Courts and lawyers of Indiana, Volume III, Part 10

Author: Monks, Leander J. (Leander John), 1843-1919; Esarey, Logan, 1874-1942, ed; Shockley, Ernest Vivian, 1878- ed
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis : Federal Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 720


USA > Indiana > Courts and lawyers of Indiana, Volume III > Part 10


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53


James Brooks August 14, 1829, to serve seven years from August 26, 1829.


James Brooks


September S, 1830, to serve seven years from


.


March 28, 1831; filed resignation April 25, 1833.


Joseph Wilson September 7, 1830, to serve seven years from March 28, 1831. 1


Jacob Mouks August 15, 1833, vice James Brooks, resigned, to serve seven years from March 28, 1831.


Samuel Silvers


August 9, 1836, vice.


Joseph Wilson


August 4, 1837; died in office, 1840.


John W. Huff August 4, 1837.


Silas Osborn August 11, 1840, vice Joseph Wilson, deceased.


William H. McKee August 10, 1844, to serve seven years from March 28, 1845.


Isaac Shannon August 10, 1844, to serve seven years from March 28, 1845.


Justin Davis August 16, 1849, to serve seven years from March 28, 1849.


PROBATE JUDGES.


John W. Davis


August 14, 1829.


Samuel Whittlesey


May 14, 1831, appointed.


Josiah Mann August 13, 1831.


Joseph W. Briggs


November 3, 1835, appointed vice Josiah Mann,


resigned.


John S. Davis


August 9, 1836.


John S. Davis


August 14, 1843.


William Alsop


August 15, 1849.


COMMON PLEAS JUDGES.


William M. Franklin


__ 1852-56.


Frederick T. Brown


1856-60.


Chambers Y. Patterson_1860-64.


Samuel F. Maxwell 1864-68.


John T. Scott.


1868-73.


DISTRICT PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.


Fred T. Brown


1852-54.


Oliver H. P. Ash


1854-56.


Michael Malott


1856-58.


George W. Throop


1858-60.


John T. Scott 1860-64.


Henry N. Boudinot 1864-66.


James T. Johnson


1866-68.


Eugene I. Holden


1868-70.


James W. Hurst


1870-72.


George W. Collings 1872-73.


1024


COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


PRESIDENT JUDGES.


Benjamin Parke January 15, 1817-February S, 1817, resigned, First circuit.


William Prince February 8, 1817-May 16, 1818.


Thomas Blake Appointed May 16, 1818-December 31, 1818.


General W. Johnston December 31, 1818-April 10, 1819, resigned.


Jonathan Doty Appointed April 10, 1819-March 7, 1822.


Jacob Call March 7, 1822-July 28, 1824, resigned.


John R. Porter Appointed July 28, 1824-January 20, 1830. The act of January 20, 1830, put Sullivan in the Sev- enth.


John Law January 25, 1830-August 10, 1831, resigned.


General W. Johnston -Appointed August 10, 1831-January 21, 1832.


Amory Kinney January 21, 1832-January 25, 1837.


Elisha M. Huntington January 25, 1837-July 12, 1841, resigned.


William P. Bryant Appointed July 12, 1841-January 25, 1844.


John Law January 25, 1844; resigned to take effect August 31, 1850.


Samuel B. Gookins. Appointed July 27, 1850, to serve from August 31, 1850.


Delana R. Eckles January 30, 1851-October 12, 1852.


CIRCUIT JUDGES.


James Hughes October 12, 1852; resigned, July 2, 1856. circuit.


Sixth


Ambrose B. Carlton Appointed July 2, 1856-October 30, 1856.


James M. Hanna October 30, 1856; resigned, December 18, 1857.


Solomon Claypool Appointed December 20, 1857-November 6, 1864.


Delana R. Eckles November 6. 1864-March 1, 1867. The act of March 1, 1867, put Sullivan in the Eighteenth.


Richard W. Thompson_ Appointed March 1, 1867-November 4, 1867. Chambers Y. Patterson_November 4, 1867; died in office in January, 1SS1. The act of March 6, 1873, put Sullivan in the Fourteenth, and transferred Patterson from the Eighteenth to the Fourteenth.


Harvey D. Scott Appointed January 27, 1881-November 14, 1SS2.


George W. Buff November 14, 1882-November 14, 1SSS.


John C. Briggs November 14, 18SS-November 14, 1894.


William W. Moffett November 14, 1894-November 14, 1900.


