USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Centre County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 4
USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Pt. 1 > Part 4
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Again, in 1891, he was honored by a nomina- tion and election by a decisive majority in this Senatorial District as a delegate to the proposed
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Constitutional Convention. In both instances these nominations came to him unsolicited. The following complimentary notices appeared at the time of his election as delegate:
Ellis L. Orvis, Esq., who was selected as the choice of the county for delegate to the Constitutional Convention, is the junior member of the law firm of Orvis, Bower & Orvis, and is well fitted for the honorable and important position. He is a gentleman of quite studious habits, has keen discern- ment and clear ideas, is conservative in his views and careful . and considerate in his actions. There would be no danger, if men like Mr. Orvis are elected delegates, of rash and radical changes in the Constitution to the detriment of the people or injury to one's business interests in the Commonwealth .- Watchman, August 14, 1591.
At the conference at Lock Haven last week Ellis L. Orvis, Esq., was chosen as one of the two Democratic nomi- nees of this district as delegate to the proposed Constitu- tional Convention. This is a decided compliment to our young legal friend and a fitting recognition of his ability. Should the Convention be established, Mr. Orvis would serve in that august body with distinction and credit to his con- stituency. Though the Convention may receive little in- dorsement in this district, we predict for him a handsome vote .- Centre Democrat, October 1. 1891.
On Christmas Day, 1884, Mr. Orvis was mar- ried to Miss Mary Lowrie Lyon, a daughter of S. Stewart Lyon and Ann Valentine Lyon, of Bellefonte, Penn. Mrs. Orvis was born Septem- ber 19, 1863, at Hazelwood, the Lyon home- stead, in Spring township, Centre county. Two children have come to this union: Anne Valen- tine Lyon, born February 5, 1886, and Caroline Elizabeth, born March 24, 1890. Mr. Orvis is identified with the Christian Church, Mrs. Orvis with the Presbyterian denomination.
Mrs. Orvis' grandparents on both sides have been extensively engaged in developing the early iron interests of Centre county. John Lyon, her grandfather, was for many years a member of the well-known iron firm of Lyon, Shorb & Co.
Mr. Orvis is of a literary turn, and has an ex- treme fondness for books. His residence, situ- ated on East Linn street, is filled with a well- selected and magnificent library. Much of his time is spent among his books, and he is recog- nized as one of the best informed and most cult- ured men of Bellefonte.
H ON. ANDREW G. CURTIN, late of Belle- fonte, Centre county, lawyer, governor, diplomat, member of the Constitutional Conven- tion and member of Congress, was born at Belle- fonte, April 22, 1819.
Roland Curtin, his father, was a native of Ireland, and was educated in Paris. His mother was Jane (Gregg) Curtin, the latter the daughter of Hon. Andrew Gregg. Roland Curtin, while a resident of Paris, narrowly escaped the guillo-
tine during the Reign of Terror. He came first to Philipsburg, now in Centre county, then start- ed a store at Milesburg as early as March, 1797, and was a resident of Bellefonte, keeping store in 1800. He was coroner of the county in 1803; sheriff in 1806, and soon after became extensive- ly engaged in iron works, and became prominent- ly identified with all public improvements made within the county. His death occurred in 1850, and that of the mother of Andrew G. Curtin, in 1854.
Andrew G. Curtin completed an academic course of education at the academy of Rev. David Kirkpatrick, D. D., in Milton, studied law under Hon. W. W. Potter, in Bellefonte, com- pleting a course of legal study under Judge John Reed, in the Law Department of Dickinson Col- lege, at Carlisle. He was admitted to the Bar at the April term of 1837. In 1840 he took an act- ive part in politics. in whatwas known as the Har- rison campaign, and in 1844 canvassed the State for Henry Clay for President. In 1848 and 1852 he was on the State ticket for Presidential elec- tor. On January 7, 1355. he was commissioned, by Gov. James Pollock, secretary of the Com- monwealth, which position also included that of superintendent of the public schools. Progress- ive in every station he reached, his superintend- ence of State education has as one of its land- marks the institution of the system of normal schools, his recommendations and his annual reports culminating in the passage of the act of May 20, 1857, "To provide for the training of teachers for the common schools of the State."
