Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 122

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

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OHN STAMBAUGH, JR., president of the William Tod Company and secre- tary and treasurer of the Youngstown Steel Company, a large business enter- prise at Youngstown, . occupies a prominent position in the city's business and social life. Mr. Stambaugh was born in this city, February 15, 1862, and is a son of John and Caroline ( Hamilton ) Stambaugh.

The parents of Mr. Stambaugh were early settlers at Youngstown, where for years the father was one of the prominent business fac- tors. He was born at Brier Hill, March 8. 1827, and died in the city of New York on March 5, 1888. An extended sketch of the elder Mr. Stambaugh will be found in this volume.

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John Stambaugh, Jr., who worthily bears his father's honored name, after completing the common-school course at Youngstown en- tered Cornell University, from which he was graduated in the class of 1884, immediately thereafter applying his education by becoming chemist for the Youngstown Steel Company. In 1887 he entered the employ of the William Tod Company, and afterwards became mana- ger of that concern. He became secretary treasurer of the Youngstown Steel Company, in 1900, and since the death of the late William Tod. in 1905, he has been president of the Wil- liam Tod Company, having previously been a member of the firm.

On September 21, 1887, Mr. Stambaugh was united in marriage with Cora Bunts, who is a daughter of the late Col. William Bunts, of Cleveland, a gallant officer during the Civil War, who died in 1871. Mr. and Mrs. Stam- baugh have two children, John and Caroline. The beautiful family residence is located at No. 621 Wick avenue, Youngstown.

OHN C. DETCHON, a prominent busi- nes's man of North Benton, who has been engaged in the buying and ship- ping of livestock, for a quarter of a century, is the senior member of the firm of Detchon & Wilson, large shippers at this point. Mr. Detchon was born in Mahon- ing County, Ohio, and is a son of George and Mary ( Hively) Detchon.

George Detchon, father of John C .. was born in Boardman township, Mahoning County, and was a son of Oswald Detchon, who was born in England and settled among the earliest pioneers of Boardman township. George Detchon spent the early part of his life in Boardman township, but later moved to Smith township, settling in section 15. practi- cally in the woods. He erected a log cabin which remained the family home for some years, but was later replaced by a more com- modious dwelling. George Detchon assisted in the development of all the interests of his sec- tion and was a reliable, public-spirited man.

He was one of the early supporters and active members of the North Benton Methodist Epis- copal Church. He lived to the age of 80 years. Two of his children survive : John C. and Eliz- abeth, the latter being the wife of Adam Boo- hecker, residing at Sebring, Ohio.

John C. Detchon has devoted his life to agricultural pursuits and owns a valuable farm of 178 acres in Smith township. In 1901 he left the farm and since that date has occupied his pleasant home at North Benton. His busi- ness partner is H. S. Wilson, of Portage County. Mr. Detchon married Emma M. Hartzell, a daughter of the late Solomon Hart- zell, ot North Benton. Mr. Detchon has never taken a very active stand in politics, but votes the Republican ticket. He has a wide circle of business friends all over the country, by whom he is held in high esteem.

J OHN FRANK, a prominent and pro- gressive citizen of Struthers, resides on his farm of 93 acres, which is lo- cated in section 23, Coitsville town- ship, although within the corporation lines of the village of Struthers, which lies partly in Poland and partly in Coitsville town- ships. Mr. Frank was born in Wittenberg, Germany, April 26, 1864, and is a son of John and Catherina (Diener) Frank.

The parents of Mr. Frank still reside in Germany, where the father owns a vineyard on which he manufactured wine during the boy- hood of his son John, who gave him assistance up to the age of 14 years. He then started to learn the shoemaking trade at which he worked until the age of 16 years, when he came to America, and settled first in Berrien County, Michigan, at a point about 12 miles north of South Bend, Indiana. For six months he fol- lowed his trade and then went to work on a farm, where he continued for two and one- half years, although his wages were very small. being only $6 a month in addition to his board. Mr. Frank then came to Mahoning County and worked as a farmer for different persons,

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one of these being Louis Gluck, who is a rela- tive. A sketch of Mr. Gluck, ex-county com- missioner, will be found in this volume.

On August 30, 1887, Mr. Frank was mar- ried to Matilda Gilbert, who is a daughter of Frederick Wilhelm and Louisa ( Snyder) Gil- bert. Mrs. Frank was born and reared in Prussia, coming to America in 1880, her parents having both died in that country since she left home. Mr. and Mrs. Frank have had six children, one of whom died in infancy, while Carl lived only to the age of two years. The survivors are: Gottlieb George, Jolin Herman, William and Caroline Louisa.

