130 Years Ago, 1896 transcribed as originally published in the Youngstown Vindicator:

“The summons that called C.D. Arms to join the innumerable throng came today. Architect of his own fortune. His death occurred at 2:45 o’clock this afternoon, after weeks of suffering.”

“Charles D. Arms passed away at 2:45 this afternoon, at the family residence on Wick Avenue….

“When stricken with the fatal illness and informed that his life would not be prolonged but a few days, Mr. Arms sent for his counsel, Cecil C. Hine, and quietly and systematically arranged all his business affairs. His brain was clear and he directed the disposition of all matters as cooly as though he was going on a journey and did not expect to return for some time.

“The confidence he maintained enabled his family to bear up under the blow which they realized was to fall upon them, and the last hours were passed by those nearest and dearest to him in cheering up the patient sufferer….

“Mr. Arms was born in Sodus, Wayne County, N.Y., April 29, 1826, and removed to this section of the state in 1847. He was associated in business for a time with Jonathan Warner in a building which formerly occupied the present site where the Jewell block now stands at the corner of Federal Street and Central Square.

“Mr. Arms engaged in contracting, and among those in his employ was N.K. Fairbanks, now a wealthy magnate of Chicago, in erecting a bank building at Danville, N.Y. Later he was engaged in business at Brookfield with the late Freeman Arms.

“On May 27, 1852, Mr. Arms was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Wick, of this city, and the union proved a most happy one.

“Among his early ventures in coal mining was the opening of a bank in this city, near what is now the residence of J. Craig Smith, on the corner of Spring and Bryson Streets, which he sold to Crawford & Murray, who were then operating a blast furnace here. Later he opened a coal mine at Crab Creek, which proved successful, and then secured leases on lands in Brookfield, where he developed a number of mines.

“His success as a coal operator was phenomenal, and it is worthy of note that nearly all the lands in which he prospected for coal he was rewarded by finding an abundance of black diamonds. After opening mines at Brookfield, he engaged for a time in the rolling mill business at Portsmouth, and was also a member of the Valley Iron Company and Wick, Ridgeway & Co., which for a time operated the Valley mill.

“Mr. Arms was a prominent member of the Church Hill Coal Company, which for a number of years operated mines on an extensive scale on Church Hill, sending many tons of fine coal per day to the markets of the world until the mines were exhausted.

“Mr. Arms spent a year in the Black Hills country and his foresight and keen judgement induced him to invest largely in mining properties in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, all of which proved successful….

“Mr. Arms was president of the Mahoning Valley Iron Company, and since the demise of H.O. Bonnell has devoted considerable time to its affairs….

“His married life was a most happy one, having at all times the loving confidence of a devoted wife and daughters who were an honor and comfort to him. In addition to a bereaved wife he leaves six daughters: Mrs. Harry Bonnell, Miss Kate Arms, Miss Caroline Arms, Mrs. Harry Robinson and Miss Olive Arms, all of this city.”

• Compiled by Dante Bernard, museum educator at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society