USA > Wisconsin > History of the bench and bar of Wisconsin, Vol. I > Part 54
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Mr. Quarles possesses in an eminent degree all those qualities which command an audience, enlist a court and move a jury. His presenta- tion of a case shows careful and original research and bears the impress of a logical and well-trained mind. As a cross-examiner, he displays wonderful adroitness; quick to detect the weak spots in adverse testi- mony, he marks out a plan of attack which seldom fails to afford him a decided advantage in the preliminary skirmish. As an orator of un- usual ability and education, his address to the jury and court is eloquent, earnest and forcible, and from his great resources he draws at will, using his gifts with rare skill. Courteous and considerate to all, his language and manners have the stamp of the true gentleman, and obtain for him the respect and friendship of all classes. He has but little time to de- vote to politics, but as a republican has made campaign speeches in be- half of the party for the last twenty years. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the military order of the Loyal Legion.
He married Miss Carrie A. Saunders, an accomplished lady of Chi- cago, in 1868, and has three promising sons. Essentially literary in tastes and habits, Mr. Quarles still pursues his readings and studies as a source of recreation, and is often called upon to deliver addresses. Still in the prime of life, and in the light of a past and honorable career, we may predict possibilities in the life of this esteemed citizen that will be limited only by his own ambitions.
GEORGE DOUGLASS VAN DYKE,
the eldest son of John H. Van Dyke, was born in Milwaukee on the 31st of October, 1853. Educated at Markham's. now the Milwau- kee academy, he took a regular course at Princeton college, from which he graduated in 1873. He commenced his legal studies in the office of Emmons & Van Dyke and, under his father's careful training, was ad- mitted to the bar in November, 1875. Under these auspices he com- menced practice and subsequently formed a partnership with his brother, W. D. Van Dyke. The firm was known as Van Dyke & Van
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Dyke, and so continued until about 1895, when William E. Carter, formerly of Platteville, was associated with the firm, the firm name being changed to Van Dyke & Van Dyke & Carter, as it is now. Their business is of a general nature, although it often runs into the specialties of corporation and admiralty law.
Mr. Van Dyke has been identified with the iron mining interests. He is now interested in the Pewabic company, being its president. He was one of the organizers of the Menominee Mining company and sec- retary and treasurer of that corporation, as well as of the Chapin Mining company. He is a director of the National Exchange bank of Mil- waukee and has been associated with other financial institutions.
He was married in 1878 to Louise Lawrence. They have three children-Lawrence, Douglass and Louise.
CHARLES L. AARONS.
Charles Lehman Aarons is a native of New York city, the date of his birth being August 18, 1872. His parents. Lehman Aarons and Gusta (Marks) Aarons, were born in western Germany; they arrived in New York on the Fourth of July, 1869, carrying with them a few per- sonal effects and $50 in money-the extent, at that time, of their worldly possessions. The year succeeding the birth of their son Charles, they removed to Milwaukee, where they have since lived, and where the father gradually established himself as a prosperous wholesale clothing merchant.
Lehman Aarons, the father of our subject, was a strong man in every sense of the word. He never knew the meaning of "boyhood," his parents dying when he was only thirteen years of age, leaving upon his youthful shoulders the sole support of a family of six. The maternal grandparents are still hale and hearty, at the age of eighty. They have never left the fatherland.
Charles L. Aarons, the subject of our sketch, is to all intents and purposes a Milwaukeean. From infancy he was brought up in the Cream City and laid the foundation of his education in her public and high schools. Three years of his school life were spent in Chicago,
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where he attended and was graduated from the Brown (grammar) school of that city, being honored with the so-called Foster medal for excellence in scholarship. He also began his high school course in Chicago, but upon removing to Milwaukee again he graduated from the Milwaukee high school in 1890. For three years he attended the collegiate department of the Wisconsin state university, graduating from the law school of that institution in June, 1895.
Immediately after graduation he entered the office of Felker, Gold- berg & Felker, his principal occupation being at first the preparation of briefs. He remained with that firm as an employe from July, 1895, to January, 1897, when he became the junior member. During six months of this period he had ably performed the monotonous duties connected with "briefing," but was then graduated to the more responsi- ble post of trial lawyer. In both positions he showed his mettle. His first appearance before the state supreme court was in the case of Auer- bach vs. Marks, in December, 1896.
