Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-08-25
EARLY DAYS OF BUTLER.
The Cunningham Boys and
Their Gift to- the County.

EDITOR OF THE CITIZEN:-W her,
over four wears ago, the movement was
made to have Centennial Celebration
of the birth of the county of Butler;
question arose as to the propriety OF In
cluding the town of Butler in the ceiC-
bration As the town was some three
or four years later in its organization
than the county is WAS concluded 10
have only a county celebration, which
we all remember as u great success
But the writer of this, ever since then,
has had in mind to write something's
concerning tine early town itself that
have come to him by tradition, so to
speak. or by information from father
TO son. We are also indebted 70 the
late Mr. David Dougal for some of The
matters hereinafter stated
The town of Bntler was not of itself
| in running order until the years lS03-4
| The county however had been created
| in the year 1900 But previous to that
date two young men, John and Samuel
Cunningham, came to where Butter
now stands. They built a house and n
Touring mill, the latter standing on the
same spot where the mill now known
as the Walter mill stands. The house
was across the creek, among and al
most surrounded by large rocks. This,
as near as the writer could ever learn,
| was in the year 1897. They, these Cum
ningham boys, as we will call them.
were said to have come as the agents or
| friends of Robert Morris, of Phila-
] delphia, who then was the owner of all
the lands about and south of here An
| older brother, James Cunningham had
been the surveyor, who laid out what is
known as the Cunningham District OF
Depreciation lands, extending from a
few miles north of here, south TO the
Allegheny river. From this and other
facts it is supposed that John and
Samuel had some knowledge, or belief
as to where the town or county seat
would be located. At least they Were
active in having it located where it is
| For this purpose they gave to the coun
ty about II acres off the northern end
of their tract Of land. This tract. Of
800 acres, had been given or sold then
by Robert Morris 1t was then knowr
as the Tressler tract the survey of i
being made in the name Of John Tress
Ter. But when the Cunninghams took
out the patent for it they called it But
ler," after the name given the county
and by that name it appears upon oul
records The u acres they gave for the
county seat extended from near theil
mill property down 10 or about what il
now Jefferson street, according to one
tradition, and according to anothei
given the writer, they extended beyond
or north of Jefferson street to at or nea
North street The writer was neve
able to learn the exact line dividing thi
Tressler or Butler tract from the Reich
art or Graham tract on the north of it
but certain it is that John and Samue
Cunningham gave the ground that ou
public buildings now stand upon ant
that most OF the early town was bull
upon.
John Cunningham died in 1905, ant
his bones lay in the old burial ground o
this place. His death is said to hav
/ been a great shock and loss to hi
| brother Samuel They were in tn
| midst of a prosperous business. Thei
mill was the centre of trade and attrac
tion. 1t was the first and only one nea
the county seat. All the first publ
meetings, of a political nature or other
:, wise. are said to have been held at thi
mill. But Samuel, who was the mos
active and business one, became dis
couraged at the loss of his brother an
concluded to sell his property and It
: turn east to his former home. Betwee
him and the father of the writer, th
late John Negley, there was warn
friendship existing. Just when or hov
they first became acquainted we ARE Nc
able to say, but as the mill was erecte
J previous to the organization of th
l county or the town, and as Mr.. Negie
was said to be its first miller, they mus
have met previous to the year 1S0t
The result of their friendly relation
was the selling by Samuel to his mile
all the balance of his tract, about 30
acres, and including the mill. This wa
9 | the balance of the 800 acres after the
acres given for the county seat. An
thus Mr.. Negley BECAME their successor
! Lots had been laid Out on these II acre
: and nearly all of them sold previous
the sale of Samuel Cunningham to Nj
= | Negley, which was in the year 1906
! Now the greater part of the $50 acres
: covered with dwelling houses, store
. mills, manufactures and other b1ilt
ings, composing most of the Souther
!, end of our town.
|
!. well enough to state that John an
!, | Samuel Cunningha m, the just founder
| of our town. were not related to any c
, that name who have since lived in t6i
!. place, or in the county. The late Dav!
G. Cunningham Esq, who died in til
: upper part of the county some yeaI
3 ago, was not a brother, but was said t
: be relative of John and Samuel. w
!. might also add that John and Samue
I Cunningham, caused, at the instance c
Robert Morrie it is said the making G
! the first road between Pittsburg an
Butler, which went directly north an
south, strait up aud down over hill IA
! vale, and the remnants of which nH
. be seen to this day.
Among the other early ~
. town, in addition TO those spoken {
above, were William Ayres, David Dot
! gal. Col John Purviauce, WilliaI
Campbell, John Gilmore. Jacob Mech
l. ! ling, John Potts, Hugh Mckee, Rober
: Scott, Abraham BrinBer, John McQuit
tion, Robert Graham, Walter Lowrie
John Bredin. Maurice Bredin, william
: Beatty. David McJunkin. John Sullivan
! David Walker. John Duffy, Peter Duffy
! William Kearns, and no doubt other
whose names cannot now be recalled.
Some of the above may not have live
within the limits of the town, or ma
. not have been here at the first sale O
! its lots, 1903, but nearly all becam
owners of lots or lands in or about til
town John McQuistion for instance
who lived outside the town, becam
4, owner of several lots within it ani
: built several houses on same. Jaco
Mechling, Sr, although one of the frs
officers and citizens of the county. W
l believe did not come to town (from wha
is now Washington township till abon
1909, when he purchased from Abraham
: Brinker the square on the Diamond, 8
; long known by his name. end also at
quired mnch other valuable property
John Potts, Hugh Mckee. William
Campbell, Sr.. John Gilmore Davi,
Dougal, David Walker, Walter Lowrie
John Negley, John Bredin. and Others
became owners not only Of lots bat o
much other land in the county.
John Negley and John Bredin eventa
ally became perhaps the largest holder
Of lands in the county, while Mr. Dou
gal and Walter Lowrie probably beodm
rhe largest holders Of town lots. Thing
are vely much changed now and som;
| of the above names are almost un
known. Take for instance the Gilmor
family which sixty years ago was per
| haps the ruling one in Butler. Eov
there ia but one descendant of it to b,
, found here. The same might also b
said Of some others OF tha pionee
families of thiS town Most of thes,