History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 116

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 116

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JAMES P. SULLINGER, fifth son of John, Sr., was born in 1808. He learned the blacksmith trade, at which he worked in early life, subsequently removed to Richland township, where he purchased a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was constable and collector of that township some twenty years. He married Susan Christy, of Westmoreland county, daugh- ter of James Christy. The children born of this union were: Andrew, of Rockland township; Jane, widow of Alexander McDonald; Francis D., principal of the Third Ward school, of Franklin; Lovina, wife of Thomas Hyland; Daniel; Alexander H .; James C .; Samuel; Leanna, deceased wife of James Robbins, and Zila, deceased wife of James Cox. The mother died in February, 1886, her husband surviving her until the following July.

ELIHU CHADWICK, deceased, was born in New Jersey, September 8, 1805. The ancestry of the family is traced to John Chadwick, of England, who died June 20, 1739, and Johanna Reynolds, his wife, who was born in Ber- muda and died September 20, 1739. Their son, John Chadwick, born March 12, 1713, immigrated to America and was killed April 18, 1783, by Hessian refugees. His wife's maiden name was Ann Martha Jackson, who was born December 29, 1713, and died October 22, 1799. They had seven sons and four daughters, one of whom was Elihu Chadwick, born in New Jersey, May 27, 1759. He served through the Revolutionary war, being succes- sively promoted from the rank of lieutenant to that of lieutenant colonel of

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a New Jersey regiment. He died August 30, 1837, at Smethport, Mckean county, having moved to that part of the state and settled at the mouth of North creek within the present limits of Cameron county in 1812. He was twice married and was the father of sixteen children. Rebecca Jeffery, his second wife, was born February 1, 1774, and died May 18, 1841, the mother of fourteen children. The subject of this sketch, a son of Elihu and Rebecca (Jeffery) Chadwick, was born in New Jersey and came to Pennsylvania with his parents at the age of seven years. He was educated in the common schools and at an academy in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, then in charge of his older brother, Richard Chadwick. He studied more particularly survey- ing and civil engineering, acquiring a high degree of proficiency in these branches. In 1834 he came to Venango county in the employ of the general agent of the Bingham estate to make re-surveys of their lands in Venango and adjoining counties. Within a few years he was appointed local agent for the sale and survey of the Bingham lands, and acted in this capacity until all their holdings in Venango county had been disposed of, discharging the duties of this responsible position in a spirit of fairness to all concerned. In 1836 he married Isabel, daughter of John Jolly, his predecessor as agent for the Bingham estate and a pioneer of Rockland township. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom arrived at maturity and are now living: James D., attorney at law, Franklin; Francis C .; Miles B., municipal judge, Owatonna, Minnesota; Clara; Bingham Hale, of Jacksonville, Florida, lately connected with the Times-Union of that city, and Leroy Shippen, physician, Cleveland, Ohio. In 1866 Mr. Chadwick removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where he resided until his death, October 3, 1882.

WILLIAM SMITH, retired farmer, was born in Centre county, Pennsylva- nia, in 1813, and came to this county with his parents, Daniel and Mary (Leasher) Smith, pioneers of Rockland township, where Daniel Smith was postmaster at Rockland postoffice and an early justice of the peace. They were the parents of a large family, twelve of whom grew to maturity. The father died January 13, 1874, at the age of eighty-three, and the mother May 20, 1875, at the age of seventy-five. Our subject received his educa- tion at the schools of the neighborhood, and engaged in farming on his own account at his present residence, when this part of the township was yet a wilderness. He has been identified with the schools of the township, both as teacher and director, has served as justice of the peace, and as county commissioner. He was married November 20, 1834, to Elizabeth Arm- strong of Clarion county, and has had eleven children: Mary J., wife of James H. Askey; Robert; Daniel S., who served during the late war in Company F, Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry; William T .; Charles W .; Sarah E., wife of Charles Collingwood; Miles B .; Steadman A .; Annie M. ; John R., and George W., deceased. Mr. Smith is one of the oldest members of the Methodist Episcopal church in this county.

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

JOHN D. SMITH, farmer, was born April 25, 1820, in this township, son of Daniel and Mary (Leasher) Smith, and of their numerous family the fol- lowing are now living: William; John D .; Daniel; Martha; Maria; Ellen; Jane, and Henrietta. Our subject was married March 24, 1842, to Nancy Hughes, a native of this county, and to this union were born fourteen children: Sarah; James K .; Mary A .; Nancy J .; Daniel W. ; Maria; Foster O .; Lovina; Walter L. ; John D. ; Frances E. ; Jennie M., and two who died in infancy.

