USA > Ohio > Genealogical and family history of eastern Ohio > Part 12
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Samuel Gibson, father of our subject, was born in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1819, then a mere village in the midst of a practically unreclaimed sec- tion of heavily timbered land, and here he has passed his entire life, being now one of the honored and patriarchal citizens of Youngstown, where he is passing the grateful evening of his life in that dignified repose and comfort which constitute a fitting crown to years of earnest and honorable en- deavor. In 1844 he was united in marriage to Miss Ann Erwin, who died the following year, leaving one son, James D., who figures as the immediate subject of this sketch. In 1849 Samuel Gibson consummated a second mar- riage, being then united to Miss Nancy J. Gault, of Youngstown, a daughter of Major Gault, of Pennsylvania, who was an officer in the war of 1812 Of this second marriage six children attained maturity, namely: William T., Minnie A., Benjamin M., Harry G., Ella and Robert A., all of whom are living except the last mentioned, who died in 1899. Samuel Gibson was for many years prominently identified with the state militia of Ohio, having been a captain in the same. He is a son of Robert D. Gibson, who was born in Connecticut and who became one of the pioneers of Mahoning county, Ohio, where he passed the remainder of his long and honorable life, having been a soldier in the war of 1812. His death occurred in Youngstown when about seventy years of age.
SILAS SCHILLER, M. D.
This name recalls one of the most celebrated men of Germany, whose poems and plays have shed immortal luster over his native country and be- come familiar throughout the civilized world. It will be remembered as long as "William Tell" is enacted on the dramatic stage or sung in opera to the melodious music of Rossini. As a friend and companion of Goethe, author
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of numerous poems of the first rank and one of the brilliant coterie whose literary achievements first made the German language familiar throughout Europe and America, he occupies a place of especial honor in the ranks of scholarship. Of the same stock and name of this celebrated man are the family who left their German fatherland early in the nineteenth century and cast their lot with the then youthful but promising commonwealth of Ohio.
John George Schiller, born in Germany in 1769, crossed the ocean about 1812 accompanied by his wife and several small children. Locating in Ohio, he became the owner of a large farm and derived his support from its culti- vation until the time of his death, which occurred about 1859. The five children were: Gotlieb; Israel; Mattie, who married George Bacher and died in Youngstown in May, 1902; Joanna widow of Gotlieb Lipp, of Petersburg, Ohio; and Christian, who died in 1900. Israel Schiller, second of the above enumerated family, was born at Wittenberg, Germany, in 1806. and was only six or seven years old when brought to the United States by his parents. After a brief sojourn at Philadelphia, the family came on to Ohio and located in what was then Columbiana, now Mahoning county, where Israel grew up and learned the carpenter's trade, which furnished his means of livelihood until his marriage to Elenore, daughter of Captain Joshua Hahn. After this event, which occurred about 1834, he engaged in agricultural pursuits and followed that business until 1890, when his earthly career was terminated by death. Of his twelve children, the following named eleven grew to maturity : Mary, the wife of Charles Hartung, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania ; Gideon, now a resident of Pittsburg, in the same state: Catherine H., wife of George W. Penn, of Braddock; Servilla, an unmar- ried daughter; Silas, the subject of this sketch; Eliza H., wife of Tobias Beight, of Columbiana county, Ohio: Ira, deceased: Odelia, a single daugh- ter ; Tobias; John H .; and Andrew W., a physician of Salem, Ohio. The mother of this large family survived her husband seven years and passed away in 1897 at the old home in Petersburg, Ohio.
Silas Schiller, fourth in age of the living children, was born on a farm in Springfield township, Mahoning county, Ohio, in 1846, and there remained until the completion of his preliminary education. In addition to the pri- mary schools, he had the benefit of attendance at the Mahoning Academy in Canfield, then the county seat, and also the Union Seminary at Poland, Ohio. As early as the sixteenth year of his age he obtained a teacher's license and was engaged in teaching at intervals during the succeeding five years. He began the study of medicine about 1867, pursued it steadily for several
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years and was graduated at the Eclectic Medical Institute in Cincinnati with the class of 1870. After a period of probationary practice at New Middle- town, Ohio, for one year, he located at North Lima and remained there until 1895, when he took up his permanent residence at Youngstown. Since that time Dr. Schiller has prosecuted his profession so attentively and energetically as to have achieved a flattering success in his business and a creditable repu- tation as a physician. This is attested by the fact that he rose to such popu- larity as a member of the Ohio State Medical Association that he was made president of that honorable body in 1902, a dignity only conferred upon the prominent and influential of the profession.
