Samuel Betts | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New York | |
| In office December 21, 1826 – April 30, 1867 | |
| Appointed by | John Quincy Adams |
| Preceded by | William P. Van Ness |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Blatchford |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from New York's7th district | |
| In office March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 | |
| Preceded by | Abraham J. Hasbrouck |
| Succeeded by | Josiah Hasbrouck |
| Judge of the Circuit Court for New York's 2nd District | |
| In office May 1, 1823 – December 21, 1826 | |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | James Emott |
| District Attorney ofOrange County, New York | |
| In office February 5, 1818 – June 6, 1820 | |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | Henry G. Wisner |
| In office February 15, 1821 – May 9, 1823 | |
| Preceded by | Henry G. Wisner |
| Succeeded by | Ogden Hoffman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1786-06-08)June 8, 1786 |
| Died | November 3, 1868(1868-11-03) (aged 82) |
| Resting place | Woodlawn Cemetery New York City,New York |
| Party | Democratic-Republican |
| Spouse | Caroline Abigail Dewey |
| Relations | Daniel Dewey (father in law) |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Williams College |
| Profession | Attorney |
Samuel Rossiter Betts (June 8, 1786 – November 3, 1868) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as aUnited States representative from New York and aUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Born on June 8, 1786, inRichmond,Berkshire County, Massachusetts,[1] Betts graduated fromLenox Academy in 1803, and was the first from that institution to attended college.[2] He graduated fromWilliams College in1806 andstudied law withThomas P. Grosvenor inHudson,New York.[1][3]
Betts wasadmitted to the bar in 1809 and entered private practice inMonticello, where he practiced until 1812.[1] He served in theUnited States Army from 1812 to 1814[1] appointed as ajudge advocate of volunteers during theWar of 1812.[3] He was a division judge advocate, General Court Martial, for the New York State Detached Militia starting in 1814.[1]
Betts was elected as aDemocratic-Republican fromNew York's 7th congressional district to theUnited States House of Representatives of the14th United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1815, to March 3, 1817.[4][3] He was not a candidate for renomination in 1816.[3]
Following his departure from Congress, Betts resumed private practice inNewburgh, New York, from 1817 to 1823.[1] He was district attorney forOrange County, New York from 1818 to 1820 and again from 1821 to 1823.[1] He was a judge of the Supreme Court of Judicature of New York (now theNew York Supreme Court) from 1823 to 1826.[1]
Betts was nominated by PresidentJohn Quincy Adams on December 19, 1826, to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New York vacated by JudgeWilliam P. Van Ness.[1] He was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on December 21, 1826, and received his commission the same day.[1] His service terminated on April 30, 1867, due to his resignation.[1]
Together withSupreme Court JusticeJoseph Story and JudgePeleg Sprague on theUnited States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Betts oversaw, untangled and interpreted the British legacy ofadmiralty and maritime law in adherence to theAmerican Constitution.[5] He decided numerousprize court cases during theAmerican Civil War.
Betts was the sitting judge for the piracy trial ofCharles Gibbs in 1831.[6]
Betts married Caroline Abigail Dewey (1798–1882), daughter ofDaniel Dewey (1766–1815) and Maria Noble (1770–1813).[citation needed] They had five children.[citation needed]
According to the 1820 U.S. Census, Betts was the owner of two slaves, a female under 14, and a female between 26 and 44.[7] In keeping with New York's gradual emancipation law, under which all slaves were freed by 1827,[8] by the time of the 1830 census, Betts held no slaves.[9]
Betts died on November 3, 1868, inNew Haven, Connecticut.[1] He was interred inWoodlawn Cemetery inThe Bronx, New York City, New York.[10][3]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 7th congressional district 1815–1817 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New York 1826–1867 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
