The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume I, Part 30

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

USA > Pennsylvania > The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume I > Part 30

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Arthur D. Dean is a descendant of one of the original settlers of the northern part of Lackawanna county. His father was Isaac Dean, born in 1811 and but recently de- ceased. His mother was Polly S., daughter of Henry Heermans. Arthur D. Dean was born in Abington township, January 29, 1849. He spent two years in the university at Lewis-

burg, leaving there in 1867, was another year or two at the East Greenwich academy in Rhode Island and entered Brown university in 1869, receiving his collegiate degree in 1872. He read law in the office of Agib Rick- etts at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and was admitted to the bar of Luzerne county, January 4, 1875. A comparatively short time after, he removed his office to Scranton, where he has since practiced his profession. He has a large office business and whenever he appears be- fore the court does so with credit to himself and with satisfaction to his clients. He mar- ried Nettie E. Sisson on the 11th of May, 1882, by whom he has three children.

Wilbur F. Lathrop was born at Hillsdale, Mich., April 13, 1849, and was educated at the State Normal school at Mansfield, Pa. He read law in the office of Little & Blak- slee, Montrose, Pa., and was admitted to the bar in Susquehanna county, November 11, 1872. He became a resident of Carbondale, Pa., and was admitted to the Luzerne bar, March 18, 1875.

Frank J. Fitzsimmons .- One of the most prominent lawyers and essayists of Lacka- wanna county is Frank J. Fitzsimmons, born in Carbondale, Pa., September 29, 1852. He is a son of Hugh and Rose (Shannon) Fitz- simmons, who are natives of County Cavan, Ireland. He was a student at Manhattan academy, New York, and graduated at Villa Nova college, Pennsylvania. He read law in the office of D. L. O'Neill and P. H. Campbell at Wilkes-Barre, and was admitted to the Luzerne county bar March 19, 1878, imme- diately thereafter opening an office at Scran- ton, where he has established a reputation as one of the most eloquent advocates at the bar. But it is in the political field that he has figured most extensively. He is a fa- miliar figure in Democratic conventions, not only in his native county, but in the state, and wherever his silvery voice has been heard it has commanded undivided attention. He presided at the convention which nomi-

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nated Hon. Robt. E. Pattison for governor in 1902. Mr. Fitzsimmons became editor of the Lackawanna Jurist in 1888, and contin- ued the same until 1895. In 1903 he resumed its publication, and it is now the official paper of the court. He was also for a num- ber of years the editor of the Scranton Sun- day News, and as such became known as a versatile and accomplished writer. It has long been a matter of wonder among his lady acquaintances that he has never donned the matrimonial garb.

Hon. Patrick M. Moffat was elected an as- sociate or lay judge of Lackawanna county at the November election in 1878 and served during the regular term of five years. He was born in Ireland on the 5th of March, 1838. His parents were Edward and Mary (May) Moffat. They emigrated to Carbon- dale, Pa., in 1850. Mr. Moffat's educational advantages were confined to the common schools. At an early age he learned the sad- dlery and harness business, afterwards be- coming an extensive dealer therein at Car- bondale. He was prominent in Democratic politics. As an official of the court he was attentive to his duties and enjoyed the es- teem and respect of the community. He subsequently removed to Scranton, where he is now engaged in his life-long business. He is a man of family.

Thomas P. Duffy was born in Plymouth, Luzerne county, December 13, 1868, of Mark A. and Bridget T. Duffy. He was educated in the public schools of Plymouth. He came to Scranton and entered the law offices of Ward & Horn and attended the Dickinson Law school at Carlisle, Pa. He became a member of the bar of Lackawanna county June 30, 1896, and is now engaged in the general practice of law.

Hon. William J. Lewis was elected one of the associate lay judges of Lackawanna county in the fall of 1878. He was born Au- . gust 27, 1843, the son of John D. and Ann (Hopkins) Lewis. He was educated in the

public schools of Carbondale, Pa. He volun- teered as a soldier in the late Civil war and served with distinction in Company B, One Hundred and seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Infantry. At one time he officiated as pay- master. After serving his term as associate judge he was nominated by the Republican party in 1885 and elected sheriff. He was married three times.

Col. Herman Osthaus is a native of Over- ton, Bradford county, Pa., where he was born December 24, 1852. His father is Fran- cis Osthaus and his mother's maiden name was Minnie Hübner. He was educated at Allegheny college and the University of Heidelberg, Germany. He became a student in the law office of Judge Cooley, and grad- uated in the law department of the Univers- ity at Ann Arbor, Mich., where he was ad- mitted to the bar in March, 1878. He came to Scranton in 1879 and was admitted to the Lackawanna county bar the same year. Hc immediately commenced business and has a good office practice. Mr. Osthaus is one of the most upright, conscientious men in the profession, and is universally esteemed. He is a thorough Democrat and has performed effective service as a speaker in political canı- paigns. In 1893 he was appointed assistant postmaster of Scranton. He is a member of the Thirteenth Regiment, Pennsylvania Vol- unteers, and in 1895 was commissioned col- onel on the governor's staff. He is married to Alice Cummins.

George Sanderson was born in Towanda, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, August 27, 1847. His father was George Sanderson and his mother Marion W. Sanderson. His father was a lawyer and a banker, and was largely interested in real estate. He estab- lished the banking house of George Sander- son & Company, in Scranton, in 1855, which. was subsequently merged in the Lackawanna Valley bank, which in turn was merged in the Lackawanna Trust & Safe Deposit com- pany, one of the most successful of Scran-

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ton's financial institutions. Prior to remov- ing to Scranton from Towanda he was dis- trict attorney of Bradford county, and also represented it in the State Senate. Much of the finest residential part of Scranton lies on property developed by him. He removed to Philadelphia in 1864, but, becoming in- terested in a large tract of land, he moved back to his old home and developed this traet, which has become the beautiful Green Ridge section of Scranton. The old home- stead stood where the splendid new Y. M. C. A. building is now. He was born in Bos- ton and educated at the old and celebrated Latin school of that city. His father, and the grandfather of the present George San- derson, was Jacob Sanderson, an East India merchant of Boston, and his mother, Jeru- sha, a member of the Gardner family.

Marion W., mother of George Sanderson, was the daughter of Colonel Joseph Kings- bury, a large landed proprietor of Sheshe- quin, Bradford county, and his wife, Anna Spaulding, the daughter of Capt. Simon Spaulding, a distinguished Revolutionary soldier, who fought through the war for Independence, and from whom George San- derson, the subject of this sketch, obtained the qualifications for membership in the Sons of the Revolution.

The present George Sanderson passed his early boyhood in Towanda, and removed with his father and mother and brothers and sisters to Scranton, in 1856. He was educat- ed in private and public schools, and in Har- vard university, from the law school of which he graduated in 1869, although before entering the Harvard Law school he studied in the office of Samuel Robb, Esq., of Phila- · delphia, for two years.

After graduating at Harvard he was ad- mitted to practice in Philadelphia, practic- ing there for two years. He was compelled to move back to Scranton, on account of the advancing age of his father, who desired some relief. He is also a member of the

Massachusetts bar. Mr. Sanderson has not been in actitve practice for some years, other matters consuming his time. He car- ried several cases of importance to the Su- preme Court, two of which, at least, have become leading. One was Sanderson against the City of Scranton, involving the question as to whether property owners assessed for the cost of paving could be assessed again for the cost of a new and better pavement. Another was Scranton against the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad company and the Delaware & Hudson Canal company, involving the question as to whether a lease of all the coal under the surface with a per- petual term was not in effect a sale, and the lessee therefore liable for the taxes. He won both cases, the latter having been really argued twice, as he consented to another argument. He was also interested in the case of Sanderson against the Pennsylvania Coal Company, which was in our courts so many times in one way or another, the final adjudication being against his client. It is a matter of gratification to the counsel for the plaintiff in this case that the Supreme Court has substantially reversed itself since.

Mr. Sanderson's father was an old line Jackson-Van Buren Democrat, but accus- tomed to think for himself, he early became a Republican, and has always acted with that party in national and state affairs. In local affairs he is notably independent, be- lieving a business-like and honest adminis- tration of municipal affairs paramount to mere party fealty, always, however, espous- ing the partisan side when he believes best results will be obtained. He has held no political office except in the municipal affairs of the city, having represented his ward in the city councils for years. He is at pres- ent a member and president of its sinking fund commission. He was formerly interest- ed in military affairs, having in 1877 en- listed in the Scranton City Guard as private. He rose through successive grades to become

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general inspector of rifle practice in the state, and was in reality the father of rifle practice in our national guard. He was un- til married a prominent cricketer of Phila- delphia, and fond of athletics, which he is still, and an out-door life. He is a member of the Germantown Cricket club, and also of the University and Manufacturing clubs of Philadelphia. He is a Mason, Knight Temp- lar, Mystic Shriner, Odd Fellow and Hepta- soph. He is a director of the Lackawanna . Trust and Safe Deposit company, president of the Forest Hill Cemetery association, and a member of the Scranton club, the Country club of Seranton, and the Green Ridge Wheelmen.

