Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 110

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 110

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On April 1, 1875, Mr. Kenreich was mar- ried to Mary Keyser, who was born October 8, 1854, in Green township, Mahoning Coun- ty, Ohio, and is a daughter of Jacob and Lydia ( Heisy) Kyser, the former of whom was born in Mahoning and the latter in Columbiana County, Ohio. Mrs. Kenreich was reared mainly in Fairfield township, Columbiana County, where her parents moved in her child- hood and where both died.

To Mr. and Mrs. Kenreich have been born ten children, as follows: Rev. Charles H., who is a Lutheran minister, located at Scran- ton, Jackson County, Mississippi; Emma A., who is a popular music teacher in Green town- ship; William W. and Walter F., both resid- ing in Green township: Paul G., attending the Lutheran College at Winfield, Kansas; and Mary A., E. Augustus, Bertha L., Martin G. and Victor L., all residing in Green township.

Mr. and Mrs. Kenreich are members of the Lutheran Church at Youngstown. Mr. Kenreich has always been active in religious work and is ever ready to lend his influence to advance moral movements. In politics he is a stanch Republican.

RIAH WATSON YEAGER, a sub- stantiai citizen and a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser, operating one of the best-cultivated farms in Ellsworth township, consisting of 200 acres, belongs to old pioneer stock of Ma- honing County. He was born on the home- stead farm in Ellsworth township, Mahoning County, Ohio, October 22, 1872, and is a son of William and Magdalina ( Brobst ) Yeager.

Both the Yeager and Brobst families came to Ohio from Pennsylvania and probably from Lehigh County, settling in Ellsworth town- ship when the country was yet undeveloped. William Yeager, father of Uriah W., was born January 16, 1835, in Canfield township, Mahoning County, and is a son of Christian Yeager, born in 1807, who died in 1891. aged 84 years. The grandmother of Uriah W. Yeager was a member of the Miller family.

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She died in 1852. Christian Yeager and wife had three children: William; Nathan, who owns the old Yeager place on which his father first settled; and George, who resides in Aus- tintown, in the second house from Smith's Corners.

The mother of Uriah W. Yeager was born at Smith's Corners, Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1836, and died of pneumonia, February 20, 1907. Her parents were Daniel and Magda- lina (Fullwiler) Brobst, the former of whom died in 1894, in his 98th year, and the latter, in June, 1852. The children of Daniel Brobst and wife were: Charles, residing at Youngs- town; Rachel, residing at Warren, Ohio; Mrs. Betsy Handwork, deceased, formerly of Beardstown; Mrs. Amanda Hammond, resid- ing at North Baltimore; Mrs. Susan Strock, residing in Austintown; Magdalina, deceased ; Daniel, who was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil War and was a flag-bearer at the fall of Vicksburg; Mrs. Lucy Snyder, re- siding at North Baltimore; and Mrs. Mary Dustman, deceased, formerly of North Balti- more.

There were 12 children born to William Yeager and wife, as follows: Heman, resid- ing in Berlin township, engaged in farming, married Ella Clay ; Jomandis, residing in Ells- worth township, engaged in farming, married Clara Clay ; Annie, who married John Burkey, residing in Ellsworth township; Edward, who died aged 37 years, resided on his farm in Wood County, Ohio, unmarried; Liberta B., who married John Kale, residing at Wingston, Wood County: Perry, who died in infancy ; Charles, residing in Hancock County until recently, when he moved to Wood County, where he is engaged in farming, married Retta Ire, of the former county ; Jefferson, residing at Beardstown, Wood County, unmarried; Uriah W .; Dallas, residing at Beardstown, engaged in farming for his brother; Rachel, deceased, who married William Musser, of Poland township; and Sherman, residing at Newton Falls, Trumbull County, married Martha Danforth. The father of the above mentioned family still survives.

With the exception of one year during

which he worked at the water works plant at Youngstown, Mr. Yeager has been engaged in farming ever since he finished going to school, and his present land has been brought to a high state of cultivation. He raises corn, oats and wheat, and every year turns out a large amount of live-stock, hogs, cattle and sheep. In 1902 he erected a residence which contains eight rooms, with halls and closets, which is a fine type of the modern rural home, and in 1904 he still further improved his place by building his substantial barn. Mr. Yeager is unmarried. His family has always- been identified with the Democratic party, but he is liberal and supports those candidates he deems best qualified for office.

