In any civil action cognizable before any justice of the peace in a township of the county in which any of the defendants resides, suit may be brought before any justice of the peace in the township of the county in which any one of the defendants resides. The summons or other process against the other defendants shall issue to any constable in the counties in which the other defendants may reside, which summons or other process, when served, shall give the justice before whom the suit is brought the same jurisdiction he would have if all of the defendants resided in his county.