William A. Fletcher was born on June 26, 1788, in Plymouth, New Hampshire, the son of Joshua Fletcher, a Congregational minister of Westford, Massachusetts, and Sarah Brown.
Fletcher traced his descent from Robert Fletcher, who, emigrating from England, established himself at Concord, Massachusetts, in 1630.
In 1813, William Fletcher was engaged in business in Salem, Massachusetts, removing later to Esperance, Schoharie County, New York, where he studied law.
About 1820 Fletcher went to Michigan, at that time under territorial government, and in 1821 established himself in a law office at Detroit.
Two years later he was appointed chief justice of the county court of Wayne County, holding this position till November 22, 1825, when he became attorney-general of the territory. He then resumed private practise in Detroit and in 1830 became a member of the Territorial Council.
In 1833 the Council established a judicial circuit, embracing all the organized counties in the territory, excepting Wayne County, and Fletcher was appointed circuit judge. Since this necessitated his residing within his district, he removed to Ann Arbor. His work was onerous owing to the extensive area embraced within the circuit, and his constitution was probably permanently impaired in the performance of his duties.
After Michigan had attained statehood, a supreme court was created of which Fletcher in 1836 became the first chief justice under appointment from Govener Stevens T. Mason.
The following year Fletcher was commissioned to revise the statutory law, both state and territorial, and in pursuance thereof prepared and arranged The Revised Statutes of the Slate of Michigan, which were adopted by the legislature in 1837 and published the following year. The revision, though evincing ability and great industry, was performed under stress of heavy judicial work, and proved unsatisfactory. As chief justice, however, Fletcher displayed high qualities, combining a firm grasp of legal principles and an intricate cognizance of the changing conditions of an immature community. His decisions were always adapted to the realities of Western life without sacrificing the spirit of the law, and in conducting the business of his court he was efficient and expeditious. Nevertheless some unfortunate failings, not uncommon among the early settlers in the West, deprived him of the respect which the dignity of his office should have commanded.
Fletcher resigned from the bench in 1842, returned to practise, and was appointed regent of the University of Michigan, a position which he retained till 1846. William A. Fletcher died on September 19, 1852, at Ann Arbor, Michigan.
His first wife, whom William A. Fletcher married before he went West, he divorced in 1843. In 1846 he married Adeline D. Doyle.
