History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 60

Author: McCord, William B., b. 1844
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 912

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William A. McBane spent one year of study at Canfield and five years at Wooster Univer- sity where he was graduated in June, 1890. He then entered the educational field as a teacher, spending about 12 years in the profes- sion, which included service of two years in Michigan before becoming principal of the Orr- ville (Ohio) High School, where he remained four years; one year at the Shelby High School and two years as superintendent at Mineral City, during which period he obtained a high school life certificate. In 1902 he became asso- ciated with the Citizens' Banking Company in the capacity of cashier.

Mr. McBane was married August 12, 1891, to Mary A. Hoelzel, who is a daughter of John and Jeannette (Nold) Hoelzel, the former of whom died in 1897. Mr. and Mrs. McBane have three children, viz .: Jeannette, aged 13 years, Frederick, aged II years and Marjorie, aged 10 years. The family belong to the United Presbyterian Church. '

He is one of the leaders in temperance movements in Salineville and with Dr. Blazer. and Rev. Mr. Peregoy made up the committee which conducted the campaign for the Beal. State law making this a prohibition town. He may always be found on the side of temperance and reform. Since last fall he has been presi- dent of the Board of Education. Fraternally he belongs to Orion Lodge, K. of P.

OHN H. MICK, a prosperous farmer, of Columbiana County, whose farm is located in section 20, Madison town- ship, was born and reared in this county and is a son of Jonathan A. and Amy ( VanFossen) Mick. Jonathan Mick came with his parents, Andrew and Nancy (Huff) Mick, from West Virginia, where they had been engaged in farming, to Ohio, pur-

chasing land in sections 20 and 21, Madison township, this county. He was a man who turned to success everything in which he en- gaged and he added to his first purchase of 160 acres until he owned 205 acres in one body in sections 20 and 21, a farm of 160 acres in sec- tion 32, one of 163 acres in section 25, and a quarter section in Elkrun township. He sold 40 acres from the last named tract and owned all the rest at the time of his death, which oc- curred November 13, 1896, at Glasgow, when in his 68th year. His widow and six children are still living, the latter being as . follows : Martha, widow of Robert McMillen and mother of Pearl and Raymond McMillen; Laura, wife of William Hayes, a farmer of Washington township, and the mother of three children,- Lizzie, Walter and Williard; James F., who married Lizzie Todd by whom he has seven children,-Homer, Amy, Pearl, Ruth, Stewart, Ralph and Ernest; George T., who married Alice Apple and has three children,-Nola, Walter and Helen; Howard E., who married Dora Newhouse; and John H.

John H. Mick received his education in the Alderick school in Madison township and then worked on his father's farm. He has always followed agricultural pursuits and there are few better farmers to be found in the county. He was married in 1889 to Georgia M. Crawford, whose parents, Frank and Emma (Durbin) Crawford, were both natives of Columbiana County and are now engaged in farming in Madison township. Mr. Mick is the father of three children: Frank, born April 28, 1900; John J., born April 27, 1902; and Roland E., born December 27, 1904. The subject of this sketch is a Democrat and both he and his wife are members of the Yellow Creek Presbyterian Church.

EORGE THOMPSON is one of the thriving and progressive farmers of Columbiana County and resides in section 25, St. Clair township, on a farm of 72 acres, which he keeps in a high state of cultivation. He was born in 1837 and is a son of William and Elizabeth -

EUBIUS E. HANNA

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(Grim) Thompson. His grandfather was also named William Thompson and kept a hotel in Calcutta in the long ago when that village was in its palmiest days as a trading post. His father was born October 28, 1813, and met his death by drowning at Smith's Ferry in 1839, when his son was two years old. His mother was a daughter of Michael Grim and was born in 1818 in Columbiana County. She was mar- ried three times and lived to the age of 75 years.

George Thompson has always been a farmer and one who is a credit to his neighborhood, as he believes in doing well what he undertakes. He purchased his present homestead in 1871 and has improved it until it is among the most desirable in the township. Mr. Thompson was married in 1868 to Ruth Ann Dixon and has two children: William Clark, born January 5, 1874; and George Howard, born January 2, 1882. The parents of Mrs. Thompson were Joseph and Lydia ( Richardson) Dixon. Joseph Dixon came with his parents from Brownsville, Pennsylvania, when he was a small lad and the land his father entered from the government is in the vicinity of Leetonia and is still in the possession of the Dixon family. Mr. Thomp- son and his wife are members of the Presbyter- ian Church. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Masonic order.

