My Genealogy Hound

Chief Justice E. H. English (deceased) was born March 6, 1816, in Madison County, Ala. His parents moved to Limestone County, near Athens, when he was still young and resided there until their death, young English being reared on a plantation and attending the public schools of that county until he had attained his fourteenth year. He then completed his academic education, at the town of Athens, but even afterward pursued in private the classics and higher branches of English study. He was greatly aided in this by Mr. James Frazier, a graduate of the famous University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and also of the no less noted University of Virginia. When making his choice of a profession, Mr. English unhesitatingly adopted the law and entered the office of the Hon. George H. Houston, who was afterward Governor and United States Senator for Alabama. Mr. English was admitted to the bar in 1839, and when only a little over twenty-one years of age, was elected to the State legislature from Limestone County, Ala. He was afterward re-elected for one term, and at its expiration commenced to practice his profession at Athens, where he remained until the year 1844, then coming to Little Rock, Ark. At this place his career in the law was one of the most brilliant and successful in the legal annals of Arkansas. In the fall of 1844, he was appointed by the supreme court reporter of its decisions, and during his occupancy of this position, published eight volumes of his reports, from the Sixth to the Thirteenth Arkansas, inclusive. In 1846 he was elected by a joint vote of two houses of the Arkansas legislature to digest the laws, and performed this work to the entire satisfaction of every one in eighteen months. In 1848 he was a candidate for associate justice of the supreme court, but was defeated by Judge Walker. In November, 1854, he was elected chief justice for six years, to fill the unexpired term of Chief Justice G. C. Watkins, and until the close of Judge Watkins’ term, had the honor of presiding with and over the judge who had defeated him in 1848. In 1860 he was re-elected unanimously for a full term of eight years, but at the close of the war, he resumed his law practice at Little Rock, continuing until 1874, when he was again elected chief justice. In the allotment for classification, under the constitution of 1874, he drew the middle or six years’ lot, and that term expired with 1880. The same year he was re-elected without opposition by the people, for a term of eight years, and on September 1, 1884, his labors ceased, and he was called before the presence of a just and merciful God, to be judged as he had judged others. Judge English was twice married: first in Athens, Ala., September 30, 1840, to Miss Julia A. Fisher, one of Athens’ most beautiful and accomplished daughters, who died in 1871. His second marriage occurred in July, 1872, to Mrs. Susan A. Wheless, of Nashville, Tenn., an attractive and cultivated lady, who still survives him. As a Freemason, Judge English was eminently distinguished. He joined the fraternity at Athens, in 1843, and when quite a youth, he was made Master of his lodge. At Little Rock he affiliated with the Western Star Lodge No. 2, and in 1845 was elected Master of that lodge, which office he held for many years. In 1849 he was elected Grand Master of the State, and after a lapse of ten years, was again elected to that office for ten years, at the end of which time he was re-elected. He held the chief place in his Chapter as a Royal Arch Mason, as also in his Commandery as a Knight Templar, and had passed through the various degrees. He was elected General Grand High Priest of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, and his name is familiar to Masons over the entire world; the Masonic decisions of Grand Master English having been translated and read by many tongues and places, the very names of which were unknown to him. Judge English was a Christian gentleman, and had joined the Methodist Church early in life in his native State.