Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 124

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 124

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 founder of the MeElroy family in America was James McElroy. the great- grandfather of Hugh 1 .. , who was born in the north of Ireland and who cmigrated to Amer- ica, settling in Peunsylvania. His son. Hon. James McElroy. the second. was born in Penn- sylvania in 1811, and resided many years at West Fairfield. in that state. He was a promi- nent citizen and a member of the state legis- lature.

William B. McElroy, son of Hon. James and father of Hugh L., was born in Pennsyl- vania in 1841. In carly manhood he removed to lowa and became permanently identified with the interests of that state. He served four years with distinction in the Civil War, com- meneing as a private and rising in rank to be adjutant. in the Fourth Regiment, l'ennesyl- vania Volunteer Cavalry. under General Philip Sheridan. He was seriously wounded on four occasions. At the battle of the Wilderness he was captured by the enemy, and in making his escape five minutes later was very seriously

wounded. He participated in many of the most serious battles of the war and was pres- ent at the surrender of General Lee at Appo- mattox Court House. . Immediately after his return from the war, he married Jane G. Ly- tle. a native of Pennsylvania and a daughter of Hugh Lytle. Mr. and Mrs. McElroy then moved west, locating on a valuable farm in Linn County, lowa, which Mr. MeElroy op- crated and on which he died in 1889. His widow still survives and resides with the youngest son at Tacoma, Washington. Oi their eight children-Hugh L .. James 1 .. Ed- ward H., Harry A .. William B., John .... Ralph G. and Susan M .- Hugh L. is the only one living east of the Mississippi River.

Hugh L. McElroy attended school in Linn County. lowa. completing his education at Monmonth College, Illinois. He began to teach school, although only 17 years old. and continued in that occupation for two years. He then accepted a clerkship in a store at Ce- (lar Rapids, lowa, where he remained eighteen months, this giving him some business experi- ence and proving a stepping stone to a better position. In the early winter of 1888. Mir. McElroy came to Youngstown. Ohio, and for three years was with the firm of J. N. Euwers & Son, as manager of their carpet depart- ment. . Viter the death of his uncle, Frank Ly- tle, he entered into partnership in the furniture business with his uncle's widow. the Imsiness being conducted for two years under the firm style of Lytle & McElroy.

Prior to accepting a responsible position with a large mercantile establishment at Pitts- burg. Pennsylvania, Mr. MeElroy was con- nected for a short time with the E. M. Mc- Gillan Company. at Youngstown. He re- mained at Pittsburg for almost three years, in charge of the carpet and upholstering depart- ment at Kauffman's, the largest store of its kind there, and then returned to Youngstown in 1896. It was with the intention of estal- lishing in this city the large general furniture and house furnishing business, which he has developed into such an immense concern, that Mr. McElroy selected Youngstown as his field

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of effort. He succeeded in the organization of what is known as the H. L. McElroy Com- pany, of which he became president and gen- cral manager. The store at Youngstown is one of sixteen others of its kind located at dif- ferent places in the United States. The H. L. McElroy Company was incorporated with a capital stock of $10,000, which was later in- creased to $25,000 and in tgot to $75.000. The Youngstown store occupies a whole acre of floor space and, as noted above, is the largest retail furniture establishment in the state of Ohio. The business is enormous and employ- ment is given an army of assistants. January 20, 1907, occurred the second disastrous fire that destroyed the entire store and goods of this firm. Mr. McElroy devotes the whole of his time to looking after the affairs of the Youngstown stere. He stands very high in commercial circles and is a prominent member of the Youngstown Chamber of Commerce; he was one of the prime movers in the organi- zation of that body and was a member of the first board of directors.

At Niles, Ohio, June 20, 1804, Mr. Mell- roy was married to Anna Benedict, who was born in the same house as was the late la- mented President William MeKinley, and is a daughter of the late James S. Benedict, who died in 1895.

Mr. McElroy has always participated ac- tively in public affairs and has been a prom- inent factor in Republican politics, working more, however, for his friends than for him- self. He has been chairman of the Republi- can eity committee. Fraternally Mr. McEl- roy is prominent in the Knights of Pythias. is past chancellor commander and for ten years a member of the board of trustees. He is a past exalted ruler of Youngstown Lodge. No. 35. B. P. O. Elks, and has been for two years district deputy grand exalted ruler of Northeastern Ohio, For many years he has also been an Odd Fellow. Mr. MeElroy he- longs to the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church and is chairman of the board of trustees. Other connections are with the Foraker Club and the Youngstown Club.

OHN G. THOMAS, president of The John G. Thomas Company, dealers in flour, feed, butter, eggs and cheese, at No. 16 Chestnut street, Youngstown, was born in January, 1870, at Thorn- bill, Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of the late Jonathan G. Thomas, who was one of the pioneers of this county. He was reared and educated in Youngstown and began his business career as clerk in a mercantile estab- lishment. continuing thus employed until 1899. when he entered into'his present business. The business was conducted under the name of John G. Thomas until it was incorporated in January, 1906, with a capital stock of $25.000, as The John G. Thomas Company, with John C. Thomas as president. Under able manage- ment it has been developed into one of large proportions. In March, 1898, Mr. Thomas was married to Annie C. Camp, of Youngs- town, and they have one daughter, Helen. Mr. Thomas is a valued member of the Credit Men's Association. He is a good business man and an enterprising, public-spirited citi- zen.

7 ILLIAM B. MOORE. justice of the peace, who is serving his second term in this office in Poland town- ship, is one of the substantial. reli- able and esteemed citizens of Low- ellville. He was born in Poland township. Mahoning County, Ohio. August 27. 1840, and is a son of James S. and Hannah R. ( Truesdale ) Moore.

The Moore family of this section of Ohio can le traced very far back. It originated in Ireland, a country which has contributed so largely to the citizenship of America, and - from that green isle came Francis Moore. the great-grandfather of William B. Muore, of Lowellville. He did not settle permanently i in the colonies, Init returned to Ireland prior to the breaking out of the Revolutionary War. He left descendants behind him, his one son. William, the founder of the family in

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Malioning County, coming to Poland township in 1804. The latter selected a desirable site for his future home, in the dense woods that then covered all this region. Two years later, with his wife and two children, he took pos- session. The long journey, by devions trails and through the wilderness, over unbridged streams and through grassy morasses, from Franklin County, Pennsylvania, to Mahoning County, Ohio, was made on horseback, his wife carrying the babe in her arms, while the older child was fastened behind him. He came without capital, but his pioneer pluek soon put him in comfortable circumstances. In Franklin County he had married Mary Smith, and they reared four of their seven chil- dreu, namely : Francis, born December 3, 1802, who died in the old home in Poland township. June 13, 1833; James S., father of the subject of this sketch; Martha, who mar- ried David Arrel, and died leaving three sons and one daughter; and Rebecca, born Febru- ary 28, 1813. who died in 1886, unmarried. The death of Francis was one of especial sad- I ness, He was engaged to be married and had erected a house of his own on the home farm, which he never lived to occupy. The three | death. During the Civil War he served in the other children died within one week, from dys- entery.

This farm became the Moore homestead and is still in the possession of the family. One-half of the 260 acres was formerly owned by William B. Moore, but recently passed into the possession of his son, Alfred J. The other hali is owned by F. M. Moore, a brother of William B. At the present time it consists of highly cultivated, productive and improved land, and it requires a vivid imagination to recall it as it must have been in the grand- father's day, when his little rude log enbin without door or window, stand in the midst 'of a great forest, which was then but the home of Indians and wild animals.

James S. Moore was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, October 28. 1804, and was but two years old when his parents brought him to Poland township. Although his life was one of hard manual labor, and he

was of so slight build that he never weighed more than 100 pounds, he lived to the age of 8t years without ever having had a day's illness, dying from natural causes. He married Han- nah R. Truesdale, on May 3, 1838, on what is now the Kennedy farm. She was born in Springfield township, April 2, 1816, and was the only child of Hugh and Ann (Riley) Truesdale. The following were the children of this marriage: Rachael A., William B., llugh R., Franklin M., Mary E., Rebecca J. and Julia . 1.

Rachel A. Moore married John Stewart, a prominent druggist at Washington, Iowa, where he died in September, 1901. She had three children : Auna, who died aged 22 years; Dr. Charles W., a physician and surgeon at Washington, lowa, who married Maud Den- nie, and had two children, Mildred and Fran- eis; and Mary, who married Ralph Smith. a merchant' at Washington, lowa. Hugh R. Moore. the next younger brother of William 1. Moore, died of heart disease, at Poland, in 1897. He had practiced medicine at Lowell- ville for many years and after removing to Poland, continued to practice to the day of his 86th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with the rank of sergeant. Later he graduated from a med- ical college at Cincinnati. He married Mar- garet Woodruff. of Poland, and they had three children, of whom Elizabeth married Bert Sexton, formerly an employe of Brown & Bon- nell : George married Cora MeFarland, of Po- land, and has three children, Hugh. Mabel and Elizabeth : and Kittie, who died in infancy.

