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John D. Caton

January 01, 1970

John Dean Caton (March 19, 1812, Monroe, New York – July 30, 1895) was an associate justice and chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.

John D. Caton

Family, early life, education edit

Caton was born in a Quaker family in Monroe County, New York, on March 19, 1812. His father died when he was 3 years old and his mother then brought the family to her brother's farm near Utica, New York. The family managed to gather the money needed to send him to the Utica Academy. During his studies, he worked as a teacher in Utica. He studied law[1] and civil engineering.[2]

Later he married Laura A. Sheril; they had a son, Arthur Caton (1849/50–1904).[3]

Law practice edit

In 1833, Caton moved to Chicago, then a small town, and opened the first law office there with his partner, Giles Spring.

In his book, Early Bench and Bar of Illinois,[4] inspired by an 1893 speech given to the Illinois Bar Association, Judge Caton claims to have tried the first jury case in a court of record in Cook County, Illinois. He recounts his experiences riding the circuit in the early days of Illinois statehood, and his later appointment to the Illinois Supreme Court, a period of some sixty years. He relates a number of humorous anecdotes about his days as a circuit rider.

Abraham Lincoln was an attorney in 214 cases in the Illinois Supreme Court in which Caton was a justice.[2]

Telegraph edit

Judge Caton was an early adopter of telegraph technology. As a young lawyer, he was asked by a Rochester, New York, friend, Henry O'Riley, and his friends in Ottawa to organize the Illinois and Mississippi Telegraph Company at a meeting in Peoria, Illinois. Caton was elected one of the directors of the new company and played an active role in getting the right of way for the erection of telegraph poles across the state. The Illinois and Mississippi Telegraph Company was a Morse patentee company that was a profitable and well-connected company on the western frontier after 1849. Caton and his Ottawa friends founded a telegraph instrument-making company in Ottawa, Illinois, initially staffed largely by German immigrant instrument makers. Caton Telegraph Instrument Company was a large-scale producer of high-quality instruments and was a major supplier of instruments in the Illinois and Mississippi Valleys. Ottawa was the seat of the third district of the Illinois Supreme Court where Judge Caton presided. Caton and his interest in the Illinois and Mississippi Telegraph Company owned north-south telegraph lines that were a significant monopoly that was eventually key to the success of the Rochester-based Western Union telegraph company's attempt to build a line to St. Louis and further west as the Illinois and Mississippi and Caton's own private telegraph companies had agreements with most of the railroads in Illinois. Eventually, Caton and his friends sold the telegraph lines to Western Union, and later, Caton sold his telegraph instrument manufacturing company located in Ottawa, Illinois, to Western Electric Company, which consolidated their Cleveland, Ohio manufacturing into the larger and more advance facility in Ottawa after the Civil War in 1868. The Ottawa telegraph instrument designs, patents, and production methods were eventually consolidated into the post-1872 Chicago Western Electric facilities on Kinzie Avenue.[5][6]

Natural history and Darwin edit

By the late 1860s, his wealth allowed him to start studying natural history and traveling. He published several authoritative papers and books, among which The Antelope and Deer of America (1877).

He exchanged correspondance with Charles Darwin,[7] who cited his work numerous times in The descent of man (1871).[8] When Darwin’s sons George and Francis visited the United States in 1871, he sent a letter of introduction with them to Caton.[9]

Later, Caton also published books and papers on Hawaii, Norway, and on Illinois history.[1]

