Judge William Marvin

Judge William Marvin. William Marvin grew up on a farm in New York where he attended and taught school before he read law at Bladenbary MD, near Washington. In 1830, he was admitted to the bar and practiced law in Maryland and New York. In 1835, he was appointed United States District Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. In 1837. he was a member of the Florida Legislative Council from Monroe County In 1839. he represented Monroe County at the St. Josephs Constitutional Convention. In 1839, President Martin Van Buren appointed him Judge of Superior Court of the Southern Judicial District of the Territory of Fiorida. The first Key West Judge James Webb had resigned to move to the Republic of Texas where he became Secretary of State. In 1845, Marvin was elected by the General Assembly as Judge of Circuit Court, which he declined. He returned to practice law in Key West until March 1847, when he was appointed Judge of the United States District (Wrecking) Court Southern District of Florida. Judge Marvin set high standards for the wrecking industry and strictly enforced the law. He became the international authority on Admiralty Law. In 1858, he published A Treatise on the Law of Wreck and Salvage. His Treatise is still cited. Judge Marvin was an active member and lay reader or st Paul's Episcopal Church. In 1856, on a trip to New York and the northeast, he was able to find donations to build St. Paul's Rectory. He resigned as Judge, in 1863, because of health, anxiety and overwork. In July 1865, he was appointed Provisional Governor of Florida. In December 1865, Marvin was elected U.S. Senator from Florida, but congress held the election null and void. Marvin served as Governor until January 1866. , Donated by , David Paul Horan and Karen Horan.