USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 64
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95
The anti-Catholic cruisade was not adopted until after the Philadelphia (Pa.), riots in 1844, when and where some people were killed and several Catholic churches and institutions were burned. This riot was over the question of using the Protestant Bible in the common schools.
The Know-Nothing order of 1852 had a system-it was patterned after Masonry. It was an order of three degrees, given a month apart. It had fees and dues, passwords, grips and countersigns, which were used to protect and acquaint members with each other. The ritual was elaborate. The candidate had to be twenty-one years old and was thoroughly questioned.
The hailing signs of the three degrees were, I think, as follows: First degree-Looking intently on the apparel of the addressed, ask- ing, "What Is That?" "I don't know," was the response to this. Second degree-Care- lessly asking the addressed. "What Time Is It?" The response, "Time for work." Third degree-"Have You Seen Sam?" The re- sponse, "Put none but Americans on guard tonight." This third query and answer were the great slogan of the party.
On receiving the third and last degree the candidate was charged with the objects and purposes of the order and given its official name. The most strict stirveillance was kept on all first-degree members.
The object of the party was to oppose the political activities of the Roman Catholic churches, and to require a longer-a twenty- one-year-term of residence by foreigners be- fore naturalization. The obligation of secrecy administered to each individual previous to his admission into a council was in these words :
"You do solemnly swear upon this Holv Bible and cross, before Almighty God and
336
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
these witnesses, that you will never under any circumstances mention the name of any per- son or persons you may see present, nor that you know such an organization to be in cx- istence. So help you God."
After being admitted into the council room, having received the first and second degrees, the candidates took the third degree obligation in presence of Almighty God upon the Bible and cross as follows :
"That so long as you are connected with this organization, if not regularly dismissed from it, you will in all things, political or social. so far as this order is concerned, com- ply with the will of the majority, when ex- pressed in a lawful manner, though it may conflict with your personal preferences, so help you God."
The three oaths were administered to the candidate with his hands on the Bible and cross, and I venture the assertion here that nine out of every ten candidates did not know whether his hand was on a Hebrew. Greek. Catholic or King James' version of the Bible. The order claimed not to be intolerant to the Catholic religion, but only to Catholics in politics. In justification of secrecy it claimed that when you fight the devil you have to fight him with fire. They surely did in this in- stance, for all kind of rumors were kept afloat, such as that cach and every Catholic residence was stocked with ammunition and guns, and that the Catholics met nightly in their churches for drill ( Brookville Catholic church on Water street was reported to be so fortified), drills were being held nightly. and that a general massacre of all Protestants in the town was to be expected at any mo- ment. Strange to repeat now. this crusade against Catholics, these absurd and ridiculous rumors and charges, were received with mouths wide open and swallowed like a young robin swallows a worm. I was too young to join the order, but was learning the printing art and knew about all that was going on.
By the grace of the miller, the local council in Brookville met in the garret of Mabon's gristmill. in a deserted house on the Uriah Matson farm, in the house that Maj. John Mc- Murray now occupies, and in the wareroom of J. B. Evans' store, where. scated on nail kegs, glass boxes and leather rolls, the order at midnight plotted their political schemes.
If a member was interrogated by anyone as to the order, he pretended ignorance and in every instance denied his connection with or any knowledge of the fraternity.
The elections in all the States in 1854 were perfect cyclones. Three Know-Nothing United States senators and seventy-five congressmen were elected. The local ticket in the county was carried by over five hundred majority. The legislature and all State officers were swept in. James Pollock was elected gov- ernor by over thirty-five thousand majority.
The secret part of the order ended with 1854. The national convention and council of 1855 wiped out the ritual and declared that all principles of the order should be openly avowed. Without secrecy the order was now, like Sampson, shorn of its great power, and internal dissensions developed. The auto- cratic and despotic power exercised by its offi- cers was gone. Although exhibiting in 1855- 56 some disturbing power in the county. State and nation. this party rapidly disintegrated, and in 1860 disappeared entirely from the political horizon.
OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES
' The Native American party, whose prin- ciples were similar to those of the Know-Noth- ings, arose about 1843. but soon died out.
The Greenback party, officially known as the Independent party, held its first conven- tion November 25, 1874. In 1877 it was fused with the National party, and the organization became known as the Greenback Labor party. It practically disappeared from politics in 1884, its membership largely going into the People's party, or Populists, organized for- mally in 1891.
The Prohibition party formed its national organization in 1869 and has been in existence ever since.
The Socialist Labor party was formed in 1874 as the Social Democratic Workingmen's party, changing the name in 1877.
The Social Democratic party, organized in 1807. in 1899 united with members of the Social Labor party to form the present Socialist party.
The Washington and Progressive parties - have been recent political ventures.
Up to 1837 anybody who wished to an- nouneed his candidacy and ran for office in the county without a caucus nomination. In that year the first effort was made to organ- ize a party system of nominating candidates.
The pioneer elections held in Jefferson county for president of the United States. and for governor of the State, were held in
337
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
the year 1832. Below will be found the choice of the county as to party preference for pres- ident and governor since that time.
For president the county went Democratic from 1832 to 1860. In 1860 Abraham Lincoln, Republican, carried it. In 1864 George B. McClellan, Democrat, carried it. In 1868 Ulysses S. Grant, Republican, carried it. In 1872 Ulysses S. Grant, Republican, carried it. In 1876 Samuel J. Tilden, Democrat, carried it. From 1880 to 1900 it has regularly gone Republican.
For governor the county went Democratic from 1832 to 1854. In 1854 the county was Know-Nothing. In 1857, Democratic; in 1860, Republican ; from 1860 to 1875, Republican ; in 1875, Democratic; from 1875 to 1900, Re- publican.
CAMPAIGN OF 1864
The Democratic convention nominated for president George B. McClellan, New Jersey ; vice president, George H. Pendleton, Ohio. Adopted platform. Republican ( regular) con- vention : President, Abraham Lincoln, Illi- nois ; vice president, Andrew Johnson, Ten- nessee. AAdopted platform. Election result : President, Abraham Lincoln ; vice president, Andrew Johnson. Twenty-four States voted (war period). Popular vote: Abraham Lin- coln. 2.216,067; George B. McClellan, 1,808,- 725.
The call for the Jefferson county conven- tion for the year was issued July 13. 1864, as follows :
DELEGATE ELECTION
The Republicans of Jefferson county will meet in their respective townships and boroughs on Tuesday, the 2d of August, between the hours of two and six o'clock p. m., to elect two delegates of each township and borough, to meet at the courthouse in the bor- ough of Brookville, on Friday, the 5th day of August, at one o'clock, to nominate candidates to be supported for the different county offices.
M. M. MEREDITH, Chairman County Committee.
The county then had twenty-three town- ships and four boroughs, giving us fifty-four delegates. The date fixed for the primaries was on the day set by the law of the State, passed in the spring of that year, for the special election for three amendments to our Constitution, one of which was to permit the soldiers in the field to vote. The date fixed for this call was a shrewd policy, as it mate- rially assisted in bringing out a full Repub-
lican primary, and was a great aid in carrying that "soldier vote" issue in the county, which we did, as the full return gave fourteen hun- dred and ninety-seven for this amendment and twelve hundred and twenty against it, a plurality of two hundred and seventy-seven. This issue was bitterly fought. After the National convention I had been appointed a member of the Union State Central committee by Simon Cameron, who was then chairman of that committee, and this soldier campaign in the county was conducted by Captain Mer- edith. The county convention was held on August 5th, as called, and the following ticket selected : For district attorney, A. C. White ; county commissioners, I. C. Jordan, Eli B. Irvin ; auditor, Joseph P. North ; trustees of academy, P. H. Shannon, M. M. Meredith, Calvin Rodgers.
G. W. Andrews was made county chairman. Our representative district was Clarion and Jefferson, and on September 9th, at Corsica, Hunter Orr, of Clarion county, was declared the nominee for the Legislature. On Sep- tember 15th G. W. Schofield was declared in Ridgway our nominee for Congress. Dr. A. M. Clarke and S. W. Temple were our con- ferees there. This completed our ticket. There were no State officers to be elected, nothing but district and county tickets in that October election. I do not recollect who was the Dem- ocratic chairman, but it is immaterial, for ex- Senator K. L. Blood dominated and controlled the Democratic party in this county then, and a bold, wiry, vigorous antagonist he was. Our Democratic Dutch friends used to make this reply : "I do not know how I votes. I votes for der Kennedy Blute anyhows." School- house meetings were held in all the townships. Local speakers were scarce. Most of them were in the army, and this labor then prin- cipally devolved upon Andrews and myself. Dr. Heichhold was furloughed about October 20th to help us. In our meetings we abused Blood, and he in return abused us. Major Andrews was a great worker, and usually took a number of papers and documents to read from. What I said was offhand. The Major would always say in his speeches that "the common people of the Democrats were hon- est, but the leaders of that party were ras- cals, traitors and rebels." He was a Maine Yankee. We elected him to the State Con- stitutional convention in 1872, and after his service there he removed to Denver, where he lived and died.
