Israel Pickens

Israel Pickens (* January 30, 1780 in Concord, North Carolina, † April 24, 1827 in Matanzas, Cuba ) was a U.S. Representative ( Democratic- Republican Party ) and the third Governor of the State of Alabama. He also was a member of both houses of Congress.

Early years

Israel Pickens, son of Captain Samuel and Jane Carrigan Pickens Pickens, his education he received partly in South Carolina, but mainly in a school in Iredell County, North Carolina. He then went to Washington College in Pennsylvania, where he studied law. Then he got his license to practice law in North Carolina and began practicing there. He then decided to pursue a political career. For this, he ran for the Senate from North Carolina and was elected. There he worked 1808-1810. Subsequently, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served from 1811 to 1817. After Pickens moved to Alabama in 1817 and settled in St. Stephens, where he held the position of an officer in a land registry office until 1821. He was also a member of the 1819 Constitutional Convention of Alabama.

Policy

The gubernatorial election of 1821 was a battle of two bearings, the Georgia and North Carolina, with mainly the State Bank as a core point. Pickens, who represented the camp of North Carolina, won the election on 6 August 1821 and was sworn in on 9 November 1821. During his tenure, the institutions of the new state government have been finalized; among others, the State Bank was established in 1824 with nearly $ 200,000 capital. Furthermore, an assessment of a possible channel at Muscle Shoals was commissioned. Pickens won re- election for a second term on August 4, 1823. Pickens came on 25 November 1825 as governor, in order to take up the vacant post, which was created by the death of U.S. Senator Henry H. Chambers in the U.S. Senate. Because of his failing health, he could only stay a very short time in office. Pickens had been in office on 17 February 1826 to 27 November in 1826.

Further CV

Pickens retired to Cuba, where he died on 24 April 1827. He was buried in Matanzas. His remains were later moved to his hometown in Greensboro, Alabama. In addition to his political achievements Pickens is very interested in scientific research and invented a moon dial.