USA > Pennsylvania > Huntingdon County > History of Huntingdon County, in the state of Pennsylvania : from the earliest times to the centennial anniversary of American independence, July 4, 1876 > Part 16
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H
184th
Sept. 23, '64
Hon. disch'd Feb. 2S, '65
B. M. Morrow
Major
22nd Cav June 16. '63 6 months Mustered out Feb. 5, '64.
J. D. Fee.
Capt
A
.4
Aug. 5, '63 66
66
66
66
66
Win. Gayton 1st L't
Capt
K
Feb. 26, '64 3 years
W. F. Sharral,
1st L't
K
June 13, '65 66
Frank D. Stevens. 1st
L't
D 190th
June 6, '64
66
Wm. F. Johnston ..
Major
192nd
April 13, '65 1 year
Hon. disch'd Mar. 16, '65. From Capt. Co. B, mus- tered out Aug. 24, '65. Mustered out Aug, 24, '65 .. 46
Thos. S. Johnston ..
Capt
B
192nđ
April 13. '65 1 year .. 6.
64 6 6
H. A. Hoffman ...
2nd L't!
B
195th
July 20, '64 100 days
66 Nov. 4, '64. Transferred to Co. A, 1- year men.
J. A. Willoughby ..
Q M
195th
Feb. 25, '65 1 year 6
Mustered out Jan. 31, '66 .6 ..
S. I. McPherran ..
Capt
A
K :202nd
Sept. 8, '64 -
66
66
4 .
Peter Shaver.
2nd L't
K
66
=
16
66
T. B, Reed.
Capt
D
205th
Sept. 2, '64
Insi ector Gen. 2d Brig., 3d Div .. 9th A. C.
J. B. Shontz
Ist L't D
205th
Sept. 2, '64
D. H. Geissinger ..
2nd L't D
Mustered out June 2, '65. Hon. disch'd July 25, '85.
66
J. H. Boring.
1st L't
A
Eugene Dougherty. 2nd L't
A
D
June 16, '63
66
Oct. 31, '65.
D. P. Kinkead
2nd L't K
Alfred Tyhurst.
1st L't
B
4 6
J. A. Willoughby .. Q M
S. I. McPherran. ..
1st L't. F
July 21, '64
June 21, 65
A. W. Decker
66 Aug. 3, '65 66
J. S. Morrison
Ist L't K
19th Cav
Oct. 19. '63.3 years
S. L. Huyett.
Capt
M
From 1st Lieut., hon. disch'd May 30, 1865. Mustered out as Corp'l, Nov. 9, 1805.
D. C. M. Appleby .
2nd L't
I
B
W. M. Willett
David Heffner.
B
Feb. 21, '63 July 8, '65
Hon. disch'd May 3, '64. Mustered out June 24, '65 Hon. disch'd Mich. 25. '63 From 2d Lieut., hon. dis- charged Oct. 22, '63.
July 13, '65. ..
16
J. H. Boring.
66
Huntingdon county also furnished her full proportion of men to the militia of 1862, and in the emergency of 1863, the threatened invasion of the Northern States by the rebel army, which was prevented at Antietam, and the actual in- vasion, repelled at Gettysburg, calling from their homes nearly all of those capable of bearing arms who had not previously enlisted for some specified term. Many who then went were incapacitated by age or otherwise for the service of the gen- eral government and were mustered into the state service.
197
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
Of militia, the county had two companies in the Third regi- ment, and two in the Twelfth; and of emergency men, one in the Twenty-seventh, and five in the Forty-sixth.
The officers of these regiments and companies were as follows :
MILITIA. THIRD REGIMENT. Colonel, William Dorris, Co. F., Captain, Geo. W. Garrettson,
First Lieut., William Lewis,
Second Lieut., Abraham A. Jacobs. Captain, David R. Miller, Co. G. Captain, Joseph Johnson, First Lieut., James Long,
Second Lieut., B. M. Elliott, TWELFTH REGIMENT. Major, Henry S. Wharton. Co. D. Captain, Edward A. Green, First Lieut., Albert Owen,
Second Lieut., Benjamin Jacobs. Co. I. Captain, George C. Bucher. First Lieut., Henry Grafius, Second Lieut., John Dysart. EMERGENCY MEN.
TWENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT. CO. F. Captain, Jesse March,
First Lient., S. W. Myton, Second Lieut., John Morrison. FORTY-SIXTH REGIMENT. Colonel, John J. Lawrence, Adjutant, Thomas C. Fisher. Co. B.
First Lieut., Robert W. Davis, Second Lieut., James Morrison. Co. E. Captain, Charles Merryman, First Lieut., Levi Clabaugh, Second Lieut., William Funk. Co. F. Captain, James C. Dysart, First Lieut., Geo. B. Dumire, Second Lieut., Edward B. Purcell. Co. G. Captain, Samuel L. Huyett, First Lieut., Henry Cook, Second Lieut., Victor Dougherty. Co. I.
Captain, George Thomas, First Lieut., Rudolph McMurtrie, Second Lieut., Thomas Shreiner.
The ceremony of decorating with flowers the graves of our patriot dead was inaugurated at Huntingdon, by the post of the Grand Army of the Republic then in existence there, on the 30th day of May, 1868, in compliance with the recommendation of General John A. Logan, commander-in- chief. The following is from the account of the Journal of the proceedings on that day :
" The patriotic and highly meritorious duty of procuring and arranging in suitable wreaths and garlands the floral offerings suited to the occasion, was confided to our fair towns-women, and we need not add that it was performed with that alacrity, taste and skill which has ever character- ized the loyal ladies of Huntingdon in the discharge of every duty, not only to the dead, but to the living defenders of our nation's flag. Wreaths and garlands of laurel and ever- greens, intertwined with wild flowers of every variety, and bou-
198
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
quets culled with exquisite taste and tender care from nature's first offering of spring flowers, the product of their own fair hands, were in abundant readiness, as the voluntary offering of love and affection and tribute of gratitude to the memory of the brave and true.
"The procession was organized at the court house, where all things were in readiness. It was preceded by the Hun- tingdon Silver Cornet Band, followed by the officers of the post and others, with appropriate badges of mourning, the clergymen of the place and a large portion of our citizens, and to the music of the muffled drum, the band playing the dead march, and the mournful tolling of the bells from every church tower, the solemn and impressive march was taken towards the city of the dead."
Arriving at the cemetery, a prayer and an address were delivered, after which the procession was re-formed, every soldier's grave visited and garlanded with a wreath of laure' and bouquet of flowers.
These ceremonies have been continued annually, with some variations, since that time. They have usually been participated in by the people of Huntingdon, and many from other parts of the county. Places of business in the borough are closed on that day, and veteran soldiers, military com- panies, the fire department, children of the public schools and Sunday-schools, join in the procession and listen to the exercises. The speakers who have delivered addresses on these occasions have been as follows :
1868, Hon. John Scott. 1869, Milton S. Lytle. 1874, Milton S. Lytle and
1873, Rev. J. S. McMurray.
1870, Rev. B. B. Hamlin. A. M. K. Storrie.
1871, Rev. J. W. Plannett.
1875, Geo. B. Orlady .
1872, Rev. M. K. Foster. 1876, Rev. M. P. Doyle. -
On the 30th of May, 1875, after the decoration ceremonies, a meeting of the citizens of Huntingdon was held in the court house, at which the following resolutions were adopted :
"Resolved, That we hereby constitute ourselves a Memorial Association, the purpose of which shall be the proper ob- servance of Decoration Day and the making of the necessary arrangements therefor."
199
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
"Resolved, That we proceed to elect a President, Vice President, Secretary and Executive Committee.
"Resolved, That these officers shall be elected for the term of one year, and that the annual election shall be held on each thirtieth of May, immediately after the decoration cere- monies.
