John McNairy

John McNairy (March 30, 1762 – November 12, 1837) was a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Tennessee, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.

John McNairy
McNairy, early 1800s
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
In office April 29, 1802 – September 1, 1833
Appointed by	operation of law
Preceded by	Seat established by 2 Stat.165
Succeeded by	Morgan Welles Brown
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Tennessee
In office February 20, 1797 – April 29, 1802
Appointed by	George Washington
Preceded by	Seat established by 1 Stat. 496
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Personal details
Born	John McNairy March 30, 1762 Lancaster County, Province of Pennsylvania, British America
Died	November 12, 1837 (aged 75) Nashville, Tennessee
Education	read law

Education and career

Born on March 30, 1762, in Lancaster County, Province of Pennsylvania, British America,[1] McNairy read law in 1788.[1] He entered private practice in Jonesboro, North Carolina (unorganized territory from April 2, 1790, Southwest Territory from May 26, 1790) starting in 1788.[1] He was a Judge of the Superior Court of Law and Equity, Mero District, starting in 1788.[Note 1][2][1] He was nominated to the Territorial Court for the Southwest Territory by President Washington on June 7, 1790,[3] and was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 8, 1790, serving in that post until his appointment to the District of Tennessee.[4]

Federal judicial service

Following the admission of the Southwest Territory to the Union as the State of Tennessee on June 1, 1796, McNairy was nominated by President George Washington on February 17, 1797, to the United States District Court for the District of Tennessee, to a new seat authorized by 1 Stat. 496.[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 20, 1797, and received his commission the same day.[1] McNairy was reassigned by operation of law to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee on April 29, 1802, to a new joint seat authorized by 2 Stat. 165.[1] His service terminated on September 1, 1833, due to his resignation.[1]

The Judiciary Act of 1801 abolished the United States District Court for the District of Tennessee on February 13, 1801, and assigned McNairy to serve as a district judge on the United States Circuit Court for the Sixth Circuit.[1] The Act was repealed on March 8, 1802, reestablishing the district court as of July 1, 1802.[1]

Death

McNairy died on November 12, 1837, near Nashville, Tennessee.[1]

Honor

McNairy County, Tennessee, is named in McNairy's honor.[5][6]

Note

1. The Superior Court was established by the State of North Carolina in 1788 to serve the residents of what would become Tennessee and continued to exist during the territorial period and after Tennessee gained statehood, but was abolished by Tennessee in 1809.

References

1. John McNairy at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
2. Sherrill, Charles A. (October 8, 2017). "Mero District". Tennessee Encyclopedia. Tennessee Historical Society. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
3. United States Senate Executive Journal – July 7, 1790
4. United States Senate Executive Journal – July 8, 1790
5. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 195.
6. Bill Wagoner, "McNairy County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: 11 March 2013.

Sources

• John McNairy at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.