and Legal Miscellany. PUBLISHED BY THE D. B. CANFIELD COMPANY LIMITED, PHILADELPHIA SUBSCRIPTION, ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. SINGLE COPY, TEN CENTS. Copyrighted 1890. Entered at the Post Office at Philadelphia as second-class matter. Vol. II. April 15, 1890. No. 4. CHARLES H. WOOD. Born, October 7, 1832; Died, March 13, 1890. CHARLES H. WOOD, a prominent member of the Illinois bar, and a recognized authority on municipal and corporate bonds, died very suddenly of heart disease on March 13th, at his home in Chicago. He was born at Lyme, Connecticut, on October 7th, 1832, and his boyhood was passed on his father's farm. He prepared for college at the Connecticut Literary Institution at Suffield, Connecticut, and at once entered Brown University, whence he graduated in due course, taking high rank for scholarship in his class. While at Brown he formed the acquaintance of Joseph D. Long, with whom he was intimately associated during after life. After leaving Brown University, he entered the Albany Law School, whence he received his law degree, being at the time a member of the legislature of his native State. In the same year he removed to Iroquois County, Illinois, and settled in the village of Onarga, where he commenced the practice of law. Mr. Long, his college friend, and Mr. Wood married sisters, the former Margaret Baldwin, and the latter Julia Baldwin, daughters of Gordon Baldwin. The law firm of Wood & Long, then formed, soon became wide and favorably known through the publication of Wood & Long's Digest of the Illinois reports, which first appeared in 1865, including fifty-four volumes, and which has since been continued by revision, and supplements, to include the one hundredth Illinois and volumes one to nine of the Appellate Court reports. In 1860 he was elected prosecuting attorney of the Twentieth judicial circuit, comprising the counties of Iroquois, Kankakee and Livingston, holding the office until 1864. In 1865 he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly, and in March, 1867, he was appointed, by Governor R. J. Oglesby, Judge of the Twentieth judicial circuit of Illinois, to fill an unexpired term, and upon the expiration of this partial term, he was elected, as his own successor, for a term of six years. He, however, in 1874. resigned, and removed to the City of Chicago, where he entered into partnership, in the practice of law, with Judge Mason B. Loomis. After his removal to Chicago, he never took any part in politics, and never held any political position. In 1875 he acquired a one-fourth interest in the American Law Register, and from that time until December last he continued to be one of the owners and editors of that magazine, though, of late years, he was unable to give the magazine any of his time or attention. Judge Wood enjoyed a large and lucrative practice in the United States courts, as well as in the county courts. His acquaintance with Judges Blodgett and Gresham was most cordial. He was perhaps the most noted bond examiner in the West, and his work in this direction was held in high esteem by all the leading bond buyers in Chicago. In England and in the East he was considered an authority on such matters. When he went East on his summer vacations he was obliged to open an office in Boston in order to attend to this class of business. Judge Wood was a man of kindly disposition and spent a great deal of time with his family. He had a large circle of friends, who admired him for his great integrity. His integrity is well illustrated by the following incident, which was told by a prominent attorney. In negotiating a real estate deal, a client of Judge Wood was overpaid a large amount, but the deeds were passed and the sale closed. without any one noticing the error. In going over the papers next day Judge Wood noticed the mistake, sent for his client and told him he must pay back the money. "But they haven't asked for it; the deeds are passed and they are satisfied. I don't see why I need bother about it," said the client. "Well, sir,” replied the Judge, "you'll pay that back because it's right. That's enough for us to know." The money was paid. THE EDITORS of THE AMERICAN LAW REGISTER have numbered some of the most substantial lawyers of the country. Others have become celebrated as legal writers, or as great case lawyers, but these editors will be found to be well known, skilled and complete lawyers. The first editors were Asa I. Fish and Henry Wharton, both well known to the profession of their day. Beginning with the first issue of the old series, in November, 1852, these editors bore the brunt of making and sustaining the reputation of the REGISTER, until the commencement of the NEW SERIES, in November, 1861. Mr. Fish then dropped out, but Mr. Wharton, with additional editors, continued until 1864. In the meantime Hon. James T. Mitchell became the active editor, commencing in November, 1862. When Judge Mitchell retired in 1887, Frank P. Prichard, Esq., of Philadelphia, succeeded him, Mr. Prichard's editorial connection having begun in 1882, and continuing until 1888, when Henry Budd, Esq., of Philadelphia, became the editor. Mr. Budd conducted the REGISTER during 1888, until the organization of the present company in August of that year, when he was succeeded by John B. Uhle, Esq., who is assisted by James C. Sellers, Esq. The other assistant Editors were Henry G. Atwater, New York City, 1873-1876. Hon. Edmund H. Bennett, Boston, Mass., 1870-1888. A. Sidney Biddle, Philadelphia, Pa., 1877-1878. Hon. Thomas M. Cooley, Ann Arbor, Mich., 1877. Prof. Amos Dean, Albany, N. Y., 1861-1867. Hon. J. F. Dillon, Davenport, Iowa, 1863-1881. Prof. Theodore W. Dwight, of New York, began his editorial connection in November, 1861, continuing until 1879. Hon. Marshall D. Ewell, Chicago, Ill., 1887-1888. Hon. Eli S. Hammond, Memphis, Tenn., 1883-8. Hon. John A. Jameson, Chicago, Ill., 1863-1870. Alexander Martin, St. Louis, Mo., 1865-1876. Hon. Isaac F. Redfield, of Boston, became an assistant editor in November, 1860, and continued until his death in 1876. Prof. Henry Wade Rogers, Ann Arbor, Mich., 1887-8. |