History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 81

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

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HENRY SWEET, broker, was born in Ohio, December 17, 1842, and was reared and educated in that state. He learned the stone mason trade, and while working at that business enlisted in the Second Ohio Independent Battery, August 16, 1861, when but nineteen years of age. He served until July, 1862, when he was commissioned first lieutenant of Company K, One Hundred and Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was promoted to captain of Company I, December 12, 1862, and served in that capacity until May, 1863, when he retired from the service for the purpose of attach- ing himself to the navy. He was appointed master of arms, and acted as master's mate on the United States steamer General Thomas, and served until the close of the war, being discharged June 24, 1865. He then re- turned to Ohio and engaged in contracting. In July, 1869, he came to Franklin as superintendent for P. H. Watson in the construction of the

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Lake Shore railroad bridge over French creek. In 1873 Mr. Watson was elected president of the Erie railroad, and in August, 1873, he located at Weehawken, New Jersey, as superintendent of the oil docks, which position he filled until 1876. He then returned to Franklin and in partnership with William Shafer engaged in the production of oil. The firm of Sweet & Shafer is still engaged in that business, Mr. Sweet devoting his attention largely to the sale and shipment of oil for New York, Chicago, and other markets. He is a member of the Oil City Oil Exchange, and in May, 1889, organized the Franklin Commission Company and Oil City Commission Company, dealers in oil, grain, and stocks, with private wires connecting with the New York Stock Exchange, and the Oil Exchange at Oil City. Since the organization Mr. Sweet has purchased the entire interests of the company. He was married October 13, 1870, to Miss Delia, daughter of Alexander Cochran, of Franklin. He is a member of the First Baptist church, and politically a Republican.

JAMES P. KEENE, broker, son of E. A. and Mary (Dart) Keene, was born in Wisconsin in 1853. His parents subsequently removed to Newark, New Jersey, their former residence, and thence to Patterson in the same state, where our subject was reared and educated. He learned telegraphy and filled his first position at Oil City, and for fifteen years was engaged in that calling in various parts of the country. In 1877 he came to Franklin as local manager for the Western Union Telegraph Company, which position he filled until 1881, when he built and organized the Telephone Exchange. Mr. Keene is also manager of the Franklin opera house, and secretary of the Franklin Improvement Company. He is a member of the B. P. O. E., and one of the bright, enterprising young business men of the city.

ALBERT P. WHITAKER, editor of the Venango Spectator, was born at Troy, New York, October 11, 1817. His father, John Whitaker, was a native of Chatham, Connecticut, born February 7, 1784. He married Abigail Sand- ford in New York city in April, 1816, and died in that city October 14, 1843. She was born in New York in 1797, and died there August 4, 1834. They were the parents of four children: Albert P., Frances A., James, and Lewis S. Our subject received his primary education in the common schools, and afterward went to an academy in New Jersey and New York city, and graduated at Marion College, Missouri. He came to Venango county in 1838, and clerked for A. W. Raymond until 1842, when he removed to Meadville, and became associated with Samuel W. Magill in the publica- tion of the Democratic Republican. In 1844 he retired from this position, and resumed his former clerkship with Mr. Raymond. In January, 1849, having purchased the old material of the Democratic paper at Franklin, he issued the first number of the Venango Spectator, and, with the exception of about eight years, has been its editor and publisher ever since. He was

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married July 31, 1845, in Sandy Creek township, Venango county, to Mary Simcox, born October 28, 1824, and daughter of William and Jane (Mar- shall) Simcox, the former a native of Maryland, born in 1794, and the latter a native of Sandy Creek township, born in 1804. The following children are the fruits of this union: John H., deceased; Jane M., wife of George W. Plumer, of Akron, Ohio; Ann Eliza, wife of M. H. Mercer; Mary, wife of Reverend Marcus A. Tolman; William S .; Emma, wife of John V. Stephenson; Frances A .; Albert P., deceased, and Clara E. Politically Mr. Whitaker has always been an active Democrat. He has filled the positions of custom-house officer, burgess of Franklin, clerk to the county commis- sioners, and has been the choice of his party several times for different county offices, but because of the large majority of the opposing party he was always defeated. Mr. Whitaker is one of the oldest editors of Penn- sylvania, and has performed his part well in all the relations of life.

E. W. SMILEY, editor of the Citizen-Press, Franklin, Pennsylvania, is the third son and fifth child of John H. and Nancy Smiley, and grandson of Thomas Smiley, a pioneer of the county and a soldier in the war of 1812. He was born in Franklin September 12, 1845, and was educated in the common schools and at the old Franklin Academy, from which he graduated at the age of fourteen years. He entered the American Citizen printing office as an apprentice in the fall of 1859, and, with the exception of four years, has been connected with the office as apprentice, compositor, fore- man, editor, and publisher, until the present time. His greatest ambition, when a youth, was to win his way to the position of editor of the Citizen, and all his energies were devoted to the accomplishment of that purpose. In 1865, his health failing somewhat, he relinquished the printing business, temporarily, and took a course of study at Eastman College, Poughkeepsie, New York. Returning to Franklin, he accepted a position on the engineer corps constructing the Jamestown and Franklin railroad. After its comple- tion to Franklin he engaged for a brief time in the coal business with George W. Brigham. In the fall of 1867 he again entered the Citizen office, then owned by Alexander McDowell. Jr. In 1868 Mr. McDowell expressed a desire to retire, and although an effort was made by Mr. Smiley and his friends to gain control of the paper and business, they failed. April 1, 1869, he was engaged by a company owning the Republican, at Tionesta, Forest county, to edit that paper and conduct the business for one year, which he did successfully. April 1, 1870, he returned to Franklin and pur- chased the Citizen from J. W. H. Reisinger, who had owned and conducted it from January 1, 1869. All the capital necessary for the purchase was borrowed at the high rate of interest prevailing in this section at the time, but all payments were promptly met, and the property was cleared of debt in less than four years. H. S. and F. D. Smiley were associated in the

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publication of the Citizen until the consolidation of the Citizen and Inde- pendent Press in 1884, when F. D. Smiley retired.

In 1872 Mr. Smiley was elected a delegate to the Republican state con- vention which nominated General Hartranft for governor, and was also elected a delegate from Venango in 1873-74, 1876, and 1879. In 1876 he was a delegate to the Republican national convention at Cincinnati. He was first chosen as chairman of the Republican executive committee of Venango county in 1875 and served in the same capacity in 1876, 1881, 1885-87, and 1889. In 1888 he was a candidate for the Republican nomination for congress in the twenty-seventh district and carried Venango county by a large majority over his principal competitor, but failed to secure the district nomination. In 1876 he was elected reading clerk of the senate of Pennsylvania and held that position until 1881, when he was defeated for re-election because of complications and divisions in the Republican party in connection with the election of a United States senator to succeed Senator Buckalew. In 1883 he was elected journal clerk of the senate and has held that responsible position until the present time. In May, 1866, E. W. Smiley and Mary Jane Kilgore, daughter of James and Nancy Kilgore of Mineral township, were united in marriage, Reverend John Baine officiating. They have three children: John Howard, Ralph A., and Jessie.

H. MAY IRWIN, journalist, was born at Franklin, September 25, 1838, second son of Richard and Hannah (May) Irwin. He was brought up at Franklin, attending the public schools and Franklin Academy. He also took a classical course under the tuition of the late Reverend S. J. M. Eaton, D. D. In 1852 he began to learn the printing trade in the office of the Whig Banner at Franklin, continuing with its proprietor, R. Lyle White, until the autumn of 1853. After this he was employed at different times upon the Advocate and Journal, Venango Spectator, and American Citizen. In 1863-64 he was engaged on the Harrisburg Patriot, first as compositor and afterward as city editor. After withdrawing from this connection he was occupied for several years in dealing in oil lands. In 1868, in company with other gentlemen, he established The Leader, a weekly literary journal, at Baltimore. Some of the ablest writers of the day were among its con tributors, but the venture was not a financial success. Retiring in 1869 he went to Washington city, where he was editor of the Daily Express for a time and for five years reported the proceedings of the national house of representatives for the American Press Association, at the same time per- forming regular work upon the local press. While thus engaged he first began to write humorous articles, criticisms, etc., which elicited favorable comment from well-known contemporary authors. As a humorous writer his contribu- tions are characterized by a rare degree of wit and originality, and a certain flavor peculiarly his own; and in editorial and general journalistic work he has also achieved success. In 1880 he purchased a half interest in the

James Me Crdi

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Evening News of Franklin, then in its third year. In 1881 he assumed editorial management of the Independent Press at Franklin. Retiring Janu- ury 1, 1884, he resumed his connection with the News, and has been the principal contributor for its columns from that date. September 11, 1879, he married Mary Louise, daughter of H. P. Leech of Washington city, and they have five children: Richard; Hiram L .; Arthur M .; Francis Hunting- don, and Katharine Gertrude. The family is Presbyterian in faith, and in politics Mr. Irwin is a Republican. He has served as school director of Franklin and as president of the city school board, and is connected with the P. H. C. and E. A. U.

MAJOR JAMES M. BREDIN, the eldest son of Maurice Bredin, was born in Butler, Pennsylvania, on the 14th of November, 1828. His parents came from the northern part of Ireland, near Belfast, and he was, therefore, of Scotch-Irish descent. He received his education at the Butler Academy, an institution which was well known in western Pennsylvania whilst under the direction of the Reverend William White, D. D., L. L.D., of the Episcopal church. After completing his education he read law under the direction of General John N. Purviance, in his native town, and was admitted to the bar in 1851. Soon after his admission to the bar he conceived the idea of secur- ing the coal lands in the northern part of Butler county, for the purpose of promoting the industry of coal mining upon a large scale. Having been successful in obtaining a large body of these lands he entered into arrange- ments with James McHenry, who was then in control of the Atlantic and Great Western Railway Company. With the cooperation of Mr. McHenry, the Mercer Coal and Mining Company was organized and also the Shenango and Allegheny Railroad Company. In both these enterprises he was a member of the board of directors and took an important part.

On the 28th of November, 1864, he was admitted to the Venango bar, removed to Franklin early in the following year, and in the latter place not only continued the practice of his profession, but also took an active interest in commercial and industrial enterprises. He was one of the organizers of the Franklin Bank, and after the merging of that institution into.the First National, he was chosen a director of the latter. In 1870, at the solicita- tion of his friends, he was put forward as a candidate for nomination to the office of state senator, his opponent for Venango county being Colonel A. P. Duncan, who had previously been a member of the legislature. At the primary election Major Bredin received a considerable majority of the vote of Venango county, but failed to receive the nomination of the district, which was accorded to Colonel Harrison Allen. Major Bredin represented the reform element in this struggle, and most of his friends claimed that his defeat was due to the illicit influences which he was only too open in condemning.

In 1873 Major Bredin, in company with others, developed a new and

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important oil field in Cranberry township, Venango county, and founded the town which is now known as Bredinsburg. During this year also he be- came a member of the city council of Franklin. He was likewise a charter member of the Franklin Cemetery Company. He received his military title by appointment from Governor Packer as a member of his official staff.

Major Bredin's energy was not confined to the law, commercial pursuits, or politics. He was an earnest and efficient member of St. John's Episco- pal church of Franklin, and a member of its vestry from 1864 up to the time of his death. He took a prominent part in the erection of the western diocese of the state. This project was opposed by Bishop Stevens, but by the admission of St. John's parish of Franklin, the one vote necessary for a ma- jority was secured at the convention at Philadelphia, which resulted in the erection of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and thereafter Major Bredin repre- sented this parish in nearly every annual diocesan convention. At home he was largely instrumental in replacing the old church building by the pres- ent beautiful structure, which was the first of the large church edifices erect- ed in Franklin.

The character of Major Bredin was of a rugged and positive type, and in consequence of this those who did not know him well were sometimes led to misinterpret him. But to those who did know him, and especially to those who knew him intimately, there was no misunderstanding concerning him. His eccentricities of disposition were but the cover of his manly character. Beneath and behind his positive and strong exterior manner, there was a play of sensibility which was almost feminine in its delicacy. To sum up his qualities, he was energetic, frank, honest, and generous, and it may be said of him, without the least exaggeration, that he contributed his full share to those influences which go to make up a wholesome industrial and moral community.

Major Bredin was married September 28, 1871, to Mrs. Ruth K. Elliott, daughter of Colonel James Kinnear, who died June 24, 1880. He survived her nearly four years, and died May 17, 1884, in his fifty-sixth year, having but little more than passed the meridian of life.

JAMES H. OSMER, attorney at law, was born in central Pennsylvania, January 22, 1833, son of Reuben and Catharine (Gilbert) Osmer, both natives of England, who came to the United States after marriage, and finally settled in Centre county, Pennsylvania, where the remaining years of their lives were spent. Our subject was reared in Centre county, and grew up inured to the toil and hardship incident to farm life in those days. His early educational advantages embraced a few months' attendance at the neighborhood school. From boyhood he was compelled to earn his own living, but possessing an ambition to acquire an education, he invested his earnings in school books, which he studied at night, after his day's work

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was done, by the light of pine knots. He thus obtained a fair knowledge of the common school branches as then taught. At the age of eighteen he entered Bellefonte Academy, and subsequently taught a school a few miles from his home. Alternately teaching and prosecuting his studies at Mt. Pleasant College, Westmoreland county, Pine Grove Academy, Centre county, and Dickinson Seminary, at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, he ob- tained a good literary and classical education.

In June, 1856, Mr. Osmer entered the office of Robertson & Fassett, Elmira, New York, where he diligently applied himself to the study of the law, in the meantime teaching as principal of one of the city schools. He was admitted to the bar at Cortland, New York, in November, 1858, and practiced his profession at Elmira until the spring of 1865, when he came to Franklin. Finally concluding to remain in that place, he was admitted to the Venango bar in the following August, and soon won a conspicuous place and a large practice in the courts of this district. He has also been admitted to practice before the district and circuit courts, the supreme court of the state, and the United States supreme court. Mr. Osmer is recog- nized as a well-read, studious, careful, pains-taking lawyer, thoroughly versed in the principles of legal science, and possessing a well trained, logical mind. He is especially strong as an advocate, and his arguments before court or jury are often eloquent and convincing. Entering into every case with unbounded zeal and enthusiasm, he is regarded by his pro- fessional brethren as a very dangerous foe in a legal contest. He is an affable and entertaining conversationalist, with a mind well stored with a vast fund of valuable information and the faculty of imparting it in a happy, courteous manner.

Politically Mr. Osmer was originally an Abolitionist, whence he natu- rally drifted into the Republican party. In 1876 he was chosen a delegate to the national Republican convention, but a severe illness prevented him from attending. In the fall of 1878 he was elected on the Republican ticket to congress, and during his term served on the committee on educa- tion and labor. He was a delegate to the state convention that nominated Governor Beaver, and did all in his power toward electing him.

Mr. Osmer was married in June, 1859, to Miss Mary J. Griggs, of Steu- ben county, New York, who is the mother of four children, two of whom are living: Archibald R. and Newton F. For many years he has been a member of the Masonic order, and is one of the best known lawyers now practicing in the courts of Venango county.

JAMES DENTON HANCOCK, attorney at law, was born June 9, 1837, in Wyoming valley, two miles from Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne county, Pennsylva- nia, son of James and grandson of Jonathan Hancock, the latter a native of Virginia and descended from a family which has been represented in the " Old Dominion " since the seventeenth century. The wife of James Han-

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cock was Mary Perkins, daughter of David Perkins, who was a brother of Colonel Aaron Perkins of the Revolutionary war. Their father was killed in the Wyoming massacre. James D. Hancock was reared in his native county, obtaining an academic education at Wyoming Seminary and other local institutions, and graduated at Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, in June, 1859. In 1861 he became a tutor at the Western University of Penn- sylvania, where he was elected professor of mathematics in the following year. In 1863 he was admitted to the bar at Pittsburgh, and was engaged in the practice of his profession in that city until 1865, when he removed to Franklin and has resided here continuously ever since. In 1877 he was appointed attorney for the Allegheny Valley Railroad Company; he was appointed attorney in Pennsylvania for the Pittsburgh, Titusville and Buf- falo Railroad Company in the following year, continuing in that capacity until 1888, when he became general solicitor for the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad Company, of which position he is the present incumbent with headquarters at Buffalo. He was appointed a trustee for Warren Insane Hospital in 1881 by Governor Hoyt, and has been continued in that position by successive reappointments, serving as president of the board in 1888. Politically he has been a Democrat since 1861, and promi- nent in the movement for tariff reform. In 1883 he delivered a lecture upon the subject of " Petroleum versus Protection " at Franklin and other places; it attracted wide attention and was awarded a silver medal by the Cobden Club, of which the author was elected an honorary member. He was chairman of the sub-committee and drew the original draft of the resolu- tions passed at the Tariff Reform Convention at Chicago in 1885, and in 1889 was chairman of the committee on resolutions. He is the author of numerous articles upon various economic questions relating to the tariff. In 1865 Mr. Hancock married Miss Ella C. Hitchcock, of Pittsburgh, who died in 1871. In 1873 he married Miss Mary K. Hitchcock, a sister of his first wife. Of a family of five children there are living: Lawrence P., a gradu- ate of Kenyon College, who was admitted to the bar August 26, 1889; Ella C., and Mary E.

SILAS LEE, deceased, was a native of Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where his ancestors had lived since before the Revolutionary war. The family is related to the Lees of Virginia. Our subject removed from Bucks county to Connersville, Indiana, in 1821, where he read law with Oliver H. Smith, subsequently a United States senator from that state, was there admitted to the bar, and began the practice of his profession at Perrysburg, Ohio. After practicing some ten years he returned to his native county and gave up the legal profession, afterward engaging in agricultural pursuits. He was mar- ried at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Mrs. Jane Patterson, nee Holmes, a native of County Fermanagh, Ireland, of which union six children were born. Soon after his marriage Mr. Lee removed to Sharon, Pennsylvania,

Moms July

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thence to Iowa in 1857, and afterward to Virginia, where he remained until July, 1860, when, seeing the symptoms of the coming civil war, he brought his family to Franklin. Here he died August 13, 1871, aged eighty-three. His widow survived him until March 14, 1876, dying at the age of sixty- nine. Their family consisted of the following children: Frances Gage, de- ceased wife of George S. King, of Franklin; Ambrose R., of Erie; John H., of Franklin; Mary C., who died in childhood; James W., attorney at law, Franklin, and Clara N., wife of Reverend Reuben F. Randolph, a Methodist preacher now stationed at Buffalo, New York. The parents were adherents of the Methodist Episcopal church, and died in that faith. Politically Mr. Lee was first a Whig, and after the dissolution of that party he became a Republican.

JAMES WILSON LEE, attorney at law, was born at Sharon, Mercer county, Pennsylvania, July 17, 1845, son of Silas and Jane (Holmes) Lee, mention of whom appears in this chapter. His boyhood days were passed under the parental roof, and he received his primary education in the public schools. In 1863 he entered Westminster College, at New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, and in 1864 Allegheny College at Meadville, spending in both institutions about three years. In April, 1867, he commenced reading law with Myers & Kinnear, of Franklin, and was admitted to the bar in April, 1869. He immediately began practice in Franklin and continued alone until July 1, 1872, when he formed a partnership with S. C. T. Dodd, which continued until January 1, 1881, when Mr, Dodd removed to New York city to accept the general solicitorship of the Standard Oil Company. Mr. Lee practiced alone until July, 1886, at which time he became a member of the firm of Lee, Smiley & Hastings, of Bradford. One year afterward the present firm of Lee, Criswell & Hastings, with offices at Franklin and Bradford, was organized, and has since been recognized as one of the leading law firms in this section of the state.

In politics Mr. Lee has always been a Republican, and during the past twenty years he has taken a prominent and active part in the political . affairs of Pennsylvania. Possessing an affable, engaging, and courteous manner, and being a frank, earnest, and fearless speaker, he soon won a host of friends who still remain his loyal supporters. Naturally he became a leader in local politics, and in 1871 he was elected to the city council, and in 1875 was chosen mayor of Franklin. By this time he had become well known and popular throughout the county, and the way was open for further advancement. In 1878 he was nominated and elected by a very large majority to a seat in the state senate, and was re-elected in 1882. During his first term he served on the committee on new counties and county seats, and also the judiciary committee, and during his second term he served on the judiciary committee and was chairman of the special judi- ciary committee. In the debates and deliberations of the senate he always

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History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 81

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