John Sevier

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John Sevier Signature John Seviers

John Sevier (born September 23, 1745 in Rockingham County , Colony of Virginia , †  September 24, 1815 on an inspection tour in the border area between Georgia and Alabama ) was an American politician and the first and third governor of the state of Tennessee . He was also the sole governor of the short-lived independent republic of the State of Franklin .

Early years

Born near what is now New Market , John Sevier was the oldest of seven children. His ancestors were Huguenots , expelled from France , who came to America via England . Since 1740 they were based in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, where young John grew up. After his marriage to Sarah Hawkins (1746-1780) in 1761, he settled on the Holston River . The area is in the east of what is now the state of Tennessee. In 1774 John Sevier gained his first military experience fighting the Indians. In 1776 Sevier and his family moved near what is now Elizabethton . His new home was annexed to North Carolina State as Washington County that same year . Sevier was one of the delegates at the first free congress of that state.

The War of Independence

Sevier had already made a name for himself as an Indian fighter. During the War of Independence that followed, he was used as a lieutenant colonel or colonel in the North Carolina militia in the fight against the Cherokee as well as against British loyalists and the British regular army. After several victorious battles, the most famous being the Battle of Kings Mountain , he was considered a war hero in his homeland.

State of Franklin

In 1784 North Carolina renounced large areas in the west of its territory and bequeathed it to the federal government. A little later, however, North Carolina reversed this trade. The citizens of five counties in what is now northeastern Tennessee, including Washington County, were no longer satisfied with the rule of North Carolina over their area and declared their independence from this state on August 23, 1784. On May 16, 1785, these five counties made the official application under the name "Frankland" as a new state in the American Union. However, this proposal did not find a majority at the Continental Congress , and renaming it "State of Franklin" did not lead to the desired result. Benjamin Franklin , after whom the new state was to be named, was asked for support but kindly declined. Despite this, the five counties initially asserted their independence from aggression from North Carolina. They adopted a constitution and appointed John Sevier to be their governor. It soon turned out that the new republic was not viable. Threatened by North Carolina and hostile Indians and always in financial difficulties, Sevier even toyed with the idea of ​​borrowing from the Spanish government. Spanish rule was even considered. Eventually North Carolina regained control of the area, and the state ceased to exist after only four years.

The Southwest Territory

After the end of the "State of Franklin" Sevier was arrested and charged with treason in North Carolina. But there was no negotiation. After swearing an oath of allegiance, he even regained his rank of general in the militia. In 1789 he was elected to the North Carolina Senate. From June 16, 1790 to March 3, 1791 he was a member of the House of Representatives of the first US Congress . In 1790, the North Carolina government again decided to cede the western territories to the US government. This then founded the so-called Southwest Territory , which existed from 1790 to 1796 in the area of ​​what would later become Tennessee. William Blount was named governor of the area by President George Washington , and Sevier was a member of the legislature.

Governor of Tennessee

In the new territory , Sevier was one of the proponents of the country joining the American Union. In the years up to 1796 work was done on a corresponding constitution. In 1796 the application for membership was made in Congress, which was accepted after some discussions. Finally, President Washington was able to announce the admission of Tennessee as the 16th state in the Union. Sevier was elected the first governor of the new state and was inducted into office on March 30, 1796 in the new capital, Knoxville .

Sevier's job as first governor was not easy. A separate administration had to be set up. A militia had to be set up and organized. There were repeated disputes about the allocation of positions that were bitter. The governor was accused of bribery and fraud. One of its main critics was the future President Andrew Jackson . A duel between Sevier and Jackson almost came about in 1803. Both men remained bitter enemies until Sevier's death in 1815. The Indian problem was still unsolved. Two contracts in 1805 and 1806 brought some reassurance but no permanent solution. Another problem was the lack of infrastructure. The governor began to develop the road network. In 1806, by law, he created the conditions for a public school system in most districts of the state. Despite harsh criticism from the opposition, Sevier was re-elected twice. The constitution did not allow more contiguous terms of office. For this reason, Archibald Roane became the new governor of Tennessee in 1801. This was a supporter of Andrew Jackson and thus a political opponent of Seviers.

Sevier subsequently applied for the post of commander of the militia. His opponent was Jackson, of all people. The vote in parliament ended in a draw and Governor Roane had to make the decision. He chose Jackson. In 1803 Sevier managed to beat Roane in the elections. He returned for three more two-year terms as governor of Tennessee and continued his earlier politics. He remained governor of Tennessee until 1809. After William Carroll , he holds the governor's record in office to this day. Noteworthy is the increase in the country's population during this period. When he first took office in 1796, the country had 85,000 inhabitants. By the end of his governorship, that number had risen to 285,000.

End of life and death

Sevier's tomb in Knoxville

In 1809, Sevier applied in vain for a seat in the US Senate . For this he was elected to the Tennessee Senate in the same year . In 1811 he managed to move into the House of Representatives in Washington again. He held this mandate as a member of the Democratic Republican Party until his death, even if he played no significant role at the national level. He died on September 24, 1815 on an inspection tour in the border area of ​​what is now Georgia and Alabama. Sevier was initially buried near Fort Decatur. In 1887 his remains were transferred to Knoxville and interred there. At the same time a memorial was erected for him there.

John Sevier was married twice and had a total of 18 children born between 1763 and 1796.

literature

  • Carl S. Driver: John Sevier. Pioneer of the Old Southwest. The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill NC 1932.

Web links

Commons : John Sevier  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files
personal data
SURNAME Sevier, John
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH September 23, 1745
PLACE OF BIRTH Rockingham County , Virginia
DATE OF DEATH September 24, 1815
Place of death between Georgia and Alabama