USA > Pennsylvania > Crawford County > Our country and its people. A historical and memorial record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania. > Part 44
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C. E. Spicer, M. D., commenced the study of medicine in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, under the preceptorship of Dr. J. W. Ingerson. He was graduated from the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical Institute in 1884. From July, 1884, to December, 1887, he practiced at Vicksburg, Michigan. From the latter date until November 7, 1888, he practiced at Grand Rapids, Michi- gan. He began practice at Tryonville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, in December, 1888, and continued there until April, 1891, when he moved to Centerville, a few miles northward, and practiced at the latter place until
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November, 1897. He then came to Titusville and has since practiced here. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Eclectic Medical Society, a State asso- ciation : also a member of the Western Pennsylvania Eclectic Medical Society, and of the Central Eclectic Medical Society. He was president of the State Eclectic Medical Society for the year 1892.
Dr. C. W. Sager began the study of medicine in the office of J. A. Monroe, M. D., at West Alexander, Pa. He also read with O. A. Palmer, M. D., at Warren, Ohio. He studied at the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical In- stitute, 1883-84; at the American Medical College, St. Louis, in 1885; and at the Hahnemann Medical College, in Philadelphia. He practiced medicine at Southington, Ohio, from 1884-85; at Middlefield, Ohio, from 1885 to 1889, and at Titusville from 1895 to the present time. He is a member of the American Institute of Homeopathy.
Preston Steele, M. D., commenced the study of medicine in 1889 in the office of Dr. E. P. Wilmot in Franklin, Pennsylvania. He was graduated from the Cleveland Medical College in 1893. He was assistant physician at the Huron Street Hospital, 1893-94. Located at Titusville in 1895, where he has since continued in the practice of his profession.
Dr. F. H. Sinning is a graduate of the American Eclectic College at Cincinnati, Ohio, in which he subsequently held a professor's chair. He has since practiced at Pittsburg, Pa. He came to Titusville about six years ago, and has since pursued his profession here. He treats special diseases.
DENTAL SURGEONS.
Dentistry has kept pace with other branches of science relating to the human body in the advance and improvement of the methods made within the last few decades. Dental surgery has come to be regarded as a learned profession, and to the honor of dentists of standing in the profession it may be said that there is a common effort on their part to protect the public against the evils of dental quackery, and exalt the rank of their calling. Den- tal colleges are now classed among the institutions of learning. Dentistry now ranks as a highly important branch of surgery.
Dr. W. M. Coombs is the veteran surgeon dentist of Titusville. His professional work has a high standing. He began the study of dentistry in Titusville in 1864, under Dr. George J. Luce, with whom he continued for the next three years. He then spent one year in practice at Rome, N. Y.,
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and another year of practice in Kansas City. He subsequently returned to Titusville, where he has been in constant practice since December 1, 1870.
J. A. Todd, D. D. S., began the study of dentistry in the spring of 1861 in the office of Dr. F. O. Hyatt at Cortland. New York. On February 28, 1878, he was graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, at Philadelphia, receiving the degree of D. D. S. He came to Titusville the same year, and has continuously practiced his profession here since that time. Dr. Todd is a member of the Lake Erie Dental Association, of which he was once president, and a member of the State Dental Society.
Dr. C. A. Black commenced the study of dentistry in March, 1886, with Dr. R. V. Bettes, at Mercer, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and remained with him until the following September, when he entered the Philadelphia Dental College. He was graduated from that institution, with the degree of D. D. S., in 1888. In March following, the same year, he located in Titus- ville and has been constantly engaged in the practice of his profession ever since.
Dr. W. J. Peebles studied at the Dental College and Hospital of Oral Surgery, at Philadelphia, Pa., from October, 1892, to March, 1895, taking the degree of D. D. S. He has practiced dentistry in Titusville ever since.
Dr. C. L. Sherwood began the study of dentistry in the dental depart- ment of the Ann Arbor, Michigan, University, in 1893, and was graduated from that institution in 1896, taking the degree of D. D. S. He has prac- ticed his profession in Titusville ever since. He is a member of the Lake Erie Dental Association.
MILITARY RECORD.
At the breaking out of the late civil war, the borough of Titusville, though still a small village, was an important business center of a large area of farming country. The lumber business of the section still gave employ- ment to a large number of men. The prospect of war tended for a year or two to suspend many branches of trade, and demand for lumber was es- pecially checked. The prospect of losing employment, together with a gen- uine patriotic spirit in the community, encouraged enlistments into the Union service. The record of the community in responding to the call of the government for troops is a bright one, and one concerning which the older and the younger of the inhabitants of Titusville, and their posterity follow- ing, may justly feel proud.
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Company F of the Erie Regiment, organized for the three months' ser- vice, under the command of Colonel John W. McLane, was the first company formed at Titusville. It was mustered April 21, 1861. Its officers were: Charles B. Morgan, captain; James Farrell, first lieutenant ; David P. Sig- ler, second lieutenant, and Franklin Parks, first sergeant. As the short term of service drew near a close, Colonel McLane prepared to organize a regi- ment to serve three years. Then Company A in the new regiment, 83d Penn- sylvania Volunteers, absorbed Company F, of the three months' term. The regiment was mustered in July 29, 1861. Its officers at first were: Charles B. Morgan, captain ; David P. Sigler, first lieutenant ; David P. Jones, second lieutenant. Both Sigler and Jones were afterward respectively captains of the company, as also William O. Colt and E. W. Whittlesey ; James W. Hun- ter and Martin V. Gifford were each in turn first lieutenants. William H. Lamont, Pierce Hanrahan and David R. Rogers were respectively second lieutenants. George A. Quillen was first sergeant. Edwin W. Bettes, well known afterward as a citizen of Titusville, was sergeant-major of the regi- ment. The 83d made a glorious record, and Company A shared in its laurels.
Company K, of the 57th Regiment, was the pride of Titusville. The Post No. 50, G. A. R., at Titusville, is named in memory of its brave com- mander, Cornelius S. Chase, who gave his life to his country. He was the son of the late Joseph L. Chase. He was wounded at Fair Oaks, May 31, 1862. He died from the effects of his wounds in the hospital of Philadelphia eighteen days afterward, June 17, 1862. His brother, William Wirt Chase, was the sergeant-major of the regiment. He was honorably discharged from the service, having served from October 10, 1861, to October 28, 1862. The 57th Regiment was mustered in November 1, 1861. The officers of Com- pany K were at first; Cornelius S. Chase, captain; Alanson H. Nelson, first lieutenant; Chester F. Morse, second lieutenant. Lieutenant Nelson suc- ceeded on the death of Captain Clase to the command of the company, and held the captain's commission until mustered out, at the expiration of the ser- vice, Nov. 1, 1864. Thomas J. Crossley, who both before and after the war was well known in Titusville, became by promotion first lieutenant. John M. Robinson and William H. H. Hirst were each in turn second lieutenants.
Company B, of the 113th Regiment, 12th Cavalry, mustered in March, 1862, for three years' service, was recruited at Titusville in the fall and win- ter, 1861-62. Its first commander was Rev. George H. Hammer, who re-
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signed his pastorate of the Presbyterian Church at Titusville to recruit the company and lead it into service. In May, 1862, he was appointed chaplain of the regiment. At first the officers of the company were: George H. Hammer, captain; Sidney B. King, first lieutenant; and Charles W. Fenner, second lieutenant. Upon the promotion of Hammer to the chaplaincy, Sidney B. King became captain; Charles W. Fenner first lieutenant, and Daniel B. Lewis second lieutenant. King was discharged from the service June 12, 1863, when Fenner succeeded to the captaincy, but was discharged from the service January 5, 1865. Lewis succeeded to the office March 22, 1865, and was mustered out with the company July 20, 1865.
Company I, of the 136th Regiment, P. V., for nine months' service, was mustered in in August, 1862. Its first officers were Asa Chapman, captain; William P. Dale, first lieutenant ; Henry S. Lockart, second lieutenant; An- drew J. Hatch, first sergeant. Captain Chapman died December 27, 1862, from wounds received at Fredericksburg, on the 13th of the same month, and he was succeeded by First Lieutenant Dale on the day following his death.
Company I, 150th Regiment, Bucktails, P. V., was mustered in in Sep- tember, 1862. Its first officers were : John W. Sigler, captain; Miles W. Rose, first lieutenant ; George W. Tryon, second lieutenant. Captain Sigler was wounded at Gettysburg. He continued in command of the company until the close of the war. He was mustered out with the rank of major June 23, 1865. Lieutenant Rose was also wounded at Gettysburg. He was discharged February 23, 1864. Tryon was promoted from second to first lieutenancy March 2, 1864. He was discharged on surgeon's certificate before the close of the same year. Gilbert Gordon, who is still a well-known citizen of Titus- ville, was promoted from sergeant to first lieutenant November 22, 1864. He was mustered out with the rank of captain June 23, 1865, but the date of his commission is June 24, 1865. Francis A. Magee was promoted from ser- geant to second lieutenant, May 1, 1865, and to first lieutenant June 15, 1865. He was mustered out June 25, 1865. Francis Gilson was commissioned sec- ond lieutenant June 15, 1865, and mustered out June 25, 1865. He had first served as sergeant. Peter Fink, sergeant, was mustered out June 25, 1865.
