From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,"  Vol. I, page 296.
Brant & Fuller, 1890.


JOHN V. GAVIN

John V. Gavin, prominent among the dry goods men of Wheeling, was 
born in Belmont county, Ohio, July 7, 1853, the son of Thomas and Ann 
(O'Malley) Gavin, both natives of Ireland.  Thomas Gavin was born 
about 1830, and in 1847 came to America, settling first in Vermont.  
In this state he was married, and in 1851 he and wife came to what 
was then the west, during the period of the construction of the 
Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and finally settled at Warnock's Station, 
in Belmont county.  After coming to this region he was connected with 
the railroad, and is now a foreman on the Cleveland & Pittsburgh 
railroad.  His wife died in 1868, leaving six children, four of whom 
are still living.  John V. Gavin was reared in his native county, and 
received, a common school education, but had in his youth small 
opportunities for advancement.  He began work for himself as a 
packing boy in the Belmont Nail works, and gradually worked up from 
that until he had filled various higher positions, and had devoted 
the last twelve years of his employment in that works to making 
nails.  After an unsuccessful strike of the nailers, which lasted for 
fourteen months, he became dissatisfied, and on November 4, 1887, he 
embarked in the dry goods business, building his present place of 
business.  In this enterprise he has met with success as complete as 
he could have anticipated, and he is now one of the leading dry goods 
and notion dealers of the city.  His place of business is at No.  
2901 Eoff street.  Mr. Gavin was married September 23, 1879, to 
Cecelia Mogan, who was born in Ireland and came to America when a 
child, and they have had five children, four of whom survive.  Mr. 
Gavin is one of the foremost citizens of the Sixth ward, which he has 
twice represented in the city council.  He was elected as a democrat 
to the second branch in 1882, and in 1884 to the first branch, but 
the latter position his business compelled him to resign before the 
expiration of his term of service.  Mr. Gavin is one of the directors 
of the Union Accident and Benefit association. His religious 
affiliation is with St. Mary's Catholic church. 


(Linda Fluharty)