In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1912) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902), History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1912)
JAMES B. GORMLY.
The unostentatious routine of private life, although of vast importance to the welfare of the community, has not figured to any great extent in the pages of history. But the names of men who have distinguished themselves.
by the possession of those qualities of character which mainly contribute to the success of private life and to the public stability and who have enjoyed the respect and confidence of those around them should not be permitted to perish. Their example is more valuable to the majority of readers than that of heroes, statesmen and writers, as they furnish means of subsistence for the multitude whom they in their useful careers have employed.
Such are the thoughts that involuntarily come to our minds when we consider the life of him whose name initiated this sketch. He is one of the most prominent representatives of the banking" interests of this section of Ohio. A man of sterling worth, his ability in business and reliable methods have won for the institution with which he is connected a foremost position in money circles.
Mr. Gormly was born in Bucyrus November 23, 1836, and is the eldest son of John A. Gormly, whose birth occurred in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, July 19, 1804. His paternal grandparents were John and Elizabeth (Gill) Gormly. The former was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, in 1776. and about 1790 crossed the Atlantic to the new world, locating in Pittsburg, where he entered the milling business. He wedded Elizabeth Gill, a daughter of John Gill, who was born in Scotland and took up his above in the Keystone state prior to the Revolutionary war. When the colonies attempted to throw off the yoke of British oppression he joined the army and valiantly assisted in obtaining independence. About 1830 John A. Gormly removed to Brownsville. Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the dry-goods business, and while residing there became a member of the Presbyterian church. In 1833 he was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Bowman, and in 1836 they came to Bucyrus, Ohio, where he conducted a small general store on Sandusky avenue, having purchased property there. By close attention to business and careful management on the part of himself and wife he became one of the wealthy men of the county. He judiciously invested a part of his capital in realty, becoming the owner of valuable city property and one thousand acres of rich farming land. In 1859 he turned his attention to> the banking business, establishing the People's Deposit Bank, which he successfully conducted until 18C4, when he organized the First National Bank of Bucyrus and was chosen its president, acting in that capacity until his death, which occurred May 8. 1878, when he was in his seventy-fifth year. To his management, fair dealing and integrity the bank owes its high reputation, which lias not been lessened under the management of his son, James B. Gormly, who is now president. In church work he always took an active interest, doing all in his power to promote the cause of Christianity. In 1838 he was elected a ruling elder in the Presbyterian church and in 1868 was made a lay delegate of the presbytery from Bellfontaine to the general assembly in Brooklyn, New York. His wife passed away prior to his death, being called to her final rest May 6, 1872. In their family were three children, James B.. George C. and Mary L.. the daughter being the wife of the Rev. James G. D. Findley, of Newburg. New York.
Mr. Gormly, whose name introduces this record, pursued his education in the schools of Bucvrus until his seventeenth year, when he entered thestore of his uncle, James P. Bowman, with whom he remained for a year. In 1856 he was graduated in Bartlett's Commercial College, of Cincinnati, and then entered the Exchange Bank, of Bucvrus, as teller and bookkeeper there, remaining until 1859. In that year he and his father organized and became sole proprietors of the People's Deposit Bank, which ceased to do business on the organization in 1864 of the First National Bank, of which the father became president, while Mr. Gormly was made cashier, serving in that capacity until 1878, when he succeeded his father to the presidency. For almost a quarter of a century he has occupied the position, and the safe, conservative policy which he has followed has annually increased the business transacted over the counters of that institution.
A man of splendid executive force, of keen discrimination and of splendid powers as an organizer, he has been an active factor in the control of many important business concerns in this section of the state. From 1871 until 1 Ky he was secretary and treasurer of the Ohio Central Railroad Company and was treasurer of the Crawford County Agricultural Association from 1867 until 1878. He-was for several years the president of the Gas & Electric- Light Company and is now president of the Bucyrus Water Works Company. Of the former he served as president until its sale in 1901. In 1893 he was made assignee of the estate of ex-Governor Foster, of Fostoria, Ohio, the business of which he has just brought to a conclusion. In connection with Colonel W. C. Lemert, he was one of the organizers of the Fry-Sheckler Company, now the American Clay Working Machinery Company, of which he was treasurer for several years. This is the largest enterprise of the kind in the world. In 1859 Mr. Gormly was united in marriage to Miss E. Virginia Swingly, a daughter of Dr. Frederick and Mary (Denman) Swingly. Their children are: Ella K., now the wife of F. S. Monnett, ex-attorney general of Ohio and now a resident of Columbus; Susie E., wife of W. H. Picking, a hardware merchant of Bucyrus; and James B. The son was educated in the schools of Bucyrus, and in 1890 entered the First National Bank, where he is now acting as assistant cashier. The family is one of prominence in the community and attends services at the Presbyterian church, of which Mr. Gormly is an elder. In politics he is a Republican. There are few men whose lives are crowned with the honor and respect which is uniformally accorded him, and through more than a quarter of a century's connection with the business interests of Ohio his has been an unblemished character. With him success in life has been reached by his sterling qualities of mind and a heart true to every many principle.
