William Bradford (politician, 1755)

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William Bradford (posthumous, 1872)

William Bradford (born September 14, 1755 in Philadelphia , Province of Pennsylvania , † August 23, 1795 ) was an American lawyer , politician and United States Attorney General from 1794 until his death .

Studies, war of independence and professional career

The son of an officer in the Revolutionary War first completed general education at the Academy of Philadelphia and Princeton University , where he began a lifelong friendship with senior student James Madison . After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) , he began studying law in 1772 in the office of the later President of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Edward Shippen.

The War of Independence that began in 1775, however, led to the premature termination of his studies with a Master of Arts (MA) , so that he joined the Pennsylvania militia as a volunteer in 1776 . The unit commander became aware of the young man and soon appointed him his helper and later a major on the headquarters staff.

He then became captain of the Continental Army and at the same time company commander in the 11th Regiment of Pennsylvania. In this capacity, he last took part in the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776 . On 10 April 1777 his promotion to lieutenant colonel took place ( Lieutenant Colonel ) and Deputy General Champion for patterns in the headquarters of George Washington in Valley Forge . Because of his wish to remain in the army, he also refused membership in the Continental Congress . Due to illness, he resigned from the rank of colonel in 1779 .

He was then admitted to the Yorktown bar in September 1779 . Since 1785 he was an elected member of the American Philosophical Society .

Political career

Attorney General and Justice in Pennsylvania

A few months later, in 1780, he was appointed Attorney General of Pennsylvania. At the same time he worked as registrar of the Supreme Court of Appeals and as a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania.

He held this office until his appointment to the Supreme Court Justice of Pennsylvania on August 22, 1791. 1793 beseeching him governor of Pennsylvania , Thomas Mifflin , an opinion on the reduction of the death penalty . The opinion he wrote in the form of an essay to the parliament of Pennsylvania ("An Inquiry how har the Punishment of Death is Necessary in Pennsylvania") led to a revision of the criminal law and ultimately to a reduction in the death penalty in Pennsylvania and later in other states .

Attorney General under President Washington

On January 8, 1794, US President George Washington appointed him to succeed Edmund Randolph , who became Secretary of State , the second Attorney General in American history. During his tenure in 1794, the whiskey rebellion called the settlers in the Monongahela Valley in western Pennsylvania, who fought against a tax on alcohol and alcoholic beverages .

He died in office on August 23, 1795 and was later buried in Burlington . Bradford County was named in his honor .

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Member History: William Bradford. American Philosophical Society, accessed May 16, 2018 .
personal data
SURNAME Bradford, William
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American lawyer and politician
DATE OF BIRTH September 14, 1755
PLACE OF BIRTH Philadelphia , Pennsylvania
DATE OF DEATH August 23, 1795