The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 8

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

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Returning to Somerset county, young O'Connor spent one year teaching, then on May 4, 1884, after a searching examination was admitted to the Somerset county bar. On November 9, of the following year he was admitted to the bar of Cambria county and removed to Johnstown in the early spring of 1886, where his brother, J. B. O'Connor, also a lawyer, joined him in 1887, and with him formed the firm of O'Connor Brothers, which lasted until 1890, when our subject, having been elected district attorney for Cambria county in the autumn of 1889, entered upon the duties of his office.

In 1894 Mr. O'Connor was elected city so- licitor of Johnstown for a term of two years, and in 1901 was elected president judge of his district for a term of ten years, the Hon. Augustine V. Barker being his competitor, after one of the most memorable judicial campaigns the state has yet known.

On October 28, 1891, Mr. O'Connor mar- ried . Miss Margaret Bailey, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Bailey, of Johnstown.

W. Horace Rose was born November 17, 1838; a son of Allen and Elizabeth (Freame) Rose, Ilis education was obtained in the

common schools of Johnstown, and Elder's Ridge academy in Indiana county. Having lost both his parents, Mr. Rose commenced earning his own living by working in a tan- tery of J. P. McConaughy ; next in a machine shop of S. H. Smith, cutting screws; later he learned the moulder's trade with the firm of Pringle, Rose & Edson. He abandoned this and learned the trade of carpenter with his brother, Wesley J. He afterwards went to Iowa and worked at his trade for one sea- son, returning to Johnstown February 1, 1858, and entered the office of John P. Lin- ton as law student. Mr. Rose was admitted to the bar March 6, 1860. He began the practice of the law in an office built by him- self, and continued to practice in this office until the great flood of 1889. He was ap- pointed by the governor judge advocate of the Third brigade state militia, with rank of major, in April, 1861. The local company to which he belonged as lieutenant, offered his services to the government April 30, 1861, and he went to Camp Curtin, Harris- burg.

On April 29, 1861, he was married to Miss Maggie A. Ramsey. The company was dis- banded, their services were not needed.

Three months later he enlisted in Com- pany I, Fifty-fourth Regiment, Pennsylva- nia volunteers, was soon elected second lieutenant, and on January 31, 1862, became adjutant of General Campbell's brigade. January, 1864, he accompanied Hunter's raid in the Shenandoah valley. The term for which he enlisted having expired, he re- turned to Johnstown and resumed active practice and became one of the leaders of the bar. In 1869 he was elected burgess of the borough for one year, and in 1870 was elected to the state legislature. He was elected district attorney for Cambria county in 1873 for three years, and was re-elected in 1876.

Mr. Rose was severely injured in the Johnstown flood, On May 31, 1889, Mr.

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CAMBRIA COUNTY 1406388

Rose was elected the first mayor for the city of Johnstown and entered upon his duties April, 1890.

Robert S. Murphy, third son of Francis Murphy, whose fame in the field of temper- ance is world known, and Elizabeth Jane Ginn, was born on October 18, 1861, in Louis- ville, Lawrence county, N. Y, and first at- tended school in Portland, Maine. Subse- quently he removed to Fryeburg in the same state for the purpose of enjoying an aca- demic course at Pott's academy, after which he attended schools at Freeport, Sterling and Abbington, Ill; at the latter place be- ing a student at Hedding college. His edu- cation was completed at Pennington, N. J.

In March of 1880, accompanied by his brother, T. Edward, he came to Johnstown, and together they entered the office of Hon. W. Horice Rose as law students. R. S. hav- ing completed his studies, was admitted to the Cambria county bar on June 7, 1883, nd in October, 1885, to the Supreme court of the st 'te. In 1892 he was elected district torney of Cambria county, and in 1895 was re-elected.

