Nathan Clifford

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Nathan Clifford
Clifford c. 1855–65
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
In office January 21, 1858 – July 25, 1881[1]
Nominated by	James Buchanan
Preceded by	Benjamin Curtis
Succeeded by	Horace Gray
United States Ambassador to Mexico
In office October 2, 1848 – September 6, 1849
President	James Polk Zachary Taylor
Preceded by	John Slidell
Succeeded by	Robert Letcher
19th United States Attorney General
In office October 17, 1846 – March 17, 1848
President	James Polk
Preceded by	John Mason
Succeeded by	Isaac Toucey
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine's 1st district
In office March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1843
Preceded by	John Fairfield
Succeeded by	Joshua Herrick
Attorney General of Maine
In office January 1, 1834 – January 3, 1838
Governor	Robert Dunlap
Preceded by	Jonathan Rogers
Succeeded by	Daniel Goodenow
Member of the Maine House of Representatives
In office 1830-1834
Personal details
Born	(1803-08-18)August 18, 1803 Rumney, New Hampshire, U.S.
Died	July 25, 1881(1881-07-25) (aged 77) Cornish, Maine, U.S.
Resting place	Evergreen Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Hannah Ayer
Signature

Nathan Clifford (August 18, 1803 – July 25, 1881) was an American statesman, diplomat and jurist.

Clifford is one of the few people who have held a constitutional office in each of the three branches of the U.S. federal government. He represented Maine in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1839 to 1843, then served in the administration of President James K. Polk as the U.S. Attorney General from 1846 to 1848 and as the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico from 1848 to 1849. In the latter office, he signed the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo. In 1858, President James Buchanan appointed Clifford to be an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Clifford served on the Supreme Court until his death in 1881.