Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 154

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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of 164 acres in Donegal Township, Butler County, which he purchased some years ago at sheriff's sale.

In 1865 Bernard B. Sibert was married in Armstrong County to Miss Elizabeth Sibert, a daughter of Henry and Sarah Sibert, and she died leaving the following children: James, U. S. Grant, Nicholas, Levina, Catherine and Elizabeth, the last named being deceased. In 1878 he formed a second union with Miss Margaret A. Carney, a daughter of Andrew Carney, and ten children were born to them: Clara, Jessie, Florence, Flossie, Genevieve, Ed- ward, Marie, Bernard (deceased), and two who died in infancy. . Mr. Sibert is a char- ter member of McDermott Post, G. A. R., at Chicora, and also of the Union Vet- erans' Legion at Butler.

NELSON B. DUNCAN, postmaster and one of the representative citizens of Zelienople, has been a life-long resident of Butler County, Pennsylvania. He was born September 5, 1849, on the old Duncan homestead in Cranberry Township and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Caldwell) Duncan. The parents of our subject were both born in Allegheny County, Pennsyl- vania, the father's birth having occurred at Coal Hill.

The grandparents of Nelson B. Duncan spent their declining years in Pittsburg and were the parents of the following chil- dren: Robert, was a resident of Butler County, Pennsylvania, where his death oc- curred; David, was also a resident of But- ler County; James, who resided and died in Venango County, Pennsylvania, and Samuel, the father of Nelson B. Duncan. Samuel Duncan at an early age, came to Butler County with his parents, who set- tled on a farm in Cranberry Township, and he there spent the remainder of his life engaged in agricultural pursuits. He mar- ried Elizabeth Caldwell, whose death oc- curred in 1882, and the following children were born to them: Matilda, widow of

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Samuel Graham, is a resident of Cran- berry Township, Butler County; Mary, de- ceased; Elizabeth, widow of C. H. Taylor, is a resident of Bellevue, Allegheny County; Lewis, deceased, resided in Pitts- burg; Emmeline, is the wife of James Mc- Marlin, of Butler, Pennsylvania; Jolm, who died in the army, was a member of Company G, 131st Pennsylvania Cavalry ; A. G. Duncan, of Pittsburg; and Nelson, the subject of this sketch.

Nelson B. Duncan, after completing his education, which was obtained in the com- mon schools of this locality, followed farm- ing until 1901, when he removed to Zelie- nople, still retaining possession of the farm. In 1903 he was appointed postmas- ter of Zelienople and is still serving in that capacity. Mr. Duncan has taken an active interest in politics since early manhood and is an ardent supporter of the Repub- lican party. He is fraternally a Mason, being a member of Harmony Lodge, No. 429, and is also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias.

In 1870 Mr. Duncan was united in mar- riage with Susan O. Waldron, a daughter of Hon. W. S. Waldron, of Forward Town- ship, who served as county auditor of But- ler County and as a member of the Gen- eral Assembly. To Mr. and Mrs. Duncan were born the following children, namely : Alice M .; Alfred G., a dentist, residing in Zelienople; William Waldron, a plumber, residing in Zelienople; S. Blanche, who is employed in the postoffice; John C., who is married and resides in Glass, Ohio, where he has charge of an oil lease; Laura M., who married Edward Keck, of Alle- gheny, Pennsylvania, and resides in Pitts- burg, Pennsylvania; and A. Gertrude, who married Joseph Kavanaugh, and resides near Robison, Illinois.

JONATHAN B. HILLARD, a veteran of the great Civil War and a well known agriculturist of Allegheny Township, has resided on his present farm since 1866 and

is numbered with the substantial and rep- resentative men of this section. He was born April 14, 1828, in Venango Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of John and Jenette (McMillan) Hillard.

John Hillard was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and died in 1850. He was a son of G. H. Hillard, who was born in Ireland, and in early manhood set- tled in Lancaster County, afterwards com- ing to Butler County. He settled in Ve- nango Township fully 125 years ago and endured the privations and hardships that fell to the lot of the venturesome settlers in this section at that period. John Hil- lard grew to manhood on his father's pioneer farm and married Jenette McMil- lan, who was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and they had twelve chil- dren born to them, four of whom still re- main, namely: Jonathan B .; Elizabeth, who is the widow of Joseph Wiles, of Eau Claire, Venango Township; and Martha and Daniel R., both of Venango Township. The family has a fine military record, the grandfather having served in the Revolu- tionary War; the father in the War of 1812, in which he fought under Perry in the naval battle on Lake Erie; and Jona- than B., in the Civil War, three successive generations testifying to their patriotism.

