Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 90

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 90

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).

He was married (first) to Sadie Madge. She was a daughter of Robert Madge, a native of England, who when 16 years of age came to America and passed the remainder of his life in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The chil- dren born to John W. and Sadie Brownlee were: Ross W., Thomas E., James O., Jessie May, Calvin ( deceased), Sarah Madge and Martha. The mother of the above mentioned children died in June. 1882. Mr. Brownlee was married (second) to Emma Gilkey, and they have two children, Lena and Retta.

Ross W. Brownlee was reared on his fa- ther's farm in Coitsville township and at- tended the neighboring schools. He learned the carpenter's trade at which he worked for several years, in Youngstown, but later re- turned to Coitsville township, where he en- gaged in farming rented land for several years. He then settled on his present prop- erty. In February, 1901, he built his present sawmill and has recently installed a steam en- gine with a 25 horse-power boiler, the operat- ing of the mill requiring the assistance of from two to six men. Mr. Brownlee also deals in lumber. In addition to the interests named, Mr. Brownlee manages to0 acres of land which be- longed to his father-in-law's estate, of which he is executor,

On February 14. 1894. Mr. Brownlee was married to Edith May Brownlee, who is a daughter of Smith and Emma (Cracraft) Brownlee, and a granddaughter of Moses Brownice, one of the early settlers of Cuits- ville township, who died on the present farm. aged 88 years. Mr. and Mrs. Brownlee have three children : Ralph, Irene and Lloyd. Mr. Brownlee is a member of the U'nited Presby- terian Church of New Bedford, Pennsylvania.

J AMES B. CHAMBERS, general con- tractor and expert in all kinds of ce- ment work, at Youngstown, has been a resident of this city for some 19 years. He was born near Crestline. Ohio. December 1. 1858, and is a son of John A. and Maria L. (Andrews) Chambers.

The late John A. Chambers was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and going from there to Crawford County as a young man, and in 1859 came to Mahoning County, settling in Boardman township, where he lived until his death in 1895, aged 78 years, hav- ing been extensively engaged in farming and stockraising. He married a daughter of Wil- liam and Mary Andrews and they had five children. namely : Mary J., wife of William R. Mclaren, residing at New Castle, Pennsyl- vania ; Ama E .: James B .; Dr. John V .. a physician and surgeon, residing at North Lima; and William A., residing on the home farm. The mother of Mr. Chambers died at his home. August 6, 1906, aged 73 years. The Chambers family comes of sturdy old Scotch- Irish stock.

J. B. Chambers was one year old when his parents moved to Boardman township, and lo- cated on a 200 acre tract of land. and there the boy was reared. His education was se- cured at Poland U'nion Seminary and the Can- field Normal School, and when he left the lat- ter he taught school for about six years. Mr. Chambers then became bookkeeper first for M. W. Jomison and later for Heller Brothers. and still later for the Youngstown Carriage and Wagon Works, but failing health made him give up so sedentary an occupation. He then became interested in the cement business and now is doing a large amount of work in this line and in general contracting. He is also a large owner of realty, having just com- pleted the purchase of a plot of land for which he paid $20,000, and which he is selling in building lots. This is his fifth business ven- ture of this kind. He owns also a farm of 75 acres near Canfield, and has an interest in the old home farm.

Mr. Chambers married Edna A. Simpkins. who is a daughter of Robert R. Simpkins of Youngstown, and they have one daughter. Marjorie, They belong to the Westminster Presbyterian Church, in which he is a member of the board of trustees. Politically. Mr. Chambers is a Democrat. He is a well-known. active, useful, prominent and honorable citi- zen.

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E ZRA A. HOUK, residing on a fine farm of 96 acres located two and a half miles from Youngstown in sec- tion 10, Austintown township, was born August 17, 1860. on the old home farm in Springfield township, Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of Henry and Mary ( Barth ) Houk.

Henry Houk was born in Germany and when about one year old came to this country with his parents, Jacob and Mary Honk, who settled on a farm in Southington township. Trumbull County, Ohio, where they both died. He was the oklest of a family of six chikiren, the members of which were: Henry, Jacob, David. John, Daniel and Rosine. David, Dan- iel and Rosine are now deceased. Henry was reared on the farm and married Mary Barth, who was born in Springfield township, Ma- honing County, and who was a daughter of Christopher and Christina Barth. Her par- ents came from Germany and settled in the timberland of Springfield township. Henry Honk bought the farm on which his wife was born and she later died there at the age of about 77 years, in the same room in which she was born, having resided all her life in that house. Their family numbered ninte children. namely : Solomon, Aaron, Louisa, now Mrs. Theodore Obenouf; Ezra, the subject of this sketch: Eli; William, Sarah, who married Charles Barth, Lydia, and Samuel, most or all of whom are residents of Mahoning Conny. Henry Houk died in March, 1900, aged 75 years. Mrs. Henry Honk was grandmother to about 28 children at the time of her death.

