Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 128

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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On December 12, 1876, Mr. Kauffman was married to Angeline Dobson, who is a daughter of Solomon Dobson, and they have eight children, namely: Blanche, who married Frank Neeley, has one child, Helen; Catherine, who is the widow of Harry Hepler; Ira, deceased; Birda, who married Laura Miller; Alva, deceased; and Beulah, Mary and Mildred. Mr Kauffman and family belong to the Pres- byterian Church. In politics he is a Re- publican. He has always taken a hearty interest in educational affairs in his town- ship and at present is serving as a school director and has been a member of the Adams Township School Board and also the Callery School Board.

S. W. GREER, a member of the firm of Greer & Garroway, manufacturers of packing boxes, is numbered with Butler's representative business men. He was born November 10, 1853, in Jefferson Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Thomas Greer. The late Thomas Greer, father of S. W., was born

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in Ireland and was brought to America by his parents when eight years of age. He came to Butler County in 1823, working first as a carpenter and later becoming a farmer.

S. W. Greer learned the carpenter's trade with his father and for some years engaged in carpenter work and then entered into a general contracting busi- ness. In 1888 he came to Butler and for three years was engaged in a dairy busi- ness and then embarked in a manufactur- ing line, making handles for about a year. From that he started into the manufacture of packing-boxes and conducted a profit- able business for some years and later en- tered into partnership with Mr. Garroway, since which time the business has been ex- panded, trade relations extended and larger quarters secured. Mr. Greer is interested in the East Oakland Land Com- pany, being a large stockholder.

In 1881 Mr. Greer was married to Miss Emma C. Graham, of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and they have six children : Mary, Clara, Julia, Isabel, John and Thomas. Mr. Greer and family are mem- bers of the English Lutheran Church. In his political views he is a Republican.

SAMPLE LOVE, a successful general farmer, residing in Butler Township, where he is known for his progressive methods and excellent business capacity, was born February 26, 1853, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Samuel and Mary Ann (Crosby) Love.

The father of Mr. Love was born in County Derry, Ireland, where he was in- structed in the art of weaving and worked at that trade until he was eighteen years of age, when he came to America and shortly afterward bought a farm in Summit Town- ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania. Hiring men to work his farm, he took the contract to carry the mail between Butler, Frank- lin, New Castle, New Brighton and Beaver

Falls, and for thirty-five years he contin- ued this duty with fidelity to the Govern- ment and faithfulness to the people who put their interests into his hands. In 1855 he bought a farm in Butler Township but continued to carry the mail until 1876 and after giving up that work he retired to pri- vate life. In politics he was a Democrat. He married Mary Ann Crosby and they had the following children: James, Rob- ert, Jane, Rachel, Mary, Elizabeth, Re- becca and Sample. The parents were members of the United Presbyterian Church.

After completing his school attendance in Butler Township, Sample Love spent one year learning the work of a carpenter, but has devoted the main part of his life to agricultural pursuits. During the Civil War, when but nine years old, he assisted his father in carrying and protecting the mail, riding on horseback. After his mar- riage he settled on a rented farm and now cultivates sixty-five acres of fine land which, under his management, yields enormously. He keeps ten head of cattle and sells his milk by the wholesale. After raising enough produce and grain to feed his stock he yearly has a surplus to sell. Mr. Love has proven himself an excellent business man and considers his success in great part due to his industry combined with his real interest in farming. He is a good citizen, but his farm and the demands of his family always come before any political concerns in the community, and while others may be seeking office, he is deciding on methods to increase the pro- duction of his land. Mr. Love votes the Democratic ticket.

In young manhood Mr. Love was mar- ried to Nancy J. Campbell, and they have had thirteen children born to them, namely: Dora, Mary Alice, Charles, Liz- zie, William J., Ella, Florence, Gertrude, Samuel, Harry W., Myrtle, Grace and Frank. Mr. Love, with his family, at- tends the United Presbyterian Church.

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JOHN M. ELRICK, cashier of the First National Bank, and a highly esteemed citizen of Harrisville, was born April 30, 1860, at Harrisville, Butler County, Penn- sylvania, and is a son of Dr. and Mary Jane (Black) Elrick.

