Beers Historical Record
Volume I
Chapter 10
Bench and Bar History of the County
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The task of preparing a sketch of the bar of Armstrong county is a difficult one, inasmuch as it is an old and historic section of the State, with many long-treasured traditions and records, the securing of which is a work of much difficulty and research. To properly present the facts, and give an unbiased estimate of the character and merits of an individual in such a manner as to show the real man, the writer must not be guided by his own judgement alone, but rather by the consensus of opinion of the writers of the past or those who were acquainted personally with the subject of the sketch.
The life work of a lawyer is different from that of other citizens. While he digs and delves into the very foundations of social life, while his influence has shaped and modified civil government, while he has been the great champion of human liberty and constitutional law, his power has been manifested more in a general way through his profession. When we try to measure what the lawyer has done for the race, in the development of civilization and good government, we are lost in admiration and amazement. When we, however, try to trace the results to individual effort we are surprised to see how completely, in most cases, the life work of the individual is merged in the great work of the profession. While we know that each individual may have contributed something toward the development of jurisprudence, we are impressed with the difficulty of being able to point our finger to some particular effort and say: Here is Lord Mansfield, here Patrick Henry, here Daniel Webster, here Gibson or Black, here Marshall or Meredith, here Buffington or Golden, here Gilpin Neal.
This is a particularly true when we study a local county bar. While it may have produced quite a number of thorough lawyers, it must have had its failures. From the nature of its situation and environment,, by reason of its limited opportunities, it must have had many more members of splendid ability than could come to the front and occupy positions of prominence. So in this sketch many members deserving of greater recognition may be passed over with scant recognition of their abilities, because opportunity failed to open to them the door of development.
DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS
The Armstrong county bar has given the public its fair share of men who distinguished themselves in law, politics, and commerce. In the law, it gave James Thompson, a chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; Joseph Buffington (the younger), district judge of the United States; Joseph Buffington (the elder), John V. Painter, Jackson Boggs, James B. Neale, Calvin Rayburn, Willis D. Patton, and John H. Painter, judgees of the Common Pleas courts, and D.B. Heiner, United States district attorney; as also J. W. King, judge elect at this writing.
In politics it gave William F. Johnston, governor of Pennsylvania; Andrew J. Faulk, governor of the Dakota territory; Samuel D. Harrison, Joseph Buffington, Sr., Darwin Phelps, David Barclay and Daniel B. Heiner, Congressmen; Eben S. Kelly, William F. Johnston, State Senators; William F. Johnston, John S. Rhey, J. Alexander Fulton, Darwin Phelps, John K. Calhoun, Franklin Mechling and Samuel B. Cochran, members of the Legislature; John Gilpin, member of the constitutional convention of 1873, and John F. Whitworth, corporation clerk, auditor general's office, Harrisburg. Outside of law and politics a number of the members of our bar have been very successful. In journalism, John W. Rohrer, J. Alex. Fulton, James B. Neale, R. W. Smith, Graves S. Crosby, Walter Guthrie, and O. S. Marshall. In commerce and manufacturing, James E. Brown, William F. Johnston, Robert E. Brown, William F. Johnston, Robert E. Brown, James B. Neale, John Gilpin, Orr Buffington and John H. Painter. In banking, James E. Brown, James B. Neale, W. D. Patton, Ross Reynolds, M. F. Leason and James H. McCain.
The bar has also contributed its share of men to the army, Larry S. Cantwell, Franklin Mechling, T. J. VanGeisen, William Blakely, Jefferson Reynolds, Graves S. and Samuel Crosby, Theodore Barrett, Charles G. Barclay, James C. Golden, James B. Neale, James B. Gates and Joseph R. Henderson took part in hte War of the Rebellion, and Austin Clark and Charles G. Harrington in the war with Spain. Robert G. Heiner gave up the law for a career in the regular army.
We are indebted to Robert W. Smith for an elaborate and exhaustive history of Armstrong county; John F. Whitworth is the author of three text-books on the "Law of Tax Sales," "Corporation Practice," and "Taxation of Corporations," and is engaged in the preparation of another valuable work; whild J. D. Daugherty has dabbled some in newspaper work, but principally under a nom de plume.
