Josiah Pierce (August 15, 1792 – June 25, 1866) was an American politician and lawyer in

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

. Pierce, who was born in

Baldwin, Maine Baldwin is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,520 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Portland– South Portland–Biddeford, Maine, metropolitan statistical area. History First called Flintstown P ...

, attended

Bowdoin College Bowdoin College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. When Bowdoin was chartered in 1794, Maine was still a part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college offers 34 majors and 36 minors, as well as several joint eng ...

. After graduating in 1821, he settled in

Gorham, Maine Gorham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,336 at the 2020 United States Census. In addition to its urban village center known as Gorham Village or simply "the Village," the town encompasses a number of s ...

and became a practicing lawyer. Known for his public speaking skills, Pierce served as Judge of Probate for

Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to: Australia * Cumberland County, New South Wales * the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia Canada *Cumberland County, Nova Scotia United Kingdom *Cumberland, historic county *Cumberlan ...

. He also published ''A History of the Town of Gorham, Maine'' in 1862 as well as The Centennial Anniversary of the Settlement of Gorham; Volume 1.

Politics

Beyond his law career, Pierce served as a town selectman for Gorham as well as serving three years in the

Maine 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 ...

. From 1835 to 1836, he was

President of the Maine Senate The position of President of the Maine Senate was created when Maine separated from Massachusetts and achieved statehood in 1820. The Maine Legislature had one year terms until 1880, when an amendment to the Maine Constitution took effect to prov ...

as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

. As Senate President, Pierce was paid $4 a day, double that of other senators.

References

1792 births 1866 deaths Maine lawyers People from Baldwin, Maine People from Gorham, Maine Bowdoin College alumni Presidents of the Maine Senate Democratic Party Maine state senators Historians of Maine 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers {{Maine-politician-stub