USA > Illinois > Shelby County > Historic sketch and biographical album of Shelby County, Illinois > Part 13
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MR. WM. BAUM.
also a lawyer at Shelbyville, at one time owned the macadam road between Belleville and East St. Louis. He handled cattle, bought and sold land in Shelby county, and showed that brains was just as essential in business as it was in the law office. The judge of our Circuit Court at the present time is the
HON. TRUMAN E. AMES,
who came to Illinois from Pottsdam, N. Y., and
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settled in Windsor, where he married a dangh- ter of James Hilsabeck. He taught school in Windsor and studied law at the same time under the direction of Moulton and Chafee. afterwards graduating from the Michigan Law School in 1877. In May. 1880, upon the advice of Mr. Chafee, he removed to Shelbyville, and soon after joined the democratic party and was elected County Judge. Subsequently, at the last Judi- cial election, he was chosen one of the Circuit Judges of this Judicial District. He has held court in each of the nine counties constituting this circuit, and from the reports from those counties, he has given good satisfaction. lle is a man very choice in his clothes, both as to the quality and the fit. and it might be said of him. as it was of Judge Chas. Constable, who once occupied this bench and was famous for his im- maculate dress. "that if he was sentenced to stay in jail over night without his tooth brush and clothes brush and night shirt, it would kill him." The Judge is a genial man, and having no fuss with any body, and a good disposition. he makes friends and also makes every man feel when he meets him, that if he has a chance, he will vote for him again. He is a member of the M. E. church, and belongs to the Masonic fra- ternity. Ile has one son who has about finished his course for a dental surgeon. He lives on Broadway.
T. F. DOVE
came from "back yonder." from Fairfield county, ()., and like a large part of their citizens, he lived "nine miles on the pike from Lancaster." He was educated at the Wesleyan University at Delaware, and loyal to his Alma Mater, he is sending his two sons to the same school. His boys have been bicycling through Europe during the vacation of 1900. His eldest son, Clark.
spent nearly a year in our army in our war with Spain. Mr. Dove came to Shelbyville in '74. as Superintendent of our High School. He had read law prior to his coming here, and he formed a partnership with Wm. J. Henry for a few years. Ile has found out that loaning money and speculating in lands, and buying notes at a liberal discount, are more profitable than the practice of law, and it is generally understood that he has made more money in this way than any two lawyers in ordinary practice. There is no question but that his aim is to die rich, and if anyone gets in the way of his progress they are liable to be run over. Ile is a man of un- usually good sense, large physique, a jolly, good fellow and much liked. He was toast-master at the famous banquet given on the occasion of the hanging of the pictures of Judges Thorn- ton and Moulton, in June, 1898. and if all that was said at that banquet had been preserved, his name would have gone down to posterity in a halo of glory. The political questions that have been disturbing the two parties about the Philippine Islands, were fully settled that night in a prolonged debate. in which Judge Phillips and General Black were for the keeping of the Islands, and Judge Eden. of Sullivan, was determined that they should be let loose : about four o'clock in the morning the matter was settled, as we then supposed, per- manently, nobody making any protest, except Eden. Dove is a high-tariff. hard-money demo- crat, and can give more and better reasons for the faith that is in him, than any other democrat in the county. If he had not been so determined to make money, and had turned his attention to the law or politics with the same energy and sense that he shows in his business, he would have been a man of extraordinary power in these lines. He owns thousands of acres of land, and
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so far as the writer is informed, no body that ever owed him a debt, has ever succeeded in long evading payment.
Mr. Dove's first wife was a Miss Alta Clark. of Columbus, I think, and was beloved by every one who knew her. She was the mother of the two boys mentioned. His second wife was a Miss Williams, also from Columbus, a charming singer, and she has made friends of all with whom she has become acquainted. Mr. Dove has a fine home on Main street in Shelbyville, a good library of miscellaneous books, and is a great reader. He is a liberal entertainer, and when conference was held in Shelbyville, Bishop McCabe, Bishop Bowman and Bishop Simpson and many others found royal entertainment and the most absolute freedom in Dove's residence. He is regarded as a fluted pillar in the M. E. church, with a coin capital, and he and the church stand together for all the good things that are going. The beautiful edifice, erected in 1899, for the worship of that congregation in Shelbyville, probably owes as much to Dove's bank account, if not more, than that of any other mail.
