USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 9
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
"'It is a common feeling that a compulsory association with criminals is neither pleasant nor desirable. The insane are as sensitive as other persons, and when compelled to mingle with those convicted of crimes of greater or less degree feel themselves degraded, and there is engendered such a feeling of discontent that recoveries are thereby retarded if not wholly prevented. Convicts are bad by nature and are made worse by disease ; they are con- stantly seeking opportunities to escape, annoy- ing the other more quiet and innocent patients. and frequently, by their violence, endanger- ing the lives of others with whom they may be associated. They are victims to the worst forms of delusions, and are constantly en- deavoring to create a general discontent, and teach those, who, by misfortune, have been sent to the asylumns for treatment, profanity. mean tricks and petty misdemeanors.
" 'To associate any considerable number of criminals with others is in a limited sense to make an institution designed for the safe keeping and cure of unfortunate persons a school of crime, and to mingle those whose lives have been stained with theft, burglary, arson and murder with those whose lives have ever been pure, is a gross injustice. There are very few of the insane convicts who do
not attempt to escape, and those who attempt it usually succeed; often their previous edu- cation has been in this direction, and this also makes their recapture, when once at large. more difficult.
".The rogue, even when insane, if confined in a hospital, recognizes in every enlargement of his liberty, intended to promote his com- fort and his cure, an additional facility to escape. The danger to the community and the trouble to the hospital that are the direct result of the escape of convicts is undoubt- edly the real basis of many minor inconven- iences and greater restriction of liberty which their presence occasions in the ordinary hos- pitals for the insane.
"""The association of the convict insane with those drawn from the community at large is not only an inconvenience and leads to dif- ficulty in the management of the ordinary hos- pital, but it is a gross wrong, and the State has no right to compel its honest citizens, sane or insane, to associate with criminals. Yet under the laws that now exist, and as the hospitals are now constructed and conducted, this unde- sirable association of patients must exist.
"'If these two dangerous classes were re- moved from the hospitals, or confined in wards especially adapted for their care and custody. the ordinary insane would in all respects be better off; much more freedom could be granted to them, and there would be less danger of violence than there is at present. AAssociated as these classes necessarily are in some of the halls and airing courts, constantly watched and guarded as they are by attend- ants, the danger of violence is not so great as it might be, but it would be wrong to say that there is no risk.
'What I wish to impress on you is the fact that the restrictions now placed upon the movements of the insane patients, which grows out of a necessity of safely providing for these dangerous classes, could be at once modified, and, in a great measure, removed. if the separation which you propose could be accomplished. Such a separation need not affect unfavorably the condition of those dangerous classes ; for it is contemplated that such special provisions would be made for them as would insure kind care and treatment. within restricted limits, with probably more freedom than it would be safe to give them under other circumstances. The hospitals, as they are now constructed, are not intended for the custody of the insane convict, and the result is they frequently escape, and expose the community to a repetition of the crimes
31
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
for which they were convicted and imprisoned. The community, then, is entitled to protection by the transfer of all such dangerous insane persons to strong and secure wards in some hospital from which escape is impossible.
"'As the State seems unwilling to con- struct a hospital separate and distinct for the custody of the convict and dangerous classes of the insane, your suggestion is made that several wards in one of the hospitals now in process of construction shall be so modified, arranged and equipped for the reception. custody and proper medical treatment of all" such insane persons as may be sent to the hospital, so provided by orders of court or transferred from other hospitals to it hy the Board of Public Charities.
" 'The reasons for so doing may be sum- marized, as follows :
"'First. The character of such insane persons requires greater safeguards both as to the construction of the buildings and the administration of the institution, in order to secure them from escape and from injuring other inmates, and such safeguards when ap- plied to patients who do not need them are injurious.
"""Second. Inmates not belonging to these classes, and whose insanity may be limited to melancholy or some mild form of disease, and by whom external relations are so fully appre- ciated, find the association with such classes disagreeable.
" 'Third. There seems to be no good rea- son for providing one receptacle for insane convicts and another for insane persons who in a state of insanity have committed or who are predisposed to violent acts, such as homi- cide, arson, burglary, etc.
""'Fourth. The same safeguards as to con- struction and administration are required for both classes.
"'Fifth. The insane patients of homicidal propensities, who are not convicts, have a form of insanity in which they would not in many cases be offended or rendered uncom- fortable by the association with the insane convicts.
