WI BIO - Dane Co - CARPENTER, Jairus H.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893. Vol II, pp 407-410

Hon. Jairus H. CARPENTER was born in the town of Ashford, Windham County, CT, 
14 Feb 1822. He grew up to young manhood in his native town, spending three 
terms at Holliston Academy. He early determined upon his course in life, 
which he thereafter pursued with steadfastness of purpose, which became, and 
is still one of his striking characteristics.

He was engaged for a time in teaching and later began the study of law, 
completing his legal studies preparatory to his admission to the bar, with 
the Hon. L. P. WALDO, a prominent attorney of Tolland [Tolland County], CT. 
In Mar 1847 he was admitted to the bar and began the practice of his chosen 
profession [p 408] at Willimantic [Windham County], CT. Full of hope and 
energy young CARPENTER entered with zeal into the struggle for professional 
standing and eminence, in which each young lawyer must engage who aspires to 
a place among the distinguished men, who always and at all times are found 
adorning the ranks of attorneys and counselors at law in every part of our 
country.

Believing that the West afforded better opportunity to the young attorney, 
Jairus H. CARPENTER wisely decided in 1857 to locate in Madison, Dane County, 
WI. This beautiful city pleased him and his ability, energy and sterling 
integrity soon brought him to the front of legal matters and won for him the 
esteem of the best people of the city. During the first year of his 
residence in Madison he became associated in the practice of law with John W. 
JOHNSON, Esq., now deceased, the most brilliant and eloquent lawyer and 
orator ever engaged in the practice of law in the city of Madison. An Apollo 
in form and bearing, a grace of manner, a never failing vocabulary of the 
choicest English, a poetic imagination, with wit and humor in abundance, but 
under perfect control and a power of pathos seldom equaled, made him an 
orator of surpassing power and excellence and he is remembered by those who 
are so fortunate as to know him with admiration for his marvelous eloquence, 
and pity for his unfortunate habits of intemperance, which brought him to an 
untimely grave.

However much Jairus H. CARPENTER may have admired his brilliant partner, his 
ideas of temperance were such as to render Mr. JOHNSON uncongenial as an 
associate and the business connection unpleasant, so the partnership between 
them was dissolved, and in 1858 he entered into a partnership with the late 
General Ezra T. SPRAGUE, under the firm name of Carpenter & Sprague, which 
continued until the breaking out of the Civil War in 1861. Judge CARPENTER's 
connection with General SPRAGUE was most pleasant. They were from the same 
neighborhood in CT and had mutual acquaintances there and many associates in 
common, and General SPRAGUE was one of those rare men, whom to know was to 
love and esteem. Ezra T. SPRAGUE enlisted in 1861. [A portion of this 
biography which diverges into an account the life of Ezra T. SPRAGUE has been 
omitted here.] [p 409]

In 1868 Judge CARPENTER formed a partnership with Captain R. J. CHASE, who 
had also been a gallant soldier in the Civil War. The connection with 
Captain CHASE continued until 1874, when it was dissolved and the latter 
removed to Sioux City, IA, where he attained prominence in his profession. 
Since 1874 Judge CARPENTER has had no partner. He was a careful painstaking 
lawyer, carrying into the practice of his profession those high moral 
qualities for which he has ever been distinguished, refusing retainers, where 
in his opinion, the client had not a cause in which he could conscientiously 
engage, but when he did accept a retainer he espoused the cause of his client 
with all the zeal and energy of his nature, giving to the case careful 
thought and preparation. His fidelity to his clients was notable even in a 
profession where that virtue is a common one.

Judge Jairus H. CARPENTER has many of the elements of an orator, a good 
command of language, a voice well trained, which combined with his 
earnestness and evident sincerity of belief in the righteousness of his 
client's cause, make him an able and effective advocate before a jury, his 
efforts often rising into the realms of genuine eloquence.

In 1868 Judge CARPENTER was appointed dean of the law faculty of the State 
University of WI, at Madison. He organized the law class, became one of the 
law lecturers and devoted many years actively to this work; he resigned the 
deanship in 1884 but still holds the Jackson professorship in the law 
department of the State University and lecturing upon contracts. In 1874 the 
honorary degree of A. M. was conferred upon him by Yale College, and in 1876 
he degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by the University of WI.

Even since and before he took up his residence in WI, Judge Jairus H. 
CARPENTER has taken a deep and active interest in educational matters and has 
been of great service to the cause of education, not only in the city of 
Madison, but for the State of WI. For 28 years he was a member of the Board 
of Education of the city of Madison, and for 23 years served as it president. 
By his patience, good judgment and practical business sense and sagacity he 
has been largely instrumental in raising the public schools from a low 
standing and almost chaotic condition to the prominent place they now occupy 
among the schools of the State and country.

Upon his settlement in WI, Judge Jairus H. CARPENTER entered with zeal into 
politics, espousing the cause of the Republican party. The great questions 
which were then at issue between the Republican and Democratic parties were 
such as to engage the attention of every earnest mind. The position of the 
Republican party in its opposition to the extension of human slavery, and the 
maintaining of the equal rights of all men, was such as to call from Mr. 
CARPENTER full and enthusiastic support. He was active in the consuls of his 
party, and with his moral earnestness [p 410] and his ability as a speaker 
and orator he was an effective and influential political speaker, but with 
the close of the war and the absence of any great moral questions from the 
issues, in most of the late campaigns he has been less active. While still 
espousing the cause of the Republican party, he is conservative in his views 
and disposed to exalt the man above the party and to support those for office 
whom he deems most worthy of the position. He takes, however, an active 
interest in the civil service reform, and in all movements having for their 
aim the purification of our politics and the better administration of 
governmental office. He has been an Alderman of his ward for three years, 
and while serving in that capacity rendered his city very valuable services, 
especially in establishing the city credit and placing its financial affairs 
upon a sound basis.

In 1885 Jairus H. CARPENTER was appointed, by Governor RUSK, County Judge, to 
fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge SANBORN, and this position he 
has continued to hold ever since, having been elected, after serving one full 
term and part of another by appointment, by the people of the county. In the 
administration of this important office he has given the greatest 
satisfaction to the bar and to the people. To the first, because he is 
always ready to give them a patient, conscientious and impartial hearing, and 
they know that his decisions, whether for or against them are equally honest, 
and the people know and feel that with his supervision, so far as human 
ability and foresight is able to secure such a result, that their estates 
will he honestly administered and guarded against wrong and peculation. The 
bar and people believe implicitly in his integrity and hope that he may long 
continue to discharge the duties of an office which he adorns and which is so 
important to every citizen.

Judge CARPENTER is a well preserved man, possessing a marked degree of mental 
and physical activity for one his age. He is a man of pleasant and cheerful 
disposition, social in his nature, enjoying all innocent sports and 
amusements. He shows the strength and hardihood of his ancestors, who were 
of old New England stock, the family having lived in CT for many generations. 
His parents were Palmer and Martha (BROWN) CARPENTER, who settled in MN in 
1856, where they spent their last years, and where they died, honored and 
respected by all who knew them. While living in the East his parents were 
members of the Christian church, but after their removal to this State [WI] 
they joined the Congregational Church and died in that faith.

Judge Jairus H. CARPENTER was married while living in his native State [CT] 
to a lady who has shared his fortunes and misfortunes through life and who is 
yet the comfort of his declining years. Her maiden name was Martha C. 
KENDALL, she having been born, reared, and educated at Palmer [Hampden 
County], MA. She also came of good old New England ancestry, her forefathers 
having been among the early settlers of the Bay State [MA]. Judge and Mrs. 
CARPENTER hold to no particular religious creed, but are moralists in the 
true sense of the word. He has always been active in local temperance work, 
and he believes in and gives his influence to all things that are progressive 
and good.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly