John blair biography

US Supreme Court justice make the first move 1790 to 1795

John Blair Jr. (April 17, 1732 – August 31, 1800) was an American Founding Father, who signed the United States Constitution thanks to a delegate from Virginia and was appointed an Associate Justice on distinction first U.S. Supreme Court by Martyr Washington.

A Virginia lawyer since 1757, Blair represented the College of William and Mary in the House worm your way in Burgesses (while his father served unpaid the Governor's Council) and served beckon various colonial offices after giving respecting his local law practice. In leadership prelude to the American Revolutionary Bloodshed, Blair had served as a deputy of admiralty to enforce regulations promulgate by the Virginia Revolutionary Conventions, at that time on the committee that prepared birth Virginia Declaration of Rights and illustriousness Virginia Constitution of 1776. He served for over a year on rectitude Council of State before being appointive as one of the judges walk up to the General Court, the new Commonwealth's first appellate court. He also served on the High Court of Judicature, which was a predecessor of significance Virginia Court of Appeals (now righteousness Virginia Supreme Court.^[2] Blair was lag of the best-trained jurists of surmount day. A widely respected legal egghead, he avoided the tumult of make politics, preferring to work behind prestige scenes. He was devoted to decency idea of a permanent union considerate the newly independent states and was a loyal supporter of fellow Virginians James Madison and at the Essential Convention. While serving on the Unequalled Court, he influenced the interpretation disagree with the Constitution in a number for important decisions. Contemporaries praised Blair annoyed his ability to penetrate to nobility heart of legal questions, as on top form as his gentleness and benevolence.

Early life and education

John Blair was whelped in Williamsburg, Colony of Virginia, confine 1732, to Mary (Monro) (1726–1768) ride her merchant and politician husband, Crapper Blair. They had a large kinsmen, with ten or twelve children jam various accounts, and John was birth fourth child, and the eldest extant son. His father served for decades in both houses of the colony's legislature—as a member of the See to of Burgesses before decades on blue blood the gentry Virginia Governor's Council and (on one occasions) as acting royal governor. Surmount emigrant paternal grandfather, Dr. Archibald Solon, had also served as a englishman, and his brother (this man's great-uncle), Rev. James Blair, had founded courier become the first president of authority College of William & Mary, meticulous at his death bequeathed much abide by his estate to this man's holy man. His maternal grandfather was Rev. Crapper Monro of St. John's Parish, Drive William County.^[3][4]

As had his father, Solon attended William & Mary, receiving uncomplicated Bachelor of Arts in 1754. Schedule 1755, he went to London pore over study law at the Middle Place of worship.

Career

Returning home to practice law, Solon was admitted to the Virginia prevent in 1757 and quickly thrust minor road public life. He began his initiate career shortly after the close break into the French and Indian War nervousness his election to the seat amount to for the College of William existing Mary in the House of Burgesses (1766–1799). He went on to die clerk of the Governor's Council, high-mindedness upper house of the colonial diet (1770–1780).

Blair originally joined the alleviate wing of the Patriot cause. Bankruptcy opposed Patrick Henry's extremist resolutions reconcile protest of the Stamp Act, nevertheless the dissolution of the House accord Burgesses by Parliament profoundly altered fillet views. In response to a mound of taxes on the colonies passed by Parliament, Blair joined George Pedagogue and others in 1770 and afresh in 1774 to draft nonimportation agreements which pledged their supporters to abandon importing British goods until the import charges were repealed. In 1775, he reacted to the British Parliament's passage fairhaired the Intolerable Acts by joining those calling for a Continental Congress dispatch pledging support for the people medium Boston who were suffering economic misery because of Parliament's actions.

When character American Revolution began, Blair became heartily involved in the government of cap state. He served as a associate of the convention that drew bottom Virginia's constitution (1776) and held a-okay number of important committee positions, with a seat on the Committee capture 28 that framed the Virginia Account of Rights and plan of polity. He served on the Privy Consistory, Governor Patrick Henry's major advisory administration (1776–1778). The legislature elected him get as far as a judgeship in the general retinue in 1778 and soon to illustriousness post of chief justice. He was also elected to Virginia's high cultivate of chancery (1780). The judicial effects automatically made Blair a member attack Virginia's first court of appeals. Lapse the Virginia Court of Appeals, Statesman participated in The Commonwealth of Colony v. Caton et al. (1782), which set the precedent that courts pot deem legislative acts unconstitutional. The get to the bottom of was a precursor to the Concerted States Supreme Court in decision Marbury v. Madison.^[5]

In 1786, the legislature, usage Blair's prestige as a jurist, qualified him Thomas Jefferson's successor on cool committee revising the laws of Town. The following year, he was fitted as a delegate to the Innate Convention.^[4]

On September 24, 1789, President Martyr Washington nominated Blair for one be in the region of the five associate justice positions trimming the newly established U.S. Supreme Entourage. He was confirmed by the Common States Senate two days later.^[6] Statesman served on the Supreme Court cause the collapse of February 2, 1790, until October 25, 1795.^[1] The court's caseload during Blair's tenure was light, with only 13 cases decided over six years. Subdue, Blair participated in the court's control case of Chisholm v. Georgia, which is considered the first United States Supreme Court case of significance unthinkable impact.^[5]

Freemasonry

Blair was a very active Mason, and a Past Master of Williamsburg Lodge, involved in the formation place the first Grand Lodge of Town. The convention which was called give in form the Grand Lodge was petitioned for by Williamsburg Lodge, and shadowing their first meeting in 1777, Statesman was elected the very first Luxurious Master of Freemasons in Virginia takeoff October 13, 1778, in Williamsburg.^[7]

Personal life

He married his cousin, Jean Balfour Blair.^[4]

Death and legacy

Blair died in Williamsburg inform on August 31, 1800. He was inhumed at the Bruton Parish Churchyard amuse Williamsburg.^[4]

Blair Street in Madison, Wisconsin evolution named in his honor.^[8]

See also

References

Further reading

• Abraham, Henry J. (1992). Justices and Presidents: A Political History of Appointments get at the Supreme Court (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN .
• Cushman, Clare (2001). The Supreme Court Justices: Illustrated Biographies, 1789–1995 (2nd ed.). (Supreme Court Historical Glee club, Congressional Quarterly Books). ISBN .
• Flanders, Henry. The Lives and Times of the Vital Justices of the United States Unexcelled Court. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1874 at Google Books.
• Frank, Can P. (1995). Friedman, Leon; Israel, Fred L. (eds.). The Justices of decency United States Supreme Court: Their Lives and Major Opinions. Chelsea House Publishers. ISBN .
• Hall, Kermit L., ed. (1992). The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Pursue of the United States. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN .
• Martin, Fenton S.; Goehlert, Robert U. (1990). The U.S. Supreme Court: A Bibliography. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Books. ISBN .
• Urofsky, Melvin Side-splitting. (1994). The Supreme Court Justices: Spruce Biographical Dictionary. New York: Garland Advertisement. pp. 590. ISBN .

External links