Charles W. Comstock | |
Office: | United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut |
President: | Grover Cleveland William McKinley |
Term Start: | 1896 |
Term End: | 1900 |
Predecessor: | George P. McLean |
Successor: | Francis H. Parker |
Office1: | Judge of Connecticut Probate Courts for Montville |
Term Start1: | 1889 |
Term End1: | 1896 |
Birthname: | Charles Whipple Comstock |
Birth Date: | 9 October 1857 |
Birth Place: | Montville, Connecticut |
Death Place: | Montville, Connecticut |
Party: | Democrat |
Charles Whipple Comstock (October 9, 1858 – May 8, 1917) was an American attorney and judge who served as the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut under two presidents.[1]
Charles Whipple Comstock was born on October 9, 1857[2] in Montville, Connecticut, to Nathan Strickland and Caroline Mary (Whipple) Comstock.[3] His father's side descended from Reverend John Rogers (the martyr) and that side of the family emigrated to America in the mid 16th century from England. On his mother's side he descended from Governor William Bradford of the Mayflower. His father was a farmer and merchant, leading Charles to attend public schools and Norwich Free Academy.
Instead of College he wanted to go into law therefore he began studying under Lafayette S. Foster, and in 1881 he passed the bar and began practicing law in Norwich. He would work with Charles F. Thayer the former mayor of Norwich and George Parsons. In 1913 he had and won his first case before the United States Supreme Court in Robbins- Pattenson v Central Vermont Railroad.
During President Cleveland's second term in office, he appointed Charles to be US Attorney for the district of Connecticut, a position he held for four years.
He had previously served as a probate judge in Montville from 1889 to 1896.
In 1914 he was in the race to be the democrat nominee for Governor of Connecticut. He spent years working with the Democrats attending multiple Democratic National Conventions.
He was a 32nd degree Freemason.[4]