Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 79

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 79

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Mr. McKelvey obtained his education in the schools of his native county and for a time engaged in teaching, which occupation he al- ternated with farming until 1869, when he came to Youngstown. Having relatives al- ready established here, he became associated in a dry goods and grocery enterprise with his cousin, Lawson McKelvey, opening a store on the corner of Mahoning and Oak Hill ave- nues. but subsequently removing to Federal street, where for a time he conducted the Red Hot Cash Store. By this time he had shown those business qualifications which so marked

his management of later and larger enter- prises. He then went to Hubbard, where the Andrews & Hitchcock Iron Company had established a general store, and became their manager, and continued to be interested in that concern until his death.

Upon his return to Youngstown in 1882, Mr. McKelvey, in association with L. E. Cochran and the late C. H. Andrews, bought out the business of the E. M. McGillen Com- pany, which later underwent re-organization, Mr. McKelvey becoming president of G. M. McKelvey & Company, with L. E. Cochran, who is now president, as vice-president, and E. L. McKelvey as secretary and treasurer. Mr. McKelvey assumed the duties of general manager of this business and built up one of the largest department stores in this section of the country, one known over and beyond the state. There was no element of chance in the remarkable success that he achieved. Thoroughness in organizing and extend- ing his great business was joined to what may be termed almost genius in choos- ing his fellow workers-and many of these were associates in other important organiza- tions as well as in his great mercantile busi- ness. With C. H. Andrews, L. E. Cochran and others he was deeply interested in the or- ganizing of the Commercial National Bank, of which he was president at the time of his death. He was one of the organizers of the Standard Table Oilcloth Company, of which he was director and chairman of the executive board; he was vice-president of the Youngs- town Iron & Steel Roofing Company; vice- president of the Mahoning Foundry & Ma- chine Company; vice-president of the Edwin Bell Company, now of Pittsburg; and direc- tor in the Ryan-Parker Construction Com- pany of New York.

In September, 1876, Mr. McKelvey was married to Leah M. Brownlee, of Struthers, Ohio. He is survived by his widow and five children, namely: Mrs. Letitia Morris, Lu- cius, Mrs. Katherine Owsley, Florence, and Gertrude.

Mr. McKelvey was essentially a business man. During the accumulation of his own

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fortune, he assisted in the building of others by encouraging industries and enterprises in which he had no interest beyond that of a sincerely public-spirited citizen. He was al- ways ready and willing to promote move- ments for the public welfare, but in an in- telligent and wise manner, making no vain show of his wealth and prominence. He was a member of the Youngstown Chamber of Commerce and was chairman of its commit- tee on public improvements.

For many years Mr. McKelvey was a lead- ing member of the Tabernacle United Pres- byterian Church and a liberal contributor to the support of its many charitable enterprises. His fraternal relations were mainly with the Masons, he being a member of Hillman Lodge No. 481, F. & A. M .; Youngstown Chapter, No. 93, R. A. M .; and St. John's Command- ery, K. T. He was also an Elk; and belonged to the Royal Arcanum and the National Union. His portrait is herewith presented.

RANK B. GEIGER, an enterprising and successful farmer of Springfield township, residing on his valuable property, which contains 68 acres of well cultivated land, was born in Springfield township, Mahoning County, Ohio, July 20, 1874, and is a son of Gottlob and Gottleiba (Myers) Geiger.

The father of Mr. Geiger was born in Germany and was two years old when he was brought to America by his father, Daniel Geiger. The latter located on a farm at the crossroads, in Springfield township, in the southeast corner of section 21, and built the house, which is still standing, in which Frank B. formerly lived. There Gottlob Geiger was reared. He later became a substantial farmer and lived to a good old age, dying May 28, 1905, aged 75 years. He built the house in which his son Frank B. now resides, the latter having purchased his father's farm in the spring of 1907. Gottlob Geiger married Gott- leiba Myers, who was a daughter of George and Mary (Koch) Myers. Her father was

born in Wurtemburg, Germany, and the ship in which he started to America was wrecked and he was taken to Norway, but was finally landed at Philadelphia, where he was bound out for three years, probably to work out his passage money. He started for Ohio with a horse and wagon, which he traded when he reached Springfield township, Mahoning County, for 300 acres of land, to which he later added 27 acres and still later bought 80 more acres. He followed farming and operated a coal bank for a number of years. He married Mary Koch, who was born in Germany and was the only girl in a family of eight children. She came to America when young, with two of her brothers, and was bound out in Lan- caster County, Pennsylvania. They had three children: Gotleib and Gottleiba, twins, and J. George, who died on his farm in Spring- field township, in 1905.

