Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 62

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 62

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William W. Brownlee was reared and has always resided on his present farm, He is one of the most substantial and prosperous farm- ers of the township, owning aleatt 300 acres in this township. Since 1882 he has dealt con- siderably in stock, buying and selling cattle, and wool, and is extensively engaged in sheep raising. His farm, which is known as the Walant farm, is well improved in every way. with a tine large frame lu nse, which he erected in 1878, and a large barn which was built in 1880.

In December. 1878, Mr. Brownlee married Ella Mars, a danghter of John J. Mars. They have seven children : John Clyde, James l'at terson, William A .. Donald. Clifford, and Ray mond. James Patterson married Jennie Wil. son: William A. prarried Bessie Fiddler and resides in Coitsville township on one of his father's farms; he has two children: Lamise and Earl: Donald, is a stenographer in the B. & O. R. R. offices. There was ime other child who died inamed, aged about one month.

sylvania, and in Coitsville township. Mahon- ing County, Ohio, They will have at least 150 'phones in by the fall of 1907.

L JEWIS F. OBENALE. one of Beaver township's representative men, resid- ing on his valuable farm of 125 acres in section 15. was born on the farm and in the house now owned and oc. cupied by his okler brother. Theodore Oben-

auf. January 4. 1805. His parents were Francis and Wilhelmina ( Doerfer) Obenauf.

Lewis Franklin Obenauf was educated in the local schools and remained on the home farm mitil he was 17 years of age. lle then worked for neighboring farmers for three years, after which he removed to the farm on which he has since resided, which then con- sisted oi 68 acres. This he rented for abont eight years and then purchased it of his fa- ther, subsequently adding 57 acres, Ile car- ries on general farming, making a specialty of growing janatoes. Formerly he did a large business in raising strawberries, but in later year» has given his attention to breeding fine cattle and raising poultry. He keeps alent goo chickens, employing the most malern methods in his poultry Insiness, of which he makes a specialty.

On July 20. 1884. 31r. Obenauf was mar- Tied to Diantha Plum, who was born in Me- dina County, Ohin, a daughter of John and Kate ( Grill) Plum. John Plom subsequently removed tu Springfield township, where he still resides. Mr. and Mrs, Obenaf have four children, namely : Hattie Irena, boro April 15. 1885, who married George Stackhouse, a teacher residing in Springticht township: Clara EHen. born April 21, 1888, who resides at lugne: Charles Elward. horn August 15. 1800, is attending school : and Floyd Francis. who was born April to. they'. The family be- logg to the Lutheran Church, of which Mr. Olenauf is a trustee.

Mr. Brownlee is a Republican in politics and was first elected town-hip trustee in the spring of too, being re-elected to that office in 1903. The township trustees will spend alenit $5,000 on road improvements during the summer of 10,07. Mr. Brownlee is alses pres- ident of the New Bedford Independent Tele- In political sentiment, like his father, Mr. Obenaní is a Democrat. For three and a half phone Company, the stock of which is owned in Pulaski township. Lawrence County. Penn- . years he served as township trustee. As long

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as the local lodge of the A. O. U. W. organ- ization was supported in this neighborhood. Mr. Obenauf remained connected with it.

S AMMUEL O. EWING. who devotes his fine farm of 240 acres, situated in Boardman township, to farming and the raising of fine stock, is a leading citizen of this section. He was born on his father's farm in Jackson township. on Meander Creek. Mahoning County, Ohio, Oc- tober 1, 1851, and is a son of John and Mar- garet ( Sterrett ) Ewing.

1.Im Ewing, father of Sannel O., re- mainrd on the old home farm, on Meander Creek, muil 1875. when he renkwed with his wife to Canfield. He married Margaret Ster- rett of Muskingum County, Ohio, who died in June. : Xept. while on a visit to her son. Samuel O. Of the children born to them the following reached maturity: Samuel ( Hiver, subject of this article: Frank, who died in the year after the family left the form, aged 20 years; Eliza- beth, who married J. B. Kirk : 1.la. of whom'! there is no special mention: J. Calvin and Mar- garet, twins, the latter of when died aged 20

years. the former. a prominent citizen of Ma- honing County and for six years judge of the probate court ; and James G., a resident of Yomigstown.

Samuel Oliver Ewing spent his boyhood on the old home place and 'was educated in the district schools, the high school at Jackson Center, Poland Seminary, and at Geneva Col- lege, Northwood, Ohio, where he spent one year. Mr. Ewing subsequently taught school for a number of terms, and for some years traveled in the interests of the Champion and the Johnson Machine Companies, his field be- ing Northeastern Ohio and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

The paternal grandfather of Mr. Ewing, In politics, Mr. Ewing has always been a stanch Republican. In 188g he was elected he served for four years. From 1875 until 1880 he resided at Canfield, where he bought property. lle also invested in real estate in Ellsworth township, but later sold this land as he did land he owned at Youngstown. After leaving the sheriff's office, he bought his moth- er's place, on which he lived ntil 1898. when he purchased his present farmu from the Board- man estate, Mr. Ewing carries on a general agricultural line, but gives a large measure of his attention to the raising of his high-grade steck. Percheron horses, Shorthorn cattle and Delaine sheep. Mr. Ewing has sold over 1,000,000 feet of lumber off his place. He has pride nrmy improvements, including the build- ing of his five ten-room frame residence, sub- stantial harns and valuable silos. John Ewing, was born in Ireland and came as a settler in the green words of Jackson town- I sheriff of Mahoning County, in which office ship at a time when few others had yet ven- tured inta this wilderness, and when he still found Indians in the forests and along the streams. Hle married Margaret Orr and they passed their lives amid these pioneer surround- ings : their remains lie in the old Jackson town- ship cemetery. He had acquired land and was able to leave farms to his surviving children, his son John getting the old home plice. Ilis children were: Mary, who married A. Gault (deceased ) : Marjorie, who is the widow of Robert Gault; Martha, who married William Riddle, lush of whom being now deceased; Anna. w he married John Guthrie: Nelhe, who became the wife of William Ewing, of Pitts- burg: Sarah, who married Francis Johnson: Rebecca, Catherine, Alexander. Gibson, and John, all of whom are now deceased.

In February, 1884, Mr. Ewing was mar- ried to Emma Fox, who was born in Lawrence Comty, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Jacob Fox, who was killed in the army during the Civil War. Being left an orphan at an early age. Mrs. Ewing was reared by her grandfather, Andrew Fox, who moved from New Castle to Hillsville, Pennsylvania, where he died. Mrs. Ewing was an only child. Mr. and Mrs. Ewing have one son, Frank, who was graduated from the Poland Seminary in that, and assists his father in the manage- mient of the farm.

For one seir. Mr. Ewing served as a jus-

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tice of the peace in Canfield township, when he resigned. He served also as a member of the Boardman township school board and was the min promoter of the work of securing the centralized school at Boardman Center. He has been prominent in carrying out all public- spirited enterprises which have had for their object the advancement of the general welfare,

5 H. HAHN. M. D., for many years a very prominent and successful physi- cian and surgeon of Youngstown, was born in 1846 at Georgetown, near Salem, Ohio, and died at his home, on the Oak street extension, Youngs- town, August 28, 1905. By some members of the family the family name is spelled Hawn.

HI. H. Hahn was mainly reared at North Lima, where his father, Dr. Hahn, settled in his childhood and became a prominent physi- cian of Mahoning County. He was educated in the schools at North Lima and Canfield, and subsequently taught school for a time. When 20 years old he entered Poland Academy as a classmate of the late President William Mc- Kinley. From Poland Academy he went to the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he completed the collegiate course. Graduated in medicine at the Long Island Hos- pital College as valedictorian of his class, he then served as interne in the Catholic Hospital at Pittsburg. On returning to Ohio the young physician took up the practice of his late fa- ther, and for the following six years devoted himself thereto, meeting with success and a continuation of the confidence which had been reposed in his father. After a few months at Cincinnati, Dr. Hahn came to Youngstown, in the spring of 1880, and was one of the city's leading practitioners, both in medicine and surgery, until he was obliged to retire from a very arduous practice in order to seek the upbuilding of his own health. The news that it was impaired beyond recovery came as a sad blow to his family and to the large body

of patients who had so long relied upon his great skill.

Dr. Hahn was a valued member of the Ma- honing County Medical Society. Ohio State Medical Society and American Medical Asso- ciation. He was a close and enthusiastic stud- ent, and was especially interested in electric- ity as a remedial agent. During the later years of practice he used it extensively and with remarkable results, having every modern scientific appliance in this line. At the time of his death he was one of the oldest and most successful practitioners of medicine in the Ma- honing Valley.

Dr. Hahn was married to Minerva Jane Clinker, of lowa, but formerly of North Lima, Ohio. She still survives, residing in a beauti- ful home at No. 217 Wick avenue. She has two sons, F. R. and Charles B. F. R. Hahn, who is a graduate of the law department of the University of Michigan, class of 1903, is a rising young attorney of Youngstown, with an office on Phelps street. Charles B. Hahn graduated from the dental department of the Western Reserve College in 1902 and prac- ticed his profession at Youngstown for a short time, afterwards locating in Jefferson, Ohio. Dr. Hahn is also survived by two brothers, Dr. E. Hawn, of Leetonia, and Dr. B. F. Hawn, of Youngstown, and three sisters, viz : Mrs. J. N. Fiester, of Newton Falls; and Mrs. Lucinda Mowen, and Susan, of North Lima.

Politically Dr. Hahn was a strong adlier- ent of the Republican party. For several years, under a Republican administration, he served as county coroner. He was connected with a great deal of charitable work in the city and perhaps saw more need of medical phil- anthropy than any other city physician, as he hell the office of president of the City Hospital staff for a long period. This work was one in which he took the deepest interest and of which he conversed feelingly. Fraternally he was identified with the Masons. Personally Dr. Ilalın was a man of sympathetic manner and soothing presence, and it was no unusual thing for his patients to remark that his word and tonch carried herling with them.

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ON. JAMES B. KENNEDY, former- ly judge of the court of connoon pleas, and a member of the law firm of Hine. Kennedy & Robinson, at Youngstown, has been identified with the bench aud bar of Mahoning County since March. 1885. Judge Kennedy was born in Youngstown. November 20, 1862, and is a son of John R. and Elizabeth ( Bird) Kennedy.

The Kennedy family is of Scotch-Irish ex- traction, the original stock having been im- planted in Ireland early in the 18th century. The founder of the Kennedy's in the United States, who bore the family mime of James, established Himself late in the 18th century in Cumberland County. Pennsylvania, where family records reveal that he married a daugh- ter of Lord Stewart, who came across the At- lantic abont the same time. Their om James was reared in Cumberland County, married there and reared four sens, one of whom dis- tiugnished hunself later in the War of 1812. In INCR Jame, Kennedy and his four sons came to the Western Reserve of Ohio, and set- tled in Trumbull County.

James Kennedy, the third of the name, was ; and later devoted several years to its serions

the grandfather of Judge Kennedy. His whole life was passed in Mahoning County. where he married Sarah Reed, als of Irish extraction and pioneer parentage, and they reared a family of ten children, John R., the | second son, being the father of Judge Kennedy.

Jolm R. Kennedy was born in 1820 at Contaville. Ohio, and was the pioneer in the iron Imsiness, which has been one of the foundation stones on which Youngstown has built her present prosperity. He was inter- ested in furnaces, as builder and manager, dur- ing the rest of his life. and also had other business interests in Youngstown, In his early political life he was a Democrat, but later became identified with the Republican party. Ou numerons occasions he was chosen by his fellow -citizens fur positions of resquasi- bility and for a umber of years he was county commissioner of Mahoning County. His death occurred in t86 at Haselton, Ohio, tu which

place he had removed two years before. and where his wife also died in 1870. She was 1. rn in England. in 1823. The two children of John R. Kennedy and wife were David S. and James B. The former has long been con- nected with the steel interests at Homestead. Pennsylvania.

James B. Kennedy was but six years oldl when he suffered the loss of his father and this was soon followed by the death of his mother. The two orphan sons eame under the care of the paternal grandfather. The subject of this sketch was in school at Coitsville for two years, Inter went to schond on Woud street. Youngstown, and still later attended school at Poland, being there prepared for the elisical department of the University of Michigan at An Arbor. Failing health caused him to leave Ann Arbor and his studies within a year, but as soon as he bad regained his normal con- dition he took a commercial course at Duff's Business College, at Pittsburg, and thus pre-

pared himself for entrance into commercial life. His inclination however led him in the direction of the law, and while teaching school. in 1882-83. he did his preliminary reading study. In March, 1885. Fe was admitted to the har at Columbus, Ohio,

Judge Kennedy wisely chose his birthplace as the scene of his professional labors. His ability was almost immediately recognized and from that time until the present he has en- joyed a very liberal patronage and has won many professional laurels. Intelligently in- terested in public affairs, he became identified with the Republican party, and on this ticket he was elected prosecuting attorney of Mahon- ing County, in November, too. His fearless conduct while attending to the duties of this jvisition, as well as his wisdom and tact in handling many important cases which came up for his consideration, Int added to the con- filence and admiration he had already in- spired and his election to the bench logically followed. Judge Kennedy served with admir- able results from 1807 to 1900. when he re- signed the position in order to give attention to a private practice, which has since absorbed

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his time and energy to a large degree and the emoluments of which are entirely satisfactory. The junior menil:ers of the firm are C. D. Hine and Thos. L. Robinson, a son of Judge Robin- son, of the common pleas court.

Judge Kennedy was married March 4. :884. to Roxanna Rice, who was born in Po- land. Ohio, and died in June, 1896. Judge Kennedy later married Mary Swift Young, of Baltimore, Maryland. Three children were born to the first marriage: D. R., Florence and D. S. Kennedy. Judge Kennedy and fain- ily reside at No. 270 Madison avenue.

HOMAS H. WELLS. Few among the earlier inhabitants of Youngs- town whose life histories have been intimately connected with the rise and progress of the city from its early condition. twenty years before the Civil War, as a small and somewhat commonplace village, to its present-day importance as a great and work-famed manufacturing center. have cut so striking a figure as he whose name begins this sketch,

Though not of native birth, Mr. Wells possessed in a high degree those character- istic American qualities which make for suc- cess in whatsoever field their possessor may choose to seek it, and by virtue of which he may be justly regarded as one of the makers and buiklers of Youngstown as it is today.

Born in Dublin, Ireland. December 12, 1814. he was a true son of that land whence sprang the poet Moore and freedom's martyr, Emmet, and which has added many a glitter- ing name to history's page. Of a superb phy- sique and commanding presence. he was espe- cially noted for that peculiar charm of man- ner, approaching personal magnetism, that be- longs as of right to the true Irish gentleman, wherever he may be found.

Ile came of a good family, through whose influential connections he obtained and held for some time in early manhood a position in the Government service at Dublin. This. however, he resigned after a few years to

come to America. A civil engineer and archi- tect by profession, he entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad, his headquarters being located at Newark, New Jersey. The railroad at that time extended only to New Brunswick, that state. Mr. Wells made the original survey from Trenton, New Jersey, to New York. In his capacity of architect he designed the Pennsylvania station at Phila- delphia. Subsequently giving up his profes- sional life to enter the commercial fieldl. he settled in Youngstown, and began in a newlest way as a merchant on East Federal street. Later he removed to a store on West Federal street. and was afterwards located for some time in the Merchant's block, of which he was part owner.

Successful in business, he grew up with the city, and with its expansion there came to him opportunities for legitimate investment of which he was not slow to avail himself. Ile was intimately connected with the develop- ment of the coal industry. for a number of years operating mines in Mineral Ridge, Aus- tintown township and elsewhere. Later he became one of the largest owners of the Youngstown Rolling Mill Company, which developed subsequently into what is now the Carnegie Union works of the United States Steel Corporation. He was also interested in numerous other husiness and financial enterprises, and erected some of the principal business blocks in the city of Youngstown. In 1863 he was elected mayor of Youngstown. His wealth increased and in his latter years he paid, it is said, the largest personal tax of any man in the city.

Vet with all this triumphal achievement along business and commercial lines he was no mere man of dollars. Of intellect above the ordinary. he never prostrated himself be- fore the Golden Calf. He was money's mas- ter, not its slave. The rich and the poor, the worthy of all classes, ever received at his hands that ungrudging justice, that refined courtesy which was perhaps his most striking characteristic. His years were long in the land in which Providence had cast his lot, and on September 1, 1905. at the veneral.le age of

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nearly ninety-one. he passed away, respected by his fellow citizens and deeply mourned by all those with whom he had been on terms of intimate association.

