Alfred Wallin (February 12, 1836 – January 9, 1923) was an American judge who served one of the first three justices of the

Supreme Court of North Dakota The North Dakota Supreme Court is the highest court of law in the state of North Dakota. The Court rules on questions of law in appeals from the state's district courts. Each of the five justices are elected on a no-party ballot for ten year te ...

from 1889 to 1902.

Background

Wallin was born in Gilbertsville

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on February 212, 1836. His family lived in

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

for several years and moved to

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

in 1851. Wallin's father and two eldest brothers brought a tannery and formed the company of C.C. Wallin & Sons, Manufacturers and Dealers in Leather. Wallin apprenticed as a tanner and currier in the family business. Wallin received his legal education at the University of Michigan Law School and was admitted to the Michigan Bar and the Illinois Bar in 1862. He served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

in 1861 and 1862, reenlisted in 1864, and was mustered out in 1865.

Career

After the war, he moved to

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

and practiced law in

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and then in

Redwood County Redwood County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census the population was 15,425. Its county seat is Redwood Falls, along the Redwood River near its confluence with the Minnesota River. The Lower Sioux Indian Reserva ...

. He held the office of County Attorney in both

Nicollet County Nicollet County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 34,454. Its county seat is St. Peter. Nicollet County is part of the Mankato–North Mankato, MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. History In 1 ...

and Redwood County. In 1883, he moved to Fargo,

Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of No ...

, and practiced law until he was elected as one of the first three justices of the North Dakota Supreme Court at the age of 53. He was elected to a seven-year term and was reelected in 1896. Wallin declined renomination and retired at the end of his term on December 31, 1902, after having served roughly thirteen years and one month. After leaving the court, due to increasing

deafness Deafness has varying definitions in cultural and medical contexts. In medical contexts, the meaning of deafness is hearing loss that precludes a person from understanding spoken language, an audiological condition. In this context it is written ...

, Wallin did not resume his practice of law.

Personal life

Alfred Wallin married Ellen Gray Keyes on January 1, 1868, in Elgin, Illinois. They had two children while living in

, Minnesota. The daughter, Madeleine, was born on October 12, 1868, and the son died in infancy. Alfred Wallin died at the age 86 in Santa Monica,

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

on January 0, 1823.''Wallin Family Papers'' (State Historical Society of North Dakota)
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References

External links

Justices of the North Dakota Supreme Court 1836 births 1923 deaths American people of Swedish descent University of Michigan Law School alumni People from Gilbertsville, New York People from St. Peter, Minnesota 19th-century American judges 18th-century American judges County attorneys in Minnesota People from Redwood County, Minnesota People from Fargo, North Dakota Michigan lawyers Illinois lawyers North Dakota lawyers {{NorthDakota-state-judge-stub