Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 117

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 117

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

affairs is apt to cast his vote for the can- didates he believes will give attention to matters of neighborhood interest, the mak- ing of good roads and the adding to the efficiency of the schools being of para- mount importance.

MARTIN HEIM, a well known citizen of Butler Township, where he conducts a large business in building stone, leasing two quarries for the purpose, was born in Summit Township, Butler County, Penn- sylvania, October 10, 1852, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Ober) Heim.

The father of Mr. Heim was born in a German province, came to America in young manhood, and died in Summit Township, Butler County, in 1862, when aged fifty-two years. In Philadelphia he learned the trade of piano builder, which he followed in that city for several years, but after his marriage he came to Butler County and bought a farm of ninety-three acres in Summit Township. At the time he located there, this beautiful, fertile farm, which his son Martin now owns, was a great belt of woodland. He worked hard and cleared a large part of the property. He married a daughter of Martin Ober, who came to Philadelphia from France. The children of John and Elizabeth Heim were three in number, as follows: Henry, who lives at Warren, Pennsylvania; Cath- erine, who is the wife of Joseph Shebel, of Clearfield Township; and Martin, of But- ler Township. The parents of Mr. Heim were worthy members of the Catholic Church at Herman.

Martin Heim learned the carpenter trade after he left school and worked for some years at this trade and for a few years afterward as a farmer and then opened his first stone quarry, where he now resides. Later he sold that quarry and now has three others leased. These are quarried for sandstone and his trade is mainly local, but he has furnished the stone that went into the construction of

the public school building at Springdale and of many of the finest residences at Butler. His industry gives employment to about nine men.

Mr. Heim married Annie Benedict Kost, whose parents came to Butler Town- ship in 1837. Mr. and Mrs. Heim have ten children, as follows: Joseph, William and Anthony, all residents of Pittsburg; Theo- dore, Frank, Viola, Victor, Loretta, Anna and Mildred, at home. Mr. Heim and family belong to St. Peter's Roman Catho- lie Church. In politics he is a Democrat. He is a member of the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, Branch No. 56, and is one of its executive committee.

W. J. TROUTMAN, a representative citizen of the city of Butler and a member of the leading mercantile firm of A. Trout- man's Sons, was born at Butler, Pennsyl- vania, May 20, 1868, and is a son of the venerable Adam Troutman, one of But- ler's most esteemed retired residents and pioneer business men.

W. J. Troutman was reared in his na- tive city and was educated in the schools of Butler and the Capitol University at Columbus, Ohio, supplemented by a thor- ough business course in the Columbus Business College, where he was graduated in 1887. He then accepted a position with the Butler Savings Bank as assistant book- keeper and continued in the bank for two years, following which he entered the firm of A. Troutman & Son, which, on the re- tirement of the founder, became A. Trout- man's Sons. This firm conducts the larg- est dry goods and department store in the city. Mr. Troutman is a man of enter- prise and is interested in other prospering concerns of city and vicinity.

In 1890 Mr. Troutman was married to Miss Josephine Martha Stock, of Butler, Pennsylvania, and they have one child, Helen Margaret. He is a member of the German Lutheran Church. He takes an active interest in everything pertaining to

MARTIN HEIM

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

the welfare of Butler and is a member of the volunteer fire department.

PERRY E. GOULD, a well known farm- er and stock dealer in Butler Township, where he owns 125 acres of fine land and has 100 acres under cultivation, was born in Clay Township, Butler County, Penna., November 5, 1859, and is a son of William and Martha (Surles) Gould.

William Gould, the father of Perry E., · was born in County Down, Ireland, a son of Robert Gould, and died at Butler, Penna., in November, 1897, aged almost eighty-three years. He was seven years old when his parents brought him to Amer -. ica, the long voyage being made in a sail- ing vessel, and he could recall to his chil- dren many incidents of the settling of the family in Clay Township, where his father bought several hundred acres of land. William Gould grew to manhood on that pioneer farm and spent his whole life there until about two years before his death, when he moved to Butler. His wife was a daughter of Reuben Surles, who came to Butler County when his daughter was small. Mrs. Gould was born in New Jer- sey, but the remainder of her life was . passed in Butler County. The children of William Gould and wife were: George, who was a brave soldier in the Union army, was killed at the battle of Bull Run; Sarah, who is the wife of Josiah Neyman of Oak- land Township; Jane, deceased, who mar- ried Beatty Thorn, who resides in Iowa; Henry, who is a resident of Butler; Phebe, who married Perry Broman, residing at Oil City; Mary, who married Alfred Flie- ger, of New Castle; Thomas, who lives in Clay Township; Perry E .; Robert Harvey, who resides in Washington Township; Syl- vester, deceased, who was a resident of Kansas, and Arabella, who married Rev. Henry Hoffman, of Petersville. The par- ents of this family were people of most worthy type. They were consistent mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Perry E. Gould remained on the home farm and found plenty of work to occupy his time until he was twenty years of age, in the meanwhile having been a more or less regular attendant at school in Clay Township. After leaving home he went into the oil country and for the next six- teen years gave his attention to the oil in- dustry. He then took up his home in But- ler and lived there for four years, but in 1892 he bought a farm in Concord Town- ship and removed to it, remaining there until in March, 1898, when he sold it to advantage and purchased his present farm in Butler Township. Here Mr. Gould raises corn, oats, wheat, hay and garden produce. He does a considerable amount of business also in buying and feeding horses and cattle.

Mr. Gould married Anna M. Whitmire, a daughter of Jacob Whitmire, of Oakland Township, and they have one son and one daughter: Hazel and Paul Perry. Mr. Gould and family belong to the United Presbyterian Church. While no active politician, Mr. Gould is a stanch Republi- can and a hearty supporter of its policies and candidates. He is numbered with the township's representative men.

JAMES W. HUTCHISON, an able member of the Butler bar, who has been a resident of this city since 1887, was born in Parker Township, Butler County, Penna., June 17, 1864, and is a son of James G. Hutchison.

In the early part of the Nineteenth Cen- tury, William and David Hutchison, the former of whom was the grandfather of James W., came from the eastern part of Pennsylvania to find homes in the western section. David settled in Armstrong County, and William took up his residence in Parker Township, Butler County. There James G. Hutchison spent his life.

James W. Hutchison was reared in Par- ker and Washington Townships and was given superior educational advantages.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

After completing his academic studies at North Washington, he entered Westmin- ster College, from which he was creditably graduated in 1887, having completed a business course at Duff's Commercial Col- lege in 1885. In the fall of 1887 he came to Butler and pursued his course of law reading in the office of Attorney S. F. Bow- ser, and was admitted to the bar Decem- ber 2, 1889. He has devoted almost two decades to practicing law in this city and, having all the qualities essential to suc- cess in his profession, he has prospered along that line. He practices in the local courts and also in the Superior and Su- preme Courts, and the importance in which he is held was indicated when Judge Jo- seph Buffington, in 1899, appointed him referee in bankruptcy for Butler County. In addition to his large practice, Mr. Hutchison is interested in business enter- prises to some extent.

In 1889 Mr. Hutchison was married to Miss Ida M. Campbell, of Bradford, Penna., who died in 1900, leaving two chil- dren, Eileen and Paul. In 1903 Mr. Hutchison was married (second) to Miss Helen Victor, of Erie, Penna. He is an active citizen and has never declined to take part in shaping public sentiment whenever the welfare of the city has been at stake. He has been a useful member of the School Board. In politics, he is iden- tified with the Republican party. He is affiliated with a number of fraternal or- ganizations, the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Malta, be- ing particularly interested in the first named, holding the office of grand inner guard of the Grand Lodge of the order of the State of Pennsylvania, and belongs to Company No. 25, Uniform Rank, at But- ler. He is a member of the United Pres- byterian Church.

ALBERT ANDERSON PARK, a prac- tical miller and formerly a member of the Mars Milling and Feed Company, is a

well-known and substantial citizen of this place. He was born July 20, 1866, on the old home farm, in Adams Township, But- ler County, Penna., and is a son of Sam- uel and Emma (Anderson) Park.

Matthew Park, the great-grandfather, came to Pennsylvania from Ireland, at a very early date. He built a sawmill in the woods, on a deep stream of water and operated it during the remainder of his life, being the first of the Park family to be identified with mill interests of any kind in Butler County. He was succeeded by his son, Samuel Park, and for years they resided together in a commodious house of two stories, which was constructed of logs, and was built about 1813. Samuel oper- ated the old Park grist mill, which possibly was erected by his father, and it was built in 1833 and is still standing. Samuel Park married Jane Roseborrow, a native of Ohio, who lived to be ninety-three years of age, but Samuel Park died when aged six- ty-five years. They had eight children, namely: John, William, Samuel, Levi, Lavina, Martha Jane, and two sons who died young. The only survivor of the fam- ily is Lavina, who married Thomas Park, of the same surname as herself, but of a different family.

Samuel Park was born in the big log house at Mars, in 1827. He remained at home, being a dutiful and useful son. In 1876 he built what is known as the Mars mill and gave it the name of the Globe Roller Mill, it being the first steam grist mill in this section of the country. He operated the mill and also cultivated his farm of 200 acres of land in Adams Town- ship. When about twenty-eight years of age, he married Emma Anderson, who was born at Greenville, Penna., and was ten years old when she came to Butler County, where she has lived ever since, and follow- ing the death of her husband, in 1901, has made her home with her daughter, Mrs. C. J. Ingram. The children of Samuel and Emma Park were: Nelson L., deceased;

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

Mary J., wife of J. D. Mahan; Albert An- derson; Harry G .; William B., and Eda M., who is the wife of C. J. Ingram, and four children who died young.

Albert Anderson Park was reared on the farm and learned all the details of farm work, but he had numerous other duties, some of great responsibility, during boy- hood. He was only ten years old when he began to assist in the mill. His father was the first postmaster at Mars and at eight years of age, Albert A. must have been considered a very reliable and trustworthy lad, for to him was entrusted the carrying of the United States mail bag from Wex- ford, in Allegheny County, to Mars. He made the trip once a week, every Saturday, on horseback, meeting the stage at Wex- ford, and during the ten years of mail car- rying, there is no record of his ever mak- ing a single mistake. It was through the efforts of Samuel Park and ex-Judge Mar- shall that a post-office was established and it was a matter of much accommodation to the whole country side. The emoluments were not large, $8 a month being paid to the carrier for the first year, and $35 al- lowed for the office business. Later, Mr. Park became miller for his father and still later rented the mill and when the father died he rented from the other heirs and continued the business. He then took M. W. Dunlap as a partner and they did busi- ness under the name of the Mars Milling Company, and conducted a feed store and a coal yard, as adjuncts. Later, C. Gal- braith, W. J. Link and J. W. Lee were admitted to partnership and the enter- prise became the Mars Milling and Feed Company. Mr. Park continued with the concern until 1907, when he sold his inter- est but still operates the mill for the com- pany. It has proved a very successful busi- ness investment for all concerned.

In October, 1899, Mr. Park was married to Mayme C. Marshall, widow of Charles Marshall and daughter of Jacob M. Miller, of Callery. They have one child, Clyde C.

Mrs. Park has one son by her former mar- riage, Harry Marshall, who is agent for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at Callery. Mr. and Mrs. Park are members of the United Presbyterian Church. In 1907 he erected the present handsome brick resi- dence, which is one of the most attractive and comfortable homes at Mars. In poli- tics, like his father, Mr. Park is identified with the Republican party.

WILLIAM J. BARKLEY, one of Franklin Township's representative and public-spirited citizens, resides on his val- uable and well-improved farm of 203 acres, carrying on general agriculture. He was born March 17, 1847, at Pittsburg, Penna., and is a son of George and Margaret (Behm) Barkley.

Both parents of Mr. Barkley came to America when twelve years old, with their parents, from the same village. The pa- ternal grandfather settled in Pennsylva- nia, in Muddy Creek Township, Butler County, and when his son George was thir- teen years old, he sent him to Pittsburg and for ten years the latter was employed by the Penn Mill Cotton Factory. From there George Barkley entered a foundry in Allegheny, where he remained several years and then turned his attention to farming, spending one year in Lancaster Township before returning to the old homestead in Muddy Creek Township, where he died in May, 1876, aged fifty- seven years. In politics he was a Demo- crat and he served in local offices. He mar- ried Margaret Behm, who was a daughter of Nicholas Behm, and she was reared at Zelienople. George Barkley and wife had the following children: Catherine, who married Henry Heyle, of Franklin Town- ship; William J .; Sarah, who married Samuel Knox, of Grove City; Mrs. Mar- garet Snyder, who resides at Butler; Emma, who married David West, of Franklin Township; and Mary, the widow of Jonathan Jones, who resides in Law-

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

rence County. George Barkley and wife were members of the German Lutheran Church at Prospect, in which he served some years as a deacon.

William J. Barkley was reared and edu- cated in Butler County and he remained on the home farm until his marriage, when he purchased his present farm from his father. It is a large tract of valuable land but Mr. Barkley has about all of it under cultivation. His farming is carried on ac- cording to modern ideas and he is one of the largest growers of fine stock in this section.

Mr. Barkley married Josephine Snyder, who was a daughter of John Snyder, of Brady Township, and they had five chil- dren born to them, namely: George, who resides at home; Clara, deceased, who was the wife of John Pontius, of Butler; Jes- sie, who married W. E. Heyle, of Pros- pect ; Frank, who is principal of the schools of Freedom, in Beaver County ; and Mabel, who is the wife of Charles S. Bolton, of Wheeling, West Virginia. The beloved mother of the above family died May 23, 1908, aged fifty-nine years. She was a consistent Christian and was a member of the Lutheran Church.

In politics, Mr. Barkley is a Democrat, but his personal popularity in his township is so great that he has been kept in some public office for many years, although the normal Republican vote is double that of the Democratic. For twelve years he has served as a school director, for three years as supervisor, one year as tax collector and for four years as overseer of the poor. He is a member of the Lutheran Church at Prospect and has served as a deacon in the same.

JOHN STAPLES, one of Adams Town- ship's representative citizens, resides on his excellent farm of 100 acres, on which he carries on a general line of agriculture. He was born in Forward Township, But- ler County, Pennsylvania, December 23,

1835, and is a son of Job and Susan (Hays) Staples.

The father of Mr. Staples was born and reared in the city of New York and came to Pennsylvania in early manhood. For a few years he taught school in different lo- calities and gradually worked his way westward until he reached Butler County, where he bought a farm of 200 acres which was then in Cranberry but is now situated in Forward Township. He resided on that farm for a number of years, doing a large part of the clearing, but later moved to Adams Township and in 1853 settled on the farm which is now owned by his son John. Here he died in 1861, aged seventy years. He married Susan Hays, a native of Butler County, who died aged sixty- eight years. They had sixteen children, John Staples being among the younger ones.

John Staples has led a quiet, useful life, devoting himself mainly to farming, and has never desired any other place of resi- dence than Butler County. Here he has rich land well stocked and improved, a happy, united, intelligent family, and friends of many years' standing. Per- forming readily every duty demanded by good citizenship, he enjoys the esteem and commands the respect of his fellow citi- zens.

In 1865 Mr. Staples was married to Miss Mandana Ray and they have had children as follows: Nancy E., Susan, Walter B., Agnes and Amy, twins, Claire, William, and Maude. Of the above family Susan married W. E. Dunbar and has one child, Hazel. Walter B. married C. May Rhodes and they have two children, Dorothy and John. Agnes married B. J. Little and they have one child, Eleanor. Claire attends college at Grove City. Maude and Will- iam are deceased. The latter married Catherine Kauffman and they had two children, Gladys and Marjorie. Mr. Sta- ples and family belong to the Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a Republican.

SAMUEL O. BELL

MRS. MATILDA A. BELL

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

SAMUEL O. BELL, one of Parker Township's representative citizens and substantial farmers, residing on his valu- able estate of 125 acres, which is situated near Glenora, was born in Washington Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, August 26, 1844, and is a son of Samuel and Mary (Shiria) Bell.

Samuel Bell was born in Washington Township and was a son of William Bell, who was born in Scotland and was an early settler in Butler County, where he died. Samuel Bell married Mary Shiria and they had two sons, Samuel O. being the only survivor.

Samuel O. Bell was but nine months old when his father died and when three years old was taken to the home of his paternal grandparents, William Bell and wife, who resided near North Washington. He re- mained there until he was eight years of age and then went to live at the home of his maternal uncle, William Shiria, at An- nandale, Butler County, where he contin- ued to reside for about four years. He then returned to his mother, who had con- tracted a second marriage, with James Al- worth, when he was young. Mr. Bell as- sisted his step-father in his agricultural operations until he reached his majority, when he started out for himself. For some years he worked in the oil fields and is still interested in the oil industry, having several producing wells on his own farm, of which he took possession about 1872.

Mr. Bell married Miss Matilda Alworth, who was born in Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. She is now de- ceased. She was a woman of many vir- tues and was a consistent member of the United Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Bell had three children born to them, namely: Lillie M., who looks after the comfort of her father in the old home; Mary E., who is the wife of Frank Smith, of Parker Township; and Flora B., who is the wife of Philip Deal, of Parsonville, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Mary E. (Bell)

Smith has one daughter, Edna Margaret. Flora B. (Bell) Deal has two children, Lillian Marie and Lawrence Edward. Mrs. Samuel O. Bell died 1888 in her forty- seventh year.

In his political convictions, Mr. Bell is a Republican. He has been an active citi- zen, working at all times for the best in- terests of his neighborhood, and at differ- ent times has been elected to office. He has served as tax collector and inaugu- rated reforms in keeping the public high- ways in condition, during his excellent administration as road supervisor.

ALFRED J. BLACK, a prominent gen- eral farmer and stock raiser, residing on his one farm of eighty acres in Cherry Township, about one-half mile south of old Annandale, owns a second farm of forty- eight acres, separated on the south by a narrow strip of land which belongs to his brother, James T. Black. Alfred J. Black was born on this second farm, in Cherry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, July 18, 1849, and is a son of Adam and Mary (Turner) Black.

Adam Black was born on the above- named farm, a son of Robert Black, who came to Butler County from across the Al- legheny Mountains, at a very early day. Robert Black took out the first patent and in 1828 secured the first deed for 250 acres of land in Cherry Township, and was given an allowance which made the aggre- gate 280 acres, at that time all in one tract. It is now divided into four farms, two of which are owned by Alfred J. Black; a third farm, of forty-seven acres, is owned by James T. Black, a brother; and the fourth farm of 100 acres, is owned by Rob- ert M. Black, a cousin, residing at Bruin. This farm has never been out of the Black family, with the exception of two acres, which were once sold, but were soon re- claimed by the Blacks. The aged grand- father died on this land. His son Adam succeeded and he passed his life on the

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

Black property, following agricultural pur- suits. He married Mary Ann Turner, who was born in Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and there were nine children born to them, as follows: Robert P., who is a farmer in Concord Township; William P., deceased; Elizabeth, deceased, was the wife of Giles Vogan; John M., who lives in Allegheny Township; Alfred J .; Jane, who is the wife of Hilton Tin- ker, of Ellwood City; Clementine, who is the widow of Dr. Clarence Bard; Ella, who is the wife of Smiley Smith; and James T., who is a farmer in Cherry Township. The father of the above family died in 1888. The mother survived until February, 1908, dying when aged eighty-eight years.

Alfred J. Black was reared on the old Black farm and with the exception of three years spent at Butler, 1891-94, he has passed his whole life here. During those three years he worked in the car de- partment of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- road, going later to the Pittsburg & West- ern, at first being car inspector and later yard superintendent. For a short time prior to his marriage he worked occasion- ally in the oil fields, but his main business in life has been farming, in earlier years attending to all the work himself, but since his two stalwart sons have attained man- hood, he has plenty of valuable assistance. He continued to reside on his forty-acre farm until 1904, when he moved to the eighty-acre tract, and has both farms under cultivation.

Mr. Black married Mary I. McCoy, who was born at Harrisville, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Thomas McCoy. They have three children: George Herbert and Adam Rozell, both at home; and Nellie, who is the wife of Sherman Hockenberry. They have one son, Howard Alfred. Mr. Black and family belong to the Pleasant Valley Presbyterian Church. He has long been a leading member of this body and is one of its elders. In his views on public questions, Mr. Black is a strong adherent

of the Prohibition party, while his sons are both Democrats.

COL. ALEXANDER LOWRY, in whose death the city of Butler lost one of its old- est and most venerable citizens, bore the reputation, in the days of his active busi- ness career, of being one of the most suc- cessful and best known hotel men in the State. He was a native of Pennsylvania, born in Blair County (then a part of Huntingdon County), February 18, 1814, and was a son of Alexander and Margaret (Bouslough) Lowry, both natives of Hunt- ingdon County.

The Lowry family in America dates back to early colonial days, when Lazarus Lowry, great-grandfather of our subject, came from North of Ireland, in 1729, and settled in Donegal, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He located upon the cele- brated farm known as "Donegal," now owned by Senator Cameron. This place passed into the hands of his son, Col. Alex- ander Lowry, one of the most noted Indian traders in the history of Pennsylvania, who lived upon it some years, then sold out and moved to Huntingdon County, where his son, Alexander Lowry, Jr., was born.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 117

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