Bibb-Muscogee-Chatham County GaArchives Obituaries.....Chisholm, W.S. December 5, 1890 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Carla Miles http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002476 November 11, 2011, 11:20 am The Atlanta Constitution, December 6, 1890 The Atlanta Constitution Saturday, December 6, 1890 Page Four Judge Chisholm Dead Judge W.S. Chisholm died in New York yesterday morning. The news of that sad event was received here during the morning, and many and sincere were the expressions of sorrow heard on all sides. For some days his dangerous illness has been known to his friends in Georgia, and a fatal termination was feared. Heart disease was the immediate cause of death, which occurred shortly after 6 o’clock yesterday morning. Mrs. Chisholm and her sons were with Judge Chisholm during his last hours. The following telegram, announcing the death of Judge Chisholm, was received yesterday by Captain Howell from Colonel M.J. O’Brien, general manager of the Southern Express Company. New York, December 5, 1890 – Captain Evan P. Howell, Atlanta, Ga., I regret to inform you of the death early this morning of our mutual friend, Judge W.S. Chisholm. Remains will leave here tonight with family in private cards of Presidents Plant and (word faded) lagler. Interment in Savannah Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock. Flags of Manhattan, University, Southern Society and New York clubs and of Ocean Steamship Company are at half mast. His family request me to ask you to act as pallbearer. Hope you can do so. M.J. O’Brien The news of the death created much talk about the legislature and in legal circles especially. The members of the senate and house from south Georgia, and indeed, from all parts of the state, expressed great sorrow at the death of this distinguished citizen. In legal circles, where he was probably best known, many expressions of esteem for the man and regret for his death were heard. “Evarts once said of him,” remarked one gentleman, “that he was the best lawyer before the supreme court that the south had and that was the estimate put upon him by the bar of the country.” SOMETHING OF HIS LIFE Judge Chisholm was in his fifty fifth year. He was born in Macon. The family soon afterward took up its residence in Columbus and from there the four boys – W.S. Chisholm, Dr. T.B. Chishol, W.W. Chisholm and J.B. Chisholm – all went to Savannah in 1848. The first three remained there, but Mr. J.B. Chisholm removed to Thomasville, where he is now an influential citizen. Judge Chisholm graduated from the State University in Athens, the second in a class of more than usual ability. He then studied law with Law & Bartow, of Savannah and was admitted to the Savannah bar. He first formed a partnership with Julian Hartridge, continued until the death of the latter. He then formed another partnership with R.G. Erwin in which F.G. duBignon became a member a year ago. In September 1863, he was elected judge of the city court of Savannah. He remained in that position until 1878 the longest term of any city court judge. During those fifteen years he made an enviable judicial record. But one of his decisions was reversed by the supreme court and in that he was eventually sustained. At the outbreak of the late war Judge Chisholm organized the Savannah Cadets and became the company’s first captain. The condition of his health prevented his going into active service and he was placed at the head of the military examining board with the title of captain. He was a zealous supporter of the confederate cause, and it was mainly through his exertions that the Cadets were organized and equipped and sent to the scene of the conflict. In February, 1860 he married Miss Eliza Anderson, daughter of Mr. John W. Anderson, of Savannah. His wife and five children survive him. About twelve years ago Judge Chisholm became legal advisor for Mr. H.B. Plant and since then has been continuously in service as counsel for the several immense enterprises controlled by him. The firm of Chisholm, Erwin & duBignon, of which he was the head, is engaged as general counsel for the Plant system. Judge Chisholm was first vice president of the Plant Investment Company, vice president of the Savannah Florida and Western Railway Company, managing trustee of the Southern Express Company, director in the Central Richmond Terminal, the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroads, and the Ocean Steamship Company and president of the Alabama Midland railroad. Judge Chisholm’s residence in Savannah was at Whitaker and Gaston Streets. For the past seven years the duties of his position in relation to the Plant system and the Southern Express Company had compelled him to reside the larger part of his time in New York. The Atlanta Constitution Sunday, December 7, 1890 Page Twenty-Three The Burial of Judge Chisholm The Interment to Take Place in Bonaventure Cemetery Savannah, Ga., December 7 – The remains of Judge Chisholm will arrive early tomorrow morning, accompanied by the family and several railroad officials. The funeral services will take place in the afternoon at the First Presbyterian church, Rev. Dr. Dripps officiating. The interment will be at Bonaventure. The body will be escorted to the cemetery by the Savannah Cadets and the Oglethorpe Light Infantry. At a meeting of the bar today it made an appropriate expression of its sorrow and the loss the profession has sustained in Judge Chisholm’s death. The lawyers will also attend the burial in a body. Additional Comments: Transcriber's note: I'm not related to or researching the Chisholm family. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/bibb/obits/c/chisholm13691ob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 6.1 Kb