Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 39

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 39

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In November, 1879, W. P. Smith, of Cen- ter Township, was elected president; E. A. Helmbold, Samuel Bolton and G. J. Cross, vice-presidents; W. P. Roessing, secretary, and John S. Campbell, treas- urer. The success of the fall fair and the election of a farmer as president, abolished the original idea, and, in May, 1880, the association was reorganized.

The Butler Agricultural Association adopted a constitution in May, 1880, but there is no minute of the election of offi- cers. The fact that W. P. Smith was pres- ident, Joseph L. Purvis vice-president, and John S. Campbell, W. H. H. Riddle, J. H. Tebay and W. P. Roessing, directors, shows that changes were made in the board of the old association. Other changes were subsequently made from year to year.

In December, 1889, the lease of five acres from Charles Duffy and seven acres from H. C. Heineman was reported. The lease of five acres from the Thomas Stehle heirs, with the other leases, form the present grounds.

The officers of the association in 1895 were W. H. H. Riddle, president; Jacob Keck, vice-president; Joseph Rockenstein, vice-president ; W. P. Roessing, secretary ; John S. Campbell, treasurer. The only changes in officials made from that time until 1902, when the association went out of business, were in the office of vice-presi- dent. The last officers elected were chosen in 1901, and consisted of William H. H. Riddle, president; Jacob Keck and Jo- seph Rockenstein, vice-presidents; W. P. Roessing, secretary; and John S. Camp- bell, treasurer. The board of directors were Joseph L. Purvis, J. Henry Trout- man, John S. Campbell, Jacob Keck, Dr. J. M. Leighner, Robert D. Stevenson, and Alfred Wick, the latter being superintend- ent of grounds for several years previous to the dissolution of the association. After the organization of the first association in 1877, the grounds were increased from the original fifteen acres to almost fifty acres. When the Standard Steel Car Company lo- cated in Butler in April, 1902, the land purchased by the company for the site of their big mill included the ground occu- pied by the Butler Agricultural Associa- tion and held by the latter under a lease. The association disposed of their lease and plant to the Standard Steel Car Com.

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pany, and a month later the business af- fairs of the association were brought to a close and the organization disbanded.

The Butler Driving Park and Fair As- sociation was organized in Butler August 4, 1903, when sixteen business men and horsemen of the town met at the Lyndora Hotel for the purpose of considering the advisability of organizing a driving club and building a race track at some point convenient to the town. The meeting was attended by Burgess William Kennedy, R. W. Hervey, Joseph Manny, I. J. McBride, Charles Wendell, James Maxwell, Christ Steichner, Charles H. Gies, W. D. Winters, D. A. Slater, William J. Marks, Leon Schloss, 'M. W. Mays, H. J. Connelly, George Schaffner, and A. J. Frank. Will- iam Kennedy presided at this meeting and A. J. Frank acted as clerk. A permanent organization was effected by the election of George A. Schaffner, president; A. J. Frank, secretary; and E. W. Bingham, treasurer; with the following board of di- rectors: Wm. J. Marks, I. J. McBride, C. H. Gies, Christ Steichner, and D. A. Slater.

tion of directors chosen to serve until the annual meeting were: Peter E. Duffy, D. F. McCrea, J. A. Klein, A. H. Sarver, Herman Leibold, Dr. W. C. McCandless, Dr. J. M. Leighner, John Younkins, John G. Jennings, and W. S. Dixon. On the 5th of May an executive committee was ap- pointed consisting of J. M. Leighner, I. J. McBride, A. H. Sarver, John Younkins, and Dr. W. C. McCandless. About this time the association decided to hold an agricultural fair and race meeting in Sep- tember, and for that purpose entered the Coal and Iron Fair circuit, securing on September 4-7 as the dates for their first fair. Dr. J. M. Leighner was appointed general superintendent, a position he still holds, and in June, Willis E. Rhodes and Joseph L. Purvis were elected directors to fill vacancies caused by the resignation of Peter E. Duffy and Christ Steichner. A. J. Frank resigned as secretary in the same month, and I. J. McBride was chosen to fill the vacancy. The race track, which was completed the 1st of July at a cost of over $10,000.00, is considered one of the best half-mile tracks in the state, and the other improvements on the ground cost the association an additional $15,000.00.

On the 17th of October a charter was secured under the title of The Butler Driving Park and Fair Association, cap- At the annual meeting held in Decem- ber, 1904, the old officers and directors of the association were re-elected for 1905, and the only change in officials in 1906 was the election of John G. Jennings, vice- president in the place of William Ken- nedy. The board of directors for 1906 consisted of Jas. R. Kearns, W. M. Starr, W. S. Dixon, I. G. Smith, C. H. Gies, Frank Hildebrand, W. E. Rhodes, Dr. W. C. McCandless, D. F. McCrea, A. H. Sar- ver, G. A. Schaffner, John G. Jennings, J. M. Leighner, J. L. Purvis, and John Youn- kins. The executive committee for 1906 were J. M. Leighner, C. H. Gies, John Younkins, A. H. Sarver, and J. L. Purvis. italized at $15,000.00, divided into six hun- dred shares of $25.00 each. In the mean- time sixty acres of land lying on the top of the hill west of the borough between the New Castle and Whitestown road, had been leased from Charles Duffy for a period of twenty years, dating from April 1, 1904, and a contract had been awarded to the Butler Construction Company, of Butler, for the construction of a half-mile track. This piece of work proved more expensive than was at first anticipated, and on the 1st of March, 1904, the asso- ciation decided to increase their capital stock to $25,000.00, and increase the mem- bership of the board of directors from five On December 4th, 1906, the death of to fifteen, and secured an amendment to Isaiah J. McBride, secretary of the asso- their charter for that purpose. The addi- ciation, is noted on the minutes, and Will-

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iam B. Purvis, who had been acting as as- sistant. secretary, for the previous six months, was elected secretary to fill the vacancy, a position which he still holds.

On the 29th of April, 1907, the minutes of the association note the death of Joseph I. Purvis, a member of the board of direc- tors, and of the executive committee. At the same meeting W. M. Kennedy was elected a director to fill the vacancy, and I. G. Smith was chosen to fill the vacancy on the executive board. Joseph L. Pur- vis, whose death is noted above, was one of the organizers and directors of the old Butler Agricultural Association, and was a leading spirit in that society for twenty- five years.

With the exceptions of the changes above noted, the officers and official boards of the association were the same as for the previous year. The board of directors for 1908 is composed of George A. Schaff- ner, president; John G. Jennings, vice- president; D. F. McCrea, James R. Kearns, Dr. W. C. McCandless, Dr. J. M. Leighner, W. S. Dixon, William Kennedy, Frank Hildebrand, I. G. Smith, W. M. Starr, Marion Henshaw, John Younkins, L. M. Brown, and O. K. Waldron. Will- iam B. Purvis is secretary and E. W. Bingham treasurer. The executive com- mittee is composed of John Younkins, Dr. J. M. Leighner, I. G. Smith, Frank Hilde- brand, and W. M. Starr.

The association has been successful from its first year and now takes a leading rank among the agricultural societies of the state. The aim of the management has been to give the people of the county a good, clean exhibition, free from all ob- jectionable features, and they have proved to the satisfaction of the public and their own pecuniary gain, that such an exhibi- tion will be liberally patronized. The first two years the association expended the surplus earnings in improvements on the fair grounds, and in 1906 a dividend of

eight per cent. was paid to the stockhold- ers, while in 1907 a dividend of fourteen per cent. was paid in addition to retaining a surplus in the treasury for improve- ments. The fair of 1908 broke all records in the county for attendance, and the divi- dend realized by the stockholders was equal to that of previous years. This is a record equalled by no fair association in western Pennsylvania.

While the association has paid particu- lar attention to the agricultural display and stock exhibits at the annual fairs, they have also expended a large amount of money and effort on the race meetings, which are held in connection with the fairs. In addition to the annual meeting in August, matinee races have been held every year by the horsemen of Butler, and in 1908, three successful matinees were held.

On January 20, 1905, the representa- tives of the Coal and Iron Fair Circuit held a meeting at the Willard Hotel in Butler at which a new organization was effected and a schedule of dates fixed for the fairs in the circuit. In this schedule the Butler Fair was put back to the last week in August in 1905, and has held that date ever since. The new circuit was or- ganized as the Coal, Iron and Oil Circuit, with the following towns represented : Punxsutawneyng, Butler, Brook- ville, Stoneboro, Tulaski, Clarion, and Rimersburg. The officers elected were: President, Ben. Record, of Punxsutawney ; vice-president, J. S. Wood, of Tulaski; secretary, W. E. Noble, of Kittanning ; treasurer, J. S. Laughlin, of Clarion.

The Millerstown Fair Association was the successor to The Millerstown Driving Park and Agricultural Association, which was organized in 1883, and chartered April 7, 1884, with a capital stock of $5,000, divided into five hundred shares. The Millerstown Fair Association was chartered in 1888 for twenty years, and

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succeeded the first organization. The permanent officers elected on March 11, 1884, were: S. D. Bell, president; Henry Moore, vice-president; W. A. Dennison, vice-president; H. J. Myers, acting secre- tary; P. A. Bell, permanent secretary ; H. J. Hoyt, treasurer; C. H. Johnson, J. C. Nevills, Dr. Foster, Owen Brady, J. J. Westerman, R. K. Sutton, S. F. Showal- ter, H. C. Litzinger, and W. P. Turner, trustees. Fourteen acres of ground were purchased from Owen Brady and Fetzer and Myers at forty dollars an acre, and the improvements were made at once. A fair was held in the fall of 1884 and con- tinued until 1891. Dr. S. D. Bell was elected president in 1885, William P. Tur- ner in 1886, and C. H. Johnson in 1887. The association was reorganized and a new charter obtained in 1888, and C. H. Johnson was elected president. C. F. Pierce succeeded Johnson in 1889, and J. J. Westerman was president of the or- ganization from 1890 to 1894. P. A. Bell was secretary in 1885 and 1886, but was succeeded by J. C. Gaisford in 1887, who filled the position until the association went out of business. The last agricul- tural fair was held on the grounds in 1890, and race meetings were held from time to time by the old association until 1907,

when the charter of the association expired.

The Chicora Driving Park and Fair As- sociation. The charter of the old fair as- sociation having expired, a number of business men of Chicora organized in June, 1908, The Chicora Driving Park and Fair Association, with a capital stock of $4,000, divided into eighty shares of $50.00 each. The officers of the association are C. H. Johnson, president; C. C. Ferguson, secretary; G. J. Myers, treasurer; and they, with C. L. DeWolf and S. H. Kam- erer, form the board of directors. The new association took over the grounds of the old association, and conducted several race meetings during 1908.

The North Washington Agricultural Association, composed chiefly of farmers and business men in Washington and the surrounding townships, was organized in the spring of 1908, and the first fair of the association was held in September of that year, at North Washington. The first ex- hibition of the association proved a suc- cess in every particular, and the society has decided to continue its organization. The officers of the association are J. P. Harper, president; and H. T. Stewart, secretary.

CHAPTER X

MILITARY HISTORY

Early Militia Organizations-Butler Invincibles-War of the Revolution-Butler County's Line of Descent-Military Organizations to which the First Settlers Be- longed-Revolt of the Pennsylvania Line-A Hero of Stony Point-The Critch- low Brothers and Thomas Scott at Saratoga-War of 1812-Butler Volunteers at Erie-Organization of the Second Infantry-The 138th Infantry-Rough Treat- ment of a Tory-Mexican War-Civil War-The Various Commands-Bounty Act-Balaam Association-Jubilee Meeting - Soldiers' Monuments - Spanish- American War-Departure of 15th Regiment-Death of Private Watters-Patri- otic Societies-Roster of Company E, 15th Regiment-Names of Volunteers- National Guard-Roster of Company L., 16th Regiment-Company G, 21st Regi- ment.

The pioneers of the county brought with them a military spirit that was kept alive after the Revolution by the organization of the militia of the various states, under the laws providing for their organization and equipment and discipline. Pennsyl- vania had an organized militia previous to the Revolution which did gallant service during the struggle for independence, both in the field and in protecting the bor- der from Indian raids. Provision was made for the organization of the militia under the new government and they were expected to be ready at all times to take the field against a foreign foe or protect the frontiers against the Indians. The organization and discipline were crude compared with the compact organization of the National Guard of today; yet they were a most effective body of men, bring- ing with them into the ranks a skill with the rifle, and the craft of the woodsman,

hunter, and frontier scout that made them ideal soldiers.

Up until the Civil War muster days were appointed, when the soldiers of each district were required to meet for exer- cises and drill in the manual of arms and go through the evolutions of the company and battalion. These muster days are pleasantly remembered by the older citi- zens and were considered great events in the lives of the early settlers of the county. Fun, jollification, and hilarity generally, ruled; and the exercises of the drill man- ual were of minor consideration. The amusements often consisted of feats of strength, wrestling, and throwing the shoulder stone, and sometimes in a contest of physical endurance in which the con- testants used bare fists and stripped to the waist. Rough and tumble rules governed these fights and they were conducted un- der an unwritten law of the land that was

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absolutely fair to both sides of the contest. Sometimes these contests arose between rivals of the same community over real or fancied grievances, and sometimes a bully or a strong man from a neighboring town or township would "butt in." He was always given a chance to prove his prow- ess and, whether defeated or the victor, was treated magnanimously after the af- fair was over. The muster, which usually lasted two days, closed with a banquet, the tables groaning with good things eatable and drinkable and enough of the latter on the side to lend enthusiasm to a long list of toasts.

Since muster day ceased to be observed the country passed through a civil war which added to her citizenship a large body of veterans who acquired military training on hard-fought fields and who have fostered and kept alive the military spirit among the people, in their regi- mental reunions and the state and na- tional encampments. Largely through their aid and influence the National Guard of today owes its existence. The state militia was re-organized after the Civil War, in 1874, as the National Guard, and its officers and enlisted men were com- posed largely of old soldiers. The first encampments by regiments were held in 1874, and while these encampments were a force in so far as military discipline was concerned, they served a good purpose. And from an organization that was at first cumbersome, undisciplined and ill- equipped there has been developed one of the best organized, the best equipped and most efficient bodies of citizen soldiers in the United States.

When the second war with Great Brit- ain broke out in 1812, Butler County was included in the Sixteenth Militia District, commanded by Major-General David Mead, of Meadville. When the British fleet on Lake Erie indicated a purpose of the enemy to invade Pennsylvania, the militia of Butler County responded to the

call sent out by General Mead, and many of them subsequently enlisted in the vol- unteer regiment raised by Col. John Pur- viance of Butler.

A re-organization of the militia appears to have taken place in 1814, when Gov. Snyder commissioned John Duffy of But- ler County a captain, on August 1st of that year. Captain Duffy commanded the third company of the Twenty-fourth Regi- ment. This commission is now in posses- sion of Charles Duffy of Butler, a nephew of Captain Duffy.

In 1820 the officers of the Twenty-fourth Regiment met at the house of Captain Beatty in Butler to attend to regimental affairs. At this meeting Capt. Robert Storey and Capt. James McKee were ap- pointed auditors to make a settlement of the quartermaster's accounts.

On April 12, 1823, the Butler Light In- fantry, commanded by Capt. Robert T. Lemmon, assembled in Butler for train- ing.

It appears that in 1823 Butler had a Volunteer Battalion commanded by Major Abraham M. Neyman, and the Second Battalion of the Twenty-fourth Regiment commanded by Major Jacob Mechling. The Butler Light Infantry assembled un- der Capt. Robert T. Lemmon "for train- ing" on April 23d. In obedience to an or- der of Major Neyman, the Center Greens met for training at the house of John Tim- blin, on May 6th. Major Jacob Mechling ordered the Second Battalion, Twenty- fourth Regiment, to assemble at Butler on May 29th, 1823, for training. The Butler Rifle Company met in Butler, May 6th; they were commanded by Capt. William Beatty. On the 28th, 29th and 30th of May, 1823, the training at Butler was in- spected by Samuel Powers, inspector of the First Brigade, Sixteenth Division, Pennsylvania Militia. Four companies appear to have been represented from the western part of the county.

The Butler Hornets were from Pros-

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peet, the Harmony Blues were commanded by Captain Goll. The Connoquenessing Rangers were commanded by Captain Davis; and the Connoquenessing Rifle Company by Captain Boston.

In 1825 the Bonny Brook Artillery, or- ganized April 25th of that year, was com- manded by Capt. Abraham Bunker. The Butler Light Artillery was commanded by Capt. William Beatty, and the Center Greens by Capt. John Glenn. These com- panies were leading attractions at the fête held in Butler on July 4th of that year and joined in thirteen cheers by which the toast-"Our militia and volunteers-the only bulwark of the Nation," was re- ceived. The Harmony Blues met the same day at Beam's Tavern in Harmony, the Buffalo Rifle Company at the house of Phillip Burtner, the Connoquenessing "Republicans" at Martins.

A re-organization of the Twenty-fourth Regiment, First Brigade, Sixteenth Divi- sion, took place March 20th, 1829. Major Jacob Mechling had been promoted to colonel. The staff comprised James Thompson, adjutant; J. L. Maxwell, quar- termaster; John N. Purviance, sergeant major; George Linn, surgeon; A. Spear and James Graham, assistant surgeons. The eleven captains commissioned were Alexander McBride, Jacob Doudhiser, Thomas Dodds, Johnson White, Samuel Dodds, George Frazier of the First Bat- talion, and Alexander Craig, John Wier, Thomas Jolly, J. B. McConnell and George Wolf of the Second Battalion. The first and second lieutenants commisioned at that time were Eli Balph, Thomas Sul- livan, James Sutton, Isaac Robb, James Glenn, and Edward Kennedy.

In May following the First Battalion, commanded by Major Graham, met for drill at Prospect. The Second Battalion under Major Sumney, met at Butler, and the Volunteer Battalion under Lieutenant- Colonel Haggerty and Colonel Cobert at Butler. A battalion commanded by Colonel

Goll, of the One Hundred and Fourteenth Regiment, drilled at Harmony. The same year the Washington Battalion, command- ed by Major John Welsh, met at the house of John Davis in Middlesex Township. Patrick Graham was adjutant of this bat- talion.

The organized militia in 1845 consisted of The First Rifle Battalion of Prospect, the Washington Volunteers and the La- fayette Battalions, meeting at the house of William Logan; the McDonald Volun- teers, Major Brewster, meeting at Shoe- maker's Old Stand; the Union Volunteers of Harrisville, Major Harris; the Second Battalion, Second Regiment (formerly 115th Regiment) at Brownington's Cross Roads; the Marion Volunteers of North Washington, Major Adams; the Second Battalion of the First (formerly 24th) Regiment; the First Battalion of the First; the First Battalion of the Second Regiment, and the Jackson Volunteer Bat- talion meeting at Harmony. The Porters- ville Volunteer Battalion met at Porters- ville; the German Guards, Captain Wise- man; the DeKalb Greys, Captain Ziegler, and the Butler Cavalry, Captain Evans, met at Butler.

The militia elections held in 1854 re- sulted in the choice of James B. Donald- son of Zelienople for inspector of the First Brigade, Nineteenth Division; Thomas Mclaughlin Brigadier-General, and George W. Reed, W. C. Adams, R. F. Graham, J. E. Cornelius and E. A. Helm- bold, majors of the Butler, Marion, Jack- son, Prospect and the Lafayette Battal- ions respectively. The brigade was com- posed of the Saxonburg Light Infantry, the Butler Hornets, the DeKalb Greys, Middle Lancaster Guards, Connoquenes- sing Whites, Jackson Greys, Clearfield Blues, Centerville Artillery, German Guards, Republican Blues, Portersville Guards, Marion Guards, Invincible Guards, Washington Cavalry, Venango Blues, Middlesex Guards and the Slippery

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Rock Light Infantry, seventeen commands in all.

Under the new militia law the Butler Scott Guards was organized in May and June, 1858. The following year the com- panies voting for brigade inspector, June 6, 1859, were the Connoquenessing Whites, Prospect Guards, True Americans, Wash- ington Rifles, Portersville Guards, Sun- bury Blues, Jackson Greys, Venango Blues, Marion Guards, American Guards, Fairview Guards, Centerville Artillery, and Saxonburg Light Infantry.

The DeKalb Greys (new) was organ- ized in June, 1859, with Samuel Coll, cap- tain; Joseph B. Mechling and Prof. A. J. Rebstock, lieutenants; J. A. Sedgwick, John Lawall, John R. Denny, Benjamin W. Bredin were sergeants, and Samuel F. McBride, Hugh W. McBride, William Bowers, and Enoch Fields, corporals; John Cress and George Bowers, ensigns, and William Glenn, bandmaster.

In September, 1859, a new company known as the Butler Guards was organ- ized, but its existence was short. These organizations kept alive the military spirit until the War of the Rebellion, when they were merged into the volunteer commands that went to the defense of the nation.

The last in the independent military companies was organized in 1865 with W. A. Lowry as captain; W. E. Moore, first lieutenant, Thomas F. Parker, second lieutenant, and J. T. Shirley, first ser- geant. It was named the Butler Greys and its purpose was to go to the field as a volunteer company. The sudden termi- nation of the war interfered with this plan, and the organization, which was composed of men who had seen previous service in the war, soon disbanded.

One of the prominent characters in the early history of the militia was Major George W. Reed, who was first captain, then brigade inspector in 1835, for Butler and Beaver Counties and in 1842 for But-

ler County alone. He was elected briga- dier-general in 1848, and subsequently held commissions as major and adjutant of a battalion. Thomas Dodds, who was appointed captain of a company in 1829, was subsequently promoted to major.

BUTLER INVINCIBLES.

The Butler Invincibles, afterwards called the Butler Blues, were organized in 1833. A copy of the constitution signed by the original members is in the hands of Capt. A. J. Cumberland of Butler. There is no date to this document but the accompanying record sheets of the com- pany show that on July 4th, 1833, Capt. James Potts issued a United States mus- ket to each member and took a receipt for the same with bail for the return of the musket in 1835, when called for. The value of the musket was $16.00. The arti- cles of the constitution fixed the number of drill days at six for the year, the dates being selected by a majority of the com- pany on the day of parade for the next. The fines imposed for failure to attend parades on public days were $2.00 for a commissioned officer and $1.00 for a non- commissioned officer or private. For non- attendance on training days the fine was one-half the above. The uniform pre- scribed for the company was a citizen's blue coat, red belt, white braid trimming on the coat, white pantaloons, a black stock or cravat, and a black citizen's hat, with white cords, black rosette at the left side and a white plume, with red top. John Potts, Anthony Faller and William Truxall composed the board of appeals that sat in Butler on November 2, 1835, and heard the cases of twenty members who had been reported by First Sergeant R. D. McKee for failure to attend a pa- rade of the company on the 10th day of September of that year. In 1836 John N. Purviance succeeded Capt. James Potts as captain.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 39

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