Holmes Conrad
Encyclopedia
Holmes Conrad was an American politician, lawyer and military officer.
. He was the son of Robert Young Conrad, a prominent lawyer of Winchester, and state attorney general from 1857 to 1862; his mother was Elizabeth Whiting, daughter of Burr Powell. After attending the Virginia Military Institute
, Conrad proceeded in 1858 to the University of Virginia
.
At the outbreak of the Civil War
he enlisted as a private in Company A, 1st Virginia Cavalry
and saw active service throughout the war. He was commissioned a lieutenant
and was appointed adjutant in August 1862. In 1864 he became major
and assistant inspector general
of Thomas Rosser’s cavalry division, serving there until the end of the war.
. In 1890, Conrad was a charter member of The Virginia Bar Association
. In 1893 President Grover Cleveland
appointed him Assistant Attorney General
of the U.S., and in 1895 he became Solicitor General.
When he left the position of Solicitor General in 1897, Conrad was retained by President William McKinley
on behalf of the Federal government in Morris v. U.S. In October 1901 he joined the law faculty of Georgetown University
as lecturer on the history of English law. In 1904 Conrad was again retained on behalf of the Federal government as a special prosecutor in the Postal Fraud Cases. During the last 20 years of his life he was constantly engaged in appeals before the Supreme Court of the United States
, where his outstanding ability had wide scope.
He achieved his greatest success in the last case he was engaged on, Commonwealth of Virginia v. State of West Virginia, involving the amount of the contributive share that the latter state should pay toward the public debt of the former. Appearing as counsel for Virginia, Conrad’s argument upon demurrer in the Supreme Court (206 U.S. 290) was in professional circles considered remarkable. Judgment was ultimately given against West Virginia for $12,393,929. For this complicated litigation he was specially retained by the bond-holding creditors.
Conrad was of striking appearance, tall of stature with an erect military bearing. Though wielding great political influence in his state, he did not care for public office. By nature somewhat of an aristocrat and reserved in manner, he was never what some might call a "good mixer". Although that may be, serving as his comrade, Maj. Foxhall Daingerfield's, best man as Daingerfield's Nov., 1864 wedding, when Daingerfield said the part of the Episcopal service, to Nettie Gray, his bride, "I do thee with all my worldly good endow," Conrad blurted out, "There goes DiVernon!", the Major's warhorse. (The Major went back to war, but DiVernon didn't.) As a lawyer he excelled in discussing constitutional questions, and was at his best in appellate work before the Supreme Court. He had an extreme distaste for routine office work. Holmes Conrad was married twice and had seven children. After his death in 1915, he was buried in Mt. Hebron Cemetery in Winchester, Virginia.
Early life
Conrad was born in Winchester, VirginiaWinchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
. He was the son of Robert Young Conrad, a prominent lawyer of Winchester, and state attorney general from 1857 to 1862; his mother was Elizabeth Whiting, daughter of Burr Powell. After attending the Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
, Conrad proceeded in 1858 to the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
.
At the outbreak of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
he enlisted as a private in Company A, 1st Virginia Cavalry
1st Virginia Cavalry
The 1st Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
and saw active service throughout the war. He was commissioned a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and was appointed adjutant in August 1862. In 1864 he became major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
and assistant inspector general
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
of Thomas Rosser’s cavalry division, serving there until the end of the war.
Career
In 1865 Conrad commenced the study of law in his father’s office in Winchester, and on his admission to the Virginia bar in January 1866, joined his father’s practice. In 1878, he was elected to the Virginia legislature, serving until 1882. Over the next few years, he became one of the leaders of the Virginia bar and acquired an influential position in the councils of the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. In 1890, Conrad was a charter member of The Virginia Bar Association
Virginia Bar Association
The Virginia Bar Association is a voluntary organization of lawyers in Virginia, with offices in Richmond, Virginia.- VBA Mission : is the independent voice of the Virginia lawyer, advancing the highest ideals of the profession through advocacy and volunteer service.- History :The VBA, , was...
. In 1893 President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
appointed him Assistant Attorney General
United States Assistant Attorney General
Many of the divisions and offices of the United States Department of Justice are headed by an Assistant Attorney General.The President of the United States appoints individuals to the position of Assistant Attorney General with the advice and consent of the Senate...
of the U.S., and in 1895 he became Solicitor General.
When he left the position of Solicitor General in 1897, Conrad was retained by President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
on behalf of the Federal government in Morris v. U.S. In October 1901 he joined the law faculty of Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
as lecturer on the history of English law. In 1904 Conrad was again retained on behalf of the Federal government as a special prosecutor in the Postal Fraud Cases. During the last 20 years of his life he was constantly engaged in appeals before the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, where his outstanding ability had wide scope.
He achieved his greatest success in the last case he was engaged on, Commonwealth of Virginia v. State of West Virginia, involving the amount of the contributive share that the latter state should pay toward the public debt of the former. Appearing as counsel for Virginia, Conrad’s argument upon demurrer in the Supreme Court (206 U.S. 290) was in professional circles considered remarkable. Judgment was ultimately given against West Virginia for $12,393,929. For this complicated litigation he was specially retained by the bond-holding creditors.
Conrad was of striking appearance, tall of stature with an erect military bearing. Though wielding great political influence in his state, he did not care for public office. By nature somewhat of an aristocrat and reserved in manner, he was never what some might call a "good mixer". Although that may be, serving as his comrade, Maj. Foxhall Daingerfield's, best man as Daingerfield's Nov., 1864 wedding, when Daingerfield said the part of the Episcopal service, to Nettie Gray, his bride, "I do thee with all my worldly good endow," Conrad blurted out, "There goes DiVernon!", the Major's warhorse. (The Major went back to war, but DiVernon didn't.) As a lawyer he excelled in discussing constitutional questions, and was at his best in appellate work before the Supreme Court. He had an extreme distaste for routine office work. Holmes Conrad was married twice and had seven children. After his death in 1915, he was buried in Mt. Hebron Cemetery in Winchester, Virginia.