USA > Ohio > Genealogical and family history of eastern Ohio > Part 66
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GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
ald McVean was a farmer, and died in Youngstown in 1879, while his wife passed away at the age of fifty-four years, both having been consistent members of the Methodist church. Of their children, Jessie died in Canada at the age of eleven years, but the others came to the United States, and are as follows: Catherine, who married in Canada, died leaving a family; Archi- bald went to the far west about 1865; Elizabeth resides in Youngstown; Alexander died in Youngstown, leaving a family; John is the subject of this biography ; James is a resident of Niles, Ohio; Christine is the wife of John Williams, of this county ; and Daniel died in Youngstown, leaving a family.
John McVean was born in Canada, March 7, 1848, and enjoyed a fair amount of schooling in Canada and in Youngstown. The year following the arrival of his parents in the latter place, in 1863, he entered the Brown- Bonnel rolling mill, and the month of August, 1903, completes his forty years' continuous service for the company. During much of this time he has had about fifty men under his charge, and, in view of the labor distur- bances which are constantly upsetting the industrial situation, it is highly complimentary to Mr. McVean's management that he and his men have never yet had a serious misunderstanding or mishap. Mr. McVean has ac- quired ample means, and of late years has indulged his love of outdoor life by running a farm and raising stock. In 1896 he erected his present nice residence at 108 Lane avenue, and is also the owner of the Pleasant View stock farm, of one hundred acres in Coitsville township, and one of the best places of the kind in the vicinity. In 1897 he completed a large stock barn, forty by seventy, with a basement, and the visitor would at once be struck with the evidences of progress and modern advancement in everything about the farm. He has a number of high-grade shorthorn and registered Jerseys on his place, and a number of premiums have been awarded his herds when placed on exhibition. Besides the horses which he keeps on the farm, he uses about twenty-eight in his business in the city.
Mr. McVean remained at his parents' home until September 21, 1874, which was the date of his marriage to Miss Mary Jane Raleigh, who is a native of Rome, New York. Her parents were Richard and Margaret (Smith) Raleigh, the former of whom was born in county Limerick, Ire- land, and the latter in Canada. They were married at Rome, New York, in April, 1855, and in 1867 Mr. Raleigh went to Kansas and was killed there by the Indians. His widow, left with five children and without means, showed her true nobility and strength of spirit by keeping the family together, despite the threatenings of poverty, and succeeded in giving them all a fair education, for which they will always revere her name and call her blessed.
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She lived to see this task accomplished, and died in 1889 at the age of fifty- two. Her five children were: Mary Jane, who became Mrs. McVean; Mor- ris, of Warren, Ohio; Ellen, of Youngstown; Margaret, who married Pat- rick O'Mara, of this city, and has five children; and Emmet, who died at the age of twenty-eight, unmarried.
Twelve children were born to the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. McVean, as follows : Margaret, the wife of Dr. J. P. Kenney; Jessie, at home; John graduated from Pittsburg Holy Ghost College in the classical course, and is now a chemist in the blast furnace for the Republic Iron and Steel Com- pany ; Mary is a graduate from the Ursuline Academy, Villa Angela, Notting- ham, Ohio; Donald is a machinist with the Republic Iron and Steel Company ; Raymond; Joseph; Ruth; and Edward; all of whom live at home with the exception of the married daughter, and the three deceased children are Rich- ard, Helen and Paul. Mr. and Mrs. McVean still have all the appearances of youth and vigor notwithstanding the labor of the passing years, and they have a most pleasant and hospitable home, where reign peace, plenty, cheerfulness and contentment. Mr. McVean is an independent voter, and at various times has cast his ballot for the Democratic, Republican and Pro- hibition parties. He, with his family, is now a member of the Catholic church, and they enjoy fully the respect of the entire community.
FRANK S. MERWIN, M. D.
The subject of this review has attained prestige in his chosen profes- sion, and as one of the able representatives of the same he merits specific recognition in the list of those sterling physicians and surgeons whose careers come up for consideration in this volume. The Doctor is established in the practice of his profession in the city of Youngstown, Mahoning county, and here his ability has not failed of marked appreciation, for he controls a cli- entage of distinctively representative character.
Dr. Merwin was born in the village of Nelson, Portage county, Ohio, on the 29th of September, 1868, and he is a representative of one of the pioneer families of the Buckeye state. His paternal grandfather, Leland P. Merwin, was a native of Onondaga county, New York, where he was born in the year 1803, and there he was reared to the age of eighteen years, when, in 1821, he set forth to seek his fortunes in the wilds of Portage county, Ohio, where he entered a tract of government land, heavily timbered. He reclaimed and placed under effective cultivation a good farm, becoming one of the successful and influential men of his locality. He passed the rest of his life on his homestead, where he died in the year 1886, at the venerable
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age of eighty-three years. He ever commanded the confidence and esteem of those who knew him, being a man of strong individuality, utmost sincerity and sterling character. In 1824 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary King, and they became the parents of fifteen children, of whom three sons and four daughters are living at the present time. The Merwin family was established in New England in the colonial epoch, the original American ancestors having come hither from England. The great-grandfather of the Doctor was Jesse Merwin, who was born in Connecticut, and who removed thence to the state of New York, where his death occurred.
Van Buren Merwin, the father of the Doctor, was born in Nelson, Portage county, on the 12th of January, 1837, and he was there reared and educated, having assisted his father in the clearing and improving of the homestead farm. In 1889 he removed to Brookfield township, Trumbull county, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits for a period of six years, after, which he was similarly engaged in Vienna township, that county, for about an equal interval of time. In 1881 he removed to Youngstown, and here he is now incumbent of a position in the works of the American Bridge Company, representing one of the important industrial enterprises of the state. On the Ist of January, 1867, Van Buren Merwin was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Dilley, daughter of Samuel Dilley, who was a prominent farmer of Portage county, and of this union were born four chil- dren, of whom two survive, Frank S., the immediate subject of this sketch; and William C., who is a resident of Youngstown, Ohio, where he is en- gaged in the electrical works.
It should be noted in this connection that the father of the Doctor ren- dered valiant service in support of the Union during the dark and stormy epoch of the war of the rebellion. In 1861 he enlisted as a private in Com- pany I, One Hundred and Seventy-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and proceeded to the front with his command, with which he was in active service until 1865. At Keller's Bridge, West Virginia, he was captured by the Confederate forces under General John H. Morgan, and he was held as a prisoner for some months. He continued in service thereafter until the close of the war, when he received his honorable discharge, being mustered out at Sandusky, Ohio, in September, 1865.
Dr. Frank S. Merwin was but one year of age at the time when his parents removed from Portage county to Trumbull county, and there he grew up under the invigorating discipline of the farm, waxing strong in mental and physical vigor and securing his early educational training in the country schools. Upon the removal of the family to Youngstown, in 1881,
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he continued his studies in the excellent public schools, being graduated in the high school as a member of the class of 1886. He was thereafter en- gaged in farm work and clerking at intervals until 1889, when, in harmony with his clearly defined plans for his future life work, he matriculated in the medical department of the Western Reserve University, in the city of Cleve- land, where he completed a thorough technical course and was graduated as a member of the class of 1893, receiving his coveted degree of Doctor of Medicine. Thus thoroughly fortified for the work of his chosen profession, Dr. Merwin returned to his home in Youngstown and established himself in general practice as a physician and surgeon. He has been very successful in the building up of a general practice, and takes rank among the able and popular representatives of his profession in Mahoning county. He holds membership in the State and County Medical Societies, and is known as a close and appreciative student of the sciences to which he is devoting his attention, keeping in touch with the advances made and utilizing in a dis- criminating way such methods and remedial agents as meet the approval of his judgment.
In politics the Doctor gives a stanch allegiance to the Republican party, and his religious faith is indicated in his membership in the Christian or Disciples church, while fraternally he is a valued member of both the lodge and canton of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and also of the Knights of Pythias and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. In his home city, on the 4th of April, 1894, Dr. Merwin was united in marriage to Miss Mary Barclay, daughter of Robert Barclay, and she died in 1896, leaving one son, Clayton B. On the 28th of November, 1900, the Doctor married Miss Nellie Turner, daughter of Edward H. Turner, a well known and honored citizen of Youngstown. The Doctor and Mrs. Merwin take a prominent part in the social life of their home city, where their friends are in number as their acquaintances.
WILLIAM ROSS CLARK, M. D.
During his fourteen years' residence in East Liverpool Dr. Clark has been prominently identified with the professional business and political life of the community and city. As a member of the board of pension examiners for many years, practicing physician, and active in fraternity and church work, he has been more or less in the public eye as a progressive and enterprising citizen. He is a son of Robert Sample Clark, who was born in Logan county, Ohio, in 181I, and later became prominent both in politics and business. His earlier years were devoted to farming, but later in life, having entered poli-
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tics in Belmont county, he was twice elected auditor, and after serving two terms retired from active pursuits and died in 1891. He had two children. Robert M. Clark, the eldest, married, and died in 1878, leaving four children : Chalmers, Ross, Harry and Robert. Chalmers, the second son, died with- out issue. Robert S. Clark was again married, his second wife being Mrs. Hettie M. Hazlett, nee Stillwell, by whom he had three children: Ella, who married Rev. Clovis Pringle; Hugh, who was accidentally killed in infancy ; and William R., the subject of this review. By her first marriage with Mr. Hazlett, Mrs. Clark had five children: Robert S .; Margaret, widow of Mr. Gaston; Isaac H .; Mattie, widow of Mr. Wood; and Sadie, wife of J. N. Rogers.
William Ross Clark, youngest child by his father's second marriage, was born at Morristown, Belmont county, Ohio, in 1857, and remained in the place of his nativity until the twenty-first year of his age. After ob- taining his primary education in the Morristown schools he at- tended the Washington and Jefferson College in Pennsylvania dur- ing the term of 1876-77. Later he entered the Columbus Medical College at the Ohio state capital, and was graduated there in the class of 1881. During the following year he took a special course at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York, and thus well equipped for the practice he located at his old home for the prosecution of his profes- sion. He remained at Morristown about six years, during which time he served one term as mayor, and in 1888 came to East Liverpool, where he resumed medical practice, and has since made his residence in that city. In 1894 he was appointed a member of the pension examining board at Lisbon and has held that position for the last eight years. He was married in 1886 to Miss Fannie, daughter of Dr. McKelvey, of Morristown, Ohio, but has no children. Dr. Clark is a member of the Presbyterian church, of the Masonic fraternity and the Eastern Ohio Medical Association.
CHARLES M. REILLY.
Charles M. Reilly, who resides at his comfortable home at 118 Lane avenue, is one of the old and well known residents of Youngstown, Ohio, and is a reliable as well as prominent dealer in real estate. He was born in Blair county, Pennsylvania, near the banks of the Juniata river, August 14, 1846, and is a son of Cornelius and Margaret Dixon (Lynch) Reilly, the latter of whom was born December 25, 1801, in Ireland, and died October 10, 1873.
Cornelius Reilly was born in county Cavan, Ireland, March 16, 1800.
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By trade he was a stone mason. He left Ireland on account of religious in- tolerance, and after locating in Pennsylvania engaged in contracting, and built one of the ten planes of the Alleghany and Portage Railroad, which he operated some twenty years, or until the state abandoned it. It was a paying enterprise, and he made enough money to buy a good farm in the Juniata valley, where he settled about 1856. His eldest son Owen was here killed by an explosion, while operating this plane as an engineer, at the age of twenty-two years. Philip D. died in infancy. Mary Ann is the widow Mack, and lives with her family at Altoona, Pennsylvania; Ellen died in in- fancy; John D. is a resident of Youngstown, a survivor of the Civil war and has four sons and three daughters; James H. resides on the old farm in Pennsylvania, a survivor of the Civil war; he was terribly wounded by a canister shot weighing four hundred grains, and he carried the ball for many years, and this wound gave him great pain from 1862 until 1897, when it was finally removed by the use of the X-ray; he has a family of four sons and three daughters. William F. resides near Pittsburg and has four sons and three daughters; Margaret J. is the wife of John A. Lib- zinger, resides at Glen White, Pennsylvania, and has three sons and two daughters. Charles M. is the subject of this sketch. The father and sons were all Democrats in their political faith, but they belonged to the Stephen A. Douglas wing of the party and were opposed to the idea of secession. The father retained his strength and vigor, and at the age of eighty-two years was able to attend to the breaking in of the colts on the farm. His death took place at the age of eighty-six, in 1886. Both parents belonged to the Roman Catholic religion, and this is the religious faith of the family.
