Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1909 — OBITUARY OF J W. DOUTHIT. [ARTICLE]

OBITUARY OF J W. DOUTHIT.

Weatherford (Okla.) Democrat: Judge Douthit, whose death was announced in last week’s issue of the Democrat, was laid to rest in the city cemetery Saturday morning. A large concourse of friends and neighbors followed the remains to the cemetery.

Rev. Wolfe, pastor of the Christian church, conducted the services at the house and at the grave. At the services at the residence of the deceased. Geo. T. Webster, on behalf of the bar, read a paper giving a short history of the deceased, after which he made a very affecting talk In commenting on the life of the deceased as he knew him. Judge Douthlt was an excentrlc man and was known principally for his excentrlc habits by most people. To a few he was known as a scholar and as a man .possessed of knowledge covering a wide range of subjects, particularly history both modern ajjd ancient. He was honest

and law abiding and was a man always careful to attend to his own business. Following is the paper read by Geo. Webster:

“We realize that this earth is not our abiding place that “we are passing away;” “that here we have no continuing city;” “that our days are spent as a tale that is told;” “that time in its hurried march is fast leading* us to the shadowy future.”

James Wesley Douthit was born in Decatur county, State of Indiana, on the 15th day of January, 1848. At a very early period of his life he was deprived of the care of both parents. At about the age of three years he became a member of the family of a German farmer named William Brookman, whose wife was an American lady. They had no children of their own and they treated him as if he were their own child. He continued to reside with Mr. Brookman until the latter’s death which occurred in the fall of 1863. Alter Mr. Brookman’s . death he continued to reside with his i widow. In a short time the widow I married another German namdd Henry W. Badeker a distant relative of hdl- first husband and he continued to make his home with Mr. and Mrs. Badeker, who were -“very kind to him, until 1878, when he started ou\in life for himself. They were people of property and I were highly esteemed by all who knew them and ne always spoke of I them with great respect and reverence.

His early education was such as were afforded at the country schools of Adams township, Decatur county, Indiana, when he was a boy. After acquiring a fair knowledge of the common branches he entered Hartsville college, an institution located at Hartsville, Bartholomew county, Indiana. The school was under the auspices of the United Brethern in Christ and was at that time a good school, but the denomination divided and this school fell to the weaker branch and finaaly went down. He completed the Scientific course and received the degree of Bachelor of Science in 1873. While acquiring his education he earned a part of his expenses by teaching in the public schools. In the fall of 1875 he entered the law department of the Indiana University situated at Bloomington, Ind., and graduated in 187/, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws In the spring of 1878 he located in Rensselaer, Jasper county,- Indiana,' and continued to reside there until 1901 While residing at Rensselaer he was principally engaged in the practice of law. In 1895 he was appointed prosecuting attorney by Governor Claude Mathews to fill a vacancy caused by death. He held the office for eighteen months and filled It with ability. Being advised by her physician that his wifes health demanded a warmer climate he came to Wpatherford, Oklahoma in the spring/of 1901 Since living in Weatherford he has filled the offices of Justice of the Peace and Police Judge. The black man and the red man and the white man all stood on equality in "Tiis court. He was never a member of any church. Mrs. Brookman, who subsequently became Mrs. Badeker, was a member ?. a branch of the Baptist church that called themselves Old School Baptist. They were Predestinarians bordering on fatalism. Mrs. Badeker in her youth had no advanatges of education and he used-’to read her church papers and denominational books to ner and by these means became -familiar with the texts relied on by them to sustain their doctrine. In his boyhood and early manhood he used to defend the doctrines of that people but as he grew older and advanced in education he ceased to ! defend them but was never known to speak disrespectfully of their doctrines or practices and when assailed he always found a word of excuse or apology for them. He became very liberal in his religious views and often said that every denomination accomplished good in He waß Practically an abstainer from the use of all intoxicating liquors during his life and never used tobacco in any form. He was twice married. In 1886 he married Miss Harriet Amelia Gull ford, Dearborn cound a x a \u She BUrvlved but three years and there were no children. Her mortal remains now repose in h™® nd T al ® cemeter y near Lawrence&T«H an » ~l n 1895 he married Lll ? Bel,e F ° B8 ’ of MedaryFm?r rMM ana, Ki WhO BUrvlv « s him. Four children blessed this union, all girls, one baby who survived but three days, sleeps in Weston cemetery, in Rensselaer, Ind. Nora Ev’jnsenne, aged ten years, was born u V,van Beatrice, aged six and Blanch Alberta, the baby, not yet a year old. James Wesley Douthit was a hu™a“l an , d had h,s fault8 > and in the minds of some he had grevious ones, ut he was as free as men usually are.