Peleg Emory Aldrich (July 24, 1813 – March 14, 1895) was a teacher, lawyer,

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

and jurist who served as the twelfth mayor of

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...

, and as an Associate Justice of the

Massachusetts Superior Court The Massachusetts Superior Court (also known as the Superior Court Department of the Trial Court) is a trial court department in Massachusetts. The Superior Court has original jurisdiction in civil actions over $50,000, and in matters where equit ...

Early life

Aldrich was born on July 24, 1813, in New Salem, Massachusetts.

Family life

Aldrich married Sarah Woods, of

Barre, Massachusetts Barre ( ) is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,530 at the 2020 census. History Originally called the Northwest District of Rutland, it was first settled by Europeans in 1720. The town was incorpora ...

, in 1850. They had five children, three daughters and two sons.

Early education and career

For his early education, Aldrich attended the public schools of New Salem, Massachusetts. At the age of sixteen, Aldrich entered the academy in

Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts Shelburne Falls is a historic village in the towns of Shelburne and Buckland in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The village is a census-designated place (CDP) with a population of 1,731 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Spr ...

. After he left the academy, Aldrich went into teaching, first in

Ashfield, Massachusetts Ashfield is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Ashfield was first settled in 1743 and was offi ...

, later, in 1837, in

Tappahannock, Virginia Tappahannock is the oldest town in Essex County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,375 at the 2010 census, up from 2,068 at the 2000 census. Located on the Rappahannock River, Tappahannock is the county seat of Essex County. Its name ...

. Aldrich studied law while he was teaching. In 1842 Aldrich entered Harvard Law School, graduating with the L.L.B. degree in 1844. Soon after he graduated from Harvard Law School, Aldrich returned to teaching in Virginia.

Early legal career

Aldrich was admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1845, but he did not practice law there. Aldrich returned to Massachusetts and began working for the firm of Ashman, Chapman & Norton in Springfield, Massachusetts. Aldrich was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar at Hampden County in the spring of 1846. In December 1846, Aldrich moved to

, where he opened a law office. Aldrich would stay in

Barre Barre or Barré may refer to: * Barre (name) or Barré, a surname and given name Places United States * Barre, Massachusetts, a New England town ** Barre (CDP), Massachusetts, the central village in the town * Barre, New York, a town * Barre (ci ...

for seven years.

''Barre Patriot''

For three of the years he was in

, Aldrich edited the ''Barre Patriot'', which was a pro- Whig party newspaper.

District Attorney

In 1854 Governor Clifford appointed Aldrich as District Attorney for the Middle District, Aldrich moved to

Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engla ...

after he was appointed District Attorney. Aldrich served as the District Attorney until 1865.

Political career

Aldrich was a member of the Whig Party until that party dissolved, at which point he joined the newly formed Republican Party.

Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1853

Aldrich was a member of the

Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1853 The Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1853 met from May 4 to August 2 in order to consider changes to the Massachusetts Constitution. This was the third such convention in Massachusetts history, following the original constitutional conve ...

Mayor of Worcester

Aldrich served as the mayor of

, in 1862. It was as the mayor of

that Aldrich was present at the battle of Antietam because he had gone to the front to visit soldiers from the city. In 1865 he was elected a member of the

American Antiquarian Society The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and a national research library of pre-twentieth-century American history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is the oldest historical society i ...

,American Antiquarian Society Members Directory
/ref> which is located in Worcester.

Massachusetts House of Representatives

Aldrich served in the

Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...

from 1866 to 1867.

Later legal career

In January 1865, Aldrich formed a law firm, Bacon & Aldrich, in partnership with Peter C. Bacon. Aldrich stayed in this partnership until he was elevated to the bench in 1873.

Judicial career

In 1873 Governor

Washburn Washburn (alternatively Wasseburne, Wasseborne, Wasshebourne, Wassheborne, Washbourne, Washburne, Washborne, Washborn, Wasborn, Washbon) is a toponymic surname, probably of Old English origin, with likely Anglo-Norman and Norman-French influen ...

appointed Aldrich as an Associate Justice of the

. Aldrich remained on the court until his death on March 14, 1895.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aldrich, Peleg Emory 1813 births 1895 deaths Harvard Law School alumni People of Massachusetts in the American Civil War Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Mayors of Worcester, Massachusetts Massachusetts lawyers Massachusetts Republicans Massachusetts Whigs 19th-century American politicians Members of the American Antiquarian Society People from New Salem, Massachusetts People from Barre, Massachusetts 19th-century American lawyers