Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1), Part 94

Author: Babcock, Charles A.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

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A lover of good reading, Mr. Duncan has also been a composer of verses of merit, many of which were published in newspapers of the largest cities of the country. He has compiled a book of poems entitled "Along Life's Path," not published from any remunerative motive, merely for his own pleasure. His composi- tions attracted many readers, and there were demands for the volume to the extent that a second edition was necessary. He is a lover of nature and romance, and put his thoughts into verse.

It was one of the pleasures of Mr. Duncan to interest himself in the welfare of young men making their way in life, and many of them from time to time have greeted him after becoming successful business men, thanking him for his assistance, without which they would not have made their way in the world. The kindness of Mr. Chalfont was ever fresh in the mind of Mr. Duncan, and it was a pleasure to him to aid the struggling young man in his battle for life.

In his own quiet manner Mr. Duncan has been a, contributor to charities, the majority of benefactions on his part being known only to himself. His gifts to the church have been liberal.

During the great flood and fire that occurred in Oil City in the early nineties, when the whole flats were inundated by excessive rains and the bursting of large dams on Oil creek, a train of gondola cars, loaded with skelp iron for the tube works, exten led four or five hun-

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dred feet into the flood. Mr. Duncan, sum- moning help and utilizing lumber from the adjoining lumber yards, made connection to the second story windows of the houses that could be thus reached, and it is estimated that over one hundred persons, including women and children, were conducted to safety over this train of cars. A twenty-thousand-barrel tank of benzine, having been undermined, emptied its contents on the surface of the water, and the benzine being ignited by a passing loco- motive a series of explosions occurred through which sixty odd persons lost their lives. But for the precaution and prompt action upon the part of Mr. Duncan, who directed the affair, the hundred or more rescued would have met the same fate.

Now past threescore and ten years, Mr. Duncan is as active as many men ten years his junior. His mental faculties are strong, his mind so clear that he can review the happenings in his busy life without the slight- est difficulty. Names and dates are firmly fixed in his memory, and he does not have to refer to other occurrences to locate the time and place of events. He is a most entertain- ing conversationalist, with a fund of informa- tion and a most agreeable manner. The humorous side of occurrences appeals to him, the ready Irish wit predominating. Frater- nally Mr. Duncan is a Knight Templar Mason. He has been a success in every institution he has taken hold of.

At Pittsburgh Mr. Duncan married Rachael Duncan, and they have had the unusual ex- perience of enjoying the golden anniversary of their wedding. Of the children born to them four reached maturity : William R. Duncan, who died in 1905; Stella, who married E. S. Bush, of Chicago, and died in middle life; Garde Chalfont ; and Jessie Florence, the last named living at home.

WILLIAM R. DUNCAN was for fifteen years teller of the Oil City Trust Company. He then became secretary of the Pure Oil Com- pany at New York City, which his father had assisted in starting, and about 1903 took the position of secretary of the Citizens' Gas Com- pany at Gas City, Ind. His last years were spent in close association with his father, whom he relieved of much of the detail work of his extensive interests.

GARDE CHALFONT DUNCAN, who was edu- cated in the Oil City schools and Allegheny College, spent some years of his early man- hood in the office of the Penn Refining Com- pany at Oil City, and later filled a responsible position with the office force of the Empire

Oil Works there, severing that business rela- tionship at the time of his brother's death to devote himself to matters pertaining to his estate, and he now has practically full charge of his father's large interests also. He is keenly alive to the public welfare, as well as promoting the business activities of his com- munity, though he has not taken any direct part in the administration of local affairs. He is a Scottish Rite Mason, a member of the Knights Templars and Consistory.

Mr. Duncan was married in Oil City to Inez Miller, a native of Dayton, Ohio, daughter of B. H. Miller, late of the National Transit Company. Mrs. Duncan was educated in the Oil City high school. She and her husband attend the Second Presbyterian Church and assist generously in its support. They have no children.

ALEXANDER W. BROWN, of Pleasant- ville, is now the only survivor of the four brothers, John F., William, Samuel Queen and Alexander W. Brown, composing the once famous firm of Brown Brothers, whose repu- tation as merchants was of the highest charac- ter, and whose operations in the realm of oil production made the name a household word.

No history of Venango county could be com- plete without the record of the Brown family, whose activities in all the phases of its devel- opment have constituted an important contri- bution to the general progress. In personal character and standing they have been counted among the sterling citizens of the county, nor have they been second to any in material achievement. John Brown, the father of these four brothers, was as esteemed and influential in his generation as his sons became in their day. Born in the North of Ireland in 1789, he was of Scotch origin, his Covenanter ances- tors leaving Scotland during the persecutions under King James II. Coming to America about 1817, he lived in New York City until 1833, and in 1827 was engaged in business there. Before leaving Ireland he had antici- pated the satisfaction of being a land owner, and it was this that drew him to Pennsylvania. He was one of a little colony of settlers who came to this section at the same time, he and a number of others having commissioned an agent to go out and secure locations for them in northwestern Pennsylvania. But the agent, instead of choosing sites for his clients in one neighborhood, as they desired, had procured widely separated tracts, and that selected for Mr. Brown was in the wilderness several miles north of Titusville. He had come out alone

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early in 1833, making the journey by way of Harrisburg, and leaving Mrs. Brown to follow with the family and household goods, as well as the stock of merchandise with which to start a store, by the more leisurely way of the Erie canal, so that he could have time to pre- pare a home. He was so disappointed in his land that he proceeded on to Pleasantville, an attractive small village in Venango county, and secured a location there. When the fam- ily joined him the outlook was so discouraging that they decided to return to New York as soon as possible, and part of the household goods were not unpacked. But the stock of merchandise had to be disposed of before the return journey could be undertaken, and as it had to be sold on credit owing to the conditions then prevailing a stay of some months was necessary. By the end of that period they had become so attached to the place and to their new neighbors that they had no desire to leave. Mr. Brown was thus the first mer- chant at Pleasantville. His first residence here was a log house on State street, at the crossing of the run, and his store was at the same location. As a business man he was re- markably successful, applying himself closely to the maintenance of his trade, his little store and stock forming the nucleus of the large business later done by his sons under the name of Brown Brothers, carried on as such until 1872. John Brown obtained considerable new land in and around Pleasantville, and in his lifetime much of it was converted into valuable farming tracts. Meanwhile he enlarged his store as the increasing needs of his patronage demanded, and added to his stock, which be- came quite comprehensive, including dry goods, groceries, drugs, farm implements, and other goods carried by country merchants. He erected the first brick store in the village, and it was the only business house left stand- ing after the great fire of 1871. Mr. Brown was a leading spirit in local affairs, and served . as burgess of Pleasantville in 1857, though he did as much for the town in his capacity as a private citizen. He died there July 31, 1861. at the age of seventy-two years. He always attributed much of his success in life to his wife. Mary Ann (Queen), whom he married in New York about 1820. She was born in 1795 in the North of Ireland, came to America in infancy, was a model wife and mother. truly noble and good, and lived to the ripe old age of eighty years, dying Oct. 16, 1875, at Pleas- antville. Her mother, who passed her last

days with Mr. and Mrs. Brown, died at the age of ninety-one years.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Brown were Covenant- ers, and she always retained a loyal affection for the church of her youth, although she united with the Presbyterian denomination when it absorbed the Covenanter Church at Pleasantville. Mr. Brown was always one of the foremost workers in that church, which he virtually founded and in whose interest he always labored zealously. There were kindred spirits of the same origin and faith among those who accompanied him to this region, James Geary, Andrew McCandless and Daniel Wilson securing homes near Pleasantville at and near Neilltown, at about the same time, and all became important citizens and members of the Covenanter Church. Mr. Brown se- cured contributions for the construction of a house of worship, which these early members sustained during their lives. As already indi- cated, it has since become the Presbyterian Church at Pleasantville. Mr. Brown was a practical Christian, not only generous to his church but also in helping those in need, though he was very modest regarding his charities, considering such opportunities more of a privilege than an obligation. He had strong family ties, took great interest in the education and progress of his children, and was much gratified at being able to leave a good property to them. His family consisted of the four sons mentioned and one daughter, Elizabeth, who became the wife of Dr. John Wilson and whose son is Samuel Q. Wilson of Pleasantville, mentioned elsewhere in this work. Two of the sons, John F. and William, continued to reside with the mother at the old home, neither marrying. Their personal business life was given to the management of the store. John F. Brown, born July 9, 1824, in New York City, was a man of quiet, unob- trusive disposition, ever keen in observing the needs of others, many being the acts of gra- cious assistance to those in want of which no one knew at the time but the recipient. He was fond of nature and had great consider- ation for birds and other animals, caring for them solicitously. He died Dec. 11, 1909. William Brown, born April 14, 1829, died May 7. 1896. He was much similar in personality to his elder brother, with a pleasant greeting for all, and was an ex- cellent type of the earnest Christian gentle- man. Samuel Q. Brown helped to establish the first bank at Pleasantville as a member of the firm of Mitchell & Brown, and later be-

