William Theodore Dom, Jr. and Lela M. Hudson
Husband William Theodore Dom, Jr. 1 2 3 4
AKA: William Dean 5 Born: 10 Jul 1873 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA 1 3 4 6 Christened: Died: 8 Feb 1936 4 Buried:
Father: William Theodore Dom (1844-1921) 3 4 6 7 Mother: Eliza Jane "Jennie" McCullough (1849-1930) 7 8
Marriage: 28 Nov 1900 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA 3 9 10 11
Wife Lela M. Hudson 2 3 9 11
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: William Hudson, Jr. (1852- ) 11 12 13 14 Mother: Mary E. Kepple ( -1879) 5 11 14 15
Children
1 F Anna Dom 3 9 11
Born: 7 Nov 1901 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA 9 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: E. L. Caster ( - ) 11
2 F Lela Dom 3 9 11
Born: 3 May 1903 - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA 9 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Robert William McKenney ( - ) 11
3 F Mary Jane Dom 3 11
Born: - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA Christened: Died: Buried:
4 M William Theodore Dom III 3 11
Born: - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA Christened: Died: Buried:
5 F Isabella Dom 3 11
Born: - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Charles McKenna Lynch, Jr. ( - ) 11
6 F Catherine Dom 3 11
Born: - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA Christened: Died: Buried: Status: Twin
7 F Rachel Dom 3 11
Born: - Greensburg, Westmoreland Co, PA Christened: Died: Buried: Status: Twin
General Notes: Husband - William Theodore Dom, Jr.
He obtained his education at the public schools of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, his native city, and later attended the Greensburg Seminary and finished at Washington and Jefferson College. In 1894 he registered as a law student with his uncle-in-law, D. C. Ogden, and in 1896 was admitted to the bar of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. January 1, 1904, he formed a partnership, as a member of the law firm of Ogden & Dom. For about one year he served as official stenographer of the Orphans court, and from May to September, 1903, was deputy register of wills of the Orphans court of Westmoreland county, but upon the death of his chief, S. C. Stevenson, he resigned to resume the practice of law. Politically he was a Republican, and was active in promoting the interests of his party. He made his first political speech in 1892, and during the McKinley campaign was very active. In 1889 he stumped the state for his party, when Colonel Barnett was a candidate for state treasurer. He was secretary of the Republican county committee several times. He was a member of the Greensburg borough council. He was an exemplary member of the First Presbyterian church at Greensburg. In 1895 he joined the National Guard of Pennsylvania, being a member of Company I, Tenth Regiment, and served as company clerk until the Spanish war, when he was appointed corporal and was mustered into the service of the government at Mount Gretna and accompanied the regiment to the Philippine Islands, where he was detailed as battalion sergeant-major under Major Bierer. He also acted for a time as regimental sergeant-major for Colonel Hawkins. He was a charter member of the Order of Americus, which was absorbed by the Grand Fraternity. He was a member of Lodge No. 511, B. P. O. E., being one of its charter members; held various chairs and was secretary of the order. He was also a charter member of Circle No. 2, Homeless Twenty-six.
In Masonry, Mr. Dom was prominent. He belonged to Westmoreland Lodge, No. 518, Free and Accepted Masons; was a member of the Commandery, Knights Templar, of Greensburg; Valley of Newcastle Consistory, thirty-second degree, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite; of Syria Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Pittsburgh; and of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Westmoreland Forest of Derry, Pennsylvania. He was also a member of the Knights of Pythias.
He was twice selected as county solicitor. In 1909 he was elected district attorney for Westmoreland County, and served for four years, 1910-1913, in this office. He later served as first assistant district attorney for a four-year term. On January 12, 1922, Mr. Dom was appointed to fill the vacancy on the bench caused by the death of Alexander McConnell, and on January 1, 1924, he was elected to serve a ten-year term in this judgeship, that of the Court of Common Pleas, for Westmoreland County.
During the period of the First World War, Mr. Dom gave invaluable service as a speaker in the Liberty Bond drives and his services were recognized.
He was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. He obtained his education in the public schools of that town, the Greensburg Seminary and Washington and Jefferson College. While in college he took an active part in athletics and other extra-curricular activities. He was an active member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. Judge Dom never lost his affection for his alma mater and his interest in the college led to his subsequent appointment as a member of its board of trustees.
