Pueblo County, Colorado
Thomas H. Devine

Contributed by Jean Griesan.

Thomas H. Devine. Among the law firms of Colorado few have gained a prominence greater than that of Waldron & Devine, who have offices in the Ernest and Cranmer building in Denver, and the Opera House block in Pueblo. Since the establishment of the firm, its members, each of whom had previously gained an enviable reputation in the profession, have had charge of many important cases and have represented the interests of a large and valuable clientele. With the prestige which success always gives, they have been able to win their way to a foremost rank among the professional men of the state.

The junior member of the firm and its representative in Pueblo, was born in St. Louis, Mo., September 27, 1860, a son of Michael and Agnes (Hume) Devine, natives respectively of Ireland and Glasgow, Scotland. His father, who emigrated to the United States in youth, spent some time in New York, and from there went to St. Louis, opening a boot and shoe store in that city. His wife was a member of an honorable old Scotch family, whose representatives have been known for integrity and intelligence. Of her children, one daughter and two sons are deceased, while the survivors are: Thomas H.; Mary, wife of William Mann, of Illinois; and Sarah, wife of William Lambarth, of St. Louis.

The boyhood years of our subject were spent in St. Louis and Illinois. He was nineteen when, in 1879, he entered the law office of Knapp & Riggs, at Winchester, Ill. In 1882 he was admitted to practice at the bar of Illinois. In November of 1882 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Scott County, Ill., and at the expiration of his term was re-elected, serving for six years. Soon after he was admitted to the bar he formed a partnership with Hon. J. M. Riggs, M. C., and this partnership continued until 1888, when Mr. Devine came west and opened an office in Pueblo. In 1889 he formed a law partnership with Judge M. B. Gerry, but this connection was dissolved the following year, and Mr. Devine entered into partnership with J. M. Waldron, which continued until 1897. On the 1st of January of that year, Judge A. E. Pattison, of Denver, was admitted to the firm, and the title was changed to Pattison, Waldron & Devine. In January, 1899, the firm became Waldron & Devine. The general business of the two partners is corporation practice, in which they have met with striking success.

It has ever been Mr. Devine's greatest ambition to be a successful lawyer. He has given his entire time to his profession, and has had little inclination or leisure for politics, although he keeps well posted concerning national questions and is a Democrat in his views. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias, and in 1892 was grand chancellor of the state. In May, 1884, he married Miss Kate Gibbs, of Winchester, Ill., daughter of W. C. Gibbs, of that city. They have two sons, David Gibbs and Charles Watson.

Extracted from "Portrait and Biographical Record of the State of Colorado," published by Chapman Publishing Company in Chicago in 1899.



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