LANCASTER COUNTY.

145

URNER M. MARQUETT, General Attorney for the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company in Nebraska, has his residence and business headquarters in the city of Lincoln, and is a man who thoroughly understands the details of his chosen profession, the law. A native of Clarke County, Ohio, he was born in the city of Springfield, July 9, 1831, and is the second son of a family of nine. The parents were natives of Virginia, and removed from the Old Dominion to Ohio during its pioneer days. On the father's side the ancestors were French and German; on the mother's side the ancestors were English and Scotch. His father was a farmer by occupation, and afterward removed to the Buckeye State, and carried on agriculture successfully in Clarke County, and there spent the remainder of his life.
   Turner M. spent his days after the manner of the sons of pioneer farmers, acquiring a limited education in the primitive schools, which were carried on mostly in the winter seasons. At the age of twenty years, wishing to advance in the knowledge of the classics in the higher branches, he entered the Ohio University, at Athens, from which he was graduated in the scientific course, and in the spring of 1856 he left his native State, wending his steps westward, and crossing the Mississippi, came into the Territory of Nebraska, stopping first at Plattsmouth, in Cass County, and occupied himself, first, during the winter of 1856-57, in the employ of William M. Slaughter, clerking in a store for his board. In the spring of 1857 he hung out his shingle as an attorney-at-law, and practiced in that vicinity until the year 1874. During his stay there he was elected a member of the Territorial Legislature, in which he served three terms, and was four years in the council of the Territory.
   Mr. Marquett, in June, 1866, was elected as the Republican candidate for Congress from Nebraska, the State having previous to that date received the enabling act, and at that time voted upon the question of its admission as a State into the Union, and also elected a full set of officers, including one Congressman. The State was admitted on the 2d of March, A. D., 1867, and Mr. Marquett's term of office as Congressman simply lasted two days and three nights, in which time he had the pleasure of voting on all of the reconstruction acts passed over the veto of Andrew Johnson. In relating this part of his history Mr. Marquett said that he might under the law have served two years in Congress as well as two days; but under the circumstances he preferred the two days to the two years. It happened in this wise: "I was elected to Congress in June; the State was not admitted until the next general election in our State, which was in October. At that time it was thought best to elect a delegate for the Fortieth Congress, and also a Congressman. I was elected for delegate, and

John Tafft for Congress. I went on in December, and worked hard for the admission of the State, which was admitted on the 2d of March, It then became a question of whether myself and the two Senators, who had been elected to represent the State, Gov. John M. Thayer and Thomas W. Tipton, should be sworn into the Thirty-ninth Congress or should wait until the 4th of March, and be sworn in on the Fortieth Congress. They both determined that they would wait for the Fortieth Congress. This would give them two years longer time. I could have waited and been Congressman for the Fortieth Congress, and as there was no law in the enabling act to elect but one Congressman, I knew that under the law I could hold my seat, and was advised by my friends not to be sworn in until the Fortieth Congress, and I admit it was something of a temptation to do as the Senators proposed to do, and which would give me two years instead of two days in Congress; but, on the other hand, 1 reflected that it would hardly be the right thing toward my friend John Tafft, and hence, as soon as the State was admitted, I appeared on the floor of the House and was sworn in. Politicians from Nebraska, looked at it as a foolish move; I deemed it but right. It was the right thing to do, but I never got credit for it. I believe there was no paper in Nebraska, that spoke of it at all, but what spoke of it as being foolish upon my part. I recollect one of the papers in commenting upon it said that the Senators were sharp enough not to be sworn in till the Fortieth Congress; I had no more sense than to go in and be sworn out of a two-years term of Congress. I looked upon it as the right thing to do, and would do it again." Mr. Marquett added, "You see I am a failure as a politician." But we think this but illustrated Mr. Marquett's character; he would rather do a square thing than be Congressman for two years.
   Our subject now returned to Plattsmouth, where he resumed the practice of law. He changed his residence to Lincoln in 1874, and soon afterward formed a partnership with Amasa Cobb. They practiced law until 1878, under the firm name of Cobb & Marquett, and sometimes under the firm name of Cobb, Marquett & Moore. Mr. Cobb was then appointed Judge of the Supreme Court, and our subject continued the business mostly alone for some time. He is now at the head of the firm of Marquett, Deweese & Hall, and enjoying an extensive and lucrative practice of his profession. Mr. Marquett has been twice married; first in November, 1861, to Miss Harriet Border, a native of Illinois, who died at her home in Lincoln, in June, 1883, leaving four children: The eldest, Bell, is now the wife of Clifford Teft; Harriet married George H. Fawell; and Gertrude and John are at home.
   Mr. Marquett contracted a second marriage in 1885, with Mrs. Asenath Stetson. The family residence is pleasantly located on the corner of P and Eighteenth streets, in this city, and Mr. and Mrs. Marquett enjoy the acquaintance and friendship of the cultivated people of Lincoln. On inquiry Mr. Marquett told the writer that he was not a rich man as some thought he was, but what he had he thought fairly represented what he has made under our free contract system. He has never been able to make anything by speculation. Mr. Marquett added, "My religion largely consists of the belief that a man ought to be satisfied with what he can squarely earn under the free contract'; system, dealing justly with all, and that the sin of our times is in the great efforts of so many trying to get something for nothing." He has always voted the Republican ticket, and has held his present position in connection with the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad since 1869, a period of nearly twenty years. He has been a close student and extensive reader, well balanced mentally, has made a good record in his particular field of labor, and we take pleasure in presenting his portrait in the most prominent place in this ALBUM.
   Mr. Marquett's success as a lawyer depends upon the thoroughness with which he always understood his case, not only the general outline, but in detail. In the trial of a case he was original, and the opposite counsel might look for the case to take an unexpected turn at any time. I was told the following expedient of his to test the credibility of a witness: He was defending a man for murder; the murder had been committed by sending a bottle of whisky through the express office drugged with poison; the evidence of the prosecution depended