• William ADAMS - b 27 March 1813, s/o Weldon & Mary Ann MILLER Adams; after numerous moves he purchased the farm of Wm. SIMCOX in 1866 in area of Mineral Twp; m. (1) in 1838 Susanna McELHANEY and had 10 children, 2 of whom were: Elizabeth J. & Maria; James m. (2) in 1862 to Mary BARTLETT and had 3 children; after her death he m. (3) in 1870 to Mrs. Martha SIMCOX ALLEN. "History of Venango Co.", 1890, lists six children: Mrs. Henrietta MARSHALL; Mrs. Susanna LeFEVRE; Mrs. Sarah CROAN; Mrs. Maud MOSIER, Georgia & William.

• John J. BARNES - tailor and farmer; b. 14 Nov 1817, d. 8 Jul 1886, s/o James & Mary ALEXANDER Barnes; m. 1839 Eliza Jane MONTGOMERY, d/o James & Sarah FULTON Montgomery of Mercer Co.; settled in Mineral Twp. area in 1847 and served as Justice of the Peace in Mineral Twp. after its formation; 12 children, 8 of whom were: George A.; Archibald; William A.; Thomas J.; Matthew ; Oliver; Jennie Eliza; Sarah G., m. LaFayette PERRINE.

• G.C. CUTCHALL - farmer, b. 8 Jan 1820 in Sugar Creek Twp, s/o John & Emily LIVERMORE Cutchall; m. 11 March 1841 to Rebecca REAGLE, d/o Jacob Reagle; 14 children born to them, 8 of whom were: Elizabeth, m. 1862 to John WISE; John; Sarah, m. 1874 to William B. IRWIN; Mattie V., m. in 1880 to E. L. THOMPSON; Isaiah, m. Lilly WYMER; Jerome; Laura, m. __BEIL; Nettie, m. __DEAN.

• Samuel GILDERSLEEVE - b. 29 Aug 1765 in Orange, Essex Co., NJ; d. 9 Sep 1840 in Franklin, PA; is said to be first permanent settler to the area of Mineral Twp.; m. 1790 in NJ to Charlotte KELLISON, b. 19 Jun 1773, d. 13 Mar 1845; children: Ira, b. 23 Mar 1791, NJ; Mary, b. 4 Feb 1793, NJ; Lois, b. 2 Feb 1797, Franklin; John, b. 7 May 1799; Cyrus, b. 5 Nov 1804, d. 24 Nov 1870, m. Alice ___; Daniel, b. 16 Feb 1807; Ezra, b. 21 Oct 1808; Sarah, b. 9 Mar 1811; Samuel, b. 19 Aug 1808.

• William M. GLENN - oil producer and lumber dealer in Raymilton; b. 8 Sep 1848 in Mercer Co., s/o John Glenn; m. 29 Oct 1874 to Juliet A. ALLEN, d/o J.A. Allen of Irwin Twp.

• Seth GUILINGER - farmer, b. 20 Oct 1811 in Harrison Co., OH, s/o Martin & Eve HENDRICKS Guilinger; Seth came to area of Mineral Twp. in 1837 from Mercer Co., PA; m. Susan COOPER, d/o Charles Cooper; children: Martin, m. Mary R. __; Charles, m. Mary A. __; James; Jacob; John; Albert; Elizabeth, m. __RITCHEY; Amanda; Maria; Washington.

• Archibald HENDERSON - native of Ireland, early settler coming abt 1800 to this area from Hendersonville, Worth Twp., Mercer Co., PA; m. Sarah GATES.

• Robert LATTA - early settler; built a mill on Sandy Creek above Raymilton.

• Archibald McMULLEN - farmer, b. 19 Feb 1827, s/o Galbraith & Mary PARK McMullen; Archibald came w/parents to area in 1838; m. in 1849 to Mary J. AMON, d/o John Amon of this area.

• Aaron Weeks RAYMOND - b. 21 Jan 1801 in Norwalk, CT, s/o Aaron & Hannah R. WEEKS Raymond, g/s of Simeon & Hannah Raymond; A.W. came to Venango Co. in 1830 and laid out the site of Utica and then in 1844 purchased a large tract of land which now includes the site of Raymilton; removed to Franklin in 1858 and purchased a hotel which he conducted as The Rural House; engaged in oil production at Raymilton and other areas; m. 29 Sep 1824 in Sand Lake, NY to Ann Eliza WHITAKER, b. 1802 in Troy, NY, d/o Capt. Ephraim & Hannah Whitaker; 13 children were born to them, 10 of whom were: Matilda, m. 1. Matthew WHANN & 2. on 20 Jul 1882 to Jackson ROBISON; William W., resided in Raymilton, m Sarah __; George W., m. Mary ADAMS; Charles H., b. 3 Feb 1832, m. Jennie IVES; Hannah M., m. Oct 1854 to Philetus W. RAYMOND; Mary J., resided in Franklin; Harriett A., m. John L. NUTCHELL; Sarah L., m. in 1869 to William J. LAMBERTON; Aaron W., b. 17 Jul 1842, d. 1 Jan 1894, m. Oct 1877 to Elizabeth P. SIMCOX, d/o S. SIMCOX; Ann Elizabeth, resided in Franklin.

