OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List January 20, 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 34 Today's Topics: #1 Ohio connections [AUPQ38A@prodigy.com (MRS GINA M RE] #2 Obit Harrison H. MASON, Niles, Tru [vyburke ] ------------------------------ X-Message: #1 Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 07:23:09, -0500 From: AUPQ38A@prodigy.com (MRS GINA M REASONER) Subject: Ohio connections WEST VIRGINIA In History, Life, Literature and Industry The Lewis Publishing Company 1928 - Volume 5, page 329 FRED E. BRAMMER, M.D. Huntington is the home of some of the ablest physicians and surgeons in West Virginia, men devoted to their profession and absorbed in their work, and one of them deserving of more than passing mention is Dr. Fred E. Brammer, a physician and surgeon who is becoming well known. He was born in Lawrence County, Ohio, November 26, 1889, a son of Oliver E. and Sarah E. (Ashworth) Brammer, both of whom were born in the same county, where Mrs. Brammer is still living, making her home on the home farm that Mr. Brammer was engaged in cultivating until his death. Of the seven children born to the parents five survive, Doctor Brammer being the eldest. Oliver E. Brammer was born in 1865 and died November 13, 1910, being a son of James O. Brammer, also a native of Ohio, who served in the Union army during the war between the states. The maternal grandfather, Henry Ashworth, was born in Virginia, and he, too, was a Union soldier during the war of the sixties. First attending the public schools of Lawrence County, Doctor Brammer later was a student of Rio Grande College, Valparaiso University, the Ohio University, and took his profession work in the Medical College of the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he was graduated in 1921, with the degree Doctor of Medicine. For one year thereafter he interned at Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, and then established himself in practice at Huntington, West Virginia, and later at Dehue, Logan County, West Virginia, devoting a part of his time to each place, where he has built up a wide and valuable connection, devoting all of his time to his profession. During the World war he was a member of the Student Army Training corps of the Medical College of the University of Cincinnati, and was honorably discharged therfrom December 20, 1918. In 1918 Doctor Brammer married Miss Olive Ann Cofer, who was born in Gallia County, Ohio, and educated in Rio Grande College. For several years prior to her marriage she was engaged in teaching school, and Dr. Brammer earned the money for his medical education by school teaching, first in elementary schools and later in high schools. Doctor and Mrs. Brammer have four children: Melba Pauline, Joseph Oliver, Ruth Ann and Doris Marie. Mrs. Brammer belongs to the Baptist Church, and while Doctor Brammer is not a member of any church, he attends religious service of the different denominations. Doctor Brammer is a Scottish-Rite Mason, and belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, the Royal Arcanum, the Omega Upsilon Phi medical fraternity, the Cabell Medical Society, the West Virginia Medical Society, the South Medical Association, and is a Fellow at the American Medical Association. In political faith he is a Republican, but his professional duties are so onerous as to prevent his being active in politics, much as his is interested in progress of all kinds, and willing as his is to aid as far as lies in his power to advance the welfare of the community. His skill, his unfailing sympathy and courtesy, his kindly manner and unending charity make him the ideal physician, as well as the noble and upright citizen. WEST VIRGINIA In History, Life, Literature and Industry The Lewis Publishing Company 1928 - Volume 5, page 310 GEORGE W. COYLE is president and superintendent of the Columbus-Darby Coal Company, with headquarters at Keith, Boone county, and he has been long and prominently concerned with coal mining operations, in which connection he now has important interests in various Ohio coal fields. Mr. Coyle is able to revert to the fine old Buckeye State as the place of his nativity, his birth having occurred in Perry county, Ohio, August 26, 1870, and he having been the second in a family of four sons. Charles H., eldest of the sons, resides at Niles, Ohio; Frank M. died in May, 1925; and James, Jr., is a resident of Columbus, Ohio. James Coyle, Sr., father of the subject of this review was identified with coal mining industry many years, and in Ohio he was long associated with the Stratville Mining company. At Columbus, capital city of Ohio, the death of James Coyle occurred in 1902, and there his widow, whose maiden name was Rebecca Miller, still maintains her home. The Ohio public schools afforded George W. Coyle his youthful education, and he early became associated with coal mining, with which his father was prominently connected at that time. It should be noted also that his father was a gallant soldier of the Union in the Civil war, in which he served as a member of the One Hundred Fourteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and took part in many important battles, as well as in the numerous minor engagements in which his command was involved. James Coyle, Sr., was a man of well fortified political convictions, was active in the local councils of the Democratic party, and served in commissioner, City councilman and member of the Board of Education in his home city. The earlier activities of George W. Coyle in connection with coal mining were staged in his native State of Ohio, where, as previously noted, he still retains interests in various coal fields. In 1902 he came to Kelly's Creek, West Virginia, and entered service with the Kanawha & Hocking Valley Coal & Coke Company. Here he remained two years, and he next held for two years the position of mine superintendent with the Cardiff Coal Company. After being for several years identified with the Guyan Valley coal interests he returned to Ohio, where he served as superintendent with various coal companies. He next gave similar service in Eastern Kentucky, where he remained until 1923. In 1925 he assisted in the organizing of the Columbus-Darby Coal Company, of which he has since continued the president and superintendent, J.H. Warren being vice president and Samuel Brown, the secretary and treasurer of the company. Mr. Coyle is financially interested also in oil and gas companies. Mr. Coyle is a Democrat in politics but has had no desire for public office. He and his family hold membership in the Grandview Heights Community Church, in one of the attractive suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, this being the leading community church of this kind in the entire United States. Mr. Coyle is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks as a member of the lodge at Huntington, West Virginia. On the 20th of December, 1902, Mr. Coyle was united in marriage to Miss Jeannette Wilson, daughter of Thomas and Janet (Nelson) Wilson, the former of whom died in March, 1924, and the latter of whom still resides at Corning, the other children of the Wilson family being: Robert, Christine, Johanna, William, Kate, Jean, Thomas, Jr., Ellen and Jemima. Mr. And Mrs. Coyle's only child, Mabel, was born September 25, 1910. ------------------------------ X-Message: #2 Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 07:44:57 -0600 From: vyburke Subject: Obit Harrison H. MASON, Niles, Trumbull Co., OH I inherited this newspaper clipping, reporting the death of Harrison H. Mason on December 31, 1899 (newspaper unknown): "HONORED BY HIS TOWNSMEN. ============ Death of Harrison H. Mason, One of Niles' Best Known Citizens. ============ Was First Postmaster. ============ Widely Known for his Generosity and Probity - A Great Friend of the Family of President McKinley. ============ The death of Harrison H. Mason, one of the best known residents of Niles, and grandfather of E. Mason Wick of the Dollar Savings bank, occurred at Niles. The following account of the life of the deceased is from the pen of The Telegram's Niles correspondent: While longing to see the new year ushered in Mr. Harrison H. Mason of this city died at his home on Vienna avenue at 4 o'clock last Sunday morning. His life slowly ebbed out with the old year and a few hours before its departure he fell into a peaceful sleep, never again to awaken on earth. In the demise of Harrison H. Mason the community and the Western Reserve loses one of its earliest and most honored sons and its most noble lives. Had he lived until Jan. 3, 1900 he would have passed his eighty-first milestone. During his entire life and business career no one was ever more fair and upright with his fellow men than he. His integrity can never be surpassed. He was the soul of honor and always shunned to practice any of the sly turns indulged in by many many business men where financial gain resulted. He accumulated slowly in this way, but left an honored and spotless name by so doing. Another of his qualities was that of coolness and self-control. He took the world just as it came, and no matter what came about he never lost possession of his head. The deceased was born in Maria, Essex county, N.Y., in 1819, and worked on his father's farm, the father being a judge as well as a farmer. The Mason family decided while the deceased was a boy to move west and came by wagon to Ohio, settling at Niles. With the family also came Hiram T. Mason, a brother of the subject of this sketch, who preceded him in crossing the river but two weeks ago. The father operated the first general merchandise store in Niles and the business was taken up later by his son, Harrison, who was the second merchant to dispense wares to the community. He was the first mayor of Niles and also received the first appointment as postmaster to be made. In 1842 he was united in marriage to Miss Adaliza Kingsley of Andover, and their journey through life, while full of cares, has been a joyous one. His aged life's partner now survives him. From the time of his marriage he continued to reside in Niles