ELIJAH C. HART

   Perhaps there is no part in this history of more general interest than the record of the bar.  It is well known that the peace, prosperity and well-being of every community depend upon the wise interpretation of the laws, as well as upon their judicious framing, and therefore the record of the various persons who have at various times made up the bar will form an important part of this work.  A well known jurist of Illinois said, "In the American state the great and good lawyer must always be prominent, for he is one of the forces that move and control society. Public confidence has generally been reposed in the legal profession.  It has ever been the defender of popular rights, the champion of freedom regulated by law, the firm support of the good government.  In the times of danger it has stood like a rock and breasted the mad passions of the hour and finally resisted tumult and faction.  No political preferment, no mere place, can add to the power or increase, the honor which belongs to the pure and educated lawyer."    Elijah C. Hart, of Sacramento, is one who has been honored by and is an honor to the legal fraternity of California.  He stands today prominent among the leading members of the bar of the state,--a position which he has attained through marked ability,--and he is serving as the judge of the superior court, to which position he was elected in 1896.

   Elijah Carson Hart was born in 1856, in an emigrant wagon, on the banks of the Carson river while his parents were crossing the plains to California, and his middle name was given to him on account of the place of his birth.  His parents were Indiana people, his father having been an attorney of the Hoosier state.  Proceeding on their journey they at length arrived at Nicolaus, Sutter County, California, where the father followed various business pursuits, while Elijah acquired his early education in the schools of the neighborhood.  When he was twelve years of age the family moved to Colusa County and there he entered upon an independent career as an employee of the Colusa Sun, where he became familiar with the "art preservative of all arts."

   As the years passed it was shown that he was deserving of the public confidence and trust, and in 1878 he was elected city clerk of Colusa, but refused to accept the position by reason of the fact that he had been offered editorial control of the Oroville Mercury and preferred to enter upon the latter position.  He controlled the editorial chair of the Mercury from May 1878 until December following, when he became the editor and proprietor of the Willow Journal, which he published until 1884.

   In that year he came to Sacramento and entered upon the study of law with his brother, ex-Attorney General  A. L. Hart.  In 1885 he was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of the state, and in March of the following year was elected city attorney.  He soon rose to prominence as a representative of the legal profession and much important litigation was entrusted to his care.  His forcible presentation of cases before court and jury won him many notable forensic victories and his fellow members of the bar gave him their respect on account of the breadth of his judicial wisdom, the soundness of his logic, and his strength in presenting his cases.  In 1896 he was elected judge of the superior court and upon the bench he has shown the utmost fairness and impartiality in his decisions, which are models of judicial soundness.  He has a thorough understanding of the law and his opinions are based upon a just regard for precedent and equity.

  On the 20th of May, 1878 in Colusa, Judge Hart was united in marriage to Miss Addie Vivian, a grandniece of the celebrated Kit Carson, in whose honor was named the river upon the banks of which occurred the birth of our subject, and who in consequence was given the name of Carson. The Judge and his wife occupy one of the most hospitable homes in Sacramento and their circle of friends is very extensive.

  In political circles Judge Hart is a very prominent factor, being regarded as one of the leading representatives of the Republican party in Sacramento.  In November 1888, he was elected to the general assembly, receiving the largest majority ever given a Republican in the nineteenth assembly district.  In the session of 1889, he introduced the Glenn county bill and advocated its passage in the most persistent manner.  The address which he delivered when the bill came up for final passage was heartily applauded and was considered one of the most brilliant addresses during that session.  In 1892 he was elected to the state senate and his strong mentality and thorough understanding of legislative measures and methods left an impress upon the work of the upper house that will long be felt.  During the gubernatorial campaign of 1898 he was the secretary of the Republican state central committee and his labors were most effective in promoting the interest of his party.  For a time he was engaged in the practice of law in connection with the late Judge G.G. Davis, but upon his elevation to the bench he retired from the firm.  His course, whether in the private practice of law, in the legislative councils of the state, or upon the bench, has ever been above suspicion. The good of the nation he places before partisanship and the welfare of his constituents before personal aggrandizement.  He commands the respect of the members of both house and senate, and in private life, where friends are familiar with his personal characteristics, he inspires friendships of unusual strength, and all who know him have the highest admiration for his good qualities of heart and mind.

 

Source: “A Volume Of Memoirs And Genealogy of Representative Citizens Of Northern California” Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. Chicago. 1901. Page 70-72.

 

Submitted by: Betty Tartas.