US Congressman. He was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the 24th Congress, serving from March 1835 until March 1837, and reelected as a member of the Whig Party to the 25th Congress from March 1837 until March 1839. After attending local schools, he worked as a clerk in a dry goods store from 1817 until 1821. He decided to become a lawyer and studied under the guidance of a local judge and was admitted to the bar in 1823. He established his law practice in Harrodsburg, Kentucky and served as a Commonwealth's Attorney from 1829 until 1835. He soon became involved in local politics and in 1833 he managed the reelection campaign of Congressman Robert P. Letcher. In 1835, when Letcher decided not to run for another term, he successfully ran to replace him. In 1839 he left Congress and returned to Kentucky, where in 1840 he was appointed as Secretary of State. In 1845 he was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives, serving until 1851. In 1850 he was elected Attorney General of Kentucky, the first person elected statewide as attorney general. He served in that capacity until 1859, during which time he wrote The Code of Practice in Civil and Criminal Cases. In 1861 he was appointed US Attorney for Kentucky by President Abraham Lincoln, and served in that capacity until his death at the age of 62. He was the father of John Marshall Harlan, who served as a US Supreme Court Justice from 1877 until his death in 1911.
US Congressman. He was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the 24th Congress, serving from March 1835 until March 1837, and reelected as a member of the Whig Party to the 25th Congress from March 1837 until March 1839. After attending local schools, he worked as a clerk in a dry goods store from 1817 until 1821. He decided to become a lawyer and studied under the guidance of a local judge and was admitted to the bar in 1823. He established his law practice in Harrodsburg, Kentucky and served as a Commonwealth's Attorney from 1829 until 1835. He soon became involved in local politics and in 1833 he managed the reelection campaign of Congressman Robert P. Letcher. In 1835, when Letcher decided not to run for another term, he successfully ran to replace him. In 1839 he left Congress and returned to Kentucky, where in 1840 he was appointed as Secretary of State. In 1845 he was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives, serving until 1851. In 1850 he was elected Attorney General of Kentucky, the first person elected statewide as attorney general. He served in that capacity until 1859, during which time he wrote The Code of Practice in Civil and Criminal Cases. In 1861 he was appointed US Attorney for Kentucky by President Abraham Lincoln, and served in that capacity until his death at the age of 62. He was the father of John Marshall Harlan, who served as a US Supreme Court Justice from 1877 until his death in 1911.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
Family Members
Siblings
Advertisement
