The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume I, Part 32

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 32

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He is vice-president and a director in the Title Guaranty and Trust Company and also interested in other prominent institutions.

In 1883 Judge Knapp married Lillie Logan of Scranton, and they have one daughter, Alice Alden.

Mrs. Knapp is a lineal descendant of John Alden of colonial fame. (By Richard B. Twiss. )

Orlando B. Partridge, a son of Seneca and Sarah (Underwood) Partridge, was born at Gardner, Mass., December 12, 1854. He was educated in the common and high schools of Gardner, and the Dean academy at Franklin, Mass. Coming to Scranton in 1874, he en- tered the office of Milo J. Wilson, where he studied law and was admitted to the Lacka- wanna county bar April 12, 1880. He after- wards formed a partnership with Senator Vaughan, which continued until the death of Mr. Vaughan, in 1891, since which time he has been alone. Mr. Partridge is a Re- publican, but has never held office except that of alderman from the Ninth ward of Scranton.

Michael Francis Sando was born in Seran- ton, May 8, 1863. He received his education at the Scranton high school; studied law in the office of W. H. Gearhart, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1884. He has been active in the councils of the Democratic party, a member of the city and county com- mittces for about fourteen ycars; a delegate

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THIE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

to state conventions, deputy collector of in- ternal revenue from 1885 to 1888, elected to the legislature in 1888 and again in 1892, and was candidate for Congress from the Eleventhi district in 1898. In November, 1902, lie was elected judge of the Orphans Court.

Charles E. Daniels was born in Scranton January 24, 1872, the son of Morgan P. and Margaret Daniels. He attended the Seran- ton high school, where he graduated in the class of '89. He entered the Dickinson school of law at Carlisle, graduating in 1898, and was admitted to the Cumberland county bar in June of the same year. He then en- tered the law office of Thomas F. Wells and became a member of the Lackawanna county bar January 16, 1899. He is an ex-president of the Scranton high school alumni associa- tion and for four terms president of the West Side board of trade. Mr. Daniels is a prominent Republican and has held several important positions in the party organiza- tion. He at one time was a member of Com- pany A, Thirteenth regiment N. G. P., and a newspaper correspondent in the field in the Spanish-American war. His prospects of success at the bar are promising. He mar- ried September 4, 1901, Miss Lillian M. Simpson.

David J. Reedy is a son of John and Han- nah (O'Malley) Recdy and was born in Scranton, Pa., August 8, 1871. He was edu- cated in St. Michael's college, Toronto, Can- ada, and at the university of Pennsylvania. He then entered the law office of Hon. P. P. Smith at Scranton and was admitted to the Lackawanna county bar October 1, 1892. He has already been engaged in several im- portant cases, among them the murder trial of Frank Grippe; and the case of Com. v. Geo. Shires involving the constitutionality of the act of 1874 regulating school districts. On the 1st of February, 1898, he was ap- pointed solicitor of the Scranton school dis- trict, the duties of which he is performing

with signal ability. Mr. Reedy was married October 23, 1901, to Agnes C. Crossen and has recently become a proud father.

Milton W. Lowry was born in Susque- hanna county, Pennsylvania, March 10, 1859, son of James.W. and Alma (Taylor) Lowry. His ancestors on both sides were descendants of Revolutionary fame. His great-grand- inother Taylor was living in the Wyoming valley at the time of the massacre, in which all her people were killed; she alone surviv- ing, walked all the way back to Connecti- cut, carrying a babe two years old in her arms. Milton was educated in the public schools and the Keystone academy, graduat- ing from the latter in 1879. He received a scholarship in the Pennsylvania State col- . lege, and was graduated in 1884. He came to Scranton and commenced the study of law in the office of W. W. Watson. He be- came deputy prothonotary and was engaged in this office at the time of his admission, in 1886. In 1888 he commenced the practice of law and in 1897 formed a ' partnership with H. M. Streeter, which continued until 1901, since which time he has been alone in practice. At the hands of the Republican party he received by acclamation the nomi- nation for district attorney in 1891, and has since taken an active part in politics.

