USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 38
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Section seven of this act allowed persons holding these warrants to locate them upon any piece or portion of unappropriated lands. The land upon each warrant to be embraced in one tract, if possible.
On the 3d of April, 1792, the Legislature passed an act for the sale of these lands, which, in some respects, differed from the laws of 1784 and 1785. It offers land only to such persons as shall settle on them, and designates the kind and duration of settlement.
By section two of this act all lands lying north and west of the Ohio and Allegheny Rivers and Conewango Creek, except such portions as had been or should be appropriated to public or charitable uses, were offered to such as would " cultivate, improve, and settle upon them, or cause it to be done, for the price of seven pounds ten shillings for every hundred acres, with an allow- ance of six per centum for roads and highways, to be located, surveyed and secured to such purchasers, in the manner hereinafter mentioned."
Section three provided for the surveying and granting of warrants, by the surveyor-general, for any quantity of land within the said limits, to not exceed four hundred acres, to any person who had settled upon and improved said land.
The act provided for the surveying and division of these lands. The war- rants were, if possible, to contain all in one entire tract, and the form of the
332
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
tract was to be as near, as circumstances would admit, to an oblong, whose length should not be greater than twice the breadth thereof. No warrants were to be issued in pursuance of this act, until the purchase money should have been paid to the receiver-general of the land-office.
The surveyor-general was obliged to make clear and fair entries of all war- rants, in a book to be provided for the purpose, and any applicant should be furnished with a certified copy of any warrant upon the payment of one- quarter of a dollar.
In this law the rights of the citizen were so well fenced about, and so equit- ably defined, that risk and hazard came only at his own. But owing to controversies arising, concerning this law, between the judges of the State Courts and those of the United States, which the Legislature, for a long time, tried in vain to settle, impeded for a time the settlement of the district. These controversies were not settled until 1805, by a decision of Chief Justice Mar- shall, of the Supreme Court of the United States.
At the close of the Revolutionary War several wealthy Hollanders-Wil- helm Willink, Jan Linklaen, and others, to whom the United States was in- debted for money loaned to assist in carrying on the war, preferring to invest the money in this country, they purchased of Robert Morris, the great finan- cier of the country at that time, an immense tract of land in the State of New York, and at the same time took up, by warrant (under the law above cited), large tracts in the State of Pennsylvania, east of the Allegheny River. Judge Y'eates, on one occasion, said : "The Holland Land Company have paid to the State the consideration money of 1, 162 warrants, and the surveying fees on 1,048 tracts of land (generally 400 acres each), besides making very corsidera- ble expenditures by their exertions, honorable to themselves and useful to the community, in order to effect settlements. Computing the sums advanced, the lost tracts, by prior improvements and interferences, and the quantity of one hundred acres granted to each individual for making an actual settlement on their lands, it is said that, averaging the whole, between $230 and $240 have been expended by the company on each tract."
An act was passed by the Legislature, March 31, 1823, authorizing Wil- helm Willink, and others, residents of Holland, to " sell and convey any lands belonging to them in the Commonwealth."I
Large tracts of lands in Jefferson county were owned by the Holland Com- pany, and_ Charles C. Gaskill, of Punxsutawney, was the agent of the company for their sale. He was appointed by John J. Vandercamp, the general agent. He finally sold to¿Alexander Caldwell, and Lee, and Gilpin. Mr. Gaskill con- veyed much of these lands to actual settlers in this county.
The Timothy Pickering lands were sold by Hon. Thomas White, of Indiana, who also controlled the Samuel Hodgdon and other lands. Both Mr. Gaskill
1 Smith's Lawes, Vol. 8, page 107-8.
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LAND WARRANTS AND TITLES.
and Judge White were very lenient to purchasers. A day was generally set for those parties who had payments to make to meet the owners or their agents, from whom they had purchased lands, at a certain place; but money was scarce, and it was hard for the early settlers to meet their obligations, small as was the price paid in those days. In order to stir his delinquent debtors up to a sense of their indebtedness, Mr. Gaskill published the following notice in a paper published at Kittanning :
" NOTICE .- Having been very indulgent towards those persons indebted for 'HOLLAND LAND,' in Indiana, Jefferson and Armstrong counties, for some time past, I am now under the necessity of informing them, that it will be necessary for them to exert themselves and make as considerable payments, and as soon as possible, on their respective bonds, etc.
