Thomas Nelson (Oregon judge)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Nelson was an American
attorney and judge. He was appointed as the 2nd Chief Justice
of the Oregon Supreme Court
serving from 1850 to 1853. A native of the U.S. state
of New York, he lived in Oregon
only during his term as chief justice.
. There he passed the bar and received his license to practice law in 1840.
appointed Nelson to the territorial supreme court of Oregon to replace William P. Bryant
. Nelson arrived at Oregon City in April 1850. He served until 1853 when his term ended. During this same time he served as chief justice of the court, and then left Oregon in August 1853 to return to New York
. There he practiced law until he died in New York on July 25, 1907 at the age of 88.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney and judge. He was appointed as the 2nd Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
serving from 1850 to 1853. A native of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New York, he lived in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
only during his term as chief justice.
Early life
Nelson was born January 23, 1819 in Peekskill, New YorkPeekskill, New York
Peekskill is a city in Westchester County, New York. It is situated on a bay along the east side of the Hudson River, across from Jones Point.This community was known to be an early American industrial center, primarily for its iron plow and stove products...
. There he passed the bar and received his license to practice law in 1840.
Legal career
In 1850 U.S. President Millard FillmoreMillard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
appointed Nelson to the territorial supreme court of Oregon to replace William P. Bryant
William P. Bryant
William P. Bryant was an American jurist from Kentucky. He served as the first Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court in the Oregon Territory. United States President James K. Polk appointed Bryant, of Indiana, to the court once the Oregon Territory was established in 1848. In Indiana he served...
. Nelson arrived at Oregon City in April 1850. He served until 1853 when his term ended. During this same time he served as chief justice of the court, and then left Oregon in August 1853 to return to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. There he practiced law until he died in New York on July 25, 1907 at the age of 88.