Minneapolis City (part 37 of 80)

For these names have been substi¬ tuted the present S3'stem of designating the thoroughfares at right angles to the streets as avenues, numbering from Cen¬ tral avenue on the cast side, and Henne¬ pin avenue on the west, north and south. North of Hennepin and Central avenues the names on both sides of the river cor¬ respond with each other as far as Tenth, where a dislocation occurs. South the avenues on one side of the river do not corres]:)ond in number with those on the other. Thus ; F'irst avenue on the east side is Irifth on the west, and so on. This incongruit}' arises from the crossing of the river and the interposition of anamed street - Nicollet - on the west side. West of I^ranklin avenue (Twentieth street), which is an east and west street crossing the crest of the western bluff', the streets and avenues run with the points of com¬ pass, and although having numerical names, yet the avenues retain in many cases their arbitrar\^ designations. Such are Cedar, Bloomington, Chicago, Park, Portland, Nicollet, Pleasant, Blaisdell, Lindle\', Ljmdale, Aldrich, Bryant, Col¬ fax, Dupont, Emerson, Fremont, Girard, Hennepin, Humboldt, Irving, James, Knox, Logan, Morgan, Newton, Oliver, Penn, Queen, Russell, Sheridan, Thomas, Upton, Vincent, Washburn, Xci'xes, Young and Zenith. In most cases blocks ai'c rectangular and streets straight. Notable exceptions to this rule are Oak Lake, Oak I'ark, Ridgewood, Lake View, Kenwood, Bryn Mawr and part of Groveland additions, where the street lines conform to the natui'al undulations of the surface and run in graceful curves.

The numerical s^-stem of designating streets and avenues affords a convenient method of numbering houses. bLich block front comiJrises one hundred num- hers, which correspond to the street numhers. On the east side north of Central avenue to the numbers are affixed the initials N. E. (northeast). South of Cen¬ tral avenue S. E. (southeast). On the west side N. (north), and S. (south), are north of Elennepin, or south of Nicollet. Between these streets no initials are added, but west of Franklin avenue the initial W. (west) is added. The number of a house thus announces its location. Thus : Number 423 Seventh street south is situated on Seventh street, south of Nicollet avenue, on the right going south between Fourth and Fifth avenues.

The aggregate length of all the streets within the corporate limits of the city is about eight hundi'ed miles. For the most part these in their natural condi¬ tion are smooth and easih" kept in good condition for travel. The natural sur¬ face was a sandy loam, and had good natuaral drainage. In the northern part of the city, where a clay soil occurs, the streets are in spidng soft and muddy, but in the summer and fall they are ex¬ cellent.

Paving. Fair progress has been made in paving the streets. The system adopt¬ ed charges the cost of paving a street, with its curbs and gutters, to the abutting property. The cost of paving street in¬ tersections is paid out of the general city fund. Three general kinds of paving are used. In the most traveled thorough¬ fares granite blocks are laid on a pre¬ pared bed of earth. The greater part of the streets are paved with c^dindrical cedar blocks, laid on a plank bed, rammed with fine gravel and cemented with a preparation of coal tar. Park avenue, for a distance of nearh^ two miles, is paved with asphalt. There are, up to the present time (1892), forty miles of paved streets in the city, of which thirtj^- three are cedar. All the streets in the built-up parts of the city are furnished with side-walks. Within the fire limits these are of natual or ai'tificial stone ; others are of plank, which are renewed or kept in repair by a system of rigid inspection.

Lighting. The streets are well lighted with gas, electric arc, vapor and oil lamps. These are furnished by private corpora¬ tions, on yearly or periodical contracts. The whole number of street lamps atpresentinuseis 5,82 1 , of which 2,854 are gas, 475 electric, 1,772 vapor and 722 oil. The average annual cost of all lamps is $166,617. There are 113 lamps to each square mile of area. The annual cost of each light is for gas, $15.60; electric, $150; vapor, $21.40, and oil, $17.95.

Sewerage. The sewerage system of the city is ciuite complete. Tun¬ nels run underneath the limestone for¬ mation, through the underlying St. Peter sand stone, from the river be¬ low the falls to convenient points on each side of the river. ' These are strongly lined and arched with brick masonry. Lateral sewers, of smaller di¬ mensions, radiate from these trunks wherever the need of sewerage exists. The total length of sewers in the cit}' is ninety-seven miles. Besides the sewers, the streets are underlaid with an intri¬ cate system of pipes for water, gas, elec¬ tric lights, electric railwa\q fire alarm telegraph and telephone service. At the introduction of electricit3^ for telegraph and other economic uses, the wires were carried on poles, but their number and inconvenience has rendered it necessary for the city, Iw ordinance, to require the poles to be removed. The process of bur\dng the wires in conduits has made considerable progress, and the time is not distant when all the wires will be removed from the central part of the city. On the first of Januar\q 1892, there were laid and in use 145,756 feet of conduits.

Sprinkling. A pleasant feature in the eare of the streets of the eit\' is the system of sprinkling; ministering alike to comfort and health. The expense is defrayed by an assessment upon the property along the street lines which receive the sprinkling. During the pres¬ ent year (1892) provision is made for sprinkling one hundred flftv-seven miles of streets, at an aggregate expense of $88,217.

Minneapolis enjoys the boon of an ^ extensive and beautiful s^'stem of pleas¬ ure drives. It is less than ten years since the\' were authorized b}' the park aet, but there are now about eighteen miles of such drives completed, and several ad¬ ditional miles designated and in process of aequisition. In popular language they are almost universally referred to as boulevards, though the name in its European aceeptation is not quite ac¬ curate. The^' are thoroughfares from which ordinary traffic is excluded, being devoted to purposes of pleasure and rec¬ reation. The situation of the city and its envii'ons is peculiarh' favorable for this kind of improvement. The Mississijipi river flows centrally through the city for nearly ten miles with dry banks, grassy slojies, and in man3qDarts wooded tracts. On the east is an encircling line of leafy bluffs, while upon the west is a chain of lakes with clean beaches and clear spring water. To the south runs with a livel\' cun'ent the outlet of Lake Minnetonka, leaping from the upland plain to the basin of the river b_v the Falls of Minnehaha. From river to lakes, en¬ circling their picturesque waters; and from lakes to river along the sinuous creek to the brink of the sjiarkling waterfall; and along the emerald banks of the river runs theboulevard - a broad.

well-kept, tree-planted drive. Starting from Loring Park, it runs b}" Kenwood to Lake of the Isles, and thence along the east bank of Calhoun in a generalh' level course, diversified with gentle as¬ cents and curving around points ; now in the open, now skirting the water l.ving trancjuil like a silver mirror in the sun, or ripplingunderthe fret of a breeze; and anon passing into the dark shade of a sombre wood, it is cverr'wherc bcautifid. At Lake Harriet, which the boulevard entireh' encircles with double driveway's, there are park areas with groves and picnic grounds, boats upon the water, a pavilion with music, and every entice¬ ment to drive away care b\' the touch of art. From Harriet the boulevard con¬ tinues along the smiling valley' skirting another charming lake - Amelia - to the far-famed Falls of Minnehaha, "leaping and sparking" amid its rural jiark, and thence along the river side, back to the busy' town.

The garnered wealth of centuries, guided by' the cultured taste of masters of landscape art, have produced some charmingdrives in the environs of Paris, Berlin, the Riviera and other parts of Europe. Nature and art have combined to give to New Orleans her shell road ; to Montreal, her mountain drive; to Riverside, her Magnolia avenue; to Newport, her Bellevicw avenue, attract¬ ing visits from throngs of strangers, and provoking admiration and praise; but nowhere in so new a city, pressing its citizens with the urgent needs of subsis¬ tence, has so magnificent a system of pleasure drives been produced, as in Minneapolis, under the ai'tistic insjura- Lion of Prof. Cleveland, and by the guid¬ ing, practical genius of her park board, headed by President Loring and sec¬ onded by her Kings, Bracketts, and other equally deserving commissioners.

Hknky Beach Beard. James Beard, his father, grandfather and great grand¬ father, lived in the town of Huntington, I'airfiekl eount3', Conneetieut. The Ameriean aneestor of the family, emi¬ grating from England, settled in Strat¬ ford about 1040. They were for the most part farmers, though James was a shoemaker, besides eultivating a small farm. His wife was Caroline Wood, of Danbniw, in the same eount\'. Their son, H. B. Beard, was born January 25, 1848. His infanc3' and bo3'hood were jjassed at home, with work on the farm and a sehool session eaeh winter, until he reaehed the age of sixteen. He then struek out for an edueation, though it had to be won bv his own exertioits. He entered an aeadenu' at Easton, Conn., and for the next three 3'ears pursued preparatoiw studies, intermixed with sehool-teaehing. At nineteen he entered Vale College and eontinued two years, when, from failing health and exhausted funds, he was eompelled to leave. After a 3'ear spent in reeuperation, he again took up the studies at Yale and gradu¬ ated in 1867. In the following autumn he entered the Theologieal Seminary at New Haven, imrposing to prepare him¬ self for the ministiw in the Congrega¬ tional ehurehes, but he soon experieneed the truth of the proverb, "A man's heart deviseth his way, but the Lord direeteth his steps."

The severe stiuB' of the previous years, with the strain of ineessant toil, brought on sueh ph3'sieal exhaustion, developing bronehial effeetion that he was obliged to leave the seminarv in the following spring. He took the Aeadem3' at Newton, Conn., sueeeedingBeaeh Hill, and taught during the remainder of the year, when the state of his health indueed him to trv the efifeet of a change of residence and emplovmcnt, and he came West, locating in St. Paul. Here he spent nine months engaged in insurance, and in 1869 came to Minneapolis where he spent the next ten 3'ears in the same business. With recruited health he again returned to New Haven and re¬ sumed the studies of the theological course, continuing them for nearh' three 3'ears. He wfis ordained to the Gospel AIinistr3' at Little Valle3', N. Y., and sujjplied the Congregational church there. But his health not being suffi¬ cient to continue in his chosen work, he again sought the West and returned to Alinneapolis engaging, in the real estate business, for which he developed an a])tness and met with most encouraging success. He bought lands in the newer parts of thecit3' and madeimprovements. He developed the pro])ert3' along the bluff on Lowiw Hill, grading Alt. Curve avenue at his own expense. On the east side of the river he invaded the sand l)rairie sloping up the bluff, and laid out New Boston. Here he built one hundred houses and made the locality accessible b3' securing an extension of the street railwa3'. He also graded the streets and built the first houses at Lake of the Isles. On block 111 of the town of Alinneapedis, situated on Washington avenne, between Twelfth and Thirteenth avenues south, he erected a fine stone block of stores and tenements to accom¬ modate a demand for dwellings at low rental, centrallv located, for the use of laboring men. It consisted of eight3'- seven flats and seven stores, and was jirovided with gas, water and sewerage long before an3' eit3' sewer was built in that part of the eit3'. A private sewer was constructed to the river 1)3' driving a tunnel through the sand rock, a dis¬ tance of 1,200 feet. At the building con¬ nection was made with the tunnel by sinking a shaft cightv feet, eighteen feet ol' which was drilled through the underh'ing lime-stone ledge.

The city of Minneapolis owes to the generosity and public spirit of Mr. Beard its lieautiful Lake Harriet Boulevard. After an effort had been made by the Park Commission to obtain sufficient lands surrounding the lake to make the driveway - and it had been abandoned on account of the exactions of the land owners - the greater part of the lands came into Mr. Beard's possession. He at once tendered, as a donation to the public, a strip of land 125 feet in width, next to the water line, with a right to extend the drive twenty-five feet beyond the shore line entirely around the lake, except for about one-fourth of the dis¬ tance along the south shore which he did not own. On the west side of the lake this area was enlarged b3^ taking in five acres of a finely-wooded hill for a picnic ground. Mr. Beard's example was con¬ tagious, so that the remaining lands were acquired on reasonable terms, and the Lake Harriet Boulevard soon came into being, furnishing the most enchant¬ ing rural drive and water park in the land, made easily accessible by a line of electric railway-, with a pavilion for music and refreshments, and sail and row boats upon the lake; it is the most resoi'ted to and refreshing of all our park improvements.

Mr. Beard married June 23, 1869, Miss Sarah R. Read, of New Haven, Conn. They have two children, William S., aged eighteen years, and Minnie B., aged nine. His residence is No. 1106 Mt. Curve avenue.

Though debarred from following his chosen profession, Mr. Beard is by no means an idler in the Master's vineyard. He was a leading member of the Plym¬ outh Congregational church until the formation of the Lowry Hill church, which he joined and of which he is an active supporter. He has also been greatly interested in the establishment of a cit\^ mission, contributing to its support and giving it personal care. Other economic enterprises have engaged his attention. Fluctuations in the real estate market have thrown heavy finan¬ cial burdens on some of his enterprises, but he pi'eserves under all vicissitudes a kindly temper and tranejuil mood and is thoroughly respected, and where best known, beloved.

William Morse Berry. Joseph Berry, the father of William M. Berr}^ was a ship builder and lumber manufac¬ turer, doing a large business at George¬ town, Bath and Bowdoinham, Maine, at the mouth of the Kennebec river. The son was born at the former place August 12, 1829. After completing the course of study at the school of his native town he attended the Academics at Lewistown and Brunswick. At the age of eighteen he left school to take charge of the lum¬ ber business of his father at Bowdoin¬ ham, and continued in the conductof the business for ten years. During this time he was elected president of the Village Bank of Bowdoinham, although but twenty-two years of age. The town was the residence of many families that had acquired wealth in ship building and navigation, and the bank had more funds than there was a local demand for. The surplus was loaned by Mr. Berry through the country, as he was constantly trav¬ eling in his business. The business was profitable, enabling the bank to pay large dividends, and it never lost a dollar.

The panic of 1857 prostrated the ship building business, and brought losses to his father. This induced Mr. Berry to move to the West. After looking over the country, he removed with his family to Green Bay, Wisconsin.

ocean navigation. The second, likewise a hark, was taken to the Atlantic, and in a voyngc to the south brought hack a cargo of cotton. She was then chartered and loaded for London, and started on her voyage, Capt. Berry being in com¬ mand. During a storm in mid ocean she became water logged, and was in such peril of foundering thatCai)t. Berry with the crew abandoned her, taking to the boats. When two days afloat the3" were rescued b}' a shijD returning from Africa, and taken to Liverpool. The ship was never heard of afterwards, and no doubt went to the bottom.

He removed to Chicago in the year 1869. The South Park Sj^stem was just established, and he found emplo^mient with the engineer, who was engaged in la\dng out the parks. In, the following \'ear he was appointed general Superin¬ tendent of the South Park Sj'stem, and continued for fourteen years in charge. During this time the whole extensive sys¬ tem of parks and boulevards was con¬ structed under his supervision, including Washington and Jackson Parks, the Drexel, Garfield, Grand and Western Av¬ enue Boulevards, a length of twenty-five miles of jfieasure drives. It was while engagedin laying out the Drexel Boulevard that Professor Cleveland, who was its designer, made his acciuaintence and learned his qualifications as a park builder.

When the Minneapolis Park Board had been organized, and its system ad¬ opted, and some of the first park areas secured, the employment of an experi¬ enced and skillful sujierintendent became a subject of supreme imjiortance. Mr. Cleveland, the landscape architect, who had been employed to design the parks, recommended the employment of Capt. Beriy, whose work in Chicago had been well known to him. The board author¬ ized its secretary to seek an interview with him in Chicago, and if he should af¬ ter inquiry deem it advisable, to emplov' him for one year at a salary' of fifteen hundred dollars. Mr. Berry acceded to the proposition, but only for one year, suggesting that bj" that time the Park board would know him, and would no doubt be willing to pa3' him whatever they might deem his services worth. The result was quite accordant with his an¬ ticipation, for before the first year was completed, the board voluntarily added one thousand dollars to the first year's salar3qand have since made it double the amount stipulated for the first 3'ear. It is needless to say that the board found they had the "right man in the right place.'' It is no difficult task to find men competent to grade grounds and build roads. A park builder needs some¬ thing more than this. There is the artis¬ tic sense, the faculty of throwing over all the gross work, the magic but indefin¬ able veil of beauty. Here the construc¬ tor and the artist join hands, and out of their labors comes a bit of natural land¬ scape, glorified and transformed into a glowing and living picture. Theemplo3'- ment is so infrequent that few are trained for it. Like the poet, the apt park archi¬ tect is " born, not made.'' Then there is a great responsibilit3' in the employment of men, and in the economical direction of a large laboring force. Large sums of mone3' are disbursed through the work of park construction and care.

ott, Riverside, Fairview and Washburn Parks, and Hennepin and Lake Harriet Boulevards, and when the season had elosed, had all these in sueh a state of forwardness, as to give assurance that the finished work would be highly satis¬ factory. He has since had charge of all the extensive work of park and boule¬ vard construction. The work has been done with much efficiency, and great economy.

In the work of arboral and floral adornment Capt. Berry has been no less successful than in that of construction. He seems to have a faculty to make trees grow and thrive, and to coax shy and reluctant plants into magnificent bloom.

If it were possible to stand on an em¬ inence and take in at one coup d' oeil the panorama of Minneapolis parks and boulevards, from gracefid Fairview in the North to charming Minnehaha in the

South, with the garniture of sparkling water parks at the West, the spectator would not misapply the epitaph in St. Pauls at the tomb of its architect, "S/ monumentum quseris circamspice."

While polities have entered into the Park Board and displaced its original secretary and president, chosen by a non¬ partisan board, they have made no change in its superintendent, whose rare qualifications have given him immunity from even partisan intolerance.

Captain Berry was married at the age of twenty-one. His wife was Betsey Ann Godfrey, of Saco, Maine. The\^ have seven living children, three sons and two daughters, now grown to maturity. The daughters are wives of James M. Bu¬ chanan and Arthur W. Clever of Chicago and Arthur W. Hobart of Minneapolis. The fourth daughter, Helen Fraker Berry, is unmarried

Bar And Bench

Minneapolis, without claiming special pre-eminence has contributed her full shai'c of able men to the legal profession, who have been prominent at the bar and on the bench of the state. In earl\' days the location was not as attractive to the profession as St. Paul, on account of the advantage enjoyed by that city in the lo¬ cation there of the Capitol and United States Court, which of themselves tend to draw legal business. This advantage, however, grows yearly less, as the facil¬ ities for rajhd communication between the cities increase, and a United States Court is now held here, and would en¬ tirely disappear should the Capitol be lo¬ cated midway l)etween the two cities.

Ellis G. Whitall was the first attorney who settled within the limits of what is now Minneapolis - then St. Anthony Falls. He was the brother in law of Sen¬ ator H. M. Rice, of St. Paul. He read law and was admitted to practice in Richmond, Virginia. He came to St. Anthony in 1849. His office was near the old St. Charles hotel, since dcstroved by fire.

war. He was a Virginian by birth, and engaged in the Confederate service, in which he continued until the surrender of General Lee. He afterward removed to Galveston, Texas, and engaged in the cotton trade. He died in that cit\' in 1867, of yellow fever.