D AVID CRUMRINE, one of the rep- resentative men of Goshen town- ship, who has resided on his excel- lent farm of 82 acres, which is sit- uated in section 4, since the spring of 1899, is also a survivor of the Civil War. Mr. Crumrine was born in Berlin township, Ma- honing County, Ohio, August 23, 1831, and is a son of John and Susan ( Burget) Crum- rine. The father of Mr. Crumrine was born in Pennsylvania and was of German extrac- tion. He settled in Berlin township before much clearing had been done and built his pioneer cabin in the woods which were then inhabited by wild animals. The parents of David Crumrine have long since passed away.

David Crumrine was reared in Berlin township and obtained his education in the early schools. He followed farming as he grew to manhood and that has been his main occupation in life. During the Civil War he served in answer to the call for 100-day men, entering Company G, 155th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, holding the rank of cor- poral. He is a member of Kirkbride Post, Grand Army of the Republic, No. 600, at Berlin, and served as its commander for al- most three years.

In 1854 Mr. Crumrine was married to Asenath Cook, who was born in Goshen town-

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ship, April 12, 1833, and is a daughter of Job and Mary Ann (Swain) Cook. Job Cook was born in New Jersey and was a son of Jacob Cook, who came to Mahoning County at an early day and settled in Green township, near New Albany. The Cooks have always been prominent and substantial peo- ple. Of their children, three survive: Ma- thias S., residing at Council Bluffs, Iowa; Asenath, Mrs. Crumrine; and John B., resid- ing in Mahoning County. Job Cook formerly owned the farm on which Mr. and Mrs. Crum- rine reside. He was a Whig in his political sentiments in early days, but later became a stanch Republican. He was one of the liberal supporters of the Goshen Methodist Episcopal Church.

Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Crumrine, namely : Carrie V., who married Homer Woolf, residing at Atwater Station; Mary P., who married Wilfred Smith, resid- ing at Tyrrell Hill, Ohio; Eva, residing at home; and J. L., residing at Cleveland. On January 26, 1904, Mr. and Mrs. Crumrine celebrated their golden wedding. This was a happy occasion long to be remembered by the devoted children, grandchildren and close friends who were permitted to be present. It was particularly enjoyable for there are, as yet, no broken links in the family chain.

Mr. and Mrs. Crumrine are valued mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They have a wide acquaintance as both families have been prominent so long in Mahoning County, and they have many friends who honor and esteem them for themselves.

6 ALLUS GRIM, a successful agricul- turalist and prominent resident of Poland township, whose fine farm of 134 acres is situated about one-half mile southeast of Struthers, and in one part adjoins the corporation line, was born at Wittenberg. Germany, December 29, 1828, and is a son of Barney and Catherine Grim. The father was a small farmer and also car-

ried on shoemaking. Both he and wife died in Germany.

Gallus Grim attended school in his boy- hood in his native land, and then entered a grist mill, where he continued to work for twelve and a half years, leaving, in 1853, when 25 years of age, to come to America. As his father had died when he was but 14 years of age, and he was the eldest son of a widow and one of seven children, he escaped com- pulsory army service. He settled first at Erie, Pennsylvania, where he worked several years. as a teamster and then in the same capacity for a couple of years at Greenville, when he- came to Coshocton, Ohio, and became a coal miner. After two years, about 1858, Mr. Grim came to Mt. Nebo, Mahoning County, where he worked in a coal bank for a pro- tracted period. He providently invested his earnings in land, in 1863 buying his first 50 acres. He continued to buy parcels of land and to keep up improvements, and in the panic of 1873, bought a farm which adjoined his former one, selling it at a largely increased figure at a later date. In 1890 Mr. Grim. bought 83 acres adjoining his first purchase, of the Anderson heirs, on which he made many improvements including the building of a handsome residence, which is occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Theodore Mack. His old- est surviving son lives on the old home place adjoining the second farm, and on it Mr. Grim has two dwelling houses, the new resi- dence having been completed in 1905. The two farms are operated together by Mr. Grim's. son and son-in-law. During his active years, after retiring from mining, Mr. Grim carried on farming and stock-raising.

In 1858 Mr. Grim was married to Lena Voglebarger, who died May 21. 1891. They had three children, namely: John, who died aged six years: Catherine, who married The- odore Mack; Christopher, who married Cath- erine Welch, has two children, Gallus and Mary.

Mr. Grim and family belong to the Cath- olic Church at Struthers. The son-in-law. Mr. Mack, is a member of the church council. Mr.

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HISTORY OF MAHONING COUNTY

Grim stands very high in the estimation of those who know him. His success in life is the direct result of industry, frugality and good management.

OHN J. THOMAS, M. D., a prom- inent physician and surgeon at Youngstown, with offices at No. 122 East Wood street, has been a resident of this city since 1882. He was born in England, but was brought to America when a babe of six months, by his father, Rev. John M. Thomas, who was a minister in the Con- gregational Church.

Dr. Thomas lived in New York city for a time and prepared for the work of his pro- fession at Jefferson Medical College, Phila- delphia, where he was graduated in 1881, and immediately entered into practice. From a short but successful period of practice in Pennsylvania, Dr. Thomas came to Youngs- town, and in the 24 years of residence here he has gained an enviable reputation for pro- fessional skill and has made many personal friends. He is a valued member of the Ma- honing County and the Ohio State Medical So- cieties. He is also a member of the consult- ing board of the city hospital, lecturing on ob- stetrics. For a period of 15 years, from 1891 until 1906, he was city police surgeon. In 1888 Dr. Thomas was married to Mary Da- vis, and they have three children, namely : Arthur, Helen and Louise. Dr. Thomas is a member of the Plymouth Congregational Church.

UGHES SWARTZ, who has been a life-long resident of Berlin township, has followed farming on his present farm of 84 acres almost since the close of the Civil War. He was born November 18, 1833, in Berlin township, Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of Dan- iel and Dorothy (Lenard) Swartz.

Daniel Swartz was a native of Ohio and

his life was devoted to agricultural pursuits, residing both in Ohio and Kalamazoo County, Michigan, his wife dying in the latter State. He died at Alliance, Ohio. They reared a family of five children : Hughes, William A., Charles, Jemima and Ann Elizabeth.

Hughes Swartz passed his boyhood days in Berlin township. In May, 1864, he en- listed in Company G, 155th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered in at Camp Dennison, Ohio, where he was also mustered out when his term of service ex- pired. After the war he engaged in farming, and in 1875 purchased 71 acres of his pres- ent farm, to which he subsequently added 13 acres. He made many improvements, built a new barn and remodeled the house, and has carried on general farming ever since.

Mr. Swartz was married at the age of 25 years, to Hannah L. Dustman, who was also born in Berlin township, and is a daughter of Daniel and Catherine Dustman, old settlers of Mahoning County. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Swartz: Daniel and Charles P., both of whom died unmarried.

Mr. Swartz is a Republican and has served as township supervisor. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic Post at Ber- lin Center.

ACOB F. KEEFER, one of Milton township's representative farmers, residing on a farm of 126 acres, was born in 1844, north of Youngstown, in Liberty township, on what was known as Church Hill, and is a son of Jacob and Rebecca (Nier) Keefer.

Jacob Keefer was born in 1802, in Penn- sylvania, and after his marriage in 1827 came to Ohio, locating first in Canfield township, Mahoning County. He then removed to Lib- erty township, where he resided until the death of his wife, Rebecca (Nier) Keefer, who was born in 1802 and died in 1872. He afterwards went West, where his death oc- curred in 1889. He and his wife had 10 chil- dren, but three of whom are now living.

Jacob F. Keefer grew to manhood in Lib-

SAMUEL A. RICHARDS

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erty township and at the age of 22 years, he engaged in farming on a tract of 65 acres which he had purchased from his father. He subsequently sold this and in 1876 came to the township of Milton. Here he purchased his present farm of 126 acres, which is pleas- antly situated on the banks of the Mahoning River, and has since been engaged in farming. He was first married in 1866, to Sarah Huff- man, who died in 1872. Three children were born of this union, all of whom are deceased. In 1873 Mr. Keefer married for his second wife, Mrs. Mary (Bowman) Gamber, a na- tive of Pennsylvania. She died in 1904 at the age of 70 years, leaving one child, Samuel Gamber, a son by her former husband. Mr. Keefer has an adopted daughter, Bertha, a cultured young lady, who was born in Milton, Ohio, in 1883. She is unmarried and keeps house for Mr. Keefer.

D UNCAN McDONALD, a well-known agriculturist, engaged in general farming, stock-raising and fruit- growing, resides on his excellent farm of over 73 acres, which is sit- uated in section 28, Goshen township. Mr. McDonald was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, February 25, 1846, and is a son of Charles and Mary (Scarlet) McDonald.

