Edwards Pierrepont

Alternate meaning: Pierpont Edwards

Edwards Pierrepont

34th United States Attorney General
In office April 26, 1875 – May 21, 1876
Preceded by	George H. Williams
Succeeded by	Alphonso Taft

Born	March 4, 1817 North Haven, Connecticut, USA
Died	March 6, 1892 New York City, New York, USA
Political party	Republican
Profession	Lawyer, Politician

Edwards Pierrepont (March 4, 1817 – March 6, 1892) was an American statesman, jurist and lawyer.

Born in North Haven, Connecticut, he graduated from Yale University and New Haven Law School, was admitted to the bar in 1840 and practiced law in Columbus, Ohio, from 1840 to 1845. He moved to New York and served as judge of the New York Supreme Court from 1857 to 1860.

In 1862, during the American Civil War Pierrepont was made a member of the military commission for the cases of state prisoners in the custody of the federal military authorities. In 1867 he conducted the case for the government against John H. Surratt, indicted as an accomplice in the murder of Lincoln [1] and in 1867 became a member of the New York constitutional convention. From 1869 to 1870 he served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Pierrepont Attorney General of the United States on April 26, 1875. He was an active member of the "Committee of Seventy." In May 22, 1876 he became Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States to Britain, serving until December 1, 1877. Pierrepont died in New York City two days after his 75th birthday on March 6, 1892, where he had lived after his return from England. He is buried at St. Philip's Cemetery, in Garrison, New York.

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Preceded by George H. Williams	United States Attorney General April 26, 1875–May 21, 1876	Succeeded by Alphonso Taft
Preceded by Robert C. Schenck	U.S. Minister to Great Britain 1876–1877	Succeeded by John Welsh