Historians set tour of Oak Hill Cemetery

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — Members of the newly formed Mahoning and Shenango Valley Historical Club will conduct a tour of historic Oak Hill Cemetery, 344 Oak Hill Ave., on the city’s South Side, from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The club’s purpose is to enlighten and educate the public about Ohio and Pennsylvania history, said Steffon Wydell Jones, a local historian.

Other club members are Bill Wall, Ron Johnson, Fred Smith, Greg Ricker, Stacey Adger, Shannon K. Fray, Judy Williams, Vince Shivers and Judy Foster.

The historians will fan out through the cemetery, once called Youngstown Township Cemetery, and discuss the history of some of the prominent Youngstown and Mahoning Valley people buried there.

The remains of several Union and Confederate soldiers from the Civil War also are in the cemetery.

Jones said the idea for the club, which was formed in August, was to develop a bank of local historians to provide knowledge of past events and people who helped shape the Mahoning and Shenango valleys.

The club also was created in memory of the late McCullough Williams Jr., businessman, former councilman and city school board member, who also was a historian, Jones added.

The club is looking for more historians. If you are interested, contact Jones at (330) 744-2248 or (330) 727-3262 or Wall at (330) 782-0066.