William M. Gwin

William Gwin
United States Senator from California
In office January 13, 1857 – March 3, 1861
Preceded by	Himself (1855)
Succeeded by	James A. McDougall
In office September 10, 1850 – March 3, 1855
Preceded by	Himself (Shadow Senator)
Succeeded by	Himself (1857)
United States Shadow Senator from California
In office December 20, 1849 – September 10, 1850
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Himself (U.S. Senator)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's at-large district
In office March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843
Preceded by	Albert G. Brown
Succeeded by	William H. Hammett
Personal details
Born	William McKendree Gwin (1805-10-09)October 9, 1805 near Gallatin, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	September 3, 1885(1885-09-03) (aged 79) New York City, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	Transylvania University (BA, MD)

William McKendree Gwin (October 9, 1805 – September 3, 1885) was an American medical doctor and politician who served in elected office in Mississippi and California. In California he shared the distinction, along with John C. Frémont, of being the state's first U.S. senators. Before, during, and after the Civil War, Gwin was well known in California, Washington, D.C., and the Southern United States as a determined Confederate sympathizer.

Early life

Gwin was born near

Political career

As the son of a chaplain who was at the Battle of New Orleans, the young Gwin served as a personal secretary to President

During the

Although the new Republican Party won several important urban contests in California, Gwin's wing of the Democratic Party did very well in the California elections of 1859. After the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, Gwin helped to organize abortive secret discussions between Lincoln's new Secretary of State, William H. Seward, and some southern leaders to find a compromise that would avoid dissolution of the Union. Before hostilities broke out between the states, Gwin toured the South but returned to California. Here Gwin's Chivalry faction spoke on the South's behalf. Gwin even considered that it might be possible for a Republic of the Pacific, centered on California, to secede from the Union, but when his party suffered badly in the elections of 1861, he saw that there was little more that he could do in California to promote that cause.

Later life

Gwin returned east to New York on the same ship as Edwin Vose Sumner, commander of the Union Army's Department of the Pacific. Sumner organized Gwin's arrest along with two other secessionists, John Slidell (soon after involved in the Trent Affair) and J.L. Brent. However, President Abraham Lincoln intervened for their release, wishing to avoid an international incident, as Gwin had friends in Panama. Gwin sent his wife and one of his daughters to Europe, while he returned to his plantation in Mississippi. The plantation was destroyed in the war and Gwin, a daughter, and son fled to Paris.

In 1864, he attempted to interest

Gwin retired to California and engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death in New York City in 1885. He was interred at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California.^[2]

References