William Paterson

Supreme Court justice William Paterson is the subject of this pastel on paper portrait attributed to artist James Sharples. Born in Ireland, Paterson emigrated to America as a child and grew up in Princeteon, New Jersey. He served as an officer in the Revolutionary War and later entered politics. Paterson was a member of the 1787 Constitutional Convention where he advocated for the right of each state to equal representation in the federal government, without regard for population.