David S. Terry

David S. Terry
4th Chief Justice of California
In office
September 18, 1857 – September 12, 1859
Preceded byHugh Murray
Succeeded byStephen J. Field
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
In office
November 15, 1855 – September 17, 1857
Preceded byCharles Henry Bryan
Succeeded byWarner Cope
Personal details
Born(1823-03-08)March 8, 1823
Russellville, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedAugust 14, 1889(1889-08-14) (aged 66)
Lathrop, California, U.S.
Cause of deathGunshot wound
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses
Cornelia Runnels
(m. 1852; died 1884)
(m. 1886)
RelationsBenjamin Franklin Terry (brother)
Military service
AllegianceUnited States United States
 Confederate States
Branch/service United States Cavalry
 Confederate States Army
Rank Colonel
UnitTexas 8th Texas Cavalry
Commands37th Texas Cavalry
Battles/warsMexican–American War
U.S. Civil War

David Smith Terry (March 8, 1823 – August 14, 1889) was an American politician and jurist who served as the fourth chief justice of the Supreme Court of California; he was an author of the state's 1879 Constitution.[1][2][3]

Terry killed U.S. Senator David C. Broderick in a duel in 1859. On August 14, 1889, Terry attacked Associate Supreme Court Justice Stephen J. Field and was shot and killed by Deputy U.S. Marshal David Neagle.

  1. ^ "Journal - State Bar of California, Volume 22". State Bar of California. 1947. Archived from the original on April 24, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  2. ^ Journal: Appendix. Reports - Volume 8. California Legislature. 1887. p. 10. Retrieved January 14, 2016. David S. Terry David Smith Terry Chief Justice of California.
  3. ^ Lawson, Kristan; Rufus, Anneli (2013). California Babylon. St. Martin's Press. p. 196. ISBN 978-1466854147. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2016.