, is owned by Comfort C. flis exten
sive sheep-raising operations also of necessity
brought him into the wool business. In fact he has
been a dealer in wool for forty-six years, and still is,
to some extent. At one time he handled more than
100,000 pounds of wool annually, some of course
being from his own sheep, but much that had been
purchased for him by his agents. Latterly, since he
and his brother divided their joint farra holdings.
Comfort C. Bowman has owned 435 acres; or, to be
strictly correct, he did own it until quite recently,
when he sold the property, having no sons who could
continue to cultivate it. He still, however, lives on
the horaestead, and in the house built by his father
in 1861. Corafort C. raany years ago rebuilt the
house, but to all intents and purposes it is as it was
when his father first built it.
Corafort C. Bowman is a deraocrat in political
allegiance, as was his father. And, like his father,
he also has been a conscientious churchraan, meraber
of the Concord Presbyterian Church for the greater
part of his life, and for many years one of its trus-
tefes, fle has not taken very much part in public
affairs, but has served as assessor.
He raarried in 1871 Mary E. Bare, of Westraore
land County, Pennsylvania, who had corae to live
with her brother, a farraer at Albany, near Salem,
when she was about sixteen years old. Later, and
before her raarriage, she for sorae time lived in
the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Sears. She was
about twenty-one years old when she married Cora
fort C. Bowraan. Three chUdren have been born
to them : Edna, who married Lee Bingham, of
Newton Falls, and died about eight years later ; Cora,
who married James Harding, of Ellsworth Town
ship; and Jessie, who raarried Charles Arnott, now
of A'oungstown.
Onorato Carabelli, Endowed by nature with
artistic tastes and talents of a high order, Onorato
Carabelli, of Youngstown, proprietor of the Lake
View Monument Works, has labored to such good
purpose to perfect himself in his chosen trade of a
stone cutter that he has becorae an adept in the use
of knife and chisel, and as a sculptor and builder
of ceraetery meraorials has won a large patronage.
A son of Paolo Carabelli, he was born March 9,
1873, in the Province of Como, in Porto Ceresio,
which lies on the boundary line between Italy and
Switzerland. His father made two trips to the
United States, comin.g first in 1871, and spending a
short time at Clark Island, Maine, fle subsequently
crossed the Atlantic again, making his way to Cleve
land, Ohio, visiting his brother, Joseph Carabelli,
who had been a resident of that city many years,
and had becorae prorainent in both business and
political circles.
When but thirteen years old Onorato Carabelli
came to this country alone, joinin,g his Uncle Joseph
in Cleveland, where he took up the stone trade.

which he had previously learned in Italy, beginning
work with his uncle. In order to become faraUiar
with the English language, he attended night school,
and, being quick to learn, made rapid progress in his
studies, at the same time becoming familiar with
all phases of the stone cutter's business. Going then
to Rhode Island, Mr. Carabelli spent two years in
Ihe quarries at Westerly. Returning to Ohio in
i8g7, he opened a shop at 466 West Federal Street,
Youngstown, and frora the start raet with well-
raerited success. In igii he moved to his present
advantageous location, at the corner of Mahoning
and Millet avenues, where he has buUt up an ex
tensive and constantly increasing business as a sculp
tor and buUder of ceraetery meraorials of every
description, his works in marble and granite being
considered among the finest and choicest to be found
in this section of the state.
Returning to his birthplace in i8g6, Mr. Carabelli
married on October g of that year, Josephine Duca,
also a native of the Province of Corao, and of the
three chUdren that have been born of their union
two are now living, Dorainic R., who is in Cleveland,
Ohio, learning the stone cutting and raonuraental
business in the sarae shop in whicii his father learned
the business when he came from Italy, and Angeline
C. One son, Mario, died in igi6, when but seven
teen years of age. Politically iMr. Carabelli is a
stanch supporter of the principles of the republican
party. Socially he is a meraber of Duca-Degli
Abruzz. Religiously he and his family belong to Our
Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church.
Leroy D. Campbell. One of the best improved
and attractive homestead farms in Mahoning County
is the old Campbell place in Coitsville Township. It
has been the home for three generations of the
Carapbell faraily. The original farra contains fifty-
nine acres and was acquired in 1836 by Daniel Carap
bell, who carae to Ohio in the spring of that year.
He cleared away the woods and raade the land pro
ductive, taking frora it many successive crops, fle
died in 1871, at advanced age. Daniel Campbell was
of Scotch ancestry. His wife was a Miss iRipple, of
German stock. Daniel Campbell erected a home on
the farm, which later his son Alvi remodeled, mak
ing of it a two-story house, w-ith comforts and con
veniences still enjoyed by the family. Daniel Camp
bell and wife had a large faraUj^ including Alvi ;
Jaraes, who was for many years a hotel proprietor
at Girard, Ohio, and died there ; Daniel, who went to
Kansas ; Alexander, who died in young manhood ;
Joseph, who lived at Girard ; Margaret, who raarried
WUliara Stewart and went to Kansas ; Maria, who
becarae the wife of John Rutter and lived in Trura
buU County; Araanda, who raarried Charles Long-
street and lived near the old horaestead; and
Melissa, who never raarried and who died at the old
horae. Alvi L. Carapbell was born October 21. 1834, and
died while spending the winter at Pine Bluff, North
Carolina, March 22, igi5. All his active years were
spent on the old horaestead in Mahoning County.
Besides farming he operated a sawmill for a number
of years and sold much of the lumber required by
the local furnaces. He extended the original acre-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

389

age untU the farm comprised 105 acres. This farm
he made widely known as the horae of pure bred
livestock. He kept a fine herd of Chester White
hogs and also kept high grade Jersey cattle. Much
of his stock was exhibited in county fairs. He was
a director of the Mahoning County Fair, was superin
tendent of its cattle departraent, and had much to
do with the successful fairs year after year. He
was also a stockholder in the creamery at New Bed
ford and at one time was a township trustee. He
was a democrat and a member of the Methodist
Church at Hubbard, and later at New Bedford. He
married Margaret E. Allen, who is still living on
the old home farra.
They had four children. Olive M., who is a
dressmaker and music teacher by profession, is the
wife of John W. Baird, living near West Middlesex
in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The second of the
faraUy, Myron J. Campbell, is a practical farmer
now raanaging the old homestead place. Myrtle E.
has a long and honorable record as a teacher, having
taught for ten years in Coitsville Township, and
since her raarriage has taught in the Adams School
of Youngstown, having spent seventeen years in
school work. She is the wife of Clarence fl. Camp
bell, a Pennsylvania railway conductor.
Leroy D. Carapbell was born August 3, 1884, and
was educated in the Ohio State University, graduat
ing in the agricultural course in 1914. fle was a
teacher, teaching his first term in the Cooper dis
trict, where his mother had also taught her first
school. In 1918 he became principal of the Science
ville fligh School and has ten assistant teachers
under him. November 28, 1917, he raarried Miss
Edna Cooper, daughter of John A. Cooper. She was
also a teacher before her marriage. They have one
daughter, Jane Elizabeth.
Ashley E. Strong, whose well equipped general
raerchandise store at North Benton controls a large
and representative trade in this section of Mahoning
County, is a native of this county and a representa
tive of one of its old and well known families, fle
was born on the old home farm in Berlin Township,
two railes northeast of North Benton, and the date of
his nativity was January 3, 1853. fle is a son of
Alonzo and Elizabeth (Whinnery) Strong, the
former of whom was born in Connecticut in 1805,
and the latter of whom was a native of Colurabiana
County, Ohio, where their raarriage was solemnized
about the year 1845. Alonzo Strong was a child at
the tirae when the faraily came frora New England
to Ohio, and the father, Williara Strong, became a
pioneer settler near Atwater, Portage County.
Thence he went forth to serve as a soldier in the
War of 1812, and he died while thus in service.
After the death of his father, Alonzo Strong as
taken back to Connecticut, but when he was a lad of
about twelve years he came again to Ohio, where
he joined his mother, then residing in Deerfield
Township, Columbiana County. Within a short tirae
thereafter he was indentured, or "bound out," to
Joseph Hartzell, and as a young raan he learned the
carpenter's trade at Salera. Thereafter he was for
sorae time engaged in the work of his trade in the
State of New York, and he worked also at Cleveland,

