Joseph Clay (Georgia)

Joseph Clay
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Georgia
In office September 16, 1796 – May 12, 1801
Appointed by	George Washington
Preceded by	Nathaniel Pendleton
Succeeded by	William Stephens
Personal details
Born	August 16, 1764 Beverley, Great Britain
Died	January 11, 1811 (aged 46) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Federalist
Alma mater	Princeton University

Joseph Clay (October 16, 1741 – November 15, 1804) was a soldier and public official from Georgia.

Born in England, he immigrated to the United States and in 1760 settled in Savannah, Georgia. During the American Revolution, he served on the local council of safety and was a delegate to the Georgia Provincial Congress in 1775. He was a major in the Georgia Line of the Continental Army during the War of Independence. He was appointed by the Continental Congress as deputy paymaster general in Georgia with the rank of colonel on August 6, 1777. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1778, but did not attend. He was a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Georgia from 1786 to 1801. He was appointed to the United States circuit court for the Fifth Circuit following John Adams's infamous Midnight Judges Act, but declined the commission.^[1][2] He was the grandfather of William Henry Stiles.

References

1. Federal Judicial Center – Joseph Clay
2. [digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1398&context=yjlh After Midnight: The Circuit Judges and the Repeal of the Judiciary Act of 1801]

External links

• United States Congress. "Joseph Clay (id: C000485)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Find-A-Grave profile for Joseph Clay