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Charles E. Sinclair

Charles E. Sinclair (c. 1828 – March 11, 1887) was a justice of the Supreme Court of the Utah Territory from 1857 to 1860. Born in Virginia, Sinclair was appointed to the Utah territorial supreme court in 1857, by President James Buchanan. Sinclair's time as a judge in the territory was tumultuous, as the following account explains: Sinclair's resignation from the position was reported in April 1860. After leaving the court, he returned to his native Virginia to oppose secession. He also briefly edited a newspaper in Memphis, Tennessee. Returning to Virginia, he "was engaged by the confederacy in the secret service department in Richmond". After the war he resumed private practice in Richmond, and served in the Senate of Virginia, "where he was known as a fine linguist", and "made an enviable reputation both as a lawyer and an orator". Early one morning, Sinclair was found dead on the floor at his home in Manassas, at the age of 59. Having appeared in good health the night before, his death was supposed to have resulted from apoplexy.

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Article summary

Charles E. Sinclair (c. 1828 – March 11, 1887) was a justice of the Supreme Court of the Utah Territory from 1857 to 1860. Born in Virginia, Sinclair was appointed to the Utah territorial supreme court in 1857, by President James Buchanan. Sinclair's time as a judge in the territory was tumultuous, as the following account explains: Sinclair's resignation from the position was reported in April 1860. After leaving the court, he returned to his native Virginia to oppose secession. He also briefly edited a newspaper in Memphis, Tennessee. Returning to Virginia, he "was engaged by the confederacy in the secret service department in Richmond". After the war he resumed private practice in Richmond, and served in the Senate of Virginia, "where he was known as a fine linguist", and "made an enviable reputation both as a lawyer and an orator". Early one morning, Sinclair was found dead on the floor at his home in Manassas, at the age of 59. Having appeared in good health the night before, his death was supposed to have resulted from apoplexy.

Key claims

  1. date of birth: 1857 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the date of birth is "1857". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  4. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365525295

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.