History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 114

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868-
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1323

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C. C. Jox, oil operator, was born at Gratton, Tompkins county, New ' York, May 16, 1857, son of Thaddeus and Emmeline (Clark) Joy. His father removed to Titusville in 1865, where the subject of this sketch received a common school education. Since attaining his majority he has been engaged in the various branches of the oil industry with the fluctuating fortunes characteristic of the business. He has been associated with the development of new territory in various portions of the oil regions-among others, the Grand Valley district; the Tiona district, near Warren, of which he opened an extension; the Sugar run district, in Warren county; the Shamburg district, which he was among the first to reopen, and where he demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of heavy charges in stimu- lating the flow of oil from deep wells. Here also he developed his theory as to the existence of oil in paying quantities in districts supposed to have been exhausted years ago. The correctness of his views has been prac- tically established by the success of the Walnut Bend enterprise, of which a detailed account is given elsewhere in this work. Mr. Joy was married in 1878 to Miss Ella J., daughter of Reverend F. L. Senour, a Presby- terian clergyman of Pittsburgh.

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

OIL CREEK.

S. L. FLEMING, farmer and oil producer, was born in what is now Oil Creek township, Venango county, May 25, 1829, and is a son of Samuel and Jane (McClintock) Fleming. John Fleming, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of England; he came to America, participated in the Revolutionary war, and finally settled in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where he died about the year 1780. His widow and six sons came to Ve- nango county prior to 1800 and took up a tract of land in what is now Oil Creek township. Here Samuel Fleming grew to manhood and married Jane, daughter of Hamilton Mcclintock, Sr., an early pioneer of the county. All the other brothers died in Venango county except two, one of whom re- moved to Missouri and the other to Ohio. Samuel, after marriage began at once to clear up the farm and became a prominent farmer and lumberman. He was drafted in the war of 1812 but was released on account of sickness. He was a Democrat, and he and his wife were pioneer members of the Pleasantville Baptist church. His death occurred in 1859 and that of his wife in 1865. Their family consisted of eleven children, of whom the fol. lowing are living: Sarah, Mrs. Lytle of Oil Creek township; Louisa, Mrs. Edward Seeley of Kansas; G. W., of this township; S. L., and John S., also of this township.

S. L. Fleming, by his own efforts and the aid of the township schools, secured a fair education, after which he engaged in teaching and also worked in the lumber business. He may be considered a pioneer oil man, having been through various "excitements." In 1881 he located on his present farm and is producing oil from eleven wells. In the last mentioned year he married Miss Hannah Stahl, daughter of Enos Stahl of Union county and has one child, Maud May. Politically he is a Democrat, and is one of the school directors of his township. He was elected a justice of the peace in 1886, and has filled other minor offices. He is now serving as township treasurer and holds the same position on the school board. He is a member of Phoenix Lodge, No. 153, A. O. U. W. His wife was born November 11, 1848, in Union county, this state. Her parents, Enos and Hannah Stahl, had two children: Leah and Hannah. The mother died in Union county; the father was again married to Lydia A. Johnson and with her removed to Mercer county about the year 1859, where he settled on the farm now owned by the Devlin Brothers in Jefferson township. In 1865 they came to Ve- nango county, where the father died October 7, 1884, and his widow lives in Bradford. To this second union were born twelve children, ten of whom are living: John N. ; J. C .; Anna C .; James E. ; Ida E. ; Dora E. ; Fannie A. ; Charles E. ; Harry E., and Ulysses G. The father was a member of the Evan- gelical Association, his first wife of the Lutheran church, and the last of the Methodist Episcopal church.

JOHN S. FLEMING, oil producer and farmer, was born in this township,

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October 5, 1830. Here he was reared and educated and has been engaged in farming, lumbering, etc. In 1853 he married Miss Hannah Rebecca Jamison, daughter of James and Hannah Jamison of Venango county. To this union have been born seven children: S. P .; Joseph; Lily, Mrs. R. J. Heald; George; John L .; Gilbert, and William. He is a Democrat with Prohibition proclivities and has filled various township offices. He is a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance and the A. O. U. W., and with his family belongs to the Baptist church.

G. W. FLEMING, farmer, was born in Oil Creek township October 20, 1821, where he was reared and educated. So far he has spent his life in farming and lumbering. In 1848 he was married to Miss Hannah Stewart, daughter of Elijah Stewart of Cherry Tree township. She died leaving one child: George S., now a resident of Montana. Mr. Fleming is a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance and is a Republican.

