Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-03-20
In Memory Of Judge Geo. A. Wilson
SERVICES OF THE Bah IN TIE COURT
ON TUESDAY.

SERVICES OF THE BAR IN THE COURT
ON TUESDAY. !
In the Supreme Judicial Court at South
Paris at o'clock Tuesday afternoon the
regular order of court proceedings was
suspended to give opportunity for the
service of the bar in memory of Hon.
Geo. A. Wilson of South Paris, who died
March 4th. Hon. James s Wright,
chairman of the committee of the Oxford
Bar Association appointed to prepare
suitable resolutions, presented the reso-
lutions, speaking as follows:
Nay It please Your Honor:
By action of the bar of this county, 1t
becomes my painful duty to announce to
the court the death Of Hon. George A:
Wilson, one of its distinguished and
honored members, who died on the 4th
day of the present month. =
he was born In Turner, Maine, July
81, 1912, and was at the date of his de.
cease 83 years and nearly months OF
age. He graduated from Colby Univer-
sity in 1862, being then only 20 years Of
age, and the same year enlisted In 20. b,
2lst Maine Regiment, in the civil war.
serving about ten months, being one OF
the 800 volunteers who led the assault
on Port Hudson-known in history as
the "forlorn hope"
Returning to Maine at the close OF his
army service, he read law at Waterville
and was admitted TO the Kennebec bar in
1884. The next year, 1865, he came to
South Paris and opened law Office; and
for forty years he has practiced his pro-
fession in this village and been con-
spicuous figure, a strong and influential
man in the various walks of life, as citi-
zen, town officer, lawyer, referee, judge
of probate, and bank treasurer.
Forty years of an active, busy life, is
long space of time t, look back upon,
and consider its vicissitudes, its changes
and variations, its pleasures and its sor.
rows. He had seen nearly all the leaders
of the bar that were here when he enter.
ed the arena, young and ambitious
lawyer, pass ou. one by one till all had
gone, Walton, Virgin, Black, Hammons,
Hastings, Harlow, Aver, Frye, Gibson
Kimball and Andrews. He had seen
younger generation come and many o.
them 90, and now we pay our tribute o.
respect to the memory of him who hat
witnessed the coming and going of Sc
many others.
In 1884 Mr.. Wilson was appointed
Judge of Probate in this county, ano
held the Office by successive elections TO-
thirteen years, filling the Office with dig
nifty, and with that ability that character
lied all his official acts. He was recog
nized by his associates as a lawyer o
ability, possessed of clear and analyti
cal mind, able to master difficult lega
problems, and was at once clear head
ed, strong and influential lawyer. H
seldom took part in the trial of causes
That was not his forte. He was far bet
ter fitted for a judge than for an advo
cate.
A man of strong sympathies, generou
to Others faults, plain and unassuming
he lost no opportunity to act, whel
action was necessary for the welfare o
his town and the county which he served
For the past few years disease hat
somewhat impaired his strength, but til
recently his strong mind was active ant
unimpaired; but he has yielded to tina
inevitable call, and at time when NOR
years of usefulness would seem to be his
He is dead, in the prime of a manhood
|still rich in promise; and "like stated!
tree full of leaf, and bud, and flower
and fruit"
One by one the members of our pro
fession at this bar pass out and are gone
and may we so live, and SO conduct our
selves in our chosen labor, as to win tn
praise of our fellowmen and leave behint
footprints worthy for others to follow
that tributes of respect may be paid t.
our memory on account OF acts wei
done.
Lifel know not what thou art.
But this know, that thou and must part,
And when or where or how We met
own to mes secret yet.
Life! we've been long together,
Through pleasant and through cloud!
weather.
IT'S hard to part when friends are dear.
Perhaps twill cost sigh, q tear
Then steal aWay-give little warning.
Choose thine own time; say not "soo
But in some brighter cline bid me "Goo
Morning."
Mr.. Wright then presented the follow
ing resolutions, and moved their adop
ton:
Whereas, Death has again invaded tn
ranks of the Oxford Bar, and removed
one of it's valued and highly esteemed
members. We desire to place on recort
our deep sense of loss in the removal b.
death of Brother George A. Wilson, ant
that we may give some proper expression
of our appreciation of the loss this ba
has sustained, be it
Resolved, That his.death has removed
from our numbers distinguished mem
Der, strong and vigorous intellectually
and honored for his high attainment
and qualifications as a lawyer. Though
not an advocate in the line of oratory, b.
possessed the power and ability o
presenting arguments in writing, un
surpassed for soundness and logic, ant
reaching even to the sublime heights o
forensic power. He was good cOun
sellor, possessed of remarkably clea
and discriminating mind, and capable o.
analyzing and unfolding the most intri
cate legal problems. Always affable ant
courteous in his manner and conduc
toward the bar and the court, jus
Judge, a careful and painstaking coun
sellor, we shall miss his presence ant
mourn his loss.
Resolved, That we extend to his be
reaved family our deepest sympathy il
the great loss they have sustained, ant
that copy of these resolutions be for
warded to them as an earnest of our ap
probation of his worth.
Hon. John P. Swasey spoke as fol
lows: 1t is with deep feeling that take
part in these exercises. Forty-two years
ago or more I became member of thi:
bar. was young and inexperienced
and poorly prepared for the practice o.
this important profession. Shortly after
being admitted, Judge Wilson came to
the bar as practitioner 10 this county anG
located at South Paris, and for the forty
years of our practice, we have been
mutual friends; and | think l can say
while other members of the bar have
lived nearer to Judge Wilson's home and
have been more frequently in Judge
Wilson's Office and in his company and
society, that in some respects l have
been as near Judge Wilson in our pro.
fessional life as any other member of the
bar. have been associated with him in
numerous cases as counsel. have
tried cases where he appeared as counsel
on the other side and always found him
to be the same honest, honorable, and
conscientious lawyer that Brother
Wright has represented him to be; but
behind the earnest, active and sometimes
exciting experiences in court, l have
known the Judge, In the exchange OF
acts of mutual and sincere friendship.