USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Youngstown > Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 60
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Henry Young, father of Lewis H., was born and grew to manhood in Germany, where he learned the trade of stone mason. He was married in Germany to Julia Wappler, and three children were born to them before they emigrated to America, namely : Philip. Su- sanna, who married August Kroeck, and re- sides in Austintown township; and William, who is deceased.
In 1853, accompanied by his family. Henry Young came to the United States, locating for the first two years at Cleveland. He then came down to Mineral Ridge to put in the foundations for the old blast furnaces which J. Warner was then erecting. While working on that contract, Mr. Young became so well satisfied with the surrounding country that he bought a residence situated between Austin- town and Mineral Ridge in which he continued to live until his death. He continued to do a large amount of contract work thereafter both in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, and was thus engaged up to the time of the Civil War, when he enlisted. in 1861. in the 121st Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served in this regi-
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HON. JOSEPH R. JOHNSTON
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ment until the close of the war, participating in a number of battles, and was promoted to the rank of corporal. He died in March, 1874. aged 49 years, and was survived by his widow until 1892, her age at the time of her death being 68 years. The seven children born after the family came to America were: Elizabeth, who married Henry R. Rupf; August, of whom there is no special mention; Lena, who married Charles Seifert; Lewis H., whose name begins this article : Rose. deceased; Ju- lia, wife of Thomas W. Creed; and Louisa, who resides with her brother, Lewis H.
Lewis H. Yonng grew to manhood on the home place and was educated in the Austin- town schools. His eldest brother taking up the father's business, Lewis learned the stone ma- son's trade with him, and became his fore- man. When Lewis was about 20 years old he lost his brother, and the business came to him and his other brothers. His first contract was for the masonry on the P. C. & T. Rail- road. now the Pittsburg and Western branch of the Baltimore & Ohio system. The con- tract called for the building of the masonry be- tween Girard and Warren, the amount in- volved being about $50,000. From the snc- cessful completion of this work, Mr. Young has continued his contract work, dealing main- ly in bridge contracting, calling for heavy ma- sonry, and railroad work.
Mr. Young carries on general farming and is also largely interested in the breeding of Shropshire sheep. Jersey cattle and fine horses, He made his first purchase of land in 1893. in Trumbull County, but sold it as he also did land in Jackson township. He has, however, always retained the 30 acres, which he received from his mother. Since 1881 Mr. Young has resided on his well-kept farm which is situated on the line between Mahon- ing and Trumbull counties, on which he erec- ted his commodious and attractive ten-room residence and substantial barn and other buildings. This is a beautiful place, neatly surrounded by well-trimmed hedges and evi- dences are on every side of thrift and pros- perity.
On February 14. 1800, Mr. Young was married to Ida A. Ohl, who was born on the present farm. in September, 1868, and is a daughter of William aud Eliza (Maurer) Ohl. Her mother was born and died at Aus- tintown. William Ohl married, second, Irene Kennedy of Cortland, Ohio, and they reside at Warren. Mrs. Young has two brothers : Alva M., residing at Warren, where he is en- gaged in the clothing business; and Charles F., a lawyer, residing at Youngstown.
Mr. and Mrs. Young have four children : William. Laverne, Lemar and Arthur. Fra- ternally Mr. Young is connected with the Ma- sonic lodge at Niles, the Elks at Youngstown, and the Knights of Pythias at Jackson.
ON. JOSEPH R. JOHNSTON, one of Youngstown's most prominent citizens, a member of both bench and bar, and also a surviving officer of the great Civil War, was born at Jackson. Mahoning County. Ohio, September 12, 1840, and is a son of John and Caroline ( Roberts) Johnston.
Judge Johnston comes of Scotch-Irish stock, his grandfather having been born in Ireland and his grandmother in Scotland. In 1811 they came to Milton township, Mahon- ing County, Ohio, and here spent the remain- der of their lives. John Johnston, father of Judge Johnston, was born in 1800 in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, and died at Jackson, Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1868. In this county he was married to Caroline Roberts, who was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Her great-grandfather, William Roberts, was a soklier of the Revolu- tion. Her parents came to Ohio in 1816 and settled in Jackson township. Mahoning County, not far from the Johnston homestead. Nr. and Mrs. Johnston had these children : Jolin Z., Louise, Joseph R. and David R.
