Charles Cheatham Cavanah (September 26, 1871 – June 30, 1953) was a

United States district judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district. Each district covers one U.S. state or a portion of a state. There is at least one feder ...

of the

United States District Court for the District of Idaho The United States District Court for the District of Idaho (in case citations, D. Idaho) is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the state of Idaho (except for the part of the state within Yellowstone National Park, which is un ...

Education and career

Cavanah was born on September 26, 1871, in

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the List of municipalitie ...

, to parents Frank and Larue (Cheatham) Cavanah. Frank Cavanah traveled to

Idaho Territory The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as Idaho. History 1860s The territory ...

that year to pursue mining interests in

Rocky Bar Rocky Bar is a ghost town in Elmore County, Idaho, United States. At its height in the late 19th century Rocky Bar boasted a population of over 2,500 and served as county seat of Alturas County from 1864 to 1882. It was also the original count ...

and Hailey, and he remained in Idaho until his death in 1897. Larue Cavanah died in 1872, leaving the infant Charles in the care of family members. Cavanah attended public schools in North Carolina and in

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 ...

, where he also worked as a store clerk. In 1892, he moved to

Boise, Idaho Boise ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Idaho, most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, there were 235,685 people residing in the city. Loca ...

, and became court crier of the

Idaho Supreme Court The Idaho Supreme Court is the state supreme court of Idaho and is composed of the chief justice and four associate judge, justices. The decisions of the Idaho Supreme Court are binding on all other Idaho State court (United States), state court ...

. Cavanah read law in the office of

William Borah William Edgar Borah (June 29, 1865 – January 19, 1940) was an outspoken Republican United States Senator, one of the best-known figures in Idaho's history. A progressive who served from 1907 until his death in 1940, Borah voted for A ...

, and he lived at the home of Judge Joseph W. Houston. After admission to the bar in 1895, Cavanah joined the partnership of Borah, Cavanah & Blake. Later, Cavanah became senior partner in Cavanah, Blake & McLane. In 1897, Cavanah was elected Boise city attorney, and in 1906 he was elected to represent

Ada County Ada County is located in the southwestern part of Idaho, United States. As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 494,967, which by 2024 was estimated to have risen to 535,799. Ada County is by far the state's most populous county; ...

, Idaho in the Idaho State Legislature.

Federal judicial service

Cavanah was nominated by President

Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929. A Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer from Massachusetts, he previously ...

on December 22, 1926, to a seat on the

vacated by Judge Frank Sigel Dietrich. 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 January 3, 1927, and received his commission the same day. He assumed senior status on January 3, 1942. His service terminated on June 30, 1953, due to his death in Boise. He was married to Mildred Benzel Cavanah.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cavanah, Charles Cheatham 1871 births 1953 deaths Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Idaho United States district court judges appointed by Calvin Coolidge United States federal judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law

Education and career

Federal judicial service

See also

References

External links