Percy Downing Godfrey
Source: Minnesota and Its People, by Joseph A. A. Burnquist, S. J. Clark Publishing Co., Chicago, Volume 3, pp. 573-574
Percy Downing Godfrey, who for more than a quarter of a century was actively engaged in law practice in St. Paul and became widely recognized as a leading and able member of the bar of this city, passed away on the 8th of April, 1919, when in the forty-ninth year of his age. His birth occurred on a farm at Hampton, New Hampshire, March 12, 1871, his parents being Jacob Talent and Nettie Harriet Godfrey, the former an agriculturist by occupation and a veteran of the Civil war. The Godfrey family settled at Hampton in 1638 and was represented in the Revolutionary war.
Percy D. Godfrey was graduated from the Hampton Academy and high school in 1887 and enjoyed the distinction of class poet. It was as a youth of sixteen years that he came to St. Paul and entered the law office of Otis & Otis as a clerk and student, at the same time attending the law department of the University of Minnesota. Later he was a student and clerk in the office of Otis & Hickman. He was graduated from the state university in 1892, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws and soon thereafter formed a partnership for general law practice with Arthur G. Otis, under the firm name of Otis & Godfrey, which association continued for a number of years, or until the retirement of the senior partner because of ill health. After following his profession independently for several years Mr. Godfrey became the senior member of the firm of Godfrey & Molander, but this partnership was of short duration and during the remainder of his life he engaged in law practice alone. In a memorial read before the judges of the district court of Ramsey county, Minnesota, on November 25, 1921, the following tribute was paid him: "His engaging personality, unflagging industry and infective enthusiasm brought him many clients, while his keen wit and lively humor made him many friends who appreciated his genial, kindly cameraderie. In his personal relations with his associates and friends he was ever accomodating an he never considered his own inconvenience as a deterrent if he could do them a favor."
On the 30th of June, 1892, in St. Paul, Mr. Godfrey was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Rebecca Lawton, daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth Lawton. They became the parents of two sons: Otis Hickman, who birth occurred April 17, 1893; and Percy Downing, Jr., born February 5, 1899. Mrs. Godfrey, being deaf, took up the study of the art of lip-reading and opened the first studio in St. Paul for teaching the deaf adult to understand conversation by watching the movements of the mouth.
Although he was for years quite active in the politics of St. Paul as a supporter of the republican party, Mr. Godfrey never sought elective office for himself. As a member of the St. Paul board of park commissioners under Mayor Frank B. Doran he gave valuable and energizing assistance in the development of the park system of the city. For a time he served as commissioner of the United States court of claims at St. Paul. Always an energetic man, he imparted the impulse of his industry and enthusiasm to whatever work he undertook and to its accomplishment he would devote his time untiringly and unsparingly. His religious faith was indicated by his membership in the Congregational church, while fraternally he attained prominence in numerous orders, being a Knight Templar and Scottish Rite Mason, a member of the Mystic Shrine, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Royal Arcanum and the Knights of Pythias. He was made a colonel in the Uniform Rank of the Knights of Pythias and was chief justice of the Grand Tribunal of Minnesota, K. P. In his demise St. Paul sustained the loss of one of her representative and successful lawyers, as well as highly esteemed citizens.