In September, 1897, he retired from the firm of Felkers, Goldberg & Aarons, and has since practiced alone. For one who has but just en- tered upon his career, Mr. Aarons has been retained in much important litigation. Of the noteworthy cases may be mentioned Manasse vs. Miller Brewing company and Lederer vs. Rosenthal, in the state su- preme court.
Mr. Aarons is the author of an article published in the September number of the Central Law Journal on punctuation-how considered in the law-which is attracting considerable attention among the mem- bers of the legal profession for its thoroughness.
Mr. Aarons is a republican in political belief. He is a member of the Masonic order, having served as secretary and junior deacon of Harmony lodge. He is an advocate of sociability, both in private and in club life, and while in Madison was president of the Columbian so- ciety, and in Milwaukee he has been especially prominent in the affairs of the Forum club, the members of which are young attorneys of Mil- waukee who meet annually for debate. Mr. Aarons had the honor of being one of the debating team which won in the contest with the Madi- son club.
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VOLKERT W. SEELY.
Volkert W. Seely, son of St. Paul and Maranda Millard Seely, was born in Morris, Otsego county, New York, December 10, 1843. His father, although a manufacturer, was active in many public affairs and of even more than local prominence. During the term of Governor Bouck he took a commanding interest in the state militia, being honored with the commission of colonel. His ancestors were natives of New Eng- land, his father, Obadiah Seely, being born in Massachusetts in the year 1800. Mr. Seely (senior) came to Wisconsin in 1870 and settled in Jefferson county, being for many years a member of its board of super- visors.
The son, Volkert W. Seely, preceded his father to the state by sev- eral years. In 1861, the year which marked his coming to Wisconsin, he was in his nineteenth year and had already received an academic educa- tion. He first located at Lake Mills, teaching school, studying law and shorthand and otherwise evincing the qualities which were to bring him future success-industry, faithfulness and ability. During the period of his teaching he was principal of a school at Oconomowoc and superin- tendent of schools at Fond du Lac.
At the latter place, in the offices of Gen. E. S. Bragg, G. T. Thorn and Judge Mayhan, he commenced the study of his profession and was admitted to the bar in 1869. Alone at the beginning of his career, he afterward formed a partnership with George H. Francis, which con- tinued for two years. For some time thereafter he formed no business association.
While living in Fond du Lac Mr. Seely had so perfected himself in shorthand-and it is said that he was the first professional stenographer in Wisconsin-as to receive the appointment of official reporter for the Fond du Lac circuit. His services were also in demand by the news- papers, not only because of his skill as a reporter but also owing to his enterprise as a newspaper representative. Upon one occasion an im- portant secret political convention was being held in the state capitol and Mr. Seely had been delegated by certain Chicago and Milwaukee papers to report the proceedings. It was an especially choice bit for
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the newspapers, since Matt. Carpenter was to be among the speakers. The convention was held behind "closed doors," but the basement of the state house offered vantage ground for Mr. Seely's reportorial tal- ents and enterprise, and to the astonishment of the secret legislators their doings were published in full.
Mr. Seely's next change of location was from Watertown to Grand Haven, Michigan, where he remained for fourteen years, becoming one of its foremost citizens. Among the noted law cases in which he en- gaged was that which involved many intricate legal points in a contest between the city and private water works. The litigation extended through the state and federal courts for five years, and Mr. Seely's vic- tory was complete. He was also city attorney for several years. Five years of the period during which he was a citizen of Grand Haven he served as director of the school board, and received other marks of pub- lic esteem.
In 1888, after having lost all his property by fire, Mr. Seely removed to Milwaukee, where he has since been engaged in practice. There he has also been successful, his record in criminal cases having been most noteworthy. His defense of Dr. Walter B. Kempster, Milwaukee's health commissioner, in the impeachment proceedings undertaken against him by the city, was ably conducted.
