USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > Venango County, Pennsylvania: Her Pioneers and People (Volume 1) > Part 22
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1
1814
Allegheny, James Lamb; Cherrytree, John Lamberton; Irwin, Isaac Robison; French Creek, John Atkinson; Richland, Jacob Keefer ; Scrubgrass, David Say; Sugar Creek, Hamil- ton McClintock.
1815
Allegheny, William Neill; Cherrytree, Benjamin August; French Creek, Charles Ridgway; Irwin, James McMurdy; Richland, Adam Sheerer ; Scrubgrass, Robert Calvert; Sugar Creek, James Gordon.
1817
Allegheny, William Broadfoot; Cherrytree, Francis Hamilton; French Creek, John Ridg- way; Irwin, Patrick Davidson; Scrubgrass, James Leslie; Sugar Creek, Francis McClin- tock.
1818
Allegheny, William Neill; Cherrytree, Wil- liam McGinnis; French Creek, William De- woody ; Irwin, Stephen Sutton; Plum, Patrick Gordon ; Richland, Henry Schwabb; Rockland, John Jolly; Scrubgrass, James Leslie; Sugar Creek, Henry Herring.
1819
Allegheny .- Constable, William Neill.
Cherrytree .- Constable, William McGinnis.
French Creek .- Constable, John P. Houser ; auditors, John Broadfoot, James Martin, James Gilliland, John Hamilton; supervisors, Armstrong Duffield, Jonah Reynolds ; fence viewers, Robert Kinnear, Samuel Lindsay ; overseers, James Adams, John Dewoody.
Irwin .- Constable, William Davidson.
Plum .- Constable, Patrick Gordon ; auditors, John Fetterman, John Daugherty, Robert Bradley, James Gordon; supervisors, John Bradley, Jacob Grove; overseers, John Brad- ley, Jacob Grove; fence viewers, George Franks, Robert Longwell.
Richland .- Constable, James Ritchey. Scrubgrass .- Constable, James Leslie.
Sugar Creek .- Constable, Henry Herring; auditors, John Kelly, John Mason, Isaac Walls, Peter Dempsey ; supervisors, Francis Carter, Luther Thomas; overseers, William Hays, John Wilson.
1820
Allegheny .- Constable, William Neill. Cherrytree .- Constable, David Farrell ; auditors, John Gordon, G. McClelland, John Hamilton, James Martin ; supervisors, R. Ham- ilton, Robert Curry ; overseers, R. Hamilton, Robert Curry : appraisers, M. Stockbarger, Isaac McMurdy.
French Creek .- Constable, John Dewoody ; auditors, Robert Mitchell, John McClaran, Wil- liam Davidson, Adam Dinsmore; supervisors, A. Duffield. I. Reynolds; overseers, Andrew Bowman, Isaac Smith; appraisers, Jacob Switzer, I. Addleberger.
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Irwin .- Constable, John Henderson; audi- tors, James Ritchey, G. Richardson, Thomas Thompson, Barnhart Martin; supervisors, Alexander Porter, Joseph Allen; overseers, Patrick Davidson, John Hoffman ; appraisers, G. Snyder, John Shannon.
Plum .- Constable, I. Proper ; auditors, John Mason, John Whitman; supervisors, John Carter, John Daugherty ; overseers, John Car- ter, John Daugherty.
Richland .- Constable, R. Armstrong; audi- tors, John Shannon, John McDonald, John Parker, David Smith ; supervisors, C. Hummel, Henry Neely; overseers, Henry Neely, Peter Kister; appraisers, Samuel Small, Lewis Her- ring.
Rockland. - Constable, John Porterfield ; auditors, John Fetterman, William Cooper, Daniel Proper, Daniel Herring; supervisors, James Moorhead, John Watt; overseers, D. Smith, John Evans ; appraisers, James Foster, James Shaw.
Scrubgrass. - Constable, William Sloan ; auditors, Thomas Jones, Thomas Kerr, James Pollock, William Dickson ; supervisors, James Craig, Samuel Eakin ; overseers, John Phipps, William Crawford.
Sugar Creek .- Constable, Christian Sutley ; auditors, Peter Dempsey, John Keely; super- visors, Francis Carter, John Duffield; over- seers, Thomas Carter. I. McFadden.
1824
Allegheny .- Constable, O. Copeland ; super- visors, G. Siggins, William Mauross.
