The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-12
BIOGRAPHICAL.


BIOGRAPHICAL.
John Wiley Willis was born in St.
Paul, Minnesota, on the 18th day of
July, A. D. 1854. He entered the up
per primary department of the JEFF
ferson school and passed through all
successive grades of the public school
system of the city, graduating at the
head of his class in the St. Paul high
school in June, 1873. Later in the
year 1873, and during portion of the
year 1874, he attended the State Uni
versity and Manchester college. At
the last named institution, he pur-
sued an extensive course of study in
the ancient classics under the special
care and instruction of that eminent
scholar, Rev. Edward D. Neill, D. D.
Leaving Manchester, Mr.. Willis was
duly matriculated as sophomore at
Dartmouth college. At that celebra
ted seat of learning he was gradual
ed, with high honor, in the year 1877.
In the year 1880 he was created by his
alma mater a Master of Arts.
After his graduation, Mr.. Willis en-
tered as law student in the Office of
John M. Gilman, w. P. Clough, and
Eugene F. Lane, then co-partners un-
der the firm of Gilman, Clough &
Lane. While pursuing the study of
law, Mr.. Willis served one year as in
structor in the Latin and Greek Ian
guages in the St. Paul high school.
On October IS, 1879, he was examined
for admission to the bar before the
Supreme Court, and was duly admit
ted to practice as an attorney and
counsellor-at-law. He remained in
the office of Messrs. Gilman & Clough
for some considerable time after his
admission to the bar, and, in the year
1880, opened an independent office.
Since that time he has been actually
engaged in the practice of the legal
profession. During the years 1881
and 1882, Mr.. Willis was a member
of the board Of education. In the
year 1883 he was unanimously nOmin
ated by the democratic state conven-
tion for the Office of attorney general
of Minnesota. During the campaign
which followed, he made an extended
canvass of the state, delivering pub
lie addresses in all the principal cities
and towns. Although he received a
very large and fiattering vote, he was
defeated in company with all his as
sOciates on the democratic state tick
ct. In the year 1883 Mr.. Willis was
appointed by Hon. Andrew r. McGill
a member of the state board of cor
rections and charities. On Novem-
Der 8, 1892, Mr.. Willis was triumph
antly elected judge of the district
court of the second judicial district,
thus proving the exceptional conf
dence reposed in him by the people
of his native city. since the major
portion of the people of his judicial
OIOU1 1OU 1OSIuC LII UuO OlUy VI Nv. a u1.
In the Judicial contest Mr.. Willis
had only the democratic nomination,
while his very able and eminent op-
pOnent, Hon. w. D. Cornish, had the
nomination of the republican party
and of three other political organi-
cations.
The result was largely due to the
vote of the wage-earners, with whom
Judge Willis has always been in close
and earnest sympathy. He was the
author of the platform of the demo-,
cratic city convention of St. Paul
which promulgated the principle:
Eight hours a days labor for all
municipal employment" The local
democracy won on that platform;
and, when some members of the dem
Ocratic majority in the city council
displayed an ominous hesitation in
passing ''the eight hour ordnance"
Judge Willis by his personal influence
and bold, aggressive communications
to the public press aided largely in
accomplishing the fulfillment of the
pledge upon the faith of which the
workingmen had given their votes to
the democratic party. Committed
to the principle, of absolute Justice
in all human relations, the subject of
this sketch is an ardent foe of all
forms of organized SelfiShneSS. in
Guiding every form of present-day
monopoly.
1t is great step gained when men
of Judge Willis's eloquence, scholar
ship, and sympathy with the common
people are elevated to seats in our
courts. But we have not half enough
of them in those positions.
Excelsior"
Will Excelsior" tell us how. under