Benjamin C. Hilliard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromColorado's1st district | |
| In office March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1919 | |
| Preceded by | George Kindel |
| Succeeded by | William N. Vaile |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 9, 1868 NearOsceola, Iowa |
| Died | August 7, 1951 (aged 83) |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Education | University of Iowa College of Law |
Benjamin Clark Hilliard (January 9, 1868 – August 7, 1951) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician. He served two terms as aU.S. Representative fromColorado, and was a two-timechief justice of theSupreme Court of Colorado.[1]
Born in a log cabin 8 miles (13 km) north ofOsceola, Iowa,[2][3] Hilliard was the son of Albert George Hilliard who was a farmer and served as private in the37th Illinois Infantry Regiment under ColonelJohn C. Black. He was severely wounded during the war, and carried bullets within his body and his right eye was destroyed.[3]
His mother, Euphema Ellen Clark, was an educated and cultured woman who died in 1881. At the time of her death, Hilliard had two siblings.[3] His father remarried and moved to Kansas, where he died due to accidental drowning in 1906.[3]
Hilliard attended the public schools ofIowa andKansas.[1] He taught school in Kansas. He graduated from theUniversity of Iowa College of Law in 1891.[1]
He wasadmitted to the bar in Iowa in 1891 and in Missouri in 1892.[4] He commenced practice inKansas City, Missouri.[1] He moved toDenver, Colorado, in 1893 and was admitted to the bar in Colorado that year.[1][4] He served ascity attorney of Highlands, Colorado[1][a] in 1896 and 1897, ascounty attorney ofElbert County, Colorado, from 1897 to 1907, and as county attorney ofGrand County, Colorado 1909-1913.[1]
Initially a Republican, Hilliard joined the Democratic party in 1902.[2] He served as member of theColorado House of Representatives in 1902. He served as member of theDenver Board of Education 1900-1902 from 1904 to 1909, and 1913-1917.[1] Hilliard was elected as aDemocrat to theSixty-fourth andSixty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1919). On April 5, 1917, he voted against declaring war on Germany. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1918.[1]
He resumed the practice of law. Hilliard was elected justice of theSupreme Court of Colorado in 1930 and served as chief justice in 1939, 1940, 1944, 1949 and 1950.[1][8] Due to his many minority opinions, he was frequently called the state's "great dissenter".[2]
He was a member of the Denver Civic and Commercial Association and the Denver and Colorado bar associations.[4] He was active in the localMasonic Temple and his church.[3]
On May 22, 1889, Hilliard married Tida Zimmerman inCarroll County, Missouri. Her parents, John and Dora Zimmerman, were wealthy farmers and provided a good education for their daughter, Tida.[3] They had four children,[4] two sons and two daughters.[2] Both of his sons became lawyers. His wife died in 1946.[8]
He had a heart attack on August 1, 1951, and was taken toSt. Luke's Hospital.[9] He died inDenver,Colorado, August 7, 1951. He was interred in Crown Hill Cemetery.[1]
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.
Media related toBenjamin C. Hilliard at Wikimedia Commons| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromColorado's 1st congressional district March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1919 | Succeeded by |
| 1st district |   | |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd district | ||
| 3rd district | ||
| 4th district | ||
| 5th district | ||
| 6th district | ||
| 7th district | ||
| 8th district | ||
| At-large | ||
| Territory | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
