History of Fayette County, Indiana: containing a history of the townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies, etc., etc., Part 15

Author: Warner, Beers and Co., Chicago, Publisher
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago, Warner, Beers and Co.
Number of Pages: 350


USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana: containing a history of the townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc.; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies, etc., etc. > Part 15


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).


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.December 17, 1874


John W. Ross.


January 16, 1883


COLUMBIA, ESTABLISHED FEBRUARY 16, 1833.


Isaac Limpus. .February 16, 1833


William Wherrett. .. January 14, 1837


George WV. Logau. .June 20, 1850


Caleb B. Clements September 29, 1851


Lafayette Mount. .August 31, 1852


Daniel O. Darby .July 24, 1854


Discontinued. .


.February 1, 1861 John D. Darby.


.February 1, 1861


Benedict Hutchinson.


.November 14, 1861


John W. Thomas


Jauuary 22, 1863


George W. Tucker.


January 9, 1864


John I. Thomas.


.February 21, 1865


John Sterrett.


December 5, 1865


George W. Tucker.


.June 24, 1866


December 10, 1867 Benedict Hutchinson


John Z. Perin. March 23, 1874


John H. Sterrett . March 25, 1875


David S. Abzeno. October 3, 1877


Samuel E. Perin . April 5, 1880


Sarah Ronan. April 12, 1883


.January 9, 1861 Re-established.


97


HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.


William H. Evens. .March 16, 1849


Charles H. Chambers. September 25, 1851


James W. Oliphant. . .February 23, 1853


William Kerr. . .February 5, 1855


Allen V. Larimore. .May 10, 1861


James L. Miller. March 30, 1863


William P. Adams. March 3, 1868


Edwin J. Thompson. May 20, 1864


John B. Salyer.


January 3, 1867


Edwin J. Thompson .September 20, 1867


William Johnston. .March 9, 1874


John D. Lambert. .April 5, 1876


HARRISBURG, ESTABLISHIED MARCH 17, 1828.


Nathan McClure .March 17, 1828


Anthony Watt. .April 1, 1846


Jacob Newkirk . August 23, 1847


Anthony Watt. June 16, 1848


Robert McWatson .January 16, 1853


Oliver Caldwell.


January 22, 1857


Anthony Watt. January 12, 1860


Edgar F. Thomas. January 17, 1870


David E. Shallsmith


January 8, 1873


John W. Foster .January 8, 1875


December 22, 1879


F. T. Williams.


OROVES, LATE MELROSE, ESTABLISHED JUNE 12, 1849.


William Clifford, Jr. .June 12, 1849


Jacob B. Power. August 7, 1852


William B. Clifford. .November 12, 1852


William A. Bush. . May 19, 1853


Smith Fry. September 3, 1858


Leander C. McConnell. October 19. 1859


Thomas Moffett. .June 21, 1860


Christian Wiles. .September 10, 1861


John McChire .August 18, 1865


Joseph W. Groves .February 27, 1871


Lafayette Groves. .September 12, 1878


John McChire .. .. May 24, 1880


Caroline Caldwell.


November 7, 1881


MELROSE, LATE GROVES, ESTABLISHED MAY 14, 1847.


John Abernathy. .May 14, 1847


Changed to Groves. .June 12, 1849


GROVES, ESTABLISHED FEBRUARY 7, 1840.


John McClure.


February 7, 1840


Arthur Miller. .July 10, 1845


William Clifford. .June 30, 1846


Changed to Melrose


.May 14, 1847


LYONS STATION, ESTABLISHED JUNE 2, 1863.


Robert R. Monger June 2, 1863


James V. Lyons. . February 24, 1865


LONGWOOD, LATE PHILPOTTS MILLS, ESTABLISHED APRIL 2, 1837.


Ross Smiley


.April 24, 1837


Thomas Moffett.


.July 31, 1861


Discontinued. September 28, 1868


Re-established .. . March 25, 1872


Philip N. Marks. .March 25, 1872


Samuel M. Atherton .April 2, 1873


Matthew P. Hawkins.


.February 14, 1876


.July 14, 1879 William C. Moffett.


PHILPOTTS MILLS, ESTABLISHED DECEMBER 15, 1832.


