John Stephen (1780 – July 26, 1844) [1] [2] was a Maryland public official and judge who served as a justice of the Maryland Court of Appeals from 1822 to 1844. [3]
Born in St. Mary's County, Maryland to the Rev. John Stephen, minister of All Faith's Church, [1] Stephen was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates for Baltimore City from 1804 to 1805. [1] On March 17, 1806, President Thomas Jefferson nominated Stephen to serve as United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. [4] Stephen resigned from that office in 1810, [5] and thereafter served as a Member of Governors' Council from 1810 to 1811, and as a member of the Maryland Senate representing the Western Shore from 1812 to 1815. [1] [2] He lived in Annapolis from 1817 to 1818, and again served on the Governors' Council from 1819 to 1820, and in the Maryland Senate in 1821. [1] [2]
In 1822, Stephen was named to the Maryland Court of Appeals, where he remained until his death in 1844. [1] [2] He was described as a "learned and able jurist" who "obtained a high reputation as a judge". [2]
Stephen married Juliana J. Brice, daughter of Colonel James Brice, on November 1, 1808. [1] [6] They resided at Stephen's estate, called "Bostwick", in Bladensburg, Prince George's County, [1] and they had eight sons. [6]
Stephen died in Annapolis, Maryland, at about age 64. [2]