Levi Lincoln
Levi Lincoln was a prominent figure in early American history, born into a colonial Massachusetts family and graduating from Harvard College in 1771. He dedicated himself to the study of law, establishing a successful legal practice in Worcester, where he notably served as judge of probate from 1777 to 1781. A staunch advocate against slavery, Lincoln argued several key cases in Massachusetts during the 1780s that challenged the legality of the institution. His political career included serving in both houses of Congress and being appointed as Attorney General by President Thomas Jefferson in 1801. Lincoln played a significant role in reviewing the famous Letter to the Danbury Baptists, which emphasized the separation of church and state. In 1812, President James Madison offered him a seat on the Supreme Court, which would have strengthened the Jeffersonian Republican influence on the court. However, citing issues with his eyesight, Lincoln declined the appointment, leading to an unexpected judicial landscape with Joseph Story, who held Federalist views, filling the vacancy instead. Lincoln's legacy reflects his contributions to the legal and political frameworks of the early United States.
Subject Terms
Levi Lincoln
- Born: May 15, 1749
- Birthplace: Hingham, Massachusetts
- Died: April 14, 1820
- Place of death: Worcester, Massachusetts
Nominated by: James Madison
Significance: Lincoln was a staunch opponent of slavery and a defender of religious freedom and states’ rights. His refusal of a Supreme Court appointment lost the Jeffersonian Republicans the opportunity to gain a majority on the Court.
Born into a colonial Massachusetts family, Lincoln graduated from Harvard College in 1771 and subsequently studied law in Massachusetts. After practicing in Worcester, he served as judge of probate from 1777 to 1781. A highly successful trial lawyer, he argued against the legality of slavery in several Massachusetts cases in the 1780’s. He later served in both houses of Congress. In 1801 President Thomas Jefferson appointed him attorney general. He reviewed for Jefferson, prior to its dispatch, the famous Letter to the Danbury Baptists affirming the “wall of separation between church and state.”
After a further political career in Massachusetts, he was offered a seat on the Supreme Court by President James Madison in 1812. The appointment would have produced a majority of Jeffersonian Republicans, champions of states’ rights, on the Court, but Lincoln, citing failing eyesight, declined the honor, even after confirmation by the Senate. Thus the Republicans lost a potentially reliable judicial ally, while the man who eventually filled the vacancy, Joseph Story, surprised the Republicans by supporting Federalist views throughout his thirty-four year tenure.