Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 69

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 69

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On October 6, 1875, Mr. Barber was mar- ried to Sarah A. Cronick, who was born in Berlin township, and is a daughter of Michael Cronick. They have two children, namely : Nora, who married Rev. J. A. James, resid-

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ing at Limestone, Pennsylvania, where he is pastor of the Presbyterian Church; and Hom- er F., residing in Smith township, Mahoning County.

Politically Mr. Barber is a Republican, and since 1903 he has been serving as township trustee and now fills the responsible position of president of the board. He is a member of Amity Lodge, No. 124, Odd Fellows, at Salem.

ENRY TOD. For many years the late Henry Tod stood at the head of a number of the most important busi- ness interests of Youngstown, Ohio, and he was also a man of such ster- ling character and possessed such high civic and personal ideals, that his loss to his com- munity was in every way a calamity. Henry Tod was born at Warren, Ohio, June 14. 1838, and died at his beautiful home at No. 152 Lin- coln avenue, Youngstown, on February 20, 1905. He was the third of seven children born to his parents, David and Maria ( Smith ) Tod, the former Ohio's great war governor.

Gov. David Tod was born at Youngstown, Ohio, February 21, 1805, and was a son of Judge George and Sally ( Isaacs) Tod, who were pioneers from Connecticut to Ohio. In 1827 David Tod was admitted to the bar at Warren, where he engaged in practice until 1843. when he took up his residence on a prop- erty which his father had acquired. Brier Hill Farm, near Youngstown, and which subse- quently came into his possession. Often called from its peaceful shades, this property re- mained his chosen home when he was permit- ted to retire from public life, and here he died on November 23, 1868, one of the most distinguished citizens of the Commonwealth. In 1848 he was appointed minister to Brazil. by President Polk, and there he remained an honorable representative of the United States Government until 1853. In all his diplomatic relations with the Brazilian government, he retained the personal regard of the ruler of that country, and the confidence of the people at home.

At Warren, Ohio, on July 24, 1832, Mr. Tod was married to Maria Smith, who was a daughter of one of the early settlers of the Western Reserve. Their children were: Char- lotte, who died in 1868, was the wife of Gen- eral A. V. Kautz of the United States army; John, who died at Cleveland, in 1898; Henry, who is the subject of the present biography; George, a resident of Tod Lane, a sketch of whom will be found in this volume, is presi- dent of the Brier Hill Iron and Coal Com- pany ; William, a sketch of whom will be found in this work, died April 27, 1905, one of Youngstown's most prominent men; Grace, who is the wife of Hon. George F. Arrel, a sketch of whom will also be found in this volume; and Sallie, who is a resident of Youngstown.

The late Henry Tod was but ten years old when his father became United States Minis- 1er to Brazil, and the family accompanied him to Rio Janeiro. After a year's residence there, however. the parents decided that in the inter- ests of the children's education on the line of making them good American citizens, of which their father was a type, the old home schools offered better advantages, and, this being the case, the mother brought them back to Youngstown.

Henry Tod continued in school at Hiram and Poland, and he was also afforded private tutors, subsequently developing into just the young man of bright intelligence and untiring industry that met with his father's hearty ap- proval. When but 21 years of age he was made manager of the Brier Hill Iron and Coal Company: Other successful business enter- prises with which he was closely concerned were : the Biwabik Mining Company. of which he was president; the Youngstown Steel Com- pany; the Youngstown Carriage and Wagon Company : the Ohio Leather Company ; the Republic Rubber Company, and many others, while his financial affiliations were: a director in the First National and the Mahoning Na- tional Banks, and for twenty-nine years he was president of the Second National Bank. until it was merged with the First National Bank in May, 1904.

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In 1869 Henry Tod was married first, to Dillie Pollock, who died at Pueblo, Colorado, December 28, 1878, leaving two sons, John and Henry. John Tod is president of the Amer- ican Belting Company, vice-president of the Falcon Bronze Company, and secretary of the Republic Rubber Company, with office at No. 35 Central Square, the same location being the office of the Henry Tod estate, of which he is one of the executors. The youngest son, Henry Tod, Jr., was killed on October 8, 1902, in an automobile accident. In 1891 the late Henry Tod was married, second, to Lu- cretia Van Fleet, who is a daughter of John Van Fleet, a sketch of whom will be found in this volume. Mrs. Tod still occupies the fam- ily home on Lincoln avenue.

The late Henry Tod was largely instru- mental in bringing to the vicinity of Youngs- town, a number of its important industries. It was through his influence, to a considerable degree, that the county seat was removed from Canfield to the more central location at Youngstown, and the building of the court house resulted from his agitation of the sub- ject. The history of the rise and successful development of one of the city's financial in- stitutions, the Second National Bank, forms an interesting part of the story of his life and is connected with the expansion of many of Youngstown's prosperous enterprises. Ile was elected its first president and for 29 years, as has already been mentioned, he continued to serve in that capacity. He was notably in- terested in the advancement of every project by which Youngstown could be substantially improved, and in this connection may be men- tioned his activity in the building of the pres- ent large Opera . House.

The late Henry Tod was a man of Chris- tian living. and although he never identified himself with any particular sect or advocated any one creed, he was confident that there was good in all and was ready to contribute to the benevolent enterprises of every denomination. He was charitable, lavishly so, but to him it was as a simple every-day duty, nothing to herald abroad to make himself conspicuous among men. He was a man of personal cour-

age and of indomitable will. Long he con- trolled others and when mortal sickness came upon him, he no less was able to control him- self, and calmly awaited a summons he was able to see before him in the immediate future. Henry Tod died as he had lived, a worthy son of a worthy father. Mr. Tod's portrait accompanies this sketch.

JONAS GOODMAN, president of the board of trustees of Green township. and one of the representative men of this part of Mahoning County, re- sides on his well-cultivated farm of 182 acres, which is situated in section 8. Mr. Goodman was born January 31, 1845, in Green township, Mahoning County. Ohio, and is a son of William and Julia A. (Smith) Goodman.

The parents of Mr. Goodman were natives of Ohio and his father was an early settler in Green township, where he died in 1851. Of the children born to William and Julia Good- man, five survive, as follows: Hannah, who married Joseph Knauf, residing in Ellsworth township; Catharine. who married Jacob Dustman, residing in Berlin township; Amelia, residing in Ashtabula County, Ohio: Jonas, whose name begins this sketch; and Eli, re- siding in Green township.

Jonas Goodman attended the public schools of Green township in his boyhood and enjoyed equal advantages with children of his own age in this section. From youth he per- formed the tasks that usually fall to boys on a farm, and became thoroughly trained in all that pertains to practical farming. For a minber of years following his marriage, he farmed in Butler township, Columbiana Coun- ty, and then returned with his family to Ma- honing County, and settled on the farm on which he has resided for over a quarter of a century.

On February 5. 1874. Mr. Goodman was married to Sarah M. Woolf, who was born July 5. 1853. in Columbiana County, Ohio. and is a daughter of Samuel and Eliza ( Metz)

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Woolf, the former of whom was born in Co- lumbiana County and the latter in Stark County, Ohio. Adam Woolf, the grand- father of Mrs. Goodman, was born in Butler township and was a son of Jacob Woolf, who was a pioneer in Columbiana County.

Mr. and Mrs. Goodman have had five chil- dren, the four survivors being as follows: Hattie C., who married John Weaver, resid- ing in Green township; Celesta B., who is a teacher in the public schools of Green town- ship: Belva M., who married Richard God- ward, residing in Green township; and Rachel, residing at home.

In his political convictions Mr. Goodman is a stanch Republican. He has always taken a prominent part in township matters pertain- ing to education and good government, has served on the school board and for some years has been a township trustee, at present being the presiding officer of the board.

m ASON EVANS, president of the Commercial National Bank of Youngstown, and formerly junior member of the law firm of Sander- son & Evans of this city, occupies a very prominent position in the business and sicial life of Youngstown. He was born No- vember 27, 1849, at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, and is a son of Owen and Sarah (Roe) Evans.

Owen Evans, who came of Welsh ances- try, was born in Montgomery County, Penn- sylvania, and was a resident of Philadelphia for many years, where he was a man of sub- stance and standing. He died in that city in 1859, when his son was 10 years of age. He is survived by his widow, a native of Cincin- mati, Ohio, who still resides in the city of Brotherly Love.

Mason Evans enjoyed excellent education- al advantages in his native city. He read law with Aaron Thompson, a prominent prac- titioner of Philadelphia, prior to entering the law department of the University of Pennsyl- vania, where he was graduated in the class of

1869. Mr. Evans chose Youngstown, Ohio, as a favorable field for the exercise of his profession, coming to this city September 19, 1871. In 1875 he was admitted to the Ohio bar, at Warren, and began practice. The law firm of Sanderson & Evans, composed of Gen- eral Thomas W. Sanderson and Mason Evans, controlled during its existence a large part of the important business before the various courts. Mr. Evans now stands at the head of one of the largest financial institutions of Mahoning County, the Commercial National Bank of Youngstown. Ile is justifiably rec- ognized as a most useful citizen, whose finan- cial and professional ability, combined with his noted public spirit, have contributed largely to the upbuilding of the city and to bringing it to the favorable notice of the out- side world.

On June 8, 1876, Mr. Evans was married to Lucy E. Gerwig, a daughter of the late Frederick Gerwig, formerly a large iron manufacturer at Youngstown. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have a beautiful home at No. 215 Lin- coln avenue. They have three children living -Frederick G., Eunice and Mason, jr.

R. JUSTICE, M. D., physician and surgeon, vice-president of the Farm- ers' Deposit and Savings Bank of Poland, Ohio, is one of the leading men of this part of Mahoning County, and is a representative of one of its old and honorable families. Dr. Justice was born at New Middlepoint, Springfield township, Mahoning County, Ohio, December 15. 1857, and is a son of James and Julia ( Kirtland) Justice. The grandfather. David Justice, came to America from Ireland, and in 1802 crossed the mountains from Pennsyl- vania with a four-horse team, settling in Springfield township. Mahoning County. Ohio, where he bought a half section of land.

James Justice. the Doctor's father, was horn at Shippensburg. Pennsylvania, and was young when he accompanied his parents to what was then Columbiana, but is now Ma-

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honing County. He was a farmer and a tan- ner and became a man of large substance and much importance in his community. For many years he served in the office of justice of the peace and was a member of the first board of commissioners of Mahoning Coumy. He supervised, in person, the building of the old jail, and assisted in the erection of the first court house. at Canfield. He was mar- ried (first ) to Ann Carson, a native of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and they had eight children, all of whom are deceased. He was married (second) to Julia Kirtland, who was born in Middletown, Connecticut, a daughter of Frederick and Martha Kirtland. Dr. Jus- tice is the only child of the second marriage. James Justice died April 2. 1865, his wife passing away a few months later. She had been previously married to William Fitch, of Boardman township, and had two children (both deceased), one of whom, Julia Ellen, was the wife of Charles Kirtland, of Poland.

Dr. Justice was a boy of 13 years when his parents died. Ile then came to Poland to make his home with his hali-sister, Mrs. Kirt- land. During the summer months he assisted on the farm, and in the winter time attended the district schools and the Poland Seminary. up to the age of 17, when he began to teach, alternating teaching with further attendance at school. In 1873 he began the study of medicine, entering what was then known as the Western Reserve College, but what is now the medical department of Adelbert College. at Cleveland, where he was graduated in 1879. remaining one year longer as an instructor.

When Dr. Justice started in to practice at Poland, he entered into partnership with an okl estabhshed practitioner, of fifty years' ex- perience. Dr. Eli Mygan, and he also opened a drug store, which he still carries on in the same building.

In 1886 Dr. Justice was married to Bertha long, a danghier of John and Entina Long. who came to Poland from Pittsburg. Dr. and Mrs. Justice are members of the Pre-byterian Clurch. Upon the death of Charles Kirtland. in 1901, Dr. Justice was elected vice-president of the Farmers' Deposit and Savings Bank

of Poland. He is president and superintend- ent of the Poland Cemetery Association and is a member of the board of supervisors of elec- tions of Mahoning County. He is also United States pension examiner, having been ap- pointed by President Harrison, through the intinence of the Hon. William Mckinley. when a member of congress. Fraternally Dr. Justice is a Mason.

E LI T. SHREVE, a leading citizen oi Smith township, Mahoning County. Ohio, who. for more than twelve years has served as township trustee, resides on a fine farm of 223 acres. which is situated in section 19, and owns other land in the same township. On this same farm, Mr. Shreve was born. April 28. 1844. and he is a son of Enoch and Elizabeth ( Kille) Shreve.

The Shreve family came originally from Holland. setiling first in New Jersey, where they prospered and were mainly engaged in agricultural pursuits. Subsequently the fam- ily became established in other sections, and as early as 1806, Stacy Shreve, the grandfather of Eli T., same with his wife, Vashti, to Goshen township, Mahoning County, Ohio. buikdling a log cabin home in the wilderness which then prevailed. They lived and died in Goshen township. Enoch Shreve, father of Eil T., was born in Goshen township, where he remained until 1841, when he came to Smith township and settled on the farm now owned by his som, Eli T. This section was mainly wild land at the time, and Enoch Shreve, in his new lwme. repeated the pioneer work which had occupied the life of his father in Goshen township. The Shreves have all been men of sterling character, one of their ancestors having served in the Revolutionary War, but they have been largely men also of peace, members of the Society of Friends. Enoch Shreve was one of Smith township's reliable and substan- tial men. He served in the office of township trustee and was noted for his good judgment and business sagacity. He died in 1865.

