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Alexander Hanson Contee Edit Profile

jurist politician

Hanson Alexander Contee was an American jurist and politician. He served as the second Chancellor of Maryland from 1789 until his death.

Background

Alexander Hanson was born on October 22, 1749, in Annapolis, Maryland, United States, the son of John and Jane (Contee) Hanson. His father was president of the Congress of the United States under the Articles of Confederation during the years 1781-1782.

Education

Young Hanson obtained his education at the College of Philadelphia. After his graduation he studied law at Annapolis and was admitted to the Maryland bar about 1772.

Career

In August 1776, following the outbreak of the Revolution, Alexander Hanson was appointed assistant private secretary to Gen. George Washington, but because of ill health, was forced to resign toward the close of the year. On March 9, 1778, he became an associate judge of the general court of Maryland and held office until 1781. During the early months of 1780 a plan was formulated by certain Loyalists to release British prisoners of war held in Frederick County. On July 25, 1780, seven leaders of the movement were arrested and confined in Frederick Town. They were tried before a special court presided over by Hanson. The trial began June 27, 1781, and lasted ten days, all seven defendants being found guilty of high treason. He sentenced all seven to be hanged, drawn, and quartered. Such severity brought a quick reaction, and in 1782 a law was passed ordering that any one assisting or advising prisoners of war to escape should, if able-bodied, be sentenced to war vessels for three years; and if not able-bodied, should suffer fine or imprisonment, or both.

In 1786 in order to defeat the attempt of the City of Baltimore to remove the state capital from Annapolis, Hanson wrote Considerations on the Proposed Removal of the Seat of Government; Addressed to the Citizens of Maryland by Aristides. Under the same signature, in the following year, he published Retnarks on the Proposed Plan of a Federal Government, designed to make clear the real object and purpose of government under the Federal Constitution, and on April 28, 1788, in the convention at Annapolis, he gave his voice for the ratification of the Constitution. In both elections of Washington, he was a Maryland presidential elector. In 1787 he completed the compilation of the Laws of Maryland Made Since M, DCC, LXIII (1787), authorized by the legislature in 1784 and issued by the state printer at Annapolis.

Hanson was appointed chancellor of Maryland on October 30, 1789, and served in that capacity until his death seventeen years later. He died of apoplexy, in Annapolis.

Achievements

  • Alexander Hanson is famous for the service which he done by digesting the Testamentary Laws of Maryland from 1763. This work is known as "Hanson's Laws. "

Works

All works

Connections

Hanson was married on June 4, 1778, to Rebeca Howard at Annapolis. Their second son was Alexander C. Hanson, the noted Federalist editor.

Father:
John Hanson

Mother:
Jane (Contee) Hanson

Spouse:
Rebeca (Howard) Hanson

Daughter:
Mary Jane (Hanson) Grosvenor

Son:
Alexander C. Hanson