Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 170

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 170

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

1447

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

tion and a visit to him proves profitable and interesting.

HENRY MENKEN, who resides on his farm of fifty acres, which is situated in Winfield Township, on the Butler Turn- pike road, about three miles from Cabot, is a well known and substantial citizen of Butler County. He was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, November 3, 1862, and is a son of George and Elizabeth (Hoffman) Menken. The father of Mr. Menken is still living. Born in Holland, he came to America in 1840, and has re- sided in Butler County ever since.

Henry Menken learned the trades of stone-mason and bridge builder and has done a large amount of work in this line in Butler County, being the only con- tractor in this kind of work in Winfield Township. In addition, he carries on gen- eral farming and resides in a comfortable two-story farm house, which has an at- tractive appearance without, and within which the friendly visitor is sure of a hos- pitable welcome.

Mr. Menken was married (first) to Satia Elit, who was a daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Elit) Elit, and to this marriage four children were born-Bertha, Mary (deceased), . Elizabeth and Willis. Mr. Menken was married (second) to Alice Lavery, who was born in Butler County, of which union there is one child- Mary Evelyn. They are members of the Buffalo Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Menken was married first to Clyde Gra- vatt, and they had two children-Emmett Raymond and Beatrice Iriene. Formerly Mr. Menken was a member of the Grange," but at present he belongs to no secret or- ganization. He takes no active interest in politics, being a thoroughly practical busi- ness man and finding enough to occupy his time in attending to his own affairs.

PHILO L. KING, capitalist and repre- sentative citizen of Butler, is the man to

whom this city is indebted for the most beautiful, artistic and well cared for ceme- tery, in all Butler County, his services as superintendent having covered some nine years. Mr. King was born at Charles- town, Ohio, in 1838.

The parents of Mr. King moved, in the year of his birth, to Marion County, Illi- nois, but when he was ten years old they returned to Ohio and settled at Ravenna, where he was educated and lived until 1855. In that year he left home and spent eleven months at St. Paul, Minnesota, af- ter which he hired out to the Northwestern Fur Company and worked for that con- cern for two years in Oregon, which then was indeed a wild section. Mr. King spent one summer on his way east, at Clayton, Iowa, and then went to work in the lumber woods near Saginaw and Vassar, Michi- gan. In the summer, following a hard winter in the logging camps, he located timber tracts and subsequently went into partnership in the lumber business with John Dasey, which continued for fourteen years. Mr. King then went into a mer- cantile business in Michigan and became so desirable a citizen there that both Kingstown town and township were both named in his honor. He cut down the first tree that ever fell by a white man's agency. in Kingstown Township, section 32. After three years he sold his store and for eight- een months conducted a hotel, and then decided to return to the East, and located at Akron, in his native state. There he was connected with Mr. Schumaker in a mill business for two years, during this time being in charge of the oatmeal mill, and afterward, with his brother-in-law, bought a sawmill at Ravenna, where they subsequently added a planing mill and pail factory and prospered for three years, when they lost their plant by fire. For about one year Mr. King followed rail- roading, and then returned to Ravenna and accepted the position of superinten- dent of the Ravenna Cemetery. For twen-

1448

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

ty years he remained there and was then induced to come to Butler and accept the same position for the North Side Ceme- tery. Mr. King owns valuable realty and has an interest in the fine structure here known as the Opera House Block.

In 1860, while residing in Michigan, Mr. King was married to Miss Caroline Har- mon, who died in 1899, leaving one child, Nina D., who married George Burkhalter. Mr. King was married (second) in 1906, to Miss Phillis Mason, of Butler.

Mr. King is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, having been a loyal defender of his country, a soldier in the ranks and a fighter on many a battle field, having enlisted in 1861, in Company E, Seventh Regiment, Michigan Volunteer In- fantry, which was attached to the Army of the Potomac. His service covered two years and four days when he received his honorable discharge. During his resi- dence in Michigan he was active in poli- tics and for seven years served as super- visor of Kingstown Township. In his re- ligious belief, he is a Universalist. Fra- ternally he is a Mason and Odd Fellow, and belongs also to the Royal Arcanum.

ALPHEUS SITLER, who is engaged in the drug business at Zelienople, and also is a member of the well known firm of Sitler, Swain & Moyer, of Harmony, all representative men of this place. Mr. Sitler was born in Jackson Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, one mile east of Harmony, and is a son of Mar- tin H. and Fannie (Zeigler) Sitler.

