Henry W. Collier

Henry Watkins Collier (born January 17, 1801 in Lunenburg County , Virginia , † August 28, 1855 in Bailey's Springs , Alabama ) was an American lawyer and politician ( Democratic Party ) and the 14th Governor of Alabama .

Early years and political advancement

Henry W. Collier was taught primarily in South Carolina . In 1818 he moved to the Alabama Territory with his parents James and Elizabeth Collier . He studied law in Nashville , Tennessee and was admitted to the Alabama bar in 1822. Collier then opened his own law firm in Huntsville and later became a partner in a company in Tuscaloosa . In 1827 he decided to pursue a political career and was elected to the Alabama Senate. The following year he was appointed to the Alabama Supreme Court , where he served until 1832. Governor Clement Comer Clay reinstated him as a judge in 1836. He even became Chief Justice in 1837 and served in this position for twelve years.

Governor of Alabama

Collier was nominated for governor of Alabama by the Democratic Party in 1849. He was then elected on August 8, 1849 and sworn in on December 17, 1849. The state capitol in Montgomery burned down three years before he took office . Now it was rebuilt during his tenure.

Collier was a proponent of prison reform. He also promoted the establishment of textile factories in the state as well as better administrative services and fair financing of the education system. During his tenure, the Alabama Historical Society was established and the Alabama Hospital for the Insane was approved. The compromise of 1850 was the most important point of Collier's tenure, which was widely recognized even beyond the ensuing secession . Collier was elected for a second term on August 4, 1851, but resigned on December 20, 1853.

Another résumé

Collier was offered a seat in the US Senate , but he turned it down and settled in Bailey's Springs, where he died on August 28, 1855. He was married to Mary Ann Battle. They had three children together.

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personal data
SURNAME	Collier, Henry W.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Collier, Henry Watkins (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American lawyer and politician
DATE OF BIRTH	January 17, 1801
PLACE OF BIRTH	Lunenburg County , Virginia
DATE OF DEATH	August 28, 1855
Place of death	Bailey's Springs , Alabama