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Enoch Shreve married Elizabeth Kille, who was born in Pennsylvania. She still sur- vives and has reached the unusual age of 90 years. Their three surviving children are: Eli T .; Binford T., residing at Bayard, Ohio; and Mary A., who married Asa Pim, residing at East Rochester, Ohio.

Eli T. Shreve was reared on the home farın in Smith township, where he attended school in boyhood, completing his education in the Damascus Academy. Mr. Shreve was reared to an agricultural life and he has always taken interest and pleasure in his avocations which he has carried to great success. For many years he made dairying a leading feat- ure, keeping herds of beautiful Holsteins and Jerseys for the purpose, and for a quarter of a century operated a milk route at Alliance. He has not been interested in this industry for some years, but, with the assistance of his sons, continues his large agricultural opera- tions.

On April 5, 1870, Mr. Shreve was married to Anna V. Ladd, who is a daughter of Joshua Ladd, of Butler township. Columbiana County, and they have had five children, name- ly: Josephine, deceased; Olin B., residing at Atwater, Ohio; William H., residing at Alli- ance; and Arthur J., and Enoch C., both re- siding in Smith township.

Like his father, Mr. Shreve is a Republi- can in his political preference. He has faith- fully and honestly served as township trustee, and has proven himself a valuable citizen. In addition to his residence farm, he owns a half interest in a tract of 32 acres. the other half being owned by his brother, Binford T. Eli T. Shreve is a member of the Friends Church at Alliance.

6 EORGE A. BAKER, the owner and the genial proprietor of the Tod Ho- tel, at Youngstown, has been a resi- dent of this city since 1885, but he was born at Marion, Ohio, in 1848, and is a son of Horace W. Walker and Eliza- beth (Thomas) Baker.

The father of Mr. Baker was born in Ver- 29

mont, in 1818, and died in California; to which state he had gone in 1849, surviving less than one year. In 1842 he married Eliza- beth Thomas, and they had four sons, three of whom died in infancy. In 1855 the mother of Mr. Baker married Andrew J. Crawford, and there were four children born to the sec- ond marriage, two of whom survive. Mrs. Crawford died in 1893.

In large measure, Mr. Baker is a self-made man. Since 14 years of age, when he left school, he has been the director of his own for- tunes. For three years he served as a mes- senger boy for the Western Union Company, at Corry, Erie County, Pennsylvania, follow- ing which he accepted a position as ticket agent for the Atlantic and Great Western Railway, at Concord, Pennsylvania. One year later he returned to Corry, as night operator, begin- ning with a salary of $60 a month, but soon after was promoted and when transferred to Tidioute, Pennsylvania, his salary was in- creased to $75 a month. Mr. Baker then be- came freight and ticket agent for the Oil Creek Railroad, his services commanding $100 a month, and this responsible position he held for three years, when he was transferred to what was considered an important point, May- ville. New York. This road was known at that time as the Buffalo, Corry & Pittsburg Railroad, and he was agent at Mayville for the following eight years, and then took an- other step forward, becoming freight agent at Buffalo. In 1883, after two years at Buf- falo, he was made general freight agent for the whole system, his selection for this exceed- ingly responsible position having been made from a large body of competent railroad men. In 1885 Mr. Baker retired from railroad work and took over the management of the Tod House, a property he had previously pur- chased. Under his direction this hostelry has become the leading one at Youngstown and one of the very best in this section of the state. Mr. Baker owns also a fine estate in the coun- try and has other business interests in this vicinity.

In 1876 Mr. Baker was married to Julia Hurlbert, who was born at Forestville, New

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York, and they have four chiklren: Horace F., residing at Pittsburg, attorney for the Wa- bash Railroad, graduated at Harvard in both law and science; George A., residing at Youngstown, the efficient steward of the Tod House ; and Marie E. and Crawford H., both residing at home, the latter being a student in the Rayen high school. Mr. Baker and fam- ily belong to the Episcopal Church.