Ohio. He vvas a young man at the time of his mar
riage to Miss Christina Lazarus, a raeraber 'of a
prorainent pioneer faraily of Portage County, the
old Lazarus flour raill having been a landraark in
Portage County, where Mr. Strong and his wife be
carae acquainted in chUdhood. Of this raarriage
were born five chUdren: Williara, who had been a
conductor on the Pennsylvania Railroad, was a resi
dent of Stark County at the time of his death, when
about fifty-five years of age; Lovina, who became
the wife of Elijah Whinnery, was a resident of Co
lumbiana County at the time of her death ; Levi was
a soldier in an Ohio regiment in the Civil war and
was a captive in Andersonville Prison, where he died
at the age of twenty-eight years, virtually as a result
of the hardships endured in that infamous Con
federate prison ; Miss Julia, the only surviving child
of this union, lives in the State of Washington; and
one child died in infancy. Mrs. Christina Strong died
at the age of thirty-five years, and later Mr. Strong
married Miss Elizabeth Whinnery, both haying-
passed the closing period of their lives on the old
horae farm near North Benton. Here Mr. Strong
died in l8gi, at the age of eighty-six years, his
second wife having passed away three years prior to
his death. Of their nine chUdren all but one attained
to maturity : Serena, who lived in the City of Chicago,
at the tirae of her death in i8g3, was the widow of
Williara Heckler, who died at Urbana, Illinois; Ed
ward owns and resides upon the old home farm in
Berlin Township; Lovisa is the wife of Alvin
Sraith, of Marshall, Illinois; Ashley E., of this re
view, was tbe next in order of birth ; Ophelia is the
wife of Robert Grahara, of Pottawattamie County,
Iowa ; Laura is the wife of Henry Koch, of New
Kensington, Pennsylvania ; Alonzo, Jr., was a repre
sentative meraber of the bar in the City of Alliance,
Stark County, Ohio, at the tirae of his death in 1891 ;
and Wendell is engaged in the retail hardware busi
ness at Ravenna, Ohio.
Ashley E. Strong was reared to the sturdy dis
cipline of the horae farra and acquired his early edu
cation in the public schools of the vicinity. He con
tinued to be associated with the work and manage
ment of the horae farra until 1879, when he became
associated with his brother-in-law, Joel Malrasberry,
in conducting a general store at North Benton. With
this enterprise he has here continued to be actively
identified four years, and the following three years he
devoted to farra activities. He then resuraed his asso
ciation with Mr. Malrasberry, and their partnership
alliance in the general store continued nine years.
In 1893 Mr. Malrasberry sold his interest to Wendell
Strong, and the firra title of A. E. Strong & Brother
was retained for the ensuing nine years, at the ex
piration of which Ashley E. Strong becarae the sole
proprietor of the business, which he has since con
tinued to conduct with unequivocal success. The
building occupied was erected about 1840, as one
of the first in the vUlage of North Benton, and
here Cyrus Greiner conducted the first general store.
The building, which has been kept in good repair,
may well be considered one of the landraarks of this
locality, and here Mr. Strong takes pride in main
taining a stock of goods that meets effectively the
requireraents of his large and representative patron-

390

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

age. In connection with the enterprise he handles
farra produce, and the eligible location of the vUlage,
in the midst of a prosperous farming coraraunity,
insures to the Strong establishment an exceUent
business at all times. Mr. Strong served seventeen
years as postraaster at North Benton, but since tbat
tirae he has held no official position. He is loyal
and progressive in his connection with coraraunity
affairs, and is a republican in politics.
The year 1875 recorded the raarriage of Mr. Strong
to Miss Annie Malrasberry, who was born in Goshen
Township, Mahoning County, and they have two
children : Lucille, the wife of J. fl. C. Lyon, a
prorainent lawyer engaged in practice at Youngs
town ; and Vivian, the wife of Williara Triera, a civil
engineer who is in the employ of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, their horae being at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Prior to her raarriage the elder daughter had been
a successful teacher in the public schools, and the
younger daughter has shown exceptional ability as
a teacher of music.
Isaac G, Mathews, Like many other men of
force and influence, Isaac G, Mathews, of Youngs
town, is a lawyer by profession, and, though beset
by difficulties frora the first that would have dis
heartened anyone of less courage and stability, he
has steadily clirabed, rung by rung," the ladder of
attainments, his position araong his legal brethren
being one of note. He was born June 29, 1874,
on a farra in Liberty Township, TrurabuU County,
Ohio, being the posthuraous son of Isaac Mathews,
Isaac Mathews was one of the pioneer coal min
ers of Trumbull County, and died as the result of
an accident prior to the birth of his son Isaac. He
married Julia A, Boyd, who was left a widow in
early life, with but scant means, and in order to keep
her little family together she continued the manage
raent of the home farm, having the assistance, when
they were old enough to be of use, of her two sons,
Ithiel, the first-born, being now principal of the
schools of Vienna, Trumbull County, and Isaac G.,
the subject of this brief biographical sketch. The
raother lived to a good old age, passing away in
1916, Acquiring the rudiraents of his education in the
rural schools of his native district, Isaac G, Mathews
assisted his raother in the care of the farm, run
ning a raUk wagon and peddling truck when he was
old enough, A good student, he entered upon a pro
fessional career when but seventeen years of age,
and subsequently taught school in Vienna, Trura
buU County, and Church Hill, in the same county
and in Youngstown. During the tirae he was thus
occupied, Mr. Mathews read law in the office of
Anderson, Anderson & Barren. Closely applying
hiraself to his studies, he was adraitted to the bar
in igo6, and for four years thereafter was engaged
in the practice of his profession as junior raem
ber of the firm of Anderson, Cook & Mathews,
Becoraing associated with Erail Anderson in igio,
the firra of Anderson & Mathews carried on a suc
cessful law practice until 1912, when Clinton Wall
was adraitted to partnership, and the firra narae
was changed to Anderson, Mathews & Wall, Ow
ing to the death of Mr. Anderson, the firm was dis

