Charles Jackson (Rhode Island)

Charles Jackson ( born March 4, 1797 in Providence, Rhode Iceland, † January 21, 1876 ) was an American politician and 1845-1846 Governor of the State of Rhode Iceland.

Early years

Charles Jackson was born the son of Richard Jackson, who belonged to the U.S. House of Representatives 1808-1815. Charles studied until 1817 at Brown University and then continued his education with a law degree continues. But he has worked only briefly as a lawyer. Instead, he opened a steam-powered cotton mill in 1823. He soon expanded his business from other industries. With a patent of Charles Goodyear he went into the rubber production. He also acquired a weapons factory and a company that manufactured locomotives.

Political career

Charles Jackson was a member of the Whig Party as their candidate, he was elected to the House of Representatives from Rhode Iceland; which he was president from 1841 to 1842. In the gubernatorial election of 1845, he could beat the incumbent James Fenner by a margin of only 210 votes and thus complete a one-year term as governor of Rhode Iceland on May 6, 1845. During this time he pardoned Thomas Dorr and his followers, who had been convicted of high treason. The Dorr movement had called for a 1842-43 extension of the suffrage and initiated a rebellion to achieve their goals. Here, even the then Governor Samuel Ward King was declared deposed. This, however, had enforced and Dorr and some of his followers were convicted. The pardon of Dorr- group was very unpopular in Rhode Iceland and eventually led to the deselection Jackson, whose term then ended on May 6, 1846.

Further CV

After the end of his governorship, Jackson has no further political office clothed. He went back to his numerous business activities and died in January 1876. Charles Jackson was married twice and had seven children.