Michigan historical collections. [Vol. 17]

BENCH AND BAR OF BERRIEN COUNTY.39

399

but with a basket or package of necessaries, would often go forth
in the dark, and unseen leave it at the door of some poor family,
or would send a delivery wagon loaded with the comforts of life
to be delivered to the needy ones, always with the injunction
-to not name the giver. Many a family has been warmed and fed by
his kindness as an unknown giver.
John Grove was the first lawyer who settled at Buchanan, he was
admitted to the bar at Berrien, in May, 1848, and was elected to the
State legislature in 1845, and in 1846; he died at Buchanan about
thirty years ago.
George H. Jerome was born at Pompey, Onondaga county, N. Y.,
in October, 1819; he graduated at Hamilton college in 1842; came to
Niles in 1846, and immediately entered into the practice of law; but
he very soon retired from law practice, and entered upon other per-,suits more to his liking. In 1873 Mr. Jerome was appointed commissioner of State fisheries; he held the position many years, and until
his resignation. He in reality made the State fishery what it now is,
and so long as the trout, the whitefish, the bass and the grayling shall
inhabit the waters of the peninsular State, so long his fame as a fish
culturist will not be forgotten. Mr. Jerome is a fine scholar, and
science and literature are more to his taste than law.
Strather M. Beeson was born at Uniontown, Penn., in December,
1816. He came to Niles in 1832, but passed much of his time for
many years in South Bend, Indiana, and read law in that state. He
-was for many years a practicing lawyer there, and stood high as a
lawyer. He was admitted to the Michigan bar in 1850. He died at
INiles, December 30, 1878. Mr. Beeson was a sound lawyer and a fine
scholar. He never acquired a wide reputation as an advocate, as he
was not fond of litigation, and confined his practice almost entirely to
the quieter fields of the profession, yet he was not deficient in any of
the fields of practice.
Damon A. Winslow was born in LeiRay, Jefferson county, N. "Y., in
May, 1819. He was educated at LeRay academy, and at Gouverneur
Wesleyan Seminary, in the latter institu'tion under the instruction of
the late Bishop Jesse T. Peck. He came to Michigan in 1838, read
law at Tecumseh, was admitted to the law courts in June, 1845, at
Ann Arbor, and in the same month to the court of chancery at Adrian.
After his admission he first settled at Charlotte, Eaton county, and in
1847 was appointed prosecuting attorney for that county, and -held the
office two years. He was also master in chancery for the county
several. years. In 1851 he settled at St. Joseph, Berrien county, where