solved, and Mr, Mathews is now practicing alone,
having an office in the Dollar Bank Building. Well
versed in legal lore, and possessing keen intellect
and an active mind, he has raet with gratifying
results in his practice, being one of the well known
attorneys of the city.
Mr, Mathews raarried, in 189S, Grace D. Wil
liams, of Trumbull County, and their only child,
Earl W, Mathews, now a student in the law de
partraent of the University of Michigan at Ann
Arbor, enlisted in the Students' Training Corps of
the navy, frora which he received his discharge
in Deceraber, 1918- A stanch republican in politics,
Mr, Mathews, who raaintained his horae in Trura
buU County, until 1920, when he took up his resi
dence in Youngstown, serves willingly and ably on
all local coraraittees, but has never sought official
honors, Alva J. Stanley. The Beloit MiUs, at Beloit,
represent one of the iraportant and well ordered
industrial enterprises of iMahoning County, and of
the same Mr. Stanley is the proprietor. In these
mills, with their thoroughly modern equipment, are
manufactured the White Rose and Beloit brands of
flour, and the excellence of the products is the basis
for the substantial trade controlled. In connection
with his general mill operations Mr. Stanley also
deals in feed of all kinds, and he is known as one
of the progressive business men and loyal and liberal
citizens of Beloit.
The Beloit Mills were erected in 1906, the old raUl
in the vUlage having been located in the west end
of the town, about one-half raile distant from the
present modern establishraent, adjacent to the rail
road. In the operation of the old raiU Mr. Stanley
was associated with his father and brother Ira, under
the firm narae of fl. G. Stanley & Sons, and in
connection with the flour raill was operated a sawraill
and planing raill, as well as a lumber yard, the
while a cider mill formed an adjunct of the enter
prise. The old plant occupied the site of a still older
sawraill, of which Henry G. Stanley, father of the
subject of this review, became one of the owners.
The father developed the other departments of the
original enterprise, his association with the business
having been initiated about 1884, and the property
having been sold by the faraily after the erection
of the present Beloit MUls, which represent an in
vestraent of about $50,000.
Equipped -vvith full roller process of the most mod
ern type, the mills have a capacity for the output
of seventy-five barrels of flour daily, and raotive
power is supplied by gas engines. A specialty is raade
of tbe grinding and handling of feed, and about 200
carloads of dairy feed are handled annually, the
local raarket deraanding fully 80 per cent of this
output. In flour manufacturing the mUls utUize
almost entirely the wheat grown in this section of
Ohio, and thus the commercial importance of the
enterprise is enhanced. In 1906 was effected a divi
sion of the original enterprise, and in this adjustment
Ira Stanley assumed control of the luraber business
of the old firra, the father having been thereafter
associated with A. J. Stanley in the operation of
the new raills for about five years, the latter then

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

391

becoming sole owner. H. G. Stanley thereafter
erected a raill at New Holland, Pickaway County,
this plant having a daily capacity of fifty barrels and
being operated by water power. Prior to this Mr.
Stanley had owned, remodeled and operated a mill
at Akron, and at New Holland he continued his
railling business until his death, in November, 1917.
fle was born at Beloit, Mahoning County, in 1849,
and was a son of an honored pioneer, Littlebury iB.
Stanley, of whom raore specific raention is made on
other pages, in the sketch of Jesse M. Hartzell. At
the age of twenty-two years fl. G. Stanley married
Miss Alice Sheets, daughter of Alva Sheets, a resi
dent of iKansas at the tirae of his death. Mrs.
Stanley passed away about two' years prior to the
death of her husband, and of their children the eldest
is Tacy, who is the wife of fl. R. Sanders, of
Johnson City, New York; Alva J., of this revie-w-,
was the next in order of birth; and Ira continues in
the luraber business at Beloit.
Alva J. Stanley was born at Beloit, April 6, 1872,
and his youthful education was here received in the
public schools. Ih his father's establishment he
learned the miller's trade, and he continued to be
associated with his father until the latter sold the mill
at Beloit. In the raeanwhUe he had becorae a
raeraber of the firm, and since assuraing sole control
of the present Beloit Mills he has made a record of
splendid success, rauch of the output of his mills
being sold in the local market and a large part having
been diverted to the Governraent during the period
of the World war. Mr. Stanley takes loyal interest
in all things pertaining to the welfare and advance
raent of his native town, his political allegiance is
given to the republican party and he has served as a
member of the village council.
fle and his family are birthright merabers of the
Society of Friends, and he and his wife are active
in the local church of this denomination.
At the age of twenty-one years Mr. Stanley
wedded Miss Anna Palmer, who died when about
forty-three years of age, and she is survived by two
daughters — Loreta, who is the wife of Joseph Sams,
of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Leah, wife of
Williara M. Dixon, of Beloit. For his second wife
Mr. Stanley raarried Mrs. Margaret Snedeker, who
presides as the gracious and popular chatelaine of
their attractive horae. They have no children.
Parteridge Beggs is a representative and well-to-
do farraer of Coitsville Township, a grandson of
James Beggs, a worthy pioneer of the township, and
son of Adonijah Beggs, who died in 1907, after an
eventful life which began in 1835 on the farra now
occupied by his son in Coitsville Township and ended
in the sarae place almost seventy-two years later.
It included an honorable Civil war service, a period
in law practice in Warren, TrurabuU County, Ohio,
and much public service.
The Beggs family has been in the Mahoning Valley
for raore than a century, but was originally frora
Ireland. The family apparently was of American
residence a little while after the close of the Revolu
tionary war, for James, who was born in the United
States, was born on June 17, i7gg, although appar
ently his parents were natives of County Tyrone,

Ireland. Jaraes Beggs raarried Parmelia Bissell on
November 16, 1824, her birth date having been July
3, 1803, She died November 30, 1865, and her hus
band died on March 10, 1887. Their children that
reached maturity were : Marcia Melissa, who mar
ried Joseph Wright, of Lawrence County, Pennsyl
vania, She died on May 19, 1899, Her son Arthur is
now a farraer in the vicinity of the Beggs' home
stead. Ellen Maria married Irvin McFarland, and
lived on the state line in Pennsylvania, adjoining the
Beggs' homestead. She died March 28, 1907-
Araanda Stark married Joseph Nevin, a missionary.
They went to China, and she died at Canton, China,
September 27, 1867. Adonijah was born June 3,
1835, and is further referred to herein, Caroline,
who remained unmarried, lived to venerable age.
James Clark was born in 1839 and died in i8g8. He
lived his whole live in Coitsville Township. His
daughter Carrie married B. F. Cornelius, still living
on the old farm in Coitsville Township,
Adonijah, son of James and Parmelia (Bissell)'
Beggs, and born in the old Beggs homestead in Coits
ville Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, on June 3,
1835, grew to manhood in the wholesome and rugged
environment of farming life in that time and district.
He probably attended the country school nearest to
his home during the winter months and later attended
in Poland, which was about the extent of the edu
cational facilities at that tirae available in raost agri
cultural districts of Ohio, and the long suraraer
vacation, which usually began in spring and over
lapped into autumn, he would probably spend in as
sisting his parent in the operation of the home farm,
undertaking such tasks in connection therewith as
his strength would allow. At the time of the out
break of the CivU war he was in Illinois, and was in
the full strength of early manhood, fle enlisted in
the Seventeenth Illinois Regiraent, and with that
regiraent saw rauch service. After the war he was
for a while in legal practice in the City of Warren,
Ohio, with W. B. McGeehan, and for several terms
was a justice of the peace, and as such manifested a
judicial integrity and breadth of understanding of the
law such as was bound to bring him into general
esteem among those who knew him, or had come in
contact with him. He was an ardent democrat in
political allegiance, and exercised much influence in"
his community, fle was of emphatically earnest pur
pose, which characteristic at times brought to the
fore in hira, as it was likely to do, a certain sensitive
ness which to sorae extent curtailed his public work.
He was a well-read man, of refined inclinations, and
the crudeness of some public acts jarred upon his
sensitive nature. However, he was much respected
by his fellow-citizens, and generally took useful part
in the public affairs of the coraraunity. He served as
land appraiser and raight have been elected to raost
of the local offices at sorae tirae during his long life
had he so wished, for he was generally well-regarded,
and coming as he did frora one of the pioneer faraUies
his place in the affairs of the vicinity was a definite
one, especially having regard to his Civil war record,
which supplemented his standing. He added to the
acreage of the horae farra, which originally was 150
acres, and took a close interest in agriculture. He
was twice married, his first wife being Elizabeth