Cherrytree .- Constable, Samuel Irwin ; auditors, James Dawson, A. Holeman, W. Broadfoot, S. Fleming ; supervisors, B. Griffin. Isaac Archer ; overseers, James Miller, Andrew Fleming.
French Creck .- Constable, Robert Henry ; clerk, F. G. Crary ; auditors, James Kinnear, Hugh McClelland, A. Duffield, J. Gilliland : supervisors, Aaron McKissick, William Duf- field ; overseers, J. Gilliland, John Martin ; ap- praisers, A. Dewoody, James Bennett.
Irwin .- Constable. William Davidson ; clerk, John McClaran ; auditors, R. Mitchell, J. Mat- thews, John McClaran, Craft Ghost; super- visors, Adam Huey, James McClaran; ap- praisers, Joseph Osborn, J. Porter.
Plum .- Constable, John Daugherty : clerk, J. G. Bradley ; auditors, E. McFadden, Francis Carter. John McCurdy, J. Whitman.
Richland .- Constable. James Platt ; auditors, Samuel Stewart, James Watson, John L. Por- ter, John Cochran : supervisors, James Ritchey. 7
James McGinnis ; overseers, A. Porter, Samuel Stewart ; appraisers, I. Downey, John Russell.
Rockland. - Constable, Joseph Campbell; supervisors, Daniel Smith, John Prior; over- seers, John Sloan, Joseph Ross.
Scrubgrass. - Constable, Marvin Perry ; clerk, Thomas P. Kerr; auditors, John Wither- up, James Scott, John D. Wood, Thomas Kerr; supervisors, Samuel Eakin, Reuben Irwin; overseers, L. Sloan, William Eakin ; appraisers, John Phipps, Jonathan Kerr.
Sugar Creek .- Constable, Alexander Bow- man : clerk, William Cousins ; auditors, E. Mc- Fadden, Francis Carter, John McCurdy, J. Whitman; supervisors, William Whitman, William Hays; overseers, I. McCalmont, A. Selders ; appraisers, M. Sutley, John McFad- den.
1826
Allegheny. - Constable, James Ricketts; clerk, A. West; auditors, Thomas Anderson, A. Benedict, J. Walliston, James Dawson; supervisors, John Griffin. William Haworth : overseers, A. Fleming, William Neill.
Cherrytree .- Constable, Elijah Stewart ; clerk. J. Hamilton; auditors, T. Hamilton, James Morrison, J. Breed, James Irwin ; super- visors, Reuben Irwin, William Perry; over- seers, J. Strawbridge, Hugh Hamilton ; fence viewers. James Alcorn, Thomas Neill.
French Creek .- Constable. James Hanna ; clerk, William Crary; auditors, James Gilli- land, John Little, Thomas McDowell, Levi Dodd; supervisors, Isaac Smith, William Duf- field ; overseers, William Connely, Samuel Hays ; fence viewers, A. Dewoody, James Ben- nett.
Irwin .- Constable, Philip Surrena.
Pine Grove .- Constable, Samuel Powell ; supervisors, D. Reynolds, George Kapp.
Plum .- Constable, Lewis Herring; clerk, Tames Foster; auditors, John Cooper, E. Sweeny, John Fetterman, James Gordon ; supervisors, John Lamberton, Lewis Herring; fence viewers, John Lamberton, Lewis Her- ring.
Richland .- Constable. D. Rumberger ; clerk, W. A. Stroble : auditors, L. Houston, James Houston. J. Ashbaugh, James Platt; super- visors, John Bell, Jacob Ashbaugh ; overseers, H. Neely, James McGinnis ; fence viewers, J. Shaffer. J. Ashbaugh.
Rockland .- Constable, David Smith ; clerk. J. Smith : auditors, Jacob Young, Andrew Maitland, William Craig. John Jolly; super-
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visors, John Ford, William Ross; overseers, John Stroup, Jacob Miller.
Scrubgrass. - Constable, Thomas Kerr; clerk, John Anderson; auditors, James Scott, M. Perry, James Anderson, John Anderson; supervisors, R. Irwin, William Perry ; over- seers, J. D. Wood, John Coulter ; fence view- ers. John Witherup, William Crawford.
Sugar Creek .- Constable, Jacob Lupher ; clerk, James Linn ; auditors, John McCalmont, L. McFadden, Francis Carter, William Carter; supervisors, Alexander Bowman, Joel Sage; overseers, James Haslet, James McCune ; fence viewers, R. McCalmont, T. Wilson.
