NorthShore Slavery

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Essex County Massachusetts Freedom Case Participants 1760 - 1783

Honorable William Cushing Esq. (1732-1810)

Biography: WILLIAM CUSHING (1732-1810). Harvard 1751. Studied law with Jeremiah Gridley, q.v. Admitted attorney, SCJ, Feb. 1758; barrister, Aug. 1762. Practiced in Scituate from 1755 to 1760 and in Pownalborough (now Dresden, Maine) from 1760 to 1772, serving not only as Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum, Register of Deeds, and Judge of Probate, but as general counsel of the Kennebec Company during the latter period. In [January 15] 1772 appointed Judge of the Superior Court, a post held by his father John Cushing, q. v.) and grandfather John Cushing, 1662-1737) before him. Only royal judge to be appointed to the Superior Court established by the Revolutionary Council in 1775. Presided at its first sessions and succeeded JA as Chief Justice of Massachusetts in 1777, serving until 1789.[Presided over Quock Walker Case as Chief Justice.] A member of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779 and vice president of the state Ratification Convention in 1788. Appointed first Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1789, serving until his death. Appointed Chief Justice in 1796, but resigned the commission after a week for reasons of health. 13 Sibley-Shipton, Harvard Graduates 26-39.
Adams, John, L. Kinvin Wroth, and Hiller B. Zobel. Legal Papers of John Adams. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1965.

Comments: Appointed to SCJ on January 15, 1772. Presided over Quock Walker Case as Chief Justice.

Casar vs. Samuel Taylor (1772) Associate Judge

" WILLIAM CUSHING (1732-1810). Harvard 1751. Studied law with Jeremiah Gridley, q.v. Admitted attorney, SCJ, Feb. 1758; barrister, Aug. 1762. Practiced in Scituate from 1755 to 1760 and in Pownalborough (now Dresden, Maine) from 1760 to 1772, serving not only as Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum, Register of Deeds, and Judge of Probate, but as general counsel of the Kennebec Company during the latter period. In 1772 appointed Judge of the Superior Court, a post held by his father (John Cushing, q. v.) and grandfather (John Cushing, 1662-1737) before him. Only royal judge to be appointed to the Superior Court established by the Revolutionary Council in 1775. Presided at its first sessions and succeeded JA as Chief Justice of Massachusetts in 1777, serving until 1789. A member of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779 and vice president of the state Ratification Convention in 1788. Appointed first Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1789, serving until his death. Appointed Chief Justice in 1796, but resigned the commission after a week for reasons of health. 13 Sibley-Shipton, Harvard Graduates 26-39. His MS Reports (MH-L) and other papers pertaining to his judicial service in Massachusetts are being edited for publication by John D. Cushing of the Massachusetts Historical Society. "

Note Citation: Adams, John, L. Kinvin Wroth, and Hiller B. Zobel. Legal Papers of John Adams. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1965. Volume 1.