William Lowndes (politician, 1782)

William Lowndes (born February 11, 1782 in Jacksonborough , South Carolina , † October 27, 1822 on the crossing to England ) was an American politician . Between 1811 and 1822 he represented the state of South Carolina in the US House of Representatives .

Career

William Lowndes was a younger brother of Thomas Lowndes (1766-1843), who had also represented the state of South Carolina in Congress between 1801 and 1805 . He was educated both in England and in schools in his home country. After a subsequent law degree and his admission as a lawyer in 1804, he began to work in Charleston in his new profession. He was also active in agriculture.

He also began a political career as a member of the Democratic Republican Party . Between 1804 and 1808 Lowndes was a member of the House of Representatives from South Carolina . He was also a captain in the state militia. In 1810 he was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the fourth constituency of South Carolina , where he succeeded John Taylor on March 4, 1811 . In the following elections he ran for the first district of his state. After his electoral success, he took the seat previously held by William Butler on March 4, 1813 . After several re-elections, he was able to remain in Congress until his resignation on May 8, 1822. During his time in Congress, the British-American War took place. Between 1815 and 1819 Lowndes was chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means . From 1817 to 1819 he was also a member of the Finance Ministry's Expenditure Control Committee.

In 1822 Lowndes was considered a possible presidential candidate for the elections in 1824. His poor health prevented any further plans. He died on October 27, 1822 in the open sea while traveling to England. William Lowndes was married to Elizabeth Pinckney, daughter of Thomas Pinckney .

The Lowndes County in Georgia, Lowndes County in Mississippi and Lowndes County in Alabama are named after him.

Web links

• William Lowndes in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
• William Lowndes in the database of Find a Grave (English)