Lecompte, Samuel D., first chief justice of the Territory of Kansas, was born in Dorchester county, Md., Dec. 13, 1814. At the age of sixteen years he entered Kenyon College at Gambier, Ohio, but remained only to the close of his sophomore year, when he went to Jefferson College, Pa., and graduated there with honors in 1834. After leaving college he studied law with Henry Page, a distinguished lawyer of Maryland, and upon being admitted to the bar began practice in Carroll county, Md. In 1840 he was elected to the state legislature; was a candidate for elector for Gen. Cass in 1848; was a candidate for Congress in 1850 as a Democrat but was defeated, the district being largely Whig. Early in 1854 he removed to Baltimore, and in October of the same year was appointed by President Pierce chief justice of the territory of Kansas, which position he held until March 9, 1859. Upon retiring from the bench he located in Leavenworth and opened a law office. After the close of the Civil war he renounced his political beliefs and became a Republican. Judge Lecompte took an active part in politics; served four years as probate judge of Leavenworth county; represented the county in the state legislatures of 1867-68, and on April 15, 1874, was elected chairman of the Republican congressional committee of the First district. In 1887 he went to Kansas City to live with his son and died there on April 24, 1888.