Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 12.pdf/262

Rh following admirable tribute to Judge Paull is from a biographical sketch of him by Honor able George W. Atkinson in "Prominent Men of West Virginia." The stamp of sincerity and eloquence is in every line:

"A truly good man's character rests on a granite basis, which sustains the structure of public virtue and private integrity, while an inflexible personal independence keeps guard over the intellect and conscience, and challenges the advance alike of friend and foe to this seat of power and secret of success. The subject of this sketch had no other aim in life than to be right and do right. He did not defer to the decision of the popular judgment as the sum of political wisdom and the inevitable law of duty. His own and not the public sense was his rule of action as citizen, attorney and judge; He paid little court to the people, and practised no artifices and employed no gratitudes to enlist them in his interests or purposes. He influenced men not so much by the sublimity of his sentiments as he inspired confidence and admiration by the dignity of his manners, the clearness of his understanding, and the purity of his life. Skepticism of all kinds was foreign to his mental constitution. Thoughtful and sincere, with characteristic independence of creeds and traditions, his was a nature to feel the religious sentiment strongest as it dwells apart in the silence of the soul. Profoundly spiritual both by nature and education, his life was an exemplification of faith in God and a Christian's hope of endless and more exalted life. Judge Paull was a man of fine natural powers of mind. These had been developed by the advantages of a liberal education in early years and by much cultivation in later life. In point of taste, culture, information, sound judgment, and the like, he occupied a very high place among men. In his tastes he was simple, but highly refined. Anything that savored of ostentation was extremely offensive to him. Equally repulsive was anything that was in the slightest degree akin to vulgarity. He was a man of remarkable purity of character. He was always distinguished by the most unswerving integrity. Those who knew him best say that his life was as nearly blameless as it is possible for humanity to be. He was just, upright, Godfearing, and he loved his fellowmen. He was possessed of all the attributes that go to make up the full, noble character of the Christian gentleman, the highest type of manhood on earth. There are two relations in the life of this distinguished lawyer and jurist in which his character shone out with the greatest beauty. One of these is that of the family — homelife. His home was the abode of the most delightful peace and love. As a husband and father, it is but truth to say, he was a model. His memory therefore in that circle must ever be cherished with a fondness that is not often equaled. The other of these relations was that of the church. While yet a young man he united with the First Presbyterian Church, Wheeling, and at the end of more than a quarter of a century of religious living, no man could truthfully say that he ever brought reproach upon the cause he sought to uphold and defend. He was not a negative Christian. On the contrary, he was an earnest worker. For eighteen years he was a ruling elder; he was at the same time a constant attendant upon the sessions of the Sabbath School and week-night prayer services, always taking an active part. It can be said of him, as of but few public men, he was constantly foremost in every proper place in laboring for the good of his fellow-men."

Judge Paull was twice married. His first wife was Miss Jane A., daughter of the late Judge Joseph L. Fry, a lawyer of profound attainments, who for many years resided at Wheeling. They had issue three sons, Archibald W., Joseph F., and Alfred, all prominent and enterprising citizens of Wheeling. Judge Paull's first wife died March 9, 1860. He married Miss Eliza J., daughter of Samuel and Sydney (Heiskell) Ott, on March 19, 1861, who became his second