History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 91

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

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JOHN RIOHARD STEELE, commander of Grand Army Post, No. 435, South Oil City, is a native of Mahoning county, Ohio, a son of the late Stephen D. Steele, and was born November 29, 1848. He was educated at Mount Jackson, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, and pursued his studies for a

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

time with a view to the medical profession. In 1864, at the age of fifteen, he enlisted as a private soldier in Company H, Seventy-Seventh Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, and served about one year. The command to which he was attached formed a part of the Army of the Cumberland. His closing service was with the army sent to occupy Texas in 1865. The Seventy- Seventh Pennsylvania was commanded by the distinguished Colonel Rose, who engineered the celebrated tunnel excavation and escape from Libby prison. Returning from the army, Mr. Steele located at Youngstown, Ohio, and learned the tinner trade. After working as a journeyman for some years he engaged in business for himself at Bluffton, Ohio, going from there to Cleveland, New Castle, and finally, in April, 1877, he came to Oil City. Here he started the first permanent hardware store established on the south side. Mr. Steele is now the head of the firm of J. R. Steele & Com- pany, dealers in general hardware, stoves, etc. He was one of the organ- izers of G. A. R. Post, No. 435, has held office therein from its inception, and in 1888 was chosen commander. He is also prominent in the A. O. U. W. (being one of the select knights of that order), and in the Knights of Mac- cabees. In 1877 he was elected as a Republican to the select council, and is now representing the Fifth ward in that body.

At New Castle, Pennsylvania, August 20, 1877, Mr. Steele was married to Miss Edith P. Douthett, daughter of Joseph Douthett, and to this union have been born three children: Regina A .; Richard Kenith, who died at the age of two years, and Helen P. Mr. and Mrs. Steele are members of the Presbyterian church. Stephen D. Steele was a native of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, and there died in 1852 at the age of twenty-seven years. His widow subsequently married a Mr. Gates, and now resides at Morenci, Michigan. Of his two sons, John R. forms the subject of this sketch, and William H., the youngest, is a manufacturer in Atchison, Kansas.

FRED N. CHAMBERS, successor to I. B. Jacobs, hardware merchant, was born in Tidioute, Warren county, this state, July 10, 1861, and is a son of Wesley Chambers. He was educated at Oil City and Allegheny College, Meadville. About the year 1882 he began clerking in the hardware store of George Ross, whose business was in the room now occupied by J. J. Fisher in the same line. He was subsequently a member of the firm of Steele, Hoskins & Chambers for two years, their hardware store being in South Oil City. March 14, 1888, he became the owner of his present business, and is one of the leading business men of Oil City. He is also a stockholder in the Oil City Tube Works. He married Bertha L. Williams of Wellsville, New York, a relative of the late William S. Garvin, a veteran editor and well-known public man of Mercer county, and the father of Mrs. Judge John Trunkey. He and wife are members of the Second Presbyterian church, and he is a Republican.

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BIOGRAPHIES OF OIL CITY.

HENRY L. DALE, proprietor of a livery stable, was born in Venango county, Pennsylvania, June 3, 1867, son of A. P. Dale, He received a common school education, and for some time was a clerk in his father's store. April 16, 1888, he purchased the livery stable of Thomas Lynch in South Oil City, and is doing a general livery and boarding business, having in service about twenty horses. He was married June 16, 1886, to Miss Alice White, and has two children: Clyde and Mabel. His wife is a mem- ber of Grace Methodist Episcopal church. He belongs to Cornplanter Lodge, I. O. O. F., and is a Republican.

JAMES MCGUIGAN, proprietor of a livery stable, was born August 21, 1854, in Buffalo, New York, and is a son of Owen and Rosa (Gallagher) Mc- Guigan, the parents of twelve children. He received a common school education, and at the early age of nine years began making his own living by driving a coal wagon in Buffalo, drifting from this into the huckster business. In 1876 he began pumping oil wells in Butler county, this state, where he remained two years. He then came to Oil City, and for four years did a successful business in running a hack and carriage. In 1882, in part- nership with Joseph Stubler, he started a livery stable, the firm name being McGuigan & Stubler, and retains his interest to the present time, Joseph Stubler, however, having sold his interest to John Stubler. At a time he was one of the proprietors of the Union hotel. He married Mary Cullan and has two children: James and Walter. He is a member of the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association and of the Catholic church, and a Democrat in politics. He is the builder of his own flourishing business, having started out in the world with only a willing heart and strong hands.

