Judge Francis Jacob Kooser and Maud Ogle

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Husband Judge Francis Jacob Kooser ^{1 2}

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           Born: 15 Jun 1846 - Somerset, Somerset Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 26 Apr 1932 - Somerset, Somerset Co, PA 2
         Buried: 

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         Father: Curtis Kooser (      -      ) 2
         Mother: Emeline Kiernan (      -      ) 2

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       Marriage: 1 Mar 1870 3

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Wife Maud Ogle ³

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           Born: 
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           Died: 7 Sep 1905 3
         Buried: 

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         Father: Hon. Andrew Jackson Ogle (      -      ) 3
         Mother: Harriet Forward (      -      ) 3

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Children

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1 M Ernest Ogle Kooser ³

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           Born: 
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2 F Mary Forward Kooser ^{1 3}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1939
         Buried: 

         Spouse: William Dunlap Sargent (      -Bef 1939) 3 4
           Marr: 1903 1

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3 F Eleanor Parke Kooser ³

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           Born: 
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General Notes: Husband - Judge Francis Jacob Kooser

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He attended the public schools at Somerset, Pennsylvania, the State Normal School, at Millersville, and later, Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg. He taught several terms of public school, one in Middlecreek Township, and one as principal of Somerset Borough schools. He acted as clerk for his father during the latter's term of office as county treasurer. He studied law in the office of General William H. Koontz, and was admitted to the bar at Somerset September 13, 1867. The following year he was elected district attorney, and almost immediately gained State-wide prominence as the vigorous prosecutor in a celebrated homicide case. Pitted against the youthful prosecuting attorney were leaders of the bar of Somerset and Bedford counties. The defendant, a railroad contractor at Ursina, was acquitted; but Lawyer Kooser's reputation as a fearless and able prosecutor was established. In the years following, except during the periods he occupied the bench as president judge, Attorney Kooser was engaged in most of the notable cases, civil and criminal, heard in the local courts. Among trials in which he was concerned as counsel were the Nicely Brothers, Roddy Brothers, and Yoney Hostetler, homicides, Wechtenheiser gang, and McClellandtown gang burglaries, and scores of civil suits in the district and appellate courts.
Judge Kooser was elected prothonotary and clerk of courts in 1876, and served one term in that office. He was twice nominated as Republican candidate for Congress in Somerset County. In 1901 he was elected president judge of the courts of Somerset County, being the first to fill that position when Somerset was separated from Bedford and became a single county judicial district, the Sixteenth, of Pennsylvania. Upon the death of Judge William H. Rupple, in 1918, Judge Kooser again held that office by appointment of Governor Sproul to fill the unexpired term of about one year. In addition to the offices named, Judge Kooser served a number of terms as solicitor for the county of Somerset, and as member of the School Board and Town Council of the Borough of Somerset. For fifty-two years he resided at Center Avenue and Union Street in Somerset Borough at the place sold by his children to the United States Government for location of its present post office. Because of his unabating interest in the men and affairs of his county, and in its progress and development, maintained until the time of his death, it is doubtful whether any person had a more thorough acquaintance of the county of Somerset, or more friends among its people during his lifetime. Judge Kooser was exceptionally well versed in the law, highly regardful of its professional ethics, and an unusually keen and skillful trial lawyer. While serving on the bench at Somerset he was frequently called to preside in the courts of other counties of the State. Appeals from his decisions were few in number, and reversals by the appellate courts were very rare. In trials at law he was at his best, as hundreds who have been under the fire of his quick cross-examination, and forceful presentations of law and fact have cause to remember. As a companion Judge Kooser was unexcelled, and his society was sought by young and old. His reading was wide and varied, and his memory, reminiscences and anecdotes seemed inexhaustible. His services as a public speaker were in much demand until the time of his death.

1 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 365.

2 Lewis Clark Walkinshaw, A.M, Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. IV (New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1939), Pg 49.

3 Lewis Clark Walkinshaw, A.M, Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. IV (New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1939), Pg 50.

4 John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Genealogical Memoirs, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), Pg 364.