1828
Allegheny .- Constable, T. Morrison; super- visors, William Neill, H. Morrison.
Cherrytree .- Constable, Jacob Grove ; clerk, John Hamilton; auditors, E. Fleming, J. Archer, T. Hamilton, J. Irwin ; supervisors, A. Robison, William Reynolds ; overseers, M. McFadden, J. Archer; fence viewers, E. Stew- art, A. S. Hancock.
French Creek .- Constable, James Adams; clerk, R. N. Ayres ; auditors, James Adams, A. Duffield, D. Brown, William Black; super- visors, James Adams, William Connely ; over- seers, Aaron McKissick, J. Evans ; fence view- ers. William Raymond, Andrew Dewoody.
Irwin .- Constable, Peter Walter; clerk, R. Mitchell ; auditors, John Boner, J. Walter. P. Surrena, R. Mitchell; supervisors, Thomas
Baird, J. McMurdy; overseers, J. McMurdy, H. Stephenson; fence viewers, H. Cochran, J. Vaughan.
Pine Grove .- Constable, D. Walter ; super- visors, D. Reyner, Samuel Zink.
Plum .- Constable, Adam Zener; auditors, Benjamin August, J. G. Bradley, M. Jennings, Samuel Small; supervisors, J. G. Bradley, T. Fetterman.
Richland .- Constable, John Donaldson; supervisors, William Kerns, H. Neely ; over- seers, D. O'Neill, A Ritchey.
Rockland .- Constable, J. C. Evans; audi- tors, J. Shannon, J. Jolly, H. Reed, Enoch Bat- tin; supervisors, Peter Lovell, John Stroup; overseers, D. Smith, J. Smith ; fence viewers, Daniel Smith, J. Moorhead.
Scrubgrass .- Constable, J. Phipps ; clerk, J. Craig; auditors, J. Craig, M. Perry, William Dickson, T. Kerr; supervisors, S. Eakin, R. Sutton; overseers, D. Wasson, James Leslie; fence viewers, David Say, John Anderson.
Sugar Creek .- Constable, John Linn; audi- tors, John Mason, James Thompson, J. Whit- man, Elijah McFadden; supervisors, James Linn, James Haslet ; overseers, W. Brown, J. Foster; fence viewers, S. Rhoads, J. Lamber- ton.
The constables and justices of the early days must have had rather strenuous terms. By the election of all these officers, and their faithful service, the county advanced rapidly in the de- velopment of organized civil government.
CHAPTER X POST OFFICES
EARLY RATES-FIRST OFFICES IN VENANGO COUNTY-FRANKLIN OFFICE AND POSTMASTERS-OIL CITY OFFICE AND POSTMASTERS-EMLENTON-THIRD CLASS POST OFFICES IN VENANGO COUNTY -FOURTH CLASS POST OFFICES
To picture life in Venango county before the day of post routes requires a certain amount of imagination. But the men of those days would need quite as much fancy to conceive of modern methods of communication. The story of the telegraph, the telephone, the cable and that wireless telegraphy which served as a boy's plaything until taken over by the gov- ernment would seem to them like the "base- less fabric" of a dream. The picture of the
wonderful network which connects lonely farmhouses in almost inaccessible places with town and city would have made unin- ventive minds falter in amazement.
The postman coming at intervals of three weeks on the route from Pittsburgh to Erie probably did not busy himself with the prob- lems of wide distribution. He was concerned rather with the safe delivery of the letters and papers intrusted to him. The man him-
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self was a picturesque figure, and the sound of his horn was welcome to those who looked for news from friends far away. The curious- ly folded sheets of paper, dispensing with out- er wrappings, were treasures kept tied with ribbons and put away carefully, to be taken out and read over and over. Packages of these have been found sometimes in old houses and they have disclosed the fact that these early settlers kept their friends in lively remem- brance and that family affection and friend- ship had indeed wireless ways of sending thoughts to each other.
