De Witt C. Rich Man

As printed in 1911

JUDGE DEWITT C. RICH MAN.

Distinguished as a lawyer and jurist was DeWitt C. Richman of the Muscatine bar. He was born in Somerset, Perry county, Ohio, September i, 1826.

Judge Richman was the son of a Methodist clergyman, but was left fatherless at the age of three. At the age of eighteen he came to Muscatine and spent two years in the store of his brother, John W. Richman, but returned to Trenton, New York, to resume his duties there as clerk in a store until 1853. In that year he was again in Muscatine. Here he entered the office of his brother, J. Scott Richman, and read law. He was admitted to practice and entered into partnership with his brother, the firm name being Richman & Brother, a law concern which became widely known in ante-bellum days. The partnership was dissolved in 1863, when J. Scott Richman was elected to the bench of the district court. Mr. Richman then entered into partnership with J. Carskaddan, which continued until 1878, when DeWitt C. Richman was elected judge of the circuit court. While serving his third term on the bench he resigned and returned to the practice of law in partnership with George M. Titus. The firm of Richman & Titus continued until 1886, when the law, real-estate and loan office of Richman & Son was opened, the junior member being Irving 6. Richman. Judge Richman was a man of scholarly attainments. As a lawyer and judge his reputation reached a high point in the estimation of the bar. In his political faith he affiliated with the republican party. He was long a deacon in the Congregational church and took a very active part in church affairs. For many years he was president of the County Sunday School Association, the Men's Bible Society and the Young Men's Christian Association. He died January 24, 1899.

As printed in History of Muscatine County, Iowa, from the earliest settlements to the present time; (1911). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.