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Henry and F. P. Pritchard were permitted to practice here; A. E. Whitney was admitted, and in November, A. L. Cole, of Clearfield, Messrs. Chapman, McClure and Wallace, of McKean, were permitted to sign the roll. In 1886 S. M. Brainerd, of Erie, W. W. Ames and N. M. Orr, of McKean, and Truman Ames, of Clearfield, enrolled their names. W. W. Barbour was admitted here in September, and N. T. Arnold and F. H. Ely were formerly enrolled. P. J. Vonada is the latest addition to the bar of this county.

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In 1879, two grand juries having condemned the old wooden court-house erected in 1845, the commissioners, then consisting of W. H. Osterhout, Michael Weidert and George Reuscher, took steps to erect a new building for the courts and county officers. After examining court houses in several counties, they concluded that the general plan of the one then lately erected in Warren county would best suit the needs of Elk, and adopted plans and drawings made by J. H. Marston, of Warren, and Mr. Marston was employed to supervise the work. The old building was sold as it stood to Hugh McGeehin and by him removed to his lot on Main street, west of Mill, and turned into a tavern, now known as the " Bogert House. Mr. Marston drove the work as rapidly as possible, and on July 16, 1879, the corner-stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies. The January court for 1881 was held in the new building, which was then fully completed. It is 110x55 feet, having a clock tower in which is a Howard clock, costing some $700. The old stone jail, built about 1846, having been formally condemned, the commissioners in 1884 commenced the erection of a new one which should be more in accordance with modern ideas and give greater security for the retention of prisoners. It is located in the rear of the court-house, and the dwelling for the sheriff projects to the east, so that it is plainly visible from Main street. The cage system has been adopted for the cells, twenty-two in number, built of hardened chrome steel bars. It has all sanitary appliances, rooms for hospitals, bath-rooms, and the male and fe male wards separated by a brick wall. It was constructed under the supervision of M. Van Etten, who had been a foreman under Marston on the courthouse. The cost of the court-house in round numbers was $65,000, that for the jail estimated at $40,000, was in fact about $37,000. The erection of these substantial buildings at a cost of over $100,000 has set the question of the location of the county seat at rest for a long time to come. The exterior walls, eighteen inches thick, are of brick of Elk county burning, except the face on front and sides, which are of Buffalo pressed brick, the corners being laid up of cut sandstone. All the partition walls on the ground floor are of brick, twelve inches thick, and supported by two feet thick foundation walls of stone. There are four fire proof vaults 10x20 feet, with floor and ceilings of brick and cement arched on iron girders; and the whole building is plentifully supplied with all modern conveniences, and heated throughout by steam. Natural gas is used for fuel and light. Another feature of the county offices is the Schoening system of records and blanks, designed by the popular prothonotary, Schoening. This system is as yet confined to small sections of the country; but when its excellence is generally understood, it will take the place of all old-time methods.

The Rathbun law library, in George A. Rathbun's office in the court-house, is modern in arrangement and quality of works. Mr. Rathbun contributed a very excellent sketch of Ridgway to the press a few years ago, written and compiled during his leisure hours among his valuable collection of law books and general historical works. Charles B. Earley's law library is another feature of the county seat. For over twelve years the work of gathering this valuable collection of books has been carried on. This library finds a place in the large building erected, in 1889, for himself and brother, Dr. F. G. Earley.

CHAPTER IV.

TRANSACTIONS OF THE COMMISSIONERS.

INTRODUCTORY-ESTABLISHMENT OF ELK COUNTY-ITS BOUNDARIES-THE COMMISSIONERS OF 1843 AND THEIR TRANSACTIONS-LOCATION OF THE COUNTY SEAT-COUNTY CONTRACTS, ETC.-DOINGS OF THE COMMISSIONERS FROM DATES OF APPOINTMENT-COUNTY OFFICIALS-COURT-HOUSE-FIRST COURT -NEW JAIL, ETC.

PRIC

RIOR to 1813 Clearfield county had but one township-Chincleclamoose. In 1807 or 1808 one Amos Davis settled north of Earley, near where the steam saw-mill of 1876 was erected. In the spring of 1810 John Kyler came to explore, and located his land selection at Kyler's Corners, and in 1812 brought his family hither. In 1813 Clearfield was divided into the townships of Lawrence and Pike, in honor of two heroes of the war of 1812, and the old name disappeared.

The act establishing Elk county was approved April 18, 1843. Parts of Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean counties were detached, and the boundaries of this new division of Pennsylvania set forth as follows: Beginning at the northeast corner of Jefferson county, thence east nine miles to the northeast corner of Lot 2328, thence south to Clearfield county, thence east along that line to the east line of Gibson township and south so far that a line westward to the mouth of Mead's run shall pass within not less than fifteen miles of the town of Clearfield; thence westwardly to Little Toby creek; thence along a line to the mouth of Mead's run, and northwesterly to where the west line of Ridgway township crosses the Clarion river; thence in the same direction to a point where a due north line will strike the southwest corner of McKean county, and along such line to that corner, thence along the south line of McKean to the northeast corner of Jefferson county. Timothy Ives, Jr., of Potter, James W. Guthrie, of Clarion, and Zachariah H. Eddy, of Warren county, were named commissioners to mark the boundary lines and acquire lands by donation or purchase, lay out lots and convey them and conduct this business until the commissioners to be elected in October qualify. The act does not charge them with locating the seat of justice, and as a result the elected commissioners resorted to extraordinary proceedings in an effort to interpret the act in a spirit of justice.

ELK COUNTY, 88., September Term, 1844.

Report of Timothy Ives, Jr., of Potter county; James W. Guthrie, of Clarion county, and Z. H. Eddy, of Warren county, Commissioners appointed by an act of Assembly to locate the seat of justice of Elk county.

Messrs. Brockway, Brooks and Winslow, Esqrs., in pursuance of the duties required of the undersigned commissioners under an act erecting a new county out of parts of Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean counties, passed April 18, 1843, we herewith enclose and hand over to you, our successors in office, all matters in relation thereto (viz.): Deed of land for situation of public buildings, title to water privilege and propositions of donors (viz.): John J. Ridgway, Esq., Hon. James L. Gillis, Messrs. L. Wilmarth and George Dickinson, which we accepted for the purposes therein specified; Also, an article of agreement and contract with E. Derby to build court-house and offices; an article of agreement for surveying the county,

and all other papers in our possession in relation to said county as commissioners, all of which is respectfully submitted.

Ordered to be given over to the commis-
sioners of Elk county, September 17,
1844,
By the court.

CHARLES HORTON,
Dep'y Proth'y.

J. W. GUTHRIE,) Commissioners under the Act of April 18, Z. HENRY EDDY,

1843.

Among the propositions made to the county seat commissioners was one of 100 acres at Boot Jack, or the forks of the road to Brandy Camp, four miles east from Ridgway, by Matthew McQuoin, who also offered to donate a year's work toward erection of county buildings. Reuben Winslow proposed to erect public buildings at the mouth of Trout run should the county seat be located there, while John J. Ridgway and the residents of the old village agreed to donate land and water privileges, and erect buildings.

Under date July 1, 1844, John J. Ridgway and his wife, Elizabeth, sold (through their legal agent, Jonathan Colegrove) town lot No. 116 (10,400 square feet) to Z. Henry Eddy, for the use of Elk county, the consideration being $20.

In 1848-49 A. I. Wilcox, in the house, and Timothy Ives, in the senate. introduced a bill to remove the county seat to St. Mary's. Will A. Stokes, a Philadelphia lawyer, who purchased land near St. Mary's, urged the legis lators to support this bill, which would have been carried had it not been for the determined and well-organized protest of the friends of the old seat of justice.

In October, 1843, John Brooks, Chauncey Brockway and Reuben Winslow, the newly elected commissioners, organized by appointing B. Rush Petrikin, clerk, and David Wheeler, treasurer. The county-seat commissioners were notified of this organization, and asked to make return of their dealings with the new county. Wilcox and Harrison, the boundary surveyors, were granted $375 on October 17, payable when a complete map of the county would be presented by them. Jonathan Colegrove, agent of J. J. Ridgway, was notified of the new organization; a letter was addressed to the statute commissioners, again asking for their report, and the board adjourned to meet at John S. Brockway's house, in Jay township, on November 6. At that meeting the courts were ordered to be held at Hezekiah Warner's house, at Caledonia. In May, 1844, Leonard Morey was appointed commissioner's clerk. In June the following circular was addressed to the people on the matter of locating the county seat, and John Blanchard was selected attorney to advise the board:

PUBLIC NOTICE.

The citizens of Elk county and the public generally are hereby respectfully notified that the Commissioners of said county have no knowledge of any seat of justice being fixed for the county of Elk.

And whereas, it is reported that lots are soon to be exposed for sale in the town of Ridgway, purporting to be the place where the seat of justice of Elk county has been fixed:

We, the Commissioners of said county, inform the public generally, that we do not know that there is any seat of justice fixed for said county at Ridgway, or any other place, consequently we do not recognize the town of Ridgway as the seat of justice, and feeling desirous that the people, before they purchase lots in the town of Ridgway, under the impression that they are purchasing lots in the town where the seat of justice, of Elk county has been fixed, should be apprised of the above facts, we therefore solicit attention to this notice.

25 June, 1844. Attest

LEONARD MOREY, Clerk.

JOHN BROOKS,

REUBEN WINSLOW, Com.

It was also "resolved that the clerk give notice to the Hon. the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas and the several courts, in and for the county of Elk, and also notify the

CHAPTER IV.

TRANSACTIONS OF THE COMMISSIONERS.

INTRODUCTORY-ESTABLISHMENT OF ELK COUNTY-ITS BOUNDARIES-THE COMMISSIONERS OF 1843 AND THEIR TRANSACTIONS-LOCATION OF THE COUNTY SEAT-COUNTY CONTRACTS, ETC.-DOINGS OF THE COMMISSIONERS FROM DATES OF APPOINTMENT-COUNTY OFFICIALS-COURT-HOUSE-FIRST COURT -NEW JAIL, ETC.

PRI

RIOR to 1813 Clearfield county had but one township-Chincleclamoose. In 1807 or 1808 one Amos Davis settled north of Earley, near where the steam saw-mill of 1876 was erected. In the spring of 1810 John Kyler came to explore, and located his land selection at Kyler's Corners, and in 1812 brought his family hither. In 1813 Clearfield was divided into the townships of Lawrence and Pike, in honor of two heroes of the war of 1812, and the old name disappeared.

The act establishing Elk county was approved April 18, 1843. Parts of Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean counties were detached, and the boundaries of this new division of Pennsylvania set forth as follows: Beginning at the northeast corner of Jefferson county, thence east nine miles to the northeast corner of Lot 2328, thence south to Clearfield county, thence east along that line to the east line of Gibson township and south so far that a line westward to the mouth of Mead's run shall pass within not less than fifteen miles of the town of Clearfield; thence westwardly to Little Toby creek; thence along a line to the mouth of Mead's run, and northwesterly to where the west line of Ridgway township crosses the Clarion river; thence in the same direction to a point where a due north line will strike the southwest corner of McKean county, and along such line to that corner, thence along the south line of McKean to the northeast corner of Jefferson county. Timothy Ives, Jr., of Potter, James W. Guthrie, of Clarion, and Zachariah H. Eddy, of Warren county, were named commissioners to mark the boundary lines and acquire lands by donation or purchase, lay out lots and convey them and conduct this business until the commissioners to be elected in October qualify. The act does not charge them with locating the seat of justice, and as a result the elected commissioners resorted to extraordinary proceedings in an effort to interpret the act in a spirit of justice.

ELK COUNTY, 88., September Term, 1844.

Report of Timothy Ives, Jr., of Potter county; James W. Guthrie, of Clarion county, and Z. H. Eddy, of Warren county, Commissioners appointed by an act of Assembly to locate the seat of justice of Elk county.

Messrs. Brockway, Brooks and Winslow, Esqrs., in pursuance of the duties required of the undersigned commissioners under an act erecting a new county out of parts of Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean counties, passed April 18, 1843, we herewith enclose and hand over to you, our successors in office, all matters in relation thereto (viz.): Deed of land for situation of public buildings, title to water privilege and propositions of donors (viz.): John J. Ridgway, Esq., Hon. James L. Gillis, Messrs. L. Wilmarth and George Dickinson, which we accepted for the purposes therein specified; Also, an article of agreement and contract with E. Derby to build court-house and offices; an article of agreement for surveying the county,

and all other papers in our possession in relation to said county as commissioners, all of which is respectfully submitted.

Ordered to be given over to the commis-
sioners of Elk county, September 17,
1844,
By the court.

CHARLES HORTON,
Dep'y Proth'y.

J. W. GUTHRIE, ) Commissioners under the Act of April 18, 1843.

Z. HENRY EDDY,

Among the propositions made to the county seat commissioners was one of 100 acres at Boot Jack, or the forks of the road to Brandy Camp, four, miles east from Ridgway, by Matthew McQuoin, who also offered to donate a year's work toward erection of county buildings. Reuben Winslow proposed to erect public buildings at the mouth of Trout run should the county seat be located there, while John J. Ridgway and the residents of the old village agreed to donate land and water privileges, and erect buildings.

Under date July 1, 1844, John J. Ridgway and his wife, Elizabeth, sold (through their legal agent, Jonathan Colegrove) town lot No. 116 (10,400 square feet) to Z. Henry Eddy, for the use of Elk county, the consideration being $20.

In 1848-49 A. I. Wilcox, in the house, and Timothy Ives, in the senate, introduced a bill to remove the county seat to St. Mary's. Will A. Stokes, a Philadelphia lawyer, who purchased land near St. Mary's, urged the legis lators to support this bill, which would have been carried had it not been for the determined and well-organized protest of the friends of the old seat of justice.

In October, 1843, John Brooks, Chauncey Brockway and Reuben Winslow, the newly elected commissioners, organized by appointing B. Rush Petrikin, clerk, and David Wheeler, treasurer. The county-seat commissioners were notified of this organization, and asked to make return of their dealings with the new county. Wilcox and Harrison, the boundary surveyors, were granted $375 on October 17, payable when a complete map of the county would be presented by them. Jonathan Colegrove, agent of J. J. Ridgway, was notified of the new organization; a letter was addressed to the statute commissioners, again asking for their report, and the board adjourned to meet at John S. Brockway's house, in Jay township, on November 6. At that meeting the courts were ordered to be held at Hezekiah Warner's house, at Caledonia. In May, 1844, Leonard Morey was appointed commissioner's clerk. In June the following circular was addressed to the people on the matter of locating the county seat, and John Blanchard was selected attorney to advise the board:

PUBLIC NOTICE.

The citizens of Elk county and the public generally are hereby respectfully notified that the Commissioners of said county have no knowledge of any seat of justice being fixed for the county of Elk.

And whereas, it is reported that lots are soon to be exposed for sale in the town of Ridgway, purporting to be the place where the seat of justice of Elk county has been

fixed:

We, the Commissioners of said county, inform the public generally, that we do not know that there is any seat of justice fixed for said county at Ridgway, or any other place, consequently we do not recognize the town of Ridgway as the seat of justice, and feeling desirous that the people, before they purchase lots in the town of Ridgway, under the impression that they are purchasing lots in the town where the seat of justice, of Elk county has been fixed, should be apprised of the above facts, we therefore solicit attention to this notice.

25 June, 1844. Attest

LEONARD MOREY, Clerk.

JOHN BROOKS,

REUBEN WINSLOW, Com.

It was also "resolved that the clerk give notice to the Hon. the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas and the several courts, in and for the county of Elk, and also notify the

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