Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 124

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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In 1871 Mr. Sutton was joined in mar- riage with Miss Elizabeth Turner of Law- rence County, and the following children were born to them: Emma J., married (first) Irvin Greenman, who died about five years after, and she married (second) Robert Dick; Millie; Dorcus E .; J. Chal- mer, who is in business with his father, and Frank R., who married Ethel Brown. In religious attachment, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a trustee. Mr. and Mrs. Sutton have an adopted son, Leonard, who is a nephew of Mrs. Sutton. Politically, Mr. Sutton is a strong believer in the principles of the Prohibition party. He is a man of stand- ing and ability, and has many friends throughout the community.

SOLOMON R. STOUGHTON, a thriv- ing agriculturist of Franklin Township, was born on his present farm of 116 acres, February 1, 1878, son of John C. and Mary Jane (McCandless) Stoughton. The Stoughtons were early settlers in Clay Township, Butler County, and John C. Stoughton was born on the old homestead there and came to the present farm of his son Solomon at the time of his marriage. At that time this section was practically a

wilderness, and he cleared off all but three acres of the farm. He became one of the foremost citizens of the township, taking an active part in the development of its various resources. He was frequently elected to public office and served at dif- ferent times and for a number of years as school director, collector and supervisor. His wife, Mary Jane, was a daughter of James McCandless, of Franklin Township, and they became the parents of seven chil- dren, all of whom attained maturity, and of whom there are now three survivors. They were as follows: James, a resident of Claytonia; Mary, now deceased, who was the wife of Henry Miller; Elizabeth, wife of James L. Wilson, of Brady Town- ship; Annie, now deceased, who was the wife of Samuel Lawrence, of Muddy Creek Township; Ella, also deceased, who was the wife of William Stine, of Brady Town. ship; Mrs. Sydney Jane Conroy, of New Castle; and Solomon R., whose name ap- pears at the head of this sketch. Mr. and. Mrs. John C. Stoughton were members of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, of which Grand- father Stoughton was one of the founders.

Solomon R. Stoughton has spent his life in his native state, the greater part of it . up to the present time in the immediate vicinity of his home. His time has been largely devoted to agricultural pursuits, but for three years he was engaged in op- erating a saw-mill and threshing-machine, in partnership with James L. Wilson. He also spent seven years in the oil fields. His present farm consists of 116 acres, of which he devotes about eighty to the rais- ing of corn, oats, wheat, hay and potatoes. He keeps four horses and fourteen head of cattle, and manufactures choice butter for a select family trade in Butler. He easily ranks as one of the prosperous citizens of Franklin Township, and is as well liked and respected as he is widely known.

Mr. Stoughton was married at the age of fifteen years to Emma Stillwagon, who is a daughter of Adam Stillwagon, of Slip-

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pery Rock, and they have six children: Howard Ray, Stella Grace, Mabel Ger- trude, Ira Frank, Clyde, and Blanche. Mr. Stoughton's politics identify him as a member of the Republican party. He is fraternally connected with the Maccabees and with Mt. Chestnut Grange, Patrons of Husbandry. For three years he belonged to the National Guards at Butler.

ALFRED MAURHOFF, who owns a finely cultivated farm of thirty-two acres, which is located in Jefferson Township, on the Hamastown Road about one-half mile west of the village, was born April 20, 1841, at Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Emil and Johanna (Pollard) Maurhoff.

The father of Mr. Maurhoff was born in Germany, from which country he emi- grated, and in 1833 came to Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, where he conducted a store some years, and was also squire and post- master for twelve years. About 1842 he returned to Germany for a time, but sub- sequently came back to Butler County, where he purchased a small farm. He had the following children: Clara, Alfred, Edward F., Emil E., Adelia, Aurora and George, all of whom survive except Adelia and Aurora.

Alfred Maurhoff attended school at Sax- onburg and later assisted his father, but since purchasing his present farm has de- voted himself to its cultivation and im- provement. He raises grain, hay and potatoes and some stock, and is numbered with the good farmers of his neighbor- hood. Mr. Maurhoff also conducted a gen- eral store at Saxonburg for four years, and at the present time is drilling for oil on his farm. He served in the Civil War and was honorably discharged in August, 1863.

