Political History
POLITICAL STATUS OF ELK COUNTY FROM 1843 TO 1889 - VOTE ON THE PROHIBITORY AMENDMENT IN 1889 - RETURNS BY BOROUGHS AND TOWNSHIPS - ELECTIONS IN 1889.
THE political status of Elk county from 1843 to 1889, as well as the names of the politicians, is given in the following pages. The county commissioners find mention in the pages devoted to the transactions of that body from 1843 to the present day.
The first election for county officers was held October 10, 1843. The returning judges were A. I. Wilcox (D.), John Cobb (W.), James L. Moore, Daniel Smith and Almerin Kincaid, with E. Kincaid (D.) and Charles Horton (D.), clerks. There were three commissioners elected: John Brooks (W.) receiving 229 votes; Chauncey Brockway, 175, and Reuben Winslow (W.), 124. The candidates for auditors were George Dickinson (D.), who received 162 votes; Ralph Johnson, 160, and Leonard Morey (W.), 98. David Wheeler received 117 votes for treasurer; James Mix, 101 votes for coroner; Ensebius Kincaid (D.), 91 votes for sheriff, and William J. B. Andrews, 121 votes for prothonotary.
In October, 1844, F. R. Shunk received 132, and Joseph Markie 103 votes for governor. The question of selling the Main Line was negatived by 152 votes, while 62 votes were given for sale. Reuben Winslow (W.) received 183 votes for commissioner, and William F. Green, 148 votes for auditor. In November the twenty-six candidates on each presidential ticket received, respectively, 128, 101 and 9 votes.
In 1845 James L. Gillis (D.) received 91, J. Thomas Struthers (W.) 74 votes for senator; Solomon Sartwell (D.) 81, and Ben Bartholomew (W.) 73 for assembly; Charles Horton (D.) received 157 votes for prothonotary and recorder; Ignatius Garner (D.) 95, and William Barr (W.) 45 for auditor; Chauncey Brockway, 109, and James McQuone, 51 votes for commissioner, and Jacob Coleman (D.) 98, against Ebenezer C. Winslow (W.) 56 votes for treasurer.
The October elections of 1846 show 134 votes for Sol. Sartwell (D.) and 99 for Henry P. Kinnear (W.), candidates for representative; Jacob Schmeltzer defeated David Thayer and Charles Mead (W.) in the race for sheriff; Nathaniel Hyatt (D.) had 93 and Carpenter Winslow (W.) 83 votes for coroner; and Thomas Dent (D.), was chosen auditor by 203 votes, while A. B. Weed (W.) had 66. The race for congress was closely contested, James Thompson (D.) receiving 128 and James Campbell (W.) 113 votes.
In November, 1847, James Prvine (W.) received 93 and F. R. Shunk (D.) 182 votes for governor. Alonzo I. Wilcox (D.) 195 and E. M. Howard (W.) 70 votes for representative; Henry Souther (W.) 152 and Libbens Luther (W.) 116 votes for treasurer; C. F. Luce received 143 and Henry Warner (D.) 80 votes for auditor, and David Thayer (D.) was elected sheriff by 140 votes against 121 recorded for Erasmus Morey (W.).
In 1848 Morris Longstreet (D.) received 283 and William F. Johnson (W.) 145 votes for governor; James Thompson (D.) 226 and James Campbell (W.) 149 votes for congress; Timothy Ives, Jr., (D.) 221 and D. B. Long (W.) 177 for senator; A. I. Wilcox (D.) 280 and James Alexander (W.) 105 for representative; Charles Horton (D.) 351 and Edward C. Schultz (D.) 79 for prothonotary; Thomas Irvine (D.) 264 and Henry Warner (D.) 60 votes for auditor. The presidential electors were Thomas H. Sill 134 votes, Timothy Ives (D.) 242 and William W. McDougall (F.S.) 16 votes.
In 1849 James Mix (D.) was elected coroner, Starr Dennison (W.) auditor, and C. F. Luee treasurer, who did not qualify, and in 1850 B. P. Little (W.) was appointed.
In October, 1850, there were 303 votes for and 53 against the proposed constitutional amendments; Henry Souther (W.) received 67 and Justus C. Chapin (D.) 22 votes for prosecuting attorney; Edward P. Goff (D.) 169 and B. P. Little (W.) 41 votes for surveyor; Charles Mead (W.) 245 and Henry Thayer (D.) 51 votes for sheriff; Townsend Fall was elected coroner, there being eight candidates; Joseph Mason, Jr., auditor, there being six candidates; Joseph Rogers received 109 and D. P. Hyatt 12 votes for the office of sheriff; William J. Hemphill received 285 votes for representative.
The Elk county Whig convention of 1850 was presided over by Edward Derby, with B. P. Little, secretary, E. C. Winslow, W. S. Meredith, William Shepard, C. F. Luce, R. W. Brown, E. Derby and Silas Blake were appointed a central committee; H. Souther, A. H. Head and John Patterson delegates to congressional convention.
The Democratic county convention of 1850 was presided over by Jesse Kyler, with J. R. Morey, secretary. James L. Gilhis, W. P. Wilcox and Dr. C. B. Earley were congressional delegates, and A. I. Wilcox, Jesse Kyler and George Dickinson representative delegates.
In 1851 the record of votes for president judge and associate judges is first made in this county. Robert G. White (W.) had 433 votes for president judge; George Dickinson (D.) and William P. Wilcox (D.) received 357 votes against 211 recorded for Ebenezer C. Winslow (W.) and John Brooks (W.); James L. Gill is (D.) received 340 and Reuben Winslow (W.) 239 votes for representative; Charles Horton (D.) 383 and C. F. Luce (W.) 225 for prothonotary; Ellis Lewis (D.) 221, J. B. Morey (W.) 163, H. Souther (W.) 155, and Erasmus Morey (W.) 59 votes, for treasurer; Joseph Wilhelm (D.) 330 and Henry A. Parsons 121 votes for auditor.
The elections of 1852 show 423 Democratic, 163 Whig and 14 Abolitionist votes for the respective sets of electors. A. S. Arnold received 293 votes for representative, and Sandford Yale 197 for auditor; George B. Barrett was Democratic elector, and Dorman Phelps, Whig elector.
In 1853 Alvin H. Head (W.) defeated David Thayer (D.) in the contest for the sheriff's office; Townsend Fall was chosen coroner, and Alex Caldwell (W.) defeated A. S. Arnold (D.) in the district for representative, though the latter received a large majority of votes in Elk and McKean.
Caldwell defeated Seth A. Backus (D.) in 1854. David Barclay received 558, Richard Arthur, 121, and C. B. Curtis, 36 votes for congress; Charles McVean (W.) received 400, and James Love (D.) 359 votes for prothonotary; D. P. Hyatt (D.) defeated Carpenter Winslow (W.) in the race for coroner by 3 votes - 319 vs. 316; W. N. Whitney (D.) and Reuben C. Winslow (W.) received heavy party votes for auditor, and the prohibitory liquor law received 282 votes for, and 312 against.
The elections of 1855 show Seth A. Backus (D.) received 371 (elected) and William A. Williams (W.) 255 votes for representative; Byron D. Hamlin (D.) 370 and Henry Souther (W.) 270 for senator; Justus C. Chapin (D.) 363 and Horace Warner (W.) 199, for treasurer; William C. Healy (D.) and Charles Luhr (D.) were elected auditors.
In 1856 there were 575 Democratic. 320 Republican, and 7 Abolitionist votes cast, respectively, for the presidential electors. . James L. Gillis (D.) received 530 and James S. Myers (W.) 304 votes for congress; Seth A. Backus (D.) defeated John Brooks (R.) for representative; William C. Healy (D.) was elected sheriff, defeating Charles Mead (R.) by 197 votes; Isaac Horton (D.) and Vine S. Brockway (D.) were chosen associate judges; Eddy Hyatt (D.) and Martin Perrin (D.), auditors; Holmes A. Pattison (D.) defeated Albert Willie (R.) for the office of prosecuting attorney, and George F. Shafer (D.) was elected surveyor.
