OIL CITY, PA
Pictures from Oil City Pennsylvania
This picture is of an Oil City school - I don't know which one - in 1908. As
my schoolteacher sister-in-law pointed out, there's obviously a spring
program in the offing. The younger children in front have tissue paper
"buds" on their heads; the older children in the back have fully opened
flowers on their heads and are carrying little corsages or flower chains in
their hands. My great-uncle, Peter Fitzpatrick, is the tall boy standing
between the teachers. As the flower on his head is a different color, we
surmise that Peter had a special role in the pageant. Peter died in his
early 20's, possibly from complications from epilepsy.
This is my Great-grandfather's Blacksmith shop, located on Main
street. The picture dates from the very late 1800's or (at most)
the early 1900's. Edward Fitzpatrick served in the 6th U.S. Cavalry during
the Civil War, and made his living as a farrier. He and his son (by his
first wife) Harry, and a third unknown person are shown in front of the
shop.
This is the Fitzpatrick's house, located next door to the smithy. This is
an earlier picture, taken in the late 1880's, and the woman sitting to the
right of the porch is, my gggrandmother, Katherine Armstrong,
originally of Ireland.
This is a copy of an original, courtesy of my cousin Donna Keith
Phillips. This is of the Keeley (or Keely) homestead, the basis of the now
disappeared "town" of Keeley Corners. This is the house built by Hamilton B. Keeley in the
late 1860's. That's Hamilton standing to the foreground, probably with his
four daughters and wife standing around them or back at the house. Based on
their clothes, the picture was probably taken in the 1880's. The house
still stands and is, in the process of renovation. Hamilton was a generous and religious person. He gave away much of
his land for small amounts to friends and family, donated the land for
Keeley School, and was a pillar of his church.
Contributor:
Mary Keith
mkeith@mccdistrict.org
offers to do lookups in this Souvenir of the Oil City Derrick
Arrival Page
PAGenWeb
