Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 163

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 163

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Mr. Hoover was married, April 5, 1877, to Miss Mary Andre, a daughter of Mi- chael and Elizabeth (Ellenberger) Andre, old residents of Fairview Township. She died February 26, 1901, leaving four chil- dren, as follows: Margaret (Dally) ; Wil- helmina; Edith, who died November 5, 1903; and Oscar. Maggie Hoover was mar- ried in June, 1902, to Gustave Dalley of this township, and they have three chil- dren, Reinhold, Henry and Wilhelmina. In religious faith and fellowship, Mr. Hoover is a member of the German Lutheran Church at Chicora. He is a man of high principles and has many friends.

ROBERT S. HINDMAN, a veteran of the Union Army during the Civil War, is a highly respected citizen of West Sunbury and is at the present time rural mail car- rier of that borough. He also is owner of a fine farm of 200 acres in Cherry Town- ship, which he rents. He was born on that farm, located two miles north of the bor- ough, August 30, 1841, and is a son of John and Eliza (Shryock) Hindman. His grand- father was Robert Hindman, an early set- tler here.

Robert S. Hindman was reared on the farm in Cherry Township and attended the public schools. He early responded to the call to arms during the war, enlisting June 10, 1861, as a member of Company C,

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Eleventh Regiment Pa. Vol. Reserves, for three years' service. He was mustered out at Pittsburg on June 17, 1864. Early in life he turned his attention to farming, which he always followed until his removal to West Sunbury, except for three years spent in the mercantile business at Moni- teau, Cherry Township, where he owned a half interest in a store, and the time spent in the army. He moved to the borough in December, 1896, renting his farm on shares, and since 1906 has been a rural mail carrier. He is one of the progressive spirits of the community and has always been found in support of those measures calculated to bring about public improve- ments.

Mr. Hindman was first married to Ann Jane Campbell, by whom he had six chil- dren, all of whom are living: H. C. Hind- man, the druggist at West Sunbury ; Rhoda L .; Sarah Belle, wife of N. G. Glenn; De- Loss L., manager of the Phoenix Milling Company; Kate, widow of Ross Sproul; and Margaret Jane, wife of H. M. Black. Mrs. Hindman died in 1884, and he formed a second union with Miss Mary E. Hilliard, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Jami- son) Hilliard. She was born and reared in Washington Township, Butler County, where her father followed farming. Two children have blessed their union: Clyde K., who also is a partner in the Phoenix Milling Company; and Bernice. The sub- ject of this sketch was the organizer of the Phoenix Mills, and is still financially inter- ested in it. He is a member of the Presby- terian Church, and prior to his removal to West Sunbury was an elder of Pleasant Valley Church.

FOSTER SLOAN, residing two miles southwest of Eau Claire, on his valuable farm of seventy-three acres, which is sit- uated in Venango Township, was born here, November 7, 1851, and is a son of James F. and Martha (Oliphant) Sloan.

The grandparents of Mr. Sloan were

Samuel and Mary (Foster) Sloan and they had the following children, many of whose descendants are among the leading people of this part of Butler County : Samuel T., who married Betsey Conn, had five chil- dren-Mary Jane, Samuel Perry, Nancy Ellen, Margaret and W. C .; John, who married Sarah Alabaugh, had five children -Harvey, Sarah Elizabeth, Emma Jane, William and Samuel; William, who mar- ried Jane Hoffman, had four children-J. B., Flora, Margaret and Louise; Betsey, who married Richard, son of Wilson, had five children-Samuel, Nancy, Thomas, Rosa and Burt; James F., father of Fos- ter; David, who married Phebe Byers, had seven children-Joseph, Elizabeth, Fred, Mary, Simon, Margaret and Melvin; Jo- siah, who married Betsey Sackett, had three children-Elizabeth, Elsado and Samuel O .; Joseph C., who married Bet- sey Byers, had eight children-Ellwood, Mary, Albert, Lavina, Elizabeth, Sarah, Lottie and Warren.

The children born to James F. Sloan and his wife Martha, who was a daughter of Isaiah Oliphant, of Venango County, were as follows: Foster; Richard, who married Sarah Mckinney, daughter of Robert Mc- Kinney, has five children-R. C., Zella, James, Gertrude and Oscar; Eli, who mar- ried Ella Scott, daughter of William Scott, has five children-Wilbert, Austin, Henry, Frank, Edward and Lester; Calvin, who married Annie Taylor, daughter of Elias Taylor of Venango Township, has two chil- dren, Ethel and Earl; Mary Elizabeth, re- sides at home; Samuel, who married Kath- erine Brown, has one daughter, Martha ; Margaret, who married Fred Campbell, of Ashtabula, Ohio, has two children, Clinton and Ethel; James Austin, who resides in Montana, has two children, Gladys and Hazel; Silas, Nancy J., Rosa B. and Sarah, all residing at home; and Herman, who is deceased.

