History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 167

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992


USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884 > Part 167


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).


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Isanc lowell, commissioned.


George Henry, commissioned


Plunket Fleeson, commissioned


Abraham Dawes,2 commissioned May


20, 1752


Samuel Wharton, commissioned. .. May


12, 1784


Thomas Willing, commissioned. Feb.


28, 1761


George Bryan, commissioned. Nov.


19, 1764


Peter Evans, commissioned


March 20, 1767


Charles Jolly, commissioned


Peter Knight, commissioned.


June


4,1770


James Dieter, commissioned


April


27,1772


Sept.


3,1776


THE BENCH AND BAR.


1565


Edward Shippen, commissioned.


Feb. 12, 1697-98


John Guest, commissioneil. 2 7 mo., 1701


Joseph Growden, commissioned .. - 11 mo., 1706


4, 1715


JUSTICES OF THE COMMON PLEAS


The jneticee whose namee are given here I fonti specially commis- sioned as justices of the Conimon Pleas:


William Markham, commissioned. 1 9 mo., 1690


Thomas Ellis, commissioned. 4 9 nie., 1630


Dr. John Good-onn, commissioned.


4 I mo., 1690


Samuel Jennings, commissioned


4 9 tuo., 1690


Joseph: Growden, commissioned 11 mio., 1706


William Biles, commissioned .. 11 mo , 1706


Samuel Dorke,12 commissioned. 11 mo., 1706


James Kirkbride, commissioned.


11 mio., 1706


Willoughby Warder, commissioned.


11 mo., 1706


Samuel Ashmend,6 commissioned


April 27, 1772


Benjamin Franklin,7 commissioned.


.Sept.


3,1776


James Young, commissioned .. March 28, 1777


Samuel Ashmead, commissioned.


June


6, 1777


John Ord, commissioned ..


Dec


26, 1778


Plunket Fleeson, commissioned.


Nov.


18, 1780


Edward Shippen, commissioned.


May


1, 1784


Dr. Eaoch Edwards,8 commissioned


Aug.


14,1789


PRESIDENT JUDGES.


James Biddle, commissioned.


.Sept.


1, 1791


John D. Coxe, commissioned ..


June


19, 1797


William Tilgliman, commissioned.


July


1, 1805


Jacob Rush, commissioned ..


1,1806


John Hallowell, commissioned.


Jan.


19, 1820


Edward King,9 commissioned.


April


22, 1825


1 Isaac Norris died June 3, 1735, and Clemeat Plumsted became the presiding justice. See Record of Commissions, 1733.


2 Thomas Lawrence died April 22, 1754, and was succeeded by Robert Strettell, who stood next in the combussion to Lawrence on lie decease. See Orphans' Court Dockets from June 5, 1754, to June 20, 1757, from which he appears to have been the presiding justice.


3 Stedman was in office at this date (see Orphans' Conrt Docket), and is spoken of as president of the Court of Common Pleas (8 C. R., 339) on June 2, 1759,


4 On Feb. 28, 1761, five writs of supersedeas were issued to Thomas Ynike, Rowland Evans, John Potts, Samuel Wharton, and John Hughes, late judges of the Common Pleas, forbidding them exercising the powere granted them by Governor Denny ; 8 C. R., 575. They were commis- Bioned Oct. 20, 1759, and in the Record of Commissions Samnel Whar- ton'e name heade the list as first judge, but I have followed the Colonial Recorde, as Samuel Wharton not having been in conimission before as a justice, is not likely to have been first judge, although he was a prom- inent man in his day, a writer of some eminence, and devoted to the proprietary's interest. The Orphans' Court Docket on Dec, 8, 1750, showe that Thomas Yorke was the senior judge.


