USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc > Part 45
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The Whigs and Democrats both held conventions in Erie this year, on the 10th of September. The assemblage was the largest ever known in the Northwest up to that time. - [See Notable Events. ]
1841.
The Whig candidate for Governor was John Banks, of Berks County; the
319
182
North East Borough.
361
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Democrats again supported David R. Porter, of Huntingdon. The county gave Banks 2,956 votes, and Porter 1,855. In the State the vote was as follows:
David R. Porter, Democrat, 136,504; John Banks, Whig, 113,473. Ma- jority for the Democrats, 23,031.
The Abolitionists held their first convention in Pennsylvania this year, and nominated Dr. Francis J. LeMoyne, of Washington County, for Governor, who received 736 votes in all. Of these, forty were cast in Erie County, as fol- lows:
Elk Creek 2
East Ward of Erie.
2
West Ward of Erie.
4
Fairview. 1
Harbor Creek. 12
LeBœuf ..
1
North East Township.
9
North East Borough.
5
Venango
4
Wattsburg
6 1
The Democrats made no nomination for the State Senate and supported Jolin W. Farrelly, of Crawford, who ran as an independent Whig candidate. John Dick, of Crawford, was the regular Whig candidate. The vote of the district was as follows:
Eri Crawford.
.2,663
1,955
1,887
2,774
Total
4,550 4,729
The county tickets, with the votes, were as follows:
Whig-Assembly, James D. Dunlap, Erie, 2,683; Stephen C. Lee, Greene, 2,640; Commissioner, David Sawdy, Conneaut, 2,489; Treasurer, James Will- jams, Erie, 2,589; Auditor, Moses Barnett, Fairview, 2,571; Director of the Poor, Conrad Brown, of Mill Creek (no opposition).
The Democrats made no nominations, but supported Independent candidates, as follows:
Assembly, Robert S. Hunter, Erie, 1,696; William Miner, Harbor Creek, 1,667; Commissioner, Ira Parker, Mill Creek, 1,465; Treasurer, John Hughes, Erie, 1,366; Auditor, Joseph Y. Moorhead, Harbor Creek, 1,327.
Mr. Williams was the first County Treasurer chosen by popular vote.
1842.
The Whig county ticket, with the vote for each candidate, was as follows: Assembly, Stephen Skinner, Mckean, 1,880; Lyman Robinson, Wattsburg, 1,864; Prothonotary, Wilson King, Erie, 1,928; Register, Thomas Moor- head, Jr., Erie, 2,430; Commissioner, Joseph Henderson, Mill Creek, 2,075; Coroner, Hezekiah Bates, Erie, 1,971; Auditor, Benjamin Gunnison, Greene, 2,027; Director of the Poor, John Evans, Sr., Mill Creek, 1, 982.
The Democrats made no regular nominations, but supported Independent candidates for the various offices. The Abolitionists had a regular ticket in the field for every office except Director of the Poor. Below is a list of all the candidates, with their votes.
Assembly, Dr. William Johns, Erie (Independent Whig), 989; Sylvester W. Randall (Democrat), Erie, 1,358; Joseph Neely (Working Men's), Har- bor Creek, 117; David H. Chapman (Abolitionist), Fairview, 216; James M. Moorhead (Abolitionist), Harbor Creek, 238; Prothonotary, James C. Mar- shall (Democrat), Girard, 1,627; George Kellogg (Abolitionist), Erie, 179;
.
.
Waterford Borough.
Dick.
Farrelly.
362
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Register, William Gray (Abolitionist), Wayne, 134; Commissioner, Matthew Greer (Democrat), North East, 781; William Himrod (Abolitionist), Erie, 166; Coroner, Alex Mehaffey (Abolitionist), Erie, 301; Auditor, William Vincent (Abolitionist), Waterford, 162; Director of the Poor, John Gingrich (Democrat), Mill Creek, 717.
1843.
The first Canal Commissioners elected by popular vote were chosen this year. The Whig candidates were William Tweed, Benjamin Weaver and Simeon Gulliford; the Democratic, James Clark, Jesse Miller and William B. Foster, Jr. The average Whig majority in the county was about 1,150. The Democrats carried the State by an average majority of 14,500. Hugh Mehaf- fey, Hugh D. King and James Moorhead ran as Independent Anti-Masons, and received about 270 votes in the State.
