Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 98

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 98

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).

Mr. Ohl is a popular member of the Knights of Pythias and the Odd Fellows, at Youngstown.

OUN W. KIDD, whose long and use- ful life was spent in Goshen township, was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, July 22. 1836, and died August tt, 1904. aged 68 years. His parents were George and Mary \. ( Wright ) Kidd.

The father of John W. Kidd was horn in England, and the mother in the United States. They were among the early settlers

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and hardy pioneers of Goshen township, where they were long among the leading peo- ple. Their early home was a log cabin in the woods and there their son John W. was boru. His education was obtained in the dis- triet schools near his home and he grew to manhood well trained in the pursuits pertain- ing to agriculture. His main business was farming although he also operated a saw-mill and followed threshing during his active years. He left a fine farin of over 70 acres which is now owned and occupied by his widow.

On October 1, 1857, Mr. Kidd was mar- ried to Rebecca Minser, who was born in Goshen township. Mahoning County. Ohio, June 25. 1837, and is a daughter of Aaron and Mary ( Holman) Minser. The parents of Mrs. Kidd came from New Jersey and settled in Goshen township when the country was prac- tically new, and they assisted in its develop- ment and civilization. Mr. and Mrs. Kidd had five children, the four survivors being: Ella M., residing at home: William C., a prominent citizen, formerly trustee of Goshen township; Albert P., residing in Goshen township: and Edgar A., who assists his mother in the man- agement of the home farm. The sons, like their late father, are identified with the Repub- lican party.

The death of John W. Kidd removed from Goshen township an honest, upright man, one who was highly respected in every phase of life. He is sadly missed by his family, where his counsel and advice, his loving care and consideration made him much beloved, and by his neighborhood, where he was always help- ful and kind in times of trouble and adversity.

ENRY NIEDERMEIER. of the firm of Niedermeier & Restle, general contractors, of Youngstown. Ohio, in which city he has lived since the spring of 1872, was born in Ger- many. in 1848, and when 18 years okj came to America and located in Gasconade County. Missouri. Here he learned the mason and bricklaying trades, and worked five years at

these trades in that section. He then made a visit of three months in Germany, after which he returned to America and located at Youngstown, Ohio. In 1877 he accepted a position on the city police force, on which he served until 1880, after which he engaged in contracting, but it was not until 1897 that the firm of Niedermeier & Restle was formed. The company does a general contracting busi- ness, working on an extensive scale, through- out this section of the state. Mr. Niedermeier also has other business interests and is di- rector of the Heller Brothers Company. He was married, in 1879. to Martha Heller, and has five children, namely : Henry J., engaged in a contracting business at Youngstown; Louis M., residing at Allegheny, Pennsyl- vania; and Clara, Dora and William. The family all belong to the German Reformed Church. Mr. Niedermeier is a member of the Western Star Lodge, F. & A. M., and the Knights of Pythias. He is also a member of the Youngstown Chamber of Commerce, and of the Builders' Exchange.

J EREMIAH BROWN, a retired citizen of New Middletown, for many years was a prominent agriculturist of Springfield township, and resided on his well-improved farm of 1051/2 acres. He was born March 24, 1834. in Springfield township. Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of David and Hannah ( Flaucher ) Brown.

The parents of Mr. Brown came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, the father acquiring 80 acres of land in Springfield township, on which he lived for many years prior to moving to Grundy County, lowa, where both he and his wife died. They had the following chil- dren: a babe that died in infancy ; Nancy, who married Isaac Snyder, residing in Kansas: Jer- emiah; Eli, residing in Grundy County. Jowa ; Leah, deceased; and Manassas, residing at Devil's Lake, North Dakota. In politics, Da- vid Brown was a Democrat. He was a con- sistent member of the German Baptist Church.

Jeremiah Brown remained at home until

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he was 22 years of age, obtaining his educa- tion in the common schools of his neighbor- hood and securing agricultural training on his father's land. He worked for himself for some two years prior to his marriage and then settled on a farm which consisted of 60 acres, the buildings standing in Springfiel! town- ship, but a part of the land lying in Pennsyl- vania. He operated that farm for six years and then came to the farm on which he lived before moving into New Middletown, in 1806. He made many improvements on his place, re- modeled the buiklings and introduced modern methods of farming.

Mr. Brown was married ( first ) to Sophia Miller, and they had three children, namely : Valentine, residing at St. Louis, has two chil- dren, Dale and Nora; Harvey O., residing at New Springfield, and Francis, residing in Cal- ifornia. On April 4, 1804. Mr. Brown was married (second) to Rebecca Ilgenfritz, who was born in Springfield township, and is a daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth ( Miller) Ilgenfritz.

