The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-08-15
NUMBER I4z

CllrIGen years ago. JuQgo POag6 l6aVeS
no children, and so far as known, no
other close relatives. His step-son,
Milton Biggs, formerly of Roswell, is
thought to be in Southern New Mex
leo or Arizona
Judge Poage was one of the most
interesting characters of the South
west. He was easily tAe Oldest white
citizen of this part of the Territory,
and was the oldest practicing bsrris-
ter of New Mexico. He had been prac-
ticing law longer than any otner law
ger in Roswell has lived. He was born
in Augusta county, Va, Jan. L, 1917
He told many interesting events OF
his boyhood to his Roswell friends.
One of these was that at nine years
of age he remembered his father COM
ing home and telling of the death of
Thomas Jefferson, July 4, 1926. AnotA-
er was that when he was twelve. his
father took him down to the big road
and waited for the carriage of Gen.
eral Jackson to pass. When the car
riage came along the General shook
hands with the elder Poage, and when
the boy was presented, the General
remarked. well, he's a fine big fell
low"
Judge Poage was a graduate of
Virginia law school and studied after
the fashion of the old time barristers.
He came to Texas before the annexa-
ton and went to Austin when the
place was a small collection of build
ings and the state houses were made
of logs He practiced law there long
before the Civil War and took an ac-
tive part in the strife with Mexico.
being with with General Wool, it is
stated, at Vera Cruz.
AS a soldier in the Civil war Judge
Poage was a member of the Nine
teenth Texas Cavalry and served with
honor throughout the war He came
to Roswell about fifteen years ago,
being accompanied by his wife and
her son. He has always been highly
honored citizen.
Judge Poage was a lawyer of the
old school, well read and posted far
better in the principles of law tnan
he average lawyer of today. In tne
prime of his life he was a leader in
his profession in Texas. Since coming
to Roswell he has always been more
or less feeble, but it was never his
part to mention the fact or to com
plain il any way. He always walked
with the erect dignity of a prosperous
man of forty, and his fine old Virginia
gentlemanliness never left him. At
the last spring opening of court ne
walked into the room and up to the
bar with the bearing of a man in the
prime of life, and to have told him
that he was getting too old for prac-
tice would have been nothing less
than an insult. He was a man who
had every cause for discouragement,
but no one ever heard him indicate
in any manner tnat he did not have
every luxury His dignity and pride
would aot allow him to show any dis
content under any circumstances. Up
to the very last he read a great deal,
and always read the best.
Judge Poage was a brother-in-law
OF the idte congressman WALKER
from Virginia. He was a delegate
from Virginia to the Democratic con
vention that nominated James K.
Polk for president at Baltimore in
1874, and his first vote was cast for
Martin Van Buren. He was a lifelong
Democrat, a life long gentleman and
always an honored citizen.
The funeral will be neld tomorrow
afternoon at four O'Clock at the Epis-
copal church, Rev. E. Mcqueen Gray
of Carlsbad, officiating. The pail bear
ers will be selected as follows: Two
members of the church, S. P. Johnson
and NJ. B. Stockton two from the Bar
Association, J. T. Evans and G. A.
Richardson, and two from the ex- Con
federates, R. P. Bean and A. ]. Welter.
The members of the Bar are re-
quested to meet at the court cnam-
bers at $3.50 to attend the funeral in
a body.
The Sons and Daughters of the Con
federacy are invited to attend.