Long cherishing a determination to become a lawyer, in which profession some of his relatives had distinguished themselves, he registered, in the year 1894, as a law student in the office of the late Denna C. Ogden, Esq., a distinguished and outstanding member of the bar and the husband of Anna Welty (McCullogh) Ogden, his aunt. After pursuing his legal studies assiduously he was admitted to practice before the several courts of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, on October 24, 1896, and to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on October 13, 1902. Judge Dom's legal career was interrupted, however, by his active patriotism. Being a member of Company I, 10th Regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania, at the outbreak of the Spanish-American War he volunteered on April 28, 1898, was appointed a corporal, and was sent with his regiment to the Philippine Islands. There he was detailed as battalion sergeant-major under Major Bierer and also acted for a time as regimental sergeant-major for Colonel Hawkins. Upon his return home from the Philippines, Judge Dom resumed his legal studies and on January 1, 1904, he became a junior partner with Denna C. Ogden, Esq.; the partnership practicing under the firm name of Ogden and Dom, which relationship continued until the death of Mr. Ogden on September 3, 1915.
In his vocation as a lawyer Judge Dom interpreted his mission to be that of a public servant and he early became very active as a Republican in politics. He made his first political speech in 1892, during the McKinley campaign was very active, and from that time on he cheerfully served his party whenever called upon, as committeeman, as secretary to the county committee, and on the stump. This unstinted service to his party was well recognized and rewarded, for during his career he held, at various times, the position of official court reporter, county solicitor, deputy register of wills, assistant district attorney, district attorney, and finally, judge of the several courts of Westmoreland County. Judge Dom was elevated to the bench on January 12, 1922, when he was appointed by Governor William C. Sproul to fill the vacancy brought about by the death of the late Hon. Alexander D. McConnell. Then, in 1923, when he stood as the Republican candidate for that office and was victorious over the Hon. Curtis H. Gregg, his Democratic opponent, he was commissioned by Governor Gifford C. Pinchot for a full term of ten years. In the autumn of 1933, when he stood for reelection, he received, without any great effort on his part, the nominations of both the Republican and Democratic parties, which resulted in an overwhelming vote as a testimonial to the high esteem in which he was held by the electorate.
While Judge Dom as a lawyer gave evidence of preferring the criminal side of the law and was outstandingly a champion of justice, yet, as a judge, although he was fearless in his administration of the law as he believed it to be, nevertheless, he was noted for his sympathy and understanding. He, his associates said, ". . . . had a heart and conscience as well as a backbone, when it came to passing sentence or extending leniency toward an erring brother." This characteristic was particularly evident in his administration of the Juvenile Court. ". . . . His fatherly appearance and demeanor, kindly good nature and jovial disposition, won the hearts of children, and his firm manner, together with his wise counsel, admonition and advice given in his peculiarly sympathetic yet authoritative style, instilled in them a wholesome respect for the law and the court. With him justice was the only worship, love the only priest, and to be happy was to make other people happy. With loyalty and with the purest hands he faithfully discharged every public trust."
Judge Dom loved his home and his home town, and, always mindful of and interested in the civic religious welfare of the community, he devoted a very large portion of his time and energy to public service. For years he was an active member of the Volunteer Fire Department and served a term or two on the Borough Council. For ten years and until his death, he was a director of the local Young Men's Christian Association, for five years being chairman of the board. His religious membership was in the First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg, having united with that congregation on January 18, 1890. He was a member of its session, having been ordained a ruling elder on April 29, 1923, which high office he "graced worthily," until his death. Always giving freely of himself to the church he served for eight years as superintendent of the Sunday school, until ill health forced him to relinquish some of his activities. By the session of the church it was said, "He will ever be remembered for his wisdom, loyalty, fidelity and consistent Christian life."
Among Judge Dom's other activities were: Charter membership in Greensburg Lodge, No. 511, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Knights of Pythias; executive council of the Westmoreland Council, Boy Scouts of America; Advisory Council, Westmoreland Chapter, Order of DeMolay; Westmoreland County and Pennsylvania Bar associations; Veterans of Foreign Wars; membership in Westmoreland Lodge, No. 518, Free and Accepted Masons; Syria Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; Kedron Commandery, No. 18, Knights Templar; New Castle Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite; Olivet Council, No. 13, Royal and Select Masters of Pennsylvania, and Westmoreland Forest, No. 77, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, of which body he was Grand Tall Cedar for years, and until his death, and of his activities in connection therewith it has been said, "In his enthusiasm for the Tall Cedars he gathered around him hundreds of men in warmest fellowship."
1 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 92.
2 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 50, 633.
3 George P. Donehoo, Pennsylvania - A History (SW) (New York, NY; Chicago, IL: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1926), Pg 36.
4 Lewis Clark Walkinshaw, A.M, Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. IV (New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1939), Pg 410.
5 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 621.
6 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 633.
7 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 93.
8 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 50.
9 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 94.
10 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 634.
11 Lewis Clark Walkinshaw, A.M, Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. IV (New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1939), Pg 411.
12 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 94, 621.
13 Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 829, 942.
14 George P. Donehoo, Pennsylvania - A History (SW) (New York, NY; Chicago, IL: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1926), Pg 331.
15
Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vols. III & IV (New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1918), Pg 942.
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