The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-04-24

MIR. Jacob Brown, of Cumberland,
contributed the following concerning
pioneer members of the Allegany
county bar to the Cumberland NetCs
of Monday. Two of the subjects were
residents of this county.
My CONCENTRATIONS in the series of
papers on the olden time members of
the Allegany bar would include at
least one more. 1t is to be observed
that it was not intended to embrace
members whose memories came down
to the present generation. The papers
thus prepared and published are in
tended and are to be strictly of his
toric character.
THOMAS THISTLE.
The third paper will commence with
the name of Thomas Thistle. He was
a native of Ireland and with brother
and several other parties were the
very first aliens to be neutralized by
our court-in 1897. He was then
styled a student-at-law, and was ad-
nitted 10 membership a short time
after. Tradition says he tried one
case and made one speech, whereupon
he became dissatisfied with the law,
and retired for good and all. He was
one of the judges of the Orphans
Court from 1903 to 1910. He went in
to the mercantile business in Cumber-
land for number of years. After
that he kept a hotel at the foot of
Negro Mountain, three miles west of
Grantsville, for considerable while.
After that he settled upon a fine farm
at Mount Nebo, in what is now Gar
rett county. There he was comforta-
BILE for over a dozen years. In his
old days, when his family had nearly
all left him, he moved to Cumberland
and died, a short while before the war
He married Julia Cresap in 1903.
He had eleven children, eight daugh-
tiers and three sons. Three of these
daughters were married on the same
day in 1S43; two at the Mount Nebo
home and one in Mississippi. Loxly
h. was suitably educated for the bar
and was admitted in the 1S2Os to the
Allegany bar, but like his father, did
not pursue the law for a profession,
though it was understood he possess
ed the mental qualities; and physi-
cally he was one of the finest speci-
mems of manhood to be seen any,
where. After an aimless life of some
years he went to then far-away Mis-
slppl, where he prospered and lived
to the end of his life in 1865, having
been killed by an accidental minnie
ball from soldier. Just here an an
ecdote may be in order. A girl in the
neighborhood was suspected of taking
some little articles from a peddler on
the old National road. The young
lawyer supposed she would be arrest
ed and he would be her counsel, SO he
commenced preparation. In an out
house at the old hotel mentioned he
placed IL chairs in two rows and then
and there commenced his speech to
the empty chairs in behalf of his in
nocent client. At the close of his
speech he exclaimed, cleared But
no real trial ever occurred.
Just here recollections of the deep
past force themselves upon a mind,
whether willing or unwilling to re-
ceiye them. Shall say of so, 60 or 70
years duration. Discriminating read
ers take your choice. "Loxly'' was
the writer's first teacher in the very
first steps of a primitive education.
Is it then to be wondered that this
depression should come even at this
late day.
WILLIAM VAN BUSKIRK.
There is no record or memory to
show or tell when William Van Bus
kirk first appeared at our bar; not
however, among the earliest admis-
sions. He came from one of the val
ley counties of Virginia and rose in
his profession with encouraging adj
vancement and prospects. He had
energy and courage and did not shrink
from the responsibilities and difficult
ties of his profession. He was a fine
speaker, indeed an eloquent one, and
liked to show his powers on this line.
He, in connection with j. V. Nc
Mahon, was counsel for Geo. Swear
engen in that celebrated murder case
in 1929. They made great efforts to
save the life of a once prominent and