Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 105

Author: Sanderson, Thomas W., comp
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1074

USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Youngstown > Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th > Part 105

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Christian Werren was 16 years of age when he accompanied the family to America, and a course in the public schools of his na- tive land, had afforded him a fair education. He remained with his father in Smith town- ship and then moved to Stark County, Ohio, where he continued to follow farming until 1896, when he came to his present place in Goshen township. He has a well-cultivated farm, raises the usual grains of this section and devotes a portion to pasturage, as he keeps a number of cows for dairy purposes. He is a good farmer and excellent manager. He learned the English language while attend- ing school for two winters in Stark County.

In Stark County he married Mary Har- mon, who died in June, 1905. She was a

(laughter of Michael Harmon. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Werren, Clara E. and Bertha A.

OHN S. MILLER, a leading citizen of Ellsworth township, residing on his finely-improved farm of 276 acres, was born on this place, December 12, 1861, and is a son of Emanuel and Margaret ( McNeilly) Miller, and a grandson of James McNeilly.

The maternal grandparents of Mr. Miller were born in Ireland and emigrated to Amer- ica, settling in Jackson township. Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1827 and coming to Ells- worth township, in 1830. The paternal grand- parents came to Ellsworth township from Pennsylvania. Their children were: four daughters, and the following sons, Eli. Jesse, Josiah, David, John, E. P., and Abraham. The paternal' grandfather died at the age of 90 years.

Emanuel P. Miller, father of John S., was born in 1829 on his father's farm in Ells- worth township, on a part of which he still resides. He married Margaret McNeilly, who died in March, 1895, aged 62 years.

John S. Miller attended the district schools of his native township and select schools at Ellsworth, and spent some time as a student at Oberlin College. He has resided on his present farm all his life, like his father, fol- lowing agricultural pursuits, but devoting especial attention for the last 18 years to breeding registered Jersey cattle. Up to 1890 he was in the sheep and cattle business to some extent, but in this year he began his present enterprise, with four head of Jerseys, and now has the finest herd of registered cat- tle in Mahoning County. He keeps from 35 tc 45 head of milkers, and in 1906 he put on the market over 12,000 pounds of Jersey but- ter. He supplies some 50 families at Youngs- town with his farm products, for which he re- ceives the highest market price paid. He looks after his deliveries himself, going to the city every Friday and returning home on the fol- lowing day.

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Mr. Miller brought the first registered im- ported male Jersey to Mahoning County, and much of the improvement in cattle in this sec- tion may be directly traced to his enterprise, as he raises stock to sell for breeding purposes. Formerly he has bred only the St. Lambert Jerseys, but is now making the experiment of crossing the same with what is known as the Island-bred. He has tried various other breds but finds that the Jersey cattle are de- cidedly the most economical and by far the best for dairy purposes. He has made this business a scientific study. High prices do not prevent his buying such stock as meets his re- quirements, and he is justly proud of a beauti- ful heifer for which he recently paid the sum of $225. On his fertile and well-cultivated farm Mr. Miller grows just enough for his own use in taking care of his cattle. He has erected all of his barns and his residence, and they are substantial in construction and mod- ern and sanitary in their equipments. '

On October 5, 1880, Mr. Miller was mar- ried to Jessie May Smith, who is a daughter of Walter and Judith P. Smith, and a grand- daughter of Walter Smith, who was a pio- neer from Connecticut to Ellsworth township. Mrs. Miller traces her ancestry back to the Mayflower. Mrs. Miller, like her husband, was the only child born to her parents. Her father was a soldier in the Civil War, a mem- ber of Company F, 4Ist Regiment, Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry, and died from fever, in 1862. The mother of Mrs. Miller still survives. She is a daughter of Henry Ripley and a grand- daughter of Gen. William Ripley, of Connec- ticut, who married a Miss Susan Bingham. General Ripley came to Ohio on horseback, one of the early settlers in the Western Re- serve. He became a man of great prom- inence and served twice as member of the Ohio Legislature.

Mr. and Mrs. Miller have had four chil- dren, namely: Walter Waldo, Lulu May, Lester and William Ray. Lester is deceased. Mr. Miller and family belong to the Presbyte- rian Church at Rosemont.

Politically, Mr. Miller is a Republican. He has shown his continued interest in educa-

tional matters by consenting to serve on the school board for a long time, and during two years was its president. He belongs to the fraternal order of Maccabees.

