Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-03-26
OREGON TODAY HONORS
ITS GRAND OLD MAN
Judge George H. Williams. Eighty
Seven Years ola. l. Guest Of
Honor at Banquet.

tTpftldl 20 lue NOVEL,
Portland or. March 26.-Oregon hon
ored its foremost citizen today when
notable banquet was given Judge
George II. Williams, the grand old man
Of the state. Eighty-seyen years old
today, Judge Williams has mind az
alert as the youngest practitioner at
the oregon bar. whore he still practises
Judge Williams Is the only surviving
member Of Gen Grants cabinet. hat
iug been attorney general His public
career is closely come ted with the de
yclopmcut OF the west and She story Of
his Ife is part of the history uf the
United states during the remarkable
changes OF the past bj years
Judge Williams WAS made one of the
first district judges OF Iowa lu iS4i lie
was presidential clcctor from Iowa for
Fidnklu Pierce He was named chief
justice of oregon territory In 1888
stephen A. Douglas secured his APP
poiutmcnt 60 this post from President
Pierce he was a member " the ro1-
vcntiun that formed the constitution
foi tine state OF Oregon and cha rmdn
Of tho conventions judiciary committee
Judge Williams was Initeu states SEM
atOr from oregon, WAS On u.u n- OF
the high Joint committee TO settle the
4htdN. .i.tt .i...If. tt.H.t" - coo a-t-
der President Grant ana althuu-h not
ana active candidate was almost elected
Co the United states supreme beach
More lately he has served as mayor OF
Portland, whore he lives quietly, &C.
vcred by every citizen.
Judge Williams was born In log
cabin near New London, y. y, in 1923
when years old, his father novel
into what was then wilderness in
western New York. Opportuuitic- Ion
education were few but the boy took
advantage of such as could be- hau and
when old enough. his parents sent him
10 Pompey Academy Pompey HUI
New York Here he studied law and
was admitted 10 the bar az Syracuse
when ~ years old.
Iowa territory was far away in 1874
but tho young lawyer determined To 500
west and grow up with the country
The trip was a long, tircsOmc ono.
From syracuse. Mr. Williams went 70
Buffalo ON the Erie canal, thence to
cleveland on the lake and 20 Pittsburg
ON the Ohio canal and by steamer down
the Ohio river to 81. Louis and then
up the Mississippi TO Fort Madison.
Mr. Williams entered on the practise
OF law and was successful HIS APP
pointment TO the state bench followed
three years after he arrived I'm Iowa,
and when appointed chief justice Of
fNIfkfNH Af'l iN''A y ll' was "' Nf'Nf 'i'Af
Judge williams and his wife came Co
oregon by the Panama route 30 years
ago.
Judge williams was am intimate
friend of Lincoln. taking many drives
and walks with him and often calling
az the White House for an Informal
chat Judge Williams being in Wash
ington as United states senator from
oregon when the most gentle man
of our age was assassinated, Senator
williams was "A member u the COM
mittee selected by the upper house Of
Congress 10 accompany the body 20
Springfield, nm.
Judge williams was a close friend uf
President Grant. being Of his official
family from 1871 90 20. When The
great general died. Judge Williams lie
llverod this tribute before vast audi
eucc gathered 10 honor his memory:
II believe IL to bee universally IRE
that the better Gen Grant was known.
the better he was liked. Those who
knew him best loved him most There
was nothing about him to Captivate he
fancy: he was not graceful In action
or refined iu his tastes he knew little
or nothing Of poetry and fine literature
and less. if possible. NJ music. lie
was "a strong, solid. robust man. HIS
nature was not the brilliant sparkling,
babblng brook. imparting music 10 the
ear and beauty to the eye but II was
more like the slo,t and steady river
whose force and power and value He