Hon. Frederic W. Fleitz was born in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, in 1867, of John W. and Catharine Emberger Fleitz, both of whom were natives of Germany. William Fleitz, father of John W., died in Germany, whence his widow, Louise, emigrated with her family and settled in Pennsylvania in 1851. The subject of our sketch acquired his early education in the common schools, after which he pursued the course of study at the Mansfield State normal school and completed the course in 1881 at the age of fourteen years. He began life by teaching school, afterwards spent three and one half years on the Pacific coast, returning in 1885 to take up the study of law with Hon. Hor-

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ace B. Paeker, of Wellsboro, Pa., and was admitted to the bar in 1889. After practic- ing in Tioga county two years, in 1891 he moved to Seranton, where he continued his practice alone until 1894, when he formed a partnership with Hon. J. Wheaton Carpen- ter, with whoni he is now associated.

Mr. Fleitz has always been active in the general practiec of his profession, but has direeted his attention principally to civil praetiee and has tried many important eases in both the state and federal courts, and is widely known among his associates as a thorough, well equipped and elear-head- ed advocate, who is devoted to his profes- sion and his clients. He has for many years been active in the affairs of the Republican party in local, state and national polities. He was one of the original founders of the National Republican league, and has been secretary of that organization and of the State League of Republican Clubs of Penn- sylvania, of which he is now president. Hle was also eonneeted with the state legisla- ture in different capacities and has served in local and state conventions as a delegate. In 1899. Governor Stone appointed him dep- uty attorney general of Pennsylvania for a term of four years, he having the distinetion of being the youngest man who ever held that offiee in the state. So well did he eon- duet the important duties imposed upon hin that in January, 1903, he was reappointed by the present Governor Pennypacker.

Mr. Fleitz is prominent in many social and beneficial organizations, among which are the Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities and the Order of Heptasophs. He was married on December 17, 1891, to Clara Audita Mitchell, daughter of Hon. John I. Mitchell, former United States Senator from Pennsyl- vania, and now a justice of the supreme court of that state. (By R. B. Twiss.)

William W. Johnston, a native of Laeka- wanna county, was born February 25, 1877, of Thomas and Catherine (Carlisle) Johns-

ton. Ile was educated at the Wyoming semi- mary and at Dickinson college. He read law in the office of W. H. Jessup, and was ad- mitted to the bar of Lackawanna eounty in September, 1902.

Henry B. Reynolds is a native of Luzerne county, born March 2, 1857, of J. Fuller and Elizabeth B. (Hancock) Reynolds. He was educated at Wyoming seminary, graduating in 1876, afterwards took a special course un- der Professor King at Wilkes-Barre. He en- tered the law office of William S. MeLean, and was admitted to the bar of Luzerne county in 1880. He has practiced in Wilkes- Barre, Colorado and West Virginia. He came to Seranton in 1886 and was admitted to the Laekawanna bar. He is devoting his attention to offiee practice and business en- terprises. He was married June 20, 1894, to Mabel L., daughter of Gen. J. Blackburn Jones of the Chicago bar.

John F. Reynolds was born in Beaver Meadows, Carbon county, Pennsylvania, February 5, 1863, son of Jenkin and Eliza- beth (Daniels) Reynolds. He was educated in the publie sehools and graduated at Wyoming seminary in 1887. He read law with A. H. MeCollum at Montrose, Pa., and was admitted to the bar of Susquehanna county in August, 1889. He settled in Car- bondale and beeame a member of the Laeka- wanna bar the same year. He is engaged in general practiee and does a large business. In 1896 he was elected by the Republican party to the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania. He was married to Miss Bes- sie Tyler in October, 1891.

John Elliot Ross is a native of England, born April 2, 1847, to John E. and Saralı D. Ross. He was educated at Lafayette col- lege, Easton, Pa., eame to Seranton and en- gaged as principal of the Hyde Park graded school. He entered as a student at law in the office of Hon. H. M. Edwards and was admitted to the Lackawanna county bar November 3, 1885. He opened an office in

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THIE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

Seranton and entered into general practiee. At one time he was assistant district attor- ney of Lackawanna eounty, in which posi- tion he acquitted himself with decided abil- ity. On the 3rd of June, 1903, he married Fannie M., daughter of Rev. O. L. Hall, of Center eounty, Pa.

William H. Jessup is a grandson of Hon. William Jessup, one of the great lawyers and judges of Pennsylvania, and a son of Hon. W. H. Jessup, whose sketch is noted herein. His mother is Sarah (Wilson) Jes- sup. Ile was born at Montrose, Pa., July 24, 1858, and was educated at Williston seminary and Yale college. He read law with Hon. W. H. Jessup at Montrose, where he was ad- mitted to the bar in 1886. He was one of the partners in the firm of Jessups & Hand, Scranton, Pa., from 1886 to 1896, and from the latter date to 1902 it was Jessup & Jes- sup. Their business was more partieularly confined to the large corporations, was very extensive, and ably cared for. Mr. Jessup was for a number of years a member of the Thirteenth regiment N. G. P., and at one time first lieutenant of CompanyA. In poli- ties he is Republiean.

Cornelius C. Donovan is a native of Seran- ton, Pa., born March 13, 1856, to Dennis and Mary (Dwyer) Donovan. He attended the graded sehool at Harford, Pa., the Scranton high school, Merrill's academic school at Scranton, and the Keystone academy, Fac- toryville, Pa. He read law with William D. Lusk and Eugene O'Neill at Montrose and was admitted to the Susquehanna bar April 10, 1882, where he practiced for three years. In November, 1885, he located in Scranton and became a member of the Lackawanna bar. Mr. Donovan is a busy lawyer. He as- sisted the prosecution at Maueh Chunk in the cases growing out of the Mud Run dis- aster, and has been retained in nearly all the election eontests in Lackawanna eounty since 1885. One now pending is the Connell- Howell congressional eontest. He is a Demo-

crat and is now serving his fourth term as alderman of the Twelfth ward. He is also the present county solicitor. Prior to 1878 he was a member of the state militia for three years.

William E. Watt, a native of Lackawanna county, was born at Carbondale, Pa., July 26, 1871, to John E. and Martha (Welles) Watt. His father, who was a successful merchant and banker for a number of years, and who, at the time of his death, June 5, 1901, was president of the First National bank of Carbondale; a highly respected and public spirited gentleman, identified with a large number of business enterprises in his county, was born in the state of Pennsyl-" vania, a descendant of that good old Scoteh ancestry. His mother was born at Wilkes- Barre, Pa., her father, William S. Welles. emigrating to this place from Connecticut.

Mr. Watt was edueated mn the public and high schools of Carbondale, graduating from the latter in 1888. He then attended the Wyoming seminary, graduating with the class of 1890, after which he took a course at the Middletown (Connecticut) Wesleyan university, afterwards spending one and one-half years in the law department of the Michigan university at Ann Arbor. Subse- quently he registered as a student in the law offiee of J. E. Burr, of Carbondale, being ad- mitted to the Lackawanna county bar in 1899. Since which time he has been actively engaged in the general practice of his pro- fession, and is one of the leading young ?t torneys of his county. While not very active in politics, and never holding any public of- fice, he is affiliated with the Republican party of his state and eounty.

At Wilkes-Barre, November, 1896, Mr. Watt was united in marriage with Miss Carloyn, daughter of William P. Innes, and they have one daughter, Martha Welles Watt. (Sketch by Harry Brown.)

