Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-10-01
An Interesting sketch.

The New York Herald furnishes the following
sketch of r. A. Lockwood, who lost the
Central America
R. A. Lockwood Esq, attorney and counselor
at law of San Francisco, California who was lost
on board the Central America, was gentleman Of
uncommon abilities and of great eccentricities. He
formerly resided in Lafayette, Indiana where he
was engaged extensively in the practice of his pro-
fession and for number of years stood at the head
of the bar. The law firm in which he was a part
ner, White & Lockwood, is still kept up there, no
dissolution having taken place until this mel
ancholy death.
Having become Disguised, for some reasons, with
the courts in Indiana, Mr.. Lockwood enlisted in the
army of the United States and served private
during the Mexican He next turned up in
California, where be resumed the practice of his
profession and soon obtained a large and lucrative
practice. Among his clients the notorious
house of Palmer, Cook Co., political bankers, who
paid him salary OF ten thousand dollars year for
attending to their matters. He was devoted to bus
mess while that was on his mind; but like many
other greet men, had keen relish for pleasure
He was careless of money and took little pains to
accumulate from his large income At one time
he became tired of his course of life In San
Francisco, and mysteriOusly disappeared. His
iriends after a dilgent search, found him slowed
away on board vessel lying in the bay, bound for
Australia.
they protested earnestly against his leaving but
all in vain. Finding that their remOnslTances were
to be UNDECIDED they finally obi, cted TO his going
off without funds, and insisted on supplying him
with money. But, like Timon, he spurned the yell
low Gift He threw the gold into the and took
his departure unattended by fri, nd anu penni-
Iess Arrived at Australia be let himself to be
sh, pheTd and spent year in the primitive employ
ment of David of old, in following the sheep and
ewes big with young. He subsequently returned
to California, and at once reassumed his previous
high position. His friends and opponents all con-
CURED in a profound estimate of his abilities as a
lawyer. He was not only a man of remarkable in
tellectual calibre, but also of great decision and
frmness. He never knew fear. When the first
vigilance committee in the height of their
authority in California, he defended a prisoner
charged with high crimes; against their liberal
SYMPTOMS and where another would have quaileG
before their threatening wrath, he eoquently de-
nounced them and hurled defiance in their teeth.
Recently, when through the long neglect of Col.
Fremont, and the unfaIhfulness and mismanage-
meut of his agent, almost the whole population
upon Marposa were arrayed in opposition to the
enforcement OF his title, Mr. Lockwood was tn man
selected to go upon the ground, and in the face of
imminent danger, to assert aud maintain the legal
rights of the proprietor. He did not shrink from
the pPrilous task; but moved at once on the prop
erty and took up his temporary residence there in
spite of the formidable odds against him he soon
succeeded, by sheer talent and judieiOus manage
ment, in wrestling from jury OF the squatters
themselves verdict in GVor of Col. Fremont's Ii
Tie. luis may DC TebdEueu as pEOuu pIoIesHiOh-
al triumph. At one time he held the title to about
seven thousand acres of the most valuable part of
Maliposa and it may have stood in his name at the
time of his unlocked for death.
Mr.. Lockwood was counsel for the Santellan
claimants who assert title to a good part of San
Francisco, and his loss this time prove very
inconvenient to that vast company, the stock OF
which is very largely owned in Philadelphia.
He must have been, at the time of his decease,
about hfIy.two years OF age. His wife, two daugh-
tiers and Sun, were on board the Central America
with him, hut were all taken off and saved by the
brig Marine, of Boston, and taken to Norfolk.