Joseph Binnard, 1875-1941
Joseph5 Binnard (Izrael4, Mosiek3, Jacob2, Lewin1) was born 10 November 1875 in Rochester, New York[1] and as a child moved with his family to Turner, Oregon[2] and then to Palouse, Washington.[3] According to his World War I draft registration, he was of medium height and build, with black hair and blue eyes.[4] It was said that he always looked young for his age.[5] He graduated from high school in 1892 and went to work for the First National Bank in Palouse.[6] A few months later, in March 1893, he was arrested in Spokane "on the charge of shooting at Paul Maxwell with intent to kill" at the depot in Palouse. He posted $1,500 bond.[7] A newspaper account of his trial has not yet been located, but he must have been acquitted.
Perhaps because of this experience he became interested in a legal career. He read law for several years in Spokane under J.T. Hamilton and Judge H.M. Herman and then with Americus A. Wilson of Palouse. He was admitted to the bar in 1898.[8] In 1899 he started a law practice in Butte, Montana and a few years later took on a junior partner, Alexander C. Rodger. Their firm was called Binnard and Rodger.[9] In one of their early cases the partners were accused of attempted burglary. When a mortgage was foreclosed, they tried to take two horses as compensation for their client, Mrs. Annie Bain, but the owner of the animals refused to release them. The charges were later dismissed.[10] Joseph's younger brother Morris also practiced law in Butte, and on at least one occasion, in 1910, they represented opposing sides in a lawsuit.[11] The 1900 census shows Joseph "Bernard," attorney at law, as the head of household in Butte. Living with him were his brother, David, a dry goods clerk; his sister-in-law, Sarah, wife of his brother Aaron; and Sarah's daughter Beatrice, age 7.[12] Two years later, on 4 August 1902, Joseph was married to Hilda Brodeck at Butte, with Judge John B. McClernan officiating. Hilda, age 19, was born at Walla Walla, Washington and was the daughter of Henry and Amelia (Schei) Brodeck. Witnesses to the wedding were Joseph's younger brother, Morris, and his wife, Minnie, who was Hilda's sister.[13] In July 1907, after five years of marriage, Hilda filed for divorce, charging her husband with cruelty.[14] They had one child, Henrietta Gladys Lucille,[15] who was born 23 January 1904 and died 26 January 1909.[16] She was a victim of scarlet fever. Her funeral was conducted by Rabbi Lipkin[17] and she was buried in B’Nai Israel Cemetery at Butte.[18] Hilda remarried to Clyde W. Hubbard in San Francisco in 1911.[19] Joseph married Irene Hardwick, a divorcee, on 20 November 1912 in Butte. She was 24 years old, born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and the daughter of William and Elthea (Schusler) Bacon.[20] The 1920 census shows them living in Butte with a son, William, age 10, who was probably Irene's child from her first marriage.[21] In September 1921 Joseph divorced Irene on the grounds of extreme cruelty. The newspaper report stated that they had no children.[22] A 1922 California directory of real estate brokers and salesmen lists a Mrs. Irene Binnard as a saleswoman for Harry H. Culver and Company in Los Angeles.[23] Joseph was active in state politics. A Democrat, he ran for the Montana House of Representatives and was elected in January 1911. He served a number of committees: townships and counties (he was the chair); judiciary; fish and game; new counties and divisions; state boards and offices; and libraries.[24] He was against giving women the right to vote. When Jeannette Rankin, suffragette and later the first women to serve in the U.S. Congress, spoke before the legislature in 1911, "as [he] was the strongest opponent he was delegated by the members to present Miss Rankin with a corsage of violets. He made a flowery speech and attempted to turn the meeting into a facetious affair but when Miss Rankin spoke his purpose was defeated and she received much applause."[25] (Women were enfranchised in Montana in 1914.) In 1912, as president of the Silver Bow Democratic Club, he accompanied William Jennings Bryan from Helena to Butte, where Bryan was to speak.[26] Bryan, who three times was the Democratic candidate for President of the United States, later became Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson. In 1913, President Wilson nominated Joseph to be register of the land office in Helena, Montana.[27] The job involved overseeing the sale of federal land to the public, and the office was a busy one. More land had recently been made available for settlement, and in 1914 business had increased 100 percent.[28] After three years, however, Joseph returned to Butte to again take up his law practice with his partner, Alexander Rodger. He was active in the Montana State Bar Association and vice president of the Silver Bow County Bar Association.[29] In 1934 he was named special attorney to the Montana public works advisory board.[30] When the cornerstone was laid for a synagogue for congregation Adeth Israel in Butte in 1916, Joseph was one of those who gave an address.[31] He was president of the Baron de Hirsh lodge, B'nai B'rith,[32] and in 1936 was named a member of the executive board of District 4 of B’nai B’rith, which comprised eight western states and British Columbia.[33] In March 1941 the lodge honored him for 37 years of service.[34] He was also a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Dramatic Order Knights Khorassan, and was chancellor commander of Damon Lodge No. 1, Knights of Pythias.[35] In 1933 he gave a talk at a meeting of the Knights of Pythias on his experiences in the earthquake in Long Beach, California.[36] Joseph was admitted to the hospital in Butte on 1 April 1941 and passed away there on 27 April. He was buried at Lewiston, Idaho.[37] Joseph's brother David petitioned the court for probate of his will. The estate was valued at less than $3,000, all of it in personal property.[38] Child of Joseph and Hilda (Brodeck) Binnard: 1. Henrietta Gladys Lucille Binnard,[39] born 23 January 1904; died 26 January 1909, Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana[40] _________________________ [1] "Joseph Binnard," in Helen Fitzgerald Sanders, A History of Montana (Chicago and New York: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1913), 3:1612. [2] 1880 U.S. census, Turner, Marion County, Oregon, p. 3, dwelling house 19, family 19, entry for Joseph Binnard, son, in household of Anna Binnard; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 April 2012); Family History Film 1255082. [3] 1880 U.S. census, Farmington District No. 2, Whitman County, Washington Territory, p. 14B, dwelling house 151, family 161, entry for Jas. Binnard; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 July 2012); Family History Film 1255398. [4] "U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 October 2012), card for Joseph Binnard, no. 4365, Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana; citing Family History Library microfilm 1684100. [5] "This Is Part of the Highly Interesting Historical Story of the City of Butte," Montana Standard, 5 April 1942, p. 27. [6] "Well-Known Butte Attorney One of Democratic Legislative Candidates," Anaconda Standard (Anaconda, Montana), 30 October 1910, p. 12. [7] "State and Vicinity News," Spokane Daily Chronicle, 30 March 1893, p. 2. [8] "Joseph Binnard," in Sanders, A History of Montana, 3:1612. [9] Ibid. [10] "Two Cases Are Dismissed; Justice O'Connor Decides That There is No Evidence Against Binnard and Rodgers," Anaconda Standard, 4 April 1902, p. 11. [11] "Lower Court Cases Tried on Appeal," Anaconda Standard, 2 April 1910, p.11 [12] 1900 U.S. census, Butte City, Silver Bow Township, Silver Bow County, Montana, enumeration district 114, sheet 1B, dwelling 30, family 39, entry for Joseph Bernard; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 October 2012); NARA microfilm T625, roll 246. [13] "Montana, Marriages, 1889-1947," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FZSY-WKM : accessed 04 Oct 2012), Joseph Binnard and Hilda Brodeck, 04 Aug 1902. [14] "Another Record Case in the Divorce Court," Anaconda Standard, 31 July 1907, p. 11. [15] "Little Daughter Dead Binnard Family Mourns," Anaconda Standard, 27 January 1909, p. 8. [16] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database entry (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 8 February 2014), entry for Henrietta Binnard, Memorial 54017919, B’Nai Israel Cemetery, Butte, Montana;” created by Pam. [17] "Little Daughter Dead Binnard Family Mourns." [18] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, entry for Henrietta Binnard. [19] "Marriage Licenses," San Francisco Call, 2 July 1911, p. 40. [20] "Montana, County Marriages, 1865-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F3SY-QTH : accessed 04 Oct 2012), Joseph Binnard and Irene Hardwick, 1912. [21] 1920 U.S. census, Butte City, Township 3 North, Precinct 64, Silver Bow County, Montana, enumeration district 246, sheet 1B, dwelling 16, family 16, entry for Joseph Binnard; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 October 2012); Family History Library microfilm 1240233. [22] "Divorce Actions Occupy the Court," Anaconda Standard, 11 September 1921, p. 6. [23] California Real Estate Directory-Bulletin (Sacramento: California State Real Estate Department, 1922), 192. [24] "Joseph Binnard," in Sanders, A History of Montana, 3:1612-13. [25] Ida Husted Harper, editor, The History of Woman Suffrage (New York: National American Woman Suffrage Association, 1922), 362. [26] "Bryan Sends Thanks for His Reception," Anaconda Standard, 9 March 1912, p. 7. [27] "President Nominates Binnard for Register," Anaconda Standard, 20 December 1913, p. 6. [28] "Joe Binnard, Register Says Business Is Rushing," Anaconda Standard, 14 January 1915, p. 3. [29] "Joseph Binnard," in Helen Fitzgerald Sanders, A History of Montana (Chicago and New York: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1913), 3:1613. [30] "Joseph Binnard Is Named Attorney to Public Works Body," Helena Daily Independent, 9 July 1934, p. 10. [31] "Ten, Twenty, Thirty," Montana Standard, 29 July 1946, p. 4. [32] "Illness Fatal to Joseph Binnard; Funeral Rites Will Be Held Monday," Montana Standard, 27 April 1941, p. 2. [33] "Member of the Board," Montana Standard, 30 June 1936, p. 2 [34] "Baron de Hirsh Lodge Honors Member," Montana Standard, 12 March 1941, p. 5. [35] "Joseph Binnard," in Sanders, A History of Montana, 3:1612. [36] "Binnard to Talk at Pythian Meet," Montana Standard, 10 April 1933, p. 5. He may have been in Long Beach to visit his cousins Hinda Wax and Minnie Boggess. [37] "Illness Fatal to Joseph Binnard; Funeral Rites Will Be Held Monday," Montana Standard, 27 April 1941, p. 2. [38] "Divorce Decree Filed in Court; Probate Matters Also Recorded," Montana Standard, 8 October 1941, p. 2. [39] "Little Daughter Dead Binnard Family Mourns." [40] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, entry for Henrietta Binnard. |