" Resolved, That during the first week in May of each year, the President shall call a meeting of the officers of the association, who shall determine what preparations are ne- cessary for the next succeeding decoration day, and shall hold such other meetings of the officers of the association as shall be deemed proper.
" Resolved, That said officers shall also appoint such committees of arrangements and sub-committees as may be required to perform the work, these appointments to be made at least three weeks before decoration day."
The following officers were then elected : President, H. C. Weaver ; Vice President, Milton S. Lytle ; Secretary, B. F. Isenberg; Executive Committee, Geo. B. Orlady, chairman ; T. W. Myton, R. M. Speer, John J. Hight, J. H. Boring, J. R. Simpson, B. X. Blair, W. K. Crites and John Flenner.
The officers elected in 1876 are as follows: President, T. W. Myton ; Vice President, J. G. Isenberg ; Sec- retary, Geo. B. Orlady ; Treasurer, J. H. Isett ; Executive Committee, Milton S. Lytle, chairman ; B. F. Isenberg, W. F. Bathurst, G. W. Gray, W. F. Cunningham, W. K. Crites, Samuel Coder, B. X. Blair, John Flenner, H. C. Weaver, J. H. Westbrook, Dr. D. P. Miller and Geo. W. Fleck.
CHAPTER XXVI.
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCILMEMBERS FROM HUNTINGDON COUNTY -- COL. JOHN CANNON-BENJAMIN ELLIOTT-NUMEROUS PUBLIC POSITIONS FILLED BY THE LATTER --- HIS DESCENDANTS.
The executive department of the State government, from the adoption of the Constitution of 1776 to the adoption of the Constitution of 1790, was vested in the Supreme Execu- tive Council. That body, as provided by the former instru- ment, consisted of twelve members, elected by the people. Huntingdon county had a representative in the Council from its erection until the inauguration of the first Governor, in 1790. In the minutes of the Council for the 21st day of November, 1787, we find the following entry :
"John Cannon took his seat at this Board agreeably to the return of the general election for the county of Hun- tingdon, having previously taken the necessary oaths."
Col. Cannon's name appears frequently in the proceed- ings as being present at the meetings of Council during the two years after he became a member. The last meeting at which he was present was on the 3rd of October, 1789.
He was a prominent man in the early history of the county, figuring conspicuously at the time of "McAlevy's Rebellion." He had represented Bedford county in the Assembly before the formation of Huntingdon county. In 1791 he was appointed Associate Judge, and was after- wards elected three times to the lower house of the State Legislature and once to the State Senate.
The successor of Col. Cannon in the Supreme Executive Council was Benjamin Elliott. The minutes for December 30th, 1789, contain the record of his admission as a member:
"Benjamin Elliott, Esquire, Councillor elect for the county of Huntingdon, appeared, and being qualified as the Con- stitution of this State and the act of Congress of the first of June last directs, was admitted to his seat at this Board."
We can trace Mr. Elliot's services in the Council from the minutes, as they show minutely the attendance of all the
201
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
members. On the 13th day of February, 1790, it is re- corded that :
" An order was drawn upon the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable Benjamin Elliott, for forty-four pounds, ten shillings, in full of his account for attendance in Council from the thirtieth of December, 1789, to the thirteenth of February, 1790, inclusively, and his mileage coming to Philadelphia and returning home."
He was then absent from Council until the 3rd day of August, 1790. On that day he returned and was appointed a member of the Board of Property. He attended the ses- sions of Council until the 1st of October, 1790. An order was drawn in his favor on the previous day "for the sum of fifty-four pounds, ten shillings in full of his account for at- tendance in Council from the third of August until the thir- tieth of September, inclusively, and for mileage coming to Philadelphia in August and going home at this time."
On the 30th of November, 1790, he resumed his seat and continued in attendance at the meetings until December 20th, when, under the Constitution of that year, the Supreme Executive Council expired. Thomas Mifflin became Gov- ernor the next day.
