Holliday, Job J.

Farmer, Wool Dealer, Businessman

Birth: December 10, 1827, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Death: March 11, 1911, Vienna, Trumbull County, Ohio
Burial: Vienna Township Cemetery, Vienna, Trumbull County, Ohio
Find a Grave memorial

Published Biographies

From Biographical History of Northeastern Ohio Embracing the Counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning. … (Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1893), pp. 413-14:

JOB J. HOLLIDAY, one of the representative citizens of Vienna, Trumbull County, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, December 10, 1827, a son of Harry and Rebecca (Doan) Holliday. When our subject was about eight years of age he came to Vienna and made his home with Eppenetus Rodgers [Epenitus Rogers]. Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers were natives respectively of Long Island and Connecticut, but were early settlers in this county. The former came to Trumbull County from his native place, carrying his knapsack, and the latter came with a family in an ox wagon, paying her passage according to her weight. Mr. Rodgers secured his first 100 acres of land from Mr. Holmes, for which he worked six months at surveying. He located on that land in 1804, and his wife afterward purchased an adjoining 100 acres. Mr. Rodgers opened a farm of 300 acres in Vienna, was one of the leading men of his township, a stanch member of the Presbyterian Church, and in political matters a Whig. When a young man he met his wife in Cleveland, where they were married, and afterward went on horseback to Connecticut. After spending the winter there they returned to this township. They were successful people financially, and were good, honest and industrious citizens.

J. J. Holliday, our subject, was reared to farm life, attended school during the winter months and worked on the farm in summers. He remained on the Rodgers farm a number of years during the life of Mr. Rodgers, and after his death remained with the widow, whom he took care of until her death. Mr. Holliday inherited one-half of their estate, and remained on his place until 1870. In that year he came to Vienna Center, where he has a fine residence and thirty acres of land. For the past fifteen years he has been engaged in the wool business, handling large amounts of that product annually. For a number of years Mr. Holliday has been one of the leaders in the Republican party in this county, has held the office of Trustee for many years, has served as Township Treasurer, etc.

November 23, 1849, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Woodford, who was born in Vienna, February 12, 1828, a daughter of Amon and Nancy (Nelson) Woodford. The father was also born in this township, in 1803, a son of Isaac and Statira (Coles) [Cowles] Woodford, natives of Connecticut, but located here in 1801. They were among the early and substantial families to settle in the woods of Trumbull County, where they reared a large family of children. The father was a Deacon in the Presbyterian Church. Amon, the fourth child in order of birth, was reared on the old home farm. Mr. and Mrs. Woodford had seven children, viz.” Mary, wife of our subject; Sidney, who was a member of an Iowa company during the late war, is now a resident of that State; Nelson A., also of Iowa; Newton I., a resident of Nebraska; Albert, who served in the Second Iowa Cavalry during the late war, died while in the army, at LaGrange, Tennessee; Libbie C., of Vienna; Henry L., who died at home in 1866.

Mr. and Mrs. Holliday have had two children: Eppenetus R., who died at the age of three years and eight months; and Della, who died January 5, 1891, at the age of twenty-five years, was the wife of George Houser, of Girard, Ohio. Mrs. Holliday is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Our subject affiliates with the A. F. & A. M., Mahoning Lodge, No. 394, and in politics is a Republican.

From Harriet Taylor Upton, A Twentieth Century History of Trumbull County, Ohio, A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, Its People, and Its Principal Interests (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1909), Volume 1, pp. 273-74:

JOB J. HOLLIDAY.--An industrious farmer and wool dealer, who owns considerable real estate, Job J. Holliday, of Vienna, Vienna township, Trumbull County, Ohio, was born at what was then known as Doan's Corners, six miles east of Cleveland, December 10, 1827. His father died when he was but a mere babe. The mother's maiden name was Rebecca Doan, born in Cleveland. The maternal grandfather came from Connecticut and was by trade a blacksmith. He came west at a very early time and owned nearly all of what came to known as East Cleveland. He continued to reside there until his death. On account of his father's early death, Mr. Holliday knows but little of his ancestry, which fact he greatly deplores.

Job J. Holliday attended school at the block school house near the village of Vienna; also an academy at that place, which educational institution has long since been discontinued. Mr. Holliday went to Vienna when about eight years of age, accompanied by his mother. She left him with a Mr. Rogers, with whom he lived until both Mr. Rogers and his wife were deceased. He then set forth alone to try the realities of life unaided by father's or guardian's hand. He purchased thirty-one acres of land, all within the village limits. To this he from time to time added, until he now owns a large tract; he also owns a residence and lot in Girard, besides a similar property in Warren, Ohio. He has returned from the farming and wool dealing business, and is enjoying the fruits of his labor.

Though not a member of any denomination, he always attended the Presbyterian Church, with which his wife is connected. Politically, Mr. Holliday is a supporter of the Republican party and has served as a trustee of Vienna township. During the Civil war he was drafted into the Union cause, but by hiring a substitute he did not serve. Mr. Holliday is a progressive citizen, and, believing in the wisdom of benevolent societies, long since became a member of the Masonic fraternity.

He was united in marriage November 23, 1849, to Mary A. Woodford, born in Vienna, Ohio, February 12, 1828, a daughter of Amon and Nancy (Nelson) Woodford. Her father was born January 23, 1803, in Vienna village, his parents coming from Connecticut about 1801, locating on a farm about one mile south of the village, where he died. He was by occupation a farmer, and his death occurred at the close of the Civil war. The wife and mother was born in Liberty township, December 27, 1804; she died September 5, 1879. To Mr. and Mrs. Holliday were born two children: Ebenezer and Adell.