Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 155

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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Gottlieb Peffer was born in Switzerland, and came to America when a young man, locating in Lancaster County, Pennsyl- vania, where he followed the trade of tailor. He was there joined in marriage with Rebecca Rice, with whom he subse- quently moved to Jackson Township, But- ler County, and settled near the town of Harmony. Shortly afterwards he pur- chased a farm. in Lancaster Township which he improved, and there he raised a family of nine children. He continued to follow his trade, leaving the clearing and cultivating of the farm to his sons. He and his wife lived the remainder of their days on the farm, which is still in the fam- ily name. They were the parents of the following children: Fred, who went to Oregon in search of gold about 1849, and died there; William; Gottlieb; John; Joseph; Frank; Emeline, wife of Peter Sheidemantle; Rebecca, wife of M. Zeig- ler; and Elizabeth, wife of Jacob Flem- ming.

John Peffer was born on the old home farm in Lancaster Township, Butler County, in 1830, and spent his boyhood days there, assisting in clearing the home- stead. After his marriage he rented the

home farm for three years, and then pur- chased of Daniel Zeigler a hundred acre tract in Jackson Township. In his young days he was a man of great physical strength, and it was a common task for him to cut the trees and split three hun- dred rails in a dav. He is a man of un- usual business ability, and has prospered beyond the average farmer. By his in- dustry he purchased two additional farms, one of eighty acres in Jackson Township, and another of one hundred acres in Lan- caster Township, adjoining the old home place. He was united in marriage with Catherine Zeigler, a daughter of Andrew Zeigler of Harmony, Butler County. An- drew Zeigler was born in Jackson Town- ship, Butler County, and was a descendant of Abraham Zeigler, who came from Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in 1814, and purchased the property of the Harmonites Society. Mr. and Mrs. Peffer became the parents of the following children: Alfred Zeigler, whose name heads this sketch; Mary, wife of I. M. Wise; and Elmer Z., a contractor of Wilkinsburg, Pennsyl- vania .. Mr. Peffer is now living in retire- ment in Zelienople, in the enjoyment of a well earned competency.

Alfred Z. Peffer, the subject of this sketch, was in infancy when his parents removed from Lancaster Township to Jackson Township. He grew to maturity on the home farm, attended the district schools of his township, and later attended Harmony Collegiate Institute, under Prof. John C. Tinsman. He received a teacher's certificate, but never entered that profes- sion. With the exception of one year which he spent in Kansas he lived at his parents' home until his marriage, then purchased the McDonald farm in Jackson Township. This farm consisted of eighty acres, which subsequently proved to be valuable oil territory. Later Mr. Peffer sold the farm to George Dambaugh and purchased his present farm of one hun- dred acres from Hon. D. B. Douthett in

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Forward Township. The dwelling house was standing at the time he purchased, but he has since erected a commodious barn, and made other improvements on the premises. He follows general farming along modern ideas, and has met with good results. March 16, 1886, he was mar- ried to Miss Adelia Dambaugh, a daughter of Frederick S. and Sarah (Davis) Dam- baugh, of Connoquenessing Township, Butler County. Frederick S. Dambaugh was the son of Frederick Dambaugh, who was born in Alsace-Lorraine, France, December 31, 1814, and came to this coun- try with his parents, Jacob and Barbara Dambaugh in 1832, and settled in Jackson Township. Subsequently the family be- came residents of Cranberry Township, Butler County. Frederick Dambaugh married Margaret Schmidt, and reared a family of ten children, of whom Freder- ick S. was the eldest. The latter married Sarah Davis, of Cranberry Township, and subsequently became a resident of Con- noquenessing Township. He was a pros- perous farmer and a useful citizen. Mr. and Mrs. Dambaugh were the parents of three children, viz .: Henry; Margaret, wife of Philip Schenck of New Kensing- ton, Pennsylvania; and Adelia, wife of Alfred Z. Peffer.

Mr. and Mrs. Peffer have two children, viz .: Howard F., born April 3, 1889; and John L., born February 5, 1893. The fam- ily are members of the Presbyterian Church of Middlesex Township, Mr. Peffer having served as a member of the board of trustees. He is a Republican in politics, and has served his township as treasurer, and as a member of the board of school directors. He was secretary of the board in 1908.

HENRY C. HEINEMAN was born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, June 13, 1828, and was the son of Daniel J. and Cath- erine A. (Roth) Heineman, natives of Ger- many. The family came to Philadelphia in

1835, and in 1838 came to Butler County, settling on a farm near the site of Great Belt, whence they removed to Allegheny, thence to Philadelphia, and later to Mc- Kean County. In 1842 they came again to this county and settled in the borough of Butler. When the family first located in this county, Henry C. worked in a confec- tionary in Butler, and soon after their re- turn here he entered the employ of William Campbell & Son, for whom he clerked for five years. In January, 1850, he was seized with the gold fever and went to California by the water route, worked in the mines until the following December, and then re- turned to his home. In March, 1852, he again went to California, crossing the plain to the Pacific slope, and remained working in the mines until June, 1856, when he again returned to Butler. In February, 1857, he embarked in the book and station- ery business at the corner of Main and Cunningham Streets, which he followed continuously up to 1900, when he retired. Mr. Heineman was married October 29, 1857, to Mary E. Coyle, a native of Ireland, who died in 1901. Seven children blessed this union, viz .: Catherine A., wife of W. W. Blackmore; Charles M .; Harry D .; William J .; Matilda R .; George E .; and Joseph A. Mr. Heineman and family are members of the Presbyterian Church. and politically are adhered to the Democratic party. Mr. Heineman has filled the office as school director, is a member of Conno- quenessing Lodge No. 278, I. O. O. F .. But- ler Lodge, No. 272, F. and A. M., the R. 1., the A. O. U. W., and the E. A. U. From the beginning of its history up to the pres- ent he has been prominent in the Volunteer Fire Department of Butler, and though on the retired list, is one of the oldest volun- teer firemen in the state.

CHARLES M. HEINEMAN. one of the editors of the Times, was born in the bor- ough of Butler, July 24, 1862. and is a son of Henry C. and Mary (Coyle) Heineman.

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He was educated in the public schools, and at Witherspoon Institute, and began life as a clerk in his father's store. During the period that he clerked in the store he de- voted his spare time to amateur journal- ism, and as early as 1881 had established one or more journalistic enterprises. He was one of the founders of the Times in 1884, and in connection with his brother, William J., has since been the editor of that paper. He has taken an active interest in the Democratic party, has been a member of the school board several terms from his ward, and was twice the choice of the Democratic party in the district for Con- gress. Mr. Heineman was married Novem- ber 26, 1885, to Ella, daughter of James H. Black, of Butler. Mrs. Heineman is a native of this county, and a member of the old family of that name of whom so many are known here in the trades and professions. They have two children, Henry N. and Charles C.

CHARLES E. HERR, proprietor of the Butler County Record, was born in Somer- set, Pennsylvania, February 21, 1850, and is the son of Joseph and Mary (Koontz) Herr. He was educated in the common schools of his town, but afterwards learned the printer's trade in the office of the Somerset Democrat. Subsequently he held the foremanship of the Somerset Herald. When the oil excitement was at its height in Petrolia in 1877, Mr. Herr established a job printing office at that place, and the same year he established the Petrolia Record. The publication of the Record was successfully continued until 1888, when he removed the plant to Butler and changed the title of the paper to the Butler County Record. Mr. Herr was married in May 25, 1882, to Emma B. Patterson, of Bridge- port, Ohio, and they have three children, namely : Mary, Edgar and Helen. The family are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and Mr. Herr has always been independent in politics.

JAMES O'HARA, a well known and influential citizen of Karns City, Butler County, Penna., is an oil producer and has met with a high degree of success in the prosecution of that work. He was born in Hastings County, Canada, November 30, 1852, and is the son of Philip and Margaret (White) O'Hara.

Philip O'Hara was born in Ireland and was brought by his parents to the United States in 1833. They settled in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, but he afterward. moved to Canada, and thence to Buffalo, New York. He was a veteran of the Civil War and lived to the age of seventy-four years, dying in 1892. He was four times married, the first time to Margaret White, mother of the subject of this sketch, she dying in 1854. Three sons were the issue of this union : John, Cyrus and James.

James O'Hara lived in Canada until he was nine years old, and was then taken to Buffalo, New York, where he lived a couple of years. He next lived in Venango County, Pennsylvania, where he continued until the oil excitement carried him to Karns City, in 1875. He had been through the village before, but did not locate until the date mentioned, since which time he has lived there continuously. He is a substan- tial man and is the owner of some property in Karns City.