JOHN STUBLER, of the firm of McGuigan & Stubler, proprietors of a livery stable, was born in 1863, in Clarion county, son of George Stubler, who is mentioned in connection with Joseph Stubler. John worked two years at the harness making trade and in 1883 he came to Oil City and worked in the livery stable of Stubler & McGuigan. Four years later he became a half owner in this business, by purchasing the interest of his brother Joseph, He is a Democrat, and a member of the Catholic church,

DAVID L. TRAX, of the Kramer Wagon Company, is a native of Pitts- burgh, this state, and was born February 24, 1836. Louis Trax, of Stras- burg, then a French possession, was his father; and Louis came to America when only nineteen years of age. He settled in Allegheny county on a farm and there spent the rest of his life, dying in 1883 at the age of eighty-four years. His widow, whose maiden name was Gass, survived him two years and died in her eighty-fifth year. They reared a family of fifteen children, thirteen of whom are now living. Of their eight sons, David L. was the fourth in order of birth and he grew to manhood on his father's farm, alter- nating, with the seasons, his duties of farm life with attendance upon the common schools. In Pittsburgh he learned the blacksmith trade and

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was there in business a short time for himself when he decided to try his luck in Oil City. He landed here in 1861 and footed his way up Oil creek in search of a job. He drilled wells awhile, then "joured" as a black- smith, and finally bought his employers out. After carrying on general blacksmithing for some years he sold out and embarked in oil business in McKean county, giving his entire time to this for two years. In 1880 he formed a partnership with W. J. Kramer in the manufacture of wagons. In addition to his manufacturing interests, Mr. Trax is yet in oil production and also carries on some agricultural operations. He has been once a coun- cilman, and in the Methodist Episcopal church is a trustee and class leader, and has been steward. In Oil City, May 2, 1862, our subject was married to Sarah Elizabeth Hogue, the daughter of Ebenezer Hogue, now of Wis- consin, and the names of his children are as follows: Harry B. ; Maxwell P., who died at the age of three months; Judson D., a student; Frederick H. ; David L., and Lizzie, who died at the age of three months.

WILLIAM J. KRAMER, of the Kramer Wagon Company, was born at Sham- burg Lippe, Germany, January 2, 1840, and with his parents, Frederick and Sophia (Witte) Kramer, came to America in 1845. The family settled in Butler county, this state, and there the senior Mr. Kramer died March 23, 1869, at the age of sixty-three years. He was a wagon maker by trade, and followed that business some years after coming to this country, though at the time of his death he was farming. He reared to manhood ten sons, and buried one son and a daughter before leaving the old country. The sub- ject of this sketch was educated at the common schools of Butler county, and under his father learned the trade of wagon maker. In October, 1861, he came to Oil City, and in Seneca street, where the gasometer now stands, began the manufacture of wagons in a small way. At the end of one year he moved farther down the street to a place about opposite the present may- or's office, was there burned out, and in 1867 located his plant, as at pres- ent, on Elm street. The Kramer Wagon Company is composed of Mr. Kra- mer and D. L. Trax. It was formed in 1879. September 1, 1863, in Arm- strong county, this state, Mr. Kramer was married to Miss Sarah Ann Fair, and to this union have been born thirteen children: Minnie Laura, Mrs. John Darr; Ida Nettie; Carrie Emma, Mrs. E. E. Hileman; Lizzie May, who died March 26, 1869, at the age of ten months and thirteen days; Ed- ward Ernest; Linda Jane, who died September 7, 1874, aged two years and three months; Margaret Ann; Ada Melissa; Harry Austin; Bertha Belle; David Lewis; William John, and Edith Lilian. Mr. Kramer is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and of the Royal Templars of Temper- ance.

REVEREND WILBUR FISK WOOD, pastor of the Second Presbyterian church of South Oil City, is a native of Philadelphia. He was educated at Prince- ton College and McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois. He

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BIOGRAPHIES OF OIL CITY.

began his professional career by teaching a four years' term in the academy at Trenton, New Jersey. He enlisted in 1862 in the One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh New York Volunteers, and served for three years. Since September, 1882, he has been the efficient and esteemed pastor of the Second Presbyterian church of South Oil City. He is chaplain of the G. A. R. Post, No. 167, and the Sixteenth Regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania. In politics he is a Republican.

