Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/252

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The Supreme Court of Illinois.

225

was not to the profession an ideal or even Justice of the court. He succeeded Philips oftentimes a satisfactory judge; and that and preceded Wilson in that position. He there were some disappointed attorneys was a younger brother of Judge John Rey among those who pressed the prosecution. nolds; was clerk of the first and member of William Wilson, the successor of William a subsequent General Assembly of Illinois; P. Foster, was born in Loudon County, Vir served as Chief-Justice from Aug. 31, 1822, ginia, in 1795; studied law with Hon. John to Jan. 19, 1825; moved to Missouri in 1828, Cook, a distinguished lawyer and Minister and became Governor of that State in 1840. to France; came to Illinois in 1817, and was

Jan. 19, 1825, there came to the bench appointed to the Su Samuel Drake Lockpreme Bench when wood and Theophilus only twenty-four years Washington Smith. of age. He became They, with Judges Chief-Justice at twen Browne and Wilson, ty-nine, and remained constituted the court on the bench for thereafter until Feb. twenty-nine years un 15, 1841. til Dec. 4, 1848,- with Lockwood was born the exception of Judge August 2, 1789, at Browne's, the longest Poundridge, in West term of service in the chester County, New history of the court. York. He studied Judge Wilson died law with his uncle April 29, 1857, in Thomas Drake, at WhiteCounty, Illinois. Waterford, New York, The early age at which wasadmitted to the bar he went upon the in 1811, began practice bench, his long term of at Batavia, New York, service, his modesty, and became a Master efficiency, dignity, and in Chancery in 1813. sociability make him He moved to Illinois an interesting charac in 18 18; became its ter. His first opinion Attorney-General, re JOHN M. KOBINSON. after the reports begin ceiver of Public Mon to show by whom the eys in the Edwardsopinions were written, is in the case of State ville Land Office, Judge of the Supreme Bank v. Kain, Breese's Rep. 75; and his last Court (which position he filled twenty-three is in the case of Bruen v. Graves, 4 Gilman, years ten months and fifteen days), member 283. Ex-Chief-Justice Caton, speaking of of the Constitutional Convention of 1847, Wilson ("Chicago Legal News," April 13, State trustee of the Illinois Central Railroad, 1889), said : " He did not know all the law charter trustee of the institutions for the . . . but ... he had the capacity to under insane, deaf, dumb, and blind, and until stand the law . . . with the reasons in sup 1868 a trustee of Illinois College at Jackson port of it." Hon. James C. Conkling, ville, which was founded in 1829. The speaking of him, says : " As a writer, his fourth opinion of Judge Lockwood was ren style was clear and distinct; as a lawyer, his dered in a peculiar political case. The State judgment was sound and discriminating." had in the office of Lieutenant-Governor Thomas Reynolds was the second Chief- Adolphus Hubbard, a politician fully the 30