Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1922-02-16
Robert C. ysR :ker, Born in Sauk
County : ] ears, Passes Satur-
day Nj IL
SERVED ON BENCH
OF STATE MANY YEARS
Worked His Way Through School
and Reached High Tribunal
Through Effort

Robert George Si4becker, chief JUS
tice Of the Wisconsin supreme court,
died at this home on Gilman street in
Madison at midnight Saturday.
The announcement OF the death of
Chief Justice Siebecker, though not
wholly unexpected came as a shock to
the members Of the bar of the state
and particularly to his neighbors and
friends in Madison. He had taken to
his bed only two weeks ago, though an
operation in November had revealed
to his family the serious nature Of his
illness-a malignant growth,
To the last his mind was clear,
and he faced the end with the calm
ness and serenity that was character
istic of his whole life.
Beside the widow, three sons and a
daughter survive Justice Siebecker,
Carl the eldest, has made his home in
Montana for a number of years. DR..
Robert L. lives in Madison. Lee L.,
the youngest son. is a member of the
law firm OF Aylward, Davies, Olbrich,
Brown and Siebecker. Miss Flora
lives at home.
From the little farm home in a
German community in Sauk county
where he was born eighteen years
before. Robert George Siebedker
came to Madison fifty years ago with
the crude equipment that the country
school of the day could supply and
scarcely able to use the English Ian
guage, seeking an education. Here in
his chosen home without assistance
beyond that supplied by his own
earnestness Of purpose he worked his
way step by step until he became
chief justice of the supreme court of
his native state, and the recipient OF
the highest hOnOrs which a great uni
Yersity, his alma mater, could be
stow. So reads the bare record
and so will be read, for it is closed.
Born In Sauk County
Robert George Siebecker was born
in the town of Sumpter, Sauk county.
Oct II, 1854 the son of William and
Christiana Siebecker, pioneers of the
district. From earliest boyhood the
friends of those days say his ambi-
ton was to obtain a university edu-
cation and to enter the legal prOfes-
sion. To attain this ambition he over
came the greatest obstacles. AT the
age of Is years, having completed his
studies in the district school. he went
to Madison on borrowed funds to en-.
ter Professor Georges academy. Up
to this time he had but the crudest
knowledge Of English. Yet with this
handicap he undertook his work de-
termined to win his way. BY day, he
pursued his studies at the academy
where he also taught students of Ger
man in an effort to exc out his slen
der funds, and nights for hours at a
time he read aloud English master
pieces to perfect his pronunciation
1t was at the academy he first met
and formed life long friendship and
with another country boy, who, like
himself, was working his way through
the academy and preparing himself
for the university. This boy was
Robert NJ LaFollette, who was later
to become his brother-in-law.
After two years work in the ac&d
emy, young Siebecker was able to en-
ter the university where he made al
unusual record as a student He
graduated from the scientific depart
ment in 1878 and from the law de
partment in 1880. He had been admit
ted to the bar by examination a yea
previous to his graduation, in Sep
tember, 1879 and in May of the sam,
year he was married to Josephine L;
Toilette.
Form Partnership
Mr.. Siebecker's first law partner
ship was with Charles Dudley, bu
shortly after r. NJ. La Follette's ad
mission to the bar, the brothers-in
law Joined forces in the firm OF Il
Toilette and Siebecker. Samuel Hal
per later became a member Of thi
firm, and still later Judge Zimmerman
Continued on Page Two)