E UBIUS E. HANNA, member of the firm of Hanna & Kridler, extensive dealers in real estate, at Salem, Ohio, where he has been in the business since 1888, is one of the leading citi- zens and capitalists of Columbiana County. Mr. Hanna, whose portrait accompanies this sketch, was born in Hanover township, Col- umbiana County, in 1855, and is a son of John and Mary (Farmer) Hanna.

There are few families in Ohio whose names are better or more honorably known than that of Hanna. The grandfather, John Hanna, was an old resident . of Hanover township where he was prominent in public affairs; the 24

first court of the county, of which he was the clerk, was convened in his house. His wife, Hannah Randall, belonged to an old pioneer family from Pennsylvania. John Hanna. father of Eubius E., was a prominent farmer and extensive stock raiser and he also took active part in public affairs. He was a second cousin of the late distinguished United. States Senator Marcus A. Hanna. He died in 1877. aged 63 years. In political sentiment he was an ardent Republican. ,

From such ancestry came our subject. Eubius E. Hanna. He was given good edu- cational opportunities and in 1874 graduated at the New Lisbon High School. He then be- gan teaching and followed this profession for. some years in his native county and in Iowa and Wisconsin, but subsequently entered into a wholesale business with his brother, E. F. Hanna, which continued until 1888. It was in this year that Mr. Hanna settled at Salem, and a decade later entered into partnership with R. C. Kridler in the real estate, mortgage loan and insurance business. The progressive- ness and enterprise of this firm have made it the largest of its kind in Columbiana County, while its operations extend also through Ma- honing County. It does a business of hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Mr. Hanna has not confined his abilities to this business alone, having previously been president of the Salem Oil & Gas Company, and is a valued member of the Salem Board of Trade and the Business Men's Association and a director in the Eastern Ohio Oil & Gas Company.

Mr. Hanna married Naomi E. Coffee, who is a daughter of Joseph and Mary A. (Friend) Coffee, of an old family of Belmont County, Ohio. They have one son, Delos J., who is cashier in the office of Hanna & Kridler, who conduct a savings bank in connection with their other business. The firm is located at No. 34 East Main street and Mr. Hanna's beautiful home is located on Mckinley avenue.

For many years Mr. Hanna has been active in the ranks of the Republican party and in close accord with its leaders. He has never accepted any public office with the exception of justice of the peace, in which he served sat-

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isfactorily for three years. His fraternal con- nections include the Masonic bodies, the Royal Arcanum and the Knights of Pythias. Ile is recognized in social circles, is prominent in all movements of civic importance and enjoys in the highest degree the respect and esteem of his fellow-citizens.

Mr. Hanna was a resident of Mount Vern- on, Illinois, at the time it was visited by a ter- rible cyclone on February 19, 1888. We are herewith giving in full his letter descriptive of the event, which was published in the Lima, Ohio, Daily Republican, dated Jeffersonville, Illinois, February 23rd :

"As many kind friends have telegraphed and written to me, inquiring as to the safety of myself and family since the terrible cyclone that visited that once beautiful little city, and our recent home, at Mount Vernon, Illinois, .

I will attempt to answer as many as possible through the columns of your paper, and at the same time give them a brief description of our sad experience.

"Owing to the telegraph wires being blown down, it was impossible to receive or send mes- sages until some time on Monday, and then nothing but such messages as pertained to the affairs of the city and the relief committee would receive immediate attention. Therefore it was impossible for the surviving citizens to telegraph to their friends or relatives at a dis- tance that they were yet alive, or the extent of their distress. While the paper's have attempted to describe this awful disaster, yet the thou- sands who have since visited the place all re- mark that it is tenfold worse than the papers have pictured it. It seems to be chiarac- teristic of most Western towns to suppress. so far as possible, all such reports that would have a tendency to retard their future growth or prosperity. Hence we may truthfully say `the half has never been told' in this case.

"Our escape is said to be one of the most miraculous of any yet reported, considering the location and the depth of the debris under which we were buried. We were in the basement of a large, three-story, brick building which we used as a kitchen and dining room, occupying sleeping and sitting rooms on the second floor.

Just before the cyclone came we had finished a late dinner, and were sitting there watching the hail fall and bounce on the sidewalk above 11s. All at once we heard a terrible roaring noise, followed by darkness ; we all rushed for the door leading up to the street. when the building fell and we found ourselves imprisoned in a space scarcely large enough for us to stand, in utter darkness: and almost suffocated with dust and with smoke from our stove, which stood not more than two feet from us, filled with fire. In this situation and with clasped hands we bade each other good-by, resigned to meet the fate that seemed so surely ours. Dur- ing this space of time of only a few seconds, the upper timbers of the fallen debris seemed to settle, and all at once there came a ray of light from above, caused by the settling debris sep- arating enough to let in the light. Then we realized that we were near a window adjoining closely to the door. In an instant we broke through the window pane, getting enough fresh air to revive us. We cried for help, but no help came, and feeling the fire from our stove creeping upon us, I assisted my wife and boy through the window to a vacant space out- side, between the outer and inner walls made for the stairway down. This space was pro- tected by a cross-walk leading into a door above. We were yet 15 feet from the top, and where we could see the light at an angle above us. With supernatural power I dug my way through the brick, mortar and timbers and suc- ceeded in rescuing my wife and boy only a few minutes before the flames issued forth from our prison below. It is useless for me to attempt to describe our feelings during that time, or even afterwards, as we shudder at the thought of it. Next, to see and assist in rescuing the wounded and dead bodies from the debris of buildings was disheartening in the extreme. and would require too much space to describe it here. Up to last night, when we left Mount Vernon, there had been 52 deaths reported, and over 300 persons wounded. many of whose in- juries will prove fatal. They found three dead bodies yesterday and further search will re- veal several who are yet missing. Over 400 buildings and residences are reduced to atoms.

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The loss is now estimated at over one million dollars.

"We lose everything, barely escaping, with- out hats, overcoats or wraps of any kind. Our little boy's companion, familiarly known as 'Dick Dog,' perished in the flames. We heard his cries for help but could not rescue him.

"Our goods were insured against the fire but not against cyclones, consequently we can not recover any of our loss, which was over $3,500.

"Out of the ruins we gathered a few relics, such as my wife's gold watch and other pieces of jewelry, all of which are melted out of shape and valueless, except as relics only. Thankful to God for our miraculous escape with our lives, we humbly submit to all other loss and distress we have undergone."

HOMAS ELWOOD VICKERS, one of the old and honored residents of Salem, was born April 1, 1815, in Bordentown, New Jersey, and died in Salem, February 14, 1905, his death closing a long and useful life.

The Vickers are of English descent and the first to come to America was Thomas Elwood Vickers, who settled near Philadelphia about 1700. The name Thomas Elwood has been a family name as far back as any record is given.

The parents of our subject, Thomas El- wood Vickers and Ann (Forsyth) Vickers, were born near Philadelphia and the former was a tailor by trade. They came to Ohio in the early '20s, settling in Washington County. Soon after the Civil War, Thomas E. Vickers moved with his family to Oskaloosa, Iowa, and there he died aged 94 years. He had been married three times and was the father of 19 children.

When the subject of this sketch grew to young manhood, he learned the tailoring trade and followed it until 1850 and then for three years ran a peddler's wagon through the rural districts for the firm of Brooks & Leak. He was interested for some five years in a whole- sale dry goods business and in 1868 associated

his son Edgar L. with him, and they continued together in mercantile pursuits until 1881. when our subject retired.

Mr. Vickers married Elizabeth Paxson Gal- braith, who was born in 1821 in Guilford town- slip, Columbiana County, Ohio, and died Au- gust 30, 1903. Both her family and that of Mr. Vickers belonged to the Society of Friends. They were opposed to human slavery and the older members were identified in ante-bellum times with what was known as the "Under- ground Railroad." Mr. and Mrs. Vickers had three sons : Edgar L., one of Salem's progres- sive citizens, who married Elizabeth Waters and resides on the homestead on Garfield avenue; James M., who is a resident of the Isle of Pines, West Indies; and William H., of Mahoning County, Ohio.

Mr. Vickers was a life-long Republican, but he was never a politician. In 1854 he be- came identified with the Masons. He was a man of exemplary character and unblemished business and personal standing.

HOMAS R. ANDREWS, cashier of the Silver Banking Company, at Wellsville, was born at Savannah, Ohio, November 16, 1844, and is a son of Rev. Joseph and Dinah (Elliott) Andrews.