392

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Ewing, who bore hira two children : Otto, who is
now in Indiana; and Elizabeth, who married Houston
Dickson, of CoitsvUle Township. His second wife
was Salome McFall, daughter of Robert McFall.
The marriage took place on October 23, i86g, and
their life in the raarried state was a long one, raore
than thirty-six years, until igo7, when the husband
died. Mrs. Salorae (McFall) Beggs survived her
husband by about four years, her death occurring in
igii. Their chUdren were Barbara Araanda, who
married Thoraas Vaughan, of Lawrence County,
Penn.sylvania, and lives about two railes frora her old
horae; and Parteridge.
Parteridge ("Pat") Beggs, son of Adonijah and
Salorae (McFall) Beggs, was born in the horaestead
of the Beggs faraUy in Coitsville Township on July
22, 1874, and has lived his whole life on the farra.
His schooling was obtained in the public schools of
the township, and after leaving school he took seri
ously to farraing pursuits. The farra contains now
about 180 acres, a part of which he purchased in 1906,
and since that tirae has acquired the remainder. He
has been an industrious and skilful farraer, bring
ing into his operations much of raodern raethods that
have been proved to be practical. He has had good
success in general farraing, and has a splendidly ap
pointed property. The buildings are exceptionally
substantial, the house being a large one, constructed
of brick in 1840, the bricks being raade on the farra.
The barn was constructed a few years after the
building of the dwelling.
Parteridge Beggs bas during his life been inter
ested in alraost all the happenings in the coraraunity
and township. He has not sought office, but has
closely followed coraraunity affairs, and has shown
a helpful public spirit. As a neighbor he is reliable,
and has always been so. And he therefore has raany
firra friends in the township. In 1907 he raarried
Selina Vaughan, daughter of Charles and Melvina
Vaughan. Mrs. Beggs was born in Youngstown,
Ohio, October 13, 1882, but her parents have latterly
been living in Struthers Village, Poland Township,
Mahoning County. Her parents have lived respon
sible, industrious lives, and her father, as a stationary
engineer is connected with the Sheet and Tube Com
pany of Struthers. Mr. and Mrs. Beggs have one
chUd, Charles Parteridge Beggs, born May 25, 1920.
Gregoro Silvestri, One of the business achieve
ments of Youngstown that stands out as a striking
exaraple of progressiveness and rapid growth and
upbuUding is the Youngstown Grocery Corapany,
founded by Gregoro Silvestri, now president and
treasurer of the corporation.
This business is a direct outgrowth of Mr. SU-
vestri's enterprise. When he came to Youngstown
fourteen years ago he had only $1,000 of capital.
He used this to open a sraall stock of groceries at
375 East Federal Street, The enterprise grew and
prospered, and his credit as an energetic and reliable
raerchant also became thoroughly established. A
year later he was able to associate with hiraself
sufficient capital to organize the Youngstown Gro
cery Company, Its authorized capital was $10,000,
and it began operations with a paid-up capital of
$6,000, A little more than ten years later the capi

tal of the company stands at $100,000, and the busi
ness is one of the largest of its kind in the Mahon
ing Valley, Mr. Silvestri has been president and
treasurer of the corporation from the beginning.
He was born in Southern Italy in i87g, second of
the seven chUdren of Frank and Araelia Silvestri.
He had the equivalent of a high school education
and spent three years in the artillery branch of the
Italian army as a non-commissioned officer. Mr.
SUvestri came to the United States in igo4, and
for about a year was manager of a foreign ex
change bank at New York City. In igi3 Mr. SU
vestri bought the handsorae structure at 340 East
Front Street where the Youngstown Grocery Com
pany now has its home. He owns the buUding in
dividually. The first place of business of the
Youngstown Grocery Company was in the Norris
Block, and subsequently raoved to the corner of
East Boardman and Watt Streets.
Mr. Silvestri is a member of the Charabers of
Commerce of New York City and of Youngstown,
is a republican and a member of St. Edward Catho
lic Church. In New York in 1904 he married Clara
Russo, daughter of Frederick Russo.- She was born
at Avellino, Italy, They have three chUdren, Amelia,
Isabel and Francis.
James S. Harding, a well-to-do and respected
farmer who has lived practically his whole life in
Ellsworth Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, and
in fact was born on the same farm upon which he
still resides, is a descendant of one of the pioneers
of the county. The Harding faraily in colonial
generations was resident in Pennsylvania, and his
great-grandfather, who was the first of the family to
take up residence in Ohio, came with his faraily into
the Mahoning Valley frora near Allentown, Lehigh
County, Pennsylvania in 1803, and settled in Canfield
Township a little to the northward of Canfield VU
lage. flis son George, grandfather of Jaraes S., was
ten years old when the faraily removed from Penn
sylvania, and he grew to manhood in Canfield Town
ship. When he married Elizabeth Bortz, of Ellsworth
Township, he moved into that township, and took
up the cultivation of the tract of land upon which
the three generations of his branch of theflarding
faraily have since lived, and upon which his grand
son, James S,, still lives. He acquired considerable
landed estate during his lifetime, including 209 acres
that coraprised the Bortz homestead. flis son,
George, Jr., was born in Ellsworth Township, in the
same house in which his grandson, James S., was
eventually born, the former's birth date being July
24, 1834. Eventually George flarding, Jr., became
one of the largest farming landowners in the neigh
borhood, becoming the owner by inheritance and ac
quirement of 1,120 acres altogether, part of which had
been bought by his father or by himself as improved
farms. Both father and son did some pioneering
work, but both gave the greater part of their time
to the raising of cattle and sheep, and required pastur
age principally. The pasturage George, Jr., owned
was classed with the richest of that fertile section of
the Mahoning Valley, and when George Harding, Jr.,
in 1880, built a sixteen- room stone house it was'
generaUy considered to be one of the largest and

