Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/352

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

bcrlanU. Columbia, Lycoming and Union. In 1843 Judge Lew is was nude president judge o( Lancaster county, and in 18 5 1 was elected to the Supreme bench of the State of Penn­ sylvania, becoming chief justice in 1855. Ju d ge Lew is was a lawyer o f high ability, and a judge honored and respected by all who knew him. H e died March 19, 18 7 1. CiiAK LEsC . Do.NNet. 1K43 to 1844. Judgc Donncl w*as )K>m March 14, i8 o i, and w'as appointed judgc o f (he Eighth Judicial dis­ trict by Governor Porter, m Jan uary, 1843, and was just becoming favorably known throughout his district when he d i ^, March 18, 1844. Jo s e p h B . A n t h o n y, to 18 5 1. Judgc Anthony was bom in Philadelphia, June 19. 1795. in March, 1844, he was appointed, by Governor Porter, president judgc of the Eighth Judicial d islrn i. He died at Williams­ port, Ja n . 10, 18 5 1. A s a Judge he impressed all with his integrity and ability. J a m e s P o l l o c k, 1851. Jndge Pollock, or, as he w as better known, Governor Pollock, w.as ap]K>intc<l judgc of the Eighth Judicial district in 1851 ,ind served until a fte r the election in that year. T his w as the first elec­ tion o f judges under an amendment to the constitution. Judge Pollock refuscil the nom­ ination and Judge J d in N. Conyngham was elected president judge. Hy act o f A pril 15, 18 5 1, Montour, together with Columbia, Luzcm c and Wyoming coun­ ties. was fom icd into the Eleventh Judicial district. Judge Pollock was bom in Milton. Pa., Sept. I I. 1810. H is parents were of Irish descent. He graduated from Princeton in 18 31 and W'as admitted to practice hw' in Northumberland county in 1833. H is scn ic e on the licnch w as very acceptable, and upon his rclircmcnl the members of the bar of the respective counties passed resolutions e x ­ pressing in the highest tem is their esteem and rcs(>ect for him. In 1854 he was elected gov­ ernor of the State and aften vards held a nuni1)cr o f iiniiortant offices o f trust under the United States government. H e was a ruling elder in the "O ld Covenanter” Presbyterian O nirch at Milton. H e died A pril 19, 1890. Jo h n N . C o k y n h h a m . 18 5 1 to 1853. Judge Conyngham was on the lieiich o f Luzcm c county when, in 18 5 1, Montour, wilh Colum­ bia, Luzerne and Wyoming, was formed into the Eleventh Judicial district. H e was presi­ dent judge when Montour w as placed in the Eighth Judicial district in 1853. and also when the Twenty-sixth Judicial district was fomied.

composed of the counties o f Columbia, Sulli­ van and Wyoming. H e continued to preside over the courts o f Luzerne county until 1870. Judge Conyngham was a pure and impartial judge and a finished law yer. H e met death by a railroad accident, .April 23, 18 7 1. A l k x a n u e k J o r h a n, 1853 10 1872. When Montour county was added to the Eighth J u ­ dicial district Alexander Jord an w as the president judgc of that district. He continued to preside over this district and consequently over the courts o f Montour county fo r two tcnns, ending wilh 18 7 1. Ju d gc Jordan was well known in (his county, having practiced for many years in the early history o f Colum­ bia county and while Danville w as the county scat. H e w as firm and positive in his con­ victions, clear in his ju d ^ tc n t and kind and affable in his manner. W i l l i a m M. R o c k e f e l l e r, 1872 to 1875. In 1871 Judgc Rockefeller was elected presi­ dent judge of the Higlith Judicial district and was sermig as such when, in 1875, Montour nrul Columbia counties were foriiK^ into (he Tw enty-sixth Ju d ic b l district. Mon­ tour county W'as just beginning to know Ju d gc Rockefeller when it was taken out o f his district and placcil in the Twenty-sixth. Ju d gc Rockefeller was modest and unassuming in his manner; a genial, full-grow'ri gentlem an; a Liwyer of the old school, who had fought many legal battles with and against the fore­ most law yers of his day. He was immov,iblc on questions o f right, brave in his stand for wTiat was just and pure, uncompromising against evil, and a terror to the evildoer of the day. He w as bom in Sunbury Aug. 18, 1830, and at the a^c o f eighty-four is still liv­ ing at Sunbury, a jo y and delight to his many fncnds. W H .U A M E l w k l l. 1875 to j888. When Montour county, in 1875. w as placed in the Twenty-sixth Judicial district, with Colum­ bia county, fom iing that district, Ju d gc W il­ liam Elw ell was the president judge, liaving l>ccn elccteil in iW>2. Judgc ElwcH nrcsidcd with uniform satisfaction until i88o, when, on account of failing health, he resigned. Many important and noted cases were de­ cided by him during (he iw cnty-six years he presided over the courts of the Twenty-sixth district. H is opinions were held in great resjicct by the Supreme court and his ju d g ­ ments were rarely reverse<l. Jud gc L I well was a judgc in every sense of the word. A Lawyer o f wide experience, he brought to the lieneh a knowledge which enabled him to grasp the most intricate cases. Kind and indulgent.