Henry Marchant (April 9, 1741 – August 30, 1796) was a Founding Father of the United States, an attorney general of Rhode Island, a delegate to the Second Continental Congress from Rhode Island, a signer of the Articles of Confederation, and the first United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island.

Born on April 9, 1741, in Martha's Vineyard, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America,[1] Marchant received an Artium Magister degree in 1762 from the College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania) and read law in 1776.

[2] He resumed private practice in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, from 1780 to 1784, also engaging in farming.

[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 3, 1790, and received his commission the same day.

[2] Marchant presided over West v. Barnes (1791), which was the first case appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States.