Early Life and Career
Upshur was born in Northampton County, Virginia, to Littleton Upshur and Anna (née Parker) Upshur. He was one of twelve children. His father—described as a "staunch individualist and rabid Federalist"—was a plantation owner, a member of the Virginia Legislature, and a Captain during the War of 1812.
Upshur attended Princeton University and Yale College; he was expelled from the former for participating in a student rebellion. He did not graduate, returning to Richmond, Virginia, to study law. Upshur was admitted to the bar in 1810; he briefly set up practice in Baltimore, Maryland, but returned to Virginia after the death of his father, where he set up a thriving law practice and became active in state politics.
Upshur married Elizabeth Dennis on February 26, 1817; she died in childbirth in October 1817. He remarried in 1824 to Elizabeth Ann Brown; they had one daughter.
Read more about this topic: Abel P. Upshur
Famous quotes containing the words early, life and/or career:
“In the course of twenty crowded years one parts with many illusions. I did not wish to lose the early ones. Some memories are realities, and are better than anything that can ever happen to one again.”
—Willa Cather (1873–1947)
“Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”
—Bible: New Testament, Luke 12:15.
“From a hasty glance through the various tests I figure it out that I would be classified in Group B, indicating “Low Average Ability,” reserved usually for those just learning to speak the English Language and preparing for a career of holding a spike while another man hits it.”
—Robert Benchley (1889–1945)