History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 66

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 Millerstown Cemetery was surveyed in 1876 on lands donated by James Hemphill years before. Among the first trustees were John G. Myers and James McMichael. In 1882 Henry Frederick, C. D. Aldinger, Chambers Hemp- hill, and the first two trustees held that office. In 1887 Dr. J. B. Showalter, S. S. Bell, W. M. Smith, John G. Myers and James McMichael were elected trustees. W. A. Dennison was elected in 1588 and in 1889. Messrs. Showalter, Bell, Dennison, Myers and J. C. Gaisford formed the board, with 'Squire Gaisford as secretary and S. S. Bell superintendent. By re-election the same members held office in 1894. These gentlemen have made the cemetery what it is to-day. Prior to 1889 there was little or nothing done toward recording interments, but since October of that year a good record has been kept, showing eighty-three interments down to April, 1894. With the exception of the little graveyard of the Reformed church at Iron City, this cemetery is the Protestant place of burial. The headstones in the old part of the cemetery tell of some of the Gumpper family being interred there as early as 1844, and of Christian Gumpper's burial in 1845. The Hemphills, Diveners, Hochs, Schusters, Wicks, Monnies, Flocks, Bishs, Fredericks, Oettingers, Wagners and other families are represented. The fine monuments over the graves of Martin Hoch and H. L. Westermann, with the Divener, Fetzer, Schuster, Jacob Frederick and Leonard Frederick monu- ments, are works of art in marble and gray granite.

SECRET SOCIETIES.

Argyle Lodge, Number 540, F. & A. M., was organized at Petrolia, July 15, 1875, being chartered by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania with forty charter members. The hall was the upper floor of the Aaron building at the corner of Main and Argyle streets. The lodge rented the room until June, 1883. when they purchased the building from Louis T. Aaron and had it as their home until

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MILLERSTOWN BOROUGH.

destroyed by fire December 19, 1889. They then erected a fine brick building on Main street at a cost of about $8,000, and occupied it as a home, but this building was also destroyed by fire July 3, 1893, after which the lodge was moved to Mil- lerstown. During the time the lodge remained at Petrolia it was one of the most prosperous Masonic lodges to be found in the rural districts of Western Pennsyl- vania, having at the time of removal to Millerstown 100 members, and it has since continued prosperous. Following is a list of the Masters of the Lodge from its organization : Charles L. Wheeler, 1875-76; Wm. M. Lardin, 1877: Smith P. McKnight, 1878: Stephen W. Bartlett, 1879; Murat Compton, 1880; Frank L. Masson. 1881; Geo. II. Graham, 1882; Russell C. Whitford. 1883 : Geo. H. Graham, 1884-85; Frank L. Masson, 1886; Geo. H. Graham, 1887; Wm. C. Black, 1888-89: Wm. C. Foster, 1890; Francis Murphy, 1891-92 ; Thomas F. Harvey, 1893, and Henry J. Myers, 1894. R. F. Westerman is the present sec- retary, and Francis Murphy treasurer. The lodge room is located in Dr. De Wolfe's building, and the rolls contain the names of over 100 active members.

Millerstown Lodge, Number 947, I. O. O. F., wasinstituted April 30, 1877, with J. P. Caldwell, N. G .; William McLaughlin, V. G. ; F. M. Small, secretary ; B. F. McEwen, assistant secretary; Levi Walker, treasurer ; J. B. Showalter, H. W. Day and C.Scharbach, trustees, and David Baughman, P. A. Painter, John Rolf, H. D. Aldinger, R. Denton, J. A. Roof, A. A. Liggs, H. C. Carringer, E. G. Baptie, S. S. Marshall, C. W. Coleman, C. A. Eliason and one other member. The past Noble Grands are : J. B. Showalter, J. C. Gaisford, S. D. Bell, L. A. Bridge, A. B. Sutton, G. W. Huselton, Theo. Enoch, John Strahan, E. II. Bradley, David Dale, A. Fleeger, H. C. Conley, J. M. McCollough, S. W. McCollough, C. C. Gray, E. M. Jenkins, H. R. Sheffield, S. Mock, A. Wagner, J. Double, R. F. Wester- mann, S. Frankle, L. A. Gibson, P. A. Painter, F. M. Small, W. C. Wolford, W. J. Logan, Eli Miller and G. G. McCollough. J. H. Lackey was presiding at the close of 1893, with J. J. Crawford, secretary, which office he has held for seven years. The membership is 143. The hall was erected in 1887, the Knights of Pythias being partners in the enterprise. Twenty members of the lodge are members of the Endowment Association, of which J. C. Gaisford is the local secretary.

