George Truitt

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = George Truitt
honorific-suffix =

---

imagesize =
small

office = Governor of Delaware
term_start = January 19 1808
term_end = January 15 1811
predecessor = Nathaniel Mitchell
successor = Joseph Haslet
birth_date = 1756
birth_place = Kent County, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1818|10|8|1756|7|1
death_place = Kent County, Delaware
spouse = Margaret (Mary) Hodgson
party = Federalist
residence = Kent County, Delaware
alma_mater =
occupation = farmer
profession =
religion = Methodist

George Truitt (1756 – October 8 1818) was an American farmer and politician from Murderkill Hundred, in Kent County, Delaware, near Felton. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

Truitt was born in 1756 in Murderkill Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, near Felton. The names of his parents are not known, but he was certainly a descendent of a George Truitt who settled in Accomack County, Virginia in the 17th century. He married Margaret "Mary" Hodgson and they had one child, Sarah. Their farm and primary residence was later known as Frazier Farm and is located east of Felton on the Canterbury Road, now State Route 15. They also had a home at 12 South Main Street in Camden. They were members of the Methodist Church.

Political career

He began his political career as a delegate to the state convention which ratified the United States Constitution of 1787. He then served five years in the State House from the 1788/89 session through the 1791/92 session and again in the 1794 session. He then served most of two terms in the State Senate, from the 1803 session through the 1807 session. In 1807 he was elected Governor of Delaware, defeating Joseph Haslet the Democratic-Republican Party candidate. Truitt took office January 19 1808 and served until January 15 1811.

Like other Governors, Truitt was concerned about issues like slavery, penal reform, and public education. A new issue arose during his term, however. Due to increasing tensions with Great Britain, the U.S. government had directed Delaware to create and equip a militia of 1300 men. The General Assembly, in turn requested Federal fortification of Wilmington, New Castle, Port Penn, Reedy Island, and Lewes.

{|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
-
1808
32nd|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |James Sykes|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |Stephen Lewis
-
1809
33rd|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |James Sykes|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |Stephen Lewis
-
1810
34th|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |James Sykes|
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |Stephen Lewis
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Death and legacy

Truit died October 8 1818 at his farm in Murderkill Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, near Felton and was buried there. In 1903 he was reburied at Barratt's Chapel Cemetery at Frederica.

No known portrait of George Truitt exists.

Almanac

Elections were held the first Tuesday of October. Members of the Delaware General Assembly took office the first Tuesday of January. State Senators had a three year term and State Representatives had a one year term. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and had a three year term.

Prior to 1792, elections were held October 1st and members of the General Assembly took office on October 20th. Also in 1792 the Legislative Council was renamed the State Senate and the House of Assembly, the State House.

{|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
Delegate
Convention
Dover
1787|
December 7 1787
Ratification
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Assemblyman
Legislature
Dover
1788
October 20 1788
October 20 1789|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Assemblyman
Legislature
Dover
1789
October 20 1789
October 20 1790|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Assemblyman
Legislature
Dover
1790
October 20 1790
October 20 1791|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Assemblyman
Legislature
Dover
1791
October 20 1791
October 20 1792|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Representative
Legislature
Dover
1793
January 7 1794
January 6 1795|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1802
January 4 1803
January 7 1806|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
State Senator
Legislature
Dover
1805
January 7 1806
January 19 1808|
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Governor
Executive
Dover
1807
January 19 1808
January 15 1811|
###@@@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/Federalist
1788/89
13th
State House
"non partisan"
Thomas Collins|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1789/90
14th
State House
"non partisan"
Joshua Clayton|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1790/91
15th
State House
"non partisan"
Joshua Clayton|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1791/92
16th
State House
"non partisan"
Joshua Clayton|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1794
18th
State House
Federalist
Joshua Clayton|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1803
27th
State Senate
Federalist
David Hall|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1804
28th
State Senate
Federalist
David Hall|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1805
29th
State Senate
Federalist
Nathaniel Mitchell|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1806
30th
State Senate
Federalist
Nathaniel Mitchell|
Kent "at-large"
-Party shading/Federalist
1807
31st
State Senate
Federalist
Nathaniel Mitchell|
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!%
-
1807
Governor|
Party shading/Federalist |George Truitt
Party shading/Federalist |Federalist
Party shading/Federalist |3,309
Party shading/Federalist |52%|
Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Joseph Haslet
Party shading/Democratic-Republican |Democratic-Republican
Party shading/Democratic-Republican |3,062
Party shading/Democratic-Republican |48%
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

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
*cite book |title= Forgotten Heroes of Delaware |last= Wilson |first= Emerson. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Deltos Publishing Company |location= Cambridge, Massachusetts |pages= |year= 1969 |id=

External links

* [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=d6da224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD George Truitt at the "Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States"]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/trippe-trumbo.html#RKD0HJTQA George Truitt at the "Political Graveyard"]
*Find A Grave|id=7489270
* [http://www.russpickett.com/history/delgov2.htm#truitt George Truitt 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]
* [http://www.barrattschapel.org/ Barrat's Chapel Cemetery] , 6416 Bay Road, Frederica, Delaware [phone].