USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884 > Part 169
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Charles Read, in office.
1571
THE BENCH AND BAR.
Col. William Markhanı, appointed .. March 29, 1703
Lieut .- Gov. John Evans, appointed ..
.. 27 4 mo., 1704
Peter Evans, deputy, Appointed. . Dec. 11, 1704
Peter Evans, cumnussioned.
17 12br., 1708-9
Lient .- Gov. Charles Gookin, commissioned ... Nov.
7, 1710
Benjamin Mayne, commissioned.
July
28, 1712
Peter Evans, commissioned.
July
3, 1713
Richard Birmingham, deputy ..
Nuv. 3, 1715
Dr. Thomas Graeme, commissioned.
MAY 14, 1724
John Moore,1 deputy. Dec.
3, 1724
Peter Evans, in office .. Dec.
6, 1725
William Plumsted, commissioned ..
.. June
19, 1745
Benjamin Chew, commissioned. Ang.
14, 1765
John Maxfield, deputy, died .Oct. 6, 1774
THE REGISTERS OF WILLS, PHILADELPHIA.
Sammuel Morris, by act of. March 14, 1777
George Canipbell,2 by the Assembly April 6, 1782
Joseph B. McKend, iu office. April 21, 1800
Charles Swilt, in office .. May 19, 1800
Saniuel Bryan, in office .. April 12, 1809
Peter S Muhlenberg, in office. Nov.
8, 1821
Joseph Barnes, in office March 9, 1824
John Geyer, in office.
March 28, 1825
Joho Humes, in office. Murch 6, 1830
John Gest, in office
March 28, 1836
Edward D Corfield, in office .. JAn.
8, 1839
Michael Pray, in office. March 2, 1839
William Piersol, elected.
.Oct.
11, 1842
John Wenver.3 elected.
Oct.
14, 1845
Edward A. Penniman, appointed.
JAn.
26, 1846
Thomas C. Bunting, in office .. Theodore T. Derringer, deputy.
Dec.
4, 1849
William Bowers, in office ..
Dec. 1,1852
Samuel Lloyd, deputy
Charles W. Carrigan, in office ..
Dec.
1, 1855
George W. McMahao, in office ...
Dec.
6, 1858
Samuel Lloyd, deputy ..
Thomas Mccullough, in office
Dec. 3,1861
John F. Belsterling, deputy
Frederick M. Adams, in office
Dec. 2, 1864
Samnel Lloyd, deputy.
William A. Leech, in office ..
Dec.
1,1867
John H. Campbell, deputy.
William M. Bunn, in office.
Dec. 1, 1870
George W. Painter, deputy
Gideon Clark, in office.
Dec.
1,1873
Jesse W. Neal, elected.
Nov.
7,1876
James Brearly, deputy ..
Horace L. Keyser,6 deputy
Nov.
4,1879
William G. Shields, deputy.
Walter Edwin Rex, elected. Suv.
7,1882
William G. Shields, deputy.
The registers of wills are now by the Constitution of 1473 the clerks of the Orphans' Court. (Art. 5, sec. 22.)
THE MAYOR'S COURT OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA.
This court was created by act of Assembly of March 11, 1789, incorpo- rating the city of Philadelphia, and abolished by the act of March 19, 1838
By this act the mayor, recorder, and aldermen, or any four of them, whereof the mayor or recorder was always to be one, were constituted a court, to be called " the Mayor's Court of the City of Philadelphia," to hear and determine all charges of lurcenies, forgeries, perjuries, A8- snulte and batteries, riots, rows, unlawful assemblies, and all other offenses usually cognizable in any Court of Quarter Scasione. This court
and freehold, and conceived it to be a point of law," and demanded A trial thereof, which Was granted. Markham and Moore acted jointly while contesting the matter. Markham died 12th mo. 4th, 1704, and Lieutenant-Governor Evans appointed himself the register-general, thus settling the miatter, and taking possession of one of the most Incrative offices in the province, and made his cousin, Peter Evans, his deputy, 2 " Logan Papers," S.