EARLY COURTS
The history of the Armstrong county bar begins with the organization of the county for judicial purposes in 1805. The first court in the county was held in a log house on the site of the present Reynolds House in Kittaning, in December of that year. The clerk's minutes show that the following members were admitted to the bar at that court by Hon. Samuel Roberts, the president judge; Samuel Massey, who was the first lawyer located in Kittaning; Samuel Guthrie, George Armstrong, John B. Alexander and William Ayers. At that time, amid those primitive surroundings, the Armstrong county bar may be said to have come into existence. Of these original members nothing can now be ascertained, as there are no records available and none of their descendants are now connected with the bar. At this time, the judicial district consisted of Armstrong, Cambria, Somerset, Indiana and Westmoreland counties, and doubtless most of these earlier members were residents of those counties outside of Armstrong.
Judges who presided over our courts who were not residents of this county were: John Young of Greensburg, Thomas White of Indiana, Jeremiah M. Burrell of Greensburg, John C. Knox of Tioga county, and James A. Logan of Greensburg. Our native judges upon the bench were: Joseph Buffington, Sr., John V. Painter, Jackson Boggs, James B. Neale, Calvin Rayburn, Willis D. Patton and John H. Painter.
Before the act of 1850 the following members were appointed deputy attorney general or prosecuting attorney: Thomas Blair, William F. Johnston, Michael Gallagher, J. B. Musser, John B. Alexander, John Reed, George W. Smith, John S. Rhey, Thomas T. Torney, Daniel Stannard, Hugh H. Brady, Ephrain Carpenter, J. G. Barclay, John W. Rhorer, and James Stewart. The act of 1850 made the office elective and changed the name, after which the following members were elected district attorney: John W. Rohrer, Frankin Mechling, William Blakeley, Henry F. Phelps, John V. Painter, John O. Barrett, Mirven F. Leason, Robert S. Martin, D. B. Heiner, Harvey N. Snyder, Rush Fullerton and J. P. Culbertson.
BAR ROSTER
The following is a list of the members of the bar and the dates of their admission: George Anderson, 1805; William Ayers, 1805; Joseph Buffington, Sr., 1827; Ephraim Buffington, 1843; Jackson Boggs, 1848; Daniel Barclay, 1850; Cyrus Boggs, 1855; William Blakely, 1856; John O. Barrett, 1858; J. E. Brown, 1859; John P. Blair, 1867; Theodore Barrett, 1868; Charles G. Barclay, 1872; H. A. Barclay, 1872; Joseph Buffington, Jr., 1878; Orr Buffington, 1881; John A. Beatty, 1884; Larry S. Cantwell, 1847; John K. Calhoun, 1850; Graves S. Crosby, 1870; James P. Coulter, 1871; Joseph P. Calhoun, 1876; Alex C. Crawford, 1877; Samuel M. Crosby, 1879; Austin Clark, 1880; John T. Colthiers, 1882; John Q. Cochran, 1888; Samuel B. Cochran, 1889; W. J. Christy, 1889; John T. Crawford, 1887; Joseph P. Culbertson, 1896; Earl F. Cochran, 1901; James Denny Daugherty, 1887; J. Alex. Fulton, 1848; John B. Finlay, 1857; J. G. D. Findley, 1868; Rush Fullerton, 1889; Jacob Freetley, 1851; Samuel Guthrie, 1805; Edward S. Golden, 1848; James C. Golden, 1852; John Gilpin, 1861; J. A. Getty, 1862; James B. Gates, 1871; Walter J. Guthrie, 1887; Horatio Lee Golden, 1885; Edward O. Golden, 1900; Daniel M. Geist, 1897; Oliver W. Gilpin, 1901; Henry J. Hays, 1867; Thomas N. Hathaway, 1890; John M. Hunter, 1893; Joseph R. Henderson, 1875; Robert G. Heiner, 1875; Daniel B. Heiner, 1881; G. M. Hill, 1882; Edward Hill, 1887; Boyd S. Henry, 1895; Charles E. Harrington, 1898; Harry A. Hileman, 1899; George G. Ingersoll, 1870; Robert B. Ivory, 1882; A. L. Ivory, 1888; Alex. Johnston, 1858; William Y. Johnston, 1877; Floy C. Jones, 1893; James Wesley King, 1886; Willard J. King, 1901; M. F. Leason, 1877; John H. Lawson, 1899; E. E. Lawson, 1901; Samuel Massey, 1805; Franklin Mechling, 1847; Thomas W. Martin, 1873; Robert S. Martin, 1879; Oscar S. Marshall, 1886; Samuel H. Morgan, 1892; Clarence O. Morris, 1901; J. A. McCullough, 1871; James H. McCain, 1873; H. N. McIntyre, 1874; Reuben A. McCullough, 1887; William A. McAdoo, 1901; Samuel H. McCain, 1902; Barclay Nulton, 1858; James B. Neale, 1862; D. L. Nulton, 1881; Grier C. Orr, 1862; Darwin Phelps, 1836; Henry F. Phelps, 1858; Willis D. Patton, 1876; John H. Painter, 1888; John W. Rohrer, 1847; A. S. Robinson, 1855; Ross Reynolds, 1877; Alex. Reynolds, 1877, John D. Reynolds, 1885; Calvin Rayburn, 1879, E. C. Ross, 1892; R. L. Ralston, 1893; William G. Reynolds, 1882; Robert W. Smith, 1848; John Smullin, 1863; H. N. Snyder, 1872; John M. Schundlin, 1874; James Stewart, 1842; Thomas T. Torney, 1848; A. J. Truett, 1888; F. J. Van Geisen, 1889; Findley P. Wolfe, 1879; John P. Whitworth, 1878; James S. Whitworth, 1882, Gustavus A. Walker, 1903.
BIOGAPHICAL
WILLIAM FREAME JOHNSTON, the third Governor of Pennsylvania under the constitution of 1838, was born at Greensburg, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, November 29, 1808.
The subject of this sketch had a limited common school and academic education, but acquired a great fund of general information by reading and observation. He studied law under Major J. B. Alexander, and was admitted to the bar in May 1829, when in his twenty-first year. Shortly afterward he removed Armstrong county, and here he engaged in practice, and soon rose to a commanding position. He was appointed by Attorney-Gen. Samuel Douglas, and subsequently by Attorney-General Lewis, district attorney for Armstrong county, which office he held until the expiration of Governor Wolf's first term. For several years he represented the county in the lower house of the Legislature, and in 1847 was elected a member of the Senate from the district comprised of the counties of Armstrong, Indiana, Cambria, and Clearfield.
During the period in which he was in the Legislature a great financial crisis occurred, and the distress which ensued was extreme. At this crisis Mr. Johnston came forward with a proposition to issue relief notes, for the payment or funding of which the State pledged its faith. This he advocated with his usual energy and logical acuteness, and though a majority of the Legislature was politically opposed to him, it was adopted, and gave instant relief. In 1847 Mr. Johnston was elected president of the Senate. By a provision of the constituition--Governor Shunk resigning on the 9th of July because of ill health, Speaker Johnston became governor. In 1848 he was the Whig nominee for the office, and was elected over Morris Longstreth, after a very sharp and remarkably close contest. Governor Johnston managed the financial affairs of the commonwealth during his administration in a very creditable manner. One work of lasting and high value which he accomplished was the publication of twenty-eight large volumes, known as the Colonial Records and Pennsylvania Archives, composed of important papers relating to the most interesting period of State History. Upon retiring from office, after failing to secure a reelection, Mr. Johnston returned to Kittanning, engaged in the practice of his profession, and also entered upon an active business life, at different periods being interested in the manufacture of iron, boring for salt, the production of oil from bituminous shales, and the refining of petroleum. He was prominent in organizing the Allegheny Valley Railroad Company, and was its first president. During the War of the Rebellion he took an active part in organizing troops, and superintended the construction of the defenses at Pittsburgh. He was appointed by President Andrew Johnson collector of the port of Philadelphia, the duties of which office he discharged for several months, but through the hostility of a majority of the Senate to the President, he was rejected by that body, though ample testimony was given that the office was faithfully and impartially administered. He then practiced law in Philadelphia, associating with himself Hon. George S. Seldon, of Meadville, and subsequently-some time in 1868-returned to Kittaning. In 1871 he removed to Pittsburgh, and he died there at the residence of Mrs. Samuel Bailey, October 25, 1872.
JAMES THOMPSON, who became chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylbania, was for some years prior to his elevation to that office of Kittaning. He was twenty-two when he came here in 1826 to work as a printer on the old Kittaning Gazette. Working 3 hours a day at his trade to sustain himself, he studied law during the remaining time, and was admitted to the bar at Kittaning in March, 1828. He practiced law there for a time, and finally moved to Franklin, PA., from whence he was elected chief justice.
JOSEPH BUFFINGTON, the elder, was born in Westchester, Pa., in 1803, where his father kept one of the old-time taverns. At the Age of eighteen he entered Western University at Pittsburgh, and after graduation moved to Butler county, where he edited a weekly newspaper. He there studied law under Gen. William Ayers, was admitted to the bar of Butler county in 1826 and to the Supreme Court Bar in 1828. Soon thereafter he removed to Kittaning, where he gradually built up a large practice. In 1843 he was elected to Congress from the district composed of the counties of Armstrong, Butler, Clearfield, and Indiana counties. In 1849 he was appointed by his old friend, Governor Johnston, to the position of president judge of the Eighteenth Judicial district, composed then of Clarion, Elk, Jefferson, and Venango counties, holding it until 1851. He was appointed by President Fillmore, chief justice of Utah territory, in 1852, but declined. From 1855 to 1871 he held the office of judge of the Tenth district, after which age compelled his retirement. He died in Kittaning in 1872, and was interred in the cemetery on the hill above the town. A lifelike portrait in oil of Judge Buffington hands over the desk in the courthouse of Kittaning, where he so long administered justice.
JACKSON BOGGS was born in Plum township, Allegheny county, in 1818. His early life was spent on the home farm, and he later taught school in Armstrong county in the simple log buildings of the time. He studied law in the office of the Hon. Darwin Phelps at Kittaning, and was admitted to the bar in 1843. During the earlier years of his practice he was appointed deputy surveyor general, and in 1874 was elected president judge of Armstrong sounty, but did not serve out his term, dying very suddenly in 1879. He assisted in the erection of the township of Boggs, which was given his name by enthusiastic admirers.
JOHN V. PAINTER, a son of the loved pastor of the Presbyterian church at Kittaning, Rev. Joseph Painter, was born in Williamsport, Pa., May 25, 1829, and came to Kittaning in 1834. He graduated from Kittaning academy and studied law in the office of Larry S. Cantwell. He was admitted to the bar in 1861 and appointed deputy district attorney in 1862. He was appointed president judge of the Third Judicial district in 1874 and served for one year, but was defeated for reelection to that office in the following year. He died in 1905.
JAMES B. NEALE was born in Pittsburgh and during early life was engaged in mercantile pursuits. In 1858 he began the study of law in the office of Golden &Fulton, at Kittaning, and was admitted to practive in 1862. He was enrolled in 1861 in Capt. Cantwell's company of three months' men, as third lieutenant, but that office being abolished, he resigned. Later he served in the 22d Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, holding the office of quartermaster. In 1879 he was appointed president judge to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Boggs, and was later elected to the full term of ten years. Thereafter until his death, he was in partnership in the practice of law with his nephew, Hon. John H. Painter.
HORATIO N. LEE was born in Butler county in 1811, and spent his youth on a farm. He graduated from Washington and Jefferson College in 1833, studied law in the office of Hon. John Bredin, at Butler, and was admitted to practice in 1835. He then came to Kittaning and entered into partnership with Edward S. Golden, withdrawing in 1855 owing to ill health, and dying in the following year.
JOSEPH BUFFINGTON, the younger, was born in Kittaning in 1855, his mother being a descendant of the famous Gen. Robert Orr. He graduated from Trinity College, Hartford, Conn., in 1875, and entered upon the study of law in the office of Hon. James B. Neale. He was admitted to the bar in 1876 and entered partnership with his preceptor, Judge Neale. In 1892 he was appointed United States judge for the western district of Pennsylvania by President Harrison,, and is now acting as judge of the United States Court of Appeals.
JAMES H. McCAIN was born in 1844 at Slate Lick, South Buffalo township, Armstrong county. He acquired an education at the public schools and the Freeport Academy, and graduated from the Philadelphia Law School. Read law in the office of Hon. E. S. Golden and was admitted to practice in 1873. Until the death of the Hon. John Gilpin in 1883, they were in partnership at Kittaning, where Mr. McCain still practices.
AUSTIN CLARK, was born in Kittaning in 1854, his father being at the time sheriff of Armstrong county. He attended Blairsville Academy and the Indiana Normal, studied law with the Hon. James B. Neale and was admitted to the bar in 1889. At the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he mustered a comany and was commissioned captain by Governor Hastings. He saw service in Porto Rico, remaining in office until the end of the war. He practiced thereafter in Kittaning until his retirement.
ROSS REYNOLDS, one of the famous family of that name, was born in Kittaning in 1854. He was educated in the public schools and Lambeth College, and studied law in the office of Hon. E. S. Golden, being admitted to practice in 1877. He practiced in Kittaning until his death.
