USA > Wisconsin > History of the bench and bar of Wisconsin, Vol. II > Part 46
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ers, who remains his wife, and Mr. Caswell is still in the practice of his profession.
ANDREW S. DOUGLAS.
Andrew S. Douglas is a native of Hudelton, St. Lawrence county, New York, the date of his birth June 19, 1846. Of his parents, his father, Adam B. Douglas, who, by occupation, was a farmer and added to that the raising and training of fast horses, was a native of Scotland, and had interested himself in the native rising of 1836-7. The family is one famed in the annals of Scotland, and the subject of this sketch is named after his grandfather, another Andrew Douglas. Adam B. Douglas married Mary Starring, a lady descended from an old Holland family which had come to this country at an early day.
The education of Andrew S. Douglas was received in the classical institute at Portage City, Wisconsin, and the second ward high school, Milwaukee, finally graduating July 3, 1863, from the high school at Janesville. Having for some time taught school at Indian Ford, Wis- consin, he settled on his profession and began to study law with H. A. Patterson at Janesville. He was admitted to the bar at Janesville Feb- ruary 15, 1866, and to the supreme court about four years later.
Having obtained his license to practice, Mr. Douglas opened offices in October, 1867, at Brodhead, a place he left two years later, April 26, 1869, to settle at Monroe. During the second year of his stay in Brod- head he was in partnership with H. A. Patterson, and in 1870 he became associated with E. T. Gardner, a relation which continued until the death of the latter.
ยท Among the interesting and important cases with which Mr. Douglas has been connected may be recalled the State of Wisconsin against Shroyer, for murder, in 1870, in which Mr. Douglas was prosecuting attorney; the prosecution in James Smith vs. Matthew Newkirk of Phil- adelphia, for an accounting regarding. moneys advanced, in which, act- ing for plaintiff, he was successful; in M. E. Baltzer against Chicago, Madison & Northern Railroad, where, after carrying the case twice to the supreme court, he recovered $10,600.
Mr. Douglas is a republican and has held a number of political
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offices. For five terms he was village and city clerk of Monroe; as representative for the city of Monroe he was a member of the county board; in the spring of 1896 he was elected mayor for a two-year term, and for one term was justice of the peace and on seven different oc- casions was elected district attorney of Green county by the largest majorities ever given in the county.
Becoming a Mason in 1873, he has filled all chairs and is now Mas- ter. Of the Knights of Pythias he has been a member since 1883, and has been elected past chancellor and representative to Grand Lodge. He also belongs to the United Workmen, the Modern Woodmen and the Grand Army of the Republic Post, O. F. Pinney 102, in the lat- ter having been elected for one year commander.
Mr. Douglas has been twice married. First, at Janesville, Novem- ber II, 1868, to Laura E. Welch, who died in February, 1881, by whom he had three children: Arthur S., Malcolm C., who is present city editor of the Milwaukee Sentinel, and Helen L. By his sec- ond wife, Abbie E. Dowling, to whom he was united January, 1883, there are two children: Andrew S., Jr., and Margarette F.
His military experience was short. In May, 1864, he enlisted in Company A. fortieth Wisconsin infantry, receiving his discharge Sep- tember. 1864. Mr. Douglas, in his religious affiliation, is a member of the Unitarian church.
BROOKS DUNWIDDIE.
This old time and thoroughly representative member of the Wis- consin bar was born at Sugar Creek, Ohio, January 22, 1818, of which place his parents, John and Ruth (Betts) Dunwiddie, were pioneer settlers. John Dunwiddie. was a farmer by occupation and, leaving Maryland, had located in southwestern Ohio in 1804. The father of the last named was a native of the north of Ireland, who, coming to this country, immediately enlisted in the army and was present at the battle of Brandywine. John's wife was from Delaware and is nearly related to John M. Clayton, the United States senator.
