USA > Ohio > Genealogical and family history of eastern Ohio > Part 63
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incident to shipwreck. He remained with the family at Philadelphia until the fifteenth year of his age, when he was apprenticed to learn the carpen- ter's trade, and became a contractor and builder. In 1832 he removed to Ma- honing county, Ohio, settled on a farm in Springfield township and followed agricultural pursuits until failing health induced him to retire to Petersburg, where he lived in quiet until his death, which occurred in the spring of 1891. Israel Schiller was a man of good business qualifications, of indus- trious habits, and possessed a force of character which insured him general esteem and a position of influence in his community. He married Eleanor Haron, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1814 and in girlhood came to Ma- honing county with her parents, who settled in Springfield township and fol- lowed the occupation of farming. Israel and Eleanor (Haron) Schiller reared a large family of children, concerning whom the annexed brief biographical notes will prove of interest. Maria, the eldest daughter, mar- ried Carter Hathing, and had three children : Ella, Henry and Albert. Mar- tha, the second daughter, has passed away. Gideon, the eldest son and a druggist at Petersburg, married Lizzie Stevenson and has three children: Israel, Maude and Paul. Kate, the third daughter, is now the wife of George W. Penn and the mother of three children: Clement, Albert and Mabelle. Saville, the fourth daughter, resides with her mother at Petersburg. Silas, the second son, became a prominent physician at North Lima, Ohio, and married Ellen Wilker, by whom he had four children: Frederick, Dorothea, Harley and Grace. Eliza H. became the wife of Tobias Reight. Tobias, the third son, married Elizabeth Dressel. Della, another daughter, is in the millinery business at Petersburg. John H. married Lizzie Konesal, by whom he has two children : Gertrude and Carl. Ira died at the age of thirty- seven years.
Andrew W. Schiller, the youngest of this interesting family of children, was born on his father's farm in Mahoning county, Ohio, July 27, 1860, and remained with his parents on the old homestead until he reached his majority. He had the benefit of a good academical education in the college of Newcas- tle, Pennsylvania, after which he began the study of medicine under his brother, Dr. Silas Schiller, at North Lima. Entering the Western Reserve Medical College in 1879, he received his degree from that institution in the class of 1882 and immediately thereafter returned to North Lima, where he had charge of his brother's practice for one year. In 1883 he located at Greenford, and after practicing there with flattering success for ten years came to Salem in 1893 and has there continued to grow both in popularity and practice until he is now recognized as one of the progressive and advanced physicians of the country.
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May 2, 1883, Dr. Schiller was united in marriage with Miss Attie, daugh- ter of Henry and Catherine (Beard) Fleckinger, of Mahoning county, and this union has resulted in the birth of three children: Arthur W., Edna I. and Royal L. Dr. Schiller's rank as a physician is emphasized by the fact that he is a member in good standing of the Ohio State, the Mahoning County, and the Union Medical Associations. Under Cleveland's administra- tion he held membership on the board of pension examiners and gave general satisfaction by his conscientious and skilful discharge of the duties of that position. He and his wife belong to the Lutheran church, and his fraternity connections are confined to membership in the Knights of Pythias, in the affairs of which order he has always taken a zealous interest.
ROBERT T. IVORY.
The most elaborate history is perforce a merciless abridgment, the his- torian being compelled to select his facts from manifold details. This ap- plies to specific as well as to generic history, and in the former category biog- raphy is placed. In every life of honor and usefulness there is no dearth of incident, and yet, in summing up the career of any man, the writer must needs touch only the more salient points, giving the keynote of the charac- ter, but eliminating all that is superfluous to the continuity of the narrative. Within the pages of this work will be found individual mention of many prominent and influential citizens of Mahoning county, and it is well that a perpetual record should be thus left concerning those who have been identi- fied with the advancement and material interests of this section. In the case at hand we touch briefly upon the career of one of the younger genera- tion of business men, and one who has attained distinctive preferment through his ability and discrimination in the management of affairs of scope and importance. Mr. Ivory is incumbent of the position of superintendent of the Youngstown Park and Falls Street Railway Company, whose enterprise represents a public utility of marked value, and we are pleased to offer a resumé of the life history of this capable and popular official.
