David Meriwether (Kentucky politician)

David Meriwether
DavidMeriwether.jpg
United States Senator
from Kentucky
In office
July 6, 1852 – August 17, 1852
Preceded byHenry Clay
Succeeded byArchibald Dixon
33rd Secretary of State of Kentucky
In office
September 3, 1851 – July 5, 1852
GovernorLazarus W. Powell
Preceded byJohn William Finnell
Succeeded byJames P. Metcalfe
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office
1832–1845
1858–1885
Personal details
Born(1800-10-30)October 30, 1800
Louisa County, Virginia
DiedApril 4, 1893(1893-04-04) (aged 92)
Louisville, Kentucky
Political partyDemocratic

David Meriwether (October 30, 1800 – April 4, 1893) was a United States Senator from Kentucky and a Governor of the New Mexico Territory.

Born in Louisa County, Virginia, Meriwether moved with his parents to Jefferson County, Kentucky, in 1803. He attended the common schools and engaged in fur trading in 1818 near what is now Council Bluffs, Iowa. He later engaged in agricultural pursuits in Jefferson County.

Meriwether studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice. He was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1832 to 1845. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1847 to the Thirtieth Congress. He was a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1849, and was Secretary of State of Kentucky in 1851.

Meriwether was appointed as a Democrat to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Henry Clay, and served from July 6, 1852 to August 31, 1852, when Archibald Dixon was elected his successor. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1852.

He was appointed by President Franklin Pierce as Governor of the Territory of New Mexico,[1] after the position was turned down by Solon Borland, from 1853 to 1855. He later served again in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1858 to 1885, and served as speaker in 1859. After this he retired to his plantation near Louisville, Kentucky. He was interred in Cave Hill Cemetery.

References

  1. ^ State of New Mexico (July 2012). Kathryn A. Flynn (ed.). 2012 Centennial Blue Book (PDF). Diana J. Duran. Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. p. 210. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2013-04-06.
Political offices
Preceded by
John W. Finnell
Secretary of State of Kentucky
1851–1852
Succeeded by
James P. Metcalfe
U.S. Senate
Preceded by
Henry Clay
U.S. senator (Class 3) from Kentucky
1852
Served alongside: Joseph R. Underwood
Succeeded by
Archibald Dixon
Political offices
Preceded by
William Carr Lane
Governor of New Mexico Territory
1853–1855
Succeeded by
Abraham Rencher
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Simon Cameron
Oldest living U.S. Senator
June 26, 1889 – April 4, 1893
Succeeded by
James W. Bradbury

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