John Pierpoint
American judge (1805–1882)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Pierpoint (January 10, 1805 – January 7, 1882) was a Vermont attorney and judge. He served as a justice of the Vermont Supreme Court from 1857 until his death, and was Chief Justice beginning in 1865.
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John Pierpoint | |
|---|---|
From 1894's Men of Vermont Illustrated | |
| Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court | |
| In office 1865–1882 | |
| Preceded by | Luke P. Poland |
| Succeeded by | Homer Elihu Royce |
| Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court | |
| In office 1857–1865 | |
| Preceded by | None (New position) |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin H. Steele |
| Member of the Vermont Senate | |
| In office 1855–1857 Serving with Joseph Warner (1855, 1856), William R. Sanford (1857) | |
| Preceded by | Erasmus D. Warner, Rollin J. Jones |
| Succeeded by | William R. Sanford, Samuel P. Nash |
| Constituency | Addison County |
| Member of the Vermont House of Representatives | |
| In office 1841–1842 | |
| Preceded by | William T. Parker |
| Succeeded by | Enoch D. Woodbridge |
| Constituency | Vergennes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 10, 1805 |
| Died | January 7, 1882 (aged 76) |
| Resting place | Prospect Cemetery, Vergennes, Vermont, US |
| Party | Republican |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic Free Soil |
| Spouse | Sarah Maria Lawrence (m. 1838) |
| Children | 7 |
| Relatives | Robert Pierpoint (brother) |
| Education | Litchfield Law School |
| Profession | Attorney |
Biography
John Pierpoint (sometimes spelled Pierpont) was born in Litchfield, Connecticut on January 10, 1805, the son of Daniel and Sarah (Phelps) Pierpoint.[1] Sarah Phelps Pierpoint was the aunt of Samuel S. Phelps, who served in the United States Senate.[2] In 1815, Pierpoint moved to Rutland, Vermont to live with his brother Robert Pierpoint, who served as Lieutenant Governor of Vermont from 1848 to 1849.[1]
Pierpoint was educated in Rutland, studied at the Litchfield Law School in 1825 and 1826, and was admitted to the bar in 1827.[3] He practiced in Pittsford until 1832, when he relocated to Vergennes.[1] In 1834, Pierpoint received an honorary degree (Master of Arts) from Middlebury College.[4]
After a period of ill health in 1834 and 1835, Pierpoint moved to Fayette, Mississippi to recuperate; he lived there for two years before returning to Vergennes.[1] Initially a Democrat opposed to slavery,[2] he was Addison County's Register of Probate from 1836 to 1857.[1] From 1841 to 1842, Pierpoint served in the Vermont House of Representatives.[1] He was a member of the Vermont State Senate from 1855 to 1857, and served as chairman of the Judiciary Committee in 1856 and 1857.[1] He later became a member of the Free Soil Party,[5] and joined the Republican Party when it was founded in the mid-1850s as the main anti-slavery party in the United States.[6]
In 1857, the Vermont General Assembly chose Pierpoint to serve as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court, following an expansion of the court from three justices to six.[7] He served until 1865, when he was elevated to chief justice, succeeding Luke P. Poland.[7] Piepoint served as chief justice until his death, and was succeeded by Homer E. Royce.[7] In 1871 he received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Middlebury College.[4]