Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 73

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 73

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The Citizens Bank of Evans City was in- corporated February 8, 1894, with a capital stock of $50,000. Edward Dambach was elected president; Daniel Markel, vice- president, and John Rohner, cashier. These gentlemen, with Jacob Dambach, Zeno Markel, W. Fowler, A. M. Fowler, W. H. Weir and P. D. Gelbach, were stockholders. This bank succeeded the well known bank- ing establishment of Jacob Dambach & Son, which had its inception in 1878. On September 1, 1907, this bank became the Citizens National Bank of Evans City, a Savings Department also being added at. that time. The institution is in a prosper- ous condition.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

Evans City, or rather the settlement of the early days, was in the school district whose school was the old log house a half mile west. The village continued under ' the Jackson township school board juris- diction until its creation as an independent school district in 1882. There is now one public school, with rooms, six teachers, and an enrollment of 300 pupils.

After the incorporation of the borough in 1882 Edward Dambach was elected the first burgess, the date of his election being September 22d. With the rapid growth of the borough, safeguards were established for the citizens and their property, and all the conveniences of a model residence city provided. In 1888 a calaboose was erected; in 1889 fire apparatus was purchased; in April, 1890, street lamps were ordered, as well as water pipes for a system of water- works. In August, 1892, permission was given to the Evans City Natural Gas Com- pany to lay pipes and furnish gas to the citizens.

Amana Baptist Church was organized March 22, 1820, and Rev. Andrew Clark came as the first pastor. In 1850 the church at Breakneck united with that at Zelienople as Amana church. About the time of the war the church organization all but ceased. In 1881 some thirty-three members with- drew from an independent Baptist Church, and in 1882, when the Evans City Baptist church was constituted, the council of Amana Baptist church decided that there was not sufficient Baptist strength here to support two churches. Twenty-six mem- bers of the Amana society and seven for- mer members organized the new church, which now has a membership of about one hundred and forty. The present pastor is Rev. W. E. Ruch.

The United Presbyterian Church was founded about the year 1837 by Rev. Mr. Breaden and Elder Hall of Portersville. Services were held in the frame school building standing in the old United Pres- byterian Cemetery until 1842, when a brick

house of worship was erected where the present church stands. The church build- ing was burned during the dry summer of 1854. The present frame edifice was erected at a cost of $4,000, and was dedi- cated in April, 1888. A fine parsonage was erected at the head of Van Buren Street in 1890, at a cost of $2,500. The present pastor is Rev. C. H. Marshall. The church has a membership of about 130; the Sabbath school seventy-five to eighty.

St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church organized by Revs. Bassler and Muntz, is a contemporary of the German Lutheran and Reformed Congregation. In 1849 it was known as the Reformed Church, then united with the German Lutherans. They continued until August 2, 1853, when fif- teen of the thirty families forming the united congregation held distinct Re- formed services in the church. In 1869 the society received from former associ- ates a share of the value of buildings and grounds and erected a church building. A second church was built in 1875 and used as a German Lutheran church, being changed in the latter part of 1907 to both German and English. Rev. Charles J. Zeigel, who assumed the duties of the pas- torate in 1907, is still in charge. The con- gregation has 230 communicants; Sabbath school attendance, 150. Two of the char- ter members are still living-George Mar- burger and Mrs. Lotz, the former being now ninety-six years old. The present building, a fine brick structure, was erected in 1897 at a cost of about $20,000.

St. Peter's Evangelical Union Church was organized in 1849 by Rev. Henry Muntz as the Evansburg Lutheran and Re- formed Church, but the union was of short duration. The congregation divided on August 2, 1853, Rev. Muntz organizing St. Peter's German Lutheran church and tak- ing with him fifteen families, this branch of the church retaining the original build- ing, which had been erected in 1849-1850. The Presbyterian Church was founded

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in 1882 by some of the members of the old Plains Church congregation, not as the re- sult of any dissension in the church, but be- cause of the great distance to the house of worship. Rev. G. M. Potter, who was at that time supply at the Plains church, assisted in the organization of the new congregation and in raising funds for the erection of the church at Evans City. A building was erected at a cost of $1,800 on a lot donated by James Sutton, and was ready for occupancy in January, 1883, be- ing dedicated the first Sunday in that month, with Revs. Dr. Smith and Potter officiating. The small debt remaining was soon cleared away, and the church has been exceedingly prosperous.

St. John's Reformed Church was organ- ized about 1888, and has a at present a membership of about 300, with a flourish- ing Sunday school of 230. Rev. A. H. Gin- der has been pastor since 1904.