The farm on which Mr. and Mrs. Frank reside was known as the old Snyder farm and it was owned by a brother of Mrs. Frank's mother, from whom Mr. Frank rented it for three years after marriage, and then moved to Poland township and rented what was known as the Guttman farm, for six years. Upon the death of Mrs. Frank's uncle, the Franks moved back to the Snyder farm and one year later, in 1900, Mr. Frank purchased the same. In recent years, Mr. Frank has laid out a con- siderable portion of his farm in town lots, and he engaged in improving and selling his prop- erty which promises to become the most de- sirable section of Struthers. Politically, Mr. Frank is identified with the Republican party. Since 1901 he has been a member of the school board, being elected in Coitsville township. In 1905 this section was taken into the Struth- ers Special District and Mr. Frank was transferred to the special board, his services and advice being regarded as most valuable. Mr. and Mrs. Frank are leading members of Grace Reformed Church at Struthers, in which Mr. Frank is a deacon.

Mr. Frank is a good American but still cherishes, as do all true Germans, a love for the Fatherland, which he has never revisited since leaving so many years ago. On May 15, 1907, he proposes, however, to take his wife and children and make up a party, including Mr. Louis Gluck and family, and spend a beau- tiful summer among his old friends on the other side of the Atlantic. This renewing of

old acquaintances will be very pleasant and profitable.

S. DOUGLAS, who is general su- perintendent of the William Tod Company of Youngstown, which is one of the largest concerns of its kind in the city, was born in Lea- vittsburg, Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1849, and is a son of Thomas Douglas, who was en- gaged in the machine business at Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio, and was one of the pioneers in that line of business.

W. S. Douglas was reared and educated in Warren, Ohio, and it was here he learned the machine trade in his father's machine shop. He was later associated in business with his father until 1880, when he came to Youngs- town and accepted a position as foreman in the William Tod Company plant. Soon after the death of Homer Hamilton, the superintendent of the plant, he was promoted to the position of general superintendent of that immense fac- tory. Mr. Douglas was married in the fall of 1879 to Lucy E. Stewart, a daughter of James Jacob and Martha A. (Gaskill) Stewart. Her father, who was a merchant in Warren, Ohio, for a number of years, died in 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas came from two of the best and most highly respected families in this section of Ohio.

A DDIS E. KNIGHT, senior member of the firm of Knight & Semple, in the real estate and insurance line, at Youngstown, has been in business in this city for many years. He was born in Carroll County, Ohio, in 1852, and is a son of the late Robert E. Knight. The father of Mr. Knight was also born in Carroll County, Ohio, and because one of the leading members of the Ohio bar. For a number of years he carried on a large law practice at Cleveland.

Addis E. Knight was about 10 years old

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when his parents removed from Carroll County to Cleveland. About five years later he came to Youngstown and entered the Raven High School, where he was graduated. He then studied law in his father's office and in 1874 was admitted to the bar, subsequently becoming city solicitor and serving also as a justice of the peace. He then went to Seattle, Washington, and while there became interested in real estate, that section attracting settlers from all over the country. Although Mr. Knight never settled his family there, prefer- ring his home to remain at Youngstown, he held interest in property at Seattle for some 10 years. Since 1897 Mr. Knight has been engaged here in a general real estate and in- surance business. For two years he was as- sociated with Richard Inglis, but for the past seven years he has been in partnership with Mr. Semple. The firm handles a great deal of desirable property and has been the medium through which much capital has been brought to this section. Mr. Knight is a member of the Unitarian Church.

ILLIAM SWANSTON. farmer and capitalist, residing on a valuable farm of over 275 acres situated in Canfield township, owns real es- tate in Mahoning and Portage Counties aggregating 800 acres of land; and yet there are those living who remember when this man of large means worked for the sum of 15 cents a day. Mr. Swanston has made his own way in the world and enjoys an ample fortune earned through his own efforts. He was born in December, 1840, in County Fer- managh. North Ireland, and is a son of Wil- liam and Eliza (McCurdy ) Swanston.

