Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 112

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

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Fraternal Order of Eagles, and of the Path- finders. He is also a member of the Youngs- town Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Steiner's parents, who are still living, are residents of Youngstown, where his father is engaged in the tailoring business.

ILLIAM MARLOW, deceased, was one of the best known and highly esteemed citizens of Goshen town- ship, and was an honored survivor of the great Civil War. He was born in England, June 3, 1831, and died at his home in Massillon, Ohio, August 17, 1906, being in his 75th year at this time.

Thomas Marlow, father of William, emi- grated with his family from England to the United States, in 1841, his father, William Marlow, having emigrated still earlier and set- tled in what is now Goshen township, Mahon- ing County. His log cabin was one of the first to be built in the dense forest that then covered all this present smiling agricultural expanse. For a time, Thomas Marlow and family lived alone in Goshen township, and then moved to an equally unsettled portion of Ashtabula County, and there the late William Marlow was mainly reared and lived until he entered the Federal army. His father had purchased a great deal of land and he assisted in its clear- ing. The whole family endured many pioneer hardships and were deprived of all the luxuries and many of the necessities which make modern life comfortable.

On October 6, 1862, Mr. Marlow enlisted for service in the Civil War, becoming a mem- ber of Company E. Sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, a part of the Army of the Potomac, and remained in the service until he was honorably discharged, June 27, 1865, at Petersburg, Virginia. During this long period in the army, Mr. Marlow participated in a number of the greatest battles of the war, fighting at Fredericksburg, Stoneman's Raid, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, and numerous other engagements of minor importance, and was at Appomattox, at

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the time of General Lee's surrender. At all times he was a brave and cheerful soldier, doing his full duty. He was a valued mem- ber of the Trescott Post. Grand Army of the Republic, at Salem, Ohio.

At the close of his military service, Mr. Marlow returned to Ohio, and later went to Michigan, where he resided for several years, after which he returned once more to Mahon- ing County and settled in Goshen township, where he resided for a number of years. His death removed one of Goshen township's valued citizens.

Mr. Marlow was married twice and the two surviving children of his first marriage are: John, residing in California, and Dora, residing near Cleveland. He was married ( second) to Mary A. Hinchman, who was born in Goshen township, April 14, 1833, and is a daughter of Henry and Tamson (Spen- cer ) Hinchman. Her father was born in New Jersey and came to Mahoning County with his father, Henry Hinchman, among the very early settlers. Mrs. Marlow still survives and is a lady well known and most highly es- teemed. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

ENRY O. BONNELL. Closely identi- fied with all of the prominent busi- ness interests of Youngstown, and of the whole Mahoning Valley, the late Henry O. Bonnell attained his emi- nent position in the business world through force of merit, rising step by step from the lowest position in his father's mill, to the con- trol of thousands of employes and immense industries which influence the markets of the world. He was born January II, 1839, at New Lay, Yorkshire, England, and was a son of William and Sarah A. ( Scott ) Bonnell. Biographical mention of his father, and also of his brother. W. Scott Bonnell, may be found elsewhere in this volume.

Before Henry O. Bonnell was old enough to choose his own career. his parents had emi- grated to America and the father had estab-

lished himself in a mill business at Youngs- town. Henry was the eldest child and his educational opportunities were meager. being practically confined to a little desultory in- struction in the neighborhood schools and one term at Youngstown. When he entered his father's mill, there were other lads of the same age admitted, but few of these displayed Henry's ability or fidelity and very few were as rapidly promoted for merit. Upon the death of his father he was in a position to take a prominent place in the recognized firm of Brown, Bonnell & Company, becoming its vice-president. This position he retained un- til 1879, when the company disposed of its interests but only to reorganize under different conditions. Later in the same year. Mr. H. O. Bonnell, in association with a number of Mahoning County capitalists, purchased what was known as the Valley mill plant, situated on Crab Creek. The new firm, of which Mr. Bonnell was a senior member, operated this plant under the firm name of the Mahoning Valley Iron Company until 1886, when the company was incorporated, Mr. Bonnell be- coming president and general manager. This responsible position he continued to fill until his death, which took place on January 16, 1893.