" CHARLES C. GASKILL.
" Punxsutawney, November 20, 1819."
To show the leniency of Judge White it is only necessary to state that, at the February term of court, 1887, held at Brookville, a rule was asked for to sell at Orphan's Court a certain farm in Jefferson county, when it was found that the party who had settled upon it, some twenty-five or thirty years before, had bought the land from Judge White, but had never paid one dollar of the purchase money. He had raised his family upon it, and died there, living all these years unmolested. It was no wonder that, in those early days, Judge White was called the "settler's friend."
The following is a list of the different warrants surveyed in the county un- der the acts of 1785 and 1792, and 1794, with the number of warrant, number of acres, and names of warrantees, in each township :
PINE CREEK.
Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 389, 1052 acres ; 292, 403 acres ; 422, 432 acres ; 428, 514 acres ; 390, 645 acres, to Timothy Pickering & Co. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3948, 3946, 3945, 3941, 3940, 1094 acres each ; 3947, 3944, 3943, 3942, 3957, 1000 acres each ; 3964, 971 acres, to Jeremiah Parker. 3741, 534 acres, to Robert Morris. Survey of later date : 400 acres to Samuel Findlay.
PERRY.
Survey of 1785: Warrant No. 421, 417 acres, to Jonathan B. Smith. 458, 371 acres, to Dr. James Hutchison. 388, 1012 acres, to Timothy Pickering & Co. to Mason. 29, 636 acres, to William Bradford. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 5406, 1100 acres; 5461, 1093 acres; 5462, 1060 acres, to Joseph Webb. 3014, 3013, 3012, 3272, 3280, 990 acres each ; 3019, 750 acres ; 3002, 3011, 3269, 3270, 905 acres each ; 3007, 921 acres ; 3059, 1088 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. Surveys of later date : 212 acres to John Hedderson. 164 acres to W. Clawson. 39
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
YOUNG.
Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 538, 338 acres, to Samuel Findlay. 513, 383 acres, to Dr. J. Hutchison. 296, 663 acres; 307, 605 acres, to T. Picker- ing. 378, 200 acres ; - , 300 acres, to Henry Geddis. 302, 362, 503 acres each, to William Brown. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3859, 3861, 3856, 311 acres each ; 3865, 604 acres ; 3866, 502 acres, to Dr. William Cath- cart. 3876, 500 acres ; 3881, 302 acres, to Henry Geddis. 3855, 898 acres ; 3054, 930 acres ; 3025, 985 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. 3955, 1100 acres, to Jeremiah Parker. Surveys of later date : 225 acres to Jas. Johnson ; 200 acres to William States; 207 acres to John Nicholson ; 113 acres to J. Brady ; 220 acres to J. Findley ; 87 acres to E. Heath ; 396 acres to Robert Means.
ROSE.
Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 394, 700 acres ; 349, 1030 acres ; 371, 383 acres ; 351, 428 acres ; 286, 436 acres ; 342, 607 acres, to Timothy Pickering & Co. 3206, 3196, 3157, 3156, 3155, 990 acres each ; 3083, 600 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. 3741, 500 acres, to Robert Morris. - , 250 acres, to James Stewart.
BARNETT.
Warrant No. - , 600 acres ; 5698, 5693, 838 acres each; 5694, 5697, 5696, 5695, 1100 acres each ; 5701, 1412 acres, to George F. Alberti. 5870, 990 acres ; 5872, 945 acres, to J. B. Smith. 5100, 5095, 1100 acres each, to Jonathan Mifflin.