The grandfather of Mr. McDonald was born in Scotland, and settled in Virginia, where Charles McDonald was born. The lat- ter was married in Jefferson County, Ohio, and when his son, Duncan, was four years of age, he came to Mahoning County, settling in Goshen township on a farm which is now owned by George Long. Both he and his wife died in this township. The two surviving members of their family are: Duncan and Cora, the latter of whom married William Venable, residing in Goshen township.

Duncan McDonald grew to manhood in Goshen township, obtaining a district school education. He has given his attention to agri- cultural pursuits all his life, putting into use

the training he received from boyhood, and reaping both pleasure and profit.

Mr. McDonald was married (first) to Luesa Blackburn, of Goshen township, who, at death, left one son, Hervey H. On Jan- uary 14, 1885, Mr. McDonald was married (second) to Mary Blackburn, who is a daugh- ter of William and Elizabeth ( Stanley) Black- burn, former prominent residents of this town- ship. They have two daughters, Bertha E. and Rachel M. Mr. McDonald is a Republi- can. He is a member of the Society of Friends at Damascus, Ohio.

AMUEL A. RICHARDS, manager of the Struthers Furnace, located at Struthers, and vice-president and a director of the Struthers Savings and Banking Company, was born July 9, 1844, and is a son of William and Mary Ann ( Hellawell) Richards.

William Richards was born in Wales, where he learned the blacksmith's trade, and at the age of 18 years, came to America as a journeyman worker, remaining for a time in Cleveland and later working in the shops at Akron, Ohio, where he also ran a shop of his own for a short time. In 1845 he removed with his wife and child to Niles, Ohio, and a year later, to Brier Hill, which is now a part of Youngstown. Here he did the blacksmith work for the Warner & Philpott blast furnace. In 1851 he purchased a farm near Girard, Ohio, and built a shop on his land, where he did blacksmithing and boilermaking. He was recognized by this time as a highly skilled workman and in 1853 he undertook the man- agement of the Warner-Philpott furnace, at Brier Hill, which was then known as the Eagle Furnace, retaining the superintendency until 1855. when he took charge of the James Wood Furnace, also at Brier Hill, on a contract.

Mr. Richards continued to operate under this lease until 1860, when the Brown-Bon- nell Company took the lease and William

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Richards entered into a contract with them that expired in 1864. In 1863 he entered into a co-partnership with George C. Rice and a Mr. Berger, and they bought and repaired an old furnace and mill at New Castle, starting into business there as Reis, Richards & Berger. In the meanwhile, as Mr. Richards, on account of taking on himself new business responsibilities, was not able to complete the full period of his contract with Brown and Bonnell, he showed great confidence in his son, Samuel A., by putting him in as super- intendent to fill out the remaining year. After William Richards had sold out his holdings at New Castle, he took his wife, daughter and son and made a trip to Europe, spending a whole summer in seeing the sights of the Old World, returning in the autumn to the farm at Girard.

In 1866 William Richards entered into partnership with David Tod, William Ward and Joseph G. Butler, Jr., and they opened the blast furnace at Girard under the name of the Girard Iron Company, the furnace being located on the farm of Mr. Richards. He con- tinued superintendent of the Girard furnace until 1870, when he sold out all his interests and going to Warren, Ohio, bought the Pack- ard and Barnum Rolling Mill. He erected a blast furnace in connection with the mill, and the works were operated under the name of William Richards & Sons, the junior mem- bers of the firm being Samuel A., William Richards, Jr., and L. G. Lewis, the latter be- ing a son-in-law. Prior to this venture, Mr. Richards had been remarkably successful in all his business enterprises, but during the panic of 1873 the firm met with serious losses as did almost every other in the same line, and it resulted in an assignment being made in 1875. This business embarrassment probably shortened the life of Mr. Richards, who died in March, 1876. His iron operating had been mainly in Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsy !- vania, and all through this region he was well known and universally respected. For years he had been an authority and under him an army of iron workers had been trained. His memory is still preserved as of a man whose

energy and enterprise did much in the direc- tion of developing iron interests, and also of one whole personal integrity was never im- peached.

Samuel A. Richards was educated in the- common schools of Girard, Ohio, and the- Warren High School, where he was graduated and during the winter of 1865-6 he took a business course in the Bryant & Stratton Com -. mercial College, at Cleveland. He was anx- ious to perfect his business education, and in order to learn something concerning the prin- ciples and methods of banking, he entered the employ of the Wasson, Everett & Company Bank, at Cleveland, where he remained for six months in the capacity of bookkeeper.