^^^,^.^^.^(^^iM^^-

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

393

best-fitted farm houses in the country. That house
was built on that part of his property which was
formerly the Bortz property, and the Bortz farra of
157 acres, which came into the Harding estate by
purchase from Henry Bortz, by George, Jr., has since
been sold, with fifty-two acres purchased from the
Arnes estate, and the coraraodious house is therefore
not now in the possession of James S. Harding.
George Harding, Jr., was a man of influence in the
township ; was elected to many township offices ; and
generally was well-regarded in the county. Politically
he was a republican. He was a man of strong
character and good religious principle, a Presbyterian
of active church interest. He raarried Lucretia Mus
ser, and their chUdren were : Jaraes S., of whora
raore is written below ; Mary, who raarried C. M.
Kirk, a lumber raanufacturer and dealer of Axis,
Alabaraa; Aulurah, who married Calvin C. Neff, a
merchant of Canfield, Mahoning County, reference
to whose life is elsewhere given, as are many other
references to the Neff family, in this work. Both
the sisters were graduates of the North-Eastern Ohio
Normal College at Canfield. James also graduated
from the sarae school, taking the business course.
Jaraes S. flarding, only son of George, Jr., and
Lucretia (Musser) Harding, was born on Novera
ber 28, 1863, upon the farra in Ellsworth Township,
Mahoning County, upon which he still lives, and in
the house wherein his father twenty-nine years
earlier had been born. The house is still standing.
Jaraes passed his boyhood in Ellsworth Township,
and when he becarae old enough helped his father
in the operation of the home farra. He raarried
when he was thirty-one years old, on his birthday
in fact, and soon afterward took over the full control
and operation of the horae farra from his father.
He received as his share of the parental estate the
209-acre farm formerly known as the Bortz farra,
and also 276 acres of the flarding farra. This exten
sive acreage he cultivated for more than twenty
years. In 1913 he began to rent his farm to tenants,
and he built a comfortable residence on the opposite
side of the road to that on which stands the house
in which he was born. He has always been fond of
horses, and at one time was a successful exhibitor
at local fairs. His father had been a director of the
County Fair for raore than fifteen years, and he,
Jaraes Harding, has been a director for some years.
He had good success in developing road and high-
action horses, and was generally able to command
good prices.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. James S, Harding has
been without issue, which may have been the pre
dorainating influence deciding hira to sell the greater
part of his farming estate. His wife, whom he
raarried on Noveraber 28, 1894, was Cora Bowraan,
daughter of Comfort C, and iMary E, (Bare) Bow
man, of Ellsworth Township, and great-granddaughter
of Philip Casper Bowman, who first came into Ma
honing County in 1806 (see raany other references
to the Bowraan faraUy written for this work). Mrs.
Cora (Bowraan) flarding was born in the old Bow
raan homestead in Green Township, Mahoning
County, and was well educated, taking the music
course at the college at Canfield. She, however, did
not enter professional life, for she was only twenty-

one years old when she married Jaraes Harding,
They are both well-known throughout the county,
and respected generally by their raany acquaintances
in Ellsworth and contiguous townships.
Mr. Harding stUl retains 276 acres for his own
purposes, and some of his land is quite valuable in
minerals. Coal was discovered on the Harding prop
erty fifty years ago, and was operated for many
years, and there are rich liraestone and sandstone
deposits, both of which have been quarried.
Mr. Harding is a man of useful public spirit, and
has had creditable part in much public work of
iraportance and benefit to his township. He has been
prorainent araong the leaders of the good roads move
ment, and actuaUy donated the material of which
the first hard road through the township was built.
Again, the establishraent of the rural free delivery
of mail in EUsworth Township was raainly the con
suraraation of his forceful agitation for such service.
And for the present excellent telephonic facUities in
the neighborhood residents give credit to Mr. Hard
ing, for he assuraed a good deal of raonetary expense
and liability in securing a satisfactory service. He is
one of the substantial raen of the township, and
raight have held most of the township offices had he
wished to stand for election. But he has never
sought office ; in fact he has raore than once refused
to stand for election to such, preferring to do what
public service he could in his private capacity as a
well-intentioned neighbor and unselfish townsraan.
fle was one of the founders of the Canfield Bank,
and has been one of its directors since its establish
raent. As a farmer he has had a creditable career,
for he was quite a young man when he had to assume
full responsibility for the successful operation of the
extensive farming interests left to hira by his father,
and by his conduct of such affairs he proved himself
to be a man of reliability and steadiness, a good and
enterprising business man. He gave close study to
the raising of cattle and horses, and visited some of
the best stock farms in the country, including the
Moose HUl Jersey Farm at Worcester, Massachusetts.
He is also an enthusiastic sportsman and traveler.
He has done rauch hunting in the State of Alabaraa,
and has toured the Adirondack and Catskill Moun
tains and the Berkshire Hills. A delightful experi
ence was his trip to the Thousand Islands. Alto
gether, Mr. Harding is a man of much knowledge
of the world, is well read, and is of whole-hearted
loyalty. That was demonstrated during the progress
of the World war, which brought such stupendous
calls in personal or financial service to all patriots.
Mr. Harding subscribed loyally to most of the issues
of governraent and governraental agency bonds and
the like. He has also always contributed liberally to
church and charitable institutions, and throughout his
manhood years has been a consistent and helpful
member of the local Presbyterian Church.
George Aret Ewing, who for thirty-five years has
lived on the farm he owns in MUton Township, Ma
honing County, and until two years ago, when he
retired, steadily tilled that acreage year after year,
has had good business success, and is considered to
be one of the most representative and substantial
residents of MUton Township. His residence is situ-

394

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

ated near the MUton Dam, built by the City of
Youngstown upon thirty acres of land bought from
Mr. Ewing, and he is widely known through the
county. The Ewing family is one of the pioneer farailies
of the Mahoning Valley, and there will be found in
this and other histories of the section of Ohio very
many references to the pioneer and later genera
tions of the Ewing faraily. George Aret Ewing is
a grandson of Alexander Ewing, who about a cen
tury ago carae into Ohio frora near Meadville, Penn
sylvania, and settled in the northeastern part of
Jackson Township, about lYz miles to the north
ward of Lipke's Corners, and about four railes north
ward of the horae of that branch of the Ewing
family now represented by Frank, Harvey and
Samuel O. Ewing, extensive reference to whose lives
wUl be found elsewhere in this work. Before coraing
into Ohio Alexander Ewing had taken part in the
War of 1812 with a MeadvUle, Pennsylvania, com
pany, but he spent the greater part of his life in
Ohio, fle was seventy-five years old when he died,
and his last years were spent in Pricetown, a small
village on the county line, partly in Mahoning County
but mostly in Trumbull County, and about half a
mile nortli of the farm of his grandson, George A.
Ewing. Alexander Ewing was the father of nine
children, who were remarkable for their longevity.
None now live, but raost of them passed the allotted
three score years and ten, and the last to die was
Asa, the youngest child, whose death occurred in a
western state, in 1918, he being then about eighty
years old. The nine children in order of birth were :
William, who was in octogenarian age when he died ;
John, also in the octogenary class; Beriah, who lived
beyond eighty years; Benjamin; Ralph, a septu-
agenary before his death; George; Silas, who was
more, than seventy when he died; Levi, who died
while in his forties ; Asa, who died in 1918,
George Ewing, son of Alexander and father of
George Aret, was only fifty-three years old when
he died, fle took up professional studies, secured
the raedicai degree, and practiced for a while in
Newton Falls, but later in Pricetown. He was
widely known as a physician in that part of the
county and in TrurabuU County. He died of typhoid
fever, contracted perhaps in his practice. He took
great interest in the public affairs of Mahoning
County. His home in Pricetown was in the Mahon
ing County section, and he entered actively into pub
lic moveraents. Politically he was a deraocrat, but
he never sought or accepted political office. For
many years he was a justice of the peace, and in
other ways was one of the leading citizens, but
his professional ties were too many to perrait hira
to take the liability of legislative office. He raust
have had a wide and lucrative practice, for during
his life his investments in land totalled to more than
500 acres, and he reared four children to whom he
afforded superior education. He married Nancy
flenry, of Austintown Township, Mahoning County,
daughter of the Reverend John flenry, of the Church
of the Disciples of Christ denoraination. Mrs.
Ewing died in Pricetown, Mahoning County, when
sixty-one years old. Their four children were :
Harrison J,, who is now deceased, is reraerabered as

