Dates

• Existence: 1851 - 1914

Biographical History

Orlando W. Powers (1851-1914) was a nationally reputable lawyer and prominent jurist, member of the Supreme Court of the Territory of Utah, and Democratic leader.

O. W. Powers was born on June 16, 1851 to Julia Stoddard and Josiah W. Powers in Putneyville, Wayne County, New York. He graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan in 1871, and began to practice law in the city of Kalamazoo. While practicing his profession, Powers also became involved in the political activity of the Democratic Party. In 1874 he was elected chairman of the Kalamazoo Democratic County Committee, in 1876 and 1885 was elected city attorney in Kalamazoo, and in 1884 was the Michigan delegate to the Democratic National Convention. In 1885, President Cleveland appointed Powers associate justice of Supreme Court of the Territory of Utah. After only one year he returned to Michigan. On October 26, 1887 Powers married Anna May Wipple of Burlington, Iowa and shortly after he and his new bride moved back to Salt Lake City, Utah where he once again practiced law.

Judge Power gained much success and became nationally recognized after his Supreme Court case acquitted Mrs. Anna W. Bradley in the murder of a Utah senator. He toured many times to endorse Democratic Party members in their various elections. Powers himself even ran several times but never received the nominations. In 1908 he was the Utah delegate to Democratic National Convention.

Judge O. W. Powers died on January 2, 1914 from pneumonia in Salt Lake City, Utah and was survived by his wife and only child, Rodger W. Powers, attorney at law.

Citation:

Reports of Cases Decided in the Supreme Court of the State of Utah, via WWW, Nov. 14, 2017(Hon. Orlando W. Powers; b. June 16, 1851 in Putneyville, Wayne County, New York; graduated law department of University of Michigan 1871; practiced law in Kalamazoo, Michigan; elected city attorney in Kalamazoo 1876 and 1885; 1885 President Cleveland appointed Powers associate justice of Supreme Court of the Territory of Utah; quickly resigned and returned to Michigan; 1887 moved back to Salt Lake City, Utah and began practicing law; always involved in politics and civil matters until the day he died; 1875 admitted to practice in Supreme Courts; nationally recognized for aquittal of Mrs. Anna W. Bradley in the murder of a Utah senator; member of American Bar Association; Rodger W. Powers is his son also lawyer; d. Salt Lake City, Utah Jan. 2, 1914)

Find a Grave, via WWW, Nov. 15, 2017 (Judge Orlando W. Powers; b. June 16, 1851 at Pultneyville, N. Y.; d. 2 Jan 1914 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA; former associate justice of the supreme court of Utah under appointment of President Cleveland; Succumbs to Attack of Pneumonia; leader in the Democratic party, son Don Whipple Powers b. 17 Sep 1888 Salt Lake City, UT and d. 26 Jun 1889 Salt Lake City, UT; Anna Whipple Powers d. Dec 1934)

Utah Death Certificates, 1904-1964, via WWW, Nov. 15, 2017 (Orlando Woodworth Powers; father- Josiah W. Powers and mother- Julia W. Stoddard both born in New York)

Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1940, via WWW, Nov. 15, 2017 (Orlando Powers; married 26 Oct 1887 to Anna May Wipple born in Burlington, Iowa; father- Josiah M. Powers and mother- Julia W. Stoddard; married in Des Moines, Iowa, USA)

Men of Affairs in the State of Utah: A Newspaper Reference Work, via WWW, Nov. 15, 2017(Orlando W. Powers; 1874 elected chairman of the Kalamazoo Democratic county committee; traveled to endorse democratic party members; 1884 Michigan delegate to Democratic national convention; came back from Utah and edited Daily Democrat at Grand Rapids; 1889 returned to Utah, 1890 selected head of the Liberal party and chairman of the territorial committee; 1908 Utah delegate to the Democratic national convention; ran and was nominated several times to congress without appointment; survived by wife and only child Rodger Powers)

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