The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 26

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

USA > Pennsylvania > The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II > Part 26

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L. W. HALL.

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DAUPHIN COUNTY

was replaced by a Democrat. He then began the study of law with Hon. John W. Simon- ton and was admitted to the bar November 25, 1878. His experience in the auditor gen- eral's office not only fitted him to become proficient in the law relating to state tax mat- ters but brought him into personal contact with the officers of many of the corporations of the state, and upon his admission to the bar he rapidly became counsel for many cor- porations in the settlements of their state tax matters, and his practice soon ripened into a general practice in the affairs of corpora- tions, a large adjunct of which is testing constitutionality of legislation affeeting eor- porate interests. As a result Mr. Olmsted is not only recognized as a specialist in state tax matters, in which branch he has a phe- nomenal business, but is also regarded as a lawyer of ability in corporation and consti- tution law generally. He has been concerned in and eminently successful with a large number of important cases, some of which have reached the United States Supreme court, but space will not permit an enumera- tion of them.

Mr. Olmsted's fame has extended beyond the state. He is not an orator. Legal argu- ments and political and other addresses he couches in plain, forceful language without pretense to rhetorie. Sinee 1897 he has rep- resented this distriet in Congress with dis- tinguished ability, and is recognized as one of the forceful leaders in the House of Rep- resentatives.

John Sylvanus Alleman, born at Har- risburg, Pa., May 22, 1855, is a son of Samuel Alleman, Esq., and Ann Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Holman. He graduated at Pennsylvania college, Gettysburg, Pa., in 1876, with the degree of B. A., and the same institution later also conferred upon him the degree of A. M. His choice of profession was the law, and, after a brief interval of prepa- ration in the offices of his father and brother, was entered, in the fall of 1877, as a student

of law in the offices of the late Hon. E. Spen- cer Miller, of Philadelphia, and also at the same time as a sindent in the law department of the University of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in June, 1879, with the degree of LL. B., and was admitted to prac- tice at the bar of Philadelphia, June 14 of the same year. Deciding to practice in his native city, he was admitted to the bar of Dauphin county, August 27, 1879. A coun- selor of unflinching integrity, he there built up a practice which extended to the adjoin- ing counties, in which he was admitted to general practice at various dates. Mr. Alle- man was prominently associated with Zion Lutheran church at Harrisburg. April 17, 1903, with his family, he removed to Wash- ington, D. C., where he is engaged in the practice of law, having been admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the district, May 17, 1903.

James McCormick Lamberton, son of Hon. Robert Alexander Lamberton, LL. D., and Annie Buehler, his wife, was born at Har- risburg, Dauphin county, Pa., May 21, 1856. IIe was educated at the Harrisburg academy, at St. Paul's school, Concord, N. H., and at Yale university, graduating from the last. with honors, in the class of 1878. From 1878 to 1881 he was a master in St. Paul's school, Concord, N. H. IIe read law under his father, and was admitted to the bar of Dau- phin county, August 23, 1880, and began the practice of his profession in the fall of 1881 at Harrisburg, forming a partnership with his brother under the name of W. B. & J. M. Lamberton. He was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, June 3, 1884. He was a member of the board of managers of the Harrisburg hospital, and of the board of examiners for admission to the bar of Dauphin county, and treasurer of the Dauphin County Historical society, which positions he resigned in the fall of 1887, when he returned to St. Paul's school, where he remained until June, 1899, when he took up

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the practice of his profession again at Har- risburg. In 1892 he was a candidate for the New Hampshire legislature, on the Demo- cratic ticket, in a strong Republican ward; he ran ahead of his ticket, but was not elect- ed. He is a charter member of the Pennsyl- vania bar association, a member of the Dau- phin County Bar association, the American Historical association, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and a number of other his- torical, social and other societies and clubs, a director of the Harrisburg Bridge company and the Harrisburg Benevolent association. He has written "An Account of St. Paul's School," a number of articles on Masonic subjects, and, in connection with the late Dr. William Henry Egle, "The History of Per- severance Lodge, No. 21, Pennsylvania." In Freemasonry he served as worshipful master of Perseverance Lodge, No. 21, in 1886 and 1887; in the Grand Lodge of Pennsyl- vania he is a trustee of the Thomas R. Patton Memorial Charity Fund, and a member of the committee on correspondence; he is a member of the correspondence circle of Quat- vor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076, London, Eng- land, and of Perseverance Chapter, No. 21, R. A. M. At the celebration of the sesqui- centennial anniversary of Washington's in- itiation as a Freemason, which was held by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, in the Masonic Temple, Philadelphia, November 5, 1902, he delivered the oration on "Washing- ton as a Freemason." He is a vestryman and treasurer of St. Stephen's Episcopal church, Harrisburg, and a deputy to the diocesan convention; he was assistant secre- tary of the convention of the. diocese of cen- tral Pennsylvania in 1887 and 1888, and is president of the church club of the diocese.

