David Holmes (politician)

David Holmes
United States Senator from Mississippi
In office August 30, 1820 – September 25, 1825
Preceded by	Walter Leake
Succeeded by	Powhatan Ellis
1st & 5th Governor of Mississippi
In office January 7, 1826 – July 25, 1826
Lieutenant	Gerard Brandon
Preceded by	Gerard Brandon
Succeeded by	Gerard Brandon
In office December 10, 1817 – January 5, 1820
Lieutenant	Duncan Stewart
Preceded by	Himself (as Governor of the Mississippi Territory
Succeeded by	George Poindexter
4th Governor of Mississippi Territory
In office March 7, 1809 – December 10, 1817
Appointed by	Thomas Jefferson
Preceded by	Robert Williams
Succeeded by	Himself (as Governor of the State of Mississippi)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 4th district
In office March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1809
Preceded by	Abram Trigg
Succeeded by	Jacob Swoope
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1803
Preceded by	Andrew Moore
Succeeded by	James Stephenson
Personal details
Born	(1769-03-10)March 10, 1769 Hanover, Pennsylvania
Died	August 20, 1832(1832-08-20) (aged 63) Winchester, Virginia
Political party	Democratic-Republican
Other political affiliations	Democratic
Alma mater	College of William and Mary

David Holmes (March 10, 1769 – August 20, 1832) was the last governor of the Mississippi Territory and the first governor of the State of Mississippi.

Career

Born in York County, Pennsylvania, Holmes and his family moved to Virginia when he was a child. He served as U.S. Representative from Virginia from 1797 until 1808.

Electoral History

1797

Holmes was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 60.4% of the vote, defeating Democratic-Republican John Bowyer and Federalist John Steele.

1799

Holmes was re-elected with 83.56% of the vote, defeating Federalist Robert Porterfield.

1801

Holmes was re-elected over Federalist Alexander Sinclair.

1803

Holmes was re-elected with 70.39% of the vote, defeating Federalist Isaac Van Meter.

1805

Holmes was re-elected unopposed.

1807

Holmes was re-elected unopposed.

Mississippi territory

President Thomas Jefferson appointed him fourth governor of Mississippi Territory. Holmes was very popular and his appointment marked the end of a long period of factionalism within the territory. He was the last governor of the Mississippi Territory, serving 1809-17. Holmes was generally successful in dealing with a variety of matters, including expansion, land policy, Indians, the War of 1812, and the constitutional convention of 1817 (of which he was elected president). Often concerned with problems regarding West Florida, he had a major role in 1810 in negotiations which led to the peaceful occupation of part of that territory. McCain (1967) concludes that Holmes' success was not based on brilliance, but upon kindness, unselfishness, persuasiveness, courage, honesty, diplomacy, and intelligence.^[1]

Statehood

In 1817, Mississippi joined the Union as the 20th state and Holmes won the election to be the first governor of the State of Mississippi. Holmes took the oath of office in October 1817, though Mississippi did not officially become a state until December of that year. During his term, he established the state judicial system and the state militia and organized the land east of the Pearl River that the Choctaw Indians ceded. He served only six months in office.

In 1820, the state legislature elected Holmes to be one of Mississippi's Senators in the U.S. Congress, and he served from 1821 until late 1825, when his election to another term as governor of Mississippi forced him to resign. Because Holmes's declining health forced him to resign, he served only six months (January 1826 - July 1826) as Mississippi's sixth governor.

Holmes returned to his native Virginia where his health continued to fail before his death in 1832 at Jordan's Sulphur Springs, near Winchester, Virginia, where he still lies in the Mt. Hebron Cemetery.

Legacy

Holmes County, Mississippi is named in honor of him.

References

Bibliography

External links

• David Holmes at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

v t e Governors and Lieutenant Governors of Mississippi Governors Holmes Poindexter Leake Brandon Holmes Brandon Scott Lynch Runnels Quitman Lynch McNutt Tucker Brown Matthews Quitman Guion J. Whitfield Foote Pettus McRae McWillie Pettus Clark Sharkey Humphreys Ames Alcorn Powers Ames Stone Lowry Stone McLaurin Longino Vardaman Noel Brewer Bilbo Russell H. Whitfield Murphree Bilbo Conner White Johnson, Sr. Murphree Bailey Wright White Coleman Barnett Johnson, Jr. Williams Waller Finch Winter Allain Mabus Fordice Musgrove Barbour Bryant Lieutenant Governors Stewart Patton Dickson Brandon Scott Winston office abolished 1832–1870 Powers Davis Stone Sims Shands Evans Jones Harrison Carter Manship Bilbo Russell Casteel Murphree Adams Murphree Sinder Murphree Wright Lumpkin Gartin Johnson Gartin Sullivan Winter Gandy Dye Briggs Musgrove Tuck Bryant Reeves

v t e United States Senators from Mississippi Class 1 Leake Holmes Ellis Reed Ellis Black Trotter T. Hickman Williams Henderson Speight Davis McRae S. Adams Davis Ames Pease Bruce George Money J. Williams Stephens Bilbo Stennis Lott Wicker Class 2 T. Hill Williams Reed R. Adams Poindexter Walker Chalmers Foote Brooke Brown Revels Alcorn Lamar Walthall McLaurin Walthall Sullivan McLaurin Gordon Percy Vardaman Harrison Eastland Doxey Eastland Cochran