Charles Harrington


CHARLES A. HARRINGTON, president of the Second National Bank, and Warren, Ohio,was for many years a prominent character in the affairs of the Buckeye state, was a native of Ohio, born in Greene township, Trumbull county, June 16, 1824.

He descended from the Puritanic stock of New England, being the song of William and Helena (Bascom) Harrington, who were natives, respectively, of Brookfield, Vermont, and Chester, Massachusetts.

Brief genealogy:
Charles Adams Harrington, son of William, son of John, son of Joshua, son of Ebenezer, son of Thomas, Robert, son of James Harrington b. 1592 Bath England, d. 1630 Watertown Mass.).

Charles’ father William was born February 5, 1794. William Harrington, whose father died early in live, was bound out in his youth, but purchased his time before attaining his majority and went to Canada, which country he left on the outbreak of the war of 1812. In March, 1817, in company with his mother, he came to Trumbull county and settled in the midst of the woods on his claim his mother keeping house for him until his marriage in 1821.

 

He followed agriculture, and was much interested in the early development of the county, acting many years as a justice of the peace of honor, ability and popularity. Both he and his faithful wife were communicants of the Congregational church, in which he was frequently a lay-reader. He died in 1895, more than ninety-one years of age. Their five children all survive save William A., who passed from earth June 5, 1893, and Coydon, who died about 1896.

Charles A. Harrington, one of the five children mentioned, was reared on the farm, continuing to reside there until twenty-one years of age; attended the public schools of his home neighborhood, after which he was for a time a student at the Grand River Institute, Austinburg, Ohio, and subsequently entered Oberlin College, which institution he left during his junior year. For about twelve winters following he taught school, and in 1845 established a select school in Greene township, which proved a decided success, through the able management and assistance of the able corps of assistants whom Mr. Harrington drew about him. While teaching he also studied law, and in 1849 was admitted to practice. In 1860, after eleven years of constant practice, he was elected clerk of the court of common pleas, serving two terms and retiring from that office in 1867. During that year, without solicitation, he was nominated by President Johnson, and confirmed by the Senate, as assessor of internal revenue for the nineteenth district, which office he held until it was abolished by law. Mr. Harrington then resumed his law practice in partnership with William T. Spear, which relation existed until 1879, when Mr. Spear was elected to the bench as judge of the common pleas court. Mr. Harrington practiced alone until 1887, and in January,1900, was elected to his present office as president of the bank. Mr. Harrington was originally a Whig, but upon the formation of the Republican party he immediately joined its ranks. Fraternally, he is a Master Mason, and was one of the first trustees for the Children’s Home for Trumbull county, at Warren. His greatest happiness has been noted while serving others, rather than himself.

In 1848 Mr. Harrington was married to Elvira, daughter of William A. Bascom, by whom two children were born: Charles Fredrick and Frank Wales, both of whom preceded him in death.

Elvira Bascom & Charles Harrington were 1st cousins. Her father, William A. Bascom, & his mother, Helena Bascom, were siblings, children of James Bascom & his 1st wife, Helena Wales.

Mrs. Elvira Harrington died on February 17, 1892. In 1864 the elder son, a graduate of the Western Reserve College, entered the army and served until the close of the Civil war. He returned home, and was for a number of years in the United States coast survey service, with which he was connected when he died in the month of October, 1871. He had married Miss Skinner, of New York, but left no children. His death was caused by diseases contracted while service his country. On November 28, 1893, Charles A. Harrington married his second wife Sophia M. Smith.

 

Sources: The History of the Mahoning Valley, The Warren Tribune Chronicle, Census records.

 

Harrington Residences:

1875-6 Directory of the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys
Harrington, Charles A. – ?? Washington Ave.

1877 Directory of the Mahoning Valley
Harrington, Charles A. – 42 Washington Ave. (now 154 Washington St NW)

1889-90 Warren City Directory
Harrington, Charles A. – 188 N. Park Ave.
Harrington, Frank W. – 24 Washington Ave. (now 272 Washington St NW).

1891-92 Warren City Directory
Harrington, Charles A. – 188 N. Park Ave.
Harrington, Frank W. – 24 Washington Ave. and 188 N. Park Ave.

1893-94 Warren & Niles Directory
Harrington, Charles A. – 188 N. Park Ave.
Harrington, Frank W. – 188 N. Park Ave.

The residence at 188 N. Park Ave. was demolished in 1927 to build the Y.W.C.A. Read More.