John P. Lavelle mother Sarah Ann McBride came
from Creeslough before emmigrating to Philadelpha, USA.Where she married
John Lavelle from Co. Mayo they had two children John and Joseph.
John P. Lavelle became
"The Honorable John P. Lavelle President Judge of Carbon
County" when he was sworn in on 3/1/ 1978
A 1953 graduate of Niagara University with an AB degree in
Philosophy and Literature , he received his Jurist Doctor (JD) degree from
Villonava University School of Law in 1958.
As a member of the U.S. A. Army Signal Corps he carried
out military assignments in Italy and Austria in 1954 and
1955.
For eighteen years Judge Lavelle had a distinguished career as an
active municipal and trial lawyer. He served as Carbon County Solicitor
from 1971 to 1978. His extensive involvement in numerous community and
charitable causes demonstrated his high energy and commitment to public
service.
During his twenty-two years on the bech, he has been dedicated to
improving the Court system with computer technology and innovative case
management techniques.
Judge Lavelle and his Wife Marianne live in Lehighton,
Pennsylvania,USA. and have four
children, Marianne,John, Jacqueline and James.
In 1996 Judge Lavelle wrote and published "The Hard Coal
Docket " which is a history of Carbon County as seen through the
prism of the legal system. The book features his due process analysis of
the famous "Mollie Maguire" Trials in Carbon County in the
late 1870's. The six Irish men of Mollie Maguire's (AOH) were convicted of
murder. Five were hanged: Doyle, Kelly, Campbel, Donahue and Fisher, Mc
Kenna got nine years in jail.
PS. When the film of the Mollie Maguire's was made Bill McClafferty from
Creeslough worked as an extra on the film.
The Carbon County seat Mauch Chunk has changad it's
name to Jim Thorp. Jim Thorp an athlete of American Indian origan
is buiried there. When walking down the steert in the town of Jim
Thorpe everbody knows and speaks to Judge Lavelle just like
Creeslough.
