CHAMPNEYS, Benjamin, jurist, born in Bridge-ton, Cumberland County, New Jersey, in January, 1800; died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 9 August, 1871. After studying under a private tutor in New York City he entered Princeton, but left College on his father's death, and studied law with Chief-Justice Ewing, of New Jersey, and afterward at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he was admitted to the bar on 2 April, 1818. He was deputy attorney general of the mayor's court, Lancaster, from 1824 till 1830, deputy attorney general of the county till 1833, and president-judge of the second judicial district from 1839 till 1842. He had served in the lower house of the legislature in 1825 and 1828, and from 1843 till 1846 was a member of the state senate. He was attorney general of the state from 1846 till 1848, when he resigned. He was sent to the state house of representatives again in 1863, and to the senate in 1864, 1865, and 1866. Judge Champneys was a democrat till the civil war, when he became a republican.