The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-14
JUDGE MUNSON DEAD
Former Law Partner of Judge Sheldon Passes Away at
 Age of Eighty-six.
APPOINTED BY LINCOLN
End Came Yesterday at the Home of His Son-in-Law in This
 City.

The Honorable Lyman E. Munson. of his son-in-law. pr. Thomas H. Rus sell in the s7th year of his age.
 Hon. Lyman E. Munson was born at Great Harrington in 1922, son of Cap tain Gilbert Munson, a direct descend ant of Thomas Munson, who came from England in 1637 and settled in New Haven. and Esther Stanton. daughter of Colonel Elijah Stanton, descendant of Thomas Stanton, who came from Eng land in 1885. and was one of the found CTS of Stonington, Conn. His paternal and maternal grandfathers were in the revolutionary war from start to the finish His greatgrandmother was sister of President Stiles of Yale col lege.
 Preparatory courses of study were taken in the Great Harrington schools and later in Lenox academy, Mass, III health intervening college course was suspended. Health in measure pelns restored he took a course of law stu dies in the Yale Law sunool, graduated with honors, admitted to the bar In New Haven county. in 1851 and at once entered into relations for the practice of law with the Hon. Henry Dutton, then one of the law professors-lateT governor of Connecticut-and Judge or the supreme court of Connecticut This association continued a number of years with q large clientage Of important cases ranging over different counties Tn the state. In 1859 he formed law partnership with Joseph sheldon un- der the firm name of Munson ana @ Sheldon During this association the firm had at one time the largest clVli court docket of any law firm Tn New Haven county.
 His professional career was eminent. lv successful and covered Wlde rang e of practice. In 1865 he was appointed hv President Lincoln United States fudge of the supreme court for the ter ritory of Montana. Accepting the ap- pointment he started for Montana py steamer from St. Louis. Not court had then been organized in his Judlciai district. which embraced a territorial area larger in extent than all the six New England states combined me work of building up and establishing its Judicial fabric was largely the worK of its judges, members of the legal pro fession and executive officers whu worked in harmony for it's accomplish . ment. Many complicated questions in cident to the settlement of new country without statutory laws and Ju- dicial precedents arose in the trial of causes before him. On the bench Judge Munson illustrated the high qualities of the American jurist, bringing to the discharge Of official duties a mind. well stored with legal precedents and fami- liarity of practice. which gave easy working order in the courts, and added Judicial strength to his decisions-not one of which was ever overruled by a higher tribunal During his residence in Montana he had the satisfaction of wit messing the marvellous growth Of wealth and population in the territory, the establishment of good order, peace, 1uiet within it's border-the machinery of government in good working order %law respected. churches built, schools established and society settled on a firm, attractive basis.
 Judge Murson was an early advocate of the Northern Pacific railroad, and his papers upon that subject. publish