Jefferson county, when four years old. He studied law with E. E. Erskine and at Western Reserve college at Cleveland. He then located at Steubenville and entered into partnership with Mr. Erskine, which continued until he took his seat on the bench in 1913. He has also been actively engaged in a number of business enterprises. Fletcher Douthitt, of Tuscarawas, succeeded Judge Hance, and he by Walter Shotwell, of Cadiz, each serving two terms. An additional judge was provided in 1908, and Hon. Thompson D. Healea was elected, holding his first court at Steubenville in May, 1909. After holding office about two years, Judge Healea resigned to take charge of the Pennsylvania railroad company's business in eastern Ohio, with Steubenville as a center, and he removed thither with W. I. Kinsey as a partner, which continued until his death on October 13, 1919. Mr. Kinsey succeeded him in charge of the business, which he still conJudge Shotwell was succeeded by John B. Worley, of Cadiz, still on the bench. The Constitution of 1802 required judges of the supreme court to hold a session each year in the different counties, the first in Jefferson county, opening on the third Tuesday in June, 1803, with Samuel Huntington and William Spriggs on the bench. Others following were Daniel Symms and George Todd, August 25, 1805; Jonathan Meigs, Jr., September 23, 1808; Thomas Morris and Thomas Scott, September 25, 1809; W. P. Irvin and P. A. Brown, June 8, 1811; Peter Hitchcock and Calvin Pease, October, 1825; Joshua Collett, October, 1829; Peter Hitchcock and Elijah Maynard, May, 1830; Ebenezer Lane and John C. Wright, October, 1831; Reuben Wood, October, 1833; Frederick Grimke, October, 1836; Matthew Birchard, March, 1843; Nathaniel C. Read, February, 1844; Edward Avery, April, 1848; William B. Caldwell, October, 1849; Rufus P. Spaulding, October, 1850; Rufus P. Ranney, 1851. The vacant years evidently meant absence of business. As previously stated, the district courts after 1851 were composed of the common pleas judges, with a supreme court justice presiding. The first district court in Jefferson county opened August 11, 1852, with Judge Ranney presiding and Judges Jewett, Alexander and Richard Silwell on the bench. These were followed by William B. Caldwell, August 10, 1854; William Kennon, August 10, 1855; Ozias Bowen, August 11, 1856; Thomas W. Bartley, July 28, 1857; Josiah Scott, June 2, 1859; Milton Sutcliff, May 8, 1860; Jacob Brinkerhoff, August 27, 1861; William V. Peck, September 17, 1862; John Welch, September 20, 1866; William White, September 24, 1867. By this time business had so increased in the supreme court that the members were relieved of outside duty, and district courts continued to be held by the common pleas judges alone. S By a constitutional amendment, adopted in the fall of 1883, district courts were abolished and the legislature was authorized to create circuit courts with the same original jurisdiction as the supreme court, and such appellate jurisdiction as might be provided. Accordingly, on April 14, 1884, a bill was passed dividing the state into eight circuits, the seventh being composed of the counties of Ashtabula, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Geauga, Guernsey, Harrison, Jefferson, Lake, Mahoning, Monroe, Noble, Portage and Trumbull. The judges elected the ensuing fall were Hamilton B. Woodbury, of Ashtabula county; Peter A. Laubie, of Columbiana, and William H. Frazier, of Noble. The first session of this court at Steubenville was held in June, 1885, two sessions a year being held thereafter. Judge Woodbury died in the summer of 1895, and was succeeded by J. B. Burrows, of Lake county, who resigned at the close of December term, 1908, and was succeeded by W. S. Metcalf, of Geauga, whose term expired February 8, 1921. He was succeeded by Judge J. W. Roberts, of Ashtabula county. Hon. Elias B. Roberts, of Warren, had been elected to succeed Judge Burrows, but died bfore taking his seat. Judge Frazier was succeeded by John M. Cook in February, 1901, R. M. Voorhees, of Coshocton, taking part in the subsequent May term. Mr. Cook was born near Burlington, New Jersey, on March 6, 1843, and spent his boyhood in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, now part of Pittsburgh. During the fall of 1866 he entered the law school of the Ohio State University and Union Law College, of Cleveland, and was admitted to the bar on January 7, 1869. He entered into practice at East Liverpool, but on October, 1872, came to Steubenville, where he built up a large business. He was chosen prosecuting attorney in 1879, serving five years, and, as above stated, entered upon the circuit bench in 1901. He was chosen for two terms, but died before their completion on July 10, 1910. John Pollock, of St. Clairsville, succeeded Judge Cook, and Myron A. Norris, of Youngstown, succeeded Judge Laubie. The former is still on the bench, but Judge Norris died in 1914. W. H. Spence, of Lisbon, served until 1917, when he was succeeded by L. T. Farr, of Lisbon, whose term expires February 8, 1923. There was a probate court in each county under the territorial laws, and Bezaleel Wells acted as judge from 1797 to November 29, 1802, when its business was transferred to the court of common pleas. Nine wills were filed during this period being those of John Cross, John Horton, James Armstrong, William Carr, William Sharon, John McGuire, James Milligan, James Jackson and Nathaniel Simms. This court was restored in 1852 with the following judges: John K. Sutherland, March 2, 1852, to April 28, 1858. J. M. Goodenow, 1829 to 1830. John R. Meredith, 1852 to 1853. John M. Cook, 1879 to 1884. Among the deceased attorneys admitted to the Jefferson bar since. the adoption of the Constitution of 1851 were James Elliott, admitted in 1852; A. H. Battin in Columbiana county, May 11, 1853; W. A. Walden (Jackson county), April 27, 1858; M. S. Stokely, 1860; Hon. J. Dunbar, January, 1860; W. A. Owensney, September 18, 1862; O. P. Mossgrove, August 18, 1854; James F. Daton, 1863; Thomas P. Spencer, 1866; Robert Martin, April 18, 1862; James A. McCurdy, same; David Moody, September 26, 1867; William H. Lowe, October 2, 1868; John McCleve, September 16, 1868; John M. Cook, January, 1869; J. C. Keys and W. T. Campbell, September 29, 1870; J. M. Hunter, July 21, 1872; H. M. Priest, April 25, 1876; John A. Kitheart, October 1, 1873; W. V. B. Croskey, 1870; John C. Kirkpatrick, September 25, 1877; J. W. Jordan, September 28, 1872; Oliver J. Beard, April 3, 1877; Henry Gregg, April 1878; George G. Bright and Calvin May, August 27, 1878; Charles A. Reynolds, June 17, 1879; James F. Bigger, August 27, 1879; Plummer P. Lewis, June 3, 1884; Justin A. Moore, October 18, 1896; Joseph Kithcart, March 17, 1899; T. A. L. Thompson, June, 1896; John M. Bigger, October 8, 1891; C. B. Gilmore, April 25, 1876. LAW LIBRARY. "During the official term of Henry Gregg, who was prosecuting attorney from 1884 to 1890, the subject of a county law library was taken up and arrangements were made with the county commissioners whereby fines collected for violation of liquor laws were to be devoted to this purpose. A room adjoining the prosecuting attorney's office was procured and the library conducted as an adjunct to that office, when an officer of the state inspection bureau decided that no more money could be paid on this account. The library was closed for a while, but in 1907 an association was organized under the statutes (now Sections 3054-58 G. C.), and in January, 1908, Joseph B. Doyle was appointed librarian. The growth of the library was such that in 1914 an additional room was secured, and in 1915 the library was enlarged to double its capacity and value through the liberality of Col. James Taylor Holmes, of Columbus. Colonel Holmes was born in Short Creek township, Harrison county, on November 25, 1837. He was educated at Franklin county, New Athens, Ohio, and later became president of Richmond. college, Jefferson county. On the outbreak of the Civil War he recruited a company of 110 men in his neighborhood, which became part of the 52nd, O. V. I., under command of Colonel Daniel McCook. He served with valor through the war, and mustered out as lieutenant colonel. Returning home he read law in Columbus, and was admitted to the bar on May 8, 1867. Here he resided until his death on Thurs day, February 17, 1916. During this period he built up a large practice, being recognized as one of the leading lawyers of the state. His library kept pace with his business, being housed in a building erected for that purpose near his residence. Realizing that his end was near, he proposed that his law library should be transferred to the Jefferson county L. L. A., under the following conditions: "It is to be my monument in Jefferson county, whose people have been kindness and loyalty to myself personified, since I first settled among them in December, 1859. In addition thereto it is to be a memorial to the 52nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the great majority of whose 'boys' came from that region of the state. The gift is also intended as a memorial of my friendship with Major Daniel McCook and his wife, Mother' Martha Latimer McCook, and their children, all, but especially with Colonel Dan of the 52nd, who fell in command of his brigade at Kenesaw, June 27, 1864." The library contains about 10,000 volumes, and is recognized as one of the best in the state. The officers of the association are Ernest L. Findley, president; Fred A. Stone, vice-president; William McD. Miller, secretary and treasurer; A. C. Lewis and Edward McKinley, trustees; J. B. Doyle, librarian. UNITED STATES COURT. Notwithstanding the site of Steubenville was the oldest settlement in the state, and the first land office was located here, yet, until recently, it had no sessions of the federal courts, and has as yet no federal building, although land has been obtained for the latter. A few years ago agitation was started in this direction and it resulted in the passage of a bill providing that at least two terms of court should be held yearly in Steubenville, this county being placed in the Columbus or eastern division. The first session was held by Judge John E. Sater on September 8, 1915. This was followed by an evening banquet at the Country club, at which interesting addresses were made. Until a federal building is erected, sessions are held in the county court house. A tract in the business center of the city 180x120 feet has been secured by the United States government for a federal building, and it is expected that work will begin on the same within a year at least. IN THE GREAT WAR. Including Captain Francis McCook, who did not receive his degree until he had entered the service, the Jefferson county bar sent fourteen members into service during the war with Germany, including J. Stewart Crawford, Marshall H. Francis, Henry Greenberger, Arthur L. Hooper, Ralph Levinson, E. M. Morrow, Earle B. McMaster, Lee Van Tilburg, Hugo F. Chestosky, Thomas H. Montgomery, Earl B. Tilton, Chauncey Hawthorne and Casmir Borkoski. A special banquet was given the members on their return home, and later, on October 17 and 18, 1918, all participated in the greatest two-day celebration ever held in Steubenville, at which all were awarded suitable medals. There is an active bar association, with William R. Alban, president, and Ralph Levinson, secretary and treasurer. COLUMBIANA COUNTY. One of the first acts of the legislature of the newly-created state of Ohio was the formation of eight new counties, viz: Scioto, Warren, Butler, Montgomery, Greene, Columbiana, Gallia and Franklin. The act, which was passed on March 25th, provided for the erection of a part of the counties of Jefferson and Washington into a separate County under the name of Columbiana. The boundary began at the mouth of Yellow creek, on the north side of the same, thence up said creek with the meanders thereof to the northern boundary of the eighth township, in the second range, thence west to the western boundary of the seventh range; thence north to the northwestern corner of the sixteenth township of said seventh range; thence west on the south boundary of the ninth township in the eighth and ninth ranges to the Muskingum river; thence up said river with the meanders thereof to the southern boundary of the county of Trumbull; thence with the same east to Pennsylvania line; thence with the said line south to the Ohio river; thence down the same with the meanders thereof to the beginning. The territory, taken from Jefferson county, was, of course, from the northern end, a small portion of which was restored on the creation of Carroll county in 1832. The name is a fancy one, said to be a combination of Columbus and Anna. The act provided that until a permanent seat of justice be fixed by commissioners appointed for that purpose the temporary location should be at the house of Matthias Lower in the 12th township, second range. Accordingly on May 10, 1803, the judges met at Mr. Lower's barn, and proceeded to divide the county into five townships; viz: Springfield, Middleton, St. Clair, Salem and Center, the last named adjoining Fairfield where the commissioners were sitting, and containing the newly platted town of New Lisbon, which was selected as the county seat. Court was held at Lower's until quarters were provided at Lisbon. Calvin Pease presided at the first court, the associates being Robert Simison, Henry Bachman and William Smith. Reason Beall, of Steubenville, was appointed clerk. On November 29 court convened at New Lisbon in Christian Smith's tavern. The most important case was an indictment for riot against James Glass, George Hooter, Thomas Bruce and Noah Anderson. Adam Poe, the well known Indian fighter, became surety for the defendants, and the indictment was afterwards dismissed without disgrace. The twenty-two grand jurors received $32.70 in the aggregate for their services during the term. Obediah Jennings received $50.00 as his salary as prosecuting attorney. The clerk, sheriff and four inspectors were dependent on their fees, which evidently were not very large. David Graham was the first man naturalized. John B. Gibson and Robert Moore were the first attorneys admitted, on March 27, 1804. The county lines were changed several times before they assumed their present form, a portion being taken for Stark county in 1808, Carroll in 1832, and Mahoning in 1845. At present the county is divided into eighteen townships. |