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Biographies
History of Youngstown & The Mahoning Valley, Ohio
Vols. 1 & 2
By Jos. G. Butler, Jr. -Publ. American Historical Society -
Chicago & New York
1921
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Transcribed by Sharon Wick
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MRS. NANCY HINE
Source: History of Youngstown & The Mahoning Valley, Ohio
- Vol. II - Publ. American Historical Society - Chicago & New York - 1921
- Page 15 |
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MELVIN
J. HORNBERGER. In past ages the history of a country
was comprised chiefly in the record of its wars and conquests.
Today history is largely a record of commercial activity, and those
whose names are foremost in any community are those who have become
leaders in business circles. Melvin J. Hornberger, who
is recognized as one of the leading coal dealers of Youngstown, is
characterized by tireless energy, keen perception and honesty of
purpose, qualities which will insure success in any undertaking.
Melvin Hornberger is a Hoosier by nativity,
having been born at Waterloo, Indiana, on Jan. 10, 1866, and is the
son of Joseph and Anna (Ray) Hornberger, the former a native
of Dekalb County, Indiana, and the latter of Dayton, Ohio. The
father, who was a harnessmaker by trade and also followed
railroading, died when the subject of this sketch was but an infant.
He was killed while in the employ of the Lake Shore Railroad
Company. The widowed mother later married Ward
Diehl, and the family moved to Trumbull County, Ohio, when
Mr. Hornberger was seven years old. The mother died in
199.
The subject's educational opportunities were somewhat
limited, but he availed himself of every chance to gain knowledge, a
trait which has remained with him, so that he has become possessed
of a wide fund of general information. In 1887 Mr.
Hornberger came to Youngstown, and his first employment here was
with E. M. McGillen, whose industry enjoyed the distinction
of being the first business enterprise of the town. Later he
entered the employ of Smith Crawford, dealer in feed, with
whom he remained for eleven years. He was then with the
Pittsburgh Coal Company for five years, being in charge of the
retail yards in the West End, where he handled coal and building
supplies. In 1904 Mr. Hornberger started in business on
his own account at his present location, No. 524 West Federal
Street, and has literally grown with the town, the yard now
comprising two hundred and eighty-eight feet of ground between
Federal Street and the Erie Railroad tracks. He handles coal
and all kinds of building material, and has been remarkably
successful in anticipating the public demand in the way of certain
materials. Mr. Hornberger has also been very successful
as a builder of homes, which he has erected to sell. In all
his enterprises he has shown soundness of judgment and keen
perception, which have in themselves been guarantors of success.
In 1889 Melvin J. Hornberger was united in
marriage with Laura Bishop, the daughter of William Bishop,
of Poland, and to this union have been born two children, ay,
who is associated with his father in business, and Hazel, who
died at the age of ten years. During the World war Jay W.
was in active service for eleven months, having been on the firing
line in Italy with the Three Hundred and Thirty-Second Infantry when
the armistice was signed. He was married May 22, 1917, to
Miss Laura Belle Parkin, a daughter of J. W. and Sophia
Parkin.
Mr. Hornberger and his family are members of the
Belmont Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a member of the
building committee recently selected by the congregation to oversee
the erection of a new church building. He is also a member of
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Chamber of Commerce and
the Automobile Club. Politically he is a stanch republican and
gives his support to every movement that promises to promote the
public good.
Source: History of Youngstown & The Mahoning Valley, Ohio -
Publ. American Historical Society - Chicago & New York - 1921 -
Page 259 |
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JOHN A. HOUGH.
Possessing far more than average executive and financial ability,
John A. Hough, of Youngstown, who is also interested to some
extent in landscape architecture, is at present connected with one
of the more important industries of the city, being president and
manager of the Hough Block & Sand Company, which is located on the
extension of McHenry Street. A native of New York, he was born
in Chemung County in 1869, being the eldest of a family of ten
children.. His parents, John and Mary (McNamara) Hough,
immigrated from County Clare, Ireland, their native place, to the
United States when young, and having settled on a farm in Chemung
County, New York, are still living on their pleasant homestead,
enjoying the comforts of life. They are members of the Roman
Catholic Church, and have reared their children in the same
religious faith.
When but sixteen years of age John A. Hough was
graduated from the Elmira, New York, High School, and for twelve
years thereafter was bookkeeper and financial man for a large
packing house, a responsible position for a young man. For
seven years thereafter he was engaged in the shoe business at
Elmira, New York, and the following four years he spent in Orange
County, New York, having charge of a large estate, on which he
erected new buildings and supervised many other improvements, adding
materially to the beauty and value of the property. The owners
of that estate were friends of H. K. Wick, of Youngtown, who
persuaded Mr. Hough to come to Youngstown to take charge of
the beautifying the offer made him, Mr. Hough spent fifteen
years in adding to the attractiveness of the Wick estate,
laying out walks, gardens and golf grounds, and otherwise adding to
its usefulness and beauty.
Giving up his position, Mr. Hough started the
Climax Block & Sand Company, which he subsequently sold at an
advantage to the Eagle Supply Company. In 1918 he organized
the Hough Block & Sand Company, of which he is president and
manager, and has now a well-established and constantly increasing
business. He has an up-to-date plant, fully equipped with all
the necessary machinery and appliances for the manufacture of cement
blocks, and for the handling of gravel and sand, nothing having been
omitted that would add to its usefulness.
Mr. Hough married, in Elmira, New York,
Catherine Madden, a daughter of Patrick and Catherine Madden.
Eleven children, five sons and six daughters have been born of their
union, and all are living, a family of which any parents might well
be proud. The names of this interesting family are John J.,
Mary C., Louis, James, Justin, Martina, Daniel, Helen, Sarah, Angela
and Anna G. Two of the sons, Louis and James,
served in France with the American Expeditionary Forces during the
recent World war, and both returned safely home. Mr. Hough
and his family are worthy members of Saint Columba's Catholic
Church.
Source: History of Youngstown & The Mahoning Valley, Ohio -
Publ. American Historical Society - Chicago & New York - 1921 - Page
153 |
NOTES:
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