The Whig candidate for Congress was Charles M. Reed, of Erie; the Democratic, Dr. Galbraith A. Irvine, of Warren. The vote of the district was as follows:
Reed.
Irvine.
Erie.
2,867
1,560
Warren
620
860
Mckean
259
342
Potter
135
405
Jefferson.
449
536
Clarion.
743
1,330
Total.
.5,073
5,033
The apportionment bill of 1842 made a Senatorial district of Erie County alone. Elijah Babbitt was the Whig candidate, and James C. Marshall the Democratic. The vote was for Babbitt 2,646, for Marshall, 1,554 -- Babbitt's majority, 1,092. Galen Forster, Abolition candidate, received 73 votes.
The following was the vote for other candidates:
Whig-Assembly, James D. Dunlap, Erie, 2,536; David A. Gould, Spring- field, 1,573; Sheriff, William E. McNair, Mill Creek, 2,465; Commissioner, Robert Gray, Union, 2,648; Treasurer, Gideon J. Ball, Erie, 2,595; Auditor, William M. Arbuckle, Erie, 2.574; Director of the Poor, James Anderson, Waterford Township, 2,544.
Democratic-Assembly, Martin Strong, Greene, 1,657; George H. Cutler, Elk Creek, 1,639; Sheriff, James Lytle, Erie, 1,729; Commissioner, G. J. Stranahan, Concord, 1,504; Treasurer, Stephen C. Walker, Erie, 1,481; Au- ditor, Eli Webster, Greene, 1,561; Director of the Poor, Joseph E. Lee, North East, 1,512.
Abolition-Assembly, William Gray, Wayne, 79; James M. Moorhead, Harbor Creek, 87; Sheriff, Alex Mcclellan, Mill Creek, 86; Commissioner, John B. Fluke, Erie, 73; Treasurer, Clinton George, Erie, 85; Auditor, Am- brose Shelly, Harbor Creek, 90; Director of the Poor, Samuel Brecht, Fair- view, 96.
1844.
For Governor, the Democrats nominated Francis R. Shunk, Allegheny County; the Whigs, Gen. Joseph Markle, Westmoreland; the Abolitionists, F. J. LeMoyne, Washington. Erie County gave Markle 3,501 votes, Shunk, 2,207, and LeMoyne, 69.
The vote of the State was as follows:
Shunk, 160,403; Markle, 156,120; LeMoyne, 2,675. Shunk's majority over Markle, 4, 283.
The candidates for Canal Commmissioner were Simon Guilford, Whig; Joshua Hartshorn, Democrat; William Larimer, Jr., Abolition. The vote was about the same as that for Governor.
-
363
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Gen. Reed was re-nominated by the Whigs for Congress. James Thomp- sou, Erie, was the Democratic, and John Mann, Potter, the Abolition candidate. The vote of the district was as follows:
Erie.
Reed. .3,554
2,180
Warren.
856
1,061
Mckean
311
415
Potter
206
531
Jefferson
638
777
Clarion
799
1,868
Total.
6,364
6,832
Mr. Mann received but, 90 votes in all, of which 45 were cast in Erie County. Hamlin Russell, Abolition, also received 14 votes in this county for the same office.
The county tickets, with the vote for each candidate, were as follows:
Whig-Assembly, Mark Baldwin, North East, 3,442; James D. Dunlap, Erie, 3,445; Commissioner, Isaac Webster, Fairview, 3,343; Auditor, Thomas Pierce, LeBœuf, 3,380; Director of Poor, David Kennedy, Erie, 3,332-all be- ing elected.
Democratic-Assembly, George H. Cutler, Girard, 2,147; David Allison, North East, 2,135; Commissioner, James Wilson, Greenfield, 2,210; Auditor, Michael Jackson, Conneaut, 2,148; Director of Poor, James M. Reed, Mill Creek, 2,156.
Abolition-Assembly, David H. Chapman, Fairview; Aaron Kellogg, Erie; Commissioner, Nathaniel Wilson, Union; Auditor, Alexander McClellan, Mill Creek ;. Director of Poor, Silas Walker, Harbor Creek. This ticket received an average of about 70 votes.
A vote was taken to decide whether the main line of the State public works should be sold or not. The proposition received a majority of 447 in Erie County, but was defeated in the general vote of the State by a majority of 21,433.
The Whig party nominated Henry Clay, of Kentucky, for President, and Theodore Frelinghuysen, of New Jersey, for Vice President. William A. Ir- vine was the electoral candidate for this district. The Democratic nominees were James K. Polk, of Tennessee, for President, and George M. Dallas, of Pennsylvania, for Vice President. Christian Myers, of Clarion County, was the candidate for elector. The Abolitionists ran James G. Birney, of Michi- gan, for President, who received 74 votes in the county and 3, 138 in the State. James M. Moorhead, of Harbor Creek, was the candidate for elector.
The following was the Whig and Democratic vote in the county:
Clay.
Polk.
Amity
37
77
Concord.
45
89
Conneaut
201
110
Edinboro ..
30
11
Elk Creek.
108
121
Erie, West Ward
151
118
Erie, East Ward
170
112
Fairview
244
52
Franklin
62
10
Girard
344
166
Greene
104
99
73 Greenfield.
32
Harbor Creek
203
127
Le Bœuf.
88
114
Mill Creek
350
209
Mckean
223
79
Thompson.
364
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
North East Township.
48
34
North East Borough.
269
103
Springfield.
73
53
Union
102
55
Venango.
20
13
Wattsburg
215
79
Washington.
54
25
Waterford Borough.
178
78
Waterford Township.
55
68
Wayne.
Total.
3,630
2.226
The vote of the State was as follows:
Clay, 161,863; Polk, 167,245. Polk's majority, 6,382.
Polk and Dallas were elected by a large majority of the electoral votes of the Union.
1845.
The Democratic candidate for Canal Commissioner was James Burns, Mif- flin County; the Whig candidate was Samuel D. Karns, Dauphin; the Abolition, William Larimer, Allegheny. In Erie County, Burns received 1,103 votes, Karns 1,831, Larimer 82. In the State, Burns had 119, 510, Karns 89,118 and Larimer 2,857. The Native American party placed a ticket in the field for the { first time this year, and George Morton, their candidate, received 22,934 votes, most of them being cast in Philadelphia and the neighboring counties.
Elijah Babbitt, elected State Senator in 1843, resigned his seat at the close of his second session, and candidates were nominated to supply the vacancy. The Whigs supported James D. Dunlap, the Democrats Carson Graham, and the Abolitionists David H. Chapman. The vote was 1,794 for Dunlap, 1,192 for Graham, and 89 for Chapman.
The Democrats made no county nominations, and appear to have allowed the election of local officers to go by default. The following are the candi- dates voted for:
Whig-Assembly, J. B. Johnson, Erie, 1, 755; Lyman Robinson, Wattsburg, 1, 785; Prothonotary, Wilson King, Erie, 1,888; Register, Thomas Moorhead, Jr., Erie, 1,810; Commissioner, William E. Marvin, Greenfield, 1, 768; Auditor, three years, James H. Campbell, Edinboro, 1,699; Auditor, to supply vacancy, Simeon Hunt, Waterford, 1,694; Coroner, Thomas Dillon, Erie, 1,703; Director of Poor, Curtis Heidler, Fairview, 1,693.
Abolition -- Assembly, Samuel Kingsbury, North East, 191; Nathan Gould, Springfield, 190; Prothonotary, N. Wilson, Union, 160; Register, John B. Fluke, Erie, 163; Commissioner, William Robinson, North East, 154; Auditor, A. N. Wood, Venango, 156; David Nellis, Harbor Creek, 153; Coroner, Alex. McClellan, Mill Creek, 168; Director of Poor, Richard Barnett, Fairview, 169.
1846.