Although Mr. Bonnell's name was prob- ably most prominently connected with the above named great corporation, he was equally efficient in many other great enterprises. He was president of the Hubbard Rolling Mill Company, president of the Mahoning and Shenango Valley Manufacturing Association, chairman of the Youngstown Coke Company. a director in the Ohio Steel Company, a direc- tor in the Lakeside Nail Company, of Ham- mond, Indiana, and a director in the First Nat- ional Bank at Youngstown. Wherever placed, Mr. Bonnell proved himself a forcible. keen. judicious business man, abreast of the times in all things and an authority in all matters with which he had to deal. His devotion to work was phenomenal, and probably to this, in a measure, must be attributed the cause of his death.

In October, 1870, Mr. Bonnell was mar-

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ried to Mary Julia Botsford, who was a daughter of Archibald and Eliza (Lynn) Botsford, old residents of Poland. Four chil- dren were born of this marriage, three daugh- ters and one son. The son died in New York City, March 2, 1886. The eldest daughter Mary, resides with her mother at the beauti- ful family home, No. 689 Wick Avenue, Youngstown.

Mr. Bonnell was never a politician. His interest in public affairs was constant and in- telligent, but never centered in the advancing of a political party without reference to the qualifications of the candidate. He was too broad-minded for that. Youngstown has great cause to recall him as one of its liberal bene- factors. He was interested in art, in litera- ture and in many of the higher things of life, to which he gave attention in his later years, and his city profited thereby. To philan- thropic objects of all kinds he was generous but it was not the character of the man to herald his benefactions abroad. Personally he was genial, sincere, kind and appreciative and, while the whole Mahoning Valley bore testi- mony to his virtues, at his death, only those who knew him best. realized his real worth.

H. BUECHNER, M. D., surgeon to the Youngstown City Hospital and to the Erie Railroad Company. is one of the city's best qualified surgical practitioners. He was born at Youngstown, Ohio, in May, 1864, and is a son of the late Dr. W. L. Buechner, who died at Youngstown in September, 1904. In the latter's death Mahoning County lost a valued citizen, and a skilled physician and sur- geon who was known and trusted all through this section of the State. Born in Germany, he was educated in his own land, coming in 1854 to Youngstown, where the rest of his life was spent.

IV. H. Buechner spent his boyhood attend- ing school at Youngstown, and completed his literary education in the Rayen High School. He read medicine with his distinguished father

and then entered the medical department of the Western Reserve University, where he was graduated in 1885. After a post-graduate course at the University of Pennsylvania, he spent four years in Europe, during three years of this time being assistant to Professor Von Volkman, the celebrated surgeon at Halle, Germany. Here at the University Hospital he had exceptional advantages for study, 10,- 000 surgical cases being treated annually. În 1890 he returned to Youngstown, and since then has devoted himself to the practice of his profession. He is a valued member of the Ma- honing County, the Ohio State and the Am- erican Medical Associations. He is very prom- inent in Masonry, being a 32nd degree Mason and is affiliated with the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery, at Youngstown, and to the other branches at Cincinnati. He also belongs to the Elks.

H BEL P. LLOYD, one of the substan- tial and leading farmers of Canfield township, and owner of 2181/2 acres of land in Mahoning County, was born. August 18, 1844, in Goshen township. Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of Benjamin and Catura (Peterson) Lloyd.

Benjamin Lloyd, who was born and reared on his father's farm in Bucks County, Penn- sylvania, was a son of David Lloyd, whose father came to America from Scotland at a very early period. Benjamin had one sister, Benjamina, who married Joshua Stevenson. both of whom are deceased. Wher. a young man, Benjamin came to Ohio with his par- ents who settled in the timber lands of Goshen township, Mahoning County, in a log cabin. He was married in this township to Catura Peterson, who was born in New Jersey and who came to Ohio with her father, Abel Peter- son. They reared a family of seven children : namely : Joel, a resident of Texas ; David, who died in the Civil War: John, who resides in Goshen township: Abel is the subject of this sketch; Eliza, married Robert Campbell, both

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being now deceased; William, resides in Goshen township; James is a resident of Mich- igan. Benjamin was one of the most success- ful and prosperous farmers of Goshen town- ship and at the time of his death, which oc- curred when in his 84th year, was the owner of 150 acres of valuable farm land. His wife died at the age of 80 years.

