The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-17
THE ABBBVILLE BAR.
DISTINGUISHED IN THE PAST FOR ABILI-
TY, LEARNING AND INFLUENCE.

Legal ProGessioH al AobcvilIa---Esc-
ing one Chapter in what was In
tended to be Il Trade IsSu" Of fEe
Press and Banner" but which
will not now l,c FutIiSEtcd.
II is undoubtedly true that the gentlemen Of
the Bar exercise an influence out of proper
iion TO their number. This is natural and
easily accounted for. There is nothing which
touches the citizen so closely or interests him
so much as the administration Of the law, to
which he looks for the protection Of his rights,
his parse, property, and life Itself. In the de-
f.n<c of all these the lawyer his spok
and hence the close relation OF lawyer anu
client. The duties which the lawyer under
takes are confidential as we'll as important,
and for their proper discharge, require not on
ly Knowledge of the law, which only a life
of labor can acquire, but also high neral char.
ac:er and trustworthincss. Justice Is admin
iStcrcd in open Court. The lawyers are the
priests who minister at the altar, and their cs-
SAYS of wit logic, argument, and cloQncncc,
arc made publicly in the presence Of the whole
community. Most OF those who have diStin-
gushcd themselves in their profession. were
not content with Il bare knowledge of the dry
details of the law, but, in their hours of lcis-
urc, wandered into the pleasant fields Of clas-
steal learning and enriched their minds by
literary culture and general intelligence.
Cur old county has long been considered as
among the finest In the tc-diStinguShcd
alike for intelligence, sobriciy, and the public
spirit and moral tone Of her people. Several
causes have probably contributed to this re-
suit hut we think prominent among them
was the high charac,crand great distinction OF
the members Of her Bar, especially in her car
ly history. Established as Il separate county
about the beginning of the century, we think
1t may he said with perfect truth, that her Ear
was then, and has always continued 10 hc,
equal to that Of any county in or out OF the
State, The following were some Of the most
distinguished of her early lawyers:
The Bowie brothers, George and Alexander.
both cmphatically and Scru:'ulouSly honcSt
and reliable. The elder, George, was the first
lawyer who resided ut AnbcvIllc Court House.
He was appointed 10y the Governor To ride the
Circuit in The place of judge Fay, when he i'll
jurrd himself ut Ahbrrillc in lS!l. TEc young
or brother. Alexander, graduated IN the south
Carolina College, second in the same class in
which james l.. Pc,igru took the first hon
or He WAS good lawyer and an c,Oaurnt
speaker, but Sclzcd by the migration nian!a0i
that diy, hc remuN cd io the West and became
Chancellor of thc Northern division Of All-
buma.
John G. Calhoun came TO the Ear ut .,bhc-
Vile in lSU7. We need say nothing of him.
Perhaps no lawyer eyer acquired as high
reputation as early ;,S he did, especially i'm the
Districts Of Abbcvii:c and Ncwbcrry. But he
was soon transferred to Corg:I$S. where, as
we all kmow, he acquired II Worldwide reru.
ta:ion. He WAS always quite as much distin-
guiShed for his Spot.cSS moral character, AZ
for his great intellect.
benjamin Cudwurth Ganccy, had been n
gallant midshipn'n IN the navy. lie studied
law under Robert GUUdlnc Harper, in Ea!ti-
more and settled in Abbevil!e about lS)S. lie
was Il very distinguished lawyer, indeed tic
competitor of John &. Calhoun. lie rep c.
scnt"d AbbcvillH in the l.rSis l:!urc in lSlIli,
but brcuming unpopular about something
connected with The Jews land cases" he w;s
not returned in lSli, and III disgust he rpmOv
cd 10 Charleston, where lie became the part
ncr OF Judge llug"r. and was soon returned
from that city to the Legislature. Iii coming
to Abbcvilc ON Il visit III iSi1, at BTcIth0upL's
in EIgriicid, hc was seized with yellow fever
and died young, much iamcntcd. He was the
father Of two distinguished lawyers, William
H.. and Ben {. Gancry.
George McDuic came to the Bar in 1871,
with the reputation Of being II genius already
established ut school and college, where he
took The liiS honor. The tradition is that he
at once greatly distinguished himself in Tie
defence OF a man named Kitchens for the
murder OF Il travCllrron TIC highway. But hcE
also was soon transferred To Congress, where
ii WAS universally admitted t,!at he Was the
most clCGuCnt man in that body.
Patrick Noble YVES II kinSman and for time
p ,rtncr of John e. Calhoun. For many years
he represented .Abbcrllc in the LEGISLATURE:
was Speaker of the House and aitvrwarts
President oc the Senate in ls:S, when he WAS
elected Governor anl dicl dur ing his term of
office. He has lett the reputation of being one
llfNtn = lb(St
men.
David Lewis Wa"dlaw vas for time law
partner OF Governor Noble. lie "aS diStin-
wui- he'd lawyer and advocate, also Speaker of
The IIouS" OF Representatives AMI served AS
an upright judge for nearly thirty years,
when he and all his associates were over.
thrown by Radical reconstruction in The
State.
Thos. Thomson was horn in Scotland while
he was very young, his parents immi.ratcd
and settled on Long Cane. in Ahhpviilc cuun-
W. Never having had the advantages of u
course, hy dnt OF Industry lie made
himself IL >cilni;;rand good lawl cr. lie repre-
Scntcd the county III the L!:;ls aiure for many
years, ANA was elected Judge, D;t So3n after
died. lie was full ut classical and general
X knowledge and Il Christian gentleman.
Thomas ChileS Perrin WAS Il partner and
kinsman OF Judge Wudlaw. III" was an hon
est man and sound lawyer, and III his chaIilc,
in all respects above rcproach.
Armislcad Burt, has died so recently |
that al of us remember how pnnctiiionS ana !
exact he was. and how he !abUr"d to his last !
day to maintain the high autC-hclum stand I
ards of the Abbcvillr Bar.
J. Foster Marshall, Il gallant soldier in IN" !!
Mexican wa, Il public spirited citizen NJ
home Il reliable lawyer of the .Ahhcrilic Bar, |
fell ut the head Of his regiment ut Second Ma !
naS>;iS.
W. c. Davis, lawyer, editor and soldier, gave !
his life fOr the Confederate cause.
]. II. Wilson was distinguished aS q conSti- |
tutinhal lawyer. and member Of the state Sc !
crSSion Convention.
II. f. Jones. noted for his sterling qualities
Ct head and heart WAS Il credit To the Bar.
Then thrr" were LCcica III. l.0maX, ana |
James e. Calhoun. and W. NJ. IIad'lrn, and |
Alrrk Mc(iowan, and Thomas G. .SpirrTn, and .
]. W. Living ton, and Jnu. H. Marshall. !
and Mathew Mcdonald, and Stephen &. De
Eruhl. and James Il. Mabry, and Samuel VI. I
Niahry, and John y. Calhoun. ANA J. Gam !
hrcl Da>iin, and William l-oniaN. and .lu- /
sustIS Black.
MI these lawyers and others, their asSorl- |
ntcS, OF whom we hav" not space 10 speak, !
served the county faithfully, contributed
largely in the formation OF her hi::;I cha;:Ic- |
ter, and were bright cXrmplnrS Tor h"r sue. .
CcSsorS-thc present gentlemen of the Bar OF
Abbcyiilc.
NOTABLE BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGH CHAR !
AFTER AMI T5Eyp JTSEEJJTNESS