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The Reverend Mr. David Craft |
CHAPTER XVI
POLITICAL HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY
No division of political sentiment existed among our people prior to the adoption of the federal constitution. At the beginning of the Revolutionary struggle, the people of this county were about equally divided, some adhering to the Continental congress, about the same number remaining loyal to the British crown, and about a third part being neutral, desiring peace, and not wishing to be identified with either of the great parties. The subsequent settlers were, hardly without exception, those who had been defenders of American freedom, and many of them had been soldiers in the Revolutionary army.
On the adoption of the constitution, our people were almost unanimously Federalists, for two reasons, one of which was that many of their military associates were of that party, but the chief one was that they thought in the federal courts the questions relating to the land controversy would be definitely settled. In 1795, the case of Van Horn vs. Dorrance was decided in the United States circuit court against the Connecticut claimant. By this decision many of our people lost confidence in the fairness and equity of federal courts, and became alienated from the party. In addition to this, several acts of the Adams administration had made the Federal party unpopular with the people. Consequently, in the presidential election of 1800, many of our people gave their votes for Jefferson, and the next 4th of July was celebrated in various parts of the county with great rejoicings on the part of the Democrats.
Political meetings began to be held in the county as early as 1799. In the issue of the Wilkes-Barre Gazette, August 10 of this year, is a paragraph stating that at a meeting of a respectable number of the inhabitants of Springfield, Allensburg, Rindaw, and Ulster, held at the house of Jeremiah Lewis, in Springfield, for the purpose of consulting who would be the best candidate for governor, Ezekiel Hyde was chosen chairman and Samuel Gordon, secretary; but the result of consultation is not given; and on the 24th of August, 1804, another meeting was held in Rush township.
Search for election returns in Luzerne county for the period during which we were incorporated in her territory has been unavailing. It is quite certain that all such papers are hopelessly lost. In the newspapers we have found partial returns for 1801, ‘2, ‘3, and ‘4. In the first year there were two election districts in Bradford, viz., Tioga and Wyalusing; the former casting 112 votes and the latter 39. The candidates for assembly were Lord Butler and John Franklin against Matthias Hollenback and Benjamin Carpenter. The two former received in Tioga, Butler, 106; Franklin, 112 votes; while Hollenback received 3 and Carpenter 2. For commissioner, Arnold Colt received 110 votes, and Mr. Pettibone, his opponent, 1. In the Wyalusing district, for assembly, Butler received 20 votes; Franklin, 23; Hollenback, 18; and Carpenter, 15. While for commissioner, Colt received 24, and Pettibone 15 votes.
In 1802, Thomas M’Kean, a Democrat, was a candidate for re-election for governor, and James Ross was the Federal candidate. There were now three election districts—Tioga, Wysox, and Wyalusing—which respectively gave for Ross 96, 26, and 36 votes, for M’Kean 20, 20, and 7; the whole number of votes cast in Tioga was 118; in Wysox, 49; in Wyalusing, 43; 210 in all—a number less than half of what is polled in some townships.
In regard to legislative and county offices, individual preferences had much more to do with the result than any adherence to party. For instance, in the Tioga district, of the four candidates for the State senate, Joseph Kinney received 58 votes; Laurence Myers, 21; while neither Thomas McWhorter or Nicholas Kern received a vote—the latter did not get a vote in the county. In Wysox McWhorter received 3, Myers 17, and Kinney 32 votes; while in Wyalusing the votes stood, McWhorter, 28; Myers, 7; Kinney, 6. For assembly, Franklin received every vote but 3 in the county in 1802, and all but 10 in 1803. In 1801, out of 151 votes cast, John Jenkins received 147 for sheriff. Franklin was a Federalist and Jenkins was a Democrat.
In a letter, dated Wyalusing, Oct. 1, 1805, and signed by John Hollenback, Guy Wells, Elisha Keeler, Daniel Ross, M. Miner York, Jabez Hyde, and Benjamin Stalford, addressed to William Ross, Esq., and others, they say the Republican citizens of Wysox district have nominated Moses Coolbaugh, and have talked of Reed Brockaway, but are willing to consult with the lower part of the county, and select the person who would be most agreeable to all the freemen of the county.
On the 25th of September previous "a meeting of the respectable inhabitants of Wysox and Orwell met at the house of Jacob Myer," and put in nomination Moses Coolbaugh and Job Irish, but neither of them was elected.
At another meeting, held at Wyalusing in the same September, Justus Gaylord, Jr., and Rosewell Welles were recommended for the assembly, and John Jenkins commissioner. The two nominees for assembly were from this county, viz., Moses Coolbaugh and Justus Gaylord, Jr.
In a letter, dated Oct. 3, 1800, written by Clement Paine to Col. John Jenkins, he says, "The undernamed persons in this township (Athens) may be depended on to give their votes in your favor: Wright Loomis, George Welles, Jonathan Harris, Elias Satterlee, Daniel Satterlee, Capt. Stevens, Pitkin Pratt, John Miller, David Alexander, Capt. Tozer, Major Mathewson, Capt. Jos. Spalding," and adds, "We may, I think, with safety calculate on at least double the number I have named above in your favor."
