Henry A. Melvin

Henry Alexander Melvin (September 28, 1865 - December 1920) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California from September 28, 1908 to December 1920.^[1]

Biography

Melvin was born at Springfield, Illinois on September 28, 1865 to Samual and Sarah Melvin, the youngest of four children.^[2] His siblings were Mrs. A. A. Dewing, James R. Melvin and Charles. S. Melvin. When he was 9 years old, he and his parents moved from Illinois to St. Helena, California. Four years later in 1878, his parents moved to Oakland where his father, a retired medical practitioner opened a pharmacy. Henry attended the University of California while assisting his father as a clerk in order to afford some of the school fees. He graduated from the University of California in 1889.^[3]

He immediately enrolled in Hastings College of Law. While he was a student there, he was elected and served as the Justice of the Peace of Brooklyn Township in Alameda County. he later receive his degree of law from Hastings College in 1892.

Career

He had served in public offices from the start of his career, especially in administration of justice. In 1893, he became the assistant District Attorney of Alameda County. The next year in 1894, he accepted a give year term to serve as Prosecuting Attorney for the City of Oakland. He returned to Alameda County to serve as Chief Deputy District Attorney, except for a period of 3 months when he was acting Deputy Attorney General of California. In 1901, he accepted the position of Superior Court Judge of Alameda county, a position that he would hold until September 28, 1908. That day, he was elected Justice of the Supreme Court of California. He had succeeded Thomas B. McFarland, who had died. He was re-elected at expiration of his term. He was in the middle of serving his third term when he died. That term would have expired in January 1923.

Personal life

On June 14, 1893, he married Sarah Louise Morse of Portland Oregon. He was survived by a son.

References