Sebring Ohio Historical Society
126 North 15th Street
Sebring, Ohio 44672
330-938-6920  
Edward Oliver
Joseph Sebring
1862-1890.  Died of pneumonia.
Was very musical.
Twins
Charles Sebring
1872-1877.  Died of whooping
cough.
Twins
Mr. William Vern Oliver/ Iola P. Oliver

Feb. 2, 1889-August 8, 1963.  Came to
Sebring as a store clerk from Holmes
County.  Fred Sebring spotted him as a likely
salesman.  He lined up Strauss and Schram
Hartman furniture and other installment
houses to sell dinner sets at a dollar down to
enlist new accounts.  Purchased the
Saxon
China Company in 1934 from The
Sebring's for $30,000.  Reorganized it as
the French-Saxon China company. He
had attended school only six months, and
left home at the age of 10.  He later
became sales manager of Sebring
Manufacturing Company, composed of
French China, Saxon China and Sebring
Manufacturing. Purchased by
Royal
China in 1964. Purchased the home first
owned by George Sebring, then Charles
Leigh Sebring.  President of the U.S.
Potters Association.
Opened a large general store on July 1, 1900.  
John Frederick Blumenstiel and Carrie M. Weigel
Married December 20 or 24, 1900.  First couple to be married in Sebring at the home
of the groom's brother, Charles Blumenstiel, a potter in Sebring.  They ran the John
Frederick Blumenstiel's laundry on North 15th street, next to the undertaker's.  It was
then moved to West Oregon avenue.  Not much later, the old site burned down.  Carrie
was a member of the Board of Education.
William Mooseman
Sebring's first undertaker, arrived in April 1910, and set up shop in the building which
is now Ashton's 5 and 10.
Bought the first lot in Sebring and built the first house.  He was
denounced as a dreamer by his fellow townsmen in Alliance, but in a
few years he purchased more lots for both homes and businesses. He
owned the Kindler's City Restaurant. The Katzenstein building is on
the right of the photo.
Samuel Katzenstein
Opened the first store in Sebring, selling groceries and provisions.  It opened October
28, 1899.  
John Stackhouse
Opened the first hardware store in Sebring on July 19, 1900.  H. G. Leonard
started operating as a plumbing business in Salem in 1899.  This two storied
hardware store opened on July 19, 1900. Operated for a short time in builders'
supplies. . L. R. Emmet Lee was the first Sebring manager. By 1902, he formed a
partnership with E.B. Fritchman and C. R. Oesch. In 1904, Sumner Oesch
succeeded his brother Clark. The business was incorporated in 1918.  Business
was so good that he doubled the size of the building with it's twin next door.  
This business still exists today, and is owned by Susan Risbeck.
H. G. Leonard
Sebring's first Architect, opened his office in 1901.  He designed the Methodist Episcopal
Church, Elsworth Henry Sebring's residence and Oliver Howard Sebring's residence.
Jacob Myers
Charles Leigh Sebring,
wives- Jesse Morgan,
Conradine Uran and Marion
Headland
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Dick Albright/Charles J. Albright
Miss Margaret Kadish
Jim Gwin/Bob Allen
Designers of the 'Sebring Six' automobile.  Received financial backing from Oliver H. Sebring.  First made
in 1910, the model was discontinued after creating 25 cars.  It sold for $2,750.
Historical Families of Sebring, Ohio before 1950
Judson Wheeler Van DeVenter
Author of the hymn, I Surrender All.
James B. Ward

Came to Sebring from Marietta, Ohio in 1897 and molded the first clay ever made in Sebring.
East Liverpool, Ohio 'Klondike'
The area which became known as Klondike was originally a large farm. In the 1890's the Sebring brothers
recognized he potential the area had with the nearness of the river, railroad and highway. So the farmer was
approached and sold the Sebring's 80 acres of land on which to build a pottery.  This pottery was built near the
overhead bridge near what became Dacar Chemical Company. The one drawback was that the streetcar line did
not extend this far at that time and workers objected to  the long walk to and from work. The Sebring's
sub-divided the remaining property into lots which they sold the workers with the  promise of work in the pottery.
The land had been bought for one hundred dollars an acre; but when settlement was made the farmer received one
hundred dollars per lot.  There are two stories told about the naming of the area one is that the rush to buy lots and
build homes reminded people of the Klondike Gold Rush, hence the name. The other story is that the  vicinity was
still unnamed when the post office was established, and the government had to have a name. Two were suggested:
Pennova and Klondike and the latter was chosen.
A. E. Albright
M. F. Cochran

