Benton. A lover of horticulture, he de lighted in the splendid orchard which he established on his farm, a short distance west of Jefferson City. The long trips our early judges were required to make away from home to hold court, utilizing horses or stage coaches, and later steamboats, as the only means of travelling, had the effect to beget a longing for a haven of rest during vaca tion; and there was none so admirable as the comforts of a well-tilled plantation or farm. When a constitutional provision, whose want of wisdom is now so generally recognized, enforced his retirement from the bench, he returned to his comfortable country home, proposing to resume the practice of his pro fession, especially before the court of which he had been so long an adorning member. But in a year, April 7, 1846, a stroke of apoplexy proved fatal, and there is only the record of a favorable beginning to prove the success that would have fallen to his lot as a practitioner. Robert Wash. The vacancy caused by Judge Pettibone's death in 1825 was filled by the appointment of Robert Wash, a member of the St. Louis Bar. Born in Louisa County, Virginia, Nov. 29, 1790, he received a classical educa tion, and graduated from William and Mary College in 1808. He prepared himself care fully for the legal profession. The War of 18 12 called him into service, and at its close he had attained the rank of major, and the name of having been a good officer. He removed to St. Louis, and soon became promi nent in its municipal government, and served as United States District Attorney, by ap pointment of President Monroe. Having confidence in the future of his chosen field, he invested his means in real estate in and near the limits of St. Louis. The result re alized his expectations, and enabled him to enjoy an ample fortune through life. The twelve years' service he gave his adopted State as a member of her judiciary are evidenced by his share of the opinions delivered during
that period. His utterances are singularly free from pretensions to display. Clothed in the simplest of terms, he expressed his views of the law clearly and to the point. He never forgot the inborn Virginia love for the field and chase. On his resignation in 1837, he retired to a commodious home near St. Louis, where his social disposition and hospitable qualities were disclosed to his many friends. He died in November, 1856, nearly twenty years after having left the bench. John C. Edwards. Upon the resignation of Judge Wash, Gov ernor Boggs appointed John C. Edwards to succeed him. The General Assembly not being in session, the appointment expired with the next meeting of that body. The failure of the Governor to renew his former designation of Judge Edwards was not due to any lack of ability displayed by the latter during his twenty-two months' service on the bench. The reasons belong more prop erly to a political history of the State. It is proper to mention the fact that this event largely influenced the ultimate change to the plan of an elective judiciary. Judge Edwards was a native of Kentucky, but while an infant his father removed to Rutherford County, Tennessee. The recipient of an academic education, he studied law and was licensed to practice at Murfreesboro. On his removal to Missouri, his natural bent for active po litical life soon brought him into prominence. Defeated as a candidate for the Legislature on the Jackson ticket in 1828, he was in the same year appointed Secretary of State by Governor Miller. He filled this position by successive re-appointments until 1837, when he assumed judicial functions. In 1840 he was elected to Congress as a Democrat, and in 1844 became Governor of the State as the candidate of the same party. During his gubernatorial term the Mexican War took place; and his heroic and energetic conduct in calling out and equipping a number of expeditions to take part in that struggle won