The Methodist Episcopal Church is the outgrowth of the old class at Caleb Rich- mond's in Forward Township, which later consolidated with the Brownsdale Class. A church building was erected at a cost of $3,000, the lot being donated by John Stewart, and the church was dedicated on October 27, 1889. Rev. Frank Prosser was the first pastor. The church was joined to the Harmony circuit in 1893, when it be- came a station. A parsonage was erected in 1896, also costing $3,000. In 1895 the church was repaired at a cost of $500, largely due to John Irwin. The present pastor is Rev. Albert C. Saxman. There is a membership of 140, with a Sunday school enrollment of ninety. The school has a library donated by Mr. Irwin.

There were originally burying grounds maintained in connection with the various churches in or near the borough. In Feb- ruary, 1890, further burials were prohib- ited in them on petition of numerous citi- zens, because of the drainage, which, it . was set forth, was a menace to the health

and life of the residents of a populous sec- tion of the borough.

The Evans City Cemetery Association was incorporated, January 7, 1891, with H. J. Ifft, John Rohner, George Mar- burger, Enos Barkey and J. A. Ripper as directors. A suitable site was obtained and laid out into lots, and has been made most attractive in its beauty. It contains many handsome monuments, one of which is the soldiers' monument to the unknown dead, erected in 1894.

Capt. William Stewart Post, No. 573, G. A. R., was formerly number 513, the change being made in 1894. The post re- ceived its charter April 23, 1888, the name bestowed upon it being in honor of Capt. William Stewart, who lived in Adams Township when the war broke out. In 1862 Captain Stewart organized at Evans City a company of soldiers, which entered the service as Company D, Eleventh Penn- sylvania Volunteers. He met death in the battle of Fredericksburg, and in compli- ance with the request he had previously made was buried on the battlefield. James P. Boggs was the first commander of the post. The present commander is Nicholas Kramer; commander elect, S. Q. Blair. A handsome monument has been erected by the post at a cost of $1350, to the thirty- eight comrades from Evans City and the vicinity, buried in unknown graves, this being the second monument of the kind erected in the United States. This post, through the congressman of the district, also secured the passage of a law to donate cannons to the various G. A. R. posts, Stewart post receiving two of these mili- tary souvenirs.

Some of the leading fraternal orders are represented in Evans City, including the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen, the K. O. T. M., etc., all of which are in a prosperous condition.

The Bell and People's systems supply good telephone service to the people of

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

Evans City, the former being established prior to 1895 as a pay station. The Peo- ple's system was put in about five years since.

Evans City is on the main line of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad between Pitts- burg and Chicago. The city has electric transportation facilities by means of the Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler & New Castle Railway, which has operated cars since July, 1908, this place being a junction on the line from Pittsburg to New Castle and Butler.

The present borough officials are as fol- lows: Burgess, H. C. Boggs; members of council, W. C. Douglas, S. J. Irvine, Sam- uel Hill, Enos Barkey, Oscar Shoup, Albert Clay and E. A. Gibson. Treasurer, George Fehl; secretary to council, Albert Lutz; tax assessor, John Staff; tax collector, S. Q. Blair; judge of election, Charles Anthony ; inspectors-Victor A. Barnhart, Albert Lutz; justice of the peace, I. N. Graham; constable, Nicholas Kramer; auditors, V. A. Barnhart and Joseph Cooper. School directors-C. Fred Hyle, Dr. N. A. Dom- bart, Dr. F. V. Thomas, A. F. Pfeifer, John Kline and J. E. Holbein. The postmaster is Miss Lily Watters.

Evans City can boast of paved streets and cement sidewalks.

Among the leading business houses may be mentioned Zeman's dry goods establish- ment; B. H. Eber's "Pittsburg Bargain Store;" Geo. Ifft & Sons (H. J. Ifft, pro- prietor), general merchandise, wagons, farm implements, etc .; Mecklas Bros., and Robert Hudson, general merchandise; C. I. Dunbar, groceries; Smathers & Cooper, groceries and feed; D. Bates, boots and shoes; Bussy, Markel Co., hardware, wag- ons, farm implements, etc., also plumbing and gas fitting; Mrs. L. E. Shoup, hard- ware and crockery; B. W. Dunbar, hard- ware; J. D. Thomas and J. M. List, drug- gists ; Andrew Schoeffels, merchant tailor; C. Ferd Hyle, furniture and undertaking; John Marburger, meat market; W. C.

Douglas, harness store; E. Barkey, coal and feed. A. J. Dambach and P. J. Ripper conduct blacksmith's shops, V. A. Barn- hart deals in real estate; Drs. A. W. Hyle and F. V. Waldron conduct up-to-date den- tal parlors and Doctors J. M. List, H. M. Wilson, V. F. Thomas and N. A. Dombart take care of the general health of the com- munity. The United States Express has an office here, while the Western Union Telegraph Company is also represented.

MANUFACTUTERS.

The Edward Dambach Company was es- tablished about 1883 by Edward Dambach, and was incorporated October 22, 1903, as the Edward Dambach Company, with a capital stock $60,000 and with S. J. Irvine, president, W. P. Kinsey, vice-president, and J. E. Holbein, secretary and treasurer. The concern employs fifty men, turning out a general line of planing-mill work amount- ing to from $75,000 to $100,000 annually; also interior finishings of all descriptions. It is the largest concern of the kind in this section and has had a very prosperous ex- istence from the start.

The Evans City Jobbing Foundry was established in 1907 and is owned by Theo- dore and Jacob Ulrich and George Bur- rows as a partnership. It is engaged in general repair work.

W. C. Laderer conducts a manufactory of buggies and other vehicles which was originally conducted (from 1888 to 1894) .as a repair shop. The manufacture of ve- hicles was begun in 1894 and the business has since grown to its present large pro- portions. The factory turns out 1200 jobs annually and in addition 300 sleighs, be- sides a large amount of repair work. The volume of business is from $100,000 to $125,000 annually, and employment is given to fifty men.

Evans City Roller Mills were established in 1835 by Thomas Evans and the mill is now the oldest building in the town. It

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has a capacity of fifty barrels of flour per day.

South Penn Oil Company, Midland Divi- sion, Boiler Department, is under the su- pervision of A. E. Dunkle. Repair shop for the South Penn Oil Company. Offices for the Northern Division South Penn Oil Company ; supply store for all kinds of oil well supplies for use of the company. Nine men are employed besides the office force.

The reservoir and pumping station for supplying water to the borough was in- stalled in 1894 at a cost of $14,000, with a 20,000 bbls. reservoir and 140 lbs. pressure.

A volunteer fire department was estab- lished in June, 1896. The department is now a well drilled organization and took the first premium at Mckees Rocks for the best drilled company in the vicinity. The cost of the fire building and hall was largely donated by John A. Irvine, the bal- ance being raised by the citizens.

MERCER TOWNSHIP.

Mercer Township, one of the original thirteen townships of Butler County, estab- lished in 1804, was so subdivided in 1854 as to become the smallest of all the final thirty-three townships, but, nevertheless it has always made a good showing and in some respects has advanced beyond other sections of larger area. Its citizens are uniformly of a class that has been home- making and home-building and its lands are notably well tilled and improved and its natural resources, especially its fine coal deposits, have been developed.

One of the most interesting facts con- cerning any section is the establishing of the personality of the men whose courage and enterprise made it habitable for those who came after and undoubtedly this honor belongs to one Col. Robert Reed, in refer- ence to Mercer Township. He appears to have come to this section from Cumber- land County, Penna., and opened the first tavern in Butler County, building his inn in 1797, on the old Indian road to Franklin.

He was an officer in the militia and was locally noted for many of the attributes most valuable in a pioneer. While many of the subsequent early settlers came from the eastern counties of the State, very many others immediately located in Butler County after landing in the United States, a large percentage coming from Ireland. From County Down came Samuel Barnes and family and his descendants still own a part of the original property. Other early pioneers were: James Shields, Major John Welsh, Thomas Dean, Ebenezer Brown and Michael Powers. Indians were numerous and not always friendly and early records show this added danger to the peaceful settlers. The old Indian chief, Cornplanter, and many of his warriors, in the course of time accepted the invasion of the whites and even became visitors in the homes of many settlers, but all danger from wandering savages was not removed, in remote regions, for many years.

The names of all the early pioneers have scarcely been preserved, but a list of those who, by the purchase of land or for other reasons became prominent in this section, between 1798 and 1830, includes James Hartley, David McKisson, Francis Wilson, Adam Funk, Zelotus Jewell, John Evans, Henry Evans, Ezekiel Brady, William Gill, Ephraim Harris, John R. Harris, Robert Walker, Alexander Seaton, Alexander Don- aghy, the Johnsons, James Bell, the Coch- rans, James Lee, Jonathan McMillan, Will- iam Stanley, William Waddle, John Mc- Coy, Washington Parker, William P. Brown, James Forker, Josiah Hardy, Thomas McElree and John Dougherty.

