Transcribed by Betty Shakeley. For an explanation and caution about this transcription, please read this page.
Surnames in this chapter are:
ADAMS, ADRIAN, AKLEY, ALEXANDER, ALTMAN, AMERY, AMEY, ANDERSON, ANDREWS, AVEMANN, BACKUS, BAILEY, BAIRD, BAKER, BANKS, BARD, BARTHOLD, BARTHOLDI, BEACH, BEAUTON, BEESON, BENEDICT, BENNETT, BERKHART, BLACK, BLYERS, BOTTNER, BOWERS, BRANDON, BRATTON, BRICKER, BROWN, BULLOCK, BUNCE, BURKE, BURKHART, BURNS, BUZZARD, BYERS, CALLAHAN, CAMERON, CAMPBELL, CARLIN, CARMAN, CAULEY, CHATHAM, CHEESBRO, CHESEBRO, CHRISTIE, CHRISTY, CLARK, CLEMENS, CLIFTON, CLUPPER, SLUXTON, COFFIN, COLE, COMERFORD, COMPTON, COULTER, COURTNEY, CRAM CROMLING, CROSS, CULLINAN, CYPHER, DAILY, DAUGHERTY, DEAN, DECKER, DECOURCEY, DENHOLM, DILL, DIMMICK, DOUGHERTY, DUFFY, ELLIOTT, ENGLISH, ERVIN, ESPY, EVANS, FIDLER, FITZGERALD, FLEMING, FLETCHER, FOOTE, FORCHT, FORQUER, FOSTER, FOWLER, FRENCH, GARDNER, GARING, GEORGE, GIBSON, GIFFORD, GILMORE, GIVEN, GOODMAN, GOTHAM, GRAHAM, GRAND, GREEN, GREENWOOD, GRIFFIN, HAFELE, HAND, HANNA, HARLAN, HARLEY, HARPER, HARRIS, HARRISON, HARSHAW, HART, HARVEY, HATCH, HAWK, HAWKINS, HAYS, HAZLETT, HECKLER, HENDERSON, HERBERT, HERR, HINDMAND, HINMAN, HOGAN, HUGHES, IRELAND, JAMESON, JELLISON, JENNINGS, JEWELL, JOHNSON, JONES, JORDAN, JURY, KEEFER, KELLOGG, KELLY, KILCHENSTEIN, KILROY, KING, KIRSCHARTZ, KLINGENSMITH, LARDIN, LECKY, LENEHAN, LEVINE, LEVINSON, LEWIS, LINDSEY, LINN, LONG, LOOMIS, LUTZINGER, LYON, McBRIDE, McCALL, McCARTHY, McCASLIN, McCAUGHTRY, McCLURE, McFARLAND, McNELL, MAHNEKE, MARKS, MASSON, MILES, MILLER, MILLICHAMP, MORRISON, MURRAY, NANSTIEL, NESBITT, NESS, NEWMAN, NORTON, O'DONNELL, O'GRADY, OSTRANDER, OTTO, PAINE, PAINTER, PARSONS, PATTON, PORTERFIELD, POWDERLY, PRICE, PURCELL, QUINN, QUIGLEY, RANKIN, RAVER, RICE, RIDDLE, ROBERTSON, ROOT, ROWLEY, RUCH, RUSSEL, RUTHERFORD, RYDER, SACHEN, SAMUEL, SATTERFIELD, SCHICK, SCHOFIELD, SCUDDER, SHEFFIELD, SHIRA, SHIRLEY, SHRECKENGOST, SMALL, SMITH, SONWRECKER, SPENCE, SQUIRES, STAND, STARR, STEVENSON, STONE, STONER, STUBBS, SUTHERLAND, TAYLOR, TEMPLETON, TESKE, THOMPSON, TIERNEY, TILLINGHAST, TORONSKI, TOTTEN, TUBBS, TUPPER, TURNER, VAN NORMAN, VENSEL, WALCOTT, WALTERS, WEEKS, WEIR, WESSON, WEST, WHITFORD, WILLIAMS, WILSON, WOLCOTT, WORDEN, YEAGER, YOUGH, ZILLIFRO, ZIRCK
In February 1872, the site of Petrolia was a part of the Bear Creek wilderness. The little building erected by W. E. CLARK that month was the beginning of the town, though the J. B. JAMESON farm house stood where the present opera house is, and the cleared lands and homes of A. L. CAMPBELL and George H. GRAHAM stood in evidence of pastoral civilization having settled there before commercial enterprise appeared. In April, 1872, the "Fannie Jane" was drilled into the land by DIMMICK, NESBITT & LARDIN, and the fluid responded to the drill in such large quantities that the wilderness was soon filled with an army of excited oilmen. A newspaper reported, who rode down from Parker's Landing in the summer of that year, passed en route some twenty wagon loads of houses and household effects, including one two-story house forty feet square, which was undergoing removal for the fifth time. Before the close of the year a town, said to contain about 2,000 inhabitants, was brought into existence.
In December, 1878, there were at that point four hotels, twelve grocery stores, two hardware stores, two dry goods stores, three clothing stores, two bakeries, seven barber shops, three machine shops, two meat markets, two drug stores, two billiard halls, one news room, and the offices of three physicians and several lawyers. The reporter of the period did not calculate the number of saloons, but it is certain that in 1874 there were sixty saloons in the village.
The first grocery and saloon was established at the corner of Main and Jamison streets, by John PAINTER, who moved from Brady's Bend in 1872. R. W. CRAM built a news room and private postoffice; W. E. CLARK erected a house, which was used as a machine shop by Wm. ROBERTSON; Ben HOGAN's opera house and gambling hall, Peter CHRISTIES's Central Hotel, MCBRIDE's drug store, COURTNEY's machine shop, and D. C. BACKUS, who moved his store and hardware stock from Argyle, were all here early in 1872. About that time the Argyle Bank was moved to Petrolia. Ellis GOODMAN opened a stock of clothing in 1878; L. P. CROSS a photographer's studio and scores of others established stores and shops here within the succeeding three years. From the spring of 1875 to the fall of 1877 it was an extraordinary specimen of the oil town species. Men and women, as good and true as the country ever produced, were here in numbers, while the representatives of the other class were also numerous, parading their vices in the sunlight as well as in the glare of the gaslight, in the Coliseum and Oil Exchange as well as the streets. In Centennial year the E. P. CHESEBRO and the BENEDICT dry goods stores were opened; drug stores, hotels, restaurants and saloons multiplied and began to assume permanency. In 1878 James L. CLARK bought the house which he established as the Hotel Brunswick.
Argyle was eaten up by the new town at the crossroads, and each morning beheld new hotels, new stores and dwellings rising about the creek and in the valley. The population jumped from zero to 3,000, and from 3,000 to 5,000. The oil reservoirs of the twenty-second degree belt yielded up a golden stream, and money was expended lavishly and foolishly. This rein of prosperity was tempered by many set backs. Several conflagrations and one destructive flood visited the place; but all could not quell the enterprise or the revels of the people.
The newspapers were published at Petrolia. The Advertiser was the first, but after a brief existence it gave up the field to the Record, established October 27, 1877, and removed to Butler in June 1888. The Producers' Free Press came early in 1878 and lasted only a few months. All of these papers are spoken of in "The Press" chapter, where the reader is referred for fuller information.
The notorious Ben HOGAN was a resident here in the seventies, and though now an evangelist, preaching from New York to San Francisco, he then had a very questionable reputation. In 1865 he made the toughest place in the world - Pithole - shake with his profanity, and with "French Kate," as a partner, carried on a resort here. Subsequently, at Babylon, he opened a great dance house. That infamous little place, becoming to narrow for him, he sought a wider field at Parker's Landing; but the authorities controlling him on land, he launched a vice-armored floating palace on the Allegheny. The craft 150 x 40 feet in dimensions, was originally a Pithole boarding house, but he fitted it up at heavy cost, manned it with fifteen or twenty female mariners and a few desperadoes like himself, took on a cargo of wine and whisky, defied the law and kept the profits. Even then, no one dreamt that this terror would venture into Butler county; but he did, after the floating palace was wrecked on a faro bank, and opened a house in Petrolia. The "Female Seminary" was one of his institutions. He ran for burgess of the new borough, and received seven more votes than George H DIMMICK, but the character of the voters was questioned and his attempt to gain official honor failed. He erected an $11,000 opera house here, one at Greece City and one at Millerstown, and for a few years rule as king of sports. His departure brought relief to the old settlers of the county, who were pleased to learn that he had established himself north of the Kinzua ravine and was far away from Bear creek.
