Abraham Bishop

Abraham Bishop (1763–1844) was an American farmer and economic populist. He was a vocal supporter of Thomas Jefferson and was known for his family's Federalist affiliation.

Biography Education and career Bishop's parents were Samuel and Mehetabel Basset Bishop; his father was a public official who had served as a mayor and judge in New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale University at 15 years old. Two years later he toured through Europe taking a trip. In 1789 Abraham came back to New Haven. He had been educationally fulfilled by great libraries and English debates. Abraham often criticized the new Constitution and the political power of the Christian religion. In 1790, Abraham became director of the American Academy and was the head of Hopkins School. His articles focused on topics such as educational reform, his opposition to theatre, and race. Bishop used his father's influence to enter into politics and he became the clerk of the following areas: country court (1795–1800), probate court (1796–1800), and superior court (1798–1801). By 1800 Bishop was experiencing a lack of success, something his critics claimed was due to his ego and a sign of questionable character.