John Samuel Sherburne
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire
In office
March 26, 1804 – August 2, 1830
Appointed byThomas Jefferson
Preceded byJohn Pickering
Succeeded byMatthew Harvey
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Hampshire's at-large district
In office
March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1797
Preceded bySamuel Livermore
Succeeded byWilliam Gordon
Personal details
Born
John Samuel Sherburne

1757 (1757)
Portsmouth,
Province of New Hampshire,
British America
DiedAugust 2, 1830(1830-08-02) (aged 72–73)
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S.
Political partyAnti-Administration
Democratic-Republican
EducationHarvard University
Dartmouth College
read law

John Samuel Sherburne (1757 – August 2, 1830) was a United States representative from New Hampshire and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire.

Education and career

Born in 1757, in Portsmouth, Province of New Hampshire, British America,[1] Sherburne attended Harvard University, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1776 and read law in 1776.[1] During the American Revolutionary War he served in the Continental Army as a brigade staff major.[1] He entered private practice in Portsmouth, New Hampshire from 1776 to 1789, and from 1797 to 1801.[1] He was United States Attorney for the District of New Hampshire from 1789 to 1793, and from 1801 to 1804.[1] He was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 1790 to c. 1793, and in 1801.[1]

Congressional service

Sherburne was elected as an Anti-Administration candidate from New Hampshire's at-large congressional district to the United States House of Representatives of the 3rd United States Congress and reelected as a Democratic-Republican to the 4th United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1793, to March 3, 1797.[2]

Federal judicial service

Sherburne was nominated by President Thomas Jefferson on March 22, 1804, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire vacated by Judge John Pickering.[3][1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 24, 1804, and received his commission on March 26, 1804.[1] His service terminated on August 2, 1830, due to his death in Portsmouth.[1]

Involvement in impeachment, conviction and removal of Pickering

Pickering was the first federal official to be removed from office through impeachment on March 12, 1804.[4] Sherburne, who as a witness for the prosecution managers had aided the case for Pickering's removal even though the latter was insane and did not knowingly commit "high crimes and misdemeanors" on the bench,[5] himself became insane and was for all intents and purposes removed from the bench in 1826, though he continued to receive his salary until his 1830 death.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i John Samuel Sherburne at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  2. ^ United States Congress. "John S. Sherburne (id: S000339)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  3. ^ Lynn W. Turner, "The Impeachment of John Pickering," The American Historical Review, Vol. 54, No. 3 (Apr. 1949), p. 505.
  4. ^ Lynn W. Turner, "The Impeachment of John Pickering," The American Historical Review, Vol. 54, No. 3 (Apr. 1949), p. 504.
  5. ^ Lynn W. Turner, "The Impeachment of John Pickering," The American Historical Review, Vol. 54, No. 3 (Apr. 1949), p. 501.
  6. ^ Lynn W. Turner, "The Impeachment of John Pickering," The American Historical Review, Vol. 54, No. 3 (Apr. 1949), p. 506.

Sources

U.S. House of Representatives Preceded bySamuel Livermore United States Representative from New Hampshire's at-large congressional district 1793–1797 Succeeded byWilliam Gordon Legal offices Preceded byJohn Pickering Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire 1804–1830 Succeeded byMatthew Harvey
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