History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 132

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1658

USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > History of Butler County, Pennsylvania > Part 132

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JOHN BENSON was born in Armstrong county in 1821. His father, Peter Benson, was a native of this State, and a farmer by occupation. Hle reared a large family, all of whom were members of the Catholic church, in which faith they were reared. John was the second child, and attained his majority on his father's farm in Armstrong county. He married Mary Ransel, a native of But- ler county, born in 1817, and a daughter of Henry Ransel. Mr. Benson and family came to this county in 1552, and located in Donegal township, where he resided until his death in 1890. His widow still survives, and resides with her children. They were the parents of seven children, five of whom grew to maturity, and are yet living, viz. : William F. : Joseph, a resident of Oakland township ; James, who lives upon the old homestead in Donegal ; Elizabeth, wife of Matthias Blatt, of Brady's Bend, and Tillie, wife of Arthur Slator. of Clarion county. Mr. Benson was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic church, of North Oakland, and a liberal supporter of that congregation.

WILLIAM F. BENSON, eldest child of John and Mary Benson, was born in Armstrong county, in 1845, came with his parents to Donegal township, and there grew to manhood. He attended the common schools of his district. and at the age of eighteen started in life for himself in the oil regions, which business he has followed ever since. He settled upon his present farm in 1872, and has since been engaged in farming, although devoting the greater portion of his time

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to the oil industry. lle has charge of a number of wells located on and near his place. In 1870 he married Elvira O'Donnell, a daughter of John and Mary ( Duffy ) O'Donnell, natives of this county. She was born in Oakland township. in September, 1-43, and became the mother of ten children, as follows : August- ine, who died May 14, 1891, in his nineteenth year; Alphonsus: Laura : Ida : William : Gertie : Mary : George : Jerome, and Anna. all of whom reside with their father. Mrs. Benson died September 16, 1891. She was a practical mem- ber of the Catholic church, a kind wife and a devoted mother. She reared her family in the same faith, and all are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church, at North Oakland. Mr. Benson is a stanch Democrat. and one of the enterprising citizens of his township.

STEPHEN LANE was born in France. there married Jane Rappin, and immi- grated to the United States in 1832. landing at Baltimore after a voyage of forty- two days. They remained about six months east of the mountains, thence removed to Pittsburg, where Mr. Lane found employment in a candle factory. Ile afterwards removed to this county with his family, and settled in Summit township. on a farm which he rented from John Potts. In a few years he pur- chased the farm in Oakland township now owned by his son Joseph, where he resided until his death. The only improvements were a small clearing and a log cabin, in which the family lived for several years, Mr. Lane was a weaver, but devoted his attention after coming to this county to agriculture. Both he and wife were practical members of the Catholic church, and in politics, he was an adherent of the Democratic party. Ile died on June 5, 1869, aged seventy-three years, and his wife June 20, 1860, at the age of sixty- eight. They reared a family of three children, as follows: Joseph. known as " Big Joseph," born in France, who served in the Rebellion, and died at East Brady, Clarion county, in October, 1893. leaving a family of six children ; Fran- cis, who was killed in the battle of Second Bull Run, and Joseph, known as " Little Joseph."

JOSEPH LANE was born in Summit township, Butler County. in 1836, son of Stephen and Jane Lane. He was reared on the homestead in Oakland town- ship until his majority, receiving a limited education in the district school. Ile worked for a time in a rolling mill at Brady's Bend, and while there was taken sick with typhoid fever. Returning home he engaged in carpentering and build- ing, which he has followed more or less down to the present, in connection with farming. In 1857 he married Catherine Kirk, a daughter of John Kirk, one of the early German settlers of Oakland township. Six children were born to this union, three of whom are living, viz. : Joseph: Mrs. Catherine Leibler, and Mrs. Mary McCool. The deceased are : Anna ; Barbara, and Elizabeth. Mrs. Lane died in 1866, and he married for his second wife, Margaret Witt. a daugh- ter of John and Christina Witt, who has borne him five children, as follows : John; Francis ; Mrs. Susie Stain: Peter, and Charles. The family are members of the Catholic church. and in politics, Mr. Lane is a Democrat. He is the owner of a well improved farm of eighty-five acres. while his wife owns a fine farm in Clearfield township. He still uses a threshing machine built by himself twenty-three years ago, which is as good to-day as when it was constructed.

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IHISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

JOHN FELGES, a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, grew to manhood in his native land, and followed the trade of a carpenter and builder. Ile there married Elizabeth Winder, and in 1-61, with his wife and two children, August and Catherine, immigrated to the United States, arriving at Baltimore after a voyage of five weeks. They came westward to Pittsburg, and thence to Butler county, settling in Summit township on a farm of 119 acres of unimproved tim- ber land. Mr. Felges built a small house of round logs, which he cut near the site of his cabin, in which the family lived for five years. They labored indus- triously on this place, clearing off the forest trees and tilling the land, for six years, being the term for which he had leased the property. He continued to reside in Summit township until ISSt, in which year the family settled in Oak- land township. Here Mr. Felges died on September 30, 1893, aged seventy- three years. Ilis wife died in August, 1876, at the age of fifty-six. They were members of the German Lutheran church, in which he held official position while a resident of Summit township. In politics, he was a Democrat, and was highly respected by those who knew him best. Their daughter Catherine is the wife of George Eisler, of Summit township.

AUGUST FELGES was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, in 1850, son of John and Elizabeth Felges. He was reared in Summit township, and received his early education in the schools of his native land. Though only eleven years old when his parents came to Butler county, he was compelled to remain at home and assist his father in clearing the farm, and attended school only a few months during the winter seasons. lle remained with his parents until their decease, and inherited the o'd homestead in Oakland township. In 1877 he married Caroline Kehm, a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, who came to America in childhood with her parents, Bernard and Christina Kehm. They settled in Summit township, Butler county, where they died, leaving two sons and two daughters, viz. : Mary; John ; Henry, and Caroline, all residents of Summit township. Mr. Felges and wife are the parents of five children, as fol- lows : Paulus; George ; Mary ; Caroline, and Harry. The family are members of the Lutheran church, and in politics, Mr. Felges is a Republican. He is the owner of 100 acres. with good buildings and in a high state of cultivation.

DANIEL ANDRE was born in Concord township, Butler county, October 21. 1820, and was the sixth in a family of ten children. lle is a son of Michael Andre, a native of Northampton county, Pennsylvania, and a grandson, of Nich- olas Andre, a native of Zweibrucken, Germany. Michael Andre and one brother left their father in Northampton county, and came to Westmoreland county. The brother settled in Columbiana county, Ohio, and Michael settled in Centre township (now Concord ), Butler county, Pennsylvania, where he cleared him- self a farm in the wilderness. He afterwards removed to Fairview township, where he took up another claim and resided down to his death, at an advanced age. Daniel grew to maturity in this county, learned the carpenter's trade, later went west on foot and horseback, and took up a claim near Warsaw, Indiana, but the country then being infected with malaria, he was obliged to sell his claim and return to Butler county. He followed his trade till 1864, when he purchased a farin in Fairview township, two miles northwest of Millerstown,

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where he still resides. In vigorous manhood he was very strong and robust, and is now ( August, 1894, ) quite hale and hearty. He married Jane Davidson, a native of Venango county, born December 25, 1826. and they are the parents of five chil- dren, two of whom survive : Samuel M, and William J., the former of whom resides with his parents in Fairview township, and is widely known as a dealer in and breeder of fancy poultry.

WILLIAM J. ANDRE was born in Fairview township, Butler county, Sep- tember 7, 1566, son of Daniel and Jane Andre. He was reared upon the home farm, and educated in the public schools, and sold books to attend the West Sun- bury Academy. He took an active interest in the country literary societies and became quite a debater. In 1886 he went to Washington, Pennsylvania, to sell books, but after traveling two weeks and making the discovery that there was not enough money in his pocket to buy a postage stamp to mail a letter home, he went to work in an oil country boarding-house for his board, till he could find something better. In a few days he found employment with the Forest Oil Company, as gauger, at sixty dollars a month, and continued in their employ till the spring of 1885, when he went to New York to attend the American Institute of Phrenology, graduating therefrom the same fall. Ile then lectured for a short time on that science. In 1889 he came to St. Joe Station, Butler county, where he embarked in general merchandising with W. E. Blaney, whose interest he purchased three years later, and has since continued the business alone. In 1892 they started a store at Oil City, but dissolved partnership a few months later, Mr. Andre retaining the store at St. Joe Station. Soon after coming to this point he joined the K. O. T. M., in which he has taken an active interest. He has filled the office of deputy supreme commander, and organized many tents in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the tent at New Cumberland being the first one organized in the latter State. He was a delegate to the State conventions at Erie and Warten. Mr. Andre married Mary E. Cate, a daughter of R. S. Cate, of Greer, Pennsylvania, December 28, 1892. She was born at Neilltown, Forest county, Pennsylvania, October 13, 1872. Mr. Andre was appointed postmaster at St. Joe Station. December 23, 1893, and elected justice of the peace February 20, 1894, which positions he still occupies.

CHARLES II. MONNIE was born about fifty miles north of Paris, France, where he followed farming, and stage-driving in early manhood. He there mar- ried, and in 1845. with his wife. Ilarriet, three sons and four daughters, crossed the Atlantic in the sailing vessel, "Lucy," and after a voyage of thirty-three days landed in New York city. They remained in New York a few days, then came westward to Pittsburg, by canal and railroad, lived in the latter city about two months, and then located on a rented farm in Deer Creek township, Alle- gheny county. Two years later Mr. Monnie purchased an improved farm of fifty acres in Middlesex township, Butler county, where they resided until about 1854. He then sold his property and purchased a farm two miles north of Butler, now owned by George Reiber. In 1859 he traded this for the George Reiber farm, two miles below Millerstown, in Donegal township, where he resided until his death, in April, 1861, aged sixty-three years. His widow married John Wolford. and died upon the homestead near Millerstown, in March, 1891, in her eighty-

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

fourth year. She was a member of the Lutheran church, of Millerstown. Mr. Monnie was the father of the following children : Charles 11., a resident of Nebraska ; Frederick 11. ; Caroline, who married James Hutchison, and died in April. 1891 ; Eliza, wife of Jacob Myers, of Oakland; Adeline, wife of William Wolford, of Donegal; Mrs. Mary Evans, of Washington county, and Alfred, who served in Company 11, One Hundred and Seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and died in 1888, from the effect of disease contracted in the army, leaving a wife and four children.

FREDERICK H1. MONNIE, second son of Charles 11., and Harriet Monnie, was born in France, March 12, 1834. He was about eleven years old when the fam- ily came to Pennsylvania, and received what education he possesses in his native land, attending school in this country only about two weeks. His father was an invalid and unable to do hard labor ; so Frederick and his elder brother, Charles, had to support the family and assist in paying for the homestead, working out by the day and month and turning over their earnings to their parents. At the age of twenty years he began mining coal on the home farm, north of Butler, which he followed for several years. He was married on November 3, 1857, to Matilda Hutchison, a daughter of John Ilutchison, rented a house in Oakland township, and continued mining until July 29, 1861, when he enlisted in Company C, Eleventh Pennsylvania Reserve. He took part in the Seven Days Fight before Richmond, and Second Bull Run. He was then taken sick with fever and sent to the hospital at Point Lookout, Maryland, where he remained for three months. Ile rejoined. his regiment in front of Washington, and served in the battle of Gettysburg, where he was wounded in the right ankle by a minie-ball, on July 2. 1868, and lay in the hospital at York, Pennsylvania, about three months. In the spring of 1864 he was with his regiment at the Wilderness and in front of Petersburg, and participated in all of the engagements in which his regiment took part until mustered out in front of Petersburg, Virginia, August 4, 1864. Mr. Monnie was a good soldier, and was always at his post when able to report for duty. Returning to his family in Oakland township, he resided there until 1883, when he located on his present farm of forty-five acres, lying in the Conno- quenessing bottom near Oneida station. Mrs. Monnie died on May 16, 1890, aged sixty years. She was a member of the Baptist church. Nine children were born to them, all of whom are yet living, viz. : Albert W. ; Hatty Eliza, wife of Samuel Sowash; William H .; John C .; Anna; Mary K. ; Charles O .; 1. Curtis, and Louis. Mr. Monnie married for his second wife Mrs. Belle McCurdy nee Pringle, a native of Mercer county, and a daughter of James Pringle, of Centre township, Butler county. He is a stanch Republican, takes an active part in political matters, and has held the office of tipstaff since 1885. For the past five years Mr. Monnie has been unable to perform hard manual labor, but looks after his farm, and attends to his official duties.

JOHN MONTGOMERY was a native of Ireland, a son of Charles and Sarah ( Bailey) Montgomery, and immigrated to Pennsylvania with his parents. They settled in Centre county, but later removed to Armstrong county and located below Kittanning, upon a farm of about 200 acres. Charles Montgomery died there at the advanced age of eighty-four years. He was an elder in the Presby- .

