USA > Michigan > Bench and bar of Michigan : a volume of history and biography > Part 17
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personal acquaintance, which is indeed phenomenal. He knows every man and woman in the county. When a desperate fight was waged in the Legislature for the removal of the county seat to Petoskey he went to Lansing and was largely instrumental in retaining it at Harbor Springs. He is quick to decide and resolute in action ; true to his friends and fair to his enemies. He is earnest, strong and determined in the prosecution of any undertaking. There is no dallying or dawdling in his methods. His manner is straightforward, without pretense or deception. He is kindly and charitably disposed and his friendship to the young is always helpful. It is frequently exhibited in rendering assistance to a poor country lad struggling to gain a footing. Nature has fashioned Mr. Deuel with a phy- sical perfection rarely equaled. His proportions are athletic and sym- metrical. In college he was easily chief in any athletic contest and his love of the amateur sports has been retained with all the fervor of a college student. He has gained a high reputation for athletics in all the lake region. His friends are ready to back him for a foot race against any man in the county, whether the contestant be white man or Indian. He can outrun or outjump any other lawyer in the state of Michigan. His leader- ship in athletics is no less actual than in politics and public enterprises.
CHARLES J. PAILTHORPE, Petoskey. Judge Pailthorpe was born December 25, 1848, at what is now known as Mount Morris, Genesee county, Michigan. His father, William Pailthorpe, was a farmer who came to this country in 1837 from Nottinghamshire, England, where he was born, and died on the home farm in Genesee county in November, 1873. His mother was Frances Sisson, a native of Lincolnshire, England. She died July 1, 1894, at the residence of her daughter, Mary Hackney, near the village of Mount Morris. She was the mother of eleven children, all boys with one exception. The daughter, with six of the sons, lived to maturity. The early days of the subject of this sketch were spent on the farm, attending the district school. When he had grown somewhat older he was a pupil in a business college at Flint, finishing his general schooling there when he was twenty years of age. For the next three years he taught school winters and worked on the farm during the summer. In the fall of 1873 he entered the Law Department of the University of Michigan. He was graduated in 1875, and the same year was admitted to the Bar in Washtenaw county. The northern part of the State was then attracting the young and ambitious. Mr. Pailthorpe sought a loca- tion at one of its most promising centers, and established himself at Petoskey. Here he entered upon the practice of his profession, and has made a deep impression upon the community. From the fall of 1878 he was in partnership with J. 1 .. Newberry for three years; and from 1882 to 1885 with M. W. George. For several years after that he carried on his
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practice entirely by himself, but in August, 1894, he entered into business relations with his present partner, Albert McCabe. He was appointed prosecuting attorney in December, 1876, and was elected to the same position at the general election following. He resigned in 1878 and became a candidate for the Legislature. The district was overwhelmingly Republican on a general vote; but he was successful in his canvass though an avowed Democrat, and was elected by a majority of seventy-six votes. He served his district and the State very creditably as a Representative, being a member of the important committees of judiciary and public lands. He was a candidate for Probate Judge in the fall of 1880 and was defeated by a small vote, although running ahead of the other candidates on the Democratic ticket. In local affairs his personal character and executive ability have often been recognized by his selection for important positions in home offices-honors irrespective of party considerations. He was village attorney for two terms, president of the village one term, and a member of the school board for six years. Governor Winans appointed him Judge of the Thirty-third Judicial Circuit in June, 1891, and he held that office by appointment until the following April. He was then nominated and elected for the residue of the term without opposition. While he was presiding as Circuit Judge for a period of some three years, there were four murder cases tried before him, resulting in three convic- tions and one acquittal. He was United States Commissioner for western Michigan from 1876 to 1878. He ran for Regent of the University of Michigan in the spring election of 1895, but was defeated by Roger W. Butterfield. One of the many notable cases which he has assisted in the trial of was that of the Armstrong Manufacturing Company vs. The Western Manufacturing Mutual Insurance Company (95 Michigan, 137). This case involved the question whether an insurance policy, containing a clause not provided for in the Michigan standard policy, is not to be regarded as void because contrary to public policy, but voidable at the option of the insured for whose protection the law is intended. It was carried from the Kent circuit to the Supreme Court, and there decided in favor of the plaintiff. Judge Pailthorpe is a member the Masonic order, and belongs to Ivanhoe Commandery, K. T., at Petoskey. He has held the office of Captain General, and is now Generalissimo. He was married April 23, 1878, to Miss Jessie Westcott, of Petoskey. Her father was a gallant soldier in the Civil War, did his duty on all occasions, and gave up his life in the battle of Spotsylvania, as an offering on the sacred altars of liberty and the Union. They are the parents of an interesting family of five children : Fannie was born in June, 1879; Charles R., in Novem- ber of the next year; Arthur, April, 1882; Ormund, 1887; and Raymond in 1889. Mr. Pailthorpe is regarded as standing among the very best lawyers in his part of the State, and takes care of a large and lucrative practice. He is a man of imposing presence, genial manners, and has hosts of friends. He is deliberate and somewhat slow in arriving at his conclusions, but very firin in his convictions.
