Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 94

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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Following the death of her husband, Mrs. McBride moved to Winfield Town- ship, Butler County, where she taught school for a time and then moved to Greene County, in the oil fields, where she opened a boarding house. About this time Isaiah L. made his first money in the oil business, being engaged by an operator to clean the paraffin out of four oil tanks at Titusville, and although the beginning was humble, it opened the way to the future success which has crowned Mr. McBride's efforts in the same industry. Through many boyish efforts to gain capital, and they were constant and earnest, including selling newspapers, working on a farm and as an employe, for several years, of the Lowry House, at Butler, he made some progress, and in 1887 he went to work for his brother, the late Kerr ("Curly") Mc- Bride, as an oil pumper. It was Kerr Mc- Bride who got the first extension of the

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

rich field near Thorn Creek. Isaiah, or, as familiarly known, "Spotty" McBride, had the usual early successes and discour- agements that awaited oil speculation, and after he began prospecting, would fre- quently lose all his earnings and be obliged to do ordinary labor in order to gain enough capital to continue prospecting. The first well that returned any adequate result was on the Sweeney farm at Coyles- ville, and it was owned by an organization called the Store Box Oil Company, in which James Haymaker, deceased, and Mi- chael Haymaker, owned a three-fourths in- terest, and J. W. Frazer, deceased, and Mr. McBride, a one-fourth. They drilled four wells, paid $1,500 bonus and before they were through they lost $14,000 on the venture, and out of the twenty-two wells sunk there, but thirteen barrels of oil were sold. Mr. McBride continued with vary- ing success, as is the way with speculators, becoming equally familiar with ill and with good fortune. The well which finally made him famous in this section was struck in Butler Township, May 9, 1905, and was the twenty-third well in which he had owned an interest, with a proportion vary- ing from one-eighth to one-half. In the well above mentioned, which brought him ample reward for all his years of effort and many vicissitudes, was one in which his ownership was one-fourth. The limits of the present article prevent the insertion of extracts from the Butler newspapers re- garding the interest excited at the time the McBride well was drilled into the sand on that mild afternoon in May, and the re- sponse of pure petroleum was of such quantity that it was immediately placed in the "gusher" class, producing about 2,400 barrels per day. Mr. McBride was the hero of the hour, for he had located and also done the drilling of the well. On May 25th the well passed into the possession of the Southern Oil Company.

For many years Mr. McBride was

known through the oil regions as an expert driller and at times kept large gangs of men in his employ. After becoming an oil capitalist, Mr. McBride bought his present farm in Butler Township, which contains .about thirty acres. It is cultivated by his sons, with hired help, and corn, oats, wheat and hay are produced. Mr. Mc- Bride has other real estate investments. He still keeps his finger on the pulse of the oil business and probably knows more, not only of the practical work going on in the different sections, but of the trend of the great interests in this line, than any man of his age in Pennsylvania.

Mr. McBride was married to Miss Mary A. Cantwell, who is a daughter of Thomas and Mary Cantwell. Mrs. McBride was born at Boston, Massachusetts. To this marriage have been born five children, namely: Thomas Kerr, Francis Edward, Marie Elizabeth, Cloud Isaiah, and Joseph Paul, the latter of whom is deceased. With his family, Mr. McBride belongs to St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church. He is a member of the Elks of Butler, of the Knights of Columbus, of which he is a trustee, and of the Catholic Mutual Bene- fit Association. In politics, Mr. McBride terms himself an Independent Democrat, reserving for himself the right to cast his ballot for the man he deems most fit for the office.

Success has not turned Mr. McBride's head. Since that memorable day when he saw his fortunes changed, he has been ever the same as formerly, having a hearty hand-shake and word of good cheer for all. He is devoted to his family and it is his ambition to so educate and train his chil- dren that they will be armed for the battle of life, but, at the same time, he wishes them to realize that it is a battle and all the training that their brains may have is better if supplemented by equal training of their hands. Above all he teaches them the great truth that "toil is honorable."

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JAMES C. LOGAN, a well-known mer- chant and business man of Cabot, Penn- sylvania, is a member of the firm of Smith & Logan, proprietors of a large general store at that point. He was born in Penn Township, Butler County, October 8, 1860, and is a son of Joseph and Mary (McCand- less) Logan.

The paternal grandfather of our subject was one of the pioneers of Penn Township, where he located upon an uncleared tract of 150 acres. He died when his son, Jo- seph, was eighteen years of age, and the latter assumed the management of the place at that early age. He was a success- ful farmer in a general way, and one of the progressive men of the township. Oil was discovered on the farm and two wells were drilled, but one was ruined in shoot- ing. He and his wife were parents of seven children: Mrs. George N. Love; Erastus; Mrs. W. J. Puff; Mrs. R. J. Anderson; Mrs. S. J. Shaw; Mrs. A. N. Shaw; and J. C. Logan. By strange coincidence, Eras- tus was eighteen years old at the time of his father's death and began farming the home place, which his son, Samuel Logan, now farms.

James C. Logan was but five years old when his father died, and for seven years thereafter he lived in Butler, attending the public schools there. He then returned to the old home for two years, after which he lived with his sister, Mrs. Love, in Alle- gheny County, Pennsylvania. He later re- turned to the old home in Butler County, on which he remained two years. He next engaged in business at Leasureville for a period of three years, and at the end of that time joined forces with Mr. Smith at Cabot. Their business has been a con- stantly growing one, and is accorded the patronage of the leading people of the com- munity.

September 16, 1881, Mr. Logan was united in marriage with Miss Emma Smith, a daughter of Robert and Mary (Clark) Smith, and they have one son, Austin C.,

who was born April 5, 1884. Austin C. Logan was educated in the public schools and the academy at Sarver, Pennsylvania, and is now connected with the store of Smith & Logan. He married Miss Sarah Cruikshanks.

James C. Logan has served on the school board, of which he was secretary three years, and was at one time a member of the board of elections. Religiously, he is a member of the Presbyterian Church and is serving on the board of trustees. Fra- ternally, he belongs to Saxonburg Lodge No. 115, Knights of the Maccabees, and was keeper of the records for one year.

FRED L. OESTERLING, one of Sum- mit Township's leading citizens, who is efficiently serving in the office of road su- pervisor, resides on his excellent farm of fifty acres, which is situated on the old State Road, one and one-half miles east of Butler. He was born on an adjacent farm, in Summit Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, November 7, 1850, and is a son of John and Mary (Wieselstien) Oes- terling.

John Oesterling, the father, was born in Germany and was fourteen years old when he accompanied his father to America and to Summit Township. The grandfather settled first near Herman Station, but later acquired the farm in Summit Town- ship. He had a large family and many of his descendants reside in this section, the family numbering among its members some of the best citizens of Butler County. The maternal grandfather of Fred L. Oester- ling was John Wieselstein, who was born in Germany and came to America before the birth of his children, and died in But- ler, Pennsylvania. The paternal grand- father died in Summit Township as also did the parents of Mr. Oesterling. Of the nine children of the latter, six survive.

Fred L. Oesterling was reared on the home farm and after his school attendance was over, he learned the carpenter trade,

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at which he worked for a number of years, in and around Butler. He has resided on his present farm for the past nineteen years but has only given his personal at- tention to it for the past two years.

Mr. Oesterling was married (first) to Annie Ganter, who, at death, left two chil- dren: Lonie and Quilla, the first of whom is the wife of Louis Rish and has two children, and the latter of whom is the wife of Leonard Cradle and also has two children. Mr. Oesterling was married (second) to Katherine Cramer, and they have six children, namely : Florence, Car- rie, Helen, Maria, Stella and Nellie. Mr. Oesterling has always paid attention to public affairs in his township and is re- garded as one of its most reliable citizens. He is serving in his second term as road supervisor.

WILLIAM G. WALKER, a substantial citizen of Parker Township, Butler Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, is the owner of two farms in the township, one of 100 acres and another of fifty acres. He has followed farming principally, but has also been an oil operator. He was born in Parker Township, May 6, 1861, and is a son of Daniel and Anna E. (Gutherie) Walker, his father being a native of Ireland and his mother of Armstrong County, Pennsyl- vania.

