Thomas Fitch (politician)

Thomas Fitch
Member of the California State Assembly from the 15th district
In office 1862–1863
Delegate to the Nevada Constitutional Convention
In office July 4, 1864 – July 28, 1864
Washoe County District Attorney
In office 1865–1866
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada's at-Large district
In office March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871
Preceded by	Delos R. Ashley
Succeeded by	Charles West Kendall
Delegate to the Utah Constitutional Convention
In office February 19, 1872 – March 2, 1872
Delegate to the United States Senate from the Utah Territory
In office March 18, 1872 – 1872
Arizona Territorial Legislature
In office 1879–1879
Personal details
Born	(1838-01-27)January 27, 1838 New York City, US
Died	November 12, 1923(1923-11-12) (aged 85) Decoto, California, US
Resting place	Chapel of the Chimes Memorial Park, Hayward, California
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Annie M. Shultz
Profession	U.S. Congressional Representative; lawyer; writer and newspaper editor; district attorney
Signature

Thomas Fitch (January 27, 1838 – November 12, 1923)^[1] was an American lawyer and politician. He defended President Brigham Young of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other church leaders when Young and his denomination were prosecuted for polygamy in 1871 and 1872. He also successfully defended Virgil, Morgan, and Wyatt Earp along with Doc Holliday when they were accused of murdering Billy Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury during the October 26, 1881 Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Fitch wrote for and edited a number of newspapers during his life and served in multiple political offices. He was a stout Republican and campaigned for Abraham Lincoln across Nevada. He developed a reputation as a capable lawyer and a terrific speaker and was nicknamed the "silver-tongued orator of the Pacific."^[2] He was a member of the California State Assembly in 1862 and 1863. In 1864, he was living in Virginia City, Nevada, where he edited the Virginia Daily Union. He became friends with Mark Twain who credited him with improving his writing. Fitch was a delegate to the Nevada state constitutional convention and also served as a member of the Utah state constitutional convention. He was a member of the Arizona Territorial Legislature in 1879.

He witnessed the laying of the first rail at the western terminus of the Overland Route in Sacramento and the last one at Promontory Point in Utah.^[3] He practiced law, mostly in Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, moving frequently during his life among these states. He also briefly practiced law in Minnesota and New York. According to one obituary he was one of "the three great orators who kept California loyal to the Union during the Civil War".^[4]