Oliver Wendell Holmes
- From: "Charles P. Hall" <chall@[redacted]>
- Subject: Oliver Wendell Holmes
- Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2001 20:29:51 -0500
This list has been very polite about my dumb questions in the past, so
perhaps you'll all bear with me again...
I've enjoyed reading several of Oliver Wendell Holmes books and
pamphlets ("Autocrat at the Breakfast Table", "My Hunt After the
Captain"). I also knew Oliver Wendell Holmes was a US Supreme Court
Justice.
What I only just realized is that these are two different men. Oliver
Wendell Holmes SENIOR was the author of the books I've read, his son
Oliver Wendell Holmes JUNIOR was the judge.
Now I AM confused. I've seen many interesting quotes attributed simply
to "Oliver Wendell Holmes" and there's even a town near here named after
Oliver Wendell Holmes. To which man are they refering? Was OWH Senior a
*really* prominent man, or does OWH Junior get a few quotes now and then
too?
OWH Senior's time was long ago, before 1900; but the biographical movie
I saw about OWH Junior was really dull. It's hard to believe he made
much of a splash outside of the courtroom.
I'd appreciate hearing what others know about these two.
Thanks!
Charles Hall
Raleigh, NC
(20 miles from Wendell, NC)