–– Judge John Wesley Armstrong ––
Brother of Sarah Armstrong Wallis, early
California advocate of rights for women
Sacramento Daily Record-Union March 3, 1896
After an illness of several months, former judge John Wesley Armstrong died yesterday of dropsy at his residence at 917 O Street, Sacramento. Judge Armstrong was a prominent man in legal and political circles and well known throughout California. He had been one of the leaders of the Democratic Party and a prominent candidate for nomination as Supreme Court Justice, but the party became divided at the state convention and his nomination was defeated.
He was a man of strong will, a good companion, a man who was true to his friends, and just to his enemies. In his practice before the bar, he was always polite, considerate, and courteous toward opposing counsel. Judge Armstrong, born in 1834, was a native of Fountain County, Indiana and 62 years of age.
At an early age, John traveled with his parents and siblings to Buchanan County, Missouri. When his parents died, he quit school and apprenticed to a blacksmith. Feeling mistreated by his master, John walked to St. Joseph, Missouri, to work on his own. As early as 1851, he set out across the plains for California with some other young men and after many hardships arrived at the emigrant camp, where Truckee now stands. After working at various jobs in Rough and Ready, Nevada County, he came to Sacramento in 1852 and resumed his trade of plow making, then moved to San Francisco.
In San Francisco, he found his sister, Sarah Armstrong Green (afterward Mrs. Senator Joseph S. Wallis), who came to California in 1844 on the first successful wagon train. With Sarah's financial aid, John took law courses at the University of the Pacific in Santa Clara. He then studied law with Francis A. Fabens and Oscar L. Shafter, two leading lawyers in San Francisco, and started his own practice in 1857 in Jackson, Amador County. In 1868, he moved to Sacramento and made it his home.
For 12 years he was a trustee of the California State Library in Sacramento. In 1883, with a vacancy on the Superior Court bench, Governor George Stoneman appointed him to that position and at the end of that term, elected to office by the people. At the next election for Superior Court Judge, he was urged but declined to be a candidate, as he had established a very successful law practice with Alvin Bruner, his law partner until his death.
Beside his wife, Annie Hinkson Armstrong, who is a sister of Superior Judge Addison C. Hinkson, Judge Armstrong leaves two sisters, Mrs. Sarah Wallis of Mayfield and Mrs. Caroline Armstrong Belshee of San Jose, and a nephew, Talbot H. Wallis of Sacramento. The funeral will take place tomorrow and there will be high mass at the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament prior to the interment, which will be private.
He was one of the first life members and a pioneer director of the California Museum Association. The state flag will be at half-mast today over the Art Gallery in memory of Judge Armstrong.
Bio, Allen Rountree, abstract of obituary from Sacramento Daily Record-Union, March 3, 1896.
Brother of Sarah Armstrong Wallis, early
California advocate of rights for women
Sacramento Daily Record-Union March 3, 1896
After an illness of several months, former judge John Wesley Armstrong died yesterday of dropsy at his residence at 917 O Street, Sacramento. Judge Armstrong was a prominent man in legal and political circles and well known throughout California. He had been one of the leaders of the Democratic Party and a prominent candidate for nomination as Supreme Court Justice, but the party became divided at the state convention and his nomination was defeated.
He was a man of strong will, a good companion, a man who was true to his friends, and just to his enemies. In his practice before the bar, he was always polite, considerate, and courteous toward opposing counsel. Judge Armstrong, born in 1834, was a native of Fountain County, Indiana and 62 years of age.
At an early age, John traveled with his parents and siblings to Buchanan County, Missouri. When his parents died, he quit school and apprenticed to a blacksmith. Feeling mistreated by his master, John walked to St. Joseph, Missouri, to work on his own. As early as 1851, he set out across the plains for California with some other young men and after many hardships arrived at the emigrant camp, where Truckee now stands. After working at various jobs in Rough and Ready, Nevada County, he came to Sacramento in 1852 and resumed his trade of plow making, then moved to San Francisco.
In San Francisco, he found his sister, Sarah Armstrong Green (afterward Mrs. Senator Joseph S. Wallis), who came to California in 1844 on the first successful wagon train. With Sarah's financial aid, John took law courses at the University of the Pacific in Santa Clara. He then studied law with Francis A. Fabens and Oscar L. Shafter, two leading lawyers in San Francisco, and started his own practice in 1857 in Jackson, Amador County. In 1868, he moved to Sacramento and made it his home.
For 12 years he was a trustee of the California State Library in Sacramento. In 1883, with a vacancy on the Superior Court bench, Governor George Stoneman appointed him to that position and at the end of that term, elected to office by the people. At the next election for Superior Court Judge, he was urged but declined to be a candidate, as he had established a very successful law practice with Alvin Bruner, his law partner until his death.
Beside his wife, Annie Hinkson Armstrong, who is a sister of Superior Judge Addison C. Hinkson, Judge Armstrong leaves two sisters, Mrs. Sarah Wallis of Mayfield and Mrs. Caroline Armstrong Belshee of San Jose, and a nephew, Talbot H. Wallis of Sacramento. The funeral will take place tomorrow and there will be high mass at the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament prior to the interment, which will be private.
He was one of the first life members and a pioneer director of the California Museum Association. The state flag will be at half-mast today over the Art Gallery in memory of Judge Armstrong.
Bio, Allen Rountree, abstract of obituary from Sacramento Daily Record-Union, March 3, 1896.
–– Judge John Wesley Armstrong ––
Brother of Sarah Armstrong Wallis, early
California advocate of rights for women
Sacramento Daily Record-Union March 3, 1896
After an illness of several months, former judge John Wesley Armstrong died yesterday of dropsy at his residence at 917 O Street, Sacramento. Judge Armstrong was a prominent man in legal and political circles and well known throughout California. He had been one of the leaders of the Democratic Party and a prominent candidate for nomination as Supreme Court Justice, but the party became divided at the state convention and his nomination was defeated.
He was a man of strong will, a good companion, a man who was true to his friends, and just to his enemies. In his practice before the bar, he was always polite, considerate, and courteous toward opposing counsel. Judge Armstrong, born in 1834, was a native of Fountain County, Indiana and 62 years of age.
At an early age, John traveled with his parents and siblings to Buchanan County, Missouri. When his parents died, he quit school and apprenticed to a blacksmith. Feeling mistreated by his master, John walked to St. Joseph, Missouri, to work on his own. As early as 1851, he set out across the plains for California with some other young men and after many hardships arrived at the emigrant camp, where Truckee now stands. After working at various jobs in Rough and Ready, Nevada County, he came to Sacramento in 1852 and resumed his trade of plow making, then moved to San Francisco.
In San Francisco, he found his sister, Sarah Armstrong Green (afterward Mrs. Senator Joseph S. Wallis), who came to California in 1844 on the first successful wagon train. With Sarah's financial aid, John took law courses at the University of the Pacific in Santa Clara. He then studied law with Francis A. Fabens and Oscar L. Shafter, two leading lawyers in San Francisco, and started his own practice in 1857 in Jackson, Amador County. In 1868, he moved to Sacramento and made it his home.
For 12 years he was a trustee of the California State Library in Sacramento. In 1883, with a vacancy on the Superior Court bench, Governor George Stoneman appointed him to that position and at the end of that term, elected to office by the people. At the next election for Superior Court Judge, he was urged but declined to be a candidate, as he had established a very successful law practice with Alvin Bruner, his law partner until his death.
Beside his wife, Annie Hinkson Armstrong, who is a sister of Superior Judge Addison C. Hinkson, Judge Armstrong leaves two sisters, Mrs. Sarah Wallis of Mayfield and Mrs. Caroline Armstrong Belshee of San Jose, and a nephew, Talbot H. Wallis of Sacramento. The funeral will take place tomorrow and there will be high mass at the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament prior to the interment, which will be private.
He was one of the first life members and a pioneer director of the California Museum Association. The state flag will be at half-mast today over the Art Gallery in memory of Judge Armstrong.
Bio, Allen Rountree, abstract of obituary from Sacramento Daily Record-Union, March 3, 1896.
Brother of Sarah Armstrong Wallis, early
California advocate of rights for women
Sacramento Daily Record-Union March 3, 1896
After an illness of several months, former judge John Wesley Armstrong died yesterday of dropsy at his residence at 917 O Street, Sacramento. Judge Armstrong was a prominent man in legal and political circles and well known throughout California. He had been one of the leaders of the Democratic Party and a prominent candidate for nomination as Supreme Court Justice, but the party became divided at the state convention and his nomination was defeated.
He was a man of strong will, a good companion, a man who was true to his friends, and just to his enemies. In his practice before the bar, he was always polite, considerate, and courteous toward opposing counsel. Judge Armstrong, born in 1834, was a native of Fountain County, Indiana and 62 years of age.
At an early age, John traveled with his parents and siblings to Buchanan County, Missouri. When his parents died, he quit school and apprenticed to a blacksmith. Feeling mistreated by his master, John walked to St. Joseph, Missouri, to work on his own. As early as 1851, he set out across the plains for California with some other young men and after many hardships arrived at the emigrant camp, where Truckee now stands. After working at various jobs in Rough and Ready, Nevada County, he came to Sacramento in 1852 and resumed his trade of plow making, then moved to San Francisco.
In San Francisco, he found his sister, Sarah Armstrong Green (afterward Mrs. Senator Joseph S. Wallis), who came to California in 1844 on the first successful wagon train. With Sarah's financial aid, John took law courses at the University of the Pacific in Santa Clara. He then studied law with Francis A. Fabens and Oscar L. Shafter, two leading lawyers in San Francisco, and started his own practice in 1857 in Jackson, Amador County. In 1868, he moved to Sacramento and made it his home.
For 12 years he was a trustee of the California State Library in Sacramento. In 1883, with a vacancy on the Superior Court bench, Governor George Stoneman appointed him to that position and at the end of that term, elected to office by the people. At the next election for Superior Court Judge, he was urged but declined to be a candidate, as he had established a very successful law practice with Alvin Bruner, his law partner until his death.
Beside his wife, Annie Hinkson Armstrong, who is a sister of Superior Judge Addison C. Hinkson, Judge Armstrong leaves two sisters, Mrs. Sarah Wallis of Mayfield and Mrs. Caroline Armstrong Belshee of San Jose, and a nephew, Talbot H. Wallis of Sacramento. The funeral will take place tomorrow and there will be high mass at the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament prior to the interment, which will be private.
He was one of the first life members and a pioneer director of the California Museum Association. The state flag will be at half-mast today over the Art Gallery in memory of Judge Armstrong.
Bio, Allen Rountree, abstract of obituary from Sacramento Daily Record-Union, March 3, 1896.
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