He was married to Emma Harris of Carrier Mills March 20, 1888, and the young couple lived on a farm in the eastern part of Williamson County until December 10, 1900, when they moved to 906 Cherry Street in Marion.
Of the couple’s four children, Horace, Ralph, John and Bertha, none survive. A grandson, Robert J. Neely, the son of Ralph, was living and practicing law at Metropolis as of this writing in 1989.
Rufus’ boyhood education was in the rural schools, followed by attendance at Crab Orchard Academy where he later became an assistant to the head of the Academy. While still teaching school he read law at home on the farm under the tutelage of some of the older members of the Williamson County Bar. He was admitted to practice law in 1889 while still teaching in the rural districts of the county.
After he and his wife moved to Marion. Rufus served as Deputy Circuit Clerk.
In 1902 he was elected County Judge of Williamson County. After serving two years on the bench, he resigned as judge and shortly thereafter was appointed by then Governor Charles S. Deneen as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Southern Illinois Penitentiary at Chester, a post he held for eight years.
When the United States entered World War I, Rufus was named by President Wilson as a member of the Military Exemption Board for Williamson County; he served in that capacity until the end of the war.
During his service as Deputy Circuit Clerk and as a County Judge, Rufus became a figure in Republican politics, and political leaders of the state sought his council.
Following his service as County Judge, Rufus was a participant in most of the criminal trials held in this county. He was one of a group of seven lawyers who represented the 12 “Herrin Massacre” defendants tried in two long, much publicized trials during 1922 and 1923.
Along with his legal practice, Rufus Neely was active in a number of business enterprises. He was one of the incorporators of a local newspaper and was president of the corporation which operated it for several years. He was also active in the organization of and as counsel for area banks operating during the period of his practice.
For many years Rufus was the senior member of the law firm of Neely, Gallimore, Cook, and Potter, with offices in Marion. Following the deaths of Gallimore and Potter, the firm became Neely and Cook.
It is noteworthy that Rufus Neely had no law school degree, but this was no handicap to his legal career. As Delos L. Duty wrote following Rufus Neely’s death:
“Judge Neely’s legal attainments were of a high order, more natural than attained, and it is doubtful if Southern Illinois, or any other community of the state, ever produced a more powerful and persuasive criminal lawyer than he, and his ability in every other phase of the practice was widely recognized wherever he had an occasion to appear in the courts of this and other states. Lawyers of that high and aesthetic type to which Judge Neely belonged are never made, but born, and the learning acquired in the higher institutions of the land where law is taught seldom, if ever, produces a legal mind such as he possessed, but only serves to brighten the luster of a jewel which Nature, herself, fashioned.”
Emma Neely died August 12, 1929 followed by Rufus Neely who died May 23, 1933 at age 69. They remained in their home at 906 W. Cherry till their deaths. Both are interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Sam’s Notes: Delos Duty studied under Neely and they became life-long friends. Neither attended a physical law school.
(Extracted from an article by August L. Fowler, Reprinted from Law Review Jurisprudence, June 1989; editorial notes for clarification by Sam Lattuca 04/04/2013)