Richard D. Gholson
| Richard D. Gholson | |
|---|---|
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| 3rd Governor of Washington Territory | |
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In office March 5, 1859 – March 4, 1861 |
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| Preceded by | LaFayette McMullen |
| Succeeded by | William H. Wallace |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 31, 1804 Caldwell, Kentucky |
| Died | August 23, 1862 (aged 58) Troy, Tennessee |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Jane Martin |
| Profession | Politician |
Richard Dickerson Gholson (January 31, 1804 – August 23, 1862) was the 3rd Territorial Governor of Washington.
Born in Garrard County, Kentucky, Gholson was the son of William J. Gholson and "Polly" Mary Jarrell. He settled on Humphrey's Creek in the area of Lovelaceville, Kentucky, which had been recently settled by Andrew Lovelace in 1820. He was married in Hickman County, Kentucky, to Mary Jane Morrison Martin on April 15, 1826. Gholson studied law and became a lawyer with a practice in Kentucky.
He served as a captain with the U.S. Volunteers during the war with Mexico. On June 26, 1846, he was appointed Assistant Commissary of Subsistence, U.S. Volunteers, with the rank of captain. On July 31, 1846, he accepted that appointment at Paducah, Kentucky, US. On August 26, 1846, he joined the 2nd Kentucky Infantry and served in the Mexican War. In October 1846, he was known to be at Round Rock, Williamson County, Texas, US. In December 1846, he was at Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas, US. On June 30, 1847, he was honourably discharged from military service.
His experience during the war with Mexico led him to purchase a sizable ranch in Texas, in addition to his substantial land holdings in Kentucky. He could not convince his wife to move to the Texas frontier.
He was a member of the Kentucky State Senate from 1851 to 1855 and represented Ballard and McCracken Counties in the framing of a new constitution for Kentucky.
Gholson was an ardent supporter of President James Buchanan and campaigned throughout the state of Kentucky for him in his race for president. Buchanan later appointed him governor of the Washington Territory, and he served from July 1859 until 1861 when he resigned and returned to Kentucky due to the unrest that led up to the Civil War.
At the onset of the Civil War, Gholson moved from Kentucky across the state line into Tennessee "for greater protection of his family and slaves." This was apparently a fairly common practice during that time. The Woodville Cavalry, Woodville, McCracken County, Kentucky, was commissioned on April 23, 1861. Its officers were: R. D. Gholson, captain; W. W. Faulkner, first lieutenant; R. S. Hill, second lieutenant; and W. S. Gholson, third lieutenant.
Gholson died in Troy, Tennessee, on August 23, 1862. His death resulted from injuries suffered from being thrown against a tree by a runaway team of horses pulling a wagon. Some believe that his body was taken back to Kentucky for burial, while others believe he was buried on his Texas ranch, but the burial spot remains unknown.
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