Biography of Robert Wes McBride. Pages 900 / 901.  History of De Kalb 
County, Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

Robert Wes McBride, Judge of the Thirty-fifth Judicial Circuit, was born 
near Mansfield, Richland Co., Ohio, Jan. 25, 1842, a son of Augustus and 
Martha A. (Barnes) McBride.  His father was a volunteer soldier of the 
Mexican war, and died in the City of Mexico in February, 1848.  His mother, 
now the widow of James Sirpless, resides at the old home, five and a half 
miles southeast of Mansfield.  When thirteen years of age Mr. McBride went 
to Iowa and remained seven years.  He acquired a good education in the 
common and high schools, and when seventeen began teaching in Mahaska 
County, Iowa.  He taught three years, and in 1862 returned to Ohio and 
clerked in the hardware store of B. S. Runyan a year.  In 1863 he entered 
the service of the United States as a member of Union Light Guards, Ohio 
Volunteer Cavalry, and independent squadron of Calvary of picked men 
organized by Governor David Tod, and remained a member of this organization 
till it was mustered out, Sept. 14, 1865.  After about eight months of 
active service he became disabled and was assigned to detached service as 
clerk, and served successively from clerk to a military commission at the 
central guard-house, Washington, and in the Adjutant-General’s office till 
mustered out.  He was then appointed to a citizen’s clerkship in the 
Quartermaster-General’s office, which he resigned the following November 
and returned to Mansfield.  He taught school at his old home in the winter 
of 1865-‘6, and devoted his leisure time to the study of law.  In the 
spring of 1866 he came to Waterloo, Ind., and obtained employment as clerk 
and bookkeeper for R.M. & W.C. Lockhart, still continuing his law studies.  
During the session of 1867 he acted as one of the clerks of the Indiana 
State Senate, and at the April, 1867, term of De Kalb Circuit Court was 
admitted to the bar.  In September, 1867, a partnership was formed with 
Hon, James I. Best for the practice of law, but in July, 1868, this 
partnership was dissolved and he practiced alone till December, 1870, when 
he formed a partnership with Joseph L. Morlan, the firm being McBride & 
Morlan.  In 1876 William H. Leas was admitted to the firm which was 
dissolved by the death of Mr. Morlan, Aug. 23, 1878.  After Mr. Morlan’s 
death, Mr. McBride practiced alone till November, 1882, when he was 
elected Judge of the Thirty-fifth Judicial Circuit, composed of Noble, De 
Kalb and Steuben counties.  Judge McBride was for several years Captain of 
Waterloo Rifles, Company A, Third Regiment, Indiana Legion, and is now 
Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment.  He was married Sept. 27, 1868, to 
Miss Ida S., eldest daughter of Dr. J.N. Chamberlain, of Waterloo.  They 
have four children---Daisy I., born Sept. 25, 1869; Charles H., born Nov. 
11, 1871; Herbert W., born Oct. 15, 1873, and Martha C., born Feb. 13, 
1876.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com