John Henry Troutman    

John Henry Troutman was a foremost citizen of Butler, Pennsylvania, where he had for forty-five years been closely associated with commercial, financial and industrial interests of the community. At the time of his death he was head of three of its largest institutions, and concerned with the management of many of its smaller enterprises. He was also active on civic boards and city betterment projects.

John Henry Troutman was born in Butler on February 27, 1854, son of Adam and Margaret (Agner) Troutman. His father was a very prominent citizen there, founder and head of the firm now known as A. Troutman Sons Department Store. After receiving an excellent education in the local schools, supplemented by a full course at Witherspoon Institute and years of thoughtful reading and study, Mr. Troutman began business as a clerk in his father’s store. In 1885 he was made a partner, and at the time of his death was associated with his two brothers, George and William Troutman, and after his death, Mrs. Troutman inherited his half-interest in the firm, and her children later bought out the two brothers’ other one-half interest, in February, 1923. Mr. Troutman was president of the Butler Savings and Trust Company and of the Standard Plate Glass Company, of which he was an originator and incorporator. He had been identified with the organization of the Butler Light, Heat and Motor Company, and with the Butler Ice Company. He was also connected with the Diamond Alkali Company of Pittsburgh, the Butler Beef and Provision Com­pany, and the Standard Steel Car Company of Butler. For thirty-five years he was associated with local banking interests as director and at the time of his death was president of the Butler Savings and Trust Company.

Mr. Troutman’s civic and charitable activities were as manifold as his business enterprises. He was a member and trustee of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, a member of the local Young Mens’ Christian Association, and of the Chamber of Commerce. In politics an independent Republican, Mr. Troutman could always be counted on for thoughtful support of worthwhile measures. He was a member of the University Club and the Butler Country Club. From these important and valu­able activities Mr. Troutman was called by death September 28, 1919, in his sixty-sixth year.

John Henry Troutman married, in Carrollton, Ohio, September 15, 1881, Mary E. Helfrich, daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Stemple) Helfrich. Mrs. Troutman was instrumental with Mrs. John Shaw Campbell, in promoting the Butler County Hospital and the Butler Public Library. These two ladies were life-long friends and both served as directors in these institutions, and were the prime movers in their upbuilding. Mr. and Mrs. Troutman were the parents of three children: Charles H., Frank E. and Mrs. Gertrude T. Campbell.

Mr. Troutman was highly respected in the community he so long served and toward whose prosperity he so continuously contributed. He was a man who made friends slowly but kept them for life, and he showed the same qualities of devotion and loyalty to his family. Success did not harden his heart nor make him aggressive, and he retained throughout life his generous, kindly nature and his unobtrusive helpfulness.

Charles H. Troutman was born in Butler in 1882. He was educated in the public and high schools of his neighborhood, and graduated from Washington and Jefferson College with the class of 1909, with the degree of Bachelor of Science. His whole business career has centered in the store of A. Troutman’s Sons. He began there immediately after completing his schooling and is now president and general manager. This store, established in 1864 by Adam Troutman, has ever since been in the hands of the Troutman family. The small village store has grown so that it is now one of the leading department stores between Pittsburgh and Buffalo. They handle a complete line of dry goods, notions, lady’s and men’s ready-to-wear clothing, and all the variety of a first class city department store. The carpet department is particularly notable for the excellence and artistry of its wares. In 1924 the firm expanded its floor space greatly by taking over the adjoining store of the Campbell Hardware Company. Now it has 50,000 square feet of space and employs ninety people. The present officers and directors are: President and general manager, Charles H. Troutman; secretary and treasurer, Ed. Oesterling; directors, A. C. Troutman, F. E. Troutman, Mrs. J. H. Troutman, and Mrs. J. S. Campbell. A Republican in politics, Mr. Troutman is a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, to which he gives zealous service. During the World War, he gave in all eighteen months of his time to war work; first in the Young Men’s Christian Association at Camp Dix, and later stationed at Camp Colt, Gettysburg, at United States Hospital No. 31 at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he had full charge.

On May 1, 1914, Mr. Troutman married Lena Dunn, of Creston, Iowa. Their children are: Charles H., Jr., Mary Elizabeth; and Catherine Louise.

Frank E. Troutman. Following in his father’s footsteps, and emu­lating his virtues and ability with a marked degree of success, Frank E. Troutman occupies the office of the president of the Standard Plate Glass Company, of Butler, where the elder Troutman was president until his death. The son came to the highest executive position in the concern after years of active service learning the details of manu­facture, etc., in every department of the works. It was his and his father’s desire that he should be thoroughly furnished with knowledge of the business from the introduction of the raw material to the finished product and from the humblest place in the office to the highest. Mr. Troutman also has other important business associations, being a partner in Butler’s largest department store, president and a director of one bank and a director in another bank, both in Butler.

Born in Butler, Pennsylvania, March 4, 1885, Frank E. Troutman is the second son of J. Henry and Mary E. (Helfrich) Troutman. He attended the grade and high schools of Butler, and thence entered Mercersburg Academy, whence he was graduated in the class of 1904. He matriculated at Lehigh University, which graduated him in 1908 with the degree of Mechanical Engineer. Direct from the halls of the university into the plant of the Standard Plate Glass Company, Mr. Troutman took his place in the beginning of things there and before he finished his education in glass making he had “gone through” every department. In 1914 he was, therefore, fully equipped to fill the office of superintendent of the plant and he was appointed to that position. He occupied that office until his father passed away, whereupon he was chosen to succeed him as president. Mr. Troutman is a member of the house of A. Troutman’s Sons, founded by his grandfather, and the largest department store in Butler County. He is president and a director of the South Side Bank of Butler, and a director of the Butler Savings & Trust Company. In political affairs Mr. Troutman is of the Republican persuasion. He is a director of the Board of Commerce, and a member of the Country and Sterling Clubs of Butler, and a member of the Duquesne and University clubs of Pittsburgh. His religious connection is with the Lutheran Church at Butler, and he is a member of the church board.

Mr. Troutman married, December 29, 1910, Catherine Christie, and they have one son, John Troutman. The only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Henry Troutman is Gertrude S., born March 16, 1889. She attended the Butler schools and Chevy Chase College, Washing­ton, District of Columbia. She was married September 15, 1916, to John S. Campbell, Jr., a prominent business man of Butler.

History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Topeka: Historical Pub. Co., 1927, Pages 737-740. View image of this page of the book online - Free Trial  More Butler County History Books  Search Hundreds of 1880s-1890s Pennsylvania County History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file!  Free Access to the old history books - plus birth & death records, census images and ALL other records at ancestry.com

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