Submitted by Marcia Levy
Charles F. Owsley was born in Weathersfield, Ohio in 1880. His parents were Charles H. Owsley(1846-1935) and Mary Jane Williams (1846-1910). His father was a prominent architect in the area.
Charles graduated from The Rayen School in 1899 and studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. He also studied in Paris, France. He came back to Youngstown in 1905 and joined his father’s architecture firm. Together they designed many prominent buildings in the area.
He married Kathryn McKelvey (1881-1966) in 1905. She was the daughter of George M. McKelvey (1843-1905) the founder of McKelvey’s Department Store. Her mother was Leah Brownlee. Charles and Kathryn had four children together- Richard, Charles, Mary, and Katherine.
Some of the buildings that Charles designed were: the Mahoning County Courthouse (1907), Youngstown Public Library, South High School, McKelveys Dept. Store (1907), St. Elizabeth Hospital, North Side Hospital, Home Savings and Loan Bldg, Isaly Dairy Plant, Shenango Inn (1950),and the Ford Nature Center.
In 1914 he organized and became the first president of the Rotary Club.
In 1938 he and his wife purchased a farm on Warner Rd. in Liberty Township. He designed, remodeled and enlarged it to become a 4000 sq. ft home on over 5 acres of land. He died in 1953 and his wife stayed in the house until her death in 1966.
