History of Ellsworth, (Hancock County) Maine United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Ellsworth, (Hancock County) Maine, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

John Andrew Peters - A Biography

John Andrew Peters, jurist, was born at Ellsworth, Maine, Oct. 9, 1822; son of Andrew and Sally (Jordan) Peters; grandson of Melatich and Elizabeth Jordan and of John and Mary Peters, and a descendant of the Rev. Robert Jordan of the Church of England, who came to America about 1642. Melatich Jordan was collector of customs, Frenchman's Bay district, 1789. John Andrew Peters was prepared for college at Gorham academy; was graduated from Yale in 1842; studied law at Harvard. 1843-44; was admitted to the bar in 1844, and practised in Bangor. He was married first, Sept. 2, 1846, to Mary Ann, daughter of Judge Joshua W. Hathaway of Bangor; and secondly, Sept. 23, 1857, to Fannie E., daughter of the Hon. Amos M. and Charlotte Roberts of Bangor. He was a member of the Maine senate, 1862-63; of the house of representatives, 1864; attorney-general of the state, 1864-67; Republican representative in the 40th, 41st and 42d congresses, 1867-73; associate justice of the Maine supreme court, 1873-83, and its chief justice, 1883-1900, when he retired and was succeeded by his nephew, Andrew P. Wiswell of Ellsworth, Maine. Judge Peters was elected a member of the Maine Historical society in 1866, and of the New England Historic Genealogical society in 1896, and a trustee of Bowdoin college in 1891. He received the degree LL.D. from Colby in 1884, from Bowdoin in 1885, and from Yale in 1893.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor