Theodore Sedgwick III (January 27, 1811 – December 9, 1859) was an American attorney and author on legal topics. He was born in

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York City ...

, the son of

Theodore Sedgwick Theodore Sedgwick (May 9, 1746January 24, 1813) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served in elected state government and as a delegate to the Continental Congress, a U.S. representative, and a senator from Massachusetts. H ...

II (1780–1839) and Susan Anne Ridley Sedgwick (1788–1867). He was a grandson of

(1746–1813). He graduated from Columbia College in 1829. He then studied 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, 1833. Sedgwick spent 15 months in Europe, primarily as a member of

Edward Livingston Edward Livingston (May 28, 1764May 23, 1836) was an American jurist and statesman. He was an influential figure in the drafting of the Louisiana Civil Code of 1825, a civil code based largely on the Napoleonic Code. Livingston represented both ...

's legation when Livingston served as U.S. Minister to France. On his return home in May 1835, he joined his uncle Robert Sedgwick's law practice in New York. He took over the practice when Robert was debilitated by a stroke in 1838, and remained active until 1850. Ill health forced Sedgwick to retire in 1850. He spent the next several years traveling in Europe, including visits to Italy, Switzerland, France, and England. In 1852, he became president of the Crystal Palace Association, organizing the construction of the building for the New York World's Fair. In 1857, Sedgwick declined President

James Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and repr ...

's offers to become Minister to the Netherlands and assistant secretary of state. In 1858, he became

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York is the chief federal law enforcement officer in eight New York counties: New York (Manhattan), Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess and Sullivan. Establishe ...

. Sedgwick died in Stockbridge on December 9, 1859. He was buried at Stockbridge Cemetery. His writings include his edition of the political writings of William Leggett (two volumes, 1840); ''Treatise on the Measure of Damages'' (1847; eighth edition, 1891); ''Treatise on the Rules which Govern the Interpretation and Application of Statutory and Constitutional Law'' (1857; second edition, 1874); and ''Thoughts on the Proposed Annexation of Texas'' (1844, originally published 1843 as letters to the

New York Evening Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com. It was established i ...

), which declared the annexation of Texas unconstitutional.

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External links

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Theodore SEDGWICK III / Sarah Morgan ASHBURNER
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sedgwick, Theodore 1811 births 1859 deaths American legal writers American people of English descent Columbia College (New York) alumni United States Attorneys for the Southern District of New York Writers from Albany, New York Sedgwick family