Leroy J. Wolfe, born in York county, Sep- tember 18, 1858, was educated in the public schools, the York academy and university of Pennsylvania (class of 1881). He read law with John A. Burtin, Esq., in Philadel- phia and was admitted to the Dauphin coun-

ty bar, 1881. IIe is a member of the bars of the state Appellate courts and of the United States Supreme court. For several years he has been associated in practice with Charles L. Bailey, Jr., under the firm name of Wolfe & Bailey, and they have charge of the numerous legal matters of the street rail- way system of Harrisburg and vicinity and represent other large corporations. Mr. Wolfe was for a number of years borough solicitor of the borough of Middletown, where he resided, but for several years he has made his home in Harrisburg. In politi- cal views he is a Republican.

Harmon L. Nissley was born in Landisville, Lancaster county, Pa., August 1, 1851. He attended the public schools, select schools at Manheim and Lancaster and the Millersville State Normal school, where he graduated. He studied law with George H. Irwin, Esq., and took a course at Columbia Law school, New York city, graduating there in 1882. He was admitted to the Dauphin county bar Decem- ber 26, 1882. In politics he is a Republican.

Charles Henry Berger, son of George Berg- ner, a prominent politician and owner of the Harrisburg Telegraph, was born in Harris- burg, October 20, 1853. He received his schooling in the public and private schools, the Harrisburg academy, the Edgehill Colle- giate school and Princeton university, grad- uating from the latter. Mr. Bergner, after graduation, succeeded his father in the man- agement of the Harrisburg Telegraph from August, 1874, to 1881. He was admitted to the Dauphin county bar, March 3, 1883, after a period of study under Col. A J. Herr, and has been in practice since then. Mr. Bergner has acquired a large practice, which extends beyond the borders of his own coun- ty. He has a familiarity with legal princi- ples, and in the application of them brings an unusual amount of what is aptly called "common sense." He is a practical lawyer. Quick of perception, little of advantage to his client escapes him in a trial. He is a

Thos! Hargest

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DAUPHIN COUNTY

forceful and powerful speaker in his method of marshaling and presenting facts, and makes no pretensions to rhetorical embellish- ments. Possessed of a remarkable memory, he never takes notes and rarely forgets or mistakes any testimony offered . during a trial. He is remarkably frank and fair in all dealings with his professional brethren, among whom he is very popular. Mr. Berg- ner has been connected with much important litigation, and is npon one side of nearly all of the election contests recently tried. So- cially, he is a pleasant, genial companion, who enjoys a good joke even at his own expense. IIe is a Republican in politics, with independent tendencies and no alliances. He is an active member of the Dauphin county Bar association, and is a member of the board of examiners of the bar.

Edwin Wallace Jackson was born Novem- ber 1, 1847, in Big Beaver township, Beaver (now Lawrence) county, Pa. He is of unmixed Scotch-Irish ancestry, and was educated at the East New Castle high school and the State Normal school, Edinboro. He read law in Mercer, Pa., under the direction of the fate John A. MeCandless, Esq. He was ad- mitted to the bar and began the practice of law in Mercer, in 1870. He was a member and president of the board of school directors of the borough of Mercer. He represented Mercer county in the house of representa- tives for the years 1875, 1876, 1877 and 1878, during all of which time he was a member and for the last two years chairman of the committee on the judiciary system (general). Ile removed to Harrisburg in April, 1886, where he has since resided, engaged in the practice of law. In July, 1863, he enlisted in Company A. Fifty-fifth Pennsylvania Regiment Militia, and served at Parkersburg, West Virginia, nutil the regiment returned to Pennsylvania to be mustered out. In Sep- tember, 1864, he re-enlisted in Company I, Two Hundred and Twelfth Regiment Penn- sylvama Volunteers, and served until the

close of the Civil war, being discharged June 13, 1865. He is a past commander of post No. 58, G. A. R. of Harrisburg, Pa.