a teacher in Mahoning County in early manhood,
but eventually he went to Cleveland, where he en
tered law practice, and gained some distinction as
a criminal lawyer at that place, George Aret is the
raain subject of this sketch. His second name was
given him in honor of Isaac Errett, an old-tirae
rainister of the Disciples of Christ Church, and the
spelling was changed to Aret by his father. Regard
ing George Aret Ewing more follows. Harriet C.
died at Chardon, Ohio. She was twice raarried, first
to A. J. "Wolfe, an attorney, and subsequently to
Sarauel W. Black. Mary Jane lives at Chardon,
Ohio, and is the widow of Aaron Brannon, of that
place. George Aret Ewing, second child of Dr. George
and Nancy (Henry) Ewing, was born in Nev/ton
Falls, Ohio, on May 11, 1850. In his boyhood he
attended the local schools, and later took the pre
paratory course at Hirara College. It was his in
tention to follow a profession. He entered the
teaching profession when he was graduated from
Hirara College, he being then nineteen years old,
and for four or five years thereafter taught in the
district schools of Mahoning County. Eventually,
however, his father's large investraents in farraing
land caused him to give up educational work, and
for some years before the death of his father he
with his elder brother operated the farras for his
father. At the death of the latter George A. in
herited 140 acres of the parental estate, and later
bought additional land, all in Milton Township, Ma
honing County. There he has lived for thirty-five
years, and for many years was a large raiser of
Merino sheep. Thirty acres of his farm was acquired
by the City of Youngstown for the purpose of the
Milton Dam project, and two years ago he retired
from active farming, passing over the operation of
his farm to his joungest son Thad H. Like his
father, George Aret Ewing has not been inclined to
seek public office, and with the exception ot one
term as assessor and constable, he has not under
taken any township office, though he might have had
many offices had he been so inclined, for he and
his family are held in high esteem in the district
and county. Politically, although he was reared a
deraocrat, he has for raany years been a staunch
supporter of the republican partv-, and for many
years has been a township comraitteeraan.
fle was twenty-eight years old when he married
Lois Force, daughter of Robert and Ellen (Lingo)
Force. She was born in Alilton Township, and they
are of like age. Four children have been born to
thera, all of whora live. The children in order of
birth are : Alraa, who raarried Goraer iEvans, now
deceased, of Girard, Ohio, and she is a trained
nurse; Fred E,, a successful farraer of Ashland,
Ohio ; Aret Gustave, widely known in the vicinity of
Newton FaUs, and latterly a R. F. D. carrier frora
that center; and Thad H., who learned the trade
of carpentry, and as a building contractor has had
sorae success. He lives with his parents, and has
now taken over the operation of the horae farra,
frora which his father retired two years ago.
Thomas P. So'^'ash. .A man of untiring energy
and exceUent business ability, Thomas P. Sowash

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

395

occupies a position of note in the mercantUe circles
of Youngstown as manager of the Cudahy Packing
interests in this section of the Mahoning Valley.
He was born March 6, 1883, in Newcastie, Pennsyl
vania, a son of Peter F. and Martha Sowash, coming
on the paternal side of a house of German ancestry,
his people having lived in the Rhine Valley. His
father, a veteran of the CivU war, moved from
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, to Newcastle, where
he resided until his death, at the age of four score
and four years, during his active life having been
engaged in the blacksraith's trade.
The tenth child in a faraily of eleven chUdren,
Thoraas P. Sowash obtained his early education in
the public schools of Newcastle, and when a young
lad entered the eraploy of the Adaras Express Com
pany, with which he was associated thirteen years,
serving in all capacities, first as driver and later
becoraing agent for the corapany. Mr. So-wash later
became identified with the Cudahy Packing Cora
pany, which he has since served raost faithfully and
ably, beginning as driver of a wagon and subsequently
filling all the interraediate positions until being pro
raoted to his present one as raanager of the interests
of the firra in Youngstown, coming from Newcastle,
Pennsylvania, to this city.
Mr. Sowash married in 1908 Elsie, daughter of
Richard Krause, of New Castle, Pennsylvania, and
into the household thus established, two children
have made their appearance, Oswald and Flora Dale,
Fraternally Mr. Sowash belongs to the Order of
Moose. iMrs. Sowash is a meraber of the Gerraan
Lutheran Church.
James Porter McNeilly gave half a century of
his life to the practice of farming and the duties of
good citizenship in Ellsworth Township before he
sold his farm and retired to the village of Ellsworth.
He is one of the few surviving veterans of the CivU
war living in that section of the Mahoning Valley,
and has enjoyed a long and useful life of more than
three quarters of a century.
Mr. McNeilly was born two mUes northeast of
Ellsworth February l, 1844. flis birth occurred on
the farm which he owned for many years, fle is
a son of James and Elizabeth (Trimble) McNeilly,
who came out of County Down, Ireland, where they
were married, flis father was born about 1800 and
in 1827 brought his faraily to Mahoning County,
first locating in Jackson and later in Ellsworth Town
ship. Jaraes iMcNeilly and wife had relatives in
Jackson Township, including raembers of the Kirk
patrick family, flis wife's sister, Mrs. John Wilson,
came about the same time and located at Canfield.
James McNeilly acquired a tract of timber land
and built a log cabin in the forest, and for several
years the howling of wolves was a regular accom
paniment to their sleep. Later he built a substantial
frame house, and with the assistance of his sons
cleared the land. He died in 1849, and his widow
survived him until 1870. She and her children con
tinued the work begun by James McNeilly, and she
lived to see all her children established in homes of
their own. These children were : Robert, who spent
bis life in Ellsworth Township, never married, and
¦died when past middle age; WiUiam J., who be

came a shoemaker and later a farmer in Wayne
Township, where he died and where his famUy stUl
live ; Margaret, who became the wife of E. P. iMiller
and lived on a farm adjoining the old horaestead;
Eliza, also deceased, was the wife of Ward Dean,
and had no chUdren; Sarauel, who lived a half raUe
north of Ellsworth ; Mary Melissa, who married
Clark Ewing, living at Austintown, and their son
Frank Ewing is represented elsewhere in this pub
lication; James Porter, next to the youngest; and
Martha, widow of Frank Fitch, at Ellsworth.
Jaraes Porter McNeilly grew up on the home farm,
attended the district schools, the acaderaies at Ells
worth and Canfield, and beginning at eighteen was
a teacher for eight winter terras in Ellsworth, Jack
son and Austintown townships. All these schools
were near his horae, and his qualities a,s a discipli
narian were thoroughly tested, since he had sorae
hard and difficult cases among his pupUs. In the spring
of 1864 he joined Company G of the Ohio Militia, a
railitary organization that had been in existence for
several years. When the call carae for volunteers
the entire company enlisted, and he went out as
an orderly sergeant, fle was in Virginia and Ken
tucky, chiefly on guard duty, and for a time was
guarding a lighthouse at Cape flenry. At his dis
charge he was in a hospital, and it was several weeks
before he could return home.
February 2, 1871, Mr. McNeUly married Jerusha
Fitch, a sister of Frank Fitch and daughter of
Richard and Nancy (Webb) Fitch. She was born
on the old Fitch homestead a raile north of Ells
worth, and she and Mr. McNeilly were chUdren in
school together.
After the death of his raother Mr. McNeilly had
acquired the old horaestead of eighty-five acres, and
this was the scene of his labors and intelligent raan
ageraent for upwards of half a century. In 1884 he
built the substantial nine-roora residence on the farra,
and two years later erected a large bank barn. In
other ways he raade the farra a profitable proposi
tion, had laid a great deal of tile for drainage, and
in later years had raade liberal applications of lime
stone to the soil. The value of these improveraents
was deraoustrated when in 1917 he sold the home
stead, it being the first farm in that locality to sell
for over $ICX3 an acre. After leaving the farm Mr,
McNeUly bought the old McKinney home in Ells
worth, one of the old landmarks of the village.
WhUe living in a republican township and a re
publican he never sought public office. His parents
were prorainent merabers of the Presbyterian Church
at Austintown, and Mr. McNeilly has been an elder
in his horae church since 1892. He has attended a
number of Presbyteries and he worships today in
the same building wbere he first united with the
church. Mrs. McNeilly was also devoted to her
church work, though raost of her life and efforts
were given to her horae. She died April 8, 1915.
fler grandfather, Richard Fitch, had corae into this
section of the Mahoning Valley in 1806. Mr. and
Mrs. McNeilly had two chUdren: Francis Fitch,
who was born January 13, 1876, died in April, 1899,
having lived long enough to prove the excellent
qualities of his character and good citizenship. A
few months before his death he married Glenadore

396

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

Noble, who is now Mrs. Clyde Horton. The daugli
ter, Fannie Alberta, was born October 21, 1879, and
died February 20, 1881. Since the death of his good
wife Mr. McNeiUy's home has been looked after by
his niece, Frances Fitch, a daughter of Colbert Fitch.
Robert Ewing Gault, A farmer of advanced
ideas that have been put into practice and haye
deraoustrated results on his own land, a worker in
the modern program of rural life, in such organiza
tions as the farm bureau, grange and county fairs,
Robert Ewing Gault has had a busy life, and one
not -without influence and benefit upon the cora
raunity where he has spent his life.
Mr. Gait is the youngest of the twelve children
of Robert and Marjorie (Ewing) Gault, a member
of a family that has been identified with Jackson
Township since the earliest years of the nineteenth
century, and was born on the old homestead where
his brother Gibson now lives on March 7, 1855. A
brief record and account of the activities of some of
the elder generations and members of the family
are published elsewhere.
Robert Ewing Gault spent his boyhood at horae,
attended the Acaderay at Canfield and the Union
Serainary at Poland under Doctor Dickson. As the
youngest son he reraained at horae, worked the
fields, and eventually acquired eighty acres of the old
horaestead. fle has since increased his farra to 125
acres, and has given it all the raodern improvements.
He has a basement barn, has built a new hoiise and
has extensively employed tile drainage, limed his
land, and from his stables produces most of the
fertilizer required. Mr. Gault for many years has
conducted a dairy, having a herd of Jerseys, nearly
all registered. For a nuraber of years he was a
director in the County Agricultural Society and its
president for several years, fle has never been in
terested in public office or politics, though a repub
lican voter, and has found other means of pro
moting the good of the coraraunity. He has always
been deeply interested in good schools, and has
identified hiraself with the prograra of good road
building in Jackson Township. Mr. Gault during
his busy life has also cleared mariy acres of heavy
timber, and has converted the trees into luraber
and staves.
At the age of twenty-two he married Ruby Beards
ley, a daughter of Almos Beardsley of Canfield
Township. She died two years later. In 1885 he
married Jessie Dunlap of Rio, Wisconsin. Her
father had formerly lived in Mahoning County.
WhUe Mr. and Mrs. Gault have no children of their
own they took into their home Carl Bloot at the
age of twelve and kept hira and educated hira until
twenty-one. He is now a thrifty and industrious
young raan working for a street car corapany at
Butler, Pennsylvania. One of the strongest or
ganizations of the Knights of Pythias in Eastern
Ohio is the lodge at North Jackson, with which
Mr. Gault has been actively identified for forty
years. Joseph F, Williams, Three generations of the
WiUiaras faraily have lived in 'Youngstown during
the past sixty years. Operation of coal mines was

the principal business during the first two genera
tions, while Joseph F, WUliams of the third is one
of the representative and active lawyers of Youngs
town. The latter was born at Youngstown, January 21,
1881, ¦ son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Pritchard)
"WiUiams. flis parents were both born in Wales and
were brought to the United States in early child
hood. The grandfather also was named Joseph
WiUiams and settied with his family in Youngs
town about 1858. fle operated coal mines at Fos-
tervUle, Ohio, flis son Joseph on reaching man
hood also becarae a coal operator and was one of the
first to work the coal frora the hUls adjoining the
"Youngstown & Southern Railway. Later he was in
the puddling department of the Brown-Bonnell Iron
and Steel Plant for a number of years, and is now
giving his time to his duties as general agent of the
Youngstown Huraane Society.
Joseph F. Williams received his primary educa
tion in the grararaar schools of Youngstown, gradu
ated frora the Rayen High School in 1900 and took
both his college and professional work in Western
Reserve University, fle was graduated from Adel
bert CoUege in 1904 with the A. B. degree, and
received his LL. B. degree in 1906. Admitted to the
bar that year, he began practice,, and in 1907 be
came a meraber of the firra WUliams & Cooper.
This relationship was continued with mutual profit
untU 1918 when iMr. Cooper was elected a judge of
the Court of Coramon Pleas in Mahoning County.
Since then Mr. Williams has carried on a large law
practice as an individual.
He is a member of the County, State and Araeri
can Bar associations, belongs to the Belmont Ath
letic Association, and is affiliated with Lake Erie
Consistory of the Scottish Rite Masons at Cleveland,
and also -Al Koran Temple of the Mystic Shrine.
June 12, 1907, he married Miss Gussie Kelley Ham
ilton of Kelleys Island, Ohio. They have two chil
dren: Aladeline, born in 1910, and Nancy, born in
1918. John A. Buck, a well-to-do and respected farraer
of Jackson Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, and
now living in retireraent in the Village of North
Jackson, was born in Bazetta Township, TrurabuU
County, Ohio, on October 15, 1854, the son of Michael
and Mary Ann (Gilbert) Buck. The latter was born
in Austintown Township, Mahoning County, but the
father, Michael Buck, was born in another state, and
was brought into Ohio and to Mahoning Valley when
he was eight years old. David Buck, grandfather of
John A,, carae frora New A'ork State to Austin-
town, and when Michael grew to raanhood and
raarried, he, Michael, went into TrurabuU County
and took up the farra in Bazetta Township upon
which John A. -was born, A year or so after the
birth of the latter Michael Buck returned to Austin-
town and entered into possession of the farm upon
which John A. lived until marriage. Michael iBuck
died on that farm, which is about one-half a raile to
the south of .Austintown, at the age of seventy-two-
years. His wife, Mary Ann GUbert, had long pre
deceased him, death coming to her when she was
only fifty-four years old. She was the daughter of
John Gilbert, a cabinet maker well-known in Austin-