Charles M. Reilly attended the common schools, and was but sixteen years of age when he enlisted for service in the army, where his record is one of brilliancy, he having taken part in twenty-eight regular battles and many skirmishes. He was wounded at Slater Mountain, Virginia, at Get- tysburg and Five Forks, and spent some six weeks in hospitals. For valor at Five Forks he was brevetted captain of a company of the First Pennsyl- vania Infantry. As mentioned above, he is a Democrat, and has been promi- nent in party councils. He served as a member of the city council for three terms, and then refused to run, but the three contesting parties all voted for him, and it was said that his own was the only vote in his ward that he did not get, but he positively declined the honor. Mr. Reilly has also served on the board of education.
On May 28, 1867, he was married to Miss Emma Augusta Woods,
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sister of John Austin Woods and a daughter of William and Mary (Shelby) Woods, and granddaughter of Daniel Shelby, who settled here in 1796. A family of twelve children was born to this marriage: William Cornelius is general superintendent of the Youngstown Iron Sheet & Tube Company, and has four sons and three daughters; Sedgwick A., a reporter for the press, lives in Cleveland; Carl Woods is secretary of a clothing company of Youngstown, and has one son; Edgar Joseph is editor of the local paper devoted to the iron and steel interests; Mary Emma is a bookkeeper ; Gallitzin is chief superintendent of the Youngstown Iron Sheet & Tube Company ; Lucy M. is at home; Albert Alexis is shipper for the Republic Iron & Steel Company ; Myron C. is a mechanic under his brother ; Ada Ellen is a stenog- rapher; Irene Patrick is a student, baptized on St. Patrick's day; and Grace Gertrude.
Mr. Reilly has lived in Youngstown since 1866, when he came from the old farm, and began in the Brown-Bonnel mill as roll turner, which occupa- tion he followed until 1885, when he embarked in the real estate and insur- ance business. His office is located on Bentley avenue, where he has a plat of eighty lots. In 1891 he built his comfortable residence. Mr. Reilly at- tends to all of the details of his business himself, dealing in his own and other property. He has been blessed in many ways, prosperity has shone upon him, and there is not yet one vacant chair in his family circle.
GUS TRENLE.
For eight years Mr. Trenle has occupied the position of manager of the East End Pottery of East Liverpool, and his thorough understanding of the business, its requirements and the possibilities in this line have made him well qualified for his position. He was born in Cincinnati in 1861, and was there reared, belonging to a family of eight children who were born to Thomas and Rose (Garen) Trenle. His father was a native of Germany, born in the year 1818, and after arriving at years of maturity he was married in that country to Rose Garen. They emigrated to Amer- ica, and became the parents of eight children, five of whom reached years of maturity. These are: Josephine, the wife of John Herman; Bertha, the wife of John Kemmen; Gus, of this review; Frank, who died in De- cember, 1899, at the age of thirty-four years; and John P. The father of these children departed this life in 1874. He was a lumber merchant, having carried on business along that line for a number of years.
Gus Trenle, pursued his education in the schools of Cincinnati until fourteen years of age, when he entered upon his business career in the capac-
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ity of an employe of George Scott & Son, owners of a pottery. He remained in their service for seven years, during which time he thoroughly mastered the trade both in principle and detail. In 1881 he came to East Liverpool, where he has since made his home, and here entered the Globe Pottery in the capacity of presser. He was connected with the enterprise for four years, and then for seven or eight years was employed as a "jigger" by the firm of Knowles, Taylor & Knowles. On the expiration of that period he was offered the position of manager of the East End Pottery, in 1894, and has since been in control of this plant, which under his capable direction is operated successfully. He has a very thorough understanding of the business, is a good judge of clays, and his accurate knowledge of this department of industrial activity, combined with his ability to control those who serve under him, has led to the success of the enterprise with which he is now associated.
