James Jackson (Georgia politician)
James Jackson (September 21, 1757–March 19,1806) was an early Georgia politician in the Democratic-Republican Party. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1789 until 1791. He was also a U.S. Senator from Georgia from 1793 to 1795 then from 1801 until his death, and was Governor of Georgia from 1798 to 1801. Jackson was well known as a duelist. Jackson County, Georgia is named in his honor.
Early Life
Jackson was born in Moreton-Hampstead, Devonshire, England. He immigrated to Savannah, Georgia in 1772. During the American Revolutionary War, he served in the Georgia Militia at the defense of Savannah, the Battle of Cowpens, and the recapture of Augusta and Savannah. After the war, he built up his law practice in Savannah. He was elected to the first Georgia state legislature. In 1788, Jackson was elected governor of Georgia, but declined the position, citing his inexperience.
In 1789, Jackson was elected to the First United States Congress. As what would later come to be known as a Jeffersonian Republican, he vigorously opposed Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton's financial plans for federal assumption of the states' debts from the Revolutionary War. He was also strongly opposed to efforts to curtail slavery. In the election of 1791, he was defeated for re-election to his seat by Anthony Wayne. Jackson was convinced that Wayne had not won his seat fairly, so he mounted a campaign against Wayne and his supporters, finally succeeding in removing Wayne from Congress.
Senator and Governor
Jackson was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1793. Meanwhile, the state of Georgia sold a large portion of its western lands, called Yazoo, to a group of investors. Jackson, believing that the sale was influenced by bribery of state legislatures, resigned his post in the Senate to run for a seat in the Georgia legislature in 1795. He won the election and began to lead a campaign to repeal the Yazoo land sale. In 1798, he won the election for governor of Georgia and proceeded to implement the legislation repealing the Yazoo land sale. Jackson placed blame for the Yazoo land fraud on his political enemies, the Federalists. He built the Georgia Democratic-Republican party and led it to statewide dominance.
Jackson was re-elected to the Senate in 1801 and served until his death in 1806. He is buried in the Congressional Cemetery.
Legacy
Jackson was the start of a political dynasty in Georgia. His son, Jabez Y. Jackson, was a Representative from Georgia in the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth United States Congress. James Jackson's grandson, also named James Jackson, was a U.S. Representative from Georgia, a judge advocate on the staff of General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, and a trustee of the University of Georgia.
External link
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- United States Congress. "James Jackson (id: J000017)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- Lamplugh, George. 2003. "James Jackson". The New Georgia Encyclopedia. Georgia Humanities Council. [1]
