USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 13
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Doctor Eaton gives the following description of this, the first prison erected by the county :
The jail was something of a euriosity. It was designed to be both a prison and a house for the sheriff, although rather diminutive to serve both purposes. It was two stories high, although the upper story was quite low. The windows of the portion assigned to prisoners were strongly barred. The architeet seemed to have had some misgivings as to the strength of the wall, for the prison rooms were lined with heavy oak planks six inches in thiekness, and so seeured that they could not well be wrenched from their position. They were fastened to great beams with long spikes, and were supposed to form a strong barrier against liberty on the part of the prisoners.
So far as is known, no attempt was ever made to storm this very strong fortress, but one. On this occasion, a plan was matured to break through the wall. The idea
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formed was to burn a way through these planks by heating the iron poker in the stove and piercing the planks in detail. But in a few minutes the smoke filled the jail, pen- etrating into the sheriff's apartments and creating such an alarm that the family and neighbors alike came to the rescue. The plan failed, and was never attempted again.
This building could not have been more than thirty or thirty-five feet square, but it had an annex that was supposed at the time to be an admirable invention. It was a yard communicating with the prison apartments. The design was merciful and humane, affording the prisoners an opportunity of going out, in a limited way, to breathe the free air of heaven, and when in contemplative mood to look up at the stars. This yard was some twenty feet square, surrounded by a stone wall perhaps twelve or fifteen feet in heiglit. Sometimes the prisoners might he seen lying prone on top of the wall, enjoying the warm sunshine. Often the circus tents were pitched within twenty rods of the jail, and from the top of the wall curious prisoners might obtain glimpses of what was going on on the sawdust in the tent. There was a well in this yard and often the lady of the castle utilized convict labor in having water drawn and carried in for housebold purposes. A hearing peach tree was also growing in this same yard during the last years of its occupation.
Occasionally there were jail deliveries there without authority from the court. It was not hard to get over the wall if enuui oppressed the man; nor was it very difficult at times to evade the vigilance of the sheriff's wife, who often had sole charge, and get out by the front door.
But the county awoke to the fact that a new jail was needed, and this classic old building was vacated, and eventually torn down, when all its secrets were exposed to the curiosity of the small hoy. The stones were of little importance and soon removed, the well was filled up, and the site is hut a memory.
The location of this building was in South park, in the rear of the present court house, near the corner of Twelfth and Elk streets. It was occupied as a jail about thirty years, and finally sold by the commissioners to Josiah Adams, August 27, 1853, for the sum of one hundred and fifty-two dollars.
The present county jail is situated on Elk street near Twelfth. It was originally erected in 1852-53 by John Byrnes, under contract, for nine thousand, five hundred dollars. As early as December, 1850, the commis- sioners had purchased stone in the lock opposite Franklin, paying therefor two hundred and eighty-six dollars, but it was not until a year later that the contract with Mr. Byrnes was entered into. A brick building, three stories high, fronting the street, constitutes the warden's residence; the jail proper is attached and in the rear. As rebuilt in 1868, this comprises twenty cells, arranged in two tiers around an open court. One judicial execution has occurred within these walls, that of Thomas McCartey, for the murder of Barry in French Creek township. This took place at 12:30 P. M., October 28, 1868.
The County Alms House .- The indigent classes of the county were cared for by the different townships until a comparatively recent date. April 13, 1870, the legislature passed an act conferring upon the county commissioners the powers and duties of directors of the poor, with authority to erect and sustain a county alms house. Roland Hughes, Francis Merrick, John P. Crawford, M. C. Beebe, Charles H. Sheppard, R. S. McCormick, Samuel Plumer, and James Mccutcheon were named as commissioners to select a
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suitable location. The Roberts and Hays farms, comprising two hundred and seventy-five acres in Sugar Creek township, were chosen and purchased for the sum of twenty thousand dollars. Immediate measures were taken for the erection of the building. J. M. Blackburn was employed as architect, and in September, 1870, the contract was awarded Dewees & Simmons of Tionesta at their bid of sixty-seven thousand, eight hundred and fifty-six dollars. They also purchased the old court house for two thousand dollars. November 14, 1871, the contractors having confessed their inability to pro- ceed with the work, the county commissioners decided to do so and placed J. M. Shoemaker in charge as building superintendent. The building was completed November 9, 1872, and opened for the reception of paupers on the 26th of December. The first death among this community occurred January 9, 1873.
The building is constructed of brick, three stories in height, with sand- stone basement partly above ground; length, two hundred and ninety feet; central projection, one hundred and ninety feet in depth, with tower in front. The several stories are eleven feet, fourteen feet, and twelve feet high; cor- ridors, sixteen feet wide; transverse corridors, ten feet wide. The sexes are effectually separated. On the first floor are the steward's apartments, direct- ors' room, physician's office, dining and sitting rooms. The kitchen, bake- room, and laundry are in the west end of the central projection. Fire escapes are provided. The establishment has a system of water works ample for its requirements.
The local management is intrusted to a steward, appointed by the county commissioners. This position has been filled by Samuel McAlevy, appointed November 13, 1872; John Lockard, appointed January 2, 1876; Oliver Mc- Kissick, appointed September 12, 1876; Solomon Thorn, appointed January 2, 1882; and Henry A. Culp, appointed August 13, 1883.
INAUGURATION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
The act of 1834 inaugurated in Pennsylvania what is distinctively known as the public school system. Popular education had been a subject of legis- lative action since the founding of the colony. It was stipulated in the con- stitution of 1790 that the legislature should "provide by law for the establishment of schools throughout the state in such manner that the poor may be taught gratis." In 1802 an act was passed to provide for the main- tenance of schools where elementary instruction might be received by all children. Those of the well-to-do were required to pay a small sum, but when the returns of the assessors showed that the parents were unable to bear this expense the county commissioners were authorized to do so. It does not appear that popular education in Venango county was materially advanced by the operation of this law. Here the neighborhood school was the earliest result of educational effort. As a measure of convenience cer-
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tain communities established schools in which their children might receive a rudimentary education. The teacher derived his support from his patrons and the affairs of the school were intrusted by common consent to the more energetic members of the community, who were usually men of intelligence. The law of 1802 was variously amended at different times, without, however, accomplishing its purpose. In 1827 a society for the promotion of education in the state was formed at Philadelphia, and through a corresponding com- mittee the opinions of leading men in every county were ascertained, and a union of the most progressive sentiment effected. The powerful influence thus generated resulted in the act of 1834. In this the former distinction between pay and pauper schools was abrogated; all property was made tax- able for the support of the schools, and their local management in each district placed in charge of a board of six directors. Some two hundred acts of the legislature had preceded that of 1834; but the latter, although amended in 1836, is substantially unimpaired, and the growing efficiency of the system fully attests the wisdom of those who framed it.
The following is a list of the first boards of school directors elected in the respective townships in the year 1834:
Allegheny. - Hiram Goodrich, David Henderson, Thomas Davison, Aaron Benedict, William T. Neill, William Poor.
Canal .- David Crouch, James Kingsley, John Gibbons, John Foster, Jr., William Whitman, Elanson Lindsay.
Cherry Tree .- John Alcorn, Richard Hamilton, Robert Curry, John Breed, William Hamilton, Isaac Archer.
Cranberry .- F. S. Beck, Daniel Wilhelm, William Thompson, Alexan- der Shannon, James Eaton, William Allison. .
Cornplanter .- John Henry, Patrick McCrea, Henry McCalmont, Samuel Lamb, John Neill, Joseph McFate.
French Creek .- Aaron McKissick, Henry Strickland, Isaac Bunnell, John W. Walker, Jr., John Adams, A. Grace.
Irwin. - Robert Mitchell, James Perry, William McKee, George Mc- Murdy, Christian Dumars, William Hovis.
Pinegrove .- Samuel Powell, Samuel Zink, J. B. McCalmont, Jacob Hinch, John Stover, C. Heylen.
Plum .- William McIntosh, Robert Mason, Edward Sweeny, John G. Bradley, William Cowan, Jared Welsh.
Richland. - Henry Neely, Alexander Ritchey, James Burns, Benjamin Junkin, John Donaldson, John Allebaugh.
Scrubgrass. - William Perry, John Coulter, Samuel Mitchell, David Phipps, Archibald Henderson, Alexander Scott.
Sugar Creek .- James Haslet, John Mason, Alexander Bowman, John Morrison, M. Stockbarger, Robert McCalmont.
Franklin Borough .- Lewis T. Reno, John Evans, John W. Howe, Andrew Bowman, William Raymond, Benjamin Alexander.
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The first convention of delegates under this act, and in all probability the first public educational meeting in the county, was held at the court house in Franklin November 4, 1834. Canal township was represented by" Elanson Lindsay; Plum, by William Cowan; Cherry Tree, by Richard Hamilton; Allegheny, by Hiram Goodrich; Pinegrove, by Samuel Powell; Rockland, by Matthias Domer; Scrubgrass, by John Coulter; Sugar Creek, by Alexander Bowman; Franklin Borough, by John W. Howe; Cranberry, by Alexander Shannon; Cornplanter, by Henry McCalmont; Richland, by Benjamin Junkin; Irwin, by Robert Mitchell; Farmington, by David Ryner; Beaver, by David Allebach; Elk, by Jacob Dahl; Tionesta, by James Wal- liston, and Paint, by Daniel Brenneman. An organization was effected with Samuel Powell as president and David Ryner, secretary. Important action was taken relative to a school fund. On motion of Messrs. Howe and Goodrich it was determined, with but two dissenting votes, to levy a tax of six mills for school purposes. At subsequent meetings in May, 1835, and in the following years, annual meetings in the different townships were arranged for the consideration of educational matters, and as a result of this agitation the system gradually gained in popular support and practical efficiency.
County Superintendent of Public Schools .- This office was created in 1854. Its incumbents, elected by the school directors of the county, have been as follows: Manley C. Beebe, 1854-57; William Burgwin, 1857-60; Charles H. Dale, 1860-72; William C. McClure, 1872-75; Silas H. Prather, 1875-84; George B. Lord, 1884.
CONGRESSIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATION.
Members of Congress .- 1800, Albert Gallatin, Democrat, Washington county; 1801, William Hoge, Democrat, Washington county; 1803, John Hoge, Democrat, Washington county; 1804, John B. C. Lucas, Democrat, Beaver county; 1805, Samuel Smith, Democrat, Erie county; 1810 (re- elected), Abner Lacock, Democrat, Beaver county; 1813 (re-elected), Thomas Wilson, Democrat, Erie county; 1816 (re-elected), Robert Moore, Democrat, Beaver county; 1820 (re-elected), Patrick Farrelly, Democrat, Crawford county; 1826, Thomas H. Sill, Federalist, Erie county (vice Pat- rick Farrelly, deceased); 1826, Stephen Barlow, Democrat, Crawford county; 1828, Thomas H. Sill, Federalist, Erie county; 1830, John Banks, Anti- Mason, Mercer county; 1832 (re-elected), John Galbraith, Democrat, Venango county; 1836, Arnold Plumer, Democrat, Venango county; 1838, John Galbraith, Democrat, Erie county; 1840, Arnold Plumer, Democrat, Venango county; 1842, Samuel Hays, Democrat, Venango county; 1844, William S. Garvin, Democrat, Mercer county; 1846, John W. Farrelly, Whig, Crawford county; 1848 (re-elected), John W. Howe, Free-Soil, Ve- nango county; 1852, C. B. Curtis, Democrat, Warren county; 1854, David
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Barclay, Democrat, Jefferson county; 1856, James L. Gillis, Democrat, Elk county; 1858, Chapin Hall, Republican, Warren county; 1860, John Pat- "ton, Republican, Clearfield county; 1862, Amos Myers, Republican, Clarion county; 1864, C. V. Culver, Republican, Venango county; 1866, Darwin A. Finney, Republican, Crawford county; 1868, S. Newton Pettis, Repub- lican, Crawford county (vice Darwin A. Finney, deceased); 1868, Calvin W. Gilfillan, Republican, Venango county; 1870, Samuel Griffith, Demo- crat, Mercer county; 1872, Hiram L. Richmond, Republican, Crawford county; 1874, Albert G. Egbert, Democrat, Venango county; 1876, Lewis F. Watson, Republican, Warren county; 1878, John H. Osmer, Republican, Venango county; 1880, Lewis F. Watson, Republican, Warren county; 1882, Samuel M. Brainerd, Republican, Erie county; 1884 (re-elected), William L. Scott, Democrat, Erie county; 1888, Lewis F. Watson, Repub- lican, Warren county.