The Democratic candidate for Canal Commissioner was William B. Foster; the Whig, Jantes M. Power; the Abolitionist, William Elder, and the Native American, George Morton. Owing to a prejudice against Mr. Foster's re-elec- tion, the State went heavily in favor of the Whig party. In Erie County, Power had 1,801 votes, Foster 895, and Elder, 74. The State gave Power 97,913, Foster 89,084, Morton 15,438, Elder 2,097.
James Thompson was re-nominated by the Democrats for Congress, and again elected. The Whig candidate was James Campbell, of Clarion, and the Abolition, John Mann, of Potter. The vote of the district was as follows:
r
168
192
. 365
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Campbell.
Thompson.
Mann.
Erie.
1,792
942
77
Clarion.
617
1,199
Warren.
486
684
19
Jefferson
278
333
McKean
168
256
Potter.
99
237
54
Elk.
113
128
-
Total
.8,553
3,779
150
The Democratic candidate for State Senate was Smith Jackson, Erie; the Whig, J. B. Johnson, Erie, and the Abolition, Nathan Gould, of Springfield. Johnson received 1, 708 votes, Jackson 873, aud Gould 86.
The county tickets and their votes were as follows. The Democrats made no nomination for Sheriff:
Whig-Assembly, William Sanborn, Amity, 1,719; David A. Gould, Spring- field, 1,668; Sheriff, Miles W. Caughey, Fairview, 1,723; Commissioner, Will- iam Campbell, Washington, 1,710; Treasurer, John S. Brown, Erie, 1,709; Auditor, James Chambers, Harbor Creek, 1, 703; Director of Poor, William Bracken, Le Bœuf, 1,680.
Democratic-Assembly, E. Duncombe, Amity, 876; Newton Lounsbury, North East, 857; Commissioner, James Wilson, Greenfield, 781; Treasurer, John S. Carter, Erie, 846; Auditor, Martin Strong, Jr., Waterford, 796; Director of Poor, Isaac R. Taylor, Washington, 806.
Abolitionist-Assembly, William Gray, Wayne, 84; R. Barnett, Fairview, 84; Sheriff, Aaron Kellogg, North East, 182; Commissioner, Thomas Mcclellan, Mill Creek, 80; Treasurer, Alexander Mehaffey, Erie, 83; Auditor, Abner H. Gould, Springfield, 79; Director of Poor, Alvah Francis, Franklin, 85.
1847.
A vote was taken at the spring election whether or not licenses to sell liquor should be granted in the county. The vote was 2,416 in favor of license, and 2,183 against.
The Whigs nominated for Governor James Irvin, of Centre County; the. Democrats supported Francis R. Shunk: the Abolitionists, F. J. LeMoyne; and the Native Americans, E. C. Reigart, Lancaster. Erie County gave Irvin 2,586 votes; Shunk, 1,728; LeMoyne, 130.
The vote of the State was as follows: Shunk, 146,084; Irvin, 128,148; Reigart, 11, 247; LeMoyne, 1,861; Shunk's majority over Irvin, 18, 936.
For Canal Commissioner, Joseph W. Patton, Cumberland, was the Whig candidate; Morris Longstreth, Montgomery, the Democratic; William B. Thomas, Philadelphia, the Abolition; and George Morton, Dauphin, the Na- tive American, Longstreth being elected by about the same vote as Shunk.
The Pennsylvania soldiers in the Mexican war voted for State officers, and gave a large majority for the Democratic candidates.
The Democrats made no nominations for county officers, leaving the field clear for the Whigs and Abolitionists. The following were the candidates' with the vote for each :
Whig-Assembly, Gideon J. Ball, Erie, 2,545; William Sanborn, Amity, 2,478; Commissioner H. A. Hills, Conneaut, 2,359; Auditor, John Wood, LeBœuf, 2,421; Director of Poor, David Sterrett, Mckean, no opposition.
Abolition-Assembly, Nathaniel Wilson, Union, 158; Orange Selkrigg, North East, 158; Commissioner B. Beebe, Wayne, 152; Auditor, E. N. Wood, Venango, 148.
-
-
366
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
1848.
The Democratic State candidates were for Governor, Morris Longstreth, Montgomery; for Canal Commissioner, Israel Painter, Westmoreland. The Whig candidates were William F. Johnson, Armstrong, for Governor, and Ner Middleswarth, Union, for Canal Commissioner. Gov. Shunk had died before the expiration of his term, and Mr. Johnson, who was Speaker of the Senate, became Governor. The gubernatorial vote was the closest that ever occurred in Pennsylvania, Johnson having succeeded by only 302 majority. Mr. Longstreth's defeat was occasioned by the fact of his having been Canal Com- missioner, which enabled his political enemies to create a considerable degree of prejudice against him. The Democratic nominee for Canal Commissioner was elected by 2,958 majority. Erie County gave Johnson 3,500 votes, Long- streth, 2,087; Middleswarth, 3, 305, and Painter, 2,096. The Abolitionists and Native Americans had no State ticket in the field.
The candidates for Congress were the same as in 1846, and James Thomp- son was again elected by 483 majority over Mr. Campbell.
The county tickets were as follows:
Whig-Assembly, G. J. Ball, Erie, 3,169; Theodore Ryman, Girard, 3,165; Prothonotary, James Skinner, Erie, 3,162; Register, R. J. Sibley, Waterford, 3,077; Commissioner, George W. Brecht, Mill Creek, 3,067; Auditor, John Eagley, Springfield, 3,059; Treasurer, John Hughes, Erie, 3,101; Director of Poor, David Kennedy, Erie, 3,025; Coroner, Samuel L. Foster, Erie, 3,030.
Democratic-Assembly, Smith Jackson, Erie, 1,623; John S. Barnes, Gi- rard, 1,628; Commissioner, James Wilson, Greenfield, 1,631; Auditor, D. W. Howard, Amity, 1,585; Director of Poor, Henry Colt, Waterford, 1,555. There were no candidates for Prothonotary, Register, Treasurer or Coroner.
Abolition- Assembly, William Beatty, Erie, 371; Job Stafford, Mckean, 367; Prothonotary, Aaron Kellogg, North East, 1,303; Ilegister, Ira Sherwin, Harbor Creek, 487; Commissioner, James M. Moorhead, Harbor Creek, 382; Auditor, B. Beebe, Concord, 325; Treasurer, Henry Cadwell, Erie, 377; Di- rector of Poor, Eli Perkins, Wayne, 357; Coroner, John B. Fluke, Erie, 470.
The National tickets were as follows: Whig-for President, Zachary Tay- lor, Louisiana; Vice President, Millard Fillmore, New York. Democratic- for President, Lewis Cass, Michigan; for Vice President, William O. Butler, Kentucky. Free-Soil-for President, Martin Van Buren, New York; for Vice President, Charles Francis Adams, Massachusetts. The Whig candidate for Elector in our district was Thomas H. Sill, Erie; the Democratic, Timothy Ives, Potter; the Free Soil, William F. Clark, Crawford. Below is the vote of the county:
Taylor.
Cass.
Van Buren.
Erie, East Ward.
209
151
12
Erie, West Ward.
260
152
4 43
Fairview.
249
40
6
Girard Borough.
46
29
2
Girard Township
263
154
16
Conneaut.
202
87
5
Elk Creek
122
125
4
Franklin
45
4
20
Washington
196
63
Edinboro
40
14
McKean
182
58
30
Greene.
109
116
Waterford Borough.
62
42
1
Waterford Township.
161
49
LeBœuf.
63
72
Springfield.
234
87
31
Mill Creek.
317
159
John Sedgwick
369
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Union.
73
48
23
Concord.
32
35
43
Wayne.
7
37
39
Wattsburg.
24
15
3
Venango.
62
48
34
Greenfield
60
28
20
North East Borough.
44
37
7
North East Township
133
178
27
Harbor Creek.
184
113
26
Total.
3,418
2,032
356
The vote of the State was as follows: Taylor, 185,514; Cass, 171,998; Van Buren, 11,263.
Taylor and Fillmore were elected. The former died after being in office about a year and a half, and Mr. Fillmore served out the balance of the term.
1849.
The Whig candidate for Canal Commissioner was Henry M. Fuller, of Luzerne; the Democratic, John A. Gamble, of Lycoming. The vote of the county was 2,503 for Fuller and 1,369 for Gamble. Mr. Gamble was elected, receiving 135,840 votes to 133,111 for Fuller. Kimber Cleaver, of Schuylkill, the Native American candidate, received 3,259 votes in the State, but none in Erie County.
The candidates for State Senate were John H. Walker, Whig, and Murray Whallon, Democrat. Mr. Walker was elected by a vote of 2,417; 1.399 for Whallon.
The county tickets were as follows:
Whig - Assembly, James C. Reid, Erie, 2,487; Leffert Hart, Girard, 2,302; Sheriff, P. E. Burton, Erie, 2,474; Commissioner, Simeon Stewart, Concord, 2,467; Auditor, John L. Way, Greene, 2,474; Director of Poor, George Fritts, Waterford, 2,457.
Democratic - Assembly, David Olin, Girard, 1,349; William Griffeth, North East, 1,350; Sheriff, E. W. Gerrish, Edinboro, 1,370; Commissioner, Truman Stewart, Concord, 1,355; Auditor, Henry Teller, Girard, 1,357; Direc- tor of Poor; Henry Gingrich, Mill Creek, 1,363;
1850.
The first election for Auditor and Surveyor General was held this year. The Democratic State ticket consisted of William T. Morrison, of Montgomery, for Canal Commissioner; Ephraim Banks, of Mifflin, for Auditor General; and James Porter Brawley, of Crawford, for Surveyor General. The Whig ticket con sisted of Joshua Duncan, of Bucks, for Canal Commissioner; Henry W. Sny- der, of Union, for Auditor General; and Joseph Henderson, of Washington, for Surveyor General. The Whigs carried the county by an average majority of 1,460, but were defeated in the State. Mr. Brawley ran some three thousand votes behind his ticket.
An amendment to the Constitution making Judges elective was submitted to the people, and 144,578 votes were cast in its favor to 71,092 votes in op- position. Erie County gave 3,908 votes for the amendment, and only 369 against it.
The Whig candidate for Congress was John H. Walker, of Erie County ; the Democratic, Carlton B. Curtis, of Warren. The following was the vote in the district:
20
370
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Walker.
Curtis.
Erie.
3,226
1,636
Clarion.
1,193
1,697
Jefferson
519
780
Warren
717
1,117
Potter.
360
541
Elk. . .
109
277
McKean
297
454
Total.
6,416
6,522
The county tickets, with the vote for each candidate, were as follows:
Whig - Assembly, James C. Reid, of Erie, 3,159; Alexander W. Blaine, North East, 3,163; Commissioner, Thomas Dunn, Mckean, 3,149; Treasurer, Alfred King, Erie, 3,175; Auditor, Flavel Boyd, Waterford, 3,158; Director of Poor; Melvin M. Kelso, Fairview, 3,097.
Democratic-Assembly, George H. Cutler, Girard, 1,699; C. M. Tibbals, Erie, 1,681; Commissioner, Henry Allison, North East, 1,615; Treasurer, Henry Cadwell, Erie, 1,694; Auditor, Henry Gingrich, Mill Creek, 1,704; Di. rector of Poor, A. Mallory, Springfield, 1, 716.
At this election, the District Attorney and County Surveyor were chosen by popular vote for the first time. The following were the candidates, with their vote:
Whig -- District Attorney, Matthew Taylor, Erie, 3,164; Surveyor, David Wilson, Union, 3,152.
Democratic-District Attorney, Benjamin Grant, Erie, 1,641; Surveyor, Ir- vin Camp, Erie, 1,698.
1851.
The Democratic State ticket consisted of William Bigler, Clearfield, for Governor, and Seth Clover, Clarion, for Canal Commissioner. The Whigs re- nominated Gov. Johnston, and John Strohm, Lancaster, was their candidate for Canal Commissioner. Erie County gave 3,610 votes for Johnston and 2,106 for Bigler.
