History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 109

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men > Part 109

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His efforts in improving the harbor of St. Louis and in fostering its educational interests were great and unremitting. He urged the sale of the " com- mons" and the devoting of a part of the proceeds to the public schools, and assisted in organizing the first Board of Education, of which he was the first secre- tary. He was long in the habit of attending the public school examinations and addressing the chil- dren, and made some of his happiest efforts on such occasions. In 1846 he was an unsuccessful candidate for sheriff, but some years later was elected clerk of the Circuit Court. About 1862 he was chosen judge of the St. Louis Criminal Court, and for thirteen busy years filled that place with uniform excellence. For

1 Judge Primmn's mother, grandmother, and great-grand- mother were born in St. Louis, and Col. A. R. Easton contributes the remarkable fact that lately enough to come within his dis- tinct recollection they were all living in the city.

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a brief period he returned to practice, but his health failed, and he retired permanently. It is difficult to give any one a proper idea of the well-rounded strength and simplicity of his character. He was called the best linguist at the bar ; his social qualities were almost of the nature of genius, and he was a famous amateur vocalist, violinist, and elocutionist. On March 3, 1878, George R. Taylor delivered an eloquent address upon Judge Primm. It shows clearly the devoted affection he won from his asso- ciates. Others were equally loved, but none better. His professional capacity and his loyalty to right were corner-stones of his life. In many and import- ant cascs the patriarchs of the bar, Geyer, Bates, Gamble, and Spalding, were his associates or oppo- nents. Mr. Taylor says, " As early as 1837 he was among the members of the bar which had for its object the purification of the bench, alleging that the judge of the Circuit Court, among other grievances, was too passionate and impatient while on the bench to admit a calm and full examination of cases. Sub- sequently, in the impeachment trial of Judge Peck before the United States Senate, the oldest members of the bar were summoned, and among them Wilson Primm, who at that carly day showed attainments of so great and universal a character, combined with the blandest manners, not supercilious or obtrusive, with a voice full, musical, and persuasive, that it is no wonder he at once took high position among his brethren." As a witness in the Peck case, he was called upon to translate many of the old French and Spanish archives, and it is related that he attracted universal attention in Washington by his natural grace and charm of manner, and electrified the social circles by his wit and accomplishments.

Judge Hamilton, in after-ycars, remarked, “ None knew better the true use and power of language, or how to match the expression to the thought. It was this peculiarity, added to soundness of judgment, apt- ness and beauty of illustration, and a voice of rare sweetness and variety of intonation, that made him so successful before the jury." Hon. Gilchrist Porter recently alluded to his recollections of Wilson Primm's eloquence as far back as 1836 before the St. Charles court. The resolutions passed by the St. Louis bar after his death were unusual tributes of respect and affection. In the historical address before alluded to Mr. Taylor speaks of his many professional kindnesses. In 1841 a young and promising lawyer was shot and killed; Judge Primm bore the funeral expenses and gave his splendid talent in the murderer's prosecution, and dozens of such cases occurred, notably in the famous Montesquieu trial, where his knowledge of

French was of great service. He aided largely in establishing the insanity of the elder and the innocence of the younger brother. One of the objects of his peculiar interest was the old cathedral, to which so many of the old French descendants contributed years of labor, love, and talent. He was a member of the ex- ecutive committee that built the cathedral, and organ- ized and for a long time led its choir. Though in demand on public occasions, as an orator of force and grace, his masterpiece in this line was delivered on Feb. 15, 1847, when the anniversary of the found- ing of St. Louis was celebrated. From the steps of the court-house Judge Primm thrilled a vast assemblage with his fervid and impetuous language, surpassing himself, and surprising even his closest friends.

Judge Primm possessed a vivid recollection of events connected with the progress of the city, and his rem- iniscences were very interesting. He wrote a small historical treatise, which was accepted as authority as to the matters of which it treated, and delivered nu- merous addresses and wrote numerous articles for the press on the history of St. Louis.

