The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-10
KINGMAN IS GONE.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

of his age. and who, for nearly half a
century honored Kansas with his citizen
ship died last evening at his home in
this city. The state of Kansas that al
ways loved him. and that always had
reason for loving him, today covers MS
still hands, with flowers cast by its low
ing hands. And there will be like trib-
uteS of respect and love from all over
the United States. He lived an exalted,
pure and stainless life, and died in his
green old age, calmly and serenely as
a flower might close at set of sun He
mingled in the politics of the state; ne
helped mould the plastic conditions of
a newly organized state into laws that
rang trumpet toned for liberty and or
der. that are creditable to the highest
and most advanced civilization; he was
"a pioneer in the steady course and way
of empire here; he was given high
position Of trust; he held high office He
turned back his trusts. administered
with high fealty to the people; he gave
up his high office after making it re-
splendent with his wisdom and his own
private virtues. In the fulneSS of age,
no sense or faculty impaired, surround
ed by mis- family, in the strong posses
sion of everybody's affection, love and
respect, he placidly. sweetly closed his
eyes and may not know that what we
write here. eacn line is traced in tears.
Judge Kingman was born in Worth
tngton- Mass, June 20, 1918. He had
only the advantage of a common school.
He went TO Kentucky before he was of
age, becoming a county attorney there,
and was elected to the Kentucky legis-
lature for the years 1S49, 1850 and 1851.
He removed to Iowa and late in 1856
came to Brown county, Kan. He was
admitted to the bar in Kentucky and
continued in the practice at Hiawa tina
In 1859 he was elected a delegate to
the constitutional conventions; his genius
and handiwork are traceable all the
way through the noble instrument en-
acted by that body. He was elected to
bench
position of associate justice for four
years and the reports for that period
disclose that Judge Kingman wrote the
decisions in many grave question on
the constitution and its construction,
all of which are quoted as the law to-
day. He was elected chief justice of the
supreme court in 1856, and was again
elected and resigned in 1877 in cOnSe-
quence of delicate health rather than
illness. He has been prominently and
closely connected with the State His
torical society and was it's first preSi-
dent He has been president of the
State Bar association, and in a num-
Der of matters of public Importance
and great civic concern he has taken
part during all the years of his citizen
ship in Kansas, up to the time of his
death.
He was a member of the St. Ananias
club, a homely old-fashioned club, COM
posed of his old timed friends and ac-
quaintances. and whose rooms he fire.
quented down to almost the very END
and shore of time. Here were daily
acquaintance and friendships and in
fimacies that death will not break, and |
the pleasant story and harmless Cos
sip concerning Judge Kingman will |
flow out from the rooms of this strange |
" named club into the history of the 1
state
Kingman county and the city of King /
man are named in his honor. He sur +
vived two chief justices. Horton and 1
Martin. who came on the bench after /
him OF the fifty-two delegates to the /
convention ne survived near !
" all of them He married in 1874 and 4
his widow and two daughters. Lucy d. 1
Kingman and Mrs. Lillian Butterfield, 4
survive him.
And here. for a time. we say, Judge 4
kingman, goodbye. 1t is a good and I
glorious thing to live the life as he 4
lived it. There can be no tenderer re- /
than that of Judge Kingman
as we all knew him. There was no I
grossness of fiber in him, no avarice nor |
nor littleness. Regardless of /
his delicate health and advanced age,
his cheerful. sunny disposition, his un-
failing consideration for others, made |
him the friend. companion and loving
associate of hosts of young men and |
women whose hearts are sad because
the dear. delightful man is dead. 1t is
a recompense for dying. that honor is
Increased and high citizenship advanced
membered story of his life. Each word
of these poor lines is written with the
heart holding the pen.