Robert Crittenden

Robert Crittenden

Robert Crittenden (born January 1, 1797 in Woodford County , Kentucky , † December 18, 1834 in Vicksburg , Mississippi ) was an American politician. He was acting governor of the Arkansas Territory between 1828 and 1829 .

Early years and military advancement

Robert Crittenden came from a prominent American political family. His father, John Crittenden , had served in the Revolutionary War and was a member of the Virginia House of Representatives . His brother John J. Crittenden became a US Senator from Kentucky and US Attorney General under Presidents William H. Harrison and Millard Fillmore . Robert studied law and briefly practiced with his brother in Kentucky. In 1814 he joined the US Army and fought in the Seminole War between 1817 and 1818. In 1819 , at the request of his brother John, he was named Secretary of State in the new Arkansas Territory by President James Monroe .

The Arkansas Territory

The Arkansas Territory was part of the Louisiana Territory , the area Thomas Jefferson bought from the French in 1803. After the current state of Louisiana was formed in 1812 , the rest of the area was renamed Missouri Territory to avoid confusion. In 1819, the Arkansas Territory was formed from southern parts of the Missouri Territory. The new territory existed between July 4, 1819 and June 15, 1836. On this day, the state of Arkansas, which emerged from the territory, joined the union. The territory's capital was the Arkansas Post Office until 1821 . Then the capital was moved to Little Rock . The boundaries of the territory in the east, south and north were largely identical to the later state of Arkansas, only in the west were areas of what is now Oklahoma . The white population in the area was just under 400 in 1799. By 1836 the number had risen to 60,000.

State Secretary and Acting Governor

Simultaneously with the appointment of Robert Crittenden as Secretary of State, James Miller was named the first governor of the Arkansas Territory. Since Miller took his time to arrive at the end of December 1819 before he arrived in his new country, Crittenden had to serve as his deputy for the first few months. Crittenden used the time to create a political environment loyal to him. He occupied all of the important offices of the territory before Governor Miller arrived. This included two Supreme Court justices and the Treasury Secretary. Crittenden also scheduled the first elections for the territorial House of Representatives. After the elections, his supporters had a majority there. Due to the fact that Governor Miller was often out of the country, and was not comfortable in Arkansas, Crittenden was able to expand his position in the country. He was instrumental in moving the capital to Little Rock. In parallel to his political career, Crittenden co-founded a law firm in Little Rock with Chester Ashley. After Governor Miller resigned in 1824, Crittenden hoped to be appointed governor himself. When President Monroe appointed George Izard to this office in his place, Crittenden continued to act in the background as a gray eminence and opposed the governor. On October 29, 1827, he shot and killed his former ally Henry Wharton Conway in a duel. This had turned away from him. This duel indirectly initiated Crittenden's political decline, even if he did not have to face any consequences for the act itself. Conley's followers were now working against Crittenden. After the death of Governor Izard in November 1828, Crittenden again hoped for an appointment as governor. The new President Andrew Jackson , who was already known for giving important offices to his party friends, appointed his party friend John Pope . The president was also an opponent of the Crittendens, especially since Robert's brother John Crittenden was a staunch opponent of Jackson. As a consequence, Robert Crittenden was also dismissed in his capacity as Secretary of State for Arkansas.

Further life

Despite his dismissal, Crittenden tried to continue to play an important role behind the scenes, but his star was declining. In 1833 he tried unsuccessfully to oust one of his opponents from the US Congress . He then returned to practice as a lawyer. He died in Vicksburg, Mississippi, in December 1834, where he was hearing a case. Ironically, although Robert Crittenden was the most powerful man in the Arkansas Territory for years, he was never officially named governor. However, he has often performed this office as a substitute.

Commemoration

The Crittenden County, Arkansas is named after him.

Web links

• Online biography in the Arkansas Encyclopedia (English)