Researching James Sullivan

Sullivan was born and raised in Berwick, Maine (then part of Massachusetts), and studied law with his brother John. After establishing a successful law practice, he became actively involved in the Massachusetts state government during the American Revolutionary War, and was appointed to the state's highest court in March 1776. He was involved in drafting the state constitution and the state's ratifying convention for the United States Constitution. After resigning from the bench in 1782 he returned to private practice, and was appointed Attorney General in 1790. During his years as judge and attorney general he was responsible for drafting and revising much of the state's legislation as part of the transition from British rule to independence. While attorney general he worked with the commission that established the border between Maine and New Brunswick, and prosecuted several high-profile murder cases.

Sullivan was a political partisan, supporting the Democratic-Republican Party and subscribing to Jeffersonian republican ideals. He supported John Hancock and Samuel Adams in their political careers, and was a frequent contributor, often under one of many pseudonyms, to political dialogue in the state's newspapers. He ran unsuccessfully for governor several times before finally winning the office in 1807. He died in office during his second term.

In addition to his political pursuits Sullivan engaged in charitable and business endeavors. He was a leading proponent of the Middlesex Canal and the first bridge between Boston and Cambridge, and was instrumental in the development of Boston's first public water supply. He was the founding president of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and held membership in a variety of other charitable organizations. He wrote one of the first histories of his native Maine, and a legal text on land titles. Legal historian Charles Warren calls him one of the most important legal figures of the time in Massachusetts.

He was known as "4:22 Jim" for being the first native-born American to run the mile in the fast time of 4 minutes and 22 seconds at the Metropolitan Championships held at Travers Island in 1905. He had been regarded as a promising walker in school, but was advised by a school coach to concentrate on running. In the 1906 Intercalated Games he finished fifth in the 1500 m competition. He also participated in the 800 m event, but he was eliminated in the first round. In 1907 Sullivan won the Senior National Amateur Athletic Union championship, and in the same year won the Military Athletic League title and the KPMG title at the same distance.

In the 1908 Summer Olympics, 1500 m competition, Sullivan won his first-round heat with a time of 4:07.6, winning a closely contested heat, defeating defending champion James Lightbody. In 1909 Sullivan won the three-mile Canadian Championship held at Montreal, and pulled two tendons in his right ankle, which put him out of competition for the indoor season of 1909–1910. Sullivan was using swimming as a non-impact physiotherapy training when he was advised to compete in a triathlon once rehabilitated. He competed in a few triathlons, placing well in the triathy, but had a recurrence of the tendon problem and had to retire from sport altogether. As well as being an athlete Sullivan was known to have an interest in Pool and Billiards, winning The Manly Cup in its inaugural year.

He retired from competition in 1912, and in 1913, married Grace Burke. They had two children, Richard and Elise. He worked as a clerk for the Kings County Court, a position he held until 1958.