ILBERT MARINER, proprietor of Tanglewood Farm, consisting of 62 acres located in section 14, Coitsville township, was born November 30, 1847, in Youngs- town township, Mahoning County, Ohio, near Central Square, Youngstown, and is a son of Ephraim W. and Martha J. (Wilson) Mariner.

Ephraim W. Mariner was born on the same farm and in the same house in which his son resides, and was a son of Asa Mariner, who was a native of Connecticut, and a sur- veyor by trade. He came to this county in 1800 with a party of surveyors and located on a tract of 160 acres, and then returned to Connecticut, but came again to Mahoning County, in 1801, and settled on his land in Coitsville township, on which he resided dur- ing the remainder of his life. He engaged in farming and also operated a saw mill and a grist mill which he built on the place. He married Sarah Beggs, who came of one of the old pioneer families of Coitsville.

Ephraim W. Mariner, father of Wilbert, was reared on his father's farm in Coitsville township. He was a large, powerful man, six feet seven inches tall. He learned the black- smith trade with Cyrus Jackson, after which he moved to Youngstown and started a black- smith shop, in partnership with his brother-in- law, B. L. Wilson. He married Martha Wil- son, who was born at Brier Hill, on the line between Trumbull and Mahoning . counties, who was a daughter of Andrew Wilson. They had but one child, Wilbert. Ephraim Mariner died at the age of 22 years from brain fever when his son was but 18 months old. His widow subsequently married his brother, Ma- jor James Mariner, who was an officer in the State militia. They had two children : Lois, who is the widow of Lemuel Treester, resid-

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ing on part of the home farm; and Edith, who married Myron Clark. Major James Mariner died in 1887, and his widow in 1897, aged 74 years.

Wilbert Mariner was reared on the farm where his grandfather located in 1801, his mother and step-father removing there when he was a small child. He has lived on this farm all his life, and has always been inter- ested in farming, and owns 77 acres of farm land in Coitsville township, having another tract of 15 acres besides the farm on which he resides. In connection with his farming he runs a small dairy, disposing of the milk at wholesale. Mr. Mariner for 10 years worked during the winter months in a saw mill for Joseph Jackson, and for three years for the Mahoning Coal Company as weigh master.

Mr. Mariner was married in 1886 to Cora A. Stacey, a daughter of James A. Stacey. Nine children were born to this union, the fol- lowing surviving : James S., Genevieve, Martha Virginia, Wilbert Judson, Mar- guerite and Ephraim Minola. Those de- ceased were: Catherine Jane, Joseph K. and Florence R.

Mr. Mariner is a Republican and in 1903 he was elected treasurer of Coitsville town- ship.

D AVID HAMMOND STEWART, an extensive peach-grower and farmer, of Poland township, residing on his 83 acres of valuable land, which is situated in lots 6 and 16, adjoin- ing the corporation line of the village of Po- land, is a member of one of the oldest settled families of Mahoning County. He was born at Thorn Hill, in Coitsville township, in the historic old house built by his grandfather, which is now the home of Isaac Rush. His parents were Alexander and Mary ( Ham- mond) Stewart.

Probably there are few families in Ohio that can more clearly trace their line of an- cestry than can the Stewart family. It reaches to John Stewart, a Scotch Covenanter who

fled from Scotland to County Down, Ireland, in 1665, to escape penalties incurred for non- compliance with royal edicts respecting forms of religious worship. John Stewart died in 1720.

Robert Stewart, son of John, was born at Glasgow, Scotland, in 1665, and died in Ireland in 1730.

Samuel Stewart, son of Robert, was born near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1698, and died in 1770, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In 1720, with his brother Hugh, he went to Ireland, and together they came to America in 1735, landing in the city of Philadelphia. They settled in Drumore township, Lancas- ter County, Pennsylvania, near Chestnut Lev- el, where there was a Scotch-Irish colony.

Robert Stewart, son of Samuel and great- grandfather of David Hammond Stewart, was born in Ireland in 1732, and died on his farm in Liberty township, Adams County, Pennsyl- vania, November 1, 1811. He bought 100 acres of land in what was then York, but is now Adams County, May 30, 1765, and as his first child was born December 20, 1765, he was probably married in the early part of that year to Sarah Stewart, of Chester County, a cousin, who was born in 1737 and died March 31, 1796.

