Biographical Sketch of Charles C. Bland, Phelps County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, 
Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing
Company, 1889.
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Hon. Charles C. Bland, judge of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of
Missouri, is a native of Ohio county, Ky., and the son of S. Edward
and Margaret (Nalle) Bland.  S. Edward Bland was of English descent,
born in Kentucky, and was a miller and farmer by occupation.  The
mother was of Scotch descent, and was also a native of Kentucky.  To
their union were born four children: Richard P., Congressman of the
Eleventh Congressional District of Missouri, and author of the famous
Bland Silver Bill; Elizabeth, wife of Fred Tetley, at Bonne Terre, 
Mo.; Ella, who died in childhood; and Judge Charles C.  The latter 
was born February 9, 1837, and was left an orphan when very small.
At the age of fourteen he came to Missouri, and attended the Arcadia
College for three years.  In 1857 he entered the teacher's profession
and followed this at Pilot Knob and Caledonia for some time.  In 1859
he went to Mississippi, taught one term of school, and in the spring
of 1860 he went to Dent county, Mo.  Previous to this, in 1858, he
commenced the study of law, and in the spring of 1860 was admitted to
practice at Salem.  In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company D, Thirty
second Missouri Infantry Volunteers, United States Army, and was
elected captain of his company.  He was in the siege of Vicksburg,
Jackson, Lookout Mountain, Atlanta campaign, Jonesboro and numerous
other battles and skirmishes.  He was discharged at Chattanooga,
November 18, 1864, and after the war he located at Rolla, where he
resumed his practice.  He was a member of the school board of Rolla
for several terms, was mayor of that city two terms, and in 1880 was
elected judge of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of Missouri, which
comprises Phelps, Crawford, Dent, Texas and Pulaski counties.  He was 
elected by a majority of 1,500 and in 1886 he was re-elected, having
no opposition in either nomination or election.  He has been frequent-
ly called outside of his district to preside at important trials, 
notably to Springfield, on the famous Cora E. Lee case, charged with
murder of Mrs. Sarah Graham in the year 1888.  In May, 1872, he 
married Miss Hattie B. Keene, who is a native of Ohio.  Seven children
have been born to this union: Thomas C., Richard E., Harry O., Charles
P., Ione, Joseph and George R.  In 1881 Judge Bland was appointed by
Gov. Crittenden as a member of the Board of Curators of the Missouri
State University, to fill a vacancy, and in January, 1887, was re-
appointed by Gov. Marmaduke for six years, and is a member at the 
present time.  He is the owner of about 500 acres of land in Phelps
county, and a beautiful home in the outskirts of Rolla.  He is a
Democrat in his political views, and cast his first vote for Bell and
Everett in 1860.  Judge Bland is one of the leading and popular men
of Phelps county, and no one is better respected.  He is a member of
the Masonic fraternity, being a member of the Blue Lodge and Royal
Arch Chapter of Rolla.  Judge Bland lost his wife in April, 1888.

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