[1] One of five children, he was born in Swanzey, New Hampshire, and sailed with his family that year via the Isthmus of Panama route to San Francisco, California.

[1] Stearns then enrolled at the Willamette University College of Medicine in Salem, Oregon, for one term before leaving to study law.

[1] Loyal Stearns then served as Portland’s police judge from January 1879 to 1882 followed by election to the office of city attorney.

[3] After a short time in that position, he was elected to a seat on Multnomah County’s court, and served from June 1882 to 1885.

[1] Governor Zenas Ferry Moody appointed him to the position, and Stearns won election to a full-term and then re-election until retiring from the bench.