Solomon H. Sitler, grandfather of Alpheus, accompanied his father, Martin Sitler, a colonel in the War of 1812, to Columbiana County, Ohio, about 1805, and there he subsequently married Eliza- beth. Hoke, who died aged eighty-six years ; he survived to be seventy-one years old. Six of their family of thirteen chil- dren still survive, the oldest of whom is eighty-three years of age and the youngest

sixty-three. They are: Samuel, residing in Columbiana County, Ohio; Melvina and Velina, twins, the former the widow of Simon Bricker, and the latter the widow of Samuel Nold; Catherine, who married (first) a Mr. Gilbert and (second) Price Van Fleet; Celinda, who is the widow of Jacob Mowery; and Martin H.

Martin H. Sitler was born in Colum- biana County, Ohio, February 3, 1828, where he remained until the fall of 1850. He then moved to Butler County and set- tled on a farm in Jackson Township, where he resided until the fall of 1907, when he moved to Harmony.

His original farm contained 200 acres, but he has reduced it to 130 and for many years carried on general farming, taking an active part in it for fifty-seven years. On October 14, 1850, he married Fannie Zeigler, who was a daughter of Jacob H. and Elizabeth (Tinsman) Zeigler. Jacob H. Zeigler was born in 1800 and he became a man of substance in Jackson Township and the owner of the Eidenan Mills. He had one son and the following daughters: Fannie; Elizabeth, who married John Enslen; Annie, who married Frederick Haines; and Catherine, who married George Bame. Mrs. Sitler was born June 14, 1828, and died in August, 1908, aged eighty years. There were four children born to Martin H. Sitler and wife, namely : Alpheus; Loraine, residing in Jackson Township, who is the widow of James Gallagher; Jacob, residing at Zelienople, owns a farm in Jackson Township, mar- ried Mollie Thomas; and Elizabeth, who is the wife of Charles Goehring, a retired farmer residing at Harmony.

Alpheus Sitler obtained his education in the schools of Zelienople and at Heidel- berg College, Seneca County, Ohio. He prepared for professional life at the Phil- adelphia College of Pharmacy, prior to which he had done considerable work in the line of surveying, both for railroads and private parties in Butler County. He

ALPHEUS SITLER

MARTIN H. SITLER

1449

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

remained at home and assisted on the farm until he reached his majority and then turned his attention to the study of phar- macy, for this purpose buying a half in- terest, in 1875, in a drug store at Har- mony. In 1879, after completing his professional course, he purchased the only drug store at Zelienople, which was the property of Dr. Amos Lusk. In 1882 he disposed of this store and again took up surveying, which he continued until 1887. In that year he went to .Pittsburg with A. W. Zeigler and together they purchased a drug store on the south side of the city on the corner of Carson and Twenty- seventh Streets, and there Mr. Sitler con- tinued in the drug business for ten years. He then disposed of his interest and on his return to Harmony, he entered into partnership with G. D. Swain, in the dry goods and grocery business, but four years later he sold his interest to his partner. He then bought his present business in- terest at Zelienople, and two years later established the firm of Sitler, Swain & Moyer, of Harmony.

Mr. Sitler married Miss Clara E. Swain, who is a daughter of Gellert and Sarah (Sechler) Swain, and a granddaughter of Samuel Swain, who was one of the early settlers of the county. The father of Mrs. Sitler died in 1894 but her mother sur- vives. Four sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sitler : Maxwell Swain, Leroy R., Stanley Alpheus and Carl William .. They are all bright and satisfactory pupils in the public school, preparing for good American citizenship. Mr. and Mrs. Sit- ler, with the two oldest sons, are members of Grace Reformed Church of Harmony, with which congregation Mr. Sitler has been identified ever since 1868, except dur- ing his period of residence in Pittsburg. In politics, like his father, he is a Repub- lican and after a service of six years in the town council, he declined renomination for election. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum and also of Harmony Lodge No.

429 F. & A. M. and is also a member of the Odd Fellows at Harmony.

W. C. WEBBER, who is engaged in a blacksmith business at Slippery Rock, of which place he has been a resident since November 4, 1880, was born on a farm in Franklin Township, Butler County, Penn- sylvania, one mile distant from Prospect, December 1, 1858. He is a son of John and Mary (Campbell) Webber.

The father of Mr. Webber was a brave soldier in the Civil War, who gave up his life in defense of his country, at the sec- ond battle of Fredericksburg. He was a member of the One Hundred and Thirty- seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.

After the death of his father, when eight years old, W. C. Webber was placed in the Soldiers' Orphans' School at Mercer, Pennsylvania, where he remained until he was sixteen years of age, when his guar- dian and step-father, James Wilson, bound him out to Nicholas Weitzell, of West Liberty, to learn the blacksmith's trade. Mr. Webber served his full ap- prenticeship to Mr. Weitzell, remaining with him for three years and during this time received the sum of $140. From West Liberty he went to Fairview, Butler County, and worked for three more years for Hughie Young and then came to Slip- pery Rock and for two years was in the employ of William Kauffman, after which he embarked in business for himself. He built the shop now occupied by Mr. S. A. Heyle, where he conducted his business for twenty years, then sold out and entered into partnership with his brother-in-law, David Morrison, and this partnership has existed for the past three years. The busi- ness is horse-shoeing and general repair- ing. First-class work is done and the firm enjoys a large amount of patronage.

Mr. Webber was married November 1, 1882, to Miss Emma Morrison, who is a daughter of Samuel and Isabella (Stephen-

1450

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

son) Morrison. She was born and reared at Slippery Rock. Mr. and Mrs. Webber have had two children: Alma, who is the wife of Dr. S. S. Smith, of Derry, Penn- sylvania; and Daisy May, who died when aged twenty-one months. Another mem- ber of the family is almost like a daughter. She is Alma Morrison, a daughter of John Morrison, Mrs. Webber's brother, and has resided with Mr. and Mrs. Webber for the past seven years, being now fourteen, and a bright student in the high school.

In politics, Mr. Webber is a Democrat. He is active in local affairs and has served as a member of the borough council. He belongs to the fraternal order of Odd Fellows.

JOSEPH BALL, proprietor of the City Transfer Company, at Butler, and a mem- ber of the City Council, representing the Fourth Ward, is one of Butler's repre- sentative men. He was born in June, 1864, on a farm in Butler County, Penn- sylvania, about six miles northeast of the city, and is a son of the late John Ball.

John Ball was born in Germany and came to Butler County in 1859. For many years he was extensively engaged in the buying and shipping of stock and was well known all over this section. In poli- tics he was a Democrat. His death took place at North Oakland, in 1896.

Joseph Ball obtained his education in the common schools of Butler County and he remained on the home farm until the fall of 1899, when he came to Butler and bought the business of Mr. Reisman, who then operated the City Transfer Company, an enterprise which has been conducted by Mr. Ball ever since. As the city has grown, this business has been expanded to meet all exigencies and Mr. Ball prac- tically controls this industry. In politics, like his late father, he is a stanch Demo- crat. He has been an active citizen ever since locating here and is a useful and judicious member of the city council, his

own successful business experience making him a valuable advisor in that body.

In 1890 Mr. Ball was married to Miss Mary P. Oswald, formerly of Pittsburg, and they have six children : Minnie, Philip, Joseph, Cyril, Virginia and Valeria, all residing at home. Mr. Ball and family are members of St. Peter's Catholic Church and he belongs to the order of Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, the Woodmen of the World, the Knights of Maccabees, and to Butler Lodge, No. 170, Elks.

HENRY JACOB MYERS, cashier of the Millerstown Deposit Bank, a private banking institution at Chicora, has been identified with banking since 1881 and is well and favorably known in financial circles all through this section. He was born in Butler, Pennsylvania, and is a son of John G. and Catherine (Fetzer) Myers.

Both parents of Mr. Myers were born in Germany. The father was three years old and the mother was fourteen years old when their parents brought them to Amer- ica. They were married at Butler in 1858, and had the following children: Henry Jacob, Charles L. (deceased), Estelle D., Gustavus J., and two babes that died. The old Myers homestead in Oakland Town- ship, a tract of sixty acres, is owned by John G. Myers. He was born November 16, 1828, and his wife was born Septem- ber 12, 1832. In early manhood he worked at the plastering trade at Butler and at Brady's Bend. In 1868 he went into part- nership with his brother-in-law, G. F. Fetzer, in a flour mill business, together with farm interests, which was continued until April, 1905, when Mr. Myers with- drew. When the Millerstown Savings Bank was organized, in 1873, he became one of the board of directors. Two years later it was reorganized under the name of the German National Bank and business was continued until 1884, when it went into voluntary liquidation. In 1887 they organ-

1451

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

ized the Millerstown Deposit Bank, with the following officers: John G. Myers, president; Henry J. Myers, cashier; Gus- tavus J. Myers, assistant cashier; and Miss Estelle D. Myers, bookkeeper. Its affairs are conducted along careful, con- servative lines and the institution does a large business with solid, responsible parties.

John G. Myers is a leading member of the German Lutheran Church at Chicora and is the senior elder. He is a man whose business standing and personal character are high.

Henry Jacob Myers together with his younger brother, Gustavus, graduated from the Chicora High School and both attended Capitol University at Columbus, Ohio, the former for two and the latter for five years. Banking has been the main interest of both Mr. Myers and his brother. They both are prominent in Free Masonry. They are not particularly active in poli- tics, but father and sons have always been men of public spirit and honorable citizen- ship.

R. L. STACKPOLE, M. D., a member of .

the Butler County Medical Society and of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, is numbered with the leading medical prac- titioners at Butler, maintaining his office at No. 128 South Main Street. He was born in Crawford County, Pennsylvania.

After completing the common school course and graduating from the High School at Venango, Dr. Stackpole entered Allegheny College, where he remained for two years and then went to the Western Reserve University at Cleveland and was graduated there from the medical depart- ment in the class of 1901. Following his graduation he spent one and one-half years in St. Vincent's Hospital, at Cleve- land, and then came to Butler where he has built up a very satisfactory practice and has become recognized as a useful citi- zen. He is the present nominee of the Re-

publican party for county coroner. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Butler. His fraternal connec- tions are with the Eagles and the Odd Fel- lows. Through the medical organizations he keeps in touch with the wonderful prog- ress being made in his profession and ap- plies in his own practice the discoveries that he has proved to his own satisfaction are beneficial.

JOHN BALFOUR, a highly respected citizen and prominent general farmer re- siding on his valuable estate of ninety-one acres, which lies in Adams Township, one mile west of Mars, was born in Wigton- shire, Scotland, August 4, 1835, and is a son of David and Margaret (Stephenson) Balfour.

The parents of Mr. Balfour were born, reared and married in Scotland, and they came to America with their two children, Samuel and John. The former married, but both he and wife are deceased. When David Balfour brought his little family to the United States his younger son was about ten months old. The voyage in the old-fashioned sailing ship consumed many weeks, but in August, 1836, the weary travelers were landed at the port of Philadelphia. David Balfour secured a horse and wagon, and in this convey- ance he was safely transported over the mountains, and then, by way of the canal, in the course of time, reached Pittsburg, the place he had in view when he left Scot- land. He soon found remunerative work and then sent for his wife and boys, who joined him at Pittsburg, where they lived for one year. Tiring of city life, he con- cluded to engage in farming and first rent- ed land in what is now McAnlis Township Allegheny County, not far from Perrys- ville. There the family lived for four years, and then settled on a rented farm in Franklin Township, Allegheny County, for the succeeding seven years. By this time Mr. Balfour had developed into an

1452

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

excellent farmer and was able to purchase land for himself, and in February, 1851, he bought 185 acres in Adams Township, from llon. John Braden, and moved on the place in the following April. David Bal- four had worked hard to secure this home for his family, but he enjoyed it for a short time only, his death taking place on August 16, 1851, when aged fifty-three years. His widow survived until 1878, being seventy- eight years old at the time of her death.

There were buildings on the farm when the Balfour family came to it, but they were in a very dilapidated condition, and after the death of the father the mother and her two sons undertook to do a large amount of improving. The boys cleared the land and fenced it and the mother gave such assistance as pioneer mothers usu- ally afforded, and they lived happily to- gether and worked for the common good. In 1862 the elder son, Samuel, was mar- ried and then the land was divided, he taking the north farm and John taking the south farm, and then mother took up her residence with the younger son. At that time there was no indication how valuable this land would subsequently become, and had any one predicted to David Balfour when he settled here that his descendants would derive a more than ample income from the oil that lay concealed under the rough soil, he would have thought they were dealing in romance. But the fact is that on this farm was drilled the first 100-foot oil well in Pennsylvania, probably in the United States. The drilling was accomplished in 1885 and for three years it produced sixty barrels of oil a day. Mr. Balfour at the present writing (1908) has five producing wells. He also carries on a general agricultural line, raising grain, hay and stock.

In. 1873, Mr. Balfour was married to Miss Mary Ann Cochran, of Allegheny County, who died in October of the same year, aged thirty-two years. On October 12, 1875, he was married (second) to Miss

Nevie Richardson, a daughter of G. W. Richardson, one of the early settlers of Butler County, and to that union eight children were born, namely: Amelia; Stewart, who died in 1897, aged nineteen years; Oliver, who died in 1885, aged six years; Frank; Isabella, who died in Octo- ber, 1884, aged nine months; Chalmers and Myrtle, twins; and Dight. Myrtle was married October 25, 1906, to Leonard L. Besnaeker. Mr. Balfour and family are members of the United Presbyterian Church at Mt. Pleasant and he has been active in its various branches of work. In politics he is a Democrat and he has served as township auditor and in other offices.

WILLIAM WHITE HUNTER, who re- sides about ten miles south of Butler, in Forward Township, is the owner of a fine farm of 125 acres, well improved and all under a high state of cultivation. He was born on this farm, July 27, 1861, and is a son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Dixon) Hunter, and a grandson of William and Nancy (White) Hunter.

William Hunter, the grandfather, spent all his early life in Ireland, and was there married to Nancy White. In 1842, they came to America, the voyage consuming some six weeks, and were accompanied by the following children, all now deceased: Alexander, Joseph, Fannie, Jane, Mary, Ann, Rosa and Eliza. They first located in Pittsburg, where the family temporarily remained, while William and his son Alex- ander, who then was twenty-one years of age, came to the woods of Butler County. He purchased 250 acres of Alexander Boyd, who was the owner of 1000 acres in the vicinity. There were about fifty acres under cultivation, and a log house, a rude barn, and a building which Boyd had used for store purposes, stood on the place. It was quite a wild community at that time, fox, dear and other game being plentiful. They returned to Pittsburg for the rest of

RESIDENCE AND FAMILY GROUP OF WILLIAM W. HUNTER

1453

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

the family, and here William and his wife spent the remaining years of life, dying in advanced age.

Alexander Hunter remained on the home place, which he cleared of its timber, and erected most of the buildings thereon. The brick house built by him was one of the first in this section, and was a modern structure in all its appointments. He was joined in marriage with Elizabeth Dixon, who was born in Pittsburg, whither her parents had come from Ireland. She was reared in Penn Township, Butler County, Penna., and died in the prime of life. Alex- ander Hunter died in October, 1888, at the age of seventy-one years. He was a Whig in politics, originally, and later an ardent Republican. He never aspired to polit- ical preferment, but in the early days served for a time as school director. He and his wife reared two sons, William White and Alexander Dixon, each of whom owns one-half of the old home farm.

William W. Hunter was a small child at his mother's death. He attended the dis- trict school during the winter months, about four months each year, and during the remainder of the time was engaged in hard work upon the farm. He has always lived on this place, which is one of the best improved in this locality. A fine brick house, surrounded by stately locust, spruce, pine and apple shade trees, presents a beautiful and attractive appearance. He is engaged in general farming and stock- raising, and is meeting with the best of success.

On October 10, 1883, Mr. Hunter was married to Miss Susie P. Hutchman, a daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Plumer) Hutchman, and three children have been born to them: Margaret Elizabeth, Laura White, and William Hutchman. Political- ly, he is a Republican, has served as school director, and at the present is president of the township board of supervisors. Re- ligiously, he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church at Middlesex.

APHES A. COOPER, one of Adams Township's well known men, resides on his finely improved farm of fifty-six acres, on which he has erected all the buildings, be- ing a practical carpenter and builder. He was born March 18, 1860, in Forest County, Penna., and is a son of Robert and Martha (Johnson) Cooper.

James Cooper, the grandfather, came among the first settlers in the vicinity of Evans City, Butler County, where he cleared up a farm that remained in the possession of the family until recently, when it was purchased by James Ramsey. This farm is situated in Forward Town- ship and there Robert Cooper, father of Aphes A., was born, December 6, 1827. He was one of the younger members of a fam- ily of eleven children and is one of the two survivors, his brother Uriah Cooper, be- ing a resident of Ohio. Robert Cooper spent seven years in Forest County, where he was engaged in a lumber business, and gave ten months to the service of his coun- try, during the Civil War. After the close of his army life, he bought a farm in Adams Township, Butler County, on which he re- sided from 1865 until 1882, when he pur- chased property in Penn Township on which he lived until 1902, when he retired and moved to Evans City. In that year occurred the death of his wife, formerly Martha Johnson, who lived to the age of seventy-four years. They had the follow- ing children : Alfred, Amos, Harvey, Sam- uel, Aphes, Perry, Anna, Ella, Minnie, Harry, and an unnamed infant. Anna is the wife of Robert Leslie, and Ella is the wife of Samuel Zeigler. Alfred, Samuel, and the infant are deceased.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 170

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