Henry Stanbery served as U.S. attorney general from 1866 to 1868 under President Andrew Johnson. A prominent Ohio lawyer and politician, Stanbery's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court failed when Congress reduced the size of the Court to prevent Johnson from naming anyone to the bench. Stanbery also served on Johnson's legal team that successfully defended him at his Senate impeachment trial.

Stanbery was born on February 20, 1803 in New York City but his family eventually moved to Ohio. He graduated form Washington College in Pennsylvania in 1819 and then returned to Ohio to become a lawyer. At this time most lawyers gained their legal education through an apprenticeship with a local law firm. Stanbery performed clerical duties, researched legal cases and was tutored by the attorney he worked for. After five years of training he finally passed the Ohio bar exam. In 1824 he started a law practice with another...