# Charles Nelson Pray

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Charles_Nelson_Pray
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Charles_Nelson_Pray.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Nelson_Pray
> Source revision: 1347506669
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

American politician and judge (1868–1963)

Charles Nelson Pray Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Montana In office April 10, 1957 – September 12, 1963 Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Montana In office 1948–1957 Preceded by Office established Succeeded by William Daniel Murray Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Montana In office February 8, 1924 – April 10, 1957 Appointed by Calvin Coolidge Preceded by Seat established by 42 Stat. 837 Succeeded by William James Jameson Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana's at-large district In office March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1913 Preceded by Joseph M. Dixon Succeeded by John M. Evans Personal details Born Charles Nelson Pray (1868-04-06)April 6, 1868 Potsdam, New York Died September 12, 1963(1963-09-12) (aged 95) Great Falls, Montana Resting place Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Cemetery Party Republican Education Middlebury College Chicago-Kent College of Law (LL.B.)

**Charles Nelson Pray** (April 6, 1868 – September 12, 1963) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician who served as a [United States representative](/source/United_States_representative) from [Montana](/source/Montana) and a [United States district judge](/source/United_States_federal_judge) of the [United States District Court for the District of Montana](/source/United_States_District_Court_for_the_District_of_Montana).

## Education and career

Born on April 6, 1868, in [Potsdam](/source/Potsdam%2C_New_York), [St. Lawrence County](/source/St._Lawrence_County%2C_New_York), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)), Pray attended the public schools of [Salisbury](/source/Salisbury%2C_Vermont) and [Middlebury](/source/Middlebury%2C_Vermont), [Vermont](/source/Vermont), and graduated from [Middlebury Union High School](/source/Middlebury_Union_High_School).[1] He attended [Middlebury College](/source/Middlebury_College) and received a [Bachelor of Laws](/source/Bachelor_of_Laws) in 1891 from the [Chicago College of Law](/source/Chicago_College_of_Law) (now the [Chicago-Kent College of Law](/source/Chicago-Kent_College_of_Law)). He was admitted to the bar in 1892 and entered private practice in [Chicago](/source/Chicago), [Illinois](/source/Illinois) from 1893 to 1895. He continued private practice in [Fort Benton](/source/Fort_Benton%2C_Montana), [Montana](/source/Montana) from 1896 to 1906.[2] He was an assistant prosecutor for the Twelfth Judicial District in [Chouteau County](/source/Chouteau_County%2C_Montana), Montana from 1897 to 1898, and Prosecutor for the same district from 1899 to 1906, being elected to that post in 1898, 1900, 1902 and 1904.[3]

## Congressional service

Pray was elected as a [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) to the [United States House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) of the [60th](/source/60th_United_States_Congress), [61st](/source/61st_United_States_Congress) and [62nd United States Congresses](/source/62nd_United_States_Congress), serving from March 4, 1907, to March 3, 1913. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1912 to the [63rd United States Congress](/source/63rd_United_States_Congress).

### After Congress

He resumed the practice of law in [Great Falls](/source/Great_Falls%2C_Montana), [Cascade County](/source/Cascade_County%2C_Montana), Montana starting January 1, 1914. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) in 1916.[1]

## Federal judicial service

Pray was nominated by President [Calvin Coolidge](/source/Calvin_Coolidge) on January 21, 1924, to the [United States District Court for the District of Montana](/source/United_States_District_Court_for_the_District_of_Montana), to a new seat authorized by 42 Stat. 837. He was confirmed by the [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) on February 8, 1924, and received his commission the same day. He served as Chief Judge from 1948 to 1957. He assumed [senior status](/source/Senior_status) on April 10, 1957. His service terminated on September 12, 1963, due to his death in [Great Falls](/source/Great_Falls%2C_Montana), Montana.[3] He was interred in Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Cemetery.[1]

## Papers

Pray's papers from his life from 1878 to 1963, including diaries and correspondence, are lodged at the [University of Montana](/source/University_of_Montana-Missoula) in [Missoula](/source/Missoula%2C_Montana).[4]

## Honor

The town of [Pray](/source/Pray%2C_Montana), Montana is named for Pray.[5]

## See also

- [List of United States federal judges by longevity of service](/source/List_of_United_States_federal_judges_by_longevity_of_service)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-auto_1-2) ["Charles Nelson Pray"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000508). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-papers_2-0)** ["Charles Nelson Pray Papers, 1878-1963"](https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv17445). Orbis Cascade Alliance. Retrieved September 6, 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto1_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto1_3-1) [Charles Nelson Pray](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1386561) at the *[Biographical Directory of Federal Judges](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_Federal_Judges)*, a publication of the [Federal Judicial Center](/source/Federal_Judicial_Center).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Archives West: Charles Nelson Pray Papers, 1878-1963"](http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv17445). *archiveswest.orbiscascade.org*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Whithorn, Doris (2001) *Images of America: Paradise Valley on the Yellowstone*, p. 92. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7385-0805-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7385-0805-5)

## Sources

- ["Charles Nelson Pray"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000508). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

- [Charles Nelson Pray](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1386561) at the *[Biographical Directory of Federal Judges](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_Federal_Judges)*, a publication of the [Federal Judicial Center](/source/Federal_Judicial_Center).

- This article incorporates [public domain material](/source/Copyright_status_of_works_by_the_federal_government_of_the_United_States) from [*Biographical Directory of the United States Congress*](http://bioguide.congress.gov). [Federal government of the United States](/source/Federal_government_of_the_United_States).

Party political offices First Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Montana (Class 1) 1916 Succeeded by Carl W. Riddick U.S. House of Representatives Preceded by Joseph M. Dixon Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana's at-large congressional district 1907–1913 Succeeded by John M. Evans Legal offices Preceded by Seat established by 42 Stat. 837 Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Montana 1924–1957 Succeeded by William James Jameson Preceded by Office established Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Montana 1948–1957 Succeeded by William Daniel Murray

v t e United States representatives from Montana Territorial (1865–1889) Seat McLean Cavanaugh Clagett Maginnis Toole Carter One at-large seat (1889–1913) Seat Carter W. Dixon Hartman Campbell Edwards J. Dixon Pray Two at-large seats (1913–1919) Seat Evans Seat Stout Rankin Districts (1919–1993) 1st district Evans McCormick Evans Monaghan O'Connell Thorkelson Rankin Mansfield Metcalf Olsen Shoup Baucus Williams 2nd district Riddick Leavitt Ayers O'Connor D'Ewart Fjare Anderson Battin Melcher Marlenee One at-large seat (1993–2023) Seat Williams Hill Rehberg Daines Zinke Gianforte Rosendale Districts (2023–present) 1st district Zinke 2nd district Rosendale Downing

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF FAST WorldCat National United States People US Congress Other SNAC Yale LUX

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Charles Nelson Pray](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Nelson_Pray) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Nelson_Pray?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.