Transcribed by: Jim Wise. For an explanation and caution about this transcription, please read this page.
Link to a sketch of Fairview Borough from the Atlas of Butler County, G.M. Hopkins & Co., 1874.
Surnames in this chapter are:
ADAMS, AKIN, ALEXANDER, ALSPACH, ARNOLD, BAILEY, BALDWIN, BEATTY, BEIGHLEY, BELL, BEMUS, BICE, BIRCHARD, BLACK, BOLLINGER, BREADEN, BROWNYEAR, BULLARD, BURTON, BYERS, CHAPMAN, CLARK, CLINTON, CONWAY, COONS, CRISWELL, DALE, DAUBENSPECK, DECKER, DODDS, ELLENBERGER, EMERICK, ERVIN, EYKES, FIFE, FLEMMING, FOWLER, GALLOWAY, GAMBLE, GARNER, GERNER, GIBSON, GORTLAND, GRAHAM, GREEN, GRUPEN, HANNABERRY, HARTMAN, HAWK, HAWN, HAYS, HINDMAN, HITE, HOFFMAN, HOLMES, HOVIS, JAMESON, JOHNSTON, KEARNS, KEEFER, KELCHNER, KNAPP, KOONCE, LEBERMAN, LOVE, LUPHER, MABB, MAHAFFY, MAXWELL, McCAFFERTY, McCLEARY, McCLINTOCK, McCLUNG, McCLURE, McCOY, McDOWELL, McELWAINE, McELWEE, McFANN, McFARLAND, McGROIN, McKEE, McMILLEN, MERCER, MICHAEL, MILLER, MILLINGER, MOORE, NEGLEY, NICHOLSON, O'BRIEN, OLIVER, PARKER, PATTON, POLLOCK, RALSTON, RANKIN, RAY, RIDDLE, RUSSELL, RUTHERFORD, SANDOE, SAULSBURY, SCOTT, SHADE, SHAKELEY, SHANOR, SHEARER, SHERRARD, SHOEMAKER, SMITH, SNOW, STETSON, STEWART, STOREY, STRICKLAND, TEMPLETON, THOMPSON, TIFFANY, TIMBLIN, WAGNER, WAGONER, WARD, WARNMACK, WATERS, WAVERLY, WILES, WILSON, WOOD, YOUNG
THE village of Fairview was founded seventy-seven years after the French discovered oil on Oil Creek, and almost forty-two years before the American operators knew anything of the "Fannie Jane," or her extraordinary contemporaries on Bear creek. In 1826, it is true, James McELWEE opened a little stock of whisky and groceries at the point now called Fairview, but not until 1830 did Thomas McCLEARY and William HAWK, who died in 1848, survey the site into town lots. Peter BEIGHLEY, the first postmaster, Robert PATTON, the second post-master, James ADAMS, James McELWAINE, the Star Route contractor, William McCAFFERTY, John EMERICK, John SMITH, George WARD and James MOORE were the first lot buyers. William McCAFFERTY established a cabinet shop in 1830 or 1831, and also a tavern. McELWEE appears to have left the place and Robert PATTON to have succeeded him as merchant. George WARD was mail carrier and James MOORE was the village blacksmith. John ADAMS opened a stock of goods in John SMITH's house in 1838-39. This house, with twelve others, then constituted the town. A log house occupied the site of the present ADAMS House, in which James ADAMS opened a store. Within the ensuing ten years some progress was made; George EMERICK entered into friendly competition with McCAFFERTY in the tavern business; Shields ADAMS competed with Robert PATTON and Maj. James ADAMS for general trade; James SCOTT opened a harness shop, and one or more tradesman found employment there. The Fairview foundry was established in 1844 by Col. James A. GIBSON and M. S. ADAMS. The latter was also in the mercantile business until 1858, when he sold to ARNOLD & CRAWFORD. In 1858 ARNOLD & CRAWFORD became owners of the foundry, which was carried on from the fall of that year until 1860 by J. J. MAXWELL, lessee. In the latter year he purchased the property, and continued to operate it until 1872.
In 1846 Shields ADAMS carried on a hotel in the old EMERICK House. The old ADAMS House, a three-story frame building, was erected in 1872 for Maj. W. C. ADAMS. The building in itself is a history of the oil town. Before the production in the Fairview neighborhood fell to zero, the owner died, and the big hotel was taken apart, the lumber hauled to Butler, reconstructed opposite the McKean street school and named the WAVERLY House. In 1873 there were four licensed hotels, namely: The ADAMS House, the O'BRIEN House, the RAY House and the McFANN House, now the ADAMS Hotel.
