Leonard Wilcox (January 29, 1799 – June 18, 1850) was an American lawyer, judge and politician. He served as a

United States senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

from

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...

, as judge of the

New Hampshire Superior Court The New Hampshire Superior Court is the statewide court of general jurisdiction which provides jury trials in civil and criminal cases. There are 11 locations of the Superior Court, one for each county and two in Hillsborough County. Jurisdictio ...

, and as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives during the 1800s.

Early life

Born in

Hanover, New Hampshire Hanover is a town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,870. The town is home to the Ivy League university Dartmouth College, the U.S. Army Corps of En ...

, Wilcox was the son of Jeduthun Wilcox and Sarah (Fisk) Wilcox. His father was a

United States representative 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 chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from New Hampshire during the 13th and 14th United States Congresses. He graduated from

Dartmouth College Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native ...

in 1817 and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. After graduation, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1820. He began the practice of law in Orford in Grafton County.

Career

He served as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 1828-1834, was judge of the New Hampshire Superior Court from 1838-1840, and as bank commissioner from 1838-1842. Appointed by Governor Page 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 ...

to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Franklin Pierce, Wilcox was subsequently elected and served from March 1, 1842 to March 3, 1843. After leaving the Senate, he resumed the practice of law. He served as judge of the Court of Common Pleas from 1847-1848, and was again appointed judge of the superior court in 1848, serving until his death.

Death

Wilcox died in Orford, Grafton County, New Hampshire, on June 18, 1850 (age 51 years, 140 days). He is

interred Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...

at West Congregational Churchyard in Orford, New Hampshire.

Personal life

On September 12, 1819, he married Almira Morey, daughter of inventor

Samuel Morey Samuel Morey (October 23, 1762 – April 17, 1843) was an American inventor, who worked on early internal combustion engines and was a pioneer in steamships who accumulated a total of 20 patents. Early life The son of a Revolutionary War Officer ...

. Following Almira's death, Wilcox married Mary Mann on October 10, 1833. He had children from both marriages.

References

External links

*
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

The Papers of the Wilcox Family
at Dartmouth College Library {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilcox, Leonard 1799 births 1850 deaths People from Hanover, New Hampshire Democratic Party United States senators from New Hampshire Democratic Party members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives New Hampshire state court judges New Hampshire lawyers Dartmouth College alumni People from Orford, New Hampshire 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers