LeBaron B. Colt
Encyclopedia
LeBaron Bradford Colt was a United States Senator
from Rhode Island
and a circuit court judge.
to Christopher Colt (the brother of arms maker Samuel Colt
) and Theodora Goujand DeWolf Colt; his younger brother, Samuel P. Colt
, was a prominent Rhode Island businessman and politician. LeBaron Colt attended the public schools and Williston Seminary. He received an A.B. from Yale University
in 1868, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
and an LL.B. from Columbia Law School
in 1870.
After getting his law degree, Colt devoted a year to European travel. Once he returned, he was admitted to the bar and commenced practicing law in Chicago
. In 1875, he moved to Bristol, Rhode Island
, and started practicing law in Providence
.
From 1879 to 1881, Colt was a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
.
On March 9, 1881, President
James A. Garfield nominated Colt to the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
. The Senate confirmed him on March 21. Three years later, Colt was elevated to the United States Circuit Court for the First Circuit
, with President Chester A. Arthur
nominating him on July 2, 1884 and Senate confirmation on July 5. On June 15, 1891, Colt was reassigned to the newly created United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
by the Judiciary Act of 1891
.
In 1913, Colt was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate by the Rhode Island
legislature. On February 7, he resigned from the appellate court, and on March 4, he was sworn in as Senator.
From 1917 to 1919, Colt was chairman of the Senate Committee on Conservation of Natural Resources. From 1919 until his death, he was chairman of the Committee on Immigration.
Colt died on August 18, 1924 in Bristol. He was buried in Juniper Hill Cemetery
.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
and a circuit court judge.
Biography
He was born in Dedham, MassachusettsDedham, Massachusetts
Dedham is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest by Westwood and on the southeast by...
to Christopher Colt (the brother of arms maker Samuel Colt
Samuel Colt
Samuel Colt was an American inventor and industrialist. He was the founder of Colt's Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company , and is widely credited with popularizing the revolver. Colt's innovative contributions to the weapons industry have been described by arms historian James E...
) and Theodora Goujand DeWolf Colt; his younger brother, Samuel P. Colt
Samuel P. Colt
Samuel Pomeroy Colt was an industrialist and politician from Rhode Island.He was born in Paterson, New Jersey on January 10, 1852, the youngest of six children born to Christopher Colt and Theodora Goujand DeWolf Colt of Bristol, Rhode Island...
, was a prominent Rhode Island businessman and politician. LeBaron Colt attended the public schools and Williston Seminary. He received an A.B. from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1868, where he was a member of Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
and an LL.B. from Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
in 1870.
After getting his law degree, Colt devoted a year to European travel. Once he returned, he was admitted to the bar and commenced practicing law in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. In 1875, he moved to Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol is a town in and the historic county seat of Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 22,954 at the 2010 census. Bristol, a deepwater seaport, is named after Bristol, England....
, and started practicing law in Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
.
From 1879 to 1881, Colt was a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
Rhode Island House of Representatives
The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the lower house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Rhode Island. It is composed of 75 members, elected to two year terms from 75 districts of equal population. The Rhode Island General Assembly does not have...
.
On March 9, 1881, 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....
James A. Garfield nominated Colt to the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Rhode Island. The District Court was created in 1790 when Rhode Island ratified the Constitution...
. The Senate confirmed him on March 21. Three years later, Colt was elevated to the United States Circuit Court for the First Circuit
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
, with President Chester A. Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
nominating him on July 2, 1884 and Senate confirmation on July 5. On June 15, 1891, Colt was reassigned to the newly created United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Maine* District of Massachusetts...
by the Judiciary Act of 1891
Judiciary Act of 1891
The Judiciary Act of 1891 , also known as the Evarts Act after its primary sponsor, Senator William M. Evarts, created the United States courts of appeals, and reassigned the jurisdiction of most routine appeals from the district and circuit courts to these appellate courts...
.
In 1913, Colt was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate by the Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
legislature. On February 7, he resigned from the appellate court, and on March 4, he was sworn in as Senator.
From 1917 to 1919, Colt was chairman of the Senate Committee on Conservation of Natural Resources. From 1919 until his death, he was chairman of the Committee on Immigration.
Colt died on August 18, 1924 in Bristol. He was buried in Juniper Hill Cemetery
Juniper Hill Cemetery
Juniper Hill Cemetery is a historic cemetery at 24 Sherry Avenue in Bristol, Rhode Island.The original were purchased from Levi DeWolf. The cemetery was added in 1998 as site #98000632 to the National Register of Historic Places.-Notable burials:...
.