Alfred Wolcott, one of the prominent members of the bar at Grand Rapids, Mich., was born in Summit county, Ohio, March 17, 1858, a son of Alfred and Mary Ann (Scoville) Wolcott, who were the parents of eleven children, of whom six reached the years of maturity, viz: Simon P., ex-state senator, and a lawyer of Kent, Ohio; Andrew A., who died in the Civil war; John M., in the post-office at Washington, D.C.; Anna A., wife of Rev. L. B. Bissell, a Presbyterian minister at Lansing, Mich.; Alfred, the subject of this sketch, and Fremont C., who was a manufacturer at Canton, Ohio, but is now deceased.

Alfred Wolcott, Sr., father of the above named children, was also a native of Summit county, Ohio, was born January 28, 1812, and married April 18, 1836. His father was an early settler in Summitt county, having located there as a government surveyor, and the son Alfred, although he began life a poor young man, rose to prominence in his district.

He was temperate, hard working, and strictly honest, represented his district in the state legislature, acquired a competency, and died an honored man in 1889. He had lost his wife in 1881, and both died in the faith of the Disciples’ church.

Alfred Wolcott, the subject of this review, was educated in a country school in his native county, and at the age of fifteen years taught one term in the district school. When sixteen years old he entered the preparatory department of the Western Reserve college at Hudson, Ohio; at the age of eighteen he was matriculated in the college proper, and at twenty-two graduated in June, 1880, with the degree of B.A., taking honors and giving the philosophical oration. He then went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and studied law in the office of E.P. Bradstreet for one year, when he was called home to the deathbed of his mother. In the fall of 1882 he came to Grand Rapids, completed his law studies in the office of Stuart & Sweet, and in May, 1883, was admitted to the Michigan Bar.

Mr. Wolcott practiced alone, or clerked in a law office, until 1885, when he formed a partnership with H.H. Drury. In 1888 he was elected circuit court commissioner and served two years; in 1892 he was elected prosecuting attorney, and the same year the partnership between Mr. Wolcott and Mr. Drury was dissolved and Mr. Wolcott joined Charles E. Ward, under the style of Wolcott & Ward, the partnership continued until Mr. Wolcott’s election to the bench.

In 1894 Mr. Wolcott was re-elected prosecuting attorney. Since the expiration of this term in 1896, Mr. Wolcott has devoted himself exclusively to the extensive general practice of his firm, which is admittedly one of the leading law firms of the city.

Mr. Wolcott was united in marriage at Akron, Ohio, October 21, 1885, with Miss Carrie B. Hawk, who was born in the Buckeye state June 17, 1858, a daughter of Daniel and Louise (Kau) Hawk, natives of Germany. Mr. Hawk was a early settler in the state, was a tailor by trade, later became a farmer, and finally a merchant, but has retired from business and now makes his home with Mr. Wolcott and wife.

To the marriage of Mr. Wolcott have been born two children--Mabel L. now aged thirteen years, and Hazel K., age ten years.

Mr. Wolcott is a Knight of Pythias, and past chancellor of Eureka lodge. He has been very successful in the practice of his profession, stands high as a politician, and possesses remarkable oratorical powers, which have been used effectively on the stamp as well as on the forum.

When the republican judicial convention was held in the spring of 1899, Mr. Wolcott received a nomination by acclamation for judge of the circuit court, and was elected by a majority of about 2,400; the term of office began January 1, 1900.

The genealogy of the Wolcott family has been preserved as far back as the fourteenth century. The founder of the family in this country was Henry Wolcott, who was born in 1578,and came to America in 1629. One of his sons, Simon, married, in 1661, Martha Pitkin and lived in Windsor, Con. His youngest son was Roger, who was born in 1679 and married in 1702. Roger’s eldest son was named Roger, and his youngest son Oliver. The latter was born in 1726 and was one of the signers of theDeclaration of Independence. The elder Roger was representative in the general assembly in 1709. The next year was put on the bench of justice and later on was deputy governor of the colony and chief judge of the superior court. In 1745 was appointed major-general of the army and led the Connecticut troops against Cape Breton, and at the taking of Louisburg. In 1750 was governor of Connecticut. His son Roger was judge of the superior court and one of the revisers of the law of the state. Parmenio, a son of the youngest Roger, lived in Rome, N.Y., and died in 1812. His eldest son was Alfred, who was born in 1769, removed to Boston, Ohio, and was one of the pioneers of the Western Reserve. His son Alfred was the father of the subject of this sketch.

When Henry Wolcott came to this country be brought many interesting historical records of the family in England which have been deposited with the New England Historic Genealogical society, of Boston.