At a meeting of delegates from the districts of Wysox, Wyalusing, and Braintrim, held at the house of Bartholomew La Porte, in Asylum, Sept. 17, 1806, both Moses Coolbaugh and Justus Gaylord, Jr., were again nominated for the assembly. This nomination was confirmed by other delegates. Mr. Miner says of this election the votes for Justus Gaylord, Jr., were 333, and for Justus Gaylord, 38, making a total of 371; Moses Coolbaugh had 364. Justus Gaylord was an old man and not a candidate, and it was supposed the votes cast for him were intended for his son, Major Gaylord, in which case they would have elected him. Mr. Miner adds, as a significant fact, that less than 400 votes in the county of Luzerne elected a member of the assembly. Mr. Coolbaugh was a Democrat, while Mr. Gaylord was a Federalist.
These items, extending over the first twenty years of the history of this part of old Luzerne, indicate the fact that the questions growing out of the land controversies overshadowed all national political issues, that those issues began to be more definitely made as the local disturbances subsided, and a gradual growth of the Democratic (or old Republican) party is observed, and also that three-fourths of a century ago people were ambitious for office, sought the influence and active exertions of their friends to secure it, as well as now, and the healthful interaction and struggles of political parties instead of weakening have only strengthened the foundations of liberty.
In the election of October, 1812, county officers were elected for the new county of Bradford. This is the first election in which our own people could express their vote by themselves. At this election every elective office was a Federalist. Just how the vote stood cannot now be ascertained. It is, however, pretty certain that the Federal majority was not large. In 1816, Eliphalet Mason, a Democrat, was elected county commissioner. He was the first Democrat elected to a public office in the county after its organization. The appointed officers were Democratic, as Governor Snyder was of that party.
From this time forward to 1836 the county was unvaryingly Democratic in its majorities where political issues were at all prominent. In 1836 the Whig party, which succeeded to the Federal party in 1828, carried the county by a majority of 58 votes for Harrison over the Democratic vote for Van Buren. But in 1840 the county swung back to its Democratic moorings, giving "Young Hickory" (Van Buren) 213 majority over the "Farmer of North Bend" (Harrison). The Abolition vote first showed itself then, there being just a couple of "baker’s dozens" of the Liberty men (26) that sowed the seed which produced such mighty fruit in after-years. In 1848 the Democratic party was rent in twain by the "Hunker" and "Free-soil" factions, and the Whigs carried the county for General Taylor ("Rough and Ready") by a handsome plurality of 1383 over Cass, and 1492 over Van Buren. The vote in 1852 was solid again in the Democratic party, and the regular majority was polled, about 400, the Abolition vote having increased to 281.
In 1856 the Republican party first appeared, and aggregating to itself the bulk of the Whig party, the free-soil element of the Democratic party, and the Liberty vote, swept the country by a vote for Fremont of 6969 to 2314 for Buchanan, 71 for Fillmore, and 7 for the Liberty ticket. Since then the Republican party has carried the county, at every general election, with majorities varying from 3019 (1876) to 4915 (1860)—the average majorities of 1856, 1864, 1868, and 1872 being about 4275 over the Democratic vote.
THE LIBERTY (OR ABOLITION) PARTY
The question of the immediate abolition of slavery in the United States began to be agitated quite early in Bradford County. In 1830 the question was discussed with considerable warmth in the Terrytown Lyceum by Ebenezer Terry and George F. Horton and others, who argued in favor of the question; but it was not until 1840 that the discussions of slavery and its abolition crystallized into a political organization, as before shown, in the county.
The Wyalusing anti-slavery society was formed in 1837—John McKinney being its first president, and Justus Lewis its first secretary. The Bradford County anti-slavery society was organized soon afterwards, and held meetings in the court-house at Towanda—Deacon Giles M. De Wolf being its first president, and Deacon Charles Stearns the first secretary. The meetings were held without disturbance until the annual meeting in February, 1839, when a scene of the wildest confusion took place, in which the speaker, Mr. Chase, from Philadelphia, was disgracefully treated, and a hearing refused to the citizens of the county. Leading and prominent citizens of the town and county were present, Hon. David Wilmot making a speech against the abolitionists, but not countenancing the violence resorted to, and by which the meeting was broken up. The good sense of the people prevailed, however, and within a year from that time the discussions had so increased throughout the county that more toleration was exhibited, as the sure resulting reaction of proscriptive measures. A convention was held shortly after the above disturbance took place, attended by over 200 of Bradford’s most respectable men and women; in Wysox, however, as no place of meeting could be had in Towanda.
The Liberty party was the logical sequence or outgrowth of the anti-slavery sentiment of the people, and was formally organized for separate political action, Sept. 12, 1840, by twenty-five or thirty of the voting Abolitionists of the county, at the court-house in Towanda. Isaac Camp was chairman, and Isaac G. Palmer secretary of the meeting of organization. A platform of principles in favor of independent political action for the overthrow of slavery was adopted, and a full ticket nominated, which received at the next general election 52 votes. (This was at the State election in October—but 26 votes were cast for the presidential candidate on the Liberty ticket in 1840.)
The party maintained its integrity until 1856, when it was merged in the Republican party, as a whole, though occasionally a few of the "old guard" voted for the old principle of abolition rather than accept the new idea of non-extension.
In 1848 it was also swallowed up, principally in the "Free-Soil" element, then dominant.
Among the earlier and more prominent standard-bearers of the party, when the name of "Abolitionist" was a term of reproach, may be named Deacon Giles, M. De Wolf, Deacon Charles Stevens, Capt. Isaac Nichols, Abel Bolles, Esq., Dr. George F. Horton, Isaac and Clark Camp, Capt. John Keeler, Charles Overpeck, William Brown, Francis Viall, J. r. Emery, A. C. Hinman, Daniel Coolbaugh, Jeremiah Kilmer, Benj. Stevens, Zephaniah Lane, Milton Lewis, Justus Lewis, J. W. Ingham, Dr. James De Wolf, Nelson Atwood, Solomon Cooper, Thomas Ingham, besides many others who voted with them.
THE ANTI-MASONIC PARTY
was organized in Bradford County, for political purposes, about 1827-28, as Mr. O. P. Ballard and other leading men taking a part in its formation. Though it never succeeded in electing its candidates, it polled, nevertheless, a good vote for several years, and exerted a considerable influence through-out the county. A strong anti-Masonic sentiment existed in the minds of many who never acted with the party, which had its effect more upon the lodges of the order than elsewhere, nearly if not all of the latter in the county being closed for a time.
LABORERS’ PARTY IN BRADFORD
In 1842 several counties in the State had a Workingmen’s or Laborers’ party. A meeting held in Athens, in August, resulted in calling a convention at the county-seat, and nominations were made as follows: Representative, Chauncy Frisbie, of Orwell; Sheriff, John Van Dyke, of Canton; Prothonotary, Theodore Wilder, of Springfield; Register and Recorder, E. W. Hale, of Monroe; Commissioner, N. B. Wetmore, of Herrick; Coroner, Gordon Wilcox, of Smithfield; Auditor, Benjamin Thomas, of Towanda.
President Tyler’s position had partially divided the Whig party, and much confusion prevailed. Some of the Whigs made up a headless ticket: they nominated no representative, and most of them (the Scribe* interest included) supported Mr. Frisbie; but the Argus* interest and others sustained the Democratic nominee, Mr. Elwell, and gave him 313 majority.
* Names of the leading political papers in the county.
In 1843 the "Workies" organized more fully, established a weekly paper, held meetings, and created quite a division from the stereotyped Democratic and Whig contest. They held that the non-producing classes, lawyers especially, had too many of the offices, which they used for their own advantage against the interests of the masses. Their paper had this motto: "The Laborers’ party will endeavor to fill all State and county offices with the best workingmen that can be found in both old parties. We are for low salaries, little legislation, few offices, no sinecures, reduced taxes, and strict accountability of office-holders." Able men from both parties (like Joseph Kingsbury and Geo. Kinney, Whigs, and John L. Webb and Asa Pratt, Democrats) wrote and argued for the third party. They made up the following ticket, after conferring with Tioga and Susquehanna counties:
Congress, Bela Jones, of Susquehanna county; Senator, Geo. Kinney, of Sheshequin; Rpresentatives, C. Frisbie, of Orwell, and Eli Baird, of Troy; Commissioner, John Van Dyke, of Canton; Treasurer, Wyllys Brownson, of Towanda; Auditor, Milton Bailey, of Ulster.
The Whigs made no nomination for senate or congress. Jones carried Susquehanna
and Kinney carried Bradford; but there was no organization in Tioga, and
a part of the Whigs in Bradford helped to elect the Democratic nominees,
Read and Sherwood. The average vote of the three parties in the two years
was as follows:
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As usual, the votes were varied by local and personal influences, but
the lowest vote on representatives may serve for a test of the strength
of the three parties in 1843:
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| Athens |
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| Albany |
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| Asylum |
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| Burlington |
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| Canton |
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| Columbia |
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| Durrell |
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| Franklin |
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| Granville |
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| Herrick |
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| Le Roy |
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| Litchfield |
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| Monroe |
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| Orwell |
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| Pike |
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| Ridgeberry |
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| Rome |
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| Sheshequin |
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| Smithfield |
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| Springfield |
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| South Creek |
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| Standing Stone |
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| Towanda |
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| Troy |
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| Tuscarora |
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| Ulster |
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| Warren |
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| Wells |
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| Windham |
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| Wyalusing |
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| Wysox |
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But Texas and tariff began to absorb attention; the Laborers’ press was taken to Tunkhannock, and the exciting campaign of 1844 dissolved the party between the two old national parties.
Bradford has given to the State and nation many prominent statesmen and politicians. Perhaps none of them were more noted nationally than the Hon. David Wilmot, the author of the famous Wilmot proviso, a salient feature in the slavery agitation, and which eventually crystallized about it the liberty element of both of the great parties of its day, working into grander significance in the Kansas-Nebraska struggle of 1854-56. Judge Wilmot was a member of the Democratic party until 1856, when he cast in his fortunes and faith with the Republican party, then organized, and adhered to it till his death. He was member of congress from his district from 1844 to 1850; was elected to fill out the unexpired term of Hon. Simon Cameron in the United States senate, on the appointment of that gentleman as secretary of war in 1861—the term expiring March 4, 1863. He received the appointment of judge of the court of claims of the United States from President Lincoln in 1863, and held the position till his death. His biography, which appears on another page of our work (See History of Towanda), will show how intimately Judge Wilmot was connected with national and State affairs, and with what honor he discharged his high duties.
Gen. Samuel McKean was another prominent figure in the politics of the county and State, and possessed for years a powerful influence in the councils of his party, the Democratic. He was a member of congress from his district in 1822-24; United States senator, 1835-39; secretary of the commonwealth, 1829-32; and a member of the lower house of the State legislature from 1815 to 1819.
Hon. John La Porte was also a prominent character in the Democratic party of the old-fashioned school, an ardent admirer of "Old Hickory" and the measures of the sterling iron-sided patriot, and a most estimable and courteous gentleman. His father, Bartholomew La Porte, one of the French exiles who remained in the land that gave him shelter when his own country rejected him, after the Restoration, and he was at liberty to return, was also a noted man in the country. Judge La Porte was born in Asylum, Nov. 4, 1798, and died Aug. 22, 1862. He was first elected to office in the county, in 1822, as auditor. From 1827 to 1832, inclusive, he served his district in the legislature, being speaker of the house during the latter year; was elected to congress in 1832, and re-elected in 1834; was appointed associate judge of the county in 1840, and held the position until 1845, when he was appointed surveyor-general of the State by Gov. Shunk, and held that position until 1851.
THE VOTES OF THE PEOPLE
Of Bradford County have been as follows at the general elections for governor down to 1823, and for presidential electors since that date to and including 1876, as follows:
For Governor—1814 (Lycoming and Bradford combined), Simon Snyder, 724, Isaac Wayne, 11, George Lattimer, 13; total, 748; Democratic majority, 700. 1817, William Findlay, 929, Joseph Hiester, 353; total, 1282; Democratic majority, 576. 1820, William Findlay, 915, Joseph Hiester, 788; total, 1703; Democratic majority, 127. 1823, J. Andrew Shulze, 977, Andrew Gregg, 804; total, 1781; Democratic majority, 173. In 1826, Mr. Shulze received 1753 votes; and Governor Wolf in 1829, 1832, and 1835 received respectively, 1219, 1685, and 1504 votes, Governor Porter receiving in 1838 2420, against 2219 for his opponent, Joseph Ritner.
Presidential Votes—1824, Jackson, 1640, Adams, 31, Crawford, 16; total, 687; Democratic majority, 1593. 1828, Jackson, 1553, Adams, 910; total, 2463; Democratic majority, 643. 1832, Jackson, 1598, Wirt, 1221; total, 2819; Democratic majority, 377. 1836, Harrison, 1521, Van Buren, 1463; total, 2984; Whig majority, 58. 1840, Van Buren, 2844, Harrison, 2631, Liberty, 26; total, 5501; Democratic plurality, 213. 1844, Polk, 3495, Clay, 3164, Liberty, 63; total, 6722; Democratic plurality, 331. 1848, Taylor, 3272, Cass, 1889, Van Buren, 1780; total, 6941; Whig over Democratic, 1383; Whig over Free-Soil, 1493; Cass and Van Buren over Taylor, 397. 1852, Pierce, 3930, Scott, 3526, Liberty, 281; total, 7737; Democratic plurality, 404. 1856, Fremont, 6969, Buchanan, 2314, Fillmore, 71, Liberty, 7; total, 9361; Republican majority over all, 4571. 1860, Lincoln, 7091, Douglas, 2176, Breckenridge and Bell, 31; total, 9298; Republican majority, 4884. 1864, Lincoln, 7530, McClellan, 3195, 3195, total, 10,725; Republican majority, 4335. 1868, Grant, 7768, Seymour, 3538; total, 11,306; Republican majority, 4230. 1872, Grant, 7452, Greeley, 3563, Temperance, 16; total, 11,031; Republican majority, 3873. 1876, Hayes, 8008, Tilden, 4989, Cooper (Greenback), 59, Temperance, 40, Anti-Secret Society, 22; total, 13,118; Republican majority over all, 2898.
The election of 1876, by districts, was as follows:
| Hayes | Tilden | Total | |
| Alba |
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| Albany |
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| Armenia |
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| Asylum |
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| Athens township |
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| " borough |
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| Barclay |
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| Burlington |
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| " borough |
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| " West |
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| Canton borough |
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| " township |
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| Columbia |
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| Franklin |
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| Granville |
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| Herrick |
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| Le Raysville |
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| Le Roy |
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| Litchfield |
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| Monroe township |
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| " borough |
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| Orwell |
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| Overton |
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| Pike |
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| Ridgeberry |
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| Rome township |
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| " borough |
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| Sheshequin |
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| Smithfield |
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| South Creek |
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| Springfield |
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| Standing Stone |
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| Sylvania borough |
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| Terry |
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| Towanda township |
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| " North |
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| " borough, 1st ward |
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| …………..2nd ward |
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| …………..3rd ward |
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| …..Total—borough |
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| Troy township |
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| " borough |
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| Tuscarora |
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| Ulster |
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| Warren |
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| Wells |
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| Wilmot |
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| Windham |
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| Wyalusing |
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| Wysox |
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Popular questions, submitted to the people for the expression of their desires for or against the adoption of the propositions treated therein, have resulted as follows:
1825—For convention to amend constitution…….…832
Against…………………………………………….…503
1835—For convention to amend constitution……..2,842
Against…………………………………………….…..63
1854—For prohibition……………………………..4,353
Against……………………………………………..1,672
1857—For constitutional amendments (average)….1,257
Against…………………………………………….....212
1864—For constitutional amendments…………….4,913
Against……………………………………………….209
1870—For poor-house……………………………..4,138
Against……………………………………………..4,385
1871—For constitutional convention……………...8,297
Against……………………………………………….222
1872—For constitutional amendments…………...11,344
Against………………………………………………….9
1873—For new constitution……………………….4,340
Against……………………………………………..1,193
THE BRADFORD CIVIL LIST.
