Litchfield enquirer., 1860-03-29
Sketches of the Early Lights of tlie
 Litchfield Bar.
SAMUEL W. sOUTHMAYD.


 NEW MILFORD, Jan. 12, 1855.
 Dear Sir: In the life, conduct and character O. Samuel W. Southmayd there were some peculi arities such as render it a matter of difficulty te describe him in such a manner, as to make then intelligible to one who did not personally know him.
 never saw, or heard of him until became a member of the law school in the fall of the year l793, of which he had then been member about one year, believe and of which he continued a constant attendant during the eighteen months which spent there. He was admitted to the Bar the next tenn after was to wit: Septem- Der Term, l795, and passed as good an examine ton as ever heard there, or elsewhere, he hav- ing been for the full period of three years under Judge Reeves tuition. He was native of Wa tertown, where he settled in practice, and where he spent his life. Like Mr. Slosson, he had an excellent common school education Beyond that, his requirements did not extend far in an academic course-enough, however, believe, to enable him to understand the homeiy lawlatin used in our books. Few have entered upon the practice of law, with better store of legal learn ing than MT. southmayd, but the place in which he settled was not calculated from it's location and the habits of the people, by no means litigu ous, to furnish much practice, and he was too honest to promote litigation i; and furthermore, he had no legal adversary there except an old gentleman who never had any more legal learn. ing than was necessary for 8 Church Warden and whose ignorance made him the victim ol Southmayds merry witchery and innocent cun ming, of both of which he had superabundance though he never indulged in malicious or even very serious mischief, and indeed in none except such as would do to relate for the purpose o making fun in merry company. Anecdotes o that description used to be related in great mum bers. As @ pleader, MT. Southmayd was always sure to have all in his drafts which was requisite and pertinent to the object in view, and in all h,s declarations, adordihg room for coloring circum stances to be inserted there pretty sure to be found, slyly slipped in, some ingenious slang whang, or Southmaydisn, as we used to call it He was not ambitious of arguing cases in Court but when he did, he always displayed much inee nuity and attracted respectful attention from tbe audience as we'll as from the triers. And before arbitrators, referees and committees a more form idable opponent could hardly be found. And al, though his practice was not large, and as was oh served of Mr. Slosson he was not among tn, leading practitioners at the Ltchfeld Bar, he wa certainly a very respectable lawyer, upon pa with the foremost of the second class, and muc] beloved and respected by all whose good opin ions are desirable.
 As was observed in the outset. there were pc culiarities in Mir. Southmayds private characte and department, which it is difficult to describ or reconcile. Though of a benevolent disposi tion and full of good nature and kind feelings there was yet in him vein of adventure afte intellectual amusement, which, from it's very na ture' could not be gratifed but at the expense o others, and often to such an extent as to rende them ridiculous in the view of third persons t, whom the result of the adventure was related have many times joined most heartily in th laugh at the relation of the result of many sncl seemingly innocent pieces of roguery, though could not help condemning the mischief, whil participating in its fruits. In all such indulp ences, Southmayd never entertained the leas malice, for his heart was stranger to it, but hi intense love of fun, and enjoyment of the ridicu Ions often impelled him to go beyond the line e honest propristy. used often to reproach hin