The children of Gottlob and Gottleiba Gei- ger were: George, residing a half mile south- west of the home place; Mary, who married Isaiah Hoffman, residing in Green township; Louisa, who married Allen Felger, residing in Springfield township; Julia; Clara, who mar- ried Nathaniel A. May, residing in Spring- field township; William, residing in New Springfield; Charles, residing at Boardman; Tillie, who married Clinton Lipp, residing in Minnesota; and Frank B.

Frank B. Geiger was reared in his native township and attended the public schools through his boyhood. He remained on the home farm assisting his father until his mar- riage, when he located one mile west of his present place, on his grandfather's old farm, on which he lived until 1900. In 1905 he set- tled on his father's old farm, and in the spring of 1907 he became the owner of this excellent property. This he operates and rents his grandfather's old farm, so that he has a large acreage to manage. His land is under a fine state of cultivation, he has good buildings and a large amount of modern farm machinery. He works along modern lines and is meeting with the most satisfying results.

On November 17, 1897, Mr. Geiger was. married to Frances Elser, who was born in

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Beaver township, Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Simeon and Mary (Cover) Elser, both of whom are residents of Beaver township. Mr. and Mrs. Geiger have three children, namely : Russell E., who was born March 1, 1900; Mildred Verne, who was born August 31, 1901 ; and Charles Clin- ton, who was born January 12, 1904.

In politics Mr. Geiger is a Democrat. He is a member of the Lutheran Church.

R OBERT F. UMSTEAD was one of Goshen township's most highly esteemed citizens, where he carried on general farming and also oper- ated a greenhouse in connection therewith for some twenty-five years. Mr. Umstead was born March 30, 1829, in Mont- gomery County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of John and Maria (Favinger) Umstead, and he died in Goshen township, February 5, 1903.

The great-grandfather of Robert F. Um- stead was Harmon Umstead, who emigrated from Germany, settling in Montgomery Coun- ty, Pennsylvania. When Robert was about 17 years of age, he accompanied his father, John Umstead, and his step-mother, to Ma- honing County. They settled in the southern part of Goshen township, in which Robert Umstead continued to live until the close of his life. His industry brought him material prosperity and he left an excellent estate at death. He was a man of sterling character, one of the solid, sensible, reliable citizens who are a gain to any community and whose death can but be a great loss. His tastes were quiet and his desires satisfied by the cultivating of his land and caring for the welfare of his family, but he was always ready to lend his influence in the direction of promoting tem- perance, education and morality in his neigh- borhood. In political sentiment he was a Re- publican.

On August 15, 1850, Mr. Umstead was married to Minerva J. Morris, who was born at Damascus, Ohio, March 15, 1831, and is a daughter of Anthony and Elizabeth (Stuckey) 33

Morris. The father of Mrs. Umstead was born at Damascus and was a son of Anthony and Hannah (French) Morris, who were natives of New Jersey. They came to Da- mascus among the earliest settlers and passed through Salem on the way, which was then a settlement of four cabins. The mother of Mrs. Umstead was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Umstead is one of a famı- ily of twelve children: Sarah, who is the widow of Joseph Walker, residing at Alli- ance; Barbara A., who married John Myers, residing in Ripley County, Indiana; Stephen, residing at Salem; John W., deceased, who was a soldier in the Civil War; Barzilla, de- ceased, who died from wounds received at the battle of Lookout Mountain, during the Civil War; Mrs. Umstead, James, Daniel, Han- nah, Elizabeth, Mary and Lorenzo.

A family of five children were born to Robert F. Umstead and his wife, namely : Presley, engaged in mechanical pursuits, re- siding in Goshen township; Maria E., who married Hiram Brown, residing in Goshen township; John C., residing in North Jack- son, Ohio; Morris A., residing in Goshen township; and Daniel B., residing at Salem.

Mrs. Umstead resides on her farm of 117 acres in Goshen township. She is well-known and enjoys the esteem of a wide social circle. Her kindness and hospitality are only equalled by the wisdom and prudence with which she has managed her affairs since her widowhood.

L AUREN WARD STEWART, resid- ing on his valuable farm of 100 acres. situated in Poland township, is a representative agriculturist of this section and belongs to an old pioneer family of Trumbull County. Mr. Stewart was born in Hubbard township, Trumbull County, Ohio, October 8, 1847, and is a son of William A. and Mary ( Stewart ) Stewart. The names of father and mother were the same, but their ancestry was different.

William A. Stewart was born in Liberty township. Trumbull County, Ohio, April II,

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HISTORY OF MAHONING COUNTY

1818, and was a son of Robert Stewart, who was also reared there, his parents probably being among the earliest settlers in that sec- tion. After his marriage, William Stewart moved to Hubbard township, and during the childhood of Lauren W., to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and subsequently to Iowa, where the father died four years later, No- vember 16, 1857. The widow then returned to Ohio and lived for a time with her father, Alexander Stewart, who was the father of D. Hammond Stewart, a sketch of whom will be found in this work. The mother died April 25, 1887, aged 67 years and 5 months. When Lauren W. Stewart had reached manhood, his mother and he went to housekeeping in Board- man township. In 1895 Mr. Stewart pur- chased his present farm and settled on it in 1900. His land is well situated and is adapted to general farming and stock raising.

On January 29, 1885, Mr. Stewart was married to Mary Elizabeth Balmgardner, who was reared in Pennsylvania, and is the only child of John Jacob and Isabella (Wallace) Balmgardner, natives of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, both of whom died when Mrs. Stewart was quite young. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have five children, namely: Ethel May, Elmer Ward, Frank William, Grace Eleanor, and Charles Walker. The eldest daughter graduated from Poland Seminary in the spring of 1906. The family belong to the Presbyterian Church at Poland, in which Mr. Stewart is an elder.

RS. LYDIA MESSERLY, resid- ing on her valuable farm of almost 80 acres, in Green township, Ma- honing County, Ohio, has spent the whole of her 69 years here, where she was born, June 16, 1838. She is a daughter of Jacob and Susannah (Rooler) Cool.

The father of Mrs. Messerly was born in Virginia and was 18 years of age when he ac- companied his widowed mother and his brothers and sisters to Mahoning County.

His uncle, Philip Cool, was also of the party, and they settled on the farm now owned by Mrs. Messerly. At that time the country was still a wilderness and the log cabin of the Cool family stood surrounded by a dense forest. Many pioneer hardships had to be endured, but in the meantime the clearing and culti- vating of the farm was accomplished. Jacob Cool grew to manhood, married and died. Of his eleven children, two alone survive, name- ly: Elizabeth, who is the widow of Andrew Rhodes, and Mrs. Messerly.

Lydia Cool was educated in the district schools of Green township, and December 26, 1867, she was married to William H. Messer- ly, who was born March 22, 1839, in Beaver township, Mahoning County. He died De- cember 18, 1892. They had three children, namely: Orrin J., born November 16, 1868; Emery S., born January 15, 1871, deceased; and Cora E., born January 20, 1877, who mar- ried Frank C. Mellinger, of Leetonia, Ohio. Orrin J. Messerly is serving as assessor of Green township, having been elected on the Democratic ticket. Like his father, he has always given stanch adherence to the Demo- cratic party. He belongs to Greenfield Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and is also a member of the order of Foresters at Green- ford.

Mr. and Mrs. Messerly resided on the present farm and Mr. Messerly became a well- known and successful agriculturalist. Mrs. Messerly is a member of the German Re- formed Church. She has passed her whole life in this section, and commands the respect and enjoys the esteem of all who can claim her friendship.

€ NSIGN N. BROWN, attorney-at-law, at Youngstown, with law office in the Maloney block on Wick avenue, was born in 1854, at Canfield, in Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a Richard and Thalia F. (Newton) son of Brown.

Richard Brown, born in Derbyshire, Eng- land, was a son of Captain John Brown, an

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officer in the English army, and came to America about 1845. He married Thalia F. Newton, a daughter of Hon. Eben Newton, who settled in Mahoning County in 1815. and who lived his whole life at Canfield, with the exception of a few years during which he practiced law at Cincinnati. He was the first judge of Mahoning County, was a member of the state senate and in 1852 was elected a member of congress from this district. Some time after 1860 he served again as a member of the Ohio state senate.

Ensign N. Brown was an infant when he was taken to New York city, where he was carefully reared and educated, his father being a merchant there. In 1878 he returned to Canfield, called there to look after his grand- father's interests, and, in accordance with the wishes of the aged jurist, he entered upon the study of law in the office of Judges Van Hyn- ing and Johnston. In 1880 he was admitted to the bar at Columbus, and then located at Youngstown, where he has gained a promi- nent position in the profession. He is a mem- ber of the Law Library Association.

In 1876 Mr. Brown was married to Jean- ette Cooper, of New York City, and they have two daughters, Genevieve Newton and Bessie Hunt. Mr. Brown has always taken a good citizen's interest in politics, but has never consented to be a candidate for office. He is one of the leading Masons of the city, having been identified with the fraternity for thirty years, and is past master of the Blue Lodge. He is a member of St. John's Church.

EORGE A. COOK, who settled in 1905 on his valuable farm of 227 acres, situated in section 28, Green town- ship, was born February 24. 1863, and is a son of Deacon and Sarah (Pettit) Cook.

Deacon Cook, father of George A., was also born in Green township and was a son of Jacob and Elizabeth Cook, the former of whom was a native of New York and the lat- ter of Virginia. Deacon Cook was reared on

his father's pioneer farm and spent his whole life in Green township, where he followed farming and stock-raising. Of the children born to Deacon Cook and wife, seven survive, namely : Freeman J., residing in Colorado; Ensign, residing in Green township; William D., residing at Gallipolis; John P., residing in Beaver township; Martha A., who married Charles Horn, residing in Columbiana Coun- ty; George A .; and Walter S., residing at Youngstown. Emma C. and Howard D. are deceased. Deacon Cook died in the spring of 1890, and was survived by his widow for sev- eral years.

From childhood, George A. Cook has been interested in agricultural pursuits, first on his father's farm and later on his own, and he has also been identified with the lumber industry, successfully operating a sawmill for ten years prior to settling on his present fine property.

On December 13, 1888, Mr. Cook was married to Cordelia S. Huffman, who was born in Virginia and is a daughter of David and Sarah Huffman, of Greenford, Ohio, for- merly of Virginia. They have one daughter, Sarah L.

Mr. Cook is a stanch Republican but is no aspirant for political honors, contenting him- self with performing his full duty as an in- telligent American citizen. He belongs to Greenford Lodge, No. 514, Knights of Pyth- ias, of which he is a charter member.

6 EORGE P. MILLER, one of the lead- ing citizens of Smith township, who is successfully engaged in farming and stock-raising on his large estate of 137 acres, which is situated in sec- tion 3, was born on this place, and is a son of William A. and Rebecca C. ( Pow) Miller.

On this old homestead farm, which was settled by Abraham Miller, the grandfather of George P., who came from Pennsylvania at a very early date, William A. Miller, his father, was born, in the little log cabin which was the first home of the family. He became a promi- nent and useful citizen, was a trustee of Smith

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township, a justice of the peace for many years, and was elected county commissioner of Mahoning County. In politics he was iden- tified with the Republican party, but he served his community faithfully without hope of po- litical favor. He was a consistent member and an elder in the Presbyterian Church at North Benton. His death occurred in April, 1885. and then Smith township lost one of her best citizens.

William A. Miller was married (first) to Rebecca C. Pow, who died in 1876. The children of this marriage were: George P .: Mary L., who married C. L. Harris, a well known attorney, residing at Eldorado, Kansas; Anna M., who married Homer H. Ward, residing at Albuquerque, New Mex- ico, where he is a merchant ; Ida A., who mar- ried F. L. Sage, who is dean of the law school of the Michigan State University, residing at Ann Arbor; and Walter L., residing in Smith township. William A. Miller was married (second) to Mary Brosius, who now resides at Alliance, and they had one son, Carl E., residing at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he is a mechanical engineer.

George P. Miller obtained his primary ed- ucation in the local schools and then attended Mt. Union College for a time, where he com- pleted the commercial course of study. He has mainly devoted his attention to farming and stock-raising. being much interested in grow- ing sheep, keeping from 100 to 300 head at one time, a number of these being registered, and all of fine grade. Mr. Miller has been very successful in his undertakings, and be- side assisting himself, has done much toward raising the standard of stock through this neighborhood.

On March 1, 1888, Mr. Miller was married to Effie M. Lazarus, who is a daughter of Daniel Lazarus, of North Benton, and they have had four children: William L., Blanche M., Gertrude, deceased, and Daniel H.

Politically Mr. Miller is a Republican. He is a member and an elder of the North Benton Presbyterian Church, to which he has always given a liberal support.

6 ILBERT M. DILL, a well known resi- dent of Poland township, and the owner of 60 acres of land situated in Poland and Boardman townships, was born in Wayne County, New York, May 30, 1834, and is a son of George and Esther (Garrett) Dill, the former of whom was a native of New Jersey, and the latter of Williamson, New York, where she was born May 13, 1813. She still survives and resides with our subject, hale and hearty, at 94 years of age.

