Reuel Washburn (May 21, 1793 – March 4, 1878) was an American judge and politician.

Education and early career

Reuel Washburn was born in

Raynham, Massachusetts Raynham () is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located approximately south of Boston and northeast of Providence, Rhode Island. The population was 15,082 at the 2020 census. It has one village, Raynham Center. History ...

, on May 21, 1793. His father was Attorney Israel Washburn II, LLD (1755-1851) and his mother was Abiah King (1762-1842). He graduated from

Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...

in 1815, then studied law in

Paris, Maine Paris is a town in and the county seat of Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,179 at the 2020 census. The census-designated place of South Paris is located within the town. Because the U.S. Post Office refers to the entir ...

, under

Albion Parris Albion Keith Parris (January 19, 1788 – February 11, 1857) was the 5th Governor of Maine, a United States representative from the District of Maine, Massachusetts, a United States senator from Maine, a United States district judge of the Unite ...

. He was admitted to the Maine bar and moved to

Livermore, Maine Livermore is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. Formerly in Oxford County, Maine. The population was 2,127 at the 2020 United States Census. It is included in both the Lewiston- Auburn, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area and t ...

, to practice law.

Political career

In 1827 and 1828, Reuel Washburn served in the

Maine State Senate The Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constitution ...

. In 1829, Washburn served on the Maine Governor's Council. From 1832 to 1835 and 1841, Reuel Washburn served in the

Maine House of Representatives The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. The House consists of 151 voting members and three nonvoting members. The voting members represent an equal number of districts across the state and are elected via p ...

. He also served as probate court judge. Reuel Washburn unsuccessfully ran thrice for election 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 house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

Family background

His father, Israel Washburn II, also served in the Maine Legislature. His brother, Israel Washburn III, was a Massachusetts politician who served twice 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 ...

(Terms of Office - 1815–1816 & 1818–1819). He married Delia King in

, in 1820 His son was Ganem W. Washburn, Wisconsin State Senator and circuit court judge. He died suddenly in

March 4, 1878. His son was Ganem W. Washburn, Wisconsin State Senator and circuit court judge."Judge Washburn Dies,' Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, October 7, 1907, pg. 1

Notes

1793 births 1878 deaths People from Raynham, Massachusetts People from Livermore, Maine Brown University alumni Maine lawyers Maine state court judges Maine state senators Members of the Maine House of Representatives Members of the Executive Council of Maine Washburn family 19th-century American legislators 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers {{Maine-politician-stub