Dr. Elriek was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, where he obtained his early education. After graduating from Jefferson College of Philadelphia he · came to Butler County, locating at Har- risville, and was the first physician to locate in that vicinity. He married Mary Jane Black, whose father conducted a store at Harrisville, and of their union were born the following children: Eliza- beth, married James Walker of York, Pennsylvania; John M., the subject of this sketch; Robert, a physician of Petro- lia, Pennsylvania; Ernest R., a druggist of Harrisville, and two who died during infancy. Dr. and Mrs. Elrick are still residents of Harrisville.

John M. Elrick attended the common schools of Harrisville and later took a course of study at Grove City, after which he engaged in the drug business at Harris- ville for some time. He then sold the busi- ness to his brother and engaged in the oil business until 1903, when he became cash- ier of the First National Bank of Harris- ville, the bank having been established at that time.

Mr. Elrick is a Democrat in politics and has served five years as justice of the peace of Harrisville. He is a member of the Masonic Order, Grove City Lodge No. 603, and his religious connection is with the Presbyterian Church.

CHARLES GERLACH, whose death took place November 27, 1907, was one of Butler County's prominent business men and the owner of the largest dairy farm in this section of Pennsylvania. He was a man who was respected for his business integrity and was esteemed for his vir- tues as husband, father, neighbor and

friend. Mr. Gerlach was born in Ger- many, a country which has contributed many citizens of worth to America, on December 12, 1842. His parents were Jacob and Gertrude Gerlach.

In 1852 Charles Gerlach accompanied his parents across the Atlantic Ocean to America. They settled on a farm in But- ler County, Pennsylvania, not far from Harmony, and after examining property in various directions, finally bought a farm which was situated about three miles west of Butler, and on that farm Charles Gerlach grew to manhood. While he re- mained at home he assisted his father, but when he had reached his legal majority, he started out to accumulate for himself, and for several years worked hard in the oil country. When possessed of sufficient capital, he embarked in a mercantile busi- ness at Mt. Chestnut, which he continued there for three years and then transferred his business to Greece City, for another three years, going from there to St. Joe for three years and then spent three years in the same line at West Sunbury. From that place he removed to Euclid and after seven years of merchandising there, went into the creamery business. This industry Mr. Gerlach carried on very successfully on his farm near Harrisville, but the time came when he needed better facilities, find- ing these and also a rich outlying terri- tory in Slippery Rock Township, where he acquired 253 acres of fine land, to- gether with a second farm, three miles distant, of 156 acres. In his sons, Mr. Gerlach found steady, industrious young men and he associated them with him and the dairy and creamery business is con- tinued with yearly increasing prosperity. After coming to this property, a modern, finely-equipped creamery was built and seventy cows are kept to supply the milk. It is a very large industry and its products are known all over the county. The farm is conducted along modern lines and scien- tific methods. Two valuable silos have'

CHARLES GERLACH

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been built on the place, both of large dimensions.

On November 1, 1870, while engaged in his mercantile business at Mt. Chestnut, Mr. Gerlach was married to Miss Mar- garet A. Hutchison, who is a daughter of George and Mary (Larimer) Hutchison. Mrs. Gerlach was born and reared in Oak- land Township, Butler County, belonging to one of the old and prominent families of that section. To this union eleven chil- dren were born, as follows: William C., who died aged thirty years; Edward Mc- Cune, who died aged eleven months; Blanche, who married Samuel Bovard, of Mercer Township, and has six children- Kenneth, Aileen, Hilda, Ray, Donald and Paul; Frank, who is manager of the home farm; George A., who died aged twenty- six years, married Jennie Morrison and left two children, Norman and George; Cora, who married Brice Miller, has three children, Clara, Catherine and Alma ; Charles, who resides at home; Harvey, who married Luella Bortz, and has two children, Irvin and Harvetta; and Roy, Elmer and Clair, all at home.

Mr. Gerlach was a man of resolute will and a practical habit of mind and also pos- sessed great energy, all these things or he would not have been able, almost by him- self, to have become a man of such ample fortune and a leading factor in every com- munity in which he lived. For political affairs he cared very little but he gave to schools and religious enterprises and was particularly liberal to the Lutheran Church, with which he had been united for many years.

