USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > History of Clarion County, Pennsylvania > Part 71
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George Hess, son of Hanyost, and father of the subject of this sketch, was born and reared in Herkimer county, and moved to Cortland county, N. Y., about 1830, thence to Dewitt Center near Syracuse, and about 1842 to Cattaraugus county, N. Y., where he died in 1857. He served in the War of 1812, was a farmer by occupation, and reared a family of nine children, the other three dying in infancy. Of the twelve the last three were triplets, named respectively George Washington, Andrew Jackson, and Martin Van Buren, thus plainly indicating his political proclivities. M. E. Hess drove a team on the Erie Canal in 1840-1-2. The summer of 1843 he worked on a farm near Syracuse, N. Y., and the following winter attended district school, doing chores for his board. In March, 1843, under the preaching of Rev. Cleveland, he received the " word" which gave bent to his after life. He afterwards worked for Joseph, his elder brother, at Fay- etteville, N. Y., and attended the Fayettville Academy, being a school-mate of William
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
Cleveland, elder brother of President Cleveland. £ Grover, then a lad of nine or ten years, was attending a district school near by, and was often at the academy in company with his brother William. Mr. Hess afterwards taught district school, and in 1847 came to the lumber country in Cattaraugus county, N. Y., where he took a saw-mill to run by the thousand. He subsequently bought the mill, and continued in the lumber business for ten years.
In 1849 he married Caroline Shaver, of Jamestown, N. Y. He enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry in August, 1862, and fought in the battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8th. Soon afterwards he became disabled by an attack of typhoid fever, and at the suggestion of his attending physician was discharged in order to regain his health. In the fall of 1863 he was elected drill-master in the Ohio Na- tional Guard, at Camp Cleveland. He received from Governor Tod, of Ohio, two commissions, the first for lieutenant, and the second for major.
In the spring of 1861 Mr. Hess engaged in the oil business at Mecca, Ohio. In the summer of 1864 he came to Oil Creek, and operated for oil on Cherry Run, at Pithole, Petroleum Center, Shamburg, and McClintockville. In 1872 he moved to Franklin, Venango county, thence to Shippenville in 1874, and in 1877 to Edenburg, Clarion county, where he lives at present. He commenced operating for oil in Clarion county in 1873, putting down the first well on the David Shoup farm, also the first one on Dan- iel Knight's farm. In 1874 he drilled the first well on the Moon farm in Ashland town- ship, the first successful well on the R. J. Dahle farm, in Elk township, in 1875; one of the first wells on the J. I. Best farm at Edenburg, and in 1876 the first well on the Camp Ridge and David Whitehill farm. The same year, he, in company with E. C. Bradly, esq., put down the first wells on Egypt farm in Beaver township. At the assignment of Mr. Bradly, Hess became liquidating partner, and 'settled all the claims against Hess & Bradley. Mr. Hess brought with him to Clarion county $60,000, but testing so exten- sively for oil, and in consequence of endorsements he became financially embarrassed. However, he was afterwards able to make satisfactory settlements. He in company with others in 1887 secured extensive leases in Monroe township, and struck the first successful well in the Reidsburg field. In Edenburg he has been elected burgess twice, and has filled various other borough offices.
He had a family of three boys and three girls. The eldest son, Eugene, is West ; the younger, Frank and Earnest, are minors at home. The eldest of the girls, Ida, mar- ried F. G. Sacket, the next, Bell, married G. S. Hamm, and the youngest, Mary, died in Franklin at the age of nine years. His wife and mother of his children died of can- cer at Edenburg. In September, 1878, he married Margaret E. Klotz, widow of Dr. Charles Klotz, of Richland township.
Mr. Hess has superintended the Methodist Sunday-schools of Petroleum Center, Franklin, Shippenville, and for the last ten years at Edenburg.
At the age of twelve years the subject of this sketch had two hairbreadth escapes from death. The first was while sitting partly concealed under the bank beside the canal. A boat passing by had on deck a hunter looking for game. Seeing only the top of the oy's muskrat cap, and supposing it to be a genuine rat took aim and fired at it, just grazing the crown of Michael's head. The second was on board a canal-boat in enter- ing a lock near Syracuse. As the boat approached the foot of the lock the gates were opened in order to empty it. The sudden gush of water moved rapidly the tiller by which he was standing, and pitched him overboard, and the rapidly discharging waters
641
MICHAEL EDIC HESS. - RULOFF ISAAC ALLEN RULOFSON.
swept him under the boat. After passing under it for near its entire length he got his foot on the gravel, pushed himself out, and unaided waded ashore.
In the fall of 1886 he edited the Prohibition column of the Clarion County National, and in 1887 wrote " The Early Recollections of Edenburg," published in the same paper.
R ULOFSON, RULOFF ISAAC ALLEN, was born in Hampton, King's county, New Brunswick, B. N. A., October 18, 1822, and received a substantial education in the city of St. John, in his native province. Following the advice of Greeley, at the age of twenty-one he started west, crossed the St. Croix River, and began life actively as a self-made millwright. In the fall of 1843, at Milltown, Me., on the St. Croix River, he built the first successful live gang saw-mill in the United States. He afterwards mar- ried Amanda J. Emerson, and continuing his course westward came to Saccarapa, near Portland, Me., thence to Elk county, Pa., bringing with him considerable mill machin- ery. He remained in Elk county several years, engaging extensively in the lumber business.
In 1858 he came to Strattanville, Clarion county, Pa., near where he had purchased an interest in a large tract of timber land. Here he became the managing member of the firm known as Marvin, Rulofson & Co., and built a large saw-mill, which has been improved and is still in active operation on the Clarion River at the mouth of Mill Creek, also a beautiful residence in Strattanville, in which he lives at present. His time being occupied closely, and being a man of few words, he found it necessary to abridge his name, and instead of writing it as at first given, adopted R. Rulofson as his signature.
In the early part of his life he was in the British volunteer service, and acted as courier through snow seven feet deep during the Aroostook War, and was on the line of duty the day Queen Victoria was crowned.
As a youth he had good habits, was healthy, active, and untiring ; an expert fisher- man, a skillful hunter, and was very fond of horses. In his twentieth year he was nursed in the arms of a bear, and at another time was buried in the snow in consequence of a deer getting fast in one of his snow shoes. While in Elk county he caught a live, sound buck by the horns, and held him in the water on logs and gravel until a friend went a good distance for a knife. He says, " I dare not let go."
The night of April 16, 1851 was made memorable to him by a perilous trip on the ocean. He with his wife and three children, at 8 o'clock P. M., on that evening, went on board the steamer Admiral. After leaving the harbor of Portland, Me., the ship was unable to take her course on account of a terrific storm, and was compelled to put to sea for twenty-four hours. The fright of that trip baffles description. Many of the seamen became unable for duty; no food was eaten there for forty-eight hours. In his own words, " The water, ah, me! it rolled mountains high, often covering the entire vessel."
In 1842 Mr. Rulofson became a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and also a Free and Accepted Mason. He was elected for fifteen successive years Dis- trict Deputy Grand Master of the I. O. O. F., of Clarion county, but resigned before serving the fifteenth year, in order to have more time to spend with his family, to whom he was affectionately devoted. He served four or five years as Worshipful Master of Clarion Lodge A. Y. M., and received from its members a valuable past-master jewel as a token of the high esteem in which he was held by his brethren. He also received similar tokens from the O. F's. of the county, and from Clarion Lodge I. O. O. F.
642
HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
Mr. Rulofson's adventures in hunting, fishing, travel, etc., and his services in organ- ized societies are far eclipsed by his brilliant business career. His business transactions have amounted to several million dollars. He has been a lumberman in every sense of the term ; he has erected large saw-mills, and managed their operations, cut and trans- ported a great deal of lumber, dealt extensively in timber tracts, and constructed machinery to work as desired. His thorough business qualities, sound judgment and good intentions have won for him the confidence and good-will of all with whom he has dealt. He has always been liberal, energetic, and courteous.
LOAN, WILLIAM C., was born in Clarion township, Armstrong county, Pa., now S Clarion county, in 1827. His father, James Sloan, settled in this county in 1818, and for several years contracted for the transportation of iron, hauling it from Center county, Pa., to the Clarion River, near where Clarion is now, and boating it from there to Louisville, Ky. His grandfather, John Sloan, was one of the first settlers in West- moreland county, Pa., and had his share of fighting the Indians, hunting, clearing, etc., along with other new-comers. Sarah Sloan, daughter of William Corbett, who had brought her to Clarion county from Mifflin county, Pa., when a child nine years old, was his mother.
James and Sarah Sloan had a family of four boys and three girls. Three of the sons served in the Union army during the entire Civil War. One of them has since died in Clarion county of sun-stroke received in Richmond, Va., at the time of its capture ; one is now living in San Francisco, Cal., and the other is living in Lancaster City, Pa.
William C. Sloan learned the carpenter trade, and contracted for building when he was quite young, an occupation which he followed for several years. He also taught several terms of school, and rafted and ran boats on the river when not otherwise em- ployed, always making it a point never to be idle. In 1865 he purchased his farm in West Millville, and married Sarah J. Hepler, daughter of Jacob and Mary Hepler. They have since had five children, named respectively Carrie Bee, Flora M., J. Frank, Norman Jay, and Myra Pearll.
He laid out the village of West Millville, Pa., in 1870, and has ever since taken an active interest in its improvement. From the time he bought his farm until 1872 he was engaged in the store business and improving his farm. Since that time, with the. exception of the year 1852, which he spent among the Indians and buffaloes of British America and Dakota, he has devoted his entire attention to farming, and raising Jersey cattle and fine horses. Mr. Sloan has been an active worker in the Presbyterian Church at West Millville. He has always been industrious and economical, and is a useful citi- zen in the community in which he lives.
NDREWS, CHARLES E., was born in the city of Philadelphia, October 9, 1828. A His father was a merchant, and died soon after Charles was born. His mother re- married, and when Charles was eight years old the family came to Clarion county, settling on a farm. When about eighteen years of age Charles accepted a clerkship in the store. of Thomas McKelvey, a merchant in New Bethlehem, at a salary of forty dollars a year. After serving faithfully for four years he was taken into partnership by his employers, which partnership continued for three years.
In 1854 he started a small store in the same town on his own account, and soon after married Miss Catharine Duff, daughter of Samuel Duff, then a prominent iron
643
CHARLES E. ANDREWS. - JOHN W. KAHLE.
manufacturer in Clarion county. From this time forward Mr. Andrews has prospered, and has been identified with every enterprise of note in New Bethlehem.
In 1860 he built a large saw-mill and boat-yard, and in 1863 he added a planing-mill, and became largely interested in the lumber business, both in his own town and in Jef- ferson county, Pa.
Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Andrews-three girls and two boys. Two of the daughters died in 1872. The two sons, Firman L. and William M., are engaged in business with their father. Firman is a partner in the lumber business, composing the firm of C. E. Andrews & Son. They have a saw and planing-mill in New Bethle- hem, and are interested in and handle the production of two large saw and shingle- mills in Jefferson county. They manufacture and ship lumber to various parts of several States of the Union. William is a young merchant and partner in a general store, comprising the firm of C. E. & W. M. Andrews. They have an extensive busi- ness, which they manage with prudence and skill. The daughter, Carrie, is married and lives in Reynoldsville, Jefferson county.
In the year 1872 the subject of this sketch built a banking-house, and started the New Bethlehem Savings Bank. He was elected the first president of the bank, and has been re-elected annually ever since. John R. Foster is cashier, and the bank is one of the soundest institutions of its kind in Western Pennsylvania.
Mr. Andrews, by his prudence and energy has secured a handsome competence and this coupled with his qualities as a gentleman, has won for him the respect of his neigh- bors, and he is regarded as a substantial and worthy citizen.
K TAHLE, JOHN W. Jacob Kahle and his wife Sarah, with the rest of the family, came from Huntingdon county to what is now Clarion county, and settled about two miles north of Shippenville, in Elk township, in 1826, and began clearing and im- proving a farm. At that time this locality was somewhat of a wilderness. Bears were quite numerous, and would sometimes come into the yard in broad daylight. At one time the family was interrupted, while eating dinner, by the squealing of a pig, strug- gling in the clutches. of bruin, who wanted some dinner also. At another time, while on the road to Shippenville, then a little village of four or five houses, Mr. Kahle, accom- panied by his sons George and John W., was again called to the rescue of a pig, squeal- ing for life, at the mercy of two bears. After being chased away from the pig, the bears came out on the road near where the boys were standing. The situation became fright- ful. The boys began to utter such terrific cries, which were mistaken for fierceness, that the bears soon made their way into the forest. Wolves, deer, and other wild animals frequently made their appearance on the premises.
John W. Kahle, the subject of this sketch, was born in Huntingdon county, Pa., December 28, 1821, and lived with his parents until 1844. That spring he was em- ployed as book-keeper by William B. Fetzer, at Elk Furnace, and at the end of the first month was given the general management of the furnace. In 1859 he built on the Allegheny River, a few miles above Brady's Bend, for Samuel F. Plumer, the first coke furnace in the county. He has served as manager of furnaces for fifteen years. '
In 1845 he married Ann Cheers, and has since raised a family of eight children, four boys and four girls, all of whom are living at present. He moved with his family to Lineville, in the northwestern corner of Clarion county, in 1860, and there engaged in mercantile business, and also in farming.
644
HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
A company of bankers in New York city had purchased a large tract of land along the Allegheny River, between Oil City and Franklin, and in 1864 employed Mr. Kahle to superintend the development of the property for oil. During his connection with the company he was loyal to their interest. At one time he was offered one hundred thou- sand dollars if he would give certain facts concerning the wells tested to the party offer- ing the money one week before he gave them to the company employing him. He was urged by some of his friends to accept the offer, and become rich at once. His reply was, " The company are paying me a large salary to attend to their business. If there is anything to be gained by the first information given, the company shall have the ben- efit of it,"-a reply, under the circumstances, worthy of being repeated for ages. In 1865 he recommended the company to bring the operations for oil in that territory to a close. The company urged him to continue. After satisfying himself that the income would not pay expenses he resigned.
In 1878 Mr. Kahle was elected a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature. He was there, as elsewhere, faithful and true to his constituents. He served eighteen years as school director, and also was postmaster for several years; his last appointment being March 30, 1870. He resigned in October, 1880, and his daughter Mary was appointed to the vacancy October 25, 1880, and continued the office in his store until her resignation. He was a delegate to the National Convention of the Anti-Monopoly and Greenback parties, which met in Chicago in 1883, and served on the committee to adopt a platform ; also was a delegate to a National Convention of Greenback-Labor party, which met in Indianapolis, Ind., in 1884, and State delegate to the convention of Greenback-Labor party, which met in Erie, Pa., in 1885, serving again on platform committee.
Mr. Kahle has always been a faithful worker in the church; before 1862 in the M. E. Church, and since then in the Evangelical Association. His wife and all his chil- dren are faithful servants of their Master.
E AKER, PHILIP K., was born in Northampton county, Pa., June 11, 1831. When five years of age he was brought by his grandparents to what is now Clarion county, and soon after was bound out to Philip Kratzer, who lived near Rimersburg, Pa. After serving as bound boy for seven years, he lived three years with his mother, who had, in the mean time, been unfortunate in marrying a man of intemperate habits. Owing to these circumstances, the boy's opportunity of an early education was limited to four months in the common schools. After leaving his step-father, he followed chopping cord-wood, and driving team until 1849, when he engaged in mining ore for C. Myres, at Polk Furnace. In 1852 he went to Warren county and worked in the lumber woods for a short time. He then came back to Polk Furnace and engaged with J. N. Heth- rington, at that time owner and manager of the furnace.
In 1854 Mr. Eaker left this place with five hundred dollars in money, and purchased a yoke of cattle, a wood sled, and a tract of wildcat land on the east bank of the Alle- gheny River, near where Oil City is now. While here he was engaged in clearing his farm and rafting on the river until 1857. About this time his step-father died, leaving his mother a poor and helpless widow. Philip then erected buildings on his property, moved his mother there and tenderly cared for her until her death, in 1863. He mar- ried Mary E. Sager, of Venango county, Pa., January 4, 1859. They have since had eleven children, only seven of whom are living at present.
645
PHILIP K. EAKER. - WILLIAM SHANAFELT.
Mr. Eaker's wildcat farm proved to be oil territory. He afterwards sold it as such and bought, for $14,500, the property known as the James Sloan farm in Limestone township, where he is living at present. He moved on this farm in March, 1865, and has since bought in that vicinity three other farms, amounting to about seven hundred acres in all, and also has purchased considerable property in New Bethlehem.
He united with the Salem Reformed Church in 1866, and has ever since been one of its most liberal supporters. He has also contributed liberally to the building of other churches, both at home and abroad, and to home and foreign missions. He has always been good to the poor, and was never known to turn the hungry from his door without something to eat. He is an excellent farmer, and takes an active interest in raising fine stock. He has a choice outfit of the latest and most improved farm implements, and has cultivated his orchard and planted trees in his yard until he has an abundance of elegant fruit and a beautiful home.
HANAFELT, WILLIAM, was born in McConnellstown, Huntingdon county, Pa., S March 4, 1825. His father, Nicholas Shanafelt, was born in Centre county, Febru- ary 4, 1799. His grandfather, Nicholas Shanafelt, was of German ancestry. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War; was with Washington at Valley Forge, and while serving under General Wayne, near Wilmington, Del., was wounded in the neck, and reported on the army records as among the killed. He recovered, however, and lived in Centre county until 1820. His wife lived with one of her sons until her death at Edwardsburg, Mich., in 1846. He had six sons and several daughters. One of the daughters married Mr. Shough, and settled in the western part of Ohio. Three of the sons, William, John, and George, were soldiers during the War of 1812, and the first two were in the army of General Hull when he surrendered to the British General Brock.
Nicholas Shanafelt, the father of the subject of this sketch, was married March 30, 1823, to Keziah Greenland, in Trough, Creek Valley, Huntingdon county, Pa. Their early home was at McConnellstown, where he labored industriously at his trade, that of gunsmith, and acquired considerable property. In 1835 he removed to what was then Redbank township, Armstrong county, and is now Porter township, Clarion county. The farm which he purchased is on Leatherwood Creek. Being among the early set- tlers, only a few acres were under cultivation. The land was cleared, and suitable build- ings erected. While superintending the development of the farm he continued success- fully his trade as gunsmith. In the spring of 1850 he removed to the village of Clarion, and erected and occupied until his death the residence now occupied by John Reid, esq. His wife, Keziah Shanafelt, died in Clarion, August 18, 1867, aged over sixty-six years. After this event he spent much of his time visiting his children in Pennsylvania, Michi- gan, and Iowa. Having lived a useful life he died at Clarion, October 13, 1871, aged nearly seventy-three years. He was widely known and respected as a citizen. He had the confidence of all who knew him as a consistent Christian. In early life he became a Baptist, and for nearly forty years held the office of deacon.
The children of Nicholas and Keziah Shanafelt were five sons and two daughters : William, born March 4, 1825; Ezra, born May 18, 1827; John R., born October 27,. 1829; Andrew F., born March 10, 1832 ; Sarah A., born October 18, 1834; all at Mc- Connellstown, Huntingdon county, Pa. ; Thomas M., born April 30, 1840; Mary J.,. born October 1, 1842; in Porter township Clarion county. Of these Ezra and Sarah 72
646
HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
A. died in 1839. Three of the sons - John R., Andrew F., and Thomas M., having graduated at Bucknell University at Lewisburg, Pa., and Rochester and Crozer Theolog- ical Seminaries, entered the Baptist ministry, and have been successful pastors on im- portant fields. Rev. John R. Shanafelt has been pastor at Berwick, Pittston, Shamokin, and Pittsburgh, in this State, and also in Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. He is now liv- ing in Lawrence, Kansas. He married Miss Hannah Teressa Smith in Moreland, Mon- tour county, Pa. They have six children. Rev. Andrew F. Shanafelt was until his death one of the leading Baptist ministers in this State. He was pastor at White Hall, Sabbath Rest, and Chester. He was president of the Knight Templars' excursion to Europe in 1873. Before returning he made an extended tour through Egypt and Pal- estine. He baptized his dragoman or guide in the River Jordan. He was married to Miss Eliza Potter, of this county. They have had five children ; three are living -two daughters and a son, Newton, who is one of the leading attorneys of Chester. Andrew died while pastor at Chester, March 16, 1875. Rev. Thomas M. Shanafelt, D. D., was ordained at Muncy, Pa., in 1864; served during the war in the Twenty-eighth Regi- ment Pennsylvania Volunteers. Became pastor at White Pigeon, Mich., in 1867. Has been pastor at Monroe, Hudson, and East Saginaw ; was for several years secretary and treasurer of the Michigan Baptist Education Society. Has been since 1874 secretary of the Michigan Baptist State Convention. Has been sent by the Michigan Depart- ment of the G. A. R., to the National Encampment held at Minneapolis, Minn., Port- land, Me., San Francisco, Cal., St. Louis, Mo. Was elected at Minneapolis in 1884 chaplain-in-chief of the national organization. He is a member of all the Masonic bodies in existence, and is a thirty-second degree member of the Scottish Rite. He is now pastor at Three Rivers, Mich .; was married October 23, 1866, to Miss Phebe Gil- day, of Jersey Shore, Pa. They have had two children, one living, a son, William C., who is a stenographer. Mary J. was married in Clarion, to C. Jackson Rhea, of Clar- ion. They have four daughters and one son. Having served one term as sheriff of Clarion county ; Mr. Rhea has been for a number of years superintendent of the con- struction department of the United Pipe Line Company; present residence, Oil City. William Shanafelt, the eldest of the family, a farmer by profession, owns and resides on the old homestead, purchased in 1835, of which he bore the principal part in clearing and bringing under cultivation. He was married May 2, 1844, to Catharine Thomas, daughter of Rev. Thomas E. Thomas, from Glamorganshire, Wales, for many years pas- tor of Zion Baptist Church, and sister of B. H. Thomas, D.D. She was a devoted and faithful wife and mother. She died October 26, 1876. Of fourteen children eight died in infancy ; five are living. William Lewis, the eldest son, married Emma Sample, of Clarion county, and removing to the West, they were among the first settlers in Platte Valley, Dawson county, Neb. He died there October 8, 1882. He had three chil- dren - Lottie, Ralph, and Lulu. Arminda, the eldest daughter, married Curtis Sloan, of Clarion county, and they reside in Limestone township. They have five children - William, Catharine, Annie, John J., and Edna. John was married to Minnie Arthur, of Jefferson county, and for a number of years was an attorney and justice of the peace in this county. They have two children-Carl and Maun. Margaret E. is married to Her- bert Phillips. They have one child - Earl. H. Wick married Annie Martin, of Porter ownship, and is living in Platte Valley, Dawson county, Neb. They have four children - Benjamin, William, Merle, and Pearl. Keziah P. is living at home.
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