Company D, 163d Regiment, 18th Cavalry, P. V., was mustered in in October, 1862. Its first officers were Joseph Gilmore, captain; Andrew Cun- ningham, first lieutenant; Bethuel R. Mackey, second lieutenant. Gilmore
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was promoted to major November 28, 1862. Cunningham was promoted to captain December 8, 1862, and discharged September 19, 1863. Mackey was promoted to first lieutenant December 9, 1862; to captain December 3. 1864. He was discharged May 15, 1865. at the close of the war. Joseph L. Leslie was promoted from sergeant to second lieutenant, July 1, 1863, and to first lieutenant May 17, 1865. Frank Palmer was promoted from sergeant to second lieutenant December 8, 1862, and discharged June 20, 1863. Francis MI. Magee was promoted from sergeant to second lieutenant May 18, 1865.
The six companies, after the last mustering out, returned to their original rendezvous with greatly thinned ranks, and of those who came back many have already been borne to their final resting place in the cemetery.
OTHER MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS.
The Titusville Citizens' Corps is a local military company, independent in its association. It was organized at about the year 1871. Its object has always been largely for the education and training of its members in mili- tary drills. It is also intended to perform the duties of emergency service, especially in quelling local disturbances of an extraordinary character, when the police force might require assistance. Fortunately no such emergency has ever yet arisen. At first the social relations of the members may have tended to attract young men to its ranks. At different periods the drill of the corps has been excellent. The late Dr. WV. B. Roberts took a great deal of interest in the organization, and to his generosity the corps was much indebted.
Battery B was organized in 1879. The late David Emery was the founder and its first captain, with D. R. Herron first lieutenant and James R. Barber second lieutenant. It was a part of the National Guard of the State, and under the command of the Governor. Captain Emery, in 1880, built for the use of the company an armory, which was dedicated in the summer of 1880 by Governor H. M. Hoyt. The battery company disbanded in 1883, and an infantry company was formed to take its place. This was Company K of the 16th Infantry Regiment, N. G., P. V. The company was mustered in July 30, 1883. Its first commissioned officers were D. R. Herron, captain ; M. R. Rouse, first lieutenant; Seth Church, second lieutenant. In 1881 Her- ron was elected high sheriff of Crawford County, and his duties as sheriff required him to reside at the county seat. After his retirement from the
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company Lieutenant Rouse succeeded him as captain. Church became first lieutenant, and other promotions followed in their proper order. Rouse was captain several years. He built an armory for the use of the company, which the company continues to occupy as its headquarters. Each year the com- pany went into camp, generally if not always at Mt. Gretna. Two or three years ago Captain Rouse resigned and he was succeeded by Ulysses G. Lyons. At the late opening of hostilities between Spain and the United States, most of the members of Company K offered their services, under their company organization, to the national government. By order of the State Executive the company left for Mt. Gretna in the latter part of April, 1898. The com- missioned officers were Ulysses G. Lyons, captain; James W. Young, first lieutenant; Anton Daub, second lieutenant. The non-commissioned officers were: Ralph Armstrong, first sergeant; George M. Dame, quartermaster- sergeant; Vernor Tryon, sergeant: Angus Decker, sergeant; Clyde Sim- mons, sergeant; Samuel P. Henderson, Herbert E. Davidson, George B. Sloan, William B. Shreve, Philip Koff and Fred C. Radack were corporals.
Company K, 16th P. V. I., left Titusville for Mt. Gretna April 27th. It was mustered into U. S. service May 10, 1898. It left for Chickamauga, Ga., about May 15, 1898, arriving about May 17th. Sergeant Ralph Arm- strong, June 10th, was ordered home on recruiting service. He returned June 19th with thirty-two newly enlisted men. The company left July 5th from Chickamauga for Charleston, S. C., arriving there July 7th, and left Charles- ton July 2Ist for Puerto Rico. Arrived at Ponce at about July 28th. Ordered to do provost duty at Ponce. Relieved from that duty August 5th. Joined the regiment near Juan Diaz. The engagement at Coamo in which the company participated occurred August 9th. Went to camp at Coamo same day. Broke camp at Coamo October Ist. Marched to Cayey and went into camp October 3d. On the same day the division received orders to march to Ponce. The 16th Regiment began the march October 7th. Remained at Coamo the night of October 8th. Remained at Juan Diaz the night of Octo- ber 9th. On arriving at Ponce, orders were received to go at once on board . of slip, October Ioth. Arrived home October 19, 1898.