Mr. Elliott filled many public positions during his life- time. Before his election to Council he had been a member of the Convention of 1776 to frame a Constitution for the State ; Sheriff of Bedford county ; Sheriff of Huntingdon county ; Lieutenant of the county ; County Treasurer, and a member of the State convention to ratify the Constitution of the United States. He was subsequently County Treas- urer, County Commissioner and Associate Judge.
None of the other early residents of Huntingdon left so many descendants as Mr. Elliott. He had a large family of children. One of his daughters, as stated in a preceding chapter, was married to David McMurtrie, and three others were married to William Orbison, Robert Allison and Henry Miller, all of whom have passed away, but many of whose children and grand-children are yet living in the place. Mr. Elliott died March 15th, 1835, at the age of 83 years.
CHAPTER XXVII.
DAVID RITTENHOUSE PORTER-LEADING EVENTS IN HIS LIFE BEFORE BE- COMING A CITIZEN OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY-CLERK AND MANAGER AT BARREE FORGE-ENGAGED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON ON SPRUCE CREEK-HIS FAILURE-ELECTED COUNTY AUDITOR-MEMBER OF LEGIS- LATURE-APPOINTED PROTHONOTARY-REGISTER OF WILLS AND RECORDER OF DEEDS-ELECTED STATE SENATOR-GOVERNOR IN 1838 AND 1841- VOTE IN HUNTINGDON COUNTY-RETIRES TO PRIVAVE LIFE-DEATH.
David Rittenhouse Porter, who was for six years Governor of Pennsylvania, became a citizen of Huntingdon county while yet a young man, and for more than twenty years previous to his election as Governor, filled public positions to which he was appointed or elected by the people. He held such a conspicuous place, during the greater part of his lifetime, in the affairs of the county and State, that his biography is a necessary part of the history of the county.
David R. Porter was the son of General Andrew Porter, an officer of the Revolutionary army, in honor of whom Porter township, in this county, has its name, and was born near Norristown, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, on the 31st day of October, 1788. The leading events of his life before his removal to Huntingdon county are thus stated in Armor's Lives of the Governors of Pennsylvania :
He "received his early training at an academy in Norris- town, where the branches of a good English education, math- ematics, and the elementary classical studies were success- fully taught. With his brothers, George and James, he was here pursuing a course preparatory to entering Princeton College, when the buildings of that institution were destroyed by fire, and the purpose of a collegiate course was abandoned. When the father was appointed Surveyor General (in 1809,) he took his son David with him to the seat of government as his assistant. He was accompanied by a young man from the same neighborhood, who likewise became Governor of the State, Francis R. Shunk. While thus employed, the son also studied law, with the intention of entering upon its
203
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
practice at Harrisburg ; but the labor and confinement of these double duties were too severe, and his health was so much impaired, as was thought, to preclude the possibility of his pursuing any sedentary employment. He decided, therefore, to seek more active occupation, and removed to the county of Huntingdon, where he engaged in the manu- facture of iron."
Mr. Porter did not embark in the business on his own account for several years after coming to the county. He was at first employed by the Messrs. Dorsey, at Barree Forge, for a year as a clerk, and during the following year was made manager of their works. Thus acquiring some experience, he entered into partnership with Edward Patton, and commenced the making of iron at the forges on Spruce Creek. The enterprise, however, was not successful, the firm failed, and on the 10th of February, 1819, Porter made an assignment for the benefit of his creditors. The reason given for this failure was the depression into which all branches of manufactures fell for some years succeeding the war of 1812. Some of the alleged circumstances connected with Porter's assignment were strongly urged against him when he was a candidate for Governor in 1838.
The first office held by Mr. Porter was that of county Auditor, to which he was elected in October, 1815. Two other Auditors were elected in that year, one of whom was John Scott, father of the late United States Senator of the same name.
In 1819 Mr. Porter was elected a representative to the General Assembly from Huntingdon county, and was re- elected in 1820 and 1822. In the two former years he had as his colleague the same John Scott with whom he had been elected Auditor.
