Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 116

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 116

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).

EVERETT L. RALSTON, attorney at law, at Butler, is a representative of one of the oldest families of Butler County. He was born in 1857; in what is now the borough of Slippery Rock, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of John Rals- ton.

John Ralston was born in Slippery Rock Township, Butler County, where his par- ents were pioneers, about 1837. He learned the carpenter trade, but his life was main- ly devoted to agricultural pursuits. He was a man of quiet unambitious life and his death took place in the section in which he was born.

Everett L. Ralston was afforded excel- lent educational advantages and in 1881 he was graduated from Grove City Col- lege. Prior to this he had taught school and following his graduation he entered upon the study of law under the preceptor- ship of Hon. Charles McCandless and was admitted to the bar in 1885. For a time he was in partnership with John M. Greer and later with J. B. Greer, a son of Judge Greer, the latter partnership continuing for some years. Since it was dissolved he has practiced alone, both in the local courts, the Supreme Court of the State and the United States District Court. He

Mr. Ralston was married in 1889 to Miss Carrie H. Smith, who is a daughter of W. P. Smith, of Center Township, Butler County, and they have three children: Charles E., who is a student at Grove City College, his father's alma mater; J. Perry and Robert Clifford, who are students in the Butler High School. Mr. and Mrs. Ralston are members of the United Pres- byterian Church. His fraternal connec- tions are with the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of the World.

JOHN P. MILLER, a well known agri- culturist of Summit Township, residing on the farm of sixty-two acres which is owned jointly by himself and wife, was born at Butler, Butler County, Pennsyl- vania, April 29, 1845, and is a son of An- drew and Elizabeth (Nicholas) Miller.

Both parents of Mr. Miller were born in Germany. The father lived in his native country until he reached young manhood and then came to Butler County, Pennsyl- vania, securing work in a tannery at Zel- ienople, where he remained for a time and then went to Butler, where he established the first brewery in the place. The moth- er of John P. Miller was brought from Germany to America when six years of age by her father, Peter Nicholas, who set- tled at Zelienople, where he remained for a few years and then moved to what was then Clearfield, but what is now Summit Township. Peter Nicholas bought a farm near Herman, and there his daughter Eliz- abeth grew to young womanhood. Andrew Miller continued his brewery business at Butler for a number of years, but retired for some time before his death.

John P. Miller went to school through boyhood and then began work in his fath-

926

IHISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

er's brewery and after his father retired from business he continued the brewery for some years and then turned his atten- tion to farming. In March, 1880, Mr. Mil- ler and wife came to their present farm, one on which she had been reared from the age of five years. Mr. Miller was mar- ried at Butler to Rosanna Hoffman, who was born at Petersburg, Huntington Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Conrad and Barbara (Wagner) Hoffman. They were born in Germany, but were mar- ried in America. Shortly after the mar- riage of their daughter they rented the farm in Summit Township and moved to Butler, where both subsequently died. This farm at one time was drilled in a number of places for oil, and wells pro- duced for a certain period, but at present there is but one well in operation. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have had eleven children born to them and they also have a number of grandchildren. The family record is as follows: John Louis married Clara Tait and they have six children. Mary Eliza- beth married Robert Clay and they have five children. Laura married John Knause and they have one child. Charles E. mar- ried Rose Gallagher and they have two children. Emma married Benjamin Tait and they have five children. Albert mar- ried Lydia Frederick. Frank is a contract- or and oil worker, and Lester R. and Lee W. also reside at home. One babe died unnamed and the third child, Flora, lived but five months.

N. C. MeCOLLOUGH, a prominent citi- zen of Butler, attorney at law, oil producer and an active politician, has been a resi- dent of this city for some fifteen years. He was born in 1864, in Fairview Town- ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Peter and a grandson of William McCollough.

The founder of the McCollough family in Butler County was- John McCollough, the great-grandfather of N. C. McCol-

lough. Peter McCollough, the father, was a son of William McCollough, and was born in Fairview Township in 1835. For many years he was a leading citizen and large farmer in his native township and he still survives, residing at Chicora, Penn- sylvania. The old McCollough property was secured in 1799 and some member of the family has resided on it until the pres- ent.

On the old homestead, N. C. McCollough passed his boyhood, securing his education first in the township schools and later at Grove City College, where he was gradu- ated in 1887. He then engaged in teaching and followed this profession in Butler County and later in Kansas and before seriously taking up the study of law at Butler, he served two terms as county su- perintendent of schools. In 1897 he was admitted to the bar and has been engaged in practice ever since. Mr. McCollough owns large holdings in the oil fields of Pennsylvania and is extensively engaged as a producer. He is a stockholder in the Guaranty Safe Deposit & Trust Company and in other business concerns of impor- tance. He is an ardent Republican and a hard worker for his friends. For the past two years he has been chairman of the Republican County Committee. In 1907 Mr. McCollough was married to Miss Ame- lia Sherman, a resident of Butler. They are members of the English Lutheran Church. Fraternally he is a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias.

JOHN CRAMER, one of Summit Town- ship's substantial and representative men, resides on his fine farm of 137 acres, which lies on the Kittanning turnpike, about six miles east of Butler. He was born No- vember 10, 1856, in Deer Creek Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Jacob and Barbara Cramer.

The parents of Mr. Cramer removed from Allegheny County to Clearfield Township, Butler County, in his infancy

JAMES A. McDOWELL

929

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

and there he was reared. The mother died on that farm, after which the father retired to Butler, where he died in the spring of 1908.

John Cramer obtained his education in the schools of Clearfield Township and as- sisted his father on the farm until he was twenty-five years old, when he purchased some oil wells and has been interested in the oil and gas business ever since. He settled on his present farm on April 1, 1904, where he has much excellent farming land and has three oil wells there, owning a number of other wells in other sections.

Mr. Cramer was married first to Eva Langraf and had two children-Albert and Mary. He married second Catherine Kirt, who is a daughter of John Kirt and they have the following children: Leo, Agatha, Elinor, Walter and Cassia. Mr. Cramer is one of the best known men in this part of the country and his judgment in regard to oil and gas territory is considered very valuable.

FRANCIS WALLACE CUNNING- HAM, a prominent dentist of Zelienople, was born in this borough, a son of Dr. Abelard V. and Jennie (Wallace) Cunning- ham. His paternal grandfather was Dr. Robert Cunningham, who was born in Lan- caster County, Penna., in 1806, and who spent his early life in that locality. He was of Irish descent. Coming to Beaver County he there purchased a farm in North Sewickley Township, on which he resided, and was for twenty-eight years engaged in the practice of medicine. His wife in maidenhood was Jane Allison, who came of a prominent family in that local- ity. They were the parents of seven chil- dren.

Dr. Abelard V. Cunningham graduated in medicine at the Jefferson Medical Col- lege of Philadelphia and has been engaged in the practice of his profession in Zelie- nople for many years. He is a specialist

in the treatment of cancerous growths. He is also examining surgeon for several of the large life insurance companies. His wife Jennie, to whom he was united in 1869, is a daughter of Francis and Adeline (Ferguson) Wallace. Their family num- bers in all nine children.

Francis Wallace Cunningham was reared in his native village of Zelienople, obtaining his primary education in the common schools of the locality. He then took a course of study in Geneva College, and was graduated in dentistry at North Pittsburg in 1905. The above-mentioned studies were supplemented by a commer- cial course in the New Castle Business Col- lege. After thus qualifying himself in an educational sense, he established himself in Zelienople, where he is now engaged in a successful practice as a dental surgeon. In 1899 he was joined in marriage with Sadie Thomas, a daughter of William and Jane (Martin) Thomas, of Johnstown, Penna. Dr. and Mrs. Cunningham are the parents of seven children-Abelard Vin- cent, Harold, Leroy, James Wallace, Syl- via Murton, Vivian, Ethel, and Kenneth Robert. Dr. Cunningham is independent in politics. He has served for the past nine years as clerk of the council, having been a member of that body for the same length of time.

JAMES A. McDOWELL, general ce- ment contractor at Butler, is one of the city's well known and thoroughly reliable business men. He was born November 1, 1866, at Franklin, Venango County, Penn- sylvania.

In 1873, when Mr. McDowell was seven years old, his parents moved to Butler County, and the boy obtained his educa- tion in the Butler schools. He then learned the plastering and cement business with his father and for the last seventeen years he has been contracting for all kinds of cement work, and as each year sees ce-

930

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

ment entering more and more into the building field, Mr. MeDowell's enterprise continues to proportionately expand.

