Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning, Part 75

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 75
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 75
USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 75

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).

Mr. Bonnell was married in October, 1870, to Miss Mary Julia Botsford, daughter of Archi- ibald Grant and Eliza (Byrne) Botsford, of Youngstown, and their marriage has been blessed with the birth of four children, namely: Mary, Elida Floyd, Henry Scott and Isabel. Henry Scott died, March 2, 1886, in New York city, from fatal injuries received while the family were visiting in that city, his age tlien being seven years and nine months.

action, and combined with an easy adaptabil- ity to circumstances a pleasing presence which highly commended him to the kind consideration of those with whom he had either social or business relations. His name has always been a synonym for untiring busi- ness energy, untarnished honor and unblem- ished integrity. Overwork and unremitting attention to the vast details which he assumed as executive head of a great business were the remote canse of his death, his career be- ing suddenly closed in the midst of his strength and usefulness. The immediate canse was attributed to heart trouble, which produced pulmonary affection, and he died, January 16, 1893, a steadfast member of the Episcopal Church of Youngstown, with which both he and his wife had been connected for many years. Throughout the entire country Mr. Bonnell's death was noticed in periodi- cals, newspapers and trade journals, his de- mise being regarded as almost a national calamity, so prominent was he, and so well beloved. His usefulness was so far-reaching, his goodness of heart so infinite, and his tal- ents so remarkable that his loss seemed a personal one to thousands of people through- out Mahoning valley and other localities, their grief being second only to that of those who are connected with him by the endear- ing ties of husband, father, brother and friend. His life was filled to the brim with usefulness, and for the last twenty years he has been one of the central figures in the Mahoning valley. Although conservative in politics lie was a progressive man when he believed the proposed advancement was for the best interests of the country. Owing to his superior mental attainments Mr. Bonnell was enabled to weigh and consider projects and measures with deliberation, and acted

Mr. Bonnell was a most thorough and en- ergetie business man, a perfect gentleman and one who is well known and highly re- spected by all with whom he came in contact. Hle was generous in thought, prompt in [ upon his decisions with a determination

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

which not only achieved success but which also won for him the admiration of all his co-laborers. His disposition was a cheerful one, and he was always ready and willing to lend his aid to any less fortunate person, while his public-spirited ideas prompted him in advancing all measures tending toward the betterment of the material welfare of the city. The best in literature he read, the finest in art he admired and in religion he clung to all that was pure, lovable and holy, dying a firm believer in the faith in which he lived so noble and upright a life. Mr. Bonnell's memory will live in the hearts of the people of the Mahoning valley long after that of less important personages shall have passed away, and his name will be handed down to future generations as a synonym of all that is good, pure and upright.

OHN E. STAMBAUGH, an enter- prising grocer of Youngstown, Ohio, is a native of the State, born in Trumbull county, August 5, 1842. His parents were William and Sarah (Wise) Stambangh; the father was a native of Pennsylvania, but was brought by his parents to Ohio in infancy; the mother was a daughter of Jacob and Mary Wise. William Stambaugh was a farmer by occupation, and followed agricul- tural pursuits through life; he died in 1881, at the age of sixty-one years; his wife died in 1883, aged sixty-two years; they were both consistent members of the Disciple Church. They reared a family of seven children: Jacob F. married Miss Elizabeth Millikin, deceased, and had two children: he resides in Youngstown. Ohio; Samuel Nelson died at the age of twenty-two years; he was a gallant soldier through the war of the Rebellion, par-

ticipating in many of the most noted engage- ments of the conflict; Jacob F. was in the hundred-day service, a member of the One Hundred and Eighty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; after the war was ended Samuel N. entered the United States Navy, for a term of five years, and went to China; he lost his health, and was discharged on account of disability before the expiration of his term of enlistment, and died shortly afterward; Calvin Homer resides near Girard, Ohio; he married Carrie Simmons, and they have four children; William Milton is the fifth, and Charles Wise, the sixth of the family. John E. was reared to the life of a farmer, and also worked in a coal bank as weigher for sev- eral years before the war. He enlisted July 26, 1862, in Company A, One Hundred and Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry ; he was at Per- ryville and Murfreesborough, Tennessee, and was taken prisoner by John Morgan; he was paroled after five days and was then detained at Camp Chase for ten months, at the end of which time he was exchanged; he joined the command at Chattanooga, Tennessee, and took part in the engagements at Missionary Ridge, Ringgold, Georgia, Buzzards' Roost, and Resaca; he was in the Atlanta campaign, went with Sherman to the sea, and was in the grand review at Washington; in Sep- tember, 1892, he again marched down Penn- sylvania avenue, Washington, celebrating not a peace that had just been declared, but the peace that had continued more than a quarter of a century. Upon his return home he resumed weighing in the mines, afterward did some contracting, was Constable two years, and then embarked in the grocery business, which he has conducted seven years.

Mr. Stambaugh was married September 23, 1873, to Miss Elizabeth Davis, a daugh- ter of Joshua and Miriam (Morgan) Davis;

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Joshua Davis was the son of Joshua and Mary (Lloyd) Davis, natives of Wales, and was himself a native of that country, born in 1810; Miriam Morgan was a danghter of Thomas Morgan, a native of Wales. Mrs. Stambaugh is one of a family of four chil- dren: Mary, wife of Alex. Larkius, Thomas M., and John M. Her parents are both worthy and consistent members of the Welsh Congregational Church, and she belongs to the Congregational Church of this country.

Our subject is a member of the G. A. R., that noble body to which admission is earned on the field of battle and by loyal service to the Union. In politics he is identified with the Republican party. He is a man of liberal views, is well informed upon the leading topics of the day, and has enjoyed a wide experience. In all his business relations lie is strictly honorable, and has the con- fidence of all who know him.

R OBERT A. McCLAIN .- The occu- pancy of a position of trust and honor is of itself a guarantee of a man's worth and reliability; but when this is coupled with a past record of npright and honorable dealing, the company who secnres the services of such an individual is fortunate indeed. Such a man is Robert A. McClain, the passenger and ticket agent for the Pennsylvania lines at Youngstown, Ohio, which responsible position lie has held since June, 1890, giving the most entire and uni- form satisfaction to all parties. Mr. McClain was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, August 10, 1864, a son of Samuel and Laura E. (Leechi) McClain, both natives of Penn- sylvania. Mr. McClain, Sr., for a nminber of years was a merchant in West Middlesex,

Pennsylvania, where he held many of the ininor offices of the township and city and was well and favorably known throughout the community as an honorable, upright and reliable business man. Prominent in church affairs, he was a member of the Official Board and treasurer of the Sunday-school of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years. His death occurred on New Year's Eve, 1891, at the age of fifty-nine years, and he left behind him as a heritage to his fam- ily a name npon whose fair surface no stain or blemish had ever appeared. Charitable in all his dealings, Mr. McClain gave liberally of his substance to those less fortunate than he, relieving the needy and suffering without ostentation or publicity. His wife is still living, making her home in Youngstown where she is a most highly-esteemed member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Bnt tifty-nine years of age, she enjoys the most excellent health, and years of usefulness and happiness still stretch before her.

John Leech, the great-grandfather of our subject on the maternal side, was born No- vember 29, 1767, and was married November 25, 1788, to Jane Morrison, by whom he had ten sons and two daughters. Asbury Leech, Itis youngest child, born July 6, 1814, was married June 20, 1833, to Jane McLean, whose birth occurred April 22, 1813, and who was the grandmother of the subject of this sketch. Her parents, William Mc- Lean and Elizabeth Ross, were married No- vember 26, 1799. William was a son of Andrew McLean, the latter of whom was a Revolutionary patriot and a descendant of Loch Neil McLean, of Scotland. Asbury Leech was the father of one son and four danghters: Laura, mother of the subject of this sketch; Phoebe, now deceased, who mar- ried Edward Robinson; Watson, who en-

