George Madison

George Madison, portrayed by Nicola Marschall (1907)

George Madison (* June 1763 in Augusta County , Colony of Virginia ; † 14. October 1816 in Paris , Kentucky ) was an American politician ( Democratic-Republican Party ) and Governor of the State of Kentucky.

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George Madison was a second cousin of James Madison , who later became President of the United States . He received a rather poor education in his home district. Madison took both the Revolutionary War and to the following Indian Wars and the War of 1812 in part. He was wounded several times. His commitment and bravery were repeatedly praised by his superiors. In the war of 1812 he took part in the failed invasion of Canada and was captured by the British, but released a year later as part of a prisoner exchange.

Parallel to his military activities, he had entered the service of the newly formed state of Kentucky since 1796. Governor Isaac Shelby named him Auditor of Public Accounts that year . He held this post for 20 years, only interrupted by his military assignments. In this function he met people in all parts of the country and earned their respect and recognition. In 1816 he resigned from office for health reasons. At that time he was already suffering from tuberculosis . Kentucky had gubernatorial elections that same year, and Madison had become so popular that his candidacy was widely called for. Despite his illness, he let himself stand up and his opponent withdrew his candidacy out of respect for him. Therefore, he was elected governor of Kentucky without opposition. His tenure began on September 5, 1816 and lasted just over a month; he died on October 14th of his illness. His only official act as governor was the appointment of Charles Stewart Todd as Secretary of State. He was the first Kentucky governor to die in office. His lieutenant governor Gabriel Slaughter took over the post of governor according to the constitution.

Madison was buried in the Frankfort cemetery. He was married to Jane Smith, with whom he had four children.

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personal data
SURNAME	Madison, George
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician and governor of Kentucky
DATE OF BIRTH	June 1763
PLACE OF BIRTH	Augusta County , Virginia
DATE OF DEATH	October 14, 1816
Place of death	Paris , Kentucky