USA > Ohio > Columbiana County > History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens > Part 105
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terprise was regarded by many as final, as his approval was almost sure to spell success. As- sociated with him as William Schmick & Sons, were his only children: C. N. ; and William H., now deceased.
C. N. Schmick is a native of Cleveland. where he was born in 1841. He is now a prom- inent resident of Cleveland, where he is still engaged in the banking business, being one of the solid men of that city. A family of three children blessed his union with Jennie Welker, namely : W. Harry, our subject; C. E., who is a well-known attorney of Cleveland; and Josephine, wife of Dr. A. J. McNamara, a skillful physician of Cleveland.
WV. Harry Schmick attended school in Ma- honing and Columbiana Counties, spending much time in his father's bank, where at the expiration of his school life, he was placed in the position of assistant cashier. Having grown up with the business and received a thorough, practical training, there is no part or phase of it which he is unable to meet and successfully manage. He was assistant cashier for 12 years. In 1900 he was elected cashier and has been in sole charge of the bank since. His father is president. In addition to this business, Mr. Schmick has invested largely in other enter- prises and his judgment is regarded as sound and a safe one to follow. He is vice-president of the First National Bank, of Columbiana ; president of the Royal Realty Company, of Cleveland; and vice-president and principal stockholder of the Leetonia Store Company. In 1892 Mr. Schmick was married to Miss Carrie Thullen, of Leetonia, whose father, J. C. Thullen, is superintendent of the electric light plant.
M. HOON. Among the representa- tive men of Columbiana County. none are more deserving of honorable men- tion than the gentleman whose name appears above. He was born Feb- ruary 3. 1853, in the State of Pennsylvania, and is a son of Eli and Margaret Ann ( Nichol- so11) (Jamison) Hoon. Some of his ances- tors are traced back through many generations,
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one line having a record that goes back as far as 1624.
The Hoons or Hahns, as the name was formerly spelled, are of Pennsylvania Dutch descent and the family is supposed to have been founded in this country by the great-grand- father of our subject, Adam Hoon, who re- sided in Pennsylvania and is supposed to have taken part in the Revolution. His son, Adam. the grandfather of the present Mr. Hoon, was born in Lancaster, that State, about the begin- ning of the 19th century, but the data obtained in this connection has been very meager and unsatisfactory. He was married July 26. 1822, to Elizabeth Mercer, who was born July 16, 1800. Among their children was Eli Hoon, the father of our subject.
Eli Hoon was born December 18, 1823, and was a shoemaker by trade, an industrious, frugal man, who died December 26, 1883. In 1851 he married Mrs. Margaret Ann Jamison, nee Nicholson, whose parents were natives of Staffordshire England. She was born July 12, 1823, and died May 4, 1872, leaving four child- ren, viz: S. M., Lovina, deceased, who was the wife of Robert Dickson; Elvira, wife of John Wooten, of Freedom, Pennsylvania ; and Alvarado, who married Mattie Davis and lives in East Palestine.
The Mercers, like the Hahns, were from Holland, where the spelling of the name was Mossar. The genealogy of this family has been kept with tolerable accuracy from the time of Amos Mercer, who was born in 1624. Little is known of him farther than the date of birth, or of his son, Moses, who was born in 1654. John Mercer, son of Moses, was born in 1676 and was twice married. His first wife was Mary E. Bentley, who died in 1703, leaving one child, Gideon. His second wife was Nancy Harper and a family of 15 children, six daugh- ters and nine sons were the fruits of this union. Continuing in a direct line, we have Jonathan Mercer, one of the nine sons, who was born in 1718 and died in 1793. He married Lamson Babb and is known to have had three sons,- Peter, Jacob and John.
Peter Mercer was born in 1744 and died in 1808. He was married in 1768 to Margaret Rudisil, of Frederick, Maryland, and was a
member of the militia under Captain Clark, as- sisting in the repulse of the English. In 1781 Peter and Margaret Mercer entered a section of land in the northeastern part of Ohio and five years later received a deed for the same. This. document is still in the family and bears the signatures of Thomas Jefferson, President and James Madison, Secretary of State, under date of February 18, 1806. Their home was in Ma- honing (then Jefferson) County, near the thriving village of Petersburg, which was plat- ted by him and named in his honor. A daugh- ter, Eva, born in 1774, married Israel Warner, who took part in the War of 1812 and was. captain in the Black Hawk War. Peter Mercer and his wife were laid to rest, side by side, in the old cemetery near. Petersburg, Ohio. Jacob Mercer, his brother, was born in 1752, at Ches- ter, Pennsylvania, and was a member of the "Chester Blues," having enlisted in that com- pany to fight against the yoke of England.
John Mercer, a younger brother of Peter and Jacob Mercer, was born in 1754, and was. also a soldier of the Revolution, being a mem- ber of the "Chester Blues." He married Mar- garet Wurtman, of Frederick, Maryland, in. 1772.
Peter Mercer, Jr., son of John, was born in 1782, on March 16th, and was married to. Nancy Newcomer, who was born the same year. He was major under General Heinman in the. War of 1812, was soon afterward breveted brigadier general and took part in the Black Hawk War. He and Israel Warner were. among the first legislators of Ohio and were- largely instrumental in creating Columbiana County.
John Mercer, another son of John Mercer and the great-grandfather of our subject, was born in 1777 and married Katherine Shrively. She died in 1843 and he in 1849 and both are- buried in Butler County, Pennsylvania. It was their daughter, Elizabeth, who married Adam Hoon, whose grandson is the subject of of this biography.
S. M. Hoon showed an independent, indus- trious spirit, even in early boyhood and one of his first ventures was to engage as water-boy on the New Castle. & Beaver Valley Railroad, now known as the E. & P. Railroad, where he-
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remained for two or three years. When he left the road's service he became driver of a mule team on the canal and still later hired out as cook on the steamboat "Monitor," plying between Pittsburg and the iron works of the Shenango Valley. His education having been neglected in his childhood, he now set about to gain a schooling, which he saw would be of great advantage to him in almost any work in life and he applied himself to study and then entered the Pennsylvania State Normal School at Edinboro, Pennsylvania, working and sav- ing his money to pay his way. During the panic of 1873 he was thrown out of work and lost what money he had saved so that he had to start again at the foot of the hill. However, he was young and not easily discouraged and determined to go West and make his start there. He went to Missouri and engaged in a mer- cantile business. Here again misfortune over- took him and he was burned out and left with only the clothes on his back, penniless and among strangers with snow covering the ground to the depth of 10 inches. Fortune had not entirely deserted him, for he found a friend who advanced him $50 with which to begin anew. With this capital he opened a lunch stand and in a year was able to repay the loan and had $1,000 saved. In company with sev- eral other young men, he started on a tour of the Western States, visiting the different tribes of Indians and becoming conversant with their. manners and customs and at last found himself in Ottumwa, Iowa, his sole capital being repre- sented by 25 cents in "shin plaster." He was not long in securing a position as brakeman on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad and was later promoted to conductor of a freight train, holding this position until the great labor troubles of 1877, when he gave up the job and returned to his native State. In 1878 he moved to East Palestine and began work in the mines, beginning with the pick and working up to the superintendency and owner- ship. He is a member of the Hoon Coal Com- pany, which was organized in 1902. Its mine is located in the southeastern part of the town- ship on the line dividing Unity and Middleton townships. The output of the mine is about 40 tons per day of good, domestic coal. In addi-
tion to his mining interests, Mr. Hoon owns a drug store in East Palestine which he purchased in 1901 and which is managed by his son Wil- bur. He is a director of the First National Bank, of East Palestine, and was one of the first to become a member of the East Palestine Building & Loan Association.
On December 26, 1880, Mr. Hoon was joined in marriage with Mary Ann Lawton, whose parents, John and Mary Ann Lawton. came from England from the same county in which Mr. Hoon's grandmother was born. To this union five children have been born, viz : Merl, born December 19, 1881, deceased, June 21, 1882; Wilbur, born April 1, 1884, now the manager of his father's drug store; Walter. born June 5, 1886, who is employed at the Hoon coal mine; Samuel, born November 8, 1888; and Omer, born October 2, 1889, de- ceased April 3, 1890.
In 1878 Mr. Hoon became a member of the "East Palestine Grays," at that time known as Company D, 10th Reg., Ohio National Guard and later as Company E, Eighth Ohio, and was promoted to the captaincy in April. 1887. He was in command of the company during the encampment April 27, 1889, and also at the Washington centennial celebration held in New York City, May 2, 1889. Mr. Hoon has a membership in the following or- ders : East Palestine Lodge, No. 417, F. & A. M .; Lisbon Chapter, No. 92, R. A. M .; Salem Commandery, No. 42, K. T .; Omega Council, No. 44, R. & S. M .; Salem Lodge, No. 305, B. P. O. E .; Protected Home Circle, Home Lodge, No. 222, K. of P .; Tent No. 70, K. O. T. M .: Welcome Lodge, No. 729, I. O. O. F .; and The Homeless 26, of Pitts- burg, Pennsylvania.
AMES SAMUEL HARGREAVES, a leading florist of East Liverpool, who also has charge of the packing de- partment of the pottery plant of The Cartwright Brothers Company, was born at Hanley, Staffordshire, England, Jan- uary 21, 1857, and is a son of Samuel and Alice ( Brookes ) Hargreaves.
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Samuel Hargreaves was born in Derbyshire, England, December 12, 1834, and was a son of James Hargreaves, also a native of Derbyshire. The latter was a contractor at the well-known Etruria mines, at Hanley, now belonging to the estate of the Earl of Granville. He was a man of authority and had 500 men in his em- ploy. An accident at the mines caused his death in 1868, at the age of 67 years. Samuel Hargreaves learned the trade of pottery packer, which he followed in England until 1873, when he came to America. Locating in East Liver- pool, he was employed by Cartwright Brothers in their packing department. He continued to work in their pottery until 1895 when he be- came permanently injured in the knee and since then has been located on a farm on Beaver Creek in St. Clair township. He married Alice Brookes, a daughter of John Brookes. She died in 1880, aged 39 years, leaving our sub- ject her only child.
Like many other children of the neighbor- hood where James S. Hargreaves was born, he had absolutely no educational opportunities. He was only a lad of eight years when he was put to work in a pottery, the dreary round of the day's duties with its small wage and unsanitary surroundings at that time making up the sum of existence. We can only surmise his future had his father's interests not led the family to come to America, where one of the first gifts to childhood and youth is education, for, then he was 16 years old and could neither read nor write. Here he found work and also the chance to improve his mind and while his days were spent at the Cartwright pottery, his evenings were passed in study, a part of the time having an instructor, but frequently plodding along alone. Thus he educated himself and one can not be in his presence long without realizing that he is 'a man of broad, general information and excellent business capacity.
He remained with Cartwright Brothers until 1880 when the death of his mother broke up the little family circle and he then went to New Cumberland. West Virginia, where he was employed at his trade as packer in the Chelsea potteries. After 16 months he went to Pughstown, where he remained until Octo-
ber, 1882, and then returned to East Liverpool, purchasing his present property on Pennsyl- vania avenue. His tastes had always inclined him to the culture of flowers and after ac- quiring this property he decided to start into a small greenhouse business, building his first house for that purpose. He succeeded so well that he now has about 5,000 feet of glass and handles all kinds of potted plants and cut flowers, making a specialty, however, of roses. These exquisite flowers he has in profusion and he says that he has never been able to buy as fine roses as he can produce himself. He has a large trade in set pieces for funerals and some- times the demands of the business are so large that he is obliged to purchase from outside growers, his own large greenhouses being taxed to their full capacity. For the past 12 years he has also had charge of the packing department of the pottery plant of The Cart- wright Brothers Company.
Mr. Hargreaves married Lucy Shepard, a native of Brown County, Ohio, and 10 of their II children survive, viz: Edwin V., Allen J., E. Samuel, Alice May, Albert S., Lucy B., Sarah, Catherine, Pansy and Marcella. Bessie Fay was killed by being run over by a street car. The family belong to the Second Presby- terian Church, in the East End.
In politics Mr. Hargreaves is a Republican but has never cared for political office. He be- longs to a number of fraternal orders, includ- ing the Royal Arcanum, Protected Home Cir- cle, Pan American Court, No. 127, Tribe of Ben Hur of which he is captain; and Penova Lodge, I. O. O. F.
RANKLIN HARRIS, whose fine home and well-cultivated farm are situated 60 in section 24, Butler township, is one of the most highly esteemed citizens of his locality. He is also a survivor of the great Civil War, in which he took an important part as a loyal and faithful soldier. Mr. Harris was born in Butler township, Col- umbiana County, Ohio, August 18, 1839, and is a son of Benjamin and Hannah (Miller) Harris.
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Isaiah Harris, the grandfather of our sub- ject, came to Columbiana County from North Carolina, in 1804. a son of Enoch Harris, who entered a large tract of land. Enoch Harris left 80 acres to each of his children and our subject owns a portion of the original tract.
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Benjamin Harris lived in Butler township all his life. He was a man of versatile talents. -a competent millwright .- building many of the grist-mills in this part of Ohio, a carpen- ter and a blacksmith and he was enough of a shoemaker to fashion shoes for his family. He left an estate of 100 acres. In politics he was a Republican. He was a member of the So- ciety of Friends. He married Hannah Miller. daughter of David and Sarah Miller. She was born and died in Columbiana County and was the mother of seven children : Clarkson. de- ceased : Malinda, of Butler township : Franklin, of this sketch: Albert. a member of the 19th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., who died in the Civil War: Rachel Ann, deceased: David. of Butler township: Sarah E .. of this township : Alvina ( Mrs. Alvina Vates). of Iowa: and Leonard, deceased.
Our subject had scarcely advanced into manhood when the Civil War broke over the land and among the first to answer the call for defenders of the old flag was this farmer boy. In July, 1861. he enlisted in Company G. 104th Reg .. Ohio Vol. Inf .. under Col. Samuel Riley and Capt. Ezra Coppock. The regiment was sent to Lexington, Ky., crossed to Covington and there had its first taste of war in a slight skirm- ish. then returned to Lexington and wintered. Our subject was there taken sick and spent most of the winter in a hospital and in the spring was sent to a convalescent camp. When it was learned that he was a competent car- penter, having inherited much of his father's mechanical skill. he was transferred to the car- penter corps. Here he assisted in pitching tents and worked for the government for a year and then took charge of the commissary re- partment which he conducted until he was hon- orably discharged in the fall of 1863. after a service of three years.
After Mr. Harris returned home, he secured a position in assisting in the construction of the
Buckeye Engine Works at Salem and after this he learned the pattern-maker's trade and worked for this firm for 25 years. These com- bined terms of honorable service, aggregating 28 years, speak for themselves as to our stir- ject's efficiency and to his sterling character. To be a good soldier a man must be faithful. loyal, willing and brave and these qualities are no less prominent in the employee who is retained by one firm for a quarter of a cen- tury.
Mr. Harris finally relinquished his position with the Buckeye Engine Works, and rented a small farm and then bought his present farm of 120 acres in section 24. Butler township. with 40 acres in Salem township. He has made many fine improvements here and among these is a handsome modern residence, which is very attractive and very comfortable. He operates his farm as a dairy and has 15 head of milkers. -Jersey and Durham cattle.
Mr. Harris was married on November 21, 1868, to Priscilla J. Hloopes, who was born in Butler township in 1849, and died here in . Sol. She was a daughter of Robert and Sarah Hoopes. They had six children: Cora Belle, wife of George Green, of Alliance, Ohio; Ida Mary wife of Samuel Fariner, of Salem town- ship; Leonard, of Butler township; Harvey, of Salem township; Bert F., operating the home farm; and Ross, of Salem.
Mr. Harris has always been a Republican in his political views. Formerly he tool: an active part in the local Grange. He belongs to Trescott Post, No. 10, G. A. R., of Salem.
R ICHARD L. EDMONSTON, who is the proprietor of the oklest and larg- est photographic studio in East Liver- pool, and whose artistic ability is widely recognized, was born at Rock- ville. Montgomery County, Maryland, January 24, 1863, and is a son of Edwin Owens and Annie ( Viers) Edmonsion. On the paternal side our subject is of Scotch descent and of French on the maternal.
Edwin Owens Edmonston was born at
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Rockville, Maryland. He assisted through early manhood on his father's farm and then carried on a mercantile business of his own for a number of years. Subsequently he resumed farming and, as he is remarkably well preserved in mental and physical strength, he is still able to continue agricultural pursuits although ad- vanced in years. He is a stanch Democrat and has filled almost all the local offices. He mar- ried a daughter of Samuel Clark Viers. She also was born in Maryland, where she died in 1893, aged 54 years. She was a good Christian woman, a devoted member of the Baptist Church, to which religious body Mr. Edmon- ston has belonged for many years, having served both as deacon and trustee.
