The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 25

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

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During Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863, he, like many other young men of Harrisburg, lent a hand in building Fort Washington, and then joined

Captain F. A. Awl's detached company for the defense of Harrisburg and vieinity, the company being sworn into the United States service.

In the fall of 1867 Mr. Alricks brought the suit of David K. McClure against the Lykens Valley Coal Company for damages to the water power of Oak Dale Forge, in which a verdict was, on its trial before Judge Pear- son and a struck jury, returned for the plaintiff, after a hard contest, for fifteen thousand dollars. Young Mr. Alrieks was of course overshadowed in this eause by his father and other older counsel. He took suf- ficient part to evidence his ability and that ease may be said to have been the beginning of his large praetiee, and, from the time of that trial, his father was glad to have his assistance in court, and the young man promptly aequired a knowledge of court praetiee. In the spring of 1869 he took part in the argument of two important cases in the Supreme Court of the state (Elder vs. Reel, and Davis & Pugh vs. Bigler & Son), and was of counsel in the ease of the Ly- kens Valley Coal Company vs. Doek, as- signee of the Franklin Coal Company, all of which are reported.

In 1891 he was the nominee of the Demo- cratie party for judge of the Court of Com- mon Pleas of his district, composed of the eounties of Dauphin and Lebanon, and ran far ahead of his tieket, and, on the deeease of Judge Clark of the Supreme Court, a paper was signed by almost every member of the bar of Dauphin eounty recommending the appointment of Mr. Alricks to the Su- preme beneh of the state, but, as it was in- timated in the newspapers before it was presented, Governor Pattison had seleeted Mr. Heydriek of Venango eounty for the ap- pointment.

He is now warden and a vestryman of St. Stephen's Protestant Episcopal ehureh, of which he is a communicant ; president of the Harrisburg Cemetery association; a trustee

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DAUPHIN COUNTY

of the Home for the Friendless of Harris- burg; a manager of the Harrisburg Hospi- tal; a trustec of the Harrisburg academy ; and is a member of the Dauphin county Historical Society; the Harrisburg Board of Trade, the Dauphin county bar association; and the Pennsylvania state bar association. Some years ago he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme court of the United States.

Elias Hollinger was born in Dauphin coun- ty, Pennsylvania, near Campbellstown, Fcb- ruary 10, 1841. After receiving a common · school education he became a student in the Millersville State Normal school and upon graduation enlisted in the army, becoming a member of Company C, One Hundred and Ninety-fifth regiment Pennsylvania Volun- teers, entering the service July 17, 1864, and being mustered out November 14, 1864. After teaching school in Lancaster and Dauphin counties he read law with Major David Mumma at Harrisburg and was admitted to the bar of Dauphin county August 29, 1867. On November 6, 1877, he was elected district attorney and ably conducted the famous Riot Bribery cases the following year. Af- ter achieving an enviable success and high rank in his profession by his ability and in- tegrity he died January 6, 1891, in the fif- tieth ycar of his age.

John Wesley Young was born October 11, 1846, at Rockville, Dauphin county, Pa. He was educated in the public schools of Har- risburg, and read law in the office of David Fleming. He was admitted to the bar, Jan- uary 21, 1868. He was a Republican in poli- tics. From 1871 to 1874 he was clerk to the county commissioners and from 1877 to 1883 was county solicitor. In 1876 he was elected a member of the board of control of the schools and was president of that body from 1877 to 1882 continuously. In 1886 he was elected secretary and thereafter devoted most of his time to his official duties and withdrew from the practice of his profession. He died ? ?

James C. Durbin was born near the city of Bristol, England. His ancestors were of old Anglo-Saxon stock. He came to the United States when young, and has exer- cised the rights of citizenship from the time he became of age. He left school at an early age to engage in business. He was success- ful and acquired property ; when established he left his business in charge of a brother, entered an institution of learning, and grad- uated with honor in a commercial course, and commercial law. Continuing his studies by his own efforts and by the aid of private teachers he thoroughly mastered a regular college scientific course.

Mr. Durbin studied law with the Hon. A. J. Herr, and was admitted to practice law in the several courts on the 20th day of September, 1872. On November 7, 1879, he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the state, and subsequently admit- ted to practice in the United States Courts. Mr. Durbin has acquired a high standing as a safe counsellor. He has had charge of, and managed with ability and success, some of the most important criminal and civil cases ever tried here ; among the former was Commonwealth vs. 'Miller et al., his first capital case to defend, where the court re- luctantly had to quash the array of jurors, and at a subsequent trial the young man was acquitted, upon the theory that the step- father, whom he shot, was about to harm his mother. Some of the important civil cases managed by him were of the first impres- sion, as that reported in 164 Pa., 174, where it was first decided that one railway desiring to cross another, could run along side of it 263 feet, in order to cross to another street. In Messner vs. Railroad Co., reported in 13 Superior Court Reports, 429, his original views were sustained in the Equity Court of Schuylkill county and affirmed by the appel- late Courts. Having been general counsel of some of the first electric railway companies, where severe legal contests with the bright-

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est and best opposing attorneys were of fre- quent occurrence, he acquired familiarity with all subjects pertaining to street rail- ways and electric light plants. In 1876 Mr. Durbin wrote the History of Lykens Valley, ineluding the discovery of coal, the first set- tlers, the first railroad, etc. While at Lykens lie built and resided in his picturesque home, "Edgemont," located on the foothills over- looking the beautiful Lykens Valley. Mr. Durbin has traveled extensively, both in Eu- rope and America, visiting most places of interest, and his published letters of travel are instruetive, interesting and highly en- tertaining.

Francis Jordan was born in Bedford coun- ty, February 5, 1820 .. He was edueated by a maternal unele at Augusta college, Ken- tueky, and at Franklin & Marshall college, Pennsylvania. He studied law, was admit- ted to praetiee and soon after was appointed district attorney of Bedford county, and sub- sequently elected to the same position. The \ conduct of his office was able, and though the days of techniealities had not then passed, yet not one of his indietments were ever quashed for informality. In 1850 he became a partner of Alexander King, which relation continued until 1861. In 1855 he beeame a state senator, filling that offiee three years. He was tendered the appoint- ment of attorney general, which he reluc- tantly declined, owing to the complications attending the office at the time. In 1861 he accompanied the noted Reserve Corps as assistant quartermaster and without solici- tation or knowledge was appointed by Presi- dent Lincoln a paymaster in the army, which post he held for over two years and until urged by Governor Curtin to resign it to accept the appointment of military agent of the state at Washington. Recognizing his ability in this service the legislature conferred upon him the rank of colonel of infantry. In 1866 he was chosen chair- man of the Republican State Central com-

mittee and conducted the canvass with great ability, resulting in the election of Governor Geary, who appointed Colonel Jordan, secretary of the commonwealth, in which capacity he served with ability six years. Colonel Jordan was presented in the convention as a successor to Governor Geary, but his name was withdrawn and in the same convention, though not a candidate, he was voted for as a candidate for justice of the Supreme Court, receiving the second highest vote. He was admitted to the bar of Dauphin county May 5, 1868. Upon his appointment as secretary of the commonwealth, Col. Jor- dan took up his residence at Harrisburg, and in 1872 resumed his praetice in partner- ship with 'Hon. Louis W. Hall, becoming counsel for the Pennsylvania railroad and other corporations. In 1882, after the resig- nation of Secretary Quay, he was appointed by Governor Hoyt seeretary of the common- wealth. Colonel Jordan was an esteemed citizen, a polished gentleman and a lawyer of ability, both at the trial table and as a counsellor. He died in Harrisburg, June 9, 1900.

John Edie Patterson was born in Middle- town, Dauphin county, April 9, 1849. IIe was edueated in the publie sehools of Har- risburg, to which plaee his parents moved when he was very young, and at the Harris- burg academy and at Prineeton college. In 1869 he began the study of law with Robert A. Lamberton and was admitted to the bar of Dauphin eounty, November 30, 1872. He has been in continuous practice since that time. In 1879 he was a member of the city council; from 1890 to 1892 he was city so- lieitor of the eity of Harrisburg, and in 1897 was the Demoeratie candidate for district attorney and, although not elected, received a vote largely in exeess of the party vote in the county.