• George W. RAYMOND - merchant in Raymilton; b. 4 Aug 1828, d. 5 Apr 1909; s/o Aaron W. & Ann Eliza WHITAKER Raymond; George was brought up in Utica, PA and then took over his father's business interests in Raymilton being in charge of a furnace and oil production; m. Sept. 1874 to Mary E. ADAMS, d. 4 Oct 1882, d/o William Adams; one daughter, Florence, b. 23 Aug 1875, d. 26 Jan 1882.

• Charles H. RAYMOND - b. 3 Feb 1832 at Utica, PA, s/o A.W. & Ann Eliza WHITAKER Raymond; clerked at his father's general store in Utica, PA; enlisted in Company F, 121 PA Volunteers; and then entered into business with brothers, George and Aaron W. in the Raymilton enterprises of oil production and a general store; served as first postmaster of Raymilton; m. 16 Aug 1871 to Jennie S. IVES, d/o Frederick Ives; children: Elizabeth and Dora. Charles H. Raymond d. 7 Aug 1908 and Jennie d. 1907. Note: See sidebar VCHS and the book " The Year the Freshet Didn't Come" which is the diary of C.H. Raymond, edited by Carolee K. Michener and Dennis L. Armstrong.

• Samuel W. REAGLE - b. 29 Oct 1814 in Lawrence Co., PA; d. 27 Mar 1883; s/o John Reagle; m. 1. 1840 to Sarah AMON and had children: John A., m. in 1863 to Eliza BARNES; Eliza Mary, m. 1865 to Paterson BARNES; Samuel; Sarah M.; Cyrus L.; Matilda J., m. __ COLE; Hannah, m. in 1878 to R.W. HAYES; and Charlotte. Samuel W. m. 2. 1864 to Mary L. LONG and had children: James Marshall, manager of Reagle Oil Co.; William G., a minister; and Christina.

• Thomas ROSS - b. 31 Oct 1828 in PA, d. 1 Jan 1908, s/o Elijah & Rachel JOHNSON Ross; m. Elizabeth MITCHELL, b. 5 July 1838, d. 4 Oct 1908, d/o James D. & Mary MARTIN Mitchell; children: Thomas Lyman, m. Mary Lavina DOUTT; James B.; Felina Mahala, b. 1859, d. 1937, m. Robert V. HALL; Clara , m. Andrew Ziegler DOUTT.

• Samuel RUSSELL - b. 1800 in Frenchcreek Twp., Venango Co.; d. Jun 1875 in Iowa; married in 1823 to Matilda J. RAYMOND, b. 1804, d. 21 Feb 1842, d/o Aaron & Hannah R. WEEKS Raymond; children: Edward Russell, b. 1824 in Utica, PA; Angeline L., b. 1824, m. Ross ROBINSON; Lavina, b. 1827, m. Francis Marion WARD; Aaron Raymond, b. 1829, was the first to take a steamboat down the Nile River, m. 1. Helen PHILLIPS & 2. Lizzie McCORMICK; Samuel W., b. 1836, Civil War Vet; James, b. 1842, d. at age 19; Morris C., m. Jennie BYRNES and lived in Minn.; Ann Eliza, m. __SLY of Minn. Samuel married Susan ? after the death of Matilda.

• Shadrach SIMCOX - coming from MD; settled about 1800 in area; m. Eleanor Jones (?); son William, b. 14 June 1794, served in War of 1812 and m. Jane MARSHALL.

• James SIMCOX - farmer, b. 29 Feb 1832, s/o William and Jane MARSHALL Simcox, g/s of Shadrach Simcox; m. 1854 to Elizabeth HENDERSON, d/o Samuel Henderson of Worth Twp., Mercer Co., PA.

• William WHANN - early pioneer to this area that settled on South Sandy Creek and later removed to Harrison Co., OH; had 2 sons, Francis and Robert S. who remained in the Southwest area of Venango Co.

• Robert S. WHANN - s/o William Whann; served in War of 1812; m. Mrs. Elizabeth LOWRIE STEVENS, widow of John Stevens; children: William, m. Tamar WILLIAMS, d/o Eli Williams; Matthew L., m. (1) Sarah WILLIAMS, (2) Matilda RAYMOND, d/o A.W. Raymond; Elizabeth L., m. John PHIPPS of Clinton Twp.; Eleanor C., m. William LYONS of OH; Walter L, an oil producer; Robert F., m. Sarah PHIPPS, d/o Samuel Phipps of Scrubgrass, Sarah later married William RAYMOND.

• Francis WHANN - s/o William Whann, served in War of 1812; m. Jane SMITH; children: Hannah, m. John F. HENDERSON; Sarah, m. May 1833 to John ADAMS of Polk; William, m. Catherine WOODS; Jane, m. Thomas HOGE; Francis, m. Nancy WALKER; Andrew, m. Sarah WOODS; Ellen, m. Rev. J.M. GALLAGHER; Daniel, m. Leah HAUK; John, m. Sarah GRIFFIN.

• Alexander WRIGHT - farmer and Justice of the Peace; b. 21 Aug 1839 in Mercer Co., PA; s/o Thomas & Sarah FOWLER Wright; m. Mary L. GIEBNER, d/o Augustus Giebner of Worth Twp., Mercer Co., PA.

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  The following names are from the 1865 Map of Venango County - compiled from Official Survey. At this time the area which is shown as Mineral Twp. on the 1903 map (above) was part of French Creek and Sandycreek Twps. DEFRANCE, BIRCK, J. WALLACE, J. SIMCOX, J.W. HICKMAN, W. ALLEN, McGINNIS, J. JOHNSON, J.W. McMULLIN, J. AMON, A.W. RAYMOND, S & a REAGLE, D. HESTER, G. CUTCHALL, S & D McCLELLAND, W. SIMCOX, F. WHAN, B. KIMBLE, G. HUNTER, A. HENDERSON, Jno ADAMS, LYTLE PAINTER & CO. M.L. WHAN, J. WARD, T. WOODS, S. RUSSELL, W. BUCKLEY, SIMCOX, J.S. DAVIS, S. GUILINGER, J. BURNS, T. GADSLEY, A MONTGOMERY, D. WILLIAMS, J. LATSHAW

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  Early Churches

• Center Methodist Episcopal Church - organized in 1844
  • members:
    • John ADAMS
    • John W. WALKER
    • Margaret WALKER
    • Daniel READING
    • Margaret READING
    • David REAGLE
    • Samuel GILDERSLEEVE
    • Daniel HERRING
    • Robert HERRING
    • Calvin WARD
    • Emily WARD
    • Reuben WARD
    • David SIMCOX
    • Adaline SIMCOX
    • Adaline HILL
    • Hiram KIMBALL
    • Eliza KIMBALL
    • Eleanor SIMCOX.
• Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church - first session records, dated 30 March 1849 with elders being A.W. RAYMOND & Robert S. WHANN and is on land given by Archibald HENDERSON.
• Mt. Olive Church of the Evangelical Association - organized in 1882; Emmanuel RICE was the first class leader.

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  Early Schools

• Located near the Center Methodist Church; built abt 1820; Rachel JONES was first teacher & Elmira WOODWORTH, of Franklin the second teacher. After this building was destroyed by fire another was built on the WRIGHT farm near South Sandy.
• An early school was taught in a building on the RIGGS farm; __BUTLER & John ELDER were among the early teachers.

The numbers on this list correspond with the map in the Heritage Room of the Oil City Library which is staffed by the Venango County Genealogy Club.

• Mary A. Raymond, 19 Apr 1852 - 4 Oct 1882, w/o GW
• James Simcox, 1832 - 1905
• John M. Blair, 1873 - 1951
• Cora E. Blair, 1878 - 1945, w/o JM
• Thomas Ross, 1828 - 1908
• Elizabeth Mitchell Ross, b. July 1839 d. ?, w/o Thomas
• Thomas Lyman Ross, 4 Feb 1864 - 14 Nov 1931
• James B. Ross, June 1862 - 4 Aug 1919
• Clara Ross Doutt, 1869 - 1949, w/o Andrew Ziegler Doutt

• Robert S. Whan, d. 9 Mar 1855
• Elizabeth Whan, d. 13 Jul 1862, w/o RS
• Matthew L. Whan, d. 9 Jun 1877
• Sara P. Whan, d. Aug 1862, w/o ML
• Eli Whan, d. 11 Jun 1851, s/o ML & S
• Samuel W. Reagle, 1814 - 1883
• Mary E. Reagle, 1826 - 1916, w/o SW
• A. Reagle, 1817 - 1876
• Charles Henderson, d. 10 Apr 1851
• Mary Simcox Henderson, d. 20 Sep 1851, w/o Charles

• Shadrach Simcox, d. 14 Jul 1832, age 62
• Eleanor Simcox, d. Oct 1853, w/o Shadrach
• Eleanor Simcox, d. 20 July 1839, dau of S & E