The elections of 1857 show 594 votes for W. P. Wilcox (D.) and 476 for Joel Spyker (R.). They were opposed by James S. Leinard (D.) and Robert Watson (D.), who received 225 and 262 votes, respectively. John A. Boyle (D.) was chosen treasurer; Martin Perrin (D.), auditor; Jefferson L. Brown (D.), surveyor; C. F. Luce (D.) was elected prothonotary by 397 votes, against 369 for C. McVean (R.); while the attempts to amend the constitution were voted down here by 257 against, 30 for.
In 1858 James L. Gillis (D.) received 479 and Chapin Hall (R.) 395 votes for congress; William P. Wilcox (D.) and F. L. Boyer (D.) were chosen representatives; Kennedy L. Blood (D.) received 504, and Thomas MeCulloch (R.) 367 votes for senator; James Coyne (D.) defeated W. F. Schoening (D.) for the auditor's office, and J. C. Chapin (D.) was elected prosecutor.
In 1859 A. M. Benton (D.) and Jefferson Boyer (D.) received 474, and Isaac G. Gordon (R.) and William A. Nichols (R.) 351 votes for representatives (Benton and Gordon being elected). Joseph S. Hyde (D.) was chosen auditor; Isaac Horton, Jr. (Ind. D.) defeated Jefferson L. Brown (D.) for the office of treasurer by 20 votes; G. A. Rathbun (D.) was elected surveyor; James T. Burroughs (D.), coroner. The race for sheriff was carried by Alvin H. Head (R.), who received 412 votes, or 8 over the number credited to Jacob McCauley (D.).
The elections of 1860 show 421 votes for Andrew J. Curtin (R.) and 633 for Henry P. Foster (D.), for governor; 628 for James R. Kerr (D.) and 417 for John Patton (R.), congressional candidates; E. R. Brady (D.) 620, A. M. Benton (D.) 522, I. G. Gordon (R.) 422, and S. M. Lawrence (R.) 507 votes for assembly. G. Ed. Weis (D.) 562 and C. McVean (R.) 381, for prothonotary; D. D. Hyatt (D.) 416, for coroner, and George Dickinson (D.) 416 and W. F. Schoening (D.) 407, for auditor. The electors on the respective tickets received the following vote: B. D. Hamlin (D.) and others 525, and Henry South.er (R.) 407.
In 1861 B. G. White (R.) received 512 votes for president judge; C. L. Lambertson (D.) 516 and S. M. Fox (R.) 298, for senator; C. B. Earley (D.)* 518, G. W. Zigler (D.) *490, A. L Wilcox (R.) 320 and J. B. McEnally (R.) 315 votes for the assembly; V. S. Brockway (D.) 549, E. C. Schultz (D.) 652 and E. McCready (md.) 216 votes for associate judge; Justus C. Chapin (D.) was elected district attorney; James Coyne (D.) received 643 votes for treasurer; G. F. Schaffer (D.), surveyor; Henry Warner (D.), auditor. The military vote shows 28 for A. I. Wilcox (R.) and 27 for Joseph B. McEnally (R.). The election of 1862 shows 607 votes for Milton Courtright (D.) and 276 for Gleni W. Schofield (R.), for congress; 669 for C. B. Earley* (D.). 652 for T. J.Boyer* (D.), 315 for Warren Cowles (R.), and 268 for Martin S. Shannon (R.), candidates for assembly; 593 for P. W. Hays (D.) and 270 for W. W. Horning (R.), candidates for sheriff; B. T. Kyler (D.) was chosen auditor. In August, 1862, G. A. Rathbun was appointed deputy prothonotary, and filled that position until elected in 1866, except for some time in 1863, when William J. Morearty was deputy.
