The record-union., 1893-02-20
AN ABLE MAN GONE.
Death of Ex-Judge George A.
Blanchard.
Sketch of the Life of One of the Bright
est Young Lawyers in
the State.

Ex-Judge George A. Blanchard died in
San Francisco on Saturday after an illness
of nearly year, and his remains were
brought to this city last evening for burial
here.
Mr.. Blanchard was native of Erie
County, New York, and was born April
10. 1S4S. He was a son OF the late
Hon. George G. and Philinda (Keyes
Blanchard. He was reared at
jamestown, n. V, to the age
of II years, when he came to Califor-
mia via Panama, taking passage on the
steamer Northern Light, landing at San
Francisco from the Golden Gate in May,
1861, just after the breaking out of the
Civil War.
He went to the town of FL Dorado and
was there prepared for college by sundry
learned collegemen from Yale, Amherst
and other celebrated institutions of learn
ing. At the age of 16 years he went to
Dartmouth College, was matrculated,
and went through a four-years' academic
course and was graduated in the class of
1868. He then went to Buffalo, n. Y,
and there studied law with Amos a.
Blanchard, who had studied law with
Millard Fillmore, in the firm of Fill
more, Hall & Haven.
During this time he was Deputy Clerk
in the Superior Court of Buffalo, in
which Grover Cleveland had practiced.
He was admitted to the bar on eXamina-
zion in the Eighth Judicial Circuit of the
Supreme Court OF New York, Judge r.
p. Marvin presiding Judge, in Novem-
ber, 1869
The next spring he came back to Cali
tornia, and in 1871 he came to Sacramento
by invitation Of Attorney-General John
Lord Love to take the position of Assist
ant Attorney in his office. He
so continued for four years, and for
considerable portion of the time was
Acting Attorney General.
AT the expiration of General Loves
term of office, and after one month with
his successor, 10 Hamilton, Mr.. Blanch-
ard opened an office on the corner OF
Second and X streets, and soon after
formed a partnership with w. c. Van
Fleet, and the firm of Blanchard Il Van
Fleet moved into the place vacated by
Henry Edgerton, corner of Sixth and
/ streets.
That was in 1875. Mr.. Blanchard was
elected District Attorney in 1878, and Mr.
Van Fleet conducted the civil business of
the firm until 1850, when the partnership
was dissolved.
At the expiration of his term as Dis
trict Attorney Mr.. Blanchard was ap-
pointed Assistant Attorney-General by
Gen. A. l.. Hart, and served first in this
capacity under the new Constitution.
About year and a halflater he was ap-
pointed by Governor Perkins to fill the
vacancy on the Superior bench of Colusa
County, caused by the death of Judge
Hatch. He served out the unexpired
term, was nominated for the position by
the Republican convention, and at the
ensuing election failed of being chosen
for the position by 40 votes, though there
was Democratic majority in the county
of 1000, and this though he had never
been in the county previous to his ap-
pointment as Judge.
He practiced law there until January |.
1885, when he came to Sacramento and
formed partnership with Judge Amos p.
Catlin.
Judge Blanchard was married to Miss
Annie l.. Hatch, daughter of the late DR..
f. w. Hatch, whb. with one child, sur
vive him.
Judge Blanchard always took an active
part in public affairs and in the Repub-
lican party organization. He was a
member OF the State Central Committee
for Colusa County, and was a member of
the State convention of 1856. 1t is gener-
ally conceded that he could havehad the
nomination for Attorney had he
so desired. His record on the bench and
at the bar placed him in the front rank of
the legal profession.
His funeral will take place at 2 O'Clock
this afternoon from his late home at SD
III street.