OF THE NATION.
United States Senators.
Samuel McKean, 1835-39.
David Wilmot, 1861-63.
Members of Congress—XIX. District.
1822-24. Samuel McKean.
1834-36. John La Porte
1844-50. David Wilmot.
1862-64. Henry W. Tracy.
1864-71. Ulysses Mercur.
1874-76. Joseph Powell.
1876-78. Edward Overton.
Judge of the United States Court of Claims.
David Wilmot, appointed 1863.
Consul to Santa Cruz, West Indies.
Edward H. Perkins, appointed 1862.
Surveyor of Port of Philadelphia.
E. O’Meara Goodrich, appointed March, 1869.
OF THE STATE.
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Samuel McKean, appointed Dec. 26, 1829.
Surveyor-General.
John La Porte, May 10, 1845 to 1851.
Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Elisha S. Goodrich, appointed Jan. 21, 1852.
Justice of the Supreme Court.
Ulysses Mercur, commissioned Dec. 2, 1872; term expires December, 1887.
State Senators.
1815. Dist.—Lycoming, Clinton, Centre, McKean, Bradford, and Tioga; Henry Welles, four years.
1829. Bradford, Susquehanna, and Tioga; Samuel McKean, 1 year (resigned to accept appointment of secretary of commonwealth).
1830-37. Bradford, Susquehanna, and Tioga; Reuben Wilbur (to fill vacancy).
1837-41. Susquehanna and Bradford; Elihu Case, four years.
1850-53. Susquehanna, Bradford, and Wyoming; Geo. Sanderson, three years.
1856. Susquehanna, Bradford, and Wyoming; E. Reed Myer, three years.
1859. Susquehanna, Bradford, and Wyoming; George Landon, three years.
1865. Susquehanna, Bradford, and Wyoming; George Landon, three years.
1874; Susquehanna, Bradford, and Wyoming; Delos Rockwell, three years.
1877; Susquehanna, Bradford, and Wyoming; William T. Davies, three years.
Members of the House of Representatives.
From 1774 to 1782, inclusive, Bradford County formed part of Westmoreland, State of Connecticut, and sent members to the semi-annual sessions of the legislature, at Hartford, as follows:
April, 1774. Zebulon Butler, Timothy Smith.
Sept., 1774. *Christopher Avery, John Jenkins.
April, 1775. Capt. Z. Butler, Joseph Sluman.
Sept., 1775. Capt. Z. Butler, Maj. Ezekiel Pierce.
May, 1776. John Jenkins, Solomon Strong.
Oct., 1776. Col. Z. Butler, Col. Nathan Denison.
May, 1777. John Jenkins, Isaac Tripp.
May, 1778. Nathan Denison, Anderson Dana.
Oct., 1778. Col. N. Denison, Lieut. Asahel Buck.
May, 1779. Col. N. Denison, Deacon John Hurlbut.
May, 1780. John Hurlbut, Jonathan Fitch.
Oct., 1780. Nathan Denison, John Hurlbut.
May, 1781. John Hurlbut, Jonathan Fitch.
Oct., 1781. *Obadiah Gore, *Capt. John Franklin.
May, 1782. *Obadiah Gore, Jonathan Fitch.
Oct., 1782. *Obadiah Gore, Jonathan Fitch.
* From Bradford County.
1813-14. Henry Welles, district Lycoming, Bradford, Tioga, and Potter counties.
1815-19. Samuel McKean, district Bradford and Tioga.
1820-22. Simon Kinney, district Bradford and Tioga.
District Bradford, 1 member.
1822-23. William Myer.
1823-26. Lemuel Streator.
1824-28. Constant Mathewson.
1828-29. John La Porte.
District Bradford and Tioga, 2 members.
1829-32. †John La Porte.
1832-33. Ellis Lewis.
1833-35. Lockwood Smith.
1835-36. Darius Bullock, Isaac Myer.
† Speaker in 1832.
District Bradford, 1 member.
1836-37. Isaac Cooley.
1837-38. George Kinney.
1838-40. David F. Barstow.
1840-41. Stephen F. Pierce.
1841-43. W. Elwell.
District Bradford, 2 members.
1843-45. John Elliott, Irad Wilson.
1845-47. John L. Webb, Victor E. Piollet.
1847-48. Francis Smith, Allen E. Thomas.
1848-49. Charles Stockwell, Arunah Wattles.
1849-50. Charles Stockwell, Joseph C. Powell.
1850-52. Addison McKean, Henry Gibbs.
1852-54. John Passmore, William E. Barton.
1854-56. Judson Holcomb, Barth. La Porte.
1856-58. John B. G. Babcock, Cullen F. Nichols.
1858-60. O. H. P. Kinney, Thomas Smead.
1860-62. Chester T. Bliss, Henry W. Tracy.
1862-63. Barth. La Porte, Dummer Lilley.
1863-64. Joseph H. Marsh, Dummer Lilley.
1864-65. Joseph H. Marsh, Lorenzo Grinnell.
1865-66. G. Wayne Kinney, Lorenzo Grinnell.
1866-67. G. Wayne Kinney, James H. Webb.
1867-70. John F. Chamberlain, James H. Webb.
1870-71. Perley H. Buck, James H. Webb.*
1871-72. Perley H. Buck, B. S. Dartt.
1872-73. E. Reed Myer, B. S. Dartt.
1873-74. E. Reed Myer, James H. Webb.
3 members
1875-77. George Moscrip, Elijah G. Tracy, Uriah Terry.
1877-78. E. Reed Myer†, James Foster, John F. Gillette.
* Speaker of the House, 1871.
† Speaker of the House, 1878.
Delegates to Constitutional Conventions.
1837.
Senatorial, Bradford and Susquehanna, Almon H. Read.
Representative, Bradford, Nathaniel Clapp.
1873.
George F. Horton, William J. Turrell*, Joseph G. Patton
*Not of Bradford County
THE JUDICIARY.
President Judges.
John B. Gibson, 1812 to Sept., 1816.
Thomas Burnside, 1817.
Edward Herrick, Sept., 1818, to Sept., 1839.
John N. Conyngham, 1839 to 1849.
Horace Williston, 1849 to 1851.
David Wilmot, 1852 to 1861.
Ulysses Mercur, 1861 to 1865.
Farris B. Streeter, 1865 to 1874.
Paul D. Morrow, 1874, and present incumbent.
Associate Judges.
George Scott, Oct. 13, 1812, to May, 1818.
John McKean, Oct. 13, 1812, to May, 1837.
Jonathan Stevens, May 22, 1818, to 1840-41.
John La Porte, 1837 to 1845.
Abraham Goodwin, 1841 to 1844.
David M. Bull, 1845.
Harry Morgan, 1846 to 1851.
Reuben Wilbur, 1846 to 1851.
Myron Ballard, elected 1851.
Harry Ackley, elected 1851.
Aaron Chubbuck, elected 1856.
John F. Long, elected 1856.
John Passmore, elected 1858.
V. M. Long, elected 1861.
L. P. Stalford, elected 1863.
J. Wilson Vandyke, elected 1866.
Zebulon Frisbie, elected 1868.
Stephen D. Harkness, elected 1871.
Chancey S. Russell, 1873 to 1875.
Additional Law Judge
Paul D. Morrow, 1870 to 1874.
THE COUNTY.
Prothonotary—Clerk of Oyer and Terminer and Quarter Sessions
Charles F. Welles, 1812 to 1818.
George Scott, 1818 to 1830.
Darius Bullock, 1830 to 1831.
Alpheus Ingham, 1831.
James P. Bull, May 7, 1831, to 1836.
Samuel Strait, 1836.
Joseph C. Powell, Oct. 21, 1836, to 1839.
David Cash, elected 1839.
Aaron Chubbuck, elected 1842.
Addison McKean, elected 1845.
Allen McKean, elected 1848, 1851, 1854, and 1857.
E. O’Meara Goodrich, elected 1860 and 1863.
Wm. A. Thomas, elected 1866 and 1869.
Benj. M. Peck, elected 1872 and 1875.
Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of Orphans’ Court.
Charles F. Welles, appointed July 13, 1812, to 1818.
Geo. Scott (clerk), orphans’ court, 1818 to 1830.
Eliphalet Mason (register and recorder), 1818 to 1827.
Alpheus Ingham (register and recorder), 1827 to 1830.
Alpheus Ingham (clerk and register and recorder), 1830 to 1831.
Elisha S. Goodrich, 1831 to 1836.
Geo. A. Mix, 1836 to 1839.
Dummer Lilley, 1839.
Ephraim W. Baird, elected 1839.
Julius Russell, elected 1842.
Lyman E. De Wolf, elected 1845.
Horatio Black, elected 1848.
H. Lawrence Scott, elected 1851.
James H. Webb, elected 1854 and 1857.
Nathan C. Elsbree, elected 1860 and 1863.
Henry J. Madill, elected 1866.
Charles E. Gladding, elected 1869.
Otis J. Chubbuck, elected 1872.
Cephas E. Andrus, elected 1875.
Sheriffs.
Abner C. Rockwell, appointed* Dec. 9, 1812.
John Spalding (2d), appointed Dec. 9, 1815.
Lemuel Streator, appointed Dec. 14, 1818.
J. C. Powell, appointed Oct. 30, 1821.
Reuben Wilbur, appointed Oct. 28, 1824.
Benjamin McKean, appointed Nov. 27, 1827.
Lockwood Smith, Jr., appointed Dec., 1830.
John L. Webb, appointed Dec., 1833.
Guy Tozer, appointed Nov., 1836.
Ira H. Stephens, elected Oct., 1839.
John N. Weston, elected Oct., 1842.
John F. Means, elected Oct., 1845.
William S. Dobbins, elected Oct., 1848.
Chester Thomas, elected Oct., 1851.
John A. Codding, elected Oct., 1854.
Thomas M. Woodruff, elected Oct., 1857.
A. Hanson Spalding, elected Oct., 1860.
J. Monroe Smith, elected Oct., 1863.
William Griffis, elected Oct., 1866.
J. Perry Van Fleet, elected Oct., 1869.
J. Monroe Smith, elected Oct., 1872.
Andrew J. Layton, elected Oct., 1875.
* The two having the greatest number of votes were returned to the governor, of whom he appointed one to be sheriff. The same rule held in regard to coroner.
District Attorneys.
Thomas Smead, elected Oct., 1850.
James Macfarlane, elected Oct., 1853.
Paul D. Morrow, elected Oct., 1856.
Guy H. Watkins, elected Oct., 1859.
George D. Montanye, elected Oct., 1862.
William T. Davies, elected Oct., 1865.
Warner H. Carnochan, elected Oct., 1868.
Joseph B. Reeve, elected Oct., 1871.
John N. Califf, elected Oct., 1874.
Isaiah McPherson, elected Oct., 1877.
Coroners.
John Horton, appointed May 10, 1813.
John Minier, appointed Feb. 24, 1819.
Chauncey Frisbie, appointed Feb. 26, 1822.
John Fox, appointed Dec. 27, 1824.
John L. Webb, appointed Dec. 27, 1827.
Aaron Knapp, appointed Dec. 27, 1837.
Henry J. Salisbury, elected Oct., 1839.
Calvin Storm, elected Oct., 1842.
John Hatch, elected Oct., 1845.
Thomas I. Ingham, elected Oct., 1848.
George M. Black, elected Oct., 1851.
W. W. Estabrooks, elected Oct., 1854.
Newell Leonard, elected Oct., 1857.
Jeremiah Culp, elected Oct., 1860.
Abram Snell, Jr., elected Oct., 1863.
Joseph H. Hurst, elected Oct., 1866.
John F. Dodge, elected Oct., 1869.
J. Volentine Geiger, elected Oct., 1872.
D. B. Walker, elected Oct., 1875.
County Treasurers.
Harry Spalding,* appointed Jan. 1, 1813-14.
Wm. Means, appointed 1815.
Simon Kinney, appointed 1816-17.
Henry Mercur, appointed 1818-20.
Gurdon Hewitt, appointed 1821 and 1822.
George Scott, appointed 1823.
Andrew Irvine, appointed 1824-26.
J. P. Bull, appointed 1827-28.
Alpheus Ingham, appointed 1829.
Andrew Irvine, appointed 1830.
Wm. Russell, appointed 1831 and 1832.
Chauncey Frisbie, appointed 1833 and 1834.
David M. Bull, appointed 1835-37.
John E. Hale, appointed 1838.
Charles Stockwell, elected October, 1839.
Wm. B. Storm, elected October, 1841.
Leonard Pierce, elected October, 1843.
Jacob Reed, elected October, 1845.
James M. Peck, elected October, 1847.
John Horton, elected October, 1849.
Benj. Wilcox, elected October, 1851.
Preceptor Forbes, elected October, 1853.
Ezra C. Kellogg, elected October, 1855.
E. Percival Shaw, elected October, 1857.
Wm. Griffis, elected October, 1859.
Francis Watts, elected October, 1861.
Stephen D. Harkness, elected October, 1863.
J. Perry Van Fleet, elected October, 1865.
Charles A. Mory, elected October, 1867.
C. K. Ladd, elected October, 1869.
Wm. Bunyan, elected October, 1871.
Mathew Marshall, elected October, 1873.
Jas. C. Robinson, elected October, 1875-78.
*Appointments were made by the commissioners.
County Commissioners.
Joseph Kinney, elected in 1812.
Justus Gaylord, elected in 1812-15.
Wm. Myer, elected in 1812-16.
Burr Ridgway, elected in 1813-17.
Clement Paine, elected in 1814.
Samuel McKean, elected in 1815.
Salmon Bosworth, elected in 1816-18.
Nathaniel Allen, elected in 1816-17.
Eliphalet Mason, elected in 1817-19.
Joseph C. Powell, elected in 1818-20.
Barth. La Porte, elected in 1819-21.
Wm. Myer, elected in 1820-22.
George Hyde, elected in 1821-23.
Lemuel Streator, elected in 1822-24.
Darius Bullock, elected in 1823-25.
John Taylor, elected in 1824-26.
Theo. Leonard, elected in 1825-27.
Gould Seymour, elected in 1826-28.
Burton Strait, elected in 1827-29.
Churchill Barnes, elected in 1828-30.
Hezekiah Dunham, elected in 1829-31.
Eliphalet Mason, elected in 1830-32.
John L. Webb, elected in 1831-33.
Isaac Cooley, elected in 1832-34.
John Elliott, elected in 1833-35.
Morris Spalding, elected in 1834-35.
Elias Rockwell, elected in 1835-36.
Harry Morgan, elected in 1836-38.
E. S. Goodrich, elected in 1836.
Daniel Parke, elected in 1837-39.
Ira Stevens, elected in 1838-39.
Myron Ballard, elected in 1839.
Irad Wilson, elected in 1839.
Benjamin Buffington, elected in 1840.
Edson Aspenwall, elected in 1841.
Daniel Brink, elected in 1842.
Joseph Turner, elected in 1843.
Luman Putnam, elected in 1844.
Ashbel S. Cramer, elected in 1845.
John H. Black, elected in 1846.
Hiram Spear, elected in 1847.
Simeon Decker, elected in 1848.
Aug. I. Smith, elected in 1849.
Sturges Squires, elected in 1850.
Daniel B. Cotton, elected in 1851.
Isaac A. Park, elected in 1852.
Stuart Smiley, elected in 1853.
George H. Bull, elected in 1854.
Perley H. Buck, elected in 1855.
