The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-08-10
LATE JUDGE CHARLES /.
WILKIN HONORED BY THE
STATE BAR ASSOCIATION


the chairman of the committee on le-
gal biography before the State Bar
association recently at it's annual
meeting at Colorado Springs.
1t is a memorial to the late Judge
Charles A. Wilkin. 1t will be printed
in the proceedings of the recent meet
ing and thus preserved for posterity ::
CHARLES ALBERT WlLkIN.
Charles Albert Wilkin was born at
Atkins, Ohio. November 9th, 1853,
and died at Canon City, Colo, January
2sth, 1916. He was educated in the
public schco:s of his native village,
where for short time he attended
Ohio university. later entered the Uni
versity of Wisconsin and was gradu-
ated from that institution in 1874. He
registered and studied law with Ma
tcr Charles Townsend at Athens. was
aGll tied to practice in Ohio on Sep
telnber 18th, 1879, came to Colorado
tne (, lowing spring and wls admitted
to the bar he reon June %, 1880. He
taught school with marked success be-
fore and after his graduation from the
university. In the fall of 1880 he re-
moved to Fairplay. Park county. Colo
RADIO, and entered upon the active
practice of his profession. In Sep
tember, 1882. he formed a partnership
ued until the fall of 1891, when the lat
ter was elected to the district bench
In 1882 Wilkin was chosen district
attorney of the then Fourth judicial
district, comprising the counties of
Park, Chaffee, Ell Paso, Douglas and
Elbert, and served in that capacity for
three years. declining nomination for
a second term.
In November, 1910. he was elected
judge of the district court of the Elev-
enth judicial district. composed of the
counties of Fremont, Park, Chaffee
and Custer, and for the remaining
two years of the unexpired term of
Judge Bailey, who resigned that of
fee in 1908 upon being chosen a jus
tice of the supreme court. In 1912
Judge Wilkin was elected to succeed
himself for term of six years, dur
ing which he died.
He was married on August 10th.
1887, to Sarah Chambers, Wisconsin
girl. who is also a graduate OF the uni
versity of that state. To Judge and
Mrs. Wilkin four children were born.
Dorothy, Charles. Juliet and Philip.
The son Charles died at about the age
of six years. The wife and three chill
dren survive him. He was a member
of the Loyal Legion, being entiasd to
that honor as the Oldest son. his faith
er. William p. Wiikin. having been a
captain in the First West Virginia
cavalry during the Civil war. He was
a member and former master of Doric
Lodge No. rs. A. F. & A. NJ, at Fair
play. and also a member of Canon City
Lodge No $40, B. P. o. f.
Judge Wilkin was a skilled and ac-
complished. lawyer, of great learning
and untiring industry. He loved the
profession and practiced 1t with the
utmost fidelity to his clients. He did
not know when he was beaten. indeed
he seldom was. and he never quit.
Notwithstanding his persistency and
intense zeal he always fought fairly
and in the open. never in the slightest
degree resorting to trick or subterfuge
to attain success. He was thorough.
knew his cases from the ground up
and was a master OF detail; nothing
escaped him. He was most resourceful
and was always prepared and ready to
meet and combat his opponent upon
every contention. He was eminently
successful in private practice and par
ticularly SO as prosecuting attorney.
indeed, he was one of the best trial
lawyers the state ever had. He brought
to the office of judge trained legal
mind, wide experience and a sense of
fairness and justice that qualified him
for the discharge of the duties of
that important trust. far SURPRISING
most who are thus called. He was
distinct ornament to the legal fra
ternity and in his career, both in prac-
tice and as public official, exempli-
fed those things only which are true.
just and good.
Judge Wilkin. in manner and habit,
was the personification of simplicity.
He was absolutely clean in thought,
word and deed, and his life was one
of unselfish service. In money mat
ters he was generous to fault, CIV
ing freely and with open hand, usu-
ally with little care as to the desserts