The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-16
Judge David Clopton.

virginia.
 Judge David Clopton.
 David Clopton, who departed this life Feb. 5, 1892. was born in Putnam County, Georgia, son of pr. Afford Clopton and Sarah Kendrick, his wife. He graduated from Macon Randoiph College, in Virginia. in 1S40, with nrst honors, and valedictorian, read law Tn Macon, under A. H. Chapel. was ad- mitted to the bar at age of 21 ana oe- gan practice in Griffin, Ga but eigh- teen months later came to Tuskegee, Ala, where he practiced law until the outbreak of the war. In 1S5O-6O ne represented his district in the House or Representatives at Washington and was a seeding member in 1881. In that year he entered the 12th Alabama as a private, but in the fall was, with | out his knowledge. sent to the Confed- crate Congress. In which he served un- | til the collapse of the Confectionery, af- ! ter which he resumed the law in Tus- | kegee. In his earliest location in this village he was closely associated with A gifted and glorious scion of Hu- guenot family. who he loved as brother, their offices adjoining and ie- l gal cards In juxtaposition, inviting the patronage of the public. At that pe- | riod the favorite drink of fashionable | young men was called Tom and Jerry
 and daily these two young gentlemen | m their way to dinner would refresh | themselves with a glass or this delec-
 table beverage, alternating in the pay
 ment thereof. One day, said Juoge | Clopton, T found myself looking at
 my watch to see If 1t were not time
 for Tom and Jerry. At the moment, | a sense of shame overcame me and
 seemed to feel a hand on my shoulder
 and to hear a voice in my ear warning | me of the evil, 1t were as 1T an anger
 held me in it's keeping! Then, and
 there, I resolved never another Tom and Jerry" When my friend called
 out for me told him my resolve at
 which he laughed, then scorned and
 scoffed. nor could my importunate en-
 treaties avail aught to save him, TOT he who would have dignihed ana
 adorned the ermine, filled in few
 years an inebriate's grave, "unwept'
 unhonored and unsung."
 Nor did Judge Ciopton, during that first year, obtain single case, till as
 late as November. an old friend gave a
 case involving a yoke of oxen. which
 the young aspirant winning before that able turist Judge George Gold 1 thwaite, was elated on being compll-
 mented by him, for tapping him on the
 shoulder, on adjournment, he said You were concise and strong, you VII ripen into a fine lawyer" Judge Clop' 7 ton often referred to these words oi praise, saying they were worth thou sands of dollars to him. He often as ) sured me that he valued that one veal above rubies, for in it he laid the foun' dation of his signal success at the bar he mastered the text books as he ha6 his horn book at school. and when th' | knowledge gained was required. 1t wal ! ready.
 u In 1860 Judge Clopton removed tt Montgomery, forming a law partner 5 ship with George w. Stone and Jamei H. Clanton. Later the firm became 'Clopton, Herbert & Chambers" MT
 Herbert becoming a member of MT : Cleyeland's cabinet, 1878 found Judg' Clopton speaker of the House of Rep resentatives in the Alabama Legisla ture,, elected by exclamation, and il :, 1884, on the bench of the Suprem Court. which position he occupied ant
 adorned when the inevitable hour
 summoned him. ,O.,.
 Governor Watts said of him: "Davi'
 Clopton was as near a perfect man a I never knew. His mind was great Il intellectual power. His heart wa g nure as new born snow. I neve - knew him utter an unkind word. Al e his noble qualities of head and hear e were magnified and adorned by hi d sincere devotion to his duties as - Christian"
 It Judge Stone said: He was grea a advocate an able and distinguishe 'f Judge. he was equally the model hus e hand and father. learned to knoN 5: him we'll and to know him. was to lov II him."
 o Tennant Lomax (peace to his ashes