Draft:Leverett Hubbard

Leverett Hubbard (December 15, 1723 – January 2, 1793)^[1]^[2] was a justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court from 1776 to 1785.

Born in Rhode Island, Hubbard was a son of Judge Nathaniel Hubbard of the superior court of Massachusetts.^[2]

Hubbard graduated from Harvard University in 1742, and then studied law in Rhode Island. He moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, about 1760, to practice his profession, and in 1762 was made comptroller of the customs, and in 1763 a judge of the Superior Court. He served until 1784, when the state constitution was revised and he was not re-appointed. He died in Portsmouth at the age of 69.^[2]

Son of Hon. Nathaniel Hubbard; born, Rhode Island, 1723 ; Harvard College, 1742 ; practiced, Portsmouth; died there, January 2, 1793.
Leverett Hubbard's father was a Judge of the Superior Court of Massachusetts. Rev. William Hubbard, the historian, and Governor John Leverett were among his ancestors. The son quitted college with the reputation of a good scholar, but being disappointed at having no part assigned him at Commencement, delivered from the church gallery a severe philippic in Latin against the president. This would bave cost him his degree but for the intervention of his friends. He studied law in Rhode Island, and came to Portsmouth about 1760 to practice his profession. In 1762 he was made controller of the customs, and in 1763 a Judge of the Superior Court. He was sometimes extravagant in his expressions, as when he declared, in summing up to the jury in the trial of a cause, that he would willingly give the five hundred acres of land in controversy, if covered with money, to be able to argue a cause as Mr. West had done it; but added, "I check myself in the thought, for it appears to me like the impious wish of Simon Magus to purchase the Holy Spirit with money!
Judge Hubbard was said to be benevolent, friendly, and of courteous manner, but he never was eminent as a lawyer, nor excelled as a judge. On the revision of the state Constitution in 1784 he was not reappointed, but was left in somewhat straitened circumstances. Some time before his death his mental powers became weakened.
He married, December 6, 1769, Anne, daughter of George Jaffrey and widow of Nathaniel Pierce, and left no descendants.^[1]

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b Charles Henry Bell, The Bench and Bar of New Hampshire (1894), p. 25-26.
^ ^a ^b ^c Clark Bell, ed., The Medico-legal Journal, Vol. 18 (1900), p. 101.