Editing Bruin, Pennsylvania (section)

==History==
Among the early immigrants who settled in the area soon after the close of the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]], were a number of north of Ireland families. In 1796, when the settlement of this section of Butler County began, several of these families migrated here, becoming the pioneers of the township. Among those said to have arrived in that year, embracing these north of Ireland families, were a few Germans and a number of native-born Pennsylvanians.<ref name="sites.rootsweb.com">{{Cite web|url=http://sites.rootsweb.com/~pabutler/1895/95x68.htm|title = History of Butler County Pennsylvania, 1895x68}}</ref>

The land was first laid out and surveyed by John Martin in 1837 and was known as Martinsburg, then part of Parker Township. The name was later changed to Bruin. In 1841 Robert Black opened a store near Fletcher's Mill and soon afterward Archibald Martin opened a hotel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Butler_County/Bruin_Borough.html|title = Bruin Borough, Butler County, Pennsylvania (PA)}}</ref>

In 1872 came the tidal wave of oil operators, drillers, pumpers and torpedo men, the population rapidly increasing to 500 or more. The Connolly Brothers established a machine shop, and the Twohils opened another. W. J. Harshaw came after the oil discoveries and opened a general store. Woods & Markwell came in early. T. G. Campbell carried on business here for a number of years, and H. M. Caldwell and J. A. McKallip established a general store in 1877. In the fall of that year the decrease in oil production and the smallpox epidemic, which carried away five persons, almost depopulated the village and district.<ref name="sites.rootsweb.com"/> A small band of Indians continued to reside here for a number of years, and at intervals the fathers of the little tribe would revisit the settlements. The young Native men, many of whom were doubtless born in the area, frequently returned to hunt deer or panther.<ref name="sites.rootsweb.com"/> The borough was incorporated in 1901.