Career
Born in New Mexico, Nesbett earned his law degree at the University of San Francisco in 1940 and served with distinction in the Navy during World World War II, commanding the United States Ship Atlas and earning a Bronze Star. He settled in Anchorage, Alaska after the war and practiced law until his appointment in 1959 to be the first Chief Justice of the newly created Alaska Supreme Court. He served on the court until 1970, when an airplane accident led him to resign for reasons of health.
Nesbett was also involved with an effort to reopen an Alaskan coal mine.
He was president of the Buffalo Coal Mining Company and suffered financial losses when the company was unable to successfully reopen the mine. The state courthouse in Anchorage is named in his honor.
