Fayette McMullen

Fayette McMullen ( born May 18, 1805 in Estellville, Scott County, Virginia; † November 8, 1880 in Wytheville, Virginia ) was an American politician and from 1857 to 1859, the second territorial governor of Washington.

Early years and political rise

McMullen was educated in private schools and then worked as a coachman. He was early a member of the Democrats and was elected to the party in 1839 in the House of Representatives from Virginia. There he remained until 1849. Subsequently, he was elected to represent Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives. This mandate McMullen retained by the year 1857. Between 1852 and 1856 he was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions.

Governor in Washington Territory

In 1857, McMullen was appointed by U.S. President James Buchanan as the successor of Isaac Ingalls Stevens as the new governor of Washington Territory. McMullen held that post for two years from to 1859. There he had to deal with the consequences of the unfortunate policy of his predecessor, who had applied the Indians against the whites.

Further CV

Upon his return to Virginia, he remained faithful to the policy. In 1863 he was elected to the House of Representatives of the second Konföderiertenkongresses. There he remained until the fall of the Confederate States in April 1865. After the Civil War McMullen worked in agriculture and banking. In 1878 he ran unsuccessfully for the governorship of Virginia. He died on November 8, 1880 in a railway accident in Wytheville and was buried in Marion.