Jared Irwin

Jared Irwin (* 1750 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; † March 1, 1818 in Washington County, Georgia ) was an American politician of the Democratic- Republican Party and Governor of the State of Georgia.

Early years

The exact date of birth of Jared Irwin is unknown; one assumes, however, that he was born around the year 1750. In 1757 his parents Rebecca Lawson and Thomas Irwin moved to the then British colony of Georgia. They settled later in Burke County, in which the young Jared grew up. He took part in the War of Independence (1775-1783) and brought it into the U.S. Army to the Colonel. As a reward for his military service, he was given in 1784 by the government in Washington County land. For most of his life were spent in this county, where he held various public offices.

Political rise

After the war he became brigadier general in the militia of Georgia. In 1794 he drove along with General John Twiggs and 1,200 militiamen Elijah Clarke, along with some settlers land west of the Oconee River had occupied illegally. Clark's so-called Trans - Oconee Republic was disarmed peacefully and Irwin promised all settlers who gave the country voluntarily, full amnesty. In the 1780s and 90s, Irwin was several times a member of parliament of Georgia. In this capacity he was also a member of the convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1787. 1789 and 1795 he was also involved in two convents in the drafting or revision of the Constitution of the State of Georgia shall prevail.

Governor of Georgia and the end of life

In January 1796, he was elected by Parliament for Governor of Georgia. In this capacity, he had to first of all deal with the specifications adopted in the previous year, the new Constitution. A decision was the transfer of the capital from Augusta to Louisville. Another problem should be called the Yazoo land scandal. The Constitution had a two-month transition period between the tenure of the old Governor George Mathews and Irwin has took office. In these two months, illegal land sales Mathews in western Georgia were revealed, which were known as the Yazoo land scandal. In February 1796 the Parliament of Georgia ratified a law that made ​​the sale reversed. Governor Irwin put this law into effect immediately with his signature.

In the same year a fire disaster occurred in Savannah, where large parts of the city, but especially the trade center were destroyed. Irwin sent the militia to protect citizens from looting. In addition, a portion of the tax revenue from slave imports the city was put to the reconstruction. Irwin's first term ended in January 1798. Later in the year he became president of a Convention should revise the Constitution of Georgia again. Irwin was subsequently elected to the Senate from Georgia in 1806 and was its president. In this capacity, he fell on September 28, 1806 constitutionally the governorship again, as Governor John Milledge resigned from his post. Irwin ended the tenure of his predecessor, and was subsequently confirmed for a further term of office ( 1807-1809 ). 1807 was again a transfer of the capital. This time we moved the seat of government of the first 1796 related Louisville to Milledgeville. This city remained until 1868 capital of Georgia, Atlanta before we then made ​​the capital. 1809 Irwin finally resigned from the post of governor. He retired to his home in Washington County, where he died in 1818. The Irwin County, Georgia was named after him, as are the places Irwinton and Irwinville.

431343
de