Gilbert M. Dill was reared in his native state and came to Youngstown in 1868, where he married Caroline Jacobs, a daughter of Nicholas Jacobs. He then entered into a part- nership with Freeman O. Arms, a member of the Church Hill Coal Company, and conducted a general store at Church Hill for some time, when he removed to Hubbard, where he and Robert Jewell established the Hubbard Sav- ings Bank, of which he was cashier. Three years later he returned to Youngstown and en- tered the employ of the Mahoning Valley Iron Company, of which he later became part own- er, remaining there for seven years. He then bought his beautiful residence and ten acres of land in Poland township, his home being lo- cated within the corporation line of Poland Village. He also owns 50 acres in Boardman township.

Mr. and Mrs. Dill have two children : Alice (Mrs. Alfred Stewart), and George E., the latter of whom lives at Joliet, Illinois. Mr. Dill is a Democrat.

ALEB HOLE, a highly respected citizen of Damascus, of which place he has been a resident for the past twenty-two years, is president of the Butler and Goshen Mutual Aid So- ciety, which is a fire insurance organization, with offices at Dasmascus. Caleb Hole was born near Augusta, in what is now Carroll, but then was Columbiana County, March 6, 1827, and is a son of John and Catherine (Hanna) Hole.

JOSEPH G. McCARTNEY

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The father of Mr. Hole was born near Harper's Ferry, Virginia, and the mother, at Lynchburg in the same state, her father, Rob- ert Hanna, having been one of the proprietors of that town in early days. He came to Co- lumbiana County, Ohio, in 1802, and the fam- ily has long been a prominent one in the state. Mrs. Hole was a great-aunt of the late dis- tinguished Senator Hanna of Ohio.

Caleb Hole was reared in his native local- ity and in boyhood attended private schools. He was reared on a farm and as he grew older and desired more extended educational oppor- tunities, he industriously applied himself un- til he had earned enough capital to attend what is now MIt. Union College, at Alliance. From early youth he has practically. made his own way in the world, acquiring property and also the esteem of his fellow citizens in the same quiet, persistent, honest way with which he ob- tained his education. For a long period he en- gaged in teaching school, through Stark Coun- ty. in Carroll County, and also in Indiana. After marriage and settlement on a farm, he engaged in general agriculture and for twenty years paid much attention to the raising of sheep.

On February II, 1868, Mr. Hole was mar- ried to Mrs. Sophia Hole, who was the widow of Prof. Jacob G. Hole, who, with his brother Prof. Israel P. Hole, conducted Damascus Academy. The parents of Mrs. Hole were Morris and Ann ( Votaw) Miller, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Hole have had two children : Dr. N. W. and Anna L., deceased. By her former marriage. Mrs. Hole had two children: Judson G., deceased, and Charlotte, who is the wife of Rev. Benjamin Farquar. of the Society of Friends, residing at Whittier. California.

While residing in Carroll County, Mr. Hole served both as land appraiser and as trustee of Augusta township. In political sentiment he is a Republican. Both he and wife are mem- bers of the Friends Church, in which he is an elder, having occupied that office for a quarter of a century. He is one of the charter mem- bers of Damascus Academy and for some

years was president of the board of trustees. He believes in the value of Sabbath schools and for over a half century has been a will- ing teacher and has also served as superintend- ent. Mrs. Hole is an interested and useful member of the Woman's Christian Temper- ance Union at Damascus.

J OSEPH G. McCARTNEY, a promi- nent citizen and for a number of years a large farmer and dairyman, whose portrait appears on a neighboring page of this volume, resides on his valuable farm of 130 acres in Coitsville township. He was born July 10, 1834, in an old log house which stood on the site of his present home, and is a son of James and Eliza- beth (Maxwell) McCartney.

James McCartney, the father, was born in the town of Skeyans, County Fermanagh, Ire- land, October 1, 1791, and married Elizabeth Maxwell, who was born in the town of Belda- malard, in the above county, November 13, 1793. They were married in the town of Bel- damalard, by Rev. Hopkins, October 15, 1815. and in 1817 they came to America, where James McCartney died April 16, 1869. his wife having passed away April 14, 1865. By trade James McCartney was a shoemaker, and after settling in Philadelphia, he worked as such until 1819, when he came to Youngs- town. Here he not only worked as a shoe- maker, but also conducted a brick yard. He built one of the first brick houses in the city. which was situated on the corner of Federal and Walnut streets, but never occupied it. Subsequently he bought the present farm and moved into a log house which stood on the place. resuming the making of brick here. The present substantial brick residence which is occupied by Joseph G. McCartney, was con- structed in 1850 of brick made on the farm. and both father and son worked in its build- ing.

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Century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio, and representative citizens, 20th, Part 79

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