WILLIAM POOR, a native of Massachusetts, migrated to Crawford county in 1817 and thence in May, 1818, to Allegheny township, Venango county. He married Ritta Ann Dart, a native of Connecticut. They purchased and settled a homestead in Oil Creek township. He was a shoemaker by trade and followed that in connection with farming, and by his earnest efforts he made a financial success. At the beginning of the oil excitement he sold his farm and removed to Ohio, settling in Jefferson county, where he and his wife died. He was a Jeffersonian Democrat, and filled various township offices. He was a member of the Baptist church. Seven of their ten chil- dren are now living: Alonzo; Pomeroy, of Ohio; Nancy, married to Richard Watson of Titusville; Lovisa, married to Henry Gillon of Erie city; Levi, of Illinois; Lydia, married to J. P. Henderson of Ohio, and J. B., of Pitts- burgh, Pennsylvania. Three daughters are deceased.

ALONZO POOR, farmer and oil producer, was born near Titusville, Craw- ford county, January 1, 1818, and removed with his parents, William and Ritta (Dart) Poor, to this county in May of the same year. He received an ordinary education and learned the carpenter trade. He settled on his pres- ent farm in 1841, and two years later was married to Miss Elizabeth H. Henderson of Oil Creek township, Crawford county. She died March 3, 1882, and was the mother of three children: Cornelius L., who married Sarah M. Goodban, March 20, 1867, and is an attorney of Burlington, Iowa; Mary, married to C. C. Matheson of Titusville, April 29, 1879; and William B., who married Ellen Nash, April 1, 1879, and has two children: Lee and Glenn. Mr. Poor has always been identified with the Republican party, and served one term as county auditor. He has also been a school director for over thirty years. He is a member of Oil Creek Grange, No. 400, P. of H., and of the Freewill Baptist church.

GEORGE MCBRIDE, deceased, was born January 11, 1806, in the Mohawk valley, Montgomery county, New York, son of Alexander and Tryphena

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

(Ladd) McBride, the parents of five children: George; Fannie; Margaret; Betsey, and Mary A. John Ladd, the father of Tryphena, was a popular Presbyterian minister for many years. George McBride was educated in the common schools and brought up at rural pursuits. September 27, 1831, he was married to Matilda Soules, born September 10, 1803, in Albany county, New York, daughter of Nathaniel and Catharine (Coonly) Soules, natives of New York state, who were Baptists, and died in Madison county,

1 New York, the parents of nine children: Phoebe; Polly; Ruth; Matilda; Malissa; Julia A. ; Nelson; Gilbert, and Amelia. Mrs. McBride received a common school education. Five days after marriage she started with her husband for Chautauqua county, New York, making the journey by canal and wagon; they located in the green wood, improved a farm for seven years, and then removed to Cattaraugus county, the same state. Three years later they came to what is now Oil Creek township, where they rented and then bought one hundred acres. There they remained until 1865, when they returned to Chautauqua county, New York, locating at Sheridan Cen- ter, where he died August 17, 1872. He was buried at Sheridan by the Masonic order, of which he was a prominent member. He was a man hon- ored and respected by the community in which he resided. His widow sur- vives (October, 1889), in her eighty-seventh year, retains her memory to a remarkable degree, and expresses her faith in the doctrine of the Close Com- munion Baptists. In 1887 she removed from Sheridan, New York, back to the old homestead in Oil Creek township, Venango county, to spend the re- mainder of her days with her daughter, Catharine A. His children are: Henry G., who was born June 15, 1833, enlisted in the Twelfth Illinois Cav- alry, after which the family lost all trace of him; Davila, who was born De- cember 4, 1834, enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth New York Vol- unteers in 1861, was fatally shot by sharpshooters in the battle of Atlanta, while in the discharge of his duties and defense of his country; Franklin G., who was born January 15, 1837, and died December 29, 1853; Cathar- ine A., who was born September 5, 1838, married John M. August of Youngsville, Warren county, this state, son of William H. and Elizabeth (Gregg) August, who was born July 16, 1835, received a common school education, and enlisted in Company K, Eighty-Third Pennsylvania Volun- teers, in August, 1860, was wounded at the battle of Malvern Hill, and sub- sequently honorably discharged. In 1872 he settled on the George Mc- Bride farm, and is operating seven wells. His children are named William G. and Nellie. He is a member of Aaron Bendict Post, No. 429, G. A. R., and of the E. A. U.

JOHN WILSON, M. D., Pleasantville, was born in Jackson township, Venango county, in 1820, son of John and Catharine (Sutley) Wilson, the former a native of Ireland and a pioneer in the valley of Sugar creek. His literary education was obtained at Allegheny College, Meadville, and his

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BIOGRAPHIES OF OIL CREEK.

professional studies, begun under the supervision of Doctor Samuel Axtell of Mercer county, were pursued at the Cleveland Medical College, from which he graduated in 1843. He has since practiced at Pleasantville and in the vicinity, and is well known in northwestern Venango and the adjoin- ing counties. In 1851 he married Elizabeth Brown, a native of New York state. The doctor is Democratic in his political affiliations.

JOHN F. CARLL, geologist, Pleasantville, was born in Brooklyn, New York, May 7, 1828, a son of John and Margaret (Wallace) Carll, natives of Suf- folk county, New York. His education was principally obtained at Union Hall Academy, Jamaica, Long Island. He formed his first acquaintance with the oil regions in 1865. In 1874 he became engaged upon the second geological survey of Pennsylvania, and from that date has resided at Pleas- antville. The results of his investigations are embodied in the published state reports and are a valuable contribution to the scientific literature of the oil regions.

B. CORWIN, merchant, Pleasantville, was born in Orange county, New York, March 6, 1838, son of William and Lydia A. (Smith) Corwin, natives of that county and the parents of six children, of whom our subject was the fourth in order of birth. He was reared on the homestead farm and learned the tinsmith trade, but after an experience of three years in the hardware trade at Warwick, New York, came to Pleasantville in March, 1865, where he has since been engaged in his present business, dealing in general hard- ware, oil well supplies, etc. He is also interested in oil property and tim- ber lands, and in 1887 established the Commercial Record, which has since been published at this borough with fair success. Mr. Corwin was married in 1864 to Sarah V. Dolson of Orange county, New York, who died in Octo- ber, 1866. In 1868 he married Martha A. Beebe, and they are the parents of one daughter, Martha Helen. Mr. Corwin is an elder in the Presbyterian church, a member of the borough council, a Democrat in politics, and is connected with the F. & A. M. and Royal Arcanum. He is one of the en- terprising and successful business men of his adopted town.

W. F. HOUSE was born in Cortland county, New York, August 20, 1839. His parents, Chester and Elizabeth (Webster) House, were also natives of that county. In 1854 his father removed with his family to Pleasantville, where he engaged in manufacturing carriages and wagons. Here the mother died in 1853 and the father was again married, to Susan Mayhew. He died in 1863, and was the father of five children by his first marriage: Warren, of Pleasantville; Marinda, wife of Lot Nye of Cortland county, New York; William F., and two deceased. Two children were born to the second mar- riage: Emma and Louisa, the last named being Mrs. Van Wike of Grand Valley, Warren county, Pennsylvania. Our subject learned the wagon maker trade with his father and has since followed that occupation. In 1861 he enlisted in Company A, Eighty-Third Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

two years, receiving wounds at Gaines' Mills, Virginia. In 1865 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. Benedict, daughter of Aaron Bene- dict, Jr., a son of Aaron Benedict, Sr., a native of Massachusetts, and one of the pioneers of Pleasantville. By this union they have four chil- dren: Frank, of Colorado; Jessie; Ella, and Ed. Mr. House is a mem- ber of Aaron Benedict Post, No. 429, G. A. R. Politically he is a Repub- lican, and is the present postmaster of Pleasantville, having been appointed in 1889. His family are members of the Presbyterian church.

R. M. DAVIDSON, merchant, Pleasantville, was born in Buffalo, New York, September 28, 1852, and is a son of Charles and Jane (Milne) Davidson, natives of Scotland, who immigrated to America in 1850 and located in Buffalo, New York. His father was a cooper by trade and about the year 1859 removed to Pleasantville, where he established the first cooper shop in that town and also made the first iron-hooped oil barrels ever manufactured. He was a Republican in politics, and the organizer of the Presbyterian church of Pleasantville, Pennsylvania. He died in 1876, preceded by his wife in 1858. Their children were nine in number, three of whom are living: Jane H., Mrs. Alexander Asher; Margaret, Mrs. John Hamilton, and R. M. The last named came to Pleasantville when six years old and attended the town- ship schools until the age of fourteen, when he entered the mercantile store of Brown Brothers, subsequently engaging in the business for himself, hav- ing succeeded one of the brothers and become a member of the firm of Sam Q. Brown & Company. In 1879 he became sole proprietor. In 1878 he was united in marriage to Miss Clara H. Willoughby, daughter of C. A. Willoughby of Pleasantville, and by this union has one living child, Clara. Mr. Davidson is also an oil producer and at the present time owns several oil properties near Pleasantville. He is a prominent member of the Pres- byterian church, being an elder and Sabbath school superintendent of the same. He is a strong believer in temperance and is an ardent worker in the cause of prohibition.

