Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 77

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 77

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May 23, 1900, an amendment to the charter of the borough was secured, chang- ing the official name from Centerville to Slippery Rock. The last decade has marked a number of improvements in the town such as establishing a city water works, the macadamizing of Main Street, and the paving of Franklin Street with brick. The latter was done in 1908. The borough council also contemplates the es- tablishing of a sewerage system in the near future. The streets are well lighted with natural gas, and the side walks paved with Cleveland stone.

The business interests of the town in 1908 were represented by the general stores of H. E. Bard & Son, Kerr & Gib- son, M. E. & S. A. Moore, J. E. Stoops, O. M. Williams, Watson & Williams, B. F. Stillwagon, notions, F. P. Bingham, hard- ware, Peter Bartz, tobacco, J. E. Freid- man & Bro., clothing, Maybury & Pizor, drugs, S. D. Keister, furniture, S. L. Cheeseman, feed; S. V. Patterson, wall paper; J. T. Bingham, farm implements ; Mrs. M. E. Gibson, millinery; Heinz & Cooper, tobacco; J. M. Roberts, buggies ; J. N. Stillwagon, harness; Dougherty & Moore, millinery ; Uber & Sons, furniture; McQuistion & Martin, meat market; Shei- bel & Edeburn, meat market; A. Bowers & Son, drugs; Jeff. Campbell, hotel; Slater

& Welsh, livery, and F. L. Forrester, lum- ber.

The First National Bank and the Citi- zens' National Bank are noticed in the chapter on banking. The town has no tele- graph service at the present time, but is supplied with an excellent telephone serv- ice of the local telephone company the Bell Telephone Company. The future pros- pects of the town are excellent. Both the Pennsylvania and the Bessemer Railroads are contemplating extensions of their lines into the village, and a corps of engineers are at work surveying a route for an elec- tric railway from Butler to Slippery Rock, and thence to Grove City.

In religious and educational matters, Slippery Rock Township has more than kept pace with other sections of the coun- ty. The first school-house was erected on the Wolford clearing, a short distance from Centerville, and in 1822 a second building was put up for school uses on the Abra- ham Snyder farm, and in 1830 the Still- wagon school was built on the Mawha farm, south of Centerville. In the latter place, as in the country, better advantages were given after the adoption of the public school system in 1835. The number of schools in the township in 1908 was eleven, with 312 pupils.

SLIPPERY ROCK STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

In 1881 a fine school building was erect- ed at Centerville, which now is the prop- erty of the State Normal School at this point. The history of the establishment of this admirable institution demonstrates the effect of persistent effort combined with the hard work that is demanded in order to make any enterprise successful. The first meeting was called by J. T. Bing- ham, was presided over by John Reed, while Rev. Mr. Robinson of the Presby- terian Church gave reasons for advocat- ing the founding of a high school of learn- ing. He aroused enthusiasm, the necessary

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amount of money for a beginning was soon made and thus the ball was started rolling and the result of all this energy is now seen in the stately, finely finished and equipped buildings of modern construction, which stand on ten acres of improved land, in the southeastern part of the borough. These buildings were formally dedicated by Gov- ernor Beaver, on February 1, 1889, and school work began in the following month. A high standard is maintained and the faculty is made up of educators of known ability. Since 1893 many improvements and additions have been made in the build- ings and plant of this school. The attend- ance in the winter term of 1908-1909 was 579.

The church organizations outside of Slip- pery Rock Borough were established as follows: the Methodist Episcopal body founded an organization in the thirties, at Hickory Mills, but it is no longer main- tained. Bethel United Presbyterian Church is the successor of the Covenanter Society, which was organized in 1833 but passed out of existence in 1866. In 1868 a reorganiza- tion took place under the present name. The Branchton Methodist Episcopal Church was organized and chartered March 5, 1906. A church building was erected in 1907 and the congregation is now attached to Harrisville charge. The churches in Slippery Rock Borough are two.in number, the Methodist Episcopal, dating to 1834, with a present membership of 150, and the Centerville United Presby- terian Church (now known as the First United Presbyterian Church of Slippery Rock Borough) which was organizedin Sep- tember, 1848, and which now has a member- ship of two hundred, Rev. G. A. Brown be- ing the present pastor. Slippery Rock Township was nobly represented by patri- ots in the Civil War and O. G. Bingham Post, No. 305, G. A. R., is in a flourishing condition, although, on more than one occa- sion, death has claimed a veteran, that be- ing the one enemy he could not overcome.

