Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 18

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > New Castle > Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th > Part 18

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On the 23d of August, 1849, the Gazette appeared in an entire new dress and en- larged to seven columns wide. The new head was in length equal to the width of five columns. Just prior to the publication of this issue the office had been removed to Crawford & Co.'s new building on the southwest corner of Jefferson Street and the "Diamond," over the postoffice and telegraph office.

In 1849 James M. Kuester came here from Pittsburg, and during the same year began the publication of a Democratic paper called the Lawrence Journal, and continued to own it until about the year 1862, then selling it to his son, G. D. Kuester, and Joseph Miller. The paper, having changed its politics to Republican, had a hard time to exist and finally died for lack of patronage about 1870. We find a mention of it suspending publication Sep- tember 1, 1861.

David Craig, who for a time had been associated with the Shaw brothers in pub- lishing the Gazette, severed his connection in October, 1851. On July 1, 1852, the

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Gazette appeared in mourning for the death of Henry Clay, all the column rules of the second and third pages being turned.

The summer of 1852 seems to have formed the brightest and happiest period in the history of local journalism, judging from the number of pound cakes and bou- quets presented to the editors.

The first number of the Cosmopolite ap- peared on November 25, 1853, H. P. W. Bay & Co. being the editors and propri- etors. But three numbers were printed. The issues were made periodically, as three months intervened between the first and second number. This paper was super- seded by the Coal City Item on January 5, 1856, with J. Sell Jennings as editor and proprietor. According to announcement in the paper, M. B. Glenn became associate editor in June, 1858. The Item was pub- lished weekly until early in 1860. The of- fice was located in the second story of the building on the southeast corner of Wash- ington and Mill Streets. George Hender- son occupied the first floor as a dry goods and general store. In 1860 the stock of the Item was taken by Dr. Daniel Leasure, J. Sell Jennings, M. B. Speer and William M. Hunter, and a new company organized to publish the Coal City Chronicle. This paper was a semi-weekly and was issued from the "Old Stone Corner." In July of the same year, Mr. Hunter retired from the firm, his interest having been bought by Oscar O. Sutherland. In the same month J. Sell Jennings sold his interest in the concern to J. Walter Vincent, of New Wilmington, who remained with the com- pany until April, 1861, when the publica- tion of the paper was suspended, after the entire force of the office had enlisted for the war.

The first cylinder press to be operated in this city was brought here by J. M. Blanchard in 1853, and was used in print- ing the Promulgator, an Abolition paper. Some time during the next year Mr. Blan- chard sold the paper to William F. Clark, of Mercer. He changed the name of the

publication to the American Freeman. In 1857 E. S. Durban, who had been pub- lishing a Democratic paper in Franklin, bought the office from Mr. Clark. He changed the name of the paper to the New Castle Courant and continued as editor and proprietor until about 1876, when the of- fice was bought by J. H. Douglass. After publishing the paper a few years the latter turned the paper over to Mr. Durban, who continued in charge of the business until early in the eighties, when Corson & Pryor bought the office. The Courant and Guar- dian, the latter then owned by a stock company, were consolidated and issued under the name of the Courant-Guardian. The office was afterward sold to a stock company, who enlarged and improved the plant and continued the publication under the name of the Herald until nearly three years ago, when the present owner, A. C. Dickinson, bought the plant.

On the 24th of August, 1854, the Gazette appeared for the second time in an entire new dress. From then until 1862 nothing worthy of particular notice took place in regard to the Gazette. On August 7, 1862, it suspended publication in consequence of its editor, Col. W. H. Shaw, having enter the military service of the United States. It was revived on May 18, 1864, appearing in a new dress. It was published as a Republican paper until about the mid- dle of September, being then sold to a Dem- ocratic stock company for $1,500. Some of the principal stockholders were David S. Morris, D. M. Courtney, Lewis Taylor and S. W. Dana. Under this management the Gazette was edited by D. S. Morris until William S. Black, of Philadelphia, took charge of it in March, 1865. At the time that Mr. Morris served as editor Thomas J. MeCleary had charge of the mechanical department. The latter was succeeded by his brother, Joseph B., who continued as foreman as long as it remained in exist- ence.

The Gazette and Democrat, one of the best newspapers ever published in New

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Castle, was forced to suspend publication about the middle of September, 1875, be- cause the editor, William S. Black, could not collect money due him on subscrip- tion.

On the 3d of February, 1855, the Dew- drop, published by O. O. Sutherland and J. H. Gilliland and printed in the Gazette office, made its appearance. It lived but three months at the subscription price of 25 cents. It was intended for a humorous publication, but got into trouble on ac- count of the too free use of a business man's name, and after the young editors had had an experience at court the publica- tion suspended.

Thomp Burton was associated with Mr. Black in publishing the Gazette from Jan- uary 1, 1867, until the next November. At intervals in 1868 and 1869 R. Gregor Mc- Gregor had charge of the editorial depart- ment, being succeeded by John F. Brown, who continued on the Gazette until July, 1872. On July 15, 1872, George W. Penn became connected with it as editor, and remained in that capacity until it sus- pended, on September 10, 1875. We must not omit to mention that in the beginning of January, 1867, the Gazette appeared in an entire new dress, and enlarged one column to each page. From this brief sketch it can be seen that the Gazette had a most eventful existence, being published first as a Whig paper, then a Republican paper, and lastly as a Democratic paper. It began as a five-column and died as an eight-column paper, aged thirty-four years.

In the latter part of 1867 or early in 1868 Thomp Burton started a paper called the Champion, in a room near the Washing- ton Street bridge in the interest of Dan Rice, the showman, then a candidate for the presidential nomination. Owing to the bad health of the editor and the weakness of the candidate, the paper ceased to exist in a few months.

In 1867 David Sankey published the Journal, and during his ownership of sev- eral years wielded considerable power. Mr.

Sankey was a forcible writer and was care- less where the shots hit.

David Sankey & Co., publishers of the Lawrence Journal, suspended the publica- tion about the first of June, 1874, because the owners were unable to secure a proper person to manage the paper. The sub- scribers who had paid in advance were given the Gazette and Democrat until their subscription had expired.

In 1870 Capt. R. G. Dill and William Platt began the publication of the Lawrence Guardian. After a few years of successful management they sold the paper to Dr. J. J. Wallace and G. W. McCracken, who continued its publication until it was sold to a company of politicians, who owned the office when the Guardian and Courant consolidated.

The Signal was first issued on the 15th of January, 1875, and suspended February 4, 1876. William H. Gault was its founder and editor.

The New Era, a prohibition paper, was started September 21, 1875, by James K. Frew, and its editor was James A. Gard- ner. The office was afterwards sold to Thomp Burton, who began the publication of the Paragraph.

In 1875 George W. Penn and E. C. Stone began publishing the Lawrence Paragraph in a room in the Henderson Block, and continued its publication until 1881, when Major William Gordon bought Mr. Stone's interest. The name of the paper was changed to the New Castle Democrat, the same as it is today. Mr. Gordon, in Sep- tember of 1881, sold his interest in the paper to T. J. McCleary, the present editor and publisher. The latter bought Mr. Penn's interest in 1883, giving him the full control.

The first number of the Daily Index, a paper advocating the temperance cause, with William P. Miller and William J. Bannan as editors and proprietors, ap- peared on May 21, 1879, and existed until December 31st of the same year. A weekly edition of the same paper was published,

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the first number of which was issued May 19th, and ceased to exist December 8, 1880. The owners and publishers of the latter were: T. J. Gleason and William J. Ban- nan. The first issue of the Weekly News appeared on December 15, 1880, under the

ownership of George E. Treadwell and William J. Bannan. The Daily City News was subsequently started and is still issued regularly under the management of Fred L. Rentz, who has been connected with the paper many years.

CHAPTER X

LAWRENCE COUNTY BENCH AND BAR

Early Courts-Famous Judges-Leading Lawyers.

Lawrence County, erected out of parts of Beaver and Butler Counties by act ap- proved March 20, 1849, lay within the jur- isdiction of the Seventeenth Judicial Dis- trict of Pennsylvania, which had been formed in 1831, with John Bredin as pre- siding judge under appointment by the Governor, made April 1, 1831. At the first sitting of court in Lawrence County, the following attorneys from the county were admitted and sworn: Jonathan Ayres, J. K. Boyd, David Craig, David C. Cossett, John M. Crawford, John Hoffman, James W. Johnston, Davis B. Kurtz, L. L. Mc- Guffin, John N. McGuffin, James Pollock, Lewis Taylor and George W. Watson. Dan- iel Agnew, Thomas Cunningham, B. B. Chamberlin, S. P. Fetterman and John R. Shannon were admitted from Beaver County. John Negley and C. C. Sullivan, from Butler County, were admitted, and also William Maxell, William M. Stewart, William Stevenson and Johnston Pearson, of Mercer County.

