USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 83
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Judge Dustin served six or seven years as a member of the Dayton board of education, in whose work he took a deep interest. He was one of the founders of the Garfield republican club of Dayton, and was the first to sign the consti- tution of that organization. He took an active interest in the formation of the . Ohio republican league, serving on the committee to draft a constitution for the same, and was a delegate to the convention held in New York city, which organized the national republican league.
Early in his career Judge Dustin was married to Miss Alpha Hull Newkirk, of Connersville, Indiana, who lived only a few years. They had no children.
Judge Dustin's affable and courteous manner has won him hosts of warm friends at home and abroad. A scholar as well as a gentleman, his scholastic and literary attainments are in no wise better evidenced than by his brilliant judicial decisions.
PROBATE COURT.
The probate courts of this state were first brought into being by the state con- stitution, adopted in 1851. It provided for the election of a judge of probate with succession in each county, the term of office being three years.
The first election for probate judge in Montgomery county, was held in Octo- ber, 1851, the term of office commencing on the second Monday in February, 1852. Youngs V. Wood, then a prominent member of the bar, was elected judge and served one term. Judge Wood was an upright judge and a citizen of most exem- plary character.
PERSONNEL.
JUDGE JOSEPH G. CRANE succeeded Judge Wood and served one term. Judge Crane was a gentleman of excellent attainments and fine character. He was the son of Joseph H. Crane, a sketch of whose public life has been already given. Dur- ing the war of the rebellion, Judge Crane served in the union army with the rank of colonel, and while acting under orders as mayor or provost marshal of Yazoo City, Mississippi, for some fancied wrong was assassinated by one Col. Yerger, of the confederate army.
JUDGE JAMES H. BAGGOTT succeeded Judge Crane and served one term. Judge Baggott was a most estimable citizen and capable judge. Upon leaving the bench, he returned to the practice of the law, which he followed with much success till the time of his death. Before his elevation to the bench, Judge Baggott served the people as prosecuting attorney of this county most acceptably.
JUDGE SAMUEL BOLTIN succeeded Judge Baggott, serving two terms to the en- tire satisfaction of the people. Subsequently he returned to the practice of the law, having formed a partnership with the present Judge John A. Shauck, a distin- guished judge of the supreme court of this state which continued for many years. Judge Boltin was one of the most companionable of men, and was esteemed by all who knew him for his irreproachable character.
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JUDGE DENNIS DWYER succeeded Judge Boltin, serving three terms. A sketch of his public life has already been given.
JUDGE J. L. H. FRANK succeeded Judge Dwyer, serving two terms. Judge Frank served the people faithfully and ably, and on leaving the bench he re- turned to the practice of the law which he pursued with success up to the time of his death. He was highly esteemed for his upright life and business integrity.
JUDGE WILLIAM D. McKEMY succeeded Judge Frank, serving three terms, which length of service is the best evidence that in the discharge of his judicial duties he gave satisfaction to both the bar and the people. Since his retirement from the bench Judge McKemy has been and still is in the active and success- ful practice of his profession, enjoying the confidence and respect of the people.
JUDGE JOHN W. KREITZER succeeded Judge McKemy, serving one term. He was the candidate of his party for a second term in the fall of 1893, when, al- though running far ahead of his ticket, he suffered defeat, in that disastrous year for the democratic party. Since then, Judge Kreitzer has been in the active prac- tice of his profession, and has made the law of building associations a special study and on which he is an authority. The judge has been remarkably successful in his practice and he deserves it for he gives close application to business and his clients have the assurance of ability and honesty.
JUDGE OBED W. IRVIN succeeded Judge Kreitzer, serving two terms. Judge Irvin discharged the duties of the office so as to command the respect of both the bar and the people who had business with the court. Since his retirement from the bench, the judge has given much time to banking and manufacturing enterprises.
JUDGE B. F. McCANN succeeded Judge Irvin, serving two terms, and declining a nomination for a third which his party desired to tender to him. Judge McCann is a gentleman of the strictest integrity and of most pleasing manners. He has been active as an officer and member of the Young Men's Christian Association in the work of that noble organization and since his retirement from the bench has been in the full practice of the law with all the business he can handle. Be- cause of the judge's ability while on the bench, and of possessing the qualities I have referred to, his party has desired to honor him further either by a seat in congress or in the gubernatorial office at Columbus, Ohio, either or both of which he is destined to fill, if he so desires, for he is yet in the prime of life.
JUDGE CHARLES W. DALE succeeded Judge McCann, serving one term ; having previously served as judge of the police court of the city of Dayton, and in both positions acquitted himself with great credit. While on the bench he took an active interest in the work of the reformation of the youthful incorrigibles, a notable work, which I am informed has been actively taken up by his successor. Judge Dale has returned to the practice of the law in which he is successful; he is also engaged in business ventures which have proven profitable, as I have been informed. The Judge is still a young man with a bright future before him.
JUDGE ROLAND W. BAGGOTT, the present incumbent of the probate judge- ship, succeeded Judge Dale and is serving his first term. Of the young members of the legal profession, no one is better known or more highly esteemed than Judge Baggott. ITis qualities of head and heart are sure passports to public favor. The writer bespeaks for him success on the bench as a judge, and a bright future as he is yet a very young man with most of life's hopes and aspirations before him.
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I regret that space will not permit me to say more concerning the probate judges of Montgomery county for without exception they have acquitted them- selves with honor on the bench, at the bar and as citizens generally. Their names and records can be referred to with a sense of pride by their families and friends. Five of the probate judges who served this county, are now dead. Their names are, Youngs V. Wood, Joseph G. Crane, James H. Baggott, Samuel Boltin and J. L. H. Frank.
PERSONNEL OF THE DAYTON BAR.
For the purpose of this sketch, the members of the Dayton bar are divided into four groups, to-wit :
I. Those who were admitted and practiced law here previous to 1840.
2. Those who were admitted and practiced law after 1840 and up to 1860.
3. Those who were admitted and practiced from 1860 and up to 1889.
4. Those who were adimtted and practiced after 1889 and up to the present time.
The following, or first group, may be properly classified as the original Day- ton bar: Anderson, Charles; Bacon, Henry ; Bacon, Henry, Jr .; Blodgett, Wm. H .; Bomberger, Geo. W .; Brown, Robt. P .; Bruen, David H .; Crane, Joseph H .: Crane, Wm. E. ; Davies, Edw. W .; Fales, Stephen ; Fenn, Ira S .; Hart, Ralph S .; Helfenstein, Wm. L .; Holt, Geo. B .; Huffman, Wm. P .; Lowe, Ralph P .; Lowe, Peter P .; Mckinney, Wm. J .; Munger, Warren; Odlin, Peter; Schenck, Robt. C .; Shedd, James A .; Smith, Wm. W .; Smith, Edwin; Smith, Thomas J. S .; Stoddard, Henry ; Thruston, Robt. A .; Van Cleve, John W .; Whitcher, Stephen. All the foregoing members are long since deceased. Three, John W. Van Cleve, Edwin Smith, and Wm. P. Huffman were never in active practice.
