Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 191?-19??, 1914-12-10


student of the law, and as early as
1855 was one of the best lawyers of
the State. Judge Strong once told me
That when he came to the bar of
Goldsboro, a few years after Mr..
Dortch, die regarded him as one OF
the best informed lawyers that he had
ever seen. Mr.. Dortch was a man
of great vigor of intellect, strong COM
mon sense n practical judgment; a
wise counselor in his Office, noted for
the careful and thorough preparation
OF his cases., for consummate manage
ment IN the court, master of the art
OF examining and crosS-eXamining wit
nesses, exhibiting great power of pre-
senting the law n the evidence to
the court and jury. I have known
some lawyers who surpassed him in
some one or more of these qualities,
but taking him all in all, 1 have
thought that he was the best lawyer
l ever knew. No man has lived in
Wayne who gained in so great a de-
gree the confidence and respect of all
classes of it's citizens. Three of his
sons,NI F. Dortch, w. T. Dortch and
- Dortch, have been members of
this Bar.
William T. Faircloth, who was long
one of the most prominent practition-
ers at this Bar, was a native of Edge
combe, a diligent and careful lawyer
of good judgment, who when aroused
presented his cases to the jury with
much vigor. He was at one time
solicitor of this district, served as a
member of the Constitutional Conven-
Justice of the Supreme Court from
To
was elected Chief Justice of the Su-
preme Court in 1894, and served from
January, 1895, to his death in Deem
Der, 1900. His opinions are usually
brief, clear and strong. His excellent
common sense enabled him to see
and present the determining princi-
pal of the case, and to fortify his de-
cision by the citation of the authori-
ties sustaining it. In this last posi-
ton he won much reputation among
the lawyers of the State.
H. F. Granger, a native Of Greene
county, associated with John w. Bry-
an, was doing a practice almost equal
to that of William T. Dortch. He
served as a member of the House at
the session of 1881. Mr.. Granger was
a sound lawyer, careful n indus
trious, and an advocate of real
strength. He was one of this strong
array who died in the year 1894.
e John w. Bryan, his partner, a native
of Wayne, a quiet, studious lawyer,
who was not attracted to the contest
of the court room, devoted himself to
the study of the law and the business
of the office. It was the general i'm
preston of the young men who came
to the bar hat his opinion on a legal
question was as valuable as that OF
any of his associates. On account OF
ill health, he retired from the pracA
tice about the year 1887. He served
as a member of the House at the ses-
sion of 1891.
In 1881, when 1 came to the bar, the
officers Of this court were w. T. Vel
verton, clerk, and D. A. Grantham,
sheriff. I have already spoken at some
length Of Sheriff Grantham. w. t.
Yelverton belongs to one of the old
est families in the county, and is a
man of intelligence and high character
and one of the best officials I have
ever seen. He taught me about all 1
ever knew about the probate practice
in his court. He soon after retired
from office and with w. H. Smith
formed the hardware business OF
Smith & Yelverton, to which on the
death of Mr.. Smith, he succeeded.
Stephen w. Is1er, one of h most
eccentric but kindest of men, was a
great student and for many years read
law for about fourteen hours a day.
1t was said that he had read, among
other things, the Revised Statutes OF
the United States including every de
cision cited in them. He was excep-
tional in being a man OF large prop
erty, the management of which en-
crossed much of his attention. He al
forwards removed to Kinston where
he has recently died.
George V. Strong, a native of Samp-
son, had shortly before [ came to the
Bar removed to Wake, retaining, how
ever, his practise at this Bar which
he always attended, and at which he
was a great figure. Shortly thereafter
he formed a partnership with Chas'
B. Aycock and F. A. Daniels which
lasted until 1886 or 81. He was q
gentleman of fine manners, a mos
Industrious lawyer who never rested
content until he had seen and thor
oughly examined every authority on
every side of every proposition. His
acute and somewhat subtle mind en-
ab1ed him to see a subject at so many
angles that there resulted sometimes
an uncertainty of conviction, which.
however, did not initiate against his
eloquent and persuasive presentation
of his views to the court. He was
not the equal of Mr.. Dortch in the
practical management of his cases,
| but I have never known his superior
in the domain of law. He surpassed
all his associates in literary attain
ments, and in beauty and felicity OF
speech. In his youth he was a poet
and published a volume of verse about
which later he became sensitive and
endeavored to recall from circulation
He afterwards represented the county
of Wake in the House, and served as
| Judge of the criminal court of that
county.
Smedes was at that time in the full
meridian of his powers. A man OF
great ability, fine judgment and thor
oughly immersed in the study, of the
law. He read law, talked law, thought
g. H. ~-I