USA > Pennsylvania > The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II > Part 23
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In 1851 he delivered the address of wel- come to Louis Kossuth, the Hungarian pa- triot, on his visit to Harrisburg; and in the same year he made his first argument in the Supreme Court of the United States.
From 1857 to 1861 he and his then part- ner, James F. Shunk, prepared for Judge J. S. Black, attorney general of the United States, many briefs of arguments for that court. When arguing a case before the Supreme Court Judge Houston said to him : "That is not the law; no judge ever de- clared that to be the law." Mr. Alricks re- plied : "I am reading from an opinion of this court, delivered by your honor."
In 1863-64 he defended a number of polit- ical prisoners from Columbia county before courts-martial, held at Harrisburg, and all of his clients were acquitted of the charges against them.
As a representative of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon he served with dis- tinction in the constitutional convention of 1872-73, and his speeches were models of chaste English and cogent logic. On one occasion he felt compelled to have the jour- nal of the convention corrected because an official reporter had undertaken to elaborate one of his speeches which, as first printed, covered some pages more than when he had delivered it. Among the most important committees on which he served in that body of eminent men was that on municipal eor- porations.
Whilst a member of the convention, al- though, after its organization at Harrisburg, its sessions were held at Philadelphia, he declined to receive free tickets over rail- roads, and paid his traveling expenses, as was his custom before his election.
A few months before his decease, he, when eighty-six years of age, mnade his last argu- ment in court, which attracted the attention of his fellow members of the bar for its clearness.
Notwithstanding his busy professional life he took great interest in the cause of education when the common school system was in its infancy; he for many years served as a school director himself, and as president of the board of his district aided materially in bringing the schools of Har- risburg to a high state of efficiency. During the greater part of the eight years of its existence he was president pro tempore of the board of trustees of the Pennsylvania Female college, at Harrisburg, the governor of the commonwealth being president ex officio. In various ways he assisted in de- veloping the industries of Harrisburg, and always had profound faith in our country's elective form of government and in the good sense of the people at large.
He was prominent in the councils of the Democratic party, and at least twice repre- sented his district in its national conven- tions, and his county frequently in state conventions. In the National Union con- vention held at Philadelphia in August, 1867, he sat as a Democratic representative of his Congressional district.
His style of speaking in public was elo- quent and contained a vein of humor.
From the time of its founding he wor- shiped in St. Stephen's Protestant Episcopal church, and for many years served it as a vestryman, and remained until his death a consistent member thereof.
Mr. Alricks was a fine type of manhood, standing five feet ten and a half inehes high.
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He had a good figure, and with his clear complexion, red eheeks, fine blue eyes and ereet earriage, he was sure to attract atten- tion wherever he appeared. His polished manners, excellent memory and unusual conversational powers gained him friends, and his kindness of heart and love of his fellow men endeared him to his neighbors. Firm in his eonvietions of right. he was toi- erant of the opinions of others, but never compromised with wrong. For a number of years prior to 1862 he had been president of the board of trustees of the Pennsylvania State Lunatie hospital. At the time of his deeease he was president of the board of trustees of the Home for the Friendless of Harrisburg, which institution he remem- bered in his last will; vice president of the. Historieal Society of Dauphin County ; and but a few weeks before, resigned the office of president of the Harrisburg Cemetery as- sociation, which he had held for upwards of forty years.
Mr. Alricks died at Harrisburg, July 16, 1893, at the age of over eighty-seven years.
John C. Kunkel was born September 18, 1816, at Harrisburg, Pa. He was educated partly at Gettysburg and partly at Jefferson college, Canonsburg, Pa., where he graduat- ed. IIe studied law at Carlisle, and subse- quently with James MeCormiek at Harris- burg. After his admission, which was about 1840, although there is no record of it, he entered at once into an active and ex- tensive practice. Aetive in politics, he brought into use and cultivation his great talent for forensie oratory, which later won him national distinction. In 1844, in the campaign for president, Mr. Kunkel made frequent appearance on the stump. In that same year he was elected to the legislature, and re-elected in 1845 and in 1850. In 1851 he was elected to the state senate, and was ehosen speaker at the elose of the first ses- sion. In 1854 and in 1856 he was elected to Congress. As a legislator and statesman
his great ability was promptly recognized, and as lawyer, orator and scholar he had few equals. He left his impress upon the legal history of this county, and to him was due in a large measure the credit for bring- ing the bar of Dauphin eounty up to a high standard, which it has ever sinee main- tained. In 1858 he retired from publie life and devoted himself exelusively to his pro- fession. In 1868 he was stricken down by paralysis and never fully regained his health, dying October 16, 1870, at the age of fifty-four.
William Henry Miller was born in Landis- burg, Perry county, Pa., February 28, 1829, and died September 12, 1870, in Harrisburg. He was graduated from Franklin & Mar- shall college, and read law with Herman Alrieks, an eminent member of the bar. He was admitted to practice November 18, 1846. In 1854 he was appointed prothonotary of the supreme court of Pennsylvania, and served in that capacity until 1863. He was for one term elerk of the state senate and was for a number of years connected with the Harrisburg Patriot. In 1862 he was eleeted to Congress, and served with dis- tinction. In 1864 he entered into partner- ship with J. C. MeAlarney in the practice of his profession. He died in his forty-second year, in the midst of a busy and useful life, and after having acquired a fair share of professional sueecss.
William Brua Cameron, son of General Simon Cameron, was born at Harrisburg, Pa., August 1, 1826. He received a elassieal education, and was graduated at Prineetou college in 1847, and studied law with James McCormick. He was admitted to the bar January 23, 1849; but praetieed little, if any. He located to Middletown, managing his father's enterprises, and subsequently entered the army.
Henry Murray Graydon was born in this city, February 5, 1828, and lived all his life here. He was the son of William Graydon,
IlKunkel
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DAUPIIIN COUNTY
one of the pioneer lawyers of the county, and the author of several law books. He was also the nephew of Alexander Graydon, the first prothonotary of this eounty. His early education was obtained in the loea! sehools, and his legal training in the offiee of Mordecai MeKinney. He was admitted to the bar, on motion of his preceptor, Au- gust 22, 1849.
Mr. Graydon was a quiet and unassuming gentleman, whose rise as a lawyer was steady rather than meteorie. He was a well-read lawyer, careful and cautious. His manner of speech was plain but forceful, and he held the attention of the juries. In argument before' the court he was logieal and pertinaeious, and did not yield while hope of winning or eonvineing remained. Mr. Graydon was serupulously careful of his professional relations both to elients and brother lawyers. He was of sterling hon- esty and integrity; a gentleman of the old sehool, who did not hesitate to eombat with all his vigor what he thought was wrong. He was opposed to the granting of liquor lieenses, and for years stood against all kinds of opposition eontesting them. It was in this to him most interesting work that he ended his professional career; for after a vigorous argument in opposing the granting of a new wholesale lieense he was strieken with paralysis in open court, February 21, 1896. From this time he never recovered, although able at times to sit up and eon- verse with his family and friends. He died March 14, 1900.
Mr. Graydon was a charter member of the Dauphin County Bar association. He was a devoted member and elder of Pine Street Presbyterian church, and was known as a liberal contributor to the same. He was not a politician and never held office. Hle devoted himself strictly to his profes- sion.
Cornelius M. Shell, the son of Jacob Shell, once sheriff of the county, was born in Har-
risburg about 1828. Ilis education was ob- tained in the public schools of the borough and at Mercersburg, Franklin county. He studied law with William McClure, and was admitted to the bar January 22, 1850. Hle was more of a good fellow than a profound lawyer, was fond of sports, was somewhat erratic, but withal acquired a considerable practice, chiefly on the criminal side of the profession.
Andrew Jackson Herr, son of Daniel Herr, was born December 31, 1832, at Green- eastle, Franklin county, Pennsylvania. He was sehooled in Philadelphia, where he graduated in the high school. Soon after he began the study of law with James Me- Cormiek, at Harrisburg, and was admitted to the Dauphin eounty bar August 20, 1850. He immediately began practice, and soon acquired an extensive elientage. Ile served as distriet attorney nine years, was counsel for the county commissioners for one year, represented the county in the legislature in 1868 and 1869, and from 1875 to 1884 was state senator. In these eapaeities he served with great, distinetion. In 1878 and 1879 he was president pro tem. of the senate. Ile was familiarly known as Colonel Herr. He was possessed of a brilliant mind, quiek to catch a point and make the most of it, and able to diseriminate finely. Colonel Herr was a remarkable criminal lawyer. His style of address was florid and beautiful, vet foreeful and attractive. He was per- haps the most aecomplished word painter the bar has for several generations pro- duced. He prided himself on his ability to remember the names and places of eases in the Reports, and in discussing legal ques- tions with his brother lawyers he was al- ways gratified if he could give his hearers a case in point. Towards the close of his career he withdrew from most all small mat- ters of practice, and confined himself to matters of importance.
