Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 111

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

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sides at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and has three sons and one daughter; Sarah, who married Herman Speirer, formerly a merchant at Rochester, Pennsylvania, and has three sons and one daughter; Matilda, who is the widow of W. H. Lusk, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work, formerly an attorney at Butler, where she lives, has two sons and two daughters; and Jacob, who resides on the home farm, married a daughter of George Teets, of Beaver County, and they are parents of five children. The oldest son, Daniel, who lived with his father, died in 1907, aged fifty-eight years. He married Ella Smith, of Ohio, who, with two sons, survives him. Four children, all young, died within a period of nine days, from an epidemic of diphtheria-Catherine, Lena, Sophia and Charlotta. George died aged one year.

Mr. Endres is a Republican in his polit- ical convictions and he takes a hearty in- terest in both public and local affairs. He has always been a law-abiding citizen and has done his full share in the developing and improving of this section. His life spans a very important period of the world's history and his remarkable mem- ory can recall events and conditions of more than a half century ago which are surprising and very interesting. He has frequently served in political offices in the township, particularly as supervisor and as a member of the School Board, while for more than fifty years he has served as a member of the church council of the English Lutheran Church.

In looking back over the circumstances of his long life, Mr. Endres is disposed to think that the old days were, in many ways, the best days, in spite of their hard- ships. Conditions of living were so differ- ent then. Hospitality was the rule, every stranger was a welcome visitor to each hearth and this confidence was seldom vio- lated. In those days there were no class distinctions, all were on the same plane,

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and people were not judged by the clothes they wore or the display they could make, but by the better test of upright living and honest dealing with their fellow men.

ROBERT FISHER, proprietor of the Butler Dye Works, located at No. 128 East Wayne Street, has been a resident of this city for fourteen years. He was born in 1853, in England.

In 1881 Mr. Fisher came to America. In his native land he had learned his business, under his father, who was a dyer all his life. Mr. Fisher was employed as a dyer for the Hamilton Manufacturing Com- pany, at Lowell, Massachusetts, for ten months after reaching the United States, and then accepted a position as dyer in the felt mills at Rahway, New Jersey, and con- tinued there for eight months. From New Jersey he went to Kent, Ohio, where he was employed for over three years in the Kent Worsted Mills, as boss dyer and fin- isher, going from there to Philadelphia as boss dyer for John Beardsley & Sons. He then went into business for himself at Jamestown, New York, which he carried on for three years, after which he came to New Castle and engaged in business in that city for a short time, when he was called to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and from there to Jamestown, New York, and at the latter place he held the position of boss dyer for the Empire Worsted Mill, for four years. At the end of this period, Mr. Fisher returned to Pennsylvania and established himself in business at Butler. He has erected here a very fine plant which he has equipped with all the necessary ap- pliances for the best kind of work and his long and valuable experience, with some of the largest mills in the country, gives him a great advantage over any business competitors. He is also interested in the Butler Silk Mills and it was mainly through his enterprise and energy that this industry was brought to Butler.

In 1877 Mr. Fisher was married to Miss Sybil Hartley, and they have three chil-

dren: Abel, who is associated with his father in business; and Emily and Joseph, both at home. Mr. Fisher is a member of the Business Men's Association. In his views on public questions he is a Socialist.

ANDREW WILLIAM BARNHART, a retired farmer of Butler Township, re- siding on his valuable property which contains 130 acres of well improved land, is also a veteran of the Civil War, whose scars are his best certificate of service. He was born in Donegal Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, March 28, 1839, and is a son of William and Anna Maria (Daubenspeck) Barnhart.

Jacob Barnhart, the grandfather, was the founder of the family in Butler County. He was born in Germany and came to Donegal Township among the very early settlers. He married a Miss Spangler.

William Barnhart, father of Andrew William, was born in that section of Done- gal Townhip known as Barnhart Hollow, now Chicora. He was an elder in what was known as the White Oak Grove Ger- man Reformed Church, in Fairview Town- ship. His death occurred when Andrew William was about six years old. He married a daughter of George Dauben- speck, a farmer in Parker Township, and they had the following children: Solomon, now deceased, served in the Civil War first as a lieutenant and later as a cap- tain; Ann married Frank Mays and both are deceased; David and George are both deceased; Gabriel is engaged in farming in Connoquenessing Township; Andrew William; and Kamerer, deceased. The widow of William Barnhart was married (second) to Andrew Mays and they had two children, both of whom died young.

