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SOME OF
MAHONING COUNTIES
PROMINENT CITIZENS
Some Pictures and Narratives Provided by The Mahoning
Valley Historical Society |
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Click picture for larger view |
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James Hillman
and his wife the former Catherine Dougherty moved onto
six acres, given to them by John Young in return for
establishing a permanent settlement. Theirs was the
first frame house in the township of Youngstown.
Hillman expanded his holdings and was also involved in
the grist and saw mills at Mill Creek. By 1808 he
operated a tavern in the village of Youngstown. He was
appointed constable for Trumbull County in 1800 and also
served in the War of 1812. Hillman died in 1848. He and
his wife are interred in Oak Hill Cemetery
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| David
Tod was born February 21, 1805 in
Youngstown, Ohio to Judge George Tod and his wife Sally
Isaacs. Following in his father’s footsteps, David Tod
studied law and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1827.
Throughout his career, Tod successfully combined family
investments with shrewd business acumen, developing one
of the first coal fields in the Mahoning Valley and
promoting the canal system and later railroad
development. Possessing an understanding of the
potential of industry, Tod purchased the Akron
Manufacturing Company and moved the equipment to the
Valley, creating what became known as the Brier Hill
Iron and Coal Company, forerunner to the steel industry
He lived out his years at his home in Brier Hill,
outside of Youngstown, Ohio where he remained active in
business and industrial pursuits until his death which
occurred on November 13, 1868. He is interred in Oak
Hill Cemetery |
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| Plympton Ross Berry
was an
active and skilled mason by trade. Credited with
working on or serving as general contractor for a number
of key buildings and landmarks, Berry also took an
active role in civic and cultural affairs. Examples of
his masonry work include: Governor David Tod’s mansion
located on Holmes (now Fifth); the Youngstown Opera
House; Rayen School which is now the Board of Education;
and Youngstown’s first Mahoning County Court House
formerly located at the corner of Wick and Wood. Mr.
Berry was born in 1861 and died in 1917. He is interred
in Oak Hill Cemetery. |
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William Holmes McGuffey. was born in Washington
County Pennsylvania. In 1802, McGuffey's family moved to Tuscarawas Co. Ohio. He attended the country school and
after receiving special instruction at Youngstown he attended
Old Stone Academy. Afterwards he attended and graduated
from Washington College, Pa where he became an instructor. In
1845 McGuffey moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where
he became Professor of Philosophy at the University of Virginia. A year after his
first wife Harriet died in 1850 he married Miss Laura Howard
daughter of Dean Howard of the University of Virginia, in 1851. McGuffey is buried at university Burying Ground in Charlottesville, Virginia. |
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William Rayen (1776-1854), was born in Kent County,
Maryland. Rayen and his wife Margaret Caree
settled in the Mahoning Valley before 1802. Rayen
operated a tavern and mercantile in Youngstown. He was
also involved in the early township government and other
business and economic pursuits. Through his will, he
established Youngstown's first high school open to all
students regardless or race, creed, gender, or economic
condition. The Rayen School was opened in 1866 the
building still stands a 222 Wick Ave. He is interred in
Oak Hill Cemetery. |
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| Volney Rogers
Born December 1, 1846 at East Palestine,
in Columbiana County, Ohio and Died December 3,
1919 in Cañon City, Colorado. He was a lawyer in
Youngstown, and is known for his role in transforming
Mill Creek "hollow" into one of the nation's most
celebrated metropolitan parks. Rogers, a seminal figure
in the history of America's state park system, served as
counsel for the American Civic Association, a group
dedicated to the preservation of Niagara Falls. In 1920,
less than a year after Volney Rogers' death, Youngstown
Mayor Fred J. Warnock presided over the public unveiling
of a massive bronze likeness of Rogers that was designed
to honor his achievements. The Volney Rogers Memorial
still stands near the main entrance of Mill Creek Park.
At the time of its unveiling, Warnock captured the
sentiments of many community residents when he stated:
"We do not erect monuments to selfishness.... We erect
monuments to those who live for the community and whose
high ideal is the welfare of the many. That is why we
are honoring Volney Rogers today".In 2000, Volney Rogers
was inducted into Ohio's Natural Resources Hall of Fame
for his principal role in establishing Ohio's park
districts. |
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David Theobald
was born in Ibesheim, Germany in 1825. He emigrated to
the United States in 1849, establishing a dry goods and
clothing store in Youngstown in 1852. Along with his
partner Ferdinand Ritter, Theobald formed the firm of
David Theobald & Co. which was considered one of the
leading commercial ventures in the area. Theobald
served on the Youngstown Board of Education, Youngstown
Hospital Board, Board of Trustees for the Municipal
Water Works, and was a director of the Mahoning National
Bank. He received the title of “Colonel” through an
appointment as an aide-de-camp to Governor Headley.
Theobald is best known locally for helping to found
Rodef Sholom Congregation. Theobald also owned an
interest in “The Woolen Shop” formerly owned by Abraham
Walbrun. Theobald remained active in both businesses
until 1876 at which time he sold it to his distant
cousin Isaac Strouss. Theobald died in 1887. He is
interred in Rodef Sholom Cemetery. |
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| Mary Ann Campana,
born in Italy in
1913, she emigrated to Youngstown at the age of 8 years. She
was Ohio’s first licensed woman teenage pilot (aged 18 years).
She attended Youngstown College (Youngstown State University).
