Up to the year 1800,
Erie County constituted a part of Allegheny, and all judicial proceedings
took place at Pittsburgh, the county seat. The act creating Erie a
separate county is dated the 12th of
Up to the year 1800,
Erie County constituted a part of Allegheny, and all judicial proceedings
took place at Pittsburgh, the county seat. The act creating Erie a
separate county is dated the 12th of March, 1800. The county was too
sparsely settled to maintain a distinct organization, and by the act of
April 9, 1801, Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Venango and Warren were thrown
temporarily together for election and governmental purposes. Meadville was
designated as the place where the county business should be transacted.
This arrangement continued for two years.
The first court in Erie
was held by Hon. Jesse Moore, in April, 1803. The hours for convening were
announced by the Crier by the blowing of a horn. This horn continued to be
used for the purpose until 1823. The Supreme Judges at that time were
obliged to hold Circuit Courts in the several counties of the State, and
in the course of their duties Judge Yates visited Erie on the 15th of
October, 1806, and Judge Brackenridge in 1807 and 1811. Judge Brackenridge
was one of the ablest and most eminent men of his period, but extremely
eccentric in his manners. He was the author of "Modern
Chivalry," a work of rare wit and finely written. He sat in court
when here in 1807, with his dressing gown on, kicked off his shoes and
coolly elevated his bare feet upon a table. When the news was received
that he was approaching Erie, he was met in the English style, by the
Sheriff, attended by quite a party of gentlemen on horseback. A session of
the Supreme Court was held in the city in 1854, at which Judges Lewis,
Woodward, Lowrie and Knox were present.
The County Courts were
held by the President Judge, aided by two Associate Judges -- usually
farmers of good standing -- until May, 1839, when a District Court was
created to dispose of the accumulated business in Erie, Crawford, Venango
and Mercer Counties. Hon. James Thompson, of Venango, was appointed to the
District Judgeship, and filled the position until May, 1845. The term
originally was for five year, but was extended one year by request of the
bar. Previous to 1851, both the President Judges and Associate Judges were
appointed by the Governor. The first election by the people was in
October, 1851, when Hon. John Galbraith was chosen President Judge, and
Hon. Joseph M. Sterrett and Hon. James Miles, Associates. The office of
Additional Law Judge was created in 1856, Hon. David Derrickson, of
Crawford County, being its first incumbent, and expired by the operation
of the constitution on the 17th of April, 1874. The Associate Judges were
abolished on November 17, 1876, and since that date the entire duties of
the court have been performed by the President Judge. All Law Judges in
the State are elected for ten years.
The constitution of
1873, or the "new constitution," as it is usually called,
allowed the President Judge of each district, where there was an
Additional Law Judge, to elect to which of the districts into which his
original jurisdiction had been divided he might be assigned. Under this
provision, Judge Wetmore selected the Thirty-seventh District, consisting
of Warren and Elk Counties, and Judge Vincent, Additional Law Judge for
the district, became President Judge of Erie County, which had been
created a district by itself.
The following is a list
of the President, Special and Additional Law Judges, with the dates of
Judges-- Alexander Addison, Pittsburgh, August 17, 1791.
Allegheny County, March 3, 1800.
Jesse Moore, Crawford
County, April 5, 1803.
Huntingdon County, January 24,1825.
Nathaniel B. Eldred,
Wayne County, March 23, 1839.
Crawford Count