History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 143

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

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ANDREW II. WILsox, eldest son of Thomas Wilson. Sr., was born June 24, 1766, in Down county. Ireland, and on May 1, 1790. he married Mary Hender- son, a native of Tyrone county, Ireland. He was a shoemaker, and after settling in Jackson township worked at his trade for the pioneers. in connection with the cultivation of his farm. His wife died in May, 1837: he survived her until May 4, ISIT. Both were buried in the cemetery at the Plains church. Their children were as follows : John, who died in Ireland ; Elizabeth, deceased wife of William Martin: George, deceased, born November 27, 1796: Mary, who died unmarried, born February 22, 1799; Nancy, born February 24. 1802, deceased wife of James Garvin : Rebecca. born April 11. 1805, deceased wife of George Cooper : Ellen, born January 29, 1807. who resides upon the homestead. and John. deceased, born July 15, 1809. Mr. Wilson was a member of the Masonic order in Ireland, but after coming to this county he dropped his asso- ciations with that fraternity. He was one of the pioneer members of Plains Presbyterian church, and died in that faith. At his death he divided his farm of 400 acres equally between his sons George and John HI. Politically, he was a Jacksonian Democrat, and took a deep interest in the success of his party.

Joux H. Wirsos, youngest son of Andrew II. Wilson, was born in Mifflin township. Allegheny county. July 15. 1809, and came to Jackson township, But- ler county, with his parents at the age of eighteen years. He was reared a farmer, and his whole life after coming to Butler county was spent upon a por- tion of the homestead farm in Jackson township. He married Margaret, daugh- ter of Jonathan Hauk. June 20, 1818, and they were the parents of six children : Andrew 11 .. who resides in Ohio ; Jonathan : Mary E. ; Sarah E., wife of Sam- uel Brenneman ; John Milton, and Jennie T., wife of George W. Nixon, of

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Jackson township. Mr. Wilson died November 29, 1883 ; his wife survived him until January 28, 1893, and both are buried in the cemetery at Plains church. Cranberry township.

JOHN MILTON WILSON, youngest son of John H. and Margaret ( Hauk ) Wilson. was born September 20, 1555, upon the homestead farm in Jackson town- ship. He was reared a farmer, and received a public school education. resides upon the 200 acres which belonged to his father, and has always followed farming. Mr. Wilson takes an active interest in political matters, and is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party. He was reared in the Presbyterian faith, was originally a member of the Plains church, but now belongs to the church at Evans City. He and his sister, Mary E., reside upon the old homestead. He is a member of Harmony Lodge, F. & A. M., and Evans City Lodge, I. O. O. F.

JONATHAN WILSON, second son of John 11. and Margaret Wilson, was born upon the homestead in Jackson township, February 5, 1851. and received a common school education. He resided at home until ISSO, and then purchased his present farm of eighty acres, which he has since improved. He married Susan, daughter of the late Jacob Stamm, and has one daughter, Margaret B. In politics, Mr. Wilson is a Democrat, is a member of Evans City Presbyterian church, and is one of the well known citizens of his native township.

GEORGE WILSON, son of Andrew H. Wilson, was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, November 27, 1796. His parents removed to Butler county in 1827, and settled in what is now Jackson township, where the subject of this sketch was reared. He inherited one-half of the homestead farm, and erected the brick residence where the heirs of Thomas 1. Wilson now live. He was one of the leading citizens of Butler county, was a Democrat in politics, and filled most of the township offices. Ile married Rebecca, daughter of James Wilson, of Allegheny county, but no relation to his family. Their children were as follows : James G., who died in 1868; Andrew Il., of Harmony ; Mary J. ; Esther MI., wife of R. II. Brown ; Elizabeth E., and Thomas I., both of whom are dead ; George W .; John M., deceased, and one who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were members of the United Presbyterian church at Evans City, and died in 1863, and 1860, respectively. They are buried in the Evans City cemetery.

GEORGE W. WILsox, fourth son of George Wilson, was born February 5, 1840, upon the homestead in Jackson township. He was reared to farm life, and after his father's death he inherited one-half of the farm and erected his present residence thereon. Ile has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits, and is one of the well known farmers of the township. Mr. Wilson was mar- ried November 26, 1864. to Harriet, daughter of Thomas Donaldson, and their children are as follows: Ada 1., wife of U. G. Evans: Alvin L., who married Mand Hudson ; Thomas A., and Anna L. Politically, he is a Democrat, and one of the leading members of his party. In 1893 he was elected a county com- missioner of Butler county, which office he is now filling. He has occupied at different times most of the offices of his township, and has been a school director for eighteen years. He is a member of the United Presbyterian church. and for some years he has been an elder in that organization.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

ALEXANDER RAMSEY, SR., the progenitor of the Ramseys of Butler county. was born in Down county, Ireland, in 1776, and came to America prior to the year 1786. He remained in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, for some years, and in 1796 he settled on a tract of government land in what is now Cranberry township, Butler county, containing 100 acres, built a cabin in the midst of the forest. and began the work of clearing a farm. Returning to Westmoreland county, he married Grace Smith, and brought his young bride to his home in Butler county. She was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1776, a daughter of James Smith, who served in the Revolutionary war, and fell at the battle of Brandywine. They reared a family of seven children, as follows: Mary, deceased wife of Isaac Young; Hannah, who married Joseph Robinson ; James : John : William : Alexander, of Cranberry township, and Anthony, all of whom are dead except Alexander. Mr. Ramsey and wife were members of White Oak Springs United Presbyterian church, and died in February, 1840, and 1845, respectively. Politically, he was a Democrat, and throughout the pioneer days was influential in the local councils of his party.

ALEXANDER RAMSEY, only living child of Alexander and Grace ( Smith) Ramsey, was born upon the homestead in Cranberry township, Butler county, August 1. 1817. He grew to maturity amidst the dangers and privations of pioneer days, and on July 3, 1815, he married Sarah Ann McGeorge, a native of Butler county, and a daughter of John and Elizabeth McGeorge. She was born December 8, 1820. Her father was a native of Scotland, came to the United States in youth, here married, and settled in Butler county in April, 1815. Mr. Ramsey first located in Cranberry township. and later removed to a tract of land in the southern part of Jackson township, which he had pur- chased in 1841. Here he has resided up to the present time. To Alexander and Sarah Ann Ramsey have been born five children : John Alexander ; Will- iam S. : Elizabeth ; Mary Ellen, and Samuel C., all of whom are dead except William S. and Samuel C., both of whom reside in Jackson township. Mr. Ramsey and wife have been members of the United Presbyterian church of Evans City since its organization, and he has been a stanch supporter of the Democratic party since he cast his first vote.

WILLIAM S. RAMSEY, son of Alexander and Sarah A. Ramsey, was born upon the homestead in Jackson township, October 15, 1847. He received a common school education, and remained with his parents until reaching his majority. On April 2. 1868, he married Miss Nancy Dunn, the ninth in a family of twelve children, born to Thomas L. and Mary Dunn, who came from eastern Pennsylvania and settled in what is now Jackson township early in the present century. Mr. Ramsey located on his present farm, then in woodland and unimproved, and their first home, a log cabin, is still standing close to their present commodious residence erected in 1881. His farm is now one of the best in the township, and he is one of the leading and influential farmers of the com- munity. Six children have been the fruits of his marriage, as follows : Ida MI .. wife of George W. Schaney, of Beaver Falls: Della, wife of J. J. Helm, of Evans City ; Susan A,, wife of W. B. Evans, of the same borough ; Emma J., and Charles S., both of whom are dead, and Byan L., who lives with his par-

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ents. Mr. Ramsey's farm of 121 acres is located one and a half miles from Evans City, where he follows stock-raising and general farming. In January, 1865. he enlisted in Compiny E, Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, attached to the Army of the Cumberland, and assigned on detached duty in Tennessee. He was honorably discharged in September, of the same year. Politically, he is a Democrat, and is a member of Capt. William Stewart Post, G. A. R .. of Evans City. He and wife are members of the Evans City United Presbyterian church. and the family are among the most respected in the township.

JAMES RAMSEY. son of Alexander and Grace (Smith) Ramsey, was born in Cranberry township. Butler county, June 5. 1805, married Annie Covert, who was born March 1, 1812. and by her became the father of the following children : Mary Ann, who married W. 11. Hohnoddle, who enlisted in the Union army and was killed in front of Fredericksburg : Nancy, and Eliza- beth, who reside at Beaver Falls; Alexander C., and William H., both resi- dents of Jackson township, and James, deceased. Mr. Ramsey was an elder in the United Presbyterian church for many years, and died June 19, 1869. His wife survived him until October 7, 1891. She, too, had been a life-long member of the United Presbyterian church.