In 1871 Dr. Schiller was united in marriage with Mary E., daughter of John Welker, of New Middletown, Ohio, and this union has been blessed by the birth of four children: Charles F .; Dorothy, wife of Rev. Virgil Boyer, of Marietta, Ohio; Harley H .; and Grace G. In his political predilec- tions Dr. Schiller had always been a devoted Democrat until the springing of the silver issue in an acute stage, when his conscientious convictions com- pelled him to differ with his party platform on that point. His fraternal connections are with the Knights Templar, St. John's Commandery No. 20, of which he is an enthusiastic member, and with the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks, which also receives a considerable share of his time and attention.
HARMON E. BLOTT, M. D.
The position of coroner in a populous county like Mahoning is an arduous one and full of most grave responsibilities, since the incumbent is frequently called upon to render first judgment in cases which involve the good order of the community, and possibly the lives of the parties interested. Thus the duties devolving on this officer require a calm and judicial mind, a com- prehensive grasp of medical and surgical jurisprudence, coupled with no small degree of knowledge of the law, and the ability by shrewd questioning to uncover crime if it exists. In this office Mahoning county is fortunate in being served by a gentleman who combines in a marked degree these necessary qualities.
Dr. Harmon E. Blott is a native of the county, born of German stock in North Jackson, in 1865, where he was reared and educated. He is the son of John Blott, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1836 and came to Ohio with his parents in infancy, where he died in 1873. His wife's maiden name was Amanda Craver, and she was the mother of three children, our subject; William L .; and Ella J., wife of Daniel B. Umstead. Passing back along
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Blatt M.D.
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the line, the grandfather was Samuel Blott, born in Pennsylvania in 1812. After living out a long life full of good deeds and noble purposes, he died in 1896. He was a farmer by occupation, as have been all of the family. The further history of the Blotts runs back to the fatherland, names and dates being indistinct, though it is known that they came to Pennsylvania at a very early day.
Harmon Blott commenced life as a school teacher at the age of seventeen years, teaching two full terms. This was followed by a course in the medical department of the Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, upon the completion of which he located in Youngstown, where he soon built up a most desirable and lucrative practice. He is a popular physician and is making a success in his chosen profession. His Republicanism was of such a vig- orous stripe as to cause the party managers to seek him out for ticket material in a close campaign, and in 1901 he thus became the coroner of his county, by a majority of 2,280. Dr. Blott is a valued member of the Elks, the Odd Fellows, the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias and the Golden Eagle. The family life of the Doctor dates from 1888, when, in Mahoning county, he was married to Miss Cora Strouse, daughter of Josiah and Caro- line Strouse. Three children lend attraction to their home, Myron S., Caro- line S. and Edgar M.
WILLIAM N. ASHBAUGH.
William N. Ashbaugh was born in the town of Freeport, Pennsylvania, in 1854, on the 14th day of May. In this village he lived until a lad of eighteen years, when he came to Youngstown. He had been given a good common school education, and had decided to make law his profession. He entered the law office of Hon. D. M. Wilson in Youngstown, and after studying the required time, took the examination and was admitted to the bar of Mahoning county. This was in 1877, and he immediately began the practice of his profession in this city.
Mr. Ashbaugh has always taken great interest in the public life of the city and in 1882 was elected clerk of the board of education, which office he has held to the present day, being one of the most efficient and painstaking servants that body has ever had. In connection with his duties as clerk of the board, he has continued the practice of his profession. He is a staunch Republican in politics, and fraternally is a member of the Masons and Elks. He is a member of no particular church organization, but affiliates with the Methodist Episcopal church. In Youngstown, in 1884, he was married to Clarice V. Butler, daughter of I. M. Butler, and to the marriage have been
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born five children, of whom William B., Clarance V. and Russell G. are now living.
Dipping somewhat into family history, the great-grandfather of our present subject was Henry Ashbaugh, whose father Frederick was a native of Holland, and came to America with his family in 1769; he located in Pennsylvania, and continued to live there until his death. His son, William Ashbaugh, was the next member of this particular branch of the family, and was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1800, and died in that county at the age of sixty-four years. The Ashbaughs have always be- longed to the agricultural class and have been men prominent in their own particular sections. The father of our subject was William Ashbaugh, the second child of his family, and he was born in Westmoreland county, Penn- sylvania, on the old home farm, in 1833. In 1876 he came to Youngstown. Ohio, where he has since lived, enjoying in retirement the competence he has gained. He was married in 1853 to Ann E. Weaver, and to this mar- riage were born six children: William N .: Cordelia, wife of Thomas Peat ; Charles C .: Lawrence B .; Mabel T., who is the wife of Ora Howard; and Homer T.
GEORGE W. STROCK.
In enumerating the enterprises which have made Canfield township, Mahoning county, so prosperous and have caused it to take such a prominent place in commercial and industrial affairs of this part of Ohio, one should not omit the large sawmill of Strock and Osborne. The mill has a capacity of four thousand feet of lumber per day, has an engine of thirty horsepower, and there is a steady demand for the product as fast as they can turn it out. The proprietors are both capable business men and well adapted to the prose- cution of this enterprise, so that they have reaped gratifying pecuniary re- wards from their mill.
George W. Strock was born in Jackson township, Mahoning county, in 1845, and was reared and educated in Austintown. In early life he learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for a number of years, but in 1885 he embarked in his present enterprise and has devoted his energies to it ever since. The Strocks are a well known family of this part of Ohio, and some of the members have been men of great intellectual power and high standing in their communities, of whom we might mention Charles Strock, a near relative of George W., who was a representative of Trumbull county to the state legislature and a leading attorney of the Ohio bar, and in whose early death a great loss was experienced to the county. Politically the fam-
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ily are divided, some adhering to the Democracy and others to the Repub- lican party. In 1870 George W. Strock was married to Miss Laura J., the daughter of Abraham and Harriet (Strock) Osborne, but no children have been born to the union. Mrs. Strock is a member of one of the prominent and old families of Ohio, and some remarks concerning her people would be appropriate here.
The progenitor of the American branch of the Osborne family was Nicholas, who came from England in the eighteenth century and in 1804 settled in Canfield, Ohio, a very early time in the history of that region : he was a large landowner and did much for the development of the county. John, his son, came to the county with him, and by his wife, whose first name was Eve, he had a large family, one of whom was Conrad. The latter was fourteen years old when he came to Canfield with his parents, and on becoming of age learned the cabinent-maker's trade, at which he worked for many years and at the same time operated a farm of seventy-five acres, which he had cleared up in his youth. He was a man of considerable politi- cal influence in his community and held the office of constable for fifteen years, was trustee for several years, and served in various other minor offices. He married Mary Osborne, who was, like him, a native of Loudoun county, Virginia, and of their six children four are living. One of the survivors is Abraham, now a resident of Canfield township, where he was born November 2, 1822. He has been engaged in the carpenter's trade most of his life, as many substantial buildings over Mahoning county bear evidence. On December 24, 1846, he was married to Miss Harriet Strock, who bore him three children : the first was Laura J., who became the wife of George W. Strock; the second was Allen C., who became the husband of Hattie Brobst and the father of Elmer and Edmund, and his death occurred in 1875: the other daughter is Mary A. McCollom, whose children are Edith, Nora, James and Blanch ( deceased).
DAVID JAMES MORGAN.
The subject of this brief review is another product of this utilitarian age, in which every man may be the architect of his own fortune. Mr. Morgan is a young man, but he has so impressed his worth on the citizens of Youngs- town township by his sterling qualities of citizenship as to cause his selection for the important position of township trustee, a position which he has filled most acceptably for the past three years. Mr. Morgan is a Welshman and is possessed of all the qualities which mark that vigorous strain of the Anglo- Saxon race. He was born in Youngstown in 1868. He was reared there
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and received a good common school education. At the age of sixteen he went to work in a coal mine in Mahoning county as "trapper," working a year in that subordinate position before he took up the more skilled work of the regular shift miner. After a year and a half at this service, he began work above ground, entering the Valley Rolling Mill as a puddler's helper. He worked, altogether, in the various rolling mills about the city about thir- teen years. Leaving this work, in 1898 he was elected to his present office, having served, several months before his election, to fill an unexpired term of a gentleman who had been elected county commissioner.
Mr. Morgan was married in Cleveland, Ohio, the other contracting party being Miss Mary Morgan, the date being December 22, 1892. Miss Morgan was the daughter of Samuel and Mary Morgan, and is a native of Wales. To the marriage of our subject have been born two children, Irene, May 17, 1894, and Doris, in 1896. It goes without saying that Mr. Morgan is a Republican of the stalwart stripe. He is fraternally a Knight of the Golden Eagle.
The family of which Mr. Morgan is a member is from Wales, his father, William T. Morgan, having come to America from that country in 1858, locating in Mahoning county, Ohio. He was a coal miner by trade, and now resides in Youngstown. He married in Wales Miss Ruth James, a daughter of William James, and to the marriage were born seventeen children, six of whom now survive: Thomas J., Reese, David J., John, May and Morgan. Authentic information as to the prior history of the Morgan family, so far as our subject can give it, ceases with his grandfather, Thomas Morgan, a native of Wales, born in 1795. He lived out the measure of his days in Wales, dying in 1878.
HUGH A. MANCHESTER.
The Manchester family is at present a commingling of Scotch-Irish blood on the maternal side and of English on the paternal, and one of the an- cestors of the present generation was the famous Lord Manchester of Eng- lish history. Great-grandfather Isaac Manchester was a resident of Rhode Island in colonial days and about 1795 settled in Washington county, Penn- sylvania. His son Benjamin crossed the line into Ohio in 1805 and became one of the very first settlers of what is now known as Canfield, Mahoning county, then a part of Trumbull county. He was a thrifty and industrious man and displayed much fortitude in enduring the privations which were necessary that future generations might live in comfort in the land.
Isaac, the son of the last mentioned, was born in Canfield township
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in 1810, and became a useful citizen of the community, serving as a justice of the peace and holding other minor offices. His family by his wife Ellen became, in turn, also good members of society, and one of these is the person of the Hon. Hugh A. Manchester, who first saw the light of day in Canfield township. Mahoning county, on March 5, 1837. His early life was spent on his father's farm, where he became familiar with all the details of agriculture. He was always noted as a bright student and after he had obtained a thor- ough training in the public schools, in the Poland and Mahoning academies, his intellectual fitness prompted him to embark in teaching. That he ex- celled in this branch of intellectual activity is amply proved by the fact that for twenty-seven years he was engaged in the delightful task of teach- ing the young idea ; but the most remarkable record is in the fact that twenty- five years of this time were spent in one school, which shows how well those who had been trained by him in their youth appreciated his work and desired their own children to receive instruction from the same hand. During this time he had also served as county school examiner for twenty-three years.
In 1899 the Democrats of Mahoning county selected Mr. Manchester as their candidate for the legislature, and he was duly elected, and during his term was a most excellent representative of the wishes of his constituents. He has been honored with the office of justice of the peace in his township for thirty-six years and has held nearly every office in the gift of the people ; when the Farmers National Bank of Canfield was organized in 1887, he was chosen its cashier, and is still retained in that capacity. On November 8, 1859, he was united in marriage to Miss Rose Squier, to whom were born seven children, and six of them are still living; two of the sons have been admitted to the bar and one other is studying for the same profession. Hon. Manchester is a member and has served as worshipful master of Canfield Lodge, F. & A. M., is a member of Youngstown Commandery No. 20, K. T., and stands high in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is an elder in the Presbyterian church at Canfield and in countless ways has ex- erted his influence for good in the town and community.