Ezra A. Honk was reared on the farm. his primary echtcation being obtained in the district schools. Ile later entered Thiel Col- lege, at Greenville, Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1888. After leaving school he returned to the farm and was mar- rier September 26, 1894, to Lydia Moherman, who was born March 1. 1862. on the Moher- man farm on this township. She is a daughter of Daniel and Susanna ( Miller) Moherman, whose parents were among the first settlers of Austintown township. Six children have graced the household of Mr. and Mrs. Ezra

Houk, namely : Arthur J., Armand W., Es- ther Mildred, Helen Eldora, Gustavus A., and Luther A. Mr. Houk resided on the Moher- man farm until the death of. Mrs. Moherman, when he removed in 1897 to his present farm, which he and his wife received from the Mo- herman estate. He has made many improve- ments thereon, including a fine, large, eight- roum. frame house, with barns, etc. He is en- gaged in general farming and fruit growing.

Mr. Houk is a Democrat and is at present a member of the school board. He belongs to the Lutheran Church.

S IDNEY MCCURDY, M. D., physician and surgeon at Youngstown, was born in Massachusetts, and is a son. of Mathew S. McCurdy, a resident of Massachusetts, where he is con- nected with educational work. Dr. McCurdy had the advantage of attending the best schools of his native state, passed through Dartmouth College. and then entered the Western Reserve University, where he was graduated with his medical decree. in 1903. Selecting Youngstown as his fiekl of practice, Dr. McCordy entered upon what has so far proved a very successful professional career. In addition to having a large private practice, he has been accepted as assistant surgeon for a number of corporations. He is a member of the Mahoning County and the Ohio State Me- clical Associations.

J OHN C. JACKSON. one of the most highly esteemed and widely known citizens of Coitsville township, resid- ing on the old Jackson farm of 40 acres, located in section 14, Coitsville township. Mahoning County, Ohio, was born on his present farm. April 16, 1867, and is a ! son of Capt. Joseph and Rebecca ( Loraine) Jackson, of whom a full sketch will be found in the sketch of S. D. L. Jackson.

John C. Jackson was the youngest of his

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WILLIAM W. KIBLET

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parents' family of four children, namely : Mar- ietta, who married James McBride, residing in Union township. Lawrence County, Pennsyl- vania : S. D. L. Jackson ; Eliza Jane, who mai- ried J. A. Cooper, residing at Coitsville; and John C.

John C. Jackson was reared on the home farm and in early life engaged in the sawmill business, for many years thereafter operating three portable saw mills, having one in East Hubbard, one in Youngstown township, and one in Liberty township, Trumbull County, Ohio. He removed to Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1902, and became manager of the Medberry & Jackson sawmills, of which his brother. S. D. L. Jackson, was part owner, and continued there until 1905. when he retired from the milling business, Mr. Jackson then returned to the farm which he and his brother own together, where he has since been extensively engaged in general farming. dairying and stock raising.

Mr. Jackson was united in marriage June 22. 180)3. to Evaline Clingan. a daughter of J. J. Clingan, of Coitsville township. Three children have been born to them, viz. : Thomas LeMar: John C .; and Clingan.

ILLIAM W. RIBLET, who owns a very valuable farm of 163 acres. which is situated in section 1. Austintown township, is a repre- sentative business man of this community, and is held in general esteem as a worthy survivor of the Civil War, in which he endured many hardships. Mr. Riblet was born January 16, 1836, in Mercer County. Pennsylvania, and is a son of John and Re- becca (Sankey) Riblet. His paternal grand- father, a native of Germany, came to Amer- ica, settling in Pennsylvania. He had two daughters and one son. the latter of whom. John. married Rebecca Sankey and settled

where both died. They had ten children. namely: Catherine, who married A. Miles; Hannah, who married J. Williams; Angel-

ine, who became the wife of M. D. Moore; . Mary Jane, who married a Mr. Marshall: Re- becca, who married John Smith of Lawrence County Pennsylvania; Amanda, who married George Crane of Erie City, Pennsylvania; Minerva, John. William, and James. The only survivors of the family are the two youngest sons, and Mrs. George Crane.

William W. Riblet was reared on his fa- ther's fann and in boyhood attended the dis- triet school through the winter seasons, as- sisting on the farm in the summer. On Au- gust 27, 1861, he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Company B, too Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry, and remained in the army until his honorable discharge, Au- gust 30, 1864. He participated in the battles of James Island, where he was wounded four times, the second battle of Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam. where . his regiment crossed the bridge under a heavy fire; Freder- icksburg, Vicksburg, Knoxville, Cold Har- bor, and innumerable skirmishes. On several occasions bullets passed through his clothes and his army blanket, but he returned to his home without serious injuries, although it tock a long time for him to regain robust health.

In 1873. Mr. Riblet came to Mahoning County, Olio, buying his present farm from Charles D). Arms, since when he has erccted all the buildings including the comfortable home. There are 15 acres of fine stone on Mr. Riblet's land and for the past 20 years he has done a large stone business. He raises many fine berries and other fruits in connection with his general farming. The place is very at- tractive on account of the care given it, the well-trained hedges and other shrubbery in good condition, shows that Mr. Riblet takes a justifiable pride in his home.

Mr. Riblet was married to Terresa Bell. a daughter of William and Mary S. Bell. She died July 31, 1904. aged 63 years. Mr. and Mrs. Riblet had nine children. namely : Ho- with his wife in Mercer County. Pennsylvania. ; ratio, who married Oro De Camp, bas one child, Pearlinc: Mina W., who married David Stambangh, has three chiklren, Mande, Helen and Paul; William B., who married Clara

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Phillips, has four children, Roy, Blanche, Carl and Grace; Thadeous, who married Flora Overlander, has one child, Glen; Philip. who married Maude Milligen, has two children, Nettie and Dale; Ruhama, who married Grant Titus, has two children, Therresa and Hor- atio; Samuel G., who married Matilda Creed; Fremont, who married Hannah Wint. has four children; and Charles, who is also mar- ried. Politically Mr. Riblet is a Republican. With his family he belongs to the Presbyterian Church. His portrait appears in connection with this article.

G. BUTLER, JR .. Que of Youngs- town's leading citizens, who is gen- eral manager of the Brier Hill Iron & Coal Company, president of the Bessemer Limestone Company and chairman of the Bessemer Pig Iron Associa- tion, has been a very prominent factor in building up the great industries of the Mahon- ing Valley. Mr. Butler was born in 1840, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of J. G. and Temperance (Orwig) Butler. His parents were natives of Bellefonte, Penn- sylvania. The father was an iron worker and was connected with the large iron industries of Mercer County prior to 1842, when he moved to Trumbull County, Ohio, During the latter part of his life he lived retired from ac- tive business, but he became a prominent and esteemed citizen of Trumbull County, of which he was elected sheriff in 1861, and ser- ved until 1865.

J. G. Butler, Jr., has been connected with iron interests almost all his business life. In 1863 he became associated in the iron works of Brown. Bonnell & Company. representing Hale & Ayer. large owners in the enterprise. with whom he remained until 1866, when he became a partner in the Girard Iron Company of Girard. Ohio. In this connection he was associated with the late Governor Tod. Wil- liam Ward and William Richards. This asso- ciation continued until 1878, when Mr. Butler became general manager of the Brier Hill Iron

& Coal Company, in which capacity he has continued ever since. He has large interests also in other companies and corporations. He was vice-president of the Ohio Steel Company, is president of the Bessemer Limestone Com- pany, and is on the directing boards of the Pittsburg, Youngstown & Astabula Railroad company, the Cleveland & Mahoning Valley Railroad Company and the Mahoning Valley street railway system.

On June to, 1860. Mr. Butler was married to Harriet Voorhees Ingersoll, a daughter of Lieutenant Jonathan Ingersoll, of the United States navy, who is a representative of one of the oldest and most prominent families of New England. Mr. and Mrs. Butler have three children. viz. : Blanche, the wife of E. L. Ford, of Youngstown; Grace, wife of Arthur Mc- Graw, of Detroit, Michigan, and Henry .A .. a graduate of Harvard University. class of 1897. who is now with the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company.

Mr. Butler is an ardent Republican and is very prominent in party councils. In 1868 he was elected a member of the first city council at Youngstown, and has twice since been elec- ted to the same office. In 1900, he was sent as a delegate to the Republican National Con- vention held at Philadelphia. He has served also on the City Board of Health.

Fraternally and socially. Mr. Butler he- longs to a number of well-known organiza- tions. He is a member of the Nathan Hale Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution; the American Geographical Society, of New York : the Union Club, of Cleveland; the Du- quesne Club of Pittsburg. and the Youngstown Club of Youngstown. He is also interested in art and has probably the finest collection in the city.

77 ILLIAM C. NIXON, a general farmer and large fruit-grower of Poland township residing on his farm of 61 acres, was born at Pittsburg. Pennsylvania. Febru- ary 18, 1851, and is a son of Robert and Mary (Obey) Nixon. Robert Nixon was engaged

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in operating coal mines during his early life, but later retired to farm life in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, remaining there until 1870. when he returned to Pittsburg, where he died in 1891.

William C. Nixon grew to manhood in the city of Pittsburg and learned the trade of henter in the Eagle Iron Works, at Saw Mill Rum. In 1862, before he was 12 years okl. he began working in the Singer-Nimumnick Steel Works, remaining there for a number of years, when he went to Pipetown and worked at roll turning. When his father moved to the farm he gave up work in the mill and re- mained with his father until 1876. when he married Kate W. Green, a daughter of James Green. She was born and reared on a farm in Armstrong County Pennsylvania, and came from a very prominent family of Armstrong County. Three years after his marriage he removed to Allegheny and worked for 14 years as a heater for the Oliver Iron and Steel Company of that city. In 1892 he traded property which. he owned in Allegheny, for his present farm, which originally consisted of 122 acres. It is situated in lot 75 and lies in the Lowellville Special School district, about half a mile north of Lowellville. He subse- quently sold one-half of this land to George 11. Nixon, a resident of Youngstown. Mr. Nixon has devoted ten acres of this land to apple, peach, pear, plum and other fruit-grow- ing, the remainder to general farming. There is a fine supply of water on this place, there being two reservoirs, each containing 200 barrels of natural spring water, one of which he uses to irrigate the farm, and the other supplies water to the Lowellville cemetery.

Mr. and Mrs. Nixon have reared five chil- dren: Annie M ..: James G., who graduated from the Lowellville High School, also took a course at the State Normal School at Slip- pery Rock, Pennsylvania, and is now clerk- ing for the Oliver Iron and Steel Company at Pittsburg: florace, who graduated at the Loweltville High School, also attended the Rayen High School of Youngstown, Ohio. and the Ohio State University at Columbus, is now connected with the civil engineer corps

of the Pennsylvania Railroad; Hugh Hamil- ton, who is a graduate of the Lowellville High school is also a graduate in the class of 1907, of the State Normal Scholl. at Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania: and Ralph Clair, who attends the Lowellville High School.

Mr. Nixon is a member of the Presbyter- ian Church of Lowellville.

E G. MILLER, general manager of The G. M. MeKelvey Company, at Youngstown, has been identified with the interests of this city for a quarter of a century. He was born in l'enn- sylvania but accompanied his parents to Chi- cago, Illinois, in early youth and was educated in the schools of that city.

In all his business carcer. Mr. Miller has been associated with the mercantile affairs. His early business training was received in Chicago, from which city he came to Youngs- town and accepted a position with the An- drews Brothers, at Haselton. Three years later he entered the employ of The G. M. MeKelvey Company and remained with that firm until 1891, when he organized the Albany Dry Dry Goods Company, of which he was gen- eral manager until 1804. when he went to New York, where he became associated with the firm of Hilton, Hughes & Company, success- sors to .A. T. Stewart, the great mercantile prince of the country, for so many years, One year later he returned to Youngstown to ac- cept the management of The G. M. McKelvey Company, with which he has been identified ever since.

Mr. Miller has other important business connections. He is president of the Wheeler Mineral Spring Company ; a member of the board of directors of the J. B. Pierce Com- pany, wholesale wall paper dealers, of Cleve- land : and is a stockholder in other firms,

In 1896. Mr. Miller was tmited in mar- riage with Miss Todd. in Chicago, and they have one son. Forest Todd. Mr. and Mrs. Miller attend St. John's Episcopal Church. Mr. Miller has numerous fraternal, business

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and social connections and among these are: the Chamber of Commerce, the Youngstown club, the Mahoning Golf club, the Rayen club and the Elks.

AMES A. CAMPBELL, president of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, at Youngstown, is one of this city's leading business men, and is identified with a number of im- portant enterprises. Mr. Campbell was born in Trumbull County, Ohio. but was reared at Austintown, Mahoning County, and com- pleted his education at the Niles High School and at Hiram College.

After leaving college. Mr. Campbell was with the Morris Hardware Company for some time, and he then organized the Youngstown Ice Company, of which he was manager until 1800, when he engaged in the iron business. On November 28, 1900, the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company was organized and incorporated, with a capital of $600,000, which has been subsequently increased to $6,000,000. paid up stock, with a bond investment of $2,500,000, and undivided profits of $3.500,- 000, making about $12.000,000 capital used in the business. The officers of this immense con- cern are: J. A. Campbell, president : H. G. Dalton, of Cleveland, first vice-president ; C. S. Robinson, second vice-president : George Day, secretary; Richard Garlick, treasurer ; and W. B. Jones, auditor. The company man- ufactures pig iron, steel billets, steel sheet bar, galvanized iron and steel sheets and plates. and black and galvanized iron and steel pipe. These works employ 3500 men and their pay roll for the last year was $1,657.304.89, and will probably reach a much higher mark in the ensuing year.

Mr. Campbell is one of the directors of the Dollar Saving and Trust Company: is vice- president and director of the Youngstown Ice Company ; is president and director in the Cen- tral Stone Company : is president and director in the Union Ice Company ; is president and di- rector in the Crystal Ice and Storage Company,

and is a leading business factor, active and progressive in them all.

In 1880, Mr. Campbell was married to Etta Place, of St. Petersburg, Pennsylvania, and they have three children, viz. : Louis J., a student at Yale University; Helen Marie and Rebecca Walton, both of whom are bright students in the Rayen High School.

Mr. Campbell is a member of the board of trustees of the chamber of commerce, and he belongs to the National Union and to the Royal Arcanum. He is president of the Youngstown Club.

AMES LIGGETT, residing in Poland township, on the Youngstown and New Castle road, seven miles east of the former city, where he owns 65 acres of excellent land, in two farms, both located in lot 70. is one of the well-known men of this section of Mahoning County. He was born in Deer Creek township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, November 3, 1830, and is a son of William and Rosanna (Jackson) Liggett.

The father of Mr. Liggett was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and was a son of Joseph Liggett, who accompanied him to Ant- erica in 1819. when the younger was 16 years of age. They settled first in Coitsville town- shop, on a farm adjoining that of John E. Gray, but subsequently removed to Pennsyl- vania and bought the farm in Lawrence County, on which James Liggett was born. There the grandfather died.

Soon after settling in Lawrence County, William Liggett was married to Rosanna Jackson, who was a daughter of Joseph Jack- son, who lived in Coitsville township. Mahoning County, where Mrs. Liggett was born and reared. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Liggett went to housekeeping on the home farm of 106 acres, which William Liggett and his father owned in partnership. The children of William Liggett and wife were : an infant, that died at birth ; Joseph, de- ceased; James; Nancy, who married Alexan- dler Barkley, both deceased; Jane, who married

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DAVID MACKEY

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Zalmon Matthews, residing in Kinsman town- ship, Trumbull County; John, who died aged six years ; Mary Ann, deceased, who married John McLean, deceased; William, residing at Lowellville, who served over three years in the Civil War, being a member of the Second Regiment Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.

In 1836, when James Liggett was six years of age, his parents moved to Coitsville town- ship, where they rented a farm on which they lived for four years, when they moved to Lowellville. There William Liggett followed plastering and mason work from 1842 until 1870, the time of his death, having survived his wife for ten years.

In the district schools of Coitsville town- ship and at Lowellville, James Liggett secured a fair education and then went to work on a canal boat running from Pittsburg to Cleve- land, and later bought a boat which he con- tinued to operate for himself, spending 14 years on the canal. For two years after leav- ing the water, he worked at getting out hearthstones for blast furnaces, at Lowell- ville. In 1869 he purchased his present farm, to which he came in April, 1870. since which time he has devoted his attention exclusively to general farming.

In 1852, Mr. Liggett was married (first) to Harriet Richardson, who died in 1859, leav- ing two children, namely: John, residing at Millbank, Grant County, South Dakota. be- ing clerk of the court, has three children; and Harriet, who married Frank Buchanan, and resides at Grove City, Pennsylvania, has six children. On January 1, 1862, Mr. Liggett was married (second) to Isabella Saxton, and they have the following children : Eliza, who mar- ried Joseph Johnston, residing at East Liver- pool, has three children; Mina, who married John James, residing in Green township, has three children; Anna, residing in Poland township. is the wife of Lyman Stacy; Joseph Saxton, residing at Youngstown, has two chil- dren; Samuel J., residing at home ; and Mary C., who married John Dickson, residing at Struthers, has one child.

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Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 90

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