The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-10-19
HgSTORF OF
BIZ a Northwestern Pc insyivania1.
FORMATION OF ELK COUNTY
REUBEN wINSLOW.

ny culCl pllSC VI Val 't"S '"' "
Ills selection of ;hut beautiful farm sit
uats on Benuett's Branch Of the Slime
mahoning, at the mouth Of Trout Run,
evinccd his good taste and Judgment
Firm in his resolves, indefatigablc in
the prosecution of everything he uu.
dertakes to such degree that his enc.
mics (if he had any, would charge his
character as an obstinate. No man in
Elk county sooner yields to his convic-
tion of being wrong in matters of opin,
ion than Mr.. Winslow seldom having
opportunity by conviction of changing
his views, he is always consistent, Opin.
ions once formed in his mind remain
there fixed as the hills; generous to all:
Kindness aud urbanity rule his couluct
with adversaries. In public improve
mcnts he is regardless Of time and ex-
pense and many surveys for the loca-
ton of railroads through this part OF
Pennsylvania have been conducted at
his individual cost. Like all the other
old settlers, his white hairs admonish
Linn, as we'll as others, that Time, with
his everlasting scythe and steady pace,
will in the lapse Of years overtake him
and them--thon the county of Elk may
we'll feel proud Of him as having once
been citizen,
THE COUNTY SEAT QUESTION.
The county seat of Fix having been
ized By the Commissioners, county
buildings finished, courts regular, taxes
lower than was anticipated, county or
ders at par, and everything going on
sncothly, it was reasonable to conjec-
turc that the time for disturbing the
county by its removal was past. 1t was
doomed otherwise. At the session Of
The Legislature in 1850, A. I. Will
cox was the member in the House, and
Timothy Ives iu the Senate, The citi-
zeus of Ridgway were startled at the in.
formation that bill was before the Leg
islature <and "sure to pas " removing
the county seat to St. Nlary's.-
st. Mary's was comparatively in
its infancy, and from the peculiar char
acter of its settlement bid fair to grow
up into "quite town." the surround
ing lands bidding fair for speculation
and settlement.
Will. A. Stokes, Esq, of Philadelphia,
took an interest in the scheme of selling
these lands to "actual settlers" " at a
profit of some seven or eight hundred
per cent, and which would be accelera
ted by having the county seat at St.
.Mary's. Will. A. Stokes was an educa
ted man, lawyer by profession, and be-
ing of rather an ambitious complexion,
it was hinted that his removal fr' nj
Philadelphia to locate in the forest to
establish a " farm agency" had less to
DO toward his fortune pecuniarily than
with his political aspirations. lie was a
Democrat, this Congressional district
was Democratic, and he no doubt, con-
sidering his greater abilty,regarded that
lis nomination for Congress was more
sure than from his own district. His
ruavity soon made him admirers. He
took the field in politics at the first in
PRODUCTION of the canvass about to be
held he made good speeches, and the
party we're much delighted at his ac
QUESTION. He concluded that he had
made his mark" and that his inhu,
ence at Harrisburg would insure sue
cess in any movement he should make
in that direction, Promises were II
him cheap, although they involved large
consequences; thus, he promised those
wishing 10 sell lands good price fos
them-to buyers, good and cheap lands
in the Uiciaity Of ,ohere ME seat Of jus
tice lOouM be soon tocatek
No sooner was the introduction of hi
bill to remove the county seat known il
Ridgway and other parts of the county
than a meeting was held to demonstrate
and we cannot better give a view o
their temper towards the originator 0
the scheme than to republiJh their ex
preston as published at the time. Tn
meeting was held at the Court House
The preamble was as follows;
WHEREAS, We are spprised tha
secret movements are in progress to ei
feet a removal of the county scat OF Eli
county by privately circulating petition
in certain sections OF the county, and b
simultaneous efforts OF one or more in