Elijah Carson (E.C.) Hart (September 9, 1857 – January 18, 1929) was a California attorney, politician, and judge who served as city attorney of Sacramento, California from 1886 to 1887 and from 1890 to 1893, and also served in the state legislature.

Biography

Elijah Carson Hart was born in Nevada in a covered wagon on September 9, 1857, while his parents were crossing the plains from Greene County, Indiana to California. His parents were James Hart and Sarah Owen Cavins Hart. His middle name was Carson because he was born on the banks of the Carson River. The Hart family settled in Nicolaus, California and eventually moved on to Colusa, Ca. He had little formal education and started to work at the age of twelve as an assistant to a printer in the city of Colusa. He later became a newspaper reporter, editor and publisher in Oroville. At the age of 30, in 1884, he commenced the study of law. He was admitted to practice in 1885 and was elected city attorney of Sacramento the following year. He served in the

State Assembly State Assembly is the name given to various legislatures, especially lower houses or full legislatures in states in federal systems of government. Channel Islands States Assembly is the name of the legislature of the Bailiwick of Jersey. The Baili ...

in 1888 and 1889. He was re-elected city attorney in 1890 and served until April 1893 when he resigned to enter the

California State Senate The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The State Senate convenes, along with the State Assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Cal ...

. He was later elected superior court judge of

Sacramento County Sacramento County () is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,585,055. Its county seat is Sacramento, which has been the state capital of California since 1854. Sacramento County is the ...

and served in that capacity from 1897 to 1907. Thereafter, he was elected and served as associate justice of the Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento for 22 years until his death in Sacramento on January 18, 1929. He was considered the dean of the State's Supreme and Appellate Court benches. His wife, Adaline (Addie) Maria Vivian, of more than 50 years was a niece of Kit Carson. She was born in Howard County, Missouri.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, Elijah Carson 1854 births 1929 deaths Lawyers from Sacramento, California California city attorneys Republican Party members of the California State Assembly Republican Party California state senators Judges of the California Courts of Appeal Politicians from Sacramento, California 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century American politicians