Abel Lloyd was born in an old log house on his father's farm in Goshen township, where he was reared. He attended school at Goshen Center, it being one of the first frame schools erected in this locality. He remained at home until his marriage in 1875 and four years later bought his present farm of 961/2 acres from the Phillip Lynn estate, where he has since resided, engaged in general farming. Mr. Lloyd resides in a large eight-room frame house which he had built in 1902, and he also owns a tract of 122 acres in Boardman town- ship, just opposite from his home.

Mr. Lloyd was married in 1875 on Christ- mas day to Lucinda Cronick, who was born in 1857 in Berlin township, and is a daughter of Michael and Margaret ( Knauff ) Cronick, both of whom are deceased, the latter dying when her children were all quite young. Mrs. Lloyd was one of.a family of seven children: Lydia Ann (Mrs. William Walker) : Sarah. who married Frank Barber: David: Emanuel : Lu- cinda, now Mrs. Lloyd: Joseph, and Amanda ( Mrs. John Recker ). Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd, Nellie and Effie. Nellie first married Joseph Shaffer, by whom she had one child, Pearl; she subsequently married Marcus Rice and lives at home with her parents ; Effie died in 1902 aged 18 years. Politically Mr. Lloyd is a Republican and has served as supervisor of Canfield township.

EORGE WASHINGTON RIPPLE, general contractor and farmer, re- siding on his valuable farm of 235 acres, which is situated in Austin- town township, about eight miles southwest of Youngstown, was born on his father's farm in Austintown township, Mahon-

ing County, Ohio, October 7. 1843. His par- ents were Samuel and Eve ( Gilbert ) Ripple.

The Ripple family was established in Ma- honing County by John Ripple, the grand- father of George W., who came to this section from Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, where he had formerly owned a large farm. His first set- tlement was made in Poland township, but in 1827 he sold his farm there and moved to Aus- tintown township, he, Mr. Russell and Mr. Kirkpatrick being the first three settlers. They had many hardships to meet and overcome, the country then being in such a wild state that often, in clearing their land they had to pro- tect themselves from wolves which roamed in great bands through the forests. John Ripple married Susan Harroff, who, with him lived to old age, their lives having been filled with the events which all pioneers encounter. They died in Austintown township, good and worthy people. They had a family of eight children, as follows : Samuel, William. George, John, Amanda, Lydia, Betsey and Leah, all of whom are deceased, with the exception of Leah, who is the widow of Daniel Craver.

Samuel Ripple, father of George W., was born in Poland township, Mahoning County, Ohio, April 11, 1814, and he grew to manhood on the Austintown township farm. He fol- lowed agricultural pursuits and did consider- able contracting at various times, in the line of stone work for bridges. He assisted his father greatly, being the eldest, in clearing up the pioneer farm, and his son remembers one method used. Instead of cutting down trees and extracting the great roots by hand labor. there being no machinery yet invented for that purpose, the workers would so deaden the trees that a strong wind would blow them down. A long time would frequently pass before the blackened stumps could be taken out of the soil.

Samuel Ripple was married ( first) to Eve Gilbert, who was a daughter of Jacob Gilbert. who was also a pioneer of this township. She died in 1863. The children born to this mar- riage were: John, George W .. Samuel, de- ceased : Jacob. Jeremiah, who was never heard from after starting for the Klondyke regions

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in 1901; Angeline, who married Jacob Ohl; Catherine, who is the widow of John Planton; Susan, who married Newton Petry; Mary, who married Peter C. Schrum; Sarah, de- ceased, who married Nicholas Harber; and Lydia Margaret, deceased. Samuel Ripple was married (second) to Mary Ann Rorak, who was born in Austintown township, and died October 29, 1906. There were seven children born to this union, namely: Grant, who died in infancy ; Emery Dow, Sankey S., Moody; William, deceased; Hattie, who mar- ried William Green; and Lorinda, who died in childhood. Samuel Ripple died on his home farm, April 19, 1888.

George W. Ripple attended school during his boyhood, walking a distance of two and one-half miles, but from the time he was old enough to share in the labors of the farm, his work was laid out for him, and as his father was a very practical man, he carefully attended to it, growing into manhood thoroughly pre- pared for future usefulness. He has engaged in general farming and for many years has done a large amount of contracting, especially stone work, in Mahoning and other counties. He started out in life for himself with very little, but he has always been most industrious and an excellent manager. He is a stockholder in the Dollar Bank, Youngstown, Ohio, and a stockholder in the Mineral Ridge Manufac- turing Company, of Mineral Ridge.

