Michael J. Schenck (December 12, 1876 – November 5, 1948)"Judge Schenck Dies Here", ''The Raleigh News and Observer'' (November 6, 1948), p. 1. was a North Carolina lawyer and judge who served as a justice of the

North Carolina Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of North Carolina is the state of North Carolina's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists ...

from 1934 to 1948.

Early life, education, and civil service

Born in Lincolnton,

Lincoln County, North Carolina Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 86,810. Its county seat is Lincolnton. Lincoln County is included in the Charlotte-Concord- Gastonia, NC- SC Metropolitan Statist ...

to David and Sallie (Ramseur) Schenck, the family had roots in that city going back to the 1790s."Schenck Elevated To Supreme Court", ''The Hendersonville Times-News'' (May 23, 1934), p. 1, 3. Schenck attended high school in

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...

, and received his undergraduate degree from the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC Sy ...

in 1895. After working for a time in the Wilmington offices of the Atlantic Coast Line Railway, he served as a member of the United States insular civil service in

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

for three years. He received his law degree from North Carolina State University in 1903, and gained admission to the bar in

Guilford County, North Carolina Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population is 541,299, making it the third-most populous county in North Carolina. The county seat, and largest municipality, is Greensboro. ...

, the same year. Schenck entered the practice of law in

Hendersonville, North Carolina Hendersonville is a city in Henderson County, North Carolina, United States. It is south of Asheville and is the county seat of Henderson County. Like the county, the city is named for 19th-century North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Leon ...

, and the following year was elected to a two-year term as the city's mayor, serving from 1907 to 1909."Judge Schench Dies After Long Illness", ''The Charlotte Observer'' (November 6, 1948), p. 15. In 1913, Governor Locke Craig appointed Schenck solicitor of the 18th judicial district, to which office Schenck was re-elected the following year. In 1918, he resigned in order to serve in the

United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps The Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Army, also known as the U.S. Army JAG Corps, is the legal arm of the United States Army. It is composed of Army officers who are also lawyers and who provide legal services to the Army at a ...

, attaining the rank of major. He then returned to private practice.

Judicial service

On November 10, 1924, Governor Cameron A. Morrison appointed Schenck to a seat on the 18th judicial district court vacated by the death of Judge J. Bis Ray. He was reelected to an eight-year term in 1926. On May 23, 1934, Governor

John C. B. Ehringhaus John Christoph Blucher Ehringhaus (February 5, 1882July 31, 1949) was an American politician who served as the 58th governor of North Carolina, serving from 1933 to 1937. Biography He was born on February 5, 1882, in Elizabeth City, North Car ...

appointed Schenck to a seat on the state supreme court vacated by the death of Justice William J. Adams. Schenck was easily reelected to the seat for an eight-year term in November of that year. Schenck ran unopposed for reelection in November 1942,"Supreme Court Unopposed", ''The Raleigh News and Observer'' (November 3, 1942), p. 12. and resigned from the court due to illness in January 1948, ten months before his death.

Personal life and death

On November 15, 1909, Schenck married Rose Few of Hendersonville, with whom he had a son and two daughters. He died at his home in Raleigh at the age of 71, after a lengthy period of illness.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schenck, Michael 1876 births 1948 deaths People from Lincolnton, North Carolina University of North Carolina alumni North Carolina State University alumni Mayors of places in North Carolina United States Army personnel of World War I Justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court