John E. Carland Biography

	This biography appears on pages 485-486 in "History of Minnehaha 
	County, South Dakota" by Dana R. Bailey and was scanned, OCRed 
	and edited by Joy Fisher, http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000031
.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm


CARLAND, JOHN E., was born in Oswego county, New York December 11, 
1854.  He attended the law school at Ann Arbor Michigan, and was 
admitted to the bar by the supreme court of that state in October, 
1875. The next two years he spent in the office of the Hon. John G. 
Hawley, a distinguished lawyer at Detroit.  In August, 1877, went to 
Bismarck, North Dakota, and commenced the practice of law; was city 
attorney of that place for about four years, and also county attorney 
one year.  In April, 1885, was elected mayor of Bismarck, but, 
receiving the appointment of United States district attorney for the 
Territory of Dakota, May 23, following, he resigned the office of mayor 
and entered upon the duties of his appointment; remained district 
attorney until March, 1888, when he received the appointment of 
associate justice of the supreme court of the Territory of Dakota.  
Upon assuming the duties of this office he became judge of the fourth 
judicial district.  In April, 1889, he resigned this office, and in May 
following was elected a member of the constitutional convention which 
framed the constitution of North Dakota; was nominated by his party for 
president of this convention, but, as the party was in the minority, he 
was not elected.  In his convention he took a prominent part, receiving 
the appointment of chairman of the judicial department.  After the work 
of the constitutional convention had been completed, he removed to 
Sioux Falls, and entered into a copartnership with T. B. McMartin for 
the practice of law, under the firm name of McMartin & Carland, which 
continued until the 23d day of September, 1893.  After the dissolution 
of this firm he practiced by himself, having in charge some of the most 
important litigation in the state.  He was also employed in some very 
important cases in the United States courts, and gained some notoriety 
in obtaining a large verdict in the case of Fullerton against the 
Homestake Mining Company, and more recently was honored by the 
appointment of special assistant United States attorney to conduct the 
case of the United States against the Homestake Mining Company in which 
the government brought suit to recover seven hundred thousand dollars 
for the illegal cutting of timber belonging to the government.  But 
before the trial of "this important case was reached he was appointed 
United States district judge for the district of South Dakota.  This 
appointment so gratifying to the judge and his friends was made on the 
3d day of September, 1896. The members of the bar throughout the state 
congratulated the judge upon his good fortune, and also themselves upon 
having secured a federal judge in the State of South Dakota in whom all 
classes of people have the greatest confidence.  He is not only a good 
lawyer, but has a judicial temperament, and his integrity is beyond 
question.  His official career thus far has met the approbation of all, 
and no one regrets that Judge Carland has a life appointment to an 
office he is so well qualified to fill.  It only remains to add to his 
many other good qualities, that he is a genial, kind-hearted man, and 
highly esteemed by all who know him.