Whaley, Vilas H.

The following data is extracted from Racine, Belle City of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement.

Among the well known and prominent members of the Racine County bar is numbered Vilas H. Whaley. Although he is yet a young man, he has attained in the profession a position which many an older member of the bar might well envy. Mr. Whaley was born at Benton, Wisconsin, October 28, 1886, his parents being Frank and Mary (McDonald) Whaley, who were also natives of Benton. The former was a son of Patrick Whaley, a native of Ireland, who in early life crossed the Atlantic to the new world, settling in Lafayette County, Wisconsin. There he reared his family and became one of its pioneer farmers. After arriving at years of maturity Frank Whaley engaged in the grocery business in Benton and since that time has been prominently identified with the business enterprise and development of the town. He has also been interested in lead and zinc mining and is still the owner of mining properties in Lafayette County.

Vilas H. Whaley attended school at Benton and also at Platteville, Wisconsin, entering the normal school of the latter place, from which institution he was graduated with the class of 1906. In the fall of 1906 he came to Racine and accepted a position as principal of the Harvey grammar school, thus continuing until 1909. In the fall of the latter year he matriculated in the law department of the University of Wisconsin, graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Laws in June, 1912. On the 19th day of June, 1912, he was admitted to practice in the supreme court of the state of Wisconsin and in the district court of the United States for the western district of Wisconsin. In December of the same year he returned to Racine, engaging in the general practice of law. Since that time he has enjoyed a large and increasing clientele and has served as court commissioner since 1915.

Mr. Whaley is a communicant of St. Rose Catholic church and is a. member of the Knights of Columbus and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Politically Mr. Whaley is a democrat, but in local politics he maintains the attitude of a non-partisan, voting according to the dictates of his judgment and the exigencies of the case.

Source: Racine, Belle City of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement

  Go Back