SNYDER.
Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 183, 1075 acres; 254, 641 acres, to T. Pickering & Co. 335, 348 acres; 186, 335 acres ; 440, 679 acres, to Richard Summers. 251, 552 acres ; 464, 276 acres, to George Lattimore. 150, 507 acres, to Jared Ingersoll. 398, 406 acres, to James McCarty. 494, 458 acres, to Richard McCarty. 104, 324 acres, to B. Harvey. 35, 536 acres, to D. Kennedy. 459, 529 acres, to G. & A. Cory. 84, 640 acres, to Henry Syph- ert. 81, 324 acres, to E. Bradley. 70, 500 acres, to F. Sivart. - , 500 acres, to Henry Syphert. 299, 1005 acres, to Ed. Bird. 130, 389 acres, to John Hutchison. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 1554, 1000 acres; 4242, 1100 acres ; 4470, 740 acres ; 4400, 4459, 500 acres each, to James Wilson. 4277, 950 acres ; 4278, 1046 acres ; 4279, 600 acres, to John Bryan. 5793, 1000 acres ; 5801, 200 acres, to Robert Morris. 2918, 2742, 900 acres each ; 2963, 2965, 400 acres each, to Wilhelm Willink & Co. 3935, 1024 acres ; 3937, 1000 acres, to Francis Nicholls. 5804, 394 acres, to Matthew Leffborough.
335
LAND WARRANTS AND TITLES.
ELDRED.
Warrant No. 3071, 3070, 3057, 3031, 900 acres each, to Leroy & Linklaen. 3356, 3352, 3351, 3350, 3349, 3348, 3383, 3379, 3362, 3361, 3357, 1 100 acres each ; 3346, 600 acres ; 3387, 500 acres ; 3398, 450 acres, to Robert Gilmore. 3545, 3548, 3547, 3546, 1100 acres each, to William Bingham. 5092, 5991, 550 acres each, to Jonathan Mifflin.1 3407, 550 acres; 3400, 600 acres, to Thomas M. Willing. 4019, 336 acres, to John Nicholson. -, 300 acres, to William Douglass. 3723, 3701, 1025 acres each, to Robert Morris.
WASHINGTON.
Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 510, 407, 650 acres each ; 504, 636 acres ; 122, 169, 1026 acres each ; 425, 603 acres ; 159, 1018 acres ; 413, 565 acres ; 87, 1045 acres; 187, 613 acres, to T. Pickering & Co. 124, 237, 333 acres each; 199, 557 acres; 186, 330 acres, to Richard Summers. 102, 415 acres, to J. B. Smith. 157, 305 acres, to J. D. Sargent. 329, 300 acres, to James Reed. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 2957, 850 acres ; 2987, 927 acres ; 2760, 913 acres ; 2989, 864 acres ; 2889, 900 acres; 2888, 928 acres ; 2968, 914 acres ; 2884, 981 acres ; 2969, 759 acres ; 2955, 620 acres ; 2975,
908 acres; 2944, 870 acres; 2943, 869 acres; 2881, 215 acres ; 2890, 410 acres, to Wilhelm Willink & Co. 3932, 1020 acres; 3933, 1008 acres ; 3934, 1009 acres, to Nicholls & McPherson. 5813, 1092 acres, to Thos. Grant and D. Smith. 4399, 4398, 4397, 990 acres each ; 4376, 360 acres, to James WVil- son. -, IIII acres, to T. J. Maltrem. Surveys of later date: 478 acres to William McCullough ; 440 acres to White & Shaw ; 220 acres to D. Denniston.
PORTER.
Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3104, 600 acres ; 3105, 3016, 3106, 3015, 3112, 3113, 990 acres each ; 3110, 3114, 3274, 500 acres each ; 3276, 250 acres ; 3273, 483 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen.
CLOVER.
Survey of 1785. Warrant No. 681, 1106 acres; 678, 250 acres, to Samuel Bryan. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3075, 3081, 800 acres each; 3205, 390 acres ; 3202, 300 acres ; 3203, 3204, 3200, 3079, 990 acres each ; 3078, 750 acres ; 3080, 900 acres ; 3082, 600 acres ; 3083, 200 acres, to Le- roy & Linklaen.
GASKILL.
Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. - , -, 900 acres each ; 3116, 872 acres ; 3219, 982 acres ; 3294, 990 acres ; 3292, 864 acres ; 3289, 950 acres ;
1 One-half of these warrants were in Jefferson and the balance in Clarion county.
336
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
3297, 915 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. 2909, 889 acres ; 2484, 450 acres ; 2895, 440 acres ; 2949, 488 acres ; 2937, 977 acres ; 2746, 734 acres ; 2947, 754 acres ; 2945, 979 acres, to Wilhelm Willink & Co.
WARSAW.
Survey of 1785: Warrant No. 331, 1089 acres ; 322, 1040 acres ; 312, 1047 acres ; 341, 640 acres ; 327, 1044 acres ; 302, 400 acres ; 64, 423 acres ; 495, 424 acres ; 41, 588 acres ; 98, 407 acres ; 567, 1058 acres ; 547, 500 acres, to T. Pickering & Co. 172, 504 acres, to John Bayard. 742, 260 acres, to Jacob Weaver. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3974, 1050 acres ; 3972, 1093 acres, to Jeremiah Parker. 3039, 3037, 3098, 900 acres each, to Leroy & Linklaen. 3778, 1047 acres ; 3796, 1030 acres ; 3797, 600 acres, to Samuel Hodgdon. 4031, 999 acres ; 4018, 1026 acres, to James Nich- olson. 3902, 986 acres, to Wilhelm Willink & Co. 3931, 3930, 3927, 1000 acres each ; 3929, 956 acres, to Nicholson & McPherson. Surveys of later date : 440 acres to J. Moorhead ; 400 acres to R. P. Barr ; 437 acres to E. Heath ; 300 acres to John Mclaughlin ; 438 acres to J. B. Evans ; 440 acres to T. Gordon.
WINSLOW.
Survey of 1785: Warrant No. 101, 433 acres ; 211, 223, 219, 125, 471, 430 acres each ; 534, 556, 506, 660 acres each ; 460, 450 acres ; 120, 1001 acres ; 193, 201, 607 acres each ; 509, 437 acres; 512, 640 acres ; 481, 438 acres ; 491, 650 acres, to Timothy Pickering & Co. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 2961, 500 acres ; 2953, 926 acres ; 2936, 927 acres ; 2951, 91I acres ; 2967, 944 acres ; 2972, 840 acres ; 2976, 928 acres ; 2984, 913 acres, to Wilhelm Willink & Co. 3853, 1082 acres; 3852, 1041 acres ; 3894, 1007 acres ; 3854, 31I acres ; 3860, 815 acres ; 3850, 1002 acres ; 3851, 1001 acres, to Dr. William Cathcart. 3875, 531 acres ; 3871, 1002 acres, to Henry Ged- des. 5827, 1003 acres, to Jared Ingersoll. 4032, 811 acres, to John Nich- olson.
HEATH.
Warrant No. 2768, 850 acres; 2770, 2777, 924 acres each ; 2749, 2649, 900 acres each ; 2454, 2364, 989 acres each ; 2369, 962 acres ; 2617, 1002 acres ; 2370, 2625, 984 acres each, to Wilhelm Willink. 4021, 4020, 1026 acres each ; 4019, 600 acres, to John Nicholson. 400 acres to Job Packer ; 300 acres to Smith Brown ; 300 acres to James O'Harra ; 300 acres to John Pierce ; 100 acres to Samuel Wilson.
RINGGOLD.
Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 686, 715 acres ; 683, 588 acres, to Arthur
7
337
LAND WARRANTS AND TITLES.
Bryan. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3276, 250 acres : 3274, 150 acres ; 3286, 500 acres ; 3282, 910 acres ; 3281, 820 acres, to Leroy & Link- laen. 2930, 2941, 2944, 500 acres each ; 2939, 2947, 2933, 2950, 2966, 2632, 990 acres each, to Wilhelm Willink.
UNION.
Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 678, 377 acres, to Samuel Bryan. 677, 1100 acres, to Dr. William Smith. Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3394, 1050 acres ; 3391, 700 acres ; 3390, 800 acres ; 3395, 860 acres ; 3388, 900 acres ; 3396, 3397, 1100 acres each ; 3387, 550 acres ; 3398, 600 acres, to Robert Gilmore. 2401, 1100 acres ; 3400, 500 acres ; 3403, 150 acres, to Thomas M. Willing.
BEAVER.
Survey of 1792 to 1794 : Warrant No. 3244, 3065, 3072, 3274, 500 acres each ; 3043, 3042, 3028, 3014, 2998, 3004, 3207, 990 acres each ; 3205, 3202, 600 acres each, to Leroy & Linklaen. 2936, 990 acres, to Wilhelm Willink.
POLK.
Warrant No. 2765, 600 acres ; 2748, 2956, 800 acres each ; 2733, 2860, 2750, 2744, 2811, 900 acres each ; 2901, 931 acres, to Wilhelm Willink. 3926, 1039 acres ; 3925, 1023 acres ; 3928, 1098 acres, to Nicholson & Mc- Pherson. 3939, 1024 acres ; 3938, 1023 acres, to Francis Nicholls. 4022, 1028 acres ; 4023, 4017, 1026 acres each ; 4016, 383 acres, to John Nicholson. 547, 600 acres ; 325, 679 acres, to T. Pickering. 631, 265 acres, to I. Gor- don. 315, 309 acres, to Samuel Bole. 571, 406 acres, to Rev. R. McMurdy. 287, 287 acres, to H. R. Stry. 105, 105 acres to E. Heath. 500, 500 acres, to Samuel Hodgdon.
OLIVER.
Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 247, 307 acres ; 527, 301 acres, to J. D. Sargeant. 108, 331 acres, to James Gilchrist. Survey of 1792 to 1794 : War- rant No. 3271, 905 acres ; 3041, 3029, 3208, 2997, 990 acres each ; 3030, 959 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. 3298, 998 acres ; 2935, 2930, 990 acres each ; 2964, 2908, 2938, 905 acres each ; 2807, 1065 acres ; 3006, 816 acres ; 2830, 795 acres ; 2646, 87 1 acres ; 2400, 978 acres ; 2401, 1006 acres ; 2622, 999 acres ; 2615, 71I acres, to Wilhelm Willink.
KNOX.
Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 3971, 3969, 3967, 3966, 3965, 3953, 1035 acres each ; 3963, 3961, 3951, 3949, 3960, 3959, 3958, 1000 acres each ; 3968, 1065 acres ; 3952, 3950, 1094 acres each, to Jeremiah Parker.
338
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
BELL.
Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 318, 442, 311 acres each, to George Latti- more. 520, 200 acres to T. Pickering & Co. Survey of 1792 to 1794 : War- rant No. 3288, 900 acres, to Leroy & Linklaen. 2618, 440 acres ; 2372, 940 acres ; 2904, 2765, 918 acres each : 2761, 910 acres ; 2762, 892 acres ; 2745, 942 acres, to Wilhelm Willink. 4036, 1000 acres, to John Nicholson.
MCCALMONT.
Survey of 1792 to 1794: Warrant No. 2764, 2917, 2957, 1002 acres each ; 2961, 462 acres ; 2990, 916 acres ; 2763, 975 acres ; 2806, 918 acres ; 2849, 921 acres ; 2626, 1009 acres ; 2621, 1051 acres ; 2620, 994 acres ; 2919, 2616, 593 acres each, to Wilhelm Willink & Co. 2973, 2975, 3956, 1000 acres each ; 3954, 1094 acres to Jeremiah Parker.
HENDERSON.
Survey of 1785 : Warrant No. 520, 241 acres ; 525, 416 acres ; 249, 456 acres ; 144, 540, 433 acres each, to Timothy Pickering & Co. 135, 332 acres ; 271, 438 acres ; 60, 437 acres, to Jared Ingersoll. 544, 435 acres, to James Gilchrist. 461, 717 acres, to James Hutchinson. Survey of 1792 to 1794 : Warrant No. 5736, 234 acres ; 3870, 410 acres ; 5735, 986 acres ; 3862, 614 3863, 610 acres to Dr. William Cathcart, 3794, 1000 acres, to Rev. Robert Cathcart. 3874, 620 acres ; 3883, 617 acres, to Henry Geddis. 5826, 459 acres, to H. Luftborough. Survey of later date : 248 acres to WV. Campbell ; 60 acres to J. Brady.
The different towns and villages of the county are situated on the following original warrantsI: Brookville, on warrant 394, T. Pickering, original owner ; Reynoldsville, on warrant 3875, Henry Geddis, original owner ; Brockwayville, on warrants 84, 81, and 35. H. Syphert, D. Kennedy, and E. Bradley, original owners ; Corsica, on warrant 681, Dr. William Smith, original owner ; Sum- merville, on warrant 378, Leroy & Linklaen, original owners; Port Barnett, on warrant 390, T. Pickering & Co., original owners; Big Run, on warrant 525, T. Pickering & Co., original owners ; Punxsutawney, on warrant -, Samuel Findley, original owner ; Perrysville, Mason warrant ; Sprankles Mills, on line of warrants No. 3298 and 3925 ; Cool Spring, where James Gray lived, No. 2964; Walston (Coal Mines), warrant 3054, Leroy & Linklaen, original owners ; Adrian (Coal Mines), warrant 3955, Jeremiah Parker ; Clayville -, warrant 3055 ; Emerickville, on warrant No. 3947, Jeremiah Parker, original owner ; Fuller's Station, on warrant No. 3959, Jeremiah Parker ; Richards- ville, on warrant -; Mayville, on warrant 341, Timothy Pickering, original owner ; Sigel, on warrant 3356, Robert Gilmore, original owner ; Knoxdale,
1 The list of original warrants were furnished by Mr. Eli Coulter.
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THE BENCH AND BAR.
on warrant 3961, Jeremiah Parker, original owner ; Ringgold, on warrant 2939, Wilhelm Willink & Co., original owners ; Sandy Valley, on warrant 187, Tim- othy Pickering, original owner ; Rockdale Mills, on warrant 2955, Wilhelm Willink & Co., original owners ; Belleview, on warrant 3196, Leroy & Link- laen.
A List of Survey'd Lands of Dr. Smith's Estate 1-Lands in Partnership with John Nicholson .- Warrants dated December 21, 1792, No. 3549 to 3566 inclusive.
Quantities of land warrants, 3549 to 3560 inclusive, 500 acres each. (Smith).
Quantities of land warrants, 3561 to 3566 inclusive, 1000 acres each. (Nich- olson).
The first lot in name of Warrantee William Smith-6000 acres.
The last lot in name of Warrantee John Nicholson-5000 acres.
Nearly all the land on east side Big Toby's Creek.
" February, 1813.
" Plot | of 334,950 | Acres of Land, | purchased by | Benjamin B. Cooper and Oliver Wayne Ogden, | of the Holland Land Co., | situate in the counties of M'Kean and Jefferson.
"In the printed draught I find these lands are located to the right and left of Toby's Creek, on Cooper Creek, Mill Creek, Iron Creek, Furnace Creek, and others not named, in Jefferson county. Cooper's Port situated at the con- fluence of Furnace and Cooper Creeks.
" Each settler shall receive fifty acres as a bounty, to be selected by him- self in a square form, out of any land not sold or settled-additional land, $2 per acre, payable in five and seven years, free of interest for two years."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE BENCH AND BAR.
The First Court held in Jefferson County-The Early Lawyers-The Pioneers, whose Fame yet Survives-The Patriotism of the Bar-Members who have Risen to Eminence-The Bar Represented in the Councils of the State, in the Halls of Congress and on the Supreme Bench --- The Eminent Dead- Resident Members.
T HE bench and bar of Jefferson county, since its organization in 1830, has admitted many members who have since risen to eminence in their profes- sion, and in other walks of life. Many of the older members have passed away- have been summoned to appear before a higher tribunal, some of whom, hav- ·
1 Furnished by J. W. Jordon, of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
340
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
ing exchanged the brief for the sword, died gloriously on the field of battle ; while others have lived to a good old age, and have seen the students, whom they trained for the forum, occupying prominent places at this bar and in the higher courts, in the halls of the national Congress and councils of the nation ; while others have died just at the outset of their career, which gave promise of success and usefulness.
THE BENCH.
The first term of court was held in the upper rooms of the old jail, in De- cember, 1830, and was presided over by Hon. Thomas Burnside, of Bellefonte, who resigned in 1835, Hon. Nathaniel Eldred being appointed to fill his place. He, too, resigned and was succeeded by Hon. Alexander McCalmont, of Franklin, and on the expiration of his term of office Hon. Joseph Buffington, of Kittanning, was appointed. The office was then, under the new constitution, made elective. and Hon. John C. Knox, of Tioga county, was elected in 1851. but resigned in 1853, on account of his appointment to the Supreme bench of the State. Judge Knox was succeeded by Hon. John S. McCalmont, of Franklin, who was appointed to fill the vacancy, but in 1861 Judge McCal- mont resigned to accept the colonelcy of the Tenth Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves, and made a brilliant war record. Judge McCalmont is now com- missioner of customs in the treasury department of the United States at Wash- ington City.
Hon. Glenni W. Scofield, of Warren, was appointed by Governor Curtin to fill Judge McCalmont's unexpired term, and no one has been closer identified with the political history of Jefferson county since that time, than Mr. Scofield. In 1862 he was elected to Congress from the nineteenth district, of which Jef- ferson county then formed a part, and served in that body for five consecutive terms. During the trying days of the war Mr. Scofield proved an able and patriotic legislator, upholding the hands of the president, and proving faithful to the interests of his constituents. Judge Scofield was appointed registrar of the treasury by President Grant, which position he held until President Hayes appointed him a member of the Court of Claims of the United States. His home is still in Warren, Pa.
Hon. James Campbell, who next donned the ermine, was born in Mifflin county on the 13th of July, 1813. He was educated in the academy at Ger- mantown, and Lafayette and Jefferson colleges, graduating at the latter institu- tion in the class of 1837. After he had thus obtained a thorough and classi- cal education he read law in Lewistown, Pa., and was admitted to the bar there. Mr. Campbell removed to the then new town of Clarion in 1840, and was admitted to the bar at the first court held in that county on the first Mon- day of November, 1840, and soon acquired a good practice and became the leader of the early bar of Clarion. In 1847 he was married to a daughter of
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THE BENCH AND BAR.
Rev. J. R. Hallock, and has since that time made Clarion his home. In the fall of 1861 he was elected president judge of the district composed of the coun- ties of Mercer, Venango, Clarion, Jefferson and Forest. This was a large and laborious district, but in 1866 the two western counties were cut off and erected into a new judicial district. At the end of the term, in 1871, Judge Campbell returned to the practice of law, and continued until the spring of 1886, when he retired to private life. During his term of office he adminis- tered justice in a capable and satisfactory manner. He is now president of the Clarion State Normal Association.
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