Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 02.pdf/16

 The Green Bag.

Vol. II. No. i..

BOSTON.

January, 1890.

DAVID JOSIAH BREWER.

By Hon. Albert H. Horton.

DAVID JOSIAH BREWER, recently appointed by the President an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Justice Matthews, was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor, June 20, 1837. His father, Rev. Josiah Brewer, was a missionary to the Greeks in Turkey at the time of his birth, but returned to this country when his son was three years old. His mother, Emilia Field Brewer, was a sister of David Dudley, Cyrus W. and Stephen J. Field, — the latter one of the senior Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. For the first time in the history of that court, it will there fore contain an uncle and a nephew.

The subject of this sketch commenced his collegiate studies at the Wesleyan University at Middletown, Conn., but subsequently entered the junior class at Yale College, New Haven, Conn., from which he graduated with high honors in 1856. He completed his law studies at the Albany Law School, from which he graduated in 1858. He then went West, spent a few months in Kansas City, and then journeyed farther west, up the Arkansas River to Pike's Peak. He remained in Colorado until the following June, when he returned to Kansas, and after a short visit to his Eastern home, settled, Sept. 13, 1859, at Leavenworth, Kan., where he has since resided. He at once took a front rank in his profession. In 1861 he was appointed United States Commissioner; in 1862 he was elected Judge of the Probate and Criminal Courts of Leavenworth County; in 1864 he was elected Judge of the District Court for the First Judicial District of the State of Kansas; in 1868 he was elected County Attorney of his county; in 1870 he was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court of Kansas, and re-elected to the same position in 1876 and again in 1882. In April, 1884, he was appointed by President Arthur, United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit, which then included Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, and Arkansas; recently the two Dakotas have been added to it.

Judge Brewer was married, Oct. 3, 1861, to Miss Louise R. Landen, of Burlington, Vt. They have four daughters, — Harriet E., Etta L., Fannie A., and Jennie E. The oldest, Harriet E., was recently married to Aaron P. Jetmore, Esq., a young lawyer of ability and merit residing in Topeka, Kan. Misses Fannie A. and Jennie E. are finish ing their education at a Ladies' Institute in Detroit, Mich. Miss Etta L. Brewer is at home.

Judge Brewer has always taken a lively interest in educational matters. He is a popular speaker before Teachers' Associations and Lyceums, and also upon Commencement days. He has been for many years an active member of the Congregational Church in Leavenworth, and is a regular attendant upon religious services. He possesses quick perceptive faculties, and works with great facility and ease. He has discharged all the duties of his various judicial positions with untiring industry, acknowledged ability, and recognized im- 1