Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 80

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 80

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Of coal the township has some impor- tant mines, among them the Sherwin, which turns out 300 tons per day and gives employment to seventy men. In addition there are some smaller banks operated for local consumption.

There are deposits of limestone on Bear Creek, which have not yet been developed, but which will doubtless prove a source of future wealth.

There is one store, kept by Mr. Day, at Buena Vista, which is a station on the Western Allegheny Railway. There is also a United Presbyterian church here, where services are held occasionally. Other stations within the limits of the township are Angelica, on the B. & O. Railroad, and Fairmount, also on the B. & O.

St. Paul's Reformed Church, formerly known as the Union Church, built its first log house on the Andrew Barnhart farm, on land he donated in 1813. The congre- gation was originally a combination of Lutheran and Reformed. After many changes the Reformed body became the owners of the site on Sugar Creek now known as the "White Church." The Ger- man Lutheran Church was organized at Fairview in 1832. St. Peter's Reformed Church, probably was organized in 1845, and the United Presbyterian Church in 1834. The Presbyterian Church of Fair- view and the Presbyterian Church of Karns City were both organized in 1875. The Methodist Episcopal Church of Fair- view dates back to the thirties and that of Petrolia in 1873. The Presbyterian Church of the latter place was organized in 1877, St. James Catholic Chapel, in 1874, and the Church of Christ in 1880. Both in re- ligion and education the residents of Fair- view Township have displayed earnestness

of purpose, enlightened view and practical qualities.

Township Officials: Justice of the peace, W. P. Day; treasurer-S. McCollough; road commissioners-R. Johnson, C. Ellen- bergh and R. McCollough; constable-J. Jackson; tax assessor and collector-J. J. Campbell; auditors-G. G. McCollough, W. P. Day, and C. F. E. McCollough.

United Presbyterian Church of Fair- view, first known as the Bear Creek Pres- byterian Church, had its beginning previ- ous to the year 1800. The members first worshipped in a tent which stood on a spot called "Deer Lick," in the old grave-yard midway between Fairview and Karns City. About 1800 Samuel Kincaid, Joseph Smith, John Craig and others constructed the first church building, which was a small un- plastered log structure that could be used only in summer. It was located about a mile east of Fairview, in the present lower Bear Creek Cemetery.

In 1803 Rev. Robert Johnston became the first pastor, giving a part of his time to the Scrubgrass congregation. He re- mained until 1807, after which the church was supplied for several years by Rev. Robert Lee. For several years, beginning with 1812, the congregation was without a regular pastor. Rev. Alexander Cook, who came in 1821, was the second regular pastor. Soon after, a larger and better building was erected in the Upper Bear Creek Cemetery. It was built of hewed logs, 40x60 feet and 20 feet in height and like the first building, was unplastered.

Rev. Alexander Cook was succeeded in 1830 by Rev. Joseph Johnson, lately from Ireland, as supply. The latter's failure to produce his ministerial letter caused a schism in the congregation and led to the organization of the Bear Creek Associate Reformed Church. In 1837 Mr. Johnson went back to Ireland and for some time thereafter Rev. James Green ministered to the congregation, though not called as

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pastor. Rev. R. W. Oliver was the fourth settled pastor, coming in 1843. A part of his time was given to Laurenceburg and Mt. Varnum. He remained but a few years, Rev. Mr. Riddle being stated supply in 1847. The latter was the first pastor to preach against intemperance. During these early years only two communions a year were held, usually in May and Oc- tober.

In 1848 Rev. James H. Fife became pas- tor. Soon after, the congregation decided to build a new house of worship, and in 1850 an edifice was erected on the site of the present building. It was of frame construction, 59x45 feet, and was furnished with a fine bell, but had no spire. It was erected at a cost of over $1500.00. The use of the pews was sold to meet the expenses of the pastor's salary. At this time there were fifty-one pew holders.

Mr. Fife, who proved a satisfactory pas- tor, was released some time previous to June, 1856, and was succeeded by Rev. John A. Campbell in the fall of that year. During his short pastorate of two years the congregation entered the union form- ing the United Presbyterian Church, the Session at this time being composed of David Thompson, Robert Campbell, James Say, James Wilson, William McGarvey, Thomas Kelley and Andrew J. Christy.

Rev. W. P. Breaden became pastor in the summer of 1859, and on Communion Sunday, October 30, 1864, the first offer- ing for Foreign Missions was taken, and about this time the different congregations began making their annual report to the General Assembly.

