William Harris Crawford (February 24, 1772 – September 15, 1834) was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 politician and judge during the early 19th century. He served as United States Secretary of War

United States Secretary of War

The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...

 from 1815 to 1816 and United States Secretary of the Treasury

United States Secretary of the Treasury

The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...

 from 1816 to 1825, and was a candidate for President of the United States in 1824

United States presidential election, 1824

In the United States presidential election of 1824, John Quincy Adams was elected President on February 9, 1825, after the election was decided by the House of Representatives. The previous years had seen a one-party government in the United States, as the Federalist Party had dissolved, leaving...

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In 1803, Crawford was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives

Georgia 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:...

 as a member of the Democratic-Republican Party. In 1807, Crawford joined the 10th United States Congress

10th United States Congress

- House of Representatives :- Senate :*President: George Clinton *President pro tempore: Samuel Smith , elected April 16, 1808** Stephen R. Bradley , elected December 28, 1808** John Milledge , elected January 30, 1809...

 mid-term
as the junior U.S. Senator from Georgia
when the Georgia legislature elected him to replace George Jones

George Jones (U.S. Senator)

George Jones was a United States Senator from Georgia. Born in Savannah, he received an academic training, studied medicine with his father, and practiced for a number of years. He participated in the American Revolutionary War and during 1780 and 1781 was imprisoned upon an English ship...

, an appointee who had held the office for a few months after the death of Abraham Baldwin

Abraham Baldwin

Abraham Baldwin was an American politician, Patriot, and Founding Father from the U.S. state of Georgia. Baldwin was a Georgia representative in the Continental Congress and served in the United States House of Representatives and Senate after the adoption of the Constitution.-Minister:After...

.

Crawford was elected President pro tempore

President pro tempore of the United States Senate

The President pro tempore is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate. The United States Constitution states that the Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate and the highest-ranking official of the Senate despite not being a member of the body...

 in 1811.