Foster Sloan obtained his early educa- tion in the Pisgah School and later had one

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term at Clintonville, following which he took up farm duties and continued to assist his father until he went to teaming in the oil fields near his home, but later returned to the farm. Prior to his death, the father sold twenty-five acres of the homestead to his son Calvin and the remainder to Foster, who has remained on the place ever since and has developed the property to its full extent. He has fine farming land and two productive orchards, five producing oil wells and a private coal bank has been opened. He has also seven acres yet in timber and devotes about eight acres to pasturage. He assisted in the erection of all his farm buildings, with the exception of the barn, which his father put up when Foster was an infant.

In politics, Mr. Sloan is a Republican and he is a member of the Republican Township Committee. At different times he has held local offices, for nine years be- ing the very efficient township auditor. He is a leading member of the United Presby- terian Church at Eau Claire, of which he is treasurer and one of the trustees.

SAMUEL T. DODD, a representative citizen and secretary of the council of Fairview, Pennsylvania, operates a valua- ble farm of twenty-four acres in Fairview Township, Butler County, and is also a veteran of the great Civil War. He was born at Orange, Essex County, New Jer- sey, December 23, 1838, and is a son of Samuel T. and Eliza T. (Sisco) Dodd, whose other seven children were Zebina, Israel L., Stephen H., John, James, Jo- seph B., and Phoebe. Samuel T. is the only surviving member of this family.

Samuel T. Dodd went to Ohio early in life, and in 1863, at Monroeville, that State, enlisted in Company C, Eighty- eighth Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., with which company he served three months, during which time he participated in the battle of Nashville. He re-enlisted in Company H,

Sixty-fourth Ohio Regiment, with which he served bravely for eleven months, and received his honorable discharge at Colum- bus, Ohio, in 1865. Mr. Dodd came to But- ler County, Pennsylvania, in 1874, settling at Millerstown, where he resided for about four months, and then removed to Trout- man, Concord Township, where he was em- ployed in the oil fields until 1877, in which year he turned his attention to agriculture in Fairview Township. He has cultivated the farm to a highly fertile state, and on it also are located one producing oil well and a valuable coal bank. Since 1901 Mr. Dodd has made his home in Fairview, where he has become prominent in munici- pal affairs, having been school director for two years, and at present being secretary of the council.

On September 5, 1876, Mr. Dodd was married at the William Ellenberger home to Mary E. Ellenberger, who is a daugh- ter of William and Harriet (Reep) Ellen- berger, old settlers of Butler County. The four children of this union are as follows: Laura P., who married Albert Palmer, of Indiana County, has five children-Ruth V., Samuel A., Margaret M., Harry R., and Alice L .; Harriet E., a school teacher at Kepples Corners; William T., living at Mineral, W. Va., who married Celia Thorn- hill; and Elmer R., an employe of the mail service, who is living at home with his par- ents. Mr. Dodd is a member of Campbell Post, Grand Army of the Republic. Mrs. Dodd is a member of the Reformed Church.

WILLIAM HUMPHREY, who for many years has been one of the most active busi- ness men in the western part of Butler County, Pennsylvania, is with his two sons, J. R. and E. W. Humphrey, owner and proprietor of a large general store at Por- tersville. He has followed this business in Portersville for more than forty years, and also for many years engaged as a civil engineer. In season, he is a wool buyer on

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an extensive scale. He is prominently known throughout the vicinity, and wher- ever known is respected and highly es- teemed.

Mr. Humphrey was born on the old Humphrey homestead in Worth Township, Butler County, August 22, 1835, and is a son of William, Sr., and Elizabeth (Dun- bar) Humphrey, and a grandson of Thom- as and Ruth (Coulter) Humphrey. Thomas, the grandfather, came to the United States from Wales, and first took up his residence in Greensburg, Westmore- land County, Pennsylvania. He and his wife later made the trip on horseback to Butler County, and were among the very earliest settlers of Worth Township, ar- riving some time during the year 1798. He acquired and largely cleared a tract of 400 acres of land, on which he lived until his death in 1839. He and his wife were buried in the cemetery at Plain Grove, in Lawrence County. They were of the Pres- byterian faith. William Humphrey, fath- èr of the subject of this sketch, was born on the old farm in Worth Township, and although he learned the trade of a carpen- ter in early life, his chief occupation was farming.

