Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 138

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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· his own religious body but have gained him the esteem and veneration of all right- minded citizens. In the pastoral work at St. Paul's he has an able assistant in Rev. Michael Leen.

The history of St. Paul's Catholic

Church at Butler is one full of interest. On January 1, 1866, lot No. 147, in the borough of Butler, was deeded to the Right Reverend Bishop of Pittsburg, by Ellen McKeown, Alice Schoonmaker, Mary Gil- lespie, Bridget Torbett, and Anne and Peter Duffy. The erection of the church, which has a frontage on Mckean Street, was begun in April, 1866, and in February, 1867, it was dedicated by Bishop Domenec, of Pittsburg.

The original members of this church were among the first Catholic settlers of the county and before the present church was built, worshipped in St. Peter's, which they in no small degree helped to erect. Subsequently the membership of St. Peter's became so largely German that the English-speaking members decided to build a church for themselves and largely through the efforts of that good Catholic, Peter Duffy, the plan was carried out and St. Paul's became a reality. The growth in membership and resources has been equaled by its religious spirit. The differ- ent priests who have had charge have all been men of zeal and executive ability, from Rev. Stephen M. A. Barrett to the present incumbent, Rev. Patrick K. Col- lins. The church structure is neat and at- tractive and its membership embraces 450 families. A new school building has been erected and the attendance of pupils num- bers 420, who are under the instruction of nine sisters.

CHARLES H. BARNHART, a repre- sentative business citizen of Butler, who conducts the largest blacksmith and horse- shoeing establishment in this city, was born at Chicora, Butler County, Pennsylvania, in 1877.

David F. Barnhart, father of Charles H., was born at Millerstown, Pennsylvania, and was one of the early carpenters and wagon-makers at Chicora.

Charles H. Barnhart attended school at Chicora until he went to work in the sheet-

CHARLES W. BARNHART

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mill, where he remained for one year and then came to Butler, where he learned the blacksmith trade with Grohmau & Oester- ling, with whom he remained for three years. He had very thorough training, for he then spent a year with W. B. Rob- inson and for nearly two years was asso- ciated with Adam Schenck under the firm name of Schenck & Barnhart. Mr. Barn- hart then decided to open up a business of his own. He had very little capital to be- gin with but he was a first-class workman and had made many friends, all of whom wished him success. He was prudent, in- dustrious and careful and as the result of his labors can point to at least $10,000 worth of property, every cent of which he has earned. His present finely equipped shop is a handsome brick building, two stories in height, with inside measurements of 50 by 22 feet, with a basement. His residence adjoins his place of business. All kinds of blacksmith work is carried on but Mr. Barnhart makes a specialty of horse shoeing, doing this work in a scien- tific manner. He is a stockholder in the Butler Pure Milk Company and also in the Butler Driving Park and Fair Association.

On December 22, 1898, Mr. Barnhart was married to Miss Clara M. Leithold, of But- ler County, and they have two children: Lloyd L. and Mary Elizabeth. They are members of Grace Lutheran Church and he belongs to the church council and is treasurer of the Christian Endeavor So- ciety. He belongs to the order of Odd Fel- lows and to the Horse-shoers' Union and is treasurer of the latter.

DELOSS L. HINDMAN, manager of the Phoenix Milling Company of West Sunbury, Butler County, Penna., has been connected with this enterprise since 1897, and is a man of high business and social standing in the community. The mill was built by him, in connection with Mr. J. E. Kelly, the McKissick heirs and Robert S. Hindman, the last named being father of

the subject of this record. Robert S. Hind- man disposed of his interest to his son, Clyde K., and in the spring of 1908, Mr. Kelly's interest was purchased by the other members of the firm, which now is composed of Hindman Brothers, Robert S. Hindman, and the McKissick heirs, the latter being represented in the business by Mr. J. W. McKissick. The mill is entirely modern in its equipment, being provided with Sprout-Waldron machinery, and their product is well known and finds a ready market. They manufacture what is known as "Purity," and "Golden Sheaf Wheat Flour," and make a specialty of strictly pure buckwheat flour. This plant has added materially to the prosperity of the borough, and is generally running at its full capacity.

Mr. Hindman was born on a farm two miles north of West Sunbury, in Cherry Township, in 1873, and is a son of Robert S. and Ann Jane (Campbell) Hindman. His mother died when he was twelve years of age, and his father formed a second union with Mary Ellen Hilliard. Robert S. now resides in West Sunbury, and is carrier on a rural mail route.

DeLoss L. Hindman was reared on the farm, first attended the district schools and carries a diploma from the same. He later attended West Sunbury Academy, and as a young man taught school for three years. During that time his father moved to West Sunbury, and the following fall the Phoe- nix Mill was erected, replacing an old mill which had been destroyed by fire some three years before. In 1903 he was mar- ried to Miss Minnie Conn, a daughter of Robert B. Conn' of Clay Township, and they have one daughter, Barbara Lucile, a graduate of West Sunbury Academy, who also taught school for five years. Mr. Hind- man is a member of the Royal Arcanum, of which he is regent, and of the Woodmen of the World, of which he is advisor lieu- tenant. He is one of the most useful mem- bers of the Borough Council at West Sun-

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bury. In religious attachment, he is a house on the present James Book farm, member of the Presbyterian church, and is the youngest elder in the church organiza- tion.

JOHN HUGH McCOY, a resident of Mercer Township, Butler County, enjoys an enviable reputation as a builder of silos, having constructed a number at far distant points. He and his wife own a fine farm of eighty-two acres, it being Mrs. McCoy's birthplace, and he follows gen- eral farming in addition to his other busi- ness affairs. He was born in Ripley County, Missouri, December 22, 1870, but the family has long been a prominent one in the vicinity of his present home. He is a son of Isaac and Catherine (Cope) Mc- Coy, a grandson of John and Peggie (Rich- mond) McCoy, and great-grandson of Jo- seph McCoy.

Joseph McCoy was born on the present Jack McCoy farm in Mercer County, Penna., his father having come from Har- per's Ferry, Virginia, at a very early pe- riod, and taken up a tract of 400 acres of land, for which he paid $2.50 per acre. This land lay in both Mercer and Butler Counties, and Joseph came into possession of the southeast corner of it. He spent all his life on the place and died intestate, the property passing to the heirs. The young- est son, Lewis, purchased the interests of the other heirs, and for his share, John, the grandfather of John Hugh, received an old silver watch. He was a mason by trade and built many furnace stacks through this section. He later moved to Clarion, Penna., where he followed his trade until his death, at the age of fifty- two years. He married Peggie Richmond and the following children were born to them: Joseph, deceased, who served in the Union Army during the Civil War; Isaac; Harriet, wife of John Cobler; Lewis, who died in the service during the Civil War; and Milton.

Isaac McCoy was born in the old log

east of Harrisville, in Butler County, Penna., in 1837, and was very young when his parents moved to Clarion. In 1852, when fifteen years of age, he learned the trade of a blacksmith with David Ray, and followed it for a number of years, making a specialty of manufacturing drilling tools. He was married at the age of twenty-eight years, and after the birth of his two eldest children moved with his family to Ripley County, Missouri. There he purchased a quarter section of land and followed farming in addition to his trade. In 1875, he returned to Clarion County, Penna., and purchased a tract of twenty acres of land, on which he erected a shop, and there he followed his trade until 1889. He then gave his time and attention to the lumber business, which he followed many years in a most successful manner. He added largely to his original purchase in Clarion County, and now has 350 acres of valuable land. He was joined in marriage with Catherine Cope, who was of German and English parentage, and was born and reared in Beaver Township, Clarion County. The following children were born to them: Margaret, deceased wife of Oli- ver Mays; Manela, wife of H. O. Fisher; John H., whose name heads this sketch; Anna, wife of Samuel Hanst; Lawrence J .; Ella, wife of Robert Kiser; Allen; Susan, wife of G. Miles; George, deceased; Vernon; and Freda.

John H. McCoy was about five years of age when his parents returned to Clarion County from Missouri, and here he grew to maturity and received a common school education. He worked in the fields when quite young, and was still a boy when he entered his father's blacksmith shop. It was necessary at the time for him to stand on a box to swing his sledge hammer. He mastered the trade, which has been of in- calculable benefit to him in the business in which he is now engaged. When his father abandoned the business in 1889, John H.

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McCoy entered the employ of the Key- stone Stock Farm at kittanning, Penna. During his five years there, the exacting duty of shoeing race horses devolved upon him and he shod some of the fastest horses in the State at that time. He was married at the age of twenty-four years and began housekeeping on the old Shaw homestead, where his wife was born and where they have since lived. He took up general farming and later branched into stock- raising, at which he has met with good re- sults. He winters between twenty-five and thirty head of stock each year. In 1907 he built a 100-ton concrete silo on his farm, and soon after erected one of like capacity on his father's farm in Clarion County, and another for H. O. Fisher. His success at the work became known and he was called as far distant as Wheeling, Illinois, where he erected one for the Agriculture Guild of Chicago University, its dimen- sions being 18 feet inside in diameter and 47 feet 7 inches high. He more recently completed one for W. A. Keller at Grove City, Pennsylvania.

December 22, 1894, Mr. McCoy married Miss Harriet Shaw, a daughter of Hugh and Sarah Shaw of Mercer Township. In religious faith, they are United Presbyte- rians.

ELIAS SHAKELY, one of Butler's most substantial citizens, largely inter- ested in real estate and identified with the best interests of this section, has been a resident of Butler since December, 1892. He was born in Donegal Township, Butler County, Penna., September 17, 1856, and is a son of John S. and Susan (Barnhart) Shakely.

The Shakely family is one of the old and prominent ones of Butler County and was founded by the grandfather. John S. Shakely, father of Elias, was born in Par- ker Township, Butler County, March 25, 1810, and died on his farm in Donegal

Township, June 22, 1867. He was a man of public importance in his community and was a prominent farmer and stock dealer for many years in Donegal Town- ship. He married Susan Barnhart, who was born in Butler County, November 12, 1819, and died August 28, 1877. She was a daughter of Daniel Barnhart, a member of one of the county's old pioneer families. There were nine children born to them, three sons and six daughters, and only one of the sons still survives.

Elias Shakely spent his boyhood on the home farm and secured his education in the country schools. His early training gave him a taste for an agricultural life, and for twenty-eight years he engaged in farming and still owns a farm of 130 acres in Butler Township. He carried on ex- tensive farming during this time and dealt largely in stock, and also developed oil in paying quantity on his land. He has ac- quired a large amount of valuable realty in Butler, which he has greatly improved, having modern ideas on this subject, prov- ing it by installing a private water plant to supply his houses.

On September 30, 1875, Mr. Shakely was married to Miss Sarah Nesbitt, who was born in Jackson Township, Butler County, and is a daughter of Peter Nesbitt, for- merly a very prominent citizen and a rep- resentative of one of the oldest families in the county. Mr. and Mrs. Shakely have had four children, namely : Frost, who died when aged sixteen years; Miles, who is engaged in the practice of law at Butler; Zelia, who is the wife of O. O. Dershimer, a contractor at Butler; and Pearl, who is the wife of Professor Cain, of Wilkins- burg.

Miles Shakely was reared and educated in the township schools and in 1899 was graduated from the Slippery Rock Normal School; still further pursued his studies and was graduated from Grove City Col- lege, in the class of 1902. He then studied

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law with the firm of McQuistin & Vander- lin, and was admitted to the bar in 1905. He has been in active practice at Butler ever since and has taken rank with the successful members of his profession.

In politics, Elias Shakely is a Democrat and a great admirer of Hon. William J. Bryan, but he is broad-minded and has frequently cast his vote for both Repub- lican and Prohibition candidates, when, in his judgment, their election promised to best advance the interests of the commu- nity. During his many years of residence in Butler Township, Mr. Shakely, on nu- merous occasions, was honored by his fel- low citizens by election to office, although he never solicited the same. Thus for a number of years he served most accept- ably as township auditor, as school direc- tor and also as justice of the peace.

HENRY J. BROWN, owner of an ex- cellent farm of 100 acres in Mercer Town- ship, is engaged in general farming and dairying. He comes of an old and re- spected family in this locality, his grand- father having located on the farm he now owns, when it was yet in its wild and un- cleared state, and here he was born, Feb- ruary 28, 1844, and is a son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Hoskins) Brown, and a grandson of James Brown. The family originally came from Ireland to this coun- try, and for a time was located in West- moreland County, Pennsylvania.

James Brown, the grandfather, accom- panied his brother, Ebenezer, from West- moreland County to Butler County early in the Nineteenth Century, and together they acquired 400 acres of land. James located upon the farm now owned by his grandson, Henry J. Brown, which three generations of the family have aided in clearing of its heavy growth of timber. He died on the place at the advanced age of eighty-one years. He and his wife reared a large family of fourteen children.

of whom the following grew up: Alex- ander, Ebenezer, Samuel, James, Ralston, Washington, George, Calvin, Alice Jane and Margaret. All are now deceased.

Alexander Brown, father of the subject of this record, was born in 1811, on his father's farm near Harrisville, in Mercer Township, Butler County, and he lived on this place the remainder of his life, except for temporary absences on business, and during the greater part of his active career followed farming. At the time of his marriage, which occurred in New York State, he was working there upon the canal. He married Elizabeth Hoskins, who was born in New York State in 1818, and they had the following children: An- geline, who married George Midbery, both now deceased; Henry James; Mary Ann, who died young; Melvin Lewis; and Wil- helmina, wife of Hugh Reed. The father of this family died in 1894, aged eighty- three years, and the mother in 1874, at the age of fifty-six years.

Henry James Brown has always made his home on his present farm and attended the common schools of the neighborhood. At the age of seventeen years, he engaged in work in the oil fields, principally drill- ing wells, and continued until the Civil War was in progress. In 1862, he enlisted for nine months as a member of Company F, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regi- ment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Breckenridge, and with his com- pany participated in the following hotly contested engagements: Fredericksburg, South Mountain, Antietam, Chancellors- ville, Shepherdstown and Second Battle of Bull Run. At the end of that service he re-enlisted as a member of the Sixth Heavy Artillery, and during this enlist- ment was mainly occupied in garrison duty. At the close of the war, Mr. Brown returned home and resumed work in the oil fields, which he continued off and on, with fair success, until 1892, when he

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turned his attention exclusively to farm- ing. In 1880, he obtained a patent to his land from the United States Government, for, although it had been in the family for two generations, it had never been deeded, so that he was the first to acquire a per- fected legal title to the land. In 1897, he erected a substantial and comfortable home, and from time to time has made many desirable and important improve- ments. He is a successful business man, one of the strictest integrity, and he has been able to retain the confidence and good will of all with whom he has been brought into contact.

September 2, 1873, Mr. Brown was unit- ed in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Will- iamson, a daughter of John and Anna (Moore) Williamson, and they are par- ents of the following children: Mabel Irene, who is teaching school in the home district; Urla, who is the wife of T. P. Shira and has three children, Frank, Don- ald and Elizabeth; Ethel, who is the wife of Frank Sutton; Angeline, who is teach- ing school; Warren J .; and J. Everett. Mr. Brown is a Republican in politics, and has served efficiently in various township offices. Religiously, he and his family are members o of the United Presbyterian Church at Harmony.

CHARLES ERNEST BACHMAN, re- siding on his valuable farm of sixty acres, which is situated in Jefferson Township, on the Jefferson Center and Great Belt road, about three miles from Saxonburg, was born March 5, 1867, in Jefferson Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. His parents were August and Mary (Smith) Bachman.

August Bachman was born in Germany and was small when his parents, John George and Christina Bachman, brought him to America. They settled in Butler County and John George Bachman died in Jefferson Township in 1845. August Bachman did the greater part of the clear-

ing on the Bachman homestead. He mar- ried Mary Smith, who came also to Amer- ica when young, and they had ten children, namely: Mary, Henry, George, William Charles, John, Emma, Louis, August and Joseph.

Charles E. Bachman has been a hard- working man all his life. In boyhood he had many duties to perform on the home farm and could only attend school during the winter time. When he grew older he went into the oil fields for a time and then, in partnership with his brothers, conduct- ed a brick yard for about ten years. Since then he has given his whole attention to farming and stock raising, not making any specialty of the latter industry, but tak- ing some pride in having good stock for his own use. He has never interested him- self particularly in politics but his record shows that he has always done his full duty to his township, as a good citizen.

Mr. Bachman was married April 28, 1898, to Miss Emma Montag, who is a daughter of Ernest H. and Mary (Renick) Montag, residents of Jefferson Township. They have a little family of five children, three of whom are bright students in school-Lydia, Clarence, Gertrude, Elma and Elsie. Mr. and Mrs. Bachman are good, Christian people, devout members of the Lutheran Church.

GEORGE M. BEATTY, M. D., physi- cian and surgeon, who has built up a large practice at Chicora, where he is numbered with the leading and useful citizens, was born April 25, 1878, in Oakland Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. He is a son of John M. and Susan (Whitmire) Beatty.

John M. Beatty, father of Dr. Beatty, was born in Ireland and was brought to Butler County by his parents when he was an infant. He was engaged in agricultural pursuits and has maintained his home in Butler County. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War. He married

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

Susan Whitmire and ever since they have resided on their farm in Oakland Town- ship. They had the following children born to them: William J., Hugh T., Cath- erine (Jackson), Margaret H. (Gilfillian) ; Minnie E .; Peter F .; George M .; Mary E. (Moser) ; and one that died in infancy.

Dr. Beatty was reared on the home farm and attended the township schools until he was fifteen years of age, when he en- tered the West Sunbury Academy, remain- ing some three years, at the same time di- recting his studies along the line of medi- cine; after which he taught school for three years in Oakland Township, still ap- plying himself as occasion offered, to his medical studies. He then spent one year in Grove City College before entering the Baltimore Medical College, at Baltimore, Maryland, where he was graduated with high honors in a class of 104 students, in the spring of 1903, winning his degree in both medicine and surgery. Preparing for the medical profession in these modern times, is no easy undertaking. For one year of his regular course, Dr. Beatty practiced at the Maryland Hospital, at Baltimore, and after coming to Pennsyl- vania, took the State Board examination. During the typhoid fever epidemic, in that year, which ravaged Butler, Dr. Beatty bravely and efficiently combatted it and won praise and appreciation. In June, 1904, he took up his permanent residence at Chicora and has taken an active interest in all that concerns the welfare of the place.

On November 25, 1903, Dr. Beatty was married to Miss L. Virginia Blake, who is a daughter of John and Levina (Grubb) Blake, of Baltimore. Dr. and Mrs. Beatty have two children: Mary Virginia, born January 21, 1905; and John McVey, born October 1, 1908. Dr. Beatty is a member and a trustee of the English Lutheran Church. He is identified with the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of the World fraternal orders and is connected with the local lodges.

WILLIAM SIEBERT, president of the Board of County Commissioners of Butler County, is the able head of a body un- usually intelligent and public spirited men, whose deliberations are carried on with due regard for public needs and whose de- cisions are made with impartial considera- tion for all sections. Mr. Siebert was born at Pittsburg, in Allegheny County, Penna., in 1839, and he is a son of Frederick and Christina (Shank) Siebert.

The parents of Mr. Siebert were born in Germany and they came to America in 1834, settling first near Chambersburg, Penna., from which point they moved to Pittsburg, in 1837, and from that city to Butler County, in 1840. Their last years were spent at the home of their son, Will- iam Siebert, where the father died when aged eighty-six years and the mother at the age of eighty-three years. Of their family of twelve children only four sur- vive, namely: Frederick, aged sixty-seven years, who is a resident of Pittsburg; George, who has reached his sixty-first year, lives in Kansas; Christina, who is the wife of Herman Wise, is aged fifty- four years; and William, who has seen his sixty-ninth birthday.

Butler County may almost claim Will- iam Siebert as a native son, as he was very young when his parents brought him with- in her borders, where he obtained his edu- cation, and for many years of his useful life has pursued his business and lent his influence to promoting her best interests. He learned the blacksmith trade at Pitts- burg and opened his shop in Butler on Au- gust 11, 1862, where, during business hours he was generally found from that time un- til he was ready to assume the duties of county commissioner, to which he had been elected, for a period of three years, in 1905. Mr. Seibert has been a very active and influential member of the Republican party in this section for many years and he is a man who enjoys the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens all over the country. irrespective of party ties.

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On July 7, 1863, Mr. Siebert was mar- ried to Miss Lena Hoffner and they have had a family of nine children born to them, seven living, namely: George H., who con- tinues the operation of the blacksmith shop at Butler; Emma, who resides at home; Harry, who is in business at Pitts- burg; Gertrude, who has been a successful teacher in the Butler High School; Kath- erine, married, who resides at Butler, and Albert and Walter, both of whom are en- gaged in business at Butler. Mr. Siebert and family belong to the Lutheran Church and he has been a member of the church council since the fall of 1877.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 138

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