This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885 edition. Excerpt: ...Hon. John Dick was for many years a successful merchant in Meadville, and was one of the founders of the private banking house of J. R. Dick& Co., which, in 1850, was known as J. & J. R. Dick. In 1840 he was a member of the Electoral College which cast the vote of Pennsylvania for Gen. Harrison. In 1850 Gov. Johnson appointed him Associate Judge of Crawford County, and following year he was elected and commissioned to the same place. It was while filling this position he was first elected to Congress, from the district composed of the counties of Erie and Crawford, in 1852, continuing to represent it for three consecutive terms. The military titles conferred on Gen. Dick commenced early in life, and ran through a rapid and uninterrupted promotion. At the age of twenty-seven he was elected Major of the First Battalion, and was so commissioned by Gov. Hiester in 1821. In 1825 he was made Colonel of the Thirty-first Regiment; in 1831 he was commissioned by Gov. Wolf Brigadier-General of the Second Brigade, Sixteenth Division, composed Of the counties of Beaver, Butler, Mercer, Crawford, Erie, Venango and Warren, extending from the banks of the Ohio to the shores of Lake Erie. In all matters of improvement for the general good he was an earnest co-worker and B generous contributor. The Eastern Plank Road was constructed mainly through his instrumentality, and to him is Meadville, as well as surrounding country, indebted in a large measure for the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad. He was one of the Trustees of Allegheny College, President of Crawford Mutual Insurance Company for several years; at one time Captain of the Cussewago Fire Company, the earliest organization in the fire department in this city, over forty years ago, and...