Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-11-08
Judge John Paul Dead.

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Judge John Paul, of the q. 8. Dis
7 trict Court for tue Western District n
Virginia, died at his home in Harri
r sonburg on Friday at noon, after a lon.
, illness, of Bright's disease and a com
pllcation of diseases. His funeral tool
place Saturday afternoon.
p John Paul was born in 1899 nea,
Paul's Mill in Rockingham county, Va
He was son of Peter Paul. now de-
| ceased, farmer we'll known in this sec
; ton of the Valley. His boyhood DAYS
were spent on the farm, working In
summer and attending district school
in winter. In 1859 go be taught school
for the purpose of securing means with
which to further pursue. his studies.
and in the fall of the latter year he en-.
tered Roanoke College, Salem, Va. At
the outbreak of the Civil War he left
college and was one of a number of
students who enlisted in the Salem Ar
tillery. After serving with that com
mand for twelve months he Joined the
Fifth Virginia Cavalry, with which
he continued during the remainder of
bis army service. He was 8 everely
wounded at Catlett g Station, previous
to the second battle of Manassas. In
1864 he was taken prisoner at the bat.
tie of the Wilderness and was confined
in Front Delaware until the close of
hostilities.
After the war he did not return to
college, but entered the law school of
the University of Virginia, where, in
1867, be graduated, and the same year
began the practice of his profession in
Harrisonbnrg. At the bar his ability
and personal popularity soon secured
him liberal practice, and in 1870 he
was elected Commonwealth g Attorney
for 1.-THE county of Rockingham. He
made fine record as a resoIute and
competent prosecuting attorney, and
ne was twice re elected to the office.
His taste for politics and his talent for
political leadership made him a promi-
nent figure in the early agitation of the
State debt settlement, and in 1877 he
became a candidate for the State SEN
ate. He carried his county by d good
majority and the following year was
nominated by the Readjuster party as
its candidate for Congress in the Sev-
enth District, having as his opponent
Judge John T. Harris, his townsman
and personal friend. Capt Paul had
an enthusiastic following in the dis
trict but Judge Harris was reelected.
Two years late he was again unani-
mously nominated for Congress by the
and this time he was sue.
cessful, carrying the district over
Judge Henry G. Allen, of Shenandoah
by majority of 725 In 1882
ne was nominated for second term.
COLONEL Charles 7. O'Ferrall was his
opponent. Paul was elected on the
ace OF the returns and received the
certificate. A contest was instituted
~ the Democrats, and Colonel OFFER
all was awarded the seat after Capt. 6
Paul has retired to accept the United s
states judgeship.
While serving his second term in a
congress, Judge Alexander Rives re-
ired from the United States District r
'ourt for the Western District of Vir- I
inia, and through General William Z
dahone's influence (then a senator a
rom Virginia) the appointment was II
endered to Capt. Paul by President v
lrthur, March, 1888. He went on the a
ench in the fall of 1883 and discharged
be duties of the office with marked
1dustry and ability until incapacitat- j
q by bis final illness.
Judge Paul was exceedingly happy
bis domestic life. His wife. who +
lrvives him, was Miss Kate s. Green. a.
Warren county, lady of fine liter
y talent. He leaves six children, the
dest daughter being the wife of u
reenlee D. Letcher, of Lexington. The =
hers are younger and at home.