The Federal Judiciary
\orlli Carolina lias liad men of exceptional
ability to servo on the feileral hcncli. Here
is a list of those who have distinguished
themselves in this capacity.
UNDER the Federal Judiciary
Act of 1789. I he entire State
of North Carolina was erected
into one Federal District, and the
judges thereof served the entire State
until it was divided into two districts
in 1S72. The Judges who served the
entire State were:
1. John Stokes, of Rowan: Col¬
onel during the Revolution, where he
lost an arm from n sabre stroke.
Eldest brother of Governor Montford
Stokes. Appointed to the bench by
President Washington. Stokes Conntv
named in his honor.
2. John Sitgrcaves, of Craven:
Lieutenant in the Revolution, and
aide to Governor Richard Caswell at
the battle of Camden. Member of the
Continental Congress. Appointed as
Federal Judge by President Jefferson,
who wrote: "lie is well skilled in
the law for a man of his years and
should he live long enough will be an
ornament to bis profession." lie died
in 1800.
3. Henry Potter, of Cumberland :
Appointed in 1S01 ; died in 1857. He
held the longest continuous judge-
ship in the history of the United
States, and was ninetv-two when he
died. Trustee of the University
nearly sixty years. Served on Com¬
mission to codify the laws in 1820.
along with John Louis Taylor, first
chief justice of the State Supreme
Court, and the famous Bartlett
Yancey.
4. Asa Biggs, of Martin: Ap¬
pointed by President Buchanan in
185S. Served on Commission to
codify our law. his associates being
Bartholomew F. Moore and Judge
Romulous M, Saunders. Congressman
and United States Senator: holding
that office when appointed to the
Federal bench. In April ISG 1 ten¬
dered his resignation to President
Lincoln, refusing to serve under a
“military despotism.” Appointed bv
President Jefferson Davis as Judge of
the District Court of the Confederate
State', and serve.! to the elose of the
war. In 1SG9. joined 107 other Demo¬
cratic lawyers of the State in pro¬
testing against political activity on
the part of certain members of the
ny IS. C. LAWKENCE
State Supreme Court. Being re¬
quired (along with the others) to
sign an apology, he declined to do so
and removed from the .State, enter¬
ing upon the practice of law nt
Norfolk.
Г».
George W. Brooks, of Pawpio-
tank: Rolior t P. Dick was first ap¬
pointed. hut as he could not take the
"iron clad” oath then required of
Federal officers, that he had not parti¬
cipated in the war. or given aid or
comfort to the enemies of the Union,
the appointment of Judge Brooks fol¬
lowed from President Johnson, lie
sat with Chief Justice Chase of tin*
United States Supreme Court at Ra¬
leigh when the first Federal court was
held in the State following the war.
When the
К
irke- Holden civil war
came on and the military authorities
refused to release certain prisoners;
when Kirke refused to honor writs
of habeas corpus issued by the State
Supreme Court ; when our chief
justice Pearson declared the judiciary
exhausted, it was Judge George W.
Brooks who issued the writs, conduct*
cd the hearing, and freed the prison-
trs. Kirke and Holden obeyed his
orders under instructions from Pres¬
ident Grant.
On June 1. 1872, an act was
passed dividing the State into
an Eastern and a Western Dis¬
trict. Since then the following have
served as Judges of the Eastern
District :
1. George W. Brooks, of Pasquo¬
tank, the incumbent when the division
was made. Referred to above.
2. Augustus S. Seymour, of
Craven County. State legislator and
Superior Court Judge. Outstanding
140 Million Dollars Jefferson
Standard Life Insurance
in force in North Carolina
lawyer, appointed by Prc.idcnt
Arthur in 1SS2.
3. Thomas R. Purnell, <>l \Va’.;c
It was the lot of Judge Purnell to
occupy the Federal bench at n time
when there was a sharp conflict
between thp State and Federal
authority. It was a day of injunc¬
tions, receiverships, and hitter politi¬
cal feeling. He appointed receivers
for the Atlantic nnd North Carolina
Railroad; and held Editor Josephus
Daniels in contempt for eritici-iug In¬
actions in so doing.
4. Henry G. Connor, of Wilson
Speaker of the House; Judg- of the
Superior Court and Justice of the
Supreme Court. Appointed to Federal
bench by President Taft in 1009.
although he and the President were
of different political faiths. Out¬
standing citizen, lawyer, judge auil
statesman.
5. Isaac M. Meekins, of Pasquo¬
tank, the incumbent : Assistant United
States District Attorney; General
Counsel for the Alien Property
Custodian: Republican candidate for
Governor; vigorous debater and force¬
ful orator. Appointed by President
Coolidge in 102.*.
Since the division of the State
into two districts in 1472. the follow¬
ing have served as Federal Judges
of the Western District:
1. Robert P. Dick, of Guilford:
Appointed by President Grant in
1872. Former member of State
Supreme Court. 1-awyer of high
.«lauding.
2. H. G. Ewart. H.
State legislator and Superior Court
Judge. Appointed to Federal Ranch
by President McKinley in ISOS.
3. James E. Boyd, of Alamance:
Confederate soldier; in the General
Assembly. United States District
Attorney 1880 to 1885; A-i-tant At¬
torney General of the United States
1.897 to 1900. Appointed to the
Federal bench in 1900. Lived to an
advanced age.
4. Edwin Yates Webb, of Cleve¬
land. the incumbent : Veteran member
( Continued on page tuenty-tuo)
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