Henry E. Ackerson Jr.

Honorable Henry E. Ackerson Jr.
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey
In office 1948 (1948)–1952 (1952)
Appointed by	Alfred E. Driscoll
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	William J. Brennan Jr.
New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals
In office 1924 (1924)–1947 (1947)
Succeeded by	Office eliminated
Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 13th district
In office 1915 (1915)–1919 (1919)
Preceded by	John W. Slocum
Succeeded by	William A. Stevens
Personal details
Born	Henry Elijah Ackerson Jr. (1880-10-15)October 15, 1880 Holmdel Township, New Jersey
Died	December 9, 1970(1970-12-09) (aged 90) Holmdel Township, New Jersey
Resting place	Holmdel Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Edith D. Calef ​ ​ (m. 1912; died 1969)​
Children	2
Parent	Cornelius & Anna B. (Stillwell)
Residence	Keyport, New Jersey
Alma mater	New York Law School
Occupation	Bank clerk, lawyer, bank director
Committees	Rutgers, the State University - trustee
Membership	American Bar Association Royal Arcanum

Henry Elijah Ackerson Jr. (October 15, 1880 – December 9, 1970) was a State Senator from 1915 to 1919,^[1] a New Jersey circuit judge from 1924 to 1947,^[2] and an associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1948 to 1952.^[3]

Ackerson was born in Keyport on a small dairy farm in Holmdel Township, New Jersey to Cornelius and Anna B (Stillwell) Ackerson.^[4] He was purported to be the namesake of his paternal grandfather. Sometime in the early 1890s, the family moved to Raritan (now Keyport), where Henry graduated from Raritan High School. By 1900, Henry was working at a local bank while attending New York Law School from 1902 until 1904 when he passed the bar in New Jersey.^[3]

Ackerson resided locally until retiring in the 1950s and eventually moving into a nursing home in Holmdel where he died in 1970. He is interred at Holmdel Cemetery. The Justice Henry E. Ackerson Jr. Prize and Ackerson Hall, the home of Rutgers School of Law – Newark from 1966 to 1978 and still an academic building at Rutgers University—Newark, are named in his honour.^[5]

See also

• List of justices of the Supreme Court of New Jersey
• New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals
• Courts of New Jersey

References

1. "NORDICA'S GEMS APPRAISED.; Many Curios Among Jewels Worth $250,000 Owned by the Diva". The New York Times. 14 May 1915. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
2. "Obituary". Newspapers.com. Asbury Park Press. 18 October 1970. p. 90. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
3. "Aberdeen NJ Life: History: Henry E Ackerson (1880 – 1970) Clears Legal Hurdles for Matawan to Create Artificial Lakes (1915)". 20 April 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
4. Times, Special To The New York (11 December 1970). "Henry Ackerson of Jersey Court". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
5. "Honors, Prizes, and Awards - Rutgers School of Law-Newark". Retrieved 24 June 2016. Justice Henry E. Ackerson Jr. Prize. Awarded to the student who has most distinguished himself or herself in the area of legal skills. It was donated by Justice Ackerson and, since his death in 1970, has been continued by the Rutgers–Newark Law School Alumni Association in recognition of his unique contribution to the school.