Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-04-06
JUDGE PINNEY DEAD
RETIRED SUPREME COURT JUS.
TICE PASSES AWAY.
At Gas p. M. SATURDAY
End OF Long and Honorable Profess
sional Career-Was City Attorney,
Mayor and Member OF Assembly
Before Going on the Bench-Fu-
neral Probably Next Wednesday.

MADISON, April s.
Judge Silas U. Pinney, who had been
Aillng with dropsy for some time, died
at 6:45 o'clock Saturday evening at
his home on West Wilson street. The
end. while not unexpected, came
somewhat suddenly. The patient was
up and about 20 minutes before the
end when he complained Of weakness
and was assisted to his bed by his
eolored servant and Mrs. Pinney. The
end came gradually and peacefully.
Judge Plnney had been sick for some
months and for the last five weeks
had been confined to the house. The
last time he was up town was Feb.
20. Since that time he has been grad
ually sinking. Failing health COM
PEELED his resignation from the gu
preme bench on Nov. last. After
the death many friends and nelghbors
called at the home, including the mem
bers of the supreme court and old
professional associates of the de-
ceased.
Judge Pinney was born In Rockdale,
His father, Justin G. Pinney, was a
native OF Massachusetts and removed
TO Pennsylvania In 1916. His mothers
maiden name was Mary Ann Miller,
native OF Crawford county, Pennsyl-
vania, and Of German descent His
father, with his family, came to Wis
eonsin In 1916, settling in the town of
Windsor. The country was then new
and sparsely settled and young Pin
ney was for some time principally oc
cupied In improving and cultivatlng
his fathers farm. He had good
common school education, was toler
ably well supplied with books, was
great reader and had an excellent
memory. Commencing Mt tho age of
II he taught district school for three
winters. Having u prediction for
the legal profession he read law while
farming and teaching school until
April, 1853, when he entered the law
office OF Villas Il Remington In Mad
ison as student. From that time on
he devoted his time and attention ex-
clusively to tho law. In February,
1854, he was admitted to practice In
both tho circuit and supreme courts
and afterWard In the federal courts,
In May, 1854, he entered upon the
active duties OF his profession. He be-
gan his career in life single handed
and alone with no capital but his In
dustry and his unusual gifts Self re-
lance was the secret and source of
his success, In 1853 he was made city
attorney, in 1865 member OF the
city council and In 1869 was an unsuc-
cesaful candidate for attorney general
on the democratic ticket, In April,
1874. he was elected mayor of Madison
and In the following fall member OF
the assembly and in 1876 was re-elect-
ed mayor without opposition. In 1865
he prepared and attended to the pub
lication Of the sixteenth volume OF
Wisconsin supreme court reports, and
In 1870 was appointed special reporter
by the supreme court to report ana
publish the decisions OF the territorial
supreme court and the first supreme
period of from 1886 to 1853, and which
are contained in three volumes known
as plnneys Wisconsin reports. Mr..
Pinney became q Junior member of the
raw arm OF Villas. Roys 4 Plnncy in
which Judge Low II. Villas and Samuel
II. Roys were his associates. In June,
1856. Judge Villas retired from practice
and In 1857 Mr.. Roys was elected coun-
~ Judge which left Mr., Pinney alone
in practice,
In February, 1858, Mr.. Pinney be-
came partner with j, g. Gregory un-
der the name of Gregory n Pinney and
in October, 1869, Chaunccy Abbott be-
came associated with them when the
firm name became Abbott Gregory A
Pinney. In 1878 Mr.. Abbott withdrew
and Mr. pinney and Mr., Gregory re-
manned partners until 1879 when he
formed partnership with A. l.. san
born with the firm name of Pinney ~
Sanborn, On Jan, |, 1896, he sue
ceeded by election Judge orsamus
Cole on the supreme bench doing great
work as IL member Of that tribunal un"
til his retirement on Nov. 3, 1898
The traits Of Judge pinnoy were Il
quick perceptions; II subtle power o'
discrimination; sound, practica
Judgment and n wonderful memory
He was lucid, logical and torciblc
speaking directly to the points in thu
case and without ornament to diver
the mind from the subject matter III
was counsel in many large and i'm
portant cases during his years of prac
tice.
Judge Pinnoy was always demo
crat He was married March 3, 1856
Mt Colesburg Iowa, to Miss Mary NJ
Mulliken, Il native Of Farmersville
Cattaraugus county, N. y, who sur
wives him.
sSe Pinney also leaves sister
Mrs. Matilda Chamberlain of Windsor
whose daughter, Miss Martha l.. Cham
berlain, has been teaching In the Mad
ison schools and made her home wit
Judge and Mrs Pinnpy, being presen