Samuel Ashe (North Carolina)

Samuel Ashe (* March 24, 1725 at Beaufort, North Carolina, † February 3, 1813 ) was an American politician and the ninth Governor of North Carolina.

Early years

Samuel Ashe was the son of John Bapista Ashe, a plantation owner and politician in colonial North Carolina. After the early death of his parents Samuel was educated in the North. He studied at Princeton University, among others. After his successful law school he became deputy in the Wilmington district attorney of the British Crown. When the American Revolution began, he immediately took for Americans party. Already in 1775 he was a delegate at a convention in North Carolina, where the Independence was prepared. In the following years until 1778, he served as a delegate to other conferences. At the same time he was a member of the militia of North Carolina. In addition, he was President of the Senate of that State in 1776. Between 1777 and 1795 he was Chief Judge of the Higher Regional Court ( Superior Court ) of North Carolina.

Governor of North Carolina

In 1795 he was elected by the House of Representatives to the governor of his country. In the two following years he was re-elected each. This allowed him three years in this office. More related terms not allowed by the constitution. His term began on November 19, 1795 and ended on December 7, 1798. During his tenure, the judicial system was reorganized and the University of North Carolina, which had already been established by his predecessor in Chapter Hill, was officially opened. The governor was in the Board of Trustees of the University. In addition, there was a conspiracy during his tenure, as has been attempted investigation files to steal a land fraud case from the office of the Finance Minister and put the government building on fire. The plan was revealed prematurely and the governor commenced an investigation of the incident. It turned out later that James Glasgow, the then Secretary of State, had been behind this action.

More career

When in December 1798 ended his term in office, Ashe was already 73 years old. Until 1804 he was a member of the electoral college for public office, he retired from politics. He died in February 1813 at the age of almost 88 years. He was married twice and had four children.