Henry Billings Brown

For the Louisiana Supreme Court Justice see Henry Brown.

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Henry Billings Brown
Current Court Information:
Supreme Court of the United States
Title:	Former Justice
Position:	Seat #5
Service:
Appointed by:	Benjamin Harrison
Active:	12/29/1890 - 5/28/1906
Preceded by:	Samuel Freeman Miller
Succeeded by:	William Henry Moody
Past post:	Eastern District of Michigan
Past term:	1875 - 1890
Past position:	Seat #1
Personal History
Born:	March 2, 1836
Home State:	South Lee, MA
Deceased:	September 4, 1913
Bachelors:	Yale, B.A., 1856
Law School:	Read Law, 1860

Henry Billings Brown (1836-1913) was an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States and a judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He joined the Supreme Court in 1890 after an appointment from Benjamin Harrison. He joined the Eastern District of Michigan in 1875 after an appointment from Ulysses Grant. At the time of appointment, he was a private practice attorney and Lecturer in law in Michigan. He retired from the Supreme Court on May 28, 1906.

Early life and education

• Yale Law School
• Harvard Law School
• Yale University, B.A., 1856
• Read law, 1860

Professional career

• Private practice, Detroit, Michigan, 1860-1861
• Deputy U.S. marshal, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, 1861-1863
• Assistant U.S. attorney, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, 1863-1868
• Judge, Wayne County Circuit Court, Michigan, 1868
• Private practice, Detroit, Michigan, 1868-1875
• Lecturer in law, University of Michigan, 1860-1875
• Professor of medical jurisprudence, Detroit Medical College, 1868-1871

Judicial career

Supreme Court

Justice Brown was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Benjamin Harrison on December 23, 1890 to fill he seat vacated by Samuel Freeman Miller. He was confirmed by the Senate on December 29, 1890, and received commission that same day. He retired on May 28, 1906. He was succeeded to this post by William Henry Moody.

Eastern District of Michigan

Brown served on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He was nominated by President Ulysses Grant on March 17, 1875 to fill the seat vacated by John Wesley Longyear. He was confirmed by the Senate on March 19, 1875, and received commission that same day. He served until December 30, 1890, when he was appointed to the Supreme Court. He was succeeded to this post by Henry Harrison Swan.

See also

• Supreme Court of the United States
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

External links

• Biography from "michaelariens.com" (Michael Ariens is a Law Professor)
• Autobiography from The Supreme Court Historical Society
• Justice Brown's Biography from the Federal Judicial Center

References

Federal judicial offices
Preceded by: John Wesley Longyear	Eastern District of Michigan 1875–1890 Seat #1	Succeeded by: Henry Harrison Swan
Preceded by: Samuel Freeman Miller	Supreme Court 1890–1906 Seat #5	Succeeded by: William Henry Moody