In 1884, in East Liverpool, Mr. Trenle was united in marriage to Annie Ridinger, a daughter of Samuel Ridinger, and they now have four children: Edna, Blanche, Nina and Margaret. The family attend the ser- vices of the Presbyterian church, and Mr. Trenle contributes to its support, although he is not a member of the organization. Socially he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is true to its beneficent and helpful teachings. From a humble capacity in the business world he has steadily worked his way upward through his own enterprise and capa- bility, and to-day he occupies a creditable position in connection with the important industrial interests which have had so much to do with the pros- perity and progress of East Liverpool.
ROBERT E. RAYMAN.
Professor Robert E. Rayman, who has gained prestige in educational circles, and who for the past six years has been the efficient superintendent of the city schools of East Liverpool, was born upon a farm in Pickaway county, Ohio, on the 2d day of July, 1859. He traces his ancestry back to Germany, where his great-grandfather, John Rieman, was born in the eight- eenth century, the place of his nativity being Heidelberg. Coming to Amer- ica he took up his abode in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he largely devoted his life to the proclaiming of the gospel as a minister of the Lutheran denomination. Since the establishment of the family in the new world the name has undergone a change in its orthography, although the grandfather of Mr. Rayman, Daniel Rieman, retained the original spelling. The latter was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and was a carpenter by occu- pation.
لعهدة
PoPayman
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GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
Among his children was Daniel Rayman, the father of Mr. Rayman. He was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1842, and throughout his entire life carried on agricultural pursuits. In early manhood he moved to Pick- away county, where in 1857 he was united in marriage to Miss Adeline Withrow, and they became the parents of nine children, eight of whom reached maturity, and are yet living. These are: Robert E .; Elmer E .; James M .; Walter S .; B. F .; Fannie, the wife of John Finney; Margaret, the wife of James Ackers; and Lucy, the wife of James Schladell. One daughter, Harriet, is now deceased. During the Civil war the father offered his services to the government in response to the call for men to serve for one hundred days, joining the army in 1864. He was a member of the United Brethren church.
Upon the home farm Mr. Rayman spent the first eighteen years of his life, and during that period assisted in the work of the fields as his years and strength would permit. He also attended the district schools near his home, and through the years 1877-78-79 pursued the teacher's course in the Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio. He also began teaching in Fairfield county, where he continued teaching for eight terms, covering four years, and in the interim he attended Otterbein University and the Northwestern Ohio Normal School, being graduated from the latter with the degree of Bachelor of Science with the class of 1884. In 1892 the degree of Master of Science was conferred on him, and in 1896 that of Master of Arts, both honors coming from Ada College. After his graduation from the normal school with the class of 1884, he turned his attention to educational work, accepting the position of principal of the public schools of Lithopolis, Ohio, where he continued teaching for forty-three months, conducting summer nor- mal classes there in addition to the work of the regular school year. He then removed to Logan, Ohio, to accept the superintendency of the schools there, and after nine years' service, which proved very satisfactory to the public, he resigned in order to become superintendent of the East Liverpool schools. He came to this city in August, 1897, and has since continued in charge of the public schools of the city. He is practical and progressive, and under his guidance the schools have made marked advance along lines highly commended by the citizens of this place. He seems to exemplify in his work the spirit of Sydney Smith's definition, that "the real object of edu- cation is to give children resources that will endure as long as life endures ; habits that will ameliorate, not destroy; occupation that will render sickness tolerable, solitude pleasant, age venerable, and life more dignified and use- ful." Mr. Rayman is also interested to some extent in business enterprises in
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this city, being the treasurer of the Englewood Lime Company and the secretary of the Ceramic City Mining and Milling Company.
In 1884, in Clearport, Ohio, Mr. Rayman was united in marriage to Miss Eva Shaeffer, a daughter of Noah Shaeffer, and they have two daugh- ters, Rowena Edna and Esther Marie. The family occupy a leading posi- tion in the social circles of the city, where true worth and intelligence are received " as passports into good society. They attend the Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Rayman and his family are active members, and in his social relations he is a Mason and is also connected with the Knights of Pythias. Politically he is a Republican, with comprehensive understanding of the leading questions of the day, and in matters of citizenship he is loyal and progressive. Mr. Rayman is an active member of the Ohio State Teachers' Association and also of the National Educational Association. The latter is one of the most influential educational organizations in the United States.
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