Solomon Newton Pettis (October 10, 1827 – September 18, 1900) was a Republican member of the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

Early life

S. Newton Pettis was born in Lenox, Ohio. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1848 and commenced practice in

Meadville, Pennsylvania Meadville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. The population was 13,050 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The first permanent settlement in Northwestern Pennsylvania, Meadville is withi ...

. He was a delegate to the

1860 Republican National Convention The 1860 Republican National Convention was a United States presidential nominating convention, presidential nominating convention that met May 16–18 in Chicago, Illinois. It was held to nominate the Republican Party (United States), Republic ...

Public service

On March 21, 1861, President Lincoln appointed Pettis an associate justice of

Colorado Territory The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the 38th State of Colorado. The territory was organized ...

, but he never really served in the position. He departed Denver some time after July 30, 1861 without ever presiding over the court he was appointed to. He remained absent until his replacement, Allen A. Bradford was appointed associate justice in June 1862. He returned to Meadville and continued to practice law. Pettis was elected as a Republican to the Fortieth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Darwin A. Finney. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in

1868 Events January * January 2 – British Expedition to Abyssinia: Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala, Robert Napier leads an expedition to free captive British officials and missionaries. * January 3 – The 15-year-old Mutsu ...

. He resumed the practice of law in Meadville. Pettis was appointed Minister to Bolivia September 4, 1878, and served until November 1, 1879. He was again engaged in the practice of law until his death in Meadville in 1900. Interment in Greendale Cemetery.

Sources

The Political Graveyard

References

Pennsylvania lawyers Justices of the Colorado Supreme Court 1827 births 1900 deaths Ambassadors of the United States to Bolivia 19th-century American diplomats Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives Colorado Territory officials Burials at Greendale Cemetery 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers {{Pennsylvania-Representative-stub