Orion B. Harris November 14, 1900-November 14, 1906.


Charles E. Henderson November 14, 1906-February 17, 1911. The act of February 16, 1911, made Sullivan the sole county in the Fourteenth, where it has since remained. This act also transferred the Judge of the Four- teenth to the newly created Sixty-third and a new Judge was appointed for the Fourteenth. William H. Bridwell Appointed February 17, 1911; term expires Novem- ber 14, 1918.


THE COUNTY COURTS 1025


PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.


John Law August 9, 1824-January 20, 1830. First circuit. The act of January 20, 1830, put Sullivan in the Seventh.


E. M. Huntington January 25, 1830-January 25, 1832.


John H. Dowden January 25. 1832-April 9, 1833.


Erasmus H. McJunkin_Appointed April 9. 1833-August 14, 1834, died.


John Cowgill Appointed August 14, 1834-December 4, 1834.


David McDonald December 4. 1834-August 17, 1837, resigned.


John Cowgill Appointed August 17, 1837-February 13, 1838.


Delana R. Eckles February 13, 1838-February 15, 1841, resigned. Edward W. McGaughey Appointed February 15, 1841-August 10, 1842, re- signed.


George F. Waterman -Appointed August 10, 1842-December 15, 1842.


John P. Usher December 15, 1842-December 15, 1844.


James M. Hanna December 15, 1844-December 15, 1846.


James C. Allen December 15, 1846-December 15, 1848.


Harvey D. Scott August 19, 1851-October 12, 1852.


William E. McLean October 12, 1852-November 7, 1854. Sixth circuit.


Ambrose B. Carlton


November 7, 1854; resigned March 29, 1855.


Theodore Reed


Appointed April 3, 1855; resigned, August 2, 1855.


Francis L. Neff Appointed August 6, 1855-November 2, 1856.


Milton A. Osborn November 2, 1856-November 6, 185S.


Isaac N. Pierce November 6, 1858-November 6, 1860.


Willis G. Neff November 6. 1860-November 6. 1864.


Michael Malott November 6, 1864-November 6. 1866.


Jacob S. Broadwell November 6, 1866-March 1. 1867. The act of


March 1, 1867, put Sullivan in the Eighteenth.


Sewell Coulson Appointed March 18. 1867-November 4, 1867.


Burton G. Hanna November 4, 1867-October 24. 1870.


John C. Briggs


October 24, 1870-October 21, 1872.


Robert B. Sears


October 21, 1872-March 6, 1873. The act of March 6, 1873, put Sullivan in the Fourteenth.


Samuel R. Hamill


Appointed March 12. 1873; died June 18, 1875.


John F. Lamb


Appointed June 18, 1875-October 24, 1878.


John T. Hays


October 24, 1878-October 25, 1880.


Perry H. Blue October 25, 1SSO-November 17, 1882.


John W. Shelton November 17, 1882-February 20, 1883.


John D. Alexander February 20, 1SS3-October 29, 1SS5. The act of


February 20, 1883.


Samuel W. Axtell October 29, 1885-October 29, 1SS7.


.


William C. Hultz October 29, 1SS7-October 29, 1891.


William L. Slinkard October 29, 1S91-October 29, 1895.


Charles D. Hunt October 29, 1895-October 29, 1899.


Edward W. McIntosh October 29, 1899-January 1, 1902.


John A. Riddle January 1, 1902-January 1, 1904.


(65)


1026


COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


John W. Lindley January 1, 1904-January 1, 1906.


James B. Filbert January 1, 1906-January 1, 1908.


Walter F. Wood


January 1, 1908-January 1, 1910.


James M. Hudson January 1, 1910-February 17, 1911, transferred to Sixty-third. The act of February 16, 1911, made Sullivan the sole county in the Fourteenth where it has since remained.


Fred F. Bays Appointed February 17, 1911-January 1, 1915.


Martin L. Pigg January 1, 1916; term expires January 1, 1918.


SWITZERLAND COUNTY.


Switzerland county was organized by the territorial Leg- islature on September 7, 1814, and the act became effective on the first of the following month. The organization of the county was largely due to the efforts of John Francis Dufour, who had been delegated by the citizens of the county to pre- pare a petition asking for the organization of the county. Du- four prepared the petition and presented it in person to the territorial Legislature at Corydon. The Legislature at once granted the request of the petitioners and left the naming of the county to Dufour, who, as might be expected, named it in honor of his native land.