State Senators .- 1800, John Hamilton, Democrat, Washington county- district: Allegheny, Washington, and Greene; 1801, William McArthur, Democrat, Crawford county-district: Erie, Crawford, Venango, Mercer, and Warren; 1809, Wilson Smith, Democrat, Erie county, the same dis- trict; 1812, Joseph Shannon, Democrat, the same district; 1816, Henry Hurst, Democrat, Crawford county, the same district; 1821, Jacob Herring- ton, Mercer county, the same district; 1822, Samuel Hays, Democrat, Ve- nango county-district: Venango, Warren, Armstrong, Indiana, Jefferson, and Cambria; 1827, Eben S. Kelly, the same district; 1835, M. Kelley, the same district; 1839, Samuel Hays, Democrat, Venango county-dis- trict: Jefferson, Mckean, Potter, Tioga, Venango, and Warren, to which Clarion was added in 1842; 1842, William P. Wilcox, Democrat, the same district; 1845, James P. Hoover, Democrat, Venango county-district: Crawford and Venango; 1848, J. Porter Brawley, Democrat, Crawford county, the same district; 1851, John Hoge, Democrat, Mercer county- district: Mercer, Venango, and Warren; 1854, Thomas Hoge, Democrat, Venango county, the same district; 1857, Glenni W. Scofield, Republican, Warren county, the same district; 1859, William M. Francis, Republican, Lawrence county-district: Lawrence, Mercer, and Venango; 1860, James H. Robinson, Republican, Mercer county, the same district; 1863, Thomas Hoge, Republican, Venango county, the same district; 1866, James C. Brown, Republican, Mercer county, the same district; 1869, Harrison Allen, Republican, Warren county- district: Mercer, Venango, and Warren; 1872, Samuel Mckinley, Republican, Lawrence county-district: Lawrence, Mer- cer, and Venango; 1874, W. S. McMullen, Republican, Venango county- district: Venango and Warren; 1876, Charles W. Stone, Republican, Warren county, the same district; 1878 (re-elected), J. W. Lee, Republican, Ve- nango county, the same district; 1886, O. C. Allen, Republican, Warren county, the same district.
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State Representatives .- At the first session of the XIth House, which met November 5, 1800, Samuel Ewalt and Thomas Morton represented the dis- , trict indicated on the journal as composed of the counties of "Allegheny, Crawford, etc." At the first session of the XIIth House, which convened December 1, 1801, Alexander Buchanan represented the district composed of the counties of Crawford, Venango, Warren, Erie, and Mercer. The fol- lowing are Buchanan's successors: 1802, John Lytle, Jr. (re-elected in 1803 and 1804); 1805, Wilson Smith (re-elected in 1806 and 1807); 1808, Samuel Dale and Bevan Pearson-district: Venango and Mercer; 1809, Samuel Dale and James Montgomery (re-elected in 1810, 1811, and 1812), the same dis- trict; 1813, Samuel Hays and Jacob Herrington, the same district; 1814, David Dempsey and Jacob Herrington, the same district; 1815, James Wes- ton, Ralph Marlin, and Jacob Herrington-district: Mercer, Erie, Craw- ford, Warren, and Venango; 1816, Samuel Hays, Ralph Marlin, and Jacob Herrington, the same district; 1817, Thomas Wilson, Ralph Marlin, and Samuel Hays, the same district; 1818, Jacob Herrington, James Cochran, and Joseph Hackney, the same district; 1819, Wilson Smith, James Cochran, and William Connely, the same district; 1820, Jacob Herrington, William Smith, and William Connely, the same district; 1821, David Brown, James Cochran, and George Moore, the same district; 1822, James Cochran-dis- trict: Venango and Crawford; 1823 (re-elected), Samuel Hays, the same dis- trict; 1825, William Foster, the same district; 1826, Thomas Atkinson, the same district; 1827, George R. Espy, the same district; 1828, John Galbraith, the same district; 1829, John Galbraith (re-elected in 1830 and 1831)-dis- trict: Venango and Warren; 1832, James Thompson (re-elected in 1833 and 1834), the same district; 1835, Hugh McClelland, the same district; 1836 (re-elected), George R. Espy-district: Venango; 1838 (re-elected), James Ross Snowden, the same district; 1840, Alexander Holeman, the same dis- trict; 1841, James Ross Snowden, the same district; 1842, David B. Long. From 1843 to 1850 Venango, Jefferson, and Clarion constituted a district and elected two representatives. James Ross Snowden, Robert Mitchell, and William Perry were elected from Venango county during this period. In 1850 Morris Leech, Glenni W. Scofield, and John W. Shugert were elected from the district composed of Mercer, Warren, and Venango; 1851, John W. Shugert, Joseph Y. James, and L. N. McGranahan, the same district; 1852, L. N. McGranahan, John J. Kilgore, and Carter V. Kinnear, the same district; 1853, John J. Kilgore, L. T. Parmlee, and Robert . M. De- France, the same district; 1854, S. P. McCalmont, Ralph Clapp, and Dan- iel Lott, the same district; 1855, S. P. McCalmont, Daniel Lott, and Samuel Kerr, the same district; 1856, S. P. McCalmont, Samuel Kerr, and Thomas Struthers, the same district; 1857, Thomas Struthers, William G. Rose, and C. P. Ramsdell, the same district; 1858, William G. Rose and C. P. Ramsdell-district: Mercer and Venango; 1859 (re-elected), George D. Hofius and Elisha W. Davis, the same district; 1861 (re-elected), M. C. Beebe and
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James C. Brown, the same district; 1863 (re-elected), William Burgwin and 'Charles Koonce, the same district. In 1865 Venango was united with War- ren in one district, and during the continuance of this arrangement the representatives elected from this county were W. L. Whann, A. P. Duncan, J. D. McJunkin, and R. D. McCreary. Since 1874 Venango has composed a district and elected representatives in the following order: 1874, John M. Dickey, J. P. Park, and William Hasson; 1876, John M. Dickey, William Gates, and George E. Mapes; 1878, George E. Mapes, Samuel B. Myers, and J. L. Dewoody; 1880, Samuel B. Myers, George E. Mapes, and Willis J. Hulings; 1882, Willis J. Hulings, William Hasson, and James S. Gates; 1884, Willis J. Hulings, George S. Criswell, and Frank Riddle; 1886, George S. Criswell, Robert F. Glenn, and O. P. Morrow; 1888, O. P. Mor- row and F. W. Hays.
ROSTER OF COUNTY OFFICERS.
President Judges, under the constitution of 1790, were appointed by the governor and enjoyed a life tenure. Under the constitution of 1837-38 the term of service was made ten years, and in 1851 the office became elective. Alexander Addison was commissioned August 17, 1791; Jesse Moore, April 5, 1803; Henry Shippen, January 24, 1825; Nathaniel B. Eldred, March 23, 1839; Gaylord Church, April 3, 1843; Alexander McCalmont, 1839 (for the eighteenth judicial district to which Venango county was attached in 1849); Joseph Buffington, 1849. John C. Knox was elected in October, 1851. John S. McCalmont, appointed in May, 1853, was elected in the following autumn, and resigned in 1861, when Glenni W. Scofield was appointed; James Campbell was elected October 11, 1861. In 1866 Isaac G. Gordon was appointed to the twenty-eighth judicial district, to which John Trunkey was elected in October of the same year and re-elected in 1876. Upon his resignation in December, 1877, Charles E. Taylor was ap- pointed; he was elected November 5, 1878, and re-elected November 6, 1888.
