BIO: Judge Adam HOY, Centre County, Pennsylvania

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including the 
Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing Biographical 
Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD, page 39

JUDGE ADAM HOY (deceased), late a distinguished citizen of Bellefonte, and 
member of the Centre County Bar, was a native of the county, born in Spring 
township, September 6, 1827.
  George Hoy, the grandfather of the Judge, came into what is now Centre county, 
near the close of the eighteenth century, and in connection with a brother, 
Charles, purchased (jointly) 400 acres of land, dividing it equally. His birth 
occurred September 10, 1773, and his death on April 16, 1863. Of his twelve 
children, Albert, who married Magdala Weckerly, was the father of our subject. 
When but four years of age, the latter was sent to school, his first teacher 
being George Padget, a noted teacher of sixty years' experience in Buffalo and 
Penn's Valleys, and who then held school in Swartz' school house, on the 
Eckenrode place, in Spring township. In 1851-52 he attended the Mifflinburg 
Academy, and from there went to Airy View, near Perryville, to the academy kept 
by David Wilson. In the fall of 1854 he entered the sophomore class in 
Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg, and was graduated in 1856. He read law with 
the late Hon. H. N. McAllister, and was admitted to the Bar April 27, 1858. Upon 
the invitation of the late Judge J. T. Hale, Mr. Hoy occupied a room in his law 
office, and became more or less associated with the Judge in his extensive 
business up to the death of the latter. He was appointed president judge of the 
district in 1883, by Gov. Pattison, which position he held with great credit 
until January, 1885, when he was succeeded by Judge Furst.
  During the Civil war Judge Hoy acted with the Republican party, but shortly 
after its termination he joined the Democratic party, and up to the time of his 
death he was an active and influential member of that party. In 1873, and again 
in 1876, he was a candidate for the Senate, but failed to procure the 
nomination. In 1884 he was the Democratic nominee for president judge, but was 
defeated in consequence of local dissensions and political complications in the 
Congressional District. He bore his defeat manfully, and the faithful and 
earnest manner in which he fulfilled the duties of chairman of the Democratic 
County Committee, to which he was elected the year following his defeat, proved 
how devoted he was to the principles he espoused, and how true to the cause he 
advocated. His death occurred August 23, 1887. "As a lawyer, Judge Hoy had few, 
if any, superiors at the Bar; as a judge, he was cool, fair, and fearless, and 
won the respect of all by the conscientious, able and impartial manner in which 
he discharged the duties of the position; as a citizen, he was large-hearted, 
liberal and progressive, and as a neighbor, he was kind and obliging to a fault. 
He was a consistent and active member of the Presbyterian Church, and a trusty, 
good man; one whose work and actions in life would make a worthy example for 
others to follow."
  On December 26th, 1865, Judge Hoy was married to Miss Louisa M., daughter of 
the late James D. Harris. He left, surviving him, his widow and seven children, 
namely: Anna H., Mary, Albert, Louise, J. Harris, Edward L. and Randolph Hale.