William H. Middleton was born at New- ville, Cumberland county, Pa., January 25, 1861. Ile has lived in Harrisburg since 1863, and was educated in the public schools of Harrisburg and began the study of law under ex-Judge Thomas S. Hargest Septem- ber 1, 1886. He was admitted to the bar October 11, 1887, and elected city solicitor of Harrisburg April, 1892. He was admitted to the Supreme court in the May term of 1893, and was re-elected city solicitor April. 1894. He was admitted to the Supreme court of the United States, October 14, 1895, and has been chairman of the Republican city committee since October, 1898.

Charles L. Bailey, Jr., was born in Harris- burg, June 26, 1864. After a preparatory course at St. Paul's school, Concord, N. H., and at Phillips academy, Andover, Mass .. he finished his schooling at Yale college, graduating in 1886. He regis- tered as a student at law in the office of IIall & Jordan at Harrisburg, and was admitted to the bar October, 1888. Several years ago he entered into a partnership with Leroy J. Wolfe under the name of Wolfe & Bailey. This firm represents the Traction company's interests in and around Harris- burg and several other large corporations. Mr. Baily was appointed upon the organiza- tion of the United States courts for the middle district of Pennsylvania, one of the committee to formulate rules of court. In politics he is a Republican.

Paul A. Kunkel was born September 13, 1864. lle was educated at Harrisburg academy, Yale college and Franklin & Mar- shall college, where he was graduated vale- dietorian, 1886. He studied law with his brother, Hon. George Kunkel, and was ad- mitted to Dauphin county bar October 8, 1888. During the legislative sessions of 1887, 1889 and 1891 he was a correspondent for

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THE BENCHI AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

a number of newspapers throughout the state. As a charter member of the Gover- nor's Troop, N. G. P., he served a complete enlistment, attaining the rank of sergeant. IIe has been for a number of years reporter for Dauphin courts of Pennsylvania county court reports, and as the author of a late work consisting of a digest and treatise on the ballot law of Pennsylvania since 1895. IIe has been solicitor for the borough of Mid- dletown, and was recently appointed assist- ant law examiner on the state board appoint- ed by the Supreme court.

William Milton Hargest, son of Hon. Thomas S. Hargest, also a member of the bar of Dauphin county, was born August 5, 1868, at Winchester, Va. He received his education in the public schools and at the Harrisburg academy, and in 1888 began the study of law under his father as his preceptor. He was admitted to the bar June 17, 1891. Mr. Har- gest is extremely interested in all matters affecting the profession. He was largely in- strumental in the organization of the bar . association of the county and has been its secretary since March, 1900. He is a mem- ber of the state bar association and of the American bar association. On June 15, 1901, he was appointed a member of the board of examiners of the Dauphin county bar, and is the secretary of the board. For a number of years he has served as assistant district attorney of Dauphin county. With his father he associated in practice under the firm name of Hargest & Hargest.

W. Justin Carter was born at Richmond, Va., on May 28, 1866. He was edueated in the public schools of his native state and at Howard university, Washington, D. C. He studied law at the same university and grad- uated with degree of LL. B. on May 30, 1892. In October of the same year he was lieensed as attorney and counsellor-at-law by the Su- preme Court of Virginia, and was subse- quently admitted to the bar of Anne Arundel county, Maryland, and the Supreme Court of

Baltimore, Md. From 1892 to 1894 he was first assistant principal of the Stanton publie school of Annapolis, Md. He was admitted to the bar at Harrisburg, Pa., on March 24, 1894, and has since practiced his profession in this city.

Irvin P. Bowman was born in Jackson township, Dauphin county. He attended the distriet school in winter and worked on the farm during the summer until twenty years of age, when he commenced to teach sehool. Later he attended the Millersville state nor- mal school for a short time and continued teaching district schools until he entered Schuylkill seminary, Fredericksburg, Pa. (now Albright college, Myerstown, Pa.). Here he was a member of the faculty, at the same time taking the Latin seientific eourse and graduating in 1894. Afterwards he reg- istered as a law student with the firm of Hall & Jordan, and was admitted to practice December 16, 1898.

