Husband Burton L. Barnhart 1
Born: 16 Apr 1867 - Kaylor, Armstrong Co, PA 2
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Isaac Barnhart (1841- ) 3
Mother: Hattie E. Shaffer (Abt 1841-1886) 3
Marriage: 6 Dec 1887 2
Wife Ella L. Doutt 2
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: John Tarlton Doutt ( - ) 2 4
Mother: Mary Ann Campbell ( - ) 2 4
Children
• They had no children.
General Notes: Husband - Burton L. Barnhart
After marriage he and his wife lived at a location on the south side of Kaylor, and in 1904 he built a beautiful modern residence there which they thereafter occupied. The property, known as Maple Hill, consisted of thirty-five acres, beautifully improved, and particularly noted as a fine residence property. The fine lawn was tastefully inclosed with cement blocks, and he built a large buff brick barn with all modern improvements on the place, probably the finest in the county. It was 36 by 46 feet, three stories high, with cement floors and of fireproof construction throughout. He also planted an orchard, of three hundred trees, of various fruits.
He was born in an old log house on the farm at Kaylor, PA, and was reared there, obtaining his education in the neighborhood schools, which he attended until thirteen years old. After he started to work for himself he was employed at the Barnhart coal mine, which supplied all the coal for local well drilling at that time, and from there he changed to the oil business, beginning as a pumper. After two years he went into business on his own account, and in spite of the fact that he had helped to drill probably more dry holes than any other man in Armstrong county he made a notable success of his work. It is a fact worthy of record that on Sept. 5, 1899, he drilled the first “Speechly sand” gas well in that country, located about two hundred feet from his residence. He proceeded with the drilling in spite of all opposition and discouragements, one prominent gas man going so far as to say he was in need of a guardian. However, he was rewarded with one of the largest gas wells in this part of the country, the production reaching 1,200,000 feet of gas per day. The well was 2,480 feet deep, and the rock pressure at first was 980 pounds, and great difficulty was experienced in getting the output under control, the well “blowing out” three times; a special “packer” had to be made to control it. He had as many as twenty-two producing gas wells and fifteen producing oil wells (all having telephone connections with his office), besides twenty-five miles of gas pipe line. He toot an active part in the operations, with which he kept closely in touch, personally superintending the fields, and reading all the gas meters. He employed five men regularly. The Barnhart Coal Mine pumping station was supplied with gas from his property, as well as the town of Kaylor and the surrounding county. He also had other business interests, being president of the Butler County Auto Company. He handled a full line of gas fittings and supplies, stoves, ranges, etc., and plumbing supplies (in which he did a thriving business), and installed a gasoline plant to make gasoline for all commercial purposes. He kept seven fine horses to do the large amount of hauling required in the various operations of production, and some of these were standard bred.
He was a thirty-second-degree Mason, belonging to Chicora Blue Lodge, No. 540, Butler Chapter, No. 273, Tancred Commandery, No. 48, of Pittsburgh, and the Consistory and Shrine at Pittsburgh. With his wife he belonged to Butler Chapter, No. 45, O. E. S., and to Damascus (No. 1) White Shrine of Jerusalem, at Pittsburgh. He was also a member of Lodge No. 203, B. P. O. Elks, of Kittanning. He attended the Baptist Church. He was a lifelong Republican, and he served his party as committeeman for No. 2 district, Kaylor.