Justice of the Peace Docket (No. 2)

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Samuel Vanatta, Francis Drake, M. E. Ealy, et al, "Justice of the Peace Docket," docket entries 1840s-1860s, loose papers through 1920s, Richhill Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania; held by Greene County Clerk of Court's Office, Courthouse, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, 2016. Item no. GCCH-AN003-0002-0000, Greene County Courthouse Collection, Greene Connections Archives Project (www.GreeneConnections.com).

FULL COLOR scan have been posted, but GRAYSCALE scans are also available for comparison. Some pages may be easier to read in grayscale due to contrast.

Provenance:

Donated to the Greene County Clerk of Courts Office, Courthouse, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. No record of donor maintained. It appears that the docket book was passed down from one JP to the next, thus covering a large span of years and including entries from more than one person. Francis Drake is identified as having performed a set of marriages beginning 5 July 1863, but the twenty years of entries prior to that are uncredited in the docket itself. A letter included in the loose papers, was written by M. E. Ealy, who was one of the later JPs to have possession of the book. In the letter, Ealy states that the docket had once belonged to Samuel Vanatta. He credits Vanatta with an 1862 nuptial. Vanatta is likely responsible for others of the early entries as well. Other clues in the docket suggest John T. Poland may have also been a previous owner.

Due to the fact that Pennsylvania did not officially record marriages until 1885 at the Courthouse, the records in this docket are an invaluable record for family history.

In addition to marriages, this JP docket includes criminal matters. Please review these with the understanding that genealogical research requires an open mind. Ancestors were human too. Each should be remembered and treated respectfully, but also with an unbiased examination of the facts. These records have the potential to provide useful clues and details regarding family alignments, everyday life, biographical profiles, and more.

Record specifications:

Justice of the Peace dockets are not typically maintained by the Clerk of Courts Office. This book is in the custody of the office due to donation by the JP or his heirs. As a result, the Clerk of Courts may not issue certified copies of any of these records. In an effort to make the rare material in these dockets available, they are being scanned and transcribed on volunteer time for sharing via the Greene Connections: Greene County, Pennsylvania Archives Project.

Record Images and Transcript:

This entire docket book has been scanned cover to cover, including loose papers found inside. As volunteer time permits, these records will also be transcribed and indexed.

Pages

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[June 12- 59?]

270 Josiah Sims to Adaline Cole $2.00

271 [unreadable] John [Matthews ?] to [Sarah Davis?] 1.25

272 [November?] [?] Alexander [?itman?] to Mary Jane Archer 1.00

No 273 January 12th 1860 Isaac Deeds to Nancy Murdy 2.00

No 274 23 February Hamilton Pettit to Miss Mary J. King 1.00

No 275 March 7th Mr James Thompson to Martha Jane Long 2.00

No 276 April 18 George Bane to Angeline Nixon 1.50

No 277 [April] 8 Robert Cooper to Mary Howard 1.00

[No 278] [?] David S. [Sisson?] to Ellen Jane [?] 1.00

Last edit about 3 years ago by Taunski209
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Marriages by Francis Drake Esq No. - Date - Groom Name - Bride Name - Fee 1 - July 5th 1863 - Benjamin Frankin Logston to wife Cyntha Roberts - $2.00 2 - July 25th, 1863 - William McCrerey to wife Levena [Coh?] - $5.00 3 - October 14th, 1863 - John Gribben to [Leveria?] Barnhart - $1.50 4 - March 4th, 1864 - John Messenger to wife Mary Jane Williams $1.50 5 - March 13, 1864 - Thomas McGary to Sarah Elizabeth Burket - $1.00 6 - April 12th, 1864 - Joseph Doman to Elizabeth Parks - $1.00 7 - August 1st, 1864 - William A Jefferson to Miss Amanda Price - $5.00 8 - August 18th, 1864 - Thomas Moore to Mary Jane Taylor - $3.00 9 - September 17th, 1864 - [Hiram?] Long to Lucinda Stewart - $2.00 10 - January 22nd, 1865 - William Sickles to Margaret Elizabeth Harsh - $1.00 11 - February 13th, 1865 - Hiram Smith to Mary Jane Long - $5.00 12 - March 25th, 1865 - Stephen White to Misses Lucy Wright - $2.00 13 - May 4th, 1865 - Mr William Reynolds to Miss Anna Maria [Games?] - $4.00 14 - May 15th, 1865 - Mr James Delong to Miss Margaret Crow - VA - $2.00 15 - July 4th, 1865 - Mr Samuel [Mellon?] to Miss Susan [Dofsey?] - VA - $2.00 16 - July 30th, 1865 - Mr Thomas Marcus to Miss Margaret [Simpson?] 17 - July 30th, 1865 - Mr Thomas Shearman to Miss Sarah Jane Marcey 18 - August 4th, 1865 - Mr William Criswell to Miss Isabele Jenkins - WVa - $10.00 19 - October 17th, 1865 - Mr John R [Heady?] to Miss Mary [Suss?] - $2.50 20 - November 19th, 1865 - Mr Larry L Hughes to Miss Elizabeth C [Bristes?] - $2.00 21 - March 29th, 1866 - Mr Neal [Dossy?] to Miss Mary [Younkin?] - WVa - $2.00 22 - July 22, 1866 - Mr Lewis Reynolds to Sarah Reaves - $1.50 23 - August 25th, 1866 - Mr Peter [Ulum?] to Mrs Margaret Snyder - $2.00 24 - September 16th, 1866 - Mr Jerry A [Fitzgerald?] to Miss Jenny Lemon - $2.00 25 - September 27th, 1866 - Mr James P Narries to Miss Cassandra Anna [Strickline?] 26 - October 21, 1866 - Mr James Messenger to Miss Elizabeth Anthony - $2.00 27 - November 15th, 1866 - Mr Daniel Younkin to Miss Margaret E Braden - $2.50 28 - January 2nd, 1867 - Mr James Sickles to Miss [Namiah?] Dunlap - WVa 29 - February 28th, 1867 - Mr John Finegan to Miss Eliza Younkin - Pa - $2.00 30 - May 5th, 1867 - Mr Isaac I Grimes to Miss Jan A Wilson - $2.00 31 - May 12th, 1867 - Mr C. F. Clark to Miss M. J. Long - WestVa - $2.00 32 - June 16th, 1867 - Mr Robbert Yates Sr to Miss Mary Ingram - $1.00 [Lines 33, 34, & 35 faded?] 36 - October 1st, 1867 - James Carter to Miss [Judy?] Jennings

This page is incompleteEdit this page
Last edit almost 2 years ago by SevannaShields
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Commonwealth vs. John Iams } June the 15th, 1858 warrant issued by Jacob Loar, Esq., on the oath of H. H. Messenger charging defendant with making an assault by striking complainant with a broad hoe on the back of the head & cutting two holes [therein?]? June the 18th- 58 Defendant brought. H. H. Messenger sworn. Bail [unreadable] John Iams Peter Homes } Each held in $100 dollars that defendant shall appear at the [unreadable] court of [?] sessions of the proper county H. H. Messenger held in fifty dollars to appear & testify. Sept. [5 or 8?]th-1858 Complainant & Def. appear & agree to submit their [?] to three men & choose Andrew Murdy, Peter Homes, & Samuel Vanatta to meet at this office on Saturday the 18th [?] at 2 o'clock & both parties agree & [?] themselves in a penalty of fifty dollars to abide the award. 18th- parties appear & case [continued] by consent until the 23rd. Sept. 23rd parties met and arbitrator qualified complainant refused to try. Case dismissed at cost of complainant. Samuel Vanatta A. R. Murdy Peter Holms

Entry 10 Warrant 25 Information 15 One oath 3 [unreadable] 20 Trans 25 [unreadable] 10 [unreadable] 10 Cont (constable) J. Wright's fee [40?] Mileage 30 [unreadable] days 300

Right page:

Commonwealth vs [Demas] [Piatt?] August 26 1858 warrant issued to John Wright Cont. on the oath of Samuel Fisher charging Def. with violently beating & abusing & striking him on the head with an iron poker.

Last edit almost 4 years ago by Taunski209
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Commonwealth vs [Demen] Piatt} August 17th 1858 warrant [?] to John Wright Cont on the oath of Samuel Fisher charging Def. with assaulting him & Striking him the said Fisher on the head with an iron poker. August the 20th 1858 Def. brought admits the charge same date Def. & Complainant both agree that the case [?] be dismissed. Case dismissed accordingly by Defendant agreeing to pay [1300?] & all cost.

[unreadable] Entry 10 Information 15 Warrant 25 [Disc?] 20 Subpoena 16 [2 Sub?] 32 Witness for Comm Dr. T. Ross 43 M. Shields 43 [?] Ferrell 43 Def Witnesses Stephen Knight 50 John Denison 43 TD Vanetta 43 Wm [Gunn?] 50 Jas. Burns 55 J. N. Braddock 50 P.S. Noble 43 Wm Supler 43 H. McNay 43 J. McGlumphy 43 J. Walton 43

Right page: Commonwealth vs John Dennison} September 9 1858 warrant issued John Wright Cont (constable) on the oath of Martin B. Cummins charging Def with violently beating him [on the ?] Cummins on the head until the blood came. Same date warrant returned. Def. in custody Complainant qualified Bail Required John Dennison held in $100 P. L. Noble & [J or L.] [Jepp?] [?] each held in $100 that Def appears at the [?] court of [unreadable] [unreadable] of Greene County Martin Cummins held in $50 to appear & testify

[unreadable] [unreadable] Entry 10 Information 15 Warrant 25 [unreadable] 10 [unreadable] 20 J. [unreadable] 52 [unreadable] 162 Witness 23 [A?] Scott 63 [M?] Cummins 56 Wm Supler 43 [name unreadable] 43 [name unreadable] 43 [initials unreadable] [Cook?] 43 Wm [name unreadable] 43 [Herman Pettit?] 37 [name unreadable] [McCallom?] 23 [J. Cross?] 43 Uriah Workman 43 John [Washington?] 43 [L?] [McCallom?] 43

Last edit about 3 years ago by Taunski209
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Left page: Commonwealth vs John Martin} Sept 22 1858 Warrant issued to John Wright, Constable, on the oath of William Supler charging defendant with having stolen a certain grey mare from Alexander Campbell of Allegheny County. Same date. Warrant returned. Defendant in custody. Bail required. Not forthcoming. Dr. committed[?].

Justice fees Inf. 20 Doc. entry 10 [Warr?] 25 Oath 3 [unreadable] 25

Const fees [crossed out] [unreadable] 40 Mileage 1.14 [unreadable] 2.00

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Commonwealth vs S. [W.] Barnet} January 15th 1859 warrant issued to J. M. Wright Constable on the oath of Rachel A. Brown charging the defendant with having disturbed the peace of her school as teacher in District No. 9. Warrant returned & defendant

Last edit almost 4 years ago by Taunski209
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