Rev. Joseph Andrews, formerly one of the well-known clergymen and intellectual men of the United Presbyterian Church, was born at Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, and died at Wellsville, Ohio, in June, 1869, aged 59 years. He was reared and educated at Antrim, Ohio, and studied theology at Oxford, Ohio. His first charge was at Savannah, Ohio, where he labored a number of years. From there he re- moved to Chartier's Cross Roads, in Washing- ton County, Pennsylvania, coming from there to Wellsville, in 1859. He was pastor of the United Presbyterian Church here until the time of his decease, a man of high character, re- spected in his professional and personality. All his life he was a supporter of the principles of the Republican party and firm in his stand

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against the institution. of slavery. He married a daughter of Hugh Elliott of Morrow County, Ohio, and they reared three of their eight chil- dren, namely: Thomas R .. of Wellsville: Martha, who has been an educator in the Wells- ville schools for 30 years; and Hugh. also of Wellsville. The mother died at the age of 77 years.

Thomas R. Andrews was educated in the public schools of Washington County, Penn- sylvania, and at Muskingum College, New Concord. Ohio. While in his senior year at college. in 1864, he joined other students and enlisted in answer to the last call for troops, in Company K. 159th Reg., Ohio National. Guard, and was out four months, thus gratify- ing a desire for army service which, hitherto, his parents had prevented. During his term of service he was at Harper's Ferry and at Camp Bradford, Baltimore, standing guard.

After his return home in the fall of 1864, Mr. Andrews went to Nashville, Tennessee, as a teacher in the Freedmen's mission school con- ducted under the auspices of the United Pres- byterian Church and there remained until 1869. In 1868 and 1869 the last two years the school was under the jurisdiction of the city of Nash- ville and during this period Mr. Andrews was principal of the Ninth Ward School. His father's death called him back to Wellsville and since that time he has been connected with financial institutions, as bookkeeper, and ac- countant. In 1884 he became cashier for the Silver Banking Company of Wellsville. He has been more or less connected with business enterprises and public affairs ever since perma- nently locating here. He was secretary and treasurer of the Union Building & Loan Com- pany from its organization until its shares all matured. In politics a Republican, he has been called upon by his party to fill a number of the local offices. When Wellsville was still included in Yellow Creek township, he was township clerk for II years and for the past 18 years he has been city treasurer. For some 14 years he was a member of the Board of Education and its secretary during nearly all that period. During his membership the Cen- tral School Building was erected and Mr. An-

drews gave much attention to this needed public improvement. For three county treasurers he has collected delinquent taxes.

Mr. Andrews was married to Sarah Jane Black, of Knoxville, Iowa, and they have five children, viz. : Eva, who is the wife of Frank H. McClymonds, of Portersville, Pennsyl- vania: Anna D., who is the wife of W. B. Denslow, M. D., of Allegheny, Pennsylvania ; Lida E., at home; Helen B., who is a teacher in the Wellsville schools; and Joseph E., who is a graduate of the Wellsville High School, Class of 1905.

Mr. Andrews, with his family, belongs to. the United Presbyterian Church. For 12 years, prior to 1904, he served as church trustee and has always been active in its affairs. For years. he has led the church choir and his musical talent has been inherited by his children, all of whom are skilled performers on the piano. The Andrews family stands very high in the social and intellectual circles of Wellsville so- ciety.

T SAAC WATTS KNOWLES. The death of that veteran manufacturer and venerable citizen of East Liverpool, Isaac Watts Knowles, on July 23, 1902, removed from the city a man who, as the founder of the great house of Knowles, Taylor & Knowles, had been very closely identi- fied with its vast pottery interests for almost 40 years. Isaac W. Knowles was born at Hooks- town, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, on May 22, 1819, and was a son of John and Rachel (Warwick) Knowles.

John Knowles was born in Pennsylvania and took part in the War of 1812. He mar- ried Rachel Warwick, a daughter of Isaac Warwick, who was born in Warwick Castle, England, and in all probability, came to Ameri- ca for political reasons. Isaac Warwick fol- lowed farming in Beaver County, Pennsyl- vania, and reared a loyal family of sons, one of these becoming a colonel in the Continental Army, Isaac Warwick died in 1858 when very old, the' family of Warwicks being noted for longevity and great stature.

