The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-03-17
NOTED FIGURE IN
HISTORY OF STATE
SICK short time
Heart Disease Account Takes
Life Of One Of North Oako.
ta's Leading Pioneers
SERVED ON CAPITOL BOARD
Also Represented State In Con.
grsss and Was Judge Of
Supreme Court

Fargo, N. D.. March 17.-lR-Judss
B. +. spalding. 90. one OF the states
leading political figures since terri
torial days, died In . Fargo hospital
early Saturday from heart disease.
He had been seriously III only Z short
time.
spalding first came to prominence
as q member Of the first state capitol
commission and later served Is con-
gresham and as Z member Of tho
state supreme court.
Judge 6palding served the state
from its first concerted struxele 70
win admission to the Union until Il
took permanent place In the m.
tons work. He continued q q DO.
tent factor in the states affairs even
after his retirement from active du-
ties as chief justice Of the supreme
court, taking = leading part In many
political campaigns for the political
group to which he gave his support
the Republican party. Since 1915 he
had practiced law here, his firm being
Spalding and Walsh.
Judge Spalding was born In Crafts
bury, Vermont, ON Dec. 3, 1855. and.
after receiving an education in the
public schools Of that town, decided
on q military career, casting hts lot
with the then small but good mill
tary institution, Norwich university
at Mortified, VT. but by the time
he had graduated the Judge had been
lured to the legal profession. He
taught school. studying law In hin
spare time. After his admission %
the bar be emigratsd to the north-
west, choosing Dakota Territory %
Fargo for his home.
Shortly after his arrival IN Dakota
Territory he was named . member Of
the commission Of nine to select
new capital for the territory. This
body took the capital from Yankton
to Bismarck.
In Constjtutjonal Convent3oa
He was delegate to tho constttu.
tional convention which at from
July I, 1850, to Aug. II, 1850. and for
lnulated the state constitution.
He was selected from the member.
ship Of the constitutional CONVENTION
to serve on . joint commission for
the division Of property, debts and ar
chives Of the two new states, North
and South Dakota.
He served as q member Of the 56th
congress, 1899 to 1901, and In the Ssth
congress, 1908 to 1905. He was ap-
pointed to the supreme bench by Gov.
John Burke in 1907 and was elected
to the same office In 1908 tor . term
Of six years. He was chief justice
from October, 1911, to January, 1915.
Beginning In 1892, he served @
chairman OF the state Republican
central committee for several years
and continued active IN tho ranks Of
the real Republicans Of the state to
his death.
Judge spalding comes from two OF
Americas oldest families. The Spald.
tngs. his paternal ancestors, were de-
scendants Of Edward Spalding, who
came to James City, Va, with Gov
ernor Yeardley In 1919 and went to
Massachusetts In 1880. HIS mothers
name was Folsom and she was Z de-
scendant Of family which came to
Massachusetts, Ia 1855.
Interested IN Relitics
Probably because Of this back
ground Of New England ancestry.
Judge spalding early evidenced .
keen interest In politics. When no
was teaching school In Croydon. n.
H., he organized debating societies
and it has been Z lifelong belief OF
the Judge that school debating socie-
ties and other organisations which
interest the young people Of America
IN politics are Of great value @ .
means Of safeguarding the political
integrity Of the nation.
Before coming to North Dakota, and
while studying law in Vermont, Mr..
Spalding took m active interest Ii
politics. In 1874 he helped to organ
Inc Grant and Wilson clubs In tho
celebrated campaign In which y. ..
Grant opposed Horace Greeley for tlls
presidency, and he also had . clerk.
ship In the Vermont legislature.
There he came into contact with men
who gained national fame IN politics.
He was active in other political events
II Vermont.
The judges greatest legal ambition
VAS fulfilled when no was elected
chief justice. He also made his mark
In the banking field. organising the
Merchants state Bank Of Fargo, now
the Merchants National hank and
Trust company. and serving . IL
first president.