1 John Moore signs as deputy register from Dec. 3, 1724, to April 2, 1726.
" Reappointed by Council (16 C. R., 443), Sept. 4, 1790.
ª By act of July 2, 1839, the registers of wills became elective. Charles Thomson Jones was deputy for Corfield, J. B. Sewell for Pray, and Piersul und Col. Robert F. Christy for I'ninter. John Weaver died in office Jan. 16, 1×46.
4 Appointed for the unexpired term of ( ol. Leech, who died in office.
5 Appointed In place of Brearly, who died Aug. 23, 1878, aged thirty- seven years.
met quarterly on the first Mutulay of Mardy low_September, and De- cember in each year, and held frequent ses-inun
The act of 1789 also estal lished the " Aldrimen'- fourt," to consist of three aldermen, two to be a quorum. These to Inibl (hr court to be des- ignated at least four times a year by the mayor at tr order to try ull mutters usually cogolzable by justices of the peace, where the Jebt ir demand amounted to forty shillings and did not exceed ten pounds. The justicee of the court were paid by fees. This court was abellebed hy Act of Assembly of March 20, 1810. I copy from the Independent Gazetteer of April 18, 1789, the following in reference thereto: "At A meeting of the mayor, recorder, and aldermen, held the lith inst , tie mayor and recorder nominated and appointed Francis Hopkinson, Jo- seph Swift, and Hilary Baker, Esqs, to constitute and hold the Alder men's Court.'"'
The mayor and aldermen had power personally to hear and determine cases of debt under forty shillings.
PRESIDING JUSTICES.
THE MAYORS
1789. Samnel Powel.
1811. Michael Keppele.
1790. Samuel Miles.
1812. John Barker.
1791. John Barclay.
1813. Jolın feyer.
1792. Matthew Clarkson. 1814. Robert Wharton.
1796. Hilary Baker.
1819. Jamce Nelson Barker.
1798. Robert Wharton. 182 ). Robert Wharton.
1×00. John Inakeep.
1824. Joseph Watson.
1801. Matthew Lawler. 1828. George M. Dallas.
1805. Jolin Inskeep. 1829, Benjamin W. Richards.
1806. Robert Wharton.
1830. William Milnor.
1808. John Barker.
1831. Benjamin W. Richarde.
1810. Robert Wharton.
1832-48. John Swift.
THE RECORDERS.
1789. Alexender Wilcocks.
1810. Joseph Revd.
1801. Alexander J. Dallas. 18.9. Joseph Mellvaine.
1802. Moses Levy. 1×36. John Bonvier.
1808. Mahlon Dickerson.
1838. Samuel Rush.
ASSOCIATE JUSTICES.
THE AIDERMEN.
1789 .- Samuel Miles, Hilary Baker, William Colladay, Joseph Swift, John Barclay, Francis Hopkinson, Reynold Keen, Matthew Clark- son, Gunning Bedford, John Baker, John Nixon, Joseph Ball, George Roberts, John Maxwell Nesbit.
1792 .- Michael Hillegas, Jonathan Bayard Smith, Francia Gurney.
1793,-Edward Bartholomew.
1796 .- Matthew Clarkson,' John Barely, John Jenoings, Jonathan Bayard Smith, Robert Wharton, James AAsh, Michael Hillegas, Rey- Dold Keen, Johu Clement Stocker, Gunning Bedford, Alexander Tod. Isaac Howell, Philip Wager, Nathaniel Falconer, Hilary Baker, and John Baker."
1796 .- Jacob Baker, in place of Falconer.
1798,-Philip Syng Physick, in place of Clarkson.
1799. John Iuskeep, in place of Barclay.
1799 .- Williani Jones, in place of Aslı.
1799, Dec. 3 .- John Clement Stocker, Jr., in place of his father.
1500, Sept. 15 .- Dr. David Jackson, io place of Hilary Baker.
1800, Oct. 22. Joho Barker.
1801, Oct. 14 .- Andrew l'ettit, in place of Bedford.
1801, Oct. 23 .- Matthew Lawler, in place of Jackson.
1802, May 22 .- Jolin Douglass, in place of Jennings.
1802 .- Sammel Carswell, In place of Iluwell.
1803,-Abraham Shoemaker."
1806, May 26 .- Michael Keppele, itt place of Hillegas.
1809 .- Andrew Geyer.
1809, Aug. 9 .- John Geyer, in place of Tod.
1813 April 30 .- George Bartrum, in place of Smith.
1813, Nov. 25 .- Timothy Matluck, in place of Stocker.
" Mayor's Court, after the second Tuesday in Octubrer. T26, Was c if .. posed af fifteen aldermen as associates, a pointed by the Governor itt let the act of April 14, 1796.
. The father of Illary and John Baker was a German sch Inst .1. of Germantown, named Hilarius Becker. Baker and Barker ar , dif- ferent names, and must not be confounded in these lista.
" Dled May 26, 1818, aged sixty-five.
Alexander Browse, in office
Dec. 1,1846
Juseph C. Molloy, deputy.
J. Alexander Simpson,4 in office.
April 3, 1868
James Brearly, deputy
W. Marshall Taylor, elected.
Oct. 9,1839
Jehn Painter, elected.
1572
HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA.
1815, July 24 .- Samuel Badger, in place of John Barker.
1816 .- Joseph Hertzog.
1817, April 2 .- James Nelson Barker.
1818, March 4 .- Peter Christian, in place of Matlack.
1818, April 8 .- Abrahem Shoemaker, Jr., in place of his father, resigned.
1820, May 11 .- John Connelly, in place of Jacob Baker.
1822, April 3 .- Joseph Watson, in place of Keppele.
1822, April 3. - William Duane, in place of Carswell.
1822, Dec. 2 .- John Binns, in place of Hertzog.
1823, Jan. 7 .- William Milnor, in place of Connelly.
1823, Dec. 15 -David P. Muhlenberg, in place of Donglass.
1829 .- Jacob Sperry, Joseph Burden, Richard Willing. Jr.º
1832 .- Robert Wharton, Jonathan K. Hassinger, Thomas Mckean.
1835 .- Samuel Heintzelman, John R. Vodges, in place of Sperry and Willing.
1835 .- David S. Ilassinger.
CLERKS OF THE MAYOR'S COURT.
William Nichols, in office. -, 1789
John Bickley, commissioned.
March 8, 1800
William Sergeant, commissioned ..
.Dec. 21, 1801
Thomas Sergeant, commissioned. April 22, 1806
Josiah Randall, comanssioned.
May 10, 1809
Randall Hutchinson, commissioned Ang. -, 1814
Charles Pierce, commissioned.
March 17, 1821
William Stewart, commissioned
Feb. 7,1824
John R. Vudges, commissioned ..
Feb. 22, 1830
John P. Bewley, commissioned. Dec. 11, 1835
William White, commissioned
March 26, 1836
THE DISTRICT COURT FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA.
Organized by act of Assembly of March 30, 1811 ; abolished by the Constitu- tion of 1873.
In the early part of the present century Philadelphia was the largest city in the Union, and its commerce, manufactures, and general busi- ness bad kept pace with its population. It began to be seriously felt that the judicial system was inadequate, and Recordingly, by an act np- proved March 30, 1811, it was enacted : " Whereas, the Court of Common Pleas of the City and County of Philadelphia, from the various objects of its jurisdiction and the great increase and accumulation of business, is incompetent to the speedy and effectual administration of justice to the citizens of that district, for remedy whereof, be it enacted," etc., that there shall be established a Court of Record by the name and style of the District Court for the city and county of Philadelphia, to consist of a president and two assistant judges, any two of whom, in case of the absence or inability of the other, shall have power to try, hear, and determine all civil pleas and actions where the sum in controversy should exceed oue hundred dollars.
