RICHARD HENRY ALVEY
ALVEY, RICHARD HENRY, jurist, was born in St. Mary's county, Maryland, March 26, 1826, son of George N. and Harriet (Weeklin) Alvey, and descendant of John Alvey, a Revolutionary patriot who bravely fought in the Maryland line. He studied in the schools of St. Mary's, making good use of his opportunities and being accounted a good scholar; so that when but eighteen years of age he was appointed clerk of Charles county court, continuing to serve from 1844 to 1850.
Meanwhile, he had studied law, and been admitted to practice at the Hagerstown bar. He had also come to an active part in politics, both local and national; was presidential elector on the Pierce and King ticket in 1852, and member of the Maryland constitutional convention in 1867.
The law continued to be his profession, however, and in course of time he was honored with important judicial appointments. He was elected member of the Court of Appeals of the State of Maryland in November, 1867, and reelected in 1882. He became by appointment the chief justice of that court, which position he held from 1883 to 1893, when he was promoted by appointment to be chief justice of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, holding the same until his resignation on account of failing health, near the close of 1904, and always meeting the demands of his important office with an ability and impartiality that commanded universal respect and confidence.
In January, 1896, he was also called by President Cleveland to act as a member of the Venezuelan Boundary Commission. In 1902 the degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by Princeton university; and in 1904 St. John's university, Maryland, gave him the same honorary degree.
During the period of his service as chief justice of the district Court of Appeals he likewise discharged the duties of Chancellor of the institution in Washington chartered as "The National University," though consisting for the time being of law, medical, and