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

terian church from early manhood. His widow died in Clarion county, at an advanced age. She too was a devoted member of the same church. To Charles and Sarah Montgomery were born the following children : Elizabeth; John : Mrs. Margaret Truby ; Porter ; Mrs. Maria MeCutebeon ; William, and Mrs. Adeline Bailey. all of whom are dead with the exception of Porter, who resides at Bradford. The subject of this sketch was reared in Armstrong county, and there married Mary Truby, a daughter of John Truby, at one time sheriff of that county, who built what is known as Truby's mill, above Brady's Bend, which he operated for a long period. Mrs. Montgomery was born on July 5. 1815. and was reared in Armstrong county. After their marriage they lived on the old homestead near Kittanning for some years, then removed to Manorville, next to Catfish, Clarion county, and finally to Van Buren, Armstrong county, where Mr. Montgomery died in 1855. They were the parents of the following chil- dren : Nancy ; Jane; John T .; Richard B. ; Mrs. Mary London ; Amanda. deceased wife of Z. M. Miller ; Charles II; Robert, and Simon, both deceased. The mother lives at Van Buren, Armstrong county.

JOHN T. MONTGOMERY was born near Manorville, Armstrong county, April 7, 1844, son of John and Mary Montgomery, and grew to manhood in Van Buren. At the age of twelve years he commenced boating on the Allegheny river, which he followed during the summer seasons until 1867, and was a pilot from the time he was eighteen years old, the last two years holding a commis- sion as a pilot between Pittsburg and Oil City. In 1867 he gave up piloting, and in May of that year settled at Boydstown, Butler county, where he carried on merchandising for three years. He next went to Parker's Landing, and followed pumping oil. In 1872 he returned to Butler county, and teamed for some years at Greece City, during the oil excitement. In Isas he purchased his pre-ent homestead of fifty-five acres, partly cleared, but without buildings, upon which he settled in 1880. He has since erected all of the buildings, cleared the land and made many other improvements. Ile devotes his time and attention to his farm and dealing in horses. Mr. Montgomery was married May 25, IS69, to Mary M. Neyman, a daughter of John II. Neyman. She was born in Jefferson county, came to Butler county at the age of two years, and was reared on the old homestead. She received her education in the common schools and at Witherspoon Institute. Six children have been born to this union, viz. : John Ardell, deceased ; Ada May ; Amanda Belle : Bertha Maude : Alfred Alonzo, and Bessie Blanche. Mr. Montgomery is an ardent Republican, and ha- filled the offices of supervisor, auditor and school director in Oakland township.

JAMES CAMPBELL. SR., of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, was one of the early settlers of Butler county. Ile was a son of John Campbell, who reared a family of eight sons and one daughter, namely : Robert; John : James ; Andrew : William ; Joseph ; Thomas : Samuel, and Jane, who married James Cumberland. In 1796 his father and several of the sons visited Butler county and selected lands in what is now Concord, Fairview and Washington townships, upon which they settled the following year. James located in what is now Concord township, while his parents resided with their son Robert, where both spent the remaining years of their lives. James owned a farm of 150 acres

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

of land. where his grandson, George P. Campbell, now lives, upon which he died about 1:32. He married Sarah Cumberland, and their children were as follows : Ann, who married James Glenn : Joseph ; William ; James : Thomas : Robert 5 ; Samuel: George, and Eli, all of whom are dead except Thomas and Robert S. Mr. Campbell and wife were members of Bear Creek Presbyterian church, and in politics, he was a Democrat.

ROBERT S. CAMPBELL, son of James and Sarah Campbell, was born upon the homestead farm in Concord township, May 5, 1818. He was reared in his native township, and received his education in the pioneer log school house of bis neighborhood. After reaching his maturity his father gave him sixty acres of the old homestead, which he cleared and improved. He has since added ninety acres to the original tract, and has devoted his attention to farming pur- suits. Mr. Campbell has been twice married. His first wife was Nancy Storey, a daughter of William Storey, of Fairview township, to which union were born the following children : Mary, wife of Sias Campbell ; Eli, of Nebraska; Sarah, wife of Platt Sutton ; Eliza A., wife of Cyrus Campbell; Matthew, of Concord township : Martha E., wife of William Bartley: Robert ; Harvey ; Maggie, wife Webster Conway, and Isaiah. He married for his second wife Mrs. Sarah J. Riddle, a daughter of James Scott, of Fairview township. One son has been born of this union, John A. Mr. Campbell is a member of the United Presbyte- rian church, and in politics, he wasoriginally a Whig, and since the formation of the Republican party, he has voted that ticket. He is one of the representative farmers of his township, and a descendant of one of its oldest families.

