Solomon Lewis Withey (April 21, 1820 – April 25, 1886) was a
United States district judge of the
.
Education and career
Born in
St. Albans
St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman ro ...
,
Vermont,
Withey
read law
Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under the ...
to enter the bar in 1843. He was in private practice in
Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
,
Michigan from 1843 to 1863. He was a probate judge for
Kent County, Michigan from 1848 to 1852. He was a member of the
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, ado ...
from 1861 to 1863.
Federal judicial service
District court service
Withey was nominated by President
Abraham Lincoln on March 10, 1863, to the
, to a new seat authorized by 12 Stat. 660. He was confirmed by the
United States Senate on March 11, 1863, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on April 25, 1886, due to his death in
San Diego,
California.
Sixth Circuit consideration
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 ...
nominated Withey to the
United States Circuit Courts for the Sixth Circuit on December 17, 1869, and he was confirmed by the Senate on December 22, 1869, however he declined the appointment.
References
Sources
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Withey, Solomon Lewis
1820 births
1886 deaths
Michigan state senators
Michigan state court judges
Judges of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
United States federal judges appointed by Abraham Lincoln
19th-century American judges
People from Grand Rapids, Michigan
People from St. Albans, Vermont
United States federal judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law
19th-century American politicians