At the expiration of his last term in the Legislature, Dec. 23rd, 1823, he was appointed by Governor Schultz, Prothon- otary and Clerk of the several courts of the county, and on February 16th, 1827, was appointed by the same Governor, Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds. He filled these offices until January 2nd, 1836.
204
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
" He had in 1820 married Josephine, daughter of William McDermott, who had emigrated from Scotland for the pur- pose of manufacturing steel by a new process, and who was one of the pioneers in that art. Mrs. Porter for a few years acted as her husband's clerk, recording deeds and wills at home, while he transacted the business in public, and large volumes in her hand-writing continue to be shown to strangers and visitors to the town, written so clearly and beautifully, and with such perfect accuracy, as to excite ad- miration."
Retiring from the offices of Prothonotary, Register and Recorder, and Clerk of the Courts, Mr. Porter was, in the same year, elected State Senator for the district composed of the counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, Perry and Union. His characteristics as a legislator have been described as follows : "The soundness of his judgment and the readiness of his understanding made him an acknowledged leader. Few subjects were broached upon which he did not either report or speak. Legislation upon the subject of the public works bore largely the impress of his views. As a writer he was concise, forcible, and even elegant, and as a speaker he was clear, pointed, and eminently practical. His speeches were usually very brief, and in defense of this habit he was accustomed to plead the practice of Jefferson and Franklin. His advice to young lawyers and debaters was especially to study brevity. In this respect he differed widely from his brothers, Governor Porter, of Michigan, and Judge Porter, of Easton, both of whom were more diffuse, and, it must be added, acquired higher reputations for forensic ability."
Mr. Porter's term as State Senator had but half ex- pired when he was elected Governor, in October, 1838. He was inaugurated January 15th, 1839, and in his inaugural address, thus referred to the Constitution which had then just gone into effect, and to the fact that he was the first Gov- ernor under it :
" A new era has arrived in our Commonwealth. Our first Constitution, formed amidst the storms and troubles of the revolutionary conflict, was found in practice not to
2 05
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
answer the expectations under which it was framed. In fourteen years thereafter it was entirely new modeled by the Constitution of 1790, an instrument framed by men of great talents and eminent worth; but the plan of govern- ment was always considered by no small portion of the people as not sufficiently democratic in its details. After repeated attempts to procure revision, a majority of our citizens who voted on the question, in 1835, decided that a convention should be called to revise, alter and amend the Constitution of the Commonwealth. In pursuance of this determination of the people, a convention assembled, and after a long and arduous session, closed their labors on the 22nd of February last, and the amendments agreed upon by that body have been ratified and adopted by the people. It is under this amended Constitution that it has been my lot to be called upon to administer the duties of the Executive This instrument gives to popular suffrage the decision of many appointments heretofore vested in the Executive, and changes the duration of the judicial tenure, from that of good behavior to a term of years. It shortens the period of eligibility to the Executive chair, and reduces the sena- torial term ; enlarges the right of suffrage, and changes other provisions, all of which are important in the conduct of the government of the State. Approving as I did of the amend- ments in the aggregate, and having sanctioned them by my vote at the late election, it will afford me great pleasure to assist in carrying them out in practice by a strict adherence to their principles."
The subjects of greatest interest and importance which attracted the attention of the people of the State during Governor Porter's first term, were the construction of the public work and our system of common schools. Both of these he advocated and advanced, and their success were to a great extent due to his efforts.
Governor Porter was re-elected in 1841, by a majority almost four times as great as that given him at his first election. The vote in Huntingdon county in 1838 and 1841 was as follows :
206
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
1838.
1841.
Ritner
36S7
Banks 3258
Porter
2761
Porter 2551
Ritner's majority
926
Banks' majority 707
Completing his second term as Governor in 1845, he re- tired from public life, making his residence at Harrisburg. He again turned his attention to the manufacture of iron, and erected at Harrisburg the first anthracite furnace built in that portion of the State.
Mr. Porter died on the 6th of August, 1868, in the seventy- ninth year of his age.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
HON. JOHN SCOTT-HIS EDUCATION-ADMISSION TO THE BAR-APPOINTED DEPUTY ATTORNEY-GENERAL-ELECTED A REPRESENTATIVE IN THE LEGIS- LATURE -- SUPPORTS THE GOVERNMENT IN THE SUPPRESSION OF THE REBELLION, AND ADVOCATES THE RE-ELECTION OF LINCOLN, IN 1864 --- ELECTED UNITED STATES SENATOR --- HIS PUBLIC SERVICES -- COMMITTEES OF WHICH HE WAS A MEMBER --- PART TAKEN BY HIM IN LEGISLATION --- APPOINTED GENERAL COUNSEL FOR PENNSYLVANIA COMPANY AND REMOVES TO PITTSBURG.
The most prominent citizen of Huntingdon county has probably been the Hon. John Scott. David R. Porter may have received an equal share of public attention in his day, but his reputation was more local in its character, being confined to a great extent to Pennsylvania, there being nothing but his position as Governor to extend it beyond the limits of the State. Mr. Scott became eminent in national affairs, his abilities and disposition leading him to perform an important and conspicuous part as a United States Sena- tor, and making an impress upon the legislation of the country. Identified as he has been with the county, the events of his life must possess a greater interest and be of greater value as an example than the lives of many whose biographies occupy more space than we can give to his here. Asa portion of the chapter to which we must confine this sketch, we give in full his life, as published in Barnes' History of Congress :
" John Scott was born in Alexandria, Huntingdon county, Penna., July 14th, 1824. His ancestry on both sides was Scotch-Irish. His father was a Major of volunteers in the war of 1812, and a member of the Twenty-first Congress, from Pennsylvania. To his son he gave the common school education afforded by his native town, the advantages of private teachers in Greek and Latin, and an early intro- duction to practical business life. He soon evinced a talent for public speaking, acquiring before his eighteenth year quite a local reputation among the advocates of the Wash-
208
HISTORY OF HUNTINGDON COUNTY.
ingtonian temperance movement. Choosing the legal pro- fession, he entered, in 1842, the office of Hon. Alex. Thomson, of Chambersburg, Penna., and in January 1846, he was ad- mitted to the bar. He immediately commenced to prac- tice in Huntingdon -- was appointed Deputy Attorney- General for that county, and held that position for several years. He rose rapidly in his profession, and soon ranked with the ablest lawyers in the district. In 1851 Mr. Scott was appointed a member of the Board of Revenue Com- missioners, and although the youngest member, took an active part in its proceedings, serving on its most important committees. As a member of the Democratic State Con- vention in 1852, he led the opposition to Mr. Buchanan's nomination for the Presidency, and was the author of a vig- orous protest against the manner of electing delegates favor- able to him. Threatened with failing health, he visited Europe in 1853, and returned much benefited by his trav- els. In 1854 he was nominated by the Citizens' Conven. tion for the State Legislature, and refusing adherence to the 'Know-Nothings,' who organized after his nomination, was by them defeated. As soon as Mr. Buchanan announced his Kansas policy, Mr. Scott took decided ground against him. In 1860 he was nominated as a Douglass Democrat for the State Senate, the district being overwhelmingly Re- publican. In the following year, both parties requested him to serve in the House of Representatives, and consenting, he was elected without opposition, although his party was largely in the minority in the county. He made an attempt to organize the House without distinction of party, pledging Pennsylvania to the cordial support of the General Gov- ernment in the suppression of the Rebellion. This the Democratic caucus declined, and he and other war Demo- crats acted with the Republicans in the organization. He served as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee during the session, and declined a re-election. Although not a politi- cian, in the usual sense of the term, he participated actively in political campaigns, advocating the election of Governor Curtin in 1863, and supporting Mr. Lincoln for President in
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