Henry Lewis Lark was born at Berrys- burg, Dauphin county, Pa., May 7, 1851. He had the educational advantages which the

Lui B. Which

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DAUPHIN COUNTY

publie sehools afforded. He began to teach in the public schools at the age of sixteen years; taught five winters, the last three as principal of the high school of Uniontown borough. During the summer of these years he attended the Berrysburg seminary, Free- burg academy, and at the age of nineteen he began the study of law under Robert A. Lamberton, LL. D., at Harrisburg, and after three years of study was, on May 13, 1873, admitted to the bar of Dauphin county, where he has sinee practiced his profession (with the exception of nine years when he lived at Peabody, Kan.). Mr. Lark has ac- quired a large practice in the upper end of the county and he is personally interested in several street railways and a number of large water companies. His residence is in Millersburg borough, where he has resided since 1894, of which borough he has been the solicitor for a number of years. Mr. Lark from the time he was eleven years old hustled for himself. He is largely interested in agri- eulture, owning and managing three farms in Matantango Valley.

James I. Chamberlin was born in Milton, Northumberland county, Pa., November 13, 1847. He attended the Milton academy and Diekinson seminary, Williamsport. He took a preparatory course at Tuscarora academy, Juniata county, and was graduated from Yale college in 1873. He read law with Hon. Wayne MeVeagh and was admitted to the bar April 29, 1875. Mr. Chamberlin has acquired an extensive practice, and is inter- ested in many corporations, a director of the First National Bank and president of the Jaekson Manufacturing Company. In poli- ties he is a Republican.

Ehrman B. Mitchell was born, April 11, 1854, in Harrisburg, Pa. He acquired his education in the public sehools and at Dick- inson college, where he graduated in 1874. He was admitted to the bar, November 8, 1875. He was prothonotary and elerk of the Quarter Sessions Court from 1879 to 1886

and after his term expired he again took up the practice of his profession. He is attor- ney for the Harrisburg Light, IIeat and Power Company and is identified with other corporations. In polities he is a Republican.

William Pearson was born in Harrisburg, Pa., August 9, 1854. Ile is the son of John J. Pearson, deeeased, formerly judge of the Twelfth judicial district of Pennsyl- vania, then composed of the counties of Dau- phin and Lebanon, and of Mary Harris Pear- son, nee Briggs, a granddaughter of General John Andre IIanna, and great-granddaugh- ter of John Harris second, founder of Har- risburg. William Pearson received his pri- mary education at private schools in Harris- burg and the Harrisburg academy. He entered Princeton university in the class of 1876. He afterwards read law with his father and was admitted to the bar of Dau -. phin county December 11, 1876, in the courts of which county he still practices his pro- fession. January 1, 1882, he was appointed prothonotary of the middle district of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and became prothonotary of the Harrisburg district of the Superior Court under the provision of the act of the assembly of 1895, creating that eourt. These offices he still holds. Mr. Pearson has always been a Republican in polities. He is a member of the Dauphin county bar association and also of the His- torieal society of that county. He is the editor of Pearson's Reports, being the de- cisions of his father, the late Judge Pearson, from 1850 to 1880, and the author of Pear- son's Supreme Court Practice. He is un- married.

John Armstrong Herman was born Novem- ber 28, 1853, in Cumberland county, Penn- sylvania. He received his edueation in the public sehools and graduated from Prince- ton university in the elass of 1874. He studied law in the office of Hon. Wayne Me Veagh, Hon. John B. McPherson and Hon. Lyman D. Gilbert. He was admitted to the

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bar on motion of Mr. Gilbert, January 27, 1877, and has practiced his profession since then. Mr. Herman represents a number of estates and his practice is largely that which is carried on within the office. He has been identified with the organization of a number of corporations and is also engaged in the real estate and investment business. He is unmarried and a member of a number of so- cial and historical organizations. In politics lic is a Republican.

Louis Williams Hall was born July 4, 1833, at Allegheny, Pa. He received a good edu- cation, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1854. He was soon afterwards appointed solicitor for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Altoona, which was an important point in the railroad system and gave importance to the office of solicitor. In 1859, when a little more than eligible he was elected to the state senate from the district consisting of Cambria, Blair and Clearfield counties. He was chairman of the judiciary committees in the first session.

In 1861 Mr. Hall was chosen speaker of the senate at a special session and again elected at the regular session in 1862. In 1864 he was again elected and again in 1866 chosen speaker, having been chosen three times speaker, an honor never conferred upon any one clsc. At the close of his term he declined re-election and devoted himself to his profession. He was admitted to the Dauphin county bar on May 5, 1868. He was appointed solicitor and counsel for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Har- risburg, Pa., on October 1, 1868, and took up his residence in that city. He served in that capacity until his death, July 12, 1897. Mr. Hall was a large man with a heavy voice which he raised to a high pitch in the excitement of a trial. He was insistent upon any position he took in the argument of a cause maintaining it with ability and never yielding to the court. His persistence often led to frequent tilts with the court. Mr. Hall

was engaged in many important cases and much of his business got to the Supreme Court. It was he who got the court to an- nounce the "Stop, look and listen" doct- rinc. Mr. Hall, though apparently rough in manner, was agreeable socially and delighted to entertain his friends. It was his unbroken enstom to entertain the Supreme Court jus- tices at dinner upon each sitting of the court at Harrisburg. Mr. Hall was associated in practice with Colonel Francis Jordan, under the firm name of Hall & Jordan from 1872 until Colonel Jordan retired from active practice, owing to ill health, a few years be- fore Mr. Hall's death.

Alexander F. Thompson was born at Potts- ville, Schuylkill county, Pa., December 7, 1845. He attended the public schools in Pottsville and in Porter township in the same county. . At the age of twelve he began work, continuing until 1862; when seventeen years of age he enlisted in the army. He served by three enlistments until August 23, 1865, working in the mines at short intervals be- tween the enlistments. After his army ser- vice he worked in the mines for four years, saving money enough to carry him through four terms at the Freeburg academy. After this he then went to work in the mines until 1872 when he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness. Later on he registered as a law stu- dent with C. W. Rober, at Lykens, and A. J. Herr, at Harrisburg, and was admitted to the bar, April 23, 1877. He opened an office at Lykens, where he has since prac- ticed and has acquired a fair share of pro- fessional business. He served as a member of the legislature from 1880 to 1884 and in the latter year was elected state senator and re-elected in 1888. His politics is Republican.

Elbridge McConkey, a native of Chester county; Pennsylvania, was born July 29, 1840. He was educated at East Hampton, Mass., nniversity of Virginia, and Harvard university, from which he graduated July, 1861. He studied law at Harvard and with

FRANCIS JORDAN.

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DAUPHIN COUNTY

Hon. Wayne MeVeagh and was admitted to. the Chester county bar in 1863, and the Dauphin county bar, April 25, 1877. Dur- ing the war he served as aid-de-eamp, captain and brevet major. In 1875-76 and 1883-84 he was resident clerk of the House of Representatives and from 1869 to the time of his death in 1887 he was secretary of the Pennsylvania Agricultural society. In poli- ties he was a Demoerat and served in the eity eouneil. IIe did not pretend to devote , muel of his time to the praetiee of his pro- fession, although he maintained an active in- terest in it.

Franklin J. Schaffner was born January 9, 1854, in Berrysburg, Dauphin eounty, Pa., and at the age of five his parents removed to the lower end of the county near Roerners- town, where he attended the county school until he was sixteen years old. His eduea- tion was finished at Palatinate college, Mey- erstown, Lebanon eounty. He taught seliool for a number of years and then read law in the office of Robert .A. Lamberton. He was admitted to the bar December 4, 1867, and located at Hummelstown, where he has sinee had his offiee. Mr. Sehaffner has an exten- sive Orphans' Court praetiee.

William Buehler Lamberton, son of Hon. Robert Alexander Lamberton, LL.D., and Annie Buehler, his wife was born at Harris- burg, Dauphin county, Pa., March 14, 1855. He was edueated at the Harrisburg aead- emy, 'at Phillips academy, Andover, Mass., and at Yale university, graduating from the last, with high honors, in the elass of 1876. After the graduation, he began his law studies in the office of his father, who was for many years one of the leaders of the bar of Dauphin eounty, but in May of the fol- lowing year went abroad for study and travel, and attended leetures at the univer- sity of Leipzig. Returning in August of 1878, he was admitted to the bar on November 25, and was again in his father's office until Mareh, 1880, when Dr. Lamberton accepted

the presidency of Lehigh university. He practiced alone until the fall of 1881, when he formed a partnership with his brother, under the name of W. B. & J. M. Lamberton, which continued until the latter removed from Harrisburg in September, 1887.

He was admitted to practice in the Su- preme Court of Pennsylvania in May, 1882, and in the Supreme Court of the United States in April, 1890. For some years he was a member of the board of examiners for ad- mission to the bar of Dauphin county. IIe was elected a member of the American bar association in 1893, and was one of those who formed the Pennsylvania bar association in 1895. He sueeeeded his father as counsel at Harrisburg for the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad company and allied companies. Al- though engaged in general praetiee, he gave special attention to corporation tax matters. In 1884 he deelined the Demoeratie nomi- nation for Congress. He was a member of the Dauphin County Historieal society, a member of the board of trade of Harrisburg, a director of the Harrisburg Opera House association and of the Harrisburg Bridge company, secretary of the Harrisburg Benev- olent association, a member and for some years secretary of the board of managers of the Harrisburg hospital, resigning in 1895, upon his appointment by Gov. Daniel H. Hastings as a member of the board of publie eharities of Pennsylvania.

For a number of years he was a vestryman and treasurer of St. Stephen's church, Har- risburg, and frequently represented that parish in the diocesan convention of Central Pennsylvania. In Freemasonry, he served as worshipful master of Perseveranee Lodge, No. 21, in 1882, and as distriet deputy grand master for seven years, deelining a reap- pointment. He was an honorary member of Confidenee lodge of Instruction, of London, England. He was a member of a number of societies and clubs. He never recovered from an attack of illness in 1893; treatment abroad

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failed to help him permanently. He died at Primos, Pa., July 5, 1901. He never married.

Thomas Sewell Hargest was born in Balti- more county, Md., November 24, 1846. He received a common school education in Bal- timore eity until the age of fourteen, when he removed with his parents to Wilmington, Del. Thereafter he was at work in the mar- ket gardens of his father. In the winter of 1861-62 he came with his family to Harris- burg and continued his work in raising prod- uee. In 1863 he entered the army as wagon master, having mustered thirty-two men at Harrisburg and taken them to Washington. At the end of the war he went to Win- chester, Va., and began the study of law and classics, and general literature, investing all his savings and earnings in books. He had no preceptor. On August 6, 1867, he was personally examined for admission to the bar by the two circuit judges, Judge Rich- ard Parker, who presided at the trial of John Brown, and Judge John T. Harris, af- terward a member of Congress, and was admitted to practice at Winchester, Va. In 1868 he was appointed commonwealth's attorney for the county of Shenandoah, Va., in place of IIon. Mark Bird, who though elected, was incapacitated by the fourteenth amendment to the United States Constitu- tion. Mr. Hargest made Mr. Bird his deputy and gave him fees and emoluments of the of- fice. Judge Harris was incapacitated under the Fourteenth Amendment and Mr. Har- gest was appointed his successor, early in 1869, of the Twelfth judicial circuit by the then military governor, General Canby, and was at the time less than twenty-three years of age, being, perhaps the youngest judge in this country. He served in that capacity un- til the adoption of the new constitution of Virginia, where he was legislated off the beneh. IIe resumed his practice at Winches- ter, where he remained until 1872, when he came to Harrisburg. In 1876 he was elected city solicitor of the city of Harrisburg and

was continued in office by successive re-elec- tions until 1890, when he retired and re- turned to general practice. Judge Hargest has been in important litigation and was special counsel for the city in a number of suits involving the rights of the railway com- panies of the city. IIe is a Republican in politics. IIe is senior member of the law firm of Hargest & Hargest.

George Wright Heck, son of Dr. Lewis and Caroline Cornelia (Wright) Heck, was born November 27, 1851, in Middle Paxton town- ship, Dauphin county, Pa. IIe was educated in public schools and at Tuscarora academy, Juniata county, Pennsylvania, and entered Yale college in 1868, graduating in 1872. He studied law in the office of the late Robert A. Lamberton, Esq., in Harrisburg and was admitted to practice in the courts of Dauphin county in December, 1874. He continued in practice until 1880. He was married March 17, 1880, and in April of same year entered into lumber business with his brother on the east bank of Susquehanna river, six miles above Harrisburg. The fol- lowing year he left the lumber business and moved to Dillsburg, York county, where he superintended the mining of iron ore and practiced law in York, Cumberland and Dau- phin counties. Subsequently he returned to Dauphin county, gradually abandoning the practice of the law, and is now engaged in farming.

Marlin E. Olmsted was born in Ulysses township, Potter county, Pa. ITis education was acquired in the public schools and acade- my of Condersport, Potter county, and was about to study law with his Uncle Arthur G. Olmsted, president judge of the Forty-eighth Judicial district, for a short time, but gave it up to accept a clerkship in the State Treas- ury Department. Mr. Olmsted was later transferred to the auditor general's office, where he was assistant corporation clerk and corporation clerk, where he served until 1875, when, owing to the exigencies of politics, he

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The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 25

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