Dufour had been one of the earliest settlers of the new county and had laid out the town of Vevay in the fall of 1813, the plat being recorded on November 12 of the same year. In accordance with all other acts organizing counties, five com- missioners were designated in the act creating Switzerland county, who were to select the site for the county seat. Since Dufour had laid out Vevay and most of the early settlers lived in that vicinity, it was but natural that it should be selected as the seat of justice.


Vevay has remained the county seat for the past century, but on two different occasions efforts have been made to es- tablish the seat of justice at some other site in the county .. On January 16, 1849, the Legislature passed an act providing for an election on the question of re-locating the county seat, and although the result of the election has not been found- if such an election was really held-it is certain that Vevay remained the county seat. A second attempt to re-locate the county seat followed the act of March 7, 1853, and the elec-


1027


THE COUNTY COURTS


tion at that time came very nearly proving disastrous for Vevay. Florence, a town on the Ohio, in York township, was the chief contender and if the other towns in the county had united in favor of Florence, Vevay would have lost the county seat. The final vote was as follows: Vevay, 903; Florence, 703; Center Square, 179; Mt. Sterling, 34; Log Lick, 8; Cen- ter of County, 3. There has been no effort to secure a re-loca- tion since that date and there is no probability that such an attempt will ever be made in the future.


Switzerland county was organized two years before the state was admitted to the Union and upon its organization was attached to the Third judicial circuit, whch at that time also included Dearborn, Franklin and Wayne counties. The first Circuit court in Switzerland county convened on October 28, 1814, and the first entry in the record reads as follows (the record is copied verbatim, no change being made in spelling or punctuation) :


Indianna Territory


Switzerland County Fry Set :


Please before the Honerable the judges of the switzerland circuit began and held in and for the county of Switzerland at the house of Robert Trotter in the town of Vevay and in the third circuit of Indianna Territory on Friday the 28th day of October 1814.


The President Judge was Elijah Sparks, a Baptist preach- er, who had been commissioned by the Governor on Septem- ber 14, 1814. He died in the spring of the following year and was succeeded by James Noble, later United States Senator from Indiana, whose commission was dated May 25, 1815. The first Associate Judges, William Cotton and James Mc- Clure, were commissioned September 15, 1814, and both served until 1820. When the Circuit court met in Vevay in October, 1814, the first business of the court was the selection and swearing of a jury. The first case on the docket con- cerned one David Bebee, who was charged with the crime of "wilfully, unlawfully and wickedly selling to a certain An- drew Stepleton unwholesome flesh, to-wit: near fifteen pounds


1028


COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


of beef for the value &c., customary selling price, to-wit, near four cents per pound, to the evil example of all others in like cases." Evidently his guilt was not conclusive to the court and jury, since he was adjudged not guilty. It is interesting to note in this connection that the first session of the court took twenty-nine pages in which to record its proceedings. The Circuit court record during the territorial period (1814- 16) fills a book of three hundred and thirty pages.


The Probate court in Switzerland county, as in all other counties in the state, was presided over by the Associate Judges of the Circuit court from 1816 to 1829. In the latter year the Legislature passed an act providing for an elective Probate Judge in each county in the state. The first Probate court in Switzerland county was held at the house of Robert M. Trotter on November 24, 1814, with William Cotton and James McClure, Associate Judges, on the bench. The first estate settled by this court was that of John Lewis Detraz. The first will on record was that of Martin Holder, which was recorded January 7. 1815. The first elective Probate Judge was William Keen, who served from 1829 to 1839.


The act of June 17, 1852, divided the state into ten judicial circuits, Switzerland county being placed in the First circuit with Ripley, Jennings, Jefferson, Ohio, Brown and Bartholo- mew. Ohio county was detached from the First circuit by the act of April 22, 1869, and placed in the newly organized Twen- ty-sixth circuit with Union, Franklin and Dearborn counties. The next change occurred March 6, 1873, at which time Swit- zerland, Jennings and Ripley were constituted the Sixth cir- cuit.


The circuit remained unchanged until March 7, 1879, when Switzerland and Jefferson were united to form the Fifth cir- cuit. Switzerland was next placed, by the act of February 4, 1891, in the Seventh circuit with Dearborn and Ohio coun- ties. The present circuit was created February 24, 1897, and Switzerland and Jefferson have been united in the Fifth cir- cuit since that date.


