Born: September 1, 1818
Faulkner, Maryland

Died: February 4, 1889
Washington, D.C.

William Matthews Merrick

Judge, Circuit Court of the District of Columbia

Nominated by Franklin Pierce on December 14, 1855, to a seat vacated by James Dunlop. Confirmed by the Senate on December 14, 1855, and received commission on December 14, 1855. Service terminated on March 3, 1863, due to abolition of the court.

Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (now U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia)

Received a recess appointment from Grover Cleveland on May 1, 1885, to a seat vacated by Andrew Wylie; nominated to the same position by Grover Cleveland on December 14, 1885. Confirmed by the Senate on March 30, 1886, and received commission on March 30, 1886. Service terminated on February 4, 1889, due to death.

Education:

University of Virginia Georgetown College (now Georgetown University), 1831
Read law, 1839

Frame Dimensions
42.5 x 36.5

Canvas Dimensions
35.5 x 29.5

Overall Condition
Excellent. Frame not backed.

Artist
Richard C. Henderson was commissioned in 1978 by Judge George Luzerne Hart, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to paint portraits of both sitting and former judges of the District Court. Mr. Henderson painted portraits of deceased judges by studying black and white photographs and talking with friends and family of the judges. Within a five-year period, he produced 23 portraits. At the conclusion of his commission, Mr. Henderson continued to paint portraits and landscapess. He taught at the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida, as well as at several private art schools.

Mr. Henderson is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where he majored in Art and English. He holds a Master’s degree from Vermont College of Norwich University, which is today the Vermont College of Fine Arts. He studied at the National Academy of Design in New York, working with Daniel Green, a recognized pastelist. Mr. Henderson also studied under Harvey Dinnerstein, one of several artists trained at the Tyler School of Arts at Temple University. Mr. Henderson studied at the Art Students League of New York with Robert Brackman, a Russian artist who become nationally famous after painting the portraits of Charles and Ann Lindbergh, among others.

Year Painted
1980

Professional Career:

Private practice, Baltimore, Maryland, 1839-1844
Private practice, Frederick, Maryland, 1844-1854
Deputy attorney general, Frederick County, Maryland, 1845-1850
Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1854-1855
Private practice, Howard County, Maryland, 1863-1870, 1873-1886
Senior professor of law, Columbian College, Washington, D.C., 1866-1867
State representative, Maryland, 1870
U.S. representative from Maryland, 1871-1873

Judges of the D.C. Circuit Courts