Colonel Herr was of literary tastes, and in
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his early years he was a contributor to the Saturday Evening Post and Neal's Gazette of Philadelphia, and when about fifteen years old wrote three novels. He died in Harrisburg, March 16, 1894. Daniel C. Herr, a member of the bar, is his son.
John Shelly Detweiler was born October 18, 1829, in Londerry township, Dauphin county. He attended the neighboring schools until sixteen years old, when he came to Harrisburg and entered a printing office, where he remained but a short time, and then went to Lancaster. Later he entered Frank- lin & Marshall eollege, from which he gradu- ated with high honors. He studied law in Lancaster, and was admitted to the bar of that county in 1850. In a few months he came to Harrisburg and was admitted to practice in the Dauphin county courts, March 25, 1851, where he continued his practice until interrupted by an enlistment in the army in 1861. In 1864 he was appointed deputy United States assessor of. internal revenue, which office he held until it was abolished in 1871. In 1872 he was appointed by Judge Cadwalader register in bank- ruptcy, which office he held at the time of his death, August 16, 1878. Ile was a Re- publiean and was county solicitor from 1874 to 1877. He was a member of the board of the examiners of the bar.
Hon. Robert Alexander Lamberton, LL. D., son of Robert and Mary (Harkness) Lam- berton, was born December 6, 1824, at Car- lisle, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. The name comes from the parish of Lamber- ton in Berwickshire, Scotland, which in turn comes from the name of a Saxon, Lam- bert, who settled there about the time of the Norman conquest, giving his name to. the "tun" or village, whence it became Lamberton. In its earliest form the name was "de Lamberton" (the French preposi- tion "de" meaning "from") e. g., William de Lamberton, one of the most famous of the name, who in the thirteenth century
was bishop of St. Andrew's, Scotland, and the tried friend of Sir William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. During the persecution of the Covenanters, in the seventeenth cen- tury, some of the family moved to Ireland and settled in Londonderry, from whence General James Lamberton, Dr. Lamberton's grandfather, emigrated to this country, set- tling in the Cumberland valley in 1783.
Dr. Lamberton was educated at the public schools and at Dickinson college, Carlisle, being valedictorian of the class of 1843. Ile taught school for two years, and began to read law with William M. Biddle, Esq., of Carlisle; he removed to Harrisburg in 1846, and finished his studies with James Mc- Cormick, Esq., and was admitted to the bar of Cumberland county, August 11, 1846, and, by certificate, to the bar of Dauphin county, at Harrisburg, on the 17th of the same month. He aequired a large practice, and became widely known for his eloquence and for clearness and forcefulness in argu- ment. He was for many years a member of the board of examiners for admission to the bar. He became counsel for the Philadel- phia & Reading Railroad company, and in the Supreme Court of the United States ar- gued for the company the "State Freight Tax case," in which he maintained that the tax was unconstitutional, and the Supreme Court so decided, reversing the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; and in the "State Tax on Gross Receipts case," which he ar- gued for the same company, the Supreme Court of the United States then decided that the tax was constitutional, but it has since practically reversed itself.
Dr. Lamberton continued in the practice of his profession until 1880, when he accept- ed the presideney of the Lehigh university, at South Bethlehem, Pa., of which he had been a trustee since 1871; he began his new work on March 30, 1880, at which time there were seventy-two students on the roll; at his death, in 1893, the roll contained the
ROBERT A. LAMBERTON.
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DAUPHIN COUNTY
names of six hundred and thirty-one stu- dents and thirty-seven professors and in- struetors, there being a similar inerease in buildings and equipment. In 1880 the uni- versity of Pennsylvania conferred upon him the honorary degree of doctor of laws.
He was a school director from 1874 to 1877, a manager and one of the founders of the Harrisburg hospital, a trustec of the State Lunatie hospital at Harrisburg, and of St. Luke's hospital and Bishopthorpe sehool at South Bethlehem, and a director of the Harrisburg Bridge company and of the Lehigh Valley Railroad company. He was elected a delegate-at-large on the Demo- cratic ticket to the Pennsylvania eonstitu- tional convention of 1873.
During the Civil war he was elected eap- tain of the Brant Light Guards (Company E), First regiment, Pennsylvania militia, and two days later was promoted to be lieu- tenant colonel of the regiment. In 1863 he was appointed by the surgeon general of Pennsylvania a commissioner to eare for the sick and wounded. During Lee's invasion he was on Governor Curtin's staff.
He presented, in 1870, the first public drinking fountain to the eity of Harrisburg, which was erected in front of the court- house; after nearly twenty-five years of serviee, it was damaged by a runaway and was replaced by the present fountain.
Dr. Lamberton was a prominent member of the Episcopal church, and for many years a vestryman of St. Stephen's church and superintendent of St. Paul's mission, now St. Paul's church, Harrisburg. At the or- ganization of the diocese of Central Penn- sylvania, in 1871, he was appointed seere- tary of the primary convention by Bishop Stevens, and was elected to the same posi- tion annually until 1891, when he deelined a re-election. He was a member of the standing committee of the diocese and one of its deputies to the general convention of the church until his death; he was also a
trustee of the General Theological seminary in New York.
Ile was a member of the Pennsylvania So- ciety of the Sons of the Revolution, the Pennsylvania Scotch-Irish society, the Ilis- torical Society of Pennsylvania, and the Dauphin County Historical society.
In Freemasonry he was worshipful master of Perseveranee lodge, No. 21, for three years, was district deputy grand master for nine years, was elected junior grand war- den, senior grand warden, deputy grand master and grand master successively, serv- ing as grand master of Masons in Pennsyl- vania in 1869 and 1870. IIe was past high priest of Perseverance chapter, No. 21, and past eminent commander of Pilgrim eom- mandery, No. 11, K. T. He was also promi- nent in the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, having occupied the chair in Dauphin lodge, No. 160; he served as treasurer from 1854 until he removed from Harrisburg, in 1880. He served as most worshipful grand master of the Grand lodge of Pennsylvania in 1857, and as one of its grand representa- tives in the Sovereign Grand lodge of the United States from 1860 to 1876.
He died suddenly, September 1, 1893, at South Bethlehem, and was buried at Harris- burg.
On September 14, 1852, he married Miss Annie, daughter of William and Ruhamah (Snider) Buehler, who survived him, to- gether with three children: William B., James M. and Nannie B., wife of Rollin HI. Wilbur, general superintendent of the Le- high Valley Railroad company.
David Mumma was born in Susquehanna township, Dauphin county, July 28, 1816, and for some years lived on the farm of his father. He attended private sehools until the adoption of the free sehool system, when he studied with such teachers as the neigh- borhood afforded. His father opposed his desire for learning, but the young man in- sisted, saving his own money to acquire
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THE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA
education. He engaged in business for a while, but later began the study of law with James McCormick. He was admitted to the bar April 26, 1853. Mr. Mumma took an active interest in the welfare of Harris- burg. In 1870 he was elected senator for Dauphin and Lebanon counties. He was delegate to the national convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln, and a national delegate on several other oeeasions. IIe was familiarly known as Major Mumma. He was a verdict-getter. No man knew the county and the population better than he. His large acquaintance enabled him to know clients, their standing, juries and adversa- ries and their abilities, their standing so- cially, morally and financially, and their weakness. Added to this was an unusual sense of human nature. In his addresses, after his jurors were carefully selected ac- eording to his knowledge of the men, he appealed to the individual jurors and their prejudices. His manner of speech was forceful, though not rhetorical, and even sometimes crude, but it was persuasive.
Mr. Mumma was a large man, well sup- plied with humor and anecdotes. To the bar he was courteous and fair in litigation. He was generally affable and approachable. As a lawyer he was a hard worker and a plodder, and while his knowledge of the law or his ability to make legal distinctions was not of the highest order, his common sense supplied in a large measure all that was lacking to make him a successful lawyer. IIe was largely interested in real estate en- terprises. He died June 20, 1893.
Benjamin Franklin Etter was born at Middletown, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, September 29, 1824. His carly education was received in the schools of Middletown. At the age of twenty-two he began the study of law with James Fox, and was admitted, on motion of his preceptor, November 24, 1857. Mr. Etter at once began the practice of law at Harrisburg and has continued it
ever since. At the time of writing he is the oldest member of the Dauphin county bar. HIe served as deputy attorney general for six years under Attorney General William M. Meredith, and for a short time under Attorney General Benjamin Brewster.
Mr. Etter is a large man, and lame, which interferes with his locomotion, and no doubt led him to prefer the quiet practice of office work rather than the hustling atmosphere of the court room and jury trials. As a consequenee he has aequired a large prae- tice in Orphans' Court and in real estate matters, and is counsel for persons of large estate. He is a careful, conscientious, painstaking lawyer, whose opinions are cau- tiously given and generally sound. In temperament he is unassuming and quiet, He is one of the charter members of the Dauphin County Bar association.
William C. A. Lawrence was born May 18, 1832, in Washington county, Pa. He finished his education at Washington college in 1850 and came to Harrisburg, where he studied . law in the office of John C. Kunkel. He was admitted to the bar August 31, 1853, and entered into partnership with Mr. Kunkel. Ile was a member of the legislature from 1857 to 1860 and speaker of the House of Representatives, sessions of 1859 and 1860. He was a brilliant man, with great prospeets and had already acquired a large practice, when he died April 21, 1860.
Robert Leyburn Muench was born in Har- risburg, February 9, 1831, and was educated in Harrisburg and in Tennant school, Harts- ville, Bucks county, where he was prepared for Yale college, which he entered in 1835. Ile had an aptitude for foreign languages, and he became specially proficient in French. He studied law with Robert A. Lamberton, on whose motion he was admit- ted to the bar June 22, 1856. He rose rap- idly in his profession and acquired a large practice. He was a man of much energy, and ardent and zealous in his profession.
B. F. ETTER.
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DAUPHIN COUNTY
Ilis nature was intense; was bold, blunt and courageous to maintain what he thought right. He was open and straightforward, but he did not give offense. There was no difficulty in discovering on what side of a. question he was; there was no straddling with him. In this spirit he treated his cli- ents, prepared his cases and maintained his position. He was a farge man, but with no sense of self-importance. In his speech he was plain, logical and exact, but with 130 rhetoricaf embellishments. In politics he was a Democrat of the Jacksonian school, and a candidate for district attorney against J. M. Wiestling, but was defeated. He was a member of council, and president of select council for one term. He died April 3, 1885.
James McCormick, Jr., second son of James McCormick, a leader of the bar, whose sketch heretofore appears, was born in Harrisburg, Pa., October 31, 1832. He was educated in the common schools, Cap- tain Partridge's Military academy and Yale college, graduating from the latter in 1853. He studied law with his father, and was ad- mitted to the bar August 26, 1856. He practiced for several years, but upon the death of his father the father's estate ab. sorbed his time to such an extent that he abandoned his profession. He is still living in Harrisburg.
John Wesley Awl was born in Harrisburg, November 21, 1852. He was educated at Dickinson college, and read law with F. K. Boas. He was admitted to the bar August 26, 1856. During the war of rebellion he served from 1862 to 1865 and acquired the rank of lieutenant colonel. He then re- sumed fris practice. He was a man of quiet disposition and tastes, and his practice was that of advice and real estate and Orphans' Court matters which are transacted in the office, rather than the kind that brings the lawyer into contact with the court and the active trial of causes. He was a careful ad- viser and painstaking lawyer. There were
estates and matters of great importance en- trusted to him. He died March 2, 1894, un- married.
Benjamin L. Forster, the son of General John Forster, was born August 29, 1834, at Harrisburg, Pa. He received his education in the public schools, the Harrisburg acad- emy, Partridge's Military school, the Lewis- burg college, now Bucknell university, and at Yale college. He did not, however, grad- rate at the latter. After leaving college he read law with Hamilton Alricks and was admitted to the bar January 22, 1858. He has been practicing ever since.
Mr. Forster is a polished gentleman, re- tiring in disposition and a fawyer of the old school who regards his calling as a profes- sion rather than a business. He is interested in local history and genealogy and the carly professional achievements of the bar. He is an ardent Democrat, and has been prominent in party affairs. In 1865-66 he was a mem- ber of the Democratic state central commit- tee. He has been several times urged to become a candidate for offices upon his party ticket,-once for district attorney, and in 1902 for Congress,- but never overcame the large Republican majority. He was a law clerk in the office of the attorney general during the incumbency of Lewis C. Cassidy. Mr. Forster was a charter member of the Dauphin county bar association.
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