Born in Greene County, Georgia, Fitzpatrick was orphaned at the age of seven and was taken by his sister (Celia Fitzpatrick Baldwin) to Alabama in 1815.
Fitzpatrick helped his brothers manage the land they owned on the Alabama River and served as deputy under the first sheriff of Autauga County. He worked in the law office of Nimrod E. Benson before he was admitted to the bar.[1]
Fitzpatrick studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1821, commencing practice in Montgomery, Alabama. Fitzpatrick served as solicitor of the Montgomery circuit from 1822 to 1823 but moved to his plantation in Autauga County in 1829. He engaged in planting.
Governor of Alabama and Senator for AlabamaEdit
Fitzpatrick became Governor of Alabama in 1841 and served until 1845. Later, he was appointed as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Dixon H. Lewis and served from November 25, 1848, to November 30, 1849, when a successor was elected.
He was again appointed on January 14, 1853, and elected on December 12, 1853,[2] to the Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William R. King, who had been elected Vice President of the United States, and served from January 14, 1853, to March 3, 1855. He served in that Congress as Chairman of the Committee on Printing and the Committee on Engrossed Bills. He was elected to the Senate again to fill the vacancy caused by the failure of the legislature to elect his successor on November 26, 1855. In that role, he served several times as President pro tempore of the Senate.
Failure of state banksEdit
The country was plagued by economic depression due to the Panic of 1837. Fitzpatrick's predecessor as Governor, Arthur P. Bagby, introduced measures to assist the state banks, but the state legislature rejected most of the measures. All of the state banks were closed by Fitzpatrick.[3]
Vice Presidential nominationEdit
In 1860, Fitzpatrick was nominated for Vice President of the United States by the wing of the Democratic Party that had nominated Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois for president. However, he refused the nomination, and Herschel V. Johnson of Georgia was ultimately nominated. Fitzpatrick withdrew from the Senate on January 21, 1861, following the secession of his home state.
ConfederacyEdit
Fitzpatrick did not take a particularly active role in the politics of the Confederacy, although he served as president of the constitutional convention of Alabama in 1865.
DeathEdit
He died on his plantation near Wetumpka, Alabama, on November 21, 1869, aged 67.
ReferencesEdit
^. Alabama Department of Archives and History. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
1. The Democratic Party split in 1860, producing two vice presidential candidates. Fitzpatrick was nominated by the Northern Democrats; Joseph Lane was nominated by the rebel Southern Democrats.
October 19, 2023
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Senator Fitzpatrick redirects here For other uses see Senator Fitzpatrick disambiguation Benjamin Fitzpatrick June 30 1802 November 21 1869 was the 11th Governor of the U S state of Alabama and a United States Senator from that state He was a Democrat Benjamin FitzpatrickPresident pro tempore of the United States SenateIn office June 26 1860 December 2 1860Preceded byJesse D BrightSucceeded bySolomon FootIn office December 7 1857 February 26 1860Preceded byThomas Jefferson RuskSucceeded byJesse D BrightUnited States Senatorfrom AlabamaIn office January 14 1853 January 21 1861Preceded byWilliam R KingSucceeded byGeorge E Spencer 1868 In office November 25 1848 November 30 1849Appointed byReuben ChapmanPreceded byDixon LewisSucceeded byJeremiah Clemens11th Governor of AlabamaIn office November 22 1841 December 10 1845Preceded byArthur P BagbySucceeded byJoshua L MartinPersonal detailsBorn 1802 06 30 June 30 1802Greene County Georgia U S DiedNovember 21 1869 1869 11 21 aged 67 Wetumpka Alabama U S Political partyDemocraticSpouse s Sarah ElmoreAurelia Blassingame Contents 1 Early life 2 Governor of Alabama and Senator for Alabama 2 1 Failure of state banks 3 Vice Presidential nomination 4 Confederacy 5 Death 6 References 7 External linksEarly life EditBorn in Greene County Georgia Fitzpatrick was orphaned at the age of seven and was taken by his sister Celia Fitzpatrick Baldwin to Alabama in 1815 Fitzpatrick helped his brothers manage the land they owned on the Alabama River and served as deputy under the first sheriff of Autauga County He worked in the law office of Nimrod E Benson before he was admitted to the bar 1 Fitzpatrick studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1821 commencing practice in Montgomery Alabama Fitzpatrick served as solicitor of the Montgomery circuit from 1822 to 1823 but moved to his plantation in Autauga County in 1829 He engaged in planting Governor of Alabama and Senator for Alabama EditFitzpatrick became Governor of Alabama in 1841 and served until 1845 Later he was appointed as a Democrat to the U S Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Dixon H Lewis and served from November 25 1848 to November 30 1849 when a successor was elected He was again appointed on January 14 1853 and elected on December 12 1853 2 to the Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William R King who had been elected Vice President of the United States and served from January 14 1853 to March 3 1855 He served in that Congress as Chairman of the Committee on Printing and the Committee on Engrossed Bills He was elected to the Senate again to fill the vacancy caused by the failure of the legislature to elect his successor on November 26 1855 In that role he served several times as President pro tempore of the Senate Failure of state banks Edit The country was plagued by economic depression due to the Panic of 1837 Fitzpatrick s predecessor as Governor Arthur P Bagby introduced measures to assist the state banks but the state legislature rejected most of the measures All of the state banks were closed by Fitzpatrick 3 Vice Presidential nomination EditIn 1860 Fitzpatrick was nominated for Vice President of the United States by the wing of the Democratic Party that had nominated Stephen A Douglas of Illinois for president However he refused the nomination and Herschel V Johnson of Georgia was ultimately nominated Fitzpatrick withdrew from the Senate on January 21 1861 following the secession of his home state Confederacy EditFitzpatrick did not take a particularly active role in the politics of the Confederacy although he served as president of the constitutional convention of Alabama in 1865 Death EditHe died on his plantation near Wetumpka Alabama on November 21 1869 aged 67 References Edit Benjamin Fitzpatrick Alabama Department of Archives and History Archived from the original on 2016 03 03 Retrieved 2012 06 23 Byrd Robert C Wolff Wendy October 1 1993 The Senate 1789 1989 Historical Statistics 1789 1992 volume 4 Bicentennial ed U S Government Printing Office p 164 ISBN 9780160632563 Arthur Pendleton Bagby Alabama Department of Archives and History Retrieved 2012 06 23 External links EditUnited States Congress Benjamin Fitzpatrick id F000174 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Benjamin Fitzpatrick at Find a GraveParty political officesPreceded byArthur P Bagby Democratic nominee for Governor of Alabama1841 1843 Succeeded byNathaniel TerryPreceded byJohn C Breckinridge Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States 1 Withdrew1860 Succeeded byHerschel Vespasian JohnsonPolitical officesPreceded byArthur P Bagby Governor of Alabama1841 1845 Succeeded byJoshua L MartinPreceded byThomas Jefferson Rusk President pro tempore of the United States Senate1857 1860 Succeeded byJesse D BrightPreceded byJesse D Bright President pro tempore of the United States Senate1860 Succeeded bySolomon FootU S SenatePreceded byDixon Lewis U S Senator Class 2 from Alabama1848 1849 Served alongside William R King Succeeded byJeremiah ClemensPreceded byWilliam R King U S Senator Class 3 from Alabama1853 1861 Served alongside Clement Clay VacantTitle next held byGeorge E SpencerNotes and references1 The Democratic Party split in 1860 producing two vice presidential candidates Fitzpatrick was nominated by the Northern Democrats Joseph Lane was nominated by the rebel Southern Democrats Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Benjamin Fitzpatrick amp oldid 1178673672, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
