Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



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Peter Theobald and Minnie Schwartzcop




Husband Peter Theobald 1 2

           Born: 11 Nov 1838 - near Winderbach, Germany 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 


         Father: Nicholas Theobald (1794-1866) 1
         Mother: Katherina Leist (1798-1883) 1


       Marriage: 



Wife Minnie Schwartzcop 1

           Born:  - Wellsville, Allegany Co, NY
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 


Children
1 M Edward T. Theobald 3

            AKA: Edward P. Theobald 2
           Born: 10 Nov 1874 - Titusville, Crawford Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Edith Mackey (      -      ) 2
           Marr: 5 Oct 1898 - Evansville, Vanderburgh Co, IN 2



General Notes: Husband - Peter Theobald


He acquired his education in his native land, and was fourteen years of age at the time he emigrated to America with the others of his family. For some years he worked on the homestead farm, but he was yet in early manhood when he walked to Titusville, Pennsylvania, in order to carve out his fortune himself. He was of a strong and robust constitution, and an excellent walker, on one day covering forty miles. Titusville was at that time the center of the oil industry, and he became associated with others in the putting down of oil wells, but they were not successful in this line of enterprise. They then started in the oil refining business, in which they met with the success. At this time the Standard Oil Company was buying up all the smaller concerns, and the approach was also made to Mr. Theobold. He, however, seeing the possibilities of the industry, refused to sell. But his partners who together held the larger part of the interests, sold out, and Mr. Theobald was obliged to make the best of it. Undaunted, he started an independent refining company, of which he was elected president, this being known as the Independent Oil Refining Company of Oil City, Pennsylvania. As the executive head of this company he raised it to a high standard, and it was a well paying corporation. In 1906 he retired from business affairs, and lived in Titusville, where he had a comfortable home, at No. 69 West Walnut street. He was a Democrat, and a member of the Masonic order. [GHPWP, 1305]

He was born at St. Wendel, Rhine province, Germany, and in his seventeenth year came with the family to America, in 1855, settling at Wellsville, New York. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted, and served in the Army of the Potomac throughout the struggle. Coming to Titusville when discharged, he entered into partnership with William Teague in a small refinery. Later he sold this interest and formed an association with A. D. Deming, of Oil City, being soon thereafter joined by Louis Walz, establishing the Independent Oil Com­pany in 1882 on the site now occupied by the Independent Refining Company. Mr. Theo­bald was president of the company, its success in a large measure resulting from his vigilance and ability. Though he maintained his home at Titusville his energies were devoted to the plant until his retirement in 1908, he becoming one of the most widely known independent refiners. [HVC 1919, 444]

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Sources


1 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 1305.

2 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 444.

3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915), Pg 1306.


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