The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-11-09
DEATH OF Tnos. L. NATION,

DEATH OF THos. L. NAproR.
One OF the Most Gifted and Genial Geatle-
men ct Montana Has Crossed h
H. Dark River.
At O'Clock on Friday morning, Nov. 2,
1883, Thos. l.. Naptcn, Esq, of Butte, died Of
hemorrhaee Of the stomach, after . serious
illness OF but 50 hours. In apprehension Of
this result the NEW NORTHWEST had held
Its forms open till Friday morning, and
briefly stated the sad news.
Mr.. Napton was Of frail physique, never
strong. but had in the past year or two
seemed to strengthen, and his friends had
hopes his days of nervousness and delicate
health had passed and that he would grow
sturdy and live to q good old age; but 1t wa
not to be, and he whom all respected and
loved closed his eyes In death and passed ON
before. he had reason to believe within q
half hour Of his attack that his illness was
fatal, and at once called in George W. Irwin,
Esq, made final disposition of his affairs,
and left his will in Mr.. Twins hands. He
leaves q very comfortable estate to his chill.
dren.
Thomas Lanier Napton was born at Elk
Hill. Saline county, Missouri, March 18th,
1871. His father, Judge VIM. B. Napton,
whom many Of our people knew at his home
or during his visits here, and who died in
1884. at the age Of Is years, was for thirty
years q member of the Supreme Court of
Missouri, and for many years the Chief Jus.
ftNQ Nf 1h0k &kAf0 ~ ~~omnuooA - e. 1888
mind, and his son Thomas largely inherited
his intelligence and legal qualities. After
completing his clerical education he read
law under his father, but the war of the re
bellton breaking out he laid his books aside.
cast his fortunes with the South, enlisted in
the regular Confederate army, and served
under Generals Forrest and Breckenridge as
. staff officer until the close of the war. He
was commissioned a Captain, re- believe,
and he has told us many of his adventures in
carrying dispatches, especially one occasion
when sent to General Price, and when he
swan his horse across the Mississippi river.
He further said some years ago he was the
only one he knew in Montana who had
been in the regular Confederate service and
served to the close of the war. Like most
of those who stood the shock of battle he
came out Of the war without animosity to.
ward those who had served in the field, and
in twenty years intimacy we never heard
him utter concerning them other than kind
words. m.aM@
Concluding the study Of law he came to
Montana in the spring of 1866, and located at
Beartown, where Knowles, Robinson and
other lawyers were, but in 1867 removed to
Deer Lodge, and entered into partnership
with Col. l.. j. Sharp, under the firm name
of Sharp Il Napton, in competition with
Robinson, Stephens & Thornton. Clagett &
Dixon, Clitus Barbour, James FL. Brown,
Mayhem & McMurty, NJ. B. Harrison and
the other eminent mel who made up q bar
of superior abilities.
Then and until his death, Mr.. Napton was
justly regarded as one of the ablast attorneys
in the Territory, and as a constitutional law-
yer probably had no peer. There was moth
ing of the pettifogger in his character. He
tried his cases exclusively in the court room,
on the questions of law and fact involved;
treated his fellow attorneys and witnesses
with courteous consideration, and summed
up his cases clearly and concisely.
In 1870 he was married in Deer Lodge to
Miss Anna Chadwick, who dying in 1853 left
him two children, who rave since been the
| idols of his heart. The daughter, Mary, is
now aged about II, and the SON., Lanier'
about Is years. They rave lately been at
tending schools in Washington, D. c., and
we believe it was Mr., Napton's purpose some
day to make his home there. They were
telegraphed for when he was taken i'll, but
did not know until Marshal Kelley met and
had to inform them at Garrison, Monday
evening, that their father was dead. Their
grief was pitiful.
Not long after his wife's death he removed
to Butte, where he has since resided, and
numbered among his clients some of the
wealthiest individuals and associations there
His integrity was as nnquestioned as his
ability, and there are many men in Montana,
now prosperous, who in times past, when
the world was going against them, sought
n received good counsel from him without
price or charge.
Mr. Napton was q Democrat, but liberal in
his views. He was never an aspfrant fol
Office, but was elected a member of the Con
stitutional Convention, and during his alb
sence nominated Attorney General by Gov
ernor Leslie. ~" #."
The Miner says: "He was one Of a large
family of children. His elder brother, VIM.
B. Napton, is a farmer in Saline county,
Missouri, near the old homestead, and his
county. He has a brother, Harry Percy
Napton, practicing law in Baker City, Ore
gon, and his brothers Louis, Frank and
John are engaged in agriculture and sheep
raising in that State. His brothers Charlie:
and yelling are engaged in the practice O
law, the first in st. Louis and the second il
Deer Lodge. Their only sister is Mrs
Montague, wife of q banker in Marshall
Saline county, Missouri"
Thos. l.. Napton died with thousands Of
friends and without an enemy that we knew
If. He was the complication of a genia
gentleman. He was a true friend and seemed
to have no personal enemies. He possessed
mauy endeariug traits of character, and OF
him may be truly written as it can be of bu'
few:
..Nope knew him but to love him.,
None named him but to praise
The funeral of Mr.. NaptoD took place OF
the arrival of the Butte train at $3.50 Wednes
day. There was a very large attendance 0
his Deer Lodge friends. Every carr age il
t,wn wa in the procession. Among thu
legal fraternity in attendance, aside fron
those of Deer Lodge, we noticed Judg
Dewolfe, Hiram Knowles, W. h. DeWit
G. ". Stapleton, Geo. g. :Hsldorn' FL
Mcbride. T. O'Donnell, VIM. Scallon
Thompson Campbell, c. F. brennan, L.. J
Hamilton, John F. Forbis, VIM. Forei,
frank E. Corbett, W. F. Sanders, W.
Lippiucott and H. F. Titus. MI: W. A
Clark, wife and daughter, Mrs. L. J. shar!
and Mr.. Napton's children, Mrs. w. :"
Dixon, Mr.. C.X Larabie, Mr.. E. H. Irwin
! and wife, Rev. j. r. Russell, MI. John CAP
. lice and Mrs. Goo. w. Irwin were presen
from Butte. Rev. s.. g. Blackiston read tn
, Episcopal services at the grave. The coin
was covered with beautiful floral pieces
) the finest flowers, and with many sad hear
: = about his grave the mortal remains OF mo
NN0N ~