Van R. Paterson Explained

Alexander Van Rensselaer Paterson
Office:Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court
Termstart:December 22, 1886
Termend:May 3, 1894
Appointer:Elected
Predecessor:Samuel B. McKee
Successor:William Cary Van Fleet
Birth Date:2 March 1849
Birth Place:Ogdensburg, New York, U.S.
Death Place:San Francisco, California, U.S.
Alma Mater:Albany Normal College (B.A.)
Union College (LL.B.)

Alexander Van Rensselaer Paterson (March 2, 1849  - July 27, 1902) was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California from December 22, 1886 to May 3, 1894.[1] [2] [3]

Biography

Born in Ogdensburg, New York, Paterson moved with his family to Ohio as child. He was educated at St. Lawrence Academy.[4] He graduated from Albany Normal College in 1872 and thereafter received an LL.B. from Union College. He then moved to Stockton, California to enter into the practice of law.[5] [6]

In Stockton, Paterson held a series of public offices. In 1878 and 1879, he ran on the Citizens' Party ticket and was elected City Attorney of Stockton.[7] He resigned from that office to accept the nomination for judge of San Joaquin County Superior Court, and he was elected. In 1884, he was re-elected as judge.[8] [9]

In August 1886, the Republican Party nominated Paterson, along with Thomas Bard McFarland and Noble Hamilton, as Associate Justices of the California Supreme Court, and Paterson and McFarland were elected to 12-year terms.[10] [11] [12] When Paterson took his seat in January 1887, Frank T. Baldwin was appointed to Paterson's vacant position on the Superior Court.[13] On the Supreme Court in 1888, Niles Searls was Chief Justice, while Paterson sat in Department One with Elisha W. McKinstry and Jackson Temple, while Department Two was composed of James D. Thornton, John Sharpstein, and McFarland.[14] In 1899, William H. Beatty replaced Searls as Chief Justice, and John D. Works took the seat of McKinstry in Department One.[15]

On May 3, 1894, Paterson resigned from the court to resume the practice or law in San Francisco with partner Arthur Rodgers in the firm of Paterson and Rodgers.[16] In March 1898, the remaining member, Judge Charles W. Slack of the San Francisco County Superior Court, resigned from the bench and joined the firm.[17] [18] [19] Paterson's notable cases as counsel include the James Graham Fair will contest, where he was appointed by the court as the representative of the minor heirs.[20] [21] He was also the attorney for Clara Kluge Sutro in the contest which was made over the estate left by Adolph Sutro.[22]

Paterson remained involved in civic matters. In January 1899, his name was put forward for United States Senator by the California Legislature.[5] [23] In February 1899, he helped draft a bill for the Legislature to create the district courts of appeal to reduce the Supreme Court's workload.[24]

Personal life

On May 5, 1880, while practicing law in Stockton, he married Amy H. Kelsey, with whom he had three surviving children: Kelsey, Majorie, and Ogden Paterson.[25] [4] Paterson died at his residence at 1926 Octavia street, following a six month bout of liver disease.[5] [26]

External links

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Supreme Court Resignation, Justice Van R. Paterson of the Supreme Bench Reslgns. July 4, 2017. Sacramento Daily Union. 57. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 28 April 1894. 87.
  2. News: From the Bench: Supreme Justice Paterson Resigns. July 4, 2017. San Francisco Call. 139. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 28 April 1894. 75.
  3. News: Justice Van R. Paterson of the State Supreme Court Has Resigned. July 4, 2017. Red Bluff Daily News. 102. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 29 April 1894.
  4. Book: Johnson. J. Edward. History of the California Supreme Court: The Justices 1850-1900, vol 1. 1963. Bender Moss Co. San Francisco, CA. 146–148. August 14, 2017.
  5. "Judge Van R. Paterson Passes Away Surrounded By His Family", San Francisco Call, Volume 87, Number 58 (July 28, 1902).
  6. News: A Good Man is Dead, Former Justice of the Supreme Court Passes Away. July 4, 2017. Press Democrat. 245. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 29 July 1902.
  7. News: Pacific Coast News, Stockton Municipal Elections. August 22, 2017. Los Angeles Herald. 136. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 8 May 1878. 9. 2.
  8. News: Social and Personal. August 22, 2017. Santa Cruz Sentinel. 7. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 15 July 1885. 2. 3. Judge Van R. Paterson, of Stockton..
  9. News: Carpenter Will Case is Finally Settled. August 22, 2017. San Francisco Call. 158. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 5 November 1898. 84. 2.
  10. News: Republican State Ticket. August 22, 2017. Sausalito News. 33. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 23 September 1886. 2. 3.
  11. News: City Official Canvas. August 15, 2017. Daily Alta California. 13600. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 24 November 1886. 41. 1.
  12. News: The Supreme Court, From Chief Justice Hastings to Chief Justice Beatty. August 14, 2017. San Francisco Call. 22. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 22 June 1895. 78. 5.
  13. News: Death of Judge Baldwin. August 22, 2017. San Francisco Call. 5. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 5 December 1897. 83. 3.
  14. News: Supreme Court. August 22, 2017. Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 28 July 1888. 1.
  15. News: Supreme Court Judges. August 22, 2017. Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar. 25. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 7 September 1889. 1.
  16. News: Supreme Court Resignation. August 22, 2017. Sacramento Daily Union. 57. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 28 April 1894. 87. 4.
  17. News: Judge Slack Resigns, He Will Leave the Bench to Engage in the General Practice of the Law. August 22, 2017. San Francisco Call. 117. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 27 March 1898. 83. 7.
  18. Charles W. Slack, 1858-1945. California Historical Society Quarterly. March 1946. 25. 1. 87–89. 25155960. Zook. Edgar T.. 10.2307/25155960.
  19. News: Professor Charles W. Slack. August 22, 2017. San Francisco Call. 151. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 29 October 1891. 70. 1.
  20. News: Paterson Is Guardian. August 22, 2017. San Francisco Call. 169. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 17 May 1896. 79. 32.
  21. News: Van R. Paterson Asks for $10,000 From the Fair Estate. August 22, 2017. San Francisco Call. 83. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 24 August 1899. 86. 13.
  22. News: Battle is On for Sutro's Millions. August 22, 2017. San Francisco Call. 148. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 26 October 1898. 84. 9.
  23. News: They Vote for Senator. August 22, 2017. Marin Journal. 44. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 12 January 1899. 38. 2.
  24. News: Relief for Overworked Supreme Court Justices. August 22, 2017. San Francisco Call. 71. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 9 February 1899. 85. 7.
  25. News: Married. August 22, 2017. Sacramento Daily Union. 72. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 14 May 1880. 11. 4.
  26. News: A Good Man is Dead, Former Supreme Court Justice Passes Away. August 22, 2017. Press Democrat. 245. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 29 July 1902. 1.

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