Asa Aikens Middlebury College Alumnus Class of 1808

Asa Aikens (January 13, 1788 – July 12, 1863) was an attorney, politician, and judge in

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

and

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

. A veteran of the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

, Aikens served as a justice of the

Vermont Supreme Court The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Vermont. Unlike most other states, the Vermont Supreme Court hears appeals directly from the trial courts, as Vermont has no intermediate appeals court. The court ...

from 1823 to 1824.

Biography

Asa Aikens (sometimes spelled "Aiken"), was born in

Barnard, Vermont Barnard is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 992 at the 2020 census. The town has two unincorporated villages: Barnard and East Barnard, along with the hamlets of Newcombsville, Mountain Meadows, and Fort De ...

on January 13, 1788, the son of Solomon and Betsey (Smith) Aikens. He was educated in Windsor County, and attended

Middlebury College Middlebury College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalists, Middlebury w ...

from 1804 to 1807. After attending the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

for a year, Aikens returned to Middlebury and graduated in 1808. He then studied law with

Joel Doolittle Joel Doolittle (April, 1773/1774 – March 9, 1841) was a Vermont attorney, judge and politician. He served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives, a member of the state executive council, president of the state Council of Censors, ...

, attained admission to the bar, and commenced practice in

Windsor, Vermont Windsor is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. As the "Birthplace of Vermont", the town is where the Constitution of Vermont was adopted in 1777, thus marking the founding of the Vermont Republic, a sovereign state until 1791, when ...

. During the

, Aikens was commissioned as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

and served with the 31st Infantry Regiment. After the war, Aikens resumed practicing law in Windsor. In 1818 and 1821 he served as Windsor's member of the

Vermont House of Representatives The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives a ...

. From 1818 to 1820 he served as

State's Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...

for Windsor County. Aikens served as a justice of the

from 1823 to 1825. In 1827 he was president of the state

Council of Censors The Constitution of the State of Vermont is the fundamental body of law of the U.S. state of Vermont, describing and framing its government. It was adopted in 1793 following Vermont's admission to the Union in 1791 and is largely based upon the ...

, the body which met every seven years to review the actions of the governor and legislature and ensure their constitutionality. In 1836, he was a delegate to the state constitutional convention. In 1843, Aikens relocated to

Westport, New York Westport is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Essex County, New York, United States overlooking Lake Champlain. The population was 1,320 at the 2020 census. The town is on the eastern border of the county and is south of Platt ...

, where he continued to practice law. Aikens was also active in local politics and government, and terms served as both

town supervisor The administrative divisions of New York are the various units of government that provide local services in the American state of New York. The state is divided into boroughs, counties, cities, towns, and villages. (The only boroughs, the f ...

of Westport and a town justice.

Career as author

In 1836, Aikens published ''Practical Forms'', a reference work used by attorneys in the preparation of legal documents. In 1846, he authored ''Tables of Interest and Discount'', a reference work which enabled users to calculate interest, depreciation, and amortization on annuities, mortgages, pensions, rents, and estates.

Death and burial

Aikens died in

Hackensack, New Jersey Hackensack is the most populous municipality in and the county seat of Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

on July 12, 1863, while there to visit his son-in law Frederick Jacobson. He was buried at

Trinity Church Cemetery The parish of Trinity Church (Manhattan), Trinity Church has three separate cemetery, burial grounds associated with it in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The first, Trinity Churchyard, is located in Lower Manhattan at 74 Trinity Place, n ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Family

In 1809, Aikens married Nancy Ann Spencer; they were the parents of Emma Jeromine and Julienne Gertrude. With his second wife, Sarah Hunter (m. 1814), he was the father of: Villeroy Spencer; Mary Elizabeth; Helen St. Johns; Augusta; William Hunter; Edwin Edgerton; Charles Eugene; Sarah Hunter; Guy Hunter; and Franklin Hunter. Aikens' daughter Sarah was the wife of Frederick Jacobson, with whom Aikens was visiting when he died.

References

Sources

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Aikens, Asa 1788 births 1863 deaths Middlebury College alumni American people of the War of 1812 Vermont lawyers State's attorneys in Vermont Members of the Vermont House of Representatives Justices of the Vermont Supreme Court Town supervisors in New York (state) American male non-fiction writers Burials at Trinity Church Cemetery 19th-century New York state court judges 19th-century members of the Vermont General Assembly