The court thus established soon became full of important business, and acquired a solid and enduring reputation as a great law court for the trial of civil issues, It was the first and, for many years, the only court of original jurisdiction in the commonwealth whose judges were all learned in the law. Down to about the beginning of this century there was no positive requirement that even the presidents of the Com- mon Pleas should be learned in the law, though the practice had been uniform since the Revolution to appoint only lawyers. But the as80- cietes remained lay men in the Common Pleas of Philadelphia until 1833, when one of them was required to be learned in the law, and " one to be appointed under the existing laws of the commonwealth" (act of Feb. 8, 1883; P. L., 23), and the other associate remained a layman until 1836, after which all the judges of that court were required to be learned in the law (act of March 11, 1836 ; P. L., 76). So late as 1831 the salaries of the associnte judges of the Common Pleas of Philadelphia were only four hundred dollars ench, while the salaries of the judges of the Dis- trict Court and the president of the Common Pless were two thousand dollars each.
The bench of the District Court was occupied by a succession of learned and able lawyers, and when the court adjourned sine die, Jan. 4, 1875, it was with the universal regret of the bar. A more dignified, learned, and impartial tribunal has seldom, if over, existed in this or any other community.
PRESIDING JUDGES.
Joseph Hemphill, commissioned. May 6, 1811
Joseph Borden Mckean, commissioned ........ Oct. 1, 1818
Jared Jugersoll, commissioned .March 19, 1821
Moses Levy, commissioned. Der. 18, 1822
Joseph Burden Mi Kean, commissioned
March 21, 1825
1 Died Jan. 2, 1×30, aged sixty.
2 Died April 15, 1833.
Joseph Barnes, commissioned ... . .. Oct. 24, 1826
Thomas Mckean Pettit, commissioned ......... April
Jnel Jones, commissioned April
8, 1845
George Sharswood, commissioned ..... Feb.
1,1848
Jobo lones Clark Hare, commissioned. Dec.
1,1867
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
Anthony Simmons, commissioned. May 6, 1811
Jacob Sommer, commissioned June
3, 1811
Thomas Sergeant. commissioned 20, 1814 Oct.
Joseph Borden Mckean, commissioned. March 27, 1817
.Oct. Joseph Barnes, commissioned. 1,1818
Joseph Borden Mckean, commissioned March 17, 1821
Benjamin Rawle Morgan, commissioned. March 29, 1821
John Hallowell, commissioned .. March 27, 1825
Charles Sidney Coxe, commissioned. Oct. 24, 1826
Thomas Mckean Pettit, commissioned ... Feb. 16, 1833
George MeDowell Stroude, commissioned.
March 30, 1835
Joel Jones, commissioned.
April 22, 1835
John King Fimllay, commissioned ... April
1,1845
George Sharswood, commissioned April
8, 1845
George McDowell Stroud, commissioned Feb.
5, 1848
John King Findlay, commissioned,
Feb.
5,1848
Jobn lunes Clark Hare, commissioned.
Dec.
1, 1851
Martin Russell Thayer, commissioned.
Dec.
1,1867
Thomas Greenbank, commissioned.
Dec.
7,1868
Martin Russell Thayer, commissioned
March: 27, 1869
James Lynd, commissioned.
Dec.
5, 1870
James Tyndale Mitchell, commissioned .. Dec 4,1871
Amos Briggs, commissioned March 25, 1872
Joseph llemphill was & Dative of Chester, now Delaware Connty, ad- mitted to the Chester County bar, August, 1793. Member of Congress, 1801 to 1803, fron Chester County, and from 1819 to 1831. He died May 29, 1842, aged seventy-two years, Associate Judge Sommer's name is sometimes rendered Somers. Simmons and Sommer were not lawyers. Judge Sommer died in February, 1857, aged sixty-nine years, and An- thony Simmons, Inte judge and colonel of the Ninety-sixth Regiment, died Jan. 6, 1830, aged fifty-seven years. Edward King had the position of associate judge offered to him in 1825; he hesitated about accepting it, and then Jodge llallowell took it, thus making room in the Common Pleas for King as the president jodge. The " Forum," 2 vol., 175. On April 1, 1835, King was tendered the place of presiding judge of the District Court, but declined. George M. Stroud was associate for thirty- four years, and declined the position of presiding judge in 1868, when Sharswood was elected judge of the Supreme Court, and died in 1875, full of years and honors. Thomas Mckean Pettit was appointed io the place of Hallowell, who resigned, and was recommissioned March 30, 1835, for ten years. Joel Jones was recommissioned March 31, 1845, for ten years. Judge Hare was commissioned president judge Dec. 1, 1867, and elected Nov. 6, 1868. Thomas Greenbank had certificate of election and took his seat, but it was successfully contested by M. Russell Thayer. Judge Briggs was appointed March 25, 1872, and elected Oct. 8, 1872, for ten years. In accordance with the amended Constitution of 1873, the District Court was consolidated with the Court of Common Pleas, and the act of May 14, 1874, abolished all courts not mentioned in the Constitution. P. L., 1874. pp. 139, 140.
An interesting sketch of the District Court will be found in " An Ad- dress delivered at the final adjournment of the Court, Jan. 4, 1875," by the Hon. James T. Mitchell, one of the judges of the court, in which he says, " By the Constitution of Pennsylvania, adopted in 1873, & new organization of the judicial tribunals of the State was directed, under which the Nisi Prius, District, and Common Pleas Courts of Philadel- phin City and County ceased to exist on the first Monday in January, 1875. The judges of the Supreme Court, heretofore in turn holding the Court of Nisi Prius, were relieved from original jurisdiction, and the judges of the District and Common Pleas Courts were transferred to the Dew Courts of Common Pleas, created by the Constitution."
PROTHONOTARIES OF THE DISTRICT COURT.
John Porter, also of the Common Plens ..... April 25, 1811
Timothy Matluck, of District Court only ...... March 14, 1817
Michael Leib, commissioned .. Nov. 15, 1822
Randal Hutchinson, commissioned Feb.
27, 1824
John Lisle, comnug-ioned .. Feb. 22, 1830
March 24, 1836
William White, commissioned
Jan. 7, 1839
William V. Pettit,3 commissioned. Feb. 9, 1839
Edward C. Dale, elected
Dec.
1, 1×42
David C. Skerritt, elected.
Dec.
1,1845
Augustin R. Peale, elected. Dec.
1,1848
Thomna Fletcher, elected .. Dec.
1,185]
James W. Fletcher, elected .. Dec. 1. 1854
John P. McFadden, elected. Dec.
1, 1857
3 Appointed, and then elected on the second Tuesday in October, to serve three years from the 1st day of December. (See act of July 2, 1839, 23.)
22,1835
Franklin Comly, commissioned
1573
THE BENCH AND BAR.
Philip S. White, elected ... Dec.
1,1860
George Kelly, elected.
.. Dec.
1, 1853
James McManes, elected ..
Dee.
1, 1866
William K. Hopkins, elected ..
. Dec.
1,1869
William B. R. Selby,1 elected.
Dec. 1, 1872
COMMISSIONERS OF INSOLVENTS. Act of March 13, 1812, to expire April 1, 1815.
Three commissioners to be appointed by the Governor. This law was repealed, except as to pending cases, Dec. 21, 1812. April 29, 1814, the insolvent law was declared unconstitutional.
Charles Jared Ingersoll, commissioned. March -, 1812
William Newbold, commissioned.
March -, 1812
John Conrad, commissioned.
March -, 1812
George Bartram,2 commissioned July 14, 1812
THE COURT OF CRIMINAL SESSIONS FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA.