Mercer Township kept abreast of other sections in the matter of educating its chil- dren and providing religious privileges. Even as early as 1799 a school was estab- lished on the site of the present borough of Harrisville and the first teacher was Frederick Peel. In a few years other schools were established and Mercer Town- ship has the honor of having employed the

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

first female teacher, in Butler County, a Miss Jane Smith. After Harrisville be- came the center of business and population in the township, much interest in educa- tional matters was shown there. In 1830 a school was conducted and taught by Sam- uel E. Harris and among the subsequent teachers were many men who later became prominent in professional life. In April, 1856, an academy was started and later fine school buildings were erected which gave the children of the township all reasonable advantages. In 1908 there were four pub- lic schools in the township with an enroll- ment of about ninety pupils.

Aside from the tilling of the soil and often in conjunction with it, many homely industries flourished in early township life. Blacksmiths opened their shops, merchants · displayed stocks of goods, mills were built and by 1845 the development of coal de- posits had begun. Forestville was a town that grew up around the coal mines and, although the coal banks there have been about exhausted, many people make the place their home and business houses find customers. The distilling industry was one of considerable importance between 1830 and 1847, there being ten distilleries in operation within a radius of three miles.

Harrisville, now a busy mart of trade in the township, was surveyed for Ephraim Harris as early as 1825 and he was the first postmaster and was succeeded by his son, Samuel E. The town was incorporated as a borough in 1846. The first business house in this tract was the blacksmith shop of Ezekiel Brady, the first tavern was built by Col. Reed and the first land improved here as a farm, was by James Hartley, and old residents who are proud of their prosper- ous borough, refer to these three men as the founders of the place. By 1865 there were four stores, a foundry, three black- smith shops, a carriage shop, one pottery, one cabinet shop, three harness shops, three shoe shops, one grocery, one saloon and two temperance hotels, with three

churches and a fair representation of the professions.

Since that time various interests have sprung up and flourished. The flouring mill was built in 1882 by Kerr and Walker and it subsequently passed through several hands until it came under the control of J. M. Sutton & Son, on the death of its previous proprietor, Samuel B. Bingham. The King House now conducted by Frank Webster, was known as the Kerr House until 1893, when E. A. King purchased the property from the widow of Samuel Kerr. The Central Hotel was an old landmark that passed out of existence about 1890.

In 1908 the business interests of the town were represented by C. B. Borland's store, R. L. Brown's furniture store. W. E. Brown, meat-market; R. E. Elrick, drugs, D. W. Humphrey & Company's store, H. A. Kelley, farm implements, J. H. Morrison, Jr., harness store, Chas. Snyder's store, W. L. Morrison's store, J. W. William- son's hardware, Magee & Gibson's clothing store, L. R. Cummings' meat-market, F. L. Moyer's cigar store, J. H. Cochran's to- bacco factory, Miss Bird Steen, millinery, James Morrison's livery. The First Na- tional Bank, and the Harrisville Telephone Company are noticed in the chapters on banking and telephones. Frank Webster conducts the King House, the only hotel in the town. The estimated population of the town was five hundred and fifty-five. C. M. Brown is the present postmaster.

The borough officials in 1908 were as fol- lows: Burgess-J. F. Struthers ; council- Dr. W. B. Campbell president, R. W. Tay- lor, W. F. Magee, J. M. Williamson, P. A. Shannon, Dr. J. C. Buchanan, secretary ; tax collector-F. B. Magee ; assessor-D. J. Kyle; constable-J. W. McGill ; street com- missioner-J. H. Cochran; treasurer-the First National Bank of Harrisville; audit- ors-Hugh Morrison, Chas. Snyder, and E. E. Wick.

Harrisville Independent School District, directors : W. E. Foster, president ; R. W.

CLIP FORDEMY

EAU CLAIRE ACADEMY

PUBLIC SCHOOL, EVANS CITY

NORTH WASHINGTON ACADEMY

GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH, ZELIENOPLE

B. P. O. E. BUILDING, BUTLER

Renfrew,By

BUILDING USED FOR HIGH SCHOOL, RENFREW

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

Kyle, secretary ; J. P. Orr, Thos. Hindman, J. M. Farrel and W. E. Bovard; First Na- tional Bank of Harrisville, treasurer.

