USA > Pennsylvania > Tioga County > History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations, portraits and sketches of prominent families and individuals > Part 83
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Professor of Music .- Isaac Gunn Hoyt was born at Kingston, Luzerne county, Pa., July 23d 1830, and has devoted his life to the cultivation of the musical art. He was educated by receiving special and private instruc- tions in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Poughkeepsie, N. Y., from such mastros as Charles and Lewis Grubb, Matron and Grovener. In his work of preparation he also at- tended musical institutes and conventions conducted by Profs. Bradbury and Woodbury. He came to Osceola in 1853 and entered upon his life work as a musical in- structor. He taught here one year; in 1854 at Ithaca, N. Y .; 1856-9, at Osccola and at Union Academy; 1859. 61, at Greensboro Synodical Female College, Ga .; 1861-5, at Osceola high school; 1866-71, at the Mansfield State of Musical Instruction, to which he devoted all his time and energy for four years. Since 1876 he has resided at Osceola and given private lessons.
CELEBRATIONS AND PUBLIC MEETINGS.
" Sound the fife and beat the drum, Independence day has come! Bring the banjo and the fiddle, To-day we dance ter diddle diddle. Jotham, git the great big bottle; Your teeth can pull the corn-cob stopple."
The spirit of the old rhyme was the one in which our grandfathers hailed the advent of each anniversary of our birthday as a nation. There was much hilarity, and not much sobriety. As Osceola did not assume the pro- portions of a village until away down into the fifties, our fathers and grandfathers ate, drank, and were jolly at Knoxville, Lawrenceville, or some more distant point.
The first great outpouring of the people of Osceola which arose to the magnitude of a general movement was to attend the execution of Douglass at Bath, N. Y. It took place in 1825. He had murdered Samuel H. Ives the 23d of August 1824. As was the custom in those days the execution was public. It was treated as and others. Miss Ella Strait recited a poem that had a holiday occasion. Men, women and children in great been written for the occasion by H. C. Moyer.
multitudes stood about the scaffold in a drenching rain to see the wretched creature swung off. Several persons from Osceola who were present are yet living.
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While this meeting was in progress upon the river bank, in the village a " ring " was formed in which John Hoaglin and Jesse Doan fought each other in the pres- ence of many hundred people. This was the last of the great " fights," where two men were allowed to batter each other to their hearts' content in this valley without interference from the bystanders.
The Fourth of July 1857 was celebrated at Osceola. The crowd was assembled upon "Tubbs Island," west of the grist-mill, not far from the present residence of James Costley. Newel L. Reynolds delivered the ora- tion, and Lyman Hurlbut and A. M. Loop did some ex- temporaneous speaking. "The Declaration " was read, and a dinner served.
April 9th 1865 Gen. Lee surrendered his army to Gen. Grant at Appomattox Court-House, Va. The news reached Osceola at noon Tuesday April 10th. A celebration was improvised upon the instant. Men gave themselves up to the most extravagant expressions of the delight they felt at the good news. Guns were fired,
normal school, and in 1872 he opened the Osceola School bells rung, and the day and night made vocal with shouts
of rejoicing.
There were two celebrations of the centennial anniver- sary of American independence at Osceola. February 22nd 1876 a centennial tea party was given at "Tubbs Hall," where an exhibit was made of all the antiquated furniture, table ware and other articles that were pos- sessed in the community. "Uncle " Reuben Cook, past 90 years of age, and toothless, sang a stave of "Perry's Victory " for the intellectual part of the celebration.
On the Fourth of July 1876 a public meeting was held at the Presbyterian church in the evening, to cele- brate the "return of the day." Wiliam T. Humphrey presided, and speeches were made by John Cairns, Hen- ry C. Moyer, Robert Casbeer, Gabriel T. Harrower and Charles Tubbs.
The completion of the Keystone Telegraph from Ad- dison, N. Y., to Osceola was celebrated by a public dinner. It was given by G. W. Remsen and Hoyt Tubbs, Wednesday January 16th 1878, at the Bosard House. After the feast Charles Tubbs was called to the chair by the host, and speeches were made by G. W. Merrick, G. H. Hollis, W. T. Humphrey, Robert Casbeer,
MILITIA.
A law was passed by the Legislature of the State of Pennsylvania April 9th 1807 directing the organization of the militia. No organization was effected under this law in the Cowanesque Valley until about 1812, and then it took a wide area to furnish men enough to form a com- pany. The battalion trainings were usually held at Knox- ville or Willardsburg. For many years company train-
During the Fremont-Buchanan campaign-August 13th 1856-a mass meeting was held at Osceola by the Re- publicans. It was attended by about 10,000 people. It was the largest meeting that up to that time had ever assembled in Tioga county. Speaking was conducted trom two platforms. David Wilmot, L. P. Williston, Newel L. Reynolds, J. C. Smith and others made | ings only were held in the territory that now is Osceola.
353
OSCEOLA IN THE WAR OF 1812.
Company training was held the first Monday and battal- ion training the second Monday in May of each year.
An incident illustrative of the times occurred at a company training* held at Israel Bulkley's in 1814. Frederick Coates and John Falkner met here. An old grudge existed between them. In a previous fight Coates had bitten off Falkner's nose. A ring was formed and the two men stepped in to fight it out. Each man had his partisans, and all had been drinking freely. Amasa Culver had a stone in his hand, which he intended to give Coates. While he was attempting to do so Falkner wrenched it from his grasp and struck Coates with it npon his head. At this the ring was broken. Robert Tubbs struck James Falkner, and William Falkner knocked John Ryon down, and the fight became general. Crazed with whiskey and excitement there was not much discrimination between friend and foe. After the cessa- tion of hostilities it was found that Coates was seriously hurt by the blow upon the head. He went home, was taken sick, lingered for some months and died. A post mortem examination revealed the fact that his skull was fractured. Falkner left the country before Coates's death.
Positions of command in the militia were much sought after. Two citizens of Osceola attained the rank of col- onel. Robert Tubbs's term as colonel expired about 1821. It is impossible to determine the exact date. Philip Taylor was in commission as colonel of the 129th regiment 2nd brigade 9th division Pennsylvania militia from 1828 to 1835. He had served for many years as captain of the Elkland township company.
May 15th 1830 a battalion training was held on the south side of the river, upon the low flat now owned by Henry Tubbs. The field officers on that occasion were: Philip Taylor, colonel; Hiram Freeborn, lieutenant col- onel; and Marinus W. Stull, major. The battalion was reviewed by Inspector Horton, who was present from Bradford county. George T. Frazer was captain of the Deerfield company, and Israel P. Kinney of the Middle- bury company. Timothy S. Coates was captain of the Elkland company. Truman Crandall blew the fife, and was drum major of the battalion the next year. The day was very cold and snowy. The men came on foot and horseback. They forded the river or crossed it upon a foot bridge. Nathaniel Seely furnished dinner to such as desired it, and other refreshments. The amusements the men indulged in after drill were running races, jumping, and shooting at a mark. This was the only battalion training ever held in Osceola.
All able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 45 years were required to train. We have found but one list of them, and that of comparatively recent date. It is as follows:
" Roll of the Sixth Company, Second Battalion, Third
Regiment, Ninth Division, Pa. Militia, Commanded by James Tubbs, June 2, 1848."
