Benjamin Fitzpatrick

Benjamin Fitzpatrick (* June 30, 1802 in Greene County, Georgia, † November 21, 1869 near Wetumpka, Alabama ) was an American politician (Democratic Party). He was the 11th Governor of Alabama, which he also represented in the U.S. Senate.

Early years

At the age of seven years, Fitzpatrick was an orphan and brought up by his older siblings. They moved to Alabama, where he attended public schools and received a limited education. Furthermore, Fitzpatrick managed a piece of land on the Alabama River, that his brothers had recently purchased. He then worked as a deputy sheriff in Autauga County, where he studied law in a law firm in Montgomery in his spare time and was admitted to the bar before his 20th birthday. In addition, he was elected in 1819 to the Solicitor of the Montgomery judicial district in 1822 again. Fitzpatrick opened his own law firm in 1821 in Montgomery and practiced there until 1827. Subsequently, he returned to his plantation in Autauga County.

Governor of Alabama

A democratic electoral committee of parliament nominated him as a candidate for the office of the Governor of Alabama. He was elected on August 2, 1841, his swearing-in took place on 22 November 1841. During his tenure, the tax system has been repaired, the founder of Howard College, and the cities of Troy and Tuskegee. His primary concern was on the state banking system, since abuse and mismanagement had caused considerable debts and was the state because of its bank debt from financial ruin. On August 7, 1843 Fitzpatrick was re-elected for a second term, but resigned before the end of his term in office on 10 December 1845 by his office.

Senator from Alabama

After U.S. Senator Dixon H. Lewis died on November 25, 1848 Fitzpatrick was appointed as his successor in Congress, where he was until the end of the regular term of office on November 30, 1849 in office. On 14 January 1853 he was appointed a senator again, this time for William R. King, who asked his office to available after the election to the U.S. Vice President. From December 7, 1857 until February 26, 1860 and June 28, 1860 to December 2, 1860, he was president pro tempore of the Senate, respectively. He also was nominated by the 1860 Democratic National Convention for the vice-presidency, but he refused.

Further CV

On January 21, 1861 Fitzpatrick resigned as a result of the elimination of his home state of Alabama by the Union from his post in the Senate. He supported the Confederate States, but played in following the American Civil War and in the government of the Confederacy no active role, although it was 1865 Chairman of the Constitutional Convention of Alabama. After the war, he was imprisoned as a traitor and housed in a Northern State Prison. After he retired from the political limelight and lived on his plantation near Wetumpka, where he died on 21 November 1869. He was buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery.

Family

Benjamin Fitzpatrick was married twice and that with Sarah Terry Elmore, as well as with Aurelia Blassingame. The result of these compounds were eight children.