Erie County, Pennsylvania

Chapter XXI - Political History -- Annual Record

The vote of the State was as follows:

Van Buren, 91,475; Harrison, 87,111; Van Buren's majority, 4,364.

Van Buren and Johnson were elected by a large majority of the electoral votes of the Union.

An election for delegates to the convention for framing a new Constitution was held on the same day. The candidates, with their votes, were as follows:

Senatorial delegate -- Anti-Masonic, Daniel Sager, Crawford County, 2,064 in Erie County, and 3,249 in the district. Democratic, Henry Colt, Waterford, 1,330 in Erie County, 3,016 in the district -- Sager being elected.

Representative delegates -- Anti-Masonic, Thomas H. Sill, Erie, 2,079; James Pollock, Le Boeuf, 2,063. Democratic, Wilson Smith, Waterford, 1,314; Henry L. Harvey, Erie, 1,315 -- Sill and Pollard being elected.

1837
The candidates for State Senator (Erie and Crawford constituting the district) were: Anti-Masonic, Joseph M. Sterrett, Erie; Democratic, Edward A. Reynolds, Crawford. The vote for Sterrett in Erie County was 1,840; for Reynolds, 1,065. Sterrett was elected by about 400 majority in the district, Crawford being at that time Democratic.

The county tickets, with the vote, were as follows:

Anti-Masonic -- Assembly, Charles M. Reed, Erie, 2,087; David Sawdy, Conneaut, 1,773; Sheriff, Andrew Scott, Erie, 1,715; Commissioner, Thomas Sterrett, McKean, 1,757; Auditor, Thomas Nicholson, Mill Creek, 1,876.

Democratic -- Assembly, Martin Strong, Sr., Beaver Dam, 902; David H. Chapman, Fairview, 630; Sheriff, Albert Thayer, Mill Creek, 1,204; Commissioner, Eli Webster, Beaver Dam, 944.

1838
The Anti-Masons again nominated Joseph Ritner for Governor; the Democrats placed in nomination David R. Porter, of Huntingdon County. The vote of the county was: For Ritner, 2,747; for Porter, 1,565 -- Ritner's majority, 1,182. In the State the result was as follows: David R. Porter, Democrat, 127,821; Joseph Ritner, Anti-Mason, 122,325 -- majority for Porter, 5,496.

The organization of the Legislature, in December following this election, caused those troubles which have been named in derision the "Buckshot war." Their history may be briefly given as follows: When the Return Judges of Philadelphia County met in convention, a motion was made to throw out the votes of the Northern Liberties, on account of alleged frauds. By accepting the votes, the Anti-Masonic candidates for Congress, State Senator and Assembly were elected; their rejection gave the seats to the Democratic candidates. The Democrats had a majority of the Judges, and the returns were not accepted. The Anti-Masonic Judges bolted and made out other returns, including the vote of the Northern Liberties, which were sent to Thomas H. Burrowes, Anti-Masonic Secretary of State, at Harrisburg. When the Legislature assembled, each set of candidates appeared for admission, and in the House the two parties were so nearly balanced that the acceptance or rejection of the Philadelphians involved the control of the body. Meantime, much excitement prevailed throughout the State, and serious disturbances were threatened. On the day of meeting, Harrisburg was full of angry men, but if we can rely on the Anti-Masonic papers of the time, the Democrats were largely in the ascendant. The vote for Speaker was taken, when the Democrats supported William Hopkins, and the Anti-Masons Thomas S. Cunningham, each party having separate tellers. Both claimed to be elected, and for some time occupied seats on the platform, side by side. Of course, under such circumstances, no business could be transacted, and affairs were brought to a dead-lock. The Senate, which contained a majority of Anti-Masons, recognized the Cunningham House. Excitement increased throughout the State, and the Democrats, resolved not to be defeated in their programme, threatened to maintain Mr. Hopkins' right to the Speakership by force. The Governor, in his fright, called out the militia of the adjoining counties, but when they reached Harrisburg it was found that the Democrats were in the majority among the troops, so that the Anti-Masons could not depend upon their support. He then wrote to President Van Buren for aid, who plumply refused. ² After an agitation of several weeks, four Anti-Masonic Senators receded from their original position, voted to recognize the Hopkins House, and terminated all trouble in the Legislature. The Anti-Masons throughout the State were fierce in their denunciation of the recreant Senators, but soon subsided into acquiescence, and thus ended one of the most memorable, as it was also one of the most disgraceful, incidents in Pennsylvania history. Amid all the excitement, no blood was spilled. From this date, the Anti-Masonry party of Pennsylvania rapidly declined, and in a few years sunk out of existence.

The Anti-Masons again nominated David Dick for Congress. John Galbraith, of Venango, was the Democratic candidate. In the county, Dick received 2,614 votes, and Galbraith, 1,610. Dick's vote in the district was 5,918; Galbraith's 6,198, the latter's majority being 280. The district comprised Erie, Crawford, Venango and Warren Counties, the three latter giving Democratic majorities.

The county tickets, with the vote for each candidate, were as follows:

Anti-Masonic -- Assembly, Samuel Hutchins, Waterford, 2,581; William M. Watts, Erie, 2,368; Commissioner, William E. McNair, Mill Creek, 2,591; Auditor, Alexander W. Brewster, Erie, 2,601.

Democratic -- assembly, Ebenezer D. Gunnison, Erie, 1,646; Myron Hutchinson, Girard, 1,580; Commissioner, J. P. Grant, Wayne, 1,522; Auditor, Samuel T. Axtell, Union, 1,524.

A vote was taken on the adoption of the new Constitution, with the following result in the State: For the Constitution, 113,981; against, 112,759. Erie County went against the instrument by a majority of 1,721.

Previous to this, negroes had voted in the State. The new Constitution excluded them from suffrage. In the Convention, our delegates were divided, Mr. Sill voting for negro suffrage, and Mr. Pollock against. The Anti-Masons had a slight majority in the body.

The new constitution provided for the election of the Prothonotary and Register and Recorder, instead of their appointment by the Governor as before. The same instrument also changed the manner of selecting Justices of the Peace from appointment to election by the people. The choice of the latter offices was not made until the spring election in 1840, the old incumbents retaining their position until the first Monday of May in that year.

1839
The county tickets, with the vote for each candidate, were as follows:

Anti-Masonic -- Assembly, Samuel Hutchins, Waterford, 1,927; William M. Watts, Erie, 1,713; Prothonotary, William Kelly, Erie, 1,791; Register and Recorder, Thomas Moorhead, Erie, 1,997; Commissioner for three years, Lyman Robinson, Wattsburg, 1,845; Commissioner for one year (to supply the vacancy occasioned by the death of Thomas Sterrett), Samuel Low, Harbor Creek, 1,886; Coroner, John K. Caldwell, Mill Creek, 1,817; Auditor, Gideon J. Ball, Erie, 1,791.

Democratic -- Assembly, William Townsend, Springfield, 1,522; Prothonotary, James C. Marshall, Girard, 1,155; Register and Recorder, E. D. Gunnison, 1,396; Commissioner, three years, James Duncan, North East, 1,420; Commissioner, one year, Horace Powers, Washington, 1,374; Coroner, P. P. Glazier, Erie, 1,291; Auditor, Martin Strong, Beaver Dam, 1,403.

Rev. J. H. Whallon, Erie, was nominated by the Democrats for Assembly, but declined. Dr. William Johns, Erie, who had previously sought the Anti-Masonic nomination for the office, announced himself as an independent candidate, and was supported by a portion of the Democrats. He received 1,137 votes in the county. A proposition to build a county poor house was submitted to the people, and defeated by a majority of 154 votes.