Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-03-16
EARLY MAUMEE LAWYERS.
Jnrssprudcnc Firty Years Ago
Judge POtter's First Term In Put.
nam County-A Healthy Swain
and N Wholesome SwizzIc.
Toledo Sunday Journall


md N Wholesome Swizzlc.
Toledo Sunday JournaIl
AT the recent banquet Of the Cleveland
Bar Association the chairman, Judge j. NJ.
Coffinlerv, n former resident of the Mau-
NEE Valley and mn occasional contributor
Of pioneer "reminiscences TO the Journal, de.
livered AN address repete with interest.
The following extract concerning the hard.
ships Of the pioneer lawyers of the Maumee
Valley, OF whom Judge Potter of our CITY
was OF the number, il graphic piece OF
word painting and presents in strong lights
and shades life az it was fifty years ago.
"As the race OF hardy, adventurous, cir
cnit-ri'ling lawyers, who organized the
counts OF the western margin Of this State,
hive passed away forever, il may be inter
esling TO the young city bred members of
this bar 10 contrast the hardships and Pc
| ills OF the past with the ease and security of
the present. Fifty years ago term of the
Common Pleas was held in Hancock coun.
ty. Rain tell in torrents for several sue
cessive days. The bridgeless streams
swelled over their banks and il became
impossible to proceed overland to Defiance
10 hold court at the appointed time. But
the venerable Judge Higgins, and the
hard hearted old stagers who Travelled his
judicial district. were equal to the occa.
| sion. They called a bar meeting for con
sultaiion, put their horses out TO pasture,
purchased large pirogue which they ap.
propriately named the Jurisprudence"
freighted II with their saddles, saddle bags,
and an abundant snpply'of ship stores, and
6oated down the Blanchard and Anglaize
rivers 10 Defiance, where they held the
term, re embarked and Auated down the
Maumee to Perrysbnrg.
| "The voyage was made through an I'M
broken forest with great hilnrity, without
casualty, and with no more exciting Incl
dent than the witnessing of war dance,
extemporized for their amusement by the
rawa Indians ut their village of Ottawa.
But Judge Higgins WAS not always no for
tnnate, rs he lost n leg in the service before
the expiration OF his judicial term. In
May. 1910, Judge Potter held his first term
for Putnam county. The Judge with two
or three lawyers came in 10 Kalida, the
then county seat from Defiance, where they
had been holding court. One or two came
over from Lima and two from Findlny
One of them, slender one armed man
combining the physical strength Of girl
with the energy OLA buzz saw, was MOUNTED
on an unbroken three year old colt, having
I left his own better mig disabled by the way
The other put IN nm appearance ON foot
carrying his saddle on Ills shoulders. hi,
, horse having broken leg in floating
corduroy bridge near the village.
"Every man had been compelled Ia swim
one or more streams 10 reach the eo,inl
seat. The whole company were so saturi
ted with water AMI 10 enrased IN mud TIM
their mothers wouldn't have known then
and u smart tailor could only have guesfe
. at the color Of their garments. The onl
= hotel, II good one for the time and plac,
Y WIS adequate for the accommodations ,
i al who came. His honor, with three
!. the breIhern of his choice, had one lit
q room all 10 themselves. The rest OF ,
i lawyers, grand and peiit jurors, sniior
II Sitnesses, and spectators, slept we'll Oh n
/. field beds which covered the noorr. III
n table gronned with It's weight of Wild IN
y key, venis0ii, mutton, fish, Wild honey, NJ
o roinpy butter. Everybody washed Ia VIII
" WAS called the spuniy wash bowel, ~
T. dried ON the county towel. A barrel
Al new corn whisky ON tap stood inviting
n in n corner II the dining room with I
nl cup under ine faucet, no that whoey
~ would could drink without money al
r- without price. Aud yet complaints we
II made Of the exorbilant charge OF ~ y
+. ny for all this luxury, the care and n
Il our horses included.