5 Robinson died Jan. 8, 1767.


6 Aslımead succeeded Jones at this date in the Common Pleas. See Record of Commissione at Harrisburg, wherein he and the other justices are referred to as "Samuel Ashmend and associates of the Common Pleas." In Aitken's " Register" of 1774, Sammuel Ashmend is given as the " president" of the justices of the Common P'lens and Quarter Ses- sione. Isaac Jones appeare to have died or resigned after Sept. 6, 1773, and if there ie an error in the indoreement or note to the Record of Commissions even, Ashmend became president of the Board of Justices of the Common Pleas at Jones' retirement, as the " Register" showe. We have seen heretofore, that on Dec. 6, 1773, Sinnel MitHin became " president of the justicee of the Quarter Sessione," as Appears by the Docket of that Court, wherein it will also be seen that Ashmead site next to him in rank among the justices. In the Independent Gazelleer of March 29, 1794, will be fouad a biographical notice of the death of Sam- Del Asbmend, who died March 19, 1794, "aged above eighty-four years, long respectable as a magistrate, and lately a representative in the Leg- lalature for Philadelphia County." Ile " died in the Northern Liberties, and was interred on the 21st in the Baptist burial-place."


7 It is doubtful whether Benjamin Franklin ever presided in any of the courts. The appointment of jnetices by the Convention of July 15, 1776, was an usurpation of power. See " Minutes of the Convention," p. 73.


8 Died April, 1802, aged 50 years.


9 Edward King died May 8, 1873, In his eightieth year. He Was a powerful, heavy-built man, of a robust constitution. He was the great judge of the Common Pleas. I have been told that much dissatisfaction was openly expressed by many Diembers of the bar at his elevation to the hench, but that the great abilities he soon displayed astonished his friends and confounded his enemies.


Oswald Thompson, Donhumissioned, .. Doc 1.4-51


Joseph Allison,11 commissioned.


1866


James Logan, commissioned .Sept 2, 1723


.Sept. 21, 1726


Clement Plumsted, comuni-sioned.


June


3, 1735


Thomas Lawrence,2 commissioned.


May


27, 1745


Robert Strettell, commissioned ..


April


26, 1754


William Coleman, commissioned ..


.Nov.


27,1757


Alexander Stedman, 3 commissioned.


.Dec.


9, 1758


Thomas Yorke,4 commissioned.


Oct.


20,1759


Alexander Stedatan, commissioned.


Feb.


28, 1761


William Plumsted, comous-ioned


March 21, 1764


Septimus Robinson, 6 commissioned


.. Aug.


14, 1765


Samuel Ashmend, commissioned.


June


4,1770


Thomas Stevenson, commissioned.


Jeremiah Langhorne, commissioned.


11 mo , 1706


Joseph Growden, commissioned.


March 3, 1707


Samuel Finney, commissioned


March 3, 1707


George Roche, commissioned.


March 3, 1707


Juha Jones, commissioned.


Mari lı 3, 1707


Edward Farmer, commissioned.


March 3, 1707


Rowland Ellis, commissioned. March 3. 17 7


l'eter Banksou. commissioned March 3, 1707


Joseph Pidgeon, commissioned.


March 3, 1707


Richard Hill, commissioned. June


4, 1715


Isaac Norris, commissioned Inne


4,1715


James Logan, commissioned.


June


4,1715


Nathan Stanbury, commissioned, June


Edward Farmer, commissioned.


Row htud Ellis,13 commissioned. June


June


4, 1715


Benjamin Vining, commissioned.


June


4,1715


John Swift, comanissioned ...


June


4,1715


Sammel Carpenter, commissioned


June


4, 1715


Robert Jones, commissioned.


June


4,1715


Sammel Ashmend, 15 commissioned


April 27, 1772


James Humphreys, commissioned.


April 27, 1772


John Ord, commissioned.


April 27. 1772


Peter Miller, commissioned


April 27, 1772


Matthew Clarkson, commissioned.


April 27, 1772


Henry Hill, commissioned .. .. April 27, 1772


Samuel Powel, commissioned .April 27, 1772


Jonathan Bayard Smith, commissioned. .July


6,177%


Henry Schertz (resigned), commissioned. March 31, 1784


John Dickinson, commissioned. May


1, 1784


Samuel Wharton, commissioned ..


10, 1784


Plunket Fleceon, commissioned ..


Sept.


2, 1784


Charles Biddle, commissioned ..


.Jun.


26, 1786


Matthew Holgate, commissioned.


May


6, 1786


John Gill, commissioned.


.May


26, 178G


Lewis Weiss, commissioned.


May


26.178G


William Rush, 16 commissioned.


Muy


26. 1786


Charles Biddle, commissioned.


Jan.


19, 1787


Isaac Howell, commissioned.


Feb.


9,1787


Matthew Trwin, commissioned ..


