History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 59

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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The population in 1870 was 295; in 18-0, 319; in 1-90, 25>, and in January, 1594, about 350. The assessed value of real and personal property in 1894 was $91,-19 ; county tax, $367.28; State tax, $366.46.

MANUFACTURERS AND MERCHANTS.

The industrial life of the colony began with the establishment of a brickyard by John A. Roebling in 1-32. the first product being the brick used in the erec- tion of his dwelling. In the meantime Roebling's mind was busy with those great problems of bridge construction, the successful solution of which afterwards made his name famous throughout the world. It was here that he invented and, in 1840, made the first wire rope manufactured in the United States, This rope. says the Iron and Steel Bulletin, was three-fourths of an inch in diameter and about 500 feet long, and was used on a plane at Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It was made of parallel laid wires, served on the outside with annealed wire. This rope went to pieces as soon as the serving wore out. The next rope was made for use on one of the inclined planes of the old Portage railway, and was 1,500 feet long and one and one-half inches in diameter. It was constructed very much as wire rope is made now, and lasted a long time. Its success introduced wire rope on the nine remaining Portage planes. The next application of wire rope on a large scale was on the planes of the Morris canal in New Jersey, soon followed by its adoption by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company. Finding most of his

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

business in the East, Mr. Roebling removed his plant from Butler county to Trenton in 1×4%.

The Eisenhart & Baehr spinning and carding mill and the blacksmith shop of Jonas Tieter were also among the first industries. The Maurhoff & Schwei- tering store was opened in 1833 in a double log house, now the residence of J. E. Muder. They sold out in 1835 to Gosewitch & Graefe. Graefe sokl his interest to A. Bernigau, who sold to IJelmbold & Merkel in 1>47. A few years later Mr. Merkel established a separate store, and Charles Stimmel became Helmbold's partner. Helmbold & Merkel did not occupy the old log house, but rented a new building erected by J. E. Muder, and now occupied by Pfeiffer's store and dwell- ing. Among the present business houses are the following : The two stores of Mrs. Theodore Helmbold & Sons, T. Krause and George W. Maurhoff, general merchants ; Dr. E. B. Mershon's well-stocked drug store; Charles Pfeiffer's flour and feed store; Sachs & Wetzel's lumber yard, and a number of other lesser places of business. William Dresher has for many years successfully carried on the only wagon shop in the borough. The new opera house, erected in 1893 by Knoch & Roettig, is a spacious one-story frame building, and provides the people of the borough with a creditable place of amusement.

HOTELS.

Aderhold's Hotel was established in 1842 as the "Saxonburg Exchange," opposite the present school building. Ile retired in 1858 and went into the nursery business. The Vogeley House was opened next, on the site of the present Laube Hotel. The Union Hotel was erected in 1863, by E. F. Muder, and con- tinued by him, except during the term of F. Laube's lease, down to ISS7-88. Mr. Muder's heirs sold the property to Thielo Krause, who remodeled the building for store and residence purposes. In 1848 Christian Stuebgen established a hotel on the site of the P'fabe House. It had several landlords. In 1866 Henry Stuebgen sold the building and ground to Joseph Kohnfelder. The old house burned in [868, and the same year Kohnfelder erected the present large brick hotel building, now owned by Fred Pfabe, and run by him as the Saxonburg Hotel. He purchased the property in December, 1891, and remodeled the west portion, known as the opera house, using the entire building for hotel purposes. The Laube House, originally the Vogeley House, was purchased and remodeled in 1875 by Francis Laube, who carried it on until December, 1891, when Christian J. Raabe became the owner.

BOROUGH OFFICIALS.

The returns of the first election held in the borough of Saxonburg, Septem- ber 5, 1846. when nine votes were cast, are as follows : Emil Maurhoff, burgess ; William Bauer, William Sommer, Ernest Herting, George Vogeley, Adolph Eisenhart and William Koch, councilmen; Andrew Drescher and George Graff, overseers of the poor, and Rev. Joseph Scheeley constable. The first meeting of council was held September 14, 1846. T. H. Tolley was chosen clerk and A. Bernigau treasurer. The names of the burgesses and councilmen elected since 1846 are as follows :

47I

SAXONBURG BOROUGH.

1847-George Vogeley, burgess ; E. Herting, William Sommer, George Graff, G. Lensner and Christ Vogeley.

1848-William Sommer, burgess ; George Graff, G. Lensner, A. Drescher, T. H. Tolley and John Vogeley.

1849-Francis Laube, burgess; F. A. Hoffman, Joseph Reeth, John Weber.

1850-H. T. Merkel, burgess ; Dr. William Koch, F. E. Saupe, Joseph Scheeley and William Fritsche.

1851-George Graff, burgess ; J. E. Muder, E. Maurhoff, H. Aderhold.

1852-Christian Stuebgen, burgess; H. T. Merkel, E. Herting, A. Drescher, and E. A. Helmbold.

1853-F. E. Saupe, burgess ; A. Schmertz, C. Hoffman, Valentine Hoch, E. A. Helmbold and E. Maurhoff.

1854-H. F. Aderhold, burgess; II. Wetzel, George Graff, C. Sippel and Jacob Neher.

1855-A. W. Schmertz, burgess ; C. Stuebgen, F. Starke, Joseph Reeth and A. Drescher.

1856-Valentine Hoch, burgess ; William Sommer, E. A. Helmbold and A. Ohl.

1857-A. Ohl, burgess ; Jacob Neher, Henry Wetzel, Gottlieb Heller and Henry Pfabe.

1858-John Weber, burgess ; C. Smith, Henry Graff, G. Wetzel. F. Schloe ;- ser and Chris. Schroth.

1859-E. F. Muder, burgess; C. I. Smith, E. Heller, I. M. Gerstner and Henry Drescher.

1860-E. A. Helmbold, burgess ; Chris Stuebgen, Henry Aderhold. Paulus Raabe, Gottlieb Heller and Valentine Hoch.

1861-Paulus Raabe, burgess ; A. Ohl, F. Krause, Jacob Neher, C. Raabe and Edward Michel.

1862-E. Heller, burgess ; H. F. Aderhold, John Weber, G. Heller and Gott- fried Wetzel.

1863-Christian Schroth, burgess ; G. Lamb, F. Bauman, A. Ohl and B. Michel.

1864-E. Maurhoff, burgess; II. F. Aderhold, C. Stuebgen, T. H. Tolley, F. Starke and H. Drescher.

1865-H. F. Aderhold, burgess ; C. G. Lamb, Jacob Nehier, G. Wetzel and F. Laube.

1866-C. G. Lamb, burgess; E. Michel, A. W. Schmertz, C. Raabe, E. Heller and John Weber.

1867-F. Bauman, burgess ; E. A. Helmbold, C. Schroth, Theodore Helm- bold, William Drescher and Julius Riedel.

1868-E. F. Muder, burgess ; C. A. Stimmel, J. Neher. A. Ohl, H. Drescher and G. Wetzel.

1869-A. W. Schmertz, burgess ; E. Heller, A. Ohl, C. G. Lamb, John Lang and F. Laube.

1870-Jacob Neher, burgess ; William Sommer, E. F. Muder, Christopher Raabe and Louis Gerstner.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

1871-R. Sweet, burgess; E. A. Helmbold, Charles Stimmel, W. Fritsche, A. Ohl and E. Heller.

1872-Joseph Kohnfelder, burgess; A. Ohl, F. Bauman, II. Lippold, G. Wetzel and II. Drescher.

1×78-Julius Riedel, burgess; T. II. Tolley, C. Raabe, Erdman Heller, William Rich, Louis Gerstner and Fred. Bauman.

IS74-Louis Gerstner, burgess ; C. Raabe. A. W. Schmertz, C. G. Lamb, Joseph Kohnfelder and E. F. Muder.

1875-Louis Gerstner, burgess ; C. A. Stimmel, II. G. Muder, E. Heller, A. Ohl, IIenry Horn and G. Wetzel.

1876-Henry Drescher, burgess; Louis Gerstner, II. G. Muder, C. Raabe, William Drescher and W. Warneck. 1877-F. Laube, burgess ; E. F. Muder, Joseph Kohnfelder, H. Runge, C. Raabe, E. Heller and Charles A. Stimmel.

1878-E. Steubgen, burgess ; Charles Wetzel, M. Schook, E. Heller, Fran- cis Laube, Fred. Bauman and F. Meister.

1879-Seth Meade, burgess; John Sachs, Charles Wetzel, Joseph Hick- man, Charles Raabe. V. B. Smith and Herman Seipel.

1880-H. G. Muder, burgess: T. Krause, John Sachs, C. G. Lamb, F. Schroth, F. Marterer and H. Drescher.

