WILLIAM TILGHMAN. 17 



Thus dividing his tiaie between a profession that 

 he loved, and a wife whom he adored, he enjoyed as 

 much happiness as 'may be expected to fall to the lot 

 of man ; but that happiness, alas ! was not to be of 

 long duration. A little more than three years had 

 elapsed from the time of his marriage, when he had 

 the misfortune to lose that wife, on whom he had 

 rested his fondest hopes. She died in the month of 

 December, 1797, leaving behind her a daughter, the 

 only pledge of their mutual affection, who was also, 

 doomed to an untimely fate. 



The acuteness of his feelings upon this event, rou- 

 sed him to increased exertion ; his talents were dis- 

 played with more force than they had been before, 

 and soon became so conspicuous as to point him out 

 to the national, as well as to the state government, as 

 a fit character for the most elevated stations in the 

 judicature of his country. The opportunity soon of- 

 fered to place him in a situation worthy of himself. 



Congress having thought proper to establish a new 

 organization of the Circuit Courts of the United States, 

 jMr. Tilghman was appointed by President John 

 Adams, on the 3d of March, 1801, presiding Judge 

 of the third circuit, which consisted of Eastern and 

 Western Pennsylvania, and the states of New Jersey 

 and Delaware. His associates were Mr. GriiBth, of 

 New Jersey, a lawyer of great eminence, and Mr. 

 Bassett, of Delaware. He was in this manner placed 

 at the head of the federal judiciary of three States ; 

 but did not remain long in that situation, as in the 



