Cuthbert W. Pound

Cuthbert W. Pound
Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
In office March 8, 1932 – December 31, 1934
Preceded by	Benjamin N. Cardozo
Succeeded by	Frederick E. Crane
Personal details
Born	(1864-06-20)June 20, 1864 Lockport, New York, U.S.
Died	February 3, 1935(1935-02-03) (aged 70) Ithaca, New York, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Cornell University

Cuthbert Winfred Pound (June 20, 1864 – February 3, 1935, Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1932 to 1934.

Life

He was born on June 20, 1864, in Lockport, Niagara County, New York, the son of Alexander Pound and Almina (Whipple) Pound. He was educated at Lockport High School; and graduated from Cornell Law School in 1887. While a student, Pound was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He studied law in the office of his brother John Pound (died 1904), was admitted to the bar in 1886, and practiced law in Lockport in partnership with his brother.

Headstone of Cuthbert W. Pound, Cold Springs Cemetery, Lockport, New York.

Pound was a Republican member of the New York State Senate (29th D.) in 1894 and 1895. Afterwards he moved to Ithaca, New York and became a Law Professor at Cornell from 1895 to 1904.

In June 1900, he was appointed by Governor Theodore Roosevelt to the New York State Civil Service Commission, and remained in office until 1904. In 1903, his 11-year-old son Cuthbert W. Pound Jr. shot himself dead accidentally with a Flobert rifle.

Governor Frank W. Higgins chose Pound as Legal Adviser to the Governor, to take office on January 1, 1905, and in May 1906, appointed him to the New York Supreme Court, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Henry A. Childs. In November 1906, Pound was elected to a 14-year term to succeed himself.

On August 3, 1915, he was designated a judge of the New York Court of Appeals under the Amendment of 1899 to replace Nathan Lewis Miller who had resigned. In November 1916, he was elected on the Republican and Progressive tickets to a 14-year term on the Court of Appeals, and was re-elected in 1930. On March 8, 1932, he was appointed by Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt as Chief Judge to succeed Benjamin N. Cardozo who had been appointed to the United States Supreme Court. In November 1932, he was elected to succeed himself, and retired from the bench at the end of 1934 when he reached the constitutional age limit of 70 years.

He was member of the Board of Trustees of Cornell University from 1913 until his death.

He died on February 3, 1935, in Ithaca; and was buried at the Cold Springs Cemetery in Lockport.

Sources

• [1] Appointed to the Civil Service Commission, in NYT on June 12, 1900
• [2] His son's death, in NYT on June 5, 1903
• [3] Appointed Counsel to the Governor, in NYT on December 22, 1904
• [4] Appointed to NY Supreme Court, in NYT on May 29, 1906
• [5] Appointed to the Court of Appeals, in NYT on August 4, 1915 (Note: "Designation" is an appointment which does not require confirmation by the State Senate)
• [6] Election result in NYT on November 9, 1916
• [7] Appointed Chief Judge, in NYT on March 9, 1932
• [8] Listing of Court of Appeals judges, with portrait
• [9] Portrait with link to biography
• 10,000 Famous Freemasons from K to Z by William R. Denslow & Harry S. Truman, Kessinger Publishing, 2004, ISBN 1-4179-7579-2, ISBN 978-1-4179-7579-2 ; page 360)
• Great American Judges: An Encyclopedia by John R. Vile (ABC-CLIO, 2003, ISBN 1-57607-989-9, ISBN 978-1-57607-989-8; page 630)