Husband Hon. John James Pearson 1 2 3 4
AKA: John J. Pierson 5
Born: 25 Oct 1800 - Delaware Co, PA 6 7 8
Christened:
Died: 30 May 1888 - Harrisburg, Dauphin Co, PA 4 7
Buried:
Father: Bevan Pearson (1773-1842) 2 7 9 10
Mother: Anna Warner ( -1855) 2 7
Marriage: 12 Jul or 16 Jul 1842 - Harrisburg, Dauphin Co, PA 8 11
Other Spouse: Eleanor "Ellen" Hays (1811-1840) 5 8 - 13 Oct 1826 or 1827 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA 8 12
• Additional Image: John J. Pearson.
Wife Mary Harris Briggs 7 8 13
Born:
Christened:
Died: Aft 1896
Buried:
Father: Joseph Briggs ( - ) 7 14 15 16
Mother: Caroline Elizabeth Hanna (1794/1795-1872/1880) 11 15 16 17
Children
General Notes: Husband - Hon. John James Pearson
The name of John J. Pearson, late judge of the Dauphin and Lebanon county court, stands conspicuous among the leading lawyers who practiced at the Venango bar in pioneer days. Judge Pearson was a native of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. When five years of age he was taken by his parents to Mercer County, in the schools of which he received his early educational training. Having early determined to make the legal profession a life work, he began the study of the same in the office of John Banks of Mercer, was admitted to the bar in August, 1822, and the following year located in Franklin, where he soon built up a large and lucrative practice.
In 1849 he was appointed by Governor Johnson to the office of president judge of the twelfth judicial district, composed of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon, the duties of which he discharged continuously for a period of thirty-three years, having been frequently re-elected without opposition. During his residence in Mercer he was twice elected to office, first to the congress of the United States, and afterward to the senate of Pennsylvania for the counties of Mercer and Beaver, three years of which term were spent as chairman of the judiciary committee. Politically he was for many years an ardent Whig, and later, in 1856, he joined the ranks of the newly formed Republican party, with which he remained identified until his death in the spring of 1888. [HVC 1890, 173]
When he was five years of age he removed with his parents to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, where he received the best education the schools of the new county afforded. He studied law under the instruction of Hon. John Banks, and was admitted to the bar of Mercer County in August, 1822. He practiced law in Mercer and adjoining counties, and was a leader in all political, business and philanthropic movements. In 1849 he was appointed by Gov. William F. Johnson to the office of president judge of the Twelfth Judicial District, composed of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon. The position he held for a period of thirty-three years, his term expiring in January, 1882. At the end of every judicial term he was re-elected by a unanimous vote of the people, without opposition. During his residence in Mercer he was twice elected to office, first to the Congress of the United States, for the counties of Beaver and Mercer, 1835-36, afterward to the Senate of Pennsylvania for the same counties in 1837, three years of which term were spent as chairman of the judiciary committee. He was always an old line Whig, until 1856, when he joined the ranks of the newly formed Republican party, and was identified with it up to his death. His religious heritage was that of the Quakers, but though not a member, he attended Presbyterian services.
General Notes: Wife - Mary Harris Briggs
She was the granddaughter of Gen. John Andre Hanna, and great-granddaughter of John Harris, the founder of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.