The population of Petrolia in 1876 was estimated at 5,000. In 1880, the census enumerators found 1,180 inhabitants, and in 1890, 546; but in April 1894, the estimated population was 400. In June 1893, there were eighty-five males and fifty-four female pupils of school age in the borough. The total receipts for school purposes amounted to $1,401.21, of which a sum of $701.86 was appropriated by the State. The assessed value of property in January 1894 was $41,827; the county tax was $165.81, and the State tax, $53.06.
The postoffice was established in 1878, with R. W. CRAM postmaster. Four years later 5,000 persons received their mail there, and it was raised to the dignity of a third-class office. William GIBSON was appointed postmaster in 1882. Thomas CARLIN succeeded Mr. GIBSON in 1889 and Mrs. Ida O. ERVIN was the next incumbent. In February, 1894 W. S. WALCOTT succeeded Mrs. ERVIN.
The present school building was erected shortly after the incorporation of the borough. In June, 1898, there were three school rooms reported, and in January, 1894, the following named teachers were presiding: Edward HARPER, Maggie SHIRA, and Jennie ESPY. The directors were J. S. FOSTER, R. E. ENGLISH, Tracy DENHOLM, Joseph BERKHART, John BYERS and Thomas CARLIN.
The first fire, other than that at the JAMESON well, occurred in November 1872. While it destroyed five or six houses and entailed heavy losses on the people of the town, it did not for a moment retard their chase after oil and the almighty dollar. The fire of January, 1873, originated at the WILSON well above the town, whence it spread to five wells in the vicinity, destroying the rigs and 5,000 barrels of oil. The oil, which flowed into the creek, was accidentally fired by one of the DEAN brothers. The two brothers were severely burned for their carelessness, while the dwellings of Prof. LOOMIS and PARSONS were destroyed and one man killed by the falling of a burning derrick. In April, 1878, the EVANS & JENNINGS well on the DOUGHERTY farm, near Petrolia, took fire, and 900 barrels of oil were destroyed.
On Sunday evening, December 10, 1876, occurred a terrible explosion of dynamite on the outskirts of the town, which broke the windows of many buildings and blew to atoms, David SMITH and a teamster, who had just brought the explosive from Titusville. A second dynamite catastrophe took place near Petrolia October 28, 1878 resulting in the deaths of S. O. GOTHAM, H R. FRENCH and John W. FOWLER.
The fire of August 1, 1879 came to destroy what the flood left undisturbed. LUTZINGER's barber shop, the Grand Hotel, NEWMAN's candy shop, HARVEY's store, COMERFORDS's saloon, and the postoffice on the upper side, Dr. MAHNEKE's office and SPENCE's stable on the lower side, and the old SHIRLEY store buildings across Main street, were burned. The drug store of A. A. WEST was torn down by the mob under the pretence of preventing the spread of the fire. A notice on an outbuilding of Burgess Stone with the motto "Bread or Blood" distinguishable among the hieroglyphics, led to the supposition that incendiaries were at work.
The fire of April 8, 1886 destroyed the Methodist church, the parsonage and the A. M. RICE building adjoining. The church was erected in 1874 as a Union church for the Protestant worship, but was subsequently purchased by the Methodists, who were the owners when it was destroyed. The society rebuilt on the same ground and worship there today. This fire was also credited to incendiaries. The conflagration of December 22, 1889, was a serious setback to the Town, but that which occurred in December, 1890, destroyed two-thirds of the business center and entailed great losses on the community.
The fire of February 29, 1898, destroyed buildings owned by the following named citizens: W. G. FORCHT, S. P. CHRISTY, M. L. STARR, Knights of Pythias and J. B. KILROY, who owned these buildings. The fire originated in CHRISTY's livery stable. The bravery of the nozzlemen, F. W. QUINN, F.J. CARMAN, John BYERS, Sopha YEAGER and John FORQUER, who wrapped in wet blankets, held the house in the face of the flames, saved a repetition of the terrible fire of December, 22 1889.
