Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 164

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 164

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In 1879 Mr. Barron married Miss Eliz- abeth Black, who is a daughter of Alexan- der Black, and they have had twelve chil- dren, namely : Charles S., deceased; Harry C., who is a graduate of the Slippery Rock Normal School and a successful teacher in Westmoreland County; Edith, who is a

popular teacher at West Newton and also a graduate of the Slippery Rock Normal School; Bessie, also a teacher at West Newton, who graduated at the Slippery Rock Normal School; James, who is the practical stockman on the farm and his father's able assistant in all his enter- prises; Angeline, who is in the senior year at the Slippery Rock Normal School; Zina, Lois, Waldo and Esther, all bright students in the public school, and Frances Willard and Ruth, the little ones at home. Mr. Barron with his family belongs to the Unit- ed Presbyterian Church at Slippery Rock. In politics he is a Republican.

WILLIAM STOREY, who served through nearly the entire Civil War and participated in many of the most im- portant engagements of that great strug- gle, is a prosperous farmer of Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, making his residence in the village of Fairview. He was born on a farm about one mile south of this village, December 31, 1835, and is a son of William and Mary (Smith) Storey. His grandfather, Alex- ander Storey, came from Ireland at an early date, bringing his family with him, and they were twenty-one weeks on the water.

William Storey, Sr., father of the sub- ject of this record, was born in Ireland and was eight years of age when his parents brought him to the United States. He was reared to maturity in Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, where his father owned a tract of 400 acres of land. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and upon his return from the front took up farming, which he followed all his days, dying at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. He was married to Mary Smith, who was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and died in December, 1876, aged eighty-three years. They were par- ents of ten children, namely: Elizabeth, Alexander, Martha, Nancy, Ellen, Mary,

MR. AND MRS. ALBERT SMITH

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Margaret, Mathew S., Ann and William. Elizabeth and William are the survivors of this family. The former, who lives in Washington Township, Butler County, is the widow of Alexander Clark and has the following children: Alexander, William, Daniel, John and McClellan.

William Storey, whose name heads this record, was reared and has always lived in Fairview Township, excepting that pe- riod spent in the Union Army. After com- pleting his schooling he devoted his atten- tion to farming and lived on the home farm until 1874, when he moved to the village of Fairview. He is at present the owner of two good town properties and has a valu- able tract of twelve acres in the county near by. In August, 1861, he enlisted as a pri- vate for three years in Company H, 102nd Regiment, Penna. Vol. Inf., and at the end of that term re-enlisted. He served in the Army of the Potomac, under Grant, par- ticipating at the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg, and then was under Sheri- dan at Winchester, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek. He returned with his regi- ment to the Army of the Potomac and was at the taking of Petersburg and the sur- render of Lee. He was slightly injured at Petersburg, but did not leave the command. At the close of the war he was mustered out at Washington, after which he re- turned to his home.

Mr. Storey was married February 14, 1867, in Armstrong County, to Miss Eliza Ann Hayse, a daughter of Robert and De- bora J. Hayse of Armstrong County, and they became parents of the following : Jen- nie D., a music teacher of Denver, Colo- rado; Harvey L., who was engaged in con- ducting a general store at Karns City un- til the destruction of his establishment by fire, and is now living at home ; Charles M., employed in the steel car works at Butler, who married Netta Chambers, whose death occurred in July, 1908; William H., who is engaged in farming and lives at home; John B., principal of the schools at Mars,

Butler County, who married a Miss Burke and has a daughter, Catherine; and Maria P., wife of Bert Michael of Fairview, by whom she has three children-Margaret A., Dorothy E. and Ward B. Mr. Storey has frequently filled local offices of trust, serving three years as justice of the peace, ten years as school director, and two years as health officer, in which capacity he now serves. He is a member of Campbell Post, G. A. R. of Petrolia. His son, John B., en- listed for service during the Spanish- American War. Religiously the family is Presbyterian.

ALBERT SMITH, a prosperous farmer and well known operator in the oil and gas fields, is the owner of a farm of 110 acres located about a mile and three-quarters from Great Belt on the Coylesville Road, in Clearfield Township. He is a son of Herman J. and Lena (Eyght) Smith, who lived at Herman in Butler County. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch came from Germany at an early date and settled at Herman, owning and clearing much of the land about that village. Her- man J. Smith was a farmer and black- smith at Herman and a man of consider- able importance in the community.

Albert Smith was born in 1851 and was educated in the public schools. He turned his attention to farming at an early date, and has continued to the present time, al- though he has given some of his time to other interests. He has one of the finest residences in the township, and his other buildings are in keeping with it. He has followed general farming and has raised considerable fine stock. Mr. Smith is an oil and gas promoter and has leased con- siderable land for that purpose in this section of the county. He furnishes gas to the country round about and has met with success in this branch of his business. In 1871 he went to California and stayed there for some years, returning in 1877. While there he ran a stage line of his

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own between Los Angeles and Calan- thia, Cal. In August, 1877, he went into the hotel business at Herman, Butler County, Penna., and so continued for nine years, during eight years of which time he was postmaster at Herman. In addi- tion to these activities he also raised horses and cattle. Thus it will be seen that Mr. Smith has been a busy man and has seen a considerable and interesting portion of this great country. Whatever measure of success he has achieved is due to his own enterprise and good business foresight. He has always been industri- ous and is known throughout the township and beyond its limits as a good and re- liable citizen.

At the age of twenty-four years Mr. Smith married Miss Mary Stutz, a daugh- ter of Conrad Stutz, who came from Ger- many to Butler County, Penna. Eleven children were born to them, namely : Eugene, Addellia, Henrietta, Windilena, Viola, Elnore, Camilla, Laura, Bertilla, Clarence, and Alvin.

Windilena married Albert J. Schiebel and has three children-Ralph, Harry, and Bernard. Elnore married Perry E. Stubblefield and has one daughter- Thelma. Viola married Peter A. Michaels. Religiously the family is Catholic and takes an active part in church affairs.

JOHN CALVIN SCOTT, general farm- er, owning with his wife 100 acres of ex- cellent land in Eau Claire Borough and thirty acres in Venango Township, has spent his whole life in Butler County, Pennsylvania, and was born in Muddy Creek Township, June 29, 1849. His par- ents were John and Jane (Wright) Scott.

The parents of Mr. Scott were old resi- dents of Muddy Creek Township and they had the following children born to them: William, who married Margaret C. Wilson, daughter of James Wilson, also of Butler County, and had four children-John, Odessa, Laverne and James; James, who

married Mary Brown, daughter of James Brown, of Lawrence County, and has one daughter, Dora; Anna Margaret, who mar- ried Mac Fulton, then of Oil City, Penn- sylvania, but now of Scott, Webster Coun- ty, Nebraska, and has four children-Jen- nie, Herbert, Jessie and Etta; Rachel, who married Robert Moore, of Portersville, and has eight children-Cora, James, Anna, Sarah, Mary, Nannie, Robert and Frances; Elizabeth, who married Robert Clelland, of Muddy Creek Township, and has one son, Scott; John Calvin; and Jo- seph, the youngest of the family, who re- sides in Nebraska, and is unmarried.

John Calvin Scott attended the Pleas- ant Hill and the Bouder Schools, in Mud- dy Creek Township, after which he worked until his marriage, on different farms through the county. He was married in 1871, after which he rented land in Muddy Creek Township for two years and then bought a farm in Franklin Township, on which he lived for ten years, then sold out and bought 130 acres in Venango Town- ship, fifty acres of which he subsequently sold to Mary Kennedy, to whom he later sold thirty more. When Mary Kennedy died it was found that she had willed the eighty acres to Mrs. Mary E. Scott, wife of John Calvin Scott. Of land that he owned, Mr. Scott also sold fifty acres to John M. Eakins, of Eau Claire. After tak- ing possession of this farm Mr. Scott found all the present buildings here but a large amount of repairing had to be done and he has continued to make improvements. He has sixty acres under the plow, has twenty acres devoted to pasturage, has an excel- lent orchard and two veins of coal have been discovered. A test well made the presence of gas certain, but Mr. Scott has none of his land leased at the present time for experimenting.

On May 1, 1871, Mr. Scott was married to Miss Mary Eleanor Kennedy, who is a daughter of Amos and Margaret Kennedy, who reside near Prospect, Butler County.

