History of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 9

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 9


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88


1870.


Value of improved land. 104,220


farms. 5,362,623


Value of all farm productions, in- cluing all betterments and addi- tions to live stock. 1.437.269


Spring wheat, bushels 319


Winter


78,299


Rye . 64,678


Corn 200,484


Oats. ·390, 151


Buckwheat. 46,632


Pounds of wool 56,621


Bushels of potatoes 54.596


Pounds of butter


497,951


cheese 246


Census of 1880.


Farms and farm values.


Numbers of farms 2,576


Acres of improved lands. 154,636


Value of farms, including buildings


Value of implements and machinery. 266,692 .. live stock 747,162


Cost of building and repairing fences in 1879. $ 55,328


Cost of fertilizers in 1879 6,793 Value of orchard products. 78,712 and fences. $7,311.371


Estimated value of all farm produc-


tions, sold, consumed or on hand in 1879 933,144


77


FROM 1860 TO THE PRESENT TIME.


Size of Farms in Jefferson County.


Over 3 and under 10 acres.


99


Over 100 and under 500 acres 1,166


IO


20


. 100


500


1,000 “


20


50


336


1,000 and over


4


50


100


857


Live Stock and Production.


No. of horses


5,596


Pounds of wool.


71,824


mules


38


..


oxen


I54


.. milch cows.


7,612


Gallons of milk


31,050


other cattle.


11,452


sheep


17,082


swine.


15,306


Poultry and Eggs, produced in 1879.


Poultry on hand June 1, 1880, exclu-


Other fowls


3,605


sive of spring hatching


Eggs produced in 1879, doz. .295.122


Barn-yard fowls 63,692


Apiarian Products.


Honey, 1879, lbs


14,039 | Wax, 1879, lbs.


.340


Grain Products.


No. bushels of wheat 113,361


Tons of hay 19,468


rye .


59,137


Pounds of tobacco 1,378


corn. 341,031


Bushels of flax seed 28


oats 452,435


Tons of flax straw 1,356


buckwheat 78,40I


Gallons of maple molasses. 1,703


No. pounds maple sugar 3,689


Grass Lands and Forest Products-1879.


Hay crop, tons


19,468


Amount of wood cut, cords. 84,809


Acres mowed.


23,639


Pulse-Canada peas (dry) bu. 2.1


Clover seed, bu


2,427


Beans (dry) bu .


1,315


Grass seed, bu.


1,230


Broom corn raised, lbs


47


Potatoes, acres


1,768


= bushels 156,217


Manufactures.


Establishments


189 | Paid in wages per annum $ 113,412


Capital invested .


$1,282,650


Amount of material used. 679.684


Hands employed 580


Value of products. $1,003,145


Assessed Value and Taxation.


Real estate, value.


$1,893,630


Taxation, State. $ 664


Personal property, value. 290,815


county .21,047


borough and school. .62,739


Total value of property .


7


. 2,184,445


Total taxation . 84.450


butter.


669,788


cheese.


731


78


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


Local debt of county, not including any portion of the State debt : Bonded debt, $102,808 ; floating debt, $10,026; gross, net, $112,834. This debt has been largely reduced in the last six years, the "Auditor's Statement" for the year ending December 31, 1886, giving the bonded debt as $26,600 ; floating, $871.22 ; total liabilities of county, $27,741.22.


The census of 1880 classifies the population of the county as follows : Total males 14,327, females 13,608 ; school age, between five and seventeen, males 4,814, females 4,625 ; military age, between eighteen and forty-four, 5,055 ; twenty-one and over, 6,291. 1870-native born 20,568, foreign born 1,090; 1880-native born 26,587, foreign born 1,338.


Triennial assessment of Jefferson county, showing the amount of real and personal property in the county for the year 1886, and the valuation thereof :


No. of acres seated. 272,297


No. of horses 4,920


Valuation .$1,205,841


Value.


147,276


Average per acre


$


4.42


Average value. $ 29.92


No. of houses and lots.


4,204


No. of cows 1,418


Valuation


577.886


Value 62.637


No. of grist and saw-mills


87


Average value 9.76


Valuation


56,468


Oxen .


89


No. acres unseated lands.