The fire of July 4, 1898 is said to have started in one of the KILROY buildings, on the east side of Jameson street. The buildings destroyed were the Masonic Hall, the only brick house in the town, the stores of TORONSKI Brothers, E. P. CHESEBRO, Mrs. LENEHAN, VANSEL & ENGLISH, J. S. FOSTER, Mrs. L. GEORGE, G. KILCHENSTEIN, Tracy DENHOLM, M. L. STARR, Mrs. J. A. FOOTE, J. M. HAWK, John CAMPBELL and George JONES; the markets of Asa CAMPBELL and H. CROMLING; the old Argyle Savings Bank, then John BYER's dwelling, formerly the postoffice; S. W. ROOT's building, HECKLER's barber shop, AVEMANN's, HINDMAND's and BEACH's dwellings, J. B. KILROY's Commercial Hotel, grocery store and other buildings, and Mrs. C. M. BENNETT's Central House, where the new Central House of CAMPBELL & BYERS stands. In real of the Central, D. C. BURNS' oil well, then pumping for eighteen years, lost its equipment.
The present large store of E. P. CHEESBRO, was completed on the site of the old building early in April, 1894. The Central House, the postoffice, built by Mrs. Ida O. ERVIN, Mrs. LENEHAN's millinery store and dwelling, ENGLISH & VENSEL's hardware store and George KILCHENSTEIN's tailoring house were erected early in the same year.
In November, 1872, following the first fire, a fire department was organized and became a celebrated local company. The United Pipe Lines supplied the water and patronized two fire companies - the Citizens' and United Hose Companies. United Hose Company, Number 1, was recruited in 1873 by A. C. BEESON, from the employes of the United Pipe Line Company. The Petrolia Hose Company followed, and in 1874 another organization known as the Protective Hose Company, of Petrolia, was brought into existence. It was chartered May 19, 1879, with the following named directors: R. J. BOTTNER, J. H. SUTHERLAND, P. CHRISTIE, O. MCCARTHY, C. BARTHOLD, S. F. O'GRADY, A. ADRIAN, C. BULLOCK, George GRIFFIN and T. S. MCFARLAND. The United Hose Company also obtained a charter.
In April, 1874, the council passed an ordinance giving to A. C. BEESON and Murat COMPTON the right to construct water works. This franchise was at once transferred to E. O'DONNELL and F. L. MASSON, who constructed the system and carried it on until June 1880, when a stock company was organized to assume ownership, Guerdon WILLIAMS, D. C. BACKUS, T. J. MAPES, D. A. CYPHER, F. L. MASSON, S. W. HARLEY and E. A. TAYLOR being the officials. In 1891 it became the property of the borough.
The flood of July 26, 1879, which destroyed much valuable property at Petrolia, was caused by a heavy local rain storm. At eleven o'clock A. M. the waters inundated Karns City and flowed toward the railroad bridge above Petrolia, and thence poured in on the great oil town. South and north of Main street and west of the railroad, houses were built over Bear creek. Of these, the White Fawn restaurant was the first to move. Following in its wake were MILES' law office and the limber piles of NANSTIEL. The White Fawn kept intact across Main street until it struck BOTTNER's jewelry store, where it halted for the oncoming houses and debris. Then the strange squadron sailed onward, sweeping everything between the railroad and the Central Hotel down to the United Pipe Line Company's shops, where the storm and the wild waters played havoc with the buildings. Meantime, on the other side of the railroad, from the old oil well downward, the waters were not idle, so that the territory from Nesbitt avenue, on the south line, to the United Pipe Line Company's shops, and eastward from a line east of Argyle and Fairview streets to Jameson street, was almost cleared of buildings. An entire block standing over the creek on Railroad street was destroyed. The HARLEY dwelling and the hose house were followed by the Coliseum, a large building which stood upon the island and erected at a cost of $1,400 in which to hold walking matches. A match was being held and the building was filled with spectators when the flood came unexpectedly and swept it from its foundation so quickly that many of the audience had difficulty in escaping. It withstood the current until struck by a large oil talk, which practically wrecked the building, and it then swept onward, taking everything in its pathway.
