01. William Wyatt Bibb

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William Wyatt Bibb (October 2, 1781 – July 10, 1820) was the first governor of the U.S. state of Alabama. Bibb County, Alabama, and Bibb County, Georgia, are named for him.

He was a member of the Democratic-Republican political party. Bibb served as governor of the Alabama Territory from 1817 to 1819, and as governor of the State of Alabama from 1819 to his death on July 10, 1820.

Early life

Bibb was born in Amelia County, Virginia, and later moved with his family to Georgia. After attending William and Mary College and the University of Pennsylvania, he was awarded an M.D. degree in 1801. He returned to Georgia and began practicing medicine in Petersburg. In 1803, he married Mary Freeman.

Politics in Georgia

Bibb's first office was as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1803 to 1805. He was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Ninth United States Congress to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas Spalding, and was reelected four times, serving until November 6, 1813. He was then elected to the United States Senate to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of William H. Crawford and served until November 9, 1816.

Governor of Alabama

He was appointed the first governor of the Alabama Territory in 1817. Alabama became a state on December 14, 1819. Bibb was elected governor, defeating Marmaduke Williams. Bibb received 8,342 votes, while Williams got 7,140 votes.

Bibb's primary duties were establishing the state government. Huntsville was the first capital. (The capital was moved to Cahawba in 1820, Tuscaloosa in 1826, and Montgomery in 1846.)

Henry Hitchcock was elected the first Attorney General of Alabama, and Thomas A. Rogers was elected as the first Secretary of State of Alabama. The first session of the state legislature was held from October 25, 1819, to December 17, 1819. William R. King and John W. Walker were chosen as the first U.S. Senators.

Death

In 1820, Bibb suffered a fall from a horse. He died from internal injuries on July 10, 1820. His brother, Thomas Bibb, was president of the state senate at the time and completed the rest of his term.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "William Wyatt Bibb".

List of Alabama's Governors

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Here is a list of the 52 governors of the State of Alabama.

1. William Wyatt Bibb
2. Thomas Bibb
3. Israel Pickens
4. John Murphy
5. Gabriel Moore
6. Samuel B. Moore
7. John Gayle
8. Clement C. Clay
9. Hugh McVay
10. Arthur P. Bagby

11. Benjamin Fitzpatrick
12. Joshua L. Martin
13. Reuben Chapman
14. Henry W. Collier
15. John A. Winston
16. Andrew B. Moore
17. John Gill Shorter
18. Thomas H. Watts
19. Lewis E. Parsons
20. Robert M. Patton

21. William H. Smith
22. Robert B. Lindsay
23. David P. Lewis
24. George S. Houston
25. Rufus W. Cobb
26. Edward A. O'Neal
27. Thomas Seay
28. Thomas G. Jones
29. William C. Oates
30. Joseph F. Johnston

31. William J. Samford
32. William D. Jelks
33. B. B. Comer
34. Emmet O'Neal
35. Charles Henderson
36. Thomas Kilby
37. William W. Brandon
38. Bibb Graves
39. Benjamin M. Miller
40. Frank M. Dixon

41. Chauncey Sparks
42. James E. Folsom Sr.
43. Gordon Persons
44. John Patterson
45. George Wallace
46. Lurleen Wallace
47. Albert Brewer
48. Forrest H. "Fob" James Jr.
49. H. Guy Hunt
50. James E. Folsom Jr.

51. Don Siegelman
52. Robert R. Riley

Alabama Governors

01. William Wyatt Bibb

Early life

Politics in Georgia

Governor of Alabama

Death

List of Alabama's Governors