Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 88

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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Fleeger grew to manhood and married Mary Kittering. She was born in West- moreland County, Pennsylvania, and came to Butler County in her girlhood. After their marriage, Daniel Fleeger and wife moved to Oakland Township, where they lived for some years and then moved to the old homestead farm in Center Town- ship, where both died. Of their seven children, four survive.

A. F. Fleeger was six years old when his parents brought him to his present farm and here he has remained ever since, en- gaging in agricultural pursuits and in mer- chandising. He is one of the township's best known citizens through having busi- ness relations with many of them and he has a large circle of friends. He married Lizzie McCandless and they have had eight children, as follows, namely: Carrie, who died in infancy ; Dora, who married Elmer Christley, has three children; Lee, married, has one child; Aaron, deceased, was mar- ried and had one child; Stella, who married Clarence Riddle; Heber and Waldron, both living at home; and Aline, who married Frank Allen and has two children. Mr. and Mrs. Fleeger are members of the Lutheran Church. Among his old neigh- bors he is familiarly known as Francis Fluger.

Mr. Fleeger's first wife died in March, 1888; since then, in 1892, he married, sec- ond, Jennie Wick.

ISAAC M. WEISZ, a representative citizen of Zelienople, and in former years a justice of the peace, was born in Jackson Township, Butler County, Penna., October 9, 1841, and is a son of Henry B. and Eva (Musselman) Weisz.

Among the early settlers of Butler County came Jacob L. Weisz, from Le- high County, who acquired a farm in Jack- son Township, on the Mercer Road north of Harmony. He was the grandfather of Isaac M. Weisz of Zelienople. His family contained seven children-Henry B., John,

George B., Daniel, Elizabeth, Hannah, and Jacob.

John Weisz of the above mentioned fam- ily resided in the vicinity of Franklin and Oil City and at different places in Butler County successively. George B. Weisz re- sided in Butler County until 1878, when lie moved to Medina County, Ohio, where he engaged in farming; he died in the spring of 1908. Daniel, the next member of said family, in 1878 moved to Medina County and is now the postmaster at Chatham Cen- ter. Elizabeth married Peter Rice and they moved to Medina County, Ohio, where both died. Hannah married John Zeigler and they lived on a farm near Harmony until after his death, when his widow moved to Medina County. Jacob died in early manhood, a victim of typhoid fever.

Henry B. Weisz, father of Isaac M., was \ born in Jackson Township, and acquired a part of the homestead farm. He died in August, 1891, in his seventieth year. He married Eva Musselman, who died in 1874, at the age of sixty-two years. They were the parents of nine children, namely : Isaac M., subject of this sketch; Jacob, who moved from Butler County to Kentucky; Catherine, who died in the State of Wash- ington in 1906; Sarah, who married Chris- topher McQuiston and died in Medina County, Ohio; Henry, who died in Jackson Township in 1880; Hosea, who died on a farm in Medina County, Ohio; Hannah, who has been twice married and resides in Sedalia, Missouri; and Sidney and George, both of whom died young at Harmony.

Isaac M. Weisz obtained his education in the public schools of Jackson Township. Until his marriage he followed farming on the homestead and then worked for two years at the Orphan's Home; after which he went back to the home farm and fol- lowed agricultural pursuits for the next eight years. In 1874 he purchased a route and was engaged in 1886 in hauling produce to Pittsburg, after which he rented the

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farm of Joseph Zeigler and operated it until the spring of 1893, when he moved to Zelienople. For several years there- after he conducted a feed business, and in January, 1904, he opened a grocery store which he subsequently sold. In 1903 Mr. Weisz was elected a justice of the peace, and in this office he served with great effi- ciency until 1908. In his political convic- tions he is a Republican. He has firm views on the subject of local option, being an advocate of Prohibition.

Mr. Weisz was first married in 1864 to Miss Sarah Zeigler, a daughter of Joseph Zeigler. She died in February, 1892, hav- ing been the mother of three sons and three daughters, as follows: William, born in 1866, died in 1876; Hannah, born in 1868, died in 1888; Mary, born in 1870, died in 1896; Sadie, born on Christmas Day, 1872, died in September, 1903; Joseph, born in 1878, died aged nine years; Edward, born in 1882, died in September, 1903. Mr. Weisz married for his second wife Miss Jane McBride, a daughter of William McBride, of near Grove City, Mr. Weisz is an elder in the United Presbyterian Church at Zelienople.

