Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 122

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 122

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In 1882 Mr. Say was married to Miss Mary A. Starr, who was born in Venango County, and died October 19, 1908. They had three children: Martha J., who is the wife of T. C. Kerr, of Clarion County ; William E., a contractor at Butler, mar- ried Anna Gould, and John H., a hardware merchant at Butler, married Jennie Wray, of Clarion County.

HENRY N. TROUTMAN, one of But- ler's representative business men, having charge of the flour and feed department for H. J. Klingler & Company, is a native of Butler County, Pennsylvania, born in 1863.

Paul Troutman, father of Henry N., was born in Alsace-Lorraine, France, where he remainded until 1855, when he came to America and to Butler County. He be- came an extensive and successful operator in the oil fields and was sent as an opera- tor to Oil Creek during the first excite-

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ment. Later he entered into a mercantile business and for fifteen years conducted a store at Buena Vista. He was a great trav- eler and crossed the Atlantic Ocean many times. His death took place in 1903. He married Caroline Wolf, who still survives.

Henry N. Troutman was educated in the public schools of Butler County, the North Washington Academy and the Ohio State University, leaving the latter in order to assist his father in his store. Later Mr. Troutman was in the employ of R. S. Nich- ols & Company and of S. G. Purvis & Com- pany, large lumber firms, and for the past fourteen years he has held his present position with the H. J. Klingler Company. He has a wide acquaintance throughout the county and handles much country trade.

In 1885 Mr. Troutman was married to Miss Ella B. Orris, of Baldwin, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and they have the following children: Edward R., Mamie, Carl, Pauline, Hazel, John, Geraldine and Harold. The eldest daughter is the wife of W. A. Spielman, a resident of Apollo, Armstrong County. Mr. Troutman and family belong to St. Mark's German Luth- eran Church. He is a member of the A. O. U. W.

JAMES MICHAEL MCNALLY, Jus- tice of the Peace at Lyndora and a well known resident of Butler County, was born in Rush Township, Monroe County, New York, December 19, 1874, and is a son of James Michael and Elizabeth A. (Hayes) McNally.

The father of Mr. McNally was born in Southern Vermont, where his father had settled after serving in the War of 1812. He was a native of Ireland. James Mc- Nally was a blacksmith by trade. When aged forty-two years he turned his atten- tion to farming, settling at that time on a farm in Rush Township, Monroe County, New York, and followed agricultural pur- suits until the close of his life. He died July 17, 1888, aged sixty-two years. He

was a Democrat in politics and he served in the office of justice of the peace in Rush Township. He married a daughter of John Hayes, of Albany, New York, and they had two children: James Michael and Mary, the latter of whom is the wife of Sidney Downs, of Toronto, Canada.

James Michael McNally obtained his edu- cation in the public schools of Monroe County, at East Henrietta Academy and St. Bernice Theological Seminary, at Rochester, New York, graduating from the latter institution in 1889. In the fol- lowing summer he started a dancing school at Perry Lake, New York, which he con- tinued for three years, following which he conducted a dancing academy at Buffalo, for two more years. In 1897 he went to Pittsburg and there entered the employ of the Pressed Steel Car Company as air brake inspector and remained four years and then, in the same capacity, came to Butler, with the Standard Steel Car Com- pany. Mr. McNally continued with this concern until May 4, 1908, when he as- sumed the duties of his present office. Mr. McNally is an active politician and a loyal worker for the Democratic party.

In early manhood, Mr. McNally married Miss Sarah Van Dyke, who is a daughter of Jackson Van Dyke, of Marion Town- ship. They have three children: Mary, Margaret and James. Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Nally are members of St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church. He belongs to the Inde- pendent Order of Foresters, of which he is chief ranger of Court No. 4545, and also to the Knights of St. George.

JOSEPH ASH, who resides on a farm of forty-four acres in Forward Township, Butler County, Penna., is a well known citizen of the community and has had a varied experience in the field of business. He was born on the old home farm in For- ward Township, September 29, 1832, and is a son of Sylvester and Martha (Boggs) Ash, and grandson of Joseph Ash.