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JOHN POWER, Escanaba. John Power, United States District Attor- ney, was born in Waterford, Ireland, July 13, 1846. His father, Matthew Power, was a grain merchant. His mother was Bridget Veale Power. Both were natives of the County of Waterford. John Power came to America in May, 1863, and immediately after his arrival in New York joined the Seventeenth New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Power's object in coming to America at that time was to join the celebrated Irish Brigade, commanded by Gen. Thomas Francis Meagher, who was also a native of Waterford. There being no recruiting depot for this brigade then in New York, the subject of this sketch, as above stated, entered the 17th N. Y. V. V. 1. commanded by Colonel Grower, and was assigned to Company A, under command of Cap't. Hiram Wilde. The regiment served in the southwest under General Sherman and formed a part of the First Brigade, Second Division of the Fourteenth Army Corps. It was engaged at the siege of Atlanta and marched to the sea with Sherman. It participated in all the engagements at which the fourteenth corps was present. Mr. Power served as a private and was discharged from the service at Troy, New York, June 19, 1865. Shortly after this he entered the regular army, and was discharged therefrom as first sergeant of Company E, First United States Infantry, at Fort Brady, in July, 1869. He settled in Keweenaw county the same summer and there taught school, in which occupation he continued for three years, devoting all his spare time to the study of the law. He was admitted to the Bar at Eagle River, Keweenaw county, during the September term of 1872 and immediately entered upon the practice of his profession at Calumet, Houghton county, where he remained until 1881. August 1, 1881, he removed to Escanaba, Delta county, where he has built up an extensive practice, quite general in its character, and entirely under his immediate control, as he never has had a partner. He has always been a Democrat and has been an earnest advo- cate of his party ; but in 1896 he refused to endorse the Chicago platform, being an ardent advocate of sound money. He was prosecuting attorney of Keweenaw county from 1880 to 1882 and city attorney of Escanaba for ten years commencing with 1883. He has been a member of the Esca- naba board of education for the past ten years and was its president for seven years. February 6, 1894 he was appointed by President Cleveland United States District Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, and still holds the position. He was the nominee of his party for repre- sentative in Congress for the Ninth District, in 1878, but was defeated by Jay A. Hubbell, his Republican opponent. He was nominated for the same position in the Eleventh District in 1884, 1886 and again in 1888. He ran ahead of his ticket at each contest, materially reducing the adverse majority in the Upper Peninsula. He was a delegate to the National Democratic Conventions in 1880, 1884 and 1892, and was the candidate of his party for elector at large in the Western District of Michigan in the
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last mentioned year. He has enjoyed a lucrative practice and has had many important cases which are matters of record in the judicial history of the State. Mr. Power was married September 28, 1868, to Miss Eliza- beth Corgan, of Copper Harbor, daughter of Charles and Mary Corgan, both natives of Ireland. Mrs. Power was born in Toronto, Canada. They have eight children; Walter J., Catherine, Patrick S., May Frances, Roscoe B., Matthew Lamar, Victor, and Patricia. Mr. Power has taken an earnest part in politics, has been a hard worker in campaigning and is a fluent speaker. He is much in demand for memorial and other addresses. He is largely interested in real estate in Escanaba and elsewhere and is one of the leading men of the Upper Peninsula.