89,421


Value


Average value per acre.


$


3.90


Acres surface.


14,859


Average


$


27.70


Value.


43,244


Average value per acre.


2.91


Acres, mineral.


22,277


No. of carriages


1,190


Valuation .


85,685


Value. 28,285


Average value per acre


3.83 1 Money at interest .$ 660,587


This assessment does not give the real, only the assessed value, which is only about one-fifth of the real value on real estate, and one-third on personal prop- erty. Hereafter we believe property is to be assessed at its true value, and the percentage of taxation lowered, which is the only true method of taxation.


CHAPTER X.


POLITICAL RECORD AND CIVIL LIST.


Votes Cast for President and Governor at the Different Elections, 1832-1886 - Names of all Persons IIolding Office in the County or Representing the County in the United States Congress or in the State Legislature, ISI4-1886 -- Present Officials of the County - Sum- mary of Acts of the Legislature Passed for Jefferson County.


A LTHOUGH the county of Jefferson was erected in the year 1804, no elections were held within its bounds until an act was passed March 31, 1806, making it a separate election district, and fixing the place for holding


Occupations . 4,319


Value.


S 119,747


Total valuation subject to county


tax $2,652,550


Value.


.$ 1,629


355,197


79


POLITICAL RECORD AND CIVIL LIST.


the election at the house of Joseph Barnett, on Sandy Lick. The county was still, however, only a "provisional county," and though voting for general offi- cers from the year 1814, no record was kept of the vote as a separate county, but it was counted in with the vote of the district to which it was attached. Previous to that time those who wished to avail themselves of the right of franchise had to go to Indiana to cast their ballots. Whether the first voters of the county went all that distance to avail themselves of this privilege we cannot tell.


The first elections held in Jefferson county for president of the United States, and for governor of the State were held in the year 1832. Below will be found the result of these elections, and all votes cast for president and governor since that time.


FOR PRESIDENT.


1832 - Andrew Jackson, 175 ; William Wirt, 105. Democratic majority 70.


1836- Martin Van Buren, 244; William H. Harrison, 231. Democratic majority 13.


1840 - Martin Van Buren, 592 ; William H. Harrison, 476. Democratic majority 116.


1844-James K. Polk, 731; Henry Clay, 591. Democratic majority 140.


1848 -Zachary Taylor, 887 ; Lewis Cass, 972 ; Martin Van Buren, 19. Democratic majority 85.


1852 - Franklin Pierce, 1,469; Winfield Scott, 1,094. Democratic ma- jority 375.


1856- James Buchanan, 1,463 ; John C. Fremont, 1063; Millard Fill- more, 583. Democratic majority 400.


1860- Abraham Lincoln, 1,704; John C. Breckenridge, 1,136; Stephen A. Douglass, 6. Republican majority 562.


1864-George B. McClellan, 1,756; Abraham Lincoln, 1,614. Demo- cratic majority 142.


1868 - Ulysses S. Grant, 2,147; Horatio Seymour, 2,068. Republican majority 79.


1872 - Ulysses S. Grant, 2,253 ; Horace Greeley, 1, 156. Republican majority 1,097.


1876 - Rutherford B. Hayes, 2,350; Samuel Tilden, 2,459. Democratic majority 109.


1880- James A. Garfield, 2,750; Winfield S. Hancock, 2,635; J. B. Weaver, 137. Republican majority 115.


1884-James G. Blaine, 3,418 ; Grover Cleveland, 2,978; Benjamin F. Butler, 131 ; St. John, 112. Republican majority 440.


80


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


VOTE FOR GOVERNOR.


1832- George Wolf, 250; Joseph Ritner, 173. Democratic majority 77.


1835- George Wolf, 356; Joseph Ritner, 246; H. A. Muhlenberg, 3. Democratic majority IIO.


1838- David R. Porter, 591 ; Joseph Ritner, 42I. Democratic majority


I70.


1841 - David R. Porter, 678 ; John Banks, 447. Democratic majority 231.


1844- Francis R. Shunk, 727 ; Joseph Markle, 617. Democratic major- ity IIO.


1847-Francis R. Shunk, 709; James Irwin, 454; F. J. Lemoyne, 3. Democratic majority 255.


July 9, 1848 - Governor Shunk resigned on account of ill health, and William F. Johnson, the speaker of the Senate, was sworn in as acting governor.


1848- William F. Johnson, 783 ; Morris Longstreth, 992. Democratic majority 209.


1851 - William Bigler, 1,240; William F. Johnston, 1,002. Democratic majority 238.


1854- James Pollock, 1,559; William Bigler, 988 ; Benjamin F. Bradford, 160. Whig majority 401.


1857- William F. Packer, 1,268; David Wilmot, 1, 125; Isaac Hazle-


hurst, 54. Democratic majority 143.


1860- Andrew G. Curtin, 1886; Henry D. Foster, 1493. Republican majority 393.


1863 - Andrew G. Curtin, 1,754; George W. Woodward, 1,698. Repub- lican majority 56.


1866- John W. Geary, 2,015 ; Heister Clymer, 1,912. Republican major- ity 103.


1869- John W. Geary, 1,967 ; Asa Packer, 2,039. Democratic majority 72.


1872 - John F. Hartranft, 2,407 ; Charles R. Buckalew, 2,247. Republi- can majority 160.


1875-John F. Hartranft, 1,923; Cyrus L. Pershing, 2,248 ; R. A. Brown, 458. Democratic majority 325.


1878- Henry M. Hoyt, 1,944; A. B. Dill, 2,140; S. R. Mason, 814. Republican majority -


1882- James A. Beaver, 2,598; Robert Pattison, 2,581 ; John Stewart, 125; T. A. Armstrong, 165. Republican majority 17.


1886- James A. Beaver, 3,038 ; Chauncy A. Black, 2,713 ; Charles Wolf, 97 ; - Houston, 40. Republican majority 325.


81


POLITICAL RECORD AND CIVIL LIST.


JEFFERSON COUNTY CIVIL LIST.


CONGRESS.


We give the names of all who have represented the county of Jefferson in Congress, with the counties comprising the different districts to which it has been attached from the year 1816 to the present time.


District composed of the counties of Indiana, Westmoreland, and Jeffer- son. 1816-18, David Marchand; 1820, George Plummer ; 1820-24, George Plummer ; 1826-28, Richard Coulter; 1830, Richard Coulter.


District composed of Jefferson, Armstrong, Butler, and Clearfield. 1832- 34, Samuel S. Harrison ; 1836-38, William Beatty; 1840, William Jack .*


District composed of Jefferson, Venango, Erie, Warren, Potter, Mckean, and Clearfield. 1843, Charles M. Reed; 1844-48, James Thompson ; 1850, Carlton B. Curtis.


District composed of Jefferson, Clarion, Venango, Clearfield, Elk, McKean, and Warren. 1852, Carlton B. Curtis; 1854, David Barclay *; 1856, James L. Gillis; 1858, Chapin Hall; 1860, John Patton.


District (known as the Wild Cat district) composed of the counties of Erie, Warren, Mckean, Cameron, Elk, Forest, and Jefferson. 1862 to 1870, Glenni W. Scofield ; 1872, Carlton B. Curtis. The twenty-fifth district composed of Indiana, Armstrong, Jefferson, Clarion and Forest. 1874, George A. Jenks *; 1876-78, Harry White; 1880, James Mosgrove; 1882, John D. Patton ; 1884, Alexander C. White *; 1886, James T. Maffett.


Those marked with a star, are the only citizens of Jefferson county who have represented her in the halls of Congress.


STATE SENATE.


In 1814 a Senatorial District was composed of Jefferson, Indiana and West- moreland. 1815, John Reed ; 1819, Henry Alsehouse.


In 1821 the district was composed of the counties of Jefferson, Indiana, Cambria, Armstrong, Venango, and Warren. 1822, Robert Orr, jr .; 1825, Ebon S. Kelly.


In 1828 Jefferson, Indiana, Armstrong, Venango, and Warren, made up the district. 1829, Joseph M. Fox; 1830, William D. Barclay; 1831, Philip Mechling : 1834, Meek Kelly.


In 1835 Jefferson, Venango, Warren, Mckean, and Tioga comprised the district. 1838, Samuel Hays.


In 1842 the district was composed of Elk, Jefferson, Potter, Mckean, War- ren, and Clarion. 1842, William P. Wilcox; 1845, James L. Gillis ; 1848, Timothy Ives.


In 1849 the district was composed of Jefferson, Elk, Mckean, Potter, Tio- ga, and Clearfield. 1852, Byron D. Hamlin ; 1855, Henry Souther.


82


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


In 1856 the district was composed of Jefferson, Elk, Clarion, and Forest. 1857, Kennedy L. Blood *; 1861, Charles L. Lamberton.


In 1863 a district was composed of Jefferson, Indiana, and Cambria counties. 1865-68, Harry White; 1871, David McClay; 1874, Reuben C. Winslow * ; 1876, Thomas St. Clair * ; 1880, William J. McKnight *; 1884, George W Hood.


Jefferson county has had but three members of the Senate-Kennedy L. Blood, in 1858; R. C. Winslow, in 1874 ; and W. J. McKnight, in 1880-in the seventy years that she has voted for that office.


ASSEMBLY.


In 1814 a legislative or assembly district was composed of the counties of Jefferson, Indiana, and Armstrong, and was represented as follows. 1816, James M. Kelly, Joshua Lewis ; 1817, James M. Kelly, Samuel Houston ; 1818, Samuel Houston, Robert Orr, jr .; 1819, Robert Orr, jr .; 1820, Robert Orr, jr., Robert Mitchell; 1821, Robert Mitchell, James Taylor ; 1822-23, John Tay- lor, Joseph Rankin ; 1824, Joseph Rankin, William Lawson ; 1825, William Lawson, Thomas Johnson ; 1826, David Lawson, Joseph Rankin ; 1827, Rob- ert Mitchell, Joseph Rankin ; 1828, Joseph Rankin, David Lawson.


In 1829 Jefferson and Indiana were made into a district, and assigned one member. 1829, Robert Mitchell; 1830-31, William Houston ; 1832, James M. Stewart; 1833-34, William Banks; 1835, James Taylor.


In 1836 the district was composed of Jefferson, Warren, and Mckean, with one member. 1836-37, Carlton B. Curtis ; 1838-39, William P. Wilcox; 1840, James L. Gillis * ; 1841, Lewis B. Dunham * : 1842, Joseph Y. James.


In 1843 a new district was formed of Jefferson, Clarion, and Venango, with two members. 1843, Joseph R. Snowden, David B. Long ; 1844, James Dow- ling,* Robert Barber ; 1845, Robert Barber, Robert Mitchell ; 1846-47, John Keatly, William Perry : 1848-49, John Hastings,* John S. McCalmont.


In 1850 the district was composed of Jefferson, Clarion, and Armstrong, and allowed three members. 1850, Thomas McKee,* Reynolds Laughlin, John S. Rhey; 1851, William W. Wise,* Reynolds Laughlin, John S. Rhey ; 1852, J. B. Hutchison,* Thomas Magee, J. Alexander Fulton : 1853, George W. Zeigler,* David Putney, Thomas Magee ; 1854, George W. Zeigler,* Philip Clover, Abner W. Lane; 1855, Michael K. Boyer,* Philip Clover, Darwin Phelps; 1856, R. J. Nicholson,* William M. Abrams, John K. Calhoun.


In 1857 the district was composed of Jefferson, Elk, Mckean, and Clear- field, with two members. 1857, Joel Spyker,* William P. Wilcox; 1858, William P. Wilcox, T. J. Boyer; 1859, Isaac G. Gordon,* A. M. Benton; 1860, Isaac G. Gordon,* S. M. Lawrence; 1861, George W. Zeigler,* C. R. Earley; 1862, C. R. Earley, T. J. Boyer ; 1863, T. J. Boyer, A. M. Benton.


In 1864 the district was composed of Jefferson and Clarion, with one mem-


83


POLITICAL RECORD AND CIVIL LIST.


ber. 1864-65, W. W. Barr; 1866-67, W. P. Jenks *; 1868-69, R. B. Brown; 1870, Edmund English *; 1871, A. J. Wilcox *; 1872-73, D. P. Baird ; 1874, R. B. Brown.


