American judge (1811?1878)
Asa Biggs
|
---|
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/NC-Congress-AsaBiggs.jpg) |
|
|
In office
May 3, 1858 ? April 23, 1861
|
Appointed by
| James Buchanan
|
---|
Preceded by
| Henry Potter
|
---|
Succeeded by
| George Washington Brooks
|
---|
|
In office
March 4, 1855 ? May 5, 1858
|
Preceded by
| George Edmund Badger
|
---|
Succeeded by
| Thomas Lanier Clingman
|
---|
|
In office
March 4, 1845 ? March 3, 1847
|
Preceded by
| Kenneth Rayner
|
---|
Succeeded by
| David Outlaw
|
---|
|
|
Born
| Asa Biggs
(
1811-02-04
)
February 4, 1811
Williamston
,
North Carolina
, U.S.
|
---|
Died
| March 6, 1878
(1878-03-06)
(aged 67)
Norfolk
,
Virginia
, U.S.
|
---|
Resting place
| Elmwood Cemetery
|
---|
Political party
| Democratic
|
---|
|
Asa Biggs
(February 4, 1811 ? March 6, 1878) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as a member of both chambers of the
United States Congress
and as a
United States district judge
of the
United States District Court for the Albemarle, Cape Fear and Pamptico Districts of North Carolina
.
Education and career
[
edit
]
Born on February 4, 1811, in
Williamston
,
Martin County
,
North Carolina
,
[1]
Biggs attended the common schools and pursued classical studies, then
read law
in 1831.
[1]
He was admitted to the bar and entered private practice in Williamston from 1831 to 1845, and from 1847 to 1854.
[1]
In 1832, he married Martha Elizabeth Andrews; they had 10 children, 2 of which died in infancy.
[2]
Biggs owned "several slaves" as a result of his marriage.
[2]
He was a delegate to the North Carolina constitutional convention in 1835.
[1]
He was a member of the North Carolina House of Commons (now the
North Carolina House of Representatives
) from 1840 to 1842.
[1]
He was a member of the
North Carolina Senate
from 1844 to 1845.
[1]
Congressional service
[
edit
]
Biggs was elected as a
Democrat
from
North Carolina's 9th congressional district
to the
United States House of Representatives
of the
29th United States Congress
, serving from March 4, 1845, to March 3, 1847.
[3]
He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1846.
[3]
He was a member of a commission to codify North Carolina laws in 1851 along with
Bartholomew F. Moore
and
Romulous M. Saunders
.
[3]
[4]
He was elected as a Democrat to the
United States Senate
and served from March 4, 1855, until May 5, 1858, when he resigned to accept a federal judicial post.
[3]
Federal judicial service
[
edit
]
Biggs was nominated by President
James Buchanan
on May 3, 1858, to a seat on the
United States District Court for the Albemarle, Cape Fear and Pamptico Districts of North Carolina
(also referenced officially as the
United States District Court for the District of North Carolina
) vacated by Judge
Henry Potter
.
[1]
He was confirmed by the
United States Senate
on May 3, 1858, and received his commission the same day.
[1]
His service terminated on April 23, 1861, due to his resignation.
[1]
Later career and death
[
edit
]
Biggs was a member of the secession convention of North Carolina in 1861.
[3]
Following his resignation from the federal bench, Biggs served as a Judge of the Confederate District Court for the District of North Carolina from 1861 to 1865.
[1]
He resumed private practice in
Tarboro
,
Edgecombe County
, North Carolina, from 1865 to 1868.
[1]
He continued private practice and was a businessman in
Norfolk
,
Virginia
, from 1868 to 1878.
[1]
He died on March 6, 1878, in Norfolk.
[1]
He was interred in
Elmwood Cemetery
in Norfolk.
[3]
Autobiography
[
edit
]
During the
American Civil War
, Biggs took refuge at
Dalkeith
near the unincorporated community of Arcola,
[5]
Warren County
, North Carolina, where he wrote his
autobiography
.
[6]
Asa Biggs House
[
edit
]
Historical marker, Williamston, North Carolina
The
Asa Biggs House and Site
at Williamston was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
in 1979.
[7]
References
[
edit
]
Sources
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Asa Biggs
.
- Dictionary of American Biography
; Biggs, Asa.
Autobiography of Asa Biggs, Including a Journal of a Trip from North Carolina to New York in 1832
. Edited by Robert D. W. Connor. North Carolina Historical Commission Publications. Bulletin No. 19. Raleigh: * Edwards and Broughton Printing Company, 1915.
- Asa Biggs
at the
Biographical Directory of Federal Judges
, a publication of the
Federal Judicial Center
.
|
---|
International
| |
---|
National
| |
---|
People
| |
---|
Other
| |
---|