He married Luey Reed Jackson, of Phila- delphia, on November 28, 1871, by whom he has had eight children, of whom six are liv- ing, namely : Edward Spaulding Sanderson, Charles Reed Sanderson, James Gardner Sanderson, Helen Louise Sanderson, Marion Kingsbury Sanderson, and George Sander- son, Jr. The eldest, Edward Spaulding San- derson, has charge of the manufacturing de- partment of the Pennsylvania Globe Gas Light eompany, of Philadelphia, one of the component companies of the United Gas Im- provement company, and stands high as an expert. Charles Reed Sanderson organized and conduets the Sanderson Oil & Specialty company, a prosperous oil company of Seran- ton. James Gardner Sanderson is a lawyer with his father. He has also achieved a place in literary eireles, being the author of "Cornell Stories" and a number of maga- zine artieles. All of Mr. Sanderson's sons except George, a boy of ten years, were Cor- nell university men.

Mr. Sanderson has traveled extensively in Egypt, Palestine, Europe and this country, and has probably as complete a historical library of Egypt as can be found in his sec- tion of Pennsylvania. He is quiet and do- mestic in his tastes, while he is fond of travel

and out-of-door life. (Sketch by H. W. Brown.)

William W. Baylor is a native of Lacka- wanna eounty and was born in Benton town- ship, October 4, 1864. He is the son of Will- iam and Margaret C. (Weller) Baylor. He was edueated at Keystone academy, Penn- sylvania, and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he was admitted to the bar in April, 1888. He entered the offices of Willard & Warren in Scranton and was admitted to the Lackawanna bar, July 3, 1889. He has a general praetiee, but makes a specialty in obtaining patents. He is prom- inent in Democratic politics and is a hache- lor.

James E. Burr is a son of Washington Burr. His mother's maiden name was Lu- cinda Bradley, both of Carbondale, Pa., where the son was born July 8, 1853. He at- tended Princeton college, New Jersey, and graduated in the elass of 1875. He entered as a student in the law office of E. P. & J. V. Darling at Wilkes-Barre, and was admitted to the Luzerne county bar May 20, 1877. He commenced practice at Carbondale and has since opened another offiee in Scranton. He has held the positions of city solicitor and sehool director in the city of Carbondale. He has quite an extensive practice. He is attorney for several corporations and been engaged in a number of important cases in which he has shown marked ability. Mr. Burr was married to Matilda P. Bryan Sep- tember 6, 1882, and has a family of three children.

Frank V. Barnes was born at Athens, Pa., June 14, 1848, and is the son of Daniel V. Barnes and Julia F., daughter of Nathaniel Clapp. He is a graduate of Yale college and read law in the office of Hon. W. G. Ward. He was admitted to the bar at the May term of the Mayor's Court of Scranton, 1873, and to the Luzerne eounty bar January 21, 1874. He practiced at Bismark, Dak., a number of

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years and has recently returned to Scranton. He is married and has three children.

Francis E. Loomis is the son of Dr. Elishia N. Loomis and his wife Rowena, daughter of Major Laban Capron. He was born at Har- ford, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, February 7, 1834, and was educated at the academy at Harford. He read law in the office of W. and W. H. Jessup at Montrose, Pa., and was admitted to the Susquehanna county bar April 7, 1863. He has practiced in Montrose, Rockford, Ill., and finally set- tled in Scranton, where he became a mem- ber of the Mayor's court at its organization October 1, 1866. He was admitted to the Luzerne bar February 10, 1867. He was of the firm of Loomis & Hannah for a few years, confining himself principally to real estate and the negotiating of loans. At one time he gained quite a reputation as a writer of sto- rics, sketches, etc., and has taken an active part in the Universalist church, having held prominent positions therein. In 1882 he was the Republican candidate for the Legisla- ture of Pennsylvania. On account of poor health he has not been in active practice for a number of years. Mr. Loomis has been twice married, first to Fannie M. Lord, July 4, 1857, the second time to Rebecca Van Fleet, March 14, 1873. He has six children living.

Samuel W. Edgar is the son of Thomas W. and Rebecca H. Edgar, born in Espy, Co- lumbia county, Pennsylvania, about fifty years ago. He was educated in Dickinson seminary, Williamsport, and Wyoming semi- nary, Kingston, Pa. He read law with Col. Samuel Knorr, Bloomsburg, Columbia county, where he was admitted to' the bar December 2, 1879. He settled at Scranton and became a member of the Lackawanna bar April 23, 1880. For seven years he was attorney of the Scranton poor board and is secretary of the Scranton board of health. His first wife was Olive Kellam; his second, Mattie, daughter of Hon. William

Connell; and his third, Mrs. Cornelia Far- rics, a sister of General Wint, U. S. A. He has four children, Mark K., present director of public safety; Florence, Gilbert H. and Mattie Connell Edgar.

Charles H. Welles is a native of Dundaff, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, born on the 16th of April, 1845. His father was Charles H. Welles, son of a distinguished Connecticut family of that name. His mother was Sarah (Gay) Welles, a descendant of one of the early settlers of Wyoming valley. The subject of this sketch was educated in the schools of his native place and in the Luzerne institute at Wyoming. He at first entered the law office of Samuel Sherrerd at Scranton and completed his legal studies with Hand & Post. At the February term of the Mayor's court, 1867, he was admitted to practice law. He became a member of the Luzerne bar March 2, 1867. He is a Repub- lican and was elected clerk of the Mayor's court in 1869. At an early date he entered into co-partnership with Hon. F. W. Gunster, which continued until the latter's elevation to the bench. His firm is now Welles & Tor- rey. Mr. Welles has devoted himself to civil practice, at which he has been remarkably successful. He is an elder in the Second Presbyterian church of Scranton and is high- ly esteemed as a citizen. On the 20th of October, 1869, he married Hannah B. Sher- rerd, by whom he has four children.

James E. Watkins .- This gentleman is a native of Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire, Wales, born April 5, 1867, to William W. and Jane Watkins. They emigrated to America and after a time settled at Taylor, Lackawanna county, where James attended the public schools; Wood's business college at Scranton, then entered Cornell university. He also was a student in the law depart- ment of the university of Pennsylvania, from which he came to the law offices of O'Brien & Kelly in Scranton and was admitted to the Lackawanna bar, January 25, 1895. He

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is engaged in general practice and was mar- ried July 1, 1895, to Mary C. Davis.

Harold Leach, the subject of this sketch, was a descendant of one of the most noted families of Lackawanna county. Ile was born in Providenee, Pa. (since merged in Seranton), September 1, 1856. His father was Ebenezer Leach, who was married to Lovina Walley in 1834. Harold completed his education at the Wyoming seminary, Kingston, Pa. Hc read law in the office of Ilon. E. N. Willard, and was admitted to the Luzerne county bar September 28, 1877. No man ever eame to the bar with brighter prospects, or a more cultivated intelleet. He was a master of oratory, clear, argumenta- tive, and convincing. In the politieal field he was without a peer. None who had the fortune to hear him will forget his spark- ling wit and entrancing eloquence. He prac- ticcd but a few years at Seranton, when he moved to San Francisco, where he went to an early grave. With him was buried the fondest hopes of a multitude of friends. He was a bachelor.

John F. Scragg .- One of the famous law- yers at the Laekawanna bar is John F. Scragg, a native of Seranton, born on the 13th of July, 1859. His father was John Seragg, for many years a trusted employe of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad company, and his mother Jane Fos- ter (Scragg). He received his education at private sehools, and at the Seranton high school. He entered as a student at law in the office of D. & H. M. Hannah, and on the 5th of May, 1879, was admitted to the bar of Lackawanna county. In a comparatively short time he became known as one of the shrewdest and most successful lawyers at the bar. Mr. Scragg prepares his cases with great eare and ability and has a remarkable faculty for presenting the faets to the court and jury. He has been counsel in so many important trials in the Lackawanna county courts, both civil and criminal, that the lim-

ited space allotted in this work forbids sp"- cial mention. Notwithstanding his large and lucrative practice he oceasionally takes a hand in the management of Republican poli- tics, at which he is an adept; but so far has refused very many influential offers for political promotion. He is now and has been for a number of years attorney for the. Scranton poor board, in which his wise coun- sel has been greatly beneficial to the public interests. He was at one time a member of the Thirteenth Regiment N. G. P. He en- joys a degree of popularity in the community that is truly enviable. In 1881 he married Miss Abby A. Downing, of Brooklyn, N. Y., and has an interesting family of five ehil- dren.

