Genealogy has become a hobby for me over the last 10 years. For me, it's like a puzzle, I love fitting the pieces together. But over the years, I've researched a lot that does not pertain to our family lines. Some for extended family, some for close friends, and some because I was trying to rule out lines to figure out where our line went exactly. I do not want these notes on my Heather's Genealogy Notes blog - because they are not our lines. But I do like to share all of my research, in case it benefits others. That is what this blog is for - research I have done that does not apply to our own family lines, but may be helpful for someone else.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Joseph Biles Anthony 1795-1851

Judge & Congressman 
Joseph Biles Anthony
son of
Born: June 19 1795 in Philadelphia PA
Died: January 10, 1851
Married December 1 1825
Catherine Grafius 
daughter of Abraham & Elizabeth (Rothrock) Graffius
Born 1797
Died 1835

Children:
Elizabeth R. became the wife of John R. Campbell; 
Martha B., of Hepburn McClure
Catharine G., of Henry White; 
Mary V., of Dr. Charles L. Lyon; 
Rachel A., of James B. Montgomery,
 Emily, of John Morgan.


1795
New Jersey, Births and Christenings Index, 1660-1931 about Joseph B Anthony
Name: Joseph B Anthony
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 1795
FHL Film Number: 542512

1817 - Degree
Bef
Age: 22
New Jersey, USA
He graduated from Princeton University with honors.

Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, USA
He read law with Samuel Hepburn, of Milton, and was admitted to the Northumberland County bar

1821-1825 Captain of the Williamsport Guards
Age: 26
Williamsport City, Lycoming, Pennsylvania
Judge Anthony served as Captain of the Williamsport Guards from 1821-25

Marriage to Catherine Graffius
Age: 26
Williamsport, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
In 1821, he married Catherine Grafius of Williamsport.

1830
Age: 35
He was a member of the State Senate from 1830 to 1833

Residence
1830
Age: 35
Williamsport, Lycoming, Pennsylvania, United States

1830 United States Federal Census about Joseph B Anthony
Name: Joseph B Anthony
Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Williamsport, Lycoming, Pennsylvania
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5: 2
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: 2
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 5
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 3
Total Free White Persons: 8
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):


1832
Age: 37
Pennsylvania's 16th district
In 1832 Anthony was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-third Congress, representing Pennsylvania's 16th district; he was reelected by a landslide in 1834, but declined to run for a third term in 1836.

1844
Age: 49
From 1844 until his death he was president judge of Pennsylvania's 8th district


1850
Age: 55
Williamsport, Lycoming, Pennsylvania
Age: 54

Name: Joseph B Anthony
Age: 54
Birth Year: abt 1796
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Home in 1850: Williamsport, Lycoming, Pennsylvania
Gender: Male
Family Number: 103
Household Members:
Name Age
Joseph B Anthony 54
Catharine Anthony 52
Rachael Anthony 17
Catharine Anthony 20
Emily Anthony 15
Elizabeth Miller 18
James Campbell 13

1851 - Death
10 Jan
Age: 55

New York, Genealogical Records, 1675-1920 about Hon. Joseph B. Anthony
Name: Hon. Joseph B. Anthony
Death Date: 16 Jan 1851
Death Place: New York City region, New York, United States


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Research:

Birth:  Jun. 19, 1795
Death:  Jan. 10, 1851

US Congressman. Born in Philadelphia, he graduated from Princeton College and was admitted to the bar in 1817, opening a law practice in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the State Senate from 1830 to 1833. In 1832 Anthony was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-third Congress, representing Pennsylvania's 16th district; he was reelected by a landslide in 1834, but declined to run for a third term in 1836. After leaving office he returned to his legal practice in Williamsport. From 1844 until his death he was president judge of Pennsylvania's 8th district. (bio by: Bobb Edwards)

From the History of Lycoming County, Chapter 17
Joseph Biles Anthony was appointed to succeed Judge Donnel by Governor Porter in 1844. He was born at Philadelphia, June 19, 1795; graduated at Princeton, and took up his residence at Milton, and while engaged in teaching in the academy at that place, read law with Samuel Hepburn and was admitted, November 26, 1817. He then made a journey to Ohio, but finding no place to locate, returned and settled permanently at Williamsport, where he was admitted in 1818. Mr. Anthony took an active part in politics and was sent to the State Senate in 18309 and four years later to Congress, and after serving one term he was re-elected. So popular had he become with the people that at his last election he was chosen by an unprecedented majority, carrying every township in every county of his district, and every ward in every borough.

