author
Wilson McCandless
1810–1882
A Pittsburgh lawyer and public servant who rose to the federal bench, he spent much of his life shaping law and politics in western Pennsylvania. His career links early local practice, state politics, and service as a U.S. district judge.
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About the author
Born in Pittsburgh on June 19, 1810, he studied at the Western University of Pennsylvania, now the University of Pittsburgh, and entered the legal profession by reading law. He built a long private practice in Pittsburgh and became active in Pennsylvania public life.
He also served in the Pennsylvania State Senate before moving to the federal judiciary. In 1859, President James Buchanan appointed him to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, where he served until retiring in 1876.
After leaving the bench, he returned to private practice in Pittsburgh. He died there on June 30, 1882, remembered chiefly for a career that joined local roots, public service, and many years in the law.