J. HENRY TROUTMAN, secretary and treasurer of the Standard Plate Glass Company, at Butler, and president of the Butler Savings and Trust Company, is one of the city's most prominent and useful citizens. He was born at Butler, Pennsyl- vania, in 1854, and is a son of Adam Trout- man, a pioneer.

J. Henry Troutman was reared in But- ler and was educated in the public schools. When his education was completed he im- mediately entered into the mercantile busi- ness with his father and in 1885 he became a member of the firm of A. Troutman & Son, which was succeeded by The A. Troutman Sons. J. Henry Troutman was one of the original incorporators of the Standard Plate Glass Company and in 1892 was made treasurer of the corpora-

tion and since 1898 has also been secretary and has given a large part of his time to the affairs of that great manufacturing plant although he has numerous other in- terests. He is president of the Butler Savings and Trust Company, is secretary of the Butler Light, Heat and Motor Com- pany; is secretary and treasurer of the Butler Ice Company, and is a director in The Pittsburg-Hickson Company, manu- facturers of iron beds. His name is thus linked with many of Butler's most im- portant enterprises.

Mr. Troutman was married in 1881, to Miss Mary E. Helfrich, who was born at Carrolton, Carroll County, Ohio, and they have three children, two sons and one daughter: Charles H., who is a student at Washington-Jefferson College; Frank E., who is a graduate in mechanical engineer- ing, from Lehigh University; and Ger- trude S., who resides at home. Mr. Trout- man is a member of St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, of which he is a trustee. He has taken an active part in all that con- cerns Butler, has served on many char- itable boards and with numerous civic bodies. He is a member of the Country club, a well known social organization.

WILLIAM H. ORTON, a well known oil producer operating in Parker Township, Butler County, where he has seven pro- ducing wells on the Brahm farm, on what is known as Tanney Hill, has been almost a continuous resident of Parker's Landing since 1869. He was born December 20, 1856, at Corning, New York, and is a son of William and Sarah (Greenwood) Orton.

In 1869, Mr. Orton came to Parker Township, Butler County, with his parents and his mother still survives and resides at Pendleton, Indiana. Since 1872 he has been closely identified with oil interests in this section and almost the whole of these thirty-six years has been a successful pro- ducer. He is known to all oil operators in these fields and his experience has made

SAMUEL SCHLAGEL

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him a valuable advisor concerning this in- dustry. In politics he is an earnest Repub- lican but only to the extent of giving hearty party support, being too much en- gaged in business to be willing to accept any public office.

Mr. Orton married Miss Minerva Aley, a daughter of John Aley, formerly of Parker Township, and they have had the following children: George W., Lena M. and Ruth C., living, and two deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Orton attend the Presby- terian Church. He belongs to the leading fraternal organizations, being a member of the Masonic Lodge at Parker's Land- ing, and to the Chapter and Commandery at Franklin; is a member of Lodge No. 761 Odd Fellows, and of the order of Eagles, both at Parker's Landing.

GEORGE B. HECK, whose 216 acres of farming and coal land is situated in Cen- ter Township, one mile west of Unionville, was born on this farm May 9, 1863, and purchased it from the other heirs in 1905. His parents were Daniel and Mary (Flee- ger) Heck.

Daniel Heck was a son of Daniel Heck and they came to America and settled near Prospect, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, when the younger Daniel was a boy. The latter grew to manhood on that farm and after his marriage he bought the present one, on which he lived until his death, in 1898. In old age his father had come to him here and his death took place soon after. Daniel Heck was married twice and the mother of George B. still survives. There were thirteen children in the family, four of whom were born to the second marriage.

George B. Heck has spent his life hap- pily on the old homestead, never having lived away from it with the exception of two years and six months, spent at Pitts- burg. He gives the most of his time to operating a large coal bank on his prop- erty, there being a vein three feet and ten

inches in depth. He gives employment to about six men and the output is large and very good coal. He is one of the town- ship's substantial citizens, possessing many of the admirable qualities of his sturdy German ancestry, industry, thrift, enterprise and good management.

SAMUEL SCHLAGEL, a retired farmer of Butler Township, resides on his valuable farm of 100 acres, which he act- ively cultivated until the spring of 1907. Mr. Schlagel was born on his present farm March 22, 1836, and is a son of Henry and Catherine (Schutt) Schlagel.