William Philpott. .December 15, 1832


Changed to Longwood. April 24, 1837


STATUS OF THE COUNTY IN 1830 AND IN 1840.


There were according to the United States census taken in 1830, then in the county 17 grist-mills, 16 saw-mills, 4 sets of carding-machines, 2 mills for fulling and dressing cloth and upward of 40 distil- leries. The population of the county was 9,111, and that of the village of Connersville 500. The other villages of the county were Waterloo, West Union, Danville and Harrisburg, each with an estimated pop- ulation- of from 30 to 50. The postoffices were Connersville, Everton, Harrisburg, Waterloo and Plumb Orchard. There were 5 Baptist and 4 Meth- odist meeting-houses, besides meetings of various other denominations. The number of working oxen in the county was 282.


According to the census of 1840 the value of gran- ite, marble and other stone produced in the county was $6,216; 28 men were employed in the same. There were 3,790 horses and mules; neat cattle, 9,257; sheep, 15,784; swine, 31,343. The estimated value of poultry of all kinds, $3,534. The number of bushels of wheat, 70,439; barley, 75; oats, 123,815; rye, 7,989; buckwheat, 393; Indian corn, 711,855; pounds of wool, 27,235; pounds of hops, 34; wax, 87; bushels of potatoes, 16,794; tons of hay, 4,875; flax and hemp, 44; pounds of tobacco gathered, 808; pounds of sugar made, 28,721; cords of wood sold, 2,794; value of the products of the dairy, $4,907; value of the products of the orchard, $695; value of home-made goods, $11,813; value of produce of mar- ket gardeners, $220; retail dry-goods, grocery, and other stores, 21; capital invested in the same, $89,800. There were three butchers and packers, and in the business $300 was invested. The value of bricks and lime made, $2,385, giving employment to 22 men. In other manufactures was invested $456. There was one fulling-mill in which was invested $1,000. The value of hats and caps manufactured, $9,400; 16 persons were employed and the capital invested was $6,000. There were three tanneries in which were employed 9 men, and the amount of capital invested was $7,300; at these tanneries were tanned 1,280 sides of sole leather and 1,900 sides of upper leather. Besides these tanneries there were 16 other man- ufactories of leather, saddleries, etc., with the value of manufactured articles $1,567; capital invested, $5,690. The number of pounds of soap manufactured was 134,011; of tallow candles, 11,882. There were five distilleries which produced 20,800 gallons of distilled and fermented liquors, and gave employ- ment to 11 men; capital invested $6,900. There was one printing office, at which was printed a weekly paper which gave employment to 3 men; capital invested $650. The value of carriages and wagons manufactured, $2,492; 8 men employed and amount


98


HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.


of capital invested, $1,030. There were 2 flouring mills at which were manufactured 1,700 barrels of flour. There were 6 grist-mills, 14 saw-mills and 2 oil-mills, at all of which were manufactured articles to the value of $14,180; 23 men employed and capital invested $22,325. The amount of furniture manu- factured was valued at $4,000; 6 men employed and capital invested, $1,900. That year were built in the county 7 brick and stone houses, and 15 wooden ones, which gave employment to 60 men and their value was estimated at $24,695. The value of all other manufactures was $33,137; capital invested, $7,262. Total capital invested, $60,513.


STATISTICS.


The following table exhibits the tax assessment for the county for the year 1831, the earliest tax duplicate that we were able to find:


COUNTY.


STATE.


State tax on 1,417 polls.


$531 3716


State tax on 1,841 acres of first-rate land.


County tax on 1,841 acres of first-rate land


$13 8034


State tax on 67,914 acres of second-rate land


407 4813


County tax on 67,914 acres of second-rate land


339 57


State tax on 47,397 acres of third-rate land


County tax on 47,397 acres of third-rate laud.


177 7334


County tax on 1,869 horses, mules, etc


700 871,2


County tax on 285 work oxen ..


53 4337


County tax on 80 silver watches.


20 00


County tax on 3 gold watches.


3 00


County tax on 18 covering horses.


39 00


County tax on $9,507.80 valuation town lots


47 5334


28 121/2


County tax on delinquencies for the year 1830


16 00


3 6914


County tax on nnsold lands for the year 1830.


4 03


Total State tax on transcript ..


$1,174 991%


Total county tax on transcript.


$1,414 99%


Road tax assessment on (non-resident) lands and


lots for 1831


32 7534


Road tax assessment on unsold lands and lots for


1 843/


Total road tax on transcript ..


834 6012


Making a grand total on transcript of State,


county and road tax for the year 1831.


$2,624 59%


The assessment of property, under the laws for


the collection of taxes, affords the best means at our command to show the growth of the wealth of the county. It gives by no means the market value, be- ing generally much below the selling price. Sub- joined are the statistics for several years. Though the table is incomplete it will partially serve its pur. pose.


YEAR.


Value of Lands.


Value of Improve- ments on Lands.


Value of T'wn Lots and Im- provem'ts


Value of Taxables.


County Tax.


County and State Tax.


1831


$1,070,313


$1,394 96


$2,538 14


1841


$136,817


2,345,330


4,235 89%


14,698 62


1850


31,384,724


$296,583


222,534


2,625,081


11,843 19


21,797 42


1860


3,075,235


282,305


362,630


5,765,670


29,043 38


39,694 04


1865


Taxables


6,542,915


169,549 35


1867.


in the city


7,007,525


107,616 41


1870


$1,104,382


1875


1,492,395


7,867,121


1883


3,535,950


561,985


1,326,300


7,652,364


75,860 75


100,849 83


703,520*


*Value of towo lots and improvements.


The amount of taxes levied for the years 1819, 1820, 1821 and 1822, as nearly as can be judged, was about $900 per year.


POPULATION OF FAYETTE COUNTY BY TOWNSHIPS IN 1850, 1860, 1870 AND 1880.


TOWNSHIPS.


1850.


1860.


1870


1880.


Columbia


889


912


929


803


Connersville*


1,065


1,162


1,211


1,432


Connersville.


1,396


2,119


2,496


3,228


First Ward.


823


Second Ward.


1,058


Third Ward.


615


Fairview.


662


601


639


Harrison.


1,544


889


867


999


Jackson.


1,284


1,199


1,037


982


Evertont.


239


149


Jennings


893


790


836


846


Orange


1,129


761


881


812


Posey


1,184


1,080


947


981


Waterloo.


833


651


671


672


* Exclusive of the city of Connersville.


+ Village.


CHAPTER XIII.


THE BENCH AND THE BAR.


CIRCUITS AND JUDGES-EARLY PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS-FIRST AND LATER LAWYERS AT THE FAYETTE COURTS-REFERANCE TO THE LAWYERS AND PRACTICE OF EARLY INDIANA-RESIDENT LAWYERS.


TN reviewing the history of the bench and the bar, we have to reach out beyond county limits. At the organization of the county, the Judge traveled the Whitewater country, extending from the Ohio on the south to the State of Michigan on the north, and from the Ohio line on the east to White River on the west, a territory probably 200x70 miles. Many of the early lawyers practiced in the courts of the entire region.


A glance at the Whitewater bar reveals the names of an able array of men-men who shone as bright lights in the Senate of the United States, in the Lower House, in the Cabinet, in the Gubernatorial chair in the Supreme Court, on the field of battle, and in other high official positions.


With the meager data at our command, and lim- ited space, we can only hope to present some facts connected with the legal profession of Fayette


1831


State tax on delinquencies for the year 1830.


State tax on unsold lands for the year 1830.


14 7237


189 5834


from 1870.


99


HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.


County, and with the circuits of which it has in the past formed a part, not elsewhere recorded. This we shall endeavor to do with some regard to cbronolog- ical order. Biographies of some of the most dis- tinguished resident members of the legal profession will be found elsewhere in this work.


The legal business of the earliest pioneers of the county for a decade after its first settlement was transacted at the seat of justice of the territory of which they formed a part-Lawrenceburg, and later Brookville, Salisbury and Centerville-owing to the location of their lands and the time of their bus- iness prior to the organization of Fayette County.


CIRCUITS AND JUDGES.


After the organization of the county it was placed in the Third Judicial Circuit, with which it remained until the spring term of 1830. The President Judges of the Third Circuit during that period were John Watts, who served until the March term, 1820, when succeeded by Miles C. Eggleston, who served until the March term of court, 1830.


