James A. Niman
Today is the eighty-second birthday anniversary of James A. Niman, Mansfield's pioneer undertaker, who was born May 4, 1828, on a farm about two and a half miles north of this city and now owned by William Wallace. Mr. Niman's father, with three brothers, came to Ohio from Pennsylvania in 1816 and entered a section of land in this county. At the age of eighteen years Mr. Niman left his father's farm and came to Mansfield to serve a three-year apprenticeship at cabinet-making. On March 9, 1849, he went into the furniture and undertaking business, having first been located on Fast First street, near the corner of Adams street. Afterward he was located on the lot just north of the Bissman building on North Main street and later established a furniture store and wareroom where the Case grocery is now located. In 1863 he purchased the property at 109 North Main street, where he has since been located. He continued in the furniture business until 1880 when he disposed of that branch of the business and has since given his entire attention to undertaking, still continuing as the owner and manager of the business. It is not unlikely that during the 61 years Mr. Niman has been in the undertaking business he has had charge of more than ten thousand funerals as in some single years during that time he has conducted over three hundred funerals. A life-long resident of this city, Mr. Niman is known to practically every resident of the city and he is respected by all who know him. Until a comparatively short time ago his health was remarkably good for a man of his age and even now he is in reasonably good health, although he recently passed through a sick spell which weakened him considerably.
From The Mansfield News: Wednesday, May 4, 1910