Person:John Stanier (2)

Watchers
m. 1888
  1. William Joseph Stanier1889 - 1948
  2. Anne Elizabeth Stanier1893 -
  3. John Stewart Stanier1898 - 1964
m. 5 Jun 1926
  1. Mary Oliver Stanier1931 - 2012
  2. William Woollcott 'Bill' Stanier1935 - 2005
Facts and Events
Name John Stewart Stanier
Gender Male
Birth[1] 1898 Tarentum, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Marriage 5 Jun 1926 to Elizabeth Brydon Woollcott
Alt Marriage Youngstown, Mahoning, Ohio, United Statesto Elizabeth Brydon Woollcott
Death[1] 15 Aug 1964 Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio
Burial? Mayville, Chautauqua, New York, United StatesChautauqua Cemetary


John Stewart Stanier was born in Tarentum, Pennsylvania in 1898. He was a veteran of World War I, graduated from Lehigh University in 1923, and then began a long career in the steel business in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio, eventually working as a mill superintendent in Youngstown, Ohio. John Stewart died at the age of 65 or 66, in the year 1964. He and his wife Elizabeth Brydon Woollcott had 3 children and (although not all were born when he died) 13 grandchildren.

Contents

Early Life & Education

We do not have too many details about John Stewart's grade school and high school years. He was born in in Tarentum, PA, in 1898, to John Thomas Stanier and Emma Fiddler. John was the youngest of three siblings. His father was an immigrant from England (or possibly Scotland) and his mother was born in Pennsylvania but his maternal grandparents emigrated from England. Tarentum is on the Allegheny River about 22 miles upstream of Pittsburgh. In the 1910 census (when John Stewart was 11 years old), the family is located in Tarentum in a rented home at 200 Lock St. There were 5 people in the household -- the parents John Thomas and Emma, and their 3 children. A profile of John Stewart in the Youngstown Sheet and Tube employee bulletin, done in 1940, recounts his first job in a steel mill -- at West Penn Steel in Brackenridge PA (age 12) as water boy for a brick laying crew. He worked summers at West Penn Steel until 1923, when he graduated from Lehigh. During the years of World War I (1917 and 1918 for the United States) John was of prime age for military service, and he did serve. See military service section. Census records from 1920 show that at age 21, the family was still in Tarentum. The home was owned and the address was 554 E. Eighth Ave. John Thomas was working as the superintendent of a steel mill (listed as a steel bar mill on the census) in 1920. There were a total of 5 persons in the house -- John Thomas and Emma, John Stewart and his older sister Anne, and a servant (Rose Witucki). Rose immigrated from Germany in 1902 and listed Polish as her first language on the census. John Stewart attended Lehigh University where he graduated in 1923. He was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity (source, 1919 school yearbook as accessed on ancestry.com) and he was a member of the football team (source, school yearbook as accessed on ancestry.com).

Family Life

John Stewart married Elizabeth Brydon Woolcott in 1926. He was 27 or 28 years of age and she was 23. The location of the wedding has not yet been determined. It could have been the bride's birthplace (Raleigh, NC), the town where the bride was brought up and where her parents probably lived in 1926 (Warren, PA) or elsewhere. John and Elizabeth had 3 children and 13 grandchildren. John Stewart Stanier was known to his grandchildren as 'Poppy.'

Professional Life

John Stewart Stanier was in the steel business. The 1930 census (age 31) lists him as a metallurgist in Newton Falls, OH. By age 41 (1940 census), he lists his occupation as steel mill superintendent in Youngstown, OH. Specifically, John Stewart went on to become superintendent of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company's Campbell Plant in Campbell, Ohio. The plant was visited by Eleanor Roosevelt in November, 1939. John Stewart is included in a picture [2] with the then first lady. John Stewart enjoyed Lake Chautauqua, New York. There are family stories told of guards stationed around the house to provide security during management-labor disputes.

Military Service

The 1930 U.S. Census lists John S. Stanier as a veteran of World War I. Oral history (from Kate Malarney through John S. Stanier's daughter Mary Oliver) says that he was a corporal in the artillery. And the November 1940 issue of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Bulletin profiles John S. Stanier's education, military service, and early career. It states that he enlisted in the U.S. Army in February, 1918. He served in the 11th Field Artillery, and saw service on the Mexican border, and in France with American Expeditionary Force.

Places of Residence

For places of residence before his marriage to Elizabeth Woollcott, see Early Life and Education.

The 1930 census (age 26) lists John and Elizabeth in Newton Falls, OH, married to John S. Stanier, and with Jack, aged 1. The family is renting what appears to be 316 4th street for a rent of $65 a month. One can confirm from the census form that they also lived with a maid, Gertrude White, age 22. John Stewart Stanier's occupation is listed as metallurgist. It is interesting to note that a Howard Wolcott family (possibly a relative of John's wife Elizabeth) lived next door. Virtually everyone on the census form lists "steel mill" as employer.

The 1940 census (age 37) list Elizabeth and John in Youngstown OH at 1359 N. Heights. The address is 1 block north of Wick park, and 7 blocks south of Crandall park. The kids are age 4 through 11, and the family employs a 16 year old maid, Marian R. Seivert.

The November 1940 issue of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube employee bulletin listed his address as 1357 Fifth Ave., Youngstown.

In Youngstown, John S. Stanier was active in St. John's Episcopal Church.

Photographs and Other Historical Documents

John S. Stanier has records found in the U.S. Census files of 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940. He is also listed in several Lehigh yearbooks for the years 1919-1923. Several family photographs of John S. Stanier survive.

Other

John Stewart's gravestone is in the Chautauqua Cemetary in Mayville, New York.

Image Gallery
References
  1. 1.0 1.1 Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
  2.   United States. 1920 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T625).

    1920 United States Federal Census
    Name: Stewart Stanier
    Age: 21
    Birth Year: abt 1899
    Birthplace: Pennsylvania
    Home in 1920: Tarentum Ward 1, Allegheny, Pennsylvania
    Race: White
    Gender: Male
    Relation to Head of House: Son
    Marital Status: Single
    Father's Name: John T Stanier
    Father's Birthplace: England
    Mother's Name: Emma L Stanier
    Mother's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
    Able to Read: Yes
    Able to Write: Yes

    Household Members: Name Age
    John T Stanier 54
    Emma L Stanier 49
    Anna Stanier 26
    Stewart Stanier 21
    Rose Witucki 21

  3.   United States. 1930 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T626).

    1930 United States Federal Census
    about John S Stanier Name: John S Stanier
    Gender: Male
    Birth Year: abt 1899
    Birthplace: Pennsylvania
    Race: White
    Home in 1930: Newton Falls, Trumbull, Ohio
    Map of Home: View Map
    Marital Status: Married
    Relation to Head of House: Head
    Spouse's Name: Elizabeth W Stanier
    Father's Birthplace: England
    Mother's Birthplace: Pennsylvania

    Household Members: Name Age
    John S Stanier 31
    Elizabeth W Stanier 27
    John S Stanier 1 [1 6/12]
    Gertrude White 22

  4.   United States. 1940 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T627).

    1940 United States Federal Census
    Name: John S Stanier
    Age: 41
    Estimated Birth Year: abt 1899
    Gender: Male
    Race: White
    Birthplace: Pennsylvania
    Marital Status: Married
    Relation to Head of House: Head
    Home in 1940: Youngstown, Mahoning, Ohio
    House Number: 1357
    Farm: No
    Inferred Residence in 1935: Youngstown, Mahoning, Ohio
    Residence in 1935: Same Place
    Resident on farm in 1935: No
    Sheet Number: 61B
    Number of Household in Order of Visitation: 178
    Occupation: Superintendent Steep Mill
    House Owned or Rented: Rented
    Value of Home or Monthly Rental if Rented: 115
    Attended School or College: No
    Highest Grade Completed: College, 4th year
    Hours Worked Week Prior to Census: 50
    Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker in private work
    Weeks Worked in 1939: 52
    Income: 5000
    Income Other Sources: Yes

    Household Members: Name Age
    John S Stanier 41
    Elizabeth W Stanier 37
    John S Stanier 11
    Mary O Stanier 9
    William W Stanier 4
    Marian R Sewert 16

  5.   Ohio, United States. Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-2018. (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2010).

    Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-2007
    Name: John S Stanier
    Birth Date: 1898
    Gender: Male
    Race: White
    Residence City: Youngstown
    Residence County: Mahoning
    Residence State: Ohio
    Residence Country: United States
    Death Date: 15 Aug 1964
    City of Death: Youngstown
    County of Death: Mahoning
    Certificate: 61181
    Age at Death: 66
    Certifier: Physician
    Autopsy: No Autopsy performed
    Marital Status: Married

  6.   Eleanor Roosevelt Visits Youngstown Photograph, in Ohio Historical Society Online Photographs
    1939.

    This photograph was taken while First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was on a tour of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company's Campbell Plant in November 1939. Shown are (from left to right) Sam Carbon, J.S. Stanier, J.C. Argetsinger, Mrs. Roosevelt, C.A. Davis, and J.H. Krehl. Originally in the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Bulletin, now in the collection of the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, and put online by the Ohio Historical Society. Link [1].