St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-16
AN HONORED LIFE.

AN HONoRED LIFE.
The Career of Eugene Nj. Wilson
in Public and Private.s
Eugene M. Wilson was born in Nor
gantoWn, Monongalia county, Virginia.
Dec. rs, 1888. Both his fathers and
mothers ancestry were Scotch-Irish, the
former being among the first settlers of
Augusta and Rockbridge counties in
Virginia, and the latter the first settlers
of Fayette county, Pennsylvania. For
several generations the family has been
prominent in public affairs in Vir-
ginia. His father, Edgar G. Wilson,
was representative in congress from
Virginia from 1888 to 1885. His grand
father, Thomas Wilson, was a repre-
sentative from Virginia from 1911 to
1918. Soon after the organization of the
government his great-graqdfather, on his
mothers side, William Griffin, repre-
sented In congress district comprising
the western part of Pennsylvania. Mr..
Wilson was educated at jefferson col
lege and took high rank in his class, not
less as student than speaker and
writer. He graduated at the early age
or eighteen. He Immediately COM
menced the study of law in his
fathers office, and was admitted
to practice at the age of twenty-one.
at that time Minnesota offered strong
attractions to young and ambitious
professional man who relied on his own
efforts to achieve fame and fortune.
Inc territory received many of this
class from Maryland, and some from
Virginia, among whom was Mr.. Wilson.
lie came to the territory in the spring
OF 1856, and located and opened an
office in Winona. He formed a part
nershlp for the practice of law with
william Mitchell, now associate JUS
tIce OF the supreme court of Minnesota.
Inc frm name was Wilson d Mitchell.
Among his associates and friends who
settled in WinOna about the same time
were Hon. William Window ard Daniel
Norton, both afterwards United States
senators; Hon. Thomas Wilson, after
wards chief justice of the state and now
member OF congress; Hon. Charles
Berry, first attorney general of state.
ana many other young men who have
since obtained prominence in the his
tory OF the state. The ability of Mr..
wilson soon became widely known, and
he rapidly succeeded in building up
large practice. In 1857 he was appoint
ed United States district attorney by
PRESIDENT Buchanan, the duties of
Wnlcn Office he
MOST ACCEPTABLY
ulScharged for four years. After his
appointment he found that the business
connected with the Office required a
residence at the capital. or some place
nearer than Winona. Having strong
faith in the future of Minneapolis,
then but a small village, he determined
to make that his future home, and re-
moved there in the fall of 1857. In 1861
ne formed legal partnership with
Hon. w. W. McMair. In 1869 he was
elected to congress from the old Third
district. In 1862 he enlisted as captain
OF tue First Minnesota cavalry, serving
in the Indian war.
On several other important measures
OF the national concern, as the tariff
bill. the Georgia reconstruction bill. the
McGarrahan case and other measures
OF general interest, while in congress,
he made able speeches, which demon
strated that only time and experience
were needed to make him one of the
leaders OF the house. Mr.. Wilson also
look deep interest in all measures
tending to foster and develop the
agricultural interests of the state and
nation. He urged liberal appropra-
tons for the promotion of this industry,
and his efforts III this behalf were sue
ceSSIul ana
HIGHLY APPRECIATED
by his constituents. Every passing year
serves to emphasize the wisdom of
these views and of his action in con-
greSS in urging more liberal apprOpria-
! tons in behalf of the greatest and most
important industry of the nation. Rep
resenting, as he did, the largest manu-
| featuring and least agricultural district
OF the state. his views were broad
enough to embrace not only the inter
eStS OF the whole state, but OF the coun-
try at large, and his best efforts given to
promote them, and with gratifying sue
cess. AT the close of his term Mr.. Will
son returned to Minneapolis to engage in
his profession, poorer than when he en-
tered congress. He was not one of those
who accepted office for the sake of its
elnolumentS or OF any chances of pecu-
mary gain which it might afford. His
services were never for sale in the pro-
motion of any measure on which 1T
might become his duty to vote; nor did
he ever refuse to meet any issue on ac-
count OF any real or supposed Odium his
vote might entail. And so poorer
i'll purse, but richer in the esteem of
his fellow citizens, he resumed the ardu-
GUS duties of his profession, which
had boon largely intermitted during his
service of the state. He formed part
nerShip with James w. Lawrence. a
rising young attorney. and grandson of
Gen. Lawrence, of Syracuse, n. Y. in
his day one of the most distinguished
lawyers in the Empire state. The
father OF young Lawrence was also
lawyer of marked ability, who prac-
ticed few years in st. Anthony, but
entered the army at the beginning of
the late war and lost his life in the
service of
HIS COUNTRY.
The firm still continues under the
name of Wilson d Lawrence. 1t has
always been regarded as one of the
leading firms of the city, and has en-
jOyed large and lucrative practice.
Mainly through his success at the bar,
coupled to some extent with fortunate
real estate investments, MI. Wilson has
secured fortune which renders him
independent of his profession, though
perhaps there are few, if any, lawyers
i'll the state who perform harder
professional work than he. Still he
has found time to devote no small
amount of labor to public inter-
ests. In 1872, when what was the city
of st. Anthony was consolidated with
first mayor. He was again elected
mayor in 1874. He was elected to the
state senate for the years 1878 and 1879,
and served on some of the most i'm
portant committees in that body. He is
Mason, Knight Templar. a &. A. R.
member and Loyal Legion" also. In
1865 he married Miss Elizabeth Kimball,
daughter of Col. William Kimball, of
Minneapolis. His family consists of
three daughters. and his home is one of
the most charming in Minneapolis.
OTHER CANDIDATES,