Frank M. Eastman was born at Lynn, Mass., in 1859. He was educated in the com- mon schools of New England, afterwards reading law with his uncle, Hon. T. O. Howe, of Wisconsin, at Washington, D. C., where he attended the Columbian law school. He was admitted to the bar of the Supreme court of the district of Columbia in 1881. He was clerk to the joint committee on the Library of Congress, 1876-79; private secretary to the assistant secretary of the treasury, 1879- 81; United States attorney for the territory of Montana, 1881-83; clerk to the United States senate committee on claims, 1883-85. In 1887 he was appointed to a position in the auditor general's office, at Harrisburg, from which he resigned in 1898 to enter upon the practice of the law at Harrisburg, having been admitted to the bar of Dauphin county October 24 of that year. He is the author of an indexed tariff and a digest of the decis- ions of the treasury department, both pub- lished by the United States government, a work on taxation for state purposes in Penn-

um m. Hargest

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

been in active practice, located at Steelton, Dauphin county, Pa.

James H. Musser was born in Jackson township, Huntingdon county, Pa., on Jan- uary 14, 1844. He attended the common schools, and at the age of sixteen years entered the academy at Pine Grove Mills, Centre county, and left said academy and entered the army on October 21, 1861, and remained in the military service until the close of the war of the Rebellion. He again entered the same academy, and remained there about two years. In the spring of 1867 he entered the office of Messrs. Seott, Brown & Bailey at Huntingdon as a law student, and was admitted to practice on April 12, 1869. In the fall of 1873 he was appointed by the court to act as district attorney dur- ing the protracted illness of H. C. Madden, who had been elected to that office. In Oc- tober, 1885, he removed from Huntingdon to Harrisburg and actively engaged in the insurance business. In October, 1891, he applied to the Dauphin county eourts for admission and was on the 19th of that month admitted, sinee which time he has been in active practice.

Edward H. Wert was born in Gettysburg, Pa., August 10, 1873, and was educated in the public schools of Harrisburg, Pa., and Pennsylvania college, Gettysburg, Pa., from which he graduated in 1895. He studied law with Meade D. Detweiler, and was admitted to the bar March 30, 1898. He served with Company D, Eighth regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in the Spanish-American war.

Lyman D. Gilbert, son of Henry Gilbert, for many years a prominent merchant of the city of Harrisburg, was born at Harrisburg, August 17, 1845. His early education was received in the private school of Prof. Jacob F. Seiler. He entered Yale university and was graduated in the elass of 1865. Imme- diately after graduation he took up the study of law under the HIon, John C. Kunkel, then

the leader of the Dauphin county bar, and after the usual course of study was admitted to the bar of the county August 26, 1868. In 1871 Mr. Gilbert formed a partnership with Wayne MeVeagh and John B. McPher- son, which continued until Mr. MeVeagh left Harrisburg to practice in Philadelphia, and thereafter the partnership continued under the firm name of Gilbert & McPherson until Mr. McPherson became the additional law judge of the Twelfth judicial distriet. In March, 1873, Mr. Gilbert was appointed deputy attorney general of the state by IIon. S. E. Dimmick, who was the first attorney general under the administration of Gover- nor John F. Hartrauft, and, after the death of Mr. Dimmick, he acted as the attorney general during a number of months before a new appointment was made. Mr. Gilbert continued in that office until 1882, when he resigned and resumed his private practice by forming a partnership with John HI. Weiss, Esq., which continued until Mr. Weiss was appointed additional law judge of the Twelfth judicial district in 1898, since which time he has practiced alone.

Mr. Gilbert is not only one of the leaders of the Dauphin county bar but is recognized as in the first rank of the bar of the state.

His practice has been large, lucrative and diversified. His aptitude at quickly grasp- ing every phase of a situation and making the most of it as it presents itself has dis- tinguished him as an eminent trial lawyer. He has a polished diction, a full vocabulary and large faculty of description and force- ful presentation of facts or principles of law, so that either with a jury or before the court his arguments carry conviction. While pos- sessed of oratorical ability of a high order, it is not of the spread-eagle variety. His man- ner is calm, his voice modulated and tone more conversational than declamatory, vet lacks neither foree nor effectiveness.