1881-Christian Raabe, burgess, L. Ruediger, Charles Wetzel, William Drescher, T. Krause and Theo. M. Bettinger.

1882-William Schroth, burgess; L. Ruediger, F. Laube, Sr., and F. Schroth.

183-Joseph Kohnfelder, burgess; C. Wetzel, E. F. Muder, Christian Raabe, Charles Pfeiffer, John Sachs and William Schroth.

ISS4-Charles Pfeiffer, burgess ; Philip Cooper, G. S. Gibson, T. Schroth, J. Weber, Charles Wetzel and J. Sachs.

1885-Theodore Helmbold, burgess ; Henry Asche and F. Laube.

1886-Theodore IIelmbold, burgess ; John Weber and Fred. Schroth.

1887-Charles Wetzel, burgess; August Warneck and August Meister.

188 -J. H. King, burgess ; W. Schroth, Sr., J. W. McKee and Henry Asche.

1×59-II. G. Muder, burgess ; William Sames and II. A. Muder.

1890-William Yeagle, burgess ; J. W. McKee, Henry Asche, H. Muder, W. Sames, William Drescher and C. J. Raabe.

1×91-C. Raabe and Theodore Helmbold, received each thirty-six votes for burgess, but Raabe was elected by lot ; L. Ruediger and William Stuebgen.

1892-Theilo Krause, burgess: Louis Wetzel and Henry Lang.

1893-John Sachs, burgess; Charles Wetzel, William Drescher, II. G. Muder, Louis Ruediger. William Stuebgen and Henry Lang.

1894-William D. Iloffman, burgess ; Herman G. Muder, Richard E. Neu- bert, Charles Wetzel, Louis Ruediger, William Drescher and Henry Lang.

The names of the justices of the peace elected for Saxonburg since 1847 are as follows: Rev. Joseph Scheeley, 1847; Emil Maurhoff, 1847; Frederick E. Saupe, 1851 ; Emil Maurhoff, 1852; Theodore II. Tolley, 1854; Francis Laube,

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SAXONBURG BOROUGH.

1857; Charles Hoffman, 1:59; Francis Laube, 1862; Charles Hoffman. 1-64; Theodore H. Tolley, 1>65; H. Theodore Merkel, 1868; Theodore II. Tolley, 1670; H. Theodore Merkel, 1873 ; Theodore H. Tolley, 1875; H. Theodore Mer- kel, 187; Theodore H. Tolley, 1880; II. Theodore Merkel, 1883; H. C. Clark, 1585; Mr. Clark moved away, and H. Aderhold was elected to fill vacancy; H. C. Lensner, 1889; V. B. Smith, 1892, and H. C. Lensner, 1594.

CHURCHES AND CEMETERIES.

The German Evangelical Protestant Church of Saxonburg, while organ- ized in 1837, really dates back to 1832, when Rev. William Fuhrmann began preaching here. The pastors who followed him were Revs. Joseph Scheeley, 1-34 to 1841; Robert Clements, 1842; Bottcher, Frank, Balinsen and Kaiser, 1-42 to 1847; J. Riedel, 1847 to 1851: A. Rudolph, 1851 to 1854; P. Engel, 1-54 to 1856; Reichman, 1857 to 1858; J. Kissel, 1858 to 1860; Ilelfer, 1861; A. Rudolph, 1862 to 1864; Ernst Seifling, 1865 to 1868; A. Herman, 1868 to 1869; Carl Linn, 1869 to 1871; Sylla, 1871 to 1872; Gustave Bochert, 1-72 to 1576; T. Polster, 1876 to IST8; G. Wiche, 1878 to 1880; Ernst Weiss, ISSO to 1590, and Karl A. Horn, the present pastor. The members in October, 1837, were C. G. Lamb, John E. Muder, F. D. Schweitering, John A. Roebling, William Roebling, Fred Baehr, J. II. Muder, C. Goebel, C. Stuebgen. F. A. Kunz, Adam Ohl, J. G. Helmhold, Il. Aderhold, E. Maurhoff, A. Eisenhart, and A. Bernigau. The society was incorporated November 15, 1>51, when the articles of association were signed by Elder John Gersten and secretary H. Theo- dore Merkel, who with Gottfried Francke were the trustees. A frame building was erected between 1834 and 1887, to which a steeple was added in 1>63. Frederick Starke, the first organist, died in 1886, when his son, August, suc- ceeded him. Mrs. Charlotte Horn became organist in July, 1893.