August 4, 1892, Mr. McDowell was mar- ried to Miss Etta M. Coyle, who was born and reared in Parker Township. They have one child, Clare L. Mr. McDowell owns a fine property at No. 706 W. Penn Street. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has served as a member of the City Council and also as borough auditor and in all public offices he has displayed ability and sound judg- ment. He belongs to several organiza- tions, to the Odd Fellows, to the Home Guards of America, to the Butler Fire Company and the Protected Home Circle.

Mr. McDonald was a member of Com- pany G, Twenty-first Regiment, Pennsyl- vania National Guards, during the Span- ish-American War, and was appointed as corporal, serving two years, when he was honorably discharged.

HUNTER E. COULTER, a member of the Butler bar and one of the city's repre- sentative and substantial citizens, was born in 1860, in Allegheny Township, But- ler County, Pennsylvania.

Alexander Coulter, father of Hunter E., came to Butler County from the eastern part of Pennsylvania and settled on a farm in Allegheny Township. He fol- lowed farming there and also conducted a blacksmith business in the Pennsylvania oil fields.

Hunter E. Coulter was reared on the home farm and from the public schools en- tered Grove City College and in 1884 was graduated from the Edinboro State Nor- mal School. He had commenced to teach school almost in boyhood and continued to teach for about nine years, teaching one year in Butler. In 1886 he began the study of law at Butler in the office of Lewis Z. Mitchell, and in 1887 he was admitted to the bar and entered into partnership with T. M. Baker. This association con-

tinued until 1905, when Mr. Baker with- drew in order to engage in banking. Mr. Coulter practices in the county and su- preme courts. He takes an active interest in civic government and for seventeen years has been clerk of the council and during five years of this period has also served as borough solicitor. He has nu- merous interests outside his professional ones and is a stockholder in two of the city banks and is a member of the board of di- rectors of the Butler Steam Laundry.

In 1888 Mr. Coulter was married to Miss Emma C. Barger, of Armstrong County, and they have three children: Clarence G., a student in the Butler High School; Byron Jay, who is learning the machinist trade with the Spang Company ; and Sarah Eleanor, who resides at home. Mr. Coul- ter and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

PETER NEU, a prominent farmer of Summit Township and a leading citizen, at present filling the position of road su- pervisor in a very efficient manner, re- sides on his valuable property containing ninety-three acres, situated at Carbon Cen- ter. Mr. Neu has resided on this farm since 1868 but he was born twenty years earlier, at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Janu- ary 16, 1848. His parents were John and Mary (Baldauf) Neu.

The parents of Mr. Neu were both born in Germany, but they were not married un- til after they came to America. The father's business was coal mining and he rose from the lowest position in the mine to that of pit boss on the inside of the mine. He was an industrious and steady worker and accumulated money which he later in- vested in the purchase of land, buying three farms, aggregating 270 acres, to one of which he moved. Both John and Mary Neu died in Summit Township.

During boyhood, Peter Neu worked with his father in the coal mines and he was twenty years of age when the family came

931

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

to Summit Township, after which he and his brothers, operated the three farms. The one he now owns was not the one on which his parents settled, all the buildings on that farm having been removed by the B., R. & P. Railroad. On this farm, Mr. Neu put up all the substantial buildings and made all the improvements. He car- ries on general farming and has three oil wells on his property. He is one of the five survivors of a family of seven chil- dren, namely: Catherine, who is the wife of Jacob Gillenberger, of Pittsburg; John, who was drowned in the Monongahela River before the family came to Butler County ; Peter; Joseph, who died in 1905; Annie; Henry, who resides at Beaver Falls; and Philip, who died in infancy.

In early manhood, Peter Neu married Barbara Leinenbaugh, who is a daughter of Peter Leinenbaugh, and they have had eight children, as follows: Amalie Cath- erine (deceased) ; Edward Joseph (de- ceased) ; Rosalie M., who married John Conrad; Clara M., who married Albert J. Carter; Francis P .; Emma C., who mar- ried Marsh Leonard; Charles E., married Clara Leonard; and John L. J. Mr. Neu and family belong to the Roman Catholic Church.

DR. ABELARD VINCENT CUNNING- HAM, a prominent physician of Zelienople for a period of forty-one years has been engaged in the practice of medicine in this . borough, has won prestige in this locality as a representative of the calling to which his energies have been devoted through life. He was born January 14, 1837, in North Sewickley Township, Beaver Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Dr. Rob- ert and Jane ( Allison) Cunningham.