Dummer Lilley, elected in 1856.
Daniel Decker, elected in 1857.
Perley H. Buck, elected in 1858.
William A. Thomas, elected in 1859.
William H. Decker, elected in 1860.
Isaac Lyon, elected in 1861.
Joseph Campbell, elected in 1862.
William B. Dodge, elected in 1863.
John Beardslee, elected in 1864.
Sterne McKee, elected in 1865.
William B. Dodge, elected in 1866.
John A. Moody, elected in 1867.
Asa McKee, Jr., elected in 1868.
John B. Hindes, elected in 1869.
E. C. Kellogg, elected in 1870.
Morris Shepard, elected in 1871.
Benjamin Kuykendall, elected in 1872.
Abram Snell, elected in 1873.
Morris Shepard, elected in 1874.
M. J. Coolbaugh,* elected in 1875.
George W. Kilmer,* elected in 1875.
John Baldwin,* elected in 1875.
* Three years.
County Auditors.
Clement Paine, Moses Coolbaugh, 1813, and Jonathan Stevens, 1814.
Eliphalet Mason, William F. Dininger, Salmon Bosworth, 1814
Ethan Baldwin, vice Bosworth, 1816.
Lemuel Streator, Edward Herrick, 1817.
Jonathan Stevens, 1818.
William Means, George Hyde, B. J. Woodruff, 1819.
Samuel Bartlett, 1820.
Harry Morgan, 1821.
J. M. Piollet, 1822.
Nathaniel Clapp, 1823.
Burton Strait, 1824-26.
Charles Comstock, 1825-27.
Asa Pratt, 1826-28.
John La Porte, 1827-28.
Harry Morgan, 1828-30.
J. M. Piollet, 1829.
Isaac Cooley, 1829-31.
John E. Hale, 1830-32.
Myron Ballard, 1831-33.
Samuel Stevens, 1832-34.
Abraham Goodwin, 1833-35.
Alpheus Holcomb, 1834-36.
Aaron Chubbuck, 1835-37.
A. McKean, 1836-38.
G. F. Horton, 1837.
H. Ackley, 1838.
L. Putnam, 1839.
James M. Edsall, 1840.
Arunah Wattles, 1841.
Chester Wells, 1842.
Horace Willey, elected in 1842.
John Watkins, elected in 1843.
J. M. Bishop, elected in 1844.
Charles Homet, elected in 1845.
Lemuel S. Maynard, elected in 1846.
Samuel W. Shepherd, elected in 1847.
F. S. Whitman, elected in 1848.
W. H. Peck, elected in 1849.
William Overton, elected in 1850.
Edward C. Welles, elected in 1851.
W. H. Peck, elected in 1852.
C. F. Nichols, elected in 1853.
Jonathan Buttles, elected in 1854.
Christopher Child, elected in 1855.
Francis Homet, elected in 1856.
Lewis B. Pierce, elected in 1857.
Robert Mason, elected in 1858.
Jeremiah Travis, Jr., elected in 1859.
E. Reuben De Long, elected in 1860.
Robert Mason, elected in 1861.
George R. Acroyd, elected in 1862.
C. H. Corbin, elected in 1863.
Robert Mason, elected in 1864.
George W. Elliott, elected in 1865.
Isaac D. Soper, elected in 1866.
O. D. Field, elected in 1867.
Asa McKee, Jr., elected in 1868.
Walter S. Bowman, elected in 1869.
John S. Quick, elected in 1870.
A. R. Brown, elected in 1871.
Ira Crane, elected in 1872.
E. Reuben De Long, elected in 1873.
George W. Brink, elected in 1874.
Danverse Bourne,* elected in 1875.
J. R. Brasted,* elected in 1875.
William L. Lantz,* elected in 1875.
* Three years.
Jury Commissioners
Joseph Foulke, elected in 1867.
E. Reuben De Long, elected in 1870.
B. Frank Knapp, elected in 1873.
Thomas A. Lee, elected in 1876.
Clerks of Commissioners.
Joseph Kingsbury, 1812-14.
George Scott, 1815-19.
Burr Ridgway, 1820.
Edwin Benjamin, 1821-22.
Morris Spalding, 1823-24.
James P. Bull, 1825, 1826.
Warren Brown, 1827-29.
Miller Fox, 1830-35.
John E. Hale, 1836-37.
Charles Stockwell, 1838-41.
A. S. Chamberlain, 1842-44.
John M. Wattles, 1845-47.
Chauncey S. Russell, 1848-50.
E. M. Farrar, 1851-56.
E. B. Coolbaugh, 1857-62, and 1864-75.
G. E. Fox, 1863.
William Lewis, 1876-78.
County Surveyors.
Jonathan Stevens,* appointed deputy-surveyor May 11, 1812.
Zephon Flower, appointed deputy-surveyor Aug. 29, 1821.
James M. Edsall, appointed deputy-surveyor 1833.
Rowland Wilcox, appointed deputy-surveyor 1836.
Edgar G. Nichols, elected 1850.
James A. Paine, elected 1853.
Joseph E. Spalding, elected 1856.
Josiah J. Newell, elected 1859, 1862, and 1865.
Oliver W. Stevens, elected 1868.
Joseph E. Spalding, elected 1871.
George V. Myer, elected 1874.
T. A. Seward, elected 1877.
* Appointments made by the surveyor-general of the State.