Secret orders are well supported here, there being organizations of the A. O. U. W., the K. of H., the A. O. U. M. and the K. of P. In 1908 the estimated population of the township was 1740 exclusive of Slip- pery Rock borough.

The township officials in 1908 were E. Fielding, tax collector; L. M. Doube, H. M. Reddick and A. C. Renick, road super- visors; Russell Bolten, A. S. Rodgers and John Snodgrass, auditors; W. B. Cooper, township clerk; Frank Gerlach, treasurer; J. B. Campbell, assessor ; L. W. Dougherty, constable; A. L. Cooper, judge of election ; John B. Dimit and F. J. Doer, inspectors. Justice of the peace, W. H. Bovard.

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.

Jefferson Township, lying southeast of Butler Township, is not only one of the richest agricultural sections of Butler County, but has great wealth in its car- boniferous deposits, and has, to some slight extent developed oil and gas. On account of its many waterways, it has been to some extent a manufacturing district.

The earliest settlers of Jefferson Town- ship were natives of Ireland but Germans and other nationalities were soon after- ward represented. The township had vet- erans of both the Revolutionary and 1812 wars among its pioneers. In 1895, Patrick Graham, a native of Ireland, came to what is now Jefferson Township, prospecting for desirable land and in the following year he put up his lonely cabin near the west line of the township. He had left his wife and two sons in Westmoreland Cour- ty, and they then joined him and in the following year a third son, named for the father, was born, he being the first white child born in Jefferson Township. The elder Patrick Graham lived to within three years of his century mark, dying in 1844. He is credited with being the township's first settler but was closely followed by S. Phipps. The latter attempted to build his cabin on the land already secured by

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

Mr. Graham and when objection was made, moved to parts unknown. Several others made partial clearing's in the vicinity but do not seem to have taken up permanent residence and in the year of 1798 the Gra- ham family were the only known residents of the whole territory. In that year they gained neighbors, the Strawicks, the Brac- eys and Thomas Burbadge and family came, built cabins, began to clear land and Andrew Strawick set up his anvil and was the pioneer blacksmith. Benjamin Thom- as is also credited with settling here in 1798 and is remembered as having set out the first peach orchard. William Wright, James Maxwell, Bernard Dougherty and Daniel Mularkey, with Nathan Skeer were here in 1805. In 1819, Thomas Welsh pur- chased 4,500 acres of land in the south- east corner of the township and lived there until his death, in 1853. In 1821 he was joined by his brother John and they be- came very prominent in county affairs and men of large wealth from the development of coal on their lands. These pioneers faced many hardships, in the overcoming of which they developed the present sterl- ing type of men and women, and before the land responded to cultivation they subsist- ed on the game in the forests and the fish in the streams as well as on the birds of the air, at that time, it is related, there be- ing so many pigeon roosts in this part of the county that a flight of the birds almost shut off daylight.

One of the early and useful industries which was welcomed by the pioneers, was the grist-mill which was built on Thorn Creek, by Alexander Martin, in 1826. Thomas Welsh had put up a saw-mill in 1825, and in 1827 the Widow McCurdy hired Robert McNair to erect a saw-mill on Thorn Creek. In 1845, George Welsh built a saw-mill and later a grist-mill and when it became the property of Thomas Frazier it. was was fitted with better ma- chinery and it was still operated in 1888, having in the meanwhile, been improved

with modern roller machinery. Other mills were built in different sections, some of which still stand while others have left no trace.

In considering the development of Jef- ferson Township, the founding of its ham- lets, towns and borough were the great fac- tors which brought civilization into the wilderness and many of the pioneers had much to do with their first inception and later growth.

Hannahstown, probably named for a good wife or well remembered mother, was founded in 1829 by Nathan Skeer and Abraham Maxwell, it having previously been a cross-roads school center. Nathan Skeer conducted a tavern here and he was a unique dram-seller, his law being to sell no more than one drink to a customer un- til he was satisfied as to the latter's ca- pacity. In 1860 J. N. Pugh established the manufacture of agricultural implements at this place. It now contains but twenty- five people. There is a German Lutheran Church here.

Jefferson Center once was a busy manu- facturing point, artesian wells furnishing the water here both for manufacturing as well as domestic purposes. Better facili- ties in larger places have withdrawn much capital from this place. It was established in 1825, by Thomas Welsh. It now con- tains about fifty people.

Great Belt, platted in 1876, in and around Coyle's Station, where a post-of- fice has been established in 1870, has not developed much, though there are some comfortable homes in the vicinity. Gold- en City, founded in 1884, was named in honor of Mr. Golden, one of the owners of the celebrated Rock well. In July, 1888, the Leota post-office was established, with Eli Graham as postmaster.

Saxonburg Borough, now with a popula- tion of 450, is the result of German thrift and energy. Through the efforts of Charles F. and John A. Roebling, in the spring of 1832, 300 families left Old Sax-

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ony, Germany, to colonize 16,000 acres of land which had been purchased for them in Jefferson Township, Butler County. Those who finally settled on the present site of Saxonburg were the Roeblings, Fred Baehr, A. Eisenhart G. Kinne, Rev. William Fuhrmann, C. G. Lamb, August Kunz, A. Steubgen, Christian Steubgen, A. C. Bernigau, J. H. Muder, G. Franke and Charles Tolley. Charles F. Roebling died at Saxonburg, in 1838, and was survived by two children. John A. Roebling was one of the remarkable men of his time. He was born in Saxony, in 1806, and from boyhood his education and training had been along the lines of architecture and en- gineering, for which natural talents fitted him. Prior to coming to America he had thoroughly studied bridgebuilding and submitted plans entailing the use of a wire rope or cable, of his own invention, for a suspension bridge to be erected in Prus- sia. By 1842 he had so perfected this in- vention that he secured a patent in that year and soon afterward he began the manufacture of this cable rope, with the as- sistance of John Reidel, at Saxonburg, and the first practical test which was thorough- ly satisfactory, was at the Sharpsburg Ferry. Subsequent and oft repeated tests, together with proofs of his engineering skill, brought about a revolution in bridge building, many of the great suspension bridges all over the country being his work, including the one across the Niagara River below the falls, and the East River Suspen- sion Bridge which connects New York and Brooklyn, which was completed in 1883. His death took place as the result of an ac- cident in 1869. The manufacture of his cables are carried on at Trenton, New Jer- sey, by his sons. The first industry at Sax- onburg was the Roebling brick-yard and immediately following factories were start- ed and in a short time the busy life of old Germany was bringing prosperity to the colony.

The borough of Saxonburg is lighted

with gas supplied by the Saxonburg Heat and Light Company. The Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Maccabees are here represented by prosperous lodges. The leading merchants of the place are G. W. Maurhoff, A. Krause & Son, and C. F. Schoentag, general stores; W. Berger, gents' furnishings; J. E. Muder, proprie- tor of the Central Hotel; G. O. Hammer, proprietor of the Roebling Hotel; Dr. E. B. Mershon, drugs; W. Schroth, harness; E. C. Drescher, machine shop. There is one school with ninety-seven pupils. A Volunteer Fire Department is now (Feb- ruary, 1909) being organized and a chemi- cal engine has been ordered. The post- master is J. R. Helmbold; burgess, G. Shoemaker; treasurer, A. Yeakel; con- stable, J. Long; justices of the peace, W. D. Hoffman and W. Knoch; clerk, F. B. Lens- ner; assessor, H. C. Lensner ; collector, W. D. Hoffman; road commissioners, W. Eck- erly, W. J. Steubgen, P. R. Krause, W. Rudert, E. L. Rudert, C. Reddick and D. Stewart.

Near Saxonburg are located the Saxon- burg Mineral Springs which are well known throughout this section as a popu- lar health resort. In the immediate vicin- ity is the large and beautiful Hotel Tredur, the location being at an altitude of nearly 1,400 feet above sea level, and surrounded by the most picturesque scenery in West- ern Pennsylvania. It is a delightful spot for seekers of quiet, rest and recreation. This place has been well called "A home in the country." The waters have been subjected to careful analysis and proved rich in health-giving qualities. They were much used by the Seneca Indians before the ad- vent of the whites.

The Saxonburg Telephone Company was organized in 1907, the company purchas- ing from the Bell Telephone the right of way in this section. Saxonburg has a Ger- man and English Lutheran Church.

The kind of people making up the citi- zenship of Jefferson Township, early

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

brought about a demand for schools and churches. St. Lucas' Evangelical Luther- an Church was established in 1838, when it was in Buffalo Township and a church was built near Hannahstown. In 1847 an organization of the English and German speaking Lutherans was effected and they worshiped together until 1869. In 1854 when the society was incorporated, one of the church articles was the prohibition of the interment of suicides or unbaptized children in the cemetery.

