The Columbus journal., 1880-12-01
TCommunicated.l
Nelson Millet.


Ii has been remarked that a man
to be fully appreciated must die. To
certain extent this is true. While
in life, we are all hurrying and bust
ling onward in the great voyage, a
thousand cares and thousand duties
are crowdiDg us and crushing us,
and il is only now and then when
one OF our low-passengers bids us
an eternal goodbye, and forever
caves the ship, that we stop and
reflect and appreciate how truly
good he was; then we feel and
realize the loss of his companionship
and we are sad.
A short time ago our community
suffered loss i'm the death of Nelson
NJ illet, which event deserves more
than a passing notice. A strong
man has been stricken almost in the
fullness of his strength good,
kind and true man has been taken
from us, and we as community
mourn his loss.
Nelson Millet was born in Fer~
mont, September %, 1922, in which
state he remained until his sixteenth
year, when his father aud family re-
moved TO Painesville, Ohio, where,
at the age of twenty-one years, be
began the study of the law in the
office OF Gen. James II. Paine and
his brother Mai. Ira G. Paine, who
were at that time among the leading
lawyers in that part of Ohio. Atthe
age of twenty-three he was admitted
TO the Bar, and Immediately entered
upon the active practice of his pro-
fession.
In 1916, he married Miss Augusta
&. Bump, most estimable lady, and
who now survives him. Mr.. Millet
emigrated to Wisconsin in lS49, and
located at Racine, where he shortly
afterwards formed a alaw-partnership
with his former preceptor, Maj. Ira
C.. Paine, under the firm name of
Paine a. Milet. For twenty-five
years this firm was among the fore
most in the state of Wisconsin. The
partnership continued until MIR.
Millet settled in Columbus in 1872.
In the latter year he formed part
nership with his son Byron, in the
law business, which continued until
his death.
As a lawyer, Mr.. Millet ranked far
above the average, being deeply read
in the various departments and
branches of the profession, and his
broad knowledge of the principles of
the law, coupled with his practical
experience, rendered him in the true
sense of the word, successful law
yer. Possessing keen perceptive
powers, and being al accurate judge
of human nature, he was enabled to
see through the motives of men. He
was particularly noted for his I'M
swerving integrity and unceasing
fidelity to the interests submitted to
his charge. To him no labor was
too much, no self-sacrifice too great,
so long as such was subservient to
the interests of his client. Being of
a self-sacrificing nature and congen-
ial disposition, not only were his
energies but his sympathies enlisted
in the cause, and he labOred more
for the benefit and pleasure that
success would bring to those for
whom he acted, than for the gain or
satisfaction that victory would afford
himself. He was endowed with re-
markably fine discriminating facul-
ties and close reasoning powers,
which together with his fertile
resources, rendered him at once an
opponent to be feared and respected
by his brethren of the Bar. Like
great general, his resources seemed
to multiply as the difficulties of the
situation increased, and in the trial
of weak OF close cases, these legal
resources at times seemed almost
unlimited. As an advocate his argu-
ments before court or jury were
distinguished more for their force,
reasoning and terse illustration than
for figure or fowery eloquence.
Quick to resent a slight or slur, he
was quicker to forgive, and while in
the ardent glow of labor in the heat
of trial he may have been like others
irritated and have passed the hot
word or administered the scathing
repartee, yet, with him, all was
buried in the court room-Outside of
its portal all was forgiveness and
sunshine.
Mr. Millet was a man of fine per-
sonal appearance, and possessed
more than ordinary gentleness OF
manner aud kindness of heart-s
good husband and father, a good
neighbor and citizen-a good man.