George A. Rathbun    

GEORGE A. RATHBUN, attorney at law, Ridgway, is a native of Le Roy, N. Y., born in 1837, and was reared and educated in his native town, attending the public schools, and also a private academy. In his youth he began the study of surveying, with the intention of making it his life-work, and in 1859 was employed as civil engineer and surveyor on the Sunbury & Erie (now Philadelphia & Erie) Railroad. Before that he had determined to study law for a profession, and in 1856 commenced reading under the instruction of C. F. Bissell, of Le Roy. In 1863 Mr. Rathbun was admitted to the bar, and began his practice at Le Roy, but in December, 1864, he returned to Ridgway, Penn. Here, in 1865, he was appointed deputy recorder, which position he held until 1866, when he was elected prothonotary and recorder, without a dissenting vote, holding the office three years. On December 1, 1869, Mr. Rathbun became associated in the practice of his profession with the Hon. Henry Souther, which partnership continued until February, 1871, at which date Mr. Souther was appointed to the bench by Gov. Geary, Mr. Rathbun being left to continue practice alone. In March, 1869, he was admitted to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and in October, 1885, to the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Rathbun is a lawyer of much ability, and has met with well-merited success. He has never sought political preferment, his main interest being a successful practice; and he has achieved his early ambition to an enviable degree, as he now stands at the head of his profession. He is public-spirited, and favors all projects that will materially improve his city and county. Mr. Rathbun is president of the Elk County Bar Association, and is chairman of the examining committee. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Olive Branch Lodge, No. 39, and of Le Roy Chapter, No. 183, at Le Roy, N. Y. He received the Templar degrees in Knapp Commandery, K. T., at Ridgway in 1871. Mr. Rathbun was married in December, 1866. He and his wife are members of the Episcopal Church; in politics he is an old-time Democrat.

History of the counties of McKean, Elk and Forest, Pennsylvania : with biographical selections, including their early settlement and development, a description of the historic and interesting localities, sketches of their cities, towns, and villages, portraits of prominent men, biographies of representative citizens, outline history of Pennsylvania, statistics, etc. Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1890, page 740.  Read this book on line - Free Trial  Search Hundreds of 1880s-1890s Pennsylvania County History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file!  Free Access to the old history books - plus birth & death records, census images and ALL other records at ancestry.com.