Curtis Dwight Wilbur

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American judge (1867–1954)

"Curtis Wilbur" redirects here. For the ship, see USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54) .

Curtis Dwight Wilbur (May 10, 1867 – September 8, 1954) was an American lawyer, California state judge, 43rd United States Secretary of the Navy and a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit .

Early life and education

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Wilbur was born May 10, 1867, in Boonesboro , Iowa , to Dwight Locke Wilbur and Edna M. Lyman.

His family moved to Jamestown , Dakota Territory (now North Dakota ), where he graduated high school. In 1884, he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy , graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1888.

Shortly after graduation, Wilbur resigned his commission, a common practice at the time, and moved to Riverside , California . He read law at night while teaching mathematics during the day, and was admitted to the California bar in 1890.

Career

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Wilbur associated with the firm of Bruson, Wilson & Lamme, and engaged in private practice for eight years in Los Angeles , California.

He was active in Republican politics, and in 1898 was president of the Fourth Ward Republican club. In 1898, he served as Los Angeles County Deputy Assistant District Attorney in the office of John C. Donnell,

and by 1899 he was the Chief Deputy under District Attorney James C. Rives.

In September 1902, the Republican Party nominated Wilbur for the post of judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court to the take the seat of Lucien Shaw , who was running for Supreme Court.

Wilbur won the election and in November 1902 began to hear cases _pro tempore _.

He was especially interested in promoting children's welfare. While on the Superior Court, he was presiding judge of the juvenile department;

in 1906 he was a director of the Bethlehem Benevolent Board; in 1910, he was a founding director of the Juvenile Improvement Association; in 1912, he was president of the Social Purity League, which offered religious lectures to the public; in 1915, he helped organize the Boy Scouts in Los Angeles, and was named permanent chairman of the executive committee; and he served as president of the state Sunday School Association, organizing evangelical gatherings for young people.

It was during his time on the California Superior Court that he wrote and first published (in 1905) his popular children's book "The Bear Family at Home, and How the Circus Came to Visit Them".

He taught at the newly founded law school of the University of Southern California from about 1904 until 1917, while he sat on the Superior Court.[_citation needed
] Annually, he taught one course, extraordinary legal remedies.[citation needed
_]

In 1917, Governor William Stephens appointed Wilbur to the California Supreme Court , where he served as an associate justice from January 1, 1918. In September 1922, Wilbur defeated William P. Lawlor in the primary election,

and in November was chosen as the 19th Chief Justice of California , holding the position from January 1923 to March 19, 1924.

When Wilbur resigned, Governor Friend Richardson appointed Louis Wescott Myers to take the post of chief justice.

Secretary of the Navy

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The Secretary of the Navy, Curtis D. Wilbur, was presented with a floral Poppy Anchor (1927)

On March 19, 1924, Wilbur was sworn in as United States Secretary of the Navy . The first appointee of President Calvin Coolidge , Wilbur came into the position with a reputation as a man of high intellect and a character of "unimpeachable integrity." However, one critic called Wilbu

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