Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 129

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 129

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In 1893 Mr. Lauffer was married to Miss Sarah Dumbaugh, of Connoquenessing Township, Butler County. He is a mem- ber of the Episcopal Church. For many years he has been prominent in Masonry, has attained the Thirty-second degree and belongs to Blue Lodge and Chapter at Butler, and to the Commandery and Con- sistory at Pittsburg.

EDWARD C. SLOAN, who has been the engineer at the Butler County Home, since February, 1904, has had years of expe- rience in his profession and enjoys the reputation of being something of an ex- pert. He was born in Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, February 17, 1871, and is a son of David R. and Sarah E. (Bixler) Sloan.

David R. Sloan was born in 1847, in Al- legheny Township, Butler County, and is a son of Andrew J. Sloan, who was born there in 1818. The Sloans came to that section as pioneers. For twelve years Da- vid R. Sloan engaged in teaming for the Standard Oil Company, after which he lived in Butler Township for a few years and then settled on our subject's farm in Connoquenessing Township. He married a daughter of George Bixler and they have five children, namely: Elmer, residing at Prospect; Edward C .; Annie, wife of John Edmundson, of Connoquenessing Town- ship; Emma, residing at Zelienople, is the widow of George Welch; and Harry, resid- ing at home. David R. Sloan and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a Republican in his political faith.

Edward C. Sloan was reared by a care- ful father and good mother and obtained his education in the public schools. He first went to work in the Hyde Park Steel Works, as a fireman, later became assist- ant machinist and from there went into the oil country in Butler County, where he served as foreman and ran engines and had all possible training in this particular line of work. For four years he also oper-

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

ated a coal bank. In February, 1904, he became the engineer at the County Home in Butler Township, where he manages three boilers, each 621/ horse-power high pressure and a 10 horse-power high pres- sure vertical engine, together with a steam pump to use in case of fire.

While Mr. Sloan claims that he is no politician, he takes a hearty interest in the success of the Republican party and while living in Connoquenessing Township, he was elected twice to the office of register- assessor. He is a popular member of the order of Odd Fellows, at Prospect.

CHARLES MYRON BROWN, postmas- ter and a life-long resident of Harrisville, Butler County, Pennsylvania, was born in this village January 1, 1844, and is a son of William and Isabella (Leech) Brown.

Ebenezer Brown, grandfather of Charles M., was one of the pioneers of But- ler County, coming from Huntington County, Pennsylvania, with his brother James in 1794. They located on a tract of 600 acres in Mercer Township and mar- ried the Porter sisters, whose father owned the adjoining farm. Ebenezer re- mained on this farm, engaged in agricul- tural pursuits, until his death at the age of sixty-seven years. He was the father of the following children : Alexander, Jane, William P., Samuel, James, Ebenezer, John P., Elsie and Joseph, all now de- ceased.

William P. Brown passed his boyhood days on the farm in Mercer Township and later became a cabinet maker, acquiring his knowledge of that trade in Mercer County, Pittsburg and Philadelphia. In about 1834 he came to Harrisville, where he successfully conducted a cabinet and undertaking establishment until his death in 1882. He married Isabella Leech, who died in 1857 aged thirty-nine years, and to them were born the following children : Charles Myron; Harriet J., deceased; Eve- line S., deceased; Robert; Margaret, de-

ceased; and William. Mr. Brown formed a second union with Sarah Van Dike; no children were born of this union. Mr. Brown was first a Whig in politics and afterwards a Republican. He was a well known anti-slavery man, being the first anti-slavery voter in this section of the county, and assisted many a negro in mak- ing his way to Canada. He was a man of public spirit and enterprise, but never sought or cared to run for office. He was also an ardent supporter and leader of the temperance cause.

Charles M. Brown was reared and has spent his entire life in his native town, Harrisville. Here he engaged in his father's trade of cabinet making until 1877, when he devoted his time to farming for some years. He owns a fine farm of 110 acres in Mercer Township. In 1862 Mr. Brown enlisted in Company F, One Hundred Thirty-fourth Pennsylvania Vol- unteer Infantry, under Capt. Brecken- ridge, and later, in 1864, re-enlisted in Ar- tillery No. 212 and served until the close of the war. He participated in many bat- tles and skirmishes, including Fredericks- burg and Chancellorsville, but escaped in- jury. He is now a member of the G. A. R. He is a Republican in politics and during President McKinley's administration was appointed postmaster of Harrisville and has served continuously in that capacity since 1899.

July 1, 1867, Mr. Brown was united in marriage with Margaret Jane Hill, a daughter of Thomas M. Hill, and to them have been born the following children : Anna H .; Sarah Isabella; Lewis; Eliza- beth E., who married F. L. Wilson and has three children-Robert, Charles and Lewis; Thomas M., deceased; Margaret E .; and John C. Mr. Brown and family are members of the United Presbyterian Church of Harrisville.

EDWARD L. OESTERLING, who has been a resident of Butler for twenty-one

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years and during all this time has been connected with the business conducted by George Schenck, was born in 1867, in Sum- mit Township, Butler County, Pennsyl- vania, and is a son of Adam Oesterling and a grandson of John Oesterling. The grandfather was born in Germany and came to Butler County in 1830. His son, Adam Oesterling, was born in Summit Township, in 1836, and is a well preserved man of seventy-two years, making his home with his son, Edward L. During his active life he followed farming.

Edward L. Oesterling completed his education in the district schools in Summit Township and when nineteen years of age left the farm and came to Butler to learn the carpenter's trade. He entered the plant of George Schenck and has continued with him ever since, for the past fourteen years being his foreman. Mr. Oesterling is a master carpenter and has under his control a large force of skilled workers. He is interested to some degree in other business enterprises. In 1892 Mr. Oester- ling was married to Margaret Grohman, of Butler, and they have two children: Inez and Donald. With his family, Mr. Oesterling belongs to St. Mark's German Lutheran Church.

SAMUEL McBRIDE LESLIE is a prominent farmer of Middlesex Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, where he owns a valuable farm of 175 acres. He was born in that township, March 31, 1868, and comes of an old and respected family of the community. He is a son of Samuel A. and Rebecca E. (McBride) Leslie, a rec- ord of whom appears elsewhere in this work, and a grandson of Alexander and Sarah (Allen) Leslie.

Samuel M. Leslie was reared on the farm settled by his great-grandfather in Middlesex Township, and attended the public schools of that vicinity. At an early date he went into the oil country and for some ten years worked as an oil driller with good success, his efforts yielding

handsome returns, and of this he was en- abled to save a goodly part. In 1898 he purchased his present farm of 175 acres, 140 of which is under a high state of culti- vation. He raises some corn, oats and wheat, but hay is his principal crop, sell- ing some seventy-five tons annually. He keeps an average of fifteen head of cattle and feeds about twenty-five head of Berk- shire hogs, this proving an especially re- munerative branch of his business. He is an energetic and progressive farmer, em- ploying modern and approved methods, and believes that the head should be used in farming as well as the hands. That farming along scientific lines is a success has been demonstrated by the results he has obtained.

Mr. Leslie was united in marriage with Miss Mary Morrow, a daughter of L. L. Morrow of Richland Township, Alle- gheny County, and they have four chil- dren : Russell Wallace; Margaret A .; John Morrow; and Mary Ellen. Religiously, they are members of the Bakerstown Pres- byterian church. He is a Republican in politics.

ROBERT JOHN CONLEY, a leading citizen of Valencia, who is serving in his second term as justice of the peace, has been a resident of Butler County, Pennsyl- vania, since he was eighteen years of age. He was born in Allegheny County, Penn- sylvania, October 21, 1851, and is a son of John P. and Jane (Dawson) Conley.

John P. Conley was born in West Deer Township, Allegheny County, Pennsyl- vania, on the farm on which his father, Nathan Conley, had settled, securing the land from the State. This farm subse- quently became his own and he continued to reside there until 1869, when he moved to Butler County and settled on a farm in Adams Township. He married Jane Daw- son, of Allegheny County, and they had seven children born to them, as follows: Mary, deceased, who was the wife of John

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

Aber; Robert John; Sarah B., deceased ;. James Ross, Andrew T. and Joseph D., all surviving; and a babe that died.

Robert John Conley was eighteen years of age when his parents moved to Butler County and about this time he went to Pittsburg and during his two years of resi- dence there, learned the blacksmith trade with Ralph White. He then returned to Butler County and opened a shop on his father's farm in Adams Township and conducted it successfully for five years, selling out in order to engage in cultivating a farm which he had purchased in Penn Township. Two years later he sold that property and bought another farm, near Valencia, and later also sold that, after which he embarked in a feed business and continued it for four years. During a number of years he has been serving in various offices, having been elected fre- quently by the Republican party, of which he is an active member. As a justice of the peace he has given the utmost satisfac- tion and has administered his office faith- fully and judicially.

In 1876 Mr. Conley was married (first) to Miss Anna McMillen, who died in 1891, survived by six children, namely: Jennie M., John Clyde, Estella B., Joseph Earl, Catherine B. and Margaret. His second marriage was to Samantha Crawford, who was the daughter of R. H. Crawford. Mr. and Mrs. Conley, are members of the United Presbyterian Church.

WILLIAM SHEPARD, one of Middle- sex Township's most prosperous and in- fluential farmers, was born on his present farm May 26, 1841, and is a son of Robert and Hannah (Miller) Shepard, both natives of England.

Robert Shepard and his wife were mar- ried in England, and after the birth of their second child emigrated to America. They located in Allegheny City, Pennsyl- vania, which at that time consisted of but three or four houses, and there worked at

his trade as a plasterer. He subsequently located on the farm which is now the home of our subject and lived there the re- mainder of his days. He had served seven years' apprenticeship at the plasterers' trade, and enjoyed a wide reputation for the character of his work. It was a recog- nized fact that he never slighted his work and was skilled beyond the average, and as a result he was called frequently to points many miles distant from home. Among the most important contracts he had were those for plastering the Butler County Court House, and the old peni- tentiary at Allegheny. Robert and Han- nah (Miller) Shepard became parents of eight children, six of whom grew to matur- ity, as follows: John, now deceased; Bet- sey, who married Samuel Dunbar, both deceased; Mary, widow of Fred Garroux, lives near Bakerstown; Hannah, wife of Samuel Waddell, lives in Iowa; Jane, widow of Thomas Waddell; and William, subject of this record. Religiously, the parents of this family were members of the Bakerstown M. P. Church.

William Shepard was reared and edu- cated in Middlesex Township, and has al- ways engaged in agricultural pursuits. In addition to the home farm of sixty-four acres in Middlesex Township, he has a tract of twenty-one acres in Richland Township, Allegheny County, and another of eighty acres in West Deering Township, Allegheny County. He follows general farming, raising hay and the small grains. He is a man of wide acquaintances, and enjoys the respect and good will of his fellow citizens.

Mr. Shepard was joined in hymen's bonds with Elizabeth Jane Halstead, a daughter of Henry Halstead of Clinton Township, and the following are the issue of their union : Robert, of Middlesex Township; James, M. D., who is engaged in practice at Findlay, Ohio; Emma, wife of William Whitesides of Middlesex Town- ship; and William Clarence. Religiously,

WILLIAM SHEPARD

L. C. NORTHIME

MRS. ANNA H. NORTHIME

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the children are members of the Presby- terian church. Fraternally, Mr. Shepard was a member of the Bakerstown Lodge, I. O. O. F., until it was disbanded. He is a Republican in his political views.

L. C. NORTHIME, a prominent farmer and respected citizen of Donegal Town- ship, who for many years has been identi- fied with various enterprises of this local- ity, was born December 25, 1868, and is a son of Dilman and Christina (Hasler) Northime.

Dilman Northime and wife were both natives of Germany and among the early settlers of Butler County, Pennsylvania. Frederick Hasler, the maternal grand- father of our subject, was one of the first physicians to locate in Butler County, coming from Germany at an early period. He first located at Hannahstown, subse- quently settling on the farm now owned by the subject of this sketch, here passing the remainder of his life. His daughter, Mrs. Northime was just six years of age when he came to Butler County. Seven children were born to the parents of our subject, namely: Pauline; Louisa; Fred- erick; Levina; Katherine; L. C., and Flora.

L. C. Northime was born and reared and has spent his entire life on his present farm. His early boyhood days, like those of most boys on a farm, were spent in assisting with the farm work and attend- ing the common schools. The farm on which he resides was inherited from his mother, who died in 1894, aged fifty years. He also owns a tract of forty-nine acres in Donegal Township, and on this land has three oil wells in operation. In connection with his farming interests, he is also inter- ested in several other business enterprises, is a stockholder in the Chicora Brick & Tile Company, operates a gas plant of his own, supplying gas for many of the resi- dents in the township, and is also engaged in the oil business.

In 1899 Mr. Northime was united in marriage with Mrs. Anna Harvey, a widow, who was born in England, and to them have been born three children: Ester L .; James C .; and John F. The religious connection of the family is with the German Lutheran Church of Chicora. Mr. Northime is also interested in Pro- ducers' Oil Company, Ltd., and U. S. Pipe Line Company, and Pure Oil Company.

J. L. GARROWAY, of the manufactur- ing firm of Greer & Garroway, makers of packing boxes at Butler, is one of the city's enterprising business men. He was born in 1862, at Worthington, Armstrong County, and there obtained his education and grew to manhood.

As soon as he left school, Mr. Garroway learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked for about eighteen years, up to the time that he entered into partnership with Mr. Greer in the box manufacturing busi- ness. Their plant is located on Kittanning Street, near the city limits, their enter- prise having developed into one of con- siderable magnitude. Mr. Garroway has taken a hearty and intelligent interest in all that concerns the welfare of the city in which he has invested in property, and has served nine years as a member of the School Board. In politics he is a Repub- lican.

In 1888 Mr. Garroway was married to Miss Ella Mary McKee, who was of Worthington, Armstrong County, and they have had six children, namely : Jessie, who is a popular teacher in the Butler schools; Grace and Blanche, both of whom are students in the Butler High School; and Lucile, James M. and Ruth. The family belong to the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Garroway is an Odd Fellow and belongs to both the minor order and the Encamp- ment.

ALFRED R. NELSON, a well known citizen of Middlesex Township, Butler

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

County, Pennsylvania, is engaged in agri- cultural pursuits and owns a fine farm of 100 acres. He was born on his present farm April 7, 1861, and is a son of Rich- ard G. and Adaline ( Morrison) Nelson.

Richard G. Nelson came to Butler County, Pennsylvania, late in the fifties from Evergreen, Allegheny County, Penn- sylvania, being probably a native of that county. Upon his arrival here, he located on the farm in Middlesex Township now owned by his son, Alfred R., and there spent the remainder of his days in agri- cultural pursuits. He was a man of strong personality and enjoyed high favor with his fellow-citizens. A Democrat in poli- tics, he was elected to various offices of trust in the Township. He married Ada- line Morrison, a daughter of James Mor- rison, and they became parents of eleven children, of whom eight grew to maturity : Ellen, widow of Joseph Hays of Butler; James; William, of Washington; Clara, wife of John Harbison, of Richland Town- ship, Allegheny County; Alfred R .; Ed- ward; Adaline, wife of Grant Morrow of Valencia; and Minnie, wife of R. A. Lee, lives on a part of the old homestead. Re- ligiously, the parents of this family were members of the Middlesex Presbyterian Church.

Alfred R. Nelson was reared and edu- cated in Middlesex Township, and as a young man worked in the oil country as a teamster. In 1897, he purchased his pres- ent farm, a part of which formed a portion of the old homestead. He has nearly 100 acres, all of which is under a high state of cultivation and devoted to general farm- ing. Mr. Nelson is a man of ability, a hard worker and an able manager, and well merits the success with which he has met. He is independent in politics, giving his support to the men he believes best fitted for the respective offices, without regard to party affiliation. He served three years as supervisor of the township, and is now serving as constable.

Alfred R. Nelson was joined in marriage with Miss Mary Truver, a daughter of J. C. Truver of Middlesex Township, and they are parents of four children: Herman E. of Allegheny; Florence, wife of Joseph Croft of McKees Rock; Roy; and Harry. Religiously, they are members of the Mt. Olive church at Adams. In fraternity at- tachment, the subject of this sketch is a member of Evans City Lodge No. 817, I. O. O. F.

JOSEPH HENRY COCHRAN, who has been justice of the peace of Harrisville continuously since 1899, was born in this village November 5, 1877, and is a son of William C. and Josephine (Ludwig) Coch- ran.

William C. Cochran, the father, was born about six miles north of Harrisville in 1829 and is a son of James Cochran, who was killed in Kentucky when William was but a lad of four years. The mother shortly afterward removed her little fam- ily of six children to Harrisville, where William was reared to manhood. At the age of twenty he went to Pittsburg, where he learned the trade of cigar making, at which he worked until 1864. He then en- listed with the First West Virginia Regi- ment and served until wounded at the bat- tle of New Market. He subsequently spent about twenty years in the West and South and in 1869, after his marriage in Kansas to Josephine Ludwig, he returned to Pennsylvania and located in Harrisville. William and Josephine Cochran became the parents of the following children : Nora, deceased; Mary, deceased wife of John Frew; Grace, wife of Thomas Mar- tin; Joseph Henry, and William. Mrs. Cochran passed out of this life in the spring of 1907 at the age of sixty-nine years. William Cochran is one of the old- est residents of Harrisville and is held in esteem by all who know him for his ster- ling worth.

