William Paterson (1745–1806)
William Paterson and Bushrod Washington were colleagues on the U.S. Supreme Court from 1798 to 1806.
William Paterson, U.S. Supreme Court associate justice, was born on Christmas Eve 1745 in County Antrim, Ireland. Brought to America as a toddler, he attended the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University), passed the bar, and opened a successful law practice. A strong supporter of independence, Paterson helped draft New Jersey's first state constitution and served as the state's first attorney general (1776–83). He was also a delegate the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia (1787), a U.S. senator (1789–90), and governor of New Jersey (1790–93).
"William Paterson." Dictionary of American Biography, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1936. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/BT2310006050/UHIC?u=viva_uva&sid=bookmark-UHIC&xid=e15d42dd. Accessed 6 Nov. 2023.
Richard E. Ellis, "Paterson, William," in Kermit L. Hall, ed., The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States (Oxford University Press, 2005).
William Paterson at Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
William Paterson at Federal Judicial Center.
William Paterson at Find a Grave.
William Paterson at FamilySearch.
Euphemia White at FamilySearch.