Freeborn G. Jewett

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Freeborn Garrettson Jewett (August 4, 1791 – January 27, 1858) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He became the first chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals and also served as a U.S. representative.

Jewett was born in Sharon, Connecticut. He moved to Skaneateles, New York in 1815 and became a Justice of the Peace in 1817. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1818, and began practicing in Skaneateles. From 1824 to 1831 he was the Surrogate of Onondaga County, and he served in the New York State Assembly in 1826. He was a presidential elector in 1828.

Jewett was elected as a Jacksonian to the 22nd United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1831 to March 3, 1833. Later, he held several important state and local roles: Inspector of Auburn Prison in 1838–1839, and District Attorney of Onondaga County in 1839. He was appointed an associate justice of the New York Supreme Court on March 5, 1845. On June 7, 1847, he was elected one of the first judges of the New York Court of Appeals, and on June 22 he drew the shortest term (two and a half years). When the court began on July 5, he became the first Chief Judge. He was reelected in 1849 to an eight-year term but resigned in June 1853 due to ill health.

Jewett was also active in local government, serving as President of the Village of Skaneateles in 1834–1835 (the position was created that year) and again in 1835–1836.

He died on January 27, 1858, and was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Skaneateles. The town of Jewett, New York is named in his honor. He was married to Fannie Warner in 1814 and they had one child.