USA > Missouri > Cole County > Jefferson City > The Bench and bar of St. Louis, Kansas City, Jefferson City, and other Missouri cities : biographical sketches > Part 37
USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > The Bench and bar of St. Louis, Kansas City, Jefferson City, and other Missouri cities : biographical sketches > Part 37
USA > Missouri > Jackson County > Kansas City > The Bench and bar of St. Louis, Kansas City, Jefferson City, and other Missouri cities : biographical sketches > Part 37
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Mr. Sampson was married July to, 1800, to Mrs. Harriet M. Lacey, widow of William B. Lacey, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and they have buried one son and have a daughter and a son living.
Mr. Sampson takes a great deal of interest in natural history, and devotes a portion of his spare time to studies in that department of science. He has a large collection of specimens in conchology, paleontology and other departments, and no less than four species of shells and lossils have been named in his honor by different authors in this country and France.
He has just led of in the formation of the Sedalia Natural History Society, of which he is the secretary and hardest-working member. The class of citizens like Mr. Sampson are a blessing to any community, and no city, large or small, is liable to be overstocked with them
EDGAR M. HARBER.
TRENTON.
E DGAR M. HARBER is a rising lawyer of fine abilities and accomplish- ments. He is a native of Kentucky; was born in Madison county, October 20, 1854, and is the son of Thomas B. and Mildred A. (Phelps) Harber. He moved from Kentucky to Clinton county, Missouri, with his parents when he was five years old. In 1861 they went to Nebraska City, where young Harber was educated, and he remained in that place until 1867. He then returned to Clinton county; was on a farm until 1871; then came to Trenton and read law with Cap- tain I. J. Herrick, and was admitted to the bar in August, 1875. He entered upon a successful practice of the law at Trenton.
In political sentiments Mr. Harber is a democrat, and was presidential elector for the tenth district of Missouri, in ISSo. He was elected prosecuting attorney in the autumn of 1882 by a majority of one thousand and twenty-nine votes, in a county strongly republican. He has ably performed the duties of that office, and to the satisfaction of his constituents
Mr. Harber is a well read lawyer, and has a large practice. His mind is active and analytic. He possesses judgment of high order, and is an eloquent advocate.
Ile is a social gentleman, easy in his manners, and is warmly attached to his many friends, who prize him for his manly qualities and his intellectual attain- ments.
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He was married in March, 1881, to Miss Lizzie D. Austin, an estimable lady of Trenton. He was appointed city attorney in 1878, and reappointed in 1880, and resigned in 1882. He was eminently successful in that office.
HON. HENRY P. WHITE.
KINSIS CITY.
JUDGE WHITE was born at Potsdam, Saint Lawrence county, New York, January 13, 1841; son of Peter and Anna (Goudy) White. He was educated at Saint Lawrence Academy, and read law with E. and A. Crary, at Potsdam, which firm was changed afterward, and before Judge White finished his course, to Crary and Vance. He was admitted to the bar in October, 1865; came west, stopping in Chicago and Saint Louis, arriving in Kansas City in 1866, and entered at once into the practice of the law. He has done a good business. He was elected city attorney in 1868 and i870; was made judge of the criminal court of Jackson county by appointment in October, 1874; was elected to the same office in the following November, and reflected in November, 1880. This position he still holds.
Judge White is able; his judgment is of a high order; his perceptions are keen, and his decisions are seldom overruled by the appellate court. He presides with dignity and great fairness; he is exceedingly popular with the bar, and is a social gentleman, knowing well how to render himself agreeable to all classes of people with whom he comes in contact. He is decidedly attractive in personal appearance. In 1875 he was married to Miss Euphemia de Luce. They have three children.
FERMAN S. WINN. SAINT JOSEPH.
T' HIE subject of this sketch is a native of Zanesville, Ohio, and was born Au- gust 14, 1851. He is the son of a highly respected and intelligent farmer, Dalton Winn. His paternal grandfather was a Virginian, who removed to Ohio at an early day, and was one of the first settlers in that part of the state. His mother was Miss Catharine Jordan. Ferman was educated at Adamsville, Ohio, where he took a scientific and classical course, obtaining a fine education. In 1868 he went to Troy, Kansas, where he studied law with the late H. C. Hawkins, an eminent lawyer, and was admitted to the bar in Saint Joseph in 1879. He
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was a teacher in Buchanan county from 1875 to 1870, and was appointed to the office of school commissioner in the spring of 1877. In 1879 he commenced the practice of the law, and has been favored with a reasonable share of patronage. Mr. Winn is a diligent student, and will likely some day stand high at the bar, and will undoubtedly become learned in the law. He is very persevering in research of authorities, and prepares his cases for trial very thoroughly, and being a good advocate, he is usually successful with his cases in court.