WILLIAM C. KELLEY.
the present partner of H. J. Hamlin, is an excel- lent lawyer and an excellent man. He is excep- tionally modest ; at the same time, in the trial of a law suit, while he never tries to make a parade before a jury, he is very tenacious, and if he ad- vises to bring a suit he is about sure to win it. His judgment of the law is excellent, and he would never advise any one to get into a doubt- ful case. He is as conscientious as a preacher. and in a great many matters, has far better judg- ment than many of them. He was a Bar candi- date for Circuit Judge from this county, and if he had been elected, no lawyer in the district
would ever have regretted it. He is a member of the Christian church, is a great reader of all kinds of miscellaneous literature, and has some remarkable notions upon nearly every one of the occult sciences. He was educated in Kentucky, and came very near being a republican, but prob- ably he looked over the territory, and concluded. that in Shelby county, the chances for the demo- crats were two to one ; though he may have had some leaning in that direction because his ances- tors were built that way. Kelley is a tall man. he never teils a joke, but he appreciates all that he hears. The space allowed the writer is not sufficient to permit of the saying of half of the good things that might be said of Judge Kelley. He is a pains-taking, careful and strictly honest lawyer; what more need any one have said of him ?
HONORABLE WALTER C. HEADEN
is also one of the lawyers to the manor born. He was a son of okdl Dr. Win. Headen, who died when Walter was about ten years oldl, and the Hon. S. W. Moulton took the little orphan into his family, and he and Mrs. Moulton cared for him as they would for one of their own, had they been fortunate enough to have had children. He received a normal school education at Nor- mal, Illinois, and after teaching at White Hall. Green County, a year, he entered the office of Moulton and Chafee, and studied law. He was an exceedingly bright boy, and studied law with great assiduity under the personal teachings of Mr. Moulton, whom he always called uncle, and when admitted was taken into partnership, which partnership lasted until January ist. 1897. Hea- den is a fine lawyer, a good pleader, and a logical. impressive talker, and is able to take care of him- self before court or jury on any occasion. His
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long association with Mr. Moulton has made him very careful, and he is an adviser and manager of a law suit of which any' client may be proud, and he may know that his business is being safely handled as long as Headen has control of it. Ile has been twice elected to the Legislature, and acquitted himself while there in such a way. as to receive the respect and esteem of both his party friends, and his opponents. He has been City Attorney, County Administrator, a member of the School Board, and in each office has served his constituency with marked credit. He has a beautiful home on North First street, a lovely wife, and two children now about grown. His wife is Virginia Barrett, daughter of Addison Barrett, and a most lovely woman and fit help-mate for such a husband. Their son, Thomas Moulton, lately graduated, with honors, from the Champaign University.
About ten years ago Mr. Moulton made Mr. Headen a gift of his law library, which was one of the best in this part of the state, to which he has added from time to time, so that he is thoroughly equipped with the tools, as well as brains, to make his business a success. lle has often been heard to express his gratitude for the kindness Mr. Moulton extended to him, and for the pleasant manner in which the older members of the Bar, especially Judge Thornton, treated him in the beginning of his professional career. Another one of the lawyers to the manor born, Jan. 4. 1874, is
GEORGE BANCROFT RHOADS.
He is a bachelor yet, the only son of Dr. and Mrs. G. W. Rhoads. The doctor was an edu- cated man, and one of the soldiers of 1861. Mrs. Rhoads was a school teacher here in Shelbyville for many years, and both of these parents de-
voted their time to the education of their boy. and made a marked success of it. George was a graduate in pharmacy when he was eighteen years okl. He reads Latin and French with case, writes shorthand, and is a past master of all theological questions, and knows more about the Bible, probably, than any man of his age in the County. He is a disciple of the doctrines of Jno. Knox and Jno. Calvin, but while he is so well informed on all these subjects, he is as fine a law student as ever studied in an office. Ile studied law under Moulton, Chafee and Headen, with tireless energy and perseverence, mastered the technicalities and elementary principles, and became an adept in the Horn book precedents, and then finding judicial decisions to support them Ilis mind is comprehensive and analytical, and few young men of his age have had better success for the amount of business there is in a county like ours, than he. I have expressed the hope of sometime seeing him elevated to the position of Judge ; for I believe he would make one that would be an honor to the state in every way. It is hardly necessary to say that he is a young man of excellent morals, and habits. The time was when lawyers were very convivial, and in the old times it was not an infrequent thing for members of our profession to get very hilarious. This habit or peculiarity has ceased to exist anywhere, and very few members of the Bar in Shelby County can be charged with any lapses from strict sobriety. The fact is, that business has developed throughout the country in such a way, that no client wants a fellow half drunk, to either advise him or manage his business, or to defend him if charged with a crime, and the Bar, as a rule, have sense enough not to take that into their mouths which steals away their judgment. Another one of the members of the Shelby County Bar is
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WILLIAM HEADEN CHEW.
