USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of Perry County, Pennsylvania, including descriptions of Indians and pioneer life from the time of earliest settlement, sketches of its noted men and women and many professional men > Part 48
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 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123
The adoption of the International Uniform Lessons occurred on Thursday, April 18, 1872, at the Fifth National Sunday School Convention, at Indianapolis, Indiana. It was at 4 o'clock p. m., under a special order of business, and under the leadership of B. F. Jacobs. That date and circumstances are of great import as from then on the Sunday school work became systematized and of great power. Its effect was soon noticeable in Perry County.
The State Sabbath School Association has presented gold medals to three Perry Countians for having had a record of attendance covering fifty years of Sunday school work. They went to Mrs. Jolm T. Glass, of Duncannon, who was a teacher in the Methodist Sunday school there for over fifty years, and to Samuel Reen, long a resident of Newport, now residing at Blain, and David Ritter, of Liverpool. Mrs. Glass and Mr. Ritter died during the past two years.
Earlier in this book appears a cut of "Grandfather" Jacob Buck, one of Perry County's pioneers in Sunday school work in the country districts. He was but one of a devoted body of men and women to whom is largely due the foundation work of the Sunday school movement.
Considerable data in reference to the County Association was origi- nally compiled by Robert W. Diven and David S. Fry, of Newport, S. H. Bernheisel, of New Bloomfield; Mrs. Sarada ( McLaughlin) Burkholder, formerly of Roseburg, Perry County.
CHAPTER XXV.
THE LIQUOR QUESTION.
N January 16, 1920, the centenary of the formation of Perry County, the Constitutional Prohibition Amendment became the law of the land. Prior to that time half of the United States had voted against liquor. Perry County had "gone dry" in March, 1918, after Associate Judge George Boyer took office, the President Judge, Jeremiah N. Keller, being opposed to licenses. They joined and refused every application at the session of license court that year. The licenses for the sale of liquor ex- pired March 31, 1918.
But the trend has long been towards the elimination of intoxi- cants. Maine had barred liquor as early as 1850. The first step was made about one hundred years ago, when Sunday schools were organized all over the country. While the study of Scripture was the object, that Scripture contains within its pages many refer- ences to strong drink, and its admonitions have been sinking into the minds of the sixth generation. Then, almost fifty years ago, the Sunday schools adopted business principles and made the les- son for all schools identical each Sunday, and in each quarter they placed one temperance lesson. In the opinion of the writer that had as much to do with the elimination of the liquor traffic as any one thing which ever happened. The second generation of those boys who attended Sunday school had become voters, and many of the first generation of the girls who attended are the mothers of boys who vote. Then, the business interests found that the drink- ing workman was inferior to the one who did not drink, and the attendant result of these and other conditions is the adoption of the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Even as early as 1832 the George Hench tannery, in Perry County, would em- ploy only men of temperate habits.
Perry was a "middle of the road" county. Sometimes one side would win in a political contest, and sometimes the other, but there are many references here and there along the way showing a trend toward temperance. One of the earliest was a call for the organization of a temperance society in Perry County, made by B. MeIntire, over his signature, on January 14, 1833, the date of the meeting to be February 26th. Another was a remonstrance from the town of lekesburg, objecting to the licensing of a hotel, pre- sented to the Perry County courts as early as the April term, 1833.
443
444
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Its signers were ancestors of many notable Perry Countians. It follows :
The petitioners, inhabitants of Saville Township, beg leave respectfully to represent that the large and beautiful tavern stand in the town of Ickes- burg (occupied for the last year by Mr. Edward Miller), is now pur- chased by Mr. John Elliot, and will by him be occupied for the present year as a temperance house of entertainment; that we place the utmost confidence in said Elliot as a man well qualified for that business; that lie will be provided with everything necessary for the entertainment of strangers and travelers, and that we believe he will be able conveniently to furnish lodging at any time and to any number that may be expected to call in that place. Your petitioners therefore believe that there is no necessity for any other tavern in said town, and more especially for one in which spirituons liquors would be sold, which would only tend to in- jure the morality, peace and comfort of the community. Should any per- son therefor apply we would respectfully ask your honors to refuse them such license ; and we are in duty bound to pray.
Robert Elliot. William Irvine. A. Linn. Henry Thatcher.
William Milligan. George Baker.
Frederick Hartman.
Alexander Patterson. Samuel Reed.
John B. Baker.
David Coyle.
George Billman.
Alexander Robison.
George Sanderson.
Robert Irvine.
Moses Hall.
By 1835 there were temperance societies at Landisburg, Buffalo Township, Millerstown, and New Bloomfield.
John Staily entered the liquor business at Liverpool, and in 1865 erected a large brick building to extend better accommodations to the public. A year later, in 1866, he suddenly saw things from a different standpoint and, without even mentioning the fact to his family, emptied all the liquors from containers and closed the bar. Before that, in 1860, Mrs. Emily Gray had changed her hotel at New Germantown to a no-license place, after having conducted the sale of liquor there for almost thirty years. The place was known as the "Travelers' Rest." That was before the internal revenue laws covered the liquor business and a license then cost $7.50, with larger-sized glasses of whiskey being sold at three cents, according to Wilson W. Morrison, still residing in that town.
The first temperance ticket nominated and voted for in the county was in 1871. In 1872 there was a campaign in Pennsylvania against alcoholic liquors which resulted in a local option law, but through reaction it was soon repealed. Under it Perry County voted "dry." Largely through the evils of intemperance was it possible to pass the high license law of 1887. The temperance ele- ment, however, were dissatisfied with that measure and succeeded in getting before the voters, in 1889, a constitutional amendment, but it was defeated by a large majority. From then on the efforts for the abolition of the liquor business were principally made a matter of education through the Sunday schools and other moral agencies, as stated in the beginning of this topic.
445
THE LIQUOR QUESTION
Among the advocates of temperance Perry County had several very prominent ones. Stephen Miller, who later became governor of Minnesota, traveled throughout Pennsylvania, and from the rostrum did all in his power to create temperance sentiment. He also carried a large tent in which he held meetings. The use of intoxicants was general, and when Matthew B. Patterson, a pioneer along temperance lines, preached his first temperance
REV. MATTHEW B. PATTERSON, Early pastor of the Duneannon Presbyterians, who was a pioneer Temperanee advocate. He was at two sep- arate periods principal of the Bloomfield Academy.
sermon at "the church at the mouth of the Juniata," the fore- runner of the Duncannon Presbyterian Church, "it was re- ceived as a new doctrine, with much adverse criticism. Some said it was blasphemy, others that it was a fearful profanation of the Lord's Day, and yet others that it would be the means of ending his pastorate. Temperance soon began to gain ground, and before the close of his ministry he had banished the sale of intoxicating drinks from the membership of the church. The morning dram was discontinued in many households, and to a considerable extent the bottle was banished from the harvest field." say the records of that church. His pastorate was from 1831 to 1844. Rev. William Weaver was one of the county's first temperance advocates and an . enthusiastic Sunday school man, having organized mostly within
446
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
the county thirteen Sunday schools, more than any other person. The late Jacob Billow, of Carroll Township, was an ardent pioneer temperance advocate, and delivered many talks and addresses against the liquor traffic, the title of one of his lectures being "The Three-Legged Stool." His efforts were not confined to Perry County.
Other notable facts connected with the long war waged against liquor in Perry County are that Daniel Gantt, a New Bloomfield attorney who later became the first chief justice of Nebraska, was president of the Sons of Temperance, formed in New Bloomfield in 1846; that in the same year the Sons of Temperance was organ- ized at Duncannon ; that at the January term of the courts in 1850 there was presented the accounts of a "Committee" of a man de- clared "a habitual drunkard"; that among the early editors John A. Baker, George W. Sloop, and John A. Magee printed very, very many articles bearing against the traffic, and that in later years Wm. C. Lebo practically made his paper a temperance paper instead of a political one, no doubt sacrificing considerable business to principle.
During the earlier years of the county's existence there were many taverns, and it seems to have been a common thing to have had the drinking habit. Every village and hamlet had at least one tavern. New Bloomfield at one time had five. When the Penn- sylvania Canal was dug, according to a historical sketch compiled by the late Rev. Logan, in Millerstown, "nearly every house was a hotel." Liverpool, during the same period, had many, and other towns also had a very considerable number. In the days of our grandfathers it was thought almost impossible to harvest a crop without a goodly supply of whiskey for the harvesters. In the poor farm account of receipts and expenditures, dated March 20, 1823, one of the items of disbursement read as follows: "To sun- dry persons, for labor on farm, harvesting, liquors, etc., $75.04." The late W. II. Waggoner had told to him on more than one occasion by his mother, who was an attendant, that at the wedding of Rev. John Linn whiskey in jugs was there for the guests.
Among the old letters and documents found in the William Anderson, Sr., home at Andersonburg, now occupied by Arthur Anderson, was one which shows that liquor was used at funerals:
Recd. from John Nelson and William Anderson, executors of the last will and testament of William Anderson, deceased, the sum of two pounds, one shilling and nine pence, being for whiskey used at the funeral and on that occasion of the deceased, February 2, 1802.
Recd. by me, WILLIAM CAMPBELL.
At the election of October 10, 1854, a prohibitory liquor law was voted upon throughout the county, and the result of the vote was 1,297 for the law, and 1,939 against it. The larger towns, Bloomfield, Liverpool, Millerstown and Petersburg (Duncannon),
447
THE LIQUOR QUESTION
with Penn Township, were the only places carried against liquor. Newport was the only town of considerable size, supporting the liquor end. Two other county-wide ballots of later periods, 1873 and 1889, are matters of record. That of 1873 was on the ques- tion of local option, and the majority on the temperance side was 579. Duncannon and Millerstown were the only two towns voting in favor of license at that time. The other election was on June 18, 1889, on the adoption of a prohibitory amendment, when the connty swung about and voted for liquor by 306 majority. Marys- ville was the only town in the county to give a majority for liquor, however. The state at that time voted to retain liquor, giving the majority of 188,027 votes. The vote by districts follows :
1889
For Liquor
1854 Against Liquor
For Liquor
I873 Against! Liquor
For Liquor
| Against Liquor
Blain Boro.
Not formed
Not formed
23
33
Bloomfield Boro.
41
61
30
93
42
94
Buffalo Twp.
94
15
63
65
67
50
Carroll Twp.
98
66
75
107
121
100
Centre Twp.
IOI
54
49
100
95
76
Duncannon Boro.
Not formed
108
89
66
IOI
Greenwood Twp.
85
71
61
68
78
59
Howe Twp.
Not formed
26
34
35
16
Jackson Twp.
107
50
117
54
119
41
Juniata Twp.
1.48
56
40
60
66
58
Landisburg Boro.
41
40
19
57
II
62
Liverpool Boro.
59
74
34
139
89
02
Liverpool Twp.
IOI
56
55
71
92
33
Madison Twp.
I16
89
87
72
87
48
Marysville Boro.
Not formed
59
81
98
51
Millerstown Boro.
14
65
37
16
38
56
Miller Twp.
41
8
32
92
40
5
New Buffalo Boro.
17
I5
24
42
19
25
Newport Boro.
67
39
70
148
90
I.41
Oliver Twp.
70
32
32
67
92
48
Penn Twp.
63
81
128
119
166
81
Rye Twp.
57
23
65
33
84
36
Sandy Hill Dist.
Not formed
28
93
41
83
Saville Twp.
120
106
57
115
70
147
Spring Twp.
138
45
82
122
1.28
85
Toboyne Twp.
06
50
73
25
52
75
Tuscarora Twp.
Not formed
26
71
54
55
Tyrone Twp.
115
75
85
128
103
114
Watts Twp.
49
II
43
15
48
II
Wheatfield Twp.
57
22
57
47
100
29
Totals
1939
1297
1662
224I
2214
1908
Majorities
6.42
579
306
Petersburg Boro.
26
93
Name changed to Duncannon
This table to the uninformed may be further explained. At the time the first vote was taken ( 1854) Blain Borough was a part of Jackson Township; Howe Township, a part of Oliver; Marys- ville Borough, a part of Rye Township; Sandy Hill District, a part of Madison Township, and Tuscarora Township, a part of . Juniata Township. Duncannon was then Petersburg.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE COUNTY'S PUBLIC OFFICIALS.
D URING the century of Perry County's existence its offi- cials, largely, have been men of character, stability and in- telligence-in fact, creditable representatives of their con- stituency. They have come from every walk of life, and while some of them have been college men, the greater part have been products of the little schoolhouses by the crossroads and the way- side, with perchance a term or two at an academy or a normal school.
The first officers of the county were: John Fry, member of the general assembly : John Reed, president judge : William B. Mitchell, prothonotary; Benjamin Leas, register and recorder : Daniel Stambaugh, sheriff ; William Power, treasurer ; Thomas Adams, Jacob Huggins, Robert Mitchell, county commissioners ; William Smiley and A. Fulweiler, auditors. Of these the only one to attain promotion politically was Jacob Huggins, who became a member of the General Assembly in 1823, serving with distinction. In fact, it was the opinion of Mr. Huggins which was requested by that body and which finally clinched the location of the new county seat at New Bloomfield.
Other county commissioners who later attained the coveted place in the General Assembly were George Beaver, in 1842; Thomas Adams, in 1854: Charles C. Brandt, in 1857. and Clark Bower, in 1918. Mr. Bower is also the third member of the Bower family to have representation on the board of county commissioners. Solomon Bower was made a commissioner in 1828, his son Solo- mon Bower, in 1875, and his grandson, Clark Bower, in 1908, all being elected from the same district and having resided in the same house.
Among the clerks to the county commissioners, the first, Jesse Miller, became a noted figure in state and nation, and at least two others attained distinction. William N. Seibert, who was clerk in 1871, became president judge of the district composed of Perry and Juniata Counties in 1912, and James W. McKee, who was clerk in 1885, became State Senator of the district composed of Perry, Juniata and Mifflin Counties, in 1901. The first election of Congressmen in Pennsylvania was in 1788, in conformity with the Constitution of the United States, adopted the previous year. It provided that until an enumeration of the inhabitants could be made, which was to be done within three years after the first meet-
448
449
THE COUNTY'S PUBLIC OFFICIALS
ing of Congress, and an apportionment then to be made there- under. Pennsylvania was to have eight members. At the election of 1788, there being no districts, they were elected by the state at large. That method may have continued for some years, no rec- ords being available to show that the apportionment was made until 1802.
MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
While there have been those of Perry County birth who have served in the United States Congress, they are spoken of else- where, the list here being only those elected from Perry County who have represented the district of which Perry County is a part. *The district, as noted below, has varied much in the course of the century. The present Congressman, Benjamin K. Focht, is editor of the Lewisburg ( Union County) Saturday News, but his birth- place was at New Bloomfield, Perry County, where his father was a pioneer Lutheran minister. The list :
1834-Jesse Miller. 1845-James Black. 1860-Benj. F. Junkin.
1862-Joseph Bailey. 1872-John A. Magee.
*Following each decennial census a new apportionment of the state into congressional districts is made, and only once since its formation has the same district been allowed to stand for the next decade in so far as Perry County's placement is concerned. That was during the Sectional War, when far greater duties than reapportionment occupied the minds of men, and the district was allowed to remain as before. Before Perry became a county, the act of April 2, 1802, made Dauphin, Cumberland, Huntingdon and Mifflin the Fourth District, with two members. Juniata County was then still a part of Mifflin.
Ten years later, in the act of March 20, 1812, Cumberland, Franklin and Adams composed the Fifth District, to which the Perry County territory- still a part of Cumberland-then belonged. It had two members. The act creating Perry County, in 1820, placed it in this district.
The act of April 2, 1822, made Adams, Franklin, Cumberland and Perry the Eleventh District, with two members. This was the same territory as before, but Cumberland County had been divided by the erection of Perry from its northern half.
On June 9, 1832, an act made the Thirteenth District include Cumber- land, Perry and Juniata, with one member. Since that time each district has had but one member.
In 1843, on March 25, an act was passed which made Cumberland, Perry and Franklin the Sixteenth District.
In 1852, on May 1, York, Cumberland and Perry was made the Sixteenth District, and in the act of April 10, 1862, it was not changed, save that it was designated the Fifteenth District, instead of the Sixteenth.
The act of April 28, 1873, created the Eighteenth District, composed of Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Snyder and Perry.
The act of May 19, 1887, threw Perry into a totally new territory with Dauphin and Lebanon, comprising the Eighteenth District.
On July 11, 1901, the district was again changed and designated as the Nineteenth, composed of Perry, Juniata, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Fulton. Franklin, Snyder and Union. It is the largest territorial district in Penn- sylvania-a commonwealth in itself. There are no cities within its borders.
The act of April 27, 1909, amended the last previous act, but left Perry in the same district, designated as the Seventeenth. Until a reapportionment `act is passed the state will have four members-at-large.
29
450
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
As a matter of interest it might be stated that there has been an increase of the number of members of Congress every ten years, except that after the census of 18440 there was an actual reduction of ten. The greatest increase was after the census of 1870, when fifty members were added. The membership is now 435, while that of the British House of Commons, representing a population of only one-half of the United States, is 701 members.
MEMBERS OF THE STATE SENATE.
Previous to 1790 the legislative duties of Pennsylvania were per- formed by one body-the House of Delegates-but the new Con- stitution provided for two, a Senate and a House of Represen- tatives. It fixed senatorial districts, which were to remain so until the first enumeration of taxable voters and an apportionment thereunder, and made the term of office four years. Districts were first formed by an act of assembly in 1794, and an act was passed requiring a new apportionment every seven years. The Constitution of 1838 changed the length of the term to three years, and in 1874 it was again placed at four years. * By different ap- portionments the. district has been of various sizes and uncertain outline. Immediately preceding the present apportionment the dis- trict for years was composed of Perry, Juniata and Mifflin Coun- ties. At the present time it is composed of Cumberland, Perry, Juniata and Mifflin Counties. Perry Countians were elected as follows :
1830-Jesse Miller. 1864-Kirk Haines. 1844-Wm. B. Anderson. 1867-C. J. T. McIntire.
1846-Robert C. Stewart. 1881-Charles H. Smiley. 1851-Joseph Bailey. 1901-James \V. McKee. 1857-Henry Fetter. 1917-Scott Leiby.
*For a period including 1837 to 1843 Perry was in a district with Mifflin, Juniata, Union and Huntingdon. For a period covering 1864 to 1870 Perry was included in a district with Huntingdon, Blair, Centre, Mifflin and Juniata, with the right to elect two senators. For a period covering 1872 to 1876 Perry was included with Snyder, Union and Northumberland.
MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
According to population Perry County is entitled to but one Member of the General Assembly. At times it was part of an- other district, as the footnotes will show. Its representatives con- tain the names of many of the best families of the county, as follows:
1820-21-John Fry. 1832-33-John Johnston.
1822-23-F. M. Wadsworth. 1834-37-F. Rinehart. 1824-25-Jacob Huggins. 1837-38-Wm. Clark. 1826-27-Jesse Miller. 1838-41-Wm. B. Anderson.
1828-29-W. M. Power. 1842 -George Beaver.
1830-31-James Black.
1843-45-Thos. O'Bryan.
451
THE COUNTY'S PUBLIC OFFICIALS
1846 -Eleazer Owen. 1872-73
-Joseph Shuler.3
1847-49-John Souder.
1874
-J. H. Sheibley.3
1850-52-David Stewart.
1875-76 -G. N. Reutter.
1852 -David Shaver. 1877-78
-D. H. Sheibley.
1854 -Thomas Adams.
1879-82 -M. B. Holman.
1855-56-Kirk Haines.
1883-86 -Wm. H. Sponsler.
1857 -Charles C. Brandt.
1887-88 -J. R. Flickinger.
1858 -Charles C. Brandt.1
1893-96 -J. W. Buckwalter.
1859-60-John Power.1
1897-1900-J. Harper Seidel.
1862 -Jesse Kennedy.1
1901-03 -John S. Arnold.
1863 -John A. Magec.
1903-06 -Samuel B. Sheller.
1864 -Charles A. Barnett.
1907-08 -John D. Snyder.
1865-66-Geo. A. Shuman.2
1909-10 -W. N. Kahler.
1867 -Geo. A. Shuman.2
19II-14 -L. E. Donally.
1868-69-John Shively.2
1915-18
-John S. Eby.
1870-71-D. B. Milliken .?
1919-22
-Clark Bower.
1With Cumberland County.
2With Franklin County.
3With Dauphin County.
PRESIDENT JUDGES.
Until 1851 the president judges, the associate judges, and the judges of the Supreme Court were appointed by the governor, and held their offices during life or good behavior. An amendment to the Constitution in 1850 provided for an elective judiciary, and on April 15, 1851, the enabling legislation was passed to carry out its provisions. The term was placed at ten years.
YEARS OF INCUMBENCY :
1820-39-John Reed. 1892-1900-Jeremiah Lyons.1
1839-48-Samuel Hepburn. I900-01 -L. E. Atkinson.1
1849-51-Frederick Watts. 1902-II -James W. Shull.
1852-71-James H. Graham. 1912-18 -Win. N. Seibert .?
1872-81-Benjamin F. Junkin.
1918-19 -J. N. Keller.2
1882-91-Charles A. Barnett.
1920- -James M. Barnett.3
1 Jeremiah Lyons died, and L. E. Atkinson was appointed by the governor to fill the unexpired term.
2William N. Seibert died, and J. N. Keller was appointed by the governor
to serve until the election of a successor.
3 James M. Barnett elected on the Non-Partisan ticket, under the new law.
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
The year of election is given, the term starting with the first of the succeeding year.
1820-W. B. Anderson. 1852-Jesse Beaver.
1820-Jeremiah Madden. 1852-George Stroop.
1832-John Junkin.
1854-J. Martin Motzer.
1836-Robert Elliot.
1856-John Reifsnyder.
1842-James Black.
1859- David Shaver .*
1844-G. Blattenberger.
1861-Philip Ebert.
1849-John A. Baker.
1862-Isaac Lefevre.
1851-John Rice. 1862-Samuel Lupfer .*
*David Shaver died in office. Samuel Lupfer appointed by the governor to fill the vacancy.
1889-92 -W. R. Swartz.
1861 -Wm. Lowther.1
452
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
1864-Jacob Sheibley.
1804-John L. Kline.
1867-John A. Baker. 1806-George M. Stroup.
1869-George Stroup. 1899-Isaac Beam.
1872-John A. Baker.
1901-John Fleisher.
1874-John Bear.
1904-Jacob Johnston.
1877-Samuel Noss. 1906-George Patterson.
1879-William Grier. 1909-Lucian C. Wox.
1882-William Gladden.
1911-S. W. Bernheisel
1884-Joseph B. Garber.
1915-Wm. A. Meiser.
1887-Samuel Woods.
1917-George E. Boyer.
1889-Henry Rhinesmith.
1801-James Everhart.
COURT REPORTER.
When the act of assembly requiring the appointment of court reporters was passed, the position was filled by the appointment of Joseph F. Cum- mings, of Sunbury, in 1878, by President Judge Benj. F. Junkin, and he has served continuously ever since, under Judges Junkin, Barnett, Lyons, Atkinson, Shull, Seibert, Keller and James M. Barnett. As early as 1867 Mr. Cummings, then but fourteen years of age, had entered the employ of the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad Company. He studied shorthand during his spare hours and was taken into the office of the general superintendent of the line-the first shorthand writer in any of its offices. After serving there for over a year an act of assembly was passed requiring the appoint- ment of shorthand reporters by the courts. Judge Junkin's appointment also covered Juniata County, and Judge Bucher appointed him in a like capacity in the counties of Union, Snyder and Mifflin. He served with Judge Bucher in that district to the end of his second term, when he was appointed reporter for Northumberland County, although he had done special reporting there as early as 1874. During his early court reporting he found time to take a three years' course at the Millersville State Normal School. He has also served as reporter for various state commissions and boards, and for ten years, from 1899 to 1910, was official reporter of the State Senate, being thus engaged during the completion of the new state capitol and during the contest over the United States Senatorship be- tween Matthew Stanley Quay and others.
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.