History of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 39

Author: Scott, Kate M
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & co.
Number of Pages: 860


USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 39


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Hon. William Parsons Jenks was born in Punxsutawney. His father, Dr. John W. Jenks, whose history is given elsewhere in this volume, was one of the pioneers of the county, and William P. was raised amid the privations and toils that beset the early settlers. In September, 1843, he removed to Brook- ville and entered the law office of his brother, D. B. Jenks, esq., as a student, and was admitted to the bar in September, 1845. In December, of the same year, he was married to Miss Sarah Catharine Corbet,, daughter of James and Rebecca Corbet, and has since that time resided in Brookville. He was elected a member of the Legislature in 1866 and 1867, and in 1871 was elected president judge of the eighteenth judicial district, composed of the counties of Jefferson and Clarion, being the only citizen of the county who, from its formation to the present time, has been elected to preside over its courts. Judge Jenks re- tired from the bench January 1, 1882, and resumed the practice of law in Brookville, but upon the appointment of his brother, Hon. George A. Jenks to be solicitor-general of the United States, he assumed the place of the latter as attorney for Mr. John E. Du Bois ; and as the oversight of this immense busi- ness demands nearly all his attention, he is obliged to spend most of his time at Du Bois. There are few abler attorneys or jurists in the State than Judge Jenks.


Hon. James B. Knox, the next to assume the judicial robe in this district, was born in Knoxville, Tioga county, November 4, 1831, his parents dying when he was four years of age. He removed with his brother, John C. Knox, to the western part of the State, and was educated at Jefferson college. He stud- ied law with Hon. Alexander McCalmont, of Franklin, and afterwards at Kit- tanning, under his brother, Hon. John C. Knox, and was admitted to the bar in 1852. In the following year he settled at Clarion, and was married in 1855. He went into the army as captain of Co. E. Tenth Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves, and was successively promoted to major and lieutenant colonel of his regiment. He participated in all the hard-fought battles in which the re- serves took part. The exposure and hardships endured during these cam- paigns brought on asthma and weakness of the lungs, which finally caused his death. Colonel Knox resigned from the army November 23, 1863. In 1873 he entered into partnership with J. T. Maffet, esq., and was very successful in


40


342


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


practice. He was elected on the Democratic ticket president judge of the Jef- ferson-Clarion district in 1881, taking his seat on the bench in January, 1882. Judge Knox died after a very brief illness, at the American House, in Brook- ville, December 22, 1884, just after he had finished the term of court. He was an able lawyer, a brave soldier and a good citizen.


Hon. William L. Corbet was born on his father's farm, near Clarion, in February, 1826. He was educated in the common schools and Clarion acad- emy, and studied law with D. W. Foster, esq., of Clarion, and was admitted to the bar of Clarion county in 1847. He was deputy attorney-general of the State from 1848 to 1850, and a delegate to the constitutional convention in 1873, and was elected to the State Senate from the twenty-eighth district in 1876. Mr. Corbet was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Knox, by Governor Pattison, and served as president judge until Janu- ary, 1886. Judge Corbet was admitted to this bar at the February term, 1847, and has practiced a great deal in the courts of the county, being interested in many of the most important cases brought before them. He is a prominent and well-known Democratic politician, and is recognized as one of the leading lawyers of western Pennsylvania, being particularly strong in argument.


