Page:Autobiographies and portraits of the President, cabinet, Supreme court, and Fifty-fifth Congress (IA autobiographiesp02neal).pdf/57

 HENRY BILLINGS BROWN

, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, was born in South Lee, Mass., March 2, 1836; was graduated from Yale College in 1856; studied law for some time in a private office; attended lectures both at Yale and Harvard Law Schools, and was admitted to the bar of Wayne County, Mich., in July, 1860; in the spring of 1861, upon the election of Mr. Lincoln, was appointed deputy marshal of the United States, and subsequently assistant United States attorney for the eastern district of Michigan, a position he held until 1868, when he was appointed judge of the State circuit court of Wayne County, to fill a vacancy; held this office but a few months, and then returned to active practice in partnership with John S. Newberry and Ashley Pond, of Detroit, which continued until 1875, when he was appointed by President Grant district judge for the eastern district of Michigan, to succeed Hon. John W. Longyear; on December 23, 1890, was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, to succeed Justice Samuel F. Miller; was unanimously confirmed December 29, and took the oath of office January 5, 1891; received the degree of LL.D. from the University of Michigan in 1887 and from Yale University in 1891.