Philip Koff, corporal, died on board U. S. hospital ship Relief, August 13, 1898. He was buried at Ponce.
Elmer E. Grant died at Ist Division, Ist Corps, Hospital, Chickamauga, Ga., July 13, 1898.
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Corporal George B. Sloan died at Division's Hospital September 8. 1898, at Coamo. P. R. Buried in the regimental cemetery, same place.
William H. George died at Division's Hospital, September 9. 1898, at Coamo. P. R. Buried in the regimental cemetery, same place.
Philander Young died in U. S. General Hospital at Ponce. P. R., Sep- tember 15, 1898.
By Regimental Order No. 20. July 4. 1898. Frank E. Coover, Audley V. Rowe, Harvey B. Marsh, John A. Daub, Harry J. Boles and Gurdon W. Hall were each promoted to the rank of corporal. And by Regimental Order No. 32. September 9, 1898, Charles Liebrich and John Courtenay were each promoted to the rank of corporal. The company at one time had one hundred and three men, besides the three commissioned officers.
ACCIDENTS.
In all communities there occasionally occur startling events, great fires or other sudden disasters, which are long remembered by the inhabitants.
On the Fourth of July, 1860, a cyclone struck the little village of Titus- ville, unroofing houses and moving from their base other buildings several rods. Not far from the same time another cyclone came down the valley, doing also not a little damage. The house of Mr. George Brewer, a brother of the late Dr. F. B. Brewer, was one of the buildings unroofed. This house stood on East Pine Street, now Central Avenue, on the southwest corner of Pine and Drake streets. It was subsequently purchased by Mr. A. B. Funk. and long afterward known as the Funk mansion.
Another accident was the falling of the Roberts Building, now the Hotel Brunswick, in December, 1871. It was a four-story brick building, with a high Mansard roof, making a fifth story. The lean-to part, now the west part of the edifice, was not then erected. Take off the lean-to, and there would remain the front on Spring Street, as it then was when the edifice was first raised. The building adjoined the Parshall Block on its west side, the walls of the two edifices in close contact. The brick work of the new building had been hurriedly raised during very cold weather. No complete interior parti- tions liad been constructed. Joists for flooring had been placed, as story after story was raised. The stories, as now, were very high. The Mansard roof was of itself a very heavy structure. All the upper walls were green and either frozen or soft. Some one a short time before the accident had
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noticed a bulge outward of the wall in the first story next to the Parshall Block. While it had been the intention to lay the wall of the new building close to that of the Parshall Block, it is likely that a little open space between the two was left and that a column of water between the two walls, from the top to the bottom, was frozen. The wall of the Parshall Block was dry and solid, so that it could not easily be moved. But the wall of the new building. when not frozen, was damp and the mortar soft. The Mansard roof with its great weight pressed heavily upon the structure below. The Opera House in the Parshall Block was on the west side and adjoining the new building. The Opera House was upon the second floor, and extended upward three stories to the roof. It had two galleries, the second above the first. One night, while the late Frank Mayo was playing in the Opera House, "The Streets of New York," he was roused from his couch by the smell of sul- phurous fumes of coal, which the villain of the plot had set on fire and placed in his room for the purpose of killing him by suffocation, and he called out "Charcoal!" At that instant an indescribably terrific crash, with a frightful jar of the Opera House, was heard. Those in the audience not familiar with the play, though frightened, at first thought it was a part of the performance. But it was only for an instant that any one had such an impression. With blanched faces and every symptom of terror the people rose from their seats, to rush to the stairway and escape from the building. The next instant Mayo was on his feet, waving his hand and shouting : "Keep your seats; it is nothing." His assurance prevented a panic. Those nearest the doors were able to pass out without a jam, and in a very short time the hall was empty, the actors, with the rest, losing no time in making an exit. The people in the Opera House were in reality badly frightened, but Mayo's presence of mind fortunately saved many from serious injury by the rush of a panic stricken crowd for the doors. Some imagined that there was an earthquake, and were afraid they would be buried in the ruins of the great building of the Parshall Block.
When the audience reached the street they immediately learned the cause of their fright. Where now is the lean-to was a three-story wooden building, owned and occupied by Mr. J. H. Whalen. The edifice which fell to the ground occupied all the space between the Parshall Block and the Whalen Building. When the brick edifice fell, its upper walls dropped upon the Whalen Building and crushed it, almost as if it were an egg shell. On the first floor Mr. Whalen had in front a boot and shoe store, with a shoe shop in
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the rear. On the second floor Mrs. Whalen had in front a millinery store and shop. In the rear were the family apartments. On the third floor Mr. and Mrs. Ballantine had rooms, taking their meals outside. Mr. Whalen's family consisted of himself and wife, and two children, who all slept upon the second floor. Their servant girl slept upon the third floor. The acci- dent occurred at about half-past ten at night. Mr. and Mrs. Ballantine were in bed, as was also the servant girl. Sarah, the older of the two children, was away from home. The other, Freddie, a lad seven years old, was in his crib, but not asleep. Mrs. Whalen had just descended to the first floor to speak to her husband, who was still in his store, when the terrible crash came. That four out of six persons in the building should have escaped with only trifling bruises was certainly remarkable. Little Freddie, however, was killed. His mother, leaving him in his crib. descended to speak with her husband, who was still in his store. She had been there scarcely five minutes when the heavy walls of the brick edifice fell upon the Whalen Building, breaking it down as easily as they would have crushed a child's play-house. Mr. Whalen was crowded to one side of the room, so that to save himself he jumped out of a window, while his wife was caught among timbers and pinioned by them. At the same time she heard the little boy, who had gone down with the fall- ing mass, calling, "Mamma, mamma !" his voice growing fainter and fainter, until it ceased altogether. By one of those extraordinary efforts, born of desperation, which seem to possess superhuman strength, Mrs. Whalen suc- ceeded in releasing herself from the vise which had held her. Her little boy was buried under the debris which had poured down upon him. Brave men from outside, hearing Mrs. Whalen's cries, rushed to her aid, and, when told by her where she had last heard Freddie's calls, they at once set themselves at work with all the energy they possessed to remove the broken bricks, tim- bers and debris from the spot where the mother thought the little fellow was lying. Fortunately they soon found the body. It was about eight feet front the spot where Mrs. Whalen had been bound by the timbers.
Mr. and Mrs. Ballantine were landed on the second floor in a very un- comfortable position. But they had not long to wait before men came with ladders and helped them out of their distress. The servant girl, who was also in bed on the third floor when the wooden building was crushed, was precipitated to the lower floor, in a most desperate plight. Her descent was a terribly rough one. Every shred of clothing was torn from her body. A
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colored porter of the Parshall House took off his overcoat and, buttoning it around her. led her to a place where she was properly cared for.
The brick block was rebuilt the next year, 1872, and finished in palatial style in 1873. The remnants of the Whalen Building were moved away. The Roberts Brothers purchased the ground on which it had stood and upon it erected a three-story brick lean-to, upon the west side of the main building. The entire new structure was very substantially built, from the ground to the roof. Solid brick partitions run through the entire length of the edifice and extend from the basement to the top of the highest story. Heavy iron rods at every story interlock the building from side to side and end to end. When the great fire occurred in April, 1882, the walls of the Parshall Block all fell to the ground, while not a brick of the Brunswick Hotel adjoining moved out of its place. The flames went through the interior of the hotel and consumed everything combustible there, but its brick walls stood as intact as when built ten years before. The Mansard roof, however, was abolished, and in its place a fifth story was erected.
The Great Oil Fire of 1880 was a memorable calamity in the history of Titusville. Early on Friday morning, June IIth, there was a thunder shower, when two reports in close succession were heard. The first came from an electric explosion-lightning. The second was from an explosion of petro- leum vapor in the top of a large tank filled with crude oil, on the hill south of the city, west of Perry Street. The writer speaks from personal knowl- edge. He was sitting in his house on the corner of Main and Monroe streets when he heard the two explosions spoken of. He immediately suspected that an oil tank had been struck. He went at once to the corner of the street and saw an oil tank on the south hill on fire. When oil in a tank is struck by light- ning, it is customary to say that lightning has struck the tank. This expres- sion is often erroneous. A wooden tank might be rent by an electric current. But an iron tank, connected by large iron pipes with water connections, as this tank had, would form a perfect conductor for a current of electricity. Light- ning rods have in some cases been erected on the top of iron tanks, a useless provision for warding off electric currents, unless the tanks have no connec- tion with water or moist ground. In the present case the lightning passed through the atmosphere, making a noise which is called thunder. In its course it set fire to the vapor coming from the oil in the tank through open- ings in the roof, the same as electricity ignites gas in a gas engine. The
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