The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume I, Part 29

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, jr., bro. & co.
Number of Pages: 1102

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resulting in the ercation of Lackawanna county. His death, which occurred in Feb- ruary, 1900, was universally regretted. He married Maggie Brahl of Wilkes-Barre on the 16th of October, 1873. Their children arc John M., Louisa M., Margaret M. and Elizabeth Gunster.

Charles G. Van Fleet is a son of Alvah Van Fleet and Esther (Baker) Van Fleet, and was born in Benton township, Lacka- wanna county, June 3, 1847. He was edu- cated at Wyoming seminary and at the Clin- ton Liberal institute, New York. He en- tered the office of Lamberton & Merriman, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and completed his course of reading with Hon. E. N. Willard at Scan- ton, where he was admitted to the Mayor's Court in September, 1868, and to the bar of Luzerne county November 10, 1868. He was a member of the firm of Wilson & Van Fleet and practiced for a while at Scranton, then went to Boulder, Colo., where he was elected mayor of the city. He afterwards removed to Troy, Pa. He was first married July 29, 1869, to Isabelle C. Wilson, by whom he had two children. His second wife was Ellen Oliver, whom he married Sep- tember 29, 1887.

Daniel W. Rank .- This gentleman was ad- mitted to the Luzerne county bar February 19, 1872. He was a son of Joseph S. and Catharinc McGuinness Rank of Union county, Pennsylvania, and was born Febru- ary 16, 1835. He read law in the office of Robert Hawley of Muncy, Pa., and was ad- mitted to the Lycoming bar April 24, 1859. He commenced practice at Millersburg, Pa. In 1861 he volunteered in the army and be- came first lieutenant of Company M, Sev- enth Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry. On August 31, 1864, he was made acting assist- ant adjutant general in the First brigade Second Cavalry division. He afterward commanded the detachment to guard Sher- man's transportation line. Mr. Rank came to Scranton in 1872, where he was appointed

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district attorney of the Mayor's court. On the 12th day of May, 1872, he married Mary C., daughter of the distinguished Robert H. McKune, then mayor of Scranton, who will ever be remembered for his public spirit and his services in the fight for Lackawanna county.

James H. Torrey, A. M. -- The family of which this gentleman is a member has for several generations taken a foremost rank in professional and educational work, its representatives having been men of cul- ture, erudition and scholarly tastes. On his father's side he traces his lineage to Eng- land, whence the founder of the family in America emigrated to this country about 1640, settling in Massachusetts. The grand- father, Jason Torrcy, was born in Williams- town, Mass., but in an early day removed to Pennsylvania, becoming a pioneer of Mt. Pleasant, but later settling in Bethany, where he died. His occupation throughout life was that of surveyor and land agent, in which capacity he was well known throughout all Northeastern Pennsylvania. The father of our subject, Rev. David Torrey, D. D., was born in Bethany, Wayne county, Pennsyl- vania, and was the youngest child born of the second marriage of Jason Torrey. The best educational advantages the country af- forded were his, and he availed himself to the utmost. He graduated from Amherst college with the degree of A. B., and later received the degree of A. M. His theological studies were conducted in Andover academy and Union seminary, and upon graduating from the latter he was ordained to the min- istry of the Presbyterian church. He held successive pastorates at Delhi and Ithaca, N. Y., Ann Arbor, Mich., and Cazenovia, N. Y., having a charge at the last named place from 1869 until 1884, when he retired from active ministerial work. He continued to make Cazenovia his home until his death, which occurred here in 1894. The degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by Hamilton

college, in which he held the chair of meta- physics for a year. For a long time, he was one of the commissioners and examiners of the Auburn seminary, in Auburn, N. Y. In ante-bellum days he was outspoken against the institution of slavery, and during the war took an active part in the work of the Christian Commission.

