William Fitzgerald (Tennessee politician) explained

William Fitzgerald
District1:9th
State1:Tennessee
Term Start1:March 4, 1831
Term End1:March 3, 1833
Predecessor1:Davy Crockett
Successor1:James K. Polk
Office2:Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Term2:1825-1826
Party:Jacksonian
Birth Date:6 August 1799
Birth Place:Port Tobacco, Maryland, U.S.
Death Place:Paris, Tennessee, U.S.
Resting Place:Fitzgerald Cemetery
near Paris, Tennessee, U.S.

William Fitzgerald (August 6, 1799March 1864) was an American politician who represented in the United States House of Representatives.[1] He was also a slave owner.[2]

Biography

Fitzgerald was born at Port Tobacco in Charles County, Maryland, on August 6, 1799. In 1806, he moved with his father to Dover, Tennessee. He was educated in England and studied law. He was admitted to the bar at Dover, Tennessee in 1821. In 1822, he married Elizabeth Wells, who was born near Clarksville, Tennessee.[3]

Career

Between 1822 and 1825 Fitzgerald was the circuit court clerk for Stewart County.[4] He was a member of Tennessee house of representatives from 1825 to 1826.[4] [5] He was elected solicitor general of the sixteenth solicitorial district of Tennessee on November 25, 1826, which he held until he vacated the role on March 4, 1831.[3] [4] [5] [6]

Fitzgerald was elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-second Congress, which lasted from March 4, 1831 to March 3, 1833.[4] [7] He was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election to the Twenty-third Congress in 1832. He moved to Paris, Tennessee and served as judge of the ninth judicial circuit of Tennessee from 1845 to 1861.[4] [8] In 1861, he was nominated as a representative from Tennessee's ninth congressional district to attend a peace conference in 1861 in an effort to prevent the pending Civil War; Isaac Roberts Hawkins was elected to that role.[9]

Death

Fitzgerald died at Paris, Tennessee, in March 1864 (age about 64 years). He was interred in Fitzgerald Cemetery near Paris, Tennessee.[4] [10]

External links


Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bioguide Search. 2022-01-29. bioguide.congress.gov.
  2. News: Weil. Julie Zauzmer. Blanco. Adrian. Dominguez. Leo. More than 1,700 congressmen once enslaved Black people. This is who they were, and how they shaped the nation.. 2022-01-29. Washington Post. en.
  3. Web site: William Fitzgerald . FITZGERALD-WILLIAMS-GREER FAMILY PAPERS . February 1, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150717105506/https://www.tn.gov/tsla/history/manuscripts/findingaids/68-127.pdf . July 17, 2015.
  4. Web site: William Fitzgerald. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. February 24, 2013.
  5. Web site: Nashville - Saturday evening. November 25. . 3 . November 25, 1826 . National Banner and Nashville Whig . Nashville, TN . February 1, 2021.
  6. Web site: Nashville - August 26, 1830 (sic) . 3 . August 26, 1831 . National Banner and Nashville Whig . Nashville, TN . February 1, 2021.
  7. Web site: William Fitzgerald. Govtrack US Congress. February 24, 2013.
  8. Web site: Election of Judges. . November 29, 1845 . 2 . Tri-Weekly Nashville Union . Nashville, TN . February 1, 2021.
  9. Web site: Ninth Congressional District . January 26, 1861 . Nashville Union and American . Nashville, TN . February 1, 2021.
  10. Web site: William Fitzgerald. The Political Graveyard. February 24, 2013.