Daniel Walker was born in Ireland in 1831, and there passed his boyhood days. In 1849, he came to the United States, tak- ing up his residence in Pennsylvania, where he engaged in farming. Shortly be- fore the outbreak of the Civil War he moved to Parker Township, where he now lives in peace and comfort, in the enjoy- ment of the fruits of his early toil. A man of energy and progressive spirit he pushed his way forward until he occupied a for- ward position among the citizens of this township, by whom he is highly respected. He is a Republican in politics, and served

a number of years on the School Board of Parker Township. One of his sons, George E. Walker, is now an instructor in the pub- lic schools, and was at one time a candi- date on the Republican ticket for county superintendent of schools. Religiously, Daniel Walker is a consistent member of the United Presbyterian Church of Fair- view.

William G. Walker has always been a resident of Parker Township. He was reared to maturity on the home farm and received his educational training in the public schools of the township, in Freedom Academy and Grove City College, which he attended a short time. He then turned his attention to farming, at which he has since continued with uninterrupted suc- cess, engaging in general farming. For a number of years he has been an oil pro- ducer. He is treasurer of the School Board of Parker Township, of which body he has been a member for five years. He was formerly president of the board.

Mr. Walker was married to Miss Lizzie J. Kelly, a daughter of William Kelly, late of Parker Township, and they became par- ents of the following children: Lillian M., a graduate of the musical department of Grove City College; Lena B., a graduate of Slippery Rock State Normal School; Charles R .; Anna; and Margaret A. Re- ligiously, the family attends the Presbyte- rian Church at Bruin. In his political views, Mr. Walker is a Republican and takes a deep interest in public affairs.

JOSEPH MANNY, proprietor of the Manny Bottling Works, on West Wayne Street, Butler, is a substantial and enter- prising citizen, who has engaged in busi- ness here for a number of years and has served as a member of the City Council. He was born in February, 1863, in Penn Township, Butler County.

The father of Joseph Manny was John C. Manny, who was born in Butler County

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in 1838 and died in 1886. The grandfather was John Manny, who was one of the very early settlers of Butler County.

Joseph Manny was only three years old when the family moved from Penn Town- ship to the borough of Butler, and his edu- cation was secured in the public schools and old Witherspoon Institute. When he started out to carve out fortune for him- self, he first secured a position as time- keeper for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, at this point, after which he operated a machine in the works of the S. G. Purvis & Company, for one year, and then em- barked in the transfer business. Mr. Manny continued in that line for twenty- three years, selling out in 1903, in order to give his attention to a bottling business which he then established. He purchased the brick building he occupies on West Wayne Street, which is two stories in height and has dimensions of 50 x 50 feet. He manufactures all kinds of soft drinks, for which he has every facility, and does a large business, averaging 200 cases a week all the year round. He is interested more or less also in valuable real estate in Butler.

In 1885 Mr. Manny was married to Miss Anna Whiskaman, of Armstrong County, and they have five children, namely : Kath- leen, who is a teacher in the public schools ; Marie, who is a student in the Butler High School; and Clifford, Edith and Richard. Mr. Manny and family belong to St. Paul's Catholic Church, he having served on the church committee for twenty-five years. He belongs to the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association and for a number of years was its local president, and to the Knights of Maccabees.

ISRAEL M. WISE, who, for the past twelve years has owned the old homestead farm of 121 acres, which is situated in Jackson Township, Butler County, was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, May 12, 1863, and is one of the leading farmers

and dairymen of this section. His parents were Jacob F. and Sarah (Moyer) Wise.

The Wise family came originally from Germany and its first settlement in Amer- ica was made in Bucks County, Pennsyl- vania, by the great-grandfather of Israel M. John Wise, the grandfather, was born in Bucks County, and moved from there to Beaver County, where he died when aged fifty years. Three of his children survive, namely: Mary, wife of Henry Moyer; Hannah, wife of John V. Zeigler; and Sam- uel, who is a resident of Beaver County.

Jacob F. Wise, son of John and father of Israel M., was born January 12, 1818, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and came with his parents to Beaver County, later in life moving to a farm in Butler County, near Harmony, where he died. He mar- ried twice, (first) a daughter of Abram Zeigler, and (second) Sarah Moyer. She was a daughter of Benjamin Moyer, who resided in Lancaster - Township, Butler County. To the second marriage the fol- lowing children were born: Alfred, who lives at Butler; Henry M., who is engaged in a lumber business at Harmony; Benja- min, who is a resident of the State of Washington; Susan, who is the widow of Jacob Fiedler, and is postmistress at Har- mony; Levi, an attorney, also the editor of the Butler Eagle; Sarah, who is the widow of J. R. Moore, and lives at Ben Avon, Allegheny County ; Israel M .; Noah, who resides at Zelienople; Jeremiah, de- ceased; and Catherine, who is the wife of Edward Stauffer. The father of the above family lived to the age of seventy-seven years. His widow survived him thirteen years, her death taking place October 29, 1908, when aged eighty-two years and eight months. They were most excellent people, industrious, thrifty, kindhearted and char- itable.