Hon. Theophilus S. Wilson is now president judge of the eighteenth judi- cial district. He is forty-eight years of age, and is a native of Clarion county, where his grandfather, Robert Wilson, settled in 1801. After leaving the pub- lic schools and private instruction, he attended the Brookville academy in 1852, and then took a course at Allegheny college, at Meadville, Pa. He was ad- mitted to the bar at a special term of court held at Clarion, by Judge Scofield, in 1861, and to the bar of Jefferson county at the May term, 1866. His pre- ceptor was G. W. Lathey, the oldest member of the Clarion bar. In 1870 he formed a partnership with Hon. George A. Jenks, of Brookville, under the name of Wilson & Jenks, which firm was very successful, controlling a major- ity of the legal business transacted. Later John W. Reed, of Clarion, was ad- mitted to the firm. When Judge Wilson retired from the firm, on account of his election to the bench, his place in it was taken by his son, Harry Wilson, a graduate of Lafayette college, who was admitted to the bar in 1866, and the firm is now Reed & Wilson. The legal training of Judge Wilson, through the extensive practice of the firm, was of the kind that eminently fitted him, in the most direct way, to the promotion as judge. A close student, methodical, thorough in every detail, and of remarkable industry, he brought to the posi- tion a far more than ordinary share of sagacity and high legal ability. When, four years ago, Clarion county was made by the State Legislature a separate judicial district, with 40,000 population, Mr. Wilson was the only attorney presented by the Clarion county bar for appointment, but Governor Hoyt ve- toed the bill. When the late Judge Knox was a candidate for judge, Wilson re- ceived the unanimous vote of the Clarion county convention of his party, but


F.


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Lsaac G. Gordon


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THE BENCH AND BAR.


declined the district nomination and refused to be a candidate against Judge Knox, whose majority was over 1,700 in Clarion county. Judge Wilson was elected president judge in 1885.


SUPREME BENCH.


Jefferson county is honored in having one of her oldest citizens occupying a place as one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the State. Isaac Gran- tham Gordon was born in Lewisburg, Union county, Pa., December 22, 1819. His father, Zacheus Gordon, was a native of Northumberland county ; the family being originally from Scotland, but his grandfather having removed to Ireland, they were known as Scotch-Irish. When a boy he learned the trade of a moulder, with the intention of becoming an iron founder, but having one of his feet accidentally injured by molten iron, he relinquished that idea, and being of a very studious disposition, and with a taste for classical and scientific pursuits, he applied himself to his books, and with the aid he received in the common schools and one term at the Lewisburg Academy, he acquired by dint of strong perseverance, a liberal classical and scientific education.


In 1841 he entered the law office of James F. Linn, of Lewisburg, and con- tinued his legal studies for two years, when he was admitted in April, 1843, to practice in the courts of Union county. In July of that year, he removed to Curwensville, Clearfield county, where he opened an office, and shortly after entered into partnership with Hon. George R. Barrett. In 1846 he located in Brookville, and entered into partnership in the practice of law with Elijah Heath, which was continued until Judge Heath's removal to Pittsburgh, in 1850.


In 1847 Mr. Gordon was married to Miss .Mary C. Jenks, daughter of Dr. John W. Jenks, of Punxsutawney. In 1860 and 1861 he represented the dis- trict composed of Jefferson, Clearfield, Elk and Mckean in the State Legisla- ture, being made chairman of the General Judiciary Committee during the lat- ter session. In 1866 he was appointed by Governor Hartranft president judge of the new judicial district formed from the counties of Mercer and Venango, taken from the eighteenth district, to serve until the next election.


Judge Gordon continued to practice at this bar from the time of his admis- sion until he was elected at the October election in 1873, to the Supreme Bench. His term of office will expire January 1, 1889. Owing to the death of Chief Justice Mercur, on the 4th day of June, 1887, Mr. Gordon is now chief justice. Justice Gordon is still a resident of Brookville, and his only son, Cadmus Z. Gordon, is a member of this bar.


THE BAR.


We give the names of the members of the Jefferson county bar, as they have been recorded on the annals of the court, in the order in which they were


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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


admitted to practice. Many of these attorneys were not residents of this county, but were regularly admitted to this bar, and practiced in our courts, and the history of the bar would not be complete without them.


Admitted at December Term, 1830.


Thomas Blair, of Kittanning, came here occasionally ; now dead.


Thomas White, of Indiana, practiced in this court for many years, and was identified with the early history of the county, having acted as agent for the sale of the Pickering and other lands. He was president judge of the district composed of the counties of Indiana, Armstrong, Westmoreland and Cambria, for a number of years prior to his death which occurred in 1866.


George W. Smith, of Butler, practiced in the courts of Jefferson county for ten or fifteen years, was afterward president judge of his district.


Joseph W. Smith, of Clearfield, was here occasionally.


John Johnston, of Clearfield, was here occasionally.


William Banks, of Indiana, practiced in this court for many years.


Hugh Brady.


Robert E. Brown, of Kittanning, came here occasionally.


February Term, 1831.


Joseph Martin.


William Watson, of Kittanning, Pa., came here occasionally.


Joseph Buffington, of Bellefonte, practiced at this bar for many years ; was appointed president judge of this district, and afterward served as member of Congress from his district, and president judge of the Armstrong district.


September Term, 1831.


Cephas J. Dunham, of Brookville.


Ephraim Carpenter, of Indiana, came here for many years.


Lewis W. Smith, of Clearfield, came here occasionally.


Benjamin Bartholomew resided in Brookville a number of years, and rep- resented the district in the Legislature in 1846. He removed from Brookville to Warren, and then to Schuylkill county, where he was afterwards district attorney. Hon. Linn Bartholomew, his son, was born in Brookville.


December Term, 1833.


Michael Gallagher of Kittanning, was a prominent attorney of Armstrong county, but only occasionally practiced at this bar.


James McManus, of Bellefonte, came here occasionally.


February Term, 1834.


William F. Johnston, of Kittanning, practiced regularly at this bar for many years ; was afterwards governor of Pennsylvania.


May Term, 1834.


C. A. Alexander.


James Burnside, of Bellefonte, only practiced at this bar occasionally ; was


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THE BENCH AND BAR.


afterwards appointed president judge of the Centre district. Judge Burnside married a daughter of Hon. Simon Cameron.


February Term, 1835.


Michael Dan McGeehan, of Ebensburg, a prominent citizen, and one of the oldest and best known members of the bar of Cambria county ; came here oc- casionally.


General William R. Smith, from the eastern part of the State, was only here once ; removed to Du Buque, Ia.


May Term 1835.


Hiram Payne, of Mckean county, practiced at this bar, regularly for a num- ber of years. He was engaged in the sale of lands, and was a member of the State Constitutional Convention of 1837.


September Term, 1835.


Lewis B. Dunham, of Brookville, was the first man admitted on examina- tion to the Jefferson county bar, and the first law student in the county. He practiced here for a number of years, and then removed to the West, and is now engaged in the banking business in Maquoketa, Ia. Mr. Dunham did not practice his profession after he left Brookville. He has represented Iowa in the State Senate.


Stewart Steele, of Blairsville.


September Term, 1836.


Richard Arthurs, of Brookville, has continued to practice at this bar ever since his admission, and is the oldest member of the bar now living. He was elected district attorney in 1850. He has seen nearly all the present members of the bar grow up from childhood.


About this time'S. A. Purviance, of Butler, Henry Souther, of Ridgway and Benjamin F. Lucas, of Brookville, were admitted, but there is no record of their admission. Mr. Lucas resided in Brookville for many years, remov- ing to Pittsburgh about the time the war broke out. Mr. Souther now resides in Erie.


December Term, 1835.


Alexander McCalmont, of Franklin, practiced for many years at this bar, and was president judge of the district.


James Ross Snowden, of Franklin, a prominent attorney and politician, came here occasionally.


Elijah Heath, of Brookville.


David Barclay Jenks, of Brookville.


December Term, 1839.


William M. Stewart, of Indiana, attended court here frequently for many years, and was a very prominent attorney. Mr. Stewart has been for a num- ber of years engaged in the banking business in Philadelphia.


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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


September Term, 1839.


John W. Howe, of Franklin, came here regularly for many years. He was a prominent attorney and was elected member of Congress from his dis- trict.


Thomas Struthers, of Warren, also came here regularly for many years.


December Term, 1840.


Thomas Lucas, of Brookville.


September Term, 1842.


J. W. McCabe, of Kittanning, came here a few times.


February Term, 1843.


Carlton B. Curtis, of Warren, came here frequently ; elected to the Legisla- ture and Congress twice from the districts of which Jefferson county formed a part. Mr. Curtis served as colonel of the Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania Volun- teers. He removed after the war from Warren to Erie, where he died a few years ago. He was prominent as an attorney, a soldier, and a politician.


Andrew Mosgrave, of Kittanning, came here occasionally.


May Term, 1843.


David S. Deering, of Brookville, read law, was admitted, and practiced at this bar for several years. He now resides in Iowa, and has quit the profession.


February Term, 1844. C. W. Leffingwell.


May Term, 1844.


Ephraim Buffington, of Kittanning, came here occasionally ; still resides in Kittanning.


September Term, 1844.


Edward Shippen, of Meadville, Pa., only attended court here a few times. John S. McCalmont.


December Term, 1844.


C. W. Carskadden, of Mercer, or Franklin, came here once or twice. Edwin C. Wilson, of Mercer, or Franklin, came here once or twice.


May Term, 1845.


John Potter, jr.


September Term, 1845.


W. P. Jenks, of Brookville.


December Term, 1845.


Isaac G. Gordon, of Brookville.


February Term, 1847.


William L. Corbet, of Clarion.


May Term, 1847.


John W. Mish, of Pittsburgh, came here but once.


George W. Zeigler, of Brookville, practiced at this bar until 1869, when he removed to Selin's Grove, Snyder county, and subsequently to Sunbury, where


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THIE BENCH AND BAR.


he resides and practices his profession. Mr. Zeigler was a prominent attorney and politician, being twice elected on the Democratic ticket to the Legislature from this district.


Edward Hutchison, of Brookville, read law and was admitted here, but never practiced at this bar ; removed to Indiana, and from there to Ebensburg where he died.


February Term, 1849.


George W. Smith, of Butler, came here regularly for a number of years. He was a good lawyer and a prominent Whig politician.


Guthire P. Reed.


John K. Coxson, of Brookville.


Titian J. Coffey, of Indiana, a prominent attorney, practiced here for a number of years; was afterwards State Senator, and appointed attorney-gen- eral of the United States from 1861 to 1865. Mr. Coffey resides in Washing- ton, D. C.


May Term, 1849.


James S. Myers, of Franklin, Pa., came here regularly to attend court for several years.


September Term, 1847.


George W. Andrews, a native of Fryburg, Me., in 1844, removed to Penn- sylvania, and resided in Lebanon and Lancaster counties until June 1, 1847, when he located in Brookville, and practiced at this bar until he removed to Denver, Col., in November, 1873, where he still resides, and is engaged in practicing his profession. Mr. Andrews was a prominent lawyer, and a good citizen. In 1873 he was a member of the constitutional convention.


December Term, 1849.


David Barclay, of Brookville, was for many years, until his removal to Pitts- burg in 1860, one of the most prominent attorneys at the Brookville bar, an influential citizen and a strong politician, being elected on the Whig ticket to Congress from this district in 1854. Mr. Barclay now resides in Kittanning where he is practicing law.


May Term, 1851.


Samuel Sherwell, of Kittanning, did not practice here.


S. Newton Pettis, of Meadvillle, did not practice here.


September Term, 1851.


L. D. Rodgers, of Brookville, practiced here for a number of years ; removed to Franklin, and subsequently to Tacoma, Oregon, where he now resides.


Charles L. Lamberton, a resident of Clarion when admitted, afterwards removed to Brookville, where he resided for a few years, then returned to Clar- ion, and was elected to the State Senate from this district. After his term of office expired he located in the eastern part of the State.


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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


September Term, 1852.