Mr. Brown has been a life-long Democrat. but has never been willing to accept public office. He is a member of the Lutheran Church.

A IMUS BEARDSLEY & SON, own- ers and proprietors of Dean Hill Dairy Farm, one of the largest and best-equipped dairy farms in Mahoning County, consisting of 340 acres of land, situated northwest of Canfield, in Canfield township, are representative men of this section. Almus Beardsley was born on his father's farm in Canfield township, near his present residence. in Mahoning County, Ohio, January 2, 1828, and is a son of Philo and Lois ( Gmun) Beardsley.

Philo Beardsley was born in Litchfield County. Connecticut, and he was a son of Philo Beardsley, who spent his life on his New England farm. His children were: Birdsey, Jasiah. Philo, Curtis, Ahmus, Agnes, Anna and Sarah, all of whom have passed

away. Curtis, Jasiah and Almus all settled in Mahoning County. The latter made a prospecting visit to Canfield township, visit- ing all this locality on horseback. and after lo- cating a claim in the green woods that then covered all the land, he returned to Connecti- cut and was there married to Lois Smith Gunn, who was a danghter of Chauncy Gunn.

After marriage. Philo Beardsley and bride, accompanied by Curtis Beardsley, left the comfortable old homestead in Connecticut, with a huge covered wagon drawn by a team of strong horses and driving a yoke of oxen, and penetrated into the deep forest where was situated the pioneer farm that was to re- main their home until death. It is probable that they lived in the wagen until the first long cabin was constructed, as many other settlers did, but the first rough house was later re- placed by a larger and better one, in which Alus Beardsley was born.

Philo Beardsley purchased 130 acres and to this he kept adding until, at the time of his death, he owned 200 acres, and he cleared the larger portion of this land himself. He car- ried on general farming for many years and kept sheep and cattle. He was one of the founders of the cheese industry in this sec- tion, and devoted much attention to the pro- duction of fine cheese and butter. His dairy was one of the first that was successfully op- crated in this neighborhood. His first wife died after the birth of 12 children, and Mr. Beardsley was married ( second) to Mary Smith. The children were all born to the first union and were as follows: Chamey, deceased; Daniel, deceased; Mary, deceased; Birdsey: Mary (2); Alnus; Frederick. de- ceased ; Louis, deceased; Kezelia ; Keturalı, de- ceased ; Philo A. : and a babe, deceased. Mir. Beardsley was left a widower a second time. He lived until an aged man.

Almus Beardsley was reared on the home farm and had but few educational opportimi- ties, attending an old stone school-house in the neighborhood for a short time. The study of his grammar look for a half day convinced him that he liked better to drive horses than . to attend school. There was plenty of work to

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do on the home farm and there was a great abundance of everything for material com- fort and Mr. Beardsley made no hard effort to save his money before he was 25 years old. Wages were not very high in those days and he has sheared sheep for three cents a head. When he was about 21 years of age he had his first experience away from home. An Irish drover wished his assistance to drive sheep from Canfield township to Lancaster. Pennsylvania. The outward trip took con- siderable time and the walking was not al- ways good, but the drovers delivered the sheep safely and on their return journey made the trip from Harrisburg to Pittsburg, in five days. Mr. Beardsley was paid at the rate of $1 for every 40 miles.

After his marriage, in 1853, Mr. Beards- ley rented the old home farm from his father for 11 years, although he already owned 27 acres which he had purchased from Mr. Wads- worth and to which he kept adding as oppor- tunity offered. His residence tract of 40 acres he subsequently bought of J. L. Cald- well, and, at the time of purchase, there stood an old brick house on the place. This resi- dence did not agree with Mr. Beardsley's ideas of improvement and he tore it down and in place erected his handsome eight-room brick home which is both comfortable and attrac- tive, and he also has added large barns and other necessary buildings to provide for both his agricultural operations and his dairying. Ile has spent many hundreds of dollars in making these admirable improvements. He has two silos, has put stone foundations un- der his buildings and has done a large amount of tiling. Although he has been a very suc- cessful farmer. he has made the most of his

ample fortune in cattle and has done especially well with sheep. For the past 15 years he has been associated with his son in a retail dairy business, the milk, cream and butter from the Dean Hill Dairy Farm commanding a high price at Youngstown. Mr. Beardsley has never lost his youthful interest in horses, and for years has made a specialty of raising Shetland ponies which are disposed of all over the country.

On September 26, 1854. Mr. Beardsley was married to Mary P. Dean, who is a daughter of Hiram and Ruby ( Mason) Dean. and they have had the following children: Dock, who died at the age of two years; Frederick, who died aged two years; Ruby. deceased, who was the wife of Ewing Gault. residing in Jackson township: Sarah, who married Willis Wilson, who is a mail carrier at Canfield, has three children. Wilbur, Earl and Pearl: Ensign, residing in Green town- ship, married Flora Stewart, and they have four children, Daniel, Ruby, Noble and .Al- mus; and Hiram, who is associated with his father in the management and operation of the Dean Hill Dairy Farm.

Mr. Beardsley and family belong to the Christian Church, in which he is a deacon. In politics, he is identified with the Republican party, and on its ticket has been elected road supervisor, in which office he served with effi- ciency. He is a member of the Grange at Canfield.

HIRAM JOIN BEARDSLEY. township trus- tee of Canfield township and manager of the Dean Hill Dairy Farm, was born in Canfield township. Mahoning County, Ohio, .August 3. 1878. After completing a prepara- tory course at the Canfield Union School, he attended the Northeastern Ohio Normal Uni- versity at Canfield, and was graduated in the scientific course in 1897. He has lived on the home farm all his life and given intelligent at- tention to the management of its varied inter- ests. The Dean Hill Dairy Farm is known all over this section and its fancy creamery butter finds ready sale. the output being over 10,- 000 pounds annually. There is a record show- ing that 4.368 cows were milked here in four months. The dairy now has a fine herd of choice cows and on the farm there are some 70 head of cattle and 6o head of sheep. The tarm raises and sells Jersey cattle. Berkshire logs, Shetland ponies and Shropshire sheep. Iliram John Beardsley is agent for the Cleve- land Dryer Company's fertilizers and the Per- fection Spring Lock Wire Fencing.

On June 18, 1903. Mr. Beardsley was married to Ellen Zieger, who is a daughter of

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STORE OF CUNNINGHAM FURNITURE & UNDERTAKING COMPANY, LOWELLVILLE

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JESSE CUNNINGHAM

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John and Clara (Martin) Zieger, and they have one son, Ward Dean. Politically, Mr. Beardsley, like his father, is a Republican, and was first elected township trustee in 1900, and was re-elected in 1905. He is a member of the C'anfield Grange.

B ENJAMIN PITNEY BALDWIN. re- siding on a tract of 150 acres in the northeastern part of Milton town- ship, was born in Milton township, Mahoning County. Ohio, within sight of his present farm. in 1842, and is a son of Benjamin Pitney and Martha (Polly) Baldwin, and a grandson of Caleb and Eliz- abeth Baldwin. Caleb Baldwin was born in New Jersey, and was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary War. He was an early settler in Mahoning County and was one of the first justices of the peace at Youngstown. Benja- min P. Baldwin, father of Benjamin Pitney, was born in Ohio and was trained in the State militia, but never participated in mili- tary service. He was one of the first settlers of Milton township, and bought the old John Moore farm of 150 acres, which he improved and lived on until his death, at which time he was the possessor of 450 acres of land. He was the father of 12 children, of whom three sons and one daughter survive.

Benjamin P. Baldwin, the subject of this sketch, has lived in Milton township all his life. At the time of the outbreak of the Civil War. he was a member of the Ohio National Guards and twice enlisted in companies organ- ized for active service, and twice was mus- tered in, but each time was sent home on ac- count of disability. He has devoted himself to agricultural pursuits.

In 1865 Mr. Bakiwin was married to Lucy Shirley, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Abraham and Susan Shivley. Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin have six children, namely: Frank S., residing in Arizona: Alice M .. who is teaching school at Warren, Ohio; Marta 1 .. ( Mrs. Fontk), residing at Warren, Ohio:

Linus R., a resident of Cleveland, Ohio; Julia 1 .. Bernice, who is teaching school in Chi- cago: and Ruth. who resides with her parents.

Mr. Baldwin is a Republican. For the last 15 years he has been a notary public and was the first justice of the peace appoimed in Milton township. Fraternally. he is a niem- ber of Lodge No. 462. F. & A. M., at New- ton Falls.

J ESSE CUNNINGHAM, manager of the Cunningham Furniture & Under- taking Company, of Lowellville, was born February 17, 1872, near Hasel- ton, Coitsville township. Mahoning County, Ohio, and is a son of Arthur Murray and Ellen ( Bentley ) Cunningham.

