Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-10
THOMAS SWEENEY,
TIE VENERABLE MANUFACTURER, DIES, FULL
OF YEARS
His Demise, at Half-Pasi Ten Last Night at His
Rssidencs-A Sketch Of His
Long Life.

Long Lie.
Hon. Thomas Sweeney died at the resi-
dence Of the family, No. % Virginia street,
Island, at twenty-five minutes after ten
o'clock last night, at the advanced age oil
eighty-four years, two months and three
days.
No citizen of Wheeling was better known
than the deceased, and none did more
TO build up the industries Of Wheel
ing, than did Mr. Sweeney during the
years of his activity, between 1880 and
1894
Departing from among US, he will be sin
cerely incurred by hundreds, to whom he
was well-known and greatly beloved.
He was one of the rapidly lessing ties
binding the present Of the city 10 It's past
and as such. over and above all other con
siderations, his loss is to be deplored
Although living a retired and quiet life
for the past fifteen years, his figure has
been a familiar one upon the streets, up 10
very recent period In his youth and mid
die age a man Of unusal physical strength
and OF great vitality, he remained stalwart
and active long after his allotted time, and
up 10 the opening of the present year he
drove about alone with all the freedom Of
a man half a century his junior.
Death came 10 him peacefully, AFTER an
illness extending over two or three months,
and his passing away was like railing INTO
sleep
Thomas Sweeney was son of Michael
Sweeney. and was born in or near the city
of Armagh, ireland, March 6, 1906. The
family removed 10 America in lSyS, there
being two or three children older than the
subject Of this sketch There they lived on
branch Of the Delaware river, in Eastern
New York. where they located upon stock
farm. remaining there until 1874. Ii that
year the family removed TO Plttsourg,
where, in 1915, the father Of the deceased
died.
Thomas Sweeney then went TO work at
the molders' trade, at the Pittsburg foun-
dry. finishing his trade when twenty years
of age. On March 9, 1895, he was married
10 Miss Rosanna Mathews, Of Allegheny
county Mr. Sweeney continued in 0usi-
ness in Pittsburg until 1880, when he re
moved 10 this city with his brothers and
purchased the North Wheeling Manuiact-
uring Company, which he continued to OPP
crate in various forms, as will be hereafter
referred TO, until lS14
In 1892 or 1893 one of Mr.. Sweeney'S
brothers died. and he continued IN business
with his brother Campbell. The firm was
then an extensive one, operating both IN
Pittsburg and Wheeling, there being TWO
foundries here and one in Pittsburg Inc
stvle Of the firm was Cuthbert X Co. Thls
firm was dissolved in lS;f2. by the death OF
Andrew Sweeney, and again in lS'i3 by the
death of Campbell Sweeney, brothers OF
Thomas. About this time the PittSburg
foundry was operated by a cousin OF Mr..
Sweeney's. and one of the Wheeling foun-
dries. located between Chapline and Eoft
streets. south of Eleventh street, by Mr..
Cuthbert, of the firm. This foundry was
burned in 1886 The North Wheeling
works. where machinery, etc, was made.
Us well as castings, was operated by the de
ceased from 1898 to 1881, when Mr.. Swee-
ney took into partnership his Drother-lh-
law. Mr. James +. Mathews.
In 1885 Mr. Sweeney, with his brothers,
Michael and Robert H.. erected and oper-
ated the flint glass works on the same prop
erty in North Wheeling, and the plant was
noted for the fine quality Of its ware.
In 1874 Robert II. Sweeney died, ana the
glass firm became NJ. Il t. Sweeney, ana
so remained until the retirement, in lS+S,
of Michael :. Sweeney, when the firm be-
came Sweeney * Bell, the new partners
being \. j. Sweeney and Joseph Bel.
In 1852 the glass firm became, by the re
tirement Of Mr.. Bell, Thomas Sweeney "
Son, and remained in that shape until the
sale of the entire business to the firm OF -.
McCluney Il Co, in 1853
In 1852 the foundry firm was changed to
Thomas Sweeney X Co., being composed
of Thomas Sweeney and his son, captain
Thomas Sweeney, and in 1888, 1t was again
changed TO Sweeney x Co, by taking IN A
Of NhA
firm is still continuing the business on the
South Side, under the wellknown hrm
name Of y J. Sweeney x Sons.
Aswe have said Mr.. Sweeney, during his
lifetime. was active in the promotion OF
the business enterprises of the city. de
was chiefly instrumental in inducing DIR.
Schonenberger 70 build a rolling mill at
the upper end Of the city, now running un-
der the name Of the Wheeling Iron ana
Nall Company. In lS4S, and until ITS
completion, he was very active in the con
struction of the Wheeling and Belmont
Bridge COmpany's bridge across the ONO.
and in 1851 or 1855, when the old Hempheld
road languished, after reaching Washing
ton. Pa, he aided in pushing il through and
making il Of value TO both Wheeling and
Pittsburg. He was also largely Interested
in promoting business on the river.
In politics Mr.. Sweeney was very prOmi-
nent. during the period between 1900 TO
1860 In 1852 he was elected delegate
from Ohio county 10 the Virginia Leglsla-
tupe, serving two terms, and in lSob ne was
elected Senator % represent this district,
his term expiring just before the war. He
also took quite prominent part in city
affairs.
Mr.. Sweeney's first wife, nee Miss
Mathews, died in April, lst4, two SONS, A.
1 and II q Sweeney surviving her. with
their father. On March ~, 1915, Mr..
Sweeney married Miss Jane b. McFerren,
of this city. who died March D, 1872, leav-
ing two children, John +. and Miss h. a,
now Mrs. T. w. Fleming, Of Falrmont
Decembar "a. 1874, to Miss Anna +. How,
Of ST. George, Del, who survives him
with one daughter. Miss LUticia Sweeney
The funeral will take place Monday
morning at ten o'clock, the intement be
ing private