Husband Hon. Able L. Confer 1
Born: 10 Dec 1844 - near Akron, Erie Co, NY 1
Christened:
Died: 28 Dec 1928 - Florida
Buried: - Grove Hill Cemetery, Oil City, Venango Co, PA
Father: John Confer ( - ) 1
Mother: Mary Caroline Green ( - ) 1
Marriage: 15 Nov 1870
Wife Mary J. Boslough 2
Born: 1849
Christened:
Died: 1921
Buried: - Grove Hill Cemetery, Oil City, Venango Co, PA
Father: John Boslough ( - ) 2
Mother: Mary [Unk] ( - ) 2
Children
1 F Mabel G. Confer 3
Born: 1874 - Reno, Sugarcreek Twp, Venango Co, PA
Christened:
Died: 1962
Buried: - Grove Hill Cemetery, Oil City, Venango Co, PA
Spouse: Eugene Wheeler Chase (1880-1952)
Marr: 2 Apr 1903 - Oil City, Venango Co, PA 4
2 F Gertrude A. Confer 2
Born: 1876
Christened:
Died: 1937
Buried: - Grove Hill Cemetery, Oil City, Venango Co, PA
Spouse: John Fox Means (1875-1923) 5
Marr: 4 Jun 1904 5
3 F Marguerite Confer 2
Born: 1886
Christened:
Died: 1887
Buried: - Grove Hill Cemetery, Oil City, Venango Co, PA
Spouse: Did Not Marry
General Notes: Husband - Hon. Able L. Confer
He was eight years old when the family removed to the farm at Saginaw, Michigan, then a newly settled part of the country, and remained there until after he reached the age of eleven. Though only a boy when the Civil war was being fought, he hired out as a teamster in the Northern army, being sent from New York by boat to Virginia, and encountering a terrible storm en route. Arriving at Aqua Creek, VA, he was sent thence to the front, at Fredericksburg, remaining there a few months before his return to New York. Later he went to Akron, Ohio, where he entered the employ of the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad Company in the telegraph department, on the construction of a line to Dayton, Ohio. When that work was finished he was sent to Meadville, PA, as telegraph repairman, being so engaged for some time; and was subsequently appointed extra agent and operator on the line (Second Division), continuing a few years in that capacity. In 1870 he was appointed agent of that road at Reno, Venango County, PA, and served as such until 1886. Meantime he had branched out into the refining business with W. H. Stevens, with whom he was interested in the Arctic Oil Works at Reno, and several months after he joined this enterprise he was given the choice of discontinuing his connection with it or giving up his railroad position. He wisely decided to remain in the refining business, which has been his main interest since. With S. Y. Ramage and Fred Fisher, both of Oil City, he started the Mutual Oil Company (at Reno), after a year or two selling out his interest therein to Mr. Ramage. Then he started to build the Empire Oil Works at Reno, which became one of the principal refineries in that section, and which under his capable direction and management had a steady success from its inception. A branch of the business was maintained at Montreal, Canada, and the product is marketed not only all over the United States, but over a considerable portion of Canada and in foreign countries. A trade of good proportions was built up in Hamburg, Germany, until the time World War I broke out, which was then discontinued, but the Paris (France) business was kept up.
While he had his home at Reno he served ten years on the school board of Sugar Creek Township. He was also postmaster at Reno for a number of years. In 1892 he removed to Oil City, where he was just as actively identified with the administration of public affairs, serving several years as councilman from the Fourth ward and from 1905 to 1908 as mayor. On political questions he was a Democrat. He was a member of the National Security League, of the Oil City Chamber of Commerce, National Petroleum Association, Venango Club, Wanango Country Club (of which he was vice president) and Masonic fraternity, in which latter connection he held membership in Petrolia Lodge, No. 363, F. & A. M., of Oil City; Oil City Chapter, R. A. M.; Talbot Commandery, No. 43, K. T., of Oil City, past commander, 1902-03; Pennsylvania Consistory, thirty-second degree, of Pittsburgh; and Zem Zem Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Erie, Pa. He and his family were members of Trinity M. E. Church. [HVC 1919, 648]
General Notes: Wife - Mary J. Boslough
from Meadville, Crawford Co, PA