JOHN HETZLER was born May 12, 1818, in Monroe county, New York, son of John and Elizabeth (Troutner) Hetzler. The former was born in Centre county, Pennsylvania, of German origin. He was the father of four children: Mrs. Elizabeth Bly; John; Frederick, and Daniel. The family located in this township in 1819; from 1832 to 1837 they lived in Monroe county, and with this exception Mr. Hetzler has passed his entire life in this township.

Here he obtained a common school education, and during his stay in New York studied surveying. He was engaged at the furnaces of this vicinity for a number of years. In 1845 he began farming on the farm originally settled by his father and now owned by himself, in addition to which he owns four other tracts in this township, the home farm being in the well known Red Valley oil district. In 1843 he married Maria, daugh- ter of Daniel Smith, one of the early settlers of this township. They are the parents of three children: Elizabeth, wife of A. P. Dale, of Oil City; Daniel, and Henry, farmers in this township.

Mr. Hetzler was elected to the office of county auditor on the Republican ticket, the first person elected by that party in this county. He was also elected to the offices of constable, assessor, collector, and school director, and served in each with credit and ability. He was appointed deputy sher- if by P. R. Gray, and retained by the two succeeding sheriffs, Henry Herpst and C. S. Marks, and discharged the duties assigned to him with en- tire satisfaction to all concerned for three full terms. He was also ap- pointed and served two terms as mercantile appraiser and as tipstaff of the court under Judges Campbell and Trunkey. At the breaking out of the late civil war he was beyond the age required by the government, but showed his loyalty to his country by taking his team and spring wagon-the only vehicle of the kind in his neighborhood-and hauling soldiers to distant railroad stations. He transferred in all about seventy-five men-those from Captain Duncan's company, to Pittsburgh; from Captain Clapp's com- pany, to Kittanning; from Captain Hosey's company, to Callensburg, Clar- ion county, and from Captain Ridgeway's company to Franklin and other places. During these trips Mr. Hetzler often paid his own expenses. Of these seventy-five men all returned from the service but ten. He was com- missioned captain of a Pennsylvania militia company by Governor David R.

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BIOGRAPHIES OF ROCKLAND.

Porter, and held the same until the old militia organizations of the state were abandoned. He has been engaged in surveying in this locality for some years, and has made a map of the Red Valley oil district. It has been copyrighted.

John Hetzler, Sr., was a soldier in the war of 1812; at the battle of Black Rock he was captured by the British, and after three months' impris- onment at Montreal, exchanged.

JAMES JOLLY, farmer, was born in this township May 22, 1824, son of David and Elizabeth (Adams) Jolly, the former born September 4, 1787, the latter in January, 1796. They were. among the early settlers of the township, and the parents of eleven children: William A .; Mrs. Eliza Jones; Thomas; James; Mrs. Rebecca Shannon; David; Mrs. Isabella Stout; John N .; Mrs. Nancy J. Graham; Mrs. Rachel Karnes, and Emme- line Barr. He had a common school education, and lived on the farm with his parents until their death, inheriting the farm originally settled by his father, from which he has never been absent more than a month at one time in his life. March 30, 1871, he married Eliza C. Ross, daughter of Samuel Ross, formerly of this township. They have one son, Howard Thomas, born May 30, 1872. Mr. Jolly is an elder in the Presbyterian church of this township.

ABRAHAM D. KOCH was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, August 29, 1807, and died June 9, 1867; Harriet (Fritz) Koch, his wife, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1817. He was a miller by trade, and in 1840 moved from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, to Clarion county. He followed the milling business there, and during 1846 moved to Venango county, Pennsylvania, and built a mill at East Sandy. He was postmaster at East Sandy for a number of years. Their children were ten in number: Caroline, who died in infancy; Hannah, who was born January 10, 1837, and died May 20, 1860; John, who was born September 29, 1839, enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, was promoted to second lieutenant, and died May 19, 1864, at Belle Plains, Virginia, while in the service; Alfred, who was born August 20, 1842, en- listed in Company F, One Hundred and Twenty-First Pennsylvania Volun- teers, and served through the war, was married to Elizabeth Schmelzly, July 4, 1867, is a miller by trade, and followed that business until 1887, when he was appointed United States gauger and store-keeper, and is now running a mill in Clarion county, Pennsylvania; William, who was born September 15, 1844, a miller and distiller by trade, married to Mary E. McCall, September 17, 1874; George, born April 6, 1847; Sarah, who was born September 13, 1849, and died June 16, 1864; Aaron, born Febru- ary 9, 1852; Jerry H., born June 21, 1854, and married to Mary J. Ewer, September 1, 1886, who died November 17, 1887; and Ocella I., born Sep- tember 14, 1857, and educated in Carrier Seminary. George, Aaron, and

