Horatio Washington Bruce
Encyclopedia
Horatio Washington Bruce (February 22, 1830 – January 22, 1903) was a Confederate
politician during the American Civil War
.
in Lewis County, Kentucky
. He was the son of Alexander and Amanda (Bragg) Bruce and named for two of his uncles, Horatio and Washington Bruce. His paternal grandfather was a soldier in the Continental Army
during the Revolutionary War
, and his father was a wealthy landowner who served as a Whig
in the Kentucky General Assembly
in 1825 and 1826. His maternal grandfather also served in the Revolutionary War. He was of Scottish
ancestry on his father's side and English
ancestry on his mother's side.
Bruce was educated in private schools in his native Lewis County, as well as Manchester, Ohio
. At age sixteen, he began work as a salesman in a general store, a job he held until 1849. Concurrently, he was postmaster of the post office
in Vanceburg. In 1849, Bruce taught at a school in Vanceburg for a five-month term. The following year, he taught for five months in another school in Lewis County. In December 1850, he relocated to Flemingsburg
, where he read law
in the office of Leander M. Cox. He was admitted to the bar
in July 1851 and opened his practice in Flemingsburg. Later that year, he was appointed examiner by the circuit court
of Fleming county, and soon after was elected to the Flemingsburg Board of School Trustees.
presidential ticket of Winfield Scott
and William Alexander Graham
in the 1852 election
. When the Whig Party collapsed, Bruce associated with the Know Nothing Party, and was elected to represent Fleming County
in the Kentucky House of Representatives
in 1855 and 1856.
On June 12, 1856, Bruce married Elizabeth Hardin Helm, daughter of two-time Kentucky Governor John L. Helm
, at "Helm Place", the bride's home in Elizabethtown, Kentucky
. The couple had five children: Helm Bruce, Elizabeth Barber Bruce, Maria Preston Pope Bruce, Mary (Bruce) Smith, and V. Alexander Bruce. In August 1856, Bruce was elected Commonwealth's Attorney
for the Tenth District, comprising Mason
, Lewis, Greenup
, Rowan
, Fleming and Nicholas
counties. He held this position until 1858.
In late 1858, he resigned his position as Commonwealth's Attorney and moved to Louisville
. There, he formed the law firm of Helm and Bruce with his brother-in-law, Benjamin Hardin Helm
. During the 1860 presidential election
, Bruce actively supported the Constitutional Union
ticket of John Bell
and Edward Everett
. In 1861, he adopted a states' rights
platform and unsuccessfully sought a seat in the United States House of Representatives
, losing to Robert Mallory
.
, Bruce sided with the Confederacy
and left Louisville for Bowling Green
, the headquarters of the state's Confederates, on August 17, 1861. He was a delegate to Kentucky's first Confederate sovereignty convention, held at Russellville
from October 29-31, 1861. This self-constituted convention laid the groundwork for Kentucky's secession from the Union, and called for a second convention to be held in Russellville November 18 and 19, 1861. This second convention passed an ordinance of secession
, declaring Kentucky
to have withdrawn from the Union. The convention also established a provisional Confederate state government
, and Bruce was elected a member of its legislature. Shortly thereafter, Kentucky was admitted to the Confederate States of America
.
On January 22, 1862, Bruce was elected as a Representative in the First Confederate Congress
. He was chosen to represent Kentucky on a committee to arrange and conduct the inaugural ceremonies of Jefferson Davis
and Alexander H. Stephens as Confederate President and Vice-President, respectively. He was also named to the Foreign Relations Committee and the Committee on Patents. On January 10, 1864, he was re-elected to the Second Confederate Congress
, serving until the end of the war. Records of his service in the Confederate Congresses have been lost to history.
Bruce and the other members of the Confederate Congress – along with President Davis – remained in Richmond, Virginia
until April 2, 1865. They then fled to Danville, Virginia
, where they remained until Robert E. Lee
's surrender at Appomattox Court House
. Afterward, Bruce traveled first to Greensboro, North Carolina
and Augusta, Georgia
before returning to Richmond after President
Andrew Johnson
declared amnesty
for ex-Confederates. Bruce then traveled to Washington, D.C.
where he arranged a meeting with his close friend and fellow Kentuckian, Attorney General James Speed
. Speed informed Bruce that he had been granted a pardon for any actions of disloyalty during the war.
in Kentucky's ninth district, comprising Jefferson
, Oldham
, Shelby
, Spencer
, and Bullitt
counties. He was elected by the overwhelming majority of 10,611 votes in a contest where only 14,817 votes were cast. Bruce was among the first Kentuckians to call for courts to recognize negros' testimony as competent and valid, writing a letter to the Chicago Evening Post in support of this cause on February 20, 1869.
Beginning in 1872, despite never having attended college, he served as a law professor at the University of Louisville
, holding the chair of history and science of law, law of real property, and contracts and criminal law. He also served as president of the Louisville Medical College
. In 1873, Governor Preston Leslie
appointed Bruce as a chancellor of the Louisville Chancery Court to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Chancellor Cochran. At a special election held in February 1874, he was elected to fill the remainder of the unexpired term. In August 1874, he was re-elected to a full, six-year term. He resigned from the chancery court on March 10, 1880 to accept the position of attorney for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
. Shortly after taking this position, he also resigned his professorship at the University of Louisville.
Bruce died on January 22, 1903 in Louisville. He is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky
.
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
politician during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Early life
Horatio Bruce was born February 22, 1830 about one mile south of VanceburgVanceburg, Kentucky
Vanceburg is a city in Lewis County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,731 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lewis County.Vanceburg is part of the Maysville Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in Lewis County, Kentucky
Lewis County, Kentucky
Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 14,092. Its county seat is Vanceburg. The county is named for Meriwether Lewis.Lewis County is part of the Maysville Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. He was the son of Alexander and Amanda (Bragg) Bruce and named for two of his uncles, Horatio and Washington Bruce. His paternal grandfather was a soldier in the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, and his father was a wealthy landowner who served as a Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
in the Kentucky General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
in 1825 and 1826. His maternal grandfather also served in the Revolutionary War. He was of Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
ancestry on his father's side and English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
ancestry on his mother's side.
Bruce was educated in private schools in his native Lewis County, as well as Manchester, Ohio
Manchester, Ohio
Manchester is a village in Adams County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 2,043....
. At age sixteen, he began work as a salesman in a general store, a job he held until 1849. Concurrently, he was postmaster of the post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
in Vanceburg. In 1849, Bruce taught at a school in Vanceburg for a five-month term. The following year, he taught for five months in another school in Lewis County. In December 1850, he relocated to Flemingsburg
Flemingsburg, Kentucky
Flemingsburg is a city in Fleming County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 3,010 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fleming County.-Geography:Flemingsburg is located at ....
, where he read law
Reading law
Reading law is the method by which persons in common law countries, particularly the United States, entered the legal profession before the advent of law schools. This usage specifically refers to a means of entering the profession . A small number of U.S...
in the office of Leander M. Cox. He was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in July 1851 and opened his practice in Flemingsburg. Later that year, he was appointed examiner by the circuit court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
of Fleming county, and soon after was elected to the Flemingsburg Board of School Trustees.
Antebellum political career
Bruce first became active in politics in 1852, making campaign speeches for the WhigWhig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
presidential ticket of Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
and William Alexander Graham
William Alexander Graham
William Alexander Graham was a United States Senator from North Carolina from 1840 to 1843, the 30th Governor of North Carolina from 1845 to 1849 and United States Secretary of the Navy from 1850 to 1852. He was also a candidate for the vice-presidency in 1852.-Education:Graham was born near...
in the 1852 election
United States presidential election, 1852
The United States presidential election of 1852 bore important similarities to the election of 1844. Once again, the incumbent president was a Whig who had succeeded to the presidency upon the death of his war-hero predecessor. In this case, it was Millard Fillmore who followed General Zachary Taylor...
. When the Whig Party collapsed, Bruce associated with the Know Nothing Party, and was elected to represent Fleming County
Fleming County, Kentucky
Fleming County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1798. As of 2000, the population was 13,792. Its county seat is Flemingsburg. The county is named for Colonel John Fleming. It's a prohibition or dry county...
in the Kentucky House of Representatives
Kentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form a House district, except when necessary to preserve...
in 1855 and 1856.
On June 12, 1856, Bruce married Elizabeth Hardin Helm, daughter of two-time Kentucky Governor John L. Helm
John L. Helm
John LaRue Helm was the 18th and 24th governor of the U.S. state of Kentucky, although his service in that office totaled less than fourteen months. He also represented Hardin County in both houses of the Kentucky General Assembly and was chosen to be the Speaker of the Kentucky House of...
