Addison Niles

Addison Cook Niles
Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court
In office
January 1, 1872 – January 5, 1880
Appointed by Direct election
Preceded by Jackson Temple
Succeeded by Elections under new constitution of 1879
Personal details
Born (1832-07-22)July 22, 1832
Rensselaerville, New York, U.S.
Died January 17, 1890(1890-01-17) (aged 57)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Spouse(s)
Elizabeth Caldwell (m. 1859)
Relations Niles Searls (brother-in-law)
Alma mater Williams College (BA)

Addison Cook Niles (July 22, 1832 – January 17, 1890) was an associate justice on the Supreme Court of California from 1872–1880.

Biography

Niles was born in Rensselaerville, New York to John Niles (1797 – 1872) and Mary Cook (1803 – 1873).[1][2] Niles had two younger brothers: John Hamiton Niles and Charles Mumford Niles; and six sisters: Laura Niles, Cornelia Deborah Niles, Mary Corinthia Niles, Henrietta Amelia Niles, and Emily Harriet Niles.[3]

In 1852, Niles graduated from Williams College[4] and began reading law in the office of Increase Sumner at Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and with Rufus King at Catskill, New York. In 1855, Niles was admitted to the New York bar, and then came to Nevada City, California, the center of gold prospecting.[5]

Niles entered into private practice with various attorneys, including Thomas Bard McFarland, John R. McConnell, Aaron A. Sargent, and Niles Searls, his cousin and brother-in-law.[1]

In 1862, Niles won election as a Union party candidate for Nevada County judge.[6][7] In October 1863, he was nominated by the Union Party and was elected to a four-year term on the county court.[8][9] In October 1867, he was re-elected to the trial court on the Union party ticket.[10]

In 1871, Niles was nominated by the Republican party and won the election as a justice of the California Supreme Court.[11][12] In the election, he defeated Jackson Temple for the unexpired term of Silas Sanderson, who had retired in 1869.[13] In 1879, all seats of the Supreme Court were up for election due to the new constitution, and Niles chose not run for re-election.

After stepping down from the court he struggled with a drinking problem.[14] In 1884, he suffered a serious bout of illness but recovered.[14] He died on January 17, 1890, in San Francisco at age 57.[15][16]

Honors and legacy

The town of Niles in Fremont, California is named after Addison Niles,[17] who was once an attorney for the Western Pacific Railroad.[18][19]

Personal life

On April 13, 1859, Niles married Elizabeth Caldwell in Placer County, California, and they had one son, Addison Perkins Niles.[14][16]

His first cousin, Niles Searls, Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court from 1887 to 1889, was married to Addison's sister, Mary Corinthia Niles (1830–1910).[20][21][3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Pacific Coast Items". Sacramento Daily Union (42 (7415)). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 19 February 1872. p. 2. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  2. ↑ Johnson, J. Edward (1963). History of the California Supreme Court: The Justices 1850-1900, vol 1 (PDF). San Francisco, CA: Bender Moss Co. p. 118–120. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Niles, Allen (November 20, 2008). "Abraham Sarls/Searles of NY/ONT". genealogy.com. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
  4. ↑ "Zeta Chapter, Williams College". Archive.org. p. 23. Retrieved August 17, 2017. 1852, Addison C. Niles, Died
  5. ↑ "Departures". The New York Herald. Library of Congress Historic Newspapers. January 6, 1855. p. 40. Retrieved August 18, 2017. For California via Aspinwall in the steamship George Law...A C Niles
  6. ↑ "Nevada Union County Convention". Sacramento Daily Union. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 5 August 1862. p. 2. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  7. ↑ "District Judges". Sacramento Daily Union (24 (3619)). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 3 November 1862. p. 8. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Nominations in Nevada". Marysville Daily Appeal (20). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 24 July 1863. p. 2. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Interior Items, County Judges Elected". Daily Alta California (15 (4987)). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 24 October 1863. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  10. ↑ "State Election Returns". Daily Alta California (19 (6425)). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 18 October 1867. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Our Nominees". Marysville Daily Appeal (156). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 1 July 1871. p. 2. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Inauguration of Gov. Booth". Sacramento Daily Union (42 (7355)). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 9 December 1871. p. 5. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  13. ↑ Bancroft, Hubert Howe (1890). History of California: 1860-1890. History Company. p. 235. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  14. 1 2 3 "Nevada County Namesakes: Nile(s) Street". TheUnion.com. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Addison C. Niles, Unexpected Death of the Well-Known Ex-Justice of the Supreme Court". Daily Alta California (82 (19)). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 19 January 1890. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  16. 1 2 "Death of Judge Niles". Sacramento Daily Union (62 (129)). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 20 January 1890. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  17. ↑ Weinstein, Dave (2004-09-17). "Fremont: Silents golden at Niles' new film museum". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 2009-03-11. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  18. ↑ Hoover, Mildred Brooke; Douglas E. Kyle; Hero Rensch Contributor Mildred Brooke Hoover; Douglas E. Kyle; Hero Rensch (2002). Historic spots in California (5 ed.). Stanford University Press. p. 18. ISBN 0-8047-4482-3.
  19. ↑ Cain, Julie (May 2, 2010). "Niles - Home, Sweet Home!". Niles California blog. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Personals". Daily Alta California (36 (12374)). California Digital Newspaper Collection. 3 March 1884. p. 2. Retrieved August 17, 2017. Hon. A. C. Niles, formerly a Justice of the State Supreme Court, is seriously ill at Nevada City. He is at the residence of his sister, Mrs. Niles Searles.
  21. ↑ "Judge Searles is Dead". Sacramento Union. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 30 April 1907. p. 8. Retrieved August 17, 2017. Judge Searls married in his native county, in 1853, Miss Mary C. Niles, sister of his late law partner, Addison P. Niles.

See also

Legal offices
Preceded by
Jackson Temple		 Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court
1872–1880		 Succeeded by
Elections under new constitution of 1879
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