George Henry Williams served as U.S. attorney general from 1871 to 1875 under President Ulysses S. Grant. Williams served as both a state judge and a U.S. Senator but is best remembered for failing to win Senate confirmation as chief justice of the United States.

Williams was born on March 23, 1823 in New Lebanon, New York. Williams received some formal education but when he decided to become a lawyer he served an apprenticeship with a local law firm. Most lawyers of his day "read the law" as Williams did. He performed clerical duties, researched legal cases and received tutoring from his employer. After several years of apprenticeship he passed the New York bar exam in 1844. However, Williams elected to move west to begin his legal career. He established a practice in Ft. Madison, Iowa but within three years he was elected a trial court judge. Several years later he...