The mother of our subject, Mary E. Hum- phrey, was born in Amherst, Mass. She re- ceived an excellent education, which fitted her for her work as a pastor's wife, and was her husband's assistant in all his work until her death in 1867. Her family consisted of two children, of whom the daughter, Sarah M., wife of W. D. Wells, died in 1895.

The maternal grandfather of our subject, Rev. Herman Humphrey, A. M., LL. D., D. D., was a Congregational minister and was one of the most prominent educators of his day, being president of Amherst college from 1821 to 1842. He married a Miss Porter, who was a relative of Noah Porter and a member of the family that furnished to Yale college one of its presidents. The Humphrey family originated in England, but has been repre- sented in Massachusetts since about 1640.

The subject of this sketch was born in Delhi, Delaware county, New York, June 16, 1851. He received his education in the schools of the different places where his father held pastorates, and for some time was a student in the high school at Ann Arbor. He prepared for college at North- ampton, Mass., and in 1869 entered Amherst college, where he remained until the close of the junior year. In 1872 he came to Scranton to begin the study of law, and here he has since resided. Though not a graduate of the college, the degree of A. M. was conferred on him by Amherst in 1888. His legal studies were commenced under Willard & Royce and completed under E. B. Sturges, and he was admitted to the bar in October, 1876, at Wilkes-Barre. During the period of his studies he was also employed as weighmaster

EVERETT WARREN.

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by the Delaware & Hudson Canal company, principally in Scranton and immediate vicin- ity. After being admitted to the bar, he started for himself in the general practice of law, in which he has since continued, making a specialty of civil cases and corporation business. He was leading counsel of the Municipal League of Scranton in its crusade of 1900 to 1901, by which fourteen members of the city council were compelled to resign and the observance of the liquor and gam- bling laws was enforced as never before. In 1901 he was of counsel in the cases involving the constitutionality of the city statutes called "Ripper Bills," in the lower and Appellate courts. In 1902 he represented the Delaware & Hudson Company before Presi- dent Roosevelt's anthracite strike commis- sion.

Mr. Torrey joined the Scranton City Guard at its organization in 1877, and served as a member of Company A until 1885, when he was discharged.

In 1886 Mr. Torrey was appointed by the Board of Trade as a delegate to the conven- tion that framed the municipal act of 1887. He was a member of the committee of three that drafted the act regarding cities of third and minor classes, and met with the other members at Reading and Harrisburg. The act of 1887 being declared unconstitutional in 1888, the committee again met and drafted the act of 1889, under which cities of the third class have since been regulated. In 1896 another municipal convention of cities of the third class was held for the purpose of adopting amendments to the act of 1889; he was made chairman of the committee of city solicitors that met at Reading and Williams- port and performed all the active work of drafting the amendments.

A Republican in politics, Mr. Torrey is a popular speaker in local and state campaigns. In April, 1893, he was chosen city solicitor by the city councils, and at the expiration of his term was re-elected in 1895 for a second

term. At the end of his second term in 1898, he formed a partnership with C. H. Welles, under the firm name of Welles & Torrey. IIe is a charter member of the Lackawanna Law & Library Association, of which he was for several years the president. For two years, 1877 and 1878, he was president of the Y. M. C. A. of Scranton.

In the Second Presbyterian church he is a ruling elder, and for sixteen years was super- intendent of the Sunday School. He attended the general assembly of his denomination held at Saratoga in 1890, and was a member of the committee that framed the plan for the revision of the confession of faith.

In Scranton, December 10, 1872, le mar- ried Miss Ella C., daughter of D. H. Jay, formerly with the Lackawanna Iron & Coal Company, but now living retired in this city. They are the parents of four children, Mary Humphrey (wife of A. E. Fitch, Esq.), Wil- liam Jessup, Elizabeth Jay (wife of Willis B. Kirkpatrick), and Douglas Jay. (Sketch by R. B. Twiss.)

Lewis M. Bunnell is a son of Martin Bun- nell, who came from Danbury, Conn., in the early thirties and settled in Herrick town- ship, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania. He married Aurena Decatur of Roxbury, N. Y. Lewis M., the subject of this sketch, was born December 8, 1835. He completed his education at Hartford academy and at Wyo- ming seminary, Kingston, Pa. He taught school for a time and entered the law office of R. B. Little at Montrose, and was ad- mitted to the bar of Susquehanna county Aug. 6, 1862. He subsequently came to Scranton and was admitted to the Mayor's Court at the May term, 1868. In 1861 he volunteered as a private in the army, after- ward becoming Captain of Company E, One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment Penn- sylvania Volunteers. He served with dis- tinction and has since been a leading spirit in the Grand Army organization. In the Democratic party he has been a most effi-

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cient worker. On the hustings particularly, he has made his mark as an eloquent speak- cr. He coupled his law business with real cstate and other business enterprises, at which he has been successful. On the 1st of January, 1866, he was married to Anna Da- vis. They have two sons and three daugh- ters.

John R. Edwards is a son of President Judge Henry M. Edwards and Jennie (Richards) Edwards. He was born in Scranton, Pa., October 15, 1872, and was educated at Lawrenceville, N. J. He read law in the office of his father and was ad- mitted to the bar of Lackawanna county June 5, 1890. In 1896 he entered into partnership with J. Alton Davis, which con- tinued until the latter's death. He has since continued business alone, and is rapidly gaining distinction as a lawyer. He is a Republican and held the position of super- visor of the twelfth census for the counties of Lackawanna, Monroe and Pike. From 1893 to 1897 he was a member of the Thir- teenth Regiment, National Guard of Penn- sylvania.

John M. C. Ranck was born in White Deer township, Union county, Pennsylvania, April 19, 1831. He was educated at the Lewisburg university, read law with H. C. Hickok at Lewisburg, Pa., and was admitted to the Union county bar May 26, 1855. He came to Scranton in 1868, and was admitted to the bar of the Mayor's court at the May term, 1868. His practice was mostly con- fined to collections, and as attorney for building associations. His father was Adam Ranck, and his mother's maiden name was Jane Martin. He was twice married, first on March 4, 1854, to Mary N. Driesbach, the second Emma D. Mellick, to whom he was married January 30, 1867. There are five children. Mr. Ranck died about ten years ago.

Paul R. Weitzel, son of Joseph and Sarah (Woodrow) Weitzel, was born at Sunbury,

Pa., September 13, 1832, and was cducated at Dickinson scininary, Williamsport, Pa. He graduated as an attorney at law in 1856 at the Union Law school, Easton, Pa., and was admitted to the bar at Mauch Chunk in 1856, where he practiced for a time, then located in Williamsport, Pa., then moved to Scranton in 1871, where he was admitted to the Mayor's court at May term, 1871. Hc had becn admitted to the Luzerne county bar August 17, 1858. He practiced in Scranton about ten years, then removed to Philadel- phia. He was married January 18, 1859, to Fannic E. Boyd, of Wilkes-Barre. They have six children.

Andrew J. Smith, son of Thomas Smith and Mary, daughter of Jonathan Dean, was born at Waverly, now Lackawanna county, December 15, 1837. He was educated at Madison academy and the State and National Law school at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he graduated in 1857. He read law with G. B. & L. R. Nicholson at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and was admitted to the Luzerne bar January 2, 1860, where he commenced the practice of law. He entered the army in the spring of 1861, became second lieutenant of Company K, One Hundred and Eighth regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, and April 8, 1864, was promoted to first licutenant of the same company. On his return from the army he commenced practice at Waverly, Lacka- wanna county. He was elected justice of the peace and served for nineteen years, and died on the 20th day of February, 1900. He was married January 31, 1859, to Josephine A. Green, by whom he had three children.

