Wayne County
History & Genealogy
Do you have information you would like to add? Contact me and I will add them!
Information from:
ILLUSTRATED AND DESCRIPTIVE SKETCH BOOK
OF
Wayne County, Illinois
By Paul F. Campbell 1903
Transcribed by Laurie Selpien
1903 Lawyers Of Wayne County, Illinois
County Clerk
Mr. Anderson is a native and life resident of Wayne County. He was born on a farm in Arrington Township, August 4, 1857. After taking advantage of the common schools of the county for his own education he began to prepare himself for the work of a teacher and was engaged in teaching school before he was nineteen years old. This he followed for about twelve years. He farmed then for a time in the west part of the county, next he opened a livery stable at Wayne City, which he conducted for several years and aspiring to the office of County Clerk, made the race last fall and was elected to that office November 4, 1902. Our subject is the son of Stephen and Poly Ann Anderson. He was married August 12, 1884, to Miss Virginia D. Crask, of this county. They have three children living, Two daughters – Carry and Nora - and one boy - Walter. Mr. Anderson has become acquainted with the new duties involved upon him and is making the county a valuable official and the people are not ashamed of their choice at the polls.
Attorney at Law
As a member of the Wayne County Bar this name appears in this section. Mr. Burgess is a native of the county in which he resides. He was born December 6, 1866, and is the son of John H. and Mary C. WILLIAMS Burgess, both of whom came to this county from the state of Tennessee in 1852. After completing the common schools of this county our subject attended Haywood college, then of this city, but was later destroyed by fire and never rebuilt. He then prepared himself for the profession of teaching, was engaged for nine consecutive years in school work, studying law during the latter years of that time and was admitted to the Bar in 1895. In 1898 Mr. Burgess began the practice of law in Fairfield and in 1900 made the race for State’s Attorney on the Democratic ticket, but was defeated by a very small majority, the county going Republican. Mr. Burgess was married December 27, 1893, to Miss Lillie HARLAN, of this county, and to this union have been born two boys and three girls all of whom are living. He is at present City Attorney of Fairfield and it may be said that no man is more assiduous in the study of his profession, always on the alert, full of courage as he battles for the success of his clients. He is just, generous and fair in his professional dealings and espouses every undertaking with energy and enthusiasm.
Justice Illinois Supreme Court
Was born in Fairfield, Illinois, October 19, 1843 and has since continuously had his home at the place of his birth. He served as State’s Attorney of Wayne County, Illinois, from 1872 to 1876, as Judge of the County Court from 1877 to 1881, as one of the Judges of the Second Judicial Circuit of Illinois from June 1885 to June 1897, and the latter six years of that period served as one of the Justices of the Appellate Court for the 3rd (Springfield) District of the State of Illinois for a term of nine years and in June 1900, was elected Chief Justice of the said Supreme Court.
Attorney at Law
Near Covington, Kentucky may 4, 1852, the subject of this sketch was born. He came to this county in 1862 with his parents, Thos. W. and Phoebe CURRY Elliott, and has since made this his home. He was united in marriage, June 12, 1888, with Miss Edith COOPER, of this city. Their home is graced by one little girl five years old – Edith Cooper Elliott. Mr. Elliott deals extensively in real estate, not only handling property for others but buys and sells a great amount of reality on his own account. He has been very successful, both in the practice of law and the management of his other business and has proven himself very efficient in both. He is the present secretary of the Farmer’s Insurance Company of Wayne County and has been ever since it’s organization in 1889. Mr. Elliott has been closely connected with many of the improvements on real estate in and around Fairfield. He has built a great many houses, barns etc., and is a large real estate owner. He also makes loans on good real estate or personal security. Any one having either farm or city property to sell or exchange will do well to put in the hands of A. M. Elliott.
County Judge
Judge Holt, a native of Indiana, was born July 14, 1864, at New Albany, Indiana, but has spent the greater part of his life in Wayne County, having come here at the age of ten years. Early in life our subject chose the profession of law and begun to prepare himself accordingly. At the age of twenty-one he was admitted to the Bar and about the same time began teaching school, which he did for five years in Wayne County. At the end of that time, or in 1891, Judge Holt began the practice of Law in Fairfield and is known by the members of the local Bar as a careful legal adviser, a thorough student of the law and a strong argumentative opponent. At the ballot box on the 4th of last November a majority of the voters of Wayne county chose him to fill the office of County Judge, which office he occupies at the present time with due credit to himself and satisfaction to the people who put him there. Judge Holt was married to Miss Ella C. Patterson, of this city. To them have been born four children, all of whom are living but one, who died at the age of about three years.
Attorney at Law
The subject of this sketch is one of the older representatives of the Wayne County Bar, having been engaged in the active practice of law in Fairfield since 1872. He is vice President of the Fairfield National Bank and his office is located in the first room north of the bank building.
Fairfield Illinois
John Keen, the subject of this sketch, was born in Hickory Hills Township, Wayne County Illinois, October 29, 1837. He was born and raised on
a farm and his education advantages were limited to what is now termed the
common school coarse. In his youthful days, there was no free school system in
operation, and the only means of gaining an education for a poor boy, was a
subscription school, and the country being new and very sparsely settled, it
was some times quite difficult to get subscribers enough to justify a teacher
opening a school. Many of the young teachers, so called, were totally
incompetent to teach even what are now known as the common school branches; but
with all his disadvantages, Mr. Keens succeeded in acquiring a fair common
school education, which he has subsequently supplemented, by a diligent coarse
of reading, principally along historical lines. He is quite proud of his
Diploma, from the Chautauqua Library and Scientific Circle, which he obtained
by completing the prescribed coarse in August, 1893. He is a great admirer of
the Chautauqua Coarse, and although past sixty-five years of age is this year
pursuing the coarse. He has an excellent family library, comprised principally
of historical and reference books. He taught a few terms of school in his
younger days. On April 7th, 1859, he was united in marriage with
Miss Martha Atteberry, a neighbor girl, who has proved to be to him a most
excellent companion. To this union five children have been born, two boys and
three girls. Two of the girls died in infancy. The other three children, Isaac
N., Asa F. and Harriet L. have all grown to manhood and womanhood, and all are
married, and have the confidence and respect of the people of the neighborhoods
where they are best known. In November, 1861, Mr. Keen was elected County Treasurer of this County for two years, that being the length of term at the time.
January 1, 1872, he entered the law office of G. J. George, at Fairfield, as a clerk in the office, and while there as opportunity offered, he read law;
in 1879, was admitted in the Bar by the Supreme Court of this State. In
November, 1882, he was elected Judge of the County Court of this county, for a
term of four years; and in November, 1886, fire having destroyed all the county
court records of the county, and Mr. Keen being familiar with the business
transacted during his term of office as Judge, was by Mr. F. M. Brock, the
newly elected County Clerk, taken into his office, and given charge of the
probate business, which position he continued to occupy for about seven years,
when he resigned this position to take charge of the Fairfield Building
Association as its Secretary, which place he still holds, combining with it the
practice of the law as opportunity offers. The two offices above mentioned are
the only county offices held by him, but he has held minor offices of one kind
or another, nearly ever since he was twenty-one years old. Mr. Keen has never
made his home outside of Wayne County, and says he has no desire to do so. He
has been a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Fairfield since February
14, 1873. He is what some people call a joiner, as he was a member of Fairfield
Lodge, 206, A. F. & A. M.; of Fairfield Lodge No. 32, I.O.O.F. of Boon
Encampment, No. 41, I.O.O.F. of Inez Rebekah Lodge, No. 520, I.O.O.F. and of
Fairfield lodge, No. 65, A. O. U. W. He and a companion of his youth are quite
passing down the descending slope, resting in hope, that when this life withits
trials and conflicts are over they will enter upon a higher life where sin and
sorrow and separations are unknown.
The subject of this sketch was born in Monmouth, Maine on the 20th day of August, 1863. Was graduated from Bowdoin College in the year 1886, receiving the degree of A. B. Immediately following graduation, he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he entered the law office of Wulsin & Perkins, and entered upon the study of law. Was admitted to the practice of law in the year 1888 before the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio, receiving the degree of L. L. B. from Cincinnati University. In the year 1888 was given the honorary degree of A. M. by his Alma Mater, Bowdoin College. Following his admission to the Bar, Mr. Norris went to St. Paul, Minnesota where he entered upon the practice of law, remaining there for four years and until he came to Fairfield, Illinois, to take charge of the Southern Illinois Improvement Company, where he has since remained. Mr. Norris was married in 1887 to Mary Alice MARSTON. The couple are blessed with a family of three pleasing girls.
LOWRY E. SUNDERLAND
Lawyer and Real Estate Dealer
Was born in Wayne county, September 21, 1863 and is the oldest son of Kinsay and Mary HAY Sunderland, well and favorably known in this county. Mr. Sunderland’s youth was spent on his father’s farm. After the acquirement of a common school education, he took the Commercial Law Coarse in Haywood College; was admitted to the Bar and in August, 1893, and has practiced law and dealt in real estate in this city since that time. He was elected County Judge in 1898 by 501 majority and filled the office four years with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. He was appointed by Governor Yates, as Trustee of the Illinois Southern Hospital for the Insane in 1901. He was elected to the state Legislature in November, 1902, and has won the reputation of being an efficient member. He is Chairman of the Committee on Horticulture, and member of the Judiciary, Railroads, Judicial Apportionment, Insurance, State Municipal and Civil Service Reform Committees. As a conscientious politician he has proven himself possessed of no mean ability. It is needless to say that Judge Sunderland is a stalwart Republican and his devotion to his party is well known throughout Illinois. He was married on the 26th day of April, 1894 to Miss Laura Pendleton, daughter of E. W. Pendleton, a well known banker and stock dealer in this county. Their union has been blessed with two children, Edwin and Mary. Buried Maple Hill Cemetery
All Pages Copyright © 2006 Laurie Selpien
All Rights Reserved