Biographical Sketch of Judge John H

Biographical Sketch of Judge John H. Blackwell

By John Harvey

From the early days of our county there was the Interior Court or County Court, which handled cases of purely a local nature, cases appealed from the city courts. J.P. courts, cases involving county ordinances and cases involving small sums of money. This court finally went out of existence in the late 1920s when a constitutional amendment to the state constitution raised the population requirements for such a court. Only about fifteen counties with the largest populations still have this court.

Judge John H. Blackwell was among the last judges of this court in our county. He was born in Jasper County and educated in the local schools. As a young man he served in the Confederate Army (1861-1865) with distinction. In later years, he was a leader in the Camp Key Chapter of the Confederate Veterans. In 1915, he served as the representative of the veterans on the committee to select the monument on the Square.

At the time of his death, it was remembered by many citizens that he had what was considered a "common sense" approach to the law. Some remembered that he was to some extent witty and often saw the ridiculous and funny side of everyday events. It was agreed that he loved Jasper County and the people.

A story often told which was said to have been typical of him follows:

A young fellow had been arrested and charged on a Friday night. On the following Monday, he was tried and found guilty of breaking some county statute. The crime was not one of moral turpitude, but the judge was left little choice but to sentence the man. He was told to go home and settle his affairs, and return on the following Monday for sentencing. The day of his sentencing was cold, with almost two inches of snow on the ground from the day before. The wife and children of the culprit had come into town with him, wanting to be with him as long as they could before he was turned over to his jailors.

Though obviously poor, she had on her "best dress" and the children were scrubbed and clean, though their clothes were "threadbare". The children - there were four - did not have shoes. They came into the court and sat quietly in the back with their husband and father.

As Judge Blackwell looked out over the courtroom he saw the "little family". He beckoned to his clerk and two of the lawyers who practiced in the court to come to his chair. "What am I to do," he asked, very concerned, "I cannot punish that good woman and those little children by sending their husband and father to the gang. For that is what surely must do if I sentence him to the full term." The lawyers said they did not know, but since he had been found guilty by a jury, the judge had little choice.

When the man's case came up later in the day, the judge seemed to have made up his mind. He told the prisoner that he was sentencing him to the full term on the gang, but he would suspend sentence if the man would take his family and make a home for them and never get into trouble again.

The family moved to Virginia and as long as he lived, the young man was a good and faithful husband and father with a good reputation in the community where they lived.

Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) April 2005, from copies of articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr.
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's and 1980's time frame. Some were under the title "Jasper Reflections", others "Bicentennial Bits".
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and informative articles.

Copies of articles provided by Benny Hawthorne.