Edwin B. Crocker
Edwin B. Crocker | |
|---|---|
 Edwin B. Crocker, c. 1872 by Stephen W. Shaw | |
| Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court | |
| In office May 21, 1863 – January 2, 1864 | |
| Appointed by | Governor Leland Stanford |
| Preceded by | Stephen Johnson Field |
| Succeeded by | Elections under 1862 amendment to California constitution and 1863 enabling law |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Edwin Bryant Crocker April 26, 1818 Jamesville, New York, USA |
| Died | June 24, 1875 (aged 57) Sacramento, California, USA |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Norton Margaret Rhodes |
| Children | Aimée Crocker Jennie Louise Crocker Fassett |
| Occupation | Lawyer California Supreme Court Justice |
| Known for | Crocker Art Museum |
Edwin Bryant Crocker (26 April 1818 – 24 June 1875) was a California Supreme Court Justice and founder of the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California.
Biography
Crocker was born in Jamesville, New York. He earned a degree in civil engineering at Rensselaer Institute in Troy, New York. He went on to read law in Indiana.[1] While there, he started a practice that earned him a reputation as an abolitionist. In August 1852, he was named a delegate from Indiana to the Free Soil Party convention.[2] Upon his second marriage, to Margaret Rhodes on July 8, 1852, Crocker and his wife moved to Sacramento, California.[3]
When they arrived in Sacramento, Crocker resumed his legal career. He was also involved in politics. In 1854, he became the chair of the Republican Party. In 1863, Governor Leland Stanford appointed Crocker as an Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, which position he held from May 21, 1863, to January 2, 1864. The next year, Crocker agreed to serve as legal counsel for the Central Pacific Railroad, a company run by the Big Four, which included Edwin's younger brother, Charles Crocker.[4]
The stress of all of his work took a toll on Crocker. He suffered from a stroke in June 1869. He retired from his other pursuits and took up less stressful hobbies. Crocker and his family traveled throughout Europe and collected art. His family renovated their home to include an art gallery. Their home and the art that they had acquired would eventually become the Crocker Art Museum.[3]
After his stroke, Crocker's health never fully recovered. On June 24, 1875, he died in Sacramento. He is interred in the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery in Sacramento, California.[5]
References
- ^ "Commissioners and Sheriff's Sale". The Plymouth Pilot (Plymouth, IN). September 17, 1851. p. 3. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
- ^ "Delegates to the National Free Soil Convention". The New York Herald. Library of Congress Historic Newspapers. August 7, 1852. p. 2. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "Judge Edwin B. Crocker (1818-1875)". Crocker Art Museum. 2010. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "People & Events: Edwin Bryant Crocker (1818-1875)". Public Broadcasting Service. 1999–2003. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ "Self Guided Tour" (PDF). Old City Cemetery Committee, Inc. January 2006. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
External links
- Edwin B. Crocker at Find a Grave
- Past & Present Justices. California State Courts. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
See also
- 1818 births
- 1875 deaths
- Businesspeople from California
- Politicians from Sacramento, California
- American art collectors
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute alumni
- U.S. state supreme court judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law
- California Supreme Court justices
- Lawyers from Sacramento, California
- California Republicans
- Indiana Free Soilers
- American abolitionists
- People from DeWitt, New York
- Activists from New York (state)
- Activists from California
- 19th-century American judges