Last week, Sharon and Ron Angle invited me to their farm for dinner. Ron did the cooking. For those of you who don't know much about him, he is one of the best. Ask Evil Mark Thatcher or the Good Mark or Bob Cartwright. They might complain about everything else he does, but they all love his cooking. Angle tells me his secret is to use just a little bit of sludge in every meal. I have to confess, it's delicious. Especially Type II. But I digress. The real reason for this post is to re-tell a story Angle told me.
As some of you know, Ron is an antiques collector. He loves them and his house is full of them. This is a story about just one of them.
Though it may not look like much, it's his prized possession. It's Northampton County's first ever tavern license. It was issued in 1752 to William Craig and William Anderson. They wanted to run a tavern on the south side of the Easton square, next to what was then the jail. believe it or not, the business ultimately failed.
This license is the first matter considered by Northampton County's Court in 1752, with all the pomp and circumstance of a Royal Court of George II.
What;s interesting is that the applicants for this tavern license, William Craig and William Anderson, happened to be two of the nine judges on the bench.
That same day, the Court in its infinite wisdom, denied a tavern license application by Nathaniel Vernon, a ferryman. The judges relented in December.
What does this story illustrate? Angle sums it up. "As it was then and as it is now, it is who you know that counts."
16 comments:
Was there a widow someplace who lost her home in a sale and then lost her artifact?
Is your information right? Did they have nine judges back then? In 1752 Northampton County made up 1/3 of the state of Pa. History teaches us that the County Seat was in Easton and it took days of travel for someone using the Court System to travel to Easton to file papers, etc. etc.
You're always teaching us something.
Nine judges assembled for the first ever meeting of what was then called the Northampton County Court. My guess is that there were nine judges because Northampton County was at that time very large. From what I read, the judges actually stayed in some him, from which they were escorted to a makeshift courthouse by a small army of constables.The word "docket" was misspelled "dogget".
In the very first matter handled, the judges had an obvious conflict of interest. Perhaps the judges who were applicants recused themselves.
"Was there a widow someplace who lost her home in a sale and then lost her artifact?"
Your constant attacks at my friends and I make you look very petty, mezzacappa.You now face criminal charges, the loss of your nursing license and will end up in jail if you persist in your refusal to cooperate with the Sheriff. You need to surrender the vehicle.
Trisha's alright
Jimmy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender
Surrender
Surrender the levied goods
Great post. Do more! Love the county's history.
Ok. I'll do another, based on a painting at Angle's house.
http://articles.mcall.com/1998-04-16/news/3203740_1_tavern-license-ferry-business-thomas-vernon
Neat artile from the local newspaper on Mr. Vernon.
I'm sorry but your link is not working. But I'm pretty sure I saw the story. I believe the writer states that Vernon ultimately failed, too. Interestingly, he was a Quaker.
Bernie,
It was the type two sludge that grabbed me and the ending of than and now¿ The American justice system seems to be a failing institution on many different levels¿ Now though the main difference is thugonomics and the corralation of economics have many manipulated variables¿ All though, have many facets of the justice system workings in the final destination of the equasions answer¿
redd
patent pending
Bernie,
Nice job it's always fun to see something like this and get a little bit of history.
Off topic here, but last year (or the year before) you did a write-up on fish fry in Roseto. Do you remember where this was. Again sorry for going off topic.
Thanks!
Hank_Hill
It's at their fire company on Friday nights during Lent. Believe me, I will post about it again.
Thanks for the info!
Hank_Hill
Fun and informative story, Bernie.
"Was there a widow someplace who lost her home in a sale and then lost her artifact?"
I thought it was a homely old maid who lost everything to the town jester.
Stop making fun of Mezzacappa. I personally met her and I think she is a real BAbe. Sorry guys but she does have real sex appeal. Now as she travels through the land of Oz, all she has to do is ask the mighty Wizard for a brain.
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