Choate, Rufus, 1799-1859
Dates
- Existence: 1799 - 1859
Rufus Choate was born on October 1, 1799, in Essex, Massachusetts. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1819 and worked as a tutor for the College, to pay of his college debts, until 1820. He entered the law offices of William Wirt in Washington, DC in 1821 and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1822. In 1825, he established a law practice in Danvers, Massachusetts and was elected to the Lower House of the Massachusetts General Court. Two years later he was elected to the state senate and in 1830, to Congress on the anti-Jackson ticket, where he served two terms before resuming his law practice in 1835. In 1841, Choate was chosen to complete Webster's term in the US Senate, returning to his law practice in 1845. Even though he never returned to professional politics, he took an important part in the Massachusetts Convention to revise the state constitution in 1853. Choate died in Halifax, Nova Scotia on July 13, 1859.
Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:
Rufus Choate legal note
Mss 836607
Collection
Identifier: Mss 836607
Overview
Unidentified case note of Rufus Choate, probably from the Essex Superior Justice Court of Massachusetts. The note is dated November 7, 1836 and summarizes cause of action. The parties and significant portions of the document are illegible.
Rufus Choate papers
MS-406
Collection
Identifier: MS-406
Overview
Rufus Choate (1799-1859), lawyer. Dartmouth College Class of 1819. The collection consists of correspondence, student copybooks, manuscripts of lectures and speeches, notes on classical studies as well as notes and briefs for legal cases, account books and a travel diary.