John James Gilchrist (February 16, 1809 – April 29, 1858) was a Justice and chief justice of the

New Hampshire Superior Court of Judicature The New Hampshire Supreme Court is the supreme court of the U. S. state of New Hampshire and sole appellate court of the state. The Supreme Court is seated in the state capital, Concord. The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and four Associa ...

and a judge and Presiding Judge of the Court of Claims.

Education and career

Born on February 16, 1809, in Medford,

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, graduated from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

in 1828, and graduated from

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States. Each class ...

in 1831. He entered private practice in Charlestown,

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 ...

from 1831 to 1836. He was a member of the

New Hampshire House of Representatives The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court, the bicameral legislature of the state of New Hampshire. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members coming from 204 legislative district ...

from 1836 to 1837. He was register of probate for Sullivan County, New Hampshire in 1836. He was a justice of the

(now the

Supreme Court of New Hampshire The New Hampshire Supreme Court is the supreme court of the U. S. state of New Hampshire and sole appellate court of the state. The Supreme Court is seated in the state capital, Concord. The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and four Associat ...

) from 1840 to 1855, serving as chief justice from 1848 to 1855.

Federal judicial service

Gilchrist was nominated by President Franklin Pierce on March 3, 1855, to the Court of Claims (later the

United States Court of Claims The Court of Claims was a federal court that heard claims against the United States government. It was established in 1855, renamed in 1948 to the United States Court of Claims (), and abolished in 1982. Then, its jurisdiction was assumed by the n ...

), to a new seat authorized by 10 Stat. 612. He was confirmed by the

United States Senate 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 ...

on March 3, 1855, and received his commission the same day. He served as Presiding Judge from 1855 to 1858. His service terminated on April 29, 1858, due to his death in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

References

Sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gilchrist, John James 1809 births 1858 deaths People from Charlestown, New Hampshire Harvard Law School alumni Members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives Chief Justices of the New Hampshire Supreme Court Judges of the United States Court of Claims United States Article I federal judges appointed by Franklin Pierce 19th-century American judges Harvard College alumni 19th-century American politicians