McLean, John, 1785-1861

U.S. Supreme Court justice.

From the description of Signature, [not after 1861 April 4]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 22601579

McLean practiced law in Lebanon, Ohio (from 1807), and served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1813-1816), U.S. Postmaster General (1823-1829), and an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1829-1861).

From the description of Letters, 1826, 1828. (Harvard Law School Library). WorldCat record id: 234339336

U.S. representative from Ohio, U.S. postmaster general, and associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

From the description of John McLean papers, 1817-1861 (bulk 1829-1860). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71063519

John McLean was born in Morris County, New Jersey, on March 3, 1785, and received little formal education in his youth. During the early 1800s, he studied law under Arthur St. Clair, Jr., and in 1807 he began a legal practice in Lebanon, Ohio. McLean won a seat in Congress in 1812 and was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court in 1816; he served until 1822, when James Monroe appointed him commissioner of the Public Land Office and postmaster general. Andrew Jackson named McLean to the United States Supreme Court in 1829, and he served concurrently as a justice on the Seventh Circuit. McLean's most famous published decision is his dissent for Dred Scott v. Sanford . He remained politically prominent throughout his time on the Supreme Court and the Whig, Free Soil, and Republican parties all considered him for presidential nominations. McLean married his first wife, Rebecca Edwards, on March 20, 1807, and his second wife, Sarah Bella Garrard, on March 2, 1843, and had seven children. John Mclean died on April 3, 1861.

From the guide to the John McLean papers, McLean, John papers, 1828-1852, 1844-1852, (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)

American lawyer and legislator.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Washington, to Robert J. Walker, Secretary of the Treasury, 1847 Dec. 7. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270607865

Biographical Note

• 1785, Mar. 11: Born, Morris County, N.J.
• 1807: Married Rebecca Edwards (died 1840)
• 1807 - 1812 : Founder and editor, The Western Star, Lebanon, Ohio
• 1812 - 1816 : United States congressman from Ohio
• 1816 - 1822 : Associate justice, Ohio state supreme court
• 1822: Commissioner, United States General Land Office
• 1823 - 1829 : Postmaster general
• 1829 - 1861 : Associate justice, United States Supreme Court
• 1843: Married Sarah Bella Garrard
• 1861, Apr. 4: Died, Cincinnati, Ohio

From the guide to the John McLean Papers, 1817-1861, (bulk 1829-1860), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)