Andrew William Barnhart, through an attack of scarlet fever in childhood, had his hearing so impaired that he never at- tended school until he was a young man; thus he is mainly self educated. Soon

MR. AND MRS. ANDREW W. BARNHART

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after his mother's second marriage, he left home and worked in various places, assisting in building coal barges, lumber- ing and farming, up to 1862, when he en- listed for service in the Civil War, his hearing in the meantime having become almost normal and not preventing his be- ing received as a soldier. As a member of Company G, One Hundred Thirty- fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, he was sent to Harrisburg, and took part later in the battles of Fair- fax Court House, Antietam, Snider's Gap, White Plains and Fredericksburg. At the latter battle he was shot in both legs, was wounded three times by balls and cut by bullets, and all these injuries made it nec- essary for him to go to a hospital, where he was detained until June, 1863. He was then honorably discharged at Harrisburg, and returned as soon as possible to his home. For the two succeeding years, Mr. Barnhart was obliged to use crutches. His first work after he had sufficiently recov- ered, was to operate a meat wagon, doing his own butchering and selling meat, eggs and butter on a route. After giving that business up, as it entailed too heavy work in his still crippled condition, he worked for a time at making lap shingles. Next he went into the Venango oil fields above Oil City, where he was employed through one season. He was then married and settled down to farming in Sugar Creek Township, in Armstrong County, where he remained until 1886, when he came to Butler Township and settled on his pres- ent farm. Until within a few years he has carried on large operations here in grain and stock, but is now taking well earned ease after his years of activity. He is a Republican in his political views and is keenly alive to all that concerns every part of the world, doing a large amount of reading and forming his judg- ments from exact knowledge. He has con- sistently refused all political preferment.

Mr. Barnhart was married (first) to Melinda Murtland, a daughter of William Murtland, of Fairview Township. To this marriage the following children were born : Clara A., who married Edward F. Boyer, of Lancaster Township; Minnie A., who married William Vensel, of Donegal Township; Mina Eva, who married J. D. Henry, of Allegheny County; Luretta, who married W. E. Sarver, of Butler; and Lena Temple and William Landis, both of whom died young.

In 1895 Mr. Barnhart was married (sec- ond) to Mrs. Susan Detrick, who is a daughter of Henry Dufford, of Connoque- nessing Township, Butler County, where she was born August 11, 1842. By her first marriage she had the following chil- dren: Ida, who married Frederick Ar- nold, of Renfrew; William Calvin, who lives near Renfrew; Sarah Margaret, de- ceased; Elizabeth Ann; deceased, was the wife of William Herter; Cora Emma, de- ceased, was the wife of Philip Weil; Charles W., who is engaged in farming in Connoquenessing Township; Hosea Frank- lin, deceased; Lulu Susan, who married Simon D. Morrison, of Penn Township; and Bertha May, who married John A. McClymonds, of Penn Township. Mr. and Mrs. Barnhart are both members of St. John's Reformed Church. He belongs to the Grand Army Post at Butler.

JAMES SYLVESTER McCLAFFER- TY, general field superintendent of The Phillips Company and one of the heirs of the old McClafferty homestead of 100 acres located on the Butler and Kittanning Pike, about one and a half miles east of Coyles- ville, was born on this farm April 30, 1855. He is a son of Neal and Mary (Gillespie) McClafferty, and a grandson of William McClafferty, who was a native of Ireland.

William McClafferty upon coming to this country from Ireland settled upon the old homestead in Clearfield Township,

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

Butler County, Pennsylvania, and lived here the remainder of his days. Here Neal McClafferty was reared to maturity and lived all his days, becoming a man of con- siderable importance in the community. He married Mary Gillespie and they be- came parents of the following children: Sarah, wife of W. A. Greenwood; James Sylvester; William, deceased; Joseph, an oil operator; Dennis, deceased; Amanda; Frances, deceased; Daniel, deceased; Cor- nelius, who is in the oil business and has spent the past few years in India; Kath- erine, deceased wife of Michael Wyland; and a twin to Amanda who died unnamed.