The next attorney to make a perman¬ ent settlement in St. Anthony was John W. North, Esq., who came early in 1850. He was a native of Onondaga Count}', N. Y., and a graduate of Weskwan Uni¬ versity, Middletown, Conn. He had practiced law in Syracuse, N. Y., previous to coming to Minnesota. He was a man of much intellect, of strong convictions on the moral cpiestions agitating the public forty years ago, and took a prom¬ inent part in the temperance and free soil movements, which were prominent be¬ fore 1850. For a 3'^ear after his arrival here he occupied, with his family, a loghouse, on a beautiful rise of ground on Nicollet Island, surrounded b}' a forest of native maples, which have long since quite disappeared, giving place to large blocks of fine buildings. His office was a frame building on Main street nearly in front of where the Pillsbury mill now stands.

In those da3'S Mr. North was a prom¬ inent attorney, taking part on one side or the other of all theprinciiDal litigation in Hennepin County, previous to year 1857.

Mr. North's life has been a very active and eventftd one. He was elected in 1850 a member of the House of Repre¬ sentatives of the territory for its second annual session. It was in a large degree owing to his efforts that the University of Minnesota was located here. In 1854-5 he located and founded the town of Northfield, now one of the most beau¬ tiful and flourishing inland villages of the state. Owing to the unfortunate flnancial panic of 1857, which ruined so many business enterprises in the territor3^ and elsewhere, he largely lost the pecun¬ iary benefit, which his foresight and en¬ ergy merited, in founding the town, and which others have reaped.

In 1857 he was elected a member of the (Republican branch) convention to form a Constitution of the State of Min¬ nesota from Rice County. He took an active part in the debates of that body. Under Lincoln he was appointed sur¬ veyor general of the Territor3' of Nevada, and afterwards, in 1863, was appointed associate justice of the Supreme Court of the same territor3'.

After the close of the war Mr. North established an iron foundry in Tennessee. The time, however, was not ripe for the enterprise, and it did not prove a finan¬ cial success. Mr. North afterwards set¬ tled in California. He was, if not the founder, yet largely promotive of the growth of Rivei'side, one of the most flourishing towns in Southern California . The same may be said of the town of Fresno. His perceptions of the natural advantages for town sites was unsur¬ passed, though he has not reaped the pe¬ cuniary advantages, from the locations he made to which he was justly entitled.

In October, 1850, the writer hereof settled in St. Anthony and formed a partnership with Mr. North, which was continued for about a year. In 1851 he was elected a member of the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, which office he held until his resignation in 1856, and was secretary of the board. In 1857 he was elected associate justice of the supreme court, which office he held until 1864, when he resigned and went to Nevada, and engaged in the practice of his profession for two years and a half. At that time the mining and real estate litigation was large and renumerative, but the countiy itself offered no attractions for a permanent residence. On his return to Minneapolis in the lat¬ ter part of 1866 the writer resumed the practice of his profession in partnership with Judge C. E. Flandrau. In 1882, owing to the demands of his private business, he relinquished the practice to his son, John B. Atwater, who has since successfully conducted the business.*

The three above named were the onW attorneys who settled in St. Anthony for the practice of law previous to the spring of 1851. But there had been a stead3% though not rapid, increase in the popu¬ lation and considerable building, and the opening of the season, in 1851, brought a marked access to the population, among which were several lawyers. In that year arrived D. A. Secombe, Esq., a resi¬ dence of the city, and a leading member of thebar until his lamented death which occurred in March, 1892. William H. Welch, afterwards chief justice of the supreme court of the territory, arrived the latter part of the year. He was elected justice of the peace, which office

*Tliose desirious of further particulars of the life of the writer can consult an article, written by Judge C. E. Flandrau I)ublished in July number of the Magazine of Western History for 1888.

: he lielrl at the time he was appointed to the bench of the supreme court. Ira ' Kingsley also served as justice of the peace the same year, having his office on Hennepin Island, nearly opposite the 'falls.

I' In the year 1852-3 we find the follow¬ ing names added to the list of attorneys 'in St. Anthony, viz: E. L. Hall, William I'H. Hubbard, St. Matthew & Richard- -son, S. M. Trac3^ J. J. Alorrell, Parsons & Morgan, Warren Bristol, N. H. Hem- >iup, Hancock & Thomas, A. R. Dodge, :J. C. Aloulton, A. F. Shaw, North & Prescott and D. M. Hanson. Of these onl^^ H. B. Hancock and N. H. Hemiup are now residents of the city. Lardner Bostwick, an old settler, arrived here in 1850. In 1852 he was elected justice of the peace, which office he held until 1860, and man\^ cases of considerable impor¬ tance were tried before him. In 1862 he was appointed United States assessor for part of the collection district com¬ prising Hennepin county, in which ca¬ pacity he served for several j'cars. He still resides here in the enjoyment of a 'competence and retired from active busi¬ ness. He used to hold his office in a small one story frame building, corner of Main street and Second avenue north. was admitted to the bar of Henne- ^pin county in 1856.

!' In this connection it may be stated tthat several leading lawyers in St. Paid tjnjo3^ed a considerable practice up to this I time from business originating in Hcnnefpin count3^ Among these were Rice, Hollinshead & Becker, M. E. Ames, L.

Babcock and H. L. AIoss. This prac¬ tice, however, cnjo3'ed by our neighbor¬ ing city, gradually diminished with the increase in numbers and ability of resi¬ dent attorneys, until it had almost entirelv ceased at the time of our admis¬ sion as a state. But the St. Paid bar is still to some extent reiu'csented here at almost every term of court. In the 3ears 1854-5-6 still larger accessions were made to the ranks of attorne3's. Among those most prominent were William Lochren, James R. Lawrence, George E. H. Day, J. S. and D. M. Denimon, J. B. Gilfillan, H. W. Cowles, R. L. Joyce, Partridge & Heath, F. R. E. Cornell, C. E. Vanderburg, George A. Nourse, E. S. Jones, W. D. Washburn, R. J. Baldwin, H. L. Mann, H. Hall, H. D. Beman, J. S. Johnson, Cushman & Woods, David Heaton, W. W. McNair, L. M. Stewart and E. M. Wilson. The names of all these appear more or less prominently in the records of the early litigation of Hennepin county while Minnesota was still a territor3^ After her admission as a state annuall3' increasing accessions were made to the list of members of the bar until the present time, when the nundjer amounts to between three and four hundred. The scope of this article, however, does not admit of individual notices exceptasthey have become prom¬ inent as members of the bar or of the judiciar3'.

During the 3"ears of territorial organ¬ ization, litigation was limited, and con¬ fined mostly to cases of minor import¬ ance. More business was therefore done in courts of justices of the Peace than in the District Courts. The men elected were seldom possessed of a legal educa¬ tion, but were commonly selected for their ])robit3', sound common sense, and equitable instincts. In those early days they, on the whole, administered the law in a fairly satisfactory manner, and the ends of justice in the main were attained. The methods, however, 1)3' which the re¬ sult was arrived at were perhajis some¬ times open to question. For example, an old settler vouches to having been an eye witness of the manner in which a worthy magistrate, in one instance at least, arrived at the decision. He had observed the justice on several occasions after a trial, rejjair to a neighboring corn field, insomuch that quite a trodden path was made through a part of the field. His curiosity was aroused to ascertain the cause. One day near the close of a trial, he slipped away unobserved and concealed himself near the path. Not long after, as expected, the magistrate appeared, and pacing back and forth some minutes in deep thought, he drew a chip from his pocket, spat on it, and flipj)ing it up, exclaimed, "wet for plaintiff, dry for defendant," and picking it up said, "plaintiff has it."

In those early days, even in the Su¬ preme Court, it is possible decisions were sometimes arrived at in a hardly" less questionable manner. At one term the writer had four cases, in all of which his opponent was Mr. North. Three of them were fairly doubtful cases, but of one I felt perfectly sure, as the authorities were unanimous in favor of my client. In due time the three questionable cases were decided in my favor. Some time later the other was decided, and to my astonishment, for my opponent. Meet¬ ing the chief justice shortly afterwards I ventured to ask him the grounds of the decision, as no reasons wei'e on file with the same, and how the court disposed of the authorities cited. He had utteidy forgotten the case, nor coidd I refresh his memory in regard to it. Finally he said; "Well, perhaps a mistake might have been made, but as Mr. N. had lost every case that term, we thought we would give him one, as it did not seem to be of much importance any way." The ans¬ wer was of course conclusive.

Such cases, of course, were exceptional, and no one will infer that they furnish an index of the average administration of justice in the courts of those days. On the contrary the different courts of the territory, accordmg to my own exper¬ ience and observation, and supplemented by that of others, were of greater avei'age ability than those of most western states in territorial days.

One or two other cases, in which the writer was engaged as attorney, may be cited as illustrative of the manner of ad¬ ministering justice in the early '50s.

Disputes about land claims on the re¬ serve were a prolific source of litigation in an early day. In an important claim suit between Joel B. Bassett and David Bickford after a tedious trial of two or three days the case was given to the jury, who retired to consider their verdict. After wrangling over it for more than a day George W. Tew, one of the jurors, jumped out of a two story window of the room where they were confined and departed'for parts unknown. The officer sent for him was unsuccessful, and the trial was summarily ended, and nothing further was ever done in the matter.

Another characteristic incident occur¬ red in a trial before Squire Bostwick. One Pet Strother, one of the "Jjoys" of that time (now a millionaire in San Francisco), was arrested and brought before the court on a charge of assault and battery. The complaint was read to him and he was told to plead guilty or notguilty. "Well, your honor, I don't know whether I am guilty or not. I did knock the fellow down, but he called me first a son of a - , andthatis not true."

The writer (who was his counsel) fin¬ ally induced him, for form sake, to plead not guilty. A jury was called and several witnesses swore point blank to seeing the defendant knock down the complain¬ ant, but admitted the latter had first used the opprobious epithet above men- tioned. No witnesses were called for the defendant; but his counsel in the argu¬ ment to the jury, insisted that none of the witnesses in speaking of the defend¬ ant had mentioned any other name than "Sti'other," and that for all that ap. peai'ed the real criminal might be some one other than the defendant. The jury "caught on" and in five minutes re¬ turned a verdict of acquittal, and supple¬ mented it b\" making up a purse among themselves to pay the defendant's costs.

Bench of Minneapolis. The first Court'ever held on the site of the present city of Minneapolis was presided over by the Hon. B. B. Meeker, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the territory, appointed by President Fillmore, and was held in July, 1849, in the old gov¬ ernment building erected in 1822. The location was near the corner of what now is the intersection of Second street and Eighth avenue south, and near the old government mill. Franklin Steele, Esq., was foreman of the grand jur\L The records of the court have unfortun¬ ately been lost (if any were kept), but it can be stated, that no indictments were found, nor any cases tried, nor any fees pocketed by attorneys. But tradition records that "suitable refreshments" were furnished by the sheriff, and were liberally partaken of I13" bench, b^ir and jury, and it was unanimously adjudged and decreed, that they had had a "royal good time."

Judge Meeker was a resident of St. Anthony and Minneapolis from the time of his arrival in the territory, and from a very earh' day was an enthusiastic be¬ liever in and proclaimer of the future greatness of Minneapolis. He acquired quite a large tract of land on the high ground cast of the city (now lying parti in Minneapolis and partly in St. Paul), at a small price per acre, which has since become extremeh' valuable. Judge Aleeker was a bachelor, and inherited some of the iieculiarities of that persua¬ sion. Unfortunatelv he did not live to enjoy the full fruits of his foresight, hav¬ ing died in Milwaukee Feb. 20th, 1873.

At the time of holding the first court as above stated, the present site of Min¬ neapolis was in the County of La Pointe, which extended from Lake Superior to the Minnesota river.

March 6, 1852, an act of the Legisla¬ ture was passed organizing Hcnne[)in County, and 113' the terms of the act it was annexed to Ramsey Count3'^ for judicial purposes. B3" an act passed March 5th, 1853, two terms of court each 3'car were ordered to be held in Hennepin Count3'. The first district court, held pursuant to the provisions of the act, convened Api'il 4th, 1853, Judge Meeker presiding. No Court House had been built, and the Count3' Commissioners secured a parlor for the court and two bed rooms for the jury in the house of Anson Northrup, fronting on First street near the site of the Crown Roller mill.

The lawyers ])resent at that term of court were John W. North, Isaac At¬ water, D. A. Secombe, E. L. Hall, A. R. Dodge, Geo. W. Prescott, Jas. H. Fridley and A. D. Shaw, who all resided in St. Anthony. Warren Bristol, count3' attorne3q was the onh' law3'er then present who resided in Hennepin Count3L Sweet W. Case was clerk and Dr. A. E. Ames was foreman of the grand jurv. The only business transacted of an3^ moment was the finding of two or three indict¬ ments for malicious injuiw to pi'oi)ert3' and selling liquor to Indians. The whole business before the court was dispatched within two da3's. From this humble be ginning has the business increased to such an extent as to require the services of six judges, who are holding courts al¬ most constantlv the 3'car round.

Judge Chatfield, who was appointed under the administration of President Pierce, continued to hold the terms of the District Court in a frame building on Bridge Square, until the erection of the present Court House. In 1857, he was succeeded by Judge Flandrau, who was appointed under the administration of President Buchanan. He held one term of court in Hennepin County, and in 1857, was elected associate justice of the Supreme Court.

In 1857 Hon. Edward 0. Hamlin, of Sauk Rapids, was elected judge of the Fourth Judicial District, of which Hen¬ nepin county was a part. He was a good lawyer and an able and impartial judge. He was from Pennsylvania, and his health failing before the expiration of his term he declined a re-election.

He was succeeded in 1859 by the Hon. Charles Vanderburgh, who held the office continuously (by re-election) until 1881, when he was elected to the bench of the supreme court. A sketch of his life will be found succeeding.

Meantime, the business of the court constantly increasing, another judge was absolutely necessary to dispatch the bus¬ iness aceumulating. In 1872 an act was passed by the legislature establishing a court of Common Pleas for Hennepin county, and under the provisions of this act the governor appointed Austin H. Y oung as judge, who entered upon the dis¬ charge of his duties in April of that year. The followihg November he was eleeted judge of that court to serve five years, from the first of January, 1873. In 1877 this court was abolished, and two judges were provided for in the district court, and Judge Young was eleeted the same year as one of said judges. Mention of other judges who have filled the position will be found later in this article.

In the list of attorneys heretofore named, who arrived previous to 1856, it is a matter of surprise that not one is now in active practice at the bar, with the exception ef J. B. Gilfillan. Many have died, a few removed and several have retired from practice. A single gen¬ eration has made an entire' change in the bar of this city.

And in this connection it may be said that the eourts and bar of Hennepin county will compare most favorably, not only with the eourts and bar of any other county in the state, but with that of any other western state during the same period. From the ranks of mem¬ bers of the bar of this county have been drawn several judges of the supreme court of this state and other states and territories, a United States senator and several members of congress, members of the constitutional convention, many state senators and representatives in the legislature. United States district and state attorneys, mayors, aldermen, mem¬ bers of the board of education, park board, the enumeration of whieh, indi¬ vidually, would require too much space. In short the bar of this city has been prominent in official positions, in all de¬ partments, and in all enterprises, having in view the advancement of state and munieapal interests. * If any one objects that none have attained a national repu¬ tation as lawyers, it must be remem¬ bered that no man of ability could come to Minnesota at an early da3" and eonfine himself exelusivel^' to the practiee of law. The cases were rare in those da^'s of sufficient importance to justify an appeal to the United States Supreme Court. Besides the pressure was so great to obtain competent men to fill legisla¬ tive and other political offices, and for which usualh^ law3^ers were considered most eligible and best fitted, that it was almost impossible for a law3'er (what¬ ever might be his personal inclinations) to refuse a nomination without giving grave offense to his friends and clients. In addition to this it is to be considered that legal services were then of small ])ecuniarv value, and the same talent em¬ ployed in politics or in real estate opera¬ tions, received a much larger remunera¬ tion. Added to which the "human necessit3' of dailv bread" alwa3"s stared the professional man in the face, for without exception law3'crs in earh' da3^s came here poor. And hence, while we 11103' reasonabl3' conclude that the territorial bar of this county (and for several 3'-ears later) embraced fully as much talent and legal abilit3' as 0113' frontier county in the West, the reason it has not produced law3'ers of national reputation is easil3^ accounted for.

The foregoing list includes less than half of the practicing attornc3's in Alinnca]K)lis, and bv no means rdl of those who have attained more or less promin- ence in the profession. The older firms are mentioned, and individual names with whom the writer has happened to have some aequaintanee; many omitted enjoy a good praetiee, though perhaps not as prominent in court as the most of those named in the above list. It is true here as elsewhere, that many lawyers, having large incomes, seldom appear in court. For the encouragement of \'oung lawyers, looking towards Minneapolis as a field for professional work, the writer can state, that after an experience and observation of more than forty years in Minneapolis (including the time liefore it became a city) he has never known an instance in which a lawyer, who was competent and attended strictl_v to his business, did not eventual! v achieve as large a measure of success as he could reasonabh' expect.

Minneapolis Bar Association. *The Minneapolis Bar Association is an im¬ portant factor in aid of the profession in this citrq and has already accomplished much good . It was incorpoi'ated Feliruarv 20th, 1883. The capital stock was thirty thousand dollars, divided into six hundred shares of fift3" dollars each. In the Articles of Incorporation the general purpose of the association is said to be, "to establish and conduct a legal society, and maintain the honor and integTit}^ of the legal profession, and to create and maintain a law library' in the City of Minneapolis, in the County of Hennepin, State of Minnesota."

Members were at first allowed to pajf for stock b^' contributing books at a price fixed b3^ an appraisal committee. The original libraiy was contributed largeH by such contribution, and was then completed b3' purchases. The first] location of the library was in a rear room on the second floor of tlie building on Nicollet avenue just adjoining the First National Bank. These quartens were first occupied in May, 1883, In August, 1883, the librar3r was removed to permanent quarters gencrousl3" do¬ nated by Messrs. Lowry and Herrick, on the top floor of the old Academ3' of Music Building, corner of Hennepin and Washington avenues. On Christmas da3', 1884, the Academy of Music burned and tbe Bar Association library was totalb' destroyed. Theinsurance, amounting to about $15, 000, was quickly adjusted and a larger library was immediately pur¬ chased, and was opened Ma3' 1st, 1885, in the Boston Block. About one 3ear later this second library was totally destro3'ed by fire. Insurance of $20,000 was at once adjusted and paid, and the present library was purchased and again opened within 60 da3^s after the fire in its present location on the seventh floor of Temple Court. The librar3'- now con¬ tains over 7,000 volumes, and is the most complete law library in the North¬ west with the possible exception of state libraries. The placing of law libraries in the Guaranty Loan Building and the New York Life Building has caused a de¬ crease in the membership of the associa¬ tion to some extent. The present mem¬ bership is about 150. The value of the librar3^ is something over $30,000. An espccialU" valuable feature of the librarv is a complete set of briefs in the Supreme Court of Minnesota, commencing with volume 26 of the reports. Generous ac¬ cessions have been made from time to time by private gifts. The free use of the librar}^ has been extended to and is en¬ joyed by the law students of the Uni¬ versity of Minnesota. It is hoped that this liliraiw ma^-be eventnall v located in the new court house, and arrangements then made to throw it open as a public library. The present oflicers of the as¬ sociation arc as follows :

Robert I). Russell, ])resident; John R. Van Derlip, vice-president; John T. Bax¬ ter, secretary; Francis B. Bailc}', treas¬ urer; E. S. Waters, librarian.

