Simeon Olcott

Simeon Olcott (October 1, 1735February 22, 1815) was a New Hampshire attorney and politician. His career began before the American Revolution and continued afterwards, and among the positions in which he served were Chief Judge of the New Hampshire Supreme Court (1795-1801) and United States Senator from New Hampshire (1801-1805). A native of Bolton, Connecticut, Olcott graduated from Yale College in 1761, studied law, attained admission to the bar, and began to practice in Charlestown, New Hampshire. He quickly became active in politics and government, and served as a town selectman, town meeting moderator, and member of the colonial legislature. He served as Cheshire County Probate Judge during the American Revolution, and when several western New Hampshire towns attempted to join Vermont after the war, Olcott served as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. The attempted union was soon dissolved, and Olcott served on New Hampshire's Court of Common Pleas (1784-1790), as a judge of the Superior Court (later renamed the state Supreme Court) (1790-1795), and chief judge of the Superior Court (1795-1801). In 1801, Olcott was selected to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy created after Samuel Livermore resigned, and he served from 1801 to 1805. Olcott died in Charlestown in 1815 and was buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in Charlestown. Early life Olcott was born in Bolton, Connecticut Colony, and was a son of Timothy Olcott and Eunice (White) Olcott. He graduated from Yale College in 1761, studied law, was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Charlestown, New Hampshire.