William Miller (Governor)

William Miller

William Miller (* 1770 in Pleasant Hill , Warren County , Province of North Carolina , † 1825 in Guatemala ) was an American politician and the 18th  governor of the state of North Carolina .

Early years

The exact dates of birth and death of William Miller have not been recorded. At the age of 22 he inherited his family's plantation. A brief study at the University of North Carolina remained unfinished. After training in law, he began practicing as a lawyer in 1805. In 1810 he became Attorney General of North Carolina .

Promotion to governor of North Carolina

Between 1810 and 1814 Miller was a member of the House of Representatives from North Carolina . In 1814 he was elected by parliament to succeed William Hawkins as the new governor of his home state. He was confirmed in each of the following two years. This enabled him to fully utilize the maximum number of consecutive terms of office prescribed by the constitution. He served between December 7, 1814 and December 3, 1817. Miller was the first governor of his state to live in the governor's official building, known as the Governor's Mansion . Like his predecessors, Miller also tried to improve the school system.

Further life

In 1821 Miller was elected to the North Carolina Senate. He stayed there for a year. The US President John Quincy Adams , elected in 1824, appointed him envoy to Guatemala in 1825. William Miller died there shortly after his arrival.

Web links

• William Hawkins at the National Governors Association (English)