The second group is comprised as follows: Ackerman, John J .; Boltin, Samuel; Brown, Geo. W .; Baggott, James H .; Bartlett, Wm. C .; Bruen, Luther B .; Booth, Eli J .; Bellville, W. H .; Bond, J. M .; Brown, Wm. E .; Butterfield, M. Q .; Craighead, Samuel ; Craighead, Wm .; Clegg, John; Cuppy, F. P .; Con- over, Wilbur; Clay, Adam; Collins, Francis; Chittenden, Henry C .; Chipman, W. W .; Crane, Jos. G .; Cahill, Abraham; Corwin, Robt. G .; Corwin, David B .: Curwen, Maskell E .; Darst, Samuel B .; Douglass, John G .; Dwyer, Dennis ; Elliott, Henderson ; Ewing, Jos. H .; Ells, Geo. W .; Ells, Stewart; Fry. J. Har- rison ; Forsyth, E. J .; Fitch, D. G .; Fox, F. C .; Graham, J. V. L .; Gilman, W. H .; Garst, Michael; Gates, Leo; Gebhart, Simon; Gunckel, Lewis B .; Giddings, Luther; Haynes, Daniel A .; Howard, John; Houk, David A .; Houk, Geo. W .; Iddings, D. W .; Jordan, Jackson A .; Jeffords, Elza; Jordan, Nathan E .; Jordan, Isaac M .: Kiersted. Isaac H .; Kelly, James; Kelly, Patrick; Knox, L. Riley; King, Edw. A .; Kennedy, Gilbert .; Lowe, John G .; Lowe, John W .; Lowe, Jacob D .; Lowe, Thomas O .; Lord, H. V. R .; Lovell, Josiah; Lyman. A. O .; McMahon, John A .; Malambre, Geo. W .; McMaster, John M .; Moyer, Geo. W .: Munger, Warren; McCorkle, J. W .; Nolan, M. P .; Nead, Daniel P .; Osborn, Wm .; Parrott, Edwin A .; Parrott, Marcus J .; Parrott, Charles; Pfoutz, Lewis R .; Plunkett, Joseph ; Powell, Thomas; Piper, Wm. H .; Robertson, Isaac ; Scott, John; Scott, A. M .; Shaw, Geo. W .; Strong, Hiram; Stoddard, Henry, Jr .; Stoddard, John W .; Simms, Wm. H .; Starr, Geo. W .; Sullivan, Theodore;
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Swallem, E. C .; Smith, Lucius Q .; Smith, J. McLain; Smith, Samuel B .; Smith, Jas. Manning; Sullivan, S. M .; Snyder, Jacob; Taylor, Dr. J. C .; Thresher, Thos. F .; Thompson, Wm. P .; Thruston, Gates P .; Tyler, Ruben; Tilton, Thos. B. ; Vallandigham, C. L .; Wood, Youngs V .; Wood, Frederic L .; Walker, Moses B .; Walker, George; Williams, Israel ; Weakley, H. H .; Weaver, George; Young, E. Stafford.
Of the foregoing group of seventy-one members, only eleven are known to be living. They are: J. M. Bond, David B. Corwin, Dennis Dwyer, Thos. O. Lowe, John A. McMahon, Edwin A. Parrott, John W. Stoddard, Wm. H. Simms, Judge Theodore Sullivan, Gates P. Thruston, and Wm. P. Thompson. Only two, John A. McMahon and Dennis Dwyer, are in active practice in Dayton.
The third group, from 1860 to 1889, is composed of the following: Allaman, D. W .; Allison, Daniel K .; Borough, John D .; Brumbaugh, Lee; Baumann, C. L .; Baumann, Carl L .; Baldwin, Cyrus H .; Breene, Frank S .; Belville, J. J .; Bigelow, -; Baggott, John S .; Belville, Wickliffe; Brotherton, Thos. W .; Brown, Oren B .; Carr, S. H .; Clay, Amos K .; Conover, Frank; Conover, Har- vey ; Corwin, Thos .; Corwin, Quincy; Craighead, Charles A .; Crickmore, L. S .; Dale, Charles W .; Davisson, Oscar F .; Delaney, Edw. T .; Dechant, W. L .; Drav- enstadt, John B .; Dunlevy, John C .; Dustin, Chas. W .; Ellis, Hiram W .; Frank, J. L. H .; Finch, Chas. W .; Frizell, Wm. G .; Garst, Jasper ; Gebhart, Fred W .; Gottschall, A. M .; Greer, John E .; Gunckel, Patrick H .; Henderson, S. J .; Hosier, Frank M .; Hanitch, John; Hallinan, John; Hallinan, Walter A .; Hershey, B. F .; Howard, Wm. C .; Hartrauft, Uriah C .; Humphries, Allen A .; Huesman, Aloise; Iddings, Chas D .; Iddings, Wm. B .; Jackson, Samuel B .; Jones, Walter D .; Jeffreys, Jas. O .; Kennedy, Grafton C .; Kerr, E. H .; Kern, Albert ; Kumler, A. W .; Kumler, Chas. H .; Keating, Thos. J .; Lichliter, J. H .; I efevre, A. E .; Linden, James ; Marshall, R. D .; McDermont, Horace ; McKee, Charles J .; McKemy, John C .; McKemy, W. D .; Mcllhemy, L. B .; Manning, J. S .; Murray, L. G .; Matthews, Edwin P .; Mory, Bert C .; Mumma, James A .; Murphy, Barry S .; Mount, Wm .; Marshall, A. L .; Nauerth, Geo. V .; Nevin, Robt. M .; Nolan, Harry F .; Nolan, Christian M .; Nutt, John M .; O'Driscoll, Daniel; Oram, John L .; Owen, Benj. F .; Patterson, J. C .; Parker, Granville ; Prugh, Harry H .; Peck, C. M .; Payne; E. D .; Rowe, Edw. L .; Romspert, A. H .; Russell, Wm. H .; Robert, J. A .; Ritchie, Wm .; Sage, H. H .; Sinks, John F .; Schauck, John A .; Sharts, J. W. ; Shuster, John; Shuey, Webster W .; Schaeffer, S. O .; Shuey, Philip M .; Sigman, Wm. H .; South, Philip G .; Smith, Sumner T. : Snediker, E. T .; Sprigg, John M .; Sullivan, Wm. B .; Swadener, Chas. E .; Showers, Frank; Thomas, A. A .; Thompson, Elihu; Van Skaik, Wm. H .; Val- landigham, C. N .; Williamson, T. S .; Waltmire, Chas. A .; Warrington, Geo. O .; Waymire, O. P .; Weaver, W. I .; Wilt, A. D .; Wortman, Jos. A .; Winters, A. A .; Winters, Chas. H .; Wood, E. M .; Young, Geo. R .; Young, William H. ; Young, James C .; Zeller, D. M.
The fourth group, from 1889 to the present time, is composed of the follow- ing: Argabright, R. A .; Arnold, Arthur; Baggott, Rolland W .; Bard, A. J. ; Barnes, John E .; Bauman, R. Otto; Beeghley, Warren E .; Bennert, Dawes T., Beekman, F. W .; Boatman, A. T .; Bosler, Charles H .; Brennen, Charles J .; Bronson, Chas. D .; Brumbaugh, R. N .; Buckley, B. B .; Budroe, W. A. ; Burk-
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hart, Edw. E .; Burnham, Philo G .; Burnham, Frank M .; Buydden, Wade J .; Carson, John E .; Chamberlain, Jos. D .; Carrol, Chas. P .; Clark, J. D .; Cline, Walter D .; Compton, Frank M .; Compton, H. J .; Corwin, Robt. G .; Cowden, Robt. E .; Crabbe, G. W .; Crawford, Ira; Cromer, Howard B .; Crowley, Frank A .: Davis, L. G .; Delscamp, Irvin C .; Denlinger, E. G .; Dickson, Samuel A .; Dwyer, Albert J .; Eaton, Valentine W .; Eby, Chester A .; Ecki, Wm. H. H .; Egan, John E .; Elliff, Chas. W. ; Elliff, Thomas ; Emanuel, Albert; Emanuel, Leo; Ferneding, H. L .; Ferris, Chester A .; Florini, Al. J .; Fitzgerald, Roy G .; Flatau, Sol; Folkerth, Chas. W .; Fulton, Nathaniel; Funkhouser, Chas. A .; Gebhart, Geo. H .; Gebhart, Mahlon; Gilmore, Clement R .; Greene, Ernest L .; Hamilton, W. W. K .; Harshman, John B .; Hayward, J. B .; Heinz, Gaylord T .; Herrman, Thomas B .; Holler, Isaac E .; Holderman, Irvin L .; Hoover, John J .; HIosket, Ralph E .; Howell, Frank W .; Huffman, Eugene B .; Hughes, Arthur L. ; Hunter, H. A. ; Huston, Ernest T. ; Iddings, Andrew S .; Iddings, Daniel W ; Irvin, Obed W .: James, Lee Warren ; Jones, Julius V .; Jones, Moses H. ; Kalb- fus, John W .; Kemper, Howard G .; Kennedy, Eugene G .; Kennedy, W. C .; Kline, Hubert M .; Knight, Jas. ; Koehne, Ira C .; Krehbiel, Frank W .; Kreitzer, Herbert E .; Kreitzer, Dorsey M .; Kreitzer, John W .; Kuhns, Ezra M. ; Kuhns, Miles S .; Kusworm, S. G .; Lenz, Carl W .; Leonhardt, P. W .; Leopold, Geo. M. ; Limbert, Lee F .; Lindsey, Theo. C., Jr .; Long, Lindley G .; McCann, Benj. F .; McCarty, Richard J .; McClure, Robt. E .; McConnaughey, W. S .; McCray, Alfred ; McDonald, Allen G .; McMahon, J. Sprigg; Manix, Geo. W .; Markey, Arthur; Markey, Lee; Marshall, A. McLaren ; Marshall, W. K .; Martin, Ulysses S .; Mattern, Conrad J .; Matthews, Wm. M .; Mau, Haveth E .; Mendenhall, A. L. ; Miller, Wm. H. ; Mueller, Edw. R .; Munger, Harry L .; Myers, J. C .; Nevin, W. B .; Nevin, Robt. R .; Nevin, Chas. B .; Nevins, Daniel; Nutt, Irvin A .; Oblinger, Gates C., Jr .; Orendorf, L. Edgar ; Osgood, Worth; Ozias, Geo. W .; Patterson, Robt. C .; Peebles, Arthur F .; Pettit, Wm. M .; Pfoutz, Daniel H .; Pohlman, Wm. A .; Powell, Wm. G .; Prugh, David I .: Reiter, Wm. A .; Retter, R. B .; Rhotehamel, Wm. S .; Roehm, John; Rott, Harry R .; Routzohn, Harry A .; Ruggles, M. F .; Scharrer, Albert H .; Schulman, A. W .; Shea, John C .; Shuler, Carl F .; Sigler, Pearl N .; Sipe, Oliver C .; Smith, Howard S .; Smith, J. B .; Smith, Victor Y .; Smith, Wellington C .; Snepp, H. A .; Snyder, Walter V .; Soward, Lucien A .; Speer, Leonidas E .; Sprigg, Carroll; Spring, Harlow E .; Stauter, Roscoe T .; Stewart, James A .; Thompson, Chilton D .; Thompson, Francis M .; Tomlinson, Wm. H .; Troxell, Volney A .; Turner, Earl H .; Van Deman, John A .; Van Derveer, R. Earl; Van Pelt, D. B .; Veneman, Nevin E .; Walker, F. Liewellyn ; Weaver, Erie J .; Wellman, Burton S .; White, Wm. W .; Williamson, Howard P .; Young, Oscar C .; Wilson, Albert G .; Winder, A. Her- ber ; Worman, Philip H .; Worman, Horace D .; Wortman, Paul J .; Wright, Calvin D .; Wulff, Augusta R.
The foregoing lists give the aggregate membership of the Dayton bar since its organization, being thirty in the first group, seventy-one in the second, one hun- dred and twenty-eight in the third, and one hundred and eighty-one in the fourth group-four hundred and ten in all.
A large number of the surviving members have retired from practice, or have removed from the county and are practicing elsewhere. At the present time,
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(1909), there are but two of the second group, forty of the third group, and one hundred and fifty-seven of the fourth group now practicing in Dayton ; in all, one hundred and ninety-nine members.
Of this number surviving, six are exercising judicial functions, to-wit: John A. Shauck, judge of the supreme court; Charles W. Dustin and Theodore Sulli- van, judges of the circuit court; Oren B. Brown, Ulysses S. Martin and E. T. Snediker, judges of the common pleas court, and Rolland W. Baggott, judge of the probate court. There are two surviving ex-judges of the superior court, Thomas O. Lowe and Dennis Dwyer, and only one surviving ex-judge of the com- mon pleas court, namely, Dennis Dwyer.
Of the first group, one, Charles Anderson, became governor of Ohio on the death of John Brough in 1863, he having before that time been lieutenant gov- ernor. Four served as judges of the court of common pleas, to-wit; Joseph H. Crane, R. S. Hart, William L. Helfenstein and George B. Holt. Two were mem- bers of congress; Joseph H. Crane and Robert C. Schenck. Twelve were, at different periods, members of the state legislature of Ohio, being Charles An- derson, Joseph H. Crane, George B. Holt, Peter P. Lowe, Wm. J. Mckinney, Peter Odlin, Robert C. Schenck, Gen. Smith, Edwin Smith, Thomas J. S. Smith, Henry Stoddard and Robert A. Thruston.
Of the second group, four were members of congress, viz : C. L. Vallandig- ham, Lewis B. Gunckel, John A. McMahon, and George W. Houk. Four were judges of the superior court : Daniel A. Haynes, Jackson A. Jordan, Thomas O. Lowe and Dennis Dwyer. One is judge of the circuit court, Theodore Sullivan. Two were judges of the court of common pleas: Henderson Elliott and Dennis Dwyer ; and five were judges of the probate court : Youngs V. Wood, Joseph G. Crane, James H. Baggott, Samuel Bolt and Dennis Dwyer. Eleven were mem- bers of the general assembly of the state of Ohio, viz: W. H. Belville, F. P. Cuppy, David B. Corwin, L. B. Gunckel, Daniel A. Haynes, George W. Houk, Marcus J. Parrott, E. A. Parrott, J. McLain Smith, Thomas F. Thresher and Moses B. Walker.
Of the third group, one, Robert M. Nevin, was a member of congress. One, John M. Shauck, is judge of the supreme court of Ohio, and two, John M. Shauck and Charles W. Dustin, have been judges of the circuit court. Seven were or are judges of the court of common pleas, viz: Oren B. Brown, Charles W. Dustin, Alvin W. Kumler, John C. McKemy, Edwin F. Matthews, E. T. Snediker and Elihu Thompson. Three were probate judges : Charles W. Dale, J. L. H. Frank, and Wm. D. McKemy. Three, D. W. Allaman, Wickliffe Belville and Wm. G. Frizell, have been members of the legislature. One, E. M. Wood, was captain in the United States army.
Of the fourth group, three have been or are common pleas judges: C. D. Wright, D. B. Van Pelt and Ulysses S. Martin. Three have been probate judges : Obed W. Irvin, John W. Kreitzer, and Benj. F. McCann. One is probate judge at present, Roland W. Baggott. One has been police judge, Wm. B. Sullivan, and one is police judge at present, Lindley G. Long. Eight have served in the legis- lature : Charles H. Bosler, Mahlon Gebhart, Joseph S. Chamberlain, George M. Leopold, Allen C. McDonald, J. C. Myers, Wm. A. Reiter and Carl F. Shuler.
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In the war of the rebellion, three members of the Dayton bar became generals : Robert C. Schenck, Gates P. Thruston and Moses B. Walker. Nine were colonels : Charles Anderson, Edward A. King (commanding a brigade when he was killed), Hiram Strong, M. P. Nolan, Edwin A. Parrott, John G. Lowe, Samuel B. Smith, John W. Lowe, and H. H. Sage. Three were majors: Luther B. Bruen, Daniel O'Driscoll and Wm. H. Sigman. Three were captains : E. M. Wood, S. B. Jack- son, and Geo. W. Brown. Two were lieutenants: O. M. Gottschall and Wm. Howard; and two were sergeants : Elihu Thompson and Wm. Craighead.
In the early days of the Dayton bar it was usual for the members to ride the Judicial Circuit very much as is done to this day in Great Britain, where the barristers when the assizes are held at the various county seats go with the judges and remain during the sittings, attended to such legal business as they may have At the time we write of when northwestern Ohio was almost a wilderness with only such roads as were made by mere openings through the timber, frequently only bridle paths, the riding of the circuit by attorneys was a laborious under- taking. But the pioneer lawyers of those days were equal to the occasion, they were men of nerve and muscle as well as of ability, who believed in the motto, "Obstacles but increase our energy." Their greatest consolation for their arduous labor was, when a strenuous day in court would be over, to sit around the tavern fire swapping stories and enjoying the fellowship of each other. Of the times we write of, the most prominent members of the Dayton bar were Joseph H. Crane, Henry Bacon, Henry Stoddard, Peter P. Lowe, George B. Holt, Edward W. Davies, Thomas J. S. Smith and Robert A. Thruston.
JUDGE CRANE was considered the father of the Montgomery county bar, not only for his age, but for his ripe and profound learning in his profession. Out- side of mere professional and technical learning he was a man of wide and varied reading, and had a prodigious memory, especially with history, classics and the poets which he was capable of using at will.
HENRY BACON was a man of ability and often in presenting an argument to court or jury showed considerable brilliancy, but of his personal appearance and dress he was quite indifferent, in fact amounting to slovenliness.
HENRY STODDARD was a most methodical, painstaking and successful lawyer. He was noted for the pains in his cases he always took in hunting up and pre- paring the evidence, which after all for a lawyer is the true road to success in winning cases.
PETER P. LOWE. Although not having the advantage of an early classical education, and not being a very methodical lawyer in the preparation and presen- tation of his cases, yet nevertheless, because of his knowledge of human nature and his shrewdness in its use with juries made him very successful in his prac- tice. He died quite wealthy.
JUDGE HOLT was a painstaking disciplined lawyer, which qualifications made him a most successful judge during his terms on the bench.
EDWARD W. DAVIES was a careful, well trained business lawyer, was dignified in manner, but always courteous to his brethren of the profession and commanded their respect for his strict integrity.
THOMAS J. S. SMITH was through life a good deal of a student, was well
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trained in the duties of his profession, and was always faithful to and pains- taking in the interest of his clients.
ROBERT A. THRUSTON was the most brilliant and fluent speaker of his day at the Dayton bar. His diction was most scholarly and polished, and by reason of this and his charm of manner was always a social favorite.
GEN. ROBERT C. SCHENCK, who came to the Dayton bar in 1831, in after years became perhaps the most widely known of its members, for outside of his recognized ability and success as a lawyer, he had the widest range of public ex- perience. He was born near Franklin, Warren county, Ohio, was the son of Gen. Wm. C. Schenck, graduated from Oxford College, Ohio, in 1827 and taught in his Alma Mater till he entered the law office of Thomas Corwin at Lebanon as a student. After being admitted to the bar in 1831, he came to Dayton on horseback, on the way he inquired at a house on the roadside then surrounded by undergrowth, located at a point now near the center of Dayton, how far he was from the town, he was informed that he was about three-fourths of a mile. This shows the Dayton of 1831, as compared with the Dayton of 1909, with its one hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants. On the arrival of General Schenck in Dayton he immediately formed a law partnership with Judge Crane, which lasted till Judge Crane was elected to congress, when he formed a partnership with Peter Odlin, a young lawyer recently from Perry county, Ohio, but previ- ously from the city of Washington where he had been admitted to the bar, under the firm name of Odlin & Schenck. This firm continued, and was one of the leading law firms in this section of the state till 1844.
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