Montana Justices 1886-1889
1886
Decius C. Wade, Chief Justices of Montana
J. H. McLeary, Associate
W. G. Galbraith, Associate
T. C. Bach, Associate
1887
N. W. McConnell, Chief Justices of Montana
J. H. McLeary, Associate
W. G. Galbraith, Associate
T. C. Bach, Associate
1888
Stephen De Wolfe, Chief Justices of Montana
Moses J. Liddell, Associate
T. C. Bach Associate
1889
Henry N. Blake was Chief Justice of Montana
Bach, Associate
De Wolfe, Associate
Liddell, Associate
W. J. Galbraith was born in Freeport, Pennsylvania, in 1837, and educated at Dartmouth College, N. H., graduating in 1857. He studied law at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and was admitted to the bar in 1861, but enlisted in the Union Army as a private in the 12th rest Pa vols. In Sept. he was commissioned 1st Leut of company G, 78th Pa vols, and transferred in Nov. to the U. S. signal corps, in which he served until Nov. 1864. He was captured at Chattanooga, and held prisoner in Macon, Madison, Libby. Richmond, and other prisons until exchanged. In 1865 he opened a law-office in Oil City, Pennsylvania, where he practised until 1872, when he removed to Nebraska, and practised there 2 years, and was in Cherokee County, Iowa, when appointed to the judgeship in the 2d judicial district of Montana in 1879. He was reappointed in 1883.
Stephen De Wolfe was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee, in 1833, and educated at the Pennsylvania University at Gettysburg, and Jefferson College, Canonsburg. He studied law at Lexington, Missouri, and Lebanon Law School, graduating in 1857 and commencing practice at Lexington, Missouri. In 1859 he went to Salt Lake City as agent for Russell, Majors, and Waddell, army contractors, and subsequently took the editorial management of the Valley Tan, His office was destroyed by a mob for publishing an account of the Mountain Meadows massacre, the first one given to the world. He then engaged in livestock business in California, but returned to Salt Lake City as U. S. Attorney for Utah. In 1879 he settled in Butte, Montana, was elected representative in 1881, and ran for councilman in 1883, but was defeated. He was appointed to the supreme bench in 1888.
William H. De Witt was born in New York in 1855, educated at Hamilton College, graduating in 1875, after which he took a regular course at the Columbia Law School of New York, received his degree, and was admitted to practice by the supreme court of that city. He practised his profession in New York until 1879, when he came to Helena. In 1881 he removed to Butte. He was appointed U. S. district attorney in 1883, and was justly classed among the leading attorneys of the territory.
W. Y. Pemberton, democratic candidate for Attorney General, was born in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1842, was educated at the Masonic College, Missouri, read law at the Lebanon Law School of Cumberland University, graduated in 1861, and was admitted to practice the same year. In 1863 he came to Montana, forming a law partnership with E. W. Toole at Virginia City, where he remained 2 years, when the firm removed to Helena, where he was appointed by Gov. Edgerton first district attorney of Helena district. In 1868 he went to Texas, where he remained until 1880, when he returned to Helena, and removed hence to Butte 2 years later, where he was elected district attorney. In 1883 he was elected a member of the constitutional convention of 1884.
