JUDGE JUNIUS ALONZO HOLLIDAY - EARLY HAMILTON LAWYER

Narrators: H.D. Elderidge and Others

Judge Holliday was an early settler in Hamilton and for over sixty years he was a well, known character here. Information about him has been gained from various sources. His third cousin - Mrs. Anna Korn of El Reno Oklahoma says, "he was the son of Ben Holliday who founded the Missouri Intelligence and Boone's Lick Advertiser at Old Franklin, the first county newspaper in America outside of St. Louis. Ben was the father also of Caroline Holliday an early College teacher at St. Charles and Prickett Institute; and of Mrs. Fannie McClanihan of Columbia. This Ben was a first cousin of Ben Holliday of National fame."

The early Lawyer of Hamilton, J.A. Holliday came here because his cousin A.G. Davis had founded the town and the town needed a lawyer. He stayed on till his death about twenty two years ago. In the earlier years, his office was at the north east corner of south Main, a frame, two room building, owned by Squire A.G. Davis (site of present First Bank and Trust Co.). It was one of the few buildings on that side, south of the tracks. His office was in the front room, his sleeping room in the back. He ate at different hotels up town.

He never married. Miss Minnie Ogden said, "he had two unmarried sisters else where whose support rested on him."

The children in town looked on him as a sympathetic friend and were not afraid to ask him for a nickel for candy.

His contemporaries as lawyers were (Doc) B.M. Dilley, Seth Young and Chappell, some younger than he. His buddies were a gunsmith who had a shop on the street north of the depot, named Goodwin or Goodin; and a carpenter called "Old Mitch" whose shop was on the site of the Colored Baptist Church.

He had no particular ambition to make a lot of money, yet he always had money to loan when a fellow would show good security. When his relation here died or moved away, he seemed to like to be left alone. As the years went on, he was more disinclined to take practice. He had an excellent law education. He was a member of the Legislature of Missouri which framed the Constitution of 1875; was Clerk of the Senate and was J.P. in Hamilton for years. He loved to sit and read - a splendid scholar.

In disposition he had a quick temperament. Larry Lampton says, "that one day while Holliday sat in his office back of the table, a fellow called him a liar. Squire Holliday quickly jumped the table, not waiting to go around, and knocked him down. He was tall and spare in build, and very stately in carriage. He was one of the last men shawl-wearers. Others of his time were Wm. Wilmot and R.B. Houston the Banker.