William Henry Stilwell
William Henry Stilwell | |
---|---|
Associate Justice, Arizona Territorial Supreme Court | |
In office February 1881 – September 2, 1882 | |
Nominated by | Rutherford B. Hayes |
Preceded by | Charles Silent |
Succeeded by | Wilson W. Hoover |
Personal details | |
Born | St. Lawrence County, New York | May 24, 1849
Died | May 8, 1928 Phoenix, Arizona | (aged 78)
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Harriet Newell Bean |
Profession | Attorney |
William Henry Stilwell[Note 1] (May 24, 1849 – May 8, 1928) was an American jurist who served as Associate Justice of the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court from 1880 till 1882. Following his removal from the bench, he remained in the territory where he was active in Republican politics and became an expert in mining law and water rights.
Early life
Stilwell was born on May 24, 1849, in St. Lawrence County, New York, to Mary (Brazee) and James Stilwell.[1] He was educated in public schools at Ogdensburg, New York, Gouverneur Wesleyan Seminary, and Potsdam Normal School before his graduation from the Albany Law School in 1875.[2] Following graduation, Stilwell moved to New York City where he worked for the legal firm of Peckham & Tremain.[3]
Stilwell's involvement in national politics began in July 1878.[3] When President Rutherford B. Hayes replaced Chester A. Arthur with Edwin A. Merritt as Collector of the Port of New York, Stilwell became Merritt's assistant. In this role he acted as official secretary and also assisted the custom house's legal department.[3]
His promotion to the bench came when President Hayes gave Stilwell a recess appointment as Associate Justice to the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court. The new justice was commissioned on December 3, 1880, and arrived in the territory in February of the next year.[3] Initially assigned to Prescott, at the time Chief Justice C. G. W. French was requesting reassignment away from the southern portion of the territory. When Stilwell had no objections, the 11th Arizona Territorial Legislature granted the Chief Justice his request and assigned Stilwell to oversee Cochise, Graham, Pima, and Pinal counties.[3] During his time on the bench Stilwell authored no legal opinions as Chief Justice French reserved this task for himself.[3]
While on the bench, Stilwell became involved in several political disputes. As part of the efforts to force Governor
Following his removal, remained in Arizona and became a respected member of the legal community.
Stilwell married Harriet Newell Bean, daughter of
After leaving his position as Cochise County attorney in 1891, Stilwell moved to
During his legal career, Stilwell argued multiple cases in front of the
In 1916, Stilwell lost a primary contest for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senator to Kibbey by a vote of 1857 to 4775. During the Republican state convention of 1928, Stilwell became ill. By the time he returned to his Phoenix home, the illness had become pneumonia. Stilwell died on May 8, 1928, and was buried Phoenix's Greenwood Memorial Park.[15]
Footnotes
See also
References
- ^ a b Goff 1975, p. 80.
- ^ Goff 1975, pp. 80–81.
- ^ a b c d e f g Goff 1975, p. 81.
- ^ Wagoner 1970, pp. 188–89.
- ^ Goff 1968, p. 230.
- ^ Goff 1975, pp. 81–82.
- ^ Goff 1975, p. 89.
- ^ Wagoner 1970, p. 190.
- ^ Goff 1968, pp. 230–31.
- ^ "Judge Hoover". Arizona Daily Star. September 3, 1882.
- ^ "Judge Stilwell". Tucson Citizen. September 3, 1882.
- ^ Goff 1968, p. 231.
- ^ a b c d e Goff 1975, p. 82.
- ^ Goff 1975, pp. 82–83.
- ^ a b c d Goff 1975, p. 83.
- ^ McClintock 1916, p. 440.
- Goff, John S. (July 1968). "The Appointment, Tenure and Removal of Territorial Judges: Arizona – A Case Study". The American Journal of Legal History. 12 (3). Temple University: 211–31. JSTOR 844126.
- Goff, John S. (1975). Arizona Territorial Officials Volume I: The Supreme Court Justices 1863–1912. Cave Creek, Arizona: Black Mountain Press. OCLC 1622668.
- McClintock, James H. (1916). Arizona: Prehistoric – Aboriginal – Pioneer – Modern. Vol. II. Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. OCLC 5398889.
- Wagoner, Jay J. (1970). Arizona Territory 1863–1912: A Political history. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. ISBN 0816501769.