Henry Harding is a native of Eaton, Wyo- ming eounty, Pennsylvania, the son of Elisha

W. E. WATT.

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LACKAWANNA COUNTY

and Naney (Jackson) Harding. He was born November 4, 1848, and was educated in the public schools of his native town. He read law with Hon. John A. Sittser at Tunk- hammock, Pa., where he was admitted to the bar August 24, 1874. He has been school di- rector, overscer of the poor and burgess of the boro of Tunkhannoek and was for three years in the United States navy and one term a member of the N. G. P. Ile has recently located in Seranton and become a member of the Lackawanna bar. He was married to Mary Ace on the 6th of November, 1872.

Daniel B. Replogle .- The parents of Mr. Replogle arc Samuel and Margaret Hana- wait Replogle. He was born at Martinsburg, Pa., January 21, 1863. He graduated at Juniata college in 1885 and became a teach- er. He was principal of Madison academy, Waverly, Pa., New Milford high school and Mount Pleasant academy. He entered the law school at Dickinson eollege and grad- uated in 1893, then eame to Seranton and opened an office, becoming a member of the Lackawanna bar the same year. His specialty is as a solicitor of patents. He has twice been married, first to Ida E. Sil- vius in 1887 and in 1894 to Belle Trumbull. He has one child.

Frank T. Okell is a native of Scranton, born November 15, 1866. He is a son of George and Rosanna Okell, nee Williams. IIc was edueated at the Bordentown (N. J.) institute. In 1881 he was appointed cadet in the United States naval academy at An- napolis and resigned in 1884. He entered the law office of H. A. Knapp in Scranton and was admitted to the Lackawanna coun- ty bar in November, 1888. He is' a Repub- liean, and in 1892 was appointed secretary of the Scranton school board and became a member of the House of Representatives in 1893. He is engaged in general praetiee. He is married to Hannah M. Evans.

Chester B. Gardner is a native of Laeka- wanna eounty, born in Scott township, Feb-

ruary 19, 1850. His parents are William and Susan Gardner. He received his educa- tion at the common schools, and graduated at the State normal sehool at Mansfield, Pa., in the class of 1873. IIe is also a graduate of the Albany Law school. He entered the law office of Hon. W. G. Ward and was ad- mitted to the bar of Lackawanna county October 24, 1878, having been admitted to the supreme court of the state of New York May 8, 1876. Mr. Gardner is a painstaking and well read lawyer, devoting his attention to civil and orphans' eourt praetice. In politics he is Republican, and in 1901 he re- ceived the almost unanimous endorsement of the bar for an appointment as president judge of the orphans' court. He is a mar- ried man.

Hon. James Wheaton Carpenter. - The subject of this sketeh, a native of Luzerne, now Lackawanna county, Pennsylvania, was born May 31, 1851, to Charles and Mary (Johnson) Carpenter, both natives of Penn- sylvania, the former born in the same eoun- ty where he lived in the neighborhood of the old homestead all his life. Our subject's grandfather, Joseph Carpenter, moved from Rhode Island about 1815 and settled in Scott township, Luzerne (now Laekawanna) coun- ty, where he elearcd and improved a farm on which he lived till his deeease at the age of ninety-four years. James lived and worked on his father's farm till he was twenty years old and received a good English edueation in the district schools ; later he attended the normal school at Mansfield, in Tioga county, where he was graduated in 1873. During the five years following his graduation he taught sehool in his native state and in Illi- nois, and in 1878 beeame a law student and elerk in the law office of Mr. S. B. Priee at Seranton, where he was admitted to the bar in June, 1880. He at once began the prac- tice of his profession, conducting a general civil practice in the state and federal courts, in his own name, and with marked success,

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

until 1896. IIe then formed a eopartnership with Mr. Fred W. Fleitz, now assistant at- torney general of Pennsylvania, under the firm name of Carpenter & Fleitz, and con- tinued that relation till April, 1901, when he was appointed by Governor Stone, judge of eommon pleas, to fill the vaeaney eaused by the resignation of Hon. R. W. Archibald, who had been appointed to the United States distriet court.

In politieal sentiment Judge Carpenter is a Republican, but has taken little active part in politics. He was a candidate to sueeeed himself on the eommon pleas beneh, but in the Democratic "landslide" failed of an eleetion. With this exeeption he has never been a candidate for any office. His profes- sional life has been devoted to his profes- sional work, and wherever known, is held in high esteem for his legal attainments, his splendid abilities and his sterling qualities as a eonseientious lawyer and high-minded man. (Sketeh by the publishers.)

Charles H. Soper was born in Sullivan county, New York, on the 25th of March, 1857, son of William and Mary (Alexander) Soper. Ile was edueated at Mt. Union col- lege, and graduated in Michigan university at Ann Arbor in the law department. He entered the law office of A. A. Chase in Seranton and was admitted to the Lacka- wanna eounty bar in September, 1881, hav- ing been admitted to the Susquehanna bar the previous June. He is a general practi -. tioner with a large clientage. Mr. Soper is a man of good literary ability and has pub- lished several poems of merit. He was mar- ried in 1881 to Annie Baylor of Benton. They have a family of three children.

Edward W. Thayer was born in Pittston, Pennsylvania, in 1872, the son of William E. and Helen (Miller) Thayer. IIe is a grad- uate of the Seranton high school in the elass of 1889. Hle entered as a student at law in the offiees of Willard, Warren & Knapp and beeame a member of the Laekawanna eounty

bar in June, 1897. He is successfully con- dueting a general law business, paying more particular attention to civil practice. On the 14th of June, 1900, he married Miss May Edwards, daughter of President Judge II. M. Edwards.

Louis P. Wedeman is a native of Carbon- dale, Pa., and is about fifty years of age. Although a well edueated man he never had any advantages exeept what he obtained in the common sehools of his native eity. He read law with E. L. Blakslee of Montrose, Pa., and was admitted to the bar of Susque- hanna county on the 15th of August, 1890. Hle opened an office in Forest City, same county, where he praeticed until 1894. He then moved to Seranton, having been ad- mitted to the Laekawanna bar in 1892. Mr. Wedeman is a eareful and thorough lawyer. Hle was married to Minnie Barlow of Brook- lyn, N. Y., in Deeember, 1899, and has one ehild.

Thomas F. Wells, the subject of this sketeh, is a native of Dundaff, Susquehanna eounty, Pennsylvania, and was born in 1853, to Corydon H. and Mary (Bass) Wells, both natives of the same state. His father who was one of the lawyers of Luzerne eounty afterwards praetieed in Laekawanna eoun- ty, where he died in 1888. His paternal grandfather was a native of Philadelphia. His great-grandfather Wells served in the Revolutionary war, and eontributed liber- ally of his own private fortune, and induced others to render mueh needed finaneial help to the eause of the patriots, and later was generously . awarded by the government with large tracts of land in Pennsylvania.

Thomas, after leaving the publie schools of Seranton, studied in Lafayette eollege at Easton, Pa., afterward engaging in news- paper work. Having early determined to fit himself for the legal profession, he be- eame a student in the law office of Judge Alfred Hand, and in the fall of 1875 passed his examination and was admitted to the

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LACKAWANNA COUNTY

bar. He at onee began the practice of his profession with his father in Luzerne, now Laekawanna eounty, and continued with him till 1888. Sinee that time he has been in praetiee alone, giving speeial attention to probate and real estate matters, and gen- eral offiee praetiee. After the enaetment of the new law, providing for a board of eity assessors, his father was eleeted one of the three members of that board, the first under the new law, but his death oeeurring before he qualified, the eity eouneil appointed the son, Thomas F., to fill the vaeaney in the board thus eaused. This is the only offiee he has ever held. (By the publishers.)