The vote of the State was as follows:
Bigler, 186,507; Johnston, 178,070,
The Democratic candidate for Canal Commissioner was elected by about . the same vote. The Native American candidate for Governor was Kimber Cleaver, Schuylkill, who received 1,713 votes; for Canal Commissioner, David McDonald, Philadelphia, who received 1,875-no votes for either being cast in Erie County.
The first election of Judges by popular vote took place this year. The Democratic candidates for the Supreme Court were Jeremiah S. Black, Somer- set; James Campbell, Philadelphia; Ellis Lewis, Lancaster; John B. Gibson, Cumberland; and Walter H. Lowrie, Allegheny. The Whig candidates were Richard Coulter, Westmoreland; William M. Meredith, Philadelphia; George Chambers, Franklin; Joshua W. Comly, Montour; and William Jessup, Sus- quehanna. All of the Democratic candidates were elected by considerable majorities except Mr. Campbell, who was defeated because he was a member of the Catholic Church. The Native Americans united their force upon Rich- ard Coulter, who had a majority of 3,199
In this district, the Democratic candidate for Presiding Judge was John Galbraith, Erie; the Whig, Elijah Babbitt, Erie. Mr. Galbraith's extraor- dinary popularity, added to the dissatisfaction over their party nomination among a portion of the Whigs, enabled him to carry the district.
The vote was as follows:
371
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Galbraith.
Babbitt.
Erie.
.2,573
2,942
Crawford
3,337
2,661
Warren
1,316
1,022
Total
7,226
6.635
The Democrats made no nominations for county officers, but supported in- dependent candidates. The following were the candidates, with their vote:
Associate Judge, Joseph M. Sterrett, Erie (Reg. Whig), 3,062; John Wood, Waterford (Reg. Whig), 2,426; James Miles, Girard (Ind. Whig), 3,090; As- sembly, Alex W. Blaine, North East (Reg. Whig), 3,531; Charles W. Kelso (Reg. Whig), 3,460; Prothonotary, James Skinner, Erie (Reg. Whig), 2,540; Samuel Perley (Ind. Whig), 2,752; Register, David McAllister, Erie (Reg. Whig), 3,472; Commissioner, Rodney Cole, Greene (Reg. Whig), 3,414; Cor- oner, Simeon Dunn, Erie (Reg. Whig), 3,426; Director of Poor, William E. McNair, Mill Creek (Reg. Whig), 3,432; Auditor, Samuel Reeder, Washing- ton (Reg. Whig), 3,319. Messrs. Sterrett and Miles were elected Associate Judges, and Mr. Perley, Prothonotary. All of the balance of the regular Whig ticket was successful.
1852.
The Democratic candidates were: For Canal Commissioner. William Hop- kins, Washington; for Supreme Judge, in place of R. Coulter, who died, George W. Woodward, Luzerne. The Whig candidates were: For Canal Com- missioner, Jacob Hoffman, Berks; for Supreme Judge, Joseph Buffington, Armstrong. The Abolitionists and Native Americans also had candidates in the field. Erie County gave 2,180 votes for Hopkins, 3,257 for Hoffman, 2,165 for Woodward, 3,247 for Buffington, and 212 for the Abolition ticket. The vote of the State was as follows: Hopkins, 171,548; Hoffman, 151,600; Wood- ward, 172,610; Buffington, 153,681-Hopkins and Woodward being elected. The Abolition ticket received 3,061 votes, and the Native American 8,099 in the State.
. For Congress, the Whigs nominated Gen. John Dick, of Crawford; the Democrats, George H. Cutler, of Frie; and the Abolitionists, David A. Gould, of Erie. The district had been changed since the last election, and comprised only Erie and Crawford Counties. The following was the vote:
Dick.
Cutler. 2,152
Gould. 321
Erie County
3,353
Crawford County
2.741
1,905
619
Total
5,994
4,057
940
The Senatorial district was also changed, and consisted of the same coun- ties as the Congressional. For the ten years preceding, it will be remembered, Erie was a Senatorial district by herself. The Whigs nominated James Skin- ner, of Erie, and the Abolitionists, Charles A. Hammond, of Crawford. The Democrats made no nomination, and supported David Derrickson, of Craw- ford, who ran as an Independent Whig candidate. Below is the vote:
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