John Owen (North Carolina politician)
John Owen ( born August 1787 Bladen County, North Carolina; † October 9, 1841 in Chatham County, North Carolina) was an American politician and 24th Governor of North Carolina.
Early years and political rise
The exact date of birth of John Owens is unknown, but sources go from a date in August 1787. John attended the local schools of his home and was short on the University of North Carolina, where he, however, made no statements. In 1812 John Owens was elected to the House of Representatives from North Carolina, where he remained until 1814. From 1819 to 1820 and again from 1827 to 1828 he was in the Senate in his home state. In between, he was from 1824 to 1827 Member of the State of North Carolina under Governor Hutchins Burton.
Governor of North Carolina
In December 1828 Owen was elected in a crucial vote in parliament of North Carolina with 96 to 92 votes against Richard Spaight Jr. as the new governor. The following year he was re-elected. In a constitutional third term he resigned in 1830. Thus ended his time as governor in December 1830. During those two years he promoted the education policy. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina. He also called for the expansion of infrastructure, particularly roads and water channels, a.
More career
After the end of his governorship, he applied unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. Senate. In 1835 he was a member of the Assembly, which should revise the Constitution of North Carolina. The former Democrat and supporter of Andrew Jackson moved into his last years to the Whig party. In 1839, he was Chairman of the National Congress of that party. Their top candidate for the American presidency William H. Harrison offered him on this occasion, the candidacy for the office of Vice-President. John Owen refused, and so John Tyler received this nomination, which should lead him to Harrison's death in 1841 to the White House a chance that Owen had missed. John Owen died in October 1841. He was married to Mary Lucy Brown. Together they had a child.