CHARLES E. WINSTEAD, one of the younger members from the bar in Boise, was born at Circleville, Ohio, on the 1st day of July, 1884, and is a son of Jacob Polk Winstead and Elizabeth A. Winstead.
On his paternal side Mr. Winstead is of English descent. His great-grandfather, William Winstead, was a native of Frederick county, Virginia. During the War of 1812 William Winstead served as ensign in the United States army and later as captain of the Ohio State militia. After the war he emigrated to Ohio and settled in Pickaway county where Samuel S. Winstead, the grandfather, was born. Jacob Polk Winstead was born in Clearcreek township in Pickaway county, Ohio, on April 25, 1846. After spending some time in the Salem Academy in Ross county [Ohio], he entered the Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, from which he graduated in 1869, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Science. Several years later he entered the law school of the University of Michigan from which he graduated in the class of 1873, receving the degree of Bachelor of Laws. After graduation he located at Circleville, Ohio, and took up the practice of his profession. In October, 1873, he was married to Elizabeth A. McElroy at Newton, Iowa. Oh his mother's side Charles E. Winstead is Scotch-Irish. The McElroys came to America in the latter part of the eighteenth century soon after the close of the Revolution. The mother, Elizabeth A. Winstead, was born near Greenfield, Highland county, Ohio, on December 15, 1849.
Charles E. Winstead received his early education in the public schools of Circleville, later graduating from the Everts high school of that place. After a year spent as instructor in the Tennessee Military Institute at Sweetwater, Tennessee, he entered the academic department of the University of Michigan, from which he graduated in 1907 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. The same year he entered the law school of the same institution from which he graduated in 1909 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. An interesting coincidence of Mr. Winstead's professional degree is the fact that his father was in the first law class that completed its work under the presidency of James Burrill Angel while his class was the last class before President Angel as head of the University of Michigan.
After being admitted to the bar of Michigan, Mr. Winstead came to Boise in September, 1909, and after being admitted to the bar of Idaho, he entered into a law partnership with an uncle, H. E. McElroy, which lasted until October, 1911, when Mr. Winstead withdrew from the partnership and opened offices in the Idaho Building where he still is engaged in individual practice. In addition to his Idaho practice he is a member of the Oregon bar.
Mr. Winstead is one of the active younger leaders of the progressive element of the Idaho Democracy [i.e., Democratic Party]. In the 1912 campaign he was a candidate on the Democratic ticket as state representative from Ada county and led his party on the ticket. Fraternally he is a Mason, member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, director of the Boise University Club and member of the Sigma Chi college fraternity. He was reared in the faith of the Presbyterian church and is a member of the Board of Deacons of the First Presbyterian Church of Boise and vice-president of the Presbyterian Brotherhood.
