CHAPTER VI

POLITICAL AFFAIRS

INTRODUCTORY – ORLO J. HAMLIN – ELECTIONS FOR GOVERNOR, 1835– ELECTIONS FROM 1840 TO 1883 – GENERAL ELECTIONS, 1884 TO 1889 – PROHIBITORY AMENDMENT VOTE, 1889.

THE early election returns of McKean county are among the very few records which have been lost; so that the writer had to rely upon the commissioners’ records as well as court records for the names of men successful in the political battles prior to 1840.

In 1831 – 33 Orlo J. Hamlin represented the district in the legislature, and was re- nominated in 1833; but his name not being placed on the legislative ticket in Lycoming county he withdrew. He refused the nomination in 1835, but served in the great constitutional convention until the poor condition of his health compelled him to retire, when Hiram Payne, the alternate, took his seat. It was Delegate Hamlin who proposed to give a representative to each county, a proposition which has been carried out only in recent years.

In 1835 there was an election for governor, Wolf being the nominee of the Democrats, and Joseph Ritner of the Anti- Masonic party. When the votes were counted Wolf was leading, and the merry Democrats of McKean county never dreamed of such a thing as defeat. To memorialize this victory a party of Democrats went out at night and imitated the howls of the wolf so thoroughly that Squire Williams arose from his bed to re- examine the sheepfold. Next day he met Squire, Crow, Asa Sartwell, and others, to whom he related his night’s experience with the pack of wolves; but Squire Crow knew all about the howlers, and turning to his Democratic audience said, “Well, boys, you have, made your last howl.” He was correct; for Ritner was chosen governor. Among the old voters of the county are N.W. Abbey, of Smethport; H.W. Burlingame, of Kasson; J.P. Evans, of Norwich; M. Ostrander, of Liberty, and Moses Dillenbach, of Annin, all of whom voted for Harrison in 1840. Philetus Ford and A.H. Cory gave their votes to Martin Van Buren.

C.D. Calkins, of East Smethport is said, by B.D. Hamlin, to have voted that year. Jeremiah Chadwick was here then. John Cousin, now of Friendship, N.Y.; Amos Briggs, still a resident; Daniel Crossmire, a resident of Farmers Valley; James Daly, Jabez F. Gallup, James Hoop, and a few others named in the township sketches, are living representatives of the voters of 1840.

The elections of 1840 gave 263 Harrison votes to Bernard Connelly, Jr., and 275 Van Buren votes to William Philson, the presidential electors. Davis Dimmock, Jr., received 305 votes and George Kress 211, for congress; James L. Gillis (D.) 266, and Perry Shearman (W.) 240, for assembly; Nelson Richmond (D.) 323, and James Taylor (W.) 205, for sheriff; Abner O. Hunt (D.) 307, and Leavitt C. Little (W.) 220 votes for commissioner; Samuel Eastey (D.) 297, and William Smith (W.), of Ceres, 220 votes for auditor.

In 1841 L.B. Dunham (D.) received 242 votes, and C.C. Gaskill (W.) 187, for representative; Jedediah Darling (W.) was elected coroner; David Crow (W.), treasurer; Nathaniel Bobbins (D.), commissioner and Ben. C. Corwin (D.), auditor.

In 1842 the county gave marked majorities to William P. Wilcox for senator; Joseph V. James for representative; F.B. Hamlin for prothonotary, and Asa P. Barnaby, for auditor, all Democrats.

In 1843 Henry Chapin was chosen treasurer; David R. Bennett, sheriff, and J.F. Melvin, auditor. At this time the question of establishing a poorhouse was defeated by a vote of 310 contra, 163 pro. The successful candidates were all Democrats.

The elections of 1844 show 419 votes for the Democratic elector, N.B. Eldred; 340 for John Killinger (W.), and 3 for James Wood, the elector on the Abolition ticket. The vote for member of congress was given in the same ratio to James Thompson, Charles M. Reed and John S. Mann, respectively. For the assembly and county offices there were only Democratic and Whig candidates, Rasselas Brown receiving 408 votes, and L.C. Little receiving. 314, for representative; Oshea R. Bennett (D.) was chosen coroner, A.H. Cory (D.) auditor. There were 151 votes recorded for and 498 against the sale of the main line of the Pennsylvania canal and railway. The three Abolitionists were John King, Henry Chevalier and Eleazer Wright.

In 1845 Thomas Struthers (W.) received a majority over James L. Gillis (D.) for senator, Benjamin Bartholomew (W.) over Sol. Sartwell, Jr. (D.), for representative; Richard Chadwick (W.) over W.A. Williams (D.) for prothonotary; Benjamin C. Corwin (D.) was elected treasurer almost unanimously, and Joseph Morse (D.), auditor.

James Thompson (D.) defeated James Campbell (W.) for congress in 1846 in this county; Henry P. Kinnear (W.) received a majority over Solomon Sartwell for representative; Philetus Ford (D.) defeated Jeremiah Chadwick (W.) for the office of sheriff, and J.F. Gallup (D.) was chosen auditor. The charge of youth was preferred against Mr. Ford by the friends of Chadwick, who was then eight years younger than the victor.

In 1847 Alonzo I. Wilcox (D.) received a majority vote for representative Ezra Bard (D.) for treasurer; B.C. Corwin (D.) was elected coroner, and J.F. Melvin (D.) and E.F. Carrier (D.), auditors.

The elections of 1848 showed 367 votes for Taylor and Fillmore; 418 for Louis Cass and Butler, and 22 for Van Buren and Adams. James Thompson (D.) received a majority for congress; Timothy Ives (D.) for senator; A.I. Wilcox (D.) for representative; Richard Chadwick (W.) for prothonotary; Samuel Smith (D.) defeated William K. King (W.) for treasurer; B.C. Corwin

(D.) defeated Jedediah Darling (W.) for coroner, while O.L. Stanton (D.) and Benjamin F. Cory (D.) were chosen auditors.

In 1849 Glen W. Scofield (D.) carried the county for representative; Ezra Bard (D.) was chosen sheriff, and A.K. Johnson (D.), auditor. Sheriff Bard died during his term, when W.J. Colegrove (W.) was appointed.

Canton B. Curtis (D.) received 454 votes and J.H. Walther (W.) 292 for congress in 1850; W.J. Hemphill (D.) was chosen representative; Byron P. Hamlin (D.), treasurer by 391 votes against. 356 received by Jedediah Darling (W.); Robert Hines, Jr. (D.) was elected auditor; A.D. Hamlin (D.), county surveyor; William A. Williams (D.), district attorney by 84 to 54 received by N.W. Goodrich, while 588 votes were recorded for Constitutional Amendment and 2 against it.

In 1851 James L. Gillis (D.) defeated Reuben Winslow (W.) here for representative; Robert G. White (D.) was elected president judge, receiving the whole vote (799). Richard Chadwick (W.) and O.L. Stanton (D.) received majority votes for associate judges; David R. Bennett (D.) was chosen sheriff; A.W. Needham (W.), coroner; Paul E. Scull (D.), prothonotary; John C. Backus (D.), recorder, by a vote of 412 against 366 for C.P. Webster (W.), and C.K. Sartwell (D.), auditor.

The elections of 1852 gave 597 votes to Pierce and King for Democratic president and vice- president; 405 to Scott and Graham, Whigs, and 78 to Hale and Julien, Free- soil candidates. C.B. Curtis (D.) defeated Patrick Kerr (W.) for congress; Byron D. Hamlin (D.) received a majority vote for senator, but the election was almost unanimous; A.S. Arnold (D.) for representative; B.O. Burdick (D.) for auditor; Jedediah Darling (W.) for treasurer, and William Tenney (W.) for coroner.

In 1853 A.S. Arnold (D.) was re- elected representative; N.W. Goodrich (D.), prosecuting attorney; Henry Hamlin (D.), auditor; Jasper Marsh (D.), surveyor; A.M. Benton (D.), commissioner.

