William Henry Hunt (November 5, 1857 – February 4, 1949) was the
governor of Puerto Rico
The governor of Puerto Rico ( es, gobernador de Puerto Rico) is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and commander-in-chief of the Puerto Rico National Guard.
The governor has a duty ...
, a
United States district judge of the
United States District Court for the District of Montana
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
, Associate Judge of the
United States Court of Customs Appeals and a United States Circuit Judge of the
United States Customs Court, the
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the
United States Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit.
Education and career
Born on November 5, 1857, in
New Orleans,
Louisiana, Hunt
read law
Reading law was the 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 under the ...
in 1880. He entered private practice in
Fort Benton,
Montana Territory from 1880 to 1887. He was Collector of Customs for the Montana Territory and
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 w ...
from 1881 to 1885. He was a delegate to the Montana Constitutional Convention in 1884. He was Attorney General of the Montana Territory from 1885 to 1887. He was a member of the
Montana House of Representatives
The Montana House of Representatives is, with the Montana Senate, one of the two houses of the Montana Legislature. Composed of 100 members, the House elects its leadership every two years.
Composition of the House
:''67th Legislature – 2021� ...
in 1889. He was a Judge of the Montana District Court for the First Judicial District from 1889 to 1894. He was a justice of the
Montana Supreme Court from 1894 to 1900. He was the Secretary of
Puerto Rico from 1900 to 1901. He was
Governor of Puerto Rico
The governor of Puerto Rico ( es, gobernador de Puerto Rico) is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and commander-in-chief of the Puerto Rico National Guard.
The governor has a duty ...
from 1901 to 1904.
Notable orders as Governor
During his governorship, Hunt signed numerous
Executive Orders
''Executive Orders'' is a techno-thriller novel, written by Tom Clancy and released on July 1, 1996. It picks up immediately where the final events of ''Debt of Honor'' (1994) left off, and features now-U.S. President Jack Ryan as he tries to d ...
, including those that made
Christmas Day and
Thanksgiving Day legal holidays in Puerto Rico.
''Second Annual Report of the Governor or Porto Rico. (1902–1903)''
William H. Hunt. August 1, 1903. Page 60. Washington, D.C. Government Printing Office. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
Federal judicial service
Hunt was nominated by President Theodore Roosevelt on April 14, 1904, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Montana
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
vacated by Judge Hiram Knowles
Hiram Knowles (January 18, 1834 – April 6, 1911) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Montana.
Education and career
Born in Hampden, Maine, Knowles attended Antioch College and received ...
. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 19, 1904, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on March 30, 1910, due to his elevation to the United States Court of Customs Appeals.
Hunt was nominated by President William Howard Taft on March 9, 1910, to the United States Court of Customs Appeals (later the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals), to a new Associate Judge seat authorized by 36 Stat. 11. He was confirmed by the Senate on March 30, 1910, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on January 31, 1911, due to his elevation to the Commerce Court and Ninth Circuit.
Hunt was nominated by President Taft on December 12, 1910, to the United States Commerce Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Circuit Courts for the Ninth Circuit, to a new joint seat authorized by 36 Stat. 539. He was confirmed by the Senate on January 31, 1911, and received his commission on February 8, 1911. On December 31, 1911, the Circuit Courts were abolished and he thereafter served on the Commerce Court and Court of Appeals. On December 13, 1913, the Commerce Court was abolished and he thereafter served only on the Court of Appeals. He assumed senior status on January 31, 1928. His service terminated on November 30, 1928, due to his retirement.
Later career and death
Following his retirement from the federal bench, Hunt resumed private practice in San Francisco, California from 1928 to 1942. He died on February 4, 1949, in Charlottesville, Virginia.
References
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunt, William Henry
1857 births
1949 deaths
California Republicans
Judges of the United States Commerce Court
Judges of the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals
Judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Montana
Members of the Montana House of Representatives
Montana Republicans
Justices of the Montana Supreme Court
Politicians from New Orleans
Republican Party (Puerto Rico) politicians
United States court of appeals judges appointed by William Howard Taft
United States district court judges appointed by Theodore Roosevelt
20th-century American judges
United States federal judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law
People from Fort Benton, Montana