For the August and October elections we had no funds except our own, and we were
22
338
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
all poor alike. Our newspaper editor was John Scott, Esq. He was poor, too; paper was high and hard to get, and, as a consequence of this, our organ. the Republican, was only published occasionally, and often only half
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
sheets. Hence our meetings had to be ad- vertised verbally and by written and printed posters. I had one horse. I traded some books for a second-hand buggy, and bought another horse that I would now be ashamed to own, and in this buggy and behind this team the Major and I drove the circuit in October and November, stopping for dinner and overnight, Methodist preacher fashion, with the brethren. It was a rainy fall, and all through October and November there was
GEN. GEORGE BRINTON MCCLELLAN ("LITTLE MAC")
mud -- mud rich and deep, mud here and there, mud on the hill and everywhere, mud on the ground and in the air, and to those who traveled politically it was a mud-splashing as well as a mud-slinging campaign. We had a mass meeting on October 8th in Brookville,
and on that day we had a strong address pub- lished, reviewing the issues to the people, signed by 1. G. Gordon, Philip Taylor. T. K. Litch, A. S. Rhines. R. G. Wright and J. P. Wann. The speakers for the mass meeting were Chairman Andrews; Colonel Childs, of Philadelphia ; Congressman Myers, and A. L. Gordon. J. W. Pope, the great campaign singer, from Philadelphia, by his patriotic songs impelled us all to greater earnestness. In the October struggle we lost our county and representative ticket, but Schofield was re-elected to Congress. A congressman then never thought of having one or two bosses in a county to dispense post offices. The Dem- ocrats carried the State on the home vote : but, with the aid of the soldiers, we carried the State by a small majority. The antiwar Dem- ocrats greatly rejoiced at their victory on the
EDWIN MC MASTERS STANTON
Edwin McMasters Stanton, born at Steubenville, Ohio, December 19, 1814, died at Washington, D. C., December 24. 1869. Attorney general, December, 1860, to March, 1861; appointed secretary of war in January, 1862; suspended by President Johnson in August, 1867; restored by the Senate in January, 1868. Johnson's attempt to remove him from office the next month caused the president's impeachment, and upon the latter's acquittat Stanton resigned, in May, 1868. He was appointed associate justice of the United States Supreme Court December 20, 1869.
home vote, and they confidently expected. as MeClellan was a Pennsylvanian, that State pride would carry him through in November. The two elections were about one month apart. The soldier vote was denounced as the "bay- onet vote" and "bayonet rule." Simon Cam- eron, our State chairman, was greatly disap- pointed at the loss of our State on the "home vote." After the October election Cameron sent me a draft for two hundred dollars in "rag money," which I expended as judiciously
339
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
as 1 knew how. We gained in the county sixty votes for the November election. I am sorry that I cannot give the manner of ex- penditure of this money. My accounts were all audited and the settlement paper left with G. W. Andrews. McClellan had been the idol of the army and the people, and although he and Pendleton were nominated at Chicago on August 31, 1864, on a peace platform that the war had been a failure and a call to sus- pend hostilities, there never was a day that McClellan would not have been overwhelm- ingly elected in 1864. until in September, when Sherman captured Atlanta and Sheridan went whirling through the valley of Virginia. Every- body. Lincoln and all, knew this. These two victories gave the Union people great heart for hard work. After these victories, Fremont and Cochrane, who had been nominated at Cleveland, Ohio, on May 31, 1864, for pres- ident and vice president by radicals of the Republican party, withdrew, and both sup- ported Lincoln. Our army before Richmond was idle, and. to effectually stop the "bayonet rule" charge, Meade furloughed five thousand soldiers for two weeks. Sheridan did the same, making ten thousand in all, and they went home and voted. This gave us the State on the home vote by about five thousand, and with the "bayonet vote" by about twenty thou- sand. In this election our county went as fol- lows: Home vote: Lincoln. 1,614: McClel- lan, 1,756. Army vote: Lincoln, 207; Mc- Clellan, 11. Total vote: Lincoln, 1,821 ; Mc- Clellan, 1,867.