Joseph R. Johnston spent his early life on his father's farm and attended the academies at both Canfield and Jackson. He had not at-
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tained his majority when he enlisted for serv- ice in the Civil War, in August, 1861, enter- ing as a private Company E, Second Regi- ment of Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. On February 17, 1863, he received his commission as second lieutenant of the 25th Battery, Ohio Light Artillery, which had been organized out of his former regiment. He remained in the service until September, 1864, when illness caused his resignation. He had participated in many of the great battles of the war and his regiment was one of which Ohio had reason to be proud.
Immediately upon his return from the army, the young soldier entered . upon the study of the law and was admitted to the bar on September 12, 1866. From that time to the present he has continued in his profession, gathering a wide experience and many laurels. His private practice has only been interrupted during his terms on the bench, and also dur- ing the years in which he served in the state senate. Immediately after his admission to the bar, Mr. Johnston, with no previous ex- perience except such as he secured while clerk of the probate court, was brought forward by the Republican party and was elected pro- bate judge. and in 1869 was re-elected. Upon his retirement from the bench. he took up practice at Canfield, where he remained until 1888, when he located permanently at Youngstown.
In 1875 Judge Johnston become the logical candidate of his party for the state senate, and in the ensuing campaign proved his strength and was elected to the office, representing the senatorial district composed of Mahoning and Trumbull Counties. Judge Johnston was re- turned to the senate by re-election in 1877 and during a part of this period he did very effi- cient work in legislation as a member of the judiciary committee.
Seven years of private practice of his pro- fession followed his long term of public serv- ice, and then he was again called to the bench. being elected judge of the Court of Common Pleas. of the Second Sub-Division of the Ninth District. He was re-elected to this of- fice in 1801. During his years in public life,
his course both as statesman and jurist gained for him the confidence, respect and admira- tion of his fellow-citizens. Since 1897 he has quietly followed his profession at Youngs- town. His commodious offices are situated at No. 3 West Federal street, and his handsome residence at No. 533 Wick avenue.
Judge Johnston was married in 1868, to Mary S. Hartsell, a most estimable woman of rare culture and attainments. She died April 25, 1906.
Fraternal relations with the various Ma- sonic bodies are held by Judge Johnston, and he belongs also to the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States and to Tod Post, No. 29, Grand Army of the Republic. His connections with professional bodies are numerous and at various times he has held offices of responsibility in educational and philanthropical institutions, being one of the incorporators of the Northeastern Ohio Nor- mal College at Canfield, Ohio, and for many years was one of the trustees thereof. His por- trait is published in connection with this ar- ticle.
ON. JOHN R. DAVIS was for many years one of Youngstown's most prominent and influential citi- zens, closely identified with her busi- ness interests and a potent factor in political life. Mr. Davis was born at Paris, Portage County, Ohio, July 26, 1840, and died February 13. 1900. His parents, Rev. Rees and Esther ( Evans) Davis, were natives of Wales. The father, who was a pioneer Bap- tist preicher. came in 1830 to Eastern Ohio, where he labored with zeal and fidelity until his death, which took place in 1858, while he was filling a charge at Paris, Ohio. The mother of Mr. Davis came to America with her first husband, in 1831. He died in the fol- lowing year, and in 1833 she was united with Rev. Rees Davis, whom she survived until 1861.
The boyhood of John R. Davis was health- ily spent on a farm and he was afforded ex-
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cellent educational opportunities. In 1864 he enlisted in Company C, 155th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war.
After his marriage, in 1867, Mr. Davis be- came associated with his brother-in-law, W. J. Hughes, in a mercantile business at Youngstown, and was thus occupied until the winter of 1872, when he disposed of his in- terests to Mr. Hughes, From 1872 to 1877, official life claimed his attention, but in the latter year he embarked in a real estate and insurance business, in which he continued un- til his death. His sons have continued the in- surance business under the firm style of John R. Davis' Sons, with an office at No. 137 West Federal street, Youngstown. Theirs is one of the largest and most important general in- surance agencies in the city, representing the leading risk companies in the lines of fire, tor- nado, life, accident, health, liability, burglar, plate glass and boiler insurance.
From early manhood Mr. Davis took a deep interest in public affairs and in the period of the Civil War identified himself with the Republican party. In the fall of 1872 he was elected sheriff of Mahoning County and was re-elected on the close of his first term. retir- ing on January 1. 1877. During his incum- bency the court house was moved to Youngs- town. Aside from serving most acceptably as a member of the Youngstown Board of Ed- ucation. Mr. Davis was not prominent in pub- lic life from 1877 until 1889, when his party elected him a member of the General Assem- bly, re-electing him in 1891. During his long term of public service he was no figure-head; the records of the sixty-ninth aud seventieth general assemblies show how active he was in performing his full duty to his constituents and set forth the important measures that he presented, which subsequently were incorpor- ated in the state laws.
On January 1. 1867. Mr. Davis was united in marriage with Maria S. Richards, who was born in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of William and Sarah Rich- ards and a sister of former Lieutenant-Gov- ernor Richards of Ohio. The parents of Mrs.
Davis were natives of Swansea, Wales. The children born to this marriage were: Albert R.and Charles W., both residents of Cleveland, Ohio, where they are engaged in the insurance business; Sarah E., residing at No. 680 Bry- son street, who is the wife of Chauncey A. Cochran, secretary of the Youngstown Iron & Steel Roofing Company, as well as of the Youngstown Pressed Steel Company; John R., residing at No. 427 Thomas street, who is a member of the general insurance firm of John R. Davis' Sons; and Ralph G., also a member of the firm.
From youth Mr. Davis was a consistent member of the Baptist Church and served that body at Youngstown as a deacon and trustee. He was a man who stood deservedly high both in public and private life and will be re- called whenever Youngstown's citizens of un- blemished character, sterling integrity and great usefulness are remembered.
EORGE SYLVANUS BEARD, one of Beaver township's most substan- tial citizens, resides on a beautiful farm of 280 acres, a part of tlie Beard section, and owns also 325 acres situated in Green township. Mr. Beard was born on his farm April 21. 1846, and is a son of Jacob and Sophia ( Leitsey) Beard. Extended mention of the Beard family, with its ancestry, will be found in another part of this work.
George S. Beard was reared on the pres- ent farm, and owing to the death of his father while he was still young. his educational op- portunities were somewhat limited. General farming and stock-raising have been familiar occupations with him all his life. For a num- ber of years he devoted a great deal of atten- tion to raising horses, cattle and sheep, but now he carries on general agriculture and keeps many milch cows, the product of which goes to the creameries in which his sons are concerned. In 1898 Mr. Beard, together with his brother Monroe, started a creamery just across the road from his home, which they
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continued to operate for several years. It is now under the management of A. W. Beard, son of George S., in partnership with a nephew of the latter, Archie J., who is the son of Frank Valentine Beard. Mr. Beard's home is one of the most attractive in Beaver township, and on it he has erected what is undoubtedly the finest barn in. Mahoning County, building it himself.
On August 27. 1868, Mr. Beard was mar- ried to Caroline Neff. who was born in Can- field township, Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Martin and Catherine ( Wil- son) Neff. who still survive. Mr. and Mrs. Beard have two children-Burton A. and Alexander Wilson. The former resides at home, and is his father's right-hand man. He married Stella Rohrbaugh, who died Septem- ber 25. 1906, leaving three children : Ray A .. Arthur R. and Caryl E. The second son of Mr. Beard. Alexander W., resides at Youngs- town, but operates the creamery established by his father and is also interested in three cream- eries in Trumbull County,
Politically Mr. Beard is affiliated with the Democratic party in National affairs, but still retains his right to sometimes differ with its policies. He has never consented to hold of- fice, although well qualified, on account of large business interests; knowledge of the needs of the community, and a large measure of natural judgment and foresight, combined with the general esteem in which he is held on account of his sterling character. Mr. Beard is one of the leading members of the Lutheran Church, to which all his family belongs.
D WVID GOOD. who is prominently identified with the North Lima Gilt Edge Butter Company, and was one of the organizers of the Beaver Township Telephone Company, be- ing a stockholder at the present time, resides on his farm in section 11. Beaver township. Ile was born on what is now the Tilman Weaver farm, in Beaver township, Mahoning
County, Ohio. December 30, 1850. and is a son of Samuel and Anna ( Weaver) Good.