JOHN B. SMITHMAN, of Oil City, is one of the most prominent oil men of this region. He came here in 1864 and embarked in the oil business, both as dealer and producer, and for some years has been one of the conspicuous characters who have left their impress upon the business of the region and have caused it to be known as more prolific than perhaps any other for the development of men of financial daring and ingenuity. For a period cover- ing several years he has held his own against a flood-tide of opposition, and time and again scored success where strong men have gone down. He was the organizer and president of the Manufacturers' Gas Company of Oil City, and was also a director in the Columbia Gas Company, which became the purchaser of the stock of the former company, the whole being subse- quently merged into the Natural Gas Trust. He was also connected with the Keystone Oil Company as manager of the pipe lines owned by that company. These pipe lines extended from Oil City to portions of Venango and Clarion counties, and when the refinery department of the Keystone Oil Company became embarrassed Mr. Smithman purchased these lines and operated them until they were sold in connection with the refinery under an arrangement with the receiver of that company.

The Oil City Call, now the Oil City Blizzard, a spicy afternoon paper, if not original in the mind of Mr. Smithman certainly drew its first sus- tenance from his exchequer. He was also one of the incorporators of the Oil City Oil Exchange and the admirable system that governs the specula- tive oil trade is largely due to him, particular what is known as the clearing house.

The fine edifice of the Second Presbyterian church, which adjoins Mr. Smithman's beautiful residence in South Oil City, also largely owes its present existence to his generosity.

Mr. Smithman was born in Clarion county, this state, December 31, 1884, and is a son of Henry Smithman, now of Piqua, Ohio. He was mar- ried to Miss Julia Hathaway, at Paterson, New Jersey, in 1874.

WESLEY CHAMBERS, oil producer, was born in Harbor Creek township, Erie county, Pennsylvania, September 13, 1829, son of David and Mabel (Nash) Chambers. He received his education in the common schools of Erie county and at Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania. In 1852 he emigrated to California and experienced the anxieties incident to min- ing life until 1860, when he settled in Tidioute, Warren county, this state,

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and in the summer of 1861 he located at Rouseville, this county, and for sometime was employed at teaming and boating oil to Oil City and Pitts- burgh. In 1864 he began active operation in the production of oil, which he continues up to the present time, being interested in wells in Warren, McKean, Clarion, and Venango counties. In times past he has operated in Armstrong and Butler counties, and at Parker's Landing, and is well and favorably known over the entire region of the Pennsylvania oil fields. In 1875 he organized the Bradford Oil Company and was its first president. He also organized the Euray Mining Company of Colorado in 1877. with which he was connected until a few months ago. He was auditor of Corn- planter township and merited the confidence and respect of every citizen therein, through his efficient method of straightening up the business of that township, which was in a loose shape before the beginning of his term. He was tendered and declined the nomination for congress and for lieuten- ant governor of Pennsylvania by the Greenback party, to which he adheres. In 1860 he was married to Cordelia J. Bonnell of his native township, by whom he has three children: Fred N., a hardware merchant of Oil City; Anna L., and George D. He and his wife are active in the interest of the Methodist Episcopal church.

LOUIS ROESS, one of the successful oil producers of the petroleum fields, came into the Oil creek district in 1861 from Pittsburgh, and located on the old Story farm. From this farm he subsequently moved into Oil City in 1870 and has here since resided. He was born in Germany, February 8, 1837, and in 1857, accompanied by his mother and a younger brother and sister, came to America. His father, Martin Roess, died in the old country in 1851. Louis, after leaving school in Germany, learned the butcher trade and gave it his attention for several years after coming to America. He followed it about four years in Pittsburgh and for the same period on Oil creek. From the meat business he turned his attention to petroleum and is now head of the firm of Roess Brothers & Company. Associated with him are his brother, Christian Roess, and Conrad Simmons, and this firm owns and operates some of the richest wells in the oil regions of Pennsyl- vania, New York, and Ohio. Mr. Roess was married November 25, 1862, in Pittsburgh, to Miss Rachel Aggers, has eight children living, and has buried two. The living are: George, a machinist; Henry C., a clerk; Charles, a machinist; Louis, a college student; Ida; Lelia; Martin, and Loretta. The family are identified with the Lutheran church.

JAMES M. THOMAS, broker and dealer in petroleum, is a native of Steu- benville, Ohio, and was born April 6, 1842. His father, James M. Thomas, Sr., was many years a prominent and public-spirited citizen in Jefferson county, Ohio. He died June 19, 1888, at the advanced age of seventy- eight years. The subject of this sketch was educated at the Steubenville high school, learned the trade of machinist in that city, and followed it

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BIOGRAPHIES OF OIL CITY.

altogether about twelve years. During the spring of 1862 he joined Com- pany F, Eighty-Fourth Ohio Volunteers, as a private soldier, served about four months, and was discharged on account of physical disability. In May, 1863, he again entered the army, as a member of Company C, One Hundred and Fifty-Seventh Ohio Volunteers, and served until mustered out with the regiment, as first duty sergeant, September, 1864. With the Eighty-Fourth regiment he served in Maryland and West Virginia, and with the One Hundred and Fifty-Seventh he was in the Army of the Potomac. Immediately after leaving the army he returned to Ohio, finished his ap- prenticeship as machinist, and, as has been said, worked at his trade about twelve years. In 1877 he came to Oil City from Pittsburgh, and engaged in his present business. Mr. Thomas joined the G. A. R. in 1880, has filled various offices in the order, and is now serving his fifth term as post adjutant. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and a Republican in politics.

