Edward T. Fairchild (judge)

Edward Thomas Fairchild (June 17, 1872 – October 29, 1965) was an American jurist and legislator from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the 15th chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court; he served on the Court for 27 years, from 1930 to 1957. Before that, he served 14 years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County. He also represented central Milwaukee County for six years as a Republican in the Wisconsin Senate. His son, Thomas E. Fairchild, was also a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and a judge of the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Honorable Edward T. Fairchild
Fairchild, circa 1940
15th Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office January 1, 1954 – January 7, 1957
Preceded by	Oscar M. Fritz
Succeeded by	John E. Martin
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office April 30, 1930 – January 7, 1957
Appointed by	Walter J. Kohler, Sr.
Preceded by	Franz C. Eschweiler
Succeeded by	Thomas E. Fairchild
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge of the 2nd Circuit, Branch 6
In office September 1916 – April 30, 1930
Appointed by	Emanuel L. Philipp
Preceded by	Franz C. Eschweiler
Succeeded by	John C. Kleczka
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 5th district
In office January 13, 1915 – September 1916
Preceded by	George J. Weigle
Succeeded by	Henry Otto Reinnoldt
In office January 9, 1907 – January 11, 1911
Preceded by	Charles Cassius Rogers
Succeeded by	George J. Weigle
Personal details
Born	Edward Thomas Fairchild (1872-06-17)June 17, 1872 Towanda, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	October 29, 1965(1965-10-29) (aged 93) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting place	Green Mount Cemetery Dansville, New York
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Helen McCurdy Edwards (m. 1903; died 1962)
Children	Anne Edwards (Carter) (b. 1905; died 1998) Thomas Edward Fairchild (b. 1912; died 2007) 3 others

Early life and education

Born in Towanda, Pennsylvania, Fairchild grew up in Dansville, New York, where he was educated. He was employed in a newspaper and studied law in the office of Rowe and Coyne. Later, he bought a farm in Dansville, where he would go to for vacations.^[1]

Career

After being admitted to the New York bar, he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he worked in the district attorney's office.

In 1906 he was elected to his first of three terms in the Wisconsin State Senate, ultimately serving in the 48th, 49th, and 52nd sessions of the Wisconsin legislature. In 1916, during the 52nd session of the legislature, he was appointed a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County.

In 1930, Fairchild was appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court^[2] and served as chief justice from 1954 until his retirement in 1957. He was re-elected in 1936 and 1946.

In 1957, he administered the oath of office when his son, Thomas E. Fairchild, was sworn in as a member of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.^[3] Thomas had been elected Edward's seat in 1956. He died in Madison Wisconsin in 1965 at 93