USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > History of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 42
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Albert G. Marchand was the first one of the family who became a member of the bar. When he was quite a young man his father, Dr. David Marchand, was elected prothonotary of Westmoreland county, and while he was assisting his father in conducting this office he read law with John B. Alexander and was admitted to the bar in 1833. He was a man of stout build, dark complex- ion, dark hair and eyes, and in his day was an advocate of marked ability before a jury or court. He devoted himself entirely to the legal profession until 1838. That year, when he was but twenty-seven years of age, he was elected to congress, representing the counties of Westmoreland and Indiana. When he took his seat in the Twenty-sixth congress he was the youngest member of that body, except one. He was re-elected in 1840 and then declined to serve his constituents further in this capacity. He was born February 26, 18II.
In the latter part of 1847 he was afflicted with a disease which rapidly undermined his constitution, but did not make itself known until a few months before his death. He died on February 5, 1848, aged thirty-seven years. His loss was deeply felt because of his ability, his high character and his promis- ing life.
Henry Clay Marchand was a brother of Albert G. Marchand and was born March 9, 1819. He read law with his brother, was admitted to the bar in May, 1840, and at once became a partner of his brother. This partnership continued until his brother's death in 1848. Henry C. Marchand practiced law in Greensburg for forty-one years. He was a man of high character, thor- oughly devoted to his profession, and for many years before his death was easily ranked among the foremost men of the bar. He was not a man of outward show, but a man of solid worth. The leading characteristics of Mr. Marchand were the soundness of his judgment, his sincerity, his-caution and his industry. "Let us examine it again out of abundant caution," was one of his oft-repeated suggestions.
He made no claim to forensic display, but argued cases well before a jury and very well before the court. His chief power lay in a special ability to prepare and arrange to the best advantage all the details useful in the trial of a case, and to select with skill and discretion the authorities bearing upon the question at hand. In this sphere of professional life he had no superior in Westmoreland county ; and it will be remembered that he came in contact with men like Foster, Cowan and Laird almost daily in his practice of the law, and that the weightiest riatters were entrusted to him.
For many years he was chief solicitor for the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany in Westmoreland county and had a large corporation business in addition. He practiced law alone from 1848, when his partner and brother died, until 1864, when his nephew, John A. Marchand, was admitted to the bar and
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became his junior partner. He was a Presbyterian in religion and lived a most exemplary life. He died March 9, 1882.
John A. Marchand was the son of Albert Gallatin Marchand, and was born in Greensburg June 8, 1842. He was educated in Washington College, and in 1862 began to read law with his uncle, Henry C. Marchand, and was admitted to the bar in May, 1864. He was a thorough-going, painstaking lawyer like his uncle and father had been before him. He was essentially an office lawyer, caring little for the business of the courts. He excelled in the preparation of papers and in directing the management of business affairs. He was a man of high social qualities.
In 1869 he was appointed a register in bankruptcy by Chief Justice Chase for the counties of Westmoreland, Indiana and Fayette, a position which he filled with grace and dignity until the repeal of the bankrupt law in 1878. He assisted his uncle and partner as solicitor for the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany, and was closely associated with him in all of the business of the firm. He, too, was a 'most painstaking and exact lawyer.
· He was married October 5, 1868, to Mary Todd, a daughter of David Todd and granddaughter of Judge James Todd, who was attorney general of the commonwealth under Governor Ritner, and a native of Philadelphia.
Like his uncle, he paid very little attention to politics, but gave his closest attention to professional business. He had, however, been chief burgess of his native town and was president of the Merchants' and Farmers' Bank. He was an Episcopalian in religion and one of the highest Masons in the United States. He died August 5, 1896.
Archibald A. Stewart was born in Indiana county on March 3, 1833, and died suddenly in Greensburg on July 3, 1881. He was of Irish ancestry, and was graduated from Jefferson College in 1854, after which he came to West- moreland county to read law with Hon. Henry D. Foster. In 1856 he was admitted to the bar, and continued to practice his profession until his death. He was twice elected to the office of district attorney, and filled the position with good ability.
Mr. Stewart was a generous-hearted man, generous even to a fault. It mattered little to him whether his client had money to pay for his services or not. He took their cases and gave in return his best efforts. There is no doubt whatever but that between the years of 1865 and 1880 he tried more cases, particularly in the quarter sessions, than any other member of the bar. This alone was sufficient to make him very popular in the county, but in addi- tion to this he was a man of an open, friendly disposition. He was an uncom- promising Democrat. In 1879 he won the nomination for judgeship easily over competitors, any one of whom was much better fitted for the position than he. His following in Westmoreland was immense, but he was defeated in the fall by Judge Hunter and we believe, unfortunately, never recovered
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from this backset. He was a man of strong build, strong constitution and strong personality.
But few men have brought with them to the bar as much native legal intel- lect as William M. Given. He was the son of Robert Given, better known as Judge Given, one of the old time associate judges of Westmoreland county. He began life as a school teacher, and with but little preliminary education read law with Henry D. Foster, and was admitted to the bar in May, 1862, when twenty-two years old.
He was a man of very fine physique, had bright, dark piercing eyes, a clear musical voice, and a very marked command of language. Indeed, his style of expression was at once so elegant and forceful that his every utterance apparently bore the weight of a judicial decree. These qualities enabled him to take a high rank even in his first years at the bar. As an advocate he had few equals.
Associated with Governor Latta, he was engaged to prosecute in the cele- brated Drum case, in which a young man of good family named William Drum was tried for the murder in a street fight of a youth of mcager intellect named David Mohigan. Judge Buffington certified disqualification in the case, be- cause of the relationship between his family and that of the defendant. The supreme court of the state appointed one of their number, Justice Agnew, to sit specially in the regular session of the oyer and terminer court of West- moreland county to hear the case. The trial took place in November, 1868, when Mr. Given was but twenty-eight years old. Arrayed against him in defense of Drum was the flower of the Westmoreland bar, namely, Keenan, Hunter, Cowan and Foster. The management of the case was superior throughout, and Mr. Given's address to the jury was one of the finest ever delivered in our courts. No one who was fortunate enough to hear it ever forgot its magnetic effect upon the jury and the audience. The case became a ruling one in Pennsylvania criminal law, and is reported at length in No. 58, Pa. St., p. I.
Later he acquitted himself with equal credit as defendant's counsel in the trial of Hull, who was indicted for the murder of a railroad conductor named Parker. His strength did not lie, by any means, however, in the criminal courts. He was a lawyer of broad mind and great strength in every matter which engaged his attention. Unfortunately, he did not live to be old, but died suddenly of heart disease in 1882.
William A. Stokes, born in 1814, was one of the ablest members of the bar between 1850 and 1870. He came to Greensburg from Philadelphia when about forty years of age, having won a very prominent place at the bar in that city before coming here. He was sent here by the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany to look after its interests, which railroad was completed to Greensburg in 1852. He purchased a fine farm north of Greensburg, now known as Seton Hill. and there lived in affluence.
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
From the very first he took his place at the bar side by side with men like Foster and Cowan, and whilst he was not as great a lawyer as either of these men, in one respect, that is in the strength of luis oratory, he was a man of won- derful power. He was a tall, slender man, with dark piercing eyes, and one. upon whom nature had bestowed many gifts. In public addresses, of which he made a great many, he had scarcely an equal in Western Pennsylvania. He was also an editor of the Greensburg Republican for some time. Shortly after the breaking out of the rebellion he enlisted in the service, taking out a com- pany. Later he was promoted to the office of major. Sometime after the war was over he returned to Philadelphia, where he lived in retirement and died April 3, 1877.
James J. Hazlett was born in Indiana county and read law with Henry D. Foster, being admitted to the bar in 1864. For many years he practiced law in the Cowan building. he having been married to Senator Cowan's only daugh- ter Elizabeth. Afterwards a partnership was formed with Mr. V. E. Will- iams, and the firm became a leading one at the bar. Mr. Hazlett was a man of much energy, and a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College in the class of 1860. Had he lived to round out his full measure of years, he would un- doubtedly have become a shining light at the bar. He died after a brief illness. in 1887, aged forty-eight years.
James R. McAfee, editor and lawyer, was born in Allegheny county on March 10, 1822, and was a son of John and Mary Thompson McAfee, who were of Irish extraction. Mr. McAfee was a school teacher in the fifties, and from 1857 until 1860 was superintendent of the common schools of Westmore- land county. After filling the duties of this office he studied law with Hon. James A. Hunter and was admitted to the bar in 1866. He filled various offices-assistant revenue assessor, deputy secretary of the commonwealth, from 1879 to 1883, etc. In 1870 he founded the Greensburg Tribune, and two years later consolidated it with the Greensburg Herald, making what is now known as the Tribune-Herald. He gave most of his attention to these voca- tions rather than to the practice of the law. He died April 29, 1890.
Joseph H. Kuhns was born in September, 1800, and was graduated from Washington college in 1820. He read law with Major John B. Alexander, to- whose sister he was afterward married, and was admitted to the bar in 1823. In 1850 he was elected by the Whig party to congress from the district com- posed of Westmoreland, Somerset, Indiana and Fulton counties. He did not like congressional life, but preferred the practice of the law. He was a jovial, polished gentleman and was the author of one bon mot which always lived: At a dinner given by a prominent member of the bar when Mr. Kuhns was quite- old, when the guests were sitting around the table, they began to make remarks upon the appearance of the remnants of a large turkey which had been almost entirely eaten. This noble hird had been garnished with fern leaves. Many of the lawyers were remarking as to what the bird then resembled, when Mr. Kuhns said that it reminded him of "Fern on Remainder." It may be well
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to state for the benefit of those who are not members of the bar, that this was the name of an English law book in common use many years ago. He died November 16, 1883.
H. Byers Kuhns, born in Greensburg, was graduated from Jefferson Col- lege and admitted to the bar in 1849, having read law with his father, Joseph H. Kuhns. He practiced law with a great deal of success all his life, except that he spent four years in the Civil war in the Eleventh Regiment Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, which was commanded by General Richard Coulter. He .died October 9, 1889.
W. H. H. Markle was a lawyer of much prominence in his day. He was born near Millgrove, in Westmoreland county, February 3. 1823. He read law with Senator Cowan, was admitted to the bar in 1847, and was in partner- ship at different times with James C. Clark, James A. Logan and his son-in- law, Welty Mccullough. He was district attorney and collector of internal revenue, and was a man of high character and integrity. He died of par- alysis, in Philadelphia, December 18, 1883.
John Armstrong, son of John Armstrong, Sr., was born in Greensburg, August II, 1816. His father was a lawyer of much distinction and his son doubtless received great advantages in his early student days. At all events the son became one of the most thorough lawyers of his day in our county. He was not an advocate, but in the preparation of papers, in the settlement of estates and in giving wise counsel to his clients, he stood at the very head of his profession. He was, furthermore, a most complete gentleman, one of re- tiring disposition, and extremely kind and polite to all with whom he came in contact. No lawyer of the past is more kindly remembered than he.
Mr. Armstrong's ability as a lawyer cannot be told in any better way than by a current anecdote of the bar. When Judge Buffington was on the bench Mr. Armstrong was appointed an auditor to distribute a large and important ·estate. When his report was completed exceptions were filed to some of his allowances. These exceptions finally came before the judge and were heard by him without knowing, perhaps, who the auditor was. They did not seem, however, to impress him very favorably, and he therefore inquired who had been the auditor. When told that it was Mr. Armstrong he remarked: "Oh ! well, gentlemen, that will do; these exceptions are dismissed and the distri- bution of the auditor confirmed."
He was an old line Presbyterian and lived an exemplary Christian life. He died August 3, 1889.
Welty Mccullough was born in Greensburg in 1847 and was graduated from Princeton College in the class of 1870. He read law with his father-in- law, Harry Markle, Esq., in Greensburg, and was admitted to practice in 1872. He did not confine his practice entirely to this county, else we would doubtless have more to say of him. Very early in his professional life he became a cor- poration lawyer and gave most of his attention to railroad law, and, whilst he always resided in Greensburg, he continuously kept an office in Pittsburgh. He
Noty The Bullugh
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was renowned both there and in Greensburg as a railroad and corporation lawyer, and in the preparation of papers and in all of the varied work of an all- round lawyer, he took anything but second place.
