The Newtown bee., 1890-12-05
Obituary Sketch Of johnson T. Plat.

johnson futile Plattwas born in New
town, Conn.,, January Il, 1914. He at
tended the common schools Of the neigh
borhood until about nine years Of age.
The next four or five years, he went to
various select schools in Fairfield county,
the last two years being spent at the
Staples Academy Easton. In the Spring
of 1853, he had a severe illness, from
which he did not recover sufficiently to
permit his leaving home till the Spring of
1868. This Illness prevented him from
entering college, but he was able, for a
considerable part of the time, to continue
his studies, being, however, under no in
structor. In 1861 he entered the Harvard
law school and was graduated therefrom
in 1865. He was admitted to the bar in
Boston, January IL, 1865, and for six
months afterward studied in the office of
Mass, who afterward became one of the
judges of the Supreme judicial court of
Massachusetts,. In the Fall of 1865, he
came to New Haven, where the remain
der of his busy and useful life was pass
ed. He early took a high standing at the
New Haven county bar, and made
place for himself both in his profession
and in the community. Upon the re-or-
ganization of the Yale law school, he
was made one of the instructors in 1869,
and in 1872 unsupported a full profess
sor. In this year he received the degree
of A. NJ. from Yale college. His origi-
nal department of instruction was equity
and pleadings; but in the later years of
his professorship instruction in torts was
added, while his broader studies into the
origin and science of the law caused him
to be assigned the topics of general jur-
| isprudence and the history of law, in
both the regular and graduate courses.
Mr. Platt's intelligence was of high
and very active character and he was
early interested in all the questions of a
political or social nature that were agi-
tating the public. Naturally he was call
ed upon to fill various local offices and
for many years was actively connected
with the city government of New Haven.
| liz was itPSa'oStiy - hNhipSi VI cA'N Soiii-
mon council, first as councilman and
later as an alderman. In 1874, he was
appointed corporation counsel. Upon
the death of the late e. X. Foster, he was
made register in bankruptcy for the New
Haven district in 1877. He had been fol
some time United States commissioner
having received that appointment in 1870
which was followed shortly by appoint
ment of master in chancery.
While Mr. Plat was above all things
lawyer and was at once proud and fon'
! of his profession, his culture and reading
were exceptionally broad and general
His interest in active affairs was mos
practical and the ordinances of the cit
of New Haven and the statutes of tn
: State bear the imprint of this interest
He was instrumental in large degree i
the institution of the sanitary organiza
ton under which New Haven now live
and also in the establishment of its boar
of harbor commissioners. He was deer
ly interested in the matter of the prope
:, drafting of the statue law and on thi
- topic made a notable report toathe Cor
necticut State bar association. He wa
one of the original members of this OF
ganization and always took an active pal
: in its deliberations, and was prominer
: in the suggestion of directions in whic
it could be of practical benefit to the pre-
: fession and to the State.
. AS a lawyer, Mr. Platt was most tho