St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church, of Saxonburg, was founded in 1869, when several of the English speaking members of the older church near Hannahstown, withdrew to form a congregation at Saxonburg. A building committee was at once appointed, consisting of John E. Muder, Isaac Lefevre, William Burtner, Michael Stepp and Thomas Greer. Work was begun at once. and before the close of 1869, the brick building, west of the l'fabe House, was completed, the cost being about $2,500. Rev. J. Melhorn, of Freeport, who organized this church, preached here until succeeded by Rev. J. H. A. Kitzmiller, who remained eleven years. For some years the pulpit was supplied by various ministers until Rev. Mr. Shanor, of Freeport, was appointed pastor, he attending to his charges at Freeport and Sarversville at the same time. Rev. Mr. Shaffer was the next pastor, then came Rev. Mr. Fetzer. of Greenville, who was fol- lowed by Rev. J. L. Doerr. Rev. Mr. Martens, the present pastor. came in 1892.

The burial ground of the German Evangelical congregation dates back to April 1, 1836, when F. C. Roebling, his wife, Wilhelmina. and John A. Roeb- ling conveyed to the German inhabitants one acre of land for a school building and cemetery. The agreement relating to this cemetery was signed in 1845. b. John A. Roebling. J. E. Muder, John Gerstner, O. Stuebgen, Joseph R i:' .

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

George Graff, J. G. Lensner, William Bauer, F. II. Muder, C. Vogeley, F. E. Saupe, Fred Baehr. A. Eisenhart, George Vogeley, E. Maurhoff, E. Herting, A. Bernigau, F. G. C. Laszigar, John Hanser, H. Aderhold, William Sommer and Andrew Drescher. Under the donors' agreement with the people, this old burial ground is free. It adjoins the borough cemetery ; but the borough con- tinues to elect two trustees and the church one trustee to manage it.

The New Saxonburg Cemetery is a creation of the seventies. It comprises two and a half acres, the unsold lots in which belong to the Helmbold heirs. II. Aderhold founded this cemetery, and his heirs sold it to Theodore Helmbold.

SOCIETIES.

Saxonia Lodge, Number 496, I. O. O. F., was chartered October 20, 1853. The first officers were Emil Maurhoff, N. G. ; Valentine Hoch, T. ; II. T. Merkel, S., and E. A. Helmbold, V. G. The present noble grand is Albert Krause, and the present secretary Charles Hoffman. The hall of this lodge room was dedicated in October, 1861. It is well furnished, and the lodge is in a prosperous condition, the present membership numbering 165.

Saxonia Encampment, Number 237, I. O. O. F., was chartered April 9, 1873, the officers being Jacob Summa, C. P. ; Philip Drollinger, H. P .; Joseph Elliott, S. W. : John W. Welsh, J. W .; August Stuebgen, S., and Calvin Logan, T. The charter was surrendered at the close of the third year, but was restored July 29, 1890, when Dr. E. P. Logan was chosen C. P. ; J. E. Muder, Jr., S., and T. Krause, T. Mr. Muder and Mr. Krause have filled the positions of secretary and treasurer since the restoration of the charter. Twenty-nine members have been admitted since July. 1890, the present membership being about fifty.

Lady Montgomery Rebekah Degree Lodge, Number 248, I. O. O. F., was chartered March 5, 1892. The officers were Thielo Krause, N. G .; C. Mont- gomery, V. G. ; Charles Hoffman, S. ; Mrs. E. E. Chesney, A. S. and Mrs. M. C. Krause, T. The present noble grand is Mrs. E. E. Chesney, and the present secretary Mrs. Emma Muder.

Herder Lodge, Number 279, K. of P., was instituted December 29, 1870. The charter members were Rev. Carl Linn, of Jefferson Centre Presbyterian church, P. C .; E. A. Helmbold, C .; Richard Sweet, V. C. ; T. H. Tolley, K. R. S .; Joseph Kohnfelder. A. W. Schmertz, Francis Laube, Henry Drescher, William Drescher, H. Aderhold, Adolph Richter, E. Heller, W. Wachsmuth, Henry Hesse, Christian Raabe, Henry Horn, F. Ruediger, Christian Rudert, II. Lippold, William Schroth, John Flohr, G. Wetzel, C. Lederer, Gottfried Rein- hold and Christian Schroth.

Excelsior Tent, Number 115, K. O. T. J., was organized February 21, 1890, with fifteen members, namely : J. C. DeIIart, Elmer E. Graham, T. V. Smith, J. W. McKee, William J. Redick, A. II. Asche, Dr. E. P. Logan, R. E. Neubert, Emil Neubert, M. L. Smyers, J. R. Smith, L. A. Helmbold, E. H. Ellenberger, William Beck and James Gallagher. From June, 1891, to June 1892, Elmer E. Graham filled the office of State Commander of the order. The Tent comprises ninety members.

Saxonia Council, Number 490, Fr. O. U. A. J., was instituted December 23. 1890, with the following officers : Elmer E. Graham, P. C .; Dr. A. Foster,

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SAXONBURG BOROUGH

C .; J. W. McKee, V. C. ; William Krause, R. ; AAlbert Krause, A. R. . II. W. Love, F. S. : Emil Bechman, T. ; William Richie, C. ; J. R. Smith, W. ; Daniel Overheim, I. S .: A. T. MeKce, O. S. ; E. E. Graham, D. Overheim and 1. Foster, trustees, and E. E. Graham, representative to State Council. In Febru- ary, 1891, the lodge had fifty-four members.

Saxonburg has had its musicians and festival days since the beginning of it- history. Der Schuetzenfest, observed from 1844 to 1876, was made an occasion for mirth, music, games and amusement, in which 5.000 persons often partici- pated. The programme usually embraced target practice, dancing, singing, and those games and amusements learned in earlier days in the Fatherland. . As con- ducted by the German residents, it was an occasion of innocent pleasure and amusement in which they took pride. Its annual return generally brought the German singing clubs from Pittsburg, as well as many visitors from different parts of the State. The oil excitement brought hither a new ele nent not calcu- lated to maintain the purity and innocence of its festivities, and it was regret- fully discontinued after an uninterrupted annual observance extending over thirty years.

Contemporary with the Schuetzenfest was the Thespian society, a dramatic organization. and a number of singing clubs. The Thespian society was organ- ized in 1885, by E. A. Helmbold, E. Maurhoff and Charles Mosher. In 1846 it was known as the " Thespian Dramatical Association." Its members, composed of local talent, gave occasional dramatic entertainments in both German and Eng- lish until ISSO.

Saxonburg has been a local musical center, and ha. at different times main- tained one or more good brass bands. The people are overs of good music, and in nearly every home may be found some one who excells either as a vocalist or as a performer on some musical instrument.

CHAPTER XXXVII. CLINTON TOWNSHIP.

ORGANIZATION-PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS - PIONEERS-POPULATION AND STATISTICS -SCHOOLS AND JUSTICES-CHURCHES -- CEMETERIES-VILLAGES.

T MINIS township was organized in 1851, out of parts of the original Middlesex and Buffalo townships. It is situated on the Allegheny county line, just west of Buffalo, the southeastern township of Butler county. In the central and southern parts it is watered by the tributaries of Bull creek, which cut it up into valleys, and give its surface a broken and rolling appearance. It is not so rugged and picturesque as many of the other townships in the county, its scenic beauty being of a quieter but no less pleasing character. Its soils, varying from heavy clay to sandy loam, are fertile and productive, and the township is one of the best cultivated portions of the county. Its coal deposits have never been fully developed, although coal for local consumption has been mined for many years. The Upper Freeport coal, below the mill, was mined for many years by John Lardin, while above the mill was the Halstead bank in the same coal, lying under the Buffalo sandstone. Near the old Montgomery farm, on a branch of Bull creek,-at a point seventy feet above its bed,-as well as on the McGregor and Wood farms, the same coal was mined for years, while at other places outcrops and openings occur. The Buffalo and Mahoning sandstones are massive rocks in this section of the county, while the hard. brown Butler sandstone and the huge Freeport limestone are visible in several localities.

PIONEERS.

The first actual settlement was made by Patrick Harvey, a native of Down county, Ireland. Locating a farm here in 1792, while the scouts were still on duty along the Allegheny river, he came again into the wilderness in 1794, con- structed a log hut, cleared a tract of ten acres and. in May of the following year, brought his family from Westmoreland county. The brave mother of this fam- ily resided on the homestead for thirty-six years, or, until her death, in 1831, while the pioneer, himself, survived until 1819. James McKee made a nominal improvement, on what afterward became the Cunningham homestead, in March, 1794. In March, 1797, Samuel Copeland purchased the tract, built a cabin and, in May of that year, tenanted it with his family. George Plants made an improvement on what was known, in later days, as the Krumpe farm, though its material improvement is credited to John Burtner, who succeeded Plants as owner.

George Stinchcomb, a native of Ireland, located here towards the close of

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CLINTON TOWNSHIP.

1796, but soon after sold his improvements to Barnett Stepp. Henry Sefton came from Ireland the same year, and founded a home in this township, which he occupied until his death in 1840. Thomas Stewart, who built a cabin on a tract adjoining Copeland's; Robert McGinnis, who made the first improvements on the Francis Anderson farm in 1799; Thomas Watson, a native of Down county, Ireland, and a soldier of the Revolution ; Hugh Riddle, who died in 1851, and Robert Riddle, who died in 1853; Samuel A. Rippey, who came in 1799, and John Burtner, who arrived about the same time and improved the Krumpe farm, were all here before 1800. James and Edward Byrne, brothers, natives of Ireland, the former a soldier of the Revolution, settled here in 1800. Daniel Pugh, the father of John, Michael and Peter Pugh, came about 1801. He called the lands upon which he settled " Pughtown." Francis Anderson, who was commissioned justice of the peace for District Number 4 in 1804, came in 1802, purchased the McGinnis improvements in 1809 for a trifle, was elected commissioner in 1807, served in the War of 1812, and died in 1839.

At the close of 1802, or early in 1803, Thomas Lardin arrived from Ireland, bringing with him his wife and three children. He was an enterprising farmer, and owner of one of the first iron plows used in Butler county. He died in 1533 in his eighty-sixth year. James Hay purchased land from Philip Mowry in 1503. John Cunningham, a native of Ireland, who had made his home for some years in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, came to Clinton township in 1805, purchased the Copeland improvements and resided here until his death. William Love, Sr., the pioneer of the Love family, immigrated from Ireland early in the cen- tury, lived for a while in Delaware, and in 1806 came to what is now Clinton township, where he died in 1848 in his eighty-third year. James Love, who died in 1857, came from Ireland in 1816 to this township. His wife and father, Samuel Love and family, came in 1818. Thomas, Jonathan and William Walker purchased 1,800 acres of land here in 1822, and in 1823 Thomas and Jonathan came to improve the tract. William arrived within a few years and made his home here until his death in 1855. Thomas died here in 1839, and Jonathan in 1879, aged eighty-three years.

In the chapter on The Pioneers, the names of all who owned property here when the county was organized in November, 1503, are given, together with the amount of their real and personal property. In a list of that date many names of old and honored settlers do not appear, for the simple reason that they were enacting the drama of settlement in some other district or county. Such names as those of Garrett Moore and Stephen Brewer; Robert Thompson, who moved here from Middlesex township ; the Gibson family, who came in from Allegheny county ; James Criswell, who removed here from Washington county in 1-30; Thomas Westerman, whe came from England to Allegheny City in 1832, and bought one hundred acres of land in Clinton township in 1839 ; Matthew Bickett and James Hemphill, who came from Ireland in 1523 and settled in Clinton township in 1835; James Norris, a native of Ireland, and William Norris, who came into Clinton township from Allegheny county in 1837, must undoubtedly be ranked with the old residents.

478

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

In 1860 the population was 1,021; in 1870, 1,182 ; in 1880, 1,048, and in 1890, 918. The assessed value on January 1, 1894, was $351,099; the county tax, $1,404.40, and the State tax $117.36.

SCHOOLS AND JUSTICES.

The early schoolhouses of this township were located on the Davis and Riddle farms, and were presided over by such well-known pioneer educators as Robert Cunningham. Michael Herron, James Jack, James Love, Edward McCorkle, William McGarry, Thomas Watson and Cyrus E. Anderson. The re-subdivision of the county in 1854 was the indirect result of a meeting held in a log schoolhouse in this township in 1852 or 1853. Cyrus E. Anderson, now of Butler, was then teaching there, and in responding to his request to have the log building made habitable the fathers of the district assembled. Their resolution to erect a new building was tempered by the reflection that a new district was necessary, and from that meeting to a directors' meeting, and thence to a con- vention of the school directors of Buffalo, Middlesex and Cranberry townships, the question of redistricting the three townships was carried. The school statis- tics of 1894 show six schoolhouses, six teachers, 116 male and 124 female pupils, an average attendance of 163, and a total revenue for school purposes of $3,021.12.

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History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 59

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