Cordenio Severance
Encyclopedia
Cordenio Arnold Severance (1862 - 1925) was an American
lawyer
from Minnesota
. He co-founded the American Law Institute
and served as President of the American Bar Association
.
Severance was born in Mantorville, Minnesota
in 1862. He attended Carleton College
from 1877 to 1880 and then read law from 1882 to 1883 in Kasson, Minnesota
. He was admitted to the state bar and by 1887, he had entered into partnership in St. Paul with former U.S. Attorney and Governor Cushman Davis
and future U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Frank Kellogg. The law firm of Davis, Kellogg & Severance (known today as Briggs and Morgan) won national acclaim to such an extent that U.S. Steel
retained Severance to defend them against the federal government in various lawsuits before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Through his personal connections, Severance also maintained a high profile in civic affairs. From 1917 to 1918, he served as the Chairman of the Red Cross Commission to Serbia
, a country he returned to following the First World War as a trustee of the Carnegie Foundation
.
From 1921 to 1922, Severance served as President of the American Bar Association
, nine years after his old law partner Kellogg. In 1923, with Elihu Root
and others, he organized and incorporated the American Law Institute
.
Severance died of a heart attack in Pasadena, California
in 1925.
The Cordenio Severance House
, a mansion also known as Cedarhurst, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
from Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. He co-founded the American Law Institute
American Law Institute
The American Law Institute was established in 1923 to promote the clarification and simplification of American common law and its adaptation to changing social needs. The ALI drafts, approves, and publishes Restatements of the Law, Principles of the Law, model codes, and other proposals for law...
and served as President of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
.
Severance was born in Mantorville, Minnesota
Mantorville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,054 people, 371 households, and 286 families residing in the city. The population density was 741.3 people per square mile . There were 378 housing units at an average density of 265.8 per square mile...
in 1862. He attended Carleton College
Carleton College
Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. In 2012 U.S...
from 1877 to 1880 and then read law from 1882 to 1883 in Kasson, Minnesota
Kasson, Minnesota
Kasson is a city in Dodge County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 5,931 at the 2010 census. The city is located 13 miles west of Rochester, Minnesota along U.S. Route 14 and is one of the endpoints of Minnesota State Highway 57. The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad's main...
. He was admitted to the state bar and by 1887, he had entered into partnership in St. Paul with former U.S. Attorney and Governor Cushman Davis
Cushman Davis
Cushman Kellogg Davis was an American politician who served as the seventh Governor of Minnesota from January 7, 1874 to January 7, 1876 and as a U.S. Senator in the 50th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 54th, 55th, and 56th United States Congresses, from March 4, 1887 until his death. Senator Davis served in...
and future U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Frank Kellogg. The law firm of Davis, Kellogg & Severance (known today as Briggs and Morgan) won national acclaim to such an extent that U.S. Steel
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
retained Severance to defend them against the federal government in various lawsuits before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Through his personal connections, Severance also maintained a high profile in civic affairs. From 1917 to 1918, he served as the Chairman of the Red Cross Commission to Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, a country he returned to following the First World War as a trustee of the Carnegie Foundation
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York, which was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding," is one of the oldest, largest and most influential of American foundations...
.
From 1921 to 1922, Severance served as President of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
, nine years after his old law partner Kellogg. In 1923, with Elihu Root
Elihu Root
Elihu Root was an American lawyer and statesman and the 1912 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the prototype of the 20th century "wise man", who shuttled between high-level government positions in Washington, D.C...
and others, he organized and incorporated the American Law Institute
American Law Institute
The American Law Institute was established in 1923 to promote the clarification and simplification of American common law and its adaptation to changing social needs. The ALI drafts, approves, and publishes Restatements of the Law, Principles of the Law, model codes, and other proposals for law...
.
Severance died of a heart attack in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
in 1925.
The Cordenio Severance House
Cordenio Severance House
The Cordenio Severance House is a mansion in Cottage Grove, Minnesota built for attorney Cordenio Severance. The mansion, also known as Cedarhurst, was first built as a simple country farm house shortly after the American Civil War. It was expanded in 1886 to serve as the summer residence of the...
, a mansion also known as Cedarhurst, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.