On February 12, 1867, Mr. Maurhoff was married to Miss Louise Koegler, a daugh- ter of John G. and Anna Eliza (Heidrich)

Koegler, substantial farming people of Winfield Township. Mr. and Mrs. Maur- hoff have four children, namely: Carrie A., who married E. H. Voland, a farmer and dairyman in Winfield Township, and has six children-Walter, Della, Edwin, Alberta, Leroy and Willis; Nelson G., who was born May 20, 1872, is his father's right hand man on the farm; Elmer J., who is bookkeeper for a Pittsburg plumbing firm, and Odessa, who is the wife of Charles Kroneberg, a farmer in Winfield Town- ship. Mr. Maurhoff and family are mem- bers of the German Lutheran Church at Hamastown, in which he has frequently served as a member of the Council. He takes a good citizen's interest in all public matters in Jefferson Township and at dif- ferent times has served as supervisor and on the Board of Elections. He has always been a highly respected member of the sec- tion in which he has lived.

CHARLES I. DUNBAR, who conducts a grocery on Pittsburg Street at Evans City, Pennsylvania, is one of the most suc- cessful and enterprising merchants of that village. He was born on his father's farm in Forward Township, Butler County, March 8, 1878, and is a son of Irvin and Sarah (Weisz) Dunbar, and grandson of William Dunbar.

William Dunbar, the grandfather, was one of the early settlers of Forward Town- ship, where he lived and farmed for many years. He was the father of the follow- ing family: William, a member of the One Hundred Thirty-fourth Regiment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War; John, who was killed in the Second Battle of Bull Run and was a mem- ber of the Eleventh Regiment, Penna. Vol- unteer Infantry ; Solomon; Alexander, who also was a member of the One Hundred Thirty-fourth Regiment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry; Alfred, a member of the Fourth Cavalry of Pennsylvania; Alpheus, also a

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member of the Fourth Cavalry; Daniel; Anna, deceased wife of Miller Mckinney; a twin sister to Anna, and Irvin.

Irvin Dunbar was born on the home farm in Forward Township, and received his education in the schools of the township, such as they were at that time. He en- gaged in farming on the home place until 1888, in which year he moved with his fam- ily to Evans City, where he now resides. He was joined in marriage with Sarah Weisz, who was born in Jackson Town- ship, where her father, John Weisz, was an early settler. They are parents of the following children: William; Elizabeth, wife of Harry Spanogle; Charles I .; Harry and Elery.

Charles Irvin Dunbar was about ten years of age when his parents moved to Evans City, where he was reared to ma- turity and attended the public schools. At the age of twelve years he began working in the grocery store of John Ramsey, where Mr. Dunbar's store is now located. He continued with him one year, then in the grocery of A. J. Smathers for seven years, after which he was employed a few years by the Bell Telephone Company. About the year of 1902, he started a grocery at the old Smathers' stand, and two years later moved to his present location on the north side of Pittsburg Street. He car- ries a complete line of staple and fancy groceries, and enjoys the generous patron- age of the community.

Mr. Dunbar was married December 14, 1904, to Miss Ada McBryer, a daughter of David and Loretta McBryer of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. They have one daughter, Eleanor May, born June 23, 1906. They reside in a comfortable home on Har- rison Street in Evans City. Religiously, they are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. Dunbar is a member of Lodge No. 292, K. P .; Lodge No. 817, I. O. O. F., and Lodge No. 11,147, Modern Woodmen of America. He is a Republican in politics, has served as a member of Evan City

Council, and is now serving his second term as Republican County Committee- man.

WILLIAM J. SNELL, general contract- or at Butler, which city has been his place of residence since 1903, was born in 1875, in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, where he grew to manhood and obtained a good common school education.

With his father, Henry C. Snell, a gen- eral contractor, W. J. Snell learned the carpenter's trade, but before he devoted himself to carpenter work, being then only seventeen years old, he engaged in teach- ing school, which he continued for seven years. He then went into general con- tracting at Dubois, in Clearfield County, where he remained until 1903, when he came to Butler. There are many exam- ples of Mr. Snell's best work, standing on the fine streets and avenues of this city and a few cited examples of buildings for which he was the contractor, will show his trade standing: The residence of W. S. Mc- Crear, one of the finest in Butler; the United Presbyterian Parsonage; the resi- dence of W. F. Rumberger and C. N. Boyd; the Hotel Monroe; all high class buildings. Mr. Snell is interested also to some extent in the oil business.

In 1898 Mr. Snell was married to Miss Mary Dobson, who was born in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, and they have two children, William Percy and Beulah Marie. Mr. Snell and wife are members of the Sec- ond Presbyterian Church. He belongs to the orders, Modern Woodmen and Pro- tected Home Circle.

DAVID B. DODDS, representative citi- zen and prosperous farmer of Penn Town- ship, Butler County, Penna., resides on the farm on which he was born, September 20, 1850, and is the one survivor of the family of two children born to his parents, who were Adam and Margaret (Sutton) Dodds. John Dodds, the grandfather, came to

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America from County Down, Ireland, set- tling in Cumberland County, Penna., as early as 1800. He lived there for eight years and then bought several hundred acres of land near what is now the village of Brownsdale, in Penn Township, Butler County, bringing his household goods with him to the new home on what was called a slide car, a primitive vehicle made by fast- ening two poles, one on each side of a horse and letting the ends drag on the ground. He was a man of foresight and this was shown in many ways, one of which was the bringing of cherry stones from the flour- ishing cherry orchards of Cumberland County. These stones or pits, he planted carefully on his pioneer farm and from these grew the first cherry trees in the settlement. Later he moved from his first farm to the one which his grandson now owns, situated on the plank road. He had served as a soldier in the War of 1812 and was familiarly known as 'Squire Dodds, from having served for many years as a justice of the peace. He was one of the founders of the United Presbyterian Church both at Butler and Brownsdale. His death took place in 1862. Of his seven sons, Adam, father of David B., was the youngest.

Adam Dodds was born on the present farm of his son, in Penn Township, April 16, 1816, and died in 1887. He learned the cabinetmaking trade with George Miller, of Butler, and remained with him for twelve years, after which he carried on farming on the homestead, which he inher- ited. He married a daughter of David Sutton. They were consistent members of the United Presbyterian Church.

David B. Dodds has spent his life on the homestead farm and has given his atten- tion to its cultivation and improvement. It is one of the most valuable pieces of property in the township, producing un- der Mr. Dodds' careful management, abundant crops of corn, oats, wheat, hay and potatoes, in fact all those necessities

for the feeding of mankind, which make farmers the most independent class in the world. In addition, Mr. Dodds has ten producing oil wells on his farm, the first drilling having been done in June, 1899.

Mr. Dodds married Miss Mary M. Bart- ley, who is a daughter of Williamson O. Bartley, of Penn Township, and they have four children: Adam Brown, Williamson Bartley, Clora Mae and James Clarence. The two younger children reside at home. Adam Brown lives at Tarentum, Allegheny County. He married Lauretta Hazlett of Ford City, Penna., and they have one son, William Edward. Williamson Bartley re- sides in Penn Township. He married Ella Reith, who lived near Saxonburg, and they have one child, Erma Mae. Mr. Dodds is a member of the Brownsdale United Pres- byterian Church. He is a stanch Repub- lican and has served in local offices. He is a fine example of the enterprising and progressive agriculturist of the present day and has a frank and hearty manner together with the sterling qualities which make him valued as a citizen and as a neighbor.

F. H. DAVY, justice of the peace, at Butler, and the owner of a fine farm situ- ated near Jackson Center, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, was born in that county, January 7, 1854.

Mr. Davy was reared in Mercer County and obtained his education there and for some thirty years engaged there in gen- eral farming. In 1894 he came to Butler, where he operated a meat business for one year and then embarked in the dairy busi- ness, which he continued for nine years. Then for the following three years he was connected with the Grand Union Tea Com- pany. He has taken an active interest in local politics and is in close accord with the sentiments of the Republican party. In May, 1908, he was elected to the office of justice of the peace.

JOSEPH W. HERVEY

MRS. THERESA H. HERVEY

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On September 6, 1877, Mr. Davy was married to Miss Catherine A. Moon, and they have three children: George H., who is employed in the Boyd drug store at But- ler; Mary E., who is a popular teacher in the Butler public schools; and Ella, who resides at home. Mr. Davy is a member of the order of Woodmen of the World.

AUGUSTUS HERMAN BEHM, who resides eleven miles southwest of Butler, in Forward Township, has a fine and well- improved farm of 172 acres, a part of which belonged to the old Behm home- stead. He was born on this farm, Janu- ary 23, 1854, and is a son of Nicholas and Louisa (Rennick) Behm, both natives of Germany.

Nicholas Behm, Sr., grandfather of the subject of this sketch, lived in Hessen, Germany, where he farmed until he moved with his family to America. They located in Pittsburg, Penna., and later to Butler County. He and his wife were parents of the following children, all now deceased : John; Mrs. John Metz; Margaret, wife of George Barkley; Nicholas, Jr .; and George.

Nicholas Behm, Jr., was born in Hessen, Germany, and was about fourteen years old when brought to America, the voyage consuming about three months. While lo- cated at Pittsburg, he husked corn where Ohio Street now runs in that city. He worked for a time in a brick yard in Alle- gheny, and was there married to Louisa Rennick, who was born in Saxony and was eight years old when brought to America. He and his wife moved to Butler County, while it was yet in its undeveloped state, the forests being still standing. He pur- chased a 100-acre farm for $900, of wihch a part is now included in the farm of his- son, A. H. Behm. He erected a log house and barn, and set about clearing the land, which he subsequently put under a high state of cultivation. He remained on this farm until his death in 1885, at the age of

sixty-six years. He is still survived by his widow. The following children were the offspring of their marriage: Mar- garet, Mary, William, John, Carolina, Anna, Augustus Herman, Amelia, Louisa, Hannah, Christina, and Lena. Mary and Christina are deceased.

Augustus Herman Behm was reared on the home place and during his boyhood days attended the district schools during the winter months. He has seventy acres of the home farm, on which he has always lived, and in addition purchased an adjoin- ing tract from Markel and Goehring. He now has 172 acres all told, and erected all the modern and substantial buildings which stand on the place. There are three oil wells in operation on the farm, and he follows general farming and stock raising.

Mr. Behm was united in marriage Feb- ruary 8, 1883, with Miss Mary Matilda Goehring, a sister of Charles Goehring, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work. Seven children were born to bless this marriage, namely : Clyde, Leah, Charles, Harry, Etta, Iva, and Bryan. Mr. Behm is a Democrat in politics, and has served as township auditor and school di- rector. Fraternally, he is a member of Evans City Lodge, No. 817, I. O. O. F.

JOSEPH W. HERVEY, general far- mer, resides on his excellent farm of seventy-one acres, which is situated in Oakland Township, skirting the Upper Greece City road, about three miles north- east of Butler. He was born in Pittsburg, Penna., December 19, 1852, and is a son of John and Agnes (Shaw) Hervey.

John Hervey, father of Joseph W., was born in County Down, Ireland, March 10, 1820, and first came to America at the age of eighteen years. As soon as he had accumulated a little capital he returned to Ireland for the rest of the family. He brought with him to the United States his parents, his brothers and his sisters, and they settled at Tarentum, Penna. It is a

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curious coincidence that his grandmother's family name was also Hervey, but as the grandfather of the subject of this sketch was born in Scotland and the grandmother in Ireland, there was probably no rela- tionship. John Hervey was engaged for a time in a clothing business in Pitts- burgh, but his health failing, he gave up that occupation and obtained work in a saw-mill. Afterwards he was engaged in the oil business in West Virginia, and still later tried farming in Missouri and in Al- legheny County, Penna., near Turtle Creek. He subsequently resided in West Virginia and in Tarentum, and died Sep- tember 29, 1896, at Braddock, Penna. Mrs. John Hervey, who was born in Pittsburg, March 10, 1828, died May 21, 1901.

Joseph W. Hervey was a boy when his father left Pittsburg. The family lived for ten years at Tarentum, Allegheny County, and from there went to West Vir- ginia, where they remained two years. The next two and a half years was spent on the farm in Missouri. The subject of this sketch was about sixteen years old when his parents moved back to Tarentum, where he lived for ten more years, subse- quently going thence to Sharpsburg, Al- legheny County, where he resided with his wife and his parents for four years. He then came to Butler and was employed here for fifteen years by S. G. Purvis & Company as engineer, of which trade he had previously acquired a knowledge. In March, 1898, he left the employ of that concern and settled on his present farm, which, although known as the William Barkley farm, he purchased from Orville Craig. Although not brought up to agri- culture, Mr. Hervey has had so much prac- tical experience along other industrial lines that he has needed but to apply the business principles thus learned, with such special knowledge of he has been able to acquire, to make a success of his new vo- cation, and he now raises good crops of

corn, oats, hay and potatoes, and has some excellent stock.

