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                  CHAPTER FOUR
          HONORABLE CHARLES H. LARRABEE
    I have hesitated about publishing this sketch of the above
gentleman, for he cannot be classed either as a member of the
court or bar of Manitowoc County. But he came in contact
with the bar and the people here in so many ways and capaci-
ties that in the interest of history he is worthy of mention.
Even in the manner of his birth, he was in touch with the
territory which comprises our county. He was born in Rome,
Oneida County, New York, November 9, 1820. He was the
son of Major Charles Larrabee, United States Army, who
greatly distinguished himself by gallant services in the war
of 1812. It so happened that when Judge Larrabee was born,
the father was commandant of Fort Howard, at Green Bay,
then and ever after the county seat of Brown County of which
Manitowoc was a part. He went with his parents to Cincin-
nati, Ohio, where he received his early education, supple-
mented by graduating at Granville College. He studied law
in Springfield, Ohio, and later was admitted to the bar at
Pontotoc, Mississippi. He settled at Chicago in 1844, edited
a paper there and served one term as city attorney. He re-
moved to Wisconsin in 1847, settled at Horicon, Dodge
County. and was elected delegate from that county to the
second constitutional convention, which framed our present
constitution. I have written elsewhere of his holding the term
of court for Judge Stow and of his manner of rushing business,
getting through with a calendar of sixteen cases, including
three jury trials and two court trials in two days.
     When the separate Supreme Court system was adopted,
 Judge Larrabee was a candidate for chief justice against
 Edward V. Whiton in the spring election of 1853 and made a
 canvass of Manitowoc County where he had made some
 acquaintances, but was defeated. He was re-elected as judge
 of his circuit, however, and acted in that capacity until 1858.
     In that year he became a candidate for Congress in the
 Third Congressional district which again brought him in touch
 with Manitowoc County. It was in that campaign I first saw
 him. It was an exciting time for the country was getting