Edward Thomas Fairchild (June 17, 1872 – October 29, 1965) was an American jurist and legislator from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the 15th chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court; he served on the Court for 27 years, from 1930 to 1957. Before that, he served 14 years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County. He also represented central Milwaukee County for six years as a Republican in the Wisconsin Senate. His son, Thomas E. Fairchild, was also a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and a judge of the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Honorable
Edward T. Fairchild
Fairchild circa 1940
15th Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office
January 1, 1954 – January 7, 1957
Preceded byOscar M. Fritz
Succeeded byJohn E. Martin
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office
April 30, 1930 – January 7, 1957
Appointed byWalter J. Kohler, Sr.
Preceded byFranz C. Eschweiler
Succeeded byThomas E. Fairchild
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge of the 2nd Circuit, Branch 6
In office
September 1916 – April 30, 1930
Appointed byEmanuel L. Philipp
Preceded byFranz C. Eschweiler
Succeeded byJohn C. Kleczka
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 5th district
In office
January 13, 1915 – September 1916
Preceded byGeorge J. Weigle
Succeeded byHenry Otto Reinnoldt
In office
January 9, 1907 – January 11, 1911
Preceded byCharles Cassius Rogers
Succeeded byGeorge J. Weigle
Personal details
Born
Edward Thomas Fairchild

(1872-06-17)June 17, 1872
Towanda, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedOctober 29, 1965(1965-10-29) (aged 93)
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeGreen Mount Cemetery
Dansville, New York
Political partyRepublican
Spouses
  • Helen McCurdy Edwards
  • (m. 1903; died 1962)
Children

Early life and education

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Born in Towanda, Pennsylvania, Fairchild grew up in Dansville, New York, where he was educated. He was employed in a newspaper and studied law in the office of Rowe and Coyne. Later, he bought a farm in Dansville, where he would go to for vacations.[1]

Career

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After being admitted to the New York bar, he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he worked in the district attorney's office.

In 1906 he was elected to his first of three terms in the Wisconsin State Senate, ultimately serving in the 48th, 49th, and 52nd sessions of the Wisconsin legislature. In 1916, during the 52nd session of the legislature, he was appointed a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County.

In 1930, Fairchild was appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court[2] and served as chief justice from 1954 until his retirement in 1957.

In 1957, he administered the oath of office when his son, Thomas E. Fairchild, was sworn in as a member of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.[3]

Notes

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  1. ^ "Biographical sketches". The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin, 1907 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 1126–1127. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  2. ^ "Judicial branch of the state government". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1931 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 385. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  3. ^ "Wisconsin Court System - Edward T. Fairchild". Archived from the original on 2010-06-09. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 5th district
1907 – 1911
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 5th district
1915 – 1916
Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge of the 2nd Circuit, Branch 6
1916 – 1930
Succeeded by
Preceded by Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
1930 – 1957
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
1954 – 1957
Succeeded by