James Stewart, son of Robert and grand- father of David H., was born in Pennsylvania, October 27, 1768. He came from Adams County, Pennsylvania, to Mahoning County in company with his brother John, in 1802, se- lecting 374 acres of land in Coitsville town- ship. He went back to Pennsylvania, but in 1803 he returned to Coitsville township with his family and built the old log cabin which is still standing. He was married (first) to Jean Smiley, who was a daughter of John and Ann Houton (Stewart) Smiley, a cousin, who was born in Washington County, Pennsyl- vania, May 19, 1771, and died in Coitsville township, Mahoning County, September 5. 1812. James Stewart was drafted for the War of 1812, but on account of the serious illness of his wife at that time, he hired a substitute, paying him the sum of $ioo and a gun. He had six children by his first mar-

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HISTORY OF MAHONING COUNTY

riage. He was married (second) to Jean Buchanan, who was born October II, 1785, and died March 30, 1871, at the home of her son Alexander, in Poland township.

Alexander Stewart, father of David H. Stewart, was the 13th child of James Stewart and the seventh of his second marriage, and he was born in Coitsville township, Mahoning County, Ohio, September 3, 1825, and died in Poland township, December 14, 1903. He married Mary Hammond, who is a daughter of John and Margaret ( Neilson) Hammond. They continued to live on the old Stewart homestead until 1863, when Mr. Stewart sold the Coitsville farm and moved to Poland, where he resided during the remainder of his life. His widow still survives.

David Hammond Stewart was about one year old when his parents moved to Poland township, and he was reared on the farm now occupied by his brother, James Stewart. He was educated in the Poland schools and Po- land Seminary. He has always devoted him- self to agricultural pursuits and has been so successful in raising peaches that he is desig- nated "the peach man" of Mahoning County, a very honorable title, showing that he pos- 'sesses much scientific knowledge, to make the growing of this desirable fruit one of such importance in this section. He has an or- chard of 700 peach trees.

On June 30, 1886, Mr. Stewart was mar- ried to Sarah Frances Giesy, who is a daugh- ter of Jacob H. and Julia Ann ( Wolf) Giesy, natives of Fairfield County, Ohio, where Mrs. Stewart was reared and carefully educated. 'She, with H. T. Stewart and Miss Alice Caro- line Stewart, compiled the exhaustive history of the Stewart family, which was brought out in 1900 in book form. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have two children, Bertha Minnetta and Mary Edna. The former was born January 25, 1889. In June, 1907, she was graduated from Poland Seminary, after graduating from the Poland High School, in the previous year, and is to enter Wilmington College, in Law- rence County, Pennsylvania. The second daughter was born January 5. 1893. The

family home is a handsome frame residence which was erected in 1894. The family be- long to the United Presbyterian Church at Struthers, in which Mr. Stewart is an elder. He has never taken any very active part in politics, but has consistently acted the part of a good and public-spirited citizen. He is a member of the Poland Union board of edu- cation.

J AMES PARK, a prominent farmer and highly respected citizen of Canfield township, and owner of II0 acres of well-improved and highly cultivated farm land, was born April 16, 1842, in Ireland and is a son of David and Mary ( Meharg) Park.

David Park, a native of Drumlee District, County Down, Ireland, was a farmer by oc- cupation. He was one of a large family of children, but he and his sister, Mrs. Jane Mc- Knight, were the only members who came to America, the latter of whom settled in Philadelphia, and is now deceased. David Park married Mary Meharg, whose father, James Meharg, was of Scotch-Irish descent. Seven children were born to David and Mary Park, four of whom were born in Ireland and three in America. In 1840, David Park start- ed for the United States, with his wife and children, taking passage in a sailing vessel, which required six weeks to make the voyage. Having friends in Mahoning County, Ohio, he at once came here and settled in Canfield township. After staying with friends at Can- field for a short time he bought and located on the farm now owned by Issac Clay. The land was partially cleared and they moved into a log house which was on the place, in which they resided for several years, and after Mrs. Park's parents came to this country, they they bought land in partnership. David was killed in an iron ore bank when our subject was but 12 years old. He left a family of seven children: Jane. who married William Braden, both deceased: James, Edward, de- ceased : Margaret, who married James Wal-

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ELMER COWDEN ROBINSON

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lace ; Sarah, deceased wife of A. M. Templin ; Mary, deceased; and Betty, who became the second wife of A. M. Templin.

Mrs. Park remained a widow for some time and then married James Dickson, and both are now deceased.

James Park was about six years old when his parents came to this country. He was reared in Canfield township and attended the district schools a short time, having also at- tended school about one year or less in Ireland. The greater part of his time, however, was de- voted to working on the farm, as the family was large and of limited means. In 1862, he enlisted in Company H, 105th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Wilson, for service in the Civil War, and participated in many important battles and endured many of the hardships of army life, remaining until the close of the war. Among the most im- portant in which he fought were Chickamauga and Perryville, and he was with Sherman on his march to the sea, which included many serious engagements. At the close of his service he returned to Mahoning County, Ohio, and settled in Canfield township.

Mr. Park was married, in 1870, to Mary A. Kirkpatrick (now called Kirk), a daughter of Matthew and Mary ( Wilson) Kirkpatrick, who originally owned our subject's farm. After his marriage Mr. Park located on his present land which he purchased from his father-in-law, and it is a valuable property. Mrs. Park is one of a family of four children : Mary A., Elizabeth J., who married George Barnes; H. R .; and John, deceased.

Mr. Park has always followed agriculture as an occupation and is recognized as one of the most successful farmers of the township, and what he has acquired has been entirely due to his own efforts, he having started in life de- pendent upon his own resources. He is well known as one of the township's most progres- sive and public spirited men, one whose in- terests are identical with those of his commun- ity. Politically he is a Republican. He is one of the directors of the Farmers' National Bank of Canfield, Ohio.

LMER COWDEN ROBINSON, a € well known retail dealer in lumber and building supplies of Lowellville, was born August 18, 1863, in Coits- ville township, Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of John F. and Hannah ( McWilliams) Robinson. His parents were both born and reared in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, where they were subsequently married, after which they removed to Poland township, Mahoning County, Ohio, residing for one year on a farm. They then moved to Coitsville township and purchased a farm of 115 acres on which Mr. Robinson was en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred June 29, 1887. His widow, who still survives, is a resident of Lowellville, Ohio. They were the parents of six children : Almina, who died June 12, 1887, aged 32 years; George, who is engaged in farming in Poland township on a farm of 75 acres which he inherited from his father's estate; William, who died in November, 1888; Edward, twin brother of Elmer C., who is engaged in farm- ing in Poland township: and Audley O., who is also a dealer in building supplies, and has an office in the same building in which the subject of this sketch is located. The three sons, Edward, Audley, and Elmer C., own the home farm in Coitsville township.

Elmer C. Robinson was reared in Coits- ville township, working on his father's farm for many years, after which he was engaged in threshing for ten years, operating his own thresher. In 1897 he entered into the lumber business, locating on the opposite side of the street from his present location. Erecting a building. he continued in business there until the Traction Company put double tracks through the village, which reduced his lot from 55 to 30 feet. He then purchased his present lot and during the winter of 1903-4 erected a building in which he has since been engaged in retailing lumber and building sup- plies. He continues to use the old lot as a lumber yard. Mr. Robinson is also interested in other business enterprises, having consid- erable stock in the Hiawanna Lumber Com-

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pany of Hiawanna, Mississippi, and he spent three months there in the fall of 1906 in get- ting the business established. He also owns stock in the South West Land Company of Cuba. He was married September 15, 1903, to Belle Baker, a daughter of James Baker. Mr. Robinson is a member of the Knights of Pythias order. His portrait accompanies this article.

J. LOMASNEY, vice-president of the Republic Rubber Company, one of the prominent citizens who has been identified with several of the leading business concerns of Youngstown, was born June 21, 1870, in Nashville, Tennes- see. Mr. Lomasney was reared in Nashville and educated in a private school of that city, and remained there until 20 years of age. He then went to New York City and entered the employ of the Peerless Rubber Manufacturing Company, with whom he remained for about nine years. Coming then to Youngstown, Ohio, he became associated with the Republic Rubber Company, as vice-president, and has been thus connected since. Mr. Lomasney was married in December, 1902, to Miss Fan- nie Arms, a daughter of Warner Arms, one of Youngstown's leading citizens and manufac- turers. Mr. Lomasney is a member of the Youngstown Club, the Mahoning Golf Club, and is also a member of the Larchmont Yacht Club of New York City.

HARLES W. FITCH, who is en- gaged in general farming and stock- raising on a tract of 80 acres, loca- ted in section 14, Coitsville town- ship, is a prosperous agriculturist and well-known citizen. He was born March 30, 1856, at Coitsville Centre, Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of Robert and Jane (Moore) Fitch.

Robert Fitch was born in Maryland and was a small boy when his father died, after which his mother contracted a second mar-

riage. with Mason Bell, and they moved to Coitsville township, Mahoning County, Ohio. Mrs. Bell died in Coitsville, in 1872, at the advanced age of 90 years.

Charles W. Fitch was reared in Coitsville township and learned the carpenter trade, which he followed for about 20 years, during which time he built a great many houses and barns in Coitsville township. He also assisted in the erection of the Methodist and Presby- terian Churches of Coitsville Centre. He mar- ried Jane Moore, a native of Ireland who came to this country with her father, William Moore, when eight years old, and resided in Bazetta township, Trumbull County, Ohio, un- til the time of her marriage. She died in 1887. They had three children; Mary A., Charles W., and Frank, the latter of whom died aged 18 months. After retiring from carpenter work, Mr. Fitch located on the old McBride farm of 94 acres, which he subse- quently bought, and there he resided until his death, in September, 1901.

Charles W. Fitch was reared in Coitsville township, learned the carpenter trade with his father, and followed the same for about 10 years. After his marriage, he rented and op- erated his father's farm for several years and then bought about two and one-half acres of this land, on which he resided for several years, after which he purchased his present farm of 80 acres, where he has since been engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He makes a specialty of raising horses. Mr. Fitch has made all of the improvements on the farm as there were no buildings here at the time of his purchase. He owns other land in Coitsville township, aggregating 148 acres, in four sep- arate tracts.

Mr. Fitch was married April 19, 1883, to Sarah Plant, a native of Bazetta township. Trumbull County, Ohio, who is a daughter of George and Eliza (Parsons) Plant. Her father, a native of Ireland, was a large, powerful man, six feet, one inch tall, and for years he was a member of the Royal Guards, to the late Queen Victoria, of England. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Fitch : Harry, Raymond, Mamie Jane, Myrtle Belle,

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and Charles Victor. Mr. Fitch and his fam- ily are members of the Coitsville Methodist Episcopal Church, with which he united when 16 years old. When quite young he served as superintendent of the Sunday school for two years and has been a steward in the church for the past 25 years.

ILLIAM H. CREED, a successful farmer and one of the leading citi- zens of Struthers, residing on a fine farm of 160 acres located in section 12, Poland township, was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, March 5, 1849, and is a son of William and Harriet ( Ames) Creed, a full sketch of whom will be found in this work under the name of John A. Creed. William Creed was but a few months old when his parents moved to the Rayen es- tate farm of 600 acres, in Coitsville township, on which he was reared, securing his education in the Milligan District school, in Coitsville township. His father died when he was 14 years old, after which he continued to reside with his mother until the time of his marriage. In 1875, one year after his marriage, he moved to Holland, near Warren, Trumbull County, and rented the Christopher Milligan farm for three years, after which he returned to Coitsville township and rented the Kimwell farm for seven years. In 1880, he bought his present farm, on which he located two years later, and immediately began making improve- ments. The house was then situated on the west end of the farm and this he moved to the east end, on the Struthers and Poland road, now known as Poland Avenue, and later sold this house after having removed it to another lot. In 1903, he built a commodious, modern 12-room house, and in 1889 he erected a fine large barn. Mr. Creed runs a dairy in con- nection with his farming. and keeps about 25 cows. With Dr. W. A. Morrison of Struth- ers, he bought 50 acres of land in Struthers, adjoining his farm, which was formerly the Joseph Sexton farm, and this property was laid out in town lots, the greater part of which

have been sold. Mr. Creed is also a director of the Struthers Savings and Banking Com- pany. Fraternally he is a member of the Pro- tective Home Circle, and is religiously asso- ciated with the United Presbyterian Church of Struthers, of which he is a trustee.

On April 30, 1874, Mr. Creed was united in marriage to Susan W. Reed, a daughter of John H. Reed, and a sister of William Reed, of whom a sketch appears in this work. Children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Creed, namely: Nellie J., who married Enos Humm, of Struthers, has four children, Harry, Roy, Alice, and Frank ; L. S., who lives on the home farm, married Etta Fieldhouse, and has two children, Randall and Dudley ; Frank R., who married Josephine Lauthers, of Youngstown, has one child, Wilson. Frank Creed, of the above family, is a member of the grocery firm, Creed & McNabb, at Struthers.

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Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 105

Author: Sanderson, Thomas W., comp Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1074

Author: Sanderson, Thomas W., comp
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1074