Edward C. Dimmick was a son of Milton Dimmick and Sarah E., daughter of Rev. Edward Allen. He was born at Milford, Pennsylvania, February 2, 1844, and died at Scranton December 7, 1895. He was edu- eated at Honesdale, Pa., and read law in the office of M. M. Dimmick at Mauch Chunk, Pa., where he was admitted to the bar in 1865. He was elected to the office of prose- cuting attorney of Carbon eounty in 1865, and again in 1868. He came to Seranton and opened a law office in 1874, and was ad- mitted to the Luzerne eounty bar September 17, 1875. He was an excellent and popular citizen. In 1883 he was elected eity con- troller of Seranton, and re-cleeted in 1885. He was twice married, the first oeeurred De- cember 1, 1868, to Sophie du Pont de Ne- mours; and the second Mareh 8, 1880, to Joanna M., sister of the first wife. There .are three children.

Hon. George Howell, son of John and Ann (Evans) Howell, was born in Scranton, Pa., June 28, 1859. He was educated in Penning- ton seminary, Newton Collegiate institute, New Jersey, Lafayette college, Easton, Pa., and graduated at the Illinois university in 1882. He read law with Hon. H. M. Edwards and was admitted to the Lackawanna county

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bar in April, 1895. He was professor of mathematics in the Scranton high school for seven years and in 1895 was elected Superin- tendent of the Public Schools of Seranton and officiated five or six years. He then be- eame a member of the firm of Ballentine & Howell and commenced the practice of law. HIe was nominated by the Democratic party for Congress in the Tenth Congressional dis- trict and elected on the 4th of November, 1902. For a long time he has been a most efficient aid in political campaigns and ranks as one of the ablest and most eloquent speak- ers in the district. He is fast gaining promi- nence as a practitioner at the bar. Mr. How- ell is a man of extensive information, a ripe seholar and very industrious. It is generally believed that he will make his mark in Con- gress. He was married to Elizabeth G. Har- ris in August, 1892, by whom he has one child, Annetta.

John R. Jones .- A prominent and influen- tial member of the bar of Lackawanna eounty is John Richard Jones, a son of Ed- ward and Mary E. Jones, the former a suc- cessful coal operator at Archbald, Pa., where his son John was born May 27, 1856. He was educated at Keystone academy, Wyo- ming seminary and Harvard college. He en- tered the law department of Harvard, from which he graduated with the degree of L. L. B. on the 25th of June, 1879. He had been admitted to the Middlesex bar, Massachu- setts, March 12, 1878. He came to Wilkes- barre and spent a year in the office of Alex- ander Farnham and became a member of the Luzerne bar June 8, 1880. On October 8, 1880, he was admitted in Lackawanna ' county, opened an office at Scranton and entered into general practice. In 1895 he was elected district attorney of Lackawanna county by the Republican party, and re- eleeted in 1898. It was under his adminis- tration that the first conviction for murder of the first degree occurred in the county, due measurably to his vigorous prosecution

of the case and the ability with which he presented it. The defendant, Merolo, su .- fered the extreme penalty of the law, as did also George K. Van Horn, a second conviction by Mr. Jones. He is an able lawyer and eloquent advocate. For eight years he was a director of the Blakely poor board. offi- ciating as secretary thereof. In all his pub- lic positions he has commanded the respect and confidence of the people. Notwithstand- ing his large practice Mr. Jones finds time to enter actively in political campaigns in behalf of his party, of which he is a repre- sentative member. He practices in the high- er eourts of the state as well also the District Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He is a married man.

Hon. Alfred Hand, ex-justice of the Su- preme Court of Pennsylvania, was born at Honesdale, Wayne county, Pennsylvania, on the 26th of March, 1835. He is the second son of Ezra Hand and Catharine Chapman. The former was descended from John Hand, of Southampton, Long Island, who emigrated from Stanstede, England, prior to the year 1644; the latter was a descendant of Robert Chapman, who emigrated from Hull, Eng- land, in 1635 with the colony which settled first at the mouth of the Connecticut river. The subject of this sketch fitted for college in his native plaee, and grew up in the region full of activity in the development of the anthracite industry in Pennsylvania. At the age of eighteen, he entered Yale College, where he completed the full academie course with success and honor, graduating with the class of 1857.

In the same elass were Moses Coit Tyler of Cornell university, President Cyrus North- rup of Minnesota State university, President Augustus II. Strong of Rochester Theological seminary, Professors Arthur M. Wheeler and Daniel C. Eaton of Yale university, General Joseph C. Jackson and David Stuart Dodge of New York.

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The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume I, Part 30

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