The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1898-07-23
Noah Monroe Giyan.

Judge Noah III. Givan, OF Harrison
Vile. Cass county, Missouri, who is &
candidate for supreme judgeof the state,
was born December |, 1870, at TIT little
town of Manchester, Dearborn county.
Indiana. His father was a farmer and
the son enjoyed those healthful, simple
and natural surroundings in which have
been laid the solid foundation Of charac-
ter wherein were buildsd the successes
OF many Of our strong. able aud upright
thinkers and actors in American life.
lie received his education at the com
mon schools at Franklin College, lndi-
ana, attending the latter up to his senior
year, when he left TO enter the Univer-
sity of Indiana, where he completed his
education and graduated July 3, 1852.
During his college days, and even
prior TO them, he supported himself by
teaching school, having opened his first
school the day he was sixteen years old.
From the work done in those days II is
reasonable to assume that had not his
heart been set on another profession, be
would have made a name as an educator,
for at the age Of nineteen he was princl-
pal Of the Manchester Academy, Man.
chester, Indiana, and during 1923 was
OF the Lawrencehurg graded schools in
the town Of that name, When his other
duties permitted, he prosecuted his legal
studies IN the Office of James I. Brown;
at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and was
licensed to practice May 10, 1863.
Judge Givan has resided in Missouri
for about t~hirty-two years. From 1877
to 1856, be was judge of the then 7th
judicial circuit of Missouri, composed
of the counties of Cass and johnson.
While on the bench he passed upon
several new questions of Importance to
the state. The present back-tax law,
which was first enacted in 1877, the con
stitutiOnality Of which was called in
question, was held by several of the
circuit judges of the state to be uncOn-
stitutional, but Judge Givan sustained
its validity in an opinion prepared with
care, which was, at the time, published
and fayorably commented upon in the
leading newspapers of the state. The
constitutiOnality of the law was subse-
quently sustained by the supreme court.
The validity Of the law known as the
C0ttey law enacted about that time, was
called in question by the holders of
county and township bonds, and was
held TO be unconstitutional by Federal
Judges Dillon, Krekal and Treat. Judge
Givan held the law to be constitutional,
and that finding was subsequently sus-
tanned by the supreme court. lie was
industrious, careful and painstaking
upon the bench, and has always main
tanned a prominent position at the bar.
In 1883 he held a term of the circuit
court at Carthage, Jasper county, and
gave such excellent satisfaction that at
the conclusion of the term, the bar
unanimously adopted the following reso.
luton:
Resolved, That the bar Of Jasper
county is under lasting obligations to
Judge Noah NJ. Givan for holding the
present term of circuit court in the
enforced absence Of the Judge of our
circuit court; that by his thorough
knowledge OF the law, his keen sense of
justice, his strict impartiality and uni
form kindness, he has shown himself
worthy OF a seat on the bench of the
highest court Of the land; that though
he came among us a stranger, he takes
with him to his home the kindest re-
CARDS and warm affection of every men,
Der Of the bar who has appeared before
him.
Judge Giyan was a member Of the
firm of TOrrey Il Giyan, in st. Louis,
where he was engaged in the successful
practice of his profession during the
years 1867.
AT the beginning of his professional
career he had some newspaper expert
ence, having published and edited the
Democratic Register at Lawrenceburg,
Indiana, during the years 1854 which
embraced the exciting and memorable
cClellan presidential election.
lie was editor of the first democratic
paper published at Jacksonville, Mis-
souri,, after the war, known AS the
Herald. lie was a delegate
TO the National Democratic convention
In 1868, which nominated Seymour and
Blair, having been elected as a Blair
delegate to that convention. He labored
earnestly for the nomination of General
Frank p. Blair, and contributed materi-
ally to lis nomination as vice president.
Judge Givan has been connected with
a number Of charitable and benevolent
enterprises and orders OF the state. lie
IS a member Of the Board of CuratOrs of
The State University, and president of
Executive Board. lie will be a.
prominent candidate before the Spring
held convention in August next for the
exalted position to W he aspires,
and his many friends in all parts of the
will labor earnestly for his nomi-