Charles F. Tabor
Encyclopedia
Charles Franklin Tabor was an American lawyer and politician.
. He was educated at academies in Clarence
and Williamsville
, Buffalo suburbs, and at the seminary in Lima
. In 1861, he went to Buffalo, New York
to study law in the office of Humphrey & Parsons, and was admitted to the bar in 1863.
On December 24, 1863, he married Phebe S. Andrews, and their daughter was Georgia E. Tabor.
In 1868 he formed a partnership with Judge Thomas Corlett, and six years later, when Judge Corlett retired, formed a partnership with William F. Sheehan
. In 1888, John Cunneen
and Edward E. Coatsworth were admitted to the firm under the name of Tabor, Sheehan, Cunneen & Coatsworth. In 1895, Tabor became the senior member of the law firm of Tabor & Wilkie.
In 1881 and 1882 he was a supervisor of the Town of Lancaster, New York
where he resided from 1867 to 1883 when he removed to Buffalo. He was an excise commissioner of Erie County
for three years.
As a Democrat, he was New York State Attorney General
from 1888 to 1891, elected in 1887
and 1889
. He vacated the charter of the Sugar Trust of New York on the ground that it was a monopoly. As attorney-general he also had charge of the litigation which involved the constitutionality of the electrocution
law and succeeded in obtaining a decision from the U. S. Supreme Court to the effect that the law was constitutional and valid. He also obtained from that court an affirmation of a decision of the New York Court of Appeals
in the case of the Home Insurance Company, that corporations were liable to taxation on their capital stock although that stock consisted of government bonds, otherwise exempt.
In 1899 he ran for justice of the New York Supreme Court
, but was defeated.
Life
He was the son of Silas Tabor (d. 1863) and Betsey E. (Russell) Tabor. In 1843, the family removed to Newstead, New YorkNewstead, New York
Newstead is the most northeastern town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 8,404 at the 2000 census. The name is reportedly derived from Newstead Abbey in England....
. He was educated at academies in Clarence
Clarence, New York
Clarence is a town located in the northeastern part of Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 30,673 according to the 2010 census. This represents an increase of 17.42% from the 2000 census figure . Clarence is also the name of a postal district in the south part of the town...
and Williamsville
Williamsville, New York
Williamsville is a village in Erie County, New York in the United States. The population was 5,573 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Jonas Williams, an early settler...
, Buffalo suburbs, and at the seminary in Lima
Lima (town), New York
Lima is a town in Livingston County, New York, U.S. The population was 4,541 at the 2000 census.The town of Lima is in the northeast part of the county, south of Rochester...
. In 1861, he went to Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
to study law in the office of Humphrey & Parsons, and was admitted to the bar in 1863.
On December 24, 1863, he married Phebe S. Andrews, and their daughter was Georgia E. Tabor.
In 1868 he formed a partnership with Judge Thomas Corlett, and six years later, when Judge Corlett retired, formed a partnership with William F. Sheehan
William F. Sheehan
William Francis Sheehan was an American lawyer and politician. During his political career he became known as Blue-Eyed Billy.-Biography:He was born on November 6, 1859 in Buffalo, New York....
. In 1888, John Cunneen
John Cunneen
John Cunneen was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:...
and Edward E. Coatsworth were admitted to the firm under the name of Tabor, Sheehan, Cunneen & Coatsworth. In 1895, Tabor became the senior member of the law firm of Tabor & Wilkie.
In 1881 and 1882 he was a supervisor of the Town of Lancaster, New York
Lancaster, New York
Lancaster, New York may refer to the following locations in Erie County, New York:*Lancaster , New York*Lancaster , New York...
where he resided from 1867 to 1883 when he removed to Buffalo. He was an excise commissioner of Erie County
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
for three years.
As a Democrat, he was New York State Attorney General
New York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
from 1888 to 1891, elected in 1887
New York state election, 1887
The 1887 New York state election was held on November 8, 1887, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer and the State Engineer, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate.-History:The United Labor...
and 1889
New York state election, 1889
The 1889 New York state election was held on November 5, 1889, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer and a judge of the New York Court of Appeals, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and the New York...
. He vacated the charter of the Sugar Trust of New York on the ground that it was a monopoly. As attorney-general he also had charge of the litigation which involved the constitutionality of the electrocution
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
law and succeeded in obtaining a decision from the U. S. Supreme Court to the effect that the law was constitutional and valid. He also obtained from that court an affirmation of a decision of the New York Court of Appeals
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
in the case of the Home Insurance Company, that corporations were liable to taxation on their capital stock although that stock consisted of government bonds, otherwise exempt.
In 1899 he ran for justice of the New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
, but was defeated.
Sources
- http://history.rays-place.com/bios/ny-erie/m-y/tabor-cf.htm Our County and It's People - a descriptive work on Erie County, New York edited by Truman C. White (The Boston History Company, 1898)
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9D02E7D9153CE433A25753C3A9649D94689ED7CF Election result, in NYT on DEcember 29, 1899