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

listed in 1861, in a company of the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, in which he served one year, when, on the day of his promotion to the Second Lieutenancy of his company, in 1862, he was wounded by a piece of shell at the battle of Antietam, and died after a lin- gering illness in the hospital at Baltimore, aged twenty-five years, having been a faith- ful soldier and a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church; Julia P. is the wife of Hon. William P. Morrison, of New Castle, Pennsylvania; and Melissa is married to Homer Finton, of the same place. Three brothers of Asbnry Leech were prominent clergymen in the Methodist Episcopal Church. The family were originally Quakers, bnt from the time of John Leech, the great- grandfather of the subject of this sketch, they have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Thomas Leech, father of John Leech, served as a private in the Revolutionary war; he and his wife Phoebe were residents of Warrenton, York connty, Pennsylvania, and John Leech, following in the footsteps of his father, took an active part as a private in the war of 1812. John was married in Little York, Pennsylvania, on November 25, 1788, and he and his wife resided in that place tour years, when they removed to Glades, in Som- erset county, the same State, where they re- mained nine years. They next went to Salem, in Mercer county, that State, where they ar- rived May 4, 1802, and continued to reside until the death of Mr. Leech in his one hun- dreth year, he never having been sick a day in his life until his death illness. On coming to Mercer county, Mr. Leech took up enongh land to give 200 acres to each of his twelve children. The great-grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, Robert McClain, came from County Downs, Ireland, in the eight-

eenth century, and engaged in hauling goods from the East to points on the frontier. His wife was Mary (Brown) McClain, and their son, Robert McClain, born August 9, 1800, married Anna McBride, and he died in 1885, aged eighty-five years. His wife, born in 1798, died in 1882, having been the mother of five children: William, a resident of Sharon, Pennsylvania, who married Mattie Satterfield; Samuel, father of the subject of this sketch; Amanda, wife of William Drake, a farmer of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania; Robert B., a farmer in Mercer county, the same State, who married Sarah McClure; and James, a farmer of the same county, who married Sarah Woodel.

The parents of the subject of this sketch lad five children, of whom Robert was the third in order of birth. The others were: Nettie, wife of Thomas Farrell, of Ottumwa, Iowa; Ada, married to Edward H. Grace, of Mahoningtown, Pennsylvania; Charles W., residing in Youngstown, Ohio, wlio is bag- gagemaster at the l'ennsylvania Railway de- pot; and Bertha.

Robert was educated in the county schools of Pennsylvania, and displayed such marked ability that he received a certificate for good scholarship at the age of thirteen. He began to be self-supporting very early in life by carrying messages for the Pennsylvania Com- pany in the summer, attending school in the winter. When seventeen years of age, he became billing clerk at Ashtabula Harbor, re- maining tliere seven months, when with the proceeds of his industry he attended school for a short time. He subsequently became bookkeeper for the Wheeler Iron Company, at West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, where he remained one year, and then went to Bruns- wick, Missouri, where he acted as yard mas- ter for the Wabash Railroad Company.

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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.

Abont this time, he became imbned with the desire to push farther westward and grow up with the country, but after a month's experi- ence he became convinced that his talents would be better employed in a more civilized region, and he consequently accepted the agency of the Wabash Railway at Corydon, Iowa, where he remained seven months. He then traveled throughout the West for a year, after which he returned to the Keystone State and took the agency of the Pennsyl- vania lines at Wheatland, that common- wealth, where he remained eight months. In September, 1886, he removed to Youngs- town, Ohio, to accept the position of assist- ant tieket agent, in which capacity he acted until June, 1890, and was then appointed to his present position. In consequence of a wide experience in this line, Mr. McClain is thoroughly conversant with the requirements of his position in all its details, and dis- charges his duties in a most capable and sat- isfactory manner, being one of the most valned employes of the railroad.

Of a'social disposition, Mr. McClain has allied himself with one of the largest and inost important secret societies in the world, being an active Mason, having passed through the blue lodge, Hillman, No. 481; the Youngstown Chapter, No. 93; and the St. John's Commandery, No. 20,-and hold- ing offices in each. He is Junior Warden in the blue lodge, Royal Arch Captain in the chapter, and Junior Warden in the com- mandery. Politically, Mr. McClain is a Re- publican, and is president of the Montgomery Republican Club. of Youngstown.

Following in the footsteps of his family before him: Mr. McClain is a devoted mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is ever prompt in advancing the interests of that denomination. Belonging to a family

whose members are prominently connected with the history of the United States from Revolutionary times, Mr. McClain has proved himself a worthy descendant of kon- orable forefathers, and the outlook for his fu- ture prospects are encouraging as the contin- uation of an active and useful career. Of commanding presence, he combines integrity of character with geniality of manner, which insure for him the friendship of high and low alike.

