The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-10-19
THE HON. JOHN CESSNA.
OUR CANDIDATE FOR JUDGE.

The subject of this sketch was
born June 18th, A. d. 1921, the son
of farmer of Bedford county, Pa.
His great grandfather, whose name
was John Cessna, was a member of
the conventio,i which framed the
Constitution of f776, and the grand
father of The latter, also named John
Cessna, came toPcnnsyivania in
1880, Huguenot seeking freedom
and liberty.
John Cessna, in 1912, graduated
from Marshall College, at MERGERS
burg, now Franklin 4 Marshall Col
lege, at Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
He has been President of the Board
of Trustees of that institution since
the resignation of James Buchanan
in 1865, reelected unanimously each
year since. In 1874 he was tutor of
the Latin language in his Alma
Mater. In 1S4S he was a member
of the Revenue Board, by appoint
ment of Judge Black. A member
of our Legislature in 1850, 81, '62,
and '63; Speaker of the House in
1851 and again in 1868, receiving at
the end of each term a vote of
thanks, every member present vot-
ing to compliment his integrity,
fairness, and ability as a Speaker.
During his two terms as Speaker,
no appeal was ever entered, and
consequently no decision reversed,
which indicates the scope of his ac-
curate knowledge of parliamentary
law.
In 1868 he was elected to the For
ty-First, and again, in 1872, to the
Forty-third Congress. There he
was frequently called to preside over
that body as Speaker pro tenn, and
in Committee Of the Whole. Dur
ing the memorable and important
contest over the Civil Rights bill,
Speaker Blaine deputized him to
take the chair, which he occupied
through a whole night, and on all
the many occasions of such service
no appeal was ever taken from his
decisions. To be worthy of the con-
fidence of the great Speaker, Mr..
Blaine, and to be trusted with the
mighty interests of the Republican
Party on that momentous occasion
when human rights and the sacred
promise of his party were at stake
was a great honor, which this dis
tinguished leader of his party ex-
tended to John Cessna. This true
and faithful servant of Bedford and
the LOYAL People of this Common
wealth, returned on every occasion
the Speakers Gavel dignifed and
not dishonored, and thus he stands
to-day a marked figure throughout
this Continent of States. There is
no public man in this State who
has not met John Cessna in manv
State Conventions, nor any of note
in the Nation who have not met
him in National Conventions, where
he was always a prominent figure,
and his parliamentary skill and
wisdom frequently guided those
bodies quietly and safely to peace,
good order and harmony.
In his career as lawyer he has
shown marked ability and integrity.
Admitted to the bar in 1S45, he has
been in active, constant practice
ever since in Bedford, Fulton, Frank
lin, Blair, Somerset, Huntingdon,
and in other counties, and in the
Supreme Court He has attended
every session of the latter Court, in
his district, since 1S4S, except two
once on account of sickness, and
once his duties as a member of Con-
gress prevented.
The many volumes IF our State
reports are monum, Mt to John
Cessna's skill and ability as a law
yer. He has been executor, admin
istrator, trustee, and guardian, for
more than two hundred people, and
in but one case was there an excep-
ton filed to his accounts, and that
was withdrawn and costs paid by
the party making it. In 1865, in
the Convention which nominated
Major General Hartranft for Audi
tor General, the Hon. Thaddeus
Stephens moved, in open Conven-
ton, that John Cessna be made
Chairman of the State Central Com