USA > Pennsylvania > The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume I > Part 33
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M. A. McGinley is the son of John and Margaret (O'Donnell) MeGinley and was born at Mauch Chunk, Pa., in 1868. Ilis education was obtained at the common sehools of Maneh Chunk. He came to Scran- ton as a stenographer and entered as a law student in the office of O'Brien & Kelly. He was admitted to the Lackawanna county bar in June, 1893. Mr. McGinley is a well posted lawyer and has a good business. He was made city solicitor of Scranton in 1897, and performed the duties of the offiee faith- fully and ably. He is a Democrat and his services are always in demand in political campaigns.
John F. Murphy is a native of Scranton, Pennsylvania, born on the 16th of December, 1869. His parents were William A. Murphy and his mother Julia (Lee) Murphy. He commenced his studies in St. Cecelia's acad- emy and graduated in the Scranton high
school in the class of 1887. Until Judge Gunster was elected to the bench he was a student in his office. Afterwards went with Lemuel Ammerman and M. E. McDonald. He was admitted to the bar on the 30th day of Mareh, 1891. He is conducting suecess- fully a general praetiee of law. Mr. Murphy was married to Mary A. Kelly June 28, 1898, and they have a family of three ehildren.
P. W. Stokes is a native of Ireland and is a son of Anthony and Mary (O'Connor) Stokes. He was born in November, 1851. His parents emigrated to America and set- tled in Scranton, Pa., where their son Pat- rick was educated in the Scranton high school. He at first. entered as a law student with Judge Archibald, afterwards went to the office of Gunster & Welles and was ad- mitted to the Laekawanna bar in 1882. He is doing a general law praetice and ex- tensively engaged in building and loan asso- ciations. Mr. Stokes was married in June, 1890, to Teresa J. Holland.
George B. Davidson, son of Peter and Charlotte (Parker) Davidson, was born inl Abington, Pa., April 5, 1863. He graduated at Cornell university in the elass of 1884, formerly having been a student in the Seranton high school. He studied law in the law department of Cornell university and was admitted to the bar in Philadelphia in 1886, and to the Laekawanna bar the same year. He opened an offiee at Seran- ton and has devoted his attention prinei- pally to real estate and corporation law. Ho takes an active interest in literary pursuits, and is president of the Green-Ridge Young Men's Union; also of the Shakespearean club.
J. Alton Davis, at the time of his death, which occurred November 19, 1897, was a prominent lawyer. He was a native of Scranton, born Mareh 29. 1856. His parents were Dr. Augustus Davis, a learned and able physician, and Marietta M. Davis. He was educated at Hamilton college, Clinton,
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N. Y., and read law with D. W. & J. F. Con- nolly, and was admitted to the Laekawanna county bar in 1880. He rapidly gained dis- tinetion as a general practitioner. The lat- . ter part of his life he was in partnership with J. R. Edwards. He married Margaret Mears August 20, 1884. Their children are Margarey, Helen and Augustus.
Alton A. Vosburg, Seranton, was born April 28, 1865, in Seott township, Luzerne (now Lackawanna) county, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Merrit and Sarah (Wash- burn) Vosburg, both natives of the same state. The father, formerly a prosperous merehant at Montdale, Pa., was also a jus- tiee of the peace, and for many years was a member of the sehool board. Alton was edu- eated in the common sehools of Lackawanna eounty, Keystone academy, and National university at Lebanon, Ohio, where he pur- sued a law course. He afterwards complet- ed his preliminary law studies in the office of Messrs. Gunster and Welles, at Seranton, and in 1887 was admitted to the bar of Laek- awanna county.
Mr. Vosburg began his praetiee alone, but in 1888 formed with Mr. W. S. Huslan- der a co-partnership whieli continued till 1896. From that time till his appointment as judge of the orphans' eourt at the time of its establishment, in 1901, he was in part- nership with Mr. C. W. Dawson.
