Life and times of Hon. Samuel D. Lockwood

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Cornell University Library KF 368.L81C67

Life and times of Hon. Samuel D. Lockwoo

Introduction

"The most substantial glory of a country is in its virtuous, great men. Its prosperity will depend on its docility to learn from their example. '

" That nation is fated to ignominy and servitude for which such men have lived in vain."

The real history of Illinois must be found in the lives of her eminent men. This statement will bear repeating, as at least, inviting careful consideration.

The real history of Illinois must be found in the lives of her eminent men, and we shall look in vain for it elsewhere. The growth^of our state has been phenomenal, and with a good degree of commendable pride, we look over the tables indicating our progress in all material things. But statistics are not history, and the columns of figures, furnished by our census bureau, give only the skeleton of state organization and development. For all beauty and expression of form and feature, we must look elsewhere, and for the hidden springs of lifej the vital forces that underlie all development, we must look far deeper, even down to where living souls think and feel, plan and resolve.

The old adage has come down to us from the dark ages, " Peace has no history," and the record of former centuries, abounding in tales of bloody strife and savage warfare, seems to prove the adage true for those times'. Fortunately, however, a change has come in these latter days, or Illinois would have no history outside our our Indian conflicts.

On our soil there are no marked battle-fields, no places renowned for even traditional achievements in arms, and our war

VI INTEODDCTION.

record, however glorious, has its place in national, not state history.

We have within our borders, one imposing monument in honor of one of the grandest lives and noblest characters the world has known, decorated with the symbols of warlike achievements ; but that monument, like the life it commemorates, knows no state limitations. At that shrine, the enfranchised slave has equal right with ourselves to bow in reverence, and honor the man as the savior of the nation. But times have changed, and Peace has her history, resplendent with grand achievements and glorious victories.

Shall it be said, then, that Peace has no heroes ? May there not be heroism in construction, as well as in destruction ? — in improvement and development, as well as in ruin and devastation ? May not heroism be represented by the open palm, as well as the clenched fist ? — by the cross, as well as the crown ?

To all these questions, the history of our state gives an emphatic answer. There was heroism in those men who staid the tide of incoming barbarism, and opened the springs of a high civilization, — who kept out slavery with its threefold curse on master, servant and soil, and established freedom, with its threefold blessing, on mind, body and estate ; who planted the seed, and cherished to a vigorous growth, our educational, benevolent, and Christian institions, adorning the prairie with schoolhouses, asylums, and church. There was heroism also on the part of those men, who inaugurated and pushed to successful issue our grand systems of railroad and commercial enterprise, which have in great measure brought to us our wonderful prosperity. But who, and where, are the heroes ? Most of them rest with the fathers, and little has been done to preserve their names, or cherish their memories. The legislature of the state has, indeed, attempted something in this direction, in the names given to the counties ; but this honor has been rendered with little discrimination as to real merit, and it is very doubtful, if even the citizens of Cook and Coles, of Pope and Edwards, have

INTRODTJOl'ION. VU

any thought of the noble qualities, or great achieyements, which these names should suggest.

That this sketch may in one instance remedy this neglect, is the writer's reason for giving it to the public.

CHAPTEE I.

GENERAL SUMMAKT AND TESTIMONIALS.

HON". SAMUEL D. LOCKWOOD was a resident of the state of Illinois from 1818 to 1874, and for over fifty years was in the public service, holding during that period, under state and national appointment, the following positions of high trust and responsibility. In 1821 he was elected state's attorney by the general assembly of Illinois ; the next year he was appointed secretary of state by Governor Coles ; in 1823 he was appointed, by President Monroe, receiver of public moneys in the Edwardsville land office ; and in the following year was elected by the general assembly associate justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois, which position he held till the adoption of the new state constitution in 1848. He was state trustee of the Illinois Central Railroad from the organization of that company until his death in 1874; and was charter trustee in each of the state institutions established for the benefit of the insane, , deaf and dumb, and blind. The foregoing brief outline indicates something of Judge Lockwood's standing in the state, something of the esteem with which he was regarded by his fellow-citizens, and something of the influence he must have exerted in that period of our state history when a few of our good and wise men were laying the foundations of those civil, social and educational institutions which have secured for us our present prosperity, and are a standing proof of the wisdom and fidelity of the great men into whose labor we have entered.