The grandfather of Robert T. Ivory was Peter Ivory. He was born in the parish of Street, county of Westmeath, Ireland. He was a mechanic and worked eleven years for the British government during the reign of George III, for the last five years of this period being head foreman of the Athlone Barracks. In the Irish rebellion of 1789 he fought in two battles and was taken prisoner, but was soon released owing to his extreme youth. He married, in Ireland, Catherine Rogers, of county Longford. He did not care to remain a subject to Great Britain, and as he was in comfortable cir- -
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cumstances, in 1817 he came with his wife and one child, Mary, to America. In 1819 he purchased the farm and built the residence in which he lived till his life came to a close, November 11, 1849; on this farm the present thriving town of Westview, Pennsylvania, sprang up. He was known as an honest and prosperous citizen, and was thoroughly respected in his community. He was a Democrat in political belief.
His son, Peter Ivory, Sr., was born in February, 1819, in the city of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, near what is now known as Grant and Diamond streets. He was a popular and well known resident of Allegheny county, and for twenty-five years was justice of the peace. He was engaged in different pursuits, being a contractor for the government during the Civil war, and was at one time with the firm of Ryan and McGran, railroad con- tractors, who built the greater portion of the Pennsylvania over the Alle- gheny mountains. He bought and sold a great deal of property, but he left to his children all the land which had formed the original heritage from his father. His wife and five children still retain this valuable tract of two hundred and ninety acres, finely improved, situated just outside of the city of Allegheny. Mr. Ivory was married in 1863 to Joanna Conway, of Con- way, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and she still survives her husband. Peter Ivory was one of the prime movers in the building of the Allegheny and Perrysville plank road, was director and secretary of the company, and was president of the Perrysville and Wexford Plank Road Company. His death occurred in 1896, and the five children still surviving are: Minnie; Robert T. : Catherine, wife of M. A. Grant ; Thomas C .; and Eleanor.
Robert T. Ivory is a native son of the old Keystone state, having been born near Allegheny, Pennsylvania, on the 28th of August, 1866. He re- mained on the homestead farm until he had reached the age of fifteen years, and received his elementary school training in the district schools, and later continued his studies in the public schools of Allegheny. He then entered Curry Institute Union Business College, in Pittsburg, where he completed a thorough course of general and technical order and graduated in June, 1884. Upon leaving school Mr. Ivory entered the employ of the Pittsburg Electric Supply Company, where he was retained as bookkeeper for eighteen months, and then began his career in the street railway business with A. E. Townsend, of the firm of Townsend and Brown of Pittsburg, Mr. Brown being the present lieutenant governor of the state of Pennsylvania. For the first year he was bookkeeper of the company, but was then promoted to the position of general foreman, in which capacity he continued for a period of six years, and became thoroughly familiar with the practical details of equipping
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and operating street railway systems. During this time he superintended the construction of the following roads : Pittsburg, Knoxville and St. Clairs- ville; Pittsburg South Side; Pittsburg and Mckees Rocks; Second avenue line; Pittsburg and Birmingham; Sharpsburg extension; Penn avenue; also roads in and about Allegheny. He superintended the construction of roads at Uniontown, Braddock, Mckeesport, Washington, Newcastle, Wheeling, and at Montgomery, Alabama.
After severing his connection with the firm of Townsend and Brown,- Mr. Townsend retiring in 1892,-Mr. Ivory entered the employ of Jolly Brothers and built the Bellaire and Martins Ferry line, a distance of twelve miles, in fourteen weeks' time. He then accepted a position with William Wharton & Company, incorporated, of Philadelphia, the oldest company of street railway contractors in the United States. He held the responsible office of superintendent of outside construction, and in this connection had charge of the building of all but two of the depots of the Philadelphia Trac- tion Company, among them the Belmont avenue, Grays Ferry, Lehigh avenue, Chestnut street and the Walnut street depots. He continued in the employ of this firm for two and a half years, and then went to New Orleans, where he remained for three months as superintendent of the Canal and Claiborne Street Railway construction; he then built and equipped a line of three miles' length in Reading, Pennsylvania ; and for the following two years was super- intendent of construction of street railways with the firm of Booth and Flinn of Pittsburg, after which he entered the employ of Swan and McAfee, gen- eral contractors in Allegheny, by whom he was retained as superintendent of the grading and paving of streets. Six months later he was sent to Youngs- town to superintend the construction of the Youngstown Park and Falls Street Railway, which road he completed in May, 1899. On July 8, of the same year, he succeeded A. Kennedy Ashworth as manager and superintend- ent of the company, which is his present position.
