Calvin Blythe (1790 – June 20, 1849) was a

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

lawyer and judge. He served as state Secretary of State and briefly as Attorney General.

Biography and career

Blythe's father was David Blythe, who came from

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, and fought in the Revolutionary War fighting at Trenton and Princeton. His mother was originally Elizabeth Finley, a niece of

Samuel Finley Samuel Finley (July 2, 1715 – July 17, 1766) was an Irish-born American Presbyterian minister and academic. He founded the West Nottingham Academy and was the fifth president and an original trustee of the College of New Jersey (later ren ...

. Blythe graduated from

Dickinson College , mottoeng = Freedom is made safe through character and learning , established = , type = Private liberal arts college , endowment = $645.5 million (2022) , president = J ...

, and then studied law. He interrupted his studies and fought in the War of 1812, serving with his brother Samuel. He saw action at Chippewa, Lundy's Lane, Buffalo, and Fort Erie, and was noted for his bravery. After the war, he completed his legal education and then started practicing in Juniata County. In 1827 he was appointed state Secretary of State, to fulfill the vacancy formed when the incumbent became Senator. During this term, he was appointed state Attorney General, to fulfill the vacancy formed when the incumbent accepted a judgeship, but he served only three months. In 1828, he married Patience Elliot, the daughter of a judge. Their children included Calvin Blythe Jr., later a doctor. From 1830 until 1839, and again from 1842 until 1843, he was President Judge of Pennsylvania's Twelfth Judicial District. From 1843 until 1845, he was Collector of Customs for the

Port of Philadelphia The Port of Philadelphia is located on the Delaware River in Philadelphia in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Generally the term applies to the publicly owned marine terminals located within Philadelphia city limits along west bank of the river. Th ...

. From 1845 until his death, he was in private practice in Philadelphia. In 1832, the newly founded Pennsylvania College of Gettysburg appointed Blythe to their Board of Trustees, which he served on until 1844. He was the first (1832–5) and third (1838–43) president of the board. He spoke at the College's opening ceremonies.

Legacy

Blythe Township, Schuylkill County, formed in 1846, was named after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blythe, Calvin 1790 births 1849 deaths Pennsylvania lawyers Pennsylvania Attorneys General Dickinson College alumni 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers