Benjamin Bourne

Benjamin Bourne (September 9, 1755 – September 17, 1808) was an American jurist and politician from Bristol, Rhode Island. He represented Rhode Island in the U.S. House of Representatives and served as a judge in both the federal district and federal appellate courts.

Borurne was born in Bristol and graduated from Harvard College in 1775. He studied law and began practice in Providence. During the Revolutionary War, he served as ensign, then quartermaster of the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment in 1776.

After the war, Bourne began his political life as a member of the Rhode Island general assembly in 1789 and 1790. In 1799, Bourne was appointed to a committee to revise the state's militia laws. From 1783 to 1784, Bourne collected excise tax for Providence County. Then, between 1785 and 1789, he served as Justice of the Peace in Providence County. Bourne served on the federalist (pro-Constitution) committee which negotiated an end to William West's armed anti-federalist (Country Party) protest on July 41788. In 1789, with the Reverend James Manning, Bourne petitioned Congress regarding relief from import duties imposed upon Rhode Island as a foreign nation.

After Rhode Island ratified the Constitution, Bourne was elected as Pro-Administration to the First through Third Congresses and as a Federalist to the Fourth and Fifth Congresses. He resigned before the fifth Congress began, however.

Upon returning to Rhode Island, Bourne was first appointed judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island in 1801 and, then judge of the United States Circuit Court for the First Circuit.

Bourne died in Bristol, and is buried in the Juniper Hill Cemetery there.

External links

* [http://www.rihs.org/mssinv/Mss011.htm Benjamin Bourne Papers] , Rhode Island Historical Society

###@@@KEY@@@###USRepSuccessionBox
state=Rhode Island
before="(none)"
after=Elisha Reynolds Potter
years= August 31, 1790 – 1796succession box
title= Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island| before= Henry Marchant| after=David Leonard Barnes | years=1796 – 1802succession box
title=Chief Judge of the U.S. Circuit Court for the First Circuit
before="Created"
after="Abolished"
years=1801 – 1802