County Officers
CHAPTER XXXV County OfficersThe following comprises the list of county officers of Westmoreland County from the formation of the county to the year 1905:
PRESIDENT JUDGES: John Moore ���������. 1785-1791 Alexander Addison������. 1791-1803 Samuel Roberts�������.. 1803-1806 John Young���������. 1806-1837 Thomas White�������� 1837-1847 Jeremiah M. Burrell������ 1847-1848 John C. Knox��������.. 1848 Jeremiah M. Burrell������ 1851-1855 Joseph Buffington������.. 1855-1871 James A. Hunter�������. 1879-1890 Lucian W. Doty�������� 1890 Alexander D. McConnell���� 1895 John B. Steel��������� 1901 ASSOCIATE JUDGES: William Jack��������� 1801 John Irwin���������� 1801 James Barr���������. 1801 William Jack��������� 1806 John Irwin���������� 1806 Jacob Painter��������. 1806 John Lobingier�������� 1821 Thomas Pollock�������.. 1821 James Bell���������� 1841 John Moorhead�������� 1841 James Bell���������� 1851 David Cook���������.. 1851 Sam'l L. Carpenter������. 1856 G.R.D. Young��������. 1856 Robert Given��������.. 1861 John Jones���������.. 1861 Robert Given��������� 1866 M.P. McClanahan������� 1866 John W. Riddle�������� 1871 M.P. McClanahan������.. 1871 PROTHONOTARIES: Arthur St. Clair�������� 1773 Michael Huffnagle������.. 1776 Archibald Lochry�������. 1779 Thomas Hamilton������� 1793 John Morrison��������.. 1809 James Reed���������. 1818 John H. Wise��������� 1819 Eli Coulter����������. 1820 David Marchand�������.. 1821 William J. Williams������.. 1858 Bales McColly��������.. 1858 George Bennett�������.. 1861 John Zimmerman������� 1864 Lewis A. Johnston������.. 1867 John Zimmerman������� 1870 R.W. Singer���������. 1873 John H. Highberger������ 1876 H.P. Hasson���������. 1879 GLASS: Randall McLaughlin������ 1830 James B. Oliver�������.. 1836 John Clark���������� 1839 David Fullwood�������� 1842 James McCallister������.. 1848 Samuel B. Ransey������.. 1849 Andrew Graham Sr������. 1850 Joseph Gross��������.. 1852 William McCall��������. 1855 John C. Keffer��������. 1882 John Chamberlain (died)���.. 1885 George W. Flowers������ 1888 John Rial����������.. 1888 Robert A. Hope�������� 1891 Lewis Thompson�������. 1894 Robert A. Rankin�������. 1897 M.F. Null����������.. 1900 M.F. Null����������.. 1903 RECORDER: New office created by virtue of the law and the Census of 1900, showing a population of over 150,000 in the county. James H. Gallagher������ 1902 James H. Gallagher������ 1905 SHERIFFS: This office was an appointive one till 1839 John Proctor��������� 1773 James Carnahan������� 1775 Matthew Jack��������.. 1781 Robert Orr���������� 1785 William Perry��������� 1789 James Guthrie��������. 1790 John Brandon��������. 1792 James Brady��������.. 1795 John Kuhns���������. 1798 John Brandon��������. 1801 John Sloan���������.. 1804 Alexander Johnston������ 1807 Robert Stewart�������� 1810 John Fleming��������.. 1813 Humphrey Fullerton������ 1816 John Klingensmith������.. 1819 John Nicholls��������� 1822 Morrison Underwood�����.. 1825 John Klingensmith������.. 1828 Samuel L. Carpenter�����. 1831 David Fullwood�������� 1834 William McKinney������� 1837 James Harvey��������.. 1840 David Newingham������.. 1843 Michael L. Hays�������.. 1843 David Kistler��������� 1846 John Hugus���������. 1849 John Welsh���������.. 1852 William Welsh��������.. 1853 Valentine Elliott�������� 1856 William Huston�������� 1859 William Bell���������.. 1862 Robert M. Reed�������.. 1865 Daniel F. Steck�������� 1868 Alexander Kilgore������.. 1871 John Guffey���������. 1874 James Borlin��������.. 1877 Henry Kettering�������.. 1880 John M. Stewart�������. 1883 Benjamin F. Byers������. 1886 Lucian Clawson�������.. 1889 Peter F. McCann������� 1892 Harry F. Seanor�������.. 1895 Benjamin F. May�������. 1898 John H. Tresher�������.. 1901 George J. Seanor������� 1904 REGISTER OF DEEDS AND RECORDER OF WILLS James Guthrie�������� 1790 Robert Dickey��������. 1809 James Montgomery������ 1812 Robert Montgomery������ 1818 Alexander Johnston������ 1830 Jonathan Row��������. 1836 Jacob S. Steck�������� 1839 Archibald B. McGrew�����. 1842 David Cook���������. 1843 James Keenan Jr������� 1849 Randall McLaughlin������ 1853 Jacob M. Miller�������� 1854 Edward J. Keenan������.. 1857 William L. Evans�������. 1860 William C. Guffey������� 1863 Samuel Rock��������� 1866 Clark F. Warden�������.. 1869 John M. Laird��������.. 1872 William B. Snodgrass�����. 1875 James Dennison�������. 1878 William Hugus��������. 1881 E.F. Houseman�������� 1884 Christ Cribbs��������� 1887 Wm. B. Conway�������.. 1890 John R. Oursler�������.. 1893 Samuel G. Stevenson����� 1896 Samuel G. Stevenson����� 1899 CLERK OF THE ORPHANS' COURT: Up to 1836 this office was filed by the Prothonotary. From 1842 to 1855, they were again united. George L. Ramsay������. 1836 William Gorgas�������� 1839 Joseph Gross��������. 1855 Robt. W. Singer�������. 1858 Joseph W. Blair�������.. 1854 Joseph Gross��������. 1870 George W. Frick�������. 1873 James W. Wilson������� 1876 John R. Bell���������. 1879 Darwin Music��������.. 1882 George W. Kistner������. 1885 James D. Best��������. 1888 Edward B. Sweeny������. 1891 Matthew A. Lytle�������. 1894 Chester D. Sensennick����. 1897 Robert M. Jones�������. 1900 Robert M. Jones�������. 1903 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS: The record prior to 1849 is very imperfect. Christopher Truby�������1774 Benjamin Lodge�������.. 1779 Robert Clark���������. 1779 Joseph McGarrak������� 1783 Alexander Barr��������. 1783 William Jack���������. 1783 William Moore��������. 1785 James Lawson�������� 1785 John Nesbit���������.. 1785 William Moore��������.. 1787 James Lawson��������. 1787 William Jack���������. 1787 James Lawson��������. 1788 William Jack���������. 1788 Eli Coulter����������. 1788 William Jack���������. 1789 John Giffen���������.. 1789 Eli Coulter���������� 1789 John Giffen���������.. 1790 Robert Clark���������. 1790 Benjamin Lodge������� 1790 Robert Clark��������� 1792 Benjamin Lodge�������. 1792 George Smith��������.. 1792 George Smith��������.. 1793 Alexander McDonald�����.. 1793 James White��������� 1793 John Kirkpatrick�������.. 1794 James White��������� 1794 George Smith��������.. 1794 John Kirkpatrick�������.. 1795 James White��������� 1795 Barton Laffer��������� 1795 Jacob Smith���������. 1798 Robert Dickey��������. 1798 James McGreary������� 1798 Henry Allshouse�������. 1800 Jeremiah Murry�������� 1800 James Smith��������� 1800 James Parr���������.. 1802 John Bennett��������� 1802 James Smith��������� 1802 James Parr���������.. 1803 John Bennett��������.. 1803 Isaac Wager���������. 1803 James Parr���������.. 1805 John Bonnett��������� 1805 William Freidt��������.. 1805 Thomas Pollock�������. 1806 John Bonnett��������.. 1806 William Freidt��������.. 1806 Thomas Pollock�������.. 1807 William Parks��������.. 1807 Jacob Linsman�������� 1807 James Kelly���������. 1808 William Parks��������.. 1808 Jacob Linsman�������� 1808 James Kelly���������. 1808 John Sheaffer��������. 1808 Jacob Linsman�������� 1808 Thomas Culbertson������ 1810 Andrew Findley�������.. 1811 James Caldwell�������.. 1814 Robert Williams�������. 1814 John Milligan��������� 1816 Jacob Rugh���������. 1817 James Clark���������. 1819 Samuel Bushfield������� 1820 David Ryall���������.. 1822 Neal Boyle���������� 1822 Jacob Turney��������.. 1823 James Shields��������. 1849 Levi Kempf���������.. 1849 John Horrell���������. 1849 John W. Marshall������� 1850 (One elected each year) Henry Swartz��������.. 1851 Simon Detar��������� 1852 Jesse Walton��������.. 1853 Alexander Hanna������� 1854 George Albert��������. 1855 F.B. McGrew��������� 1856 G.W. Ross���������� 1857 Samuel McClean������� 1858 John Larimer��������� 1859 John Severn���������. 1860 James Menoher�������.. 1861 W.J. Reed���������� 1862 Abraham Hays��������. 1863 James H. Clark�������� 1864 M.G. Keener���������. 1865 Michael Keffer��������.. 1866 John H. Hiberger�������. 1867 John M. Bierer��������. 1968 George Bridge��������. 1869 Isaac Irwin���������� 1870 Hugh Ryan���������.. 1870 William Deverter�������. 1872 John Herbert��������� 1873 Henry Keely���������. 1874 John L. Bierer��������.. 1875 Clark Butterfield (died)����� 1876 R.P. Arnold, appd������� 1876 J.C. West����������.. 1876 M.M. Dick����������. 1876 Henry Keely���������. 1879 William Taylor��������.. 1879 John H. Townsend������.. 1879 S.G. Brechbill��������.. 1882 H.H. Byers���������� 1882 William Taylor��������. 1882 George Campbell������� 1885 J.B. Felgar���������� 1885 J.W. Hutchinson�������.. 1885 S.W. Shaw����������1888 S.G. Thompson�������.. 1888 S.F. Maxwell��������� 1888 H.S. Bear����������. 1891 S.W. Shaw���������.. 1891 S.W. Maxwell��������.. 1891 Hugh Henderson������� 1894 W.D. Reamer��������.. 1894 J.V. Huff����������� 1894 W.D. Reamer��������.. 1897 J. McCoy Dinsmore������ 1897 Harry Mansfield�������... 1897 W.D. Reamer��������.. 1900 George M. Earnest������ 1900 R.N. Gay����������. 1900 Hugh Price���������.. 1903 George M. Earnest������ 1903 Daniel A. Mowery������.. 1903 W.D. Reamer��������. 1906 B.F. Shaffer��������� 1906 D.W. Shupe��������� 1906 COUNTY TREASURERS: J.J. Wirsing���������. 1879 John J. Knappenberger����. 1882 James M. Reed�������.. 1885 Eli Chambers��������.. 1888 Philip Fisher��������� 1891 Wm. H. Saam��������.. 1894 David H. Rankin�������.. 1897 Daniel F. Beltz��������. 1900 A. Shumaker��������� 1903 H.F. Bovard���������.. 1906 COUNTY SURVEYORS: W.F. Miller���������� 1881 Samuel N. Ferguson�����.. 1884 Samuel N. Ferguson�����.. 1887 Wm. R. Barnhardt������.. 1890 Wm. M. Lloyd��������.. 1893 J.J. Neel����������� 1896 J.J. Neel����������� 1899 Wm. H. Matthews������� 1902 Wm. H. Matthews������� 1905 DISTRICT ATTORNEYS: Silas A. Kline��������... 1881 A.M. Sloan���������� 1884 Deena C. Ogden�������. 1887 J.E. Lauffer, died and Curtis H. Gregg appd�������. 1890 Joseph H. McCurdy������ 1892 Wm. C. Peoples�������.. 1895 Wm. C. Peoples�������.. 1898 Jesse E.B. Cunningham���� 1901 Jesse E.B. Cunningham���� 1904Our early settlers were too busy to pay much attention to politics. Our vote in the early years of last century was very meager, for the great contending parties of a later date had not been formed and party lines were not yet drawn. Most of our county officers were appointed by the Governor, and there was but little excitement concerning elections. The Jackson-Clay-Adams contest for president in 1824 brought about a bitter partisan feeling throughout the country. For the first time in our county we had a real presidential contest when John Quincy Adams was a candidate for re-election in 1828 and Andrew Jackson was pitted against him. The official vote of the county, as published in the Westmoreland Republican and Farmer's Chronicle of November 7, 1828 was as follows:District Jackson Adams Greensburg 98 32 Hempfield 545 16 Unity 141 37 Mount Pleasant 69 6 South Huntington 267 21 Rostraver 170 55 Fairfield 180 27 Donegal 172 35 Ligonier 189 38 Youngstown 203 55 Derry 368 39 Washington 207 11 Allegheny 187 19 Salem 223 41 Franklin 283 22 Mount Pleasant District 287 85 Jackson District 192 49 Sewickley District 136 41 Total 3917 629 Jackson majority over Adams in entire county, 3,288The presidential election in 1832 when Jackson was a second time a candidate for the presidency, and was opposed mainly by William Wirt, was equally bitter, though not quite so one-sided, as the following record of the official returns show:Districts Jackson Wirt Greensburg 86 30 Hempfield 416 65 Mount Pleasant 74 7 Unity 115 43 Unity District 193 79 Jacksonville District 173 69 Sewickley District 89 78 Mount Pleasant District 325 95 Franklin 263 22 Washington 199 28 Allegheny 251 26 Derry 276 40 Donegal 147 25 Fairfield 178 23 Ligonier 142 55 Salem 193 60 Rostraver 121 57 South Huntingdon 178 59 Total 3419 861 Jackson's majority over Wirt, 2,558Westmoreland County was then, like the state, strongly Democratic. For more than fifty years it was a stronghold of Democracy, and was pointed to as the "Star of the West". It was seldom in all these years that a Whig or a Republican was elected to a county office. The notable exceptions of the later elections were the election of Evans in 1860 as register and recorder, and the election of James A. Hunter in 1879, as president judge, both being elected by the Republicans. The election of Judge Hunter was brought about by a dissatisfaction in the Democratic party with their nominee, A. A. Stewart. Though a man of many good qualities, he was defeated by 1065 votes, while all the other candidates on the Democratic ticket were elected. The year following, though a strenuous effort was put forth by the Republican party to carry the county, it was carried by the Democrats, though by somewhat reduced majorities, and continued in the Democratic column until 1884. In that year an unusually strong ticket was put into the field by the Republicans, headed by George F. Huff as a candidate for the office of state senate. James G. Blaine was then a candidate for the presidency. Having been brought up in an adjoining county, he was unusually popular with a majority of Westmoreland voters, who had watched his matchless leadership in Congress with an almost paternal interest. Though a bitter contest ensued, the entire Republican ticket was elected by several hundred majority, and Mr. Blaine came within eight votes of carrying the county. In 1885 the county again went Republican, but in 1886 it went Democratic, with the exception that Welty McCullough carried the county and was elected to Congress, and James S. Beacon was elected to the legislature. In 1887 the county went Republican, and in 1888 the greater part of the ticket was elected. In 1889 it was carried by the Democrats by a greatly increased majority, and again in 1890, except that Mr. Huff carried it as a candidate for Congress. In 1891 it was carried by the Republicans, but by a very small majority, though P.F. McCann was elected sheriff on theDemocratic ticket. In 1892 the successful candicates were about equally divided between the two parties. In 1893 the Republicans carried it by a very large majority, since which time it has been constantly in the Republican column, with the exception that Judge Lucian W. Doty was re-elected judge in 1899 by a small majority. In 1905 the Republicans renominated Alexander D. McConnell for judge, and his nomination was endorsed by the Democrat party, paying him thus a compliment hitherto unheard of in Westmoreland politics. Following is a statement of great interest to every resident of Westmoreland county, and is also valuable as a source of information and for reference. It gives, in detail, the real estate valuation and amount of taxation of every borough and township in Westmoreland county for the year 1905. The figures are taken from the official records in Controller Hitchman's office and are authentic, though it must be remembered that the assessed value is rarely ever more than half its real value.Boroughs Building Tax State Tax County Tax Valuation Arnold 746.87 80.23 2,614.23 746,677 Arona 110.73 51.10 387.39 110,645 Avenmore 400.41 112.73 1,400.29 399,870 Adamsburg 53.05 63.12 185.59 53,005 Bolivar 244.12 56.47 854.28 244,010 Cokeville 85.59 44.47 299.51 85,534 Derry 584.54 110.03 2,082.75 595,210 Donegal 32.85 15.70 114.81 32,753 East Greensburg 410.70 407.08 1,437.44 410,586 Greensburg.. First Ward 1,418.73 1,113.02 4,963.84 1,418,711 Second Ward 1,162.90 1,810.63 4,070.19 1,162,783 Third Ward 792.40 805.42 2,773.68 792,445 Fourth Ward 1,169.14 1,711.41 4,092.19 1,169,045 Fifth Ward 649.98 401.12 2,275.20 649,010 Hyde Park 88.53 10.80 309.92 88,525 Irwin 1,162.22 965.16 4,065.13 1,162,066 Jeannette 2,354.17 296.98 8,241.67 2,353,704 Ligonier 482.14 970.76 1,687.82 482,075 Ludwick 450.44 247.39 1,576.08 450,305 Livermore 44.14 230.22 154.49 44.080 Latrobe First Ward 471.83 423.16 1,651.47 471,765 Second Ward 1,033.44 670.75 3,617.25 1,033,400 Third Ward 819.60 340.94 2,869.25 819,665 Mt. Pleasant First Ward 416.15 875.26 ` 1,615.65 460,970 Second Ward 667.50 710.47 2,336.27 667,355 Third Ward 517.27 304.94 1,810.74 517,210 Manor 306.81 580.08 1,073.87 306,745 Madison 11.35 7.74 389.69 111,305 Monessen First Ward 902.58 271.60 3,158.87 902,235 Second Ward 1,257.06 ----------- 4,400.03 1,256,902 Third Ward 500.61 ----------- 1,751.33 500,235 McMahan 154.62 12.50 540.60 154,340 New Kensington 2,250.45 180.50 7,878.03 2,250,310 New Alexandria 198.75 380.34 695.69 198,681 New Florence 215.67 203.00 754.92 215,635 N. Bellevernon 293.64 313.07 1,027.63 293,550 North Irwin 160.29 71.00 560.92 160,240 Penn 188.74 50.96 660.67 188,670 Parnassus 1,092.34 556.68 3,823.36 1,092,165 Suterville 190.95 88.30 668.26 190,885 Scottdale First Ward 921.09 1,191.77 3,224.22 920,989 Second Ward 423.69 81.60 1,483.05 423,561 Third Ward 761.65 215.74 2,665.98 761,586 Fourth Ward 204.16 38.08 715.65` 204,043 Salem 162.63 72.18 569.12 162,220 S. Greensburg 635.71 40.16 2,224.47 635,505 S.E. Greensburg 219.80 179.42 769.14 219,705 S.W. Greensburg 626.26 166.36 2,192.00 626,305 Seward 75.04 69.32 262.46 74,900 Smithton 153.59 79.96 537.58 153,540 Trafford City 528.26 139.60 1,848.48 527,969 Vandergrift 1,119.29 108.52 3,917.22 1,119,230 Vandergrift Hts. 419.99 60.69 1,469.61 419,997 Vandergrift East 69.69 ---------- 243.71 69,545 West Newton 843.09 1,721.13 2,950.23 842,552 Youngstown 80.91 108.99 283.22 80,895 Youngwood 372.34 78.70 1,302.97 372,070 TOTALS $31,865.89 $19,897.37 $111,532.06 $31,858,814 TOWNSHIPS BUILDING TAX STATE TAX COUNTY TAX VALUATION Allegheny 822.43 307.04 2,877.59 821,817 Bell 570,09 169.16 1,995.32 569,898 Burrell, Upper 238,05 53.05 832.59 237,823 Burrell, Lower 641.73 460.07 2,245.84 641,500 Cook 275.75 172.08 966.16 275,715 Donegal 325.83 100.00 1,140.58 325,509 Derry 3,939.31 708.72 13,787.08 3,938,158 Franklin 1,352.36 931.78 4,734.42 1,352,225 Fairfield 533.27 305.06 1,869.58 533,943 Huntington North 2,469.87 644.66 8,643.52 2,468,909 Huntington South 2,032.27 1,134.31 7,112.26 2,031,576 Huntington East 3,028.00 1,011.79 10,598.93 3,027,416 Hempfield 5,361.38 2,572.99 18,760.96 3,359,118 Ligonier 913.18 334.04 3,199.88 913,777 Loyalhanna 438.64 234.02 1,534.64 438,318 Mt. Pleasant 3,913.02 1,319.83 13,692.78 3,911,622 Penn 2,877.12 851.88 10,069.67 2,876,280 Rostraver 3,435.52 2,211.31 12,025.17 3,435,179 Sewickley 2,343.89 791.48 8,209.61 2,344,792 Salem 1,915.08 614.49 6,701.94 1,914,433 St. Clair 232.39 34.48 813.36 232,328 Unity 4,024.72 1,369.33 14,085.06 4,025.655 Washington 813.35 305.47 2,845.77 812,775 TOTALS $42,497.45 $16,637.04 $148,742.71 $42,488,766 GRAND TOTALS: Boroughs $31,865.89 $19,897.37 $111,532.06 $31,858,814 Townships 42,497.45 16,637.04 148,742.71 42,488,766 TOTALS $74,363.34 $36,534.41 $260,274.77 $74,347,580
"Source: Pages 478-486, History of Westmoreland County, Volume 1, Pennsylvania by John N. Boucher. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906.
Transcribed January 2001 by Deborah Closey for the Westmoreland County History Project
Contributed by Deborah Closey for use by the Westmoreland County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland/)
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