There has been some talk on the jrart of a number of the members that the association ought to be enlarged so as to include social and club features, but no steps have yet been taken toward in¬ troducing such new features.

Chaki.ks E. Vanderiuirgii. Thcfirst resident of this city elected to a scat on the bench of the district court was Charles lU Vanderburgh in 1859. Judge Vander¬ burgh was born December 2nd, 1829, in Saratoga count}'. New York. Later his parents removed to Onondaga county in the same state. He was brought tip on a farm, laboring in the summer and attending district school in the winter, until he entered niton his preparation for college. He fitted at Cortland .Academy, Homer, New York. This academy, at the time he studied there, was known as among the first, if not the first, as a ])reparatory school for fitting men for col¬ lege, and was noted for its thorough in¬ struction. Air. Vanderburgh entered at Yale College in 1849, sophomore year, and graduated in 1852.

The next year he was chosen itrincipal of Oxford Academy, at Oxford, New York. The same year he commenced the study of law in the office of Henry R. Mygatt, one of the ablest lawyers in the state. He was admitted to the bar in 1855. The next year he came to Alinncapolis.

Soon after his arrival he formed a partnership with F. R. E. Cornell, Esq., who had arrived here a year or two pre¬ viously, and was afterwards a Justice of the suiu'cmc court. I'rom the first the firm took a leading part in all the importnnt litigation in the county, as well as considerable in adjoining counties. For commanding legal ability and integ¬ rity it is not too much to say that no firm in the state ever stood higher.

At the annual election in 1859, Air. Vanderburgh was elected judge of the Fourth Judicial District, of which Henncihn county formed a part. This posi¬ tion (by successive I'c-clections) he held for over twenty years. It was during the time when the law was to a consid¬ erable extent unsettled (by decisions of the supreme court of the state), not only on C[UCstions of practice, but on fun¬ damental questions of law, where there was a wide difference in the decisions of different states. Here his thoroimh leeal training, close investigations and dis¬ crimination in the a]q)lication of princi¬ ples, esjiccially in equitable law, almost invnriably led him to sound conclysions, and his decisions were seldom reversed. The strongest jiroof of the ability with which he discharged the duties of the office he so long held is found in the fact that in 1881, when a vacancy occurred in the supreme court by the the death of Judge Cornell, he was elected to fill that hoiioi'able position. He is still a mem¬ ber of that court, and still hardly past the prime of life, has a reasonable pros¬ pect of many years of usefulness before him. His whole judicial career has been characterized b}^ untiring industry, im¬ partiality, integrity and unusually clear conception of the application of legal principles and authorities, and especially those pei'taining to equity cases.

Judge Vanderburgh has been married twice - first in September, 1857, to Julia M. Mygatt, of Oxford, New York. She died in 1863, leaving two children, a son, William Henry, and a daughter, Julia M. The latter was most sadly and unfortun¬ ately drowned in Minneapolis in 1871. His son graduated from Princeton Col¬ lege and is a member of the Minneapolis bar. In April, 1873, Judge Vanderburgh mai'ried Miss Anna Culbert, daughter of John Culbei't, Esq., of Fulton Count^q New York. They have a daughter born in 1874.

While Judge Vanderburgh, for more than thirty years, has been mainly and closely devoted to the discharge of his duties, he has always manifested a deep interest in all measures tending to the moral, educational and material advance¬ ment of the city of Minneapolis. Pie has always been a consistent Republican, though not of the narrow and machine order, nor farther than he can see his party promoting the good of the great¬ est number. Of course his position has removed him from active interference in political contests. For many years he has been an Elder in the Presbyterian church, and also Superintendent and teacher in the Sabbath school, in which he has taken a deep interest and done most efficient work. He has made important benefactions to educational and religious institutions, and to deserving young men, needing assistance in acquiring an education, he is ever ready to give ad¬ vice and material aid. Removed as he has been by reason of his position from the active business life of the city, his silent influence for good has been felt in almost every department thereof.

A. H. Young. Austin Hill Young was born at Fredonia, Chatauqua Count3q N. Y., December 8th, 1830. His parents were natives of New England, having re¬ moved from Rutland County, Vt., to Fre¬ donia. When the subject of this sketch was but six years old, his father died, leaving a widow and five boys, the old¬ est but sixteen years of age. Believing that the new West would be preferable to the East as a place to rear and edu¬ cate her bo3^s, Mrs. Young, with her fam¬ ily of five boys, removed to Illinois, lo¬ cating temporaril3^ in Dupage Count3u Two years later Mrs. Y'^oung married, and with her family removed to Cook County, where upon on of the prairie farms of Illinois her boys grew to man¬ hood. Mr. Young speaks of his mother as a woman of great energ3q an earnest Christian, and to whose guidance and training in earl3riife he is indebted for the best elements of his character.

Until seventeen years old, Austin at¬ tended the district school in the winter, working upon the farm in the summer. Having mastered the branches taught in the district school he took a course in the Waukegan Academy, at that time one of the best schools of its kind in the West. This, with the experience of six terms of school teaching, comprised his literary education. After leaving the Academy he began the study of law with Ferry & Clark at Waukegan, Ill.

In 1854 he married Miss Martha Martin and removed to Prescott, Wis., where, after a brief mercantile experi¬ ence, he was elected clerk of the Circuit Court, which office he held for several years. In 1860 he was admitted to the bar, and formed a co-partnership for the practice of his profession with M. H. Fitch, now of Pueblo, Col. Soon after his admission to the bar Mr. Young was elected district attorney for his county, which office he held until the fall of 1863, when he was elected to the State Senate of Wisconsin. Early in 1866 Mr. Young removed to Minneapolis and commenced the practice of his profession in connec¬ tion with W. D. Webb, under the firm name of Young & Webb. In the spi'ing of 1870 Mr. Young and Thomas Lowry entered into partnership as Young & Lowry, which continued until June 1st, 1872, when Mr. Young was appointed Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, a court which had recently been established by the Legislature.

In November, 1872, Judge Young was elected to the same office for a term of five years. In 1877 the District Court and the Court of Common Pleas were by act of the Legislature united, and Judge Young was tx'ansferi'ed to the District bench. Judge Young was twice elected to the same position, his last term ex¬ piring in 1890.

In April, 1872, Judge Young married Miss Leonore Martin, of Williamstown, Vt., his present wife. Lie has two child¬ ren living, Edgar A., w'ho is married and resides in Minneapolis, and Alice AI., a young lady who resides with her father.

In politics Judge Young is a Republi¬ can, but since going upon the bench has taken no active part in politics. He is a member of Plymouth Church, in which he has been a deacon for many years.

As a law'3'er Judge Young had won an enviable reputation at the bar before tak¬ ing his seat on the bench. He was studioxis, exhaustive in the examination and preparation of his cases, and forcible in the presentation of them to the court and jury. As a counsellor he was emin¬ ently sound and conseiwative, conscient- ious, never seeking the encouragement of litigation where it could reasonably be avoided, and sought the true interests of his clients, regardless of -his own in a professional point of view. His integrity and honor was unqxiestioned, and his word in regard to a stipulation in a case was held as binding as though reduced to writing. He never sought to influ¬ ence a court or jur3^ b}^ statements which he did not believe strictly true, and thus carried a moral weight in the trial of causes, which is often of more importance than the highest legal or forensic ability.

Some of the cjualities above mentioned are not less desirable in a judge than in a practicing law^'er. On the bench Judge Young has a record of impartiality, clear apprehension of legal principles, as ap¬ plicable to the case in hand, and a patient thorough examination of the cases sub¬ mitted to him, vvhich always carried weight. It has been said that he some¬ times reached a decision on a point be¬ fore the same had been fully discussed. In an experience of over twelve years be¬ fore him as a practitioner, I think the criticism is not well founded. It is' true that when an attorney appeared before him in a case, entirely unprepared , as un¬ fortunately was too frequently the case, he did not propose to waste the valu¬ able time of the court on interminable discussions, on self evident propositions. He did not think courts were established to instruct attorneys in the science or practice of law. And in this, unquestionabhq he w'as right.

But, if sometimes he might err from the course above stated, on the other hand he possessed a quality, which is of the highest importance in a nisi pritis judge, that of giving the party deeming himself aggrieved the fullest benefit of his exceptions in the settlement of a case. He never sought to evade the effect of his rulings by any after concealment or mod- ificatioji of the facts under which they were made. The importance of this is evident to the experienced lawj'er. The omission of a sentence, the change of a few words in the settlement of a case, may deprive a party of all benefit of an appeal. Every judge is liable to err, but the exercise of his judicial power in such a manner as practically to prevent the correction of errors is to the last degree most reprehensible. Judge Young has never been subject to such charge. His conscientiousness, native sense of justice and equity and fair pla3q aside from the question of professional ethics, would re¬ volt against an3^ misuse of his power in this direction.

Judge Young has resumed the practice of his profession in Minneapolis, in part¬ nership with Frank M. Nye, the finn name being Young & N3'e. Having served on the bench for more than eigh¬ teen consecutive 3'ears, it is almost like commencing practice anew, but he is yet hardl3^ past the prime of life, and ma3'' reasonably anticipate many years of active and useful professional life in the future.

John P. Rea. The subject of this sketch was born in lower Oxford town¬ ship, Chester count3q Penns3dvania, on October, 13th, 1840. His ancestors on both sides had settled in that state more than a century before his birth. His father, Samuel A. Rea, was born in Lan¬ caster county on a farm conve3'ed to his grandfather by William Penn. His grandmother, on his father's side, was Mary Patterson, a first cousin of General Robert Patterson, of Philadelphia. His mother's maiden name was Light. She was born in Lebarron county in the same state. She was a daughter of Samuel Light, one of the first iron manufacturers of that region. Her grandfather, Jacob Light, emigrated from Pennsylvania to the Northwestern territor3q and settled on what is now the site of Cincinnati in 1791 ; her father, then a young man, re¬ maining in Pennsylvania. Mr. Rea's father was a woolen manufacturer his entire life. He died in 1876.

Mr. Rea attended the common schools in his neighborhood while a bo3'', and also had four terms at the Hopewell Academy in Chester County. At the age of twenty he went to Piqua, Miami County, Ohio, and there taught school from October, 1860, to April, 1861. In the month last named he enlisted for three months as a private in Compan3" B, Eleventh Ohio Infantr3'. In Julv of the same 3^ear he was offered by the Sec¬ retary of War a commission as Second Lieutenant in the Eighteenth Regiment, United States Infantr3q then being re¬ cruited at Columbus, Ohio. At the same time he was elected Lieutenant of Com¬ pany I, First Ohio Cavahy, which posi¬ tion he accepted. He served in this capacity until March 12th, 1862, when he was commissioned First Lieutenant, and served as such until Apidl 1st, 1863, when he was promoted to Captain, and continued in service with that rank until November 23rd, 1864, when he was mustered out as Senior Captain of the regiment.

During his entire service Captain Rea was only absent from his regiment eight da3'S, and during that time was a pris¬ oner in the hands of the Confederates in Lincoln Count3q Tennessee. It is doubt¬ ful if any other officer of the war can show a more faithful record of attend¬ ance. He was in all the engagements of the army of the Cumberland and Ohio during that period. He was detailed by Genei'al Thomas to command his escort immediateh^ after the battle of Shiloh, but his deeiD solicitude for and interest in the company which he commanded, led him to urge permission to remain with

In the summer college vacation of 1866, he returned to Penns3dvania and took the stump for General Gear}', the Republican candidate for governor. He stumped the state successfulh' ever}' year thereafter for the same party to, and in¬ cluding the year 1875. In 1866 he en¬ tered, as a law student, the office of Hon. O. J. Dickey, the associate in practice and successor in Congress of Hon. Thaddeus Stevens of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and was admitted to the bar in that city in

1868. In April, 1869, he was commis¬ sioned by President Grant Assessor of Internal Revenues for the Ninth District, Pennsylvania, and held that office until it was abolished in 1873. He resumed the practice of law at Lancaster, and continued the same till January, 1876, when he removed to Minneapolis.

On his arrival in this city. Captain Rea took editorial charge of the Tribune. He was in full accord with the politics of the paper, as he had always been in accord with the principles of the Repub¬ lican party. His home in his boyhood was within four miles of the Maryland line, and the numerous infractions of personal liberties on the part of slave owners, which he had witnessed, im¬ bued him with sentiments strongly hos¬ tile to the institution of slavery. Even before he was seventeen years of age he made anti-slavery speeches in his own locality, where no anti-slavery speaker from abroad could open his mouth.

A. R. of Ohio, which met in January, 1867. He was also active in that organ¬ ization in Pennsylvania while residing there, holding official position nearly all the time.

October 26th, 1869, he was married at Deleware Ohio, to Emma M. Gould, of that city, a great granddaughter of Colonel Drake, one of the j)ioneers and Indian fighters of historical fame in Ohio.

He was elected Judge of Probate of Hennepin county in 1877, and re-elected in 1879. He was appointed Judge of the District Court of Fourth Judicial District May 1st, 1886, and elected to the same office the following fall. He resigned his judgeship May 14, 1890. He was De¬ partment Commander of the G. A. R. in 1883; Senior Vice-Commander-in-Chief in 1885, and Commander-in-chief 1887-8, He was descended from military stock. His paternal grandfather and great grandfather served through the Revolu¬ tionary war with distinction in the same company.

From the foregoing brief sketch it will be seen that Judge Rea has led an unusually varied and busy life. In all his various occupations he has acepntted himself well. The large amount of time, which in early life he felt it his duty to devote to stirring political questions, and the discharge of the arduous mili¬ tary duties imposed upon him, have in¬ terfered with that close application to legal studies, whieh if not indispensable are certainly desirable in a judicial officer. But in this regard his native quick perception, and strong natural sense of justice have stood him in gooil stead. His integrity has never been (piestioned, nor has it ever been charged that his deeisions have been swayed by politieal bias. By whatever method he reached his conclusions they were uniformily in consonance with justice and equity. Those advocates who rely on the technicalities of law or the sophis¬ tries of argument to win their cases, might object to their trial before Judge Rea. But those conscious of having a meritorious case would desire no more impartial tribunal for a hearing.

In private life Judge Rea is of exceed¬ ingly affable and engaging manners, and possessed of a most kindly and genial nature. Hence he has hosts of friends, irrespective of party, who are strongly attached to him, and it may well be doubted whether he has a single enemy. His native goodness of heart impresses itself upon the most casual observer. In the army all those under his command were devotedy attached to him, as well as all those with whom he came in con¬ tact. This is conclusively shown by the highest honor in the gift of the G. A. R. bestowed on him while comparatively a young man. Judge Rea is yet in the prime of life, and may reasonably look forward to many years of usefulness in the service of the public. He is now in the practice of his profession in the city of Minneapolis under the firm name of Rea & Hubachek.

John M. Seiaw. Among the leading lawyers of the Minneapolis bar for many years stands the name of John M.Shaw. He was born December 18th, 1833, in Exeter, Penobscot County, Alaine. He was brought up on a farm, his facilities for education being limited to the dis¬ trict school, with a few months at an academy in an adjoining town. But those who have known him in later life feel assured that he availed himself to the utmost of such advantages as were afforded.

His father was a country merchant and farmer, managing, with such small gains as the country affoi'ded, to supj)ort comfortably a family of nine pei*- sons, giving them such reasonable edu¬ cation as was ordinarily afforded in New England at that day. But he did not accumulate property in addition. Few at that time did or could in similar cir- . cumstances. The legacy left to their country, by most, was a frugal, indus¬ trious and self reliant family. And so, the subject of this sketch, when at nine¬ teen years of age his father died, found himself the eldest, with others looking to him for support. It was not a ques¬ tion for him of what profession he should choose, but "the human necessity of daily bread" for himself, and others dear to him, that confronted him He had dreamed of a college life and the univer¬ sity. But they were only dreams, and the cherished hope was soon to be relinc^uished. In 1853, with his family, he came to and settled in Galena, Ill. But even before that - in 1852 - he had come to the Falls of St. Anthony, and had looked upon the fair, but then wilderness land, on the west side of the river. Little did he then dream it was to be the scene of his future triumphs and fortune. In speaking later of this visit at an old set¬ tlers meeting Mr. Shaw said :

I may, in a manner, boast of being al¬ most contemporaneous with Colonel Stevens and Hiawatha ; for I remember in 1852 of standing on the east bank of the river and contemplating with swim¬ ming eyes the romatic expanse of hazel¬ brush, which then adorned the present site of our glorious metropolis, 'where the wild fox dug his hole unscared,' and the fragrant polecat peddled his per¬ fumery without a license. Those were the halcyon days, when there were no whiskey limits, when the skies were bright and ye pensive and untutored "savages" skived around "promiscuous" clad in the innocent habiliments of nature, and the most casual observer might without difficulty discern the difference between 'a fixed star and a Sioux Indian.' These things are now sadly changed, particu¬ larly with regard to the /ox and the pole¬ cat] whiskejas no longer unlimited, and the festive red man having retired from the scene no fellow can now find out the conundrum."

On the settling of the family in Galena, Mr. Shaw obtained a situation at book¬ keeping, at which occupation he labored assiduoush^ for the support of the family until 1860. Meantime he had never abandoned the idea of acqniring a legal education, and all his spare time was de¬ voted to reading elementary law books. In 1860 he was able to enter a law office in Galena, and in about a year was ad¬ mitted to practice. In 1861 he removed to Plattsville, Wis.,and opened an office. Before, however, he had fairly established a practice in that town, his patriotic feeling led him to obe3" the call of his countr3q and he enlisted in the 25th Wis¬ consin Regiment, and served with dis¬ tinction under Sherman until the close of the war, being mustered out with his regiment in the summer of 1865, holding at that time the rank of captain.

His next objective point was Minne¬ apolis. Here almost immediateh" he achieved a more distinguished victory than any that attended his eflorts on the field of Mars, in capturing the affec¬ tions of Miss Ellen A. Elliot, who sur¬ rendered unconditionally. There is the best reason to believe the prisoner was treated hospitably, as the parties ai'e still living in amity and have raised a family of two girls and one bo3q all of whom are now living.

Mr. Shaw settled in Minneapolis in the fall of 1865, but did not open an office for the practice of his profession until- Eebruary 1st, 1866. In 1868 he formed a partnership with the Hon. F. Beebe, under the firm name of Beebe & Shaw, which continued until 1875, when Judge Beebe removed to California. During these years Mr. Shaw was becoming known and gradually taking his place among the leading law3'ers in Minne¬ apolis. This place he won, not less from native ability than from untiring industi^q thorough preparation of his cases, integrity and strict fidelity to the inter¬ ests of his clients. Soon after the disso¬ lution of his partnership with Judge Beebe he formed a partnership with A. L. Levi, under the firm name of Shaw & Levi, which continued for several 3'ears, when Willard R. Cray was received as a member, and the firm became Shaw, Levi & Cray. In 1882 Mr. Shaw was ap¬ pointed by the governor. Judge of the Fourth Judicial District, and entered upon the discharge of the duties of the office. In the fall of the same year, he was, together with Judge Lochren, elected to the same office for the full term of seven 3'ears.

Several months experience, however, satisfied Judge Shaw that the close con¬ finement of the court room, without sufficient exercise, was beginning to tell seriousl3' on his health. The same ex¬ perience had also satisfied him that the discharge of the duties of the office were less congenial than the practice of his profession. Accordingly in Febrviar3', 1883, he resigned as judge and resumed Ijractice - first 'in partnership with Mr. Cra3q and later Judge J. I. Best, of In¬ diana, was admitted to the firm under the name of Shaw, Best & Cray. Since Judge Best's retirement the firm name has been Shaw & Cra3'.

Judge Shaw is noted for intemse ap¬ plication to his profession, thorough preparation of his cases, and a keen dis¬ crimination in the application ot legal principles and authorities. While he is perhaps more earnest in addressing his arguments to the eourt, yet he is a most eonvineing advoeate before a jury, and in that line he has few if any equals. His praetiee is extensive and luerative and limited only by the extent of his physieal endurance.

AI. B. Koon, the subject of this sketch, was born January 22d, 1841, at Altay, Schujder County, New York. His father, Alanson Koon, although born in the United States, was of German stock, while his mother, nee Alarilla Wells, was a "dyed in the wool'' Connecticut Yankee. And thus it appears that their son inherits the indomitable persever¬ ance, cautious deductions and staying powers of the German, combined with the restless energy, quick pei'ceptions, and adaptation to all circumstances of the Yankee race. He was not born to fortune, but entirely through his own exertions has gained the enviable posi¬ tion he now holds in the profession.

Mr. Koon was one of a family of six boys and two girls. His father fovind the sleepy little village where he resided offered few opportunities for renumerative occupation for himself and growing family, and wisely decided to go West. He accordingly exchanged his property in New York for land iii Hillsdale County, Michigan. Here himself and family found ample opportunity for the employment of all their energies in clearing up the forests and the cultivation of the farm on which he had settled. Here the par¬ ents resided until their death - the father in 1867, and the mother in 1873. Of the sturdy, devoted, consistent Christian character of his parents Mr. Koon is wont to speak with the most profound reverence and affection. They spared no pains to instill into the minds of their children principles of honesty, industry, sobriety and morality; and doubtless to the example, and faithful teaching of

Until sixteen Mr. Koon was engaged in the usual employments of farm life, attending school summer and winter in childhood, but only during winter in the last few years of this period. At seven¬ teen he entered Hillsdale College, at Hillsdale, Michigan, the fall and spring terms, teaching school in the winter, and in this way he completed his college course in 1863.

Meantime the severe mental and phy¬ sical effort entailed by the effort for pros¬ ecution of his studies and self support had seriously impaired his health. This had become so serious in 1864 that a change of climate had become impera¬ tively necessary, and he was advised to try California. This he did, making the trip by way of the Isthmus. The change was beneficial. He remained there two years, engaged in teaching, and returned to Michigan in 1866 with health com¬ plete! 3^ restored.

In that year he proceeded to carry out a long cherished idea of fitting him¬ self for the practice of law, by entering the law office of his brother, the Hon. E. E. Koon, of Hillsdale. This was his first experience in a lawyer's office, but not by any means his first reading of law. Under his brother's advice and en¬ couragement, and in accordance with his own inclinations, he had for a long time previous devoted his spare hours to the reading of Blackstone, Kent and other elementary law writers. He was in 1867 admitted to the bar in Hillsdale, Mich., and soon after entered into partnership with his brother, which continued till the spring of 1878, when he removed to Minnesota. Meantime, although often solicited, he had persistenly refused to accept any political office. He did, in¬ deed, hold the office of prosecuting at- toi'iiev for Hillsdale county from 1870 to 1874, but as that was directly in the line of his profession it can hardly be called a ])olitieal office.

In 1878 the ambition of Mr. Koon reached far beyond the sleepy town of Hillsdale, and having heard from friends of the future importance of Minneapolis he decided to locate here. He came in Ajiril, 1878, and entered into partner¬ ship with E. A. Merrill in the practice of law. Air. Alerrill was an old acquaint¬ ance, having been a student in Koon Bros, office in Hillsdale.

Since his arrival in Minneapolis Air. Koon has devoted himself assiduously to the practice of his profession. He was not in love with the "Code," having been educated under a different S3^stem of pleading, but has adapted himself to it, as one must do to the inevitable. He has escaped the seductions of real estate speculation, to which so man3" bright 3'oung men yield, but has not been un¬ aware that his surplus earnings could nowhere be more safely invested than in Alinneapolis real estate. Nor have any tempting offers of political preferment 'severed him from the strict pursuit of his profession. He has safeh' escaped this fatal rock, on which so many talented law3'ers have been wrecked.

Some two years after his arrived in Alinneapolis Air. A. AI. Keith was ad¬ mitted as a partner, and the firm name was changed to Koon, Alerrill & Keith. The firm exjoyed a good business Irom the stai't, and in the ffdl of 1881 Air. Koon was taken down with t3'phoid fever, brought on largeh'lrom overwork in important cases of which he had charge. On his partial recover3' advised to spend the following winter in

Earlvin 1883, Judge Shaw having re¬ signed as judge of the district court. Gov. Hubbard aiipointcd Air. Koon in his place. It was with much reluctance and misgiving that he accepted the posi¬ tion ; not feeling sure that his training and temperament were entireU" adapted to the discharge of judicial duties. How¬ ever, he entered upon the discharge of the duties of the office, and so acceptably continued, that in the following fall, (1883) he was unanimousl3" elected for a term of seven 3'ears.

But stdisequent experience on the bench served to confirm his previous im¬ pressions and misgivings, that he had not found hi's true life vocation. He re¬ laxed, however, none of his efforts in the faithful discharge of his duties, though not in accord with his tastes, and fully intended to serve out his term. But these duties finally became so irksome and disagreeable, that he felt that both in justice to the profession and himself, it was his duty to resign, which he did AIa3" 1st, 188G. He was further moved to this from the fact, that his modesty had led him to believe, that his place could be readily filled by some one to whom the duties of the office would be congenial.

It is needless to state that his resigna¬ tion was received with univei'sal regret. In the few years during which he had filled the office he had established the reputa¬ tion of anableandupright judge, and the loss of his services on the bench was de¬ plored not onU^ by the entii'e jjrofession but the community at large. His brief term was filled with hard labor. Several of the most important suits which have been tried in this count3' occupied his attention. Among these may' be men¬ tioned the Washburn Will case; the St. Anthony Ealls Water I'owcr cases; the

King - Remington cases; the Cantieny murder case, and others of scarcely less importance. The study and masterj'^ of these cases involved a very large amount of severe labor, which Judge Koon con¬ scientiously performed. Since his retire¬ ment from the bench Judge Koon has been unremittingly engaged in the prac¬ tice of his profession in Minneapolis. He has given special attention to the law of corporations, and has acted as coun¬ sel and attorney for several of the most important corporations doing business in this city. He has been for some years counsel and attorney for the Sti'eet Rail¬ way Company.

Frederick Hooker was born April 14, 1845, at French Creek, Chatauqua County, New York; a son of Marvin Hooker and Caroline Moore Hooker, a niece of Dr. Mahan, formerly president of Oberlin College. His father was a farmer and he remained on the farm with his father until about 1863, when he re¬ moved to Northwestern Pennsylvania, and for several years resided at Warren in that state, and while a resident of Warren was admitted and engaged in the practice of the law.

He is a married man and his family consists of his wife, Mary Wells Hooker, a daughter of the late Obed Wells, of Spring, Crawford County, Penn., and two daughters, Nora L., born in Penirsylvania, and Clara A., born in Minneapolis. He removed to Minneapolis in the spring of 1876, and has resided in this city ever since. He commenced the practice of law on his arrival here, and successfull3^ con¬ tinued the same until March, 1889, when he was appointed by Gov. Merriam a Judge of the District Court of the Fourth Judicial District. In 1890, he was nomi¬ nated on the Republican ticket for the position he then held by appointment, and was elected, although the Democrats carried the district on their general ticket by quite large majorities. Since his first appointment as above stated, he has de¬ voted himself unremittingly to the dis¬ charge of the duties of that position, to the general acceptance of the bar of Hen¬ nepin County. Although among the youngest members of the bench, his quiet dignity of manner, patience, judicial im¬ partiality and unwearied diligence in the study of cases brought before him for trial, early demonstrated the wisdom of his choice for the position.

Judge Hooker has always been a stead¬ fast Republican in politics, and while in the profession, frequently took an active part in political campaigns.. He thor¬ oughly believed in the policy and meas¬ ures of his party, and had the courage of his convictions. But it has never been intimated that political considerations have ever been permitted to influence in any degree his decisions on the bench. His integrity and impartiality commands the respect and confidence of all parties.

Judge Hooker is an active and influ¬ ential member of the Methodist Episco¬ pal Chuixh, and in many ways has iden¬ tified himself with church and benevolent work. He was for several years the suc¬ cessful superintendent of one of the larg¬ est Sunday schools in the city.

Henry G. Hicks,. Among the later judges of the Fourth Judicial District Court is to be numbered the subject of this sketch. For the earlier part of his life we quote substantially from the Leg¬ islative Manual of the State of Alinnesota for 1889.

"Henry George Hicks, eldest son of George A. and Sophia Hicks, was born at Varysburgh, in the town of Sheldon, Wyoming County, New York, January, 26th, 1838. At the age of 15 he taught a district school in his native town. Thereafter until 1861 he taught school each winter, farming or attending school in the summers. In August, 1860, he entered Oberlin College, after three 3'ears stitdy in its preparatory department. In July, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company A, Second Illinois Volunteer Cavalry ; was made sergeant of that compaii}' and sergeant major and adju¬ tant of the regiment, with a detachment of which he took part in the battle of Ft. Donaldson. Mustered out June, 1862, with all other adjutants and ciuartermasters of cavalry and artillery regi¬ ments, he was the following month ap¬ pointed Adjutant of the 71st Illinois In¬ fantry (a three months regiment). In November, following, he was appointed Adjutant of the 93rd regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry with which he served in the battles of Jackson and Champion's Hill, during the seige of Vicksburg, and at Missionary Ridge, in which last named battle he was severely wounded b\f a musket ball through the faee. In Ma\^ 1864, he married Mary Adelaide Beede, of Freeport, Ill., and in April, 1865, re¬ moved to Minneapolis, where he has since resided. His first wife died in 1870, and in 1873 he married Susannah R. Fox, now his wife. In 1867 he was appointed Sheriff of Hennepin County, and in 1868 was eleeted to the same office. From 1871 to 1874 he was City Justice of the City of Minneapolis. . In 1875, at the age of thirty-seven, he was admitted to the bar and thereaftercontinuedin active practice until appointed District Judge. He was eleeted a member of the Legisla¬ ture (H. of R.) in 1877 and re-eleeted in 1878, 1880 and 1882. During his last two terms (three sessions) he was Chair¬ man of the House Judiciary Committee," and in the extra session of 1881 he was appointed chairman of the Board of Managers that suecessfully conducted the impeachment trial of Judge Cox. He has been prominently connected with the Grand Army of Minnesota since the year 1867, having served as Departmen¬ tal Commander in 1868. In 1869, hav¬ ing been active in urging the establish¬ ment of the Vlinnesota Soldiers' Home, he was appointed a member of the Board of Trustees of that institution, upon which he served for thirteen years, dur¬ ing the last ten years of which he was President of the Board. "On March l5th, 1887, he was ajipointed District Judge of the Fourth Judicial District, and in November, 1888, was elected to the same office. In politics Judge Hicks has always acted with the Republican part}', and is a Unitarian in religion."

From the foregoing it will be seen that Judge Hicks is in the true sense of the term a self-made man, and the archi¬ tect of his own fortune. B^'his own un¬ aided efforts he has gradually risen from one position to another, until he has attained the honorable and responsible one which he now fills. In his early years his opportunities for the study of the law were limited. His experience as Judge of the Cit\^ Court was of mueh value in making him familiar with the practice under the eode; which was further per¬ fected by several years aetive practice cis a member of the prominent firm of Ci'oss, Hicks & Carlton.

Since his eleetion his faithful and eonscientious devotion to the duties of his office has made him many friends in the profession. It is the general feeling that his steadfast purpose is to divest his mind of all prejudiee in the trial of causes before him and give each party the full benefit of all their legal rights, and in difficult and complicated cases he devotes himself unsparingh' to the examination of legal principles and authorities to reach a just conclusion, in which he sel¬ dom fails. His practical business expe¬ rience is of great service to him, in ena¬ bling him to despatch business with un-

Seagrave Smith was born at Staf¬ ford Village in the town of Stafford, Tol¬ land County, Connecticut, on the 16th day of September, 1828. The names of his parents were Hiram and Mary A. Smith; he was their only child. His paternal ancesters were Welch, and were among the early settlers of Scituate, Massachusetts; his maternal ancestors were English and settled at a later per¬ iod at Uxbridge, Massachusetts. His mother was the daughter of Caleb Seagrave, and he takes the name of his mother as well as that of his father. His father was a farmer and also engaged in dealing in horses and cattle in connec¬ tion with his farming operations.

Young Smith worked upon his father's farm, attending the summer and winter terms of the public schools until he was fifteen years of age ; then he was placed under the tuition of the Rev. George W. Pendleton, a Baptist elergyman, of whose church his father and mother were members, and xmrsued the studies of the higher branches of mathematics, Latin and Greek for three years or more, and then entered the Connectieut Liter¬ ary Institution at Suffield, Connecticut, and continued his studies until he grad¬ uated from there in 1848. After com- Xileting his studies at Suffield he desired to enter ujDon the study of law and jirepare himself for the legal jirofession, to which his father was very much opjoosed. His father insisted that he had given him a good education and he ought to have something to say as to what he shoidd do in the futui'e. He desired him to engage in business with him, and offered to transfer to him one half of his Xorojierty and take him in as an equal co-jiartner in the business. But young Smith had no taste for that kind of busi¬ ness and was determined to pursue the study of law. His determination so in¬ censed his father that he declined to render him any further financial assist¬ ance, although well able to do so, and informed him if he would not comxfiy with his wishes and went to reading: law he must rely upon his own resources.

AMung Smith was not at all discourged by this turn of affairs, but obtained a school and went to teaching. Thereby he obtained means to clothe and support himself for a while. On the 19th day of SexDtember, 1849, he registered himself as a student in the law office of Alvin P. Hyde, Esq., at Stafford, his native town. Soon after Mr. Hyde married the daughter of the late Hon. Loren P. Waldo, of Tolland, and entered into a co-x^artnership with him in the law busi¬ ness. Mr. Smith continued his studies with that firm until he was admitted to X^i'actice in the courts of that state, on the 13th day of August, 1852. To pro¬ cure means to sux^x^ort himself he taught school in the winters of 1849, 1850 and 1851.

In the spring of 1851 he was ap- Xiointed Clerk of the Probate Court for the Stafford district, which position he held until he removed to Colchester, Conn., in October, 1852. He had half the emoluments of the office for doing the clerical work, which took a small part of his time, and furnished him with means more than sufficient to pay his way. Soon after he was admitted to practice he made uxd his mind to go West and enter ux^on the work of his x^i'ofession. But an affectionate mother, disliking to be so far removed from her only child, dissuaded him from that determination, and at the same time x^ersuaded his father to let him have $1,000 with which to x^urchase a law library, if he would not go West, but settle in that state. This influenced Mr. Smith, and he removed to Colchester, New London County, Conn., about the first of Octo¬ ber, 1852, opened an office and entered upon the practieeof his profession, where he continued to reside and practice until he removed to the Territory of Minne¬ sota in the Spring of 1857. His business at first was very light, but continued to increase until it became a good paying business before he left. In the fall of 1854 he was elected Town Clerk of the town, which office he held one year. The town clerk's duties among others were that of Register of Deeds for the town. In the spring of 1855, he was elected as a Democrat to the State Senate from the Eighth Senatorial District. After that he was appointed Clerk of the Probate Court of the Colchester District, which position he held up to the time of his de¬ parture for the West in the spring of 1857.

In July, 1856, Mr. Smith started for the West on a tour of inspection ; visited Kansas, which was then bleeding to free itself from slavery, and not being pleased, either with the country or peo¬ ple, left there for St. Patd, Minnesota. There he found things more in keeping with his ideas of westeim life. It was all activity and life, real estate booming, money plenty, business good and people social and friendl3^ After staying a few weeks he returned East full3^ determined to make Minnesota his future home. Settling up his business that winter as far as possible he returned to Minnesota earlv in the spring of 1857, and settled at Hastings, in Dakotci County, bringing his family (then consisting of a wife and two children), the same season.

Soon after his arrival at Hastings he entered into a co-partnership with J. W. De Silva, a young attorne3% and opened a law offiee, and commenced business under the firm name of Smith and De Silva. He after that devoted his whole time to the business of his profession at that place until he removed to the cit3^ of Minneapolis in 1877. While residing there he was a member of the following named law firms, besides that of Smith & De Silva, whieh was of short dm-ation : L. & S. Smith; Smith, Smith & Crosln' ; Smith & Montgomery ; Smith & Babock ; Smith, Huddleston & Bab¬ cock; Smith & Van Shdee, and Smith & Parlaman. During which time he was attorne3" for the following named rail¬ way companies : The Hastings & Da¬ kota ; the St. Paul & Chicago ; the Min¬ nesota Railwa3'' Construetion Compan3^ and the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railwa3" Compan3^ Mr. Smith, while he lived in Dakota eount3", took quite an active part in politics and was considered one of the letiders of the Democratic party in that count3\ He held many important official po¬ sitions during his residence there. In the fall of 1857 he was eleeted Count3" Attorney and held that office for two 3'ears. In the spring of 1860 he was elected one of the count3" commissioners, and was Chairman of the Board for two years. In the fall of 1861 he was elected Judge of Probate, re-elected in 1863 and in 1865, holding the office six 3xmrs. In the fall of 1867 he was elected to the State Senate for a term of two 3'ears. In the fall of 1873 he was again elected County Attorney and held that office two years. In 1875 he ran as an independent candidate against the Hon. Ignatius Donnelly, the Democratic nominee, for the State Senate, and was defeated by a small majority. Mr. Smith during his residence in Hastings took mueh interest in the publie schools, was one of the inspectors for a number of 3"ears, and assisted at an early date to establish graded sehools in that eit3'. In the spring of 1877 he removed with his famih' from Hastings to the City of Min- neapolis, where he has sinee resided. When he first came to Minneapolis he entered into a partnership with W. E. Hale, Esq., under the firm name of Smith & Hale, which continued until the spring of 1880. From that time until thespring of 1883 he conducted his law business by himself. In the spring of 1883 he entered into a co-partnership in the law business with S. A. Reed, under the firm name of Smith & Reed, which continued up to the time he was appointed Judge of the District Court for the Fourth Ju¬ dicial District, which was in March, 1889, which position he now holds.