SECOND TERM OF DISTRICT COURT, Smith County, TX *********************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Peggy Brannon - peggybrannon@hotmail.com 28 May 2001 ********************************************************************** REMINISENCES OF THE PAST "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter IV - Pages 17-20 Second Term of District Court Chapter IV The second term of the district court of Smith county was held on the 21st day of April, 1847, the Hon. Amos Clark, presiding judge. The same county officers present as at the first term. Judge Amos Clark was a good lawyer, a dignified judge, a man of much practical sense and sound legal judgment with the discrimination to reach the proper legal points to base a decision. He was an early settler and helped mould the rules of procedure of the early courts of the state--of great force of character and very popular with the people. At this term of the court Judge Stephen Reaves--a young man--was enrolled as an attorney at law. He produced a license from the State of Alabama, where he had lived before coming to Texas. This was the starting point of an honorable and successful career as a lawyer and citizen of Judge Stephen Reaves, through the kindness of a good Providence is still living in our midst, honored and loved for his consistent religious life and integrity of a long and useful one. He was an honest lawyer and a good one, standing in the front in his procession, an able counseller never forgetting the ethics of the profession. Judge Reaves has lived here for more than fifty years-- the oldest inhabitant of Tyler--having enjoyed the confidence of this people from early manhood to his declining years. Able as a lawyer, true and progressive as a citizen, watchful of his Christian duties, he is honored, loved and justly venerated. May he be with us many years. The second grand jury for Smith county were as follows: Robert Walters, foreman; Jessie C. Kincannon, Harry M. Thompson, James Kelley, Henry W. Freeman, Josiah Thomas, John Kelley, Stephen Chancey, Vandy Jolly, Robt. B. Hudnall, Thomas Jordon, Isaac Matthews, James Doyle, William Bladen, Arthur Lott. The petit jury at this term of the court tried only one case, (fined the culprit one cent), was as follows: William Wilson, Willima McKinley, Samuel Sitton, R. Meadow, Abram Chancellor, Robt. H. Hester, William Strasner, J. Pittman, Samuel W. Odom, J. L. Myers, Edgar Pollett, J. M. Peters. Only two names mentioned, as far as the writer knows, are living: Judge Stephen Reaves, of this city, and Col. Wm. J. Huggins, of Lindale, Texas. Col. Wm. J. Huggins is a well known and popular citizen of Lindale, Texas, and a well preserved man for his age, being active, hale and hearty. He has been a successful planter, making the farm the chief business of his life, with energy and success he mastered the details of his calling with profit to himself, family and community in which he lived. Col. Huggins is an old-time Southern gentleman, an honorable, upright, intelligent and worthy citizen. He can relate many interesting and amusing scenes of pioneer times, reaching back of the county organization, that have passed the half century mark. His children comprise some of the leading business men of Smith county. Judge Stephen Reaves and Col. Huggins are representative men of the times and the men who assisted in laying the foundation of our county government that culminated in an intelligent, populous and energetic people. The ground-work was well laid; the plans and specifications strictly conformed with; the civil structure well built; their lives a success. A few more courts and the writer will retrace his steps and turn to other matters of a local and general interest.