""'Sixth. The two classes are often not sep- arated by any principle of moral responsibility. as the insane convict is frequently one who was suffering at the time of the criminal act under a disability which the courts failed to detect at the trial, for want of a proper de- fense, or because the mental disorder was still latent.
"'Seventh. Insanity suspends punishment based upon previous conduct, and there is,
therefore, no reason for the separation based on moral grounds, or for any separation except such as is founded upon the actual aversion of other inmates to such association.
"'This aversion is sufficiently considered by not having the wards in which they are con- fined with a penal institution, but in or near to one of the hospitals for the insane.
"'Eighth. For these reasons it is better that proper provision should be made for the convict insane, as well as for those who have committed or are predisposed to homicide or other violent acts, in buildings or apartments properly arranged and made secure for their custody and treatment in or near to some one of the hospitals for the insane.
" 'The association of convict insane with other insane persons in the wards is admitted, on all hands. to be a great injury to the well- being of the patients. The reports of sup- erintendents throughout the country are full of observations to this effect which we need not here quote.'
"I also read from the report of the commis- sioners of the Illinois State penitentiary at Joliet. for the year 1880, Page 24:
" 'The commingling of the two classes in one common asylum calls forth frequent protests from the superintendents of these institutions, as well as from the friends of the citizen insane, for whose benefit these asylums were originally intended. It seems to me that the authorities should not turn a deaf ear to these complaints, for they are well grounded, and address themselves with unusual force to those who are brought in constant contact with the criminal insane.'
"I might further tax the patience of this body by reading extracts from other reports and letters. I might read from Dr. Diller ; from Drs. Gerhart and Cleaves; from Drs. Case and Bennett ; from the doctor in charge of Blockley hospital; from Warden Wright, of the Western, and from Warden Townsend, of the Eastern Penitentiary, all of whom have written to me, and are enthusiastic in favor of this bill, and to all of whom, in this con- nection, I offer my sincere thanks for their sympathy and cooperation.
"And now, Mr. President, although I again acknowledge that wonders are being accom- plished through the present management of the insane, yet I do claim that if a proper classification be made, as is contemplated by this bill, then a better treatment and manage- ment will follow as a rational result. and I confidently predict a new era to arise in the treatment and the management of the insane,
32
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
honorable alike to Christianity, civilization, philosophy and humanity.
"We must take this step; we must enact this law. I am proud to say that we have done well; that we are now doing better; but I say carnestly we must still improve.
"Those of you who visited a few days ago, in connection with the members of the house, the Norristown hospital, must have observed its admirable construction and management, and those of you who heard the remarks there made by distinguished men, men of experience in what they said, cannot help but be inspired with the same inspiration that there seized me, viz., to try, in my humble way, to accom- plish something good, something tangible for this unfortunate class.
"Mr. President, we must be liberal-minded. we must uproot and destroy our prejudices by inquiry and examination. Conservatism must give way. I was deeply impressed, while at Norristown, with fervor that grayhaired orators used in advocacy of liberal advance- ment in the management of the insane. I was pleased to hear the universal approval and testimony in favor of the admission of female physicians to the care of female wards in our State institutions. Managers and superin- tendents gave eager testimony to the happy changes and great benefits from the employ- ment of said physicians. Those who had been miost bitter in their opposition had now, from experience and observation, changed into the warmest advocates of the propriety. expedi- ency and justice of what to them had seemed to be a silly experiment, but what now had proved to be just the one thing desired. How appropriate at that time, and in that place, it would have been to proclaim anew and keep the fact before the public, that to America belongs the distinguished honor of appointing the first female physician to an insane asylum. Said appointment was made by Massachusetts in 1869, followed by Iowa, appointing Dr. Margaret A. Cleaves, in 1873, and Pennsyl- vania joined hands with Massachusetts in the Fast and Iowa in the West in the year 1880, by two appointments, one for Norristown and one for Harrisburg. Dr. Cleaves, of our State hospital, says :
""Who can be better fitted for this office than the womanly physician? Who brings, in addition to her special knowledge of their disease, a woman's quick insight, clear intui- tions, kind and sympathetic nature, she being like with them, and capable, therefore, of entering into and appreciating many of their thoughts and feelings. "The grief that does
not speak," whether real or fancied, "that whispers the o'er-fraught heart and bids it break," is not less true in many cases of dis- ease than in health, and the individual who can invite the fullest, freest confidence, will be the one best calculated to do the patient good. The superintendent's hands are full- hot always with the medical and moral care of his patients, but with the duties of steward, farmer, civil engineer, architect, and general executive officer.
" 'The mental and moral fitness of woman for the management of insane women is be- yond cavil. Their fidelity and devotion to their profession cannot be questioned. Their ability to successfully manage and control similar institutions in all their departments has been proved. We may instance the woman's prison at Sherborn, Massachusetts, and the woman's prison and girl's reforma- tory in Indiana, both successfully managed by women. This special field is not without its pioneers. In the Worcester hospital, Massa- chusetts, a woman was long and successfully employed as assistant physician. In March of this year ( 1879) a lady was appointed, by competitive examination, assistant physician at the Cook county hospital for the insane, Chicago.'
"Thus far but seven hospitals are employ- ing female physicians ; and at present but ten professional women are thus engaged, all of whom are in American institutions.
"We have ample facilities, Mr. President, for our insane. I read from the report of the Board of Public Charities, for the year 1880, page 2:
"'Hospitals for the care and treatment of this unfortunate class have been provided to a large extent. When the Warren and South- eastern hospitals shall be fully ready for the reception of patients, sufficient accommoda- tions will have been provided for thirty-two hundred and fifty patients. The present num- ber maintained in the State asylums, including Dixmont, is about fifteen hundred. Six hun- dred of the inmates of the insane department of the Philadelphia almshouse will probably be transferred to State institutions, making the entire insane population to be supported in the State hospitals twenty-one hundred. and leaving unoccupied wards for eleven hun- dred and fifty of such as may be transferred from other almshouses, and those retained by friends. The provision for the indigent class of the insane by the State is, therefore, not only sufficient, but in excess of present wants.'
"Classification is what we now need. Sena-
33
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
tors, enact this law; it is in the interest of economy. It will not create any new board. It will better classify ; it will lessen attendants ; and even if it should not, we have no right to contaminate the wards of the State. Bear in mind that the insane are not all raving maniacs. that many of them are rational for hours, days, weeks and months at a time. I appeal to you, then, what must be their humiliation to find themselves forced to associate and companion with criminals of every dye. Remember they are helpless, they are weak, they are children ; we are strong; and remember that we have the assurance from one who is all wise and all powerful that when we-
"Are weak and wretched, by our sins weighed down, distressed,
Then it is that God's great mercy holds us closest, loves us best.
"Fellow Senators, as the representatives of over four million two hundred and eighty-two thousand people, as the representatives of the great State of Pennsylvania, let us rise on this occasion to the dignity of duty; to the greatness of opportunity, and to the justness of responsibility. Let us prove by our legis- lative acts that we, in recognition of God's merev to us, will hold saered and will in the future better care for, protect and defend the rights, the sensibilities and the interests of Pennsylvania's defenseless and distressed children."
The bill passed finally in the Senate on Wednesday, April 20th: yeas thirty-three, nays none ( see page 1225, Legislative Jour- nal) ; was referred to committee on Judiciary General in the house on April 21st (see page 1327. legislative Journal) : when reported to the House the bill became House No. 695. On Wednesday, June 8, 1881. it was read before the House the third time, and on final passage it was defeated, the vote being yeas sixty-four, nays fifty-four (see page 2482, Legislative Journal).
The reason I did not reintroduce the act in 1883 was this, 1 confidently expected by my record to be returned to the Senate for a sec- ond term. In this I was disappointed, but I had the above speech printed in large mim- bers and mailed copies to each governor, to the Board of Public Charities, and to the speakers and officers of the legislature, hoping some one would take it up, as Speaker Wallton did ten or fifteen years after I had incepted. originated and endeavored by law to make the classification. In reviewing the origin of and the classification of Pemisylvania's insane.
the Sunday North American of January 10, 1915, endeavors to give the entire credit of the present classification of the insane to Cad- walader Biddle. This paper of that issue says: "In the late eighties Cadwalader Bid- dle, a retired business man of some means, began urging the State to build an asylum which would harbor the criminal insane. He said that it was not right to keep these vicious prisoners in association with harmless pat- ients." I commenced it as stated above, in 1881, never having met or talked with Biddle. Biddle had seen my speech, for I sent every two years to him copies of it, to the North American and to every speaker of the House and president of the Senate, and to the officials of each asylum and penitentiary, until the complete and final passage of the present class- ification in an enlarged shape by Speaker Wall- ton in 1905, twenty-four years after 1 had incepted, conceived and made an effort to enact this classification. We have now Werners- ville for the chronic insane, authorized by legislature on June 22, 1801, the first inmates received July 21. 1804 ; Polk, for the epileptics, authorized by legislature June 3, 1893, first inmates received April 27. 1897 ; and Farview, for the criminal insane, authorized by legis- lature May LIth. 1905, and the first inmates received Dec. 17, 1912. Praise for much of this is due to Hon. John M. Wallton, who was speaker of the House.
In conclusion, Pennsylvania is to-day the best governed State in the Union. In addi- tion to her great legislation for labor she repealed her personal tax law in 1867. Since that date no farmer. laborer or person, except- ing those having money at interest or stock in a corporation, has paid a cent of State tax, and with all her great and present generous care of the insane, large appropriations for education, roads, health and charity, is clear of debt since 1913 and has to-day a nice sur- plus in the treasury. Truly, great the State and great her sons !
DISTINCTIVE CONDITIONS
Pennsylvania has the lowest per capita tax on property in the United States-therefore its people have homes.
It excels every other State in mineral prod- ucts, and leads in the production of rye, iron. steel, petroleum and coal.
It is the only State in the Union out of debt.
In 1915 it won the highest award at San Francisco for its health exhibit. and boasts the best State Board of Health in the Union.
34
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
It "has the best Mothers' Pension Act in the United States," and
The best Workmen's Compensation laws in the United States.
This was the first commonwealth in the world to grant married women separate prop- erty rights ; this was in 1848.
Pennsylvania was the first State in the Union to have the State Mounted Police or Constabulary. It was organized in 1905, and is considered the best State police system in the world.
Pennsylvania had the first volunteer fire company in this country. It was organized at Philadelphia in 1736.
POPULATION
STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA AND UNITED STATES By Decades, 1790 to 1910
Whites
Free Colored Negro Slaves
1790 Pennsylvania .. 434,373
424,099 6,537 3,737
United States .. 3,929,827
1800 Pennsylvania .. 602,365
United States. 5,305,941
1810 Pennsylvania . 810,081 United States. 7,239,814
1820 Pennsylvania .. 1,049,458 1,017,094 32,153 United States. 9,638,191
1830 Pennsylvania .. 1,348,233 1,309,900 37,930 United States. 12,866,020
403
64
1860 Pennsylvania .. 2,906,215 United States . 31,443,321
1870 Pennsylvania .. 3,521,951 United States . 39,818,449 1880 Pennsylvania .. 4,282,981 United States . 50,153,783 1890 Pennsylvania .. 5,258,113 United States.62,947,714
156,845
1900 Pennsylvania .. 6,302,115 United States. 75,944,575
Colored Foreigners
1910 Pennsylvania .. 7,665, 11I United States.91,972,266
193,908* 1,438,152
*198,000 in 1915, principally in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
In 1910 the total population of the United States, with all its possessions, was about 101,100,000. This number includes the inhab- itants of all the States of the Union,. Alaska, Hawaii, Porto Rico, the Philippine Islands, persons in the military service abroad, the estimated population of the Island of Guam, the American possessions in Samoa, and per- sons in the Panama Canal zone. According to the official figures, the population of the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii and
Porto Rico, is 93,402,151. These figures do not include the population of the Philippines, which in 1903, when the last enumeration in the islands was made, showed a population of 7.635,426.
When the census of 1790 was taken the country had an area of 827,844 square miles : in 1800, the same; 1810, 1,999.775 square miles ; 1820, the same; 1830 and 1840. 2,059,- 043; 1850, 2,980,959; at present the area is 3,025.640 square miles, not including Alaska and Hawaii.
DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION IN PENNSYLVANIA
According to the United States census of 1910, there are sixty-three cities and boroughs in the State of Pennsylvania having a popula- tion of ten thousand or over.
No migration the world has ever known has equaled that which started in 1832, and still continues, into America. Previous to the year named the number of immigrants to the United States annually had not exceeded twenty-seven thousand. In 1830 and 1831 the number each year was below twenty-four thousand. In 1832 it rose to sixty thousand. It rose and fell from this on un, until in 1854, it passed the four hundred thousand mark. In the early years of the Civil war it fell to less than ninety thousand, but from this on its general tendency was upward until it reached six hundred twenty-three thousand in 1892. After that there was some decline. but in 1900 it began to climb again and the number of foreigners arriving in 1907 was 1,285,349. The total from the year first named to that year was more than twenty-eight mil- lion five hundred thousand for the United States. There have been thirty million arrivals since 1820.
