312
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.