Richard L. Edmonston was the second of his parents' family of seven children, six of whom reached maturity, namely : Edwin Owens, Jr., deceased; Richard L .; Alice and Lillie, deceased; and Cora and Louise, who live at home. The subject of this sketch re- mained under the parental roof until he was of age and then served as assistant postmaster of Rockville for two years, clerking in the mean- time in the village grocery store. He became interested about this time in photography and his successful efforts soon placed him beyond the amateur class and led him to decide to make photography his life work.
In 1889 Mr. Edmonston came to East Liverpool and established a studio in the First National Bank Building, where he remained for three years. He then moved into the Thompson Building, on the "Diamond," where he continued for six years. His rapidly in- creasing business and added equipment re- quired larger quarters, and in 1900 Mr. Ed- monston purchased the property on Fourth street, where he now has his finely appointed studio and where he makes his residence. He gives employment to about eight workmen and the finished work of his studio ranks with any in the State.
Mr. Edmonston married Sarah Roberts, daughter of Charles Roberts, of East Liver- pool, and they have one son,-Charles E. Mr. and Mrs. Edmonston are members of the Uni- ted Presbyterian Church.
In politics Mr. Edmonston has always been identified with the Republican party, but has never consented to accept office. He has en- joyed the spectacle of the presidential inaugura- tion and, with the exception of the last, has. witnessed every one since attaining his ma- jority. He is a well-known citizen who enjoys the confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens. both professionally and personally.
ILLIAM CALEB DAVIDSON. formerly mayor of East Liverpool,. and one of the leading business citi- zens of the city, now conducting the largest shoe house in the city, is also well-known as one of the leading pro- moters of the East Liverpool Driving Associa- tion, of which he is one of the directors. Mr. Davidson was born in this city, October 16, 1861, and is a son of Abraham and Jane (Till) Davidson.
The Davidson family came to Ohio from Pennsylvania in the person of William David- son, the grandfather of our, subject, who was an engineer on a river steamboat until within two years of his death, which occurred in mid- dle age. Abraham Davidson, father of our sub- ject, was born at East Liverpool, and is a son. of William and Jane ( Robbins) Davidson. His early educational opportunities were mea- ger, and while but a lad he commenced to ac- company his father on the river and later spent four years on a river trading boat. From trans- porting on the water, he pursued the same busi- ness on land, entering into draying and later, combined the two, establishing the first wharf- boat in East Liverpool. After some five years of satisfactory business alone, he entered into partnership with his father-in-law, Caleb Till. under the firm name of Till & Davidson, in a' grocery business, in which he continued until his death in 1893. He was prominent in Ma- sonic circles, a member of Riddle Lodge, No .. 315, F. & A. M., and of East Liverpool Chap- ter, No. 100, R. A. M., and belonged also to the Odd Fellows. Like his father before him, he was a stanch Democrat.
The mother of our subject was born in
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England and is a daughter of the late Caleb Till, also a native of England and one of the early settlers in East Liverpool. Mr. and Mrs. Da- vidson's family contained five sons and one daughter, the latter dying young. The sons were: William C., of this sketch; Joseph M., deceased; George E., city solicitor of East Liverpool; Edwin L., of East Liverpool; and Heber C., also of this city. Mrs. Davidson is a devoted member of the Methodist Protestant Church, and her late husband also belonged to this religious body. He is recalled as a man of sterling character, one who had much to con- tend with on account of early disadvantages. In 1864 he responded to the call for soldiers for the 100-day service and was a member of the 143rd Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf.
William C. Davidson's life has been mainly passed in his native city where he was reared and educated, and where he has been more or less in the public eye for years. In his boyhood he entered the employ of the Adams Express Company and was the deliverer of the first free delivery package in the city. After three years with the company, he left in order to go into the grocery business with his father, with whom he remained three and a half years and then went into business for himself, opening a bil- liard hall which he operated for eight years. Mr. Davidson has always been an out-spoken Republican. In 1902 he was elected mayor of East Liverpool, to which office he was reelected at the expiration of his first term. He served but one year of his second elective term, a change in the municipal law then going into effect. It is to his credit that during his three years of official life all his time was devoted to civic affairs, resulting in many reforms and the bringing about of many needed public im- provements.
After retiring from the mayor's chair, he opened up his present shoe business at No. 108 Fifth street, where he has proved himself one of the most capable of the city's business men. He enjoys the reputation of carrying the larg- est and most complete shoe stock in the city. He has always been a lover of fine horses and has been a prominent member and director of the East Liverpool Driving Association, an or-
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