Lawyer
Centurion, 1920–1957
Born 11 December 1881 in Baltimore, Maryland
Died 17 November 1957 in Smithtown, New York
Proposed by Wilmot Townsend Cox and John Munro Woolsey
Elected 7 February 1920 at age thirty-eight
Century Memorial
Courtney Nicodemus was born in Baltimore, and graduated from the University of Maryland Law School in 1901. He was admitted in that year to the Baltimore Bar; but in 1905 he came to New York and went to work in the law offices of Pierce and Greer, who were expert railroad lawyers. Thus he came to be a railroad lawyer himself. This field is a somewhat technical specialty, and Courtney became exceedingly competent at it.
In 1909 he became involved with the foreclosure of the Western Maryland, and the next year with the sale of the International Great Northern. In 1915 he was one of the reorganizers of the Wabash, and acted as receiver for this railroad under a court appointment from 1931 to 1941. He was also instrumental in creating the Railway Express Agency and starting it on its way. In all these, and in various similar employments, he discharged his duties with distinction and to the satisfaction of courts, clients, and fellow workers.
In his salad days in Baltimore, Courtney was a generous and gentle soul, and he continued in this temper all his life. He had a buoyant spirit, and a wonderful capacity to see the bright side. His early years in New York were marred by not having quite enough income for the needs of his growing family; but he solved the situation by moving out to Smithtown as his all-the-year-around home; and after a while, of course, his income picked up. During this time, 1922–29, he was at the Century evening after evening, and it was a lifesaver for him. It was also a joy to his fellow members, for he was always cheerful, and amusing, and friendly. In the summer at Smithtown he used to get up early, and pick corn, and bring a great basket of it to the Club. He had an arrangement with the porter on the club car of the railroad whereby the com was rushed up to the Century as soon as the train got in.
Courtney’s wife was ill and somewhat difficult for a long time before she died, and his never-failing care and consideration for her were characteristic of the kind and loyal man he was.
George W. Martin
1958 Century Association Yearbook
