Born at New Durham, New Hampshire, July 8, 1861, H. E. Chesley came to Texas in 1883, settling near Shive. He was engaged in the stock raising business for six or seven years, and was deputy sheriff under W. R. Byrd, sheriff, for nearly two years. He began his practice of law at Hamilton under a special permit from Judge C. K. Bell, and was admitted to the bar June 6, 1893. He was married to Miss Helen Roddy, December 26, 1893. His specialty was commercial law, and in it he was very successful, quoting the 1897 Herald:

"He has also engineered some of the largest land deals in this section to a successful termination and to the entire satisfaction of all parties concerned. He is a staunch democrat of the old school and has often been solicited by his friends to offer his name for some of the most responsible positions of trust, within the gift of the people of this section, but to all such appeals, he has constantly turned a deaf ear, preferring to look after his large law and land interests, rather than engage in uncertain pursuits for office. He is one of the coming young men of the country."

Judge Chesley, as he later became known in Hamilton, is in 1938, survived by his widow, three sons, Hervey, and J. T. (Ted) of Hamilton, and Ferber of Waco. Their is also a daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Baity of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Her husband is head of the Engineering Department at the State University there. Judge Chesley died August 21, 1935.

Page 21

HAMILTON COUNTY NEWS --Vol. 8, No.10

THE CARLTON CITIZEN --Vol. 30, No. 23

Hamilton County, TX

Friday, June 24, 1938