Thomas Allen, P. M., Joseph Barker, William Barker jr., Cornelius Beagle, James Beagle, Stephen Beebe, Henry Bennet jr., Anson Blackman, Abner Blanchard, Malachi D. Bosard, Peter Bosard, Jacob W. Brooks, William Brooks, Samuel A. Buck, Sylvester Bullock. Isaac Bullock, James B. Cady: Miner F. Cady, Robert Campbell, William Campbell. Edward Cary, Timothy Coates, David Coates, John Coates, Alfred W. Congdon, Benjamin Congdon, Russel Crandall, John Culp, Charles Frederick Culver, Amasa Culver, Perry Daily, Vincent A. Daily, John Davenport, L. S. Dolson, Daniel K. Finch, Albert Fowler, Henry Gage, Franklin Gage, Wil- liam Guernsey, John M. Hammond, John A. Hammond, Lewis Hammond, Philip Harwill, Edgar Harns, Justus Hathaway, Samuel Hazlett, John Hazlett jr., E. W. Helms, William Heyshane, Nathan Hill, Horatio Howe, Jesse Howe, David Hoyt. Lintsford Jay, Samuel T. Jen- kins, David P. Knapp, David McCann, Ebenezer Mead, William Merritt, Elisha Montgomery, P. Norcross, Charles Ouderkirk, Abram Palmer, John Parkhurst, Joel Park- hurst, Beebe Parkhurst. William Peaslee, William Peck, John Ransom, Henry Rathbun, John Rathbun, John Robbins, Milo W. Rose, James Rowley, George L. Ryon, Beager Saxbury, Stephen Scallin, Henry Seely, Allen Seely, D. B. Shoff, Orlando Stutes, Stephen Shutes, George Simons, Henry Smith, Eleazer Smith, Sylvester Smith, Stephen Stacy, Samuel Staples, Hiram Stephens, David Teachman, Harvey Tinney, Hoyt Tubbs. James R. Tubbs, John Tubbs, George Tubbs, E. A. Tuckey, John F. Turner, Stephen Van Zile, Charles Van Zile, Solomon Van Zile, Isaac Van Zile, Samuel R. West- gate, Joseph M. White, P. M., William Whiting, Chauncy Wright.
After the British burned Buffalo in 1814 it was be- lieved by our military authorities that they intended to march southward and invade the country. A call was accordingly made for men to meet the invaders. In re- sponse to this call a company of men gathered in Febru- ary from the Tioga and Cowanesque valleys at Law- renceville, and elected Harry Baldwin as their captain. They proceeded in sleighs to Dansville, N. Y., and were put in a camp of instruction. As the British had promptly retired after committing their depredations the alarm subsided, ard the men were sent home. Those who went from Osceola in Harry Baldwin's company were Samnel Tubbs, David Taylor, Reuben Cook and Andrew Bosard. For this service all of the above were given land warrants by the United States government, and in 1879 Reuben Cook was awarded a pension of $8 per month.
Osceola was represented in the Mexican war by George H. Gee. He joined General Taylor's army, and was at the battle of Buena Vista and other engagements.
WAR OF THE REBELLION.
When the news came of the fall of Fort Sumter the Osceola high school was in progress. A pole was erected upon the cupola of the school building, and a meeting of citizens and students came together as by a common impulse. When the stars and stripes were run up they were greeted with great cheering, and an eloquent and stirring address was made by Prof. Samuel R. Thayer.
* There is some disagreement among the authorities as to the occa- sion upon which this fight took place. Ebenezer Taylor, who as a boy was present and saw the fight, is still alive and gives it as bis recollec- tion that the occasion was a training. Charles Bulkley relates the same as the tradition in the Bulkley family. David Coates of Elmira. N. Y., says it is the tradition in his family that the encounter took place at the time the Bulkley grist-mill was raised.
44
354
HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.
The action ot tin meeting was not confined to oratory and cheers. Before it had disbanded sixteen had signed an enlistment paper and volunteered their services. Among them were Dr. William T. Humphrey, Samuel Stevens, David Bruce, Edward Bruce, William E. Self, John Finch, Henry Odell, William Parsons, H. O. Cole, Hugh J. Magee and others whose names appear in the appended list. It was the expectation of these men to be at once mustered into the service of the United States under the call for 75,000 men for three months. On arriving at Harrisburg it was found that this requisition was already filled, and a long and vex- atious delay followed. The men arrived in Harrisburg April 23d, and it was not until June 11th that they were mustered into the service of the United States.
Below is a list of those who served in the federal army as soldiers, and, so far as is known, their record. It is indeed a " roll of honor," and shows the loyalty and devotion of our people to the union of the States and to the cause of republican liberty. Where not otherwise mentioned the men named were private soldiers and en- listed for three years. The date of muster-in follows the name:
William T. Humphrey, surgeon, May 21 '61, 42nd Pa .; promoted from assistant surgeon to surgeon Sept. 5 '62. Charles Ryon Taylor, captain, Oct. 8' 61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; promoted from first lieutenant Nov. 1 '62; was wounded at Ream's Station while in command of his regiment; at Gettysburg he was put in command of the field after the battle, and buried the dead; mustered out at expiration of term.