D. M. LOCKWOOD, of the firm of Lockwood & McCulloch, merchants, Pleasantville, was born in Oil Creek township, January 24, 1862, and is a son of Henry and Rachel (Shelmadine) Lockwood, residents of Pleasant- ville. He received his education in the Pleasantville schools and in 1883 established his present grocery business under the firm name of Main & Lockwood, which continued for some time. At the withdrawal of Main he conducted the business individually until March, 1888, when the present firm was established. He also produces oil from five wells. His marriage oc- curred in October, 1887, to Miss Kittie Connely, daughter of Isaac Connely of Pleasantville; they have one child, Donna. He is a member of Seneca Lodge, No. 519, I. O. O. F., and of the E. A. U. Politically he is a Re- publican, and is at present auditor and school director.

JOHN GREGG, farmer, is a son of Richard and Mary (Ward) Gregg, who

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BIOGRAPHIES OF OIL CREEK.

emigrated from Ireland to America about 1812 and first located on a farm near Dempseytown, Venango county, this state. They took up a tract of land, which they cleared and improved, and became one of the prominent families of the township. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom the following are living: Martha, Mrs. John Fink; Sarah, Mrs. Han- cox; Ann, Mrs. Robert Moffett; Eliza, Mrs. Joseph McNutt; Martin; Robert, and John. Mr. Gregg was born March 2, 1836, and remained on the homestead farm until sixteen years of age, when he started his business life as a laborer, sawing and farming. He was drafted in the war of the Rebellion, but furnished a substitute. He was married in 1857 to Miss Sarah, daughter of Frederick Redfield of Oil Creek township, and in 1861 they purchased the farm where they have since resided. They have reared two children: William, who lives at home, and Caroline, Mrs. John Mc- Laughlin of Titusville, Pennsylvania. Mr. Gregg is a Democrat in poli- tics.

A. M. BARNARD, farmer, was born in Livingston county, New York, Sep- tember 9, 1842, son of Jacob and Olive (Dodge) Barnard, natives of that county, both of whom died there. Mr. Barnard was reared and educated in that county. In 1863 he came to Venango county, engaged in drilling oil wells, and experienced the "ups and downs" of the oil excitement, after which he settled upon his present farm, in Oil Creek township. In 1867 he married Miss Sarah Twining, daughter of Chester Twining, of Yates county, New York, and has one child, Bertram. He is a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance, and politically a Republican. He and family are members of the Baptist church, of which he is a trustee.

G. H. DUNHAM, oil producer, was born in Warren county, Pennsylvania, October 27, 1854, and is a son of M. B. and Mary M. (Pearson) Dunham, now residents of Warren county, the father being a prominent oil producer and lumberman. Our subject received his education at Chamberlain Insti- tute, Randolph, New York, and Mount Union College, Mount Union, Ohio. He began his business life in the lumber trade in Warren county, which he continued until 1888, when he came to Pleasantville, Venango county, and engaged in the production of oil. He operates forty wells, and has an interest in as many more. In January, 1885, he married Miss Fannie E. Crosby, daughter of Benjamin Crosby, of Steuben county, New York. She died October 4, 1889. He is a member of North Star Lodge, No. 241, F. & A. M., of Warren, of the Warren Commandery, K. T., and of I. O. O. F., No. 339.

C. L. WAIT, oil producer, was born in Allegany county, New York, August 2, 1838, to C. L. and Miranda (Dorritt) Wait, natives of New York and Connecticut respectively. Our subject was reared and educated in his native county, and at the age of sixteen years went to Michigan and found employment as a laborer. In 1863 he married Miss Martha Cole of Saline,

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

Washtenaw county, Michigan, came to Venango county, and has since been producing oil. In 1869 he settled upon his present homestead and now reaps the benefit from eight producing wells. Mr. Wait is a Republican, and has filled various township offices.

WILLIAM WHITE, oil producer, was born in England, February 12, 1841. His parents, Uriah and Hannah (Orm) White, were natives of that country and died there. Mr. White was educated in England, where he was mar- ried in 1863 to Miss Elizabeth Moss, and in the year 1868 immigrated to America. For the first six months they lived in Providence, Rhode Island, where he was employed in the Providence Engine Works at his trade, that of engine building. In July, 1869, they came to Venango county and located at Shamburg, in Oil Creek township, where he established a machine shop and conducted the same for one year. He than became superintend- ent of the machinery department for Emery Brothers of Bradford, Penn- sylvania. He subsequently became interested in oil production, which he has continued to the present time, and is one of the prominent well-known oil producers of his township. His children are named as follows: James William; Lena Alice; Nellie Harriet; Elizabeth Louisa, and Jesse Henry. He is a member of Pleasantville lodge of the Masonic order and the coun- cil and chapter at Titusville. Politically he is a Democrat, and with his family attends the Episcopal church.

DAVID S. OILER, oil producer, was born in Cumberland county, Penn- sylvania, September 21, 1852, and is a son of Andrew and Mary (Shover) Oiler, of that county. He was reared and educated in his native county and learned the carpenter trade. He came to Venango county in 1869, and began pumping oil and running engines .. He then became an oil producer and is now the owner of nine wells. In 1874 he married Miss Catharine Taylor, daughter of Erastus Taylor of Union county, New York. She died April 13, 1889, leaving five children: Fred; Carl; Clayton; George, and Ida. He is a Democrat, constable and school director, and a member of the A. O. U. W.

S. A. LYTLE, oil producer, was born in Oil Creek township November 8, 1852, son of William and Sarah (Fleming) Lytle. John Lytle, his grandfather, emigrated from Ireland and was one of the early settlers of Venango county. He took up a tract of land which he cleared and im- proved, and also erected a saw mill on West Pithole creek. William Lytle was a carpenter by trade and followed that in connection with farming. He was a Democrat, and a prominent member of the Baptist church of Pleasantville. He died November 12, 1865. His widow still survives him and lives on the homestead farm. Three sons were born to their union: S. A., our subject; Mortimer, of Edenburg, Clarion county, and William, of Warren county. Our subject was reared and educated in the township, and for several years has been engaged in the oil business. November 25,

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BIOGRAPHIES OF RICHLAND.

1875, he married Miss Emma J. Folwell, daughter of Nathan Folwell of Venango county. They have one child, Leota. He is a Democrat in pol- itics and has filled various local offices. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. W. P. BLACK, oil producer, Pleasantville, was born in Tidioute, War- ren county, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1855, son of William and Sarah A. (Neill) Black, who now reside in Balltown, Forest county. Mr. Black moved to Pithole when six years of age with his parents. His father was one of the pioneer oil producers, and he was virtually reared to the bus- iness. He received the benefit of a common school education, and for eight years engaged in mining for gold and silver in the vicinity of Denver and Salt Lake City, in which he was quite successful. In 1886 he returned to Pleasantville and has since drilled one hundred and fifty-eight wells, deal- ing extensively in oil production and territory. February 17, 1885, he mar- ried Miss Edith H. Harris, daughter of James Harris of Creston, Iowa. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Politically he is a Re- publican.

CHAPTER LIII.

BIOGRAPHIES OF RICHLAND, ROCKLAND, PINEGROVE, AND CRANBERRY.

RICHLAND.

W ILLIAM NICKLE, deceased, was born May 12, 1807, and was long a prominent citizen of southeastern Venango county. He served as justice of the peace, as postmaster at Nickleville a score of years, and in other responsible capacities. He was the founder of the village that bears the name of his family, and a resident of that place at the time of his . death, June 1, 1884. He married Elizabeth Anderson, and of thirteen chil- dren born to them eight lived to maturity: Hannah J .; John A., who en- listed in Company I, One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was killed at the battle of the Wilderness; Emily, deceased; Glenn M. ; . Mary E., deceased; Ann Eliza; William S., of Chicago; and Joseph M. Joseph M. and Glenn M. are engaged in the mercantile business at Nickle- ville.

DANIEL D. NICKLE, farmer, was born April 15, 1818, in Centre county, Pennsylvania, son of William and Hannah (Auld) Nickle, natives of Ireland who came to America in 1801, and settled in Clarion county (then Venango) in 1821. William Nickle died in 1843, his wife in 1863. They were the parents of twelve children, four of whom are now living: Elizabeth, wife of

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

William B. McDonald; Andrew, of Mercer county; Hannah, who married Robert Criswell, and Daniel D. Our subject received his education in the common schools, and has been a farmer since engaging in business on his own account. March 18, 1845, he married Mary A. Myers, and has had eight children: George S .; Ellen B .; Jane, wife of John Donaldson; Will- iam M., a merchant of Brookville; O. H. and Solomon M., Methodist Episcopal ministers, and two who died in infancy. Mr. Nickle is a Prohi- bitionist in politics, and a member of the Presbyterian church.

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History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 114

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co. Number of Pages: 1323

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868-
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1323