In 1890 Governor Foraker appointed George A. Baker a member of the board of elections of Mahoning County, on which the latter's services were of a most satisfactory character. He is one of the most prominent Masons in Ohio, belonging to Hillman Lodge, No. 481, F. & A. M .; Youngstown Chapter, No. 93; Royal Arch Masons, St. John's Com- mandery, No. 20, Knights Templar ; and Scot- tish Rite at Cleveland; Al Koran Temple, No- bles of the Mystic Shrine.

n OAH S. KENREIGH, a prominent farmer and stockman, residing on his home farm of 160 acres, which is situated in section 17, Green town- ship, owns a large amount of land in Mahoning County and stands as one of her substantial citizens. He was born in Mahon- ing County, Ohio, February 3. 1845, and is a son of Michael and Anna M. ( Martz) Kenreigh.

The father of Mr. Kenreigh was born in Lancaster County, and the mother in Berks County, Pennsylvania, both being of German extraction. Caspar Kenreigh, the grandfather of Noah S., was born in Germany, emigrated to the United States and became a farmer in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he re- sided until his son Michael was 15 years of age. When he came to Green township he was one of the earliest settlers in that part known as the Ridge. The Kenreigh family all belonged to the Lutheran faith and the log cabin of Caspar Kenreigh was often utilized in those early days for religions services. This family founded the Ridge Church and for a number of years it was known as the Ken- reigh Church. It is now known as the St.

John's Church. Michael Kenreigh continued to live in Green township until his death, which occurred April 25. 1880. In young manluwal he learned the wagonmaking trade which he followed for a number of years, but subsequently gave his attention entirely to farming and stock-raising. In politics he was a Republican,

Michael Kenreigh was married (first) to Elizabeth Dustman, who died, having been the mother of the following children : Lydia. de- ceased : Elizabeth, residing in Green township; is the widow of John Crockett; Elias resid- ing in Green township; and Catherine. who married John P. Goodman. both deceased. Michael Kenreigh was married (second) to Anna M. Martz, who died May 25, 1881, and the four surviving children of this union are: John M., residing in Missouri ; Isaac, residing at Tacoma, Wash- ington ; Noah S .; and Mary A., who married Lewis Cramer, residing in Canfield township. Jacob, who was born in 1842, died in 1862.

Noah S. Kenreigh attended the district schools of Green township during his boyhood, and on his father's farm was trained to the business of farming and stock-raising, and in these occupations he has been interested all his life. He has resided on his present farm for the past quarter of a century.

On February 6, 1873. Mr. Kenreigh was married to Mary E. Ebersole, who was born October 18, 185t. in Carroll County, Ohio, and is a daughter of George and Elizabeth ( Aberhims) Ebersole, the former of whom was born in Franklin County, and the latter in Cumberland County. Pennsylvania, and both were bnt seven years old when their par- ents moved to Carroll County, Ohio. George Ebersole was reared and married there, but later moved to Canton, Ohio, where he died.

Mr. and Mrs. Kenreigh have two sons: Albert V .. and Elmer G., both residing at home. Albert V. was born July 31, 1875. Elmer G. was born March 31, 1877, and was married. lime 12. 1906, to Blanche Blott. With his family. Mr. Kenreigh belongs to the Lutheran Church. Politically he is a Re- publican.

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HON. JAMES KENNEDY,

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F ON. JAMES KENNEDY, member of the United States Congress from the 18th Congressional district of Ohio, which is made up of the populous and wealthy counties of Co- lumbiana, Mahoning and Stark, is one of Ohio's favorite sons, in that he has done her honor, and his achievements hear the mark of her approval. Mr. Kennedy was born at Poland, Ohio, September 3, 1853, and is a son of Thomas W. and Margaret (Truesdale) Kennedy, both natives of Mahoning County. His mother still resides on the farm in Poland township, on which she was born in 1826. The father, Thomas W. Kennedy, became widely known as an iron and steel manufac- turer. He erected a blast furnace at Yellow Creek, in Mahoning County, in the pioneer days of the iron industry here, and was closely identified with its development. He and his wife had eight children, seven sons and one daughter. The daughter, Mrs. Rachel Becker, resides with her mother on the old homestead. The sons have all gained prominence, six of them in the mechanical arts, and the distin- guished subject of this article in professional and public life. Julian, the eldest, surprised the ruler of the Russias by his feats of civil engineering in his dominions, and Hugh T. and Walter also became so proficient in the same profession as to attract notice in foreign lands. Walter Kennedy became chemical di- rector of iron and steel, and also a mine in- spector in the Chinese Empire, and subse- quently was made first secretary of the Chi- nese Imperial Railway. John Kennedy is superintendent of the great iron works oper- ated at Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, while Samuel is superintendent of the Iroquois Iron Works, located at Chicago, Illinois. Thomas W. Kennedy fills a similar position at Dubois, Pennsylvania.

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Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 69

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