At the March term, 1830, Fayette County became a part of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, over which pre- sided Charles H. Test, whose successor in the spring of 1836 was Samuel Bigger. Judge James Perry was Bigger's successor by appointment, commissioned March 29, 1840; the latter resigned and became Gov- ernor. Judge Perry served out the unexpired time of Judge Bigger, and was succeeded by Jehu T. Elli- ott, who first appeared at the spring term of the court 1844. Judge Elliott discharged the duties of the office until 1852, when he was relieved at the spring term of that year by the late Oliver P. Morton.


The following year Fayette County was made a part of the Fourth Judicial Circuit, and at the spring term William M. McCarty, President Judge of that circuit, presided at Fayette County. That fall Judge McCarty was succeeded by Judge Reuben D. Logan, who served through the September term of court, 1865. He was succeeded at the March term, 1866, by Jere- miah M. Wilson. At the March term of court, 1871, William A. Cullen became successor to Judge Wilson.


At the spring term of court, 1873, the county appears in the Eighth Judicial Circuit, over which presided Samuel A. Bonner. In 1883 Fayette was made a part of the Thirty-seventh Judicial Circuit, over which presided Ferdinand S. Swift, who is the present Judge of the Fayette Circuit Court.


The first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Fayette County was John S. Reid, whose name appears for the first time at the January term of the court, 1853. Mr. Reid discharged the duties of this office until the December term of court, 1860, when he was succeeded by Jeremiah M. Wilson, who served


until the spring term of court, 1865, then was suc- ceeded by John F. Kibby, who performed the duties of the bench until 1873, when the Court of Common Pleas was abolished.


The resident Judges of the county have been John S. Reid and Jeremiah M. Wilson.


The former was a native of Scotland, and before twenty-four years of age had pursued a course of study at Oxford University. In 1839 he immigrated to America and attended Miami University at Oxford, Ohio. After his graduation he taught some in that vicinity, and in 1840 removed to Liberty, where he also taught school and read law. In 1851 he settled in Connersville, and was soon afterward elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, serving from 1853 to 1860. He was a member of the State Constitutional Convention, and subsequently served as State Senator from the counties of Fayette and Union. In 1868 he was the Democratic nominee for Congress against George W. Julian. Reid's friends claimed his elec- tion, and the Judge contested the election, but unsuc- cessfully. In 1876 he removed to Indianapolis, where he was engaged in the practice of law until his death, which occurred September 5, 1879. He was a man of decided ability and sterling character. He had a taste for literary pursuits and was a poet of some distinction. He published a volume of works.


Judge Wilson is a native of Warren County, Ohio, where his youth was passed on a farm. He read law at Lebanon, the county seat of Warren, with Gen. Durbin Ward, and located at Centerville about 1854, and a few years subsequently settled at Con- nersville. From 1860 to 1865 he served as. Common Pleas Judge and as Circuit Judge from 1866 to 1871. He represented his district in Congress from 1871 to 1875, after which he settled in Washington, D. C., where he has since been engaged in the active practice of his profession. He is a man of recognized ability.


EARLY PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.


The attorney who prosecuted pleas in behalf of the State for the circuit was appointed by the Gov- ernor, and in the early history of the courts of Fayette County the sum of $20 was the usual allow- ance for the services of a Prosecuting Attorney at a single term. It was necessary at times for the appointment of a County Prosecutor, which was made by the Judge.


In naming some of the men who served in the capacity of Prosecuting Attorney for the circuit or county in its early history, where either can be designated with a degree of certainty, it will be done.


The first to serve as County Prosecutor was Will- iam W. Wicks, who was appointed on the first day of the first term of court held in the county, May 3,


L. of C.


.


100


HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.


1819. Oliver H. Smith was appointed County Pros- ecutor in 1822, and took the oath of office at the March term of that year. In 1824 he was appointed Circuit Prosecutor by Gov. Hendricks, which position he held two years, resigning in 1826, during which time, he remarks: " I rode with Judge Eggleston into every county and attended the courts twice a year. Our southern court at that time was held at Vevay, and our northern at Fort Wayne. The Judge was rather delicate, but I had an iron constitution. There were no bridges over the streams, but we rode good swimming horses and never faltered on account of high water, but plunged in and always found the opposite shore somehow. During the two years that I served as Prosecutor, there was not a single court held or a grand jury impaneled in my absence on our circuit. On one circuit I heard nine men sen- tenced to the penitentiary and four to be hung that I prosecuted."