Frederick L. Hitchcock is a native of Waterbury, Conn., born April 18, 1837. His father was Daniel Hitchcock and his moth- er's maiden name was Mary Peck. He was cducated in the public schools, and came to Scranton at an early date, where he entered as a student in the law office of Samuel Sher- rerd, subsequently becoming a pupil of the late Judge Dana of Wilkes-Barre, where he

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was admitted to the bar on the 16th of May, 1860. He opened an office in Scranton and became a member of the Mayor's court at its opening, October 1, 1866. On the 22d of August, 1862, he entered the army as adju- tant of the One Hundred and Twenty-second regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was honorably mentioned for his bravery in the battles of South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chaneellorsville. Janu- ary 24, 1863, he was promoted to major. In 1864 he was commissioned colonel of the Twenty-fifth regiment of colored volunteers, serving in the defense of Fort Pickens and Pensacola. He was the first clerk of the Mayor's court of Scranton, and in 1878 was commissioned first prothonotary of Laeka- wanna county. For the years 1875, 1876 and 1877 he was president of the Young Men's Christian Association of Seranton. Mr. Hitchcock was an ardent and influential worker for the establishment of Lackawanna county. He married Caroline N. Kingsbury on the 24th of January, 1864, by whom he has six children living.

Hugh M. Hannah is a son of Archibald Hannah and Mary, daughter of Alexander Leslie, natives of the north of Ireland. They came at an early date to Harford, Susque- hanna county, Pennsylvania, where Hugh was born, September 13, 1842. He was edu- eated at New Milford academy and at the State Normal sehool at Millersville, Pa. He entered the law office of Hannah & Loomis at Seranton, the senior being his brother Daniel, and was admitted to the Mayor's court, September term, 1869, and February 24, 1870, to the Luzerne bar. He subsequently entered into partnership with his brother, which con- tinued until the failing health of the latter obliged him to give up business. Hugh M. is in active practice at the present time and is a learned and well equipped lawyer. He was eity solicitor for the years 1874, 1875 and 1876, and a member of the common council of Scranton for 1877-78. He married Eliza-

beth Hindman, December 2, 1875. They have three children.

Daniel Hannah eame to Scranton in 1866. He was born at Harford, Pa., January 21, 1838, and was educated at the Montrose academy and the State Normal school at Millersville, Pa. He read law in the office of Daniel S. Diekinson at Binghamton, N. Y., where he was admitted to the bar May 10, 1865. He was admitted to the Mayor's court of Seranton at the December term, 1866, and to the bar of Luzerne county, February 21, 1867. He was of the firm of Loomis & Hannah, subsequently was in partnership with his brother Hugh M., whose sketch will be found elsewhere. He was twiee married, first to Lizzie A. Little, who died in a few years thereafter. His second wife was Rosa- lia Watson, to whom he was wedded Septem- ber 25, 1876. On aceount of poor health he removed to New Milford, Pa., where he died a few years ago.

Hon. John F. Connolly, late one of the judges of the court of common pleas of Lackawanna county, gained his distinction in his native city of Seranton. He was born April 27, 1853, the son of Owen Connolly, who emigrated from the county of Sligo, Ireland. After graduating at the Scranton high school he entered the Columbia college law school, New York, from which he gradu- ated in 1873, and was admitted to the bar in the city of New York on the 18th of May, 1874. He was admitted to practice in the Mayor's court of Scranton at the May term, 1874, and became a member of the bar of Luzerne county, June 4, 1874. He entered into partnership with D. W. Connolly under the firm name of D. W. & J. F. Connolly. Both were good lawyers and enjoyed a re- munerative and extensive praetiee. The junior member and subjeet of this sketch was. more particularly engaged in the crim- inal eourts, where he became very prominent as a trial lawyer. In the fall of 1883 he was elected to the office of district attorney. In

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1887 he was elected to the position of judge of the court of common pleas of Lacka- wanna county for the term of ten years. Hle performed the duties very creditably, but an untimely death cut him off in the midst of his usefulness. He died November 29, 1892. He was married to Mary C. Carroll, September 12, 1877, by whom he had five children.