April


7,1787


Robert McKnight, commissioned.


.Sept.


12, 1787


William Nichols, comanssioned ..


March 31, 1788


Jacob Weaver, commissioned.


April


3, 1788


Joseph Wharton, commissioned


May


9,1778


William Mastere, " commissioned ..


.May


9, 1788


William Conts, commissioned


.Ang.


26, 1788


William Craig, commissioned


Aug.


29. 17×8


Clement Biddle, commissioned.


Sept. 5.1, 1788


James Biddle, commissioned. .Nov. 25, 1785


ASSOCIATE JUDGES OF THE COMMON PLEAS.


Thomas Yorke, commissioned


21, 1759


Rowland Evans, commissioned.


.. Oht.


20. 1759


John Potts, commissioned


.. Ort.


27, 1759


Samuel Wharton, commissioned


20, 17 >9


John Hughes, comonssioned


.. Oct.


20,1739


1" Oswald Thompson died Jan. 23, 1866, from overwork. lle was an accomplished echolar, nn able and a conscientione judge, and a kind- hearted, courtevos gentleniaa.


11 JJoseph Allison was appointed by the Governor to fill the vacancy catismal by the denth of Judge Thompson, and was sworn into office Feb 5, 1866. On Oct. 11, 1866, he was elected president judge.


12 From signature in Archives of the IlistorIcal Society.


13 Died 7th mio., 1629, aged eighty.


14 9 C. R , 237.


1> Commissioned as Samuel Ashmead and Associates of the Common Pleas. Humphreys, Ord, Miller, And Clarkson were not trics public, and were commissioned justices of the peace and of the court, to assist thom in their business ; lo C. R. 46.


1. Died Nov. 30, 1791, nged seventy-fatti.


Died Ang. 6, 1788, aged fifty-three.


4,1715


4, 1715


Josiah Rolfe, commissioned. June


4. 1715


Jveeph Fisher, commissioned.


June


4.1715


Enoch Davis, 14 commissioned


Jan,


17, 1765


19, 1787


Alexander Tod, commissioned


10, 1788


Joseph Ferree, commissiuned.


June 24, 1784


Jonathan Penrose, commissioned.


March 3, 1107


Nathan Stanbury, commissioned.


16, 1767


Isaac Jones, commissioned ..


11 mo., 1706


Isaac Norris,1 commissioned.


Richard Hill, commissioned. June


1566


HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA.


Dr. Enoch Edwards, commissioned ..


.Aug. 17, 1791


Jonathan Bayard Smith, commissioned ....... Sept.


23. 1791


William Robinson, Jr., commissioned. ......... Sept. 23, 1791


Isaac lowell, commissioned. July 6, 1793


Thomas L. Moore, commissioned.


.July


6, 1793


ASSOCIATE JUDGES.


James T. Mitchell,17 transferred. Jan. 4,1875


Joseph T. Pratt,18 elected .. .Nov. 3,1874


D. Newlin Fell,1? appointed. May


COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, No. 3. PRESIDENT.


James R. Ludlow,20 transferred .Jan. 4, 1875


ASSOCIATE JUNGES.


James Lynd,2] transferred. Jan. 4,1875


Thomas K. Finletter, 20 transferred ... .Jan. 4,1875


William II. Yerkes,28 appointed .. .July 1,1876


COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, No. 4. PRESIDENT.


M. Russell Thayer, 24 transferred. Jan. 5, 1875


ASSOCIATE JUDOES.


Amos Briggs,26 transferred. Jan. 5, 1875


Thomas R. Elcock, 2% elected .. Nov. 3,1874


Michael Arnold,27 elected Nov. 7,1×82


PROTHONOTARIES OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, PHILADELPHIA.


John Southern, 1 C. R., 145 date unknown.


Patrick Robinson, in office. 3 Dio. 16, 1685


David Lloyd, comorissioned. 2 8 mo., 1686


James Claypoole,28 commissioned. 12


28, 1688-89


John Claypoole,29 in office. .July 6, 1697


Robert Assheton,@appointed .. Oct. 25, 170]


Andrew Hamilton, commissioned. June 5, 1727


James Hamilton, commissioned ...


Dec.