1029


THE COUNTY COURTS


TERRITORIAL JUDICIARY


September 15, 1814 Associate Judges of the Circuit court: William Cottou, first associate; James McClure, second associate.


October 10, 18144 Justices of the peace: Ralph Cotton, Robert M. Trotter and Elijah Golay.


November 8, 1814 Justices of the peace: William Campbell, Caleb Mounts and George Craig.


August 5, 1815 Justice of the peace: John Gilliland.


February 1, 1816 Justice of the peace: John Dumont.


May 25, 1816.


Justices of the peace : Richard Wood, Samuel Fallis and Allan Wiley.


ASSOCIATE JUDGES.


William Cotton February 24, 1817.


James McClure February 24, 1817.


Abner Clarkson


August 9, 1819, vice William Cotton.


Ralph Cotton


December 23, 1819, vice James McClure.


John Wilson January 26, 1822, vice Ralph Cotton, resigned.


John Wilson January 17, 1824, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1824.


John Francis Dufour __ January 17, 1824, to serve seven years from Feb-


ruary 24, 1824; resigned, June, 1827.


William Bradley August 28, 1827, vice John Francis Dufour, re- signed ; resignation filed June 20, 1829.


Joseph Malin August 20, 1829, vice William Bradley, resigned. to serve seven years from February 24, 1831.


Joseph Malin September 8, 1830, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1831.


Elijah Golay September S, 1830, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1831.


Elijah Golay August 21, 1831.


Newton H. Tapp August 21, 1831.


Walter Armstrong


September 5, 1844, to serve seven years from Feb- rnary 24, 1845; died. December 20, 1849. September 5, 1844, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1845.


John F. Dufour March 18, 1850, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24. 1845; died, June 6, 1850.


Alexander Sebastian August 19, 1851, to serve seven years from Feb- ruary 24, 1852.


George H. Kyle August 19, 1851.


.


PROBATE JUDGES.


William C. Keen August 22. 1829.


William C. Keen August 18. 1836.


John F. Dufour June 11, 1839, vice William C. Keen, resigned.


David Cain


1030


COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


John F. Dufour August 19, 1839.


Robert Drummond August 24, 1846, to serve seven years from August 19, 1846.


COMMON PLEAS JUDGES.


Robert Drummond 1852-58, died in office.


Scott Carter


Appointed August 18, 1858-November 2, 1858.


John Z. Hayden 1858-60.


Francis Adkinson


1860-64.


Robert N. Lamb 1864-68.


Scott Carter 1868-73.


DISTRICT PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.


Carter Gazley 1852-53, resigned.


Henry A. Downey.


Appointed October 20, 1853-54.


James A. Works 1854-58.


Richard Gregg


1858-59.


William S. Schroyer. 1859-60.


John Barber


1860-62.


Solon Russell


1862-64.


William D. Wilson


1864-66.


Albert B. Goden


1866-67.


William P. Adkinson.


Appointed December 7, 1867-68.


Hugh D. McMullen 1868-70.


Isaac M. Dunn 1870-73.


PRESIDENT JUDGES.


John Test December 18, 1816-January 2, 1819. Third circuit.


Alexander A. Meek January 2, 1819-February 2, 1819, resigned.


John Watts Appointed February 2, 1819-January 21, 1820.


Miles C. Eggleston. Jannary 21, 1820-December 18, 1844.


Courtland Cushing December 18, 1844; resigned, August 9, 1850. Alexander C. Downey __ Appointed August 9, 1850-October 12, 1852.


CIRCUIT JUDGES.


Alexander C. Downey __ October 12, 1852; resigned, August 1, 1858. First circuit.


John W. Spencer Appointed August 9, 1858-October 26, 1858.


Joseph W. Chapman October 26, 1858-October 26, 1864.


John G. Berkshire October 26, 1864-March 7, 1879. The act of March


6. 1873, put Switzerland in the Sixth. The act of March 7, 1879, put Switzerland in the Fifth.


James Y. Allison March 7, 1879-November 14, 1884. Judge Allison had been on the bench of the Fifth since October 22, 1873.


William T. Friedly November 14. 1884-February 4, 1891. The act of February 4, 1891, put Switzerland in the Seventh.


1031


THE COUNTY COURTS


William H. Bainbridge. February 4, 1891-October 21, 1891. Judge Bain- bridge had been on the bench of the Seventh since October 21, 1885.