District Judge .- James Thompson of Venango county was appointed special law judge for Erie, Crawford, Venango, and Mercer counties May 18, 1839, and served until May, 1845.
Associate Judges were originally appointed for life or during good be- havior, but by the constitution of 1837-38 the term of service was reduced to five years, and in 1850 the office was made elective. John Irwin and Thomas McKee were commissioned July 4, 1805, and took the oath of office on the 17th of October following. James G. Heron was commissioned De- cember 3, 1805, and inducted into office January 27, 1806. He was county commissioner at the time and does not appear to have officiated as judge until March session, 1808. He died in 1809, but Judges Irwin and McKee continued to serve many years. Richard Irwin's incumbency as associate judge began in December, 1838; that of Robert Mitchell, in 1840; Benja- min A. Plumer, in 1843; James Kinnear, in 1845; Alexander Holeman, in 1850; Robert Cross, in 1851; John H. Smiley, in 1856; Samuel Hays, in 1856; David Phipps, in 1856; W. W. Davison, in 1857; Joshua Davis, in 1861.
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William Connelly, in 1862; Robert Lamberton, in 1862; R. S. McCormick, in 1866; James L. Connely, in 1867. Venango county was made a judi- cial district (the twenty-eighth) individually in 1877, and thus, by a pro- vision in the constitution of 1874, the office of associate judge was abol- ished.
Prothonotaries. - Appointments to this office were originally made by the governor for the term of three years, but the office become elective under the constitution of 1837-38. Since 1857 one person has been elected pro- thonotary, clerk of the court of quarter sessions, of oyer and terminer, and general jail delivery, and another person recorder of deeds, register of wills. and clerk of the orphans' court; prior to that date the duties of all these offices had been performed by one incumbent. William Moore took the- oath of office as prothonotary, etc., September 2, 1805; Alexander McCal- mont, April 27, 1818; Andrew Bowman, April 21, 1824; Arnold Plumer, February 27, 1830; Alexander McDowell, February 27, 1836; James P. Hoover, December 31, 1840; George W. Connely, December 3, 1842; Alexander Cochran, December 4, 1848; William Elliott, December 4, 1854; John A. Dale, vice William Elliott, deceased, appointed August 3, 1857; R. L. Cochran, December 3, 1857; C. E. Lytle, December 4, 1860; J. H. Smith, December 3, 1866; E. G. Crawford, December 1, 1869; Isaac Reine- man, January 3, 1876; Philip Engelskirger, January 2, 1882; John H. Evans, January 2, 1888, present incumbent.
Register and Recorder .- Nathaniel D. Snowden took the oath of office as register and recorder and clerk of the orphans' court, December 3, 1857; H. B. Gordon, December 4, 1860; Alexander McDowell, May 30, 1866, ap- pointed, vice H. B. Gordon, deceased; James W. Shaw, December 1, 1866; John P. Barr, January 3, 1876; Carlisle J. Crawford, January 5, 1885, present incumbent.
County Commissioners were elected annually for the term of three years. until the adoption of the constitution of 1873, which provided for the trien- nial election of the entire board of three members. Ninian Irwin, Caleb. Crane, and James G. Heron constituted the first board. James G. Heron served from October, 1805, to October, 1806; Caleb Crane, October, 1805, to October, 1807; Ninian Irwin, October 1805, to October, 1808; James. McClaran, October, 1806, to August, 1808; Samuel Ray, Jr., October 1807; to October, 1810; John Shaw, appointed, vice James McClaran, resigned, August, 1808, to October, 1808; John Nelson, October, 1808, to February, 1810; George McClelland, October, 1808, to November, 1812; David Brown, appointed, vice John Nelson, resigned, February, 1810, to October, 1810; John Wilson, October, 1810, to October, 1813; James McClaran, October, . 1810, to October, 1814; John Hamilton, November, 1812, to August, 1814, Robert Mitchell, October, 1813, to October, 1816; John McCalmont, Jr., appointed, vice John Hamilton, resigned, August, 1814, to October, 1814;
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