Minneapolis City (part 39 of 80)

R. C. Benton was born in Waterford, May 13, 1830, but removed with his father's family to Essex County-, in the same state, when he was eleven years old. He had an early desire to receive a collegiate education, which was not seconded by his father, and he remained upon the paternal farm until his major¬ ity-, in the meantime seeking a prepara¬ tion for college as best he could, and de¬ voting some time to reading law with an uncle, Jacob Benton, of Lancaster, N. H., and also with William Hey-wood, of Guildhall, Vt. Within ten days after reaching his majority, he entered the Uni¬ versity of Vermont, at Bui-lington, in the third term of the freshman y-ear, where he completed the college course and graduated in 1854. Likemostfarmers' boys of the period, he had a debt for his education, which must be discharged before entering upon a profession, and he spent the following two years in teaching a grammar -school in Lamoille County-, Vt. He was admitted to the bar in 1855, and commenced practice the following y-ear at Johnson, Lamoille County-, Vt. After two y-ears he removed to Hyde Park, in the same county, form¬ ing a partnership with John A. Child, of that place.

The growing law business of the y-oung lawy-ers was interrujited by- the clarion of war, which, resounding among the mountains, summoned the sons of the Green Mountain boys of the Revolution, as it had their ancestors, to leave the plow in the furrow and the bi'ief nnread, and hasten to the defense of their country's flag. Mr. Bentonjoined a company of volunteers, of which he was commissioned captain in the Fifth Regiment of Vermont Infantry, and then marched to the front. This regiment was actively engaged during the whole of the first peninsular campaign. At the battle of Savage Station he received a buckshot wound in the arm. A year later he was promoted to the lieutenant colonelcy of the Eleventh Vermont Infantry, which afterwai'ds became the First Vermont Artillei'y. After his promotion his com¬ mand w'as stationed on the defenses of Washington. On the 13th of May, 1864, the regiment was ordered to the front, serving as three battalions of infantry, and joining Grant's army at Fredericks¬ burg. It shared the dangers and glories of the flanking campaign carried on in the approach to Richmond . At the sharp action of Cold Harbor, Col. Benton was actively engaged, and diiring the expos¬ ures which followed that action, con¬ tracted a malarial fever, which obliged him to resign his command. Returning to Vermont, he found his partner had died, his law business had been broken up, and the expenses of a family left be¬ hind had dissipated his slender accumu¬ lations. While he was endeavoring to gather up the scattered threads of his affairs, he was summoned by the gover¬ nor of his state to aid in repelling the raid organized by rebel refugees in Can¬ ada on St. Albans. After two months in this service, he again returned to his law.

In 1867 he removed to St. Albans and became associated with W. D. Wil¬ son, and afterwards with A. P. Cross. There he was busily emplo3'ed for seven 3"ears,and until his removal to the West.

The practice extended into Franklin, Or¬ leans and Lamoille Counties. It was of a general character, such as the coun¬ try districts of New England furnished at that day - fuller of labor than profit, but giving a wide experience at nisi prius as well as in bank.

Mr. Benton had married in 1856, about the time of enteidng his profes¬ sional life. Miss Sara Maria Leland, of Johnson, Vermont. Of four children born of the union, two had died in infanej^ and the health of two growing daugh¬ ters was injuriously affected by the se¬ vere climate of that mountainous region. In the hope of benefiting the health of his family, he determined to move to a more inland region, and came to Minne¬ apolis in 1875. The hope seemed to be realized for a time. The eldest daughter married Mr. R. M. Douglas, an accom¬ plished 3^oung engineer, but in the winter and spring of 1882, both daughters suc¬ cumbed to the malarial influences which so fatally prevailed at that period.

In 1879 Col. Benton was appointed City Attoimey of Minneapolis, holding the office until December, 1881, when he resigned. It was a period of rapid devel¬ opment in the city and the city attorne}^- ship assumed peculiar importance. Man3^ claims for damages for personal injuries were made against the city, but not a single judgment was obtained. The first controversy with a railroad company respecting the bridging of the tracks arose at this time, and was settled satis¬ factorily to the interests of the cit3^ Upon his resignation. Col. Benton was appointed local attorney of the St. Paid, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad Compan3^, upon an annual salary, but with liberty to engage in other practice. Upon the merging of that company in the Great Northern Railway Corporation, his employment was continnecl, and still exists. The labors of the position are varied and onerous, and have withdrawn him in a great measure from general practice. During the whole of this time the crossings controversy has been in pi'ogress, and has occupied the attention of the District and Supreme Courts of the state, and has been taken by appeal to the United States Supreme Court. Early in the controversy the Manitoba Company, under the judicious advice of their local attorney, came to a substan¬ tial agreement with the authorities of the city; but the interests and obstruc¬ tions of other companies prevented a settlement until recently. The whole matter, so far as the West side is con¬ cerned, is now satisfactorily arranged, and the improvements so long delayed are in progress. The question as to the East Side crossings is still open, but ne¬ gotiations for an adjustment are in satisfactoiw progress.

Col. Benton, representing in the chief city on its line, one of the great railroad corporations of the Northwest, has been called upon to investigate a vast num¬ ber of claims for injuries to persons and propert3^ His services have been more than professional. In a quasi judicial chai'acter, he has brought about settle¬ ments in most cases. When he has been convinced that a claim is fraudulent or unjust, he has brought all the resoui'ces of legal knowledge and professional skill to resist it; so that few adverse verdicts have been rendered against his company. Suave and genial in his bearing, he is dig¬ nified at the bar, but uncompromising and persistant in maintaining his posi¬ tion. No department of legal practice recpiircs so close discrimination as that jjertaining to railroad litigation. The railroad attorney' is often called on to argue before the Court the nice applica¬ tion of legal principles, and almost alwa3's faces a jur3' sym])athizing with his opponant. Col. Benton, bv his candor, dignit3q and learning, has been able to retain the confidence of the Bench, while his diplomatic skill has not seldom won verdicts from reluctant juries.

But it is not alone as a lawyer that he has been distinguished. Colonel Benton has alwa3's, since he became identified with Minneapolis, been one of her most public spirited citizens. Helms served upon the Boai'd of Trade, and in various representative and consultative capacities. He is a pleasant and persua¬ sive public speaker, and is ever read3' to aid all movements for the good of the community, or in aid of the unfortunate. He has a pleasant home at No. 1815 Hawthorn Avenue, where arc enjo3'ed the quiet but refined associations of dodomestic and social life.

William Henry Norris. The famil3' from which Mr. Norris comes has been settled in northern New England since about 1690. James Norris, the original Amei'ican ancestor, was an emigrant from Ireland. They have been tillers of the soil, and indulge a just pride in an industrious, honorable and patriotic ancestiw. The father of William H. Norris gave to his eldest son his own name. In 3'outh learning a mechanical trade and receiving but a limited education, he was converted in a revival in the Methodist church, and thenceforth gave himself to the service of that church. At first be¬ coming a circuit preacher, he was after¬ wards a missionar3' to the Spanish American countries, a city pastor and presiding elder. He was a man of strong character, of great devotion and rare success in the ministiw. In an obituarv notice he is characterized as "a devout man, one that fearcil God with all his

William H. Norris, Jr., was the eldest of three children and was born at Hallowell, Maine, July 24, 1832. In infancy and youth he shared the lot of the family of an itinerant minister, living for peri¬ ods of two years or more in Brooklyn, N. Y., New Haven, Conn., Montevideo and Buenos Ayres, South America. At the capital of the Argentine Confedera¬ tion he spent five 3^ears, returning thence to Brooklyn when he was fifteen years of age. His earl^" education was entirely received in the family, both father and mother giving carefid attention to his introduction into letters. At the age of fifteen he was sent to the Dwight High School in Brookljm, N. Y., where he pre¬ pared to enter college. In 1850 he was matriculated in Yale College, graduating after a full term of four years. He car¬ ried off the highest honor, being the val¬ edictorian of his class - a class number¬ ing among other good scholars, S. C. Gale, of this city. After leaving college he spent a year in teaching at Marmaroneck, N. Y., while deliberating upon the choice of a profession. His inclinations favoring the law, he entei'ed the law school of Harvard College, and after a year in that seat of learning, came west and located in Green Ba3'^, Wis. Here he entered the law office of James H. Howe, now the general counsel of the Omaha Railroad Co., and after another year of study was admitted to the Wisconsin bar, in 1857, but remained associated with Mr. Howe until 1862, when the association was broken up by his part¬ ner entering the military service of the government. For the next ten years he carried on law practice at Green Bay alone, when he became associated with Thomas B. Chynowothfor six years, and afterwards for a short time with E. H.

Ellis, late Circuit judge. Twenty-three years were passed in practicing law at Green Bay. During twelve years of this time Mr. Norris was the local attorney of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Compan3', and for six years he was at¬ torney of the Green Bay & Minnesota R. R. Co., now the Green Bay, Winona & St. Paul Railroad Company. These employments led him into making a spe¬ cialty of railroad law. Other retainers made him familiar with the collateral branches of the law of corporations. This practice, with a goodly number of foreclosures and collections, made the years full of labor and experience. Re¬ moving to Minneapolis in 1880, Mr. Norris opened a law office for general practice, but after a year and a half he was selected b3' the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company, as its state solicitor - a salaried office, which debarred him from receiving other pro¬ fessional retainers. Since that appoint¬ ment he has appeared in State and Fed¬ eral courts, wherever in the Northwest the interests of the Milwaukee road were in litigation. He is an expert in railroad law. In the trial of claims of damages for personal injuries, he has been unusu¬ ally successful, probably because merito¬ rious cases have been settled before com¬ ing into court, and only the doubtful or unfounded claims resisted. In several cases his company was advised to resist an act of the Legislature as unconstitu¬ tional, and the point was in each case i*uled in its favor by the courts. The general public greatly errs when it re¬ gards brilliancy and dash as the highest qualifications of the lawyer. However, it may be in those rare cases where mis¬ fortune or abuse furnish occasion to ap¬ peal to the sympathies of jurors, it is the sound judgment, the acute discrimi¬ nation and the breadth and accuracy of learning that win success. Mr. Norris has no claim to be classed with the rhe¬ toricians of the legal profession. He is naturally reticent in speech, but when his interest is aroused, is apt in illus¬ tration and copious in expression. He knows the law, and knows it thorough¬ ly. He has the faculty of nice discrimi¬ nation, and is tenacious of his opinion when it is once deliberately formed. His legal arguments are compact, discrimi¬ nating and logical. The court listens attentivel\' to his argument and weighs it earefully, and is led b3^ an irresistible chain of sound reasoning to his conclu¬ sion. His success is not founded upon an ephemeral brilliancy, but upon accu¬ rate learning and solid judgment.

Mr. Norris does not allow the law to absorb the entire energ\" of his life. Pa¬ rental example and precept bore earh" fruit in a professed Christian life, though in another denomination of the church. He is an active worker in evangelical and reformatory work. While living at Green Ba3',he was for a time superinten¬ dent of schools, and in Minneapolis has been for a long time the leader of a Mis¬ sion Sunda\' School. He is also promi¬ nent in other social organizations, hav¬ ing attained the highest degree but one in the Masonic brotherhood, and served as an offieer in Lodge and Chapter.

He was married at Green Ba^^ in 1859 to Miss Hannah B. Harriman, daughter of Jacob Harriman, a shipbuilder of Waterville, Maine. His family consists of one son and two daughters, the eldest of whom is the wife of A. D. Rider, of Kansas City, Mo.

Municipal Court. The act to incor¬ porate the city of Minneapolis approved Februarj' Gth, 1867, provided for the election of two justices of the peace who should hold their offices for two years, and were stjded city justices. Their jur¬ isdiction was the same as that of justices of the peaee in Hennepin county, and in addition thereto, jurisdiction to hear and try all complaints for violation of an\' provision of the city charter or anj^ ordinance, by law, rule or regulation made or adopted under or by virtue thereof, and of cases eognizable before a justice of the peace in which the cit}' is a party', and of prosecutions to recover a fine, forfeiture or penalty under an\' ordinanee or b\'-law or regulation of the city, and cases of offenses committed against the same. The justiees were elec¬ tive officers.

Among those who served as city jus¬ tices were Charles H. Woods, F. L. Himes and H. G. Hicks (now judge of the District Court, Fourth Judicial Dis¬ trict.)

The aet of consolidation of the cities, approved Februarj- 28, 1872, provided for one city justice to be elected on the east side of the river and two on the west side. The jurisdiction of the court was not materiallv changed.

B\' an act approved Februarj' 18, 1874, a municipal court was established in the City of Minneapolis with largely' inereased jurisdiction over that granted to city' justices. It is made a court of record with power to try and determine civil actions at law where the amount in controvers}' does not exceed two hun¬ dred dollars (since inereased to five hun¬ dred dollars.) By the terms of the act it has no jurisdiction to tiwcases involving title to real estate, divorce, or where the relief demanded is purelj' ecpiitable in its nature. A judge to be eleeted, to hold his office three \'ears, to be called munici¬ pal judge, with a salary" of $2,500 a year. The judge appoints the clerk of said court, by and with the advice and consent of the eit\' council.

elected, whose term of office powers and duties should be the same as those of the municipal judge, except as otherwise IDrovided in the act.

Under the acts above referred to, the court has been maintained to the pres¬ ent time, save with certain amendments to the same, not material to be men¬ tioned.

venient for the transaction of its busi¬ ness, and the transfer to the new City Hall building when completed will be welcomed by none more warmly than the officials, suitors and emploj^es who are in any wa3' connected with business in the municipal court.

Robert Donough Russell. The ac¬ complished gentleman and thorough lawyer, who is president of the Alinneapolis Bar Association, and is now serv¬ ing his second term as City Attorney of Minneapolis, has been a resident of the cit3' sinee 1883.

He was born at St. Louis, Missouri, on the 9th of March, 1857. Both his paternel and maternel grand parents were of European birth, the former in England and the latter in Holland. His father was Charles E. Russell, who was a native of the State of New Jersey, but who removed to the West and settled in Missouri in 1837. He was a mechanic of sober and industrious habits, but a man of intelligence and of pronounced radical views, especially upon the sub¬ ject of slavery, which was one of the burning questions of the day. His mother was Louisa Mathews. She was a lady of no ordinary character and at¬ tainment. When the Rebellion broke out she engaged in the work of the Sanitary Commission, and followed the Union army to the Southwest, where she per¬ sonally ministered to the wants of the sick in the field and in hospitals and was XDresent, a ministering angel, at some of the severest battles in the campaign.

From this humble but altogether worth3" parentage, the son inherited a robust constitution, habits of industr3G a genial disposition, and thoroughly be¬ nevolent sympathies. In early manhood he consecrated himself to a Christian life, and while zealous and enthusiastic in his profession he has been an active woi'ker

There were eight boys in the famih', of whom five grew to manhood and beeame more than ordinarily conspienons. The elder brother, after learning and ])raetieing the printer's trade, entered college and graduated, and became a prominent minister in the "Christian" Church, and was elected president of Bercan College, Jacksonville, Ills., before he reached his thirtieth 3"ear. Sol Smith Russell, the celebrated comedian, is a brother. The four brothers all bore arms in the Rebellion, three of them in the Union arm\" and one in that of the Confederac}', in which he seiwed as Ad¬ jutant General on the staff of Major General Ewell, and at the close of the war was private secretar}" of Gen. John C. Breckenridge.

Robert D. was too young to take part in the war. The famiW removed to Jacksonville. Ills., in 1860. At nine }'ears of age he commenced learning his father's trade, that of tinner, and worked at the bench until he was eighteen. During these j^ears he was privileged to attend the common school during half of each \'ear. Preparation was made for college at a private school, and he ent¬ ered the Sophomore class of Illinois col¬ lege in 1868, graduating in due coui'se in 1871, with the highest honor of the class, the valedictorian. He had earned his expenses while at the preparatorv schools and college by his own labor. His health having been impaired, b\' labor and study, he spent the succeed¬ ing year traveling, earning money dur¬ ing the time with which to take up the study of his profession, and then settled himself to study law, entering for this purpose the law office of Isaac L. Morri¬ son, of Jacksonville. In September, 1874, he was, after an oral examination before the Supreme Court, admitted to the Illi¬ nois l)ar. At the same time he received the degree of Master of Arts from his alma mater. Again through the course of legal studies he had earned his own wa\'. Though a prophet is not without honor, save in his own city, a palpable exception to the rule was made in the case of 3'oung Russell; for although for nearh' fifteen years, as bo\^ and \'oung man he had lived at Jacksonville, he was at once appointed City Attoi'ney, and held the position for three terms. He was also admitted as junior partner in the old firm of practicing attorne3^s of Dummer & Brown, and upon the death of Judge Dummer, in 1868, continued with Mr. Brown until his removal to Minneapolis. Jacksonville is one of the most considerable towns in Centi'al Illi¬ nois. The law practice of the firm was general and extensive, and Mr. Russell was plunged at once into the thickest of the legal contests. The firm was the le¬ gal advisor of several railroad compan¬ ies, and had in addition a large and im¬ portant clientage. At that time General Collom, since so conspicuos in Congress in connection with the Inter-State Com¬ merce law, was governor of Illinois, and he had likewise been prominent in the legislature. The questions of state con¬ trol of railroads, and the right to })rcscribe rates, were then comparativeK' new. In the extensive litigation which followed the assertion of those powers, the firm of Dummer, Brown & Russell was prominent. Another suljjectof con¬ tested state authorit3^ arose over the acts to prevent Texas cattle from being transported through the state at certain seasons of the 3'ear. Upon these (piestions Mr. Russell assisted in the prepar¬ ation of elaborate briefs. In 1881 he visited Washington, where the firm had important cases ])cnding in the United States Su])reme Court, to which he was then admitted to practice.

The brothers, Sol Smith and Robert D. Russell, were attracted to Minneapo¬ lis to make their homes as a place offer¬ ing superior advantages for business and social life.

Soon after his arrival R. D. Russel formed the law partnership of Russell, Emory and Reed. Upon the appoint¬ ment of Judge Emory to the Municipal Court bench his place in the firm was filled by Mr. W. J. Calhoun, and the firm continued as Russell, Calhoun & Reed. They have enjoyed a good practice from the start. A notable case is known as the Hosford Will case, in which the val¬ idity of an anti-nuptial contract was as¬ sailed, and the authenticity of a pretend¬ ed instrumnt of revocation was chal¬ lenged. After a long litigation involving intricate and disputed facts of family his¬ tory, the position which Mr. Russell had taken was fully sustained.

Mr. Russell was appointed City Attor¬ ney of Minneapolis Jan. 1st, 1889, for two years, and was re-appointed in 1891, and now (1892) holds the responsible and exacting position. At the time he as¬ sumed the office a dispu te of long stand¬ ing between the city and several railroad companies, relative to the bridging of crossings of streets over the tracks was in litigation, and had reached the Su¬ preme Court of the United States. The new city attorney made a motion to dis¬ miss the writ of error in the Supreme Court. The motion was taken under advisement to await a hearing on the main case. Meanwhile he took advant¬ age of some favorable conditions, and after a long and persistent effort succeed¬ ed in arriving at a compromise which was acceptable to the railroad compan¬ ies and more advantageous to the city than the judgment appealed from, and which enabled the work of bridging to go forward and reach an early comple¬

An attempt to bar the city from the use of water in the .supply of its east side water works, by one of the great water power companies of the city, was liti¬ gated through the courts, involving a consideration of difficult questions of construction and of rights, and the claim of the city was fully established.

The three annual reports made by the city attorney, to the council, during his official terms show that the office is one of great labor, and not a little responsi¬ bility. They also demonstrate that it has been conducted with great ability. During the first year twenty personal in¬ jury cases were presented against the city, claiming damages to the amount of $116,404. In these there was only one recovery and that for but $500. Five hundred and sixty-six cases were tried in the Municipal Court, and five hundred and thirty-three convictions ob¬ tained. During the same time twentyseven street opening appeals were dis¬ posed of. The reports for the other two years make an equally good showing.

Besides his engrossing professional labor Mr. Russell has not been unmind¬ ful of other duties in business and social life. He has served as a director in the Business Men's Union, an organization of great practical benefit in attracting and organizing manufacturing and busi¬ ness enterprises. Five j^ears ago he was elected a trustee of Illinois College, where he earned his degrees.

In the autumn of 1891 he was nomi¬ nated, without personal solicitation, as Republican candidate for Judge of the District Court of the Fourth Judicial District of the State of Minnesota, but as the opposite party succeeded at the elec¬ tion, he was not withdrawn from the bar. The local bar testified their appre¬ ciation of his personal and professional

Mr. Rvtssellwas married Sept. 7, 1876, to Miss Lillian M. Brooks, of Danville, 111. She is the daughter of an eminent minister of the Presbyterian Church. Of five children but two, an infant daugh¬ ter and a little girl of five years, survive.

Judges and Clerks of Probate Court. The Probate Court, being a eounty court, does not properly come within the scope of this artiele. But inasmiich as nearly all the judges and clerks have been members of the bar of this city, and the main part of the busi¬ ness transacted therein originates in Minneapolis, the names of the incum¬ bents of the offices of judge and clerk may properh^ here be mentioned.

The earlier records of this court, in territorial times, are somewhat imper¬ fect. The business at first was very small. The constitution provided that the Judge of Probate might appoint a clerk, but the Legislature, until 1878, failed to fix any salary, and if a clerk was employed the judge must pay him out of his own pocket. In that year the salar\" of clerk was fixed at $500. In 1881 it was increased to $900 with fees in addition. In 1885 it was increased to $1,500 with fees for certified copies of records and an additional sum for extra clerk hire. In 1891 the Legislature in¬ creased the amount for extra clerk hire to $1 ,200, by means of which two deput3' clerks are now employed in the office.

The act of the Territorial Legislature of March 6, 1852, establishing the county of Hennepin, attached the same for judicial purposes to Ramsey county; but provided that at the next general election such county and other officers as the organized counties were entitled to, might then be elected. At the elec¬ tion in the fall of 1852, Joel B. Bassett was elected the first Judge of Probate of Hennepin count^u He served for two years, but the records do not show that any estates were administered upon during that time and, indeed, only one person died leaving any propert}' re¬ quiring the care of the court. Judge Bassett informs us that the receipts of the office for the two years he served were of such an infinitesimal amount that it would require a microscopical view to determine the same. On the other hand, the care of the widows and orphans which were then the only per¬ quisites attaehed to the office, required of the judge an expenditure entirely in¬ commensurate with the honor conferred by the position, and at the end of his term the Judge prefeTred to perform those duties in a private rather than public capacity.

He was succeeded in the office by Dr. A. E. Ames, who served as judge during the 3^ears 1855 and 1856. He was ad¬ mitted to the bar in the year lastnamed, rather as an honor than with any view of entering on the profession, as the practice of medicine was never relin¬ quished - indeed, the position of judge at that time interfered little, if any, with his regular practice.

E. S. Jones was the first practicing lawyer, elected to the office,, which was in the fall of 1856. He held it for three 3'ears until January, 1860. He was suc¬ ceeded by LardnerBostwick, whose term ineluded the years 1860 and 1861.

Norton H. Hemiup was elected judge in the fall of 1861, and held the office 63' continued re-elections until and including the year 1870, making a longer term of service than an3' other one who has held the position.

P. M. Babcock was elected judge in the fall of 1875, and held the office dur¬ ing the years 1876 and 1877. He was succeeded by John P. Rea, who was elected in the fall of 1877 and held the office continuously until 1882.

A. Ueland was elected judge in 1881; his term commencing in January, 1882. He held the office continuously until Jan¬ uary, 1887. In 1886 F. Von Schlegel was elected judge, and re-elected in the fall of 1888, and served until April, 1890, when upon his death Fi'ancis B. Bailey was appointed to serve out his unexpii'ed term.

For many years after the establish¬ ment of the court (for reasons before mentioned) the records do not disclose any regular clerk. Clerical assistance was more or less required before the leg¬ islature fixed a salary for that officer, but it was fitful and irregular, and no one individual held the position for any considerable time. Thomas Wilson was acting as clerk in 1875, and he was after¬ ward succeeded by Claude B. Leonard, who was appointed bj^ Judge Rea.

Upon the election of Judge Ueland he appointed Albert M. Scott clerk, who served until June, 1888, when he was succeeded by Charles B. Holmes, ap¬ pointed by Judge Von Schlegel, and who served until his death. Judge Bailey ap¬ pointed D. W. Knowlton, who served un¬ til 1891. Upon the election of Judge Corrigan he appointed Geo. M. Bleeker clerk, and who is the present incumbent.

His residence in Minneapolis dates; from 1877. Entering the law office ofj Lochren, McNair and Gilfillan, he i'e-1 mained with them until the appointmentl of Judge Lochren to the bench of theDis-j trict Court. He was then admitted as! partner in the practice of McNair and Gilfillan, and shared in the labors, tri¬ umphs, and rare defeats of that cele¬ brated firm of lawyers.

In 1878 Mr. Bailey received the ap¬ pointment of associate judge of the Mu¬ nicipal Court of the City of Minneapolis, ! Judge G. B. Coole3'- holding the position! of judge. At the ensuing election he was I elected to the position. On the retire-) ment of Judge Cooley in 1883 he was ^ elected to succeed him as judge of the . court, and presided in that tribunal for six years. The jurisdiction of the Mu¬ nicipal Court is exclusive as to all of¬ fenses against city ordinances, and in minor criminal complaints; and it has civil jurisdiction in personal controver¬ sies involving $500 and less. Its proced- ; ure in most criminal complaints is sum- j mary. In civil cases the trials are as i formal, and scarcely less difficult than ' those of the District Courts. Judge Bailey's administration was dignified, j firm, discriminating, and in proper cases merciful. He had the respect of the bar and the full confidence of the public. ]

Upon the death of Judge Von Schle- * gel, in 1890, Governor Merriam ap- , pointed Judge Bailey to the vacancy, and he assumed and ad ministered the import¬ ant functions of the Probate Court dur¬ ing the residue of the term.

Judge Bailey is a sturdy son of Maine, born at Portland June 22d, 1839. His father was Libbews Bailey, decended from an early settler of Massachusetts of Pilgrim stock and English ancestry.

His mother was Marietta Monroe Clapp, both parents being connected and allied with the most highly respected and hon¬ ored families of New England. He was but six years old at his father's death. His mother found herself a widow, with eleven children, and but slender means of support. The child, from tender years, was impelled by necessity, as well as a high sense of duty, to rely upon himself, and to contribute from the earnings of his labor to the support of the family. Nevertheless he sought ever\" opportun¬ ity for stud}^ and at the age of seventeen graduated from the High School of Port¬ land. The following 3^ears were full of labor and strviggle. The law was his ambition, but the sUidy had to be pur¬ sued with manj" interuptions. He de¬ clined no honest labor. During these years he held a number of offices of trust in his native state, and was for a time deputy collector of the Port of Passemquaddy. At last in 1870 the long de¬ sired admission to the bar occurred in Washington Countyq and he formed a law partnership at Calais with the Hon. Charles R. Whidden, an old practitioner in the courts of Maine, which continued until Mr. Whidden's death in 1876.

Meanwhile, in 1875, he formed a life partnership in marriage with Miss Annie H. Moor, daughter of Wyman B. S. Moor of Waterville, a versatile and gifted lawyer, who had been United States sen¬ ator from the state ofMaine. Miss Moor was a highty accomplished lady, who had received a thorough education at Notre Dame in Montreal. The^^ have had five children, of whom but two sur¬ vive - Seave\q aged twelve and Paul Thorndvke, aged five j^ears

Judge Bailey is now in the maturity of his powers. He has a strong compact frame, capable of prolonged labor, ro¬ bust health, and a calm, logical mind. He has withal a fine literary and artistic taste. His sound qualities make him a genial companion. He is a valued mem¬ ber of the Minneapolis Club. At the bar he holds a prominent position, being treasui'er of the Bar Association, and in the community he has hosts of attached friends and no enemies.

And Practitioners

*In compl3dng with a request for a brief sketch of the district court in Hen¬ nepin County the writer must rely on memor3q withotit time for inquiry or search, and ma3' therefore fail in accu¬ racy as to earlier dates. The first ses¬ sion of the district court of this county was held by Judge Bradle3' B. Meeker, in 1851 or 1852, in the government mill building, at the west side of the Falls of St. Anthon3\ There is no tradition of any case of importance then tried. Isaac Atwater and David A. Seeombe are the only attorneys remaining at our bar who were then in practice here. Judge Atwater had then, and up to the time of his election in 1857 as Judge of the Su¬ preme Court, the largest practice in the county. Mr. Seeombe had also a large practice for those days, and exhibited the same skill in the examination of wit¬ nesses, and the same jDower in terse, for¬ cible argument to court and juries which has always distinguished him, together with his characteristic asperity and ag¬ gressiveness toward whoever he disliked, a trait which has measurabty passed away under the softening influence of years.

Judge Moses Sherburne was next as¬ signed to this district, but held no gen¬ eral term in this countv, and the court practice was confined to such matters as could be disposed of at special terms and

-An intereslinK article was prepared by Judge Willium Loch* ren some three years since, relating to the early practice an<l prac¬ titioners in courts of this county. The article was published in the Tribune of this city, but probably was seen by a limited num¬ ber of those now residing here, and is deeme<l of sufficient inter¬ est for preservation in a more permanent form. A considerable number of the persons mentioned have died, but perhaps a major¬ ity still survive.

in the chambens at St. Paul. The prac¬ tice code, new at that time, had unset¬ tled the precedents, and gave rise to de¬ murrers and motions innumerable, which were resorted to the more as liberal costs, required to be promptly paid, were allowed. Judge Sherburne was a man of learning and fine presence, and was much respected.

For some cause, not now remembered, no general term of the district court was holden in this county, after the one men¬ tioned, until 1857, and only causes in justices' courts could be finally disposed of where issues of fact triable by jury were raised. St. Anthony became a city in the spring of 1855, and Lardner Bostwick was elected city justice and held that office many years. He was a man of unusual mental power, good literary attainments, and a fair knowledge of the law, and withal of spotless integrity and commanding dignity in court, while very genial and companionable in his ordin¬ ary intercourse with members of the bar and others. He was a most efficient magistrate, at a time when, owing to the rough manners of a pioneer com¬ munity, such a man was needed to pre¬ serve order and respect for law.

The love of fun and practical jokes among the boys gave rise to many ludi¬ crous scenes in this court. As an in¬ stance. One Dr. Jodon was for some reason not a favorite with the boys, who upon some pretext treated him one night to a chariviri, with the usual tin-horn and cow-bell accompaniment. The doc¬ tor was very angry and sought to dis¬ cover the offenders, threatening legal prosecution. Finally A1 Stone, under pledge that he would not be accused, gave the doctor to understand that cer¬ tain persons whom he named were the guilty parties. The doctor thereupon made complaint before Judge Bostwick, charging Alvaren Allen, then ma3^or of the city; Dr. J. H. Murphy, and several of the most reputable citizens, with the offense, and they were accordingly ar¬ rested, and naturally were very angr3'. Allen, whose right to the mayoralty had been questioned in proceedings instituted by Mr. Secombe, notwithstanding per¬ sonal unfriendliness, retained the latter in his defense, enjoining upon him, with his slight stammer and characteristic humor, which even his anger could not wholly repress, that he should handle the prosecution as roughly as possible.

At the trial the witnesses called knew nothing of the matter; and the baffled prosecutor at last called A1 Stone, who was an amused spectator, but who knew no more than the others when sworn; and all soon realized that perchance the defendants were equally victims of one of Al's practical jokes. In closing this di¬ gressive reference to Judge Bostwick's court it is proper to say that he was held in such high regard as to be the can¬ didate of his party for judge of the dis¬ trict court at the first state election.

The eourt house in Minneapolis was built in the summer of 1856, and com¬ pleted in the ensuing winter. In the spring of 1857 Rensselaer R. Nelson and Charles R. Flandrau became associate justices of the territorial courts. Judge Flandrau lived at Traverse des Sioux, and this county was in his district, though much of the special term and chamber business was transacted before Judge Nelson at St. Paul. The first gen¬ eral term of any importance was held by Judge Flandrau in the court house in the fall of 1857. The calendar was large, containing the accumulated litigation of years; and the bar fairly numerous and able. Atwater & Joice, D. A. Secombe, Cornell & Vanderburgh, Lawrence & Lochren, Heaton & Mathews, Geo. A.

Nourse, N. H. Hetniiip, J. S. & D. AI. Demmon and many other attorneys had numerous cases. While friendl3" feeling between attornej-s was general, there was little of that professional courtesy that has since distinguished this bar. All available advantages in practice were taken and no one granted or expected anj- favor. The calendar was not divid¬ ed nor causes assigned for special da3^s, but the entire calendar was under preemptor3' call all the time. Ever3" attorne3'' had to be in constant readiness, against an3" unexpected ending of the cause on trial, which might bring on a dismissal of causes not ready, till one was reached in which both parties were prepared. Judge Flandrau was in ever3' wa3' a model judge, of admirable temper, xinfailing courtesy, jjrompt and decisive in his readings, and alert in the dispatch of his business. His long service on the bench of the Supreme Court, and his re¬ cognized existence at the bar renders sujDerfluous to an3' reference to his legal attainments.

The state constitution was formed in the summer of 1857 and was ratified at the fall election of that 3''ear. State offi¬ cers were then elected, who did not as¬ sume official functions until the state was admitted into the Union. In AIa3' of the following 3^ear, James Hall of Lit¬ tle Falls, was elected judge of this dis¬ trict; which comprised the counties of Hennepin, Carver, Wright, Meeker, Sher¬ burne, Benton, Stearns, Alorrison, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs, Itasca, Pembina, Todd, and Cass. Before holding an3' term in this count3'. Judge Hall resigned, Oct. 1, 1858, and Edwin O. Hamlin, of St. Cloud, was appointed in his place Iw Gov. Sible3% and held the office until af¬ ter the election in 1859, holding two terms in this county at which the calen¬ dars were pretty large. The bar was large and able, Francis R. E. Cornell and

James R. Lawrence, Jr., being perhaps the leaders. Money was scarce, and the chances of the younger law3'ers for fees not ver3' promising, but good feeling and love of fun prevailed generallv. One Stewart Harve3' had a cause for trial, and being without mone3' quarreled with his attorney, so that he was apparentW helpless when his cause was called. But a half-dozen of the younger attor¬ neys took hold, without asking, and helped him through the case, resulting in disagreement ofthejur3^ Harve3'wasa man of phenomenal vanit v,and could be imposed upon to an3' extent, if the im¬ position included flatter3^ At the close of his trial heinquired of oneof his3'oung assistants if he might not himself be ad¬ mitted to the bar, and was informed that nothing would be easier; that the examining committee had a routine set of questions, which a little study would enable him to master, and he would pass triumphantlv.

Harvey begged him to write out for him this list of questions with the an¬ swers, which he consented to; and nearl3' the entire bar participated in preparing about 50 questions with ludicrous an¬ swers to each. Harve3' committed the whole to memory in a few days and ap¬ plied for examination, which was had one evening in the Nicollet House parlor, before a crowded audience, including Judge Hamlin. Two young men volun¬ teered as candidates to keep up the de¬ ception; the examiner having a list of Harvey's questions to ask as his turn came, and to which the prompt answers kept the audience in a roar of merriment, while the examiner by running comment on the answers of the other candidates kept Harve3' in the belief that all the laughter was at their expense. Two or three cpiestions and answers will serve as samples of hlarvey's examination: escrow is an incorporated hereditament. It is the right which a man hath to set up a scarecrow up on another man's land to scare the crows from his own corn.

Question. What is a mandamus? Answer. A mandamus is an oath administered by the sheriff to a convict when passing him through the inner door of the state prison, and is in these words: "Damn you, stay there, till you have undergone the penalty of the law, or are legally discharged.

Question. What is the first action of ejectment of which we have any record? Answer. That in which the seven devils were cast out of Mary Mag¬ dalen.

Harvey went through the whole list without a break and with evident ela¬ tion at his apparent sueeess, softened by some eommiseration for the other two eandidates, whose failure had, as he thought, eaused sueh uproarous mirth. He ordered the landlord to bring liquid refreshment for all present, and left with the certainty that the next morning he would be admitted a member of the bar. The committee, however, delayed, and evaded his importunities, and after awhile, by the counsel and with the aid of his young advisers, he prepared and presented to the judge a petition stating the fact of his examination and ofhaving supplied the committee with the potables to which by custom they were entitled, and charging that, through the instiga¬ tion of the devil and of their own mere malice, they would not report. And he prayed that a guillotine might issue forthwith to compel performance of their duty.

Poor Harvey was long in finding out that he had been victimized. When he did, he began the study of law in earnest, and after a very creditable examination was admitted by the Supreme Court two or three years later, and soon after went East.

Judge Hamlin was an able and court¬ eous judge and popular with the bar. He was very small in statue and a trifle sen¬ sitive about it. William A. Cheever, who lived near the University, and was somewhat noted for humor, as well as hard drinking, was one day arrested and brought before the judge to answer for contempt in not obeying a subpoena as witness in a criminal case.

When brought in by the sherilfhe was considerably inebriated and on the judge asking what he had to say why he should not be punished for the contempt, peered over the desk and around each side as if looking for the person who addressed him. At length rising on tip toe and stretching his neck, he said in a low tone but distinct to be heard by all :

''Well, the fact is. Your Honor," said Cheever, "the sheriff would pay me no fees upon the subpoena, and just before he came I had spent the last dime I had in the world for bread for my family. I started to come here with all the speed I could make, but when I reached the sus¬ pension bridge Capt. Tapper would not let me cross because I had no money to pay the toll. I tried to borrow five cents of evei'ybody I knew, and no one would lend it to me. I thought of swimming the river, but concluded that I was too old, and that the water was too cold and swift. In short, I made every possi¬ ble effort to get here, but in vain, and I had to wait till the sheriff came after me."

While perfect good feeling existed among the members of the bar, the prac¬ tice of taking every advantage of each others laches still obtained. Every one had to watch his cases unceasingly and was only laughed at if caught at a dis- advantage. One clay McNair was for plaintiff and Beebe for defendant in a cause next to be called after the one on trial, and both waited patiently till very near the hour for adjournment, when, as it appeared to them that the case on trial would not only last the da^'out but consume considerable of the next day, Beelje accepted McNair's invitation to ride up town with him. Beebe waited at the steps for McNair to drive around, and as he was coming, Beebe's clerk came to him with the statement that the cause on trial had suddenly ended, and his case would be called. Beebe asked McNair to wait for him a moment, and hurried back, as their case was called, moved and secured its dismissal because of McNair's absence, and then went down where McNair was patiently wait¬ ing for him, and accepted a ride with him to their offices, telling him, as a good joke, at parting, of his achievement.