F ancis P. Martin, Jr., Johnstown. The sul jet of this sketch is of Irish linenige, and w 's born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylva- ni, March 18, 1856. His parents are Fran- cis P. and Mary J. (MeMenaman) Martin, both of whom are living and reside at Eas- ton. His father, who is of Irish parentage, is a native of Pennsylvania, born at Potts- ville, Schuylkill county. His mother is a native of Ireland, county Donegal.

In early life our subject worked on a farm and picked slate. Later he learned the ma- chinist's trade, and became a locomotive en- gineer, and engaged in railroading, but abandoned that occupation during the strike of 1877. He went to Easton, Pa., in 1869. Improving his opportunities, he acquired a fair English education in the common schools of Tamaque, Schuylkill county, when a boy, and later studied law with Major A.

B. Howell, at Easton. He then attended the academic and law department of Georgetown university at Washington, D. C., where he was graduated in 1883, and admitted to the bar. In the following year he was admitted to the bar at Easton. He was admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court in 1886, and in 1887 to the bar of Cambria county and the Su- preme Court of Pennsylvania. During the years of 1885, 1886 and 1887 Mr. Martin served as assistant corporation clerk under Governor Patterson.

Mr. Martin has always been alone in his practice, which has been of a general char- acter, and both as counselor and advocate, has achieved most gratifying success. He has never sought political preferment, find- ing in the study and practice of his profes- sion ample scope for the gratification of his ambitions. He is a Democrat in political opinion, and in 1896 was put forward by his friends and admirers, as a candidate for the state senate. Mr. Martin has, by his own effor.s, made his way to an honored place in his profession, and as a man and citizen 's held in high esteem by all who know him. In 1886 he married Miss Emmy Murphy, l ughter of I r. N . J. Murphy, n 'ttorn'y New Tork City.

They have four children : John J. Martin, Mary J. Martin, Emin R. Martin, Ger il line Martin.

Hon. Alvin Evans has been a member of the Cambria county bar for thirty years, practicing in the several courts of the coun- ty and state and federal courts, and in that time has attained to an honorable place, both in his profession and in the affairs of state.

He is a native of Ebensburg, and was born October 4, 1845, to David J. and Mary Ann (Jones) Evans. At the age of sixteen he was thrown upon his own resources and from that time until he attained his twenty-third yer, he was employed in the lumber trade. While thus employed he met with an acci-

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THE BENCHI AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

dent which rendered him incapable of secur- ing a livelihood by manual labor, and his attentions were turned to the legal profes- sion.

After pursuing a course of study in the Iron City Business college at Pittsburgh in 1870, he became a student in the law office of the late George M. Reade, of Ebensburg, and three years later was admitted to the Cambria county bar, sinee which time he has been in aetive and constant practice of his profession.

On November 17, 1875, Mr. Evans was married to Miss Kate E. Shryoek, a daugh- ter of Colonel John K. Shryock, and there have been born to them four children.

Mr. Evans is a Republican in politics, and in 1900 was elected to Congrsss, being re- eleeted in 1902.

Henry Wilson Storey, was born March 31, 1851, at Blairville. Indiana county, Penn- sylvania. He resided in Conemaugh from 1860 until 1879, and since that time has re- sided in Jolinstown. In 1864 he was a mes- senger in the telegraph office of the Penn- sylvania Railroad Co., and in 1866 he was employed as an operator. In 1872 he was appointed agent for that company, at Cone- maugh, and continued as such until 1879. when he became connected with the Johns- town Tribune. He entered the office of Colonel John P. Linton, under whose pre- ceptorship he studied and was admitted to the bar of Cambria county in 1881. since which time he has been successfully engaged in the practice of his profession.

A Republican, he was a delegate to Min-

neapolis convention in 1892. When twenty- two years of age lie was elected burgess of East Conemaugh, and was re-elected for three successive terms. In 1883 he was elected burgess of Johnstown, and was re- elected in 1884-85-86-87.

