John Law was born on October 28, 1796, in
New London, Connecticut. His father was
Lyman Law and his brother was
William Henry Law. His grandfathers were
Amasa Learned and
Richard Law. His great-grandfather was
Jonathan Law. He pursued classical studies and graduated from
Yale College in 1814. Later, he studied law and he was admitted to the bar in 1817 and he commenced practice in
Vincennes, Indiana.
Early career Law was the prosecuting attorney from 1818 to 1820 and a member of the
Indiana House of Representatives in 1824 and 1825. He was again the prosecuting attorney from 1825 to 1828 and judge of the seventh judicial circuit from 1830 to 1831. He served as the receiver of the land office at Vincennes from 1838 to 1842 and was again a judge from 1844 to 1850, when he resigned. Law moved to
Evansville, Indiana in 1851. He invested in large tracts of land and was an author. He was appointed by President
Franklin Pierce judge of the court of land claims and served from 1855 to 1857.
Congress Law was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-seventh and Thirty-eighth Congresses (March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1865) but was not a candidate for renomination in 1864.
Later career and death After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of law. He died in Evansville, Indiana 1873 and was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Vincennes, Indiana. == Electoral history ==