All the prominent men, who were intimate with Judge Lockwood through this period, and associated with him in the various relations of life, with remarkable unanimity speak of him as being eminently wise in council, earnest and persevering in action, faithful and honest in every position of trust, dignified in

10 LIFE AND TIMES OF HOK. SAMUEL D. LOCK.WOOD.

deportment, kind and tender in all friendly relations, with a loyalty to truth and right commanding the admiration of all who knew him, irrespective of all party or sectarian differences.

The influence of such a man can not be overestimated, and as the fathers respected and honored him, so the children should venerate and love him.

But where shall the writer find detailed proof of all this ? The eye-witnesses, who would gladly give their testimony, have, with but few exceptions, passed to that world from which no voices come back to us. The work accomplished abides in its beauty and grandeur, but the names of the architects are not engraved on the polished stones.

Judge Lockwood was a remarkably quiet, unobtrusive man, never putting himself forward, even unwilling that his name should be prominent in connection with any great enterprise ; never seeking honor for himself, nor envious of others who bore the honor that was really his due. It is not known i;hat he ever made a public address, or published any newspaper articles over any signature which would mark him as the author.

In all the important questions that arose from day to day, he felt an earnest interest, and took an active part, but his words are unrecorded. He wrote many letters, but he kept no copies, and the parties addressed failed to preserve them. In times of excitement, of political and social outbursts of passion, his quiet serenity, good practical common sense, and confidence-inspiring integrity, stood as a restraining influence far more beneficial than the loud declamations even of those who had right on their side.

In the recorded proceedings of the Supreme Court of our state his decisions are marked pre-eminently by a clear understanding and full comprehension of the great principles of common law, and these principles, interpreted and applied by a good practical common sense, have made those decisions standard authority for bench and bar. But these decisions are for the law student, and they indicate but a small part of the service he rendered the state as one of the justices of its Supreme Court.

Before entering upon the details of Judge Lockwood's life, I would append here a few letters from some men who were to some extent associated with him and knew hjm personally.

GENERAL SXIMMAET AND TESTIMONIALS. 11

Many others might be given, but they are all alike in a definite, clear, general statement, but greatly deficient in those details which would help the writer in a biographical sketch.

Dr. Edward Beeeher, President of Illinois College, from 1830 to 1844, now of Brooklyn, New York, writes as follows : " I can not enter into any details of the life of Judge Lockwood, nor of his legal services to the community. But I can say, that during an acquaintance of over twenty years, of which fourteen associated me with him as a trustee of Illinois College, I have seen in him incorruptible integrity, and wisdom, as a counsellor in all things, with an unwavering devotion to sound principles and the public good in every position he held. His life, in all its relations, public and social, was spotless, and I think he had the entire confidence and warm affection of the whole community in which he lived. His services to the cause of liberty in the early history of the state deserve a warm recognition ; but those who lived in the state before I came to it, can speak of them more intelligently than I. I am glad that you are preparing a memorial of so eminent a man among the fathers of the state.

" Yours fraternally,

"Edward Beechee."

From Dr. T. M. Post, of St. Louis, we have the following : " I became acquainted with Judge Samuel D. Lockwood and his family on my first going to Jacksonville, in the spring of 1833, and was for a time domiciled in the same house with them. Judge Lockwood was then in the strength of a noble manhood. He was a man I felt happy and honored to regard as a friend to the close of his life. There was in his character a rare blending of elements, — a modesty, gentleness and delicacy well-nigh feminine, and great general kindliness, combined with intrepid firmness of principle, a large practical wisdom, distinguished judicial ability and integrity, and a personal purity and honor as stainless as a star. He was a man of large and generous public spirit and forecast, a friend of schools and churches, of liberal culture, public improvements, benevolent institutions, and civil order and liberty. He was a most important beneficent power in founding and shaping the early history and civilization of Illinois.

12 LIFE AUD TIMES OF HON. SAMUEL D. LOCKWOOD.

" In all relations, social, civil, and especially in those of the home, I recall him as a man to be honored, admired and loved, and ever to be remembered gratefully by the grand state of which he vras among the early founders."

Hon. l^ewton Bateraan, President of Knox College, gives the following almost filial tribute : " It is a labor of love to record some of my impressions of Judge Lockwood. His name is indelibly associated with the recollections of my youth and early manhood. That name was to me the synonym of integrity and purity. I can not express the reverent love I felt for him. He was one of the few ideal men whom I have known. His influence over me was very great ; how much it has had to do in turning ine toward whatever of good I may have done, or tried to do in life, and from the unworthy in aims and plans, can only be known when the factors of character are revealed at the last great day. It will remain a lasting regret that I could not have seen more of him in his later years, and been near him at the sunset of his sweet and beautiful life."