Jonathan Sturges (August 23, 1740 – October 4, 1819) was an American lawyer, jurist and politician from Fairfield, Connecticut. He represented

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...

as a delegate to the Continental Congress and in 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 ...

Early life

Sturges was born in Fairfield in the Connecticut Colony where his father, Samuel (1712–1771) was a surveyor. His mother, Ann (Burr) Sturges was Samuel's second wife. His great-great grandfather, also Jonathan Sturges (1624–1700), was one of the original settlers of the town. Sturges graduated from

Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...

in 1759. He earned his master's degree from Yale in 1761, and his

Doctor of Laws A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor ...

degree from Yale in 1806. He read law, and was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in May 1772. He began the practice of law in Fairfield.

Career

Sturges' entry into public service came when his neighbors in Fairfield sent him to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1772. He was returned every year until 1784. In 1773 he served

Fairfield County Fairfield County is the name of three counties in the United States: * Fairfield County, Connecticut * Fairfield County, Ohio Fairfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,921. ...

as a justice of the peace, and in 1775 he served as the judge of probate court. Connecticut sent him as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1786. He served as a member of the Connecticut Council of Assistants from 1786 to 1788. When the new

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

government was formed, the voters elected him to the

U.S. House 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 ...

as a Pro-Administration Party candidate. He served two terms in Congress from March 4, 1789 to March 3, 1793. Upon returning home, he was appointed an Associate Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, serving from 1793 until 1805. He was a presidential elector in 1797 and 1805. Sturges died at his home in Fairfield on October 4, 1819, and is interred in the ''Old Burying Ground'' in Fairfield.

Personal life

In 1760 Sturges married Deborah Lewis (1742–1832). They had four children together: * Lewis Burr Sturges (1763–1844) *Jonathan Sturges *Barnabas Lathrop Sturges *Priscilla Sturges. Their son, Lewis Burr Sturges, would follow his father in the U.S. Congress. Jonathan Sturges, an important arts patron in New York City, was his grandson.

References

External links

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: STURGES, Jonathan, (1740 - 1819)
*

* ttp://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/jonathan_sturges/410501 Govtrack.us: Rep. Jonathan Sturges {{DEFAULTSORT:Sturges, Jonathan 1740 births 1819 deaths Continental Congressmen from Connecticut 18th-century American politicians Members of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut Yale College alumni Lawyers from Fairfield, Connecticut Members of the Connecticut General Assembly Council of Assistants (1662–1818) American lawyers admitted to the practice of law by reading law 19th-century American lawyers Jonathan