USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 47
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 47
USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 47
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By birth he is an Englishman, his native place being Worcestershire, and his natal day May 23, 1835. He entered the rolling mill at the age of fourteen, and by the time he was twenty-one had mastered his trade and become an expert iron and tin roller.
Upon the request of Phillips & Jourdan, of Covington, Kentucky, Mr. Harris came to the United States as a boss sheet-iron roller, and was in the employ of the firm for some time; was then with the Globe Iron Company, and afterward went to Newport, Kentucky, where he remained a period of six
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B'OGRAPHICAL HISTORY
years, in the employ of Alexander Swift. He superintended the erection of a sheet mill at Cincinnati, Ohio, and for a half dozen years was connected with it in an important capac- ity. He next went to Chicago, and there built a plate and bar mill, in which he had a financial interest, and which he superintended until 1876. In this year he returned to En- gland for the purpose of putting in a patent of his own invention; he was on this busi- ness two years, but took up his residence again in this country at the expiration of this tine. He located in Wheeling, West Vir- ginia, as a roller until 1880, when he went to St. Louis, Missouri, and there erected the Granite Iron Rolling Mills, of which he was superintendent thirteen years.
In the year 1891 he made two trips across the ocean and back in the interest of the firm of Neidringhaus Bros., buying up machinery for the new tin plate mill which was being built for that firm according to his instruc- tions. He visited England, Belgium, France and Germany, doing very important business for the company. The offer of the superin- tendency of the Falcon Sheet Iron and Tin Plate Mill was made to him in 1892, and was accepted in March of that year. He has a financial interest in the new plant of this company, which is in process of building. It will be fitted out with modern machinery of the most improved patterns, and the prod- uct of this mill will not find a superior in the market.
Mr. Harris is a son of William Birch Harris, and a nephew of James Harris, mentioned elsewhere in this volume. Our subject was united in marriage, in Worcester. shire, England, in 1855, to Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Richard Smith. Four children have been born to them: Agnes, Albert, Louisa and John A.
Mr. Harris is a man of superior business qualifications, and has a talent and taste for mechanics, which he has cultivated to a good purpose. Witli a practical knowledge of every detail of the business, he is without an equal in the position he holds with the Arms Company.
Mr. Harris was made a Mason in Cincin- nati, Ohio, in 1861. In politics he is a stanch Republican. He is a man of fine physique, of a genial and generous nature, and is a patriotic, public-spirited citizen.
HOMAS K. WILSON, Township Trustee of Howland township, Trum- bull county, Ohio, is one of the leading men in this part of the county.
Mr. Wilson was born in Bazetta township, Trumbull county, Ohio, January 12, 1835, son of James G. Wilson, deceased, one of the well-known early pioneers of the township. James G. Wilson was born at Springfield, Vermont, August 16, 1800, son of Samuel Wilson, a native of Massachusetts, and a de- scendant of Scotch-Irish ancestors, Samuel Wilson's father having come to this country from the Emerald Isle. James G. Wilson was reared and educated in Vermont, and in 1818, at the age of eighteen, came with his parents to Ohio, where they spent the rest of their lives. James G. Wilson was married at the age of twenty-seven, to Miss Barbara Stevens, a native of Vermont and a daughter of Simon and Catherine (Wilson) Stevens. Their only child, Ithiel, was a surgeon in the late war, and died while in the service, aged twenty-seven, leaving a young widow. His mother died in 1833. James G. Wilson's second marriage occurred October 8, 1837, to Miss Olive King, a native of this county and
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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.
a daughter of Samuel King, Esq., a promi- nent and well-known citizen liere. Her father was born in Connecticut, son of Barber and Anna (Scoville) King, who came to Ohio in 1804, and spent the rest of their lives and died in this county. Samuel King was a veteran of the war of 1812. He married Nancy Kennedy, a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Samuel Kennedy, a native of Ireland and of Scotch- Irish descent. Samuel and Nancy King had six children: Olive, Samuel K., Anna, Jane, James and Thomas. Samuel King served as Justice of the Peace for a quarter of a cen- tury, and during that time married scores of people. He died at the age of seventy-nine years, and his wife passed away at the age of eighty-seven. James G. Wilson and his wife had three sons who are still living: William Wells Wilson, a resident of Bazetta town- ship; Obed Orr Wilson, also of Bazetta town- ship; and T. K., a resident of Howland town- ship. They also lost one daughter, Armine, wife of Byron Taylor, who died July 14, 1863, leaving two children, James and Sam- nel H. The last named died at the age of fourteen years. After an active and useful life, James G. Wilson passed away, in April, 1885, aged eighty-five years. Politically, he was a Republican. His widow is living with her son, Thomas, and his maternal grand- inother, Nancy King, lived and died at his home.
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T. K. Wilson was eleven years old when he came to the farin on which he now lives. This farm comprises 133 acres, and is well improved and under a high state of cultiva- tion. Here the subject of our sketch was reared and educated. He was married March 22, 1876, to Julia Daugherty, a lady of cul- ture and refinement, who was born and reared in Cuyahoga Falls, Summit county, Ohio,
danghter of William and Elizabeth (Marshall) Daugherty, the former a native of Holmes county, Ohio, and of Dutch descent, and the latter a native of Ireland, and now residents of this township.
Like his father, T. K. Wilson affiliates with the Republican party.
W ILLIAM T. WILLIAMS, president of the Mineral Ridge and Niles Electric Street Railroad, is one of the intelligent and successful business men of Trumbull county. He was born in Mum- bershire, Wales, June 18, 1843, a son of Thomas and Leah (Williams) Williams. The father, also a native of Wales, died at the age of ninety years. He was a coal miner by occupation, a Republican in political matters, and an officer in the West Congregational Church; was honest and industrious, and was respected and loved by all who knew him. The mother died in Summit county, Ohio, at the age of sixty-five years. They were the parents of eight children. In 1838 the par- ents emigrated to the United States and located at Minersville, Pennsylvania, the fatlier engaging in mining. From there they removed to Palmyra, Ohio, and later returned to Wales, where they remained about twenty years, when they again came to the United States, locating in Trumbull county, having been preceded one year by their son, William T., who first settled in Carbon county, Peun- sylvania,
W. T. Williams received his education principally by reading at home. At the age of nine years he began work in the coal mines, and in 1865 the family located in Mineral Ridge, Trumbull county, Ohio. Mr. Williams was one of the active workers in
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
securing the street railroad between Niles and Mineral Ridge, of which he is now president. He owns fine residence property midway between the two cities, and also owns and conducts a farm of 400 acres in Ma- honing county.
Our subject was married at North Dover, Ohio, September 21, 1865, to Rebecca Jack- son, a member of a prominent and respected family. Mr. Williams is an active worker in the Republican party, and has served as a member of the City Council and School Board of Mineral Ridge for a number of years. He is a self-made man, yet in the prime of life, is frank and cordial with all whom he meets, and is one of the leading and popular citizens of Trumbull county.
AMES AGUE, of Mineral Ridge, was born in Hubbard township, Trumbull county, March 26, 1826, a son of An- thony Ague, a native of Pennsylvania, but who came to Youngstown, Ohio, in 1806. Two of his brothers, John and George, were soldiers in the war of 1812. The mother of our subject, nee Leticia Kayse, was a native of New Jersey, of Holland Dutch ancestry. She died in Weathersfield township in 1832, leaving six children: Mary Ann, deceased; James, our subject; William, who served in the Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Battery during the late war, and now resides at Min- eral Ridge; Martha Jane, Lorinda, deceased, and Leticia. The father afterward married Catherine Boyd, and they had ten children.
James Ague, the subject of this sketch, re- moved to Heury county, Illinois, in 1854, which was then wild and unsettled, and en- gaged in farming and coal mining. In Au- gnet, 1862, he enlisted in the One Hundred
and Twelfth Illinois Infantry, for the late war, under Colonel T. J. Henderson, and the regiment made a gallant record. Mr. Ague was wounded at the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, July 25, 1863, and still carries the rebel lead in his body. After the battle of Knoxville his regiment was in the Third Brigade, Third Division, and Twenty-third Army Corps. After the Atlanta campaign he, with his regiment, followed Hood into Tennessee; in the spring rejoined Sherman, and marched through the Carolinas, then through Virginia to Washington, District of Columbia. He served with honor and credit two and a half years, and after the close of the struggle resided in Henry county, Illi- nois, until 1888. In that year he sold his possessions tliere and came to Trumbull county, Ohio.
Our subject was first married at Austin- town, Ohio, in 1848, to Malialah Bowen, a daughter of David and Mary Bowen. They had ten children, six now living: Clinton, Horace, George, Eugene, Helen and Martha. The wife and mother died in 1887, and in the following year Mr. Agne married her sister, Euphemia Bowen. Mr. Ague is iden- tified with the Republican party, and cast his first presidential vote for General Taylor. He is a member of the G. A. R., John A. Logan Post, No. 620, of which he is Past Commander, and he is a pensioner.
B ENJAMIN LEACH, of Trumbull county, was born in Youngstown township, Mahoning county, Ohio, December 1, 1816, a son of Abram and Amy (Luce) Leach, natives of New Jersey. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Abner Leach, served as a soldier in the Revolution-
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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.
ary war for seven years. Abram Leach was a soldier in the war of 1812. The parents of our subject had ten children: Polly, Joel, Abner, Sally, Eliza, Daniel, Benjamin, John, Stephen and Levi. The father died in Cham- pion township, at the age of seventy years, and the mother departed this life abont ten years later.
Benjamin Leach lived at Hubbard for several years, and in 1863 came to the place where he still resides. He was married in Fowler township, September 19, 1844, to Mary Royen, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, and a daughter of John and Sarah (Porter) Royen. The father died at the age of sixty years, and the mother at the age of eighty- four years. Mr. and Mrs. Leach have had seven children: Laura, wife of Anstin Tib- bits; Sarah, now Mrs. Abraham Van Wye; James; Kittie, wife of James Harper; John; Collie, wife of Walter Agler, of Garretts- ville, Ohio; and Annie, wife of Frank Stew- art. Both Mr. and Mrs. Leach are members of the Disciple Church. Mr. Leach supports the principles of the Republican party.
N ELSON J. McCOMBES, whose post office address is Niles, Ohio, is one of the prominent men of Howland town- ship, Trumbull county. He was born in this township, June 24, 1842, son of Milo McCombes, a native of Weathersfield town- ship, this county. Grandfather James Mc- Combes was one of the first settlers in this county, having come here from Pennsylvania when the woods abounded in bears and wolves, and when the Indians outnumbered the whites. He was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary war. Grandmother McCombes was, before her marriage, Miss Betsey Beard, and
she, too, was a native of Pennsylvania. Both the McCombes and the Beards are descended from Scotch- Irish ancestors who were Presby- terians. James McCombes and his wife passed the closing years of their lives in this county, and died and are buried here. They reared two children, John and Milo, both of whom are deceased. John was engaged in banking and other business in Warren, Ohio. Hle and his wife left one daughter, Charlotte, who is now the wife of George Ross, of Cleveland, Ohio. Milo McCombes was mar- ried at the age of twenty-one, to Harriet Nelson, a native of Liberty township, this county, and a daughter of John and Mar- garet (Steward) Nelson, both of her parents having died in Liberty township. Mrs. Mc- Combes died in Weathersfield township in 1851, leaving three children: N. J., the sub- ject of this article; Alice E., who married Tracy Lowry, and who died, leaving two chil- dren; and James, of Columbus, Ohio. James MeCombes has been blind from his birth. He is a music teacher. Milo McCombes married for his second wife Miss Rebecca Hake, and in 1856 he settled on the farm on which his son, N. J., now lives. This prop- erty was then known as the Dr. Seeley farm. He died at the age of sixty-two, and his widow still survives him.
N. J. McCombes was reared on his father's farın, and has been engaged in agricultural pursuits all his life. He owns 111 acres of land, one of the best farms in the township, which is well improved with good buildings, etc. His residence is 41 x 41 feet, and at the time it was built was one of the finest conn- try houses in the county. The barn is 40 x 50 feet in dimensions. Mr. McCombes has given special attention to the dairy business.
He was married in October, 1870, to Char- lotte Sowers, of Howland township, daugh-
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
ter of William and Mary (Hake) Sowers. They have two children, Harry C. and May Belle, aged nineteen and fifteen years respect- ively. Mr. McCombes is a Republican, as was his father before him. He is a member of the Disciple Church, and is an officer in the same.
D AVID FISK, one of the representative citizens of Champion township, Trum- buil county, Ohio, dates his birth in Montville, Geanga county, this State, July 27,1850.
The Fisk family is of Welsh origin. N. G. Fisk, the father of our subject, was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, son of David Fisk, who came with his family to Portage county, Ohio, at an early day, and who died here at an advanced age. David Fisk was the father of seven sons and four daughters. N. G. Fisk was married in Mont- ville, Ohio, to Betsey McFarland, who died when her sou David was abont five or six years old. She left three children, the other two being Charles and Warren. For his sec- ond wife, N. G. Fisk married Cordelia Mer- riman, by whom he had one child, W. E. He moved to Hubbard township, this county, about 1857, where he still resides on a farm. He is a member of the Disciple Church, affiliates with the Democratic party, and is one of the highly respected citizens of the community in which he lives.
David Fisk was reared on his father's farm and was educated at Hartford. He remained at home until he was nineteen years of age, when he rented land in Fowler township and subsequently in Champion. In 1882 he bought liis present farm of Jacob Dice, eighty acres, and on it he has since resided. This
place is nicely improved with cottage resi- dence and convenient farm buildings, and here Mr. Fisk is devoting his energies to general farming and also to the dairy busi- ness.
He was married March 7, 1878, in Bazetta township, this county, to Miss Anna M. Knox, daughter of T. S. and Sarah ( Rush) Knox, one of the leading citizens of the county. They have two sons: Ray N., born April 9, 1880, and Rolland S., born March 15, 1885.
At this writing, Mr. Fisk is filling the office of Township Trustee, having been elected on the Democratic ticket. Socially, he is iden- tified with West Mecca Lodge, No. 707, I. O. O. F. He is in the prime of life, and is ranked with the leading and most enterprising men of the county.
S AMUEL FENSTERMAKER, one of the representative citizens of Cham. pion township, Trumbull county, Ohio, was born in Jackson, Mahoning county, this State, March 3, 1833, son of Peter and Betsey Fenstermaker. The subject of our sketch has been a resident of Champion town- ship since he was eight years old, with the exception of time spent in Minnesota. After he reached his majority he learned the car- penter's trade, at which he worked a short time. He then turned his attention to the trade of gunsmith, and continued working at that trade for some six or seven years. At the end of that time he bought a tract of land, settled down to farmning, and continued to cultivate his land for about five years. About 1872 or 1873 he went to Jackson county, Minnesota, where he took a homestead claim, and where he lived some eighteen years. He
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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.
came back to Ohio in 1891, intending to make a visit and then return to Minnesota, but decided to remain, and purchased his present place, a nice little farm of forty acres.
Mr. Fenstermaker was married in 1862 to Miss Susan C. Fullwiler, who was born in Braceville township, Trumbull county, Ohio, and who died in Minnesota in 1887, aged forty-one years. Mr. Fenstermaker is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics is a Democrat.
C HARLES J. CHINNOCK, one of the most progressive farmers and stock- raisers of Champion township, Trum- bull county, Ohio, is a son of Thomas Chin- nock, deceased. He was born on the old Chinnock homstead in this township, March 30, 1860, and was reared and educated here. In 1881 he purchased a small tract of land, thirty acres in extent, and at once settled down on it. The following year, September 21, 1882, he married Miss Lucy A. Parks, of Mecca, daughter of James and Catherine (Price) Parks. Her father is still living, her mother died October 7, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Chinnock have four children: Bessie C., born September 20, 1885; John J., March 10, 1888; Charles Howard and Harry Elsworth, twins, September 21, 1892.
After a few years of honest and earnest toil, Mr. Chinnock was enabled to add to his original purchase, and at this writing is the owner of 131 acres of fine farming land, upon which he has made many valuable improve- ments. Since February, 1885, in connection with his general farming, he has been en- gaged in the breeding of fine draft horses. He first brought to his farm a fine stallion, "Boisie," from which he sired over 300 colts.
This horse was the son of " Prince of Nor- mandy," imported by Dolinan, of New York. Mr. Chinnock disposed of him iu 1891, and secured his present stallion, " Brilliant," an imported Percheron, brought to this country by Powell Brothers, of Crawford county, Pennsylvania. "Brilliant" is registered in the Percheron Stud Book of France, volume 1, No. 215; the American Stud Book, vol- ume 4, No. 5427; and in the National Regis- ter of French Draft Horses, volume 4, No. 3819. He is jet black, and weighs 1,840 pounds. This horse was sired by " Decide," the sire of which was " Viaduct." The last named was one of five horses that took the grand sweepstakes of America.
Mr. Chinnock is one of the stanch Repub- licans of Trumbull county. He has filled the office of Township Treasurer. Fraternally, he is a member of Mecca Lodge, No. 707, I. O. O. F.
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H ON. JOHN M. STULL, one of tlie leading members of the bar and best known citizens of Trumbull county, Ohio, residing in Warren, has liter- ally obeyed the Scriptural injunction not to hide his light under a bushel or conceal his good works from men, inasmuch as he is highly conspicuous for both ability and be- nevolence.
He is a native of the county in which he now resides, his birth having taken place May 16, 1823. His parents were James and Catherine (McIlree) Stull, the former a native of Pennsylvania, of German parentage, and the latter born in Scotland of Irish de- scent. Thomas Stull, grandfather" of the subject of this sketch, came to Ohio, in 1805, settling in Liberty township; then in Malion- ing county, but from which Trumbull county
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
was afterward made. He reared a large family of children and passed his life on his farm, where he died. The parents of Mr. Stull of this notice were married in Trum- bull county and continued to reside on a farm until 1829, when they removed to Farming- ton. They died in early life, leaving six children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the only survivor.
Mr. Stull was the second child in order of birth and was reared on the home farm until he was eighteen years of age, attending the cominon schools and gaining a fair education for those days. He then began to learn the blacksmith's trade at Hampden, Geauga county, and after two years' apprenticeship he returned to his home in Farmington, whither his parents had removed, and where he worked at his trade two years and a half. In shoeing a horse he was one day greatly in- jured, so much so that he discontinued his trade. He then commenced to attend the Farmington Academy, and was for eight years engaged in school either as a student or teacher, acting as an instructor in Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. In the meantime he began the study of law at Campbellsville, Kentucky, and a few days before reaching the age of thirty he was ad- mitted to the bar in Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1853.
He celebrated this achievement by marry- ing an estimable lady of his acquaintance, and in 1853 began the practice of law at Warren, where he has for many years held high rank in his profession, but of late years has given more attention to his private busi- ness interests, of which he has a number. He owns considerable real estate in Warren and elsewhere, besides other valuable prop- erty, and is also engaged in farming. He is a large stockholder in the Western Reserve
National Bank, the Warren Paint Company, the Packer Lumber Company, Cortland Na- tional Bank and Warren Savings Bank.
He was for six years Prosecuting Attorney for Trumbull county, and served one term of two years (1888 and 1889) in the Ohio State Senate. He was renominated for a second term, but declined the honor, for reasons satisfactory to himself. While in the Senate, he did able service as a member of the School, Temperance and Judiciary com- mittees, the committee on Revision and others, his conduct being distinguished by uprightness and thorough attention to his work. He naturally takes a deep interest in educational matters, and is trustee of the Mount Union college, and treasurer of the Farmington Academy, as well as trustee of the Alleghany College, at Meadville, Penn- sylvania.
In politics, lie was originally a Democrat, but on the organization of the Republican party, he joined its ranks and has ever since been a strong supporter of its principles. Fraternally, Mr. Stull affiliates with the Masons, of which he is an active member, be- longing to the Mystic Shrine and being president of the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Masonic Home. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is treasurer, and also treasurer of the Board of Stewards, and for ten years acted as superin- tendent of the Sunday-school.
In May, 1853, Mr. Stull was married to Florilla W. Wolcott, daughter of Deacon Lewis Wolcott, of Trumbull county, a noble woman who proved a faithful helpmate and worthy companion. They had three children, of whom but one survives, a daughter, now Mrs. Minnie S. Harris, of Warren. In 1885, the devoted wife and mother died, leaving her family and many friends to mourn her
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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.
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loss. In his affliction, Mr. Stull has the sympathy of a large community, who esteem him not only for his many able qualities of mind, but also for his kindness of heart and general beneficence.
RA HYDE, one of the leading farmers of Farmington township, Trumbull county, Ohio, was born here, April 15, 1821. Following is a record of his genealogy for several generations back :
Humphrey Hyde and family came from England and settled in Fairfield, Connecti- cut, about 1650. He married Ann Ripley, and their children (second generation) were John, Saralı and Hannalı. John, the first mentioned of these, was born in England in 1642, came to Fairfield, Connecticut, with his father, was a farmer, and married Eliza- beth Harvey, who was born July 25, 1654, a daughter of Richard Harvey. Their children (third generation) were John, Elizabeth, Saralı and Mary. John, the first of these, was born at Fairfield, May 1, 1668, was a physician and married, January 1, 1692, Rachel Rumsey, daughter of Robert Rumsey, of Reading, Connecticut. She was born Oc- tober, 1671, and died November 6, 1744. This John Hyde died January 14, 1738, his children (fourth generation) being John, Elizabeth, Damasts, Daniel, Abigail, Sarah, Mary, Hannah, Joseph and Rachel. Of these, Daniel was born at Greenfield, Connecticut, March 31, 1700, was a captain by occupation, and inarried Deborah Beadsley, who was born in 1698 and died February 17, 1754. Their children (fifth generation) were Nehemialı, Eliakim, Daniel, Abijah, Deborah, John, Elihu, Martha and Eunice. Elihn lived at
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