Lady Whitney Rebekah Degree Lodge, Number 5, was organized in March, 1893, to take the place of an old lodge which surrendered it- charter a few years ago. The first officers were : Mrs. J. M. Bell, Mrs. H. C. Conley, Nettie McCol- lough and Mrs. J. J. Crawford. In November, 1893, the officers chosen were as follows : Mrs. H. C. Conley, N. G .; Nettie McCollough. V. G. ; Anna Murphy, secretary ; Mrs. R. F. Westermann, assistant secretary, and Mrs. J. L. Campbell, treasurer, with Harry T. Rattigan, captain of staff work.

Knights of Honor Lodge, Number 818, was instituted December 8, 1877, with the following members :- W. J. McCarnes, F. M. Small, David Dale, J. A. Crawford, C. N. Brecht, C. O. Smith, C. E. Peck, J. P. Caldwell, D. F. Barnhart, C. H. Johnson, A. J. Alston, H. D. Aldinger, A. L. Craig, J. W. Churchill, W. L. Dawson, W. P. Grazier, J. Hawkins, James Kemp, A. Lenox, W. M. Lake, B. F. McEwen. John Parkinson, G. W. Reep, F. M. Smith, W. M. Smith, Asa Small, E. H. Sloan, W. P. Turner, H. Wolf, James Young, J. Jack, D. B. Campbell,

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and others. C. O. Smith, D. F. Barnhart, James Kemp, W. P. Turner, D. S. Wakenight, S. I. McKee. F Bucklin, T. H. Evans, A. H. Simpson, S. F. Showalter, A. E. Barnhart, D. Garrett, J. A. Heydrick, F. Schweiger, John Sabline, J. H. Keiser, A. L. Frazier, G. F. Fetzer, J. W. Gray and HI. A. Leopold have presided over the lodge.

MMillerstown Lodge, A. O. U. W., was organized in 1877, with about thirty members, Dr. S. D. Bell being then Master Workman. When the charter was surrendered in 1881 or 1882. H. R. Sheffield filled that office.

Millerstown Lodge, Number 457. K. of P., was organized July 12, 1878, with twenty-one members. The chancellors have been : W. P. Adams and S. D. Bell, in 1878-79; E. H. Bradley and Charles Morris, 1850; G. W. Huselton and David Dale, 1881 : W. P. Turner and L. A. Bridge, 1852 ; R. K. Sutton and F. Schweiger, 1883; John Flack, Henry Lockhart and E. M. Jenkins, 1884; C. D. Aldinger and J. A. Heydrick, 1855: A. E. Barnhart and David Garrett, 1886; John W. Gray and John Golden, 1887; E. J. Calvert and E. F. Hays, 1885 ; Joseph Brown and E. C. Dunlap, 1889; L. H. Blose and W. W. Gross- man, 1890; W. L. De Wolfe and W. C. Wolford, 1891 ; S. H. Kamerer and R. F. Westermann, 1892; P. A. Rattigan and S. B. Vandemark, 1892-93. and Daniel Dierkin, 1893. The officers installed in January, 1894, in the order of rank, were William Braden, C. F. Vensel, W. W. Campbell. J. C. Campbell, H. C. Litzin- ger, and H. T. Rattigan. The past keepers of records and seals are : G. M. Kep- ler, 1878 ; F. M. Small, two terms; A. L. Brenneman, nine terms ; E. M. Jen- kins, 15.55-SS; E. J. Calvert and R. F. Westermann, 1889; A. M. Hoch, 1890, two terms, and E. M. Jenkins, the present incumbent, who has held the office since 1591. On January 1, 1894, there were 162 members in good standing, twenty-four of whom belong to the Endowment rank, of which Augustus Hoch is president, and F. Schweiger, secretary and treasurer.

