| William C. C. Claiborne | |
|---|---|
| 1st Governor of Louisiana | |
| In office April 30, 1812 – December 16, 1816 |
|
| Lieutenant | None |
| Preceded by | None |
| Succeeded by | Jacques Villeré |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's At-large district |
|
| In office November 23, 1797 – March 3, 1801 |
|
| Preceded by | Andrew Jackson |
| Succeeded by | William Dickson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sussex County, Virginia |
| Died | November 23, 1817 (aged around 42) New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Political party | Democratic-Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth W. Lewis |
| Alma mater | College of William & Mary |
| Religion | Protestant |
| Signature | |
William Charles Cole Claiborne (b. before 23 November 1772,[1] or on 13 August 1773,[2] or between 23 November 1773 and 23 November 1774,[3] or in August 1775[4] – d. 23 November 1817) was a United States politician, best known as the first Governor of Louisiana. He also has the distinction of possibly being the youngest Congressman in U.S. history, though reliable sources differ about his age.
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William C. C. Claiborne was born in Sussex County, Virginia. His parents were Colonel William Claiborne and Mary Leigh Claiborne.[5]
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 the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1796.
In 1797, Claiborne resigned to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He won, and succeeded Andrew Jackson. However, the new congressman may not have been 25 years of age, as required by the United States Constitution: "No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years". Earlier in 1797, he described his age to George Washington vaguely: "Born Sir at a period, when every American Breast palpitated for freedom, I became early attached to civil Liberty...."[6]
He took his seat in the House on November 23, 1797.[7] State records apparently indicate that, when he took his seat, he was 24.[2] Other sources speculate he was 22.[8] His gravestone says he was 23.[3] And by taking his oath of office, he self-identified as being at least 25.
He served in the House through 1801. The United States presidential election of 1800 was decided in the House of Representatives, due to a tie in the Electoral College, by which time Claiborne had apparently already turned 25 years old.
Claiborne was appointed governor and superintendent of Indian affairs in the Mississippi Territory from 1801 through 1803. Although he favored acquiring some land from the Choctaw and Chickasaw, Claiborne was generally sympathetic and conciliatory toward Indians. He worked long and patiently to iron out differences that arose, and to improve the material well-being of the Indians. He was also partly successful in promoting the establishment of law and order, as when his offering of a two thousand dollar reward helped destroy a gang of outlaws headed by Samuel Mason (1750–1803). His position on issues indicated a national rather than regional outlook, though he did not ignore his constituents. Claiborne expressed the philosophy of the Republican Party and helped that party defeat the Federalists. When a smallpox epidemic broke out in the spring of 1802, Claiborne's actions resulted in the first recorded mass vaccination in the territory and saved Natchez from the disease.[9][10]
Claiborne moved to New Orleans and oversaw the transfer of Louisiana to U.S. 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 Créole population were initially rather strained: Claiborne was young, inexperienced and unsure of himself, and on his arrival spoke no French. 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.
In 1805, Claiborne appointed Alexander Fulton, the founder of Alexandria, as the coroner of Rapides Parish.[11]
He presided over the suppression of the largest slave revolt in American history, the 1811 German Coast Uprising.
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.
Claiborne was the first elected governor after Louisiana became a U.S. state, winning the election of 1812 against Jacques Villeré, and serving from 1812 through 1816.
After his term as governor, he was elected to the United States Senate, serving from April 4, 1817 until his death on November 23, 1817 (which was 20 years to the day after his first day in Congress).
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 hence reinterred in Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans.
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 is named in his honor: Claiborne Avenue.
The World War II Camp Claiborne was named for him in 1939. This installation is still used today for training the Louisiana Army National Guard, particularly by the 256th Infantry Brigade for road marches and land navigation.
The Claiborne Building is located in downtown Baton Rouge and serves as a government administrative center for the Louisiana government.
William Claiborne was a direct ancestor of fashion designer Liz Claiborne.[12]
In 1993, Claiborne was posthumously inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield. Along with Huey Pierce Long, Jr., and Earl Kemp Long, Claiborne was among the first thirteen inductees into the Hall of Fame.[13]
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Andrew Jackson |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's At-large congressional district 1797–1801 |
Succeeded by William Dickson |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Winthrop 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 Louisiana |
| Preceded by none |
Governor of Louisiana 1812–1816 |
Succeeded by Jacques Villeré |
| United States Senate | ||
| Preceded by James Brown |
United States Senator (Class 2) from Louisiana 1817 Served alongside: Eligius Fromentin |
Succeeded by Henry Johnson |
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