James S. McClafferty received his edu- cation in the public school of Butler County, and his first business experience was at pumping oil. At the age of twenty- one years he went West, farming in Kan sas for three years, then spent six years in Chicago as a cattle shipper. Upon his return to Butler County, he entered the oil field, in which he had had some experience. He began at the very bottom and worked his way up. He entered the service of the Phillips Company about eight years ago, and by faithful and conscientious service gained the commendation of his employ- ers, who in 1906 advanced him to be gen- eral field superintendent. He lives on the old home place and has a fine modern home built on the cottage plan.

Mr. McClafferty was first married May 28, 1888, to Miss Mary E. Boyle, a daugh- ter of Dennis and Mary (McGenley} Boyle. She died October 26, 1889, leaving one son, Cornelius Walter, who is a stu- dent in the Butler schools. The subject of this sketch formed a second marital union with Miss Cecelia Coyle, a daughter of James and Belle (Shields) Coyle of Fenelton, and they are parents of eight children : Emma; Mary Ellen; Genevieve; James Earl; Albert, deceased; Albertus; one who died in infancy, unnamed; and Thomas Anthony. Those living are all at home and in their school period. Mr. Mc-

Clafferty served one term as school direc- tor. Religiously, he and his family are devout members of the Catholic church and are very active in church affairs.

C. P. EBERLE, a member of the well known firm of Eberle Brothers, contract- ing plumbers at Butler, doing an extensive business with commodious quarters at No. 302 Center Avenue, was born December 15, 1872, in Allegheny County, Pennsyl- vania, and is a son of John Eberle, who now resides at Allegheny, in comfortable retirement.

C. P. Eberle was reared at Allegheny and enjoyed excellent school advantages there, after which he learned the plumb- er's trade and continued to work at it in his native place until 1902, when he came ) Butler. After working in this city for six months he recognized that this would be an excellent field in which to establish a first class plumbing business, and shortly afterward, in partnership with his brother, H. W. Eberle, the present firm was formed. This was in 1902 and they started in in the Copley Building, on Cen- ter Avenue, which soon proved inadequate on account of increasing business, and they then moved to a building erected for them by Mr. Harper, which again proved too small, and in 1906 the firm erected their own present brick block. It is three stories high, with dimensions of twenty- five by seventy feet, the upper floors being fitted up as flats, with all modern conven- iences. The firm carry on an extensive business as contracting plumbers and they are interested also in oil production and in city real estate.

In 1898 C. P. Eberle was married to Miss Minnie L. Hagerman, of Allegheny, and they have two children, Carl Freder- ick and Ruth K. Mr. Eberle and wife are members of the Reformed Church. Fra- ternally he is an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias. On public questions he has firm convictions but he takes no very

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active part in political campaigns, having neither time nor inclination for public office.

ANDREW RIEGER, general farmer, residing on a fine farm of 150 acres, which is situated in Center Township, on the Mercer Road, five miles north of Butler, was born in Clearfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1860, and is a son of Henry and Anna (Eisler) Rieger.

Henry Rieger was born in Germany and accompanied his parents to America, reaching Pittsburg when he was a child of four years. His father, Jacob Rieger, soon secured a farm in Summit Township, But- ler County, and there the family settled. Henry Rieger grew to manhood there and then married a daughter of a neighbor, Andrew Eisler, and with his wife moved to Clearfield Township, where he died in 1897. His widow still survives and lives in Butler County. There were ten chil- dren born to Henry Rieger and wife and they all survive.

Andrew Rieger was reared in Clearfield Township and in early manhood went to Warren County, where he spent ten years engaged in a lumber business. With the exception of that period, he has devoted his entire attention to farming. Imme- diately after his marriage, in 1888, he bought the W. A. Christy farm of sixty- five acres, where he resided until he sold it to W. E. Ralston and then bought his present farm in Center Township, to which he came in May, 1908. It is excel- lent land and Mr. Rieger knows how to manage it and to bring every part of it up to a high state of production.

In 1888 Mr. Rieger was married to Emma Martin, who is a daughter of James Martin, of Clearfield Township, and they have a happy family of nine children, in which there has never been a break, namely : Bertha Della, Stella May, Henry Martin, Andrew Willis, Paul Marcus,

Edna Nellie, Frank Gilbert and Ralph Les- ter and Clarence Clifford, twins. Mr. Rieger and family belong to Grace Lu- theran Church, in which he is an elder. He has taken an active part in township affairs for a number of years, at all times promoting its interests and during a long period serving in office as the choice of his fellow citizens. At present he is auditor of Center Township and has served as school director, tax collector, assessor and as judge of elections. As may be seen, he is one of the representative men of his community.