In the November election our county went Democratic, but we Republicans had a grand jubilee after the returns came in from the nation, as Mcclellan only carried three States -Kentucky, Delaware and New Jersey. Brev -. ity requires many things that I would delight to say about Lincoln and this campaign to be omitted. Republican success gave assur- ance to the world that "the war for the Union would still be prosecuted," and it was, and Pennsylvania performed her duty, both polit- ically and on the battlefields. Pennsylvania gave to the national government during the war over three hundred and eighty-seven thousand soldiers, besides emergency men. Three times during the war Pennsylvania was invaded, and it remained for the Rebellion to receive its Waterloo at Gettysburg and from a Pennsylvania commander.
In conclusion, it was the soldiers' bayonets and the "bayonet voters" of "Lincoln's hire- lings" that crushed the rebellion and saved the Union.
SENATORIAL STRUGGLE BETWEEN INDIANA AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES
In 1876 Jefferson county presented Dr. W. J. McKnight for senator, and Indiana county presented Dr. St. Clair. Conventions were held at Marion, Indiana, and Brookville. Finally, to secure harmony and to save the Congressman, Indiana's nominee, Dr. Mc- Knight handed to the conference the follow- ing letter of declination :
Gentlemen : When I received the nomination for senator by the convention of Jefferson county Repub- licans, by a large and flattering vote, I believed then, as I still believe to-day, that I, as the choice of Jeffer- son county, was then and am to-day entitled to the nomination by the Republican party for senator of this district. But I fully realize the fact that we are in an important political campaign, where the utmost harmony and union are required in all our ranks, and that I, as a faithful Republican, should not ask personal preference antagonistic to the general wel- fare of the party, but should act honestly for the people, consistent with my Republican principles and justly to myself. I have no personal contest. I am nothing, the success of the party is everything. I therefore withdraw from the contest, and hope my friends and the party may act wisely in the interest of the public good. Thanking my friends from the bottom of my heart for their warm support, and their assurance to continue it in the event of my remaining a candidate, I say here in all candor that f hope I may never be so ungrateful as to forget their kind assurances. I am as ever,
Yours truly, W. J. MCKNIGHT.
Brookville, Sept. 29, 1876.
In 1880 Jefferson county again presented Dr. McKnight as her choice, and Indiana county presented George W. Hood, Esq., and a conferce meeting was held at Trade City on the 10th. 11th and 12th of August without result ; it was expected by the Republicans of Jefferson that, inasmuch as Indiana county had the senator in 1865; in 1868; in 1871; a candidate of their own at the general election in 1874: and the senator in 1876-sixteen years out of twenty; and the nominee for Congress in 1872: in 1874; in 1876; in 1878. and the nominee again in 1880, that surely it would neither be just nor right for Indiana county again to claim the "turn" or right to the candidate.
But the conferees of Jefferson county were perfectly astounded now to find at this con- ference that Indiana as usual laid claim to the senatorship; "it was their turn." . And now, with a sense of deep injury on the third day of this conference, Dr. Hunt, one of the conferees of Jefferson, offered the following resolution :
340
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
"Resolved, That if a nomination for Sen- ator is not made by this conference at the time of twelve o'clock m. this conference adjourn sine die."
This was agreed to, five of the six conferees voting aye.
The dispute was now taken notice of by the State Central committee, and a request was expressed by this committee that another conference be called and held by Hood and McKnight, and in case of failure then to agree, Gen. James S. Negley, of Pittsburgh, be appointed by the chairman of the State committee as umpire lo meet with the con- ferees and adjust the difficulty.
Accordingly another conference was agreed upon by Hood and MeKnight, and called to meet at Punxsutawney. September 29. 1880.
In this conference, as tipon the occasion of all former ones, Indiana county again per- sisted that it was her "turn" for senator. whereupon Dr. Hunt, a Jefferson conferee, offered the following resolution :
"Resolved, That we now ask General Neg- ley to take his seat in this conference as um- pire, in accordance with the recommendation of the State Central committee, which was agreed to."
But before calling on General Negley the following paper was prepared and signed by McKnight and Hood :
"We. the undersigned candidates for the nomination of State senator in the 37th dis- trict, do pledge ourselves to abide by the decision of the umpire, and that his decision shall be final and the nomination shall be made unanimous.
"( Signed)
GEORGE W. HOOD. W. J. MCKNIGHT."
This was the afternoon of the 29th and the conference adjourned until the morning of the 30th. in the hope that Mr. Hood might withdraw. or Indiana county yield, but neither Mr. Hood nor his conferees would entertain for a moment a suggestion to yield or with- draw. whereupon the conference was forced to meet on the morning of the 30th with General Negley in his seat as umpire. A hal- lot was then taken, which resulted as follows : Henderson, Hunt. Thompson and Negley voted for Dr. MeKnight, and Porter, Craw- ford and Gordon voted for George W. Hood. Having thus secured the nomination through the State Central committee Dr. McKnight was elected to and served in the Senate from 1881 to 1885.
In 1884 Dr. MeKnight was presented by
Jefferson county lo the district for a second term. G. W. Hood, Esq., carried Indiana county. It was hoped and expected hy Mc- Knight and his friends that Mr. Hood would at this time cheerfully acknowledge to Dr. McKnight the established usage by the party of a second term. But it was "Indiana's turn." Conferences were held without results, and a final disagreement and adjournment was made in Indiana, October Ist. On October 3d a caucus of Hood's friends was held in his law office, and a pledge written by them referring the dispute to the State Central committee. and requesting speedy action of the commit- tee. Dr. MeKnight was sent for and asked to sign this pledge, which he did. After he signed Mr. Hood signed also, and this pledge Mr. Hood, or his friends, mailed to the State Central committee.
Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 10, 1884.
Hon. Thomas V. Cooper,
Chairman State Committee.
Dear Sir: In accordance with your letter of ap- pointment ( bearing date October 4th, 1884), with full power to adjust or settle a controversy in the 37th Senatorial district, composed of the counties of In- diana and Jefferson, I proceeded to the borough of Indiana, arriving there on the 6th inst., and imme- diately entered upon the performance of the duty imposed.
Upon my arrival I was met by Mr. G. W. Hood, the contestant from the county of Indiana, who with great courtesy and entire absence of any bias in the matter placed me in communication with large num- bers of the Republican citizens of Indiana, with whom, during the afternoon and evening of the 6th, I had full opportunity to acquaint myself with not only the claims of the friends of Mr. Hood, but with the needs of the district generally. On the morning of the 7th the Hon. W. J. McKnight, con- testant from the county of Jefferson, arrived with the three conferees from that county and presented the claims of that gentleman and of their county with vigor and earnestness. The first question that arose was in what way the matter in dispute could he acted upon in a formal and satisfactory manner. The suggestion was made that a meeting of the conferees be held, and I as the presiding officer, and, after a full and complete discussion, a ballot taken, where- upon if a tie should again appear, I should cast the deciding vote. I stated to both the contestants that I held other views as to the manner of procedure, but if this was thought to be better and more satisfactory I would yieldl and take part in the conference. After consultation they agreed, and one p. m. of that day, Tuesday, 7th inst., was fixed, and promptly at that honr the conference convened, the proceedings of which are best tohl by the minutes which are hereby inserted :
Indiana, Pa., Oct. 7. 1884.
The Senatorial conferees in the 37th Senatorial district meet and there is present on behalf of Jeffer- son county Messrs. W. H. Gray, James A. Cathers and S. W. Temple, and on behalf of Indiana county, llon. A. W. Kimmel, J. W. Books, Esq., and E. H. Moorhead, Esq., and upon the calling of the confer-
341
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ence to order the Hon. John E. Reyburn, of Phila- delphia, president pro tem. of the Senate of Penn- sylvania, laid upon the table a letter submitting the controversy to the decision of the State committee, and signed by W. J. MeKnight and G. W. Hood, and in the words and figures following :
Indiana, Pa., Oct. 3, 1884. To the Republican State Committee.
Gentlemen : The undersigned candidates for State Senate in the 37th Senatorial district beg leave to in- form you, that after repeated meetings our conferees have adjourned sine die, without a nomination. If we both continue to be candidates, the probabilities are that a Democrat will represent this district in the State Senate during the next four years. This we do not desire, and as our conferees failed to settle the matter between us, we hereby submit the whole case to the consideration of your body, and agree to abide by any decision of the matter the committee may make.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.