The following, regarding the history of the judiciary of Lawrence County, is taken almost verbatim from a paper read by S. W. Dana, now Nestor of the Lawrence County Bar, at the celebration of the semi- centennial of the holding of the first court in the county :

"Upon the formation of the Seventeenth District, John Bredin, of Butler, was ap- pointed by Governor George Wolf, presid- ing judge, and he was commissioned dur-

ing good behavior. By the amended consti- tution of 1838, his term of office was re- duced from good behavior to ten years, and his term made to expire on February 27, 1842. He was re-appointed by Governor David R. Porter in 1842, and his term would have expired, under the amendment of the constitution of 1851, on the 1st day of December, 1852. He died suddenly on May 21, 1851.

"It appears by the record of the court here that a meeting of this bar was held upon the occasion of his death, the minutes of which were at the next sitting of the court, presented, and after an eloquent eulogy upon the deceased by L. L. McGuf- fin, ordered by the court to be enrolled. It is here recorded that the bar united in their tribute of affectionate regard for him, who had so long and with so distinguished abil- ity, presided in the district. The minutes further say of him that he had a strong discriminating mind, a retentive memory, indefatigable industry and unwearied at- tention; that he was frank, generous and kind, always willing to suffer personal in- convenience for the benefit of a friend."

At the time Judge Bredin put on the robes of his high office, his successor was a mere youth, just admitted to the bar of Beaver County. He had barely passed his majority. He was the son of an eminent physician who had long practiced his pro- fession in the city of Pittsburg; was grad- uated from the Western University of

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Pennsylvania; was a law student under Walter Forward, and upon his admission to the bar in 1829, entered upon the profes- sion at Beaver. This was Daniel Agnew, who, twenty-two years afterwards, was ap- pointed by Governor William F. Johnston president in the district in the place of John Bredin, deceased.

"He was elected at the next annual elec- tion. At the end of his term in 1861, he was re-elected by the unanimous vote of all parties. Two years afterwards he was elected one of the judges of the Supreme Court. For almost thirteen years, from the spring of 1851 to December, 1863, he ad- ministered the law within his jurisdiction. There were no railroads connecting the places where the courts were held. He passed the long distances from Beaver to Butler, and thence to Mercer, and thence to New Castle, over the roughest roads, in all sorts of weather, riding or driving his own horse. He had a physical constitution of great vigor and endurance. His mind, nat- urally quick and acute, had by long train- ing in the law, so mastered its principles, and become so familiar with statutes, rules and precedents, that the most difficult and complicated cases were easily resolved, and were presented by him so plainly and clear- ly that both parties were satisfied. Rarely were appeals taken from his decisions.

"In February, 1854, he had completed with great care the rules of practice for the district, and they have been continued, with but slight alterations, to the present time. When the oldest of us commenced practice, many of our clients had been his clients, and we know with what confidence they relied upon his opinion. The com- munity felt the same confidence in his ju- dicial sentences.

"I will not attempt to follow him during his career of fifteen years on the Supreme bench. It is a part of the judicial history of the State. His lucid opinions are con- tained in forty-three volumes of the State reports, from 46 to 88, inclusive. There they will ever remain, like the fixed stars,

lighting the way of the generations of our profession who come after us.

"Lawrence L. McGuffin, of the Lawrence County Bar, was appointed upon the resig- nation of Daniel Agnew by Governor Andrew G. Curtin, to fill the vacancy until next annual election. He was elected in 1864 and his term would have expired in December, 1874, but was prolonged by the new constitution of 1873, to the first Mon- day of January, 1875. After the judicial appointment in April, 1874, providing an additional law judge for the Seventeenth District, Charles McCandless, of Butler, was appointed by Governor J. F. Hartraft and held the office, with L. L. McGuffin as president judge, until the first Monday of January following.

"At the annual election in 1874, Eb- enezer McJunkin and James Bredin, both of Butler, were elected, and upon lots cast, McJunkin became president judge and Bredin additional law judge. James Bredin was the son of John Bredin, the first presi- dent of the district. In 1884, John Mc- Michael and Aaron L. Hazen, both of the Lawrence bar, were elected, and, by lot, Hazen drew the presidency and McMichael the additional judgeship.

"Judge McMichael died on April 17, 1892. J. Norman Martin, of the Lawrence bar, was appointed to the vacancy by Gov- ernor Robert E. Pattison. At the annual election of the same year, John M. Greer, of Butler, was elected and was commis- sioned for a full term, from the first Mon- day of January, 1893, an additional law judge.

"By the act of April 28, 1893, making Lawrence County a separate district, the Fifty-first, Judge Hazen became its pres- ident judge, and Judge Greer the president judge of Butler County. Judge Hazen con- tinued president judge here until the ex- piration of his commission on the first Monday of January, 1895, when he was succeeded by William D. Wallace.

"Judge McMichael was admitted here in December, 1861, and thence to his eleva-

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tion to the bench received his culture and training exclusively within this court, and under the influence of this bar. He was upon the bench here only seven years; and in this short period, he came to be justly regarded as one of the ablest judges in this part of the State.

"Judge McGuffin was a student of John D. Pearson, afterwards the distinguished judge of the Dauphin County district. He was admitted to the bar in 1843, and was in practice at New Castle for ten years be- fore the new county was formed. He was one of the most zealous and enthusiastic promoters of the project. The day we cele- brate, the day of the first court at New Castle, what a glorious day it must have been to him! He became the leader of the new bar and continued such until his ele- vation to the bench. He magnified our pro- fession ; he magnified the judicial office. He took great pleasure and pride in the suc- cess of us all. His ambition to attain suc- cess as a lawyer and judge was unbound- ed. He would attain to it by industry and high endeavor. But long before the end of his judicial term, his health began to de- cline and he gave us a high example of patience and fortitude. Looking back to that first court, it would seem to me that the most prominent personage there was Lawrence L. McGuffin."

William D. Wallace was succeeded as president judge by William Ellis Porter, who was selected in November, 1904, and is the present incumbent of that high office.

Below appear a few facts concerning many of those who have graced the Law- rence County bar :

HON. WILLIAM D. WALLACE, attorney-at- law of New Castle and formerly judge of the Fifty-first Judicial District of Pennsyl- vania, was born in New Castle, May 15, 1857. After graduation from Westminster College in 1881, he studied law under the direction and in the office of Dana & Long at New Castle. It was largely through his activity that Lawrence County was set aside as a separate judicial district, and as recognition of his services in that direc-

tion he was elected to the judgeship thus created, on November 6, 1894. Since leav- ing the bench he has engaged in active practice in his native city.

HON. WILLIAM ELLIS PORTER, president judge of the Fifty-third Judicial District of Pennsylvania, was born in Wilmington Township, Mercer County, December 15, 1867. He graduated from Westminster College in 1889, then after teaching two years, read law under the preceptorship of James A. Gardner and James M. Martin. He was admitted to the bar of Lawrence County, January 23, 1893, and immediately opened an office for practice in New Castle. He was secretary of the People's Mutual Building and Loan Association of New Castle, from 1894 until 1904; member of the City Council from the Third Ward, from 1900 to 1904, serving two years as president of that body; and in November, 1904, was elected president judge of the Fifty-third Judicial District, in which ca- pacity he now serves.

C. W. FENTON, of New Castle, has been engaged in the practice of law in this city since 1898. He was born in Lawrence County in 1870, and received his educa- tional training in the public schools of New Castle, Slippery Rock State Normal and Hiram College, graduating from the last named in 1892. He then engaged in teach- ing for six years and in the meantime prosecuted the study of law; in 1898, he was graduated from the law department of the Ohio Northern University at Ada, Ohio. During the Spanish-American War he served one year as a member of Com- pany E, Fifteenth P. V. I., with the rank of corporal. After his return from the front he was admitted to the bar of Lawrence County, and became associated in practice with Charles H. Young, now prosecuting attorney.

W. K. HuGus has been engaged in the practice of law at New Castle since 1896. He was born in Venango County, Pennsyl- vania, in October, 1868; was graduated from Grove City College in 1893, and from the law department of the University of

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Michigan'in 1895. He was admitted to the bar of Lawrence County the following year.

CHARLES H. YOUNG, prosecuting attorney of Lawrence County, was born in Beaver Township January 16, 1876. He attended the district schools and later engaged as an instructor some four years. He read law under the tutelage of Judge Martin, of New Castle, and attended Slippery Rock Normal School, graduating in the law de- partment in October, 1897. He was admit- ted to the bar in that year, and has since been in continuous practice at New Castle since, except for the period he served in the army during the Spanish-American War. He bore the rank of sergeant. Mr. Young has been very active in Republican politics.

S. JAMES CALLAHAN, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce of New Castle, has been engaged in the practice of law in this city since his admission to the bar in April, 1907. He was born in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in 1868; was educated in Wellsboro High School, Cook Academy and Hillsdale College, after which he taught school for a time. He acquired a knowledge of shorthand and typewriting in Pratt's College at Williamsport, after which he read law in the office of C. E. Sprout, of Williamsport, in the meantime acting as general agent for the Connecticut Mutual Insurance Company for that dis- trict. He continued with that company for six years after his removal to New Castle, then became general agent for the New York Life, a position he now fills. At New Castle he continued the study of law under the direction of Attorney McCaslin, and was admitted to the bar in 1907. He is a member of the Lawrence County Bar Asso- ciation.

A. MARTIN GRAHAM has been in practice of the law at New Castle since 1897. He was born in Washington Township, Law- ience County, in 1873, and received his education in Volant Academy, Scio Col- lege and Mt. Union University. Then, af- ter teaching school several years he read

law under the direction of his uncle, Hon. J. Norman Martin, and was admitted to the bar in 1897. During the Spanish-Ameri- can War he was in the service as a mem- ber of Company B. Sixteenth Regiment, P. V. I., and participated in the Porto Rico campaign. He is a member of the Law- rence County Bar Association ; he has been secretary of the Democratic County Com- mittee throughout his residence in New Castle.

CAPT. J. V. CUNNINGHAM, a member of the bar of New Castle, and captain of Cav- alry Troop F, N. G. P., was born in Wayne Township, Lawrence County, Pennsyl- vania. After receiving a thorough classical education in different collegiate institu- tions, he took a law course at Ohio North- ern University of Ada, Ohio, graduating in 1895; he then read law in the office of Dana & Long, in New Castle, one year, and in 1896 was admitted to the bar of Lawrence County. He has since engaged in practice in this city except for such periods as his military duties called him from home. In 1898 he was elected captain of Company B, Sixteenth Regiment, P. V. I., and was in command of his company throughout the campaign in Porto Rico. In 1899 he was appointed by President Mckinley as cap- tain of Company F, Forty-second Regi- ment, U. S. Volunteers, and served in the Philippine Islands until 1901. He was made captain of Troop F, N. G. P., May 11, 1904. He was elected district attorney of Lawrence County, serving from 1903 to 1906.

ROBERT L. WALLACE has been engaged in the practice of law in New York continu- ously since his admission to the bar, De- cember 2, 1902. He was born in Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, in 1876, and received his educational training in the old seminary at Poland, Ohio, and Grove City College, from which he was graduated in 1899. He then taught one year in Griers- ville Academy, and a like period in Enon Valley High School, after which he read law under the preceptorship of Judge Mar- tin of New Castle. He is at present Repub-

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lican nominee for the State Legislature.

WYLIE McCASLIN has been in practice in New Castle for a period of fourteen years. He was born in Scott Township, Lawrence County, in 1869; was graduated from Grove City College in 1892; read law under the direction of Hon. J. Norman Martin, and was admitted to the bar in 1894. He is a member of the Lawrence County Bar Association.

HON. J. NORMAN MARTIN, a prominent member of the bar of Lawrence County, was born at Neshannock Falls, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, October 30, 1859. After graduation from Westminster Col- lege in 1881, he went west to Leavenworth, Kansas, and there read law in the office of Hon. Lucius Baker, a member of the Unit- ed States Senate. On account of ill health, he returned East and continued his legal studies while also filling the chair of mathe- matics in the McElaine Institute. He com- pleted his legal preparation in the office of D. B. and E. T. Kurtz, of New Castle, and was admitted to the bar in 1863. He was then for three years senior member of the firm of Martin & McCracken, since which time he has practiced alone. He was ap- pointed to the bench in 1892, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge John McMichael. He served as a member of the City Council from 1885 to 1889, and of the Select Council from 1890 to 1892. He was a stockholder in the first electric light com- pany of the city, and is a director of the Citizens' National Bank and of the Na- tional Bank of Lawrence County.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 18

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co. Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1058