History of Butler County Pennsylvania, 1895

Transcribed by: Jane Lahey. For an explanation and caution about this transcription, please read this page.

Surnames in this chapter are:

AGGAS, ANDERSON, BAILEY, BARRON, BELL, BERG, BOGGS, BOVARD, BOYD, BREADEN, BREDIN, BUHL, BUTLER, CAMPBELL, CAROTHERS, CARR, CHRISTIE, CHRISTY, COCHRAN, COLLINS, COOPER, DODDS, DONALDSON, DUFFY, GALLAGHER, GILMORE, GRAHAM, GREER, HAYS, HENRY, HILL, IRVINE, JACK, KELLY, KENNEDY, KIESTER, KLINGLER, KOHLMYER, LEVIS, LUSK, MARSHALL, MAURHOFF, MCBRIDE, MCCANDLESS, MCJUNKIN, MCKEE, MEHARD, MITCHELL, MURRIN, NEGLEY, O’DONNELL, PHIPPS, POLLOCK, PRYOR, REIBER, RIDDLE, ST. CLAIR, SCOTT, SCHAFFNER, SHANOR, SLATER, STAMM, STEWART, TAYLOR, THOMPSON, TOLLY, TROUTMAN, TURNER, WALLACE, WALTER, WELSH, WHITE, WICK, WILSON, ZIEGLER, NICHOLDSON, ORR, WILLIAMSON, MCCANN, SUNDERLAND, KNOX, SCHENCK, MCWILLIAMS, BEATTY, FRAZIER, MELVIN, DAVIS, HAROLD, CARPENTER, FEIGLER

From its organization in 1803, until 1807, the business of the county was transacted in rented quarters. In 1807 a brick court-house was erected on the site of the present building. It was plain, but substantial, having gables east and west. The court room was on the first floor, and a high railing separated the court and bar from the space without, which was paved with brick. The upstairs was occupied by county officers. A wooden cupola surmounted the east end or front of the building, in which was hung a bell, which is said to be still doing duty upon one of the churches in Prospect. This building was used for school purposes in its earlier history, until school buildings could be provided. It was also frequently used for holding religious services by congregations without a regular house of worship of their own.

On January 6, 1807, the contract for erecting this building was let to Alexander HILL; and the record shows that from February 7, 1807, to September 8, 1809, he was paid the sum of $4,793.34, less $325.27 deducted by the referees or arbitrators, to whom the differences between himself and the commissioners were submitted. A number of disbursements were made in 1824 for doors in the jail and court-house, glazing windows and placing extra irons in and around the jail. These items of expenditure would lead to the belief that the prisoners delighted in picking the prison to pieces, and that plaintiffs, defendants, witnesses and jurors devoted much time to whittling doors, sash and benches.

This building answered the purposes of the county until 1851, when the question of erecting new public buildings at Butler was presented to the county. The proposition met with some opposition on the part of the tax-payers. On January 26, 1852, the opponents of the scheme met at the Associate Reformed church, near West Sunbury, elected John MURRIN president; Thomas C. THOMPSON, Capt. James STEWART, Robert McCANDLESS, John PRYOR, William CAROTHERS, Alexander GALLAGHER, vice-presidents; and George BOYD, J. W. CHRISTY, S. S. MEHARD, Allen WILSON and Patrick McBRIDE, secretaries. A series of resolutions were adopted, the gist of which was, that were new buildings to be erected, the center of the county should be selected, and that the commissioners should be empowered to purchase a tract of land in such central position, and plat the area, not required for public purposes, into lots. The friends of this proposition saw in it an easy [p. 111] method of obtaining new buildings without increasing taxation; but they did not consider the vested interests of the people of Butler.

On February 19, 1852, an anti-removal meeting was held at Butler, presided over by John WHITE, of Franklin township, at which the removal of the county seat was seriously considered. Township committees were appointed to obtain signatures to a petition, which was to be presented to the legislature on the subject. The men appointed for this purpose were Daniel SHANOR and John NEGLEY, South Butler; William JACK and Robert McKEE, North Butler; Matthew GREER and Patrick KELLY, Buffalo; Doctor LUSK and John LEVIS, West Connoquenessing; Robert GRAHAM and J. B. ANDERSON, East Connoquenessing; John IRVINE, Jr., and Thomas W. BOGGS, Cranberry; John GALLAGHER and Joseph HENRY, Clearfield; George BOYD and Sylvanus AGGAS, Centre; Washington BOVARD and Charles STEWART, Cherry; Elisha WICK and John O’DONNELL, Donegal; John WHITE and Jacob PHIPPS, Franklin; John SCOTT and John S. WHITE, Fairview; John RIDDLE and Robert THOMPSON, Muddy Creek; James CARR and William GILMORE, Mercer; W. C. WALLACE and George COOPER, Middlesex; J. P. WICK and Archibald KELLY, Parker; Samuel KELLY and Jesse KIESTER, Slippery Rock; John POLLOCK and Henry KOHLMYER, Venango; Robert CAMPBELL and James STEWART, Washington; E. MAURHOFF and T. H. TOLLY, Saxonburg.

The petition duly signed by numerous citizens of the county, was presented to the legislature. It seems to have had its intended effect on that body, which in May following passed a bill authorizing the commissioners of Butler county to borrow $20,000 at six per cent for a period of twenty years (the lenders not to be subject to taxation for that sum), to be expended in the erection of public buildings. This action of the legislature put a quietus on the county seat removal project, and insured the erection of a new court-house at Butler.

Immediately after the passage of this bill by the legislature and its approval by the Governor, the board of commissioners, consisting of Thomas WELSH, James MITCHELL and Thomas KELLY, took steps to secure the early erection of the proposed building. In order to inform themselves as to the character of the building best adapted to the needs of the county, they first consulted with Architect BARR, and afterwards, in their official capacity, spent twelve days visiting the county seats of Lawrence, Beaver, Allegheny, Washington, Greene, Fayette, Blair and Indiana counties, and examining their public buildings. The result of this trip was that they decided to build a more imposing and costly edifice than was at first contemplated, a measure which met with much opposition and more grumbling on the part, of those who had favored the county seat removal scheme, and who thought a cheaper building would answer just as well. Nevertheless, on July 16, 1852, bids having been previously invited, the contract for the new building was awarded to William BELL for $37,000. This amount was increased by extras to $40,000. After its completion the new court-house was regarded as one of the largest and best public buildings in Western Pennsylvania, and became and remained the pride of the county for more than a third of a century.

"It was built," says a recent writer in the Butler Eagle, "of excellent materials, native sand-stone and brick, the stone-work being cut in a substantial manner, and of a style of architecture which possessed great dignity and beauty. [p. 112] The Goddess of Liberty, with the scales so delicately balanced in her right hand and the sword of Justice in the other, so ingeniously carved on the front gable, was suggestive, and the statue of Gen. Richard BUTLER, who fell at ST. CLAIR’s defeat, in 1791, and after whom the town and county were named, was admired by all who viewed the structure. So much was this statue prized that when it became necessary to remodel the building somewhat it was carefully lowered, and finally placed on the comb of the roof in front of the improved court-house of 1877. This improvement was made in the fall of 1877, under the supervision of the then board of commissioners, J. C. DONALDSON, Robert BARRON and W. A. CHRISTIE. The improvement cost about $10,000. It consisted of a new roof and a change in the shape of the ceiling, re-plastering, frescoing and a modification of the cupola, with the addition of a clock. It was much improved in appearance, but was still not large enough for present uses. Malcolm GRAHAM, then of Butler, had the contract. With the purchase of additonal buildings for some of the offices it would have answered the needs of the county for perhaps fifty years. This idea would have been probably carried out had the building not been destroyed by fire, December 11, 1883."

Continuing, the same writer says: "Immediately after the fire, the commissioners, George W. HAYS, of Middlesex township, Charles COCHRAN, of Concord township, and James COLLINS, of Fairview township, set about to get temporary quarters for the court and county officers. The basement of the Methodist Episcopal church was secured for the holding of court, and it was so used for the balance of the December term of quarter sessions, which was in session at the time of the fire. The county officers established offices in different parts of town for the time being, or until the commissioners could provide places for them. After some discussion and examination the English Lutheran church building-formerly Witherspoon Institute-was leased for a term of two years, and was occupied by the court and county officers.

"The first legal step taken toward the erection of a new building was in March, 1884. During the session of the regular term of court the commissioners presented a paper to the court, announcing the destruction of the court-house by fire, accompanied with a statement of the financial condition of the county. The court-Judge BREDIN-submitted the question to the grand jury-James D. ANDERSON, of Penn township, foreman-for their action, amplifying his remarks on the subject by suggesting the wisdom of erecting a commodious and substantial building. The grand jury made report, advising the county commissioners to proceed with the re-building of the court-house with whatever enlargements might be found necessary for the accommodation of the public business, and recommending that they avail themselves of the services of experienced architects. The jury expressed the belief in their presentment that such a building could be erected at a cost of $85,000. Thus matters stood until the convening of the June court, when the question was again submitted to the grand jury by the court-Judge McJUNKIN presiding-accompanied by remarks discouraging the proposition to erect an expensive building. This grand jury-N. M. SLATER, of Butler, foreman-reported in favor of a new building, but placed the probable cost at $50,000. Nothing further was done until the September court, some question [p. 113] having been raised in the meantime as to the regularity of the drawing of the juries for the March and June sessions. It was again referred to the grand jury, of which Henry BUHL, of Forward township, was foreman. This jury said: ‘We recommend that it be built of such material, stone or brick, as the commissioners of the county, after diligent search, and inquiry of good mechanics and master workmen, think best. And further, we recommend that the commisssioners use all the economy possible in the construction of a durable and sufficient building.’ In the meantime James P. BAILEY, of Pittsburg, had been selected as architect, and the general plan of the building agreed upon. Three months were occupied in preparing the plans and specifications.

