Alexander S. Johnson
Encyclopedia
Alexander Smith Johnson (July 30, 1817 Utica
, Oneida County, New York
- January 26, 1878 Nassau
, New Providence
, The Bahamas
) was an American lawyer and politician from New York
. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
from 1858 to 1859.
and Abigail Louisa Smith (Adams) Johnson (1798–1836, granddaughter of President John Adams
).
He graduated from Yale College
in 1835. Then he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1838, and commenced practice in Utica in partnership with Samuel Beardsley
. In 1839 he removed to New York City
and formed a partnership with Elisha P. Hurlbut.
In 1852, Johnson married Catherine M. Crysler (1833–1898), and they had four children.
He was a judge of the New York Court of Appeals
from 1852 to 1859, elected on the Democratic ticket, and was Chief Judge from 1858 to 1859. In 1859, Hamilton College conferred the title of LL.D. on him. In November 1859, he was defeated for re-election by Republican Henry E. Davies
. Afterwards he resumed his law practice in Utica.
In 1864, he was appointed United States Commissioner for the settlement of the claims of the Hudson Bay and Puget Sound Companies under the Oregon Treaty
, Great Britain being represented by Sir John Rose, 1st Baronet. Warm praise was awarded Judge Johnson in both England and Canada for the sagacity that he displayed in the peaceful settlement of these difficulties, which at one time threatened serious results.
In December 1873, he was appointed to the Court of Appeals by Governor John Adams Dix
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Rufus W. Peckham, Sr.
. In November 1874, he ran for a full term on the Republican ticket, but was defeated, and left the bench on December 31, 1874.
In October 1875, he was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant
Circuit Judge of the Second U. S. Judicial Circuit
. He died in office in 1878, and was buried at the Forest Hill Cemetery
in Utica, NY.
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, Oneida County, New York
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
- January 26, 1878 Nassau
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, New Providence
New Providence
New Providence is the most populous island in the Bahamas, containing more than 70% of the total population. It also houses the national capital city, Nassau.The island was originally under Spanish control following Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, but the Spanish government showed...
, The Bahamas
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
) was an American lawyer and politician from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
from 1858 to 1859.
Life
He was the son of Alexander Bryan JohnsonAlexander Bryan Johnson
Alexander Bryan Johnson was an American philosopher and banker.-Biography:Born in Gosport, Hampshire, England, at age 16 he emigrated to the United States, and settled at Utica, where he was a banker for many years...
and Abigail Louisa Smith (Adams) Johnson (1798–1836, granddaughter of President John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
).
He graduated from Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
in 1835. Then he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1838, and commenced practice in Utica in partnership with Samuel Beardsley
Samuel Beardsley
Samuel Beardsley was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:...
. In 1839 he removed to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and formed a partnership with Elisha P. Hurlbut.
In 1852, Johnson married Catherine M. Crysler (1833–1898), and they had four children.
He was a judge of the New York Court of Appeals
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
from 1852 to 1859, elected on the Democratic ticket, and was Chief Judge from 1858 to 1859. In 1859, Hamilton College conferred the title of LL.D. on him. In November 1859, he was defeated for re-election by Republican Henry E. Davies
Henry E. Davies (judge)
Henry Ebenezer Davies was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1866 to 1867....
. Afterwards he resumed his law practice in Utica.
In 1864, he was appointed United States Commissioner for the settlement of the claims of the Hudson Bay and Puget Sound Companies under the Oregon Treaty
Oregon Treaty
The Oregon Treaty is a treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States that was signed on June 15, 1846, in Washington, D.C. The treaty brought an end to the Oregon boundary dispute by settling competing American and British claims to the Oregon Country, which had been jointly occupied by...
, Great Britain being represented by Sir John Rose, 1st Baronet. Warm praise was awarded Judge Johnson in both England and Canada for the sagacity that he displayed in the peaceful settlement of these difficulties, which at one time threatened serious results.
In December 1873, he was appointed to the Court of Appeals by Governor John Adams Dix
John Adams Dix
John Adams Dix was an American politician from New York. He served as Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Senator, and the 24th Governor of New York. He was also a Union major general during the Civil War.-Early life and career:...
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Rufus W. Peckham, Sr.
Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1809-1873)
Rufus Wheeler Peckham was a judge and congressman from New York, and the father of a U.S. Supreme Court justice.-Biography:...
. In November 1874, he ran for a full term on the Republican ticket, but was defeated, and left the bench on December 31, 1874.
In October 1875, he was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
Circuit Judge of the Second U. S. Judicial Circuit
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
. He died in office in 1878, and was buried at the Forest Hill Cemetery
Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica
-Notable burials:*Ezekiel Bacon , represented Massachusetts's 12th congressional district from 1807 to 1813.*William J. Bacon , represented New York's 23rd congressional district from 1877 to 1879....
in Utica, NY.
Sources
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/johnson1.html Political Graveyard
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9D02E1D6143BEF34BC4E51DFBF66838F669FDE Sketch of the candidate, in NYT on September 26, 1874
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D07E0DA133BEF34BC4951DFB667838E669FDE The federal judge nomination, in NYT on October 21, 1875
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E01EFDC113FE63BBC4B53DFB4668383669FDE Death notice in NYT on February 3, 1878
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9901E6DA1638E433A25755C0A9649C94699ED7CF His wife's obit in NYT on February 6, 1898
- famousamericans.net/alexandersmithjohnson/
- The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (page 348; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)