Thomas A. McBride

Infobox Judge
name = Thomas A. McBride


imagesize = 175px
caption = McBride circa 1910
office = 20th Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
termstart = 1913-1915, 1917
termend = 1921, 1923-1927
nominator =
appointer =
predecessor = Robert Eakin,
Frank A. Moore,
George H. Burnett
successor = Frank A. Moore,
George H. Burnett
office2 = 39th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court
termstart2 = 1909
termend2 = 1930
nominator2 =
appointer2 = Frank W. Benson
predecessor2 = Robert S. Bean
successor2 = Percy R. Kelly
birthdate = November 15 1847
birthplace = flagicon|Oregon Yamhill County, Oregon
deathdate = September 9 1930
deathplace =
spouse = Mary E. Merrill,
Mrs. Lottie May Chappell

Thomas Allen McBride (November 15 1847- September 9 1930) was an American attorney and judge in Oregon. He was the 20th Chief Justice on the Oregon Supreme Court serving three times as chief between 1913 and 1927. Overall he served on Oregon’s highest court from 1909 till his death in 1930.

Early life

McBride was born on November 15 1847 in Yamhill County, Oregon near Lafayette, Oregon.Corning, Howard M. Dictionary of Oregon History. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956.] He was one of fourteen children Doctor James McBride and his wife Mahala Miller had together. One of Thomas’ younger brothers George W. McBride served as a United States Senator, while an older brother John R. McBride served in the house and as Idaho’s territorial chief justice. Thomas attended school in Vancouver, Washington where he also read law, and then spent some time at what is now Linfield College. He was then admitted to the bar on October 6 1870.

Thomas then practiced law in Lafayette, Oregon City, and then St. Helens from 1872 to 1877.Colmer, Montagu, and Charles Erskine Scott Wood. "History of the Bench and Bar of Oregon". Portland, Or: Historical Pub. Co, 1910. p. 176.] In 1876, he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives as a Republican from Columbia County. [ [http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/legislative/histleg/statehood/1876reg.htm 1876 Regular Session (9th).] Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on June 2 2008.] In 1877, he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he lived until 1880. He then returned to Oregon and practiced at Oregon City before becoming the district attorney (DA) for Clatsop County. [http://www.ojd.state.or.us/clt/about/judges.html Clatsop County District Court Judges.] Oregon Judicial Department. Retrieved on January 20 2008.] He served as the DA until 1892.

Judicial career

In 1892, McBride became Clatsop County Circuit Court judge, serving until 1909. While serving on the court he sentenced two people to death by hanging, including the first legal hanging in Clatsop County, Oregon, on December 1 1893.

On May 1 1909, Oregon Governor Frank W. Benson appointed McBride to the state supreme court to fill the vacancy created when justice Robert S. Bean resigned. [ [http://www.bluebook.state.or.us/state/elections/elections24.htm Oregon Blue Book: Governors of Oregon.] Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on January 20 2008.] [http://www.bluebook.state.or.us/state/elections/elections27.htm Oregon Blue Book: Supreme Court Justices of Oregon.] Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on January 20 2008.] McBride then won a full six year-term in the 1914 election. He was re-elected in 1920 and again in 1926. During his time on the bench he was chief justice of the court from 1913 to 1915, 1917 to 1921, and then from 1923 to 1927. Justice Thomas McBride died in office on September 9, 1930.

Family

McBride first married on February 7 1874, to Mary E. Merrill of Columbia County, Oregon. They had two children together. Then in 1927 he married Lottie May Chappell.

References