The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1894-11-15
IN OUR OWN STATE.


county, Mo-, in 1851. His father
was Mason Of high degree. His
older brother, T. B. Robinson, a
lawyer of Paris, Mo-, was leading
abolitionist during the war. The
lsupreme Judge elect was under his
ltutorship in early life. After attend =
ling the public schools at Paris, Mo-,
for number of years he entered at
10 the William Jewell college, of
I G4nbefty, Mo-, ana after three years
at Jewell he read law one year in
his brothers. office and then spent
two years at Union college of law al
Chicago. Completing his course in
the law school he located in Webt
City, Mo-, and began the practice oi
law in 1877. During that year he was
appointed city attorney, which office
he held for several years. In 1884
he was elected prosecuting attorney
of Jasper county on the republican
ticket, holding TIE office for four
years and giving entire satisfaction
to his constituents. During the
term Of his attorneyship he resided
in Carthage. After two years of
civil practice he returned to Webb
City, and was again elected city
attorney in April, 1892. In the fall
of the same year he was again the
choice Of his party, and the judicial
convention nominated him for cir
cult judge in the twenty fifth judic
ial district of Missouri. He was
electdd and for two years past has
served upon the bench with dignity
and honor. AT the last state con-
vention he was nominated on the
first ballot for the office of supreme
judge of Missouri. The Judge is an
able jurist, keen of perception and an
able exponent of law. In his prac
tice he has always been a conscien
tious counselor, and his marked
fidelity and honesty has been the
cause Of these repeated calls to
office.
Prof. John B. Kirk, lected super
intendent of public instruction, is
recognized as one of the ablest
educators of the state. He spent his
boyhood on farm in north Missouri,
and began his professional career as
country school teacher. He is now
a resident of Westport. Prof. Kirk
issa lated from Kirksville Normal
school in 1873, and has since taken
several post graduate courses under
the ablest specialists in the state.
These coui ses included the Latin and
Greek languages, sciences, mathe-
matics and economics. He was also
admitted to the bar several years
ago, but did not engage in the act
i've pratice of law, having taken the
legal course for the purpose of
oil taiuing the information and culture
received in pursuing it. He was
eight years principal of the Bethany
(Mo.) public schools and was also
county commissioner during part of
that time. During the past six years
he has filed several positions in
Kansas City, receiving better
position and increased salary with
each successive change. For the
two years past he has been superin-
tendent of the six large schools
constituting the school district of
Westport, the principal residence
suburb of Kansas City. This position
he resigned because it interfered
with his canvass of the state super
intendency.
Joseph Flory, the newly elected
railroad commissioner, was born
near Logansport, Ind, in 1856. When
II years old he commenced "break
ing'' on freight train on the Wab
ash railroad between Lafayette and
Fort Wayne. He was promoted to
the position of freight conductor
when he was 20 years of age, remain
ing in that position six years, when
he was transferred to the st. Louis
and Kansas City division of the
Wabash, on which he has ever since
filed the position of passenger con
ductor. Mr.. Flory's experience ha'
made him thoroughly familiar witt
the railroad business, an experience
which will greatly increase his valu'
in the Office he is to fill and to whicl
he adds generous fund of common
sense.