with the exception of three years spent in the wholesale grocery business in Cleveland, the firm being known as Mason & McDowell, and their store being located at the corner of Bank and Frankfort streets. The deceased is known by many of the older Cleveland merchants. During his residence here he has served in many honored capacities. Besides being the first mayor and postmaster he has served as a member of the school board and as township treasurer. He always took an interest in banking matters and was president of the First National bank at the time of its organization in 1890. At the time of the organization of the City national bank in 1895 he was elected president of that institution, and served in that capacity to the day of his death. He was also postmaster again during the Harrison administration. He was many years a general storekeeper and later was interested in the drug business with a Mr. Campbell. No one in this vicinity was likely as close a friend of President McKinley's parents as H.H. Mason. He ran a general store where the present postoffice is located while the president's parents lived a few doors below at the site now occupied by the City national bank, where President McKinley was born. Jim McKinley, a brother of the president, clerked in his store and William McKinley, when a boy of 6 years, and used to crawl into his sugar barrels and play "I spy" in his wood shed. When the Niles delegation during the last campaign went over to Canton to pay their respects to the illustrious man who received his birth in this city, the president said in his speech that there was but one face among the large mass of his former townspeople that he recognized and that was H.H. Mason, who, despite his age, was one of those assembled. He was called into the McKinley home and a warm welcome was extended him. Several months ago when the president's train went through Niles H.H. Mason was at the depot and heard his speech. He leaves to mourn his loss a wife, three sons - W.H. Mason, a prominent business man of Chicago, H.H. Mason, Jr., of Cleveland, and Charles Mason of Niles, and two daughters, Mrs. R.J. Wick of Youngstown and Mrs. W.K. Miller of Chicago. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and was believed to be the second oldest Elk in America. Funeral at the late home on Vienna avenue at 1:30 standard time Wednesday afternoon. It will likely be in charge of the Masonic order." ----------------------------------- Obituary From the Niles Daily News: "H.H. MASON. ============ The First Mayor and The First Postmaster Of Niles Passes Away ============ IN A PEACEFUL SLEEP. ============ He was the First Niles Mason and the Oldest Elk on Earth. ============ William McKinley who is Now President of the United States and Commander in Chief of Army and Navy Worked for Him When a Boy. - He Had Held Many High Offices and was One of the Most Respected Men in the State of Ohio. ============ Sunday morning at 4:25 o'clock Mr. H.H. Mason, the first mayor of Niles, the first postmaster of Niles and the President of the Niles City National bank, passed peacefully away. He had been ill for some time and the news of his death had been expected for some days but nevertheless when the sad news came it caused sorrow to reign in the hearts of all who knew him. He was the first man to be initiated into the secrets of the Masonry in Niles and probably the oldest Elk on earth. His pall bearers at the funeral tomorrow will be men who are Masons and also Elks. H.H. Mason was born in Essex County, New York, eighty-one years ago tomorrow, the day of his funeral. He received his education in a district school and was reared to the occupation of a farmer. In 1835 he went to Warren and secured a position as clerk. After a few years in Warren he came to Niles and entered into business as a merchant. In 1864, Mr. Mason and his family removed to Cleveland but returned to Niles in 1872 and in a short time was elected cashier of the Citizens' Savings & Loan Association. He held this position until 1880 when he was appointed postmaster. Years before when he kept store in Niles and a boy named William McKinley worked for him, he was postmaster of the village and the first man to act in such a capacity. After his last appointment he served until 1889. In January 1890 he was elected president of the Niles First National bank and he filled this position until 1898. Later he became president of the City National bank which position he occupied to the day of his death. He was married in Niles February 22, 1842 to Adeliza Kinsley. Mrs. Mason was born in Washington county, New York. The following children with the mother mourn the loss of a devoted father: Mrs. W.K. Miller, Kansas City, Mo., Mrs. R.J. Wick, Youngstown, O., W.A. Mason, Chicago, Ill.; Charles Mason, Niles; Harry Mason, Cleveland. The funeral will take place from the residence Wednesday afternoon at one o'clock. Rev. D.R. Moss will officiate." Submitted by Virginia Burke -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V99 Issue #34 ******************************************