Country Lawyer

by Bellamy Partridge

Bellamy Partridge's memorable portrait of his father, a lawyer in Phelps, New York, population 1500.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

317 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1939

About the author

A 1900 graduate of Hobart College, Edward Bellamy Partridge went on to study law, and for about a decade practiced law with his father, Civil War veteran and country lawyer Samuel Selden Partridge, in the little town of Phelps, New York--near Rochester--before striking out as a freelance writer, novelist and popular historian under the pen name Bellamy Partridge.

Reviews

[Donald Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

My father was a lawyer in a small town, isolated much more than the subject of this book. My grandfather was a lawyer there before that. This book was a treasured gift to me last Christmas from my eldest brother. He found it among my grandfather's books. It bears a hand written inscription from my grandfather to my great grandfather. It must have been returned to my grandfather's library upon his father's death.

So, it was a special read for me. Anyone who grew up as a child of a general practice lawyer will love this book. Having been such a creature (general practice lawyer) now for 34 years it evoked nostalgia, chuckles, regrets, warm memories and a soul searching review of my life. The writing is concise, with a pleasant and genteel tone. The small town life and stories rang true for me though two generations removed.

The Disneyland dream existence of such life is based on the actual life experiences of many Americans though quite distant now. Perhaps technology today could be a catalyst to reviving the better parts of those times and avoidance of the downsides. I recommend it to anyone as fuel for such ideas and a glimpse at what once was.

The realism of the human condition revealed in the book is a realism lived by a small time general practice lawyer, even today. Some of the stories are likely exaggerated or compilations for effect, but worthy of consideration as the underbelly of how human we all are.

[Bob Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Country Lawyer is really a great first book to read of Bellamy Partridge, or just to read about life very late 1800s to very early 1900s.

Bellamy is very keen on the automobile, likens the horse to a bygone generation. He can say this because born in 1877, he was born with horse transportation, local travel & a slower pace of life.

But once the automobile hits the American scene, Bellamy can't wait to own one. He doesn't hate the horse, but it's use as a transportation object has ended, at least for him.

In Country Lawyer, we learn about Bellamy's dad a lawyer. So there are cases, such as Jerry Billings who has been accused of starting some arson fires. The lawyer doesn't believe he has done. In fact Jerry has been the lawyer's superb gardener.

The book has a surprise ending a bit, so I highly recommend this book, especially if you would want to find out if you like Bellamy Partridges writing story.

I do and have read maybe 10 of his 42 books he wrote in his long life (1877-1960).

[Mike Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fond memoir of the author's father's 40-year career as a lawyer in the village of Phelps in up-state New York is a picture of village life in the second half of the nineteenth century. Bellamy's book is filled with local color and characters and the more interesting cases his father took on.
Published in 1939, the book benefits from charming hand-drawn illustrations which were once common in publishing but have now largely vanished.
A pleasant, nostalgic read.

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading The Bolter: Edwardian Heartbreak and High Society Scandal in Kenya, I decided that a feel-good Bellamy Partridge book would be the perfect antidote to help me recover my equilibrium.

In this book Bellamy Partridge recounts interesting and sometimes surprising cases from his father's law practice. He says that the stories are without exception taken from actual cases but he has changed the names to preserve client privacy. That makes me wonder if, even without the names, someone with access to local newspapers might be able to identify at least some of the players.

Partridge explains that Country Lawyer is set in upstate New York in the 1870's and 1880's, horse and buggy days, when the village of Phelps was "self-contained and self-sustaining" and before "concrete roads would open, and the motorbus would be running every hour on the hour; the weather predictions, market reports, and late news flashes would boom booming out of the loud speaker in a steady stream; Cooley's store would be taken over by a chain and given a red front, and instead of being a local club dominated by whimsical, good-hearted old Cooley the place would be designated by a serial number and managed by a board of directors in Hartford, Connecticut."

In spite of the differences from today, there were still some small-town situations and characters that sounded very familiar. At one point Partridge explains that, in those days, a village lawyer could be very busy and everyone knew the judge. In the city people consult a lawyer to make a will and, depending on the city and their situation, to close on a piece of property. They go to court if they are arrested but only rarely otherwise. In the country, almost everyone has reasons for consulting a lawyer. Nearly everyone owns property and questions arise constantly. The judge is someone local and may even live next door.

[Linda Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read…. enjoyed learning definitions of words of the past.

Took me some time…. as I was busy moving to another state… but this book had me captivated of a time gone by.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining collection of anecdotes about a lawyer in a small New York town during the late 19th century, written with wit and an eye for detail. Interesting both as a look at the practice of law then (such as how the whole family helped to copy legal papers by hand at the dinner table) and living, doing business, and growing up in a small town. As much of the book is a son retelling his father's stories, however, one can't rule out the occasional tall tale or exaggeration.

[Jesus Mendez mao · Rating 5 out of 5]

a good book for spanish lawyers