Mr. Breaden, whose pastorate was very acceptable, was succeeded by Rev. David Dodds in the fall of 1872 and in the same year a Church Aid Society was organized. In Mr. Dodd's time also a library was pur- chased, the congregation was districted for weekly prayer-meetings and there was a strong spiritual growth. In the spring of 1875 Buena Vista congregation was or-

ganized with twenty-one members from Fairview and others in the vicinity.

After Mr. Doods' departure the pastor- ate was vacant for a year. Then the con- gregation called Rev. A. B. C. McFarland, who began work in September, 1878. By this time the congregation needed a new church edifice and a brick two-story build- ing was accordingly planned, 48x68 feet, at an estimated cost of $15,000.00. It was dedicated August 24, 1883, free of debt. In 1886 the Woman's Missionary Society was organized. In January, 1889, Mr. McFarland resigned as pastor owing to causes that cast a cloud over the church during the latter part of his pastorate. He was followed by the Rev. R. M. Sherrard, who assumed his duties in the fall of 1890. On October 26, 1898, the congregation met with a discouraging experience, the fine church building, with all its equipments, being destroyed by fire. The members, strong in their sense of union, rose to the occasion, however, and cleared away the rubbish, and by their determined efforts a new and more convenient though less costly building was erected, and was dedi- cated February 8, 1890, free of debt. Mr. Sherrard gave up the charge September 16th following and the Rev. J. A. C. Mc- Quiston became pastor on the first of Au- guts, 1901. He was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Campbell, the present pastor. The church now has a membership of 145 with a flourishing Sunday school, and is a pow- erful factor in the religious life of the community.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP.

Clinton Township, which was organized in 1854, out of parts of the original Mid- dlesex and Buffalo Townships, possesses many of the natural features which appeal to those in search of quiet homes and these were recognized at a very early period in the settlement of the county. It is well watered land, the tributaries of Bull Creek giving necessary moisture, and its soil

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

varies from heavy clay to sandy loam, while its coal deposits, when entirely de- veloped, will probably make this township equal to many others in wealth from that source. There is but little oil or gas and as yet no limestone deposits have been opened up. Banks to supply local con- sumption are now operated.

One of the first pioneers to venture into this locality was Patrick Harvey, of County Down, Ireland, who selected a tract of land as early. as 1792. He re- turned to his family in Westmoreland County until 1794, when he came back to Butler County and cleared ten acres of his farm and built his log cabin on the same and then brought his wife and children to the lonely spot. The only other pioneer of that year, of whom there is record, was James McKee. In March, 1797, came Samuel Copeland and after his log hut was built, his family joined him. Other set- tlers of about the same time were George Plants and John Burtner. George Stinch- comb came in 1796, but soon sold out to Barnett Stepp, and about the same period Henry Sefton, Thomas Stewart and Rob- ert McGinnis appeared. Revolutionary soldiers were well represented in the years following, and the majority of these early settlers were of Irish extraction. The names of Thomas Watson, Hugh and Rob- ert Riddle, John Burtner and Samuel A. Rippey were known in this section prior to 1800. In that year came James and Edward Byrne; in 1801 came Daniel Pugh, the founder of the Pughtown settlement; in 1802 came Francis Anderson, who was commissioned a justice of the peace two years later and served in the War of 1812. Thomas Lardin, who owned one of the first iron plows in the neighborhood, is mentioned in 1803, as is also John Hay; in 1805 came John Cunningham; in 1806 came William Love, the founder of a large family, and in 1816 and 1818 came other members of the same family. In 1822 three of the Walker family purchased 1800

acres of land here and as they subse- quently occupied and improved it, they were among the early prominent and relia- ble men. There are many other names which might appear among the founders of the various industries, the builders of the homes and the moulders of public sen- timent in Clinton Township through what is usually termed the pioneer period, and among these may be included the Moores, the Brewers, the Thompsons, the Gibsons, the Criswells, the Westermans, the Bick- etts, the Hemphills and the Norrises, and it is remarkable how these names still fig- ure in all that concerns the township at the present day.

In Clinton as in other townships, one of the first coveted and needed industries was a grist mill and second was a sawmill. Daniel Lardin, son of Thomas, the pioneer, was the probable founder of the village of Lardintown, built the first grist-mill, locat- ing it at the headwaters of Bull Creek. It was subsequently owned by William Lar- din, grandson of the pioneer. After it was destroyed by fire, a new mill was erected on the same site. The first frame house in the township was erected in 1840. from lumber provided, in all probability, by the Riddle saw-mill. In 1848 the Kirk card- ing and woolen-mill was started and suc- cessfully operated until 1861.

Clinton Township being mainly agricul- tural and thus self-sustaining, has fewer hamlets and villages than some of her sis- ter districts. Population is evenly dis- tributed and a similarity of interests has brought about much unity of feeling on all public questions. The matter of educating the children of the township was early agi- tated and houses were utilized at first on the farms of the Riddle and Davis families. Among the early instructors may be noted the familiar names of Cunningham, Her- ron, Jack, Love, McCorkle, McGarry, Wat- son and Anderson. The most pretentious educational enterprise of the township is the Clinton Normal and Classical Acad-

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emy, which was chartered September 8, 1890, with thirty-seven stockholders. It is liberally supported and offers a fine opportunity for obtaining a thorough edu- cation along academic lines. There are six district schools with an enrollment of 217 scholars. The Saxonburg Telephone is in- stalled throughout the township.

Clinton Township is more or less the home of Presbyterianism. The earliest or- ganization, the Westminster Presbyterian Church, was founded June 12, 1835, by Rev. Newton Bracken, with a membership of nineteen. It appears that no regular church building was put up until 1845, when one of logs was constructed, which served the purpose until a new building was completed in 1853. At present it has no regular minister.

The United Presbyterian Church of Clin- ton was organized April 20, 1845, as the Associated Reform Church and was incor- porated under its present title, December 7, 1863. In 1845 a log house of worship was erected on land donated by James M. Hay and at first its furnishings were very primitive. In 1854 the congregation had so increased that a new building was nec- essary, and a commodious frame structure was built. The first pastor was Rev. Isaiah Niblock.

Clinton United Presbyterian Church, located in the northwestern corner of the township, has a membership of 180. Rev. Mr. McMichael is pastor.

The Oak Grove United Presbyterian Church was organized August 27, 1878, and a frame building was put up which was dedicated in March, 1879. At present the church has no regular pastor. Its membership is about seventy.

The three cemeteries in the township are the Oak Grove, the Clinton and the Westminster, the latter being the oldest burial ground. In these sacred spots rest the ashes of many of the best known and most useful and revered of the townhip's pioneers.

Clinton Township has a well supported Grand Army of the Republic organization in Harvey Post, No. 514. It was organ- ized March 25, 1886, at school-house No. 2, with the following charter members: Will- iam Harvey, John S. Love, J. B. Cunning- ham, J. P. Kirkpatrick, William Thomp- son, M. Thompson, G. P. Harvey, John Halstead, Martin Gibson, H. H. Halstead, E. Sefton, Adam Ekas, D. Huey, J. Jones, John E. Burtner and H. J. Burns. The first commanders were Adam Ekas and John S. Love, both of whom served through two terms. The post enjoys a fine hall and armory, being indebted to John S. Love for the ground on which they stand.

Riddles is a locality near the center part of the township. It has a very small pop- ulation.

Houseville, a station on the Bessemer Railroad, is a settlement of about twenty people.

Barkley, also on the Bessemer Railroad, has about twenty-five people. T. Kennedy and J. Thompson conduct stores here and the Adams Express Company has an office.

Woods Station, on the Bessemer Rail- road, has a telegraph office. There are about a dozen people residing in the vicinity.

Clinton Springs is a health resort where there is a hotel conducted by Anderson and Jones. There are eight cottages in the vicinity. A. Hay conducts a store near Clinton Church.

Township Officials: Justices of the peace - J. B. Cunningham and J. D. Harbison; constable-William Harvey; tax assessor and collector-J. McCall; road commis- sioners-A. E. Kas and J. Brewer; clerk -J. Harvey; treasurer-M. Love; audit- ors-W. Krume, T. Woods, and L. Lar- dens ; school directors (1908)-W. C. Gib- son, Thomas Hay, Harvey W. Love, R. D. Sefton, G. A. List, and C. R. Anderson.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

BUFFALO TOWNSHIP.

Buffalo Township was one of the four townships which made up what now is Butler County, while it was still attached to Allegheny County, and included a large area. It was one of the thirteen townships erected in 1803, and continued one of the largest in the county until reduced to its present area in 1854. It is of very rugged surface and did not settle up as rapidly as some of the other townships; it is well drained by Big Buffalo Creek, Little Buf- falo Creek, Sarver's Run and Little Bull Creek, and contains many excellent and well improved farms. The Allegheny River touches the extreme southeastern corner. Coal mining his been carried on quite extensively in various parts of the township, and is of the Upper Freeport character. The township is the divide be- tween the oak and pine hills, the latter be- ginning at Sarversville and extending toward the south and east boundaries of the county.

Buffalo Township has very little oil or gas. A good quantity of coal is found. The Kerr Coal Company is operating near the southern boundary and has the only mine from which shipments are made to outside points. There are, however, a num- ber of small banks operated. The Penn- sylvania Railroad is the only one in the county.

The first actual settlement here was made in 1795 by a man of Irish birth, George Bell, after whom a hill and a creek were named. He was followed in the same year by Robert Elliott, also a native of Ireland, who in 1796 brought out his wife and a large family of children. He also brought with him a quantity of young fruit trees and set out one of the first orchards in the county. Benjamin Sarver, prior to taking up his residence here, came up from Tarentum every Monday and re- mained until the following Saturday noon, working on the mill which he operated here some time later; he made a settlement at

Sarversville in 1796. Mrs. Mary Steele and her children, John and Mary, arrived in 1796, as did some of the Jeremiah Smith, Sr., family, John Brooks, William Kiskaddon, a veteran of the Revolutionary War; and Joseph Simmers. In 1797-1798, Robert Carson, John Barker, Thomas Fleming, Andrew Easley, with their re- spective families, and the Kirkpatrick family took up their homes here. John Harbison, and his wife Massy, who had been residents opposite the mouth of Buf- falo Creek, located in Buffalo Township in 1807. After the War of 1812, there were many new arrivals in the settlements, which had been backward in their growth and development. John Ekas settled at what now is Ekastown in 1818, and he was soon followed by the Roney and Weir families. Jacob Byerly and family ar- rived in 1823, and Thomas Harbison in 1824. Other pioneer families became es- tablished here in the thirties and forties, among which may be mentioned the Doyles, Halsteads, Blacks, Sedwicks, McKees, Wil- sons, Walters, Walkers, Mortons, Painters, McCaffertys, Gardners and Hoovers.

The Sarver grist-mill was the first indus- try in operation in the township, and the log dam and water-wheel are still to be seen in the creek at Sarversville. Thomas Fleming established a small distillery in 1799, and for some years furnished his neighbors with corn whiskey. John Har- bison built a saw-mill on Buffalo Creek in 1807, and operated it until his death in 1822. The mill built about the same time at Sarver's Station, by one of the Smiths and Caleb Jones, was run by them for years and later was owned by Alexander Douthett. David Kelly in 1866 built a mill at the same point, which he sold in 1868 to Jacob Ehrman and which is still known as the old Ehrman mill. William Colmer and Jacob Weaver built what later was known as the Cratty mill, and the Hill mill on Big Buffalo Creek was another mill which thrived in the early days. The most

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important of the business enterprises of the township is the large distillery of Guckenheimer & Company, or rather of the Pennsylvania Company, located in the extreme southeastern part of the township. The buildings first erected were for P. McGonigle & Son, and were built in 1869; the plant was started in operation in 1870 and at that time had a capacity of eighteen barrels per day. In 1875, the firm of Guckenheimer & Company, composed of A. Guckenheimer, Samuel Wertheimer, Emil Wertheimer and Isaac Wertheimer, was organized and purchased the plant, which they operated without interruption until it was destroyed by fire in July, 1889. Large and modern buildings took the place of those destroyed, with a capacity of fifty barrels per day. It is a large and success- ful enterprise.

It was long after the first settlement that a school building was erected in Buffalo Township, although classes were organ- ized in the early days and taught by some one who came from some other locality for that purpose. Among the first teachers here were Robert Cunningham, Michael Herron, Robert Hamilton, William Mc- Garry, and Thomas Watson. The first common school was established in District No. 2, in 1836, and was taught by George C. Sedwick. At the present time the town- ship contains six schools, all of which are in a gratifying state of efficiency.

Buffalo Presbyterian Church, located one and a half miles east of Sarversville, was organized August 3, 1843, by Revs. Abraham Boyd, Thomas W. Kerr and El- der Hill, and during that and the succeed- ing year a small and rude house of wor- ship was built. A new edifice was erected soon after the close of the Civil War, and was dedicated in 1867; a burying-ground surrounds the church and consists of two acres of land. The first elders of the church were Andrew McCaskey and Will- iam Cruikshank, and the first pastor was Rev. Abraham Boyd, who had preached to

the members for some time before an or- ganization was effected. He served the church until 1846, and was succeeded by Rev. D. D. McKee, Rev. Newton Bracken and others. The church at present (Feb- ruary, 1909) has thirty-five members, but no regular pastor.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. The Lutherans in the very early days of the township's settlement had occasional meetings at the Sarver home, and Rev. Schweitzerbarth preached to them, but they had no church organization. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized by Rev. J. H. Fritz in Decem- ber, 1867, in the old Covenanter Church near Sarversville, with Henry Smith, Jonathan Hazlett and R. M. Harbison as elders. Articles of association were adopted February 28, 1828. In 1870 three acres were purchased from the Covenant- ers, and a fine church edifice was erected at a cost of $3,000; in 1873 four more acres were added to be used as a cemetery. The present membership is about fifty.

Emery Chapel, by which name the Meth- odist Episcopal church at Ekastown has been generally known, is a handsome brick structure which was erected in 1868 at a cost of $7,000. The church organization is the outgrowth of the old class which was organized at Lardin's Mill in Clinton Township early in the thirties, by Revs. Henderson and Jackson. In 1841 a frame house of worship was built and given the name of Emery Chapel in honor of Bishop Emery. The church now has a member- ship of about 60, with Rev. Buhl, pastor.

Sarversville, the early home of Benja- min Sarver and the seat of his grist-mill, was surveyed by Henry Halstead in 1840, and named Walley. It was given its pres- ent name by the postal authorities in January, 1858, when an office was estab- lished here and David Kelly appointed postmaster. The first store was con- ducted by F. D. Schweiterling, who was succeeded by David Kelly, and later by

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

J. M. Fleming and M. C. Sarver. J. Ekas now conducts a store here. Jacob J. Smith, a native of the village, was the sec- ond miller here and also conducted a store for some years. The population now num- bers about one hundred.

Sarversville Council, No. 401, Junior Order United American Mechanics, was organized January 25, 1890, with a goodly membership, and developed into a strong lodge. Early in the nineties they put up a new and modern building as the home of the lodge.

The Sarversville Farmers' Club was organized and flourished for some years, then was abandoned. St. Paul's English Lutheran Church, Rev. Freschkorn, pas- tor, is located here.

Sarver Station, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, a little village of about 100 peo- ple, is an old settlement under a new name. It was early in the nineteenth century Smith and Jones came in and erected their mill, which later was operated by Alexan- der Douthett. In 1866, David Kelly built the Ehrman mill just south of the village, to which he moved in 1870, establishing the first store here at that time. He has had various successors. J. Powell now conducts a general store here and is post- master; C. Ohl a hardware and feed busi- ness. The village is provided with the Bell telephone.

Ekastown is a little settlement at a cross roads, and boasts of a store, Emery Chapel, and a small cluster of houses.

Monroeville, or Silverville Post Office, lies on parts of the old Duffy, Cypher and Mclaughlin farms, and was surveyed in 1839 by James Dunlap for Emil Maurhoff. The first building was erected by J. M. Elliott, and in 1840 a tavern was erected by George Weaver, and a store building by Peter Koon. The latter, George Fry, Gustave Speck, Charles Schweiterling, George W. Cramer and A. W. Leasure, have been the merchants of the village. The last named was made postmaster

when Silverville Post Office was estab- lished n 1894. The place contains about forty people.

Monroe Station is merely a shipping point on the Butler Branch of the Pennsyl- vania Railroad.

Freeport is a station on the Pennsyl- vania Railway, as also is Harbison Sta- tion.

Silverville is a small settlement of about forty people, but has no store.

Township Officials: Justices of the peace-G. Kramer and G. Easley; con- stable-W. Scott; tax collector-W. Har- vey; tax assessor-A. B. Ekas; road com- missioners-S. E. Ohl, J. McCurdy and A. Ekas; auditors-J. Harbison, A. My- ers; treasurer -- W. Harvey; school direc- tors-J. F. Shearer, R. W. Harvey, John Montgomery, A. L. Myers, William Carson and Martin Sweitzer.

CLEARFIELD TOWNSHIP.

Clearfield Township, with its many water courses, its great beds of limestone and its valuable deposits of iron ore and valuable coal veins, has always been a rich district of Butler County. A number of streams have their rise in this township, the west branch of the Big Buffalo, the main creek, Long Run, the feeders of Rough Run and the head waters of Bonny Brook. The B. R. and P. Railroad passes through the northern part of the township.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 80

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