Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Olin, Benjamin 
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Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 28, 2008, 10:59 pm

Author: Past and Present of Will County, IL; 1907

Benjamin Olin, who occupies a notable position among the able lawyers of 
Joliet, has for thirty-six years been actively connected with a profession 
which has important bearing upon the progress and stable prosperity of any 
section or community and one which has long been considered as conserving the 
public welfare by furthering the ends of justice and maintaining individual 
rights. For many years his practice has been of a distinctively representative 
character and upon the bench he made a record in harmony with his record as a 
man and lawyer—distinguished by unswerving integrity and a masterful grasp of 
every problem that was presented for solution. Benjamin Olin is a native of 
Allegany county, New York, born August 12, 1838, and in his early childhood 
was brought to Illinois by his parents, who settled in La Salle county and 
subsequently removed to Kendall county. In those two counties Judge Olin 
pursued his education in the public and select schools, while his more 
specifically literary work was accomplished as a student in Beloit College, 
Wisconsin. Resolving to make the practice of law his life work, he began 
reading in the office and under the direction of the firm of Gray & Bushnell, 
attorneys at Ottawa, Illinois, while subsequently he studied with John 
Cruthers, of Oswego, Kendall county. The outbreak of the Civil war temporarily 
changed his plans and purposes, for aroused by a spirit of patriotism he 
enlisted in April, 1861, assisting in raising Company K, Twentieth Illinois 
Infantry. He was elected first lieutenant of his company and served for about 
a year, when ill health caused him to resign. He then went to Colorado in the 
hope that a change of climate would prove beneficial, and after several months 
spent in the west he resumed his law studies in the office of Mather, Taft & 
Bates in Chicago. Admitted to the bar in 1863, he began the practice of his 
profession at Morris, this state. Entering into partnership with Hon. P. A. 
Armstrong of that place, the relation was maintained until Judge Olin came to 
Joliet in June, 1870. In this city he formed a partnership with Captain Phelps 
that was terminated only in the election of Mr. Olin to the bench of the 
county court in 1873. He served for the full term of four years and in 1877 
was re-elected for a second term. His incumbency covered altogether nine 
years, for by a change of law he served over for a year and then retired to 
private life, declining to become a candidate for re-election at that time, 
but was again elected to the same office in 1890, serving a term of four 
years. His service on the bench was distinguished by high legal ability. To 
wear the ermine worthily it is not enough that one possess legal acumen, is 
learned in the principles of jurisprudence, familiar with precedence and 
thoroughly honest. Many men, even when acting uprightly, are unable to divest 
themselves of prejudice and are unconsciously warped in their judgments by 
their own mental characteristics or educational peculiarities. In the ideal 
jurist, however, these factors become so small as not to be discernible in 
results. Judge Olin was exceptionally free from all judicial bias. His varied 
legal learning and wide experience in the courts, the patient, care with which 
he ascertained all the facts bearing upon every case which came before him, 
gave his decisions a solidity and exhaustiveness from which few members of the 
bar could take exception. In September, 1865, was celebrated the marriage of 
Judge Olin and Miss Julia Schauber, who was born in Saratoga county, New York, 
and is a lady of innate culture and refinement as well as of broad education 
and varied attainments. To Judge and Mrs. Olin has always been freely extended 
the hospitality of the best homes in this city. Aside from his official 
service on the bench Judge Olin has done effective work in the interests of 
the public and his co-operation can always be counted upon to further any 
movement which he deems will promote general progress and improvement. While 
living in Grundy county he served as a member of the city council of Morris, 
also as school inspector and held other positions of trust and responsibility. 
He has been school inspector in Joliet for several years and was a member of 
the board of directors of the Joliet public library. He is still an active 
practitioner at the bar of Will county and his prominence is recognized in the 
extensive clientage which is accorded him and which connects him with the most 
important litigation tried in the courts of this district. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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