Judge James B. Bowlin, a contemporary of Judge Primm, died in July, 1874. He was born near Fredericksburg, Va., in 1804, and moved to St. Louis in 1833. In 1837 he was married to Miss Margaret Colburn. In 1838 he represented St. Louis County in the Legislature, and on the estab- lishment of the Criminal Court he was elected judge, being the first to hold that position. Under Presi- dent Polk's administration he was minister to Bogota, New Grenada, and during the second year of the ad- ministration of President Buchanan he was appointed special commissioner to Paraguay, which was the last political position he held. His diplomatic career was a very successful one, and he was held in the highest estimation abroad. Much of his success in life can fairly be attributed to the beauty, manners, and ability of his wife. He mingled in politics a good deal in early years, and established a Democratic paper. He served in Congress for four terms, begin- ning in 1842, and was very popular there. The warm feelings manifested when the usual bar meeting was held after his death showed how strong a hold upon his associates Judge Bowlin had gained. Hon. John F. Darby, always ready, genial, and full of reminis- cences, said, on that occasion,-

" Hc had known Judge Bowlin since the latter came to St. Louis, and although they were on oppo- site sides in politics, they were always warm friends. Judge Bowlin was a Jackson man all over, and swore by Tom Benton. The speaker was an enthusiastic Whig. In 1838 they were opposition candidates for

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Congress. At that time the Jackson party was domi- nant, and had had unlimited sway for twenty-five years. Previous to that congressmen were elected by the State at large, and twice Judge Bowlin had been so elected. A nomination on the State Demo- cratic ticket at that day was always regarded as equiva- lent to an election. He rccollected going out into the State to electioneer for his party, and meeting a man who told him he was wasting his efforts, as there were not Whigs enough there for seed. In the canvass of 1838, however, the State had been for the first time districted, and it happened that in this district the Democratic party was not in the ascend- ancy, so Judge Bowlin was beaten. Up to this time there were but two courts in St. Louis County,-the Circuit Court and County Court. The criminal business had increased until it was found necessary to separate it from the civil business, and the Criminal Court was created. The Senate nominated Judge Bowlin, and the Governor commissioned him. He was universally considered by the bar as a just and impartial judge, and in the days when Geyer and Allen, and Spalding and Bates, and other great men practiced before his bar, he was equal to dealing with all the intricate questions that arose. The speaker cited two great cases that had been tried be- fore him, which showed what metal he was made of, as a lawyer and a man. In one of these cases a great popular interest was excited, and much angry feeling. Judge and jury, defendant and counsel, witnesses and spectators, all came into court armed to the teeth, and no man could tell when the case might be appealed from a court of justice to one of force , and violence. Amid all the excitement, Judge Bow- lin sat unmoved, coolly rendering his decisions, and satisfying both sides that he was intending to do im- partial justice, and when at length a decision was reached it was gracefully accepted by the losing side without a word of fault-finding with the judge."

At this meeting of the bar Hon. L. V. Bogy pre- sided ; Governor Polk, Hon. S. Clemens, and others were among the speakers. Judge Bowlin had a younger brother, Richard H., who entered the navy, served with credit for eight years or so, then went to San Francisco, edited a paper, and took part in poli- tics. Leaving this field he studied for the bar, re- turned to St. Louis, began practice, and was soon elected to the Legislature, but his health failed, and he died in June, 1859.

One of the fine lawyers and business men of the the past was Hon. William M. McPherson. Born in Boone County, Ky., in 1813, the recipient of limited school advantages, a school-teacher himself, brought

up in a rugged way on a farm, and spending his spare hours in reading law, this gentleman descrved all his success. Hc studied in Lexington at the Transyl- vania University, practiced in his native place a while, removed to Arkansas, where he met with financial reverses, came to St. Louis (1841), and entered upon a career that enabled him by 1852 to pay up his Arkansas liabilities. He was known as an excellent advocate, served two terms as prosecuting attorney, and one term in the Legislature. His marriage in 1843 to Miss Mary Mitchell was blessed with five children. He became in later years an extensive and successful operator in real estate, built several busi. ness blocks, was a director of several railroads and other important companies, and Thomas Allen's suc- cessor as president of the Missouri Pacific. The Bellefontaine Cemetery was one of his enterprises, and, in brief, the city, as it stands, owes much to his busi- ness energy. His death occurred in November, 1872.

In 1834 or 1835, Charles D. Drake, whose biog- raphy is given on another page, began practice in St. Louis, and soon after identified himself so enthusiasti- cally with the idea of establishing a law library that it is properly his best memorial. In 1847, May 22d, the Law Association, in honor of his efforts, tendercd him a banquet. (At that time the library had twelve hun- dred and eighty-five volumes, sixty-nine members, and an annual income of six hundred dollars.) Joseph B. Crockett, president of the association, presided. Forty-five members took their seats, and the follow- ing invited guests : Hon. Thomas H. Benton, Hon. Nathaniel Pope, district judge of the United States for the district of Illinois; Hon. Robert Wash, for- merly judge of the Supreme Court of Missouri ; Hon. Ezra Hunt, judge of the Third Judicial Circuit of Missouri ; Hon. Peter Ferguson, judge of the St. Louis Probate Court. In the course of his speech Mr. Drake gave a résumé of his labors in behalf of the library, saying ,-

