Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 111

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 111

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D UNCAN McDONALD, a well-known agriculturist, engaged in general farming, stock-raising and fruit- growing, resides on his excellent farm of over 73 acres, which is sit- uated in section 28, Goshen township. Mr. McDonald was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, February 25, 1846, and is a son of Charles and Mary ( Scarlet ) McDonald.

The grandfather of Mr. McDonald was born in Scotland, and settled in Virginia, where Charles McDonald was born. The lat- ter was married in Jefferson County, Ohio. and when his son, Duncan, was four years of age, he came to Mahoning County, settling in Goshen township on a farm which is now owned by George Long. Both he and his wife died in this township. The two surviving members of their family are: Duncan and Cora. the latter of whom married William Venable, residing in Goshen township.

Duncan McDonald grew to manhood in Goshen township, obtaining a district school education. He has given his attention to agri- cultural pursuits all his life, putting into use

the training he received from boyhood, and reaping both pleasure and profit.

Mr. McDonald was married (first) to Lucsa Blackburn, of Goshen township, who, at death, left one son, Hervey H. On Jan- uary 14, 1885, Mr. McDonald was married (second) to Mary Blackburn, who is a daugh- ter of William and Elizabeth (Stanley) Black- burn, former prominent residents of this town- ship. They have two daughters, Bertha E. and Rachel M. Mr. McDonald is a Republi- can. He is a member of the Society of Friends at Damascus, Ohio.

S AMUEL A. RICHARDS, manager of the Struthers Furnace, located at Struthers, and vice-president and a director of the Struthers Savings and Banking Company. was born July 9. 1844, and is a son of William and Mary Ann ( Hellawell) Richards.

William Richards was born in Wales, where he learned the blacksmith's trade, and at the age of 18 years, came to America as a journeyman worker, remaining for a time in Cleveland and later working in the shops at Akron, Ohio, where he also ran a shop of his own for a short time. In 1845 he removed with his wife and child to Niles, Ohio, and a year later, to Brier Hill, which is now a part of Youngstown. Here he did the blacksmith work for the Warner & Philpott blast furnace. In 1851 he purchased a farm near Girard, Ohio, and built a shop on his land, where he did blacksmithing and boilermaking. He was recognized by this time as a highly skilled workman and in 1853 he undertook the man- agement of the Warner-Philpott furnace, at Brier Hill, which was then known as the Eagle Furnace, retaining the superintendency until 1855. when he took charge of the James Wokal Furnace, also at Brier Hill, on a contract.

Mr. Richards continued to operate under this Icase until 1860, when the Brown-Bon- nell Company took the lease and William

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Richards entered into a contract with them that expired in 1864. In 1863 he entered into a co-partnership with George C. Rice and a Mr. Berger, and they bought and repaired an old furnace and mill at New Castle, starting into business there as Reis, Richards & Berger. In the meanwhile, as Mr. Richards, on account of taking ou himself new business responsibilities, was not able to complete the full period of his contract with Brown and Bonnell, he showed great confidence in his son, Samuel A., by putting him in as super- intendent to fill out the remaining year. After William Richards had sold out his holdings at New Castle, he took his wife, daughter and son and made a trip to Europe, spending a whole summer in seeing the sights of the Old World, returning in the autumn to the farm at Girard.

In 1866 William Richards entered into partnership with David Tod. William Ward and Joseph G. Butler, Jr., and they opened the blast furnace at Girard under the name of the Girard Iron Company, the furnace being located on the farm of Mr. Richards. He con- tinued superintendent of the Girard furnace until 1870, when he sold out all his interests and going to Warren, Ohio, bought the Pack- ard and Barnum Rolling Mill. He erected a blast furnace in connection with the mill, and the works were operated under the name of William Richards & Sons, the junior mem- bers of the firm being Samnel .A., William Richards, Jr .. and I. G. Lewis, the latter be- ing a son-in-law. Prior to this venture, Mr. Richards had been remarkably successful in all his business enterprises, but during the panic of 1873 the firm met with serious losses as did almost every other in the same line, and it resulted in an assignment being made in 1875. This business embarrassment probably shortened the life of Mr. Richards, who died in March, 1876. His iron operating had been mainly in Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsyl- vania, and all through this region he was well known and universally respected. For years he had been an authority and under him an army of iron workers had been trained. His memory is still preserved as of a man whose

energy and enterprise did much in the direc- tion of developing iron interests, and also of one whole personal integrity was never im- peached.

Samuel A. Richards was educated in the common schools of Girard, Ohio, and the Warren High School, where he was graduated and during the winter of 1865-6 he took a business course in the Bryant & Stratton Com- mercial College, at Cleveland. He was anx- ious to perfect his business education, and in order to learn something concerning the prin- ciples and methods of banking, he entered the employ of the Wasson, Everett & Company Bank, at Cleveland, where he remained for six months in the capacity of bookkeeper.

About this time the furnace which was later known as the Girard Iron Works, was being constructed by his father and other capi- talists of Girard, and he left Cleveland and joined his father in order to give him his as- sistance. Subsequently, as mentioned above, he became a member of the firm of William Richards & Sons, at Warren, Ohio, and after the failure of this enterprise, he went to Cleve- land, September 1, 1875, as superintendent of the Cleveland Iron Company furnace. remain- ing with that company until its failure in 1878. In July, of that year, he went to Preston County, West Virginia, where he took charge of a furnace for one year, and in July, 1879. he entered the employ of the Edgar Thompson Company. in the blast furnace de- partment at Braddock, Pennsylvania, as chief accountant, with the understanding that he was to be promoted upon the first opportunity.

In January, 1880, he accepted the superin- tendency of the blast furnace department of the Illinois Steel Company, at Joliet, Illinois, where he remained for five years, resigning in 1885 in order to go into a commission busi- ness at Chicago. However, he had been so long connected with furnaces and identified with iron interests. that the new line did not satisfy his ambitions and he soon closed out his commission interests. For the succeeding seven years, Mr. Richards traveled all over the U'nitedl States, in the interests of the owners, both individual and corporate. of furnace

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properties, visiting these and discovering ex- isting troubles, and remaining until they were in good working order and had become pay- ing properties. He had an office at Chicago and acted also as an ore examiner and timber- land estimator, his advice being that of an ex- pert. It was while in this line of work that he met with a serious fall in the Tennessee Moun- tains, in 1890, dislocating his knee and making necessary the use of a crutch for more than a year, this being the real cause of his discon- tinuing the business. In 1892 he went to Du- luth, Minnesota, and took charge of the West Duluth furnace, but the panic of 1893 closed that property. He then returned to the district in which his father had been so large an oper- ator, and in association with W. C. Runyan, who is now president of the Struthers Fur- nace, leased and operated the Sharon furnace, for eighteen months. In 1896 they purchased the Struthers furnace and Mr. Richards came then to Struthers as its manager. The officers of the Struthers Furnace Company are: W. C. Runyan, president ; George L. Fairbanks, vice-president ; A. Grossman, secretary and treasurer ; and S. A. Richards manager.

In 1869 Mr. Richards was married to Mary Shoenberger, of Warren, Ohio, and they have had four children, namely: Harry T., assistant superintendent of the Struthers Fur- nace and a member of the village council, who married Sarah R. Homer and has had two children-Mary, deceased, and Florence M .; Jules G .. foreman of the Struthers Furnace, who married Lily Clark: Lucy M., who died aged 13 years, and a child that died in infancy. Mr. Richards' portrait is presented in connec- tion with this article.

5 DWARD F. BARDO, whose fine farm of 75 acres, situated in section 4. Go- shen township, shows the effects of careful cultivation, is one of the leading agriculturists and enterpris- ing citizens of this section. He was born in Goshen township, Mahoning County, January 20. 1866, and is a son of David and Sarah J. ( Regal) Bardo.

David Bardo, father of Howard F., came to Mahoning County from Pennsylvania, when a young man, and has been a resident of Goshen township for many years. He was born in Pennsylvania 83 years ago, and is a son of John Bardo. He is one of the vener- able members of the Goshen Methodist Epis- copal Church, where his place is seldom va- cant during religious services.

Howard F. Bardo was reared on his fa- ther's farm in Goshen township and was edu- cated in the local schools. He has devoted his attention almost exclusively to agricul- tural pursuits. He is one of the nine sur- vivors of his parents' family, as follows: Charles, residing at Benton, Ohio; Howard F .; Chauncy A., residing at Canfield; Susan, residing in Goshen township; Amos, residing in Berlin township; Lewis, Elizabeth and John, all residing in Goshen township; and Ettie, wife of Frank Waithman, residing at Patmos, Ohio. In 1886 Howard F. Bardo was married to Eva Strawn, who is a daugh- ter of John S. Strawn, of Goshen township, a sketch of whom will be found in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Bardo have two children, Nora and Herbert.

Mr. Bardo is a Republican in politics and takes an active interest in public matters. He has satisfactorily served as judge of elections in Goshen township. He is a member of the Goshen Methodist Episcopal Church and for 10 years has been one of the church stewards.

AMES C. BIRMINGHAM, general contractor and extensive dealer in real estate, at Youngstown, is ranked with the leading business men of this city. He was born at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, November 11, 1873, but has been a resident of Youngstown since he was four years of age.

After completing his education in the Youngstown schools, Mr. Birmingham en- gaged in a general advertising business in partnership with his brother. The firm does business under the style of Birmingham

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Brothers, James C. being the general mana- ger. The business is an extensive one, cover- ing sign writing, novelty advertising, souvenir cards and general contract work in printing. The brothers own a large amount of city realty and the firm is recognized as a reliable concern in this line.

On April 22, 1903, Mr. Birmingham was married to Anna E. Boyle, who is a daughter of john Boyle, of this city, and they have one child, James C., Jr. Mr. Birmingham and wife belong to St. Columba's Catholic Church.

In 1898, early in the agitation caused by the trouble with Spain, Mr. Birmingham en- listed in Company H. Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and accompanied his regiment to the South, which was one of the first to be ordered to Porto Rico. The troops were about to embark on a transport, when the order was countermanded. Mr. Birmingham was then assigned to the hospital service and, with two assistants, established and managed the hos- pital of Company F. at Fernandina, Florida. After the war was over. he returned to Youngstown and resumed business. Politic- ally he is a stauch Republican and has served as a member of the Republican executive com- mittee of the city. At one time he was a mem- ber of the city council. In all his efforts he has proven himself an able business man and a loyal, public-spirited citizen.

HARLES A. CLEMMENS. one of the leading citizens and substantial farmers of Jackson township, was born July 16, 1851, in Jackson town- ship, Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of George and Elizabeth ( Lipkey) Clemmens.

The paternal grandfather, Daniel Clem- mens, came to Mahoning County from Penn- sylvania, at a very early period, and was one of the early settlers of Jackson township. lo- cating on the farm now owned by D. R. Jolm- son. He was a son of Nicholas Clenmiens. who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

He preserved a cane presented to him by Gen. George Washington. The maternal grandpar- ents were Lipkeys and Crows.

George Clemmens was born in Jackson township in 1828, and died in 1903, aged 75 years. He married Elizabeth Lipkey, who survives and is in her 75th year. They had four sons born to them, namely: Wesley, who died aged 19 years; Charles A .; Shannon J., who is a member of the school board of Jack- son township, married Bertha McMahon, a daughter of John McMahon, of Jackson town- ship; and Ehner E., who is a resident of Jackson township, married Dora Moody, whose parents came from Maryland.

Charles A. Clemmens grew to manhood on his father's farm and attended the district schools of the township. Mr. Clemmens owns a valuable property of 85 acres, and has fol- lowed general farming all of his life and is considered one of the most successful farmers in the township. He was married in 1873 to a daughter of Benjamin and Anna (Tod) McMahon, Three daughters and one son were born to Mr. and Mrs. Clemmens : Maud, who married Albert Bagnell, of Youngstown. has two children. Helen, aged two years, and Eugene, aged three months; Gertrude, who married Rue Jones, of Jackson township, has one child, Charles; Alberta, residing at home; and Ernest, who attends the public schools.

Mr. Clemmens is a Republican in politics and all of his ancestors were of the same [x)- litical faith. Since 1902 he has served con- tinnously as township trustee. He is a mem- ber of Lodge No. 343, Knights of Pythias, at North Jackson.

6 IBSON J. GAULT, a prominent citi- zen and successful agriculturist and stock-raiser of Jackson township. was born December 6. 1852. in Jackson township. Mahoning Conn- ty. Ohio, and is a son of Robert and Mar- jorie ( Ewing) Ganlt.

The father of Mr. Gault was born in Jack- son township. in 1814. and died in January,

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1892. He was a son of Robert Gault, who was born in Washington County, Pennsyl- vania, and came to the Western Reserve in 1800. Robert, second, married Marjorie Ew- ing, who was born in June, 1816, and who still survives at the age of 91 years. Ex- tended mention of both the Gault and Ewing families may be found in the sketch of John Gault, published elsewhere in this volume.

Gibson J. Gault attended the public schools of Jackson township, Youngstown and Canfield until about 19 years of age. when he settled down to farming on the old place which has been the home of his venerable mother for 72 years. He owns a valuable farm of 140 acres and devotes his main atten- tion to the raising of horses, sheep, cattle and hogs, making a specialty of the latter. For eight years, from 1883 until 1891, he was engaged in sheep-raising in Coffee County, Kansas, but then returned to the homestead and resides in the comfortable old residence which has weathered the storms of 60 years.

Mr. Gault was married September 17. 1879, to Harriet Duncan, who is a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Osborne) Duncan. who formerly resided in Berlin township, Mahon- ing County. Joseph Duncan was born in Pennsylvania and died in Ohio, in 1873, aged 52 years. In about 1840 he was married to Mary Osborne, of Trumbull County, who died in 1899, aged 73 years. The paternal

grandfather of Mrs. Gault, James Duncan, died in Pennsylvania. The maternal grand- parents were John and Isabella Osborne. Mr. and Mrs. Gault have two children, viz: Paul M .. who is in the signal department of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and is a graduated electrical engineer of the Ohio State Univer- sity ; and Mary Marjorie, who is a member of the graduation class of 1908, at the Rayen School, at Youngstown.

Politically, Mr. Gault is affiliated with the Republican party and is a valued member of the school board of Jackson township. His attitude toward higher education is shown in the unlimited advantages he is offering his children. He belongs to Lodge No. 343, Knights of Pythias. at North Jackson. Both

he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. The venerable mother of Mr. Gault is the oldest resident of Jackson township. Her 91 years have bridged a vast epoch in the Nation's history. She contines her little self-appointed daily tasks and enjoys meeting old friends to whom she can talk of the days of long ago.

m ARTIN C. HIGGINS, president of the city council of Youngstown, Ohio, and one of the most prom- inent labor leaders of the Mahon- ing Valley, was born in 1875, at Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Mar- tin J. Higgins.

Martin J. Higgins was one of the pioneer iron men of the country and was known in various sections. In association with A. J. Moxami, he opened up and subsequently de- veloped the great iron industry at Birming- ham, Alabama. At one time he was superin- tendent of the manufacturing plant of the Coleman-Shields Company, at Niles, Ohio. He was well known in labor circles and was the personal friend of many advanced thinkers on social questions, notably Hon. Tom John- son, of Cleveland.

After completing his education, M. C. Higgins entered the employ of the Coleman- Shields Company, at Niles, Ohio, as a ship- ping clerk and went from there to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where he was connected for one year with large motor works, and then came to Youngstown. Here he became interested in theatrical matters and has been an organizer of a number of successful companies now on the road. For the past two years he has been manager of the Eagle club).

Mr. Higgins is prominently identified with the labor organizations of the Mahoning Valley. He is president of the Central Labor Union and has been a delegate from the Stage Hands' Local Union. For a number of years he was secretary of the United Labor Con- gress. As the Labor candidate, he was elected president of the city council, of Youngstown.

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in November, 1905, and his administration of the office has made so favorable an impression on all parties that he is being urged to con- sent to a nomination for mayor.

Mr. Higgins is a member of the fraternal order of Eagles and belongs also to the Knights of Columbus, the Knights of St. John and the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Ile is also a member of the International Order of Stage Employes and of the U'nited Labor Con- gress. Mr. Higgins is a member of the Cath- .olic Church.

He married. April 22. 1907, Miss Mar- gret C. Morton, a native of Youngstown and daughter of George Morton.

C ILMAN HALL, a substantial citizen and well-known agriculturist of Go- shen township, residing on his valu- able farm of 126 acres, situated in section 19, has been located here since 1866. He was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, May 18, 1831, and is a son of William and Hannah ( Wharton) Hall. The Halls settled in Jefferson County at a very early date. The father and grandfather were born there, but the mother of Mr. Hall was born in Pennsyl- vania.

Tilman Hall was reared in his native county and attended schcol there and subse- quently at Mount Pleasant, Ohio, where the Society of Friends conducted a boarding school at that time. His main business in life has been farming, but in his earlier years he taught school for a time in Jefferson and Har- rison counties. For some years after mar- riage, Mr. Hall resided on a farm near Mount Pleasant, but in 1866 he moved to Mahoning County and established his home in Goshen township. Mr. Hall placed his land under a good state of cultivation and it proved fertile and productive, and after the discovery of a fine vein of bituminous coal running through it, its commercial value was greatly enhanced. This vein has been successfully worked and for a number of years has been producing coal.