About this time the furnace which was: later known as the Girard Iron Works, was. being constructed by his father and other capi- talists of Girard, and he left Cleveland and' joined his father in order to give him his as- sistance. Subsequently, as mentioned above, he became a member of the firm of William Richards & Sons, at Warren, Ohio, and after the failure of this enterprise, he went to Cleve- land, September 1, 1875, as superintendent of the Cleveland Iron Company furnace, remain- ing with that company until its failure in 1878. In July, of that year, he went to Preston County, West Virginia, where he took charge of a furnace for one year, and in July, 1879, he entered the employ of the Edgar Thompson Company, in the blast furnace de- partment at Braddock, Pennsylvania, as chief accountant, with the understanding that he was to be promoted upon the first opportunity.

In January, 1880, he accepted the superin- tendency of the blast furnace department of the Illinois Steel Company, at Joliet. Illinois, where he remained for five years, resigning in 1885 in order to go into a commission busi- ness at Chicago. However, he had been so long connected with furnaces and identified with iron interests, that the new line did not satisfy his ambitions and he soon closed out his commission interests. For the succeeding seven years, Mr. Richards traveled all over the- United States, in the interests of the owners, both individual and corporate, of furnace-

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properties, visiting these and discovering ex- isting troubles, and remaining until they were in good working order and had become pay- ing properties. He had an office at Chicago and acted also as an ore examiner and timber- land estimator, his advice being that of an ex- pert. It was while in this line of work that he met with a serious fall in the Tennessee Moun- tains, in 1890, dislocating his knee and making necessary the use of a crutch for more than a year, this being the real cause of his discon- tinuing the business. In 1892 he went to Du- luth, Minnesota, and took charge of the West Duluth furnace, but the panic of 1893 closed that property. He then returned to the district in which his father had been so large an oper- ator, and in association with W. C. Runyan, who is now president of the Struthers Fur- nace, leased and operated the Sharon furnace, for eighteen months. In 1896 they purchased the Struthers furnace and Mr. Richards came then to Struthers as its manager. The officers of the Struthers Furnace Company are: W. C. Runyan, president ; George L. Fairbanks, vice-president ; A. Grossman, secretary and treasurer ; and S. A. Richards manager.

In 1869 Mr. Richards was married to Mary Shoenberger, of Warren, Ohio, and they have had four children, namely: Harry T., assistant superintendent of the Struthers Fur- nace and a member of the village council, who married Sarah R. Homer and has had two children-Mary, deceased, and Florence M .; Jules G., foreman of the Struthers Furnace, who married Lily Clark; Lucy M., who died aged 13 years, and a child that died in infancy. Mr. Richards' portrait is presented in connec- tion with this article.

h OWARD F. BARDO, whose fine farm of 75 acres, situated in section 4. Go- shen township, shows the effects of careful cultivation, is one of the leading agriculturists and enterpris- ing citizens of this section. He was born in Goshen township, Mahoning County, January 20, 1866, and is a son of David and Sarah J. (Regal) Bardo.

David Bardo, father of Howard F., came to Mahoning County from Pennsylvania, when a young man, and has been a resident of Goshen township for many years. He was born in Pennsylvania 83 years ago, and is a son of John Bardo. He is one of the vener- able members of the Goshen Methodist Epis- copal Church, where his place is seldom va- cant during religious services.

Howard F. Bardo was reared on his fa- ther's farm in Goshen township and was edu- cated in the local schools. He has devoted his attention almost exclusively to agricul- tural pursuits. He is one of the nine sur- vivors of his parents' family, as follows : Charles, residing at Benton, Ohio; Howard F .; Chauncy A., residing at Canfield; Susan, residing in Goshen township; Amos, residing in Berlin township; Lewis, Elizabeth and John, all residing in Goshen township; and. Ettie, wife of Frank Waithman, residing at Patmos, Ohio. In 1886 Howard F. Bardo was married to Eva Strawn, who is a daugh- ter of John S. Strawn, of Goshen township, a sketch of whom will be found in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Bardo have two children, Nora and Herbert.

Mr. Bardo is a Republican in politics and takes an active interest in public matters. He has satisfactorily served as judge of elections in Goshen township. He is a member of the Goshen Methodist Episcopal Church and for 10 years has been one of the church stewards.

J AMES C. BIRMINGHAM, general contractor and extensive dealer in real estate, at Youngstown, is ranked with the leading business men of this city. He was born at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, November 1I, 1873, but has been a resident of Youngstown since he was four years of age.

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Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 110

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