USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Volume One > Part 31
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Presbyterian Church. The property was sold in 1862, and the bodies were removed to the Erie Cemetery.
In 1826, the Presbyterians purchased four lots at the southeast cor- ner of Seventh and Myrtle Streets in Erie, and for some 20 years used them for burial purposes, when the bodies were removed, and this land was sold. Very near to it was the Episcopal graveyard which was estab- lished in 1827.
St. Mary's Catholic congregation purchased ground on the site of St. Benedict's Academy, in 1837, for burial purposes, and was duly con- secrated Aug. 2, 1840.
St. Patrick's congregation, in 1838, had a small graveyard on Third Street, between German and Parade Streets, but finding it too small, in 1852 they purchased a five-acre tract at the corner of Twenty-fourth and Sassafras Streets.
Trinity Cemetery was consecrated in 1869 by the Catholics, since which their other cemeteries have been abandoned.
St. John's Lutheran Church established a cemetery in the square on Sassafras Street between Twenty-second and Twenty-third Streets to comply with a condition in the deed from Conrad Brown to St. John's Church; and to this day a little space in the middle of the plot encloses two or three graves that this condition may be fulfilled.
A popular movement was inaugurated in 1846 to acquire a plot of suitable ground, and of adequate size, to be used as a public burial grounds. Enough subscriptions had been secured in 1849 to secure the 75-acre tract bounded by Chestnut Street on the east, Cherry Street on the west, Nineteenth Street on the north and Twenty-sixth Street on the south. The subscribers became incorporated with 31 corporators under a char- ter from the state by the name of The Erie Cemetery. It is a perpetual corporation, the charter providing that all vacancies shall be filled from among the lot owners.
The Polish Cemetery lies just west of Trinity Cemetery, on the Lake Road, and consists of two acres of land.
The Hebrew Cemetery is on the hill on the north side of Twenty- sixth Street, was purchased in 1858, and is still in use.
Lakeside Cemetery Association was incorporated in 1895, and con- sisted at first of 135 acres of land on the east Lake Road along the lake shore. At the northwestern corner of the cemetery is "Gridley Circle", where the remains of Captain Charles Vernon Gridley, commander of
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Admiral Dewey's flagship, the Olympia, in the battle of Manila Bay, found sepulcher.
Hatch Hollow Cemetery was established about 1870; very many private or family graveyards exist in Amity Township.
Fairview Cemetery, adjacent to the old log pioneer church near the mouth of Walnut Creek, established when the log church was built in 1809 or 1810, and abandoned later with the church building.
At Swanville, adjacent to the second building of the Fairview Church, existed for many years a church and neighborhood graveyard, abandoned when in 1851 the church building was removed to Millcreek.
Fairview Cemetery, near the borough of that name, established about 1879, is one of the prettiest cemeteries in the county.
St. Jacob's Evangelical United Church has a small cemetery on the Ridge Road a mile and a half east of Fairview Borough.
Salem Evangelical graveyard is on the Valley and Town-line Roads just west of Weis Library, and dates back to probably about 1833.
Girard has a very well laid out and kept up cemetery, where many who bore their parts in the early history of the county have been laid away.
Wales Church Cemetery, in Greene Township; the old Presbyterian Burying Grounds at Harborcreek, just east of the village; the Talmadge family cemetery, in Mckean Township, on the Dunn Valley Road; St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, in Mckean Township, two miles north of Middleboro; Wiswell family and neighborhood cemetery, south of Mc- Kean; Asbury M. E. Cemetery, east of Swanville; Lutheran Cemetery at the southern line of Millcreek Township; a little family cemetery, now abandoned, on the farm of John B. Evans, west of the Half-way House, in Millcreek Township; the Alms House Cemetery on the old Alms House farm, on Pittsburg Avenue; North East Cemetery, about the site of the original one; the old cemetery west of the creek at Freeport, North East Township, and another east of the borough of North East on the Buffalo Road; East Springfield has 18 acres of high gravelly ground for its ceme- tery, which was originally the Presbyterian burial place and is now the principal burial ground for the township; Evergreen Cemetery, at Union City, was laid out by David Wilson, and dedicated in 1865; the Catholic Cemetery at that place was dedicated in 1860; Francis Cemetery, in the southeast part of Girard Township; Lowville Cemetery; Edinboro Ceme- tery; McLane Cemetery ; Draketown Cemetery is one of the oldest in the county ; Waterford Cemetery, laid out by William Benson in 1840; Corry
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Cemetery ; and many more burial places of a more or less public or private character, for many of the country churches provided for the burial of their dead, and many such burial places have been more or less abandoned.
The Marine Hospital was a worthy project, but never fulfilled the purposes of its sponsor. It was a conception of the Hon. Morrow B. Lowry when a member of the state senate, and by the legislature author- ized for the care of sick and unfortunate seamen on the lakes. A build- ing was erected, but remained unoccupied until on June 3, 1885, Hon. I. B. Brown obtained passage of a bill creating a "Home for the disabled soldiers and sailors of Pennsylvania", and the governor, Robert E. Patti- son and ten prominent citizens as a committee decided upon the unoccu- pied property at Erie, known as the Marine Hospital, for this purpose. In less than a year the building had been added to and made ready for occupancy. Major John Walker and Captain John Welsh were largely instrumental in the realization of the work. It was dedicated on Feb. 22, 1887. Major W. W. Tyson was appointed Commander, assisted by Cap- tain N. W. Lowell as Quartermaster, who was chosen March 1, 1888. Oct. 1, 1889, Dr. S. F. Chapin was selected as surgeon. The grounds comprise 107 acres, are in charge of a board of trustees, of which the governor is ex officio the president, and include the beautiful and com- manding site formerly occupied by the troops guarding the entrance to Presque Isle Harbor during the War of 1812, known as the "Garrison Grounds", whereon is the blockhouse built upon the site of the grave of General Anthony Wayne, of illustrious memory.
The Edinboro Normal School was instituted by the state to meet the growing demand for trained teachers in the common schools of the com- monwealth. In 1856 an academy was built by subscription, which was immediately successful. Additional buildings were erected, and pursuant to the act of 1857, constituting the counties of Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Venango and Lawrence the Twelfth Normal School District, the academy property was transferred to the state in 1861. Prof. J. A. Cooper, who had been an assistant in the academy, was made the first principal of the new normal school, and proved to be one of the foremost educators of his day. The school under his management grew rapidly, and for nearly 30 years his ability as a teacher and manager placed this school at the very head of the normal schools of the state. His memory was remarkable; and it is safe to assert that at the time he left the school he could have
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named practically every student who had ever attended under him, and they were numbered by the thousands. It has a most excellent library, assembly hall, ladies' and men's dormitories, and music department. It has a faculty of about 25 teachers.
NORMAL HALL, EDINBORO STATE NORMAL SCHOOL
Presidential Visitors to this county, that is, men who were at the time, had been, or later became, Presidents, embrace the following: Wil- liam Henry Harrison, in 1813; James Buchanan, in 1840; Martin Van Buren, in 1842; John Quincy Adams, in 1843; Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore, in 1849; Abraham Lincoln, in 1861; Andrew Johnson and Ulysses S. Grant (who were accompanied by William H. Seward), in 1866; James A. Garfield, on several occasions between 1860 and 1880, speaking in the court house in the canvass of 1878; Grover Cleveland, at the funeral of William L. Scott, on Thursday, Sept. 24, 1891, riding in the carriage with Governor Pattison; and William McKinley also made Erie a point of call during his campaign.
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The Old-time Shows and Circuses were of a far different order than those of the present day. The first show of record was one in the summer of 1820, when an elephant accompanied a few other animals. Before that the show consisted of perhaps a lion or a tiger, with a few monkeys, some rarrets, and such like, and would be held in some barn. Other shows followed that first one, in 1822 and 1823, and gradually came to be larger and larger aggregations of animals, trained and untrained, as well as of
VIEW OF SOUTH PARK, GIRARD
trained horses and acrobats showing under their own canopies. The first circus came along in July, 1827; and in July of 1831 the tents of another were blown down by a most violent storm.
But the shows did not reach their popularity until Dan Rice, the pioneer of all the real showmen, adapted shows to the tastes of the peo- ple. He was a Shakesperean clown, and used to bring his shows to Gir- ard for the winters. At length he purchased a handsome property in the heart of the village, and constructed a palatial home and grounds for his residence. Many of his employees used to come there for the winter, and
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several shows were organized in Girard by his employees, amongst them being, Thayer and Noyes Circus; Rice and Forepaugh's Circus; Ander- son & Company; Abe Henderson's Shows; and G. R. Spaulding's Circus; all of which originated at Girard, and the town came to be known far and wide as the home of Dan Rice, and also as a circus, or show, town.
Not so very many years ago the young people used to travel from far and near to the main highway when a circus was to visit the locality, or was traveling through the country; for the elephants walked from town to town upon the highways. But Dan Rice changed all that, and inaugurated better means of transportation for the show, utilizing the canals, the great river boats, and finally the modern railroad trains. He it was who introduced modern methods and system into the show business.
The first monument erected in Pennsylvania to the memory of the soldiers and sailors who lost their lives in the Civil War, was placed in the public square at Girard through the generosity of Dan Rice. Its cost was about $6,000, and was borne by that showman. It was dedicated Nov. 1, 1865, with Governor Curtin of Pennsylvania and Governor Tod of Ohio present amongst the other celebrated men on that occasion.
Anti-Slavery Agitation .- This county was most active in the Anti- Slavery Agitations, and who has not heard of the famous "Underground Railroads" of those times. One of the earliest anti-slavery societies in the state was organized in this county in 1836, the principal factors in it being Philetus Glas, Dr. Smedley and Truman Tuttle, of North East; Col. J. M. Moorhead, Mr. Jessup and Samuel Low, of Harborcreek; Wil- liam Himrod, Alex. Mehaffey and Aaron Kellogg, of Erie; Giles Russell and Hamlin Russell, of Millcreek; Stephen C. Lee, of Summit; Rev. T. H. Burroughs, of Concord; William Gray, of Wayne. About the same time another society was formed at North East of which Truman Tuttle was President, Dr. Smedley was Secretary, and R. L. Loomis was Treas- urer. Meetings were held in other parts of the county, and an important one at Springfield. Arrangements were made by which certain persons along the way would take care of the slaves who were seeking freedom by reaching Canada, and these men came to be known as "Station Agents", and their places were stations on the "Underground Railroad", the name by which the road from the south to Canada came to be known. The "Station Agents" in this county were William Gray, Stephen C. Lee, Hamlin Russell and William Himrod. The old Stanton House, now owned by the city at Second and French Streets, is said to have been one of the
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stations, or places for the secretion of slaves, and a secret passageway between two stone walls is still to be seen by the curious, which is be- lieved to have been used in this manner.
Other Events .- The first telegraph line into or through this county was erected in 1847, from Buffalo to Cleveland; and for many years Erie had the only telegraph office in the county.
The first telephone put up and used in this county is credited to one devised and put in by Mr. J. W. Moore, a telegraph lineman on the Penn- sylvania railroad, in 1878. Some of the earliest telephone subscribers in the county were, G. H. Auffinger, C. E. Bacon, E. E. Loesch, and others at Erie, very shortly after Mr. Moore's telephone proved its usefulness, and it is said that a telephone directory made its appearance very shortly afterwards. William Crane, the present City Electrician, took a great interest in the new instruments, and it was he who is said to have de- vised the metallic return circuit which has displaced the old grounded wires.
The North East Sun, in an issue of about April 5, 1884, speaks of the exchange having been put into that borough, and of telephonic commu- nication having been established with the Erie Opera House, and with outside cities, and continues: "While this is very convenient, we think the volume of important business in this section of the country will con- tinue to be done by telegraph."
The Cholera once threatened our county, when a vessel from Buffalo with passengers and immigrants aboard arrived, and a Mrs. Hunter and her daughter developed its symptoms. They were landed on the penin- sula, and the citizens took prompt measures to guard against its spread. These victims died in a few short hours, but the disease got no further.
This section of the country has been mercifully spared the effects of the great storms of wind and weather which have visited other parts of the land. However, we have suffered considerable damage in restricted areas at times.
It is reported that on Aug. 25, 1873, a fall of two inches of rain occurred in less than two hours' time.
In 1878, the western part of the county suffered from an excessive downpour of rain, while another extensive flood occurred early in Feb- ruary, 1883, which washed away nearly every bridge and mill dam along the streams.
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In June, 1892, a most remarkable rainstorm lasting several days extended over the entire state as well as this county. Another devastat- ing storm at Erie, occurred in the spring of 1893, flooding the Millcreek valley, and destroying much property. The last well-remembered storm of that sort was on Aug. 3, 1915, when a number of persons lost their lives, and the valleys of Millcreek, Four-mile Creek, and other streams, presented a scene of indescribable devastation, and when thousands of dollars in damages resulted. Measures were at once undertaken for the construction of a giant concrete tube in the bed of Millcreek, with a drift deflector in its upper reaches. This work has been successfully accom- plished, and has redeemed much valuable property along the line of the stream.