Franklin M. Moore, who has resided on the old Moore homestead all his life and owns one-half of the original tract. married Ella Bell, of Youngstown, and they have two chil- dren. Charles and Bell.

Mary E. Moore, the second sister of Wil- liam B .. married Dr. Ebenezer MeKinnie, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and they had five children, namely : Hannah M., who married Frank Bissel; Lewis H., residing at Colorado Springs, a graduate of a Philadelphia medical college who has gained quite a reputation as a

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surgeon, and who married Helen E. Ficher; Bertha M., who married Charles Phelps, a merchant of Greeley, Colorado, and has one child, MeKinnie; and Alice and Shirley, both of whom reside with their parents.

Rebecca Moore, residing at Los Angeles, California, married E. J. McComb, an engin- neer by profession, and they have two children : Arthur, a civil engineer, who married Bettie Church, and resides at San Francisco, and Frances, who lives at home. Julia A., the youngest of the Moore children, married Frank Crawford, of Crawfordsville, Iowa, and they moved to Los Angeles, where both died.

William B. Moore was educated in the dis- triet schools of Poland township and was trained to agricultural pursuits on the home farm. In June, 1863, he enlisted for service in the Civil War, and was mustered in as a member of Company A, 86th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, at Camp Cleveland, on July 1, and was mustered out February 10, 1864. He served eight months during which time his regiment was stationed at Cumberland Gap, and he was present when General Rosecrans forced the surrender of that place. After the close of his military life, Mr. Moore returned to the old farm on which he continued to re- side until 1895. For a number of years he was in a profitable partnership with his brother, F. M. Moore, in the horse business and their stock farm gained a wide fame for its regis- tered stock of all kinds and its fine road and carriage horses. When Mr. Moore decided to locate at Lowellville, he rented his farm at first, but later turned it over to his son, who is successfully operating it. He then purchased his present residence property in the village, and since 1902, when he was first elected mag- istrate, he has been busy with the duties of his important office. After serving three years, he was again elected on the Republican ticket, and as a public official. enjoys the full confi- dence of his fellow citizens.

Mr. Moore was married (first ) in 1867, to Sarah J. Johnson, of New Wilmington, Penn- sylvania, who died in 1882. They had three children, namely: Alfred J., residing on the

old farm, who married Emma Brown and has one child. Ruth : Mary E., who died at the age of 14 years; and l'hoebe C., who died of scar- let fever when only seven years old. In 1882, Mr. Moore was married (second) to Ella J. McConnell.

Politically, Mr. W. B. Moore is a Republi- can, his father having been one of the old line Abolitionists. He is an elder in the Presby- terian Church at Lowellville.

H ILFRED H. RICE, of Youngstown, who is prominently identified with many of the city's important busi- ness interests and public affairs, was born in 1846, at Poland, Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of Chauncy Rice, who came to western Pennsylvania from Con- necticut. Chauncey Rice was a merchant for many years in western Pennsylvania, but after coming to Mahoning County and buying the old Dr. Kirtland place, in the village of Po- land, in 1837, he engaged in farming here dur- ing the rest of his life.

Alfred H. Rice was reared in Mahoning County and completed his education at Buck- nell, which was then the University of Lewis- burg. He then entered the store of Parks & Case, general merchants at Youngstown, and remained with them for about four years. Dur- ing the next few years he was interested in a merchant tailoring establishment, and then turned his attention to real estate and insur- ance, and in 1886 he entered into partnership with Mr. Haney. under the firm name of Rice & Haney. In 1893 Mr. Medbury was admit- ted to the firm and the style became Rice, Haney & Medbury, which partnership was dis- solved in 1906, when Mr. Rice withdrew to give all his attention to the life insurance field and a general brokerage business. He repre- sents the North-Western Mutual Life Com- pany, of Milwaukee. He was one of the pio- neer real estate men at Youngstown, still handles a large amount of valuable property and has been the means of bringing much cap-

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ital, here from eastern investors. One of the city's useful and active business men, he is con- cerned in various industries, among them being the Youngstown Carriage and Wagon Com- pany, of which he is a stockholder and direc- tor.

