Thomas J. Bowers

Thomas J. Bowers (1828 – August 26, 1893) was a chief justice of the Idaho Territorial Court from July 18, 1868 to April 9, 1869. The court preceded the Idaho Supreme Court, established when Idaho became a state in 1890.

Thomas J. Bowers
Chief Justice of the Idaho Territorial Court
In office 1868–1869
Appointed by	Andrew Johnson
Preceded by	John R. McBride
Succeeded by	David Noggle
Personal details
Born	1828 Nashville, Tennessee U.S.
Died	August 26, 1893 (aged 65) San Francisco, California
Cause of death	Heart Failure
Resting place	Masonic Cemetery (Defunct), San Francisco Later either Japanese Cemetery or Woodlawn Cemetery, Colma[1]
Political party	Democrat
Spouse(s)	Jane L. Clark
Residence	Idaho City, Idaho Sierra County, Marin County, California San Francisco

Bowers was born in 1828 in Nashville, Tennessee, where he studied law and began his practice. He moved to Nevada County, California, in 1850, then to Sierra County in 1858. Bowers married Jane L. Clark in 1857.[2][3]

He was appointed Chief Justice of Idaho Territory by President Andrew Johnson in 1868.[4][5] He located in Idaho City, the seat of the second judicial district.[6] A Democrat, Bowers was replaced as Chief Justice in 1869 by David Noggle when Ulysses S. Grant, a Republican, became president.[2]

After his time on the territorial court, Bowers incorporated the Ida Elmore Mining Company in 1869 and served briefly as corporate secretary and trustee,[7] but he soon left Idaho.[8][9]

Bowers returned to Marin County, California. He served as district attorney 1873-1879 and as superior court judge 1879–1884. In 1884 he resumed his law practice, locating in San Francisco until his death in 1893.[2][10] He was elected judge of the San Francisco Police Court in 1892.[11]

See also

• List of justices of the Idaho Supreme Court

References

1. "Masonic Cemetery (Defunct)". Find A Grave. Retrieved April 26, 2019. See University of San Francisco
2. "Thomas J. Bowers". Marin County. Archived from the original on January 20, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
3. Yvonne McNaughton. "Thomas Jefferson Bowers". WikiTree. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
4. John Hailey (1910). The History of Idaho. Syms-York Company. p. 168. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
5. C.J. Brosnan (1918). History of the State of Idaho. Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 227. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
6. "Chief Justice Bowers". Idaho Statesman. Boise, Idaho. October 6, 1868. p. 2.
7. Elmore County was named after the Elmore Mines.
8. "The late Chief Justice Bowers...". Idaho Statesman. Boise, Idaho. August 14, 1869. p. 2.
9. "The incorporation of the Ida Elmore Company...". Idaho Statesman. Boise, Idaho. August 12, 1869. p. 2.
10. "Died: Bowers, Thomas J." The Morning Call. San Francisco. August 29, 1893. p. 10. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
11. "The Official Count". The Morning Call. San Francisco. December 5, 1892. p. 2. Retrieved April 26, 2019.