Aaron E. Waite
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| Aaron E. Waite | |
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4th Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
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| In office 1859 – 1862 |
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| Preceded by | George Henry Williams |
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| Succeeded by | Reuben P. Boise |
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10th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
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| In office 1859 – 1862 |
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| Preceded by | George Henry Williams |
| Succeeded by | William W. Page |
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| Born | December 28, 1813 Whately, Massachusetts |
| Died | December 1898 Portland, Oregon |
Aaron E. Waite (Wait) (December 28, 1813-December 1898) was an American judge and politician. He was the 4th Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court serving from 1859 to 1862. He was the first chief justice after Oregon became a state on February 14, 1859. A Massachusetts native, Waite also served in the Oregon Territorial Legislature.
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[edit] Early life
Aaron Waite was born on December 28, 1813 in Franklin County, Massachusetts where he was raised by his grandfather and an uncle.[1] His father had died as a soldier in the War of 1812.[2] At the age of 14 he became an apprentice broom maker before leaving for New York City at age 20.[1] Once there he taught as an assistant teacher on Long Island before moving west in 1837 and settled in Michigan.[1] There he studied law under judge Columbia Lancaster and was admitted to the bar in 1842, later becoming the secretary for governor J. S. Barry of Michigan.[2]
[edit] Oregon
Then in 1847 Waite headed to Oregon Country in a wagon train of 40 wagons.[1] This included Judge Lancaster and Lancaster’s family.[2] Once in Oregon he set up a law practice in Oregon City, Oregon, and worked on the Oregon Spectator newspaper.[1] Waite then fought in the Cayuse War before leaving for the gold fields of California in 1849, only to return within a few years.[2]
[edit] Politics
Upon returning he was elected as a commissioner to audit the claims from the Cayuse War.[2] Then in 1852 he served in the Oregon Territory House of Representatives.[3] Following an absence from the legislature he returned as a member of the upper chamber Council in 1857 and 1858 serving as a Democrat.[4]
In 1858 he ran and was elected to the Oregon Supreme Court.[5] Prior to this the judges were appointed by the U.S. President as Oregon was still a territory. Wait’s term began in 1859 and he served on the state’s highest court until resigning on May 1, 1862.[5] During that same time he served as the chief justice of the court.[5]
[edit] Later years
Waite married twice and had a total of six children, of which both of his wives and four of the children died before him.[2] After serving on the court he retired to his 600-acre (2.4 km²) farm that was located in Clackamas County.[1] Then in 1891 he moved to Portland, Oregon where he died in December of 1898.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g Corning, Howard M. Dictionary of Oregon History. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956.
- ^ a b c d e f Clatsop County District Court Judges. Oregon Judicial Department. Retrieved on January 20, 2008.
- ^ Oregon Legislative Assembly (4th Territorial) 1852 Regular Session. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on January 20, 2008.
- ^ Oregon Legislative Assembly (9th Territorial) 1857 Regular Session. Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on January 20, 2008.
- ^ a b c Oregon Supreme Court Justices. Oregon Blue Book. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2007-05-03.
