Cornelius H. Hanford

Cornelius Holgate Hanford (April 21, 1849 – March 2, 1926) was an American judge and the first United States Judge for the District of Washington, who resigned his office under threat of impeachment. He was the younger brother of the newspaper editor Thaddeus Hanford. The former agricultural community of Hanford, Washington was named for him.

Hanford was born in Winchester, Van Buren County, Iowa. His parents, Edward and Abbie J. (Holgate) Hanford, were natives of Ohio, but were married in Iowa. Their ancestors were among the pioneer settlers of Connecticut. His father Edward Hanford was an extensive farmer of Iowa, but in 1853 sold his possessions and moved with family and friends, to Oregon Territory and then to Seattle, Washington where his brothers, George Hanford and Ebenezer Seymour Hanford, and his brother-in-law, John C. Holgate, were already located. He brought his family there in the summer of 1854.

The Indian troubles of 1855-56 destroyed the stock and improvements Edward, and the boys, of whom there were five, were thrown upon their own resources at an early age. Cornelius attended the village school when not otherwise engaged.

When Cornelius Hanford was twelve years of age the family moved to San Francisco, California and there Cornelius secured employment as office boy, and attended the night school. He also took a course in the Commercial College. In 1866 the family returned to Seattle and young Hanford was employed for two years in carrying the mail to Puyallup, Washington.

Completing his mail contract, Hanford followed fanning up to 1869, then went to Walla Walla, and spent three years teaching school, with intervals at farm labor. He then desired to enter the stock business, but on account of ill health, returned to his home in Seattle to recuperate and as his strength was slow in returning, he abandoned the project and in the spring of 1873 engaged in the study of law in the office of George M. McConaha, Prosecuting Attorney for the Third Judicial District. Hanford attended to the office work, and was admitted to the bar in February, 1875.

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