Israel M. Wise attended school in Jack- son Township when he was a boy, and has made farming his business in life. After the death of his father he purchased the

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homestead farm and devoted himself to its cultivation and improvement. In ad- dition to raising corn, oats, hay and po- tatoes as his main crop, he also carries on a profitable dairying business.

In 1891 Mr. Wise was married to Miss Mary Peffer, who is a daughter of John Peffer, and they have two children, John Loyal and Paul. Mr. and Mrs. Wise are members of Grace Reformed Church, at Harmony. In politics he is a Republican. Mr. Wise pays close attention to his busi- ness and has never served in any public office except as a member of the School Board.

THEODORE HENRY FREEHLING, a prosperous farmer of Winfield Town- ship, Butler County, Pennsylvania, is the owner of a fine farm of eighty acres on the Leasureville Road, about three miles from Cabot. He was born in Armstrong County, and is a son of Caspar and Ida (Sassa) Freehling and grandson of Henry F. and Vesuma Freehling, both natives of Germany. The grandparents came to the United States about the year 1830, and located in Armstrong County, Pennsyl- vania.

Caspar and Ida Freehling became par- ents of the following children: Henry, Theodore H., George, Lizzie, Matilda (de- ceased), Nickla (deceased), Margaret, Louise, Eleanor, Augustus, and John (de- ceased).

Although Theodore Freehling was born across the line in Armstrong County, Penn- sylvania, he received his schooling mainly in Butler County. He has always engaged in farming, and has one of the best im- proved estates in the vicinity, having a comfortable two-story home and good sub- stantial outbuildings.

February 15, 1876, Mr. Freehling was united in marriage with Miss Anna Ger- ner, a daughter of Anthony and Elizabeth (Bars) Gerner, and they are parents of the following children: John, who married

Elizabeth Wilgerwit; George, who mar- ried Melville Barnhart; Louise, wife of William Witte; Lizzie, who married Charles Gethart and has two children, Florence and William; Frank, William, Lida, Mary, and Charles A. Religiously, the family are members of the Methodist Church.

CHARLES J. D. STROHECKER, president of the People's National Bank, at Zelienople, has been identified with oil production both in Pennsylvania and Ohio, for many years, and is one of the repre- sentative men of Butler County. He was born in Franklin Township, Beaver Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Matthias and Margaret (Naggle) Strohecker.

The paternal grandfather was the pio- neer of this family in Western Pennsyl- vania. Both the Stroheckers and Naggles came from Germany about 1820 and the former family settled first in Franklin Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and there their two sons and three daugh- ters grew to maturity. They were: Mat- thias, John, Mrs. Autenrest, Mrs. George Dauler and Mrs. John Baun, all of whom are deceased, but there are numerous de- scendants.

The parents of Charles J. D. Strohecker were born in Germany and were young when brought to America. The father, Matthias Strohecker, followed an agricul- tural life in Franklin Township, where he died. The mother survives and resides with a daughter at Zelienople. They had a family of four daughters and ten sons, namely: Margaret, who is the widow of Adam Kircher, of Allegheny County ; George, who follows the carpenter trade, resides at New Castle; Matthias is a street commissioner at Ellwood City; Frederick, who resides at Zelienople; Henry, who is a resident of Petersburg, Ohio; Catherine, who is the widow of George Snyder, for- merly one of the early merchants of Zelie- nople; Mary, who is the widow of John

CHARLES J. D. STROHECKER

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Koch, resides on the old Strohecker home- stead in Franklin Township; Charles J. D .; Gotleib, who is engaged in a mercan- tile business at Portland, Oregon; Andrew S., who is a farmer and cattle-raiser of Steelton, Nebraska; Adam, who is en- gaged in a hardware business at Garfield, Washington; Sofia, Phillip and Jacob, who died in infancy.