JAMES B. VANCE, oil producer, one of Butler's most substantial citizens, has been identified with the oil industry almost continuously since he entered into busi- ness. He was born in 1855, at West Sun- bury, Butler County, Pennsylvania. His father, David Vance, was born at Balti- more, Maryland, but lived in Butler

County from early manhood. David was a tailor by trade.

James B. Vance attended school in his native place until he was seventeen years old and then started out for himself, going immediately to the oil fields. He assisted in putting down the first wells in the Fox- burg oil district. Ever since he has been concerned in oil production, being inter- ested at times both in Pennsylvania and New York, and at the present writing (1908) he has producing wells in Clear- field Township, Butler County, and is en- gaged in drilling in Concord Township. He is one of the experienced oil men of this section and has been wise in his selec- tion of fields for operating. He has also made investments in real estate in the northern part of Butler, where he has erected and sold a number of residences. He takes quite an interest in politics, being a Republican, but seeks no political honors.

In 1877 Mr. Vance was married to Miss Martha Jane Allen, a native of Butler County, and they have three children, namely : Nina, who is the wife of John J. Martin, of Dayton, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, and has one son, Arthur Vance; Clarence Bert, a resident of But- ler; and Gertrude, residing at home. Mr. Vance and wife are members of the First Presbyterian Church of Butler.

WILLIAM L. SPEAR, who, for a num- ber of years lived the life of a retired citizen of Butler, for many more years was an active business man at different points and through a long life he displayed those qualities which brought forth the re- spect and esteem of those with whom he was associated. He was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and died at Butler, in 1872, aged sixty-one years. His father was William Lindsey Spear, formerly a resident of Williamsburg, Blair County, Pennsylvania. He was born October 30, 1811, and died November 24, 1872.

William L. Spear learned the business

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

of manufacturing pig iron, with Henry Spang, whose daughter he afterward mar- ried, and following his marriage he built a furnace and forge, at Rockland, in Venango County and did a large business for those days. In 1848 he sold that plant and came to what is now Rough Run, in Winfield Township, Butler County, where he built a furnace and continued to oper- ate it until 1856. From there he moved to Ironton, Ohio, where he continued in the furnace and iron business until 1864, when he came to Butler County. For a number of years he was in business at Tidioute, but his health failed and he retired to Butler.

Mr. Spear married Miss Elizabeth M. Spang, who was a daughter of Henry Spang, who was a man of wealth which he gained through the manufacture of iron. There were eight children born to this marriage, seven of whom grew to maturity, namely: Matilda E., who is the widow of Judge James Bredin, of Butler; Henry S., deceased; Annica H., deceased, who was the wife of George Hosford, of Ironton, Ohio; Charles W., who resides at Indianapolis; Mary J .; Frank D., de- ceased; and Clarissa, deceased, who was the wife of W. E. Lawrence. William L. Spear and wife were members of the Presbyterian Church. He was a strong supporter of the Republican party from its beginning and in early days was inter- ested in what is termed the Under-ground Railroad. He was a member of the Odd Fellows, at Butler.

LEWIS RADER, one of Forward Township's most substantial citizens, re- sides on a finely improved farm of 145 acres. He was born at Petersville, Butler County, August 15, 1858, and is a son of Peter and Caroline (Sheaver) Rader.

Peter Rader was born in Germany, and shortly after his first marriage, emigrated to the United States; he settled on a farm near Middle Lancaster, in Butler County,

Pennsylvania, where he was living at the time of his wife's death. He formed a second union there with Miss Caroline Sheaver, who also was born in Germany, and was eight years old when her father, Henry Sheaver, moved with his family to the United States. In the spring of 1858, Mr. Rader moved to Petersville, Butler County, and settled on the farm now owned by his son, William H. Rader, in Forward Township. In 1894 he and his wife re- tired from farm life and located in the village of Petersville, where Mrs. Rader died in 1900, at the age of sixty-eight years. He survived her some five years, dying in the city of Butler in 1905, at the age of seventy-four. He was a hard- working, industrious man, and accumu- lated a handsome property, being the owner of some three hundred acres of land at his death. He and his wife were par- ents of the following children : Mary, wife of George Briggle; Margaret, wife of Ferd Feigel; Lewis; Elizabeth, wife of William May; Emma, deceased wife of James Steen; and William H.

