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- HON. JOHN WINANS, the son of William R. WINANS and
- Catherine WINANS, whose maiden name was SIMONSON, was born
in the town of Vernon, county of Sussex, N.J., on the 27th day
of September, 1831; his father, a descendent of the Hollanders
who were among the earliest settlers of that State, was a relative
of Hans ROSS and Thomas WINANS, of Baltimore, and he was at the
head of a large manufacturing establishment in that city for
a number of years, and he, in connection with ROSS and Thomas
WINANS, spent several years in Russia in manufacturing and keeping
in repair the rolling-stock on the railroad between St. Petersburg
and Moscow, under contracts with the Russian Government,
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- and in this and his other business pursuits, he accumulated
a handsome property; he also held for many years the office of
Justice of the Peace in New Jersey, and, though he was not specially
educated for the legal profession, he was admitted to practice
in all the courts of that State, and his great natural abilities
soon gave him a lucrative practice and a commanding position,
showing that had he in early life chosen this field of labor,
he would have attained the highest rank in the profession; during
the last years of his life, he was a resident of Rock Co. in
this State, where his aged widow still resides. The subject of
this sketch spent his early years attending school and assisting
his father in his business; he received an academic education
at Deckertown Academy, in Sussex Co., in his native State, after
spending some time at a private school at Warwick, Orange Co.,
N.Y.; after reading law at Newton and Trenton, N.J., about four
years, and a portion of the time with the Hon. Martin RYERSON,
since one of the Circuit and Supreme Court Judges of that State,
he was, in the fall of 1855, admitted to practice in all its
courts. On the 14th day of November, 1855, he married Maggie
A. COCHRAN, the beautiful and accomplished daughter of Dennis
COCHRAN, with whom he lived in constant and undisturbed felicity
until the 22d day of December, 1878, when she was called from
her earthly home and friends, to whom she was tenderly attached,
to the everlasting abodes of the blessed, to receive the reward
of a pure, charitable and unostentatious Christian life. In the
fall of 1857, Mr. WINANS moved to Wisconsin, locating at Janesville,
engaging in the practice of his profession, where he has since
resided. The source of every lawyer's wealth, so far as the practice
of his profession is concerned, is in the confidence reposed
in him as a man and lawyer, by the people with whom he becomes
acquainted; this confidence, though easily lost, can only be
won and retained by a long, useful and honorable professional
career. The large, successful and constantly increasing legal
business of Mr. WINANS in both civil and criminal cases in Rock
and other counties of this State, show that he has not only won
the confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens, but that he
most worthily retains them. He combines in himself most of those
qualifications which are requisite for an able lawyer; he is
upright and learned in his profession, industrious and attentative
to business, bringing to all cases intrusted to him, thorough
preparation and careful study. Some members of the bar have great
power in discussing questions of fact to a jury, but fail in
arguing questions of law to the Court; Mr. WINANS is fortunate
in possessing abilities which enable him to excel in both positions,
and it would be difficult for his professional brethren to determine
in which place he takes highest rank and is most successful;
his arguments to the jury are clear, forcible and strong, and,
in important cases, are characterized by a sincerity, zeal and
persuasive eloquence that at once commands attention, and not
unfrequently touches every heart; while those addressed to the
Court are acute and clear, learned, comprehensive and able; and
it is proper to add, that he is constantly actuated by such a
spirit of integrity and manliness of soul that it is quite impossible
for him to discuss a question of fact to the jury, or of law
to the Court, in which he has no confidence himself; we think
his legal brethren throughout the State, among whom he is well
known, accord to his a position in the very foremost rank of
the profession, to the endowments already mentioned, he adds
other qualifications which, though less important, are not to
be overlooked or underestimated, especially by young men just
entering the profession, and among them are a calmness of mind
and a sincerity of temper and disposition which enable him, under
all circumstances, however vexatious or trying, to preserve his
self-possession; and we doubt whether he was ever known by any
of his professional brethren, among whom he has practiced almost
a quarter of a century, to fly into an unseemly passion; and
his uniform kindness and courtesy to all are as remarkable as
they are worthy of imitation; it is unnecessary to add that such
a man is ever a faithful friend, and an upright, honorable citizen.
In politics, he is a Democrat, and the fact that he resides in
a city, county and State strongly Republican, sufficiently attests
the sincerity of his political opinions; he is not ambitious
for office, and avoids, rather than seeks for the honors which
official positions bestow; still he has been called by his fellow-citizens
to fill several, such as Alderman, City Attorney of Janesville
for several terms; in 1864, he was a delegate to the National
Democratic Convention held in Chicago; in 1868, the Democratic
candidate for Congress in the Second Congressional District,
composed of the counties of Rock, Jefferson, Dane and Columbia,
which being largely Republican, he was defeated; in the fall
of 1873, he was elected to the assembly from the city of Janesville,
and, as a member of that body, held the important position of
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. To every public position
he has been called to fill, he has brought abilities amply adequate
to the performance of every duty devolving upon him, and a sincerity
of purpose which places all his acts above cavil or reproach.
He is still in the fullness of his usefulness and strength.
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- Taken from "The History of Rock County, Wis."
(c)1879, pp. 731-732; lithograph from same book, p. 415.
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- Courtesy of Carol
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