31G
COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES
State, he w as alw ays listened to with keen interest in the Supreme court. 1le was thoroughly conscientious and dealt severely with the client who deceived him. A t one time, in the courtroom at Danville, when he was convinced by the testimony o f his oppon ent's witnesses that his client had misrcprcscntcil his case to him, he picked up his papers and left the counsel table with remarks more em|>hatic than elegant. Mr. Comly w as a lawyer with a mind keen and penetrating, grasping with ease the points involved in a case, and turning with wonderful power and quickness the weakness o f an opponent upon him to Ilis entire discomfiture. On one occa sion several lawyers were returning home from the Supreme court, where M r. Comly had arguc<l an ap|K*al from a decision o f Judge I*'Iwcll, in which he had raiscccn on the other side and was dis cussing, in the train, the argument of the case, when he made the remark, “ Who but Josh Comly would ever have raised that ])oint?” Mr. Com ly'$ view w as afterw ards adopted by the Supreme court. Colonel Freeze, o f Bloomsbuig, used io tell o f an early cxperieiK'e o f his at (he bar. He was arguing a case in which M r. Comly had shown a great interest, as his preceptor. Mr. H urley was on the other side and was argu ing amidst frequent intcrntjitiofis by (lie court, who seemed to take the ofijiosiie view. Colo nel ]*reczc said he w*as on his feet at the close o f M r. H urley's aigum enl. ready to reply, when he felt a huge grip on his shoulder and heard the voice o f Mr. Comly in his car, say ing, “ M y Cod, John, don’t try to help the court.” Judges were first elected (instead o f ap]>oin(c<l) ill Pennsylvania In the fall o f 18 51, after the amendment to the constitution pro posed by two consecutive Legislatures had been ratified by popular vote, the term of every judge in ihc State expiring thereby at the close o f that year, so that every judicial chair in Pennsylvania had to be filled at the October election. T he change was o f such im{>ortance that both political parties were im pressed with the necessity o f placing only the ablest men in office under the new pro visions. so that the revised order be given every possible chance for a successful start. The Democrats, who were then in the maority in Pennsylvania, had their caucus at Nttsburg and felt the importance of the occa sion enough to have a separate convention for the nomination of their judicial candidates:
t
the Whigs convened at Lancaster. Each nom inated five candidates for the Supreme court bench* and Joshua V. Comly was one o f those honored at the W hig convention. .Ml the Democratic nominees were elected except Jam es Cam])bell, o f Philadelphia, Judge Coul ter being the only successful candidate on the Vhig ticket. M r. Comly was the last su r vivor of the ten men whose distinguished abil ity was so recognized. .An article by A . K . McClure, in the Philadelphia Tim es o f Oct. 2, 1 894. speaks o f him as “ a venerable man with frosted head and bowed under the infinnitics o f years but still vigorous* both mentally and physically, and with a clear cut face clearly indicating the strongest individu ality. • • ♦ H is eye is still bright, and his face is as sprightly in conversation as it w as half a century ago. H e has practically retired from his professional duties and lh*cs a quiet and genial life among his neighbors lielovcd hv all. ♦ • • H is life has liccn lovely in all the best offices o f manhood; he moves among his ncightiors today as a veteran W hig leader of the olden times, beloved by all, and when called to cross the dark river will be as widely lamented as he is known.” .Mr. Comly retired from the arduous duties o f his profession in M ay, 1882. On Dec. 20, i 8(>2, ho had the misfortune to break his leg, hut recovered from the accident. H is death occurred Feb. 13, 1897, and he is buried in the new Milton cenietcr>* in Northumberland county. Jo h n G, M o n t c w m k r y w as l>om Ju n e 27, (805, in Northumlierland county. H e w as preparctl fo r college by his uncle, Rev. John nr>*son. and entered Washington College, at Washington, Pa., where he graduated in 18 2 5 Mr. M ontgonKiy immediately a fte r read law with Hon. .Mem M arr and was admitted to practice in Danville in 1827, and soon after was appointc<l district attorney. In 18 30 he marricnl Henrietta Spcrring Cooper, daughter o f Judge John Cooper. .Seven children were l>om to Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery, six of whom rcachc<l maturity, as follow s: Alice, svho itiarrie<I Edw anl l l . Baldy, E sq .: ElizaWlh Montgomery: John Cooper Montgomerv'; Hertrielia. who married Edward H. Baldy, Esq.. after the death o f her sister A lice; M argaret, who married John Peter G rove and later J . C. Musgrove. o f Pliiladelphia: and Caroline. In 1855 M r. Montgomery was e?ec!e<l (0 the General .Assembly and ser*ed one term Upon his return from that senidcc he was elected a delegate to the National D em ocratic®
