Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning, Part 69

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 786

USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 69
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 69
USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 69

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

A LBERT E. WARREN, a physician and surgeon of Girard, Trumbull county, was born in West Middlesex, Mercer county, Pennsylvania, Novem- ber 15, 1869, a son of Colonel H. N. and Mary (Evehardt) Warren, residents of Buf-

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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.

falo, New York. The father served as a sol- dier in the late war three years, first enter- ing the One Hundred and Forty-second Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Company A, as Captain, but at tlie close of liis service held the rank of Colonel. He was twice wounded, and was a valiant soldier. The family are one of the oldest of the Eastern States, and on the maternal side of German descent. Our subject has one brother, now a student of dentistry at the University of Buffalo.

A. E. Warren spent his boyhood days in Buffalo, New York, where he attended the public and normal schools. He began read- ing medicine September 17, 1887, with Dr. J. W. Hillier, of West Middlesex, Pennsyl- vania, with whom he remained one year. He then entered the University of Buffalo, New York, graduating in March, 1891, and Au- gust 3, of that year, he located in Girard, Trumbull county, Ohio, where he immedi- ately began the practice of medicine. The Doctor is a member of the Youngstown Med- ical Society, was a member of the Board of Health one term, and is a Republican in his political views.

E VAN C. GETHING, a merchant of Hubbard, is a son of Richard Gething, who was born in South Wales, in 1790. He died in his native place in 1862. He was recognized as an honorable, upright man, and was for many years a member of the Congregational Church .. He was a son of Evan and Mary Gething, natives also of South Wales. The mother of our subject, nee Mary Thomas, was born in that country, and died there in 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Gething were married about 1818, and had

nine children, six of whom died in infancy. The three living are: William, who still re- sides in South Wales; Hannah, wife of Benjamin Phillips, a tin worker of that country, and Evan C.

Evan C. Gething, the subject of this sketch, was born in South Wales, November 12, 1840, and came to America in 1865. He located for a short time in Scranton, Penn- sylvania, next spent one year in Mineral Ridge, Ohio, and in 1866 came to Hubbard, where he was first engaged in mining. He afterward clerked for Edwards & Williams two years, and was then 'engaged in various occupations in the West. After returning to Hubbard, Mr. Gething was employed by Ed- wards, Oaty & Company, next accepted the position as bill clerk for James Ward of Niles, where he remained until the financial failure of the latter. In 1873 he was em- ployed as bookkeeper for the Ashtabula Rolling Mill Company, in Ashtabula, then was employed as bill clerk by the Ashtabula, Youngstown & Pittsburg Railroad at Ashita- bula Harbor, and since 1876 has been en- gaged in the mercantile business in Hub- bard. Mr. Gething began work for himself at the age of ten years, with no assistance, and has ever since been obliged to depend on his own resources. He owns a large store building, in which he has a general stock of merchandise, has about $1,000 in outstand- ing accounts, and several thousand dollars at interest. He is always interested in every enterprise for the public good, takes an active part in educational matters; is at present a member of the School Board, and has been Township Trustee for two terms.

Mr. Gething was married August 23, 1872, to Martha Davis, a native of Cornwall, Eng- land, and the widow of Joseph Davis. Mr. and Mrs. Gething have had five children,

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

three now living: Freddie, Mabel and- son township, Mahoning county, Ohio. Mr. Georgiana. Mr. Gething is a member of the and Mrs. John Johnston were married in this county, and were the parents of four children: John Z., Louise (deceased), Joseph R. and David R. Knights of Pythias, Hubbard Lodge, No. 332, and in politics is a Republican. He and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. .

H K. TAYLOR, an attorney at law of Youngstown, was born at Ravenna, Portage county, Ohio, November 2, 1857, a son of Ezra B. Taylor, of Warren, this State.

ON. JOSEPH R. JOHNSTON, of Youngstown, was born in Jackson, Mahoning county, Ohio, September 12, 1840, a son of John and Caroline (Roberts) Johnston. The father was born in Armstrong (then Westmoreland) county, Pennsylvania, in 1800, and his death occurred at Jackson, Mahoning county, Ohio, in 1868. He was a son of John and Margaret ( Robin- son) Johnston, the former a native of the north of Ireland, and the latter of Scotland. They were married in Pennsylvania, and in 1811 located in Milton township, Mahoning county, Ohio, where they afterward died. Mr. Johnston was a farmer by occupation , and in an early day served as Justice of the Peace. They were the parents of eight chil- dren, the father of our subject being the eldest in order of birth. The great-grand- father of Joseph R. on the mother's side served as Major in the Revolutionary war. The mother of our subject was born in Fay- ette county, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Joseph Roberts, a native of Pennsylvania. He came to Ohio in 1820, locating in Jack-

Joseph R. Johnston, the subject of this sketch, was reared to farm life, and received an academic education in Canfield and Jack- son. In August, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company E, Second Ohio Volun- teer Cavalry, and was regularly promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant, February 7, 1863, of the Twenty-fifth Ohio Battery, Light Artillery, which was organized out of his regiment. On account of sickness Mr. John- ston resigned his position in September, 1864, but during his service was by general order appointed as Brigade Adjutant of artil- lery. He also served as Judge Advocate of a court martial at Little Rock, Arkansas. Before the war Mr. Johnston taught school, beginning when seventeen years of age, and after the close of the struggle he began read- ing law in the office of Judge Hyning, at Canfield, Ohio. He was admitted to the bar by the District Court of Mahoning county, September 12, 1866. He had served as Clerk of the Probate Court while studying for his profession, and after his admission to the bar was nominated by the Republican party for Probate Judge. He was elected to that posi- tion in 1866, and re-elected in 1869. From 1873 to 1888 he practiced his profession at Canfield, in the latter year came to Youngs- town, and from 1875 to 1877 was a member of the State Senate, was re-elected in 1877 and served until 1879, the counties of Trum- bull and Mahoning comprising his senatorial district. While serving in the latter position he was a member of the Judiciary Cominit- tee. In 1882 Mr. Johnston was one of the incorporators of the Northeastern Ohio Nor-

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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.

mnal College at Canfield, in which he held the positions of Trustee and Treasurer until his removal to Youngstown. In 1886 he was elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the second subdivision of the Ninth Dis- trict, was re-elected in 1891, and his term will expire in February, 1897. Many im- portant cases have come before Judge John- ston, and among them he presided at the trial of "Blinkey" Morgan, at Ravenna, who was charged with murder in the first degree, and was hung.

In 1868 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary S. Hartzell, a native of Mahoning connty, Ohio, where her parents removed in an early day from Pennsylvania. In his social relations Mr. Johnston is a member of Tod Post, No. 29, G. A. R., of the Ohio Commandery, Loyal Legion, and of the Ma- sonic order.

M ICHAEL TEMPLETON was born in Trumbull county (now Mahoning county), Ohio, November 29, 1823, son of William and Elizabeth (Hamp- son) Templeton. William Templeton was born in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, in 1776, and came to Ohio iu 1795, settling in old Trumbull county, near Austintown. Here he took claim to a tract of wild land and built a log house upon it, and two years later sold ont and bought other land. In this way he cleared and developed three o" four farms. Before he settled down to farming, he was for some time engaged in the manufacture of salt. He was the first mail-carrier on the line between Warren and Pittsburg. That was about 1798. At that time there was not a bridge between those two points, and he frequently experienced many difficulties in

going over the route. He was married at the age of twenty-six years to Miss Elizabeth Hampson, who was born in New Jersey in 1782, daughter of M. and Jane (Ayers) Hampson. Her parents were among the earliest settlers of eastern Ohio. Her father died at the age of forty and her mother lived to be ninety years old. In 1835, William Templeton moved to western Ohio, and sub- sequently settled in Jackson, this State, where his wife died, August 21, 1841. He died at the home of a son in 1856.

The Templetons are of Scoteh origin. Three brothers of that name came from Scot- land to this country, and all took part in the Revolutionary war. After the war they set- tled in different localities and their posterity has spread out over the different States of the Union. The grandfather of our subject served in the Revolutionary war, and his son Will- iam, the father of Mr. Templeton, was in the war of 1812. Grandmother Templeton's maiden name was Allie Montouth. She died at the home of one of her daughters, at the advanced age of ninety years.

William and Elizabethı Templeton had a family of twelve children, eight sons and four daughters, the subject of our sketch and three sisters being the only ones now living. He was reared on his father's farm and was educated in the district schools, and when he was nineteen began to learn the trade of tan- ner and currier, at which he worked a few years. He was then engaged in peddling for a while. March 19, 1847, he was married to Miss Lovina Fusselman, who was born in Lehigh county, March 29, 1823, daughter of Erhart and Christian J. (Foxhemier) Fussel- man. Her parents came from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1829, and settled first in Trum- bull county, whenec they subsequently re- moved to Southington township, Mahoning

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

county. Here her father died at the age of sixty-three, and her mother at eighty-one. They had nine children, five sons and four daughters, of whom one of the former and three of the latter are still living. The Fus- selmans were nearly all engaged in farming. They have all been people of prominence and high respectability. Great-grandfather Fus- selman was a native of Germany. Following are the names of Mr. and Mrs. Templeton's children: Reuben S., George B., Minerva A., Olive P., Nutes, Ada, Jennie L., Frank and Belle. Death has never entered their family circle. All are married except Miss Belle, the youngest, who is a clever artist and a pro- fessional stenographer. All have had the best of educational advantages. Mr. and Mrs. Templeton have ten grandchildren.

Mr. Templeton was for thirty-six years en- gaged in the manufacture of cheese boxes. He owns fifty-five acres of land, and is now engaged in general farming. He made all the improvements, buildings, etc., upon this place · and has one of the most desirable locations in his vicinity. His whole life has been char- acterized by great activity. He and his wife are members of the Disciple Church, and he has been one of the pillars in the church for a number of years. Politically, he is a Re- publican.

H D. HOLCOMB, a resident of Bazetta township, Trumbull county, Ohio, is engaged in the real-estate and insur- ance business, and is one of the suc- cessful business men of the county.

He was born in Vernon township, this county, July 18, 1834, son of Dryden Hol- comb, who was born in Connecticut, son of

Hezekiah Holcomb. Dryden Holcomb was married at Granby, Hartford county, Con- nectient, to Laura E. Griswold, also a native of that State. They were among the carly settlers of Vernon township, this county. He was a carpenter by trade, and had traveled extensively, having visited Cuba and other ports. In politics, he was first a Whig and afterward a Republican. 'He died in Trum- bull county at the age of sixty-two years, and his wife lived to be sixty-six, her death also occurring in this county. She was a ineinber of the Baptist Church. They had a family of five children: H. D., whose name appears at the head of this article; Virgil, who was a member of Company A, Forty- first Ohio Regiment, died in August, 1862, at Readyville, Tennessee; Caroline D., de- ceased; Charles R., who served during the war for about three years, is now a resident of Boone, Iowa; Judson B., also a member of Company A, Forty-first Ohio Regiment, en- listed in August, 1862, was wounded at Chickamauga, September 19, 1863, and died at Nashville Tennessee, February 13, 1864.

H. D. Holcomb also rendered efficient service during the Civil war. He was a member of Company D, One Hundred and Seventy-seventh Ohio Infantry, participated in the battles of Murfreesborough, Cape Fear River and Goldsborough, and was honorably discharged June 24, 1865. After his return from the army he engaged in work at the carpenter's trade at Warren, Ohio, where he was thus occupied for three years. He then turned liis attention to the real-estate and insurance business, and since 1876 has been a resident of Cortland. For eight years he has served as Mayor of Cort- land, having been elected on the Republican ticket. He served three terms as Justice of the Peace, and is also a Notary Public.

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Mr. Holcomb was married in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1857, to Mary Gridley, daughter of Albert and Maria (Palmer) Gridley, natives of Massachusetts. They have one son, Rolla A.

In fraternal circles Mr. Holcomb occupies a prominent position. He is a member of Cortland Lodge, No. 529, Mahoning Chapter, No. 66, Warren Council, No. 58, and War- ren Commandery, No. 39, A. F. & A. M .; Cortland Lodge, No. 544, Trumbull En- campment, of Warren, No. 147, I. O. O. F .; Cortland Lodge, No. 318, K. of P .; and Coburn Post, No. 466, G. A. R., being a charter member and Post Commander. In the K. of P. lodge he is Past Chancellor; in the I. O. O. F. he occupies the position of Past Grand, having served as Representative to the Grand Lodge of the I. O. O. F.

S L. LOVE has been identified with the agricultural interests of Bazetta town- ship, Trumbull county, Ohio, since 1873, and is ranked with its most intelligent and enterprising citizens.

He was born in Cayuga county, New York, February 15, 1839, son of Wilkins and Sarah (Clark) Love, the former a native of Ver- mont, and the latter of Essex county, New York. Wilkins Love died in New York State. His wife survived lim several years and her death occurred in Tioga county, Pennsylvania. The subject of our sketch was reared and educated chiefly at Ithaca, New York. He secured a fair education, receiving special instructions in music, for which he displayed a talent at an early age. He learned the trade of harness-maker, which he followed for some time, and also taught music, both vocal and instrumental.

He was married February 24, 1873, in Ba- zetta township, Trumbull county, to Miss Grace J. Ewalt, a lady of education and re- finement, and a daughter of Jacob Ewalt.

Jacob Ewalt was for many years a promi- nent citizen of Trumbull county. He was a son of John Ewalt, one of the first settlers of the county, and was born on the old Ewalt homestead in Howland township, this county, February 26, 1810. - March 8, 1837, he mar- ried Mrs. Maria Ewalt, widow of Samuel Ewalt. She had one son by her first husband, Higby Ewalt, now a resident of Wheatland, Clinton county, Iowa. Her maiden name was Sefingwell, her parents being Jabez and Lydia (Rogers) Sefingwell, early settlers of this county and both now deceased. The day following their marriage, Jacob Ewalt and his bride came in an ox cart to the farm on which they spent more than half a century of happy married life, and where a few years ago they celebrated their golden wedding. They had a family of six children, only two of whom are now living, Grace J. Love and Jacob Hyde Ewalt, the latter a resident of Warren, Ohio. Of the other four, we record that Abigail died at the age of fourteen years; Lydia passed away at the age of five: one died in infancy; and John, a practicing physician of Akron, Ohio, has been deceased some years. Jacob Ewalt died August 11, 1891, his wife having departed this life November 29, 1890. He was in politics first a Whig and afterward a Republican, and for some time served as Infirmary Director. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Love have five children: Olive M., Frederick Rutherford, John Spauld- ing, Jacob Wainright, and Charles Ewalt.

During the war Mr. Love was a soldier in the Union ranks, going out in 1862, as a pri- vate in the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth

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Pennsylvania Regiment. He is now a mem- ber of Bell Harmon Post, No. 36. Politi- cally, he is a Republican, fraternally a Mason, a member of Erie Lodge, No. 3, and also of the Royal Arcanum, and religiously a Pres- byterian, being a Deacon in the church.

OHN S. FORD, deceased .--- The history of a life grows by slight increments, day by day, and not until the close can the rounded entirety, be it worthy or unworthy, come forward for consideration on the score of what has been accomplished; not until such time can judgment be passed. He whose name begins this too brief review lived his life to an untimely end; the actor had proved his worth and his power for the accomplishment of a noble work, when the curtain was let down and an honored carecr summarily cut short. Not of a long life make we record, but of a true life, a full life in the accomplishment of worthy ends.

A history of Youngstown or of Mahoning county would certainly be incomplete were there no reference made to one whose life has been closely identified with the best and highest interests of the locality, and such flagrant omission shall not be ours to make.

The subject of this sketch, John S. Ford, was born in Omaha, Nebraska, September 5, 1856, and died in Florida, April 8, 1893, in the thirty-seventh year of his age. He was a son of General James H. and Arabella (Stambaugh) Ford. His early education was secured in the public schools, and though he never gradnated from any of the higher in- stitutions of learning, he was a man of broad intelligence and strong mentality. He made two trips to Europe, and his study and keen observative powers rendered him returns in

discriminating conceptions in regard to all that the higher life holds out for appreciation. He became a connoisseur of art, a rare judge of all that was worthy and enduring in paint- ing and sculpture. He was for many years in the office of his uncle, John Stambangh, and as a business man possessed marked abil- ity, being self-reliant, discerning aud success- ful. Though his life was spared until he at- tained to only about one-half the term of years allotted as the legitimate heritage of inan, yet his judgment was songht and con- fidently accepted as final in enterprises involv- ing the risk of thousands of dollars. A man of strong individuality, he had a way of his own in weighing and balancing business af- fairs, and his thorough power of grasping the relation and the result of multifarious details, was perhaps little understood by the majority of his acquaintances, who recognized only his cheerfulness, kindliness and lightness of heart. He had a keen perception of valnes and a rare analytical power in his identification with practical affairs.