present partner of G. 1). Chafee. He has not been long enough before the public to be properly appreciated for what he is worth, but for quick apprehension of the legal points, clear. concise and logical presentation of it to the jury or court, or in making a post prandial speech Chew has few equals, and it requires no prophet to foretell that at no distant date, he will be the peer of any lawyer at the Bar. He was married to a daughter of Mat Embry-Mary-in 1898. and lives in a beautiful house on Morgan street. He is a member of the Christian church. He is a member of some of the secret societies and is held in high esteem by them all. He is at present candidate for State's Attorney on the re- publican ticket in this county, and if he can man- age to borrow seven or eight hundred votes from his enemies, he can be elected.
EBEN A. RICHARDSON.
son of Geo. W. Richardson, was born on a farm on Sand Creek, in this County, and studied law under T. E. Ames. Richardson is a very popu- lar man, and a great hustler for business. Ile has been Master-in-Chancery for several years. and with his legal business, his office of Master, and a first-class commercial man in the way of handling cattle and hogs, lands and promissory notes, has accumulated a very respectable for- tune. He works on the principle of going after what he wants. He has been connected with several criminal cases. His defense of Atterber- ry, who was indicted for the murder of his father. was very energetic and unique. Twig told the jury on that occasion, that Atterberry was as good a man as ever lived, that he loved him. and he shed tears copiously until the jury saw fit to let the fellow go. Though not an advocate for lynch law. it is safe to say that justice overtook
Atterberry at Sullivan a short time afterwards. for upon the unspoken testimony, and the fine scent of two blood hounds. Atterberry was cap- tured by a mob in Sullivan and hung for an atro- cious crime. The chances are that justice was clone at last. although in rather an unjust man- ner. He married Mary Johnson, daughter of J. W. Johnson, and has one son.
W. O. WALLACE.
our present State's Attorney, is another one of the Shelby County boys practicing law in this County. He has held the office now for two terms, and his chief characteristic as a public prosecutor, is either to persuade or scare a man. charged with crime. into a full confession. If he were guaged by his success in this line, he is a pronounced success. The rumor is that no person wants to make a trade with Wallace ii he is laboring under the impression that he doesn't know how to look out for himself in that line of business. The democratic party, at the last primary, seemed to think that they wanted a change, so Wallace was retired and
MR. JAS. K. P. GRIDER
was nominated for that office. Mr. Grider came to Shelbyville from Windsor or near there, and is a well behaved, modest young lawyer, whose real merits are much above the trade mark which the public had given him. He is a very much better lawyer than some who make twice as much noise as he. He was born on a farm in 1866, near Windsor.
HOWLAND J. HAMLIN
is one of the lawyers in Shelby County who has. with some of the other eminent men. made the County famous for its excellent Bar. He came from Pottsdam, N. Y., as did Judge Ames, and
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taught school in Missouri and in Windsor, and while he was teaching he studied law under the tutorage of Judge Thornton and Geo. R. Wend- ling. Ile practiced in two or three places before swinging his shingle in Shelbyville: he was law partner of Mr. Wendling and afterwards with Judge Thornton ; he acquired legal acumen from Judge Thornton, and a fine idea of elocution from Mr. Wendling. At present he is the part- ner of W. C. Kelley, and is candidate for Attor- ney General upon the republican ticket, having been nominated for that high office at Peoria, under remarkable circumstances. He is a fine stumper and has made speeches all over the state, and staunch friends also, and when he was announced for that office, these friends came readily to the front and pushed his chances to the limit with an ardor and a devotion that did and should have made him proud, and justly so. For several years, when Mr. Altgeld was Gov- ernor. Mr. Hamlin had been connected with the Railroad and Warehouse Commissioners as at- torney and advisor. This was probably due to the warm friendship of J. W. Yantis, who was Secretary of the Railroad and Warehouse Com- mission during Altgeld's term. Upon the re- tirement of Mr. Altgeld. and the formation of the new Railroad and Warehouse Commission- ers under Governor Tanner. Mr. Hamlin was re- appointed and served with great credit, none of the last Commission being more than nominal lawyers. In this way Mr. Hamlin obtained ac- quaint.nce with the members of the Bar and with railroad men, and the genial and happy manner and jolly laugh, made him friends where- ever he went. lle is a fine all-round lawyer. bright as a Damascus blade in all legal matters, shrewd in his weighing of men and circum- stances in presenting his cause to a court or to a jury, or to a public audience. He will make
a first-class Attorney General, and gives prom- ise of being candidate for other higher offices : he is such a man as the people will delight to honor. Hle has a beautiful home on North Broadway. an accomplished wife and beautiful daughter, and three boys who give promise to be "chips off of the old block." His wife was a daughter of Dr. York, of Windsor, and is a woman of great and remarkable strength of character and purity of purpose. Hamlin owes no little to the devotion and love of this noble woman.
