| Thomas Posey | |
 Portrait of Posey by John Bayless Hill |
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| In office 1804 – 1806 |
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| In office January 1806 – December 1808 |
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| Governor | Christopher Greenup |
| Preceded by | John Caldwell |
| Succeeded by | Gabriel Slaughter |
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| In office 1812 – 1813 |
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| Preceded by | Jean N. Destréhan |
| Succeeded by | James Brown |
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| In office March 3, 1813 – November 7, 1816 |
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| Preceded by | John Gibson |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Jennings |
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| Born | July 9, 1750 Fairfax County, Virginia |
| Died | March 29, 1818 (aged 67) Shawneetown, Illinois |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse | Mary Matthews 1772 - 1778 Mary Alexander Thornton 1784 - 1818 |
| Profession | Politician, Soldier |
Thomas Posey (July 9, 1750 - March 29, 1818) was a officer in the American Revolution, a General during peacetime, Lt. A state senator is a member of a state's Senate, the Upper house in the Bicameral legislature of 49 U The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. The office of lieutenant governor of Kentucky has existed under the last three of Kentucky's four constitutions beginning in 1797 Christopher Greenup (c 1750 April 27, 1818) was an American politician who served as a U Caldwell John (1757-1804 was a Kentucky Politician State Senator and Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky Gabriel Slaughter (December 12 1767 September 19 1830 was the seventh Governor of Kentucky and was the first person to ascend to that office upon the death of the sitting The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America Jean Noel Destréhan (1754 &ndash October 8, 1823) was a Creole politician in Louisiana and one-time owner of Destréhan Plantation James Brown ( September 11, 1766 &ndash April 7, 1835) was a lawyer U List of Governors of Indiana Territory List of Governors of the State of Indiana Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Year 1813 ( MDCCCXIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1492 - The Ensisheim Meteorite the oldest Meteorite with a known date of impact strikes the Earth around noon in a Wheat Year 1816 ( MDCCCXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year John Gibson ( May 23, 1740 – 10 April 1822) was the Territorial Secretary of the Indiana Territory. Jonathan Jennings (1784&ndashJuly 26 1834 was a Democratic-Republican governor and senator from Indiana. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1750 ( MDCCL) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Fairfax County is a county in Northern Virginia, in the United States. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1818 ( MDCCCXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Shawneetown is a city in Gallatin County, Illinois, United States. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1750 ( MDCCL) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1818 ( MDCCCXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" Gov. of Kentucky, Governor of the Indiana Territory, and a Louisiana Senator. The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Indiana Territory was an Organized territory of the United States from 1800 to 1816 created by Act of Congress and signed into law by President The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America
Contents |
Early life
Posey was born on the banks of the Potomac River on a farm adjacent to Mt Vernon in Fairfax County, Virginia on July 9th, 1750. The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid- Atlantic coast of the United States. Fairfax County is a county in Northern Virginia, in the United States. [1] He received a plain English education and at 19 he moved to Virginia frontier where he intended to engage in a trade or farm. Life on the frontier would not quiet down though and the Indians continual raiding led to a reprisal by the Virginia's Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore. In 1774 Posey was in the quartermaster's department of a armed expedition against the Indians who threatening the frontier settlements. [2] The expedition would succeed in suppressing the Indians for the short term.
The Revolution
Posey was elected a member of the Virginia committee of correspondence in 1775[3]. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The committees of correspondence were bodies organized by the local governments of the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution for the purposes of coordinating He served in the army during the War of Independence, first as a captain in the Continental Army, mostly with the 7th Virginia Regiment, then later rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1782. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The American Continental Army was an Army formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America The 7th Virginia Regiment was raised on January 11, 1776 at Gloucester Virginia for service with the Continental Army. Some claimed his quick rise was due to the patronage of George Washington. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the During the war Posey led campaigns against Lord Dunmore who was fortified on Gwyn's Island and drove him and his naval support out of the area. Lord Dunmore had been the officer he served under during the Indian war. In the winter of 1775 the 7th Virginia Regiment marched to join with General George Washington in New Jersey. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It was at this time that Washington promoted Posey to the rank of Captain. [4] Posey Corps would then be involved in the battle to drive Gen. Howe back to New York City. The City of New York In 1778 Lt. Posey replaced Col Morgan as head of a force of riflemen and was promoted to Major. [5] In 1779 Posey was detached from Washington and joined General "Mad" Anthony Wayne in defending the frontier against Indians and Tories that were terrorizing the settlements there. Anthony Wayne (January 1 1745–December 15 1796 was a United States Army general and statesman [6] Having dealt with the threat on the frontier, Posey's forces marched toward Charleston where they would join in the siege of General Clinton. During 1781-1782 he would serve with General Wayne again, this time in Georgia against the forces in Savannah. He was promoted to Lt. Col. in 1782[7]
Serving in the United States Army after the Revolution, he rose to the rank of brigadier general in 1793 and served with "Mad" Anthony Wayne campaigning against the Indians beyond the frontier in the Northwest Indian War. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General. Anthony Wayne (January 1 1745–December 15 1796 was a United States Army general and statesman The Northwest Indian War (1785&ndash1795 also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names was a war fought between the United States and [8]
State Senator
In 1794 he resigned from the army and moved to Kentucky, where his service in the army provided the popularity for him to be elected as a state senator. First elected in 1804 as a senator, he pesided over the body as president from 1805 to 1806. He was later elected lieutenant governor in 1806. [9]
In preparation for possible hostilities with the French and British, in 1809 Congress authorized an army of 100,000 men to be mobilized. Kentucky was assigned the task of providing five thousand men. Posey returned to the army as a Major General in command of the Kentucky Volunteers. He again resigned from the army in 1810 just before the outbreak of the War of 1812. The War of 1812 was fought between the United States of America and the British Empire, particularly Great Britain and her North American colonies [10]He then moved to the Attakapas region of Louisiana, and served as a U. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America S. Senator from that state in 1812-1813 to fill the vacant seat of John N. Destrehan after his resignation. [11]
Governor of Indiana Territory
After he was defeated for re-election to his senate seat, he was appointed by President Madison to be Governor of Indiana Territory in February 1813 where he succeeded William Henry Harrison who had accepted a new position to lead the army against Indians in the Northwest Territory[12]. Indiana Territory was an Organized territory of the United States from 1800 to 1816 created by Act of Congress and signed into law by President James Madison Jr (March 16 1751 – June 28 1836 was an American Politician, the fourth President of the United States (1809–1817 and one of the Founding Indiana Territory was an Organized territory of the United States from 1800 to 1816 created by Act of Congress and signed into law by President This article is about the general and president For his great-great-grandson see William H For the Canadian territory see Northwest Territories. For the northwestern corner of the Lower 48 see Northwestern United States. When he arrived he relieved General Gibson of his duties as Acting Governor.
Posey disliked the current territorial capital of Corydon, because he had poor health he wanted to be closer to his personal physician in Louisville, Kentucky. Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States and a former capital of the State of Indiana Posey moved to Jeffersonville during his tenure and from there conducted office of governor. Jeffersonville (ˈdʒɛfɚsənˌvɪl is a city in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. He communicated with the legislature in Corydon by courier. [13] He was widely disliked by the legislature for his "inaccessibility", but his pro-slavery sentiments where also at odds with that of anti-slavery dominated legislature. When Indiana became a state in 1816, he ran unsuccessfully for Governor and was defeated by Jonathan Jennings. Jonathan Jennings (1784&ndashJuly 26 1834 was a Democratic-Republican governor and senator from Indiana. A key election issue to the dislike of Posey was that he was in favor of slavery in Indiana, which much of the legislature, Dennis Pennington, and Jonathan Jennings opposed. Dennis Pennington ( May 18, 1776 - December 2, 1854) was an early Indiana legislator speaker of the first Indiana Jonathan Jennings (1784&ndashJuly 26 1834 was a Democratic-Republican governor and senator from Indiana. [14]
In 1815 Posey called a special assembly to meet in Corydon to create a new territorial judiciary to replaced the existing one whose authority was questionable due to the status of the territory when it was created. Posey presided over the assembly which ultimately divided the territory into three judicial districts and appointed several judges. [15]
After Indiana was granted statehood in 1816 Posey ran for the position of Governor but was defeated by the popular Jonathan Jennings. Jonathan Jennings (1784&ndashJuly 26 1834 was a Democratic-Republican governor and senator from Indiana. [16] The central theme of the campaign was slavery and the contrast could not have been greater between Jennings and Posey.
Posey's wives
Posey married Mary Matthews in 1772. They had one son who lived to adulthood. Mary died in 1778. Posey remarried Mary Alexander Thornton, the widow of George Thornton, in 1784. Posey had nine children by her. He remained married to her until his death. His second wife died in 1837.
The Washington rumor
Throughout his life Posey was dogged by rumors that he was the illegitimate son of George Washington. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the Posey grew up on land adjacent to Mt. Vernon, the Posey and Washington families were close, and Posey benefited from Washington's patronage early in his career. However, the rumors are dismissed by General Posey's biographer, John Thornton Posey.
Death
In the last two years of his life, he served as an Indian agent in Illinois. In United States history an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with Native American tribes on behalf of the U The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. He was appointed Indian Agent of Helios's in 1816. [17] He died of Typhus fever on March 19, 1818 in Shawneetown, Illinois, aged 67, and was buried in the Westwood Cemetery. Typhus is any of several similar diseases caused by Louse -borne bacteria Shawneetown is a city in Gallatin County, Illinois, United States.
Posey County, Indiana is named in honor of Thomas Posey. Posey County is a County located in the US state of Indiana. As of 2000 the population was 27061
References
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 364
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 365
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 372
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 376
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 378
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 380
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 381
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 392
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 395
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 395
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 399
- ^ Pioneer History of Indiana, By William Monroe Cockrum Pg 377
- ^ Pioneer History of Indiana, By William Monroe Cockrum Pg 383
- ^ Baird, Lewis. Baird's History of Clark County, Indiana, (1909) pg. 60
- ^ Pioneer History of Indiana, By William Monroe Cockrum Pg 383
- ^ Pioneer History of Indiana, By William Monroe Cockrum Pg 392
- ^ The Library of American Biography, By Jared Sparks, Pg 402
Further Reading: Posey, John Thornton. General Thomas Posey: Son of the American Revolution. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1992.
| Preceded by Jean N. Destréhan |
United States Senator (Class 2) from Louisiana 1812–1813 Served alongside: Allan B. Magruder |
Succeeded by James Brown |
| Preceded by John Gibson (acting) |
Governor of Indiana Territory 1813-1816 |
Succeeded by Jonathan Jennings First State Governor |
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