Rash's Surname Index
Notes for John Smith FUTHEY
Dickinson College Law School, Lawyer, Historian, Judge Chester County
Wrote: History of Chester County, PA Futhey & Cope
"HON. J. SMITH FUTHEY, author and jurist, and who served as president judge of the Fifteenth judicial district of Pennsylvania from 1879 until his death in 1888, was a son of Hon. Robert and Margaret (Parkinson) Futhey, and was born in Chester county, this State. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, and an interesting history of the old and honorable Futhey family, of which he was a member, will be found in the biographical sketch of R. Agnew Futhey, which commences on page 313 of this work.
"J. Smith Futhey was reared in his native county, received a good education, and after reading law was admitted to the bar of Chester county on February 7, 1843. He practiced his profession successfully until February 24, 1879, when he was appointed by Gov. Henry M. Hoyt as judge of the Fifteenth judicial district, to fill out the unexpired time of Judge Butler, who had resigned. In November, 1879, Judge Futhey was elected by the people for a full term of ten years, there being no opposing candidate. He died in 1888, while on the bench. He presided with ability and fairness over the courts of his county, and left behind him a record of ability and integrity. Judge Futhey and Gilbert Cope where the authors of the interesting and valuable 'History of Chester County' that was published by L. H. Everets in 1881."
FUTHEY, John Smith, author, born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, 3 September 1820. His ancestors lived in Arbroath, Forfar co.. Scotland. Members of the family went to County Antrim, Ireland, and about 1720 Henry Futhey came thence to Chester County, Pennsylvania The subject of this sketch is the fifth in descent from him. He was educated at local academies, and at the Law School of Dickinson College, Pennsylvania He was admitted to the bar of Chester County in 1843, and was district attorney for five years.
In 1879 he was appointed president judge of the district, and the same year was elected for the full term of ten years. Judge Futhey is an excellent historical scholar, is a member of many historical societies, and has published much valuable historical and antiquarian matter. His principal publications are "Historical Collections of Chester County," a series of 160 papers contributed to a local journal; " History of Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church" (1870); "History of Educational institutions of Chester County" (1877); " Historical Address on the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Paoli Massacre " (1877);" History of Chester County," in Egle's "History of Pennsylvania" (1876); " History of Chester County," in connection wi th Gilbert Cope (1881). He also published, in connection with Dr. Wm. Darlington, " Notae Cestrienses," a series of papers contributed to a local journal (1858'61). He is now (1887) preparing a genealogy of the Futhey family.
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