BENJAMIN F. WILSON.
Fairfield county, Ohio, has produced a great many eminent men. For some reason they have had a habit of emigrating to other fields, probably because there was no room for their towering ambition and for expansion along the famous "pike." Most of them lived "nine miles from Lancaster." It was on that historie ground the subject of this sketch first saw the light of day. While yet a small boy he came with his parents to Shelby County, Illinois, settling on a farm in the southern part of Shelby County. He attended school at the district school, working night and morning for his board while attending his last year in the country school. He taught his first district school at the age of eighteen and used what money he made from teaching to attend college, where he received a more liberal education. Ile began the study of law with Mouser & Kelley, where he took care of the office for the use of books and instructions given by W. C. Kelley, now of the firm of Hamlin & Kelley. He was admitted to the bar June 9th. 1885, and formed a partnership with his instruc- tor. W. C. Kelley. Two years later he formed a partnership with Judge Anthony Thornton. He was elected City Attorney in 1887, and has
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been connected with the city's administration ever since. being now City Attorney for the third time.
Mr. Wilson's record as a clean man has never been questioned. He enjoys the confi- dence of all parties ; and republicans as well as democrats believe in him as a man ; and while a strong democrat, he never assails his political opponents with abuse. but makes them his friends with clean-cut argument. One of his republican friends, in speaking of him when he was a candi- (late for State Senator in the campaign of 1900. said : "He has never held an office that he did not do more for the people, and take more in- terest in their affairs, and accomplish more than his duties required : and no man of any party questions either his ability or his integrity." One of the leading republicans of this city said the other day: "1 would rather have the opinion of B. F. Wilson on a question of law than any- body else. There may be just as good lawyers. but I have confidence in him : and the reason I say this is because he has been ny legal adviser for years: and he has always been right with me."
Mr. Wilson was married in 1882 to Miss Mary F. Thomas of Shelby County. The family con- sists of two girls and two boys, the youngest be- ing about 11 years old. One of the daughters graduated from the schools of this city this spring and one daughter will graduate next year. The mother of this family is a woman of rare ac- complishments, being happiest when surrounded by her family as a reading circle.
Mr. Wilson is a large, heavy man, with a strong face, self-poised, cool. deliberate, and has great courage. He is not a good "mixer" in the usual sense, as he won't go into a deliberate com- bination to do either a political or financial dirty job. He was, for several years, the police magis-
trate of Shelbyville, and decided every cause with the most commendable judicial fairness. He was candidate, in his party. for P'robite Judge, and if real merit had been at a premium, would have been nominated : and if elected. Shelby County would have had a County Court to be proud of. He is of a judicial turn. and has the sterling qualifications that go to make a good Judge. However, it is not always that nien best qualified by nature and attainments, obtain the place they are best fitted for. Wilson will be a factor in Shelby County politics hereafter. and may win when better known.
WILLIAM H. RAGAN
is a man of boundless energy. He was born in this county ; his father was a soldier and a far- mier. Ragan studied law under W. C. Kelley. when a student in the High school of Shelbyville. He literally worked his way through school. do- ing all sorts of chores, making his home with Mr. Bushrod W. Henry, the father of B. W. Henry of Vandalia. He was a rapid worker and could do anything in the house or out, and when his work was done he woukl literally run to school. He graduated from our High school and became one of the teachers in it. Ile prides himself on his ability to make a speech, and has won his way to prominence through that faculty. He has been County Judge and School Direc- tor, and is now partner with Judge Thornton.