David Barclay (D.) received 441 votes for congress in 1854, against 228 recorded for Richard Arthur (W.), Alexander Caldwell (D.) received a large majority for representative; William M. Smith (D.) for sheriff; Wilber H. Sartwell (D.) for treasurer; Samuel C. Hyde (D.) for prothonotary; Jasper Marsh (D.) for recorder, John Campbell for auditor, and John C. Backus (D.) for prosecuting attorney. The prohibitory liquor law was defeated by a vote of 481 against 415.

In 1855 Henry Souther (W. and K.N.) received a majority vote for senator; William A. Williams (D.) for representative, and A.J. Otto (D.) for auditor.

The elections of 1856 show majorities for James S. Myers (R.) for congress; John Brooks (R.) for representative; Jedediah Panling (R.) and Sylvanus Holmes (R.), associate judges; W.A. Williams (R.), treasurer; Joseph Housler (R.) and B.C. Corwin (D.), auditors; Alexander T. Barden (R.), coroner, and Horatio Bell (R.), surveyor. The vote in favor of Constitutional Amendment was 257 and against it 126.

In 1857 Robert Matson (D.) and W.P. Wilcox (D.) had the highest number of votes for representatives; Joseph Morse (D.) was elected sheriff; Samuel C. Hyde (D.), prothonotary; C.K. Sartwell (D.), recorder; L.R. Wisner (D.) coroner; A.L. Rifle (R.) and Gideon Irons (D.), overseers of the pool; E.B. Eldred (D.), prosecuting attorney.

In 1858 Chapin Hall (R.) carried the county for congress by a vote of 835 against 479 recorded for James L. Gillis (D.); Enos Parsons (R.) was elected treasurer; V.P. Carter (R.), auditor; Nathan Dennis (D.), coroner, and Joseph Wilks (D.), poor- house commissioner.

In 1859 A.M. Benton (D.) received 649 votes; T. Jefferson Boyer (D.). 599, I.G. Gordon (R.) 559, and William A. Nichols (R.) 578 for representatives; J.C. Hamlin (D.) and G.B. Gillett (D.) were chosen auditors, and Dr. George Darling (R.), coroner. At this time the district comprised McKean, Elk, Clearfield, Jefferson and Forest counties.

In 1860 Henry Souther, Republican elector, received 1,077 votes; Byron P. Hamlin, Democratic, 591, and Joseph H. Otswick, Union, two votes; John Patton received the Republican vote for congress, and James R. Kerr, the Democratic vote. S.M. Lawrence (R.) and I.G. Gordon (R.) were elected representatives over A.M. Benton and ____ Brady, Democrats; James E. Blair (R.), sheriff; John R. Chadwick (R.), prothonotary; C.K. Sartwell (R.), recorder; William K. King (R.), treasurer; W.A. Nichols (R.), attorney; W.A. Williams (R.), auditor, and Enos Parsons (R.), coroner.

In 1861 Robert G. White (R.) received 633 votes, and Rasselas Brown 491 for president judge; N. Peabody (R.) and Jedediah Darling. (R.) were elected associate judges; Alonzo I. Wilcox (R.) and Joseph B., McEnally (R.), representatives; Charles D. Webster (R.), auditor; P. Ford (R.), attorney, •and Ebenezer Barden (R.), coroner. In the district were 6,983 votes, of which Judge White received 6,289.

The elections of 1862 show 785 votes for G.W. Scofield (R.) and 625 for Milton Courtright, Democratic candidates for congress; Stephen F. Wilson (R.) received a majority vote for senator; Martin H. Shannon (R.) and Warren Cowles (R.) were elected representatives; V. Perry Carter (R.), treasurer; P. Ford (R.), attorney; H.P. Hicks (D.) and B.H. Lamphier (R.), auditors, and P.F. Finley, coroner.

