Theodore A. Hurd (December 21, 1819 – February 22, 1899) was a justice of the

Kansas Supreme Court The Kansas Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in the state of Kansas. Composed of seven justices, led by Chief Justice Marla Luckert, the court supervises the legal profession, administers the judicial branch, and serves as the sta ...

from April 23, 1884, to December 1, 1884.

Life and education

He was born December 21, 1819, in

Pawling, New York Pawling may refer to: *Pawling (town), New York, in Dutchess County **Pawling (village), New York, in the town of Pawling ***Pawling (Metro-North station), train station for the village **Pawling Nature Reserve, in the northern section of the to ...

. He graduated from the law department of the University of Utica, New York in 1847, and was admitted to the bar that same year. He married and had children.

Career

Soon after obtaining the bar he started private practice with B. Davis Noxon, and then later becoming a law partner with

Joshua A. Spencer Joshua Austin Spencer (May 13, 1790 in Great Barrington, Berkshire County, Massachusetts – April 25, 1857 in Utica, Oneida County, New York) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Life He was the son of Eliphalet Spencer (1760� ...

in New York. In 1859, he moved to

Leavenworth, Kansas Leavenworth () is the county seat and largest city of Leavenworth County, Kansas, United States and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 37,351. It is located on the west bank of t ...

and continued practising law. He was recognised as a very able lawyer and was in high demand from large corporations and wealthy clients. He specialised in corporation and constitutional law, and was the attorney for the

Missouri Pacific Railroad The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad ...

. He was also the attorney for the Missouri Valley Life Insurance company from its inception until its end. In 1868, he ran for District Judge but was unsuccessful and Judge Ide won. In 1875, he was the senior partner in the law firm of ''Hurd and Monroe'', with Mr Chas Monroe the other partner. In April 1884, he was appointed by Governor

George Washington Glick George Washington Glick (July 4, 1827 – April 13, 1911) was the ninth Governor of Kansas. George Washington Glick was raised on his father's farm near Greencastle, Ohio. He enlisted for service in the Mexican–American War, but saw no acti ...

to fill the position on the supreme court left by the resignation of justice David Josiah Brewer. He only served the court a few months until the election of

William Agnew Johnston William Agnew Johnston (July 24, 1848 – January 23, 1937) was a Kansas State Representative in 1875, Kansas State Senator, justice of the Kansas Supreme Court from December 1, 1884, to January 12, 1903, and chief justice from January 12, 1903, ...

. He had stood as a Democratic candidate for various positions, but was only ever elected to one school board position.

Death

He died, February 22, 1899, after a slight illness, he had been sitting near the breakfast table before suddenly falling from his chair dead. He died from heart failure. Several judges gave eulogies, and the Bar Association and Templar societies attended his funeral.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hurd, Theodore A. Justices of the Kansas Supreme Court People from Pawling, New York Utica University alumni 1819 births 1899 deaths 19th-century American judges People from Kansas Territory