In 1867 Mr. Rice was married to Ada Lord, who died in 1902, leaving two daugh- ters, yiz : Frances R., of New York, and Amy R., who is the wife of W. Noble Anderson, an attorney at Youngstown. Mr. Rice was mar- ried second, in 1905, to Katherine Arms, who is a daughter of Charles D. Arms. He is a member of the Memorial Presbyterian Church of which he is a trustee and treasurer. He is also a trustee of the Youngstown City Hos- pital. Mr. Rice enjoys numerous fraternal and social connections. He is a 32nd degree Mason, an Odd Fellow and an Elk, and he belongs also to the Youngstown Club, the Ma- honing County Golf Club, and the Rayen Club, being a popular member of all.

1 SAAC K. ILGENFRITZ, a prominent business man of Youngstown, who has been a resident of this city since 1876. was born in Springfield township, Ma- honing County, Ohio. September 13, 185t. and is a son of Frederick and Elizabeth ( Miller) Ilgenfritz.

The Ilgenfritz family came to America from Germany, and located at a very early day in Pennsylvania, the grandfather, John Ilgen- fritz, being born at Little York, in Lancaster County, that state. Ilis emigration to Ohio was as early as 1808. when he settled in Springfield township. Mahoning County, and there his son Frederick was born, in 1811. Frederick Igenfritz spent his whole life in Ma- honing County, mainly engaged in farming and stock-raising, but in early manhood he drove a stage coach, for a time, running to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He was an active supporter of the principles and candidates of the Democratic party. Ilis death occurred in 1863: his widow still survives, at the age of

93 years, being a resident of Youngstown. She was born in Springfield township, her father, Henry Miller, also of German ancestry, having come to this section about the same time as did the Ilgenfritz family.

Isaac K. Ilgenfritz was reared on the home farm and completed his education in the Po- land Union Seminary. For seven years after- wards he followed school teaching. In March. 1876, he came to Youngstown and embarked in a mercantile business on the corner of Fed- eral and Watt streets, the building being known as "the tall brick." He occupied the west half of it as a grocery and provision store. making country produce a specialty, and send- ing a wagon out through the rural regions twice a week, for supplies. The east half of his large store room was used as a meat market. By hard work and close attention to business, his trade increased so rapidly that in a few years he was compelled to seek larger and more commodious quarters, and in June. 1879, he removed to the West side, locating on the corner of Mahoning avenue and Mill street, now called Oak Hill avenue. After this removal he added china and tinware, flour and feed to his stock.

In 1881, Mr. Ilgenfritz purchased a one- half interest in the premises he occupied, cover- ing 1131/2 feet on Mill street, and in 1884, he purchased the other half and became sole owner. In 1883 he again enlarged the scope of his business by putting in a stock of dry goods, and in 1884, he completed the equip- ment of a general mercantile store by adding hats, caps and gent's furnishings. Close at- tention to business for a period covering 27 years, had seriously impaired Mr. Ilgenfritz's health, and in June, 1903, he sold out his mer- cantile interests, not, however, giving up busi- ness life. He owns and handles a large amount of valuable real estate, and also de- votes a part of his time to his banking interests.

Mr. Ilgenfritz has been identified for years with both public and private enterprises, in which his high personal standing, his ripened judgment and commercial integrity have been valuable assets. In 1890. he became president

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M.J.LOMAX.

Dry Goods

HARDWARE. STOVES

PUMPS

STORE OF WILLIAM JOHN LOMAX, LOWELLVILLE

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WILLIAM JOHN LOMAX

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of the Youngstown Paving Brick Company, manufacturers of paving brick, drain tile, and building blocks, and miners of coal, and served as such until 1897, when the company disposed of its interests. In 1881 he assisted in organ- izing the Merchants Mutual Protective Asso- ciation, and served as its president during its first seven years. In 1887, in association with Charles Herman, of Cleveland, he organized the Ohio Merchants Protective Association, of which he was, for years, one of its foremost members and officers. In 1886, he was sent as a delegate from Ohio to the National Pure Food convention, held at Washington, D. C., delegates, representative mien, from every State in the Union being present. It was this body that started the pure food agitation that resulted in subsequent legislation. Mr. Ilgen- fritz is vice-president of The Pfau & Faunce Realty Company and a member of its execu- tive committee, and is treasurer of the Ohio Cattle Company, which owns 2,200 acres of land in Cuba. He was one of the organizers of the Youngstown Savings and Banking Company, and is a member of its directing board.

