William Tharp

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = William Tharp
honorific-suffix =


imagesize =
small

office = Governor of Delaware
term_start = January 19 1847
term_end = January 21 1851
predecessor = William Temple
successor = William H. H. Ross
birth_date = birth date|1803|11|27|mf=y
birth_place = Farmington, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1865|1|9|1803|11|27
death_place = Milford, Delaware
spouse = Mary A. Johnson
party = Democratic
residence = Milford, Delaware
alma_mater =
occupation = farmer
profession =
religion = Presbyterian

William Tharp (November 27 1803 – January 9 1865) was an American farmer and politician from Milford, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

Tharp was born November 27 1803 in Farmington, Delaware, the son of James and Eunice Fleming Tharp. His great grandfather had settled near Frankford, Delaware in 1735. His father died in 1829 and he married Mary A. Johnson about the same time. They had five children: Ruth, Mary Elizabeth, Martina, Williamina, and Ann Purnell. Through his wife that he inherited his first home on U.S. Highway 13 at Farmington, and began the accumulation of a considerable amount of farmland which he managed for the rest of his life. When he was elected Governor in 1847, the family moved to Milford and lived at the northeast corner of Church and Front Streets. They were members of the Presbyterian Church and among the organizers of a new congregation in Milford in 1849.

Delaware politics

Throughout the 19th century Delaware politics was characterized by a conservative down state, agrarian and small business majority, in opposition to a Wilmington based industrialist minority. This majority was lead into the Whig Party by John M. Clayton. Having lost three straight elections for governor, the minority Democratic Party found a candidate of their own from down state in Tharp.

Governor of Delaware

Tharp was elected to the Delaware State Senate and served in the 1839/40 and 1841/42 sessions. He sought reelection to the State Senate in 1842, but after a months long recount, was found to have lost by 1 vote. He then ran for Governor in 1844, but lost to the Whig Party candidate, Thomas Stockton. Because Stockton died in office another gubenatorial election was held in 1846, and Tharp was finally elected, defeating Peter F. Causey, the Whig Party candidate. Although he was elected along with a Whig Party General Assembly, his term began the long dominance of the Democratic Party for the remainder of the 19th century. Tharp served a full term as Governor from January 19 1847 until January 21 1851.

The Mexican-American War began shortly before Thorp took office, and it was a war he and most Delawareans questioned the need for. Nevertheless, like the unwanted War of 1812, Tharp and Delaware in general responded to the recruiter, and many served honorably from Buena Vista to Vera Cruz. At home Delaware finally handed over Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River to the U.S. government, ultimately for the building of Fort Delaware. Following his term Tharp retired from public service and in 1852, was named Treasurer of the Delaware Railroad.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
"(sessions while Governor)"
-!Year!Assembly!!Senate Majority!Speaker!!House Majority!Speaker
-
1847-1848
64th|
Party shading/Whig |Whig
Party shading/Whig |William Winder Morris|
Party shading/Whig |Whig
Party shading/Whig |Lewis Thompson
-
1849-1850
65th|
Party shading/Whig |Whig
Party shading/Whig |William Winder Morris|
Party shading/Whig |Whig
Party shading/Whig |Daniel Cummins
-
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Death and legacy

Tharp died January 9 1865 at Milford, Delaware, and is buried there, at the Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery. He was the grandfather of future Governor William T. Watson. Tharp is described as "a very successful and progressive farmer...a strong man intellectually, a substantial citizen, prominent in his community and highly respected by all the people." [History of the State of Delaware, Conrad, Henry C.]

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. Members of the Delaware General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. State Senators have a four year term. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four year term.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" | Public Offices
-! Office! Type! Location! Elected! Took Office! Left Office! notes
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1838
January 6 1839
January 6 1843|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Governor
Executive
Dover
1846
January 19 1847
January 21 1851|
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly "service"
-! Dates! Assembly! Chamber! Majority! Governor! Committees! District
-Party shading/Whig
1839-1840
60th
State Senate
Whig
Cornelius P. Comegys|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Whig
1841-1842
61st
State Senate
Whig
William B. Cooper|
Kent "at-large"
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
-!Year!Office!!Subject!Party!Votes!%!!Opponent!Party!Votes!%
-
1844
Governor|
Party shading/Democratic |William Tharp
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |6,095
Party shading/Democratic |50%|
Party shading/Whig |Thomas Stockton
Party shading/Whig |Whig
Party shading/Whig |6,140
Party shading/Whig |50%
-
1846
Governor|
Party shading/Democratic |William Tharp
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |6,148
Party shading/Democratic |51%|
Party shading/Whig |Peter F. Causey
Party shading/Whig |Whig
Party shading/Whig |6,012
Party shading/Whig |49%
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Notes

References

*cite book |title = History of the State of Delaware |last= Conrad |first= Henry C. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Wickersham Company |location= Lancaster, Pennsylvania |pages= |year= 1908 |id=
*cite book |title= A History of Delaware Through its Governors |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= McClafferty Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1984 |id=
*cite book |title= Memoirs of the Senate |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Roger A. Martin |location= Newark, Delaware |pages= |year= 1995 |id=
*cite book |title= History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols |last= Scharf |first= John Thomas |coauthors= |work= |publisher= L. J. Richards & Co |location= Philadelphia |pages= |year= 1888 |id= ISBN 0-87413-493-5

=

* [http://www.state.de.us/research/Tour/information/Governors/govs-15.shtml Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery] "Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover."

External links

* [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=a45b224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD William Tharp at the "Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States"]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/terryll-thaxton.html#RKD0H16GL William Tharp at the "Political Graveyard"]
*Find A Grave|id=7105267
* [http://www.russpickett.com/history/delgov2.htm#tharp William Tharp at "Delaware’s Governors"]

Places with more information

* [http://www.hsd.org/ Historical Society of Delaware] , 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware [phone]
* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ University of Delaware Library] , 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware [phone]