USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc > Part 43
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1835-At the November sessions of this year, an indictment for murder was found against Hugh Young for the cruel and bloody murder at Waterford of John DeCamp. The murdered man was beaten to death with a bludgeon. His assassins fled, and were never heard of afterward. In this year, also, Ransom Eastwood, of Venango, was shot dead, and John Eastwood, of the same township, was charged with his murder. The accused had a long trial, and was acquitted.
1836-For the savage murder of Griffin Johnson, in Mill Creek Township, Ebenezer Eldridge was arraigned on the capital charge, and was convicted as indicted. He escaped the gallows, and was sentenced to ten years in the penitentiary.
1837-The Francisco murder trial was held this year.
1850-Thirteen years elapsed before another Erie citizen was put upon trial for his life. John B. Large and Erastus Johnson were charged with the murder of a young boy. They were convicted and sentenced to five years in the penitentiary. In the same year, Thomas Porter was acquitted of the mur- der of Asphad Porter, killed with a stone.
1852-Two years afterward, Samuel Stone, of Fairview, was indicted for the murder of Rachael Hammond. Stone was sentenced to two years and eight days in the penitentiary.
1854-William W. Warner was arraigned for killing an illegitimate child. He was acquitted on the grounds of insanity, and was sent to an asylum.
1855-Ezra Starr and Charles B. Cooper were arraigned for murder, but the case was nol prossed and they were discharged.
1856-The Hayt murder, well remembered, was the judicial sensation of this year. Walter Hayt was convicted of murdering his niece, and was sen- tenced to ten years in the penitentiary.
340
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
1857-John Masters and Joe McBride were indicted for the murder of Dennis Sullivan. Masters was acquitted and McBride was never found.
1858-In Mill Creek Township, Joseph Botonelli, keeper of a little hotel above the almshouse, was shot dead by George H. Rerdell, who, being con- victed, was sentenced to six years in the penitentiary.
In this same year, Jacob Faust was tried for the murder of Capt. Matthew Densmore down at the dock. Faust was convicted and sentenced to eleven years and nine months in the penitentiary.
1859 -- Charles Fisk, of Waterford, was arraigned for shooting John Fen- no through the heart. He got two years and five days in the penitentiary.
1860-Mallisa Sprague was indicted for the murder of her child, but the jury found her not guilty.
1862-Daniel Cummings was tried for the murder of Johanna Cummings, and was sent to the penitentiary for eleven years and three months.
1863 --- There were three murder trials in this year. Nathaniel Cotterell, of Waterford, was charged with the killing of William Burt, and . was ac- quitted. Mary Quinn was tried and acquitted of the murder of Patrick Cut- ler, killed with a brick, and Peter Carrier, for the murder of William Thomp- son, was sent to the penitentiary for ten years.
1865-Erastus Stafford was stabbed to death, and Jacob A. Tanner was tried for the murder. He got four years. In the same year, William Greer was shot dead in front of a North East drug store. An indictment for murder was found against one Dr. Lucius Mott, but he was never found.
1866 -- Mary Mulholland was charged with the murder of her illegitimate child, and Michael Corcoran with the murder of Dennis Twohy. The grand jury threw out both bills.
1872-The murder of Hugh Donnelly by James Nevills, resulted in a ver- dict of not guilty on the grounds of insanity.
1874-Fred Cooper and Jane R. Cooper were tried for the murder of Car- oline Cook. Both were honorably acquitted. In the following Quarter Ses- sions, Charles J. Cowden was tried for the murder of Jane Cowden, and was acquitted.
1876-George C. Adams was indicted for the killing of William H. Clem- ens. The case was nol prossed.
1880-Philip Schwingle was charged with the murder of his brother Charles, and was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary.
1883-Mary Jane and Samuel Young were accused of the murder of their brother. They were held for trial, but the grand jury ignored the bill.
CHAPTER XXI.
POLITICAL HISTORY-ANNUAL RECORD.
1788 To 1800.
TN 1788 and 1792, Allegheny County, which embraced Erie County, gave a unanimous vote for George Washington for President, who was elected without opposition. John Adams was chosen Vice President.
In 1796, the Jefferson Electors received 392 votes, and the Adams Elect- ors 77 in Allegheny County. The State cast 1 electoral vote for Adams, 14
341
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
for Jefferson, 2 for Thomas Pickering and 13 for Aaron Burr. Adams was elected President and Jefferson Vice President.
The vote of the commonwealth within the above period was for Governor: 1790-Thomas Mifflin, Democrat, 27, 725; Arthur St. Clair, Federal, 2,802. 1793-Thomas Mifflin, Democrat, 18,590; F. A. Muhlenberg, Federal, 10,- 706. 1796-Thomas Mifflin, Democrat, 30,020; F. A. Muhlenberg, Federal; 1,011. 1799-Thomas Mckean, Democrat, 38,036; James Ross, Federal, 32,641:
Allegheny County voted each time for the successful candidate.
The first election of which there is a record in Erie County occurred in 1798. Judah Colt, agent for the Population Company, says in his journal that he accompanied about sixty-five of his people from Colt's Station to Erie to take part in an election. This was in October. "All," says Mr. Colt, " voted in favor of a Federal Representative."
April 8, 1799, six election districts were created in the township of Erie- one to hold elections in the town of Erie; one at the house of Timothy Tuttle, in North East; one at the house of John McGonigle, at or near Edinboro; one at the house of Thomas Hamilton, in Lexington, Conneaut Township; one at the house of Daniel Henderson, in Waterford; one at the house of William Miles, in Concord Township.
1800.
The State cast 8 electoral votes for Jefferson, 8 for Burr, 7 for Adams, and 7 for C. C. Pinckney. Jefferson was chosen President, and Burr Vice Pres- ident. This section of the State gave a majority for Jefferson and Burr.
Albert Gallatin was elected to Congress from the Western District of the State, embracing Erie County. He received 1,937 votes to 944 for Perry Neville. Erie and Crawford gave Gallatin 214 votes. Gallatin was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by President Jefferson in 1801, and resigned his seat in Congress.
The candidates for other positions received the following votes:
State Senator-John Hamilton, Washington County, 2,002; John Hoge, Washington, 847. The district comprised the whole of Western Pennsylvania north of Virginia and west of the Allegheny.
Assembly-Samuel Ewalt, 2,137; Thomas Morton, 2,002; James Sample, 1,049; Dunning McNair, Erie County, 1,027. The district comprised Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties, electing one member. This arrangement continued until 1807.
1801.
William Hoge, Washington Township, was elected to fill the vacancy in Congress caused by the resignation of Albert Gallatin.
William McArthur, of Meadville, was elected to represent Erie, Mercer, Crawford, Venango and Warren Counties in the Senate. This Senatorial District continued until 1836.
The vote of the district for Assembly was as follows: Alexander Buchanan, Crawford County, 416; John Lytle, 75; John Lytle, Jr., Erie County, 353; John Findley, Mercer County, 208. Three of the Judges signed a return de- claring John Lytle, Jr. and Sr., to be father and son, and three others refused to sign the return in the belief that the same person was intended. Alexan- der Buchanan got the certificate.
1802.
For Governor, Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties still voting together, cast 1,835 votes for Thomas McKean, the Democratic, and 187
1
342
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
for James Ross, the Federal candidate. The vote of the State was as follows: Thomas Mckean, Democrat, 38,036; James Ross, Federal, 32,641.
William Hogl, Washington County, was elected to Congress by about 750 majority.
For Assembly, the following was the vote: Alexander Buchanan, 520; John Finley, 197; John Lytle, Jr., 570; James Harrington, Mercer County, 238; John Lytle, 13. John Lytle, Jr., was declared elected.
1803.
This year, Erie County voted separately for county officers for the first time. The following was the result: Sheriff-Wilson Smith, Waterford, 267; Martin Strong, Waterford, 201. Coroner-Abraham Smith, Erie, 288; John C. Wallace, Erie, 184.
The Commissioners elected were John Vincent, of Waterford; James Weston, of LeBœuf; and Abiather Crane, of Mill Creek.
John Lytle, Jr., was elected to the Assembly.
John Hoge, of Washington County, was elected to Congress.
1804.
The county cast 112 ballots for President, all for the Jefferson electors. The State gave its electoral votes to Jefferson and Burr, who were elected.
John B. C. Lucas was elected to Congress.
Wilson Smith, of Waterford, was elected to the Assembly.