ALEXANDER C. RAMSEY, eldest son of James and Annie (Covert ) Ram- sey, was born upon the homestead in Jackson township, Butler county. Jan- uary 10. 1843. He was reared upon the farm. and received a common school education. In 1867 he married Sophia Powell, a native of Butler county, and a daughter of Samuel and Nancy (Cooper) Powell. and located upon a part of the homestead, where they have since resided. Eight children are the fruits of this union, as follows : James II .; Lulu M. : Lewis E. : Annie J. : Alice N. ; Wade E. : Flora E, deceased, and Nellie G. Mr. Ramsey and wife are members of the United Presbyterian church at Evans City. He is a Democrat in politics, and is recognized as a public-spirited and progressive citizen.

ANTHONY RAMSEY, son of Alexander and Grace (Smith) Ramsey, was born in Cranberry township, Butler county, Pennsylvania, November 20. 1820. He married Elizabeth MeGeorge, also a native of this county, born November 17, 1822. They resided in Cranberry township throughout their married life. Mr. Ramsey died January 31. 1880, and his wife December 18. 1554. They were the parents of eight children, as follows : Elizabeth, deceased wife of Joseph Cash- dollar ; Mary Jane, deceased ; Addison. of Cranberry township; John. a resident of Evans City ; Euphemia A., of Allegheny ; Ella, deceased ; Edwin, who resides in Jackson township. and Baxter R., of Cranberry township. Mr. Ramsey was one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of the community, and a descendant of one of its oldest families.

BAXTER R. RAMSEY. son of Anthony and Elizabeth Ramsey, was born upon the farm where he now resides, in Cranberry township, August 30, 1865. He has always resided in this township, and is one of its leading young farmers. He was married May 25, 1893, to Maggie, daughter of Newton and Margaret Garvin, of Cranberry township. Both he and wife are members of Evans City United Presbyterian church. lle is one of the leading Democrats of his com- munity. and is also a member of Cranberry Grange, Number 908. P. of H.

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

THOMAS HARPER was born June 30. 1799. on New creek. six miles north of where the present town of Steubenville, Ohio. now stands. Ile came of Irish ancestry. His father was a scout in General Wayne's army during the campaign against the Western Confederacy of Indian tribes. About 1793 the latter married a lady who lived in Virginia, and settled on the site of Wheeling, whence he removed to a farm on New creek. in what is now Jefferson county, Ohio. Three sons and four daughters were born to him of this union. After reaching their majority, two of the sons, James and Andrew, moved farther west. while Thomas remained in the vicinity of Steubenville, and followed boat- ing on the Ohio, Kanawha, and other rivers. In 1819 Thomas visited Washing- ton county, Pennsylvania, where he met Margaret Swartz, whom he married in January, 1820. She was born in eastern Pennsylvania, and was of Pennsyl- vania Dutch parentage. Her father was a man of considerable means, kept a hotel, and also operated a saw and grist mill on his farm. At the age of six years she was left an orphan by the death of her parents, and was practically reared among strangers. In the spring of 1821. Thomas Harper and wife, and two children, came to Butler county. They settled in what is now Jackson township, and lived there until the fall of 1842, when they removed into Cran- berry township. where Mrs. Harper died in September. 1878, aged nearly seventy-tive year -. Her husband survived her until June 30, 1876, dying on the seventy-eventh anniversary of his birthday. Both were endowed by nature to endure the trials and hardships of pioneer life, and they were upright and indus- trious to a remarkable degree. They were the parents of fifteen children, thirteen of whom grew to maturity, and eleven of the number are now living, six sons and five daughters, the oldest seventy-four and the youngest fifty-four years of age. The parents were Methodists and reared their children in that faith. Originally a Jackson Democrat, Mr. Harper was carried away with the Know-Nothing craze, and subsequently drifted into the Republican party.

ANDREW HARPER. son of Thomas and Margaret Harper, was born in Jack- son township. Butler county. April 19, 1832. and has spent his entire life in his native township amid the peaceful scenes of agricultural pursuits. On March 24. 1859. he married Barbara Tinstman, and is the father of eleven children : Jose- phine; Asa A. : Clarissa : Cyrus B. : Sarah E. : Anzie E. ; Oliver T. ; Albert E. : Annie May : Charles E .. and William W .. all of whom are living in Jack- son township. Mr. Harper has always been an adherent of the Democratic party. but supported Lincoln in 1860. and 1861. since which time he has voted the Democratic ticket. In I>>3 he was elected a county auditor, and has filled the office of justice of the peace ten years. During the past thirty years he has occu- pied at various times most of the public offices in his township. Mr. Harper is a member of no church or society. nevertheless he is one of the most respected cit- izens of the community, and his long and busy life has been marked by the com- mendable virtues of honesty, industry and sobriety.

CYRUS B. HARPER, miller, was born on the homestead farm in Jackson township. Butler county. September IS. 1866, son of Andrew and Barbara Harper. He received a common school education and lived with his parents until 1886. when he became connected with the Zelienople flouring mills. In

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1889 he formed a partnership with C. W. Keefer, purchased the mill. and oper- ated it until March. 1892, when Mr. Harper bought out his partner. and has since been sole proprietor. In 1890 he married Carrie, daughter of Tobias Meeder, of Cranberry township, and has two sons. Harvey E., and Curtus L. Politically, Mr. Harper is a Democrat. and he is connected with the English Lutheran church of Zelienople.

JOHN BENM. a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, immigrated to the United States about 1835, and located at Unionville, Beaver county. Pennsyl- vania. He was a blacksmith, and followed his trade after coming to this county, but later purchased a small farm close to Evan- City, Butler county. He sub- sequently bought the farm where his son Casper now lives, in Jackson township, consisting of ninety acres, upon which he resided down to his death. He mar- ried in Germany, Margaret Long, to which union were born the following chil- dren : Margaret. who became the wife of Peter Burns : Catherine, who married Henry Wolfe ; George L. ; Casper : Henry : Lizzie. who married Philip Hensel : Mrs. Mary Snauffer, and John. of Jackson township. Politically, he was a Dem- ocrat, and a member of the German Reformed church of Evans City.

GEORGE L. BEIM, eldest son of John and Margaret Behm, was born at Unionville, Beaver county. January 15. 1839. He grew to manhood on the homestead farm in Butler county, and at the age of nineteen purchased a farm at Whitestown, containing 180 acres, where he lived for five years. He then bought the Jacob Ziegler farm of 220 acres. in Jackson township. upon which he has since lived. He now owns eighty-four acres of his original farm, and thirty- six acres in Lancaster township. In 1859 he married Catherine, daughter of Jacob Ziegler, and is the father of six children, five of whom are living : Henry, of Harmony ; Jacob. a resident of Allegheny county ; Lizzie, wife of William Stamm : Charles, and Bertha. In politics, Mr. Behm is a Republican, and is an elder in Grace Reformed church of Harmony.

ADAM ENDRES was born in Germany, and is a son of Adam Endres, who was a native of Alsace, Germany, and immigrated to Beaver county. Pennsyl- vania, in 1887, settling on Brush creek, close to Unionville. About 1560 he removed with his son Adam to Jackson township. Butler county, where he died. Hle was buried in the cemetery at Burry church. in Beaver county. He married in his native land. and had two children : Adam. and Caroline, who married Lewis Teets. The subject of this sketch resided in Beaver county until 1860. when he purchased the farm upon which his son Jacob now lives. He cleared and improved it, and followed firming until 1875, when he built a resi- dence close to Zelienople, and retired from active business. Mr. Endres was one of the original stockholders in the Pittsburg and Mercer Plank Road Com- pany. He has been more or less connected with oil producing, and has accumu- lated a comfortable estate. Before removing to Butler county, Mr. Endres was a member of the Burry Reformed church, but after his settlement in Jackson township, he joined St. Peter's Reformed church, in which he has filled the office of elder. Mr. Endres married Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob Woster, of Beaver county. and their children are as follows: Daniel: Caroline, wife of George B. Bastien ; Jacob; Catherine, deceased; Sadie, wife of Herman J.

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Speyerer : Lena. deceased : Charlotte ; Sophia, deceased; Hannah, wife of W. H. Lusk, attorney at law, of Butler: George, and Clara, both of whom are dead. The eldest son. Daniel, removed to New Brighton in ES76. where he is now engaged in the butchering business, Mr. Endres has filled several of the minor offices in Jackson township, and is one of the old and respected citizens of the community.

JACOB ENDRES, youngest son of Adam and Elizabeth Endres, was born in Beaver county, June 1, 1850, and received a common school education. Hle grew to manhood on the homestead farm in Jackson township, and in 1875 assumed control of the farm. his father retiring. In 1874 he married Mary E .. daughter of George Teets, of Beaver county. and their children are as follows : George A. ; Altha E. : Eva B .; Clara ; Bertha M., and Howard J. Politically, Mr. Endres is a Republican, and has filled the office of school director. He is also a director in the German Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Zelienople, and is a member of the Farmers' Alliance. Both he and family are connected with the Evangelical Lutheran church of Zelienople.

GEORGE WELSH, farmer and off producer, was born in Connoquenessing township, Butler county, December 1, 1862, son of James and Susan ( Bolton ) Welsh, of Zelienople. He received his education in the district schools, learned the carpenter's trade, and worked for the Pittsburg and Fort Wayne Railroad Company, as a bridge carpenter, for three years. In 1886 he located upon his present farm in Jackson township, and for the past four years he has also been engaged in oil producing. There are seven wells upon his farm, two of which he owns. In 1885 he was married to Mary Jane, a daughter of John Magee, whose father was one of the pioneers of Butler county. Mr. Welsh is a member of the Presbyterian church of Whitestown, and in politics, he is a Republican.

JOHN VOEGTLY was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, November 6. 1834, son of Jacob Voegtly, a native of Switzerland, who came to the United States, with his father at the age of twenty-one years. Ile married Eliz- abeth Boyer, who resided near Pine Creek, and in 1852 he purchased a farm in Ross township, Allegheny county, where he and wife spent the balance of their lives. They had a family of fourteen children, of whom they reared six : Eliza- beth, wife of Henry Sclag, of Allegheny; Mania, wife of Adam Endres, of Zelienople ; John: Andrew, a resident of Allegheny county ; Esther, wife of William Miltner, of the same county, and Matthias, who also resides in Alle- gheny county. The subject of this sketch was reared in Allegheny City, and attended the public schools of that place. In 1867 he married Elizabeth, daugh- ter of William Miltner. of Allegheny county, and settled upon a farm in Ross township. In 1886 he purchased his present farm in Jackson township, Butler county, upon which he settled the same year. He is the father of five children, as follows : William J. ; John M .; Maria H. ; Henry, and Charles Frederick. Mr. Voegtly is a Republican, in politics, and is a leading member of the German Lutheran church, of Zelienople.

II. W. FANKER was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, January 12. 1851, son of Henry W. and Louisa ( Boreman ) Fanker, natives of Hanover, Germany, who immigrated to Pittsburg in 1819. 11. W. was reared at Wilkinsburg, and

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received his education in that borough and at the German parochial school of the East End, Pittsburg. After he grew to manhood he engaged in the butchering business with his father at Wilkinsburg, and later entered the employ of II. N. Lytle, of Braddock, where he remained until 1878. He then embarked in the same business for him-elf, and carried it on at Braddock until 1890, when he purchased his present farm of 196 acres, in Jackson township. Butler county. Upon this he erected one of the finest residences in the county. a three story brick structure, fifty by sixty, standing on an elevation about 300 feet above the road- way, and facing a wide, handsome lawn, with spacious driveways and walks. The residence contains sixteen rooms, is heated with steam and fitted up with every modern convenience. In 1889 Mr. Fanker organized a company for the production of oil upon his farm. They developed ten wells, some of them averaging as high as 150 barrels a day. lle sold his production in 1893, and his interest now embraces only the royalty. He has improved his farm in many ways, and has nearly 100 acres under cultivation. In 1876 Mr. Fanker married Annie. daughter of Adam Shaffer, of Jackson township, and has a family of five living children : Harry : Clara : Frank ; Charley, and Paul. He started in life with less than $200 capital, and his business success is the result of his own indus- try. Besides his beautiful farm and oil properties. he is the owner of much valuable real estate at Braddock. Both he and wife are adherents of the Lutheran church, and in politie-, he is a Republican.

W. A. NICKLAS is a son of Charles and Catherine ( Burr ) Nicklas, and was born in Forward township. Butler county, January 28. 1868. His mother is a daughter of Peter Burr. Ile received a common school education, followed farming for several years, and afterwardsengaged at the butcher's trade. In 1893 he formed a partnership with G. F. Nicklas, and embarked in the livery busi- ness, at Evans City. He married Allie Fahel. and resided in that borough con- ducting the livery until his removal to his present farm. He has since devoted his attention to agriculture.

JOSEPH DOUTHETT, SR., was a native of Armagh county, Ireland, and immi- grated to the United States at an early date, taking up his residence in Wash- ington county. Pennsylvania. About 1799 he came to Butler county. and located upon the farm in Forward township where David Douthett's heirs now reside. Ile married in Ireland, and was the father of the following children : Joseph : Alexander : Charles: Jacob : Benjamin : Martha, who married Robert Magee. and Rosanna, who married Robert Fowler. Mr. Douthett and his wife, Rosanna. died upon the farm which they settled, and are buried in the cemetery on the same place. In the same burial ground lie the remains of his sons, Joseph, Jacob, and Benjamin.

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History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 143

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