She also established the world’s light airplane endurance record
of 12 hours 27 minutes without refueling in 1933. Recognition
and honors came to her, not only from the United States, but
from her native Italy as well. In 1989, Italy conferred upon her
the Cavaliere of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. |
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| James Anson
Campbell was born in Ohltown, Trumbull County, Ohio on
September 11, 1854. In 1900 he co-founded the Youngstown Iron
Sheet and Tube Company, later to be renamed the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Company, in East Youngstown with George D. Wick in
1900. Campbell spent thirty years with Youngstown Sheet and Tube
and during that time he participated in numerous charitable and
civic activities. In 1926 the residents of East Youngstown chose
to rename their city Campbell in recognition of Campbell's
contributions to the community. Campbell died September 20, 1933
at the age of 79. He is interred in the Tod Homestead Mausoleum.
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| Dora Schwebel,
in 1906 Joseph and Dora Schwebel started their bakery in
Campbell, Ohio. The business prospered, then in 1928 Joseph died.
Dora assumed control of the business and in 1936 opened a new
$100.000.00 bakery on Youngstown's East Side. As business grew,there was need for a bigger bakery, so in 1951 a new state of
the art bakery was built in Boardman.
Dora passed away in 1964 at age 76.
Her and Joe are interred
at Children of Israel Cemetery. |
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| Isaac Strouss
was born in Hanheim,
Rhine Hesse, Germany in 1848. He came to the United States at
the age of 17 years, being met in New York by his distant cousin
David Theobald who offered him a job in his store. Strouss
became friends with Bernard Hirshberg, a bookkeeper and salesman
in The Woolen Store while working for Theobald. Strouss and
Hirshberg became partners after Theobald sold the business to
him. The firm of “The Strouss & Hirshberg Company” was born,
being formally incorporated in 1906. Isaac Strouss was active
in many civic and social organizations including: Dollar
Savings & Trust Co., Youngstown Chamber of Commerce, Youngstown
Hospital Association, Knights of Pythias, member of Rodef Sholom
Congregation and the Youngstown representative of the Jewish
Orphan Asylum located in Cleveland, OH. He is interred in the
Tod Homestead Cemetery Mausoleum. |
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| Elisha
Whittlesey a Representative from Ohio; born in Washington,
Conn., October 19, 1783; in early youth moved with his parents
to Salisbury, Conn.; attended the common schools at Danbury;
studied law in Danbury; was admitted to the bar of Fairfield
County and practiced in Danbury and Fairfield County; also
practiced in New Milford, Conn., in 1805; moved to Canfield,
Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1806; practiced law and taught school;
prosecuting attorney of Mahoning County; served as military and
private secretary to Gen. William Henry Harrison. He was
appointed by President Taylor as First Comptroller of the
Treasury and served from May 31, 1849, to March 26, 1857, when
he was removed by President Buchanan; was reappointed by
President Lincoln April 10, 1861, and served until his death in
Washington, D.C., January 7, 1863; interment in the Canfield
Village Cemetery, Canfield, Mahoning County, Ohio. |
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Robert A. Gault,
a member of the Gault family of Jackson Township, served with
Company F of the 41st Ohio Regiment. Gault was
promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major in 1863. This photograph
is dated 1864 and was taken by J. H. Van Stavoren, Photographer
in Nashville, TN. Robert Gault’s son J. Ford Gault served as
Township Clerk circa 1921.
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| William
McKinley, January 29, 1843 – September 14, 1901.
President (Born Niles, OH; resident of Mahoning County)
William McKinley's family moved from Niles to Poland, OH when he
was nine so that he could attend the Poland Union Seminary. He
taught in Poland's Kerr School District (1860-1861) and worked
at the Poland post office. After serving in the Civil War, he
studied law and worked for a law office in Youngstown. He was
admitted to the bar in 1876 and practiced in Canton, OH. He
served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1876-1891) and was
governor of Ohio (1892-1896). He ran on the Republican ticket
and won the presidential election in 1896 to become the 25th
President of the United States. He was reelected in 1900. On
September 6, 1901, he was shot by anarchist Leon F. Czolgosz and
died eight days later. He is buried in Canton, OH at the
McKinley National Memorial. |
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| George Dennick Wick
was the son of
Paul and Susan (Bull) Wick. He was involved in the iron and
steel business, being one of the organizers of the Youngstown
Sheet & Tube Company. George served as its first president from
1901 until 1903 when he retired due to ill health. George
earned the rank of Colonel serving as aide-de-camp to Governor
Asa Bushnell during the Spanish-American War. He was married
first to Mary Chamberlain of Cleveland. The couple had one
daughter Natalie. George married Mary “Mollie” Peebles
Hitchcock in 1896 after the death of his first wife, with
whom he had one son George Dennick Wick, Jr. George Dennick
Wick and his wife Mollie, daughter Natalie, and Caroline Bonnell
were onboard the Titanic when it sank in 1912. The women were
saved and eventually returned to Youngstown, Ohio. Col. Wick
was not rescued. Mollie, his widow, was active and served as
president of the Free Kindergarten Association, the Women’s
Board of the Youngstown Hospital and the Y. W. C. A. She
resided at 656 Wick Avenue, now the YSU “Wick House” dormitory
next to the Arms Family Museum of Local History. There is a
monument to George D. Wick in Oak Hill Cemetery. |
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| Michael Joseph
Kirwan
a Representative from Ohio; born in Wilkes-Barre,
Luzerne County, Pa., December 2, 1886; attended the
public high schools of his native city; moved to
Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio, in 1907; during the
First World War served overseas as a sergeant in the
Three Hundred and Forty-eighth Machine Gun Company with
the Sixty-fourth Artillery, United States Army,
1917-1919; engaged in the mercantile business 1930-1936;
member of the Youngstown City Council 1932-1936; elected
as a Democrat to the Seventy-fifth and to the sixteen
succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1937,
until his death in Bethesda, Md., July 27, 1970;
interment in Calvary Cemetery, Youngstown |
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