USA > Pennsylvania > Portraits of the heads of state departments and portraits and sketches of members of the legislature of Pennsylvania, 1893-1894 > Part 11
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Mr. Lafferty has resided in the Fifth Legislative district, which he represents, since 1864, before it was embraced in the city limits of Pittsburg and was known as East Liberty. He is not given to making long speeches on the floor of the House, but when he rises to speak he is always sure the attention of the entire House. He is an indefatigable worker and one of the most popular, yet reassur- ing members of the Legislature.
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114
House of Representatives.
W TILLIAM M. CULBERTSON, a
Representative from the Fifth district of Allegheny county, was born in Westmoreland county, 1856. Be- fore he was a year old his family re- moved to Pittsburg, in which city he has since resided. He was educated in the schools of Pittsburg and in the Western University, which institution lie left in 1875. He was employed in a book store subsequently for several years, when he took a course in the National School of Elocution in Phila- delphia to develop a talent which he possessed. Mr. Culbertson is not a de- bater, but established a good reputation as an elocutionist in his city, and taught the art for several years. He is now connected with a firm engaged in the real estate business, conveyancing and examination of titles. Mr. Culbertson began the study of law with the firm of Moreland & Kerr, of Pittsburg, but he abandoned the idea of connecting himself with the profession. He represented his district in the common council of Pittsburg for seven years. In 1890 he re- ceived his first nomination as a candidate for the House, and his constituents ap- preciated his services so well that they sent him back to the Legislature. At the session of 1893 he was on the Corporations, Insurance, Legislative Apporiontnient and other Committees. The principal bills he introduced provided for the creation of a state board of dental examiners, the object of which was to protect the public from the operations of incompetent practitioners, and to authorize notaries public to satisfy themselves as to the identity of persons making acknowledgments to legal. documents. Of Mr. Culbertson it may be truthfully said that Allegheny county never sent a more popular man to the Legislature.
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House of Representatives.
D AVID ENGLAND WEAVER, who in part, represents the Fifth district of Allegheny county, was born in Steubenville, Jefferson county, Ohio, December 9, 1848. He attended the schools of his native city until thirteen years old, and after working a short time on a farm he entered the Steubenville and Indiana railroad shops for the pur- pose of becoming a machinist. The es- tablishment having been removed about two years after he had started his ap- prenticeship he connected himself with the works of the company at Dennison, Ohio, where he was employed six months when he entered the Pittsburg Locomo- tive Works at Manchester and finished his trade. This was in 1866. Two years subsequently he became an em- ployé of the American Iron Works and filled the position of machinist and roll turner until April, 1874,,when he was appointed a storekeeper in the United States revenue service, which place he held until the fortunes of politics compelled him to surrender it to a Democrat selected under the administration of President Cleveland. Mr. Weaver then resumed work in the American Iron Works until the people of his district elected him to represent them in the Legislature in 1888. Not satisfied with thus complimenting him they have repeated the operation twice, and the beneficiary of their partiality seems to enjoy the biennial perform- ance. During the recesses of the Legislature Mr. Weaver has been employed in the Allegheny county commissioners' office as state clerk. At the session of 1893 he served on the Committees on Municipal Corporations, City Passenger Railways, Judicial Apportionment, Library and Vice and Immorality.
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House of Representatives.
E MMETT EMERSON COTTON, one of the members of the House who have given this body the distinction of being the ablest in its history for many years, was born April 4, 1854, in West Brownsville, Washington county, Pa. In his youth he alternated between the workshop and the public schools, and a part of his education was imparted by private tutors. He read law with Messrs. Moreland & Kerr and was an apt student. On June 12, 1877, he was ad- mitted to the bar of Allegheny county, has been in active and successful prac- tice ever since and stands high with the legal fraternity of Pittsburg. He was counsel for the guardians of the poor of that city in 1883, 1884 and 1885, and is a member of the law firm of Cotton & Holman. Mr. Cotton is thoroughly familiar with legal questions, and legis- lation involving them is readily and clearly discussed by him. He is recognized by his colleagues as a keen, logical and convincing debater on all subjects in which he takes any interest. Two years ago he had charge in the House of the Street Improvement bills, particularly affecting Pittsburg, which became laws and have been put in operation and declared constitutional by the supreme court. At the session of 1893 he participated prominently in the discussion of the bill to provide revenue by the taxation of banks and offered an amendment to protect the interests of the State. Mr. Cotton, in 1877, ran on the Greenback-Labor ticket in Allegheny county for assistant district attorney, and although defeated by the Republican can- didate for the office, carried the strong Republican Senatorial district in which he resides. He remained in the ranks of the Greenbackers for several years, and in 1881 presided at the convention of that party which nominated Thomas A. Arm- strong, of Pittsburg, for Governor of Pennsylvania. In 1884 he stumped West Virginia for James G. Blaine for President of the United States. He was elected to the House of 1891 and re-elected last fall. His father was a native of Virginia and located in Pennsylvania in 1803. Representative Cotton, at the session of 1893, was a member of the General Judiciary and other important committees of the House.
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House of Representatives.
LEVYTYPÁGAPE J JOHN WOODS NESBIT was born in South Fayette township, Allegheny county, Pa., May 12, 1840, and is of Scotch-Irish descent, his grandfathers, John Nesbit and Stephen Woods having emigrated to this country about the year 1790 from the north of Ireland. His father, James McConnell Nesbit, and mother, Ann Eliza Woods, settled on the old homestead farm in South Fay- ette township in 1839. John W. was raised on the farm and educated in the common schools, working on the farm until August 23, 1862, when he enlisted as a private in D company, One hun- dred and Forty-ninth regiment, Penn- sylvania volunteers, which regiment was assigned to the " Bucktail brigade," commanded by Colonel Roy Stone. He served in the Army of the Potomac un- til the close of the war, taking part in every engagement from the raid to Port Royal, to the flank movement at Dobney's mills, including Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Laurel Hill, North Alma, Cold Harbor, Spottsylvania, Petersburg and the Weldon railroad fight at Yellow Tavern. He was mnstered out as a sergeant June 24, 1865. At the close of the war he resumed farming as a business, and has continued in that business, in connection with insurance and contracting, up to the present time. He was nominated for Assembly on the Republican ticket and elected from the Sixth Alle- gheny Legislative district ; in 1880 re-elected for session of 1882. He served on the Committees of Ways and Means, Agriculture, Vice and Immorality, Railroads, Manufactures and others during these sessions, and as chairman of the Committee on Insurance during the sessions of 1891 and 1893.
During the session of 1891 he was appointed by the Speaker of the House as a member of the committee to investigate the management of the Soldiers' Orphan Schools of the State, and January, 1893, appointed member of the Board of Trustees of the Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors' Home at Erie, Pa.
He entered the National Guard of Pennsylvania August 14, 1875, as captain of company C, Fourteenth regiment, and still retains the position. He served six weeks at Pittsburg and Scranton during the riots of 1877, four months at Johns- town after the flood of 1889 (in charge of the military force on duty there), and two weeks at Homestead in July, 1892, the regiment being on duty there. Mr. Nesbit is a member of the Presbyterian church at Oakdale, Allegheny county; is active in local enterprises; assisted in the organization of the Oak Mutual Insur- ance Company April 21, 1874, and has been secretary of the company since that time; is a member of the Melrose Cemetery Company at Bridgeville; member of tlie Board of Directors Oakdale Academy Association, secretary of the Oakdale Cemetery Company, president of tlie Oakdale Armory Association, and at the head of the Oakdale Insurance and Real Estate Agency. He resides in Oakdale borough and manages his various interests from that point.
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House of Representatives.
M ATTHEW McLANAHAN WILSON was born June 8, 1831, in Elizabeth township, Allegheny county, Pa. His father was a farmer and both his par- ents were of Scotch-Irish blood and Presbyterians by faith. They removed from Adams county, Pa., in 1784, to what was then the western frontier, but is now Allegheny county, Pa. Mr. Wilson received his education in the common schools and engaged in the oc- cupations of farming and milling on the farm on which he was born and con- tinued until 1887, since which time he has been in the livery business in the famous town of Homestead, Pa. Cap- tain Wilson, in August, 1862, enlisted as a private in company D, Fourteenth regiment, Pennsylvania cavalry. He was commissioned second lieutenant at the organization of the company, and afterward promoted successively to the positions of first lieutenant and captain. He was mustered out with the regiment at Fort Leavenworth in August, 1865, having served in the campaigns of Averill, Hunter and Sheridan. He also served as military inspector of cavalry and artillery horses in the department of West Virginia, by order of Secretary of War Stanton. He is a member and last year was commander of Post No. 207, G. A. R., at Homestead and is a member of Camp No. 1, Union Veteran Legion, at Pittsburg. Captain Wilson has occupied the offices of school director, taking an active interest in the school system, as town- ship assessor and burgess of the borough of Homestead. He was elected a mem- ber of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, from the Sixth Allegheney district, in November, 1892, by a flattering majority, his vote being the highest polled in the district. The complete vote was as follows: Wilson, 7,217; Nesbit, 6,997; Lynch, 5,681 ; Stevenson, 5,352 ; Campbell, 148; Conway, 142; Cole, 235; Stark, 266.