In 1886 he was elected to congress as a Republican, representing West- moreland, Fayette and Greene counties. The district was strongly Democratic, but there were two Democrats in the field, which divided the vote of that party, and Mr. Mccullough was elected. Unfortunately, shortly after the close of his first and only term in congress, he was taken sick and died August 31, 1889.
James C. Clark was born in Laughlintown, a little village in the eastern part of Westmoreland county, February 2, 1823. His father, James Clark, was an extensive iron producer, and was engaged in the iron industry at Washington furnace, near Laughlintown. James Clark, Sr., was one of the prominent men of his day. He was canal commissioner and state senator, and came within one vote of being elected to the United States Senate in 1833, when James Buchanan was the successful candidate. His son received the best of preliminary training, and was graduated from Jefferson College in 1843.
Mr. Clark read law with Justice Coulter and was admitted to the bar in Westmoreland county in 1846. He was known as an office lawyer and in this he took high standing. He had a large corporation business, particularly for that day, when corporations were not so plentiful as now. For many years he was solicitor for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in Westmoreland county. In 1874 he was elected to the state senate, and again in 1876, serving till 1881, and this, we believe, was the only office to which he ever aspired. In his later years he retired from the practice of the law and devoted his time as- siduously to the coal business and to banking, he being one of the founders of the Greensburg Banking Company and also of the First National Bank.
He was for many years a school director in Greensburg and gave this his most thorough attention, as much so as though the office had paid him thous- ands. He was regarded as one of the most progressive school directors in the county, a reputation of which any man may, be proud. He was a man of the highest integrity and a very substantial pillar in the United Presbyterian church. He died on April 23, 1893, and was buried in the St. Clair cemetery.
William H. Young was born in 1853 in Salem township, read law with James A. Hunter and was admitted to the bar in November, 1877. Mr. Young did not have the benefit of a college education, at least not one obtained within the walls of a college, but he had spent years in the study of mathematics, science, history, language and literature-indeed, in all the branches that are usually pursued by a student in college. It must further be said that he was most thorough in these, and in whatever he attempted. Particularly was he strong in Latin and Greek. Nature had bestowed her gifts on Mr. Young with a lavish hand. She had endowed him essentially with the mind of a lawyer, and in all his mental qualities he approximated genius.
He was a tall, slender man with black hair and dark, flashing eyes. Very
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soon after his admission to the bar in, 1877, he began to try cases and rapidly attained a high rank in the profession. His command of language was simply marvelous. When wrought up in argument to the court he was a man of unrivaled power, and seemed to have at his tongue's end the accumulated thoughts and wisdom of a life's work. There was also a poetic temperament which ran through all his life, and bubbled forth in every sentence he uttered. These qualities were supplemented by an earnest manner, a voice with every note of music in its tones, and a magnetism which charmed his hearers and held them spellbound while he spoke.
Mr. Young was without conceit, egotism or vanity, and apparently without even a knowledge of his superior powers. He frequently admired and praised qualities in others which he possessed in a much more eminent degree him- self. His peculiar ability to throw himself into the breach and work with un- rivaled might and skill in the face of defeat, with little time for immediate preparation, often brought him at the last hour into cases that were, from their very nature, almost hopeless. Sometimes he was able thus to grasp vic- tory from despair. When, as frequently happened, he drew by his splendid effort the heartiest congratulations from those who heard him, he always mod- estly shunning all compliments or words of praise, invariably replied, "No matter about the address, but how about the verdict?"
But all these rare intellectual powers were marred by ill health, he being an invalid almost from the time he came to the bar. In 1891 he was sud- denly afflicted with softening of the brain, from which he died in a few months.
Harrison Perry Laird was the youngest son of Rev. Francis and Mary Moore Laird, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. He was a descendant, more- over, of Hon. John Moore, who is referred to elsewhere in these sketches as an early president judge. Mr. Laird was born in Franklin township, this county, in 1814. From his youth he was a cripple, and this, doubtless, by preventing him from engaging in many athletic pursuits, made him essentially a student, which quality he kept throughout his long life. He was graduated from Jei- ferson College and for a time taught school in Madison Academy, Kentucky, after which he took a course in the Transylvania University ; still later he re- turned to Pennsylvania and read law with Hon. Charles Schaler, in Pittsburgh. Shortly after his admission to the bar he moved to Greensburg, where he prac- ticed law the rest of his life.