The historic Liberty Bell came into Erie at 3 p. m. of April 26, 1893, and was visited by thousands of our patriotic citizens during its short stay here, while on its pilgrimage from Philadelphia to the World's Fair at Chicago.
Some of our older people can even yet recall the famous "Bank Note Detectors" which were published weekly, or monthly, for the use of peo- ple who had occasion to receive or disburse the currency of the day before our greenbacks and national bank currency was adopted. During that period much "Wild Cat Money" and "Oil Creek Bank" currency was about. Bank failures were common everywhere, counterfeit money was prevalent, and the people were almost distracted by the financial per- plexities of the times. No one was safe in accepting a piece of money, unless he had first consulted the "Detector", and compared it with the specifications published in that handbook. Happily a plan was soon de- vised to obviate the losses and worries of those days.
The war with Mexico did not affect our people greatly, as the scene of it was comparatively remote, and the numbers engaged were not great. Pennsylvania offered nine regiments, and a number of men from this county enlisted in those and other organizations, some of whom fought throughout the war. Amongst them was John W. McLane, who, as commander of the Eighty-third Pennsylvania Regiment, won signal distinction.
Various societies for the general helpfulness of this region have been promoted in the county from time to time, some of them having been: An Agricultural and Mechanical Society, founded in 1822, holding a fair in 1823 in the public square in Erie, at which $78.00 was paid in
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premiums, the highest premium being $8.00, paid for the best two acres of wheat. Judah Colt, Charles J. Reed, Giles Sanford, John Vincent, R. S. Reed, William Miles, Martin Strong, Benjamin Russell, Elisha Marvin, Moses Barnett, John McCord, Simeon Leet, and Matthias Brindle being the prime movers in the enterprise.
The Erie County Agricultural Society was organized in 1848, which held fairs on the Academy Grounds in 1849, 1850, 1851 and 1852; on a lot east of Parade Street in 1853, 1854 and 1855; down on the Garrison Grounds in 1856, 1857 and 1858; and on the Ebersole farm, east of town, in 1859 and 1860.
Another Erie County Agricultural Society was formed in 1879, hold- ing successful fairs on the Reed farm, where is now the Ball Engine Company, recently changed to the Erie Steam Shovel Company. Through the enterprise of our citizens, the State Agricultural Society held four exhibitions at this same Reed farm in 1872, 1873, 1877 and 1878. On the race track at this location has occurred some of the most spirited contests witnessed in this county; and here it was that Frank Fairbairn and others conducted a bicycle race at the county fair, the first of its kind in the county, and which was witnessed by thousands of persons, many of whom had come a great distance for this unique occasion.
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CHAPTER XXV
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THE BENCH AND THE BAR.
EARLY LEGAL BUSINESS-SEATS OF JUSTICE-ASSOCIATE JUSTICES-DISTRICT COURTS-CHANGES IN TERRITORIAL LIMITS-ERIE COUNTY ORGANIZED- FIRST COURTS-ADDITIONAL LAW JUDGES-LIST OF THE JUDGES-LIST OF DISTRICT JUDGES-LIST OF ADDITIONAL JUDGES-LIST OF ASSOCIATE JUDGES-LIST OF PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS-ROLL OF ATTORNEYS SINCE I823.
Prior to 1800, all legal business pertaining to the people of this county, was transacted at Pittsburg, this territory forming a part of Allegheny County up to that time. However, as a temporary expedient, the legislature provided by the act of April 9, 1801, that Erie, Crawford, Venango, Mercer and Warren counties should be classed together for election and governmental purposes, with the county seat at Meadville. For two years this arrangement prevailed, when this county, although created a separate county by the act of March 12, 1800, was formally organized into a separate entity by the establishment of the court under Hon. Jesse Moore on April 2, 1803, in the old George Buehler House, later known as the McConkey House, which stood at the northeast cor- ner of Third and French Streets, in Erie, with a substantial post and rail fence surrounding the property, as was very usual in those days. The crier announced the court by blowing a large tin horn until the year 1823.
The Supreme Court judges were, in addition to their other duties, required to hold Circuit Court in the counties of the state, and on Oct. 15, 1806, Judge Yates visited here, and in 1807 and 1811 Judge Bracken- ridge was here. This county was honored in 1854 when Justices Lewis, Woodward, Lowrie and Knox held a session of the Supreme Court at Erie.
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Until May, 1839, our county courts were held by a President Judge, assisted by two Associate Justices, who were usually chosen from amongst the justices of the peace, or were some prominent business men or farm- ers of good judgment.
Erie County has been a part of, and latterly the entire, Sixth Judi- cial District of the state; but from 1800 to 1803, being a part of Craw- ford County, was a part of the Fifth Judicial District. Prior to 1800, it formed a part of Allegheny County, with the courts at Pittsburg.
William Penn, at the beginning, divided his province of Pennsylvania into three counties, Philadelphia, Bucks and Chester; and the county of Chester is believed to have embraced this northwestern section of the state, although its western limits were very much misunderstood at that time. We assume, therefore, that our territory here was then properly to be known as Chester County.
By the act of May 10, 1729, a fourth county was erected, called Lan- caster County, the western parts of which included Erie County.
The act of Jan. 27, 1750, created a fifth county, called Cumberland · County, the limits of which embraced this county.
The act of March 9, 1771, took from Cumberland County this west -. ern part of the province, and called it Bedford County.
The act of March 21, 1772, changed the southeastern part of Bedford County, but left this part unchanged.
On Feb. 6, 1773, when the county of Westmoreland was erected from Bedford, it is claimed that this northwestern part of the state was not affected by the act; but it is asserted that through the proceedings con- nected with the purchase from the Indians of 1784, this section became part and parcel of Westmoreland County.
Allegheny County being organized on Sept. 24, 1788, from the terri- tory of Westmoreland County, its jurisdiction extended northward to the lakes, and therefore embraced this part of the state.
By the act of March 12, 1800, the boundaries of both Crawford and Erie counties were first indicated; Crawford County to have its seat of justice at Meadville, and Erie County to have her seat of justice at Erie. But for three years the judicial and official business of this county was transacted at Meadville. The population of this county when it was first organized was 1,468.
April 2, 1803, Erie County was finally organized for all judicial and official purposes by the institution of our first court in the George Bueh-
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ler House as stated above. Before that date all court business had been transacted at Pittsburg, and later at Meadville. In the earlier times when this county formed a part of other counties, there were no inhabi- tants or individual rights to be either asserted, decided, or adjudged, because there were no inhabitants here.
In May, 1839, a District Court was created to assist in disposing of a mass of accumulated cases in the counties of Erie, Crawford, Venango, and Mercer, presided over by Hon. James Thompson of Venango until May of 1845. The term was at first for five years; but by request of the bar was extended one year.
The President Judges as well as the Associate Judges were by ap- pointment of the Governor until 1851, when by popular election in Octo- ber of that year Hon. John Galbraith was chosen as President Judge, and for the Associates were Hon. Joseph M. Sterrett and Hon. James Miles. The Associate Judges were abolished on Nov. 17, 1876, after which the President Judge discharged the entire judicial business of the county including the Orphans' Court work.
The office of Additional Law Judge was created in 1856, and ex- pired by operation of the constitution on April 17, 1874. Hon. David Derrickson was the first Additional Law Judge under this provision, suc- ceeded first Monday in December, 1866, by Hon. John P. Vincent, wno held the office until its expiration.
The various judges holding court for this county have been:
Supreme Court Justices-Hon. Jasper Yates, Oct. 15, 1806; Hon. Breckinridge, October, 1807, and also in 1811.
President Judges-Alexander Addison, of Pittsburg, Aug. 17, 1791; David Clark, Allegheny County, March 3, 1800; Jesse Moore, Crawford County, April 5, 1803; Henry Shippen, Huntington County, Jan. 24, 1825; Nathaniel B. Eldred, Wayne County, March 23, 1839; Gaylord Church, Crawford County, April 3, 1843; John Galbraith, Erie County, Nov. 6, 1851; Rasselas Brown, Warren County, June 29, 1860; Samuel P. John- son, Warren County, Dec. 3, 1860; Lansing D. Wetmore, Warren County, first Monday in January, 1870; John P. Vincent, Erie County, April 17, 1874; William A. Galbraith, Erie County, first Monday in January, 1877; Frank Gunnison, Erie County, Dec. 13, 1886; Emory A. Walling, Erie County, 1897; Uriah P. Rossiter, Erie County, Nov. 4, 1915; Paul A. Ben- son, Erie County, 1912; Edward L. Whittelsey, Erie County, 1918; Wil- liam E. Hirt, 1919.
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