In 1872 Mr. O'Hara married Miss Mary Stone, a daughter of Luther Stone, of Ve- nango County, and the following children were born to them, all being natives of But- ler County but the eldest: Charles, of Mc- Kee's Rocks, who was born in Venango County, Pennsylvania, and who married Martha June, by whom he has four chil- dren-Ruth, Martha, Byron and Ardelle; James, of Karns City, who married Sarah Brumage and has a daughter, Louise; Blanche, who is the wife of Louis Alabaugh of Karns City, and has three children- Dale, Paul and Dorothy; Clara, who mar- ried Harry Corbett of Bruin City and has two children, Geraldine and Gladys; Ho-

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mer; Bertha ; Ella; Mary. Mr. O'Hara has filled most of the local offices of Karns City, and has served as school director about a quarter of a century. Fraternally, he is a member of Karns City Lodge, No. 931, I. O. O. F.

JOHN B. CALDWELL, who is entering upon his duties as sheriff of Butler County, Pennsylvania, to which office he was elected in November, 1908, is a prominent resident of Jefferson Township, where he owns a valuable farm of 118 acres. He was born December 3, 1844, in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, but has been a resident of Jefferson Township since his childhood days, being in the true sense a product of Butler County.

Mr. Caldwell is a son of William and Sarah Jane (Beatty) Caldwell, and a grandson of Dr. Joseph Caldwell. The lat- ter was a native of County Antrim, Ireland, and upon coming to this country became one of the early settlers and pioneer phy- sicians of Washington County, Pennsyl- vania. He intermarried with the Smith family. William Caldwell was a farmer by occupation and early in life moved from Washington County to Armstrong County, and thence to Jefferson Township, Butler County. He was a prosperous business man and a progressive citizen who entered actively into the affairs of the community.

John B. Caldwell was reared on the farm he now owns and worked on the place for his father while in attendance at school in District No. 4, Jefferson Township. Dur- ing the Civil War he saw much hard service with the Army of the Potomac, serving some thirteen months under Colonel Barnes in the Fifty-sixth Regiment of Pennsyl- vania, and also in the Heavy Artillery. At the close of the war he returned to the farm, which he conducted with uninter- rupted success until January, 1909, when he removed to the borough of Butler to enter upon his duties as sheriff. Al- though he has long been active in politics

and aided largely in the success of his party, this is the first county office to which he has ever been elected. Proving himself an excellent campaigner and a very popu- lar man, he led the ticket in Butler County. He previously served as road commissioner and census taker, and frequently has been sent as delegate to the various conventions.

In November, 1866, Mr. Caldwell was joined in marriage with Miss Nancy J. Robinson, a daughter of Joseph and Han- nah (Ramsey) Robinson, and the following are the issue of their union: Clarence J., M. D., a practicing physician and a gradu- ate of Western University of Pennsyl- vania; William E., M. D., a graduate of Baltimore Medical College, who is prac- ticing his profession in Connecticut; Sadie (Zigler), who lives in Pittsburg; Marland, M. D., a graduate of the Western Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, who died in the thir- tieth year of his age; Ora J., who has suc- ceeded his father in the care of the home farm; and Laverne, who is in the employ of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway and makes his home at the old home place. Dr. Clarence J. Caldwell mar- ried Miss Mildred Buxton and they have two children, Clarence B. and Eleanor. Dr. William E. Caldwell married Miss Eva Root, by whom he has the following chil- dren: Howard, Mildred, Kenneth, Mar- land. Miss Sadie Caldwell married Zeno Zigler and has three children-Effie, Wal- ter and Olive. Ora J. Caldwell married Miss Temoy Taylor, by whom he had two children, Francis and Paul (deceased). Re- ligiously, Mr. Caldwell and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Butler, and are very active in church affairs.

WILLIAM CAMPBELL, who, during his long and active business career was connected with some of Butler's most im- portant business interests, and who at the time of his death was president of the But- ler Savings and Trust Company, was born

WILLIAM CAMPBELL

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in this city April 11, 1843, and was a son of William and Eliza Jane (Shaw) Camp- bell. The family of which he was a worthy representative was one of the pioneer fam- ilies of the borough.

