Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 104

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1526

USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > Butler > Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th > Part 104

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Lewis C. Sankey has always resided on his present farm and has made farming his life occupation. His farm, consisting of eighty-three acres, is well improved and highly cultivated and he has one gas well and one oil well, both in operation. The large frame house in which Mr. Sankey re- sides was built by his father in 1884.

Mr. Sankey was joined in the holy bonds of wedlock with Laura Porter, who was reared in Marion Township, this county, and is a daughter of John and Martha Por- ter. Mr. and Mrs. Sankey are the parents of the following children: Clair, William, Pearl, Frederick, Martha, and Clara. In fraternal circles Mr. Sankey is affiliated with the Junior Order of American Me- chanics.

WILLIAM L. BENNETT, one of Alle- gheny Township's prominent and substan- tial citizens, who has been engaged for a number of years in oil-well drilling and contracting, resides on his valuable farm of 150 acres, which is located near Six Points, Butler County. He was born in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, July 2, 1859, and is a son of Elijah N. and Eliza- beth (Sherman) Bennett.

The father of Mr. Bennett was born in Indiana County and died in Butler County. The mother was born in Juniata County and resides at Hillsdale, Michigan. In 1865 they moved to Wisconsin and in 1869 to Parker's Landing, Butler County, Penn-

sylvania, where Elijah N. Bennett engaged in oil production.

William L. Bennett attended school at Parker's Landing. In the spring of 1879 he left Butler County and went to Colo- rado, spending four years in the far West before he returned to Pennsylvania. He engaged for a time in oil producing in Mc- Kean County, and later visited the oil re- gions in various States, finally returning to Butler County and in 1895 he settled on his present valuable farm. He has had ex- perience in the oil industry from his youth and few men in the business in this sec- tion are better qualified or better informed concerning this great industry. For some years he has been engaged in contracting and drilling.

Mr. Bennett was married to Miss Flor- ence B. Whited, who was born in Jackson County, Ohio, a daughter of Joseph Whited, now a resident of White Bluff, Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett are members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a trustee. In his politi- cal views he is a Republican. At different times he has consented to accept political office and has served as constable in Alle- gheny Township and at present is serving as a highway commissioner. He enjoys the confidence and commands the respect of his fellow citizens with whom he has had personal and business relations for so many years.

HARRY T. TURNER, a representative citizen of Butler, an engineer by profes- sion and formerly president of the Etna Manufacturing Company of this city, was born in 1864, in England, and when five years old was brought to America, son of Henry and Emily (Overy) Turner.

The parents of Mr. Turner located first at Petroleum Center, on Oil Creek, moving later to Parker's Landing and subsequent- ly to other oil fields in the state, so that the boy almost grew up in the oil business. When he came first to Butler, he became

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an employe at the electric light plant and remained there for twelve years and dur- ing a large part of that time was the chief engineer of the works. Later he became interested in the Etna Manufacturing Company and in the course of events was elected president of that corporation and served in that capacity until 1908, when he sold his interest. He has an enviable record back of him of business integrity and unusual business ability. Like many men of present fortune, he overcame many early obstacles and through his own ef- forts won his place in the business world.

On March 5, 1890, Mr. Turner was mar- ried to Miss Lizzie A. Kamerer and they have four children-Irene, Eliza, Vernon and Harry. Mr. Turner is an official mem- ber of Grace Lutheran Church. In fra- ternal life he is identified with the Macca- hees and the Knights of Pythias.

SHERIDAN C. KARNS, one of Alle- ghany Township's best known citizens, has been engaged in the coal industry for the past thirty-five years and has been a resi- dent of this township since he was ten years old. He was born at Emlenton, Ve- nango County, Pennsylvania, December 2, 1848, and is a son of William K. and Sarah (Perry) Karns.

William K. Karns was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and died in 1901. He followed shoe-making and also con- ducted a hotel at Emlenton, for a number of years, and then removed to Allegheny Township, Butler County, where he re- sided for a quarter of a century.

Sheridan C. Karns attended school first at Emlenton and then in Allegheny Town- ship, but early in life began to depend upon his own efforts, being one of the men who have prospered in spite of early draw- backs. He has been a man of business prominence in Allegheny Township for many years, his main interest being deal- ing in coal and in this connection he is known all over Butler County.

Mr. Karns was married (first) to Miss Jane Jones, who left three children, name- ly: Jesse P., Charles M. and Della, who is the wife of William Shakely. Mr. Karns was married (second) to Miss Mar- garet Beals, and they had two children, Melville E. and Irene. He was married to his present wife, Miss Ellen J. Joseph, and they have six children, as follows: Edward C., Clarence, Laura M., William T., Newton and Sadie. In politics, Mr. Karns is a Republican, but he is no poli- tician, chosing rather to devote all his at- tention to his business. He is a member of Emlenton Lodge. No. 644, Odd Fellows, and to Tent No. 111, Knights of Macca- bees, also at Emlenton.

AMOS HALL, a leading citizen of Branchton, where he conducts a general store and owns a large amount of valuable property, was born on the old Hall home place in Clay Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, near Halston, April 6, 1840. His parents were Jesse and Mary (Alex- ander) Hall.

Jesse Hall was born in Cecil County, Maryland, and lived there through his edu- cational period and until he married and had six children, when he came to Butler County, in 1837. Mr. Hall settled on the tract since known as the Hall homestead, containing 540 acres situated about equally in four townships-Clay, Brady, Cherry and Slippery Rock. Mr. Hall and his wife both spent their remaining years on that farm.

Amos Hall grew to manhood in Clay Township, attended the country schools and engaged in farming until he enlisted for service in the Civil War. In May, 1862, he entered Company F, One Hun- dred Thirty-fourth Regiment, Pennsyl- vania Volunteer Infantry, and served in the Army of the Potomac for a period that covered ten months, dur- ing this time taking part in the bat- tle of Chancellorsville. He was a

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

brave and cheerful soldier, performing every required duty and was honorably discharged and mustered out at Harris- burg. Ile then went to work at the car- penter trade at Franklin, Pennsylvania, and after his marriage, in 1868, he settled for a year on his father-in-law's farm in Clay Township. From there Mr. Hall then returned to the old homestead, where he remained for twenty years and then came to Branchton. He still owns 100 acres of that part of the old farm lying in Clay Township.

In April, 1889, Mr. Hall opened his gen- eral store at Branchton, which he has con- ducted ever since, with the exception of three years, when W. J. Hindman was proprietor, Mr. Hall leasing his building for that time and selling his stock. At the end of the lease, Mr. Hall re-entered business, and in August, 1903, he erected his present substantial cement block, a two-story building, 22 by 60 feet in dimen- sions, where he carries a very large stock of carefully selected goods, bought with the especial view of meeting the wants of the surrounding country from which comes a heavy trade. For four years he was postmaster of the village. He owns a handsome residence and other improved property.

In 1868 Mr. Hall was married to Miss Angeline Francina Allen, who is a daugh- ter of Ephraim and Margaret (Allen) Al- len. Mrs. Hall was born near Muddy Creek Church, in what was then Center, but is now Clay Township, Butler County. To this marriage were born five children, namely: Mary Eva, who married David E. Stevenson, of Bremen, Ohio, has two children-Harold Paul and Gladys Olive; Jesse Allen, who is a railroad man; Charles Linus, who died aged eleven years; Maud, and Bertha Leora, who mar- ried Clifford M. Newell, has two children -Dorothy Evelyn and Alice Lucile. Mr. and Mrs. Hall are members of the Metho-

dist Episcopal Church at Branchton, of which he is one of the trustees.

JOHN C. WILLIAMS, member of the well known firm of Williams & Son, oil producers, has been a resident of Scrub Grass Township, Venango County, Penn- sylvania, since 1894. Ile was born near Kittanning, in Armstrong County, Penn- sylvania, November 19, 1852, and is a son of Jacob and Sarah (Heasley) Williams, and a grandson of those well known old pioneers, Jacob Williams and Henry Heas- ley.

John C. Williams obtained his education in the district schools of Armstrong Coun- ty and assisted on his father's farm until he was about twenty-four years of age, when he came to the oil fields at Petrolia and secured work there. After several years in that section he went to the Ve- nango County fields, where he became an oil producer, in Scrub Grass Township, and later went to the northern part of Allegheny Township, Butler County, where he found excellent business encour- agement and remained as an oil producer for ten years. From there he then came to his present location in Scrub Grass Township and continues in the oil busi- ness, having his son, Edwin M., as a part- ner. The firm of Williams & Son is known all through the oil territory and the name stands both for business success and for reliability.

On September 3, 1870, Mr. Williams was married to Miss Marinda E. Bish, of Madi- son Township, Armstrong County, a daughter of Samuel Bish, who was a very prominent citizen of that county. Mr. and Mrs. Williams have three children, two sons and one daughter: Edwin M., Dana C. and Leonora M. Edwin M. is assistant principal of the Emlenton High School and is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State Normal School at Clarion, Pennsylvania. Dana C. is a graduate of the State Normal

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM B. McGEARY

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School at Clarion and also of the Roches- ter Business College and is now conduct- ing a drug store at Wampum, Pennsyl- vania. The only daughter is the wife of Dr. F. F. Urey, a prominent physician of New Castle. Mrs. Urey is a graduate of the musical department of Grove City Col- lege.

In politics, Mr. Williams is affiliated with the Democratic party. He belongs to the Maccabees and the Modern Wood- men of America, being connected with the Emlenton lodges. His venerable father still survives, residing in Madison Town- ship, Armstrong County, in his eighty- eighth year, but his mother passed away when he was only three years old.

WILLIAM B. McGEARY, one of But- ler's enterprising business men, whose interests have been largely centered here for the past twenty years, was born in 1858, at Millerstown, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. In infancy his parents re- moved to Lawrence County, and in 1865 they moved on a farm in Muddy Creek Township, Butler County, not far from Portersville.

Mr. McGeary attended the public schools of Muddy Creek Township and spent enough of his youth on the farm to make him thoroughly acquainted with its man- agement. In 1878 he was appointed mail carrier and continued to serve the Govern- ment in this office until 1882, when he en- gaged in the mill business and was con- nected with flour mills at Prospect for five years. From Prospect, Mr. McGeary came to Butler and conducted the West End Grocery Store for two years, for two years longer was with the firm of H. J. Kling- ler & Company, and then went into busi- ness for himself. In 1894 he established a water plant at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Homewood Avenue, and from two artesian wells he supplies about 100 residences. This enterprise is his main interest, although he has others, one of

them being the shipping of draft horses from Iowa, in which he has been concerned since 1900. He has proved himself a good citizen, reliable and useful, reflecting credit upon his father, who, in his day, was one of the leading citizens and for over thirty years a justice of the peace in Muddy Creek Township. The last years of the latter's life were spent in Butler, where he died in 1907. William B. Mc- Geary has served as an efficient member of the city council of Butler and has con- sistently displayed a good citizen's inter- est in civic affairs.

In 1881 Mr. McGeary was married to Miss Mary E. Jones, who is a daughter of Samuel Jones, of Muddy Creek Township. For some thirty years he has been identi- fied with the Odd Fellows. He and his wife are members of the First Presbyte- rian Church at Butler.

ERNEST J. DODDS, oil producer, op- erating in the Butler County fields, is a well known business man of Butler, of which city he has been a resident for some seventeen years. He was born in Scioto County, Ohio, April 13, 1866, son of Jo- seph B. and Mary (Dodds) Dodds.

Joseph B. Dodds was a soldier in the Civil War and served in an Ohio regiment. He died shortly after returning from the service.

Mr. Dodds was not more than two years old when his parents moved to Butler County. They settled near Prospect and there E. J. grew to manhood. He was educated in the township schools and at Grove City College. Ever since leaving school he has been interested in the oil in- dustry and is particularly well known in the Butler fields. In 1891 Mr. Dodds was married to Miss Melissa Snodgrass, a daughter of John Snodgrass, of one of the old settled families of Butler County. They have one son, Kenneth. Mr. and Mrs. Dodds are members of the United Presbyterian Church.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

CLARK W. HOON, whose valuable farm of 110 acres is situated in Oakland Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, was born on this farm on September 24, 1863, and is a son of Anthony and Mary Ann (Beatty) Hoon.

Anthony Hoon was born at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1817, and was one year old when his parents came to Butler Coun- ty. His father, Henry Hoon, settled in Oakland Township in 1818, and the land has remained in the possession of his de- scendants. Anthony Hoon spent his life as a farmer, in Oakland Township, where he died in 1900. He married (first) Mar- tha Black and (second) Mary Ann Beatty, who died in 1897. She was born in Ire- land, a daughter of Hugh Beatty, who brought his family to this section in her girlhood.

Clark W. Hoon was reared on his pres- ent farm, which is a part of the original tract secured by his grandfather. Since leaving school he has devoted himself to farming and to following the butchering business, in the winter seasons, being asso- ciated in the latter industry with his brother, William T. Hoon. Mr. Hoon's farm is well improved, the comfortable res- idence having been built by his father in 1867, and in 1895, with his father, Clark W. built the substantial barn.

