River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-03-12

INTO the Twenty-third regiment OF wisconsin
volunteer infantry. The regiment was ordered
TO the front in few weeks, and joined the
forces under Sherman, who was then preparing
for an attack on Vicksburg. 1t took Part in sew
eral sharp engagements preceding the attack
and figured prominently in the subsequent siege
Of tho city. The 18th OF February following
Villas was appointed major OF his regiment, and
Tue sd OF March its lieutenant colonel. from
June to Aug. % he was in command of the
regiment. owing to the i'll health of Col Gnppey.
This period Included tie iass month of the siege
and nearly two months after the surrender. The
2osh OF August, 1868, Col Villas resigned bis po-
sition, having been in the service but one year,
nearly all Of which time, however, spent in
aetlve campaigning On returning from the war
Col. Villas resumed the practice of his profession
in Madison, in which he has peen remarkably
successful throughout. The Sd of January,
1866, he married to Miss Anna Matilda,
daughter of DR.. William H Fox of the village OF
Oregon, Wis, one Of the pioneer physicians OF
Dane county. and gentleman OF much wealth
ami high reputation.
Col and Mrs. Villas have three children now liv-
ine--Cordelia, who will be eighteen years of age
the 3Ist OF May next: Henry, born Nav %,
1879; and Mary Esther, born Oct. 10, 1873.
They have lost one son, Levi B., born in 1869.
Miss Cordeiia, Familiarity known as Nellie. Is
beautiful bright well-educated vivaoious young
lady. who is aireday exceedingly popular in So
ciaI circles at Madison. She is well calculated in
time to really shine in Washington society life.
Mrs. Villas herself is lady oil charming dispose
tion, elegant manners and fine education; as a
hostess she has few equals in Wisconsin In ad.
dition to his large and lucrative law practice,
Col Villas fills and has filled several positions "a
public trust. He IS one Of the professors OF law
in the Wisconsin state university law school,
being regular lecturer on practice, ple3dlngs
and evidence. He was for some years trustee OF
the Wisconsin State Soldiers Orphan asylum
aud secretary of the board. He was one of the
three leading attorneys appointed TO revise tho
statutes OF Wisconsin in 1878, and personally
superintendent the publication of the revision.
He Is one of the most active members OF the
Wisconsin board of state university regents
Col Villas one of the delegates from Wiscon
sin to the Democratic national convention at
Chicago, and ofticiated as president of the con-
vention. being prominently mentioned himself
for place on the ticket He afterward made the
speeches of notification to Cleveland and Hen
bricks. He is now member from Madison in the
lower house of the Wisconsin iegislRture-the
first elective office he ever held-and is the leader
of the Democratic side of the house. The colone
was recently Endorsed by his Democratic fellow
members for position in the cabinet. Col Villas
is conceded by all TO be the leader Of the strong
Madison bar, and is one of the most able and
eloquent advocates in Wisconsin. His national
reputation an orator began with his famous
eulogy of Grant st the Chicago banquet. Col.
Villas is worth from 5000, 600 TO $500 600 most
of it acquired from his practice, and the rest in
herited from his father, who left a goodly for
tune The colonel is the state solicitor in Wis
consn for the Chicago IL Northwestern railway,
and is associated in the law with his younger
brother, Edward p. His brother Charles H. is
a Chicago physician. His brother Levi NJ. is
prominent attorney at Eau Claire. Wis, who Is
now being talked of in connection with the sue
cession TO Associate Justice Taylor on the state
supreme bench.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
Augustus H. Garland was born in Upton
county, Tenn June IL, 1882 His parents re-
year and settled in the bottom lands of the Red
river valley. At a suitable age young Garland
was sent TO Bardstown, KY, to be educated In
what was then the most famous seat of learning
in the Southwest. His academic studies were
pursued in the Catholic colleges of St. Mary and
St Joseph. During the latter part of his residence
in Bardstown he read law, and attended the trial
of causes in the court room whenever he had the
opportunity At that time the local bar was
very strong Gariand protited greatly by TINS
practice, as well as by his studies, which he
pursued with persistent devotion returning
home he continued to WOO that jealous mistress
the law, and in SOB was admitted to practice az
Washinxto Ark In 1856 he removed TO Little
Rock, the capital of the state. He was admitted
to practice as an attorney in the supreme court
of the United States on Dec. &c. 1860. BY that
time he had obtained professional reputation,
and in the same year Bell and Everett
elector. He opposed the secession of Arkansas
as long as there was any hope 81 peaceful solu-
uion OF sectional differences. When, however.
war was inevitable. he threw in his lot with his
state. He was a member of the provisional con-
gress which met at Montgomery, Ala, IN May,
1861, and took part in drawing up the constitu-
tion Of the Confederate States. During the
struggle between the Federal and Confederate
governments, he gave his counsel TO the Southern
cause, first as a representative and afterward as
senator. He was serving as q senator
in its congress when the Coufederacy collapsed.
In sos Mr.. Garland petitioned the supreme
court of the United States to practice therein
without taking the iron-clad oath, at the same
time submitting an argument in support OF his
petition, which masterpiece OF reasoning
He won his case, which not decided until
/ the December term Of the supreme court, 1867 /;
While it was pending he was elected United
States senator from Arkansas. He appeared to
take his seat in the senate March 4, 1867, but
was not permitted to do so. In 1874 Mr.. Gar
4 land was elected governor Of Arkansas without
opposition. His election as senator took place
in January, 1876, without opposition. He be-
gan his term as successor to Powell Clayton, Re
publican, on March 5, 1877. In 1883 he was
reelected to the senate for six wears.