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came president of the Pleasantville Bank, organized in December, 1872. His career broadened out, touching many things that had a decided bearing not only upon local affairs, but upon the commercial and industrial life of the nation. Separate mention is accorded him on another page.

Alexander W. Brown was born at Pleasant- ville, Sept. 4, 1837, and here his entire life of more than eighty years has been lived. No man living has seen more than he of the entire workings of the development of the oil indus- try, with which almost from its inception he has been closely and actively affiliated. Drawn into the midst of the whirlpool of production and speculation, and knowing personally every man of note who ever became largely interested in the oil fields, he was never strongly influenced by the frenzy of others, but with sound Scotch judgment, possibly emphasized by his father's caution to conserv- ativeness, he kept a clear head and conscience, not permitting himself to be carried off his balance by any of its fluctuations. Today, with fourscore years behind him, he is appar- ently as keen of intellect and as sprightly of step as ever. No other excitement in the world's history carried men's minds to more exalted anticipation than the discovery of oil, and certainly none shows lower depths of despondency and despair than was repeated time and again on Oil creek and its environs. Mr. Brown became associated with the Bu- chanan Oil Company, owned by Rouse, Mitch- ell & Brown, being present when the lease was secured from Mr. Buchanan, who had refused to lease to anyone until he learned that the Brown brothers were the sons of John Brown, of Pleasantville. Then he said: "Yes, I will lease to you ; I was too poor to pay my way to America and your father sent me the pas- sage money. There is nothing I'll refuse to

a son of John Brown." One of Mr. Brown's early wells paid handsomely. A man called to buy a new well at Cash Up that he-Brown - had recently brought in, and demanded the price. Oil was selling at five dollars a barrel, and the well was yielding freely. Mr. Brown fixed the price at forty thousand dollars, cash in hand. Dr. Shamburg asked him to go to Titusville and close the deal, the money being fully counted out. The Doctor then asked for a suitable name for the well. Mr. Brown re- sponded, call it "Cash Up." which was done, and the name has adhered to the community ever since. When Samuel Q. Brown opened his brokerage office in New York City in 1868 Alexander W. Brown secured options on lands

which were readily sold in the Eastern market. When his brother reached out into the larger enterprises he would at times take a financial interest in them, but generally preferred that his transactions should be confined to the field where he could personally supervise them. Like his father and brothers Mr. Brown has been public-spirited in town affairs, doing much to beautify, improve and build up the place and make it a desirable home community. He served as postmaster during the Civil war period, and as councilman in 1876 and 1879.

Mr. Brown was married July 11, 1865, to Minerva M. Mitchell, daughter of Thomas and Eliza (Lamb) Mitchell and sister of John and David Mitchell. At the same ceremony his brother Samuel Q. Brown was married, the brides being cousins. Of the four chil- dren born to this union the eldest, Roland, died at the age of twenty years. Dr. Alex. Mcleod Brown is a practicing physician at Franklin, this county. Donald W., of the Tidewater Oil Company, is established at Robinson, Ill. Jane MI. is the wife of Frank Haskell, of Tulsa, Okla. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have occupied their present home at Pleasantville for nearly fifty-three years, having begun housekeeping there. It was bought and equipped from the sale of the "Cash Up" well, and in roominess and general attractions com- pares well with the most desirable dwellings in that part of the county, having been well kept up from the beginning. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Brown has ever cared to exchange their pleasant rural surroundings for the excite- ments of metropolitan life, preferring to spend the evening of their days amid the familiar scenes and friends of many years.

DAVID T. BORLAND has during his resi- dence of a half century and more at Oil City been identified with interests which in their variety of nature and purpose indicate unusual versatility of mind and breadth of thought. As a forceful figure in business and financial circles, a public official of proved integrity and honorable purpose, the practical friend of many civic enterprises which have benefited the community appreciably, his activities have pro- moted the general welfare in many ways. His success in the management of his business af- fairs has been sufficient to rank him with the foremost men of the city, where he has been established since the fall of 1864.

Mr. Borland was born April 4, 1839, in Allegheny county, Pa., where the family is one of old standing, his grandfather. James Bor- land, having farmed there until his death.

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Thomas Borland, father of David T. Bor- 1892 to 1902 Mr. Borland was a director of the land, was engaged in the lumber business and Citizens' Traction Company of Oil City. rafting in Allegheny county, where he lived With his home in the borough of Siverly. which has since become part of Oil City, of which it constitutes the Tenth ward, Mr. Bor- land gave his time and efforts loyally to pro- mote good government and conserve the best interests of the people, and as member of the school board and council on many occasions displayed his unselfish desire to place the af- fairs of the municipality upon an efficient basis. showing a knowledge of the needs of the com- munity and the most effective means of supply- ing them which evidenced intense thought and study of the situation. In the line of public improvement also has been his connection with the Oak Grove Cemetery Association, of which he has been a director and one of its most re- liable workers. He is a leading member of Trinity M. E. Church of Oil City, to which his family also belongs, and is now filling the presidency of the board of trustees. As a veteran of the Civil war Mr. Borland is affil- iated with the Grand Army of the Republic. He has also belonged to the Sons of Tem- perance. and died. He married Elizabeth Barr. David T. Borland spent his early life at Tarentum, Allegheny county, received a common school education, and lived at home until twenty-two years old. Part of this time he was engaged in agricultural work, but when a boy of four- teen years he found employment at the salt wells, assisting with the drilling and other operations, following this for four years in all. He was so occupied at the time of his enlistment in the Union army, which he joined in June, 1862, becoming a corporal in Company F, 123d Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, which was attached to the Army of the Po- tomac. During the nine months of his service he took part in the battles of Antietam and Fredericksburg, being wounded in the latter engagement, Dec. 13, 1862, by a gunshot in the thigh, which incapacitated him. Upon receiving his discharge he went out to Kan- sas, where he drilled the first salt well put down in that section in June. 1864. However, he did not remain there owing to the unsettled condition of the country, returning to Alle- When twenty-two years old Mr. Borland married Mary A. Kennedy, of Westmoreland county. Pa., and they have had a family of five children, three now surviving, namely : Bertha. Mrs. C. W. Downing. deceased; Wil- liam K .; Emma, deceased; Walter S .; and Anna, wife of Dr. A. L. Coyle, of Wheeling, West Virginia. gheny county, and in the fall of 1864 he came to Oil City, where he took the position of superintendent with the Eldorado Oil Com- pany. After two years in this connection he engaged in the production of oil, to which he devoted his attention exclusively for several years following, his operations being at dif- ferent locations in Venango county, but mostly near Oil City. In 1874 he embarked in the lumber and coal trade, in which line he con- tinued profitably until 1887, doing business under the name of the Oil City Lumber & Coal Company. Upon his retirement there- from his sons William and Walter took his interests, and they are still engaged in the business; for the last fifteen years the firm style has been the Borland Lumber Company.

When he withdrew from the lumber busi- ness Mr. Borland resumed extensive operations as an oil producer and is still so engaged, hav- ing valuable holdings in the vicinity of Oil City. But he has also gone into other fields, as the associations which he maintains show. He is vice president of the Oil City Trust Company, to which office he was elected four years ago after a number of years' service on the board of directors, and as this is the most heavily capitalized financial institution in Oil City his authoritative position in its management gives assurance of executive and business qualities beyond the ordinary. From

BRYAN HILL OSBORNE, of Franklin, is a lawyer and business man of versatile talents, well exemplified in the success which has accompanied his various undertakings, of whatever character. In more than thirty- five years of practice at the Venango county bar he has won distinction in the legal profes- sion, and at the same time has carried exten- sive and important responsibilities in the field of business, has devoted considerable thought to vital public questions, and has spent much time in the service of his fellow citizens, attempting to realize some of his cherished ideals in that line. With a mind alert to per- ceive the best possibilities of whatever inter- ests him, and the requisite mental and physical energy to follow his conclusions with action, he has accomplished much of value to the community besides handling his own affairs capably.

Mr. Osborne is the first of his family to make a permanent home in Pennsylvania. though his father, Dr. David Cuvier Osborne,

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Divide Le Osborne

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is very well remembered in this section, where Daniel, Thomas, Abigail, Rebecca and Mary. These were born at Easthampton.

he was established for several years in the course of a long and fruitful ministry in the Methodist Church. The Osbornes are of old New England stock, there having been several families of the name in New Haven, Conn., among the early settlers.

(I) Thomas Osborne, from Mardstone, England, the pioneer ancestor of the branch of the family in which we are interested, re- moved in 1650 to Easthampton, L. I., and was a land owner there. In 1687 he conveyed all his remaining lands to his son Benjamin and returned to his old home at New Haven, where he died. By occupation he was a tanner. His children were: Benjamin, Thomas (men- tioned below), John and Jeremiah.

Richard Osborne, brother of Thomas, came from England to Hingham, Mass., thence to New Haven; he served in the Pequot war. He was a tanner by trade. Afterward he lived at Fairfield, Conn., and Newtown, L. I. The children of Richard Osborne were: John, Elizabeth, Priscilla and David.

John Osborne, another early settler of New Haven, removed to Fairfield with his father Richard; he married Sarah Bennett and had children : Samuel, John, David, Joseph and Elizabeth.

Jeremiah Osborne, perhaps a brother of Richard, settled in New Haven ; was a tanner ; served as deputy to the General Court, 1672- 74. By his wife Mary he had children: Re- becca, Increase, Benjamin, Jeremiah, Mary, Elizabeth, Jeremiah (2), Joanna, Thomas and Elizabeth (2). Similarity among the names of the children of Richard, Jeremiah and Thomas would indicate that they were broth- ers.

(II) Thomas Osborne (2), son of Thomas above, was born in England in 1622 and came to this country with the family. He removed from New Haven, Conn., to Easthampton. L. I., with his father, and died at Easthampton in 1712, aged ninety years. Among his chil- dren was Daniel.

(III) Daniel Osborne, son of Thomas (2), born in 1666 at Easthampton, L. I., died there Jan. 6, 1713. His branch of the family located in the lower part of Main street, Easthampton, and from that fact came to be known in later years as the "Down Street Osbornes." The old homestead of Daniel Osborne was owned in recent years by Daniel E. Osborne. Daniel Osborne married Eliz- abeth Hedges, daughter or granddaughter of William Hedges, immigrant ancestor of the Hedges family of New York. Children : 81

(IV) Daniel Osborne (2), born about 1690 at Easthampton, died there May 18, 1757. On June 10, 1713, he married Elizabeth Austin. Children : Elizabeth, Daniel, Rebecca, Jonathan, Hannah and David.

(V) David Osborne, son of Daniel (2), born May II, 1720, at Easthampton, L. I., died Dec. 4, 1792. To his marriage with Mary Hunting were born five children, the sons being Daniel and David.

(VI) David Osborne (2), born in East- hampton, Aug. 22, 1761, died Feb. 16, 1813, at Kingsbury, Washington Co., N. Y. On Nov. 20, 1788, he was married at Amenia, Dutchess Co., N. Y., to Lucretia Harris, who was born at Cornwall, Litchfield Co., Conn., July 30, 1768, and died at Kingsbury, Jan. 30, 1811. Children : Cornelia, born Oct. 2, 1789, died Dec. 23, 1821. Maria, born April 5, 1791, died the same day. John Huntting, born in November, 1792, died Aug. 13, 1794. Sophronia Lucretia, born April 5, 1795, died Aug. 3, 1830. Platt Smith is mentioned below. Harriet Munro, born April 13, 1800, died June 5, 1829. Harris Burnett, born Jan. 12, 1803, died in 1889. Morris Dickson, born Dec. 29, 1805, died July 26, 1808. Cynthia Ann, born Oct. 29, 1807, died Feb. 4, 1864.

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Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1), Part 94

Author: Babcock, Charles A. Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: Babcock, Charles A.
Publication date: 1879
Publisher:
Number of Pages: