Ross Wilkins

Born on February 19, 1799, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,{{FJC Bio|2584|nid=1389781|name=Ross Wilkins}} Wilkins graduated from Dickinson College in 1816 and read law in 1820. He was a prosecutor in Pittsburgh from 1821 to 1823. He entered private practice in Pittsburgh from 1823 to 1832. He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1829 to 1830.

File:Ross Wilkins portrait 1888.jpg

Wilkins was appointed by President Jackson as a Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Michigan Territory, on April 26, 1832, serving from 1832 to 1837, and opening his first term of court on June 17, 1832.{{cite book| editor-last=Bonner| editor-first=Richard Illenden| title=Memoirs of Lenawee County, Michigan: from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Lenawee County| orig-year=1909| url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/bad0968.0001.001| access-date=2007-02-07| year=2005| publisher=University of Michigan Library| location=Ann Arbor, Mich.| pages=74| chapter=Settlement and Organization| chapter-url=http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=BAD0968.0001.001;didno=BAD0968.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000088 }} He was recorder for Detroit, Michigan, in 1837.

Following the admission of the State of Michigan to the Union on January 26, 1837, Wilkins was nominated by President Andrew Jackson on July 2, 1836, to the United States District Court for the District of Michigan, to a new seat authorized by 5 Stat. 61. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 2, 1836, and received his commission on January 26, 1837. Wilkins was reassigned by operation of law to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on February 24, 1863, to a new seat authorized by 12 Stat. 660. His service terminated on February 18, 1870, due to his retirement. He never missed a term of court during his entire service on the court.

John M. Snowden, who stood high in favor with President Jackson, recommended Wilkins for appointment to the office of district court judge.{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}} Shortly afterwards a friend of another applicant for the same office appeared before the President and denounced the man recommended by Mr. Snowden, as being utterly unfit for the place. Old Hickory, with eyes flashing fire, roared out: "How dare you say that? Do you think John M. Snowden would recommend a man unfit for the position? No, never by the eternal!"{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}}

Wilkins was also a member of the convention that drafted the Michigan Constitution of 1835, and also of the two conventions held in 1836 to accept terms imposed on Michigan statehood by Congress (see the Toledo War). He also served on the Board of Regents for the University of Michigan, from its creation in 1837 until 1842.{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/wilkins.html#RRV0XEM3G|title=The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Wilkins|website=politicalgraveyard.com}}

Wilkins was a retired attorney in Detroit from 1869 to 1872. He died there on May 17, 1872, and was interred at Elmwood Cemetery.

Wilkins was the son of Major General John Wilkins Jr., who served in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and became the 7th Quartermaster General of the United States Army. His uncle was William Wilkins, a notable lawyer, jurist and politician in Pennsylvania.{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}}

• List of United States federal judges by longevity of service

{{Reflist}}

• {{FJC Bio|2584|nid=1389781|name=Ross Wilkins}}
• {{cite book| editor-last=Bonner| editor-first=Richard Illenden| title=Memoirs of Lenawee County, Michigan: from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Lenawee County| orig-year=1909| url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/bad0968.0001.001| access-date=2007-02-07| year=2005| publisher=University of Michigan Library| location=Ann Arbor, Mich.| pages=74| chapter=Settlement and Organization| chapter-url=http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;idno=BAD0968.0001.001;didno=BAD0968.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000088 }}
• [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/wilkins.html#RRV0XEM3G The Political Graveyard]

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{{s-bef|before=Seat established by 5 Stat. 61}}

{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Michigan}}|years=1837–1863}}

{{s-aft|after=Seat abolished}}

{{s-bef|before=Seat established by 12 Stat. 660}}

{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan}}|years=1863–1870}}

{{s-aft|after=John W. Longyear}}

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Category:Members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Category:Pennsylvania lawyers

Category:Dickinson College alumni

Category:1799 births

Category:1872 deaths

Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Michigan

Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

Category:United States federal judges appointed by Andrew Jackson

Category:Regents of the University of Michigan

Category:Quartermasters

Category:Politicians from Pittsburgh

Category:United States federal judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law

Category:Burials at Elmwood Cemetery (Detroit)

Category:19th-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly