William Woodburn Explained

William Woodburn
Image Name:WWoodburn.jpg
Office:12th Attorney General of Nevada
Term Start:January 15, 1901
Term End:January 5, 1903
Governor:Reinhold Sadler
Preceded:William D. Jones
Succeeded:James G. Sweeney
State1:Nevada
District1:At-Large
Term Start1:March 4, 1885
Term End1:March 3, 1889
Preceded1:George Williams Cassidy
Succeeded1:Horace F. Bartine
Term Start2:March 4, 1875
Term End2:March 3, 1877
Preceded2:Charles West Kendall
Succeeded2:Thomas Wren
Birth Date:14 April 1838
Birth Place:County Wicklow, Ireland
Death Place:Carson City, Nevada
Residence:Virginia City
Profession:Attorney
Party:Republican

William Woodburn (April 14, 1838 – January 15, 1915) was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives from Nevada. He immigrated with his parents to the United States in 1849. He attended St. Charles College, Maryland, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1866. He commenced the practice of law in Virginia City, Nevada. In 1871 and 1872, he was the district attorney of Storey County, Nevada.

William Woodburn was elected as a Republican to the Forty-fourth Congress, which met from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1877. He was later elected to the Forty-ninth and Fiftieth Congresses, and he served from March 4, 1885, to March 3, 1889. He resumed the practice of his profession in Virginia City, Nevada. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1892 to the Fifty-third Congress. He was appointed Attorney General of Nevada by Governor Reinhold Sadler on January 15, 1901, succeeding William D. Jones who resigned to become a state district court judge. Woodburn served the remainder of Jones' term which expired in January 1903, and returned to private practice.

Woodburn died on January 15, 1915, in Carson City, Nevada. He was interred in St. Theresa Cemetery.

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