Individual Details

William Sebring Kirkpatrick

(21 Apr 1844 - 3 Nov 1932)

Posted at findagrave.com: US Congressman. He was admitted to the bar in 1865 and commenced law practice in Easton, Pennsylvania. He was appointed judge of the third judicial district in 1874, a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1884 and Attorney General of Pennsylvania, 1887 to 1891. In 1897, he was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fifth Congress, serving until 1899. An unsuccessful candidate for reelection, he resumed law practice until his death. Pennsylvania Congressman William Huntington Kirkpatrick was his son.

Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith

Easton Lafayette, Easton, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, November 8, 1932, Page 4, Col. 2: Kirkpatrick, '63, Dies After Long Brilliant Career. Former Member of Congress Succumbs After Ten Day Illinois. Taught Here Once. Was Trustee of College Since 1890; Was in Eighty-ninth year.

William Sebring Kirkpatrick, '63, former Attorney General of Pennsylvania, former member of Congress from the local district and former President Judge of Northampton county and the oldest member of the Northampton County Bar, died November 3 at his home, 123 Reeder street, College Hill, after an illness of about ten days resulting from a general breakdown. He was in the eighty-ninth year.

Mr. Kirkpatrick was born in Easton on April 21, 1844, and was a son of the late Susan and Newton Kirkpatrick, He received his early preparatory education in the Easton public schools and attended Lafayette college as a member of the class of 1863, He received the degree of Master of Arts from Lafayette in 1872 and Washington and Jefferson College conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws upon him in 1902.

After leaving college he began the study of law under the preceptorship of Judge Henry D. Maxwell and was admitted to the Northampton County Bar in 1865. From 1868 to 1869 he was a teacher in the Easton public schools.

Held Many Offices.

For several years during his early career at the bar, he was solicitor for the borough of Easton, an office that brought him prominently before the people. Early in 1874, a vacancy occurring, he was appointed as President Judge of the Third Judicial District and served for one year.


Ever since attaining his majority, Judge Kirkpatrick was an adherent of the Republican party. He held the office of Attorney General for the state of Pennsylvania from 1887
to 1891.

Judge Kirkpatrick was the nominee of the Republican party for the Fifty-fifth Congress from the Eight Pennsylvania district in 1896 and carried an ordinarily Democratic community. He served one term and returned to this city of practice his profession.

He was a loyal alumnus of Lafayette College, served as president of the alumni association, was professor of elementary law and jurisprudence from 1875-1877, a member of the board of trustees of the college since 1890 and at the time of his death, honorary vice-president of the board. During the year 1902-1903, he was acting president of Lafayette college, serving while Dr. Ethelbert D. Warfield was in Europe.

Events

Birth21 Apr 1844Easton, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania
Death3 Nov 1932Easton, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania
BurialEaston Cemetery, Easton, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania

Families

FatherNewton Kirkpatrick (1820 - 1863)
MotherSusan Sebring (1822 - 1909)
SiblingMorris Kirkpatrick (1846 - 1899)
SiblingViola Kirkpatrick (1849 - 1924)

Endnotes