William Clark, of Erie, James Lowry, of North East, and John Phillips, uf Venango, were elected County Commissioners. -
1805.
The candidates for Governor were Thomas Mckean and Simon Snyder, both Democrats. Erie County gave Mckean 254, and Snyder 377 votes. The vote of the State was as follows: Thomas Mckean, 43,644; Simon Snyder, 38,433; Samuel Snyder, 395.
For Sheriff, John Milroy, of Erie, received 296, and Jacob Carmack, of Erie, 295 votes. By law the two highest candidates were returned to the Gov- ernor, who made a choice between them. Carmack received the appointment.
William McArthur was re-elected to the Senate and Wilson Smith to the Assembly. John Hay, of Erie, was chosen County Commissioner.
John B. C. Lucas having resigned from Congress November 7, Samuel Smith, of Mill Creek, Erie County, was chosen in his place.
Copies of papers printed in Meadville from 1805 to 1820, and of the Erie Gazette in 1820 and afterward, show that the opposing parties were distin- guished as Democratic-Republican and Federal Republican. This continued to be the case until 1829, when the anti-Masonic excitement came up. Erie County was strongly Democratic-Republican, and all of the candidates elected up to 1830 were nominated by that party, except an occasional independent. The Democratic Republicans held a convention in the county every year from 1805 to 1830. The name Democratic-without the annex-is first found in the Erie Observer in 1831.
1806.
Samuel Smith was re-elected to Congress by a majority of 715.
Wilson Smith was elected Assemblyman, and John McCreary, of Mill Creek, County Commissioner.
The vote for Coroner was-John Milroy, 187; George Hurst, of North East, 142; Martin Strong, 142.
343
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
1807.
Wilson Smith was re-elected to the Assembly,
April 11, 1807, the following election districts were constituted, and their voting places designated :
No. 1. Erie and Mill Creek, at the court house.
No. 1. "Coniaute" and Mckean, at house of James McGuines.
No. 3. Fairview, at house of William Sturgeon.
No. 4. Springfield, at house of William Porter.
No. 5. "Conniat" and Elk Creek, at town of Lexington.
No. 6. "LeBœuff" and Waterford, at house of Jonas Clark.
No. 7. Beaver Dam and Harbor Creek, at house of Thomas Morton.
No. 8. North East, at house of Andrew Lowry.
No. 9. Greenfield and Venango, at house of Philo Parker.
No. 10. Brokenstraw and Union, at house of John Taylor.
In 1808, Venango was made District No. 11. The election place was fixed at the house of John Yost.
For Coroner, John Gray, of Erie, received 230 votes, and George Lowry, of North East, 220.
John Boyd, of Waterford, was elected County Commissioner.
1808.
Erie County cast 200 votes for the Madison electors, and 86 against them. The State gave her vote for James Madison for President and George Clinton for Vice President, who were elected.
The vote for Governor was 345 for Simon Snyder, Democrat, and 244 for James Ross, Federal. That of the State was as follows: Simon Snyder, Dem- ocrat, 67,975; James Ross, Federal, 39,575; John Spayd, Independent Demo- crat, 4,006.
Samuel Smith was re-elected to Congress.
John Phillips, of Erie County, and James Harrington, of Mercer, were elected to the Assembly.
The vote on other officers was as follows: Sheriff-Jacob Spang, of Erie, 318; Robert Irvin, of Erie, 287; John Salsbury, of Conneaut, 307. Coroner- Thomas Rees, of Harbor Creek, 274; Thomas Wilson, of Erie, 41.
Francis Brawley, of North East, was elected County Commissioner.
The Democratic-Republicans had a meeting at Cochran's mill this year, at which every prominent member of the party was present. Gen. John Phillips presided and Judge Cochran was the moving spirit. The following was among the toasts on the occasion:
"Though Erie lies far in the wood,
Yet it contains some Democrats good."
1809.
Wilson Smith was elected to the State Senate.
John Phillips, of Erie County, and James Harrington, of Mercer County, were chosen to the Assembly.
For Coroner, John C. Wallace, received 245, and John Salsbury 226 votes. Thomas Forster, of Erie, was elected County Commissioner.
1810.
John Phillips, of Erie County, and Roger Alden, of Crawford County, were elected to the Assembly.
Abner Lacock, of Beaver County, was elected to Congress.
344
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
For Sheriff, James E. Herron, of Erie, received 278, and James Weston, of LeBœuf, 278 votes. Weston obtained the appointment from the Governor. John Salsbury, of Conneaut, was elected County Commissioner.
1811.
The county gave Simon Snyder, Democratic candidate for Governor, 343 votes, he having no regular opposition. The vote of the State was as follows: Simon Snyder, Democrat, 52,319; William Tilghman, Independent, 3,609.
Phillips and Alden were re-elected to the Assembly.
Thomas Wilson, of Erie, was elected County Commissioner.
1812.
The vote of Erie County was 152 for the Madison, and 129 for the oppo- sition electors. The State cast its electoral vote for James Madison for Presi- dent, and Elbridge Gerry for Vice President, who were elected.
John Phillips, Erie County, and Patrick Farrelly, Crawford County, were elected to the Assembly.
Abner Lacock, Beaver County, was re-elected to Congress.
For Coroner, John Milroy received 107, and Abiather Crane 72 votes.
Henry Taylor, North East, was elected County Commissioner.
1813.
The Legislature having chosen Abner Lacock United States Senator, he re- signed, and Thomas Wilson, of Erie, was elected to Congress in his stead.
Joseph Shannon, of Beaver County, was elected to the Senate, and James Weston, of Erie County, and James Burchfield, of Crawford County, to the Assembly.
For Sheriff, David Wallace, of Erie, received 187, and John Tracy, of Waterford, 127 votes.
Thomas Forster was re-elected County Commissioner; John Grubb, of Mill Creek, was elected to the same office to fill the vacancy caused by the resigna- tion of Thomas Wilson.
1814.
The vote of the county was 308 for Simon Snyder, Democrat; 55 for Isaac Wayne, Federal, and 77 for George Lattimore, Independent Democrat. The State voted as follows:
Simon Snyder, 51,099; Isaac Wayne, 29,566; George Lattimore, 910.
Thomas Wilson was re-elected to Congress, and Weston and Burchfield to the Assembly.
Henry Taylor, of North East, was re-elected County Commissioner.
1815.
Jacob Harrington, of Mercer, James Weston, of LeBoeuf, and Ralph Mar- lin, of Meadville, were elected to the Assembly. The district had been changed to Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Warren and Venango, electing three members.
John Morris, of Erie, received 182, and James Boyd, of Waterford, 180 votes for Coroner.
Robert McClelland, of Mill Creek, was elected County Commissioner.
1816.
James Monroe was elected President, and Elbridge Gerry, Vice President. The county gave the Monroe ticket 130, and the opposition 84 votes In the State, Monroe had 25,609 votes, and the opposition ticket 17,537.
345
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Henry Hurst, of Crawford County, formerly of North East, was elected State Senator in place of Joseph Shannon, resigned.
Robert Moore, of Beaver, was elected to Congress; James Harrington, Ralph Marlin and Samuel Hays, of Venango County, to the Assembly, and Thomas Forster, of Erie, County Commissioner.
The vote for Sheriff was as follows: Stephen Wolverton, of Erie, 290; James Hall, of Springfield, 242.
1817.
The candidates for Governor were William Findley, Democrat, and Joseph Hiester, Federal. Erie County gave Findley 385 votes, and Hiester 261. The vote of the State was:
William Findley, 66,331; Joseph Hiester, 59, 292.
Henry Hurst was re-elected to the Senate, the district comprising Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties.
Samuel Hays, of Venango County, Thomas Wilson, of Erie County, and Ralph Marlin, of Crawford County, were elected to the Assembly, and Robert Brown, of Erie, was elected County Commissioner.
1818.
Robert Moore, of Beaver County, was re-elected to Congress over Thomas Wilson, of Erie.
Jacob Harrington, Mercer, James Cochran, Crawford, and Joseph Hack- ney, Venango, were elected Assemblymen, and George Moore, of Erie, County Commissioner.
For Coroner, the vote stood: Samuel Hays, Erie, 262. Thomas Laird, Erie, 255.
1819.
Wilson Smith, of Erie County, James Cochran, of Crawford, and William Connelly, of Venango, were elected to the Assembly.
The vote for county officers was as follows:
Sheriff-Thomas Laird, Erie, 349; David Wallace, Erie, 330; Amos P. Woodford, Waterford, 157.
