Henry Tazewell

Henry Tazewell

Henry Tazewell (born November 27, 1753 in Brunswick County , Colony of Virginia , †  January 24, 1799 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ) was an American lawyer and politician who represented the state of Virginia in the US Senate .

After completing his schooling, Henry Tazewell attended the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg and graduated there in 1770. He then studied law , was admitted to the bar and began practicing law in 1773. During the War of Independence he built up a cavalry force and led it as a captain .

Tazewell's political career began in 1775 in the House of Burgesses , Virginia's colonial parliament. In this and the following year he took part in the constitutional convention of the future federal state; from 1778 to 1785 he was a member of the Virginia House of Representatives . He also served from 1785 to 1793 as a judge at the Supreme Court of the State ( General Court ) and was its chairman from 1789. In 1793 he was also a judge on the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.

Finally, there was an election to the US Senate, where Henry Tazewell took over from the resigned John Taylor from December 29, 1794 . From February 20 to December 8, 1795 he held the office of Senate President pro tempore ; During this time, the first parties formed in the United States, where he joined the Democratic Republicans . Tazewell was re-elected in 1798, but died the following year before Congress convened for the new session.

The Tazewell County , Virginia is named after him. His son Littleton later also became a US Senator and Governor of Virginia .

Web links

• Henry Tazewell in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Henry Tazewell in the database of Find a Grave (English)