Abraham Watkins Venable
Encyclopedia
Abraham Watkins Venable (October 17, 1799 – February 24, 1876) was a nineteenth century US
politician
and lawyer
from North Carolina
. He was the nephew of congressman and senator Abraham Bedford Venable
.
, he graduated from Hampden-Sydney College
. He studied medicine for two years before turning to law. He later graduated from Princeton University
in 1819 and was admitted to the bar in 1821. He practiced law in Virginia
in both Prince Edward
and Mecklenburg
counties until 1829 when he moved to North Carolina
. He later got involved politics and was elected to the thirtieth congress
as a Democrat
, serving from 1847 to 1853, unsuccessful for reeletion in 1852. He was a presidential elector in the 1860 presidential election
on the Democratic ticket for John C. Breckinridge
and Joseph Lane
. When his state succeeded from the Union
, he went with it to the Confederacy
and was elected to the Provisional Confederate Congress
. He was later elected to the first Confederate congress
, serving from 1862 to 1864. He died in Oxford, North Carolina
in 1876 and was interred at Shiloh Presbyterian Churchyard in Granville County, North Carolina
.He was an ancestor of Isabelle Hall Fiske (Barbara Hall), the cartoonist, artist, and co-creator of Quarry Hill Creative Center.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
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 North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. He was the nephew of congressman and senator Abraham Bedford Venable
Abraham B. Venable
Abraham Bedford Venable was a representative and senator from Virginia. He was the uncle of congressman Abraham Watkins Venable....
.
Biography
Born in Springfield, VirginiaSpringfield, Virginia
Springfield is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States and a suburb of Washington, D.C. The Springfield CDP is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau with a population of 30,484 as of the 2010 census. Homes and businesses in bordering CDPs including North Springfield,...
, he graduated from Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden–Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1775, Hampden–Sydney is the oldest private charter college in the Southern U.S., the last college founded before the American Revolution, and one of only three four-year,...
. He studied medicine for two years before turning to law. He later graduated from 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 1819 and was admitted to the bar in 1821. He practiced law in 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...
in both Prince Edward
Prince Edward County, Virginia
Prince Edward County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,368. Its county seat is Farmville.-Formation and County Seats:...
and Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 32,727 people, 12,951 households, and 8,962 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile . There were 17,403 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
counties until 1829 when he moved to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. He later got involved politics and was elected to the thirtieth congress
30th United States Congress
The Thirtieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1849, during the last two years of...
as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, serving from 1847 to 1853, unsuccessful for reeletion in 1852. He was a presidential elector in the 1860 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1860
The United States presidential election of 1860 was a quadrennial election, held on November 6, 1860, for the office of President of the United States and the immediate impetus for the outbreak of the American Civil War. The nation had been divided throughout the 1850s on questions surrounding the...
on the Democratic ticket for John C. Breckinridge
John C. Breckinridge
John Cabell Breckinridge was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Kentucky and was the 14th Vice President of the United States , to date the youngest vice president in U.S...
and Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
. When his state succeeded from the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
, he went with it to the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
and was elected to the Provisional Confederate Congress
Provisional Confederate Congress
The Provisional Confederate Congress, for a time the legislative branch of the Confederate States of America, was the body which drafted the Confederate Constitution, elected Jefferson Davis President of the Confederacy, and designed the first Confederate flag...
. He was later elected to the first Confederate congress
First Confederate Congress
The First Confederate Congress was the first regular term of the legislature of the Confederate States of America. Members of the First Confederate Congress were chosen in elections mostly held on 6 November 1861.-Sessions:...
, serving from 1862 to 1864. He died in Oxford, North Carolina
Oxford, North Carolina
Oxford is a city in Granville County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,461 at the 2010 census It is the county seat of Granville County.-History:...
in 1876 and was interred at Shiloh Presbyterian Churchyard in Granville County, North Carolina
Granville County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 59,916 people in 20,628 households residing in the county. The population density was 111.6 people per square mile . There were 22,827 housing units at an average density of 42.5 per square mile...
.He was an ancestor of Isabelle Hall Fiske (Barbara Hall), the cartoonist, artist, and co-creator of Quarry Hill Creative Center.
External links
Retrieved on 2009-03-21- Abraham W. Venable at The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...