D. Howard Gayle
D. Howard Gayle, a well known and prominent business man of Cincinnati, who has for many years been identified with mining and banking interests, was born in Owen County, Kentucky, on the 15th of April, 1860. His parents, James and Sarah Catherine (Green) Gayle, were also natives of that county. The father died in 1897, but the mother is still living at the age of eighty years and continues to reside at the old home in New Liberty, Kentucky.
The boyhood and youth of D. Howard Gayle were spent amid a rural environment and, while he assisted to some extent in the labors of the field and was trained to habits of industry and perseverance, he yet did not have to meet the conditions of poverty that force so many boys out into the world at an immature age. As a young man he entered commercial circles in connection with merchandising interests at New Liberty, Kentucky. Later he became a representative of banking interests and for fifteen years was cashier of the Citizens Bank in New Liberty, Kentucky. From that time he has always been connected more or less with banking enterprises and at the present writing, in 1911, is a director of the Fifth-Third National Bank of Cincinnati, also of the Campbell County Bank of Bellevue, Kentucky, and the First National Bank of Richmond, Indiana. In August, 1900, he removed to Cincinnati to become president and general manager of the Cincinnati Tobacco Warehouse Company and has since made his home in this city. He Held that position for ten years and during this same period was president of the Association of Tobacco Trade of Cincinnati. He likewise acted as president and general manager of the Cincinnati Tobacco Warehouse Company, which company resulted from the amalgamation of seven or eight tobacco warehouse companies of this city. On the 10th of October, 1900, he resigned and retired from the presidency, but still holds a directorship on the board. Mr. Gayle is now president of the Gilmer Fuel Company and vice president and treasurer of the Kroger Gas Coal Company. He is also a partner of R. J. Kroger in the Kroger Gayle Coal Company, successors to the R. J. Kroger Coal Company, which was established in 1888. They own and operate four coal mines and have offices in the Provident Trust building of this city, he having charge of the sales department.
In 1886 Mr. Gayle was united in marriage to Miss Jane Orr, a daughter of Colonel J. P. Orr, for many years city auditor of Covington, Kentucky. To them have been born four children; Garvey, who is married and lives in Clarksburg, West Virginia, where he is engaged in the coal business; James, connected with the Cincinnati Tobacco Warehouse Company; and Lucy and Jane, at home. The family residence is at the corner of Third and Garrard streets in Covington and Mr. Gayle is a member of the Baptist church there. He has never refused his aid and cooperation to the projects wherein the public welfare is involved and throughout his life has stood for progress and improvement.
From History of Hamilton County, Ohio, Henry & Kate Ford, L. A. Williams & Co., Publishers, 1881