USA > Pennsylvania > Portraits of the heads of state departments and portraits and sketches of members of the legislature of Pennsylvania, 1893-1894 > Part 5
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40
The Senate.
JAMES GEORGE MITCHELL, of the Thirty-seventh district, was born in Perrysville, Jefferson county, Pa., Jan- uary 15, 1847. He is of Scotch-Irish . lineage, his ancestors having settled in *this state in the pioneer days of the colonist. His father was high sheriff of Jefferson county in 1854 and was well known and highly esteemed for his many manly and frank traits of charac- ter. These characteristics Mr. Mitchell retains in a very marked degree. His education, until he was fourteen years of age, was received in the common schools of Jefferson county, but before he had completed his studies the war of the rebellion broke out and young Mitchell, though unable to enlist as a soldier, because of his youth, determined LEVYTYPE Ça A to go with his companions and enlisted as a drummer boy in company A, One Hundred and Fifth regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, and served, with his regi- ment, from Yorktown to Appomattox, where the war closed. His service in the army covers the battles of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Charles City Cross Roads, Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Sailor's Creek and Appomattox. He en- joyed the distinction of being the only Union soldier present at the famous meet- ing between General Hancock and the Confederate General Stewart after the cap- ture of Stewart's entire division at Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864. His regiment, known as "The Wild Cats," lost during the war two hundred and fifty killed in battle. After the close of the war he returned to his home, Hamilton, Jefferson county, Pa., and settled down to learning the trade of plasterer, which he fol- lowed for ten years, after which he entered upon a mercantile life, which business he still follows. For ten years he was a captain in the State National Guard and only relinquished this position when the cares of business became onerous. He has always been an active party politician, taking a lively interest in all the con- tests of his party whether in city, county, state or national elections. He was a delegate to the State Republican Convention in 1888, a member of the Republican State Committee in 1890, a member of the board of county auditors for Jefferson county in 1874 and was elected to the State Senate, as a Republican, at the election of 1892, receiving a majority of over 2,000 votes over the combined votes cast for the Democrat, Labor and Prohibition opponents for the same office. Mr. Mitchell is chairman of the Senate Committee on Pensions and Gratuities, a member of the Committees on Constitutional Reform, Health and Sanitation, Military Affairs, Game and Fish, Canals and Inland Navigation and Retrenchment and Reform. He has always been an advocate of local option and introduced a local option bill in the Senate. He is not a prohibitionist. Senator Mitchell is not a debator but in committee is an earnest and successful worker.
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The Senate.
HARRY ALVAN HALL was born at Karthaus, Clearfield county, Pa., October 7. 1861. He is of Scotch-Irish descent, but his family settled in Amer- ica more than two centuries ago, and his ancestors on both sides were engaged in the War of the Revolution. Mr. Hall is the youngest of seven children. His father, Benjamin McDowell Hall, was a banker and the leading citizen of Elk county. The subject of this sketch was prepared for college in the Benedic- tine Monastery at St. Marys, Pa., by the Rev. Edward Hepelius, one of the most distinguished linguists of the Benedictine Order. He afterward at- tended Dickinson Seminary, University at Lewisburg and Yale College, gradu- ating from the last-named institution. He was admitted to the bar at New Haven, Conn., in June, 1881, and has since been actively engaged in the practice of his profession at his home in Elk county. He was political editor of the Elk County Gazette for three years and is a regular contributor to a number of magazines. He is general manger of the Clarion River railway, and has large business interests in Elk county. On June 10, 1886, he was married to Miss Currin McNairy, a daughter of the late Colonel Currin McNairy, of Nashville, Tenn. Senator Hall's first elective office was that ot chief burgess of St. Marys, to which he was elected for five consecutive terms. He has taken part in nearly every Democratic State Convention for the past ten years, was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention at Chicago in 1884 and delegate-at-large to the Democratic National Convention at the same place in 1892. He was elected to the Senate from the Thirty-eight Senatorial district in 1890 by a large majority. He is captain of company H, Sixteenth regiment National Guard of Pennsylvania, the finest sharpshooting regiment in the state and the one longest on duty at Homestead, Pa., during the riots of 1892, at which time Captain Hall was in active service with his regiment there for a period of ninety-five days, the most protracted service rendered by any military organiza- tion in the United States since the close of the civil war. At the Columbian ses- sion, 1893, Senator Hall was on the Committees of Banking, Canal and Inland Navigation, Congressional Apportionment, Judiciary General, Judiciary Special, Military Affairs, Accounts and Game and Fish. His most active legislative ex- perience was during the extraordinary session of 1891, called for the purpose of impeaching State Treasurer Boyer and Auditor General McCamant. During the trial the fine qualities he displayed as a leader in the fight for the minority and the masterful legal and parliamentary tactics displayed by him won him high encomiums. He proposed to decide the question of jurisdiction before proceed- ing to the trial, as he foresaw the tactics that were to be pursued. on the part of the majority, but his talents were overmatched in the voting strength of the op- position. When the Senate, after the closing of the testimony, finally decided against its jurisdiction, Senator Hall made one of the bitterest attacks upon the majority party that has ever been made in that body. Senator Hall is one of the popular and genial members of the Senate, and is one of the leaders of the bar of western Pennsylvania.
42
The Senate.
JOHN H. BROWN, who was chosen in November, 1892, to represent the Thirty-ninth district in the State Sen- ate, was born in the county where he now resides on June 29, 1844. His father was a merchant, and the boy re- ceived a sound education in the common schools, Harrison City Academy and Duff's College. Mr. Brown has been engaged as a merchant and in agricul- tural pursuits. He has held but one office aside from that which he now fills except postmaster for eighteen years and school director of Hempfield township, a position never filled by any other Republican. He was chairman of the Westmoreland County Republi- can Committee in 1891, when 500 ma- jority was secured for the ticket, though the previous year the connty had given a Democratie majority of 1,500. Mr. Brown was elected Senator by a majority of twelve in a presidential year, receiving the largest vote ever given for a Republican in Westmoreland county. In the Legislature he has taken high rank because of the care and attention which he gives to ali matters which come up for consideration. He is chairman of the Com- mittee on Compare Bills and a member of the Committees on Congressional Ap- portionment, Mines and Mining, Banks, Accounts and Agriculture. Senator Brown has introduced and championed several measures of far more than ordi- mary importance during the present session. His chief efforts, though, have been devoted to the enactment of a general road improvement law. Mr. Brown is thoroughly satisfied that the most vital need of the state and county is a better system of highways. To this end he has worked most earnestly since the Legisla- ture was called to order early in January. The bill of which he is the author and sponsor has been widely commented upon as affording a thoroughly practicable solntion of the vexed road problem. During the big discussion which it created in committee rooms and on the floor, Mr. Brown has exhibited the utmost perse- verance and patience, qualities which have insured him the esteem and regard of his colleagues.
43
The Senate.
M ATTHIAS BRANT, of Greene county, who represents the For- tieth district, was born in Wayne town- ship, Greene county, December 29, 1828. He received his education in the public schools of that county and at Waynes- burg College. For sixteen successive years he taught school and for nine years served as school director, besides filling various other township offices. Mr. Brant served with credit as a mem- ber of the House of Representatives in 1879 and 1881. He has taken an active part in local Democratic politics and has attended different state conventions as delegate. His interests in Greene county are varied and extensive, but his atten- tion has been particularly directed to the raising of fine stock. His experi- ences in that line dates back to 1860 when he became a live stock dealer and shipper. Besides this he is interested largely in real estate and is known to have made some heavy deals. In 1890 he was elected to the Senate as a Democrat from the Fortieth district by a majority of 2,899 votes. The vote cast for the sey- eral candidates was as follows : Matthias Brant, 10,694; Joshua M. Dushane, 7,779 ; Aaron Degood, 579. During the session of 1893 Mr. Brant served on the Committees on Agriculture, Education. New Counties and County Seats, Vice and Immorality and Public Buildings. He introduced during the session of 1893 a bill to prohibit the use of any adulteration or imitation of dairy products in any charitable or penal institution. Mr. Brant's father was a farmer and butcher and his son inherited from him his fondness for agricultural pursuits. He points with pride to the fact that his grandfather, Philip Longstreet, was captain of a com- pany in the revolutionary war from 1778 to its close and rendered services to his country of which his descendants have reason to be proud.
44
The Senate.
W TILLIAM BOLING MEREDITH, of the Forty-first district, was born in Kittanning, Armstrong county, September 13, 1839. His father, Jona- than E. Meredith, was a civil engineer and surveyor by profession, and was three times elected prothonotary of Arm- strong county on the Whig ticket while that countywas strongly Democratic. He wasalso elected to the Senate of Pennsyl- vania in 1859 from the district composed of the counties of Armstrong and Indi- ana. The subject of this sketch was edu- cated in the public schools of Kittanning, Elder's Ridge Academy, and Jefferson College, at Canonsburg, Washington county, Pa., graduating from the last named institution in August, 1860. Mr. Meredith was engaged in the oil busi- ness for a number of years and since that time has been engaged extensively in the water works business, being at present superintendent and treasurer of the Armstrong Water Company and superintendent of the Butler and Warren Water Companies. Mr. Meredith served as assistant assessor of internal revenue for several years. He was a delegate to the Republican State Convention in 1878. He was elected to the Pennsylvania Senate from the Forty-first Senatorial district, composed of the counties of Armstrong and Butler, in 1884, for the term of four years and was re-elected from the same district in November, 1892 .. Senator Meredith is chairman of the Committee on Congressional Apportionment and is an active member of the Committees on Appropriations, Education, Federal Rela- tions and Vice and Immorality. Among the important bills he has introduced and championed during this session are the congressional apportionment ; Senate bill 107, an act to authorize certain school districts to establish, maintain and operate public high schools in boroughs not divided into wards for school purposes, and Senate bill 290, to amend the street railway act of May 14, 1889, so as to pro- vide that companies incorporated under that law may begin the circuit of the route, and change the original place of beginning the circuit of the route to any part of the incorporated route or its extension, provided no change is made in the incorporated route, to validate any such change heretofore made, to provide for the correction of errors in the naming of the streets and to vali- date such corrections. He also introduced the bill to enlarge the scope of the state banking department. Mr. Meredith has made an enviable record in the Senate and is held in high esteem both by his fellow Senators and his fellow citi- zens at home, his extensive private business having thoroughly qualified him for the able discharge of his public duties.
45
The Senate.
OHN N. NEEB, who represented the L Forty-second senatorial district from the first Tuesday of January, 1891, until his death, February 19, 1893, was one of the most industrious and popular members of the Senate. He possessed the high esteem of his colleagues, re- E gardless of politics and the differ- ences of opinion entertained as to the merits of his legislation. Mr. Neeb was born March 19, 1851, in Allegheny. He was the son of William Neeb, one . of the pioneer Germans of this state. John Neeb received his education in Mount Troy, near Allegheny city. He subsequently attended the publicschools and passed through the junior year of the Western University. In 1868, on his father's paper, the Freiheit's Freund, he began a successful journalistic career. He soon assumed control of the edito- rial management, and won deserved distinction as a writer. The casting of his first ballot was followed by his election as a member of the Allegheny county Re- publican executive committee and active participation in Republican politics. Removing to Pittsburg in 1875, he was elected a member of common council from the Third ward for two terms. Before the expiration of the second term he be- came a resident of Allegheny city, and resigned his position. Governors Hart- ranft, Hoyt, Pattison and Beaver, in their turn, appointed him a member of the Morganza reformatory board. On June 3, 1890, he was nominated for state sena- tor in the Forty-second district, and in the following November elected by a large majority. He was a charter member of the Pittsburg Press club and became its first president, a position which he filled so acceptably that he was re-elected twice. He was also connected with the Young Men's Tariff Club.
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At the time of his death Mr. Neeb was one of the proprietors of the Freiheit's Freund, and he always displayed much interest in the success of the paper. He began as a compositor on the journal and with signal success filled all the places to which he was assigned leading to its editorial control. Being unmarried, he lived with his father and mother on Stockton avenue, Allegheny. In the Senate Mr. Neeb gave his unremitting attention to the perfection of legislation in which his constituents had a particular interest. He was not only pains-taking in its preparation, but never lost a point in advancing it on the calendars. Although physically broken down at the session of 1893, he never exhibited more industry in framing legislation, and no member of the Senate watched the progress of leg- islation in which he was specially interested more closely and intelligently than the late representative of the Forty-second senatorial district.
On the evening of March 15, 1893, resolutions were submitted to the senate and, . after appropriate remarks, unanimously adopted, referring to him as always genial, courteous and friendly, whose participation in legislative work was marked by in- telligence, integrity, energy, ability and an earnest desire to promote and protect the interests of his constituents and of all the citizens of the commonwealth.
46
The Senate.
W TALTER LYON, who was elected last April to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Neeb, represents the Forty-second district. Mr. Lyon was born in Shaler town- ship, Allegheny county, April 27, 1853, and was educated in the public schools and privately. He was admitted to the bar in January, 1877, and has prose- ented his legal business since. The law firm of which he is a member is known as that of Lyon, McKee & Sand- erson, the latter a former deputy attor- ney of Pennsylvania. Mr. Lyon was appointed United States District Attor- ney for the western district of Pennsyl- vania June, 1889, commissioned for four years from January 27, 1890, and re- signed April 15 last to assume the duties of Senator. Mr. Lyon resides in Allegheny City and isa descendant of the Pennsylvania Lyon family, which left a very interesting history. He has never held any political office except that of Senator, for which office he was unanimously nominated, but has figured often in politics. He was a delegate to the state con- ventions of 1881, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889 and 1890, and was temporary chairman of the convention which nominated Judge Williams, of Tioga, for the supreme court bench, filled the same position when Mr. Harry Boyer was made the candidate of the Republican party for State Treasurer and was permanent chairman of the convention of 1890 which placed in nomination George W. Dela- mater for Governor. He served on these committees : Municipal Affairs, Vice and Immorality, Corporations, Constitutional Reform and Judiciary General.
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47
The Senate.
JOHN UPPERMAN, who has rep- resented the . Forty-third district, composed of part of the county of Alle- gheny, since 1881, is a native of the city of Pittsburg, where he was born, May 13, 1845. He received his educa- tion in the common schools and Shafer Business College, and then learned the tanner's trade. Subsequently he en- gaged in the livery business in Pitts- burg, and has since followed that occur- pation.
Senator Upperman's first entrance into public life was in 1877, when he served a term in city councils of Pitts- burg. In 1880 he was elected to the Senate, and has been thrice re-elected --- in 1884, 1888 and 1892. In 1883 Sen- ator Upperman served as chairman of the Committee on Municipal Corpora- tions, and for the past three sessions has held the responsible position of chairman of the Corporations Committee. The important character of the legislation passing through this committee renders the chairmanship an onerous and laborious place, and Senator Upperman's dis- charge of his duties in connection therewith has been marked by a most careful and painstaking interest and attention. He is also a member of the Committees of Appropriations, Education and Congressional and Legislative Apportionment.
Senater Upperman seldom occupies the time of the Senate with debate, but, faithful in his attendance at every session, his knowledge of all pending measures gives weight to his words when he does take brief part in the discussions, and his vote is given as the result of careful consideration of the merits of every measure. His extended term of service has given him a large acquaintance among public men of all parties, and he is deservedly popular among those brought into im- mediate relation with him.
48
The Senate.
W ILLIAM FLINN, who represents the Forty-fourth district, con- sisting of a portion of Allegheny county, was born May 5, 1851, at Manchester, England. His father and mother were born in Ireland, emigrated to this country in the year of his birth and settled in Pittsburg. Senator Flinn re- ceived very few educational advantages in his youth, having been obliged to sever his connection with the school be attended when he was only nine years of age. The enviable reputation he has made among his fellows is due alone to his indomitable perseverance. He learned the trade of brush finisher and gas and steam fitter, and is one of the most extensive contractors in the state, and as such removed the debris which had accumulated at Johnstown after the terrible flood of 1889. Mr. Flinn has figured very conspicuously in the politics of Allegheny county and attended the national convention of his party in 1884, 1888 and 1892 as a delegate. He has served in a similar capacity at state conventions for the past ten years. He was elected a member of the House of Representatives in 1878, and served during the session of the following year. Prior to this event, in 1877, he was elected a member of the board of fire commissioners of Pittsburg, and served three years. In 1890 he was chosen to represent his district in the Senate for four years. At the session of 1893 he was made chairman of the Committee on Education, and was also placed on the Committees of Retrenchment and Reform, Municipal Affairs, Railroads, Legislative and Congressional Apportionment.
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49
The Senate.
SAMUEL S. STEEL, of Allegheny 2 county, who represents the Forty- fifth district in the Senate, was born near Greencastle, Franklin county, April 20, 1837. He received a common school education and learned the trade of machine blacksmithing, at which he worked until he entered the Union army. After the close of the war he was for awhile engaged in the under- taking business and in raising dairy produce. In 1884 he was elected to the Pennsylvania Senate, and has twice been re-elected, his present term expir- ing in 1896. Mr. Steel is one of the most popular men in the branch of the Legislature with which he has been con- nected the past ten years, and his con- stituents have been faithfully served by him. He has not occupied the time of LEVYTYDECH PŘILA the Senate in speech-making except when occasion imperatively demanded, but he has done good work in committee. He was the chairman of the Committee on Insurance in 1893 and served on the Con- mittees of Finance, Compare Bills, New Counties and County Seats, Pensions and Gratuities and Retrenchment and Reform. Among the bills he introduced was one providing for the incorporation of tunnel companies intended to facilitate travel in the vicinity of Pittsburg. Mr. Steel is descended from Pennsylvania ancestors, all of whom have been residents of the state covering a period of over one hundred and fifty years. On his paternal side he is descended from Rev. John Steel, of the First Presbyterian Church of Carlisle. At the breaking out of the revolutionary war, John Steel was made captain of the first company raised in Carlisle for the defense of the colonies. At that time, among the members of his churel, were Colonel Ephraim Blaine, grandfather of James G. Blaine, Colonel Irwin, Colonel Callander, General Armstrong and James Wilson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and General John Montgomery. On his maternal side he is descended from the Deitrichs and Stothers, old German families of Frank- lin county, both of whom furnished officers and privates to the revolutionary war.
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50
The Senate.
W ILLIAM BOYD DUNLAP was born at Darlington, Beaver county, Pa. His parents were Samuel Ruther- ford and Nancy Hemphill Dunlap, both of whom were of Scotch-Irish descent and their ancestors came to this coun- try early in the eighteenth century and took their part in the stirring events of the times. The subject of this sketch was the second son and sixth child. He . first attended a select, then the common schools, later the Darlington and Beaver Academies and graduated from Jefferson College in 1858, in the largest class that institution ever graduated. The Hon. George A. Jenks was one of his class- mates and among his schoolmates were Chauncey F. Black and ex-Governor Beaver and many others since distin- LEVYTYRE FA PHILL guished at the bar and in the pulpit. When about sixteen years of age he was tendered tlie appointment to West Point by the late Hon. M. C. Trout, then mem- ber of Congress from his district, but his father intending him for the law, and acting under the advice of his brother-in-law, the late Judge Cunningham, refused his consent to the acceptance of this offer. Shattered health at the end of his col- legiate course forced him to abandon for a time his purpose to study law. When on a trip in the pursuit of health accident threw him in the way of a vacancy in the Scott Street public schools in Covington, Kentucky, and he accepted the offer and was for two years the principal of those schools. He had here for pupils Fred and " Buck " Grant, two sons of General U. S. Grant. The duties were not exacting, and a daily attendance at a gymnasium somewhat restored his health. But becoming satisfied that a freer out-door life was best suited to his constitution he embarked in the river business and was engaged in that pursuit until his elec- tion to the Senate in 1890. He has been a delegate to many State Democratic conventions. At the Reading convention of 1872 he was on the committee to select the delegates-at-large to the constitutional convention. At Erie, in 1875, he was on the famous Committee on Resolutions. He was a delegate to the conven- tion of 1876 that nominated Tilden and a candidate for elector on the Hancock ticket in 1880. He was a candidate for the State Senate in 1878 and was defeated by the Hon. George V. Lawrence by 150 majority. He was unanimously pre- sented by his county in 1890 for the nomination for Congress, and elected the same year to the State Senate. In the session of 1891 he was a member of the commit- tee that reported the law creating the Banking Department. He was also a mem- ber of the Finance Committee that had so long under consideration the famous Granger and Boyer tax bills of that session. He was prominent in the debates on the Pittsburg wharf bills. At the session of 1893 he served on the Committees on Congressional Apportionment, Legislative Apportionment, Finance, Constitutional Reform, Municipal Affairs and Vice and Immorality. He introduced bills author- izing counties containing 50,000 inhabitants to erect workhouses, and extending the usage of the common pleas courts in selecting jurors to the court of quarter sessions.
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