Husband John Hetzler, Jr. 1 2
Born: 12 May 1818 - Monroe Co, NY 1
Christened:
Died: 16 Mar 1903 - Venango Co, PA 3
Buried: - Rockland Cemetery, Rockland Twp, Venango Co, PA 4
Father: John Hetzler, Sr. (1787-1879) 1 2
Mother: Elizabeth "Betsy" Troutner (1791/1793-1855) 1 2
Marriage: 27 Apr 1843 5
Wife Maria Smith 2 5
Born: 16 Sep 1825 5
Christened:
Died: 14 Feb 1914 - Oil City, Venango Co, PA 5
Buried: - Rockland Cemetery, Rockland Twp, Venango Co, PA 4
Father: Daniel Smith (1790-1874) 6 7 8 9
Mother: Mary Ann Lusher (1796-1872) 6 9
Children
1 F Elizabeth "Betsy" Hetzler 10 11
Born: 12 Apr 1844 11
Christened:
Died: 4 Aug 1930
Buried: - Grove Hill Cemetery, Oil City, Venango Co, PA 12
Spouse: Amos Porter Dale (1839-1908) 13 14
Marr: 13 Mar 1862 15
2 M Daniel B. Hetzler 1
Born: 11 Dec 1845 - Rockland Twp, Venango Co, PA 1
Christened:
Died: 18 Jul 1924 11
Buried: - Rockland Cemetery, Rockland Twp, Venango Co, PA 4
Spouse: Rosa J. Smith (1855-1918) 5 11
Marr: 2 Mar 1870 5
3 M Henry Hetzler 5 11
Born: 27 Feb 1846 11
Christened:
Died: 29 Dec 1895 - Rockland Twp, Venango Co, PA 11
Buried: - Rockland Cemetery, Rockland Twp, Venango Co, PA 4
Spouse: Narcissa Jane Lovell (1847-1908) 11
Marr: Jan 1870
General Notes: Husband - John Hetzler, Jr.
He was but an infant when the family settled in Venango County, PA, where he was reared and educated. He returned to New York with his parents in 1832, and with the exception of the five years spent there passed his days in Venango County. While in New York he studied surveying, and followed that profession for a number of years, making a map of the Red Valley oil district which he copyrighted. During his early manhood he was employed at the local furnaces, and in 1847 settled down to farming on the tract which his father originally took up, living in part of the double brick house there. The property came into his possession, and lying in the well known Red Valley oil district, was profitably developed, large returns being realized on the production there from 1885 to 1905. The first well in the immediate locality was struck in July, 1885, and his farm was leased at once, bringing him a fine income, great enough to enable him to lend considerable sums of money, for which there was a constant demand among those engaged in exploiting oil leases. Some prospered and some failed, and several times lands were abandoned to him, as the borrowers had no other means of satisfying their obligations. One of the properties which he acquired thus was a fine farm in Butler County still [1918] owned by his son Daniel, and his holdings included four tracts besides his home place in Rockland Township. One twenty-five-acre piece belonging to him proved to be one of the best paying oil properties in the Red Valley district. Mr. Hetzler was not only a large landowner, but was also at one time the largest stockholder in the First National Bank at Emlenton. He was ambitious and energetic to the close of his long life, continuing to live on the farm and busying himself with its duties. In his younger days he had learned carpentry and blacksmithing, and he was always well provided with the tools of both callings, which afforded him agreeable occupation for his later years.
Mr. Hetzler was always a man of public spirit and interested in the common welfare and matters affecting the community. During his twenties he was commissioned captain of a Pennsylvania militia Company by Gov. David R. Porter, holding the commission until the old militia organizations of the State were abandoned. When the Civil war broke out he was over the age for enlistment, but he did his part in other ways. He had a team and spring wagon, the only vehicle of the kind in the neighborhood, and he gave considerable time hauling soldiers to distant railroad stations, transferring altogether about seventy-five men-those from Captain Duncan's Company, to Pittsburgh; from Captain Clapp's company, to Kittanning; from Captain Hosey's company, to Callensburg, Clarion County; and from Captain Ridgeway's company to Franklin and other places. He often paid his own expenses on these trips. It is rather remarkable that all but ten of these seventy-five men returned from the service.
Mr. Hetzler was called upon for official service in his township in various capacities, having been elected constable, assessor, collector and school director, for years secretary of the school board. He was deputy sheriff of Venango County for three terms, under Sheriffs P. R. Gray and his immediate successors, Henry Herpst and C. S. Marks; was appointed and served two terms as mercantile appraiser (the first to hold that office in Venango County) and as tipstaff of the court, under Judges Campbell and Trunkey; and was the first Republican elected to the office of county auditor, assuming the duties of that position in January, 1856, and filling it for the full term of three years. He did not remove to Franklin during his official term. [CAB, 667]