John Thompson Nixon (August 31, 1820 – September 28, 1889) was a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

and a

United States district judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district cou ...

of the

United States District Court for the District of New Jersey The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (in case citations, D.N.J.) is a federal court in the Third Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the ...

. Nixon was nominated by President

Ulysses Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

on April 28, 1870, to a seat vacated by Richard S. Field. He was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

on April 29, 1870, and received commission on April 28, 1870. Nixon's service was terminated on September 28, 1889, due to death.

Education and career

Born on August 31, 1820, in Fairton,

Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to: Australia * Cumberland County, New South Wales * the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia Canada *Cumberland County, Nova Scotia United Kingdom * Cumberland, historic county *Cumberla ...

, Nixon attended the public schools, graduated from the College of New Jersey (now

Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...

) in 1841 and received an Artium Magister degree from the same institution in 1843. He read law in 1844 and was admitted to the bar in 1845. He entered private practice in Bridgeton, New Jersey from 1845 to 1859. He was a member of the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

from 1848 to 1850, serving as Speaker in 1850.

Congressional service

Nixon was elected as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

from New Jersey's 1st congressional district to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

of the 36th and

37th United States Congress The 37th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1861 ...

es, serving from March 4, 1859, to March 3, 1863. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1862. Following his departure from Congress, he resumed private practice in Bridgeton from 1863 to 1870.

Federal judicial service

Nixon was nominated by President

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

on April 28, 1870, to a seat on the

vacated by Judge

Richard Stockton Field Richard Stockton Field (December 31, 1803 – May 25, 1870) was an Attorney General of New Jersey, a United States senator from New Jersey and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Edu ...

. He was confirmed by the

on April 28, 1870,FJC Bio is in error regarding his confirmation date, the Senate Executive Journal of the April 28, 1870, indicates he was confirmed on that day. and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on September 28, 1889, due to his death at his summer home in Stockbridge, Berkshire County,

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

. He was interred in

Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church and Cemetery Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church and Cemetery is a historic church on Broad ( New Jersey Route 49) and Lawrence Streets in Bridgeton, Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It was built in 1792 and added to the National Register of H ...

in Bridgeton.

Note

References

Sources

John Thompson Nixon
at

The Political Graveyard The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information. The name comes from the website's inclusion of burial locations o ...

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nixon, John T Judges of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey Speakers of the New Jersey General Assembly Republican Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly United States federal judges appointed by Ulysses S. Grant 19th-century American judges Princeton University alumni 1820 births 1889 deaths Burials in New Jersey Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey 19th-century American politicians People from Fairfield Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey Politicians from Cumberland County, New Jersey