William Wyatt Bibb
Encyclopedia
William Wyatt Bibb was a United States Senator from Georgia
and the first Governor of the U.S. state
of Alabama
. Bibb County, Alabama
, and Bibb County, Georgia
, are named for him.
He was a member of the Democratic-Republican
political party. Bibb served as governor of the Alabama Territory
from August 1817 to Dec. 1819, and as governor of the state of Alabama from Dec. 1819 to his death on July 10, 1820.
, Virginia
, and later moved with his family to Georgia
. After attending the College of William and Mary and the University of Pennsylvania
, he was awarded an M.D.
degree in 1801. He returned to Georgia and began practicing medicine in Petersburg
. In 1803, he married Mary Freeman.
from 1803 to 1805. He was elected as a Democratic-Republican
to the Ninth United States Congress to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas Spalding
, and was reelected four times, serving until November 6, 1813. He was then elected to the United States Senate
to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of William H. Crawford
and served until November 9, 1816.
. Bibb received 8,342 votes, while Williams got 7,140 votes.
Bibb's primary duties were establishing the state government. Huntsville
was the first capital. (The capital was moved to Cahawba in 1820, Tuscaloosa
in 1826, and Montgomery
in 1846.)
Henry Hitchcock
was elected the first Attorney General of Alabama
, and Thomas A. Rogers was elected as the first Secretary of State of Alabama
. The first session of the state legislature was held from October 25, 1819, to December 17, 1819. William R. King
and John W. Walker were chosen as the first U.S. Senators
.
, was president of the state senate at the time and completed the rest of his term.
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and the first Governor of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Bibb County, Alabama
Bibb County, Alabama
Bibb County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of William W. Bibb, the first Governor of Alabama. As of 2010 the population was 22,915. The county seat is Centreville...
, and Bibb County, Georgia
Bibb County, Georgia
Bibb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 153,887. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 154,709...
, are named for him.
He was a member of the Democratic-Republican
Democratic-Republican Party (United States)
The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along...
political party. Bibb served as governor of the Alabama Territory
Alabama Territory
The Territory of Alabama was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 15, 1817, until December 14, 1819, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alabama.-History:...
from August 1817 to Dec. 1819, and as governor of the state of Alabama from Dec. 1819 to his death on July 10, 1820.
Early life
Bibb was born in Amelia CountyAmelia County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,400 people, 4,240 households, and 3,175 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 4,609 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and later moved with his family to Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. After attending the College of William and Mary and the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, he was awarded an M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degree in 1801. He returned to Georgia and began practicing medicine in Petersburg
Petersburg, Georgia
The dead town of Petersburg, Georgia was an upriver market located in Wilkes County, Georgia County. Named after Petersburg, Virginia, it was founded by Dionysius Oliver in 1786 to serve the rapidly growing Broad River Valley region of Georgia , and enjoyed connection via pole boat with Augusta,...
. In 1803, he married Mary Freeman.
Politics in Georgia
Bibb's first office was as a member of the Georgia House of RepresentativesGeorgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
from 1803 to 1805. He was elected as a Democratic-Republican
Democratic-Republican Party (United States)
The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along...
to the Ninth United States Congress to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas Spalding
Thomas Spalding
Thomas Spalding was a United States Representative from Georgia. He was born in Frederica, St. Simons Island, Glynn County, Georgia. He attended the common schools of Georgia and Florida and a private school in Massachusetts. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1795, but did not practice...
, and was reelected four times, serving until November 6, 1813. He was then elected to the United States Senate
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...
to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of William H. Crawford
William H. Crawford
William Harris Crawford was an American politician and judge during the early 19th century. He served as United States Secretary of War from 1815 to 1816 and United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1816 to 1825, and was a candidate for President of the United States in 1824.-Political...
and served until November 9, 1816.
Governor of Alabama
He was appointed the first governor of the Alabama Territory in 1817. Alabama became a state on December 14, 1819. Bibb was elected governor, defeating Marmaduke WilliamsMarmaduke Williams
Marmaduke Williams was a Democratic-Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina from 1803 to 1809.Born in Caswell County, North Carolina, Williams studied law and was admitted to the North Carolina bar. He was elected to the North Carolina State Senate, serving 1802, and then was elected that...
. Bibb received 8,342 votes, while Williams got 7,140 votes.
Bibb's primary duties were establishing the state government. Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
was the first capital. (The capital was moved to Cahawba in 1820, Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
in 1826, and Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
in 1846.)
Henry Hitchcock
Henry Hitchcock
Henry Hitchcock was the first Attorney General of Alabama, having been elected by the Alabama General Assembly in December 1819 in its initial session...
was elected the first Attorney General of Alabama
Attorney General of Alabama
The Attorney General of Alabama is an elected, constitutional officer of the State of Alabama. The office of the Attorney General is located at the state capitol in Montgomery, Alabama. Henry Hitchcock was elected Alabama's first attorney general in 1819....
, and Thomas A. Rogers was elected as the first Secretary of State of Alabama
Secretary of State of Alabama
The Secretary of State of Alabama is one of the constitutional officers of the U.S. state of Alabama. The office actually predates the statehood of Alabama, dating back to the Alabama Territory. From 1819 to 1901, the Secretary of State served a two-year term until the State Constitution was...
. The first session of the state legislature was held from October 25, 1819, to December 17, 1819. William R. King
William R. King
William Rufus DeVane King was the 13th Vice President of the United States for about six weeks , and earlier a U.S. Representative from North Carolina, Minister to France, and a Senator from Alabama...
and John W. Walker were chosen as the first U.S. Senators
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...
.
Death
In 1820, Bibb suffered a fall from a horse. He died from internal injuries on July 10, 1820. His brother, Thomas BibbThomas Bibb
Thomas Bibb was the second Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama from 1820 to 1821. He was born in Amelia County, Virginia in 1783. He was president of the Alabama Senate when his brother, Governor William Wyatt Bibb, died in office on July 10, 1820, and took over as governor for the remainder of...
, was president of the state senate at the time and completed the rest of his term.