Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-04-01
Maine DISPATCHES.
Death Of Judge Daniorth At Gardiner,
Sunday Night.
One OF the Supreme Bench Passes
Away and tho Legal Profession
Loses Ono OF Its Brightest Lights.

Special to the kennebec Journal.
GARDINER, Mar. 3l.-One Of the great
est legal lights in the profession. Judge
Charles Danforth. passed away about mid
hight Sunday, after an illness Of over three
months. In December last Judge Danfortt
was taken i'll with la grippe. while serving
in his official position at the Supreme Cour,
then being held in Skowhegan. and va.
obliged to come to his home in this city
and take his bed. Pneumonia set in and
though the disease was thrown of and he
was thought to be recovering at one time,
he was unable TO get his strength back. and
finally was obliged to succumb to the pow
erfrl disease.
On January 4th, 1864. Governor Samuel
Cony appointed Mr.. Dsnforth associate
judge on the Supreme Bench and for i've n
tysx yoars he ha, held that position con.
tinuously with great credit to himself, al
ways being considered one Of the strongest
and most learned judges on the Bench. His
present term would not expire until Decem
Der, 1891.
Judge Danforth has occupied positions OF
trust and honor ever since he first came to
this city, being first selectmsn, when Gar
diner ws, town, for a number Of years.
representa- We to tbe leg stature thr .e terms,
member of the Governors council one
term, comfy attorney for . number of
) ears and several other minor offices, all
Of which he flied with great credit and
honor to himself
The death of Judge Danforth will be
felt all over Maine As he was not only q
most excellent judge. but also man in
every sense of the word He was popular
Nth every body. loved by all. man whose
friendsh hip was to be boasted of, and one
ho will not soon he forgotten in the hearts
of his own citizens and all those who had
the pleas ire to possess bis friendship and
acquaintance. Only one member Of his
family survives him, Erederic Danforth,
tie well known civtl engineer, r, an only son.
Judge Danforih was born in Norridge
wock August !, 1915. and was, there fore,
seventy four years of age at the time Of his
death. He came Of hardy stock. His
father. Eerael Dsnforth, farmer and sad
dler by occupation. WAS native of Wash
ingron. y. II. and settled in Maine about
1905 His mothers maiden name was
sally Watt. She was native of Gro.en,
ha-s-s uiu fFihONti W dpout tuc
same time as her husband.
Judge Danfor,h received his education
in the schools of his native town and at
Pennington and Bloomfield academies.
His fr,i lessons in the law were begun in
the otiice of John s. Tenney of Norridge
uock, who subsequently became the chief
justice of the supreme court of Maine.
Admitted to the bar in his native town in
1888 Danforth commenced practice in Cor
ham. He remained there until Oct. lS+l.
In Move mber of that year he moved to
Gardiner and formed ls~ partnership with
Noah Woods. an association which was
maln'sined iniil the retirement Of the latter
gen,l nan from active practice in 1854.
Mr.. Dsnforth was hon red at various times
nth nearly all the leading NJ Municipal Offices
in this city. and IN 1850 Was sent to repre-
sent ii in the State legislature. He Was
also a member of the sessions in 81 and 80.
He was subss quently a member of Anson
z. Morrill's Council. In 1857 he was again
a men ber of the Legislature and in 1858
was elected county attorney. In this posi-
ton he served with distinguished ability
and displayed that profound legal
erudtion which caused his elevation to
the Supreme bench, to fill the vacancy oc-
cssi ,ned by the resignation of Judge Rice.
He received four re-appointments to this
position
The funeral services will be held Wed.
nesday afternoon at two o'clock, at the
late residence of the deceased. on School
street, to be conducted by Rev. X. W.
jenkins of the Congregational church, OF
which the Juige was regular attendant.
Tho no haarsrs are pYppctpd to be his