Jonathan Dixon (judge)
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Dixon was an American
jurist
and Republican party
politician
from New Jersey
. He was an Associate Justice
of the New Jersey Supreme Court
and was the Republican nominee for Governor of New Jersey
in 1883.
Dixon was born in Liverpool, England in 1839. His father, also named Jonathan Dixon, came to the United States in 1848 and was followed in 1850 by his family, settling in New Brunswick, New Jersey
. He graduated from Rutgers College
in 1859 and was admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1862. He moved to Jersey City
to practice law in 1865.
Dixon was associated with New Jersey Supreme Court
Justice Gilbert Collins
until 1875, when he was appointed to be a Supreme Court Justice by Governor Joseph D. Bedle
. He was subsequently reappointed by Governors Ludlow
, Green
, Griggs
, and Murphy
.
Dixon declined to take an active part in politics, and even when New Jersey Republicans nominated him for Governor in 1883, he refused to make political speeches, since he felt it would be beneath the dignity of a Supreme Court Justice. His Democratic
opponent, Leon Abbett
, also from Jersey City, attacked Dixon for drafting the "thieves' charter" that deprived the Jersey City Irish of power in 1871. Abbett also criticized Dixon for handing down Supreme Court rulings that were perceived as anti-labor. Abbett defeated Dixon by a margin of 103,856 to 97,047.
Dixon continued to serve as Supreme Court Justice until his death. He died in 1906 at his daughter's home in Englewood, New Jersey
at the age of 66.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
and Republican party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He was an Associate Justice
Associate Justice
Associate Justice or Associate Judge is the title for a member of a judicial panel who is not the Chief Justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the United States Supreme Court and some state supreme courts, and for some other courts in Commonwealth...
of the New Jersey Supreme Court
New Jersey Supreme Court
The New Jersey Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It has existed in three different forms under the three different state constitutions since the independence of the state in 1776...
and was the Republican nominee for Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
in 1883.
Dixon was born in Liverpool, England in 1839. His father, also named Jonathan Dixon, came to the United States in 1848 and was followed in 1850 by his family, settling in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
. He graduated from Rutgers College
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in 1859 and was admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1862. He moved to Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
to practice law in 1865.
Dixon was associated with New Jersey Supreme Court
New Jersey Supreme Court
The New Jersey Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It has existed in three different forms under the three different state constitutions since the independence of the state in 1776...
Justice Gilbert Collins
Gilbert Collins
Gilbert Collins was the 23rd Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from May 5, 1884 to May 2, 1886.-Biography:Collins was born on August 26, 1846 in Stonington, Connecticut the son of Sarah Quinn and Daniel Webster Collins. His family immigrated to American from Kent, England before the American...
until 1875, when he was appointed to be a Supreme Court Justice by Governor Joseph D. Bedle
Joseph D. Bedle
Joseph Dorsett Bedle, Sr. was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 23rd Governor of New Jersey from 1875-1878.-Biography:...
. He was subsequently reappointed by Governors Ludlow
George C. Ludlow
George Craig Ludlow was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 25th Governor of New Jersey from 1881 to 1884.-Biography:...
, Green
Robert Stockton Green
Robert Stockton Green was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 27th Governor of New Jersey from 1887–1890.-Biography:...
, Griggs
John W. Griggs
John William Griggs was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 29th Governor of New Jersey, from 1896 to 1898, stepping down to assume the position as the United States Attorney General from 1898 to 1901....
, and Murphy
Franklin Murphy (governor)
Franklin Murphy was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 31st Governor of New Jersey, from 1902-1905. He was the founder of the Murphy Varnish Company in Newark, New Jersey.-Civil War Service:...
.
Dixon declined to take an active part in politics, and even when New Jersey Republicans nominated him for Governor in 1883, he refused to make political speeches, since he felt it would be beneath the dignity of a Supreme Court Justice. His Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
opponent, Leon Abbett
Leon Abbett
Leon Abbett was an American Democratic Party politician, and lawyer, who served two separate terms as the 26th Governor of New Jersey, from 1884 to 1887 and from 1890 to 1893. He was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly, New Jersey Senate, a democratic candidate for the U.S...
, also from Jersey City, attacked Dixon for drafting the "thieves' charter" that deprived the Jersey City Irish of power in 1871. Abbett also criticized Dixon for handing down Supreme Court rulings that were perceived as anti-labor. Abbett defeated Dixon by a margin of 103,856 to 97,047.
Dixon continued to serve as Supreme Court Justice until his death. He died in 1906 at his daughter's home in Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
at the age of 66.