WILLIAM H. CRAIG
is the last acquisition to our Bar. He was en- gaged for several years, and is yet. in making abstracts of title in the firm of Craig & Garis. He was admitted in the first class after the adop- tion of the new rules for examinations for admis- sions, and was the only one in seven applicants who passed the examination. He has a good
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knowledge of law, and good judgment, but is handicapped by being partially deaf. He is a safe adviser in all matters pertaining to real estate, and gives promise of making a superior man.
RICHARD T. EDDY
was born in Shelbyville. January 26th, 1869, and is the son of William Eddy, who was of Irish de- cent, and his mother was the daughter of John Barrett, an Englishman who lived southwest of Shelbyville. Win. Eddy was a shoemaker by trade, but became a farmer while his boys were young. He was a strict disciplinarian, a great . and intelligent student of the Bible, and a miem- ber of the M. E. church. At his death he left a large family. Dr. Win. J. Eddy of Shelbyville. Dr. J. H. Eddy, now of Decatur, and (). T. Eddy, dental surgeon, also of Decatur : Dowling Eddy who is now in the Klondike, and Richard T .. at present located in Shelbyville. Ill. Rich- ard was educated at DePauw University, and studied law there and at Chicago. When he was twenty-five years old he was associated with John R. George, and practiced law in Chicago. At the breaking out of the war with Spain, he entered the service of Uncle Sam, 2nd Illinois Vol. Infantry, and went to Cuba, where he saw much of Cuban life and the rank evidence of the depressing effect of Spanish misrule on that gem of the sea. Soon after his return. his brother- in-law and brother died, leaving families and farms that imperiously demanded a man's super- vision, and he. in an unselfish manner, dropped his own work and took up the brother's burden. This probably is only a temporary arrangment. and as he is young yet, he can outlive the loss to him, and take up his chosen work with new zeal, and profit by his experience. He is a young man of talent and the most genial manners, and has a host of warm friends.
IION. C. K. TORRENCE,
who lives in Cowden, was admitted to practice law a few years ago. Ile was elected to the Legislature in 1896, and served his constituency with credit to himself ; he gives more attention to the management of his lands than he does to his practice of law, and he is highly respected by all with whom he is acquainted. His son,
THORNTON TORRENCE.
was admitted to practice the present year, and is now engaged in teaching school. Another of the Bar of Shelby County is
WILLIAM TOWNSEND.
He studied law in Sullivan, under Albert Green. has been State's Attorney of Shelby County, and Master-in-Chancery. He has never been over- worked by his business, and reads fiction and poetry, and at odd times, he tells us, he lectures on "Smiles and Tears at the Shrine of Bacchus." and on subjects pertaining to the Modern Wood- mien. lle is a better lawyer than many men give him credit for, but has been unable to break into the cliques and rings of his party to any great extent, owing probably to his independent disposition. He was a gold democrat in '96. What he may be in the campaign of 1900 re- mains to be seen.
MILTON BARBEE.
though admitted to practice, shelved himself by going into the office of Superintendent of Schools and insurance.
GEO. R. WENDLING
was born Feb. 15th. 1845, and grew to manhood here. His grand-father was one of the Great Napoleon's soldiers, and was with him on the famous retreat from Moscow, and his ashes re-
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pose in our cemetery. Geo. R.'s father was a good black-smith, a good farmer. and an honest man. He gave this son a good college educa- tion, and the boy repaid the father, by means of liberal support when the old man had ceased to work. He took his law course with such men as Gen. J. C. Black, and Joseph Mann. Having a fancy for elocution, he took lessons from the tragedian, McCulloch. He commenced practice with A. T. Hall and J. R. Eden about the time Thornton was elected Judge of the Supreme Court. Previous to that time he edited a news- paper for a few months, and spoiled a brilliant newspaper man by going into law practice. He achieved success at the Bar from the first, and while others knew more law than he, no one could tell what he knew better than Wendling. He was associated with Moulton, Thornton and Chafee in the defense of the banker, Thos. M. Thornton, for the killing of George Tackett, nine years before. While each attorney performed the part assigned to him with marked ability. Wendling, by the witchery of his voice and the wise use of all the great speeches ever made by the greatest lawyers in the United States in simi- lar trials easily won first honors and held the hearts of the audience and jury. I have heard many famous men speak, but take him for all in all. Wendling is the most effective speaker of them all. He has won fame and first place all over the United States by his matchless eloquence. but in none of his magnificent lectures any time I have heard him, has he risen to the full height he often attained in talking to a jury.
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