Mr. Hoon married Emily Patton, who was reared in Oakland Township and is a daughter of John Patton. Mr. and Mrs. Hoon have five children-Marie, Harriet, Ruth, Alice and Harold. The family be- longs to the United Presbyterian Church at Butler. Politically, Mr. Hoon is a Dem- ocrat and has frequently been elected to township offices. The Hoons have always been numbered with Oakland Township's best citizens.

DAVID E. DALE, of the prominent real estate firm of Abrams & Dale, at Butler, extensive dealers in real estate and leading fire insurance men, has been a resident of

this city since 1876. He was born in Slip- pery Rock Township, Butler County, Penn- sylvania, April 18, 1862, and is a son of the late Rev. Abner Dale.

Rev. Abner Dale was born in Center County, Pennsylvania, at Dale's Mills, and settled in Fairview Township, Butler County, in 1858. He died June 16, 1875. He was a well-known man and for many years was a minister in the German Re- formed Church.

David E. Dale was reared in Mercer and Butler Counties and was educated in the Butler public schools, Witherspoon Acad- emy and Thiel College. For seven years he served the county as deputy registrar and recorder and then embarked in a mer- cantile business, in 1890 being elected reg- istrar and recorder of Butler County. He served officially during 1891, 1892 and 1893, in the meanwhile continuing his mer- cantile interests, this business being con- ducted under the firm name of Colbert & Dale, and continued until May, 1898. Since that date he has been a member of the firm of Abrams & Dale, real estate and fire in- surance, with offices in the Younkins Building.

On October 7, 1891, Mr. Dale was mar- ried to Miss Mary Wick, who is a daugh- ter of the late Alfred Wick, one of the old residents of Butler County. They have two children: Sarah and David E. Mr. and Mrs. Dale are members of the First Presbyterian Church at Butler. He is prominent in fraternal circles, belonging to the Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Maccabees, the Odd Fellows' Club and the Country Club. He was sent as the grand representative from the Grand Encampment (Odd Fel- lows) of Pennsylvania to the Sovereign Grand Lodge and attended the late meet- ing of the organization held at Denver, Colorado.

WILLIAM A. MAGEE resides on his fine farm of 116 acres located just off the

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State Road about three miles southeast of Coylesville, in the extreme southeast cor- ner of Clearfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. He was born in this town- ship, about one and a half miles from his present farm, December 8, 1834, and is a son of William and Anna (O'Donnell) Ma- gee, and grandson of John and Cecelia Magee. John Magee came to this country from County Donegal, Ireland, and settled on what was thereafter known as the Ma- gee homestead in Clearfield Township, But- ler County, Penna. Here he lived in pio- neer fashion, in a log cabin, and devoted his energy to the clearing of his farm. William Magee, father of the subject of this sketch, was reared on the home farm and followed the trade of a carpenter in addition to farming.

William A. Magee was reared in Clear- field Township and there attended the dis- trict schools. During the Civil War he served two years in the Union army and saw much hard fighting. He enlisted July 15, 1863, at Pittsburg, in Company A, Six- ty-second Pennsylvania Volunteer In- fantry, and thereafter served in Company F of the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Reg- iment, and Company G of the One Hundred and Ninety-first Regiment. He was in the Army of the Potomac. Of the soldiers of that war now living in his vicinity, he is the oldest. At the close of the war he re- turned to the farm and has followed farm- ing ever since. He has a good farm, well developed and improved, and under a high state of cultivation.

February 25, 1868, Mr. Magee was united in marriage with Miss Margaret McClaf- ferty, a daughter of William and Sarah (McGinley) McClafferty, she coming of one of the leading families of the vicinity. They have a son, William S., who is a car- penter by trade, an oil operator and a farmer; he was married to Mary McBride and they had four children, the two oldest of whom died in infancy. The third, Will- iam A., also is deceased, and the youngest,

Mary Margaret, is the only one of the chil- dren living. Religiously, Mr. Magee and his family are members of the St. John's Catholic Church. He at one time served as school director in this township, and has always given enthusiastic support to such measures as tended to benefit the commu- nity.

