Michael J. Schenck (December 12, 1876 – November 5, 1948)"Judge Schenck Dies Here", ''The Raleigh News and Observer'' (November 6, 1948), p. 1. was a North Carolina lawyer and judge who served as a justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court from 1934 to 1948.

Early life, education, and civil service

Born in Lincolnton, Lincoln County, North Carolina to David and Sallie (Ramseur) Schenck, the family had roots in that city going back to the 1790s."Schenck Elevated To Supreme Court", ''The Hendersonville Times-News'' (May 23, 1934), p. 1, 3. Schenck attended high school in Greensboro, North Carolina, and received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina in 1895. After working for a time in the Wilmington offices of the Atlantic Coast Line Railway, he served as a member of the United States insular civil service in Cuba for three years. He received his law degree from

North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The universit ...

in 1903, and gained

admission to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in Guilford County, North Carolina, the same year. Schenck entered the practice of law in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and the following year was elected to a two-year term as the city's mayor, serving from 1907 to 1909."Judge Schench Dies After Long Illness", ''The Charlotte Observer'' (November 6, 1948), p. 15. In 1913, Governor

Locke Craig Locke Craig (August 16, 1860 – June 9, 1924), an American lawyer and Democratic politician, was the 53rd governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina, serving from 1913 until 1917. Early and family life Craig was born near Windsor, Bertie C ...

appointed Schenck solicitor of the 18th judicial district, to which office Schenck was re-elected the following year. In 1918, he resigned in order to serve in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, attaining the rank of major. He then returned to private practice.

Judicial service

On November 10, 1924, Governor

Cameron A. Morrison Cameron A. Morrison (October 5, 1869August 20, 1953) was an American politician and the List of governors of North Carolina, 55th Governor of North Carolina, governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1921 to 1925. Early life and career ...

appointed Schenck to a seat on the 18th judicial district court vacated by the death of Judge J. Bis Ray. He was reelected to an eight-year term in 1926. On May 23, 1934, Governor John C. B. Ehringhaus appointed Schenck to a seat on the state supreme court vacated by the death of Justice William J. Adams. Schenck was easily reelected to the seat for an eight-year term in November of that year. Schenck ran unopposed for reelection in November 1942,"Supreme Court Unopposed", ''The Raleigh News and Observer'' (November 3, 1942), p. 12. and resigned from the court due to illness in January 1948, ten months before his death.

Personal life and death

On November 15, 1909, Schenck married Rose Few of Hendersonville, with whom he had a son and two daughters. He died at his home in Raleigh at the age of 71, after a lengthy period of illness.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schenck, Michael 1876 births 1948 deaths People from Lincolnton, North Carolina University of North Carolina alumni North Carolina State University alumni Mayors of places in North Carolina United States Army personnel of World War I Justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court