Commissioner-Stephen Wolverton, Erie, 427; James Hall, Springfield, 255; Abiather Crane, Mill Creek, 49; Jonah Cowgill, Erie, 3.
1820.
The Presidential election was held in the fall of this year, James Monroe being unanimously supported for re-election. Patrick Farrelly was the elector for this district. For Governor, the Democrats supported William Findley, of Franklin, and the Federalists Gen. Joseph Hiester, of Berks. Hiester was elected. The following was the vote of the county:
.
McKean
20
21
Fairview.
62
16
Springfield
32
37
Waterford, LeBœuf and Beaver Dam.
44
22
Harbor Creek.
78
42
North East.
13
8
Greenfield.
15
16
Union and Brokenstraw
32
4
Venango ..
27
20
Conneauttee
Total
519
415
.
Findley. Hiester.
Erie and Mill Creek
95
130
41
37
Conneaut and Elk Creek.
60
65
346
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
The candidates for Congress were Robert Moore, Beaver; Patrick Farrelly, Crawford, and Beavan Pearson, Mercer, all Democrats. Patrick Farrelly re- ceived a majority of 407 votes in the county, and was elected by a plurality of 1,104 in the district. The candidates for Assembly were Wilson Smith, Erie County; George Moore, Erie; Jacob Herrington, Mercer; William Connelly, Venango; James Cochran, Crawford; William Moore, Venango, and Walter Oliver, Mercer. All of the above candidates claimed to be Democrats. Messrs. Smith, Connelly and Harrington were elected. George Nicholson, Fairview, was chosen Commissioner by 75 majority over Henry Colt, of Waterford. Thomas H. Sill, Erie; Thomas Dunn, Mckean; E. D. Gunnison, Erie; Abi- ather Crane, Mill Creek, and Clark Putnam, North East, were candidates for Auditor. Sill and Dunn were elected.
Alexander McNair, formerly of Mill Creek, was this year elected first Gov ernor of Missouri.
1821.
The following were the candidates: State Senate-Samuel Lord, Meadville; Gen. Henry Hurst, Meadville; Jacob Harrington, Mercer. Harrington was elected. Assembly-George Moore, Erie; Wilson Smith, Waterford; Rev. Robert C. Hatton, Erie; Thomas King, Waterford; James Cochran, Robert L. Potter, Crawford; Arthur Chenowith, John Leech, C. S. Sample, Walter Oliver, Mercer; Andrew Bowman, Robert Mitchell, William Moore, Venango, and David Brown, Warren. Brown, Cochran and George Moore were elected. Thomas Forster, Erie, was elected Commissioner by 23 majority over Henry Colt. Thomas Rees, Harbor Creek, was elected Auditor by 211 majority over P. S. V. Hamot. Benjamin Russell, Mill Creek, was chosen Coroner.
1822.
The candidates for Congress were Patrick Farrelly, Crawford, and Samuel Williamson, Mercer, both Democrats. Farrelly received 992 votes and Will- iamson 136 in the county. Farrelly was elected by a majority of about 2,000 in the district.
The Assembly District was changed this year, Erie and Warren being placed together, and allowed one member. George Moore, Erie Borough, and James Weston, LeBœuf, were the candidates for that office, the latter being elected by a majority of only 17 votes. Stephen Wolverton, Erie, David Wallace, Mill Creek, and Simeon Dunn, Erie, were candidates for Sheriff. Wolverton's majority was 306 over both of his competitors. Henry Colt, Waterford; Alexander McClosky, North East, and Thomas Rees, Harbor Creek, were candidates for Commissioner. Colt was elected by a majority of 62 votes over both the others. Thomas Dunn, Mckean, was chosen Auditor over Conrad Brown, Mill Creek, and James Love, of the same township.
1823.
