[p. 831] whose comprehensive business interests make him a dominating force in the commercial life of Western Pennsylvania, for many years has been particularly identified with the iron, ore and affiliated industries. He was born at Ohltown, Trumbull County, Ohio, February 3, 1850, and is a son of Michael, Jr., and Eliza Jane (Campbell) Ohl.
The Ohl family is of German extraction and it was established in Trumbull County, Ohio, by Michael Ohl, the grandfather, who as the first settler in what subsequently became the village of Ohltown. He undoubtedly was a man of enterprise, for he engaged in farming, built the first sawmill in that section and also erected and operated the first grist-mill. His activities were ended by his death in 1858, but he was survived by descendants who have displayed like energy and enterprise.
Michael Ohl, Jr., father of Edwin N., was born June 21, 1819. He followed agricultural pursuits, presumably on the old homestead, and learned the trade of wheelwright, which he put to use in building mills and machinery all through Trumbull County. These mills were equipped with the old tub water-wheel, which was the accepted form at that time. He met an accidental death at Warren, Ohio, in 1865. He was a man of intelligence as well as capacity, and was well informed concerning the leading questions of the day. In his political views he was first a Whig and later a Republican. He married Eliza Jane Campbell, who was a daughter of Thomas Campbell, also of Trumbull County, and they had six children born to them, namely: Edwin N.; Mary, who married Dr. R. C. Fisher, of Chicago, Ill.; Henry, who is a resident of Sharon, Mercer County; Jessie, who married Clarence L. Darrow; Lissie, who married H. B. Budd, of Beltrami, Minnesota, and Charles M., who resides at Sharon. The mother of the above family, born July 15, 1831, survived her husband many years, her death taking place April 21, 1908.
Edwin N. Ohl's life until he was seventeen years, was spent at work on the farm and in the mill, and in obtaining a common school education. Starting out then for himself, he entered an office at Mineral Ridge, Ohio, and was in the employ of the Mineral Ridge Iron and Coal Company for one and one-half years. From there he went to Youngstown, where he was in the employ of Jonathan Warner for eight months. In 1869 he came to Pennsylvania, and on March 1 of that year entered the employ of Samuel Kimberly, at Sharon, and with Mr. Kimberly and his son, P. M. Kimberly, Mr. Ohl remained for more than thirty years. The Kimberlys operated blast furnaces, rolling mills and coal mines. When they sold their interests on May 1, 1899, Mr. Ohl became general manager of the New Castle plant of the Republic Iron and Steel Company and continued as such until June 1, 1902, when he resigned in order to manage his own business interests.
Mr. Ohl assisted in organizing the Cherry Valley Iron Company, which purchased one blast furnace at Leetonia, Ohio, and another at West Middlesex, Pa., and continued an independent organization until November 1, 1906, Mr. Ohl being during this time the vice-president and general manager. On the above date the Cherry Valley Iron Company sold its plants, and interests in iron ore and coal properties which it had acquired, to the United Iron and Steel Company, Mr. Ohl being elected president of this corporation and establishing the main office at Pittsburg. Mr. Ohl is also president of the Pittsburg Iron Ore Company, with offices at Cleveland, and serves in the same capacity in three other affiliated ore companies. He is also president of the New Castle Portland Cement Company; is a director in the First National Bank of New Castle; a director in the Keystone National Bank of Pittsburg, and is president of the Fruit, Ohl Company, general hardware merchants, at Sharon. This enterprise was established February 1, 1879, and was incorporated in 1899, in the past thirty years expanding from a small beginning into one of Mercer County's most important business concerns.
Mr. Ohl married Katherine F. Bower, who is a daughter of the late John Bower, of New Castle. They have one son, Edwin N., Jr., who was born February 19, 1901. Mrs. Ohl is a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, in which Mr. Ohl is a vestryman. He is identified with the order of Masons, is past master of Sharon Lodge, No. 250, F.& A. M.; is past high priest of Norman Chapter, No. 244, R. A. M.; is past eminent commander of Rebecca Commandery, Knights Templar, No. 50, and belongs to Syria Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Pittsburg, and to the Consistory at Pittsburg. In his political views he is a Republican, but he has never been active in public affairs.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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