Archibald Roane
Encyclopedia
Archibald Roane was the second Governor of Tennessee, serving from 1801 to 1803.
, Pennsylvania
, then a part of Lancaster County
. He was the son of Andrew and Margaret Walker Roane. Andrew Roane, who was born in Ireland
, was one of four sons of Archibald Gilbert Roane, a Scotsman
who had been awarded land in Ireland in return for his British military service. All of the sons of Archibald Gilbert Roane emigrated to America. After Andrew and Margaret Roane both died when young Archibald Roane was about eight years old, he was raised by an uncle, John Roane, a Presbyterian minister, who provided him with a good education.
During the Revolutionary War
, Archibald Roane served in the Continental Army
as a member of the Lancaster County Militia (5th Company, 9th Battalion, Pennsylvania Volunteers). serving under George Washington
. He was present at the surrender of General Cornwallis
in 1781.
In the 1780s he settled for a time in vicinity of Lexington
, Rockbridge County, Virginia
, where he studied and later taught at Liberty Hall Academy, a predecessor institution to Washington and Lee University
. In Virginia, he married Ann (or Anne) Campbell, whom he had met there. The couple were to have six or eight children.
In 1788 Roane moved to Jonesborough, Tennessee
, then still a part of North Carolina
, where he was admitted to the bar and began the practice of law
.
In 1790, when the Southwest Territory
was formed, territorial governor William Blount
appointed Roane to the position of Attorney and Solicitor for Greene County and later Territorial Attorney General for the Washington District. In 1796 he was Jefferson County
's delegate to the constitutional convention
that wrote the original Tennessee Constitution that took effect that same year when Tennessee became a U.S. state
. Later in 1796 he became one of the three judge
s of the Superior Court of Law and Equity, the highest court established under the new state constitution.
In 1801, Governor John Sevier
had reached the limit of three consecutive terms allowed as governor under the Tennessee Constitution of 1796, and Roane won election as Sevier's successor.
The Great Seal of Tennessee
was adopted during the Roane Administration in 1801. Also during this term, Tennessee was divided into three Congressional district
s.
While in office, any chance that Roane had to have a good relationship with former Governor Sevier was shattered when he cast a tie-breaking vote for Sevier's opponent, Andrew Jackson
, in an election for a militia general
ship. Sevier defeated Roane for re-election two years later, and wound up serving three more terms before again reaching the state constitution's term limit
s.
After losing the 1803 gubernatorial election, Roane returned to the practice of law. In 1811 he was elected to a circuit judgeship and in 1815 he became a judge on the Tennessee Supreme Court of Errors and Appeals, which had been formed in 1809 as an appellate court
in place of the Superior Court of Law and Equity. He served on that court until his death on January 18, 1819. He was a promoter of institutions of higher learning until his death, serving as a trustee of Blount College, Greeneville College, Washington College, and East Tennessee College.
He is buried near Campbell's Station, today part of Farragut, Tennessee
.
, is named for a cousin, Spencer Roane
.) A nephew, John Selden Roane
, was governor of Arkansas.
Biography
Roane was born in 1759 or 1760 in Derry TownshipDerry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Derry Township is a township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 21,273 at the 2000 census. Hershey, Pennsylvania, the site of the well-known Hershey's chocolate factory and its affiliated amusement park, are also located within the township...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, then a part of Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
. He was the son of Andrew and Margaret Walker Roane. Andrew Roane, who was born in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, was one of four sons of Archibald Gilbert Roane, a Scotsman
Scotsman
Scotsman may mean:* a man from Scotland, in common parlance - see also Scottish people.* No true Scotsman, a common logical fallacy.*The Scotsman, a national newspaper based in Edinburgh, Scotland....
who had been awarded land in Ireland in return for his British military service. All of the sons of Archibald Gilbert Roane emigrated to America. After Andrew and Margaret Roane both died when young Archibald Roane was about eight years old, he was raised by an uncle, John Roane, a Presbyterian minister, who provided him with a good education.
During the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, Archibald Roane served in the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
as a member of the Lancaster County Militia (5th Company, 9th Battalion, Pennsylvania Volunteers). serving under George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. He was present at the surrender of General Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
in 1781.
In the 1780s he settled for a time in vicinity of Lexington
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
, Rockbridge County, Virginia
Rockbridge County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,808 people, 8,486 households, and 6,075 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile . There were 9,550 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
, where he studied and later taught at Liberty Hall Academy, a predecessor institution to Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
. In Virginia, he married Ann (or Anne) Campbell, whom he had met there. The couple were to have six or eight children.
In 1788 Roane moved to Jonesborough, Tennessee
Jonesborough, Tennessee
Jonesborough is a town in and the county seat of Washington County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The population was 4,168 at the 2000 census...
, then still a part of 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...
, where he was admitted to the bar and began the practice of law
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...
.
In 1790, when the Southwest Territory
Southwest Territory
The Territory South of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Southwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1790, until June 1, 1796, when it was admitted to the United States as the State of Tennessee.The Southwest Territory was...
was formed, territorial governor William Blount
William Blount
William Blount, was a United States statesman. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention for North Carolina, the first and only governor of the Southwest Territory, and Democratic-Republican Senator from Tennessee . He played a major role in establishing the state of Tennessee. He was the...
appointed Roane to the position of Attorney and Solicitor for Greene County and later Territorial Attorney General for the Washington District. In 1796 he was Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Tennessee
*...
's delegate to the constitutional convention
Constitutional convention (political meeting)
A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...
that wrote the original Tennessee Constitution that took effect that same year when Tennessee became a 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...
. Later in 1796 he became one of the three judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
s of the Superior Court of Law and Equity, the highest court established under the new state constitution.
In 1801, Governor John Sevier
John Sevier
John Sevier served four years as the only governor of the State of Franklin and twelve years as Governor of Tennessee. As a U.S. Representative from Tennessee from 1811 until his death...
had reached the limit of three consecutive terms allowed as governor under the Tennessee Constitution of 1796, and Roane won election as Sevier's successor.
The Great Seal of Tennessee
Seal of Tennessee
The Great Seal of the State of Tennessee is the official insignia of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Origins:An official Great Seal of Tennessee is provided for the in the Constitution of the State of Tennessee of February 6, 1796...
was adopted during the Roane Administration in 1801. Also during this term, Tennessee was divided into three Congressional district
Congressional district
A congressional district is “a geographical division of a state from which one member of the House of Representatives is elected.”Congressional Districts are made up of three main components, a representative, constituents, and the specific land area that both the representative and the...
s.
While in office, any chance that Roane had to have a good relationship with former Governor Sevier was shattered when he cast a tie-breaking vote for Sevier's opponent, Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
, in an election for a militia general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
ship. Sevier defeated Roane for re-election two years later, and wound up serving three more terms before again reaching the state constitution's term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s.
After losing the 1803 gubernatorial election, Roane returned to the practice of law. In 1811 he was elected to a circuit judgeship and in 1815 he became a judge on the Tennessee Supreme Court of Errors and Appeals, which had been formed in 1809 as an appellate court
Appellate court
An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
in place of the Superior Court of Law and Equity. He served on that court until his death on January 18, 1819. He was a promoter of institutions of higher learning until his death, serving as a trustee of Blount College, Greeneville College, Washington College, and East Tennessee College.
He is buried near Campbell's Station, today part of Farragut, Tennessee
Farragut, Tennessee
Farragut is a town in Knox and Loudon counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, and is generally a suburb of nearby Knoxville. Farragut's population was 20,689 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area...
.
Legacy
Roane County, Tennessee, is named in his honor. (Roane County, West VirginiaRoane County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,446 people, 6,161 households, and 4,479 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 7,360 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
, is named for a cousin, Spencer Roane
Spencer Roane
Spencer Roane was a Virginia lawyer and politician who served in the Virginia House of Delegates and as a judge of the state's highest court.Roane was born in Essex County, Virginia, on April 4, 1762...
.) A nephew, John Selden Roane
John Selden Roane
John Selden Roane was a Confederate Brigadier General during the American Civil War. He also served as the fourth Governor of the State of Arkansas.-Biography:...
, was governor of Arkansas.
External links
- Portrait of Archibald Roane, Tennessee State Museum