GABRIEL DUVALL was born on December 6, 1752, in Prince Georges County, Maryland. He studied classics and law and was admitted to the bar in 1778. During the Revolutionary War, Duvall served as muster master and commissary of stores for the Maryland troops and later as a private in the Maryland militia. He served as Clerk of the Maryland State Convention from 1775 to 1777, and after the Maryland State Government was created in 1777, he served as clerk for the House of Delegates. Duvall was elected to the Maryland State Council in 1782 and to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1787. He served until 1794, when he was elected to the United States House of Representatives. Duvall was re-elected but resigned on March 28, 1796, to become Chief Justice of the General Court of Maryland. President Thomas Jefferson appointed Duvall the first Comptroller of the Treasury on December 15, 1802, and he served nine years in that position. On November 18, 1811, President James Madison nominated Duvall to the Supreme Court of the United States. The Senate confirmed the appointment five days later. Duvall served on the Supreme Court for twenty-three years and resigned on January 14, 1835. He died on March 6, 1844, at the age of ninety-one.
Members support the Society’s efforts to increase awareness of the Court’s contributions to our nation’s constitutional heritage. Benefits include: Court history publications, special event invitations, discounts.
SCHS sponsored events cover Supreme Court history themes, from early landmark figures and cases such as McCullough, to civics, labor, women’s rights, immigration, Constitutional controversies.
Documentaries covering landmark points on the timeline of Supreme Court history, including: FDR’s court packing controversy, the contested 1876 election + John Marshall & Marbury v. Madison.
Visit the Supreme Court Historical Society’s CIVICS website to learn about the history and cases of the Supreme Court of the United States and gain insights into key figures associated with the Court.
A timeline of Supreme Court history, including the Marshall and Warren Courts + landmark cases: West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, and significant rulings in women’s rights court cases.