Legal Profession Henry Co IAGenWeb

Hon. Chester C. Cole, Historian
Hon. E. C. Ebersole, Editor
Illustrated
Chicago, Ill.
H.C. Cooper, Jr., & Co.
1907

HENRY COUNTY. HISTORICAL.

The county was organized in the winter of 1836-7 by act of the territorial legislature of Wisconsin, and by the same act the county-seat was established at Mt. Pleasant. The first election was held January 13, 1837. The first district court was held in a log cabin on the west side of the public square in Mt. Pleasant on April 14, 1837, Judge David Irwin, of Wisconsin, presiding. It was a territorial court, with both federal and local jurisdiction. W. W. Chapman acted as United States attorney and Dr. Jesse D. Payne as clerk. The first court-house was built in 1838 by voluntary contributions, and stood in the public square. It is believed to have been the oldest courthouse in the state.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Winfield Scott Withrow was born at Salem, Iowa, September 28, 1855. He was educated in the public schools and at Whittier College at Salem. He read law at the Iowa State University and was admitted in June, 1880. He practiced at Salem until 1887. In that year he removed to Mt. Pleasant and formed a partnership with ex-Judge W. J. Jeffries, which continued until the death of Judge Jeffries in 1889. In 1894 he formed a partnership with W. F. Kopp under the firm name of Withrow & Kopp. January 1, 1895, ex-Judge W. I. Babb entered the firm, and the firm became Babb, Withrow & Kopp. Later in the same year Mr. Kopp retired from the firm, Babb & Withrow remaining until June 15, 1896, at which time Mr. Withrow retired, to enter upon the duties of judge of the twentieth judicial district, to which place he was appointed by Governor Drake. He was elected for a full term in 1896, and re-elected without opposition in 1900 and 1904. Judge Withrow was a member of the twenty-first general assembly, and he declined a renomination. He was a delegate from the first district to the national republican convention held at Minneapolis in 1892.

James Hourihan was born January 13, 1868. He attended the district schools, graduating from Howe's Academy, Mt. Pleasant, and the law department of the State University at Iowa City in 1900. After being admitted he opened an office in September, 1901, and began the practice of law. He was a candidate on the democratic ticket for county attorney in 1902. He was elected mayor of Mt. Pleasant in 1903 and re-elected in 1905.

Albert W. Kinkead was born February 22, 1853, in Ohio. He attended the common schools of that state and graduated from the Howe Academy, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, in 1875. He read law with H. & R. Ambler of Mt. Pleasant, and was admitted August 13, 1877, before the circuit court of Henry county, Iowa. He was city solicitor 1879-1880, and county attorney from 1887 to 1891.