Levi Woodbury

Levi Woodbury
Woodbury Template:Circa 1847
Levi Woodbury
Born	22 12, 1789
Birthplace	Francestown, New Hampshire, U.S.
Died	Template:Death date and age Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney, jurist, politician
Known for	Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court; first Justice to have attended law school; Governor of New Hampshire; U.S. Secretary of the Treasury; U.S. Secretary of the Navy
Education	Dartmouth College (BA) Litchfield Law School
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Woodbury
Awards	Phi Beta Kappa

Levi Woodbury (December 22, 1789 – September 4, 1851) was an American attorney, jurist, and Democratic politician from New Hampshire who held a remarkable succession of high public offices over a career spanning nearly four decades. He served as the ninth Governor of New Hampshire, represented New Hampshire in the United States Senate during two separate terms, held two presidential cabinet positions—as United States Secretary of the Navy under Andrew Jackson and United States Secretary of the Treasury under both Jackson and Martin Van Buren—and concluded his career as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He holds the distinction of being the first Supreme Court Justice to have attended law school. Woodbury was also promoted as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 1848. His career touched some of the most consequential political and constitutional questions of the antebellum era, including the Bank War, the annexation of Texas, and the legal status of slavery. His former homestead in Francestown, New Hampshire, stood as a landmark until it was destroyed in a fire in January 2026.

Early Life

Levi Woodbury was born on December 22, 1789, in Francestown, New Hampshire. He was born into a New England family during a period of considerable political and social change in the young American republic. Francestown, a small town in Hillsborough County, was a rural community in southern New Hampshire. The details of his early upbringing reflect the patterns common to aspiring young men of the period in New England, where education and professional training provided pathways to public life.

Woodbury grew up during the formative years of the United States under the new Constitution, which had been ratified just a year before his birth. New Hampshire itself had been the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, providing the crucial vote needed to put the document into effect. This political heritage would shape Woodbury's lifelong engagement with constitutional governance and federal institutions.

The Woodbury family maintained roots in Francestown, and the home associated with his birth and early life became a recognized historic landmark in the community. The Governor Levi Woodbury house at 1 Main Street in Francestown stood for over two centuries as a tangible connection to his legacy. In January 2026, the historic structure was destroyed in a five-alarm fire during heavy snowfall, displacing the family who resided there at the time. The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources had recognized the property with a historical marker.

Education

Woodbury attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. During his time at Dartmouth, he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, the prestigious academic honor society. His academic achievement at Dartmouth provided the intellectual foundation for his subsequent legal and political career.

Following his graduation from Dartmouth, Woodbury pursued legal training at the Litchfield Law School in Litchfield, Connecticut. The Litchfield Law School, founded by Judge Tapping Reeve, was one of the first formal law schools in the United States and trained a notable roster of American lawyers and politicians during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Woodbury's attendance at Litchfield made him historically significant in the annals of the Supreme Court: when he was later appointed to the nation's highest court, he became the first Justice to have attended a law school, as all previous Justices had been trained exclusively through the apprenticeship system of reading law in the office of an established attorney.

After completing his legal studies, Woodbury established a law practice in his hometown of Francestown in 1812.

Career

Early Political and Judicial Career in New Hampshire

Woodbury entered public life at a young age. He served in the New Hampshire Senate, gaining experience in state legislative affairs. His legal acumen and political connections led to his appointment to the New Hampshire Supreme Court in 1817, where he served as an Associate Justice until 1823. This judicial service, undertaken while Woodbury was still in his twenties, established his reputation as a capable jurist in the state.

In 1823, Woodbury was elected as the ninth Governor of New Hampshire, succeeding Samuel Bell. He served a single one-year term from June 5, 1823, to June 3, 1824, and was succeeded by David Morril. New Hampshire governors in this period served one-year terms, and Woodbury used his time in the executive office to further build his political standing within the state.

Woodbury also briefly served as Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 1825, succeeding Edmund Parker and being succeeded by Henry Hubbard. This combination of judicial, executive, and legislative experience at the state level was unusual and gave Woodbury a comprehensive understanding of all branches of government before he entered the national stage.