In 1894 Mr. Hervey was married to Theresa May Humes, a native of Alle- gheny County, and a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Humes. Mrs. Hervey, how- ever, resided for a number of years in Butler County before her marriage. Mr. Hervey was previously married to Emma L. Giesler, a daughter of David Giesler, of Allegheny County, and she died in 1892 without issue. He takes a strong interest in educational matters, has served three years as school director in Oakland Town- ship, for two years being secretary of the board. He belongs to the order of Wood- men of the World, and both he and his wife are members of the United Presby- terian Church at Butler.

JAMES T. MARSHALL, one of Penn Township's representative and progres- sive citizens, residing on his finely im- proved farm containing fifty acres, is one of the most extensive potato and straw- berry growers in this section. Mr. Mar- shall was born in Harrisville, Butler County, Penna., March 17, 1849, and is a son of William and Rebecca (Kearns) Marshall.

The Marshall family is of Scotch-Irish extraction. James Marshall, grandfather of James T., was one of the early settlers in what is now Penn Township, coming to America from County Antrim, Ireland. In November, 1797, he was married to Jean Peebles, and they came to the United States in 1822, locating at Pittsburg, Penna. In 1824 Grandfather Marshall bought 300 acres of land in Penn Town- ship and on this he lived until the time of his death, in 1854, when aged eighty-six years. His widow survived until 1863, dying at the age of eighty-five years. They were people noted for their many virtues and were consistent members of the Cov- nanter Church. Their eleven children

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were born in Ireland, and William was the fifth in order of birth.

Willjam Marshall was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1810, and died in his sixty-sixth year. He was twelve years of age when the family came to America and frequently told his children concerning the wild condition of Penn Township at that time. In his youth he learned the hatter's trade, in Pittsburg, and subsequently went into business for himself, conducting stores at different points. When his son, James T., was two years old, he gave up merchandising and settled on a part of the homestead in Penn Township, on which he lived until after the close of the Civil War, when he went to Tennessee, where he followed farming for about four years. After he returned to Butler County he lived retired. He was a Republican in politics but never accepted any office ex- cept that of school director. William Marshall married a daughter of Thomas Kearns, a reputable citizen of Pittsburg. Mrs. Marshall was the eighth member of her parents' family of fifteen children, all of whom grew up and had families of their own. There were seven children born to William Marshall and wife, namely : James Thomas; Julia, widow of William Watson, of Penn Township; Elizabeth, deceased; Rebecca, wife of James Hunter, of Ekastown, Butler County; William, of St. Louis, Missouri; and Charles and Ed- ward Montgomery, both of whom are de- ceased. The family was reared in the faith of the Presbyterian Church.

James T. Marshall attended the country schools through boyhood and had his prac- tical training in agriculture, on the home farm. In 1873 he came to his present farm and he owns 131 acres additional, a part of which is the old homestead. Mr. Marshall has successfully carried on sev- eral industries here, his dairying being one of importance. With the assistance of his three sons and a hired man, he culti- vates 100 acres and has made specialties

of strawberries and fine potatoes. He util- izes modern machinery and is interested in improved methods of cultivation, taking advantage of those which seem to him profitable. Mr. Marshall has made im- provements on his property which make it a place of mark in the county. His sub- stantial barn is one of the best in the township and he has a silo of about fifty tons capacity. In 1908 he erected one of the handsomest mansions in this section of the country, an ideal rural home, beau- tifully located, and equipped with every modern improvement regardless of ex- pense, in its building following out plans of his own as to comfort and convenience. It is of natural stone construction, three stories in height, while its inside finish- ings are the best known to modern build- ers. Its roomy porches look out over handsome grounds.

Mr. Marshall married Susan B. John- ston, who was born in Penn Township, and they have had seven children, namely : William Ellsworth, who is a minister in the Presbyterian Church, at New Flor- ence; Susan Ola, who is the wife of Charles Brown, of Penn Township; Mary, deceased; James R., Charles Clyde and Edward Dean, all reside at home and as- sist in the management of the large estate. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall are active mem- bers of the Middlesex Presbyterian Church. Mr. Marshall is a Republican but is only a politician to the extent of good citizenship.

VICTOR A. BARNHART, who is en- gaged in the real estate and insurance business at Evans City, Pennsylvania, is well known in Butler County, where he was prominently identified with education- al work for some years prior to engaging in his present field of operation. He was born in the vicinity of Green Castle, in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, May 25, 1878, and is a son of Daniel S. and Ruth A. (Miller) Barnhart.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 124

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