Arthur M. Cunningham, who is now liv- ing in retirement. after a very active life at his various trades, having been carpenter, wagonmaker, blacksmith. and patternmaker, is the father of twelve children, all of whom are still living. His wife, who in maidenhond was Ellen Bentley, passed out of this life in April, 1890. Their children were John, Lois, Jesse. Lucy, Charlotte, Clarence, William H .. Ellen. Frank, Blanche, Arthur M., and Marietta.

Jesse Cunningham lived in Coitsville town- ship until 18 years of age. He obtained his education in the River school and later attend- ed the High School at Coitsville Center for one year. He learned the carpenter's trade with his father and worked at it after his mother's death at Freedom, Beaver County. Pennsylvania, for several months, He then entered the employ of the Craig Manufactur- ing Company. casket manufacturers. now known as the Freedom Casket Company. Ile remained in the employ of this company for six years and was advanced to the position of foreman of the factory. Coming to Lowell- ville in 1806, he engaged in the furniture busi- Icss in a small buikling on the lot now ocen- pied by the John Frech building. He subse- quently moved into the building where An-

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drew Kroeck is now located and while there formed a partnership with A. A. Headland, which contimed for one year. He then bought out Mr. Headland's interest in the business and continued to manage it alone for two years. He then entered into a partnership with D. A. Davidson, which lasted until the fall of 1904, when a stock company was or- ganized, and Mr. Davidson's interest in the concern was bought. In 1903 Mr. Cunning- ham and his partner, Mr. Davidson, purchased the old Watson homestead, and after moving the buikling, erected the large three-story building (32x100 fcet) where Mr. Cunning- hain is now located, and where he carries on an extensive furniture business. The under- taking establishment is located on Wood street, the property having been purchased in 1901. Besides his other business interests Mr. Cunningham is also a director of the Lowellville Savings and Banking Company.

June 13, 1894. Mr. Cunningham was mar- ried in Belleview, Allegheny County, Penn- sylvania, to Mary E. Groah. He and his wife have two children: Jesse Lawrence, who was born May 3. 1895; and Virginia Marie, who was born October 7. 1898. Mr. Cunningham is a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge and is past chancellor of Lowellville Lodge No. 537. Ile belongs to the Protective Home Circle, of which he is past president, and also the present president, and has been a delegate at the last three state meetings of the order, which occur every two years. Ile is a member of Enreka Home, Home Guards of America, of Lowellville, of which he is past chancellor and present counselor. Mr. Cunningham takes an active interest in all affairs which tend toward the advancement of Lowellville. He has been a member of the school board for the past eight years, and was chiefly instru- mental in erecting the new school building which was completed in 1905 at the cost of he- tween $35.000 and $40,000. He was a mem- ber of the committee of three who installed the electric light plant of Lowellville, His portrait may be seen on an adjoining page, a view of his store being also published.

JACOB W. RUPPERT, who has been identified with the mercantile inter- ests of New Springfield since 1887, is numbered with the reliable, public- spirited and valuable citizens of this place, and he is also an honored survivor of the great Civil War. Mr. Rupert was born August 13, 1840, in Beaver township, Mahou- ing County, Ohio, and is a son of Benjamin and Catherine ( Wonsetler) Ruppert.

Benjamin Ruppert, father of Jacob W., was also born in Beaver township and was a son of Jacob Ruppert, who came from Lan- caster, Pennsylvania, and settled first just north of North Lima, removing from there to a farm of 200 acres, northeast of Canfield, on which he lived for the rest of his life. Ben- jamin Ruppert married Catherine Wonsetler, who was a daughter of Jacob Wonsetler, of Youngstown township, a member of one of the oldest families in the county. They had eight children, namely: Jacob W., whose name appears at the head of this sketch; Sam- uel, residing near Canfield, who served in the Civil War; Susanna, now deceased; Salinda, who married Charles Fiefield, residing at Youngstown; David, residing in Indiana ; Isaiah, also a resident of that State; Elizabeth, who married John Bensing, residing at Roan- oke. Indiana; and Louisa, who died in infancy.