Robert Mc Dermott Post, Number 233, G. A. R .. was mustered in, Septem- ber 13, 1881, with J. J. Miller, commander : J. B. Rumbaugh and S. W. McCol- lough, vice-commanders ; A. L. Brenneman, adjutant ; Joseph Double, quarter- master; P. A. Rattigan, quartermaster sergeant : J. J. Crawford, sergeant- major ; James Piper, chaplain, and S. B. Gamble and G. W. Palmer officers of the day and guard. Of the the whole number enrolled, there were ten soldiers who served in the regiments of other States, and seventy-eight were representa- tives of Pennsylvania commands. The post commandership has been held by the following named members : J. J. Miller, 1881; P. A. Rattigan, 1882; S. B. Gamble, 1883; S. W. McCollough, 1884; P. A. Rattigan, 1885; J. R. Rankin, 1886; J. J. Crawford, 1887 (also acting adjutant ) ; T. II. Evans, ISss ; C. J. Logue, 1889-90, and J. B. Rumbaugh, 1891. In 1892 and 1893, the post was virtually a dead letter ; but the adjutant and quartermaster labored hard to revive interest in the work. In December, 1892, II. A. Leopold was elected commander and served until January, 1894, when Hugh McFadden, the present commander, was installed. The office of adjutant has been filled by the first sergeant-major, J. J. Crawford, from 1882 to the present time.

The Catholic Knights of America was organized October 25, 1886, with P. A. Rattigan president ; Casper Nash, vice-president ; John J. Nash, secretary ;

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MILLERSTOWN BOROUGH.

H. J. Smith, financial secretary ; Owen Brady, treasurer ; John Collins, sergeant- at-arms, and D. Grogan sentinel. In 1538 the following officers were elected : Rev. P. J. Quilter, spiritual director ; H. J. Smith, Sr., president ; John Black, vice-president ; J. F. Kemper, secretary ; P. A. Rattigan, financial secretary ; W. E. Redd, treasurer ; P. Conarthy, sergeant-at-arms ; Peter Heridence, senti- nel, and Casper Nash trustee. Casper Nash was subsequently elected president, and H. T. Rattigan recording and financial secretary. Of all the members in good standing, only one entitled to benefits died, and to his widow the sum of $2,000 was paid.

Knights of Labor Assembly was instituted November 18, 1886, with the fol- lowing named officers in order of rank : E. J. Calvert, T. J. Shufflin, E. F. Hays, D. C. Henshaw, W. J. Shoemaker, C. A. Wagner, J. L. Brown, J. S. Barnhart, Thomas Martin and James Kemp. The trustees were E. F. Hays, S. Frankle and C. F. Fisk. The assembly is not now in existence.

Chrystal Council, Number 548, fr. O. U. A. M., was organized in the fall of 1890, and in December of that year the following named officers were chosen, the names being given in council rank : L. H. Blose, G. G. McCollough, H. B. Alexander, A. M. Hoch, J. L. Axtell, M. D., Amos Stewart, W. A. Campbell, B. L. McGarvey, W. E. Byers, John F. Huselton, Jr., and S. L. Byers.

The Protected Home Circle was instituted December 19, 1890, with the fol- lowing named officers : Rev. Eli Miller, past president; M. B. McBride, guardian ; J. C. Gaisford, president ; J. J. Crawford, vice-president ; E. N. Dieter, secretary ; J. A. Glenn, accountant ; H. Stahl, treasurer ; II. C. Hind- man, guide ; T. R. Gwinn, porter ; J. K. V. Brouwere, watchman ; Dr. J. L. Axtell, examiner ; S. Frankle and C. Scharbach, trustees.

Blaney Tent, Number 123, K. O. T. M., was organized December 20, 1890, with the following named members : HI. Blaney, J. L. Brown. A. S. Flegar. W. H. Moffatt, J. K. V. Brouwere, J. W. Snodgrass, J. S. Sutton, G. D. Thomas, G. F. Callahan, P. Schroebel, Wm. Grubbs, W. E. Byers and S. M. Andre. The commanders since organization are as follows: J. L. Brown, A. S. Flegar, J. S. Sutton, S. B. Vandemark, E. C. Dunlap, S. M. Andre and Dr. W. L. De Wolfe. The record keepers have been W. H. Moffatt. Geo. B. Dine, J. L. Brown, S. B. Vandemark and N. Kennedy. The membership in April, 1594, was seventy-four, with a number of applicants enrolled.