28, 1733


Thomas Hopkinson, commissioned NOV. 24, 1748


James Read, commissioned. MAY


1,1752


James Hamilton, 31 commissioned. -, 1754


16 Transferred from the District Court, of which he was then presi- dent. Re-elected for ten years, Nov. 5, 1878.


17 Transferred from the District Court. Re-elected for ten years, Nov. 8, 1881.


18 Died March 26, 1877.


19 Appointed in place of Pratt (deceased). Elected for ten years, Nev. 10, 1877.


20 Transferred from the old Common Pleas, of which he was then the senior associate. Re-elected for ten years, Nov. 10, 1×77.


21 Transferred from the District Court. Died June 30, 1876.


22 Transferred from old Common Plese. Re-elected for ten years, Nov. 2, 1880.


28 Appointed in place of Lynd, deceased. Elected for ten years, Nov. 7, 1876.


24 Transferred from the District Court, of which he was then the sentor associate. Re-elected for ten years, Nov. 5, 1878.


25 Transferred from the District Court.


26 Judges Pratt and Elcock were elected "judges" without resignation of any court, and in accordance with Section 18 of the Schedule to the Constitution, drew lots for their assignments to the vacant positions in Courts No. 2 and No. 4. Thongh elected in November 1874, their terms did not commence nntil Jan. 5, 1875.


97 Elected In place of Judge Briggs, whose term expired in December, 1882.


28 The officee usually annexed to that of prothenotary were clerk of the Orphans' Court and Court of Quarter Sessions, and justice of the Court of Common Pleas, 14 C. R., 377. And this rule existed until the Revolution. James Claypoole died before the 30th of the 5th mo., 1690. 99 For John Claypoole, see ] " Pa. Arc ," 125. Thomas Lloyd (1 C. R., 214) claimed that the offices of keeper of the seal, master of rolls, clarke of the pesce, and clerk of the justices of the county, were his by patent and on the Ist of 1 me., 1689, appointed David Lloyd his deputy, which course, the Council held, was n high usurpation of the Governor's authority.


30 Robert Ascheton anid, Sept. 15, 1726, that he had been for about twenty-six years clerk and prothonotary of Philadelphia. He died June 5, 1727, having been appointed town clerk and clerk of the peace and clerk of the conrt, or courts, by the "City Charter" of Oct. 25, 1701.


31 Andrew Hamilton died in 1741. James Hamilton was still in office Jan. 30, 1775. In the year 1760, Sammuel Wharton was his deputy. In 1770-71, James Biddle was his deputy. See 4 " Pa. Archives," 600.


3,1877


David Jackson, commissioned,


Sept.


2,1800


John Inskeep, commissioned


MAY


21,1802


Frederick Wolbert, commissioned ....


MHY


22, 1802


Jacob Frauklin Heston, commissioned ..


May


1,1805


James Sharswood (declined), commissioned .. Nov. John Geyer, commissioned.


March 1, 1809


Jolin Comad, commissioned.


Dec. 15, 1809


William Moulder. commissioned.


Ang. 2, 1813


Samuel Badger, commissioned.


April


5. 1814


Thomas Armstrong, commissioned.


April


8. 1817


George W. Morgan, commissioned.


Nov.


2, 1818


George Morton,3 commissioned.


Jan.


11, 1819


Edward Duffield Ingraham, commissioned .. March 3, 1819 Hugh Ferguson, + commissioned. March 29, 1819


Jonathan T. Knight,5 commissioned


.lune 19, 1828


Dr Joel B. Sutherland, commissioned.


.March 4, 1833


Archibald Randall, commissioned.


Jan. 23, 1834


Roberts Vaux, 6 commissioned. .Oct.


30,1835


John Richter Jones, commissioned. March 12, 1836


James Campbell, commissioned .. April


2, 1842


Anson V. Parsons,7 commissioned. Feb.


8, 1843


William D. Kelley, commissioned.


March 13, 1847


Joseph Allison,& commissioned


Nov.


7, 1851


Robert T. Conrad, commissioned. Nov. 30,1856


James R. Ludlow, 9 commissioned. Nov. 24, 1857


William S. Peirce,10 commissioned. Feb.


3,1866


Frederick Carroll Brewster, commissioned ... Nov.


15, 1866


Edward M. Paxson, 11 commissioned. .0ct.