In 1874 Jefferson county was made a separate district with one member. 1876, James U. Gillespie ; 1878, Robert J. Nicholson ; 1880, James E. Long ; 1882, Robert J. Nicholson ; 1884-86, William Altman.


COUNTY OFFICERS.


Prothonotary, Register and Recorder, and Clerk of Courts .- The prothon- otary was appointed by the governor until 1839, when the amended constitu- tion made the office elective for a term of three years.


Those appointed were, 1830, James Corbet ; 1832, Thos. Hastings; 1835, Thomas Lucas ; 1839, Levi G. Clover. Elected, 1839, Levi G. Clover ; 1842, John McCrea ; 1845, John J. Y. Thompson ; 1848, Samuel H. Lucas ; 1851, William McCandless ; 1854, David C. Gillispie ; 1857, Wakefield W. Corbet ; 1860, Joseph Henderson ; 1863, Henry Brown; 1869-72, John M. Steck ; 1875-78, Joseph B. Henderson; 1881-83, Thos. K. Hastings; 1885, Scott McClelland.


Sheriff .- The first sheriff elected in the county was Thos. McKee, who, dy- ing before his term of office expired, William Jack was appointed to fill his place until the next election. 1830, Thomas McKee; 1833, William Jack ; 1836, Joseph Henderson ; 1839, John Smith ; 1842, Thompson Barr ; 1845, Thomas Wilkins ; 1848, James St. Clair; 1851, George Mclaughlin ; 1854, Thomas Mitchell ; 1857, James McCracken ; 1860, Philip H. Shannon ; 1863, Manuel W. Reitz; 1866, Nathan Carrier ; 1869, A. D. McPherson ; 1872, John S. Barr ; 1875, Frederick Crissman ; 1878, William P. Steel; 1881, Sam- uel P. Anderson ; 1884, Henry Chamberlain.


Treasurer .- The first treasurer for Jefferson county appears to have been appointed in 1825. June 20, 1837, Treasurer McKnight died, and Daniel Smith was appointed to fill the vacancy. The appointments were made by the county commissioners until 1841, when the office was made elective for a term of two years.


Those appointed were, 1825, John Matson ; 1827, Christopher Barr ; 1829, Andrew Barnett; 1831, Jared B. Evans ; 1833, William A. Sloan; 1834, J. M. Steadman ; 1835, James L. Gillis ; 1836, Alexander McKnight; 1838, Daniel Smith ; 1839, William Rodgers; 1840, Jesse G. Clark; 1841, Nathaniel Butler.


Elected, 1841, Samuel Craig; 1843, Joseph Henderson ; 1845, Samuel Craig ; 1847, Benjamin McCreight : 1849, John Gallagher ; 1851, Evans R. Brady ; 1853, David Harl; 1855, Augustus R. Marlin ; 1857, John E. Carroll ; 1859, Henry Hoch; 1861, John E. Carroll; 1863, Parker P. Blood; 1865, William H. Newcom ; 1867, Christian Miller ; 1869, John Mills; 1871,


84


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


Christian Miller; 1873, Enoch H. Wilson ; 1875, Martin V. Shaffer ; 1877, Scott McClelland : 1881, Nelson D. Corey; 1884, William D. Kane.


District or Prosecuting Attorney .- By an act passed May 3, 1850, the of- fice of district or prosecuting attorney was made elective, and the term fixed for three years. Previous to that time the attorney-general appointed ; but we find no record of any appointments in Jefferson county. 1850, Richard Arthurs ; 1853, James McCahan ; 1856, William McKee ; 1858-61, A. Lewis Gordon ; 1864, Lewis A. Grunder; 1867-70, A. C. White; 1873, Charles Corbet ; 1876, William M. Fairman; 1879, Samuel A. Craig; 1882-85, C. C. Benscoter.