William Humphrey, whose name heads this record, was reared on the farm and received a good schooling for those days. He learned surveying in the schools and followed that profession off and on for a score of years, surveying much of the land in this part of the county. He became a partner to James Newton in the general merchandise business at Portersville in 1869, but sold out and established a store for himself at his present location, where he has continued with uninterrupted suc- cess to the present time. His two sons were later taken into the firm and now per- form most of the active duties in connec- tion, with the business. The store is com- pletely stocked with a large line of goods, and would be a credit to a village many times larger than Portersville.

In 1856 William Humphrey was married to Elizabeth Riddle, a daughter of John and Margaret (Hay) Riddle. Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey are parents of the follow- ing: James, who lives at home; John Rid- dle, who is in partnership with his father ; Newton, M. D., a graduate of the Medical Department of the Western University of Pennsylvania, and a practicing physician at Sharpsburg; Margaret, who married Rev. W. H. Sloan of Hooker, Pennsylva- nia, and has three children-William, Eliz- abeth and Helen; and Edwin W., who is a partner in the store and secretary and manager of the Portersville Telephone Company. John Riddle Humphrey mar- ried Laura Moore and has three children -Ernest, Helen and Walter. Dr. New- ton Humphrey married Florence Depue and has a son, William D. Religiously, the subject of this sketch has been very ac- tive in the Presbyterian Church, of which he has been elder for twenty-five years. He served more than a quarter of a century as Sunday School teacher but finally re- tired from that duty. Politically, he has been a firm advocate of Prohibition prin- ciples for some years.

JOHN BYERS, who has been extensive- ly engaged as a contractor and carpenter for more than half a century, has a com- fortable home in Venango Township, lo- cated about two and a half miles north of the borough of Eau Claire. He was born in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1836, and is a son of Fred and Elizabeth (Sowers) Byers.

Fred and Elizabeth Byers became par- ents of the following children: Samuel, who died in infancy; Jacob, who also died in infancy; William, who married Lucy Hilliard, a daughter of Philip Hilliard; Mary, wife of William King of Butler County ; Margaret, wife of James Blair of Butler County; Phoebe, wife of David Sloan of Butler County ; Fred S., who mar- ried Sarah Sloan, a daughter of James

WILLIAM A. STEIN

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Sloan; Elizabeth, who married Joseph Sloan of Butler County; John, subject of this sketch; and Katherine, deceased.

John Byers attended school at Annan- dale, after which he learned the trade of a carpenter under William Shira of this county. He was married in 1858 and at that time moved to Rockland; Venango County, but later returned to Butler Coun- ty and took up his residence in Venango Township, where he purchased a small tract of twenty-four acres, from Jesse Jones. He subsequently disposed of six acres of this place and retains eighteen acres, although he does no farming. He erected a comfortable home on the place and built all of the other buildings, mak- ing it a most desirable country home. Car- pentering and contracting has continued his business since early manhood and he has erected many of the residences, barns and public buildings in this part of the county. He assisted in building the East Unity Church, and also two churches in Eau Claire. He is a man of wonderful constitution, and was never sick but once in his life, upon that occasion being taken with typhoid fever; he is still capable of doing a hard day's work.

Mr. Byers was married November 5, 1858, to Mary Eakins, a daughter of Sam- uel Eakins of Venango County, and they reared a large family of children, as fol- lows: Emma, Samuel Harvey, Alice, Cas- sie, Elmer, Mertilla, Adda, Mary, James Marshall, and Joseph Edison. Emma Byers married Samuel Kerr of Mercer County, and is the mother of four children -Belle, John, Pearl and Mary. Samuel Harvey Byers was first married to Selina Williams, a daughter of John Williams, and they had three children: Mary Wilda, Earl and Roy. His second marriage was with Olive Meals, a daughter of Samuel Meals of Butler County. Alice Byers mar- ried William Calvin Jamison, and four children were born to them: Myrtle, Beu- lah, Jessie and John. Cassie Byers be-

came the wife of James Campbell of Ve- nango County, and they have three chil- dren-Charles, Carrie and John. Elmer Byers married Sephina Jacob, a daughter of Jonah Jacob, and the following is the offspring of their union: Lulu, Burton, Jonah, Sylvia, Lena and Alice. Mertilla Byers married Frank Eakins of Venango County and they have three children-Car- rie, Jennie and Bessie. Adda Byers mar- ried Edward Kingsley of Butler County and their children are as follows: Leona, Mary, Alice, Meliss, Delmar.and Frances. Mary Byers is the wife of Ephraim Sloan of Butler County, and they have the fol- lowing children: Carl, Loyal, Raymond, Alice and Wilma. James Marshall Byers married Clara Sloan, a daughter of Wash- ington Sloan of Butler County, and they have four children-Forest, Lloyd, Dor- othy and Wayne. Joseph Edison Byers married Harriet Cross, a daughter of Will- iam Cross, and they have a son and a daughter, Isabelle and Harold.

John Byers has for fifty years been a member of the United Presbyterian Church of East Unity, and in politics is a Pro- hibitionist.

WILLIAM A. STEIN, one of the stir- ring citizens of Butler, who has been an important factor in the business and finan- cial prosperity of the city, was born at Butler, Pennsylvania, October 9, 1853, and is the eldest son of Louis and Matilda (Dieker) Stein. His education was ac- quired in the public schools and at Wither- spoon Institute. He entered business life in 1873, as his father's clerk, and so con- tinued for nine years, when he became a member of the firm of L. Stein & Son. His business interests have since greatly ex- panded. He was one of the organizers of the Standard Plate Glass Company, of Butler, and one of its original stockhold- ers, and at present is serving as second vice president of the Butler Savings and Trust Company. He has met all demands

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made on his business capacity, and has at- tained a position as one of the reliable and substantial citizens of Butler. Mr. Stein is a Free Mason, being past master and secretary of Butler Lodge, No. 272 F. & A. M., and also secretary of the Chapter, R. A. M. He has been president of the Butler Business Men's Association since its organization. His political affiliations are with the Republican party.

In 1878, Mr. Stein was united in mar- riage with Amelia Vogeley, a daughter of William Vogeley. His family includes six children : Gertrude F., Cora M., Alberta L., Clarence L., Emily H. and Janet V. The family residence is at No. 227 Mifflin Street. Mr. Stein attends the German Lutheran Church.

Louis B. Stein, born December 28, 1855, is secretary and treasurer of the Butler Savings and Trust Company. In 1885 he married Julia Wisener and they have two children : Laura M., wife of Fred T. Roes- sing, son of W. P. Roessing, and Edna M.

Albert O. Stein, born March 23, 1858, is connected with the firm of L. Stein & Son, and resides with his mother at the family residence at No. 127 Mifflin Street.

SAMUEL H. TEMPLETON, who has been postmaster at Baldwin, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, since 1887, is a most efficient public offi- cial and enjoys great popularity. He was born near Middlesex, in Armstrong Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, November 15, 1859, and is a son of Philip T. and Lucinda (Bur- ford) Templeton, both natives of Arm- strong County.

Philip T. Templeton, who met with suc- cess in the oil fields, was born September 10, 1830, and died December 27, 1902. He married Lucinda Burford, who was born March 12, 1837, and now makes her home with the subject of this record. Six chil- dren were the offspring of this marriage: Mary I. (Black), deceased; Edith M., who

married George W. Boord of Turtle Creek, Allegheny County; Carrie C., who died at the age of five years; Samuel H .; and two who died in infancy. Mary I., the eldest of the family, was married to R. N. Black of Harrisville, Butler County, and both are now deceased; they were parents of a son, Edward T., now seventeen years of age, who makes his home with the subject of this sketch.

Samuel H. Templeton lived in Arm- strong County until 1878, then moved to Baldwin where his father had oil inter- ests. He attended the Mill school at Brady's Bend, in Armstrong County, re- ceiving a good public school education. In 1887 he was made postmaster at Baldwin and has since filled that position in a most creditable manner. In religious attach- ment he is a member of the Methodist Church, to which his parents also belonged.

WILLIAM P. HINES, general merchant at West Liberty, owns a valuable farm of twenty-eight acres, in Brady Township and within the limits of West Liberty bor- ough. He was born in Slippery Rock Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, April, 5, 1846, on the farm now occupied by his brother, G. W. Hines. His parents were William and Margaret (Robison) Hines, both of old and prominent Butler County families.

William P. Hines was reared on the home farm in Slippery Rock Township and has always devoted himself more or less to farming and stockraising, having pur- chased his present property in 1873. He has erected excellent buildings and utilizes a part of the residence for store purposes, carrying a full line of dry goods and gro- ceries calculated to meet the wants of neighboring farmers. Mr. Hines was mar- ried to Miss Olive Boyd, who was born in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and re- sided at Harlansburg for some years, where she attended school. She is a daugh-

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ter of Jackson and Sarah A. (Nelson) Boyd. Mr. and Mrs. Hines are members of the West Liberty Methodist Episcopal Church.

BERTON EUGENE SLOAN, general farmer residing on his valuable property of sixty-two acres, which is situated in Ven- ango Township, two and one-half miles north of Eau Claire, was born in Allegheny Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, August 13, 1877, and is a son of Lycurgus C. and Laura (Slagle) Sloan.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Sloan were Andrew and Rachel (Say) Sloan and they had thirteen children, namely : Lycur- gus C., father of Berton Eugene Sloan; Mina, who married Hugh Morgan, of But- ler, Pennsylvania; David; Anna, who mar- ried James Bell; Margaret, who married Alexander Wilson; James, who married Lou Wagner; Samuel; William; Tressa, who married Finley Hosack; Jennie, who married James Shane; Ulysses, who mar- ried Edna Walter; Elizabeth, who married Abraham Carnahan; and an infant that died.

The children born to the parents of Ber- ton Eugene Sloan were: Sarah, who mar- ried Melvin Sloan, and has two children, Floyd and Keath; Lillian; Berton E .; and Nellie, who married Arthur Blair.

Berton E. Sloan attended school at Six Points and in Cherry Valley and then gave his father assistance on the home farm until his marriage, after which he rented the farm for four years and then purchased his present one, on which he engages in general farming. A test has been made and gas has been discovered on his farm, but no oil, and there is one open coal bank which may prove very profitable in the future. Mr. Sloan keeps up his fine or- chard and otherwise develops his farm. Farm buildings were standing when he purchased here but he has added others, a wagon shed and a very fine residence. When not devoting his attention to his

land, Mr. Sloan is engaged in teaming through the neighboring oil fields.

On September 20, 1899, Mr. Sloan was married to Miss Margaret Henry, a daugh- ter of William Henry, of Allegheny Town- ship, and they have one son, Henry, who is attending school. Mr. and Mrs. Sloan are members of the Scrub Grass Presbyterian Church, in Venango County. In politics he is a Republican. He is a well informed, reliable and representative citizen of his section.

JOSEPH BARRON, one of Worth Township's most substantial citizens, re- sides on his large estate known as the Slip- pery Rock Stock Farm, which contains 325 acres and is situated on Slippery Rock Creek, on the old mill road, four miles from Slippery Rock. Mr. Barron was born Sep- tember 30, 1854, on a farm that adjoins his own, in Worth Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Robert and Mary (Shaffer) Barron.

The parents of Mr. Barron are among the older residents of Worth Township, well known and highly esteemed. The father was born in Ireland and came to America when nineteen years of age, land- ing at Baltimore, Maryland, from which city he came directly to Butler County, where an aunt was then living. His father died in Ireland and his mother married again and subsequently Robert Barron sent for his mother and step-father and established them in a home in Butler County. He learned the plastering trade, found plenty of work and was saving with his money and after his marriage bought 100 acres of his present farm in Worth Township and continued to add to his pos- sessions until he owned 300 acres. He be- came a man of consequence in county af- fairs and was elected a county commis- sioner and since retiring from that office has lived a quiet life. Robert Barron and wife had five children born to them, namely : Mary, who is the wife of Alfred

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Grossman; Elverda, who is the wife of J. C. Millaman; Lizzie J., who is the wife of Patterson Martin; and Joseph and Rob- ert J., deceased.

Joseph Barron was reared in Worth Township and his boyhood and youth were alternately spent in school and in work on the home farm. On his large estate he carries on general cultivation of the soil, but devotes a large part of his land and attention to the breeding of the fine stock which has made the Slippery Rock Stock Farm known all through this section of the state. He has made a specialty of raising sheep and has a reputation in this line all over the United States. In association with his son James, he owns at the present writing, 230 fine sheep, all thoroughbred Merinos, Delaines, Ramhouletts, South- downs, Lincolns, Shropshires and High- landers. These sheep have been on exhibi- tion at different fairs for a number of years. In 1904, at the St. Louis Exposi- tion, Mr. Barron took the grand prize against the whole world, in Delaine wool, which is conceded the best wool raised. This wool went to the Pennsylvania State Agricultural College for purposes of edu- cating students in this commodity. In ad- dition to growing the best sheep in West- ern Pennsylvania, Mr. Barron raises also prize winning hogs and cattle, giving the preference to Berkshire and Poland-China swine and Shorthorn Durham cattle. Mr. Barron has done a great deal in the way of raising the standard in live stock in this section. Mr. Barron has excellent accom- modations provided for his stock and poul- try, their great value requiring careful at- tention, as a loss of a single specimen is a very serious matter.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 163

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