The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 34

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

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1814, in Canonsburg, Washington county, Pa., in 1829, and while quite young his family removed to Bloomington, Ind. He was graduated from the Indiana State Uni- versity and from the law department of Transylvania university, at Lexington, Ky. He returned to Pennsylvania and registered as a law student with Walter Forward, No- vember 1, 1835, and was admitted April 11, 1837. He practieed in Pittsburgh until Deeember, 1848, when he removed to Alex- andria, Va., but had his office and practiced at Washington, D. C. In the spring of 1863 President Lineoln commissioned him a jus- tiee of the Supreme Court of the Distriet of Columbia, where he served until May, 1885, when he resigned, having passed his seven- tieth year, with over twenty-two years eon- tinuous service on the benel.

At this writing (July, 1903) Judge Wylie is living in ease and quiet at his home, No. 1205 Fourteenth street, Washington, D. C., and the oldest living member of our bar by date of admission.

John F. Beaver came to the bar in West- moreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1833. He was admitted to the Allegheny eounty bar April 12, 1837, on motion of A. W. Foster. Mr. Beaver removed from Westmoreland county to Newton Falls, Ohio, about 1860. He has since been a member of the Ohio State Senate.

Bernard Hogan was registered June 7, 1834; admitted April 13, 1837; preceptor, Thomas Hamilton.

Christian S. Eyster was admitted May 4, 1837, on motion of Wilson MeCandless. He was a member of the state House of Repre- sentatives from Allegheny eounty from 1853 to 1857.

Edgar Bradford Todd, son of Rev. Na- thaniel and Elizabeth Green (Bradford) Todd, was born February 2, 1810, in Wood- bury, Gloucester county, N. J. He was educated by private teachers and eame to the bar in New Jersey. Removing to Pitts-

burgh, he was admitted to the Allegheny county bar June 6, 1837, on motion of Or- lando Metealf. Mr. Todd died March 8, 1877, and was buried in the Allegheny eeme- tery. His death was announced to the courts March 8, 1877, by Robert Woods, Cieero Hasbrouck and Jacob F. Slagle.

Robert Robb was born November 10, 1813, at Muncy, Lycoming county, Pa. He was graduated from Milton academy, then under charge of Rev. David Kirkpatrick, at Milton, Pa. He removed to Pittsburgh in 1835 and registered as a law student July 6, 1835; was admitted July 17, 1837, on motion of his preceptor, Charles Shaler. Mr. Robb died in Allegheny City, September 24, 1884, and was buried in Allegheny cemetery, Pitts- burgh. His death was announced to the eourts September 25, 1884.

William W. Pew was admitted September 4, 1837, on motion of James H. Stewart.

Thomas James Bigham, son of Thomas and Şarah (Christy) Bigham, was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Feb- ruary 12, 1810. He was graduated from Jefferson eollege with the elass of 1835 and studied law at Pittsburgh, Pa., with James Veeeh and Thomas H. Baird; was admitted September 4, 1837, on motion of Walter H. Lowrie. Mr. Bigham was a member of the state House of Representatives from Alle- gheny eounty in 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1862, 1864. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Senate in 1865, 1866, 1867, and was chief of the Pennsylvania bureau of statisties from 1872 to 1875. Mr. Bigham died at his resi- dence on Mt. Washington, Pittsburgh, No- vember 9, 1884, and was buried in the Alle- gheny cemetery, Pittsburgh. His death was announeed to the courts November 10, 1884. by Thomas M. Marshall and David D. Brnee.

Thomas B. Beall was admitted September 26, 1837, on motion of Thomas Livingston.

John Williamson eame to Pittsburgh from Carlisle and was admitted to the Allegheny county bar October 21, 1837, on motion of

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THIE BENCHI AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

Walter H. Lowrie. He returned to Carlisle and died there.

William McCullough Darlington, son of Benjamin and Agnes (Mccullough) Dar- lington, was born May 1, 1815. Ile regis- tered March 19, 1834; was admitted No- vember 18, 1837; preceptor, Riehard Biddle. Mr. Darlington died September 28, 1889. Although a gentleman of culture and marked ability, he did not enter upon a general practice. He gave mueh attention to history, especially local. He compiled and published the following works: "Illus- trative Notes to Journal of Col. John May of Boston," 1788-89; "Christopher Gist's Journals with Notes and Biographies"; "An Appendix of Illustrative Notes to Col. Smith's Narrative of Captivity with the Indians," 1755-59. He colleeted and left one of the largest private libraries in the country at Guyasuta, his home on the Alle- gheny river above Sharpsburg.

Joseph Knox, son of Joseph and Mary (Blair) Knox, was born at Carlisle, Pa., in 1813. He was edueated at Union eollege, Schenectady, N. Y., read law with Jesse Carothers at Carlisle, Pa., and was admitted to the bar there. Removing to Pittsburgh, he was admitted to the Allegheny county bar Deeember 22, 1837, on motion of Wilson MeCandless. He died at Saratoga Springs, N. Y., in 1874, and was buried in the family lot in the old graveyard at Carlisle, Pa. Mr. Knox retired from practice some time before his death. He was a bachelor and made his home at the Monongahela House, Pittsburgh.

Thomas H. Baird was born November 15, 1787, at Washington, Pa., son of Dr. Absa- lom Baird. At cighteen years of age, when a student in the elassical school of David Johnston in Brooke county, Virginia, his father died and he was compelled to leave school. Returning home, he read law with Joseph Pentecost at Washington, and was admitted to the Washington county bar in Mareh, 1808. In October, 1818, he was ap-

pointed judge of the Fourteenth Judicial District, composed of Washington, Fayette, Greene and Somerset counties, and he con- tinued to discharge the duties of this offiee until 1835, when he resigned. In December, 1837, he removed to Pittsburgh and was admitted to the Allegheny eounty bar Janu- ary 2, 1838, on motion of Charles Shaler. Mr. Baird practieed twelve years in Pitts- burgh and retired to his farm near Monon- galicla City. He was the eandidate of the Native American party for judge of the Supreme Court in 1854. He died at the residenee of his son-in-law, Charles Mc- Knight, in Allegheny City, November 22, 1866, and was buried in Washington, Pa., November 25, 1866. Mr. Baird was the author of many pamphlets, addresses, let- ters, ete., on the questions of the day in which he lived.

Cazina Stanislaus Gzowski was admitted January 2, 1838, on motion of William W. Irwin, under suspension of the rules.

John W. Burrell was admitted January 30, 1838, on motion of Wilson McCandless.

Samuel L. Russell was admitted to the Bedford county bar November 29, 1837, and to the bar of Allegheny county, February 1, 1838, on motion of Thomas H. Baird. Hc spent his life mostly at Bedford; was elected to and served in Congress from the Bedford district from March 4, 1853, to Mareh 4, 1855.

Samuel W. Black, son of the Rev. John Black, D. D., of Pittsburgh, Pa., was born September 3, 1816, in Pittsburgh, and was graduated from the Western University of Pennsylvania with the class of 1834. He registered January 5, 1835, and was ad- mitted to the bar April 7, 1838, on motion of Charles S. Bradford; preceptor, Richard Biddle. Mr. Black was associate justice of the territory of Nebraska from April 21, 1857, until February 8, 1859, and was gov- ernor of the same territory from February 8, 1859, to Mareh 22, 1861. He served in

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the war with Mexico in the Second Regi- inent Pennsylvania Infantry, and in the war of the rebellion in the Sixty-seeond Regi- inent Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Ile was killed in the battle of Gaines Mills, in Virginia, June 27, 1862, and buried in the Allegheny cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pa. His death was annonneed to the courts July 12, 1862, by Thomas M. Marshall.

