Biography

10/08/1843 - 03/01/1928

Judge Harman Yerkes (D7) Bucks and Northampton Counties 1874 (D10) Bucks County 1875-1878

Early Life: 

Judge Harman Yerkes, born October 8, 1843, Warminster Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania; son of Stephen and Amy Hart Yerks; Tennett School, Hartsville, Bucks County; Williston Seminary, Easthampton Massachusetts; teacher, Warminster schools; studied law, admitted, Bucks County bar, law practice Doylestown, 1865; Bucks County District Attorney, 1868-1871; married, Emeline Buckman Yerkes, 1869, no children; delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1872, 1880; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1873-1876, President Judge, 7th Pennsylvania Judicial District, 1884-1904; elected, Judge, Superior Court, 1895, reelected 1899, lost reelection, 1903; resumed, law practice, 1903-1928; died, March 1, 1928 (aged 84), home, Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. interment Doylestown Cemetery, Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. 

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Rector's Warden, Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, Doylestown; Member, Historical and Colonial societies of Pennsylvania; Bucks County Historical Society; Pennsylvania Scotch-Irish and German Societies; Art Club of Philadelphia; Acorn Club of Doylestown; member, Bucks County Bar Association; Washington Crossing Park Commission. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Bucks County District Attorney, 1868-1871.

Delegate, Democratic National Convention, 1872, 1880. 

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 7th district, Bucks, Northampton Counties, 1874.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 10th district, Bucks County, 1875-1878; committee assignments, Canals and Island Navigation, Centennial Affairs, Federal Relations, Judiciary General. Focused, writing legislation regulating orphans' court, civil courts, and criminal courts, creating Pennsylvania State Hospital for the Insane, Norristown. 

President Judge, 7th Pennsylvania Judicial District, 1884-1904. 

Elected, Judge, Superior Court, 1895, reelected 1899, lost reelection, 1903.  

Legacy: 

Last surviving member, Pennsylvania State Commission Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia, 1876. 

Cited:

Cox, Harold. Senate Members "Y" (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1876). Smull, J.A., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 605, 610-612.

The Central News (Perkasie, Pennsylvania) Wednesday March 7, 1928, Page 1.

Harman Yerkes (1843-1928) - Find a Grave Memorial