Publications edit

  • (1863) The position and policy of the Democratic Party, letter to Gov. H. Seymour, New York Argus
  • (1865) Death of Lincoln : proceedings in the Supreme Court of Illinois : presentation of the bar resolutions in regard to Mr. Lincoln's decease, Chicago, J.W. Middleton & Co., OCLC 228669573
  • (1869) Origin of the prairies (read before the Ottawa Academy of Natural Sciences on December 30, 1869), Transactions of the Ottawa Academy of Natural Sciences, 30 p., OCLC 13725958
  • (1870) Our courtship and our marriage : with incidents preceding and relating thereto, and observations suggested thereby : intended exclusively for our family, 280 p., OCLC 681902309
  • (1870) The last of the Illinois, and a sketch of the Pottawatomies (read before the Chicago Historical Society on December 13, 1870), Chicago, ed. Rand, McNally & Co. (reedited 1876, Fergus Printing Co., Chicago), 36 p., OCLC 3623245
  • (1875) A summer in Norway; with notes on the industries, habits, customs and peculiarities of the people, the history and institutions of the country,..., Chicago, ed. Jansen, McClurg & Co., 401 p. + 6 pl., OCLC 4139290
  • (1877) The antelope and deer of America, Boston, ed. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. (revised edition in 1881), 426 p., OCLC 67402434
  • (1880) Miscellanies, Houghton, Osgood & Co., 360 p.
  • Shields, George Oliver (editor), with numerous contributors including Caton, John Dean. The Big game of North America. Its habits, habitat, haunts, and characteristics : how, when, and where to hunt it. Boston: Rand, McNally & Co. OCLC 67402434.
  • (1893) Early bench and bar of Illinois, Chicago Legal News Company, 252 p., OCLC 3780983
  • (1898) Argument favoring the annexation of Hawaii, 15 p., OCLC 857815883. This was part of the documents of reference for the Congress while debating the annexation of Hawaï between 1893 and 1898.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "The visionnary life of John Dean Caton". historyonthefox.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  2. ^ a b "Caton, John D". lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  3. ^ "Arthur Caton", on darwinproject.ac.uk, John van Wyhe, Darwin Online.
  4. ^ Caton, John Dean (1893). Early Bench and Bar of Illinois. Chicago: Chicago Legal News Company. p. 215.
  5. ^ "The Telegraph Instrument Factory of John Dean Caton". telegraph-history.org. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  6. ^ "John Dean Caton" (PDF). Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  7. ^ Some of the correspondance between J. D. Caton and Ch. Darwin, on darwinproject.ac.uk, John van Wyhe, Darwin Online.
  8. ^ Darwin's 1871 edition of The descent of man (first edition) cites Caton 1 time in vol. I (p. 288, note 24) and 12 times in vol. II.
  9. ^ Short letter from Darwin to Caton, introducing his sons on the occasion of their voyage to America in 1871. On darwinproject.ac.uk, John van Wyhe, Darwin Online.

See also edit

Bibliography edit

  • Blanchard, Charles (1863), "Chief Justice Caton's Seymour letter", published in the Ottawa Republican on April 4 & 11, 1863, 12 p.
  • Fergus, Robert (1882) Biographical sketch of John Dean Caton, ex-Chief-Justice of Illinois, Chicago, Fergus Printing Co., 48 p., OCLC 4715371
  • Townley, Wayne C. (Wayne Carlyle) (1948) Two judges from Ottawa, McLean County Historical Society, vol. 7, Egypt Book House, 48 p. On John Dean Caton and Theophilas Lyle Dickey (1811-1885), Judges.


 

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January 01, 1970
john, caton, john, dean, caton, march, 1812, monroe, york, july, 1895, associate, justice, chief, justice, illinois, supreme, court, contents, family, early, life, education, practice, telegraph, natural, history, darwin, publications, references, also, biblio. John Dean Caton March 19 1812 Monroe New York July 30 1895 was an associate justice and chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court John D Caton Contents 1 Family early life education 2 Law practice 3 Telegraph 4 Natural history and Darwin 5 Publications 6 References 7 See also 7 1 BibliographyFamily early life education editCaton was born in a Quaker family in Monroe County New York on March 19 1812 His father died when he was 3 years old and his mother then brought the family to her brother s farm near Utica New York The family managed to gather the money needed to send him to the Utica Academy During his studies he worked as a teacher in Utica He studied law 1 and civil engineering 2 Later he married Laura A Sheril they had a son Arthur Caton 1849 50 1904 3 Law practice editIn 1833 Caton moved to Chicago then a small town and opened the first law office there with his partner Giles Spring In his book Early Bench and Bar of Illinois 4 inspired by an 1893 speech given to the Illinois Bar Association Judge Caton claims to have tried the first jury case in a court of record in Cook County Illinois He recounts his experiences riding the circuit in the early days of Illinois statehood and his later appointment to the Illinois Supreme Court a period of some sixty years He relates a number of humorous anecdotes about his days as a circuit rider Abraham Lincoln was an attorney in 214 cases in the Illinois Supreme Court in which Caton was a justice 2 Telegraph editJudge Caton was an early adopter of telegraph technology As a young lawyer he was asked by a Rochester New York friend Henry O Riley and his friends in Ottawa to organize the Illinois and Mississippi Telegraph Company at a meeting in Peoria Illinois Caton was elected one of the directors of the new company and played an active role in getting the right of way for the erection of telegraph poles across the state The Illinois and Mississippi Telegraph Company was a Morse patentee company that was a profitable and well connected company on the western frontier after 1849 Caton and his Ottawa friends founded a telegraph instrument making company in Ottawa Illinois initially staffed largely by German immigrant instrument makers Caton Telegraph Instrument Company was a large scale producer of high quality instruments and was a major supplier of instruments in the Illinois and Mississippi Valleys Ottawa was the seat of the third district of the Illinois Supreme Court where Judge Caton presided Caton and his interest in the Illinois and Mississippi Telegraph Company owned north south telegraph lines that were a significant monopoly that was eventually key to the success of the Rochester based Western Union telegraph company s attempt to build a line to St Louis and further west as the Illinois and Mississippi and Caton s own private telegraph companies had agreements with most of the railroads in Illinois Eventually Caton and his friends sold the telegraph lines to Western Union and later Caton sold his telegraph instrument manufacturing company located in Ottawa Illinois to Western Electric Company which consolidated their Cleveland Ohio manufacturing into the larger and more advance facility in Ottawa after the Civil War in 1868 The Ottawa telegraph instrument designs patents and production methods were eventually consolidated into the post 1872 Chicago Western Electric facilities on Kinzie Avenue 5 6 Natural history and Darwin editBy the late 1860s his wealth allowed him to start studying natural history and traveling He published several authoritative papers and books among which The Antelope and Deer of America 1877 He exchanged correspondance with Charles Darwin 7 who cited his work numerous times in The descent of man 1871 8 When Darwin s sons George and Francis visited the United States in 1871 he sent a letter of introduction with them to Caton 9 Later Caton also published books and papers on Hawaii Norway and on Illinois history 1 Publications edit 1863 The position and policy of the Democratic Party letter to Gov H Seymour New York Argus 1865 Death of Lincoln proceedings in the Supreme Court of Illinois presentation of the bar resolutions in regard to Mr Lincoln s decease Chicago J W Middleton amp Co OCLC 228669573 1869 Origin of the prairies read before the Ottawa Academy of Natural Sciences on December 30 1869 Transactions of the Ottawa Academy of Natural Sciences 30 p OCLC 13725958 1870 Our courtship and our marriage with incidents preceding and relating thereto and observations suggested thereby intended exclusively for our family 280 p OCLC 681902309 1870 The last of the Illinois and a sketch of the Pottawatomies read before the Chicago Historical Society on December 13 1870 Chicago ed Rand McNally amp Co reedited 1876 Fergus Printing Co Chicago 36 p OCLC 3623245 1875 A summer in Norway with notes on the industries habits customs and peculiarities of the people the history and institutions of the country Chicago ed Jansen McClurg amp Co 401 p 6 pl OCLC 4139290 1877 The antelope and deer of America Boston ed Houghton Mifflin amp Co revised edition in 1881 426 p OCLC 67402434 1880 Miscellanies Houghton Osgood amp Co 360 p Shields George Oliver editor with numerous contributors including Caton John Dean The Big game of North America Its habits habitat haunts and characteristics how when and where to hunt it Boston Rand McNally amp Co OCLC 67402434 1893 Early bench and bar of Illinois Chicago Legal News Company 252 p OCLC 3780983 1898 Argument favoring the annexation of Hawaii 15 p OCLC 857815883 This was part of the documents of reference for the Congress while debating the annexation of Hawai between 1893 and 1898 References edit a b The visionnary life of John Dean Caton historyonthefox wordpress com Retrieved 2024 04 21 a b Caton John D lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln org Retrieved 2012 09 07 Arthur Caton on darwinproject ac uk John van Wyhe Darwin Online Caton John Dean 1893 Early Bench and Bar of Illinois Chicago Chicago Legal News Company p 215 The Telegraph Instrument Factory of John Dean Caton telegraph history org Retrieved 2024 02 02 John Dean Caton PDF Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission Retrieved 2024 04 05 Some of the correspondance between J D Caton and Ch Darwin on darwinproject ac uk John van Wyhe Darwin Online Darwin s 1871 edition of The descent of man first edition cites Caton 1 time in vol I p 288 note 24 and 12 times in vol II Short letter from Darwin to Caton introducing his sons on the occasion of their voyage to America in 1871 On darwinproject ac uk John van Wyhe Darwin Online See also editBibliography edit Blanchard Charles 1863 Chief Justice Caton s Seymour letter published in the Ottawa Republican on April 4 amp 11 1863 12 p Fergus Robert 1882 Biographical sketch of John Dean Caton ex Chief Justice of Illinois Chicago Fergus Printing Co 48 p OCLC 4715371 Townley Wayne C Wayne Carlyle 1948 Two judges from Ottawa McLean County Historical Society vol 7 Egypt Book House 48 p On John Dean Caton and Theophilas Lyle Dickey 1811 1885 Judges nbsp This biography of a state judge in the United States is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John D Caton amp oldid 1223335853, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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