Royal Sprague

American judge

Royal Tyler Sprague

Sprague in 1870

11th Chief Justice of California
In office
January 2, 1872 – February 24, 1872
Preceded by| Augustus Rhodes
Succeeded by| William T. Wallace
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
In office
January 3, 1867 – January 1, 1872
Appointed by| Direct election
Preceded by| John Currey
Succeeded by| Isaac S. Belcher
4th President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate
In office
January 1855 – December 1855
Preceded by| Benjamin F. Keene
Succeeded by| Delos R. Ashley
Personal details
Born| (1814-01-23)January 23, 1814
New Haven, Vermont, US
Died| February 24, 1872(1872-02-24) (aged 58)
Sacramento, California, US
Spouse|

Francis Blocksom

(m. 1844)​

Royal Tyler Sprague (January 23, 1814 - February 24, 1872)[1] was the 11th Chief Justice of California.

## Biography

[edit]

Sprague taught elementary school in Potsdam, New York and later opened a school in Zanesville, Ohio.[2] In 1838 he began to study law and was admitted to the bar in Ohio. The finding of gold in the Sierra Nevada prompted Sprague to become a "Forty-Niner". After arriving in California in September 1849, Sprague worked a claim on Clear Creek on the Sacramento River.[3] He settled in Reading's Springs, now Shasta, California, and once again became an attorney.

In 1852, he was elected to the California State Senate representing the 18th District, and in 1855 served as its President pro tempore.[4]

In 1867, Sprague was elected to the Supreme Court of California as a Democrat;[5] he was chosen to be Chief Justice in January 1872 and died the next month.[6][7][8] He is interred in Sacramento Historic City Cemetery.[9]

A collection of his journals is in the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.[10]

## Personal life

[edit]

On, May 30, 1844, he married Francis Blocksom at Muskingum, Ohio. In 1852, Sprague returned to Ohio briefly to retrieve his wife and their family; they returned to California with him. The couple had four children: Anna Maria Sprague (1845–1879); Arthur Hale Sprague (1848–1922); Ella Sprague (1853-1855); and Frances Royal Sprague (1864–1957).[11][12]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Sacramento Daily Union, January 1, 1873, State & County Statistics (For the year 1872)
2. ^ Johnson, J. Edward (1963). History of the California Supreme Court: The Justices 1850-1900, vol 1 (PDF). San Francisco, CA: Bender Moss Co. pp. 104–106. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2016. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
3. ^ "Death of Justice Sprague". Russian River Flag. No. 16\. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 29 February 1872. p. 2. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
4. ^ "The Legislature". Sacramento Daily Union. Vol. 2, no. 247\. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 6 January 1852. p. 2. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
5. ^ Appleton's annual Cyclopaedia (1867), Volume 7, 1869.
6. ^ "Death of Chief Justice Sprague". Sacramento Daily Union. Vol. 42, no. 7421\. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 26 February 1872. p. 1. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
7. ^ Old Shasta, Town of Shasta Interpretive Association with Al M. Rocca, 2005, Arcadia Publishing, p. 21
8. ^ "Appointment of Supreme Judge". Russian River Flag. No. 17\. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 7 March 1872. p. 2. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
9. ^ "Sacramento Historic City Cemetery Burial Index" (PDF). Old City Cemetery Committee. 2005. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
10. ^ Online Archive of California, Royal T. Sprague journals, collection guide.
11. ^ Cemetery tour of Shasta mentioning grave of Ella Sprague. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
12. ^ Royal Sprague genealogy. Retrieved July 10, 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* In Memoriam Royal T. Sprague. 43 Cal. Rpts. 3 (1872). California Supreme Court Historical Society. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
* Past & Present Justices. California State Courts. Retrieved July 19, 2017.

## See also

[edit]

* List of justices of the Supreme Court of California
* Joseph B. Crockett
* William T. Wallace
* Jackson Temple

Legal offices

Preceded by

Augustus L. Rhodes

|  Chief Justice of California
1872  | Succeeded by

William T. Wallace

Preceded by

John Currey

|  Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court
1867 - 1872  | Succeeded by

Isaac S. Belcher

Political offices
Preceded by

Benjamin F. Keene

|  President Pro Tempore California State Senate
1862  | Succeeded by

Delos R. Ashley

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