United States Supreme Court Associate Justice. Born in Wythe County, Pennsylvania, he relocated to Kentucky in the first years of the 19th Century and served with Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812. After the war, he studied law, was admitted to the Bar in 1815 and commenced to practice law in Nashville, Tennessee. He gave up his law practice for a two-year term as Attorney General for the third circuit, was elected judge of the Tennessee Supreme Court of Errors and Appeals in 1824 and he became the first Tennessee Supreme Court chief justice in 1831. Just before leaving office, President Jackson appointed Catron to the U.S. Supreme Court, on May 1, 1837. He served for the next twenty-eight years, took part in a number of cases of constitutional significance, such as slave desputes and with the outbreak of the Civil War, tried to convince Tennessee State leaders to remain in the Union. He died while in office at age 79 in Nashville, Tennessee.
United States Supreme Court Associate Justice. Born in Wythe County, Pennsylvania, he relocated to Kentucky in the first years of the 19th Century and served with Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812. After the war, he studied law, was admitted to the Bar in 1815 and commenced to practice law in Nashville, Tennessee. He gave up his law practice for a two-year term as Attorney General for the third circuit, was elected judge of the Tennessee Supreme Court of Errors and Appeals in 1824 and he became the first Tennessee Supreme Court chief justice in 1831. Just before leaving office, President Jackson appointed Catron to the U.S. Supreme Court, on May 1, 1837. He served for the next twenty-eight years, took part in a number of cases of constitutional significance, such as slave desputes and with the outbreak of the Civil War, tried to convince Tennessee State leaders to remain in the Union. He died while in office at age 79 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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