Captain Wilson is a member of the Committees on Legislative Appointment, Pensions and Gratuities, Iron and Coal, Centennial Affairs and Mines and Mining. He is the author of the bill appropriating $163,000 for the complete re-equipment of the National Guard of Pennsylvania, in conformity with the equipment of the soldiers of the regular army of the United States, which passed both Houses early in the session. He has been noted as one of the most attentive members to his legislative duties in the House during the session of 1893.
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House of Representatives.
LEVYTYPE PO PHILA
J JOSEPH T. RICHEY, one of the rep- resentatives in the House from Alle- gheny county, was born November 29, 1844, in Economy township, Beaver county, Pa. His father was one of the founders of the Republican party in Lafayette Hall, Pittsburg, and his grandfather participated in the revolu- tionary war. Shortly after Representa- tive Richey's advent into the world his father removed with his family to Alle- gheny county. When a boy the subject of this brief sketch worked on a farm. He received a common school education and subsequently learned carpentry and engineering. At the age of twenty-two years he was married. In 1869 lie as- sumed charge of the carpenter work and repairs at the Dixmont hospital and in 1874 he was promoted by being ap- pointed engineer of gas and water From 1874 to 1882 he acceptably filled the position
works at the same institution. of postmaster at Dixmont. He was also ticket and freight agent for eight years. He has been president of the school board of Kilbuck township for the past fifteen years. In 1882 he was appointed deputy sheriff by William McCallin, which place he has held ever since. In 1886 he was appointed director of the poor of Allegheny county, and in 1887 elected to the same office for three years, followed in 1890 by a re-election for a similar term to the same office. He has always been an active Republican and has the confidence of his constituents without regard to party. His course in the House has uniformly met the approval of those who sent him to the Legislature. He is a member of the Committees on Agriculture, Counties and Townships, Education and Library.
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House of Representatives.
SAMUEL WALLACE, representing the Seventh district of Allegheny county, was born in the part of Pine township, which is now McCandlass township, Allegheny county, Pa., in the district he now represents, on May 31, 1839. Mr. Wallace's father was one of the pioneer settlers in the northern part of Allegheny county, having located, with his father, on a farm in that part of Pine which is now McCandlass town- ship in the year 1798, and lived there until his death in his eighty-seventh year. The elder Wallace was American by birth and of Scotch-Irish descent. He was a justice of the peace for many years. Mr. Wallace's mother was born in Ireland, but came to America in her LEVYTVRE Ca PHIL early youth. She lived to the ripe age of ninety-one years. Mr. Wallace was educated in the common schools. At the beginning of the civil war he enlisted, on April 24, 1861, in company G, Fourteenth regiment, Indiana volunteers, being at that time temporarily located in that state. Re-enlisted in the Fourth Penn- sylvania cavalry, and was honorably mustered out of service at the close of the war. He is a charter member and past commander of Gen. A. A. Humphreys Post 545, Department of Pennsylvania, G. A. R. Mr. Wallace was transcribing clerk of the House during the session of 1873 and 1874 and speaker's clerk of the Senate of the session of 1877. From that time until 1880 he was engaged in farming, and since then has given his attention to insurance, and the oil and natural gas busi- ness. Mr. Wallace is a member of the Milvale borough school board and has been president of the board the last two ternis. He was elected to the Legislature in 1892 by a handsome majority, the vote of the district being, Wallace, R., 5,607 ; Richey, R., 5,531; Robinson, D., 3,060. Mr. Wallace is a member of the Commit- tees' on Education, City Passenger Railways, Bureau of Statistics and Compare Bills. The bills he has introduced this session are all local.
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House of Representatives.
SAMUEL EAKIN STEWART, rep- resenting the Eighth Legislative district of Allegheny county, was born in Allegheny City, Pa., June 30, 1856. His father was a farmer of American birth and of Scotch-Irish origin, and was a college mate of the late Hon. James G. Blaine at Washington-Jeffer- son college. His youth was spent on his father's farm in Allegheny county. He was educated in the common schools and at Washington and Jefferson col- lege, Washington, Pa., where he gradu- ated in the year 1879. He read law with Major R. E. Stewart, and was ad- mitted to the bar in Pittsburg, Pa., in 1880, where he practiced his profession, having an office at 134 Fifth avenue. Mr. Stewart was elected to the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania by a LEVYTYPE CO. PHIL A large majority in 1886, and was re- elected by flattering and increased majorities to the session of 1889, 1891 and 1893. His majority at each election being larger than at the preceding one. At the opening of the session of 1893, he was assigned by the Speaker as a member of the Committees on Judiciary General, Elections, Congressional Apportionment, Muni- cipal Corporations and as chairman of the Committee on Library. He introduced several important bills relating to legal process. One of these is an act extending the jurisdiction of justices of the peace in certain cases. Another limits the dura- tion of the lien of the debts of decendents, other than those of record, on their real estate. A third authorizes the recording of instruments in writing acknowl- edging payment and satisfaction of mortgages, ratifying satisfactions heretofore made, and providing that certified copies thereof may be admitted as evidence. He also introduced and had passed bills making appropriations to the Mckeesport City Hospital and the Western Pennsylvania Institute for the Deaf and Dumb at Edgewood, Pa., both in Mr. Stewart's district. Mr. Stewart is of quiet disposition, but very popular with his associates and throughout his district, where he is best known. He takes an active interest and a working hand in Republican party politics in his district, in county, state or national campaigns and the local affairs of Verona borough, where he lives. He has private interests in oil and gas in ad- dition to his professional practice.
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House of Representatives.
SAMUEL BRUCE COCHRANE, who 2 is serving his third consecutive term as member from Armstrong county, was born January 17, 1860, in Pine town- ship (now Boggs), Armstrong county. He was first elected in 1888, and had for his colleague Andrew J. Elliott. In 1890 he was re-elected with Dr. J. W. McKee, who has since died, and in 1892 was chosen for a third term, being the first member to be elected for a third term in the history of the county. He was reared on a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits during his earlier years, following the occupation of a long line of ancestors. He attended the public schools and afterward became a teacher, principal and superintendent. He attended Dayton Academy, Edinboro LEVYTYPE CO. PHIL.A. Normal School and Central College of Indiana. At the last-named school made a special study of surveying and engineering. Mr. Cochrane says for himself : " I have done nothing either in or out of the Legislature of sufficient importance to warrant me in boasting of it. Have spent most of my life on the farm, which I find best adapted to my degree of intelligence and education, as well as to the size of my feet and hands. When I came here first my constituents expected me to pass laws myself, if necessary, to right every wrong in the commonwealth. In fact I agreed to do it, but the task has been sad and fruitless. Surely my consti- tuents have been disappointed. I have no intimation that they will compel my return to the House. They never did insist on it, and the probability is that at the close of this session I will return to my farm, lay aside my celluloid collars and cuff's, and the bad habits acquired here, set a hen in my plug hat, present each of the schools of my district with a Smull's Handbook and an agricultural report- the greatest spoils of my present office-and devote the remnant of a somewhat chequered life to the cultivation of corn and hay only diversifying that quiet voca- tion by occasionally taking a lean on my hoe handle long enough to look back and heave a sigh as I gaze once more on the shattered anticipations of statemanship."
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House of Representatives.
F FRANK MAST, one of the two Re- publican members from Armstrong county, was born in Clarion county, Pa., March 2, 1855. His parents moved to Armstrong county in 1859, and young Mast received his education in the schools of that county. In early life he followed mining and railroading. In 1880 he entered the mercantile business, in which he is still engaged. He was elected a member of the Republican County Committee three times in suc- cession, elected delegate to the State Convention in 1888, chosen township auditor and judge of election and is at present a member of the school board. In the fall of 1891 he was elected a member of the House to fill the unex- pired term of J. M. M'Kee, deceased, without opposition and was re-elected the following year by a majority of over 600. At the session of 1893 he served on the following committees : Corpora- tions, Elections, Agriculture, Mines and Mining and Health and Sanitation. Mr. Mast's great-grandfather, John F. Mast, was born in Germany about the year 1750 and came to this country when a young man, with two of his brothers, all of whom settled in Bucks county, Pa. He died in Northampton county in 1815. His grandfather, Jacob Mast, was born in Northampton county in 1798 and moved to Clarion county in 1833, where he died in 1877. His father, Isaac, who is still living, was also born in Northampton county and followed blacksmithing. Mr. Mast was married to Miss Letitia Hays, of Armstrong county, July 25, 1869, and is the father of four children-Master Wade, Miss Wave, Master Blaine and Miss Flo.
124
House of Representatives.
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IRA FRANKLIN MANSFIELD was born June 27, 1842, in Poland, Ohio. His great-grandfather, John, served in the Sixthi Connecticut in 1776 and 1777 and in the Twenty-sixth United States Regulars up to 1814. For coolness and punctuality in storming redoubt No. 10, at Yorktown, he was promoted to cap- tain. His grandfather, Ira, was an early settler on the Western Reserve and served as captain in several expeditions against the Indians. His father, Isaac K., was a merchant, having stores in Poland and Philadelphia. Ira F. at- tended school in Poland until he was fifteen years old when he was placed to learn the moulder's trade in Pittsburg. He was married December 11, 1872, to Lucy E. Mygatt, of Poland, and they have three children-Kirtland M., Mary L. and Henry B. In August, 1862, Mr. Mansfield enlisted as private in company H, One hundred and Fifth Ohio; he was , promoted orderly sergeant, first and second lieutenants and for " conspicuous bravery " at the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge breveted cap- tain and assigned as A. A. Q. M. 14 A. C. He marched with "Sherman down to the sea," took part in the campaigns through North and South Carolinas and was present at the grand review at Washington. He bought out the Darlington Cannel Coal Mines in 1865, operating them successfully with other large bituminous plants. He made a systematic survey of his cannel coal for the Second Geological Survey, discovering over six hundred varieties of fossil plants and insects. In view of his services he was elected member Philosophical Society of Philadelphia. Served as justice of the peace and treasurer of Darlington township for eighteen years. He was member of the Legislature at the sessions of 1881 and 1893. He is trustee in the Beaver College and Griersburg Academy, director in the Rochester National Bank, Electric Light Company and is a thirty-second degree Mason. He is an amateur photographer, having a fine collection of views, Indian relics and imple- ments from mound builders. In politics he trains with the "Old Guard " of the Republican party.
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House of Representatives.
JACOB WEYAND was born in Bea- ver county, Pa., on March 29, 1828. His father, Henry Weyand, followed the occupations of teacher and farmer, and for many years was a leading and influential citizen of his immediate neighborhood. The subject of this sketch received his early education in the common schools of his native county, excepting a six-months' term in the Beaver Academy. In after years liis oc- cupation consisted chiefly in publishing and editing newspapers in Beaver county and in Carroll county, O. He was identified with the Beaver Argus for fourteen years as editor and pub- lisher. The editorial chair of this pa- per had previously been filled by a number of the ablest men the county has produced, including United States Senator Quay and State Senator J. S. Rutan. When the war broke out Mr. Weyand was living in Ohio, and at that time was the owner and editor of the Free Press in Carrollton, O. Loving his country dearly and seized with the martial spirit of the times, he sold out his pa- per, raised a company of volunteers and took his men to Camp Mingo, on the Ohio river. Here they were attached to the One hundred and Twenty-sixth Ohio vol- unteer infantry and subsequently to the Sixth corps, Army of the Potomac. He took an active part in sixteen battles, including The Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor and Petersburg. Subsequently his regiment was un- der command of Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, when Early's forces were beaten, driven back and shattered in the campaign of 1864. Mr. Weyand was twice wounded during the war-once at Cold Harbor, Va., and again at Monocacy, Md. While in the service he was breveted major and lieutenant colonel for "meri- torious conduct in the field." He has always been a staunch Republican, and was one of the delegates to the convention from Beaver county which organized the Republican party of the United States in Pittsburg in 1855. He was elected to the Legislature by the citizens of Beaver county in 1892, and took his seat in the House in the following January. While in that body he introduced a joint reso- lution instructing our members of Congress to vote for and use their influence for the passage of a bill then pending in the United States House of Representatives, authorizing the Secretary of War to cause a survey to be made for a ship canal con- necting the waters of Lake Erie and the Ohio river. The resolution was adopted. He also introduced a number of bills which eventually became laws. Mr. W. un- fortunately lost his faithful and beloved wife, Victoria Adams Weyand, just pre- vious to his election as a representative in the Legislature. He has four children living-Emma, wife of H. W. Reeves, of Beaver Falls; Edwin S., an attorney at the Beaver bar, and Blanche and Paul, who are still members of the household.
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