464

The Greeti Bag.

popular. Among his law students were his successors, Chief-Justice Pearson and Judge Battle. He was elected to the Supreme Bench on the first ballot, together with a personal friend but political opponent, over four other gentlemen of the highest reputa tion and influence. He was a good lawyer, and stands in the front rank as a judge. He was restive of precedent when he considered it in conflict with principle. He did not have the same degree of regard for the maxim, Stare decisis, which was so prom inent a feature with Judge Taylor; but he had an honest, strong mind, and his argu ments show an earnest grasping after the truth. Later in life he could not endure the fatigue of reading many books, and he relied on his recollection of principles and his powers of argumentation. Hence with his later opinions, as with Pearson's, and for the same cause, there is small citation of authority. A fair specimen of his know ledge and powers can be found in Taylor v. Shuford, 11 N. C. (4 Hawks) 126, on the difficult subject of estoppel and warranty, which he discusses with clearness and force, without citation of any decided case or elementary work. On the death of Judge Taylor, in 1829, Judge Henderson was elected by his associates Chief-Justice, and served till his death, which took place at his residence near Williamsboro, August 13, 1833. He had four sons and two daugh ters, and through them has many descend ants, who look back with pride to the record of his honored and useful life. Among his descendants are A. E. Henderson, a prom inent lawyer of Caswell County, and the wife of the late Governor Scales. He was succeeded as Judge by William Gaston, and as Chief-Justice by Ruffin. Judge John Hall, who was elected to the Supreme Court at its organization together with Taylor and Henderson, was the senior of them both, having been born in Augusta County, Va., May 31, 1767, near Waynes boro, a small village now on the railroad from Staunton to Richmond. He was the

youngest of the children of Edward Hall and Elizabeth Stuart, his wife. Edward Hall was a native of Ireland, who first settled in Pennsylvania, but afterward re moved to Virginia in 1736. Judge Hall received an excellent education, and was a graduate of William and Mary College, where he was a fellow-student of Bishop Ravenscroft, and possibly of Chief-Justice John Louis Taylor. He studied law in Staunton, Va., under his kinsman, Judge Stuart, who was the father of Hon. A. H. H. Stuart, Secretary of the Interior under Pres ident Fillmore. In 1792 Judge Hall re moved to Warrenton, N. C, where he con tinued to reside till his death. His manners were diffident and reserved, and his talents, though considerable, were not striking; but such was the favorable impression made by his character and industry that, though he came to Warrenton a total stranger, and possessed no influential connections, eight years thereafter he was elected, at thirtythree years of age, a judge of the Superior Court, then the highest judicial office in the State. On the adoption of the present Su perior Court system in 1806, he rode the circuits of the State in rotation. As there were then six circuits, he had held court in succession in every county of the State four times, when, in December, 18 18, he was elected to the Supreme Court, being chosen on the first ballot. He discharged the du ties of the office with credit and fidelity. On the death of Chief-Justice Taylor, though the senior in years and judicial service, he did not insist upon succeeding to the office, and concurred in the selection of Judge Henderson as Chief-Justice. Owing to a painful and distressing malady, he resigned, December, 1832, and died soon thereafter, at his residence in Warrenton, Jan. 29, 1833. Although not a brilliant or showy man, he possessed a sound judgment and extensive legal attainments. He was emi nently a safe judge, thoroughly impartial and unbiassed. Throughout life his character was unblemished. In 1804 he was elected