Benjamin Franklin Butler (lawyer)
| Benjamin Franklin Butler | |
|---|---|
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| 8th United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York | |
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In office March 14, 1845 – September 1, 1848 |
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| President | James K. Polk |
| Preceded by | Ogden Hoffman |
| Succeeded by | Charles McVean |
| 6th United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York | |
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In office December 10, 1838 – March 12, 1841 |
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| President | Martin Van Buren |
| Preceded by | William M. Price |
| Succeeded by | Ogden Hoffman |
| 12th United States Attorney General | |
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In office November 15, 1833 – July 4, 1838 |
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| President |
Andrew Jackson Martin Van Buren |
| Preceded by | Roger B. Taney |
| Succeeded by | Felix Grundy |
| 5th District Attorney of Albany County, New York | |
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In office February 19, 1821 – June 14, 1825 |
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| Preceded by | Samuel A. Foot |
| Succeeded by | Edward Livingston |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 17, 1795 Kinderhook Landing, Columbia County, New York |
| Died | November 8, 1858 (aged 62) Paris, France |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Harriet Allen |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Signature | _Signature.svg){kind=small} |
Benjamin Franklin Butler (December 17, 1795 – November 8, 1858) was a prominent lawyer from the state of New York. A professional and political ally of Martin Van Buren, among the many elective and appointive positions he held were Attorney General of the United States and United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He was also a founder of New York University and one of the founders of the Children's Village school in New York City.
He was the son of Medad Butler and Hannah Butler (née Tylee), of Kinderhook Landing, in Columbia County, New York. He studied at Hudson Academy in Hudson, New York, and read law with Martin Van Buren, whose son John Van Buren later read law with Butler.
Butler was admitted to the bar in 1817, and became Martin Van Buren's partner. Francis Wellman, in his book The Art of Cross-Examination, regarded Butler as one of the most successful cross-examiners of his day (p. 233).
In 1818, he married Harriet Allen; their children included attorney William Allen Butler.
Butler was one of the earliest members of the Albany Regency. He began his political career as district attorney of Albany County, serving from 1821 to 1825. He was appointed one of the three commissioners to revise the State statutes in 1825. Butler was a member from Albany County of the New York State Assembly in 1828. In 1833, he served as commissioner for New York to adjust the New Jersey boundary line. On November 15, 1833, President Andrew Jackson appointed Butler Attorney General, an office he held until 1838. From that year until 1841, and from 1845 to 1848, he was United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
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