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4. He was attorney for the Farmer's National Bank of Annapolis, Maryland, of which he was a director. In politics a Whig, as such he was elected to the Maryland legislature in 1854, and during that session served as chairman of the committee on Ways and Means. In 1857 he was an independent union candidate for congress, but was unsuccessful. In 1860, he was one of the Bell and Everett electors in Maryland. He was commissioned, January 29, 1879, as one of the associate judges of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, to succeed Judge Olin; and he served nearly twenty-five years, the first native of the District who ever occupied a judicial position within its borders.

He is connected with the Protestant Episcopal church. Of his reading, he says, "good historical and biographical works chiefly interest me, with good novels which I enjoy very much. Still I am fond of driving and riding on horseback; walking and hunting; but am not much of a proficient in any games of modern times." "The wishes of my parents accorded with my own as to my choice of a profession, after I recovered from the predilections of my youth; but accident, as is generally the case, had a great deal to do with my impulses. Home, school, early companionship, and contact with men in active life((—}} each of these in almost equal proportion was operative with me, in attaining such measure of success as I can claim to have attained, and whatever failure there has been in my ideals, has been from lack of ambition, and distaste for the methods usually considered essential to political success." He adds, "I should urge young Americans to study and abide by the advice of George Washington in his farewell address; to love their country and reverence such of its men as have followed the precepts of Washington. Absolute truthfulness and sobriety of life will certainly insure success to those who have the ability to perform the duties devolving upon them."

He married in 1854, Louisa, daughter of Randolph Harrison, of Goochland county, Virginia. The degree of LL.D. was conferred upon Justice Hagner by St. John's college, Annapolis, Maryland. He is a member of the Cosmos club, of the American Historical Association, of the National Geographic Society, and of the Sons of the American Revolution; of the Virginia Historical Society; an ex-president and now vice-president of the Washington Alumni Society of Princeton; and for many years president of the South River club