Quitman, John Anthony, 1798-1858

Army officer, governor, public official, and U.S. representative of Mississippi.

From the description of Certificate and letter of John Anthony Quitman, 1850-1855. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79449461

John Anthony Quitman moved from Ohio to Natchez, Miss., in 1821, where he practiced law. He was a member of the State house of representatives (1826-1827), chancellor of the State (1828-1835), member and president of the State senate (1835-1836), acting governor of Mississippi (1835-1836), and judge of the high court of errors and appeals in 1838. Quitman rose to the rank of major general during the Mexican War, serving between 1846 and 1848. He later served as Governor of Mississippi (1850-1851) and U.S. Representative for Mississippi (1855-1858).

From the description of John Anthony Quitman letter, 1821 Dec. 20. (Louisiana State University). WorldCat record id: 310982353

From the description of John Anthony Quitman note, 1855. (Louisiana State University). WorldCat record id: 310982354

From the description of John Anthony Quitman papers, 1823-1872, 1919. (Louisiana State University). WorldCat record id: 310981636

From the description of John Anthony Quitman letter, 1848 Apr. 29. (Louisiana State University). WorldCat record id: 310981963

Lawyer, soldier, politician, and champion of states' rights, and Mississippi resident.

From the description of Papers of John Anthony Quitman, 1781-1867. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 32671982

Quitman (1799-1858), a lawyer, soldier, statesman, and Southern planter, championed states' rights for his adopted state of Mississippi. He was a brigadier general in the Mexican War and appointed governor, then major-general of Mexico City. He served briefly as governor of Mississippi, was involved in the movement to annex Cuba, and spent his last years, 1855-1858, in the U.S. Congress.

From the description of John Anthony Quitman papers, 1833-1858 (inclusive) 1847-1858 (bulk). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 612372860

From the guide to the John Anthony Quitman papers, 1833-1858 (inclusive) 1847-1858 (bulk)., (Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University)

American lawyer and politician.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Washington, to President Buchanan, 1857 Mar. 7. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270616022

Born in 1798 in Rhinebeck, New York, John Anthony Quitman graduated from Hartwick Seminary in 1816 before studying law. Four years later he moved to Chillicothe, Ohio, upon being admitted to the bar, then to Natchez, Mississippi, in 1821. There he purchased the Monmouth Plantation and practiced law until being elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives. There he served as Chancellor of the state and on Mississippi’s Constitutional Convention in 1832. He was elected to the state senate three years later, and in 1838 became a judge on the High Court of Errors and Appeals.

At the start of the Mexican War, Quitman joined the military as Brigadier General of Volunteers and commanded a brigade in Northern Mexico. His unit fought at the battles of Monterrey, Veracruz, Cerro Gordo, Contreras, Churubusco, Chapultepec, and received the surrender of Mexico City’s garrison. After the war, Quitman was appointed military governor of Mexico City until 1848, when he returned to Mississippi and served as governor in 1850 and 1851.

As governor of Mississippi, Quitman assisted Narciso Lopez in his filibuster expedition to Cuba in 1850. When the expedition failed, Quitman was charged with violations of neutrality and resigned his post as governor, though charges against him were dropped after three hung juries. In 1853, Quitman began preparing his own filibustering expedition with the support of President Franklin Pierce, though after the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Pierce stopped the operation fearing it would damage the Democratic Party in the North. Additionally, Quitman was elected to Congress where he served until his death in 1858.

Source:

Cutrer, Thomas W. "Quitman, John Anthony." Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed August 4, 2011.

From the guide to the Quitman, John Anthony, Letters 2005-150., 1836-1853, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)