Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-03-11
Butler Cou1tg's Court House.

DuClEF 6UulCY
Buffers beautiful Court House, dis
cernible from any part of the town,
is comparatively a new building. The
old structure was totally destroyed by
fire in 1888 and for two and a half
years Witherspoon Institute was
utilized as a Court House.
The present edifice cost $50, 600 and
Is an ornament to the county, as well
as monument to the enterprise and
thrift of the inhabitants. Work was
begun on the present building in the
spring of 1885. and completed Septem-
ber, 1886. The building has frontage
of so feet, 90 feet wide at the back, 120
feet deep, and 1856 feet high. 1t is built
of Butler county stone, with Berea
stone trimmings.
The Register and Recorder, Sheriff,
Clerk of Courts, Treasurer, Prothono-
tary and County Commissioners, all
have their offices on the first floor.
each department comprising public
and private Office and fireproof vault,
with general vault in the hall for val
liable papers.
On the second floor are the jury and
witness rooms, arbitration and ladies'
room, and a commodious court room.
The County Superintendent and the en-
gineer have Offices on the floor above.
The tower surmounting the building is
the finest point of observation, to view
the town. 1t contains a large clock
and a bell which strikes the hour of
day as time recedes and man knows it
no more.
Facing the Court House is plot of
ground called the Diamond. which is
part Of the original five acres set aside
by the county for this purpose. Owing
to the large amount of business trans
acted in oil leases, ETC., the county
officers are kept very busy and court
week always brings large concourse
Of people to town.
The enabling act, passed by the Leg
islature March IL, 1900, authorized the
erection of a county from a portion of
Allegheny county, which then COM
prised all the territory lying north
east OF the Ohio and Allegheny
rivers. The act under which the county
was organized for judicial purposes
was not passed until April 2, 1903. 1t
then became part of the Sixth Judi
cial district, which included Beaver,
Crawford, Mercer and Erie.
The present site was selected as a
county seat, a rude log court house
was erected, which served the purpose
until 1907, when stone structure was
erected, Of which the people were very
proud. In 1866 larger house was
built at q cost Of $40, 600.
The first court in Butler county w-s
held in log cabin, void Of windows,
doors or furniture, on the Diamond,
near where the Office of Clarence
Walker is now located. A few chairs
and benches were supplied by the pop
ulace, and a carpenters bench served
as desk for the Judge and attorneys.
This was quite q notable event, and
was attended by all the great lights OF
the Pittsburg Bar.
The Circuit Court, which existed
until 1888, was entirely separate from
the Court Of Common Pleas. The first
case was entered in this court Septem.
Der II, 1904, but was not tried unit
September, 1905. The first grand and
traverse jurors were called at thii
term. The first business transacted in
the Orphans Court was on May IA
1904.
Jesse Moore. Esq, the first President
Judge, was appointed in 1904. Hi
successors were Samuel B. Roberts, IL
1918; William Wilkison, in 1921
Charles Shaler, in 1924; John Bredin
1881. In 1851 Daniel Agnew was ap
pointed to vacancy, and succeeded
himself by election for two terms. Ii
1858 he was elected a Judge of tn,
Supreme Court. Judge McGuffen wal
appointed to succeed him as Presiden
Judge. and was elected in 1864. II
1874 Charles McCandess was appointed
Assistant Law Judge. In the fall o
that year E. McJunkin and Jane
Bredin were elected; the former a
President Judge and the latter as asso
ciate, of the Seventeenth Judicial Dis
trict, composed of Butler and Law
renee counties. In 1884, Aaron L
Hazen and John McMichael, both O
Lawrence county, were elected to tn
bench. and the lot of President Judg
fell to Judge Hazen.
EARLY MEMBERS OF THE BAR
Gen. Ayres, who came West wit
Washington's army in 1894, In tn
capacity Of tailor, read law wit
Judge Breckenridge in Pittsburg an
came to Butler in 1904 as Prothono
tary.
John Gilmore, born in Bradfor
county, educated at Washington, Pa
read law with the afterwards exile
David Bradford, came to Butler In 1870:
was sent to the Legislature and mad
Speaker of the House. He was aftel
wards member of Congress and Stat
Treasurer. He died In 1845.
John Purviance was one Of the firf
attorneys in the county, and was az
mitted to the first court held in Butle
He served az Colonel in the war {
1912. He was for long time attorne
for the Rapp Society at Harmony.
John Bredin, for twenty years Pres
dent Judge, was among the able
members OF this Bar. He was born !
Donegal county, Ireland, in 1894, an
died in 1857.
James Thompson, a native of Butt,
county, was at one time a printer
devil, and became leader in his pr
fession and in politics. He went
Erie, was sent to the Legislature, w