USA > Wisconsin > History of the bench and bar of Wisconsin, Vol. II > Part 55
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He has always taken a deep interest in the welfare of the republican party, and uses all honorable means in his power to insure success to its candidates during the various campaigns. In 1890, 1896 and 1898 he served as chairman of the republican state convention that met in Mil- waukee for the nomination of state officers.
In the early fall of 1894 the death of George B. Shaw left his con- gressional district without a representative. General Griffin yielded to the request of his friends and agreed to accept the nomination. His name was brought before the convention held in Eau Claire on October 3, 1894, and upon the first ballot he was chosen to lead the party to vic- tory; was renominated in 1896 and served on committee on military affairs in 54th and 55th Congresses, the latter being the war Congress. As a man of business, Mr. Griffin has displayed the same ability as he has in his profession, and has been successful. He is interested in the Lea Ingram Lumber company, of Iron River; the Eau Claire Grocery com- pany, and the Eau Claire National bank.
On the 6th of September, 1871, at Kilbourn City, Mr. Griffin was married to Miss Emma I. Daniels. They have had but one child, Mabel M., who died when eleven months old.
In his profession Mr. Griffin has been engaged in much of the im- portant litigation of his section of the state. He confines his practice to civil law. He is a man who thoroughly loves his profession, and he is eminently gifted with the capacities of mind which are indispensable to success at the bar. He is an indefatigable worker, and labors as much for the love of his profession as he does for pecuniary success. Quick and keen in his perception, he has the faculty of grasping all the
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details and intricacies of a case, and not losing sight of the essential facts and considerations involved in it, upon which the decision in every case finally turns. As a lawyer he has been more than ordinarily suc- cessful, and occupies a high position in the state; as a legislator he was fearless, upright, honest and aggressive; as a soldier he served his country with a degree of ardor patriotism alone can inspire, and as a citizen he commands the admiration and respect of all parties, irre- spective of political affiliations or religious creeds.
HENRY H. HAYDEN.
Among the successful members of the bar of Wisconsin, the name of H. H. Hayden is conspicuous. He was born in Schenectady, New York, May 3. 1841. His father, Edwin S. Hayden, a Connecticut Yan- kee, was a mechanic and farmer; his mother, Matilda Hayden, nee Joyce, was of Dutch ancestry and a daughter of a survivor of the Mo- hawk massacre. Raised on a farm, his boyhood was uneventful. After obtaining a good common school education at Crystal Lake, Illinois, he became a student in the law office of M. L. Joslyn, at Woodstock, Illinois. His legal studies were continued in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in the offices of Jackson & Halsey and of Felker & Weisbrod. He was admitted to the bar in September, 1871, and on January 1, 1872, located in Eau Claire, where he became associated with W. P. Bartlett under the firm name of Bartlett & Hayden. Mr. Hayden soon demonstrated his ability in his profession, and in a short time, through close applica- tion and indefatigable energy he became one of the leaders of the bar of the state. After the partnership of Bartlett & Hayden had continued for fourteen years it was dissolved, and Mr. Hayden shortly thereafter formed an association with T. F. Frawley, which continued for three years. He next admitted R. H. Start into his business, forming the firm of Hayden & Start. This partnership continued two years; since then Mr. Hayden has conducted his business alone. He has been engaged in many cases of more than local importance and has probably argued as many cases before the higher courts as any member of the bar in the state, outside of a few members of the Milwaukee bar. His knowledge of the law, his energy and industry, his tact and force before judge and
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jury have earned him a position in the front rank of a small body of men who collectively are the ablest lawyers in the state. His success is also largely attributable to the care with which he prepares his cases before trial and to the conscientious manner in which he treats his clients, always endeavoring to avoid litigation when just settlement can be obtained out of court.
Although his time is almost entirely absorbed by his profession, Mr. Hayden has become largely interested in manufacturing enterprises and financial institutions, and is the vice president of the bank of Eau Claire. Politically he is a democrat, but in common with many others of his party who were opposed to the Chicago platform of 1896, he voted for McKinley. He served in the war of the rebellion as sergeant in com- pany H, 36th Illinois volunteer infantry.
Mr. Hayden has been twice married. His first wife was Florence Slocum, by whom he had two daughters, Avis and Georgie. On March 18, 1885, he was again married to Alice W. Ellis.
GEORGE L. JACQUES.
George L. Jacques, son of George F. and Anna (Spaulding) Jacques. was born at Delafield, Wisconsin, January 30, 1862. His father, a native of Nova Scotia, was a mechanic and farmer. The latter had settled in the United States about 1844, when he was a boy six years old, locating with his parents at Delafield. In 1874 a move was made to Calumet county, and then on to Spencer, Marathon county, afterwards settling in Neillsville, near which city he now lives. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch, William M. Jacques, was held in high considera- tion in his community, being one of the earliest settlers in the county and holding a number of local offices, both of the town and county. The grandfather on the mother's side. Samuel S. Spaulding, was a native of New Hampshire, where he was born in 1813. At seventeen he enlisted at Boston in the regular army, serving through the Black Hawk war, and later being stationed at Fort Howard and the fort lo- cated on the present site of West Superior. He was discharged at Fort Howard in 1835, and at once engaged there in the lumber business, erecting one of the first saw mills in the state. Seven years later, in
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1842, he moved to Waukesha county, where he remained until 1871, when he moved to Minnesota and there died about 1881. Mrs. Spauld- ing is still living in Minnesota.
After attendance at the high school at Chilton and also at the Whitewater normal school, Mr. Jacques determined to take up the legal profession. He taught school for some time in Greenwood, and then moved to Neillsville, where he studied law with James O'Neill, editing at the same time the "Neillsville Times." Having taken his examina- tion at Milwaukee, he was admitted to practice in 1885.
An office was immediately opened by him in that town, where he has since practiced his profession. His law work has been of general char- acter, although, when possible, he has made a specialty of land titles, and has considerable local reputation for proficiency in tax title litiga- tion. As district attorney he had the handling of many cases of local interest and was noted for the ability and vigor with which he prose- cuted and the fairness of his methods.
Mr. Jacques has served for twelve years in the Wisconsin national guard, and is now the third oldest member of company A, third regi- ment. Having been the company coach in rifle practice for several years he justly takes great pride in the proficiency of his company in marksmanship.
Of the republican party he has been an active member, and for a number of years was chairman of the county committee, while in 1889 he was chairman of the republican committee of the twenty-fifth sena- torial district. Since Blaine ran, in 1884, he has been an active worker for his party and has been on the stump in all campaigns. In the last presidential fight, a work of his on the financial question attained large circulation through the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, and was received with favorable comment. In 1886 he was city attorney and in 1894 and 1895 he was for one term district attorney. He held the office of justice of the peace in 1884 and 1885, and in the spring of 1897 was elected county judge to take office January 1, 1898.
The Independent Order of Foresters numbers him among its mem- ·bers, and at the present time he is one of the trustees of the local camp.
Mr Jacques was married November 9, 1885, in Waukesha county,
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to Barbara Schwinn, a native of New York state. They have a family of three children: William H., Margaret, and James T.
An ardent sportsman, very fond of rod and gun, he finds consider- able recreation in military shooting, being one of the best military shots in Wisconsin.
ROBERT J. MACBRIDE.
Mr. MacBride was born in Philadelphia, June 28, 1847; his educa- tion was obtained in the public and high schools there. He came to Wisconsin in 1866, and settled at Neillsville, Clark county, where he has continued to reside. He was admitted to the bar in 1871 by Judge Romanzo Bunn, then judge of the sixth circuit.
Mr. MacBride has often been honored by the people of his county with official position, having served as a member of the county board; as county judge from 1869 to 1877; as member of the assembly in 1882 and 1883. He was state senator, representing the counties of Clark and Eau Claire, in the sessions of 1891 and 1893. In 1883 he was chairman of the judiciary committee of the assembly; at the regular session of the senate in 1891 he was chairman of the committees on incorporations and federal relations: at the special sessions of 1892 he filled the im- portant position of chairman of the joint committee on apportionment, and in 1893 was again chairman of the committee on incorporations.
During that session he was president pro tempore of the senate. On the 24th of August, 1894, Mr. MacBride was appointed, by President Cleveland. United States consul to Edinburgh, Scotland, which office he held until his retirement, in November, 1897.
Returning to his home, Mr. MacBride resumed the practice of his profession at Neillsville, having for a partner his son Robert. .
Politically, he has been a democrat, and has long occupied a promi- nent position in his party. He has been a delegate to at least two national conventions of his party-in 1880 and 1888. His presence at state conventions is very familiar. In 1892 he was chosen one of the presidential electors for the state at large, and at the meeting of the electoral college in 1893 presided over that body.
In his profession Mr. MacBride occupies, and has long occupied, a
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very respectable standing, and has enjoyed a good practice. He has faithfully executed every trust committed to him, and therefore deserves the confidence and esteem which have so long been reposed in, and entertained for him.
LEVI M. VILAS.
Levi Madison Vilas, formerly of the Eau Claire bar, and at the time of his death judge of the district court for Ramsey county, Minnesota, was born February 17, 1844, at Chelsea, Orange county, Vermont. He completed his general education in the university of Wisconsin, from which he was graduated in 1863. His graduation from the Albany law school occurred in 1864, in which year he was admitted to the bar in New York. Returning to Madison, the residence of his father's family, he engaged with his brother, William F., in the practice of the law for about a year, after which he went into the quartermaster's department of the army as chief clerk, remaining in that position two years. In 1868 he removed to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he built up and main- tained a large practice. While in Eau Claire he was elected to the offices of city attorney, in 1872; mayor, in 1876; district attorney, in 1877 and 1879. In June, 1887, Mr. Vilas removed from Eau Claire to St. Paul, Minnesota. His reputation as a lawyer had preceded him, and it was not long until he was entrusted with all the business he could attend to. Less than two years after becoming a resident of St. Paul Mr. Vilas was selected by the governor (a republican) for judge of the district court for Ramsey county, which appointment was accepted and the duties of the office entered upon. But the worthy recipient of that honor was not long permitted to hold the scales of justice; disease, even at the time of his removal from Wisconsin, had laid hold of him, and on August 25, 1889, he passed away at the family home in Madison.
Levi M. Vilas was an excellent lawyer. His standing in the pro- fession was such as any member of the bar might envy; such as cannot be reached otherwise than by the diligent application of a trained and strong mind. His manner of expression was marked; his style was his own-clear, terse and strong. His voice was strong, but musical. His appearance was prepossessing, and indicated great strength. His
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mind was eminently judicial, and had his life been spared his record as a jurist could but have been equal to that he made as a lawyer; indeed, he would, in the opinion of the writer, have excelled as a judge. His merit in this direction was recognized by a large number of his pro- fessional brethren some years before he left Wisconsin, by asking him to become a candidate for associate justice of the supreme court. No doubt that position would have been in accordance with his taste; but he declined to become a candidate for it.
In politics Mr. Vilas was a democrat; but he was not a politician. He did not forget that the law is a jealous mistress; he paid diligent court to her, and was rewarded accordingly. His personal character conformed to his professional; another illustration of the fact that the really good lawyer must be a good man.
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