In 1863 T. J. Boyer (D.)* and A. M. Benton (D.)* received 786, and Frank Bell (R.) and John Mehaffy (R.) 391 votes each for representative; Charles Luhr (D.) was elected treasurer;, G. Ed. Weis (D.), prothonotary; Louis Vollmer (D.), coroner; George Walmsley (D.), surveyor, and H. P. Perr (D.), auditor.
In 1864 the vote against the amendment of constitution was 382, and for, 260. William Bigler (D.) received 656 votes and G. W. Schofield (R.) 240 votes for congress; T. J. Boyer (D.) 641, for assembly; J. McCauley (D.) was elected auditor; L. J. Blakely (D.), attorney; and D. D. Hyatt (D.), coroner. Rasselas Brown (D.), a presidential elector, received 835, and John P. Penny (R.) 348.
In 1865 H. W. Williams (R.) received 298 votes for president judge; George P. Messenger (D.) 450, for associate judge; P. P. Hyatt (D.) was elected coroner; C. R. Earley (Ind. D.) received 767 votes for representative; James Coyne (Ind. D.) 500 and J. C. Chapin (D.) 337, for treasurer; James A. Malone (D.) 504, and W. J. Leahy (R.) 328 votes for sheriff, and William A. Wallace (D.) 537 votes for senator, against 154 recorded for John Irvine (R.).
The elections of 1866 show 936 votes for William L. Scott (D.) and 359 for G. W. Schofield (R.), congressional candidates; John P. Hunt (D.) and James McKay (R.) received the respective votes for assembly; E. C. Schultz (D.) 879, Jesse Kyler (D.) 896, and Charles Mead (R.) 412, for associate judges; G. A. Rathbun (D.) 922, for prothonotary; Byron J. Jones (D.) 919, for auditor, and George Walmsley (D.) 915, for surveyor.
In 1867 Thomas J. McCullough (D.) received almost the full vote of the county, 765, for representative; James K. P. Hall (D.), for district attorney; Claudius V. Gillis (D.), for treasurer; George P. Messenger (D.), for auditor; and George Dickinson (R.), for jury commissioner; Horace Little (R.) receiving 262 votes for the same office.
In 1868 Rasselas Brown (D.) received 1,061 and G. W. Schofield (B) 501 votes for congress; W. A. Wallace (D.) and Manasseh Arnold (R.), the respective votes for senator, and T. J. McCullough (D.) and F. M. Adams (R.), for representative; Daniel C. Oyster (Ind. B.) received 990 votes for sheriff; J. S. Bardwell (R.) was chosen coroner, and Qiark Wilcox (D.) auditor. The presidential electors received 1,119 Democratic and 568 Republican votes, respectively.
In 1869 Charles B. Earley (Ind.) received 705, and John G. Hall (R. D.) 682 votes for representative; Frederick Schoening (D.) 921 and Charles McVean (R.) 483 votes for prothonotary; Henry P. Derr (D.) 918 and J. K. Whitmore (R.) 511, for treasurer; Joseph Wilhelm (D.) 609, Jerome Powell (R.) 423 and Jos. E. Moyer (D.) 355, for auditor; and Michael Weidert (D.) was chosen coroner.
The elections of 1870 show 798 votes for Rasselas Brown (D.), and 324 for L. P. Wetmore (R.), (elected in district), candidates for president judge; 787 for Selden Marvin (D.) and 342 for G. W. Schofield (R.), congressional aspirants; 741 for John Cr. Hall (D.) (elected) and 340 for W. E. Lathey (R.), candidates for assembly; 697 for George Walmsley (D.) and 416 for J. L. Brown (R.), for surveyor; Joseph Kerner (D.) 674 and Charles Mead (R.) 329, for jury commissioner; James K. P. Hall (D.) was elected attorney; G. F. Dickinson (D.) defeated C. McVean (R.) for the office of auditor.
