The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-02
The Death of Judge March.

The news OF the death of Hon. Walter March
was conveyed to us yesterday evening in this
brief telegram from Muncie:
walter March died at lI:45 O'Clock this morn
ing"
The announcement produced a shock to our
feelings that seems strange in view of the fact
that he has been lingering for more than year
past between life and death, from the effects of
an apopleotc stroke. But are fully
prepared for the death of such man. He was
one of the few and one of the most conspicuous
representatives of the second generation of dis
tnguished men who bind the present generation
of the people Of Indiana to those who founded
its social and political INSTITUTIONS and one too.
who did as much any of his
time to impress himself upon those
Institutions; for he was man
Of broad views, progressive principles and great
original powers and character, and brought
them all to bear upon the improvement of the
constitution and laws of the State. 1t i'm
possible for such man to work to such an end,
and not leave clearly traces of his principles
and purposes in the objects and machinery of the
government.
Judge March was a native of Massachusetts,.
He was born in Millbury, Aug. 5, 1914 He de-
scended from one of the oldest English families
of the State, that came over in 1635-only fifteen
years after the landing of the Pilgrims. The
farm on which he first saw the light had been in
the family for four generations. His parents
were noble types of the best New England
stock. His fathers name was Samuel
and his mothers Zoa March, The father was
sturdy farmer, who regarded labor as duty
and pleasure, and followed It with will and
endurance that ennobled both it and him. A
man little acquainted with books, ana of few
words. OF regular and temperate habits, he was
nevertheless, characterized by broad, clear COM
mon sense and abundance OF good works. He
died at the age of ninety-two years in 1874. The
mother was of feeber constitution, dying in
1888, and before Walter had taken his place con-
spcuously in the affairs of men. The long and
vigorous life of his father always seemed to him
to be the prom Use of equal years to himself, and
he felt deeply the disappointment foretokened
by the first apoplectic shock which smote him i.
Like his father, Walter March had been temper
ate in all things except labor. and in that re-
spect he but followed the example of his parent.
He could not understand how such
an afflictiOn could fall early upon
him. We have heard him ask how IL
was that many persons given up through
life to all sorts of Irregularities and iutemper-
ances should live, or for score Of years beyond
his. In vigor, while he who had faithfully kept
all the canons Of health was smitten down in
the full maturity of his pOwers2 And perhaps,
indeed, the question Is impossible to be reasOna-
bly, answered In the present state of our
knowledge and it may be in the present state of
being.
Mr. March received liberal education, study
ing first al Millbury Academy, and graduating
at Amherst College in 1887. He wasIeasily the
chief of his class during the entire course and
considering that it numbered such men as Hon.
Lucien Barbour, Horace Maynard aad others
since equally distinguished, that Is saying much.
1t was in his last year at college that the true
character of the man manifested in
conflict of opinion between his class
and the faculty touching certain rights OF
| other classes in the college. In this contro-
versy very large proportion of his class was ar
first involved but when the faculty announce
that they would graduate no member of it that
did not recede from his position in favor of the
| JUNIORS all his associates abandoned him one by
| one, and he was finally left alone in opposition
| to the will of the faculty. But he believed he
| was right. and stood out to the end for con.
| science sake, preferring TO be right rather than
! to be a graduate OF Amherst. His diploma wac
| accordingly withheld, and he never received IL
| until lie visited his old home in In 1876. The
| faculty at that time hunted it up and delivered
| it 20 him, when lie had shown that it was in no.
| wise essential to his success ann honor. He had
| the learning of which it was but the certificate,
and with his principles and purposes could not
| fail
| He studied law in Massachusetts,, completing
| his course in Harvard Law School under the in
structiOn Of Greeneaf and Story. This done,
| he came to Indiana, arriving in the capital at
November $40. Here he passed the succeed
| ing winter, and being fully prepared to enter
upon the practice of his profession, he settled in
Muncie early the next spring. He soon took n
high position at the bar, which he maintained
ever afterward. Business flowed in upon him,
and he realized Its rewards, soon acquiring