Edwin O. Perrin
Encyclopedia
Edwin Oscar Perrin was an American lawyer and politician.
. Perrin was admitted to the bar in 1842, and the next year commenced practice at Memphis, Tennessee
. From 1845 to 1849, he was Navy Agent and Purser of the Memphis Navy Yard. Afterwards he opened a law firm and in 1854 removed to New York City
to open a branch office there.
In 1857, he accompanied Robert J. Walker
, who had been appointed Governor of the Kansas Territory
, but opposing the Lecompton Constitution
returned by the end of the year. Afterwards he ran twice unsuccessfully for the New York State Assembly
. In 1861, he was sent by U.S. Secretary of War Simon Cameron
on a secret mission to the New Mexico Territory
and remained with the command of Kit Carson
until 1862.
President Andrew Johnson
nominated him for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Utah Territory
, but the U.S. Senate rejected the appointment.
In 1865
, he was the Democratic candidate for Clerk of the New York Court of Appeals
, but was defeated by Republican Patrick H. Jones. In 1868, he ran again and was elected. He was the last statewide elected Clerk, and remained in office by appointment after the re-organization of the Court in 1870 until his death.
He died of apoplexy
.
Life
He was the son of Joseph Perrin, a judge and Whig politician. He was educated at the Springfield Academy, and then studied law with Samson MasonSamson Mason
Samson Mason was a U.S. Representative from Ohio.Born in Fort Ann, Washington County, New York, Mason attended the common schools in Onondaga, New York.He studied law....
. Perrin was admitted to the bar in 1842, and the next year commenced practice at Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. From 1845 to 1849, he was Navy Agent and Purser of the Memphis Navy Yard. Afterwards he opened a law firm and in 1854 removed to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to open a branch office there.
In 1857, he accompanied Robert J. Walker
Robert J. Walker
Robert John Walker was an American economist and statesman.- Early life and education :Born in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, the son of a judge. He lived in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania from 1806 to 1814, where his father was presiding judge of the judicial district. Walker was educated at the...
, who had been appointed Governor of the Kansas Territory
Kansas Territory
The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Kansas....
, but opposing the Lecompton Constitution
Lecompton Constitution
The Lecompton Constitution was the second of four proposed constitutions for the state of Kansas . The document was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution of James H. Lane and other free-state advocates...
returned by the end of the year. Afterwards he ran twice unsuccessfully for the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
. In 1861, he was sent by U.S. Secretary of War Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of War for Abraham Lincoln at the start of the American Civil War. After making his fortune in railways and banking, he turned to a life of politics. He became a U.S. senator in 1845 for the state of Pennsylvania,...
on a secret mission to the New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
and remained with the command of Kit Carson
Kit Carson
Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson was an American frontiersman and Indian fighter. Carson left home in rural present-day Missouri at age 16 and became a Mountain man and trapper in the West. Carson explored the west to California, and north through the Rocky Mountains. He lived among and married...
until 1862.
President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
nominated him for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
, but the U.S. Senate rejected the appointment.
In 1865
New York state election, 1865
The 1865 New York state election was held on November 7, 1865, to elect the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Engineer, two Judges of the New York Court of Appeals, a Canal Commissioners, an Inspector of State Prisons and the Clerk of...
, he was the Democratic candidate for Clerk of the New York Court of Appeals
Clerk of the New York Court of Appeals
The Clerk of the New York Court of Appeals was one of the statewide elected officials in New York from 1847 to 1870. He was also ex officio a clerk of the New York Supreme Court. The office was created by the New York State Constitution of 1846...
, but was defeated by Republican Patrick H. Jones. In 1868, he ran again and was elected. He was the last statewide elected Clerk, and remained in office by appointment after the re-organization of the Court in 1870 until his death.
He died of apoplexy
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
.
Sources
- Dear Old Kit: The Historical Christopher Carson by Harvey Lewis Carter (University of Oklahoma Press, 1990, ISBN 0806122536 , ISBN 9780806122533 , page 233)
- Biographical sketches of John T. Hoffman and Allen C. Beach: the Democratic nominees for governor and lieutenant-governor of the state of New York : also, a record of the events in the lives of Oliver Bascom, David B. McNeil, and Edwin O. Perrin, the other candidates on the same ticket by Hiram Calkins & DeWitt Van Buren (1868; pages 110f)