This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Knowlton, Flanders Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/5Mn.2ACEB/305 Message Board Post: From the Chicago Tribune, January 30, 1879: Judge James H. Knowlton A large number of lawyers and citizens generally will be pained to learn of the death of James H. Knowlton, so well known as a lawyer, Abolitionist, and Spiritualist, which took place yesterday morning. He was born Feb. 20, 1814, at Canandaigua, N.Y., the son of Ephraim B. Knowlton. When he was 5 his family removed to Chatauqua. He first studied medicine with Dr. Bullard, but becoming dissatisfied with it, gave it up, and began reading law with Judge Osborn. In 1843, he moved to Janesville, Rock County, Wis., with his father. The following year he went to New York and married at Chatauqua Agnes B. Flanders. They lived in Janesville for four years, and then removed to Shullsberg in Lafayette County, Wis, where they spent ten years. During that time Mr. Knowlton served two terms as County Judge. He then returned to Janesville and served in the legislature for five years, representing Lafayette and Rock Counties. during these five years he was one of the prime movers in the abo! lition of capital punishment in the state, and was also the person who exposed and made public the LaCrosse railroad bonds frauds. He was one of the counsel for Judge Levi Hubbel in his impeachment trial, and also the leading counsel for Barstow in his controversy with Bashford. He came to Chicago in 1852 and first associated himself with E.S. Smith and afterwards with Egbert Jamieson and Frank Scales. The principal murder case with which he was connected here was that of Perteet, he having defended him at the time of his trial in 1872. He died at a quarter of ten o'clock yesterday morning of disease of the kidneys with which he had been afflicted for four years past. The funeral services, at the request of Mrs. Knowlton, will be conducted by Gen. I.L. Stiles and will take place at No. 291 West Madison Street at 9 o'clock this morning. The remains will be taken to Middleton, Wis., where his mother and father were buried. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Barstow/Bashford controversy was a WI gubernatorial election that turned into a mess ala the 2000 presidential election. Mr. Knowlton was able to meet with the candidates behind closed doors and helped them settle the dispute. He then spoke to the angry crowds gathered in the streets of Madison, WI and helped prevent the riot that was brewing. I think it was 1856.