He was little given to politics, but was a member of the legislature in 1848, 1849 and 1850, and a member of the state senate of Pennsylvania from 1880 to 1884, representing Westmoreland county. As chairman of the bank com- mittee he drafted the Banking Law of 1850, some parts of which have been preserved in the present National Bank act of the United States.
Mr. Laird was, as we have stated, not a politician, but strictly a lawyer. No one would think of giving him second place at the bar after Cowan and Foster, who were eminent in a degree beyond what might be expected from a country county. He was, moreover, a deeply learned scholar, conversant with
J. P. Laird.
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the English and German languages, and with Hebrew, Greek and Latin. He was a friend and suitable companion of the most learned college men of his day, and contributed more or less to the literature of southwestern Pennsyl- vania. In the trial of a case he was most persistent, and in the preparation of his cases and of all legal documents he was extremely painstaking.
He was never married, and in his latter years became something of a cynic. A few illustrations of this may not be out of place. He had a marked contempt for the medical profession. A few years before his death a woman, a neighbor of his, was taken violently ill and called in a physician, contrary to Mr. Laird's advice. Mr. Laird, in speaking of the matter the next morn- ing, said: "She was taken suddenly ill and called a physician, who gave her medicine late last night, and in one hour she was dead." "Asa in his disease sought not to the Lord but to the physician. And Asa slept with his fathers."
In describing the eminent Judge Trunkey to the writer he spoke of him as a large man with a deep voice and strong constitution, ravenous appetite, etc. "Indeed," said he, "Judge Trunkey is very much such a man as our present candidate for judge, except that Judge Trunkey is a good lawyer."
Mr. Laird was a member of and attended the German Reformed church regularly. One morning as he was leaving church he was accosted by the minister who asked him, rather pointedly, "How did you like my discourse this morning, senator?" Quick as thought the caustic wit replied, "It was a most excellent text, sir, a most excellent one indeed."
In his later years he had a partner who paid considerable attention to poli- tics, and was consequently visited frequently by politicians. One morning a place hunter entered the office and said hurriedly, "Is Mr. - in the office, senator?" The old gentleman sized him up at once, and looking hurriedly to each corner of the office and then under the desk and table, he said, "I do not see him anywhere."
The students of Franklin and Marshall College, of which Mr. Laird was a trustee, wrote him some years ago asking for a subscription to equip and sup- port their football team, Mr. Laird being a man of large estate .. He replied to their letter as follows:
"Gentlemen:
"Your letter soliciting a contribution to the Athletic Association of Franklin and Marshall College is received.
"There can be no objection to students playing ball for an hour at noon, but to make a business of athletics is detrimental, not only to the students, but to the institution that permits it.
"You cannot co-ordinate beef and brains: the one man in Rome whom the great Caesar most feared, Cassius, had a lean and hungry look.
"Yours very truly,
"H. P. LAIRD."
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When on his death bed, a former pastor asked him if there was anything he could do for him or anything which he wanted. His laconic reply was: "You can do nothing for me ; all I desire is a speedy entrance into rest."
Mr. Laird died October 16, 1897, possessed of a large estate, and in his will he remembered his nephews and nieces, his church, the poor widows of Greensburg, and lastly he manifested his affection for his profession by a le- gacy to the Westmoreland Law Association, of which he had been president since its organization. .
Jacob Turney was a grandson of Jacob Turney and the son of Jacob Tur- ney, Jr., and Margaret Singer Turney, and was born in Greensburg on Febru- ary 18, 1825. He receive his education in the common schools in Greens- burg. During his early years he learned the printer's trade, and after en- gaging in that business a short time he entered the register's office of West- moreland county, and while so engaged read law with Hon. A. G. Marchand. Mr. Marchand died before Mr. Turney had completed his studies and he fin- ished his law reading under Henry C. Marchand, and was admitted to the bar in May, 1849. In 1850 he was elected district attorney of Westmoreland county, being the first district attorney elected under the new law. He was also elected in 1853 and served until January 1, 1857.
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