A. M. TURNER, oil producer, was born June 27, 1810, in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and is a son of James and Nancy (McCurdy) Turner, both natives, of that county and the parents of seven children: William M., a farmer, who died in Ohio in 1871; James E., an iron manufacturer, who died in Indiana county, this state, in 1844; Nancy, who died when young; Rebecca, who was married to William Connell, and died at New Castle, Pennsylvania; John, a farmer, who died in Illinois; A. M., and Robert M., who died when a young man. The parents and all of their children except James were identified with the Presbyterian church. A. M. Turner received his education in the subscription schools of his native county. He was brought up at rural pursuits until the age of nineteen years, when he ac- cepted employment for three years with General Dunn at an iron furnace located in Path valley, Franklin county, Pennsylvania. From there he went, in 1833, to Huntingdon county, and engaged with John Savage at his Trough Creek furnace. After three years he engaged with Samuel Royer & Company at the Springfield furnace, where he remained for seven years. In the year 1843 he began merchandising in Blairsville, Indiana county, combining it with a foundry for eleven years, having Doctor Hamill as partner for a portion of the time. At the end of his mercantile career he was assigned the management of the Shade furnace in Somerset county, for two years. In 1856 he became book-keeper for the Buffalo furnace in Arm- strong county, from which he withdrew in 1861, and moved to the present site of Siverly. Here he began the production of oil, which he has contin- ued with varied success ever since, having at the present time a number of producing wells. During the administration of President Lincoln he was appointed deputy assessor of internal revenue under Joseph H. Lenhardt, of Meadville, Pennsylvania, and held that position for three years. He was postmaster at Springfield furnace from 1835 to 1842, and United States commissioner two years. He was elected one of the county commissioners

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

in 1872, served the term with credit, and has also been school director. He is a Republican in politics with Prohibition proclivities. His marriage occurred February 12, 1855, to Elizabeth T. Smith, of Blairsville, Pennsyl- vania, born June 25, 1823, a daughter of William and Sarah (Henderson) Smith. Her father was a farmer and merchant and had four children: George E., tanner and merchant, who served many years in the revenue department; Nancy J., married to Thomas Laughlin, who died in Anderson- ville prison; Elizabeth T., and William, now a retired physician at Spring- field, Ohio. Mrs. Turner's parents were worthy members of the Presbyte- rian church, of which her father was an elder at the time of his death. Mr. and Mrs. Turner are two of the original members of the First Presbyterian church of Oil City. They are now connected with the Second Presbyterian church of South Oil City, and he has been an elder since 1861. Their children are named as follows: William, married to Louisa M. Diven; Sarah, married to Archie Gayle, baggage master on the Allegheny Valley railroad; Mary, married to Edward Laughlin; Harriet, a teacher in the Oil City pub- lic schools; Rebecca, at home; James, Nannie M., Robert B., and Charles, all deceased.

D. K. JOHNSTON, oil producer, contractor and driller, was born October 26, 1851, in Erie county, Pennsylvania, and is a son of James and Jane (Kennedy) Johnston, natives of Centre county, this state, and Ireland, respectively. The parents located in Erie county before marriage and now reside in Oil City. They have five children: Nancy J., at home; James H., an engineer for the Western New York and Pennsylvania railroad; D. K .; Clark P., and George E. (twins). The father followed farming and oil pro- duction for many years. Our subject was educated in the common schools and brought up on a farm until the age of thirteen years, when he came with his parents to Venango county and shortly after began drilling oil wells, which he has followed ever since; he has drilled a number of gas wells in different parts of the country, and several large water wells in Centre and Huntingdon counties. He began the production of oil for himself sev- eral years ago, and now has interests in several producing wells and is putting down more. He is also doing considerable drilling for other oil operators. He was married in 1881 to Kate Eckman, and by her has one child, Mary J. He bought property in South Oil City, a nice house and lot, in 1882, where he resides; he is a Democrat in politics.