Before his appointment to the bench of this district he was appointed judge of the Nicholson court of Pennsylvania, a court established to settle titles to vast tracts of land lying principally in the northwestern part of the State.

Judge Anthony was strong intellectually and a great lover of amusement. He possessed a fund of anecdote which made his company much sought after. His humor would crop out on all occasions no matter whether the subject was grave or gay, and he never failed to excite the risibilities of those around him. In his personal appearance he was a handsome man, of rotund figure, cleanly shaven face. and of medium size.

As a judge he was guided by a stern integrity of purpose, and distributed justice with impartiality; while his honesty of character won for him the good opinions of all good men. He died at his home in Williamsport, January 10, 1851, greatly regretted by all his friends. His last words were: "It is folly, it is folly; we must leave it, all." A. white marble tablet marks his grave in the Williamsport cemetery. Judge Anthony married Miss Grafius of Williamsport. They had one son and six daughters. All are deceased. The daughters married as follows: Elizabeth R. became the wife of John R. Campbell; Martha B., of Hepburn McClure; Catharine G., of Henry White; Mary V., of Dr. Charles L. Lyon; Rachel A., of James B. Montgomery, and Emily, of John Morgan.

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US Congressman. Born in Philadelphia, he graduated from Princeton College and was admitted to the bar in 1817, opening a law practice in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the State Senate from 1830 to 1833. In 1832 Anthony was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-third Congress, representing Pennsylvania's 16th district; he was reelected by a landslide in 1834, but declined to run for a third term in 1836. After leaving office he returned to his legal practice in Williamsport. From 1844 until his death he was president judge of Pennsylvania's 8th district. (bio by: Robert Edwards)

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From Wikipedia-

Joseph Biles Anthony (June 19, 1795 – January 10, 1851) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.
Joseph Biles Anthony was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and practiced. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1830 to 1833.
Anthony was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Congresses. He was appointed judge of the ‘Nichelson court’, and engaged in the sale of titles to large tracts of lands in Pennsylvania. He was elected president judge of the eighth district in 1844 and served until his death in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Interment in Williamsport Cemetery.
====================================================================


HISTORICAL SKETCHES
of the Bench and Bar of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
http://www.lycolaw.org/history/sketches/08.htm

Joseph Biles Anthony was appointed to succeed Judge Donnel by Governor Porter in 1844. Judge Anthony was born in Philadelphia, Pa., June 18, 1795. When he was quite young, his parents moved to New Jersey, where he was later graduated from Princeton University with honors.

He located at Milton, Northumberland County, and for a short time taught at Kirkpatrick’s Academy, and also at the Northumberland Academy. He read law with Samuel Hepburn, of Milton, and was admitted to the Northumberland County bar in 1817. He then went to Ohio for one year, but returned to Pennsylvania and settled permanently in Williamsport. He was admitted to the Lycoming County Bar in 1818. In 1821, he married Catherine Grafius of Williamsport.

He took an active part in Democratic politics, becoming State Senator in 1830, was sent to Congress in 1833, defeating General John Burrows, the anti-Masonic candidate, and was re-elected and served until 1838. During the Porter administration, he was appointed Judge of the Nicholson Court to establish land titles in Northwestern Pennsylvania. In 1844, he was appointed President Judge of the Eighth District, then composed of Northumberland, Lycoming and Columbia Counties, succeeding Judge Donnel.

“He was a handsome, rotund man of medium size, with an uncommonly large head, and a fair, smooth, broad face. He was remarkable for his liveliness, good humor and wit. His humor would crop up in the trial of cases of a grave and serious nature, even when he was trying to deal gravely with his subject. He was fond of illustrating his ideas with anecdotes and laughable incidents, and he did it with a peculiar nod of his head, leer of his eye and a laughable tone of voice, that made all in his presence laugh even when they were inclined to be serious. When he was in a bad humor, however, his arguments were free from it, were short, sharp and to the point. When a witness or attorney deserved a tongue lashing they got it thick and fast, and in language which left them in no doubt. Hence many people would crowd into the courtroom to hear him speak when he was trying a case. As a judge, his opinions were clear, compact and supported by authorities. In a word he was the best Orphans Court lawyer of his time at the Lycoming County bar, as he had been a good teacher.’’

He was probably the only judge of our county who liked to indulge in writing poetry. An example of this occurred during the trial of a case at Danville, at the January Sessions 1846. A man was being tried for shooting a valuable setter named Logan. The trial excited much merriment, and during the course of the argument, the Judge wrote the following stanzas which later appeared in Freeze’s History of Columbia County, and which he quietly dropped on the counsel table for the amusement of the members of the bar:

Poor Logan’s dead no more he’ll howl,
     And rend the air with deafening cries.
No more he’ll set for man the fowl
     In death’s cold lap he lowly lies.

How fondly would he hunt the game,
     How closely would he scent the air,
A setter known full well to fame,
     The huntsman’s friend: his master’s care.

From day to day, from year to year,
     He roamed the wood, he scor’d the field;
From every vicious practice clear
     In faithfulness to none he’d yield.

A watchful, trusty, peaceful friend,
     From quarrel, strife and bickering free,
He never failed his aid to lend;
     But true to huntsman’s call was he.

In canine veins no drop of blood
     Of Logan courses — all his race
Is now extinct — in wicked mood
     Man sent him to his resting place.

Judge Anthony served as Captain of the Williamsport Guards from 1821-25. He sold lottery tickets for the benefit of the Harmon Church at Milton (The German Lutheran and Reformed Church together with the Presbyterian had formed the Harmony Church, from which the Presbyterians had withdrawn primarily because of this lottery), a very common practice in those days.

Before he became a judge, his law office was opposite the Court House. He took an active part in the life of Williamsport, serving as one of the Trustees of the Williamsport Academy, the predecessor of Dickinson Seminary, now Lycoming College; and as Secretary of the Canal Company.

His family consisted of one son (whose name I have not dis covered) and six daughters: Elizabeth R., who married John L. Campbell; Martha B. married Hepburn McClure, a member of this bar; Catherine G. married Henry White; Mary V. married Dr. Charles L. Lyon; Rachel A. married James Montgomery, and Emily married John Moyer.

Judge Anthony died January 10, 1851, and is buried in the Williamsport Cemetery. As if impressed with a sense of the mutability of the affairs of this world, he said just prior to leaving : “It is folly, it is folly, we must leave it all.” After all, this is not so far removed from the words of King Solomon, delivered a few thousand years before: “All is vanity and vexation of spirit.” So ended the career of Judge Anthony.


==============================================================
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=A000263
ANTHONY, Joseph Biles, a Representative from Pennsylvania; born in Philadelphia, Pa., June 19, 1795; attended the public schools; studied law; was admitted to the bar and practiced; member of the State senate 1830-1833; elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Congresses (March 4, 1833-March 3, 1837); appointed judge of the ‘Nichelson court’; engaged in the sale of titles to large tracts of lands in Pennsylvania; was elected president judge of the eighth district in 1844 and served until his death in Williamsport, Lycoming County, Pa., January 10, 1851; interment in Williamsport Cemetery.
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The Historical journal, Volume 1
 edited by John Franklin Meginness, pages 14-15


HON JOSEPH BILES ANTHONY
 BY FC CAMPBELL WASHINGTON DC

HON JOSEPH B ANTHONY was born in Philadelphia June 19 1795 At an early age he removed with his parents to New Jersey where he received his earlier education His father was a man of means and gave his son a good education sending him to Princeton College where he graduated While still a young man he came to the West Branch Valley and located in Milton at which place he studied law under Samuel Hepburn Esq and was admitted to the bar He then went to Ohio but after an absence of a year returned to Pennsylvania and settled permanently in Williamsport then a small village He was admitted to the Lycoming County Bar in 1818 In 1821 he married Miss Catharine Grafius of Williamsport He took an active part in the politics of his day associating himself with the Democratic party with whose views he was heartily in accord and whose policy he advocated He was elected a member of the State Senate in 1830 and served out his term so satisfactorily to his constituents that he was sent to Congress in 1834 and re elected in 1836 At his last election he was chosen by an unprecedented majority carrying every township in each county and every ward in every borough in his district During the administration of Governor Porter he was appointed Judge of the Nicholson Court of Pennsylvania a court established to settle the titles of vast tracts of land in the state In 1847 he was appointed President Judge of the Eighth Judicial District of Pennsylvania He continued in the faithful exercise of his duties until the day of his death and he performed all the duties of his various high offices honestly faithfully and with distinguished ability Judge Anthony was a lover of society an accomplished scholar a man of wit anecdote brilliant repartee and the soul of the social circle Possessed of those traits of character which endear us one to another charitable and generous to a fault he was beloved by the entire community in which he lived As a sample of his wit it may be mentioned that while holding court at Danville at the January sessions of 1846 a man was tried bofore fore him for shooting a valuable setter dog named Logan the property of Mr Mercer The trial excited much merriment and during the argument the Judge wrote the following stanzas which were quietly dropped on the table for the amusement of members of the bar

 Poor Logan’s dead no more he’ll howl,
     And rend the air with deafening cries.
No more he’ll set for man the fowl
     In death’s cold lap he lowly lies.

How fondly would he hunt the game,
     How closely would he scent the air,
A setter known full well to fame,
     The huntsman’s friend: his master’s care.

From day to day, from year to year,
     He roamed the wood, he scor’d the field;
From every vicious practice clear
     In faithfulness to none he’d yield.

A watchful, trusty, peaceful friend,
     From quarrel, strife and bickering free,
He never failed his aid to lend;
     But true to huntsman’s call was he.

In canine veins no drop of blood
     Of Logan courses — all his race
Is now extinct — in wicked mood
     Man sent him to his resting place.

 As a judge guided by stern integrity of purpose he distributed even handed justice with impartiality whilst his honesty of character won for him the golden opinions of all good men He died in Williamsport on the 10th of January 1851 of heart disease at the comparatively early age of 56 years six months and twenty one days regretted by all who knew him And as if impressed with a sense of the mutability of this world his last words were It is folly it is folly we must leave it all His wife one son and six daughters survived him but they are now all dead The daughters married as follows Elizabeth R became the wife of John R Campbell Martha B of Hepburn McClure Catharine G of Henry White Mary V of Dr Charles L Lyon Rachel A of James B Montgomery and Emily of John Morgan
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Joseph recieved a Princeton education. He taught at Milton Academy. He read law with Samuel Hepburn. He joined the Northumberland Bar 26 Nov 1817. He went to Ohio for a year. He lived in Williamsport from 1818 until his death. He was elected to the state Senate in 1830 and then Congress in 1834 and 1836. In 1843 he served as on e of the judges of the court for settling the Niholson land claims in PA. He was Presdient judge of the 8th District in 1844. He was described as witty and humorous. page 227.

History of Northumberland County, PA, including its aboriginal history, etc... Herbert C Bell, Brown Funk & Co., Chicago, 1891, F157.N884 West Pattee Library ground floor stacks, Paterno Library, 1st Floor, Rare and MSS, Penn State University Librarie


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