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Joseph Ash, the grandfather, was born in Wales and early in life came to the United States, settling in the woods of Forward Township, Butler County, Penna., where he acquired 200 acres of uncleared land. In the early days, when Indians were yet numerous in this section and the dangers many, he carried the mail from Pittsburg to Franklin on foot. He cleared a small part of his farm, but died when comparatively young, leaving his widow and their children in poor circumstances. Four of their children grew to maturity and lived to ripe old ages, namely : Rachel, Elizabeth, Isaac and Sylvester.

Sylvester Ash was but five years old when his father died, and it became neces- sary for him and his brother to go to work at very youthful ages, and notwithstand- ing this strain they both grew to be men of large stature and great physical strength. He aided in clearing the home farm, and came into possession of 100 acres of it. He farmed and followed carpentering dur- ing all his active days, and died in 1883 at the age of seventy-three years, having spent his entire life in Butler County. He was survived some eight years by his wid- ow, who in maiden life was Martha Boggs; she was born in Evans City, and was a daughter of Robert Boggs, one of the very earliest settlers of the community. They were parents of five children who grew up, namely: Joseph; Isaac, a lawyer of Oil City, Penna .; Robert; Anderson, who is on the old home farm; and Elizabeth, widow of Lewis Gansz.

Isaac Ash was reared to manhood on the home farm and attended school in the prim- itive log school-house which was located about a mile and a half from his home. The pathway lay through almost unbroken woods, and it was the custom of the older boys to take their axes and cut wood for old Prof. McMillen, to be burned in the old fashioned fire place at one end of the room. After his marriage, Mr. Ash went

to Evans City and opened a general store, which he conducted for four years, then sold out to his brother-in-law, Milton White. He had, in the meantime, come into possession of a farm of sixty-six acres in Forward Township, and on this he lo- cated, clearing and farming it. He learned the trade of a carpenter under his father, with whom he worked many years, and they erected most of the farm-houses and buildings of the neighborhood at that period. Later he went into the lightning rod business, which he followed success- fully for thirty-two years, rodding some 3,600 buildings in this section of Pennsyl- vania, many of the rods being in use and good condition at the present day. Retir- ing from that business he purchased a val- uable tract of forty-four acres in Forward Township, located along the traction line about twelve miles southwest of Butler, where he now lives and engages in farm- ing. He cleared the place, on which he operated a sawmill, cutting up over 900 logs.

Mr. Ash was first married to Susan Gansz, who died about one year later, and he formed a second union with Susan E. White. They expect to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary in June, 1909. Seven children were born to them, three of whom died young. Those living are: Ada, wife of Dr. F. V. Brooks of Washing- ton, D. C .; Jessie, wife of W. A. Pearce; Josephine, wife of W. D. Riggs, and Cath- erine, wife of George Starkey, a banker of Washington, D. C. Religiously, they are Methodists.

CHARLES BAUER, a leading farmer of Summit Township, resides on his valu- able and well improved farm of eighty- three acres, which is located six and one- half miles east of Butler, lying on the Kit- tanning road, with the dividing line from Clearfield Township running just east of his residence. He was born August 27,

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1856, in Jefferson Township, Butler Coun- ty, Penna., and is a son of Frederick and Hannah (Krumpe) Bauer.

The parents of Mr. Bauer were both born in Germany and came to America as children. Frederick Bauer owned a fifty- acre farm in Jefferson Township, but traded it and later bought a farm situated directly across the road from the one on which Charles Bauer resides, this being when the latter was about twelve years of age. Frederick Bauer was a man of con- siderable property and good business judg- ment, during his active years, and both he and wife still survive, residing at Butler, the former having reached his seventy- seventh year and the latter her sixty-ninth.

Charles Bauer purchased his farm from his father and with the exception of a few years during which he engaged in teaming at Pittsburg, he has given attention to farming and threshing. For twenty-three consecutive years he engaged in threshing, for the first three years by horse power, but for twenty later years he used a steam thresher and kept his machinery up to date. When Mr. Bauer bought his farm the improvements consisted of a log house and barn, but he soon tore them down and put up new and substantial buildings, com- pleting the comfortable residence in the summer of 1895. He has an excellent property and cultivates his land with care and success. Mr. Bauer has other inter- ests in addition to his agricultural ones. From 1893 until 1906 he devoted a part of his time to canvassing for the sale of the McCormick Harvesting machinery and met with excellent results. For some five years he has put in a part of his time in selling commercial fertilizer for the Amer- ican Agricultural Chemical Company, and for the last nine months he has also been interested with a home company in oper- ating for oil. This company has com- pleted one dry hole and two small pro- ducing oil wells.

Mr. Bauer married Mina Krumpe, who

is a daughter of Charles Krumpe. She was born and reared in Clinton Township, Butler County. They have had three chil- dren, Beulah, the youngest, dying when eight years of age. The two other daugh- ters are Nora and Clara, the latter of whom lives at home while the former is the wife of J. F. Miller and has one son, Carl. Mr. Bauer and family belong to the Lutheran Church at Butler.

J. GEORGE ARMBRUSTER, one of the well known business men of Butler, where he is engaged in a general paint con- tracting business, was born in Germany in 1860 and remained in his native land until he was twenty-three years of age.

When Mr. Armbruster came to America in 1883 and located at Butler, he was al- ready a capable workman in the trade which he had thoroughly learned in Ger- many, and shortly afterward he entered into a general contracting business in which he continues to be active. From the first he has taken a hearty interest in the prosperity of the place in which he has established his home, has invested in property and has so gained the confi- dence of the residents of the Fifth Ward as to be their representative in the city council. From boyhood he has been greatly interested in horticulture and has devoted much study to this subject and has many practical ideas concerning it which would be profitable to the horticultural organizations if presented to them. Mr. Armbruster also possesses the love of mu- sic, which is a national German inheritance, and for eighteen years he has been a mem- ber of the church choir at Butler.

In 1887 Mr. Armbruster was married to Miss Susie Andre, who was born and reared in Butler County, and they have three children: Otto, Ernest and Helen. With his family, Mr. Armbruster belongs to the congregation of St. Mark's Luth- eran Church and served for a, number of years as a member of the official board.

ALBERT E. BUTLER

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He has trade membership in the Master Painters' Association of Pennsylvania.

ALBERT E. BUTLER, one of the prominent oil producers of Parker Town- ship, residing near Bruin, Pennsylvania, was born at Kittanning, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, September 1, 1861, and is a son of Jesse and Mary (Oaks) Butler (now deceased), June 13, 1907.

Jesse Butler was born near Meadville, Pennsylvania. He came to Butler County in 1870 and was one of the pioneer oil men of Parker Township and during his ten years of residence here was an extensive producer. In 1880 he removed to West- moreland County and lived there until his death. He was twice married, the mother of Albert E. being a native of Indiana County, Pennsylvania. The children of Jesse Butler are: William J., residing at Pittsburg; John D., formerly of Cherry- vale, Kansas (now deceased) ; Albert E .; Ira E., residing at New Kensington, Penn- sylvania; Harry, residing at Pittsburg; Richard H., who died November 3, 1908, lived in Westmoreland County; and Lulu, who is the wife of J. A. McKallip, of Leachburg, Pennsylvania.

Albert E. Butler accompanied his father to Butler County in 1870 and he has de- voted himself almost exclusively to the oil business ever since, although he owns some farming land in Parker Township, on which he resides. He has taken a very active part in political life and as a dele- gate attended the Republican State Con- vention which was held at Harrisburg. He seeks no political office for himself, but is a loyal worker for his party and friends.

On June 8, 1881, Mr. Butler was mar- ried to Miss Nellie Larkin, of Cleveland, Ohio, and they have two children: Lulu, who is the widow of Dr. Frank Hazlett, late of Butler; and Regla M. Both daugh- ters reside at home. Mr. Butler is a Thir- ty-second Degree Mason. He has been more than usually successful in his oil in-

vestments and is numbered with the oil capitalists of this section.

C. FERD HYLE, a prominent under- taker and furniture dealer of Evans City, Pennsylvania, is a well known resident of the community in which he has lived all his life. He was born in Harmony, Penna., June 14, 1874, and is a son of Jacob and Margaret (Dambach) Hyle.

Jacob Hyle was born in Muddy Creek Township, Butler County, and is a son of Martin Hyle, who was a native of Ger- many and settled in the woods of Butler County, Penna., at a very early period. This old pioneer was the father of the fol- lowing family of children: Henry, John, Martin, Philip, George, Jacob, Christine, Margaret, Catherine and Mary, deceased. Jacob, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in 1840, and spent his boyhood days on the home farm. He later pur- chased a farm of his own in Muddy Creek Township, on which he lived until 1873, then moved to Harmony and engaged in the hotel business for a period of ten years. At the end of that time he went to Wampum, Penna., where he continued the hotel business for six years. He was next located at Beaver Falls for eight years, and in 1892 embarked in the hotel business in Evans City. After a period of four years he went to California and be- came an orange raiser and shipper, fol- lowing that business until his retirement from business activity in 1906. He still resides in that State. His wife, Margaret Dambach in maiden life, died in 1888. They had two children, namely: H. Pierce of Youngstown, Ohio, and C. Ferd.

C. Ferd Hyle lived at home until his marriage in 1893, and received his educa- tion in the public schools. He then went into the furniture and undertaking busi- ness with his father-in-law, Henry Young, a pioneer in that business in Evans City. They continued in partnership until 1905, when Mr. Hyle started into business for

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himself. His residence and business are located on Pittsburg Street, and he com- mands the patronage of the people throughout the vicinity of Evans City. He has been very active in the affairs of the city, and since the organization of the John Irwin Fire Company in 1892 has served as secretary except for one month. A. S. Pfeifer is chief, E. S. Conkel is cap- tain, Albert Lutz is president and assistant chief, and George Fehl is treasurer of that organization.

Mr. Hyle was joined in marriage Sep- tember 27, 1893, with Miss Mame Young, and they have a son, Victor P. In polit- ical affiliation, he is a Democrat, and a member of the School Board. Fraternally he is a member of Harmony Lodge, No. 429, F. & A. M .; the Chapter at Butler; Knights Templar at Greenville, and took the Thirty-second degree at Pittsburg. He also is a member of Syria Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Pittsburg. In religious attachment, he is a member of St. John's Reformed Church.

JOHN FERGUSON, general farmer and reliable citizen of Middlesex Town- ship, where he resides on a finely devel- oped and improved estate of over 100 acres, was born in Pine Township, Alle- gheny County, Penna., May 30, 1846, and is a son of John and Mary (Duff) Fergu- son.

The father of Mr. Ferguson was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1807 and came to America in 1833, accompanied by his wife and their one child. From New York he brought his family to Pittsburg and several years later to what is now Muddy Creek Township, Butler County, where he followed farming for some years. Before the birth of his son John, he re- moved to Allegheny County, Pine Town- ship, and from there in 1851 to Allegheny County, West Deer Township, which re- mained his home until the time of his death, June 28, 1891. In his first years in

political life in America he was affiliated with the Democratic party, but in his later years connected himself with the Republi- can party. Six children were born to him, namely: Eliza, who is the widow of Will- iam Young, resides at Youngstown, Ohio; Mary, deceased, was the wife of William Marshall; Nancy, deceased, married Will- iam Laughlin, who was killed while serv- ing in the Civil War; John; Jennie, who is the widow of John Scott, of New Kensing- ton, and Thomas, who resides in Allegheny County.

John Ferguson remained on the home farm until his marriage. In 1868 he bought his present property from the Mc- Gonigles, who were early settlers, and kept on acquiring land until he owned 300 acres. In 1907 he divided his property with his sons, but retains over 100 acres for his own use. For many years his farming operations have been extensive. He has made dairying a feature also and still keeps fifteen cows in order to produce the fine butter which he has long sold to private customers at Pittsburg. After Mr. Ferguson took possession of this place he had considerable timber to clear off. His place is attractive on account of its trim, well kept appearance and the sub- stantial and appropriate buildings which he has erected, and here he enjoys life with the content that comes after honest effort.

On September 15, 1868, Mr. Ferguson was married to Nancy Ellen Crawford, who is a daughter of Robert Crawford, who formerly resided in what is now Rich- land Township, Allegheny County. Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson have had ten children, the survivors being: Harry, who lives in Middlesex Township; Robert, who resides at Butler; Mary, who is the wife of John Wilson, of Middlesex Township; John, who lives in Middlesex Township; Emma Eliza, who is the wife of Frank Harbison, of Bakerstown; Thomas, who lives at Tul- sa, Oklahoma; Roy C., still remaining at home, and Clara, who is the wife of George

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Harbison, of Bakerstown. Mr. Ferguson with his family belongs to the Bakerstown Presbyterian Church, of which he was a trustee for twenty-one consecutive years. He is also a member of the Session.

In his political as in other views, Mr. Ferguson is level-headed. He is not a poli- tician in the general meaning of the term, but he is identified with the Republican party and has held a number of the town- ship offices, now being road supervisor. He has always been interested in educa- tional matters and for fifteen successive years served as school director. His fel- low citizens know him as a man of sterling character and they respect and admire him and defer to his judgment in large degree in public matters.

WILLIAM EDGAR'BROWN, a native and life-long resident of Butler County, is one of the representative business men of Harrisville, where he is engaged in con- ducting a meat market. He was born June 18, 1855, in this village and is a son of William P. and Isabella (Leech) Brown, and a grandson of Ebenezer Brown.

Ebenezer Brown was one of the very earliest settlers of Butler County, having come here with his brother James from Huntington County, Pennsylvania. They located on a tract of 600 acres in Mercer Township and engaged in general farm- ing here the remainder of their lives. Ebenezer and his brother James married the Porter sisters, their father owning the adjoining farm. Ebenezer died on this farm at the age of sixty-seven years, and was the father of the following children : Alexander, Jane, William P., Samuel, Ebenezer, John, Elsie and Joseph.

William P. Brown, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on his father's farm in Mercer Township and at an early age learned the cabinetmaker's trade at Pittsburg and Philadelphia. In about 1837 he came to Harrisville and engaged in conducting a cabinet and undertaking

establishment, in which he was very suc- cessful. His death occurred in 1882, and his wife died in 1859, aged thirty-nine years. He was the father of six children by his first wife, namely: Charles M., elsewhere mentioned in this work; Harriet J., deceased; Eveline, deceased; Robert T .; Margaret, deceased, and William Ed- gar. Mr. Brown was married secondly to Sarah Van Dike. Mr. Brown was in poli- tics, first a Whig and afterwards a Repub- lican, as well as an ardent supporter of the temperance cause. He was opposed to slavery and helped many a negro in mak- ing his way through the states to Canada.

William Edgar Brown passed his boy- hood days in attending school and also in his father's cabinet shop, where he learned the trade. About 1877 he purchased and located on a farm, following that occupa- tion until 1896, when he disposed of his farming interests and on November 19th opened a meat market in Harrisville. Here he has been successfully engaged in the market business since that time. On May 31, 1877, he was united in marriage with Rebecca N. Braham, a daughter of William P. Braham, and they became the parents of three children, namely: Leigh W., residing in New Mexico; Carrie May, an instructor in the Public Schools, and Frank, who died aged three years. In poli- tics Mr. Brown is an adherent of the Re- publican party and the religious connec- tion of the family is with the United Pres- byterian Church of Harrisville.

HIRAM C. BRICKER, proprietor of the Butler Hide and Fur Company, which has commodious quarters suitable for their extensive business at Nos. 104-106-108 Mil- ler Street, is identified also with other im- portant interests in this section. He was born May 10, 1865, in Buffalo Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of the late John Bricker. The Bricker family was founded in this section of Penn- sylvania in pioneer days and both grand-

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

father and father of Mr. Bricker were na- tives and prominent agriculturists in But- ler County. John Bricker also conducted a blacksmith business for many years.

Hiram C. Bricker remained on the home farm in Buffalo Township until he was twenty-two years old, giving assistance to his father after leaving school. He learned the blacksmith business and when he went to Butler, worked for two and one-half years in the shops of the Ball Engine Works. After this he went on the road in the interest of H. P. Schultz, of Raven- na, Ohio, and traveled until 1902, when he established his present enterprise at Butler. In 1904 he erected the present large building and the business continues to yearly expand. Mr. Bricker is also in- terested in farming and in the oil industry and in addition owns and operates a phos- phate factory. He has originated and es- tablished his business enterprises, to a large degree, and his prominence and re- liability in the city's commercial circles is well founded.

In 1886 Mr. Bricker was married to Miss Eugenia Doyle, of Freeport, and they have three children: William Curtis, who is as- sociated with his father, and Agnes and Charlotte. Mr. and Mrs. Bricker enjoy membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs to the fraternal order of Woodmen of the World and also to the United Commercial Travelers' Associa- tion ..

NICHOLAS ANDREW DOMBART, M. D., a well known member of the medical profession of Butler County, is one of the progressive citizens of Evans City. He was born on the old family homestead in Forward. Township, Butler County, De- cember 23, 1879, is a son of George and Mary (Hartung) Dombart, and a grand- son of John Dombart.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 122

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