Dr. Robert Cunningham, father of the subject, was of Irish descent and was born in September, 1806, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where his early life was spent. He came to Beaver County, pur- chased a farm of Dr. Loring Lusk in North

Sewickley Township, where for twenty- eight years he was engaged in the practice of medicine. He wedded Jane Allison, who was born in 1808, a daughter of James Al- lison, a prominent attorney, who was twice a member of Congress from that district, and a sister of John Allison, who was pay- master in the army under President Lin- coln and Reg. United States Treasurer un- der President Grant. Seven children were born to Dr. and Mrs. Cunningham : Louisa, wife of Edward White of Iowa; Adison, a farmer residing at Bridge Water, Bea- ver County; Dr. A. V. Cunningham, sub- ject of this sketch; Dr. Dewees Cunning- ham, was assistant surgeon in the army and engaged in practice at Wurtemburg, Lawrence County, until his death; Juliette, died in 1848, aged ten years; Cecelia, de- ceased wife of Dr. Stewart of Akron, also deceased; and Jennie, married Lorenzo C. Kirker, of Beaver Falls, where she resides at the present time. Dr. Cunningham died September, 1860, and his wife April 30, 1851.

Dr. A. V. Cunningham, our subject, was educated at North Sewickley and Beaver Academies and graduated from the Jef- ferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 1880, having previously attended that col- lege during 1863 and 1864. He first began practicing at Wampum, Lawrence County, after which, for about one year, he located at Poland, where he became an intimate acquaintance of President Mckinley. In 1867 Dr. Cunningham came to Zelienople, where he has been constantly and success- fully engaged in the practice of his pro- fession until the present time. Dr. Cun- ningham has made a wonderful discovery of a cure for cancerous growths, one of the worst maladies to which mankind is heir, and has treated hundreds of cases with success. He has testimonials as well as growths preserved, which seem almost in- credible to one who has not seen the results of his wonderful work. He has in his pos- session specimens of all kinds of the ma-

932

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

lignant growth. This remedy has been known to Dr. Cunningham for many years, but owing to the ethics of his profession has refused to make it known to the world until in later years, when impelled from a sense of duty to mankind and humanity. Dr. Cunningham is of an inventive turn of mind and has invented an instrument for administering chloroform to his patients. He has also invented a single-tree which holds the trace by a patent spring known as the Resilient Spring, for preventing the trace from leaving the single-tree.

Dr. Cunningham has been for a number of years a member of the Butler County Medical Society and is examining surgeon for a number of the large life insurance companies including the Equitable of New York; the Montpelier of Vermont, for- merly the New York Life, and the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York. He was for some years local surgeon of the B. & O. R. R. He is religiously a mem- ber of the Methodist Church and in poli- ties independent.

He is now serving his second term as a member of the Board of Pensioners, on which he had at one time previously served four years. He has served several terms as a member of the school board and as burgess and clerk of the borough council.

On September 16, 1869, Dr. Cunningham wedded Jennie Wallace, who was born and reared in Zelienople, and is a daughter of Francis and Adeline (Ferguson) Wallace. To them were born the following children : Nora Viola; Francis Wallace, a graduate of the Pittsburg Dental College; Abelard Vincent, a dentist residing in Zelienople; Jennie, wife of Brant Sankey of Zelie- nople ; Lee S., a painter; Walter C., super- intendent of the crating department of the enameling works; Ralph, a machinist of Zelienople; and Adeline F.

C. H. KENNEDY, proprietor of the Kennedy Bottling Works at Butler, is a leading and representative business citi-

zen who is identified with a number of the successful enterprises of this section. He was born in 1857, near Kennedy's Mill, in Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence Coun- ty, Pennsylvania.

