Joseph Alston
Encyclopedia
Joseph Alston was the 44th Governor
of South Carolina
from 1812 to 1814.
, Alston attended the College of New Jersey
, but left in 1796 without graduating. He then went to study law at the office of Edward Rutledge
and was admitted to the bar. Alston decided against practicing law and instead engaged in planting becoming one of the wealthiest planters in South Carolina. In 1801, he married the daughter of Aaron Burr
, Theodosia Burr Alston
, partly to ingratiate himself with Republican
voters in an effort to cover up his aristocratic facade. Their honeymoon was spent in Niagara Falls
, the first recorded couple to do so. Their son Aaron Burr Alston, born 1802, died in 1812.
for a term from 1802 to 1803 and again from 1805 to 1812. In 1806, the House of Representatives chose Alston to be the speaker
and he pushed the legislature to adopt a more equitable basis of representation. The General Assembly
elected Alston to be the Governor of South Carolina
in 1812 for a two-year term after the removal of Thomas Sumter
and Andrew Pickens
as candidates. Although Alston became governor, his private life suffered tragedy by the loss of his only child and the disappearance of a ship headed towards New York City
that his wife had boarded. His misery continued as his tenure got off to a rocky start and his popularity plummeted.
raging, Alston called the state militia to service in 1813 to protect military magazines from the British
. Some soldiers of the militia refused to serve and Alston issued a statement that the refusal of service would result in death. However, a court issued a writ of habeas corpus
and the men charged with court-martial were let free. Subsequently, Alston dismissed the entire militia from service, but the residents were in shock that their state was then completely defenseless from British attack. Alston was forced to recall the militia to service after the British landed on St. Helena Island
and the legislature correspondingly responded by increasing the powers of the governor for the use of the militia in wartime.
.
Governor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
of 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...
from 1812 to 1814.
Early life and career
Born in All Saint's Parish near GeorgetownGeorgetown, South Carolina
Georgetown is the third oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and the county seat of Georgetown County, in the Low Country. Located on Winyah Bay at the confluence of the Great Pee Dee River, Waccamaw River, and Sampit River, Georgetown is the second largest seaport in South Carolina,...
, Alston attended the College of New Jersey
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....
, but left in 1796 without graduating. He then went to study law at the office of Edward Rutledge
Edward Rutledge
Edward Rutledge was an American politician and youngest signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. He later served as the 39th Governor of South Carolina.-Early years and career:...
and was admitted to the bar. Alston decided against practicing law and instead engaged in planting becoming one of the wealthiest planters in South Carolina. In 1801, he married the daughter of Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr, Jr. was an important political figure in the early history of the United States of America. After serving as a Continental Army officer in the Revolutionary War, Burr became a successful lawyer and politician...
, Theodosia Burr Alston
Theodosia Burr Alston
Theodosia Burr Alston was the daughter of Theodosia Bartow Prevost and the controversial U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr.-Early life:...
, partly to ingratiate himself with Republican
Republicanism in the United States
Republicanism is the political value system that has been a major part of American civic thought since the American Revolution. It stresses liberty and inalienable rights as central values, makes the people as a whole sovereign, supports activist government to promote the common good, rejects...
voters in an effort to cover up his aristocratic facade. Their honeymoon was spent in Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, the first recorded couple to do so. Their son Aaron Burr Alston, born 1802, died in 1812.
Rise to governor
Alston won election to the South Carolina House of RepresentativesSouth 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...
for a term from 1802 to 1803 and again from 1805 to 1812. In 1806, the House of Representatives chose Alston to be the speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
and he pushed the legislature to adopt a more equitable basis of representation. The General Assembly
South Carolina General Assembly
The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. Altogether, the General...
elected Alston to be the Governor of South Carolina
Governor of South Carolina
The Governor of the State of South Carolina is the head of state for the State of South Carolina. Under the South Carolina Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the South Carolina executive branch. The Governor is the ex officio...
in 1812 for a two-year term after the removal of Thomas Sumter
Thomas Sumter
Thomas Sumter nicknamed the "Carolina Gamecock" , was a hero of the American Revolution and went on to become a longtime member of the Congress of the United States.-Early life:Thomas Sumter was born near Charlottesville in Hanover County, Virginia in 1734...
and 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:...
as candidates. Although Alston became governor, his private life suffered tragedy by the loss of his only child and the disappearance of a ship headed towards New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
that his wife had boarded. His misery continued as his tenure got off to a rocky start and his popularity plummeted.
War of 1812
With the War of 1812War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
raging, Alston called the state militia to service in 1813 to protect military magazines from the British
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. Some soldiers of the militia refused to serve and Alston issued a statement that the refusal of service would result in death. However, a court issued a writ of habeas corpus
Habeas corpus
is a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to his aid. Habeas corpus originated in the English legal system, but it is now available in many nations...
and the men charged with court-martial were let free. Subsequently, Alston dismissed the entire militia from service, but the residents were in shock that their state was then completely defenseless from British attack. Alston was forced to recall the militia to service after the British landed on St. Helena Island
Saint Helena Island, South Carolina
St. Helena Island is one of the Sea Islands in Beaufort County, South Carolina that are historic sites of early European colonization of North America. St. Helena is also the center of African-American Gullah culture and language. It is sometimes claimed to be the oldest settlement in the United...
and the legislature correspondingly responded by increasing the powers of the governor for the use of the militia in wartime.
Later life
After Alston left the governorship in 1814, he died on September 19, 1816 in CharlestonCharleston, 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...
.