This being the year to select a Governor, each party had candidates in the field. The Democrats supported John Andrew Shulze, Lebanon; the Feder- alists, Andrew Gregg, Centre. The vote of the county was: Shulze, 754; Gregg, 604-Democratic majority, 150. The vote of the State was: John Andrew Schulze, Democrat, 89,928; Andrew Gregg, Federal, 64,211. For Assembly, George Moore, Erie, and Thomas H. Sill, Erie, were the candidates. Sill was beaten 199 votes in Erie County, but received so strong a support in Warren as to overbalance these figures and elect him by a majority of 149 in the district. Alexander McClosky was chosen Commissioner over John Coch-
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D.D. Look
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
ran, Mill Creek, and E. D. Gunnison, Erie. Daniel Sayre, Fairview, was elected Auditor over Hamlin Russell and Abiather Crane, both of Mill Creek, Owing to a misunderstanding, no election was held in Union and Concord, which is claimed to have operated to the disadvantage of Messrs. Gregg and Sill.
1824.
A convention met March 4, of this year, at Harrisburg, and nominated Andrew Jackson for President, and John C. Calhoun for Vice President. Henry Clay, who at that time acted with the Democratic party, received 10 votes for the latter position. Another convention was held in Harrisburg, August 9, which nominated William H. Crawford, of Georgia, for President, and Albert Gallatin, of Pennsylvania, for Vice President. Henry Clay and John Quincy Adams were also candidates before the people for President, but we have no record giving the manner of their nomination. The candidates for elector were as follows: For Jackson, John Boyd, Waterford; for Adams, Jesse Moore, Meadville; for Crawford, James Montgomery; for Clay, Charles H. Israel.
The vote of the county was: For Jackson, 302; Adams, 55; Crawford, 10; Clay, 3-not half the ballots being cast.
The vote in the State was: Jackson, 35,894; Adams, 3,405; Crawford, 4,186; Clay, 1,701; Jackson's majority over all, 24,601.
None of the candidates received a majority of the electoral votes in the Union, and the election was thrown into the House, where Adams was chosen President.
For Congress, Patrick Farrelly and Samuel Williamson were again oppos- ing candidates, the former receiving in Erie County 1,030 votes to 68 for the latter. Farrelly's majority in the district was 3, 133, in a total vote of 5,100. The district consisted of Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Venango and Warren.
John Phillips, of Venango Township, was elected to the Assembly over George Moore. John Morris, Erie, was chosen Commissioner over John Sals- bury, Conneaut, and E. D. Gunnison, Erie. Rufus Seth Reed, Erie, defeated John Dickson, Erie, for Coroner. Thomas Rees, Harbor Creek, was elected Auditor over Amos Wilmot, Waterford.
1825. .
For State Senate, Wilson Smith, Waterford; George Moore, Erie; Thomas Atkinson, Crawford; James Herriott, Mercer; and John Leech, Mercer, were opposing candidates. Moore had one majority over all in this county, but Leech received a majority in the district. Stephen Wolverton was chosen to the Assembly over John Phillips and Abiather Crane, Erie County, and Archi- bald Tanner and J. W. Irvine, Warren. The candidates for Sheriff were: Henry Colt, Waterford; Thomas Forster, Erie; Thomas Laird, Erie; A. W. Brewster, Erie; Albert Thayer, Mill Creek, and David McCreary, Mill Creek. Mr. Thayer was elected. The candidates for Commissioner were: John Sals- bury, Conneaut; William Benson, Waterford: John Gray, Erie; Thomas Dunn, Mckean, and Giles Hulbert, Waterford. Mr. Salsbury was elected. The can- didates for Auditor were Amos Wilmot, Waterford; Hamlin Russell, Mill Creek; John J. Swan, Erie, and Col. James McKay, Waterford, the latter being successful. William E. McNair, Mill Creek, was chosen Auditor for one year, over William Hurley, Erie, in place of Daniel Sayre, who moved out of the county.
In this year, a proposition to form a new State Constitution was brought
19
1
350
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
before the people and voted down, the majority against it in Erie County being 1,062.
1826.
Patrick Farrelly, Congressman from this district, died at Pittsburgh, on his way to Washington, February 12, 1826, and a special election was held March 14 following for his successor. The candidates were Thomas H. Sill, Erie; Samuel Hays, Venango; Jacob Herrington, Mercer; and Stephen Barlow, Crawford. Sill was elected. At the regular October election, Sill, Barlow and John Findley, Mercer, were candidates for Congress. Barlow was elected. At the October election of this year, Gov. Shulze had no opposition in Erie County. The vote of the State was: John Andrew Shulze, Democrat, 64,211; John Sergeant, Philadelphia, Federal, 1,474.
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