Mahoning County Ag Hall of Fame Announces 2024 Inductees

CANFIELD, Ohio – The Mahoning County Agriculture Hall of Fame’s 2024 inductees are Harvey Firestone, Roger Greenawalt, Francis and Jane Less and Paul Myers.

The hall, now in its third year, recognizes county residents and married couples, and business partners who made a significant impact on agriculture as farmers or in an agriculture-related field.

The induction ceremonies will take place at the start of the Canfield Fair on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 11 a.m. on the Concourse Stage located near the Canfield Fair grandstand.

The hall is overseen by the Mahoning County Agricultural Society, which is the governing body of the Canfield Fair and Fairgrounds.

Here is a closer look at this year’s nominees:

Paul E. Myers

Born Jan. 19, 1897, Myers grew up in Smith Township on a grain, dairy and livestock farm. He traveled throughout Mahoning and Columbiana counties purchasing cattle, hogs, turkeys and chickens and butchered these animals at his slaughterhouse and sold the meats to local markets. This served as a benefit to local farmers as there were no nearby outlets for their livestock and helped the markets as he offered fresh meats in an era when refrigeration was limited.

Myers eventually saw the need for a local auction barn and, together with Curt Shreve, founded the Damascus Livestock Auction.

He hauled livestock in from an auction in Parkersburg, W.Va. For that reason, he was constantly acquiring cars and trucks, which led to his new venture of becoming a Reo Car and Truck dealer in Youngstown.

As this business expanded, in 1937 Myers founded Myers Equipment Co.

He continued to farm, milking Holstein cows and raising Black Angus beef until his retirement in 1972.

Myers was a lifelong member of East Goshen Friends Church, a 50-year member of Smith Grange and director emeritus of the First National Bank of Salem.

In 1920, he and his future wife, Verna, hitched his horse to a buggy and traveled from Beloit to Canfield to enjoy a date at the Canfield Fair. They were married the following year on March 3.

Paul’s son, David, and grandson, Craig, have served as directors of the Canfield Fair.

Roger Greenawalt

Born Feb. 19, 1951, Greenawalt grew up on the family dairy farm in Beloit.

He graduated from The Ohio State University with a dual major in agricultural education and agricultural finance in 1972 and went on to earn his master’s degree in 1976.

He taught from 1972 to 1999 and initiated the annual Food for America field trip for district elementary students, served as the Young Farmer’s advisor and developed an agricultural education model curriculum for OSU.

Greenawalt was a local government leader and ran a successful land improvement business. He now farms 650 acres along with operating his farm drainage business.

Francis and Jane Less

The Lesses were married in October 1941. They began their business on Washingtonville Road, Green Township, and soon were known for the production of fruits, vegetables and grains. They also had a successful egg business. 

As the couple worked hard on the farm, Francis concentrated on sweet corn, apples and field corn. He received recognition for producing 200 bushels per acre for five consecutive years, from 1969-1973.

In 1973, Gov. Richard Celeste appointed Francis to the Ohio Agricultural Finance Commission. 

He also served as a director of the Mahoning County Agricultural Society, the Farm Bureau Co-op board, where he was a past president, and the Salem Fruit Growers Association (Greenstar).

The Lesses were the “go-to” people for other local growers who needed advice. In 1992, the Canfield Fair honored the family as the Rural Family of the Year.

Harvey S. Firestone

Few names are more recognizable in America than Harvey Firestone, who was born Dec. 20, 1868, on his grandfather’s farm in Mahoning County. He died in 1938.

Firestone, who founded the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., grew up working on the family farm whenever possible. A fourth-generation farmer, he was also an inventor.

Farm machinery in the early 1900s moved slowly and roughly on steel wheels. In 1932, Firestone invented and developed the pneumatic farm tire. The “ground grip tire,” as it was known, offered a smoother ride and better traction. Farm machinery could now travel faster and smoother to extend their reach to cover more acreage efficiently.

Though he had a home in Akron and traveled extensively, Firestone returned often to the family farm to offer a helping hand and experience firsthand the performance of his tires in action.

He not only helped farmers but all Americans. Firestone helped to develop the interstate highway system and put American military vehicles on inflatable tires.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.