Hezekiah Lord Hosmer (judge) facts for kids

Hezekiah Lord Hosmer (born December 10, 1814; died October 31, 1893) was an important American lawyer, judge, journalist, and author. He was born in Hudson, New York, and later lived in Ohio, Montana, and California.

His Life and Career

Hezekiah Lord Hosmer came from an important family. His grandfather, Titus Hosmer, signed the Articles of Confederation, which was one of America's first governing documents. His uncle, Stephen Hosmer, was the main judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court. His father, also named Hezekiah Lord Hosmer, was a politician who represented New York in the U.S. government.

Hosmer started studying law in Cleveland, Ohio, when he was just 16 years old. At 22, he moved to the Maumee Valley in Ohio. From 1848 to 1854, he was the editor of the Toledo Blade newspaper, which means he was in charge of what was published.

Later, he worked for a special committee in the U.S. government that dealt with new territories. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln chose him to be the first Chief Justice (the top judge) of the Montana Territory Supreme Court. He served in this role until 1868.

From 1869 to 1872, Hosmer was the postmaster in Virginia City, Montana, meaning he managed the local post office. After that, he moved to San Francisco, California, where he worked at the Customs House, a government office that collects taxes on goods. He lived there until he passed away.

Hosmer was also very active in Freemasonry, which is a social and charitable organization. He held many important leadership positions in Ohio and Montana within this group. He also helped start the Montana Historical Society and was its first historian, someone who studies and writes about history.

His Books

Hezekiah Lord Hosmer wrote several books on different topics:

• Early History of the Maumee Valley (1858): This was a history book about the Maumee Valley in Ohio.
• Adela, the Octoroon (1860): This was a novel (a fictional story) that spoke out against slavery.
• Bacon and Shakespeare in the Sonnets (1887): This book explored ideas about the famous writer William Shakespeare.

His Family

Hezekiah Lord Hosmer was married four times. He had three children with his third wife, Mary Daniels. His son, John Allen Hosmer (1850–1907), wrote his own travel book called A Trip to the States, By Way of the Yellowstone and Missouri in 1867. This was a very special book because it was the first of its kind to be published in the Montana Territory.

Hosmer is buried at the Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California.