The parents of Mr. Swanston came to America in 1851. William being then about II years of age, old enough for him now to recall the events of the long voyage which consumed eight weeks and three days. The family landed at New York and on the same day took the train for Utica. Simon, the eldest son of Wil-

liam Swanston, had preceded the family to America and was working on the McCurdy farm, in Mahoning County, and he assisted his father to join him and to provide for the rest of the family to come by rail to Buffalo and thence by stage to the McCurdy farm near Brier Hill. They remained there for five months and then moved into a log house north of Coitsville and some years later Mr. Swan- ston moved to Ellsworth township, 1855, and still later bought a small farm in Boardman township, where he died in February, 1882, aged 90 years. His widow survived to the age of 100 years, dying July 31, 1905. All of their children except George, the youngest. were born in Ireland. All of the daughters lecame school teachers.

Before coming to America, William Swan- ston, the younger, had attended school for a short time and after reaching Coitsville town- ship he went to the Crab Creek school a few weeks and later to schools at Coitsville Center and in Dalby District, but altogether it amount- ed to very little school attendance. As there was a large family and small means, the boy had to assist in the family support while still young. He was about 12 years old when he worked at carrying brick for Joseph and James McCartney earning $5 a month for six months, and then worked two weeks for his first pair of boots. Among the interesting changes which have come about in the life of Mr. Swanston may be mentioned that he has in his possession, among other valuable papers. a mortgage on the place calling for $2.619, on which he once worked as a tired little boy for 15 cents a day.

Mr. Swanston was very industrious and willing in boyhood and youth and when one kind of work failed he soon found something else to take its place. When he went to work for John Brownlee at Struthers it was to haul ore and to work on the farm and he was paid $8 for his services. In 1855. he started to work for the firm of Brownlee & Swanston, driving horses along the town path of the canal, for which he was paid $18 per month, all this time giving all he earned to his father, a prac-

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tice he followed until he was 19 years of age. In the meantime John Swanston dissolved partnership with Mr. Brownlee and he and Charles, his brother, came into possession of the boat, but they found it worn out and prac- tically useless. In partnership then with his brother Charles, he bought, in 1857, a new boat, the "Cottage Girl," for which they paid the sum of $600. This was considered the finest boat that had ever been in use on the canal. In 1859 Mr. Swanston dissolved part- nership with his brother. In the two summers and three months during which he had the boat its earnings were $4,200, and he sold it to Mr. Sullivan for the sum of $520.

By this time Mr. Swanston had proved him- self an excellent business man, and after leav- ing the boating business he turned his atten- tion to trading in cattle and stock, handling sheep, hogs, horses and cattle, and for some twenty years he annually cleared $2,500. This was very gratifying, for he had made all his opportunities for himself, but the time has come when that income is more than doubled. He has extended his business interests in vari- cus directions, loans money and makes many trips to Chicago to buy stock, being still a large dealer.

Mr. Swanston has had a really remarkable life. At the age of 19 years he left the home roof without one dollar of capital. He went into debt $7,000 for his present farm, on which he settled in 1864, and according to agreement, paid it all off in ten years and at the same time paid cash for 200 acres more. His taxes are heavy, some $500 annually in Mahoning County and $100 in Portage County. His comfortable home is situated about eight miles southwest of Youngstown. He has never mar- ried.

D. JONES, president. treasurer and manager of The W. D. Jones Company, wholesale liquor deal- ers, at Youngstown, was born in this city, in 1864, and is a son of D. W. Jones. For a number of years the late D. W. Jones was a prominent business man

here. He was born in Wales and came to Youngstown in 1852, where he resided until the time of his death in 1890. He was a sub- stantial citizen and owned a farm within two miles of this place.

WV. D. Jones was reared on his father's farm, through boyhood attended school at Youngstown and then became connected with the firm of E. O. Jones, wholesale liquor deal- ers. After the death of E. O. Jones, the firm of The W. D. Jones Company was incor- porated, with a capital stock of $40,000. Mr. Jones is the only active member of the com- pany, which is a reliable and representative one. Two traveling men are kept continually on the road and the goods of the firm sell on quality. In January, 1888, Mr. Jones was married to Mary Parry, of Hubbard, Ohio, and they have three sons, viz: Fred, Howard and Edward. Mr. Jones is a valued member of the Youngstown Chamber of Commerce and a potent factor in its most important de- liberations. He belongs also to the Elks, the Eagles and the Golden Eagles.

