Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-17
IN MEMORIAM.
Late Winfield Scott Choate
Honored by Bar.
Tribute to a Loved Brother by the
Lawyers Of Kennebec.
Resolutions Presented by Mr.. Cornish
Response Of Justice Whitehouse.

held at the court house, Mon
day morning, under the auspices
OK kennebec Bar association, of
which the deceased was men,
Der. At the opening of court Hon.
Leslie C. Cornish of Augusta. as
a member of the committee on resolu-
tons, spoke as follows:
May 1t please the Court:
In the early morning of Saturday.
June q, 1903, Hon. Winfield Scott
Choate. 4 respected member of this Bar
and the beloved Clerk of this Court
passed to higher life. He had been
contending against 4 fatal illness for
nearly two years, with sometimes an
apparent gaii. that gave us hope of re-
covery and again with q recurrence of
the malady that caused alarm. Within
n few weeks Of his death, however, we
realized that our hopes had been in
vain.
The members OF the Kennebec Bar,
with whom he spent his entire profess
sional life, desire to place upon the
records of this court Il simple but sim
cere tribute to his memory.
Brother Choate was born in White
field. Maine, April Is. 1850. on a farm.
where had lived his ancestors for three
generations. He secured his education
at the common schools and at kent's
Hill Seminary supplemented by the
drill and experience that came to him
as teacher himself in, the schools OF
Maine. At the age Of twenty. he came
to Augusta and entered upon the study
of law in the office of Hon. Artemus
Libby. then one of the leaders of this
Bar, and afterward for many years Il
distinguished Justice of the Supreme
Judicial Court. He remained in this
office one year and then entered Har
ward Law School, from which he grad
uated with the degree of L. l.. B., in
June, 1872. In March, 1872, while still
at the Law School. he had passed the
examinations and been admitted to the
kennebec Bar. After graduation. he
returned to Augusta and Immediately
formed Il partnership with his former
instructor, Mr.. Libby, the firm of Libby
Il Choate continuing until the fall of
1873, when it was dissolved and Brother
Choate continued thereafter in practice
alone. In 1874, he was elected City
Solicitor and held the office at various
times for nine years. a longer period
that any other Solicitor in the history
of the city, i fact which itself proves
his ability and faithfulness in that ca
pacity.
His work, however, was not confined
within the narrow limits of profess
sional or an official life. He identified
himself with the business. fraternal
and religious activities of the city and
state and was an leader in all. During
the years 1896 and 1887. he was called
to the office of Mayor of Augusta and
discharged it's duties to the satisfaction
of the public and with great credit to
himself. He was for many years closely
connected with the volunteer militia OF
Maine, beginning as Il private III 1857
and rising by frequent promotions until
in 1889 he became Lieutenant Colonel
OF the First regiment and also served
for several years as inspector general
upon the staff Of Governor Cleaves.
He was a firm believer in the broad
principles of masonry and in influential
member of the great Masonic bodies
of the State being honored i'll 1901 with
the office of Grand Master Of the Grand
Lodge of Maine.
n,lian and was one of the strong sup
porte:'s of ST. Marks Episcopal church
in this city for more than twenty years.
AS lawyer Brother Choate was
equipped in Il remarkable degree. HIS
mind worked naturally along legal lines.
He seemed to have an intuiuve sense
of what the law ought to be and his
reasoning was logical and sound. lie
was what we of the profession, call q
strong lawyer. not brilliant with flashes
of genius, but possessing that Well
balanced strength that is equal TO every
occasion and that can be relied on
when genius has fed the field. He did
not care so much as some for the stress
and competition of an active profess
sionrl life but had be been so situated
that great professional responsibilities
had been placed upon him, he would
have met them with confidence and
have carried them with success. His
mind was essentially judicial and sup
plemented by temperament always
even and u purpose always honest. ne
would have filled position upon the
Bench with conspicuous ability.
In his position as Clerk OF Courts,
Brother ChOate was recognized not on
~ here but throughout the State as
without a superior and almost without
n peer. Familiar with all tine duties.
prompt and accurate In their discharge.
and courteous to everyone with whom
re came III contact, he was indeed 4
model officer.
But it was as man and as friend
that Brother Choate stood pre-emi-
nent. In all the varied social, business
and professional relations in which he
was placed, he won friends by the
score and never offended or lost sin
gle one. Not that he was timid in
thought or in action. He WIS too in
dependent and positive for that; but
he was singularly free from, envy and
prejudice and always looked at men
and at things with a sweet charity all
too rare. His was the pleasant word
and the reasonable act. He was true.
sincere and honest, honest in thought.
honest in act and we, who have been
thrown into such intimate relations
with him, came not only to respect but
to love him. Taken from US when his
life work seemed but half completed
NO mourn hin. and shall continue to
mourn him with the tendereSt recol-