WI BIO - Dane Co - CASSODAY, John B.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893. Vol I, pp 265-267

Hon. John B. CASSODAY, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of WI, was born 
in Herkimer County, NY, 07 Jul 1830. About three years after his birth his 
father died, and he with his mother moved with her parents to Tioga County, 
PA. He began life as poor as the poorest of boys, but the same industry, 
good judgment and well directed ambition which made him one of the foremost 
lawyers of WI carried him through his early struggles. Besides occasionally 
attending district schools for a few months and working for his board he 
attended one term of the village school at Tioga, and one term at 
Wellsborough Academy, before he was 17 years old.

For the next four years John B. CASSODAY was engaged in various kinds of 
manual labor in order to gain a livelihood, occasionally teaching school in 
winter. Afterward [p 266] he attended two terms at the Knoxville, PA, 
Academy, and then two years at the Alfred Academy, NY, from which he 
graduated. He then went to the MI University, where he took a select course, 
which was supplemented by a short term at the Albany Law School and reading 
in a law office at Wellsborough, PA. Desiring to find a wider field, he went 
West in 1857, and settled in Janesville [Rock County], WI, where he entered 
the law office of Judge CONGER, who was a prominent local legal light, and 
pursued his law studies there until 1858, when he became a member of the firm 
of Bennett, Cassoday & Gibbs, which continued for over seven years, during 
which time he served as circuit judge of the 12th Judicial District. From 
1865-1867 he was alone in his practice, when the firm of Cassoday & Merrill 
was formed, which lasted five years. That firm was succeeded by Cassoday & 
Carpenter, the late Senator, now deceased, and continued until Judge CASSODAY 
was promoted to the Supreme Bench.

Prior to his election he had been somewhat prominent and active in local and 
national politics. He had been a Republican since the party was organized. In 1864 he was a delegate to the 
Baltimore convention which re-nominated 
LINCOLN, and was placed upon what was that year the most important committee, 
that of credentials. In 1864 he was elected to the Assembly, and during that 
session served with credit on the Judiciary and Railroad committees; and 
again in 1876 he was elected to the General Assembly from his district. He 
was then chosen Speaker of that body, without a dissenting vote from his 
party, and in this place he displayed his native ability, serving with 
decided distinction.

In 1879 Judge John B. CASSODAY stumped the State for the Republican campaign, 
making many forcible and telling speeches for his party, and the same year 
was chairman of the Republican State Convention. In 1880 he was a delegate 
at large to the convention at Chicago, and was chairman of the delegation. 
He presented to the convention the name of the late E. B. WASHBURNE as a 
candidate for President, in a speech that was worthy the man and the 
occasion, and later, after supporting his favorite candidate as long as there 
was any hope, he announced the vote of the WI delegation for James A. 
GARFIELD, which broke the deadlock and resulted in the nomination of that 
gentleman. He took an active part in the campaign, making speeches over the 
State, as he had up to that time in almost every presidential election since 
the organization of the Republican party. On 11 Nov 1880 he was appointed 
Associate Justice on the Supreme Bench to fill the vacancy caused by the 
promotion of Chief Justice COLE to the office made vacant by the death of 
Chief Justice RYAN. Judges COLE and CASSODAY were elected by the calls of 
the bar and the people, without regard to party, and excepting a few 
scattering ballots received the entire vote of the State, Judge COLE having 
177,522 and Judge CASSODAY 177,553. In 1880 he was re-elected with the entire 
vote of the State, receiving the largest ever given in the State to one man.

In the American Law Review, of July 1892, we find the following: "The law 
school of the University of WI is in many respects very favorably situated. 
The university is located at the capital of the State, where the Supreme 
Court, the courts of the U. S., and also the State courts of nisi prins for 
Dane County, hold their sessions. The Legislature also meets there, and [p 
267] the presence of these courts has enabled the regents to attach to the 
faculty several eminent judges, among whom may be mentioned Justice John B. 
CASSODAY, of the Supreme Court of WI, whose opinions have been long 
distinguished for soundness, and whose conclusions for the thoroughness of 
their search." Mention is made in the same work that the decisions of the 
Supreme Bench of the State have placed it third among its sisters in value, 
and the standing of its decisions is ranked next to NY and MA.

The Chicago Legal News publishes many legal extracts of the judges of this 
court. As a lawyer, Judge CASSODAY was one of the brightest and most 
successful in the State. From the outset of his career he showed a clear, 
analytical mind, well balanced, cool and cautious, but the success he 
obtained could only come from downright hard study and work. While in 
practice he was devoted to his profession, thorough and methodical in the 
preparation of his cases, and skilled and judicious in their management. 
Always true to his client, and equally true to himself and the court, 
intensely anxious to succeed, but always just and courteous to his opponents. 
He took nothing for granted, but went to the bottom of every question, and 
the members of the bar who attempted to rake after him found but scant 
gleaning. In his arraignments, his clever manner of presenting each 
particular case, and his complete mastery of the questions involved, gave him 
a rare power, and caused him to be listened to by court, jury and bar, with 
the utmost attention and respect. While making his profession a general 
practice, he was especially interested in and successful in wills, patents 
and trademarks.

As a politician Judge CASSODAY was sagacious and unflinching in his fidelity 
to the interests of the people and the fundamental principles of the 
Republican party. He is an American and a Republican of the best sort, 
coupled with a thorough comprehension of all the great fundamental questions 
of the time, which combine to make him a clear, accurate thinker, most 
effective in argument. Since 1886 Judge John B. CASSODAY has been a law 
lecturer in the law school of the university, and his present theme is will 
and constitutional laws, of which he is complete master. His lecture to the 
law class of 1884 portrayed his idea of the true lawyer, and was a 
masterpiece.

As a man Judge CASSODAY is exemplary in all walks of private and public life. 
He is a Christian gentleman and an honest man. He has an educated 
conscience, a large heart, and a practical sympathy, a tender regard for 
young men who are struggling for an education and a higher life. He is an 
attractive man personally, his somewhat deep set, sharp and steady eyes, firm 
lips, strong chin, and high, well proportioned forehead, all are outward 
signs of this rare man, and with his untiring industry and a continuation of 
his present good health, must exercise a marked influence in molding and 
building up the jurisprudence of the State.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly