Wilbur M. Alter

Wilbur McClure Alter (December 17, 1879 – July 30, 1967) was an American lawyer and judge who served on the Colorado Supreme Court as a justice and chief justice. He was a trustee for a college and El Paso County bar association. He led the international effort to provide aid to the world's needy children through the American Legion.

Wilbur M. Alter
Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court
In office
1928–1933
Preceded byR. Hickman Walker
Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court
In office
1944–1957
Chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court
In office
1955–1957
Personal details
Born(1879-12-17)December 17, 1879
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
DiedJuly 30, 1967(1967-07-30) (aged 87)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Denver
OccupationAttorney, justice and chief justice

Early education and education

He was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in 1879.[1][2] His parents were Daniel G. and Ada V. (Lutz) Alter.[3] He studied at public schools in California and Colorado and attended a college prep school.[4] His parents and at least one sister lived in California.[5]

He graduated from the University of Denver in 1903[4][lower-alpha 1] and received his law degree in 1906.[6] He was a member of the Phi Delta Phi and the Beta Theta Pi fraternities.[4]

Career

With Ernest B. Upton, he established the law firm Alter & Upton in Victor, Colorado.[4] Their clients included the Light & Power Company, Midland Terminal Railway, and the Arkansas Valley Railway.[4] In 1911, Alter, his brother D.G. Alter, Jr., and Edward J. Boughton established the Diamond M. Leasing company to operate leased properties, including the Lucky Gus Mine owned by the Stratton estate.[9]

From 1910 to 1912 and again from 1914 to 1918, he was the city attorney of Victor. He was the city attorney for Goldfield from 1912 to 1918.[4] During World War I, he enlisted in the military.[3] He served in the army tank service and was stationed in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at Camp Colt in 1918. His brother was also assigned to the army tank service at Camp Colt.[5]

He was the county attorney for Teller County from 1917 to 1923. From 1919 to 1923, he was the Deputy District Attorney for the 4th District, and was then a District Judge for the same district from 1923 to 1928.[3]

Colorado state judicial building in Denver, housing the Colorado Supreme Court. The building was destroyed by controlled detonation in 2010.

In 1928, Alter won election to the Colorado Supreme Court, defeating incumbent R. Hickman Walker, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of John W. Sheafor earlier that year.[10] Alter served from 1928 to 1933 and again from 1944 to 1957. He served as chief justice of the Court from 1955 to 1957.[1] He was a trustee for the El Paso County Bar Association by 1924.[11]

Personal life

Alter and his brother, D.G. Alter, Jr., both lived in Victor, Colorado by 1918.[5] He married Florence E. Christy on February 4, 1923.[3] He had three sons.[12]

He was a member of the American Legion,[13] where he was the National Chairman of the Executive Committee for the National Child Welfare Committee. He reported in 1935 that more than 250,000 children across the world received aid or other assistance.[14] An award was created in his name, Judge Wilbur M. Alter Award, for having the most outstanding rehabilitation program in Colorado.[15] He was also a member of Victor Lodge No. 99 in Victor, Colorado[16] and of the Elks.[17] He was a trustee of the George W. Clayton College in Denver.[3]

In 1967, he died in a nursing home in Jefferson County, Colorado.[18]

Notes
  1. He is also said to have graduated in 1904.[6][7] The Beta Theta Pi fraternity volume produced in 1902 stated that he was in the class of 1903.[8]

References
  1. Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of Colorado. W. H. Courtright Publishing Company. 1967. p. xii.
  2. U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
  3. Schwarz, Julius Caesar (1937). Who's who in Law. p. 24.
  4. The American Bar. J.C. Fifield Company. 1921. p. 109.
  5. "Visits in Colorado With Brothers Now In Army Tank Service - Wilbur M. Alter". The Pomona Progress. August 5, 1918. p. 5. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  6. "Sturm College of Law History – Image Collection | Westminster Law Library". Sturm College of Law. University of Denver.
  7. Brown, James Taylor (1917). Catalogue of Beta Theta Pi. J. T. Brown. p. 134.
  8. Pi, Beta Theta (1902). The Beta Theta Pi. p. 524.
  9. The Mining Investor. Critic Publishing Company. 1911. p. 100.
  10. "Figures On The Vote In The State", The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel (December 5, 1928), p. 1, 3.
  11. "Law Notes". E. Thompson Company. 1924. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  12. "Ex-Justice is Head". Democrat and Chronicle. January 20, 1935. p. 13. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  13. Proceedings of the National Convention of the American Legion. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1968. p. 389.
  14. St. Louis, Missouri. Sept. 23-26, 1935. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1936. pp. 23, 76, 80.
  15. "Post awarded Department of Colorado Award - The American Legion Centennial Celebration". centennial.legion.org. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
  16. "Wilbur M. Alter". www.masonrytoday.com. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  17. "Visiting the Lodges with John L. Walker" (PDF). The Elks Magazine. March 1956. p. 44. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  18. "Obituary for Wilbur M Alter (Aged 87)". August 1, 1967. p. 2. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
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