Old House

[Youngstownshrimp]

This must be a recylcling green project conceived by our green guru Dennis.  Dennis we are now willing to follow your leadership in recycling, "Lead the Way Bro"

[Towntalk]

Putting a face to the name.

[Youngstownshrimp]

If moving the structure is an option, I will volunteer to coordinate the moving of the house, I am qualified to do this.

[Towntalk]

JAMES S. PRICE, a prominent and
highly respected farmer of Youngstown
township, and owner of the
Price Stock Farm, located in section
10, was born August 17, 1849, on a
farm just opposite his present farm, and is a
son of Samuel and Lydia Elanor (Stewart)
Price.
Samuel Price was born in Youngstown
township also, and w-as a son of James Price,
who came from Maryland in 1809, and settled
on a tract of land where he and his wife
both died, the land being now owned by James
S. Samuel was one of a family of nine children
and was reared in this township on his
father's farm. He married Lydia Elanor
Stewart, who was born in Pennsylvania and
came to Mahoning County, Ohio, with her
father, Thomas Stewart. ..Five children were
born into this household, but three of whom
were reared to maturity : Margaret, who married
Perry Wehr of Youngstown township:
Elanor, who married Walter Beecher. and
James S., whose name begins this article. Lucetta
and Florence both died in infancy. Samuel
Price died in March, 1900, his wife's death
occurring just two weeks later.
James S. Price was reared on his father's
farm and attended the district .schools of the
township. He was a member of the first class
to enter the Rayen High School. He has
lived on his present farm of 140 acres since
his marriage in 1880, and has since been occupied
as a general farmer and stock raiser, also
running a dairy and selling his milk at wholesale.
He has made all of the improvements
on the place, planting all of the trees, and, in
1898, erecting his fine large barn. The site
upon which his house stands was at one time
a wheat field.
Mr. Price was united in marriage January
8, 1880, to Clara Predmore, whose grandfather,
Frank Barclay, was one of the early
pioneers of Youngstown, and whose parents,
Joseph and Julia (Barclay) Predmore, were
both reared in Mahoning County. Mr. and
Mrs. Price have reared three children, namely
Samuel Nelson, who married Mary Pauley,
Edward Barclay, who resides in California
and Margaret Alice, who is now attending the
Conservatory of Music at Baltimore. One
child, Mary, died in infancy. Mr. Price served
as decennial land appraiser in 1890. In the
following year he was elected on the Republican
ticket county commissioner of Mahoning
County, and served in that capacity for seven
years. Fraternally he is a member of the Elks
During his term of office the Market street
viaduct was built and the present county infirmary
was erected, which is said to be one
of the most modern institutions of its kind in
the United States. Mr. Price is one of four
commissioners appointed by the county commissioners
to build the first improved roads
in the county. He has for many years been
connected with the agricultural fair of the
county and is now its president. Fraternally
he is a member of the Elks. His portrait appears
in connection with this sketch.

[Towntalk]

Gen. Thomas Sanderson also disccusses W. A. Beecher at pg. 982; and James S. Price at pg. 771 in his book 20th Century History of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Ohio.

[Towntalk]

If it was Walter A. Beecher it certainly has historic value. See J. G. Butler's History of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley Vol. 1 pgs 361 and 395.

[northside lurker]

Thanks Steve.

I got a reply from the Historical Society today.  Here is their response:

Thank you for your message regarding the historic Price Farmhouse at 605 South Belle Vista Ave.  It is my understanding that the fate of the house will be discussed at the next Rocky Ridge Neighborhood Association meeting to be held on Wednesday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m. in the social hall at the Franciscan Friary located next door to the house.  The hall is located in the basement of the church and is accessible through the rear of the building.

[Rick Rowlands]

I have a reputation for making things happen. If i had an interest in preserving this house I certainly could put a great deal of resources to work on its behalf.  But first I would like to drive by and just take a look at it.  Can't do that because for some wierd reason the same people who are saying "this house must be saved" are also saying "but we can't tell you where it is or anything else about it".  So screw it.  Even if you gave me the address now I wouldn't go look at it.  I'm not going to play these games.

[Towntalk]

That's good to know Steve and since you seem to know about it perhaps you can answer a couple of simple questions:

1 When was it built?

2 Who built it?

[Towntalk]

http://www.mahoninghistory.org/contact.htm

[northside lurker]

If it was built in 1813, that would give it historic significance since I doubt that any of the real pioneer homes are still around. The first Jackson home is still with us, as is the McGuffey homested, but they are in Coitsville. The Historical Society should trace the history of this house back to its original owner, who knows, maby even have it restored if the original owner played a roll in Youngstown's pioneer history.

Why don't you send off an e-mail to the Historical Society with the address and Jay's photo and see what they can come up with since they have the most complete records of that period. It better be done quickly before the house is demolished or destroyed by vandals.

No, I'm referring to another house in the area that was built in 1813.  I don't know for sure when the house in Jay's picture was built, but the real-estate listing claimed an unusually old date. (pre-civil war)

Can you point me toward the Historical Society's contact info?  I would assume they were involved with the meeting that took place.

[Towntalk]

If it was built in 1813, that would give it historic significance since I doubt that any of the real pioneer homes are still around. The first Jackson home is still with us, as is the McGuffey homested, but they are in Coitsville. The Historical Society should trace the history of this house back to its original owner, who knows, maby even have it restored if the original owner played a roll in Youngstown's pioneer history.

Why don't you send off an e-mail to the Historical Society with the address and Jay's photo and see what they can come up with since they have the most complete records of that period. It better be done quickly before the house is demolished or destroyed by vandals.

[northside lurker]

With no address to go by, how do you expect me to get information on this house 

If this house is as old as some think, it would have been built in the mid-1800's since the area wasn't settled until 1796 and didn't start spreading out until after the Civil War.

Sanborne Fire Insurance Maps for 1884; 1889; and 1896 show nothing for what we refer to as Rocky Ridge.

I know of a house, less than a mile away on McCollum Rd. that was built in 1813.  The address of this house (I only give the address because the house sin't hard to find) is 605 S. Belle Vista.  But, I think this house--the Price House--has already been moved once.  If you look closely at Jay's picture, the foundation looks like it was made from concrete blocks.

Westsider

FYI
This house is on the 35-Cornersburg WRTA bus route.  Thus there is quick access to Mahoning Avenue, shops in Cornersburg, the Rulli Brothers plaza in Austintown, and the Wedgewood Plaza.  Four grocery stores are on the bus route.

I know.  But, it's not very walkable.  It would take me about 15 minutes to walk and pick up a gallon of milk at the nearest convenience or grocery store.  I really like the old farm house across the street that's for sale, too.

There was a meeting concerning the fate of this house.  But I don't know who held the meeting, I don't know who attended, and I don't know what the outcome was.  I only heard about the meeting at the most recent Garden District meeting.

I'd like to see the house saved.  If its history and potential fate were made known to more people, maybe someone would step forward to save it.  I'd like to see it remain whole, and in Youngstown.  But, even salvaging of the structure and/or having its history moved to the suburbs, would be preferalbe to just demolition.

[Youngstownshrimp]

Really, Westsider is secretive about letting the address become public because someone may vandalize it, "oh no!"

Hello, it is on the demo list.  Rick, you have been inside my greek revival and seen the post and beam construction of a vintage greek revival.  It appears that the house is a greek revival (salt box) which would make it a rare bldg.  I know of an architect that would dismantle the structure, just for the beams.  The owner of Sweeney Chev. hired my company to move his greek revival in Poland so his new construction would be historic.

[Rick Rowlands]

Well then none of you are serious about preserving the house so let it fall.

Good greif!