USA > Missouri > Cole County > Jefferson City > The Bench and bar of St. Louis, Kansas City, Jefferson City, and other Missouri cities : biographical sketches > Part 44
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 44
USA > Missouri > Jackson County > Kansas City > The Bench and bar of St. Louis, Kansas City, Jefferson City, and other Missouri cities : biographical sketches > Part 44
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JAMES CARR.
J LAMES CARR was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, March 22, 1825, the son of John and Lucinda ( Trindle) Carr. He is of Scotch descent, from the Lindsay and Calvin families, well known in Scotland. He was educated in Ship- pensburgh, Pennsylvania; attended the law department of the university at Louisville, Kentucky, graduating in 1852, and the same year removed to Paris, Monroe county, Missouri, and immediately commenced practice of the law. He remained there until January 1, 6863, when he removed to Hannibal, and was made general attorney for the Hannibal and Saint Joseph Railroad Company.
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That position he filled until 1878, when he removed to Saint Louis. While he was attorney for the railroad company be conducted a large amount of railroad litigation, and was instrumental in establishing numerous precedents in regard to the rights and liabilities of railroad companies. He has also been attorney for other corporations, and has had a large experience in corporation law.
Mr Carr achieved a great triumph in the case of the Hannibal and Saint Joseph Railroad Company is. Husen. It was carried to the United States supreme court on writ of error to supreme court of Missouri. In this case the United States supreme court declared the " Texas Cattle Law," as it was called, unconstitutional Two hundred and thirty-three suits had been brought against that railroad ine violating the lia The questhe had been decided by the courts of Kall as, and the supreme court of Mysua and Illinois, in cases where the ablest lawyers in the West had been employed, and Mr. Carr was the only lawyer who had confidence enough in his own judgment, and courage to carry the ques- tion before the supreme court at Washington.
Mr. Carr was also counsel in the case of Bailey as. the Hannibal and Saint Joseph railroad, when the question arose as to the rights between preferred stock. and common stock of corporations. It is a leading case, in which Mr. Carr made an exhaustive and elaborate briet, which was followed very closely by Mr. Justice Clifford, in his opinion. Mr. Carr settled the law in the controversy between the swamp-land grant, and the railroad grant, to the state of Missouri, in the case known as The Railroad Company as. Smith.
In the case of Proctor as. Hannibal and Saint Joseph Railroad Company, Mr. Carr argued the case orally before the supreme court of Missouri, and induced the count to reverse its previous decision, rendered in the case of Barbara Schultz is. the Pacific Railroad Company, the former case being a Very important and far-reaching decision. He was also counsel in the case of Funkhouse 75. Peck, a very important decision in regard to land, and land titles, growing out of a grant of land to the state of Missouri, by congress. About seventy thousand dollars' worth of property was involved in the case, and was directly dependent upon the decision in it, which Mr. Carr won, and twenty -two other cases dependent upon it.
He has been mainly instrumental in shaping the railroad legislation of Mis- souri The supreme court reports show Mr Car's name more frequently than that of any other lawyer in the state. He has been in more cases, and won more, than any other lawyer in Missouri. He is at present engaged extensively and successfully in the bond litigation, growing out of the bonds issued under and
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by the authority of the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad Company, to wit: the bonds issued by the counties of Macon, Know and Clark.
Mi Carr is deep, clear, comprehensive and profound; he makes elaborate and accurate briefs, and is a logical, cogent reasoner, and is a gentleman of high standing and integrity.
Mr Carr is past grand high priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the State of Missouri, and is past grand generalissimo of the Grand Com- mandery of the Knights Templar of the state
He was married, August 7, 1800, to Miss Mary Hardy They have seven children
HON. JOHN D. PARKINSON.
BUTLEN
JOHN DANIEL PARKINSON, late judge of the twenty- fifth judicial circuit, and now a prominent lawyer in the twenty-second judicial circuit, is a native of Wisconsin, and was born in Lafayette county, January 1, 1839. His father, Peter Parkinson, a farmer, is a native of Tennessee, and is yet living, his home being in Wisconsin, and his mother, whose maiden name was Lucy McCollum, was born in Illinois. She died in 1813. The grandfather of Peter Parkinson was in the revolutionary army, going into that service from Virginia, and his father, D M. Parkinson, served with General Jackson in the war of 1812.
