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/354

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COLUMBIA AXD MONTOUR COUNTIES

ginning with 1875 he served two terms as dis­ trict attorney o f Columbia county. Judge Little died Feb. 26* 1906. CitAftLts C. Kvans* t9o6. Judge Evans w as apiK>intcd president judge by Governor Stuart March 30* t9o6, on the death o f Judge Little. Judge Evans was bom in Briarcreek township. Columbia county, Jan. to, 1858. He graduated at the State Norma! School, at Bloomsburg* in 1877, and entered Lafayette C o l l ^, where he graduated in 18 8 1. H e im­ mediately entered the law office o f Hon. Simon P. Wolvcrton. at Sunbury, and Ju ly 14th, 1883, was admitted to the bar o f North­ umberland county. In August. 1883, he com­ menced the practice o f law at Berwick, where he continued to practice until his appointment to the bench. In the fall o f 1906 he was elected for a full temi ^o the l>ench of the Twenty-sixth ju dicial district, where at this writing he still presides. T he foiiowing have served as associate judges from Montour county: John Cooper and Daniel Follm er; they were succeeded in (856 by Robert Moore and Joseph D ean; and they in turn were followed by Peter Hughes and lames Curr}*. A fte r that the judges were not elected to­ gether, and those occupying the position have been as follow s: Robert S . Simington, Jam es McMahan, Thomas Butler, John Benfield, W. K . Holloway, Henry Divcl, Dr. S. Y . Thomp­ son, Frank G . Blee, Charles A . W a ^ c r, Lloyd W elliver, W. J . Rogers, M. H. Schram, Jam es L . BreiiTtan. ATTORNEYS At.KM M.srr w as the first law yer to locate in Danville. He graduated at Princeton in the class of 1807, Studied law. and came to Dan­ ville in 18 13, where he established a large prac­ tice. He w as a careful and industrious Lawyer and practiced fo r a number o f years. He rep­ resented his district in Congress from 1829 to 18 3 1. A fte r this service he retiretl from prac­ tice an<t removed to his fam t near Mdton, where he died. G kor<;k a. F r ic k was among the oldest memliers of the bar in Danville. H e was liom in 1788, was the first prothonotary o f Colum­ hia county, serving from 18 13 to 18 2 1, and practiced law many vears. He died in 1872, at the age o f eighty-iour. J o h n C t w t R was born in Manchester, England, Sept. 22, 1785. son o f Thomas Coojier, L L. D „ who came to this count r)* from England in 1792, with D r. Priestley. Dr.

Cooper, the father, was bom in 1759 in Lon­ don. He was a philosopher and a lawyer. In 1820 he became president of the college at Columbia, S. C ., and died in 1840. H is son, Ju d ge John Cooper, came over with his father in ] 792. H e received a part o f his education in England, commenced to read law at the age o f forty vears, and practiced a number o f years in Danville. In the year 1850, he w as made associate judge o f Montour county. Judge Cooper married M ary Spcrring, a daughter o f General Spcrring, o f boston. P a. H e had two children, M ary A lice and Henri­ etta Sperring, who married John G. Mont­ gomery. Ju d ge Cooper died Ju n e 2 2 ,18 6 3. H o n. K o r e r t C. G r i e r w as the eldest in the fam ily o f Rev. Isaac G rier, S. T. D. He was bom in Cumberland county, Pa., March j, 1794. H is father, who taught school, preached to three congregations and farmed, gave much care and attention to the education o f his son Robert, who, when old enough, assisted his father in the school until seven­ teen. Then he entered Dickinson College. In 18 12 he graduated with the highest honors and for a year taught in the college. In 18 14 he rem ovi^ to Northumberland, where his father had established the “ Brick College.” Here he assisted his father, and on the lattcr’s death, in 18 15, succeeded him as principal. Me studied law and in 18 17 was admitted to prac­ tice, and opened an office in Bloomsburg. .After remaining there a year he removed to Danville, where he soon secured a targe and profitable practice, remaining in Danville about fifteen years. In 18 33 he was appointed, by Governor W d fe, president judge of the District court o f Allegheny county, and presided over (his court uruil 1846, residing in .Allegheny City until 1848. In 1846 he was appointed, by Prcsiilent Polk, justice of the United Stales Supreme court, a position which lie held until 18^19. when he resigned on account o f ill hcalih. In 1848 he removed to Philadelphia, where he rcsidcil until his death in 1870. Judge G rier married Isabella Rose, of Canada. T liey had children as folloivs: Sarah Rose, the eldest, marrietl Dr. C lu rlcs F . Beck, the youngest son o f Paul Beck, a prominent citizen o f I’hitadclphia in the early Aubrey H. Smith, fo r some years district at­ torney o f Philadelphia. Dr. WiUiam Potter G rier, surgeon in the Uniteil States army, met his death in the blowing up o f his steam-
 * iart of the last century. Mar>* Rose married