John Fairfield
Encyclopedia
John Fairfield was a U.S. politician from Maine.
He was born in Saco, Maine
and attended the Saco schools, Thornton Academy
and Bowdoin College
in Brunswick, Maine
. He then engaged in trade and studied law, being admitted to the bar in 1826, and practiced successfully in his native town and in Biddeford, Maine
. He was appointed a trustee of Thornton Academy in 1826 and served as president of the board of trustees from 1845 to 1847.
He was appointed reporter of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court
in 1834, and was then elected to the United States House of Representatives
as a Democrat, serving from March 4, 1835, to December 24, 1838, when he resigned, having been elected Governor.
He was the 13th and 16th Governor of Maine
from 1838 to 1841, and again from 1842 to 1843, when he resigned, having been elected a United States Senator to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Reuel Williams
, he was then reelected, and served from March 3, 1843 until his death in 1847. During his time in the Congress he was chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Naval Affairs for the 29th and 30th Congresses. He was the author of Supreme Court Reports, published in Augusta, Maine between 1835 and 1837.
He was born in Saco, Maine
Saco, Maine
Saco is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,482 at the 2010 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General Dynamics Armament Systems , a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics...
and attended the Saco schools, Thornton Academy
Thornton Academy
Thornton Academy is a private school serving grades 6–12 located in Saco, Maine.-History:Thornton Academy was first established in 1811, under the name "Saco Academy" in response to a petition by citizens of southern Maine, most of them from Saco, to the Massachusetts legislature, which passed, in...
and Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
in Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
. He then engaged in trade and studied law, being admitted to the bar in 1826, and practiced successfully in his native town and in Biddeford, Maine
Biddeford, Maine
Biddeford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is the largest town in the county, and is the sixth-largest in the state. It is the most southerly incorporated town in the state and the principal commercial center of York County. The population was 21,277 at the 2010 census...
. He was appointed a trustee of Thornton Academy in 1826 and served as president of the board of trustees from 1845 to 1847.
He was appointed reporter of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court
Maine Supreme Judicial Court
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in Maine's judicial system. Known as the Law Court when sitting as an appellate court, it is composed of seven justices, who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Maine Senate...
in 1834, and was then elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
as a Democrat, serving from March 4, 1835, to December 24, 1838, when he resigned, having been elected Governor.
He was the 13th and 16th Governor of Maine
Governor of Maine
The governor of Maine is the chief executive of the State of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive....
from 1838 to 1841, and again from 1842 to 1843, when he resigned, having been elected a United States Senator to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Reuel Williams
Reuel Williams
Reuel Williams was a U.S. Senator from Maine.Born in Hallowell, Maine to Seth Williams and Zelphia Ingraham, he attended Hallowell Academy, and went on to study law. He was admitted to the bar in 1804, commencing practice in Augusta, Maine.He was a member of the Maine Legislature from 1812 to 1829...
, he was then reelected, and served from March 3, 1843 until his death in 1847. During his time in the Congress he was chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Naval Affairs for the 29th and 30th Congresses. He was the author of Supreme Court Reports, published in Augusta, Maine between 1835 and 1837.