University of Nebraska College of Law - Yearbook (Lincoln, NE)

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26 HON. JOSEPH R. WEBSTER and is a member of Farragut Post, Lincoln, Neb., also of mili- tary order of the Loyal Legion, Department of Nebraska, and of the Society of Colonial lVars, council of District of Colum- bia. Judge WVebster has always been an ardent republican, and has served the state in a civil as well as military capacity. As a member of the Board of Education he aided in hastening the erec- tion of permanent school structures, thus placing the educational system on a sound basis, as-'member of the city council he was active in advocating and adopting municipal ownership of water service and other municipal enterprises. In 1878-79 he was county judge of Lancaster county, and in 187 3-74 Attorney Gen- eral of Nebraska. He has always taken a lively interest in social and municipal improvements and reforms, and in his profession has attained prominence as an able and widely informed lawyer. He was one of the organizers of the private law school under Dean WVm. Henry Smith, which preceded the present Law College, and at the organization of the University College of Law was made Lecturer in Equity Jurisprudence, which position he now holds. He was married in 1873 to Sara Cooper Thompson, of Lima, Ind., and they have one child. He traces his ancestry back to John lVebster, of VVarwickshire, England, who immigrated to Connecticut before 1635, and was its Colonial Governor from 1656-59. Judge VVebster's father, in 1835, went in the service of the American Board of Foreign Missions to Bombay, in charge of its publishing house there, and while there assisted in publishing the Maharatta translation of the Bible.

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Lion. Soseph Zi. webster Joseph Ravvson Weloster was born May 5, 1839, near Bombay, India, of American parents abroad under passport. His parents returned to Victor, N. Y., in 1842, remaining there until 18456, when they removed to La Grange county, Indiana. Until his tif- teenth year he attended school in a log schoolhouse. He then at- tended the academy, the La Grange Collegiate Institute at On- tario, Ind., entered Wabash College Crawfordsville, Ind., in 3 1858, and graduated in 1862, taking :class honors. His youth was spent Working on the farm and in a saw mill, and his recreation was the sports of a frontier life, hunting, and canoeing. - In April, 1861, on the evening of President Lincolnis first call for three-month volunteers, he enlisted as private in Company I, 11th Indiana Infantry, under Captain Qafterwards Generalj Lew VVallace, serving in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia. At the ex- piration of his time he returned to college, and on graduating in 1862 again enlisted. He was elected captain of Company G, 88th Indiana Infantry, and subsequently was commissioned Major of the regiment. In 1864 he was made Lieutenant Colonel of the 44th United States COlO1'6Cl Infantry, which regiment he raised and organized. Colonel IVebster continued in active service uhtil 1866, when he resigned and engaged in cotton planting at Rosedale, Boliver county, Miss., until the spring of 1869. Dur- ing tlie service, between campaigns, he studied law and was ad- mitted to the bar in July, 1869, at Glenwood, Ia. He located at Council Bluffs, Ia., but remained there only a few months before removing to Lincoln, N eb. In military service Col. Wfebster, besides many minor engage- ments, participated in the general battles of Chaplin Hills, Ken- tucky, October S, 1862, Stone River, Tennessee, December 31 to January 6,1S63g siege of Chattanoogag siege and battle of Nashville, Tenn., December 15-18, 1861. At the organization of the Grand Army of the Republic, he identilied himself with it,

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prof. 5. lj. wilson Prof. Henry H. Wilson was born January 1, 1854, near Fre- mont, Sandusky county, O. He came with his parents to Ne- braska in 1871, and settled on a farm in Saunders county, near Ashland. Before coming to Nebraska, and from an earlyage, the care of his fatheris farm devolved chiefly upon him, but soon after coming to this state he abandoned theffarm and taught school for some time in the Platte valley. In 187 3 he entered the State University, from which institution he graduated in 1878 with the degree of Ph. B., and in 1886 the degree of A. M. was conferred upon him. From the University he went to Seward, Neb., where he was principal of the high school for two years. It was during his- stay at Seward that he began the study of law. Returning to- Lincoln in 1880, and entering the office of a prominent attorney, he completed his preparation for the bar, to which he was admit- ted in 1881. Since that time he has been successively associated with the firms of Ricketts Xe lWilson in 1881, Lamb, Ricketts QQ Vlilson in 1882, and Riclzets LG lVilson again in 1892, of which latter firm he is at present a member. Professor lVilson has continued his interest in literary matters since leaving the University, and has at different times contrib' uted prominently to the current magazines, articles both of a lit- erary and legal nature. He has occupied the chair of Lecturer on Evidence in the Law College since its formation, and in 1895 was given the degree of LL. M. by the University. He is a. member of the American Bar Association, and is chairman of the Committee on Legal Education of Commercial Lawyers' League of America. He is also 2L1110111b61'Of the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, before which court he has appeared n several prominent cases. Although a Republican politically, hc is a firm believer in the principles of Prohibition. Professor Wilson was married in June, 1882, to Miss Emma Parks. They have had a family of three children, two of which ure living. .