Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-03-24
OUR LAWYERS
IN EARLY DAYS
D. D. Chase Appointed District
Judge in 1856 by the Governor
to Succeed Judge Porter.
THE WEBSTER CITY BAR.
As Reviewed in The Freeman in
1867-Not Many in Num-
bers, but Very Strong.
THE WEBSTER CITY BAR.

| from the History or hamilton
County by F. @. and j. w. Lee:
About the first of January, 1866
Judge Porter resigned the Office OF
district judge to take effect on Feb
ruary LIST. Judge D. D. Chase of
Webster City, who was district at
torney, also resigned at the same
time to take effect with the resigna-
ton of Judge Porter, and he was, by
the governor of the state, appointed
district judge to fill the vacancy
caused by the resignation of Judge
Porter, while Hon. John H. Bradley,
of Marshalltown, was appointed dis
trict attorney. The first term of
court with these new officers occur
red in May, 1866. There were
twenty-eight cases on docket for dis
posal with the following lawyers
present to assist them viz; N. B.
Hyatt, W. J. Covil, G. D. Sutton, J.
Skinner, D. D. Miracle, G. B. Pray,
and w. r. Daniels, all of this coun-
ty; while from abroad, were j. H.
Bradley, John Porter, of Eldora; ].
F. Duncombe and J. D. Springer, of
Fort Dodge; J. A. Hull, of Boone;
D. o. Finch and J. M. Elwood, of
Des Moines, showing very conclus-
lively that whatever this new coun-
try was deficient in it was not de-
ficient in lawyers. Col. Chas. A.
Clark came soon afterwards, making
one more, and year later the Free
man contained the following de-
scriptive notice of the legal talent
of the county which is graphic and
amusing enough, to those who knew
them at the time,t to bear repeat
ing:
Our Bar-The illegal brother
hood of Webster City is composed
! almost exclusively of young men,
ranging in age from twenty-three to
| thirty-five years. Jacob Skinner,
Esq, is the only one of the bar on
whose brow the "frosts of many
winters have settled
N. B. Hyatt, probably thirty
three, is next on the roll. He is
tall, fair-haired, gray-eyed man,
supports long gray coat "all but
toned down before and a thimble-
skein hat; is a good lawyer and a
clever fellow.
Col. Chas. A. Clark is probably
about two or three years the junior
of Mr.. Hyatt; is a man of medium
height, rather spare form but is full
OF Yankee fire and vim when stirred
up. The colonel supports rather an
unmanageable goatee and mustache
of light bay color" and is very
affable and courteous gentleman.
and first-rate lawyer.
G. d. Sutton, about thirty years of
age, is a stout, thick-set limb of
the law and works hard for his
clients; he cuts his hair and whis-
kers (the latter of the sandy order)
short, and exhibits great power Of
endurance and susceptibility toI
mental labor.
Next comes Mr.. D. D. Miracle,
whom we should take to be about
twenty Eight years Of age. He is of!
slender form, black hair and beard
and keen black eye, and before he
was married was considered the
handsomest young man in town. He,
is energetic and prompt and applies
himself earnestly to his profession.
And now we come to the good
natured and industrious w. J. Covil.
He with the rosy cheek and bright
yaller hair and nary whisker,
but is great favorite among the
ladies. He is a close student and
is ambitious to make of himself a
thorough lawyer and that he will
succeed there IS no doubt.
The last on the list is "Gib" Pray,
who has been in the practice but a
short time. He is the youngest
member of the bar and has the
ability to make good lawyer of
himself Glib amt married yet
but then there's no telling what may
happen to a good-l looking young
man in this country where there are
so many blooming prairie flowers"
when we recollect that every Mary
gold has her Johnny-jump-up.-
Freeman, May Is, 1867.
Mr.. Hyatt came in February,
1866, Mr.. Sutton came a little be-
fore that time, Colonel Clark came
in the fall of that year, while Covil.
Skinner, Miracle and Pray had been