Mr. Wells was married in 1878 to Miss Grace Jewett, of Greenville, Pennsylvania. With her he joined the First Presbyterian Church of this city, which had subsequently a large share of his munerous benefactions. Mrs. Wells died suddenly in 1891, after hav- ing been the mother of four children, who were as follows: Mary, born in 1880. who is now the wife of Richard Garlick, of Youngs- town; Thomas H., Jr., who died when quite young: Grace, born in 1883. who married William Seigfried. of Youngstown; and Thomas H .. Jr. (20), who is now a student at Sanford School, Bethel, Connecti- cut, preparing to enter Yale College.

A portrait of the subject of this sketch may be found on an adjacent page of this volume.

OHN V. CHAMBERS, M. D., who has been successfully engaged in the practice of medicine at North Lima, for a period of twelve years, was born in Boardman township. Mahoning County, Ohio, September 13. 1863. and is a son Di John .A. and Maria L. ( Andrew) Chambers,

The Chambers family is of Scotch-Irish descent. Three brothers of the name came to America from Ireland, in 1774, and it is known that two of these fought in the Patriot army all through the Revolutionary War, and that one was probably killed in the service. no trace of him being found beyond the fact of his enlistment. Of the alone brothers. Thomas was the ancestor of Dr. Chambers. and he was a resident of Washington Comity. Pennsylvania.

John A. Chambers, father of Dr. Cham- bers, was born in Pennsylvania and in early manluxal came to Olo, bening first near Crestline, During the winter of 18 ;;- 60. he remove:l to Boardman town-hip. Mahoning

County, where he resided until his death. Dur- ing his younger years he was a drover, for four years disposing of his cattle at Cleve- land. Later he devoted himself to farming and became one of the township's substantial men. He was always a supporter of law and order and as he was a man of personal cour- age, he wiekled much influence and was able to protect life and property on several occa- sions during the stormy days of the Civil War.

John .A. Chambers married Maria L. An- drew, who was a daughter of James and Mary ( McConnell) Andrew, the former of whom was a millwright by trade. The McConnell family is one well known in professional and educational circles in Pennsylvania. The great-grandfather of Dr. Chambers was a member of the faculty of the Washington- Jefferson College, which at one time ranked with the greatest educational institutions of the country. The children of John A. Cham- bers and wife were: Mary, who married Wil. liam Mclaren. residing at New Carlisle. Pennsylvania: Anna, who is a resident of Newcastle, Pennsylvania: James B .; William Andrew, who lives on the home farm in Boardman township; and John V. Politically John A. Chambers was a Democrat.

Dr. Chambers was reared on the home farm and seenred an excellent common school dilucatien in the district schools and at Po- land. In deference to the wishes of his fa- ther, he considered entering the law, although. from childhendl, he had cherished the hope of becoming a physician. The profession of law being very distasteful. the young student was finally permitted to follow his own inclinations and prepared for college under the preceptor- ship of Dr. Dixon, of Youngstown. In 1895 l'e was graduated with his medical degree. from the Western Reserve University at Cleveland, and inmediately afterward he op- ened an office at North Lima, where he has been since located. His practice, though lucra- tive. exterals throughout the lower part of Ma- honing Conty, which has entailed a great strain upim him. and in the near future he contemplates establishing himself in Califor- ria. He has sent the past two winters in

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Florida and finds a genial climate conducive to his health and enjoyment, and for this rea- son he has practically decided to dispose of his real estate at North Lima and at Youngstown, and sever, with considerable regret, the pleas- ant social and professional tics he has formed in this section.

On August 30, 1897, Dr. Chambers was married to Frances Newton, who like himself, was born in Boardman township, on a farm adjoining the one on which his birth took place. Mrs. Chambers comes of old pioneer stock on both sides and is a daughter of Henry and Emily (Spaulding ) Newton. Dr. and Mrs. Chambers have had one child that died in infancy. He is a member of the Reformed Church.

Politically Dr. Chambers is a Democrat. He is a member of the order of Knights of Pythias and the beneficiary organization known as the Home Guards. For a number of years he has been health officer at North Lima.

OHN VAN FLEET. Among the carly business men of Youngstown who were closely identified with all its in- terests for a period of sixty-seven years, was "Honest" John Van Fleet, whose name stood not only for material pros- perity but also for the highest integrity and the best type of citizenship. Mr. Van Fleet was born October 14. 1807, in what is now Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and, after a long, useful and exemplary life covering 85 years, passed away at Youngstown, June 12, 1803. His parents were Richard and Sarah Van Fleet.

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Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 62

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