Jacob W. Ruppert was reared in Beaver township and attended school there and at Steamtown, in Boardman township. His peo- ple owned a small farm, the old Whittenberg place, near Woodworth. Before the Civil War opened, Mr. Ruppert worked in his home neighborhood, mainly on the farm of Henry Beard, and also followed the carpenter trade. On August 13, 1862, Mr. Ruppert took upon himself heavy responsibilities, enlisting in the Federal army, in Company A, 125th Regi- ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, at North Lina, and was honorably discharged from the service, June 2, 1865. During a part of this long period he served under General Thomas in the Army of the Tennessee. He partici- pated in the battle of Franklin, in the daily skirmishes before and around Chattanooga,

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and at the battle of Chickamauga he was cap- tured and held by the enemy for 36 hours, and also wounded severely in the hand. Al- though this injured member was bleeding pro- fusely, not having been cared for, Mr. Rupert kept on the alert and when he found the sen- try sleeping at his post, he quietly rolled out of camp and thus escaped. At Overton Hills, Ten- nessee, he subsequently was wounded in the hip and his injuries sent him to hospitals at Nash- ville and Louisville, and later were the cause of his discharge from the service. Formerly Mr. Ruppert was a member of Tod Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Youngstown, but now keeps up only his connection with Encampment No. 3, Union Veteran League, at Youngstown.

Upon his return to Beaver township, Mr. Ruppert had a long and wearying period of convalescence. He had been too badly injured to permit him to undertake any hard labor, but after he had gradually regained his health, he opened a store at Coal Mines, which he continued to operate for the next 14 years. In 1887 he came to New Springfield and for five years conducted a store on the Square, and then came to his present site, where he built his store building and purchased his residence. In addition to the usual commodities carried in a first-class grocery, Mr. Ruppert handles flour and tobacco, carries a stock of jewelry and several other outside lines to oblige his patrons.

In December, 1865, Mr. Ruppert was mar- ried to Susan Rothgeb, who was born in Beaver township, on the farm now occupied by George Rothgeb, and is a daughter of Ra- phael and Frances (Shank ) Rothgeb, the lat- ter of whom resides with her daughter, and is a venerable lady of 87 years. Mr. and Mrs. Ruppert have had the following children : Della, who married Francis Paulin, resides in Green township, and they have three sons, Seth, Ralph and Earl; Lefaire, who died in the spring of 1906, married Jonathan Haller. residing at Coal Banks, in Springfield town- ship, and left two children. Myrle and Maite; Clark, residing at New Springfield, married Alice Wetzel, and they have three children,

Bessie, Edith and Oscar; May, who married Josiah Hick, a merchant at East Palestine, has one child, Kenneth; and Bertha, residing at home. Mr. Ruppert and family are mem- bers of the English Lutheran Church at New Springfield. In politics, he is a Republican.

5 ON. RANDALL MONTGOMERY, who, as general manager, is con- nected with a number of important business enterprises at Youngstown, Ohio, was born on Federal street, Youngstown, in 1851, and has been a citizen of prominence here for many years, serving as mayor from 1888 until 1892, and for four years as member of the Legislature from Ma- honing County.

After completing the public school course at Youngstown, Mr. Montgomery worked for some four years in the grocery store of A. J. Morgan, and was then in the hardware line with Fowler, Stambaugh & Company. Later he embarked in a plumbing business under the firm name of Montgomery, Thompson & Company, which was the foundation of the immense business of Stambaugh, Thompson & Company. Mr. Montgomery was in the plumbing business for nine years, but prior to this he had worked several years in the oil fields. He was elected mayor of Youngs- town while in the plumbing business, from which he then retired. After completing a very popular administration as mayor, Mr. Montgomery was then elected to the State Legislature and served with distinction, for four years. Subsequently he was appointed city commissioner and on the death of Mr. Holmes, he became general manager of the Youngstown Consolidated Gas and Electric Company, the Youngstown & Sharon Street Railway, the Valley Street Railway, the Sharon & New Castle Street Railway, the Wheatland Street Railway, the Shenango Val- ley Electric Light Company, and the Sharon Gas & Water Company.

Mr. Montgomery is also a member of the board of directors of the Chamber of Com-

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merce and is a trustee and president of the Youngstown Hospital Association. Fratern- ally he is an Elk. a Knight of Pythias, an Odd Fellow and a 32nd degree Mason.

J OHN D. MORRISON, one of New Springfieldl's leading business men who, since June 18. 1897, has been manager of the C. Y. Shearer general store at this point, and since June 1. 1905. has also been manager of the Springfield Butter Manufacturing Company, of which he is a director, is a native of Columbiana Coun- ty, Ohio, having been burn in Unity township. March 20. 1872. His parents were John and Lucinda | Reesh ) Morrison.

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Twentieth Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 98

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