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Joseph H. Cochran received his early education in the common schools of Har- risville, supplementing this with a two years' course at Grove City. He then en- gaged in the cigar making business and in 1899, when just twenty-one years of age, was elected justice of the peace of Harris- ville and is still serving in that capacity. He has proven himself a worthy and cap- able official and at the time of his election in 1899 was the youngest man in the State of Pennsylvania elected to serve in that capacity. He was at one time a candidate for the Assembly but was defeated.

Mr. Cochran is a member of the P. H. C. lodge, also the Junior Order of American Mechanics, and is secretary of both lodges. He holds membership with the Presbyte- rian Church, of which he is treasurer and trustee. February 12, 1900, he was united in marriage with Myrtle Flemming, a daughter of Hugh Flemming, and their union has been blessed by three children, Edna, Harold and Florence. Mr. Cochran and his family reside in a pleasant home on Washington Street.

JOHN H. KISON, oil producer, has been a resident of Butler for some five years and is one of the city's most substan- tial citizens. He was born in 1854, at Worthington, Armstrong County, Penn- sylvania.

Mr. Kison has been identified with the oil business since early manhood, going to the oil fields as soon as he completed his school attendance. He began operations at Parker, in Armstrong County, and his operations have extended into many States, including the different sections of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Illi- nois, Indian Territory and Kansas. For about twenty-five years his brother, H. A. Kison, was associated with him and they have been interested in from forty to fifty fields at one time. Mr. Kison has other interests and is a stockholder in the Butler County National Bank.

In 1882 Mr. Kison was married to Miss Sadie Starr, a member of one of Butler County's old pioneer families. They have one son, Herbert S., who is a student in the Western University of Pennsylvania, at Pittsburg. Mr. Kison is a man of high personal standing and is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church at But- ler. He is not particularly active in poli- tics, but takes the interest in public affairs which inspires every good citizen.

JOHN M. McBRIDE, Justice of the Peace and general farmer, in Franklin Township, Butler County, Penna., was born on his present farm of 112 acres, De- cember 20, 1847, and is a son of John and Mary (McCandless) McBride.

John McBride was born in County An- trim, Ireland, and was the youngest mem- ber of his parents' family. He was small when his father, William McBride, brought his family to America and settled near Grove City, in Mercer County, Penna., where he lived until his death. John Mc- Bride was reared in Mercer County and remained there until his marriage, when he came to Franklin Township and set- tled on the farm now owned by his son. At the time when he built his first log cabin here, wild conditions prevailed, the country being just about as Nature had made it, few settlers having yet ventured so far from civilization. He became a member of the Republican party, taking a deep in- terest in politics as the most of our pioneer forefathers of intelligence did, and he was many times elected to responsible local offices. His wife Mary was a daughter of John McCandless, of Franklin Township, and seven of their nine children grew to maturity, namely: Margaret, deceased, who was the wife of J. B. Long; Julia, now deceased, who married Robert McBride; John M., subject of this sketch; Mary, de- ceased, who married James Meehan; Nancy and Keziah, twins, the former of whom married James Elliott, of Franklin

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

Township, the latter residing with her sis- ter; and Delilah, deceased, who married Leander Sankey. The parents of this fam- ily were leading members of the Muddy Creek Presbyterian Church, of which he was a trustee. John McBride died June 30, 1884.

John M. McBride was reared and edu- cated in Franklin Township and has given attention to agricultural pursuits ever since he was a boy. His large farm is well adapted to the raising of corn, oats, wheat, hay and potatoes, for which he utilizes sev- enty acres, and also to the growing of cat- tle, hogs and sheep, at the present writing his pastures showing seven cows, twenty hogs and forty sheep.

Mr. McBride married Mary Black, who is a daughter of John and Ann Eliza (Gould) Black of Concord Township, and they have nine children, as follows: Min- nie, who is the wife of William Lutz, of Euclid, Pennsylvania; John and Samuel C., who live at home; Elizabeth, who mar- ried James Martsolf, of Brady Township; W. Dewitt, who is a teacher in Brady Township; Harold Q., who resides at Ro- chelle, Illinois; Robert I., who is a teacher in Concord Township; and Edith and Hadassah, both of whom are at home. Mr. McBride and family belong to the Presby- terian Church at Muddy Creek, of which he has been a trustee.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 129

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