Husband Orlo James Hamlin 1 2
AKA: Orlo Jay Hamlin 3 4
Born: 2 Dec 1803 - Sharon, Litchfield Co, CT 1 2 5
Christened:
Died: 13 Feb 1880 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 2 5 6
Buried:
Father: Dr. Asa L. Hamlin (1780-1835) 5 7 8 9
Mother: Asenath Delano (1780- ) 2 5 9
Marriage: 13 Jan 1828 - Norwich Twp, McKean Co, PA 5 10
• Biographical Sketch: from History of the Counties of McKean, Elk, and Forest, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., Publishers, 1890).
To read this brief biographical sketch of his life and career, click here.
Wife Orra Lucinda Cogswell 1 5 10
Born: 10 Sep 1804 - Griswold, Hartford Co, CT 10 11
Christened:
Died: 17 Apr 1880 or 1881 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 6 10 11
Buried:
Father: John Cogswell ( - ) 11 12
Mother: Dolly Gallup (1783- ) 12
Children
1 F Harriet Hamlin 10 11
Born: 3 Jan 1829 10 11
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
2 M Hon. Henry Hamlin 10 11 13 14 15
Born: 9 Apr 1830 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 10 11 13
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Hannah Lavinia McCoy (1834-1924) 14 15 16 17 18
Marr: 14 Aug 1854 18 19 20
3 M John Cogswell Hamlin 10 11 14 19
Born: 4 Mar 1836 - Smethport, McKean Co, PA 10 11 19
Christened:
Died: 25 Oct 1912 10 11
Buried:
Spouse: Charlotte Marian McCoy (1838- ) 10 11 14 16
Marr: 15 Oct 1857 10 11 14
4 F Pauline E. Hamlin 10 11
Born: 13 Sep 1838 10 11
Christened:
Died: Bef 1926
Buried:
Spouse: Robert King (1830-Bef 1926) 10 11
Marr: 20 Jan 1858 10 11
General Notes: Husband - Orlo James Hamlin
He was educated in such schools as that early day provided in Wayne and Bradford counties, Pennsylvania, and seems to have so well improved his opportunities that in 1824 he was appointed teacher of the pioneer school at Towanda, Bradford County. While holding that position he read law in the office of Simon Kinney, and two years later was admitted to the bar. In 1826 he was admitted with John W. Howe, ex gratia member of the McKean county bar. He at once began practice, locating in Smethport. He began his political life in 1828, when he took a leading part in the campaign. He was elected to the state legislature and made his first great speech in support of a state road through McKean County. In July, 1836, he was admitted to practice in the supreme court of the state, and in 1837 practiced before the United States district court at Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
He was active in public and professional life and writing in 1852 said he filled the offices of "township collector, deputy postmaster, deputy prothonotary, recorder and register, treasurer of the township road funds for two years, postmaster three years, deputy United States marshal to take the census of 1830, deputy attorney-general for McKean and Potter counties and in 1832 member of the legislature." He made the further statement: "Complaint has never reached my ear of mismanagement in any of the offices and I could have held them much longer had I chosen to do so. I have learned to consider office rather as a matter of accident and peculiar fortune than the result of talent and management and I have observed that those who seem most desirous of office are least fortunate in obtaining it-consistency in politics should never be lost sight of."
After resigning his seat in the constitutional convention in 1837 (which framed the constitution of the state of Pennsylvania) he partially recovered his health, sadly broken by his labors in the convention. He practiced with great success up to 1851, but for over twenty years prior to his death never appeared in court, his last public case being in 1849, when he aided the district attorney in the prosecution of Uzza Robbins on trial for murder, of which he was convicted. Though physically weak he was possessed of rare mental power; an analyst by nature, he was logical in all things.
During the last twenty years of his life, while barred from professional labor, he took up the study of French, German, astronomy, geology and zoology, using in his studies the physical assistance of members of his family. In his early life Mr. Hamlin was skeptical in regard to the immortality of his soul, but in 1845 he became a member of the Presbyterian church of Smethport and was baptized. His faith grew stronger as the years ripened and he died in full confidence of a blessed immortality. He was deeply mourned, his death calling forth most fitting eulogy from his brethren of the profession, the press and private friends. He was a resident of McKean county over half a century, and as pioneer lawyer, public official or friend always measured up to the full stature of manhood.
Though a native of Sharon, Connecticut, he lived in Wayne and Bradford counties, Pennsylvania, from the age of eleven years, in 1814, and in Smethport after 1826. In 1824 he became a teacher of the pioneer school at Towanda, Bradford County. Disliking the work, he supported himself by sign painting, surveying and mapping and, against his father's wishes, read law twelve or fourteen hours daily until he gained the sobriquet of "the pale village student." In September, 1826, surmounting seemingly insurmountable hurdles placed in his way, he was admitted to the bar at the age of twenty-three. Soon afterward he came to McKean County. He had many interests, including agriculture and public affairs, and served as township collector, deputy postmaster and postmaster, deputy prothonotary, register and recorder. Later he became attorney-general for Potter and McKean counties, Deputy United States Marshal to take the 1830 census, and State representative (elected in 1832). In the winter of 1832-33 he urged a bill appropriating $20,000 for improvement of the east-west State road through McKean County, and espoused extension of the canal up the north branch of the Susquehanna. Both bills were at first defeated, but the canal bill was afterward passed. He also introduced a bill to organize the Eighteenth Judicial District, embracing Potter, McKean, Warren and Jefferson counties. He practiced law only until 1851, when the condition of his health necessitated his retirement from active practice. Then he studied French, German, astronomy, geology and economics while confined with illness for thirty years. He did much writing, including a translation of "La Marseillaise" and much material on nature and the McKean County scenery. His description of McKean County is preserved in "Hazard's Register," and his speeches and writings are to be found in a history of his life and works, privately published in 1914. [HNWP, 24]
General Notes: Wife - Orra Lucinda Cogswell
In the summer of 1828 she arrived in Smethport, McKean County, Pennsylvania, from Connecticut, on a visit to her uncle, Jonathan Colegrove, and met Hamlin.