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Obituary

JUDGE JAMES ASBURY CREIGHTON

CREIGHTON, Judge James Asbury

Wayne County Press, Thursday, December 21, 1916, p1, c3-4:
DEATH CLAIMS JUDGE JAS. A. CREIGHTON.

Well-known Jurist, Raised in Fairfield, Passes Away After Short Illness at Springfield.

News reached friends and relatives here last Friday of the death at Springfield of Judge James A. Creighton, the oldest circuit judge of Illinois. The Judge had been holding circuit court at Jacksonville, and contracted a cold, which developed into pneumonia. The following from Saturday's State Journal, Springfield, gives something of the career of Judge Creighton:

Judge James A. Creighton, well-known legist and jurist and the oldest circuit court judge in point of service in the state, is dead.

With the passing of Judge Creighton, who died at 10:30 o'clock yesterday morning at his home, 812 South Second street, the state lost one of the most distinguished members of the bar and Springfield lost one of the best-known and influential of its citizens.

Judge Creighton was 70 years old. His physicians said that his death is the result of two weeks illness of cardiac asthma. Judge Creighton first was taken ill when he contracted a cold while holding a session of the circuit court in Morgan county about two weeks ago. He continued with his work, but his condition grew worse. He adjourned court and came home. Ever since that time he has been in bed. His condition was never considered out of the danger zone.

Early yesterday morning his condition grew worse and all members of his family were hurried to his bedside. His daughter, Mrs. James Paige of Chattanooga, Tenn., and his son, John T. Creighton of this city, who was in New York, were telegraphed to hurry home. Both arrived Thursday and were at the bedside with the rest of the family when the end came.

Although Judge Creighton's condition was considered very serious, the news of his death came as a blow to his many friends. He was a man because of his love for justice and because of his untiring labor to keep high the ideals of his profession, and had many staunch friends and supporters.

Judge Creighton took his office as judge of the circuit court in 1885. At the time of his death he was the oldest circuit court judge in point of service in the state. At the time Judge Creighton took office many of the old and influential lawyers practicing in the state today were just starting out. They all tell how the "good judge," as they called him, assisted them when they were surrounded by difficulties.

Judge Creighton from almost the time of his youth took part in public affairs. When only 24 years old, during the same year he passed the bar examination, he was elected city attorney of Fairfield. From that time on he always played a great part in public life.

Judge Creighton moved to Springfield in 1877 and soon after that he was elected a member of the county board of supervisors. His leadership soon showed itself, and he was elected chairman of that body.

Judge Creighton was defeated for office only once. In 1908 he was nominated by the Democratic party of the third district for the office of judge of the supreme court, but was defeated in the election. Many of his friends say that he would have been appointed a member of the federal supreme court if the Democratic party had been victorious in 1908.

Judge Creighton was well known and respected because of his sound opinions. Very seldom was an opinion of his reversed by the supreme court. His opinions many times were accepted by the members of the bar as final. He was a student of constitutional law of the state and nation and knew the history and origin of nearly all the laws of this state. Judge Creighton, soon after being elected judge of the circuit court, earned the reputation of a hard and earnest worker. He forgot time when he began to work, investigating any point of law or when writing an important opinion. Many nights he had "burned the midnight oil" in order to come to court ready to hand down his opinion so the time of the lawyers in the case would not be wasted in court. He was unselfish and always had much regard "for the other man."

Judge Creighton was born March 7, 1846, in White county, Illinois, and was the son of John M. and Mary Anne Creighton. His father was born in White county and his mother was born in Wayne county and Judge Creighton took pride in the fact that he believed that he was the oldest citizen of Illinois whose parents were both born in this state.

Judge Creighton's grandfather came to Illinois in 1814 from South Carolina; his maternal grandfather, James Crews came to Illinois in 1817 from Virginia, so he was of typical pioneer stock.

He graduated from McKendree college in 1868 at the age of 22 years, receiving the degree of bachelor of arts. He took much interest in educational matters for some time prior to admittance to the bar. He was principal of the public schools at Grayville for one year and shortly prior to coming to Springfield was an active candidate for the office of superintendent of public instruction. He was admitted to the bar in June, 1870. He practiced for some years at Fairfield, where he held the office of city attorney.

On the first day of May, 1877, he removed to Springfield and entered into partnership in the practice of law with the late General Alfred Orendorff with offices in the old First National Bank building at Fifth and Washington streets at the site now occupied by the Illinois Nation Bank. In June, 1885, he was elected Judge of the circuit court in the circuit then composed of the counties of Sangamon, Christian, Macoupin, Montgomery, Fayette and Shelby. He was reelected in 1891, 1897, 1903, 1909 and 1915, and was serving his sixth term at the time of his death. With possibly one exception he was the oldest circuit judge in service in Illinois. He maintained a warm interest in McKendree college and received from it the degree of LL.B. in 1914.

Judge Creighton on January 4th, 1871 married Mary C. Newman. She and four children survive: Mrs. James W. Paige, of Chattanooga, Tenn., Mrs. Froman Smith, Mrs. W. St. John Wines and John T. Creighton of the firm of Brown, Hay & Creighton, all of this city.

Judge Creighton as also survived by three brothers, Judge Jacob R. Creighton, John M. Creighton and Thomas F. Creighton, all of Fairfield, Illinois, and one nephew, W. C. Borah, assistant secretary of the Sangamon Loan and Trust company of this city. He is also survived by two grandchildren, William Creighton Wines and Edna Frances Wines.

In addition to his duties in the circuit bench, Judge Creighton served for sixteen years as justice of the appellate court of the state of Illinois for the Fourth district. In 1908 he was nominated by the Democratic party for the office of judge of the supreme court of the state of Illinois, but failed of election.

He was a member of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Springfield and a Mason of the thirty-second degree. He was also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Court of Honor and an honorary member of the Sangamo club of Springfield.

Judge Creighton's career upon the bench was most distinguished. He was a man of extraordinary legal learning and absolute integrity. To these were added judicial temperament of the highest order. He was courteous, patient and open-minded in the highest degree, and very popular both with the bar and with the people.

His industry was absolutely marvelous. It is said that he had but three vacations in thirty years of service---one of five weeks in Colorado about thirteen years ago, one spent in Washington in the fall of 1913, and one in the summer of 1916.

The funeral services Sunday were exceedingly simple. The honorary pallbearers were men of state prominence and included Gov. Dunne, ex-Governor Deneen, members of the state supreme court, the state officers and prominent jurists of Springfield. The bar associations of the counties in which Judge Creighton has served so long have passed resolutions, paying the deceased a glowing tribute.

The burial took place in the Oak Ridge cemetery, where Lincoln is buried.

Note:
native of Fairfield, although obit below doesn't provide that info.