Henry Schlagel, father of Samuel, was born east of the Allegheny Mountains and in his youth learned the shoemaking trade. After some years he started for Western Pennsylvania, accompanied by his wife and four children, and they drove their wagon into Butler Township, Butler County, and came to their pioneer farm. The land was then all covered with brush and in order to find a place on which to erect his little log cabin, he had first to clear a spot. This was about 1827. He went into debt for his land, but cleared off all incumbrances, working on the roads through Allegheny County in order to earn the money. He raised grain and grew stock and became a man in prosper- ous circumstances. Of sterling honesty and intelligent mind, he was often chosen by his fellow citizens to serve in local of- fices, and was one of the early supervisors and school directors in Butler Township. He died in 1886, aged eighty-eight years. With his wife he belonged to the German Reformed Church and was a deacon and elder. They were among the founders of Zion Reformed Church on Harmony Road. She died in 1872, aged seventy-two years. They had the following children: Julia Ann, Finney, Gideon and Sarah, all de- ceased, the last named the wife of Andrew Croup; Theresa, who is the widow of Jo- seph Manny, of Butler Township; Thomas

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and Eliza, both deceased, the latter of whom was the wife of William Martin; Catherine, who is the widow of John Duf- ford; Samuel; Susan, who is the wife of John King, of Donegal Township; and Maria, who is the wife of William Rea of Beaver Falls.

Samuel Schlagel has always lived on the home farm, which originally contained 102 acres, and here he has raised grain, cat- tle and horses. In 1905 oil was discovered here and a well was put down which pro- duces about a barrel of oil a day. In poli- ties, Mr. Schlagel is nominally a Democrat, but is inclined to do a large amount of his own thinking and vote just as his own judgment dictates. He has often been urged to accept township offices, but he has refused every position except that of school director.

Mr. Schlagel married Leah Beetle, of Donegal Township, and they had five chil- dren, the two survivors being Priscilla and Cora Emma. The daughters live at home. The former married Thomas P. Roe, who operates Mr. Schlagel's farm, and they have eight children, as follows: Carl Will- iam, Pearl May, Floyd Samuel, Arthur Wilkin, Grace Lillian, Victor Alvin, Wal- ter Leslie and Ralph Foster. Mr. Schla- gel is a member of Grace Lutheran Church. Mrs. Schlagel died October 22, 1877, aged thirty-two years.

WILLIAM BRANNAN CURRIE, who served for twenty years as a justice of the peace in Franklin Township, is one of its prominent and substantial native citizens and was born on his home farm of 142 acres, July 4, 1846. His parents were Francis and Jane (Brannan) Currie.

The father of Mr. Currie was born in Scotland and came to America a few years before his marriage. He followed farming and after his marriage to a daughter of Thomas Brannan he settled on the present farm, on which he lived until his death when aged thirty-three years. He was the

father of two children, William B. and Margaret Ann, the latter of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Currie subsequently mar- ried William McCall, of Clay Township, and their children who survived childhood were: Thomas R., now deceased, Euphe- mia L., Mary and Alice. Mrs. McCall died in 1900, aged seventy-six years.

William B. Currie was four years old when his father died. He obtained his education in the neighborhood schools and lived in Franklin Township until he was fifteen years of age, when he went to work in the oil fields and followed drilling for fourteen years. In 1875 he began to oper- ate what is now his own farm, which had formerly belonged to his maternal grand- father. In addition to this property, he owns fifty acres in another part of Frank- lin Township, together with a farm of ninety-five acres, in Brady Township, cul- tivating in all about 165 acres, one of his farms being occupied by his son-in-law, Howard S. English. Judge Currie makes hay his leading crop and also raises corn, wheat, oats and buckwheat and some beef cattle. His almost four acres of pear and apple orchards give ample returns for the care and fertilizing he bestows on them and he takes considerable interest in them as he set out a large number of the trees.

In politics Esquire Currie is a Democrat and notwithstanding the fact that he lives in a normally Republican district, he was elected a justice of the peace for twenty successive years. He has always been a loyal citizen and in August, 1864, he en- listed for service in the Civil War, enter- ing Company B, Sixth Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery and accompanied his regiment to Washington, D. C., where it was utilized for the defense of the Nation's capital. He has been prominent in his immediate community in many ways, filling various township offices and doing his part in ad- vancing all its interests.

