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Fulwar Skipwith (February 21, 1765 - January 7, 1839) was an American diplomat and politician, who served as a U.S. Consul in Martinique, and later as the U.S. Consul-General in France. He was instrumental in negotiating the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and was president of the Republic of West Flroida in 1810.

Early life

Skipwith was born in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, and was a distant cousin of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson. Skipwith studied at William and Mary College, but left at age 16 to enlist in the army during the American Revolution. He served at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781.

In 1791-95 Skipworth served in the American delegation in France under Ambassador James Monroe. In 1795, Monroe appointed him Consul-General in Paris.

In 1802, Skipworth married Thereze Josephine van den Clooster, a Flemish baroness. During his time as Consul-General, he was instrumental in negotiating the Louisiana Purchase.

The Republic of West Florida

In 1809, Skipwith moved to Spanish West Florida. As member of the first West Florida judiciary, he took part in the 1810 West Florida rebellion against Spain, and served as the president of the short-lived Republic of West Florida. On October 27, 1810, West Florida was annexed to the United States by proclamation of U.S. President James Madison, who claimed it as part of the Louisiana Purchase. At first, Skipwith and the West Florida government opposed to the proclamation, preferring to negotiate terms to join the Union as a seperate state. However, William C. C. Claiborne, who was sent to take possession, refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the West Florida government. Skipwith and the legislature reluctantly agreed to accept Madison's proclamation.

Later life

Skipwith was elected to serve in the Louisiana State Senate. In December 1814, during the War of 1812, Magloire Guichard and Skipwith sponsored a legislative resolution to grant amnesty to "the privateers lately resorting to Barataria, who might be deterred from offering their services for fear of persecution." This led to Jean Lafitte and his men joining in the defense of New Orleans when the city was attacked by British forces in January 1815.

In 1827, Skipwith, Armand Duplantier, Antoine Blanc, Thomas B. Robertson and Sebastien Hiriart received permission from the state legislature to organize a corporation called the Agricultural Society of Baton Rouge.

Skipwith died at his Monte Sano Plantation on the bluffs above Baton Rouge on January 7, 1839 at the age of 74.

References

David A. Bice. The Original Lone Star Republic: Scoundrels, Statesmen and Schemers of the 1810 West Florida Rebellion. Heritage Publishing Consultants, 2004. ISBN 1-891647-81-4
Roger G. Kennedy. Mr. Jefferson's Lost Cause: Land, Farmers, Slavery, and the Louisiana Purchase. Oxford University Press, 2003. ISBN 0-19-515347-2

External links

Governor Fulwar Skipwith's Speech to the West Florida Legislature.
Fulwar Skipwith Papers at Mystic Seaport.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Image:Fulwar Skipwith.jpg|thumb|right|Fulwar Skipwith]]
-'''Fulwar Skipwith''' ([[February 21]], [[1765]] - [[January 7]], [[1839]]) was an [[United States|American]] [[diplomat]] and [[politician]], who served as a U.S. Consul in [[Martinique]], and later as the U.S. [[Consul (representative)|Consul-General]] in [[France]].  He was instrumental in negotiating the [[Louisiana Purchase]] in [[1803]].
+'''Fulwar Skipwith''' ([[February 21]], [[1765]] - [[January 7]], [[1839]]) was an [[United States|American]] [[diplomat]] and [[politician]], who served as a U.S. Consul in [[Martinique]], and later as the U.S. [[Consul (representative)|Consul-General]] in [[France]].  He was instrumental in negotiating the [[Louisiana Purchase]] in [[1803]] and was president of the [[Republic of West Flroida]] in [[1810]].
 ==Early life==
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 ==The Republic of West Florida==
-In [[1809]], Skipwith moved to Spanish [[West Florida]].  As member of the first West Florida [[judiciary]], he took part in the [[1810]] West Florida Rebellion against Spain, and served as the president of the short-lived [[Republic of West Florida]].  On [[October 27]], 1810, West Florida was annexed to the United States by proclamation of [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[James Madison]], who claimed it as part of the Louisiana Purchase. At first, Skipwith and the West Florida government opposed to the proclamation, preferring to negotiate terms to join the Union as a seperate state. However, [[William C. C. Claiborne]], who was sent to take possession, refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the West Florida government. Skipwith and the legislature reluctantly agreed to accept Madison's proclamation.
+In [[1809]], Skipwith moved to Spanish [[West Florida]].  As member of the first West Florida [[judiciary]], he took part in the [[1810]] West Florida rebellion against Spain, and served as the president of the short-lived Republic of West Florida.  On [[October 27]], 1810, West Florida was annexed to the United States by proclamation of [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[James Madison]], who claimed it as part of the Louisiana Purchase. At first, Skipwith and the West Florida government opposed to the proclamation, preferring to negotiate terms to join the Union as a seperate state. However, [[William C. C. Claiborne]], who was sent to take possession, refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the West Florida government. Skipwith and the legislature reluctantly agreed to accept Madison's proclamation.
 [[Image:Bonnieblue.svg|thumb|left|The ''[[Bonnie Blue Flag]]'' of [[West Florida]].]]
 ==Later life==
-Skipwith was elected to serve in the [[Louisiana]] Senate.  In December [[1814]], during the [[War of 1812]], Magloire Guichard and Skipwith sponsored a [[Legislature|legislative resolution]] to grant [[amnesty]] to "the [[privateer]]s lately resorting to [[Barataria, Louisiana|Barataria]], who might be deterred from offering their services for fear of [[persecution]]." This led to [[Jean Lafitte]] and his men joining in the defense of [[New Orleans]] when British forces attacked in January [[1815]]/
+Skipwith was elected to serve in the [[Louisiana]] State Senate.  In December [[1814]], during the [[War of 1812]], Magloire Guichard and Skipwith sponsored a [[Legislature|legislative resolution]] to grant [[amnesty]] to "the [[privateer]]s lately resorting to [[Barataria, Louisiana|Barataria]], who might be deterred from offering their services for fear of [[persecution]]." This led to [[Jean Lafitte]] and his men joining in the defense of [[New Orleans]] when the city was attacked by British forces in January [[1815]].
 In [[1827]], Skipwith, Armand Duplantier, [[Antoine Blanc]], [[Thomas B. Robertson]] and  Sebastien Hiriart received permission from the [[State legislature (United States)|state legislature]] to organize a [[corporation]] called the Agricultural Society of Baton Rouge.