First Term in the United States Senate (1825–1831)

Woodbury was elected to the United States Senate, taking his seat on March 16, 1825, succeeding John Parrott as a senator from New Hampshire. He initially entered the Senate as a Democratic-Republican, but as the party system realigned during the late 1820s, he became affiliated with the emerging Democratic Party of Andrew Jackson.

During his first Senate term, Woodbury aligned himself with the Jacksonian Democratic movement, which emphasized opposition to the policies of President John Quincy Adams and his successor political faction. Woodbury's support for Jackson positioned him favorably as the Democratic Party consolidated its power following Jackson's election to the presidency in 1828. He served in the Senate until March 3, 1831, when he was succeeded by Isaac Hill. His departure from the Senate was not a retreat from public life but rather a transition to an even more prominent role in the Jackson administration.

Secretary of the Navy (1831–1834)

On May 23, 1831, Woodbury entered President Andrew Jackson's cabinet as the ninth United States Secretary of the Navy, succeeding John Branch. His appointment reflected the trust that Jackson placed in loyal Democratic allies from the northeastern states, and it brought Woodbury into the inner circle of one of the most consequential presidencies of the antebellum era.

As Secretary of the Navy, Woodbury oversaw the administration of the naval forces during a period of relative peace but also of growing American maritime ambitions. The Jackson years saw expanded interest in commercial and diplomatic engagement across the Pacific and in other distant regions. Woodbury served in this capacity for approximately three years, from May 1831 until June 30, 1834, when he transitioned to another cabinet post. He was succeeded as Secretary of the Navy by Mahlon Dickerson.

Secretary of the Treasury (1834–1841)

On July 1, 1834, Woodbury assumed the office of the thirteenth United States Secretary of the Treasury, succeeding Roger Taney, who had served in the position on a recess appointment that the Senate refused to confirm. Woodbury's appointment came during one of the most turbulent periods in American financial history—the era of the Bank War, in which President Jackson had waged a fierce campaign against the Second Bank of the United States.

Woodbury served as Secretary of the Treasury for nearly seven years, spanning the remainder of Jackson's presidency and the entirety of Martin Van Buren's single term. His tenure was dominated by the aftermath of Jackson's decision to remove federal deposits from the Second Bank of the United States and distribute them among selected state banks, known as "pet banks." Woodbury was responsible for managing the federal government's finances during a period of economic volatility that included the Panic of 1837, one of the most severe economic downturns in American history up to that time.

The Panic of 1837 and the subsequent depression posed enormous challenges for the Van Buren administration and for Woodbury as Treasury Secretary. The collapse of land speculation, bank failures, and contraction of credit created widespread hardship. Woodbury worked to implement the administration's responses to the crisis, including efforts to establish an independent treasury system that would separate government funds from private banking institutions. His management of the Treasury during this difficult period demonstrated administrative competence under challenging circumstances.

Woodbury's term as Secretary of the Treasury ended on March 4, 1841, with the inauguration of Whig President William Henry Harrison, who appointed Thomas Ewing to succeed him.

Second Term in the United States Senate (1841–1845)

After leaving the cabinet, Woodbury returned to the United States Senate, representing New Hampshire for a second time. He took his seat on March 4, 1841, succeeding Henry Hubbard. His return to the Senate placed him once again at the center of national political debates during a period of intense partisan conflict between Democrats and Whigs.

During his second Senate term, Woodbury engaged with the major political issues of the early 1840s, including debates over the annexation of Texas, tariff policy, and the expansion of slavery into new territories. These issues were central to the growing sectional tensions that would ultimately lead to the Civil War. Woodbury remained a prominent figure within the Democratic Party and was regarded as a potential presidential candidate.

He served in the Senate until November 20, 1845, when he resigned to accept an appointment to the Supreme Court of the United States. He was succeeded in the Senate by Benning Jenness.

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (1845–1851)

On September 23, 1845, Woodbury took his seat as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, having been nominated by President James K. Polk to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Joseph Story. Woodbury's confirmation represented the culmination of a career that had taken him through virtually every major office in American government below the presidency.

As noted, Woodbury was the first Supreme Court Justice to have attended a law school, a distinction that reflected the gradual professionalization of legal education in the United States during the early nineteenth century. While all previous Justices had been trained through apprenticeships or self-study, Woodbury's attendance at Litchfield Law School marked a new era in the educational background of the Court's members.

During his nearly six years on the Court, Woodbury participated in decisions addressing significant constitutional questions of the era. The Court during this period confronted cases involving commerce, federalism, and the legal status of slavery—issues that were becoming increasingly contentious as the nation moved toward sectional crisis. Woodbury's judicial philosophy reflected his Jacksonian Democratic background, with an emphasis on states' rights and strict construction of federal power.

One notable case in which Woodbury participated was Jones v. Van Zandt (1847), which involved the enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act. The case tested the constitutional obligations of individuals in free states with respect to escaped slaves, and the Court upheld the constitutionality of the Fugitive Slave Act. Woodbury's involvement in such cases placed him at the intersection of the most contentious legal and moral debates of his time.

Woodbury served on the Supreme Court until his death on September 4, 1851, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He was succeeded on the Court by Benjamin Robbins Curtis.

1848 Presidential Campaign

In addition to his judicial duties, Woodbury was promoted as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 1848. The 1848 Democratic nomination was contested among several prominent figures, and Woodbury's long record of service in multiple branches of government made him a plausible contender. However, the nomination ultimately went to Lewis Cass of Michigan, who went on to lose the general election to Whig candidate Zachary Taylor. Woodbury's candidacy, though unsuccessful, reflected his standing within the national Democratic Party.

Personal Life

Woodbury was married to Elizabeth Woodbury. The couple resided in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where Woodbury maintained his home during his later years. The Woodbury family papers are preserved at the Portsmouth Athenaeum, providing a significant archival resource for scholars studying his life and career. Additional records relating to Woodbury are held by the National Archives and Records Administration.

Woodbury's writings were published posthumously. A collection titled Writings of Levi Woodbury provides insight into his political thought and legal philosophy.

Woodbury died on September 4, 1851, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, at the age of 61, while still serving as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. His death created a vacancy on the Court that was filled by Benjamin Robbins Curtis, who was nominated by President Millard Fillmore.

Recognition

Woodbury's contributions to American public life have been recognized in several ways. His election to Phi Beta Kappa during his time at Dartmouth College was an early marker of academic distinction.

Several geographic features and jurisdictions bear his name. Woodbury County, Iowa, which was established by the Iowa legislature in 1851, the year of Woodbury's death, was named in his honor. The county, which includes the city of Sioux City, celebrated its 175th anniversary in January 2026.

The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources placed a historical marker at the Governor Levi Woodbury house in Francestown, recognizing its significance as the home of a governor, senator, cabinet secretary, and Supreme Court Justice. The City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has also recognized Woodbury's legacy through public history programming, including a 2020 lecture on "The Life, Times and Political Career of Levi Woodbury" presented at the Portsmouth Public Library.

The Woodbury family papers held at the Portsmouth Athenaeum constitute an important archival collection for researchers studying antebellum American politics and the Jacksonian era.

Legacy

Levi Woodbury's career was distinguished by its breadth and by the range of offices he held across all three branches of the federal government as well as in state government. He served as a state supreme court justice, governor, state legislator, United States senator, cabinet secretary in two departments, and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court—a combination of offices held by few other figures in American history.

His status as the first Supreme Court Justice to have attended law school marks a transitional moment in American legal history. While the apprenticeship model of legal education had produced the nation's earlier jurists, Woodbury's formal legal training at Litchfield Law School foreshadowed the eventual dominance of law school education as the standard pathway to the legal profession and the judiciary in the United States.

As Secretary of the Treasury during the Panic of 1837 and its aftermath, Woodbury managed federal finances during one of the most severe economic crises of the nineteenth century. His experience in that role contributed to the ongoing debate over the relationship between the federal government and the banking system, a debate that would continue to shape American financial policy for decades.

Woodbury's career also illustrates the political dynamics of the Jacksonian era, a period of intense partisan competition and democratic expansion. His alignment with Andrew Jackson and the Democratic Party placed him at the center of the era's defining political conflicts, from the Bank War to debates over territorial expansion and slavery.

The destruction of the Governor Levi Woodbury house in Francestown in January 2026 represented the loss of a tangible connection to his life and times, though archival collections and published writings continue to preserve his contributions to American public life for future generations of scholars and citizens.