EARLY SERVICE
The postman who brought the first mail in 1802 soon found that his burdens increased as the settlers gained in numbers and business demanded more correspondence. The news- papers of the outside world were more neces- sary, and one horse carried the rider and an- other brought the heavy mail. Storms some- times served to delay the postman, but faith- fulness characterized the men who undertook the service. Mr. Ash carried the mail from Meadville to. Franklin, and Mr. Houser that from Franklin to Warren and return. The condition of the country can be best under- stood when it is noted that most of the news at this early date was carried from town to town by letters. Even important news like the results of elections was conveyed in this slow manner. Public sentiment on all great ques- tions of the day was disseminated thus. Old letters reveal the feeling in regard to these matters. The way in which political move- ments were heralded may account for the fact that men did not in those days change parties as they sometimes do at present. The slow growth of knowledge made firm foundations for the conclusions drawn, and we find in this county at an early day that a man once identi- fied with a party, no matter how small the fol- lowing, was true to it in the face of absolute failure to secure office or to assist others to do so. The newspapers were negligible so far as conveying news was concerned. At the close of the Revolution there were only about forty papers, and they did not attempt to give news, seldom getting farther from home than forty or fifty miles.
In 1801 a weekly mail route was established between Pittsburgh and Erie by way of But- ler, Franklin, Meadville, and Waterford. Within the next two years it had been re- duced to a semi-monthly route, but the first schedule was again adopted soon afterward.
Robert Clark, of Clark's Ferry, established the first stage route over the Susquehanna and Waterford turnpike, presumably the first in the county, in 1820, the first coach arriving at Franklin in November of that year. The first stage line to Pittsburgh was established by Samuel F. Dale.
EARLY RATES
The rate of postage was at first six cents for every quarter ounce, for distances under thir- ty miles; increasing six cents for every addi- tion of thirty miles to the distance; over four hundred and fifty miles the rate was twenty- five cents. Newspapers were for a number of years not admitted to mail except as arrange- ment was made between the publishers and the mail carriers. Later each publisher could send every other publisher one copy of his paper free of expense.
FIRST OFFICES IN VENANGO COUNTY
The first post office in the county was es- tablished at Franklin in 1801, and the commis- sion of Alexander McDowell as first postmas- ter bears date Jan. 1, 1801. The earliest post offices throughout the county were Big Bend, in Scrubgrass township; Rockland, Cranberry, Canal, Plum, Cherrytree, and Cornplanter, in the respective townships of those names ; Coop- erstown, Pleasantville, Utica, Emlenton, Clin- tonville, and Dempseytown ; Lamb's in Alle- gheny township, Rynd's, in Cornplanter, and Plumer.
FRANKLIN OFFICE AND POSTMASTERS
At Franklin postmasters have served in the following order: Alexander McDowell, ap- pointed Jan. 1, 1801 ; James G. Heron, Oct. I, 1802; John Broadfoot, March 31, 1809; Wil- liam Connely, March 25, 1819; Henry McCal- mont, Nov. 17, 1819; Alexander S. Hays, Sept. 15, 1821 ; Arthur Robison, May 6, 1821 ; John Evans, Jan. 12, 1822; Samuel F. Plumer, Oct. 10. 1831 ; Benjamin A. Plumer, May 9, 1832; William Raymond, July 10, 1841 ; Ben- jamin A. Plumer, Oct. 29, 1842; Joseph Mc- Clelland, Feb. 20, 1843; John H. Shannon, March 7, 1844; Adam Webber, Nov. 8, 1849; Sarah Webber, April 23, 1860; Robert Brig- ham, March 11, 1865; Robert J. Canan, April 8. 1869; David D. Grant, Feb. 24, 1875; John E. Adams, March 31, 1883; Elmer E. Adams, 1885 : D. W. Morgan, 1887; Elmer E. Adams, 1893: E. W. Smith, 1897; D. W. Morgan,
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1901 ; J. R. Dodds, 1910; Robert McCalmont, 1914-present postmaster.
The growth of the mail service may be noted, from the time the lone rider through the Venango forests once in three weeks cheered the waiting postmaster at Franklin by the de- livery of a few letters, up to the present day when the official occupying that position needs the aid of many clerks and assistants. From the Franklin post office five rural mail routes now diverge. The office now, instead of being open on rare occasions as it was in the early times, is open day and night except Sun- days. It is located in the Trust Company building on Liberty street, the main business thoroughfare of the town. The postmaster, Mr. McCalmont, has the following aids : As- sistant postmaster, Charles C. Bailey; money order clerk, Etta Rew ; superintendent of mails, Cassius M. Campbell; Clerks, Daisy M. Mc- Clintock, Iva A. Shorts, Jennie M. Bowen, George C. Anderson, Guy Kelch, J. Clyde Pryor, Ralph Williams, J. Q. W. Black; let- ter carriers, city-J. S. St. Clair, Roy L. Lerch, J. E. Lichtenberger, W. H. Elliott, Harry R. Marks, W. W. Mackay, C. J. Nelson. It is probable that this force handles more mail in one day than was distributed during the first twenty-five years of the existence of the office.
OIL CITY OFFICE AND POSTMASTERS
.
The office at Oil City was originally called Cornplanter. It was established in 1840, and A. G. Siverly served as postmaster during the first term. The mail at that time came once each week from Franklin, brought by a horse- back rider. The second postmaster, James Halyday, resigned after serving a year and a half, and Samuel. Bell completed the term. By this time a mail stage took the place of the horse, and by the line of the old Warren pike supplied a semi-weekly mail. The next official after Mr. Bell was James Young, whose serv- ices extended through one term. Samuel Hopewell also filled the position one term. His successor was Thomas Moran. In about two years Mr. Moran died and his widow suc- ceeded him, keeping the mail in a box, handy for all to examine, until Calvin B. Reynolds took charge in 1860. Before this date the postmaster was not. troubled with a large amount of mail, but during his administration the increase was remarkable. Post routes from all directions took their course toward the mouth of Oil creek. The name of the station was changed to Oil City, the accommodations
were greatly enlarged and facilities increased for promptly handling the mail. Fid Bishop succeeded Mr. Reynolds in 1865. He resigned after holding office a year and a half. The yearly salary was $1,500, but as the rent was nine hundred dollars and he required the help of two clerks he was obliged to quit. He was succeeded by Alexander W. Myers for the remainder of the term. J. W. Howe, the next appointee, retained the position two terms. In 1876 Fid Bishop was again appointed. The office had now become important and was worth while. In 1885 Col. A. J. Greenfield was appointed, serving until 1889. William Mc- Kim served from 1889 to 1893 ; John H. Payne, from 1893 to 1897; W. McKim, from 1897 to 1901 ; W. H. Longwell, 1901 to 1909; J. N. Perrine, 1909 till 1913; in 1913 E. S. Laugh- lin, the present postmaster, was appointed.
After several years of earnest effort Oil City succeeded in obtaining a fine Federal building. It is one of the ornaments of the town, its classic simplicity being shown to ad- vantage by the lawn and well kept grounds about it. The main office is on the corner of Seneca and Federal street. Postmaster Laugh- lin has for assistants Elizabeth Cowell, who is assistant postmaster; T. L. Plant, superin- tendent of mail; M. R. DeWoody, chief mail- ing clerk ; Leo J. English, register clerk ; P. H. Brown, night clerk in charge; clerks, W. F. Borland, Edward J. Lynam, Warren H. My- ers, Georgia H. Black, Anna W. Jacobs, Harry Dupont, Earl P. Beckwith, James W. Barrett ; carriers, Arthur Cornell, Joseph A. Hanna, Roy V. Lesh, Albert E. Gillett, Charles Ware- ham, William Dinges, William F. Faller, Ar- thur E. Bird.
At the South Side post office the superin- tendent is James L. Robbins ; clerk, Hugh A. Duffee; carriers, George Nicholson, Harvey A. Dodds, A. Edward McMullin, Devoe Bas- sett, Clyde E. Way.
There are five rural delivery routes from Oil City. The parcel post business of the two cities in this county has assumed amazing proportions. It is a service appreciated and enjoyed fully.
EMLENTON
The post office at Emlenton is a very impor- tant one. Many years ago the town was the center of supply and shipment for a great deal of iron business. In like manner the postoffice, being the most southern in the county upon the railroad, also furnishes postal facilities for a large section of country. It has five rural
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delivery routes, and thus reaches well settled and thrifty farming communities. Several of these settlements once had post offices, but they have been given up and their place taken by the rural delivery. The present postmaster is M. J. Flynn. Emlenton is the only second- class post office in the county.
THIRD CLASS POST OFFICES IN VENANGO COUNTY
Postmasters
Pleasantville
Thomas McGuire
Polk
. E. J. Hutchinson
Rouseville
.A. N. Rose
FOURTH CLASS POST OFFICES
Clintonville
M. L. McKee
Cooperstown
Mrs. Mary L. Boal
Cranberry
Laura Stewart
Diamond
J. M. Shriver
Eaglerock
.. May Sparks
Fertigs
H. S. Schwab
Kennerdell . Walter S. Cross, Acting Postmaster
Nickleville
Herbert Pearce
Petroleum Center . H. Strahl
Pittsville Robert McGinnis
President
B. F. Snodgrass
Raymilton
. W. S. Hogue
Reno
H. S. Rhines
Rockland
.E. D. Felt
Seneca
L. C. Moore
Utica
Harriet C. Adams
Van
. Charles Perry
Venus
. John G. Betz
Wesley
C. L. Lee
Walnut. Bend
Eugene A. Rogers
In a less modern day, when time and space did not count so much, stories might have been told of the wonderful growth, the decline and fall, of many of the post offices of this county. The amount of business done by means of them in the early oil excitement seems almost fabulous now. The steady growth of those of the two cities is typical of all the others. As the population increases the needs become greater, and a government that believes in ex- tending equal privileges supplies the facilities. In short, were our historic postman to come back on his phantom steed he would rival Rip Van Winkle as he looked upon the broad and ever-widening uses to which mail service has been put. It is one of the fascinating stories of real life and real endeavor that is truly American in its energy and efficiency. No- where is this shown more clearly than in Ven- ango county.
CHAPTER XI BENCH AND BAR (By Millard Scheide)
1
EARLY COURT SESSIONS-PIONEER LAWYERS-THE BENCH-PRESIDING JUDGES-DISTRICT COURT -THE BAR-DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS-LIST OF PRESENT MEMBERS
The organization of the county of Venango for judicial purposes was effected by the Act of April 1, 1805, and the first court ever opened within its limits was a general court of Quarter Sessions, which convened in a log house standing on Liberty street, above Twelfth street, in Franklin. This old building remained there until 1863, when it was torn down to be replaced by a more modern but less picturesque structure.
EARLY COURT SESSIONS
Court was opened Dec. 16, 1805, with the Hon. Jesse Moore presiding, assisted by John Irwin and Thomas McKee, associate judges, and there were present John Witherup, sheriff, and William Moore, prothonotary, both of
whom participated in the ceremony of organ- ization. There was one impressive feature connected with the opening of court then and for some time afterward, which, as related to a local historian by a legal gentleman whose boyhood days were spent in Franklin, was this: "Before the advent of the courthouse bell it was the duty of the crier to summon the people to the temple of justice by blowing a large tin horn. Armed with this old John Morrison, the crier, would take his position at the courthouse door, and pointing the horn toward Kinnear's tavern, where the judge stopped, would give out such blasts as proved incontestably that old as he was his lungs were still in good condition." This Kinnear's tavern, a feature of early Franklin, stood on the corner of the public square or diamond-
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in other words at the corner of Liberty and West Park streets. The landlord was a par- ticular tavernkeeper, as may be seen from the fact that he required his guests to be in at nine o'clock at night, and the doors of the tavern were closed so that none could get in after that hour.
The first official business transacted by this tribunal, and the first judicial act in Venango county, was the recommendation to the gov- ernor of George McClelland as a suitable per- son to keep a public house in Irwin township, and the second was the appointment of viewers to examine the route of a proposed road from the town of Franklin to a point adjoining the line of Mercer county, petitioned for by sundry inhabitants. After appointing constables for the townships of Allegheny, Brokenstraw and Sugar Creek, this first court adjourned. The circumstance that a constable was named for Brokenstraw township, which is now a part of Warren county, was due to the fact that that county had not yet been organized. By the act of March 12, 1800, erecting the counties of Venango, Mercer, Erie and Warren, they were temporarily attached to Crawford county, and the courts for all these counties were held at Meadville until their separate and distinct judicial organization.
The second session was held on Monday, March 17, 1806, at which time, after the trans- action of necessary preliminaries, the sheriff "returned the precept to him directed by which it appears that the following persons were summoned and returned to inquire for the Commonwealth and for the body of Venango County," naming a grand jury of twenty-four men. At this session and by this grand jury the first indictment in Venango county was returned, it being against one Andrew Miller, a justice of the peace, for "misdemeanor in office," to which charge he pleaded non cul. et de hoc ponit se super patriam, which plea the present historian translates "not guilty, and of this he puts himself upon the country"-that is to say, before a jury. To which the deputy attorney general, corresponding to the present district attorney, replied similiter, meaning that the Commonwealth also was willing to go before the country. Miller's case was tried at the third or June sessions, 1806, by a jury of his countrymen, "twelve good men, who being duly ballotted for. elected, and sworn, on their oaths respectfully do say they find the de- fendant guilty in manner and form as he stands indicted." This was the first jury trial in Venango county, but it is to be greatly re- gretted that, owing to the carelessness of those
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