Justice George W. Macrae

Imagined likeness of Justice George Macrae

Former Justice George Macrae is the fourth Supreme Court Justice. He served for one year, from January 1847 to January 3, 1848.

Macrae is known as the supreme court’s "mystery justice" because no actual photograph or portrait of him has been found. The portrait hanging on the wall in the supreme court building is entirely from the imagination of the artist, Claribel Jett, and is a close likeness of her uncle dressed in fanciful clothing. 

Macrae was born in Prince William County, Virginia, in 1802 and began his legal career in 1823. His legal practice varied, often involving property and trust work and criminal work. He was active in local politics and frequently represented Prince William County before the Virginia General Assembly. 

Macrae first came into prominence in Florida in 1842, when President John Tyler appointed him United States Attorney for the Southern District. 

Two years later, Macrae won election to the territorial senate from South Florida. Research suggests that he was the last president of that senate when Florida was admitted into the Union in 1845. 

Macrae was then appointed judge for the Southern Circuit of Florida. In 1847, Governor William Moseley turned to Macrae for appointment as justice on the Florida Supreme Court. After serving only a single year, Macrae was replaced by Florida House of Representatives Speaker Joseph Lancaster.  

In 1848 Macrae continued as a circuit-riding judge in Florida, hearing cases in Hillsborough, Marion, and Columbia counties. Macrae moved to California in 1849 and died in Kentucky in 1858 at the age of 55.

The Macrae Mystery is detailed in the Fall/Winter 2021 Historical Review publication of the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society.