Orloff Mather Dorman (January 7, 1809 – June 16, 1879) was a justice of the

Supreme Court of Virginia The Supreme Court of Virginia is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It primarily hears direct appeals in civil cases from the trial-level city and county circuit courts, as well as the criminal law, family law and administrative ...

from 1869 to 1870. Born in

Wilbraham, Massachusetts Wilbraham is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb of the City of Springfield, and part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,613 at the 2020 census. Part of the town comprises ...

, he was initially named "Orlow", which he changed to "Orloff" in his younger years. He received a

B.A. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

from

Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zephaniah Swift Moore, Amherst is the third oldest institution of higher educatio ...

in 1831, and

read law Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under the ...

under Azon Taber of

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York City ...

, from 1831 to 1833, while teaching at the Albany Female Academy. He then moved to Florida, continuing to read law under Charles Downing of

St. Augustine, Florida St. Augustine ( ; es, San Agustín ) is a city in the Southeastern United States and the county seat of St. Johns County on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers, it is the oldest continuously inhabit ...

, from 1834 to 1835, thereafter practicing law in Florida until 1847. 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 ...

, he served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

as a

paymaster A paymaster is someone appointed by a group of buyers, sellers, investors or lenders to receive, hold, and dispense funds, commissions, fees, salaries (remuneration) or other trade, loan, or sales proceeds within the private sector or public secto ...

, with rank of major, from 1862 to 1866. He was thereafter named a judge of the Corporation Court of

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

, from 1867 to 1868. He was named to the Virginia state supreme court during Reconstruction, on May 6, 1869, by the commander of the First Military District overseeing civilian government in Virginia. He served until January 26, 1870, when civilian rule was restored. Dorman married Margarette E. Gould, of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, on September 4, 1845. They had no children. Dorman thereafter resided in Virginia until his death, at his home in

,"Death of Judge O. M. Dorman", ''The Norfolk Virginian'' (June 17, 1879), p. 1. at the age of 70.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dorman, Orloff Mather 1809 births 1879 deaths People from Wilbraham, Massachusetts Amherst College alumni U.S. state supreme court judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law Union Army officers Justices of the Supreme Court of Virginia