CONCLUSION.

There is no history of failure attached to Millerstown. The men who came here to build up a prosperous community knew no such word as fail, and, conse- quently, the story is one of success, following perseverance, intelligence and tolerance. Of course it is not the busy oil town of 1878-1876, or even of 1>>4- 1889. Prior to the oil stampede it was a primitive hamlet, though an organized borough. It did not fade away when oil production decreased, but built better and higher. The modern pioneers of commercial and professional progress raised it from its primitive condition, and though they have not yet given it paved streets, they have supplied it with pure water, given to every house and factory 34

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

gas for fuel and light, erected modern homes, and created good hotels. To their enterprise and virtues must be credited the substantial business and excellent social life of the town.

CHAPTER XLIV.

FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP.

ORGANIZATION-BOUNDARY LINES-STATISTICS-FIRST SETTLERS-CHURCHES-EARLY SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS-FIRST OFFICIALS AND JUSTICES -- VILLAGES-BUENA VISTA-ARGYLE -- ANGELICA-IRON CITY-HAYSVILLE.

F AIRVIEW township was established under authority of legislative enact- ment in March, 1846. This act provided that the new township to be formed out of Donegal township, should be bounded on the south by a line extending west from the line of Armstrong county, between the farms of Andrew Barnhart and the Widow Sylvus, to the line of Centre township, and that the original lines of the northern part of Donegal should be the northern, eastern and western lines of Fairview. The place of election for the new township was fixed at the house of William McCafferty in the village of Fairview, the voters of the old township of Donegal to meet at the house of Dennis O'Donnell, Sr. In 1854it was established within its present limits.

The population in 1850 was 1,678; in 1860-1,101; in 1870-1,078; in 1880, including the boroughs, 6,150, and in 1890, exclusive of boroughs, 1,996. In June, 1893, there were 222 male and 222 female children of school age enumer- ated. The assessed value of property in January, 1894, was $308,560; the county tax, $1.231.26; the State tax, $158.38, and the revenue for school purposes, in 1893-$4,221.15, including $1, 119, 17 State appropriation.

FIRST SETTLERS.

In 1794 Rudolph Barnhart came into this township and settled on a tract of land near Karns City, now known as the Kinkaid farm. After making a small clearing on this tract he returned to Westmoreland county for the winter. In the following spring he came to Butler county again. Instead of. however, returning to the neighborhood of Karns City, he abandoned his land there, and made another selection on the southern line of the township, northwest of Mil- lerstown, a part of which he afterwards sold to to his brother, Philip, who came in 1797. By this change he lost the honor of being the first actual settler in the township. This honor belongs to Samuel and John Wallace, the latter a single man. They came in 1795, settled upon and improved a tract not far from the

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FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP.

James Bovard settlement of 1798, near Karns City. In 1803 Samuel Wallace had 200 acres of land and John Wallace paid seventy-five cents tax for the privilege of remaining unmarried. In 1795 John Hemphill and Jacob Barnhart, Jr., set- tled on tracts in the vicinity of Millerstown, and in 1797 Daniel Barnhart bought a part of John Hemphill's tract. In 1796 Joseph Smith of Westmoreland county appeared at the Wallace cabin as a searcher for a home. He made his selection west of Fairview borough, built a cabin in a small clearing, to which, in 1798, he brought his wife and son, John. The latter afterward became a local Meth- odist preacher. John Craig settled just south of Karns City. Paul McDermott also came in 1796. Matthew Smith settled near Petrolia, not far from the loca- tion selected later for John Harold's saw mill. William Wilson, who arrived in 1798, purchased a clearing and a cabin on the site of Petrolia, and resided there nntil his death in 1839. James Bovard, afterwards associate judge, located near Karns City in the same year. Here he lived until IS24, when he removed into Cherry township. Alexander Storey, who came about that time, like Wilson, found a ready-made clearing and a pioneer ready to sell it, and he became the purchaser. Samuel Kinkaid selected 400 acres near Karns City in the Cum- berland neighborhood, while southwest, near Buena Vista, were the clearings of Thomas Jackson, Patrick O'Farren, and William Ray. Samuel and Stephen Hall, Leonard Reep, George Robertson, Samuel Riddle, John Irwin, William Moore, John Cumberland, with David Moorhead, the weaver, and William Moor- head, the preacher, and John and James Craig, were all here prior to 1803. and must be credited with founding the agricultural interests of the township.

Andrew Campbell moved in from Concord in 1804, just one year after Charles McClung, the spinning wheel manufacturer, arrived from Maryland. Samuel Irwin. John Snow, John and George Emerick, William Fleming and Jonathan Keppel settled here within the first quarter of the century, while sons of the pioneers of adjoining townships and of Armstrong county, such as the Thorns, Barnharts and Hays, came to seek homes in Fairview in later days.

CHURCHES.

The Bear Creek Presbyterian Church may be said to have been organized in IS00, when the Irish Presbyterians who had settled in this and adjoining town- ships gathered at Deer Lick and listened to an itinerant preacher within a tent raised for that occasion. Some time after a round, unplastered log house was erected at a point northeast of Fairview for the purposes of a church. The two acres on which it stood were donated by William Wilson, and now form the Lower Bear Creek cemetery. From 1803 to 1807 Rev. Robert Johnston, then of the Scrubgrass church, preached here at stated intervals, and Rev. Robert Lee came as supply, remaining until 1809. For the six succeeding years Elder Kin- kaid led the services, or until Rev. Cyrus Riggs was ordained, in I>14. The latter was followed in 1821 by Rev. Alexander Cook, who urged the people to erect the larger log building of 1822-23, in what is known as the Upper Bear Creek cemetery. Mr. Cook served there and at Parker down to a year before his death in 1826. In 1830 Rev. Joseph Johnston came, and he, in 1534, caused the disruption of the Presbyterian church in northern Butler, carrying his ad-

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

herents over to the Associate Reformed church, which ultimately became known as the United Presbyterian. The old cemetery is east by north of Fairview borough.

St. Paul's Reformed Church, formerly known as the Union church. a com- bination of the Lutheran and Reformed people of this locality, built a log house early in the century on the Andrew Barnhart, Sr .. farm, just north of the Gabriel Pontius farm. The ground was donated by Mr. Barnhart in 1818. Revs. Henry Koch, Schweitzerbarth and Krantz were early preachers. A frame house was subsequently raised, which was used by the two societies down to the close of the sixties, when the union dissolved, the Lutherans building north of old St. Patrick's, on Sugar creek, while the Reformed congregation held the old property of eleven acres on the Barnhart farm, where is now the cemetery. The old building, which was their third house of worship, was abandoned, and they then established worship in the Sugar Creek church. Ultimately they became sole owners of that site, where their church, known as " White Church," stands to- day. Among the members were Gabriel Pontius, the Kamerers, Frederick Wiles, the Kaylor-, Forringers, John and Jacob Hemphill, John Wolford, the Shakeleys and others. The old records were destroyed by mice, but Rev. Mr. Kline, the present pastor, has the records of later years.

EARLY SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS.

About the time the Presbyterians raised a tent at Deer Lick, near Petrolia, Benjamin Fletcher managed to obtain a subscription toward a school. Maurice Bredin taught here later, until the people around the Shakeley clearing erected a better school house and placed James Read in charge. On the Mortimer lands. adjoining Fairview borough, a third building was erected for William Gibson, whose successor, Squire MeCleary, became teacher in 1815. Mr. Cook, of Donegal, was also here, and it is thought Henry Sanderson came in 1825. when a log house was erected for school purposes on the site of Fairview. In 1835 the school law was adopted, directors elected and the common school system introduced.

FIRST OFFICIALS AND JUSTICES.

The first election held in March, 1846, resulted in the choice of the follow- ing named officials : John Scott, justice of the peace ; James Maxwell and Henry Shakeley, supervisors ; John Mclaughlin, assessor ; George Emerick and Jacob Kuhn, assistant assessors ; E. G. Conway, auditor ; Charles McClung, treasurer ; Hugh Conway, James Maxwell, Joseph Campbell, James Storey and M. S. Adams, school directors ; James Storey, clerk ; William Starr, Robert Patton and Jesse Moore, fence appraisers ; Thomas McLeary and Peter Thorn, overseers of the poor; James Wilson, judge of election, and Joseph Campbell and Robert Harshaw, inspectors of election.