First Marshall of Sebring 1900.
Gary Keller

Gary Keller was born April 2, 1941 to Gretchen Gahris and J. Harrison Keller.  He was the grandson of Helen
Sebring and Willard Irwin Gahris and the great Grandson of F.A. and Emma Sebring.
Gary lived in the Gahris/Keller home at 456 West Ohio Avenue and attended Lincoln Elementary School and
Sebring McKinley High School, graduating in 1959 as Co-Salutatorian with his twin brother Jay.  He was active
in music and sports in high school.  He then attended the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey for one year and
graduated from Williams college in 1964.  He and his brother ran the J. & G Print Shop during their high school
years.
Following college, Gary worked for Time, Inc. in NYC and became business manager of Time International.  In
1970 he returned to Ohio to join his father and brother in the Salem China Company.  He succeeded his father as
president of the company, and continued in this capacity until his death on April 19, 1999.  He was also president
of Urfic, Inc., a brass manufacturing company.
Gary was married to Diane Greeneisen Keller, a 1960 Sebring McKinley graduate.  They had three children.  The
family lived in Boardman, Ohio.
Keith Brown, teacher

Students:  Katie Kelley, Elizabeth Christani, Shelby Meek, Dayne Phillips, Corey Snyder

The Learning Tree
The art teacher, Mr. Brown and the students were selected as members of the gifted art education class to complete an idea
that incorporated the theme 'better because of me' into the wall mural being installed at B.L. Miller Elementary.  After
brainstorming, they decided on making something representing a 'better student'.  The students felt that all of the different
areas of education added together made for a well rounded person.  The areas of education to be covered were Social
Studies, math, language arts, music, art, physical education, character education, library sciences and health.  They discussed
how all of the branches of a tree help to make the whole tree stronger.  Then they placed the different areas of education on
different branches of a tree to represent the idea that when put all together, the areas make a stronger, more well-rounded
person.  Each student was responsible for artistically representing two of the areas.
Sebring Trojan

In 1937, Sebring High School had a contest to name the school mascot.  The winning
contestant would earn the prize of $2.  A lad named Billy Freed submitted the
winning name, 'Trojan'.  That year it became the name of the school yearbook.  It has
been in use as the yearbook name, a mascot and logo since that time.  In 2007, Cindy
Christani created the Trojan mascot suit, to be worn  by students with exceptional
school pride.
Harry Crewson

'Pop' Crewson worked for the railroad for 51
years.  He was also very active in his community,
helping to create the city park system.  The
Crewson-Woods park was named in his honor.  
For the enjoyment of the children in the winters, he
had a part of Northside and Southside Parks
flooded by the fire department to provide
ice-skating ponds.
Born in Denmark in 1904.  Moved to
Sebring in 1948 and became the art
director of the
Spaulding China Company.  
Later became a librarian at the Sebring
Public Library.  She died December 6,
1998.
Dick Davis, Margaret Zang, Helen Sebring Gahris
and Frank (Tode)Sebring
George Alfred Stanford

Born on Dec. 9, 1909 in Beloit, Ohio.  He was married to Evelyn Xavier McCloskey on Feb. 2,
1934.  In the late 1930's he moved from Pennsylvania to Sebring, Ohio and operated Stanford
Pottery.  Stanford Art Pottery operated from 1945 until 1961.  At one time or another, all of the
Stanford siblings and their spouses worked in the pottery.  They are both buried in California.
Morris Feinberg

Born Jan. 25, 1900 in Long Island, NY.  In the mid 1930's, he and his partner, Irving
Miller designed and sold pottery kitchen clocks.  Some were sold at Sears Roebuck
under the 'Harmony House' label.  He came to Sebring, Ohio to find ceramic parts
for his clocks.  While there, he became so excited about pottery that he bought a
vacant plant in 1941 and became highly respected for producing quality work.  
Founding
Spaulding, he and his partner, Irving Miller, ran the plant until 1957.  
Married Ida Kuropatkin Oct. 31, 1929, and had one son, Joe.
James G. Eardley

His father was the first treasurer of the National Potter's Union, organized in the late 1880's in east
Liverpool, Ohio.  He joined
Spaulding China in 1942.  He was known as Mr. Republican in Mahoning
County and was a three time delegate to the National Convention and a veteran of WWI.  He was also
known for his skill at administration at Spaulding.  He passed away July 3, 1973.
Lives of great men all remind us,
We can make our lives sublime.
And departing, leave behind us;
Footprints on the sands of time.
-Longfellow
Life gives nothing to men without great labor.  - Horace
Curt Fahnert

Designer behind many pieces of Royal China.  He originally helped out at the
pottery to set up for a trade show, and stayed for 24 years.  He is the designer of
the 'Santa Fe' pattern, which grossed over $6 million.
Dick was Sebring's first Postmaster in a small frame building on North 15th Street.  He
was also the first mayor and the first minister of the first church.  He was known as the
busiest man in Sebring.  After starting the post office, he assembled four letters, placed
one in each sack and called it a day's work as he sent one out on each of the four mail
trains ordered to stop.  He also exacted the sum of $2 from one of the first culprits to
face his bench and the fine was for the crime of riding a horse down the sidewalks of
Sebring.  He conducted prayer meetings and church services in an old barn for the
Methodists of the village.  His home is in this view of the corner of N. 15th and
Maryland Avenue, on the left.
In the early 1900's, he and his brother Charles J. Albright (Husband of Emma Sebring)
and Albright's brother-in-law Henderson started a plant in Carrollton, known as the
Carrollton Pottery Company.  This plant suspended early in the 1930's and for a time
was used for refining beryllium after being dismantled.  In 1910, Dick broke away from
the firm and with the aid of others, built the Albright China Company in Carrollton.  It
closed after his death in the 1930's.
Thomas Woods, Harry Crewson
Namesakes of Crewson/Woods Park
Mr. John C. Allen

