The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 7

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 7

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Mr. Van Etten is a Republican in his po- litical opinions, but has never taken any part in political affairs, except to perform his duty as a good eitizen, his profession having furnished ample opportunities for the grati- fication of his highest ambitions. He has never sought or desired political honors, and except serving seven years as school director in the borough of Milford, he has never held office of any kind.

He is known as a public spirited and en- terprising eitizen, always interested in what- ever pertains to the welfare of his city or community, and in 1895 established the "Pike County Press," a weekly newspaper, which he has sinee regularly edited and pub- lished.

651

UNION COUNTY

BY SAMUEL H. ORWIG

Union county was erected March 22, 1813, out of that part of Northumberland county lying west of the Susquehanna river and the west branch of the same, and was by the same act of assembly declared to belong to the Eighth judicial district, consisting then of the counties of Northumberland and Ly- coming.

The first court was held at Mifflinburg on the 14th day of February, A. D., 1814, with Hon. Seth Chapman, president judge of the Eighth district, presiding.

THE JUDGES.

Seth Chapman, resigned in 1834.

Ellis Lewis, appointed in 1834, resigned in 1843.

Abraham S. Wilson. appointed in 1843, died in 1861.

Samuel S. Woods, elected in 1861, died in 1871.

Joseph C. Bucher, elected in 1871 to 1891.

Harold M. McClure, elected in 1891, re- elected 1901.

LAWYERS.

At the first court held at Mifflinburg in 1814, E. G. Bradford, Samuel Hepburn, Charles Maus, Ebenezer Greenough, Will- iam Irvin, John Lashells, Ethan Baldwin, Charles Hall, George A. Frick, Alem Marr and Hugh Bellas, all distinguished lawyers from other counties, were admitted to prac- tice in the new county. Of these one only. John Lashells, located at New Berlin, the new county seat, survives. Later came James Merrill, Robert Swineford, Joseph Casey, Isaac Slenker, Absolem Swineford,

David W. Woods, and Charles Merrill. learned lawyers of the old school and men of marked ability.

In 1855 Union county was divided by the erection of Snyder county out of the south- ern half of Union, and the county seat was then located at Lewisburg.

From 1855 to the close of the century the lawyers who gained more or less distinction at the bar are :

James F. Linn, who was admitted at the March term in 1826, and died October 8, 1879.

George F. Miller, admitted at May term, 1834, and died in 1885.

William Van Gezer, admitted in 1843 and died in 1884.

John B. Linn. admitted in 1851 and died in 1899.

J. Merrill Linn. admitted in 1854 and died in 1897.

Andrew H. Dill, admitted in 1860 and died in 1891.

Charles S. Wolfe, admitted in 1868 and died in 1891.

Ex-Judge Joseph C. Bucher, Samuel H. Orwig, Alfred Hayes, J. T. Baker, Andrew A. Leiser and William R. Follmer. The last named is the present county solicitor.

There are twenty or more members of the bar resident in the county engaged in pur- suits other than the practice of the law.

From 1855 to 1891 the issue lists annually contained from 200 to 300 cases for trial. In recent years the lists average scarcely half a dozen cases a year, and it frequently happens that there is not a civil cause for trial at several successive terms of court.

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

Settlements are more favored by counsel and clients than trials.

Union county has a population of about 17,000. The territory embraces Buffalo, White Deer and Dry valleys, an agricultural paradise.

John Blair Linn was born in Lewisburg, Pa., October 15, 1831. He was admitted to the practice of law in 1851 and for many years practiced his profession. He was the author of "Annals of Buffalo Valley," "Pennsylvania Archives," and "History of Centre and Clinton Counties." He died in 1899.

James Merrill Linn was born in Lewis- burg, Pa., October 17, 1833. He was ad- mitted to the bar in 1854 and was actively engaged in his profession until his death. During the Civil war he bore a commission as second lieutenant in the Fourth Pennsyl- vania regiment; later was commissioned cap- tain in the Fifty-first regiment, and subse- quently served on the staffs of various gen- erals. In 1871 he received a commission as judge advocate with the rank of major in the Eighth division of the Pennsylvania Na- tional Guard. He died in Lewisburg, Pa., February 23, 1897.

Joseph Casey was born in Maryland. He came to Pennsylvania and located in Union county. He was a representative in Con- gress from Pennsylvania from 1849 to 1851; and in 1863 was appointed a judge of the court of claims.

George F. Miller was born in Chillisqua- que, Pa., September 5, 1809. He was secre- tary of the Lewisburg university in Penn- sylvania, and was elected, in 1864, a repre- sentative from Pennsylvania to the Thirty- , ninth Congress; and re-elected to the For- tieth Congress.

Alem Marr served as a representative in Congress from Pennsylvania from 1829 to 1831.

Judge James Pollock was much more a man of affairs than a man of the law. Al-

ways a genial and courteous gentleman, he was popular among all sorts and conditions of men; and whether at the bar or on the bench, or in the various walks of business or social life, his natural urbanity never for- sook him. He was the son of William Pol- lock and Sarah, his wife, who was the daughter of Fleming Wilson, and was born in the borough of Milton and Northumber- land county, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 1810. His first school teacher was Jo- seph B. Anthony, afterwards president judge of the judicial district, and who was succceded by his pupil. He was next under the care of Rev. David Kirkpatrick, thence to Princeton college, where he graduated with the highest honors in September, 1831. He entered the office of Samuel Hepburn as a student at law and was admitted to practice in November, 1833. He opened an office in Milton, and in 1835 he was appointed dis- trict attorney for Northumberland county, which office he held for three years. He was married on the 19th day of December, 1837, to Miss Sarah Ann, daughter of Sam- uel Hepburn, Esq.

Judge Pollock was a Whig in politics, but in 1844 he was elected to Congress from the Thirteenth district, then strongly Demo- cratic, and was twice re-elected. He was a prominent and influential member of the Twenty-cighth, Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth Congresses, and his speeches and votes clear- ly disclosed his views on all subjects under consideration. In 1850 he was appointed president judge of the Eighth judicial dis- triet of Pennsylvania, composed then of the counties of Northumberland, Montour, Co- lumbia, Lycoming and Sullivan. He held the office until the amendment of the consti- tution, requiring the election of judges by the people, came into operation. He de- clined a nomination for the position, left the bench and resumed the practice of the law. On his returning from the bench, the mem- bers of the bar of the respective counties

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UNION COUNTY

unanimously passed resolutions highly com- plimentary to him as a man and judge. In 1854 he was nominated and elected governor of Pennsylvania by a large majority, and was inaugurated in January, 1855. This was during the ascendancy of the "Know- Nothings," and he declined a renomination. At the expiration of his official term he re- sumed the duties of his profession.

In 1860 he was appointed by Governor Curtin a delegate to the "Peace Congress," which was held in Washington, D. C., in Feb- ruary and March, 1861. In May, 1861, he was appointed by President Lincoln director of the mint, at Philadelphia, and resigned October 1, 1866. In 1869 President Grant reappointed hin director of the mint, which office he held till 1879, when he was ap- pointed naval officer by President Hayes, and he served till July, 1883. In 1885 he was appointed federal chief supervisor of elections. He died in Lock Haven, Clinton county, Pa., April 19, 1890.

Hon. Harold M. McClure, Lewisburg, who has held the office of president judge of the Seventeenth district since 1891, is one of the youngest judges in the state, but his acute and well disciplined mind places him among the best of our able judiciary, and his de- cisions are marked by sound logic and a thorough knowledge of precedents. Judge McClure is a native of Union county. Hc was born in Lewisburg, August 8, 1859, but his boyhood was mainly spent in Northum- berland, and he attended the public schools of that town. In 1871 he returned to Lewis- burg and took a course in the Bucknell uni- versity, graduating in 1877 with the degree of A. B., to which he added, in 1880, Mas- ter's degree. He was always an ardent par- ticipant in athletic sports, and while a stu- dent at the university, his unusual skill as a ball player attracted the attention of the managers of professional teams, and brought to him tempting offers to aeeept engage- ments, At this time an inviting salary was

of great consideration, promising the means of aiding him in his law studies. He en- tered the professional rank with John M. Ward, playing with the Athletics of Phila- delphia, Binghamton, Syraeuse, Rochester and Boston clubs. He was at the time re- garded as one of the best catchers and ac- curate throwers in the country; always re- maining cool and deliberate in the most ex- citing games. After traveling over a large part of the United States, including the Pa- cific coast, he left the field and commenced his preliminary course at Sunbury, Pa., and in June, 1881, was admitted to the bar. He at once began the practice of law at Sun- bury, three years being spent with his pre- ceptor before he opened an office of his own. His abilities commanded recognition from the first, and in 1891, as has been said, he was elected president judge, which position he filled so efficiently as to warrant a re- election in November, 1901, which he ob- tained by a large majority. The admiration gained by his mental ability is augmented by his high character as a man of pure life and correct ideals, and his popularity is not limited to any class. The contest preceding his first election to the bench was in many respects the most remarkable one. Called from Northumberland county, in another district, to fill a place on the Republican ticket, made vacant by the withdrawal of a candidate, facing discouragement on all sides, from the active politicians and an al- most unanimous partisan press, both Demo- cratic and Republican, due to the belief that the task was a hopeless one, Judge McClure entered the field, placing his sole reliance upon his faith in the people who said they wanted a candidate. The result demon- strated how skillfully he managed his canı- paign, and how well his confidence had been placed. After a contest that has become part of the political history of central Penn- sylvania, he defeated his opponent and re- versed a Demoeratie majority in the judicial

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

district of 2,199, received by Judge Bucher ten years before, to a majority of 406 for himself. The faith the people had in Judge McClure as reported at the polls of this memorable contest has been vindieated in the most satisfactory and gratifying man- ner. They have found in him a dignified and upright man, though modest and affable, while his able and impartial de- cisions and prompt dispateh of business meets and exceeds the expectations of those most ardent in their advocacy of his elee- tion.

The judge was married in June, 1890, to Miss Margaret Focht, of Lewisburg. Two children, James F. and Margaret, make their home merry.

The McClure family became identified with the Virginia colony at a very early period, but the judge's great-grandfather, Roan McChire, left the Old Dominion in 1790, and settled in what is now Union county, Pennsylvania, on Buffalo creek, two miles from Lewisburg, where his remaining years were spent in farming. His son, James, the judge's grandfather, married a widow, Mrs. Maria Flanagan Lyndall, who already had four children, Stephen, Henry, Joseph and Sarah. James and Maria Mc- Clure reared a family of six children. Roan, Riehard and Edward all went to California in the early days. Roan returned and is now living near Ames, Iowa. Riehard and Ed- ward died there. James C. was our sub- ject's father. Elizabeth, now deceased, in- termarried with Ogden Vorse, of Lewis- burg; Maria, who married Horace Nichols, resides near Ames, Iowa.

James C. McClure was born March 20, 1830. Hc early engaged in the mercantile business, changed to lumbering, and is now an anthracite coal operator in the Lackawanna region. His wife, Glorvina (Elder), who was a daughter of Joshua D. Elder and Eliza (Murray) former residents of Harrisburg, Pa,, died in Scranton, May 2, 1898, at the

age of sixty-four years, and was buried in Lewisburg eemetery. She was a brilliant, gifted and charming woman, with rare mu- sical talent, of broad eulture and intellectual attainments. Of the two children who sur- vived, the judge is the elder. The younger, Maria Flanagan, married Frank B. Garvin, of Marshalltown, Iowa, and has two daugh- ters, Ella and Edna.

David H. Getz, Lewisburg, an active prae- titioner, was born in October, 1844, in Lau- caster county, Pennsylvania. William and Frances, his parents, were both natives of Pennsylvania, and of German descent. Hans Groff, the grandfather, on his mother's side, came from Germany to the United States in 1695, loeating in Pennsylvania. Our sub- jcet's parents removed to Union county in 1862. Mr. Getz was educated in the public sehools of Lebanon eounty and the Lebanon Valley institute, and after coming to Union county attended the Lewisburg university. He studied law with the Hon. C. S. Wolfe, of Lewisburg, and was admitted to the Union county bar in 1875; has sinee been engaged in the general practice of his profession. A Republiean in politics, Mr. Getz was elected distriet attorney for Union county in 1879, serving three years. He was later appointed to the same office to fill vacaney, at the ex- piration of which he was, in 1892, re-elected for another term of three years. He is sec- retary of the Republican county committee, a thirty-second degree Mason and a Knight Templar. He enlisted from Lewisburg in 1863 in Company H, Fifty-first Pennsylvania Volunteer infantry, serving in the army of the Potomac until the close of the war. IIas served two terms as commander of the G. A. R. post at Lewisburg. At Watsontown, Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, No- vember 20, 1884, he was united in marriage to Miss Ida M. Handley. To this union have been born one daughter, Frances, and one son, Frederiek. both of whom are living, and one daughter, Helen, deceased,

655

UNION COUNTY

Hon. Joseph Casper Bucher, is the second son of Rev. John Casper Bucher, D. D. His father was born in Dauphin county, Penn- sylvania, near Harrisburg. His aneestors emigrated to this eountry about the time of the Revolution, and settled in eastern Penn- sylvania. He received a thorough elassieal education and entered the ministry of the Reformed ehureh, in which he served for alinost sixty years. He was prominent in the couneils of the ehureh, and a preacher of conspicuous ability. . He was a resident minister of the Reformed church at Middle- town, Frederick eounty, Maryland, on Jan- uary 28, 1836, when his son, Joseph, the sub- ject of this sketeh, was born.

When Joseph was six years of age, the father accepted the pastorate of the Re- formed church at Reading, Pa., where he remained a number of years. While at Read- iug, the son beeame a pupil of Father Kelly, an ex-Catholic priest of some celebrity, as teacher. Upon the removal of the father to Mercersburg, the son entered the prepara- tory department of Marshall eollege, located there. In 1853. during his collegiate course. the institution was removed to Lancaster. Pa., and united with the Franklin eollege, under the name of "Franklin and Mar- shall." There the subject of this sketeh completed his collegiate course, and grad- nated in 1855 with one of the highest honors of his class. The valedictory ora- tion was assigned to him, and his address delivered on commencement day bore ample testimony that he was worthy of the honor. it being delivered with a power and elo- quence that raised the enthusiasm of the audience to the highest pitel. After grad- uation, he spent one year as principal of an academy in Maryland, and then commeneed the study of the law in the office of Hon. Isaac Slenker, of New Berlin, Union county, Pennsylvania. He was admitted to the Union eounty bar in 1858 and went into partnership with his preceptor. Mr. Slenker

was an eminent lawyer and had an exten- sive practice. He had the confidenee of his clientage and the community at large. IIe was deputy attorney general from 1830 to 1835, and a member of the State Senate from 1835 to 1838. In 1861 he was the Demo- cratic candidate for president judge of the Twentieth judicial distriet. At the general eleetion he received a majority of the home vote but was defeated by an army vote not then authorized by law. In 1862 Mr. Slenker was elected auditor general on the Demo- cratic ticket. With such a friend, preceptor and partner, Joseph C. Bueher entered upon his professional career under most favorable auspices. In 1859 he was nominated for district attorney for Union county on the Democratic ticket, and was eleeted in the fall of that year. He discharged the duties of the office with fidelity and abil- ity. On the 20th of November, 1861, he was married to Mary Ellen, daughter of Hon. John Wells, and granddaughter of Gen. Abbott Green.

When Mr. Slenker entered upon his duties as auditor general, the partnership of Slenker & Bueher was dissolved, and Mr. Bueher removed to Lewisburg, where he opened a law office. His practice was exten- , sive and varied, but was eonfined principally to the counties of Union and Snyder, though he frequently tried eauses elsewhere. In his profession he was singularly sueeessful, hav- ing very many of the best traits of an ad- vocate. He attained a superficial knowledge of the German language, whilst at college, and during his residenee at New Berlin, ae- quired the habit of speaking it with fluency. and that was the "patois" of Snyder eoun- ty, especially of the west end. Ilis manner was hearty and cordial; he was easy of ac- cess, had a quiek, bright apprehension and a very retentive memory; had the faculty of gathering facts and spreading them in narration, grouped with graphie power. His voice was loud and clear; his expression

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

without hesitation, and of sueh confidenec that it would earry eonvietion. Then, be- sides, le mingled freely with the people. He knew most every one in the counties, their history, character, etc., so that his jurors and his knowledge of law, to teach them was rarely amiss.

In 1871 lie was made the Democratic judge of the Twentieth judicial district, com- posed of the counties of Union, Snyder and Mifflin, against Hon. Samuel S. Woods, of Mifflin county, the incumbent of the offiee. In politics he has always been an aetive Democrat; his voiee has been heard with no uncertain sound in support of the prineiples of his party, in almost every schoolhouse in the counties of Union and Snyder. He was elected in the face of a large adverse politieal majority.

Judge Bucher entered upon the duties of his office in December, 1871, and earried with him to the beneh the same energy, quiek and ready apprehension, incisive, yet full way of expression that had characterized him as a lawyer, and became an able judge, conducting the business of the court withi dispatch. His decisions were well sustained by the Supreme Court, and at the close of his term, he had the confidenee of the people as well as of the bar. He was a candidate

for re-election in 1881, and defeated his eom- petitor J. Merrill Linn. At the end of his sec- ond term of ten years, he was again the nomi- nee of his party in 1891, and was defeated by Harold M. McClure. After his retire- ment from the beneh he opened an office at Sunbury, retaining his residence and office at Lewisburg and resumed the praetiee of law in all its branehes, criminal and eivil. In July, 1892, he sueeeeded the late Hon. John B. Packer, as solieitor of the Pennsyl- vania railroad, the N. C. R. R., Philadelphia & Erie railroad, the Pennsylvania Canal company, the B. H. & W. R. R., the Mineral Railroad and Mining company and other affiliated companies. On June 27, 1894, Judge Bueher received the nomination from the Demoeratie party for congressman at large, but owing to professional engage- ments, declined the nomination. Since his return to the bar, he has demonstrated that his judieial eareer of twenty years, instead of diminishing his eapacity as a trial lawyer. has only increased it. He is now the last surviving member of the original board of direetors of the Lewisburg Railroad and Wagon Bridge company ; he is a director of the Lewisburg National bank and a member of the board of trustees of the Lewisburg .. Presbyterian chureh.

A. S. Johnston

CAMBRIA COUNTY

657

CAMBRIA COUNTY

Hon. Robert L. Johnston, Ebensburg, who for nearly fifty years was connected with the Cambria county bar, rose from eompara- tive obseurity to a position of influence and honor in his well-chosen profession.

A native of Franklin township, Hunting- don county, he was born on January 7, 1815. That was before the days of the district school, and his early education was gained from private instruction. Ile was naturally studious, and made good use of such oppor- tunities of study as he had. When a lad of fourteen years, he lost one of his legs by an accident, and this fact became the turning point in his life, and he determined to fit himself for the legal profession, not- withstanding his shorteomings and the ob- stacles in his way. In 1839, when twenty- four years old, he removed to Cambria eoun- ty and began the study of law with the late Daniel Maghean, a lawyer of large praetiee and high repute, at Ebensburg. He was ad- initted to the bar in 1841, and from that time till his deeease, which occurred on Octo- ber 28, 1890, his life was devoted to his chosen and loved profession.

He was a Demoerat in politieal sentiment, and in 1845 was elected county treasurer, serving one term, and in 1851 he was elected prothonotary of the county. He was the Democratie candidate for Congress in 1864 and again in 1866, but the distriet, being largely Republican, he failed of eleetion.

Mr. Johnston was elected president judge of the Cambria county court of connnon pleas in the fall of 1883, and on the 7th of the following January, being his sixty-nintlr birthday, took his seat on the beneh, and,

until his death, filled this office faithfully, fearlessly, impartially and ably.

As a lawyer, Judge Johnston was widely known for his thorough knowledge of the law and his skill in the trial and manage- ment of a ease, while as a judge he had the confidenee and respeet of all.

Judge Jolinston was twiee married. His first wife, whom lie married on October 13, 1842, was Eveline, nee, Rodrigue. Their only child, now dcecased, was the wife of Mr. John Seanlan. Judge Johnston's see- ond wife was Mrs. Mary Glass, by whom he had one son.

Hon. Augustine V. Barker was born June 20, 1849, in Lovell, Oxford county, Maine. Ile was prepared for college in various academies in Maine. In 1868 he entered Dartmouth college, from which well known institution he graduated in 1872, with the degree of A. B., receiving the degree of A. M., from the same institution in 1875. After finishing his college course, he entered as a student in the office of Judge E. W. Evans, of Chicago, and later in the office of Shoe- maker & Sechiler, of Ebensburg, and was admitted to Cambria county bar August, 1874, and in 1875 to practice before the Su- preme court of Pennsylvania, and in 1876 to the United States Cireuit and Distriet courts. He practieed his profession with un- usual success until 1890, when he was ap- pointed by Governor James A. Beaver to fill vacaney caused by the death of Judge R. L. Johnston. At the next regular eleetion in the autumn of 1891, he was elected for a full term of ten years.

June 1, 1875, Judge Barker was married to. Miss Kate F., daughter of G. C. K. Zahm.

658

THE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

Hon. Francis J. O'Connor, Johnstown, Pa., the subject of this sketch, though still in the prime of life, has attained to a position at the bar of which he may justly be proud.

Born on a farm in Somerset county, Penn- sylvania, August 11, 1860, to James and Elizabeth (Croyle) O'Connor, he there passed his boyhood, helping in the farm work and attending the district and private schools. He began teaching at an early age, and taught seven terms in the district schools and five terms in the Normal schools of his county, and then entered the law de- partment of Michigan university, where he was graduated in 1884, with the degree of bachelor of laws. He was also admitted to both the Circuit and Supreme Courts of Michigan.

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The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 7

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