LARRY S. CANTWELL was one of the earlier practioners of Kittaning and Freeport, having spent most of his life in Armstrong county. In 1861, he organized a company of three months' men, but saw little service and resigned in the same year. He practiced law in Kittaning until his death, about 1863.
HARRY P. BOARTS, born in Kittaning township; graduated from Grove City College; studied law with ex-Jude Rayburn, and was admitted to Armstrong county bar in December 1903; practices at Kittanning; served as mayor of Kittanning.
ORR BUFFINGTON, born April 29, 1858, at Kittanning, Pa., graduated Trinity College, Hartford, Conn., studied law under Hon. James Neale and his elder brother, Joseph Buffington; was admitted to the bar in Armstrong county in 1881, and entered into partnership with brother for practice. In 1903 became associated with Oliver W. Gilpin; served as burgess and member of school board of Kittaning.
SAMUEL M. CROSBY, born May 6, 1833, in Allegheny (now Parks) township, Armstrong county, Pa.; read law with his brother, Graves S. Crosby, and with Wilson Jenks at Clarion, Pa,; was admitted to bar in Clarion county, Pa., in 1873 and practiced there a short time; was later admitted to Armstrong county bar, where he practiced until 1888, when he went to Omaha, Nebr., where he was admitted to the bar and entered upon practice, and was also admitted to practice in Utah; followed his profession at Omaha for fifteen years, and for four years served as municipal judge in that place; returned to home county, where he lived retired at Leechburg until his death, March 11, 1914.
GRAVES S. CROSBY, born Jan. 29, 1843; was admitted to bar of Armstrong county and practiced at Parkers Landing; later located at Kittaning, where he practiced until his death, May 6, 1886. Was a drummer boy in the 139th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers.
EDWIN L. DIVELY, born April 22, 1878, in altoona, Pa.; read law with his father and graduated from the Dickenson law school, Carlisle, Pa., with the degree of LL. B.; practiced in Blair county, Pa., until 1909, when he came to Apollo, where he remained until recently; acted as attorney for the borough; in 1909 was admitted to practice in the Supreme court of Pennsylvania. Now in Altoona.
JOHN GILPIN, born Oct. 8, 1839, at Kittaning; graduated Union College, Schnectady, N. Y.; studied law with Hon. Chapman Biddle, and graduated from law department of the University of Pennsylvania about 1859-1860; in 1861 was admitted to bar at Philadelphia, and in December of that year obtained admission to Armstrong county bar; served as member of the Constituitional convention, which met in November, 1874; in 1880 formed a partnership with J. H. McCain, with whom he associated until his death. Died Nov. 2, 1883.
OLIVER W. GILPIN, born Sept. 4, 1874, at Kittaning; took a full course at Harvard and received his degree of A. B. In 1897; studied law at University of Pennsylvania, from which he fraduated in 1901 and same year was admitted to the bar at Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and in Armstrong county; in 1903, settled down to law practice; became associated with Orr Buffington under firm of Buffington & Gilpen; was admitted to practice in the Federal court and State Supreme court; has been vice president of Armstrong County Bar Association.
EDWARD S. GOLDEN, born in Indiana county, Pa., studied law, and was admitted to bar of Armstrong county in 1849; admitted to practice in all the courts; also practiced in Pittsburgh; died Oct. 4, 1890.
HORATION L. GOLDEN, born Oct. 13, 1860, at Kittaning; in 1883 graduated from Trinity College, Hartford, Conn.; studied law with his fater, Hon. Edward S. Golden, and was admitted to Armstrong county bar in 1885.
HARRY C. GOLDEN, born at Kittanning, Jan. 9, 1882; in 1903 graduated from Trinity College of Hartford, Conn., was admitted to Armstrong county bar in 1905, to practice in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in May 1909, and in the United States court at Pittsburgh, March 29, 1911; Mr. Golden studied law under Edward S. Golden, Judge W. Patton, J. W. King, R. A. McCullough, and the Hon. D. B. Heiner.
CHARLES E. HARRINGTON, born in December 1873, at Parker City, Armstrong Co., Pa., began study of law in June, 1906, with M. F. Leason; was admitted to bar in June 1908.
HARRY A. HEILMAN, born Sep. 25, 1875, in Kittanning, Pa., attended University of Princetpn, N. J., two years; graduated from law department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1899, and same year was admitted to bar of Armstrong county and to Philadelphia bar; read law with George Stuart Patterson and John T. Crawford, and in 1899 began active practice; from 1905 to 1909 was associated with R. A. McCullough.
ALFRED L. IVORY, born June 24, 1849, in Allegheny county, Pa.; in 1881 he began the study of law, and in 1888 was admitted to bar of Clarion county; he had read law with Wilson & Jenks; practiced in Clarion county for five years; then went to New York City, returned to Pennsylvania, locating at Pittsburgh, and in 1900 at Ford City, in 1909 removed to Kittanning.
FLOY C. JONES, born Jan. 28, 1870, at New Lisbon (now Lisbon), Ohio; graduated from Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, Pa., in 1889; read law with W. D. Patton, Esq., and was admitted to the bar Dec. 11, 1893.
JAMES W. KING, born Sept. 29, 1859, in Burrell township, Armstrong county, Pa.; attended Thiel College, Greenville, Mercer Co., Pa.; began the study of law in 1883, under the Hon. Edward S. Golden, and was admitted to the bar of Armstrong county in 1886. Elected president judge of Armstrong county in 1913.
JEFFERSON R. LEASON, born Aug. 11, 1883, at Kittaning, Pa., took a two-year course at Pennsylvania State College; read law with his father, and was admitted to the Armstrong county bar in 1907; in 1909 was elected district attorney for his county.
MIRVEN F. LEASON, born in Jefferson county, Pa.; educated at Princeton College, N. J.; was admitted to the bar of Armstrong county in 1879, having previously been admitted to the Jefferson county bar; during 1881 and 1882 he was district attorney of Armstrong county; he died May 29, 1909.
J. S. CALHOUN, born Feb. 8, 1854, in Wayne township; read law in Clarion county, where he was admitted to the bar; now practicing law in the State of Oklahoma. Practiced for a few years at Kittanning.
PHILIP SNYDER, born in Kittanning, July 28, 1887; graduated from the Pittsburgh School of Law; read law in the office of his father, H. N. Snyder; admitted to the bar in December, 1910; practices in Kittanning.
ROBERT L. RALSTON, born April 23, 1867, in Lawrence county; graduated from Westminister College, Lawrence, Pa.; read law in the office of James H. McCain; admitted to the bar in April, 1893; practices in Kittanning.
SAMUEL B. COCHRAN, born in 1861 in Boggs township; read law in the office of the late Hon. W. D. Patton, at Kittanning; admitted to the bar in August 1897; elected member of the Legislature four consecutive terms; practices in Apollo.
EARL F. COCHRAN, born Aug. 16, 1876; graduated law in the office of his uncle, Samuel B. Cochran, at Apollo; admitted to the bar in 1901; now employed in the audit department of the Westinghouse Co., East Pittsburgh.
J. P. CULBERTSON, born March 16, 1867, in Mahoning township; studied at Valparaiso Law School and Edinboro Normal; read law in the office of H. L. Golden; admitted to the bar in January, 1896; elected district attorney for tow terms; practices in Kittanning.
EDWARD E. LAWSON, born Dec. 3, 1871, in West Mahoning township, Indiana county; graduated from Clarion State Normal, Clarion county; read law in the office of Ross Reynolds; admitted to the bar in May 1891; practices in Kittanning.
J. Q. COCHRAN, born July 6, 1849, in Boggs township; educated at Dayton Academy and University of Michigan; read law in the office of Charles McCandless, Butler, Pa.; admitted to the bar in December, 1888; practices in Apollo.
ALEXANDER M. COCHRAN, born Dec. 15, 1879, at Apollo; graduated from University of Michigan in 1904; read law in offices of S. B. and J. Q. Cochran at Apollo; is now practicing civil engineering.
WILLIAM LOWRY PEART, born in Pine township; graduated from Dayton Academy and Iowa State University; read law in the office of Hon. John Gilpin at Kittanning; admitted to the bar in 1879; practices in Kittanning.
BARCLAY NULTON, born Jan. 8, 1835, in Kittanning; worked in a brickyard in early life; studied at night and when sufficient had been earned to permit, studied law in the office of Judge Joseph Buffington and Robert W. Smith, of Kittanning; admitted to the bar in December 1858; practiced almost entirely in Kittanning; died May 11, 1912.
WILLIAM J. CHRISTY,
RUSH FULLERTON,
JOHN W. ROHRER,
JOHN SCOTT SCHAEFFER,
Source: Page(s) 68-75, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J. H. Beers & Co., 19114.
Transcribed June 1998 by Donna Mohney for the Armstrong County Smith Project.
Contributed by Donna Mohney for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)
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