JAMES E. CAMPBELL, eldest son of William and Margaret Campbell, was born June 16, 1843, on the homestead, and was reared and educated in his native township. His father was the third son of James and Sarah Campbell, and was born on the homestead in Concord township, Butler county. After William grew to manhood he settled on fifty acres of the home farm, to which he added 100 acres more, and here be spent the remaining years of his life. He married Margaret Fowler, who survives him. Their children were as follows : James E .; John T., deceased ; Simeon 11., and Margaret \., wife of Wesley Fowler. The subject of this sketch enlisted in Company G. Sixty-second Pennsylvania Volunteers, with which command he served about a year, and was then trans- ferred to the One Hundred Fifty-fifth regiment, in which he served until the close of the war, participating in all of the battles and campaigns in which his regiments were engaged during his term of service. Before Petersburg he was severely wounded in the right leg, below the knee, by a gun shot, and was sent to MeClellan Hospital, Philadelphia, where he remained until discharged, the war in the meantime having ended. He returned to his home in Butler county, but subsequently settled on a part of his father's farm, which he cleared and improved, erecting the buildings and other necessary improvements. Mr. Camp- bell married Lilah Donaldson, a daughter of Andrew Donaldson, and has three children, viz. : William T. : Eva L., and Henderson. The family are adherents of the Presbyterian church. In politics, Mr. Campbell is a Republican, and is a member of Kuhn Post, Number 539, G. A. R. He is one of the enterprising and progressive citizens of his township.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

llvon Coxway, with his wife and family, immigrated from Donegal county, Ireland. to the United States. in 1771. In the last decade of the Eighteenth cen- tury they settled in Concord township, Butler county, on a tract of 400 acres of wild land, situated on Bear Creek. Here they spent the remaining years of their lives, leaving to their children the fruits of their industry. Hugh Conway reared a family of three sons and two daughters, as follows: William ; Hugh ; John : Fannie, who married John Hoey, and Jane, who married John Shryock.

WILLIAM CONWAY, son of lugh Conway, was born during the passage to America. came to Butler county with his parents, and grew to maturity in Con- cord township. He married Mary McLaughlin, and settled on a part of the land entered by his father. Eight children were born to this union, viz. : Jane, who married Samuel Glenn ; Naney, who married William Me Elvaine ; Hugh ; George C. ; John ; Margaret : Maria, and William, all of whom are dead except the last mentioned. The mother died on February 3, 1844, and the father, September 17. 1846. in his seventy-fifth year. They were members of Concord Presby- terian church.

WILLIAM CONWAY, JR., youngest and only living child of William and Mary Conway, was born in Concord township, Butler county, March 29, 1821. lle was reared amidst pioneer surroundings, and attended one of the old fashioned log school houses, where he obtained the rudiments of an English education. In 1844 he married Euphemia Starr, a daughter of John and Sarah Starr. She was born in Concord township. December 11, 1823. They immediately took up their residence on a part of the homestead farm. but three years later embarked in merchandising at Buena Vista. In 1855 Mr. Conway located at Middletown, and engaged in mercantile pursuits as a member of the firm of A. D. Kuhn & Com- pany. This partnership lasted for thirty-eight years, and was dissolved by the death of Mr. Kuhn in the spring of 1893. Mr. Conway was also engaged in farming, and is now the owner of a good farm. He is a stanch Republican. has held various township offices, and is at present township clerk.

ROBERT PATTON, with his wife Rebecca, came from Centre county, Penn- sylvania, to Butler county, in 1798, and settled in what is now Concord town- ship. He was a native of Donegal county, Ireland, and immigrated to the United States with his parents when nine years of age. The Pattons were among the first settlers of this township, and reared a family of twelve children, only two of whom survive, viz. : Sarah Ann, who married J. R. Thompson, and resides in Sciota county, Ohio, and David, of Concord township. Robert Patton died upon his farm in August, 1842, aged seventy-two years. His wife died on December 12, 1864, aged eighty-four years.

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History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 132

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown Number of Pages: 1658

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1658