Daniel Bacon, second lieutenant, Oct. 19 '61, Co. L. 2nd Pa. cav ; promoted from hospital steward to second lieutenant Nov. 1 '62; mustered out Oct. 11 '64, at ex- piration of term.
Orville Breese, musician, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months; mustered out with company May 29 '63.
Charles Wesley Barnhart, Feb. 26 '64, 2nd Pa. cav .; honorably discharged.
Uriah Brimmer, June 11 '61, Co. A 42nd Pa .; dis- charged on surgeon's certificate Dec. 9 '61; re-enlisted Feb. 9 '62 Co. L and Pa. cav .; killed in action at Todd's Tavern, Va., May 8 '64.
Edwin T. Bruce, Aug. 21 '61, Co. A 42nd Pa .; killed at Spottsylvania Court-House May 12 '64.
Jacob Bullin, Feb. 26 '64, Co. L and Pa. cav .; dis- charged by general order June 16 '65.
Andrew K. Bullin, Sept. 5 '64 Co. H 207th Pa .; wounded at Petersburg, Va., Apr. 2 '65; discharged by general order June 20 '65.
Alonzo G. Bullin, Sept. 5 '64, Co. H 207th Pa .; honora- bly discharged.
Jackson Butler, Oct. 19 '61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; trans ferred to veteran reserve corps in '64 and honorably discharged.
Jerome Bates, Dec. 17 '61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; cap- tured Nov. '62, paroled and exchanged; wounded at St. Mary's Church, Va., June 24 '64; discharged at expiration of term.
Hiram Cameron, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B :36th Pa., 9 months; mustered out with company, May 29 '63.
Horatio Chisom, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 126th Pa., 9 months; mustered out with company May 29 '63.
Horace Quincy Cilley, Feb. 27 '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; transferred to ist pro. cav. June 17 '65, and hon- orably discharged.
William Eugene Cilley, '61, Co. E 86th N. Y .; killed in the Wilderness.
H. O. Cole, Oct. 19 '61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; captured Nov. 29 '63; died at Andersonville.
James Conner. Feb. 26 '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; hon- orably discharged.
Egbert Cook, Feb. 26 '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; trans- ferred to Co. L Ist pro. cav. June 17 '65, and honorably discharged.
John Finch, Dec. 17 '63, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; trans- ferred to Co. L ist pro. cav. June 17 '65, and honorably discharged.
Aaron Finch, Feb. 26 '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; trans- ferred to Co. L ist pro. cav. June 17 '65, and honorably discharged.
Alexander Finch, substitute for George Barker.
Arthur Flanders, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months; mustered out with company May 29 '63.
George H. Gee, June 11 '61, Co. A 42nd Pa .; killed at Charles City Cross Roads June 30 '62
Almon Gifford, Oct. 19 '6t, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; died in camp at Harrisburg Feb. '62.
Curtis Gleason, Aug. 16 '62, Co. A 149th Pa .; killed at Gettysburg July 1 '63.
Andrew Godfrey, sergeant, June 11 '61, Co. A 149th Pa .; transferred to 190th regiment May 31 '64; captured in spring of '65, and died at Salisbury, N. C.
John Hawe, sergeant. June 11 '61, Co. A 42nd Pa .: discharged on surgeon's certificate May 18 '62; re- enlisted July 1 '62, Co. L and Pa. cav .; captured Nov. '62, paroled and exchanged; discharged by general order May 31 '65.
George Hessham, Oct. 19 '61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; cap- tured Nov. '62, paroled and exchanged; discharged on surgeon's certificate for injury.
Thomas Jenkins, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months; wounded at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13 '62; prisoner from Dec. 13 '62 to May 28 '63; mustered out with company May 29 '63; re-enlisted Feb. 26 '64, Co. L and Pa. cav .; honorably discharged at close of war.
Thomas Johnson, corporal, Oct. 19 '61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; through all campaigns; discharged at close of war, Leonard Leverne Kimball, July '61, Co. E 34th N. Y., 2 years; discharged on surgeon's certificate Feb. '62.
Orville Samnel Kimball, orderly sergeant, Feb. '62, Co. I 103d N. Y .; re-enlisted, and honorably discharged Dec. '65.
Harlan Page Kimball, Feb. '62, Co. I 103d N. Y .; dis- charged on surgeon's certificate July '63.
Lewis C. Lewis, June 11 '61, Co. A 42nd Pa .; killed at Bull Run Aug. 29 '62.
Robert Long, Feb. 26 '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; died in hospital Apr. 9 '64.
Hugh J. Magee, June 11 '61, Co. A 42nd Pa .; trans- ferred to 190th regiment P. V. May 31 '64; wounded June 24 '64; mustered out with company June 28 '65.
Simeon McCarlin, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months; mustered out with company May 29 '63.
Eli Mead, Oct. 19 '61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav.
George W. Newman, Dec. 17 '63, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; transferred to Co. L Ist pro. cav. June 16 '65; honorably discharged.
John Newman, Oct. 19 '61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; hon- orably discharged.
George W. Newman jr., Feb. '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; honorably discharged.
Johial Norton, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months; discharged on surgeon's certificate Feb. 13 '63.
Thomas O'Connor, Feb. 27 '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; transferred to Co. L ist pro. cav. June 17 '65; honora- bly discharged.
355
OSCEOLA IN THE CIVIL WAR.
Richard Odell, Feb. 26 '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; hon- orably discharged at close of war.
Henry Odell, Aug. 21 '61, Co. A 42nd Pa .; wounded in action while temporarily serving with Co. L 2nd Pa. cav. at St. Mary's Ch., Va., and died at Philadelphia Oct. 31 '64.
William E. Pierson, Oct. 19 '61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; transferred to Ist pro. cav. June 17 '65; through all campaigns; honorably discharged.
A. B. Porter, hospital steward, Oct. 19 '61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; through all campaigns; honorably discharged.
George Reeves, Oct. 19'61, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; lost his voice; discharged Oct. '62.
Luke Winfield Scott, Dec. 17 '63, Co. I. 2nd Pa. cav .; through all campaigns; honorably discharged.
William Edward Self, June 11 '61, Co. A 42nd Pa .; through all campaigns; transferred to 190th regiment May 31 '64; mustered out June 28 '65.
Asa Spencer, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months; mustered out with company May 29 '63.
Samuel Stevens, June 11 '61, Co. A 42nd Pa .; dis- charged on surgeon's certificate; came home and died.
James Riley Stone, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months; wounded at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13 '62 and died of wounds.
Norman Strait, corporal, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months; mustered out with company May 29 '63.
Theodore Stewart, Feb. 27 '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; transferred to Ist pro. cav. and honorably discharged.
A. A. Van Orsdale, sergeant, June 11 '61, Co. A 42nd Pa .; discharged on surgeon's certificate May 1 '62.
Thomas Van Sire, Feb. 26 '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; honorably discharged.
Solomon Van Zile, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months; mustered out with company May 29 '63; re- elisted Feb. 26 '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; transferred to ist pro. cav. and mustered out with company.
Frank Vastbinder, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months; mustered out with company May 29 '63.
William R. Wells, Mar. 7 '64, Co. L 2nd Pa. cav .; discharged by general order June 23 '65.
John C. Whittaker jr., Mar. '65, substitute for John W. Teachman; honorably discharged.
Clark V. Worden, Aug. 16 '62, Co. B 136th Pa., 9 months; discharged on surgeon's certificate Feb. 13 '63.
When Pennsylvania was invaded by General Lee in 1863, at the time of the battle of Gettysburg, a company of militia went from the Cowanesque Valley to the de- fense of the State. In this company from Osceola there were Enos Slosson Culver, Thomas Jenkins, Andrew K. Bullin, Jacob Bullin, Horace Quincy Cilley, Francis Marion Crandall, Leonard Leverne Kimball, Enoch M. Steere, and Charles H. Stubbs. These men were mus- tered in at Harrisburg July 2nd 1863, and discharged August 7th 1863.
The following men were drafted from Osceola Febru- ary 25th 1865: Geo. Barker (furnished substitute), H. B. Cameron, Oliver Chase, Eleazer Clark, Rev. C. Dillen- beck, Mancier Gleason, M. Ham, Geo. A. Kinney, L. L. Kimball, John O'Conner, Hiram Taylor, J. W. Teach- man (furnished substitute), Isaac Packson Van Zile, J. Wagner. These men were ordered to report at Williams- port in March 1865, but a great flood in the rivers pre- vented their getting there on the day designated in the order. Another day was named, but before it arrived Lee had surrendered to Grant and the war was virtually at an end.
The regiment designated in the above list as the 42nd regiment Pa. volunteers was also known as the First Rifles, the Kane Rifle regiment, 13th regiment Pa. Re- serve Corps, and as the Bucktail regiment. It was probably best known by the latter designation. The 2nd Pa. cavalry was also the 59th regiment in the line.
In June 1863 Nelson G. Ray enrolled all persons liable to a draft in Osceola. He was the officer having charge of the business for this sub-district. He made a list of all men not manifestly cripples who would be be- tween the ages of 20 and 45 on the first day of July 1863. Osceola had been liberal in volunteering at the outbreak of the war. She received some credit for this, and her quota was declared full for all the calls for men until 1864. For the call which had to be filled by March Ist 1864 her quota was 14, and to these a town bounty of $100 each was paid. Three hundred dollars were raised by subscription and the balance was raised by tax, of which the following minute is found in the town- ship records:
" Supervisors met April 25th 1864 at Crandall & Seely's store, and voted to levy ten hundred and sixty dollars to pay local township bounty for fourteen volun- teers for the late calls from the president."
"Men and boys are plenty to go for the pay " was a statement of the situation made by a citizen of the town- ship under date of March Ist 1864
The quota required of the township in September 1864 was filled by paying liberal bounties. The county of Tioga paid a bounty of $300. The Legislature was in session, and it passed an act August 25th 1864, the material section of which was as follows:
" SEC. I .- Be it enacted that it shall be lawful for the supervisors of the several townships in the county of Tioga to offer and pay bounties to volunteers to fill the quota of said townships under the calls of the president of the United States not exceeding three hundred dol- lars each; and they are hereby authorized to borrow money and issue bonds therefor."
Liberal use was made of the provisions of this law, which applied especially to this county. These provis- ions when applied to the utmost did not readily entice men to volunteer in the spring of 1865, and as has been heretofore seen a draft was made before the quota was full. But happily the war closed and the men did not have to go. When it closed strenuous exertions were being made to obtain volunteers, with prospects of suc- cess. From first to last no drafted man served in the ranks from Osceola. Andrew K. Bosard and John Tubbs were agents for the township at Harrisburg, Wil- liamsport and Carlisle. They attended to mustering in the men and seeing that they were properly accredited.
All these things were done " that the government of the people, by the people, and for the people should not perish from the earth."
PUBLIC OFFICIALS.
The new township of Osceola, having been erected out of one of the pieces of Elkland, had some difficulty
356
HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.
in getting itself into running order. There was no stat- ute or order of court directing the manner in which of- ficers should be elected in the new town. Elkland had been destroyed; there was no enabling act to build up anything in its stead. In this dilemma the voters assem- bled January 30th 1857 at the hotel of James Atherton, informally chose a board of election from those present, elected township officers, and petitioned the court of common pleas to confirm and validify the proceeding. The court dismissed the petition, on the ground that it had no jurisdiction in the matter. The Legislature was next appealed to. It furnished the desired relief by passing the following law, April 14th 1857;
"SEC. I .- Be it enacted, etc., That the last township election held in the township of Osceola, in the county of Tioga, be and it is hereby declared a good and valid election, and all the official acts of the officers then elected are and they are hereby declared legal and valid."
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