Van Devanter, Willis, 1859-1941

Lawyer, jurist, and Supreme Court justice.

From the description of Willis Van Devanter papers, 1884-1941. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70982511

Willis Van Devanter (1859-1941) was Wyoming's first State Supreme Court Justice and eventually came to be an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He graduated from Cincinnati University Law School in 1881 and began practicing law with his father in Marion, Indiana. Van Devanter moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1884 to practice law and soon became very involved with politics as a member of the territorial legislature and commissioner to revise the territorial statutes. In 1889, President Harrison appointed him Chief Justice of the territorial Supreme Court. After Wyoming became a state in 1890, he was elected to the same position and became the state's first Chief Justice. In 1897, President McKinley appointed him Assistant Attorney General. He remained very active in the Republican Party, and President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him a United States Circuit Judge in 1903. He was named to the Supreme Court by President Taft in 1910, and he remained on the bench until his retirement in 1937. While on the Supreme Court, Van Devanter was considered the Court's foremost expert on cases relating to public lands, mining claims, water rights, and other matters of interest to the Western United States. Van Devanter died as a result of a heart attack in 1941.

From the description of Willis Van Devanter papers, 1879-1966. (University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center). WorldCat record id: 68941150

Biographical Note

• 1859, Apr. 17: Born, Marion, Ind.
• 1875 - 1878 : Attended Indiana Asbury University, Greencastle, Ind.
• 1881: Bachelor of laws, Cincinnati Law School, Cincinnati, Ohio
• 1881 - 1884 : Practiced law in Marion, Ind.
• 1883: Married Dellice Burhans
• 1884: Moved to Cheyenne, Wyo.
• 1886: Commissioner to revise Wyoming statutes
• 1887 - 1888 : City attorney, Cheyenne, Wyo.
• 1888: Member, Wyoming territorial legislature
• 1889 - 1890 : Chief justice, territorial supreme court of Wyoming
• 1892 - 1894 : Chairman, Republican State Committee of Wyoming
• 1896 - 1900 : Member, Republican National Committee
• 1897 - 1903 : Assistant attorney general assigned to the Department of the Interior
• 1898 - 1903 : Professor, Columbian University, Washington, D.C.
• 1903 - 1910 : U.S. court judge, 8th Judicial Circuit
• 1910 - 1937 : Associate justice, U.S. Supreme Court
• 1941, Feb. 8: Died, Washington, D.C

From the guide to the Willis Van Devanter Papers, 1884-1941, (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Willis Van Devanter (1859-1941) was Wyoming’s first State Supreme Court Justice and eventually came to be an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He graduated from Cincinnati University Law School in 1881 and began practicing law with his father in Marion, Indiana.

Van Devanter moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1884 to practice law and soon became very involved with politics as a member of the territorial legislature and commissioner to revise the territorial statutes. In 1889, President Harrison appointed him Chief Justice of the territorial Supreme Court. After Wyoming became a state in 1890, he was elected to the same position and became the state’s first Chief Justice.

In 1897, President McKinley appointed him Assistant Attorney General. He remained very active in the Republican Party, and President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him a United States Circuit Judge in 1903. He was named to the Supreme Court by President Taft in 1910, and he remained on the bench until his retirement in 1937. While on the Supreme Court, Van Devanter was considered the Court’s foremost expert on cases relating to public lands, mining claims, water rights, and other matters of interest to the Western United States.

Van Devanter died as a result of a heart attack in 1941.

From the guide to the Willis Van Devanter papers, 1879-1966, (University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.)