Rufus Pettibone

Rufus Pettibone (May 26, 1784 – July 31, 1825) was a justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri from 1823 to 1825, appointed from St. Louis County.

Early life, education, and career Born in Litchfield County, Connecticut to Giles and Margaret Holcomb Pettibone, he was the youngest of a large family of children, and it was generally understood in the family that Rufus was to receive a collegiate education.

In 1801, he applied for and was admitted to Williams College, in northwestern Massachusetts, graduating in 1805, with high honors. In 1806, he began reading law in the office of a lawyer with a large practice, in Onondaga County, New York. He remained in this office for about two years, and then entered the office of Abraham Van Yeckten, a leading lawyer of that day in the city of Albany, in the same state. After remaining there for one year he was admitted to practice law. He settled in the village of Vernon, in Oneida County, New York, in the year 1810, and was elected in 1812 to represent the county in the New York State Assembly. In the winter of 1824 to 1825 the Legislature of the state chose Pettibone and Henry S. Geyer to revise the laws of the state. Pettibone remained on the court until his death.

Personal life and death In 1812, Pettibone married Louise Esther De Russey, daughter of Claudius Le Droit De Russey, an immigrant from France.

Pettibone died at the age of 41.