Larry S. Cantwell, of Kittanning, practiced occasionally at this bar. He was a prominent attorney and soldier of the late war ; now dead.


Glenni W. Scofield, of Warren.


J. Alexander Fulton, of Kittanning, came here occasionally.


James Boggs, of Clarion, came here occasionally.


December Term, 1852.


William W. Wise, of Brookville.


May Term, 1853.


James McCahon, of Brookville, read, was admitted, and practiced here for a number of years; then removed to Kansas, where he died recently.


Martin R. Cooley, of Brookville, read and was admitted here, and then re- moved to Michigan, where he soon afterwards died.


September Term, 1853.


W. W. Barr, of Clarion, practices here occasionally. Mr. Barr is a promi- nent Democratic politician, and represented the district composed of Jefferson and Clarion counties in the State Legislature in 1864 and 1865.


Charles R. Barclay, of Punxsatawny, read law and was admitted here, but did not practice ; soon after removed to Iowa, where he is now practicing med- icine. Dr. Barclay is a brother of Hon. David Barclay.


December Term, 1853.


Michael K. Boyer, of Brookville, was elected to the Legislature the same year he was admitted to the bar, and never returned to the county to practice.


February Term, 1854.


James K. Kerr, of Franklin, practiced here occasionally. He was a good lawyer, and a strong Democratic politician, being the candidate for Congress in 1860, in his district. Mr. Kerr died in Pittsburgh.


P. W. Jenks, of Punxsutawn


Andrew J. Boggs, of Kittanning, came here occasionally. He was elected president judge of the Armstrong district, and a few years ago died.


May Term, 1854.


Albert Willis, of Ridgway, came here but seldom.


September Term, 1854.


Reuben Mickel.


Samuel J. Fryer, of Brookville, resided here for a number of years ; now lives at Parker City, Pa.


February Term, 1855.


A. L. Gordan. A. A. McKnight.


May Term, 1855.


Hon. Gaylord Church, of Meadville ; was here but once.


Bernard J. Reid, of Clarion, practiced regularly at this bar for many years, and is still engaged occasionally in suits in the courts here.


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THE BENCH AND BAR.


George Rodgers, of Brookville, never practiced ; died soon after admission. Mr. Rodgers was a brother of the late Dr. Mark Rodgers.


September Term, 1855.


William K. McKee, of Punxsutawney.


February Term, 1859.


John Hastings, of Punxsutawney.


George A. Jenks, of Brookville.


May Term, 1859.


John Conrad read law with Hon. A. W. Taylor, in Indiana, Pa., and T. L. Heyer, Johnston, Pa. ; was examined and admitted to the bar in Ebensburg, Cambria county, in 1856, and subsequently in Indiana and other counties ; went to Marienville, Forest county, in the fall of 1857, and in the spring of 1859 located in Brookville, Pa.


Silas M. Clark, of Indiana, practiced here occasionally. He is now one of the Justices of the Supreme Court.


William A. Todd, of Indiana, came here occasionally.


September Term, 1859.


Charles Horton, of Ridgway, practiced here but seldom.


J. C. Chapin, of Ridgway, practiced here but seldom.


Samuel Dodd, of Franklin, practiced at this bar occasionally. He is a very prominent lawyer, and now resides in New York, where he is attorney for the Standard Oil Company. Mr. Dodd is a brother of Colonel Levi A. Dodd.


February Term, 1860.


Reuben C. Winslow, of Punxsutawney.


September Term, 1860.


James Craig, of Clarion, came here occasionally.


February Term, 1861.


E. A. Brooks came to Brookville and was admitted, and then removed to Forest county.


September Term, 1861.


Charles E. Taylor, of Franklin, Pa., practiced here occasionally ; now pres- ident judge of the Franklin district.


Harry White, of Indiana, now president judge of his district. Judge White served as State senator for three terms, and was elected twice to Congress from the districts of which Jefferson formed a part.


