Ableman v. Booth III: Abram D. Smith

Let's take a brief look at the first judge we're going to encounter. Abram D. Smith was born in 1811 in Lowville, New York. He became a lawyer and in 1842 moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he opened a practice.

When the Supreme Court of Wisconsin was reorganized in 1853, he was elected an Associate Justice. He served on the court until June 1859, when he was defeated. He was replaced, ironically enough, by Byron Paine, who had served as Sherman Booth's attorney in the various proceedings before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He died in 1865.

A bit more about Associate Justice Smith may be found here.