Proprietor of Allen
Brothers and then
Allen and Sons
Furniture.  Helped to
reorganize Strong
Mfg. Co., and founder
of the Grandview
Cemetery.
Mary Ellen and John E.
Griggs

She was born Aug. 18, 1870,
and passed December 14,
1956.
Jennie S. Albright and E. C. Albright

He was one of the founders of the Gem Clay
Forming Company.
She was Born October 28, 1889, and passed
away  May 22, 1956.
Doris Fabean and Harold Ramon Scott Jr.
Owners of Ashton's 5 and 10.
Josephine Jane Sebring,
Daughter of
Charles Leigh Sebring
marries
Roy Everett Smail
Louis Porter

In about 1927 he was a successful door to door installment dinner set salesman.  He
convinced several potteries on a plan to be part of Wall Street, which was giving many
delusions of grandeur.
Paul Schreckengost
Married Feb. 28, 1901.  Both were heirs to the largest pottery holdings in the United
States.  They were married only 18 months after the Sebring Brothers laid out the town of
Sebring, Ohio.  200 homes had been built.  Married in the Sebring Methodist Church.  
Homer's father was a partner in the Knowles, Taylor and Knowles pottery and a personal
friend of William McKinley.  Pearl's parents were Oliver and Matilda Holmes Sebring,
who lived in a $100,000 mansion surrounded by $1,000-5,000 homes.  Wedding gifts
were estimated at $18,000 in value.  350 guests attended the wedding, about 200 came
from East Liverpool and Wellsville on a special wedding train, leaving at 6 pm and
arriving at 8:30 for the ceremony.  Awnings and canopies covered the guests as they
awaited closed cabs to be taken to the church.  Street workers worked all day clearing the
constantly drifting snow on the mud streets and sidewalks.  87 electric lights, a rare
innovation in 1901 lit the church artistically.  Pearl was born Jan 7, 1881 and died Dec.
1948 in Burbank, California.  Construction was rushed on the First Methodist Church in
Sebring to be ready for her wedding Feb. 27, 1901 to Homer J. Taylor, 1876-1943.
Wade Beatty
Sebring's first patrolman.  He purchased his own uniform, and wore it with an air of authority.  He ordered jail
cells, believing that the town would erect the building.  When they arrived, they had to be stored in one of the
potteries.
Harry H. Davidson
Sebring's first fire chief.  Went with the first village council to examine the effectiveness of chemical fire
apparatus in Cleveland.
Walter Crewson

Also known as Sebring's first bridegroom.  He was to go to East Liverpool for his
wedding, but was stuck in Sebring anxiously awaiting his marriage license.  As he
boarded one train, his license was tossed to him from another and the Crewson
wedding day was saved.  The Crewson's chose Sebring for its anti-saloon clause in
every deed.
Ray Shafer
Son of a former minister at the Church of Christ, became a governor of Pennsylvania. He spent most of his school
days in Sebring, but was not here for his senior year in high school as the family moved.
Noah Pugh
With a dray horse, plowed the streets and the sidewalks of Sebring so
the children could get to school.  He did this as a 'good Samaritan'.
Charles with
Mildred Albright Lindsay
Mrs. Gahris was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank A. Sebring.  Helen
Gahris was a noted socialite and hostess.  Unfortunately, her love for parties
and hosting brought about her demise.  She and several other area persons
died as a result of food poisoning.  Tainted olives, which she purchased
from an Alliance market and served at a coming home party for WWI
veterans caused the deaths.
The Olive Tragedy
Helen Sebring Gahris
Charles Mack

Businessman, owned the Strand Theatre
Henry Hutmacher
Pioneer resident
Captain J. C. Hartzell

Pioneer Citizen
Squire S. Card
Percy Frost
General Manger of the
Decorating Department of the
Sebring Co. Potteries
Click here for the full Sebring
family tree
Individual pages
No Photo
Secretary to Richard Nixon
Mary Winstanley  Brugman

First woman in Ohio to obtain an aviator's license.  She was a charter member of the 99 Club, founded by
Amelia Earhart.
Anthony Priolo

1922-1991.  Designer for Royal Copely/Spaulding from 1949-55.  Student of the American School of
Design.  He started designing for Gort Bone China making very expensive figurines, and then began at
Spaulding.  Priolo items are thought to be the msot creative and novel of all the Spaulding items. He
went on to design furniture and household items, and began his own ceramic business in 1961.  Fron
1967-1981 he designed fine jewelry and taught at Santa Barbara City College.
Irving Miller

1898-1973.  Married Emma Strauss.  Founder of Spaulding.
Henry Heisler