William Brice Sterrett (son of Thomas Sterrett and Harriet Newell Long) was born October 29, 1836 in Erie Co., Pennsylvania, and died 1907 in In a Meadville, Pennsylvania hotel in Pennsylvania. Sterrett was Titusville manufacturer of farm machinery and oil well goods and equipment. He did well enough to build this fine house at 226 E. the more complicated mass of this Second Empire incorporates a
tower situated in the corner of an "L" -shaped plan; the tower and plan reflect the concurrent influence of Italianate architecture. a concave mansard roof sits on top of the structure; paired brackets support the cornice. Elaborate window hoods add to the flamboyant nature of this structure. Mr Sterrett married Sadie Farel who quickly invited her family to join the couple. In time Sadie kicked William out of the so-called Sterrett house while the Farels lived there for many years after. Sterrett died in 1907, alone, in a Meadville hotel. Newspaper article from Evening Courier (date unknown) while William was still living, sent to me by Margaret Hermanek Peaslee:
William Brice Sterrett
It is the purpose of this review to give in as brief form as possible a history of the city and reviews of the lives of the men who have materially assisted in making Titusville the Queen City of the Oil Regions. And this would not be complete without a brief history of that well known and highly respected gentleman, Mr. Sterrett, who during the progress of the city was one of its largest manufacturers and public benefactors. Sterrett was born at Erie, Pa., Oct. 29, 1836, his family having been among the early settlers of Erie county, founding the village known as Sterrettania. The subject of this sketch received his education at Springfield and Erie Academies and his business traning at Bryant & Stratton's Business College of Cleveland, O., graduating from that institution in 1856. Professor Platt R. Spencer, the author of the Spencerian system of penmanship, was one of the officers of the college and signed his diploma. After graduation Mr. Sterrett went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he was engaged in the real estate business for two years. From 1865 to 1868 he was engaged in the lumber business and conducted a general store at Garland, Pa. In the latter year he came to Titusville and purchased a third interest in the Iron works of Gibbs & Russell & Sterrett. In 1873, the firm having come into control of a large plant located at Corry, Pa., was incorporated under the title of the Gibbs & Sterrett Manufacturing Company, retaining headquarters offices at Titusville. This company had the distinction of sending the first complete oil outfit to China. On Sept. 4, 1877, A. Karns and R. D. Locke were sent, with a full set of tools - - even the derrick being furnished - - to drill oil wells in the Celestial Empire for the Chinese government. Sterrett has held many responsible positions in construction work and has been extensively engaged in oil production in Butler and McKean counties. He was for many years a stockholder, director and member of the discount board in the Second National and Hyde National Banks of this city. For a time he was interested in a fire insurance company, but the great Chicago and Boston fires caused such heavy losses to the company that it went into liquidation, but paid every dollar of its obligations. In politics Mr. Sterrett has been a life-long Republican, in the organizations of which party he has held many positions of trust, and it is said of him that he is one of the best organizers in this part of the state. The many deeds of kindness that the people of this community have received at the hands of Mr. Sterrett are too well known for us to comment on, but suffice to say he is a generous-hearted, self-sacrificing gentleman and public spirited citizen. Children of William Brice Sterrett and Sadie Mary Farel are:
Nelson Farel Sterrett, b. July 26, 1874, Titusville, Crawford Co., Pennsylvania, d. July 04, 1891, Crawford Co., Pennsylvania. William Jay Sterrett, b. November 17, 1878, Titusville, Crawford Co., Pennsylvania. Clarence Earle Sterrett, b. October 27, 1880, Titusville, Crawford Co., Pennsylvania, d. August 04, 1941.
