Harry B. Stonebraker
Harry B. Stonebraker, a representative business man of Steubenville, O., where he has resided since 1901, is president and general manager of the Steubenville Stone Company and belongs to one of the early settled families of Jefferson County. He was born in this county, in September, 1870, near Two Ridge Church, nine miles west of Steubenville, and is a son of John D. and a grandson of John David Stonebraker. John D. Stonebraker was born in Jefferson County, in 1846, and now resides at Reeds' Mills, where he has been engaged in general gardening for the past sixteen years. During a part of his active life he was a coal miner. During the Civil War he served almost three years as a soldier, being a member of Co. K, 5th O. Vol. Cav.
Harry B. Stonebraker obtained his education in the common schools. When he went to work he began at the bottom, entering the employ of the contracting firm of McDonald & Timmons as a laborer. This firm was engaged in public work and he assisted in the construction of eighty-five miles of turnpike road in Jefferson County. During this time he was advanced by his employers until he became foreman of a gang. In December, 1893, Mr. Stonebraker went to California and remained there until 1897, when he returned to Jefferson County, and shortly afterward entered the employ of the Pan Handle Railroad and assisted in the building of twelve miles of turnpike road for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and helped to build the Bessemer & Erie Railroad line, in Butler County, Pennsylvania. Later he became foreman for the Furnaceville Iron Company that was making improvements on the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Rochester, N. Y., and after tlie conclusion of that work came back to Jefferson County and went to work in the old steel plant at Mingo. Mr. Stonebraker kept on the lookout for construction work, having had so much experience in that line, and later became employed by the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad in its extension work, and helped construct the upper end from Wellsburg to Wheeling of the Wellsburg and Wheeling traction line, and was made general foreman in charge of the stone work and excavating. When all the contracts involved were satisfactorily completed he returned to Steubenville, and in 1903 he formed a partnership with Frank Stecker in a general stone contracting business, and one year later established an artificial stone company, and in 1905 incorporated his various interests under the present title of The Steubenville Stone Company. The officers of the company are: Harry B. Stonebraker, president and general manager; Frank N. Stecker, vice president; and G. H. Hamilton, secretary and treasurer. The business of the company includes doing all kinds of stone and cement work, artificial stone work, paving, excavating, etc.; work that enters into and is a necessary part of public and general improvements of all description. In politics Mr. Stonebraker is a zealous Republican, but his private interests are too large to permit him to consider offers of political office.
Mr. Stonebraker was married October 28, 1903, to Miss Henrietta E. Hout, a daughter of George A. Hout, of Steubenville, and they have three children: John A., Elizabeth M. and Otis H. Mr. Stonebraker has erected a beautiful residence at Pleasant Heights, a choice suburb of Steubenville. He is identitied with the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the Chapter, and is a member also of the order of Modern Woodmen of America.
From 20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio, by Joseph B. Doyle. Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910