The subject of these biographical notes is a graduate of the Wisconsin State University, Madison, class of 1868 He taught two or three winters while in col- lege, and was tutor in the university three years after being graduated. He read law at Madison, with George B. Smith ; attended lectures in the law depart- ment of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; returned to the capital of his native state ; finished his law readings in the office of John D. Gurnee, and was admitted to the bar in the autumn of 1805. He remained in the office of his pre- ceptor, pursuing his studies, when not otherwise engaged, until the spring of shop, when he came to this state and in June opened an office at Greenfield, Dade county, where he remained for fourteen years, and made a noteworthy record, both as a lawyer and jurist, going on the bench of the circuit court in the spring of 1872.
Judge Parkinson took unusual pains with his legal as well as literary educa- tion, and is one of the best read lawyers in this part of the state. He has never ceased to be a student, and is constantly growing in knowledge. He is sound
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and logical, a safe counselor, and an eminently trustworthy man in all the rela- tions of business and of life. As a judge he was clear-headed, discreet and one- lul, without bias or prejudice, and very deliberate in coming to a conclusion. Ilis decisions, when once made, were nach reversed by a higher court.
At the end of his fist ten .. Judge Parkinson Was reflected, and served in all In June following he moved to the seat of justice of Bates county, his present home, where he has dreads secured a lucrative practice. his high reputation as a lawyer having pre- rolled him into this, an adjoining, judicial circuit. Since settling here, he has been of the firm of Parkinson and Abernathy. His political affiliations have always been with the democratic party. He is a Knight Templar in Freema- Sorry
While a resident of Dade county, in December, 1870, Judge Parkinson was joined in marriage with Miss Mary Fulton, daughter of Rey. William R. Fulton, a Presbyterian minister, and they have had six children, and the misfortune to bury halt of them.
JAMES S. WOOLDRIDGE.
LAMES SAINT CLAIR WOOLDRIDGE is one of the oldest members of the Cass county bar, and has long maintained a first-class standing among the fraternity. He was born in Motor county, Tennessee, April 9, 1820, being a son of Elan and Jane (Caldwell) Wooldridge, both natives of Virginia. His father was a farmer. James was educated at Hiwassee College, in his native county, tak- ing the complete English course, and Latin, and omitting Greek. In 1855 he came to this state, and was unsettled for two years, traveling most of the time in Mis- souri and Arkansas. In 1857 he went to Johnson county, adjoining Cass, and com- meneed the study of law, continuing that study the next year at Harrisonville, under Judge E. P. West, and in 1859 be was admitted to the bar. He was in practice here until 1862, when he went into the confederate service in company 1, 2d Missouri cavalry, In October of that year, he was taken prisoner, and after seven months he was released on parole. Returning to his native state and county, he remained there until Oktober, 1865, when he returned to Cass county, and farmed for one season, resuming practice in 1867. Two years later he be- came a partner of Henry Clay Daniel, and the firm of Wooldridge and Daniel still continues. They constitute one of the stable and substantial firms of the Cass county bar.
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He was prosecuting attorney in 1873 g, the first officer of that name in the county.
Mr. Wooldridge was first married in May, 1862, to Miss Sallie J. Moffat, a native of Tennessee, she dying in August, 1875; she had five children; and the second time in May, 1876, to Miss Sallie F. Horn, a native of Kentucky, having by her two children.
Mr. Wooldridge is a member of the Masonic order, and of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and is a man of many sterling qualities.
JOHN MURDOCH DICKSON.
SAINT LOUIS.
T "THIS young lawyer is a native of Saint Louis, dating his birth February 7, 1853. His father was Charles K. Dickson, a native of the state of New Jersey, but became a citizen of Saint Louis at an early age, and remained in active business life until the date of his death, at the age of fifty-three, in January, 1871. He was one of the projectors of the North Missouri railroad and the Saint Charles bridge, one of the organizers of the Third National and Missouri State National banks, and director in each; assisted as commissioner in laying out the western portion of the city, known as Stoddard's addition, and was first, second and third president of the Saint Louis Bridge and Tunnel Company, and president of the Granty lead mines at the time of his death. In earlier life he was president of the Mississippi Wrecking Company, and was prominent in organizing some of the first street railroads built in this city, having been president of the people's line for many years. The wife of Charles K. Dickson was Mary Thomas, born at Frankfort arsenal, Pennsylvania. She is still living, and in excellent health. Her father was one of the pioneers of this city, having come to Saint Louis in the service of the United States government (being a captain in the regular army), as superintendent of lead and iron mines. In two years he increased the reve- nues of the government from this source from three hundred thousand dollars to one and a half million dollars. He constructed the arsenal at Saint Louis, and was its first commander. He subsequently resigned the army, and became one of the most active and versatile business men in the early history of this city.
The subject of this notice was educated at the Georgetown College, District of Columbia, and Saint John's College, Fordham, New York, receiving the degree of bachelor of arts from the latter institution in 1873, and master of arts in
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course. He studied low in private; was admitted to practice in 1875, and up to the autumn of 1882, when Ius health ruled, he did a very good business for a young man, it being at that period almost wholly with banks and corporations, some of the cases involving very important interests His briefs are elaborately prepared; all his work is done with great care, and he has been unusually suc- costul some of the cases which he has won have greatly enhanced his reputa- tion as a lawyer.
His health being restored, since the early autumn of 1883 he has been hard at work again, doing considerable chancery business. He is painstaking and con- scientions: has a high opinion of his profession, and is, we believe, destined to honor it. He will, it his health equals his ambition
WILLIAM PAGE.
BUTLER.
W WILLIAM PAGE is a member of the Bates county bar, in most excellent standing. He studied his profession thoroughly before being admitted to practice, and has been a diligent student since that time, hence is a growing He is a native of Me Henry county, Hinois, born at Marengo, October 4, 1842, being a son of George R and Mary E (Lillibridge) Page. His father was born in Hancock, New Hampshire, and his mother in Pennsylvania. His great- grandfather, Colonel Read Page, was an officer in the continental army.
He concluded his literary studies at the University of Chicago, but was not graduated. In the summer of isot he enlisted as a private in company D), 15th Illinois infantry, and served about ten months, when his health failed, and he left the service.
Hle read law with Church and Kou, of Woodstock, in his native county; attended two terms in the law department of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, at which institution he was graduated in March, 1805. In May, of the same year, he was admitted to the bat of the supreme court of Illinois, and in July he came to this county and opened an office at Pleasant Gap, then the county seat. The next spring he settled in Butler, the county seat of Bates county. He was a partner of Hon. David Metiaughey, from 1865 to 1800, and was subsequently a partner of A. T. Holcomb until 1874, at which time his brother, I. E. Page, became associated with our subject. Since 1877 he has been alone in the practice of his profession
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Mr. Page held the office of county attorney, by appointment, from 1866 to 1800, and was mayor of the city from 1879 to 1881. He is a republican, and in iSpo he was his party's nominee for representative to the legislature, and in 1880 for circuit judge. He is one of the leading men in his party in the county. He is a Royal Arch Mason.
Mr Page was united in marriage, August 13, 1873, with Miss Mary O. Slater, a native of Texas, and they have no children
HON. NOAH M. GIVAN.
HARRISONVILLE.
N JOAH MONROE GIVAN, judge of the seventh judicial circuit, is a son of George and Sabrina ( Hall) Givan, and was born at Manchester, Dearborn county, Indiana, December 1, 18440 His father, a farmer, was a native of Mary- land, and his mother of Indiana. Some of the Given family aided in gaining the independence of the colonies. Noah received an academic education at Manchester ; spent three years at Franklin College, that state, leaving at the close of the junior year, and was graduated at the state university, Bloomington, in 1802. While preparing for college, and during his college course of studies, he supported himself by teaching school, commencing the day he was sixteen years old. When only nineteen years of age, he was principal of the Man- chester Academy one year, and was principal of the Lawrenceburgh, Indiana, graded schools, after receiving the degree of bachelor of arts. Meanwhile, in August, 1862, he was married to Miss Lizzie C. Jackson, of Manchester, and they have had four children, burying all but one daughter, Mabel, who is married to Charles E. Allen, of Pierce City, Missouri.
While Mr. Givan was teaching at Lawrenceburgh, he gave his spare time to the reading of law, and there finished his legal studies with James T. Brown, an eminent lawyer, and was admitted to practice in 1864.
In 1866 he came to this state, was admitted to the bar at Harrisonville, and was in successful practice here until he was elected to the circuit bench in Sep- tember, 1877, to fill an unexpired term. He was reflected in November, 1880. His district is composed of Cass and Johnson counties. His politics are democratic.
While at the bar Judge Givan showed that he was very well read in his pro- fession, and that he had a good legal mind, and a sound judgment. He was a discreet counselor, and a logical reasoner, and made a marked success as a prac- titioner.
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As a judge he is cool, dispassionate, considerate and impartial, letting noth- ing bias his judgment. He is courteous and kind to the bar, a patient listener, and very careful in arriving at conclusions He is popular with the legal frater- nity and with the people, and feared by none but evil doers.
Judge Givan has been for several years a member of the Masonic Fraternity; has been presiding officer of the Harrisonville lodge, and grand master of the grand lodge of the state, and at the same time, grand high priest of the chap- ter. He is also grand dictator of the Knights of Honor of the state, and one of the best known men in such orders in Missouri. The judge is a stockholder of the Bank of Harrisonville, and very comfortably situated in life. He is a mem- ber of the Baptist Church, and a man of solid character.
In September, 1853, in the absence of Judge McGregor in Colorado, on account of ill health our subject hat on the beach for him, and gave such excel- lent satisfaction that at the close of the term the bar of Jasper county passed the following resolutions.
Resolved, That the har of Jasper county are under lasting obligations to Judge N. M. Givan for holding the present terin of our circuit court, in the enforced absence of the judge of our circuit courts that by his thorough knowledge of the law, has been sense of justice, his strict impartiality. and uniform kindness, he has shown himself worthy of a seat on the beach of the highest court of the land; that though he came among us a stranger he takes with him to his home the kindest regards and warm affection of every member of the bar who has appeared before him.
An elegant copy of these resolutions was furnished the judge, and published at the time in the local papers.
JOSEPH G. LODGE. SAINT LOUIS.
THE record of the Lodge family contains many names quite distinguished as authors and poets. They are of English ancestry, but for over a century they have lived near the historic Red Bank of the New Jersey shore of the Delaware, fourteen miles below Philadelphia, and seven miles above the city of Chester, which is located on the Pennsylvania side of the river, an intelligent and influ- ential family. Joseph G. Lodge was born January 27, 1840, at Billingsport, Gloucester county, New Jersey. He is the son of James M. and Mary (Der- ickson) Lodge. The only brother of our subject who lived to the age of manhood was Isaac D., who fell defending his country in the terrible charge at Fort Wag- ner, July 18, 1863. Joseph G. was then the only survivor of his father's family,
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his mother having died when he was but seventeen years of age, and his father in 1803
He was educated principally at the seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania, where he spent two years, and at Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he took a literary and legal course, and was graduated from the law department of that institution in 1862, and it may be inferred that he stood well in that university from the fact that he was chosen the orator of his class upon his graduation, Earlier in hfe he followed the vocation of teacher, and at nineteen we find him teaching for the Quakers, in Camden county, where he continued eighteen months.
After leaving college he entered the office of Robert R. Thoms, of Detroit, as clerk, where he learned much of the details of office work, and enjoyed excellent privileges for obtaining good practical knowledge of this profession. He was admitted to the bar and located in the practice of the law at Battle Creek, Cal- houn county, Michigan, in 1863, and although a stranger in that place, and with limited pecuniary means, he soon made many friends. Clients came in, and soon he enjoyed a paying business, and had several quite important cases in court. The republicans nominated him for the important position of circuit court com- missioner, in 1864, and he was elected by a handsome majority. Some idea may be gained of the young attorney's popularity by the fact that he had been in the place but two years when he was made city treasurer, a high compliment to his integrity and his methods of conducting his professional and private business. He refused the nomination the second year He then formed a partnership with Ilon. Philip Emerson, since United States judge in Utah, under the firm name of Lodge and Emerson, which continued two years. He was elected prosecuting attorney for Calhoun county, in the fall of 1800, and was reflected in 1868. In this position he met some of the ablest lawyers in the West, yet he never employed an assistant. He achieved remarkable success, and gained a wide reputation as a public prosecutor. He removed to Saint Louis in 1871, and soon acquired a large practice, and no man stands ahead of him as a sound, practical lawyer. He is well versed in all of the subtleties of his profession, and his mind is power- ful in its grasp, and he possesses a keenness of analysis and a power of condensa- tion that are somewhat remarkable.
His business has been largely in the criminal courts, but he has been engaged in several large civil suits, where he has had an opportunity to show his aptness for civil practice. He is of a genial, cheery, sunny disposition, and looks on the bright side of life. He possesses social qualities that are rare, and he is one of the most companionable men in Saint Louis,
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Mr Lodge was raised a Methodist, but he attends regularly the Unitarian Church of the most advanced views.
He was married October 24, 1800, to Miss Mary S. Sailer, daughter of Samuel and Mary Ann Sailer, of Gloucester county, New Jersey. Mrs. Lodge is a lady of high culture, refined and very intellectual She gives considerable attention to literature and fine arts. She is superb in all of the departments of life. They have had six children, two of whom they have buried; Lizzie D., Henry F., Rosalind and Beatrice are still living.
EZRA J. SMITH.
SEDALIA.
E ZRA JOSEPH SMITH is a son of Robert L. and Mollie (Graham) Smith, and dates his birth in Butler county, Pennsylvania, March 21, 1842. Both parents were born in Pennsylvania. In 1848 the family removed to De Witt, Clinton county, lowa, where the father was engaged in farming until his death, in 1882.
Ezra finished his literary studies at Cornell College, Mount Vernon, that state, taking a partial course; and on the breaking out of civil war, and the call for troops by President Lincoln, he enlisted, April 19, 1861. in the ist lowa cavalry, and served in that regiment nearly four years, being wounded in the shoulder at Bayou of Metro, Arkansas. In February, 1805, he was transferred, and promoted to first lieutenant of company 11, 124th United States colored infantry, and served in all four and a half years, being mustered out in November, 1865.
Before going into the army, Mr. Smith had commenced the study of law, and on leaving the service he went to Oreola, Saint Clair county, Missouri; there resumed his legal studies under Samuel & Burdett, and was admitted to the bar in 1866. He practiced at Osceola eight years. For a while he was of the firm of Burdett and Smith.
After settling in Sedalia, in 1874, Mr Smith was for two and a half years of the firm of Smith and Shirk. Latterly he has been alone in the practice of his profession. His business extends into the federal as well as state courts, and he has a good paying practice. He has had several important criminal cases, m which he has achieved great success and a fine reputation; but his main practice and preference are for civil litigation.
Mr. Smith is regarded as one of the best judges of law at the Sedalia bar,
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being well posted on the points generally. He is often consulted by other attor- neys, particularly in regard to the application of common to statute law. He is very attentive to the interests of his clients, perfectly upright and honorable, and has a highly creditable standing at the Pettis county bar.
Mr. Smith is a member of the republican party, the Grand Army of the Republic, and the Methodist Church, and a man of unblemished character. He was married in December, 1800, to Miss Mary Jane Landes, a native of Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, and they have four children, three sons and one daughter.
HARVEY L. CHRISTIE.
ARVEY L. CHRISTIE is a native of Virginia, born at Suffolk in 1860, son of D. Harvey Christie, and Lizzie A. (Norfleet) Christie. His father was colonel of the 23d North Carolina confederate troops, and was at one time ting brigadier general. He was in several important battles, and was mortally wounded while bravely leading his troops at the battle of Gettysburgh. His regiment was one of the first engaged in that memorable battle of Gettysburgh, and Colonel Christie was in the thickest of the fight until he fell. Our subject was graduated from William and Mary's College, Virginia, in 1878. He studied law at the University of Virginia, and also under Hon. Alexander Martin, of the Missouri supreme court commission. He taught school two years in Virginia, and was principal of Ingleside Academy in Saint Louis county three years. Ile was admitted to the bar, October 27, 188;, and immediately began practice at Saint Louis.
THOMAS R. GIBSON. STEELVILLE.
T HOMAS R. GIBSON was born December 30, 1855, near Steelville, and is the son of Doctor Mex Gibson and Haney C. (Halbert) Gibson. He was educated at the Missouri School of Mines at Rolla, and the United States Mili- tary Academy at West Point, New York, at which last school he attended three years. He studied law with J. M. Seay, of Steelville, and Perry and Clark, of Kolla ; was admitted to the bar in September, 1876, but did not commence prac- tice until May, 1879, in the meantime being compelled to teach school for a living.
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