William Marvin

William Marvin (born April 14, 1808 in Fairfield , Herkimer County , New York , † July 9, 1902 in Skaneateles , New York) was an American lawyer and politician and from July to December 1865 the seventh governor of the state of Florida .

Early years and political advancement

William Marvin grew up in New York State, where he attended local schools and later the Homer Academy . After studying law, he was admitted to the bar in 1833. In 1835, he was appointed District Attorney for Key West , Florida, by President Andrew Jackson . There he became a member of the territorial administration and a member of the commission that drafted the constitution for the future state of Florida in 1839. Also in 1839, he was appointed a judge in Florida by President Martin Van Buren . In 1847, President James K. Polk appointed him as a judge on the federal appeals courtfor the southern area of ​​Florida. Marvin held this position until 1863, by which time the nation was already in the middle of a civil war . Marvin resigned from his judicial office in 1863 and briefly returned to his New York homeland.

Florida governor

After the escape and the subsequent arrest of Governor Abraham K. Allison , Marvin was appointed Provisional Governor of Florida by President Andrew Johnson . He took up his new office on July 13, 1865. Its main role was to restore a government after the end of the civil war. To this end, he called an assembly that met in October to discuss a new constitution. In addition, the secession decision of 1861 had to be revoked. The new constitution provided for, among other things, the creation of the office of vice governor . This constitution came into force on November 7th, but was never approved by the people in a vote. Also, the Congress rejected under the influence of the radical Republican from the Constitution and put Florida, like the other former Confederate States , as part of the reconstruction under military occupation law. It was not until 1868 that a new constitution was drafted. Marvin stayed in office until December 20th. On that day he was replaced by David S. Walker .

Further life

In 1866, Marvin was elected to the US Senate by the citizens of Florida . There, however, the radical Republicans , like most of the other representatives of the southern states, denied him his seat. After this experience, Marvin withdrew from politics. He had no longer held any other public office. He left Florida and moved to Skaneateles, New York, where he worked as a lawyer again. He died there in 1902.

Web links

• William Marvin at the National Governors Association (English)
• Florida Governors' Portraits
• William Marvin in the database of Find a Grave (English)