Ross Wilkins

Ross Wilkins
Ross Wilkins
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
	In office; February 24, 1863 – February 18, 1870
Appointed by	operation of law
Preceded by	Seat established by 12 Stat. 660
Succeeded by	John W. Longyear
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Michigan
	In office; January 26, 1837 – February 24, 1863
Appointed by	Andrew Jackson
Preceded by	Seat established by 5 Stat. 61
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Personal details
Born	Ross Wilkins; February 19, 1799; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Died	May 17, 1872 (aged 73); Detroit, Michigan
Resting place	Elmwood Cemetery; Detroit
Parent	John Wilkins Jr. (father);
Relatives	William Wilkins
Education	Dickinson College; read law

Ross Wilkins (February 19, 1799 – May 17, 1872) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Michigan and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Education and career

Born on February 19, 1799, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,^[1] Wilkins graduated from Dickinson College in 1816 and read law in 1820.^[1] He was a prosecutor in Pittsburgh from 1821 to 1823.^[1] He entered private practice in Pittsburgh from 1823 to 1832.^[1] He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1829 to 1830.^[1]

Federal judicial service

Wilkins was appointed by President Jackson as a Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Michigan Territory, on April 26, 1832, serving from 1832 to 1837, and opening his first term of court on June 17, 1832.^[1]^[2] He was recorder for Detroit, Michigan, in 1837.^[1]

Following the admission of the State of Michigan to the Union on January 26, 1837, Wilkins was nominated by President Andrew Jackson on July 2, 1836, to the United States District Court for the District of Michigan, to a new seat authorized by 5 Stat. 61.^[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 2, 1836, and received his commission on January 26, 1837.^[1] Wilkins was reassigned by operation of law to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on February 24, 1863, to a new seat authorized by 12 Stat. 660.^[1] His service terminated on February 18, 1870, due to his retirement.^[1] He never missed a term of court during his entire service on the court.^[2]

Recommendation

John M. Snowden, who stood high in favor with President Jackson, recommended Wilkins for appointment to the office of district court judge.^{[citation needed]} Shortly afterwards a friend of another applicant for the same office appeared before the President and denounced the man recommended by Mr. Snowden, as being utterly unfit for the place. Old Hickory, with eyes flashing fire, roared out: "How dare you say that? Do you think John M. Snowden would recommend a man unfit for the position? No, never by the eternal!"^{[citation needed]}

Other service

Wilkins was also a member of the convention that drafted the Michigan Constitution of 1835, and also of the two conventions held in 1836 to accept terms imposed on Michigan statehood by Congress (see the Toledo War).^[2] He also served on the Board of Regents for the University of Michigan, from its creation in 1837 until 1842.^[3]

Later service and death

Wilkins was a retired attorney in Detroit from 1869 to 1872.^[1] He died there on May 17, 1872,^[1] and was interred at Elmwood Cemetery.^[3]

Family

Wilkins was the son of Major General John Wilkins Jr., who served in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and became the 7th Quartermaster General of the United States Army.^[2] His uncle was William Wilkins, a notable lawyer, jurist and politician in Pennsylvania.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Ross Wilkins at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Bonner, Richard Illenden, ed. (2005) [1909]. "Settlement and Organization". Memoirs of Lenawee County, Michigan: from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Lenawee County. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Library. p. 74. Retrieved February 7, 2007.
^ ^a ^b "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Wilkins". politicalgraveyard.com.

External links

Ross Wilkins at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
Bonner, Richard Illenden, ed. (2005) [1909]. "Settlement and Organization". Memoirs of Lenawee County, Michigan: from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Lenawee County. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Library. p. 74. Retrieved February 7, 2007.
The Political Graveyard

Legal offices
Preceded by Seat established by 5 Stat. 61	Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Michigan 1837–1863	Succeeded by Seat abolished
Preceded by Seat established by 12 Stat. 660	Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan 1863–1870	Succeeded by John W. Longyear

[auto-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Ross Wilkins at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

[auto1-2] Bonner, Richard Illenden, ed. (2005) [1909]. "Settlement and Organization". Memoirs of Lenawee County, Michigan: from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Lenawee County. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Library. p. 74. Retrieved February 7, 2007.

[politicalgraveyard.com-3] "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Wilkins". politicalgraveyard.com.

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