Samuel M Blatchford was an American attorney and judge who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from April 3,1882, until his death in 1893.
17 Facts About Samuel Blatchford
2.
Samuel Blatchford was the eldest of five children born to Julia Ann Blatchford and Richard Milford Blatchford, a well known attorney and friend of Daniel Webster who served as a New York State Assemblyman in 1855, US Minister to the Papal States, and New York City Park Commissioner in 1872.
3.
Angelica died in 1868, and Samuel Blatchford married for the third time, to Katherine Hone.
4.
Samuel Blatchford's grandfather, named Samuel Blatchford, was born in England and was the first president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
5.
The younger Samuel Blatchford was educated at Columbia College, where he joined the Philolexian Society and graduated when he was 17 years old.
6.
Samuel Blatchford studied law under Seward and then entered into the private practice of law with his father and uncle.
7.
Samuel Blatchford became well known for preparing summaries of United States circuit court cases, serving for a time as reporter of decisions for the Circuit Court in New York, and developed a lucrative practice in admiralty law.
8.
Formally nominated on July 13,1867, Samuel Blatchford was confirmed by the United States Senate three days later, receiving his commission the same day.
9.
On February 15,1878, President Rutherford B Hayes promoted Blatchford to serve as Circuit Judge of the Second US Judicial Circuit to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Alexander Smith Johnson.
10.
Samuel Blatchford was confirmed by the Senate, and received his commission, on March 4,1878.
11.
On March 13,1882, Blatchford was nominated as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, by President Chester A Arthur, to a seat vacated by Ward Hunt, after two other candidates, Senator George F Edmunds and former Senator Roscoe Conkling, declined.
12.
Samuel Blatchford was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 22,1882, and was sworn into office on April 3,1882.
13.
Samuel Blatchford was an expert in admiralty law and patent law, and authored Samuel Blatchford and Howland's Admiralty Cases, which was considered the most complete work of its kind.
14.
In 1844, Samuel Blatchford was married to Caroline Frances Appleton in Boston.
15.
On what he thought was inside information, Samuel Blatchford sold all his shares of stock on the eve of the Battle of Fort Sumter and the decline in stock prices that took place at the onset of the American Civil War, thus preserving his personal fortune.
16.
Samuel Blatchford died at his home in Newport at age 73 on July 7,1893.
17.
Samuel Blatchford's son received the other half of the income and split the realty with his mother.