Samuel Chase facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Samuel Chase
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
In office February 4, 1796 – June 19, 1811
Nominated by	George Washington
Preceded by	John Blair
Succeeded by	Gabriel Duvall
Personal details
Born	(1741-04-17)April 17, 1741 Somerset County, Maryland, British America
Died	June 19, 1811(1811-06-19) (aged 70) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Federalist
Spouses	Anne Baldwin ​ ​ (m. 1762; died 1776)​ Hannah Kilty ​ (m. 1784)​
Children	9
Signature
Nicknames	Old Bacon Face Demosthenes of Maryland

Samuel Chase (April 17, 1741 – June 19, 1811) was an important figure in early American history. He was one of the Founding Fathers and signed both the Continental Association and the United States Declaration of Independence. He represented Maryland during these key moments. Later, he became an Associate Justice on the highest court in the United States.

In 1804, Samuel Chase faced a serious challenge. He was impeached by the House of Representatives. This meant he was accused of misusing his power as a judge. People claimed his personal political views affected his court decisions. However, the Senate later found him not guilty. He remained in his job. Samuel Chase is the only U.S. Supreme Court Justice ever to be impeached.

Born near Princess Anne, Maryland, Chase became a lawyer in Annapolis, Maryland. He served in the Maryland General Assembly and supported American independence. He was elected to the Continental Congress. Later, he worked as a judge in Maryland. In 1796, President George Washington chose him to serve on the Supreme Court.

After the 1800 elections, President Thomas Jefferson and his party, the Democratic-Republicans, wanted to reduce the power of the Federalists in the courts. They believed Chase showed bias in his court actions. Jefferson thought Chase should be removed. This process needed votes from both the House and the Senate. The House approved eight charges against Chase, all about his alleged political bias. But the Senate voted to acquit him. Chase continued to serve on the Supreme Court until he died in 1811. Many historians believe his acquittal helped make the federal courts more independent.

Early Life and Family

Samuel Chase was the only child of Reverend Thomas Chase and Matilda Walker. He was born near Princess Anne, Maryland. His father was a priest who moved to Somerset County. Samuel was taught at home.

When he was 18, he moved to Annapolis. There, he studied law with attorney John Hall. He became a lawyer in 1761 and started his own law practice. During this time, his friends gave him the nickname "Old Bacon Face." This was likely because his face would turn red when he was angry or excited.

In May 1762, Chase married Anne Baldwin. They had three sons and four daughters, but only four children lived to adulthood. Anne died in 1776. In 1784, Chase went to England. There, he met Hannah Kilty, and they married later that year. They had two daughters, Hannah and Elisa.

Anne Baldwin Chase and her daughters Anne and Matilda Chase

Political Beginnings

In 1762, Samuel Chase was removed from a debating club in Annapolis. They said his behavior was "extremely irregular." In 1764, Chase was elected to the Maryland General Assembly. He served there for 20 years.

In 1766, he had a public disagreement with some Maryland politicians who supported the British. Chase wrote a letter criticizing them. He accused them of being proud and arrogant. He said they gained power through unfair influence.

In 1769, he began building a large house called the Chase–Lloyd House. He sold it unfinished in 1771. This house is now a National Historic Landmark. Chase also helped start the Sons of Liberty group in Anne Arundel County. He worked with his friend William Paca. He also strongly opposed the Stamp Act of 1765.

From 1774 to 1776, Chase was part of the Annapolis Convention. He represented Maryland at the Continental Congress. He was re-elected in 1776 and signed the United States Declaration of Independence. He stayed in the Continental Congress until 1778. In 1788, Chase was elected to the Maryland meeting that would decide whether to approve the new U.S. Constitution. Chase was against the Constitution at first, but Maryland still approved it.

Serving as a Judge

In 1786, Chase moved to Baltimore, which became his home. In 1788, he became the chief judge of the District Criminal Court in Baltimore. He held this position until 1796. In 1791, he became Chief Justice of the Maryland General Court, also serving until 1796.

On January 26, 1796, President George Washington chose Chase to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The U.S. Senate approved his appointment the next day. Chase officially started his job on February 4, 1796. He served on the Supreme Court until his death on June 19, 1811.

The Impeachment Trial

President Thomas Jefferson was worried about the power of the courts. He wanted to reduce the influence of Federalist judges. In 1803, Justice Chase criticized a new law that changed the court system. He said it would harm people's rights. Earlier, in 1800, Chase had been accused of acting more like a prosecutor than a fair judge in some cases. Jefferson saw these actions as a chance to remove Chase from office.

On March 12, 1804, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Chase. This meant they formally accused him of wrongdoing. On December 4, 1804, the House approved eight specific charges against him. These charges included claims that Chase showed political bias in trials. For example, one charge said he acted like an "informer" instead of a judge.

The impeachment trial began in the Senate on February 9, 1805. Vice President Aaron Burr was in charge of the trial. The charges against Chase were about his work as a trial judge in lower courts. At that time, Supreme Court justices also served on these lower courts. The main accusation was that Chase's political views made him unfair to people in court.

Chase's lawyers argued that the accusations were just a political attack by his enemies. Chase himself said that he always followed legal rules and tried to be efficient.

The Senate voted on March 1, 1805, and found Chase not guilty of all charges. There were 34 senators present. To remove him from office, 23 votes were needed. The closest vote was 18 for conviction and 16 for acquittal. Samuel Chase is the only U.S. Supreme Court justice ever to be impeached.

This impeachment trial was very important. It helped define how independent judges should be in the United States. It showed that judges should not be removed just because of their political opinions. Since Chase's trial, all impeachments of federal judges have been for serious legal or ethical problems, not just for how they judged cases. This helped make sure that federal judges could make decisions without fear of political punishment.

Later Life and Legacy

Samuel Chase died from a heart attack in 1811. He was buried in Old Saint Paul's Cemetery in Baltimore. A ship built during World War II, the SS Samuel Chase, was named in his honor.

See also

• List of justices of the Supreme Court of the United States
• Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence