Thomas J. Bowers

Thomas J. Bowers
Chief Justice of the Idaho Territorial Supreme Court
In office
July 18, 1868 – June 3, 1869
Appointed byAndrew Johnson
Preceded byJohn R. McBride
Succeeded byDavid Noggle
Personal details
Born1828 (1828)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Died (aged 65)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocrat
SpouseJane L. Clark
Residence(s)Idaho City, Idaho
Sierra County, California
San Francisco

Thomas Jefferson Bowers[1] (1828 – August 26, 1893) was an American lawyer and jurist who was Chief Justice of the Idaho Territorial Supreme Court from 1868 to 1869.

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]

He was nominated for Chief Justice of the Idaho Territorial Supreme Court by President Andrew Johnson on July 15, 1868, and he was confirmed by the senate three days later.[3] He located in Idaho City, the seat of the territory's second judicial district.[4] A Democrat, Bowers was replaced as chief justice in 1869 by David Noggle when Ulysses S. Grant, a Republican, became president.[2] Noggle, confirmed on April 9, arrived in Idaho and relieved Bowers of his judgeship on June 3, 1869, over the latter's protests.[5][6]

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]

  1. ^ "Great Register of the County of Marin". Marin County Clerk. 1876.
  2. ^ a b c "Thomas J. Bowers". Marin County. Archived from the original on January 20, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  3. ^ Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America, from December 2, 1867, to March 3, 1869, inclusive. Government Printing Office. 1901. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ^ "Chief Justice Bowers". Idaho Statesman. Boise, Idaho. October 6, 1868. p. 2.
  5. ^ "On Thursday". The Idaho Statesman. June 5, 1869.
  6. ^ "The Judgeship". The Idaho World. June 10, 1869.
  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.