The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-19
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
The community was shocked this
morning to learn of the death of Judge
NJ. j. Severance, vet In measure il
was prepared to receive the sad news
because of the long and exhausting i'll
ness of the deceased, and the genera
fear that he would not be able to recOv
er.
Judge Severance departed this life a
fifteen minutes before ten O'Clock last
evening at his home on South Broad
street While the gOitre was the imme
date cause of his death, he was atflict
ed with a complication of diseases, anC
even before he left the bench had begun
to fail. For several months past he
had been failing rapidly, owing to the
growth of the goitre, which prevented
him from taking solid food, or more
than very little liquid food. He lost in
weight until he had fallen from 27G
pounds to less than 80 pounds. As it
became apparent that he had but two
or three weeks to live unless the goitrc
was removed, it was determined to risk
an operation, taking the chance of the
new lease of life that it might possibly
afford, or as an alternative accepting the
permanent relief from suffering that had
become almost unbearable.
Between nine and ten o'clock yester-
day forenoon, three physicians perform
ed the operation at the residence OF the
patient. While the operation was sue
cessful from the surgical point of view,
ha "a, Of tho natlapt NOT
such that he was able to rally. About
four o'clock in the afternoon he sank in
to a slumber that ended in his death.
Everything that medical science or the
tender SOlicitude of his family could
suggest was done for Judge Severance,
who himself decided upon the operation,
with the acquiescense of his family.
He breathed much easier after the
operation and seemed to be very COM
Portable. There was no shock, but lit
orally a giving away of the vital
powers, so that his heart. which al
ready had been very weak for ten
days past, grew gradually weaker I'M
Ill it stopped.
His Life Story.
Martin J. Severance was born Dec.
"a, 1926, at Shelburne Falls, Franklin
county, Massachusetts. His first Amer
lean ancestor, on his fathers side, came
from England to Massachusetts in 1896,
and his great grandfather, Martin Sew
GRANGE, made an honorable record as a
soldier in the French and Indian and
Revolutionary wars. His parents, Asa
and Calista (Boyden) Severance, were
worthy, thrifty farmers and their son,
Martin, remained on the farm until
eighteen years of age, attending the
country school in winter Six years
We're then spent completing his educa-
ton in the Franklin academy at Shell
burne Falls, and in Williston seminary
tnow Williston College,, East Hampton,
Mass. In lS49, he. went to Chicopee,
and for two years read law in the office
of Judge Wells, later on the Massachu-
sets supreme bench. After finishing his
law studies at the office of Beach &
Bond of Springfield, Mass. he was in
1854, admitted to the bar, and for two
years practiced his profession at Chico
pee. In May, 1856, he came to Mime
sofa and located at Henderson, where,
in the fall of that year, he was elected
county attorney of Sibley county, serv-
ing for two terms. In 1861 he was a
member of the state legislature.
August IA, 1862, he enlisted as private
in Company |, Tenth Minnesota Nolun-
teers, and served with his regiment in
the Sioux and Civil wars, making an eX-
cellent record for fidelity and courage,
and on April a. 1864, was promoted cap
tain of his company. When the war
closed, he resumed the practice of his
profession at lie Sueur and soon formed
a partnership there with Judge Caldwell.
In 1870 he came to MankatO, and was
associated for one year with o. o.
Pitcher, and then with ID. A. Dickinson
until 1875, when the latter was appoint
ed to the district court bench. In 1881,
he removed to st. Paul, and formed a
partnership with w. p. Warner, but
returned to Mankato in June of that
year to succeed Judge Dickinson, who
had been appointed on the supreme
court bench. He continued in the Judge