Mr. Ford was a large stockholder in the Union Iron and Steel Company, the Falcon Nail and Iron Company, the Opera House Company (of which he was president), and the Stitt & Schmidt Co., of whose enterprise he was one of the original promoters. He also had representative financial interest in a number of very prosperous silver and lead mining industries in both Colorado and Idaho. His business ability had already secured to him a very fair fortune and had won him a place in the commercial and busi- ness community and a recognition which must have soon given him a commanding position. He will long be cherished in memory as a cheerful, hopeful, thoughtful man, one deserving of all honor; one not de- nied this tribute. To him had come that

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popularity which stands as reward for having lived a manly, courteous and kindly life. In the death of Mr. Ford, Youngstown lost one of its most valued young business men.

June 8, 1887, Mr. Ford took unto himself a wife, in the person of Miss Harriet Wick, daughter of Paul and Susan A. Wick, con- cerning whom extended mention is made elsewhere in these pages. This marriage was blessed in the birth of one bright and interest- ing child, Helen Wick. Mr. Ford had been a devout member of the Presbyterian Church for many years and maintained a lively in- terest in religious work and all undertakings looking to the moral advancement of human- ity. Mrs. Ford is also a member of the Pres- byterian Church and takes an active interest in its welfare.

As germane to Mr. Ford's zealous efforts in the realm of moral advancement, it is particularly consistent that reference be made to his prominent connection with the Y. M. C. A., of Youngstown, and to his earnest and indefatigable endeavors, to which was largely due the erection of the beantiful Y. M. C. A. building in Youngstown. To him was as- signed the onerous duty of superintending the financial affairs of the association at the time when this notable work was inaugurated; and the present fine building, which is a credit an ornament to the city, is scarcely less thian a monument to the talent and financial ability of John S. Ford. The appreciation of his efforts by the association is shown in the following memorial: "John S. Ford, the truest friend this association has ever known, has, through all the history of the Y. M. C. A. work, shown his interest in the most practical way, and when opportunity offered was always willing to lend in any effort which would bring profit or favor. Since the first word was spoken relative to providing a home

for the young men of this city lie was un- remitting in his efforts to see that the monu- ment was a successful one, and gave of his money, his time and his influence, liberally, unselfishly and earnestly. Much of the credit for the taste, economy and marked ability so conspicuous in our new building, is due en- tirely to his ceaseless efforts. The remem- brance of his love and help for the cause, his bright, cheery words of approval and encour- agement will ever be sweet to those who have known his true worth."

Few men of his age had a larger acquaint- anceship than did the subject of this memoir. He had a pleasant disposition and a kind word for all. His sunny nature infused life into every circle that he entered. He had been engaged in active business ever since at- taining the years of manhood and had been entrusted with the management of financial affairs of great breadth.

To read the history of such a noble life is both a revelation and a lesson of incentive power, and while there must be sorrow and regret that such a man could not have been longer spared, yet there must come to all a measure of solace in the fact that so true a life, though brief, had left an impress whose influence will abide through all the days to come.

R EV. EDWARD R. JONES, who has served as pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Bloomfield for three years, is regarded as one of the leading ministers of Trumbull county. He was born at Evansburg, Pennsylvania, De- cember 28, 1843, a son of Thomas Jones, a native of Wales, but who located in Pennsyl- vania when only eighteen years of age. He was a farmer by occupation, and also followed

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the milling business for several years. Ilis deatlı occurred at Evansville in March, 1859. The mother of our subject, nee Amy Will- iams, was a native of Pennsylvania, and her parents were also born in Wales. They came to Pennsylvania a few years before the arrival of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Jones had ten children, viz .: Milton, married Jennie Davis, of Evansburg, and he is now a prominent merchant of that place; Thomas, married Elizabeth Lester, and is a carpenter at Perry, Dallas county, Iowa; Esther, deceased in childhood; Lydia, who married Richard Martin, moved to Kansas, where she died from the effects of being kicked by a mule; Newton, deceased in childhood; Elizabeth, is the wife of David Davis, a merchant of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and they were at that place during the memorable flood, and did much to relieve the sufferings of the victims of that terrible disaster; Harriet married Joseph Hepting, who died at Pardoe, Mercer county, Pennsylvania, where she now resides and where her son is employed as foreman in a cracker factory; Edward R., our subject; Lawrence, a lumber manufacturer of Johnstown; and Martha, wife of Harrison Burkhard, also a lumberman of that city.

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Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning, Part 69

Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 786

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 786