P ETER GILLEN, a leading undertaker and liveryman of Youngstown, Ohio, of which city he is an old settler and honored resident, is a native of Ireland, although his demeanor and character is so thoroughly American as to lead one to sup- pose he was born in the western world. His parents, Dominick and Mary (Clark) Gillen, were also natives of the Emerald Isle, where his father died, his mother afterward coming to America, where she died at abont the age of eighty-four years, having witnessed nearly a century of progress and enlightenment. The subject of this sketch is one of the three liv- ing children: Charles, the oldest, residing in Youngstown; John, a resident of Pennsyl- vania; and Peter, of this notice.

Peter Gillen accompanied his mother and the rest of the children to America, in 1853, and since 1858 he has been a resident of Youngstown. He received a good common- school education, and was early innred to self. support, which tended to strengthen a natur- ally independent and enterprising disposition. When of sufficient age, he became an iron worker in the employ of the firni of Brown & Bonnell, for whom he worked off and on for more than twenty years, which fact alone is a guaranty of industry

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

and uprightness. Having by this time ac- cumulated some means, Mr. Gillen engaged in the livery business on his own account, to which he a little later added that of un- dertaking, and both these he has followed ever since. He now has probably one among the largest establishments of the kind in the city, owning about twenty-one horses and rigs and dealing largely in undertaking goods. By correct business methods, Mr. Gillen has secured the confidence of the people, and a consequent large patronage and incidental wealth, which would be greater were it not that he is always contributing of his means to the advancement of some worthy object calculated to benefit the community of which he is a conspicuous and worthy citizen.

He was married to Miss Theressa Woods, a descendant of one of the oldest and best known families of the city, her father, Will- iam Woods, and her mother, whose maiden name was Shehy, having been among thie early settlers of this place, a street of Youngs- town now bearing the name of Shehy in honor of the latter family. She was also a cousin of the wife of Levi Simonton, another prom- inent citizen of Youngstown. Mr. and Mrs. Gillen had five sons: John F., a bookkeeper for the firm of Galliger & Canada, wholesale liquor dealers; Carlos Ignatius, who assists his father in the latter's business and is very serviceable; Anstin Peter, studying civil en- gineering in the State University, at Colum- bus, Ohio, in the class of 1894; Clement D., attending school in Cleveland; and William Woods, a student at Holy Cross College, Worcester, Massachusetts. In 1885, Mr. Gillen was deprived by death of his wife, who had shared his sorrows and joys for so many years, her age at the time being abont thirty- nine years. She was a devoted wife, indulgent mother, a good neighbor and excellent Chris-

tian woman. She was a friend to the poor, whom she assisted as far as her strength and means permitted. She was a useful member of the Catholic Church, whose teachings were portrayed in her daily life. She enjoyed the good will of all and her death was the cause of universal mourning.

In matters of local interest, Mr. Gillen is, politically, independent, his choice being guided by the fitness of the man for the position aspired to, but in national elections he votes with the Democratic party. He is a worthy member of the Catholic Church, to which he contributes liberally of his means.

W E. SPRAGUE .- The wonderful growth of Youngstown has .given increased impetus to all branches of trade, and in nothing is this more largely felt than in building and contracting. The city, therefore, offers excellent opportunities for extensive operations in this direction, attract- ing here men of the highest ability who are engaged in these lines among whom one of prominence and reliability is W. E. Sprague, a native of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, En- gland, where he was born September 26, 1845, a son of Edmund and Sophia (Perkins) Sprague, natives of England. Realizing the superior advantages offered in America, Mr. Sprague, with his yonng family, in 1849, came to the New World, locating first in Canada, but in 1856 removed to Youngstown, where he followed his trade of carpenter and joiner, until his death, in 1867, at the age of sixty-three years, his wife surviving him four years, when her death occurred, at the age of sixty-seven years. Throughout his lifetime he was a consistent member of the Established Church of England. Nine children were

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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.

born to this union, namely: Edwin J., now a resident of Portland, Oregon, who married Lizzie Lafferty, has eight children; Charles H., a resident of Atlantic City, married Jane Summers, and has four children; Sophia married Lewellyn Witherell, by whom she had three children, all of whom are residents of Youngstown; Amelia, wife of W. W. Crawford, who resides in Chicago, is the mother of twelve children: Emma M., wife of George Ormsby, resides in Portland, Ore- gon, has one child; Rose, wife of B. F. Ham- ilton, who resides in Portland, Oregon, and has two children; Nellie, wife of C. D. Barkley, who resides in Youngstown, has six children; our subject; and Lida, wife of Alexander Ormsby, who resides in Youngs- town, has two children.

