Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 141

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 141

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Upon his return from the front, after his discharge in August, 1865, he entered the oil drilling business at Oil Creek, near Oil City, Pennsylvania, a business which he followed with uninterrupted success until 1900, when he retired. He has claimed West Sunbury as his home since 1858, although he has been temporarily absent for different periods, the longest being during his military service. After quitting the oil business, he bought and sold timber for six or seven years, but is now living in retirement in his comfort- able home adjoining the borough.

Mr. McCarrier was first married to Minerva Eshenbaugh, a daughter of An- drew Eshenbaugh, by whom he had five

MR. AND MRS. CHARLES E. KNOUSE AND CHILD

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children: Peter, who is an oil contractor and resides in Clay Township; Annie, who lives in Butler and is the widow of Harry Patterson; John Nelson, who lives at St. Marys, West Virginia, and is also an oil contractor; Margaret Ellen, wife of Charles Johnston of Loraine, Ohio; and William D., who is an oil producer and re- sides at West Sunbury. Mrs. McCarrier died in 1896, and he has since formed a second union with Miss Elizabeth Deer, a daughter of William and Mary (Miller) Deer. She was born and reared in Mar- shall, Allegheny County, and their union is blessed with a son, Dwight.

CHARLES E. KNOUSE, a well known farmer and oil operator of Clearfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is the owner of a fine farm of 100 acres lo- cated on the north side of Rough Run Road about two miles from Coylesville. He was born on the old Knouse homestead on the Kittanning Pike, about six miles from Butler, April 17, 1875, and is a son of Andrew and Mary (Henry) Knouse.

Andrew Knouse was farmer and cleared the land on which he lived. He was a native of Summit Township, and a son of Christian and Annie (Rabbitts) Knouse, the Rabbitts family being an old and respected one of this section of the county. Christian was born in Germany and came to Butler County at an early date. Andrew Knouse married Mary Henry and they had the following chil- dren: Ida, wife of William Blooming; Charles; William, who married Alice Green; and Albert, a car worker.

Charles E. Knouse received a good com- mon school education and has always en- gaged in farming. He- follows modern ideas in his farm work and has been more than ordinarily successful. He raises con- siderable stock. Mr. Knouse is an oil op- erator and has five good producing wells on his place. He is a man of enterprise and public spirit, and stands among the

foremost in the ranks of the young genera- tion of farmers and business men.

The subject of this sketch was joined in marriage with Miss Sarah Rogers, a daughter of Samuel and Sarah Rodgers of Butler County, and they have a daughter, Mary, who was born May 5, 1905. Relig- iously they are members of the Catholic Church.

GEORGE FREDERICK GRIMM, whose excellent farm of thirty-one acres is one of the best improved in Jefferson Township, is engaged in general farming and raises enough stock for his own use. Mr. Grimm was born January 13, 1846, in the city of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Graff) Grimm, and a grandson of Henry Grimm, the latter of whom never left Germany. Henry Grimm had seven children-Cath- erine, J. Henry, George F., Louise, Sophia, Caroline, deceased, and Amelia.

The father of Mr. Grimm was born in Saxony, Germany, and he came to America in 1836, having already learned his trade of blacksmith. At the time of the birth of his son, George F., he was a resident of Allegheny, but he subsequently settled at Saxonburg, Butler County, and there be- came a man of influence and standing. He married Elizabeth Graff, who was also born in Darmstadt, Germany, and was six- teen years of age when she accompanied the Roatling family to America and to Jefferson Township, Butler County. The country was very wild at that time, the Indians having but recently committed out- rages. The pioneers possessed little means, but they had plenty of courage and ingenuity, as was shown when they trav- eled into a forest wilderness and built their first abode. Selecting a spot where four strong saplings grew near enough to be utilized as house posts, they piled up logs for the sides of the dwelling and made a roof of moss. It is generally conceded that this was the first house built in Jef-

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ferson Township. Later the father of Mrs. Grimm replaced it with a substantial log building and still later a third house was put up.

George F. Grimm was four years old when his parents came to Jefferson Town- ship and he obtained his education in the public schools. On July 3, 1876, he was married to Miss Rachel Gehring, who is a daughter of Henry and Hannah (Wolf- rum) Gehring. Her father was born in Saxony, Germany, and was reared on his father's farm but learned the turner's trade before he came to America, which was in 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Grimm have had five children, namely: Ellen, who re- sides at home; Oliver, who married Anna Petinger, has two children, Harold and Walter; Louise, who is a seamstress and is frequently employed at Pittsburg; Til- lie, who is also frequently employed at Pittsburg; and an infant, deceased. Mr. Grimm and family belong to the Lutheran Church and for a number of years was a member of the Church Council. He is a prominent man in his township, taking an active interest in public matters and for the past two years has been acceptably serving in the office of road commissioner.

KERR H. McBRIDE, who was one of the largest gas and oil producers in the Butler fields and was the first promoter of natural gas at Butler, Penna., was born in Butler County in 1849, and died in 1896. His parents were Francis and Elizabeth (Hazlett) McBride.

Mr. McBride was reared in his native place and attended the Butler schools un- til he accompanied his uncle, A. R. Haz- lett, to Greene County, where they began contracting on oil wells on Dunkard Creek. Later they engaged in a butchering busi- ness at Oil City. After they separated, Mr. McBride engaged in drilling and was known as a first class man in that line. He obtained his first oil, on his own account. in 1877, in the Great Leather well, on the

Peter Graft farm, which started with an output of 250 barrels of oil a day. He sold his interest in this well for the sum of $32,500, which he immediately invested in the oil business. As with other specula- tion, this was uncertain, and before he made any more he had lost all this amount except $8,000. With that remnant he went to Bradford and in the space of eight years he acquired twenty-six oil wells and a capital of $86,000. His ups and downs may be shown by the fact that in one night he made $15,000, and in one day, $27,000, in oil speculation, and while he played one game of checkers he lost all and had to borrow $100, in order to make any more. With a capital of $200, backed with the utmost faith in his "luck," he came to But- ler and leased the Henderson farm, but his drilling found only a dry hole. After this, with $800, in borrowed money, he went to McBride and there drilled a well which gave 360 barrels of oil an hour and at the end of ninety days gave 150 an hour. This brought him $114,000, and with it he went to George Westinghouse, at Pittsburg. It is said that his proposal to Mr. Westing- house was : "If you come into the gas busi- ness with me, I'll take the field end and you the capital." This was in 1884. Mr. Westinghouse, however, does not seem to have taken up with Mr. McBride's propo- sition at that time, although later he was also a large investor in the same line. In 1887, after a most strenuous life, Mr. Mc- Bride fell sick and he died a comparatively poor man, although at that time he had 45,000 acres of land under lease at Marion, Indiana, all of which was producing gas and oil in abundance.

Kerr H. McBride was one of the best known men in the oil business in Pennsyl- vania. He was one of the most whole- souled and kind-hearted men, also, who ever had large business dealings in this section. He not only made money for him- self, much of which he lost as easily, but he made fortunes for others. His chari-

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ties were open-handed and no one in finan- cial distress ever appealed to him in vain, and his good nature was often taken ad- vantage of. He voted the Republican ticket but he never took any active interest in politics. He was a member in good standing of Argyle Lodge, F. and A. M., at Petrolia. He never married.

ROBERT TRIMBLE, now deceased, was one of the successful agriculturists of Butler County and one of the most highly respected citizens. He was born in Mid- dlesex Township, Butler County, Penna., March 12, 1829, and was a son of Samuel and Ellen C. (Beery) Trimble and a grandson of Thomas Trimble.

Thomas Trimble was born in the north of Ireland and remained in his own land into young manhood, not obtaining an op- portunity to come to America, the land of promise, until 1790. In 1807 he came to Butler County, Penna., and settled on what has since been called the Trimble farm, in Middlesex Township, where he lived until his death took place in 1837. He was a member of the Seceder Church. Five chil- dren were born to him: Mary, Marga- ret, Satia, Nancy and Samuel, and many of his descendants reside in Butler County. Samuel Trimble, father of Robert Trimble, was born in 1798, at Shippensville, Clar -.- ion County, Penna., and thus was nine years old when his parents settled in But- ler County. His boyhood was passed among pioneer surroundings and he grew to manhood a sturdy type. His first mar- riage was to Isabella Thompson, of Mid- dlesex Township, and they had one son, Thomas. His second marriage was to El- len C. Beery and they had two sons, Rob- ert and William F. His third marriage was to Elizabeth Love, of Clinton Town- ship, and they had four children : John H., Thomas, James and Margaret. He died April 10, 1855.

Robert Trimble was reared on his father's farm and continued to be inter-

ested in agricultural pursuits throughout his long and useful life. In boyhood his educational opportunities were very mea- ger but he was a pupil on the first day that the public schools in his neighborhood were opened, in 1834. He learned the car- penter trade and worked for a few years as a builder, during which period he as- sisted in constructing the Butler Court House, in 1855. From that year, however, he devoted himself entirely to farming and stockraising.

On April 14, 1857, Mr. Trimble was married to Eliza A. Hays, a daughter of William M. Hays, of Middlesex Township. They had a family of seven children born to them, namely : Samuel C., Eliza J., Ruth E., William H., Margaret A., Mary and Martha. In his political views Mr. Trim- ble was a Republican and he possessed the confidence of his fellow citizens to such an extent that they frequently elected him to offices of responsibility.

Samuel C. Trimble, the eldest of the above family, is one of the leading citizens of Middlesex Township, where he owns a valuable farm of 112 acres. Like his late father, he has been prominently identified with Republican politics, and in the spring of 1908 by a large majority was nominated for the important office of county treasur- er of Butler County, and was subsequently elected. Possessing every requisite for the office, it is generally conceded that his per- formance of its duties will be honest and efficient.

ADAM J. DAMBACH, proprietor of the leading blacksmithing establishment at Evans City, comes of an old and respected family of Butler County. He was born in Connoquenessing Township, Butler County, Penna., February 1, 1868, and is a son of Adam and Dora (Garwick) Dam- bach, and a grandson of Adam Dambach, who was a native of Germany.

Adam Dambach, the grandfather, came from Germany to America in the early

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days and settled on a farm int Connoque- messing Township, Butler County, which he partly cleared. He was the father of the following family: Adam; Sophia, wife of John Boyer; William; Jacob; Cather- ine; and John, deceased.

Adam Dambach, the father of the sub- jeet of this sketch, was born on his fath- er's farm in Butler County and was there reared to maturity. Shortly after his mar- riage he purchased a farm in Forward Township, on which he spent the remain- der of his active career, now living in re- tirement at Zelienople. Prior to his mar- riage he conducted a store for a time at Petersville. He married Dora Garwick, who was born in Beaver County, Penna., and they became parents of eight children, as follows: Sidney J .; William G .; Henry W .; Adam John; Tina ; Frank E .; Matilda, wife of William Wilson; and Washing- ton J.

Adam J. Dambach was a mere child when his parents moved from his native township to the home farm in Forward Township, where he grew to maturity, re- ceiving his educational training in the pub- lic schools. At the age of eighteen years he moved to Evans City and learned the trade of a blacksmith under Peter Ripper, for whom he worked two years. He then worked a like period for W. C. McClure, after which he went into business for him- self. His establishment is located on the corner of Washington Street and Wahl Avenue, and he does a general blacksmith- ing business, making a specialty of horse- shoeing.

Mr. Dambach was married July 30, 1899, to Miss Anna E. Wahl, daughter of Martin Wahl, and they are parents of three chil- dren: Victor Martin, Wilbert W., and Adam M. They reside in a fine home on the corner of Washington Street and Wahl Avenue, which they built in 1895. Relig- iously, they are members of the Lutheran Church, Mr. Dambach being president of the congregation and superintendent of the

Sunday-school. He is a Republican in politics, while fraternally he is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. He is an important figure in the affairs of the village, and is highly regarded by his fellow citizens and many friends.

GEORGE BAUER, one of Butler Town- ship's leading citizens of which he is su- pervisor, resides on his excellent farm of seventy-six acres, which he devotes to gen- eral agriculture. Mr. Bauer was born near Hagerstown, Maryland, September 11, 1838, and is a son of Peter and Margaret (Doer) Bauer.

The father of Mr. Bauer was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, in 1803, and when he came to America and settled in Maryland, early in the thirties, he was ac- companied by his wife and their three chil- dren. When his son George was a boy about eight years of age, he moved to But- ler County, Penna., and settled in Jeffer- son Township. He married Margaret Doer, who died in 1888, in Jefferson Township and his death followed. They had chil- dren as follows : Katherine, wife of Charles Krumpe, residing at Saxonburg, Butler County ; Conrad, deceased; William, residing at Butler; Henry, deceased; George; Benjamin, residing at Millville, Allegheny County; Philip, deceased; and Elizabeth, wife of William Leithold, re- siding at Butler. The parents were mem- bers of the Lutheran Church, in which the father was a deacon. In politics he was identified with the Democratic party.

