Pontius Biographies from the
History of Butler Co., PA
R. C.
Brown Co., Publishers, 1895
The following biographies come from
the 1895 History of Butler County, Pennsylvania. The full text
of this book may be found at:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~pabutler/1895/index.htm. Please
click on the person's name to go to his lineage page.
There are other Pontius references in
this book, and the researcher is encouraged to search the site
listed above for more information.
NICHOLAS PONTIUS, one of the
well known and prominent citizens of Fairview township, was born in
Prussia, Germany, April 18, 1832, son of Charles and Elizabeth (HARTWICK)
PONTIUS, natives of Prussia. Charles PONTIUS was a shoemaker, and
came to the United States, with his wife and six children, in 1845,
landing at Baltimore, and thence proceeding to Pittsburg, where he
followed his trade. Later he settled on a farm in Washington county,
Ohio, where both he and wife died. They were the parents of six
children, three of whom are living, viz.: Charles, a merchant of
Cameron, Ohio; Nicholas, and Caroline, wife of Gottlieb FOX, of
Virginia. The subject of this sketch spent his boyhood days in his
native land, where he received a common school education. He was
thirteen years of age when his parents came to the United States,
the voyage across the Atlantic in a sailing vessel consuming
fifty-six days. After arriving at Pittsburg he entered a furniture
manufactory, and served an apprenticeship of three years as a
finisher, receiving three dollars per week and later four dollars
per week during his apprenticeship. He afterwards worked as a
journeyman until 1862, in which year he located at Millerstown,
Butler county, and engaged in the mercantile business. In 1864 he
removed to Buena Vista, where he continued in business until 1878,
in which year he retired. In the meantime he had embarked in the oil
industry, and now owns 140 acres of good land with a profitable
production. He is also interested in the eastern belt, is one of the
leading producers of his locality, and at one time owned an interest
in fifty-six wells in the Millerstown field. He is a stockholder in
the Producers Pipe Line Company, and was one of the original
stockholders in the German Oil Refinery at Brady's Bend, which was
afterwards purchased by the Standard Oil Company. In 1852 Mr.
PONTIUS was married, in Pittsburg, to Christina WOLFE, a native of
Saxony, Germany, who came to Butler county with her parents when
five years of age. To this union has been born one son, Edward, who
died in infancy. Politically, Mr. PONTIUS is a Republican, and is a
member of the I. O. O. F. In 1878 he and his wife spent the summer
on a visit to their native land, enjoying a portion of the fruits
which his industry and economy accumulated. He has been a very
successful business man, and is recognized as one of the substantial
citizens of the county. [p. 1005]
ISAAC REEP, son of Isaac
REEP, Sr., was born near Philadelphia, in 1787, and came to Butler
county with his parents when fourteen years of age. He grew to
maturity here, and served in the War of 1812. He married Mary
PONTIUS, a native of eastern Pennsylvania, and settled on a portion
of the REEP homestead, near the village of Fairview, where both he
and wife resided until death. Mr. REEP died July 2, 1863, and his
wife, March 9, 1880, aged eighty-three years. They were members of
the Evangelical Lutheran church, and the parents of thirteen
children, only three of whom are now living. The names of their
children are as follows: Elizabeth; John; Isaac; Gabriel; Samuel;
William; Mary; Jacob; Henry; Lewis; Eli; Catherine, and Solomon. Of
these William, Eli and Catherine survive. [p. 994]
CHARLES SWARTZLANDER was
born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in June, 1822, son of Abraham
and Elizabeth SWARTZLANDER. When Charles was seven years old his
parents removed to Armstrong county, making the trip in a covered
wagon drawn by three horses, our subject walking much of the
distance. His father purchased a claim in Armstrong county, upon
which he subsequently settled, and both he and wife died there.
Charles grew to maturity in that county amid the scenes and
hardships of pioneer days, attending school in a little log building
with the rudest furnishings of the period. When fourteen years of
age he worked six months for fifty dollars. In 1843 he came to
Butler county and worked at the carpenter's trade, having served an
apprenticeship of two years at that business. On May 6, 1847, he
married Phoebe PONTIUS, a daughter of Gabriel and Mary PONTIUS. She
was born on the PONTIUS homestead in Donegal township, September 23,
1828, and is the mother of the following children: Harvey O.; Amos
G., deceased; Samuel M.; William J., and Mary A. M., deceased. In
politics, Mr. SWARTZLANDER is a Republican. His wife is a member of
the English Lutheran church, and the family are adherents of that
faith. Their son, Harvey O., was born April 10, 1848, in Fairview
township, and has always followed the vocation of a farmer. He is a
member of Karns City Lodge, I. O. O. F., which he joined September
9, 1876. Politically, he is an ardent Republican.
[p. 1003-1004]
GABRIEL PONTIUS came to
Butler county when a young man, and located in Donegal township
about 1803. He was born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, in 1786,
and after coming to Butler county, he married Mary BARNHART, of
Donegal township, subsequently purchased a tract of 200 acres,
erected a log cabin and began the work of making a home. The country
was then comparatively a wilderness, and some time after settling in
Donegal township, Mr. PONTIUS established a small pottery, which
business he followed for nearly thirty years, making many of the
dishes and much of the pottery used by the pioneers of that
locality. His patrons sometimes paid for their ware by working on
his farm, while he was engaged in the pottery. He died upon the
homestead in 1872, and his wife in 1875, aged eighty-eight years.
They were the parents of eight children, as follows: Elizabeth,
deceased wife of George ELLENBERGER, of Armstrong county; John,
deceased, who resided in Donegal township; William, a resident of
Armstrong county; Polly, deceased, who married John F. WILES;
Solomon, who lives upon the old homestead; Catherine, deceased, who
married Abraham BARNHART; Hannah, deceased wife of Henry WILES, and
Phoebe, wife of Charles SCHWARTZLANDER, a resident of Fairview
township. Mr. PONTIUS was a prominent Democrat, and held various
township offices, such as assessor, supervisor, collector and school
director. He took an active interest in educational matters and
labored zealously to secure the introduction of the public schools
in his township. [p. 951-952]
SOLOMON PONTIUS, fifth child
of Gabriel and Mary (BARNHART) PONTIUS, was born in Donegal
township, Butler county, December 13, 1819. He spent his boyhood
days upon the farm, assisting his father in clearing the land, and
working in the pottery. Dressed in the home-made clothing of the
period, he would often pull the flax and break and scutch the same,
and then assist his mother in spinning and weaving it into clothing
and blankets upon the home loom. The usual mode of going to mill was
on horseback, with a pack saddle, across which he would place the
sack of grain. He attended for a few weeks during the winter season
the early subscription schools, when the little log school house
with puncheon floors, and benches split from logs, was the best the
times afforded. Mr. PONTIUS remained with his parents until
twenty-three years of age, when he took charge of the homestead
farm, his parents making their home with him until their death. In
1842 he married Mary KING, a native of Armstrong county. She died in
1843, leaving no children. On April 27, 1845, he married Margaret
MYERS, a native of Westmoreland county, born August 22, 1822. Her
parents, Frederick and Susannah MYERS, came from Westmoreland county
to Sugar Creek in 1826, and resided here the remainder of their
lives. She, too, was reared amidst pioneer surroundings, and
experienced the usual trials and hardships of that period. Five
children are the fruits of this union, viz.: John W., born August
14, 1846, now pastor of the German Reformed church, at Martinsburg,
Blair county; Susannah, born June 4, 1848, died in December, 1861;
Caroline, born August 23, 1851, died July 29, 1882; Mary Catherine,
born May 19, 1856, wife of Dr. C. F. DAUBENSPECK, of Crawford
county, and Solomon Isaiah, born October 7, 1861, married Sarah
Catherine SOMMERVILLE, of Armstrong county, and has five children.
He resides with his parents upon the old homestead. Mr. PONTIUS and
wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of Millerstown,
in which he has filled several official positions, and for twenty
years was superintendent of the Sabbath school. He was formerly a
member of the German Reformed church, and was an elder in that
society for a long period. Politically, a Democrat, he has been
active in local politics the greater part of his life. For nearly
forty years he has served as justice of the peace, and is still
holding that office. He has also filled the offices of supervisor,
assessor, and school director, the last mentioned for eighteen
years, seventeen of which he was secretary of the board. 'Squire
PONTIUS owns the old homesterd [sic] of 200 acres, also another farm
in the same township of sixty-two acres, besides 111 acres in
Trumbull county, Ohio. He is one of the successful farmers of the
county, and is an extensive oil producer. Few men in the community
have won and retained to a greater degree the esteem and confidence
of the people, and throughout his long residence in Donegal
township, he has been recognized as a public-spirited and
progressive citizen.
[p. 952]
JOHN PONTIUS, eldest son of
Gabriel and Mary (BARNHART) PONTIUS, was born in Donegal township,
Butler county, December 25, 1812. He was reared upon the old
homestead, and married Mary m. WILES, a daughter of Frederick WILES,
who came from eastern Pennsylvania at an early day and settled in
Donegal township, Butler county, afterwards serving as a soldier in
the war of 1812. Mr. PONTIUS settled in Armstrong county after his
marriage, resided there eight years, and then returned to Donegal
township, where he died January 22, 1892. His widow still survives
him. She was born July 14, 1820, and reared a family of eleven
children, nine of whom are still living as follows: Gabriel, of
Donegal township; Susan, wife of John KAYLOR, of Fairview township;
Caroline, wife of J. J. CRAWFORD, of Millerstown; Phoebe, wife of
William KEPPLE, of Armstrong county; William, a resident of Donegal
township; Mary, wife of Robert TAYLOR, of Clearfield county; Samuel
W., who resides in Pittsburg; John Henry, and George W., both
residents af [sic] Donegal township. [p. 953]
JOHN HENRY PONTIUS, son of
John and Mary M. PONTIUS, was born in Donegal township, Butler
county, February 5, 1859, was reared upon the farm and received his
education in the public schools. On September 1, 1881, he married
Ada BURFORD, a daughter of Reuben BURFORD, of Armstrong county. They
resided in Beaver Falls for some time, where Mr. PONTIUS worked in
an iron mill, and later located on their present homestead in
Donegal township. He owns a well improved farm of 100 acres, with
oil and gas production. They are the parents of two children: Sidney
Easton, and Myrell Reid. Mr. PONTIUS is an active Republican, and,
though living in a township strongly Democratic, has been elected to
various offices, all of which he filled in a highly creditable
manner. Mr. PONTIUS and wife are members of Mt. Pleasant English
Lutheran church, and liberal contributors towards that organization.
He is a member of Millerstown Lodge, Number 457, K. of P., also of
the K. O. T. M. [p. 953]