# Aaron Goodrich *American lawyer, jurist and diplomat (1807–1887)* Aaron Goodrich, born 6 July 1807 and died 24 June 1887, was a lawyer, judge and diplomat in the United States.[^1] His judicial career in [[Minnesota]] began on 19 March 1849, when President Zachary Taylor named him Chief Justice of the [[Minnesota Supreme Court]].[^2] He did not finish his four-year term. After an impeachment attempt failed, President Millard Fillmore removed him by executive action, and Goodrich went to court to recover the salary for the rest of the term.[^3] Goodrich helped found the [[Minnesota Historical Society]] and the Minnesota Republican Party, the state organisation of the [[Republican Party (United States)]].[^4] At the 1860 Republican National Convention, which nominated [[Abraham Lincoln]], he was a Minnesota delegate and voted for William H. Seward. Lincoln later appointed him secretary of the United States legation in Brussels, where he served from 1861 to 1869.[^5] ## Biography His birthplace was Sempronius, New York, and he was born in 1807.[^6] In 1815 the family moved to a farm in western New York state. There he went to a country school and read law books with enthusiasm. When he was about 20 he moved to Stewart County, Tennessee, where he finished his studies and began practising law.[^6] From 1847 to 1849 he held a seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives.[^7] Taylor appointed him Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court on 19 March 1849.[^2] In August 1849 the court held its first session at [[Stillwater]] in [[Minnesota Territory]]. Goodrich presided, and the court decided 60 cases over six days.[^8] In 1851 several prominent Minnesota attorneys called for his removal, citing "incompetency, unfitness and improprieties committed on and off the bench".[^3] An attempt to impeach him failed, and Fillmore then used executive power to take him out of office. Goodrich afterward sued for the salary covering the remainder of his four-year term. The source does not record how that suit ended.[^3] Goodrich was a freemason. In July 1849 he was among the founding members of the local Masonic lodge, Saint Paul Lodge Number Three.[^9] He was a unionist and an anti-abolitionist. He was also a founding member of both the Minnesota Historical Society and the Minnesota Republican Party.[^4] He went to the 1860 Republican National Convention as a Minnesota delegate. That convention nominated Lincoln, but Goodrich cast his vote for Seward.[^5] Lincoln appointed him secretary of the United States legation in Brussels, Belgium, in 1861 at Seward's behest, and he held that post until 1869.[^5] Goodrich died on 24 June 1887. He was buried in a graveyard in Genesee County, Michigan.[^10] ## Memorials Goodrich Avenue in St Paul, Minnesota, is listed among his memorials.[^11] F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald lived at number 626 on the avenue from 1921 to 1922. Their daughter was born during that time, and F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote his novel *The Beautiful and Damned* there.[^11] St. Paul Academy and Summit School has its Goodrich campus at 1150 Goodrich Avenue.[^11] A Goodrich cemetery in Genesee County, Michigan, is also listed among the memorials.[^11] ## Works In 1874 D. Appleton and Co. published Goodrich's *A history of the character and achievements of the so-called Christopher Columbus*.[^12] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Aaron Goodrich (1807–1887) was a lawyer, jurist and diplomat.[^1] - He was a founding member of the Minnesota Historical Society and the Minnesota Republican Party.[^4] ### What - He was Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, appointed by President Zachary Taylor.[^2] - He was removed from office by President Millard Fillmore after a failed impeachment attempt.[^3] - He was secretary of the United States legation in Brussels, appointed by President Lincoln.[^5] ### When - 19 March 1849: appointed Chief Justice.[^2] - August 1849: presided over the court's first session at Stillwater.[^8] - 1851: prominent Minnesota attorneys demanded his removal.[^3] - 1861–1869: served at the legation in Brussels.[^5] ### Where - Stillwater, Minnesota Territory, was the site of the first court session in 1849.[^8] - Saint Paul Lodge Number Three was founded in July 1849 with Goodrich among its founding members.[^9] ### Why - The record gives the attorneys' stated grounds for seeking his removal: "incompetency, unfitness and improprieties committed on and off the bench". It does not establish the reasoning in Fillmore's removal decision.[^3] ### How - He was removed by presidential executive power after impeachment failed. He then sought his unpaid salary in court.[^3] ### How many - The court decided 60 cases in six days at the August 1849 Stillwater session.[^8] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — birth and death dates; lawyer, jurist and diplomat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich [^2]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — appointment as Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court by President Taylor, 19 March 1849. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich [^3]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — unfinished four-year term, 1851 demand for removal, failed impeachment, removal by President Fillmore, salary suit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich [^4]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — unionist and anti-abolitionist; founding member of the Minnesota Historical Society and the Minnesota Republican Party. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich [^5]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — 1860 convention delegate and vote for Seward; legation secretary in Brussels, 1861–1869. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich [^6]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — birth in Sempronius, New York; 1815 move; legal study and practice in Stewart County, Tennessee. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich [^7]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — Tennessee House of Representatives, 1847–1849. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich [^8]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — first court session at Stillwater, August 1849; 60 cases in six days. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich [^9]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — founding member of Saint Paul Lodge Number Three, July 1849. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich [^10]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — death on 24 June 1887; burial in Genesee County, Michigan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich [^11]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — Memorials section: Goodrich Avenue, the Fitzgerald residence, the St. Paul Academy campus, Goodrich cemetery. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich [^12]: Wikipedia, *Aaron Goodrich* (revision 1365491904, retrieved 26 October 2026) — Works section: 1874 book published by D. Appleton and Co. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Goodrich