  joseph story (september 18, 1779 &ndash; september 10, 1845) was an american lawyer and jurist who served on the supreme court of the united states from 1811 to 1845. he is most remembered for his opinions in martin v. hunter's lessee and the amistad case, and especially for his magisterial commentaries on the constitution of the united states, first published in 1833. dominating the field in the 19th century, this work is a cornerstone of early american jurisprudence. it is the second comprehensive treatise on the provisions of the u.s. constitution and remains a critical source of historical information about the forming of the american republic and the early struggles to define its law. story opposed jacksonian democracy, saying it was "oppression" of property rights by republican governments when popular majorities began (in the 1830s) to restrict and erode the property rights of the minority of rich men.david brion davis, antebellum american culture (1997), pp. 14-15 r. kent newmyer presents story as a "statesman of the old republic" who tried to be above democratic politics and to shape the law in accordance with the republicanism of alexander hamilton and john marshall and the new england whigs of the 1820s and '30s, including daniel webster.newmyer, p. 4 historians agree that justice joseph story reshaped american law&mdash;as much or more than marshall or anyone else&mdash;in a conservative direction that protected property rights.presser, p. 526 ==early life== story was born at marblehead, massachusetts. his father was dr elisha story, a member of the sons of liberty who took part in the boston tea party in 1773.dunne, p. 32 dr story moved from boston to marblehead during the [[ame
1779_births 1845_deaths American_Unitarians Burials_at_Mount_Auburn_Cemetery Democratic-Republican_Party_members_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives Hall_of_Fame_for_Great_Americans_inductees Harvard_Law_School_faculty Harvard_University_alumni Massachusetts_Democratic-Republicans Members_of_the_Massachusetts_House_of_Representatives Members_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives_from_Massachusetts People_from_Marblehead,_Massachusetts United_States_Supreme_Court_justices United_States_constitutional_law_scholars United_States_federal_judges_appointed_by_James_Madison