HAYES, Walter I.

HAYES, HART, COAN, GORHAM

Posted By: Nettie Mae
Date: 1/18/2003 at 23:06:04

Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

HON. WALTER I. HAYES.

Iowa has always been distinguished for the high rank of her bench and bar, and one of the most prominent representatives of the profession was Judge Walter Ingals Hayes, of Clinton, who passed away on the 14th of March, 1901. He was born in Marshall, Michigan, December 9, 1841, a son of Dr. Andrew L. and Clarissa Selden (Hart) Hayes. The father was born in New Hampshire of Scotch-Irish ancestry, a scion of the New England Hayes family, his mother being a Sanborn, of Sanbornton, New Hampshire. He was reared and educated in his native state and fitted himself for the medical profession. He began practice at Marshall, Michigan, being one of the pioneers of that state, and he became prominently identified with its public affairs, taking special interest in military matters. He was a brigadier-general in the state militia, and was commonly known in Michigan as General Hayes. He took an active part in the Texas war, and at the opening of the Civil war assigned to raising troops for the service, but died in 1864, and on account of ill health he never entered the army. He was a member of the legislature that first sent General Cass to the United States senate, and continued in the practice of his profession throughout life. His wife was born in Durham, New York, of English descent, and was a representative of a good old Puritan family of New England.

Judge Hayes’ early life was pleasantly passed under good home influences, and his parents being well-to-do people, he was not forced to endure the hardships which have often fallen to the lot of great men. His education was obtained at the fine private schools of Marshall, and at the age of nineteen years commenced the study of law in the office of Hughes & Wooleley, of Marshall, Michigan, the senior member of the firm being the late Hon. D. Darwin Hughes, who subsequently lived in Grand Rapids. Later the Judge was graduated at the law school in Ann Arbor, in the class of ’63, and was admitted to the Michigan bar the same year. A year later he became a member of the firm of his late preceptors, which was then styled Hughes, Woolley & Hayes.

In 1886, being offered a desirable partnership with General N. B. Baker, ex-adjutant general of Iowa, he came to Clinton, and at once entered into active practice under the firm name of Baker & Hayes. This connection continued for two years, when General Baker moved to Des Moines, and the judge was alone in practice until 1872, when he formed a partnership with the late Hon. George B. Young, then circuit judge, which position he resigned in order to resume his law practice. They successfully engaged in practice under the firm style of Hayes & Young until August, 1875, when upon the recommendation of the bar of the seventh judicial district Mr. Hayes although a Democrat, was appointed by Governor Carpenter to complete the un-expired term of Judge Brennan, resigned, and in October of that year was elected to the same position by the people without opposition. He served as judge until elected to congress in 1886, although he only accepted the office at the request of the bar, as his income was much greater from his private practice than the emoluments of the office. He gained an enviable reputation for judicial learning and ability, for impartiality, fairness and close adherence to the principles of justice and equity, second to no other jurist in the state. He was also one of its ablest and most successful lawyers, and was always true to his clients’ interests. While judge his decisions were sustained with remarkable uniformity, where appeals were taken. About the close of his judicial term the law firm of Hayes & Schuyler was formed and continued up to the time of his death. While in congress his partner carried on the business, but after leaving the legislative halls of the nation he devoted his entire time and attention to his practice in Clinton, which was quite extensive, both in the federal and state courts. As a trial lawyer he was eminently successful.

Soon after attaining his majority Judge Hayes began taking a very active and prominent part in public affairs, and served as United States commissioner for the eastern district of Michigan from 1864 until coming to Iowa in 1866. He was also elected city attorney of Marshall in 1865. In 1867 he was appointed United States commissioner for Iowa and held that office until elected district judge. He was city attorney of Clinton in 1869, 1870, 1871 and 1875, being elevated to the bench the last year. He had been the Democratic candidate for circuit judge of the seventh judicial district in 1868, but was defeated by Judge Young, who afterward became his law partner. In 1876 he was nominated by acclamation for supreme judge of the state. He was a delegate to the Democratic state convention of Michigan in 1864, and to nearly every state convention of Iowa from 1868. In 1872 he was an alternate delegate to the Democratic national convention at Baltimore, which nominated Horace Greeley for the presidency, and when appointed judge he was serving as chairman of the Clinton county Democratic committee. He served on all of the committees of his party from county to state. In 1886 he was elected to congress from the second congressional district of Iowa, and filled that office for four consecutive terms until 1895, being the only Democratic member from the state for two terms, which made him a large amount of extra work. He was indefatigable in his labors not only to advance the interests of his immediate constituents, but the interests of the state and nation. In 1897 he was elected a member of the legislature, by which body he was appointed a member of the commission to revise the code of the state, the code now in use in the state.

Judge Hayes was married June 28, 1865, to Miss Frances L. Coan, a daughter of the late William F. Coan, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume. Although an invalid for some years, she always took a deep interest in her husband’s aims and desires, and her keen intellect and generous education made her more than a wife, but also a companion, counsellor and true friend. She was his secretary while in congress and his helpmate at all times. She now resides at the Revere House, Clinton, and is a lady highly respected and esteemed by all who know her.

Added to Judge Hayes’ earnest study of national, economic and other questions was his love of animal life and study of it. A great admirer of fine horses, he was never happier than when driving over the country roads behind a good team, with his wife by his side and a high-bred dog along. He kept only thoroughbred horses and dogs, and as means permitted him he indulged this desire by gathering one of the best bunches of speed horses in the country, and establishing a farm that would have been recognized before many years as a speed producer.

The Judge died very suddenly at his old home in Marshall, Michigan, having been called there to attend the funeral of his uncle, the Hon. Charles T. Gorham, and his remains were brought back to Clinton for interment. From the address of Dr. J. L. Fowler on this sad occasion we quote the following:

“We are assembled this afternoon to pay the last tribute of respect to one of Clinton’s honored citizens, a man of national reputation, a successful lawyer, and eminent jurist upon our district bench, and for eight years the laborious, efficient representative of this district in the national congress. There was a breezy, vivid virility about his mental operations that insensibly acted as a tonic upon his associates. If I were to characterize in the manner most satisfactory to myself the impressions made by Judge Hayes upon those with whom he came in contact. I would say that he seemed to clear the atmosphere of sham and humbug, and even if you had to differ from his views you left him with sense of a refreshed and invigorated intellectuality.”

There are many other glowing tributes paid to his memory by those associated with him either in business, political or social life and by the press of Clinton and other places, for he was widely known and universally respected. Appropriate resolutions were also passed by the business men of Davenport, the Scott County Bar Association, the Clinton County Bar Association, and other bodies. It was said of him that as a congressman his influence was sought by men from all section of the country, and that he carried as much weight in the determination of important national measures as any member of either branch of congress. His great forte consisted in his persuasive and convincing power of presenting his arguments before committees. He was either quite fortunate in taking the right side of every public measure or he was exceedingly influential in making the side he was on the right side. He thought quickly and decided promptly all questions submitted to him, and was the same courteous gentleman on the bench, in the legislative hall and in the social circle. He attended every national Democratic convention but one after attaining his majority.