Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 108

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 108

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In 1888, Mr. Craig was married to Miss Millie I. Thompson, who is a daughter of Harry D. Thompson, formerly sheriff of Butler County. Mr. and Mrs. Craig have six children, namely : Estella F., Paul W., Melvin L., Loretta A., Harry D., and Ed- win C. Mr. Craig and family belong to Grace Lutheran Church. He is identified with several fraternal organizations, in- cluding the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.

WILLIAM J. BRENNAN, one of Chi- cora's respected and esteemed retired citi- zens, who was identified with the boiler manufacturing business here for twenty years, was born December 11, 1843, and is a son of William and Catherine (McDon- ald) Brennan.

The parents of Mr. Brennan never came to America. They have long since passed away, as have all of their children, with the exception of William J., Michael and Anna. The others were Martin, Patrick, William, John, Thomas, Mary, Eliza and Catherine.

William J. Brennan was the fifth mem- ber of his parents' family. He remained in his native land until 1869, and after coming to America settled at Sharon, Pennsylvania. He had learned the trade

of boilermaker in the city of Dublin and had worked at it for seven years. At Sharon he found employment in the same line, later went to Leetonia, Ohio, and from there to New York, where he was employed by the Continental Boiler Works. From New York he went to Chicago, from there to Sharon again, later to Oil City and from there to Parker's Landing, and in 1873 he came to Chicora and started to work for P. C. Kelley. Still later, Mr. Brennan bought out Mr. Kelley and for twenty years conducted the works himself, only retiring from active business life in 1904. Mr. Brennan has been quite a traveler in his day and has seen much more of the world than many of his fellow citizens and in visiting the industries in his line of work, in different cities, he gained a thor- ough knowledge of all methods and this contributed to his success when he went into business for himself.

In Washington County, New York, in July, 1875, Mr. Brennan was married to Miss Mary Fitzpatrick, who is a daughter of Bernard and Catherine (Dugan) Fitz- patrick. Mrs. Brennan was born in Queen's County, Ireland, June 29, 1847. They have had three children, namely : Catherine, who was born October 6, 1876, married Charles Sutton of Chicora and they have three children, C. Wayne, Mau- rine and Irene; William, who was born September 11, 1878, is in the oil business and resides with his parents, and John F., who died in 1884. Mr. Brennan and family are devoted members of the Roman Catholic Church at Chicora. Mr. Brennan has two brothers in America that he can not locate.

JOSEPH S. DAUGHERTY, the well known. proprietor and manager of the Etna Flour Mills of Slippery Rock Town- ship, is a native of this township, and was born on his father's present farm in 1877. He is a son of Loyal and Mary (Shepard) Daugherty and a grandson of Zery Shep-

850

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

ard, who during his lifetime owned and operated the Etna Flour Mills.

Joseph Daugherty was reared in his na- tive township and is a graduate of the Slippery Rock State Normal, graduating with the class of 1899, after which he taught for two years in Middlesex Town- ship, Butler County. For the past five years he has been manager of the Etna Mills, the output of which is sold to local trade as well as wholesaled to the mer- chants of this community. The mill is fitted with Griscomb and McFeely machin- ery, made in Philadelphia, and the chief brand of flour manufactured is called the Fancy Roller flour, the excellent quality of which insures it a large sale on the market. Mr. Daugherty is thoroughly in- formed concerning the business in every department and requires two assistants in operating the mill.

Mr. Daugherty is unmarried and lives with his parents in a large brick house on the latter's farm of fifty acres adjoining the mill property. In connection with the milling business Mr. Daugherty and his father and brother, W. G., carry on gen- eral contracting in the oil fields, his father being one of the best known oil contractors in this section of the state, as well as throughout Allen, Hancock and Wood Counties of Ohio.

Three children were born to Loyal and Mary Daugherty, namely: Joseph, our subject; William G., a driller in the oil fields; and Lottie, who is the wife of Nor- man Straub of Pittsburg.

Joseph Daugherty is a successful and energetic business man and well deserves the reward which his efforts have secured for him. In fraternal circles he is asso- ciated with the Masonic Order.

JAMES H. McELROY, Sr., residing on his finely cultivated farm of forty-five acres, in Allegheny Township, which he devotes to general agriculture and fruit growing, has been a resident of this town-

ship for the past thirty-two years. He was born February 28, 1838, in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Jo- seph and Elizabeth (Taggart) McElroy.

The McElroy family originated in Ire- land, where Hugh McElroy, the grand- father, was born. In early manhood he came to Butler County, Pennsylvania, and here reared an honorable family. Joseph McElroy was born in Butler County but lived in Lawrence County for some years ; later he returned to Butler County, where he died in 1893.

James H. McElroy lost his mother when he was but six years old. His father mar- ried again and when he was nine years old the family came to Butler County and set- tled in Brady Township. He had but meager educational opportunities and from youth had his own way to make in the world. He has always been interested in farming and espe- cially in fruit growing, but before he acquired land of his own, engaged for a number of years in teaming, in Brady Township. In the fall of 1876 he came to his present property and this he has im- proved and developed into a very valuable farm. He still is active in its management and is justly proud of his productive or- chards, having set out many of the trees.

On November 10, 1859, Mr. McElroy was married to Miss Martha J. Thompson, who was born in Cherry Township, Butler County, February 21, 1841. She belongs to an old and prominent family of this section, being a daughter of Joseph A. and Polly (Patton) Thompson. Her father was born in Scotland and when three weeks old was brought by his parents to America, who came directly to Butler County and settled in Cherry Township. Mrs. McElroy's grandparents were Joseph and Annie (Smith) Thompson. Mr. and Mrs. McElroy have had eight children, namely: Joseph M., who lives in Venango County ; Mary E., who is the wife of James Curmans of Parker's Landing; Annie K.,

LOUIS P. TRAUTMAN

853

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

who is the wife of James McQuiston, of Clintonville, Pennsylvania; Margaret D., who is the widow of N. Grant, late of Alle- gheny Township; John W., who lives in Indiana; Daisy B., who is the wife of Homer Simon, of Venango County; James H., who lives in Venango County; and Blanche P., who is the wife of Samuel Cob- bitt, of Clintonville, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. McElroy are members of the Presbyterian Church and they are people whose lives coincide with their professions. Formerly Mr. McElroy was an active member of the order of Odd Fellows. In his political identification he is a Repub- lican. He has given many years of atten- tion to educational interests, serving as school director, and as one of the town- ship's most reliable men, has frequently been elected a member of the township Board of Elections.

J. H. LEEDOM, secretary of the Lee- dom & Worrall firm, wholesale groceries, at Butler, one of the city's large business enterprises, was born at Butler, in 1877, and is a son of the late T. J. Leedom.

T. J. Leedom was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and came to Butler County about 1870 and established himself in business and was identified with it until the time of his death, in 1904.

- After J. H. Leedom completed his school attendance, he entered the employ of the Standard Oil Company and during the several years in which he continued with that corporation, he was located at various points in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. In 1900, with his brother, P. W. Leedom, and George Worrall, he engaged in a wholesale grocery business at Mar- ietta, Ohio, which they transferred to But- ler, in 1904. The Leedom & Worrall Wholesale Grocery Company is the largest enterprise of its kind in this section and its trade covers all Western Pennsylvania.

In 1901 Mr. Leedom was married to

Miss Luella St. Clair, of Indiana, Pennsyl- vania, and they have one son, Robert A. Mr. Leedom is a member of the order of Elks. He is essentially a business man and takes comparatively a small amount of interest in politics, but he by no means neglects the duties pertaining to good citizenship.

LOUIS P. TRAUTMAN, one of But- ler's progressive citizens, who has been many years identified with oil production, was born on the family homestead, near Buena Vista, in Fairview Township, But- ler County, Penna., January 23, 1872, and is a son of Paul Trautman, who was one of the early settlers in his section.

Mr. Trautman was reared in Fairview Township, and was educated in the Buena Vista schools. For some years he assisted his father on the farm and then, coming to Butler, learned the barber's trade, at which he worked for thirteen years. Oil was discovered on the homestead in 1872, with large wells, and after about seventeen years (1889) a crop of wells was devel- oped. Mr. Trautman's father died in 1903, and the subject of this sketch, with his brother John, then bought the old home farm in Fairview Township and has been engaged in the development of oil ever since, there being now twelve producing wells on the farm, with a probable con- tinuation of the output.

In 1902 Mr. Trautman was married to Gertrude Kelly, who is a daughter of W. J. Kelly of Bruin, Butler County. They have one child, Athleen Ruth. Mr. Trautman was reared in the faith of the German Lutheran church. He is a mem- ber of the fraternal order of Eagles, and of the Woodmen of the World.

WILLIAM KRAUSE, general mer- chant and prosperous business man of Coylesville, Butler County, Pennsylvania, has been a resident of this village for

854

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

twelve years. He was born at Hannahs- town, Jefferson Township, in Butler County, August 25, 1872, and is a son of Robert and Maria (Camphire) Krause. His father is a veteran of the Civil War, and is a general merchant at Marwood; a record of him and his family appears on another page of this work. Richard Krause, grandfather of the subject of this record, came to this country from Saxony, Germany.

William Krause was quite young when his parents moved to Marwood, where he grew to maturity and received a common school education. He then entered Duff's Business College at Pittsburg, in which institution he pursued a commercial course of study and was graduated. Throughout his business career he has been identified with merchandising; he worked in his father's store at Marwood until he moved to Coylesville, and for six years served as assistant postmaster of that village. Upon his removal to his present place he purchased the store of F. P. Gormley, which had been established by John McGucken and subsequently owned and conducted by M. J. McBride, prior to its ownership by Mr. Gormley. Prior to the arrival of the railroad in this section, Mr. Krause served six years as postmaster of Coylesville. He is a man of exceptional business talents and has established a high-class trade in the com- munity, carrying a superior grade of stock.

November 6, 1895, Mr. Krause was joined in marriage with Miss Edith Humes, a daughter of Thomas and Eliza- beth (Gilleford) Humes, whose mother was a brother of the distinguished Dr. Gilleford of Allegheny. They have three sons, namely: Everett, who is attending the Fairmont School at Cleveland, Ohio; Melford, who is three years of age, and Curtis Gorman, aged one month. They reside in a comfortable home adjoining the store.

JAMES McGARVEY, a prosperous and representative citizen of Chicora, where he is conducting a dairy business, also oversees his valuable farm of ninety acres, which is situated in Fairview Township, Butler County. He was born October 7, 1838, in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of James and Martha (Fos- ter) McGarvey. James McGarvey, Sr., was born in 1798 and died January 9, 1889.

The father of Mr. McGarvey was born in County Donegal, Ireland, and came to America when aged twenty-one years. For a few years he lived in the city of Phila- delphia and then crossed the State to Pittsburg, where he opened a small store. In a short time, however, he left the city and purchased a farm in Washington Township, Armstrong County, on which he passed the rest of his life. He was the father of seven children, as follows: Eliza and Alexander, James, John and O. C., all deceased; Catherine and Mathilda.

James McGarvey attended the public schools in Washington Township and as- sisted his father on the home farm until his marriage, after which he brought his bride to Butler County and then settled in the vicinity of Parker, where he followed teaming for a few years. In 1873 he moved to Millerstown, where he resided for twelve years, and then bought his farm in Fairview Township. Mr. McGarvey conducted that farm for some twenty-one years, retiring in 1903, at that time pur- chasing a fine residence property at Chi- cora, and here he has continued to make his home ever since. He carries on a dairy industry and nominally oversees the farm, which is capably operated by his son, Charles McGarvey.

On November 24, 1868, Mr. McGarvey was married to Miss Margaret J. Murphy, who is a daughter of Benjamin and Jane (Green) Murphy. The Murphy family settled many years ago in Armstrong County and they had numerous descend-

855

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

ants, Mrs. McGarvey being one in a fam- ily of ten children. The others were: James, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Samuel, Isa- bella, Walter, Lavina, Theodore and Sarah. Samuel was a soldier in the Civil War and was killed on the field of battle.

To Mr. and Mrs. McGarvey have been born seven children, as follows: Samuel C., Benjamin, Martha J., William, Mary, Charles and one that died in infancy. The eldest son, Samuel C., is engaged in the practice of medicine at Bridgeville, Penn- sylvania. He married Mary Stamm of Butler County, and they have two children, Orpha and Byron. Benjamin is an oil pro- ducer residing in Wood County, Ohio. He married Loma Moke and they have one child, Vera. Martha J. married Charles B. Kemmer and they live on a farm in Arm- strong County. They have five children, Guy, Ernest, Burnell, Gertrude and Nora. William, who is farm boss for the Ohio Oil Company, resides in Wood County, Ohio, where he married Minnie Wagner and has one child, Loretta. Mary married James Foster, who carries on a dairy business in Armstrong County. Charles resides on his father's farm in Fairview Township. He married Eva Taylor and they have two children, Hazel and William T. Mr. McGarvey and family belong to the Lutheran Church at Chicora. Mr. Mc- Garvey has been an active and useful citi- zen and has served for three years as councilman and for the same length of time as school director and as township collector.

CYRUS HARPER, a veteran of the Civil War and a prominent citizen of Zelienople, Butler County, Pennsylvania, has been a life-long resident of this county. He was born March 1, 1839, on his father's farm in Jackson Township, and is a son of Thomas and Margaret (Swartz) Har- per, and a grandson of Thomas Harper, Sr., who served in the Revolutionary War.

Thomas Harper, father of Cyrus, was born on Mingo Creek, Ohio, in 1798, where he grew to man's estate. About 1820 he came to Butler County and settled in Jack- son Township, residing near Zelienople for about twenty years, when he purchased a tract of land in Cranberry Township, where he remained until his death in 1874 at the age of seventy-six years. He mar- ried Margaret Swartz, who was born in 1798 and whose father was a resident of Elizabethtown, Allegheny County, Penna. There were fifteen children born to the parents of our subject: N. W., who died in Chicago; George, deceased, was a resi- dent of Dayton, Ohio; Oliver, deceased; Catherine, deceased; Margaret, deceased; Eliza, deceased; Sarah, deceased wife of Dr. D. L. Starr of Cincinnati, Ohio; Nancy, deceased wife of Frank Gaushell of Quincy, Illinois; Andrew, deceased; Henrietta, wife of Silas Gillespie of New Castle, Pennsylvania; Marion died in infancy ; John, deceased, resided at Huntington, West Virginia; Caroline (Taylor), resided in Nebraska, where her death occurred; Cyrus, subject of this sketch; and Thomas, who died in infancy.

Cyrus Harper was but two years old when he came with his parents to Cran- berry Township, where he was reared on a farm. In 1862 he joined the army and enlisted in Company A, Fifteenth West Virginia Volunteer Infantry. He served until the close of the war and participated in nineteen important engagements, in- cluding those of Cloyt Mountain, West Virginia; New River Bridge; Halltown, Va .; Harpers Ferry; Smokers' Gap, Vir- ginia; Winchester; Lynchburg; Fishers Hill; Cedar Creek; Petersburg; Gettys- burg; Appomattox, and numerous skir- mishes. Mr. Harper was discharged and mustered out at Wheeling, West Virginia, June 5, 1865, after which he returned to Butler County and engaged in agricultural pursuits in Cranberry Township until

856

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

1906. Mr. Harper owns considerable property in this section of the county, having a fine farm of 100 acres, five resi- dence properties in Zelienople, and two in Ambridge, and one in Butler.

In politics Mr. Harper is a Republican and was elected on that ticket treasurer of Butler County, serving in that capacity for three years. He was also justice of the peace in Cranberry Township for three terms. In fraternal affiliation, he is a member of Col. Joseph H. Wilson Post No. 496 G. A. R. of Zelienople; also the I. O. O. F. and the F. & A. M.

In January, 1866, our subject married Elizabeth Dalzell, a daughter of Hugh Dalzell of Allegheny County, and of their union were born the following children: Edwin F. G., an attorney, married Mar- garet Roberts of New Castle and they have one child-Elenora Blanche. Laura is de- ceased. Blanche married J. C. Dwight of Mars. Pearl is the wife of J. P. Ander- son of Cherry Vale, Kansas. Howard C., a physician of Jamestown, Pennsylvania, is a graduate of the Jefferson Medical Col- lege of Philadelphia; he married Jennie McMaster and has one child, Miriam. Guy is deceased. Mrs. Harper died in 1879, and in 1882 Mr. Harper married Luella Sarver, a daughter of Jacob Sarver. The following children were born of the second union: Hallie, married William Cashdol- lar and has two children, Clara and Roy. Percy V. resides with our subject; he mar- ried Mary Ramsey, a daughter of Samuel Ramsey of Butler County, and they have one daughter, Ruth Viola. Roy resides at home.

JAMES G. RUNKLE, proprietor of "The Toggery," Butler's leading gents' furnishing store, is one of the city's enter- prising and successful business men. He was born in 1863, in Mercer County, Penn- sylvania, and passed his early life there.

Mr. Runkle completed his education at Grove City College and gained his first

business experience in a store at Jackson Center, where he worked through one year and later was engaged in a store at Fre- donia, for two years. Following this he managed a store at Jackson Center for a year, after which he filled the position of assistant manager of a large cooperative store at Tarentum. He then went with the wholesale grocery house of Jas. W. Hous- ton & Co., of Pittsburg, and traveled for this firm for ten years, subsequently was with The Robert McCoy Company for six years, during four of these being manager of their branch store at Butler. In 1904 Mr. Runkle embarked in his present busi- ness, has built up a large trade and sup- plies its most exacting demands in the way of haberdashery.

In 1891 Mr. Runkle was married to Miss Alice J. Westlake, who is a daughter of Hon. George S. Westlake of Millbrook, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Runkle are members of St. Paul's Reformed Church, in which he has been an elder for twelve years. He has taken a hearty interest for a long period in the Y. M. C. A., and has been one of the directors of this organiza- tion at Butler for sixteen years. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias. In politics, Mr. Runkle is not active, but nevertheless every claim of good citizen- ship made on him is satisfied, and every obligation fulfilled.

DR. HARRY M. WILSON, who enjoys a forward position among the medical practitioners of Butler County, has been engaged in practice in Evans City, Penn- sylvania, since January 1, 1891, and is also vice-president of the Citizens National Bank of that place. He was born in Luthersburg, Pennsylvania, is a son of Dr. George and Anna (Huber) Wilson, and a grandson of Dr. Joseph Wilson.

Dr. Joseph Wilson was born in the North of Ireland, and after a careful pre- paratory training engaged in the practice of medicine there. Religiously, he was of

857

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

the Presbyterian faith and was compelled to leave Ireland at the time of the religious persecutions. He sailed for America and upon his arrival located at Brookville, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. He de- voted his time to the practice of medicine and farming, as that section of country was but sparsely settled at that time. He and his boys gradually cleared a large farm which they cultivated and maintained as a home until the children left to make homes for themselves. He was the father of a large family of children, of whom but one, George, entered the medical profes- sion.

George Wilson was born in this country and spent his boyhood days on the farm near Brooksville, the most of which he helped to clear. He took up the study of medicine under the direction of Dr. James Dowling, and later attended lectures at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, from which he was graduated. He em- barked in practice at Luthersburg, Penn- sylvania, and continued there with uninter- rupted success until his death in 1893, at the age of eighty years. His wife, who in maiden life was Anna Huber, died at the age of sixty-five. Nine children were born to them, six of whom grew to matur- ity, namely: Edgar, now deceased; Dr. Joseph C., a graduate of the medical de- partment of the University of Maryland, who is located at Titusville, Pennsylvania ; Dr. Charles A., a graduate of the Ken- tucky School of Medicine, located at Du- Bois, Penna .; Col. John P. of Punxsutaw ney, Penna .; Anna, who was a school teacher and died at the age of twenty-one years; and Dr. Harry M., the youngest of the family.

Harry M. Wilson received a preliminary educational training at the State Normal School at Edinboro, Penna., after which he studied medicine under the preceptorship of his brother, Dr. C. A. Wilson at Du- Bois, Pennsylvania. He then attended lectures in the Medical Department of

the University of Maryland, and was graduated with the class of 1889. His first two years of professional work were passed at Stanton, Pennsylvania, after which, on January 1, 1891, he located at Evans City. His office and comfortable home are located on Main Street. He is a member of the Jefferson County Medical Society, the Butler County Medical Soci- ety, the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, and the American Medical Asso- ciation. He also is a member of the National Association of Railway Surgeons. He is medical examiner for all the old line life insurance companies at Evans City.

Doctor Wilson was married June 3, 1896, to Miss Blanche Starkey, a daughter of George L. and Agusta C. Starkey of Washington, D. C. She was but two years old when her father died as the result of wounds received during the Civil War, Two children were born to them: Myrtle Katherine, and Doas Starkey. Frater- nally, the Doctor is a thirty-second degree Mason; belongs to the Mystic Shrine; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and the Knights of Pythias. Politically, he is, a Democrat.

GEORGE A. BRUNERMER, who has ninety acres of his valuable farm of 103 acres, situated in Connoquenessing Town- ship, under careful cultivation, is not only a successful agriculturist but also an ex- perienced oil man. He was born in Con- noquenessing Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, October 3, 1853, and is a son of Henry and Jane (Graham) Brunermer.

The grandfather, Frederick Brunermer, was born, reared and married in Germany, and when he first emigrated he settled with his wife and two children, in Canada, where he continued to live until after the birth of two more children, when he moved to Butler County, Pennsylvania. Henry Brunermer, father of George A., was born in 1825, in Forward Township, Butler County, and died November 23, 1896, in

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 108

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