Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 01.pdf/576

 Hastings College of the Law. the early part of the year 1849, and was shortly afterward unanimously elected by the legislature Chief-Justice of the Su preme Court of the State. He served out his term of two years, and in 1851 was elected Attorney-General on the Democratic ticket. At the expiration of his term of office, in 1853, he retired to private life, and devoted his attention to his business inter ests and investments, which had begun to increase in impor tance.

His entire career, politically and financially, has been one of marvellous suc cess. He has lived to see the institution which bears his name increase in strength and usefulness, and to feel the grateful appreciation of the many who are indebted to him for a syste matic legal knowl edge. John Norton Pomeroy was born at Ro chester, N. Y., April 12, 1828. He entered Hamilton College at the age of fifteen, and J. H. C. graduated in 1847. After his graduation he engaged in teaching, first at Rochester, and then near Cincinnati, Ohio. While em ployed at the latter place, he studied law with Senator Thomas Corwin. Returning to Rochester, he continued his legal studies with Judge Henry R. Selden, and was ad mitted to the bar in 1851. He practised his profession at Rochester, also devoting much of his time to writing on legal and political subjects. In 1864 he was chosen a Profes sor of Law and Dean of the Law Faculty in the University of the City of New York, — a position which he held until 1870, when he 69

525

resigned and returned to Rochester to re sume the practice of the law. In 1878 he accepted the chair of Municipal Law in the Hastings College of the Law, and continued in the position until his death, Feb. 25, 1885. Professor Pomeroy was perhaps more widely known through his writings than as a teacher. His first work was his " Intro duction to Municipal Law," published in 1864. An "Introduc tion to the Constitu tional Law of the United States " fol lowed four years later. In 1874 he edited "Sedgwick's Statutory and Constitutional Law." His next and perhaps his best work — " Remedies and Remedial Rights, ac cording to the Re formed Procedure" — was published in 1876. He prepared an edition of "Archbold's Crimi nal Practice and Plead ing" in 1877. During his connection with the Hastings College of the Law he wrote a treatise on the " Spe cific Performance of BONTfi. Contracts " and one on " Equity Jurispru dence." His lectures on " International Law in Time of Peace " were edited after his death by Prof. Theodore S. Woolsey, and published in 1886. Hamilton College con ferred the degree of LL.D. upon him in 1865. Professor Pomeroy was a complete master of the principles of our jurisprudence. Added to this, he possessed wonderful powers of analysis and great clearness of expression, — a combination of qualities which made him a successful teacher. Perhaps no one has a better knowledge of the laws of the State of California, and of