From 1892 to 1894 he was assistant city attorney of the city of Mil- waukee, having been appointed to the office by Col. Conrad Krez, who was city attorney. It was during this time that he was prominently before the public and bar of Milwaukee, he having had full charge of all the city litigation at that time, and was very successful.
Politically Mr. Seely is a democrat. He is a Knight Templar, a member of Ivanhoe commandery, No. 24, Milwaukee. In 1897 he was high priest of Kilbourne chapter, No. I.
Mr. Seely's first wife was Ellen M. Waite, whom he married at Watertown and by whom he had two children-J. P. and Mable D. His wife died in 1865, and he was married a second time to Amra B. Squier, at Grand Haven. One child, Miranda, has been born to them. His present wife was the daughter of Captain Squier, a sea and lake captain, as well as a contractor and ship builder.
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PETER DOYLE.
Peter Doyle was born at Myshall, county of Carlow, Ireland, De- cember 8, 1844; came to Wisconsin in 1850, his father settling at Frank- lin, Milwaukee county; was liberally educated; taught school in Mil- waukee for a time and studied law in the office of Butler & Cottrill. Removed to Prairie du Chien in 1865 and engaged in railway opera- tions; in 1873 was elected to the assembly as a democrat from Crawford county ; was elected secretary of state in 1873 and re-elected in 1875. His official record is most excellent. On retiring from office he trav- eled extensively in Great Britain and on the continent, and on returning to this country entered Yale college for the purpose of reviewing his legal studies preparatory to entering upon the practice of the law. At the close of a year's study he received the degree of bachelor of laws, his standing being third among thirty-one who were awarded that de- gree. Mr. Doyle has been practicing law in Milwaukee some years.
JAMES BOYNTON ERWIN.
James Boynton Erwin was born in 1846 in Bethany, Genesee county, New York. His father was a thrifty and prosperous farmer and owned a large fruit and grain farm near the village of Bethany .. When a young man his father was a prominent contractor and builder in his part of the state and erected many public buildings, among which are the Cary collegiate seminary. Wyoming academy and Genesee county asylum, upon the corner stones of which his name appears as builder. He was a strong abolitionist and republican and was often called upon to speak on public questions of interest. At the dedication of the Wyoming academy, which he built, he was orator of the occasion and received many congratulations and flattering words of commendation. This led to a proposition from one of the leading lawyers of the county, who urged him to abandon his vocation as a contractor and builder and take up the profession of law, for which he had a passionate fondness, but circumstances did not favor his doing so, and he finally chose the more retired life of farmer. Lydia Erwin, his wife, was the daughter of John
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Boynton, of New Hampshire, who came to New York in an early day and was one of the first settlers in Genesee county.
James Boynton Erwin, the subject of this sketch, was the fourth of a family of six children. When a boy he was not a stranger to hard work, but did his full part with the others upon his father's farm. After taking the common school course, he attended the Bethany academy for several years, at which institution he received, from his preceptor, Prof. Scarf, the inspiration and encouragement which led to the selec- tion of his chosen profession, his professor prophesying for him a suc- cessful career. At the academy he received the highest honors of his class and was made the valedictorian.
After leaving the academy, he, in 1867, became a student at law in the office of Senator George Bowen, one of the ablest lawyers in western New York, located at Batavia. Finding that the clerical work in a busy law office conflicted with his progress, he, in 1868, left the office of Mr. Bowen and became a student in Michigan university, at which institu- tion, in addition to the study of law. he took a select course, including among other studies, English literature, history, logic, Latin, physics and social science. He graduated from the law department of the uni- versity in 1871, and has since devoted himself to the practice of his profession.
The first two years after his admission to the bar he practiced law at Batavia, New York, where he was associated with William Tyrell, one of the veteran lawyers of the state. Mr. Erwin is, and always has been, a staunch republican, and when at Batavia was appointed by the chair- man of the county republican committee one of the speakers of the campaign, in which he took an active part. He was also a staunch temperance worker, and edited the temperance department of the "Progressive Batavian."
