Benjamin F. Thomas | |
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| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMassachusetts's3rd district | |
| In office June 11, 1861 – March 3, 1863 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Francis Adams Sr. |
| Succeeded by | Alexander H. Rice |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1813-02-12)February 12, 1813 |
| Died | September 27, 1883(1883-09-27) (aged 70) |
| Political party | Union |
| Signature | .png) |
Benjamin Franklin Thomas (February 12, 1813 – September 27, 1878) was a member of theUnited States House of Representatives fromMassachusetts and an associate justice of theMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Benjamin Thomas was born inBoston on February 12, 1813.[1] In 1819, he moved with his parents toWorcester, Massachusetts, and attended Lancaster Academy. He was the grandson of publisherIsaiah Thomas.[2] He graduated fromRhode Island'sBrown University in 1830. Thomas studied law atHarvard Law School and with his cousin,Pliny Merrick ofWorcester. He was admitted to the bar in 1833 and commenced practice in Worcester.
Throughout his life, Thomas held several local offices. In 1842, he was elected to theMassachusetts House of Representatives. He was commissioner of bankruptcy in 1842, judge ofprobate forWorcester County 1844-1848, and a presidential elector on the Whig ticket in 1848. Thomas was a justice of theMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1853 to 1859. Thomas continued the practice of law in Boston. In 1861 he was elected as aUnionist to the37th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation ofCharles F. Adams, and served from June 11, 1861, to March 3, 1863. He served on the judiciary committee and the special committee on the bankrupt law. In 1868 he was nominated by the governor for chief justice of Massachusetts, but the nomination was not confirmed by the council. He was elected a member of theAmerican Antiquarian Society in 1840, and would be deeply involved with the society in various ways for the rest of his life.[3] He served on the society's board of councilors from 1842 to 1843, as secretary for domestic correspondence from 1841 to 1867, and as vice president from 1867 until his death in 1878.[4] Thomas died at his home inBeverly Farms, Massachusetts on September 27, 1878, and is interred atForest Hills Cemetery in Boston.[1]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromMassachusetts's 3rd congressional district June 11, 1861 – March 3, 1863 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by | Associate Justice of theMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court 1839–1859 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
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