If McNair felt any resentment he gave no sign, but got his cause reinstated the next day on paj'mejit of costs. He and Beebe continued as friendl3' as before, frequently laughing together at the ad¬ vantage that Beebe had taken, and it was some time before Mac had a chance to get even. But the chance came, and of coui'se was not allowed to pass.

The inconvenience of havingthe judge sixt\' miles awa^' ma\' have affected the chances of Hamlin's election, though nominated bj^ his part\'. At the election of 1859, Charles E. Vanderburgh was elected judge of this district and contin¬ ued on the bench until he became a jus¬ tice of the Supreme Court in Januar3', 1882, so that he will soon reach thirt3' 3'ears of continuous judicial service. The impetus given to litigation by the crisis of 1857, had measurably subsided, and the two general terms per year rarclv lasted more than three weeks each. The old court house (new tlien) with its sin¬ gle court room, and no ])rivate chambers for the judge, with one jurv room, and a sheriff's room all on the second floor, was considered ample. The clerk had a small room below adjoining the register's office. But the judge had a large range of outside counties to attend to. There were no railroads, and he generallv went on horseback, getting often but a share of a bed in countr3' towns, which court sessions would always crowd. Anv sketch of these earh^ days, and of the law3-ers who then composed the bar, man3" of whom have passed where tech¬ nicalities are disregarded, and of the occasionalh' notable litigation would constitute interestingreading, but woidd pass far beyond the purpose limits of this article. And Judge Vanderburgh, and those who have come to the bench since his accession, are too well known at the present time in this communit3'to justif3^ more than naming them.

With the solid, healthy growth of our cit3', which began at the close of the war, and the rapid increase of business enter¬ prises of all kinds, litigation increased corresponding^. But relief to the judge came for a while in cutting off outside counties as new districts were formed until onl3' Wright, Anoka and Isanti re¬ mained with Hennepin. At the session of the Legislature in 1872, as the work became too great for our judge and the constitution permitted but one in an3'' judicial district, the court of common pleas was established, with a jurisdic¬ tion concurrent with the district court, and Austin H. Young was In' (tov. Aus¬ tin appointed judge of that court, and was elected for a full term at the next election In 1876, the constitution hav¬ ing been amended so as to allow pluralit3' of judges of the district courts, tlie common pleas was merged into the dis¬ trict court and Judge Young, by rejK'ated elections, continues on the l)ench, and will complete 17 years of service to-day, June 1 , 1889. At the special session of 1881 the Legislature pro vid edfor an ad¬ ditional judge of this court, and William Lochren was appointed by Gov. Pillsbury, Nov. 19, 1881, and remains upon the bench, having been twice elected. At the fall election of 1881, Hon. Charles E. Vanderburgh was chosen one of the justices of the supreme eourt of the state and assumed the functions of that office January 12, 1882, and John M. Shaw was appointed by Gov. Pillsbury judge of the district court in his place, and was elected for a full term in the fall of that year. He continued on the bench until January 8, 1884, when, upon his resignation. Mart B. Koon was appoint¬ ed bj" Gov. Hubbai'd to succeed him. Judge Koon was elected in the fall of 1884 for a full term, but resigned, and John P. Rea was on May 1, 1886, ap¬ pointed in his place by Gov. Hubbard, and being elected in the fall of the same yeareontinues upon the bench. The Leg¬ islature of 1887 gave a fourth judge, and Henry G. Hicks was on March 16, 1887, appointed by Gov. McGill, and elected in the fall of 1888. The last Leg¬ islature gave two more judges, and Seagrave Smith and Frederick Hooker were appointed by Gov. Merriam March 5, 1889.

The eourt has now six judges con¬ stantly employed in its work. With three general terms eaeh year, its busi¬ ness has grown until the number of civil causes on the last September term ex¬ ceeded 1,400, and for the last two years there has been a practically continuous session of general term from the 10th of September until the middle of July. Dur¬ ing the period since 1872, when the pres¬ ent senior judge came to the bench, there has beeti mueh litigation of an impor¬ tant eharacter in this court. All the rail¬ roads but two which now enter this eity have been constructed within that time, involving litigation not only in eondemnation proceedings, but in eontests be¬ tween competing railroads. Important questions relating to water powers, ri¬ parian rights and corporations have been litigated and determined, and per¬ haps no court in the country has had as large a number of suits for personal in¬ juries brought against the city, and rail¬ road and manufacturing corporations and individuals. The lumbering business centering here and other kinds of manu¬ factures has produced a good deal of lit¬ igation, and the large amount of building fills calendars with suits to enforce meehanics' liens. Divorce eases, far too many, and libel suits, not a few, have come up for trial, while the criminal bus¬ iness has grown to such extent as to occupy one judge nearly all the time at every general term.

Additions have been sparingly made to the old court house, until there are now four rooms for the trial of causes, and one or two judges have to hear causes in their chambers. Every Satur¬ day is devoted mainly to special term business, when motions, demurrers and default cases are heard and disposed of There is little respite for any of the judges, but with the late increase per¬ haps more time ean be given to the proper consideration of important cases than was possible before. The need of the new court house is apparent to every one who has to do business in the pres¬ ent illy managed and inadequate rooms. The arrangement of court rooms in the new building so as to be convenient and easy of access, one from the others, is a matter of importance, which it is hoped will not be overlooked by the commis¬ sion, or by whoever they may consult with reference to that part of the building

James Oscar Pierce. Kichard Pearce, a pioneer of Rhode Island, was a scion of the ancient Perc}' family, of England. From him was descended Stephen Pearce, of Little Compton, a soldier of the Rhode Island line in the revolutionary arm3^ His son, James Pierce, moved to Central New York, where he became a contractor on public works. His wife was Luc}^ M. Harnes, of Litchfield Count3', Con¬ necticut, who was also of Puritan de¬ scent. Their son, James O. Pierce, was born at Oriskany Falls, Oneida Count}^ New York, February 3d, 1836. He was educated in the public schools of S3"racuse, New York, and having completed liis studies, removed to Wisconsin. There he entered the law office of Messrs. Butterfield and Connit, at Horicon, Dodge County. He had nearl3^ completed his professional preparation when the call for volun¬ teers led him to enlist as a private soldier in the First Wiscotisin In¬ fantry, on the 20th day of April, 1861. His first field service was in the corps of General Robert Patterson, on the Po¬ tomac. A 3'ear and a half later, the period of his enlistment having ex¬ pired, he was admitted to the Wis¬ consin bar, and united in marriage with Miss Ada Butterfield, whose pa¬ ternal ancestor was a pilgrim from Leyden, and on her mother's side was descended from Peregrine White, the first white child born within the lim¬ its of New England. Again having enlisted, and receiving a commission as First Lieutenant in the Twent3"- Ninth Wisconsin Infantr3'^, his recog¬ nized abilit3' brought promotion. He was transferred to the Mississi[)pi de¬ partment, where he was advanced to the rank of Major and Assistant Adju¬ tant General. In this capacity, he was attached to the staff of General B. M,

Prentiss, and served as his chief of staff at the battle of Helena, on July 4th, 1863. Later, he served as a staff officer with Generals Hurlburt, Wash¬ burn and Dana, in the Inspector-Gen¬ eral's and the Judge Advocate's de¬ partments, where his legal education was brought into recj^uisition, and fre¬ quent opportunities were afforded him to mitigate some of the severities of the state of civil war.

At the close of the war. Major Pierce, being then Judge Advocate for the Department and State of Mississippi, proposed a novel plan for the gradual but early rehabilitation of the States whose governments had been dis¬ placed by the war, which he still be¬ lieves would, if it had been adopted, have facilitated the settlement of the vexed political questions which the war left as a legacy, and proved a readier and smoother plan than that which was adopted.

Having selected Memphis, Tennes¬ see, as his home, he commenced the practice of the law there. After the death of the lamented Judge Thomas G. Smith, in the fall of 1867, Governor Brownlow tendered to him a commis¬ sion as Judge of the Law Court of Memphis, which, however, he declined to accept until requested to do so by nearl3^ the entire bar of Memphis. Judge Pierce resigned this position in the summer of 1868, and practiced his profession for ten years. In the elec¬ tion of 1878, he was tendered the nom¬ ination for Circuit Judge 63' the com¬ bined Republican and National parties, which he reluctantly accepted, and was elected 1)3" a majorit3" of 3,300. At the commencement of his term, the epidemic of 1878 detained him in Wis¬ consin, where he devoted his vacation to the work of editing and carr3"ing through the press the treatise on the

Judge Pierce is a member of two or¬ ganizations of veteran soldiers, both of which are fraternal and non-political organizations - the military order of the Loyal Legion and the Grand Arm^^ of the Republic.

At the dedication of the National Cemeter3'^, near Memphis, in 1868, Judge Pierce officiated as president of the day, and has since delivered ad¬ dresses on memorial da^^ on several occasions.

After eight j^ears of laborious ser¬ vice on the bench. Judge Pierce was constrained, for reasons connected with the health of members of his family", to change his residence, and removed to Minneapolis, where he set¬ tled and commenced law practice, in 1886. As a lawyer, Judge Pierce is a hard student and an indefatigable worker. In the investigation of his cases he searches for principles, and in their application exhibits sound reason and practical tact. But he is by no means a mere student. In his bearing he is courteous and kindl3=", and in trials, whether en banc or at nisi prius, exhibits much force and vivacity. The State reports contain many cases to which he has brought the aid of sound learning and close analysis. Such questions as the law of ecclesiastical corporations; secret agreements of a stockholder for ex¬ emption from liability; liability of the owner of an urban tenement for per¬ sonal injury from falling ice; fraudu¬ lent life insurance; validity of devise for private charitable use; have been brought to discussion and decision. In all these varied and sometimes abstruse cases, Judge Pierce's briefs are thorough and exhaustive, and in almost every instance his contention received the acquiescence of the high¬ est appellate court.

During all the years of a laborious judicial and professional career. Judge Pierce has been a prolific writer upon legal topics. Man3^ of the leading law journals contain articles from his pen, upon a wide range of subjects, espe¬ cially upon Insurance.

At the foundation of the Law De¬ partment of the brniversit3^ of Minne¬ sota, Judge Pierce was engaged as a lecturer, and for the last five years he has filled and still occupies the chair of Constitutional Jurisprudence and Histor3^ in the Univ^ersity.

From the formation of the Repub¬ lican party he has espoused its princi¬ ples and followed its fortunes, even when living amidst the intolerance of the defeated citizens of the Southern Confederac3^.

In early manhood. Judge Pierce es¬ poused the doctrines of the New Jeru¬ salem Church, and has ever since been a faithful and devout follower of that faith.

The life of Judge Pierce has been a busy and varied one. As a citizen, a soldier, a lawyer and a judge, he has been alike distinguished for industry, devotion and integrity, and while still actively and engrossingly occupied with professional labor, and seemingly content with the reward, both in for¬ tune and fame, which it yields, if pro¬ motion shall wait upon merit, he will not close his career without receiving still higher tokens of appreciation for his character, ability and attainments.

Charles Henry Woods. Though admitted to the bar in his native State in 1862, a term of service in the army, and official engagements at the South, prevented Judge Woods from entering upon the practice of his profession until after he had taken up his residence in Minneapolis. His arrival here was July 5th, 1866. He entered the law office of Cornell & Bradley, and spent some months in study, familiarizing himself with the statutes and code practice. Afterwards he spent some time with Judge Atwater, and with the firm of Atwater & Flandrau. While associated with them, the City of Minneapolis, which had previously had only a town government, was incorporated, and Mr. Woods was elected City Justice. The municipal court had not then been established, and the City Justice exer¬ cised the civil and criminal jurisdiction which was afterwards conferred on the city court. It was an important and dignified office, and by common consent conferred upon its chief officer the title of Judge, by which he has ever since been known in the community, superseding the military title of Captain, to which he was entitled by military service.

At the expiration of his term, in 1869, Judge Woods opened a law office in the building at the corner of Washington and Hennepin avenues, which he has occupied to the present time - a period of twenty-three years.

At the outset he had no associate in business, but in subsequent years has been associated with E. A. Merrill, Judge P. M. Babcock, Attorney' General Hahn, and at the present time with Joseph R. Kingman. He has devoted himself to civil practice, and especially to real estate and probate law. He has been diligent and attentive to his profes¬ sional work, confining his ambition strictly within professional lines. His assiduity, with the reputation of strict¬ est integrity, has brought merited suc¬ cess, so that Judge Woods has long been recognized as one of the leaders of the Hennepin County Bar. His practice is large and fairly remunerative. It has been stimulated by no adventitous arts. He makes no pretension to oratory, making his appeal to I'eason and judg¬ ment rather than to passion and feeling. The pi'eparation of his cases is thorough, and his brief exposition of the subject solid and vigorous.

The line of American descent com¬ mences with John Woods, the emigrant ancestor who settled in Sudbury, Mass., in 1638, and whose descendants to the sixth generation lived in Sudbury and the adjacent towns of Marlboro and Southboro. In 1784, Jonas Woods, the grandfather of Charles, removed to Fitzwilliam, N. H.

Mr. Woods is a native of the rural village of Newport, Sullivan county, New Hampshire. He was born October 8th, 1836. His father. Rev. John Woods, was a Congregational minister of strong character, considerable ability and ardent piety. He possessed a small farm in the parish where he officiated in spirit¬ ual things. He had a family of ten child¬ ren, of whom Charles H. was the young¬ est ; only four of the ten living to adult age. With a small salary and meager income, the father was compelled to the closest economy of expenditure, and the children were enured from infancy to such labor as suited their 3'ears, with little expectation of aid in obtaining an education, and only self-reliance in enter¬ ing upon independent lives. Charles was enabled to enter the Kimball Union Acad¬ emy at Meriden, N. H., when he reached the age of seventeen \ ears, where, during a course of three 3'ears, he finished prepa¬ ration to enter college. He then entered Williams' College, but was compelled to relinquish the course in the Sophomore year for want of means to continue the same. He then applied himself to teach¬ ing school for several terms, until his meager earnings enabled him to take up the study of the law, to which, in spite of parental desire, he had decided to devote himself He entered the office of Hon. Tappan Wentworth, at Lowell, Mass., where an older brother was in business, and finished his readings with Messrs. Burke & Wait, in his native vil¬ lage. He was admitted to the bar in Newport in 1862.

At that time the war had been in progress for more than a 3'ear, and in a period of gloom and discouragement a call came for additional volunteers. Mr. Woods determined to postpone entering upon civil practice, and betook himself to the camp. He enlisted on the first of September, 1862, in the Sixteenth Regi¬ ment of New Hampshire Infantry, and was commissioned Captain of Company F. The enlistment was for a nine months' term.

Before leaving for the seat of war, on the 22d of September, 1862, he consum¬ mated an engagement, which the exigen¬ cies of war might otherwise not permit, by marriage with Miss Carrie C. Rice, of Brookfield, Vt. Happily, after a little over a year of separation, they were enabled to take up the role of wedded life, which has continued without inter¬ ruption to the present time, and which has brought to Minneapolis one of the most highly esteemed of her circle of charming ladies.

Captain Woods' regiment was as¬ signed to the Department of the Gulf, where, under the command of General Banks, it performed an irksome service, exposed to the malaria of the bayous and swamps rather than to the guns of the enemy. Having captured a fortifica¬ tion at Butte a la Rose, the regiment was left to guard it during several months of the summer of 1863, until its members were decimated by fever, and Capt. Woods, prostrated by the disease, was sent to New Orleans, where he was confined by a course of malarial fever for several weeks. When able to rejoin his regiment, he was present at the surrender of Port Hudson, and soon after the expiration of his enlistment was returned to his home.

The company', composed of ninetyeight stalwart New Hampshire men, after an absence of a little over a year, returned to their native mountains only thirty-seven strong; sixty-one having succumbed to the exigencies of their arduous service. Capt. Woods was then appointed to a clerkship in the War Department at Washington, and after a little less than a year was sent to North Carolina as a special agent of the U. S. Treasury Department. He was stationed at first at Newbern, where he acted as deputy of Hon. David Heaton, who, at the commencement of the war, resided at St. Anthony, and represented that dis¬ trict in the State Senate at the sessions of 1858 to 1862. While at Newbern an epidemic of yellow fever prevailed with such fatality that fifteen hundred deaths occurred out of a white population of forty'-five hundred, within the space of two months. Capt. Woods remained at his post of duty during this frightful period, and his life was providentially spared. After a short furlough he was again sent South and stationed at Ra¬ leigh, N. C., in connection with treasury work, where he remained until after the close of the war, returning to New Hamp¬ shire in October, 1865.

In his intercourse with Mr. Heaton, Captain Woods had become so impressed with the advantages of Minneapolis that he determined to visit it, and soon took up his residence here.

While he has given close application to the work of his profession, he has been prominent in social life and much interested in benevolent and religions work. He became connected with Ply¬ mouth Congregational church, and has at times been an acceptable teacher in its Bible classes. He is a member of John A. Rawlins Post of the Grand Army of the Republic, and at the present time is Junior Commander of the Loyal Legion in Alinnesota.

Air. and Airs. Woods have a pleasant home on Tenth street, where they extend a refined and generous hospitalitj" to theirmany friends, and to strangers com¬ ing w'ithin their doors.

John Day Smith. Though a resident of Alinneapolis only since 1885, the posi¬ tion which Air. Smith has attained at the bar, and his influence in public af¬ fairs, show how ready the people of Alin¬ neapolis are to appreciate true merit, and to accord to it due consideration and honor, though accompanied by no advantitious aids of political influence or official prestige. He was drawn to settle here by admiration of the city and its people, when on a chance visit. He had no acquaintance in the city, and sought no inffuential association. Bringing his family he opened a law office, at No. 42 Third street. Some business was en¬ trusted to him which was carefully at¬ tended to. He had no specialty, but en¬ gaged in a general law business. A per¬ sonal injury case was put into his hands, and in a trial in the United States Cir¬ cuit Court, his client obtained a verdict against a railroad company for the large sum of $13,500, and the law3'er won as well the respect of the court, and of the opposing attorne3^s. The conduct of the case showed careful preparation, skillful presentation of the testimon3", and a rare power as an advocate. Thefameof such a victory brought more clients, and an increased business. It was not Ions: before the new comer was recognized as among the best equipped and most suc¬ cessful at the bar.

Not onl vdid professional success come but political inffuence as well. Having shown himself to be conversant with public questions, and a persuasive and impressive public speaker, he was nomi¬ nated as a Republican candidate for the lower house of the legislature, in 1888. He was elected and took his seat at the session commencing the following Januar3". So carefully did he guard the inter¬ ests of his constituency, and so powerful- I3" did he impress himself upon the body for judicial abilit3' and forensic power, that at the following election he was nominated and elected to the upper house, serving in the State Senate at the session of 1891. He was made a mem¬ ber of the Judiciary Committee, and also of the Universitv Committee. The ses¬ sion was a memorable one for the reason that for the first time in the history of the state, the Republican party was in a minority in both houses of the legisla¬ ture. His colleagues from Hennepin Count3^ were all of the opposite party. Assaults were made upon the cit3' chart¬ er, and upon the ''patrol limits" feature of the city policy, which had been estab¬ lished under Republican auspices. The senator from Alinneapolis was involved in a ceaseless struggle, but so abh' did he conduct the debate, and so skillfully apply legislative strateg3',that the most radical measures were defeated, and no serious changes made. The result of the session was to leave Air. Smith with an enviable reputation for abilit3'as a legis¬ lator.

A sketch of his previous life will show that the honors which Air. Smith re¬ ceived, and the rapid success which he gained in Alinneapolis, were not fortui- tons, but were the result of contact with practical affairs in earl_v life, of the vicis¬ situdes of the camp, of thorough schol¬ astic training, and of patient and long continued labor in professional life through years of heroic struggle.

He is a son of Edward G. and Eliza¬ beth (Lord) Smith of the town of Litch¬ field, Kennebec County, Maine, born Feb. 25, 1845. His paternal great grand¬ father was an emigrant from York Coun¬ ty, Engkind, who settled in Maine in 1762. James Lord, the grandfather of his mother, was an officer of the Revolu¬ tionary war, commanding a company at the battle of Bunker Hill, and was after¬ wards seriously wounded in the battle of Long Island. For thi'ee generations the ancestors had won their subsistence from a small and not very productive farm, where they were enured to labor, and practiced the virtues of prudence and economy. They were pious people at¬ tached to the Baptist Church. The son shared in the labors of the farm, and had such school advantages as the district school afforded through its sessions in the winter months, until he had passed his seventeenth year. For more than a year the war of the I'ebellion had been in progress. From week to week bulletins from the seat of hostilities brought intel¬ ligence of the stirring events of the camp and the field, and appeals came from president and governor to the young men to join the standard of the nation. The lad, neither in appearance or years a man, offered himself and was accepted, and was enrolled in Company "F" of the 19th Regiment of Maine Volunteer In¬ fantry, on the 26th of June, 1862. The regiment, after reaching the seat of war, was incorporated in the First Brigade of the Second Division of the Second Army Corps, serving under all the generals who successively commanded the Army of the Potomac. The drillings and fortifi¬ cations, the weary marches and counter¬ marches; the life of the camp, the bivouac and the battle w^hich this army experi¬ enced until the recruits fresh from the hills, became veteran soldiers, are mat¬ ters recorded in the war history of the time. Young Smith shared them all. He passed unscathed through Fredericks¬ burg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. At the latter on the fateful 3d of July, 1863, his regiment was brigaded with what survived of our own gallant Min¬ nesota First, after its memorable charge on the previous day. Young Smith was on the skirmish line when the magnifi¬ cent army under Pickett, of fifteen thous¬ and men, emerging from the wood, formed its line of battle on Seminary Ridge, and amid a cannonade from both sides, unequaled in the war, precipitated itself with impetuous fury on the steady line of Hancock's Corps of about equal numbers. It advanced through the dec¬ imating fire of our batteries, and charged the line with leveled bayonet and blazing guns. The contest was short but decisive. The attacking army wms annihilated. Some fugitives es¬ caped, but as an organized force it no longer existed. The Nineteenth Maine Infantry lost about one-half its men in the battle, but a kind Providence shielded the young private from harm, though in the hottest of the fight, so filling up the vacancies caused by the losses in this battle, he was promoted to Corporal. Resuming the battles in which he participated, followed, Bristoe Sta¬ tion, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania (where his corps at the "Bloody Angle'' captured three thousand prison¬ ers), Po River, North Anna, Totopotomay, Cold Harbor, Petersberg and Jeru¬ salem Plank Road.

color guard, all of whom were put hors de combat. Corporal Smith received a musket ball in the face, passing through the mouth, knocking out the teeth on the upper right side, shattering the jaw and passing out under the ear. He \ay on the field through the night, suffering excrutiating pain and weak from loss of blood. The next day he was placed in an army wagon with other wounded and carried to a field hospital at City Point, a distance from the field of quite fifteen miles. Before he was taken out two dead bodies were removed, and he was more dead than alive. The sur¬ geons had no hope of his life. But a strong constitution, temperate habits and a resolute will, with the kindly care of the blessed nurses of the Christian and Sanitary commissions, carried him through, and he slowly convalesced. When strong enough to be removed he was transferred to a hospital at Wash¬ ington, and then to Augusta, Maine, where he was given a final discharge April 10, 1865. He was weak and quite unable to undergo bodily labor, though resolute in purpose.

He now entered the Waterville Class¬ ical Institute in preparation for col¬ lege. A little money remained from the scanty pay of a common soldier. With this, and his own earnings in teaching school, the expenses of his education were paid, without a dollar from home. He entered Brown University, R. I., in 1868, and completed the course in due time, though often compelled to be absent to earn money, but making up the studies of the elass in 1872.

His scholarship is attested by an elec¬ tion to the Phi Beta Kappa soeiety, which is conferred only upon those of superior standing. Hereceived thedegree of Master of Arts in due course. He then accepted an appointment as Principal of the Academy at Worcester, Mass., at a salary of $2,000 per 3'ear, with which he paid the arrears of his collegiate course and assisted a younger brother in obtaining an education.

He remained at Worcester for three - years, when, broken down in health with an attack of hemorrage of the lungs, he was compelled to relinquish his agreeable position and seek recuperation in the South. Stopping at Washington, he was prevailed on by Senator Hoar, whose friendship he enjoyed, to accept an ap¬ pointment in the Interior Department of the government. Placing himself in the care of the best surgeons, after two 3^ears his health rallied and he went into the Columbian Law School and took a course of instruction in law, under such teach¬ ers as Judges William Strong and Cox. The degrees of L. L. B. and L. L. M. were conferred on him by that institu¬ tion in 1879 and 1881 respectivelv. He remained in Washington for nine years, during which he discharged the duties of law clerk and chief of a division in one of the btireaus of the Interior Depart¬ ment. For three years he was lecturer in Howard University on the Law of Evidence and Torts.

In the 3^ear 1881, while visiting Des Moines on financial business, he extended his trip to Minneapolis, where, without any acquaintances, he was so impressed with the place and its opportunities that on his return he told his wife that their future home would be in that beautiful cit3q to which the3' soon removed.

Mr. Smith married JUI3' 20, 1872, Aliss AIar3" H. Chadbourne, daughter of Humphre3' Chadbourne, of Waltham, Alass. She died Ma3' 3d, 1874, leaving an infant daughter, Mary Chadboui-ne Smith, who is now in the Freshman class of the Universit3' of Alinnesota. September 16th, 1879, he married Miss Laura Bean, daughter of M. C. Bean, of Delaware, Ohio. The3' have three children, Elizabeth Lord, born February 4th, 1881, Mabel Edna, born August 14th, 1884, and Edward Day, born April 18th, 1891. Besides his profes¬ sional practice, Mr. Smith is lecturer in the Law Department of the University of Minnesota on Constitutional Law and the Law of Torts.

His ecelesiastical connection is with the Baptist church, having been Superin¬ tendent of the Sunday School of the First Baptist church. At present he is a

In soeial relations he has been Com¬ mander of Bryant Post G. A. R., and is now Senior Vice-commander of the De¬ partment of Minnesota. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, being* Past Master of Ark Lodge, No. 176, a mem¬ ber of Darius Commandery No. 7, and of Zurah Temple.

By Rufus J. Baldwin

The growth of banking in Minne¬ apolis, as elsewhere, has been evolu¬ tionary. As the goldsmiths of London, originally depositaries of valuables, laid the foundations of the modern bank, so everywhere banking has grown out of the needs of expanding commerce. "The distinctive function of the banker," says Ricardo, "begins as soon as he uses the money of others ; as long as he uses his own money he is. only a capitalist." Banking is an organization of credit. The accumulation of capital requires a place of deposit. The extension of mer¬ cantile and commercial transactions make exchange not only a convenience, but a necessity. The growth of com¬ merce gives occasion for discount. Thus the industries and enterprises of a rising community call into existence institu¬ tions exercising the functions of deposit, exchange and discount, which is bank¬ ing. To these functions is sometimes added circulation, but it is not a neces¬ sary or universal part of the system.

The history of Minneapolis com¬ mences with the removal of the military reservation in 1855. Immediately after the lands were offered for pre-emption.

settlements commenced, stores were opened and po])ulation had so rapidl3' increased and business grown, that in the following year private banks were in operation by Beede and Mendenhall, C. H. Pettit, and Sn\'der and McFarlane, all of whom were located on Nicollet street from the river bank, near which Sn\^der and McFarlane's bank and reaP estate office stood, to Second street, near which the two former were located. To these were added in 1857 the bank of Rufus J. Baldwin in the Cataract House, corner of Washington avenue and Cata¬ ract street, of D. C. Groh in Woodman's block, corner of Washington avenue and Helen street, and of Sidle, Wolford & Co. in the newl\' built Nicollet House. In St. .Inthoinq about the same time, were banking houses of Orrin Curtis, D. B. Dorman, S. W. Farnham & Co., Graves, Town & Co. and Richard iMartin. These were all private banks with no fixed capital, regulated Iwno law but commercial honor, but receiving depos¬ its, selling exchange and discounting paper. The ruling rate of interest was " three i)er cent, per month and five per cent, per month after maturit_v." The rate of exchange on Eastern cities was one and a half to five per cent. There being no exports of produets, exchange was made by deposits in 'Eastern cities of money to be invested or loaned here, or by shipping gold and currency.

The railroad system then in operation terminated at the Mississippi river at Rock Island, Prairie du Chien and La- Crosse, and shipments were made by stage in winter and steamboat during the summer. Gold and silver were scarce, and to supply the needs of the community for a circulating medium, Beede and Mendenhall and C. H. Pettit made arrangements to circulate notes issued by banks in Indiana, and consid¬ erable amounts of "Gosport" and " Tekama " were put in eirculation. The bankers issuing these notes pledged themselves to redeem them ; but they got into sueh diseredit that merchants refused to receive them, and they were retired.

These early bankers served a useful purpose in the new community, and re¬ deemed all their obligations until they retired from business or merged their business into ehartered banks. Messrs. Snyder and MeFarlane, Wollord and Pettit went into other lines of business. Messrs. Groh and Beede removed from the State. Mendenhall and Baldwin purehased the State Bank of Minnesota, which had been started as a bank of eirculation at Austin and under author¬ ity of an act of the Legislature removed it to Minneapolis, and J. K. Sidle and his brother, H. G. Sidle, organized the " Minneapolis Bank." These were both State banks, organized under the general banking law, and eommeneed business - the former in 1862 and the latter in 1864. They both issued circulating notes based on publieseeurities deposited with the State, and eontinued in success¬ ful business until they were merged into

National banks, the latter in 1865 and the former in 1868. The State having issued in 1858 bonds to aid in the consti'uetion of railroads, and made them re¬ ceivable as security for the circulating notes of banks, a number of banks were organized with the "State Railroad Bonds" as security for their issues of notes, and when the bonds became dis¬ credited, as they did by being repudiated for nearly twenty years, the banks were unable to redeem their notes and were foreed to suspend, and were eventually closed up. Another group of banks had deposited the bonds of Southern States, which, when the Rebellion broke out in 1861, were discredited, and the banks owning them were forced to suspend. One State bank in St. Paul and one in St. Peter were the only ones, besides the Minneapolis banks, that did not fail. By the failure of these banks and of most of the banks of Illinois and Wisconsin, which were based on the bonds of re¬ bellious states, the finaneial affairs of Minnesota in eommon with the whole Northwest, became seriously embar¬ rassed. Nearly the whole bank note cir¬ culation was worthless. Industry was crippled and business deranged by the drain and excitements of the war. Regi¬ ment after regiment of volunteers left farms and workshops and followed the flag to eamps and battle fields. The Indians on the frontiers threw off re¬ straint, ravaging settlements and mas¬ sacring the settlers. Credit was para¬ lyzed, notes were unpaid, foreelosures multiplied, exchange went up to ten per eent. and gold coin began to command premiums until $150 in notes would not buy $100 in eoin. With all this terrible strain ever\^ bank in Minneapolis weath¬ ered the storm.

Banks And Bankers

changes. The demands of the war, with a greatly reduced number of producers, stimulated production and enhanced prices. Railroad building commeneed, and distributed mone\' and increased facilities for travel and transportation.

In the meantime Minnesota began to export various commodities, and Minne¬ apolis became a leading centre of com¬ merce. While themonetary distress was at its worst, Godfre3' Sheitlin, an im¬ migrant from Switzerland, commenced the purchase of ginseng, which he bought in a crude eondition, elarified, and ex¬ ported to China, where it was in great demand as a medicine and amulet.

This business in a few 3'ears, from 1858 to 1862, assumed large proportions, and enabled man3" of the settlers in the "big woods" to live and hold their pre-emp¬ tions, and gave Mr. Sheitlin a fortune, so that he became a stockholder and officer of the First National Bank. The lumber trade grew rapidly, and saw mills were built at Minneapolis, where the pine logs cut on Rum River and the upper Mississippi were eut into lumber and sent in rafts down the river to build the towns and fence the farms of the prairies. Flour began to be manufaetured. As earh" as 1860 Eastman and Gibson erected at the foot of Cataract street, a flouring mill - the "Cataract" - and commenced the manufacture of flour. The following year Henr3' Gibson, a journeyman miller, from Rochester, N. Y., built the " Union " mill, and made the first shipment of 1,500 barrels of flour to New York, the predecessor of a business which has grown to the magni¬ tude of 30,000 barrels per day as the product of the iMinneapolis mills.

These new businesses, with the growth of the town and increase of population, stimulated the conversion of the private banking houses into incoi'porated banks, and the national banking S3'stem foreed

The first to make the change was the Minneapolis Bank, which on the first da3^ of June, 1865, opened its doors as the First National Bank of Minneapolis, with a paid-up eapital of $50,000, and officered 1)3' J. K. Sidle, president, and H. G. Sidle, cashier. The bank has con¬ tinued in business until the present time, having sueeessively increased its eapital to $200,000, to $600,000, and to $1,000,000 in 1888; and the offieers have remained unchanged until the death of J. K. Sidle, in April, 1888, when H.G. Sidle became president of the bank, and his son, H. K. Sidle, cashier.

Jacob K. Sidle. In America, how¬ ever it may be elsewhere, few bankers have been bred to the business. The3' have usualW been taken from the ranks of mercantile life, with 01113' a training in practical affairs. Unlike the liberal professions, there have been no schools of banking where the 3'oung man desir¬ ous of entering theealling could gain the elementar3' knowledge, or acquire the technieal skill which he would need. True, in later 3'ears there are widel3" ad¬ vertised eommercial colleges, with their banking departments, making parade of business, but these, with their superficial practice, are to real business but the pre¬ lude of the old comed3'. No profession is more exacting, none requires more ster¬ ling qualities of sagacity, sound judg¬ ment, integrit3' and assiduit3', and none in which a knowledge of political econom3', of the principles of finance, and of the histor3' of government is more requi¬ site. We do not recall a name among the famous bankers of the countr3' who was bred and schooled in the bank. Robert Morris, the distinguished financier of the Revolution, and founder of the Bank of Nor^Ji America, was a counting house clerk and merchant before the exigencies of the country placed him at the head of the Federal Treasury. Nicholas Biddle, long time president of the United States Rank, and autocrat of finance before he was deposed by the persistent and vin¬ dictive attacks of President Jackson, was a lawyer. Albert Gallatin was a teacher and farmer before he became fa¬ mous as manager of the national finan¬ ces and founder of the first bank in New York. An exceptional case may be re¬ called in the late John Jay Knox, whose father was an eminent banker in central New York, and who gave his son not only a liberal education at Hamilton College,.but inducted him into finance at a desk in his own bank. In his early es¬ say in the business of a banker at St. Paul, the advantage of a thorough knowledge of the science and practice did not save his bank from yielding to the exegencies of the times. It however gave him experience in the precarious nature of the business, and probably aided in making him in subsequent years the ablest financier in the country, and in placing him, after years of service as Comptroller of the National Bank in the presidency of the largest bank in the commercial metropolis.

Though not the first to establish the business of banking in Minneapolis, nor the only one who brought to it excellent c{ualities, Jacob K. Sidle will readily be placed as the most eminent banker in the history of the city. From the time of his settlement here in 1857 to the time of his death in 1888, a period of thirty-one years, he was a banker, and, although in later years he invested capi¬ tal in other undertakings, and became an important factor in the manufactur¬ ing and railroad development of the city, banking was his chief pursuit and ab¬ sorbed all the fervor of his ambition.

His career as a banker was a remark¬ ably successful one, but it was a success won by sterling qualities, and founded upon a prudent and tactful administra¬ tion of his business. His industry was tireless, allowing but brief intervals for relaxation. His knowledge of men was accurate. His judgment as to thecourse of business seemed intuitive. He was decided in his conclusions, and firm in his adherence to them, while conciliating and courteous in his relations with his customers. If he was cautious and con¬ servative in ordinary times, he knew howto be bold when occasion demanded. While entering into the enthusiasm which animated the community engaged in building up a metropolis of marvelous growth, he never "lost his head," but was ever mindful of his trust, and kept the sound and substantial interests of his bank always in view. Thus, while the period was filled with exegencies in which ordinary business experience fur¬ nished no guide, he was enabled to avoid serious losses, and yet always kept his bank in the front as a popular and well patronized institution.

The growth of the business, from the small beginnings of 1858, when as the private banking house of Sidle, Wolford & Co., a small eapital was employed in a new frontier settlement, to the incor¬ porated Minneapolis Bank, with its $50,000 of capital, and its enlargement into the First National Bank of Minne¬ apolis, with a 'capital of $50,000, en¬ larged from time to time, in part by sur¬ plus earnings and in part by new sub¬ scriptions of capital, as the enlarging business of the community required, un¬ til it employed a capital of $1,000,000, with deposits reaching $5,000,000, is elsewhere narrated . To the end of his life J. K. Sidle was president of the bank and its directing spirit, though ably

Mr. Sidle's preparation for his work in Minneap)olis was obtained in mercan¬ tile business at his native town of York, Pa. In that inland town, the county seat of a prosperous agricultural county, he was associated with his father, Henr\' Sidle, and his brother, H. G. Sidle, for more than twenty-five years in a general store. He was born at York, Pa., March 31st, 1821. His life there for nearly forty years was similar to that of his younger brother, H. G. Sidle, elsewhere related and need not be repeated.

During his residence in Minneapolis IMr. Sidle has been connected by contri¬ bution of capital, and b3^ his valuable advice, with many important enter¬ prises. chief of which has been the flour manufacture. He has also been one of the foremost in stimulating the railroad development of the cit\r. He was a di¬ rector of the Minneapolis & St. Louis, and of the Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie & Atlantic railways, and at times was treasurer of these companies. But his greatest contribution to the growth ot the citv has been that silent but potent influence wdiich belongs to the banker, in stimulating and sustaining infant enter¬ prises, by timely and judicious loans of capital. How many enterprises, now almost regal in strength and magnitude, have been tided over in their da\'s of in¬ fancy, and saved from disastrous wreck by the helpftd hand of the wdse banker.

Mr. Sidle married in earh^ life. His wdfe, who still survives, was Miss Mar¬ garet De Huff, of Lebanon, Pa. They w'ere married in September, 1846.