J. THOMPSON, one of the lead- ing real estate men and influential citizens of Youngstown, was born in Simcoe County, Ontario, Can- ada, in 1872, where he was reared and educated. He entered the rolling mill business in Toronto, which he had learned previously, and afterwards was engaged in the same business at Burlington, Iowa, where he remained until coming to Youngstown in 1892. Here he engaged in the real estate busi- ness with H. G. Hamilton, with whom he has been associated since 1893, and who subse- quently organized the firm of Hamilton, Ev- ans & Company, which later became the Ham- ilton Realty Company. This is now the larg- est real estate company in the city, and has practically made the south side of Youngs- town, which they developed, platted, built up and sold. Mr. Thompson has other interests also in various enterprises of the city. He was united in marriage in 1894 with Margaret

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Haddow, who was born and reared in Ma- honing County, Ohio. They have two chil- dren : Edgar J. and Sarah Helen. Mr. Thompson is a member of the Youngstown Canadian Society and also of the order of Scotch Clans.

D JAVID W. STAMBAUGH, a repre- sentative citizen and prosperous ag- riculturist of Youngstown township, resides upon his valuable farm of 118 acres, which is situated in section 14. and which is generally regarded as a model farm of this part of the county in way of im- provements. Mr. Stambaugh was born on the old Stambaugh farm, near Bear's Den, in Youngstown township, Mahoning County, Ohio, August 31, 1857, and is a son of Jacob and Lydia A. ( Wise ) Stambaugh.

The Stambaugh family came to Ohio at a very early date, in the person of Philip Stan- baugh, who crossed the mountains from Penn- sylvania and acquired the old Wirt farm, near Brier Hill, in Youngstown township, Mahon- ing County, on which he lived until 1810. La- ter, he moved to Youngstown and for a num- ber of years kept a tavern on West Federal street. located near the Town Hall, but subse- quently returned with his family to Pennsyl- vania, locating on a heavily timbered farm in Mercer County.

Jacob Stambaugh, son of Philip and Re- becca ( Bower ) Stambaugh and father of Da- vid W., was born in the log tavern which was conducted by his father, at Youngstown. in 1820. He was small when his parents re- turned to Pennsylvania and until his majority he was busy, a large part of the time, in giving his father assistance in clearing off the timber on the Mercer County farm. His parents were in no position financially to assist him at any time, and after working at various em- ployments in his own neighborhood, as occa- sien offered, he decided to return to Mahon- ing County, where, from having visited an uncle, he had found there was plenty of work for willing hands to do. Hence, in 1842, when

22 years of age, with a few dollars in his pocket as sole capital, he became a resident of Youngstown.

Mr. Stambaugh hired out to Judge Rayen, who was then the leading man in the village, and worked for him for two years, doing much of the clearing and plowing of his land. At that time oxen were mainly used for all kinds of farm work and during his later years it was a source of great entertainment to his grandchildren when Mr. Stambaugh would tell them stories of what he accomplished with the patient cattle in days when conditions right on the site of their comfortable homes were full of hardships they could scarcely imagine.

Mr. Stambaugh was a well-informed man, having taken advantage of his few op- portunities, and while his whole life was de- voted to manual labor, he gave his children educational opportunities which fitted them for professional and business life. On May 31. 1847, Mr. Stambaugh entered the employ of the late Gov. David Tod, remaining on the lat- ter's farm for two years, when he went to Weathersfield, where he was employed by Tod, Ford & Company, as head teamster, for five years. His work here was the hauling of coal from the coal bank, where a large busi- ness was being done, fording the stream and loading on canal boats, seven trips being then considered a day's work. For two years after his marriage, in 1850, Mr. Stambaugh resided in Weathersfield, and then purchased 72 acres of land near Bear's Den, which farm is now owned and occupied by his daughters, Marga- ret E., who is the wife of Myron I. Wehr, and her maiden sister, Priscilla. The family resided in an old log house which was then standing on the farm, and in it David W. Stambaugh was born. It was purchased by Dr. Timothy Woodbridge of the family for the sum of $40, and was moved to the vicinity of Mill Creek Park, where it stands as a relic of pioneer days. Mr. Stambaugh continued to be active long beyond the age of many of his contemporaries. When not busy on his own farm he took contracts for public work and in 1866-67 he hauled much of the stone

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and timber used in building the Baldwin dam. Up to December, 1898, he had known little of sickness, but he was then stricken with par- alysis, which, in the following March, became more serious, and which terminated his life March 18, 1899. His death was the subject of extensive local comment and press notices, for he was a well-known and most highly re- spected citizen. He was noted for his strict temperance and this not only covered the use of intoxicating liquor and tobacco, but entered into every phase of life. making him a kind and peaceable neighbor and a loving father and grandfather.

On January 31, 1850, Jacob Stambaugh was married to Lydia A. Wise, who died in 1895. They had four children, namely : Re- becca, who was born April 16, 1851, who died May 29, 1854; Priscilla, who was born Jan- uary 21, 1853; David W., whose name begins this article; and Margaret , E., who married Myron I. Wehr. There are six grandchil- dren, all of whom were beloved to an unusual degree by Mr. Stambaugh, and who rendered him obedience and affection.

David W. Stambaugh reared in Youngstown township. His early education was obtained in the schools of the locality known as Bear's Den, near his home, and there he prepared for Poland Union Seminary, in which he was a pupil from 1873 until 1875. In the latter year he taught school at Perkins' Corners, and then he took the high school course at Youngstown, where he was grad- uated in the class of 1878. Mr. Stambaugh subsequently taught school at Bear's Den and at Weathersfield, in Trumbull County, in the meantime devoting a part of his time to agri- cultural pursuits. In 1881 he purchased the first portion of his present farm and located on it in the same year, and at various times has added to it until he now owns 118 acres of very fine land, which he has been improv- ing ever since. All the substantial and suit- able buildings for a country home and large farming operations, he has erected, with the result that few farms of equal size can excel it in Youngstown township.

On December 28. 1880. Mr. Stambaugh

was married to Mina Riblet, who is a daughter of William W. Riblet, a sketch of whom will be found in this work. They have three chil- dren, namely: Ida Maude, residing at home, graduated from the Rayen School at Youngs- town in the class of 1902 and attended Mt. Union College, near Alliance; Paul H., a stu- clent of mechanical engineering, in the class of 1908, at the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, who graduated at the Rayen High School in 1903; and Helen F., who is a grad- uate of the Rayen High School, class of 1907.

Mr. Stambaugh and family are members of the Central Christian Church at Youngs- town. He has always taken a deep interest in educational matters in his township, has voted in favor of good roads and public improve- ments, and in his life has displayed the same prudence and good management which brought success to his father before him.

ILLIAM SCOTT BONNELL, president of the Mahoning Na- tional Bank, and prominently identified with many of the most important business interests of Youngstown, is also known in other cities where he has capital. invested and has business and social relations. Mr. Bonnell was born July 12, 1842, at Cincinnati, Ohio, and is a son of the late William and Sarah (Scott) Bonnell.

The early boyhood of William Scott Bon- nell was passed at New Castle, Pennsylvania, and he was 13 years of age when his parents located at Youngstown, where his education was completed in the public schools. As a lad he sought employment for his spare hours and served as clerk in a number of the business houses, which were well known at that time. Later he entered the employ of Brown, Bon- nell & Company, iron manufacturers, where he was made toll turner and thoroughly learned that branch of the business, later ac- quiring experience in others. His employers soon recognized that his ability could be put to better account in the offices of the company,

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and he proved his capacity so well that in 1867 he was invited to become a partner. Within eight years, upon the incorporation of the bus- iness, Mr. Bonnell was made secretary of the company, a position he filled until business changes caused a transfer of his interests and he became secretary and, later, vice-president of the Mahoning Valley Iron Company. For a long period he has been one of the alert, di- recting spirits of this great corporation, and as years have passed he has assumed other re- sponsibilities and his name adds strength to a number of the country's great business com- binations.

Mr. Bonnell, through his marriage with Lucretia H. Wick, became connected with one of the oldest and most prominent families of Youngstown. Mrs. Bonnell was born at Youngstown and is a daughter of Hugh B. and Lucretia G. (Winchell) Wick. Her father was a very prominent iron manufac- turer and capitalist of Youngstown. Mr. and Mrs. Bonnell have two surviving children : Emily Cree, wife of Perry Burnham Owen, of Youngstown, and William Wick, who married Julia Garlick and resides in Youngstown. For many years Mr. Bonnell and wife have been leading members of the Presbyterian Church. They are also active supporters of many of the city's charities and both publicly and privately display the real Christian spirit that actuates those whose sincerity cannot be questioned. Their beautiful home has been the scene of many of the most important social functions of the city, and has also been open to gather- ings of literary and musical talent. The home atmosphere has always been one of culture and refinement. The stately structure, which stands at No. 305 Wick avenue, is one of the most elegant modern residences in the city.

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Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 122

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