The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-06-17
TRIBUTE To WILSON
LATE JUDGE HONORED BY MEM
BERS OF THE BAR
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
Memorial services in honor of the
late Judge Thomas Wilson We're held
in the Supreme Court room. st. Paul,
yesterday afternoon.
C. W. Bum, general counsel OF the
Northern Pacific railroad, read the fol-
lowing memorial:
"The Hon. Thomas Wilson, once
associate Justice and the second Chief
Justice of this court, died in st. Paul
on the third day of April last. His
eminent services TO the people OF MIN
nesota. as Justice of this court, as
legislator and as a lawyer, make 1t mt
that record be made of those services.
Judge Wilson was born in County
Tyrone, Ireland, May To- 1927. When
twelve years old he emigrated with his
parents, who settled on farm in Ven
angO county, Pennsylvania, where
Thomas lived alternating working on
the farm and attending the common
school. until he was twenty years of
age He then entered Allegheny col
lege, graduating in 1852. Then com
mencing the study of law in Mead
vile, Pa he was there admitted to the
bar in 1853. Two months later he re-
moved to the territory of Minnesota,
where he commenced his professional
life at Winona.
Member of the Constitutional COnven-
ton.
He was member of the constitu
tional convention of 1857. and i'll the
fall of that year became district judge
of the Third district, which office he
held for six years. He was appointed
by the Governor an associate Justice
Of this court, and in the subsequent
autumn-lS64 was elected chief justice
This office held four years and
"A half, resigning in July, 1869. to re-
sumo practice He was a member OF
the house of representatives OF the
state in 1851 and of the State Sen
democratic nominee for United States
senate. and declined a nomination to
congress in 1884. In 1856 he was elected
to congress where he served one term.
In 1890 he was the candidate OF the
Democratic party for governor OF
Minnesota.
I'm the autumn of 1892 Judge Wilson
was appointed general counsel of the
Chicago, st. Paul. Minneapolis and
Omaha Railway company and there
after lived in st. Paul. active in profess
sional duties up to the very day of his
a..
of IL. d. from Allegheny college,
and the same degree from Manchester
college in 1892.
Prominent in States Affairs.
For forty five years he was prom
inent in the affairs of Minnesota,
standing in the foremost rank of the
legal profession OF the state. During
much of this time he commanded an
unsurpassed clientage and was engaged
in much of the most important It'll
CATION \ sound constitution and alb
stemious habits extended his active
and useful life beyond the ordinary
Exemplary living preserved his health
and physical and mental faculties I'M
impaired to the end. And without
exaggeration it may be said that every
day of his long life in Minnesota pro-
duced fruits of his unfagging industry.
Good mental and physical equipment
was in Judge Wilson supplemented by
industry, capacity for work
tenacity of purpose and loyalty to his
clients. But he was more than a
Judge and lawyer, he was a loyal and
generous friend good neighbor and
good citizen. He was more than stu
dent of the law and an advocate for
his clients he was a lover of Justice,
considered much the public good and
stood for that even against the inter
ests of clients
Addresses were made by other mem
bers of the bar, among them being c.
c. Wilson John W.. Willis and William
ID. Mitchell.
All the judges of the supreme court
were present and the court room was
filled with friends of the late Judge
Wilson.