The following list taken from the Record embraces the buildings carried away; I. H. OTTO's shanty, S. W. HARLEY's dwelling, Charles GARDNER's shanty, Mrs. THOMPSON's dwelling, the Coliseum or rink, P. MURRAY's boiler shop, the hose house, Major HAWKINS' derrick and oil tanks, YOUGH's blacksmith shop, M. M. MILES' law office, NESBITT's "White Fawn," DILL's candy store, O'DONNELL's "HART building," FOOTE & WEEKS' drug store, TESKE's barber shop, LEVINE's cigar store, BARTHOLDI's clothing store, M. C. BENEDICT's law office, BOTTNER's Jewelry store, Dan SMITH's and COLE's barber shops, the R. LECKY buildings, vacant and tenanted, WEST's photograph gallery, LEVINSON's cleaning works, the WORDEN building, PURCELL's vacant house, DECOURCEY's barber shop, the SMITH and the MILES buildings, the COMERFORD, the MILES and the BOWERS vacant buildings, BURKHART's shoe shop, Jonas HAFELE's shanty, Petrolia bath-rooms, Mrs. BEAUTON's dress making store, D. C. BACKUS' wareroom, CHRISTIE & CAMERON's stables, Butler County Gas Lines stable, ZILLIFRO's, HAND's and MCNELL's dwellings and the HARRIS and HAND barn. The Clifton House escaped destruction owing to LYON's boiler shop above it, which the waters were not able to move. The list of houses inundated is equally extensive, but with the exception of the Central House, the Central drug store, MARKS' dry goods store, IRELAND & MCCAUGHTRY's machine shop, and the United Pipe Line's buildings, the losses from flooding were not heavy. Many persons narrowly escaped death in various forms, so that the reminiscences of the day tell many stupid acts and a greater number of heroic deeds. The Record estimated the entire loss at $75,000.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized September 1, 1878, with D. H. and Jane TAYLOR, D. N. and Adelia AMERY, L. B. and Fanny ANDERSON, H. E. and Jennie PAINE, Issac and Charlotte ELLIOTT, F. M. and Lydia SMALL, E. and C. MCCALL, members. In 1878 a meeting house was erected at a cost of $2,881.50, and a parsonage at a cost of $491.75. Borh were burned in the fall of 1884. In 1885, a new church and parsonage were built north of Squire FLEMING's house, the insurance on the old building enabling the society to rebuild. The pastors in charge, since 1878, are as follows: Revs. George J. SQUIRES, 1878: A. L. KELLOGG, 1875; R. N. STUBBS, 1878; P. W. SCHOFIELD, 1879; Manassas MILLER, 1881; William TAYLOR, 1883; Sylvester FIDLER, 1884; William BUNCE, 1886; F. M. SMALL 1887 and J. H. CLEMENS, the present pastory, in 1892. Mr. CLEMENS claims a membership of 214 in the circuit, which includes Bruin or Martinsburg.
The Petrolia Presbyterian Church was organized July 10, 1877, by Revs. R. W. MCCASLIN, James COULTER and W. D. PATTON, with the following named members: John ANDREWS and wife, Mrs. M. C. BENEDICT, D. W. BAILEY, Nancy J. BLACK, John G. BRANDON, Laura BRANDON, A. M. BRICKER and wife, Jane C. HART, Mrs. R. E. FOSTER, Sarepta E. FOSTER, Mrs. Elizabeth STAND, Alfred L. JURY and wife, Susan JEWELL, Mrs. E. KIRSCHARTZ, Mary E. THOMPSON, Thomas G. and Martha SCHICK, Levi GRAND, Florence WILSON, Elizabeth LINN and one other whose name is not on the record. Mr. RUTHERFORD was stated supply from the beginning of the organization and preached here prior to Jury, 1877. In November, 1878, Mr. DECKER was called as stated supply and regularly appointed in April, 1879. John ANDREWS and A. L. JURY were ordained elders at the organization; Charles D. BACKUS, J. G. BRANDON and L. G. WILSON in 1878; Davin QUIGLEY in 1881, and E. P. CHESEBRO in 1884. The society was incorporated November 15, 1886, with the following members or subscribers: David QUIGLEY, E. P. CHESEBRO, H. A. KLINGENSMITH, J. H. CHATHAM, W. G. RUSSELL and their wives, A. C. BYERS and Mrs. W. H. DAUGHERTY, R. E. FOSTER, L. OSTRANDER and Miss Louisa M. NESS. A church was then erected, but of the original congregation W. H. DAUGHERTY, E. P. CHESBRO, Mrs. CHESEBRO and Mrs. OSTRANDER are not the only resident members. Rev. W. L. MCCLURE is pastor, this church with that at Fairview and the church at Martinsburg, forming his charge. There are eighty-one members.
St. James' Catholic Chapel, a mission of the Bradys Bend parish, dates back to 1874, when a large number of Catholics petitioned the bishop of Pittsburgh to have a church erected here. Father TIERNEY was appointed pastor, and under his administration a building was erected at a cost of over $4,000. The pastors a Brady's Bend have attended to this chapel from its beginning, Father CALLAHAN being the present one.
The Church of Christ was incorporated March 1, 1880, under authority of court given on that date. The members of the association at that time were G. B. HERBERT, W. P. JOHNSON, H. E. PAINE, J. H. NORTON and A. KELLY. A building was erected and used for worship for a year or two, until the organization disbanded when the building was moved to Sandy Lake.
St. Peter's Mission Chapel was completed in April, 1882, through the efforts of Rev. Edmund BURKE, of the Protestant Episcopal church of Butler. On May 29, 1882, he transferred the building to the local society. It was burned in 1889, since which time no services have been held.
The first election for Petrolia borough took place in February, 1878, when the following named officers were chosen: George H. DIMMICK, burgess; J. SATTERFIELD, assistant-burgess; A. L. CAMPBELL and J. A. THOMPSON, justices of the peace; J. B. BROWN, R. S. ROWLEY, A. L. CAMPBELL, W. F. JORDAN and William GIBSON, councilmen; J. B. JAMESON, W. GIBSON, R. S. ROWLEY, D. TUBBS, Andrew CAMPBELL and R. W. AMEY, school directors; E. E. SCUDDER and F. F. A. WILSON, inspectors: H. MILLICHAMP, judge of election; F. M. CAMPBELL, D. C. BACKUS and Samuel MCBRIDE, auditors; William GIBSON, assessor, and J. H. LEWIS clerk. F. A. WILSON, inspectors; H. MILLICHAMP, judge of election; F. M. CAMPBELL, D. C. BACKUS and Samuel MCBRIDE, auditors; William GIBSON, assessor, and J. H. LEWIS clerk.
1874 - G. H. DIMMICK, burgess; O. W. FLETCHER, clerk; ROWLEY,
RAVER, SHEFFIELD, TUPPER and SACHEN.
1875 - Frank L. MASSON, burgess; M. N. MILES, clerk; Owen MCCARTHY,
J. W. HARLAN, HATCH, ADRIAN, IRELAND and R. J. BOTTNER.
1876 - Frank L. MASSON, burgess; M. N. MILES, clerk' C. BARTHOLD,
C. TEMPLETON, J. C. LYON, P. CHRISTIE and W. H. GREEN.
1877 - D. W. BAILEY, burgess; Thomas S. MCFARLAND, J. H.
SUTHERLAND, W. GIBSON, A. C. BEESON, F. L. MASSON and J. C. LYON.
1878 - W. H. GREEN, burgess; A. C. BEESON, S. G. COFFIN, R.
J. BOTTNER, R. S. RAVER, Thomas CARLIN, and Owen MCCARTHY.
1879 - W. H. GREEN, burgess; A. C. BEESON, W. GIBSON, W. ROBERTSON,
L. N. IRELAND, R. S. RAVER and Owen MCCARTHY.
1880 - W. H. GREEN, burgess, William ROBERTSON, J. H. SUTHERLAND, J. C.
LYON, L. N. IRELAND, Edward O'DONNELL and William GIBSOn.
1881 - James BUZZARD, burgess; W. GIBSON, J. C. LYON, J. L. CLARK,
N. C. GIFFORD and D. A. CYPHER.
1882 - M. C. BENEDICT, burgess, W. C. GIFFORD, J. C. LYON and F. H.
CAULEY.
1883 - M. C. BENEDICT, burgess, H. A. KLINGENSMITH, W. H. KING, and
J. E. HUGHES.
1884 - J. W. RIDDLE, burgess; A. L. CAMPBELL, I. N. IRELAND, Thomas
CARLIN. W. H. KING, Charles E. HERR and William H. JELLISON.
1885 - J. W. RIDDLE, burgess, Charles E. HERR, J. H. CHATHAM and A.
W. ROOT.
1886 - J. W. RIDDLE, burgess, Joseph BURKHART and J. C. LYON.
1887 - William GIBSON, burgess; W. S. WOLCOTT and W. C. FOSTER.
1888 - Robert J. BOTTNER, burgess; J A. FOOTE and G. KILCHENSTIN.
1889 - A. L. CAMPBELL, burgess; J. C. LYON and F. M. CAMPBELL.
1890 - A. L. CAMPBELL, burgess; W. C. FOSTER, and W. S. WOLCOTT.
1891 - W. G. FORCHT, burgess; Sopha YEAGER, W. J. VAN NORMAN and
Thomas CARLIN.
1892 - W. A. FLEMING, burgess; J. M. HAWK and H. A. KLINGENSMITH.
1893 - W. A. FLEMING, burgess; Adam HEDKLER and R. B. STEVENSON.
1894 - James C. LYON, burgess; E. A. TOTTEN, Eugene GILMORE, J. M. HAWK, D.
B. STEVENSON, John BLYERS and Adam HECKLER.
The following is a list of the names of the justices of the peace elected since 1878; A. L. CAMPBELL, 1878; J. A. THOMPSON, 1878; J. H. LEWIS, 1874; B. F. WESSON, 1874 and 1875; James BUZZARD, 1878 and 1880; Francis F. HERR, 1881; Robert J. BOTTNER, 1882; J. W. RIDDLE, 1884; William GIBSON, 1887; J. W. RIDDLE, 1889: A. L. CAMPBELL, 1890: W. G. FORCHT and W. A. FLEMING, 1891.
The Argyle Savings Bank, established August 22, 1872, completed an office building at Petrolia in February, 1878, H. A. TAYLOR being then president, and under whose management the institution suspended.
The Oil Exchange was a veritable Chicago Board of Trade in Centennial year, controlling the oil market of the world, and giving and taking away fortunes, its members being sometimes very rich and sometimes very poor. In May, 1877, work on the new Oil Exchange was begun. It occupied the site of the old exchange of Geo. H. DIMMICK, was seventy-three by twenty-four feet, and three stories high, with a hall twenty-three by twenty-four feet. It was burned, rebuilt, purchased by E. P. CHESEBRO, and finally destroyed in the fire of 1889.
The Washington Building and Loan Association was organized in January, 1894, with O. E. GILMORE, president; J. D. SMITH, secretary and treasurer, and R. C. WHITFORD, counsel. There are now six members holding fifty-five shares.
The Machine Shops of the United Pipe Lines Company formed the leading manufacturing industry down to 1880, when they were removed. For some time after, the machine shops of IRELAND & HUGHES, and A. C. PRICE; the boiler works of Frank W. QUINN & company and J. C. LYON, and A. W. ROOT's cup and valve factory were carried on here. Of all, only Frank W. QUINN and J. C. LYON's boiler shops remain. The work is now generally repairs
The Petrolia Refinining Company was organized in 1892, by F. J. CARMAN and George SONWRECKER, for the conversion of petroleum products into commercial commodities. Refined petroleum is made more refined in these works, while lubricating oil is also produced. The specialty of the industry is petrolatum, a product of the crude oil, which is the basis of the salves now on the market, and equal in itself to the salve sold under the name of vaseline. F. W. QUINN is interested in this industry, the firm name being Quinn & SONWRECKER. Mr. QUINN purchased the CARMAN interests April 6, 1893.
W. H. DAUGHERTY & Sons, up the creek, have carried on an oil refinery for many years. They manufacture petroleum, illuminating and other oils on the same principle as the Petrolia Refining Company.
The Petrolia Creamery is the latest industrial addition. It was opened February 28, 1894, by the local association. Its capacity is 800 pounds of butter a day.
Clipper Lodge, Number 59 A. O. U. W., was organized under charter September 8, 1878, at Martinsburg, but was transferred to Petrolia in 1875. H. C. PORTERFIELD, C. E. RYDER, James HARVEY, William CLUPPER, S. J. ADAMS, J. M. HARRISON, W. G. HARSHAW, William GREENWOOD, James DAILY and W. G. WALTERS were the first officers.