Samuel Good, father of David, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Christian and Mary ( Sneder ) Good, who were early settlers in Beaver township. David Good remembers his grandmother as a venerable lady of 92 years, residing on a farm opposite to that of Lewis Obenauf. Samuel Good had preceded his parents to Beaver township by one year. He was a carpenter by trade, but after his marriage he settled on a small place in the southwestern, part of Beaver township. Later he moved to his fa- ther-in-law's place, which is now the Tilman Weaver farm, where he lived until he moved to the present home of David Good, when the latter was about six years old. His death oc- curred while he was on a visit to Wayne County, at the age of 73 years. He married Anna Weaver, who was born in Berks Coun- ty. Pennsylvania, and was a daughter of Sam- uel and Anna ( Bauman) Weaver, concerning whom may be found in the sketch of Tilman Weaver. The children of Samuel Good and wife were as follows: Jesse, a resident of Orrville : Mary, who married John Martin, re- siding in Wayne County: Noah, residing near Dalton, in Wayne County; Lydia, who re- sides near North Lawrence, Stark County ; Samuel, residing in Beaver township: David. whose name begins this sketch; and Anna who resides in Wayne County. Samnel Good and wife were worthy people, members of the Mennonite Church, and he was a preacher of that faith.
David Good has lived on his present farm ever since childhood. He has always been a leader in agricultural movements in this sec- tion. especially those which promise to be of advantage to his immediate neighborhood. The North Lima Gilt Edge Butter Company has been a very important enterprise in this sec- tion, Mr. Good was its manager for three years. In 1900 he effected the organization of a stock company which was incorporated in 1906, with the following officers: Solo- mon Elser, president : Oliver Good. secretary :
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Tilman Weaver, vice-president; and David Good, treasurer. The board of directors is made up of the following capitalists: David Good, Charles T. Marks, Solomon Elser, Til- man Weaver and Lewis Obenauf.
On September 29. 1881, Mr. Good was married to Ida May Lodwick, who was born in Austintown, and is a daughter of John and Leah (Flickinger) Lodwick. The Lodwick family was a pioneer one of this section. Mr. Lodwick settled first in Austintown township, thence removing to North Lima and after- wards to Portage County, where he died. Mr. and Mrs. Good have four children, namely : Oliver, born January 1, 1883, residing in North Lima, who married Carrie Ritter, and has one son, Howard; Arthur, residing at home, who was born July 20, 1885 ; Lester and Chester, both residing at home, the former of whom was born November 13, 1897, and the latter, January 25, 1899.
Mr. Good is not a very ardent politician and his vote is as frequently influenced by the man as by the party. He is a member of the order of Patrons of Husbandry.
e ECIL D. HINE. A. M., senior mem- ber of the important law firm of Hine, Kennedy & Robinson, at Youngstown, has been one of the prominent attorneys of Mahoning County for the past quarter of a century. Mr. Hine was born at Hubbard. Trumbull Coun- ty. Ohio, August 3, 1849, and is a son of Sam- nel and Ellen I .. (Montgomery) Hine and a grandson of Homer Hine, who was one of the earliest and most successful lawyers of the Western Reserve. The family is an old es- tablished one in Mahoning County.
Samuel Hine, whose death occurred May 19, 1893, was born at Youngstown and mar- ried Ellen L. Montgomery, a daughter of Rob- ert Montgomery, who located at a very early day in Trumbull County, and who, as early as 1806, built at Poland one of the first iron fur- naces in the state, which he successfully oper- ated for a considerable period.
Cecil D. Hine was primarily educated in his native locality and then entered Western Reserve College, at the beginning of the soph- omore year, where he completed the course with great credit. At a later date his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of Mas- ter of Arts. After his return from college, he entered upon the study of the law with the well known firm of Taylor & Jones, at War- ren, Ohio, and after two years of reading, was admitted to the bar in Trumbull County, on April 15, 1872. Shortly afterward he entered upon the practice of his profession at Youngs- town. where he has remained ever since, by his ability making his name well known in Mahoning and other counties. The law firm of Hine, Kennedy & Robinson, which was formed in 1900, is considered one of the strongest and ablest combinations of legal tal- ent in this section of Ohio. The junior mem- ber of the firm is a son of Circuit Judge Robin- son. The other member, Hon. James B. Ken- nedy, is a former judge of the Court of Com- mon Pleas. The firm has well-appointed offices in the Wick building. Mr. Hine is one of the city's representative citizens and is closely con- nected with its important interests and public affairs.
