George Sharswood

Born in Philadelphia on July 7, 1810, he studied at the University of Pennsylvania, earned his A.B. in 1828, and was admitted to the bar in 1831. Early in his career he also served as a Whig member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives before moving fully into judicial work.

He was appointed to the district court of Philadelphia in 1845 and later became president judge of that court. In 1867 he joined the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, where he eventually served as chief justice, building a reputation as one of the state’s most respected legal minds.

Beyond the courtroom, he was an important teacher and legal scholar at Penn’s law school, where he served on the faculty and as dean. He is especially remembered for his legal writings and for editing an American edition of Blackstone that helped generations of students and lawyers engage with the common law.