Argyle Lodge, Number 540, F. & A. M., was organized at Petrolia, July 15, 1875, and removed to Millerstown in 1898. In the chapter on Millerstown a sketch of the lodge will be found, to which the reader is referred.
Petrolia City Lodge, Number 903, I O O F, was a contemporary of the Masonic lodge until 1879 or 1880, when it disbanded.
Dura Lodge, Number 498, K. of P., was instituted May 15, 1884, with forty-six members. Among the past chancellors may be named the following charter members: J. W. RIDDLE, R. F. RUCH, W. G. FORCHT, M. H. SMITH, B. D. TILLINGHAST, H. W. DAUGHERTY, W. H. KING and J. F. MILLER. The chair has also been filled by the following new members: W. F. ALEXANDER, Alexander HAZLETT, Christ GARING, Thomas GIVEN, W. P. JAMESON, W. K. SHRECKENGOST, Harry WILLIAMS, J. A. GIBSON and John CAMPBELL. William G. FORCHT has been the keeper of records and seals for many terms. The membership in May, 1894, was twenty-nine, including seven past chancellors.
James Guthrie Campbell Post, Number 107, G.A.R., was organized October 14, 1878, with thirteen members, namely; George S. AKLEY, Thomas J. HANNA, J. J. BAKER, J. S. BRATTON, Lewis STONER, John S. ALTMAN, D. W. BAILEY, J. D. LEWIS, W. T. CAMPBELL, R. W. CRAM, Michael LONG, J. S. MORRISON and William T. RAVER. The past commanders are D. W. BAILEY, 1878-79; J. J. BAKER, 1880 and R. F. RUCH, who has been repeatedly elected, and was still serving at the beginning of 1894, with A. L. CAMPBELL, adjutant, and William GIBSON, quartermaster. Among the members at present, are the officers named, with R. C. WHITFORD, George H. GRAHAM, W. A. JELLISON, B. L. RANKIN, Thomas HAYS, Thomas BANKS and John DUFFY. At one time the membership was eighty-four; at another only six; it is now nineteen.
Virgil Council, Number 170, R. A., was permanently organized in October, 1878, with M. N. MILES, C. M. ZIRCK, J. R. BARD, J. A. LINDSEY, F. C. CLUXTON, J. F. CAMPBELL, S. P. MILES, J. E. SAMUEL, J. N. WEIR and F. E. HINMAN, officers in council rank.
Petrolia Tent, Number 95, K. O. T. M., was chartered April 10, 1889, with W. H. DAUGHERTY, M. P. CULLINAN, J. D. SMITH, E. R. WHITFORD, J. O. BAIRD, H. H. BURNS, Dr. Michael CULLINAN, M. FITZGERALD, Izy TORONSKI, J. H. HENDERSON and Albert KILCHENSTEIN officers in rank. In December, 1898, D. KEEFER was elected commander, and J. D. SMITH, record and finance keeper; while W. H. DAUGHERTY, W. J. VAN NORMAN and J. S. SMITH are the past commanders. The strength of the lodge is thirty-one. In the four years there have been four deaths, the claims paid amounting to $7,000.
Petrolia Lodge, Number 197, O. of T., was instituted February 16, 1888, under charter of January 8, that year. Among the past presidents are R. C. WHITFORD, C. R. TAYLOR, E. P. CHESEBRO and J. D. SMITH, who is now president, Mr. CHESEBRO being secretary, and J. M. HAWK, treasurer.
Petrolia Assembly, Number 7, 920 K of L., was chartered September 25, 1886, the charter being signed by T. V. POWDERLY, grand master workman, and Frederic TURNER, secretary and treasurer. The Assembly hold the charter, but is practically defunct.
The Equitable Aid Union was organized in 1879, and incorporated March 22, that year. On April 12, 1882, almost ten years after the "Fannie Jane" was drilled and three years after the exodus of the oil men, Florence Union, Number 485, was organized with thirty-seven members.
[End of Chapter 46 - Petrolia Borough: History of Butler County Pennsylvania, R. C. Brown Co., Publishers, 1895]
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