William Campbell, Sr., was in former days one of the best known and most widely respected business men of this sec- tion, as he was also one of the most suc- cessful. He established the flourishing hardware firm, since carried on under the name of J. G. and W. Campbell. He had been prominently connected also with other business enterprises, including the Butler Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and the Butler Savings Bank, of which he was one of the founders. He was also interested in the oil industry. No citizen was more active in promoting whatever was for the welfare of the community in which he lived, cherishing high standards of civic duty. For some years he was a useful member of the school board. He belonged to the Presbyterian church, in which he worthily held different offices. William Campbell, Sr., died November 17, 1893, having attained the age of four score years. His first marriage was to Miss Clarissa Maxwell, who was a daughter of John Leslie Maxwell. She died in 1839. His second marriage was to Miss Eliza J. Shaw, who died April 21, 1892. She was a daughter of John Shaw, of Glenshaw, Allegheny County. Four children were the fruit of the second marriage-William, John S., James G., and Mary-the last mentioned of whom became the wife of Joseph A. Herron, of Monongahela, Penna.

William Campbell, the eldest child of his parents, received a liberal education, after leaving the public schools becoming a stu- dent at Witherspoon Institute and later at Washington and Jefferson College. For some time after finishing his studies he was engaged in the foundry business at Pittsburg-a business in which the Camp- bells have been interested for the past sixty years. In 1871 he returned to Butler, hav-

ing been elected in February of that year cashier of the Butler Savings Bank, which had just taken out a charter. This posi- tion he held for many years subsequently. Later he became president of the institu- tion, which under his management devel- oped into one of the most important financial establishments in this section of the state. When it was finally merged into the Butler Savings and Trust Com- pany, Mr. Campbell was continued as pres- ident and held that position at the time of his death. Almost to the end of his earthly existence he gave his close per- sonal attention to the business, even when too weak to leave the house keeping in- formed as to all its operations, and its marked success was due in large measure to his wise and able direction. With him were associated in its management an able corps of assistants and directors, all men of the highest business standing. At the time of his death Mr. Campbell was the largest stockholder in the bank.

He was also a member up to the time of his death, which took place July 27, 1907, of the hardware firm of J. G. and W. Campbell which firm, as above stated, suc- ceeded to the business established by the elder William Campbell in 1835. In addi- tion to these activities Mr. Campbell was interested in the oil industry, and was a stockholder and director in the Butler Light, Heat and Motor Company; also one of the board of directors of the Stand- ard Plate Glass Company, for years the largest manufacturing industry of the town, and of the Butler Land and Im- provement Company, the concern which is engaged in developing East Butler. He was also a stockholder in other local con- cerns and was always ready and willing to assist any concern that was likely to aid in the advancement and prosperity of the town.

He was extensively interested in the oil business and was a large owner of real estate. His advice was much sought for

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by the managers of the establishments in which he had interests. But although con- nected with so many various enterprises, he regarded the management of the bank as his life work and devoted to it his best energies and ripest powers, and its success is a lasting monument to his remarkable ability, which was equalled only by his inflexible integrity.

Of a deep religious nature, Mr. Camp- bell early in life united with the First Presbyterian Church. He took an active interest in the affairs of the congregation and at the time of his death was president of the board of trustees. He was of a charitable nature and his private benefac- tions were large, and were bestowed in a Christian spirit devoid of ostentation. His manner was kind and courteous, even genial, and he was a pleasant companion and a true friend. He died high in the respect of all who knew him and in their bereavement his family had the sympathy of all.

In his political views Mr. Campbell was a Democrat. He was a veteran of the Civil War, having enlisted in 1862 in Company K, 134th Pennsylvania Volunteers, with which regiment he saw active service at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chance]- lorsville.

Mr. Campbell was united in marriage June 11, 1889, to Miss Elizabeth Lusk, a daughter of the late Dr. Joseph S. Lusk, whose death took place February 2, 1889. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Campbell-William, Janet Douglass, and James Gilmore.

JOSEPH CRISWELL, justice of the peace at Lyndora, was born in Clinton Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. April 8, 1840, and is a son of James and Jane (Brownlow) Criswell.

in 1868, when eighty-two years of age. In crossing the Atlantic Ocean, his vessel was wrecked on the shores of Nova Scotia, but he was transferred to another ship which took him to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From there he walked to Pittsburg, and as he was poor, worked by the way, and later secured employment on a farm in Washing- ton County. There he remained for eight years, saving his money, and then bought 200 acres of land in Clinton Township, for which he paid $400. When the State sur- vey was made it was found that the tract contained 240 acres. It was wild land that he had to clear and he developed it into an excellent farm and prospered as a farmer and cattle-raiser. He married a daughter of John Brownlow, who came to America from County Derry, Ireland, when she was eleven years old, her parents being people of means for those days. Mr. and Mrs. Brownlow walked from the point where their baggage was deposited to Butler County, in order to save freight charges, but their daughter was weighed in with their other luggage and transported with it for $7.50 per 100 pounds. Nevertheless she grew to be something much more valu- able than freight, a good and faithful daughter and the beloved and honored mother of twelve children. Those who reached mature years were: William, re- siding at Allegheny; James, deceased; Le- titia, deceased, married Moses Marshall and they moved to Kansas; Thomas, resid- ing at West Elizabeth, Allegheny County ; Eliza, deceased, married John C. Norris, residing in Clinton Township; Joseph, of Butler County; Robert Ross, residing at Little Washington, Pennsylvania; and Su- san, the wife of John Burtner, residing at Butler. The parents of this family were worthy members of the Presbyterian Church.

James Criswell, father of Joseph, was Joseph Criswell was educated in the common schools of Butler County and re- mained at home to assist his father until born in County Derry, Ireland, where he remained until he was twenty-four years old. He died on his farm in Butler County, the opening of the great Civil War, of

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which he is an honored veteran. In 1861, under Captain Mclaughlin, he enlisted in Company H, One Hundred Second Regi- ment, Pennslyvania Volunteer Infantry, in which he served first for three and one-half years and after re-enlistment, until the close of the war. This regiment was one of the fifty to sustain the greatest losses in the struggle. After the battle of the Wil- derness, he was severely wounded and was absent from his company for six months on this account, and was given two veteran furloughs, a very unusual favor. He was honorably discharged in June, 1865.

After his return from the army, Mr. Criswell resumed farming, settling on a property in Butler Township which be- longed to his wife, and there he carried on a general farming and stockraising indus- try He has about eighty-two acres under fine cultivation. Mr. Criswell is a staunch Republican and in 1890 was elected clerk of the courts, having a majority of 955. He was re-elected in 1893 with a majority of 1,917. When he was elected a justice of the peace, in 1904, he came to Lyndora and has had his home in the village ever since. This office is one of considerable impor- tance. The influx of foreigners and their ignorance of American laws, together with their fighting proclivities, make much trou- ble which can only be adjusted through re- course to the various courts, and Justice Criswell finds little leisure, having some 800 cases in a year, the charges ranging from murder to petit larceny. The first large gas well in this section was drilled on Mrs. Criswell's farm. The gas was piped to Butler and was the first gas used in that city.

Mr. Criswell was married April 25, 1864, to Catherine S. Burkhart, a teacher in the public schools, and a daughter of Elijah Burkhart, of Butler Township. Her father was born January 12, 1801, in a log cabin, which stood within sight of the homestead on which she was subsequently born and reared in Butler Township. His parents,

John and Margaret Powell Burkhart, set- tled on a 400-acre tract of land about three miles south of the site of the present city of Butler, in the year 1796 or '97, coming from Allegheny County a newly married couple. Mrs. Criswell's father was their third son born there. He grew up, learned the carpenter's trade with George Wolf and helped build some of the first houses in Butler, few if any of which are now stand- ing. John Burkhart was a fearless, reso- lute man and a great hunter. When scarcely eleven years of age he was taken captive by Indians while driving the cow home, at or near Girty's Run, and remained a pris- oner for ten months. He escaped July 4th, 1776. Being asked by a big Indian if he heard any news, he said he had heard that independence had been declared. He was given a chance to regain his freedom by running, the Indians striking at him with their tomahawks as he went. He escaped, but received a wound on the left side of his head, the scar of which he carried to his grave, and which he often showed to his children and grandchildren as he related to them the story. He died April, 1855, at the age of ninety years. His wife, Marga- ret, whose maiden name was Powell, died in February, 1856, aged eighty-seven years.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 155

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