Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 61

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 61

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ESSE SIMON, owning 151 acres of valuable farming land which is sit- uated in Boardman township, about four miles south of Youngstown, is one of the old and prominent residents of this section, having been born on this place. February 15, 1830, in a log cabin which is

still standing. His parents were Jacob and Elizabeth ( Stemple) Simon.

Jacob Simon was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, to which his father, Michael Simon, had moved from Maryland. As early as 1803, Michael Simon came to the Western Reserve and before he returned for his family, he invested in 600 acres of land. The farm of Jesse Simon is a part of the orig- inal purchase made by his grandfather and be has the old deed in his possession.

The country was wild indeed when Michael Simon ventured out into the wilder- ness. Here and there a few hardy settlers had made a little clearing and erected a log cabin, but between this point and the Ohio River there were no roads, only cow paths. Neither were there any roads between the homestead and Canfield. Michael Simon died in Ohio, in advanced age. It is thought by his family that he was a native of Switzerland.

Jacob Simon journeyed on horseback to the land which his father had purchased, and came into possession of the farm now owned by his son Jesse. He had received some edu- cational training in his native state, and being one of the first school teachers in Boardman township, was designated schoolmaster Jacob, in order to separate him from another Jacob Simon, who was known as Mill Creek Jacob. He built a log cabin on his land and January 13, 1811, he was married to Elizabeth Stem- ple. This remarkable woman, who bore her many trials and hardships with cheerfulness and fortitude, came to Ohio on the back of a three-year-old horse. At that time few streams had yet been bridged, and most of them had to be forded, a matter made more difficult on account of the burdens she carried, consisting of all that she could bring from her old home and including a set of pewter plates. She became the mother of nine children and survived until April, 1879. dying at the age of 89 years.

In the year following his marriage. Jacob Simon was drafted for service in the War of 1812, but he secured his release by going to Youngstown and paying $90 for a substitute. In order to secure this sum-a large one for

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HISTORY OF MAHONING COUNTY

those days -- he was obliged to sell all his household possessions, except the beloved pew- ter plates which had been brought with so much care from the old Pennsylvania home. The land, however, was left, and a new be- ginning was made, although under hard con- ditions. At that time salt, an absolute neces- sity, was selling for $24 a barrel and even then the settler had to make a trip of forty miles to Georgetown and bring it back on horseback, over Indian trails. The land had to be cleared before it could be made produc- tive, and hard and incessant labor was every- one's daily portion. Fortunately game was abundant and when there was time for hunt- ing. deer and turkey filled the larder. The streams also were full of fish ; wild honey could often be found in the forest, the sugar maples were full of sap, and when the season came around for making sugar, the older members of the family took turns sleeping and boiling the syrup at night. All the corn was ground in a hand-mill and often Jacob Simon came home from a hard day's work in the field and ground the corn for his evening meal of mush.

Jacob Simon lived to be 75 years old, dy- ing September 12, 1861. He and his wife had nine children, five sons and four daughters, a son and daughter still surviving, the two youngest members of the family. These chil- dren were as follows: David, who was once auditor of Mahoning County ; Levi, who was a well known teacher; Lydia, who married Elias Rupert; Delilah, who married George Worm- ley ; Stilling, who was named for a noted Ger- man author; Gideon, of whom there is no special mention ; Salome, who married Moses Webber; Salinda, who married John Shaffer; and Jesse, the youngest member of the nine children and the only survivor except his elder sister, Salinda.

Jesse Simon was born after many of the early hardships of pioneer life. had been over- come, but he can recall many disadvantages that still remained, among them lack of educa- tional opportunities and want of farm machin- ery, as well as the still unsettled state of the surrounding country. Not far from his home, in the woods, had been built a log school!

house and there he secured a fair training in the elements of knowledge. He has in his pos- session an old account book which is inter- esting in that it shows the expense of running a district school in those days, the largest item being the teacher's salary of $8 per month. Mr. Simon has spent his life on this farm and still can do a good day's work al- though he acknowledges the valuable assist- ance given him by his eldest son, who manages the greater part of the farm labor.

Mr. Simon, in young manhood, was mar- ried to Betsey Williamson, a daughter of Pratt Williamson, who at one time owned a large farm situated in what is now the center of Youngstown. Mr. and Mrs. Simon have had six children : Wilber C., Wade, Eben N., Edith, Fitch, and Della. Wilber C., who mar- ried Anna Harding, resides in a tenant house on the farm, which he assists in operating. He has five children, namely: Clyde H., Emma, Horace, Alma and Bessie. Wade, residing on Flint Hill, Youngstown, married Mary Gilby, and has two children-Walter and Ethel. Eben N., residing in Washington, married Laura Hood and they have eight children- Jessie, Edith, Gail, Roger, Harold, Eben, Jr., Gladys and Laura Joy. Edith, now deceased, was the wife of Prof. W. H. Wagner, of Find- lay College, at Findlay, Ohio. Fitch and Della, are also both deceased, the former dying at the age of three, and the latter at the age of two years.

The comfortable family home of the Si- mons is a commodious eight-room frame dwelling, which Mr. Simon erected himself. His land he bought from his father's estate and since purchasing he has kept on making im- provements. Politically he is a Republican and has served as township trustee. With his family he belongs to the Christian Church. Mr. Simon has an excellent memory and is an interesting story-teller. There are few fam- ilies in this section of whose history he is ig- norant, and scarcely any event of importance in Boardman township has occurred that he has not taken an interest in. His life has cov- ered a period of many changes in this vicin- ity, and in his day he has seen much of the

SAMUEL GIBSON

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country redeemed from the wilderness, happy home established, farms put under cultivation, and public utilities, like the telephone, the ru- ral mail, and the electric car, changing for the better the former conditions of life. Instead of the old log school house his grandchildren are afforded all the advantages that are the result of modern ideas, and. almost at the doors of their homes can acquire the collegiate train- ing that once would have entailed the expendi- ture of great capital and long absences from the home circle. The Simons, with other pio- neer families, cut the first paths of civilization through Boardman township and are entitled to due credit.

AMUEL GIBSON, a representative of one of the pioneer families of Ma- honing County, was born on the farm which is still his home, March 9, 1819, and is a son of Robert D. and Lydia (Marshall) Gibson.

Robert D. Gibson was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 1783, and accompa- nied his father to Ohio in 1799. After reach- ing Mahoning County, they camped for one night by the big spring, on the very land that Mr. Gibson now owns. Afterward, they went on to Warren, Trumbull County, but not find- ing a more favorable situation, they returned two weeks later to the locality which had pleased them, and the grandfather purchased the land on which the subject of this sketch now makes his home. Here Robert R. Gibson grew to manhood, and in 1818 was married to Lydia Marshall, who was born in Hunting- don County, Pennsylvania, in 1799. She was II years of age when she accompanied her parents to Trumbull County, Ohio, where she obtained the education afforded in the primi- tive schools of those days on the frontier.

There were nine children born to Robert D. and Lydia Gibson, five of whom grew to maturity. For two years following his mar- riage, Robert Gibson resided with his father and then removed to a home on the same

farm, three-quarters of a mile distant, on which he passed the remainder of his life. He and wife were worthy, exemplary people, and they labored earnestly and zealously for the welfare of their children and for the good of their community, setting an example in all the cardinal virtues.

Samuel Gibson began to assist his parents as soon as he was old enough to do a "chore," for their means, like those of their neighbors, were limited, and each child had appointed tasks to add to the family resources. When but 12 years old, Samuel Gibson followed the plow, and when 14 was able to do all the ploughing on the farm, and was doubtless proud of it, as he had reason to be. His only school attendance was for six months, but his father was able to instruct him in mathematics, and when 15 years of age, he taught himself the rules of grammar. In early manhood the coveted opportunity was offered and accepted of a course of instruction in a select school at Youngstown, and so well did he improve his advantages that in the following year he be- gan teaching, taking the Salt Springs school for one term. He then turned his attention to the cultivation of broom corn, and for fourteen years he devoted his energies to this industry.

In 1843 Mr. Gibson was married (first) to Ann Irwin, who died in 1846, leaving one child, James D. He was married (second)' June II, 1847, to Nancy J. Gault, who is a daughter of Major James Gault, of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Major Gault was of Scotch extraction and was a prominent man in his community, serving many years as a jus- tice of the peace. Of this second marriage there were eight children, six of whom grew to maturity, namely : William T., Benjamin, Robert A., Harry G., Minnie A., and Ella G.

In politics Mr. Gibson is a Democrat. Al- though he has reached the age of 88 years, he remains hale and hearty, his physical vigor and mental powers unimpaired, bearing testi- mony to the benefits of a life mainly spent in out-door pursuits. With pleasure not un- mixed with astonishment, he has watched the development of Ohio from a wilderness into

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HISTORY OF MAHONING COUNTY

a populous and extremely fertile and resource- ful commonwealth. His portrait is published in connection with this sketch.

h ENRY K. WICK, who is president of the large coal firm of H. K. Wick & Company at Youngstown, was born in this city August 31, 1840, being one of ten children born to Col. Caleb B. and Maria Adelia ( Griffith) Wick.

Col. Caleb B. Wick was born in Washing- ton County, Pennsylvania, October I, 1795, and died at Youngstown June 30, 1865, hav- ing passed nearly the whole of his life in Ma- honing County and having been largely inter- ested in most of the important industries that were established in this section during his life time. His father, Henry Wick, was born in Long Island March 19, 1771, and at the age of 23 years married Hannah Baldwin, a daughter of Caleb Baldwin of Morristown, New Jersey. After some years of mercantile life in Washington County, Pennsylvania, Henry Wick came to Youngstown, Ohio, in 1801 and here engaged in a mercantile busi- ness. His son, Col. Caleb B. Wick, followed in his footsteps and was also interested in the iron industry which has done so much to de- velop this section. Colonel Wick was twice married. Both of the children born of the first marriage are deceased. On November 3, 1828, he married Maria Adelia Griffith, a na- tive of Caledonia, New York. All of their children reached maturity.

Henry K. Wick attended the public schools of Youngstown and laid the foundation of a good education which was later augmented through lessons learned in the school of ex- perience. In 1856 he entered the business world as a clerk in the Mahoning National Bank. In the succeeding fifty years he has been interested in many branches of industry and for the last thirty-eight years has given special attention to the coal and iron indus- tries, being president at this time of H. K. Wick & Company, coal dealers. His offices

are located at No. 404-405 Dollar Bank build- ing.

Mr. Wick married Millicent R. Clarke, a daughter of Daniel T. Hunt, of Rochester, New York. The family residence is a very handsome structure located on Wick avenue. Like all other members of the Wick family in Youngstown, Mr. and Mrs. Wick are attend- ants of the Memorial Presbyterian Church. The subject of this sketch is a Republican in politics.

ILLIAM W. BROWNLEE, one of the leading citizens and largest land owners of Coitsville town- ship, was born on the farm on which he now resides, April 2, 1854, and is the son of John S. and Jennette (Patterson) Brownlee.

John S. Brownlee and his wife were both born in Glasgow, Scotland, where they were also reared, educated and married. John Brownlee was a son of John Brownlee, Sr., who resided on a farm just beyond the city limits of Glasgow. He spent his entire boy- hood days on his father's farm and after his marriage he and his wife came to this coun- try, about 1828, first locating for one year at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. He then crossed the mountains in wagons and came to Ma- honing County, Ohio, remaining for one year at Struthers, after which he came to Coitsville township and bought 100 acres of land, which formed a part of the farm on which his son William now resides. At that time Youngs- town was but a small village with about a dozen log houses on Main street. The only buildings on the land consisted of an old log house, part of which is still standing, and a log school house, which stood about 200 feet from the present home of the subject of this sketch, The latter building was taken down and rebuilt about half a mile farther east. There were but six of the 100 acres cleared, but in a few years Mr. Brownlee had the land all cleared and under cultivation, and erected a frame house in which he continued to reside until his

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death in March, 1887. His widow died in February of the following year. They were the parents of six children: Margaret, John A., Jennette, Ellen, James Patterson and Wil- liam W. Margaret died in 1880, aged 50 years; John A., enlisted in the 19th Ohio Vol. Inf. and died in a hospital in 1862; his remains were brought home and bur- ied at Hopewell Cemetery: Jennette ( Mrs. Marstler ) resides in Mercer County, Pennsyl- vania; Ellen, died at the age of 17 years ; James Patterson, who also enlisted in the 19th Ohio Vol. Inf .. died in 1862 at the same lios- pital in which his brother, one month later, passed away, and was also brought home and buried at Hopewell Cemetery: Randall S. is a resident of Coitsville township.

William W. Brownlee was reared and has always resided on his present farm. He is one of the most substantial and prosperous farm- ers of the township, owning about 300 acres in this township. Since 1882 he has dealt con- siderably in stock, buying and selling cattle, and wool, and is extensively engaged in sheep raising. His farm, which is known as the Walnut farm, is well improved in every way, with a fine large frame house, which he erected in 1878. and a large barn which was built in 1880.

In December. 1878. Mr. Brownlee married Ella Mars, a daughter of John J. Mars. They have seven children: John Clyde, James Pat terson, William A .. Donald, Clifford, and Ray mond. James Patterson married Jennie Wil- son : William A. married Bessie Fiddler and resides in Coitsville township on one of his father's farms: he has two children : Louise and Earl; Donald, is a stenographer in the B. & O. R. R. offices. There was one other child who died unnamed, aged about one month.

sylvania, and in Coitsville township, Mahon- ing County, Ohio. They will have at least 150 'phones in by the fall of 1907.

L EWIS F. OBENAUF, one of Beaver township's representative men, resid- ing on his valuable farm of 125 acres in section 15. was born on the farm and in the house now owned and oc- cupied by his older brother, Theodore Oben- auf, January 4, 1865. His parents were Francis and Wilhelmina ( Doerfer ) Obenauf.

Lewis Franklin Obenauf was educated in the local schools and remained on the home farm until he was 17 years of age. He then worked for neighboring farmers for three years, after which he removed to the farm on which he has since resided, which then con- sisted of 68 acres. This he rented for about eight years and then purchased it of his fa- ther, subsequently adding 57 acres. He car- ries on general farming, making a specialty of growing potatoes. Formerly he did a large business in raising strawberries, but in later years has given his attention to breeding fine cattle and raising poultry. He keeps about 400 chickens, employing the most modern methods in his poultry business, of which he makes a specialty.

On July 20. 1884. Mr. Obenauf was mar- ried to Diantha Plum, who was born in Me- dina County, Ohio, a daughter of John and Kate ( Grill ) Plum. John Plum subsequently removed to Springfield township, where he still resides. Mr. and Mrs. Obenauf have four children, namely: Hattie Irena, born April 15, 1885, who married George Stackhouse, a teacher residing in Springfield township; Clara Ellen, born April 21, 1888, who resides at home: Charles Edward, born August 15. 1890. is attending school; and Floyd Francis. who was born April 19. 1896. The family be- long to the Lutheran Church, of which Mr. Obenauf is a trustee.

Mr. Brownlee is a Republican in politics and was first elected township trustee in the spring of 1900, being re-elected to that office in 1903. The township trustees will spend about $57,000 on road improvements during the summer of 1907. Mr. Brownlee is also pres- ident of the New Bedford Independent Tele- In political sentiment, like his father, Mr. Obenauf is a Democrat. For three and a half phone Company, the stock of which is owned in Pulaski township. Lawrence County, Penn- 1 years he served as township trustee. As long

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HISTORY OF MAHONING COUNTY

as the local lodge of the A. O. U. W. organ- ization was supported in this neighborhood, Mr. Obenauf remained connected with it.

AMUEL O. EWING, who devotes his fine farmi of 240 acres, situated in Boardman township, to farming and the raising of fine stock, is a leading citizen of this section. He was born on his father's farm in Jackson township, on Meander Creek, Mahoning County, Ohio, Oc- tober I, 1851, and is a son of John and Mar- garet ( Sterrett) Ewing.

The paternal grandfather of Mr. Ewing, John Ewing, was born in Ireland and came as a settler in the green woods of Jackson town- ship at a time when few others had yet ven- tured into this wilderness, and when he still found Indians in the forests and along the streams. He married Margaret Orr and they passed their lives amid these pioneer surround- ings ; their remains lie in the old Jackson town- ship cemetery. He had acquired land and was able to leave farms to his surviving children, his son John getting the old home place. His children were: Mary, who married A. Gault (deceased) ; Marjorie, who is the widow of Robert Gault; Martha, who married William Riddle, both of whom being now deceased; Anna, who married John Guthrie; Nellie, who became the wife of William Ewing, of Pitts- burg: Sarah, who married Francis Johnson; Rebecca, Catherine, Alexander, Gibson, and John, all of whom are now deceased.

John Ewing, father of Samuel O., re- mained on the old home farm, on Meander Creek, until 1875, when he removed with his wife to Canfield. He married Margaret Ster- rett, of Muskingum County, Ohio, who died in June, :891, while on a visit to her son, Samuel O. Of the children born to them the following reached maturity : Samuel Oliver, subject of this article; Frank, who died in the year after the family left the farm, aged 20 years; Eliza- beth, who married J. B. Kirk; Ella, of whom there is no special mention : J. Calvin and Mar- garet, twins, the latter of whom died aged 20

years, the former, a prominent citizen of Ma- honing County and for six years judge of the probate court; and James G., a resident of Youngstown.

Samuel Oliver Ewing spent his boyhood on the old home place and was educated in the district schools, the high school at Jackson Center, Poland Seminary, and at Geneva Col- lege, Northwood, Ohio, where he spent one year. Mr. Ewing subsequently taught school for a number of terms, and for some years traveled in the interests of the Champion and the Johnson Machine Companies, his field be- ing Northeastern Ohio and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

In politics, Mr. Ewing has always been a stanch Republican. In 1889 he was elected sheriff of Mahoning County, in which office he served for four years. From 1875 until 1889 he resided at Canfield, where he bought property. He also invested in real estate in Ellsworth township, but later sold this land as he did land he owned at Youngstown. After leaving the sheriff's office, he bought his moth- er's place, on which he lived until 1898, when he purchased his present farm from the Board- man estate. Mr. Ewing carries on a general agricultural line. but gives a large measure of his attention to the raising of his high-grade stock, Percheron horses, Shorthorn cattle and Delaine sheep. Mr. Ewing has sold over 1,000,000 feet of lumber off his place. He has made many improvements, including the build- ing of his fine ten-room frame residence, sub- stantial barns and valuable silos.

In February, 1884, Mr. Ewing was mar- ried to Emma Fox, who was born in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Jacob Fox, who was killed in the army during the Civil War. Being left an orphan at an early age, Mrs. Ewing was reared by her grandfather, Andrew Fox, who moved from New Castle to Hillsville, Pennsylvania, where he died. Mrs. Ewing was an only child. Mr. and Mrs. Ewing have one son, Frank, who was graduated from the Poland Seminary in 1906, and assists his father in the manage- ment of the farm.

For one year, Mr. Ewing served as a jus-

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tice of the peace in Canfield township, when he resigned. He served also as a member of the Boardman township school board and was the main promoter of the work of securing the centralized school at Boardman Center. He has been prominent in carrying out all public- spirited enterprises which have had for their object the advancement of the general welfare.

H. HAHN, M. D., for many years a very prominent and successful physi- cian and surgeon of Youngstown, was born in 1846 at Georgetown, near Salem, Ohio, and died at his home, on the Oak street extension, Youngs- town. August 28, 1905. By some members of the family the family name is spelled Hawn.

H. H. Hahn was mainly reared at North Lima, where his father, Dr. Hahn, settled in his childhood and became a prominent physi- cian of Mahoning County. He was educated in the schools at North Lima and Canfield, and subsequently taught school for a time. When 20 years old he entered Poland Academy as a classmate of the late President William Mc- Kinley. From Poland Academy he went to the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he completed the collegiate course. Graduated in medicine at the Long Island Hos- pital College as valedictorian of his class, he then served as interne in the Catholic Hospital at Pittsburg. On returning to Ohio the young physician took up the practice of his late fa- ther, and for the following six years devoted himself thereto, meeting with success and a continuation of the confidence which had been reposed in his father. After a few months at Cincinnati, Dr. Hahn came to Youngstown, in the spring of 1880, and was one of the city's leading practitioners, both in medicine and surgery, until he was obliged to retire from a very arduous practice in order to seek the upbuilding of his own health. The news that it was impaired beyond recovery came as a sad blow to his family and to the large body

of patients who had so long relied upon his great skill.

Dr. Hahn was a valued member of the Ma- honing County Medical Society, Ohio State Medical Society and American Medical Asso- ciation. He was a close and enthusiastic stud- ent, and was especially interested in electric- ity as a remedial agent. During the later years of practice he used it extensively and with remarkable results, having every modern scientific appliance in this line. At the time of his death he was one of the oldest and most successful practitioners of medicine in the Ma- honing Valley.

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Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 61

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