As printed in A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
JAMES B. GORMLY, president of the First National Bank, of Bucyrus, O., and for years identified with numerous very important business enterprises of this section, has been connected with this financial institution since its organization, and has been at its head for a period of 53 years. He was born at Bucyrus, Nov. 23, 1836, and is a son of John A. and Louisa (Bowman) Gormly.
John A. Gormly was born at Pittsburg, Pa., July 19, 1804, a son of John and Elizabeth (Gill) Gormly, the ancestry being Irish on the paternal side and Scotch on the material. John A. Gill, the maternal grandfather, served in the War of the Revolution. In 1830 John A. Gormly removed from Pittsburg to Brownsville, Pa., where he embarked and continued in a mercantile business until 1836, when he moved to Bucyrus and conducted a store on Sandusky Avenue. He was a man of excellent business perception and his foresight was shown in his acquisition of much property, both in the growing town and in "the adjacent region, and in addition to his subsequent holdings in city realty, he had 1,000 acres of land which became valuable for farming purposes. He established one of the earliest financial institutions here, founding the Peoples' Deposit Bank, in 1859, in association with his son, James B. Gormly, and continued the same until he found the time ripe for still broader business dealings, and in 1864 organized the First National Bank of Bucyrus. His business acumen and sterling honesty contributed to the success of this institution as they had to his other undertakings, and he continued at the head of this bank until the time of his death, which occurred May 8, 1878. He was a ruling elder in the Presbyterian church and served in public capacities at important conventions of this religious body, both in Ohio and in other parts of the country. In 1833 married Louisa Bowman, who died May 6, 1872. They had three children: James B., George C. and Mary L., the last named becoming the wife of Rev. James.G. D. Findley.
James B. Gormly was educated at Bucyrus.and continued at school until he was 17 years-of age,, when his uncle, James P. Bowman, offered him a clerkship in his mercantile store, and he remained there for one year. Later he entered Bartlett's Commercial College, at.Cincinnati, >there he wa.s graduated in 1856, -and then became bookkeeper and teller of the.Exchange Bank at Bucyrus, there he gained.his first banking experience...He continued;there.until. 1859, when he became associated-with his father in. financial affairs, which,.under careful and. conservative management, developed into enterprises of vast importance..Mr. Gormly's name and activities.haye been.of great value to many_other business con-.cerns. He served for spme.years officially with the Gas and Electric Light Company of.Bucyrus and later.as president of the Bucyrus Water Company; in 1893 was made and served as assignee of the estate of the late Governor.Foster, of Ohio;. from 1871 until 1875 was.secretary and treasurer of the Ohio Central Railroad Company; and was one of the organizers of what is now known as the American-Clay 'peking Machinery Company, of which he also served as treasurer. In local affairs, where the public welfare is a matter of concern, Mr. Gormly has never failed to perform a good citizen's duty, and has served on many charitable boards and has liberally contributed to benevolent movements.
In iSqg 'Sir. Gormly was married to Miss E. Wirginia Swingly, a daughter of Dr. Frederick and Alary (Denman) Swingly, and two daughters and one son have been born to them: Ella K., who became the wife of F. S. Monnett, of Columbus, O., a prominent public man, once attorney-general of the state; Susan E., who became the wife of W. H. Pickering, a representati'e business man of Bucyrus; and James B., who is now deceased. Mr. Gormly and family attend the Presbyterian church and they are people of social importance, not only at Bucyrus, but also at the state capital and in other cities.
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Mr. Sowash has been in his present line of business since he was 19 years of age and after learning his trade was foreman for some years for the Humphrey Company of Mansfield and afterward, for seven years, was with the Barnes Manufacturing Company of the same city, coming from there to Crestline in 1903, when the Crestline Pump W'orks business was started. This company has officers as follows: Judge Daniel Babst, president and a director; Jacob Babst, treasurer and a director; John H. Warden, secreta:ry; and James Sowash, general manager. In addition Mr. Sowash has been chief designer of all the pumps, which include 250 varieties, manufactured by this company. Additional directors of the company are: J. W. Ross, who is also vice president; Jacob Flowers, Abraham Seib, R. M. Taylor, and John H. Warden, all men of capital and high business standing. They manufacture and handle as jobbers all water supply goods and utensils and in addition to manufacturing hand, power and spray pumps, they cast sinks, traps, brackets, etc. The plant is extensive, 135 pumps alone hfeing turned out per day, and employment is afforded 65 skilled men. In advancing the interests of his house, Mr. Sowash displays those enterprising qualities which mark the successful American business man all over the eWorld.
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As printed in History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1902. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.