CHARLES H. SHEPARD, oil producer, came to this place from Allegany county, New York, in 1863, and from that date has been recognized as a successful business man and an enterprising, public-spirited citizen. He was born at Mount Morris, New York, June 25, 1838, and is a son of the late Howell Shepard, a successful merchant and farmer. Mr. Shepard is the eldest of three sons; one of his brothers, T. F. Shepard, is a prominent lawyer at Bay City, Michigan, and the other, E. H. Shepard, is a resident of

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BIOGRAPHIES OF OIL CITY.

New York city. Charles Shepard was educated at Rushford Academy and from school entered at once into business. Coming to Oil City he engaged in the grocery trade and his store stood upon the site now occupied by No. 2 engine house in the Third ward. From 1868 to 1888 he was in the dry-goods trade. During all that time he was producing and dealing in petroleum and speculating in real estate. He was several years a member of the borough council, and represented his ward in the first council after the organization of this place as a city. He was one of the organizers of the Allegheny Bank- ing Company and its second president. He was also one of the organizers of the Oil City Savings Bank, and the Oil City Barrel Works. Mr. Shep- ard is a Knight Templar Mason, and in 1871 was one of the distinguished Knight Templar tourists that went from the principal cities of the United States to Great Britian and continental Europe.

THEODORE JACKSON WELCH, superintendent of the United Pipe Lines, Oil City, came here in 1877 from Sugar Creek, where he had, since 1869, been engaged in the oil business. He is a native of Gloversville, New York, a son of Leslie Welch, and was born December 15, 1846. Leslie Welch, a merchant during his lifetime, came to America from Dublin, Ireland, and lived for several years at Amsterdam, New York. He died in Florida, whither he had repaired for his health, in 1851, at the age of sixty years. He was an educated gentleman, and his wife, whose maiden name was Maria Taylor, a native of Dutchess county, New York, was a lady of culture and refinement. She survived her husband many years, dying in April, 1888, at the advanced age of eighty years. The old gentleman, many years before he was old, attested his allegiance and loyalty to his adopted country. As a member of the "Irish Greens" he participated in the war of 1812 from first to last; at Plattsburg a piece of British shell carried away one of his ears while he was in the act of replacing a fallen flag, and at the same time and place a rifle ball pierced the calf of his leg. Of his three sons, Theodore is the youngest. He was educated at Gloversville, New York. He first visited Oil City in 1865, and from here went west and spent three years on the plains. In 1877 he began work for the pipe line company as a day laborer, and was promoted from time to time until he reached his present position. Mr. Welch is a member of Myrtle Lodge, No. 363, F. & A. M .; Royal Arch Chapter, No. 236; Talbot Commandery, No. 43, and of the vestry of the Episcopal church. He is prominently identified with the cause of education, and is now chairman of the text-book and supply com- mittees of the school board, and a member of both the building and teachers' committees, while in the past he has filled the office of president and secre- tary of the board at different times. At Franklin, Pennsylvania, April 14, 1870, Mr. Welch was married to Miss Annie E. Case, and has three children: Edwin Theodore; Frank Osmer, and Grace Norwood.

MYER LOWENTRITT, oil broker, came to Oil City in 1864 from Cleveland,

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Ohio, where he was born September 26, 1843. His father, Aaron Lowen- tritt, a native of Bavaria, was some years a merchant in Cleveland. He afterward moved to Milwaukee and engaged in the grain business and there spent the rest of his life. He died in 1867 at the age of fifty years. Myer, the eldest of his two sons, was educated in Cleveland and studied both law and medicine, adopting neither, however, as a profession. His first business. venture was as a hide and fur dealer in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and he followed it two years. At McGregor, Iowa, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he bought and shipped grain for about four years, and from the latter place, via Cleve- land, came to the oil region. Here, being without money-his employers having failed in his debt-he embarked in the oil business as superintend- ent of wells for the Cherry Valley Oil Company. At the end of about one year he became a producer-an enterprise that from 1871 to 1878 yielded him large returns. Since the year last mentioned his principal business has been that of oil broker. What of this world's goods Mr. Lowentritt has is the result of his individual efforts and industry. In leaving Cleveland he borrowed ten dollars with which to pay his way, and upon arriving here the sum of his fortune was four dollars. The ethics obtaining in biography of living men forbid conclusions on the part of the writer, and a brief outline of facts only can be given. Mr. Lowentritt is president of the Enterprise Milling Company and of the Home Building and Loan Association, and is one of the directors of the Oil City Trust Company Bank and of the Oil City Tube Works. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the I. O. B. B., a beneficiary society peculiar to members of the Israelitish church. He was married January 23, 1878, at Titusville, to Miss Rachel Frey, a na- tive of Ohio, and has three children: Arthur; Helen, and Florence.

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History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 91

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