26, 1869


Thomas K. Finletter, commissioned. ... Oct. 11,1870


The dates to March 3, 1819, were taken from the Orphans' Court Deckets, and are the dates the judges first ant in that court. The old minutes of the Common Pleas contain no information. The remaining dates are those of commissions, election or transfer.


THE COURTS OF COMMON PLEAS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF 1873.


By the Constitution of 1873, it was provided that on and after the first Monday of January, 1875, the then existing Court of Common l'leas and District Court should be abolished, and all their powers and jurisdiction should be vested in four new courte of equal and co-ordi- nate jurisdiction, to he composed of three judges each, and to be called the Courts of Common Pleas No. 1, No. 2, Ne. 3, and No. 4, respectively. By the schedule to tha Constitution the judges of the District Court and the old Common Pleas, then in commission, were transferred to the new courts, and provision made for the election of two additional new judges to complete the requisite number.


COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Na. I. PRESIDENT.


Joseph Allison,12 transferred. Jao. 4, 1875


ASSOCIATE JUDGES.


William S. Peirce. 13 transferred. Jan. 4, 1875


Edward M. Paxson, 14 transferred .. .Jan. 4,1875


Craig Biddle,16 appointed .. ... Jan. 12, 1875


1 Died May 18, 1815.


2 Lieut .- Col. Edward W. lleston, an officer of the Revolutionary army, died Feb. 14, 1824, aged seventy-eight years.


3 Died June 7, 1828.


4 Died Jan. 29, 1835, aged eighty-six.


6 Died 1858, aged sixty-seven.


G Died Jun. 8, 1836. He was the last of the " lay" judges of the Com- mon Pleas in Philadelphia.


7 Died Sept. 23, 1882, aged eighty-three.


8 Election and sworn in Dec. 5, 1851. By an amendment to the Con- stitution in 1850 the judges were made alective.


9 Judge Ludlow was re-elected for ten years on Oct. 12, 1867.


10 Elected for ten years Oct. 11, 1866.


11 Appointed, then elected Oct. 11, 1870, for ten years.


12 Re-elected for ten years, Nov. 7, 1876.


14 Transferred from the old Common Pleas. Re-elected for ten years, Nov. 7, 1876.


14 Transferred by the schedule to the Constitution from the old Com. mon Pleas. Ile never, however, sat in the new court, as he was in the mean time elected to the Supreme Court, where he took his sent Jan. 4, 1875.


15 Appointed to fill the place of I'nxson, electeil to the Supreme Court. Elected for ten years, Nov. 2, 1875.


COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, No. 2. PRESIDENT.


John Junia Clark Hare, 1G transferred. Jan. 4,1875


Joseph Redman, commissioned. Nov. 11, 1793


Reynolds Keen, commissioned.


May


8, 1794


Jonathan Williams,? commissioned.


Jan.


5,1786


William Coats, commissioned.


.June


20,1799


Edward W. Ileston," commissioned.


. Dec.


10, 1799


7, 1809


1567


THE BENCH AND BAR.


George Campbell, declined


.. March 25, 1777


Jonathan Bayard Smith,1 commissioned ...


... April 4. 1777


James Biddle, commissioned.


Nov. 13, 1788


Charles Biddle,ª commissioned.


-, 1791


Frederick Wolbert, commissioned.


Jan. 30, 1>09


John Porter, commissioned ..


April 25, 1811


Joseph B Norbury, commissioned.


Dec.


24. 1817


Matthew Randall, commissioned


March 17, 1821


Richard Palmer,3 commissioned.


Feb. 22, 1830


Robert Morris, coDimissioned.


March 24, 1836


William O. Kline, commissioned.


.Feb. 9,1839


Samuel Hart, 4 commissioned.


Nov.


14, 1839


John Smith, commissioned.


.Oct.


20,1845


Anthony Wayne Olwine,5 commissioned.


Nov.


25,1848


James Vinyard, commissioned ..


.. May


16, 2850


George Carpenter, commissioned.


.. Dec.


1,1850


James G. Gibson, commissioned.


.. Oct.


8,1853


Edward G. Webb, commissioned.


Nov.


10, 1856


Charles D. Knight, commissioned.


Nov.


10. 1859


Frederick G. Wolbert, commissioned.


Nov.


17,1862


Albert W. Fletcher, commissioned.


Dec.


7.1868


Richard Donagan,6 commissioned


Nov.


16, 1869


J. Alexander Longhridge,7 commissioned .... Dec.


1,187]


William B. R. Selby, commissioned. Dec.


2,1872


William B. Mann, 8 appointed. .Dec.


6, 1875


THE CITY COURT OF PHILADELPHIA.


(Ses City Charter ; 2d Proud, Part I, Appendix, p. 49.)


PRESIDING JUDGES-THE RECORDERS, 1701 TO 1788.


Thomas Story, the Recorder. .Oct. 25, 1701


David Lloyd, the Recorder.


-, 1702


Robert Assheton," the Recorder.


Aug.


3.170%


Andrew Hamilton, 10 the Recorder ...


Juna


12, 1727


1 Jonathan Bayard Smith, died June 16, 1812, aged seventy years; born Feb. 21, 1742. He was a son of Samuel Smith, of Portsmouth, N. H., and removed to Philadelphia before the Revolutionary war. Samuel Smith, his father, had three sons,-Thomas, Jonathan, and Wil- liam. Thomas married a sister of the late Judge Richard Peters. Jons- than married Susannah, daughter of Col. Peter Bayard, of Maryland. After bis mariage he introduced the name of Bayard as one of his Christian names. William was the father of the late Summuel F. Smith, president of the Philadelphia Bank. So says Richard H. Bayard, May 7, 1858.


" The certificate of admission of my grandfather, Dr. William Martin, of Chester, Pa , to the Philadelphia bar, bears date March 24, 1794, and is signed by Charles Biddle, prothonotury of the Court of Common Pleas. He was a sea captain, and died April 4, 1821, aged seventy-six years. He was appointed prothonotary of the Common Pless in 1791, and re- appointed in 1800.


3 Richard Palmer died May 20, 1850, aged over seventy years, ex- alderman of Southwark.


4 By the Ist section of the Act of July 2, 1839, P. L, 559, etc., the pro- thonotaries of the District Court and Court of Conimon Pleas, the clerks of the Oyer and Terminer, Quarter Sessions, and Orphans' Court, the Recorder of Deeds and the Register of Wills, were elected at the gen- eral election, on the second Tuesday of October, 1839, for the term of three years from the lat of December in the same year, and made elective thereafter at the next election after the occurrence of any va- cancy ; such vacancy to be filled in the mean time by appointment of the Governor.


5 Olwine died May 6, 1850, aged fifty-two years.


G Donagan contested Fletcher's election successfully.


" Died Aug. 3, 1881, aged forty-three.


8 By the Constitution of 1873, the prothonotary is appointed by the judgea of the court ; salary, $10,000 per annum. The only clerks of the Common Pleas that I can now recall are Christian Frederick Erichson, in 1858, and for several years afterward. Thomas O. Webb, chief clerk of the Common Pleas, under his father, in 1856, and until his death, in 1868. George T. Deiss, who succeeded him in that position, and was continued until the reorganization of the courts in 1875, when he was made court clark of the Common Pleas, No. I, which position he etill fills. The present court clerk of court No. 2, is Thomas H. Heoves; of ! No. 3, James Penn MacCain ; and of No. 4, Charles II. White, The affable manners of these gentlemen render them great favorites with the bar.


9 Assheton was elected in the place of Edward Shippen, who declined. 10 Andrew Hamilton, the Recorder, died in August, 1741, and must not be confounded with Andrew Hamilton, appointed clerk of this court aod town clerk, Feb. 24, 1745. See " Minutes of the Common Council," 452-56. Andrew (Jr.) and James Hamilton were sons of the recorder, ' John Jonen (Bolter).


William Allen, the Recorder ... .............. Aug. 1, 1741


Tench Francis, the Recorder Oct.


2. 1750


Benjamin Chew, the Recordrl .... .Ang. 20, 1755


Andrew Allen,11 the Recorder ..... June


:5, 1774


James Young, president ... June 11, 1777


Plunket Fleeson,12 president .... 50, 1789


ASSOCIATE JUSTICES II THE CITY I'OU'RT. The Alder men of the City.1d


1701 .- Joshua Carpenter, Anthony Morris, Griffith Jones, Joseph Wil- cox, Nathan Stanbury, Charles Read, Thomas Masters, and William Carter.


1704 -Edward Shippen, John Jones, and Thomas Story.


1705, Oct. 2 .- Samuel Richardson.


1708, Oct. 5 .- George Roche, Richard Hill, Samuel Prestoo, and ]-unc Norris.


1711, Oct. 2,-Jonathan Dickinson.


1713, Oct. 6 .- Joseph Growden and Pentecost Teague.


1715, Oct. 14 .- William Hudson, Abraham Blekley, and Joseph Redmian.


1727, Oct. 1 .- James Logan.


1718, Oct. 7 .- Thomas Griffith 14 and William Fishbourne.


1720, March 4 -William Trent.


1720, Oct. 4 .- Clement PluDisted and Israel Pemberton.


1722, Oct. 2 .- Benjamin Vining, Charles Read, Jr., and Thomas Griffitts.14


1724, Oct. 6 .- Thomas Lawrence and Evan Owen.


1727, Oct. 3 -Edward Roberta.


1729, Oct. 7 .- Samnel Hasell, George Claypoole, John Jones, 13 and George Fitzwater.


1730, Oct. 6 .- William Allen and Isnec Norris, Jr.


1733, Oct. 2 -Anthony Morris, Jr.


1741, Oct. 6 .- Joseph Turner, William Till, James Hamilton, and Ben- jamin Shoemaker.


1743, Oct. 4 .- William Atwood, Abram Taylor, Samuel Powel, Jr., and Edward Shippen.


1747, Oct. 6 .- Joshua Maddox, Charles Willing, and William Plunisted. 1748, Oct. 4 .- Robert Strettell and Septimus Robinsun.


1751, Oct. 1 .- Benjamin Franklin and Jolın Mifflin.


1755, Oct. 7 .- John Stamper, Atwood Shute, and John Lawrence, Jr., who died January, 1775.


1756, Oct. 5 .- Alexander Stedman and Samuel Mifflin.


1757, Oct. 4 .- John Wilcocks, Jacob Duche, And William Coxe.


1759, Oct. 2 .- Thomas Willing and Daniel Benezet.


1761, Oct. 6 -Henry Harrison and Samuel Rhoads.


1764, Oct. 2 .- Isaac Jones and John Lawrence.


1766, Oct. 7 .- Amos Strettell and Samuel Shoemaker.


1767, Oct. 6, -- John Gibson.


1770, Oct. 2 .- James Allen, Joshua Howell, and William Fisher. 1774, Oct. 4 .- Samuel Powel and George Clymer.


1777, June 11 .- 11 C. R , 220. To he judges of the City Court,-James Young, John Ord, Plunket Fleeson, Isaac Howell, and Phillp Borhm, who resigned Sept. 30, 1778.


1779, Jan. 15 .- 11 C. R., 667,-Benjamin Paschall, and on October 27th, John Miller. 12 C. R., 150.


1782, Jan. 31 .- 13 C. R., 181, William Rush. Appointed in place of John Ord, deceased.


who was formerly attorney-general of the Province. Andrew, Jr., died 17.17.


11 See " Minutes of Common Council," p. 795. Andrew Allen was de- clared a traitor about 1778, and his estates sold April 12, 1779. Sce 11 C. R., 745.


1º By act of March 21, 1777, the Supreme Executive Council were au- thorized to appoint fien judges to hold the City Court, and for other pur- poses. Fleeson was appointed by the Supreme Executive Council, to hold the office during pleasure. 13 C. It., 181. He died in 1791.


13 Reappointmente are not noticed In the list. Seo 2 Prond, Appen- dix, part 1. page 47, and the " Minutes of Common Council" therefor. There is no way of determining the length of service of these judges of the City Court, but the great majority held the office till their death, or until the court was abolished, In 1789.


14 Different persons. See " Minutes of Common Council" during the yenre 1722-26, when both were present at the atting of Council at dif- ferent times. Alderman Thomas Griffith's name appears on the " Min- utes of Council" April 27, 1727, while Thomas Griffitta was elected mayor In 1729-37. See also Orphans' Court Pocket, No 1, March 4, 1729-30. 15 Elected to Council in 1712, ne John Jonen Boller, but it should be




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