Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 110

Author: Sanderson, Thomas W
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 993

USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Youngstown > Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 110

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The paternal grandfather of Mr. Clem- mens was Daniel Clemmens, who came to this county from Pennsylvania, was one of the early settlers of this township and located on the farm now owned by D. R. Johnson.

George Clemmens, father of Shannon J., was born in Jackson township, in 1828, and died in February, 1903, aged 75 years. He married Elizabeth Lipkey, who was also born in this township and is now in her 75th year. She resides on the old home farm with her son, Elmer E. Clenmens. Four children were born to George and Elizabeth Clemmens : William Wesley, who died aged 19 years; Charles A., who is one of the trustees of Jack- son township, and a prominent farmer, mar- ried Josephine McMahon; and Elmer E., who married Dora Moody, resides on the old home farm in this township.

Shannon J. Clemmens was reared on a farmi and attended the public schools of his

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native township. He has always followed farming and first began housekeeping near his old home on his father's farm. In 1889 he purchased and located on the farm where he now resides, and is recognized as one of the most successful farmers and stock-raisers of this township, growing a great many hogs, cattle and sheep. His fine home is of the latest type of architecture and is equipped with all modern conveniences, and he has made many improvements on the place, including a large barn, 42 by 53 feet.

Mr. Clemmens was married Angust 13, 1885, to Bertha McMahon, a daughter of John C. and Margaret (Carson) MeMahon. They have one child, Neva Maric, aged nine years, who attends the public schools of North Jack- son.

Politically, Mr. Clemmens is a Republican and has served for two years as a member of the school board of Jackson township. Both Mr. and Mrs. Clemmens are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of North Jack- son, of which he is also a trustee and steward, and in which he has served as superintendent of the Sunday-school. Mr. Clemmens is a stockholder in the North Jackson Telephone Company.

D P. COOPER, president of the J. A. and D. P. Cooper Company of Struthers, and also president of the Struthers Savings and Banking Company, is one of the leading men of Mahoning County and belongs to one of the old and honored families of this section. Mr. Cooper was born on his father's farm in Coits- ville township. Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of Robert and Catherine ( Buchanan). Cooper.

The Cooper family came originally from County Antrim, Ireland, the first settler locat- ing in 1760. in Franklin County. Pennsyl- vania. There David Cooper, grandfather of D. P. Cooper was born, who subsequently married Rebecca Armstrong, and they were the pioneers of the family in Ohio. David Cooper was a civil engineer in Frederick

County, Maryland, and he made his first visit to Coitsville township. Mahoning County, in 1798. He returned to Maryland but came back to this section in 1800, and purchased 400 acres of land offered by the Connecticut Land Company. He built the usual pioncer log cabin, perhaps with more care than was neces- sary at a later day, but as this was very early, protection had to be provided from both In- dian visitors as well as wild animals. It is said that through port holes in his house he frequently shot game, as it wandered near. David and Rebecca Cooper reared a large fam- ily, their names as preserved being as fol- lows: James, Jane, Rebecca, John, Sarah, David, Eliza, Margaret, Polly, William. Rob- ert and Armstrong, the only survivor being William Cooper, who is a farmer of Coitsville township. David Cooper died May 23, 1855. aged 94 years. He had been a soldier in the Revolutionary War. a member of Porter's Bat- talion, of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Robert Cooper, father of D. P. Cooper, was born July 23. 1827, on the farm his fa- ther secured in Coitsville township, on which he spent his whole life and died November 12. 1806. He married Catherine Buchanan. who was born on her father's farm in Poland township, Mahoning County. October 21. 1831, and died June 28, 1803. She was a daughter of John Buchanan, who married Re- becca Applegate, whose father, James Apple- gate, was also a sollier in the Revolutionary War, serving with the Private Rangers. from Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He also served in the War of 1812, and died June 20, 1820, in Liberty township. Trumbull County. Ohio. Robert and Catherine Cooper had the following children: David Perry: Rebecca Laura, who married S. B. Calton, of Girard, Ohio: Sarah J., who was a professional nurse, died in the line of duty, in March, 1907; and John A., who is a farmer and stock-raiser in Coitsville township.

David P. Cooper remained on the home farm until he was 18 years of age and up to this time had been afforded but few educa- tional opportunities, his father, like many other men of his day. regarding any schooling be-

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yond the acquisition of the primary princi- ples, unnecessary as long as there was land to clear. The young man apprenticed himself for a term of three years with the Siegfried and Lemley Company, now the Youngstown Carriage and Wagon Company, and as he was ambitious, during this period he employed his evenings in advancing his education. Dur- ing the first two years he attended the Fourth Ward night school and came under the in- struction of Professor Wilson, and in the last winter he was a student in the business col- lege conducted by W. A. Hull.

The following three years Mr. Cooper spent working at his trade as a journeyman wagon and wood-worker in eastern factories, and .upon his return to Coitsville he engaged in a carriage business on his account, and after about 10 years he entered into partner- ship with J. A. Cooper, his cousin. They en- tered into a carriage and wood-working busi- ness at Struthers, and in 1892 they incorpor- ated the J. A. and D. P. Cooper Company, a business concern that is known all over the country at the present time as the Cooper Gear Works, of Struthers, manufacturers of car- riage gears. Mr. Cooper has been president and general manager of this company ever since it was incorporated.

Mr. Cooper has gradually enlarged the scope of his investments and interests, and as a stockholder, is connected with a number of other prospering concerns. Since the organ- ization of the Struthers Savings and Bank- ing Company, in 1901, he has been at its head.

On Christmas eve, 1877, Mr. Cooper was married to Mary A. Mcclellan, who is a daughter of Capt. David and Mary A. (Mur- ray) Mcclellan, the former of whom was killed while leading a charge at Stone River, during the Civil War. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper have had four children, namely : Ralph, who is superintendent of the J. A. and D. P. Cooper Company, married Ina Faith Stewart, and they have one chikl. Mary Ina; Dahil B., who is a graduate of the Harvard Law School in the class of 1907: Mary, who is a graduate of the Rayen High School; and David Perry, who died February 13, 1904. aged five years.

Mr. Cooper has long stood as an honorable

and successful man of affairs and that he has been the architect of his own fortune but commends him to his thoughtful fellow-citi- zens. He is noted for his public spirit and for his hearty co-operation in all that concerns the welfare of the section in which he has his home.

AMUEL JAMES, a well-known and S prosperous farmer, was born in Go- shen township, October 28, 1837. His ancestors were Quakers who came from London, England, to America about 1680 in the time of the re- ligious persecutions of Charles Il. They set- tled in New Jersey, afterwards going to Vir- ginia, where they lived for generations.

John James, the grandfather, crossed the mountains from Virginia to Ohio in 1801. Hle entered a half section of primitive forest land in Goshen township, Mahoning County, and with his wife, Martha ( Bangham) James, of Brandywine, Pennsylvania, settled upon it as a pioneer. Abel James, the eldest of their 10 children, was born in 1802. He married. in 1825, Hannah Garwood, of Culpeper, Vir- ginia. They settled on a hundred acres of his father's homestead which was subsequently their home. A family of five children was born to them: Emeline, Phebe, Lydia, Sam- uel and Hannah K.

Abel James was a man of prominence in his community, public-spirited and progressive. His early political sympathies were with the old Whig party, whose leaders in this sec- tion of Ohio were Ben Wade and Joshua R. Giddings. Later he became a Republican. He was active in the anti-slavery movement of the '50's, and his home was often visited by the anti-slavery agitators of that time. The neighboring old Quaker town of Salem was famous as a stronghold of the advocates of universal freedom, and was one of the most active stations of the "Underground Rail- road." which conveyed slaves to freedom in Canada. Abel James's two surviving chil- dren are Hannah K. and Samuel. The former. who was for years a teacher in Cleveland, and principal of one of the public schools of that

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city, is the widow of the late R. O. Camp- bell, of Salem, Ohio, in which place she re- sides.

Samuel James, subject of this sketch, mar- ried Nancy Margaret Wharton, daughter of the late William C. and Margaret ( Davis) Wharton, the Whartons being one of the old- est and most prominent families of Smith township. He became a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser, retaining the old home farm until 1896, when he retired to a small but valuable farm of 20 acres in Smith township. He still retains, however, the old homestead in Goshen. Mr. James is highly esteemed as a man of ripe judgment and personal in- tegrity, keeping in touch with local, national, and world progress.

€ LIAS KENREICH, who resides in sec- tion 16, Green township, where he owns a finely cultivated farm of 230 acres, is one of the substantial men of this part of Mahoning Coun- ty. He was born in Green township. Mahon- ing County. Ohio. February 15, 1831, and is a son of Michael and Elizabeth ( Dustman) Kenreich.

The Kenreich family is of German extrac- tion and the father of Elias Kenreich was born in Lancaster County, and the mother in Wash- ington County, Pennsylvania, of parents who were born in Germany. Extended and de- tailed mention of this prominent Green town- ship family will found in the sketch of Noah S. Kenreich, in this volume.

Elias Kenreich was reared with his broth- ers and sisters in Green township and they at- tended the district schools together. Elias chose farming as his occupation and has never regretted the same, having met with very sat- isfactory success in the cultivation of his land and the raising of his cattle and stock. It has required a great deal of hard work to place his large farm of 230 acres in its present fine con- dition, but in his labors he has been assisted by his capable sons, and they now own a valu- al:le property.

On April 1. 1875. Mr. Kenreich was mar- ried to Mary Keyser, who was born October 8, 1854. in Green township. Mahoning Coun- ty. Ohio, and is a daughter of Jacob and Lydia (Heisy) Kyser, the former of whom was born in Mahoning and the latter in Columbiana County, Ohio. Mrs. Kenreich was reared mainly in Fairfield township, Columbiana County, where her parents moved in her child- hood and where both died.

To Mr. and Mrs. Kenreich have been born ten children. as follows: Rev. Charles H., who is a Lutheran minister, located at Scran- ton. Jackson County. Mississippi : Emma A., who is a popular music teacher in Green town- ship; William W. and Walter F., both resid- ing in Green township; Paul G., attending the Lutheran College at Winfield, Kansas; and Mary A., E. Augustus, Bertha L., Martin G. and Victor L., all residing in Green township.

Mr. and Mrs. Kenreich are members of the Lutheran Church at Youngstown. Mr. Kenreich has always been active in religious work and is ever ready to lend his influence to advance moral movements. In politics he is a stanch Republican.

RIAH WATSON YEAGER, a sub- stantiai citizen and a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser, operating one of the best-cultivated farms in Ellsworth township, consisting of 200 acres, belongs to old pioneer stock of Ma- honing County. He was born on the home- stead farm in Ellsworth township, Mahoning County, Ohio, October 22, 1872. and is a son of William and Magdalina ( Brobst) Yeager.

Both the Yeager and Brobst families came to Ohio from Pennsylvania and probably from Lehigh County, settling in Ellsworth town- ship when the country was yet undeveloped. William Yeager. father of Uriah W., was born January 16. 1835, in Canfield township, Mahoning County, and is a son of Christian Yeager, born in 1807, who died in 1801. aged 84 years. The grandmother of Uriah W. I Yeager was a member of the Miller family.

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She died in 1852. Christian Yeager and wife had three children: William; Nathan, who owns the old Yeager place on which his father first settled; and George, who resides in Aus- tintown, in the second house from Smith's Corners.

The mother of Uriah W. Yeager was born at Smith's Corners, Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1836, and died of pneumonia, February 20, 1907. Her parents were Daniel and Magda- lina ( Fullwiler ) Brobst, the former of whom died in 1894, in his 98th year, and the latter, in June, 1852. The children of Daniel Brobst and wife were: Charles, residing at Youngs- town; Rachel, residing at Warren, Ohio; Mrs. Betsy Handwork, deceased, formerly of Beardstown; Mrs. Amanda Hammond, resid- ing at North Baltimore; Mrs. Susan Strock, residing in Austintown; Magdalina, deceased; Daniel, who was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil War and was a flag-bearer at the fall of Vicksburg: Mrs. Lucy Snyder, re- siding at North Baltimore; and Mrs. Mary Dustman, deceased, formerly of North Balti- more.

There were 12 children born to William Yeager and wife, as follows: Heman, resid- ing in Berlin township, engaged in farming, married Ella Clay; Jomandis, residing in Ells- worth township, engaged in farming, married Clara Clay ; Annie, who married John Burkey, residing in Ellsworth township; Edward, who died aged 37 years, resided on his farm in Wood County, Ohio, unmarried; Liberta B., who married John Kale, residing at Wingston, Wond County: Perry, who died in infancy; Charles, residing in Hancock County until recently, when he moved to Wood County, where he is engaged in farming, married Retta Ire, of the former county : Jefferson, residing at Beardstown. Would County. unmarried: Uriah W .: Dallas, residing at Beardstown, engaged in farming for his brother ; Rachel, deceased, who married William Musser. of Poland township; and Sherman, residing at Newton Falls, Trumbull County, married Martha Danforth. The father of the above mentioned family still survives.

With the exception of one year during

which he worked at the water works plant at Youngstown, Mr. Yeager has been engaged in farming ever since he finished going to school, and his present land has been brought to a high state of cultivation. lle raises corn, oats and wheat, and every year turns out a large amount of live-stock, hogs, cattle and sheep. In 1902 he erected a residence which contains eight rooms, with halls and closets, which is a fine type of the modern rural home, and in 1904 he still further improved his place by building his substantial barn. Mr. Yeager is unmarried. His family has always been identified with the Democratic party. Init he is liberal and supports those candidates he deems best qualified for office.

D AVID CRUMRINE, one of the rep- resentative men of Goshen town- ship, who has resided on his excel- lent farm of 82 acres, which is sit- uated in section 4. since the spring of 1899, is also a survivor of the Civil War. Mr. Crumrine was born in Berlin township, Ma- honing County, Ohio, August 23, 1831, and is a son of John and Susan ( Burget) Crum- rine. The father of Mr. Crumrine was born in Pennsylvania and was of German extrac- tion. Hle settled in Berlin township before much clearing had been done and built his pioneer cabin in the workis which were then inhabited by wild animals. The parents of David Crumrine have long since passed away.

David Crumrine was reared in Berlin township and obtained his education in the carly schools. He followed farming as he grew to manhood and that has been his main occupation in life. During the Civil War he served in answer to the call for 100-day men, entering Company G. 155th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, holding the rank of cor- poral. He is a member of Kirkbride Post, Grand Army of the Republic, No. 600, at Berlin, and served as its commander for al- most three years.

In 1854 Mr. Crumrine was married to Asenath Cook, who was born in Goshen town-

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ship, April 12, 1833. and is a daughter of Job and Mary Ann (Swain) Cook, Job Cook was born in New Jersey and was a son of Jacob Cook, who came to Mahoning County at an early day and settled in Green township, near New Albany. The Cooks have always been prominent and substantial peo- ple. Of their children, three survive: Ma- thias S., residing at Council Bluffs, Iowa; Asenath. Mrs. Crumrine; and John B., resid- ing in Mahoning County. Job Cook formerly owned the farm on which Mr. and Mrs. Crum- rine reside. He was a Whig in his political sentiments in early days, but later became a stanch Republican. He was one of the liberal supporters of the Goshen Methodist Episcopal Church.

Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Crumrine, namely : Carrie V., who married Homer Woolf, residing at Atwater Station; Mary P., who married Wilfred Smith, resid- ing at Tyrrell Hill, Ohio; Eva, residing at home; and J. L., residing at Cleveland. On January 26, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Crumrine celebrated their golden wedding. This was a happy occasion long to be remembered by the devoted children, grandchildren and close friends who were permitted to be present. It was particularly enjoyable for there are, as yet, no broken links in the family chain.

Mr. and Mrs. Crumrine are valued mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They have a wide acquaintance as both families have been prominent so long in Mahoning County, and they have many friends who honor and esteem them for themselves.

ALLUS GRIM. a successful agricul- turalist and prominent resident of Poland township, whose fine farmi of 134 acres is situated about one-half mile southeast of Struthers, and in one part adjoins the corporation line. was born at Wittenberg, Germany, December 29, 1828. and is a son of Barney and Catherine Grim. The father was a small farmer and also car-

ried on shocmaking. Both he and wife died in Germany.

Gallus Grim attended school in his boy- hood in his native land, and then entered a grist mill, where he continued to work for twelve and a half years, leaving, in 1853. when 25 years of age, to come to America. As his father had died when he was but 14 years of age, and he was the eklest son of a widow and one of seven children, he escaped com- pulsory army service. He settled first at Erie, Pennsylvania, where he worked several years as a teamster and then in the same capacity for a couple of years at Greenville, when he came to Coshocton, Ohio, and became a coal miner. After two years, about 1858, Mr. Grim came to Mt. Nebo, Mahoning County, where he worked in a coal bank for a pro- tracted period. He providently invested his earnings in land, in 1863 buying his first 50 acres. He continued to buy parcels of land and to keep up improvements, and in the panic of 1873, bought a farm which adjoined his former one, selling it at a largely increased figure at a later date. In 1890 Mr. Grim bought 83 acres adjoining his first purchase, of the Anderson heirs, on which he made many improvements including the building of a handsome residence, which is occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Theodore Mack. His old- est surviving son lives on the old home place adjoining the second farm, and on it Mr. Grim has two dwelling houses, the new resi- dlence having been completed in 1905. The two farms are operated together by Mr. Grim's son and son-in-law. During his active years. after retiring from mining. Mr. Grim carried on farming and stock-raising.

In 1858 Mr. Grim was married to Lena Voglebarger, who died May 21, 1891. They had three children, namely: John, who died aged six years : Catherine, who married The- odore Mack: Christopher, who married Cath- erine Welch, has two children, Gallus and Mary.

Mr. Grim and family belong to the Cath- olie Church at Struthers. The son-in-law. Mr. Mack, is a member of the church council. MIr.

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Grim stands very high in the estimation of those who know him. His success in life is the direct result of industry, irugality and good management.

1 OHN J. THOMAS, M. D., a prom- inent physician and surgeon at Youngstown, with offices at No. 122 East Wood street, has been a resident of this city since 1882. He was born in England, but was brought to America when a babe of six months, by his father, Rev. John M. Thomas, who was a minister in the Con- gregational Church.

Dr. Thomas lived in New York city for a time and prepared for the work of his pro- fession at Jefferson Medical College, Phila- delphia, where he was graduated in 1881, and inunediately entered into practice. From 'a short but successful period of practice in Pennsylvania, Dr. Thomas came to Youngs- town, and in the 24 years of residence here he has gained an enviable reputation for pro- fessional skill and has made many personal friends. He is a valued member of the Ma- honing County and the Ohio State Medical So- cieties. He is also a member of the consult- ing board of the city hospital, lecturing on ob- stetrics. For a period of 15 years, from 1891 until 1906, he was city police surgeon. In 1888 Dr. Thomas was married to Mary Da- vis, and they have three children, namely : Arthur, Helen and Louise. Dr. Thomas is a member of the Plymouth Congregational Church.

UGHES SWARTZ, who has been a life-long resident of Berlin township. has followed farming on his present farm of 84 acres almost since the close of the Civil War. He was born November 18, 1833. in Berlin township. Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of Dan- iel and Dorothy ( Lenard) Swartz.

Daniel Swartz was a native of Ohio and

his life was devoted to agricultural pursuits, residing both in Ohio and Kalamazoo County. Michigan, his wife dying in the latter State. He died at Alliance, Ohio. They reared a family of five children: Hughes, William .A., Charles, Jemima and Ann Elizabeth.

Hughes Swartz passed his boyhood days in Berlin township. In May. 1864. he en- listed in Company G, 155th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered in at Camp Dennison, Ohio, where he was also mistered out when his term of service ex- pired. After the war he engaged in farming. and in 1875 purchased 71 acres of his pres- ent farm, to which he subsequently added 13 acres. He made many improvements, built a new barn and rendeled the house, and has carried on general farming ever since.

Mr. Swartz was married at the age of 25 years, to Hannah L. Dustman, who was also born in Berlin township, and is a daughter of Daniel and Catherine Dustman, old settlers of Mahoning County., Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Swartz: Daniel and Charles P., both of whom died unmarried.

Mr. Swartz is a Republican and has served as township supervisor. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic Post at Ber- lin Center.

ACOB F. KEEFER, one of Milton township's representative farmers, residing on a farm of 126 acres, was born in 1844, north of Youngstown, in Liberty township, on what was known as Church Hill, and is a son of Jacob and Rebecca (Nier) Keefer.

Jacob Keefer was born in 1802, in Penn- sylvania, and after his marriage in 1827 came to Ohio, locating first in Canfield township, Mahoning County. He then removed to Lib- erty township, where he resided until the death of his wife, Rebecca ( Nier) Keefer, who was born in 1802 and died in 1872. He afterwards went West, where his death oc- curred in 188g. He and his wife had so chil- dren. but three of whom are now living.

Jacob FF. Keefer grew to manhood in Lib-

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erty township and at the age of 22 years, he engaged in farming on a tract of 65 acres which he had purchased from his father. He subsequently sold this and in 1876 came to the township of Milton. Here he purchased his present farm of 126 acres, which is picas- antly situated on the banks of the Mahoning River, and has since been engaged in farming. He was first married in 1866, to Sarah Huff- man, who died in 1872. Three children were born of this union. all of whom are deceased. In 1873 Mr. Kcefer married for his second wife, Mrs. Mary (Bowman) Gamber, a na- tive of Pennsylvania. She died in 1904 at the age of 70 years, leaving one child, Samuel Gamher, a son by her former husband. Mr. Keefer has an adopted daughter, Bertha, a cultured young lady, who was born in Milton, Ohio, in 1883. She is unmarried and keeps house for Mr. Keefer.

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Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 110

Author: Sanderson, Thomas W Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 993

Author: Sanderson, Thomas W
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 993