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RUFUS W. PECKHAM
was born on November 8, 1838, in Albany, New York. He
was educated at the Albany Boys’ Academy and studied
privately in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After one year
in Europe, Peckham returned to Albany and read law in
his father’s office and was admitted to the bar in
1859. Peckham was elected Albany County Attorney in 1869.
In 1881, he was named Corporation Counsel to the City
of Albany and served two years. In this position, he successfully
prosecuted a number of criminal cases in railroad express
car robberies. In 1882, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat
on the New York Court of Appeals, the State’s highest
tribunal. In 1883, he was elected to the New York Supreme
Court, and three years later he was elected to the Court
of Appeals. During these years, Peckham was politically
active. He was instrumental in preventing the New York
City Democratic organization from gaining control of the
State Democratic Party. Peckham had served on the New
York Court of Appeals for nine years when, on December
3, 1895, President Grover Cleveland nominated him to the
Supreme Court of the United States. The Senate confirmed
the appointment on December 9, 1895. Peckham served on
the Supreme Court for thirteen and died on October 24,
1909, at the age of seventy. |
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