Isaac R. Nicholson (1789/1790 – August 28, 1844)Death of the Hon. Isaac R. Nicholson
, ''The New Orleans Times-Picayune'' (September 4, 1844), p. 2. was an American lawyer, politician, and jurist. He was a justice of the

Supreme Court of Mississippi The Supreme Court of Mississippi is the Supreme court, highest court in the state of Mississippi. It was established in 1818 per the terms of the first constitution of the state and was known as the High Court of Errors and Appeals from 1832 to 1 ...

from the establishment of a new seat on the court in 1828 until the court was abolished in favor of a new structure in 1833. He served in the

Mississippi House of Representatives The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi. According to the state constitution of 1890, it is to comprise no more than 122 members elected for ...

from 1819-1827 including as the 7th

Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi. According to the state constitution of 1890, it is to comprise no more than 122 members elected for ...

, serving from 1826 to 1827. He also served in the

Mississippi Senate The Mississippi State Senate is the upper house of the Mississippi Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Senate, along with the Lower house, lower Mississippi House of Represen ...

. In the 1830s he returned to the Mississippi House of Representatives.

Early life

He was born in 1789 or 1790 in

Pendleton, South Carolina Pendleton is a town in Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,489 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a sister city of Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The town is located southeast of Cl ...

, and resided for a time in

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

. He then moved to northern

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

and practiced law there.James Daniel Lynch, ''The Bench and Bar of Mississippi'' (1903), p. 103-04. He moved to Mississippi in 1815.

Political career

Nicholson represented Greene County in the

in the

2nd Mississippi Legislature The 2nd Mississippi Legislature first met on January 4, 1819, in Natchez, Mississippi. It adjourned in February 1819. Senate The Mississippi State Senate was composed of the following members. Lieutenant Governor Duncan Stewart served ex of ...

in 1819. For the next three sessions, from 1820 to 1822, Nicholson represented a district composed of

Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...

, Hancock, and Greene Counties in the

Mississippi State Senate The Mississippi State Senate is the upper house of the Mississippi Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The Senate, along with the Lower house, lower Mississippi House of Represen ...

. In the final session of his term,

Perry County Perry County may refer to: United States *Perry County, Alabama *Perry County, Arkansas *Perry County, Illinois *Perry County, Indiana *Perry County, Kentucky *Perry County, Mississippi *Perry County, Missouri *Perry County, Ohio * Perry Cou ...

was also in his district. In 1824, Nicholson was re-elected to the House, this time representing

Copiah County Copiah County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 28,368. The county seat is Hazlehurst, Mississippi, Hazlehurst. With an eastern bo ...

, for the 1825 session. Nicholson was re-elected for the 1826 session and was elected

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hung ...

. He was re-elected again for the 1827 session and was once again elected Speaker, serving until the House adjourned on February 7, 1827. In 1829, Nicholson was appointed a justice of the

, representing the new 5th District.Thomas H. Somerville, "A Sketch of the Supreme Court of Mississippi", in Horace W. Fuller, ed., '' The Green Bag'', Vol. XI (1899), p. 506. After the Mississippi Constitution of 1832, a new structure for the Court was created, and Nicholson no longer had a position on the Court. He then practiced law in

Natchez, Mississippi Natchez ( ) is the only city in and the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,520 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Mississippi River across from Vidalia, Louisiana, Natchez was ...

. In 1836 Nicholson once again served in the House, this time representing Hinds County. He voted in favor of

Robert J. Walker Robert James Walker (July 19, 1801November 11, 1869) was an American lawyer, economist and politician. An active member of the Democratic Party, he served as a member of the U.S. Senate from Mississippi from 1835 until 1845, as Secretary of t ...

's election to the U. S. Senate. He was a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

Personal life and death

Nicholson married America Gilmer in 1820. Nicholson suddenly died of congestive fever at his residence near

Clinton, Mississippi Clinton is a List of cities in Mississippi, city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson, Mississippi metropolitan area, Jackson metropolitan area, it is the List of municipalities in Mississippi, 10th most populous c ...

, on August 28, 1844, aged 54.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicholson, Isaac R. Year of birth missing 18th-century births 1844 deaths People from Copiah County, Mississippi People from Clinton, Mississippi Justices of the Supreme Court of Mississippi People from Greene County, Mississippi Speakers of the Mississippi House of Representatives Democratic Party Mississippi state senators Democratic Party members of the Mississippi House of Representatives People from Pendleton, South Carolina Mississippi lawyers 19th-century members of the Mississippi Legislature