Henry Marchant
| Henry Marchant | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 38th Attorney General of Rhode Island | |
| In office 1771–1777 |
|
| Governor | Joseph Wanton Nicholas Cooke |
| Preceded by | Oliver Arnold |
| Succeeded by | William Channing |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 9, 1741 Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts |
| Died | August 30, 1796 Newport, Rhode Island |
| Resting place | Common Burying Ground, Newport |
| Education | considerable, based on his committee positions and selection as Attorney General |
| Occupation | Deputy, Assistant, Attorney General |
Henry Marchant (April 9, 1741 – August 30, 1796) was American lawyer from Newport, Rhode Island and United States federal judge. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1779, and was a signer of the Articles of Confederation for Rhode Island.
Biography[edit]
Born in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, Marchant received an A.M. from the College of Philadelphia, now the University of Pennsylvania in 1762. He read law to enter the bar in 1767, and was in private practice in Newport, Rhode Island from 1767 to 1777. Marchant was the state attorney general of Rhode Island from 1771 to 1777. He returned to private practice while also farming, in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, from 1780 to 1784. Marchant was a Delegate to the Rhode Island General Assembly from 1784 to 1790.
On July 2, 1790, Marchant was nominated by President George Washington to be the first judge of the newly created United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island.[1] Marchant was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 3, 1790, and received his commission the same day, serving until his death in 1796.
He was a member of Second Congregational Church of Newport.[2] His farm, the Henry Marchant Farm, is located in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.
Marchant died in Newport, Rhode Island and is buried in the city's Common Burial Ground.[3]
Notable case decisions[edit]
- West v. Barnes (1791), the first case appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States.
References[edit]
- ^ Created by 1 Stat. 128
- ^ Charles Francis Adams: The works of John Adams; Volume 8; Little-Brown; 1853; p. 61. Quoting "William Ellery and others to John Adams," Newport, RI, May 26, 1783
- ^ Henry Marchant at Find a Grave
Further reading[edit]
- Lovejoy, David S. "Henry Marchant and the Mistress of the World." William and Mary Quarterly 3d ser., 12 (July 1955): 375–98.
External links[edit]
- Henry Marchant at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Henry Marchant at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by (new seat) |
Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island 1790–1796 |
Succeeded by Benjamin Bourne |
|
- 1741 births
- 1796 deaths
- Continental Congressmen from Rhode Island
- Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
- People from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
- People from Newport, Rhode Island
- People from South Kingstown, Rhode Island
- Rhode Island Attorneys General
- People of colonial Rhode Island
- Signers of the Articles of Confederation
- United States federal judges appointed by George Washington
- University of Pennsylvania alumni
- Burials at Common Burying Ground and Island Cemetery