In the spring of 1874 he, with his brother, O. R. Erwin, came to Milwaukee for a business trip. Being pleased with the city, they both decided to make it their future home. O. R. Erwin entered into the coffee and spice business and later in the real estate business at Chicago, where he has been prosperous and honored by having the enterprising suburb "Erwin," of Chicago, named after him.
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When beginning his practice at Milwaukee Mr. Erwin was at first as- sociated with the late J. V. V. Platto and C. K. Martin. After the sec- ond year C. K. Martin was elected to the office of district attorney. Then Mr. Erwin was appointed assistant and served in that capacity until the act creating the office was declared unconstitutional, when Mr. Erwin opened an office by himself, thereafter making a specialty in the practice of patent law. During the first five years of his practice in Mil- waukee he was associated with the late A. McCallum of Washington, D. C., who was considered one of the ablest patent lawyers of the Wash- ington bar, and to whom Mr. Erwin attributes much of his early success in his patent law practice. His relations with A. McCallum ceased upon the latter's appointment as solicitor of one of the leading railroad companies, when thereafter Mr. Erwin continued practice for several years alone.
In 1882 he became associated with the late Col. Geo. B. Goodwin, under the firm name of Erwin & Goodwin; after continuing with Mr. Goodwin for two years the copartnership was dissolved and Mr. Erwin entered into copartnership with C. T. Benedict, under the firm name of Erwin & Benedict. This firm continued in business for seven years, when it was dissolved, soon after which Mr. Erwin entered into co- parnership with L. G. and L. C. Wheeler, under the present firm name of Erwin, Wheeler & Wheeler, which has been in existence now for the past five years.
While his chosen branch in the profession and his tastes have caused Mr. Erwin to devote his time largely to an office practice, he has, since engaging in the profession, conducted and acted as associate counsel in a large number of important cases in the United States courts in this and other states. Among his earlier clients, with whom were asso- ciated some interesting incidents, is the American Lubricator com- pany, of Detroit. The business of said company, which for a time had been in a prosperous and thriving condition, was practically paralyzed by the adverse claim of a competing manufacturer to the monopoly of the invention, based upon the reissue of an old patent for a process. Mr. Erwin was employed as counsel in the matter, when he prepared an opinion clearly showing the invalidity of the reissue patent and the
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fallacy of the claims of his client's competitor, thousands of copies of which opinion were sent broadcast throughout the country, having the effect to re-establish the business of the American Lubricator company upon a stronger basis than ever before, while said opinion also had the effect to largely increase Mr. Erwin's clientage in several different states where the same was circulated.
Mr. Erwin is specially fond of mechanics and finds no pleasanter pastime than the investigation of the latest developments in this line, and he has probably spent more to gratify his tastes in this direction than many others have in fast horses or steam yachts, and while he has not the time or the taste to personally attend to the commercial part of the business, he is the president of a company which has placed thou- sands of his inventions upon the market. His study and practical ex- perience in mechanics have given him many advantages in the conduct of patent cases, which necessarily involve special training, and his stand- ing in the department of law he has chosen is conceded by those who know him best to be second to none, as is evidenced by his success and clientage.
Mr. Erwin was married twenty years ago to Edith West, the third daughter of the late General F. H. West, for many years a resident of Milwaukee. Her father was for two terms the president of the cham- ber of commerce in Milwaukee, and was United States marshal during Cleveland's administration. Edith West was reared in Milwaukee and received her education at the Milwaukee female college. She has, for a number of years, been a member of the ladies' art and science class and the college endowment association, and is studious and progressive.
Mr. and Mrs. Erwin have, as the fruit of their marriage, two daugh- ters, Clara Louise and Edith Josepliine, and four sons, Orlando, Grant, Gilbert and Lawrence. They are members of the Grand Avenue Con- gregational church and interested in all benevolent enterprises.
THEODORE KRONSHAGE, JR.
Those who preceded the immediate ancestors of Theodore Kron- shage were substantial Germans, who lived and died in the fatherland. Theodore and Pauline Hildebrand Kronshage were also natives of Ger-
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many, but emigrated to the United States and settled at St. Louis, in 1866. During the succeeding year they removed to Milwaukee and afterward to Boscobel, Wisconsin, where Theodore, Jr., was born, No- vember 6, 1869.
He passed through the common and high schools of his native vil- lage, and in 1891 graduated from the Wisconsin state university with the degree of B. A. In the meantime he had partially realized an early ambition to become a lawyer by a course of private study under John M. Olin, at Madison, while in 1892 the conclusion of his preliminary training in this direction was marked by his graduation from the univer- sity law department and his admission to the bar.
In September of that year he came to Milwaukee and, in partner- ship with W. D. Tarrant, opened an office for the practice of his profes- sion. Their business is entirely of a civil character. One of the most noted cases was that fought in the United States supreme court which resulted in defeating the jury system of Utah. Mr. Kronshage's prac- tice, in fact. extends from Boston to Salt Lake, cases now being pend- ing in Denver, Detroit, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and the other two cities mentioned.
CHARLES E. ESTABROOK.
Charles E. Estabrook, lawyer and legislator, was born near Platte- ville, Grant county, Wisconsin, on the 3Ist of October, 1847. His father, Edward Estabrook, was a farmer and a native of Illinois, mi- grating to Grant county in 1836 when there were few settlers in south- western Wisconsin. His mother, formerly Margaret Mitchell, was born in Clinton county, New York. The father was a whig of prominence, his party sending him to the assembly in 1854. He removed to Iowa in 1868, his wife having died in Platteville, May 26, 1863.
In early life the subject of this sketch attended country schools in winter time and worked on the farm during the summer. When the civil war broke out it was with difficulty that he could be restrained from offering his services to the country, although he was then but fourteen years of age. In 1864, still under seventeen, he did enlist, joining com- pany B, forty-third Wisconsin volunteer infantry, and serving until the
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close of the war. Being mustered out of the service in July, 1865; he returned to Platteville to continue his studies.
ยท After taking a course in the normal school, he taught in Platteville, Belmont and Manitowoc, being for one year principal of the first ward public school in the last named city. In the mean time he had been pursuing his legal studies under the direction of William E. Carter, of Platteville, and J. D. Markham, of Manitowoc, and in January, 1874, was there admitted to the bar and began the practice of his second pro- fession.
At first Mr. Estabrook had no partners, but later he formed profes- sional connections which resulted in the firm of Estabrook & Walker and Estabrook, Walker & Baensch.
In April, 1874, a few months after commencing practice, Mr. Esta- brook was elected city attorney of Manitowoc, holding that office until December, 1880, and then resigning because he had been chosen to a seat in the assembly. During this period he became the author of much valuable legislation-such as the law providing for a state board of ex- aminers for admission to the bar, which has had the effect of materially elevating the standard of legal qualifications and whose provisions have been substantially copied into the statutes of Minnesota, Michigan and New York, and the law providing for the organization of farmers' in- stitutes. This is the common school of agriculture, supplementing the work of the experimental station and the other agencies provided by the state for agricultural education. By this means Wisconsin has be- come known throughout the world along this line of effort.
As stated in "Men of Progress:" "It was largely through Mr. Esta- brook's efforts that suit was begun in the supreme court to test the validity of the act of 1883 reapportioning the state into senate and as- sembly districts. In conjunction with A. J. Turner, he compiled the facts on which the suit was based, and by their persistence the case was carried through the courts, the act was overthrown and the right of the court to inquire into the validity of such legislation was fully estab- lished."
In 1886 Mr. Estabrook was elected attorney general of the state, being re-elected in 1888, holding the office from January 3, 1887, to
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January 5, 1891. During a portion of this period he was professor of mu- nicipal corporations, juries and justice court procedure and sales, in the college of law of the state university. In June, 1893, he removed to Mil- waukee, where he has since resided and practiced his profession.
Mr. Estabrook is an active and influential member of the repub- lican party, having served as a delegate to many of its local and state conventions and as a member of the national convention which met at Chicago in 1884. Since he has become a resident of Milwaukee he has been active in educational work in the line of library organization and university extension. Naturally, also, he is interested in all that con- cerns the Grand Army of the Republic and is a member of Wolcott post, No. I.
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