Samuel Hitt Elbert
Encyclopedia
Samuel Hitt Elbert served as Governor of the Territory of Colorado (1873–1874) and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
of the State of Colorado (1879–1883).
Samuel Hitt Elbert was born in Logan County, Ohio
. At age seven, he moved with his family to the Territory of Iowa, where he attended public school and studied agriculture. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University
with high honors in 1854 and moved to the Territory of Nebraska to practice law. In Nebraska, Elbert became active in the newly formed Republican Party. Elbert was appointed Secretary of the Territory of Colorado and served from 1862 until 1867. Secretary Elbert organized the Republican Party in the Colorado Territory. Samuel Elbert married Josephine Evans, the daughter of his mentor, Territorial Governor John Evans
.
U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant
appointed Samuel Elbert as the sixth Governor of the Territory of Colorado on April 4, 1873. President Grant became the first U.S. President to visit the Rocky Mountain region
that summer. The President stayed at Governor Elbert's home, visited Central City
, and met with a group of Ute
leaders. Governor Elbert served until June 19, 1874, when his predecessor, Edward Moody McCook, was reappointed Governor. Samuel Elbert was appointed to the Supreme Court
of the State of Colorado in 1877 where he served until 1889. Elbert served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1879 to 1883. Samuel Elbert died on November 27, 1899.
Elbert County, Colorado
; Elbert, Colorado
; and Mount Elbert
, the highest peak in the entire Rocky Mountains
, are named in honor of Samuel Hitt Elbert. Grateful miners named Mount Elbert after the governor because he brokered a treaty with the Ute tribe, which opened up more than 3000000 acres (12,140.6 km²) of Indian reservation to mining and railroad activity.
Colorado Supreme Court
The Colorado Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Colorado. Located in Denver, the Court consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices.-Appellate jurisdiction:...
of the State of Colorado (1879–1883).
Samuel Hitt Elbert was born in Logan County, Ohio
Logan County, Ohio
Logan County is a county in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 45,858. The county seat is Bellefontaine. The county is named for Benjamin Logan, who fought Native Americans in the area....
. At age seven, he moved with his family to the Territory of Iowa, where he attended public school and studied agriculture. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
with high honors in 1854 and moved to the Territory of Nebraska to practice law. In Nebraska, Elbert became active in the newly formed Republican Party. Elbert was appointed Secretary of the Territory of Colorado and served from 1862 until 1867. Secretary Elbert organized the Republican Party in the Colorado Territory. Samuel Elbert married Josephine Evans, the daughter of his mentor, Territorial Governor John Evans
John Evans (governor)
John Evans was a U.S. politician, physician, railroad promoter, Governor of the Territory of Colorado, and namesake of Evanston, Illinois; Evans, Colorado; and Mount Evans, Colorado...
.
U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
appointed Samuel Elbert as the sixth Governor of the Territory of Colorado on April 4, 1873. President Grant became the first U.S. President to visit the Rocky Mountain region
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
that summer. The President stayed at Governor Elbert's home, visited Central City
Central City, Colorado
Central City is a home rule municipality in Clear Creek and Gilpin counties in the U.S. state of Colorado, and the county seat of Gilpin County. The city population was 515 in the 2000 United States Census...
, and met with a group of Ute
Ute Tribe
The Ute are an American Indian people now living primarily in Utah and Colorado. There are three Ute tribal reservations: Uintah-Ouray in northeastern Utah ; Southern Ute in Colorado ; and Ute Mountain which primarily lies in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico . The name of the state of...
leaders. Governor Elbert served until June 19, 1874, when his predecessor, Edward Moody McCook, was reappointed Governor. Samuel Elbert was appointed to the Supreme Court
Colorado Supreme Court
The Colorado Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Colorado. Located in Denver, the Court consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices.-Appellate jurisdiction:...
of the State of Colorado in 1877 where he served until 1889. Elbert served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1879 to 1883. Samuel Elbert died on November 27, 1899.
Elbert County, Colorado
Elbert County, Colorado
Elbert County is the 21st most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 19,872 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Kiowa...
; Elbert, Colorado
Elbert, Colorado
Elbert is a census-designated place and the location of a U.S. Post Office in Elbert County, Colorado, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 230.The community is named for a past Colorado territorial governor and state Supreme Court Justice Samuel Hitt Elbert...
; and Mount Elbert
Mount Elbert
Mount Elbert is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains of North America, at , the highest of the fourteeners in Colorado, and the high point of the Sawatch Range. It is located in Lake County, approximately southwest of Leadville...
, the highest peak in the entire Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, are named in honor of Samuel Hitt Elbert. Grateful miners named Mount Elbert after the governor because he brokered a treaty with the Ute tribe, which opened up more than 3000000 acres (12,140.6 km²) of Indian reservation to mining and railroad activity.
See also
- Colorado Supreme CourtColorado Supreme CourtThe Colorado Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Colorado. Located in Denver, the Court consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices.-Appellate jurisdiction:...
- History of ColoradoHistory of ColoradoThe human history of Colorado extends back more than 13,000 years. The region that is today the state of Colorado was first inhabited by Native Americans...
- Law and Government of ColoradoLaw and Government of ColoradoThe Constitution of the State of Colorado provides for three branches of government: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial branches.-Sovereignty of the people:...
- List of Governors of Colorado
- State of Colorado
- Territory of Colorado