George Noah Gray was born in Pennsylvania on February 10, 1838. He arrived in Ohio at the age of 18. His first job was a farm laborer on a farm at Pine Creek. He saved the money made while working as a laborer and went to Waynesburgh College, Pennsylvania. After he received his degree, he returned to Pine Creek and became a teacher.
Born in 1834, Jeremiah “Jere” Davidson was the son of James and Frances Combs Davidson. He spent most of his youth in Ironton, Ohio.
Like many young men of that age, he joined the Grand Army of the Republic and fought in the civil war. He was considered a hero and suffered many wounds. One such wound brought him back to Ironton. A bullet went completely through his body. He was so badly wounded, he was left for dead. When he was found still alive, he was sent home to recover.
William “Ranger” Davidson was born on November 20, 1747 in Suffex County, Delaware. He was the son of Lewis and Comfort Warrington Davidson. His parents named him after his grandfather and great-grandfather.
J. T. Davis came to Ironton in the 1850’s. He was the owner a dry goods store. In the early days, the store was located at the corner of 2nd and Lawrence Streets.
He married a woman named Mary. The couple has two sons, Edward and Walter. The family made their home at 723 South 4th Street in Ironton. Mary died in Ironton on October 1, 1864.
During his time in Ironton, J. T. built the city hall building on the corner of Lawrence and 2nd Streets. He used the second floor of the building for his dry goods store.
Samuel W. Dempsey was born on August 20, 1811 in Maria Forge, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He remained in Maria Forge until he was eighteen years old. At the age of eighteen, he moved with his parents to Greenup, Kentucky. He did return to his home county to marry Catherine Atwell. Unfortunately, his marriage with Catherine was cut short by her death in 1855.
This famous Irontonian was a major conductor of the Underground Railroad. His part of the railroad stretched for sixty-five miles. He took people along the Ohio River, through neighboring woods, and on old Indian trails. His usual destination was Poke Patch near present day Blackfork, Ohio. During his career as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, he assisted over 300 slaves to freedom in Canada.
Henry Frederick Horn was born in Ironton on May 3, 1857. He spent one year in Cincinnati, Ohio.
On May 25, 1884, Henry Horn married Minnie Jacobs. The couple would have four children, Albert, Henry, Florence, and Jillian.
Gabriel “Gabe” Johnson was born a slave in Spottslyvania County, Virginia on November 24, 1824. Johnson was a barber by trade and was freed in 1827. At the age of 24, he cam to Ironton, Ohio.
Gabe, like many freed men, became a part of the Underground Railroad. In Gabe’s case, he was a conductor and lead runaways to safety. Gabe often worked with James Ditcher. Gabe, also, worked in the Underground Railroad in Cincinnati from 1854 to 1855.
William Alexander Julian was born on a farm near Frankfort, Kentucky. Although he had a humble beginning, he was a successful life. He was the Treasurer of the United States for sixteen years, starting in 1933. W.A. was also the shoe manufacturer of the Queen City and president of the Queen City Trust Company of Cincinnati. President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Julian to overhaul the nation’s fiscal system during the depression. He did have one failure. He lost a race for the U.S. Senate in 1920.
Ironton A. Kelley was born on April 4, 1849 to William Dollarhide and Sarah Austin Kelley. Ironton was named for his hometown, a new city built by the local iron masters. His father, William Dollarhide Kelley, actually owned the land where Ironton was built. However, his name is not the only link Ironton has with the new city. He was the first male child born in the town he was named after.
