Isaac G. Gordon (December 22, 1819 – September 4, 1893) was a justice of the

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the highest court in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Judiciary of Pennsylvania, Unified Judicial System. It began in 1684 as the Provincial Court, and casual references to it as ...

from 1873 to 1887 and chief justice from 1887 to 1889.

Biography

Isaac G. Gordon was born on December 22, 1819, in

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania Lewisburg is a borough in Union County, Pennsylvania, United States, south by southeast of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Williamsport and north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. The population was 5,158 as of the United States Census 202 ...

. Gordon was of

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

descent and worked as a moulder until pursuing classical studies at Lewisburg Academy and studying law under James F. Linn. After studying law for two years, starting in 1841, Gordon was admitted to the Union County bar in April 1843. Gordon entered private practice in

Curwensville, Pennsylvania Curwensville is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States, north of Altoona, Pennsylvania, Altoona on the West Branch Susquehanna River. Coal mining, tanning, and the man ...

, until relocating to

Brookville, Pennsylvania Brookville is a borough in Jefferson County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh. As of the 2010 census, the population was 3,933. Founded in 1830, it is the county seat of Jefferson County. History The area was initial ...

, in 1846. Gordon became a member of the

Pennsylvania General Assembly The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvani ...

in 1860, representing Jefferson, Clearfield,

Elk The elk (: ''elk'' or ''elks''; ''Cervus canadensis'') or wapiti, is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. ...

and McKean counties. Before his election to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Gordon was appointed President Judge of

Mercer Mercer may refer to: Business * Mercer (automobile), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925) * Mercer (consulting firm), a human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City, US * Mercer (occupation), a merchant or tra ...

and Venango counties. He served there until being elected to the Supreme Court in October 1873, serving as an associate justice until 1887. He became Chief Justice from 1887 until his retirement at the expiration of his term in 1889. Gordon died on September 4, 1893.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Isaac G. 1819 births 1893 deaths Justices of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania lawyers American people of Scottish descent 19th-century Pennsylvania state court judges 19th-century American lawyers