Edward Stillings
Encyclopedia
Edward Stillings was an American lawyer, politician, judge, and businessman.
. His parents descended from English immigrants of the colonial era who participated in the American Revolution
as intelligence operatives, among other activities. His father James would serve in the War of 1812
.
His parents were planters and slaveholders. However, the institution of slavery never appealed to them, and they freed their slaves. They moved west to Springfield, Ohio in 1828, before settling in Union County, Ohio in 1834, on 300 acres (1.2 km²) that his father had purchased. James would be a trustee of Allen Township in Union County in 1841 and 1847.
Edward was raised in a Christian home and was well-educated as a young man, going on to graduate from Augusta College in Kentucky, studying the classics and mastering the Greek language. Edward decided he wanted to pursue law as a profession, and would ride his horse to Massachusetts to enroll in the Law Department at Harvard University
. After receiving his law degree, he returned to Ohio, clerking for Judge Cole in Marysville, Ohio
before establishing his own practice after being admitted to the bar in Cincinnati in April 1846.
in New Hampshire where he was class president in 1874. However, he was educated at the University of Heidelberg in Germany after lacking interest to attend Yale
as Exeter had prepared him for. He eventually became a State Senator in Kansas in 1904 and served many terms.
Edward's wife Mary died in July 1894, four years after Edward died in 1890.
, and eventually an original member of the Republican Party
. In 1851 he was elected to the Kenton City Council and later to the Ohio General Assembly as a Republican representative. Notable legislation while there included Edward authoring the first turnpike law in Ohio history.
With the outbreak of the American Civil War, many of Edward's relatives would serve on the Union side. He was appointed to the Military Committee of Hardin County, by the Governor William Dennison, Jr. in 1861. Shortly thereafter, a friend of Edward's he knew earlier in life from Kenton, Ohio, Thomas Carney
, had become the Governor of Kansas. At his request to come to Kansas to help forge the infant state ahead, Edward accepted.
of Salt Lake City.
He would be elected several times to the Kansas Legislature, where he was at one time the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and would serve as a Judge pro tem of the District Court
. In 1877 as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he would create the positions of three commissioners to codify the laws of the state, in which he would be appointed to one of those positions. Having a wealth of knowledge of the Ohio code from his days in the legislature there, much of the Kansas code would be copied from Ohio's. Stillings would argue many cases before the Supreme Court of the United States
. He was considered one of the preeminent jurists in Kansas of that time.
The Edward Stillings House at 303 N. Esplanade, in the North Esplanade Historic District of Leavenworth, is listed among the National Register of Historic Places.
Early life
Edward Stillings was born in Havre de Grace, Maryland in the early 19th century. He was the son of James Stillings and Mary Barnes, a descendant of Sir George Barne IIIGeorge Barne III
Sir George Barne III was a prominent merchant and public official from London during the reign of Elizabeth I, and the son of Sir George Barne II, and Alice Brooke.-Life:...
. His parents descended from English immigrants of the colonial era who participated in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
as intelligence operatives, among other activities. His father James would serve in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
His parents were planters and slaveholders. However, the institution of slavery never appealed to them, and they freed their slaves. They moved west to Springfield, Ohio in 1828, before settling in Union County, Ohio in 1834, on 300 acres (1.2 km²) that his father had purchased. James would be a trustee of Allen Township in Union County in 1841 and 1847.
Edward was raised in a Christian home and was well-educated as a young man, going on to graduate from Augusta College in Kentucky, studying the classics and mastering the Greek language. Edward decided he wanted to pursue law as a profession, and would ride his horse to Massachusetts to enroll in the Law Department at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. After receiving his law degree, he returned to Ohio, clerking for Judge Cole in Marysville, Ohio
Marysville, Ohio
Marysville is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Ohio, United States. The population was 15,942 at the 2000 census, and the Census Bureau estimated that it had risen to 17,621 by 2006.Marysville's longtime slogan is "Where the Grass is Greener"...
before establishing his own practice after being admitted to the bar in Cincinnati in April 1846.
Marriage and family
Edward married Mary Smith on December 29, 1851 One of their sons, Vinton, was born in 1852. Mary was the granddaughter of Lt. Col. Cyrus Smith, who served under General Hull during the War of 1812 and for whom Edward had known from Maryland. Vinton was educated at the Phillips Exeter AcademyPhillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
in New Hampshire where he was class president in 1874. However, he was educated at the University of Heidelberg in Germany after lacking interest to attend Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
as Exeter had prepared him for. He eventually became a State Senator in Kansas in 1904 and served many terms.
Edward's wife Mary died in July 1894, four years after Edward died in 1890.
Political and legal career
Stillings became involved in politics soon after returning to Ohio, first as a member of the Whig PartyWhig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
, and eventually an original member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. In 1851 he was elected to the Kenton City Council and later to the Ohio General Assembly as a Republican representative. Notable legislation while there included Edward authoring the first turnpike law in Ohio history.
With the outbreak of the American Civil War, many of Edward's relatives would serve on the Union side. He was appointed to the Military Committee of Hardin County, by the Governor William Dennison, Jr. in 1861. Shortly thereafter, a friend of Edward's he knew earlier in life from Kenton, Ohio, Thomas Carney
Thomas Carney
Thomas Carney was the second Governor of Kansas.Carney was born in Delaware County, Ohio to James and Sarah Carney. James died in 1828, and Thomas remained at home farming with his mother until age 19...
, had become the Governor of Kansas. At his request to come to Kansas to help forge the infant state ahead, Edward accepted.
Kansas
Edward arrived in Leavenworth, Kansas in 1863. He was appointed city attorney of Leavenworth by the Carney administration. He would also be active in the business world, operating wagon trains across Kansas to forward goods to California and helping to construct the Kansas Central Railway. He would serve as the attorney for the First National Bank in Leavenworth, Kansas Central Railroad, Leavenworth and Atchison Railroad, and many other corporations in Kansas. A notable client also included Brigham YoungBrigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
of Salt Lake City.
He would be elected several times to the Kansas Legislature, where he was at one time the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and would serve as a Judge pro tem of the District Court
Kansas District Courts
The Kansas District Courts are the state trial courts of general jurisdiction in the U.S. state of Kansas. The Courts have original jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, and jury trials are held in the Courts...
. In 1877 as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he would create the positions of three commissioners to codify the laws of the state, in which he would be appointed to one of those positions. Having a wealth of knowledge of the Ohio code from his days in the legislature there, much of the Kansas code would be copied from Ohio's. Stillings would argue many cases before the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. He was considered one of the preeminent jurists in Kansas of that time.
The Edward Stillings House at 303 N. Esplanade, in the North Esplanade Historic District of Leavenworth, is listed among the National Register of Historic Places.