Judge Kingsley Dead

Hon. James Kingsley, the amputatiun o! whose limb was recorded in the Argus of last week, died at the residence of his son-in-law, Charles A. Chapín, on Saturday last, at 2 and 1-2 o'clock p. m., aged 81 years, 7 months, and 11 days. Judge Kingsley was one oí the oldest and most honored of our citizens, for though absent for the last few years our city stil] claimed him as a son. The funeral of Judge Kingsley was held at 5 o'clock p. m. on Monday, at St. Andrew's Church, the rector, Rev. Wyllys Hall, ofliciating, and was largely attended. In the forenoon the Bar of the city held a meeting, voted to attend the funeral in a body, and also appointed a committee, consisting of Judge ,as rene?, Gov. Felch, and John N. Gott, to draft appropriate resolutions, present the ame to the Circuit Court at the adjourned erm in September, and ask that they be pread upon the journal. The pall bearers vere six of our oldest citizens : Charles 'hayer, Loren Mills, Dor Kellogg, Aretus )unn, Hiram Arnold, and Collins B. Cook. After reading the scriptural lesson and burial service prescribed by the canons of the Episcopal Church.the officiating clergyman substituted for a discourse a biographical sketch prepared by C. A. Chapín and two memorial papers, one written by T"dge Lawrence, and the other by Gov. Felch. In lieu of any sketch of our own we append that of Mr. Chapin : He was bom in Canterbury, Windham county, Connecticut on January 6th,1797, and moved with his paronts to Brooklyn in the same county where he attended school lili about 19 years of age. lie then went to Providence, Rhode Islaud, where he studied Latiu with a Professor of Latín in Brown Uuiversity. After finishing lus Latiu course he returned to Brooklyu, where ho studied law and was admitted to the bar in that county. In 1823 he went to Virginia and was engaged as private teacher 11 the l'amily of Ludwell Lee, son of the lamous Richard Henry Lee. He remained in Virginia until the winter of 182G, whon ho went to Mississippi, settling in tlie town of Grand Gulf. Shortly afterwards the yellow fever breaking out, ho concludod to emigrato to Michigan andlearning that Ann árbor was a new and thriving village in the Territory, hedirected his steps hithor. He camo up the Mwsissippi and Ohio rivers by boat, landing at Cincinnati, whero ho purehased a horse and rodo to Detroit. At the lattcr placo he sold his horso and camo ou foot to tliis city, reaching hore iu the fall of 1826. Upon ariving in the village of Anu Arbor he seleetod two lots of land about threo miles north of this cityand returned the nest day to Detroit and entored his lols in the land office thero. He then returned here and began work by clearing- on lus land duriug that fall and winter five acres, dovoting all his time to his land as no court was held till January, 1827 At that time he commenced tho practice of law here, being tho first attorney admitted to praotiee at this bar. In 1830 he wag married to Miss Lucy Ann Clark, a sister of Gen. Edward Clark of this city. She died in 1856 and three children sur vive - Mrs. C. A. Chapia, of this city, James and Georgo Kingsley, of Paola Kansas. George Kingsley is at present in the city, returned to Michigan upon hearing of his father's illness. In 1828 lir. Kiugaley was appointed Judge of probato, wliieh office he held until 1830 - eight years. From 1830 till 1833 inclusive he was a member of the Legislativa Council of the Territory of Michigan, and March 3, 1831, he was appointed a Trustee of the Unirersily of Michigan. In 1837 he was a member of the Lower House of the State Legislatura and in 1838, 1839 and 1842 a memoer of the Senate. "While a" member of the Senate in 1842 he drew the charter of tho Michigan Central Railroad by whieh it went into operation - its flrst charter. In 1848 he was again elected a member of tho House and in 1850 was a member of the Constitutional Convention, in which he was on the Judiciary Committee, and occupied a prominent position in the proceedings and dèliberations of the Convention. In 1852 ho became Regent of the Uuiversity, belonging to the first set of elocted Regents, the Rogents prior to 1852 having been appointed by the Senate upon the nomination of tho Governor. This office he held for tho full term of six years. In 1H69-70 he was again elected to the Lower House, which was the last official position hold by him. He was also the second Mayor of Ann Arbor. Also in 1S69, in which session he ivas a virorous worker. We also copy the paper of ex-Gov. Felch : Judge Kingsley carne to Michigan in 182G, just as the tide of population was beginning to flow into its territory. He became a citizen here before the organization of the populous county of Washtenaw and when its prosent capital town had little more than a nominal existence. He was one of that band of' noble, patriotic, onterprising and educated men, who, coming into the wiiderness of a new country, laid tho foundation for the State, and