John Stephen (1780 – July 26, 1844)''The American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge'' (1842), p. 22. was a Maryland public official and judge who served as a justice of the

Maryland Court of Appeals The Supreme Court of Maryland is the state supreme court, highest court of the U.S. state of Maryland. Its name was changed on December 14, 2022, from the Maryland Court of Appeals, after a voter-approved change to the state constitution. The cou ...

from 1822 to 1844.

Biography

Born in St. Mary's County, Maryland to the Rev. John Stephen, minister of All Faith's Church, Stephen was elected to the

Maryland House of Delegates The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the legislature of the State of Maryland. It consists of 141 delegates elected from 47 districts. The House of Delegates Chamber is in the Maryland State House on State Circle in Annapolis, ...

for Baltimore City from 1804 to 1805. On March 17, 1806, President

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...

nominated Stephen to serve as

United States Attorney United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...

for the District of Maryland. Stephen resigned from that office in 1810,''Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States'' (1810), p. 294. and thereafter served as a Member of Governors' Council from 1810 to 1811, and as a member of the

Maryland Senate The Maryland Senate, sometimes referred to as the Maryland State Senate, is the upper house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. Composed of 47 senators elected from an equal number of constituent single- ...

representing the Western Shore from 1812 to 1815. He lived in Annapolis from 1817 to 1818, and again served on the Governors' Council from 1819 to 1820, and in the Maryland Senate in 1821. In 1822, Stephen was named to the Maryland Court of Appeals, where he remained until his death in 1844. He was described as a "learned and able jurist" who "obtained a high reputation as a judge".

Personal life and death

Stephen married Juliana J. Brice, daughter of Colonel

James Brice James Brice (August 26, 1746 – July 11, 1801) was an American planter, lawyer, and politician from Annapolis, Maryland. He was Governor of Maryland in 1792, and one of the largest land owners on the east coast. James was born in Annapolis an ...

, on November 1, 1808.Joshua Dorsey Warfield, ''The Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland'' (1905), p. 157. They resided at Stephen's estate, called "Bostwick", in Bladensburg,

Prince George's County ) , demonym = Prince Georgian , ZIP codes = 20607–20774 , area codes = 240, 301 , founded date = April 23 , founded year = 1696 , named for = Prince George of Denmark , leader_title = Executive , leader_name = Angela D. Alsobrook ...

, and they had eight sons. Stephen died in

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

, at about age 64.

References

1780 births 1844 deaths People from St. Mary's County, Maryland United States Attorneys for the District of Maryland Members of the Maryland House of Delegates Maryland state senators Judges of the Maryland Court of Appeals {{Maryland-state-judge-stub