William Henry Gist

William Henry Gist (born August 22, 1807 in Charleston , South Carolina , † September 30, 1874 in Union County , South Carolina) was an American politician and Governor of South Carolina from 1858 to 1860.

Early years and political career

William Gist studied at South Carolina College, later the University of South Carolina . In 1827 he was expelled from school for participating in a strike. Even so, he was the curator of this institution in his later years. Gist then studied law and founded his "Rose Hill" plantation in Union County on the land he had inherited from his father. There he built a mansion, the construction of which took four years alone. Gist's plantation was very successful and it made him rich and reputable. From 1840 to 1844 Gist was a member of the State Parliament of South Carolina and from 1844 to 1858 he was a member of the Senate of that state . In 1848 he was elected lieutenant governor of his country by the deputies , but could not take up this office because he was not considered qualified. Therefore, he remained in the Senate.

Governor of south carolina

Despite his rejection as lieutenant governor in 1848, he was elected ten years later by the deputies as the new governor, this time he was even allowed to exercise the office. His term of office began in December 1858 and was overshadowed by the events between the northern and southern states that led to the withdrawal of South Carolina from the Union at the end of his term of office. Gist was a supporter of the secessionist movement in South Carolina. Early on in his term in office, he prepared the country for a possible exit from the Union. He contacted the governors of other southern states to establish a common line. Mississippi and Florida were the first states to signal support. When the Republican Abraham Lincoln was elected as the new US President in the November 1860 presidential election, it was clear to Gist and most of his compatriots that South Carolina would leave the Union. On October 5 of the same year, Gist wrote in a letter to the other governors of the southern states that South Carolina would complete secession. In December, a convention was convened, which met on the last day of his term of office and a few days later, on December 20th, separated from the Union. Gist had signed the Ordinance of Secesion. This event led to the outbreak of civil war the following April, despite an attempt to mediate in early 1861.

Another résumé

At the beginning of the civil war, Gist was once again entrusted with government tasks under a new administrative structure. In 1861 and 1862 he was first finance minister of the state, later he was responsible for the construction and economy department. In September 1862 the government of South Carolina was reorganized again and he lost his offices. After the end of the Civil War, Gist swore allegiance to the Union and was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson . He withdrew to his Rose Hill plantation, some of which he had to lease out. He died there in 1874. William Gist was married twice and had a total of twelve children.

literature

• Robert Sobel, John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 4. Meckler Books, Westport, CT, 1978. 4 volumes.
• The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Vol. 12. James T. White & Company, New York

Web links

• William Gist in the National Governor Association (English)
• South Carolina Information Highway (English)
• Ordinance of Secession from 1860 (English)
• William Henry Gist in the database of Find a Grave (English)