The justices of the peace elected from 1846 to 1894 are as follows: John Scott, 1846 and 1851 ; John McKisson. 1850; Thomas Craig, 1854; Matthew S. Ray, 1856, 1861, and 1869; Robert Campbell, 1857 and 1862; William C. Adams, 1866; Alexander Storey, 1868 and 1973 ; A. L. Campbell, 1872; William

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FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP.

McCollough, 1873; T. P. Brown, 1874; Daniel Updegraff, 1875; William Storey, 1876; S. W. McCollough, 1878, 1883, 1888 and 1893 ; Robert McClung, 1880. and W. F. Campbell, 1885 and 1890.

VILLAGES.

Buena Vista was surveyed into town lots in 1847, on the old Thomas Jack- son farm-later the Michael Andrew farm-for John McKisson. The same year McKisson opened a store and a hotel, and immediately a half dozen of dwellings sprung up. On October 28, 1852, a great Whig meeting was held there, which merged into an Abolition-Know-Nothing-Whig meeting. In 1851 Isaac Kepple located there, and Nicholas Pontius in 1863. The last named opened a store, as McKisson's successor, and held the trade of the place without competition until 1873. The Buena Vista of 1873 was also known as Peachville, owing to the fact that the post-office was so named on its establishment in 1872. James J. Sutton was postmaster. John Lusk succeeded Mr. Sutton, then came M. B. Ilutchi- son and Mrs. Richards, the present incumbent. A hotel, store, blacksmith shop and a few dwellings marked the place in March of the year named. The drill- ing of the wells on the Thorn farm, one half mile east, and the Millichamp Brothers' venture, one-fourth mile west, brought the village into prominence. While engaged in superintending the work at his well, Septibus Millichamp was wound in the cable of the machinery and killed.

Buena Vista had, later in 1873, a nominal population of 500, increased to 1,000 at certain times, and about 130 stores and dwellings. Situated in the south- west quarter of Fairview township, it was the center of the celebrated oil dis- trict ; for round it clustered the oil towns of Angelica, Karns City, Iron City, Modoc, Greece City, Troutman, Millerstown, Fairview and Petrolia. That it was an important business place in the fall of 1873, may be learned from the fact that there were carried on there two hardware stores, two drug stores, two machine shops, two tank shops, two bakeries, two feed stores, two livery stables, two shoe- maker's shops, two billiard rooms, two lumber yards, two dry goods stores, two barber shops, two millinery stores, two trimming stores, two sewing machine agencies, a number of hotels and boarding houses, about twenty saloons, a meat market, a dozen of grocery stores, a news depot and a post-office. The law office of Marshall & McCaslin, the offices of Dr. King, formerly of Greece City, and Dr. Oldfield, formerly of Oil City, with the Rev. Dillo's Methodist church, in one of the billiard rooms, and Henderson's school in the grove, contributed to perfect the community. A Methodist church, since moved to Kittanning, was erected there, as well as a United Presbyterian building now standing and used at intervals for worship. In August, 1874, Alexander Storey's big hotel was swept away by fire, and thirty-six other buildings, including four general stores in the center of the town, were reduced to ashes. This calamity did not wipe out the town, by any means ; for a few new buildings were erected and such traders as Paul Troutman, Enos Ellenberger and James J. Sutton carried on business there for a number of years after the fire. In ISSO the census enu- merators made no mention of the number of inhabitants.

Argyle may be said to date back to May, 1871, when A. L. Campbell the

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

first developer of the southern oil extension, leased thirty-five acres from Robert Campbell near the north township line. John A. Lambing purchased the leases and organized the Robert Campbell Oil Company, with himself and brother, H. 1. Taylor, C. D. Angell, B. B. Campbell and the two Browns members thereof. On November 19 the drill struck the Third sand, but the gas and oil catching fire, destroyed the derrick. Within a day or so the flames were extinguished, a new rig put up, and an eighty-barrel well brought into existence. Then the stampede to Argyle commenced. F. M. Campbell built the first house and led in the building enterprise. Within a little while the land was covered with houses, and Argyle became the Mecca of oil men. The Givens gas well, on the Gibson farm, supplied for a long time the light and heat for Petrolia.

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History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 66

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