Joseph Story

Story’s first wife, Mary F.L. Oliver, died in 1805, just a few months after their marriage and around the same time when he lost his father.

He married again in 1808 to Sarah Waldo Wetmore. She was the daughter of Judge William Wetmore of Boston. They both had seven children together but only two of them survived until adulthood—Mary and William Wetmore Story.

Story died at home in Cambridge in 1845. He was buried at the Mount Auburn Cemetery, amongst other American pioneers from different fields. His grave is marked by a piece of sepulchral statuary sculpted by his son.

Joseph Story was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts to Dr. Elisha Story and Mehitable Pedrick Story. His father was a member of Sons of Liberty. Story was born out of his father’s second marriage.

Until 1794, Story attended the Marblehead Academy, where his teacher was William Harris––who later became the president of Columbia University. After an incident where Story was beaten up badly by Harris, his father withdrew him from the school.

In 1795, Story was enrolled at the Harvard University and graduated in 1798. After that, he studied law in Marblehead under Samuel Sewall and later went to study it under the guidance of Samuel Putnam.

After finishing his training as a lawyer, he joined the bar at Salem, Massachusetts, in 1801. He was hired to manage the law of the powerful Republican shipping firm of George Crowninshield & Sons.

In 1805, Story became a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and after that he was chosen to represent Essex County in the Congress. He worked to end the ‘Jefferson’ prohibition of maritime business. He remained there till 1808.

After his stint with the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Story went back to his private practice in Salem, Massachusetts, but was again elected to the state House of Representatives and was chosen as Speaker in 1811.

In 1811 itself, Story became the youngest Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. His nomination came from the then President James Madison and his election was confirmed by the United States Senate.

Since the time of his appointment until 1832, Story made an outstanding contribution to the legal and justice system of the United States. He worked towards equity jurisprudence, denouncing of slave trade, etc.; Story devoted himself to the betterment of the society.

Story’s most prominent role was that of the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He worked towards denouncing the slave trade, founded the department of admiralty law in federal courts, etc.