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They have had ten children born to them, as follows: Nettie Tazetta, who married R. J. McCandless, of Eau Claire; Amy Blanche, who married W. E. Mahood, of North Hope, has five children-Josephine, William, Reed, Roy and James; Francis, who married Margaret Grossman, daugh- ter of John Grossman; Maude, who died November 16, 1896; Jane, who resides at home; Louisa, who married Prof. A. W. Kelly, of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, has one child, Louisa; John, who is a lineman with the Eau Claire Telephone Company ; David, who died in infancy; Paul, who is attending school at Bridgeville; and Helen, who is in the class of 1911, at Eau Claire Academy. Mr. Scott and family are mem- bers of the United Presbyterian Church at Eau Claire, and Miss Helen is a member of the church choir. In his political views Mr. Scott is a Republican, but has never sought office. He is one of the solid, re- liable, respected citizens of his township.

A. D. KEPPLE, a life-long resident and well known oil producer of Buena Vista, Fairview Township, was born May 13, 1864, on his present farm of 53 acres, and is a son of Isaac and Mary (Thorn) Kep- ple.

Isaac Kepple was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, but at an early period came to Butler County and settled on the farm now owned by our subject. He married Mary Thorn and reared a fam- ily of four children, namely: Angeline; William, married Elizabeth Ellenburger and has a family of seven children, all liv- ing; Winfield, and A. D., the subject of this sketch. Isaac Kepple died in 1898 and was survived by his widow until 1904.

A. D. Kepple was reared on his father's farm and early in life learned the painter's trade, at which he worked a number of years. He then began drilling oil wells and is still actively engaged as an oil pro- ducer, which he manages in connection with his farming interests. There are two pro-

ducing oil wells on his farm, which he and his brother inherited from their father, our subject later buying his brother's interest.

October 19, 1898, Mr. Kepple was joined in marriage with Beulah Mary Fleeger, a daughter of William B. and Nancy (Gra- ham) Fleeger of Greece City, Butler County. Mrs. Kepple is one of a family of seven children born to her parents : Ella ; George; Walter; Adda; Beulah; Mary (Mrs. Kepple) ; William; and Inez. Mrs. Kepple's mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Kepple are the parents of the follow- ing children: Marjorie, Robert, Frank, Hugh, and Walter. In fraternal societies, Mr. Kepple is associated with the Knights of Pythias lodge of Chicora.

HENDERSON OLIVER, a well known and affluent farmer of Muddy Creek Town- ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is the owner of two good farms in that township, constituting in all about 260 acres of valu- able land. His home farm is located about one mile from Portersville, on the New Castle Road, and is highly improved and modernly equipped with a large brick home and substantial outbuildings. He at the present time is living in retirement from business activity, but still continues to take an active and public-spirited interest in the welfare and development of the commu- nity.

Henderson Oliver was born on his father's farm near Portersville Station, in Muddy Creek Township, May 6, 1834, that farm being later traded for the old hotel in Portersville. He is a son of John and Jane (Stewart) Oliver, and grandson of Thomas and Sarah (Patterson) Oliver. John Oliver was a farmer by occupation and was born in England, being a young man when he accompanied his parents to this country. Thomas Oliver was well along in years when he came to this coun- try and located in Muddy Creek Township; he was buried at Moundville, in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. The subject of

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this sketch was one of the following chil- dren born to his parents, of whom the two oldest are the survivors: Henderson, Sarah, widow of John Glenn, Eliza, John, Sidney, and Jeannette.

Mr. Oliver spent his boyhood on the farm and received a meagre education in the public schools, such as they were in that day. He then clerked for a time in a gen- eral store at Portersville, and was later taken into the business as a partner. We next find him engaged in the oil fields, but he soon turned his attention to agricul- tural pursuits, which has occupied his time during a greater part of his active career. In addition to his home farm, he has a tract of land about two miles south of Por- tersville, lying on the road connecting the Yellow Creek and Prospect roads. Mr. Oliver has raised forty-eight crops of strawberries and sold to one house, whole- sale, for thirty-eight years, and in that time has seen frost, hail, drouth and some sunshine.

February 9, 1860, Mr. Oliver was joined in marriage with Jane Kennedy, a daugh- ter of Daniel and Cassandra Kennedy, and a granddaughter of David and Jane (Gray- son) Kennedy, who came to this country from County Kilkenney, Ireland. David Kennedy first located at Philadelphia, and later moved west to Butler County, Penn- sylvania, where he acquired some 300 acres of land about three miles south of Porters- ville. Four children were born to the sub- ject of this sketch and his estimable wife, namely : Eliza, who lives at home; Frank, who married Miss Jennie Koch, and has two children, Mary Jane and Wilma; Charles, who is unmarried and lives at home; and Edward, who also lives at home and with his brother, Charles, carries on the operations on the farm. Religiously, Mr. Oliver is a Presbyterian.

