William Pope Duval

William Pope Duval

William Pope Duval (born September 4, 1784 in Mount Comfort , Virginia , † March 19, 1854 in Washington, DC ) was an American politician and governor of the Florida Territory from 1822 to 1834 . Between 1813 and 1815 he represented the state of Kentucky in the US House of Representatives .

Early years and political advancement

William Duval, who was born near Richmond , attended elementary school in his hometown. At the age of 14 he moved to Bardstown , Kentucky . He later studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1804. In 1812 he commanded a company of volunteers in the war against rebellious Indians. Between 1813 and 1815 he represented the fifth constituency of the state of Kentucky in Congress as a member of the Democratic Republican Party and as successor to Henry Clay . He did not stand for re-election and returned to Kentucky, where he again worked as a lawyer.

Territorial Governor of Florida

In 1821 Florida , which was acquired by Spain in 1819 , was officially elevated to the status of a US territory . The country was therefore not yet an official state and was directly subordinate to the federal government in Washington. This administered the country with the help of a territorial government. On May 18, 1821, Duval was appointed federal judge for eastern Florida by President James Monroe . The future President Andrew Jackson also became the military governor of the area. A year later, on April 17, 1822, Duval was appointed by President Monroe as the first civil territorial governor. That appointment was later confirmed by Presidents John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson (his predecessor in Florida). Overall, Duval stayed in Florida for twelve years. During this time Tallahassee became the capital of the area. The governor divided Florida into four administrative districts and established local courts. What was remarkable was his peaceful dealings with the native Indians.

Another résumé

In 1834 Duval was replaced by the former Secretary of War John Henry Eaton , who wanted to give President Jackson a new task after the so-called " Petticoat Affair " and the resulting resignation from Jackson's cabinet . William Duval initially stayed as a lawyer in Florida for a few years. In 1841 he was appointed "Law Agent" in Florida, a position roughly equivalent to that of a prosecutor. Then in 1848 he moved to Texas . He spent his old age there, although he died in Washington. William Duval was married to Nancy Hynes, with whom he had eight children.

Web links

• William Pope Duval in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
• Florida Governors' Portraits (English)
• William Pope Duval in the database of Find a Grave (English)