Sac County
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Sac County
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Free genealogy records |
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With but one or two exceptions, the attorneys who have practiced in Sac county came from other states or other parts of our own state. The bar as a whole has been, comparatively speaking, a strong one. Of course, here, as elsewhere, there has been much abuse of the law and the lawyers; but, candidly, would not the abolition of both spell chaos? A community without lawyers would be a community without order, without government, without progress, peace, stability or happiness. To be sure, lawyers are not all high-minded men, but neither are all those who follow other walks of life. A lawyer is much like his fellows, whatever their occupation. He is subject to the same environment; the same temptations, the same inexorable sway of demand and supply, and if he sometimes stoops to the mire, the dishonest client will be found upon his shoulders, bearing him down in the filth. The lawyer is no better and no worse than men in other lines of work, but he is a necessity. Blot out the law and the lawyers, and civilization dies with them. The standing of the bar is high today, but, as in all human affairs, there is room for improvement. However, it is gratifying to know that its character is certainly being elevated to a higher plane. THE FIRST LAWYER IN SAC CITY. John T. Alexander was Sac county's first lawyer. He located al Sac City in 1868, having befpre been in the practice at Vinton, Benton county, this state, where he had served the judicial district in which Benton county was embraced, as district attorney. He was not what is called a "case lawyer," but was well grounded in the fundamental principles of the law. It was his intention to discontinue the practice upon his removal to Sac county. He found it diflicult to do this, and for a while took part in the small amount of court work which came up at the time in the county. "Uncle Tohn" was a gentleman in every sense of the word, kind and considerate of every one. After a lew rears, he retired and lived loved and respected by all until his death, in 1882. Eli R. Chase settled at Sac City in 1869, removing from Wausau, Wisconsin, where he had been a prominent lawyer and citizen for many years. He served upon the board of supervisors of the county. He was a lawyer of much ability and strength of character. The law business of the county at this time was of such meager proportions that it was not inviting, and in 1875 he removed to California. Hon. Ed. R. Duffie came to Sac City in 1870 and shortly afterwards formed a partnership with Eli R. Chase, the firm being Chase & Duffie. He served as a member of the board of supervisors and was county treasurer, was afterwards elected to the Legislature, and later became judge of the fourteenth judicial district. Representing the cnunty in the Legislature, he was without doubt the best equipped and ablest member the county has ever had. After serving upon the bench eight years, he retired to the practice at Sac City. He outgrew the practice here and removed to Omaha, Nebraska, in 1883. For several years he served as a commissioner of the supreme court. Retiring from that position, he removed from Omaha to Scott's Bluffs, Nebraska, and became a member of the firm of Wright & Duffie and continued to practice until the year 1913. His health then failed him and he went to California, hoping to find a climate beneficial, but died shortly after reaching there. Hon. S. M. Elwood, formerly of Tama county, Iowa, and S. E. Stanfield formed a partnership to practice law and located during the year 1876, and as a firm practiced until 1879, when it dissolved and Mr. Stanfield removed to Odebolt. Mr. Elwood then formed a partnership with Levi Davis, the firm being known as Davis & Elwood. This firm afterward dissolved and Mr. Davis removed to Montana. Mr. Elwood continued in the practice and in the fall of 1895 was elected to the district judgeship of the sixteenth judicial district and occupied the bench for eight years. After retiring from that position he resumed practice. He is a good lawyer and the most plausible of gentlemen. Mr. Stanfield, as before stated, removed to Odebolt, where he continued to reside and practice law for a few years, and then removed to Ida Grove, in Ida county, where he practiced until his death a few years later. D. E. Voris and L. Wheaton, two young men of good native ability, located at Sac City in 1876 and remained a few years. Mr. Voris afterward removed to Marion, where he has since continued in a very successful practice. Mr. W'heaton removed to Lincoln, Nebraska, and died after remaining in practice a few years. D. J. McDaid commenced the practice of law at Sac City in 1881, and very soon afterwards received an appointment to a judicial position in Indian Territory, after the expiration of which he removed to West Virginia. W. H. Hart commenced the practice of law in Sac City in 1880. In 1885 the partnership of Goldsmith & Hart was formed, of which Mr. Hart was a member until i889, when Mr. Goldsmith was appointed bv Governor Boies to fill the vacancy on the district bench caused by the resignation of Judge J. H. Macomber. Mr. Hart has filled the office of county attorney for two terms. In this office he was safe and reliable and no one performed the duties of that office better to the satisfaction of the people. He now ranks among the leading lawyers of the county. J. H. Tait first located at Wall Lake in this county in 1879 as the junior member of the firm of Edson & Tait. The firm continued in the practice a few years and dissolved. Mr. Tait removed to Schaller and continued in the practice until he was elected county attorney, when he removed to Sac City. During his incumbency of that office he formed a partnership with W. Jackson, which partnership existed until his death in 1913. He was one of the lawyers who forged his way to the front and was quite prominent in the politics of the county. William Jackson has long been numbered among the trustworthy members of the Sac county bar. His specialty has been that of an abstracter and real estate lawyer. He attended to that liranch of the practice of the firm of Tait & Jackson, while Mr. Tait gave his attention to such litigation as came into tlie hands of the firm. R. L. McCord located here in 1908 and since has been appointed and elected two terms as county attorney. Upon the expiration of his last term he engaged in general practice. He is possessed of good ability, much industry and holds the esteem of all in this county. Malcolm Currie, having held the office of sheriff of Sac county, took his examination and was admitted to the bar in 1910, since which time he has been elected county attorney, an office he now holds. Still young in the practice, his energy and industry are fast leading him to the front. J. B. Tourgee located in Sac City in 1913 and formed a partnership with S. M. Elwood. He is being known as a careful and industrious young man, possessed of studious habits that are sure to give him high rank in his profession. |
