- Richard K. Call
Richard Keith Call (
October 24 ,1792 -September 14 ,1862 ) was the third and fifth territorial governor ofFlorida .Named after his uncle, a Revolutionary War hero, he was born in Pittsfield, Prince George County,
Virginia . In 1813 he left school to take part in theCreek War . He came favorably to the attention of GeneralAndrew Jackson , and came toFlorida in 1814 as his personal aid. He returned with General Jackson in 1821 to establish the territorial government after theUnited States acquiredFlorida fromSpain in theAdams-Onís Treaty . In 1822, he decided to makeFlorida his home and opened a legal practice. In 1824 he married Mary Letitia Kirkman of Nashville at General Jackson's home, the Hermitage .He was on the Legislative Council of the territory and served as a Delegate to the U.S. Congress. On
March 16 ,1836 , he was appointed by PresidentAndrew Jackson as the governor of the territory. During this first term, he led theFlorida militia in fighting theSeminole Indians , winning victories at the second and third Battles of Wahoo Swamp. He was replaced as governor by PresidentMartin Van Buren onDecember 2 ,1839 following a dispute with Federal authorities over their assistance in the war. He crossed party lines to assist the presidential campaign ofWilliam Henry Harrison , whoappointed him again as Governor. During this second term as governor, which began onMarch 19 ,1841 , he moved the territory closer to statehood and tried to minimize the financial problems thatFlorida experienced due to bank failures and a national business depression. He left office onAugust 11 ,1844 . In 1845 Florida became a State, and he again sought election as governor, but his role in the election of President Harrison adversely affect his campaign.During the 1830s, he constructed two
plantation s on land that he purchased in Leon County.Orchard Pond Plantation was located north of Tallahassee andThe Grove Plantation was located on Tallahassee's northern outskirts. Today it is on the National Register of Historic Places. The estate later became the home of GovernorLeRoy Collins , and his wife Mary Call Collins, the great granddaughter of Richard Call. Richard Keith Call died at The Grove onSeptember 14 ,1862 .Call was the uncle of US Senator
Wilkinson Call .Legacy
There are several streets in Florida named after Richard K. Call. Call Streets are in Tallahassee, Starke,
Jacksonville , Hollywood, and High Springs.In 1944, a
United States Liberty ship named the SS "Richard K. Call" was launched.References
Morris, Allen and Joan Perry Morris, compilers. "The Florida Handbook 2007-2008" 31st Biennial Edition. Page 304. [http://www.PeninsularPublishing.com Peninsula Publishing] . Tallahassee. 2007. ISBN 978-0-9765846-1-2 Softcover ISBN 978-0-9765846-2-9 Hardcover
External links
* [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000050 Biographical Directory of the US Congress]
* [http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/museum/collections/governors/about.cfm?id=4 Official Governor's portrait and biography from the State of Florida]
* [http://www.floridamemory.com/Collections/CallBrevardPapers/ Call Family and Brevard Family Papers] This collection contains correspondence, writings, and other papers of Richard Keith Call and his family from 1788-1916. From the State Library and Archives of Florida.
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