Mr. Vosburg has enjoyed a wide range of praetiee in both eivil and eriminal proeed- ure. Among the many important and note- worthy eases conducted by him may be eited Diekenson vs. G. B. Thompson, in which he represented the defendant in the United States court, and the Waverly Bible school and the City of Seranton vs. Koehler, which were carried to the superior and su- preme eourts. He has been somewhat aetive in the affairs of the Republican party, and for several years was chairman of the Re- publiean county committee, and member of the executive committee. He was elected
eity solieitor in 1898, and served two years until the offiee beeame appointive under the "Ripper bill."
In December, 1895, Judge Vosburg mar- ried Miss Belle Thomas, by whom he has one son. (Sketeh by R. B. Twiss.)
George Draper Taylor, Seranton .- Among the active members of the bar of Laeka- wanna county the subject of this sketeh is justly classed with those who have achieved marked suecess in the trial of eauses. He was born in Seott township, then a part of Luzerne county, but now in Lackawanna, Pennsylvania, October 21, 1859, to Draper U. Taylor, who was born in the same place then ealled Greenfield township, August 1, 1831, and Anna (MeLaughlin) Taylor, who was born February 3, 1838, in Carbondale township, then in Luzerne county, now a part of Lackawanna county, Pennsylvania. His father was the son of John A. Taylor, who was born in Providenee township, Lu- zerne county (now a part of Seranton), Au- gust 29, 1791. His paternal grandmother, Gartry Aekley, was born in Plains town- ship, Luzerne county, April 26, 1790, and both of them died at the age of seventy-six years.
His great-grandfather, Ruben Taylor, was born in Norwalk, Conn., November 28, 1759, whose wife, Celinda Abbott, was born May 2, 1766, in Windham county, Conneetieut ; both enigrated to Luzerne county, Pennsyl- vania, where they married, June 27, 1790. Ruben Taylor was enrolled with Captain Gideon Seeley's company of militia in the war of the Revolution in the winter of 1776, at Cortland Manor, N. Y., in Colonel Drake's regiment, and first reported for duty at Tarrytown, N. Y. In June, 1780, he enlisted as a seaman on board the privateer "Han- eoek," commanded by Captain Champlain. of New London, Conn., and carrying sixteen guns. He afterwards served on the sloop "Randolph," in the same eapaeity. In Au- gust, 1780, the "Randolph," with all on
15
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board, was captured near Gardner's Island, by the British frigate "Vestal," and the whole erew were made prisoners in the hold of this vessel, and at the elose of the war were released in the harbor of Port Royal, Island of Jamaica. On the 29th day of No- vember, 1787, he settled in Providenee town- ship, Luzerne eounty, Pennsylvania. For a good many years he was eaptain of the local militia, and his old muster roll as well as the powder-horn he earried during the Revo- lution is now in the possession of George D. Taylor.
The subject of this sketch obtained his early education in the common schools of Lackawanna, then Luzerne, county, going thence to the Madison academy, at Waverly, Pa., to the Keystone academy at Factory- ville, Pa., and Wyoming seminary at Kings- ton, Pa. He was registered as a law student in the office of Willard, Warren & Knapp, at Scranton, and was admitted to the bar of Lackawanna eounty, in October, 1888. On April 1, 1889, he eommeneed the practice of his ehosen profession, and throughout his aetive career has been a careful and elose student and a hard worker, and wherever known is recognized as a safe counselor and a skillful and convineing advocate.
Mr. Taylor is a member of Celestial Lodge, No. 833, I. O. O. F., and is also a member of the Hyde Park Eneampment No. 249, I. O. O. F.
Politically a Republican, he takes an aetive part in all important eampaigns, do- ing effective work for the good of his party.
On June 26, 1889, Mr. Taylor was mar- ried to Miss Stella M. Goodriel, a native of Kewanee, Ill., and a daughter of Henry S. Goodrich, who died in Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Mo., while serving his eountry in the war of the Rebellion. (Sketch by R. B. Twiss.)
