John M. Patton

John Mercer Patton ( born August 10, 1797 in Fredericksburg, Virginia, † October 29, 1858 in Richmond, Virginia) was an American politician who is the State of Virginia was of 1830-1838 in the U.S. House of Representatives and in March 1841 twelve days long was Governor of Virginia.

Early years

John Patton briefly attended Princeton University and then studied until 1818 at the Medical Faculty of the University of Pennsylvania medicine, but without ever working in this profession. For this, he studied and practiced law in Fredericksburg after qualifying as a lawyer in this city too.

Political career

Patton was a member of the Democratic Party, founded by Andrew Jackson. Following the resignation of Philip Pendleton Barbour, Patton was in 1830 as his successor elected to Congress. In the following years he was confirmed by the voters of his state in this mandate. So that he could exercise it between 25 November 1830 and his retirement on 7 April 1838. Between 1835 and 1838 he was chairman of the committee that managed the U.S. territories. Upon his return to Virginia, he was a member and Chairman of the Executive Council (Council of State), the later the Senate of Virginia. During this time he became a member of the Whig party. After Governor Thomas Walker Gilmer resigned after his appointment as U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Patton had to continue his term of office. That in this case were exactly twelve days between the 18 and 31 March 1841. On this day ended his presidency in the senate, and thus also his governorship. The Office of the Governor went to the new Senate President John Rutherfoord.

Further CV

After the end of his political activities Patton again worked as a lawyer. In 1846 he was a member of a commission that revised the laws of Virginia. After their decisions Patton worked until 1849 a new Code of Virginia. In 1854 he became a member and later president of the governing body ( Board of Visitors ) of the Medical College of Virginia. John Patton died on October 29, 1858 in Richmond, where he had moved his residence. With his wife Margaret French William he had six children. John Patton was the great-grandfather of George S. Patton, who was general of the U.S. Army during the Second World War.