Smith Thompson
Encyclopedia
Smith Thompson was a United States Secretary of the Navy
from 1818 to 1823, and a United States Supreme Court Associate Justice
from 1823 until his death in 1843.
Born in Amenia, New York, Thompson graduated from Princeton University
(then known as the College of New Jersey) in 1788, taught for a short period thereafter, then studied law under James Kent
and subsequently set up a law practice. He practiced in Troy, New York
from 1792 to 1793, and in Poughkeepsie, New York from 1793 to 1802. He was elected to the New York State Assembly
in 1800, and attended the New York Constitutional Convention of 1801. He was appointed to the New York State Supreme Court in 1802, serving as Associate Justice from 1802 to 1814, and Chief Justice from 1814 to 1818.
He was a founding vice president of the American Bible Society
and provided a copy to every officer and enlisted man in the Navy
.
He was appointed Secretary of the Navy
by President James Monroe
, and campaigned for the Democratic-Republican presidential nomination in 1824. When Andrew Jackson
won the nomination, Thompson only reluctantly accepted his appointment to the United States Supreme Court. Thompson received a recess appointment
from President James Monroe
on September 1, 1823, to a seat vacated by Henry Brockholst Livingston
. Formally nominated on December 5, 1823, Thompson was confirmed by the United States Senate
on December 9, 1823, and received his commission the same day. He did not give up his political ambitions there, and took the — now considered unusual, but then quite common — step of running for political office from the bench; however, his 1828 bid for Governor of New York
was unsuccessful, unlike the example of Chief Justice John Jay
, who had been elected governor in 1795. Thereafter he mostly exited political life, and on the court was a staunch opponent of Chief Justice John Marshall
.
USS Smith Thompson (DD-212)
was named for him.
United States Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...
from 1818 to 1823, and a United States Supreme Court Associate Justice
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States...
from 1823 until his death in 1843.
Born in Amenia, New York, Thompson graduated from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
(then known as the College of New Jersey) in 1788, taught for a short period thereafter, then studied law under James Kent
James Kent
James Kent was an American jurist and legal scholar.-Life:...
and subsequently set up a law practice. He practiced in Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
from 1792 to 1793, and in Poughkeepsie, New York from 1793 to 1802. He was elected to the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
in 1800, and attended the New York Constitutional Convention of 1801. He was appointed to the New York State Supreme Court in 1802, serving as Associate Justice from 1802 to 1814, and Chief Justice from 1814 to 1818.
He was a founding vice president of the American Bible Society
American Bible Society
The American Bible Society is an interconfessional, non-denominational, nonprofit organization, founded in 1816 in New York City, which publishes, distributes and translates the Bible and provides study aids and other tools to help people engage with the Bible.It is probably best known for its...
and provided a copy to every officer and enlisted man in the Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
.
He was appointed Secretary of the Navy
United States Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...
by President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
, and campaigned for the Democratic-Republican presidential nomination in 1824. When Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
won the nomination, Thompson only reluctantly accepted his appointment to the United States Supreme Court. Thompson received a recess appointment
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
from President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
on September 1, 1823, to a seat vacated by Henry Brockholst Livingston
Henry Brockholst Livingston
Henry Brockholst Livingston was an American Revolutionary War officer, a justice of the Supreme Court of New York and eventually an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States....
. Formally nominated on December 5, 1823, Thompson was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on December 9, 1823, and received his commission the same day. He did not give up his political ambitions there, and took the — now considered unusual, but then quite common — step of running for political office from the bench; however, his 1828 bid for Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
was unsuccessful, unlike the example of Chief Justice John Jay
John Jay
John Jay was an American politician, statesman, revolutionary, diplomat, a Founding Father of the United States, and the first Chief Justice of the United States ....
, who had been elected governor in 1795. Thereafter he mostly exited political life, and on the court was a staunch opponent of Chief Justice John Marshall
John Marshall
John Marshall was the Chief Justice of the United States whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches...
.
USS Smith Thompson (DD-212)
USS Smith Thompson (DD-212)
USS Smith Thompson was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was the only ship named for Secretary of the Navy Smith Thompson.-History:...
was named for him.
See also
- List of U.S. Supreme Court Justices by time in office
- United States Supreme Court cases during the Marshall Court
- United States Supreme Court cases during the Taney Court
Further reading
- Flanders, Henry. http://books.google.com/books?id=eEQEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Flanders,+Henry.+The+Lives+and+Times+of+the+Chief+Justices+of+the+United+States+Supreme+Court&source=bl&ots=TlVq46f3l1&sig=xFW-bezy_iOIcXW3X8l-bbzddk8&hl=en&ei=kh1TS5atOIzkNc3DuYkJ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=falseThe Lives and Times of the Chief Justices of the United States Supreme Court]. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1874 at Google Books.
- White, G. Edward. The Marshall Court & Cultural Change, 1815-35. Published in an abridged edition, 1991.
External links
- Smith Thompson at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
- Smith Thompson at the Naval Historical CenterNaval Historical CenterThe Naval History & Heritage Command is the official history program of the United States Navy and is located at the historic Washington Navy Yard in the District of Columbia.-Mission :...