John M. Gunster is a son of the late la- mented Frederick W. Gunster, one of the additional law judges of Lackawanna coun-
ty whose sketeh will be found elsewhere. The maiden name of his mother was Mar- garet Brehl. He is a native of Scranton and . was born Mareh 6, 1876. He graduated in the school of the Laekawanna in 1893, and in Canisius college, Buffalo, N. Y., in the class of '97. He entered the law office of Charles H. Welles and was admitted to the Lackawanna bar August 14, 1899. He has his office in Scranton and is rapidly gaining distinction as a lawyer.
Col. James W. Oakford is a native of Seranton, Pennsylvania, born in the year 1859. His father was Col. Riehard A. Oak- ford, killed at the head of his regiment in one of the early battles of the Civil war. His inother was Frances (Slocum) Oakford, a deseendant of one of the earliest settlers and most noted families of Wyoming valley. Mr. Oakford is a graduate of Yale eollege and read law in the office of Samuel B. Price at Seranton. He was admitted to the bar of Lackawanna county April 13, 1886. He at onee opened an office and is making a spe- eialty of corporation law, meeting with de- served suceess. He is a Republiean, and has been a member of the National Guard of Pennsylvania since 1886. He is judge advo- eate of the division commanded by Major General Miller with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He married Miss Mary Mannes on the 12th of March, 1902.
William F. Boyle is a son of John D. and Mary (Fitzmaurice) Boyle and was born September 26, 1869. He attended school at Emmitsburg, Md., and graduated at St. Mary's college in the elass of 1891. He studied law in the university of Pennsyl- vania, and was admitted to the bar of Laeka- wanna county in 1895, when he opened a law office in Scranton.
Jacob B. Snyder was born in Greenfield township, Laekawanna county (then Lu- zerne), July 7, 1824. He is the son of Jaeob Snyder and Rebecea, daughter of Jacob Niver, and was educated in the public
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schools. He was a student in the law offices of F. M. Crane and Earl Wheeler at Hones- dale, Pa., then came to the office of Hon. W. G. Ward in Scranton. He was justice of the peace in Wayne county for ten years and coroner in the same county three years. He was admitted to the bar of Luzerne county August 24, 1869, and to the Mayor's court at May term the same year. He devoted his attention to real estate. About the year 1880 he was appointed court crier for Lack- awanna county, and continues to hold the office. He married Elizabeth Decker June 20, 1850, by whom he has three children.
William G. Jones .- This gentleman, a son of Hon. Lewis Jones, whose sketch is noted elsewhere, was born at Carbondale, Pa., in October, 1837. He was educated at Wyo- ming, Pa., and read law in the office of his father and with Peter McCall in Philadel- phia. He was admitted to the Luzerne county bar April 10, 1861. He opened an office in Scranton and became a member of the Mayor's court October 1, 1866. Subse- quently he went to New York, then returned to Scranton and engaged in the real estate business. He was twice married. He died about one year ago.
Charles E. Bradbury is a son of Rev. Charley J. and Eliza Bradbury, natives of England. He was born at Mount Morris, Livingston county, New York, July 16, 1849, and educated in the public schools of New York state. He read law in the offices of Hand & Post and W. W. Lathrope at Scran-, ton, and was admitted to the Lackawanna county bar in January, 1890. He opened an office in Scranton. He is the junior partner
of the firm of McAskie & Bradbury and is secretary and treasurer of the Nay Aug Coal Company. He was married to Cather- inc Riley, February 6, 1873. Their children are William R. and Thomas P. Bradbury.
David J. Davis is a native of Knightsville, Ind., where he was born November 22, 1869. He is the son of David H. and Margaret
Davis, and was educated in the university of Michigan. Ile read law in the office of Charles H. Welles at Scranton and was ad- mitted to the bar of Lackawanna county in 1891. He is a Republican and now holds the office of city solicitor of Scranton and is performing the duties thereof with ability. He was lieutenant of Company F, Thirteenth regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania, and served in the Spanish-American war.
Charles P. O'Malley was born at Oly- phant, Pa., July 16, 1870, the son of John and Ann O'Malley. He was educated at the Olyphant public schools and read law in the office of Willard & Warren, and became a member of the Lackawanna county bar in September, 1894. He was taken in partner- ship with his preceptors, now doing business as the firm of Willard, Warren & Knapp, and has proven to be a useful and competent member. He was elected by the Repub- lican party to the state legislature, where he served during the session of 1895. He is a popular citizen and a painstaking, indus- trious lawyer.
William De Wald Boyer, the subject of this sketch, a native of Port Clinton, Schuyl- kill county, Pennsylvania, was born in 1867. After leaving the high school at Pottsville, Pa., William pursued a classical course of study at Dickenson college, Carlisle, Pa., and was graduated in 1888 with the degree of A. B. He then taught one year, 1889-90, as professor of mathematics at St. Charles col- lege, Missouri, after which he entered the law department of his alma mater, where he was graduated with the degree of LL. B. He then studied one year in the law office of Mr. S. S. Kaercher at Pottsville and two years in the office of Hon. E. W. Biddle at Carlisle. He was admitted to the Cumber- land county bar in June, 1892, and in Sep- tember following to the bar of Lackawanna county.
William W. Lathrope is one of the reliable and painstaking lawyers of Lackawanna
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county. He was born in Carbondale, Pa., October 9, 1840. His father was Dwight N. Lathrope, of the late firm of Lathrope & Jones, and his mother's maiden name was Harriet Ridgway. He was educated at Ken- yon college, Ohio, and at Harvard Law school. He read law in the office of his father, D. N. Lathrope, and was admitted to the Luzerne bar at Wilkes-Barre August 8, 1864. Here he opened an office and prac- tieed for a number of years, and married Mary O. Maxwell, by whom he has four chil- dren. He moved his office to Scranton shortly after the establishment of Lacka- wanna county, where he has since practiced. Mr. Lathrope is a member of Grace Re- formed Episcopal church and holds promi- nent positions thercin, as well also in the Lackawanna Bible society and the Young Men's Christian association. In politics he has for a long time identified himself with the Prohibition party, and in 1888 was its candidate for Congress. After the death of his first wife he married Miss Bessie Griffin of Scranton.
Clarence Ballentine was born in the city of Lancaster, Pa., March 20, 1868, and was educated in the Millersville Normal school and graduated at Dickinson college, Car- lisle, Pa. He studied law in the Dickinson Law school and in the office of A. G. Miller. He was admitted to the Cumberland county bar June 4, 1894. Soon after he opened an office in Scranton, where he was admitted September 17, 1894. For two years he was a partner with Judge Newcomb. After the latter's elevation to the bench he became the senior partner of Ballentine, Howell & Con- nell. EIc is counsel in the celebrated Con- nell-Howell election contest. He is the son of William L. and Mary (Trapwell) Ballen- tine, and is married. For three years Mr. Ballentine was a member of the National Guard of Pennsylvania.
John J. Murphy .- One of the promising young attorneys of the Lackawanna bar is
John J. Murphy, born in Scranton May 7, 1867. He was educated at the Scranton high school and graduated in 1894 from the Georgetown university, Washington, D. C., and was a post-graduate in the class of 1895. He was a student in the law department of the university, afterwards entered the office of John R. Jones at Scranton, and was ad- mitted to the bar of Lackawanna county September 30, 1895. He has already been connected with several important cases, and was one of the counsel for the miners before the celebrated anthracite commission that grew out of the strike of 1902. He was principal of one of the Scranton public schools for four years. He was elected a poor director of the Scranton poor district in 1902, and served as chairman of the Dem- ocratie committee during the spring cam- paign of 1903. His parents are John A. and Bridget Murphy, both natives of Ireland. He is unmarried.
Carl A. Battenberg is a native of Scran. ton, Pa., born May 20, 1868. His parents are Charles E. and Amelia C. Battenberg. He is a graduate of the school of the Lacka- wanna at Scranton, and read law in the office of James H. Torrey. On the 26th of November, 1894, he was admitted to the Lackawanna county bar. He has held the office of assistant city solicitor of Scranton. He was married to Mandane M. Rymer of Jermyn the 4th of September, 1900.
Aaron A. Chase .- The grandfather of Aaron A. Chase came to the territory now Lackawanna county in 1817. His father was Joseph Chase and his mother Mahala (Phil- lips) Chase, residents of Benton township, where Aaron was born March 28, 1839. He completed his education at Madison acad- cmy, Waverly, Pa., when he entered the law office of David R. Randall, then a lawyer at Providence, Pa., and was admitted to the Luzerne county bar August 20, 1862. He afterwards opened an office at Scranton and was admitted to the Mayor's court on the
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Ist of October, 1866. He devoted his time in the school of the Lackawanna at Scranton to collections and had a large and remuncra-et and graduated at the University Law school at Philadelphia. He read law in the office of Ira H. Burns at Scranton, and was admit- ted to the Lackawanna bar December 15, 1902. He is a member of the firm of Ballen- tine, Howell & Connell and is unmarried.
tive business. In 1872 he became cditor and proprietor of the Daily Times and continued in that position about thirteen years, when he again resumed the practice of law. He was elected an auditor of Scranton City in 1866, and in 1888 was an independent can- didate for judge of Lackawanna county. Hc marricd Laura E. Stiles October 12, 1862, who died in 1884. He lost a second wife by death and has since remarried.
Charles McMeans is a son of William and Catharine (Barr) McMeans, born on the 25th of June, 1874. He was educated at the Williamsport seminary and studied law in the Dickinson Law school. He was admitted to practice law in the courts of Lackawanna county in August, 1899. His office is in Scranton.
Charles A. Van Wormer is a native of Conklin, N. Y., and was born May 20, 1856, the son of Aaron C. and Cynthia Van Wor- mer. He was educated at the high school of Binghamton, N. Y. He entered the law of- fices of Little & Blakeslee at Montrose, Pa., and was admitted to the bar of Susquehanna county at the August term of court, 1877. He moved to Grand Forks, N. D., and bc- came a member of the firm of Bossard & Van Wormer, where he practiced for a time, then returned to Montrose and opened an office. In 1900 he was appointed referee in bankruptcy for the middle district of the United States court in Pennsylvania. He then moved his office to Scranton, Pa., and was admitted to the Lackawanna county bar. Mr. Van Wormer is a lawyer of ability, and has performed his official duties with impartiality and fidelity. He is a married man.
Charles Connell was born in Scranton, Pa., November 12, 1879. His father was Alex- ander Connell, a prominent coal operator in his lifetime; and his mother, Elizabeth (Campbell) Connell. Charles was educated
B. Fenton Tinkham .- This gentleman is a native of Lackawanna county, born in Wa- verly on the 14th of November, 1869. He is a son of Charles I. and Caroline E. Tinkham, nee Silvius, and was educated in the public schools and at the Mansfield State Normal school. He studied law in the office of Edward Miles at Scranton and became a member of the Lackawanna county bar on the 27th of May, 1895, then opened an office in Scranton. He is a close student and al- ready has a good clientage. Mr. Tinkham is a Republican,in politics. He was married to Louisa Silvius August 10, 1898.
Patrick F. Loughran was educated in the parochial schools of Hazleton, the Blooms- burg State Normal school and Dickinson college. He was born September 22, 1870, the son of James and Ann Loughran, nee Gerrity. He is a graduate of Dickinson Law school and was admitted to the Luzerne bar in 1893, where he practiced for a time, then removed his office to Scranton and became a member of the Lackawanna bar in 1897. He assisted in the prosecution in the celebrated Latimer riot cascs. In June, 1897, he was married to Elizabeth Ward.
William J. Hand is a native of Scranton and was born July 26, 1866. He is a son of ex-Justice Alfred Hand, and his mother was Anna J., daughter of the late Judge William Jessup, of Montrose, Pa. He prepared for college at the school of the Lackawanna in Scranton and graduated from Yale college in the class of 1887. He entered the law office of his father and was admitted to the bar of Lackawanna county in April, 1890. Hc entered into partnership with Judge Hand, which has continued to the present
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time. He is ably maintaining the legal repu- tation of his distinguished aneestry. Among the important cases he has argued in the supreme court of Pennsylvania are the Mt. Pleasant Coal Co. vs. The D., L. & W. R. R. Co., The Seranton Gas & Water Co. vs. The Northern Coal & Iron Co., The Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co. vs. The Scranton Gas & Water Co., and Lewis vs. Lackawanna County. He is a Republican and has repre- sented liis ward in the common council, also held the office of school controller. He is a director of the Young Men's Christian Asso- eiation and was for two years its president. He was married to Carrie B. Smith on the 12th day of January, 1893. They have one child.
Thomas P. Hoban is the son of Patriek and Bridget Agnes Hoban, nee Hennigan. He was born February 1, 1857. He is a gradu- ate of Fordham university, New York city. He studied law with the late Isaae J. Post in Scranton and was admitted to the bar of Lackawanna county at the October term of court, 1882, when he opened an office at Scranton. Mr. Hoban has given his atten- tion to real estate and corporation law, and is an exceptionally well equipped lawyer. He has been connected with important eases, notably the litigation growing out of the will of the late John Handley. He officiated as chairman of the Democratic county eommit- tee at the time of the election of Judge Neweomb. He is a forcible and eloquent political speaker. On the 20th of January, 1892, he married Jennie Donnelly of New York, by whom he has one ehild.
Charles R. Pitcher was born in Waterloo, Orange county, New York, February 21, 1850. His father was Rev. Benjamin Pitcher and his mother's maiden name was Mary Ann Meek, both natives of England. The education of their son Charles R. was com- pleted at the academy in New Milford, Sus- quehanna county, Pennsylvania, where he entered the law office of Gunster & Welles in
Seranton, and was admitted to the bar of Luzerne county February 23, 1875. Shortly thereafter he began practice at Scranton. He is a good lawyer, but has devoted his at- tention principally to office business. He married Charlotte Meredith November 18, 1875, and they have four children, one of whom, Claude M., is a member of the bar.
Herbert H. Coston was born in Honesdale, Pa., June 9, 1849. His father was S. B. Coston and his mother Elizabeth, daughter of William Hull. He was educated at Wyo- ming seminary and Wesleyan university. He entered as a student in the law office of Hand & Post, Seranton, and was admitted as a member of the bar of Luzerne county Oeto- ber 4, 1875. At an early date he was ap- pointed stenographer of the courts of Lacka- wanna county, which position he still holds and to which he has been obliged to devote his undivided attention. He married Addic B. Pinney August 15, 1885. They have one son, Carl H. Coston.
William A. Wilcox was born in the village of Olean, N. Y., on July 25, 1857. He was admitted to the bar of Lackawanna county on the 17th of January, 1880, and opened an office in Seranton. He came with his father, Nathan P. Wileox, to Nicholson, Wyoming county, in 1862. He was educated in the Keystone academy at Factoryville, Pa. In 1878 he registered as a student in the law offices of W. E. & C. A. Little at Tunkhan- noek, Pa., where he was admitted on the 12th of January, 1880. His mother was Lurancia (Richardson) Wilcox. William A. was mar- ried April 22, 1885, to Catherine M., young- est daughter of Steuben Jenkins. In polities Mr. Wilcox is a Demoerat. He has been prominent as a member of the Wyoming Historical society at Wilkes-Barre, and eor- responding secretary of the Lackawanna Institute of History and Seience. At one time he was first lieutenant of Company D of the Thirteenth regiment of the National Guard of Pennsylvania. Mr. Wileox is ree-
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