This court was organized in accordance with the act of March 19, 1838, and commenced ite sessions on the firet Monday in April, 1838, with a president judge and two associates learned in the law, all ex offi- cio justices of the pesce, and to have all the powers and exclusive juris- diction exercised by the Mayor's Court and the Recorder's Court of the Northern Liberties, Kensington, and Spring Garden. The clerk of the Quarter Sessione of the Peace to be clerk of the court. " All the neces- sery recorde of the Mayor's Court, Recorder's Court, and of the Court of Quarter Sessions of the County of Philadelphia shell he delivered to the clerk of the Sessions Court."-"Laws of Penna.," 1838, section 18, p. 125. Abolished by act of 27th February, 1840.
PRESIDENT JUDGE.
James Todd,2 appointed. .March 28, 1838
ASSOCIATE JUDGES.
John Bouvier,4 appointed. .March 28, 1838
Robert T. Conrad,5 appointed. March 28, 1838
THE COURT OF GENERAL SESSIONS FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA.
Established by Act of Feb. 27, 1840. Abolished by Act of Feb. 3, 1843.
The Court of General Sessions was to consist of three judges, learned in the law, and to have exclusive jurisdiction and cognizance of all matters of which the Court of Criminal Sessione then bed jurisdiction, and with power to try all cases of murder, etc. ; and such duties as were incident to the clerk of the Oyer and Termiuor were to be performed by the clerk of that court, and such as appertained to the clerk of the Crim- inal Sessione were to continue to be performed by the clerk of that court. When the court was abolished the Court of Quarter Sessions was rein- stated with all ite former powers and original jurisdiction.
PRESIDENT JUDGES.
George W. Barton,6 appointed. March 20, 1840
Anson V. Parsons,7 appointed. Jan. - , 1843
1 Mr. Selby served until the court was abolished, and then became, by the Constitution of 1873, prothonotury of the Common Plead. The ber seldom came in contact with the prothonotaries. Their duties were performed by deputies. The seniore of the bar have & vivid recollection of Matthias Coates, who was chief clerk previous to 1840 for many years. He was a character in bie way, and made all the lawyers " stand from under" when he was in a bad humor. He was much liked, how- ever. John L. Woolf was deputy for Mr. Dale, and afterward principal deputy for Sheriff Lelar. Edwin T. Chase succeeded Woolf as chief clerk, end held that office for a long time. The bar will recall with pleasure Frederick A. Trego ; James G. Gibson, senrch clerk for many years, and afterward prothonotary of the Common Pless; David A. Al- lison, who succeeded him as search clerk, and continued in that position for a long period; and Benjamin M. Shein, who was for a long serles of years & clerk ; Henry T. Coleman, a former appearance clerk from 1845 to 1848; Horace L. Peterson, in the sums position ; and Pierre Chapouty, chief clerk ; and also Robert E. Hackett, for minny years one of the clerks, who died Jan. 8, 1882, aged seventy-two yeurs, all pleasant and obliging gentlemen.
" Appointed in the place of Conrad, who resigned.
a Of Fayette County ; attorney-general when appointed.
4 Recorder of Philadelphia.
& Recorder of the Northern Liberties.
6 Judge Barton resigned Dec. 31, 1842.
On Feb. 3, 1843, the bill abolishing the General Sessions having been
finally passed, the Governor revoked the appointment of Anson V. Par- .
ASSOCIATE JUDOES
Robert T. Conrad, appointed. .. Marin - 1840
Joseph M. Doran, nppointed. ... March 20, 1840
CLERK.
William O. Kline, appointed March 20, 1840
THE CLERKS OF THE COURT OF QUARTER SESSIONS FOR THE COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA.
John Southern, commissioned. Date unknown.
Patrick Robinson, in office .... 13
3 ino., 1686
David Lloyd, by Provincial Council, 1
& mo , 1086
James Claypoole,8 commissioned .. 28 12mo, 1688-89
John Claypoole," commissioned ... .July
6, 1697
Robert Assheton, by city charter. .Oct.
25, 1701
Ralph Assheton,10 in office. -, 1733-34
Charles Resd, died before. Jun.
20, 17 36-37
Thomas Hopkinson, appointed. Jan.
20, 1736-37
Andrew Hamilton, appointed. Feb.