In 1871 Edmund English (D.) received 893, and A. I. Wilcox (R.) 680 votes for representative; William A. Wallace .(D.) and Jesse Merrill (R.), the respective votes for senator; J. V. Houk (R.) 768 and Charles Luhr (D.) 929 defeated Julius Jones (D.) 547, and George Dickinson (D.) 767, in the race for associate judges; Daniel C. Oyster (Ind. R.) 776, defeated James McCloskey (D.) 769, for the office of sheriff; Char]ls B. Earley (Ind.) 846, defeated Joseph Wilhelm (D.) 714, for treasurer; C. W. Barrett (D.) and C. A. Wilcox (D.), were chosen auditor8. In this year 571 votes were cast for calling a constitutional convention, and 454 for the proposed amendment.
In 1872 Thomas L. Kane (Ind.) received 1,181 and Carlton B. Curtis (R.) 626, for congress, similar votes being given for congress-at-large and delegates-at-large; John G. Hall (D.) 1,151, George A. Aughenbaugh (D.) 1,138, and A. C. Finney (R.) 617, for delegates to convention; David P. Baird (D.) 1,173 and William H. Newcom (R.) 641, for representative; Frederick Schoening (D.) 1,203, for prothonotary; Thomas Irwin (R.) was elected auditor. The votes for presidential electors were 753 Democratic, 679 Republican and 9 Prohibition.
In 1873 there were 1,021 votes recorded for license, and 450 against. D. P. Baird (D.) received 1,288 votes, and J. W. Phelps (R.) 394, for representative. James K. P. Hall (D.) and Rufus Lucore (R.) received the respective party votes for attbrney; Joseph Windfelder (D.) and Hezekiah Horton (R.), for treasurer; Thomas J. Burke (D.) and A. W. Gray (R.), for auditor; Philip Krigle (D.) and Ranson T. Kyler (D.), for jury commissioner, while T. S. Hartley (R.) was elected coroner. In December the new constitution was favored by 592 and condemned by 229 voters of Elk county.
In 1874 Levi A. Mackay (D.) received 1,190 and C. T. Alexander (R.) 335 votes for congress; Warren J'. Woodward (D.) 1,119 and E. M. Paxton (R.) 457, for judiciary; Sebastian Wimmer (D.) 917 arid P. C. Oyster (R.) 693, for assembly; Daniel Scull (md.) 558, Isaac Horton (R.) 462, P. W. Hays (D.) 322, and H. H. Wensel (R.) 258, for sheriff; N. Cr. Bundy (D.) 815 and J. J. Taylor 727, for auditor; and Charles McVean (R.) was elected coroner.
In1875 Fred Schoening (D.) was elected prothonotary by 1,310 out of 1,312 votes cast; Jacob McCauley (D.), by 798 against 766 given to Charles McVean (R.); William H. Hyde (D.) received 1,058 and B. J. Spangler (D.) 991 votes, and were elected auditors; P. P. Thomas (D.) (elected in district) received 1,028 and William P. Finley (R.) 539 votes for senator; Eugene Lentz (D.) 1,030 and B. W. Petrikin (R.) 513 votes for surveyor.
The elections of 1876 show 1,330 Democratic, 534 Republican and 50 Greenback votes for the respective electors. Levi A. Mackay (D.) received i.37;3 and R. V. B. Lincoln (R.) 65, for congress; William L. Corbett (D.) (elected) 1,355 and Henry Welter (D.) 566, for senator; Charles B. Earley (Ind.) 977 and Sebastian Wimmer (D.) 901, for representative; C. H. McCau1ev (D.) 1,269 and J. 0. W. Bailey (R.) 635, for attorney; Eugene Lentz (D.) 1,354, for surveyor; Philip Young (D.) 741, William Clyde (D.) 585 and Martin Clover (R.) 567, for jury commissioners; Julius Jones (D.) 1,395, G. Ed. Weis (D.) 1,264 and Horace Little (R.) 648, for associate judge.