Commissioners .- The first commissioners for Jefferson county were elected in 1824. Thereafter one was elected each year, giving each a term of three years in office, the oldest incumbent's time being expired when the newly-elected offi- cer took his place. In the spring of 1834 Charles R. Barclay resigned, and John Lattimer was appointed to take his place until the next election. George W. Porter died March 31, 1849, but no appointment was made to fill the vacancy. In December, 1857. Joel Spyker resigned, and at the request of the remaining commissioners, the court appointed Francis Shrauger to fill the vacancy until the next election. 1824, Andrew Barnett, John Lucas, John W. Jenks ; 1825, David Postlethwaite; 1826, Frederick Hettrick ; 1827, Thomas McKee; 1828, Thomas Lucas ; 1829, Elijah Heath ; 1830, Robert Andrews ; 1831, John B. Henderson ; 1832, Charles R. Barclay ; 1833, Levi G. Clover ; 1834, James Corbet ; 1835, James Winslow ; 1836, John Philliber ; 1837, John Pierce ; 1838, Daniel Coder ; 1839, Irvin Robinson ; 1840, Benjamin McCreight ; 1841, Joel Spyker : 1842, John Gallagher ; 1843, John Drum ; 1844, Enoch Hall : 1845, David Harl ; 1846, George W. Porter ; 1847, James Wilson ; 1848, Alexander Mckinstry; 1849, Abram Winsor; 1850, Charles B. Hutchison ; 1851, Thomas Hall : 1852, Jacob S. Steck; 1853, David Henry ; 1854 ; C. Mccullough ; 1855, Benjamin McCreight; 1856, Joel Spyker ; 1857, John Boucher ; 1858, John Thompson ; 1859, Charles R. B. Morris ; 1860, Andrew Smith ; 1861, Charles B. Hutchison ; 1862, Benjamin McCreight : 1863, Da- rius Carrier : 1864, Charles B. Hutchison ; 1865, Joseph P. Lucas ; 1866, An- drew J. Monks; 1867, James M. Morris ; 1868, Joseph P. Lucas ; 1869, Rob- ert Dougherty ; 1870, Henry A. Hum; 1871, Martin V. Shaffer ; 1872, Robert A. Travis ; 1873, Samuel A. Hunter.


Under the new constitution the entire board of commissioners were elected at the same time, to serve for three years. 1875, R. A. Travis, S. A. Hunter, R. A. Summerville ; 1878, R. A. Summerville, W. D. Reitz, Oliver Brady ; 1881, James B. Jordan, Samuel McDonald. The vote for the third commis- sioner was a tie between Uriah Matson and G. B. Carrier, and Kennedy L. Blood was appointed by the court. 1884, Edward Barry, James B. Jordan, Thomas H. Wilson.


85


POLITICAL RECORD AND CIVIL LIST.


Auditors .- The first county auditors were elected in 1825. Jonathan Coon died in the spring of 1828, and Samuel Newcom was appointed to fill the va- cancy until the next election.


In 1837 there appears to have been quite a contest over this office, and there were four candidates in the field ; C. A. Alexander, Elijah Heath, Daniel Coder and Joseph McGiffin. The Brookville Republican, the only paper pub- lished in the county at that time, published the following announcements by two of these candidates.


" To the free and independent electors of Jefferson county, who are opposed to petty aristocracies and serving friends out of the public treasury, I offer my- self as a candidate for the office of county auditor, and pledge myself, if elected, to pay some regard to the oath of office, and oppose the settlement of any- account paid out of the county treasury that is not strictly legal.


"ELIJAH HEATII.


" Brookville, August 24, 1837."


" To the Free and Independent Electors of Jefferson County : To all who are opposed to petty aristocracies, to serving friends and pensioners out of the public treasury, and, in short, to all who are opposed to petty monopolies, petty tyrants, and to those who sacrifice honor, truth, and honesty at the shrine of mammon, or in any manner worship the golden calf, at the hazard of the damnation of their souls, I, on the suggestion, and at the earnest solicitation of many friends, offer myself at the ensuing election as a candidate for the office of county auditor, and I hereby stand pledged, if elected, to pay full and com- plete regard to the oath of office, and to oppose the settlement of any account, not in good faith strictly honest.


C. A. ALEXANDER.


" Brookville, Pa., August 31, 1837."


It will be seen that Mr. Alexander's stirring appeal carried the day and he was elected.


In the summer of 1861 A. H. Tracy enlisted in the army and Ira Bronson was appointed to serve as auditor in his place until the next elec- tion. The following comprises a full list of the auditors elected in the county : 1825, James Corbet, Alonzo Baldwin, Thomas Robinson ; 1826, James Brock- way ; 1827, Jonathan Coon ; 1828, John Christie ; 1829, Joseph Mccullough ; 1830, John Hess; 1831, William Kelso ; 1832, David Postlethwait ; 1833, John Welsh : 1834, William Ferguson ; 1835, J. J. Y. Thompson ; 1836, Hance Robinson ; 1837, C. A. Alexander ; 1838, Jesse Smith ; 1839, M. Johnston ; 1840, James Gray ; 1841, James Perry ; 1842, Woodward Reynolds ; 1843, John Pifer ; 1844, A. Mckinstry : 1845, James Perry : 1846, William Davis ; 1847, C. R. B. Morris : 1848, J. K. Ormond ; 1849, Samuel Milliron ; 1850, B. S. Wesson ; 1851, Irwin Robinson ; 1852, Robert Moorhead ; 1853, Robert Gourley ; 1854, George W. Andrews ; 1855, Joseph B. Graham ; 1856, Wood- ward Reynolds ; 1857, Truman London ; 1858, Robert R. Means ; 1859, A. 8


86


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


H. Tracy ; 1860, W. W. Reed ; 1861, Joel Spyker ; 1862, Charles Jacox ; 1863, Ninian Cooper ; 1864, Miles Vasbinder ; 1865, Joseph L. Millen ; 1866, J. B. Morris ; 1867, R. R. Means ; 1868, Eli Coulter ; 1869, R. M. Matson ; 1870, WV. E. Simpson ; 1871, M. C. Thompson ; 1872, D. S. Orcutt.


In 1873 the new constitution provided for the election of the three auditors at the same election to serve for three years. 1875, James F. Hawthorn, M. H. Williams, Eli Coulter ; 1878, James F. Hawthorn, Henry A. Smith, Sam- uel McDonald ; 1881, W. A. Andrews, W. C. Smith, Robert Dougherty; 1884, Thomas R. Harris, W. A. Andrews, Frank M. Woods.


County Surveyor .- By an act passed and approved April 9, 1850, the county surveyor was elected for a term of three years. Previous to said act they were appointed by the surveyor-general. There does not appear to have been any appointments made for Jefferson county. 1850, Cyrus Blood ; 1853, Joel Spyker ; 1856, John J. Y. Thompson ; 1859-1862, James Caldwell ; 1865, James W. Drum ; 1868-1871, James Caldwell ; 1874, William J. Drum ; 1877, Eli Coulter ; 1880-1883, Abner Spyker ; 1886, James B. Caldwell.


Coroner .- The first coroner was elected in 1830 for the term of three years. 1830, John Lucas ; 1833, J. Christie : 1836, Joseph Sharp ; 1838, John Earheart ; 1839, John Lucas; 1842, Henry Freas; 1845, James K. Hoffman ; 1847, Jacob Shaffer ; 1848, John W. Jenks; 1851, D. C. Gillespie ; 1854, Mar- tin R. Cooley ; 1856, A. M. Clarke ; 1857-1867, none elected ; 1867, Hugh Dowling; 1874, M. Rodgers; 1875, J. T. Bennett; 1881, Martin J. Sarvey ; 1884, Wm. M. Rockey.


Jury Commissioners .- Prior to 1867, when the first jury commissioners were elected, the different juries were drawn by the sheriff and county com- missioners. 1867, M. H. Shannon, Joel Spyker; 1870, I. M. Temple, J. P. George ; 1873, J. B. Morris, Alexander McConnell ; 1876, Paul Fiscus, J. H. Lewis; 1879, R. A. Gourley, P. S. Crate ; 1882, James McGhee, A. G. Dougherty ; 1885, William Campbell, P. S. Crate.


Judiciary .- Hon. Isaac G. Gordon, of Brookville, elected to the supreme bench, 1873, for a term of fifteen years.


President Judges .- By an act of the Legislature, passed April 2, 1830, Jef- ferson county was attached to the Eighteenth Judicial District, and to the West- ern District of the Supreme Court, and by an act of April 15, 1835, the time of holding court fixed for the second Mondays of February, May, September, and December, one week. By an act of March, 1855, the different terms of court were continued two weeks if necessary.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.