Henry Marchant
Etching of Henry Marchant by Max Rosenthal
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
In office
July 3, 1790 – August 30, 1796
Appointed byGeorge Washington
Preceded bySeat established by 1 Stat. 128
Succeeded byBenjamin Bourne
38th Attorney General of Rhode Island
In office
1771–1777
GovernorJoseph Wanton
Nicholas Cooke
Preceded byOliver Arnold
Succeeded byWilliam Channing
Personal details
Born(1741-04-09)April 9, 1741
Martha's Vineyard,
Province of Massachusetts Bay,
British America
DiedAugust 30, 1796(1796-08-30) (aged 55)
Newport, Rhode Island
Resting placeCommon Burial Ground
Newport, Rhode Island
EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania (A.M.)
read law

Henry Marchant (April 9, 1741 – August 30, 1796) was a Founding Father of the United States, an attorney general of Rhode Island, a delegate to the Second Continental Congress from Rhode Island, a signer of the Articles of Confederation, and the first United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island.

Education and career

Coat of Arms of Henry Marchant

Born on April 9, 1741, in Martha's Vineyard, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America,[1] Marchant received an Artium Magister degree in 1762 from the College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania) and read law in 1776.[Note 1][1] He entered private practice in Newport from 1767 to 1777.[1] He was attorney general of Rhode Island from 1771 to 1777.[1] He was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress from 1777 to 1779.[1] He was one of the signers of the Articles of Confederation.[2] He resumed private practice in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, from 1780 to 1784, also engaging in farming.[1] He was a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 1784 to 1790.[1] He was a member of the Rhode Island convention to adopt the United States Constitution, which ultimately was adopted by a separate convention in 1790.[2]

Federal judicial service

Marchant was nominated by President George Washington on July 2, 1790, to the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, to a new seat authorized by 1 Stat. 128.[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 3, 1790, and received his commission the same day.[1] His service terminated when he died on August 30, 1796, in Newport.[1] He was interred in the Common Burial Ground in Newport.[2]

Notable case

Marchant presided over West v. Barnes (1791), which was the first case appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Church and farm

Rebecca Cooke Marchant

Marchant was a member of Second Congregational Church of Newport.[3] His farm, the Henry Marchant Farm, is located in South Kingstown.

Note

  1. ^ FJC Bio indicates he read law in 1776, while his Congressional Biography indicates he was admitted to the bar in 1767.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Henry Marchant at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  2. ^ a b c United States Congress. "Henry Marchant (id: M000125)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  3. ^ Adams, Charles Francis (July 19, 1853). "The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations (Volume 8)". Little Brown. p. 61 – via Google Books.

Further reading

Sources

Legal offices Preceded byOliver Arnold Attorney General of Rhode Island 1771–1777 Succeeded byWilliam Channing Preceded bySeat established by 1 Stat. 128 Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island 1790–1796 Succeeded byBenjamin Bourne
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