" When I made my home in our city it was a town of seven thousand five hundred people, now it num- bers fifty thousand ; then there were seventeen mem- bers of the bar, now they count nearly one hundred and forty. Of these seventeen, four have passed, by death, from our midst, four have retired from the active pursuits of the profession, two have removed to other homes, and seven remain, five of whom are with us this evening. I made in 1838 the effort which has resulted in the cstablishment of our association. First securing the countenance of the seniors of the bar, I went through our ranks and obtained twenty- two signatures to the original proposals. Twenty of those signers paid twenty dollars apiece, and with the

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four hundred dollars thus contributed, barely enough to purchase one hundred volumes of books, the law library was commenced."

John F. Darby, in his reminiscences, mentions the fact that until 1836 large pasture and timber tracts had lain waste near St. Louis on " the common," and were the resort of desperadoes. In July, 1838, Judge Thomas M. Dougherty, of the county court, was mur- dered on the road between St. Louis and Carondelet, being shot with seven buckshot in the head. His friends offered a reward of one thousand dollars for the apprehension of the murderers, and every effort was made to find them, without success. In 1840 a letter was received in St. Louis from Texas, signed by a Dr. Hughes, stating that hc committed the deed to gratify his revenge for an injury he imagined he suffered through the agency of Judge Dougherty. This man Hughes had many years ago been engaged in circulating counterfeit moncy, and was detected and sentenced in Kentucky to ten years' imprisonment, which he served out, and shortly after was seen in St. Louis. Further than this the entire tragedy has since that time remained a profound secret. In 1843 the murder and robbery of a Santa Fé trader named Chavir created considerable excitement. Joseph Brown and John McDaniel were executed in 1844 ; six or eight accessories, after confinement in jail for some time, were pardoned by the President.

Williamsboro', N. C., was the birthplace of one of the most popular members of the bar, Willis L. Wil- liams, who died in March, 1857, aged forty-eight. He graduated at Amherst, studied law with Joseph Bradley, at Washington, and daily attended the Con- gressional debates, taking copious notes. His admira- tion of Clay and Webster was unbounded, and through life he was an ardent Whig. After practicing at Paris, Tenn., for a short time he removed to St. Louis (1842), and became very successful. The re- vising session of the Legislature of 1844-45 found him an acknowledged leader in that body. Many as were his talents, perhaps his powers of shining supreme in the social circle were most unusual. He exercised, and always for good, a strange fascination over every one he met. A born optimist, he looked on the bright side of everything, and tried to make every one happy. When after his death the mem- bers of the bar assembled, the room was densely crowded, and the oldest members of the bar vied with each other in expressing their sorrow. Sobs were heard and tears scen on many faces. It was as if a loved relative had departed. Edward Bates showed much fecling. He said he felt as if he were walking among the gravestones of his former associates. "I

have known Mr. Williams," he said, "from the first month of his residence here,-a man of warm impulses, of active heart, so to speak, sometimes impulsive, but even then, it occurred to me, his fault leant to virtue's side. His success at the bar shows at least his quali- fication, and even when he gave offense, as we all do sometimes, the kindness of his heart won back the affection of him that he may have offended. Mr. Williams belonged to a family remarkable for their success in life, many of them eminent in their old na- tive State of North Carolina. Some have flourished since in South Tennessee, and he was pursuing here a course that might have rendered illustrious his own name."

Charles D. Drake, Senator L. V. Bogy, Gen. Coal- ter, Judge Albert Todd, Judge Primm, and others paid affectionate tributes to the deceased. Before the Court of Common Pleas, Mr. Strong said, " It would be invidious and untrue to say that he was foremost in his profession, but we all know that in legal attain- ments, in the number and magnitude of the cascs in which he was engaged, and in the general success of his professional life, he had secured a rank among those who are really eminent. Few men could appre- ciate more quickly or thoroughly whatever is beauti- ful in thought, or elegant in expression, or striking in sentiment, or droll, grotesque, and ridiculous in its character. He possessed a great fondness for the humorous, imitated well, and was, among his other genial qualities, an admirable story-teller. He had that greatest glory of man or woman, a large heart."

Of the members of the St. Louis bar who devoted much of their time and talents to the material devel- opment of the city, few, if any, played a more active or more prominent part than Lewis V. Bogy. His family was of French extraction, his grandfather having come from Canada and settled at Kaskaskia, where he married Miss Placy. About 1786 or 1787 he began to trade with the Indians in what is now Arkansas, and owing to the lack of facilities in that section of the country, sent his son Joseph, father of Lewis V., to New Orleans to be educated. In 1805, Joseph Bogy scttled at Ste. Genevieve, where Lewis V. Bogy was born on the 9th of April, 1813. French was the language of the people, and no English school was established there until John D. Grafton, from Connecticut, opened one in 1822. After remaining at this school for one year, young Bogy was sent with his brother Charles to a Catholic school at Perryville, and while there was attacked by a white swelling, which interrupted his studies for several years. He next engaged as clerk in a store, investing all his savings in books, which he studied in the evening

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after business hours. He finally decided to study law, and for that purpose was admitted, in 1832, to the office of Judge Pope, at Kaskaskia, Ill. On leav- ing home he placed in his mother's hands the follow- ing remarkable paper :

"STE. GENEVIEVE, Jan. 16, 1832.

"On this day I left home, under charge of Mr. William Shan- non, an old friend of my father, to go to Kaskaskia, to read law in the office of Judge Pope. My education is very limited, but with hard study I may overcome it. I am determined to try ; and my intention is to return to my native State to practice law, if I can qualify myself, and while doing so to work to be- come United States senator for my native State, and to work for this until I am sixty years old. I will pray God to give me the resolution to persevere in this intention. I have commu- nieated this to my mother, and given her this paper to keep. So help me God !

" LEWIS V. BOGY."

His intention to become a United States senator was never lost sight of, and was finally realized. In order to acquire a knowledge of Latin, he made an arrange- ment with Father Conda- mine, a Catholic priest of Kaskaskia, who agreed to give him lessons in return for his serviees as altar as- sistant. Young Bogy served as a volunteer in the Black Hawk war, and upon the cessation of hostilities re- turned to Kaskaskia and resumed his studies. In December, 1833, he entered Transylvania University, at Lexington, Ky., John G. Miller, J. S. Rollins, and - William M. MePherson, all of Missouri, being among his elassmates. He taught sehool a while, returned to his studies, and graduated in 1835. In April, 1835, having obtained a lieense from the Supreme Court of Missouri, he opened a law-office in St. Louis, associating himself with Logan Hanton. He was elected to the Legislature in 1840, but devoted himself otherwise to his growing praetice until he deeided to enter polities. He removed to Ste. Genevieve, then in the St. Louis congressional distriet, and led the anti-Benton party there in a very bitter campaign, but was defeated. At the next eleetion for national representatives he ran against Col. Benton himself. Though Bogy was defeated, the talents he displayed inereased his repu-

tation. Two years later he was again sent to the State Legislature. In 1848 he beeame interested in the Pilot Knob iron ores, but ten years' experiment ruined him financially, and he was foreed to return to his law practiee. In 1863 he was nominated for Congress in St. Louis against Francis P. Blair and Samuel Knox, but, as the Democrats were largely in the minority, was defeated. In 1867, President Johnson called him to the head of the Indian Bureau, but the Senate, being Republican, refused to confirm him, and at the end of six months he retired, after exhibiting superior administrative eapacity.

From this time he oceu- pied no other public posi- tion until 1873. In the beginning of 1873, Hon. Frank P. Blair's term of office being about ended, · Mr. Bogy announeed him- self as candidate for the place of United States sen- ator. There were a number of candidates on the oeea- sion of the Demoeratie eau- eus nomination for senator, the contest finally narrow- ing down to Bogy and Blair, and resulting in the election of the former by a vote of sixty-four to fifty- seven. When the election by the Legislature took place, Mr. Bogy was elected over the Republican ean- didate, Hon. J. B. Hender- son, by a majority of fifty- nine votes. In the Senate Mr. Bogy chiefly devoted himself to the question of finanee, and was especially prominent in connection with the silver bill. He was a member of the congressional commission which visited different eities for the purpose of seeuring in- formation upon the silver question, and was also its ehairman. He was an earnest worker for Western in- terests, and active in the work of seeuring direct trade with Brazil. As a member of the Senate, his eourse was marked by moderation, ability, and great industry, and he speedily won the esteem and respeet of his associates. He died at his residence in St. Louis, Sept. 20, 1877. His wife, who survived him, was a sister of Gen. Bernard Pratte, and he left two children,-Joseph Bogy and Mrs. T. S. Noonan.

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Mr. Bogy was a man of great generosity of heart, charitable toward all who needed help, steadfast in friendship, vigilant in the discharge of his dutics, and altogether one of the best citizens St. Louis has ever had.

Hon. James S. Rollins, born in Kentucky in 1812, became a resident of Boone County, Mo., in 1830, and graduated at the Transylvania Law School in 1834. He became the political leader of his section, served many terms in the State Legislature and in Congress, and was particularly distinguished as the friend of public schools and universities, and of in- ternal improvements. His services in the Thirty- seventh and Thirty-cighth Congresses were of pecu- liar importance, sustaining as he did the war measures of the government and the famous Thirteenth Con- stitutional Amendment.

Another " noted Transylvanian" was Greer W. Davis, born in Kentucky in 1799, and for fifty-seven consecutive years a lawyer in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., seventeen of these years being passed as circuit attorney. He died in 1878, the only survivor of the Territorial lawyers of Missouri. Since 1824 he had been a consistent member of the Methodist Church. His son is now a member of the St. Louis bar.

Descendant of a well-known artist, graduate of a New England college, a lawyer of good standing, and an officer in the late civil war, Chester Harding lived an active and useful lifc. His birthplace (October, 1826) was Northampton, Mass. In 1847 he began his law studies in St. Louis, under his brother-in-law, Judge Jolın M. Krum, of the Circuit Court. The next year he entered the Harvard Law School, gradu- ated in 1850, returned to St. Louis, in 1852 became Judge Krum's partner, and, being diligent and capa- ble, was soon favorably known. The firm of Krum & Harding continued till 1861, when the junior part- ner entered the army as colonel, assigned to duty as assistant adjutant-general on Gen. Lyon's staff. He was in command at St. Louis for a few months before Fremont's arrival in August, 1861. After this lie was in active service in the field until the close of the war. He resumed his profession in St. Louis, and continued in practice until his death, February, 1875. Col. J. O. Broadhead occupied the chair at the bar meeting, sympathetic resolutions were passcd, and the members of the bar in a body attended the funeral.

Another lawyer of note who settled in St. Louis about the time that Gen. Harding began practice there was Newton D. Strong, son of a Connecticut minister, and a graduate of Yale in 1831. His elder brother William afterwards became one of the justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. From

1834 to 1836, Newton was a tutor at Yale. About 1837 he settled at Alton, Ill., in law partnership with Junius Wall, a college classmate, and soon after was sent to the Legislature. In 1844 he married Miss Matilda Edwards, of Alton. In 1851 he removed to St. Louis, formed a partnership with his cousin, George P. Strong, and they had an extensive client- age. But after his wife's death, in 1851, Mr. Strong's abiding sorrow drew him more and more from active life into quiet and literary pursuits. His death oc- curred in August, 1866, in his fifty-seventh year.

A jurist of recognized capacities and tried integrity is Judge Horatio M. Jones, born in Pennsylvania in 1826, of Welsh parentage, graduated at Oberlin Col- lege in 1849, and at the Cambridge Law School in 1853. The next year he reached St. Louis and began practice. After serving several years as re- porter of the Supreme Court of the State, he was in 1861 appointed a Territorial judge of Nevada, where he made many friends. From 1863 to 1866 he had a law-office in Austin, Nev., in the heart of " sage-bruslı land." Returning to St. Louis, in 1870 he was elected a judge of the Circuit Court, and has since retained that responsible position. He married Miss Strong, of Livingston County, N. Y., in 1851. Another Judge Jones (William C.), a prominent lawyer at the St. Louis bar, has held offices of im- portance. He is a native of Kentucky (Bowling Green), and his father, Cuthbert, was a leading phy- sician of that State. Young Mr. Jones graduated at McKendree College, Lebanon, Ill., in 1852, read law, and was admitted the next year. After a short prac- tice in Chester, Ill., where his father then lived, he came to St. Louis, entered in partnership with William L. Sloss, which only lasted a year, and some time after with Judge Cady. When the war began he enlisted in the United States Reserve Corps, and served in Southwestern Missouri. From 1862 until November, 1865, he was a paymaster of the United States army. Hc then returned to civil life, entered politics, engaged in business enterprises, and in 1868 resumed law practice, first witli Charles G. Mairo, afterwards with John D. Johnson. In November, 1874, he was elected judge of the St. Louis Criminal Court, proving eminently worthy of the honor. Still another lawyer of the same name, Charles Jones, of the Franklin bar, became wealthy, and spent the later years of his life in St. Louis. He was born in Som- erset County, Md., in 1814, read law with Hon. William H. Handy, and with Hon. William H. Collins, of Baltimore. About 1837 he came to Missouri. His secretiveness was abnormal; it was his passion to hide his designs, even in the most

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History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 109

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1358

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358