MARGARET HILL ROEMER.
Mrs. Margaret (Hill) Roemer is a highly esteemed lady residing ill Struthers and is the widow of the late Henry Roemer, who for so many years was a prominent citizen of Mahoning county. The latter was the son of a German physician and minister of the Presbyterian church. This gen- tleman, J. J. Roemer, was a college-bred man and came to this country about 1854. He resided in Pittsburg and was a practicing physician in Lowell-
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ville, Ohio, for two years. The Roemer family is of royal blood, and the coat of arms is in the possession of one of the household in Pittsburg, while the seal is in Henry Roemer's family. J. J. Roemer reared all his three sons and nine daughters, but the eldest daughter died in Germany, and all but one son and one daughter were married. The father died at the age of eighty-four, and his wife at the age of seventy-eight.
Henry Roemer was born in Prussian Germany in the town of Eberfeld, in 1846, and was eight years old when he was brought to this country. He was still a boy when the Civil war broke out, but he could not be restrained from enlisting, although his father brought him home twice; in 1864 he finally entered the ranks in Company F, Eighteenth Ohio Infantry. He was in the hospital and lost his health, which led to his premature death ; he drew a pension of twenty-four dollars a month. He was a Presbyterian and a man of strong character and ability. He died in Struthers in 1900, after a life of usefulness to his country, family and friends.
Margaret Roemer, the wife of Henry Roemer, was the oldest of ten children born to James Hill and Annie Watt, who were worthy Scotch peo- ple, he being born in Galaway in 1816, and she in Perth in 1835. They were married in 1853, and in 1864 they came to Struthers, Ohio, where he was a boss in the coal mines, having been brought up to that business in the old country. Their three oldest children were born in Scotland; the second in order of birth was Elizabeth, the wife of Raymond Oswald, and she died August 17, 1898, leaving two children; John J. Hill resides in Struthers and is sketched elsewhere in this volume; Anna is the wife of R. S. Graham, near Lowellville; George is the husband of Lillie Armitage and is a roller in the mills at Struthers; the remaining children died young. Their father died in 1887, but his widow is still living at the age of sixty- seven.
There were eight children born of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Roe- mer, as follows: Annie, the wife of Angus McPhee, of Youngstown, has two living children; John J., who married Lola McPhee and resides next door to his mother, has two daughters and twin sons, and is a roller in the American Sheet Steel Mills at Struthers; Lottie is the wife of Charles Kim- mel, of Struthers, and they have one daughter; James, an employe in the rolling mill in Struthers, married Alice Gough and has one daughter ; Henry is also a mill employe in Struthers; Pauline is a teacher in Boardman town- ship; George is employed in the mill; and Robert, who is only ten years old, is in school. Mr. and Mrs. Roemer settled in Struthers after their mar- riage, but later resided in Lowellville for eleven years, and returned and took
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up their residence here in 1890. A few years ago they bought a piece of land consisting of nearly four acres in this town, paying nine hundred and fifty dollars for it, and there are now four dwellings on the place. The following year a fine modern residence was erected for the accommodation of the family, and one of the sons now has his own house next to it. Mrs. Roemer is a member of the United Presbyterian church.
L. TEMPLIN & SONS.
The firm name which appears above at once brings to mind one of the most important business concerns of Mahoning county. The company has extensive greenhouses at Calla, Ohio, and the firm of L. Templin & Sons is known as the leading seed and plant house in the country, doing a retail mailing and express business. Not only are the partners in the enter- prise conducting an extensive trade, but they are also carrying on their business efforts along lines which commend them to the confidence and good will of all. Honored and respected in commercial circles, the enviable position which they occupy is not only due to their success but also to the straightforward course which they have ever followed. They have always had an ideal before them and have worked toward this until the term ideal has become almost synonymous with their business. They have adopted as the motto of the firm "worthy of your patronage," and they have endeavored to make their business live up to this sentiment. The trade has constantly grown from the time of its inception by Lewis Templin in 1860 until now the house stands among the most prominent in the entire country doing a mail- ing and expressing business.
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