Henry Potter (judge)
| Henry Potter | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of North Carolina | |
|
In office April 7, 1802 – December 20, 1857 | |
| Appointed by | Thomas Jefferson |
| Preceded by | John Sitgreaves |
| Succeeded by | Asa Biggs |
| Judge of the United States Circuit Court for the Fifth Circuit | |
|
In office May 9, 1801 – April 7, 1802 | |
| Appointed by | Thomas Jefferson |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Succeeded by | Edward Harris |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 5, 1766 Mecklenburg County, Virginia, British America |
| Died |
December 20, 1857 (aged 91) Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
Henry Potter (January 5, 1766 – December 20, 1857) was, until August 28, 2018, the longest-serving United States federal judge to sit on a single court, and the longest-serving judge in active service. His record was broken by William Joseph Nealon, Jr. Judge Potter served on the United States circuit court for the Fifth Circuit from May 1801 until April 1802, and then served (through various redistricting schemes) as the sole judge of the United States District Court for the District of North Carolina from 1802 to 1857.[1]
Early life
Henry Potter was born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia to John Potter and Mary Howard Hawkins. He moved with his parents to Granville County, North Carolina, where is spent his childhood.[2] Potter became an attorney by reading law sometime around 1790, and had a private practice in Raleigh, North Carolina from about 1792 to 1802.[1] Potter married Sylvania Williams in 1799.[2]
Career
He received a recess appointment from Thomas Jefferson on May 9, 1801, to a new seat on the Fifth Circuit created by 2 Stat. 89. He was formally nominated to that seat on January 6, 1802, confirmed by the United States Senate on January 26, 1802, and received his commission that day. On April 6, 1802, he was nominated by Jefferson to a seat vacated by John Sitgreaves on what was then known as the United States District Courts, Albemarle, Cape Fear & Pamptico Districts of North Carolina. He was confirmed by the Senate on April 7, 1802 (thus terminating his service on the Fifth Circuit in favor of his new position), and received his commission the same day. He thereafter served as a District Court judge for over 55 years, until his death on December 20, 1857.
Potter became a trustee of the University of North Carolina in 1799, and held that position until his death, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He published various books, including an 1816 tract on the Duties of a Justice of the Peace, and, with John Louis Taylor and Bartlett Yancey, an 1821 revision of the two-volume Law of the State of North Carolina.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 "Potter, Henry | Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
- 1 2 "Potter, Henry | NCpedia". www.ncpedia.org. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
Sources
- Henry Potter at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
See also
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New seat | Judge of the United States Circuit Court for the Fifth Circuit 1801–1802 |
Succeeded by Edward Harris |
| Preceded by John Sitgreaves |
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of North Carolina 1802–1857 |
Succeeded by Asa Biggs |
Authority control  |
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