Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 87

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1526

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Mr. Lowry was married on June 17, 1896, to Miss Jeanette Browne, and resides on West Pearl Street. He is active in Masonic work and is Past Master of Butler Lodge No. 272 F. & A. M. and a Past High Priest of Butler Royal Arch Chapter No. 273, and an officer in the Grand Chapter of Masons of Pennsylvania. He is a member of and an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Butler.

OWEN J. THOMAS, residing on his val- uable farm of 115 acres, which is situated near Parker's Landing, in Parker Town- ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, has long been interested in oil production as well as agricultural industries. He was born on his present farm, July 21, 1839, and is a son of Owen and Martha (John- ston) Thomas.

Owen Thomas, father of Owen J., was born in Virginia and was a son of Owen Thomas, who was born in Wales and re-

coming to America. Later he removed to the vicinity of Lisbon, Ohio. There his son, Owen the second, was reared and moved from there in 1830 to Butler County, Penn- sylvania, where he lived until his death, in 1868. He married Martha Johnston, who was born in Crawford County, Penn- sylvania, and their surviving children are as follows: Ann E., who is the widow of Allen Crawford, resides at Greencastle, Missouri; George P., who resides at Green City, Missouri; Owen J .; Mary J., who is the wife of J. T. Jamison, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Margaret, who is the wife of Thomas Blair, of Butler County; and Lucinda, who resides at Boston, Massachu- setts. This family is one of unusual long- evity and its members keep both minds and bodies active into advanced age.

Owen J. Thomas attended the schools conducted near his home through boyhood and thus secured a fair education. His connection with the oil industry dates from 1861. For the first eight years he followed boating on Oil Creek, in Venango County. In the winter of 1869 he became an oil pro- ducer at Parker's Landing and for a time was similarly interested at Karns City, Butler County, and meeting with encour- aging success in his ventures, he continued and in 1876 began to operate on his own land. Another business enterprise which Mr. Thomas carried on advantageously was the manufacturing of mineral waters at Parker's Landing, Karns City and Petersburg, owning the plants in partner- ship with his brother Adam, the business being conducted under the firm name of Thomas Bros.

Mr. Thomas was married December 16, 1885, to Miss Ida Gibson, of Oil City, and they have two sons: Owen G., residing at Oil City, and Robert B., living at home. Mr. Thomas and wife are members of the First Presbyterian Church at Parker's Landing and he is a member of the board of trustees. In politics, he is a Democrat

JOSEPH L. PURVIS

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but he is a man of pronounced temperance views and looks with favor on many of the issues brought forward by the Prohibition party. For a number of years he has been a member of the Royal Arcanum League at Parker's Landing. He is a man who is held in the highest esteem by his fellow citizens.

JOSEPH L. PURVIS, who was one of the original members of the firm of S. G. Purvis and Company, lumber dealers, of Butler, was born in this city October 4th, 1838, son of Samuel G. and Elizabeth (Logan) Purvis.

His grandparents on his paternal side were William and Isabel (Dixon) Purvis.

He acquired his early education in the public schools and Witherspoon Institute of Butler, afterwards attending one of the commercial schools in the city of Pitts- burg. He also studied architecture in the office of H. M. Reed in the city of Pitts- burg.

He learned the carpenter trade under his father and in 1867 became his partner in the lumber and planing mill business under the firm name or style of S. G. Purvis and Co.

Though devoting his principal attention to the business, Mr. Purvis found time to interest himself in other promising busi- ness enterprises in Butler. He was presi- dent of the Butler Savings Bank from 1887 until 1902; he was one of the original members of the Home Natural Gas Com- pany and one of the organizers of the Butler Water Company.

In politics a Democrat, he was elected by that party a member of the Borough Council, and for a period of fourteen years rendered useful service on the School Board. He early became a member of the United Presbyterian Church and served as trustee of the local congregation for a number of years. He was also chairman of the building committee which had in

charge the erection of the present church edifice. He was also for two terms a mem- ber of the Board of Trustees of West- minster College. His death occurred on April 6th, 1907, and in his departure from earthly scenes the community lost one of its most sterling and respected citizens.

Mr. Purvis was married June 22, 1869, to Mary Ellen Bailey, who was a resident of Parker at the time of her marriage .. Their home life was blessed by the birth of five children-Mary M., Samuel H., William B., Wilson L., and Joseph D. Mary is the wife of W. E. Robinson, an oil producer of Parker, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. Samuel H. and Wilson L. conduct the firm of S. G. Purvis & Co., lumber dealers of Butler. William B., a graduate of Westminster College, New Wilmington, Penna., and also of the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania Law School, is now an attorney of Butler. Joseph D. is a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College and of the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania. All the sons reside at home.

WILLIAM JOHN YOUNG, one of Cen- ter Township's enterprising and successful citizens, resides on his well improved farm of seventy-one acres, which is situated ad- joining the Stony Run school house, the structure really being on his land. He was born in Concord Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1867, and is a son of Simon and Anna Eliza (Murt- land) Young.

Simon Young was born in Center Town- ship, Butler County, and was a son of Simon Young, an early settler. The father of William J. Young was a miller in his younger years but later became a farmer. For eight years following his marriage he continued to reside in Concord Township and then bought 150 acres in Center Town- ship, a part of which is included in the farm of William J. Young. Simon Young was

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accidentally killed by a railroad train, June 24, 1901. He was survived by his widow and by five of his ten children.

William John Young has lived on his present farm ever since he was seven years of age. He has been engaged in the oil fields as a well driller for many years and still gives that business his attention in the winter time. He married Mary Elizabeth Miller, a daughter of Samuel Miller, of Center Township, and they have a family of seven children, namely: Edith Mae, Roy Simon, Earl Wayne, Allene Susannah, Dean Sheldon, Rudell Eliza, and John Bur- dette. In 1892 Mr. Young built his hand- some residence and in 1896 he put up the substantial barn. He takes no very active interest in politics and has never consented to serve in any office except that of school director. He is a member of the order of Knights of Maccabees.

PAUL E. GREEN, one of Butler's rep- resentative young business men, senior member of the firm of Green & Young, leading clothiers, with a trade territory covering a large part of Butler County, is a native of Butler, born here in 1879. The late Thomas S. Green, father of Paul E., came to Butler as agent for the Pennsyl- vania Railroad. He resided here for a number of years and was then transferred to the Union Depot at Pittsburg, where the remainder of his business life was passed. His death occurred at Butler in 1904.

Paul E. Green completed the public school course at Butler and then became a clerk in the Schloss Brothers' clothing store. He continued there for nine years, when, in association with Dallas M. Young, he established the present firm of Green & Young. Mr. Green owns valuable city real estate and both he and Mr. Young have farms in Butler County. In 1900, Mr. Green was married to Miss Lulu M. Young, who is a daughter of Thomas B. Young, a very prominent oil producer in Butler County, and they have two children,

Thomas Edgar and Helen Elizabeth. Mr. and Mrs. Green are members of the Sec- ond Presbyterian Church. He is identi- fied with the Elks, the Knights of Malta and the Woodmen of the World, and be- longs also to the Butler Business Men's Association.

JOSHUA J. MCCANDLESS, one of Franklin Township's substantial citizens and self-made men, resides on his exceed- ingly valuable farm of 262 acres, every part of which, under his careful and in- telligent methods, is made to produce abundantly. He was born on this farm, January 7, 1859, and is a son of John A. and Hannah (Stoughton) McCandless and a grandson of James McCandless.

John A. McCandless was a son of James McCandless, who was born in County Down, Ireland, and came to Franklin Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, as one of the first settlers. John A. lived in Franklin Township and followed farm- ing all his life, with the exception of a few years when he carried on a store at Sun- bury, during which time he also carried the mail. He married Hannah Stoughton, and eight of their nine children grew to matur- ity, namely : Alfred J., residing near Can- ton, Ohio; Joshua J .; Zillia Ann, the widow of James Kildoo, who lives in Brady Township; A. Carlton, residing in Slippery Rock Township; S. Calvin, re- siding in Clay Township; Mary Jane, wife of Alfred Kildoo, residing in Clay Town- ship; Euphemia, wife of Ross Mechling, of Forest County; and John A., residing in Center Township. During his earlier years, John A. McCandless was a mem- ber of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, but later united with St. John's Methodist Episco- pal Church near Sunbury.

Joshua J. McCandless has lived on the home farm all his life with the exception of two years. When he started out for himself he went into debt $4,000, for his fifty acres of land. After the death of his

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father he bought out the other heirs and now owns 262 acres. He has his farm stocked with fine cattle and owns expensive farm machinery, and for all this he is in- debted only to his own exertions. His life has been one of great industry, but he has plenty to show for his years of labor. His land yields him annually over 100 tons of hay, 1,000 bushels of corn, 400 bushels of oats and over 200 bushels of buckwheat. He keeps about nine cows, as he has a large butter trade among private custom- ers at Butler. He takes a very active interest in agricultural progress in his section and is an active member of Mount Chestnut Grange, No. 404.

Mr. McCandless married Miss Sarah Etta McCandless, a daughter of W. H. McCandless, and they have five children, namely: Mary Elverda, who is the wife of Dr. Ernest Snyder of Portersville; John W., residing on the home farm, who married Cora Lawrence; and Albert, Blanche and Gladys, all at home, a happy, united family. Mr. McCandless and wife belong to Mt. Zion Baptist Church, of which he is a trustee. The pleasant home of this representative family of Franklin Township was built in 1888, and other buildings were erected in 1894.

MATTHEW H. BRANDON, who is en- gaged in farming and stockraising on his valuable farm of seventy-five acres, situ- ated in Forward Township, derives an income also from two oil wells which are on his land. Mr. Brandon belongs to an old pioneer family of this section of Butler County and was born on his present farm, July 29, 1849. His parents were James and Susan A. (Bolton) Brandon.

The first of the Brandon family to come to Forward Township was John Bran- don, who journeyed from Westmoreland County. He found the present highly cul- tivated farm a great belt of woods, in the center of which he built a log house. His children bore the following names: Will-

iam, Mary W., Sarah, John W., James, Eliza and Thomas, all of whom are de- ceased.

James Brandon, father of Matthew H., was born July 26, 1816, and all the subse- quent years of his life were spent on this farm, his death taking place March 30, 1905. He was twice married (first), June 8, 1846, to Jane B. McDowell, who died shortly after the birth of their only child, Jennie, who is the wife of William H. Ray. Mr. Brandon was married (second) in September, 1848, to Susan A. Bolton, who died April 23, 1892. There were three children born to the second marriage: Matthew H., John A., and William S.

Matthew H. Brandon grew to manhood on the home farm and attended the coun- try schools. When nineteen years of age he began to teach school, encouraged to do so by his mother, who, in her youth had been a teacher in Butler County. On February 14, 1884, Mr. Brandon was mar- ried to Miss Anna D. Frederick, who is a daughter of John Frederick, who came to America from Germany. They have four children : James F., Melvin L., Clarence E. and Mildred A. With his family, Mr. Brandon belongs to the Reformed Church, in which he is an elder. In politics he is a Republican but he is not a seeker for office, his leading interests having been the cultivation and improvement of the old farm on which almost all of his life has been spent, and the educating and rearing of his children to lives of usefulness.

THOMAS JAMES DODDS, oldest son of W. B. and Elizabeth (English) Dodds, was born in Muddy Creek Township, But- ler County, March 19, 1871. He was edu- cated at Prospect Academy, graduating with the class of 1893, and subsequently taught school for three years in the public schools of the county. He was employed in the oil fields of Pennsylvania and In- diana until 1897, when he came to Butler to assume the duties of deputy-sheriff

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under his father, W. B. Dodds. He con- tinued in the office of deputy-sheriff until January, 1901, serving the last year under Sheriff Thomas R. Hoon. Since January, 1901, he has been engaged in the fire in- surance and real estate business and has offices in the Younkins Building on the corner of Main and Diamond Streets. He was appointed deputy-coroner of Butler County in 1905 and served one year, and in February, 1906, he was elected auditor of Butler Borough. Mr. Dodds was mar- ried October 10, 1900, to Miss Blanche Dever, daughter of Joseph and Frances (Wheeler) Dever, of Lucasville, Ohio. Two children have been born to this union : Theodore E. and Ruth. The fam- ily are members of the United Presby- terian church, and take an active part in the various societies of the congregation. Mr. Dodds is a Republican in politics and an active party worker.

W. B. Dodds, ex-sheriff of Butler County, is the son of Major Thomas Dodds, of Connoquenessing Township, and was born August 8, 1844. He is a lineal de- scendant of Thomas Dodds, the pioneer of Connoquenessing Township, whose adven- ture with the bear is mentioned elsewhere. Mr. Dodds was married May 5, 1870, to Miss Elizabeth English, of Portersville. They have six children as follows : Thomas J., Vinnie E., Rollins H., Jemimah M., Bessie L., and Percy N. Mr. Dodds is a veteran of the Civil War, having served in Company C, Tenth Illinois Cavalry. In his early life he taught in the public schools of the county and later engaged in farming, which is his occupation at the present time. He is a Republican in poli- tics and has twice been made the recipient of party honors, having been elected clerk of courts of Butler County in 1882 and sheriff in 1897. At the conclusion of his term as sheriff he purchased a farm at Adamsville in Crawford County, where he now resides. The family are members of the United Presbyterian Church.

SAMUEL MORGAN, a well known resi- dent and valued citizen of Parker Town- ship, residing near Parker's Landing, was born in County Down, Ireland, March 23, 1831, and is a son of Hugh and Jane (Dunn) Morgan, both natives of Ireland.

In 1854, when Samuel was a young man of twenty-three years, the father emigrated to America with his children and his sec- ond wife, locating first in Allegheny Town- ship, Butler County, and later moving into Parker Township. The family then di- vided, several removing to Sugar Creek Township, Armstrong County, but Samuel decided to remain in Parker Township, and here the rest of his life has been spent. He had to make his own way in the world and accomplished it by perseverance and industry. For many years he was engaged in the manufacture of pig iron.

On July 8, 1873, Mr. Morgan was mar- ried to Nancy Taylor, who was born in County Down, Ireland, in September, 1843, and is a daughter of James and Nancy (McMurray) Taylor. She lived in her na- tive land until 1870, when she came to America accompanied by a brother, Robert Taylor. She has one surviving brother, Alexander Taylor, who is a well known resident of Allegheny Township, Butler County. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan are rearing a very amiable, well behaved little girl, giving her parental care and affection. Her name is Florence E. McCamey and her twelfth birthday will occur on Decem- ber 7, 1908. With these kind people she will grow into happy and useful woman- hood. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan are members of the Presbyterian Church at Parker's Landing. In politics he is a Republican.

WILLIAM JOHN FOX, residing on a well improved farm of 126 acres located about one and one-half miles south of Cabot on the west side of Bear Creek, is one of the substantial and leading agricul- turists of Winfield Township. He is a na- tive of this county and is a son of Henry

HON. JAMES BREDIN

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and Jane (Kaufold) Fox and a grandson of George Henry Fox, who was a native of Germany and one of the early settlers of Butler County, whither he came from Alle- gheny County, Pennsylvania.

William John Fox was reared to man- hood in Butler County, obtaining his edu- cation in the common schools of his locality and also at Cabot, after which he worked at carpentering for about two years, when he located upon his present farm. Here he has since been actively engaged in gen- eral farming and is recognized as one of the leading farmers of Winfield Township. His farm is well equipped with substantial out-buildings and his residence is a large two-story frame building.

June 7, 1900, Mr. Fox was united in mar- riage with Charlotte E. Bicker, a daughter of Louis and Frederica Bicker, and of this union were born two children : Louis H., on July 30, 1904; and Howard Frank, Feb- ruary 20, 1907. Mrs. Charlotte E. Fox died in February, 1907. On September 24, 1908, Mr. Fox married for his second wife Miss Ida H. Bicker.

Religiously, Mr. Fox is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his wife was also a member. He is one of the trustees and was for two years superin- tendent of the Sabbath school, of which he is also steward, and has for some time been a member of the election board.

HON. JAMES BREDIN, who, for ten years in the latter quarter of the nine- teenth century, was a distinguished mem- ber of the bench of the Seventh Judicial District of Pennsylvania, and for a longer period one of the most highly esteemed residents of Butler, was born in Butler, Pennsylvania, May 9, 1831. He was of Irish ancestry, the son of John and Nancy (McClelland) Bredin.

Hon. John Bredin was born in the town of Stranola, County Donegal, Ireland, in 1794. His parents emigrating to America and settling in Butler County, Pennsyl-

vania, in 1802, he was reared here from the age of eight years. At the age of six- teen he became clerk in a general store in Pittsburg. About two years later he pur- chased a tract of wild land in what is now Summit Township, Butler County. In 1817 he was clerk in the prothonotary's office in Butler. Soon after this he began the study of law under the direction of Gen. William Ayres, a well-known lawyer and land-holder of that day, and he took advantage of this connection to make him- self thoroughly acquainted with the early land laws. The knowledge thus gained proved very useful to him in his subse- quent practice, as much of the litigation at that time had to do with disputes con- cerning land titles. For a long time he was regarded as an authority on all ques- tions of this nature. In 1824 John Bredin became interested in journalism in associa- tion with his brother Maurice Bredin, and so continued for some six years without, however, giving up his law practice. In 1830 he retired from the journalistic field and in the following year he was appointed presiding judge of the Seventeenth Judi- cial District, which position he filled with unquestioned ability up to the end of his life. His death took place May 21, 1851. His wife Nancy, to whom he was united in 1829, was born in Franklin, Venango County, Pennsylvania.

Hon. James Bredin enjoyed excellent educational advantages. From the public schools he entered Washington College and later the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. A reference to the part taken by him in the Mexican War, may be found in the military chapter of this work. After his return to Butler, in 1850, he began the study of law under his father's direction, which was interrupted by the death of the latter in the following year. He contin- ued his studies in the office of Hon. E. Mc- Junkin and was admitted to the bar June 14, 1853. Prior to beginning the practice of his profession, he became associated

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IHISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

with James Campbell, S. M. Lane and other citizens in the establishment of a bank at Butler, which located a branch at New Castle.

In 1855 Judge Bredin began the practice of law at Butler and was continuously en- gaged at the bar for the next sixteen years, in this period gaining a distinct reputation as a lawyer and establishing himself as a progressive and public-spirited citizen. In 1871 he moved to Allegheny, and in 1874 he was elected one of the judges of the Seventh Judicial District, composed of Lawrence and Butler Counties, a position he filled for a decade with the highest de- gree of efficiency. He was a successful man in every practical sense of the word, and although he removed from Butler, during his years of residence here he iden- tified himself so thoroughly with the busi- ness and professional life of the place, that he has always been considered in the light of a representative citizen. For forty-five years, up to the time of his death, he was secretary, treasurer and superintendent of the Butler & Pittsburg Plank Road Com- pany.

On October 7, 1865, Judge Bredin was united in marriage with Matilda E. Spear, a daughter of William L. Spear of Butler County. Three sons were born to this union: William, residing in New York; Charles H., residing at Detroit, Michigan; and John, who died in July, 1882. Judge Bredin died November 23, 1906. Mrs. Bre- din survives and resides at the new Wil- lard Hotel, at Butler. She owns much val- uable real estate in and about this city. A lady of culture and refinement, she oc- cupies a prominent position in Butler so- ciety. The family is identified with the Episcopal Church.

WILLIAM J. LESTER, one of Butler's most substantial citizens and leading busi- ness men, has been a resident of this city for more than twenty years and is identi- fied with many of its interests. He was

born November 16, 1850, in England and came to the United States in 1884.

Mr. Lester resided for a short time at Norristown, Pennsylvania, after which he located at Crystal City, Missouri, where he was engaged in business for about three years. He then came to Butler and for some ten years was employed in the Butler Plate Glass Works as foreman in the sales department. He then embarked in the grocery business and still continues that interest. His store is located at No. 642 Brown Avenue, in a business block of which he is the owner, and he has also erected several handsome residences, one of which he occupies. Mr. Lester is a large stockholder in the Springdale Water Company.

Mr. Lester was married (first) in Eng- land, to Miss Sarah Ann Hedges, who died while they were residing in Missouri. The four children of this union were: William Percy, residing at Butler; Edith Maud, residing in New York; Gilbert James, re- siding in Butler; and Una Effie, at home. Mr. Lester was married (second) to Miss Louise A. Kelly, of Butler, and they have a daughter and son : Ray and William J., Jr. Mr. Lester is a member of the Episcopal Church. He is affiliated with the Odd Fel- lows, belonging to Clement Encampment. He is one of the useful members of the Butler Business Men's Association.

A. E. FLEEGER, who for twenty-five years has operated a grocery store at Jamisonville and for twenty years was the postmaster of the village, filling the office until the establishment of the Free Rural Delivery service, is also the owner of an excellent farm of eighty-eight acres in Cen- ter Township. He was born in Oakland Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, October 9, 1844, and is a son of Daniel and Mary (Kittering) Fleeger.

Daniel Fleeger was born on the farm above mentioned, which then belonged to his father, Jacob Fleeger. There Daniel

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 87

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