The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-07-13
Presentation of the Leland Memorial.

Presentation of the Leland Memorial.
Persuant TO the action OF the bar meeting
held upon the morning of Judge Leland
interrment, Judges Eldredge and Stipp ant
Messrs. Fullerton, Widmer and Eckles
the committee appointed for the purpose
drafted "a memorial TO the memory OF thu
late iurist, which subsequent meeting
choose Mr.. James II. Eckels TO present t
the court on Tuesday morning.
Judge Blanchard WAS on the bench anC
within the railing were grouped the bar Of
this city, attorneys from surrounding cities
and prominent citizens, while without the
rail the audience seats were we'll filled
with attentive spectators.
Mr.. Eckels made the usual motion that the
memorial be engrossed upon the records OF
the court Following Is the
MEMORIAL.
The members of the bar of La Sale
county, desiring to express their apprecia
ton of the life and laboTs of their late
brother, Edwin Sherman Leland, who died
at his residence In Ottawa upon the cath
day of June, 1899, present this, their
memorial tribute to his memory, that II
may be by order of Court, spreadupon the
records Of the Circuit Court Of La Sale
county and made a part thereof.
Edwin Sherman Leland, son of Sherman
and Elizabeth Leland was born at Dennys-
Vile, 10 the State Of Maine, August 2Sth,
1911. His literary education was gained
In the common schools of RoXbuTy, Mass
achusetts, whence his family had removed,
and mis- legal schooling In the law office Of
his father, which he entered as student
at the age of twenty Upon the 18th day
OF September, 1884, after thorough and
exhaustive examination he was admitted
AT Dedham to the bar of the State Of Mass.
achusetts. The following year he remov-
ed 10 this State and located for the practice
Of his profession n the city of Ottawa,
where, with the exception Of four years
from 1889 to 1913, when he lived at Ore
gon, Ogle Co.-he continued TO reside I'm
Ill the time Of his death
His public life EN- braced the holding of
various places of trust and confidence, not
only within but without the line Of his
profession. He was treasurer of Ogle Co,
IN piiD vein ihhy'i VI tuV ,tty VI OtthWh,
and president of Ottawa's board of educa>
ton. In each Of these positions he dis
charged with accuracy, intelligence, integ.
Tity and cOurteousness the duties devolved
upon him, But II was not In these official
places that he was brought in closest CON
tact with the public and especially with
legal fraternity Of this and adjoining coun.
tries.
Edwin Sherman Leland public life Will
be best known and his memory best kept
because of long, upright and distinguish
ed career as Circuit Judge In the counties
of La Sale, WIN, Bureau, Grundy, Ken
DALI Putnum, Marshall and Livingston and
as a Justice of the Appellate Court of the
second district Of Illinois. He had earned
for himself reputation as an able lawyer
and safe counsellor prior to his election
to the circuit bench in 1852, TO fill an I'M
expired term, and this reputation was fur
ther enhanced when at the end of the term he
returned TO the practice of law, only 10 be
called by the governor OF the State 10 his
former position In 1866. In June follow.
ing the vorers Of the circuit endOl sed AT the
polls the appointment made, and six years
later again honored him with another term.
In 1877 the justices of the Supreme Court
appointed him member of the newly
created Appellate Court for the second dis
trict Of the State, a position which he filed
until his retirement In 1879.
In all the walks of life Edwin Sherman
Leland was an exemplary man. He was
honorable In the highest degree In the
small as we'll as In the great details of his
private and public career. AS lawyer In
active practice, he neither knew nor fol
lowed methods OF doubtful character
AS Judge, sitting In adjudication of the
rights OF his fellow men, he was guided
alone by what he saw was right, and what
seemed TO him would best subserye the
ends OF justice. Ii can truly be said of him
thatthroughOuthi his whole Judicial career, he
ever sat as an impartial arbitrator between
contesting litigants; he never permitted
himself TO bacome contestant lie held
himself 10 the highest code of legal ethics,
and by 50 doing discharged with credit 10
himself and honor 10 his fellows, the debt
which was due from him to the profession.
Ills professional lie, extended over more
than hall century, unspotted by any dis.
honorable act or unprofessional conduct, Is
In and OF Its Itself the memorial he himself
has left as a heritage to us. his friends and
brothers, who here assembled mourn his
loss.
In presenting the memorial Mr.. Eckels
said
Nay ii please tie Court
In presenting the memorial which |
have Just read as expressive Of the sentI-
ment entertained by the bar of thiscounty
towards the distinguished jurist who has
been taken from us, and In moving Its ad-
option as part Of the official proceedings
OF this honorable Court, | desire, under
the commission Of the committee that was
charged with the preparation of II, TO pay
more than a mere formal tribute to the
worth OF the late Judge Leland. | am not
unmindfui that betwixt his age and my
own. and not mine alone but the ages OF
the majority Of those who constitute the
mem bership of this bar, there was great
disparity, and that the seeming prophecies