George S. Horn is the son of Adam L. Horn. His mother was Elizabeth W., daugh- ter of William Albright. They came to Seranton, Pa., in 1846, where George S. was born, April 27, 1849. He received his educa- tion mainly at the public schools and gradu- ated at a business college. In 1869 he en- tered the law office of John W. Betts, at Washington, N. J. Afterwards he came to Scranton and became a student in the office of Ward & Gunster on December 13, 1869, and was admitted to the Mayor's court of Scranton, December term, 1871, and to the Luzerne county bar April 3, 1872. On the 15th of June, 1877, he formed a copartner- ship with Judge Ward, with whom he re- mained until the latter's death. The firm of Ward & Horn was one of the most noted and successful law firms of this section, their criminal practice being very extensive. It is in the preparation of cases that Mr. Horn has shown marked ability. Mr. Horn is a very prominent Democrat, and has often been importuned to accept a nomination for judge, but has preferred to retain his position as a trusted counsellor in the ranks of his party. Perhaps no man at the bar has more of the respect and esteem of his brother members. Ile was married April 17, 1872, to Caroline Edinger, now deceased. They had two chil- dren: Charles E., a bright and promising young man, who died recently, and a daugh- ter, Helen.

Samuel B. Price .- One of the prominent lawyers of Lackawanna county is Samuel B. Price. He is a native of Branchville, Sussex county, New Jersey, born April 29,

1847. He prepared for college at Blairs- town, N. J., and entered Princeton college in 1866. On account of ill health lie abandoned student life for the time being. IIc subse- quently entered as a junior in the Univer- sity of Michigan, where he graduated in the class of 1870. He remained in the law de- partment of the same university and was admitted to the bar at Detroit, Mich., Oc- tober 9, 1872. Shortly after he came to Scranton and was admitted to the Luzerne county bar April 23, 1873. His father was William Price, a descendant of a prominent New Jersey family, and his mother Phebe Armstrong. Mr. Price is one of our most in- dustrious and capable lawyers, and for a long time has had an extensive practice in the civil courts of the county and in the Su- preme Court of Pennsylvania. It is doubt- ful whether any man at the bar has a mnor. thorough knowledge of the law, or better ability to present a case in court. In poli- ties he has usually acted with the Demo- cratic party, and has on several occasions been solicited to accept nominations for important positions, but has invariably re- fused. He enjoys the confidence of the community, and is the president of the Scranton Savings Bank, one of our most substantial moneyed institutions. He mar- ried Julia Hosie on the 9th of February, 1881, by whom he has two children.

Hon. Lemuel Ammerman came to Scranton in 1875, where he met with great success both as a lawyer and as a money maker. He was the son of Jesse C. Ammerman and Caroline (formerly Strohm) of Montour county, Pennsylvania, and was born at Dan- ville, said county, October 29, 1846. He entered Bucknell university at Lewisburg, Pa., where he graduated in the class of 1870. He was for three years a professor in the State Normal school at Mansfield, Pa., then entered the law office of Lewis C. Cassidy in Philadelphia, where he was admitted to the bar. Shortly after, he came to Scranton,

J. H. TORREY.

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and was admitted in Luzerne county Decem- ber 24, 1875. For three years lie was county solicitor of Lackawanna county, and in 1881 elected by the Democratic party to the Legislature, and re-elected in 1882. In 1886 he was appointed reporter of the Supreme Court. In 1887 he was elected controller of the city of Scranton for a term of two years; and in 1890 was elected to the Congress of the United States. All these public posi- tions were filled acceptably and with marked ability. During all the time, he was conduct- ing an extensive law practice. He was a man of fine talent, very industrious and re- markably successful. He was married three times; on the 24th day of September, 1879, to Susan Wallaze, who lived but four months; the second wife was Mary C. Van Nort, to whom he was married June 6, 1883. She died in about three years. His third wife, Ella M., was a sister of the latter. There were two children by the second wife. He died very suddenly on the 7th day of October, 1897, mourned by a large circle of friends.

Hon. William H. Jessup was born at Mont- rose, Pa., January 29,' 1830. He was the eldest of five sons of Hon. William Jessup, LL. D., and Amanda Jessup. He was a de- scendant of John Jessup, who is reported to have come to Massachusetts in 1620, a de- scendant of the Jessups of Bromehall, York- shire. On the mother's side, Amanda Harris was descended from George Harris, of South Hampton, who probably sailed from London in 1635.

The subject of this sketeh was prepared for college at Cortland academy, New York. He entered the sophomore class of Yale college and was graduated in 1849 at the age of nineteen. Among his classmates were Timothy Dwight, president of Yale college ; Francis Miles Finch, of the New York Court of Appeals; F. W. Fisk, D. D., of Chicago Theological seminary; E. D. Morris, D. D., of Lane Theological seminary; and William

F. Poole, LL. D., of the Chicago Library. Ile inherited his fondness for the law from his father, with whom he studied, both of them attaining to the judicial office by ap- pointment and upon merit. He was admit- ted to the bar in his native county Novem- ber 17, 1851. He was an able, laborious, accurate and successful lawyer from the date of his entering into practice to the time of his deceasc. His clients have been drawn from all parts of the state, and his practice has extended to other states and to the United States courts. His preparation of cases and trial both before the jury and the bench had always been thorough, accurate and of the highest order of skill and with remarkable success. In addition to winning laurels in his chosen profession, he was assiduous in other relations. At the age of thirteen he united with the Presbyterian church, in which he served as an elder for over thirty years; a superintendent and teacher in the Sabbath school for over forty- five years. He attended frequently the higher courts of the church, and was active in home and foreign mission work. In this he also followed in the footsteps of his father, who was for a number of years vice- president of the American Board of Com- missioners for Foreign Missions, and who also defended Rev. Albert Barnes in his cele- brated trial for heresy. The family have given two sons and brothers as missionaries in the foreign field in Syria, viz., Henry Harris Jessup, D. D., and Samuel Jessup, D. D.

In politics Mr. Jessup was a Republican, and was a member of the convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln for his sec- ond term, as his father was when Lincoln was nominated for the first term. He was a delegate at large to the convention which nominated James G. Blaine. During the in- vasion of Pennsylvania in 1862 and 1863, he was in active service as major of the Twenty- eighth regiment of the Pennsylvania Volun-

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tecr Militia. In 1863 he was appointed by President Lincoln collector of internal rev- enue for the Twelfth collection district of Pennsylvania, which was one of the most im- portant districts in the state in the amount of revenue collected. In 1871 he was com- missioned by Governor Geary major general of the Tenth division of the National Guard of Pennsylvania. In 1877 he was appointed president judge of the Thirty-fourth ju- dicial district of the state. As a judge he was able to despatch business with commend- able rapidity and accuracy, and with perfect impartiality. He there maintained the rc- spect and honor of the bar which had always been accorded to him. During his profes- sional life he was also a practical farmer, and president of the agricultural society of his county and was of valued service to the farmers in this behalf by adopting and sug- gesting improved methods. In the practice of his profession, the management of estates entrusted to his care, in the wide and various demands upon him in questions of corporate law and management Mr. Jessup showed the care and fidelity and legal acumen which secures and retains the most desirable and appreciative clients. By his personal pres- ence, his courtesy, his clear voice, his lucid presentation of facts and law upon the trial of a case either in lower or higher courts he carried a charm to every intelligent listener that was an clement of power in his success. The power of his consistent, blameless life won for him a high reputation throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania where he was best known. His death occurred January 16, 1902. (Sketch by Hon. Alfred Hand.)

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The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume I, Part 29

Author: Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, jr., bro. & co. Number of Pages: 1102

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, jr., bro. & co.
Number of Pages: 1102