"Sealed bids were invited by publication for the erection of the building, which were opened by S. T. MARSHALL, clerk of the commissioners, on the 13th day of September, 1884, in the court room, and in the presence of the judges of the court and a goodly number of citizens. Jacob ZIEGLER, of the Herald, read the bids in stentorian tones, and they were transcribed on the commissioners’ minute book by clerk of courts, W. B. DODDS. The bids were as follows:

"Matters remained in statu quo for some time after the bids were opened, the commissioners deeming it proper to leave the matter open for discussion. They finally awarded the contract to R. B. TAYLOR, the lowest bidder, and notified him of the fact, and invited him to enter into a contract. His bid of $117,700 included all the work, except that of frescoing, heating apparatus and the furniture for the bench and bar. Nothing was done by the commissioners until the meeting of the December court, when a bill in equity was filed-being George WALTER, H. J. KLINGLER, Adam TROUTMAN, John BERG, Jr., Chas. DUFFY and Ferd REIBER, plaintiffs, versus George W. HAYS, Charles COCHRAN and James COLLINS, commissioners of Butler county, defendants. This bill charged that the plan of the court-house, especially the tower, was weak, and would be unsafe, if erected; that the building was too expensive, and prayed the court to restrain the commissioners from entering into a contract with Taylor for the erection of the same. The court-Judge McJUNKIN presiding-granted the preliminary [p. 114] injunction as prayed for. TAYLOR, the contractor, and BAILEY, the architect, each presented his petition to court, praying to be permitted to become co-defendants to the bill. Upon this, rules to show cause, were issued, and answers were filed. After hearing, rules were made absolute. The December grand jury-D. R. KENNEDY, of Muddy Creek township, foreman-protested against the erection of a court-house on the BAILEY plans, as being too expensive and extravagant, condemned the stone walls proposed, and wanted a fire-proof building erected at a cost of $76,000.

"Thus matters stood when the old board retired, and the new board, composed of John M. TURNER, of Parker township, J. C. BREADEN, of Clay township, and John C. KELLY, of Adams township, took their seats on the first Monday of January, 1885. BAILEY and TAYLOR took out a writ of error and had the case heard on January 23, 1885, in the Supreme Court, then in session in Philadelphia, which tribunal dissolved the injunction at the cost of the plaintiffs. After some further delay the commissioners ratified the contracts entered into by the old board, with BAILEY and TAYLOR, as found on the minute book in the commissioners’ office."

The work of razing the walls of the old building was begun May 8, 1884, under the direction of George SCHAFFNER, and within ten days the site was ready for the builders of the new edifice. Work was not begun, however, until April 6, 1885, owing to the delay caused by the legal controversy over the letting of the contract. The stone used in the foundation was obtained from Joseph KELLY’s farm, near Euclid, and from the walls of the old building. The outside walls, twenty-two inches thick, are built of rock-face stone and lined with brick. The stones for the walls above the foundation were quarried within a radius of three miles from town, and hauled in on wagons, while the brick for the partitions and the lining of the stone walls were moulded and burnt in Butler by J. George STAMM. The sandstone used was obtained from the Berea quarries in Ohio.

The architecture is of the composite order, being a mingling of the gothic and second pointed style of the French. The tower adds to the imposing appearance of the building, which may well be regarded as an eloquent witness of the public spirit and progressive ideas which characterize the people of Butler county, and which never fail to assert themselves in all matters involving county pride or public good.

The interior of the building is handsomely finished, and the court room and offices commodious, convenient and well finished. Vaults are provided for the safe-keeping of records, books and papers, and the building is well-heated and lighted throughout. The clock in the tower "takes note of passing time," and serves to attract the attention of the "stranger within the gates" to the handsome edifice, wherein justice is administered "without fear or favor," and crime punished in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth.

[End of Chapter 8 - Public Buildings: History of Butler County Pennsylvania, R. C. Brown Co., Publishers, 1895]

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Updated 11 Dec 1999, 14:48