Nathaniel Pendleton

This article is about the lawyer and judge. For the wrestler, see Nat Pendleton.

Nathaniel Pendleton
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Georgia
In office September 26, 1789 – September 1, 1796
Appointed by	George Washington
Preceded by	Seat established by 1 Stat. 73
Succeeded by	Joseph Clay Jr.
Attorney General of Georgia
In office 1785–1786
Preceded by	Samuel Stirk
Succeeded by	Matthew McAllister
Personal details
Born	Nathaniel Pendleton (1756-10-27)October 27, 1756 New Kent County, Colony of Virginia, British America
Died	October 20, 1821(1821-10-20) (aged 64) Hyde Park, New York
Resting place	St. James' Churchyard Hyde Park, New York
Children	Nathanael G. Pendleton
Relatives	Edmund Pendleton John Penn
Education	read law

Nathaniel Pendleton (October 27, 1756 – October 20, 1821) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Georgia.

Education and career

Born on October 27, 1756, in New Kent County, Colony of Virginia, British America, Pendleton read law. He served in the Continental Army starting in 1775, during the American Revolutionary War, serving as an aide-de-camp to General Nathanael Greene in the campaigns in the southern states. He was in private practice in Savannah, Georgia until 1789. He was Attorney General of Georgia from 1785 to 1786. He was elected as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 which drafted the United States Constitution, but did not attend. He was elected to the Congress of the Confederation (Continental Congress) in 1789, but did not attend.

Federal judicial service

Pendleton was nominated by President George Washington on September 24, 1789, to the United States District Court for the District of Georgia, to a new seat authorized by 1 Stat. 73. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 26, 1789, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on September 1, 1796, due to his resignation.

Later career

Following his resignation from the federal bench, Pendleton resumed private practice in Dutchess County, New York starting in 1796. He was a Judge of the Dutchess County Court until 1821.

Duel

On July 11, 1804, Pendleton served as a second to Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton’s fatal duel with Aaron Burr.

Death

Pendleton died on October 20, 1821, in Hyde Park, New York. He was interred in St. James' Churchyard in Hyde Park.

Family

Pendleton was a nephew of Edmund Pendleton, the 1st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, and cousin of John Penn, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation from North Carolina. He was the father of Nathanael G. Pendleton, a United States representative from Ohio.

Sources

• United States Congress. "Nathaniel Pendleton (id: P000207)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Nathaniel Pendleton at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Guide to the Nathaniel Pendleton Papers, 1767-1867