BENJAMIN T. HALSTEAD, Petoskey. Judge Halstead was born March 30, 1850, in Brooklyn, New York. His father was John S. Hal- stead, a native of New York, and a ship carpenter by occupation. His mother was Emily A. Harroway. She was born in New York, but her immediate progenitors came from England. The family removed to Key- port, New Jersey, when Mr. Halstead was a child. His father is yet living in that place, and is crowned with years and the honor of a life of hard work and unflinching integrity. Mr. Halstead's early days were spent in Keyport attending the public school; when he was old enough to learn the trade of ship carpentering he began an apprenticeship at it and worked for four years. He attended the district school for his rudimentary instruc- tion in the wisdom of books; and at the age of twenty he came to Michi- gan, entered the Agricultural College in the spring of 1870, and graduated in the class of 1873. During vacations and after his graduation he taught the public schools at Lake View, Howard City, and other points until 1875. That year he entered the law office of Judge C. F. McNutt, at Bloomington, Indiana, where he prepared for law school. He was in the Law Department of the University of Indiana and received its diploma in June, 1876. He went to Dallas county, Iowa, for the purpose of engag- ing in law practice in the newer northwest and remained there until the spring of 1879. His experiences in that State were not pleasant and he came back to Michigan, entirely convinced that it was good enough for him. He settled in Barry county, where he taught school until 1882. In the month of February of that year he removed to Emmet county and established himself at Harbor Springs where he practised law some years. He then removed to Petoskey in the same county where he has since resided. He was admitted to practice in Indiana in 1876, in Iowa in 1877 and in Michigan in 1880, the last examination being before Judge Hooker, of Eaton county, now Judge of the Supreme Court. He carries on a general law business and has no partner, preferring to practice alone. He was justice of the peace one term and was a member of the school board
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at Harbor Springs four years. He was Circuit Court Commissioner from 1886 to 1888 and prosecuting attorney from 1888 to 1892. He is a Demo- crat and in 1891 was nominated by his party for the office of probate judge. He was elected and still holds the position. He was married May 2, 1875, to Miss Nettie Howard of Lake View. She was a native of New York and came to this State in 1872. She was a capable teacher and is a pleasant and attractive lady. They have had three children, of whom only one is now living, Benjamin Howard Halstead, born September 7, 1876. He is a close and faithful student and has taken two years' instruc- tion at the Michigan Agricultural College, and one year at the Indiana State University. He will be graduated there in the class of 1897. Mr. Halstead has been a Mason since 1887, and is a member of Petoskey Chapter, R. A. M .; was Master of the Blue Lodge one year. He is admitted to practice in all the courts of the State and is considered one of the best and ablest lawyers in northwestern Michigan. He excels as a trial lawyer and when fully aroused can make a powerful plea. He has a legal mind and is analytical in his treatment of a case. He marshals all the facts and principles involved in it in such a way that opposition is overcome and in most cases the jury are inclined towards his side. In 1887 Judge Halstead received the compliment of the degree of A. M., pro merito from his Alma Mater, the Indiana State University.
EDWARD H. GREEN, Charlevoix. Maj. Edward H. Green was born October 31, 1834, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. His father, Joseph Green, was a native of Rhode Island, of Puritan descent, and a manufac- turer of boots and shoes. His mother, Susan Sloat, was a native of Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania, where she lived during her whole life. Edward H. attended the public schools at Maytown, Pennsylvania, until twenty years of age, and then attended the first State Normal school at Millersville, Pennsylvania, and taught school until 1861. He responded to the first call of the President for volunteers and enlisted April 19, 1861, in the Maytown Infantry, which was attached to the Tenth Pennsylvania Infantry, as Company A. The regiment became a part of General Pat- terson's column in the Shenandoah Valley. His first enlistment was for three months. At the end of that time he re-enlisted in the One Hun- dred Seventh Pennsylvania Infantry for three years, and subsequently enlisted again for the war. The One Hundred Seventh Regiment be- longed to the first army corps, which subsequently formed the Third Division of the Fifth army corps when General Grant took personal com- mand of the Army of the Potomac. Major Green was wounded through the thigh and in the foot in the second battle of Bull Run, August 30, 1862. After lying six days on the field he was picked up with other dis- abled soldiers and conveyed to Lincoln Hospital, Washington, where he
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remained from September 7, 1862, to January, 1863. When wounded he was first sergeant of Company E, and when he returned to his regiment January 2 1st, he received a commission as second lieutenant of Company II, and seven days later was promoted and commissioned first lieutenant. Being unable to march with his regiment he was appointed acting adju- tant. November 23, 1863, he was commissioned captain of Company H. At the battle of Spotsylvania, May 21, 1864, he was captured by the enemy and taken to Libby Prison, where he was kept for a month and then taken to Macon, Georgia, and thence to Savannah. After that he was removed to Charleston, South Carolina, and placed in the jail yard with six hundred commissioned officers, where they were kept under fire of the Union guns. After several other removals he was paroled near Wilmington, North Carolina, February 24, 1865, having been held a prisoner for nine months. He was exchanged April 26, and joined his regiment May 14, 1865, and was mustered out July 13, 1865. He was brevetted major by the President March 13, for gallant and meritorious services at the second battle of Bull Run and Spotsylvania. After the war closed he returned home, and in 1866 came to Michigan, entered the Law De- partment of the University of Michigan, and was graduated in the class of 1868. He was admitted to the Bar by the Supreme Court at Detroit in the spring of that year. While prospecting for a location in the north- ern part of the State he called on Judge Ramsdell, at Traverse City, who advised him to locate at Charlevoix. He acted upon that advice, and has never had occasion to regret his choice of location. The county of Char- levoix was organized in 1869, and Major Green was appointed prosecuting attorney for the county and also Circuit Court Commissioner. He filled the office of prosecuting attorney until 1873. In 1872 he was elected to the Legislature and subsequently re-elected, serving two terms. He was twice elected treasurer of the county, discharging the duties of that office two full terms. He has always been a Republican and a very active mem- ber of the party. In the law his practice has been largely an office prac- tice as a counsellor. He is a Mason and has long been an ardent supporter of the order. He was the first Master of the Masonic Lodge at Charle- voix, serving as such for six years. He is a Knight Templar and a member of the commandery at Petoskey. He has taken active interest in the affairs of the G. A. R., and was the first commander of Baxter Post. By the favor of the people Major Green has devoted more time to public office than to private practice. The aggregate number of years spent in the performance of various official duties is twenty-two. Ile is a man of great personal popularity as may be inferred from his frequent elec- tions. He is as genial in social life as he was brave in battle. The mem- ories of the war are dear to him. He finds enjoyment with comrades around the camp fires of the Grand Army in perpetuating them by song and story. Major Green is commander of the Grand Traverse Soldiers' and Sailors' Association. He is a generous man in charitable deeds and
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large-hearted liberality, which distinguishes the progressive citizen. He was married in 1868 to Luena A. Matthews, of Ann Arbor, who died in March, 1886, leaving two sons and three daughters. He was married a second time, September 27, 1888, to Mrs. Genevra Barnes Guyles, of Man- itowoc, Wisconsin. He is an Episcopalian and warden of Christ Church Mission at Charlevoix.
GEORGE E. FROST, Cheboygan. Alonzo P. Frost, the father of our subject, was a native of New York and a harness maker by trade. Hle emigrated to Michigan in 1836 and a few years later settled in Pontiac, where he lived until 1884. In that year he removed to Cheboygan, which has been his home to the present time. After coming to Michigan he married Miss Nelly Voorheis, a native of New York, who came to Michigan in 1823 and who is still living with her husband in Cheboygan. In 1851 they settled upon eighty acres of wild land near Pontiac, where they cleared a farm and estabished a home, in which the family lived thirty- three years. George E., son of Alonzo P. and Nelly Voorheis Frost, was born March 24, 1851, at Pontiac. Ilis childhood was spent on the farm and as soon as his hands were strong enough to lift a piece of brush or wield an ax he was taught to work and helped transform the native forest into fertile fields. From the time he attained school age until twelve years old he attended the country district schools in winter and rendered such assistance as he could the remainder of the year at all kinds of work in the clearing and in the fields. Between the ages of twelve and twenty he attended the public schools of Pontiac and finished with the course in the high school of that city. For two years after graduation he was engaged in teaching district schools, and while thus employed began the study of law under the direction of Judge Baldwin, of Pontiac. He was a student under the Judge's tuition for a period of two years, at the close of which he entered the office of Alfred Russell, of Detroit, as student and clerk. After one year with Mr. Russell under his excellent instruction he was admitted to the Bar in the Wayne Circuit Court by Judge Reilly. Immedi- ately afterwards he formed a partnership with S. Slesinger and opened an office in Detroit for practice. This partnership was dissolved in 1877 and Mr. Frost continued in the practice alone for the next two years. In the spring of 1879 he removed to Cheboygan, and for the first fifteen years of his residence there practised alone. In January, 1894, he formed a part- nerchip with V. D. Sprague, which is still in force. His law business is general in the scope and character of business taken and in the extent of territory covered. Not only is it the largest and most profitable in the county, but it extends as far south as Louisiana. Mr. Frost belongs to that class of good lawyers, now happily increasing, who prefer to serve their clients by keeping them out of court and who do usually render them much
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greater service by such counsel than would be possible by litigating their cases. He examines with scrupulous care the merits of any case placed in his hands and never advises litigation if there be a possibility of securing a settlement on any reasonable terms. In this kind of practice he is remark- ably successful. It is advantageous alike to the lawyer and his client, as the former is enabled to transact a much larger business and the latter saves a large amount in expenses attending a trial and not infrequently in court costs. The trial of cases in court can hardly be afforded by a good lawyer unless the amount involved is very large and the resources of diplomacy are inadequate to secure an agreement outside of court. - Mr. Frost has numerous cases in the Supreme Court and the records show that he has met with more than average success before that tribunal. He is attorney for nearly all of the large corporations in Cheboygan and receives from them annual retainers. In politics he is a Republican. Among his earliest recollections are the hurrahs of the Fremont Campaign in 1856. His voice was heard in that campaign and with scarcely less intelligence, though much less noise, than characterizes many of the public speakers on the stump in the present campaign. The first political office he held was that of United States Commissioner for the Eastern District of Michigan, to which he was appointed by Judge Henry B. Brown, now a Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He still discharges the duties of that office, held under appointment made in 1880. From 1880 to 1884 he was also Circuit Court Commissioner of Cheboygan County. He was the first Republican ever elected president of the village of Cheboygan. His elec- tion to that office the first time took place in 1883 and he was re-elected twice, serving three terms and declining a fourth nomination, which was tendered. He was elected prosecuting attorney of Cheboygan county twice, first in 1885 and again in 1889, serving two terms. He was chosen an alternate to the Republican National Convention of 1892 for the Tenth District of Michigan. He has for many years been the leader in the poli- tics of his county ; but has always been firm in the refusal to permit his name to be used as a candidate for the Legislature. He was married the first time in 1881 to Mary I .. Bailey, daughter of Dr. John R. Bailey, of Mackinac Island, who died the following year without issue. In April, 1885, he was married to Mrs. Emma C. Freeman, of Middleport, New York, daughter of John H. Waterman, now of Detroit. Three sons were born of this marriage: George E., Stanley H., and . Russell W. Mr. Frost has membership in the Congregational Church, of which he has been a trustee for several years. He was made a Mason in 1885 and takes con- siderable interest in the order. He belongs to the Chapter and the Coun- cil. He is also a Knight of Pythias. As a lawyer Mr. Frost excels in the intuitive sense of what the law is, without being obliged to look it up. He is fine and strong in pleading. His analysis is keen and his application of the law clear and fitting. He is reliable and worthy of the fullest confi- dence of his brethren at the Bar. The methods which he employs commend
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