Mr. Currie was married to Rachel E. Snyder, a daughter of Zephaniah Snyder,

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of Brady Township, and they have five children, as follows: Adin Burdette, re- siding at Seattle, Washington; Verda M., wife of Howard H. English, residing in Franklin Township-they have two chil- dren, William Burdette and Catherine Frazier; William Francis, who married Sarah E. Plugh-they have two children, Aline Brenda and Walter Raleigh; Jen- nie E., who is the widow of John P. Pol- lock, who resides with her father-she has one daughter, Jessie Frances; and Jes- sie C., who is the wife of Ira C. Stine, of Franklin Township, and has a son, John Clarence. Mr. Currie and family are members of the Muddy Creek Presbyte- rian Church.

JOHN J. SHANOR, president and gen- eral manager of the Butler Pure Milk Company, one of Butler County's substan- tial citizens, has his business office corner of Mckean and Wayne Streets, Butler, but retains his home on the old homestead farm in Center Township, on which he was born in 1863. His father was Daniel Shanor, his grandfather, Jacob Shanor, and his great-grandfather was Adam Shanor.

It was the great-grandfather, Adam Shanor, who was the pioneer of the family in Butler County and John J. Shanor pos- sesses the deed to the old homestead farm in Center Township, which was secured over 100 years ago. The land has never passed out of the family. Jacob Shanor, the grandfather, accompanied his father, Adam, from Virginia, later inherited the family acres and in the course of Nature passed away there and left the property to his son, Daniel Shanor. The latter spent his whole life on the farm in Center Town- ship.

John J. Shanor continues to reside in the home of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, which, in these modern days of change, is somewhat unusual. He has been actively engaged in the dairy

business for the past eighteen years and was the main promoter, in 1903, of the Butler Pure Milk Company, of which he is president and general manager. He visits his office at Butler daily. He has other business interests, one of these being the Butler Coal and Coke Company, of which he is a director.

In 1887 Mr. Shanor was married to Miss Alvira R. Moore, and they have five chil- dren, namely: D. A., who is the superin- tendent of the Butler Pure Milk Company ; E. M., who is also connected with this in- dustry; P. L., who operates the home farm; and George C. and H. A. R., who resides at home. Mr. Shanor and family belong to the English Lutheran Church at Butler.

FREDERICK W. WITTE, who is ex- tensively engaged in agricultural pursuits on a tract of 135 acres, about one mile east of Cabot on the Saxonburg road, was born May 9, 1834, and is a son of William and Sophia (Wehling) Witte and a grandson of Charles Witte, a native of Germany, who never left his native land.

Frederick William Witte was reared and has lived continuously in his native county, acquiring his education in its common schools and later taking a course in the night school. In 1868, when thirty-four years of age, he was married to Amelia Bicker, a daughter of Rev. Herman and Margaret (Rowl) Bicker, her family being a very prominent one in Butler County. One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Witte, namely : William Henry, who was educated in the common schools. He is married and has three children-Elsie, Carrie and Mary. Mrs. Witte passed out of this life in 1869.

Religiously, Mr. Witte is affiliated with the Evangelical Association and is a mem- ber of the board of trustees. He is a man of public spirit and enterprise, giving gen- erously toward all measures which tend to advance the township and county, and is

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especially interested in charity as overseer of the poor. He has served as school di- rector and was three times a delegate to the Congressional Convention.

IIENRY MARTSOLF, who has always resided on his present farm of ninety-two acres, which is situated in Center Town- ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, about five miles north of Butler, was born April 10, 1858, and is a son of Fred and Eva (Miller) Martsolf. Both parents of Mr. Martsolf were born in Germany, but they were married in America. They were honest, hard working, worthy people who made many friends in Center Township, where they lived for many years, both dying on the farm now owned by their son Henry, who was one of a family of ten children.

Henry Martsolf is a first class, practical farmer, having devoted his life to agricul- tural pursuits exclusively. His land is a good crop producer and he grows wheat, oats, corn and hay, keeps stock and cattle and operates a dairy for his home use. Mr. Martsolf married Harriet Slupe, who is a daughter of Nicholas and Hannah (Puff) Slupe. They have one son, a very capable young man, who assists his father on the farm, named Charles Frederick. Mr. Martsolf and family belong to the Presbyterian Church.

WILLIAM S. ALLEN, who is engaged in a mercantile business at Glenora, Penn- sylvania, is a prominent citizen of Parker Township, in which he is serving in his sec- ond term as collector. He was born in Parker Township, Butler County, Penn- sylvania, December 29, 1856, and is a son of John N. and Mary J. (Moore) Allen.