Alexander C. Downey __ October 21. 1891-February 24, 1897. The act of February 24, 1897, put Switzerland in the Fifth with Jefferson, where they have since remained.


William T. Friedly February 24, 1897-October 22, 1897. Judge Fried- ly had been on the bench of the Fifth since Octo- ber 22, 1885.


Perry E. Bear October 22, 1897-October 22, 1903.


Hiram Francisco October 22, 1903-October 22, 1915.


Francis M. Griffith October 15, 1915; term expires October 22, 1921.


PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.


Oliver H. Smith August 9, 1824-August 1, 1826, resigned.


Third


circuit.


Amos Lane Appointed August 1, 1826-December 30, 1826.


Cyrus Finch December 30, 1826-December 30, 1828.


Martin M. Ray. December 30, 1828-January 25, 1830.


James F. D. Lanier


January 25, 1830-January 25, 1832.


John M. Johnson


January 25, 1832; resigned, February 21, 1833.


John Test Apointed February 21, 1833-December 5, 1833.


Courtland Cushing December 5, 1833-December 11, 1837.


John Dumont


December 11, 1837-December 15, 1841.


George Robinson


December 15, 1841-May 18, 1842, died.


John Dumont


Appointed May 18, 1842-December 15, 1848.


Robert P. Moore


October 12, 1852-November 7, 1854. First circuit.


Daniel Kelso


November 7, 1854-November 7, 1856.


Francis Adkinson


November 7, 1856-November 7. 1858.


George W. Richardson_ November 7, 1858-November 7, 1862.


James M. Myers.


November 7, 1862; resigned, June 16, 1864.


Benjamin F. Lewis. Appointed June 16, 1864-November 1, 1865.


John A. Miller November 1, 1865-November 3, 1868.


November 3, 1868-November 3, 1872.


John O. Cravens


March 6, 1873, put Switzerland in the Sixth. This act transferred Cravens from the First to the Sixth.


William G. Holland. November 3. 1878-March 7. 1879. The act of March 7, 1879. put Switzerland in the Fifth.


March 7. 1879-October 22. 1SS1.


John F. Bellamy


October 22, 1SS1-October 22, 1885.


Eugene G. Hay


October 22, 1SS5-October 22. 1889.


Marcus R. Sulzer


Perry E. Bear October 22. 1889-February 4, 1891. The act of Feb-


ruary 4. 1891, put Switzerland in the Seventh.


Rodman L. Davis February 4. 1891-November 17. 1896.


August 16, 1851-October 12, 1852.


James Y. Allison


John Denton November 3. 1872-November 3. 187S. The act of


1032


COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


Harry R. McMullen. November 17, 1896-February 24, 1897. The act of


February 24, 1897, put Switzerland in the Fifth with Jefferson, where they have since remained.


Argus D. Vanosdol February 24, 1897-October 22, 1897.


Clarence Roberts.


October 22, 1897-October 22, 1899.


Simon E. Leland


October 22, 1899-January 1, 1902.


Leonard E. Smith January 1, 1902-January 1, 1904.


James R. E. Pheasant __ January 1, 1904-January 1, 1906.


Emmerson Lemen


January 1, 1906-January 1, 1910.


James S. Wright


January 1, 1910-January 1, 1912.


Curtis Marshall


January 1, 1912-January 1. 1916.


Wallace J. Cotton January 1, 1916; term expires January 1, 1918.


TIPPECANOE COUNTY.


Tippecanoe county was organized out of a part of Wabash county by an act of the General Assembly, approved January 20, 1826. Lafayette was selected as the seat of justice by the locating commissioners in the spring of 1826, but it was not until 1829 that a court house was ready for occupancy. It stood on the site of the present building and was a two- story brick structure. The original court house was followed by a second building erected in 1845. It was of two stories and cost the county about five thousand dollars. With addi- tions and changes in the building from time to time, it served the county until the present building was completed in 1884. The corner-stone of the present court house was laid under the direction of the Masonic fraternity, October 26, 1882.


Tippecanoe county was placed in the First circuit upon its organization in 1826. Only two President Judges occupied the bench from 1826 to 1852, John R. Porter (1826-38) and Isaac Naylor (1838-52).


When the state was districted for judicial purposes in 1830, Tippecanoe county was again a part of the First circuit which, at that time, also included Vermillion, Parke, Montgomery, Fountain, Warren, Carroll, Clinton, White, Jasper, Newton, Spencer and Pulaski counties. Various changes were made in the circuit during the succeeding years, but Tippecanoe county remained in the First circuit until the act of 1852, when it was made a part of the Eighth circuit along with Montgomery, Fountain, Warren, Clinton, Jasper, Benton, Boone, Park and Vermillion counties. In 1855 it was placed in the Twelfth cir-


1033


THE COUNTY COURTS


cuit with Benton, Jasper and White counties. In 1873 it was made a part of the Twenty-third circuit with White county, and two years later (March 5, 1875), it became the sole county of the twenty-third judicial circuit. A list of distinguished men have served as judges of the Tippecanoe Circuit court: Judge Porter (1826-38) resided in Vermillion county ; Judge Naylor (1838-52), at Crawfordsville; Judge Bryant (1852-55), at Rockville; Judge Pettit (1855; 1857), at Lafayette; Judge Turpie (1855), at Monticello; Judge Ingram (1855-57), at Lafayette, and all of the other judges since that time have resided at the county seat of Tippecanoe county. Their names and dates of service are given in a succeeding para- / graph.


Before the adoption of the new Constitution, Tippecanoe county, like all of the other counties of the state, had a Pro- bate court. From 1826 until 1829 the Associate Judges were ex-officio judges of the Probate court. John T. Davidson was elected judge of the court in 1829 and served until 1831. He was succeeded by W. M. Jenners, who served until 1832, when John Kilgore came upon the bench. Judge Kilgore served from 1832 to 1852, a period of twenty years, or until the office was abolished.


After the adoption of the new Constitution, and until 1873, when the office was abolished, Tippecanoe county maintained a Common Pleas court, of which Samuel A. Huff was the first judge. Judge Huff resigned on July 3, 1854, and was suc- ceeded by David Turpie, who served until he resigned on September 30, 1854. Judge Turpie was succeeded by Gustavus A. Wood. Judge Wood served from September 30, 1854, until he resigned in 1861. Local records show that he was suc- ceeded by Mark Jones sometime between 1854 and 1857, Judge Wood again coming on the bench in 1857. There is no record of a commission in the secretary of state's office issued to Jones. Judge David P. Vinton came upon the bench in 1861 and served until 1867. James Park served during 1867 by appointment, and was succeeded by John M. LaRue, who served from 1867 until the office was abolished in 1873.


Of the early circuit-riding attorneys, who visited Lafayette and practiced law, six of them-Bryant, Pettit, Wallace, Hunt-


1034


COURTS AND LAWYERS OF INDIANA


ington, Law and Ingram-afterward filled places on the bench. Nine of them, White, Pettit, Hannegan, Blake, Rari- don, Law, Lane, Wallace and Smith, were representatives in the Congress of the United States. Three of them, Albert S. White, John Pettit and Edward A. Hannegan, served as United States senators. Two of them, Joseph A. Wright and David Wallace, served as governors of Indiana. Thomas H. Blake became commissioner of the land office at Washington under President Tyler and others were less prominent in their day. Pettit not only served in Congress, but was United States attorney for the district of Indiana from 1839 to 1843. He also served in the United States Senate from Indiana from 1853 to 1855, was one of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1850, was chief justice of the Supreme court of Kansas and judge of the Supreme court of Indiana (1871- 77). Besides serving as United States senator from Indiana from 1839 to 1845, Albert S. White was United States judge for the district of Indiana.


The attorneys of Lafayette, up to 1831, included Joseph Tatman, Joseph Cox, Andrew Ingram, David Patton, Moses Cox, Albert S. White, William M. Jeners, Thomas B. Brown, Aaron Finch and John Pettit.


One of the earliest attorneys of Tippecanoe county was Rufus A. Lockwood, who came to Lafayette in 1832, when in the prime of life. He formed a partnership with Albert S. White. He went to Chicago and from there made the journey to California during the wild excitement of the gold discovery days. On the Pacific coast he became one of the prominent lawyers. While on his return trip to Lafayette with his fam- ily, he was drowned in the wreck of the vessel in which he was sailing. Lockwood was one of the most remarkable and ec- centric men of his time.


Daniel Mace was a representative in Congress from 1851 to 1857 and was instrumental in bringing about the nomina- tion of Andrew Johnson for Vice-President in 1864. For this service, he was rewarded with the appointment as post- master at Lafayette. While in office, he committed suicide.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.