Romanzo Norton Bunn (September 24, 1829 – January 25, 1909) was an American lawyer and judge. He was a

United States district judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the United States federal judiciary, U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each United States federal judicial district, federal judicial district, which each cover o ...

of the

Western District of Wisconsin The United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin (in case citations, W.D. Wis.) is a federal court in the Seventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are a ...

, a

Wisconsin Circuit Court The Wisconsin circuit courts are the general trial courts in the state of Wisconsin. There are currently 69 circuits in the state, divided into 10 judicial administrative districts. Circuit court judges hear and decide both civil and criminal case ...

Judge, and a member of the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

Education and career

Born in South Hartwick, New York, Bunn

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 ...

to enter the bar in 1853. He was in private practice in

Ellicottville, New York Ellicottville is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,317 at the 2020 census. The town is named after Joseph Ellicott, principal land agent of the Holland Land Company. The town of Ellicottville includes ...

, from 1853 to 1854, and then in

Galesville, Wisconsin Galesville is a city in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,662 at the 2020 census. It is located where Beaver Creek flows into a wide area of the Mississippi River valley. The creek is impounded to form Lake Marinu ...

, until 1861. He was district attorney in Galesville from 1857 to 1858. He was a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

member of the

in 1859, returning to private practice in

Sparta, Wisconsin Sparta is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States, along the La Crosse River. The population was 10,025 at the 2020 census. History Sparta is located on former Ho-Chunk territory acquired by the United States i ...

, from 1861 to 1868. He was a Judge of the

for the 6th Judicial Circuit from 1868 to 1877. He was a Professor of law at the

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

from 1878 to 1885.

Federal judicial service

On October 25, 1877, Bunn was nominated by President

Rutherford B. Hayes Rutherford Birchard Hayes (; October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 19th president of the United States from 1877 to 1881, after serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and as governor ...

to a seat on the

United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin The United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin (in case citations, W.D. Wis.) is a federal court in the Seventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are ap ...

vacated by Judge James C. Hopkins. Bunn was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

on October 30, 1877, and received his commission the same day. Bunn served in that capacity until his retirement on January 9, 1905.

Death

Bunn died on January 25, 1909, in

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

, Wisconsin. His former home there is located in what is now the

Langdon Street Historic District The Langdon Street Historic District is a historic neighborhood east of the UW campus in Madison, Wisconsin - home to some of Madison's most prominent residents like John B. Winslow, Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court, and nationally recogn ...

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bunn, Romanzo 1829 births 1909 deaths People from Hartwick, New York Judges of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly United States federal judges appointed by Rutherford B. Hayes 19th-century American judges New York (state) lawyers Wisconsin state court judges University of Wisconsin Law School faculty People from Galesville, Wisconsin District attorneys in Wisconsin