This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Bennick, Hughes, Skaggs, Ashley, Matthews, Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SSB.2ACE/796.1282.1268.1365.1.1 Message Board Post: Maxine, I'm happy that the information I posted was of use to you. Here is some further information I came up with on their son, Judge Walter Bennick: Walter Bennick (1950-1955) Born July 23, 1894 in Gravelton, Wayne County, Missouri. Educated in the Fredericktown Public Schools, Carleton College at Farmington, Southeast Missouri State College at Cape Girardeau, and St. Louis University Law School. Served at Camp Dodge, Iowa during World War I. Married to Elizabeth Hughes. Admitted to the bar in January 1920 and engaged in the private practice of law in Bonne Terre, St. Francois County, Missouri until 1925. Member: American Bar Association, Missouri Bar, Integrated Bar, Bar Association of St. Louis, Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity, and American Legion. Appointed Commissioner of the St. Louis Court of Appeals June 19, 1925 and served until November 3, 1950. Appointed by Governor Forest Smith in November 1950 as Judge of the St. Louis Court of Appeals to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge William Hughes. Retained in office in 1952 for a twelve-year term. Served from November 3, 1950 until his death on January 5! , 1955. Also, here is obituary which was posted in one of our local newspapers: [Lead Belt News, Flat River, St. Francois County, Missouri, Friday, January 7, 1955] WALTER E. BENNICK, APPEALS JUDGE, DIES. Judge Walter E. Bennick, who served the St. Louis Court of Appeals for almost 30 years as commissioner and judge, died unexpectedly Tuesday night of a heart ailment at his home, 6218 Southwood Avenue. He was 60 years old. His colleagues on the court believe Judge Bennick wrote more appellate opinions than any other judge in the history of Missouri. Virtually all of his opinions as commissioner were adopted by the court. Very few were reversed on further appeal to the State Supreme Court. After serving as commissioner on successive four-year appointments since 1925, he was appointed judge under the Missouri Non-Partisan Court System in 1950 by former Gov. Forrest Smith. It was the first time a Governor had appointed a nominee on the opposite political party. Judge Bennick was a Republican. The vacancy on the bench he filled had been created by the resignation of Judge William C. Hughes, whose daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Hughes Ashley, later became Judge Bennick's wife. Judge Bennick was retained in office for a full 12-year term in the general election of November 1952. A native of Fredericktown, Mo., he was educated in the public schools there at old Carleton College at Farmington, Mo., and Southeast Missouri State College at Cape Girardeau. He received this law degree from St. Louis University and was admitted to the bar in 1920, practicing law thereafter at Bonne Terre, Mo., until his appointment as a court commissioner five years later. The annual award of honor of the Lawyers' Association of St. Louis was given to Judge Bennick in 1950 in recognition of his long service on the bench. After his appointment as judge of the court, he served as presiding judge, a rotating post, for 1952-53. In addition to his regular duties during the past year, he also served as a special judge of the Missouri Supreme Court to fill vacancies caused by illness among members of the high court. He contributed to many legal periodicals. A veteran of World War I, he was a member of Fred W. Stovkham Post 245 of the American Legion, and was active in Phi Delta Phi, a legal fraternity. Surviving, in addition to his wife, are his mother, Mrs. Thomas Bennick [nee: Skaggs] of Warrenton, Mo., a stepson, William Hughes Ashley of Los Angeles, Calif., and a stepdaughter by a previous marriage, Mrs. David Matthews, 1139 Louisville Avenue, St. Louis. Judge Bennick resided in this county for some time and was at one time principal of Flat River High School. His father served Desloge High School in the same capacity and died suddenly while attending an alumni banquet there in 1925. Funeral services will be held at Lupton Undertaking establishment, 7238 Delmar Blvd., University City, Friday at 1 p.m. Burial will be at Montgomery City, Mo. If I come up with anything further, I'll let you know. Bettye