In 1863 Frank Bell (R.) and John Mahaffy (R.) received 717 votes, T.J. Boyer (D.) and A.M. Benton (D.) 625 votes for the legislature, the Democrats being elected. A.N. Lillibridge (R.), 702 votes) contested for the sheriff’s office with G.R. Moore (D.), 642 votes); John B. Chadwick (R.), 709 votes) opposed J.B. Oviatt (D. 621 votes) for prothonotary; Wallace W. Brown (R., 710 votes) fought against G.W. Sartwell (D., 617 votes) for the office of recorder, and James Bond (R., 693 votes) opposed L.B. Miner (D., 620 votes) for the position of coroner. Warren Cowles (R.) and J.O. Backus (D.) received party votes, and Swift (R.) and Puntley (R.) were chosen auditors.

The elections of 1864 show 767 votes for Isaac Benson, Republican elector, and 652 for John M. Irvine, Democratic elector. G.W. Scofield (R.) had a majority for congress over Bigler (D.); Lucius Rogers (R.) had 649 votes for representative, against 575 given to C.B. Eldred (D.), who was elected in the district; James E. Blair (R.) was elected treasurer; John H. Duntley (R.), auditor; Dr. M.A. Sprague (R.), coroner, and Thomas King (R.), surveyor.

In 1865 H.W. Williams (R.) was elected president judge; John Brooks (R.) opposed E.B. Eldred (D.) for representative; Warren Cowles (R.) defeated S.B. Peale (D.) for senator; S.O. Tenney (R.) and John S. Bean (D.) contested for the office of auditor; William K. King (R.) was elected surveyor; E.C. Olds. (R.) opposed Dr. C.W. Bobbins (D.) for the coroner’s office. The military vote was taken on the field. In 1866 C.A. Lyman (R.) received 848 and G.O. Deise (D.) 742 votes for representative; A.N. Taylor (R.) and A.T. Barden (R.) defeated Medbery (D.) and Brownell (D.) for associate judges; B.F. Wright (R.) defeated Coon in the race for sheriff; Thomas Malone (R.) was elected treasurer over Dolley; W.W. Brown (R.), attorney, defeated Backus; J.R. Chadwick (R.) was elected prothonotary over C.C. Melvin; F.P. Wheeler (R.), auditor, and A.N. Lillibridge (R.), coroner. P.M. Fuller (R.) received 851 votes and Andrew Reilly (P.) 734 votes for commissioner. G.W. Scofield (R.) received a majority vote for congress in this county.

In October, 1867, S.D. Freeman (R.) received 769 votes for representative, against 485 recorded for Deise; Abram Anderson and W.V. McCoy were elected jury commissioners, with W.V. McCoy (D.) and W.K. King (R.), auditor. In this year the questions of “license” and “no license” were submitted. The first received 715 votes and the second 478.

The elections of 1868 show 964 Scofield (R.) and 825 R. Brown votes for congress; 978 for A.G. Olmsted (R.) and 808 for A.M. Benton (D.), senatorial candidates; 983 for John Brooks (R.) and 798 for W.J. Davis (D.) for representative. E.B. Dolley (D.) was elected treasurer; Reuben Dennis (R.), commissioner, and H. Hamlin (R.), auditor. In November, 1,028 votes were cast for the Republican and 730 for the Democratic electors.

In 1869 L.W. Crawford (R.) carried the county for representative; Henry King (R.) was elected attorney; Lucius Rogers (R.), prothonotary; J.P. Barnes (R.), auditor, and J.E. Blair (R.), coroner.

G.W. Scofield repeated his success this time over Selden Marvin in 1870; V. Perry Carter received a majority for the assembly; C.C. Melvin (D.) was chosen treasurer, receiving 804 votes against J.B. Chadwick’s (R.) 762; F.W. Sprague (R.) was chosen auditor; William K. King (R.), surveyor, and S.G. Curtis (R.) and P.H. Comes (D.), jury commissioners.

In 1871 B.B. Strang carried the county for senator over W.V. McCoy; H.W. Williams (R.) for president judge over M.F. Elliott (D.); Lucius Rogers (R.) received 940 votes for representative against 720 recorded for F.W. Knox (D.); W.H. Curtis (R.) was chosen auditor; M.J. Hadley (R.), coroner, and Charles E. Bailey (D.), surveyor. There were 1,620 votes cast for congressional convention and eleven against. Loyal Ward was elected associate judge.