In 1878 there were five candidates for sheriff. Daniel C. Oyster (R.) received 580, John B. Kime (D.) 522, Thomas J. Burke (Ind.) 354, James Rogan (Ind.) 76, and George Everett (R.) 88. Andrew J. Curtin (D.) received 1.010 and Seth H. Yocum (G. B. and R.) 803 votes for congress; John Cr. Hall (D.) 1,111 (elected), Edward M. Grant (R.) 445 and T. W. Taylor (G. B.) 389 votes for senator; C. R. Earley (D.) 844, W. H. Horton (G. B.) 648 and W. W. Ames (R.) 423, for representative; Michael Bruner (D.) 1,065, B. T. Ely (G. B.) 655 and A. E. Goff (R.) 212 votes for treasurer; Fred. Schoening (D.) received 1,580 votes for prothonotary, while J. M. Mecum (D.) and Charles Miller (D.) were elected auditors.
In 1879 Cr. W. Wurzell (D.) was elected district attorney, and Joseph Emmert (D.) and J. V. Bonnert (D.), jury commissioners. The elections of 1S80 show 1,534 Democratic, 720 Republican and 88 Greenback votes cast for the respective electors. Rasselas Brown (D.) received 1,624 and W. P. Brown (R.) (elected), 693 votes for president judge; Andrew J. Curtin (D.) 1.496 and Thomas H. Murray (R.) 828 votes for congress; J. L. Brown (D.) 1,338 and C. B. Earley (Ind.) 963 votes for assembly; Thomas Sullivan (D.) 1.332 and James J. Taylor (R.) 994 votes for sheriff.
In 1881 Fred Schoening (D.) received 1,927 votes, and had no opponent for the office of prothonotary; George Weidenboerner (D.) received 933 and James Penfield (R.) 881 votes for treasurer; Cr. Ed. Weis (D.) 1,202 and G. G. Messenger (D.) 1,072, were elected associate judges, defeating W. H. Osterhout (R.), who received 885, and E. Morey (R.), who received 517 votes. R. F. Smith and T. J. Taylor received 1,251 votes each, and were elected auditors, J. S. Chamberlain (R.) receiving 681 votes for the office. W. L. Williams (D.) was chosen coroner.
The elections of 1882 show 1,322 votes for A. Cr. Curtin (D.) and 545 for S. H. Orenig (R), congressional candidates; 1,452 for John Cr. Hall (D.) and 384 for Miles W. Tate (R.), for senator; 1,359 for Jefferson L. Brown (D.) and 494 for O. M. Montgomery (R.), for representative; Charles B. Earley (D.) received 1,328 votes for district attorney, John Wainwright (D.) 1,326 for surveyor; Henry Largay (R.) 738, G. C. T. Hoff (D.) 594 and John Bonnert (D.) 531, for jury commissioners.
The elections of 1883 show 932 votes for Albert Weis (D.) and 858 for Henry Largay (R.), candidates for sheriff; 1,002 for John Wainwright (D.) and 634 for Cr. W. Clinton (R.), for surveyor; 648 for proposed sheep law and 181 against.
In 1884 the Democratic electors received 1,447, the Butler or Greenback electors 127, the Republican electors 1,082 and the Prohibition electors 31. P. B. Ackley, Andrew Patterson, Joseph A. Ege and J. P. Wallace were the electors named. A. G. Curtin (D.) received 674 and John Patton (R.) 1,935, for congress; H. M. Powers (R.) 1,191, and W. H. Horton (D.) 1,478, for representative; John Collins (D.) 1,571 and W. H. Osterhout (R.) 1,109, for treasurer; W. S. Horton (D.) 1,659, Albert Greiner (R.) 1,016, for prothonotary; Julius Jones (D.) 1,655, and John H. Vaughan (D.) 1,064, for auditors, while E. Hovencamp (R.) had 1,066 votes for the same office.
In 1885 Ernest J. Wimmer (D.) received 862 and Dyson Rishell (R.) 661 votes for district attorney; Reuben Mohney (D.) was elected jury commissioner, receiving 858 votes, while E. M. Rogers (R.) received 630.
The elections of 1886 show 1,946 votes for J. K. P. Hall (D.) and 841 for John Patton (R.), candidates for congress; 1,009 for H. L. Young (R.) and 1,736 (D.) for John H. Wilson, for senator; 1,942 for A. A. Clay (D.) and 858 for A. E. Whitney (R.) for assembly; 1,190 for Peter Gainor (D.), 994 for D. C. Oyster (R.) 410 for Anthony Anmon (Ind. R.) and 213 for George F. Spuller (D.), candidates for sheriff; John Wainwright (D.) received 1,668 and J. W. Brown (R.) 1,131 votes for surveyor; W. L. Williams (D.) was chosen coroner; 0-. Ed. Weis (D.) received 1,458, G. G. Messenger (D.) 1,426 and 0. M. Montgomery (R.) 1,380 votes for associate judge.
The elections of 1887 resulted as follows: John B. Kime (D.) received 1,505 and John Ernliart (R.), 910 votes for associate judge; John B. Foster (D.) 1,377, W. S. Service (R.) 852, Charles McVean (R.) 107 and L. W. Gifford (Ind. R.) 62 votes for county treasurer; W. S. Horton (D.) 1,576 and C. E. McCrea (R.) 887 votes for prothonotary; Henry Weithoff (D.) 1,488 and A. E. Timm (D.) 1,421, were elected auditors, over E. Hovencamp (R.) who received 1,016 and J. F. English (R.) 26 votes.
In 1888 there were 1,322 votes cast for Republican, 1,824 for the Democratic, 52 for the Prohibition and 18 for the Labor electors. There were 1880 votes cast for James Kerr (D.) and 1,211 for Theodore P. Rynder (G. B. and U. L.), candidates for congress; 1,975 for Capt. A. A. Clay (D.) and 1,230 for E. II. Rogers (R.), candidates for assembly; 2,225 for Charles A. Mayer (D.) and 49 for C. L. Hawley (U. L.) candidates for president judge; 1,953 for E. J. Wimmer (D.) and 1,241 for W. W. Barbour (R.), candidates for district attorney; C. J. Dill (D.) and S. L. Brown (R.) were elected jury commissioners.
The election of June 18, 1889, on the question of constitutional prohibition shows 826 votes for the prohibitory amendment, and 1,579 against it. The suffrage amendment received 237 votes, and was opposed by 1,480.
The returns by boroughs and townships as published in the local journals are as follows: Horton township gave 108 votes for amendment and 75 against, majority 33; East Spring Creek gave the antis 54 majority, 25 votes for and 79 against; West Spring Creek went 41 for and 19 against; Highland township went 37 for and 5 against, majority 32; Fox township went 147 for and 228 against, majority 81; Jones township voted 69 for, 118 against, majority 49; Ridgway borough voted for the amendment 109, against the amendment, 150, majority against, 41; Bidgway township cast 90 votes for amendment, 125 against; in Jay township, 53 votes for and 72 against, gave the antis 19 majority; Benezette gave 14 majority for the amendment, 69 for, 56 against; Bolfe gave the Prohibitionist 5 majority, 39 votes for and 34 against. Benzinger' s vote was almost unanimous against the proposition, the people looking upon it as not only an attack on personal liberty but an attempt at a combination of church and State government.
The Elk county elections of November, 1889, show 1,419 votes for G. R. Woodward (D.), 671 for J. Jackson (R.), candidates for sheriff; 1,291 for Dr. W. B. Hartman (D.) and 786 for Dr. Sapp (R.), candidates for coroner; E. E. Willard (D.) received 1,266 for surveyor, Horace Little (R.) being his opponent.
Source: Page(s) 602-610, History of Counties of McKean, Elk and Forest, Pennsylvania. Chicago, J.H. Beers & Co., 1890.
Transcribed December 2006 by Nathan Zipfel for the Elk County Genealogy Project
Published 2006 by the Elk County Pennsylvania Genealogy Project
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