Special thanks for the information about the book “More Fact and Folklore” written by John L. O’hara. This chapter called Waynesburg’s Skyscraper was written in February 1973. This chapter is filled with a great amount of history and names related to the Peoples Bank Building.
When former Judge J.I. Hook of the Greene county courts walked out of the present County Office building for the last time recently, it marked the end of a long, long trail of poignant memories which reflect more than a half-century of the day-to-day life of Waynesburg and the county.
The six-story brick building was erected shortly after the turn of the century as the home of the fledgling People’s Bank. Then, as today, it towered over the other neighboring structures on High (Main) Street, even though slightly dwarfed by the cupola of the courthouse across the street where the statue of General Nathaniel Greene stands on the highest pinnacle.
Peoples Bank Building 1973
Judge Hook first moved into the building after fire destroyed the former American National Bank, on the site of the present Long Building, in 1914.
Many other attorneys, along with several Physicians and other professional men, were already tenants in the town’s one and only “skyscraper,” which was the pride of the townspeople. It was regarded as a forerunner of others sure to follow when the Pittsburgh coal would be “opened up” (developed). Then, everybody said, Waynesburg would become another Uniontown. But Fate, through lack of railroad transportation decreed otherwise.
Thus the People’s Bank building, as it was known until purchased as a county office building, became the nerve center of much of Greene County’s legal business, medical practice, educational administration, agricultural extension activities, the administration of justice in various squires’ offices, and a newspaper bureau. The six-story structure soon became a figurative beehive of activity in which skills and special capabilities of its highly varied occupants touched all aspects of everyday life.
In contrast to the more relaxed atmosphere which prevailed elsewhere through the town in those days, when customers in stores bought rather than were sold or “merchandised” and the pace was deliberate, a feeling of tension and hustle pervaded most of the offices in the Bank Building.
The barristers dominated the scene to a considerable extent, as it was a time when many big coal deals still gripped the imagination, and the court calendars were filled with lawsuits every term of court.
Up near the top floor, the sedate firm of Kyle and Reinhart included W.J. Kyle, then a young attorney originally from Iowa, and P.D. Reinhart, whose roots were deep in Greene County. Other firms were that of Martin and Garrison, the Martin being Edward Martin, then a fledgling barrister, later to become both the governor of Pennsylvania and a United States senator, as well as major general of the 28th (Pennsylvania) Division in World War I, and Colonel of the 110th Infantry in World War II. His partner J.A. Garrison, known locally as “Boss” Garrison, helped launch Gen. Martin on his political career.
A neighboring barrister, Atty. Samuel M. Smith, who had come to Waynesburg from nearby Jefferson, became a legend in his own right through his acumen in the handling of estates and in his astuteness in all orphans court proceedings.
In later years a junior partner, a World War I veteran from Canonsburg, J Ernest Isherwood, rose to become the state commander of the American Legion and became nationally known for his oratorical skill not only on legion and patriotic matters, but on public affairs generally. A critical illness at the height of his career short-circuited what the states most astute political observers said was a certain path to the governor’s chair in those days of Republican domination is state politics.
One of the three later associates in the Smith office, Thomas Balaban, originally from Brownsville, became the state insurance director and parliamentarian for the House of Representatives. Another, R. Stanley Smith, a cousin of the firm’s founder, is still practicing in his own office after also serving as a county commissioner, president of the State Fish Commission, and state president of the Izaac Walton League of America.
The third associate, Anthony Marrion, born and reared in Mather and the first to enter the legal profession from his hometown, continues the Smith office to this day and also is counsel to the present county commissioners.
Shortly after moving his office to the People’s Bank building in 1914, the former Judge Hook formed a partnership with J.R.Scott, a member of another family embedded deep in Greene County history. Together they made a matchless team because of their diverse personalities.
Hook, a large man who moved in deliberate, long-considered manner with heavy emphasis on thoroughness, exemplified the power and majesty of the law. By contrast, Scott worked with rapidity and decisiveness of a terrier; action was his forte. Other individual attorneys with offices in the People’s Bank building include Carl Crawford, an expert of courtroom procedure; Harry Huffman, an acknowledged expert as defense counsel; Albert Nichols, who twice served as District Attorney; William King; Edward Patterson; and the father and son team of S.M. and Wood Williamson.
Among the physicians there during the 1920’ s were such representative members of the profession as Dr. G.M. “Clell” Scott; C.W.Spragg and later Dr. Scott’s nephew, Dr. Donald Jacobs; Dr. H.D. “Harry” Scott and Dr. R.W.Norris. All were general practitioners first, in their tradition of the old time family doctor or country doctor, and not merely because they happened to be practicing in a small town.
They represented a variety of medical schools, were deeply dedicated to the highest ethical concepts of the profession, made house calls at almost any hour of the day or night, and enjoyed a fine report with their patients, all whom they knew personally, and in many cases knew their families for one or two generations back.
Dr. Spragg, a large, brawny man with a farm background through his pioneer ancestors had a great flair for the dramatic, was much given, to quoting his favorite philosophers and poets, and could have become an accomplished character actor if he had not been a doctor. He was a great admirer of Theodore Roosevelt and was one of the original “Bull Moosers” when “T.R.” formed that splinter group from the National Republican organization. From that affiliation he formed a friendship with Gifford Pinchot and was Pinchot’s leader in Greene County when the ladder was elected governor. The only patronage he wanted was the privilege of naming the state dog law enforcement officer for Greene County, a favor which Pinchot for some reason failed to grant.
A few years later, while on a subsequent campaign trip into the county, the governor led his entourage up the stairs of the Peoples Bank Building to call on the man as he described as “my good friend, Dr. Spragg.” The two men met in the second floor hallway, but Dr. Spragg brushed the then-governor aside. The astounded Governer shouted, “Don’t you know me, Dr. Spragg?” Rushing right on down the hall, Dr. Spragg shouted back over his shoulder, “Hell No! Nobody wants to know a damned old S.O.B like you.”
The dental profession was chiefly represented in the People’s Bank Building by the late Dr. W.C. Brown, who practiced in the same office on the second floor overlooking Main Street from the time he graduated prior to World War I until his death in the late 1950’s.
Education in Greene County had much of its overall planning done in the upper floors of the People’s bank Building, where a continuing procession of county superintendence of schools had their offices. These included the late Harry Freeland and the late Kent Kelly; also D.C. Longanecker and William Hartley; and education specialist such as Stanley Manifold, Fred Gillobly, and W. Walter Montgomery. The office has been discontinued in the present regional realignment of the State Department of Public Instruction.
Greene County’s agriculture extension office has been quartered in the building since it was established about 1920 with G.F. Bedell as the first county farm agent. He was succeeded by L.F “Dad” Engle, and he in turn by the present agent, John Gapen. Mrs. Flora Haught Burge has been the office secretary since shortly after she finished high school.
The insurance industry was represented by M.B. Patterson, originally on the second floor and later in the rear of the first floor on rooms now occupied by the county election bureau. Court ran through all seasons and sometimes through all hours of the day and night, particularly during Prohibition. Frequently, there would be mass arraignments of big and small-fry bootleggers, booze runners nabbed on highways, and those from weekend brawls in patch towns and boarding houses.
That was also the day of the “roving constables” who went far afield of their own bailiwicks to collect to collect handsome mileage fees.
The Waynesburg Bureau office of the Washington Observer was level with the top step of the stairs leading to the second floor and it was often the gathering place for doctors, attorneys, and the other occupants of the building during “bull sessions” with the late J.L. “Lew” Fulton. Lew, the Observers first Greene County correspondent, chaired the lively arguments, while pecking out his grist of daily news events from Waynesburg and Greene County.
“Visiting fireman,” out-of-town reporters who came to town on particularly big stories, generally made their headquarters there. Among them were such as Guy Ralston, a hometown Waynesburger who became a top staffer on various Pittsburgh papers; Bill White, former city editor; and George Swetnam, the Press Columnist who also authored a book on area folklore.
And so, the copy of Blackstone’s legal discourses was only one part of the things Judge J.I Hook, the last of the original tenants of the People’s Bank Building, tool with him when he walked out the front door for the last time recently.
There were Memories, too, many, many more than any person could ever try to recall, and only a few of which have been renewed here.
February 1973
