Charles Cooper Nott Sr. (September 16, 1827 – March 6, 1916) was an

Associate Justice An associate justice or associate judge (or simply associate) is a judicial panel member who is not the chief justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the Supreme Court of the United States and some ...

and Chief Justice of the Court of Claims.

Education and career

Born on September 16, 1827, in

Schenectady Schenectady ( ) is a City (New York), city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the United States Census 2020, 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-most populo ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, Nott received an Artium Baccalaureus degree in 1848 from

Union College Union College is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the s ...

and

read law Reading law was the primary method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship un ...

in Albany, New York in 1850. He entered private practice in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, New York from 1851 to 1861. He was a captain and colonel in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

from 1861 to 1864 during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. He resumed private practice in New York City from 1864 to 1865.

Details of his military service

Nott was appointed a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in the Fremont Hussars, was in the 5th Iowa Cavalry, and the 131st New York Volunteer Infantry and the 176th New York Volunteer Infantry, achieving the rank of

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. He was subsequently captured at the fall of Brashear City, and held as a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

for thirteen months.

Federal judicial service

Nott was nominated by President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

on February 21, 1865, to a Judge seat on the Court of Claims (later the

United States Court of Claims The Court of Claims was a federal court that heard claims against the United States government. It was established in 1855, renamed in 1948 to the United States Court of Claims (), and abolished in 1982. Then, its jurisdiction was assumed by the n ...

) vacated by Judge James Hughes. He was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

on February 22, 1865, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on November 23, 1896, due to his elevation to be Chief Justice of the same court. Nott received a

recess appointment In the United States, a recess appointment is an appointment by the President of the United States, president of a Officer of the United States, federal official when the United States Senate, U.S. Senate is in Recess (motion), recess. Under the ...

from President

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, serving from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. He was the first U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms and the first Hist ...

on November 23, 1896, to the Chief Justice seat on the Court of Claims (later the

) vacated by Chief Justice

William Adams Richardson William Adams Richardson (November 2, 1821 – October 19, 1896) was an American lawyer who served as the 29th United States secretary of the treasury from 1873 to 1874. During his tenure, the Panic of 1873 swept the nation and caused a depress ...

. He was nominated to the same position by President Cleveland on December 8, 1896. He was confirmed by the Senate on December 15, 1896, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on December 31, 1905, due to his resignation.

Notable case

Nott wrote the unanimous opinion in ''Mrs. Lockwood's Case'', 9 Ct. Cl. 346 (1874), denying

Belva Ann Lockwood Belva Ann Bennett Lockwood (October 24, 1830 – May 19, 1917) was an American lawyer, politician, educator, and author who was active in the women's rights and women's suffrage movements. She was one of the first women lawyers in the United St ...

admission to the bar of the Court of Claims. She appealed to the

United States Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on question ...

and lost there as well.

Reporter of decisions

Concurrent with his service on the same court, Nott served as reporter of decisions for the Court of Claims from 1867 to 1914. He was the reporter of decisions of forty-eight volumes of the Court of Claims Reports.

Death

Nott died on March 9, 1916, in New York City.

Family

Nott was the son of Professor Joel B. Nott, a chemist and mineralogist. He was a grandson of

Eliphalet Nott Eliphalet Nott (June 25, 1773January 25, 1866), was a famed Presbyterian minister, inventor, educational pioneer, and long-term president of Union College, Schenectady, New York. Early life Nott was born at Ashford, Connecticut, on June 25, 177 ...

, a longtime President of

. His son, Charles Cooper Nott Jr., was a judge of the Special Sessions Court.

References

Sources

* ''A treatise on the mechanics' lien laws of the state of New York'' (W. C. Little & co., 1856) * ''The coming contraband: a reason against the Emancipation Proclamation, not given by Mr. Justice Curtis, to whom it is addressed, by an officer in the field.'' (G.P. Putnam, 1862) * ''Sketches of the war'' (C.T. Evans, 1863; A.D.F. Randolph, 1865) * ''Sketches in prison camps'' (A. D. F. Randolph, 1865) * ''The seven great hymns of the mediaeval church'' (Anson D. F. Randolph, 1866) (New York, E. S. Gorham, 1902)

https://archive.org/details/sevengreathymnso00not

* ''The Mystery of Pinckney Draught, New York'' (The Century Co., 1908)

External links

* * *
''A Sketch of the Life and Public Services of William Adams Richardson'' (1898)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nott, Charles Cooper Military personnel from Schenectady, New York People of New York (state) in the American Civil War Judges of the United States Court of Claims Union College (New York) alumni 1827 births 1916 deaths United States Article I federal judges appointed by Abraham Lincoln 19th-century American judges