Olympia Mourns a Lincoln-Appointed Chief Justice
Judge O. C. Hewitt, who presided over Washington Territory’s courts for eight years, was remembered as an honest jurist and beloved pioneer.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The death of Judge O. C. Hewitt last evening removes from our midst one of the early pioneer lawmakers of the territory. He was appointed chief justice by President Lincoln at the outbreak of the rebellion and again reappointed before its close, serving the people faithfully in this judicial capacity for eight years. Judge Hewitt was on the bench longer than any judicial officer of the territory, retiring with full honors. He was an honest, upright judge, well versed in the law, a kind father and husband and a man of sterling integrity. Since his retirement from the bench twenty-two years ago he has lived in this community, not mingling much in public affairs, but honored and respected by all. The grief at the death of Judge Hewitt is the common grief of all; he was so well known and universally beloved by the people of Thurston county, as well as the earlier pioneers of Washington territory throughout the state.
“The grief at the death of Judge Hewitt is the common grief of all.”
Territorial judges were appointed from afar, but their reputations were made locally; Hewitt’s death became a civic moment in Olympia. The capital city still defines itself through government institutions, though the appointed bench he served vanished at statehood.
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