Looking back on the life of Colonel Black, it seems like a meteorie flash. Tenderly reared and earefully educated, he chose the law for his profession, and from its threshold startled all with his eloquenee, wit and mastery of his hearers. His praetiee was principally in the Criminal Court, where, with but little knowledge of the law and less of the faets, he turned the heads of eourts and juries for his elients and the "reasonable doubt" took the place of "eon- viction." The young lawyer, so gifted, was compelled to diseuss politieal questions be- fore the people and his reputation as a pub- lie speaker beeame national. He had the soldier instinet-volunteered and served in the Mexican war and rode out of Pitts- burgh in 1861 at the head of one of the best regiments in the land and laid down his life in battle as cheerfully as he mounted the platform for a politieal speceh. He was brave honest and true.

J. B. Musser was admitted June 20, 1838, on motion of E. Bradford Todd, on eertifi- cate from Armstrong eounty.

Moses Hampton, LL. D., was born near Darlington, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, October 28, 1803, son of Moses Hampton and Hannah Van Natta, formerly of Mendham, N. J. He eommeneed his edu- eation in an academy at Burton, O., and completed it at Washington eollege, where he graduated with the elass of 1824. After leaving college he spent two years as prinei- pal of Lafayette academy at Uniontown, Pa., during which time he eommeneed the study

of law with John M. Austin. Mr. Hampton was admitted to the Fayette county bar in the early part of 1829, and in the same year removed to Somerset county, Pennsylvania, where he was appointed prothonotary of the courts of that county, in which office he served one year, and resigned. He removed to Pittsburgh in 1839, having been admitted to the Allegheny county bar June 20, 1838, on motion of Walter HI. Lowric. He soon at- tained a large practice and a commanding position at the bar. He was cleeted to eon- gress from Pittsburgh district in 1846, and re-elected in 1848, thirtieth and thirty-first sessions. He was elected president judge of the District court of Allegheny eoun- ty in 1853, and was re-eleeted in 1863, and after twenty years' serviee on the bench he retired in January, 1874. In 1867 the degree of LL. D. was eonferred upon him by the Western university of Pennsyl- vania. He was a member of and had been for many years a ruling elder in the Presby- terian church at Wilkinsburg.

Judge Hampton died June 24, 1878, at his home, Hampton Place, Wilkinsburg, aged seventy-four years seven months and twenty-six days. He was buried in the Al- legheny cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pa. His death was announeed to the courts on June 25, 1878, by Thomas M. Marshall and Rob- ert Woods.

In person Judge Hampton was a man of fine presenee, impressive in speeel or silence, action or repose. His self-control was a marked trait; no one eould throw him off his balanee. As a speaker before juries or the people he was well-nigh invulnerable. He had not the eloquenee, wit, repartee and dash of his contemporaries, MeCandless, Black and Darragh, but in elear, masterly statement and argument he was the peer at least of the best of them, and seldom lost his cause. This trait followed him to the bench, where in the clearest and plainest

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English he led his juries up to the very question they had to deeide.

His private life was without reproach, and filled with activities in many direetions.

In early life he and the Hon. Jeremiah S. Black were competitors at the Somerset bar. After Judge Hampton came to the beneh of the District court of Allegheny county, there was an important and difficult ease tried be- fore him. In going over very many knotty points, in his charge to the jury he made one error, and the ease was taken to the Supreme court, of which his old friend Judge Blaek was then a member.

In reviewing the ease Judge Blaek la- mented that the complicated ease which had been tried so well must be reversed for the one error, adding that it was merely one of the "mistakes of Moses." In those days "Ingersoll's Mistakes of Moses" were in the mouths and ears of everybody. When the case was retried and Judge Hampton eame to the controverted point, he remarked that at the former trial he had been overruled on that point by the Supreme court, and then proceeded to charge as suggested by the higher court, adding : "And now I trust that we will have no more 'Lamentations from Jeremiah.' "

James Dunlop was admitted October 27, 1838, on motion of William W. Irwin. He was the author of "Dunlop's Digest," and was a member of the state constitutional convention of 1837-38.

A. J. Durboraw was admitted October 27, 1838, on motion of James Dunlop.

John A. Bowman was registered April 8, 1836, and admitted October 30, 1838, on mo- tion of his preceptor, William O'Hara Rob- inson.

James W. Buchanan was born January 9, 1814, at Chambersburg, Pa., and was gradu- ated from Harris academy in that eity. He

read law with Thomas J. MeCullough at Chambersburg and admitted there. Remov- ing to Pittsburgh, he was at first emloyed in the office of the register and recorder under his unele, Thomas Welsh, who then held those offiees. He was admitted to the Allegheny county bar November 19, 1838, on motion of Thomas Williams. Mr. Buchanan died Sep- tember 4, 1854, at Pittsburgh, and was buried with his wife in St. Clair cemetery, Greensburg, Pa. His death was announeed to the courts and in the Supreme Court September 15, 1854, by Charles Shaler.

J. P. Anderson was admitted November 28, 1838, on motion of Benjamin Patton, Jr.

Thomas MacConnell was born February 17, 1805, in Deer township, Allegheny county, Pa., son of Thomas and Mary (Watt) MaeConnell. He was educated in the common schools of the country and in carly life was a elerk in the prothonotary's offiee under James Logan. On the death of Mr. Logan, Mr. MacConnell was depu- tized by the court January 6, 1838, to dis- charge the duties of the office of the pro- thonotary until a sueeessor to the deceased prothonotary should be appointed by the governor and qualified. He registered June 6, 1836, as a law student with Robert Burke, and was admitted December 15, 1838, on motion of Edward Simpson. Mr. MaeConnell was a member of the convention which framed the state constitution of 1874. He died at his home in Pittsburgh, December 22, 1882, and was buried in the Allegheny cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pa. His death was announeed to the courts on the day of its oecurrenee by John Barton.

Thomas Mellon, son of Andrew and Re- beeea (Wauchob) Mellon, was born Febru- ary 3, 1813, at Castleton, county Tyrone, Ireland. The family emigrated to the United States and settled near Murrysville, West- moreland county, Pa., in 1818. His eduea-

m. Hampton

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tion was eommeneed in the country schools, the Westmoreland academy and the Latin school of the Rev. Jonathan Gill in the neighborhood of his father's farm. He was graduated from the Western University of Pennsylvania with the elass of 1837. He registered September 1, 1835, and was ad- mitted December 15, 1838, on motion of Edward Simpson; preceptors, Benjamin Patton, Jr., and Charles Shaler.

Mr. Mellon practiced until 1859, when he was elected a law judge of the Courts of Common Pleas, Orphans' Court and Crimi- nal Court of Allegheny county. He served from the first Monday of December, 1859, to the first Monday of December, 1869, when he retired and went into the banking busi- ness with his sons in this city.

For obvious reasons we have refrained from remarks on living members of our bar, outside of the mere record. But there is a strong temptation to break over when con- sidering the life of one who is running in the nineties, one whose life has been a marked suecess, professionally and in busi- ness. A careful study of Judge Mellon and his work induces us to remark that his suc- cess as a lawyer, a business man, a banker, is attributed to his clear pereeption.

Be the problem one of law or finanee, Judge Mellon has always had the elear per- ception which led to success in his profession and in the world of finance.

Robert Quigley was admitted December 24, 1838, on motion of John Williamson.

Josiah M. Craig registered April 15, 1836, and was admitted December 24, 1838, on motion of his preceptor, Charles Shaler.

Henry Clay Moorhead was admitted De- eember 29, 1838, on motion of Benjamin Patton, Jr., on certificate from Cumberland county. His death was announced to the courts Mareh 4, 1861, by Charles Shaler.

Alexander Hamilton Miller was born Jan- uary 13, 1815, at Uniontown, Fayette county, Pa., son of John and Rebecca (Beeson)

Miller. He was graduated from Madison college, Uniontown, Pa., read law with Moses Hampton at Somerset, Pa., and was admitted to the bar there in his twenty-first year. He was district attorney of Somerset county. Mr. Miller removed to Pittsburgh and was admitted to the Allegheny county bar Jan- mary 2, 1839, on motion of Moses Hampton. He died at Pittsburgh, September 4, 1887, and was buried in the Allegheny cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Mr. Miller was a brother of Mrs. Moses Hampton. The families removed from Som- erset to Pittsburgh in 1838. Miller and Hampton being partners until Mr. Hampton went to Congress in 1846, afterwards Mr. Miller's practice was alone.

Although a man of earnest convietions and pronouneed opinions he refused political preferment and devoted himself to his pro- fession with an absolute and exclusive re- gard, confining himself to the civil side of the court, and few more successful practi- tioners ever praeticed at the Bar of Alle- gheny county, and yet no one was so seldom heard in the court rooms, though he was a student, thinker and worker, his office being almost literally his home, as for many years he could be found there from morn till mid- night.

At the meeting of the Bar of Allegheny eounty, held on the 8th day of September. 1887, in commemoration of the death of Mr. Miller, resolutions were passed, a part of which is as follows: Real estate transac- tions of enormous magnitude were con- ducted by him, and for nearly half a century the Orphan's Court records have been more than familiar with his name and labor.

He was the most practical of men in the best sense of that term, which means he had exaet and thorough knowledge, and applied it to its proper objeet.

Ilis exaetness and rigorous demand of right doing made him seem to many close and hard, but it was not so.

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THE BENCHI AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

What he demanded of others he did, and in the hours of relaxation which he permit- ted to himself at home or abroad, no more liberal, kind and generous gentleman min- gled in our eonverse, and made it bright with his caustic wit, and happy with his genial humor.

In all that record of professional and pri- vate life no blot ean be found; honor and truth in his relation to his elients, to his op- ponents, to his brethren of the Bar, will not simply be coneeded, but most heartily and sincerely proffered.

Such he was to us-to those who knew him in the inner sanctuary of his life, in his home amidst his family and elosest friends.

It would be impossible to exaggerate the liberality, gentleness and large indulgenee as a friend, father and husband.

What he was and attained could be said more justly than often happens to be the fruit of his own gifts-industry and honor- able ambition.

We honor ourselves when we honor him, and benefit our own life and labor by emulat- ing and imitating the virtues which made his life useful, and will keep his memory hon- ored and remembered in our annals.

Mr. Miller was 'an extensive. reader, the subjeets he took the most delight in, how- ever, were eivil history and biography, but particularly the History of Western Penn- sylvania. It ean truthfully be stated that few if any had the knowledge he had of the written and unwritten history of Western Pennsylvania.

During the last few years of his life, ow- ing to lameness, he was compelled to remain mueh at his home, and though removed from being an aetive participant in the world's af- fairs, he was a zealous observer thereof, and kept himself in elose touch with the marvel- ous progress of his eountry and all matters pertaining thereto.

His memory was remarkable, and it was a subjeet of great marvel to law students

that at the age of seventy years he could re- peat Blackstone's definitions verbatim, so many years having elapsed since he had memorized them. His memory was also as retentive in all his reading and business af- fairs, and one eould scarcely ask him a ques- tion concerning either, no matter how re- mote, but one would receive a correct and exhaustive answer.

Henry Slaymaker Magraw, son of the Rev. James Magraw, D. D., and Rebekah (Coehran) Magraw, was born December 17, 1815, at West Nottingham, Ceeil eounty, Md. He was educated at West Nottingham aead- emy, studied law at Laneaster, Pa., with John R. Montgomery, and was admitted to the Lancaster county bar Deeember 1, 1838. Removing to Pittsburgh, he was admitted to the Allegheny eounty bar February 4, 1839, on motion of Henry W. Van Amringe. Mr. Magraw was deputy attorney general for Allegheny eounty and also was elected treas- urer of the state of Pennsylvania by the General Assembly in 1856, and re-elected in 1857 and again in 1858. After serving three terms as state treasurer, he engaged in busi- ness, but soon abandoned it and resumed the praetiee of the law at Washington, D. C .. where he died December 1, 1867. He was buried in the cemetery of the Presbyterian ehureh at West Nottingham, Md., of which church his father had been pastor for many years.

William Wallace registered December 19, 1836. He was admitted February 9, 1839, on motion of Charles S. Bradford: pre- eeptor, James Veeeh.

Daniel F. Miller was born October 4, 1814, in Allegheny eounty, Maryland. He received an academie education, studied law at Pitts- burgh and was admitted Mareh 25, 1839, on motion of William W. Irwin. Later on Mr. Miller removed to Iowa and was a member of the territorial House of Representatives. He was elected to Congress from Iowa in 1848, and served one term. He was a mem-

ALEXANDER H. MILLER.

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ber of the lowa electoral college in the presidential election of 1856.

James M. Duncan registered December 1, 1837, and was admitted April 1, 1839, on motion of Joseph Knox; preceptor, Thomas Livingston.

George P. Hamilton registered June 1, 1836, and Deeember 10, 1837. Ile was ad- initted May 11, 1839, on motion of Charles S. Bradford; preceptors, John S. Brady and Richard Biddle. Mr. Hamilton died in Philadelphia, November 23, 1882, aged sixty- four years. He was buried in the Allegheny cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pa. His death was announeed to the courts November 24, 1882, by Marshall Swartzwelder.

Mr. Hamilton was a leader in the trial of heavy eases on the eivil side of the courts, in which he seldom failed. Hard study and unwearied research in the preparation and trial of his cases broke him mentally and physically, compelling him to retire for a rest. Believing himself well again, he re- turned to his work, but soon again he had to retire and died from overwork.

Timothy John Fox Alden was born in Portsmouth, N. II., and was admitted Jan- uary 22, 1840, on motion of A. W. Foster. He died August 1, 1856, aged fifty-four years, and was buried in the Allegheny cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pa. His death was announced to the courts August 2, 1856, by Charles Shaler.

John McNeill was admitted March 7, 1840, on motion of T. J. Fox Alden.

George F. Gillmore was born in New Hampshire in 1812. He located at Pitts- burgh in 1835 and organized the first publie schools in that city under the common school law. Afterwards he taught two years in the Western University of Pennsylvania. He was admitted Mareh 14, 1840, on motion of Walter H. Lowrie; preceptor, Walter For- ward. Mr. Gillmore was a member of the state House of Representatives in 1853 and at the same time owned and edited the

Pittsburgh Post. He was the Democratic candidate for president judge against Wil- liam B. MeClure in 1851, but was defeated. He died at Pittsburgh, February 27, 1879, and was buried in the Allegheny cemetery. His death was announeed to the courts Feb- ruary 28, 1879, by Samuel A. MeChing.

Charles H. Higby was admitted April 7, 1840, on motion of Thomas J. Bigham.

J. K. Henderson was admitted June 15, 1840, on motion of Joseph Knox.

William Eliphalet Austin, son of John Morse and Priseilla (Stevens) Austin, was born at Uniontown, Fayette county, Pa., March 13, 1817. lle was educated at Madi- son college, Uniontown, and Washington college, Washington, Pa. He studied law with his father at Uniontown, and after eom- pleting the course with his father, being too young for admission, he spent some time in the office of Jeremiah S. Blaek at Somerset, principally engaged in the study of German. He was admitted to the Fayette county bar January 4, 1838; afterwards removed to Pittsburgh and was admitted to the Alle- gheny county bar July 6, 1840, on motion of Walter Forward. Mr. Austin died at Pitts- burgh, December, 1850, and was buried in the Allegheny cemetery. His death was an- nouneed to the courts December 6, 1850, by Cornelius Darragh.

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The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 34

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