James Hamilton, Jr.
| James Hamilton Jr. | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 53rd Governor of South Carolina | |
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In office December 9, 1830 – December 10, 1832 |
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| Lieutenant | Patrick Noble |
| Preceded by | Stephen Decatur Miller |
| Succeeded by | Robert Y. Hayne |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 2nd district |
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In office December 13, 1822 – March 3, 1829 |
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| Preceded by | William Lowndes |
| Succeeded by | Robert W. Barnwell |
| 25th Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina | |
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In office 1821–1822 |
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| Preceded by | Elias Horry |
| Succeeded by | John Geddes |
| Member of the South Carolina Senate from St. Philip's and St. Michael's Parish | |
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In office November 28, 1836 – November 26, 1838 |
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| Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from St. Philip's and St. Michael's Parish | |
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In office November 27, 1820 – November 25, 1822 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 8, 1786 Charleston, South Carolina, United States |
| Died | November 15, 1857 (aged 71) Gulf of Mexico |
| Political party | States' Rights Democrat |
| Other political affiliations |
Nullifier Party |
James Hamilton Jr. (May 8, 1786 – November 15, 1857) was an American lawyer and politician. He represented South Carolina in the U.S. Congress (1822–1829) and served as its 53rd Governor (1830–1832). Prior to that he achieved widespread recognition and public approval for his actions as Intendant (mayor) of the city of Charleston, South Carolina in 1822, during the period when plans for a slave rising were revealed. As governor, he led the state during the Nullification Crisis of 1832, at the peak of his power.
Hamilton organized a city militia in June 1822 to arrest suspects, including the purported free black leader Denmark Vesey, supported the City Council in commissioning a Court of Magistrates and Freeholders, and defended their actions, including ordering the execution of Vesey and 34 other blacks, and deporting of tens of others. He helped shape the public perception of the Court proceedings and the reasons for the revolt, as well as gaining legislation in 1822 for more controls on slaves and free people of color. Because of problems with crippling debt after 1839, Hamilton's reputation suffered.
James Hamilton was born on May 8, 1786, in Charleston, South Carolina, to James and Elizabeth (Lynch) Hamilton, both of the Lowcountry planter elite; his mother was the daughter of Congressman Thomas Lynch and sister of Thomas Lynch Jr.
His parents sent him to preparatory schools in New England; he studied in Newport, Rhode Island, and Dedham, Massachusetts, before returning to Charleston. In the city he read law under prominent attorneys Daniel Huger and William Drayton. Hamilton passed the bar and went into practice in Drayton's office; he later was in partnership with James L. Petigru.
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Wikipedia