Lewis Rader spent his boyhood days on the home farm in Forward Township, and when a young man learned the carpenters' trade, which he followed for eight years. He also worked in the oil fields for a time, and prior to his marriage lived for one year at Akron, Ohio. He purchased his present farm of 145 acres from Jacob Galbach, and is engaged in general farm- ing. In connection with his brother, William H. Rader, he is the owner of 640 acres in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. He has eight producing wells on his home farm, from which he derives a good in- come, and he and his brother are owners of the Rader Gas Company of Petersville

May 8, 1882, Lewis Rader was joined in marriage with Margaret Stewart, a daugh- ter of Thomas and Mary Ann (McBridge) Stewart, and they are parents of four children: Mabel; Harriet, wife of Albert Spithaler; Precious, and Anna. Relig-

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iously, the family belongs to the Reformed Church. Mr. Rader is a Republican in politics.

F. J. HUFF, one of Butler's substan- tial and representative business men, who handles his own real estate and carries on a contracting plumbing business, was born December 29, 1854, at Niles, Michigan. When Mr. Huff was about twelve years old, his parents moved to South Bend, In- diana, a bustling, busy, industrial city, and there he completed his school attendance and began learning the plumbers' trade when he was seventeen years of age. He then went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he lived for seventeen years, carrying on a plumbing business in that city until March, 1887, when he came to Butler and estah. lished himself in business as a contracting plumber. His work has stood the test of time and he is recognized as one of the most capable and reliable contractors in his line.

In 1877 Mr. Huff was married to Miss Theresa Kline, of Cleveland, and they have two children: Forest, who is a bari- tone opera singer with New York as his home; and Frank Henry, who is a dental surgeon practicing at Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Huff is a member of the fraternal order of Forresters.

WILLIAM PRINGLE, oil producer in Butler Township, was born in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, December 5, 1851, and is a son of James R. and Phebe (Braden) Pringle.

James R. Pringle was born in County Armagh, Ireland, and was eighteen years of age when he came to America with his parents. William Pringle remembers his venerable grandfather, who died in Lib- erty Township, aged eighty-five years, when he was a boy of sixteen. James R. Pringle kept a store in Mercer County for some fifteen years after his marriage and he served also as a justice of the peace

there for some ten years. He resided during this time at Portersville, where he also had a hotel. Later he came to Butler and engaged in a grocery business but re- tired from all activity some years before his death, which occurred in 1892, when he had reached the age of seventy-two years. He married a daughter of Robert Braden and they had seven children, namely : George, deceased; William; Mar- garet, who married William M. Dickason, of Quincy, Illinois; Hezekiah B., who re- sides in Illinois; James M., who is also a resident of Illinois; Ida M., who mar- ried J. R. Woodruff, of Quincy, Illinois ; and one died in infancy. The parents of this family reared their children in the faith of the United Presbyterian Church. By a second marriage Mr. Pringle had two sons, Robert S. and Frank.

William Pringle was reared and edu- cated in Mercer County. In 1872 he began work in the oil fields and in 1883 he be- gan operating on his own account, on his present farm of thirty acres. As he has eight producing wells, he does not pay a large amount of attention to agriculture.

Mr. Pringle married Lucretia Kistler, who is a daughter of John G. Kistler, of Leechburg, Union County, and they have two children-James R., residing at home ; and Ralph B., living at Butler. Mr. and Mrs. Pringle are members of the United Presbyterian Church. In politics, he is an independent voter, casting his ballot for the candidate who, in his opinion, will best carry out the laws of the land. Frater- nally, he belongs to the Odd Fellows and Encampment at Butler, to the Elks, Royal Arcanum and the Pathfinders. He is one of the substantial and representative men of his section.

EUGENE E. WICK, a prominent and representative farmer of Mercer Town- ship, is descended from sterling German ancestry, and was born on the old home place in Harrisville, June 4, 1852. He is

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a son of Robert Kerr and Bulina (Rath- bun) Wick and a grandson of Daniel Wick.

The Wick family was originally estab- lished in this country by the great grand- father of our subject, he having emigrated from Germany and located in New Jersey. Daniel Wick, grandfather of Eugene E., at an early period came from New Jersey and settled on a large tract of land in Mahoning County, Ohio, where he subse- quently died. He served in the War of the Revolution. He reared a family of six children: Anna, married Isaac Kim- mel; Robert, father of our subject; Mary, wife of J. T. Hurst ; Daniel M .; Phoebe J., married a Mr. Seaton; and H. H., all of whom are now deceased.

Robert Kerr Wick was born in Coits- ville, Mahoning County, Ohio, and was reared under the parental roof, remaining at home until about nineteen years of age. He early in life engaged in business for himself, first as a peddler of tinware, later on making and selling wind mills. In 1837, when about nineteen years of age, he lo- cated in Harrisville, where he remained until after his marriage, when he pur- chased a farm in Mercer Township, where he followed farming and sheep raising the remainder of his life. He dealt in sheep on an extensive scale and had at one time 5,000 head. He became a man of affluence and prominence and was classed among the enterprising citizens of Butler County. In political affiliation he was a Republican and also an ardent supporter of the tem- perance cause, which eventually caused him considerable trouble and much loss, his barn having been destroyed by fire by the anti-temperance people. Robert Wick was united in marriage with Bulina Rath- bun, a resident of Crawford County, Penn- sylvania, who died in 1895, aged seventy- five years. Mr. Wick died in 1902, aged eighty-four years. Six children were born to the parents of our subject: Mary, died in infancy; Elizabeth, widow of S. B. Bingham; Clara, married R. L. Brown;

Eugene E., subject of this sketch; Eva; and Margaret.

Eugene E. Wick was reared in Harris- ville and received his elementary schooling in the public schools. He then attended Grove City College and Oberlin College at Oberlin, Ohio, after which he looked after his father's business affairs for him. Mr. Wick owns two tracts of land, consisting of 240 acres, in Mercer Township, and fol- lows farming in a general way. He was married January 5, 1885, to Mary A. Mat- thews, a daughter of J. C. Matthews, of Mill Brook, Mercer County. They have one daughter, Edna Almira, a student at Grove City College. Mr. Wick and family are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Wick is a director and one of the pro- moters of the First National Bank of Har- risville. In politics, he gives his support to the Republican party.

JOHN JOHNSTON, formerly one of Butler County's most esteemed citizens, was born in Penn Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, in 1849, and died at his home in Butler, February 1, 1907.

Mr. Johnston grew to manhood on his father's farm in Penn Township and ob- tained his education in the local schools. He followed farming for many years but later, when his land was found to be par- ticularly rich in oil, he moved to Mars and leased his land for oil production. A number of wells proved profitable and one of these from the start produced 1,200 barrels of crude oil a day. This brought Mr. Johnston an ample fortune. After living three years at Mars, in 1906, he came to Butler, in order to give his chil- dren better educational advantages, and here his death took place in the following year.

In 1898 Mr. Johnston was married to Miss Electa Graham, who was born, reared and educated in Butler County, a daughter of Eli Graham, a member of an old family of Jefferson Township,

. JOHN JOHNSTON

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where he was born in 1847. He moved to Butler to educate his children and resided in this city until 1904, when he removed to Allegheny County and still lives there. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnston were born three daughters and one son, namely: Garnet May, Thelma Ruth, Grace Rebecca, and John, the latter of whom is deceased. Mrs. Johnston is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church at Butler and takes an active interest in its various benevo- lent agencies.

Z. P. LAUFFER, contract driller and oil producer, of the firm of Bredin & Lauffer, at Butler, has been a resident of this city since 1889, during the larger part of this period being a leading business citizen. He was born at Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1863.

Mr. Lauffer was eight years old when his parents moved to Parker's Landing, in Armstrong County, where he was reared and obtained his education. Like many another youth, he was not very old when he started out to take care of himself and at that time the oil fields invited labor of all kinds. He began as a boy of all work, with John McCune, and later began con- tracting for drilling on his own account. working for a time in Mckean County and Washington County, after which he came to Butler and entered into partnership with E. M. Bredin, in general contracting drilling. This firm has done a heavy busi- ness and in late years have devoted much attention to drilling for oil in the hundred- foot district and the Armstrong and West- moreland gas fields, which has proved very profitable in Armstrong County, as has their drilling for oil in Indiana and other fields. Mr. Lauffer has devoted his whole mature life to this work and few men are more competent in this particular line. He is a man of ample fortune, gained through his own efforts, and is one of the stock- holders of the Butler Banks.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 128

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