Theron Metcalf (October 16, 1784 – November 12, 1875) was an American attorney and politician from Massachusetts. He was a New England jurist and served as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Personal life
Metcalf was born in Franklin, Massachusetts, the son of Hanan Metcalf and Mary (Allen) Metcalf.
He graduated from
Brown University in 1805, and studied law at the Litchfield Law School after graduation.
On November 5, 1809, he married Julia Tracy, daughter of United States Congressman Uriah Tracy.
Career
Metcalf edited the
Dedham Gazette from 1813 to 1819.
The editor was Jabez Chickering.
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Legal
He opened a law school in Dedham in 1828 where he gave lectures.
He was admitted to the bar in Massachusetts in 1807, and moved to Dedham, Massachusetts in 1809 to practice law.
Metcalf defended the arsonist who admitted to burning down the Phoenix Hotel. In the case of Baker v. Fales, he served alongside Samuel Haven in representing a group of church members who objected to the hiring of a minister at the First Church and Parish in Dedham.
Political
In 1815, he was appointed Reporter of Contested Elections for that year.
Honors
Brown gave him the degree of LL.D. in 1844, and Harvard University did the same in 1848.
In 1832 and 1847, he was elected a fellow of Brown University.
Published works
His publications include:
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A Digest of the Cases decided in the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts from 1816 to 1823, including the Five last Volumes of Tyng's and the first of Octavius Pickering's Reports (Boston, 1825)
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An address to the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Brown University: Delivered 5th September, 1832
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Reports from 1840 till 1849 (13 vols., 1840–51)
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the first volume of Digest of Decisions of Courts of Common Law and Admiralty in the United States (1840)
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a Supplement to the Revised Statutes of Massachusetts till 1844, with Luther S. Cushing (1844)
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articles to The American Jurist on the "Law of Contracts."
Edited works
His edited works include:
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Asahel Stearns and Lemuel Shaw, The General Laws of Massachusetts till 1822 (2 vols., 1823)
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George Maule and William Selwyn's Reports
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Russell on Crimes
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Starkie on Evidence
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Yelverton's Reports
Works cited
External links