When Mr. Kennedy was three years old his parents moved to Muddy Creek Town- ship, Butler County, but shortly afterward went to Tennessee, subsequently returning to Lawrence County. C. H. Kennedy spent his early life on a farm and also worked with his father's threshing ma- chine and later spent four years at the blacksmith trade. He learned the bottling business at New Brighton and Sharon and from the latter place came to Butler Sep- tember 10, 1890, at which time he bought a small bottling plant already established and has continued in the business ever since. Mr. Kennedy has prospered through his energy and enterprise and now occupies his own building which is situated at No. 158 Race Street, Butler, and is equipped with modern machinery that makes the manufacture of all kinds of soft drinks, in which he deals, sanitary, healthful and economical. He does an immense business and his trade relations cover a wide terri- tory. He is a stockholder in the Butler County National Bank, in the People's Telephone Company, the Butler Savings and Trust Company and the Butler Ice Company. He has taken an active inter- est in local politics and has served three years as a member of the city council.

In 1888 Mr. Kennedy married Esther E. Boyer, of Sharon, Pennsylvania. They have one daughter, Dorothy Elizabeth. Mr. Kennedy is a member and liberal sup- porter of the First Presbyterian Church. He is a member of the order of Maccabees and of the Federal Casualty Company.

JOHN KNAUSE, residing on the old Knause farm of seventy-two acres, situ- ated in Summit Township, of which he is one-third owner, was born on a farm in Oakland Township, Butler County, Penn-

933

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

sylvania, March 20, 1863, and is a son of Jacob and Margaret (Bigger) Knause.

The parents of Mr. Knause came to the Summit Township farm in 1867 and here the father died on July 3, 1884, and the mother, on November 5, 1900. Thus John Knause has lived on this farm ever since he was four years old and from boyhood has been engaged in farming. He is part owner of the homestead, his two sisters, Mrs. W. H. Barnhart and Mrs. Harry J. O'Donnell, owning the other two-thirds. It is good land and Mr. Knause is consid- ered one of the best and most successful farmers of this section.

In 1884 Mr. Knause was married to Miss Laura Miller, who is a daughter of John P. Miller, a prominent resident of Butler County, and they have one child, Alberta. Mr. and Mrs. Knause are members of the Lutheran Church. He takes no very ac- tive interest in politics, but he has opin- ions and performs all duties pertaining to good citizenship when township affairs are under public consideration.

WINFIELD S. SCOTT, a representa- tive citizen of Summit Township, a dairy- man and owner of fifty acres of excellent farming land, was born in Summit Town- ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, Decem- ber 12, 1860, and is a son of Mitchell and Catherine (Moser) Scott.

George Scott, the grandfather of Win- field S., was the first settler on the pres- ent farm, which he secured from the Gov- ernment. He was of Scotch-Irish descent and came to this section at a very early day, finding himself almost alone when he built his log cabin in the forest. He cleared his land and made improvements which greatly increased the value of the property, which, in turn, came into the possession of his son, Mitchell Scott, who was born on the farm in 1820. The latter grew to manhood here and then married a daughter of Solomon Moser. Mr. Moser was of German parentage, but of Ameri-

can birth. He owned property in Oak- land Township, where Mrs. Scott was born and reared. Mitchell Scott and wife took up their domestic life in the old house which stood in the vicinity of the handsome residence in which their son, Winfield S., resides. They had two children, both sons, and both survive: John, a resident of Butler, and Winfield S. on the old farm. The father was the first to pass away, his death taking place in November, 1892. The mother survived until January, 1899. They were well known throughout the township and were numbered with the most respected people.

Winfield S. Scott has been engaged in farming ever since he reached an age to make use of farm implements, and his life has been passed in Summit Township. In addition to operating his own farm, he rents fifty additional acres, which he also cultivates. For the past twelve years he has been in the dairy business and oper- ates a milk route through Butler.

On May 25, 1892, Mr. Scott was married to Miss Sadie Christie, who is a daughter of Newton and Mary (Robb) Christie. Mrs. Scott was born in Greece City, Con- cord Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- vania, on the same farm on which her grandfather, Hughes Christie, was born, one which had been settled by her great- grandfather, Andrew Christie. Her par- ents still reside in Concord Township, among the old, respected and substantial residents. Her maternal grandfather, Isaac Robb, was born in Oakland Town- ship, the Robbs being also old people in Butler County. Both Mr. and Mrs. Scott can well lay claim to pioneer ancestry. They have four children: Wesley N., Oli- ver W., Mary Catherine and Eugene Mitchell. The family belong to the First Presbyterian Church at Butler. They en- joy the comforts of a modern and attract- ive residence which Mr. Scott built in 1892. He is not actively interested in poli- ties, but he is a good citizen and in local

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 116

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