Charles Jackson

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charles Jackson
A political cartoon from 1845 denigrating Charles Jackson, Samuel F. Man, James F. Simmons and Lemuel H. Arnold as "The Four Traitors" after Thomas Dorr was pardoned.

Charles Jackson (born March 4, 1797 in Providence , Rhode Island , † January 21, 1876 ) was an American politician and governor of the state of Rhode Island from 1845 to 1846 .

Early years

Charles Jackson was born to Richard Jackson , who was a member of the US House of Representatives between 1808 and 1815 . Charles studied at Brown University until 1817 and then continued his education with a law degree. But he only worked briefly as a lawyer. Instead, he opened a steam-powered cotton mill in 1823. He soon expanded his business to other industries. With a patent from Charles Goodyear , he entered rubber production. He also bought a weapons factory and a company that made locomotives.

Political career

Charles Jackson was a member of the Whig Party , whose candidate he was elected to the Rhode Island House of Representatives ; whose speaker he was from 1841 to 1842. In the gubernatorial elections of 1845 he was able to beat incumbent James Fenner with a lead of only 210 votes and thus complete a one-year term as governor of Rhode Island on May 6, 1845. During this time he pardoned Thomas Dorr and his followers, who had been convicted of high treason. The Dorr movement had spoken out in favor of expanding the right to vote in 1842-43 and initiated an uprising to achieve its goals. Even the then governor Samuel Ward King was declared deposed. But this had prevailed and Dorr and some of his supporters were convicted. The Dorr group's pardon was very unpopular in Rhode Island and eventually led to Jackson being voted out of office, whose term ended on May 6, 1846.

After the end of his governorship, Jackson held no other political office. He returned to his numerous business activities and died in January 1876. Charles Jackson was married twice and had seven children.

literature

  • Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 4, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Jackson, Charles
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH March 4, 1797
PLACE OF BIRTH Providence , Rhode Island
DATE OF DEATH January 21, 1876