Difference between revisions of "William King"
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<small>For the former Prime Minister of Canada, see [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]].</small> | <small>For the former Prime Minister of Canada, see [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]].</small> | ||
| − | '''William Rufus deVane King''' '''(1786 - 1853)''' was Vice President under [[Franklin Pierce]]. [[William King|King]] previously served as a US [[House of Representatives|Representative]] from [[North Carolina]] from 1811-1816, when he resigned, and as [[Senator]] for the State of [[Alabama]] from 1819-1844<ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=k000217 Official Congressional Biography]</ref>. A [[Democratic-Republican]], then a [[Jacksonian Democrat]], [[William King|King]] served as [[President pro tempore]] of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] from 1835-1841, after which the [[Whig]]s retook control. He passed away from [[tuberculosis]] after only 45 days in office. He is the only [[Vice President]] to have been sworn in on foreign soil, as he was in [[Cuba]] for health reasons at the time of [[inauguration]]. | + | '''William Rufus deVane King''' '''(1786 - 1853)''' was Vice President under [[Franklin Pierce]]. [[William King|King]] previously served as a US [[House of Representatives|Representative]] from [[North Carolina]] from 1811-1816, when he resigned, and as [[Senator]] for the State of [[Alabama]] from 1819-1844<ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=k000217 Official Congressional Biography]</ref>. A [[Democratic-Republican]], then a [[Jacksonian Democrat]], [[William King|King]] served as [[President pro tempore]] of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] from 1835-1841, after which the [[Whig]]s retook control. He passed away from [[tuberculosis]] after only 45 days in office. He is the only [[Vice President of the United States of America|Vice President]] to have been sworn in on foreign soil, as he was in [[Cuba]] for health reasons at the time of [[inauguration]]. |
In 1818, King moved to Selma, [[Alabama]], where he became a delegate to the State's organizing convention in 1819. He was a [[slaveholder]] and owner of a large [[plantation]]<ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=k000217 Official Congressional Biography, ibid.]</ref>. | In 1818, King moved to Selma, [[Alabama]], where he became a delegate to the State's organizing convention in 1819. He was a [[slaveholder]] and owner of a large [[plantation]]<ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=k000217 Official Congressional Biography, ibid.]</ref>. | ||
Revision as of 17:59, July 7, 2009
| William King | |
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| 13th Vice-President of the United States | |
| Term of office March 4, 1853 - April 18, 1853 | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| President | Franklin Pierce |
| Preceded by | Millard Fillmore |
| Succeeded by | John C. Breckinridge |
| Born | April 7, 1786 Sampson County, North Carolina |
| Died | April 18, 1853 Selma, Dallas County, Alabama |
For the former Prime Minister of Canada, see William Lyon Mackenzie King.
William Rufus deVane King (1786 - 1853) was Vice President under Franklin Pierce. King previously served as a US Representative from North Carolina from 1811-1816, when he resigned, and as Senator for the State of Alabama from 1819-1844[1]. A Democratic-Republican, then a Jacksonian Democrat, King served as President pro tempore of the Senate from 1835-1841, after which the Whigs retook control. He passed away from tuberculosis after only 45 days in office. He is the only Vice President to have been sworn in on foreign soil, as he was in Cuba for health reasons at the time of inauguration.
In 1818, King moved to Selma, Alabama, where he became a delegate to the State's organizing convention in 1819. He was a slaveholder and owner of a large plantation[2].
During the mid 19th century, the Vice Presidency was not viewed upon negatively, as it came to be in the early 20th century[3]. At the time, the Vice President actually did preside over the Senate and the congenial King was viewed as ideal for the position. As his coughing worsened throughout the 1852 campaign, he went to Cuba hoping that the climate would help him regain his health. Congress then passed a one time law allowing King to be sworn in on foreign soil. A few weeks later he returned to Alabama, where he passed away on April 18, 1853, just six weeks after taking office. He was initially interred at his plantation. However, the Selma City Council wished for King, as one of the city's founders, to be interred within its limits and he was reinterred there in 1882.
References
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