Background
Charles Wolverton was born on May 16, 1851, in Des Moines, Iowa, to John Wolverton and his wife the former Mary Jane Nealy.
Charles Wolverton was born on May 16, 1851, in Des Moines, Iowa, to John Wolverton and his wife the former Mary Jane Nealy.
He was the 18th Chief Justice on the Oregon Supreme Court. He served as the chief twice during his eleven years on Oregon’s highest court, followed by 21 years on the bench of Oregon"s sole federal court. In 1853 the family immigrated to the Oregon Territory.
There Charles received an education at Christian College in Monmouth, Oregon, earning a bachelor of science degree in 1871.
The following year he earned an Bachelor of Arts from the same school. Wolverton then returned east and earned a law degree from the University of Kentucky’s law school in 1874.
Following law school Charles returned to Oregon where he began private practice in Albany, Oregon from 1874 until 1894. During this time he was the attorney for the Linn County School Board from 1878 to 1881.
Also while in private practice Wolverton married Clara Ellen Price in 1878, a marriage from which there would be no children.
In 1894 Wolverton was elected to the Oregon Supreme Court to replace William Paine Lord. During his time on the court he served as chief justice twice from 1898 to 1900 and then again in 1905 until he resigned on December 4, 1905. Thomas G. Hailey was appointed by Oregon Governor George Earle Chamberlain to finish Wolverton’s term.
While on the court he received an honorary law degree from Willamette University College of Law in 1900.
Wolverton resigned from the Oregon Supreme Court in order to accept the position of federal judge for the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. President Theodore Roosevelt appointed Wolverton to the position on November 20, 1905 during a recess in Congress to replace Charles B. Bellinger who had died in office.
He was subsequently confirmed by the Senate on January 10, 1906, and received his commission the same day. Wolverton would serve on the federal bench until his death on September 21, 1926 in Gearhart, Oregon.
After each stint as chief justice on the Oregon court he was followed by Robert South. Bean.
Bean would then join Wolverton on the federal court in 1909 when Congress added an additional judgeship to the Oregon district.
