Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-04-07
MATTHEW p. DEADY.

United states District udge From Fsbru-
airy IA. 1850 to the Day of His. Death,
March "a, 1893.
Matthew Paul Deadly was born near
Easton, Talbot county, Md, May 18th,
1924. His father WAS q man of fine edu-
cation and Matthew attended his faith
er's school until his 18th year. The
family moved excessively 10 Wheeling,
Cincinnati, Covington, KY, Rodney,
Miss and Belmont, o. Here Matthew
worked hard as an agriculturist until
his l7yh year. In the mean time. pob-
sessing natural taste for learning, he
read ali the books he could obtain, and
acquired very fair amount of Informs
ton regarding American and English
literature. Next, in lS4l, he. learned
the blacksmith trade, working four
years at the anvil. During the winters
OF lS43 and 1874 he attended the Barnes
vile academy. paying his way as he
went, graduated in lS45, and obtained
certificate to teach, when, though barely
81 years Of age, he gave universal salts
faction. He determined now ON qualify
ing himself for the bar, and under the
instructions of Judge VIM. Kennon, ST..
Clairsvlle, it soon developed that he
possessed abilities OF q very high order.
| In lS47 he was admitted, and in lS49
the young lawyer started across the
plains with the object Of reaching the
Pacific coast. After the usual rough
experience which men were compelled
to submit to in those days, he stepped
from the canoe on November 14th and
found himself on the banks OF the
Willamette river at the place where Port
land now stande. He first obtained en-
ployment as a teacher, but in March,
1850, put out his single" and soon ac-
quired . good practice. On June 1st
1850, he was elected q member OF the
house from Yamhill county. Mr.. Deadly
at the close of the session, prepared the
publication Of the laws enacted in 1S4t
and 1850 This was the first volume o
the kind published in the territory. Ir
the spring of 1853 he was appointed b,
the president one of the three judges o
the supreme court. He chose the south
ern district, and the next year purchased
800 acres of land in the Umpquetta val
lev, where he established his residence
He was very busy man then, rs he hal
been all his life. He organized court
in five counties in Southern Oregon ant
frequently wrote up the records with hi
own hand. He was never known Il
miss session Of his court or be absen
at the time designated. On Februar
l4th, 1859. he was appointed Unite'
States district judge. He secured tn
,, location Of the court at Portland, t
which city he then removed, and ha
ever since lived there. In 1862, bein
, appointed code commissioner for tn
state of Oregon, he prepared the code c
civil procedure, which was enacted b
the legislature substantially as he ha
Q drafted it. The general Incorporate
act was also passed virtually withou
change. At the request of the legisl,
n ture he also formulated code of Grimm,
q proceed ure. penal code and justice
q code. In 1867 he was assigned by Justic
: Field to hold the United States circu
n in San Francisco.
!. Judge Deadly was a member OF tn
i Trinity Episcopal church and organize
q and has been the president Of the Librai
A Association of Portland since 1872. o
n June Oath, 1862, he was married to Mil
4 Lucy A. Henderson, daughter of q pro
porous farmer Of Yamhill county. Thrt
q children from this union are living
! Edward Nesmith, Paul Robert and Hel
. derson Brooke. The first two are prom
inent lawyers, and the last is devotir
4 himself to medicine.
His death on Friday, March oath, ",
q expected. He had been n sufferer fro
q Bright's disease for many years. T
a would have retired from the bench {
r. full pay If he HAD lived q few montl
longer, bill having passed congre
recently to that effect. Judge Deadly W
/. q man OF more than ordinary talent, CT
a ture and force.