Background
Walworth was the son of Benjamin Walworth and Apphia (Hyde Cardell) Walworth.
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Walworth was the son of Benjamin Walworth and Apphia (Hyde Cardell) Walworth.
He studied law at Troy, was admitted to the bar in 1809, and commenced practice in Plattsburgh.
He was the last Chancellor of New York, in office from 1828 to 1847, at the time the highest judicial officer in the State. The family removed to Hoosick, New York, when Reuben was still a child. Walworth was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the 17th United States Congress, holding office from December 3, 1821, to March 3, 1823.
In April 1823, Walworth was appointed as Judge of the Fourth Circuit Court, and in October removed to Saratoga Springs.
In 1828, Walworth was appointed Chancellor of New York, and remained in office until July 1847 when the office was abolished by the State Constitution of 1846. Walworth gained President John Tyler"s attention because of his widely respected opinions on evidence, pleadings, civil procedure, and arbitration.
Tyler nominated him to the Supreme Court of the United States three times in 1844, but the nomination was always postponed due to Tyler"s lack of support from both Whigs and the Democrats. In 1848, Walworth was the Hunkers" candidate for Governor of New York, but was defeated in a three-way race by Whig Hamilton Fish.
In 1850, Walworth was asked by the Supreme Court to serve as a special master in the case of Pennsylvania v.
Wheeling and Belmont Bridge Company. Walworth was a Freemason, and served as Grand Master in the Grand Lodge of New York in 1853. He was for a long period president of the American Temperance Union.
He was also vice-president of the Bible Society and the Tract Society.
Princeton University gave him the degree of Doctor of Laws in 1835. He was the author of Rules and Orders of the New York Court of Chancery (Albany, 1829.
Several revised eds), and Hyde Genealogy (2 vols, 1864). Walworth was buried at Greenridge Cemetery in Saratoga Springs.
Walworth County, Wisconsin and Walworth, New York were named for him.