who will bear forever the worthy name of pioneer. His life has been coutinued boyond that of most of hia asáociates. Few of the early settlers of that day remain to spoak his praiso or to drop a toar at his grave. Although educatod to tho professioii of the law and intending to devote his life to its practico, the field which he choso offered al the time ot his sottlement here, little encouragement to the lawyer. No court had boen here establiehed, no business complieations demanded professional services or judicial investiga tion. He was at the liist sossion ever held by a Court of Record within tho limits of the Couuty. Although tho last of his profession here who ha fallen, kis name stands inscribod first on the roll as tho oldost and earliest membor of the bar. For moro than fifty years he has been a prominent member of this communiiy, sometimos engaged in professional labors, sometimos in moro general business pursuits and sometimos in tho performance of official dutics. As a lawyer Judge Kingsley had little love for the techmcalities of tho prolession. He know nothing of tho tricks of the pettifogger, and never soilod his hands with his prácticos. The labor of tho office and tho drudgery of the details in tho preparation of causes wero not much to his taste, out ho was a trua advocate of the groat principies of the law. Right and jnstico alway3 commanded his support, and in him they found an ardent and successlül advocate. He was true as steel to his client, yet nothing could induce him by trick or chicanery to pervert the law. His eBbrts in the courts were always marked with ability and learning, but hia bost efforts were before the jury. Where he though t his client was tho subject of oppression or of attompted injustice, he kindled with uuwauted zeal and his advocacy became both striking and powerful. His words of' invectivo against tho uflender, on such occasions, were scorching, and his warm plea for justice - plain, simple justice - rung out in that eloquent tone which commanded the sympathy of all hearers. We can well remomber such occasions, when these bursts of eloquence from his lips feil upon the ears of' both jury and spectators with a power lascinating and almost irresistible. Nor did the kindlier ieeüngs fail soraetimes to appear in these professional efforts. The play of his fancy and the salliea of his wit not unfrequently broke the dullnesa of the more gravo and serioua business at the court. Judge Kingsley waa honored by his fellowcitizeus with many offices of trust and authority. Durmg eight years lio was Judge of Probate, and tbr many yoars a membor of the Legislativo Couneil of tho Territory and aftorwarda of the Legislature of the State. He has been Mayor of the city, a mombor of the Conatitutioual Convontion and Ilegent of the University. The confldeneo which the eoramunity always had in his capacity and above all in bia stricfr intogrity and honor made hira ever a popular man. Tho freo, voluntary sufï'rages of his fellowcitizens thrusted office upon him. The duties of his official hfe he porlorraed diligently and conscientiously, and his retiroment from office waa without a stain upon his reputation, or tho whisper of a doubt as to the purity of hia acts or his motivos. Judge Kingsley waa a man of groat simphcity of character. No display or show was ever exhibited by him. Although a man of more than ordinary stores of learning, and rich in the fruits of rauch phlosophic reflection, it was novor the subject of boast or ahow, and I npprehond that few of his immediate acquaintanees estimated liim in that regard as highly aa he deservod. He ofton exhibited the guileleas spirit of a child. Ho would uot suspect a wrong in others. Ho was kiud and generous in hia impulses, a true sympathizer with the poor and unfortunate and a warm and sincere friend. The rough contact with the ivorld aoems to have affected hira little, and the books which he read in his youth and tho memory of his early friends remained dear to hitn to tho laat day of his hfe. It was perhaps thoso traita of aimplicity and sincerity and this character of integrity and honor which marked the courae of his long hfe, which, more than anything besides, made him a popular favorito and knitted so strongly the tie that bound him and his moro intimato frionda together. But hia long life is now ended. Judge Kingsley was p'olitically a Democrat, and in many a campaign did yeoman service in behalf of the party, always making efiective speeches from the platform, speeches veil calculated to arrouse the enthusiasm and timulate the zeal of his hearers. As an official - judicial, legislative, orexecutive - he was ever true to the trusts reposed in him : never bartering the intereets of his constituents for personal gain. A-nn Arbor is specally indebtcd to him for his early and earnest efforts in locating, establishing, and niilding up the University, and those of our itizens who knew him will long hold him in emembrance.