On this day in 1817, the first governor of Louisiana died. William Charles Cole Claiborne was a descendant of Colonel William Claiborne (1600-1667), an English pioneer who settled in the Colony of Virginia. The actual date of his birth is in question, but he was born in Sussex County, Virginia.
After serving as a young congressman from Tennessee, William was appointed governor and superintendent of Indian Affairs in the Mississippi Territory. He held the office from 1801 to 1803. In 1802 his led the charge for mass vaccinations of the Natchez from smallpox.
In 1803 William was moved to New Orleans and oversaw the transfer of Louisiana to the United States. The local French and Spanish residents saw it as a military occupation. From 1804 to 1812 he governed the Territory of Orleans. He was young, inexperienced and spoke no French, yet held the job for over a decade. The largest slave revolt in U.S. history happened during his watch. However, his role as the representative of the American government did little to suppress the event.
When Louisiana became a state in 1812, he defeated Jacques Villeré to become the first governor of the new state. He served a four-year term. During the War of 1812, he attempted to keep the Choctaw out of the war while creating militia companies. He asked Jean Lafitte for help defending New Orleans when the British attacked the Crescent City in 1814.
He concluded his government service by becoming a Senator for Louisiana in 1817. His term was short as he died on November 23, 1817. He is interred at Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans after first being buried in St. Louis Cemetery Number 1. A controversy of having a Protestant buried in a Catholic cemetery forced his remains to be moved.
He is honored with three county names, one in Louisiana, one in Mississippi, and one in Tennessee. The longest street in New Orleans bears his name. Camp Claiborne, a military installation still in use, was named from him in 1939. The administrative center for the Louisiana state government is housed in the Claiborne Building in Baton Rouge.
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What I’m Reading – Many readers I know like to inquire what their favorite author is reading. At the end of each blog post, I’ll let you know what book is open on my Kindle. I hope my choice of reading material inspires you to read a variety of authors and topics. I’m currently reading Death of a Young Lieutenant by BR Stateham.