Mr. Gilbert, both as the law officer of the state and as a private practitioner, has been

ymans Tilbat

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DAUPHIN COUNTY

engaged in much litigation of the most im- portant character and involving the nicest questions of constitutional and corporation law. In 1899 he was the president of the . 1895, entered Dickinson School of Law, Car- state bar association and is now the president lisle, Pa., and graduated from the same in June, 1898, with the degree of LL. B. Was admitted to the bar of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, in June, 1898, to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania May, 1899, to the bar of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, June, 1900, and to the United States Circuit Court for the middle district of Pennsylvania at the time of its organization at Harrisburg, Pa., May 6, 1901. of the Dauphin county bar association, hav- ing been elected in January, 1903. A va- eancy occuring in the autumn of 1903 in the membership of the Supreme Court, Mr. Gil- bert was one of the first to be mentioned for the place, and the members of the Dauphin county bar unanimously urged his appoint- ment and the bars of other counties and lawyers of eminent ability, as well as many influential laymen, made similar requests. In polities he is a Republican and has in presidential campaigns been pressed into serviee in the politieal arena. He has been high in the couneils of the party leaders and mimerons platforms of Republican state con- ventions were from his pen. Ile is counsel for the Pennsylvania Railroad company and numerous other large corporate and eommer- cial interests.

John T. Brady was born at Harrisburg September 14, 1874. He entered the publie schools and the Harrisburg academy. Hc studied law in the office of William B. Lam- berton, Esq., and was admitted to the bar in April, 1896. He is the local counsel for the Philadelphia & Reading Railway company.

Harvey E. Knupp was born in the village of Oberlin, Dauphin county, Pa., January 23, 1871. When he was eight years of age his parents moved on a farm near Oberlin, and he worked on the farm and attended the village schools until at the age of twelve he entered the Steelton Grammar school and graduated from the Steelton High school in June, 1888, at the age of seventeen. In Oe- tober, 1890, entered the Neff College of Ora- tory, Philadelphia, Pa., and at the same time took a special course under Rev. Russel H. Conwell, D. D., at the Temple college, Phila- delphia, Pa., receiving a diploma with the degree of Bachelor of Oratory in June, 1892,

from the latter institution, and graduating with the degree of Master of Oratory in May, 1893, from the former. In October,

I. B. Swartz was born on a farm in lower Swatara township, Dauphin county, Pa., on November 8, 1868. Ile was edueated in the public schools of said township, Millersville and Shippersburg State Normal school and Lebanon Valley college. Read law with John A. Herman, Esq., Harrisburg, Pa. Graduated at Diekinson School of Law June, 1892; was admitted to the Cumberland county courts June 6, 1892, and to the Dau- phin county courts July 12, 1892.

John Fox Weiss, the son of John H. Weiss, the president judge of the courts of Dauphin county, was born in Harrisburg on January 4, 1873. He attended the Misses Tompkin- sons' school in Harrisburg until he was about fifteen years of age, when he entered the Pennsylvania Military academy at Chester, Pa., where he prepared for college. In Sep- tember, 1891, Mr. Weiss entered the freshman class of Princeton college and was a student there when this eollege became Princeton university. He was graduated from this university in June, 1895. During his col- lege course he was elected historian of the class of 1895 and held this office until gradu- ation. In the fall of 1895 Mr. Weiss entered the law offices of Hon. Samuel J. M. MeCar- rell as a law student. He remained under Mr. McCarrell until March 21, 1898, when lic was admitted to the bar of this county, and has sinee been engaged in the praetiee

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

of his profession. In the summer of 1899 he was elected chairman of the Republican county committee, to whieli position he has since been re-elected every year.

Daniel S. Seitz has been a resident of the city of Harrisburg sinee he was four years of age. Ile was educated in the publie schools and at Lafayette college. After graduating he served seven years as elerk and bookkeep- er in the Dauphin Deposit bank of Harris- burg, during which time (Mareh 29, 1892) he was admitted to praetiee law in the courts of Dauphin eounty. He has been regularly admitted to practice before the Superior and Supreme Courts of the state, and in the Cir- euit, Distriet and Supreme Courts of the United States. He served two terms in the eity eouneils, was president of the common branch and has been the solieitor of the eity of Harrisburg sinee the first Monday in May, 1896. He is a member of the Robert Burns Lodge, F. and A. M.

Aaron E. Brandt was born in Laneaster county January 1, 1861. At the age of four years he moved with his parents to Lower Swatara township, Dauphin county, Penn- sylvania, where he still resides. He was edueated in the publie sehools, Airy View academy and Bloomsburg Normal sehool. Taught sehool for six sueeessive terins, dur- ing part of which time he had registered as a law student under James I. Chamberlin, Esq., and was admitted to the bar of Dauphin county April 11, 1887, and has sinee been engaged in practice in said eounty.

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The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 26

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