John Wereat

John Wereat

John Wereat (around 1733 – January 25, 1799) was an American politician and the 8th Governor of Georgia.

Personal life

Wereat was born in Road (now Rode, Somerset) in England, around 1733 and migrated to the United States in 1759.

Political life

In the early years of the American Revolution, Wereat was a member of the Provincial Congress and the Council of Safety. From 1776 through the end of the war, he served as Georgia's Continental agent, representing the state in dealings with Congress. Wereat was a delegate for Georgia in the Continental Congress and Governor of Georgia in 1779.

Wereat spent a year as a prisoner of the British in Charleston, South Carolina after initially being taken captive in Augusta in 1780.

After his gubernatorial term, Wereat served as state auditor from 1782 until 1793. In December 1787 he presided over the state convention that unanimously ratified the new Federal Constitution. John Wereat was in the Whig party along with John Martin and Lyman Hall.

Death and legacy

John Wereat died at his Bryan County, Georgia plantation on January 25, 1799.

References

• New Georgia Encyclopedia entry for John Wereat

Governors of Georgia Council Presidents (1775–1776) Ewen Walton Ewen Presidents (1776–1777) Bulloch Gwinnett Governors (since 1777) Treutlen Houstoun Glascock Cuthbert Wereat Walton Howly Wells Heard Davies Brownson Martin Hall Houstoun Elbert Telfair Mathews Handley Walton Telfair Mathews Irwin Jackson Emanuel Tattnall Milledge Irwin Mitchell Early Mitchell Rabun Talbot Clark Troup Forsyth Gilmer Lumpkin Schley Gilmer McDonald Crawford Towns Cobb H. Johnson J. E. Brown J. Johnson Jenkins Ruger Bullock Conley J. Smith Colquitt Stephens Boynton McDaniel Gordon Northen Atkinson Candler Terrell H. Smith J. M. Brown H. Smith Slaton J.M. Brown Slaton N. Harris Dorsey Hardwick Walker Hardman Russell E. Talmadge Rivers E. Talmadge Arnall Thompson H. Talmadge Griffin Vandiver Sanders Maddox Carter Busbee J. F. Harris Miller Barnes Perdue Deal