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

Jerry H. were educated in common schools and at Duff's Commercial Col- lege of Pittsburgh. George has followed the oil business since old enough; in company with his brother William and Doctor Knight he drilled thirty- one oil wells in Clarion county, Pennsylvania, and in company with his brothers William and Jerry H., and in several cases with others, has drilled seventy-four wells, making one hundred and five wells, ninety-six of which were good producing wells. He edited the Fern City Weekly Illuminator, and was a candidate for the Pennsylvania legislature in 1886; he is the in- ventor and holds a patent on the full sized drill, doing away with the rimmer, which lowered the cost of drilling three-fourths, and in company with his brother William, has a patent on solid rim bull-wheels, which has been of great service to the trade. He and his brother William have eight United States patents, mostly relating to the oil business.

CHARLES LINN, farmer, was born April 18, 1826, in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania. His parents, George and Elizabeth (Batholomew) Linn, had sixteen children, nine of whom are living: Elias; William; Silas; Charles; Annie; Sarah; Leah; Hester, and Eliza. The family came to this county about the year 1845, and the father followed farming until he died. Our subject had the advantage of a common school education, and began for himself as a stone mason. He was married August 30, 1848, to Catharine Rumberger, a native of this county, born in 1830, a daughter of Levi and Nancy Rumberger, who were born in the eastern part of this state. Her father died in 1863, and her mother resides with our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Rumberger have had five children: Catharine; Cunningham; Mary A. ; Margaret, and George, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Linn are the parents of nine children: Elizabeth, deceased; Jeremiah; Mary J .; Martha, wife of Reverend Oliver Nickle; Beatty P., a Methodist minister; Maggie D. ; Frank; Boyd, and Minnie, deceased. The entire family are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. Mr. Linn has been ten years a school director, and is a Republican in politics.

JOHN H. STARR, farmer, was born August 28, 1831, in this county. His. parents, Michael and Catharine (Cook) Starr, were natives of Maryland, came to Armstrong county, this state, and thence to this county at an early day. They reared a family of eleven children: Elizabeth, deceased; Jane; Daniel; Michael, deceased; Jacob, deceased; Mary A .; Eva, deceased; Polly, deceased, Rachel; infant, deceased, and John H., who has been a farmer all of his life. He was married to Sarah Mitchell, daughter of William and Peggy Mitchell, both of Clarion county, and to this union have been born eight children: John T .; William J .; Daniel W .; Mary A. ; Wesley S., de- ceased; George H., deceased; Michael Emilius, deceased, and Charles V. Our subject and wife are members of the Evangelical church, in politics he has been a Republican, but now throws his interests and influence with the Prohibitionists.

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BIOGRAPHIES OF ROCKLAND.

FRANKLIN FLOWERS, minister of the Church of God, Coal City, was born in 1833 in Union county, this state, son of John and Hannah (Solomon) Flowers. John Flowers came to this county in 1845, and was the father of nine children: Abraham; Polly, deceased; John, deceased; Charles; Henry; Peggy, deceased; Samuel; Franklin, and Elizabeth. Franklin Flowers was educated in the common schools. In 1861, he enlisted in Company L, Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry, with which he was engaged three years and nine months. In 1854 he was united in marriage to Susan Snyder. a native of this county by whom he has had ten children: Absalom I .; Johnnie, de- ceased; Lizzie; Frank M. C .; Jennetta; Charles A .; Romelda; Charles B., deceased; Minnie, and Jacob M. Mr. Flowers is pastor of the Church of God at Emericksville, Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, of which church he and wife are members. In politics he is a Republican, and one of the worthy citizens of Venango county.

ERNEST E. FICHTE, farmer, was born May 1, 1833, in Dresden, Saxony, Germany, to Godfried and Dorothera Fichte, the parents of three children: Herman, Amelia, and Ernest E. The last named, by occupation a cutler, immigrated to America in 1854, and settled in Pittsburgh until 1859, when he came to this county. He located on the farm in Rockland township where he now resides and has since remained. He enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Twenty-First Pennsylvania Volunteers, in August, 1862, and was in active service for three years. He was married in 1858 to Sarah R. Nunemacher, daughter of George and Sarah Nunemacher, natives of Clarion county, Pennsylvania. Her father died in his native county, and her mother in Venango. Their children were twelve in number, eight of whom are living: Henry; Emmeline; Sarah R .; Charles; George; Mary; William E., and Alvin. Our subject is the father of two children: M. Emi- lius, residing on the farm with his father, and Emma S., wife of Charles Rossman, in Emlenton. Mr. Fichte is a member of Koch Post, G. A. R., and is a Republican in politics.

DAVIDSON McELPHATRICK, oil producer, was born December 5, 1833, in this county, to John and Margaret (McClaran) McElphatrick, natives of Centre and Venango counties, Pennsylvania, respectively. John McEl- phatrick was born in the year 1804, and came to this county in 1820. He was engaged for a number of years in the iron business, and was the father of ten children, six of whom grew to maturity: John; James; Davidson; Robert M. ; Mary, wife of Martin Bensinger, and Martha. The father died in 1857, and his widow in 1879. Our subject received a common school education, and was employed at iron works in his younger days. In No- vember, 1862, he enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Third Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, and after serving nine months was discharged because of disability. He was married in 1865 to Margaret, daughter of John Morri- son, of this county. To this union there have been born three children:

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

Mary, wife of George B. Witherup; John, deceased, and Gustie D. Mr. McElphatrick is a member of the Good Templars and Protected Home Circle. He is a Prohibitionist, and, with his wife, belongs to the Church of God.

WILSON CROSS, merchant at Scrubgrass, was born in 1843 in this county, son of Samuel W. and Jane (Mccutcheon) Cross. He started in business where he is now located in 1867, and has had a remarkable patronage ever since. His main building is twenty-four by one hundred feet, and the attachment is thirty six by fifty, both being well filled with the general stock demanded by a country community. He does a business of about twenty-five thousand dollars a year. He has also dealt largely in railroad ties for the use of the Allegheny Valley Railroad Company. He is a mem- ber of the K. of H. and K. & L. of H. He is quite active in the interests of the Democratic party, and has been the efficient postmaster at Scrub- grass for thirteen years. He was married in 1866 to Emily West, a native of this county, and has eleven children: Maude; Sadie; John F .; Charlie E. ; Flora B .; Rosa; Addison; Walter; Samuel M., deceased; Clarence, deceased, and an infant, deceased. He and wife are members of the Cum- berland Presbyterian church.

JAMES H. CROSS, merchant, is in partnership with his brother Wilson in the general mercantile business at Scrubgrass. He was born in 1854 and was married in October, 1874, to Bunavista Fout, a native of Indiana, and to this union there have been born five children: Hessie; Ralph; Dora; Roy, and Homer.

ROBERT A. MYERS, farmer and oil producer, was born March 3, 1850, in this county, son of William and Jane (Armstrong) Myers, the former born in 1816 in Venango county, the latter in 1820 in Clarion county, Penn- sylvania. They had the following children: John; James; Robert; Plumer; Sarah E. ; Cynthia A., and Mary F. William Myers died in 1884. Our sub- ject was educated in the common schools and was brought up at farming. He was married April 30, 1874, to Mary Jane Linn. To this union have been born three children: Charlie; Celia, deceased, and Maude. Mr. and Mrs. Myers are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he adheres to the Democratic party.

MARION A. MYERS, miller, was born December 16, 1854, in this county, son of Solomon A. and Catharine J. (Weaver) Myers, both natives of this county and the parents of fifteen children, nine of whom are living: Clara M. ; Marion A .; Eleanor E .; Vernon J .; Ora E .; Jennie B .; Solomon K .; John S., and Edith Grace. Our subject received his education in the com- mon schools of Venango county, at Reid Institute, Reidsburg, Clarion county, this state, and at Smithfield (George's Creek Academy), Fayette county, also in this state. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., No. 952, Rockland. For two years he taught school in this county, and is now serving as school

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director. He has followed the milling business since 1875, and is a stanch Democrat.

DAVID K. BUCHANAN, ferryman at Scrubgrass, was born May 12, 1856, to William M. and Henrietta (Kling) Buchanan, in Chester county, Pennsyl- vania. William M. Buchanan was the father of six children, but two of whom, J. C. and David K., reside in Venango county. Our subject came to this county in 1872, and engaged in the oil business. In 1884 he pur- chased the ferry across the Allegheny river at Scrubgrass. He was elected justice of the peace in 1883, and has served with ability and credit, being re-elected in 1888. For five years he has been serving as school director, and for four years has been president of that board. He has also gained some fame as a writer, his contributions to the columns of the Oil City Derrick under the nom de plume of "Uncle John" and "The Corporal " having elicited considerable favorable comment. He was married January 27, 1876, to Marietta McElroy, a native of Ohio, and to this union seven children have been born: Henrietta M .; William C .; Bertha E .; Edna H .; Herbert E .; Ethel F., and Leonard J. Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan are mem- bers of the Cumberland Presbyterian church.

ADDISON H. BOWSER, physician and surgeon, was born February 18, 1862, in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, son of D. S. and Lydia (Mc- Colum) Bowser, natives of Armstrong county, and the parents of nine daughters and three sons. He was educated at Worthington Academy, Armstrong county, and Reid Institute, Clarion county, Pennsylvania, taught school several terms, and began the study of medicine in 1882 under the instruction of Doctor S. C. Johnston, of Greenville, Clarion county, Penn- sylvania. He was graduated from the Western Reserve Medical University of Cleveland, Ohio, February 25, 1885, and first located at Salina, this county, in March, 1885. From there he went to Centerville, this county, where he practiced for two years, and November 22, 1887, he located at Freedom, Rockland township, where he now enjoys a lucrative practice. He is a member of the Venango County Medical Society, and also of the alumni of the Western Reserve University. July 6, 1882, he married Sadie H. Booth, a native of Greenville, Clarion county, Pennsylvania, and by her has had two children: Ira D. and Bertha' E. Both he and wife are consistent members of the Baptist church.

WILLIAM E. ASKEY, professional teacher, was born November 1, 1862, son of Harrison and Mary J. (Smith) Askey, natives of Centre and this county, respectively. They were the parents of the following children: Clara, wife of L. Stroup; Mary, deceased; William E .; Edwin N., also a professional teacher; Jennie, deceased; Burton, and Ida. Harrison Askey came to this county with his parents about the year 1836, is descended from Scotch-Irish ancestry, and was a farmer by occupation. His son, William E., was married October 3, 1886, to Jessie W., a daughter of Major J. B.

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Maitland, of Oil City, and to this union have been born two children: Edgar; Ernest, and John Maitland. Mr. Askey began teaching in 1880, and has continued ever since with remarkable success, being considered one of the most efficient teachers in Venango county. He and wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of the Sabbath schools of which organization he has been superintendent for five years, and of which he is class leader.

PINEGROVE.

SAMUEL SPEECHLEY, farmer, was born November 1, 1832, in England and is a son of Samuel and Maria (Webster) Speechley, natives of the same country and the parents of five children: Adelaide; Samuel; Emma, deceased; Maria, and Charles, deceased. The father was for many years engaged in the hotel business in Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, England, and with his wife belonged to the Episcopal church. Samuel, our subject, received a common school education in his native country, and at the age of fourteen years he began learning locomotive building and marine engi- neering in Newcastle-on-Tyne; at twenty he was sent to China by the firm of Robert Stephenson & Company to join a steamer plying between Hong Kong and Calcutta in the opium trade. He continued at that for about three years, then entered the Chinese government service for the purpose of putting down piracy on the coast of China, which was very rife at that time (1855-56); in 1857 he started the first engineering business in China at Hong Kong and conducted it for thirteen years. In 1872 he visited Amer- ica, and after one year's residence in Cranberry township decided to stay. He settled on his present farm of one hundred acres-the seat of the great Speechley gas district, mentioned elsewhere in this work. He was married in China (1864) to Margaret Galbraith, a native of Ireland, and has two children: Emily, born in China, and Adelaide, born in America. Mr. Speechley was brought up in the faith of the Episcopal church. Mrs. Speechley's parents, James and Janet (Patterson) Galbraith, were of the old Scottish Covenanter faith, in which they reared their children.

GEORGE W. POWELL, farmer, was born February 5, 1819, the son of Samuel Powell, and first white child born in Pinegrove township. He engaged in farming on his father's place at the age of twenty-one, and was also employed at surveying and school teaching. In 1852 he went to Cali- fornia and remained until 1858, working at lumbering and mining. In 1860 he went into the oil business, continuing at this until 1877, when he resumed farming. In 1861 he married Maria Williams, daughter of Rich- ard Williams, who is the mother of six children: Samuel; Elizabeth; Nettie; Ellen; William, and May. He is recognized as one of the most intelligent men of the township, succeeding in this respect to the position held by his father. The latter was exceptionally well informed considering the time and circumstances in which he lived. He corresponded with Jackson, Clay,

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History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 116

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