The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-05-24
ANOTHER OLD CITIZEN GONE.

In the death of the Hon. John B. Jilsun, which
has just occurred in our midst, KenoSha has los
another from the catalogue of her oldest anC
most prominent public men. For thirty sever
years he has been identified with various public
! interests OF the place His parents were from
Rhode Island, and removed to Paris, Oneida
County, New York, where the son John, wht
4 1914 His education was obtained first in the
common school OF his native town, and later al
the Clinton Institute, in the same county. Re-
moving to West bloomfield, ne entered the law
Office Of Judge Dixon, OF that place, where he
| studied three years. Lit was while pursuing his
| law studies in West Bloomfield that ne made the
acquaintance Of Miss Francis Burllngame, who
| of his three years In the Office of Judge Dixon
he determined to set his face to what was then
| the far west, and came to the new territory OF
! Wisconsin; This was in 1S4e,-ten years before
| southport became Kenosha At that time we
were little village set down amid the native
oaks, with only two to three hundred inhabi-
tants. he was among the first young lawyers
| who settled here. Lowell and Steele we're a lit
tie before him. O. S. Head and Bond and Stod-
dard came little later Harvey, afterwards
the famous "war Governor" of the State, was
already here teaching school. Rev. M p Kin
ney was preaching in school house to an infant
Congregational Church. Hale and Allen and
Stryker and Merrill and Aver and ToWsee and
others were here as merchants and traders.
Later he and Col. Quarles occupied the same
justice office together. He was made Judge of
Probate, and for many years Justice of the
Peace. lie was an almost perpetual member of
Superintendent of the city schools Indeed,
along with Mr.. Deming he was one of the first
movers in the establishment of our system of
public instruction, From the early, days his
house WAS always the open home OF the school
teacher. AS wise and faithful friend OF the
cause of education, his name deserves an hon
ored place in the annals Of the town.
Judge Jilsun was q frequent contributor to the
n q of
one of them. He was an early anti slavery man,
and was proud to give his vote for the cause Of
the slave before the days came when it was pop
He was Provost Marshal during the war, but
no dishonest money stuck to his fingers. Many
were the opportunities for speculation which
such position presented in those days. Draft
ed men We're willing to pay handsomely for a
chance to slip through. One offered as high as
$500 for a "wink" But he found that Judge
Jilsun was not the man to trade conscience for
bride.
For many years Judge Jsun attended public
worship at the Congregational church in this
city, of which his excellent wife was and is
member. Later, when the Unitarian cOngrega
ton was organized he identified himself with
that body, and was for a time superintendent of
its Sunday School. One of the beautiful floral
emblems at his funeral was presented by his S.
school sch scholars. In9ugh not strict II n creed,
life Of varied usefulness and unstained Integrity
had its nourishing root in religious Sentiment.He
was man of prayer, of much communion with
the christian scriptures. and an ardent admrer
Of the most spiritual hymns. Intellectually he
was not able to receive some statements of doc
trine which to his beloved wife were only the
embodiment Of precious and sacred truth. But
creedS need not necessarily separate human
hearts. There is religious experience that lies
deeper than the thoughts Of the head. And so in
the happy home Of Judge JilSun the harmony OF
spiritual communion, OF fellowship in prayer, Of
heavenly dependence, and heavenly hope was al
ways unbroken. And this deeper bond Of the
hearts faith 1t is that gives pledge Of the future
and amending communion In lines, from the little
song which he loved and which he had asked to
have Transcribed into the fiy-leaf of his Bible in
one of his last days.
"Oh how sweet it will be in that beautiful land,
so free from all sorrow and pain.
with songs on our lips and with harps in our
hand,
"To meet one another again.
The. death of Judge Jilsun occurred Sunday
morning, May 90 1877. The funeral was held
Monday afternoon. The prayer at the house
was offered by Rev. I'll. G. Hitchcock. The dis
course at the Unitarian Chnrch was delivered by
Rev H. M. Simmons, followed by remarks by
Mr.. Hitchcock. The choir sang Home Of the
SOul'' and Nearer my God, to thee" The pull
pit was beautifully decorated with flowers. The
audience was large, representing all classes and
all religious denominations in the community
and among those who thus assembled to pay the
last tender Offices Of respect to the memory of q
good man and a much hOnored citizen. was an
unusual number of the oldest inhabitants OF
KenOSha. II.