Mr. Ivory is known throughout the country as an expert in his branch of business. On one occasion a traveling man asked the proprietor of a certain hotel in a Pennsylvania town, who the man was who seemed to have charge of the building of the street railway. After being informed that it was Mr. Ivory, he remarked: "I have seen him so often in different parts of the country that I now look for him wherever I see a street torn up and track-layers at work." Mr. Ivory has done splendid work for the Park and Falls Company, and has labored indefatigably for the success of the firm and the comfort and convenience of the public.
In 1887 Mr. Ivory was married in the city of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania,
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to Miss Alice Graham, a daughter of William Graham, a well known citizen of that place, and she was a niece of Senator James L. Graham. One son was born of this union, Thomas C. The family reside on Earl street in Youngstown. Mr. Ivory gives his support to the Democratic party, as did his grandfather and father, and he holds membership with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
JOSEPH DAVIS.
The subject of this sketch, whose name is given above, has been engaged in the practice of law at Youngstown about sixteen years and has achieved a creditable standing at the bar. He has devoted himself exclusively to his profession, realizing the truth of the old maxim that the law is a "jealous mistress" and will abide no rivals. Hence he has avoided the "entangling alliances" of politics and other temptations, with the result that he has done well in business while making many friends and few enemies.
He is of Welsh extraction, his ancestors from time immemorial having been inhabitants of that portion of Great Britain so famous in history under the name of Wales. William W. has figured through the family hsitory quite conspicuously, at least four of the ancestors having borne that name. William W. Davis, our subject's great-grandfather, held a commission as captain in the British army and was killed while fighting in one of his country's battles. His son William W., the third, was born in Wales in 1775, and was the first of the family to emigrate to America, his death oc- curring at Palmyra, Ohio, in 1868. He also left a son named William W., who was born in Wales in 1809, came to the United States in early man- hood and became both an active and useful citizen of the Buckeye state. He was a machinist by trade, and not only an excellent workman but pos- sessed of the organizing and executive talent. He was one of the first to establish an iron mill in Ohio, and later, when this pioneer experiment failed, he built a buggy factory at Palmyra, which he carried on in connection with farming until 1866. In that year he disposed of his buggy business and devoted his whole attention to agricultural pursuits. He was married in Wales to Jane R., daughter of Ebenezer Evans, who became the mother of his eight children, of whom the survivors are Edward O., John W., Joseph and Jane. Mrs. Davis died in 1889, and her husband, after surviving her four years, ended his busy and blameless life in 1893. Three of his sons, William W., Edward O. and John W. enlisted in the Union army during the Civil war, and served honorably until discharged.
Joseph Davis, third in age of the living children, was born at Palmyra,
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Portage county, Ohio, in 1850, and grew to maturity on his father's farm. He received an excellent education, and, beside the primary instruction in the local schools, he had the benefit of attendance at Hiram and Mt. Union Colleges. He finished at the latter institution in 1872, after which he en- gaged as a teacher in the schools at Palmyra and continued in that occupa- tion for two years. In 1875 he secured employment with a safe manufactur- ing firm, and represented the company as a traveling salesman for the following five years. In 1880 he began the study of law at Palmyra, pur- sued it diligently for several years, and in 1886 was admitted to the bar at Columbus. Shortly thereafter he located at Youngstown, where he has since devoted himself to the uninterrupted practice of his profession.
In 1887 Mr. Davis was joined in wedlock with Miss Clara L., daughter of Theodore R. Mason, an old citizen and Civil war veteran of Palmyra, Ohio. This union has resulted in the birth of two daughters: Helen L. and Josephine M. Davis. Mr. Davis is not connected with any church organiza- tion, but is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
JOHN M. RYAN.
