McIntyre - Duncan Thomas
Source: Waveland Independent newspaper, Waveland, Montgomery County, Indiana, Nov 11, 1921
Judge Duncan Thomas McIntyre one of Mattoon's most prominent
citizens, passed away at his home, 1301 Charleston Ave at one
o'clock this afternoon from heart trouble and a complication of
weaknesses incident to his advanced years. As a young man, he was
of slender health, and throughout his life he had fought bodily
weakness for intellectual life. During his long life, he fought a
battle with disease. His later years found him in better health
until an attack of Pneumonia in Dec 1920. In August of this year he
went to Memorial Hospital for the removal of a tumor from his leg
and since his return to his home he had been obliged to use a
wheelchair. Arrangements for the funeral and burial await the
coming of relatives from Shelbyville. Judge McIntyre came from
distinguished and illustrious families of the old dominion. In
his line were jurists, theologians, publicists, educators and
scientists. His grandfather was a large slave owner in Va, while
his father was against slavery. Judge McIntyre was a son of Rev.
Dugald Stuart McIntyre, a Presbyterian minister and Miss Rebecca
Hogue.
He was born at Blacksburg, Va. Sept 26, 1835. When he was
in his 17th year, his parents removed to Crawfordsville, where
they lived for a number of years. The young man prepared for
college at Waveland, where his mother afterward made her home and
at the college (Wabash) in Crawfordsville. The judge was the
oldest living graduate of Northwestern University where he prepared
himself by the study of law for his long legal career. He was
essentially a scholar, his life was in books and he read Latin
and Greek until the day of his death. His mind was clear to the
last, and his memory was keen of the results of his reading and
study. The young man came to Mattoon by accident while on his way
to Indiana to look over some land. He liked the place, stopped
over here and traded some land for the Gazette and became an
editor and for about a year used journalism as a prop for his
entrance to the practice of law. Judge McIntyre marr. in Mattoon
in Sept 1864 Miss Sarah Deming, a daughter of Rev. FA Deming, an
early pastor of the Presbyterian Church. Four children were b. to
them, of whom a daughter, Miss Katherine Hogue McIntyre who home
is with her father, and LJ McIntyre, who lives on a ranch near
park City, Mont survive. Judge McIntyre was a life long
Republican but seldom an officeholder.
He held the office of US
commissioner for 8 years but the rest of his life, until his
retirement was spent in the practice of his profession. The lines
of law in which Judge McIntyre was principally interested were
constitution law and the law of corporations. In these subjects
he was one of the leaders of Ill. He was offered a chair on the
faculty of Northwester Univ. and he was consulted by other
attorneys constantly in relation to the subjects that were his
specialties. At different times, Judge McIntyre was general
solicitor for the Big Four, The Illinois Central and earlier for
the Peoria, Decatur and Evansville line. at the time of the Civil
War Judge McIntyre was in poor health and thought to be infected
with tuberculosis yet in spite of his health, he did constant
duty as a civilian in the recruiting and securing of soldiers. At
one time he removed to Memphis in the 90s and was general
solicitor for the Paducah railroad, a line built while he was
there. Judge McIntyre was a member of the Presbytyerian Church
and for his entire life was a supporter of all Church
enterprises. It was his pride that no Church in the city,
Protestant, Catholic or colored had invited his aid in vain, and
he was a constant supporter of the interests of the community
that are promoted by these organizations - thanks to Jeff S. for this one