Charles J. Strohecker attended what was known as the old Furnace school in Franklin Township, Beaver County, but he did not continue there many years, starting out while young to learn a trade in order to be self-supporting. He served an apprenticeship to the harnessmaker's trade, at New Brighton, and when it was completed he embarked in business for himself at Zelienople, where he continued until 1898. He proved himself a good business man as well as a skillful workman and the excellence of his harness became known all over Western Pennsylvania. He was the first in his business to introduce machinery in the making of harness and by this means was able to compete suc- cessfully with others in the business who were less progressive. Mr. Strohecker was the pioneer in the oil business in this dis- trict and in 1898 he sold his harness inter- ests in order to give full attention to oil production. In 1902, with Mr. Lamberton and others, Mr. Strohecker organized the. First National Bank at Zelienople. In the following year, with a number of the other original stockholders, he sold his in- terest in this enterprise to the Colonial Trust Company of Pittsburg. In 1904, with other capitalists, he organized the People's National Bank of Zelienople and has been at its head ever since it began business. His oil interests date as far back as 1889 and still continue. He is a man who has a wonderful grasp of busi- ness and who possesses the forethought and judgment to see opportunities and to make use of them. This section is much indebted to Mr. Strohecker's energy and

public spirit. He is interested in a con- templated electric railway line from Bea- ver Falls to New Castle, for which the right of way charter and franchise have been secured. He is serving in the office of president of the Beaver Falls & New Castle Railroad Company, and has other financial interests. Among business men, Mr. Strohecker is considered a strong man for he has, through individual effort, raised himself from almost poverty and from the lines of ordinary life to his pres- ent position of personal and business inde- pendence, and he is justly proud of the fact.

On November 9, 1879, Mr. Strohecker was married to Miss Amelia Remler, who is a daughter of Mrs. Margaret Remler, and they have three children: Margaret, Clifford and Alice May, the latter of whom is a student in Beaver College. The fam- ily residence, situated on the corner of Main and Beaver Streets, is probably the finest private home in Zelienople. With his family, Mr. Strohecker belongs to the English Lutheran Church. In the support he gives to charitable movements his real kindness of heart is shown, but it is prob- able that his private gifts far excel any made in public. In politics he is a stanch Democrat and he has ever been an active citizen. He has served with usefulness and credit on the city council and on one occasion when he was a candidate for membership on the Town Council, he was elected with every vote cast, with one ex- ception.

CHARLES HERMAN, inventor of the celebrated Herman Jaring moulding ma- chines, and vice president of the Herman Pneumatic Machine Company, manufac- turers at Zelienople of these machines and other labor saving tools, was born in Prus- sia, March 10, 1844, and remained in his native land until he was twenty-two years of age, learning there his trade of machin- ist and pattern-maker.

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In 1866 Mr. Herman came to America and spent eight years in New York City and two years in New Haven, Connecticut, and then came to Pennsylvania and located at Pittsburg. For twenty-eight years he was interested in the foundry of Kinzer & Jones, in that city, having charge of the pattern department and of the foundry im- provements in general. In the meanwhile Mr. Herman had perfected his invention of the now celebrated Herman Jaring mould- ing machines, and in 1897 he started into business himself as a manufacturer of these, under the firm style of Charles Her- man & Son. The business proved a pros- perous one and later a company was or- ganized and shops built at Zelienople, the main office remaining at Pittsburg.

The Herman Pneumatic Machine Com- pany manufactures the Herman Jaring moulding machines as a specialty, and other foundry tools. In 1906 the business was incorporated, with a capital stock of $75,000, and its officers are: Martin L. Heil, president; Charles Herman, vice president; H. T. Frauenheim, secretary and treasurer ; and H. C. Herman, general man- ager. The company owns a manufacturing plant well adapted to its necessities, a two- story brick building, 80 by 100 feet, with foundry connected, with dimensions of 40 by 100 feet. Employment is given about thirty-five men, double turn, the majority of whom are skilled machinists. The spe- cialty is one that excels all others in the market in many ways and all the leading foundries of the United States are using these machines.

Mr. Herman occupies a handsome resi- dence on New Castle Street, Zelienople, and has identified himself with the town's va- rious interests. He has had two sons, Alfred and H. C., the latter of whom is deceased. Alfred Herman has an interest in the business and has charge of the pat- tern room for the company.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 94

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