William Pope Duval

William Duval Pope ( born September 4, 1784 in Mount Comfort, Virginia, † March 19, 1854 in Washington DC ) was an American politician and from 1822 to 1834 governor of the Florida territory. Between 1813 and 1815 he represented the state of Kentucky in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Early years and political rise

Born near Richmond William Duval attended elementary school in his hometown. At the age of 14 he moved to Bardstown in Kentucky. Later he studied law and in 1804 he was admitted as a lawyer. In 1812 he commanded a volunteer company in the war against rebellious Indians. Between 1813 and 1815 he acted as a member of the Democratic- Republican Party and the successor of Henry Clay the fifth electoral district of the State of Kentucky in Congress. He opted not to re-election and returned to Kentucky, where he worked as a lawyer again.

Territorial Governor of Florida

In 1821, in 1819 acquired from Spain Florida was officially elevated to the status of a U.S. territory. Consequently, the country was not yet official State and reported directly to the federal government in Washington. This managed the country with the help of a territorial government. On May 18, 1821 Duval was appointed by President James Monroe to a federal judgeship for the eastern part of Florida. The future president Andrew Jackson was at the same time military governor of the area. Just one year later, on April 17, 1822, Duval was appointed by President Monroe to the first civilian territorial governor. This appointment was later confirmed by President John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson ( his predecessor in Florida). Overall Duval remained twelve years in this capacity in Florida. During this time, Tallahassee was charged to the capital of the territory. The governor told a Florida into four administrative districts and established local courts. Noteworthy was his peaceful dealing with the native Indians.

Further CV

In 1834, Duval was replaced by the former Minister of War, John Henry Eaton, wanted to give a new task to the President Jackson to the so-called " Petticoat Affair" and the resulting therefrom resignation of Jackson's Cabinet. William Duval initially remained for several years as an attorney in Florida. in 1841 he was appointed "Law Agent " in Florida, a location corresponding approximately to that of a prosecutor. In 1848 he moved to Texas. There he spent his twilight years, he died, however, in Washington. William Duval was married to Nancy Hynes, with whom he had eight children.

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