GOTTLIEB M. ZEIGLER, an influen- tial farmer and highly respected citi- zen of Jackson Township, residing on a fine farm of 165 acres, was born Septem- ber 27, 1855, on his present farm and is a son of David and Catherine (Musselman) Zeigler.

Abram Zeigler, grandfather of our sub- ject, came to Butler County from the east- ern part of Pennsylvania, and purchased all of the holdings of the Economites, which land he afterwards sold in small tracts, retaining a large farm, which is now owned by our subject. His death oc- curred here after reaching advanced years. David Zeigler was born in Pennsylvania east of the Alleghenies, and when young came to Butler County with his parents. Here he was reared and spent his entire life engaged in farming. He married Cath- erine Musselman, who died at the age of seventy-six years. To them was born a family of twelve children: Abram, mar- ried Sarah McTeer and resided near Evans City; Henry, a resident of Zelie- nople, married Mary Sechler; David mar- ried Elizabeth Stauffer and resides in Ze- lienople; Elizabeth, widow of Louis Shie- ver, resides on the farm with our subject; Gottlieb, subject of this sketch; Anna, de- ceased; Catherine; Rebecca; Reuben, twin to Gottlieb; Joseph, deceased, and two who died unnamed. David Zeigler died at the age of seventy-eight years.

Gottlieb Zeigler was reared on his pres- ent farm and attended the common schools of Harmony and Zelienople, after which he engaged in farming on his present farm, which is part of the original tract pur-

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

chased by his grandmother. He is one of the successful and progressive residents of Jackson Township and has always taken an active interest in those things which tend toward the advancement of this com- munity. He is a Republican in politics, and is fraternally a member of the Knights of Pythias of Harmony. The re- ligious connection of the family is with the English Lutheran Church of Zelie- nople.

Mr. Zeigler was united in marriage with Ida Randolph, a daughter of 'Squire Ran- dolph of Zelienople. Four children were born to subject and wife: Walter; Clar- ence; Virginia; and Emma, who married Walter Zehner of Zelienople.

EDWARD E. WIEGAND, general con- tractor at Butler, has been a resident of this city for a period covering thirty-five years. He was born in Germany, in 1849, but has belonged to the United States since 1867.

Although Mr. Wiegand was but eighteen years of age when he came to America, he had a common-school education and had provided himself with a self-supporting trade, having learned that of cabinet maker in his native place. He found his first home in Forest County, Pennsylva- nia, where he worked as a cabinet maker and builder, following the same later at Titusville and Warren, where he also be- came interested in oil. He came to Butler in 1873 and soon engaged in general con- tracting and building, which occupation he has since followed. For about seven years he was associated with George Mc- Junkin. For a number of years Mr. Wie- gand has had limited oil, coal and real- estate interests, in and around Butler.

In 1875 Mr. Wiegand was married to Miss Margaret Kulp, who was born in Ger- many, but had long resided in Butler. They had two sons born to them, both sur- viving: Frederick A., who is associated with his father in the general contracting

business, married Miss Julia Storey, and Frantz L., who is with the Oil Well Sup- ply Company, of Butler. He married Miss Augusta Krug. Mr. Wiegand has been an active and useful citizen and has served in the City Council and also on the Board of Health. He is a member of the Eng- lish Lutheran Church.

WILLIAM SLATER, one of Summit Township's representative citizens and for many years an active farmer, resides on his estate of fifty acres, which is situated at Carbon Center. He was born on this farm, June 10, 1832, and is a son of Jacob and Mary (Reintzel) Slater.

Jacob Slater was born near St. Joseph's Station, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of John Slater, who came to this section from east of the Allegheny Mountains. Jacob Slater, with three of his brothers, served in the War of 1812. He came from the war to what is now Sum- mit Township, where he bought 160 acres of land just east of Carbon Center, and settled on it in 1814. Here both he and his wife spent their remaining years. Of their family of eleven children only two remain, Mary, who is the widow of Will- iam Kiley, and William, of Summit Town- ship.

With the exception of one year when Mr. Slater was in the army, during the Civil War, he has been a continuous resident on his present farm. After many years of activity here he has practically retired. He has an honorable war record. On Sep- tember 13, 1864, he enlisted at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in Company G, One Hun- dred and Seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until he received his honorable discharge, in the following June, on account of the closing of the war. He saw some desper- ate service and took part in a number of skirmishes and in three battles, including the two days of fighting at Hatcher's Run. After his return he resumed farming and that continued to be his business.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 104

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1526

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1526