From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,"  Vol. I, pages 451-452.
Brant & Fuller, 1890.


JOHN M. SWEENEY

John M. Sweeney, junior member of the firm of A. J. Sweeney & Co., 
was born in Wheeling, July 10, 1851.  He was reared in Wheeling and 
attended the ward schools of the city until 1866, and then attended 
the private school of H. W. Harding, one of Wheeling's noted early 
teachers.  In 1866 he entered Washington and Jefferson college, at 
Washington, Penn., where he was graduated in 1869.  After leaving 
college Mr. Sweeney entered the foundry and machine shops of Sweeney 
& Co., and he was manager of that business until 1874, when he became 
a member of the firm of A. J. Sweeney & Son, which firm was formed at 
that time.  He continues as general manager of the extensive foundry 
and machine shop operated by the firm.  In 1887 Mr. Sweeney organized 
the Wheeling Electric Street Railway line, which has since been 
consolidated with the Citizens Street Railroad company, and of this 
company he is president.  At about the same time the Wheeling 
Electric Light company was organized, and Mr. Sweeney was one of the 
projectors of the same, and he is also identified with the 
organization of the Martin's Ferry, Ohio, Electric Light company, 
also identified with the new bridges over the Ohio river to Wheeling 
Island and the Back Channel to Ohio.  Also interested in the Globe 
Contract company, for the purpose of forming and building electric 
light and electric railroad plants in West Virginia.  In 1875 he was 
married to Miss Julia Garden, of Wheeling, daughter of A. T. Garden. 


(Linda Fluharty)