John A. Quitman

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John A. Quitman

John Anthony Quitman (born September 1, 1799 in Rhinebeck , New York , †  July 17, 1858 in Natchez , Mississippi ) was an American politician and governor of the state of Mississippi from 1835 to 1836 and between 1850 and 1851 . Between 1855 and 1858 he represented his state in the US House of Representatives .

Early years and political advancement

John Quitman attended Hartwick Seminary until 1816 . He then studied law in Ohio , where he had temporarily moved. After being admitted to the bar and moving to Natchez, Mississippi, he began working in his new profession in that town. In 1826 he bought the "Monmouth" plantation near Natchez, which was to remain in the family for over 100 years.

Between 1826 and 1827 Quitman was a member of the House of Representatives from Mississippi and from 1828 to 1835 he was Chancellor of that state. In 1832 he was also a delegate at a conference on the revision of the state constitution. During those years Quitman was a member of the Whig Party . During the nullification crisis , he supported the efforts of the state of South Carolina to secede from the Union. He also turned against President Andrew Jackson . In the following years he remained a supporter of the secession movement. Between 1835 and 1836 he was a member of the State Senate , of which he became President.

Mississippi Governor and Mexican War

In his capacity as President of the Senate, he had to take over the office of governor between December 3, 1835 and January 7, 1836, which Governor Hiram Runnels had given up on November 20 after his two-year term had ended. However, since the governors' term of office had started to start in January, the interim period had to be bridged. Since the Senate did not meet until December 3, the state of Mississippi was effectively without a governor between November 20 and December 3, 1835. The office was held by John Quitman for the next four weeks before the new governor Charles Lynch took over.

In 1838 Quitman became a judge on an appeals court. Quitman, who was considered very ambitious, also had military ambitions and made it to major general in the US Army during the Mexican-American War . He led a brigade at the Battle of Monterrey . From 1847 to 1848 he was the military governor of Mexico City . In the meantime he had become a member of the Democratic Party , whose candidate he was elected governor of his state on November 5, 1849. He took office on January 10, 1850. The dominant domestic political issue at the time was the question of slavery and the possibility of a split in the Union. Quitman, as a classic representative of the southern aristocracy, supported their positions. During his tenure, dykes were also built for flood protection.

Cuban Affair and Congressman

In 1850 there were efforts in Cuba to make the island independent from Spain. These endeavors have also been observed and assessed differently in the United States. While the federal government at the time was reserved about the matter and forbade the Americans to take part in the proceedings, there were also forces who advocated Cuban independence with a subsequent annexation to the United States. Governor Quitman actively supported the independence movement against the law, which led to charges of violating US neutrality laws. He then resigned as governor on February 3, 1851. The charges themselves were later dropped, and Quitman was elected a member of the United States Congress in 1854 . He exercised this mandate from March 4, 1855 until his death on July 17, 1858. He died on his Natchez plantation from an illness believed to have contracted in a Washington hotel during the inauguration ceremony of President James Buchanan in March 1857. John Quitman had four children with his wife, Eliza Turner.

Honors

According to him, Quitman County and Quitman Georgia and Quitman County named in Mississippi.

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personal data
SURNAME Quitman, John A.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Quitman, John Anthony (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH September 1, 1799
PLACE OF BIRTH Rhinebeck , New York
DATE OF DEATH July 17, 1858
Place of death Natchez , Mississippi