*** The following information was taken from a newspaper article from 1979*****
....One man... was William Brice Sterrett of Titusville He was born in Erie County on Oct 29 1836 the son of Thomas T and Harriet Newell Long Sterrett The Sterretts were of stock and had come to Erie County from Cumberland County about 1805 They were farmers primarily and formed the nucleus of the village of in McKean Township William B Sterrett grew up in this environment attending the Springfield schools and Erie Academy He graduated from Bryant and Stratton Business College in Cleveland in 1856 and for two years after that he engaged in the real estate business in Minneapolis Minn From 1805 to 1868 he conducted a lumber business in Garland Warren Co but in the latter year he moved to Titusville Sterrett bought out Charles M Wheelers interest in the machine shop of Gibbs Wheeler Russell The business began as a partnership of Wheeler and Francis H Gibbs which had purchased the Nunda Machine Works in Nun da NY In 1866 they added John T Russell to the enterprise and built a factory on South Monroe Street in where they manufactured a wide variety of oil well equipment boilers engines and drilling equipment With Sterrett in the firm it was styled Gibbs Russell and Sterrett For his first three years in Titusville William B Sterrett fed a bachelor existence making his home at one of the larger hotels the Crittonden House In due time on Oct 18 1871 he married Sarah M Farel daughter of Michael and Catherine Nelson Farel the owners of the Farel Farm one of the choicest pieces of oil producing territory on Oil Creek The wedding banquet and reception were given by Mrs Sterretts brothers John and Nelson Farel and has been described as the lavish social event of the Oil Regie in the multi coursie dinner menu included such delicacies as lobsters and buffalo tongues and the bail at the Parshall Opera House featured an orchestra brought in specially from Buffalo The bought a lot on East Main Street and constructed the very sub stantial home now known as 226 E Main It was fortunate that the house was large besides the Sterretts John and Nelson Farel lived with them and a year later they were joined by Williams mother and his bachelor brother Rufus H Sterrett In 1872 the machine works were reorganized Wheeler retired and his interest was purchased by Rufus Sterrett and John L McKinney and the firm name changed to the Gibbs ft Sterrett Manufacturing Company For the next 10 years all went well Gibbs Sterrett was one of the largest and most successful oil well equipment companies in Penn sylvania William Sterrett engaged in a few oil enterprises dabbled in real estate speculation and was a shareholder and director of the Second National Bank of Titusville He was active in community affairs too being a member of Oil Creek Lodge No 304 of the Masons a charter member of the Titusville Citizens Corps a charter member of the first Titusville Oil Exchange and he served as president of the latter organization in 1881 In the early Gibbs Sterrett came upon hard times In 1873 the firm had purchased the Corry Machine Works in Corry a manufacturer of reapers mowers and agricultural implements This was a new field for makers of oil well supplies but for a time both businesses were prosperous Stiff competition grew up in the farm machinery field though and Gibbs Sterrett suffered enormous losses In 1883 it failed Fortunately the Sterrett home had been placed in the Farels names in 1875 following a fairly common practice of Titusville oil men so that it was out of the reach of business creditors Sarah Sterretts assets also kept the family in respectable circumstances though the had lost money in the failure of Gibbs Sterrett too The collapse did change some things in the Sterrett household however The house was deeded to Sarah Sterrett and Nelson Farel purchased the side yard When William Sterrett failed to keep up the payments Williams mother died in the spring of 1884 and his brother Rufus moved to Harrisburg to take a job as a clerk in the state insurance department thus leaving Sterrett in the awkward position of living in his wifes house along with her two brothers Gradually William Sterrett became less and less active in the community though he did run in the Republican primary for County Treasurer in 1902 Finally in 1904 he relinquished any claims he had to the Titusville house and moved to where he took rooms at the Central Hotel It was there he died suddenly of a stroke on April 7 1907 His obituary said of him that he was a genial affable gentleman and many friends will learn with sorrow of his death His remains were interred in Unionville Ohio with his parents He left his widow Sarah and two sons William J and Clarence E Sterrett his eldest son Nelson Farel Sterrett having drowned at Chautauqua Lake when he was almost 17 Sarah Sterrett survived for another 15 years dying Sept 301922 at her brother Nelsons homo in She and her children are in with her brotherson the Farel plot in Woodlawn Cemetery