In August, 1875, Mr. Winn was married to an accomplished young lady, in the person of Miss Jennie Karns, daughter of George S. Karns, a prominent farmer, and one of the first settlers of Buchanan county
COLONEL WILLIAM W. S. SNODDY.
SEDILI
W WILLIAM WALLACE S. SNODDY, of the Pettis county bar, is one of those fortunate men who seem to have inherited a love of books, which is often the making of the man. When a mere had he saved his pocket money, and put it in " Rollins' Ancient History," in six volumes, the first work he ever owned. The purchase of that standard history showed his taste for solid reading, and the bent of his mind. His fondness for books increased with his years, and has made him one of the best read men in history and general literature, as well as law, in this county
Mr. Snoddy is of Scotch-Irish Ineage, Ins paternal grandfather being from the County of Antrim, Ireland, and his maternal grandsire was a Scotchman. His grandfather Shoddy came to this country in 1783, and settled in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife lived to be a hundred years old or more. In that county the subject of these notes was born, January 25, 1838, his parents being James and Christina (Schooley) Snoddy. As already intimated, he early showed a desire for knowledge, and took to books as a young duck takes to water. In the strong desire to gratify his taste in this direction, he did not have much encouragement, yet persevered, determined to have a fair education. At seventeen he had fitted himself for a teacher, and commenced that vocation at that age. He succeeded well, and at the same time was a diligent student himself in all the time that he could command out of the school room By thus economizing his spare hours, he completed the higher English branches, melod. ing mathematics, the elements of the latin language, and began the study of his
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profession by borrowing law books of lus kind friend, Tobias T. Abrams, of Lock Haven, in his native state.
Mr Shoddy was prepared to be admitted to the bar when civil war began, and he culisted in the Fifth Pennsylvania infantry. He served in the ranks for eight months, at the end of which time he was commissioned second lieutenant. He received strong testimonials as to his good conduct and bravery from his superior officers.
At the expiration of the time for which he enlisted, he returned to Lock Haven, and received from Governor Curtin the appointment of superintendent of the public schools of Clinton county, the duties of which office be discharged with ability, and to the complete satisfaction of the citizens of the county. Cir- cumstances seemed to again call him into the service of his country, and in Sep- tember, ISog, he became lieutenant colonel of the 207th Pennsylvania infantry and served until the rebellion collapsed On his return to Harrisburgh, as we learn from the " History of Pettis Counts," " he was received at the capital of the state with an ovation fit for a patriot and hero."
In the year before the war ended, June 1, 1804, Colonel Snoddy was married to Miss Mary M Long, an accomplished lady, resident of Selin's Grove, Pennsyl- vania, and they have had nine children, burying four of them.
In December, 1865, the colonel was admitted to practice, at Lock Haven, and a few weeks afterward he started for this state with his little family, wife and one cold. On his way hither, while on a visit to the Island of Blennerhasset, his first-born, Blanche E., died
Colonel Shoddy reached Sedalia in April, 1800, with but very little money, no low books, and friends all yet to be made He immediately opened an office, and waited for clients. None came for nearly a month. He gained his first suit, and business increased. He soon formed a partnership with Robert G. Durham, ut he became judge of the court of common pleas m 1868. Then Colonel Shoddy formed a partnership with Lucius L. Bridges, and the firm of Snoddy and Bridges continued with marked success for eight years. Since 1876 Colonel Snoddy has been alone in practice, and is doing a highly remunerative business, extending into the several courts of this state and other states, and also the federal courts. He is a sound lawyer, and makes a powerful argument before court of jury. He has a line presence; is six feet and two inches tall, of symmetrical build; is cour- toous and gentlemanly in his demeanor, and his appearance and voice favorably impress on all occasions.
He is a republican in politics, but evidently is not seriously afflicted with
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political aspirations He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and has held various offices in the order: has represented the supreme lodge of the Knights of Honor of the United States, and is aid-de-camp and inspector of the Grand Army of the Republic for the district of Missouri.
Colonel Shoddy devotes very little time to matters outside his profession, and is probably as hard a worker as any man at the Pettis county bar. He has a a good miscellaneous library, and a large law library, and is never more at home than with his books. He is familiar with the best novelists, and literary writers generally of the age, and is a good entertainer in the social circle.
1 LIAM FITZGERALD.
THE subject of this sketch was born in Belleville, Ontario, October 24, 1853, son of Michael and Mary (Dound) Fitzgerald. When he was about five years of age his parents moved to Saint Joseph, Missouri. He attended the pub- lic schools and took a five years' course in Christian Brothers College, Saint Joseph. He read law with Vineyard and Young; was admitted to the bar No- vember 23, 187; entered at once upon the practice of his profession, and for a young man has been very successful. In 1878 he was elected city attorney, which office he held two years, performing its duties with ability He is a well read lawyer, and is a logical reasoner and a fluent advocate His management of a case is very sagacious. He is a young man of much promise
HON. ROBERT MCPHEETERS.
" ITHE judge of the probate court of Callaway county, Robert Mel'heeters, is a 1 son of Robert and Jane I. (Mc Kee) MePheeters, and was born in Jessamine county, Kentucky, February 3, 1834. In 1999, when Robert was five years old, the family came to this state, and settled on a farm in Callaway county, where the son was reared, and where both parents died He is a graduate of Westmin- ster College, Fulton, class of 1850, and subsequently he taught private schools two years at Glasgow and Mexico, this state. While thus employed, he also read law, and was admitted to practice in 1859
Mr. MePheeters was in practice at Fulton, the county seat, when the civil war
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began in the spring of iso1, and he enlisted in the confederate state troops. He was engaged in farming m Callaway county from June, 1865, for eighteen years. While this engaged, in 1872, he was chosen by his democratic constituents to represent his county in the legislature, and he served in the regular session of 1873, and the extra session of 1874
Judge Me Pheeters was elected to his present county office in the autumn of 1882, and is attending very faithfully to the probate matters of Callaway
The judge retams his tarm, and is cultivating it by proxy. He was years ago a trustee of Westminster College, and retains Ins interest in his alma mater and alnational matters generally. He has a wife and one child.
HON. WILLIAM W. EDWARDS.
WHAT CHAARIES
WILLIAM H.LIAM WALLER EDWARDS, judge of the nineteenth judicial circuit, no son of Henry and Sarah Aun (Watter) Edwards, and was born in Henry county, Virginia, June 3, 1830. The Edwardses are of Welsh lineage, and settled in Virginia long before the American revolution. When William was six years old the family immigrated to this state, and settled in Saint Charles county, where the father died nearly forty years ago. The widow is still living, and is eighty five years old.
The subject of this sketch was reared at farm work, and thus developed his muscle, attending winter school meantime until eighteen years old, when he com- menced teaching in Lincoln county. He read law in the office of Robert HI Parks, of Saint Louis, and at the end of one year entered the law department of the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, and took a full course of lectures. Returning to Missour, Mr. Edwards was admitted to the bar, and opened an office in Saint Charles, where he soon showed his excellent adaptability to his chosen profession He was soon elected to the office of public administrator, and in 1858 to that of prosecuting attorney for the nineteenth judicial circuit. This he resigned in 1862 to accept the appointment of United States district attorney for the eastern district of Missouri, from which office he was removed the next year for political purposes.
In November, 1803, Mr Edwards was elected to the judgeship already men- tioned, and is now serving his twentieth your in that eminent position As a judge he has inflexible regard for what he believes to be right, and aims to have
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exact justice done in all cases. He is cool and impartial, painstaking, and an untiring worker; he is dignified, without being stift; and " his kindness to the members of the bar," says a writer in the county " Atlas," " while it does not de. tract from the dignity of his character, not hinder the administration of justice, has bound them to him by ties of lasting friendship "
Judge Edwards has been twice married, and has two children living by each wife.
CHARLES L. HAMM. SAINT LOUIS.
T' PHIE subject of this sketch was born, October 2, 1842, near Jacksonville, Flor- ida, being the son of B. W. Hamm and Rose La Grange ( Hammn). Mr. Hamm is a purely self-made man, and he has materially overcome the disadvan- tages of limited means of obtaining an education by general reading and observation He came to Saint Louis when about twelve years of age; filled the position of deputy in the Saint Louis criminal court five years, and law commis- sioners' court four years, in which positions he became familiar with the practice in these courts, and gained much useful information. He studied law and was admitted to practice by the supreme court of Missouri in 1870, and immediately commenced practice by himself. In 1872 he formed a law partnership with George W. Brown, his present partner; and he has been in successful practice ever since that time Mr Hamm is well posted in all of the technicalities of his profession; is a gentleman of fine presence, being six feet high, and weighing nearly two hundred pounds. He has a high, broad forehead, with mild, blue eyes and light complexion. He is cordial and gentlemanly, and enjoys the soci- ety of his many friends.
HENRY B. DAVIS.
O I the younger members of the Saint Louis bar, Henry B. Davis is one of the most brilliant; the son of a lawyer of high rank, George J. Davis, and a descendant from a race of eminent judicial men on the side of his mother, a brief reference to whom was made in the sketch of the senior Mr. Davis, Educated and carefully trained in all of the subtleties and refinements of the law by his father, possessing good oratorical gifts by nature, and having familiarized him- self with all of the best English authors, it is not prophesying too much in his
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behalf to say, if his life and health are spared, he cannot fail to become eminent at some day not far distant. Exactness and theroughness characterize all of his attainments, whether literary of professional. He is clear and energetic, and in representative imagery he is peculiarly happy, and vision, personification, simile and antithesis succeed each other in varied profusion. The grace and propriety of his delivery are equal to the copiousness and felicity of his diction.
His birth occurred at Geneseo, New York, December 14, 1857. He is a grad- nate from the Saint Louis high school and the Saint Louis law school, and a member of the Saint Louis bar, and is engaged in the successful practice of the law in connection with his father and older brother, under the firm name of Davis and Davis.
ALEXANDER YOUNG. SUNE LOUIS.
A' LEXANDER YOUNG is an able lawyer, proficient in all branches of prac- tice, and learned in the theories of the law. He possesses an active mind practical in its methods, and a judgment of a high order. He sees his subject clearly, and can express himself in like manner to others, possessing a copious flow of language, and sustaining high character as a man. The candor and sin- verity with which he presents a case to a jury renders him very effective in the court room. He is always true to himself, the court, his client and his profes- sional brethren. No man is more highly respected and esteemed.
Alexander Young is a native of Kentucky, born in Bath county, 1845, and is the son of Willis W. and Fetnah A. ( Miller) Young. He spent two years in Illi- nois College at Jacksonville, and afterward pursued a scientific and classical course in the state university, Columbia, Missouri, with a special view of prepar- ing for the legal profession. He taught y hool three months after leaving col- lege. He read law with ex-Judge Silas Woodson, at Saint Joseph, Missouri, and was admitted to the bar in 1807. He entered into partnership with Judge Woodson, in the firm of Woodson, Vineyard and Young, which continued until 1872, when Judge Woodson was elected governor.
In 1868 Mr. Young was appointed attorney of Buchanan county, filling that position with marked ability one year, when a change was made in the law, abol- ishing that office, and Mr. Young was elected prosecuting attorney for the same county. He held that office till January, 1874. Some time previous to the last mentioned date he had formed a partnership with Jefferson Chandler, with a view
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of removing to Saint Louis. He resigned the office of prosecuting attorney and came to Saint Louis, the firm of Chandler and Young continuing five years, doing a large business. In 1878 this partnership was dissolved, and another formed with ex-Governor B. Gratz Brown, his present partner, under the firm name of Brown and Young.
Among the many important cases in which Mr. Young has acted as counsel may be mentioned that of the insurance department in prosecuting the violators of the insurance laws, and winding up the business of the Columbia Life Insur- ance Company, the De Soto. Atlas and other insurance companies, when Mr. Young won many laurels by the ability, diligence and energy manifested by him.
Mr. Young was married in 1870 to Miss Mary E. Smith, daughter of Doctor Hamilton Smith, a prominent practicing physician of northwestern Missouri. They have one daughter twelve years old, now with her mother in Europe, being educated in Stutgard, Germany.
HON. WILLIAM L. HORNBUCKLE. WARRENSBURGH.
W TILLIAM LEWIS HORNBUCKLE, judge of the probate court of Johnson county, is a native of this state, born in Callaway county, December 31, 1823. His father, Rufus Hornbuckle, was a native of Kentucky, a farmer, and a soldier in the Black Hawk war. He married Elizabeth Turner, a native of Vir- ginia, and moved from Callaway to Johnson county m 1839. The son was reared on the farm, and supplemented the ordinary privileges of a common school with attendance at an academy near Fulton, Callaway county, after the family had settled in Johnson. He taught school in this county, commenting in 1846, in all at least ten or eleven years
He has a farm twelve miles from Warrensburgh, which he continued to culti- vale with his own hands until he took his present county office. It consists of Ego artes, and is under fair cultivation, with good buildings, orchard, etc. Mr. Hornbuckle held the office of justice of the peace from 185 + until the civil war, and has also held the offices of school director, school treasurer, assessor, etc., of Hazel Hill township. In the autumn of 1874 he was elected probate judge, and is now serving his third term. His politics are democratic. There is no truer, more faithful man in Johnson county, and he is serving his constituents to their entire satisfaction,
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Mr. Hornbuckle is deacon of the Baptist Church, a man of the highest recti- tude of character, and a neighborly, true friend of the poor. He is a chapter Mason.
January 1, 1846, Mr Hornbuckle was united m marriage with Miss Mahinda Walker, of Johnson county, and she is the mother of ten children, seven of whom are yet living.
WILLIAM H. LUCAS.
KANSAS CITY.
W ILLIAM H. LUCAS is a native of Kentucky. He was born in Danville, July 20, 1849, being a son of William C. and Hannah F. (Henderson) Lucas. He was educated at Center College of Danville, and commenced reading law at that place with Phelix G. Fox, now of Saint Louis. He was admitted to the Kentucky bar in April, 1872, commenced practice in Danville, and continued until November 3, 1886, when he moved to Kansas City, and formed a partner- ship with William T. Johnson. Mr. Lucas is a gentleman with an expansive mind, is well read in his profession, an excellent advocate and an expert trial lawyer. He is of medium height, with black hair and keen black eyes, and a high, broad forehead. He is a gentleman of culture and an agreeable com- panion.
Mr Lucas was married October 20. 1870, to Miss Sally Mock, of Danville, Kentucky, an estimable and refined lady
LEONIDAS J. DRYDEN. .
WIRRINTOY
T' THE subject of this sketch was born m Montgomery county, Missouri, August 31. 1835. For his parentage and history of the family, see sketch of his older brother, Judge Dryden, found on other pages of this work. Mr. Dryden was educated at Saint Paul's College, Palmyra, taking a partial course, includ- ing the Latin language; read law at Palmyra with his brother, just mentioned, and was admitted to the bar in 1859, at Warrenton, where he has since been in practice.
Parties who know Mr. Dryden best regard him as one of the best commercial lawyers in this part of the state. He has not a surplus of self confidence; is decidedly modest and unassuming; but is a safe counselor, a good pleader, and
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a conscientious, strictly honest man. Mr. Dryden was a member of the constitu- tional convention in 1875, and a member of the legislature in the session of 1877 He was on the democratic side of the house. He is a man of some public spirit. and usually identifies himself with public interests. He was vice president and a director of the Warren County Savings Bank until it wound up its business.
Mr. Dryden was married September 6, 1860, to Miss Sallie C. Houston, of Warrenton. She died November 2, 1875, leaving five children, one of whom, the oldest daughter, has since followed her to the spirit world.
TILGHMAN H. CLOUD. PLEASANT HILL
T NIEGHMAN HOWARD CLOUD, eldest son of Pryor B. and Nancy (Pullin) Cloud, was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, February 19, 1845. Tilgh- man was raised on a farm in Boone county, Kentucky, and at the age of sixteen joined the confederate army, under General John C. Breckenridge, and took part in many hotly contested engagements, and was wounded in an engagement in Virginia in 1863. He was made a prisoner of war at the battle of Chattanooga, and was discharged from the military prison at Rock Island, Illinois, in May, 1805. September 28, of that year, he was married to Miss Kate Venable, in the city of Saint Louis, his wife being a daughter of the late Judge Drury Venable, of Moniteau county, Missouri. In 1871 Mr Cloud commenced the practice of law at Pleasant Hill, Cass county, and has a fine and growing practice. He is a member of the State Bar Association.
VILLIAM R. RINGER.
W ILLIAM RUSSELL RINGER, one of the younger members of the Knos county bar, was born at Newark, in this county, September 14, 1853. being a son of David Ringer, a native of Maryland, and a plasterer by trade, and Rachel W. (Downing) Ringer, a native of Kentucky, and an early settler in Know county. She is still living. Her husband died in 1882. William was educated in part in the Newark schools, in part in a select school at Virginia, Illinois, in part in the state university at Columbia, and finished at the North Missouri Normal School, at Kirksville, spending only a short time at each of the two last
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