Jonathan B. Hillard lived on the old homestead and followed farming there prior to July 16, 1863, when he enlisted in Company H, Sixty-second Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until July 4, 1864, when the regi- ment was discharged, as its term of enlist- ment had expired. On July 4, 1864, he re- enlisted, entering Company C, One Hun- dred and Fifty-fifth Regiment, Pennsyl- vania Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until the war closed, his whole serv- ice being in the Army of the Potomac. He participated in numerous battles, includ- ing Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Rap- pahannock Station, Mine Run, Boydstown, Plank Road, the Wilderness, Spottsyl-

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vania, North Anna, Tolopotomy, Bethseda Church, Hatcher's Run, White Oak Road, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon Rail- road, Five Forks, and Appomattox, be- sides others, and was five times wounded. He was honorably discharged July 27, 1865, having been a witness of General Lee's surrender to General Grant. He has been a resident of Allegheny Township since the year following the close of his military service. His two brothers were also in the army.

On January 18, 1861, Mr. Hillard was married to Miss Catherine Logue, who died November 3, 1904. She was a daughter of James Logue, once a prominent resident of Clarion County. The children born to this union were: George E., who resides at Sebastopol, California; Jonathan B., who resides at Verona, Pennsylvania; Thomas R., who is a physician at Duncanville, Pennsylvania; Annie, who is the wife of George W. Brown, of San Francisco; Jen- nie, who is the wife of Charles Corbett, of Allegheny Township; Fred W., who lives at Emlenton; Mary and Lizzie, who reside with their father; and James H., the only one deceased. He was the second child and second son. On the maternal side this family can take pride also in their loyal ancestry. The great-grandfather, John Logue, was a soldier under General Washington at Valley Forge; and his son, James Logue, the grandfather, was with Commodore Perry in the battle of Lake Erie, in 1812. The military services of the father, Mr. Hillard, came next and even they do not close the record, for one of the latter's sons, Dr. Thomas R. Hillard, served two terms as a member of the Six- teenth Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guards, being an officer during a part of this time and participating in the suppres- sion of the Homestead riots. Mr. Hillard takes a hearty interest in the Samuel J. Rosenberry Post, Grand Army of the Re- public, at Eau Claire. In politics he is identified with the Republican party, and

for seventeen consecutive years has served as a member of the Allegheny Township School Board. For many years he has been united with the Methodist Episcopal Church at Eau Claire and has belonged to its official board.

EDWIN ZEHNER, deceased, formerly a representative citizen of Zelienople, where he was engaged in the furniture business, was born August 21, 1839, in the city of Philadelphia, within a few days after his parents had reached the United States from the family home in Alsace- Lorraine, Germany, where his father and grandfather had been men of prominence. His father's name was Frederick, who in- termarried with a Miss Balliet, his wife being of a very wealthy family. Shortly after their arrival, the family settled on a farm in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and Edwin was given the limited public school education afforded by the country schools, six months in a year, until he was twelve years old; the hard work incident to clearing up the farm required the com- bined efforts of the family. Very much curtailing his educational privileges, at the age mentioned he was deprived of both father and mother and forced to depend on relatives for whom he worked to obtain a livelihood. In early manhood he learned the carpenter and cabinet trade with a Mr. Halstein at Zelienople and in 1865 he en- tered into the furniture and undertaking business for himself at Zelienople, where two of his sons are yet located. He lived a long and busy life meeting with ample re- turns for his industry and frugality. Be- ginning with practically no capital, work- ing patiently on, adding each year to his possessions and also to his friends and cus- tomers, his inborn business ability, with the aid of practical experience, asserted itself and placed him the head and pro- prietor of one of the largest enterprises of its kind in the county. When he was ready to retire from active management,

EDWIN ZEHNER

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he had sons whom he had trained to do the same work and who were capable of carry- ing it successfully on. In 1896 the present commodious three-story brick building was erected on the old site and the larger and more convenient quarters gave opportunity for more extensive operation. The busi- ness he founded, now carried on by his sons Alfred G. and F. Edward, has taken its place as the largest and most modernly equipped of any of its kind in the county.