In 1872 Thomas L. Kane (D.) received 1,000 votes, and C.B. Curtis (R.) 956, for congress; Charles S. Jones (R.) 1,025 and F.W. Knox (D.) 953 for representative; W.J. Milliken (R.) 1,022 and P.B. Hamlin (D.) 946 for attorney; C,H. Foster (R.) was elected treasurer; M.A. Sprague (R.), prothonotary; M.N. Powell (D.), sheriff; P.A. Butts (R.), auditor; C.P. Rice (R.), coroner; while Jerome B. Niles, John S. Mann and M.F. Elliott were chosen delegates to the congressional convention. The Republican electors received 1,040 votes, and the Democratic 618. A unanimous vote was cast for the convention.

The elections of 1873 resulted in 614 votes for Conrad Hollenbeck (D.), or six over his opponent, C.S. Jones (R.), for representative; P.T. Kennedy (R.) was chosen auditor; Andrew Reilly (D.) and Orrin Vosburgh (R.), jury commissioners, and H.L. Burlingame (R.), coroner. In December the new constitution was approved by 1,093 votes and disapproved by 64.

In 1874 Sobieski Ross (R.) had 922 votes and H.W. Early (D.) 924 for congress; Almeron Nelson carried the county for senator; John Q. Backus (D.) defeated Butts (R.) for the assembly; A.H. Medbery (D.) was chosen treasurer; Thomas Callor (D.), auditor and B.F. Wright (R.), coroner.

In 1875 C.K. Sartwell and John B. Chadwick received 957 votes each for prothonotary, but Sartwell qualified; C.S. King (R.) was chosen sheriff; Patrick H. Cotter (D.), attorney; Eugene Mullin (D.) and J.L. Bean. (D.); auditors, and Enos Parsons (R.), coroner.

The elections of 1876 show 1,427 votes for Republican (or Hayes) electors, 1,320 for Democratic (Tilden), 12 for Greenback (Peter Cooper), and one for Prohibition (Green Clay Smith); John J. Mitchell (R.) received 1,414 votes, Henry White (D.) 1,331, and John T. Davis (G.- B.) 3, for congress; C.H. Seymour (R.), Pr. L. Granger (D.) received the respective votes for senator;

C.H. Foster (R.), W.J. Davis (D.) and C.L. Allen (G.- B.) were the candidates for representative; W.S. Brownell (D.) and F.W. Burnham (R.) were elected associate judges; J.E.B. White (R.) and J.H. Anderson (D.), jury commissioners; J.E. McDougall, coroner.

In 1877 W.D. Gallup (R.) was elected treasurer; J.E. Blair (G.- B.), coroner, and G.H. Lyon (R.), surveyor.

The elections of 1878 show 1,515 votes for John J. Mitchell (R.), 1,252 for B.B. Smith (D.), and 774 for John T. Davis (G.- B.), candidates for congress; Lewis Emery, Jr. (R.), received 1,652 votes for representative; Roswell Sartwell (D.) 1,321 for sheriff, defeating six other candidates; John B. Brawley (D.) received 1,516 votes for prothonotary, defeating H.F. Barbour (R.) and two others; S.W. Smith (R.) 1,699 votes for attorney; O.D. Vosburg (R.) and J.J. Roberts (R.) were chosen auditors, and N.W. Abbey (R.), J.G. Boyer (D.) and W.J. Colegrove (R.), commissioners.

In 1879 N.C. Gallup (R.) and O.P. Coon (D.) were elected jury commissioners.

In 1880* the presidential vote was 3,693 (Garfield) Republican, 3,169 (Hancock) Democratic, 16 (Dow) Prohibition, and 299 (Weaver) Greenback; Lewis Emery, Jr. (R.), received 4,233 votes for senator, and Arthur J. Hughes (D.) 2,768; David Kirk (D.) received 3,591 votes, and B.J.C. Walker (R.) 3,541 votes for congress; W.L. Hardison (R.) 3,591 for representative, and E.M. Reardon (D.) 3,307; John W. Brennan (D.) received 3,712 votes for treasurer and was elected; G.H. Lyon (R.) was chosen surveyor, and Anthony F. Bannon (R.), coroner.