On October 9. 1872, Mr. Hine was united in marriage with Elizabeth W. Woodruff, who was born at Poland, Ohio. They have one daughter, Elizabeth W., who is the wife of Charles H. Cates of New York. The family home is located at No. 725 Wick avenue.
m OSES WEBBER. The death of Moses Webber, May 15, 1875, re- moved from Boardman township a citizen of sterling worth and a man of prominence in his section. He was born on his father's farm, in Board- man township. Mahoning County, Ohio, March 9. 1822, and was a son of Peter and Elizabeth ( Deitzel) Webber.
Christian Webber, the grandfather of Moses, was the founder of the family in Amer- ica. He was born in Germany and crossed
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the Atlantic to the United States when a young man. Here he was soon after married to Chris- tina Rhine, also a native of Germany. They har eleven children, one of whom subsequently settled in Virginia and one in Indiana, all the rest remaining in Pennsylvania, with the ex- ception of Peter, who came to Ohio and set- tled in Boardman township in 1811. He was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and learned the trade of shoemaker, but never worked at it after leaving his native state. He married Elizabeth Deitzel (now spelled Titzel), who was of German parentage, but who was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. With his wife and four children, Peter Web- ber came to Mahoning County in a large cov- ered wagon, and until, with the help of kind neighbors, a log cabin could be built, the little family had to make the wagon their home. They settled on what is now the James Brown- lee farm.
After residing on that farm for forty years, Peter Webber bought a farm of Jonathan Dustman, on which Samuel Moyer now lives, in Boardman township, and other tracts of land, one being the farm now owned by his granddaughters. His wife died at the age of 44 years, but he survived to be 88 years of ago. He served in the War of 1812, and there is a family story told of how his wife and her small child fenced a wheat field during his en- forced absence, which exemplifies the resource- ful character of the pioneer wives and mothers. All of their seven children have lived out their lives and have passed into peaceful rest. They were: George. Catherine (who married Da- vid G. Waller), Mary, John, Betsev (who married James Spiers), David and Moses,
Until his marriage, Moses Webber re- mained on the home farm assisting his father, receiving his education in the primitive schools of the neighborhood. On October 15, 1846. he was married to Salome Simon, who was a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Stemple) Simon. and a sister of Jesse Simon, a sketch of whom appears in this work. They settled on a part of the Peter Webber farm, but in another house, and Moses continued to assist his father until the latter's death, afterwards
operating the farm until his own decease. In politics he was a stanch Democrat. He was a man of intelligence and sound judgment, fre- quently called upon for advice by his neigh- bors and was elected to responsible township offices, serving also for many years as a jus- tice of the peace in Boardman township. He was a member of the Mahoning County Agri- cultural Society.
He and his wife had two daughters- Laura, who was born August 24, 1847, and Elizabeth, who was born December 6, 1848. They are members of the pioneer Reformed Church in Boardman township, which was built in 1816, and rebuilt in 1845. Miss Laura Webber was educated in the Poland Union Seminary and for a number of years taught school in the same section where both her mother and grandmother had taught before her, the latter sometimes carrying her sleeping babe with her.
7 ILSON L. MILLER. residing on his well-improved farm of 120 acres, situated in section 27, Beaver township, is one of the prosperous farmers and stock- raisers of this part of Mahoning County. Mr. Miller was born in Springfield township, Ma- honing County, Ohio, January 9. 1853, and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Lower) Miller.
Henry Miller. the grandfather of Wilson L., was the founder of the family in Mahoning County, coming in the 20's of the nineteenth century from Maryland. He acquired about 130 acres of land in Springfield township, a farm that is now owned by Aaron Hoffman. Samuel Miller, father of Wilson L., was born on the above farm in Springfield township, on which he lived until 1860. when he purchased land in Beaver township. He had owned 80 acres in Springfield township which was so heavily timbered when he took charge of it that he was obliged to make a clearing before he could find space on which to build his house. This house subsequently burned down, after which Sammel Miller sold the property. His
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