Biographical Sketches
HON. JAMES S. BOTSFORD
It has been said by a well-known writer that “some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them;” and when in any department of life a man attains signal success the thinking world is wont to pause and inquire through which of these methods did his eminence come. In regard to the marked success attained by the Hon. James S. Botsford, one of the prominent lawyers of Kansas City, a review of his life will answer the above question.
James S. Botsford was born in Waukesha county, Wisconsin, June 10, 1844, son of John Sherman Botsford and Rhoda nee Look, natives of Oneida county, New York, and of Scotch-Irish descent. The Botsford family were among the early settlers of the Empire state. Seymour Botsford, a brother of our subject's father, was a participant in the war for the independence of Texas and was killed at the battle of San Jacinto. John S. Botsford, the father of James S., was a farmer. Sometime in the 30's he left New York and emigrated to Wisconsin, which was then on the frontier, and in the midst of the dense forest of Waukesha county he purchased 160 acres of Government land, at $1.25 per acre, and at once devoted his energies to the work of clearing and improving his farm. This land is now very valuable. Here he died in 1851. The mother still survives and resides near Waukesha. Sometime after Mr. Botsford's death she became the wife of a Mr. Rodgers, and by him has 2 children, -- Anna and John. The children of her first marriage are 5 in number, named: James S., Clara, Mattie, Charles and Phoebe. Charles is an attorney of Oklahoma.
It was on his father's farm that James S., was born, and amid frontier scenes that his boyhood days were passed. He attended the country schools for some years and when he grew older was sent to high school at Lisbon, Illinois. The breaking out of the war interrupted his studies, as it did those of many other patriotic young men, and in May, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company F, 5th Wisconsin infantry. With this command he was identified until September, 1864, when he was honorably discharged, having participated in all the principal engagements of his regiment up to that time. At the battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 1864, he was wounded by a gunshot through the right shoulder, after which he was taken to Armory Square hospital, Washington, DC, where he remained 3 months. It was at the end of this time that he received his discharge and returned home. On his return hom he at once resumed his studies, giving especial attention to law, and in due time passed a creditable examination before the supreme court at Ottawa, Illinois. That was in 1866. The same year he entered upon the practice of his profession at Sedalia, Missouri, at which place he maintained his residence until 1872, having served one year, 1870, as city attorney. In 1872 he removed to Jefferson City, Missouri, where he practiced until 1879. He was United States attorney for the western district of Missouri from 1871 to 1877, or 2 terms. In 1879 he located in Kansas City, Missouri, and since that date has practiced here, having established at this place a large and lucrative business. He is now a member of the popular law firm of Botsford, Deatherage & Young. Both as a speaker and lawyer, he has few equals.
Mr. Botsford has for years been identified with the Masonic fraternity, has received the higher degrees of the order, and has been honored by official position in the same. He is past high priest of the chapter, and past eminent commander of Kansas City commandery, K. T., No. 10; also he is a member of the George H. Thomas post, G. A. R.
Mt. Botsford was married in November, 1871, to Miss Sallie, daughter of Colonel W. A. Warner, and granddaughter of General Leslie Combs, of Kentucky. Their only child, Georgia, is the wife of B. F. Deatherage, a prominent lawyer of Kansas City.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.