William Lewis (judge)

William Lewis (January 22, 1752 – August 16, 1819) was a United States Attorney for the District of Pennsylvania and a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania.

William Lewis
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania
In office July 14, 1791 – January 4, 1792
Appointed by	George Washington
Preceded by	Francis Hopkinson
Succeeded by	Richard Peters
Personal details
Born	William Lewis January 22, 1752 Edgemont, Province of Pennsylvania, British America
Died	August 16, 1819 (aged 67) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Education	read law

Education and career

Born on January 22, 1752, in Edgemont, Province of Pennsylvania, British America,[1] Lewis read law in 1773.[1] He entered private practice in Philadelphia, Province of Pennsylvania (State of Pennsylvania, United States from July 4, 1776) from 1773 to 1787.[1] He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1787 to 1789.[1] He was the United States Attorney for the District of Pennsylvania from 1789 to 1791.[1]

Anti-slavery legislation

Lewis was involved in the drafting and passage of An Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery in 1780.[2] This legislation was the first legal action towards the abolition of slavery in the United States of America.[2]

Federal judicial service

Lewis received a recess appointment from President George Washington on July 14, 1791, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania vacated by Judge Francis Hopkinson.[1] He was nominated to the same position by President Washington on October 31, 1791.[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 7, 1791, and received his commission the same day.[1] His service terminated on January 4, 1792, due to his resignation.[1]

Later career and death

Following his resignation from the federal bench, Lewis resumed private practice in Philadelphia from 1792 to 1817.[1] He died on August 16, 1819, in Philadelphia.[1]

Other accomplishments and residence

Lewis is also known for advising Alexander Hamilton on the first national bank and building the Historic Strawberry Mansion in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park in 1789.[3] At the time the house was known as Summerville.[3] Lewis died peacefully at Summerville, at the age of 68.[3] The house was converted into a historic house museum in 1931.[3]

Further reading

• McFarland, Esther Ann - Herr, Mickey William Lewis, Esquire: Enlightened Statesman, Profound Lawyer, and Useful Citizen (2012) Diane Publishing Company ISBN 978-1-4578-3208-6

References

1. William Lewis at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
3. Ashmeade, Henry Graham (1884). History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co. pp. 560–561. Retrieved 7 June 2017.

Sources

• William Lewis at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Historic Strawberry Mansion Official Website