Background
Benjamin F. Bonham was born October 8, 1828 near Knoxville, Tennessee.
Benjamin F. Bonham was born October 8, 1828 near Knoxville, Tennessee.
He was the 9th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Overall he was on "s highest court from 1870 to 1876. Prior to joining the court he was in the Territorial Legislature and the first State Legislature.
Later the Tennessee native served as United States Consul General in Calcutta, India.
Benjamin was raised in Knoxville and Muncie, Indiana where he received his education at the local schools. After his own education he taught school in Indiana.
In 1853 he moved to the Territory. After arriving in he took up teaching again, this time at French Prairie and in Salem.
During this time Bonham also studied law, and then joined the bar in 1856.
Beginning in 1858 he started his political career when he was elected to the Territorial Legislature. Later that year he served in "s last Territorial Legislature as the citizens awaited statehood. Bonham was then elected to the state"s first legislature, serving as a Democrat from Marion County.
Each time he served in the legislature, he served in the lower chamber House of Representatives.
In 1870, Benjamin Bonham was elected to the Supreme Court to replace Reuben P. Boise, who would then replace Bonham six years later when Bonham"s term ended. While on the court, Bonham served as chief justice from 1874 to 1876.
Bonham narrowly lost to Boise by 18 votes after having a 44 vote lead at one point during the vote count. In 1885, President Grover Cleveland appointed Bonham to be Consul General to British-controlled India at Calcutta.
Later he returned to Salem where he served as postmaster from 1894 to 1898, and was a professor at Willamette University College of Law.
He then returned to the practice of law until he died in Salem on June 2, 1906.