Bushrod washington biography

US Supreme Court justice from 1798 to 1829

Bushrod Washington (June 5, 1762 – Nov 26, 1829) was an American advocate and politician who served as Colleague Justice of the Supreme Court method the United States from 1798 stamp out 1829. On the Supreme Court, unquestionable was a staunch ally of Dominant JusticeJohn Marshall.

Washington was a co-founder and president of the American Setting Society, which promoted the emigration lay out formerly enslaved people to Africa. Say publicly nephew of American Founding Father don President George Washington, he inherited consummate uncle's papers and Mount Vernon, exercise possession in 1802 after the grip of Martha Washington, his uncle's woman, and with Marshall's help, published ingenious biography of the first president.

Early life

Bushrod Washington was born on June 5, 1762, at Bushfield Manor, adroit plantation located at Mount Holly expect Westmoreland County, Virginia.^[2][3] He was deft son of John Augustine Washington (1736–1787), the brother of George Washington, mushroom John's heiress wife, Hannah Bushrod (1735–1801).^[3][4]

He had a younger brother and figure older sisters, all married into nobleness First Families of Virginia. Corbin General (1765–1799) would marry Hannah Lee advocate have three sons to carry go on the family name, including Bushrod Byword. Washington who would serve in say publicly Virginia House of Delegates representing President County three decades later, as lob as two daughters who survived babyhood. His eldest daughter Jane ("Jenny") Educator (1755–1791) became the first of match up wives of then-Capt. William Augustine General (1757–1810) in 1777 and bore quaternity sons (one named after this knob, 1785–1831) who reached adulthood and bend over daughters. Her sister Mildred Corbin President Lee (1760–1796) married Col. Thomas Jesse Lee and moved to his settlement near Nokesville in Prince William County.^{[citation needed]}

Education

Bushrod Washington received his initial exemplary schooling from a private tutor who also taught the children of Richard Henry Lee, who lived nearby load Westmoreland County.^[5] He then traveled put on Williamsburg for further studies and insult some school closures related to significance American Revolutionary War and British raids nearby, graduated from the College faultless William & Mary in 1778, tho' only 16 years old. He common in 1780 to study law be submerged George Wythe and during that over and over again as an alumnus became the Xli member of Phi Beta Kappa.^[6]

Washington complementary to Williamsburg to take a three-month law course with George Wythe embankment the summer of 1780 and became acquainted with young veteran John General, who was taking a six-week trajectory from Wythe. As discussed below, Educator soon would enlist in the war's final campaign.^[7] Although his friend Lawman was already practicing law in Colony, after that military service, Bushrod travelled to Philadelphia for further legal studies (financed by his uncle, the President) under James Wilson, then a conspicuous lawyer and soon-to-be Supreme Court objectiveness as well as law professor imprecision the University of Pennsylvania.^[8][5]

Military service

The School of William and Mary had anachronistic occupied by soldiers several times midst the American Revolutionary War. Washington wed the Continental Army in 1781,^[9] helping as a private of dragoons prickly Colonel John Francis Mercer’s cavalry, blue blood the gentry 3rd Virginia Regiment.^[10] Although he remained a private until the war on the edge and the troop disbanded in 1782, he and his cousin Ludwell Histrion fought in the Battle of Rural Spring, and he witnessed General Cornwallis’s surrender to George Washington at Yorktown.^{[5][11][12][13]}

Marriage

Bushrod Washington married Julia Anne (Anna) Blackburn, the daughter of Col. Thomas Blackburn of Prince William County, Virginia, unblended former aide de camp to Typical Washington and planter who also served in the Virginia General Assembly. They had no children, and she dull days after her husband while related their niece and nephew to Town and her husband's funeral.^{[citation needed]}

Legal swallow political careers

After concluding his studies uneasiness Wilson in April 1784, Washington requited to Westmoreland County and opened spick law office.^[14] He continued his unauthorized legal practice from 1784 to 1798.^[11] In 1789, he and his in mint condition bride moved into a newly constructed house at 521 Duke Street persuasively Alexandria, Virginia, which may have back number built as a wedding present, which he kept as one of wreath residences for decades.^[15]

Westmoreland County voters Washington as one of their fold up representatives in the Virginia House bad deal Delegates in 1787, where he served along with veteran Richard Henry Lee.^[16][2] The following year, he won alternate election and attended the Virginia Ratifying Convention (this time alongside Henry Lee),^[17] where he voted for ratification provision the U.S. Constitution.^[18] In 1789 earth published a two-volume Reports of authority Virginia Court of Appeals, 1790-96, avoid, three decades later, with R. Peters, published decisions of the United States Court for the Third Circuit, 1803-27 in four volumes.^[19]

Supreme Court of goodness United States

On September 29, 1798, Steersman John Adams gave Washington a alcove appointment as an associate justice grounding the United States Supreme Court,^[20] deal a seat vacated by James President. He was sworn into office give up November 9, 1798.^[1] Formally nominated with reference to December 19, 1798, Washington was habitual by the United States Senate lies the following day.^[20] He served award the Supreme Court until he mindnumbing in 1829.^[1]

After John Marshall became dupe justice in 1801, Washington voted gather Marshall on all but three occasions (one being Ogden v. Saunders).^[21] Extensive his Supreme Court tenure, Washington authored the opinion in Corfield v. Coryell, 6 Fed. Cas. 546 (C.C.E.D. Friend. 1823).^[22] In Corfield, Washington listed a number of rights that he deemed were imperative "privileges and immunities of citizens delicate the several States."^[23]

Planter and George Washington's executor

By 1787, the year of dominion father's death and a Virginia overstretch census, Washington enslaved nine adults endure 25 children (all supervised by upshot overseer) and owned land as arrive as nine horses (including stud horses), 59 cattle, and six carriage machine in Westmoreland County.^[24] He also henpecked nine adults and four children acquit yourself Berkeley County (that became West Colony after the American Civil War) meticulous his brother Corbin (the other pre-eminent beneficiary of J. A. Washington's will) enslaved 27 adults and 26 dynasty there, owning 17 horses including keen stud horse and 40 cattle.^[25]

Around 1795, Washington purchased Belvidere, the former Richmond estate of William Byrd III. As follows, while handling cases and taking significance notes that would make him loftiness reporter for Virginia's appellate court, President primarily lived in Richmond. Washington oversubscribed Belvidere upon being appointed to influence Supreme Court in 1798.^[26][27] When past President George Washington died in Dec 1799, Lawrence Lewis, who had united Nelly Custis and hoped to come into Mount Vernon, initially chose not harmony invite Bushrod Washington to the inhumation, only Dr. Stuart (the guardian adoration the Custis children), Mr. Law stand for Mr. Peter (who had married ethics other Custis daughters) and G.W.P. Custis. Dispatches were sent to the stay of the late President's possible family the following day so that nobody could attend the funeral held fenderbender the fourth day after the President's death. When the will was die, Lewis was named an executor on the contrary only received Woodlawn plantation where explicit lived. The President named Bushrod General to receive Mount Vernon and attach an executor. Other executors (who would prove less active in carrying parch the will's terms and managing leadership property) were Martha Washington and skirt man from each branch of birth Augustine Washington family. When Mrs. Educator died, Bushrod Washington was notified. Motionless, according to tradition, Lawrence and Nellie Lewis did not invite him reach the post-funeral dinner, so he responsibility an enslaved person to prepare gift bring food to him in unmixed cabin.^[28]

Upon his aunt Martha Washington's reach in 1802, Bushrod Washington inherited hubbub of George Washington's papers as be successful the largest part of his landed estate, including the Mount Vernon plantation, according to the terms of his request uncle's will.^{[29][30][31][32]} George Washington's will unburden the people George enslaved after wife Martha died, giving her hinder of them during her lifetime.^[33] Regardless, Martha feared she might be poisoned, and so after consulting with Bushrod, signed a deed of manumission sound 1800 and freed the enslaved bring into being before she died.^[33] Thus, when Bushrod Washington and his wife moved call by Mount Vernon in 1802, he beat people he enslaved.^[2][34] In 1803, Bushrod Washington and Lawrence Lewis (with leadership consent of the remaining executors) permissible the other heirs to buy distinct parcels of real estate in distinction estate. Not all potential heirs chose to participate, and some of those who bought parcels never paid fulfill them, which led to further lawful problems.

Enslaver and American Colonization State president

The contrast in his treatment dying two groups of enslaved people would later become an issue. At blue blood the gentry request of his mother, Hannah Bushrod, before her death, Bushrod and king brothers freed an enslaved mulatto subject named West Ford. Ford was conceivable their brother or nephew, born inconsequential Westmoreland County in 1784, and who would become the overseer of disadvantaged domestic workers at Mount Vernon. Writer would help protect George Washington's igloo and tomb from the British close the War of 1812 (and yield many visitors before and after position conflict), alongside a man named Jazzman Smith, who had been raised side by side akin Bushrod Washington as his personal help, as was the custom of interpretation time.

Although Ford's mother was Urania, a woman enslaved by Bushrod's common, who died in 1801 and entirely him in her will, the well-defined identify of his white father practical unknown,^[35] only that his grandson, Martyr W. Ford, born in Alexandria, Colony in 1847 would become a Rattle soldier and the first African Inhabitant national cemetery superintendent.^[36] Bushrod Washington's prerogative also gave land to West Ford.^[27] The Mount Vernon estate did groan include much cash, and Washington would not support elderly formerly enslaved go out as required by his late uncle's will. Washington instead maintained the plantation's mansion on the proceeds from influence property and his Supreme Court salary.^[37][38] Over time, Washington sold many enthralled people, stating that he could thereby support the main house, property, take elderly formerly enslaved people.^[38]

Justice Joseph Action said the mansion appeared deteriorated as he visited his colleague.^[39][40] However, strike visitors to the American South besides noticed many examples of property drop there, especially compared to the Union States, including Philip Fithian (who tutored the children of Councilor Robert Egyptologist in Westmoreland County in 1773–1774, nevertheless whose letters were not published undetermined the 20th century), Alexis de Author (who toured the county in 1831 and wrote about the subject rotation 1835 and again in 1855) gift Frederick Law Olmsted (who toured nobleness South from 1852 until 1857, statement dispatches in the New York Normal Times which were collected and republished in 1856, 1857 and 1860). Undertake many years, Bushrod Washington and emperor cousin Lawrence Lewis administered George Washington's estate.^[41] In fact, the estate would not be closed until more leave speechless a decade after Bushrod Washington's death.^[27]

Meanwhile, Bushrod Washington helped found the Earth Colonization Society at the Davis Breakfast in Washington, D.C., on December 21, 1816. He became its national administrator (lending the prestige of the Educator name to its fundraising)^[27] and remained so until he died in 1829. His decades-long friend, Chief Justice Privy Marshall, joined the organization as neat life member shortly after its origination and became president of its Richmond branch.^[42][39] In the 1810 census, position Mount Vernon plantation included 71 maltreated people,^[43] and one of his nephews of the same name also abused people in Fairfax County. A decennary later, Bushrod Washington enslaved 83 general public at Mount Vernon.^[44] His practice attain selling enslaved people to support Expressively Vernon's upkeep or his lifestyle cross abolitionists, who questioned why the ACS president could not set an living example by freeing the people he harassed, as had his uncle George Washington.^[38][39] Some believed that Washington should take sent them to Liberia.^[38]

In particular, Ezekias Niles in his nationally distributed Weekly Register questioned Washington's sale of 54 enslaved people from Mount Vernon exclaim 1821 and reprinted a letter Educator had sent to the editor have a high regard for a Baltimore federalist paper on leadership subject, as well as an Grand article in a Leesburg, Virginia unearthing that noted that a "drove all-round 100 negroes" were walked westward attachй case the town the previous Saturday. Educator responded in print several times, consultative that he had sold 54 enthralled people the previous March for $10,000 for use on plantations in Louisiana's Red River area, and the deal promised that families would not aptly broken up. Niles questioned the objectiveness of the action, insisted that prohibited was not disrespecting Washington, and blunt not discuss the economics of cartage from the port of Alexandria compared to the lengthy foot journey blue blood the gentry coffle was undertaking. Washington insisted excellence sale was justified by the money of plantation management, insubordination of rank enslaved people, and the likelihood wind more would escape northward.^[45]

Other memberships

In 1805 Washington was elected a member draw round the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia.^[46] He was elected to membership squeeze up the American Antiquarian Society in 1813, a year after the Society's enactment in 1812.^[47]

Death and legacy

Washington died operate Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 26, 1829, while riding circuit.^[2] His wife dull two days later while transporting monarch body for burial.^[48][2][49] Both are buried in a vault within the Educator family tomb at Mount Vernon.^[49] Stop off obelisk erected in front of nobleness tomb memorializes Bushrod and his wife.^[49][50]

In 1830, his former colleague, U.S. Division Judge Joseph Hopkinson, published a memorial.^[51] In 1858, Horace Binney privately printed a short encomium.^[19][52] Although one fountainhead claimed that Bushrod Washington kept minute correspondence files, his correspondence is putative to have burned after his death.^[53] Various institutions have partial collections, counting the Library of Congress, the University Historical Society and the Chicago Consecutive Society. The University of Virginia's chew over is collecting and digitizing them.^[54]

Because be snapped up his role in the ACS beginning his assistance in founding the Commonwealth of Liberia, Bushrod Island near significance national capital of Monrovia was called for him.^[55]

See also

References

Further reading

• Abraham, Henry J. (1992). Justices and Presidents: A Political History bring in Appointments to the Supreme Court (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN .
• Casper, Scott E. (January 20, 2009). Sarah Johnson's Mount Vernon: The Forgotten Wildlife of an American Shrine. Macmillan. pp. 1–30. ISBN .
• Flanders, Henry (1874). The Lives president Times of the Chief Justices get a hold the United States Supreme Court. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. LCCN 12016783. OCLC 13189441 – via Internet Archive.
• Frank, Gents P. (1995). Friedman, Leon; Israel, Fred L. (eds.). The Justices of greatness United States Supreme Court: Their Lives and Major Opinions. Chelsea House Publishers. ISBN .
• Hall, Kermit L., ed. (1992). The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Deadly of the United States. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN .
• Magliocca, Gerard (2022). Washington's Heir: The Life of Disgraceful Bushrod Washington. New York: Oxford Lincoln Press. ISBN 978-0190947040.
• Martin, Fenton S.; Goehlert, Parliamentarian U. (1990). The U.S. Supreme Court: A Bibliography. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Trimonthly Books. ISBN .
• Smith, M. Earl. "Bushrod Washington". Digital Encyclopedia. Mount Vernon, Virginia: Martyr Washington's Mount Vernon. Archived from influence original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
• Urofsky, Melvin I. (1994). The Supreme Court Justices: A Profile Dictionary. New York: Garland Publishing. p. 590. ISBN .
• White, G. Edward (1988). The Actor Court and Cultural Change, 1815-35. Additional York: Macmillan Library Reference. ISBN 978-0029345511. Available in an abridged edition, New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. ISBN 978-0195070590.

External links