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Isaac Watts Knowles accompanied his parents to East Liverpool, Ohio, in 1832. He had learned the trade of cabinet-making and we are not informed what turned his attention to pottery, but in 1854, with Isaac Harvey, he commenced the manufacture of yellow ware, setting up a pottery with one kiln. The devel- opment of the business from.so small a begin- ning is told in another part of this work. In 1870 John N. Taylor and his son, the late Homer S. Knowles, became partners, the firm then becoming Knowles, Taylor & Knowles, a name it has retained until the present, incor- poration taking place under the name of The Knowles, Taylor & Knowles Company. in 1891, when the founder withdrew from active par- ticipation. This firm with Thomas F. Ander- son subsequently formed The Knowles, Taylor & Anderson Company, and established the Granite Sewer Pipe Works, in the East End, an enterprise which was successful from the start. It is now owned by the American Sewer Pipe Company. Mr. Knowles was also one of the organizers of the First National Bank and was one of its directors as long as he lived.

Mr. Knowles was twice married, first to . Hester Ann Smith, a daughter of Joseph Smith who was a nephew of James Smith, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Their children were: Homer S., deceased ; Bellvina Catherine, wife of Col. John N. Tay- lor, of East Liverpool; Mary Zeletta, wife of Rev. D. N. Stafford, D. D., a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now stationed in New Jersey; and George S., who died in in- fancy. Mrs. Knowles was born at East Liver- pool, September 24, 1823, and died January 17, 1855. She was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. Knowles married, as his second wife, Rebecca J. Merchant, of Beaver, County, Penn- sylvania, and they had issue as follows: Eliza- beth. wife of Joseph G. Lee; Willis A., of Santa Barbara, California; Alice K., wife of D. D. Downing, of London, Ohio; and Ed- win M. Mrs. Knowles was born February 22, 1839. She is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church.

Mr. Knowles was essentially a business man and he found few pleasures separated from business. His only fraternal connection was with the East Liverpool Lodge, No. 379, I. O. O. F. His friendships were strong and lasting and his associates of early days were never forgotten.

ESSE S. JOHNSON, PH. B., superin- tendent of the schools of Salem, Ohio, is a prominent educator in this section of the State, being identibed with all. the leading educational associations of Ohio. Mr. Johnson was born June 20. 1867, near Indianapolis, Indiana, and is a son of Henry and Margaret (Sinks) Johnson.

The parents of Mr. Johnson are well known and highly esteemed residents of Indianapolis. They had a family of seven children, our sub- ject being the fifth member. His boyhood was passed on his father's farm, and until about 17 years of age, when he was not attending the local school, he was assisting in the development of the homestead acres. He started out very early in his profession, beginning to teach in the district schools before he had attained his majority. After two years so employed, he entered De Pauw University at Greencastle, Indiana, where he was graduated in 1892. re- ceiving the degree of Ph. B. Shortly afterward he was elected instructor in Latin in the pre- paratory department and subsequently became the head of the department, teaching also Fresh- man Latin classes in the college, which position he held until 1896, when he went abroad. He spent one year in study in the American schools at Rome, Italy, pursuing his classical studies on historic ground. In 1897 he came to Salem in the capacity of teacher. of Latin and in the following year was elected principal of the Sa- lem High School. In the summer of 1899 he took a trip through Europe, spending most of his time in Germany. Mr. Johnson had charge of the high school for two years and then, in 1900, was elected superintendent of all the city schools, for which position of great re- sponsibility he was eminently qualified. A

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steady but constant growth has marked the progress of the schools under the present ad- ministration. The attendance at the High School has increased from 125 pupils to 146 and many additions have been made to the school equipment in laboratories and books. A great gain is shown in the quality of all the work and the standard of scholarship is recog- nized as so excellent that graduates are ad- mitted without examinations to all leading col- leges. There are five teachers in the High school, 28 grade teachers, one instructor in music and one in writing and drawing and a substitute teacher, who also serves as assistant in the superintendent's office.

Mr. Johnson's efforts are appreciated and are met with the hearty cooperation of the pro- gressive and intelligent citizens of Salem, who take a just pride in their fine schools.

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History of Columbiana County, Ohio and representative citizens, Part 60

Author: McCord, William B., b. 1844 Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 912

Author: McCord, William B., b. 1844
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 912