Josiah Tattnall Sr.

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Josiah Tattnall senior (born around 1764 near Savannah , Province of Georgia , † June 6, 1803 in Nassau , Bahamas ) was an American politician and governor of Georgia.

Early years

Josiah's family were loyal to the British Crown at the outbreak of the American War of Independence and fled to England via the Bahamas. They stayed there for the next few years. Their plantation in Georgia has since been confiscated. Later the Bonaventure cemetery was created on parts of the site. During his time in England, the young Josiah studied at Eton.

Political rise

Around 1782 Josiah could no longer stand it in England. He fled to America, joined the American Army and fought against the British under General Anthony Wayne . After the war, Josiah bought back parts of the plantation. He remained in the military and played an active role in the Georgia militia. In 1787 he was a commanding officer against rebel slaves and in 1788 and 1793 against Indians. Within the militia, he made it to the brigadier general. From 1795 to 1796 Tatnall was a member of the Georgia Parliament. At that time, the country was rocked by the Yazoo scandal, which involved illegal land sales in the west of the state by members of the government including ex-Governor George Mathews . Tatnall campaigned for a law that canceled the sales and was passed in 1796. He was supported by Senator James Jackson , who gave up his seat in the US Congress to return to Georgia. Jackson was governor of Georgia between 1798 and 1801. Tatnall then took over his seat in the United States Senate . He spent the years 1796 to 1799 as a senator in Congress in Washington.

Georgia Governor

After his return from Washington in 1799, Tattnall initially took a two-year political break, which he spent in Savannah. In 1801 he was elected Governor of Georgia for one year. During his tenure, the University of Georgia opened after John Milledge had previously purchased the land for the campus and city of Athens and made it available to the university. The exact borders of Georgia, especially in the north and west, were also determined during his term of office.

Old age and death

After leaving office, Tatnall fell ill and sought rest in the Bahamas. He died there on June 6, 1803. Tatnall's greatest contribution to the history of Georgia was his time in the militia and in the House of Representatives. He was married to Harriet Fenwick from Charloston, who died in 1802. Three of her children reached adulthood. The son Josiah Tatnall Jr. became a well-known naval officer who played a notable role in the Civil War (1861-1865).

According to him, Tattnall County named in Georgia.

literature

  • James F. Cook: The Governors of Georgia, 1754-2004. 3rd ed. Mercer University Press, Macon, Ga. 2005, ISBN 0-86554-954-0 .
  • Josephine Mellichamp: Senators from Georgia. Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Ala. 1976.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Tattnall, Josiah Sr.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician and governor of Georgia
DATE OF BIRTH around 1764
PLACE OF BIRTH near Savannah , Georgia
DATE OF DEATH June 6, 1803
Place of death Nassau , Bahamas