William C.C. Claiborne

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William Charles Cole Claiborne

William Charles Cole Claiborne (1775 - 23 November 1817) was a United States politician, best known as the first U.S. governor of Louisiana.

William C. C. Claiborne was born in Sussex County, Virginia. He studied at the College of William and Mary, then Richmond Academy. At the age of 16 he moved to New York City, where he worked as a clerk under John Beckley, the clerk of the United States House of Representatives, which was then seated in that city. He moved to Philadelphia with the Federal Government. He then began study of law, and moved to Tennessee in 1794 to start a law practice. Governor John Sevier appointed Claiborne to that state's supreme court in 1796. The following year he resigned to run successfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

He served in the House through 1801 when he was appointed governor of the territory of Mississippi.

[edit] Louisiana Territorial Period

Claiborne moved to New Orleans and oversaw transfer of Louisiana to U.S.A. control after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. He governed what would become the State of Louisiana, then termed the "Territory of Orleans", during its period as a United States territory from 1804 through 1812.

Relations with Louisiana's Creole population were initially rather strained. He gradually gained their confidence, saw the territory take in Francophone refugees from the Haitian Revolution, and suppressed a slave revolt in the area around La Place.

After West Florida secured its independence from Spain in 1810, Claiborne annexed the area on the orders of President Madison, who considered it part of the Louisiana Purchase.

Many Anglos from other parts of the USA came to settle in Louisiana.

[edit] After Statehood

Claiborne was the first elected governor after Louisiana became a U.S. state, winning an election against Jacques Villeré, and serving from 1812 through 1816.

After his term as governor, he was elected to the United States Senate, serving from 4 April 1817 until his death.

His body was originally buried in St. Louis Cemetery # 1. This was a controversial honor; this then most prestigious of the city's cemeteries is a Roman Catholic cemetery, while Claiborne was Protestant. He was later reinterred in Metairie Cemetery.

Three U.S. counties are named in his honor: Claiborne Parish, Louisiana; Claiborne County, Mississippi; and Claiborne County, Tennessee. The longest street in New Orleans, Louisiana is named in his honor: North/South Claiborne Avenue.

The World War II Camp Claiborne was named for him in 1939.

Preceded by Andrew Jackson	U.S. Representative from Tennessee 1797–1801	Succeeded by William Dickson
Preceded by Winthorp Sargent	Governor of Mississippi Territory 1801–1805	Succeeded by Robert Williams
Preceded by none	Governor of Territory of Orleans 1803–1812	Succeeded by Became governor of the state of Louisiana
Preceded by none	Governor of Louisiana 1812–1816	Succeeded by Jacques Villeré
Preceded by James Brown	U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Louisiana 1817–1817	Succeeded by Henry Johnson