The Shiloh United Presbyterian Church was organized in 1864 with Rev. W. R. Hutchison as first pastor. The church building is situated at the junction of the old Bull Creek and the Glade Mills road. The Jefferson Summit Presbyterian Church dates back to April, 1864, and in June, 1867, a church building was com- pleted and dedicated, and in January, 1869, the society was incorporated. The Jeffer- son Center Presbyterian Church was or- ganized in July, 1871, and was incorporat- ed in October, 1873, Rev. C. W. Seaman be- ing pastor. The Methodist Epsicopal Church of Great Belt was organized in 1877, but is no longer in existence. The German Evangelical Protestant Church of Saxonburg really dates back to 1837. St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1869.

The Mission Synod of the Lutheran Church pays the expenses of the Concordia Orphans' Home, near Delano, founded by a Mr. Oertel and dedicated in 1883. It is a magnificent charity designed for aged persons and orphans. Secret societies, fraternal bodies and musical organizations are found in the township and are well supported.

Township officials: Constable, H. H. Aterholt; tax collector, W. Pouff; tax as- sessor, A. Aterholt; road commissioners, W. Aterholt; Geo. Grim and W. Campbell; auditors, A. Bekert, C. Wetzel, and J. Hartzel; clerk, W. Montague; treasurer, E. Montague.

MARION TOWNSHIP.

Marion Township, which perpetuates the name of General Francis Marion, the fa- mous "Swamp Fox" of Revolutionary days, has an area of five and one-quarter miles east and west by five miles in length, and within these dimensions may be found a variety of soil, mineral deposits and pro- ductive oil fields, while Slippery Rock Creek and smaller streams water produc- tive agricultural sections. The establish- ment and maintenance of various manu- facturing plants and other business enter . prises, together and chiefly with the de- velopment of the agricultural resources, almost from the first years of settlement, prove that Marion Township has always possessed its full share of capable and in- dustrious citizens.

The oil sands of this section are rather shelly, as has been learned from the rec- ords of the Emerson and Bronson well drilled near McMurry's mill in 1877, and from the record of the wells drilled at Mur- rinsville in 1893-4. A fairly productive oil field was struck at Murrinsville in the years mentioned, but the wells soon de- clined. More drilling was done in this township in 1908 than in any section of the county. There is a large limestone quarry near Anandale, which is now being operated. There are also large deposits of limestone that have not yet been developed. The highest elevation in the township is at the village of Murrinsville, which is 1,440 feet. At the crossing of the Murrinsville and Clintonville road it is 1,400 feet, and a mile southwest of Murrinsville it is 1,350 feet.

The population in 1860 was 789, and 1900 it was 878. The development of the coal field of the township in the past ten years has been the means of increasing the popu- lation, and at the close of 1908 the town- ship had a population estimated at 1,215.

Probably one of the very first permanent settlers of Marion Township was Samuel McMurry, a native of County Down, Ire-

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land, who reached this section with his wife, in 1798, settling near a historic spot known yet as Daniel's Garden. A trader named Daniel or Daniels, came still earlier and built a cabin near what is now Anan- dale, surrounded it with a bit of cultivated land and named it a garden. He subse- quently deserted the place on account of trouble with Indians. Other settlers who came early and took up land or otherwise established themselves were John Vincent, settling in 1798; John Vandyke, in the same year; John and Jane Black, in 1799; Robert Waddle, with wife and six sons, in 1800; Robert Seaton, with wife and three children, in the same year; William, Rob- ert and Samuel Black, in 1803; in the same year Robert Cochran, Hugh Gilmore, Jo- seph Blakeny and possibly Robert Read and John Walsh. Joseph Porter and wife came in 1817; Alexander Mortland; in 1806, and George Ray, in 1810, the latter making his home with his uncle, George Ward, who had settled here much earlier and at that time was one of the largest landowners in Marion Township. In 1816 came Robert Atwell; in 1818 came Robert Kellerman and family ; in 1819, came Will- iam Gilchrist and family and in 1820, came James Dugan. This list by no means in- cludes all of the early settlers but many of these mentioned have left descendants who still own the lands they gained through their industry and foresight, in the earliest days.

