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CARL ROEDEL.
Unless the modern lawyer is a man of sound judgment, possessed of a liberal education and stern training, combined with a keen insight of human nature, there is not much chance of his meeting with success. The reason for this lies in the spirit of the age, with all its complexities. Modern jurisprudence has become more and more intricate because of new conditions and laws and in their interpretation. Years of experience, constant study and natural inclination are superinduced upon a careful training in the case of Carl Roedel, whose career as an attorney-at-law has been marked with many successful outcomes for his clients. His heart is in his work and he brings to it an enthusiasm and belief in its importance which would probably result in his being raised to the bench were it not that his political convictions have made him a member of the party now in the minority in his section of Illinois. Mr. Roedel, whose field of practice is the city of Shawneetown, Gallatin county, was born in Van Wert county, Ohio, September 30, 1842, and grew to manhood at Decatur, the county seat of Adams county, Indiana, whence his parents had removed when he was a child.

Mr. Roedel was educated in Vermilion Institute at Hayesville, Ohio, taught school awhile in Indiana, and for a period of three years was principal of the schools of Mt. Carmel, Illinois. In 1868 he came to Shawneetown as principal of its schools for one year, and even at that time the attendance was about what it is today, although the school buildings were poor and the system had not advanced to its present efficiency. Miss Joanna Golden, who was one of his assistants, has taught school here for more than half a century and is still engaged in the profession here. Later Mr. Roedel taught at Grayville, in the

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meantime assiduously studying law, and in 1871 he was admitted to practice, locating in Shawneetown the year following. Since that time he has devoted himself unreservedly to his profession and has been very successful in his chosen line, that of civil practice. He has served as counsel in almost every case of any importance in Gallatin county during this time, and several with which he has been connected have attracted widespread attention, especially the famous "Riverside Tax Title Case," involving title to the widely-known Riverside Hotel, the only case on record that has had three rehearings before the supreme court. The former state treasurer Ridgeway and the then member of congress Townsend were the leading spirits in this case, which gave opportunity to fight out long existing personal, political and business animosities, the questions involved interesting the profession generally. For some five or six years Mr. Roedel's son, Charles K., a graduate in law from Wesleyan College at Bloomington, Illinois, has been his partner. An earnest Republican, casting his first vote in 1864 for President Lincoln, Mr. Roedel has been an active and earnest worker for his party, the campaign of 1896 especially demanding his efforts on the rostrum to counteract the Free Silver movement. He stands high in his profession, many of the members of which would be pleased to see him occupy a seat on the circuit bench, but an overwhelming Democratic district leaves little chance for a Republican to be elected.

Mr. Roedel was married at Mt. Carmel, Illinois, to Miss Sarah Frances Koser, and they have reared a family of seven children. He is an elder in the Presbyterian church and has been active and liberal in his support of religious and charitable movements, especially in the Sunday-school, of which he has been the head for many years. Mr. Roedel belongs to the old school of lawyers, although progressive in his methods and ideas, and is of gracious and genial personality and courteous bearing. Widely acquainted throughout Gallatin county, he has hosts of friends both in and out of his profession, regardless of political views, and is justly regarded as one of this section's most eminent attorneys.