Richard Peters (Continental Congress)


Richard Peters was a delegate to the Congress of the Confederation and a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Education and career

Born on June 22, 1744, at Belmont Mansion in Philadelphia, Province of Pennsylvania, British America, Peters graduated from the College of Philadelphia in 1761 and read law in 1763. He entered private practice in Philadelphia from 1763 to 1771. He served in the Continental Army as a captain in 1771. He was a register of admiralty in Philadelphia from 1771 to 1776. He was Secretary and member of the Continental Board of War from June 13, 1776, to June 8, 1781. While serving on this board in 1779, he submitted to General George Washington draft designs for a national standard. He was a delegate to the Congress of the Confederation from 1782 to 1783. He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1787 to 1790, serving as Speaker. He was a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1791 to 1792.

Federal judicial service

Peters was nominated by President George Washington on January 12, 1792, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania vacated by Judge William Lewis. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 13, 1792, and received his commission the same day. Peters was reassigned by operation of law to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on April 20, 1818, to a new seat authorized by. His service terminated on August 22, 1828, due to his death at Belmont Mansion in Philadelphia. He was interred in St. Peter's Churchyard in Philadelphia.

Notable cases

Peters was a party in the Supreme Court of the United States cases, United States v. Richard Peters, District Judge, and United States v. Peters.

Belmont Mansion

Peter's home, known as "Belmont Mansion", still stands and is open as a museum. It is located at 2000 Belmont Mansion Drive in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, which was established around it.

Famous descendants

Peters' grandson Richard Peters migrated to the South, where he became a founder of Atlanta, Georgia. That Richard's son, Edward C. Peters, bought and then sold off for development the land that is now the southern half of Midtown Atlanta.