John White Brockenbrough

John White Brockenbrough (December 23, 1806 – February 20, 1877) was a Virginia attorney, law professor, U.S. District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia , and Confederate States congressman and district judge.

Contents

• 1 Early life and education

• 2 Career

• 3 Federal judicial service

  • 3.1 Other service

  • 3.2 Peace conference

  • 3.3 Civil War

• 4 Postwar teaching career

• 5 Personal life

• 6 Death and legacy

• 7 References

• 8 Sources

Early life and education

(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_White_Brockenbrough&action=edit&section=1 "Edit section: Early life and education")

Born on December 23, 1806, in Hanover County , Virginia to Judith and William Brockenbrough , both descended from the First Families of Virginia .

Brockenbrough attended He attended the College of William & Mary from 1824-1825. He then traveled to the Winchester Law School , in Winchester , Virginia , studying under Henry St. George Tucker Sr. Others studying with Tucker at that time included William L. Goggin and Henry A. Wise . His sister Judith White Brockenbrough McGuire would later write Diary of a Southern Refugee, During the War, By a Lady of Virginia.[_citation needed
] He was a first cousin of William Henry Brockenbrough .[citation needed
_]

Career

(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_White_Brockenbrough&action=edit&section=2 "Edit section: Career")

Brockenbrough was admitted to the Virginia bar and began a private practice in Hanover County until 1834. He served as a commonwealth's attorney for Hanover County. He continued private practice in Rockbridge County , Virginia starting in 1834. He was editor of the Lexington Valley Star in Rockbridge County. In 1837, he published two volumes of reports, containing the decisions of John Marshall 's federal circuit court opinions.[_citation needed
_]

Federal judicial service

(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_White_Brockenbrough&action=edit&section=3 "Edit section: Federal judicial service")

Brockenbrough was nominated by President James K. Polk on December 23, 1845, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia vacated by Judge Isaac S. Pennybacker . He was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 14, 1846, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on May 4, 1861, due to his resignation. He was succeeded by Judge John Jay Jackson Jr.

Other service

(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_White_Brockenbrough&action=edit&section=4 "Edit section: Other service")

Concurrent with his federal judicial service, Brockenbrough was the founder and a Professor of law for Lexington Law School (now the Washington and Lee University School of Law ) in Lexington , Virginia from 1849 to 1861. His law students included John J. Davis , John Goode and Robert Murphy Mayo .[_citation needed
_] In his introductory address to the first class of incoming students, Brockenbrough offered this advice:

Sooner or later the occasion will arise when you will appear before the dread tribunal of the public. Let us suppose that the time for the trial of your strength has now arrived. You are called to participate in the management of a cause which excites a profound public interest. A natural curiosity is felt to hear the maiden speech of the young lawyer! People have scarcely yet learned to look upon you as a man. Little is therefore expected of you, but you have had time for preparation, and you have used it well. You have anticipated every possible phase which the case can assume, and you are ready with your authorities to sustain all your positions. The eager crowd closes around you. They listen with surprised delight at the display of your learning and ingenuity, now enraptured with your splendid bursts of indignant eloquence, now melted into pity by some master stroke of touching pathos. With what a greedy ear they drink in those "words that burn, those thoughts that breathe!" You sit down overpowered by your own emotion. An audible murmer of approbation runs through that delighted throng! The cause is ended, the victory is won! Clients now pour in upon you, who before had none. You have made a great impression. Your reputation is now established on a firm basis, and the voice of hissing envy shall not retard your onward march. My friends, this is no fancy sketch. We are told by Mr. Butler in his "Reminiscences," that a celebrated English lawyer of the last century had said, that so sudden was his rise at the Bar, that he never knew the difference between having no income at all, and one of £3,000 sterling a year. A single great speec

…