HON. RALPH W. E. HOCH, the pre- siding municipal officer of Chicora, having been elected mayor of this borough, on the Democratic ticket, March 1, 1906, was born at Chicora, Pennsylvania, in 1882. He is a son of Augustus and Elizabeth Hoch.

Augustus Hoch, father of Mayor Hoch, is also a native and has been a lifelong resident of Chicora. He is prominently identified with oil and gas interests in But- ler County and is associated with his brother, A. A. Hoch, in the hardware and oil well supply business in this place. At Hannestown he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Krug, who was born at Sax- onburg, Pennsylvania, and they have two children, Martin and Ralph. The for- mer is superintendent of the gas plant at Chicora. He married Blanche Simpson and they have one daughter, Helen. Mr. Hoch is a leading member of the German Lutheran Church. He is identified with the Knights of Pythias.

Ralph W. E. Hoch received his prepar- atory education in the Chicora schools and then . spent three terms at the Slippery Rock State Normal School, after which he became associated with his father in the hardware and gas well supply business. He belongs to the order of Elks and Knights of Pythias. Like other members of the prominent family to which he be- longs and to which he has added distinc-

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tion, he is connected with the German Lu- theran Church. He is a type of the intelli- gent, progressive, public-spirited young American business man and his election to the office which he so ably administers, re- flects credit upon his fellow citizens.

SAMUEL G. PURVIS, proprietor of the Purvis Pharmacy, located at No. 213 South Main street, Butler, is one of the city's representative business men and public spirited citizens. He was born in Butler, in 1878, and is a son of Samuel D. Purvis.

The Purvis family has been identified with Butler County for a long period. Samuel D., father of Samuel G., was born at Butler in 1842. He has been a life-long resident of this city and has been exten- sively engaged in the lumber business. He is an active and useful citizen and has served two terms as a member of the School Board.

Samuel G. Purvis completed the com- mon school course in his native city in 1893 and graduated from the Butler High School in 1896, immediately entering the Western University of Pennsylvania at Pittsburg, and was graduated from the Pharmaceutical department of that insti- tution in 1899. In the same year he passed with credit the rigid examination before the Pharmacy State Board of Examiners, and then entered into the drug business at Allegheny. He remained there for three years and then returned to his native city and established the Purvis Pharmacy, at his present location. Here Mr. Purvis deals in first class drugs, puts up his pre- scriptions himself, and enjoys a large gen- eral and medical trade.

Mr. Purvis married, June 28, 1905, Miss Bertha McElhaney, who is a daughter of the late James McElhaney, of Butler, and they have one son, James D. Mr. Purvis and wife are members of the United Pres- byterian Church. He is a Knight Templar Mason and belongs to the Sterling Club.

ALBERT H. MEEDER, one of Zelieno- ple's substantial business men and popular citizens, who is engaged in a mercantile business at this place and is also largely interested in oil production in various sec- tions, was born September 15, 1869, at Petersville, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of George and Magdalena (Millerman) Meeder.

The father of Mr. Meeder came to Butler County in 1850 and settled first in Summit Township, near Butler. He later moved to Connoquenessing Township, living there about five years, and in 1893 he moved to Zelienople. His death took place in 1907. His widow survives. They had ten chil- dren and of this number the following sur- vive: Philip, who resides in Connequenes- sing Township; Edwin, who is a merchant at Zelienople; Albert H .; Theodore W., who resides in Cleveland, Ohio; Lena, who married Dale Thorn, of Connoquenessing Township; Catherine, who is the widow of Henry Asche, resides at Tarentum, Penn- sylvania; Maggie, who married Jacob Scherer of Connoquenessing Township; Caroline, who married George Harris, of New Castle; and Dora, who married George Preston, of New Brighton, Penn- sylvania.

Albert H. Meeder attended the public schools of Little Creek and from there en- tered Duff's Business College at Pitts- burg, completing the commercial course of that institution. He then entered the em- ploy of W. H. Ifft, a former merchant at Zelienople, as a clerk, where he gained his first mercantile experience, and later served in the same capacity for three years, with Boggs & Buhl, at Allegheny. When he left that firm he came to Zelie- nople and entered into partnership with his brother, Edwin Meeder, under the firm name of A. H. Meeder & Co., and this partnership continued until 1903. In March, 1906, he embarked in his present enterprise, starting in the First National Bank Building, from which he moved to

RESIDENCE AND GREENHOUSES OF GEORGE W. SCHNUR, SUMMIT TOWNSHIP

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his present location in 1907. In 1903 when his partnership ceased in the A. H. Meeder & Co. firm, Mr. Meeder began to take an interest in the oil industry and he has de- veloped this into one of the leading con- cerns in which he has made investments. He now owns oil interests in Ohio, Illinois and in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and the attention he devotes to these and to his large mercantile business, gives him little time to engage in anything else. However, Mr. Meeder is an earnest citizen and has a deep sense of public duty and when called upon to perform citizenship offices, he ex- erts himself to do so. In his political views he is a Democrat.

In 1893 Mr. Meeder was married to Miss Emma Hensel, a daughter of Gottlieb Hen- sel, of Zelienople, and they have two daughters, Ruth and Leola, both of whom are attending school. The family belongs to the German Lutheran Church.

GEORGE W. SCHNUR, who owns eighty acres of fertile farm land in Sum- mit Township, has been in the market gar- dening business for some twelve years and owns six well equipped hot-houses. He was born at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, May 19, 1858, and is a son of Peter and Eliza- beth (Fry) Schnur.

Peter Schnur was born in France and was four years old when his father, George Schnur, brought his family to America. For a time they lived at Cin- einnati, where the father worked as a stone-mason, afterward coming to Penn- sylvania, where Peter Schnur worked for many years in the mills at Pittsburg. In 1879 he moved to a farm adjoining that of his son George W., in Butler County. At Pittsburg he married Elizabeth Fry, who was born in that city.

George W. Schnur was nineteen years old when the family came to Butler County. As far back in his childhood as he can remember he recalls his interest in gardening, and as a boy he worked at this

industry whenever occasion offered. How- ever, finding stone-mason work more prof- itable, he learned that trade and worked at it for twelve years after coming to Summit Township. As soon as he ac- quired sufficient land and capital, he went into his present business, of which he has made a success. He made many improve- ments on his place, building his house and barn and his six hot-houses, with di- mensions of 112 feet by 155 feet, all cov- ered with glass. He has introduced mod- ern methods in his work and supplies a large wholesale trade at Butler, making a specialty of lettuce and greenhouse plants.

Two years after coming to Butler County, Mr. Schnur was married to Mag- gie Etzel, daughter of Bruno Etzel. She was born at Brady's Bend, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, but was reared in Summit Township. Mr. Schnur is one of a family of fifteen children and he has had twelve, seven of whom are living, namely : Clara, who is the wife of Harry Redman, of Pittsburg; Edward, who is associated with his father in gardening; Albert; William; Loretta, who is the wife of John Steighner; and Leo and Paul. With his family he belongs to and gives generous support to St. Mary's Catholic Church at Herman. He is a member of the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association.

SAMUEL McKAY, one of Butler's suc- cessful business men, who has followed brick contracting in this city for the past three years, was born August 16, 1870, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Samuel and Mary (Pinkerton) Mc- Kay. The parents of Mr. Mckay moved to Center Township, Butler County, when he was eight months old, and there he was reared and educated. The mother died in 1902, but the father still resides on his, farm in Center Township.

Samuel Mckay assisted his father until he was twenty-one years of age and then learned the bricklayer's trade, at which

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he has worked ever since. During the in 1908 and was in good health up to the comparatively short period in which he time of his death. has done contracting, he has turned out some of the most creditable work to be found in the city, among the most promi- nent specimens being the brick work on the Lance building in Springdale; the ad- dition to the Sam. Oram's building at Lyn- dora; the Cemetery offices, and the fine residences of J. E. Marshall, on West Pearl Street; that of Fred Devlin, on West Fulton Street; that of Mrs. Bowers, on West Penn Street, and a number of others. Mr. Mckay's own fine brick residence is situated at No. 422 Broad Street, and he also owns a valuable farm in Center Town- ship.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 111

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