The first
attorneys were Winspear and Blackmore, both identified with
and leaders in the
"get-rich-quick" gang. The overwhelming majority of
our early settlers came here with an intention of establishing a home and
adhered
only to strictly honest methods in the pursuit of their laudatory efforts. They were a sturdy and resolute class of people who could not be
hoodwinked or
cajoled into crooked methods. At the same time they were
so busy with their own legitimate efforts that they were not watching the
dishonest fellows, but when knowledge of crookedness manifested itself,
action was
spontaneous and effective. While Winspear and Blackmore were
busy with their game, along came J.F. Glover, J.T. Barclay, C.I. Hill,
Hugh Jordan and very soon, D.D. McCallum and others, all of whom lined
up on the side of the people and honest methods. So swift was
reformation that within one
year the boodlers were fugitives from justice
and the county never again saw them.
J. F. Glover, one of the first attorneys, served as clerk of courts, state
representative, county attorney, justice of the peace, mayor of Sibley, editor
of the Ashton
Argus, editor of the Sibley Gazette and a correspondent from
this county for newspapers published elsewhere. He practiced law more or
less all the time. He is an old soldier and has been very successful as a pension
attorney. Of late years he has been ordained as a Congregational minister and
preached one year at Ocheyedan. He is frequently called to fill
engagements as supply man. He still lives in Sibley, enjoying fairly good
health and high esteem. He is well informed and a ready speaker on am
political or religious topic.
C.I. Hill formed a partnership with H.L. Emmert in a general banking business, but soon dropped out of the firm and engaged in the practice of law in
company with J T. Barclay. Barclay and Hill did a general law
business and in the meantime secured the agency for the sale of the railroad land and finally drifted into the real estate and banking business. Mr.
Hill's health failed and he died of consumption. Mr. Barclay then formed
648 O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
a partnership with Cline Bull and organized the Sibley Exchange Bank although he still retains the real estate business. When several Englishmen
came to the town the
Sibley Exchange Bank was sold to them and Barclay
and Bull each received about
seventy-five thousand dollars. Barclay remained here and continued the land business and in a few
years doubled
his money. Mr. Bull went to California and invested in Sacramento Valley
land and lost one-half of his wealth in a few
years by reason of great floods.
However, being a resourceful man, he reorganized and recovered all his
losses, being at present wealthy and prosperous. Mr. Barclay died in Des
Moines a few years ago.
Hugh Jordan was a bright lawyer, but made the mistake of changing
to the mercantile business, in which he did not succeed as well as in the law.
He died
many years ago. His widow still lives in Sibley and occupies the
old home.
D.D. McCallum was a little later in
getting into the law business. He was
strictly a self-made man. He borrowed books from Jordan and others
and studied while on his homestead and
finally made an energetic and successful
attorney. He rounded out his career as judge of the district court
and died in Sibley of malignant cancer.
C.M. Brooks located here in the
spring of 1885 and has done a general law business
continuously since. He was county attorney several terms.
He is a
scholarly gentleman well versed in the law, of a judicial turn of
mind and a safe legal adviser.
O.J. Clark came to the county a month after Mr. Brooks. He also has
done a
general law business. He at once became legal advisor for the First
National Bank, which position he has since held. He is now county attorney. He is an energetic practitioner.
George W. Lister came in 1884. He was a careful advisor but a little
too diffident for a rough and tumble scrapper in court. However, he had
a little
money, married a little more, secured some from his father's estate
and handled it all so iudiciously that when he died a few years ago he left
a handsome estate. He served as
justice of the peace, county attorney and
state senator. His widow still lives in Sibley.
Hunter & Herrig located here in the later eighties and opened a law
and abstract office. They received a liberal patronage from the start. Mr.
Hunter was a man of considerable
experience as a lawyer before he came
here, having previously practiced law at Wall Lake several years. Herrig,
a young man of pleasing personality, soon afterwards sold his interest to A.
W. McCallum, who had been clerk of district court several terms, and the firm
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA. 649
continued as Hunter & McCallum until recent
years. Mr. Hunter paid particular attention to law and McCallum to the
abstracting business. Either
could attend to the work of the other when
necessary. Mr. Hunter was
prominent in the order of Freemasons and at one time was state grand
master. A few
years ago he was attacked by a cancer in the neck which
resulted in his death. Mr. Hunter's business and
library were purchased
by Benjamin F. Butler, who is now conducting a prosperous practice and
promises to make one of the leading attorneys of the county.
Two young lawyers came here along in the nineties under the firm
lame of Russell & Burrell, but did not remain
long. Russell went to Castlewood. South Dakota, where he is now
practicing law. Burrell went to
Oklahoma and became very successful.
Captain R.J. Chase came to Sibley in the early seventies and practiced
law here a short time. He was broken in health when he
came, but, regainng his health, opened an office in Sioux City, where he soon received a lucrtive
practice. He moved his family there and remained in the practice many
years as one of the foremost
attorneys of that city. Later he moved to
Seattle, Washington, made lucky investments in real estate and died a few years ago very wealthy.
E.H. Coopman is a young attorney and a recent arrival in Sibley. He
has a growing practice and is meeting the usual experience of most young
attorneys in getting started. He is a young man of good habits and there
is no reason why he should not succeed.
Willard Carver and a Mr. Barrett tried to
practice law in Ocheyedan
for a short time, but soon left. A Mr. Nelson tried to practice in the same
town with no better results. H.E. Dean, the present mayor of Ocheyedan,
is an
attorney, although he gives most of his attention to the real estate business. He is an extensive landowner and one of the most energtic men of the county.
W.C. Garberson located in Ashton and
practiced law a few years and
moved to
Sibley, where he has a general law practice. He is a young man
and is having good success. Although a Democrat in a Republican county,
he has been elected several times to the office of
county attorney.
Our
people have been very successful in keeping out of legal troubles.
Osceola
county has always been a hard proposition for attorneys. While
the terms of court here
rarely last longer than one week, in most of the other
counties in the district it takes two weeks to
dispose of the business. Our
attorneys work for the interest of their clients and are successful in settling
650 O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
many matters without going to court, for which the people owe them a debt
of gratitude.
For twelve or fifteen
years after this county was first organized several
attorneys from Sioux City practiced to a considerable extent at Sibley. At
that time there was a circuit court that had
jurisdiction over probate matters and a district court that attended to criminal
proceedings. Both courts
had
jurisdiction over civil proceedings. At that time there was a district
attorney instead of a county attorney in each county. Judge Zouver presided over the circuit court and Judge Ford over the district court. C.H.
Lewis was the first district
attorney. Lewis was soon elected as district
judge, which position he held many terms. Both Judge Lewis and Judge
Zouver were fine lawyers and made good judges. Judge Zouver was thrown
from a buggy and received an injury of the head which finally resulted in
his death. Judge Lewis retired and practiced law in Sioux City where
he died several
years ago. Among the attorneys from Sioux City who practiced in this
county was R.J. Chase, who lived and practiced in Sibley a few
years. He was a careful and painstaking attorney who took great pains to
study his cases and prepare for trial. He was clear headed and quick and
tried his cases
very thoroughly. Judge Swan was one of the leading attorneys in Sioux City who also practiced many years in this county. He wanted to be sure his client was
right and then relied on thorough preparation
to win his case in court. He was slow but safe. He was
very strong where
title to real estate was involved. He did much to
get the title to the James
estate lands in good shape. He was attorney for the Iowa Land Company
during all the years of its operations in this county.
William Joy. at one time of the firm of Joy & Wright, was a big man
in several
ways. He was a large man, in fact, a giant in stature, and ponderous of mind, as well as body. He was a hard worker, who commenced
striking heavy blows at the very beginning of a trial and pounded away like
a sledge hammer to the end. He was so big and strong he seemed never to tire.
Judge Pendleton was one of those brilliant fellows who depended so
much on his
eloquence and wit to carry him through that he frequently
failed for lack of
preparation. He depended too much on the spur of the
moment. However, he was a brilliant man and fine orator, and had hosts of friends.
Steven M. Marsh, of Sioux City, followed C.H. Lewis, as district attorney. In appearance and dress he was a perfect dandy. He was bright,
keen, witty, quick and sarcastic. He was quite successful in making sport
O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA. 651
of the opposing attorney, thus weakening the influence of the opposing lawyers.
There was an
attorney by the name of Thomas Uppdegraff, from McGregor, at one time congressman from the fourth congressional district, who
came to this
county and appeared in court several times representing the
Chicago, St. Paul & Milwaukee Railroad Company in its suit against the
Sioux
City & St. Paul Railroad Company for the possession of the railroad
lands in this
county. He was a brilliant attorney and hard to beat. He
was
very suave and respectful to the court and clear in his expressions of the
points in controversy and, although he went down to defeat eventually, he
made a valiant fight and went away as gracefully as he came.