John McNairy
John McNairy (March 30, 1762 – November 12, 1837) was a United States federal judge in Tennessee.
Born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, McNairy read law to enter the bar in 1788. He opened a private practice in Jonesboro, Tennessee, also serving as a judge in the Superior Court of Law and Equity for Davidson County, Tennessee.
He was nominated by President George Washington on February 17, 1797, to be the first judge of the United States District Court for the District of Tennessee, the seat having been created by 1 Stat. 496. He was confirmed by the Senate, and received his commission, on February 20, 1797. On April 29, 1802, the district was divided into the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee and the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, but McNairy was assigned to both districts by operation of law, and continued to be the sole federal judge serving the state of Tennessee until his resignation, on September 1, 1833.
He died near Nashville, Tennessee.
McNairy County, Tennessee, is named in his honor.[1][2]
References
- ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 195.
- ↑ Bill Wagoner, "McNairy County," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: 11 March 2013.
External links
- John McNairy at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Newly created seat |
Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Tennessee February 20, 1797 – April 29, 1802 |
Succeeded by Seat abolished |
| Preceded by Newly created seat |
Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee April 29, 1802 – September 1, 1833 |
Succeeded by Morgan Welles Brown |
| Preceded by Newly created seat |
Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee April 29, 1802 – September 1, 1833 |
Succeeded by Morgan Welles Brown |