WILBERT LAMONT CALER, a well known merchant of Eau Claire and a mem- ber of the firm of W. C. Jamison and Com-

pany, has had a wide and varied experi- ence in the business world. He is at the present time president of the board of Eau Claire Academy, and is secretary of the borough council. He is a native of this borough, the date of his birth being No- vember 9, 1876, and is a son of James B. and Mary Elizabeth (Tebay) Caler.

James B. Caler received his educational training in the public schools at Lisbon, Ohio, after which he learned the trade of a marble cutter. He moved to Butler County, where he at different times was engaged in business at Eau Claire, Pros- pect, Evans City and the borough of But- ler. He died at Warren, Pennsylvania, and was brought back to Eau Claire for interment. He married Mary E. Tebay, a daughter of William Tebay of Eau Claire, and to them were born the following : Clar- ence C., deceased; Wilbert L .; Arthur, de- ceased; and Pearl, who married Frank Stauffer of Landisville, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and has two children living -Marion and Robert Lamont.

Wilbert L. Caler first attended school in the basement of the M. E. Church at Eau Claire, the public school being held there at that time, and later attended Prospect Academy. When his parents moved to Millerstown, or Chicora, he entered the grocery store of J. C. Martland. He next worked two years in the Leechburg Roll- ing Mills, after which he returned to Mil- lerstown and worked in the machine shops for William Westerman. He conducted a feather renovator at Chicora four months, and then engaged in the fish business until he went out on the road as advance agent for the Monarch Ethiopian Company. The company became stranded at Mt. Alton, near Bradford, and Mr. Caler walked more than 100 miles in two feet of snow to get back home. He met with some novel ex- periences in roughing it for a time and saw much country. He finally returned to Chi- cora as grocery clerk for W. W. Campbell, and then ,became part owner of a bakery.

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After about three months he bought out his partner's interest, and conducted the business successfully for one year. He sold out the business and went to Pittsburg, where he clerked in a grocery for two weeks, then entered the employ of the Mil- ler Grocery Company. He became fore- man for the Grand Union Tea Company, and later salesman for the Reineke Wilson Company, in the stove and range depart- ment, his work taking him to Ohio, Michi- gan and Kentucky. After his marriage he settled down at Eau Claire, buying an in- terest in the store of W. C. Jamison & Com- pany, with which he has since been identi- fied in a most successful manner.

Wilbert L. Caler was united in marriage with Myrtle May Jamison, a daughter of W. C. Jamison of Eau Claire, and they had the following offspring: Harold Lamont, deceased; Wayne A .; and May Lucile. Re- ligiously, they are members of the M. E. Church, in which Mrs. Caler sings in the choir. Mr. Caler is a member of the Em- pire Quartet of the church, was superin- tendent of the Sabbath School for one year, and assistant superintendent for the year of 1909. He is a Republican in poli- tics. In political affiliation he is a member of Lodge No. 111, I. O. O. F., at Hilliard, and of the Knights of Pythias at Chicora.

E. C. THOMPSON, M. D., physician and surgeon at West Liberty, is one of the bor- ough's leading citizens. Dr. Thompson was born on his father's farm in Brady Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, July 14, 1861, and is a son of Solomon R. and Martha (McCandless) Thompson.

Dr. Thompson was reared in Brady Township and there attended the district schools, then entered West Sunbury Acad- emy, later attending Grove City College. He then turned his attention to the study of medicine and in 1882 entered old Jef- ferson College, Philadelphia, where he was a student in 1882-3 and in the latter year entered the medical department of the

Western Reserve College at Cleveland, Ohio, where he was graduated and received his medical degree, in 1885. He immedi- ately settled at West Liberty and here has built up a large and lucrative practice and at the same time has taken an active in- terest in all that pertains to the public wel- fare of the place.

Dr. Thompson was married to Miss Berdena Stapleton, a daughter of David Stapleton, and they had two daughters, Franc (deceased), and Mary Lucile, who is a student at Grove City College. Dr. Thompson and family are members of the United Presbyterian Church. Dr. Thomp- son belongs to families on both paternal and maternal sides which have long been particularly prominent in Butler County.

ROBERT EAKIN, who has been promi- nently engaged in carpentering and con- tracting for many years, is now living in practical retirement at Eau Claire. He was born in Irwin Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania, January 1, 1843, and is a son of John M., Jr., and Elizabeth (Campbell) Eakin, and a grandson of John M. Eakin, Sr.

John M. Eakin, Sr., was united in mar- riage with Margaret.Campbell, a native of Ireland, and to them were born the fol- lowing: John M., Jr .; David, who married Rose McClintock and had the following children,-Margaret, David M., Eliza Jane, Catherine and one who died young; Eliza- beth, who married William Blair and had four children-John, Rachel, Rebecca and Louise; Margaret, who-became the wife of Robert Bovard and had the following chil- dren-John, James, Thomas and Samuel; and Thomas, who married Eliza Blair, daughter of Robert Blair, and whose chil- dren were: Nancy Jane, John McClelland, Robert Stewart, Lavina, Mary, Thomas and Carluvis.

John M. Eakin, Jr., was joined in mar- riage with Elizabeth Campbell, whose father, David Campbell, came to this coun-

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try from Scotland. The issue of their union was as follows: David, who married Julia McDowell, a daughter of Isaiah McDowell, and had the following children: Warren Rennick, Ada Blanche, Silas G. and Will- iam; Thomas, who married Susan Myers, a daughter of George Myers; Robert, sub- ject of this biography; John Alexander, who married Sarah Bennett, a daughter of David Bennett, by whom he had the fol- lowing children-Stella, Ord, Jessie, Floyd, Winnie and Ruth; Mary Ann; Margaret Elizabeth, wife of Emory Myers, by whom she has a son, Henry; Maria, deceased; and Jane, who also is deceased.

Robert Eakin first attended school at Wesley, in Venango County, and later Green High School, in Green Township, Trumbull County, Ohio. He entered the Union Army early in the war of the Rebel- lion, and served three years and three months in a most creditable manner. He bore the rank of duty sergeant and saw much hard fighting during his enlistment. He was taken captive at Brown's Ferry, but before being removed from the field was rescued by the Union forces. After receiving an honorable discharge he re- turned home and began working at the trade of a carpenter at Oil Creek. He sub- sequently purchased a farm of David Hoover, located one and a half miles south of Eau Claire, in Venango Township. He engaged in agricultural pursuits, but de- voted a portion of his time to working at his trade. He sold off all but seventy-five acres of his land, which he still owns, and moved to Eau Claire, where he purchased a good residence property. He then de- voted himself exclusively to the work of contractor and builder, and erected many of the best buildings throughout this part of the country. He erected all of the buildings on the farm and has one of the best improved places in that vicinity.

Mr. Eakin was joined in marriage with Miss Achsah Octavo Hall, a lady of most pleasing personality and a daughter of

Richard Hall. In religious attachment they are members of the Presbyterian church at Annisville, of which he is a trus- tee. He is a member of Eau Claire Post, No. 538, G. A. R., and is senior vice com- mander of the post. Mr. Eakin is a stanch Prohibitionist in politics, and frequently has been called upon to fill offices of public trust. He served as clerk and treasurer of Irwin Township, Venango County ; is a member of the borough council at Eau Claire and street commissioner. He was formerly trustee and vice-president of the board of Eau Claire Academy.

PETER I. MAYS, an enterprising and successful farmer of Fairview Township, the owner of eighty acres of good farming land, was born on his present farm in this township May 11, 1858, a son of Solomon S. and Elizabeth (Kaylor) Mays. His pa- ternal grandfather was Andrew Mays, one of the early settlers of Butler County, who came from Luzern County, Pennsylvania.

Solomon S. Mays, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Concord Town- ship, Butler County, and was a life-long resident of this county, residing for over fifty years on the farm now owned and op- erated by his son Peter. His wife, in maid- enhood Elizabeth Kaylor, was born at Brady's Bend, Armstrong County, Penn- sylvania. Her grandfather, Leonard Kay- lor, at an early day settled on the tract of land forming a part of the present farm of our subject, the tract then consisting of fifty acres, the other thirty acres having been added to it since at different times. Mr. and Mrs. Solomon S. Mays were the parents of four children-Margaret Ann, Elizabeth, Peter I., and Luella Jane, whose record in brief is as follows :

Margaret Annmarried Herbert Bloom and resides at Curwensville, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. She has six children, name- ly: Clayton, Peter I., Lee Roy, Alma E., deceased, Harry S., and Luella, deceased. Elizabeth Mays married J. C. Polliard and

SOLOMON S. MAYS

MRS. ELIZABETH K. MAYS

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 164

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