In 1885, Mr. Ilgenfritz was married to Mary Gairing, a daughter of Michael and Eliz- abeth Gairing, both of whom were born in Germany. Mrs. Ilgenfritz was born, reared and educated at Youngstown, Mr. and Mrs. Ilgenfritz have three children : Gertrude Leona, Hazel Corinne and Frederick Earl. The family belong to the Memorial Presbyterian Church. Their residence is located at No. 1007 Belmont avenue, Youngstown.

joint trustee successively each year from 1880 to 1899. He was elected representative to the Grand Lodge four successive years. During this service as a member of the Grand Loilge of Ohio he was appointed on the committee of "Pythian Home," which resulted in later years in the erection of a beautiful Pythian Home at Springfield, Ohio. He was appointed district deputy grand chancellor to institute three new lodges : Starlight Lodge, of Peters- burg, Ohio; Haselton Lodge, of Haselton, Ohio; and Lowellville Lodge, of Lowellville, Ohio. He was a charter member of Fleur de Lis Division, Uniform Rank, K. of P., and served as third officer in rank.

7 ILLIAM JOHN LOMAX, sole pro- prietor of the W. J. Lomax de- partment store, the leading estab- lishment of its kind at Lowellville, was born at Ohioville, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, January 26, 1879, and is a son of Eliab and Amy ( Brown) Lomax. The Lomax family is of English extrac- tion and the great-grandparents of William J. Lomax, bore the name respectively of Henry and Nancy ( Fisher ) Lomax. They passed their entire lives in England, but their son John, who was born in 1823, emigrated to America in 1853 and established his family at Lowellville, where he still resides. He married, in England, Margaret Taylor, and they left that country when their son Eliab was one year old.

Mr. Ilgenfritz has been prominently iden- Eliab Lomax grew to manhood in Mahon- ing County and spent his early industrial years in the coal and oil regions of Ohio and Penn- sylvania. In 1885 he turned his attention to mercantile business, beginning with a small confectionery store, which stood on the site of the present department store, where he pros- pered, and in 1806 he erected the building now occupied on a corner across Railroad street. In 1902, the railroad purchased the land on which the building stood, and Mr. Lomax had his store transported to its present tified with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. In 1872 he became a member of Canfield lodge of Odd Fellows, In 1880 he withdrew from this lodge and became a mem- ber of Youngstown Lodge, No. 403, I. O. O. F. He is a member of Phoenix Encampment. In 1878 he joined the order of Knights of Pythias. Mahoning Lodge, No. 62, of Ohio, of which he was one of its leading members, and in two years serving in all the subordinate' offices and becoming past chan- cellor in 1880. He was elected trustee and ] site. It is of very substantial construction and

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contains two floors and basement, 82 by 48 feet. Mr. Lomax kept adding to his stock un- til his departments included groceries, hard- ware. dry goods and almost all kinds of ar- ticles carried in a first-class store of this kind, except furniture. The building is so arranged that it can be also comfortably used as a dwel- ling. . \ business of $50.000. is done annually and it is constantly increasing.

In 1863, Eliab Lomax married Amy Brown, who died in 1881, leaving three chil- dren: Carrie M., Alberta and William John. Subsequently. Mr. Lomax married Frances Hlayes, and they have one daughter, Hazel V. In 1902, Mr. Lomax moved to Youngstown, where he now lives retired fromn active partici- pation in business life. Formerly he served on the school board and the town council at Lowellville and was one of the most stirring citizens of the village. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias. For years he was a lib- eral supporter of the Presbyterian Church at Lowellville and was one of its active members.

William John Lomax was less than oue year old when his parents came to Lowellville. where he attended the public schools. Before entering upon business life. he took a com- mercial course in a college at New Castle, Pennsylvania. In 1900 he entered into part- nership with his father, when the firm became Eliab Lomax & Son, and January 25, 1902. he succeeded to the business. A view of the store with Mr. Lomax' portrait is shown on neighboring pages of this volume.

On September 17. 1890. Mr. Lomax was married to Sarah Cole, who was born in Coal- burg, Ohio. October 1. 1878, and is a daughter of James and Jane ( Williams) Cole. Mrs. Cole died April 30, 1901, at the age of 54 years, but Mr. Cole still survives. They had 10 children, namely : Mrs. Mary Morgan, re- siding at Youngstown; Mrs. Lizzie Jane James: Mrs. Rachel Thrasher, residing at Youngstown ; William, residing at Hubbard; Margaret. Sarah ( now Mrs. Lomax), Priscilla and Thomas, and two deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Lomax have three children, viz: Amy Jane. Francis Albert and Helen Mildred. The family belong to the Presbyterian Church.

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Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 124

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