John M. Ryan is well known as a representative of the business interests of East Liverpool, where since 1885 he has been engaged in street con- tracting. He was born in the District of Columbia in 1852, and comes of Irish ancestry, as the family name indicates. His father, Michael Ryan, was born in county Tipperary, Ireland, in 1820, and when a young man resolved to seek his fortune in America. Accordingly he crossed the At- lantic in the early forties and in 1852 became a resident of Jefferson county, Ohio. In 1869 he took up his abode in East Liverpool, where he passed his remaining days, his death occurring in the year 1890. Forty years before this, in 1850, he had been united in marriage to Honora Carney, and they became the parents of eleven children, eight of whom reached years of maturity while seven are now living, namely: John M .; Bridget, the wife of James Dugan ; William E., deceased; Margaret, the wife of Thomas Pryor; Mary, the wife of John T. Kelly; Annie; Patrick G .; and Michael V. The mother of this family did not long survive her husband's death, but passed away the year following, in 1891.
John M. Ryan was brought to Ohio in his infancy, his parents locating in Jefferson county, where he remained until 1869, when he came to East Liverpool. His educational privileges were extremely meager. He was never able to attend school after he attained the age of ten years, but through practical experience, reading and observation he has greatly broadened his
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knowledge. In his youth he worked in the mines, and as he advanced in years he was also advanced in the positions he occupied, because of his reliability, his diligence and his faithfulness. In 1885 he began contracting on his own account for general brick work, and has since followed this pursuit, gaining a liberal patronage because of his excellent workmanship and his fidelity to all the terms of an agreement. His life has been one of untiring industry, and it is this which has formed the foundation of his success.
In the year 1879 Mr. Ryan was united in marriage in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, to Miss Mary L. Murray, and they have five living children : Edward J., Francis N., Helen, Thomas J. and Leo S. They also lost two children, Nora and John, who were the fourth and fifth respectively in order of birth, and who died in infancy. Mr. Ryan holds membership with the Knights of Columbus and with St. Aloysius Total Abstinence Society. In his political views he is a Republican, and, while he firmly believes in the principles of the party and does all in his power to promote its growth and success, he has never sought or desired office. By perseverance, determination and honorable effort he has overthrown the obstacles which barred his path and has reached the goal of prosperity. Widely and favorably known, his life record should serve to encourage others who are forced to enter upon a business career as he did, empty-handed and without the aid of influen- tial friends.
A. C. WILSON.
A. C. Wilson was born in Shalersville, Portage county, Ohio, on the 17th of November, 1847, a son of Charles Wilson, who was born in 1809. He lived to the age of fifty-seven years, and was a prosperous farmer. His wife bore the maiden name of Esther C. Hancock, and to them were born two children beside the subject of this narrative-Corintha, the wife of J. A. M. McLeod, and Elliot Murat Wilson. The paternal great-uncle was Asa Thompson, who served long and valiantly in the American Revolution.
A. C. Wilson continued to reside at the place of his birth until he was about seventeen years of age, when he went to Hiram, Ohio, and there attended Hiram College. He afterward went to Oberlin College, in both of which he acquitted himself very creditably, and by his study and industry qualified himself for teaching. This vocation he took up at Newton Falls, Ohio, where he continued for about five years as superintendent of schools. From there he went to Seville, Ohio, again assuming the office and re- sponsibilities of superintendent, and for about three years thereafter, at various
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places, occupied other responsible positions of like character. While carrying on this arduous work he took up the study of medicine, and in 1882 was graduated in the medical department of the Wooster University at Cleve- land, Ohio, after which he located in Youngstown, and in 1889 took a post-graduate course in the city of Philadelphia, under Dr. Kelley, famous in the medical world for his learning and ability. He also took a course in the Polyclinic, after which he returned to Youngstown, and about two years later took the post-graduate course at the Johns Hopkins University. Going from there in 1892 to Chicago, he began the practice of medicine in that city, and occupied the chair of theory and practice in the Harvey Medical School, which he held for about two years, after which he again returned to Youngs- town, Ohio, and has since been engaged in a general and successful practice at the place.
In 1876 Mr. Wilson was married to Belle Hoffman, who six years after- ward died, leaving an only child, a daughter named May Bell. In 1893 he was again married, while in Chicago, to Mathilda (Maier), widow of Joseph Weisel, with whom he has since lived very happily. Dr. Wilson is a Re- publican, and, while not actively engaged in politics, has always upheld the principles of the Republican party. He belongs to the Knights Templar and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a member of no church, but accords his hearty support to all work for the upbuilding of humanity, whether religious or not.
RANNALS S. BROWNLEE.
Rannals S. Brownlee, one of the successful agriculturists and large stock dealers of Mahoning county, who resides on his fine farm on sections 8 and 9 in Coitsville township, was born October 22, 1842, on an adjoining farm. He is a son of John and Jennie (Patterson) Brownlee, the former of whom was born in January, 1806, in Scotland, and died in Ohio in 1887, at the age of eighty-one years. He was a son of Joseph A. Brownlee, who died in Scotland. The mother of our subject was born in 1811, in Scotland. After marriage, about 1831, John Brownlee and wife settled on the farm where our subject was born, buying one hundred acres for seven dollars per acre, this land being but poorly improved. Later he owned two hundred acres. They had a family of seven children, and all grew to maturity except one. Margaret died at the age of fifty years; Ellen died at the age of fourteen years; Jane, widow of Emmett Marstelar, has three daughters and five sons, and lives in Mercer county, Pennsylvania; Alex- ander died in the army, where he contracted disease, in 1863, aged twenty- four years ; James P. also died in the army ; Rannals S. is the subject of this
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sketch ; and W. W. owns the old homestead farm, consisting of two hun- dred and eighty acres, and has six children. The mother of this family passed away in 1889. 4
Rannals S. Brownlee was reared on the farm, and obtained a good common school education. His father proposed to send him to college, but his tastes were more in the direction of an agricultural life. On May 18, 1869, he married Miss M. E. Bailey, of this township, and three children were born to this marriage, namely: Jennie E., who married W. A. Palmer of Jamestown, New York; Bessie E., who is the wife of Dr. H. Bookwater of Columbiana county, Ohio, and they have one son; and -Margaret, who is a young lady at home, a graduate of the Coitsville high school, and attended Oberlin College, but did not graduate; she is highly accomplished, especially in music.
Mr. Brownlee owns one hundred and seventy acres of fine land, on which he has erected two sets of buildings and three barns. He has been engaged in stock dealing for a long period, is also a wholesale butcher and sells his meat in Youngstown. He keeps some fifteen head of cattle, three of horses, and but sixty sheep since the demand for wool has fallen off. In politics Mr. Brownlee is a Republican, and has served in a number of local offices very efficiently. He has been township trustee some four terms and assessor for two terms, and is treasurer and trustee of the Presbyterian church, to which the family belongs. The family is one which has long been most highly regarded in this locality, and is prominent in social and business life.
ADAM HAHN.
Adam Hahn, who is a retired farmer at North Lima, Beaver township, was born on this farm in the old house which was built by his father in 1818, the date being December 24, 1821. His father was John Hahn, who was born in 1785 in Baltimore county, Maryland. He married Sophia Lawrence, who was born in 1800 in Saxony, Germany, and came to America at the age of two years, an orphan. She was reared by Philadelphia Quakers into modest young womanhood, and was John Hahn's second wife, marrying in 1820. The first wife of John Hahn was a Miss Sponseller, and the three children of that union were: Sophia, born January 21, 1816, married J. C. Bowman and died aged eighty-two years; Henry was born in 1817 and died an octogenarian; and John, born in 1819, died in the seventies.
Our subject was the first child of the second marriage, the others being : Frederick, born in 1823, died at Green Spring, Ohio, in 1878, aged eighty years; Sarah married Jonathan Mowen and died in 1873, the first death in
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the family ; Elizabeth, born in 1827, married her cousin, Elias Hahn, and left two daughters, who live in Minnesota; Catherine, born in 1830, died in 1903 at Cleveland, and was buried at Lisbon, Ohio, the wife of George Ogle and the mother of four children; Andrew, born in 1833, resides in Les- lie, Michigan; Emery, born in 1835, also of Michigan; and Ellen, Mrs. Sny- der, of North Lima, has two daughters and two sons. The father of these children died in the spring of 1858, but his widow survived until 1886, dying aged eighty-six years. In religious belief the family was Lutheran. The ancestors, Jacob and Michael Hahn, came to America and took part in the Revolutionary war, Michael being wounded. Later he settled in the south, and one of his descendants became governor of Arkansas. Many were wealthy slaveholders.
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