William J. Northen

William Jonathan Northen (born July 9, 1835 in Jones County , Georgia , † March 25, 1913 in Atlanta , Georgia) was an American politician ( Democratic Party ) and governor of Georgia.

Early years and political advancement

William Northen came from an old family who emigrated from England in 1630 and settled in Virginia . His father, Peter Northen, was a successful planter in Jones County. The young Northen studied at Mercer University until 1853 . Then he was employed as a teacher at Mt. Zion Academy . There he rose to the position of principal of the school. In the civil war that followed , he served in the Confederate military hospitals in Atlanta and Milledgeville . After the war he resumed teaching. In 1874 he had to give up this position due to illness. He retired to a farm in Hancock County , recovered healthily, and became a successful farmer. Then he founded a so-called Farmers Club , which provided farmers with advice and assistance. This made Northen so well known that he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1877 . There he served from 1877 to 1878 and again from 1880 to 1881. In 1884 he became a member of the State Senate and campaigned primarily for agricultural reforms.

Georgia Governor

Between 1887 and 1890 Northen was president of a well-known agricultural association called the State Agricultural Society (SAS). This made him so well known that he was able to successfully run for governor in 1890. His goals as governor were: the introduction of a prohibition law, a reform of the railroad system, an improvement of the education system and a reform of the prison system. He also campaigned against lynching, which was still widespread in Georgia. However, he was less successful at this. Despite opposition from the influential Thomas E. Watson , Northen was re-elected in 1892. Northen was a member of the Baptist denomination and held many honorary positions within his church at that time.

Old age and death

After the end of his second term in 1894, he remained politically active, even if he no longer held any public office. He traveled around the state and gave lectures on a wide variety of topics. He always campaigned for a reduction in racial antagonisms. He was also interested in the history of Georgia and published biographical treatises in seven volumes between 1907 and 1912. In 1911 he succeeded Allen Candler as archivist of old historical documents from the colonial era to the present. The increasing racism since 1911 led to an inner resignation. He withdrew more and more from public life. He died two years later at the age of 77.

literature

James F. Cook: The Governors of Georgia, 1754-2004. 3rd edition, Mercer University Press, Macon (Georgia) 2005.
David F. Godshalk: In the Wake of Riot: Atlanta's Struggle for Order, 1899-1919. Ph.D. Dissertation, Yale University, 1992.
Barton C. Shaw: The Wool-Hat Boys: Georgia's Populist Party. Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge 1984.
Joel Williamson: The Crucible of Race: Black / White Relations in the American South since Emancipation. Oxford University Press, New York 1984.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Northen, William J.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Northen, William Jonathan (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American Democratic Party politician and Governor of Georgia
DATE OF BIRTH	July 9, 1835
PLACE OF BIRTH	Jones County , Georgia
DATE OF DEATH	March 25, 1913
Place of death	Atlanta , Georgia