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James Stevens


Gender:
Male
Born:
July 4, 1768
Died:
April 4, 1835
Home Town:
New Canaan, CT
Later Residences:
Stamford, CT
Biographical Notes:
James Stevens was born in New Canaan, CT on July 4, 1768. He attended the Litchfield Law School, was admitted to the bar and began practicing law in Stamford, CT.

Stevens had an extensive political career. He was a member of the CT State House of Representatives 1804, 1805, 1808-1810, 1814, 1815, 1817, and 1818. In 1819 he was elected Judge of Probate for the Stamford district of CT.

A year later he successfully ran for Congress as a Republican. He also was the Justice of the Peace in Stamford from 1819-1826; Postmaster of Stamford, from May 17, 1822 to October 5, 1829; and a Judge of Fairfield County Court in 1823, Stevens later resumed his law practice. He died on April 4, 1835 and is buried in St. John’s and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cemetery.


Education
Years at LLS:
1796

Profession / Service
Profession:
Lawyer; Political Office
Admitted To Bar:
1797
Political Party:
Republican
Federal Posts:
U.S. Representative (CT) 1819-1821
State Posts:
State Representative (CT) 1804-1805, 1808-1810, 1814-1815, 1817-1818
Judge of Probate for the Stamford District (CT) 1819
Local Posts:
Justice of the Peace (Stamford, CT) 1819-1826
Postmaster (Stamford, CT) 1822-1829
Judge of the County Court (Fairfield County, CT) 1823

help The Citation of Attendance provides primary source documentation of the student’s attendance at the Litchfield Female Academy and/or the Litchfield Law School. If a citation is absent, the student is thought to have attended but currently lacks primary source confirmation.

Records for the schools were sporadic, especially in the formative years of both institutions. If instructors kept comprehensive records for the Litchfield Female Academy or the Litchfield Law School, they do not survive. Researchers and staff have identified students through letters, diaries, family histories and genealogies, and town histories as well as catalogues of students printed in various years. Art and needlework have provided further identification of Female Academy Students, and Litchfield County Bar records document a number of Law School students. The history of both schools and the identification of the students who attended them owe credit to the early 20th century research and documentation efforts of Emily Noyes Vanderpoel and Samuel Fisher, and the late 20th century research and documentation efforts of Lynne Templeton Brickley and the Litchfield Historical Society staff.
CITATION OF ATTENDANCE:
Moothall Society Record Books, Litchfield Law School Collection Series 1: Period Documents: Subseries 3: Other Papers lists Stevens as a member.

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