The Allen family came among the earliest settlers to Parker Township, its founder being John Allen, who came from Eastern Pennsylvania into the wilderness, and was accompanied by his son, Thomas Allen, who was the grandfather of William

S. Allen. John Allen was a Revolutionary soldier.

John N. Allen, father of William S., was born in Parker Township, where he died in 1871. He married Mary J. Moore, who was born in Washington Township, Butler County, where she now resides, still en- joying all her faculties, although she has reached her seventy-sixth year. She is a daughter of Samuel Moore, who was an early settler in Washington Township. The surviving children of John N. and Mary J. Allen are: William S .; Mary A. H., who is the wife of J. N. Gibson, of Greeley, Kansas; Aseneth M., who is the wife of James Buchanan, of Texas; and James C., who lives in Colorado.

William S. Allen was reared to man's estate in Parker Township and attended the local schools throughout boyhood, later enjoying more advanced opportunities in academies at West Sunbury and North Washington. He assisted on the home farm and also taught school for a time, but after his marriage engaged in cultivating his farm of sixty acres, which is situated in Parker Township. In 1897 he started his general store at Glenora, which he has con- ducted ever since, and he has been post- master and his wife has been postmistress of this village. In politics he is a stanch Republican and has taken an active part in public matters in his community. With the efficiency of a broadminded man and earn- est citizen, he has served his community in a number of offices, for two years being overseer of the poor, for several terms supervisor and is now collector.

On December 20, 1884, Mr. Allen was married to Rebecca A. Allen, who is a daughter of the late William D. Allen, formerly one of the leading men of Parker Township. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have one daughter, Callie M., an accomplished young lady, who is a successful teacher in Parker Township. Mr. and Mrs. Allen are mem- bers of the New Salem Presbyterian Church. at Annisville, in which he is an

WILLIAM KESSLEMAN

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elder. Thomas Allen, grandfather of Will- iam S., was a soldier in the War of 1812; he died in 1875 in his eighty-seventh year.

ISAAC REED BRANNAN, a successful farmer of Franklin Township and a citizen who enjoys the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens, resides on his farm of 180 acres and is engaged in carrying on general agriculture. He was born in Worth Town- ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, August 24, 1844, and is a son of Thomas and Mary Ann (Reed) Brannan.

William Brannan, the grandfather, who was born in England, in 1775, came to the American colonies, being a member of the King's Life Guard Regiment, under Gen- eral Cornwallis. He was one of the pris- oners taken at York, Pennsylvania, but escaped and made his way through the wil- derness to Western Pennsylvania and was one of the pioneer settlers of Westmore- land County. There he won the heart of an American girl, Susannah Hines, and they lived there until 1800, when they brought their family and possessions to what is now Scott Township, Lawrence County.

Thomas Brannan was born January 29, 1797, in Westmoreland County, Pennsyl- vania, and died October 13, 1872, in Butler County. When eighteen years of age he moved to Worth Township, Butler County, where he married, and in 1845, with his wife and ten children, settled in Franklin Township, on a farm now owned by his son, Isaac Reed Brennan. In politics he was a Democrat and although he never sought office, he was frequently elected to the same and served acceptably. His wife was a daughter of William Reed, of Ne- shannock Falls, Lawrence County, and they had the following children born to them: Susannah, now deceased, was the wife of Robert Williams; Jane, deceased, married (first) Francis Currie and (secondly) William McCall; William is deceased;

Mary, also deceased, married Joseph Mc- Elroy; Elizabeth, now deceased, married Joseph Graham; Rebecca, residing with her brother Isaac R., is the widow of Jonathan Taylor; Thomas Darwin is de- ceased; Margaret Euphemia, deceased, married Curtis I. Christley ; Alzira, wife of George Ifft, of Slippery Rock Township; and Isaac Reed. The parents were most worthy Christian people, members and lib- eral supporters of the United Presbyterian Church at Prospect.

Isaac Reed Brannan has devoted his life to agricultural pursuits and on his broad acres he raises great crops of corn, oats, wheat, buckwheat, rye and potatoes, and keeps about fifteen head of cattle. His place is well improved, the comfortable residence having been built by his father and the substantial barn by himself, in 1897. He has efficiently filled a number of local offices in his township but cares little for politics, finding more pleasure in at- tending to his business and in the enjoy- ment of the good will of his neighbors. He is a Democrat in principle.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 88

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