John E. Colhoun
Encyclopedia
John Ewing Colhoun was a United States
Senator
and lawyer
from South Carolina
.
Colhoun, was born in Staunton, Virginia
where he attended common schools before graduating from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University
) in 1774. He was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from 1778 to 1800. He studied to be a lawyer and was admitted to the bar
in 1783, commencing practice in Charleston, South Carolina
. He was a farmer and was elected a member of the privy council
and was also a commissioner
of confiscated estates in 1785.
to where Colhoun's great, great, great, grandfather Robert Colquhoun migrated from Dunbarton, Dumbartonshire
in Scotland
. Colhoun was born to Ulster-Scottish immigrants to colonial America from County Donegal
. Colhoun appears to have himself changed his surname from Calhoun to Colhoun.
Colhoun married Floride Bonneau of Charleston, South Carolina
. They had three children, John Ewing, Jr. , who became a planter, James Edward (1798-1889 later changed last name to Calhoun), who would become an officer in the U.S. Navy in the 1820s and, too, was a planter, and Floride Bonneau
(1792–1866) who married her father's first cousin John Caldwell Calhoun. Floride became Second Lady of the United States
in 1825. John Colhoun was also a first cousin of Joseph Calhoun
, and brother-in-law of Andrew Pickens
.
and was a member of the committee which was instructed to report a modification of the judiciary
system of the United States. He was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the 7th United States Congress
as a senator, serving from March 4, 1801 until his death on October 26, 1802 in Pendleton, South Carolina
. He was interned in the family cemetery in the Old Pendleton District
(now Pickens County, South Carolina).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
from South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
.
Colhoun, was born in Staunton, Virginia
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
where he attended common schools before graduating from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
) in 1774. He was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
South Carolina House of Representatives
The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the upper house being the South Carolina Senate. It consists of 124 Representatives elected to two year terms at the same time as US Congressional elections...
from 1778 to 1800. He studied to be a lawyer and was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1783, commencing practice in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. He was a farmer and was elected a member of the privy council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
and was also a commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
of confiscated estates in 1785.
Origin and family
Colhoun, (and Calhoun) is a surname that originated in UlsterUlster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
to where Colhoun's great, great, great, grandfather Robert Colquhoun migrated from Dunbarton, Dumbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Colhoun was born to Ulster-Scottish immigrants to colonial America from County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
. Colhoun appears to have himself changed his surname from Calhoun to Colhoun.
Colhoun married Floride Bonneau of Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. They had three children, John Ewing, Jr. , who became a planter, James Edward (1798-1889 later changed last name to Calhoun), who would become an officer in the U.S. Navy in the 1820s and, too, was a planter, and Floride Bonneau
Floride Calhoun
Floride Bonneau Calhoun was the wife of prominent U.S. politician John C. Calhoun.-Background and early life:...
(1792–1866) who married her father's first cousin John Caldwell Calhoun. Floride became Second Lady of the United States
Second Lady of the United States
Second lady of the United States is an informal title for the wife of the vice president of the United States, coined in contrast to the first lady ....
in 1825. John Colhoun was also a first cousin of Joseph Calhoun
Joseph Calhoun
Joseph Calhoun was a Republican member of the South Carolina House of Representatives and represented South Carolina in the United States House of Representatives...
, and brother-in-law of Andrew Pickens
Andrew Pickens (congressman)
Andrew Pickens was a militia leader in the American Revolution and a member of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina.-Early life:...
.
Senator
In 1801, Colhoun was a member of the South Carolina SenateSouth Carolina Senate
The South Carolina Senate is the upper house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the lower house being the South Carolina House of Representatives...
and was a member of the committee which was instructed to report a modification of the judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
system of the United States. He was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the 7th United States Congress
7th United States Congress
- House of Representatives :-Senate:* President: Aaron Burr * President pro tempore:** Abraham Baldwin , first elected December 7, 1801** Stephen R. Bradley , first elected December 14, 1802-House of Representatives:...
as a senator, serving from March 4, 1801 until his death on October 26, 1802 in Pendleton, South Carolina
Pendleton, South Carolina
Pendleton is a town in Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,966 at the 2000 census. It is a sister city of Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland....
. He was interned in the family cemetery in the Old Pendleton District
Pendleton District, South Carolina
Pendleton District is a former judicial district in South Carolina. It existed as a county or a district from 7 March 1789 to 20 December 1826....
(now Pickens County, South Carolina).