In 1860, Mr. Curtin was nominated by the Republican party as their candidate for Govern- or, and elected over Henry D. Foster by a ma- jority of 32, 107 votes. Hisadministration of the gubernatorial office during the dark days of the Republic made an imperishable name for his family, and added historic grandeur to the annals of the Commonwealth. The foresight which im- pelled him to refuse to disband the overflowing volunteer regiments which the patriotism of Pennsylvania contributed on the call of the Pres- ident, and his prompt application to the Legis- lature for authority to organize them into a corps, afterward the famous .. Pennsylvania Re- serves," saved the National Government, im- periled by the disaster of Bull Run. The ad- dresses he made, when presenting flags to the Pennsylvania regiments as they went forth to fight for the Union, will only be forgotten when the last volley is fired over the last Pennsylvania veteran of the war. Those 215 battle-flags, bearing the ægis of the Commonwealth of Penn- sylvania, came back blood stained, tattered, and
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torn, but never disgraced upon any battle-field of the Republic.
Gov. Curtin's ever-enduring memorial, how- ever, in connection with the war, is the Orphan School, for the children of those who gave their lives that the Union might live. Recurring to his promise to the soldiers, as thousands of men stood before him for the last time, that Pennsyl- vania would never forget or neglect them or theirs, and that their children should be the chil- dren of the State, he clung to that purpose with a tenacity worthy of such a grand and noble cause. Amid his ceaseless care of the soldiers on the field and in the hospital, he never forgot those who were left at home by the gallant fel- lows who had gone forward. It was the grand undertone of his magnificent speech in the Acad- emy of Music, at Philadelphia, "let the widow and her dependent offspring in fact and in truth be the children of the State, and let the mighty people of the great Commonwealth nurture and maintain them." In January, 1864, in his an- nual message, he brought the subject to the attention of the Legislature in the memorable words: . "I commend to the prompt attention of the Legislature the subject of the relief of the poor orphans of our soldiers who have given or shall give their lives for us during this crisis. In my opinion their maintenance and education should be provided for by the State. Failing other natural friends of ability, they should be honorably received and fostered as the children of the Commonwealth."
Failing in getting through the Legislature a proper bill, which had been matured with great care, the Governor started with the noble dona- tion of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company of $50,000, and laid the foundation for the Soldiers' Orphan Schools, a work of beneficence, right- eousness and justice which will keep Gov. Cur- tin's memory fragrant for ages to come, the good results of which, felt all through time, the Judg- ment Day will only fully reveal. His health was much broken by arduous service during his first term, and President Lincoln tendered him a for- eign mission, which it was his intention to accept, but having been renominated for governor, and the people of the State being unwilling to part with their war governor, he filled out a second term of the gubernatorial office. In 1869 he was appointed, by President Grant, minister to Russia, returned to this country in the fall of 1872, and took part in the liberal Republican movement which nominated Horace Greeley. He was very prominently spoken of for the sec- ond place on that ticket, and was the choice of the Pennsylvania delegation in the Greeley con-
vention for President. His connection with the liberal Republican movement, and the fact that his power and influence in the Republican party which were eminent while he remained in the country, but which had been broken by his ab- sence, carried him into the Democratic party.
He was a member of the Constitutional Con- vention of 1872-3, and for a few years after had little to do with politics. When he wearied of the quiet of business life, and longed for politics, Gov. Curtin found a place in the Democratic party, and was nominated for Congress in 1878, when he was defeated by the Greenbackers. He was nominated again, in 1880, by the Demo- crats of his Congressional District, and was elected for two terms, retiring in 1887 near the close of his seventy-first year. In Congress Gov. Curtin was a faithful public servant, and attracted much public attention. At one time he was chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Com- mittee.
After leaving Congress Gov. Curtin pursued a quiet life at his mountain home in Bellefonte, respected and esteemed by people of all classes. His familiar figure was an everyday sight on the streets of his native town. Tall, and erect as a youth, he would walk about for his daily exer- cise. Until within a short time previous to his death he kept up a lively interest in the politics of the county, and it was his influence that made his friend, Dr. J. H. Dobbins, the postmaster here under the former Cleveland administration, and not until he had given evidence that it would prove satisfactory would the department recom- mend the appointment of the present official. His time was occupied in looking after his business here and dispensing charities. No more pleas- ant hour could be spent than in a talk with the ex-Governor; he always loved young people, and gave them friendly counsel whenever an oppor- tunity presented itself, and those who enjoyed his intimacy will cherish his charming personality as long as memory lasts. His death occurred October 7, 1894. He left to survive him his wife, a lady of a charming personality, a daugh- ter of Dr. William I. Wilson, three daughters, all residents of Bellefonte, and one son, William Wilson Curtin. of Philadelphia.
H ON. HUGH N. MCALLISTER, who was a distinguished citizen of Bellefonte, Centre county, and one of the most prominent lawyers of this part of the State, was the eldest son of Hon. William McAllister and Sarah (Thompson), and was born on the farm owned by his father
At Mccallister
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and grandfather in Lost Creek Valley, Juniata Co., Penn., June 28, 1809.
His great-grandfather emigrated from Ireland to Lancaster county, Penn., about the year 1730. Major Hugh McAllister, grandfather of Hugh N., was born in Little Britain township, Lancaster county, in 1736. He served in the Indian war of 1763, and also in the war of the Revolution. At the close of the latter he retired to his farm in .Lost Creek Valley, in Juniata county. He married Sarah Nelson, and reared a large family. A son, Hon. William McAllister, was born on the farm in Lost Creek Valley in August, 1774. He married Sarah Thompson. He served in the war of 1812, and was for a long time one of the associate judges of Juniata county.
Hon. Hugh N. McAllister was reared on his father's farm, living at home and working on the farm during his ininority, and receiving such elementary education as the neighborhood schools afforded. He obtained the rudiments of the classics from Rev. John Hutchinson. In 1830 he entered the freshman class at Jefferson Col- lege, Canonsburg, and stood so high before the end of the year as to be chosen by his society as one of its debators, which honor, however, his modesty and timidity induced him to decline. He graduated, in 1833, high in a class in which were many more since distinguished in the Church and State. As soon as he graduated Mr. Mc- Allister commenced the study of law in the office of Hon. W. W. Potter, at Bellefonte. After completing the ordinary course of studies pursued by students in an office, he attended a law school then conducted at Carlisle by Hon. John Reed, president judge of the district, and author of " Pennsylvania Blackstone." On November 25, 1835, on motion of W. W. Potter, Mr. McAllis- ter was admitted to practice in several courts of Centre county. He was at once taken into full partnership by Mr. Potter, and the election of the latter to Congress soon after threw the whole labor and responsibility of an extensive law practice upon the younger partner. As in every subsequent situation in life, Mr. McAllister brought so much ability, earnestness, zeal and indomitable perseverance to bear as to overcome all obstacles, and to successfully meet all re- sponsibilities resting upon him. The early death of Mr. Potter, while in Congress, left Mr. Mc- Allister alone in the practice to compete with one of the ablest Bars in the State. He remained without a partner until Gen. James A. Beaver was called to the Bar in 1859. From that time the law practice was conducted under the firm name of McAllister & Beaver. During the long professional career of nearly thirty-eight years 2
he had an extensive, laborious and lucrative practice. Up to the lasteight or ten years of his life he regularly attended the courts of Clinton and Huntingdon counties, and, at times, courts of other counties. As a counselor he was al- ways discreet, careful and safe; as an attorney he was faithful, honest and industrious; as an advocate, he was earnest, zealous, and, at times, impressively eloquent. He would embark in no man's cause unless thoroughly impressed with its justice, and then he battled, as only a man of his temperament could battle, for the right. In the preparation of causes he was most thorough, and frequently performed an amount of labor which' seemed beyond human endurance. His arguments before the Supreme Court of the State. of which the books of reports are full, were al- ways strong, clear and exhaustive.
During the Civil war Mr. McAllister was one of the most earnest and zealous supporters of the Administration. He was ever foremost in con- tributing means, and performing work to secure volunteers, and in supporting the families of those who were in the service. He did more than any other one man to raise and organize the many companies which left Centre county, and finally, almost by his unaided exertions, raised a full company, of which he was elected captain, and upon its arrival at Camp Curtin, in Harris- burg, was assigned as Company F to the 232d Regiment of Pennsylvania Militia, commanded by Col. George B. Weistling. Although far be- yond the age when men are relieved from military duty, and being unfit by education, habits and the state of his health for the hardships of a campaign, he accepted the responsibility, went with his company to the field, and served faith- fully until his place could be filled by a younger man.
Mr. McAllister never held many public offices. Gov. Bigler, when a vacancy occurred in the Fourth Judicial District, desired to appoint him to the presidency of the Common Pleas, and asked his friends to induce him to grant the use of his name, and Gov. Curtin twice formally offered him commissions as president judge, which he declined.
After the close of the war, he was appointed by the Governor as one of the commissioners to investigate, settle and adjust the claims of citi- zens of the border counties, for losses sustained by the war. This arduous and responsible duty he performed in a manner highly satisfactory to the State officials, as well as to the people im- mediately interested. He was elected one of the delegates at large to the Constitutional Convention of 1873, and was appointed chairman of the it-
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portant committee on "Suffrage Election and Representation," and a member of the commit- tee on "Railroads and Canals." He entered upon his work with the energy and zeal which ever characterized him. Unfortunately he did not limit his labor by his physical capacity to endure it, but by his desire for the permanent good of his native State. Toward the close of winter his strength gave way under incessant toil, and he was compelled by his physician to return home for rest. He remained at home four or five weeks, during which time he improved in strength. Three weeks before his death, which occurred at Philadelphia, May 15, 1873, and ac- tuated by an intense desire to take part. in the important discussions then going on in the con- vention, and being in improved health, he went back to Philadelphia, and at once engaged ardu- ously in the labor of the convention. He made several important speeches upon questions pend- ing before that body. He had over-estimated his strength, for his intense labor brought on disease, which in a few days terminated his earthly career. Literally he offered himself a sacrifice upon the altar of his Commonwealth. He sacrificed his life in his effort to protect the people from the corruptions of the times, and the evils of misgovernment. Referring to him in this connection, his biographer said: "The delegates at large, elected upon the ticket with him, will select a successor, but they cannot fill his place."
As a citizen Mr. McAllister wasalways enter- prising, public-spirited and patriotic. He took the lead in every enterprise designed to promote the public good. He labored hard and contrib- uted liberally for all such purposes. This he did not in a spirit of speculation to promote his own good, but to benefit the people.
He was one of the projectors, the constant friend and liberal supporter of what is now the Pennsylvania State College. He kept the Agri- cultural Society in existence for years almost un- aided. He was the friend and supporter of the common schools, academies and seminaries, as well as Sunday-schools. For many years he was the recognized head of the organizations in the county for the promotion of temperance. As a neighbor he was ever considerate, kind, obliging and liberal. As a man he was just, upright and inflexibly honest. He was not honest from pol- icy, but from an innate love of right and an intense hatred of everything wrong. As a husband and father, he was inost kind, gentle and affectionate. As a Christian, he was sincere, faithful and most exemplary. For a long time he was not only a inember but an elder in the Presbyterian Church
of Bellefonte, and took an active part in the la- bors of the Sessions, Presbyteries, Synods and General Assemblies. It would take a volume to contain an enumeration of his virtues and his la- bors, and in this brief notice we will attempt no further to detail what all who had the benefit of his acquaintance knew so well. He was a man of no vices, and as few of the imperfections in- cident to human nature as is ever found in our race.
Mr. McAllister was twice married-first to Henrietta Ashman Orbison, of Huntingdon, by whom he had seven children, four of whom died in infancy, and one, Ellen E., a lovely daughter, died in 1866 at the age of twenty. Two daugh- ters, Mary A., the wife of Gen. James A. Beav- er, and Sarah B., wife of Dr. Thomas R. Hays, both of Bellefonte, survived their father. The first Mrs. McAllister died April 12, 1857, and on September 12, 1859, Mr. McAllister married Margaret Hamilton, of Harrisburg, who died April 27, 1876, aged fifty-three years. She was the daughter of Hugh Hamilton, an editor of note, and granddaughter of Capt. John Hamil- ton, under whom her husband's grandfather served in the Revolution.
On the death of Mr. McAllister the Constitu- tional Convention passed appropriate resolutions, and, out of respect for his memory and great pub- lic services, adjourned. Extracts from these and from addresses delivered in the Convention, to- gether with those from a similar meeting of the members of the Bar of Huntingdon, Clearfield, Clinton and Centre counties held in the court- house at his home in Bellefonte, follow:
Resolved: That his death deprives the convention of one of its most enlightened and industrious members, the Com- monwealth of one of her most public-spirited and useful citizens, the community in which he lived of a man whose indomitable energy, inflexible integrity and spotless moral character attracted to him the confidence and affection of all who knew him, and his family of a kind and devoted husband and father.
But in no other work of his life did the great character- istics of H. N. McAllister appear to so much advantage as in the discharge of his Christian duties. As an ekdier in the Presbyterian Church, representing his congregation in Pres- bytery, he was uniformly in the lead of the clergy in every- thing with which it was proper for him to deal; he was full of suggestion, of work and devotion; so he appeared in the Synod, in the General Assembly, and so also at the great meeting that united the old and new school of the Presby- terian Church. Becoming chairman of the sustension com- mittee of the Presbytery of Huntingdon, he found opened before him a field for unselfish labor and charity commen- surate, and only commensurate, with his enlarged desire to carry forward the work of the Lord. The clergy of his de- nomination throughout the State bear willing testimony to the wisdom and high ability he displayed in the management of that work. He had unequaled ability to induce others to give up their means to the work of the Church, and he pos- sessed in an eminent degree the disposition to give abund- antly himself. I shall excite criticism from no one in this section when I say that the private charities he has bestowed
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upon the needy, in number and in the aggregate sum, far exceed those of any other man in the interior of the State. What a character! Always excitable, at times passionate, imperious and relentless, and yet generous, benevolent, com- passionate and affectionate. As neighbor, husband and father; I believe his life was faultless .- MR. BIGLER.
It was in the spring of 1841-thirty-two years ago-that I was sent to preside in the courts of the Fourth Judicial Dis- trict of Pennsylvania, consisting then of the counties of Mif- flin, Huntingdon, Centre, Clearfield and Clinton, and there I first met Mr. McAllister. He resided at Bellefonte, Centre county, but was growing into a large and lucrative practice in several counties of the district. For ten years he prac- ticed -law before me with great ability and success. I have never seen so laborious and painstaking a lawyer. His great forte lay in the preparation of his causes. He never came into court unfurnished with evidence, if evidence could, with any amount of research and industry, be obtained to estab- lish the facts of the case. Many ejectments upon original titles were tried in those ten years, and I have known Mr. McAllister to give fifty or sixty warrants and surveys in evi- dence, to fix the location of the one tract in suit. He would sweep over a whole district of country and examine survey- ors as to every mark in miles of lines to verify the conclu- sions he wished to establish in the cause upon trial. In all lawsuits, but especially in ejectments upon original titles, the law arises upon the facts in evidence, and he is the most philosophical and successful lawyer who arranges his facts most fully, and places them before the court and jury in that orderly sequence which is most natural and logical. Per- haps I have known lawyers of more subtle reasoning facul- ties than Mr. McAllister possessed, but I never knew one who could prepare a cause so well .- HON. G. W. WOOD- WARD.
Resolved: That we have learned with feelings of pro- found sorrow of the death of Hon. H. N. McAllister, who for a period of nearly forty years stood in the front rank of the legal profession, not only in this and the neighbor- ing districts, but who, by his learning, his industry and integrity, has acquired throughout the entire State a high and enviable reputation as a lawyer of eminent ability; and who, by his liberality, his enterprising spirit, his devoted patriotism, his steady and earnest desire to be foremost in every good work, whether pertaining to religion, mor- ality, education or patriotism, by his open-hearted benev- olence and his unswerving devotion to duty, and to the advancement and promotion of whatever he regarded as right, has won the unbounded esteem, admiration and confidence of the entire community; and who, by reason of intense anxiety to perform his whole duty as a member of the Constitutional Convention regardless of the decline of his physical strength, fell at his post a martyr to that high sense of duty which has been the guiding star of his life.
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