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The Fairview Reporter was established in 1872 by Col. Samuel YOUNG, with R. W. CRISWELL, editor. In 1873 publication was discontinued, the owner and editor seeking a larger field for newspaper work.
The Fairview Deposit and Savings Bank was established August 15, 1872, by RALSTON, McQUADE & Company to transact a general banking and exchange business. The firm had an office also at Karns City, and transacted business at both places for some time, with D. A. RALSTON president, and R. W. McKEE cashier. On March 15, 1882, the concern closed its doors, leaving nominal assets. The liabilities, which aggregated $225,000, represented the savings of a thousand people and the capital of many oil operators and merchants.
In 1871 the oil men came to change all the quiet and happiness of forty years' growth into a cauldron, boiling with excitement, hope, disappointment, pleasure, joy and sorrow. They succeeded, and the old village was lost in the rioting of speculation and pleasure which reigned here after the Argyle stampede. A mania for boring through the earth seemed to have taken possession of young and old, merchant and tradesman. It was an epidemic of enterprise and is fully described in a preceding chapter.
In August, 1872, the JAMESON well reached Third sand, at a depth of 1,430 feet, when a vein of gas and oil was struck. The two liquids caught fire, destroyed the rig and smothered young JAMESON. The flow of oil was 300 barrels at first, then decreased to 200, and by August 30, fell to 150 barrels a day.
In 1870 the village contained some 200 inhabitants, but in 1876 there were over 1,000. By 1880 the population had dwindled to 333, and the census of 1890 gave it 303.
The German Lutheran Church was organized here two years after the survey of the town site was made, when the society erected a round-log house, without flooring, and with a roof only useful in dry weather. Owing to the limited number and financial condition of the worshipers, the Reformed society, and perhaps the first Methodist class, became interested in the old log house, and made of it a Union church, the former holding services therein until the building of their present church, in 1857. The old log house, which stood opposite YOUNG's [p. 537] blacksmith shop, was moved by William McCAFFERTY and is now a barn on David RANKIN's farm.
St. Peter's Reformed Church may be said to have been organized in 1845, by Rev. Samuel MILLER, of the old White Church congregation of Sugar creek. In 1849 Rev. L. D. LEBERMAN succeeded him, but Mr. MILLER resumed charge of St. Peter's as one of his appointments in 1850. Rev. H. H. HARTMAN succeeded him in 1852; Rev. Abner DALE came in 1856; Rev. David O. SHOEMAKER in August, 1860; Rev. J. S. SHADE in 1865, and Rev. Abner DALE again in September, 1869. He was pastor until his death, January 16, 1875. In June Rev. Joseph HANNABERRY was elected pastor and served until April, 1879, when Rev. J. W. ALSPACH was called. In 1887 Rev. H. H. SANDOE came, and he was succeeded in October, 1888, by Rev. H. S. GARNER, the present pastor, who has also charge of the church at Millerstown. The membership is placed at 118. On May 31, 1857, a frame building, erected by M. S. RAY in 1854, was dedicated. It was improved with a new roof in 1889 and again improved in 1892, and is now a fair house of worship. Down to 1874 this church was in the Sugar Creek charge. Then it became a distinct charge and remained so until 1879, when it was connected with the Millerstown church. The elders are William ELLENBERGER, J. D. DAUBENSPECK and J. M. BYERS; the deacons, Thomas SNOW, Charles ELLENBERGER and David DAUBENSPECK. It was chartered November 3, 1876, with the following members: Joseph HANNABERRY, John DAUBENSPECK, William ELLENBERGER, David DAUBENSPECK, Thomas SNOW, Christian GERNER and Henry SHAKELEY.
The United Presbyterian Church dates back to 1834, when all but five families and one elder withdrew from the Bear Creek Presbyterian church and established the Associate Reformed church here, Rev. Joseph JOHNSTON being credited with the leadership of the movement. The older Presbyterian church then became the Bear Creek United Presbyterian church, with Mr. JOHNSTON as pastor. Revs. James GREEN, Robert W. OLIVER, RIDDLE, James H. FIFE and John A. CAMPBELL were the pastors down to 1857, when the place of meeting was changed to Fairview village, where Robert HAWN erected a church in 1850. Rev. W. P. BREADEN was ordained pastor, and was followed by Rev. Mr. DODDS, who served until 1878, when Rev. A. B. C. McFARLAND was ordained. The new building was dedicated August 24, 1883, on the site of the old church, which was taken down. Its building may be credited to the zeal and energy of Mr. McFARLAND, who watched its construction and saw that the house was paid for as soon as the contractor reported it finished. William GIBSON, John C. RAY and William WILSON lent important aid to the pastor. The society was incorporated September 12, 1883, the petitioners being W. CAMPBELL, William GIBSON, J. A. WILSON, J. C. RAY, M. P. BLACK and William WILSON. The new church was erected by Frank STEWART at a cost of $16,000, after plans by BAILEY, of Pittsburg. It is a German Gothic building, in red brick from the GAMBLE brickyard. Since Mr. McFARLAND's time Rev. R. M. SHERRARD has been the only ordained pastor.
The Presbyterian Church was organized August 12, 1875, with ten members, by T. S. NEGLEY, a student of Princeton college, who began his labors July 4, 1875, and Elders Thomas HAYS and Robert W. McKEE. They, with Mrs. [p. 538] Elizabeth BLACK, Mrs. Kate J. HAYS, Thomas H. and Nancy H. MOORE, Curtis MOORE, Jennie MOORE, Mrs. Clara STETSON and Mrs. Harriet YOUNG, were the first members. By August 21, 1875, the membership was increased to twenty-one. Eight days later Mr. NEGLEY bade farewell to the congregation and, on November 6, his place was taken by Rev. I. D. DECKER, who preached in the German Reformed building a day later, and also, on the same day, in the school house at Karns City. In February, 1876, the two churches had a membership of fifty-nine, and a movement to erect buildings was inaugurated. The trustees were the elders named, with M. S. RAY, R. M. RUSSELL and D. F. McKEE. On February 17, Thomas B. CLARK, Thomas, HAYS, William FLEMMING, R. W. McKEE and Alexander RALSTON were appointed a building committee, and on May 25, work on the building at Fairview commenced, though ground was broken for the Karns City building the day before. The first was completed and dedicated December 17, 1876, the cost being $6,000. Mr. DECKER was ordained pastor November 1, and on November 16, Karns City was constituted a separate church, with thirteen members, the pastor continuing to serve both congregations until January 8, 1877. On October 2, however, he was asked to give half of his time to Karns City, and on October 30 became pastor of that congregation. At the beginning of 1878 there were ninety members at Fairview and fifty at Karns City. In 1883, M. S. RAY was chosen an additional elder. Mr. DECKER continued until October, 1888, and was succeeded by Rev. F. A. KEARNS, who served until January, 1892, when Rev. W. L. McCLURE succeeded him, being ordained in September, 1893. There are now fifty-three members.
The Methodist Episcopal Church dates back to the thirties, when the old Lutheran church was transformed into a Union meeting house. In 1847 a house of worship was erected, which is still used. Later the place was a charge of the CLINTON circuit, again united with North Washington and again with Karns City, to which circuit it now belongs.
1872-John POLLOCK, burgess; James RUTHERFORD, A. J. MABB, Harrison GIBSON, Chambers SCOTT and J. J. MAXWELL, councilmen; W. F. BICE, constable; John SMITH, and A. O'BRIEN, overseers of the poor, with M. S. RAY, [p. 539] secretary. George H. BEMUS was chosen permanent secretary, and R. W. McKEE, treasurer.
1873-A. J. MABB, James McCLEARY, R. W. McKEE, J. J. MAXWELL, John ERVIN.
1874-James RUTHERFORD, burgess. There is no record for 1874 or 1875.
1876-George H. GRAHAM, burgess; M. S. RAY, Hugh YOUNG, J. A. ERVIN, R. W. McKEE and O. E. TIFFANY.
1877-George H. GRAHAM, burgess; H. C. BIRCHARD, assistant burgess; A. J. NICHOLSON, J. E. BROWNYEAR, Franklin CHAPMAN and J. J. MAXWELL.
1878-George H. GRAHAM, burgess; J. J. MAXWELL, assistant burgess; George W. GROW, H. C. BIRCHARD and J. E. BROWNYEAR.
1879-Thomas HAYS, burgess; Milton CONWAY, assistant burgess; R. W. McKEE and J. A. WILSON.
1880-Thomas HAYS, burgess; J. D. BURTON, assistant burgess; A. J. NICHOLSON, W. T. McCOY and James RUTHERFORD.
1881-M. S. RAY, burgess; H. C. BIRCHARD, assistant burgess; G. H. GRAHAM and E. KOONCE.
1882-M. S. RAY, burgess; P. B. KELCHNER, assistant burgess; Samuel EYKES, Thomas HAYS and A. GROW.
1883-J. M. BYERS, burgess; P. T. TEMPLETON and A. C. GIBSON.
1884-James BYERS, burgess; T. P. KELCHNER, assistant burgess; D. EYKES and H. GIBSON.
1885-George H. GRAHAM, burgess; William STOREY, assistant burgess; J. A. WILSON and P. B. KELCHNER.
1886-G. H. GRAHAM, burgess; William STOREY, assistant burgess; Charles HINDMAN and W. P. JAMESON.
1887-A. GROW, burgess; M. S. RAY and A. T. McDOWELL.
1888-A. L. TIMBLIN, burgess; P. R. BOLLINGER, assistant burgess; A. C. GIBSON and Eli REEP.
1889-A. L. TIMBLIN, burgess; D. W. McCLURE, assistant burgess, and James BYERS.
1890-Samuel EYKES, burgess; R. C. SCOTT, assistant burgess, and John GRAHAM.
1891-Samuel EYKES, burgess; R. C. SCOTT, assistant burgess; H. GIBSON and F. M. Michael.
1892-Dr. V. F. THOMAS, burgess; Charles McCLUNG, assistant burgess; J.A. WILSON and George H. GRAHAM.
1893-Dr. V. F. THOMAS, burgess; Charles McCLUNG, assistant burgess; William ELLENBERGER and J. H. WARNMACK.
1894-John BICE, burgess; W. C. HAWN, D. EYKES and F. M. MICHAEL elected, but Mr. HAWN did not qualify. William ELLENBERGER, F. M.MICHAEL, J. A. WILSON, David EYKES and George H. GRAHAM form the present council, with Samuel H. TEMPLETON, secretary.
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The justices of the peace elected since 1873 are as follows: A. G. MAHAFFY, 1873; M. S. RAY, 1874, 1879, 1885 and 1890; W. C. ADAMS, 1879; J. D. BURTON, 1881; James T. WILSON, 1883; William STOREY (did not qualify); L. R. McFANN, 1884 and 1889, and William GIBSON, 1891.
Liberty Lodge, Number 965, K. of H., was organized March 19, 1878, with the following named members: Thomas B. CLARK, George H. GRAHAM, Thomas HAYS, A. J. NICHOLSON, Thomas F. MOORE, J. L. HITE, M. S. RAY, R. W. McKEE, S. I. STRICKLAND, J. E. BROWNYEAR, James RUTHERFORD, F. H. CHAPMAN, Thomas A. SMITH, J. W. LOVE, H. C. BIRCHARD, J. J. MAXWELL, G. C. MAXWELL, J. A. GORTLAND, J. A. KNAPP, A. T. McKEE, W. J. POLLOCK, A. P. SHEARER, G. W. McGROIN, R. M. RUSSELL and G. W. MILLER. The Union Hall was originally built by David STEWART in 1875 for mercantile uses, and he kept store there until 1878, when it was sold at sheriff's sale, and was ultimately purchased by the Knights of Honor. It is now jointly owned by this lodge, the United Workmen [p. 541] and the American Mechanics. Formerly the Equitable Aid Union had an interest in it. In the fall of 1893 there were twenty-nine members in this lodge. Four members have died since the organization: MILLER, RUSSELL, CONWAY and BELL.
McNair Lodge, Number 107, A. O. U. W., was organized April 5, 1877, with twenty-three members, which increased before the close of the year to sixty-five. C. C. ALEXANDER was P. M. W.; A. J. NICHOLSON, M. W; W. H. SCOTT, G. F.; E. COONS, O.; C. W. HOVIS, recorder; W. M. PATTON, receiver; Charles HINDMAN, G.; A. S. MILLER, J. W., and P. L. GIBSON, O. W.
BALDWIN Union, Number 467, E. A. U., was organized in July, 1882, with twenty members. The lodge holds its charter with five members, namely: Thomas HAYS, Keziah J. HAYS, Sophia M. McCLURE, J. D. BURTON and O. W. AKIN.
BALDWIN Council, Number 751, Fr. O. U. A. M., was chartered September 21, 1892, with the following named members: S. H. TEMPLETON, E. E. REEP, O. W. REEP, George W. CAMPBELL, J. W. WAGONER, H. W. JAMESON, John H. GRAHAM, James ALEXANDER, S. A. KEEFER, C. M. STOREY, H. D. STOREY, D. I. McCLINTOCK, R. N. WILSON, W. F. ALEXANDER, E. W. BYERS, J. M. BYERS, P. R. BOLLINGER and James M. MAXWELL.
The Producers' Protective Union, Number 12, was organized at Karns City, September 28, 1877, with W. H. HOFFMAN, president; T. P. THOMPSON and N. B. PARKER, vice-presidents; M. H. MERCER, secretary; A. J. SAULSBURY, treasurer, and John GALLOWAY, sergeant-at-arms. The charter members of the association numbered thirty. The organization finally fell to pieces, most of the members joining in the stampede to the Bradford field.
[End of Chapter 45 - Fairview Borough: History of Butler County Pennsylvania, R. C. Brown Co., Publishers, 1895]
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