George Bauer was given a good, common school education and then learned the ma- chinist's trade. After completing his ap- prenticeship, in partnership with his brother, he bought out his employer, and the firm of Bauer Brothers engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements until 1872, when George Bauer sold out his interest in the business. He then pur- chased his present farm and has been con- cerned in its development ever since.

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In 1862, Mr. Bauer was married to Annie Catherine Smith, who was a daughter of Michael Smith, of Butler Township. Mrs. Bauer died June 20, 1893. She was a good, Christian woman, a member of the Ger- man Lutheran Church, and was widely known for her kindness of heart and her ready hospitality. To Mr. and Mrs. Bauer were born eight children, namely: Mar- garet, who married Howard McCandless, of Butler; Charles, deceased; Edward, who resides at Butler; Augusta, who is the wife of C. A. Wachsmith; Maude, who is the wife of Samuel McKnight, of Butler; Will- iam, who resides in Jefferson Township; Leonard, who is superintendent of the street car line at Butler; and Barbara, who resides at home. Mr. Bauer is one of the leading members of the German Lutheran Church.

In 1862, Mr. Bauer enlisted for serv- ice in the Civil War, and served for nine months as a member of Company K, One Hundred Thirty-fourth Regiment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry. Although he was wounded in the right arm, at the battle of Chancellorsville, he refused to go to the hospital and remained on the field un- til the close of the fight. In his political convictions he is a Democrat and he has served in local offices, including that of school director and of tax collector and su- pervisor.

Mr. Bauer blew the first steam whistle ever heard in Butler County at the Bauer Brothers Mill in Butler in 1865. He also had the misfortune to have the first boiler explosion in the county which happened at the mill during the same year. Fortunate- ly no one was hurt in this disaster. A humorous incident happened in connection with the blowing of the first whistle. It was in the early morning, about daylight, and the residents of the quiet little village were not aware that such a thing existed in the town. A superstitious German resi- dent was lighting his fire, when he heard the first blast of the whistle. He imagined

that it was the sound of Gabriel's horn and seizing a bucket of water, he dashed it on his kitchen fire and immediately went to praying.

GEORGE A. SPANG, who is treasurer and manager of The Spang Company at Butler, where the main plant is situated, having branch shops at other points, is a leading business man of this city where he has resided for the past thirty-five years. He was born in 1868, in Armstrong County, Penna. His father was the late J. R. Spang.

George A. Spang was a child when his parents moved to Butler and he obtained his education in the Butler schools. He was but a boy, however, when the burden of his own support fell upon him and he began his earning of money by driving a dray. Later he went to Pittsburg where he learned the machinist trade with the firm of Swain & Angel, remaining for three years and then returned to Butler. About this time he suffered an injury to his eyes and was obliged to give up working at his trade for two and one-half years, during this period finding employment in the Klingler mills. By that time his eyes had sufficiently been strengthened so that he could resume work as a machinist and in 1894, although he had not a dollar of cap- ital, he determined to go into business for himself and depend upon his skill and in- industry to bring him custom and success. He secured a machine shop in the old Cuth- bert Building, on the same place where his commodious shops, with all their expensive machinery are situated, but in six weeks time he found a better business opening at Glade Mills. He remained there for three and one-half years and then resided for the same length of time at Renfrew, after which he came back to Butler. He first leased his present property and later pur- chased it. In 1901, The Spang Com- pany was established, and in 1908 the busi- ness was incorporated with J. F. Ander-

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son as president and George A. Spang as treasurer and manager. In the same year the company put up a fine reinforced con- crete building with dimensions of 62 by 122 feet, divided into two stores. Mr. Spang has about 100 men in his employ and has the superintendence of all of the business. In August, 1904, a branch shop was started at Coffeyville, Kansas, in the Kansas oil fields, and in May, 1908, an- other shop was established at Tulsa, Okla- homa, both of them being still in operation, and all the property on which the plants are located are owned by the Spang Com- pany. This company manufactures all kinds of oil well supplies and makes a specialty of oil well packing.

In 1890, Mr. Spang was married to Miss Laura A. Brandon, of Butler, and they have five children: Lillian, Ferdinand, Loyal, Mildred and Everett. With his fam- ily, Mr. Spang belongs to the Second Pres- byterian Church of Butler. He is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the Mys- tic Shrine. In recalling the events of this successful and representative man, it will be observed that he has prospered on ac- count of his own efforts,. independent of any assistance, and he may well be proud, when he recalls how he has overcome the various handicaps of his early manhood. He is one of Butler's most respected citi- zens.

CHARLES RIMP, a prosperous farmer of Summit Township, Butler County, Penn- sylvania, has a fine farm of 100 acres sit- uated about two miles north of the vil- lage of Herman. He was born on this place March 13, 1875, and is a son of John and Catherine (Knause) Rimp, and grand- son of John Rimp, Sr.

John Rimp, Sr., was born in Germany and there was reared to maturity. He served in the German army the required length of time and continued to reside in that country until he was thirty years of age, when he set sail for America. He set-

tled in Butler County, Pennsylvania, in 1832, and cleared a farm upon which he lived the remainder of his days.

John Rimp, Jr., was a veteran of the Civil War, serving for four years in a Pennsylvania regiment and participating in some of the hardest fought battles of the war. He was mustered out at Butler and returned to the home farm. During the early years of his business career, he worked on a steamboat on the Ohio River, but finally settled down to farming in But- ler County. He was united in marriage with Catherine Knause, by whom he had the following children: Annie, Ella, one who died in infancy, William, Charles and Minnie, twins; and Edward.

Charles Rimp was reared on the old homestead and received his education in the public schools of the community. He has always engaged in farming, with the exception of seven years during which per- iod he worked for the Standard Plate Glass Company at Butler. He returned to the farm in 1906, and has since followed gen- eral farming and stock raising. He has a comfortable two-story house, a good barn and other necessary buildings for the suc- cessful prosecution of his work. He has an oil well on the farm, which produces about ten barrels per day, and has another in the course of drilling which is expected to show still better results.

August 5, 1903, Mr. Rimp was united in marriage with Miss Rose Rabbitt, a daugh- ter of John and Annie (Smith) Rabbitt, who lived in Armstrong County, Penna. Three children are the offispring of this union : Charles Edward, Gertrude, and John Rabbitt Rimp. Religiously, they are members of the Catholic Church and very active in church affairs. Fraternally, Mr. Rimp is a member of Butler Lodge No. 8, Woodmen of the World.

LAWRENCE O. MARKEL, a well known business citizen of Evans City, Penna., is secretary of the Burry and

RESIDENCE OF CHARLES RIMP, SUMMIT TOWNSHIP

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Markel Company, an old and well estab- lished concern, dealing extensively in hard- ware and implements, vehicles, paints, etc. He is a native of Butler County, Penna., having been born on the old home farm in Forward Township, February 8, 1880. He is a son of Daniel and Mary A. (Helm) Markel, and grandson of Zeno and Susan (Stamm) Markel.

Zeno Markel, the grandfather, came to Butler County from Bucks County, Penna., when he was eighteen years of age, and first cleared a farm on Muddy Creek and later moved to a farm in Forward Town- ship. The latter years of his life were spent in retirement in Evans City, where he died at the age of eighty-three years. His widow survived him some years, dying at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. They were parents of the following chil- dren: Elizabeth, who was the wife of Jacob Zigler, both now deceased; Maria, wife of John Webber; Hannah, deceased; and Daniel.

Daniel Markel was the youngest of the family and was born in Forward Town- ship, Butler County, May 7, 1854. He en- gaged in farming on the home farm, which consists of 150 acres and now forms a part of his estate. In 1889, in order to secure better educational advantages for his chil- dren, he moved to Evans City, and some- time later engaged in the hardware busi- ness in partnership with L. N. Burry, under the firm name of Burry & Markel. In February, 1905, the business was incor- porated under the name of the Burry and Markel Company, and Daniel Markel served as president until his death, June 24, 1907. Mrs. Markel still resides in Evans City, and is surrounded by many friends of long years' standing. She was in maiden life Miss Mary A. Helm, daugh- ter of John Helm, an early-day blacksmith of Evans City. As a result of her marriage to Mr. Markel which occurred in 1879, the following children were born: Lawrence O .; Flora, wife of Victor A. Barnhart;

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 141

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