S^<^<^/I^eeuu^

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

397

town Township, fle owned a farra several hundred
acres in extent situated about ij4 miles southward
of Austintown, that property going at his death to
his son John A. Gilbert, who died on the farm, which
then became the property of his daughter, who is
the wife of Doctor Schurrenberger, whose life is
elsewhere recorded in this edition of Mahoning
County history. David Buck, father of Michael and
grandfather of John A., was the father of nine
chUdren, .four sons and five daughters. Only one
of the nine still survives, John Buck, a Civil war
veteran living in Paulding County. iMichael' s three
brothers were veterans of the Civil war, Hirara
serving with an Indiana regiraent and being a farraer
in that state at that tirae; John serving with a Ma
honing County corapany, and taking up residence in
Paulding County twenty-five years ago; and Daniel,
also serving with a local corapany. John was cap
tured by the Confederate forces, and was held for a
long tirne in a Southern prison. Michael was a well-
regarded resident, but had no inclination for public
office, fle attended industriously to his farra opera
tion, and was a good husband and father. He and
his wife, Mary Ann (GUbert), were the parents of
three children, sons, who by narae and in order of
birth were : John A., of whora raore follows ;
Sarauel Jefferson, who died in Austintown at the
age of fifty-one years; and Charles C, who died
in Canfield Township at the age of forty-two years.
John A. Buck, first-born of Michael and Mary
Ann (Gilbert) Buck, lived on the home farra until
he raarried, in 1878, he being then twenty-four years
old. In 1881 he bought a good farra in Jackson
Township, on the Youngstown Road, and about ij^
raUes to the eastward of North Jackson, and that
farra he operated steadily and with invariably good
success, for twenty-nine years, when he retired. The
farm, which forraerly was known as the Cyrus Pain
farm, he brought into very good cultivation. The
house is a corafortable one and was built sixty years
ago by Cyrus Pain. Mr. Buck built a substantial
barn during his occupancy of the farra, and his son
Chauncey, who now has the farm, has erected two
silos, so that the property is well iraproved in all
ways. John A. Buck during his active operation of
the farra did well in general farraing, to which the
farra is best adapted, and at most times kept good
stock. Politically he is a republican, but he has
never evinced any eagerness for public office. He
has, nevertheless, been elected to office, and has for
two years undertaken the duties of township assessor.
He married in 1878 Mary M. Moherman, daughter
of Daniel and Susan (Miller) Moherraan, the forraer
a substantial farmer in Austintown Township, owner
of a fine farm which is now in the possession of his
son John Moherraan. Mr. and Mrs. John A. Buck
have two children : Chauncey A. in early raanhood
was a. teacher, but has given his tirae wholly to
farraing matters since the retirement of his father
ffoih the farm, which he now and has since igo8
! ! ! operated. He raarried Lulu May Miller, but there
has been no issue. Edith married S. fl. Goldner,
who is connected with the Stambaugh-Thompson
Company, and is succeeding well in life. They have
one child, a son, John Robert.

James Renwick Ewing, The Ewings are a family
that can claim raore than a century of residence in
Mahoning County, and raen of that narae have
achieved honor and respect by reason of their ac
tivities as farmers, business men and in the profes
sions, and by the deep loyalty and sincerity of their
citizenship. Of this faraily, Jaraes Renwick Ewing has given
most of his life to the cares and duties of agricul
ture. His horae is in Jackson Township, twelve
iniles southwest of Youngstown, and he was born
in the same township October 4, 1852. His grand
father, John Ewing, was a Scotch Irishman, a native
of. Ireland, and came to Mahoning County about
1803. He was a brother of Archibald Ewing, who
came at the sarae tirae and established another weU
known branch of the faraily in this section. John
Ewing married Margaret Orr and spent his active
life on a farm in Jackson Township and reared a
large faraily. The naraes of his chUdren were Mary,
Marjorie, Martha, Anna, Nellie, Sarah, Rebecca,
Catherine, Alexander, Gibson and John, The old
horaestead was acquired by his son John, who was
the father of Samuel O. Ewing.
Gibson Ewing, father of Jaraes R., was born in
Jackson Township July 23, 1818, and grew up among
the familiar scenes of a frontier country. On May
19, 1842, he married 'Margaret Riddle, who was born
on the farra now owned by her son Jaraes Renwick
Ewing, Septeraber 18, 1823, daughter of Sarauel and
Margaret Riddle, both of whora spent their lives on
the farra just raentioned. Margaret Riddle inherited
100 acres of this place, and at the time of his mar
riage Gibson Ewing settled in the woods and by
many years of industry accumulated a well improved
estate of nearly 300 acres. Gibson Ewing died Feb
ruary II, 1890, his wife having passed away in
January, 1872. They were the parents of a large
family of chUdren, six of whom reached mature
years : Samuel John, born July 17, 1844, was an
early volunteer in the Forty-First Ohio Infantry,
and after being wounded was brought horae and
died May 2, 1863, at the age of nineteen ; Martha
Ann, who was born August 7, 1846, died Septeraber
17, 1902, just two weeks after the death of her hus
band, D. R. Johnson, who was a brother of the
late Judge Johnson; James Renwick; Rutherford,
born October 9, 1858, died at the age of twenty-two;
Mary E., wife of Frank Clemens, living at Warren,
Ohio; and Sarah M,, wife of H. S. Klingman.
James Renwick Ewing acquired his early educa
tion in the public schools of Jackson Township, at
tended the old Poland Union Seminary, and on
October 23, 1873, married Mary Lynn, of the promi
nent Lynn famUy of Canfield, She was born in the
southwest part of Jackson Township April 7, 1854,
a daughter of Levi Lynn,
At the time of his marriage Mr, Ewing raoved to
the Riddle farra, in which his raother had inherited
a third interest. Assisted by his father Jaraes Ewing
bought out the other heirs, and started with 100
acres. Later he bought fifty-four acres more, and
then divided his property into two farras, buUding
a new set of buildings on the south part. His son
Renwick L. farmed this portion until his death two
years later, and that land was then sold, leaving at

398

YOUNGSTOWN AND THE MAHONING VALLEY

present seventy-seven acres of the old property.
Mr. Ewing has spent his business life on this farm,
has taken pride in its improveraent and development
and its productiveness, and for many years the place
has been a dairy farm. His sons have been interested
in the breeding of Jersey cattle for a number of
years. The old horae was a brick house, and Mr.
Ewing replaced it with the present residence, modern
in every respect, with acetylene lighting plant, running
water, bath, and hot air furnace.
Mr. Ewing and family are merabers of the Pres
byterian Church, and in politics he has always been
affiliated as a republican. He served, nine years as
trustee of the township, and his son George is one
of the present trustees. His son Renwick also served
as a trustee.
Mr. and Mrs. Ewing were the parents of four
chUdren. Mrs. Ewing died September 24, 1912, at
the age of fifty-eight years and five months, and
there were three deaths in the family just two years
apart. The oldest of the children is Harmon R.,
born May 14, 1875, a successful attorney at Sebring,
who raarried Nora Tibbitt, of Jackson Township,
daughter of John and Almira Tibbitt, now living
retired at Warren. Harmon Ewing and wife have
one son, Howard, born Noveraber 24, 1902.
The second of the chUdren was Austin Rutherford,
who was born March 10, 1879, arid died November 11,

1914. He was at the time of his death a sergeant
on the police force at Youngstown and was killed
while riding a fire truck to a fire, being thrown from
the running board against a telephone pole. His wife
was Anna Krause, adopted daughter of Lee Krause
of Youngstown. She had been a professional nurse
and since the death of her husband has resuraed
that profession in a hospital at Youngstown. She
is the raother of one daughter, Raraah M., now
eleven years of age.
Renwick L. Ewing, born December 14, 1881, died
October 23, 1916. fle was one of the progressive
young farmers of Jackson Township and was active
as a Jersey cattle man and in township affairs, fle
raarried Estella Williaras, daughter of DeLos Wil
liaras of Ellsworth Township, and she is now living
in Arizona.
The youngest of the faraily, George G. Ewing,
was born September 21, 1886, and has spent his actiye
life on the horae farm. His brother Renwick had
operated the horaestead for five years before his
death, and then George rented the land and is now
in the full tide of his career as a farraer and stock
raiser. He married Oneda Buntse, daughter of John
and Jane Buntse, of Ellsworth Township. Their
three children are Loren, born August 5, 1909 ; Robert
A., born September 7, 1912; and Mary Jane, born
April 17, 1915.

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