Hon. Louis Arthur Watres .- Holding preeedenee among the members of the bar of Laekawanna eounty is Mr. Watres of Seran- ton, who is also one of the leading business men of the eity, and has been prominently identified with state polities.

His father, Lewis S. Watres, was a de- seendant of James Otis of Massachusetts and was born in Phoenixville, Pa., in 1808. When twenty-seven years of age he eame to Laeka- wanna valley, loeating at Mt. Vernon, or what is now Winton, where he purehased four hundred aeres of land and began de- veloping his timber interests. In 1837 he erected the first church in the valley at Peektown-a Presbyterian ehureh. At the outbreak of the Rebellion, he reeruited a eompany which was mustered in at Harris- burg and assigned to the Fifty-seeond Penn- sylvania infantry, but on aceount of ill health he was prevented from going to the front. Later he formed another eompany, whieh beeame a part of the Fifty-sixth regi- ment. Ile served as justice of the peaee in Blakeley township, and the following year, after his removal to Seranton in 1865, was eleeted alderman of the Ninth ward, which offiee he creditably filled up to the time of his death in 1882.

Ilis wife, a talented poetess, under the pen name of "Stella of the Laekawanna,"

wrote many popular poems, some of which have been published in book form. Four children were born.

Our subject was born at Mount Vernon, now Winton, Lackawanna county, April 21, 1851, and is a deseendant of the renowned James Otis of Massachusetts. At an early age Mr. Watres was obliged to leave school and seek employment, and for several years was employed at various oeeupations. Ile finally beeame eonneeted with the Scranton Savings Bank & Trust company, serving as elerk, teller, and later as eashier. Resolving to enter the legal profession, he began the study of law, and was admitted to the Laeka- wanna bar in 1878. He was eounty solicitor of Lackawanna eounty for nine years. His large business interests eompelled him to confine his law praetiee to corporation eases and in this line. For twenty-four years he has been an officer and direetor in the bank which he first entered as elerk, and is now serving as president of the company, as well as the Spring Brook Water Supply company and the Mansfield Water company. In addition he is a stockholder and direetor in numerous other enterprises in Seranton and the Laekawanna valley, and was presi- dent of the Seranton Passenger Railway eompany, which he assisted in organizing.

Publie affairs have also claimed the at- tention of Mr. Watres, and from 1882 until 1890 he was a prominent member of the State Senate. He was lieutenant-governor from 1891 to 1895, being eleeted to the lat- ter position by a majority of 22,365, while the Demoeratie governor, Pattison, at the same time was elected by a majority of 17,- 000. He was ex-offieio president of the Pennsylvania Senate, and ex-offieio president of the board of pardons, and by aet of the General Assembly was made a commissioner from Pemisylvania to the World's Colum- bian Exposition and subsequently eleeted vice-president of the board. He is prominent in the National Guard of Pennsylvania and

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THIE BENCHI AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

is colonel of the Thirteenth regiment. In August, 1891, he was #lected chairman of the Republican state committee. In religion, he entertains strong but liberal views and is a consistent member of the Presbyterian church. He was married in 1874 to Miss Effie Hawley, by whom he has three sons living-Herold, Laurence and Reyburn. (By Richard B. Twiss.)

Herbert L. Taylor is a descendant of one of the early settlers in the territory of Scranton. He was born October 5, 1865, in the township of Scott, Lackawanna county, the son of Reuben W. and Elizabeth ( Wheel- er) Taylor. He was edueated at Keystone academy, Factoryville, Pa. He read law with Ilon. H. M. Edwards and was admitted to the bar of Lackawanna county in October, 1886. He was at one time assistant distriet attorney and from 1900 to 1903 was county solicitor for Lackawanna county. Mr. Tay- lor is active in the political field, and for two terms has been chairman of the Repub- lican county committee. He was married July 20, 1892, to Minnie Phillips.

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The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume I, Part 32

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