William Paterson (jurist)
William Paterson (December 24, 1745 - September 9, 1806) was a New Jersey statesman and signer of the United States Constitution.
William Paterson was born in northern Ireland, moved to the United States at age 2, and entered Princeton University at age 14. After graduating he studied law with the prominent lawyer Richard Stockton and was admitted to the bar in 1768.
Paterson became an outspoken supporter of American independence. He was selected as Somerset County delegate for the first three provincial congresses of New Jersey, where as secretary he recorded New Jersey's constitution in 1776.
After Independence, Paterson was appointed New Jersey's first attorney general, maintaing law and order and establishing himself as the best lawyer in the state. He was sent to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia where he proposed the New Jersey Plan for unicameral legislative body with equal representation from each state. After the Great Compromise (for two legislative bodies), the Constitution was signed.
He served as governor of New Jersey and in the New Jersey state senate, where he oversaw the revision and codeification of the entire state legal system. George Washington appointed him associate justice of the United States Supreme Court in 1793.
Paterson, New Jersey and William Paterson University are named after him.
External link
- http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/RevWar/ss/paterson.htm
Referenced By
American constitution | Constitution of the United States | First United States Congress | George Washington | George Washington/First Inaugural Address | George Washington/Second Inaugural Address | Governor of New Jersey | Historic Members of the United States Senate | List of Governors of New Jersey | List of Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States | List of New Jersey Governors | List of United States Senators from New Jersey | List of former members of the U.S. Senate | List of former members of the United States Senate | List of members of the first U.S. Senate | List of people by name: Pa | List of people by name: Pa-Pd | List of people by name: Pb | List of people by name: Pc | List of people by name: Pd | Past Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States | Paterson, New Jersey | U.S. Constitution | USA constitution | US Constitution | UnitedStatesConstitution | UnitedStatesConstitution/Preamble | United States Constitution | United States Constitution/Amendment Twentyfour | United States Constitution/Amendment Twentysix | United States Constitution/Amendment Twentythree | United States Constitution/Amendment Twentytwo | United States Constitution/Article Seven | United States Constitution/Preamble | William Paterson | William Paterson University
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