In October, 1864, Mr. Ripple was married (first) to Elizabeth Miller, who came to Ohio with her parents from Pennsylvania. There were five children born to this marriage, as follows: Orpha, who died in infancy ; Sher- man, deceased, who married Minnie Brenner and left four children, Cleo, Harry, Laura and Florence: Cornelia, who married Chauncy Brobst and has one child, Herman; Ella, who died in infancy; and Birdie, who married Grant I. Crum, and they have one son, Myron George. Mr. Crum has resided with Mr. Rip- ple since he was 15 years of age and is his partner in the contracting business. The mother of the above mentioned family died in September, 1878.

Mr. Ripple was married (second) to Sarah

E. Rorak, who was born in Austintown town- ship July 18, 1859, and is the only child of James and Mary E. (Pennell) Rorak. James Rorak was born in Ireland and came to Amer- ica in his youth, settling in Austintown town- ship, where he married. He enlisted for service in the Civil War and fought bravely through many battles, but was subsequently captured by the Confederates and confined in Andersonville Prison, where this gallant soldier, with thou- sands of his unlucky comrades, perished from starvation and privation. His widow survived some years and died at Youngstown.

Mr. Ripple has always resided in Austin- town township and is one of its most reliable and prominent men. He is chairman of the U. E. Church board of trustees, having been a member for a number of years. Politically, he is a Republican and has been township trus- tee for a long period. He belongs to the order of Knights of Pythias at Jackson.

J. HAMILTON, attorney at law, at Youngstown, is also one of the very prominent business men of this city, being president of the Valley Invest- ment Company, president of the Audi- torium Company, secretary of the Mahoning Lumber Company and associated with several other corporations both as stockholder and officer. Mr. Hamilton was born in Blair County, Pennsylvania. His parents came to Mahoning County, Ohio, when he was quite young and this locality has been his home ever since. He was mainly educated at the Wash- ington and Jefferson College, coming to Youngstown in 1888. After a short period of clerking in the office of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad Company, he be- gan the study of law, under the preceptor- ship of A. W. Jones and W. S. Anderson, and was admitted to the bar on June 4, 1891, immediately entering into practice. Early in 1902, Mr. Hamilton became associated with the firm of Wilson, McNab & Hamilton and so continued for three years. On June I, 1906, this partnership was dissolved and since

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then Mr. Hamilton has practiced alone. He enjoys the reputation of being a very able at- torney. He is identified with numerous im- portant business interests in addition to those already named.

On June 26, 1895, Mr. Hamilton was mar- ried to Sarah Louise Fownes, a daughter of the late Benjamin Fownes, who was a prom- inent hardware merchant at Youngstown. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have two children, Mar- garet Fownes and William. Mr. Hamilton belongs to the Elks, the Youngstown club and to the Mahoning Golf club. His business lo- cation is in the Dollar Bank Building.

OSEPH HOFFMAN, one of the members of the Fred Hoffman Sons. dealers in lumber and proprietors of a planing mill at Youngstown, was born in this city August 19, 1869, and is a son of Fred and Theresa (Geidner) Hoffman.

The father was a native of Germany, who came to America in 1850 when about 10 years old. He was reared to manhood in Youngs- town and early in life engaged in the lumber business in which he continued for a period of 40 years. He originated and established nearly all of the lumber and planing mill plants in the city of Youngstown. . A short time previous to his death, which occurred in 1905, he established the business now conducted by his sons at their present location. His wife is still living.

Joseph Hoffman, our subject, was reared in Youngstown, his native city. Here he was educated and was practically brought up in the lumber business. On the death of his father, he and his two brothers, Frank C. and Louis J., succeeded to the business of their father. Fred Hoffman, under the firm name of Fred Hoffman Sons.

Mr. Hoffman was married in 1901 to Mar- garet Ryan and they have one son, Herbert J. Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and is religiously

connected with the St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

OL. LEMUEL T. FOSTER, one of the best known and most highly re- spected citizens of Youngstown, who is almost the oldest continuous resident here, has been very prom- inently identified with the agricultural devel- opment and the political affairs of this sec- tion. He was born near Rochester, New York, October 23, 1824, and is a son of Jonas and Lavina ( Pierce) Foster.

The Foster family is of English extraction and its founder in the American Colonies was Timothy Foster, who settled in the vicinity of West Salem, Massachusetts, prior to the Revolutionary War, in which he took part, with six of his stalwart sons.

Richard Foster, son of Timothy, who is distinguished as having been a "minute man" at Lexington, was born either at Boston or Salem, Massachusetts. After the close of the Revolutionary struggle, he removed to the eastern part of the State of New York, lo- cating in Washington County, where he bought 1,000 acres of land. A part of this estate is still held by the family. In Massa- chusetts he had married a member of the Titus family and they reared nine children. The sons, on attaining manhood, scattered to different points, one establishing his home in Canada.

Jonas Foster, son of Richard, was born at Hebron, Washington County, New York, May 18, 1792. He was reared on his father's large estate and lived to the unusual age of 92 years, dying January 8, 1883. at the resi- dence of his son, Col. Lemuel T. Foster. When the War of 1812 broke out, Jonas Fos- ter entered the army as a fife major and was later promoted. After the close of the naval campaign on Lake Champlain, he returned home and accepted from his father the gift of a 250-acre tract of land, married and set- tled down to farming. Later he removed to the vicinity of the home of his brother Titus,

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in the Black River Valley, disposing of a por- tion of his land. In 1823 he located near Rochester, New York, where he lived a short time. He soon became interested in the tales told of the wonderful richness of the still un- settled lands in Ohio and of the business op- portunities offered in the great lumber regions then surrounding the little hamlet of Youngs- town.

On August 31, 1825, Mr. Foster's emi- grant wagon reached Youngstown, and with Mahoning County his interests remained throughout the rest of his long life. He lo- cated in Youngstown township near where his son now resides. He ran sawmills, bought and sold property and was a type of the en- ergetic, enterprising man, whose example is a stimulus most desired in any new locality. In 1852 he bought a tract of land not far from Youngstown, containing 15114 acres of land, for which he paid the sum of $5,000. Here he carried on extensive farming and stock-raising until the close of his active life. Early in his manhood he was an old line Whig and later became a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican party.

On June 29, 1820, Jonas Foster was mar- ried to Lavina Pierce, who was born Decem- ber 13, 1797, in Otsego County, New York, and was a daughter of Abraham and Lavina (Stoddard) Pierce, who were married in 1794 at Norwich, Connecticut, and had two chil- dren : Stoddard and Lavina. Abraham Pierce was an uncle of Franklin Pierce, who became President of the United States.

The Stoddard family traces its ancestry as far back as the time of William the Conqueror. The founder of the family in America was Anthony Stoddard, who came to Boston, Mas- sachusetts, in 1639. He became a man of large affairs and great importance. He was a member of the General Council at Boston in 1650, 1659 and 1660, and for the following consecutive twenty years.

Mrs. Lavina (Stoddard) Pierce, mother of Mrs. Jonas Foster, was a sister of Mrs. Elizabeth (Stoddard) Sherman, the grand- mother of Hon. John Sherman and his no less distinguished brother. General William Te-

cumseh Sherman. Mrs. Pierce's brother, Major Amos Stoddard, it will be remembered, was appointed by President Jefferson to the high office of commissioner, with powers to exchange treaties with Napoleon Bonaparte in the matter of the purchase of Louisiana in 1803. Upon his return to America after per- forming this mission with great diplomacy, he was made the first Territorial Governor of Louisiana. During the war of 1812 he was major of artillery ; in 1813 he was ordered to transport the troops under his command to the eastern border of the State of Ohio, and in the journey camped in Boardman township and then proceeded to Fort Meigs. It is sad to relate that so brave a man and so distin- guished a statesman should have been felled by a splinter from the wall of the fort, which had been struck by a cannon ball. Lockjaw followed. In many ways he was a remarkable man, possessing a marvelous memory and standing mentally far above his contemporar- ies. The family of Colonel Foster has many interesting articles connected with their Stod- dard kindred, and one of these is an original deed, made on parchment, which conveys to Philip Stoddard a grant of land; it bears date of August 20, 1662, and the signature of King Charles II. of England. Another object of interest is a letter from Major Stoddard to liis mother, Mrs. Foster, while he was Governor of Louisiana. This letter, dated June 16. 1804, at St. Louis, gives a description of the $600 dinner given in honor of the Spanish and French ambassadors and officers.

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Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 112

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