Representative Walpole Gillespie Colerick

Walpole Gillespie Colerick (August 1, 1845 – January 11, 1911) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served two terms as a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1879 to 1883. He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he spent the majority of his life and built his professional and political career. Raised in this growing Midwestern community, he attended the local public schools, receiving the education that prepared him for the study of law and eventual entry into public service.

After completing his early education in Fort Wayne’s public school system, Colerick pursued legal studies. He read law in the traditional manner of the time and was admitted to the bar in 1872. Following his admission, he commenced the practice of law in Fort Wayne. His legal work in the city helped establish his reputation as an attorney and provided a foundation for his subsequent involvement in politics and public affairs within Indiana.

Colerick’s professional success and standing in the community led to his election to the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Congresses, serving from March 4, 1879, to March 3, 1883. During these two terms in office, he represented his Indiana constituents in the House of Representatives and contributed to the legislative process at a time of significant political and economic change in the post–Civil War and Reconstruction era. His service in Congress occurred during a notable period in American history, and he participated in the democratic process by advocating for the interests and concerns of the people of his district.

At the conclusion of his second term in Congress in 1883, Colerick did not continue in the House but remained active in public life. That same year he was appointed a Supreme Court commissioner, a position he held from 1883 to 1885. In this role, he was involved in assisting with the work of the court, drawing upon his legal expertise and prior legislative experience. His service as a Supreme Court commissioner further reflected his ongoing engagement with the legal system and public service beyond elective office.

After completing his duties as Supreme Court commissioner, Colerick returned to private legal practice in Fort Wayne. He resumed the active practice of law and continued in this profession for the remainder of his life. Maintaining his residence and career in his native city, he remained a figure in the local legal community and a former congressman whose public service linked Fort Wayne to the national political arena.

Walpole Gillespie Colerick died in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on January 11, 1911. He was interred in Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne. His career encompassed both legal practice and public office, including two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and service as a Supreme Court commissioner, marking him as a notable figure in Indiana’s political and legal history in the late nineteenth century.