On March 29, 1855, Mr. Hall was mar-

ried to Mary Eliza Kinsey, who was born January 22, 1837, at Brownsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Charles and Sarah ( Binns) Kinsey, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter in England. She was an infant when her par- ents settled in Harrison County, where she was reared and married. Mr. and Mrs. Hall have had six children, namely: Alice A., deceased; Ezra, deceased; Charles H .. residing at Washington, D. C., an employe in the U. S. Treasury Department; Emmor W., residing at Portland, Oregon, where he is connected with the postoffice department; Ira K., residing at Cleveland, where he is foreman of the Wire and Steel Company ; and George B., a resident of Alliance, Ohio, connected with the Alli- ance Banking Company. At the time of the celebration of their golden wedding anniver- sary, on March 29, 1905, in Goshen township, Mr. and Mrs. Hall had the pleasure of gath- ering their children once more beneath the home roof, beautiful, peaceful Sunnyside Farm.

Mr. Hall has been one of the ellers in the Friends' .Church for over a quarter of a cent- ury and he has served in the various church offices, as clerk and as Sunday-school super- intendent. Mrs. Hall is a very interested mem- ber of the Foreign Missionary Society con- nected with the East Goshen Friends' Church. the whole family having been prominent in the affairs of this religious body for many years. Politically, a Prohibitionist. Mr. Hall has served his township in office at various times, having been both treasurer and trustee.

HADDEU'S F. WOODMAN, one of Youngstown's prominent business men, who resides at 20 Scott street. was born in New York Stite, and came to Ohio with his parents when but one year old. He came to Youngstown in 18(n) and engaged in the mercantile business in which he continued until 1888, when he went to Chicago and becune secretary and treasurer of the Lakeside Nail Company,

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which was located at Hammond, Indiana. He afterwards became president of this concern and in 1003 sold out and returned to Youngs- town. Ohio. He is director of the Mahoning National Bank, and is also director of the Ohio Iron and Steel Company. Mr. Wood- man also has other business interests, being a stockhokler in various other enterprises. He is a member of the Youngstown Chamber of Commerce, also the Youngstown Club and the Mahoning Golf Club.

JOHN MCKINNEY, a leading citizen of Ellsworth township, residing on a farm of 145 acres, was born April 10, 1832, in County Donegal, London- derry, Ireland. and is a son of John and Rebecca (Thompson ) Mckinney.

The paternal grandfather was Samuel Mc- Kinney, who died in Ireland, but three of his sons came to America, Samuel and William, settling at Braddock. Pennsylvania. The third. who located in Texas, was one of the 72 who fell in the battle of the Alamo. He had previously served as a soldier in the British Army in the East Indies.

John McKinney, father of John, was born in Ireland on a farm on which he was reared and on which both he and his wife died. They were the parents of five sons: Robert, Andrew, James. John and Samuel. Robert went to New Zealand, where he died. He was a Pres- byterian minister and pastor of one church for 48 years. His daughter visited the Ohio rela- tives, in 1906, remaining six months. Andrew resides at Clarksville. Mercer County, Penn- sylvania. James died in Ireland, in 1907. Samuel practiced medicine at Mineral Ridge. Mahoning County, for a number of years prior to his death.

John Mckinney, subject of this notice. came to this country in 1856 and located first in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. where he re- mained for three years, coming to Mahoning County in 1859. and settling in Ellsworth township. In this year. Mr. Mckinney em- barked in the mercantile business at Ellsworth

and continued in same until 1874, when he invested in 145 acres of land about one-quarter mile south of Ellsworth, but he has resided in the village of Ellsworth for the past 48 years, mainly engaged in agricultural pursuits, and was one of the most successful farmers of the township. For a number of years he has been retired from active business. Mr. Mckinney has seen a great many changes take place since locating here, and he has always shown a deep interest in the progress and material development of this section. In 1862, Mr. Mckinney returned to Pittsburg, and married Martha Hare, who was a daughter of James Hare, who died in Ireland. Mrs. Mckinney died February 7, 1907, at the age of 72 years. They had one child who died in infancy. Mr. Mckinney is a Republican in politics, and was serving as postmaster under President Lincoln at the time of his assassination. 'For many years he has been a member of the Presby- terian Church at Ellsworth.

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Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 111

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