The earliest established church in Mer- cer Township was the United Presbyterian Church of Harmony, then known as the Boiling Spring Church, which dates back to 1800. The first pastor was Rev. Thomas MeClintock, who accepted the call in April, 1803, and served the congregation for thirty years. Worship was first carried on in a log cabin, on Swamp Creek, in 1836 it was succeeded by a frame edifice and in 1889 a commodious stone and brick struc- ture was erected at a cost of about $11,000.00. The Church has a membership of about 280, with a Sabbath School enroll- ment of over 100, many of the leading fam- ilies being represented both on its official board and in its benevolent activities, year after year. Rev. H. C. Hildebrand, the present pastor, was called December 1, 1908.

The Presbyterian Church of Harrisville was first organized in 1807, the name then used being West Unity or Unity, and its earliest meeting was in a tent pitched at Rocky Springs. A very eloquent divine, Rev. Samuel Tait, is recalled, who attracted a congregation from fifteen miles distant. The first permanent pastor was Rev. Cyrus Riggs, who served from 1814 until 1834. Later, when some question of church policy became a matter of difference of opinion, a division took place and an Associate Re- formed branch came into existence. The last pastor, Rev. H. E. Kaufmann, resigned in February, 1909, and the church is at present without a pastor. The membership is 120 with a Sabbath school of about fifty.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Har- risville was organized in 1834 by Rev. Will- iam Carl and its membership was gathered from Mercer and adjacent townships. Its early services were held in the first public school-house in the township, but in 1842 a meeting-house was built which served its purpose until 1896, when the present edi-

fice was erected at a cost of about $3500.00, the lot being donated by Ashland Walker. The present membership is about 100, with a Sabbath school of about eighty. Rev. J. M. Farewell is the present pastor, he having assumed the charge in Oct. 1905.

Z. C. McQuillen Post, No. 246, G. A. R., was mustered in May 12, 1882, with the fol- lowing named veterans: C. M. Brown, A. J. McCoy, Lemuel McGill, L. R. Cummins (present commander), W. A. Roberts, W. Cochran, W. J. Neyman, N. J. Maxwell, J. W. Campbell, L. G. Jenkins, David Jen- kins, D. W. Locke, W. B. Henderson and Alexander Williams. Time has taken its toll from these honored survivors of the Civil War but the organization, though not holding regular meetings, is still main- tained for the purpose of observing Memo- rial Day and attending the funerals of comrades.

The secret societies of the K. of H., and the Jr. O. U. A. M. are well supported and show constant interest in the aims for which they were organized.

THE HARRISVILLE MINES.

The first coal mining enterprise on an extensive scale in Butler County had its beginning in 1868 when Benjamin Niblock of Youngstown, Ohio, James M. Bredin, of Butler, and Thompson Kyle, of Harris- ville, secured leases on some 50,000 acres of land lying in Pine Township, Mercer County, Irvine Township, Venango County, and in the townships of Mercer, Marion Venango, Allegheny, Parker, Washington and Cherry, in Butler County. This enter- prise was undertaken on the supposition that the so-called Harrisville vein of roal which is four feet thick was the principal mining vein in that district. Soon after the first leases were made by Niblock, Bre- din and Kyle, a number of capitalists or- ganized the Mercer Mining and Manufac- turing Company, and this company built the Shenango and Allegheny Railroad from Shenango Junction to Mercer County to

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

Pardoe and Grove City, and from thence extended the line to New Hope in Butler County. The Harrisville Mine, two miles south of the village of Harrisville, was opened soon after the completion of the road, and was operated until a few years ago, when the vein became exhausted. Coal is being taken from beneath the farms in Mercer Township along the Mercer County line from openings made by the Wester- man-Filer Company, near Grove City.

Forestville. This village had its incep- tion when the coal mines were opened at Harrisville Station on the Bessemer Rail- road. It is purely a mining village and had a varying population as long as the mines were in operation. Originally it was known as "The Blocks." The post-office was dis- continued after the establishing of the rural mail route. After a period of decay lasting almost a decade, the village took on new life, and at the present time it is com- posed of about twenty-five comfortable dwelling houses, two stores, and a Catholic chapel, the latter being erected in the fall of 1908. The stores of the town are con- ducted by L. Owens and Nanny Shields. St. Anthony's Chapel was erected during the summer of 1908, and dedicated in Oc- tober of the same year. It is in charge of Father Lewis of the Capuchin Order at Herman, who conducts services twice a month.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 73

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