The following named gentlemen have been admitted to the Cambria county bar :

John Fenlon, John S. Rhey, Joseph Me- Donald, James Potts, George M. Reade, John P. Linton, W. Horace Rose, F. A. Shoemaker, D. Mclaughlin, Cyrus Elder, W. H. Sechler, J. C. Easley, T. W. Dick, Jacob Zimmerman, T. R. Seanlan, Robert L. George, James Null, Ellis G. Kerr. H. H. Kuhn, Alvin Evans, John H. Brown, A. V. Barker, T. F. Zimmerman, Charles L. Diek, J. W. Weakland, James M. Walters. H. W. Story, M. D. Kittell, H. G. Rose, R. S. Murphy, H. H. Myers, John M. Rose, Alfred Ashton, F. J. O'Connor, D. E. Dufton, Horace R. Rose, J. B. O'Connor, F. l'. Martin, M. B. Stephens, J. E. Gastieger. R. E. Cresswell, S. L. Reed, W. M. Williams. W. P. Reese, H. S. Endsley, J. F. McKenriek, Harvey Roland, William Davis, Matthiot Reade, Charles C. Greer, P. J. Little, Daniel I. Parsons, Renel Somerville, Thomas J. Itall, John W. Kephart. F. P. Strittmatter. T. C. Sharbaugh, J. W. Leech. Harry Doerr. Charles C. Linton, John H. Stephens, T. Il. Hasson, Forrest Rose, Perey A. Rose, F. D. Parker, Bruce H. Campbell, W. D. Lloyd, .J. Wallace Paul, T. Edwin Murphy, John C. Davis, George C. Keim, H. B. Mainhart Herman E. Baumer, F. J. Hartman, Philip N. Shettig, D. P. Weimer. E. H. Davis, John E. Evans.

ALVIN EVANS.

SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY

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SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY

BY JOHN M. KELLY

The first president judge of the distriet to which Susquehanna' eounty was attached was Hon. John B. Gibson. (He afterwards beeame chief justice of the state of Pennsyl- vania.) He presided about four years, the distriet being then composed of the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Bradford and Tioga. In September, 1816, he was sue- ceeded by Hon. Thomas Burnside, who served two years, and afterwards became one of the judges of the Supreme Court.

In August, 1818, Hon. Edward Herriek first presided in the new distriet, eomprising Susquehanna, Bradford and Tioga counties. He laeked but one term of eourt of serving twenty-one years, when he was superseded by the adoption of the new constitution, limiting the terms of all judges, and was suc- ceeded in May, 1839, by Hon. John N. Con- yngham, who served two years, when Sus- quehanna eounty was added to the Luzerne, Monroe, Pike and Wayne county distriet, and Luzerne eounty was put with Tioga and Bradford counties, which distriet Ji dge Conynham continued to preside over, v hile the IIon. William H. Jessup sueeeeded to the distriet embraeing Susquehanna county, and presided for ten and one half years.

In the fall of 1851 Hon. David Wilmot was elected for the distriet eomposed of the counties of Bradford, Susquehanna and Wayne, and after presiding for nearly six years resigned in the summer of 1857. Hon. Darius Bulloek was appointed and filled the vacaney for the balanee of the year, the dis- triet then embraeing the counties of Susque- hanna and Bradford only.

In January, 1858, Judge Wilmot was ap- pointed to preside, and in the following fall was elected for the term of ten years.

In Mareh, 1861, Hon. Ulysses Mereur was appointed judge of this judicial distriet and in the fall of the same year was elected for a term of ten years, but resigned his office Mareh 4, 1865, to enter Congress, and after- wards (fall, 1872) was elected a judge of the Supreme Court.

In 1865 Hon. Ferris B. Streeter was ap- pointed to fill the vaeaney eaused by Judge Mereur's resignation, and in the fall of the same year was elected for a term of ten vears.

Hon. William H. Jessup, Jr., was appoint- ed to fill the vaeaney eaused by the death of Judge Streeter, and served as president judge of the Thirty-fourth Judicial distriet from August 4, 1877, to January, 1879. (See sketeh in Lackawanna eounty.)

Judge Daniel W. Searle, son of the late Daniel and Johanna (Stark) Searle, was born January 7, 1836, at Montrose, Pa. He attended the Montrose academy, where he was prepared for college by Prof. Cramp- ton. He entered Yale in the elass of 1858, but on aeeount of illness was compelled to give up his plans for a collegiate edueation. Upon his return to Montrose, he entered the law office of the Hon. William Jessup and William H. Jessup.

In November, 1859, he was admitted to the Susquehanna eounty bar, and forming a partnership with his brother-in-law, the Hon. J. B. MeCollum, immediately began the praetiee of law.

In 1862 Mr. Searle enlisted in Company H. Fourteenth regiment, P. V. I., when his law partnership was dissolved. It was through the efforts largely of young Searle and Casper W. Tyler that Company H was enrolled and organized the following Au-

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THE BENCH AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

gust, with Mr. Tyler as captain and Mr. Searle as first lieutenant. At the organiza- tion of the regiment Lieutenant Searle was promoted to adjutant. This regiment reached Washington on the day of the sec- ond battle of Bull Run; they were also at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Get- tysburg, where Adjutant Scarle was wound- ed, and on account of injuries he was hon- orably discharged June 2, 1864.

Returning home Mr. Searle resumed the practiec of law. He was twice elected dis- triet attorney of Susquehanna county, the first time in 1865 and again in 1868.

In 1883, he formed a partnership with A. H. MeCollum and A. B. Smith, under the firm name of McCollum, Searle & Smith, and continued in the practice of law until 1888, when he was nominated by his party to sue- eeed the Hon. J. B. MeCollum as president judge of Susquehanna county.

In November, 1898, Judge Searle was re- eleeted to the bench without opposition, a fitting testimonial of the high character of his judicial labors, and of the esteem and re- gard of all the people. Both as a lawyer and a judge, he has displayed eminent abil- ity.

He was an able, prudent and careful coun- selor, thorough in his preparations of eauses; during the trial always fair to his opponent; he had a keen perception of the legal prin- ciples involved in a eause; used good judg- ment in their application, and was candid and logieal in argument. Fair and profound as a lawyer, he has always exhibited the same characteristics as a judge, and in a state justly noted for the high character and ability of its judges, there is none more hon- ored, more widely respected than Judge Daniel W. Searle.

He was married in February, 1883, to Miss Irene Mason, a daughter of Col. G. F. and Mary Mason of Towanda, a native of Mon- roetown, Pa.

Judge Searle is a prominent member of

the G. A. R., in which organization he has always taken an active interest. He has been a consistent and aetive Republican, serving many times as county chairman of his party, and in 1874, 1880 and 1882 was the choice of the Republican party of Sus- quehanna county for Congress, but failed to seeure the nomination, owing to the re- fusal of the delegates from the other coun- ties to recognize in convention the elaimis of Susquehanna county.

Joseph Brewster McCollum, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; one of the gifted sons of Susquehanna county, and to whom she delights to do special hon- or; not alone perhaps because of his eleva- tion to the chief justiceship of his state, as because of his sterling and brilliant worth, and the many invaluable services which he as a eitizen has rendered his native county.

Joseph Brewster McCollum was born Sep- tember 28, 1832, on his father's farın in Bridgewater township, Susquehanna eounty, Pa., and until seventeen years of age he re- mained on the farm attending the distriet sehool, one of his instruetors being the late Justice Henry W. Williams, who was after- wards one of his colleagues on the Supreme bench of the state.

For nearly three years after his arrival at the age of seventeen young MeCollum attended sehool at the Harford aead- emy, an institution ranking high in Susque- hanna eounty, and from which went forth many young men who afterward achieved distinction in publie life; among them Hon. Galitia A. Grow, former speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States; Henry W. Williams, late justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ; Charles R. Buekalew, formerly United States Sen- ator, and Cyrus C. Carpenter, formerly gov- ernor of Iowa.

Having decided to adopt the law as his profession, Mr. MeCollum pursued a course

J. BREWSTER M'COLLUM.

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SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY

at the State and National Law school at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., from which he was graduated with the degree LL. D. He after- ward entered the office of Ralph B. Little, late of Montrose, then one of the most able and sueeessful lawyers in northeastern Pennsylvania. He was admitted to the Sus- quehanna eounty bar at the August term of eourt in 1855.

The young lawyer then accepted a posi- tion in the office of William B. Plate, an old practitioner of Geneva, Ill., where he re- mained one year, afterward returning to Montrose.

In 1856, with A. J. Gerritson, he pur- ehased the "Montrose Demoerat," and as- sisted in the publication of that paper until January 1, 1858, when he sold his interest to his partner and resumed his praetiee of law. At the dissolution of his partnership with Nahum Newton, which lasted two years, he continued his praetiee with his brother-in- law, Hon. D. W. Searle (now president judge of Susquehanna county), until Au- gust, 1862, when he continued his praetiee alone until 1867 when he formed a partner- ship with Albert Chamberlin, which eontin- ned until January 1, 1871, when he asso- eiated himself in praetiee with his brother, A. H. MeCollum, with whom he continued his praetiee until 1878. During the twenty years of his praetiee in Montrose, his eare- ful and eonseientious devotion to the inter- ests of his elients, his eloquent and foreeful presentation of eauses to both eourt and jury, his thorough mastery of the law, rap- idly aequired for him a wide and luerative praetiee, which was a most fitting prepara- tion for the judgeship of Susquehanna eoun- ty, to which he was eleeted in 1878.

During his ten years' ineumbeney of the president judgeship of Susquehanna eounty, Judge MeCollum demonstrated the posses- sion of those qualities of heart and mind which make the beneh honored and trusted ;

affable in manner, dignified without auster- ity; quiek to perceive the salient points of a eause; these qualities resting upon a foundation of sterling and unswerving in- tegrity, a love of truth, an abhorrenee of in- justiee and a nature in true sympathy with the common people, of whom he is one, eon- stitute the elements which have raised him to the eminenee as a judge who is the pride of his eounty.

In 1889 he was elected justiee of the Su- preme Court of Pennsylvania. His career as a member of the highest eourt of the state has demonstrated that his eleetion thereto was a deeided benefit to the people of the state. His written opinions are among the best written by the members of that eourt, and are notable for their comprehensive grasp of the legal principles at issue, and for their terseness of expression, as well as his simple and direet style of composition. In 1900 Justice MeCollum was elected chief justice of the Supreme Court of Penn- sylvania to fill the vaeaney eaused by the death of Chief Justice Green, which oeeurred August 16, 1900.

In polities, Judge MeCollum has always been a firm and consistent supporter of the Demoeratie party, and prior to his elevation to the beneh, rendered mueh assistance to the party of his ehoiee. He has served as chairman of the Demoeratie County eom- mittee, and was candidate for distriet at- torney, representative, and for Congress. He aeeepted ealmly his inevitable defeats, being a member of the minority party in the county.

Judge MeCollum was married in Montrose on December 9, 1862, to Mary J. Searle, a daughter of Daniel Searle, then one of the most prominent men of affairs in Susque- hanna eounty. To them were born two sons : Searle and Charles W. MeCollum. The latter was killed in a railroad aeeident on October 21. 1891. Searle MeCollum the surviving

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THE BENCHI AND BAR OF PENNSYLVANIA

child, who was born at Montrose on April 30, 1867, is now a practicing attorney at Montrose.

Sinee this sketeh was written (1903), Judge MeCollum dicd.

Hon. Galusha A. Grow, a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Robbins) Grow, was born in Ashford, Conn., in May, 1823.

At the age of ten years, he came to Sus- quehanna county, Pa., with his widowed mother, who bought and settled upon a farm in Lenox township.

He attended the distriet school of that neighborhood, and later finished his prepara- tion for admission to eollege in Franklin academy (later Harford university), then under the eare of Preston and Rev. Willard Riehardson.

In 1840 he entered Amherst eollege, from which he graduated with high honors, and with the reputation of being an able de- bater and a fine extemporaneous speaker.

In 1845 he eommeneed the study of law in the office of the Hon. F. B. Streeter of Montrose, was admitted to practice law in Susquehanna county in April, 1847, and is now the oldest living member of that bar.

Some years ago, his fellow members of the bar had a life-sized portrait of their distin- guished colleague painted, which painting now adorns the courtroom at Montrose.

In October, 1850, he was elected to repre- sent the Twelfth district in Congress, and continued in Congress until March 4, 1863 having failed to be re-elected, owing to the Congressional apportionment, which united Susquehanna with Luzerne county, making a Democratic distriet.

Mr. Grow was formerly a Democrat, but which party he left after the repeal of the Missouri compromise bill.

In July, 1861, he was elected speaker of the house, at the age of twenty-six years, and was then the youngest member of that body.

His entry into political life and his ser-

viees in Congress covered a most important period in the history of the country- the repeal of the Missouri compromise; the election of Banks speaker, the Kansas trou- bles, the Compton bill and the Homestead bill, of which he was the author, as well as the Fremont and Lineoln eampaigns and in- eluding two years of the Civil war.

His maiden speech in Congress was made in support of the Homestead bill, and which was reported as one of the best in its be- half. His zeal and unwavering devotion to this measure endeared his name to the peo- ple everywhere. He made five set speeches in five different congresses in behalf of this measure, and after it became a bill finally signed the same as speaker.

He was always an energetie champion of justice and humanity, with a deep sympathy for human suffering, and a courage tha. bade defianee to Southern bravadoes.

He was prominent in all diseussions of public affairs, particularly those relating to the extension of perpetuity of slavery.

On leaving Congress in feeble health, he became engaged in the lumber business in Luzerne county, and later in the oil region in Venango county, Pennsylvania.

He spent from 1871 to 1875 in Texas; was president of the Houston & Great Northern railroad.

Returning to his old home in Pennsylva- nia, he actively entered the eanvass for the election of Hartranft for governor, and for Hayes in the Presidential election of 1876, and was tendered but deelined the mission to Russia by President Hayes.

In 1894 Mr. Grow was elected eongress- man-at-large, and was re-elected in 1896 by the largest majority ever given in any state in the Union to any candidate for any office. He was also re-elected in 1898 and again in 1900.

Mr. Grow still retains his old home in Glenwood. Pa., and has never voted else- where.

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SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY

Edson W. Safford, Montrose, was born April 11, 1857, in Brooklyn township, Sus- quehanna county, Pa., to Felix and Eliza- beth (Rease) Safford. He was educated in a select school at Union, N. Y., which was a school of very high standing in that state. Returning to Susquehanna county hc finished his studies at the Montrose acad- emy under Prof. A. H. Berlin.

. He taught district school for four years during the winter months, and studied law in the office of Hon. J. B. and A. H. MeCol- lum during the summer.

He was admitted to the Susquehanna county bar in August, 1880; since which time he has been in constant practice before the courts of his and adjoining counties, and in the Supreme Court of the state with marked success. For two years he was as- sociated with A. W. Wilmarth, and then for three years with A. M. O'Donnell. Since 1885 he has practiced alone. The long list of important cases in which he has been en- gaged demonstrates the confidence the peo- ple have in his ability.

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The twentieth century bench and bar of Pennsylvania, volume II, Part 8

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