Edwin Zehner died June 18, 1907, at which time he was probably the most wide- ly-known man in private life in Western Pennsylvania. In politics he was a stanch Democrat, and during nearly the whole of his life held important offices in the admin- istration of borough affairs, and is said to have occupied the office of burgess oftener than any other individual. He was an ex- emplary member of the German Lutheran Church of Zelienople. He married Sophia Schmidt, a daughter of Peter and Mary (Dumbaugh) Schmidt, who still survives him. They had the following children : Ma- tilda, wife of W. A. Hartzel of Rochester, Penna .; Mary, wife of L. N. Burry of Evans City, Penna .; Laura, now deceased, intermarried with Rev. E. T. Butz; Hanna, wife of N. M. Wise of Zelienople, Penna .; Alma, wife of Audley A. Hutchison of Wil- kinsburg, Penna .; Alfred G. and F. Ed- ward, who are continuing the business founded by their father at Zelienople, and Gilbert F., an attorney at Pittsburg. The three sons have followed the example of their father in advocating the principles of Democracy and are all identified with the Masonic fraternity, being members of the Harmony Lodge No. 429, of which Gilbert F. was the youngest worshipful master of a Masonic Lodge in the State of Pennsyl- vania at the time of his incumbency. Al- fred G. Zehner married Miss Hazel Rich- ardson, who was born in Butler County and is the daughter of the late Dr. M. M. Richardson of Prospect; F. Edward is un-

married, and Gilbert F. married Miss Marie Allen, daughter of the late Dr. Alex- ander Allen of Pittsburg.

With the death of Mr. Zehner his chil- dren lost a father whose love for them was enriched by the tenderest care and the greatest kindness; Christianity in its broadest sense lost a firm believer and the community an earnest friend.

H. C. HINDMAN, who has conducted a drug store in West Sunbury, Butler County, Pennsylvania, since 1891, is a prosperous business man and progressive citizen, one who has done his utmost in the advancement of the best interests of the borough.

Mr. Hindman was born on his father's farm in Cherry Township in 1866, and is a son of Robert S. and Ann Jane (Camp- bell) Hindman. He was reared on the farm and completed the prescribed course in the public schools of his home vicinity. He entered the drug trade in 1891 at West Sunbury, and later pursued a course of study in the Pittsburg College of Phar- macy, from which he was graduated April 18, 1895. His patronage is drawn from a large territory surrounding the borough, and his success has been most gratifying. He is secretary of the school board of West Sunbury and is health officer for three townships-Clay, Concord and Cherry.

Mr. Hindman was first married to Miss Myrta McCandless, a daughter of W. H. and Harriet McCandless, of Center Town- ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, June 16, 1898. She died in May, 1903, being sur- vived by her husband and one daughter, Jean Harriet. Mr. Hindman formed a second marital union with Miss Sarah Stewart, daughter of Levi and Charlotte Stewart, of West Sunbury, Pennsylvania, September 25, 1906, and they reside in a comfortable home in the borough. In re- ligious faith and fellowship he is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church.

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ROBERT IVELL is the owner of a fine farm of eighty acres in Marion Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, but is now living in retirement after many years of activity. He was born in a small place known as Round Thorn, Oldham Town- ship, Lancashire, England, on May 31, 1844, and is a son of Reese and Susanna (Bardsley) Ivell.

Reese Ivell was born and reared in Eng- land, and there engaged in coal mining. He made two trips to America during his older days, but having a natural prefer- ence for his native land, returned to Eng- land, where he died. He married Susanna Bardsley, who died in 1894, at the age of seventy-five years. They were parents of : Robert, Harry, James, Will, Mary Ann, Emma, and Henrietta.

· Robert Ivell was the only one of his father's family to locate in America. He started to school at the age of two years and continued until his seventh year, when he went to work in a cotton factory. He continued at that until he was ten, then worked in a coal mine until he reached his majority. In 1866 he left England for the United States, landing in New York after a voyage of eighteen days. Three days after his arrival he went to Ashland, in Schuylkill County, New York, and worked at coal mining until the thirteen weeks' strike of 1868. He then worked at the trade of a stone cutter in Pittsburg, being employed on the wall at the foot of Mt. Washington. In July of that year he re- sumed mining in the employ of W. L. Scott, for whom he worked some ten years. He next mined one year at Lone Pine, in Washington County, Penna., after which he was in the nursery business at Beaver Falls for one year. He moved to Cherry Township, Butler County, and mined coal one year, then in 1876 went to Venango County and purchased property near Clin- tonville. He sold coal there until .1881, then disposed of that property to H. Sur- rena, from whom he purchased fifty acres

of his present farm in Marion Township. To this he added thirty acres in 1933, purchasing a tract from Eli Van Dyke. He has retired from farm work, his eldest son working the place with success. In 1901 oil was struck on the place, and he now has fifteen good producing wells. He has a well improved property, most of the improvements being made since he located upon it. He is a Republican in politics, and has frequently been called upon to serve the township in official capacity. His first presidential vote was cast for Grant, and he has consistently voted the ticket of his party since that time.

Mr. Ivell was married October 4, 1863, to Miss Emma Johnson, who was born in England and who died in Pennsylvania in 1873. Seven children were born to them, all of whom died young except John, who lives on the home place. Mr. Ivell formed a second union in October, 1877, with Eliz- abeth Gillgrist, who died in 1890, at the age of fifty-two years. This union re- sulted in the birth of one son, Willie, who died at the age of two years. On Decem- ber 9, 1890, he was married a third time to Miss Sarah H. Sergeant, a daughter of Robert and Ann (Atkinson) Sergeant, and they became parents of the following: Harry B .; William R .; James O .; Su- sanna; Mary Ann; Robert E. and Benja- min F. Religiously, they are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and take a very active part in church work. He has served as class leader and Sabbath school superintendent.

ANDREW G. CAMPBELL, who was formerly one of Butler County's useful and valued citizens, and who served effi- ciently for a number of years as sheriff of the county, was born on the old Camp- bell homestead in Concord Township, But- ler County, Penna., July 1, 1842, and died in his native county in 1907. His parents were Alexander and Eliza (Jamison) Campbell.

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The Campbell family has long been well and favorably known in Butler County. It originated in Scotland and in all probabil- ity was established in this section of Pennsylvania by the grandfather of the subject of this memoir.

Alexander Campbell, father of Andrew G., was born in Butler County, April 13, 1813. In 1837 he bought a farm in Con- cord Township on which he lived for over thirty-five years, or until 1873. He then purchased the farm at Mt. Chestnut, which was his place of residence subsequently until his demise, the latter occurring November 12, 1877. In early days he was a Whig in politics but later became a Re- publican. In 1839 he was united in mar- riage with Eliza Jamison, who was a daughter of F. Jamison, of Butler County. Mrs. Campbell died December 3, 1883. There were three sons born to them- Joseph C., William T., and Andrew G .- of whom the eldest and youngest served in the Civil War. In August, 1861, Joseph C. Campbell enlisted in Company E, Thirty- first Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and before his young life was yielded up on the bloody field of Chickamauga he had participated in twenty-two battles. Alex- ander Campbell and wife were worthy and consistent members of the United Presby- terian Church.

Andrew G. Campbell was reared on his father's farm in Concord Township. A mill stood on the property and he im- proved the opportunity to learn the mill- ing trade, which he followed together with farming both before and after the Civil War. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Thirty- fourth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered into the service at Har- risburg. The regiment was ordered to Arlington Heights, and soon after Mr. Campbell took part with it in the battle of Antietam; after which he was detailed to serve with the supply train, and he con- tinued at that duty until he was honorably

discharged on June 16, 1865. He then re- turned to Butler County and resumed his former occupations of farming and mill- ing, becoming additionally interested in a mercantile business. This last-mentioned enterprise he continued to carry on at Mt. Chestnut, from 1868 until he moved to Brownsdale. Still later he moved to Boydstown. In 1893 he was elected sheriff of Butler County, assuming the duties of this important office on January 1, 1894. He continued therein for a long period serving with marked efficiency and justify- ing the confidence of his fellow citizens in the fullest measure. He was a man of sterling traits of character and of noted public spirit and there were few men more highly respected throughout the county.

On August 7, 1862, Andrew G. Campbell married Rachel J. Hutchison, a daughter of George H. Hutchison, a highly es- teemed citizen of Oakland Township. Mrs. Campbell is still a resident of Butler. The children born to Andrew G. Campbell and wife were named respectively, Alex- ander, Eliza A., Thomas A., William J., Charles F., and Millard H. Eliza A. mar- ried John H. Robb. The eldest son, Alexander Campbell, was elected sheriff of Butler County in 1905, the contest being a close one and his majority being forty- three votes. He was married in Novem- ber, 1904, to Sarah A. Sweeney, who is a daughter of John Sweeney, of Butler County. Sheriff Campbell is an Odd Fel- low of high standing.

FRED J. HAMILTON, superintendent and stockholder of the Standard Coal Mining Company and superintendent, sec- retary and stockholder of the Mutual Coal Mining Company, at Argentine, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is a man of prom- inence and has achieved a distinct business success. He was born at Brookfield, Trum- bull County, Ohio, December 22, 1855, and is a son of Henry and Sarah (Fitch) Hamilton, and a grandson of John Hamil-

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ton whose entire life was passed in Ire- land. His mother was descended from John Fitch, of steamboat fame.

Henry Hamilton, father of the subject of this record, was born in Ireland and was eighteen years of age when he came to the United States, taking up his resi- dence in Trumbull County, Ohio. His marriage with Sarah Fitch resulted in the birth of the following children: Fred J .; Harry, who married Miss Jennie Ray of Chicago, and who is in partnership with his brother in both of the coal mines above mentioned; Walter K., who married Flo- rence Struble, a native of Ohio and a daughter of James Struble; Jane, who lives in Mercer County, Pennsylvania; and Nellie, who is the wife of Robert Keeley of Mercer County, by whom she has two sons, Henry and Edwin.

Fred J. Hamilton received a superior educational training in Hartford Acad- emy, after which he spent four years in the West, owing to poor health. Upon his return to Pennsylvania, he first located in Jefferson County, then later moved to Butler County, where he became identified with the Boyer Coal Mine. In 1899 he became identified with the Standard Coal Mining Company at Argentine, and in 1905 with the Mutual Coal Mining Com- pany, which under the direction and man- agement of him and his brother, Harry, have developed into large and flourishing concerns, employing a large force of men.

Fred J. Hamilton was united in mar- riage with Miss Annie Hanley, a native of Jefferson County, and a daughter of Clemens Hanley of that county. The fol- lowing children have been born to them, and all are living at home: John C., Mary, Sarah, Alfred, Lester, Margaret, Nellie, and Tennie. Religiously, Mr. Hamilton is a member of the Christian Church; Mrs. Hamilton belongs to the Baptist Church. The former is a Repub- lican in politics, and is now completing his fifth year as a member of the school board.

He and his brother, Harry, are joint own- ers of 100 acres of land, on which have been erected some fifteen homes, which are occupied by miners.

ALBERT KUTSCH, proprietor of the Standard Mantel and Tile Company, with business office at No. 400 North Mckean Street, Butler, is the founder of this busi- ness, which is growing in importance, as the city is building finer and more artistic residences and public buildings. Mr. Kutsch was born June 21, 1872, in Ger- many. In his native land Mr. Kutsch learned the trade of cement work and set- ting tile, and after he came to America, in 1894, he followed it for a short time in Allegheny County, Penna. From there he went to Ford City, Penna., where he was employed in the general office of the Pitts- burg Plate Glass Company. Here he re- mained until 1904, when he came to Butler. He did his first work in this city on the Methodist Episcopal Church, which was so generally approved that he felt encour- aged to embark here in business. He ac- cordingly established the Standard Mantel and Tile Company, of which he is the sole proprietor. The business includes the setting of mantels and the execution of plain and ornamental tile work, and in both branches of the business Mr. Kutsch can show many artistic designs.

In 1895 Mr. Kutsch was married to Miss Katie Ganser, who also is a native of Ger- many. They have four children-Henry, Albert, Anna, and Elizabeth. They have a pleasant home at corner of Monroe and Locust Streets. Mr. Kutsch is a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church, in which he is also director of the choir. He is a man of considerable musical ability, being a skilled performer on the cornet, which he has played since he was fourteen years old. He holds the position of commissary sergeant of the military band of the Six- teenth Regiment, N. G. P. He aims to give each of his children a musical educa-

MR. AND MRS. ALFRED Z. PEFFER

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tion; his son Henry, now eleven years old, already plays the piano well, while Albert, nine years of age, is taking up the violin with every prospect-of making a good player. Thus the family has a refined and never-failing source of pleasure in the home, which can be appreciated fully by all those who have any musical knowledge or education.

ALFRED ZEIGLER PEFFER, who comes of a prominent family of Butler County, Pennsylvania, is the owner of a farm of 100 acres in Forward Township, where he resides. He was born July 11, 1856, on the farm settled by his grand- father, Gottlieb Peffer, in Lancaster Town- ship, Butler County, and is the son of John and Catherine (Zeigler) Peffer.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 154

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