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Walk to remember
Tod Cemetery tour gives attendees Valley history lesson
By SEAN BARRON
YOUNGSTOWN
It is probably safe to say that many people who drive by Tod Homestead Cemetery each day are unaware that it’s the resting place for some of the Mahoning Valley’s early movers and shakers.
Buried there are members of prominent families such as the Stambaughs and Tods, as well as individuals who left an indelible mark such as Volney Rogers, an attorney perhaps best known for conceiving the idea for Mill Creek Park.
The families and individuals were among those recognized during Saturday’s historical walking tour at the 256-acre cemetery off Belmont Avenue on the city’s North Side.
The two-hour event, put on by the Mahoning and Shenango Valley Historical Club, was to give participants a greater understanding of and appreciation for those who contributed to the Valley’s history, organizers said.
About a dozen attendees stopped at each headstone that was marked by a yellow balloon, where speakers provided brief narrations detailing the lives and accomplishments of those being honored.
Presenters were Thomas Molocea, Minnie Floyd and Kimberly Adams, all members of the historical club; Steffon W. Jones, a local historian; Greg Ricker, an honorary historian with the Youngstown Fire Department; and Shannon Fray, a descendent of the Stambaughs.
Kicking off the tour was Jones, who talked about the Tods, Dr. Herbert Louis Armstrong and George W. Jones Jr., Jones’ father.
The Tod home was on the grounds of the cemetery, and the family owned much of the land encompassing Brier Hill, Jones noted. David Tod also served a two-year term as Ohio’s 25th governor after having fought in the Civil War with the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Jones explained.
The family was heavily active in state and local politics; George Tod, was a state lawmaker who also was on the Ohio Supreme Court.
“The Tods were everywhere,” Jones added.
Calling him “my friend and mentor,” Jones said that Armstrong always placed a high value on education. Armstrong, who was the first elementary-school principal in Youngstown, also inspired many people to recognize their talents and achieve their best, Jones said.
Armstrong also was an Army clerk during World War II and, despite being a black stationed in the South, demanded fair treatment, Jones noted, adding that Armstrong took care of many soldiers who fell ill.
Armstrong’s wife, Betty, was the first librarian at Youngstown State University and the second at the main branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, Jones continued.
“This is history marrying history,” he added.
Fighting back tears at times, Jones discussed his father, who wrote the song “Rama Lama Ding Dong,” the flagship 1950s hit for The Edsels, a local doo-wop group he helped form.
“My dad never thought that “Rama Lama Ding Dong” would be that successful, but it was,” he said.
After the group broke up in 1963, Jones said, his father pursued a solo career, eventually getting a record deal and recording two songs with singer Ray Charles.
The elder Jones, a Campbell High School graduate, also was a well-rounded athlete who served three years in the Air Force, Steffon Jones recalled. Despite encountering racism in the military, George Jones “was a man of action,” his son said.
Adams discussed Dr. Maurice Pettiford, whose father, Charles, is thought to be one of the first black physicians in the area.
The younger Pettiford bought medications for a business called the R.P. White Co., which distributed the merchandise to other stores, noted Adams, adding that Maurice Pettiford brought in more than $250,000 in annual sales. Adams had no information about the company.
Rogers was instrumental in creating and preserving Mill Creek Park and bought land for the Youngstown Township Park District, said Molocea, the historical club’s president.
Rogers and his brother, Disney, had a successful law practice. Volney Rogers also served as Youngstown’s solicitor, he said.
“He was progressive before his time,” Molocea said, referring to Rogers’ preservation concepts.
Fray briefly talked about David Stambaugh, of whom little is known except that he served as a Navy reservist.
Floyd stood near the gravesites of Clara L. Floyd and Rebecca C. Madison, an aunt and cousin, respectively, and shared how they were among the relatives who helped form The Floyd Brothers and Family Club in 1957. The club was set up to provide financial assistance to fellow members in times of distress, Minnie Floyd said, adding that in August 2000, the group had a three-day family reunion.
Ricker provided a brief history of the Youngstown Fire Department, saying that 1914 was the first year the department had all motorized vehicles. Before 1908, firefighters relied on horses, he noted.
Ricker, who’s conducted about 10 years’ worth of research on the department, is compiling a book with information on more than 1,300 city firefighters and hopes to have it published soon, he said.