American politician

George Monroe Stearns was an American attorney who served as the United States Attorney for the District of M*achusetts from 1886 to 1887.

Contents

• 1 Early life
• 2 Legal career
• 3 Politics
• 4 United States Attorney
• 5 Later life and death
• 6 Personal life
• 7 See also
• 8 References

Early life

Stearns was born on April 18, 1831 in Stoughton, M*achusetts. He spent his early years in Rowe, M*achusetts, where his father was a clergyman at the local Unitarian Church.

Legal career

After school, Stearns studied law in the office of John Wells in Chicopee, M*achusetts. He was admitted to the Hampden County bar on April 24, 1852 and soon thereafter became Wells' partner.

After Wells moved to Springfield, M*achusetts, Stearns continued to practice law in Chicopee for several years. He eventually moved to Springfield himself, where he practiced with E. D. Beach and later with Marcus Perrin Knowlton.

Politics

In 1859, Stearns was a member of the M*achusetts House of Representatives. In 1860, he served on the Committee for the Revision of the Statutes.

In 1867 Stearns was the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of M*achusetts. He lost to Republican William Claflin 100,381 votes to 68,527.

In 1871, Stearns served in the M*achusetts Senate.

In 1872, Stearns was again the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor. However, when gubernatorial nominee Charles Sumner declined to run, Stearns chose to do the same.

From 1872 to 1874, Stearns was the District Attorney of the Western District of M*achusetts.

He was a delegate to the 1872 Democratic National Convention, supporting Horace Greeley.

United States Attorney

In February 1886, Stearns was appointed by President Grover Cleveland to serve as United States Attorney for the District of M*achusetts.

In 1887, he prosecuted Alexander Graham Bell on the grounds that Bell had used fraud and misrepresentation to obtain a patent. Bell won the case.

Stearns stepped down on August 31, 1887, citing ill health.

Later life and death

In 1894, Stearns moved to Brookline, M*achusetts. The Hampden County Bar *ociation held a dinner in his honor before he left, but he was unable to attend due to ill health.

Stearns died on December 31, 1894 at his home in Brookline.

Personal life

Stearns married Emily Goodnow on May 17, 1855 in Brooklyn. They had two daughters, Mary Caroline Stearns (1856–1876) and Emily Spaulding Stearns (1858–1870).

See also

• 92nd M*achusetts General Court (1871)

References