James Whitfield (Mississippi politician)

James Whitfield (December 15, 1791 – June 25, 1875) was an American politician. He served as the Governor of Mississippi from November 24, 1851, to January 10, 1852. He also served in both houses of the Mississippi Legislature.

James Whitfield
18th Governor of Mississippi
In office November 24, 1851 – January 10, 1852
Preceded by	John I. Guion
Succeeded by	Henry S. Foote
Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
Member of the Mississippi Senate
Personal details
Born	(1791-12-15)December 15, 1791 Elbert County, Georgia, U.S.
Died	June 25, 1875(1875-06-25) (aged 83) Columbus, Mississippi, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Louisa Dyer
Residence	Snowdoun Mansion

Background

He served until United States Senator Henry S. Foote, who had been elected governor, could complete his service in the Senate and resign from that body. Whitfield was a Democrat. He donated 185 acres (0.75 km²) of land in the northern part of the state to facilitate the creation of what is simultaneously the state's largest psychiatric facility and hospital, now known as Mississippi State Hospital. His Columbus, Mississippi plantation was sold in 1852 to Thomas Carleton Billups and is known today as The Billups Whitfield Place.

In the same year, he built a house in Columbus known as Snowdoun, featured annually on a local tour of homes. It was here that Jefferson Davis stayed while campaigning across the state for the U.S. Senate. He gave a speech from the balcony of this house. The home was later visited by author Julian Street as he traveled across the Southern U.S. compiling notes for his book American Adventures in 1915.

Sources

• McLemore, Richard Aubrey. A History of Mississippi, Vol. I. 1973: University of Mississippi Press. p. 307.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
• Mississippi Official and Statistical Register. 1912. p. 64.
• Rowland, Dunbar. Mississippi Comprising Sketches in Cyclopedic Form I. p. 960.

External links

• James Whitfield at National Governors Association
• James Whitfield: Eighteenth Governor of Mississippi: November 1851 – January 1852. Mississippi History