Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1919-10-27
PORTRAITS OF TWO
DISTINGUISHED SONS
Are Added To Gallery of Notables
In Madison Circuit Court
Room Monday Morning

when court convened Monday
morning. The portraits were
those Of w. H. Caperton and Col.
j. w. Caperton, father and son,
and in their day, two of the ablest
legal lights in this section of Ken
lucky. d
The presentation address was
delivered by Attorney A. R. Bur-
nam, Hon. w. B. Smith respond
ed on behalf of the bar, and Judge
W.. X. Shackelford accepted the
handsome portraits on behalf of
the court. In presenting the pic
kxes on behalf of the family of
i Y two distinguished lawyers
and citizens, Mr.. ,Burnam said:
"Whatever touches the life Of a
notable man deserves to be recorded
with care and solemnity."
1t is the wish Of Mrs. James w.
Caperton and Mrs. Paul Burnsm,
wife and daughter, Of the late Col.
James w. Caperton, to present to
this Court, Judge w. r. Shackelford
of the 25th Circuit, presiding, the
portraits in oil of Col. VIM. Il.
Caperton (1798-1862 and Col. Jas.
w. Caperton (1S24-1909); and in
so doing it is deemed appropriate to
submit the following facts:
Col. VIM. H. Caperton and his son,
Col. James w. Caperton practiced
law at the Richmond Bar from 1918
to 1909, period of 81 consecutive
years. Col. VIM. H. Caperton read
law under his maternal uncle, Archi-
bald Woods, one of the earliest
lawyers at the Richmond, Kentucky
Bar, and was admitted to the Bar in
1918. He died in 1862, his profess
sional career covering period of a.
years. Col. James w. Caperton, af-
ter receiving his education at Centre
College, Danville, Kentucky, took his
law course at Old Pennsylvania Uni
versity, Lexington, Kentucky, study
ing under Chief Justice Robertson,
Thos. A. Marshall, Aaron X. Wooley
and others. Soon after graduation
from Pennsylvania he was examined
by two Of the Circuit Judges of the
C Commonwealth, James Simpson and
Samuel Lusk, and on March 3rd,
1845 he was granted license to
practice law in the "inferior and
Superior Courts of this Common
wealth." He died at his residence,
Blair Park, in Richmond, KY, on April
10Th, 1909, still in the active practice
of his profession, which covered a
period of Ga years.
each generation is a connecting
link between the eventful past and
the unknown future, and no one
single expression can delineate the
features of truly comprehensive
character. For this reason it is well
in studying a life to look also to
those who have gone before. Both
father and son were born in Madison
County, Kentucky, descendants Of
families of Virginia, notable both in
the Colonial period of Virginia his
tory and through the century follow
ing the revolutionary war to the pres
ent time. Union, Monroe County,
Virginia, was the seat of the Caper-
ton family. Two Of the name came as
pioneers to KY, Adam and William
The name of Adam Caperton, broth
er Of William, the father of Col. VIM.
H Caperton, is enrolled among those
who gave their lives in bringing
civilization to Kentucky. He was
killed at the battle of "Estill's De-
feat" 1882; and Capt. James Estill
lost his life in trying to save that OF
his friend. The Capertons of Vir-
ginia chad large private and busi-
ness interests. In the years fol-
lowing the revolutionary war, Hugh
Gm3aS, son of Adam Caperton,
.peer to Kentucky, was one of
a. most prominent public men in
Virginia. He held many positions OF
public honor and trust, among others,
that of Representative in Congress
from what was known as the Green
Ebrier District" Of Virginia during the
troublesome era following the "War
IN 1922. He died in 1847. whilst
n congress he messed most of the
.inr& with Daniel Webster, for whom
he ever retained the highest respect
and w&,rmest regard. He was also
ne warkn admirer and devoted friend
,f Henry Clay, who made him visit
A. his house, "Elmwood" in Monroe
County, Virginia, not long before his
death, travelling two or three hun
ired miles frdm Washington for that
purpose" They late Major John Cap
erton of Louisville; Mrs. S. A. Pres
lon of Montgomery County, Virginia,
widow of Col. james Preston, son of.
Governor James Preston, of Virginia;
"a the Hon. Allen T. Caperton, who
Vas one of the MIDST illustrious Vir-
in the middle of the century
dying in Washington City in 1876
while a member Sof the United
States Senate--Mere children of this
Hon. Hugh Gaperton.
ALLEN T. Caperton, United States
Senator, enherited a vast landed es-
tate from his father; Was graduated
at Yale; and the late Gen. Cassius
NJ. Clay refers to him in his memoirs
as one of his own intimate friends
at Yale, mentioning also in this con-
nection, the grandfather Of the pres-
ent Nicholas Longworth Of Cincinnati.
In the later years Of the 1800's the
Hon. Edward Echols and the Hon.
Caperton Braxton were notable
of the Caperton fam
~ n Virginia, their mothers having
been daughters Of the Hon. Allen T
The former WAS an able