Husband Joseph Crocker Sibley 1 2 3
Born: 18 Feb 1850 - Friendship, Allegany Co, NY 2 4
Christened:
Died: 19 May 1926 - Venango Co, PA 3
Buried:
Father: Dr. Joseph Crocker Sibley (1817-1866) 1 5
Mother: Lucy Elvira Babcock (1822-1908) 1
Marriage: 6 Dec 1913 - ? Venango Co, PA 6
Other Spouse: Metta Evalina Babcock (1853-1911) 4 7 - 17 Mar 1870 7
• Biographical Sketch: John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913).
To read this biographical sketch of his life and career, click here.
• Document.
• Residence: : near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
• Residence: : near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
• Residence: : near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
• Residence: : near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
• Property: River Ridge Farm: near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
• Property: River Ridge Farm: near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
• Property: River Ridge Farm: near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
• Property: River Ridge Farm: near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
• Property: River Ridge Farm: near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
• Property: River Ridge Farm: near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
• Property: River Ridge Farm: near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
• Property: Prospect Hill Stock Farm: near Franklin, Venango Co, PA.
To read a description of Prospect Hill Stock Farm, click here.
Wife Ida L. Rew 8
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Ory L. Rew (1840- ) 9
Mother: Inez M. Babcock ( -1878) 9
Children
General Notes: Husband - Joseph Crocker Sibley
In 1866, upon the death of his father, he gave up, on account of limited means, a course in college for which he was about prepared, and came to Franklin and began clerking in the dry-goods store of his brother-in-law, Charles Miller. From that time the business interests of Messrs. Miller and Sibley have been closely allied. After the closing out of the dry goods store Mr. Sibley was agent for the Galena Oil Works at Chicago for about two years, and during the great fire lost all his effects and came near losing his life.
The beginning of his business prosperity may be said to date from 1873, when he returned to Franklin, and after many experiments succeeded in making a signal oil superior to those previously in use in quality of light, safety, and cold test. The Signal Oil Works, Limited, was organized with Mr. Sibley as president, and the proprietors of the Galena Oil Works, Limited, whose plant was used for the manufactory, as partners. A few years later Mr. Sibley compounded a valve oil for locomotives, which was more economical and free from all the bad effects of the animal oils that had hitherto been in use. This oil has been introduced on three-fourths of the railway mileage of the United States.
His purchase of St. Bel and other animals that afterward became noted is mentioned in the article on Prospect Hill Stock Farm. His judgment in regard to live stock has been many times strikingly confirmed, and he is now generally considered one of the best judges of horses and Jersey cattle in the United States. For several years prior to 1889 he was one of the leading members of the Venango County Agricultural Society, and its yearly fairs, which rivaled in excellence the state fair, owed no little of their success to his plans, and the loose purse strings of himself and Major Miller.
After the burning of the Hanna block, there being no place in Franklin suitable for concerts, operas, or theatrical representations, Mr. Sibley drew up a subscription list and himself and Major Miller having headed the list called on the leading citizens and in one or two days enlisted sufficient capital to erect the tasty and commodious opera house building that is now such a credit to the city.
The large pipe organ in the First Baptist church of Franklin, of which he is a member, was the gift of himself and Major Miller, and they also bear the entire expense of the music, which is said to compare favorably with that of any other church choir of equal numbers in the country. The only church services in the Third ward are supported by these same gentlemen.
Prior to the Blaine campaign Mr. Sibley was an ardent Republican and made many speeches in behalf of that party. Since that time he has voted with and spoken for the Prohibition party, whose principal object, the suppression of the liquor traffic, he heartily indorses. Although a member of the class principally benefited by the high tariff laws, a careful study of the question has led him to believe that such legislation is unwise and unjust, taxing all for the benefit of a few, and on several public occasions he has earnestly stated his views and given many illustrations in support of them. His sympathies have always been with the laboring classes. He was elected mayor of Franklin in his twenty-ninth year on the issue of public improvements, but has never since been a candidate for any political office.
Mr. Sibley is president of the Pennsylvania State Dairymen's Association vice-president of the National Half-Mile Track Association, a director and member of the executive committee of the National Association of Trotting Horse Breeders, and a member of the State Board of Agriculture. He has twice been a director of the American Jersey Cattle Club and is the author of some of its most important measures. Besides the business interests already referred to, he is president of the Franklin Opera House Company and a director in the Railway Speed Recorder Company, and the First National Bank of Franklin. He has made several contributions to live stock literature. An address on the Jersey cow, and an article comparing George Wilkes and Electioneer as trotting sires excited wide comment and have been many times reprinted. - E. H. S. [HVC 1890, 793]
In 1892 Joseph C. Sibley, a prominent business man of Franklin, was elected to Congress. He entered as a Democrat, and took a leading part in the business of the House. As a speaker upon the floor he was magnetic and convincing. The people believed in him, especially those who knew him best, his neighbors in Venango County, and acquaintances in the other counties of the district. These valued him, not as a partisan politician, but as a friend of the people. They esteemed character as higher than the name of a party. Their faith was eternally right. In 1898, and for the next three succeeding terms, Mr. Sibley was returned in this district, but during this period he was known as a Republican. The people held fast to their faith in their Congressman. They recognized his right to change his party name as a common privilege exercised by men in all ranks of public life. This could not change his disposition and the tendencies of his life. As they had known him, so he would continue, in favor of the general welfare. At the close of his fifth term, while friends were urging him to continue in office, Mr. Sibley found that his health, which had required care for years, would not permit him to remain in public life.
It appears that a book was written about him, described as follows: This is the 171 page paperback book, Destiny's Gentleman, by Jack Mays, Copyright 1979. Book traces the rise from obscurity to national political prominence by Joseph Crocker Sibley, who died May 19, 1926, at River Ridge Estate, near Franklin, Venango County, Pennsylvania. The aura of mystery punctuated by myths and half-truths still surrounds his dual career as a politician and leader of the Pennsylvania oil industry during the industrialization of America. Book covers the events of this prosperous era through which Sibley lived. Numerous historical photos.