Skip to main content

Gould, James, 1770-1838

 Person

Biography

James Gould (Dec. 5, 1770 - May 11, 1838), jurist, born at Branford, Conn., where his great-grandfather, Dr. Richard Gould of North Taunton, Oakhampton, Devonshire, had settled about 1700, was the son of William Gould, a well-known physician of that town, by his second wife, Mary Foote, widow of Timothy Johnson. His early education was obtained in the common schools, under the heavy handicap of defective eyesight. Strenuous application, however, enabled him in 1787 to enter Yale College, where he graduated in 1791 with high honors. He then became a school-teacher in Wethersfield, Conn., and later in Baltimore, Md., but returned to Connecticut early in 1793 and entered the law office of Judge Chauncey at New Haven. In September of that year he accepted a position as tutor at Yale. In 1795 he resumed his legal studies, entering the law school which Tapping Reeve [q.v.] had established in 1784 at Litchfield. In 1798 he completed the course and was admitted to the bar. The same year the appointment of Reeve as a judge of the superior court of Connecticut rendered it necessary for him to seek assistance in the tutorial work and management of the law school, which he had hitherto conducted alone, and at his request Gould became his colleague, at the same time continuing to practice. For a number of years they remained thus associated, and when Reeve finally withdrew in 1820 Gould assumed sole charge. In politics a Federalist, he was in May 1816 appointed a judge of the superior court and court of errors. In 1818 a new constitution was framed which involved a complete change in the court system, and as a consequence he was retired from the bench in the following year. He did not resume active practice but devoted his energies henceforth to the affairs of the law school, continuing to lecture until growing physical infirmity compelled him to close the school in 1833. -- H. W. Howard Knott

Citation:
"James Gould."Dictionary of American Biography Base Set. American Council of Learned Societies, 1928-1936.

Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:

Litchfield Law School collection

1890-10-0

 Collection
Identifier: 1890-10-0
Abstract

This collection includes materials pertaining to Tapping Reeve, James Gould, the Litchfield Law School, and alumni of the school.  It was assembled by the Historical Society over a period of years.  Many of the law books used by Reeve and his students are also held by the Society and can be found through the book catalog.  The Society's institutional records document the history of the Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School building.

Dates: translation missing: en.enumerations.date_label.created: 1773-1990; Other: Date acquired: 01/01/1890

Litchfield Law School student lecture notes, Between 1800-1820.

Series 1

 Item
Identifier: Series 1
Scope and Contents Notes of lectures by James Gould and Tapping Reeve taken by an unidentified student at the Litchfield Law School sometime between 1800 and 1820. Lecture topics include Lex mercatoria and bills of exchange ; Evidence ; Writs of error ; New trials ; Real property ; Mortgages ; Devises ; Alienation ; Injuries to real property ; Powers of chancery ; Criminal law. This is the second volume in a series. Volume three is also in this collection. Location of other volumes is unknown. This volume is...
Dates: Between 1800-1820.

Litchfield Law School student lecture notes, Between 1800-1820.

Series 1

 Item
Identifier: Series 1
Scope and Contents

Notes of lectures by James Gould and Tapping Reeve taken by an unidentified student at the Litchfield Law School sometime between 1800 and 1820. Volume 3. Sheriffs ; Bailment ; Contracts ; Covenant. Volume 2 is also in this collection. Location of other volumes is unknown. This volume is stored with the Litchfield Law School collection student notebooks.

Dates: Between 1800-1820.

Filtered By

  • Subject: Lecture notes -- Connecticut -- Litchfield X

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 2
Collection 1
 
Subject
Circulars (fliers) 1
Correspondence 1
Judicial records 1
Lawyers--Correspondence 1
Lecture notes 1
∨ more
Notebooks 1
+ ∧ less