Mr. Smith's successor was Amos Lane, when served for a time Cyrus Finch and David Wallace, then from December 30, 1828, for a period of three years was appointed Prosecuting Attorney for the Circuit Martin M. Ray. James Perry, William J. Brown (circuit), Samuel W. Parker, David Macy, Martin M. Ray, Samuel E. Perkins and Jehu T. Elliott served in the order giveu.


FIRST AND LATER LAWYERS AT THE FAYETTE COURTS.


At the opening of the court, May 3, 1819, the following-named attorneys were present and admitted to practice in the courts of Fayette County: William W. Wick, James Noble, John Test, William C. Drew, Daniel J. Caswell, James B. Ray, James Rariden, Nathaniel French, and John A. Daily.


In 1820 were admitted Amos Lane, James Gil- more, Oliver H. Smith, Moses Fay, David Eaton, Cyrus Finch and George H. Dunn. In 1821, Ozias Hale and Moses Hitchcock. In 1822, Charles H. Veeder, Martin M. Ray, John T. Mckinney, William Steele, Vincet Mitchell and Charles H. Test. In 1823, W. R. Morris and David Wallace.


The following list of names was published in the Times in 1879, under the head of attorneys admitted to the Fayette County bar from 1819 to 1854:


1819-James Rariden.


1823-Charles H. Test.


1825-James Perry.


1828-Caleb B. Smith, John S. Newman and William Daily.


1831-Samuel W. Parker.


1832-John Ryman, George Holland.


1834-Elisha Vance.


1835-George B. Tingley.


1837-Pleasant A. Hackleman.


1839-James B. Sleeth, Solomon Malser and James A. Fay.


1840-Moses Kelly, Louis C. Fouts and John S. Reid.


1846-George W. Woodbury, W. S. Burrows, and Benjamin F. Claypool.


1847-Nelson Trusler, John B. Stitt, J. B. Julian, William Wilson, Nimrod Johnson, G. W. Whitman, John A. Matson, John D. Howland, John H. Far- quhar, William M. McCarty, S. W. Hubbard, S. Ward, and D. W. Welty.


1848-Jesse Hubbart.


1849-E. M. Vance.


1850-James C. McIntosh.


1851-Gilbert Trusler.


1852-Samuel Heron and A. W. Griffith.


1853-James R. McClure, Moses G. Marshall,


Jonathan Shields, B. C. Stewart, M. J. Williams, James Conner, E. S. Hawley, and Henry Shambre. 1854-James H. Bonham.


REFERENCE TO THE LAWYERS AND PRACTICE OF EARLY INDIANA.


Oliver H. Smith, in speaking of the lawyers of early Indiana, says: "Our lawyers were what the world calls self-made men, meaning men who have not had the advantages of rich fathers and early edu- cation, to whom the higher seminaries and colleges were sealed books; men gifted by nature with strong, vigorous, clear intellects, fine health, and soud constitutions; men, who like the newly- hatched swan, were directed by nature to their proper elements, their proper professions. Few of them failed of success. Necessity urged to action. With most of them it was 'root or die.' In ninety-nine cases out of every hundred of the failures in the dif- ferent professions and avocations in life, charged by the world to 'bad luck,' it is nothing more nor less than the selection of a profession, avocation or busi- ness that nature never intended you for. The smallest teal, or duck, that swims on the bosom of Chesa- peake Bay, would sink and drown in that element the best blooded and finest game-cock that ever old Vir- ginia produced in her most chivalric days; while in the cock-pit, the teal or duck would be nowhere in the fight.


"Our counties furnished too little business for the resident attorneys; we all looked to a circuit prac- tice. Some rode the whole circuit and others over but few counties. We sometimes had a little spar- ring in our cases in trials, but it ended there, and we stood banded together like brothers. At the Rush Circuit Court my friend Judge Perry bargained for a pony for $25, to be delivered the next day, on a credit of six months. The man came with the pony,


Ir. Fr. Thrasher


103


HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.


but required security of the Judge for the $25. The Judge drew the note at the top of a sheet of foolscap, and signed it. I signed it; James Rariden signed it and passed it on, and on it went from lawyer to lawyer around the bar, till some twenty of us had signed it. I then handed it up to the Court, and the three Judges put their names to it. Judge Perry presented it to the man he had bought the pony of, but he promptly refused to receive it. 'Do you think I am a fool, to let you get the court and all the lawyers on your side ? I see you intend to cheat me out of my pony.' Up he jumped and ran ont of the court house on full gallop.


"The great variety of trials and incidents on the circuit gave to the life of a traveling attorney an interest that we all relished exceedingly. There was none of the Green Bay City monotony, no dyspepsia, no gout, no ennui, rheumatism or neuralgia; con- sumption was a stranger among us. An occasional jump of the toothache, relieved by the turnkey of the first doctor we came to, was the worst. All was fun, good humor, fine jokes well received, good appetites and sound sleeping, cheerful landlords and good- natured landladies at the head of the table. We rode first-class horses: Gen. Noble on 'Wrangler,' for which he gave $60; Drew on 'Drew Gray,' cost $70; Caswell on 'Blue Dick,' cost $65; Rariden on 'Old Gray,' cost $80; John Test on 'Bay Filly,' cost $50; Gen. Mckinney on 'Mckinney Roan,' cost $45; David Wallace on 'Ball,' cost $40; Amos Lane on 'Big Sorrel,' cost $60; Judge Eggles- ton on Indian pony, cost $35; George H. Dunn on 'Dancing Rabbit,' cost $40; James B. Ray on 'Red Jacket,' cost $60; Martin M. Ray on 'John,' cost $35; William R. Morris on 'Jacob,' cost $50; Charles H. Test on 'Archie,' cost $40; John S. Newman on 'Clay Bank,' cost $60; and I rode 'Grey Fox,' that cost me $90. These were the highest prices at that day for the very best traveling horses in the country. They were trained to the cross-pole mud roads, and to swimming.


"Our attorneys were ready, off-hand practitioners. seldom at fault for the occasion. Sometimes we had to meet attorneys from other States, who would fling the Latin and technical terms with a triumph- ant air, but in most cases they were foiled by the quick retorts of our bar."


Below is set forth the character of some of the non-resident members of the early Whitewater bar, as held by Oliver H. Smith, some of whom sat upon the bench in this county, aud others were at times associated in its legal business. (James B. Ray was for a short time a resident of Connersville, and served for a time as Deputy Clerk of the County.)


"Gen. Noble was emphatically a self-made man ;


quick, ready and always prepared. He served two full terms in the Senate; died a Senator, compar- atively a young man, and lies entombed in the Con- gressional Cemetery at Washington.


"James B. Ray succeeded Gov. Hendricks, and was the youngest man who ever occupied the chair at the time of his election. He was a popular stump speaker; was never beaten before the people for Gov- ernor, at one time beating Judge Blackford, at another, Dr. Israel T. Canby and Habin H. Moore. He was a zealous lawyer, but entered the political field before his forensic powers were fully developed.


"Gen. Mckinney was a fair lawyer, and gave good satisfaction as a Judge, but died before he had reached the meridian of his life, or had been long enough on the bench to fully develop his judicial character.


"Among the prominent men of the early White- water bar was Judge Charles H. Test. He was a young man of fine talents and great energy of charac- ter. At quite an early age he took a high position among the ablest of the profession.


"James Rariden was one of the strong men of the State. He represented Wayne County many years in both branches of the General Assembly; was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1850, and served two terms in Congress from his district.


"William J. Brown held the high offices of mem ber of the Legislature, member of Congress and Assistant Postmaster-General. For many years he was one of the most formidable Democratic public speakers in the State.


"John S. Newman was a fine practice lawyer with a head clear as a bell, a remarkably matured judg- ment at an early day in his profession. His strong vigorous intellect made him a safe counsellor and a valuable co-laborer in heavy cases."


RESIDENT LAWYERS.


Oliver H. Smith was admitted to the bar at Law- renceburg, this State, in March, 1820, and in May of the same year settled in Connersville as a practitioner. At the time of his arrival there was but one lawyer in the village-William W. Wick. Mr. Wick was not long a resident practitioner, as he was soon elected a Judge of the "New Purchase," and from 1825 to 1829 he filled the office of Secretary of State, and subsequently served as a Member of Congress. Charles Veeder, Ozias Hall, Cyrus Finch and Martin M. Ray were among the early resident members of the bar.




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