24,1745
John Lawrence,11 appointed
.Sept.
8, 1747
William Parr,12 his deputy.
Hilary Baker, commissioned.
Charles Biddle,18 commissioned
Jan.
22, 1800
Richard Bache, Jr, cominissioned
Nov.
0,1805
Tench Coxe, commissioned.
JAI, 24, 1815
William Itunkle, Jr , commissioned.
March 4, 1x18
Erasmus Thomas, commissioned. March 15, 1821
Henry Shoemaker, commissioned. Nov. 2, 1-23
John Conrad, commissioned, Feb. 7. 1824
Matthew Randall, commissioned. -, 1829
Bartholomew Graves, commissioned Fel.
22, 1830
Edward D. Corfield, commissioned. March 24, 1836
William G. Conroy, commissioned
Jsn. 20, 1:29
James Eneu, Jr.,14 commissioned Feb. 9, 1>39
Andrew Flick, commissioned. Nov.
22. 1842
John Thompson, Jr., commissioned. Oct.
14, 1845
John Williams, commi-sioned. .Nov.
25, 1848
John A. Scanlan, commissioned. Nav.
22, 1851
George M. Howell, commissioned. Nov.
10, 1854
Joseph Crockett, commissioned
Nov.
2, 1857
George H. Moore, commissioned Nov.
22, 1860
John C. Butler, commissioned. Nov.
8, 1866
Thomas H. Ashton, commissioned. Nov.
16,1869
Henry H. Binghem, commissioned .. .. Nov.
1, 1870
George Truman, commissioned. Nov.
5, 1878
Issac McBride,15 ad interim .Sept.
29, 1879
William R. Leeds, 10 appointed. Ort.
4,1879
William E. Littleton, elected .. Nov.
2.1880
Joseph P. Galton, chief court clerk of the Quarter Sessions, died on Jan. 22, 1879, aged thirty-nine years. Ile entered the office of the clerk of the Quarter Sessions in 1857, when quite young, as an assistant to J. Orlando Tobias, the then chief court clerk, and succeeded him in that position in 1866. His death was announced in Judge Mitchell's court by District Attorney Hagert, on the afternoon of the day of his death. He said, " It becomes my painful duty to announce to your Honor the deceass of Joseph P. Galton, who was connected with this court for a period of twenty-one years, and who was for more than eighteen years its court clerk. In the course of this long oxperience, Mr. Galton had acquired a thorough knowledge of the business and practice of the court, and was frequently conenlted by the judges in matters arising in the progress of its daily business. Indeed, so thoroughly informed was he upon such matters, that although comparatively young in years, he filled the full measure of the old law-writer's description of the aged and faithful clerk, who was described as the ' right hand of the court.' Ever faithful nod attentive to his duties, courteous and obliging to all
Mone as president judge, and nominated him as an alditional judge of the Common Pleas, and the Senate confirmed him February 8th. He never presided.
81 C. R., 208, 214 ; died 1690.
9 In offre ; 1 Pn. Archives, 125.
10 See 9 Pn. Archives, 2d Herlos, 699.
11 John Lawrence was appojuted in the place of Andrew IInmilton, deceased, 5 C. R., 106 (1747), 116, and held office until his death, Jan- Dary, 1775. Although it is stated in 9 l'a. Archives, 2d seriex, 699, that Jumes Read was appointed clerk of the peace June 4, 1752, it in probably an error. See l'rothonotaries of Common Plene.
12 See 4 P'n. Archives, Bu1, nud Aitken's " Register" for 1773, p. 30, etc.
13 The Directory of 1794 says Charles Biddle was prothom story of the county. The Directorios of 1798 and 1799, under the head of the Com- mou Ploas und Quarter Sessions, give Charles Biddle " Prothonotary of said Court."
14 James Eneu, Jr., under the Constitution of 1838, was elected on Oct 8, 1839, to serve three years from December Int. See nct July 2, 1839. 15 See the opinion of the city solicitor of Oct. 11, 1879.
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