December Term, 1862.


Alexander C. White, of Brookville; elected district attorney in 1867 and 1870, and member of Congress in 1884.


Lewis A. Grunder, of Brookville.


February Term, 1864.


Albert C. Thompson, of Brookville, read law in Brookville and admitted to


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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


this bar, but removed to Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1865, where he was in 1872 elected probate judge of Sciota county, and subsequently president judge of his district, which office he resigned to accept the nomination for Congress in 1884, to which he was elected and re-elected in 1886.


May Term, 1865.


Charles S. Andrews, of Brookville, read law here, but after being admitted removed to Pithole, Pa., where he opened an office, but soon afterwards re- moved to Brazil, Ind., where he is engaged in the banking business.


J. B. Finlay, of Kittanning, was here but once.


May Term, 1866.


J. W. Patrick, of Clarion, practiced at this bar occasionally.


W. E. Lathy, of Clarion, practiced at this bar occasionally, now of Tiones- ta, Pa.


T. S. Wilson, of Clarion, now president judge of this district.


September Term, 1866.


R. M. Matson, of Brookville, practiced at this bar until within a few years. He still has his library in Brookville, but is now engaged in the lumber busi- ness in Forest county.


V. O. Smith, of Brookville, removed to State of New York in 1868, opened law office at Dalton, N. Y., where, in his absence, his office, library and all his papers were destroyed by fire. After practicing two years left the bar to be- come a farmer in the Genesee valley.


December Term, 1866.


E. H. Clark, of Brookville.


John McMurray, of Brookville, was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1873, from this district, and in 1875 was appointed a clerk in the auditor-general's office, of Pennsylvania, where he remained four years. Since 1878 he has been editor of the Brookville Democrat. In July, 1885, Major McMurray was appointed chief of the division of lands and railroads, in the office of the secretary of the interior of the United States, which position he yet retains.


September Term, 1867.


William F. Stewart, of Brookville, practiced at this bar until December, 1884, when he went to Atlanta, Ga., where he was admitted to the bar. He returned to Brookville and resumed his practice in April, 1885.


February Term, 1868.


H. Clay Campbell, of Punxsutawney, practiced in Punxsutawney until the fall of 1870, when he removed to Indiana, and from there went to Pittsburgh, where he practiced until 1879, when he returned to Punxsutawney and pur- chased the interest of John Hastings in the firm of Hastings & Brewer. He removed to Brookville in July, 1885.


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THE BENCH AND BAR.


May Term, 1868.


W. D. J. Marlin, of Brookville.


February Term, 1869.


John H. Fulford.


February Term, 1871.


Benton P. Arthurs, of Brookville, Pa.


May Term, 1871.


William M. Fariman, of Punxsutawney, elected district attorney in 1876. Charles M. Brewer, of Punxsutawney.


John St. Clair, of Punxsutawney.


December Term, 1871.


Camden Mitchell, of Reynoldsville.


Marion M. Davis read law with A. W. Taylor, esq., of Indiana, and was admitted to practice in the courts of Indiana county in 1866. In 1867 he re- moved to Osage Mission, Kansas, where he practiced for about a year, when, on account of ill health, he was obliged to return to Pennsylvania. In 1871 he located in Reynoldsville, where he served as justice of the peace for a term of five years.


May Term, 1872.


Charles Corbet, of Brookville, elected district attorney in 1873.


Joseph L. Covin, of Philadelphia, was here but once.


September Term, 1873.


James T. Maffett, of Brookville, practiced here for a short time after ad- mission, then removed to Clarion, where he has since practiced. Mr. Maffett was elected on the Republican ticket to the present Congress, from this dis- trict.


May Term, 1873.


John F. Craig, of New Bethlehem, has never practiced at this bar since ad- mission.


February Term, 1874.


H. W. Walkinshaw, of Greensburg, located here after being admitted, but removed in a short time to Saltsburg, Pa.




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