In 1881 Henry W. Williams (R.) was elected president judge; P.M. Fuller (R.) and Henry Hamlin (R.), associate judges; A.I. Wilcox (R.), sheriff; John B. Brawley (D.), re- elected prothonotary; Edward McSweeney (D.), district attorney; W.H. Higgins (D.) and A.P. Brewer (R.), auditors.

The elections of 1882 show a majority for M.F. Elliott (D.) for congress- at- large; almost a unanimous vote was recorded for Arthur G. Olmsted (R.), additional law judge; 2,464 votes for W.W. Brown, Republican candidate for congress; David Sterrett (R.) received 2,294 votes, and B.D. Hamlin (D.) 2,277 for representative; E.F. Clark (R.) and D.F. Pattison (D.) were chosen jury commissioners.

In 1883 Charles C. Melvin (D.) was elected treasurer, defeating John B. Shoemaker (R.) by 120 votes; John King (R.) was elected surveyor, and R.A. Dempsey (R.), coroner.

GENERAL ELECTIONS, 1884.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.

Joseph A. Ege (R.)- 3,820

P.R. Ackley (D.)- 2,980

C.H. Dana(Pro.)- 346

George A. Webb(U.L.)- 414

CONGRESS.

W.W. Brown (R.)- 3,533

W.C. Kennedy (D.)- 3,775

John Brown (Pro.)- 323

SENATOR.

Lewis Emery, Jr.(R.)- 3,956

Eugene Mullin (D.)- 3,276

A. Cadugan (Pro.)- 357

REPRESENTATIVE.

Robert H. Rose (R.)- 3,779

O.L. Snyder (D.)- 3,443

C.E. Tucker (Pro.)- 405

SHERIFF.

A.F. Bannon (R.)- 4,012

T.L. Sartwell (D.)- 3,009

D.F. Connelly (Pro.)- 222

N.D. Preston (U.L.)- 381

PROTHONOTARY AND RECORDER.

J.M. McElroy (R.)- 3,678

J.M. Armstrong (D.)- 3,329

S.L. Rhoades (U.L.)- 298

J.G. Hann (Pro,)- 322

DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

Ernest Koester (R.)- 3,822

G.B. McCalmont (D.)- 3,319

G.J. Stranchan (U.L.)- 381

AUDITOR.

A.P. Brewer (R.)- 3,759

G.N. Barrett (R.)- 3,796

Thomas Osborne (D.)- 3,006

C.M. Capehart (D.)- 2,947

J.H. McKilop (U.L.)- 415

J.W. Stearns (U.L.)- 476

Peter Findlay (Pro.)- 359

J.C. Young (Pro.)- 362

In 1885 D. Martin and M.S. Sheldon were elected jury commissioners.

The vote of June 18, 1889, on the Prohibitory Amendment, was 3,054 for, and 2, 058 contra, showing a majority of 996, the vote by political divisions being as follows:

The official canvass of votes cast in McKean county general election held November 5, 1889, was as follows: For State treasurer: Boyer (R.), 2,661; Bigler (D.), 1,685 and Johnson, 349. For county treasurer: Capt. Rogers (R.), 2,467; Broder (D.), 2,037, and Cody, 278. For surveyor: Hadley, 2,424; King, 128, and Kane, 606. Mr. King was voted for in several of the precincts by personal friends, but positively declined to have his name printed on the tickets as a candidate for county surveyor.

The township and borough elections of February, 1890, are recorded iii the pages of township and borough history.

* Thomas L. Kane was a member of the Republican National Convention in 1880, and voted thirty- six times in that assembly for Grant’s nomination.

** The district vote was 5,091 and 4,248, respectively.

Source: Page(s) 121-128, History of Counties of McKean, Elk and Forest, Pennsylvania. Chicago, J.H. Beers & Co., 1890.

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