Our latchstring is never drawn in Against the poorest child of Adam's kin.
One-seventh of the population of Pennsyl- vania in 1900 was foreign-born.
Population by Counties
The population of Pennsylvania for 1840 given by counties totals a little less than the figure given in the table above, viz. :
Counties
Adams 23,044
Allegheny 81,235
Armstrong 28,365
Beaver
29,368
586,098 14,561 1,706
786,704 22,492 795
211
1840 Pennsylvania .. 1,724,033 1,676,115 47,854 United States. 17,069,453 1850 Pennsylvania .. 2,311,786 United States. 23,191,876
March 21, 1798 the following streams
were declared highways. Viz - Tobys Creek
Allegheny, RedBank, Big Beaver, French Cr.
Conewango, Cusawag.Čr,Oil Cr., & Broken Straw
NEW
YORK
Pop 1800 1+68
ERIE
WARREN
LUZERNE POP-1800 /2839
POP - 1800 2.346
230
CRAWFORD
POP 1800 5.414
POR. '800
VENANGO POP-8001
LYCOMING
900-1800 3 228
1.130
WAYNE
MERCER
POP-1800
POP-1900
3,916
30.062
BUTLER
NORTHUMBER-
NORTHAMP - LOTON
BEAVER
5.736
POP-1800 13 809
BERKS POP-1800
5.087.
HUNTINGDON POP-1800 13.008
32.497
37.496
Pep
JALLEGHENY
MONTGOMERY
WASHINGTON
POP
93 043
1800
3 093
19.638
LANCASTER
POP-800
FRANKLIN
POP-1800
DELAWARE
POP-1800
NE
VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
DEL.
NUMBER OF COUNTIES 35
OUTLINE MAP OF COUNTIES & STATE-1800
POPULATION 1790, 424,099: 1800,602,365: 1810 , 810,09/: 1820,1, 047, 567; 1830,1,348.233; 1840,1.724,/63; 1850.2,3/1, 786; COLORED POP. FREE. 1790,6.537; 1800, 14,564.
In 1800, Mariz the great new County Act was passed Viz - ARMSTRONG BUTLER BEAVER CRAWFORD ERIE MERCER. VENANGO WARREN
8.605
20007km5 92 s/mes)
SOMERSET
13,172 ADAMS
CHESTER
PHIL ADEL PHIA POR- 1800 81. 009
GREENE Por - 1800
P.0-1800
BEDFORD
25643
> VERSEY
23150 BUCKS
22270
28,293
WESTMORELAND
Pop- 11800
POP-800 25.386 CUMBER - -LAND
TOP-1300
POP 1800 22.726
POP-1800 /2.039
YORK
FAVETTE
-10.188
MIFFLIN
DAUPHIN POP-1800
POR
ARMSTRONG
POP. 1800
Po,200 2.399
CENTRE POP-1800 2.705
800
- LAND
27.796
2.562
THE N.W. TERR.
AP 1800
Late Frie
12 809
W
THE NEW YORK FULLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LEXOX TILDEN FONT
35
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Counties
Area Sq.
Bedford
20,335
County and County Seat
Miles
Pop.
Berks
64,569
Bucks, Doylestown
620
76,730
Bradford
32,769
Butler, Butler
765
72,689
Bucks
48,107
Cambria, Ebensburg
680
166,131
Butler
22,378
Cameron, Emporium
375
7,644
Cambria
TI,256
Carbon, Mauch Chunk
400
52,846
Centre
20,492
Center, Bellefonte 1,130
760
109,213
Clarion
Clarion, Clarion
566
36,638
Clearfield
7,834
1,141
93,768
Clinton
8,323
Clinton, Lock Haven.
892
31,545
Columbia
24,267
Columbia, Bloomsburg
480
48,467
Crawford
31,724
Crawford, Meadville
1,020
61,565
Cumberland
30,953
Cumberland, Carlisle
536
54,479
Dauphin
30,118
Dauphin, Harrisburg
514
1 36,152
Delaware
19,79I
Delaware, Media
178
117,906
Erie
3.412
Elk, Ridgway
760
35,871
Fayette
33,574
Erie, Erie
782
115,517
Franklin
37,793
Fayette, Uniontown
824
167,449
Greene
19,147
Forest. Tionesta
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.