The first business venture of our subject was his connection in the rolling mills, where he remained until his enlistment, in 1863, in Company H, Tenth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, serving under General Sherman, from the bat- tle of Murfreesborongh, Tennessee, until after the fall of Atlanta, when preparations were made for marching to the sea. At the battle of Nashville Mr. Sprague received a slight wound which detained him in the hos- pital, in that city, until after the big fight between Hood and Thomas, when he was transferred to the hospital at Columbus, Ohio, and remained there until May, 1865, when he received honorable discharge, and was mns- tered out at Columbus, Ohio. The severe wound he received prevented him from ac- companying Sherman on his march to the sea, lie remaining in the hospital six months, but throughout his connection with the army he showed himself a brave and valiant soldier. Prior to enlisting in the United States Army, he had volunteered in the Ohio National Guard, for five years, in Company A, Forty-

fourth Battalion, commanded by Captain Sourback, in which connection he had gained a most valuable experience and knowledge of military tactics.

After his discharge our subject returned home and engaged in the pursuit of the carpenter trade, first as a journeyman for several years, since which time he has en- gaged in the business on his own account. As time progressed and his business increased, he became an extensive contractor, and has executed contracts on some of the largest buildings in the city, among which is the car- penter work on the Haselton School Building, which, at present, is one of the finest school buildings in the city.

Mr. Sprague was married in March, 1868, to Miss Semantha Aughenbaugh, a native of Pennsylvania, and a danghter of Phillip and Hannah (McNutt) Aughenbaugh. The father of Mrs. Spragne was a native of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, where he resided for a number of years, engaged in farming; but in 1856 the family removed to Ohio and settled on a farm near the center of Boardman town- ship, where the death of the father occurred in 1863, he having been born October 20, 1820, while his wife was born January 6, 1819. Mr. Aughenbaugh was a prominent man in his township, serving on the School Board for many years, and was an influential member of the Presbyterian Church. He and his wife were the parents of six children, of whom Mrs. Sprague was the eldest, having been born June 15, 1846. The other children were: Ross S., who married Hattie Ferguson, of London, England, by whom he had two children; Effie B. and Charles H. After her death, which occurred at the age of thirty- five, he married Bertha Potter, of Cleveland, and they now reside at Ashtabula, where he is engaged in the United States mail service;

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Robert Mc., who married Rebecca Simon, of Boardman, by whom he had four children: Clinton, Robert Scott, Hazel and Ruby; he also is engaged in the United States mail ser- vice in Beaver, Pennsylvania; Dessie F., who married Lewis Smith, a farmer of Boardman township, bore him one child, Phillip G .; Jolin P., who married Henrietta Harris, by whoin he had one child, Cecil; and Mary L., wife of C. E. Haverstick, who died in 1881, aged twenty- three years, leaving two children: Cora D. and Blanche A.

Mr. and Mrs. Sprague have been blest with nine children, namely: Phillip E., who mar- ried Kate Shaner, of Pennsylvania, who died October 27, 1889, aged twenty-three years, after bearing him one child, Glen Elwood; and, after her death, he married Miss Emma Hauver, of Maryland, and they now reside in Florence, Fremont county, Colorado, where he is engaged in the oil business; Lida E .; Mildred, born April 28, 1873, died April 16, 1874; Lotta C .; Paul R .; Allen W .; Dessa F .; Mabel G , and William Thurman,- all of whom are well behaved and excel- lently trained children.

Mr. and Mrs. Sprague are most comfort- ably located in their beautiful home in a quiet portion of the city, where they dis- pense hospitality to their many friends. Prior to her marriage, Mrs. Sprague engaged in teaching in this county for several years, and was regarded as one of the most successful in her profession. Mr. Sprague is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias, in which he is Past Chancellor, and of the order of Elks-in both of which associations he is as popular as he is prominent in his busi- ness connections. Taking an ardent inter- est in politics, Mr. Sprague upholds the prin- ciples of the Democratic party, and embraces every opportunity of furthering its interests

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Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning, Part 75

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