The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 17

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, jr., bro. & co.
Number of Pages: 1180

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The courts were held in the old court house from the time of its completion, until the ereetion of the present court house, upon an eminenee in the western part of the eity, which was completed in 1861, when the first court was held there; since then it was found necessary to enlarge it by the addition of two wings.

As already stated, the first did not con- sume more than one or two days each ses- sion from 1752 to 1760. After that business increased, and three and four days were con- sumed, while to-day we have six stated ses- sions of two weeks each and four or five ses- sions annually, presided over by two law judges, in separate rooms.

In 1871 a new jail on the penitentiary sys- tem was built contiguous to the court house.

The last court under King George III. was held in June, 1777, and the first under the commonwealth, when the dockets were changed accordingly.

In 1848 the office of Prothonotary was separated from the office of the clerk of the sessions and oyer and terminer.

BENCH AND BAR.

The royal charter granted to William Penn Mareh 4, 1681 (5 Smith's Laws, page 406) by King Charles II., empowered him "to ap- point and establish any judges and justiees, magistrates and other offieers; to do all and every other thing and things, which unto the complete establishment of justice, unto eourts and tribunals, forms of judieature and manner of proceedings, do belong."

Courts of judieature were regularly estab- lished by the act passed May 22, 1722. This act was the foundation of the present courts and was the first which authorized the ad- mission of attorneys for the practice of the law in the provinee. .

The justices of the Supreme Court of the state held assizes or eourts of nisi prius, at Easton, between the years 1786 and 1799. After 1799 Cireuit Courts were substituted for the courts of nisi prius, and the eases reported are so entitled. These eourts first, by two judges, afterwards by one, were held at Newton, Easton. Chester. Lancaster, Chambersburg, Bedford, Uniontown, Harris- burg and Sunbury, so that the labors of the judges must have been great.

The names of the ablest lawyers of Phila- delphia, Bucks and Easton bars, appear as counsel in many cases, reported in the Yeates reports. Ingersoll, Read, Smith, Thomas and John Ross; Biddle, Tilghman, Hopkins and Samuel Sitgreaves. Messrs. Tilghman and John Ross were afterwards judges of the Su- preme Court of the state for many years.

In those days the judges and lawyers traveled from one county to another, often on horseback. Cases were tried, with very few references to law books, and these were mainly published in England. The Pennsyl- vania statutes, with a few reports, made up the libraries of lawyers in those days, and vet, those who read the early reports of this state, especially those of Yeates, Dallas and Binney, cannot fail to remark the ability and

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NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

research exhibited by counsel and the depth, solidity and wisdom of the judges, as dis- plaved in their opinions.

Northampton county, when organized, ex- tended from Bucks county to the line of New York state. When in the course of time new counties were erected from its territory, the records of Northampton were the evidence of title to the lands aequired within its for- mer boundaries, hence, it resulted that the attorneys of Northampton bar continued to practice in the new counties for many years thereafter.

The bar of Northampton eounty from the first has been justly celebrated for the learn- ing, zeal and ability which have characterized its members. Members of this bar have been chosen judges, governors, senators, members of Congress and of the Presidential eabinet, ministers to foreign eountries and eonsuls.

Hopewell Hepburn was appointed judge of Allegheny county.

Joel Jones was chosen by Governor Wolf as one of the revisers of the civil code of Pennsylvania, and afterwards beeame one of the judges of the District Court of Philadel- phiia, president of Girard eollege and mayor of that city.

James M. Porter Sen was a member of the legislature, twice a president judge and sec- retary of war in President Tyler's cabinet.

George Wolf was a member of Congress for three terms. First controller of the United States treasury and afterwards col- lector of the port of Philadelphia.

Richard Brodhead was a member of Con- gress for three terms, a senator of the United States for six years.

Peter Ihrie was twice elected to Congress.

Philip Johnson had three terms in Con- gress.

William Muschler had four terms in Con- gress.

Washington McCartney was president judge of this judicial distriet. He was not only an able judge, but he was a learned pro-

fessor, a great mathematician and a scholar of wonderful attainments in other sciences, as well as in general history.

William Hebring Kirkpatrick, of Easton, Pa., was born April 21, 1844, at Easton, was educated at Lafayette college, studied law with Hon. H. D. Maxwell, formerly president judge of the Third Judicial district of Penn- sylvania, was admitted to the bar October 2, 1865; was solieitor of Easton for several years after his admission to the bar, was appointed president judge of the Third Ju- dicial district in the early part of 1874 to fill an unexpired term, and served in said of- fice until January, 1875; was nominated on the Republican tieket for the ensuing term and failed of an election by only about 300, the regular Demoeratie majority in the ju- dieial district being 3,400; presided over the Republiean state convention of 1882 as tem- porary chairman; was a delegate to the Na- tional Republican convention at Chicago in 1884; was appointed attorney general of Pennsylvania by Governor Beaver, and unanimously confirmed by the senate Jan- uary 18, 1887, and served as such till January 21, 1891; was at one time lecturer on mu- nicipal law in Lafayette eollege, and for a number of years has been a trustee of that institution; was elected to the Fifty-fifth Congress as a Republican, receiving 17,072 votes, against 16,743 votes for Laird H. Bar- ber, Democrat.

H. J. Steele was born at Easton, Pa., May 10, 1860, the son of Joseph and Maria (Burt) Steele, both natives of Easton.

Mr. Steele was edueated in the publie schools of Easton and at the Stevens Business college. At the age of seventeen he entered as a student in the law office of William Beidleman, where he studied for four years when he was admitted to the bar of North- ampton county. He at once began practicing alone at Easton, and the last few years has been devoted specially to corporation law -- he has represented many large interests in

724

THIE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

some important cases, and for the past twelve years he has been retained on either one side or the other of all the important cases tried in that eounty.

He was city solicitor for three terms, a delegate to state conventions and was for four years a member of the sehool board at Easton. Is also a member of the National Bar association, is now one of its viee presi- dents and was appointed delegate to repre- sent the State Bar association at the meeting of the National association held at Denver in 1901. He is also director of the First Na- tional bank of Easton and president of the Northampton Trust Company.

Russell C. Stewart, an able and progressive lawyer of Easton, is the son of Charles and Anna (Chidsey) Stewart; was born in South Easton, Pa., September 2. 1859. All his an- cestors, however, were natives of Conneeti- cut and descended from Revolutionary stoek. Russell was educated, after leaving common school, in the Lafayette eollege and the Co- lumbia Law school. He graduated from the former in 1878. Studied law in the office of S. N. Edgar at Easton for about two years and was admitted to the bar of Northampton county in January, 1881. He at once opened an office and began a general practice of the law which rapidly grew until at the present time it eovers a vast amount of important litigation in all the state and federal courts. A Republican, he was in 1886 elected distriet attorney, being the only Republican ever elceted to that office in Northampton eounty. In 1900 he was candidate for Congress, poll- ing 1,700 more votes than President McKin- ley. He has several times been delegate to state eonventions and was also delegate to the Kansas City national convention and at one time candidate for United States distriet judge for the castern distriet of Pennsyl- vania.

Mr. Stewart was married in 1885 to Miss Mattie M. Seitz, of Easton. They have one daughter, Anna K.

William E. Doster was born in Bethlehem, Pa., January 8, 1837, to Lewis and Pauline Doster. His father was a native of Germany, the year of his birth being 1798. He came to the United States in 1815; became a woolen manufacturer and subsequently, for many years, carried on the Moravian woolen mills at Bethlehem, Pa. He was also interested in the lumber business and owned several farms. He died in 1860 and his wife in 1879. Our subject is related to Daniel Doster, a doctor, who came to the United States in 1815 and located at Lancaster, where he en- gaged in the practice of his profession. His great-grandfather, Christian Eggert, was one of the first settlers in Bethlehem. He is also deseended from Adam Ruppert, of Revolu- tionary fame.

William E. Doster received his early edu- cation at Bethlehem, and subsequently was matriculated at Yale college, from which in- stitution he graduated in 1857. He then pur- sucd the study of law for two years at Har- vard Law school, and received the degree of LL. B .; studied law in the office of Governor Reeder and Henry Green (late chief justice), at Easton: removed to Philadelphia and en- tered the office of S. T. Van Sant; went abroad; studied civil law one year at Heidel- berg, Germany, and French law for six months in Paris. When the Civil war broke out he returned home, raised a company (afterward Company A of the Fourth Penn- sylvania Cavalry), was appointed its eap- tain, promoted to colonel and when mustered out of the service, in 1864. had attained the rank of brevet brigadier-general.

He returned to Easton; was admitted to the bar, and, following the advice of Mr. Green, his former preceptor, entered upon the practice of law at Washington, D. C., where he devoted himself entirely to trials before military commissions and court mar- tials. Here he remained one year, being en- gaged in the case to defend the parties charged with a conspiraey against President

W. E. DOSTER.

725

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

Lineol, and also the charge against Atzerott and Payne for attempt upon the life of See- retary Seward and Viee-President Johnson.

In 1865 Mr. Doster returned to Easton and practiced until 1873, when he removed to Bethlehem, Northampton county, where he has sinee remained. During his entire pro- fessional career, he has been alone in prac- tiee, and as a lawyer has beeome widely known for his excellent ability and splendid legal attainments-as a man, honored and re- speeted by all with whom he has eome in eon- taet. He served as register in bankruptcy from 1865 to 1879; has been identified with many of the important corporation interests in Northampton eounty in his professional capacity, and has served as counsel for the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company twenty- five years, the Bethlehem Iron and Steel Com- pany twenty-three years, ete. He has been engaged in a number of important eases throughout the state, and as a trial lawyer, is considered one of the best in Pennsylvania. He has met with remarkable sueeess in his profession and is held in high esteem by his legal brethren.

Mr. Doster is also connected with the finaneial and business interests of his eity ; has been president of the New Street Bridge company fifteen years, owns a large body of real estate in town and country, and is a stoekholder in several banks. He is a Re- publican in politics and a member of the G. A. R.

In 1888, at New York City, Mr. Doster was married to Miss Ruth Porter, daughter of General Josiah Porter, a descendant from Revolutionary stock. Mr. Doster has been quite a traveler, has crossed the ocean twen- ty-six times and is at home in the German, French and Spanish languages.

Andrew H. Reeder, a native of Easton, Pa., was born in 1807, and eame from English aneestors, who settled on Long Island in 1650, in New Jersey in 1703, and at Easton in 1788. He received a liberal English edu-

cation, and was admitted to the bar in 1828, his law preceptor being Peter Ihrie, Esq. In 1831 he married Miss Amelia Hutter, mem- bers of whose family were many years prom- inent as editors of the "Easton Correspond- ent and Sentinel." Of five children born to them, viz .. G. Marchand, Howard, Frank, Ida Marsh and Emma Ferriday, two, Ida Marsh and Frank, whose sketch appears in this work, still survive.

Mr. Reeder was a man of much force and character, aggressive and fearless and a born leader. As a lawyer, he easily ranked among the foremost of his time, and wherever known was honored and loved. Among his contemporaries and associates were Alex- ander E. Brown, James M. Porter, M. Hale Jones, George W. Yeates, Robert Brooke and others of like high standing at the bar. His appearances show in the lower court records began under Judge Mallery, continued under his suecessors, Banks, Jones, Findlay, Max- well, Barrett and ended with Judge May- nard. In the Supreme Court of the state beginning with the Seventeenth of Sergeant and Rawle, his name appears in eonneetion with eases down to the Tenth Wright re- ports, and as giving some idea of the volume of his practice, it may be stated that in the Ninth of Wright, published in 1863, the year before Mr. Reeder's decease, his firm's name (Reeder & Green) appears in connection with twenty-three eases.

Mr. Reeder was famous not only as an offiee counsellor, but also as a trial lawyer and advocate. Hle was untiring in the prep. aration of his cases, and when he entered upon a trial he was complete master of the situation, thoroughly familiar with all the weak points of his own side and fortified against any surprises on the part of his an- tagonist. Ilis addresses were devoid of orna- ment, but clear, logical, foreeful and irresist- ible and as a rule earried conviction.

Mr. Reeder was a noted campaign orator, and for many years a prominent figure

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

among his Democratie contemporaries. He was a valiant supporter of Polk in 1844, Tay- lor in 1848 and Pierce in 1852, during the presidential campaigns of those years, and in his support of David J. Porter, Shunk and Bigler for the governorship of the state, he was untiring. He was pre-eminently a man of affairs and entered heartily into every- thing pertaining to the welware and progress of his city, community or state.

In 1854 Mr. Reeder, without solicitation on his part, was appointed governor of the ter- ritory of Kansas. The bitter struggle that ensued between the factions representing slavery on one side, and freedom on the other is-a matter of history. Governor Reeder stood between the divided ranks of his party, and fearlessly defended law and order and right. But it was a trying time for them and left its impress on the remainder of his life. Foreseeing the coming crisis, and firm in his convictions of duty, he, during the ad- ministration of President Buchanan, publicly espoused the Republican cause, and gave it his most carnest support for the remainder of his life. As chairman of the Pennsylvania delegation to the Chicago convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and which honored him, against his protest, with the third highest vote for the vice presi- dency, and as a champion of Simon Cameron for secretary of war in Mr. Lincoln's cabinet, his name was kept pre-eminently before the public. In 1861 President Lincoln, knowing well the character and fitness of the man he would honor, appointed Governor Reeder brigadier general in the Regular army; but lack of military experience and education, except as captain of a local home company, led him to decline the appointment. He how- ever, had the keenest interest in the prosecu- tion of the war, and besides sending his three sons into the army, spared no effort of tongue or pen to encourage and support the Union cause.

Again in 1864 Governor Reeder headed the

Pennsylvania delegation to the national con- vention which nominated President Lincoln for a second time, but he did not live to wit- ness the triumph of the cause he so loyally championed, for on July 5, 1864, while Grant was confronting Lee before Richmond, and Sherman was advancing against Hood, the country was startled at the news of his death. Great though his loss was, the power of his life and example still lives, and the memory of his noble deeds will long be cher- ished by all who ever came within the range of his influence.

General Frank Reeder, a native of Easton, Pa., was born May 22, 1845, and is a son of Governor Andrew H. and Fredricka A. (Hut- ter) Reeder, both of whom were born at Eas- ton. The father was a prominent lawyer and governor of the state of Kansas in 1854.

Our subject's paternal grandparents werc Absalonı Reeder and Christiana, nee Smith, the former from Trenton, N. J., and the lat- ter born in Easton. She was married at the age of fourteen years. Her father, Leonard Smith, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Our subject's maternal grandparents were Christian J. Hutter and Maria, nee Bauer. The former was a colonel in the war of 1812.

Frank was educated in the private schools at Allentown, Lawrenceville, Edge Hill school, Princeton, N. J., and is an alumnus of Princeton college, having the degrees of A. B. and A. M. He was graduated from the Albany Law school with the degree of LL. B., in 1868, and there admitted to the bar.

Soon after the opening of the war of the Rebellion in September, 1862, young Reeder enlisted in an emergency Regiment, and en- tered the One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Pennsylvania Regiment as adjutant, in Octo- ber, 1862, and in November, 1863, became captain of the Nineteenth Pennsylvania cav- alry. He was discharged in June, 1866, with the rank of lieutenant colonel commanding. From 1874 to 1881 he was brigadier general

FRANK REEDER.

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

of National Guards and was in command at Reading during the riots of 1877. In 1872 he served as department commander of G. A. R. and was commander of the local post. for some time.

Mr. Reeder commenced his law practice in New York city, being associated in the office of Mr. Chester A. Arthur, afterwards Presi- dent Arthur, but at the end of two years returned to Easton and formed with his brother, Howard J., a co-partnership under the name of Reeder & Reeder. This relation- · ship continued until 1881, when the brother accepted an appointment to the bench, which he filled one year and then returned to the firm. In 1884 he was elected judge of Com- mon Pleas for a term of ten years, and served till January, 1895, when the law firm was re-established. In May, 1895, he was ap- pointed to fill a vacancy on the Superior Court bench and in the fall of that year was elected to the same office for a term of ten years, and was on the bench at the time of his death in 1898. Since then Mr. Reeder practiced by himself till 1901, when the firm of Reeder & Coffin was formed by the in- troduction of Mr. George F. Coffin. The practice general in character has had to do largely with corporation matters, and has embraced a vast number of important cases. Few prominent cases have come before the courts in which the firm has not been re- tained on one or the other side. Mr. Reeder was engaged in the Evans will case with Mr. ' John G. Johnson and Richard C. Dale. Mr. Reeder has made a specialty of the trial of cases, and with his thorough knowledge of the law, his ready grasp of the salient points of the case, and his forceful and eloquent use of language, his arguments before a court or jury are clear and convincing.

Mr. Reeder has been active in the affairs of the Republican party and been honored with numerous offices of trust. He has served as state chairman three years, was a delegate to the last four National Republican conven-

tions. From 1873 to 1876 he was collector of internal revenue for the eleventh distriet of Pennsylvania. He was appointed secre- tary of state in 1895, but after three years' service resigned at the request of Governor Hastings, who was out of sympathy with his party. In October, 1900, he was appointed by Governor Stone commissioner of banking, and still holds that office.

Mr. Reeder was for a number of years a director of Easton Trust Company, is presi- dent of the Northampton Railroad Company, a director of the Easton & Northern Railroad Company, a director of the Perkiomen Val- ley Trolley Company and also of the Lehigh & Carbon Traction Company, and since 1882 has been president of the American Bangor Slate Company.

In 1868, at Boston, Mass., Mr. Reeder mar- ried Miss Grace E. Thompson, a daughter of Charles Thompson of that city. They have three sons.

William Fackenthall, the subject of this sketch was born in Bucks county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1857, where he was educated in the common schools, and later at the Franklin and Marshall college. He later studied law in the office of his father at Easton, and was admitted to the Northampton county bar August 16, 1879.

David William Nevin, son of Samuel W. and Harriet (Balch) Nevin, was born Sep- tember 9, 1853, in Franklin county, Pennsyl- vania. After attending the public schools of Franklin county, he went to the Chambers- burg academy, and later entered La Fayette college, graduating therefrom in 1875. Stud- ied law in the office of E. J. Fox, Sr., and was admitted to the Northampton county bar in 1877.

Abram B. Howell was born in Northamp- ton county in 1842. He was educated in the private schools and at La Fayette college. graduating from the latter in 1868. He studied law in the office of M. Hale Jones, and was admitted to the bar in 1870.

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

Mr. Howell's practice embraces all branches of the eivil and eriminal code. He has been active as a eampaign speaker, and chief burgess of Easton for three terms.

During the war of the Rebellion he served in the Lincoln Cavalry, afterwards known as the First New York Cavalry, being the first regiment organized during this war.

Matthew Hale Jones of Easton was, dur- ing his long and honorable eareer, an ae- complished and leading member of the bar of Northampton county. Born at Coventry, Conn., of Puritan ancestry, he inherited in a marked degree the firmness of character and sterling virtues of that religious race. During boyhood his family removed to Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where he fitted himself for Rutgers college, and was graduated from this institution with high rank in the elass of 1830. Upon leaving college he began the study of law with Hon. Chester Butler at Wilkes-Barre, and in 1833 was admitted to the bar of Northampton eounty at Easton, where his brother, the late Judge Joel Jones, then resided and was engaged in the active praetiee of law. From that time until his deatlı (June 1, 1883) the subject of this sketch actively followed his profession, and in the early part of his career served as district attorney, at which time his assiduous and efficient devotion to official duties presaged the high and masterful qualities so eminently characterized in him in subsequent practice of his profession and stamped him as one of the leaders of the bar of Northampton county. Associated with sueh distinguished lawyers as Hon. Andrew H. Reeder, Hon. James Madison Porter, Alexander E. Brown and others of their rank, at the bar of north- eastern Pennsylvania, in the trial of many important causes in that seetion of the state, he bore a prominent part in many eases noted in the annals of the profession, memor- able among which the Miller will case stands as a "cause celebre" in that part of Penn- sylvania. This ease involved large peeuni-

ary interests, as well as many diffieult and delieate legal questions, and it was largely due to his thorough mastery of the intriea- cies of the controversy and his eareful and elaborate preparation that the heirs whom he represented against the will were entirely suecessful in the litigation.

He was remarkable for a well-balanced and thoroughly trained intelleet, and as a lawyer he was conspicuous for his comprehensive and exact knowledge of the principles of the law, a sound and careful judgment and a high and delieate sense of professional hon- or. He sought no politieal advancement, yet was deeply interested in current public ques- tions, and became identified with important loeal enterprises which had for their end the welfare of the community in which he lived. He was one of the founders of the Easton Gas 'company and served as president from its organization in 1850 until his death. He was also for many years a trustee of La- fayette college, a director of the Easton Cemetery company and an elder in the First Presbyterian church of Easton.

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The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 17

Author: Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, jr., bro. & co. Number of Pages: 1180

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago, H. C. Cooper, jr., bro. & co.
Number of Pages: 1180