Brooks Dunwiddie received his education in the Quaker school and the Harvey seminary, Clinton county, Ohio, obtaining very thor-
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ough instruction in English, Latin and mathematics. Having decided to take up the legal profession, he studied law under Thomas Corwin & Smith, at Lebanon, Ohio, taking his full course. At the end of the time, however, filled with the glowing accounts of what could be done in the west, without even waiting for his examination, he set out with a drove of sheep in that direction in 1842. For the six years follow- ing, until 1848, he ran a sheep ranch on the Sugar river, Green county, Wisconsin, at the end of which time and just when the state was ad- mitted to the Union, he passed his examination before Judge Irwin at Monroe, Green county, which was then known as the United States district court, receiving his license to practice. In 1850 he became law partner with George E. Dexter, brother-in-law of William M. Tal- man, of Janesville, a connection which continued until 1860, when Mr. Dexter went to Minnesota.
Formerly a whig in his political views, Mr. Dunwiddie's first vote being given to William H. Harrison in Ohio, 1840. for President, and also a free soiler, in 1854 in Wisconsin he became one of the com- mittee sent to Madison for the purpose of organizing the republi- can party, and since that time has been foremost in his allegiance to the party and in fidelity to its principles. In 1848 he was elected for a term of two years district attorney of Green county, and ten years later became county judge, a position he has held continuously up to January, 1898.
During the last seven years the greater portion of his attention has been bestowed upon his judicial duties, but preceding that his practice was a large one in the circuit, supreme and United States dis- trict courts, and as a fact, there were but few important cases with which he was not connected.
He became a member of the Masonic body in 1853 and of the Odd Fellows about the same time, but he has always refused to accept office in either society.
Judge Dunwiddie's business energies, however, have by no means been devoted solely to his professional duties, for his high standing among his brethren and the business community generally was shown by his election in 1854 as a director of the Milwaukee & Mississippi
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Railroad Company, and in that capacity he remained until the road was sold in 1857, during which time the road was built to the Missis- sippi and to Monroe and became the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company, the road which he helped to build from Milton Junction to Prairie du Chien and also to Monroe. He was also, from 1860 to 1870, a trustee of the state insane hospital at Madison.
Mr. Dunwiddie was married July 5, 1855, to Sarah Yarger at Rock Grove, Stephenson county, Illinois, and they have four children: Mary, who married a gentleman named Kemp, but who for seven years past has been a missionary to China; William, who is an abstractor; J. D., who follows the same profession as his father; and Edna, wife of Mr. Bush, of Milwaukee.
All his life the subject of the present sketch has been an omnivorous and an industrious student-his chief pleasure being in the reading and translation of ancient and modern history. It having been his fortune to become acquainted with the late Charles Dickens, the well known novelist, he has since become a close reader of his works. In his religious views he belongs to the Baptist persuasion.
BARNABAS B. ELDREDGE.
Mr. Eldredge traces his descent from Edward Eldredge, who was born on the 9th of September, 1737, in Wales, and came to America in his youth and settled on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. On the 19th clay of December, 1762, at Dartmouth, Massachusetts, he married Miss Adna Hammond, whose mother was paternally descended from Will- iam Penn. She was born at Dartmouth in 1735 and died in 1825. Her husband died in 1821.
Barnabas Eldredge, a son of Edward and Adna Eldredge, was born at New Bedford, Massachusetts, on the 25th day of September, 1768. At Poughkeepsie, New York, whither he went soon after the revolu- tionary war, he married Miss Dacia Wadsworth, a daughter of Josiah Wadsworth, formerly of Hartford, Connecticut. Immediately after their marriage they set out for the interior of New York state and located in the town of Sharon, about two miles west of Sharon Springs, where in the wilderness he eventually erected a log building and es-
B. B. Elenedagen
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tablished a supply store, and by his energy and tact founded an ex- tended mercantile business. He also erected and operated mills for the manufacture of flour and lumber and for other purposes.
In 1821 he was a member of the legislature of New York. He died at Sharon, New York, on the 5th day of September, 1842, and his wife died at the same place on the 30th day of May, 1831.
David Eldredge, their son and father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Sharon, New York, on the 3d day of September, 1797, and was married to Miss Sally Swift on the 9th day of October, 1816. She was born on the 14th day of November, 1798, at Cherry Valley, New York, and was a daughter of Thomas Swift, formerly of Rhode Island. She died at Sharon Springs on the 2d day of October, 1865. David Eldredge was the founder of Sharon Springs, and was, during his life, a farmer, and also reconstructed several of the mills that had been erected by his father and supplied and controlled the same for many years thereafter. He died at Sharon Springs on October 8, 1865.
Barnabas B. Eldredge was born at Sharon Springs, Schoharie coun- ty, New York, on the 2d day of February, 1824. In June, 1838, he entered upon a preparatory course of study at the Clinton liberal in- stitute, Clinton, Oneida county, New York. He was placed under the personal supervision of the eminent linguist, the Rev. Timothy Clowes, LL. D., and of Professor George R. Perkins, the well known mathematician, scientist and educator, and was graduated from Hamil- ton College, New York, in the class of 1845.
In August of the same year he entered upon a course of study of law at the Cambridge law school, under the direction of Simon Green- leaf, LL. D., author of Greenleaf on Evidence and other legal works and treatises; and of Judge William Kent, son of Chancellor Kent. He closed his term at the law school in 1847.
He continued his law studies with Samuel Stevens of Albany, New York, and was admitted to practice in the courts of such state at a term of its supreme court held at Salem, Washington county, in May, . 1848, Judges Cady, Hand and Millard presiding, and during the same year began the practice of law at Sharon Springs, where he continued the same until the Ist of November, 1850, when, at the earnest solici- Vol. II .- 32
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tation of his father, who had for the first time visited the west during that year, and like Horace Greeley had confidence in the future of that section, he started for Janesville, Wisconsin, where he arrived on the 9th day of November, 1850.
Upon his arrival at Janesville, Mr. Eldredge formed a law partner- ship with John J. R. Pease and Isaac Woodle, under the firm name of Woodle, Eldredge & Pease, which continued until June 6th, 1851, when Mr. Woodle retired, the firm remaining Eldredge & Pease until January, 1866. In October, 1867, Thomas H. Ruger, who subse- quently became a major general of the United States army second in rank, and retired in April, 1897, joined the firm of Eldredge & Pease, which was continued as Eldredge, Pease & Ruger until the commence- ment of the war of the rebellion, when Mr. Ruger retired to enter the service of the United States as lieutenant colonel of the third Wiscon- sin regiment of volunteers, when the old firm name of Eldredge & Pease was resumed.
In 1853 Mr. Eldredge was appointed local attorney for the Mil- waukee & Mississippi railroad company and served in that capacity until 1860. In 1855 he became attorney for the Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac railroad company-now the Chicago & Northwestern- serving as such until 1866, when he resigned to return to Sharon Springs, on account of business matters requiring his personal atten- tion. Having arranged his affairs in the east, on the Ist of July, 1868, he returned to Janesville, where he has since resided.
He did not at once resume the practice of the law, but continued legal investigations in the office of Pease & Ruger, until after the death of his wife, whose delicate condition of health required the de- votion of much of his time to her care, till the sad event. Soon there- after he opened a law office in the same rooms he had formerly oc- cupied and resumed the practice.
From January 1, 1878, until January, 1881, he was associated with Ogden H. Fethers, since which time he continued alone in the prac- tice, until January 1, 1898, when he formed a partnership with Arthur M. Fisher.
During the term of his attorneyship of the Chicago, St. Paul & Fond
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du Lac railroad Mr. Eldredge personally assisted in shaping the neces- sary agreements and the legislative enactments under and by means of which its several extensions and consolidations were effected, and as attorney for these railroad companies he participated in the dispo- sition of many important actions wherein the companies were inter- ested in the courts of last resort.
Mr. Eldredge's successes have not all been confined to the field of his profession, but as a man of business affairs he has displayed the same capacity which crowned his professional efforts with success. He became a stockholder and director of the Rock County National Bank shortly after its organization, and was president of this institu- tion from November 19. 1881. to January 17, 1887, since which time he has served as its vice president. Since the construction of the works in 1881, he has been a stockholder and director of the Janes- ville woolen mills of Janesville, and is now president of that corpora- tion.
As a citizen Mr. Eldredge has been an active worker in the devel- opment of many of the movements that have resulted beneficially. He was the first to advise the sinking of an artesian well at the fair grounds at Janesville as a test for agricultural purposes and which, by his ef- forts, was carried through successfully except so far as raising water to the necessary height on the elevated prairies. Subsequently he took a deep interest in the question of procuring a good and sufficient water supply for the city of Janesville and strongly advocated the artesian well system for that purpose in opposition to all plans to utilize river or creek water and was ably supported by John J. R. Pease and Judge Milton M. Phelps. A well was sunk near the west bank of Rock river to the depth of 1,087 feet with an eight-inch bore, and the water rose to a height of forty-two feet above the level of the water surface in the river, discharging at the rate of 800,000 gallons every twenty- four hours; it is voted a grand success.
In early life Mr. Eldredge was a democrat and cast his first vote for Silas Wright for governor of New York. He was recognized as a local leader of his party, and as a delegate to the convention held at Utica, New York, which nominated Martin Van Buren for the presi-
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dency, he gave him his hearty support. He was also a delegate to the barnburners' convention held at Rome, New York, with the ob- ject of consolidating the barnburners and hunkers, but which failed in its purpose. Upon the organization of the republican party Mr. El- dredge discontinued to fraternize with the democrats, and since then has been recognized as an active republican.
He was appointed by Governor C. C. Washburn one of the com- missioners, authorized by chapter 243 of the laws of Wisconsin of 1873, to hear, try and determine the claim for damages by Morgan L. Mar- tin under a contract entered into by him with the state and bearing date of May 14, 1861. After hearing the claim Mr. Eldredge made a minority finding and reported adversely to such claim and filed the same with the secretary of state.
February 2d, 1848, at Clinton, Oneida county, New York, he was married to Louisa Maria Hutchens, whose many excellencies of char- acter and education challenged the esteem and love of all within the sphere of her refined and womanly influence. She was a daughter of William and Louisa Hutchens, formerly of Connecticut and who were early settlers at Clinton.
Two children were born to them: William Mellen, the elder, was born at Clinton, November, 1848. He married, in 1875, Miss Sarah C. Pease, a daughter of J. J. R. and Caroline M. R. Pease, of Janes- ville. Charles Chamberlin, the younger, was born in Janesville July 10, 1856, and died in infancy. The mother, after years of suffering, which she bore with Christian resignation, died on the 29th day of March, 1877.
Mr. Eldredge was again married on June 17, 1878, at Janesville, Wisconsin, to Miss Mary A. Hunter, daughter of Rev. James Hun- ter, of Quebec, Canada, formerly of Galashiels, Scotland, a minister of the Congregational church. He died of cholera at the age of ninety- two years, only two days after delivering what proved to be his last sermon.
Mr. Eldredge is in communion with the Episcopal church and a member of Christ church, Janesville. He became a Master Mason in 1853; a member of Janesville Lodge No. 55, and of Janesville Com-
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mandery No. 2, Knights Templar, of which he was one of the or- ganizers.
JACOB J. ENOS.
Jacob J. Enos was born at Johnstown, Fulton county, New York, July 5, 1816. He received a good education, was admitted to the bar, removed to Wisconsin, and settled at Watertown, Jefferson county, in 1844. Here he practiced his profession with success and credit. He was at one time county commissioner, and was also postmaster at Wa- tertown. Though but little engaged in public life he was well known in the state, and highly respected for his talents and virtues. He died at Watertown January 2, 1874.
RHODA L. GOODELL.
Miss Rhoda Lavinia Goodell was admitted to be a member of the bar of Rock county in the spring of 1874-probably the first woman lawyer in Wisconsin. She was born in Utica, New York, in May, 1839; graduated from the ladies' seminary at Brooklyn Heights, New York; assisted her father in editing a journal devoted to the advocacy of anti-slavery principles and other reforms; taught successfully for three years and for four years was an editorial writer on Harper's Ba- zaar. In 1871 she came to Wisconsin, settling at Janesville. Soon af- terward she became a student in the law office of Jackson & Norcross, and was admitted as stated. On December 14, 1875, I. C. Sloan moved the admission of Miss Goodell to the bar of the supreme court, and made an elaborate argument in favor of the motion, which argu- ment was prepared by the lady in whose favor it was, and which is sub- stantially preserved in the report of the case-39 Wis. 232. The mo- tion was denied by the court on the ground that the legislature had not authorized the admission of females to the bar. The opinion, written by Ryan, Chief Justice, questions the power of the legislature to provide for the admission of women to the bar of the supreme court. In 1877 the legislature enacted a law declaring that no person should be denied a license to practice as an attorney in any court of the state on account of sex. Miss Goodell was admitted to the bar of the su-
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preme court without question in June, 1879, after the death of Chief Justice Ryan, as have several other women since that time. She prac- ticed her profession at Janesville and in it won the respect and confi- dence of the community. She died March 31, 1880, at Milwaukee.
OGDEN H. FETHERS.
Ogden Hoffman Fethers, son of Daniel and Laura (Adams) Fethers, was born at Sharon Springs, New York, September 20, 1845. His father was of Dutch ancestry and his mother was a member of the historic 'Adams family of Quincy, Massachusetts. His early educa- tion was obtained in the district school at Sharon Springs, supple- mented by a course of study at the Fort Edward collegiate institute at Fort Edward, New York, from which he was graduated in 1863. He read law with James E. Dewey, of Cherry Valley, New York, and was admitted as attorney in 1867 and as counsellor in 1877. He has practiced his profession in Canton, New York, and since 1877 in Janes- ville, Wisconsin. Before locating in Janesville he spent several years as an educator, being for part of the time professor of English litera- ture in Washington university, St. Louis, Missouri. In 1877 he formed a partnership with B. B. Eldredge of Janesville, which con- tinued for several years. For the past fifteen years he has been asso- ciated with Malcolm G. Jeffris, the present firm being Fethers, Jeffris, Fifield & Mouat. He was married July 15, 1868, to Frances Ella Conkey, of Canton, New York. He is interested in pastoral pursuits and is the owner of a farm in the town of Fulton, Rock county, Wis- consin, which is devoted to raising cattle, sheep and swine of high grades. Politically he is a republican. He has occupied himself with the advancement of educational matters and in addition to acting as president of the school board of Janesville, has for several years past been a member of the board of regents of the university of Wisconsin, a position which, through his experience as an educator, he fills with ability.
DANIEL HALL.
Daniel Hall was born in Greenwich, Washington county, New York, November 20, 1819; remained on his father's farm until he was eight-
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een years of age, at which time he entered the seminary at Lima, Liv- ingston county, New York; in 1842 he entered the sophomore class of Union college, from which he graduated in 1845; studied law at Lockport, New York; removed to Wisconsin and was admitted to the bar in Milwaukee in August, 1851. In September, 1851, he became a resident of Watertown, Jefferson county, and lived there the re- mainder of his life.
He was district attorney of Jefferson county in 1857 and 1858; a member of the assembly in 1870, 1871 and 1872, and speaker in 1870. His death occurred some two or three years since.
Mr. Hall was engaged in much of the litigation arising in his sec- tion and was regarded as a prudent counsellor, a faithful investigator and competent lawyer. He was not brilliant; but won and retained the confidence of the community by his recognized uprightness and careful examination of questions submitted to him. As a legislator, he was distinguished by the same characteristics that made him suc- cessful as a lawyer.
JOHN E. HOLMES.
John Edwin Holmes, the first lieutenant governor of the state, was born December 28, 1809, near Hartford, Connecticut. The family moved to the state of New York before he was four years of age, and both parents dying before he was nine, he lived with his grandfather in the same state. He received but little education while under his grandfather's care, and, at the age of twelve years, he went to Hamil- ton, Madison county, where he learned a trade. During his leisure hours he applied himself to study and thus gained an education suffi- cient to enable him to teach a common school. He also attended an academy and prepared himself for preaching as a Universalist minis- ter. After preaching in Chautauqua county, New York, and adjacent parts of Pennsylvania, he removed, in 1836, to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he spent a short time, and before the end of that year removed to Roscoe, Winnebago county, Illinois, where he commenced the study of law. After a diligent study of two years he went to Lockport, Will county, Illinois, and in that county was admitted to the bar.
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Afterwards, removing to Savanna, Carroll county. Illinois, he practiced law for about two years, and, in 1843, removed to Jefferson, the county seat of Jefferson county, Wisconsin, and here made his life- long home, opened a law office and practiced in the state and United States courts until he devoted himself to his country's service, in which he finally died.
The professional life of Gov. Holmes furnishes an apt illustration of the superior value of integrity over mere education. He was by no means a great or brilliant lawyer, but was a thoroughly honest man, and had the confidence of the community which secured him success.
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