One of the earliest mills built in Marion Township was erected by a Revolutionary officer, General Campbell, which later was owned by the Ray family and for many years was operated, custom coming from remote parts of the newly settled township. In 1810, the McMurry distillery and grist- mill was built; in 1815, Robert Seaton erected a tannery and a fulling-mill; in 1825 the Blacks built a saw-mill and grist- mill, and William Evans also owned a saw- mill and an iron furnace. In 1850 the Marion furnace was established, by James

Kerr and Robert Breaden, who conducted it until 1862. An abundance of iron ore and thick veins of pure cannel coal as well as Brookville coal, has given a certain trend to the industries of the township and many furnaces have been built and coal mining has given employment to many.

One of the pioneer mercantile enter- prises of the township was Bailey's store near the western boundry, which has been carried on for many years by Joseph Bailey. He is probably the oldest mer- chant now in active service in the state, being over ninety years of age.

The leading villages of Marion Town- ship are Murrinsville and Anandale Sta- tion, or Boyers Post-office. In 1828 the for- mer village was surveyed for John Murrin, the head of one of the most prominent and substantial pioneer families of this section of Butler County. His descendants still own large tracts of land in the valley east of the town. It has always been more or less a Catholic stronghold and supports a fine Catholic Church. J. H. Gormley conducts a general store and there is a feed stable of which Murrin Brothers are the proprietors.

Anandale Station, Boyers Post-office, on the Bessemer Railroad, was founded in August, 1873, under the name of Byers- town, from one of the early settlers at that point, Frederick Byers and family having purchased land here in 1840. The hamlet remained almost stationary until 1879, when a hotel was built by a member of the Byers family and the building of rail- roads further advanced its progress. Hugh and E. G. Sprone built a steam grist-mill here in 1878, E. A. King becoming man- ager in 1880. The mill was burned in 1904 and the site is now occupied by a small feed mill .. In January, 1882, a post-office was established at Anandale Station, with W. G. Smith as postmaster. The present incumbent of that office is L. J. Sisseny, who also conducts a general store. The other merchants are H. Mittendorf, gen-

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eral store, and S. W. Kerr, grocery and Ferry, who was put in charge of St. Pat- hotel. There is a K. of P. lodge here. At the present date of writing, Marion Town- ship has seven schools with 186 pupils, the average attendance being normal and gen- eral intelligence prevailing. One of the first schools was held in the old log cabin Presbyterian Church and was taught by David C. Cunningham, among whose more immediate successors were John Walsh, Nancy Breckenridge and Lydia Waters. The school directors (in 1908) were James Walter, T. McFadden, John Gilgrist, James McNees, Clayton Duffy, W. F. Kerr and the First National Bank, Harrisville.

The United Presbyterian Church of West Unity dates back to about 1807 and was the result of the efforts of several Pres- byterian preachers who obtained church permission to organize churches through the county wherever possible, although the widely separated settlers made the duty sometimes a difficult one. Many of these settlers were of a religious turn of mind but they could not all agree on some of the essential points of doctrine, and hence, there were, by 1825, small bodies calling themselves Presbyterian, Associate Re- formed, Seceders, and Covenanters. In Rev. Cyrus Riggs, however, was found a tactful man as well as earnest preacher and he ministered to the assembled branches until 1830. Changes took place, but the present church body was incor- porated in February, 1886. The present membership is about one hundred. The elders in 1909 were James Dougan, Alex. Buchanan, Joshua Black, and J. C. Van- dyke. Pastor, Rev. J. J. Imbrie.

St. Alphonsus Catholic Church was not formally founded prior to 1841, but for many years prior to that the Murrin home- stead had been utilized for the service of the Mass, as the visiting priests could make their pastoral rounds. As early as 1800 missionary fathers of the Catholic faith had visited here as well as other parts of the county and in 1807 came Father

rick's Church on Sugar Creek. In 1839, John Murrin donated an acre of land for church and cemetery purposes and in 1841 a substantial stone church was erected. Subsequently fire destroyed a part of the structure, but rebuilding soon followed and the Catholic contingent has one of the best church edifices in this part of the county. Its membership-about 343-includes a great part of the wealth and substantial citizenship of the community. Father Mc- Kenna is the present pastor.

The Methodist Episcopal Church in Anandale has a membership of two hun- dred, with Rev. Mr. Walker as pastor.

The Church of God is a religious society that was organized about 1874 by a Rev. Mr. Manchester. Shortly after the pres- ent house of worship was erected on the Cook farm. The present membership is about twenty-five.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 77

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