Alexander Addison (Judge)

Alexander Addison
File:History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania and its centennial celebration, (1904) (14597926479).jpg
Born	1758
Died	1807
Ethnicity	Scottish
Occupation	minister, lawyer, Judge
Years active	1844 – 1864

Alexander Addison (1758-1807) was appointed to the position of president judge of the Fifth Judicial of Pennsylvania-the area encompassing most of Western Pennsylvania of the newly formed United States of America. Westward expansion at this time created new legal questions about the tax on whiskey, land ownership and battles with native Americans. Addison was born in Scotland in 1758. At age 19, he earned his Master of Arts at Aberdeen University. After his University education he was educated to become a minister and admitted to the Aberlowe Presbytery in 1781. Afterwards, he immigrated to the United States in 1785. He was not able to obtain a license from the Redstone Presbytery to become a minister. He became a lawyer in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1787 and was elected to the bar at that time. In 1791, he became the president judge of the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania and possessed authority over both state and federal laws. This was to be important during the Whiskey Rebellion during which upheld the authority of state and federal laws over Western Pennsylvania. He owned land in Washington county and 620 acres in Donegal Township, and 500 acres in Franklin Township.

Addison wrote extensively with other jurists. He was impeached due to disagreements with Justice John B.C. Lucas in 1802.

Addison practiced law during politically divisive issues in early America. These included the 1795 Jay Treaty with Britain, Constitutional ratification, foreign policies, the 1796 Pinckney Treaty with Spain, and the Treaty of Tripoli and the Whiskey Rebellion of Western Pennsylvania. Addison represented Washington County in the formation of Pennsylvania's Constitution.

The Alexander Addison Papers

The Alexander Addison Papers were donated to the University of Pittsburgh in 1918 by Edith Darlington Ammon and Mary Carson Darlington. The papers were originally part of the William M. Darlington The collection includes correspondence between to Alexander Addison and Hugh Henry Brackenridge, William Findley and Charles Nisbet. Most of the collection contains discussions on political events in the United States and Europe, the Constitutional Convention, the Jay and Pinckney Treaties, battles with native Americans wars, and the Whiskey Rebellion. Much of the material is typed transcriptions.

Addison was asked to write for the periodical Pittsburgh Gazette by Brakenridge.