USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > Butler > Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175
Under the new law, which provided for the election of three commissioners to serve for three years and for minority rep- resentation on the board, the following were chosen at the fall election held in No- vember, 1875, and qualified on the first Monday of January, 1876, to serve until the first Monday of January, 1879: Rob-
ert Barron, J. T. Donaldson, and William A. Christy. Samuel McClymonds was ap- pointed clerk for the term of three years.
In March the dispute about the treas- urer's salary for the year was in progress, the board offering $2,250, believing that this was the legal interpretation of the court's decision in the matter. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court and that tribunal decided in favor of the treas- urer, fixing the salary on the percentage basis. In June, 1876, the removal of the old courthouse cupola was decided upon, and a new one fitted as a clock tower or- dered to. be constructed. The clock for this structure was not to cost more than $900, of which the county was to pay $300 and the borough of Butler $600.
In January, 1879, the board of commis- sioners was composed of J. C. Donaldson, James Gribben and Jonathan Mayburry. Samuel McClymonds was reappointed clerk, and H. W. Nichols was appointed janitor, or bell-ringer, to succeed the vet- eran janitor, John McCollough. Clarence Walker was reappointed counsel.
The board in 1882 was composed of Charles Cochran, George W. Hays and James Collins. At the election held in November, 1881, T. I. Wilson was chosen minority member of the board, but his death occurring prior to January, Collins was appointed to fill the vacancy. Samuel T. Marshall was appointed clerk and Thomas Robinson, attorney, and the com- mission of the treasurer, J. H. Miller, was fixed at four per cent. of all money paid out to the amount of $55,000, and one-half per cent. of any sum over that amount. The courthouse having burned down in December, 1883, the commissioners at a meeting held in March, 1884, levied a tax of five mills for county purposes and two mills for building purposes. In June of this year, Architect J. P. Bailey was al- lowed four per cent. for plans, specifica- tions and superintendence of the proposed new courthouse, and in August the pro-
110
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
ceeds of the insurance on the old building, amounting to $23,500, were set apart for the new building, together with about $19,- 500 from the duplicate tax list of 1884, and two mills per cent. on duplicate for en- suing six years. In December, 1884, the board authorized the issue of $65,000 in bonds in blocks of $6,000 annually, the in- terest not to exceed four per cent. The commissioners do not seem to have been unanimous on the bond proposition, as Mr. Collins voted against it. The contract for the erection of the courthouse was awarded to R. B. Taylor on the 2nd of December and on the 3rd of the month the sum of $21,933.33 was received from the insurance company, together with $329 interest.
An item of importance at this time was the order of Judge Hazen to have the old record book rebound and copies made of those that had been mutilated.
The commissioners who qualified on Jan- uary 5, 1885, were J. C. Bredin, John C. Kelly, and J. M. Turner. Robert N. Em- ery was appointed clerk in January, but resigned in March and was succeeded by F. M. Shira. Dr. Linn, who was appointed first county physician in 1879, was reap- pointed in 1885. S. F. Bowser was ap- pointed attorney. The principal business of the commissioners for the year was the completion of the courthouse, and routine office work. Gas was introduced as fuel in the public offices for the first time, and the commissioners seem to have had some doubt about the ultimate success of the venture, for they state in their records that the new fuel was taken on trial. Rob- ert N. Emery, who resigned as clerk in March, was afterwards appointed court- house watchman, and in February, 1886, Samuel T. Marshall was reelected clerk to succeed F. M. Shira. Nothing of impor- tance was recorded during the remainder of this term.
The new board, in January, 1888, was composed of A. J. Hutchison, John C. Kelly, and B. M. Duncan. Samuel T. Mar-
shall was reelected clerk, Newton Black attorney, and Samuel Graham jail physi- cian.
On January 7, 1889, Enos McDonald was chosen clerk to succeed Samuel T. Mar- shall, and on the 10th of January, 1890, John Humphrey was appointed commis- sioner to succeed John C. Kelly, who had resigned.
The board in 1891 was composed of John Humphrey, Samuel T. Marshall and J. C. Kiskaddon. On the 2nd of February, Isaac Meals was elected clerk, and served through the term of three years.
The board in 1894 was composed of S. W. McCollough, Richard Kelly, and George W. Wilson. Isaac Meals was re- elected clerk. Richard Kelly died in the latter part of July, 1895, and John Mitchell was appointed to fill the vacancy.
In January, 1894, the board of commis- sioners was composed of S. W. McCol- lough, Richard Kelly, and George W. Wil- son. The appointments made by the board were Isaac Meals, clerk; Adam Kamerer, janitor; J. M. Painter, attorney ; and Dr. J. W. Miller, jail physician. Dr. Miller died during the latter part of the year, and Dr. S. M. Bippus of Butler, was appointed to fill the vacancy, and reappointed in Jan- uary, 1895. There were no changes in the appointments in 1896 and the board closed its work in December of that year with a good record.
The board was organized in January; 1897, with John Mitchell, president; D. H. Sutton, secretary; and Harmon Seaton composing the third member of the board. J. C. Kiskaddon was appointed chief clerk and L. E. Shira, transcribing clerk ; George E. Robinson was appointed attorney, and Dr. S. M. Bippus was reappointed jail physician. Adam Kamerer was contin- ued as courthouse janitor in 1897 and 1898, and in January, 1899, Dr. J. W. F. Moore was appointed jail physician. Adam Kam- erer, the courthouse janitor, died in 1898, and was succeeded by Hugh Morgan.
111
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
The rebuilding of the county jail in 1898, the purchase of the county farm, and the erection of the buildings thereon, in 1899, occupied the attention of this board for a greater part of their time, and these duties were discharged with a fidelity that reflect much credit on the individual members of the board.
In January, 1900, the board was com- posed of John W. Gillespie, J. J. McGar- vey, and John A. Eichert. J. C. Kiskad- don was reappointed clerk, Porter Lowry attorney for three years, at a salary of $400 per year, and Hugh Morgan, janitor of the courthouse. The most important business transacted by the board during the year was the completion of the build- ing at the County Home, and the installing of the inmates. In January, 1901, the board appointed Joseph Graham superin- tendent of the County Home at an annual salary of $500, Mrs. Joseph Graham, ma- tron, at a salary of $300, and Dr. A. M. Neyman, physician, at. an annual salary of $225. The tax levy for this year was four and three-fourths mills for county purposes, and one and three-fourths mills for the expenses of the poor district, and the payment of bonds and interest on the County Home.
On June 25th, 1902, Solomon Dunbar was appointed commissioner to fill the va- cancy caused by the death of John W. Gil- lespie.
The commissioners who qualified on the 1st of January, 1903, were James L. Pat- terson, Robert McClung, and Greer Mc- Candless. The appointments made by the board at their first meeting were as fol- lows: E. L. Ralston, attorney for the term of three years, at an annual salary of $400; J. C. Kiskaddon was reappointed clerk at a salary of $800 per year; E. A. McPherson, janitor of the courthouse; Dr. L. R. Hazlett, jail physician, and Miss Laura B. McClung and Mary J. Patterson, transcribing clerks.
Dr. A. M. Neyman was reappointed phy-
sician of the County Home, and the salary increased to $400 per year; Joseph Gra- ham was reappointed superintendent, Mrs. Graham, matron, and Miss Mary Graham, assistant matron. S. M. Wright was ap- pointed engineer.
In January, 1904, Dr. L. R. Hazlett was appointed physician to the County Home at a salary of $400 per year; Howard Gra- ham was appointed farmer at a salary of $25 per month; Jennie Wilson, laundress at a salary of $5 per week; Sadie English, cook, at a salary of $1 per day ; and S. M. Wright was continued as engineer. Dr. W. B. Clark was appointed jail physician, and Miss McClung and Miss Patterson were continued as transcribing clerks in the commissioners' office.
On the 2nd of January, 1905, the com- missioners in the minutes of their meeting noted the death of Robert McClung, one of their members. On the 14th of the month John T. Kelly was appointed to fill the vacancy.
James Scott was appointed farmer at the County Home and Edward Sloan was continued as engineer. With these excep- tions the officials appointed the previous year were continued. On account of the increased clerical work in the commission- ers' office, caused by the county poor dis- trict and the County Home, the salary of the commissioners' clerk was increased this year to $950.
William Seibert, N. S. Grossman, and . G. F. Easley qualified as commissioners in 1906, and composed the board at the close of 1908. The appointments made by the board in January, 1906, were Robert K. Grossman, clerk; James B. McJunkin, at- torney; Dr. McCurdy Bricker, physician to the County Home; Dr. W. J. Grossman, jail physician ; Laura McClung, Irene Eas- ley, and Emma Seibert, transcribing clerks in the commissioners' office; E. A. McPherson, janitor of the courthouse; and Harry Grieb, caretaker of the courthouse clock. The appointment of superintend-
112
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
ent of the County Home was passed over until February 1, and O. W. Stoughton was appointed superintendent at a salary of $650 per year, and Mrs. O. W. Stough- ton, matron, at a salary of $350. Dr. Mc- Curdy Bricker died in the early part of 1908, and Dr. J. C. Caldwell was appointed physician to the County Home to fill the vacancy.
A large amount of business was trans- acted by the board of commissioners dur- ing the term, including the repairs on the courthouse, a large amount of bridge work, and the macadamizing of a number of pub- lic roads under the direction of the State Highway Department. The first petition for improved roads under the new law was filed with the county commissioners March 6, 1906, and was for a road in Mercer Township, but the first work done was on the Three Degree Road leading from the Plank Road to Bredinville, south of Butler, in. 1906. Since that time the Franklin Road has been completed in Center Town- ship, a road to Buffalo Township, two roads in Mercer Township, a road from Valencia to the Allegheny County line, and three miles of the Butler and New Castle road in Butler Township. The record of the present board is one of hard work and a faithful performance of their public duty.
Previous to 1890 the county commission- ers were paid a salary of $2.50 per day, for each day they were actively engaged in the duties of their office. In the latter year the General Assembly passed an act increasing the pay of these officers to $3.50 per day, and in 1906 a new act went into effect which fixed the salary of the com- missioners at $1,200 per year.
1804 AND 1908 COMPARED.
The tax duplicates issued by the county commissioners in April, 1804, amounted to $1,475.81, distributed among the four townships. In 1905, the tax levy amounted to $2,798.021%, distributed among the thir-
teen townships, as shown in the table given in this chapter. In 1906, the number of taxables given in the county was 1,644, and the tax levy was $4,116.30, distributed among the thirteen townships as given in the table published in 1906. The total val- uation of taxable property is not given in any of the transactions of the commis- sioners' office, but it did not exceed $400,- 000 during any of these years.
In the table given below will be found the number of taxables, the total value of all taxable property, the amount of money at interest, and the value of all taxable real estate in the county, given by town- ships, for the year 1908. It must be re- membered, however, that the valuation of real estate for taxable purposes in the county rarely exceeds 50 per cent. of the market or cash value, and that the real value of the real estate in the county ap- proximates forty-six to fifty million dol- lars. The table below is taken from the return made by the county commissioners to the secretary of the commonwealth in 1908 :
-1908 .-
Number of Tax- ables.
Total Value of all Taxable Property.
Money at
Value of all Real Estate Taxable.
Adams Tp
412 $
420,260
$
132,830 $
395,076
Allegheny Tp.
339
294,819
22,544
266,722
Buffalo Tp ...
425
516,243
55,262
493,306
Butler Tp.
1,028
905,259
127,986
846,955
Brady Tp.
187
178,978
30,667
167,608
Clinton Tp.
326
470,730
70,031
442,542
Clay Tp ...
444
418,235
63,114
287,107
Center Tp
310
414,687
32,730
388,836
Clearfield Tp.
316
343,042
32,237
322,809
Cherry Tp ..
349
315,055
32,102
293,203
Cranberry Tp. Connoqueness i n g Tp.
310
466,724
164,514
442,603
Concord Tp.
437
430,648
146,960
391,723
Donegal Tp.
453
355,749
59,340
326,809
Forward 'Tp ..
353
421,029
211.791
400,329
Fairview Tp.
494
378,412
77,660
342,844
Franklin 'Tp.
311
349,174
39,843
325,451
Jefferson Tp.
429
531,907
127,574
496,855
Jackson Tp.
424
489.524
133,855
456,777
Lancaster 'Tp. . Marion Tp ..
330
266,926
36,127
246,098
Mercer Tp.
219
220,791
41,916
200,139
Middlesex Tp.
427
492,511
216,229
449,396
Muddy Creek Tp ..
258
296.161
9,413
281,864
Oakland Tp. .
342
372,031
72,255
353.033
Penn Tp ..
545
529,761
202,343
480,821
Parker Tp.
338
283.037
21,534
260,315
Summit Tp.
520
541,148
113,898
509,613
Slippery Rock Tp ..
486
437,335
39,437
397,885
Venango Tp ..
464
307,765
39,099
274,758
Washington Tp. ..
563
428,310
78,670
383,315
295
351.702
49,442
329,406
345
360,782
87,084
335,770
Interest.
113
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Winfield T'p.
481 275
538,849 398,426
159,902
Worth 'Tp ...
Butler Borough .. .
7,916
8,687,412
1,724,669
Bruin Boro ..
188
90,527
24,184
75.008
Connoqueness i n g Boro.
121
89,775
17,941
78.550
Callery Boro.
124
53,412
2,735
45,435
Evans City Boro. .
441
266,727
193,281
231,237
Eau Claire Boro. .
124
79,526
17,103
68,390
Fairview Boro ... .
106
42,384
20,574
34,474
Harmony Boro ...
263
163,418
84,615
143,293
Harrisville Boro. .
150
88,579
144,153
73,830
Karns City Boro ..
125
51,560
21,620
44,064
Chicora Boro .. . ..
298
214,543
293,008
177,150
Mars Boro ..
455
354,773
106,910
320,853
Prospect Boro. ...
163
86,745
69,066
73,710
Portersville Boro.
66
61,136
22,803
54,176
Petrolía Boro ....
141
61,001
27,819
48,821
Slip pery Rock Boro.
304
210,769
171,105
182,702
Saxonburg Boro. .
161
126,213
124,958
113.248
Valencia Boro.
105
78,380
36,447
72,995
West Sunbury
Boro. .
..
100
66,638
18,980
58,855
West Liberty
78
62,889
7,382
57,447
Zelienople Boro .. .
465
393,271
235,220
357,941
Total
25,229 $24,855,792 $6,456,566 $23,119,696
The number of acres of cleared land in the county in 1908, 398,903; number of acres of timber land, 77,316; value of real estate, exempt from taxation, $1,806,815; number of horses and mules, 10,624; value of horses and mules, $577,208; number of neat cattle, 11,480; value of neat cattle,. $207,773; value of salaries and emoluments of office, $971,115; value of stages and omnibuses, $4,142; amount of tax assessed for county purposes in 1908, $99,425; ag- gregate amount of state tax assessed, $25,842.
COMMISSIONERS' CLERKS.
On the 16th of November, 1803, David Dougal was appointed clerk to the county commissioners and served until January, 1808; since that time the following ap- pointments have been made: Walter Low- rie, 1808-9-10 and 11; Robert Scott, 1812- 13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20; Thomas McCleary was appointed in 1821 and his salary fixed at $100 for the year; Robert Scott was again appointed in 1822 and 1823; John Welsh in 1824; William Gibson in 1825; Campbell Purviance in 1827; Christian Mechling, 1828 and 1829; Mechling re- signed February 17, 1829, and Nelson Pur- viance was appointed at a salary of $50;
1830-31 and 32 Nelson Purviance filled the appointment, beginning at a salary of $90 per year, which in the latter year was in- creased to $1 per day; William Campbell was appointed for the years 1833-34 and 35. His salary was at first $70 per year, the second year it was $1 per day, and the third year $1.25 per day. Jacob Zeigler was appointed in 1836; George W. Zeig- ler in 1840; William Timblin, 1841; A. S. McBride, 1842-43-44; John Bredin, Jr., 1845; George W. Crozier in 1847; James A. McNair, 1851; John Sullivan, 1851-52 and 53; Thomas Robinson, 1854; Samuel Marks, 1855-56-57; S. P. Irvine, 1858; W. S. Jack, 1861; John Niblock was appointed in the latter part of 1861 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Jack. In the early part of 1862 Niblock resigned and Harvey Colbert was appointed; Colbert was reappointed in 1863-64-65-66; George Kneiss, 1867 and 68; in 1869 Thomas B. White. White resigned April 8, 1871, to become postmaster of Butler, and William Spear was appointed to fill the vacancy. Spear died in December, 1872, and J. B. McQuistion was appointed for the re- mainder of that year and for 1873. Eli Cratty in 1874 and 75; I. S. P. De Wolf was appointed February 13, 1875, and on May 21 J. B. Storey was appointed; Samuel McClymonds, 1876-77-78-79-80 and 81; Samuel T. Marshall 1882-83 and 84; Rob- ert N. Emery, 1885, resigned in March and F. M. Shira was appointed. Samuel T. Marshall, 1886-87 and 88, resigned in De- cember and Enos McDonald was ap- pointed; 1889, and 1890, Enos McDonald; 1891-92-93-94-95 and 96, Isaac Meals; 1897-98-99-1900-1-2-3-4-5, J. C. Kiskaddon; 1906-7 and 1908, Robert K. Grossman.
CONSCIENCE MONEY.
"Happy is the man that keeps a good conscience." The following incident is re- lated by Rev. Loyal Young, deceased, in his book entitled "From Dawn to Dusk,"
38,599
506,018 379,017 8,234,599
Boro.
114
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
and which is a record of events that hap- pened in a busy life of fifty years, most of which was spent in Butler. Rev. Young was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Butler from 1832 to 1867, and the incident that he relates happened in 1850. On his way to prayer meeting on the evening of May 29th of that year, he passed the postoffice and received a letter post marked Cincinnati. The letter was written with a pen, but in imitation of print. On opening the letter Rev. Young found enclosed bank bills amounting to $240. The following note, also in imita- tion of print, was attached to the bill: "Rev. Loyal Young, I am told you are an honest man. This money belongs to the county of Butler. Pay it to the county treasurer." There was no name signed to the note and no way of identifying the per- son who had sent the money. Rev. Young held the matter under advisement and the following day he handed the money to the county commissioners as the proper medium through which to put it in the pos- session of the treasurer. The commission- ers afterwards handed Rev. Young $10 as · a donation for his services in helping to save the county the money. Rev. Young accepted the money .with reluctance, but never felt satisfied that he had done so, and his own mind was never completely at ease until he had paid back the money to the county treasurer with interest. He ar- gued in his own mind thus: "If this $240 belongs to the county, it all belongs to the county; and though the commissioners have a right in the circumstances to make a donation, the receiver can hardly be jus- tified in retaining a dollar of what the sender of the money desired to go to the county." In writing about the circum- stance Rev. Young concludes with these words: "When a dishonest act has been secretly perpetrated and restitution made, why need any one know it but the perpe- trator and his all seeing Maker?"
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
COURTHOUSES.
From the organization of the county un- til 1807 the business of the courts was transacted in rented quarters. The ses- sions of the court were held in a log build- ing that stood on the south side of the Dia- mond on the present site of the Nixon Hotel, and the court records and dockets were kept at various houses in the town. In 1807 a brick courthouse was built on the site of the present building. It was a plain, but substantial building, having east and west gables and a wooden cupola in the center of the roof, in which was hung a bell, which is said to be still doing duty upon one of the churches in Prospect. The original building was in the form of a rect- angle and stood on the property line, fac- ing the east. North and south wings were added, which were used for the county of- fices. The courtroom was on the first floor and was paved with brick. The bar was separated from the audience room by a high wooden partition and a rail that was almost the height of a man's head. The furniture was plain and substantial as be- fitted the time. The north wing of the building was divided into two offices, the one facing Main Street, being occupied by the county commissioners, and that in the rear by the registrar and recorder. These offices had an entrance from Main Street and from the North Diamond. The south wing was divided in the same way, the front office being occupied by the prothono- tary, and that in the rear by the sheriff. In addition to the Main Street and Dia- mond Street doors, the sheriff's office had a door that opened into. the court room inside of the bar. In the rear of the build- ing was a large yard with a brick wall around it, about eight or nine feet high. This yard was paved with brick and con- tained the coal house and a number of small outbuildings. The second floor of
U. P. CHURCH, EAU CLAIRE
HOME OF ALEXANDER HUNTER IN IRELAND
-
WALDORF HOTEL AND BARN, EVANS CITY
LOWRY HOUSE
LOWRY HOUSE
--
LOWRY HOUSE, BUTLER
FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE-BUILT IN 1808 (On So. Mckean St.)
117
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
the main building was divided into four apartments for the use of the grand jury, jury rooms and waiting rooms. This building was used for school purposes in its early history until school buildings could be provided in the borough. It was also frequently used for holding relig- ious services by congregations without a regular house of worship of their own, and for holding Sunday schools which were or- ganized at an early date.
The records of the county commission- ers show that on January 6, 1807, the con- tract for erecting this building was let to Alexander Hill, and that from February 7, 1807, to September 8, 1809, he was paid the sum of $4,793.34, less $325.27 deducted by the referees for arbitrators to whom the differences between himself and the commissioners were submitted. A num- ber of disbursements were made in 1824 for doors in the jail and courthouse, glaz- ing windows and placing extra irons in and around the jail. Just when the north and south wings were built, it is not defi- nitely known, but old residents of the town who can remember something about the first courthouse say that they were not built until some time after the original building was erected.
This building answered the purposes of the county until 1851, when the question of erecting new public buildings in Butler was presented to the county. As has always been the case when extensive improve- ments were suggested, the proposition met with some opposition on the part of the tax-payers. The fact that the public build- ings of the county were not located near its geographical center had been the cause of complaint on the part of some of the residents in the country districts, and on January 26, 1852, the opponents of the scheme to rebuild the courthouse met at the Associate Reformed Church near West Sunbury, and organized by electing John Murrin president, Thomas C. Thompson, Capt. James Stewart, Robert McCandless,
John Prior, William Carothers, Alexander Gallagher, vice-presidents, and George Boyd, J. W. Christy, S. S. Mahard, Allen Wilson and Patrick McBride, secretaries. A series of resolutions were adopted, the gist of which was that were new buildings to be erected, the center of the county should be selected, and the commissioners should be empowered to purchase a tract of land in such central position, and plot the area not required for public purposes into lots. The friends of this proposition saw in it an easy method of obtaining new buildings without increasing taxation; but they did not consider the vested interests of the people of Butler. This removal of the public building to the center of the county would have located the county seat at or near the present site of Holyoke Church in Center Township, the location originally selected by the committee ap- pointed by the governor of the state in 1800 to locate the county seats of the new counties that had been erected that year, but which was changed to Butler at the suggestion of the Cunninghams.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.