Civil War Veteran

Co. I 88th Indiana Vol.

Former Resident of This City Passes
Away at Bradford.

Lewis E. Hamsher, a prominent
Bradford man, died Sunday, following
an operation performed at the Bradford
hospital on Saturday. He had
been ill for-several weeks;
Deceased was born in Limestone
county, N. Y., Dec. 31, 1843. He removed-
with his parents to Indiana,
where he grew to manhood. In 1862
Mr. Hamsher enlisted in Company I
Eighty eighth Indiana volunteers, and
he served six months as a soldier when
his health broke down! He was required,
on that account, to reluctantly
accept his discharge from the army.
Thereafter his former rugged health
was impaired and although he was always
of a cheerful disposition and com-
plained but little, he suffered much
from an affliction which finally brought
about his death.
In 1867 he went into business on his
own account at Bristol, Ind., continuing
in it for two years, when he and his
brother-in-law, R. R. Caldwell of Bradford,
went to the oil regions of Pennsylvania,
At Pioneer, on Oil creek,
they were employed by Lewis Emery,
Jr., o'u'oil wells, obtaining a practical
knowledge of the business. Later
Messrs. Hamsher and Caldwell engaged
in producing oil in Clarion couiity
and were fairly successful, having
wells in the vicinity of Turkey City.
In 1870 Mr. Hamsher located at
Cnurch run, north of Titusville, remaining
there six years, following the
oil business in different capacities.
When the opening of the Bradford field
took place In 1876 he went there and
with W. R. Weaver, deceased, bought
the Interests of T. G. Patterson, a partner
of Lewis Emery, jr., and the firm
of Emery, Patterson & Co. became the
Emery Oil company. Mr. Hamsher
continued n member of the company
until his death, and he was also identified
with other business concerns, :ncluding
the Mataon Oil company, of
which he was president, succeeding the
late Myron Matson. He was treasurer
of the Minard Run Oil company and
owned considerable stock in the Inoa
Mining company of Peru. He was a
partner in the oil producing firm of
Caldwell, Hamsher & Co. and his oil
interests were in various localities.
he was a shrewd business man and
amassed a considerable fortune.
The deceased was formerly a member
of the Bradford city council. He
is survived by his widow and also
leaves two sisters, Mrs. J. M. Stevenson
of Bradford and Mrs. Benjamin
Knapp of Bristol, Ind., and a brother,
P. M. Hamsher, also of Bristol, He
was affiliated with tho Episcopal
church and was a prominent member
of the Masonic fraternity.

TITUSVILLE HERALD 12-10-1907, pg 3