Isham Reavis
Encyclopedia
Isham Reavis was an American
jurist
who served as an Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Arizona Territory
.
and Virginia, Illinois
. Reavis was enrolled for a time at Illinois College
before the death of his mother forced him to leave school.
In August 1855, Reavis went to work at a law office in Beardstown and began reading law
. He sent a request to his father's friend, Abraham Lincoln
, asking the Illinois lawyer oversee his studies but was informed that Lincoln's schedule did not allow him to take an apprentice at the time. He was admitted to the bar in 1857 and, after practicing law for a short time in Illinois, moved to Falls City, Nebraska
in May 1858 where he opened a private law practice.
Reavis married Anne Mariah Dorrington on May 19, 1864. Four of the couple's five children survived to adulthood: Annie M, David D., C. Frank
, and Burton.
When Nebraska
achieved statehood in 1867, Reavis was appointed to a two year term as district attorney
for the 1st judicial district. This was followed by his election to the Nebraska state senate
in 1868. When Ulysses S. Grant
was inaugurated in 1869, Reavis wrote to him requesting appointment as a judge in Wyoming Territory
. He was instead nominated for a bench on the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 20, 1869.
The new judge left Nebraska in August 1869, taking the newly completed Transcontinental Railroad
to California
before boarding a ship south to the mouth of the Colorado River
. From there he proceeded north to La Paz, Arizona Territory
, arriving in time for the September 2, 1868 court session. Reavis lived in La Paz till early 1871 when seat for the second judicial district was moved to Yuma
. His wife and family, who had remained in Nebraska, joined him in Yuma.
Most of Justices Reavis' opinions have been lost over time. Two exceptions are his ruling in Territory of Arizona v. Milton B. Duffield, one of the legal proceedings against the territory's first U.S. Marshal, and his dissenting opinion in United States v. Certain Property and William Bichard and Company, which dealt with the Federal government's ability to regulate commerce outside Indian reservation
s. Reavis submitted his resignation on December 1, 1871 and remained on the bench till his replacement, DeForest Porter
, arrived in April 1872. At the time, the Miner in Prescott
printed claims the judge had accepted bribes and was being removed from office. Documents in the National Archives and Records Administration
however provide no evidence of anything other than a voluntary resignation.
After leaving the bench, Reavis opened a private law practice in Yuma. He remained there until May 1873 when he moved his family back to Falls City, Nebraska. There he operated a legal practice, being joined in the practice by his son C. Frank in 1902. Reavis died in his home on May 8, 1914 and was entombed in a family mausoleum in Steele Cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
who served as an Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
.
Background
Reavis was born on a farm in Morgan County, Illinois (now in Cass County) to Isham and Mahala (Beck) Reavis on January 28, 1836. He was educated at schools in BeardstownBeardstown, Illinois
Beardstown is a city in Cass County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,123 at the 2010 census. The public schools are in Beardstown Community Unit School District 15.-Geography:Beardstown is located at...
and Virginia, Illinois
Virginia, Illinois
Virginia is a city in Cass County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,611 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cass County.-Geography:Virginia is located at ....
. Reavis was enrolled for a time at Illinois College
Illinois College
Illinois College is a private, liberal arts college, affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church , and located in Jacksonville, Illinois. It was the second college founded in Illinois, but the first to grant a degree . It was founded in 1829 by the Illinois Band,...
before the death of his mother forced him to leave school.
In August 1855, Reavis went to work at a law office in Beardstown and began reading law
Reading law
Reading law is the method by which persons in common law countries, particularly the United States, entered the legal profession before the advent of law schools. This usage specifically refers to a means of entering the profession . A small number of U.S...
. He sent a request to his father's friend, Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, asking the Illinois lawyer oversee his studies but was informed that Lincoln's schedule did not allow him to take an apprentice at the time. He was admitted to the bar in 1857 and, after practicing law for a short time in Illinois, moved to Falls City, Nebraska
Falls City, Nebraska
Falls City is a city in Richardson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 4,671 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Richardson County.-Geography:Falls City is located at ....
in May 1858 where he opened a private law practice.
Reavis married Anne Mariah Dorrington on May 19, 1864. Four of the couple's five children survived to adulthood: Annie M, David D., C. Frank
C. Frank Reavis
Charles Frank Reavis was a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Nebraska.He was born in Falls City, Nebraska on and studied law at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He was admitted to the bar in 1892 and set up practice in Falls City...
, and Burton.
When Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
achieved statehood in 1867, Reavis was appointed to a two year term as district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
for the 1st judicial district. This was followed by his election to the Nebraska state senate
Nebraska Legislature
The Nebraska Legislature is the supreme legislative body of the State of Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County....
in 1868. When Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
was inaugurated in 1869, Reavis wrote to him requesting appointment as a judge in Wyoming Territory
Wyoming Territory
The Territory of Wyoming was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 25, 1868, until July 10, 1890, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Wyoming. Cheyenne was the territorial capital...
. He was instead nominated for a bench on the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 20, 1869.
The new judge left Nebraska in August 1869, taking the newly completed Transcontinental Railroad
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
before boarding a ship south to the mouth of the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
. From there he proceeded north to La Paz, Arizona Territory
La Paz, Arizona
La Paz was a short-lived, early gold mining town along the Colorado River in La Paz County on the western border of the U.S. state of Arizona. It was the location of the La Paz Incident in 1863, the westernmost confrontation of the American Civil War. The town was settled in 1862 in what was then...
, arriving in time for the September 2, 1868 court session. Reavis lived in La Paz till early 1871 when seat for the second judicial district was moved to Yuma
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
. His wife and family, who had remained in Nebraska, joined him in Yuma.
Most of Justices Reavis' opinions have been lost over time. Two exceptions are his ruling in Territory of Arizona v. Milton B. Duffield, one of the legal proceedings against the territory's first U.S. Marshal, and his dissenting opinion in United States v. Certain Property and William Bichard and Company, which dealt with the Federal government's ability to regulate commerce outside Indian reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
s. Reavis submitted his resignation on December 1, 1871 and remained on the bench till his replacement, DeForest Porter
DeForest Porter
DeForest Porter was an American jurist and politician who served as Associate Justice on the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court from 1872 till 1882 and as Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona Territory from 1886 till 1888....
, arrived in April 1872. At the time, the Miner in Prescott
Prescott, Arizona
Prescott is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. It was designated "Arizona's Christmas City" by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in the late 1980s....
printed claims the judge had accepted bribes and was being removed from office. Documents in the National Archives and Records Administration
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
however provide no evidence of anything other than a voluntary resignation.
After leaving the bench, Reavis opened a private law practice in Yuma. He remained there until May 1873 when he moved his family back to Falls City, Nebraska. There he operated a legal practice, being joined in the practice by his son C. Frank in 1902. Reavis died in his home on May 8, 1914 and was entombed in a family mausoleum in Steele Cemetery.