In the 1800s, Joseph Story was an American lawyer and judge who worked on the Supreme Court of the United States as an Associate Judge. At the time, he was the youngest Associate Justice. He was only 32 when he was chosen for the job, and he is still the youngest Supreme Court Justice ever appointed. The story made many important changes to the law of the United States while in this important position. For example, he started the department of admiralty law in the federal courts, worked toward equity jurisprudence and built a department of patent law, and spoke out against the slave trade. Not only did he serve on the Supreme Court, but he was also the first Dane to teach law at Harvard. He must have been a very popular teacher since his work on the Supreme Court helped his students learn more about what was going on in American law at the time. He was also a well-known writer of his time. He wrote many books, articles, and essays about the law.
Early years and childhood
Dr. Elisha Story and Mehitable Pedrick Story gave birth to Joseph Story in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Sons of Liberty was a group that his father was a part of. The story was born after his father got married for the second time.
The story went to the Marblehead Academy until 1794. William Harris, who later became the president of Columbia University, was his teacher there. After Harris beat Story up badly, his father took him out of school.
The story went to Harvard University in 1795, and he got his degree there in 1798. After that, he went to Marblehead to study law with Samuel Sewall and then went to study with Samuel Putnam.
Joseph Story’s Career
After he finished law school, he joined the bar in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1801. He was hired to take care of the law for George Crowninshield & Sons, a powerful Republican shipping company.
In 1805, Story was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. After that, Essex County chose him to represent them in Congress. He worked to get rid of the “Jefferson” ban on maritime trade. Until 1808, he lived there.
After his time in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Story went back to his private practice in Salem, Massachusetts. However, he was re-elected to the state House of Representatives and was chosen as Speaker in 1811.
In 1811, Story became the United States Supreme Court’s youngest Associate Justice. James Madison, who was president at the time, put him forward for the job, and the United States Senate agreed with him.
The story did a great deal to improve the United States’ legal and justice system from the time he was appointed until he died in 1832. He worked for fair laws, spoke out against the slave trade, and did other things to make the world a better place.
In 1829, he moved to Cambridge and became the first Dane to teach law at Harvard University. He was a well-liked teacher, and the fact that he was also on the Supreme Court helped his students.
The story was also one of the most famous writers of his time, and by 1844, he was reportedly making $10,000 a year from the royalties on his books. He wrote books like “Law of Agency” and many more.
The story was about an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, which was his most well-known job. He worked to stop the slave trade and started the department of admiralty law in the federal courts, among other things.
Personal History and Legacies
Mary F.L. Oliver, Story’s first wife, died in 1805, just a few months after they got married. His father also died around the same time.
In 1808, he married Sarah Waldo Wetmore. She was Judge William Wetmore of Boston’s daughter. Mary and William Wetmore Story. They had seven children together, but only two of them lived to be adults.
In 1845, Story died at home in Cambridge. He was buried with other American pioneers from different fields at the Mount Auburn Cemetery. His grave is marked by a tombstone statue that was made by his son.
Estimated Net worth
Joseph is on the list of the most popular and wealthiest Supreme Court Justice. Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider all say that Joseph Story has a net worth of about $1.5 million.
Trivia
This famous judge used to make $10,000 from royalties on his books, but as an Associate Judge, he only made $4,500.
During his life, he wrote many books, most of which were about law, such as “Commentaries on the Law of Bailments” (1832), “The Constitutional Class Book: Being a Brief Exposition of the Constitution of the United States” (1834), “Equity of Pleadings” (1838), “Law of Bills of Exchange” (1843), etc.
William Wetmore Story, who was a writer and sculptor, put together a book called “Life and Letters of Joseph Story (1851)” that was about his life and his beliefs.
The Encyclopedia Americana had articles written by Story.
His son went on to become a famous poet and sculptor in his time.