, at "Helm Place", the bride's home in Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown is a city in and the county seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 28,531 at the 2010 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in the state...
. The couple had five children: Helm Bruce, Elizabeth Barber Bruce, Maria Preston Pope Bruce, Mary (Bruce) Smith, and V. Alexander Bruce. In August 1856, Bruce was elected Commonwealth's Attorney
Commonwealth's Attorney
Commonwealth's Attorney is the title given to the elected prosecutor of felony crimes in Kentucky and Virginia. Other states refer to similar prosecutors as District Attorney or State's Attorney....
for the Tenth District, comprising Mason
Mason County, Kentucky
Mason County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 16,800. Its county seat is Maysville. The county is named for George Mason, a Virginia delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention, known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights"...
, Lewis, Greenup
Greenup County, Kentucky
Greenup County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1804. As of 2000, the population was 36,891. Its county seat is Greenup. The county is named in honor of Christopher Greenup....
, Rowan
Rowan County, Kentucky
Rowan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 23,333. Its county seat is Morehead. The county was created in 1856 from adjacent counties originally part of Mason county, and named for John Rowan, who represented Kentucky in the U.S...
, Fleming and Nicholas
Nicholas County, Kentucky
Nicholas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 6,813. Its county seat is Carlisle. The county is named for George Nicholas, the "Father of the Kentucky Constitution".- Geography :...
counties. He held this position until 1858.
In late 1858, he resigned his position as Commonwealth's Attorney and moved to Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. There, he formed the law firm of Helm and Bruce with his brother-in-law, Benjamin Hardin Helm
Benjamin Hardin Helm
Benjamin Hardin Helm was a Kentucky politician, attorney, Confederate brigadier general, and a brother-in-law of Abraham Lincoln. He was also the son of Kentucky Governor John L. Helm.-Early life:...
. During the 1860 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1860
The United States presidential election of 1860 was a quadrennial election, held on November 6, 1860, for the office of President of the United States and the immediate impetus for the outbreak of the American Civil War. The nation had been divided throughout the 1850s on questions surrounding the...
, Bruce actively supported the Constitutional Union
Constitutional Union Party (United States)
The Constitutional Union Party was a political party in the United States created in 1860. It was made up of conservative former Whigs who wanted to avoid disunion over the slavery issue...
ticket of John Bell
John Bell (Tennessee politician)
John Bell was a U.S. politician, attorney, and plantation owner. A wealthy slaveholder from Tennessee, Bell served in the United States Congress in both the House of Representatives and Senate. He began his career as a Democrat, he eventually fell out with Andrew Jackson and became a Whig...
and Edward Everett
Edward Everett
Edward Everett was an American politician and educator from Massachusetts. Everett, a Whig, served as U.S. Representative, and U.S. Senator, the 15th Governor of Massachusetts, Minister to Great Britain, and United States Secretary of State...
. In 1861, he adopted a states' rights
States' rights
States' rights in U.S. politics refers to political powers reserved for the U.S. state governments rather than the federal government. It is often considered a loaded term because of its use in opposition to federally mandated racial desegregation...
platform and unsuccessfully sought a seat in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, losing to Robert Mallory
Robert Mallory
Robert Mallory was a nineteenth century politician and lawyer from Kentucky.Born in Madison Court House, Virginia, Mallory attended private schools and graduated from the University of Virginia in 1827...
.
Civil War
At the outbreak of the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Bruce sided with the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
and left Louisville for Bowling Green
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Bowling Green is the third-most populous city in the state of Kentucky after Louisville and Lexington, with a population of 58,067 as of the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated 2009...
, the headquarters of the state's Confederates, on August 17, 1861. He was a delegate to Kentucky's first Confederate sovereignty convention, held at Russellville
Russellville, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,149 people, 3,064 households, and 1,973 families residing in the city. The population density was 672.1 people per square mile . There were 3,458 housing units at an average density of 325.1 per square mile...
from October 29-31, 1861. This self-constituted convention laid the groundwork for Kentucky's secession from the Union, and called for a second convention to be held in Russellville November 18 and 19, 1861. This second convention passed an ordinance of secession
Ordinance of Secession
The Ordinance of Secession was the document drafted and ratified in 1860 and 1861 by the states officially seceding from the United States of America...
, declaring Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
to have withdrawn from the Union. The convention also established a provisional Confederate state government
Confederate government of Kentucky
The Confederate government of Kentucky was a shadow government established for the Commonwealth of Kentucky by a self-constituted group of Confederate sympathizers during the American Civil War. The shadow government never replaced the elected government in Frankfort, which had strong Union...
, and Bruce was elected a member of its legislature. Shortly thereafter, Kentucky was admitted to the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
.
On January 22, 1862, Bruce was elected as a Representative in the First Confederate Congress
First Confederate Congress
The First Confederate Congress was the first regular term of the legislature of the Confederate States of America. Members of the First Confederate Congress were chosen in elections mostly held on 6 November 1861.-Sessions:...
. He was chosen to represent Kentucky on a committee to arrange and conduct the inaugural ceremonies of Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
and Alexander H. Stephens as Confederate President and Vice-President, respectively. He was also named to the Foreign Relations Committee and the Committee on Patents. On January 10, 1864, he was re-elected to the Second Confederate Congress
Second Confederate Congress
The Second Confederate Congress was the second and last regular term of the legislature of the Confederate States of America. Members of the Second Confederate Congress were chosen in elections held at various dates in 1863 and 1864...
, serving until the end of the war. Records of his service in the Confederate Congresses have been lost to history.
Bruce and the other members of the Confederate Congress – along with President Davis – remained in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
until April 2, 1865. They then fled to Danville, Virginia
Danville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
, where they remained until Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
's surrender at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
. Afterward, Bruce traveled first to Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
and Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
before returning to Richmond after President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
declared amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
for ex-Confederates. Bruce then traveled to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
where he arranged a meeting with his close friend and fellow Kentuckian, Attorney General James Speed
James Speed
James Speed was an American lawyer, politician and professor. In 1864, he was appointed by Abraham Lincoln to be the United States' Attorney General. He previously served in the Kentucky Legislature, and in local political office.Speed was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky, to Judge John Speed...
. Speed informed Bruce that he had been granted a pardon for any actions of disloyalty during the war.
Post-war life
Bruce returned to Louisville June 19, 1865 and in August 1865, formed the law firm of Bruce and Russell with Samuel Russell, his former pupil. They dissolved the partnership in 1868 when Bruce was elected to the circuit courtCircuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
in Kentucky's ninth district, comprising Jefferson
Jefferson County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of...
, Oldham
Oldham County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 46,178 people, 14,856 households, and 12,196 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 15,541 housing units at an average density of...
, Shelby
Shelby County, Kentucky
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 42,074. Its name is in honor of Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky. Its county seat is Shelbyville...
, Spencer
Spencer County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,766 people, 4,251 households, and 3,358 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 4,555 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.50% White, 1.13% Black or African American, 0.22% Native...
, and Bullitt
Bullitt County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 61,236 people, 22,171 households, and 17,736 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 23,160 housing units at an average density of...
counties. He was elected by the overwhelming majority of 10,611 votes in a contest where only 14,817 votes were cast. Bruce was among the first Kentuckians to call for courts to recognize negros' testimony as competent and valid, writing a letter to the Chicago Evening Post in support of this cause on February 20, 1869.
Beginning in 1872, despite never having attended college, he served as a law professor at the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
, holding the chair of history and science of law, law of real property, and contracts and criminal law. He also served as president of the Louisville Medical College
Louisville Medical Institute
The Louisville Medical Institute was a medical school founded in 1837 in Louisville, Kentucky. It would be merged with two other colleges into the University of Louisville in 1846 and is considered the ancestor of the university's present day medical school....
. In 1873, Governor Preston Leslie
Preston Leslie
Preston Hopkins Leslie was the 26th Governor of Kentucky from 1871 to 1875 and territorial governor of Montana from 1887 to 1889. He ascended to the office of governor by three different means. First, he succeeded Kentucky governor John W. Stevenson upon the latter's resignation to accept a seat...
appointed Bruce as a chancellor of the Louisville Chancery Court to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Chancellor Cochran. At a special election held in February 1874, he was elected to fill the remainder of the unexpired term. In August 1874, he was re-elected to a full, six-year term. He resigned from the chancery court on March 10, 1880 to accept the position of attorney for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.Chartered by the state of Kentucky in 1850, the L&N, as it was generally known, grew into one of the great success stories of American business...
. Shortly after taking this position, he also resigned his professorship at the University of Louisville.
Bruce died on January 22, 1903 in Louisville. He is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
.